**Chapter 111: The Day the King Was Born**
The Lord of the Demon Territory, the Corrupting Evil Lion Subnock, strode forward with an air of majesty. His blue fur rippled as he gazed ahead with his multifaceted eyes, completely ignoring Rest and Lyubase, who had been standing in his way, and continued on his path.
“GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
From the moment of his birth, Subnock was destined to be a “King.” He was born in the heart of a land known as the Magic Territory. His parents, a pair of Corruption Beasts, had triumphed over their kin and other monsters in the struggle for survival, claiming that land as their den. Five cubs were born, nourished by the rich mana that surged from the earth. Almost immediately, they turned on each other, and only Subnock, who would later become the King, survived.
*“I alone am supreme above heaven and earth.”*
Had Subnock been able to speak the language of humans, those words would surely have escaped his lips. Bathed in immense mana and having devoured his siblings to enhance his strength, the cub grew rapidly, eventually killing his parents and leaving the nest.
From that point onward, his days were filled with battle. He fought relentlessly against the monsters that sought the mana of the Magic Territory, killing and devouring them day after day. Before long, he had grown to an astonishing size compared to others of his kind, surrounded by subordinates who revered him as their King. Though Subnock had established a solid position as the Lord of the Demon Territory, his next adversaries would be the beings known as “humans.”
The Magic Territory was fertile, and with the special magic that released mana, it was destined to develop into a city. Many leaders sent armies to conquer the “King” in an attempt to exploit the land. Subnock led his subordinates, the Corruption Beasts, and crushed these foolish humans.
*“I am the King. To disturb the land of the King is an act of disrespect.”*
Subnock attacked humans not out of a desire to consume them, but to uphold his pride as a conqueror. Allowing humans to invade their territory would tarnish his dignity as a King. Thus, he had to drive them away. He would kill, crush, and trample those fools who dared to tread upon their domain, teaching them their place.
Subnock believed his actions were justified. At least, that was what he thought. After he began indiscriminately slaughtering humans, no one dared to venture into the depths of the Magic Territory that belonged to them. For about twenty years, the Corruption Beasts enjoyed a peaceful existence.
“Alright, let’s go. This bear isn’t enough. Bring me something bigger!”
However, humans are creatures that forget fear. That day, after a long absence, a few humans dared to step into the territory of the Corruption Beasts. It had been twenty years since anyone had entered their domain. This time, it was not an army, but merely a handful of individuals.
Subnock could have ignored them. He was far too busy to chase after a stray insect.
Yet… of all things, this little insect emitted an incredibly unpleasant odor. It was a special scent that stimulated the fighting spirit of monsters—a foul aroma that humans referred to as “Magic Lure.” Were they trying to lure him into a trap? It was exceedingly distasteful. Only the lower-class monsters without intelligence would lose their sanity to such a lure. How disrespectful it was to compare himself, a King, to such base creatures.
“GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Subnock brushed aside the foolish human. He didn’t even check whether they lived or died. There were more pressing matters at hand. This ridiculous act had shown that humans had forgotten the terror of the “King.” Just like twenty years ago, he would kill, crush, and trample them, reminding them that they were beings beyond their reach. The King led his young subordinates out of their territory, heading straight toward the gathering of humans. He decided to teach them their place by killing indiscriminately. If he felt inclined, he might even destroy the Royal Capital, their nest, where humans were densely packed.
As he left his territory, two small insects appeared and launched an attack. They were capable enough to kill his subordinates. He played with them for a while but soon realized it was a waste of time and chose to ignore them and continue on his way.
*“No matter how strong they are, insects are still insects. They cannot kill a lion.”*
He was the “King.” No matter how much the insects clung to his legs or how weak his subordinates fell, he could not afford to stop. A King does not walk a path because it is right; the path is forged by the King’s footsteps, becoming the royal road.
Subnock pressed onward. He sought to eradicate the humans solely for the sake of his pride and to demonstrate his path.
“*Star Devourer!*”
“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?”
However… Subnock was forced to halt abruptly. For the first time in his life, he let out a scream of pain. He quickly realized the source of his agony—the insect he had brushed off had somehow leaped back onto his back.
“*Star Devourer!*”
“GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?”
Once again, a chilling incantation echoed in the air, followed by a surge of excruciating pain. The black sphere in the insect’s hand gouged into the flesh of Subnock, the King and Lord of the Demon Territory.