Volume 5 Chapter 0104 The Deepest Secret of Hell - I, The Dragon Overlord

"This place is... the Ninth Layer of Hell, the Core of Baator, Nessus." While the Eight Archdukes of Hell were occupied with the Blood War, they would never have expected Louie to take advantage of this opportunity to enter the Ninth Layer, Nessus. Under normal circumstances, when the archdukes reside in their own planes with virtual divine essence, even an avatar of Louie would be unable to enter Nessus unnoticed. But currently, with all eight archdukes absent, none would imagine that a deity would take an interest in Nessus. This realm resembled a vortex of deep crimson void, akin to a swirling black hole, but the blackness had transformed into a blood-red hue. This color, like flowing blood, perpetually twisted and spiraled, forming an abstract painting. Legend has it that the blood-red hue of Nessus flowed from the body of the Emperor of Hell. Not long after the world's genesis, this King of Baator was cast into Hell by the ancient gods. As he plummeted from the heavens to Baator, his body suffered injuries, his skin cracked, and blood eternally flowed, staining the plane of Nessus. Within this deep crimson void floated a continent; a complete plain with an ovoid shape and jagged edges. Louie stood amidst the void, roughly gauging the size of this landmass. From east to west, it spanned approximately 2500 kilometers, and from north to south, about 1100 kilometers. For comparison, the distance from the Celestial Capital to the Magic City was about 1300 kilometers, highlighting the vastness of this land in Nessus. "For most material planes with living beings, this land is indeed vast." Louie's avatar descended upon the continent, characterized by absolute flatness. The entire land lacked trees, structures, or any elevation changes. Even a mortal standing here could see kilometers into the distance. However, as Louie ventured deeper into the continent, he noticed changes on the plain. Intersecting channels and crisscrossing canyons scarred the heart of the plain, resembling wounds. It is said that thirty thousand years ago, when the Emperor of Hell still lived, millions resided within those canyons. Remarkably, at the bottom of those canyons lay vast caverns, connecting to a void space, immeasurable by physical means. Though the surface of Nessus suggested finite space, its interior contained the infinite. Desolate and barren, Louie refrained from employing any divine power, yet his pace was swift. He encircled the canyons, finding not a single devil, not even a plant. "As the core of Hell, this place should be teeming with devils, especially the strongest ones. Yet I've found nothing. Could it be that the King of Baator truly perished thirty thousand years ago, leaving this place abandoned for millennia?" Louie pondered. For thirty thousand years, none of the other archdukes dared venture into Nessus, for fear that it harbored secrets capable of ruling Hell itself. Their mutual surveillance allowed Louie to become the first being in three millennia to set foot in Hell’s core. "These serpentine canyons are scars left by the King of Baator’s fall from the upper planes." Louie entered a canyon, crouching to touch its remnants. The power of the Time Domain allowed him to extract ancient insights, echoes from the birth of the world millions of years ago. Blurred as they were, Louie glimpsed the King’s descent and Hell’s creation. Lacking further insights, Louie ventured toward the canyon's center. The maze-like canyons posed no obstacle to a god. Soon, he arrived at a colossal, abandoned fortress. This monumental, dizzying fortress, documented in ancient libraries as ‘Malheim,’ was designed by the King of Baator himself and built by devils. The mightiest devil army once garrisoned here, a fearsome force that never engaged in the Blood War but could sweep Hell. The plane stained by the King’s blood constantly birthed mighty devils. True to Louie’s expectations, the fortress was empty. If not for its precious metal construction, it would have eroded over the millennia, collapsing. Stepping into the fortress felt like entering a vast maze. Legends say it would take thousands of pages to fully map the fortress, a testament to its vastness and complexity. Even Louie needed divine guidance to navigate. Inside, another winding canyon nestled, leading Louie, after traversing it, to his destination: the Fortress of Nessus—the King of Baator’s abode! A nearly circular complex with a colossal, bottomless pit at its center marked the King's fall—a monument to the descent—surrounded by a chilling castle. The castle’s grandeur was both ludicrous and desolate. Lacking magical remnants or traps, though grand, no devil had set foot in this castle since its creation, for the King forbade it. "I must be the first living being to tread here in a million years." With a chuckle, Louie boldly entered the Fortress of Nessus. The structure likened human craftsmanship; even its decorations mirrored humanity—precious textiles, ornate metals, and massive gems adorned the walls. Were a dragon here, it would dismantle the castle to hoard the gems. Though Louie was a dragon, as the Dragon God, he restrained his greed and desire for gems. From the walls, continuous weeping emanated—haunting cries without a living source, as if capturing the dying laments of trapped souls in Hell. Amidst the mournful cries, an eerie sigh that even sent chills through Louie suddenly echoed: "You have finally arrived!"