Seventeen years had passed since the alliance was formed and the Oracle Gate was unsealed.
Thanks to the Saintess's holy barrier, the Kingdom of Avastrad still stood strong, but it continued to face constant attacks and ambushes from the demon army.
The alliance also agreed to establish a new joint special unit called the "Salvatory Division", tasked with exploring and reclaiming the lost territories of Erupa.
With the combined power of science and magic, they developed a new artifact called "Alexo", capable of replicating the Saintess's holy barrier and linking it directly to the original divine shield she had released.
The first experiment began near the border of the Kingdom of Zoryvia, as the demon forces remained heavily concentrated around Avastrad.
However, the outcome was unsurprising, the demon army, already aware of the alliance's movements, launched a sudden assault and reinforced their defences along the border.
Investigations suggested that this coordinated response may have been the work of the Diabolos Organization, which was still active within the remaining kingdoms of Erupa and now rumour to be making moves in Asura as well.
Over the past seventeen years, the Alliance had been studying and classifying demonic being, ranking them based on their threat level, from E-Level (low threat) to SSS-level (national threat).
In comparison, the most dangerous non-demonic beast that roamed the world, such as dragons were only ranked A-level threats.
Even divine beasts, which were considered guardians of the planet, were placed at S-level, making it clear just how powerful the highest-tier demons truly were.
According to reports, the only known SSS-level demon was the Demon King himself. No one had ever seen or heard from him in modern times, but ancient scripts from the Battle of Oracle recorded that he was severely wounded during that legendary conflict.
It was said that he has been recovering ever since, hidden in the shadows, possibly plotting something far greater.
Below him were the SS-level demons, known as his seven Generals, who were also documented in The Battle of Oracle.
So far, only one of the Demon King's generals has appeared, during a Salvatory Division expedition aimed at building an Alexo and reclaiming a small portion of territory that seized by the demons.
This general, known as Superbia, was a humanoid demonic being standing over two meters tall, cloaked in a long black robe that concealed its entire body. Its gender remained unknown, but what was clear was Superbia's strategic brilliance, it commanded the demon forces with terrifying precision, making it a formidable opponent on the battlefield.
Currently, ten known types of demonic beings have been observed within the demon army, ranked by threat level from E to A.
Creatures ranked S-level and above are considered part of the true demon race, far more dangerous and intelligent.
E-Level
Undead – Reanimated corpses that are easily summoned. Slow and weak in combat. Skeleton Knight – A skeletal warrior equipped with amor and a melee weapon. Skeleton Archer – A skeletal archer armed with a bow and arrows.
D-Level
Skeleton Mage – A skeleton capable of casting basic spells.
C-Level
Knight Commander – A fusion of skeleton and rotting flesh. Stronger and faster than regular skeleton knights. Head Mage – A more advanced caster, half-skeleton and half-living corpse, able to use mid-level magic.
B-Level
Necromancer – A humanoid demonic being dressed in a red robe, wielding a staff topped with a skull. Summons and controls undead. Gargoyle – A winged demon resembling a bat, roughly one meter tall. Agile and capable of flight.
A-Level
Golem of Hell – A towering demonic creature over five meters tall. Its grotesque, disfigured body gives it immense physical strength and durability.
S-Level: Demon Race
Intelligent humanoid demons with two horns on their heads. Physically similar to humans but far stronger. They live in structured societies, train in combat, and possess both magical and strategic capabilities. Considered the most dangerous among the demon army's ranks.
Aside from hunting non-demonic creatures such as monsters and dangerous beasts that roam forests and dungeons, adventurers were also warned about the presence of demonic beings, which might appear unexpectedly or be summoned by the Diabolos Organization in their continued attempts to spread chaos.
Not only adventurers, but soldiers in every nation were also assigned to patrol and monitor their territories, working to prevent the rise and spread of demonic threats within their borders.
As humanity united, other intelligent and civilized races, such as dwarf, elves, and beastmen, began to emerge from their isolated tribes and seek cooperation with humans.
Although they shared a bloody history with human, the rise of the demonic threat left them with no choice but to set aside old grudges and join forces.
These races did not possess the ability to receive a class from the goddess Athena, but each had their own unique traits that made them different from human.
Elves were known as long-lived beings with vast intelligence and exceptional magical potential. They preferred a quiet life deep within the forests, away from the affairs of other races. Elves were said to be graceful and beautiful, with long ears and a love for song and nature.
Dwarves were also long-lived, though their lifespans were shorter than those of elves. They were incredibly strong and preferred to live in mountain caves. Dwarves were short in stature and had a deep passion for labor, craftsmanship, and mining.
Beastmen were humanoid beings with animal features, often living in small tribes scattered throughout the forests. There were many different types of beastmen, depending on the animal their lineage was fused with. Because of their animal traits, they were generally stronger and more physically capable than humans.
Even though humans were said to be blessed with a class from the goddess, there were cases where the goddess did not grant a class to certain individuals, usually because they lacked the potential or capability to wield such power.
Classes were generally divided into five categories:
Warrior Classes – focus on strengthen and melee combat. Mage Classes- master of magic and elemental spells. Dexterity classes – agile and stealth based fighters. Support classes – healer, buffers and protector. Rare Classes – legendary roles.
Rare Classes included powerful and unique titles such as the Saintess, the Supreme Sorcerer, the Holy Knight, and the Hero. These classes possessed extraordinary traits and were only bestowed by the goddess during times of catastrophic crisis.
For example, seventeen years ago, the Saintess was discovered in the Kingdom of Vessonia. Since then, the world has been waiting for the next rare class candidate to emerge. Every year, when children reach the age of fifteen, they gather at the church in hopes of awakening their class, fueled by dreams of becoming the next chosen one.
Outside the church in the small village of Egrish, a boy who had just turned seventeen stood quietly in line—among children who had just turned fifteen, the usual age for class awakening. Around ten kids glanced at him with puzzled expressions.
One of them leaned toward another and whispered.
"Why is he here? Doesn't he look older than us?"
"..and he cut the line !"
Suddenly, a voice cut through the murmurs.
"What are you saying ?"
The boy with messy black hair spoke calmly, standing near the front of the line, just a few step from the church doors.
Then a young boy pointed at him.
The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow.
"…Did I?"
His tone carried a hint of mockery.
"…But—"
One of the kids started to protest.
Lux cut him off, lifting a finger as if making a grand declaration.
"As someone older than you, shouldn't you show a little respect?"
It was a lame excuse, everyone knew he had clearly cut the line.
Just then, the church doors creaked open, drawing everyone's attention.
A priest in black robes stepped out and greeted the children warmly.
"As a servant of the goddess, I welcome you all—"
His eyes landed on the black-haired boy.
"LUX! Why are you here again?!"
Lux smiled innocently and looked away.
"Ah, good morning, Father Alfrey! Lovely weather today, isn't it?"
He completely ignored the question, casually turning his gaze to the sky as if nothing was wrong.
He completely ignored the question, casually turning his gaze to the sky as if nothing was wrong.
"...I already told you last year!"
Father Alfrey insisted, his voice filled with frustration.
Lux sighed dreamily.
"Surely the weather's nice enough for a class to descend today... don't you think, Father Alfrey?"
The priest was at a loss for words. Lux had already come twice before, once when he turned fifteen, then gain sat sixteen. Now, at seventeen, he stood there once more, as if nothing had changed.
The problem was clear, he was classless. He had never received a class from the goddess, not even the normal tier.
"…But Father Alfrey, a Hero might take two years to awaken… don't you think?"
Lux pleaded, his expression shifting into a look of desperation.
"What if I'm just… a late bloomer? Maybe I'm destined for the Hero Class, and it just needs time to fully awaken!"
It was yet another one of his half-baked theories—a hopeful excuse to justify why he'd shown up at the church for the third year in a row.
"Really, big bro?!"
"Wow, that's amazing!"
The kids behind him suddenly lit up, fascinated by Lux's ridiculous explanation.
Lux blinked, then smirked.
"…Hehe, that's right! I'll be the Hero!"
He brushed his nose with the back of his hand, wearing a proud yet slightly embarrassed expression.
"I'm sorry for saying bad things earlier!" one of the kids said.
Another chimed in innocently,
"Yeah! That guy in the back said you were homeless and a virgin!"
Lux froze.
"One thing is wrong and one right ! I'm not homeless and I'm a virgin !!"
He shouted proudly.
"Wow !!"
The kid was amazed and clap with his comment.
Father Alfrey, however, was clearly at his limit. A vein bulged on his forehead as he clenched his jaw.
Realizing he had pushed Father Alfrey too far, Lux chuckled nervously and quickly stepped out of the line.
"Hehe… guess I'll come back next year, then," he muttered under his breath, giving the kids a casual wave as he walked off.