The eyes that appeared in the skies closed and faded, but the darkness and mist did not disperse.7

The closing of those eyes signified that Iris’ gaze had vanished, yet Eugene continued to stare into the distant obscurity.0

It wasn't just the space before him that was veiled in shadows, but beyond the barrier and trailing the fleet, darkness blanketed the sea and skies like a curtain separating worlds.0

With Iris becoming the Demon King, this place had been essentially transformed into a Devildom. In other words, the shadow-covered sea and skies, everything the darkness touched, was a part of Iris’ Devildom.1

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—You cannot escape from this sea.0

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Iris had said this mockingly just before disappearing. The Demon King had decreed it so. Escaping from the Devildom would require immense effort, and slipping away unscathed would be an impossible feat.0

"Escape?" Eugene murmured once more, a twisted smile still curling his lips. The thought of fleeing seemed absurd to him, a misstep in this game of power. Regardless of how it had come to pass, Iris had become the Demon King. This was a reality he couldn’t change. He wasn't sure what she was talking about when she mentioned her father’s inheritance, and though he was curious, pondering upon it now wouldn’t provide a clear answer and just be a waste of time. If he wanted to find out the truth, he would simply ask her just before killing her.8

What mattered now was that Iris had indeed become the Demon King, and likely just moments prior to her appearance. The timing was crucial.0

Could he have prevented this had he acted sooner? Perhaps, but Eugene harbored no such regrets. He had been as swift as caution would allow. If he still failed to prevent it, then maybe, as Iris mentioned, her transformation was an inevitability.2

‘No, we are not too late. In fact, we are early,’ Eugene realized after some thought.0

Had events followed their expected course and the fleet...0