Volume 5 Chapter 0129: Nessus's Path to Destruction - I, The Dragon Overlord

"Embrace your doom, Asmodeus... This is the end you deserve!" Louie was surrounded by the avatars of the gods. He chuckled softly, spreading his arms and issuing a final pronouncement toward the devil king. The king of Baator was destined to die here, an indisputable outcome. In the realm of San Soliel, vast as it may seem to mortals with no visible end, it was but a backyard to the gods, who could traverse anywhere at will. Thus, Asmodeus had no escape, no direction in which he could flee. Even if he wished to break through the crystal sphere, he couldn't, for only gods could pierce that barrier, and to attempt so would invite death. This conclusion was inevitable. "Hahaha! To think Asmodeus had such grandeur, deceiving the gods for millions of years. That accomplishment alone makes your life noteworthy." "... It's a pity I'm not the oldest among the gods; I've never witnessed how the ancient deities created you. Let me, Marzlis, be the one to slay you today!" "Your Highnesses, join me in subjugating this devil who dares to grasp at the throne of the gods. This act is not only for His Majesty, but also for the honor of us all!" The God of War laughed heartily. Although it appeared to be loyalty to Louie, he harbored his own ambitions. He wished to seize this moment to command the gods in battle, seeking the recognition of the forces of war. Such acclaim might propel him further along his path. Louie was aware of Marzlis's small ambition, but he made no move to hinder him. Even if Marzlis succeeded in leading the gods in this battle, recognition as an ancient god of war wasn't guaranteed. However, after this battle, Louie would complete his transformation into the Serpent of Order, reigning over all order in San Soliel. So he watched with cold detachment. Without any need for his intervention, Gorrush, the principal god of the orcs and another war deity, let out a menacing laugh and rallied the gods, saying, "... For the glory of His Majesty Louie, let us unite to sever the head of this devil!" 'Hmph, just as expected, gods are no different from mortals.' Louie felt his thoughts and consciousness expanding infinitely. The gods, once entities he approached with caution, now appeared small and insignificant. Marzlis aimed to gain the favor of the forces of war here. Should he succeed, it would spell disaster for Gorrush. Thus, Gorrush had no choice but to act similarly to maintain balance. In essence, one of them had to wage war for the righteousness of Louie, while the other, to prevent their greatest adversary from outshining them, also had to uphold Louie’s righteousness. They fought, clashed, and balanced each other, leaving Louie as the sole benefactor. It was akin to court ministers vying for the emperor's favor, a spectacle the ruler delighted in, embodying the balance of order. Ultimately, to avoid their divine roles being torn asunder and suffering their own downfall, the two gods of war would become Louie’s vassals, adhering to his every command. All present deities could perceive the situation at hand, but none voiced it, tied as they were beneath the unyielding laws of order. Only Asmodeus, a demon facing his end, dared to laugh wildly, mocking the gods: "... Look at yourselves now, gods. How are you different from the lackeys of the mortal world? You fawn and flatter for your Majesty’s favor, yet you resemble buffoons rather than true gods." "If you possess a shred of divine pride, kill the dragon that commands and manipulates you. Only then can you achieve true freedom!" With no retreat left, Asmodeus aimed to exploit the gods' pride, hoping their shame might inspire rebellious thoughts. He sought mutual destruction with Louie, even in his inevitable demise. Demons were, after all, creatures of such nature. The Dawn Goddess Lorenia sighed softly, with righteous words echoing, "... Your Highnesses, do not be swayed by this devil’s words. I am the Lord of Dawn, the Light of Justice. Today marks our battle against Baator, ensuring these cruel, cunning, and tainted devils can no longer enter the Prime Material Plane or deceive unwitting souls!" Lorenia, profoundly just by nature, glowed with the light of righteousness emanating from her pure and sacred form. Though aware she was one of Asmodeus’s ‘lackeys’ according to him, she understood clarity more than any. The kindest goddess used her words and actions to liberate the gods from shame and distracting thoughts. At this juncture, with no path back, their only recourse was to slay Asmodeus here. The rest depended on Louie’s actions. With the guidance of the Dawn Goddess, the gods quietly followed her, their divine realms interwoven to form the world's rules and principles. Magic shimmered, war echoed, justice delivered its judgment, elements roared, the crescent moon hung in the sky, darkness fell, knowledge permeated, and death tolls chimed. All rules and principles manifested. Glows of various divine spells interlaced, and divine powers unfurled by the gods. These were privileges exclusive to deities, domains of their authority, manifestations from core laws and concepts. Asmodeus, despite possessing a virtual divinity of 20, couldn’t withstand so much divine power. He could annihilate one, two, three outbursts or divine avatars, but what then? There were too many gods here. Destroying an avatar inflicted no pain upon a god, but Asmodeus paid with power amassed over eons. As long as believers lived, faith would continuously transform into divine power for the gods, with countless avatars and extraordinary divine powers still poised to confront him. "Since you're willing to be the lackeys of a dragon to avoid death, let me give you a taste of being dragged into the Astral Plane’s horror!" The wounds on the already bleeding Baator king deepened. He was nearly entirely a figure of blood, with hellfire blazing within those gaping wounds. He resolved with malevolence, suddenly opening a portal to the Prime Material Plane. In an instant, all the gods knew his purpose. This demon king intended a cataclysmic explosion upon his fall, obliterating the Prime Material Plane. With its denizens eradicated, gods would face the Astral Plane's grave without the faith that sustained them. As a demon of virtual divinity 20, he could indeed achieve this. "Highnesses, we cannot let this devil reach the Prime Material Plane. It’s the foundation of divine existence. Please, hesitate not; unite all avatars to forever entrap this devil in Nessus, sealing his fate with it." Louie suddenly shouted, and the gods paused. This course required them to sacrifice all their avatars here to intercept the demon's final act of madness. Nevertheless, they had no time to hesitate. Asmodeus had already used his virtual divine power to create a path to the Prime Material Plane. Even if he'd slowly lose his divine power there, a moment sufficed to ensure the plane’s downfall with him. Left with no choice, the gods heeded Louie's command. They severed the demon king's divine power with their avatars' might, leaving him eternally trapped and conquered in that place.