The demon world was not what Alucard had expected.
Upon his arrival in the Demon Capital, Noctis Regnum, he was met with an overwhelming sense of order, power, and ambition.
This was no chaotic demon realm.
This was a kingdom that had rebuilt itself after years of war, a kingdom that now flourished under the rule of a single queen, Elysia.
Alucard stood in the palace courtyard, his crimson eyes scanning the towering walls of black stone and enchanted glass.
Magic shimmered in the air, layering the very buildings with wards and protective spells.
It was as though every inch of this city had been meticulously crafted to not just withstand the ravages of war, but to thrive in an era of peace.
But peace was not the only thing that intrigued him.
The sudden and inexplicable rise of Elysia to power had not gone unnoticed, even by the demons themselves.
There had been whispers—tales of her appearance out of nowhere, of her ability to unite the fractured factions of demonkind in mere weeks. Her power was undeniable, and rumors spread like wildfire.
Some claimed she was born into nobility, others said she had no past at all. Regardless of the stories, her reign had brought the demons together, ending centuries of infighting and chaos.
Alucard's mind churned with thoughts of the abysmal creature he had encountered—a being from beyond their world, a creature unlike any he had seen before.
Its appearance had coincided with Elysia's rise.
The timing felt too precise to be a mere coincidence.
The creature's appearance had been as sudden and mysterious as Elysia herself.
It had torn through villages, devoured countless lives, and disappeared just as quickly as it had come.
No one knew where it had originated, but its presence had sent a ripple of unease across the land.
A rift had opened in the farthest reaches of the demon territories, and from that rift, the creature had emerged.
Alucard had heard varying accounts of the creature's appearance, but one thing was clear—it wasn't of this world. Its form defied understanding, its eyes voids of endless darkness.
It had been an entity born not of flesh, but of something far more ancient, something that could not be explained by the laws of nature.
And yet, despite its terrifying power, it had vanished.
Without a trace.
The demons, initially struck with fear, had quickly resumed their daily lives.
There was no lingering sense of danger.
But to Alucard, something didn't sit right.
His thoughts turned to Elysia.
Her power, her control over this city, and the mysterious connection between her and the rift were all too much to ignore.
He needed answers, and he was going to find them—whether the queen liked it or not.