The Demon Monarch System

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Although the question asked by the system was vague, it didn't detract from the fact that Apollo felt compelled to entertain its suggestion. After all, Apollo realized something that he overlooked before.

'Why would the system meant restore our race and awaken the dormant power of the Monarch put me in danger?' Apollo wondered. If he perished, who would take up the mantle? Unlike the Monarch who left him behind, Apollo didn't have any lineage left in the world.

Nor had Apollo reached the point of entertaining the idea. Not only was he a child himself, but the difficulty of caring for a child was too much for him in his current situation, where even his residence was undetermined.

Thus, Apollo's interpretation of the question gradually shifted. Instead of answering immediately, he sought an answer for the connective link to the system's notifications― Azridan.

'Are you aware of what the system means by revealing my identity? Will it be the same as the household?' 

[Partially, but it's not truly the same. More than anyone, you should already understand the answer. After all, it wasn't the system who precipitated this notification, but you.]

'Me?' Apollo muttered with a dubious expression.

Afterward, he fell silent as he recounted the thought process leading up to the question asked by the system. Because of the Iraym's question, Apollo felt boundless disgust towards the fact that he was being questioned.

It stimulated the darkness embedded in his soul, but not quite as violent as he typically was. Instead of wanting to rip apart this demon, he wanted to exert his authority; the ability to suppress all demons under his presence.

An innate desire that originated from the supremacy of his inherited bloodline. As a result, Apollo's eyes gradually turned all black, resembling the pits of the abyss. A pungent aura undulated from Apollo as he took in more of the system's intentions.

'This is needed…' Apollo thought to himself. The more the sensation of this unbelievable bloodline coursed through his body, the more certain he became about his decision. The others might call his current actions reckless, but Apollo understood that this was an inevitable move.

A move required to unleash his sealed body.

"I…" Apollo muttered in a severe tone. His voice dripped with indisputable authority as he soon stood up with unshakable confidence. Gradually, every Sin Vessel on Apollo's body thrummed with power.

Because of this scene and the torrential winds spurred by Apollo's actions, everyone stopped. Not just the animated corpse and the gargoyles, even the members of the Dominus Household stopped and turned towards Apollo's position with a reverent expression.

Suddenly, everyone dropped to one knee with a dutiful expression. They each bowed their heads as two gargantuan wings unfurled from Apollo's back. Unlike before, these seemed to resemble the wings of a dark dragon with a demonic aura emanating from the inscriptions being forged one section of the wings by the ample Ira in the area.

Immediately, the ambient Ira saturation dropped by over half as Apollo's wings devoured them like a voracious beast. Unknowingly, Apollo fused the Sins of Ira and Gula to perform this instant absorption.

Though, most of the glory wasn't rightfully Apollo. The glory belonged to the reason behind these wings appearing.

〈My child, has some doubted you? Have you been questioned?〉

"I have," Apollo responded in an eerily indifferent tone. For a moment, his icy gaze fell on the Iraym by his feet, but his view soon returned to the emptiness before him. 

〈Then you know what you must do? As my child, your kind may not question you!〉

"As you wish," Apollo responded with a faint nod. The fluctuations of his Sin Vessel reacted to his words, releasing even stronger fluctuations. Though there was no change to the depth of Apollo's power, something else, much more important than advancing his Sin took place.

〈Announce yourself. There is nothing to fear. Become the controller of your presence. Only you determine the time to expose yourself. This system is but a tool; you are the controller.〉

"Rise," Apollo said in a commanding tone as he looked at the Iraym. 

It stood up and looked at Apollo face to face with a questioning gaze. However, it didn't speak since an inexplicable instinct told them not to unless it wanted to perish where he stood.

Truth be told, after fighting against Xonnomor and Gallmath, and then experiencing Saehtyn's presence firsthand, Apollo understood that the current state of his actions failed to reach the standard he needed.

Even now, he feared the battle against Asteroth after listening to Saehtyn's story. However, how could that be acceptable? The voice sensed this fear, and it also sensed the anger Apollo felt over the situation, but what Apollo didn't understand was that his fear was the source of his limit.

Although he unlocked a memory during his change into a Greater Demon, it simply wasn't enough. To assume the position intended for him, he needed to understand something more important. He needed to understand himself.

Meanwhile, Fuhrer lifted his head and gazed upon the blanket of darkness surrounding Apollo. It was of a familiar quality, one that he couldn't wait to embrace once again. "I have learned of my memories, now it is time that you do so as well."

Because Apollo already possessed the Household Medallion, the Supreme Demon Body foundations, and the knowledge of the 9 Kings, he held all the qualities to take the needed step. However, the ultimate step required a catalyst.

Here, it was a simple phrase uttered by a demon locked up in a forsaken ruin, never experiencing the infernal star of Ashiraem. 

〈Speak your identity.〉

"I…" Apollo's body floated as all the Ira within this zone turned into a monstrous storm, yet his body remained stable midair.

Conversely, deep fear appeared in the eyes of the Iraym as he averted his gaze from Apollo and once again dropped to his knees. However, in his current state, Apollo didn't allow that to happen, because it wasn't an order that originated from his mouth.

Apollo gently swiped his hand upward, forcing the Iraym back to his feet by using the Aura of Domination. While it seemed oddly familiar to the Dominator's Clutch, the deft usage of this aura left the realm of that simple technique.

Next, the Iraym's eyes turned toward Apollo against its will.

"You asked if I was worthy of being here?" Apollo said with an eerie smirk before lifting his right hand. "Typhir, come."

Immediately, Typhir rose to his feet and moved until he was directly under the floating Apollo, but across from the trembling Iraym. "My Lord?"

"Remain there. Because, after I am done, it'll be your turn to unleash your repressed destruction," Apollo instructed.

In the next moment, Apollo flapped his wings once and flew to the center of the underground cavern, which doubled as the eye of the Ira storm. Apollo glanced towards Fuhrer with a faint nod.

Except for the Monarch, only 12 other individuals knew about Apollo's birth. Fuhrer, Estran, the 9 Kings, and finally, his mother. Therefore, after experiencing this surreal state, Apollo also understood that Fuhrer knew of his origin. It was simply sealed away, along with his power.

"It shall all return to you, my Liege," Fuhrer said with an excited grin. 

Finally, Apollo announced himself.

"I am the one who is worthy of all within the demon race," Apollo said in a deeply magnetizing voice. The once rampant Ira stilled as Apollo spoke. "I am the sole inheritor of the 9 Nihilistic Rings."

Boom!

A hole blew open in Apollo's chest, yet he was unperturbed by it. After all, this explosion resulted from the seal place upon him. A cluster of darkness appeared before Apollo, soon morphing into an image that mirrored his figure. 

A string of golden demonic runes appeared on the figure of darkness, causing it to condense until it turned into a single blood drop emanating the aura of the boundless abyss. 

"I am... Zethroz Dominus, the Monarch's true descendant; redeemer of the Ring's Glory," Apollo declared. As soon as he did so, the black blood drop collided against his chest, giving birth to a string of notifications and an earth-shattering roar from his demons.

Unlike what he expected, there was no ripple identifying his return or anything of the like. There was only stillness and his overwhelming presence. 

〈System: The title «Monarch's Descendant» upgraded to «Monarch's True Heir».〉

〈System: You have awakened bloodline of the «Abysmal Conqueror».〉

〈System: The emergence of your bloodline has unsealed the Supreme Demon Body's information.〉

〈System: Any and everything originating from the abyss shall be conquered by he who holds this bloodline.〉

As these notifications appeared, he gradually descended towards the ground.