? ? ?? ? ?

Azazel's expression turned serious. "Don't judge her because she has done awful things. There's a reason behind it."

The group, their faces now serious, waited for Azazel to elaborate.

"A reason?" Ren inquired.

Azazel nodded. "She suffered from extreme hunger before I founded her, and dying of hunger is one of the worst ways to go. So her love for food and hoarding it stemmed from that."

Ren and the others exchanged glances.

"But it's not a reason to do what she did to these lands," Lorelai insisted.

Azazel agreed, "True." He then gave them a beguiling look. "But, like I said, everything has an explanation."

"And what is that explanation?" Ren asked.

Azazel was about to respond when they felt the air grow colder, and the ominous energy intensified. As they approached the heart of the fortress, Voraxa's presence loomed like a palpable force.

The group could feel the weight of her malevolence, a sinister aura that transcended the physical confines of the castle.

At last, they stood before the imposing Throne Room.

"Is this the place?" Elena inquired.

Azazel nodded with solemnity. "I can sense her presence right here. She's inside."

Ren and Evie exchanged glances, and silently nodded before they reached for the door handles and opened the door.

As the group stepped into the Throne Room, the stark contrast from the castle's foreboding exterior was astonishing. It was as if they had entered an entirely different dimension!

The grotesque and pulsating flesh of the castle's outer layers gave way to a vibrant and surreal space that defied expectations.

The room was an explosion of colors, a kaleidoscope of hues that danced and twirled in the air.

The atmosphere, once heavy with ominous energy, was now alive with vitality. It felt like they had stepped into the heart of a gingerbread house, surrounded by the enchanting aroma of sweets and decadent treats.

The brightness of the room was almost blinding compared to the gloom of the castle's corridors.

Rays of light refracted through stained glass candy windows, casting playful patterns on the walls. The ceiling, adorned with intricate paintings that made of cotton candies.

Amidst this fantastical setting, at the very center of the room, was a colossal woman. Her polka-dot dress swirled with animated patterns, a riot of colors that complemented the room's exuberance.

A cascade of pink hair, intricately braided atop her head, added to her whimsical appearance.

The woman sat upon on the earth made of bread, surrounded by a mountain of sweets and delectable treats.

The air was filled with the tantalizing scent of confections, creating an almost intoxicating ambiance.

Unperturbed by the newcomers, the woman indulged in a continuous feast, her back turned to them as if they were mere spectators in her world of perpetual delight.

The group, momentarily transfixed by the surreal scene before them, exchanged bewildered glances.

Lorelai stepped forward, confronting the figure engrossed in her perpetual feast. "Are you Voraxa?"

Voraxa halted her indulgence, causing an uneasy pause. The group tightened their grips on their weapons, ready for any response.

Voraxa, rising from her peculiarly thin legs that contrasted starkly with her portly abdomen, turned to face them.

Ren and the others nearly recoiled in astonishment.

Contrary to the childish image they anticipated, Voraxa revealed a middle-aged woman with squinty eyes, a prominent hooked nose, thick lips, and warts dotting her face, from which hair protruded.

Her mouth, when opened, revealed missing and oversized teeth. "Who are you? How dare you come here and interfere with my meal?"

Elena, noting the stark difference from Azazel's portrayal, murmured, "She's nothing like you've said. What's so sweet about her?"

Azazel, unfazed, hummed, "Hm~Hm~. This is just because of the dark energy that consumed her. Because of me, she's like this."

"What do you mean?" Ren inquired.

Instead of answering, Azazel stepped forward, directly confronting Voraxa.

"Vivi," he began.

"Vivi?" Ren and the others exchanged incredulous looks.

What's with that overly cutesy name?

"You . . ." Voraxa's eyes narrowed to slits. "How do you know that name? No one is supposed to know that name except . . ."

Azazel grinned and declared boldly, "Yes. It's me. It's Obsidian X, the Demon King."

A moment of stunned silence hung in the air before Voraxa's spoke in a grating old voice.

Voraxa uttered, "Obsidian . . . X?"

"That's right," Azazel nodded, grinning widely. "Though I'm not in my original body, you could tell, right? It's me."

Voraxa struggled to find words, her expression hidden behind her lower head.

Lorelai skeptically interjected, "That's no way that it's going to work." She then laughed and whispered, "She's going to kill him."

Yet, shock overcame them as Voraxa's face contorted when she suddenly raised her head, and tears welled in her eyes. "Obsidian X, y-you . . ." she uttered with a choked-filled voice.

Ren and the others couldn't believe their ears, turning their wide-eyed gazes and gaping mouth toward Azazel.

The kid they had been traveling with, the seemingly naive and delusional Azazel, was truly the Demon King? 𝒻𝓇𝘦𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝑚

That can't be!

"No way," Elena muttered.

Lorelai clutched her head, unwilling to accept the unfolding revelation. "This must be a joke. There's no way that idiotic kid could be a Demon King."

As the weight of the revelation sank in, the dynamics within the Throne Room shifted, leaving the group to grapple with the newfound truth and the implications it held for their quest in the Netherworld.

Amidst the collective shock, Azazel's grin widened, and he approached Voraxa with confidence. "That's right. It's me, your beloved Demon Ki––!"

Before he could finish his proclamation, Voraxa's mouth opened wide, and with shocking swiftness, she swallowed him whole.

. . .

. . .

A heavy silence descended, leaving Ren and the others momentarily paralyzed with disbelief.

"Agh! That kid!" Elena struggled to find words.

"Looks like she ate him," Evie remarked with a matter-of-fact tone.

Ren, still processing the unexpected turn of events, was at a loss for words, while Lorelai seemed oddly pleased with the outcome.

"Ahahahaha! Serves him right for lying! See, I told you she's going to eat him for pretending to be the Demon King!"

"This isn't the time to be laughing," Ren reprimanded her. "We need to save him."

"Guys, what's happening with her?" Elena asked.

All eyes turned to Voraxa, and everyone was dumbfounded when she suddenly turned wild with anger.