"You dare challenge the King of Hell, little boy! Do you really have that big a death wish? I'll gladly take all your women in front of you and then leave you to squirm like a bug on the floor and watch me take them all!" Lucius yelled, his voice trembling with fury and the wrath of the Underworld. However, all his rage only fueled Junichi even more as he kept taking steps towards him.
"Listen fucker, King of Hell or not, I don't give a rat's ass about your title. If you want to take my women for yourself, then go ahead, kill me and take them!" Junichi paused and looked at Komorebi, Yuuhi, and Amaterasu.
Komorebi was still naked and semi-conscious, dangling from the vines; Amaterasu was still trembling and kneeling on the forest floor, the pool of piss under her had grown in size, and Yuuhi was hiding behind a tree and staring at Lucius with a confused and trembling form. He turned back to Lucius and continued,
"But as long as I'm alive, nobody touches my wives! Get that in your noggin fucktard!"
Not only does Junichi's challenge push Lucius further into rage, but the Demon King literally started to tremble with a sadistic and unfathomable grin on his face. Never in over a thousand years has anyone challenged Lucius' authority, and never a human, especially. "You're not a human, boy. Humans don't challenge me like this; you're… you're something else! Who and what are you?" Lucius asked with a twisted smile.
Junichi, seeing the slight tipping of the power dynamics, stood straight and held his chest even higher. He spoke up, "I'm Junichi. I was reincarnated into this world, and I'm going to plunder the Black Purgatory and kill the Phantom King and his army! I am the Dungeon Dueller!" The air shook with Junichi's declaration and the trees rustled, as if the Gods themselves were providing an alibi for his claim.
Lucius took a step back. His grin had completely disappeared, and there was no fire in his eyes anymore; there was something else none of them had calculated – there was devotion and satisfaction. Lucius, the Demon King, opened his mouth again to speak just one word; a word that was enough to shake everyone to their core;
"Master!"
Junichi's feet stumbled from the word. In front of him was supposed to be the King of Hell himself, the Demon King who, according to Amaterasu, had spent centuries destroying adventurers and gods alike, with his absolute authority over the Underworld. But he saw a frantic man now releasing Komorebi and wrapping her with whatever he could find.
And then Lucius did something even more out of character; he got on his knees and crawled at Junichi's feet. His head bowed in fear, and his forehead almost touched the ground in his trembling form as he begged for mercy, "Master! Please forgive me; I was foolish, I didn't recognize you. I'm worthless, Master; please forgive me. I'll do anything to make up for it. I'll give you the Underworld; I'll relinquish my title. Please, Master, please."
"What?" – This wasn't a word; this was almost like a chant that crossed the mouths of Junichi, Amaterasu, and Yuuhi. Lucius lifted his eyes at Junichi. They were teary and filled with absolute devotion. He spoke in a trembling voice, "I… I've waited for you, for over a thousand years, Master. I'm not the Demon King anymore; I'm your weapon! Please use me and let me help you with your conquest."
Junichi just looked at Amaterasu in pure confusion. "What is he talking about? Weapon? Master? Do you know anything about this shit?" I asked her. Amaterasu snapped out of the scene that was unfolding before her eyes and finally looked at Junichi. "I don't know, sir. I don't know what he's talking about. I've never seen him like this, the King of Hell, bowed into devotion, crawling on the ground for you."
Amaterasu's breath hitched as she looked at Junichi again – really looked at him. Something deep within her began to take form, something she couldn't name. "Am I really falling for him?" Her brain started yelling at her.
Meanwhile, Lucius finally sat up on his knees in submission and looked at Junichi. He was ready to present his explanation, an explanation that was about to change everything for Junichi.