Volume 5 Chapter 0108: 50-50 Order - I, The Dragon Overlord

Within the Fortress of Nessus, the King of Baator and the Dragon God, Louie, both fell into silence. Even though Asmodeus had spent millions of years devising this grand plan, if He succeeded, He could ascend to the pinnacle, becoming the true ruler of this world, the God above gods. But even with a scheme that spanned a million years, even though He had considered numerous details, victory was not assured. Otherwise, He would not have hidden within the Fortress of Nessus for eons, waiting for someone who wielded the power of lawful good to emerge. Unless one becomes the God above gods, with a divine rank exceeding 20, neither Asmodeus nor Louie can escape the vigilance of the gods because even a deity with a divine rank of 20 can be overthrown when the gods unite. Thus, both Asmodeus and Louie are engaged in a game. Until the final outcome is revealed, no one can be sure who will emerge victorious. From a superficial standpoint, Asmodeus seems to have a higher chance of victory due to His million-year accumulation. "Lord Louie, you are at a dead end now. This will be a war of ours, a war to decide which of us shall ascend to the supreme throne, a war where we must conceal our information from each other." "...Surely, Lord Louie, you realize that if word got out that we each hold a portion of the power of the Serpent of Order, the gods wouldn't take it lightly. They would unite against us. But if they eliminate you first, I would ascend to the true throne; if they eliminate me, then it would be you on the throne." "But this probability is beyond our control. Do you think they would target you first or me? As a god, you've deceived the pantheon, making you more feared and resented than I, a 'mere devil,' a cowardly devil who has hidden in Nessus for a million years. The gods would not believe that one of us dying means the other would ascend to the throne. From any angle, you are at a disadvantage." "...Perhaps you should blame yourself for being too strong, too conspicuous." Asmodeus sighed, like a crocodile shedding tears, with little lamentation but rather malicious intent. "Hmph, as expected of a devil, always trying to use words to make me despair and lose confidence. If I ever listened to your words, I might indeed succumb without a fight... Asmodeus, King of Baator, as you said, our war has just begun, but it will not last long, and the victor shall claim the world!" Louie snorted coldly, dismissing the King's attempt to undermine him. Devils are synonymous with deceit and lies; none of their words can be trusted, or one will surely suffer. "Your temperament is stubborn and proud, befitting of a dragon. Even I know it's impossible to make you surrender. You are just one step away from mastering the primal force of 'lawful good.' Let me lend you a hand." The King of Baator laughed oddly, a mixture of wild confidence and provocation in his words. "Oh? You would be so kind, Asmodeus?" Louie arched an eyebrow, his voice icy. "Of course not, Lord Louie! Only by allowing you to completely master the primal force of order, can I, in tearing apart your order, avoid striving for the final piece of the puzzle... By mortal comparison, if the power of order were divided into ten, I have mastered five, and you four. Even if I seize your portion, the last piece remains elusive, risking flaws in my plan." "...But if I help you obtain that final piece, then I need only take your portion of the power, and I will truly become the 'Serpent of Order.'" "So, what will you choose? Accept my assistance, or refuse? But I reckon a smart god like yourself will agree, for you also have the chance to seize my power and become the God above gods directly. Otherwise, you’ll lack the final piece of the puzzle, delaying you considerably, don't you agree?" The devil's words are hard to refuse, even tempting gods. With a higher chance of success, Asmodeus chose to 'assist the enemy,' elevating Louie's order power to the pinnacle. If Louie refuses, it would be akin to admitting he is inferior to Asmodeus. Both would face potential failure in becoming the God above gods, harming his own chances substantially. Yet, Asmodeus's words also serve to entice Louie, to convince him that he too has a chance to overturn the situation at the last moment, akin to a dealer luring a gambler. Were it not for Louie's prior preparation, he might hesitate. But with confidence in his plan, agreeing to Asmodeus's proposal would save him the final step. 'This devil may have laid his plans early, but his information is outdated, lacking the critical details I possess. These details could lead to his downfall. He wants to help me fulfill the final acknowledgment of order? How overconfident.' '...Though this would greatly benefit me, I must not agree too hastily, lest this crafty devil grow suspicious.' With this thought, Louie's divine domains of deceit and cunning came into play. While devils are inherently deceitful, their inherent nature cannot surpass the divine power of personified deceit and intrigue. This is the absolute difference between a deity and a devil. Louie did not feign hesitation or uncertainty, as he had maintained an air of calm and deliberation throughout. Any shift would be an exposure; even the lead actor in an Oscar-winning film would bow before Louie's act. No matter how talented a human, they cannot outperform a deity in pretense. He merely lowered his head with cold indifference, as though contemplating. Finally, with words both serene and arrogant, he declared: "...You are too arrogant, Asmodeus! This arrogance will be your undoing. Very well, I accept your offer. Let us evenly divide the power of order, reaching an equal mastery, but your self-assuredness will be your downfall in due time!" Asmodeus's lips curled, Louie's response was almost predictable, aligning with his analysis of this Dragon God's personality: arrogant, cold, ruthless, intolerant of provocation, yet exceedingly cunning, pursuing visible benefits—the perfect embodiment of 'evil.' Had the King of Baator not first seized the evil portion of order, he might indeed fall behind in the contest with this dragon. The King of Baator clapped his hands, and immediately Louie sensed the presence of millions of devilish auras within the Fortress of Nessus! "Lord Louie, behold the mightiest Nessus Legion in Hell. It has never been deployed even in the million-year Blood War against the Abyss, yet I unleash it now for you!" "...You've overestimated yourself, attempting to control both demons and devils to influence the Blood War. I must say, that's unrealistic. The Blood War cannot be controlled with reason; only absolute strength will suffice. This is your grave mistake, but I will help rectify it!" "Let your will descend upon this Nessus Legion, turning it into your own force to enact the most gruesome massacre in the Abyss. Order will rejoice; chaos will wail. Under this recognition of order, you and I shall both become part of the true Serpent of Order!" Asmodeus spread his arms wide and shouted in the celestial tongue. The millions-strong devil legion echoed in unison, and the ninth layer of Hell, Nessus, trembled. This dread legion, capable of sweeping other planes and hidden by the King of Baator for a million years, was unveiled to the world for the first time.