The demons of Armus were still struggling to deal with the aftermath of the war—the loss, the shock, the sudden collapse of old powers, and the complete transformation of their capital, when another announcement shook the world.
The Blood and Fire Ritual would take place ahead of schedule.
The news spread quickly. This ritual was not a small event. It was one of the oldest and most sacred traditions of Armus, held once every five years. Demons from every corner of the world would make a long pilgrimage to the capital to take part in it. Only the strongest were eligible, Masters and Grandmasters, the top thousand demons ranked by level and strength. Even then, participation meant nothing unless one already possessed a certain level of comprehension in Fire laws.
Traditionally, the ritual lasted seven full days and was conducted with the assistance of the world core itself.
But Armus was no longer the same world.
The world core now belonged to me.
This time, the announcement carried strict changes. Those who wished to attend were given only two days to arrive at the capital. Attendance was limited to the Bloodreavers alone. The ritual itself would last only three days instead of seven.
The message was clear. This was not a celebration. It was preparation.
Orobas himself addressed the world. His speech was firm and direct, leaving no room for misunderstanding. He explained the changes and then spoke of the capital, of the new structure, and more importantly, of the three fires now burning at its peak. Fires meant for those willing to challenge their limits and reach beyond their current standing.
That single announcement ignited Armus.
Demons who had been drowning in grief and confusion found their focus again. Ambition flared across the world. Even the Ronics, who were barred from participating in the ritual, stepped forward and requested permission to climb the stairs of the great fortress, if nothing else.
After a brief pause, Orobas agreed.
The stairs were opened to all demons, regardless of faction.
For me, the true importance of the ritual lay elsewhere.
Blood laws.
The drop I had sensed within the world core did not belong to an ordinary being. It carried the presence of something ancient and powerful. I intended to take part in the ritual myself, not for the fire, but to observe and understand.
I wanted to see how the System conducted it.
Would the ritual connect directly to the world core? What mechanism allowed such a large-scale interaction? Was there a contract binding Armus to the System? Or had the world itself been altered to permit this process?
I had many questions.
Yet neither Orobas nor the records of Armus held clear answers. All they knew was this: long ago, a demon ancestor who had nearly reached Saint level had introduced the ritual. With the System’s assistance, he had upgraded the world core and left this inheritance behind.
*****
Two days passed, and the day of the ritual finally arrived.
All four of us were ready.
We sat inside Primus’s room. Scrolls, projections, and records floated quietly in the air as we went over the information Primus had gathered about the rift we would be facing after we are done with the ritual. Outside, the capital was already alive with movement.
Primus leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of dark liquid in one hand as he spoke.
"There’s a long-standing belief," he said, "or maybe a better word is hypothesis, about how the ritual actually works. Physical evolution is deeply tied to blood. During the ritual, the Blood Laws are heightened to an extreme level. That stimulation affects the body directly." He paused, choosing his words. "If someone has physical talents, body-type abilities, or even long-term body techniques, they benefit the most."
"As for Fire Laws," He continued, "they influence the body in a similar way, but their effect on demons is much stronger. Other races feel it too, but nowhere near the same level, except fire elementals." A faint smirk appeared on his face. "They usually pay a very high price just to attend the ritual."
Then he glanced at me.
"And this time, we’re losing that income because of you."
I shrugged. "Who cares. You can charge them double next time."
He let out a short laugh and took a sip of his drink.
"Anyway," I said, "I won’t be attending the ritual with you. There’s something I want to check personally. I’ll be away during the event."
He nodded. "That’s fine. You know your priorities better than anyone."
Steve, who had been sitting off to the side, leaned forward slightly.
"I don’t think the fire part is meant for me," he said. "But I want to see if the Blood Laws can help with my evolution somehow." He paused, then added, "Also... what did Aurora say about my training with her?"
Steve had asked Aurora to help him train his lightning techniques. She had refused immediately, right after Steve rejected the name she had chosen for our organization.
I looked at him. "She says she’ll train you if you agree to the name she likes."
Steve groaned. "Seriously? Why is she acting like a kid? That name is terrible."
North, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head. "What name did she come up with?"
Steve answered without hesitation. "Pantheon of Legends."
I thought about it for a moment.
"Honestly," I said, "that sounds like a pretty good name to me."
Steve stared at me. "You’re kidding."
"No," I replied calmly. "It has weight. It sounds like something people would remember."
Primus immediately shook his head. "Nope. I don’t like it."
Steve pointed at him. "See? Even he agrees."
Primus crossed his arms. "It sounds like something written by someone who wants to be dramatic all the time."
"Whether you like the name or not," I continued, "that’s between you and Aurora. I’m staying out of it. Just don’t complain later if she refuses to train you."
"I like it," North said, nodding in agreement with the name.
"That’s not the point," Steve replied immediately. "These are two separate things. She shouldn’t be blackmailing us over the name." He stood up and scoffed. "This is our first organization. I want it to have a good name, one everyone agrees on, not just her."
He turned toward me. "Why don’t you talk to her?"
"I will," I said. "After the ritual is over, I’ll ask her to train you." I paused, then added with a small chuckle, "But I think she might mess you up a little in the training since you rejected the name."
"I can handle that," Steve said seriously. "Don’t worry. I’ve got enough charm to tame someone like her."
"Not happening," North said with a smile. "She looks calm and acts like some wise sage, but she’s more destructive than Lyrate. Lyrate shows her emotions openly. Aurora hides hers. She’s the dangerous kind." She glanced at Steve. "I think she might damage your mental health."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "You think so?" He grinned. "All right, North. I accept your challenge. Let’s see who ends up with loose screws—me or her."