Volume 5 Chapter 0127 The Gods Representing the World Order - I, The Dragon Overlord

On the first layer of the Abyss, known as the 'Ten Thousand Abyss Plains,' what was once Rosalind's palace now lay in ruins, reduced to little more than debris. In the midst of this devastation, eight devil lords had gathered for a meeting none of them desired. The Erinyes Queen, though an Erinyes, stood apart from succubi. Her appearance, though seductive, bore the demeanor of a resolute warrior, exuding a stern aura. Seated upon a colossal stone from the shattered palace, she scanned the devils around her, speaking in a low, grave tone, "… My father demands we withdraw our forces!" "… For the devils, having penetrated the tenth layer of the Abyss was already an unprecedented victory. We've already reaped considerable benefits from this blood war. Further invasion would only lead to those gains being lost in battles with the demons. So, in my personal opinion, we ought to retreat." Mephistopheles, the lord of the eighth layer, mocked with malevolence, "… Since it's the command of the Devil Emperor, we are naturally bound to obey!" His sarcasm was met with the mute resignation of the other devil lords. Though silent, they shared the same feelings of helplessness and rage as Mephistopheles. Each had spent thirty thousand years scheming and accumulating power, vying for the throne of the King of Hell. If one among the eight renowned lords were to seize the throne, it might suggest inadequacy on their part. But who could have anticipated that the ancient Emperor was not dead, watching their antics from Nessus all along? This powerlessness, akin to being manipulated like pawns, was what devils loathed the most. Despite this, none dared defy the King of Hell. The might shown by his Nessus army in this blood war alone had been terrifying enough, their strength potent enough to sweep through eight layers of Hell. Yet, though no devil dared challenge the King of Hell, each lord simmered with resentment, particularly Mephistopheles, who had plotted shamelessly against the Winged Lord of the seventh layer to gain the throne over the decades. In pursuit of his ambitions, he had even conspired with the gods, planning to sacrifice Queen Fierna and the Erinyes Queen, two of the most enchanting devils, to them, only for all those plans to crumble. As long as the ruler of Nessus remained alive, no other devil could ascend to the throne. … While the devil lords fretted over their future, Louie had arrived at the gates of Nessus. "The devil legion remains trapped in the Abyss; Baator is emptier than ever. It's a golden opportunity," Louie murmured. The devils called Baator home, where the size of their numbers bolstered the power of the lords and the King of Baator. Whether Baator brimmed with devils or stood devoid of them, Asmodeus maintained his elevated divine status. However, for Louie, any reduction in Asmodeus's power, however slight, was a victory worth pursuing, even if it increased his odds by a mere percent. Crossing the gates of Nessus, Louie once more reached the floating crimson continent, like flowing blood. Familiar with the terrain, he used divine magic to bypass the axe-like gorges, ultimately arriving at the silent palace at the continent's center. Asmodeus trusted no one. On his path to a formidable divine status of 20, he feared betrayal from even a single devil revealing his secrets to the gods. Hence, for millions of years, no devil had ever tread his palace. Despite reaching the pinnacle of divine aspirations, prepared for anything the gods might bring, he remained as cautious as ever, shielding himself from exposure. "Your excessive caution will be your downfall, Asmodeus," Louie solemnly intoned, inhaling deeply before stepping again into the palace. Without pause, he advanced towards the palace's depths. Upon reaching the center, Asmodeus's eerie laughter echoed once more: "Heh heh heh heh… Lord Louie, what brings you to my palace again? Have you finally decided to submit to me?" "… If you relinquish the power of order, perhaps I might spare your life. You should know devils honor their word, unlike those base demons. Of course, beware the lies woven within a devil's promises, but I trust your wisdom sees through my deceit." Asmodeus, aware Louie would never abandon such power, still employed these words to erode Louie's resolve. "Asmodeus, no need to waste breath on empty words. My determination can't be swayed by you, as I'm sure I can't dissuade the Devil Emperor from relinquishing his power," Louie asserted. The expanse of the Devil Emperor's palace stretched vastly, walls adorned in intricate malevolence, the floor resembling marble laid over steel, with fissures seeping a blood-like substance. It seemed the vast, barren palace was alive, and Louie stood within some entity's body. However, as a deity, Louie knew the palace held no life, though the blood was real. It was the Devil Emperor's own, wounds inflicted by ancient gods, unrestored before achieving a higher godhood. Thus, Asmodeus perpetually endured agony, utilizing his blood to forge a formidable devil army. In this torment, Asmodeus's hatred for the divine was beyond measure. "So, Lord Louie, knowing neither will surrender, why have you come? Don't say it's boredom, just to chat." "… Should you claim this, I might indulge in idle banter. I'm intrigued by your past, Lord Louie, a fortuitous dragon who, through providence from a former Dragon God, rose to high divine power in less than a century. Such tales, while rare, have occurred across San Soliel for millennia." "However, in mere centuries, a deity gaining recognition from primordial order and half the Order Serpent's force is pure fantasy. Lord Louie, you surely harbor astounding secrets, which intrigue me. Share yours, and I might reveal unseen truths," Asmodeus's cunning voice proposed, his beguiling whispers echoing about. Louie merely sneered, radiating disdain in the desolate hall, "Asmodeus, for eons you've lurked like a rodent in Hell's depths. Prudence, perhaps, but you've lost your edge." "… My purpose here is singular: to annihilate you and claim all order you hold." Louie's proclamation was unyielding, his resonant voice echoing through the vacant palace—a god's decree, embodiment of divine arrogance. "Ha ha ha! You're jesting, Lord Louie! As a dual embodiment of order, you must recognize that order cannot oppose itself. Our struggle is futile; order cannot destroy its kin!" Asmodeus's laughter boomed, his figure manifesting in the vast hall—a towering frame clad in deep-red robes akin to a mage, wielding a ruby-crowned scepter. His dark flesh marred by ruptures, from which blood flowed incessantly. His derisive laughter taunted Louie's resolve. Louie's expression remained unchanged, his demeanor steady as he raised a hand. As it swept downward, silhouettes materialized behind him. "Your end won't come from my universal order, but by this world's divine order!" he declared. Behind Louie, hundreds of divine incarnations unfurled, all manifestations of deities themselves!