[Vareon's Dominion Grows]
Even after the empire's collapse, Vareon's ambitions never ended.
In the cold shadows of the North, his kingdom evolved into a terrifying machine—driven not by patriotism, nor justice, but by deception, power, and sacrifice.
And at the heart of it…
Were two men whose loyalty had been rewritten by lies.
Raizen and Darius.
[The Spies He Shaped]
Under Vareon's direct guidance, the two young survivors were raised as more than just pawns. They were shaped into senior spies—trusted figures, trained in infiltration, strategy, and manipulation.
They weren't fools.They were brilliant.
But brilliance means nothing when the foundation of your beliefs is false.
Believing their true enemy was the fallen Emperor—the man who raised Shang—they channeled their rage and purpose into service for Vareon. They did what they were told.
They spied.They killed.They planned.
And in doing so… they fed the Demon King.
For every conquered kingdom, Vareon offered sacrifices—entire populations, cities, nobles—all thrown into ritual flames to keep the Demon King's power burning.
And the Demon King rewarded him.
[Vareon's Unholy Evolution]
After years of blood oaths and dark rituals, the Demon King granted Vareon one of his most devastating gifts:
The ability to copy others' Spiritual Abilities.
It changed everything.
Now, Vareon could observe a gifted warrior or mage—and then mimic their ability with precision.
When he learned of Sazuki's Spiritual Cloning Technique—Kazuki's older brother and a legend in South Ryehem—Vareon didn't just copy it.
He shared it.
He infused his soldiers with that ability, allowing them to multiply their presence mid-battle, confusing and overwhelming their enemies with seemingly endless numbers.
The North's military became unstoppable.
[The Army of Shadows]
North Ryehem's military was restructured into three terrifying layers:
The First Layer – A vast defensive force stationed to protect the borders, made up of durable troops with copied defensive techniques and tracking skills.
The Second Layer – A reactive strike team. Their job wasn't just to fight, but to observe any Spiritual Abilities the enemy used against the third layer. They would then replicate those powers instantly, turning the enemy's strength against them.
The Third Layer – The spearhead of North Ryehem. A brutal, aggressive force that would invade first, cause chaos, and test South Ryehem's new abilities during open conflict.
If the third layer failed, it became the bait.The second layer would avenge them… by becoming them.
[South Ryehem — The Kingdom of the Blessed]
South Ryehem could not compare in size or structure.But it had something else—blessing.
The God Julius, patron of the original Ryehemian empire, had turned his gaze away from the corrupted North. His blessings fell solely on the people of the South.
Every child born in South Ryehem had stronger bodies, deeper Spiritual reserves, and in rare cases, access to holy or divine spirits.
But they were fewer in number.
They were the embers of hope—burning bright, but slowly.
[Vareon's Hidden Cruelty]
Even the very heart of North Ryehem was rotten.
After the war, only half of the northern population survived.
The rest—men, women, children—were offered to the Demon King.
The citizens who remained?They were indoctrinated. Fed lies about glorious victory and the "necessary sacrifices" for a greater world.
But in truth… they were living in the cage of a false king, powered by borrowed strength, borrowed soldiers, and a borrowed future.
[The Spies Return]
Eventually, Vareon gave his final order to Darius and Raizen:
"Go to South Ryehem. Blend in. Wait."
They obeyed.
Shang, ever kind, ever trusting, had suspicions at first. He had seen too much betrayal to ignore the possibility.
But he believed in second chances.
He believed that broken people could be healed.
So, slowly, he let them in.
And Darius and Raizen?They learned how to act like men reborn.
But in truth—they had simply been reforged in darkness.