Chapter 457: [455] Astarte
Koyomi Shizuka left, but August's words had clearly left a mark on her. This self-proclaimed "Demon King," who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, now aimed to conquer the entire world, with Itogami Island as his first stepping stone. This was far from good news. The world had only recently achieved a fragile peace, thanks to the "Sanctuary Treaty" brokered by the First Primogenitor, which allowed humans and demons to coexist in a delicate balance.
As time passed, evening fell, and under August's watchful gaze, a fire broke out in one of the districts of Itogami Island. The flames spread rapidly, their glow stark against the darkening sky.
"August, what's that?" asked Kanon, peering through the large window at the distant blaze.
"That's a familiar setting things on fire. It's the work of that terrorist Natsuki has been chasing," August replied calmly.
"A terrorist?"
"Yes, someone who will stop at nothing for their so-called faith."
"Faith?" Kanon murmured, her expression thoughtful. She had once held onto faith herself, but it had failed her when she needed it most. It was August who had saved her, and from that moment on, he had become her everything—a new kind of faith.
In the distance, within the abandoned warehouse district, flames engulfed the area. From the inferno, a fiery bird emerged, radiating a significant amount of magical energy. This was the familiar of an old-generation vampire, not among the strongest, but still formidable.
The surrounding warehouses, long abandoned, were now consumed by the spreading fire. Without intervention, the flames threatened to reach the streets. The automatic fire suppression systems, mostly broken due to years of neglect, offered no help.