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"Obviously, I'm here to see how strong you really are."
Rimoeka lifted her right hand, resting the back of it against her hip in a triangular pose. Her body curved elegantly like a model showing off her figure.
Her voice came out low and smooth—magnetic, cold, and confident. Every word carried the calm assurance of someone completely in control.
Her lips curved slightly, a faint smile appearing, like a hunter catching sight of prey she couldn't wait to claim.
The demonic aura surrounding her withdrew, and the blood-red moon that had covered a kilometer-wide area slowly faded away.
"Let's start, then."
Max's hands stayed casually tucked in his pockets, a faint grin playing on his lips.
The moment he finished speaking, a flash of crimson light flickered across Rimoeka's body. She pressed one foot lightly to the ground and vanished.
In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of Max.
Her right fist shot forward, aiming straight for his chest.
Just before her punch landed—only about twenty centimeters away—
BOOM!
The air exploded like muffled thunder. A shockwave rippled outward.
Her strike slammed against an almost transparent, pale-blue crystal-like barrier that shimmered in front of Max.
It was the Sanctuary Barrier, formed by his power as the Blue King.
A King's Sanctuary could withstand the blast of a nuclear bomb.
Rimoeka's punch was powerful, but nowhere near enough to shake it.
"Not bad," she said, the smile at her lips deepening slightly.
That punch had only used a fraction of her strength—a mere test. She already knew Max wasn't ordinary, but she didn't know exactly how strong he was.
And, well… she didn't want to accidentally kill him.
"Go ahead, use a bit more strength. I can take it."
Max smiled, still not taking his hands out of his pockets.
"Oh~?"
Rimoeka narrowed her eyes slightly at that.
Yeah, that was definitely a provocation.
Even without tapping into her True Ancestor power, vampires were among the strongest of the many demon races—a species that stood right at the top.
They were known as the Great Demons of Strength.
And Max was telling her to "use a bit more force"?
That was basically saying, you hit like a girl.
No way she was letting that slide.
She was just about to use half her power when—
"Hold on. Let me go first."
Max's calm voice cut through her focus.
Rimoeka frowned slightly, but held back for now.
"Domain expansion—King's Territory."
It was the first time Max had used his Supreme Authority's domain.
As the words left his mouth, he slowly sat down.
A surge of invisible, overwhelming power burst outward from him.
The world around them—about a hundred meters across—split away from reality, like being carved out by an unseen blade, forming a separate, sealed space.
Above and around them, the reflection of the cosmos stretched infinitely—countless stars glimmering in the void.
The ground beneath turned to soft green grass, as smooth as a carpet.
And in the center, a golden throne engraved with every living creature in the world appeared from nothing.
Max sat upon it as if he'd always belonged there.
The throne rose slowly into the air, carrying him upward.
Seven swords of Damocles floated—three on each side, one behind him—shimmering faintly with power.
He rested his arms casually on the throne's armrests, his body leaning slightly to the right, the back of his hand propping up his chin.
It was a relaxed, almost regal pose—effortlessly commanding.
A golden crown formed above his head, set with seven gemstones, each radiating light that corresponded to a different royal power.
The crown floated like a halo.
In that instant, Max was a king.
No—he was something more.
A divine ruler gazing down from the heavens, his invisible authority filling every inch of the space.
The air itself seemed to bow.
He sat there, serene and untouchable, like a god descending into the mortal world.
"This is…"
Rimoeka's eyes widened slightly, her usual cool expression giving way to surprise.
She had to admit—it looked damn impressive.
The longer she stared, the more she felt something impossible—an urge deep within her to kneel, to submit.
Even if it was just for a split second.
That realization shocked her.
What the hell…?
She was a True Ancestor Vampire, one of the strongest beings in the demon realm, said to be as close to divine as any creature could get.
Even in her sealed state, that kind of reaction shouldn't have been possible.
Just meeting Max's gaze… made her want to yield?
Unthinkable.
Looking down at her from above, Max's lips curved into a calm, almost omniscient smile.
"Shall we begin?"
He spoke with an easy confidence, as if this were nothing more than a casual show for his amusement.
A few moments ago, Max had been the challenger.
Now, somehow, Rimoeka was the one being tested.
"…"
Her brow twitched.
For some reason, that annoyed her.
"Fine. Then I'll show you what a Great Demon's strength really looks like."
Her tone was soft but laced with heat.
Her blood stirred, and her fighting spirit burned bright.
A surge of monstrous energy erupted from her body, turning into crimson flames that licked the air around her.
The next instant, she was gone.
Appearing high above, she threw a punch straight at Max.
The air trembled around her fist. The sheer force was enough to pulverize a skyscraper, packed into her pale, deceptively delicate hand.
This time, she wasn't holding back.
The space around her punch twisted and warped under the pressure.
But Max didn't flinch.
A glint of gold flickered in his eyes.
Just as her punch was about to hit—only ten centimeters away—a faint golden ripple spread out before him.
"What—?"
Rimoeka's eyes went wide.
Though Max was right there, he suddenly felt impossibly far away.
Her fist met the golden ripple… and all her power simply vanished, absorbed into infinity.
Then Max straightened up slightly.
He reached out and caught her fist—his hand wrapping gently around her soft, pale knuckles.
Then, with a light tug, he pulled her forward—right into his arms.
Before she knew it, she was sitting on his left leg, his left arm wrapped around her slender waist.
"Still want to keep going?" he murmured softly against her ear.
Rimoeka's heart thudded once. She turned her head, met his gaze, and smiled faintly.
"You win."
She didn't try again.
She hadn't been fighting to win in the first place—just to test him.
And now she had her answer.
Besides, she'd already promised to become his follower, no matter the outcome.
Their eyes met—locked.
Max leaned in, his lips brushing hers.
Rimoeka's eyes fluttered closed, a faint blush rising.
Then, with that same decisive nature of hers, she shifted, taking control of the kiss—no longer passive, but leading.
Max: "(???)"
Yeah… that was definitely the Rimoeka he knew—strong-willed and fearless.
Neither of them backed down, and what started as a kiss turned into a fiery clash of willpower and passion.
About ten minutes later, the shift came.
Rimoeka's other self—Moka Akashiya—resurfaced.
The sealing cross reappeared on her chest automatically.
"Wha—?!"
Moka blinked wide-eyed in confusion.
What the hell just happened?!
The last thing she remembered was Max casually removing her seal… and then—nothing.
So why on earth were they suddenly kissing?!
But before she could think too hard about it, that strange, tingling sensation overwhelmed her.
Unlike Rimoeka, Moka didn't take the lead—she just reacted shyly, sometimes clumsily, to Max's touch.
At the same time, Max activated the King's Servant Contract.
The invisible power of the Supreme Authority flowed into Moka's body, reaching both her sealed and unsealed selves.
Neither resisted.
The energy spread through her whole being, finally gathering at her lower abdomen, where it formed a purple sword-shaped mark edged in gold—something only visible to those with divine sight.
It merged with her very soul.
The contract was complete.
The King's Servant had been chosen.
"....."