"Why are those ants getting in my way!?!" Queen Ice Fiend Locust let loose a rageful shrill as she observed many hurdles between her and her acts of vengeance.
Twelve giant locusts with a mysterious pattern and horns on their heads kneeled around her, sensing their mother's fury. They trembled with killing intent.
It took Queen Ice Fiend Locust a few moments to calm her raging fury. As she looked towards the twelve giant kneeling locusts, a hint of frustration flashed past her eye: "They weren't lying when they said no one above unique rank can enter these conflict plains."
The next moment, a menacing glint flashed past her eye: "But so what! No matter how many ants they sent, they can't go against unstoppable tides! If they can lessen the number of my children, there is nothing more laughable than this!"
She then coldly issued her decree to the twelve giant locusts, "Royal Twelve! I'm going to start the Yin Fiend Birth to replenish the children's numbers! But while in this state, I won't be able to control the Yin Sky Island, so you all need to make sure no one finds out about this. Don't let anyone come within a 1000-mile proximity of Yin Sky Island. Let me show them the glory of the Ice Fiend Locust Race!"
In the Dark Palace, located in the Dark Kingdom Territory (Dark City), Tomas was alone in the throne hall. But he wasn't sitting on the dark throne, which represents the highest seat in the Dark Kingdom.
Instead, he stood below the throne platform and looked at the empty throne with an icy, cold gaze.
At this moment, the dark throne suddenly shimmered in dark light, and a tall figure materialized on it. He was eight feet tall and had a burly build. However, despite his humanoid figure, his face was anything but human. His head was like a bull with purple skin and long, dark bullhorns.
The coldness in Tomas's eyes suddenly replaced with respect as he bowed in front of this bull-headed hominoid. "Dark Prince Asher, it's been a while!"
The dark noble rank, the Dark Prince, of the Dark City was completely unknown to the common public. Not even the high-ranking dark nobles were privy to this knowledge unless they reached the Dark Duke Rank.
Before reaching the Dark Duke rank, every member of the Dark City thinks that this is the highest pedestal of the Dark City. Once they become Dark Duke, they will be able to call rain and storms in the Dark City.
However, only after becoming a Dark Duke would one truly know how vast the Zodiac Plains were. There was even a higher rank than them, which truly held the authority of the Dark City. Tomas's case was similar.
When he became a Dark Duke around a thousand years ago, he felt like he was at the top of the world, but only after becoming the Dark Duke did he get to meet the Dark Prince Asher, and all his ambitions suddenly vanished into smoke.
He was still ignorant at the start, but as time passed, he realized that the Dark Prince was simply too terrifying, and no matter what he did, he couldn't usurp or dethrone this person.
The most frustrating thing was that there could still be at least three dark dukes at a time in the Dark City of the Unique Plains, but there could only be a single Dark Prince. Until he dies or willingly chooses a successor, a Dark Duke can forget about achieving this rank.
The only other way was to challenge the Dark Prince to a one-on-one title fight after competing with the Dark City's prerequisites. It would be a death match between the Dark Prince and the Challenger.
But Tomas wasn't fully confident enough to take this road. The biggest reason for him to keep being humble in front of Asher was the secret records left behind by the previous dark dukes.
According to these secret records, Asher should be over 100,000 years old or even older, which is simply unbelievable yet horrifying.
But the records left behind by those old dark dukes in similar situations were too hard to ignore or take lightly. There was much proof that made Tomas believe everything.
Furthermore, the most terrifying part about all this was that whoever dared to challenge Asher was always killed without even being able to inflict any injury on this ancient Dark Prince.
This unbreakable wall named Asher has become the Dark Dukes' biggest nightmare and their obsession. Tomas was the same, but just like those sensible dark dukes, he wasn't willing to confront Asher.
It would've been fine if it were the only disadvantage. After all, the Dark Duke was still in a lofty position, and Asher never interfered with the matters of the Dark Kingdom, nor did he ever bother to make any public appearance. All the decision-making power of the Dark Kingdom was still in the hands of the Dark Duke.
However, what compelled these Dark Dukes to take action against Asher was the Path of Legend!
Apparently, ever since Dark Prince Asher has taken his position, not even a single member of the Dark City has been able to enter the Path of Legend. Anyone who had tried would've been dealt with by none other than Asher!
He was like an executioner standing between the Path of Legend and the Dark City members, stopping them from entering it. No matter what trick they used, Asher seemed to overcome them all and hunt them down before they could enter the Path of Legend.
This was simply too horrifying, but people like Tomas, who were reaching the end of their lifespan and this was the only opportunity to change their fate forever, were unwilling to simply give up on this. So, every time the path of legend was about to open, Dark Dukes like Tomas would start to find ways to enter it by hook or crook.
Furthermore, in this generation, Tomas also discovered that Dark Prince Asher was also the member of the Treaty of Legend but what shocked him was he wasn't the leader, in fact, there were five more superiors above him. Tomas instantly knew that Asher was playing a wolf among the sheep herd, but he didn't dare to tell anyone because Asher had already given him a warning the moment he entered the treaty's headquarters that day through a mysterious
spell.
This made Tomas somewhat doubtful of Asher's strength, and he started to wonder if there was someone in the treaty that Asher was wary of, and that's why he was keeping a low
profile.
But it was still too little to give him the courage to act, and when his other attempt failed when he tried to rile up the others, he had almost given up when he was approached by a
mysterious existence!
Asher pulled an amusing smile seeing Tomas's respected appearance, "Drop the act, Dark Duke, I know respect is the least thing you have for this prince."
Tomas straightened his back as he coldly looked towards Asher and felt his blood boil. He still didn't show it and calmly replied, "Since Dark Prince has no qualms with it, then so be it. I would like to ask if you're planning on continuing to stop the Dark City from entering the Path of Legend this time as well."
Asher's smile grew a little colder as his sharp teeth gave a bloodthirsty smile. "Is that even worth asking? Of course, it'll be the same as it always had been. Just enjoy your peaceful life in the lesser galaxy. In fact, I'm saving you from a gruesome death."
Tomas's expression went dark as he took a deep breath before nodding, "I understand. But can you tell me why you're doing this? There has to be some kind of purpose for doing this so
long?"
"Oh, you finally have the guts to ask me about it?" Asher seemed more amused instead of angry as he snickered before replying, "I can give you the answer you seek, but you have to defeat me first. Now, if you don't have anything noteworthy to report, then you should be tasked with the treaty assigned to you. I don't want to lose face because of your
incompetence!"
"If that's the case..." Tomas sighed ruefully before a crazy determination flashed past his eyes
as he coldly declared, "Dark Prince Asher, I, Dark Duke Tomas Heartfelt, would like to use my privilege and challenge you for your Dark Prince title in the Death Match in Dark Battle
Arena!"