The heartland of the Sison Kingdom, in the Number One Void World.
The Zevar Desert was silent and desolate. Nearby Coconut Tree Town had been abandoned completely. Once the Underground Factory beneath the desert was destroyed, its thriving black market had vanished with it.
The town had sprung up to serve that market. Without it, the town had lost its reason to exist.
Deep in the desert, the enormous Underground Factory that had once employed two hundred thousand workers had been swallowed by a dried-up lava lake. Solidified black lava stretched across the yellow sands like a massive scar.
Now a lone figure crossed the desert, leaving a long trail of footprints in the sand near its edge.
The Red-Haired Woman staggered forward.
Wounds covered her body. One of the horns that marked her as a demon had snapped off, and the egg-laying sac behind her had been severed halfway along its length. Her left arm had been cut off at the shoulder. One eye was gone, leaving a bloody hole.
Still, the Red-Haired Woman kept fleeing. She did not want to die. She still had hope, if only she could get out of here...
"Keep going! You can do it. Don't give up." The Red-Haired Woman muttered encouragement to herself, gritting her teeth as she pressed on.
"Hahaha! Now that's determination!" A mocking voice rang out. The Red-Haired Woman stopped dead and turned, her face darkening.
A detestable man stood just a few meters away, smiling, with a tiny girl perched on his shoulder. She had not sensed him approach at all.
Despair swept over the Red-Haired Woman. She stopped trying to walk. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground. "What... what do you want? Stop tormenting me. Just kill me!"
Still smiling, Brenton stepped up