The relentless battle between humans and demons has spanned countless generations, continuing without respite. As the centuries pass, the struggle for dominance remains fierce, with neither side willing to give an inch.

  The indomitable spirit of humans has been the only barrier preventing the demons from achieving total victory. Despite this, the demons have seized a staggering 65 percent of Assiorah. However, every force has its limits, and the humans' resolve is weakening. They are in dire need of help, and time is running out. They have one desperate measure left.

  A spell known only as the Reincarnation Spell.

  Beneath the majestic night sky, six figures stand in a vast, open grassy area the size of a football field. In the darkness, a golden magic circle glows as brightly as a lantern.

  Four of the men wear white hooded robes that obscure their faces in shadow. The other two are clad in full body armor. The shorter, older man wears silver armor and a golden crown atop his wavy dark grey hair, holding a sword in his hand. The taller, younger man wears white armor and a full-face helm with gold trim, featuring a beast's face with two horns pointing skyward. His white scabbard rests horizontally on his lower back. All six men's attire gleams in the night as they prepare for the Reincarnation Spell.

  "Is this far enough, my lord?" the taller man asks.

  "Yes. Good work, Elas. We don't know if this Reincarnation Spell will even work. If something goes wrong, at least no one else will be caught in it."

  Elas sighs. He wants to protest the dangerous situation for his king but refrains. They had already argued about it, and Elas eventually gave in, bringing his king along. King Reth and he had debated whether Reth should join this potentially deadly mission. S-rank Adventurers in Dugria could have protected the king during the current demon invasion. But no, Lord Reth insisted on coming. If the Reincarnation Spell goes wrong and Reth dies...

  No.

  Elas won't let that happen. He's also an S-rank Adventurer, powerful and experienced in combat, with formidable magical abilities. For example, his fire magic at full power can engulf an entire city in flames, and that's not even his strongest element. He will be prepared for whatever happens.

  "Alright." Elas begins, looking at one of the hooded mages. "So, how many are we expected to get?"

  The mage looks up at him, but the darkness still obscures his face despite the moonlight. "We are confident in our abilities, oh great knight. With our power, I'd say five reincarnated heroes."

  "Five, huh." Reth strokes his thick grey beard. "If they are as strong as that scroll hyped them up to be, then five will just be overkill..." The old man then grows a sinister side grin. "And overkill is what we need. Proceed."

  "Yes, my lord." All four mages say in unison before extending their hands toward the golden magic circle five meters in front of them. They begin chanting in an unknown language in perfect harmony, almost as if one voice is speaking. As the incantation continues, the magic circle glows brighter and brighter.

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  "IT'S WORKING!!!" Reth punches the air.

  The light from the magic circle grows so bright that the sigil's details are hidden in the intense brightness, covering the area in a warm golden light. But just as it reaches its peak, the light is sucked back into the circle as if drawn by a powerful vacuum, making a swoop-like sound.

  Everything returns to how it was before the chanting.

  "Uh..." Elas says, turning to the mage on his left. "Did it fail?"

  "Wait!" a mage screams. "It's turning black! Why is it turning black?!"

  Elas whips his head to the magic circle. It's just as the mage said, the sigil has turned dark black with violet outlines. "I guess that wasn't supposed to hap-"

  His speech is cut short when he feels an ominous presence from the circle, now seeping dark smoke from its center.

  Something is coming... He thought. Something powerful and evil. Oh No!!

  "My Lord!!"

  KABOOM!!!!!

  In a millisecond, Elas creates a white magical shield that envelops everyone, saving them from the massive explosion originating from the now black sigil. The discharge reaches a 50-mile radius, destroying everything in its wake and disintegrating trees and grass below. The wind pressure is twice as potent as an atomic bomb, but Elas resists its force effortlessly.

  "What the hell happened?!" Reth screams to be heard over the roaring combustion. "What went wrong?!"

  "I-I don't know. Someone put dark magic in the spell at the last moment. It was a success. There were going to be five heroes reincarnated to our world, but someone manipulated it, forcing evil mana into the enchantment and redirecting the spell elsewhere."

  "Who did it?!"

  "And if it's been redirected to another place..." Elas says, staring at the black sigil. "Who is about to be summoned?"

  As if in response, the explosion ends quickly, and once the black smoke settles, lying on her back where the magic circle was, is the most beautiful woman the six men has ever seen. With the help of the light from Elas magic shield, they can clearly see who is resting before them. Her beauty would make elves self-conscious. Despite her ears having pointy ends like an elf's, they know she is not of that species.

  She possesses flawless smooth light grey skin and long, deep black hair. Her slim, athletic, and curvaceous figure is elegantly draped in a simple, yet refined long off-the-shoulders black dress. The dress features a V-shaped open front, revealing her bare chest and a hint of her breasts, along with her toned abdomen. A necklace adorned with a black spiked ball emblem rests around her neck. On her feet, she wears black heels, complemented by a golden anklet on her left ankle.

  Her face was a masterpiece of sharp, angular lines. The high, prominent cheekbones caught the moonlight, casting soft shadows that accentuated the sculpted planes of her face. Her jawline is firm and well-defined. This jawline frames a mouth with full lips that has a perfectly shaped Cupid's bow. Her nose is straight and sleek. The woman's eyes would be the focal point of her striking features had they not been closed, but they are surrounded by dark eyelashes with thick, arched brows above them.

  Elas felt a serene and elegant aura emanating from her. Even in slumber, she exuded a grace that was almost otherworldly. Yet, despite being mesmerized by her beauty, he remained vigilant. Her magical energy was palpable, a force so potent that it dwarfed his own. She was undeniably powerful—far more so than he.

  Her allure was magnetic, drawing him in irresistibly. But alongside this attraction was a growing sense of dread, the same foreboding that had gripped him before the explosion. Only now, it was more intense, like an unseen weight pressing down on him, threatening to crush him at any moment.

  It was her. She was the source of that ominous feeling, a stark reminder of the vast difference in their powers. His instincts were torn, caught between the awe she inspired and the urge to flee before she awakened. That's the crux of it.

  He doesn't want her to wake up. Because if he, unfortunately, must fight her, it will end with his death.