With a resolute determination, Rhea rallied a formidable force and set out towards the Nightshade Forest in pursuit of the elusive Dark Ice Elemental Spark.
Word of her mission quickly spread throughout the Olmer Clan's territory, spreading like wildfire through the ranks of both allies and foes alike.
Whispers of Rhea's impressive company began to circulate, as rumors of her four powerful Demon Kings reached even the most remote corners of the land.
It was clear that she would stop at nothing to acquire the spark, even if it meant coming face to face with her longtime rival, Zara.
Meanwhile, Xander and Dante couldn't help but scoff at Rhea's overconfidence, convinced that her recent victories had gone to her head.
Though they acknowledged her strength, they knew all too well that she paled in comparison to Zara's power.
Despite their disdain, however, the two could not resist the lure of the elemental spark.
Their eyes glittered with avarice and excitement as they saw an opportunity to take Rhea down a peg and, if fate allowed it, even defeat Zara herself.
With that, they hastily gathered small teams of their own, each accompanied by two powerful Demon Kings, and set out on a parallel path towards the Nightshade Forest, where the Dark Ice Elemental Spark lay hidden in the depths.
The prize they sought was tucked away in the deepest part of the forest, under the watchful eye of the Bloodfire Leviathan, the forest's regal ruler. Meanwhile, Zara was already on her way to the same destination with her own strategy.
As for Rhea, her army had split up into two teams after entering the forest. Sargan and one of the Demon Kings had branched off to form a separate group.
As Rhea's team trudged deeper into the forest, their senses were heightened by the eerie stillness that surrounded them. The twisted branches of the trees seemed to claw at them as they pushed forward, the thick fog making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.
After what felt like an eternity of navigating the labyrinthine forest, the sound of clashing metal and the roar of a mighty beast echoed through the trees, sending shivers down their spines. They quickened their pace, their hearts pounding with anticipation and fear.
Finally, they burst through a clearing, their eyes widening as they beheld the scene before them. A fierce battle was underway between a group of demons and a massive creature, its scales glinting in the dim light.
Suddenly, they heard the Bloodfire Leviathan's agonizing screams - the guardian of the Dark Ice Elemental Spark.
As they approached the scene, they saw that the Bloodfire Leviathan had been severely wounded, and Zara was standing before it with a cold expression on her face.
"This is the end. Give up and become my mount!" she commanded, her voice dripping with arrogance.
But the Bloodfire Leviathan was not ready to give up without a fight.
"You think I will become a mount of a scrawny lady like you?! Fuck off!" it roared back, spitting flames at Zara.
Rhea's team crept silently through the dense foliage, eyes scanning for any sign of their enemies. Suddenly, the Demon Kings accompanying Rhea picked up something on their senses.
"Milady," one of them whispered urgently, "Young Miss Zara has brought five Demon Kings with her."
Rhea's eyes widened in surprise. "Five Demon Kings? That's an unusually high number considering she had no idea we were coming."
But there was no time to ponder this. Rhea knew that the only way to secure the Dark Ice Elemental Spark was to engage Zara's forces in battle.
"The plan remains unchanged. We engage them in battle now!" Rhea commanded her team.
She turned to the Demon Kings and gave them their orders. "As planned, just fight defensively until Sargan comes."
The Demon Kings nodded in acceptance, their eyes blazing with battle lust.
Rhea's force charged towards Zara's team with a fierce look in their eyes, ready to show their superiority.
Zara spotted them from afar and let out a sneer, her Demon Kings quickly catching sight of the three accompanying Rhea.
"Ah, it seems we have uninvited guests," Zara said, raising her heavy mace. "You should have known better than to try and take something from me, Rhea."
Rhea remained undaunted, standing tall and proud as she declared, "We are not afraid of you, Zara."
The two factions clashed, their weapons colliding with a deafening sound. The Demon Kings of both sides engaged in fierce combat, their power and speed on full display as they clashed with one another. The battle was intense, with neither side giving an inch.
As they fought, Rhea's Demon Kings kept their focus on defense, waiting patiently for Sargan to arrive. They knew that their chances of success would greatly increase with his assistance.
Despite Rhea's initial enthusiasm, Zara's faction seemed to have the upper hand. Zara was ruthless in her attacks, and her team followed suit. The sounds of clashing weapons and the screams of the injured filled the air.
Zara sneered as she struck another blow, "Is this all you've got, Rhea? I expected more from someone who dares challenge me."
But Rhea remained unfazed, her eyes blazing with determination, "I'm not done yet, Zara. We'll see who comes out on top."
As the battle raged on, the Bloodfire Leviathan managed to slip away unnoticed, intent on healing its injuries in the nearby blood spring. It was determined to make these intruders pay for daring to enter its territory.
Meanwhile, Sargan and the Demon King accompanying him trekked through the other regions of the Nightshade Forest, they hunted wave after wave of savage beasts.
The two demons had a dual purpose for their relentless pursuit: to stimulate the Beast Kings of the region to emerge by radiating their Ardor, and to feed Sargan's personal ambition.
With each kill, Sargan invoked the Nether Devil God Mantra, a highly advanced cultivation method, to absorb the soul of the slain beast.
The Nether Devil God Mantra was an immensely powerful cultivation method, so advanced that not even Sargan's accompanying Demon King was aware of him absorbing the souls of the beasts they hunted.
However, with each soul he consumed, Sargan's mastery of the technique skyrocketed, rapidly enhancing his proficiency in the dark art.
