Reborn as an Extra Chapter 694: I have waited... for a thousand years...

Upon hearing Ashtel's direct challenge, a moment of silence fell upon the Demon King before he spoke again.

"Has anyone ever informed you… that you are an exceptionally irritating individual, Ashtel Rex?"

Ashtel gave a nod to this inquiry, his smile broadening.

"The only individuals who have ever dared to label me as irritating, or an obstacle, have all met their demise as my enemies… In truth, Neo Aldif frequently called me irritating…"

"After all… I’ve always relished being the primary cause of failure in most of his grand schemes…"

"The same can be said for all the other adversaries who now rest six feet under, having been called irritating and having lived under my pervasive shadow…"

Ashtel gestured with his finger towards the shadowy figure that writhed in the air as he delivered his words.

"You are merely one among the many who find their carefully laid plans utterly thwarted due to my very existence… This is hardly a novel situation for me…"

"As long as I stand here, you shall not reach Rio… so abandon your foolish dreams and depart before I decide to advance upon your position!"

Ashtel was not employing mere rhetoric; should the Demon King dare to take even a single step forward, he was prepared to commit all his power instantly.

In reality, Ashtel would have already launched an assault the very instant he detected the Demon King's familiar presence, had he not been occupied with shielding Rio and the others from the impending heavenly punishment.

The heavenly tribulation was on the cusp of descending, and it was an exceedingly inopportune moment for him to depart and charge directly into the demon race's domain.

Doing so would inevitably leave Rio and the others utterly defenseless against the celestial thunder.

Were it not for this critical restriction, he would have been compelled to engage in negotiations at this very juncture.

"You have grown weaker… Ashtel Rex…"

Catching the mocking undertone in the Demon King's voice, Ashtel reciprocated with a similar tone of derision,

"And you have become smaller… Nebo Dahaka, you were once far more direct than this hesitant version of yourself…"

"Your confidence has clearly waned…"

For a fleeting moment, a profound silence enveloped both parties, with only the boisterous roars of the heavenly thunder echoing forcefully in the background. They continued to lock gazes, neither willing to yield even a single inch.

Following a full minute of silent standoff, the Demon King finally shattered the quietude, his gaze directed towards the ominous thunderclouds.

"You fail to grasp it yet, Ashtel Rex… but I hold no blame for your lack of understanding… Perhaps a day will dawn when you too will comprehend…"

"You shall eventually understand…"

"My intention was to encounter him much later than this… yet by channeling the power of the entire world into a single individual today… you have all irrevocably altered the course of events."

"I find myself compelled to meet him… sooner than I had originally anticipated…"

Ashtel's brow furrowed at the cryptic pronouncements, and he responded,

"Cease your nonsensical ramblings! Your thoughts and intentions are of no consequence to me!"

"It's not as though I could possibly place my trust in a demon, regardless."

It was not as though there had never been beings in history who had opted to place their faith in the demon race.

Astra, revered as the most benevolent and kindest soul in existence, someone famously regarded as a saint-like figure, had once shown a degree of kindness by attempting to aid the demon race.

However, even she found herself with no recourse but to abandon them, having witnessed their inherently cruel and violence-imbued nature.

Demons represented a malignant affliction upon the universe; they were beyond redemption and could never be equated with ordinary sentient beings.

Entrusting them with anything is akin to coiling a venomous and savage serpent around one's own neck; one can never be certain when it will strike without warning and deliver a fatal bite.

"Your efforts to resist are futile… you are attempting to impede an inevitable occurrence…"

"I was uncertain if I would have the opportunity to meet him prior to this… but having arrived here, I am now considerably more assured…"

"I am certain I shall meet him… your current stance is merely born of stubbornness…"

Just as Ashtel prepared to deliver his next retort, a colossal bolt of heavenly thunder descended with breathtaking velocity, striking directly upon the Demon King's vessel.

Before being engulfed by the potent beam of lightning, the Demon King's shadow cast a glance in the direction of the underground laboratory concealed by Ashtel's power, and he softly uttered.

"We shall meet before long… I have awaited your arrival… for a millennium…"

The beam of heavenly thunder impacted the Demon King's vessel, annihilating it completely and instantaneously!

Observing this turn of events, Ashtel's frown deepened considerably.

"He journeyed all this way merely to utter such trivial nonsense?... He conducted himself differently during our last encounter..."

"Did the loss of his progeny alter him in some fashion? Yet, that should not be the case, should it?... After all, demons are not known to harbor profound affections for their offspring..."

"Well, at the very least, I have managed to ascertain that this individual referred to as 'Raika' is likely not directly affiliated with the Demon King, as his powers still appear consistent with their previous manifestation..."

Despite the shadowy vessel emitting no soul or aura fluctuations, its corrupting miasma was sufficient to inform Ashtel of its nature.

It became evident that Raika was probably the construct of an unknown third party, a fact even Ashtel was not privy to.

‘I must consult the world alliance’s archives for any leads… My gut feeling screams that nefarious plots are unfolding in secret…

‘As for Rio… I ought to furnish him with a teleportation scroll, enabling a secure retreat even when cornered by adversity…

Ashtel sighed, setting aside concerns about the future for the moment, and centered his focus on the present predicament.

He promptly surveyed the vicinity for any lingering traces of the demon king’s miasma and then invoked his world authority to neutralize the heavenly tribulation!

By employing his world authority to simulate a potent cosmic shockwave within reality’s very fabric, Ashtel fractured spacetime as if it were brittle glass, creating a colossal rift above the subterranean laboratory.

Consequently, all heavenly lightning was drawn into this void, rendering itself void!

For the present Ashtel Rex, wielding level 7 world authority, enduring this lesser heavenly thunder was merely a simple task!