Underworld

## The Underworld

A mirror of the planet Earth, the **Underworld** is the birthplace and home of all devils that is located in the lower-hemisphere of the universe. However, unlike Earth which has seven continents and five oceans, the Underworld is made up of three continents—Lucifer's Reach, the Ten-Demons Empire, and Vici—and four oceans. Additionally, three moons orbit the Underworld as opposed to Earth's sole one. Because of the presence of magic, technology is not used as widely in the Underworld.

Devils, which throughout history eventually became identical to humans due to inbreeding, are the main inhabitants of the Underworld. The only major differences between devils and humans are the former's ability to use magic and be born with a wider assortment of hair and eye colors. In Lucifer's Reach and the Ten-Demons Empire, devils live similar to that of humans with similar economic structures and ways of living. According to Zane, if it weren't for magic and the lack of modern transportation such as cars, he would not be able to tell the difference between the Underworld and Earth in the daytime. In the nighttime, however, the Underworld is overtaken by a red sky due its blood-red moons, which changed color after the Blood Wedding.

According to Amber, the research done in Alpha-01 explains that magic naturally equilibrates the physics difference between the Underworld and Earth. Essentially, despite the planet being larger than Earth, the gravitational and other natural forces behave the same in both.

## **Appearence & Lifestyle**

Because the Underworld is a mirror of Earth, it is also approximately 71% made up of oceans, with the other 29% being land. The first content, Lucifer's reach, is located in the Western Hemisphere and is nearly as large as North America and South America combined although it is a different shape then if the two were put together. The second continent, the Ten-Demons Empire, is located in the Eastern Hemisphere and is the same shape as Asia but on a larger scale as there is no equivalent of Europe, Africa or Australia. The third continent, Vici, is the equivalent of Antartica.

### **Lucifer's Reach**

The first content of the Underworld, Lucifer's Reach, does not have countries or states but is instead composed of large several cities and towns. They are similar to the ones on Earth with buildings, roads, stores, and landmarks. Travel in Lucifer's Reach is handled by a high-speed magical trains called Black Flashes that travel at around three-hundred miles-per-hour.

Devils live similarly to that of humans dependent on the magic they are born with. Those who are born with magic strong enough to be used for combat typically have an edge in society as they are capable of fulfilling more responsibilities. Locuses, gold coins, are the currency of the Underworld; on each of them, a number is printed to indicate how much they're worth.

Lucifer, which is the title given to the King of the Underworld, rules over the continent like a monarch and appoints several advisors that handle different aspects of society such as food, currency and the military. Each city and town also has their own mayor that report to Lucifer.

### **Ten-Demons Empire**

The second continent of the Underworld—the Ten-Demons Empire, a larger Asia—is ruled over by the Ten Demon Kings, a group assembled of nine extremely powerful mages and a tenth who is the leader of the group and is said to rival Lucifer in strength. Devils from Lucifer's Reach are forbidden from traveling here.

Instead of having cities and towns, the Ten-Demons Empire is composed of several kingdoms that are essentially the equivalent of states. The continent is known for having much stricter rules; however, outside of that, not much information has been released to the public of Lucifer's Reach. According to research done by the Death Corps, the Ten-Demons Empire uses the same currency and travel system.

### **Vici**

The last continent—Vici, the Underworld's equivalent of Antartica—is classified by both Lucifer's Reach and the Ten-Demons Empire as extremely dangerous. It is composed of several biomes such as deserts, tundras, and grasslands, with half of it being a massive jungle. Most trips to research Vici have ended in disaster, with only two devils having returned from the continent alive.

Inhabited by beasts, descendants of devils who never inbred with humans, only SZ-Class Mages are capable of surviving a trip to the continent. The content is also where the entrance to Hades's Domain lies.

## **History**

At the birth of existence, each universe was split into two—an upper-hemisphere and a lower-hemisphere—with each sides being a mirror of each other. The Underworld, the mirror of Earth, was designated by God as the home of devils, a race of creatures whose sole purpose was to torment humans and persuade them into sinning. Due to the Magical Archive's influence, devils were also born with magic.

A few hundred years after the first humans began appearing on Earth, however, devils began inbreeding with humans and eventually became identical to them in appearance and nature. Due to this, both the Earth and Underworld began developing in extremely similar ways, with magic being a stand-in for the human's technology. Dragons, which began to appear from the Absit Lands, also started to inhabit the Underworld which led to setbacks several times in history.

### **Found Of Lucifer's Reach**

Many wars and battles were fought in the Underworld until one devil named Lucifer eventually rose to power, conquering the entire continent.

Following Lucifer's rise to power, the current system that the Underworld uses was put into place. Black Flashes, high-speed trains powered by magic, were created for traversing across the continent, and the capital city of Annabel was established. The military was also subsequently created, which made it easier to find and recruit mages who were strong enough to use magic for combat, leading to dragons becoming less of a threat.

After Lucifer's death, "Lucifer" then became the title given to the King of the Underworld that would be passed down through the bloodline. Because of the effective leadership from Lucifer's descendants, the Underworld began to develop at a rapid pace much father than Earth.

### **Rebellion**

In the year 192, a rebellion sparked in Lucifer's Reach after the first King of the Underworld not related to the first Lucifer was appointed. With the continent suffering from over-population, an unnamed devil called "The Rebel" who learned Dragon-Slaying Magic from Caloris Azathoth would summon an army of dragons, and a war within the continent was fought.

Lucifer at the time, a devil named Haroon Clay, fought against The Rebel. His guild that he had founded prior to becoming King of the Underworld, Black Crown, also joined him in battle, and while they were victorious, things didn't end well.

### **Founding Of The Ten-Demons Empire**

Following the rebellion's defeat, The Rebel seeked out a power he could use to save the continent from overpopulation. Eventually, he came across a special flute that looked like it was made of futuristic material; playing it, he soon found out that he could command dragons using the flute's sounds. Using this newfound power, The Rebel attacked Lucifer's Reach once more, before using his army of dragons to transport people to a continent that had recently been discovered in the Eastern Hemisphere.

There, The Rebel founded the Ten Demon Kings, and the continent was designated as the Ten-Demons Empire. Several kingdoms were founded, the first one being the Clockwork Kingdom which was created around the Clocktower of Bael. Throughout history, whenever one of the Ten Demon Kings died, they would be replaced with the most fitting choice, most often an elite mage with extreme power.

### **Discovery Of Vici**

After some time, it was decided that devils from Lucifer's Reach would be forbidden from attempting to reach the Ten-Demons Empire as the continent began producing stronger mages due to the landscape having more magic. Throughout history, very little encounters between devils from the two continents occurred, most of them taking place on Earth.

In the year 1354, when technology had finally advanced enough, the third and last continent was discovered in a mutual effort between Lucifer's Reach and the Ten-Demons Empire, and it was named Vici. Working together, the two continents sent a group of elite mages to explore the continent; however, none of them returned and using magic they discovered they had all been killed gruesomely. Another effort was made, with a mage by the name of Eryu Dierenji taking a dragon to explore the continent. While he survived and was able to make it back by using Space Magic, his dragon had been shot down. After recovering from PTSD, Eryu explained to the researchers from the two continents what he had seen—a race of devils living on the island that looked eerily similar to devils before they began inbreeding with humans.

The race of devils were designated as beasts, and no further efforts to reach the continent were made.

### **Slaying Magic**

The Church, which had established itself in the year 312 as a collection of mages on Earth, soon discovered that a devil from the Underworld had traveled to Earth and taught a human how to use magic, thus becoming the first Devil-Slayer. Lucifer's Reach, which had no knowledge of Slaying Magic, soon learned of the magic after members of the Church warned them. Terrified at the Inverse Rule, the Lucifer at the time made it illegal to travel to Earth, and many mage who attempted to do so would be promptly executed.

In the Ten-Demons Empire, however, Slaying Magic had been discovered

## **Notable Locations**

### **Lucifer's Reach**

#### **Annabel**

The Underworld's capital city, approximately the same size as the United States. Where most businesses, large-scale events and political meetings are held. Beneath Annabel is the generator powering the Gates of Freedom.

#### **Lucifer Manor**

A mansion that resides on the cliff of a mountain not too far from Annabel. It is where Lucifer meets with guests and includes several bedrooms similar to that of a normal mansion. It is also the location of Lisa's lab.

#### **Leviathus**

The second-largest city in the Underworld, its coast touching the Sea of Trabaxia. Where most food is produced, and a popular place to visit for tourists. Unbeknownst to the public, it is also where most prisons are located.

#### **Sea of Trabaxia**

The largest sea in the Underworld, but a relatively safe one. It is an excellent spot for fishing and for mages who specialize in Water Magic to train.

#### **Orientem**

A relatively small city just east of the capital. Where most materials, such as metals and minerals, are excavated. Because of all of its citizens being too weak to use magic for combat, it was targeted by the Shinriyoku. It is now uninhabitable but is still a location for excavation.

#### **Fulminare**

The third-largest city in the Underworld and where most guilds locate their base. Approximately seventy-two percent of devils born Fulminare end up being able to use combat magic, the highest of any city in the Underworld including the capital.

#### **Gisei**

Once a poverty-stricken town but now a much more well-off town. Long ago, Hylax struck a deal with its citizen which led to the town slowly improving over time; however, it created rifts in space-time that gave the interdimensional god to begin entering their reality.

#### **Alpha-01**

A massive military base and the main operating place of the Underworld's military. Where most experiments and scientific research is done pertaining to non-magical things. Has technology advanced enough to study space-time and observe distance worlds and even galaxies in the upper-hemisphere.

#### **Psalm**

The base for the Death Corps, located just beneath Annabel. In charge of handling the Requiem Blades and managing Shinigami who balance life and death itself, as well as peace in the magical world.

#### **Casus**

A town suffering from a food shortage that Afeus Clover eventually fixed. It is where Zane, Amber and Jay visited on their trip to find Uriel. In Book 6, it was destroyed by Jack-O'-Hollow and is currently being repaired.

#### **Mirror Cave**

A cave inside of a mountain just outside of Casus. It is the death place of Trix, an SZ-Class Mage from the past who wielded Illusion and Death Magic. Due to his death, the cave was cursed and forces most of the mages who pass through it to see unwanted visions.

#### **Facio**

Once a fairly large city, but was half-destroyed in the fight between Byakuya and the archangel Gabriel. Because of Gabriel's death and his subsequent mixed-reincarnation with Hailey Luna there, the place became highly-contaminated with White Magic, and is now guarded by anti-magic knights.

#### **Pointbreak Cathedral**

Resides on a small island, and is where Tomas Morton lives.

#### **Draco**

Once the reseting place for the Storm Dragon-Queen, Katalysta, and where many dragons lived in peace among devils. It was eventually destroyed by a raid of dragons sent by Leonais, causing the death of Katalysta. It is also where Byakuya trained and received his power.

#### **Twilight**

A city similar to that of Paris. It was mostly destroyed in the fight between Katalysta and Galvamesh; there, the ladder would end up killing the Brant and Layla Lucifer, the Queen of the Underworld and first-in-line for the throne at the time, and would be sealed away inside of Amber. It was originally not going to be reconstructed, but was eventually repaired at Amber's command.

#### **The White Sea**

A dangerous sea, and the second-largest one in the Underworld. It is highly-infested with leviathan, and its water is known for being slightly more transparent than other seas in the Underworld and on Earth.

#### **Pluvia**

A city in the Underworld that was destroyed by Jack-O'-Hollow and is currently being repaired. Its citizens worshipped the supposed god of water, Atlantes, who would bestow a blessing to each of its citizens when they reached the right age. Also the birthplace of Ren Asura and Alzon Viernes.

### **Ten-Demons Empire**

#### **Clockwork Kingdom**

A kingdom known for producing the most combat mages per capita. Its capital city, Gladius, holds the Clocktower of Bael.

##### **Gladius**

The capital of the Clockwork Kingdom where its snows every other night. In the center lies the Clocktower of Bael. The place is infamous for constantly going through different kings due to internal drama.

###### **Clocktower of Bael**

A clocktower that is counting down towards an unknown event that is supposed to take place in May of 2024. Gladius, and eventually the entire Clockwork Kingdom, was built around it. Many believed that it was counting down to the awakening of Hylax, who was supposed to consume the entire multiverse and take the citizens of the Ten-Demons Empire to a better place. However, it is revealed in Book 8 that it had been counting down towards the fated duel between the host of the First Axis and the host of the First Dark-Axis, Zane Euphoria and Delta Ayana. When the clock hits zero, it is supposed to begin counting down counter-clockwise to 30 days from then, and if a winner between the two hosts is not reach by then, the clock would explode and end the entire Underworld would be destroyed.

#### **Quadratus Kingdom**

A kingdom that is shaped in a perfect square. It is also home to four unknown SZ-Class devils, and is designated as the most dangerous place for a devil from Lucifer's Reach to visit. Testimonies from devils who reached the place say it is in the middle of a desert.

##### **Rye**

The capital of the Quadratus Kingdom. Thousands of years ago, seven strange vases crash-landed in Rye from the upper-hemisphere, and were eventually found by Caloris Azathoth who landed in Rye from Dimension-578. Using his blood, Caloris eventually used the vases to create the Seven Dragon-Kings, sending a domino affect across the entire megaverse.

#### **Akuma Kingdom**

Where prisoners are sent to become slaves and mine resources. It is relatively small, but due to the cheap cost of living is a fairly popular place for devils to live. It has no king, and is instead managed by the Ten Demon Kings.

##### **Alastor Mine**

The largest mine in the kingdom where most prisoners are sent. It is where the Requiem Blades were discovered, and where the Death Corps uses as a spawn point to enter the Ten-Demons Empire.

#### **Focalor Kingdom**

The hottest place in the entire Underworld that Caloris Azathoth, one of the Ten Demon Kings, rules over. While second to the Clockwork Kingdom in combat mages born per capita, mages who are born in the Focalor Kingdom are said to all become very powerful, with most of them reaching SS-Class.

##### **Teskia**

Where the Diamond Dragon-Queen Mantem resides. Novis Alkatratz, who was its champion, was born there but eventually died at the hands of Caloris Azathoth. It is rumored that a new champion for the Mantem has been chosen, but their identity is unknown.

### **Hades's Domain**

The last one-third of the Underworld that is ruled by the Greek god Hades until his death at the hands of Afeus Clover. Unlike the Ten-Demons Empire and Lucifer's Reach, there are no cities or kingdom, but is instead characterized as a massive black wasteland.

#### **Tartarus**

The home of many dead monsters and, in Greek mythology, is the prison for the Titans. In Book 3, Afeus Clover opened the Gates of Tartarus, allowing every entity inside of it to reach the Lands Between.

##### **Gates of Tartarus**

The gateway inside of Tartarus that allows entities inside of it to enter the Lands Between, the physical manifestation of the gap between the Underworld and Earth, which appears as a perfect recreation of the ladder but without any living beings.

#### **River Styx**

The entrance to Hades's Domain. It is also where the Greek gods swear their oaths.