Rise of The Demon General

Aside from the feeling that she recognized the face of the humanoid creature before her, Zee Min also felt like she recognized its voice. Her mind was racing through her memories to identify where she had heard the voice before, but she couldn’t seem to recall.

"What’s the matter? Do you not recognize me?"

Only after the creature had spoken to her a second time did her memory click. She asked with much uncertainty, "You...? Are you... Amon...?"

Zhong Yuan’s High-tier Runic puppet followed behind Zee Min. It was equipped with a transmission connected to Zhong Yuan’s control panel. The transmission went both ways. Zhong Yuan could see what the battle puppet saw and speak through it. Zhong Yuan’s voice was heard from the puppet, "Amon...? That thing is Amon? Wait... The visual analyzer does indicate that it is eighty-three percent matching the Amon in my database."

"Well, I guess I look different now, but yes, I’m Amon," Amon confirmed.

"I’m coming right up!" Zhong Yuan uttered through the battle puppet.

Zhong Yuan sounded excited, but Zee Min didn’t share his enthusiasm. After all, the last time she parted with Amon, it wasn’t exactly a happy farewell.

She said, "You have the guts to show yourself again, Amon. We want nothing to do with you! Don’t you know that everyone in the world hunts you? Don’t think that all these years have made people forget the fact that you are a demon!"

"Ah, a demon... Yes, yes," Amon responded. "That is indeed the truth. What are you going to do about it?"

Zee Min didn’t like Amon’s taunting tone. Nevertheless, her instincts told her that if she made a move against him, she would regret it. Hence, she stopped herself from advancing. Moreover, another thing bothered her. She asked, "What is your cultivation level? I can’t seem to grasp it."

Amon grinned. "Hehe... That’s what happens when our gap becomes too large."

"You don’t mean..."

She stopped when she heard sounds coming from behind. She turned and saw Zhong Yuan entering. He was not alone. Hong Zi, Ha Velet, and a few security guards came with him.

Hong Zi and Ha Velet didn’t recognize Amon. When they laid eyes on him, they yelled, "Kill that beast!"

Zee Min stopped them. "Halt...!!!"

The security guards stopped. They were confused. One high councilor told them to attack, while the other told them not to. They looked back and forth between the ones who issued these conflicting orders.

"What are you doing? Why do you stop them from killing that spirit beast?" Hong Zi protested.

"That is not a spirit beast," Zhong Yuan said.

"It certainly looks like one," Ha Velet said.

"Can’t you see the battle puppets on the floor?" Zee Min told them. "You will just send them to their deaths if they advance."

"What are you talking about?" Hong Zi asked.

"Mm, this is taking too long. I don’t have the time to waste here," Amon uttered. He waved his hand, and countless flying knives flew out. Before anyone was aware that Amon had made his move, the knives had flown past them. These knives pierced the vital parts of the security guards. In an instant, only the four High Councilors were left standing.

"What...?!" Everyone was taken aback.

"Amon, why did you do that?" Zhong Yuan asked.

"Amon?" Hong Zi and Ha Velet turned to the being they thought to be a spirit beast. Now that they took another look, they could see the similarities. Even so, they couldn’t believe what they saw. The Amon from before was a demonic beast, but only metaphorically. Now, he even looked like one.

"I wish to speak to you," Amon told them. "Those people don’t need to hear what I have to say, so I get rid of them."

"Are you truly Amon?" Ha Velet asked.

"What do you want, Amon?" Zee Min asked. "As I’ve told you, we don’t want anything to do with a demon. Go away now, and we won’t tell anyone about you."

"If I go now, you will regret it for the rest of your lives, which won’t be long for now," Amon said.

"What do you mean?" Zhong Yuan asked.

"Are you threatening us?" Zee Min asked.

"Amon, don’t think we are helpless like before," Hong Zi said. "Khode is now a respected nation. You will face the might of this entire nation if you dare to cross us.

"The might of your entire nation is worthless against me!" Amon’s voice boomed as he donned the Elder God Veil. At the same time, he activated his Soulfire Armor’s power. Fire burst out and merged with the shadow suit. Flame and darkness spread around the room as he released his Peak Mammoth Stage aura.

The pressure from his aura suffocated the four, making them unable to move or breathe. Flames and shadow surrounded them. They could feel the heat, and somehow, they were certain they would burn to death if the fire touched them. The shadow accompanying the flames played tricks on their minds, making them see horrific things. Fear and hopelessness bore down on them.

Feeling helpless, they fell on their knees. They could do nothing except pray that all this was but a nightmare.

Then, the shadow and flames receded. They were gone as abruptly as they appeared. The pressure was gone, but the four remained on their knees. They were shivering and drenched in sweat. They had trouble forming a thought.

Amon left them be.

After more than a minute, Zee Min finally spoke. Her voice was trembling. "What... What is your cultivation level...?"

"Peak Mammoth Stage," Amon answered. "I understand you are unfamiliar with the infernal cultivation levels. If I am to make a comparison, a Peak Mammoth Stage is roughly as strong as the Peak Emperor Stage of the Demigod Realm from the divine cultivation path."

The four were dumbfounded. The Emperor Stage was even more powerful than the King Stage. Zhang Daofeng, who entered the Beginning King Stage, terrorized them into submission many years ago. They were powerless against him, and Amon was now way more powerful. What hope did they have if Amon wanted to destroy them?

"Do you understand now?" Amon asked. "If I want to kill you, lots. There is nothing you can do about it."

"How... How do you gain such power?" Zee Min asked.

Amon shrugged. "I have you and your friends to thank for it. If you hadn’t exposed the secret that I am a demon, I wouldn’t have fled to the lower world."

"Lo–Lower world...? You came from the lower world?" Zhong Yuan asked.

"Yeah. It took some effort, but there, I managed to achieve what I failed to do here. I conquered it."

"You... you, what...?" Zee Min and the others asked simultaneously. Amon’s claim had been too spectacular to believe.

"However, I’m not here to boast about my achievements. I come bearing bad tidings."

"Bad...? What bad tidings?" Zhong Yuan asked.

"Remember the calamity that was supposed to be brought about by the Temple of Divinity? The one that we tried to prevent?"

"Are... Are you telling me that you know what it is?"

"Not only that, but I also know when it will happen, which should be one month from now."

The four went silent after hearing Amon’s words. They didn’t know whether they should trust him. But then again, why would he lie? With the power he displayed, he didn’t need trickery to force them into submission.

"Are you... Are you going to help us face this calamity?" Zhong Yuan asked.

Amon grinned. "That is precisely what I came here to do."

"... Really?" Zee Min asked. She wasn’t convinced. "You don’t exactly owe us anything, and we have tried to eliminate you the last time we saw you. Why do you want to help us?"

"I’m not helping you. Your assistance simply provides me with an advantage I can use against my opponent."

"Opponent? What opponent?" Hong Zi asked.

"The upper world," Amon answered.

"Are you telling me that the upper world brings about the calamity?"

"Originally, it is done through the cooperation between the upper world and the lower world. So, as you can see, people of the surface world never stand a chance. Being besieged by two worlds with power levels way above yourself, all you can do is accept your fate. Lucky for you, I now steer the lower world. With the help of my force, you should at least have a surviving chance."

"What does the upper world have against you? Why are you picking a fight with them?" Zee Min asked.

"That is a funny thing to ask," Amon replied with a chuckle. "Zhong Yuan, how about you answer that question for me?"

Zhong Yuan was bewildered because of the sudden request. "Uh... Um, because you can’t stand the existence of a force more powerful than you?"

"Hehe. It isn’t a waste that you once served as my follower."