Volume 5 Chapter 0088 Play an interesting play for me! - I, The Dragon Overlord

The archdevils were convinced by Louie’s provocative statement that "there might be some hidden secret in the Blood War." Despite their inherent suspicion, which led them to anticipate divine conspiracies, these devils eagerly dove back into the fray. As for how cautious these devils would remain during the Blood War, that was their own concern, no longer involving Louie. With the devils dealt with, the chaotic nature of demons made them relatively easier to manage. Not to mention Louie’s daughter, Rosalind, had already seized control of the first three layers of the Abyss and could launch the Blood War at any time. The demons, lacking in wits, would be drawn in by a single provocation from the devils and willingly throw themselves into the meat grinder, offering up their own souls. The vast majority of demons and devils would perish on the most terrifying battlefield of the San Soliel world, but a small number of them might gain significant benefits from the Blood War, potentially becoming an Abyssal Lord or a Dark Duke. ... On the eighth layer of Hell, Louie had a meeting with Mephistopheles, the lord of this layer, who should have departed already. Known as the quintessential devil, Mephistopheles had a colossal form wrapped in the base elements of the hells—hellfire, which brimmed with malice and immense power. Within this layer, Mephistopheles had amassed a vast army comprised of ice devils, abyssal lords, barbazus, and horned devils. Moreover, as the ruler of the only passage to the ninth layer of Hell, Nessus, many devils believed it had the best chance to replace Asmodeus and become the new Lord of Hell. Even in the era before the Cataclysm, it was second only to the King of Baator, and now that the Emperor of Hell had fallen, it was unquestionably the strongest. “Well then, Mephistopheles, you used magic to summon me for a discussion. Now I am here. Do not waste time. The time of a deity is more precious than that of a devil. Explain to me your objective and your thoughts, and I shall judge them!” Louie could largely guess the intent behind the devil's summons: it sought his assistance, likely for its own ambitions. "Hahaha! Your Excellency, the Dragon God, you are straightforward. As a devil, I usually prefer not to be so blunt, but to please you, I will speak plainly." Mephistopheles responded to Louie with a touch of humility. Despite knowing Louie’s incarnation posed no direct threat to it in the eighth layer of Hell, it was wise not to provoke this deity into confrontation. Devils are beings of extreme cunning. Even if they harbor rebellion, they exhibit enough deference on the surface to make you lower your guard. Thus, Louie’s imposing dragon eyes stared coldly at the devil, waiting to hear its pitch. Mephistopheles, a devil who had ruled a plane of Hell for many years, understood the art of diplomacy. Without wasting time, it stated directly, “Great Dragon and God of Slaughter, I beseech your help in becoming the King of Baator!” The great red-skinned devil bowed humbly. Louie did not immediately agree or deny but instead watched the devil enveloped in hellfire with a mocking gaze, “If I assist you in becoming the King of Baator, what will you offer me in return, Mephistopheles?” “Gods concern themselves with faith, but devils lack faith!” If creatures like devils and demons could generate faith, the Abyss and Hell would have long become frenzied divine feeding grounds. “Of course, as a true deity, you prize faith above all else, which is absent in Hell. However, you’ve come to Baator and are stirring us into the Blood War, which must serve your purposes. Though I do not know what they are, should I become the King of Baator, I would certainly cooperate with you in achieving your goals!” “... And as for Zariel, Glasya, and Queen Fierna, those three female archdevils, I shall capture them and offer them to you, making devils the best toys for the great deity!” Mephistopheles knew exactly what intrigued Louie, offering him a compelling package involving his likely hidden motives and three powerful, alluring female devils, similar to how the Queen of Succubi became one of his exquisite playthings. No dragon would refuse such an opportunity with any female. Moreover, those three commanding archdevils were enough to captivate any creature with human aesthetic sensibilities. “Offering them to me? You likely lack the means to control those three archdevils and want me to imprison them in my divine realm, freeing up more resources for yourself,” Louie scoffed, seeing through the devil’s ploy. “I do not deny such thoughts, great deity!” Within the vast catacombs of Hell, the towering devil wore a sycophantic smile. “Why collaborate with me, knowing I am a deity of intrigue and deceit? Why would a devil dare contemplate working with me?” Louie’s draconic stare bore down on Mephistopheles, adding immense pressure on the archdevil. “Because my aim is to be King of Baator, whereas you, a deity, surely have no interest in ruling Hell. As our ambitions do not overlap, you are, therefore, the ideal ally.” The great devil responded with a cunning grin. “Hahaha! Well said, Mephistopheles. Now, tell me, what qualifies you for my assistance?” The aura of Louie’s dragon form emanated, and its wings spread wide as a thunderous roar reverberated through the air. Mephistopheles felt its mind buzzing, soul quaking. It was startled by Louie’s might—an incarnation that could threaten even an archdevil’s life. Yet, with confidence, it declared, “… because Mammon and Beelzebub are already willing to heed me!” “Oh? Impressive for a devil, concealing such a fact. The world knows you as an ally of Mammon and a sworn enemy of Beelzebub, yet you’ve transformed adversaries into allies,” Louie chuckled coldly, displaying the deity and dragon’s disdain. Devils do not become upset over such dismissive attitudes; it only bolsters their humility. “Then I agree. I accept to support your bid for the throne of Baator. Let this be our verbal contract; you may choose to trust it or not. Now, devil, offer me a delightful and entertaining spectacle!” With laughter echoing, Louie’s form—a colossal dragon a thousand meters long—morphed into a swirling energy mass, vanishing from the hells. Contrary to the errant Melcanthet, the fierce, proud nature of hell’s female devils made the simplest tactic to bend them to submission capturing and ensuring proper training. After Louie’s departure, Mephistopheles the devil stood engulfed in contemplative thoughts.