Becoming the Demon Lord: Taming the Demon Queen Begins

"What's the situation inside the Forbidden Zone?"

A voice, filled with divine authority, echoed from the top of a barren hill.

"Reporting to the Holy Emperor, so far, there's no sign that any information has leaked. However..."

The person responding hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue.

After the mysterious object from the heavens landed in the Desolate Wastes, Holy Emperor Luminis had kept everything under tight control. No one had made any rash moves.

If there had been a panicked lockdown of the Desolate Wastes—a neutral zone that was usually open to all—and if a large number of disciples had been sent to search for the object, the situation would have already been exposed. Countless practitioners would have flocked to the area, vying for control.

But thanks to Holy Emperor Luminis' wise decision, that disaster had been avoided.

The Forbidden Zone remained open to the public, as if nothing had happened. Yet, in reality, it was all a smokescreen. The plan was to wait until the object revealed itself, and then seize it in one swift move.

The plan was flawless—at least, almost flawless.

The person reporting hesitated for a moment before finally speaking: "The only issue is... for some reason, Timothy from Sky Sanctuary and Selene, the younger sister of Holy Maiden Aeliana, have just entered the Forbidden Zone."

"They're here? Why? Are they traveling with anyone else? And are there any other Holy Emperors nearby?"

Discover hidden stories at empire

Holy Emperor Luminis' voice was cold and sharp.

"Timothy came alone. Selene brought two female disciples from Blooming Sanctuary, but their strength isn't anything to worry about. As for other Holy Emperor-level figures... I've sent people to investigate multiple times. There shouldn't be any."

"I see... So, no Holy Emperors have shown up, but it seems someone is starting to get suspicious. No matter. Timothy, huh? I'd like to see if he really has the strength the rumors claim."

Holy Emperor Luminis let out a cold laugh.

No matter how strong someone was, unless they were at the level of a Holy Emperor, they could never hope to bridge the gap in power. As long as Goddess Sylvia didn't appear, no one would be able to take the treasure from his hands.

And that included Timothy.

"Long live Holy Emperor Luminis!"

Feeling the overwhelming presence of the Holy Emperor, the person reporting bowed deeply in reverence.

Holy Emperors were the most powerful beings on the entire continent of Elant.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whoosh!

A fierce wind swept across the dunes. From behind the sand, accompanied by the chilling aura of a Holy Emperor, Luminis finally stepped forward.

But unlike other Holy Emperors, Luminis appeared as... a nine-year-old boy!

Now that no one else was around, his voice shifted to match his childlike appearance, sounding soft and immature.

He let out a heavy snort and stomped his foot, wobbling slightly as he did so. "They think they can take the treasure from me? What a joke!"

...

"Holy Emperor Luminis, early Transcendence Realm, over a thousand years old, but with the appearance of a child."

Because Holy Emperors were so rare and revered on the continent of Elant, most of their details were well-documented. Naturally, this included Holy Emperor Luminis.

Goddess Sylvia was at the peak of the Transcendence Realm, while the other three Holy Emperors were mostly at the mid-level of the Transcendence Realm.

In comparison, Holy Emperor Luminis wasn't considered particularly strong among the Holy Emperors.

More importantly...

"A childlike appearance?"

For a Holy Emperor-level figure, they were usually either stunningly beautiful like Goddess Sylvia and Holy Maiden Aeliana, or strikingly handsome, or exuding an aura of solemn authority.

But a Holy Emperor who looked like a child? That was definitely a first.

"This Holy Emperor... has some unique tastes," Timothy thought to himself as he pondered over the peculiarities of Holy Emperor Luminis.

Just then, deep within the Forbidden Zone, a sudden burst of light shot up into the sky.

The light was blindingly bright, piercing through the thick, hazy sand that shrouded the Forbidden Zone.

"Is the treasure about to reveal itself?"

Timothy's eyes narrowed as he gazed toward the depths of the Forbidden Zone. But soon, his expression shifted to one of surprise.

The brilliant golden light wasn't just a sign that the treasure was of an incredibly high grade. More importantly, the aura it emitted... was strikingly similar to the Mythic-grade fragment he had obtained earlier, the Celestial Testament.

After slaying three Holy Emperors, Timothy had received numerous treasures from the system. But the Celestial Testament was the one thing he couldn't make sense of.

The golden script on the fragment, written in some unknown liquid, was so profound that even when Timothy pushed his Enlightenment Body to its limits, he couldn't comprehend it.

He never imagined that this Mythic-grade fragment, which he had never heard of before, would have a counterpart here, emitting a similar aura!

Without the Celestial Testament, no one would have been able to detect the strange resonance in the air.

[System Task: Seize the treasure within the Forbidden Zone, related to the Sepulcher of the Sacred.]

[Task Reward: Gain mastery over Holy Emperor Luminis' signature technique, the Realm of a Thousand Blades.]

"So, this treasure is as good as mine!" Timothy clenched his fists, his fighting spirit ignited.

Even if Holy Emperor Luminis himself intervened, this time, there was no way he would stop Timothy!

"What... what is that?!"

At that moment, everyone within the Forbidden Zone was drawn to the spectacle unfolding in the distance.

The golden, radiant light left everyone stunned and speechless.

Most of the practitioners who had come here were of modest strength, hoping to scavenge some low-tier relics or spiritual treasures. But the scene before them was far beyond anything they had imagined.

This Forbidden Zone, which was supposed to be the lowest tier, actually housed such a powerful treasure!

"Should I go for it? No... with my strength..."

Most of them couldn't believe in their own abilities. Even a slightly stronger beast could easily end their lives here.

Yet, the treasure deep within the Forbidden Zone seemed to be calling to them, stirring a restless desire in their hearts that they couldn't control.

One by one, people began moving toward the heart of the Forbidden Zone, their eyes filled with an inexplicable longing.

"We're almost there! Just a little further!"

The crowd's pace quickened, and practitioners from all directions converged toward the source of the light. It was as if something they desperately craved was hidden there.

Like a tidal wave, practitioners surged forward, some even using their most powerful techniques to sprint toward the light.

But as they neared the scene, they suddenly froze.

In the sky, the dazzling golden light enveloped the entire world.

And leading up to that towering pillar of light were countless steps, stretching into the heavens.

Each step was a brilliant golden hue, winding and spiraling upward, all converging at a single point.

But...

The overwhelming pressure emanating from the steps was far beyond what they could bear!