Volume 5 Chapter 0085: Gods Arrive at Baator - I, The Dragon Overlord

The meeting of the eight archdevils of Baator Hell continued, with Zariel, the Lord of the First Layer, and Mammon, the Lord of the Third Layer, locked in a fierce argument. At this point, a male devil, clad in regal robes and holding a scepter, spoke with a calm demeanor, "Mammon, we are gathered here to discuss the matter of the missing master of Hell and the contention for that supreme throne. This is no place for personal grievances." This devil, who appeared almost identical to a human save for the devilish horns on his head, was none other than Dispater, the Lord of the Second Layer and the Iron Duke. Though he seemed to be advising the two hellish lords to stop their bickering, it was clear from his words that he subtly favored the fallen angel Zariel. Dispater had a particular fondness for erinyes, a type of devil that had associations with ‘gods’. Not only were they beautiful, but they also possessed absolute loyalty and capability. Both Zariel and Glasya were erinyes, and even though he was not a part of their alliance, Dispater often leaned towards them. As old rivals of tens of thousands of years, the eight devil lords were well aware of each other's inclinations. Mammon, too, understood the Iron Duke’s preferences well. With a mocking smile on his grotesque snake-like face, he taunted, "Dispater, don't think I don't know your intentions; yet, after all these years, you haven't managed to get into Glasya’s bed. No matter how much you advocate for her, you won't stand a chance; she's the proud queen of the erinyes, one that even the great Asmodeus finds hard to tame!" "And as for Zariel, ha! She doesn't seem like a devil at all. Her martial nature resembles that of a demon. Although she has fallen into being a devil, she looks down on devils and dreams of returning to serve under the gods. She craves divine grace, not the affection of an ugly devil like you, hahahaha!!" Mammon's mockery darkened Dispater's face. The elegant devil tightened his grip on the scepter in his hand. Where he had been trying to mediate before, he now wished he could forcibly stuff the scepter down the throat of that venomous serpent to silence its infuriating words. Overseeing the quarrel among these archdevils with indifference was Beelzebub, the Lord of the Seventh Layer. This devil, with a visage as revolting as a slug and both a deceitful mind and grand ambitions, had not always had such an appearance. Once, his ambitions led him to oppose the Lord of Hell, and upon the failure of his coup, he was cursed into his current hideous form. Beelzebub harbored grudges against Mammon and Mephistopheles' alliance and despised the erinyes queen Glasya due to the Lord of Hell's influences. This made him universally disliked and opposed by his peers. Among the lords present, one beautiful lady had remained silent throughout. She was Queen Fierna, the Lord of the Fourth Layer. Her beauty was exceptional, meeting humanoid standards of awe, apart from a few demonic features like horns and wings. The Fourth Layer of Hell was once ruled jointly by Queen Fierna and her father. There had always been scandalous rumors about their intricate relationship, until the Cataclysm Era shattered them. During an invasion by entities from another cosmos, Fierna personally slew her father, usurping his position and power, declaring herself the sole ruler of the Fourth Hell. Her actions epitomized the devils' endless thirst for power and greed. Such betrayals and assassinations were daily occurrences in Hell. Within this assembly, the eight archdevils verbally jousted, each wary of any sudden violent outburst, for assassination was a favored devilish trick. Unlike the chaotic demons, devils were crafty and deceit-filled, and engaging with them was notoriously challenging. Without the suppression of the Lord of Hell, despite varying strengths and legions among them, none could dominate all others. Even a one-on-two battle was nearly impossible. This lack of disparity meant no single person could command total allegiance. Everyone knew that this meeting would end inconclusively, with no one succeeding in claiming the emperor’s throne. Being archdevils, they understood each other's cunning all too well. Restlessly seated, upon realizing the futility of their words, some devils prepared to leave the meeting and return to their domains. Only within their territories did the archdevils feel a modicum of security. As Mephistopheles was about to dismiss the gathering, suddenly, at the boundary between the Eighth and Ninth Layers of Hell, a rift formed in the void. Immediately, the eight archdevils became alert, swiftly spreading out. Even allies like Zariel and Glasya, as well as Mammon and Mephistopheles, distanced themselves from each other. Trust among devils was perennially scarce. Who could tell if this newly-formed void rift was a scheme by one devil to eliminate the others? But soon, they realized it wasn't a devil's plot. From the fissure emanated a supreme, fearsome, and divine aura that struck terror and loathing into the devils’ hearts—a true god's breath! Under the watchful and eager eyes of the eight archdevils, two enormous dragon claws slowly emerged from the crevice. Grasping the edges, they forcibly tore the rift open, expanding it to hundreds of meters. "Roar—" With a thunderous roar that shook the void, the devils witnessed a massive dragon, stretching over a kilometer and shrouded in mist, unfurling its wings and protruding from the rift. Following its entrance was the descent of supreme divine might and dragon's majesty, enveloping all eight archdevils in Hell. Expressions changed drastically for these hellish lords, each retreating repeatedly. Some devils even prepared spells to return to their territories, but soon discovered that the space was anchored by divine power, preventing any teleportation. "The Dragon God, Louie Galakrond!" The archdevils spoke in unison, echoing the name of the terrifying dragon, their tones laced with fear, tension, and a hint of hostility. Exchanging glances, the devils nodded subtly, inching closer together. This was no ordinary deity but one of the most powerful of their age, a god whose divine rank had reached 17, now 18—the God of Dragons and Slaughter. Although it was just an avatar of the deity before them, the fact heightened their dread since this god's avatar possessed a divine rank equivalent to 9, nearing that of a mid-tier divine power! Within their territories, these hell lords might boast of powers akin to weak divine forces, capable of challenging a deity of rank 9. But here, outside their realms, they had no territorial empowerment to rely on! "Your Excellency, the Dragon God, what brings you to Baator?" Though deities held immense prestige, Hell was abundant with devils. Glasya, the Queen of the Erinyes, stepped forward to speak on behalf of the archdevils. None of the other devils faulted her for cutting in. In fact, they preferred she engage more with this god, knowing of his well-documented affairs across the world of San Soliel. As the Erinyes Queen, Glasya would likely appeal more to this god than any of the male archdevils present. Queen Fierna of the Fourth Layer was also suitable for initiating this parley, though Zariel, the fallen angel, was not. Her temperamental nature made her ill-suited for negotiations.