King Soris sat in his opulent study, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across the room. His fingers clutched a crumpled letter, its contents searing his mind with every word. With a roar of frustration, he slammed a delicate porcelain vase to the floor, shattering it into a thousand pieces. "Why does nothing go as I want?" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

He paced, his royal robes swishing with each step. "Dealing with these repulsive creatures—demons, of all things—was the last thing I desired!" His thoughts churned, dark and bitter. "If Sir Juno had remained undefeated, everything would have been fine. My family's curse, this wretched yearning for the otherworld, would have stayed buried within me. But no—some unknown bastard had to ruin it all!"

Soris stopped, glaring at the letter as if it were the source of his woes. "Who the heck is this Shennong?" he muttered. The name gnawed at him, a mystery that had upended his carefully laid plans. He had arranged for Sir Juno, his once-invincible knight, to be transported in a cart to a hidden sanctuary, safe from the demons he'd reluctantly agreed to hand him over to. But the cart had reached its destination—a blunder of catastrophic proportions. And then there was the massacre at Marciel Mansion, a bloodbath that still haunted his thoughts.

Did these demons do it without my permission? How dare they kill innocent blood of my nation?

Slumping onto a velvet sofa, Soris buried his face in his hands. "What am I even doing?" he whispered. "Massacring my own people, making deals with demons… for what?" His gaze drifted to the window, where the sun hung low as it was setting, its pale light illuminating the capital city of Sturgon. His mind wandered to the late-night visitor who had been plaguing him—a figure cloaked in shadow, always appearing when least expected.

Soris was no stranger to the supernatural. He had fought wars against demons before ascending the throne, his blade stained with their ichor. But this visitor was different. "Vampires," he spat, the word dripping with disdain. "They're not the kind to act so brazenly in public. So how does one like that know so much about the royal family? How do they know where my interests lie?"

His thoughts were interrupted by the frantic tolling of a bell outside, its clamor slicing through the evening Soris froze, his heart pounding. "What now?" he growled, rising to his feet. A sharp knock echoed from the door of his private chambers. He strode over and flung it open, revealing the new captain of Order one, his face pale and sweat-slicked.

"Your Majesty," the captain stammered, bowing hastily. "Another stampede of monsters is approaching the capital!"

Soris gritted his teeth, his fists clenching. "What is going on this time?" he demanded, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.

Meanwhile, high above the capital, on a jagged mound of artificial soil conjured by his own inventory, Shennong stood with an air of quiet confidence. He was looking at the setting sun as he surveyed the city below, its fire twinkling like stars. Beside him stood Rilith, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon, and Cassandra, whose anxious expression betrayed her unease and she was covering her face.

"Is this really necessary?" Cassandra asked, wringing her hands. "All this chaos… these monsters…"

Shennong's lips curved into a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Cassandra. These monsters are under Ka'ra's control. No human will die tonight. I'm just… sniffing out some rats in the capital. I want to see this king and what sort of relationship he has with demons."

Rilith crossed her arms, her silver hair glinting in the moonlight. "And why send Velara with Ka'ra? What's your game, Shennong?"

He chuckled, a low, mischievous sound. "To sniff out those succubi hiding in the shadows, of course. I want everyone—every scheming demon, every vampire skulking in the dark—who's interested in Juno's sword to come out and try for it. I've made it easy for them. It's on the second floor of the old archive building, waiting to be claimed. Of course, they don't know what is in their and we'll send those who are interested including that big shot succubi"

Cassandra's eyes widened. "The sword? You're using it as bait? How do you plan to announce it? From what I learnt from Mandira she never told Sturgon about the sword, only that it's either lost or Juno hid it"

Shennong's grin widened. "Oh, it'll be flashy. I'll leave a message so bold, no one in Sturgon can miss it." He slid down the side of the soil mountain with effortless grace, landing lightly on the ground below. "And I'll personally show my face. They're all dying to know who this Shennong is—the mysterious stranger who's turned their lives upside down."

Rilith raised an eyebrow. "You're enjoying this far too much."

"Perhaps, but more than that I want to solve this quickly and bring back Yenissa." Shennong replied, his eyes gleaming with intent. "But I know what they're all after—succubi, demons, even the king. They're fighting in the shadows for something they think they can control. I'm curious what these people want."

Back in the palace, Soris stormed through the halls, his cape billowing behind him. The captain of Order one struggled to keep pace. "Your Majesty, the monsters are unlike anything we've seen before. They're organized, moving with purpose! This isn't like the previous attack. We believe these monsters are orcs, but they got blue skin for some reason."

"Organized?" Soris snapped, his mind racing. "That's no stampede. That's an attack." He stopped abruptly, turning to the captain. "Where are they headed?"

"The old gate, sire," the captain replied. "The same place that got damaged by the last attack, specifically."

Soris's blood ran cold. That game isn't even finished repairing. He knew if the monsters managed to breach into the city, it would be another disaster.

He dismissed the captain with a wave and retreated to armory led by dozen of men of his own personal army. It had been so long since he had taken his sword to fight someone personally, but now that the beacon of hope Sir Juno is gone, he knew he had to step in and fill that gap. No other commander had the same respect fromthe soliders, except their own orders.

"A king must fulfill his duty! Get ready to retreat people of the outer walls if necessary!"King Soris commanded, causing an havoc in the outer wall of the capital.

Meanwhile, Shennong stood in front the heart of the capital's main gate, his hair billowing dramatically in the evening wind. With a flourish, he raised his hand, and the ground trembled. A massive stone slab dropped out of nowhere, its surface etched with glowing Lunamarite crystals that pulsed with energy. The message was clear, written in letters that burned like blue fire under the setting fire:

The Sword of Juno awaits on the second floor of the dungeon. Come and claim it, if you dare. —Shennong, maker of the dungeon

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the gathering crowd. Shennong turned to Ka'ra, who stood nearby, her eyes glowing faintly as she commanded the horde of monsters circling the city. "Keep them moving," he instructed. "Draw out everyone who's been hiding in the shadows. Kill soliders but no civilians."

Ka'ra nodded, her voice low and melodic. "And Velara?"

"She's already doing her job," Shennong said. "If any succubi are lurking, she'll find them. They won't resist the bait."

Cassandra, who had followed him down from the mountain, tugged at his sleeve. "Shennong, this is reckless. What if the king sends his entire army? Or worse, what if the supreme succubus show up?"

Shennong's expression softened. "Well that's exactly what I want then, as for you now you should go back to main room. Use the tunnel we used to get here. You can no longer stay here."

Rilith joined them, her gaze fixed on the glowing slab. "You've certainly made a spectacle. Every power-hungry fool in Sturgon will be here by dawn."

"Good," Shennong said, his voice firm. "Let them come. I'm tired of their games. It's time to see who's brave enough to face me."

Back at the palace, Soris donned his armor, the weight of it familiar yet heavy with memory. He strapped his sword to his side, its blade gleaming with enchantments forged in battles long past, as he already got the message Shennong was trying to share with them. "If this Shennong wants a fight, he'll get one," he growled. "But I'll have that sword first. But I need naswers from this man. Capture him alive, with or without his limbs."

As he marched toward the gate, his mind churned with questions. Who was Shennong? Why was he stirring this chaos? And what did he know about Juno's sword? Soris's grip tightened on his hilt. Whatever the answers, he would find them tonight—even if it meant facing demons, vampires, or the mysterious Shennong himself.

The capital buzzed with tension, the air thick with the promise of bloodshed. The game was set, and the players were converging. The Sword of Juno, a relic of untold power, waited in the shadows, and with it, the fate of Sturgon hung in the balance.

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