Everyone was silent after his bold declaration.

    "A primordial demon..." Remu whispered, the words barely leaving her lips.

    It was as though the very mention of such a being had pulled the ground out from under her confidence.

    The other demon gods also exchanged uneasy glances.

    To claim to be a primordial demon was more than audacious—it was almost blasphemous.

    Such entities were considered myths, beings so ancient and powerful that even the oldest of demons had only heard whispers of their existence.

    "Impossible," Caurus muttered, his voice low and tinged with disbelief. "Primordial demons vanished eons ago. Even the Ancients only tell stories about them..."

    Tara also stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as if trying to discern whether Reign’s words were a trick or the terrifying truth.

    "A claim like that... Do you understand what you’re saying? To call yourself a primordial demon is to declare yourself above us all."

    Reign’s cold smirk stayed on his face. "I am above all of you," he said, his voice blunt and clear.

    "To be honest, I’m very disappointed. You call yourselves Demon Gods, but this is all you’ve got?" His words were full of contempt, making sure they knew he saw them as weak.

    The demon gods’ faces turned sour, but they said nothing. His power, the way he crushed Asmodeus, was still fresh in their minds.

    "You walk around with your fancy titles, but when it matters, you fail," Reign continued, his voice calm but mocking. "Is this what strength looks like now? No wonder your enemies see you as nothing more than a joke."

    Remu clenched her fists, but she stayed silent, her pride battling with the truth of his words.

    "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create peaceful times. Peaceful times create weak men..." Reign’s voice lingered on the last part before his smirk deepened. "And your generation really took that last part seriously."

    The disdain in his tone hit harder than any physical blow.

    Remu’s jaw tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm. "We—"

    "Silence," he cut her off, his eyes locking onto hers. "Don’t interrupt me, unless you want to add more to your list of failures."

    The group flinched as his words struck like a whip. It wasn’t just arrogance—it was a deliberate, calculated display of dominance.

    "Understand this," Reign continued, his voice lowering but no less commanding. "From now on, I decide the direction of this war. If you think otherwise, feel free to step up and challenge me."

    Remu clenched her fists, her pride stung by his words. "Your power is indeed beyond us," she began, her voice steady and firm. "But you’re mistaken if you think you can simply assume command. The demons already have a leader—Draven, the strongest demon alive."

    Her words hung in the air, and a flicker of defiance sparked in the other demon gods as they nodded in agreement.

    Before they could even reply, Reign vanished, flying away so fast that it didn’t even register in their vision.

    By the time they realized what had happened, he was already gone.

    —

    —

    —

    Demon Capital Council Room.

    The members had gathered, each eager to report what had just transpired.

    Remu was the first to speak, her voice laced with frustration.

    "He claimed to be a primordial demon. He mocked us, belittled everything we’ve worked for. He even said he’s coming for you in a few days, giving you an ultimatum—surrender or die by his hands."

    Draven stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze distant as he processed the information.

    He had already seen the footage, but hearing it from the others allowed him to paint a more vivid picture of the new player in the game.

    Normally, Draven would have relished the chance to kill the arrogant fool for insulting him, but now was not the time for that.

    The threat of Hell still loomed over them, and if the claims were true, they would be fools to go against someone who could be a potential ally and help them.

    "I’m not going to hand my position to him," Draven said, his voice steady. "But I do think there’s a lot to gain by forming a partnership. Regardless of whether he was telling the truth about being a primordial, we can’t deny his power."

    Remu frowned, clearly not happy with the idea. "So, you’re saying we should align with him? After everything he said, after the way he insulted us?"

    "I’m not saying we bow to him. But if he can help us defeat the Hell Army, then we use what we can. This isn’t about pride. It’s about survival."

    Tara crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "He’s dangerous, Draven. If we’re not careful, he could turn on us just as easily. We need to keep him in check."

    Venzo nodded in agreement. "We can’t afford to let him get too comfortable. If we form an alliance, we need to make sure it’s on our terms."

    Draven leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "You’re all too emotional. Right now, we have bigger problems than his arrogance. If we can use his power to take down the Hell Army, then we deal with him after. The war comes first."

    Visara, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "I agree with Draven. We’re facing a losing war. If he can help us, then we do what we must to ensure victory."

    With the two most senior and respected demons having spoken, no one else dared raise any further concerns.

    It was true. Right now, they couldn’t afford to turn away any additional help.

    And even if they tried violence, it would mean sacrificing too much manpower, which would only be counterproductive.