Chapter 260 - 1025 - 1033

Block

'The Dark Eight can't simply want to kill some demons…' Having retreated to the eleventh city wall, Leylin's eyes flashed as he saw the encirclement gradually taking shape. 'If we just rely on the walls to kill the enemy, then the stronger demons will still manage to flee in the end. Just killing a group of dretches, who can be generated every day without fail, will not harm the enemy whatsoever…

'Baalzephon is most likely targeting the demon corps' greater demons, such as mariliths, balors, or even flame balors.' Although the demon army had strength in numbers, that was dwindling. As they fell deeper into the trap, the greater demons followed them in as well.

...

"Get ready! We need to teach those wild dogs of the abyss a lesson they'll never forget!" Eight strong pit fiends congregated at the highest point of the battlefield. They were even more powerful than the rest of their kin. These were the Dark Eight, Asmodeus' confidantes. They controlled the elites of the devils' army, and were the generals in charge of the Blood War.

If they could suppress the demons with all their might, pushing them back into the Plain of Infinite Portals, they could obtain the favour of Baator's World Origin Force as well as praise from Asmodeus.

A vague rumour had stirred up the Dark Eight recently, and they'd begun to build up their merits. After all, the prize was the throne of an Archdevil!

Pit fiends stood near the peak of devil society. If they coveted anything at all, it was to overthrow the reigning Archdevil of their Hell and take their throne. The Archdevil of Dis had disappeared, and Asmodeus himself had changed a little recently. They finally saw an opportunity to fulfill their desires.

"I'll need your help!" A member of the Dark Eight arrived in the vicinity of Tiamat's cavern.

"Of course. I only need you to honour your promise after everything is done." A tremendous voice boomed from the depths of the cavern, accompanied by a formidable draconic aura. Loud roars of male dragons could be heard from within as well.

"Not a problem. We have already signed a contract, after all. The reputation of the devils is well-known throughout the multiverse!" The pit fiend smiled as it left.

...

"Get moving!" Leylin sensed that the atmosphere had changed, and a great wave of commands were being transmitted. The devils carried the orders out perfectly.

The devils purposefully pretended to lose, and the eleventh wall of the Bronze Citadel was breached. The tenth wall soon followed, then the ninth, all the way until the 6th wall near the core district. Seeing that they could capture the Bronze Citadel itself, many of the demons went completely berserk. This was an unprecedented feat in their history.

The entirety of the citadel had become a big lure. It thinned the demons out, forming a trap for them to fall into to.

"Now!" The eight pit fiends appeared at the forefront of the battlefield, their thunderous voices reverberating throughout the Bronze Citadel.

*Roar!* A teleportation spell flashed brightly, and the enormous figure of a chromatic dragon descended upon the land. The demons who did not dodge in time were squished to pulp. This was the former master of the Bronze Citadel, Chromatic Dragon Tiamat!

"Remember your promises!" Tiamat roared into the sky, her enormous body directly blocking the gap in the city wall. Her draconic aura erupted, almost tangible in the atmosphere.

*Roar!* Over a hundred feet of lightning, acid, corrosive gas, frost, and flame spewed out in bursts from the five dragon heads. Tiamat seemed to transform into a fortress with massive firepower, sweeping the demons in a single strike.

"Draconic spell— Summon Companion!" A teleportation spell flashed by Tiamat's side. Five smaller dragons appeared, swiping at the demons all around her with their enormous claws.They sometimes used their deadly teeth to attack, the grinding noises horrifying as blood mixed with pus and scales trickled down from the sides of their mouths.

'Oh! Tiamat is doing her best? It looks like the Dark Eight have found something that can move her heart.' Leylin only glanced at the scene outside, and soon turned his whole attention to the battlefield directly in front of him.

The network originating from Baator's origin force quickly got to work. It seemed like the Dark Eight no longer cared to save their energy, instead going all out in their attack. Elite troops that hadn't been seen before now appeared to fill the gaps in the walls, wearing exquisite armour and wielding epic weapons.

Tiamat and the five smaller evil dragons were the most important pieces of the formation, and these devils sought to fill in the gaps surrounding them. The Bronze Citadel had encircled most of the demons, including the more powerful ones.

[Beep! Host has obtained a mission from Baalzephon of the Dark Eight! Content: 'Hand over authority to your vice commander, activate all your elites and bring them to kill the greater demons!']

"As expected. Hanalin, I leave this to you. The remaining captains, follow me!" Leylin roared and leapt down from one of the city walls, radiating his Devil Aura. The commanders of the different sections had now left their regions in fervour, searching for demons to kill.

"Charge! Kill them all!" At this point in the battle, the powerful demons were affected by the chaos around them. They had no intention to retreat whatsoever, the language of the deep abyss reverberating around the area.

'I'm just here to play. I'm not a true devil, so I don't have to work as hard.' Leylin understood his position clearly, and did not choose to go towards the balors. Those were the prey of the pit fiends. Instead of the balors, who had good bloodlines and great potential to advance, he chose to fight a marilith instead.

However, what the other devils saw was Leylin choosing a marilith that was larger than the rest. Each of her six arms wielded epic weapons, and she had near legendary might.

"Wretched devil, die!" A natural enmity triggered within her upon seeing Leylin, and the marilith came charging at him. Her six scaly arms brandished a sword each, causing a powerful gale to descend. She had the power of three assassins packed into one, and the torrential wave attacks seemed about to grind Leylin into fine pieces.

'So weak. But her weapon itself isn't bad, this level of swordplay is equivalent to grandmasters of the prime material plane.' Leylin shook his head inwardly. On the surface however he let out a large roar, shooting out a dark whip that collided against his enemy's weapon. The collision energy rippled out into the void.

'This swordplay isn't that bad. She should have the Weapon Proficiency and Multiweapon Fighting feats…' Leylin discovered his enemy's trump card in the first contact, even without using the A.I. Chip.

"Very well, I'll play with you." A mysterious force extended from Leylin's fingertips, forming many small circles in midair. The whip was amplified by these circles, spinning like a hurricane as it sucked the marilith in.

*Crack!* Weapons broke and bones shattered within the hurricane, and a fine crimson mist sprayed out. By the time Leylin retrieved his whip, there was but a pulp of flesh on the ground alongside many small pieces of broken equipment. The marilith had already disappeared.

"Not even mildly interesting. Just a tiny bit of force and she's dead…" Leylin sighed. He was at the level of a sage with melee weapons, and a mere marilith without even legendary strength was no match for him.

"Perhaps I can try challenging a higher difficulty. The balors seemed to be fine specimens and guinea pigs…" Leylin surveyed the battlefield.

Because of the devils' counterattack, the demon army had suffered severe casualties, losing more than half its troops. The greater demons being targeted had caused even more confusion in their ranks, but perhaps they never obeyed rules in the first place.

As for the demons who were already crazed from the killing, they did not mind their safety as they dashed towards the high walls of the Bronze Citadel, finally dying under the siege weaponry of the walls.

At the centre of the battlefield were numerous flames. Explosions resounded in the area, with each fight isolated. The destructive force here was so great that even the demons avoided it at all cost. With Leylin's vision, he could make out through the flames that several massive devils and demons were fighting within.

"One of the pit fiends of the Dark Eight just used a powerful stealth spell and teleportation. The flame balor is hurt, and now they're wrapping up…" The flame balors who'd been surrounded wielded weapons like executioner swords and fiery whips. Each of them had left a deep impression to Leylin.

'They are indeed the elites of the deep abyss. Compared to the pit fiends, they have a unique type of wild and domineering aura. However, their chaotic evil alignment impedes them from using every ounce of their strength perfectly…'

The flame balors were the prey of the Dark Eight, so Leylin would not interfere. He passed the centre of the battlefield, landing his sights on a regular balor.

As a pre-evolution of the flame balors, regular balors lacked that primordial chaos and the power to while flames. However, they still managed to pique Leylin's interest.

Balor

"I, Jesdric, am the strongest…"

A huge Balor stepped on the body of an Orthon while yelling, huge demonic wings flapping while blood spurted out from the wound on his chest.

The Orthon was a greader devil, and its sneak attack had caused a certain amount of damage. As the price of killing the other being, the Balor's chest was now a complete mess. Scales were upturned with flesh and blood on them, and it was even possible to see pale bones and a thumping heart.

While such an injury might not be fatal for demons, it would still take some time to recover from them.

As a powerful demon with a noble bloodline, many devils eyed Jedric greedily, and there were even demons that did the same. As long as a demon killed it, then a portion of its power would transfer over, allowing the attacker to even increase in rank and become a Balor!

Hence, next to the body of the Orthon, there were also the torn up bodies of demons. These were all of the demons that had wanted to steal what it had gotten, but were torn into tiny bits.

"Come! Give me a little more flesh and souls so that I can advance!"

A bloody-red layer of energy appeared on Jesdric's body, and large amounts of lava turned into tiny blood vessels that covered it. This Balor was evidently at the brink of advancing. It might need just one more high-ranked opponent for it to please the Abyss' Will, becoming the peak amongst demons, a Flame Balor.

[Hold Monster]!

SPell rays that were suddenly cast halted the enraged roars of the Balor. Eyes full of anger and astonishment, it saw the figure of a devil emerge from the shadows.

The enemy had a sinister horned, and was evidently a higher horned devil.

[Fireball]!

[Higher Entangle]! The other party obviously did not give Jesdric any time to speak. With a wave of his arms, powerful flames drowned out the Balor. What followed next were the rays of light from summoning.

[Demon Summoning]!

From the teleportation spell formation floating in the air, Leylin's least devil underlings appeared and dealt the Balor attacks with all their might.

"Haha, concealing spells and a sneak attack! You devils are despicable!"

The Balor roared, tremendous evil rays appearing and causing the least devils to quickly retreat.

"I'm a devil anyway. Am I supposed to play at being a knight with you?"

Leylin snorted, a black dagger plunging into the eyes of the demon.

"Ah…"

A series of pitiful ear-splitting cries. Following that was terrifying snarls, "I will kill you! Jesdric shall pinch your skulls into powder!"

Red flames jetted out from its eye, the great heat melting the dagger from before into liquid.

"It- It's about to evolve!"

One of Leylin's least devil leaders exclaimed in astonishment, and was quickly grabbed by the crazed Balor. Terrifying flames climbed up, forming a bright and shining torch of fire.

"You will all die!" With its bellows, another wave of fire flashed past, and most of Leylin's underlings died in an instant.

When the flames reached his front, Leylin used a [high-ranked teleportation scroll] and left the battlefield.

"Don't even think of escaping!"

With flames on its body, the Balor looked no different from a Flame Balor. After catching sight of Leylin from the corner of its eyes, it roared and then pursued him in a frenzy.

Whether devils or demons, all turned into minced meat or ashes as long as they were in the way, creating a bloody trail.

"Darned devil. Don't run!"

Making use of the only eye it had left, Jesdric found that the vile devil had already escaped to under the fortress wall, and seemed to be about to return to the group where it had reinforcements.

Furious, it charged forward, disregarding any danger.

*Bang!*

However, a sudden trap on the ground caused Jesdric to lose its centre of gravity. Its enormous body then fell into a deep pit, creating a small earthquake.

Under its leg, there had been a huge pit that goodness knew when it had appeared.

[Dimensional Scan]!

[Water Shower Spell]!

[Ice Breah]!

The devils that had appeared out of nowhere stood around the pit, casting spells at the Balor in the centre vigorously.

"Sir!" Hanelin headed to Leylin's side. She had been informed by earlier by Leylin and began to set up this trap. To her surprise, the target was Balor!

No! It was even believable if this was considered a Flame Balor!

In that moment, Leylin's might was deeply imprinted into her mind.

"You did well!" Leylin nodded to show his approval, and then glanced at the Balor that now had pieces of ice all around his body.

"A.I. Chip, how's the gathering of data?"

[Beep! Obtained flesh sample. Completion of physical and soul scan. Progress at 100%.] The A.I. Chip loyally intoned.

"Mm, then you've now lost all usefulness."

Leylin leapt forward, and a thin black line streaked past its neck, the supplementary soul attack causing the chaos and craze in its eyes to completely die down.

"No, it's impossible… I, Jesdric, am the most powerful demon. I still need to evolve into a Flame Balor… How can I die here…"

It muttered as its huge body collapsed.

In the moment that he killed the demon, Leylin sensed tremendous soul energy pouring into his body, and he could even sense that he was getting favour from the hell's Will..

"Compared to other evolution methods, the profits from blood wars are still the best…"

While this bit of strength was nothing to Leylin, most of the soul energy required to evolve would be available from here if he really was a horned devil.

"High risks mean great rewards! As long as I can survive the blood wars between devils and demons, I'll definitely be able to advance a great degree. It's no wonder that the Dark Eight want to risk falling completely to lure the demons over to hell and fight…"

The devils liked using crafty schemes and machinations, changing the battlefield to anywhere else than hell.

There was a secret to this. Only the well-informed pit fiends and hell's eight archdevils knew of this, and of course, Leylin was aware as well.

If devils were to be killed in hell, then they would truly be dead. There was no way for them to be revived.

If they died on other planes, they still had hope of reviving by paying a price.

In other words, the devils that died in this blood war could not be revived. Even Asmodeus was unable to do it.

To take such a huge risk, the Dark Eight were definitely eyeing something huge.

Leylin quickly came to a realisation.

*Rumble!*

At this moment, a terrifying explosion appeared from the heart of the battlefield. A huge flame storm whistled past, tearing into everything and forming a red mushroom cloud.

"It's the Self-detonation before the death of a Flame Bator! Looks like the Dark Eight have succeeded!"

The huge explosion continued, allowing Leylin to be certain that four Flame Bators had died by the Dark Eight's hands.

This attack by the opponents was only dodged by the sly pit fiends who used the Greater Teleportation. This meant that the surrounding greater devils and also numerous demons were wiped out.

"Victory is decided! Four Flame Bators died in succession, as long as a pile of powerful demons. Even the archfiend of the abyss will find his moral beaten down and mourn over this for a long time…"

It was not just Leylin alone who understood this.

In the moment of the first Flame Bator's Self-Detonation, along with an ear-splitting scream, an enchanting succubus darted out of the siege of four pit fiends and, with the price of becoming gravely injured, streaked through the horizon while leaving a blazing trail behind.

"That should be Red Shroud, the commander of the demon army this time! It's also the most beloved daughter of the succubus king who's the archfiend of the abyss… Unfortunately, after this defeat, her status might be in danger…"

Powerful beings had died, and the commander had fled. This was a fatal blow for the enemy army.

As many great devils entered the battlefield and massacred the weaker demons, this became a countdown to the complete destruction of the demon army.

...

After the battle ended, besides the commanding Red Shroud and a very slight number of lucky demons escaping, much of the demon army was killed in the Bronze Fort, amongst which included four Flame Balors! This carved the disgrace of the abyssal demons onto the fort once more.

Such dazzling achievements were rare even in the history of the Blood War.

In this encirclement, the five-coloured demonic dragon Tiamat who had blocked the fort walls and persisted till the end of the battle was to be credited for its work.

After the battle, Leylin saw that parts of its tremendous dragon body had caved in, and there were signs of burns as well. A male headless evil dragon also looked downcast. They had taken on the frenzied attacks of the demons in a hurry to retreat. The self-detonations by the Flame Balors at the end had also given them grave injuries.

Leylin now knew why they had worked so hard. The Dark Eight had promised that they would hand over control of the Bronze Fort and acknowledge it as the master of the Bronze Fort!

In that moment, Leylin smelt a conspiracy.

Control over the Bronze Fort! That was something Asmodeus had schemed for over a thousand years to obtain, yet he was now handing it over so nonchalantly. Even lemures could tell that something was off.

With the devils' personalities, the only thing that they would compromise so much for was an even greater profit!

Promotion and Demotion

Before the Dark Eight handed over control over the Bronze Citadel, there was first a majestic round of settling the results. As the devil army had been formed by temporary transfer of personnel, all devils would immediately regain their freedom once the battle was over.

'It's not quite right to call this regaining their freedom, because they retain all memories of the Blood War and think it as something they should have done… But while they still hold regard for the higher-ups, the absolute obedience they had as subordinates before has disappeared.'

Leylin glanced at the succubus Hanalin next to him. Her eyes were now clear, and while she looked like she could not wait to sidle up to him, it was obvious that she was scheming even more inside.

This went for the imps and lemures as well. However, before the devils all completely regained their order, there was something more important at hand, and that was settling all achievements and sins here.

The devils sought the beings that were ahead of them all their lives, while those that were behind them caused fear. Their hierarchy was very strict, and there was a unique power system. Hence, their advancement was not like the demons, where they could evolve after getting enough soul energy in the Blood War. Instead, it was a very complicated process.

Usually, a devil needed approval from their direct superiors to promote. However, in all situations, any devils with even higher rankings could revoke the promotion.

In other words, if a lesser devil wanted to advance, it would need approval from its weakest superior who would then perform a promotion ceremony for it. However, if a greater devil was unsatisfied with this, it could revert the recently-promoted devil to what it had been before.

The ones with greatest authority were the eight Archdevils that split up the World Origin Force of Baator. Not only did they manage the devils and the promotion of pit fiends, they could break convention with their might, promoting even lesser devils straight through several ranks.

The combined authority of the Dark Eight was great, and they could even promote greater devils. While the original superiors of these devils had the power to revoke this, most would not dare go against them.

And just like that, Archdevils could demote a devil back to its original status. This would be a symbol of shame, and was something devils feared the most. Any demoted devil lost a part of their intelligence, and would be sent to perform the most humiliating and difficult of tasks. But before that, they would face a punishment.

Pitiful cries resounded in the Bronze Citadel. There was something like a supreme court in the expansive square, where the devils took all the seats. The unlucky beings that influenced this battle negatively were put on the prisoners' row.

There were spinagon, lemures, and other lesser devils. There were also imps, barbazu, and other lower devils as well, along with a few greater devils. Although their strengths were varied, what was common was the expression on their faces: terror!

Their crimes had been determined, and they were awaiting the punishment of being demoted. Normally only their superiors had such rights, but the Dark Eight possessed a great amount of authority that allowed them to administer the punishment. Such were the rules of Baator.

Unless an Archdevil, someone with even more power than the Dark Eight, came over to overturn their ruling, these devils would not escape punishment. However, why would such a thing happen?

"I declare you all guilty. You shall be demoted." Zapan, one of the Dark Eight, hammered the gavel. The crisp sound caused strange changes amongst the sinners.

They howled in pain, their bodies tearing apart as an invisible force surrounded them to deliver the most severe punishment. Demotion was a horrifying torture that ripped a part of a devil's intelligence away. They would become savage and foolish once more, something that devils who flaunted their intelligence found the hardest to accept.

The poor things continued to howl as the laws of Baator took effect. The devils' bodies were broken apart, and a large number of hell worms crawled out to form their new appearance.

In general, most of the devils determined to have sinned had been demoted by one rank. A bearded would become a spinagon, and a spinagon would become a lemure. Their foreheads were branded with a symbol of shame. Be it here or with their old superiors, they would only take on the most lowly and menial jobs, the chances of being promoted again minimal.

The more unlucky ones were turned into nupperibo, xerfilstyx, and all other devils that had been demoted. Their power was also reduced greatly, and there was also a huge change to their personalities.

Many normal devils watched this with fear on their faces. It would keep them working diligently, abiding by the rules.

"Next is the promotions!" Baalzephon declared after Zapan retreated. Unlike demotions, promotions were something to rejoice over. Few were lucky enough to have this.

To the devils, every promotion was an opportunity. It normally needed a ceremony, held by their superiors who needed to approve it first. A tremendous amount of soul energy would be consumed.

At this moment, the approving superiors would be the Dark Eight, and the soul energy would be that accumulated from the Blood War.

The order of devils was simple. There was the most basic petitioners, and then the lower devils. They were the lemures, spinagons, and then the lesser devils which were the bearded devils, imps, steel devils, kytons, pain devils, amnizu, and then the greater devils that included the bone devils, orthons, barbazu, ice devils, horned devils, dogai, paeliryon and various other forms. The pit fiends were at the very top. Each devil's appearance was a rank higher than the ones behind them.

Promotions and demotions all followed this order, normally by a single step. A steel devil would become a kyton, for instance, or a kyton would become a pain devil.

A leap in promotions, such as a steel devil becoming a pain devil, was an advancement of two steps! There was also the advancement from a spinagon to a lesser devil, the bearded devil. While it was one rank, it needed a huge amount of soul energy. There were also the erinyes, succubi, and the special cases like the nupperibo and xerfilstyx that only appeared during demotions.

Leylin looked at the devils surrounding him. Most had smiles on their faces. While they would have to deal with their own superiors after they returned, they probably would not go against the authority of the Dark Eight and revoke the promotion. Hence, this was a great profit!

Even without enough achievements to be promoted, the soul energy amassed was worth it. Leylin had killed a marilith and abalor, that alone was enough for him to be promoted. Even his subordinates had a shot.

Honestly, from Leylin's point of view, this promotion ceremony was not much different from the demotion before. The original body was broken down, and a new one would be moulded. It was just as bloody, and the weak-willed would easily descend into chaos or faint. The promotion may keep memories and intellect intact, but there was a drastic change in personality. Leylin didn't care about those lesser devils, but the only one worth mentioning was Hanalin.

As most of the lower devils under Leylin had died during the attack of the balor, her achievements were second only to Leylin. She had advanced into a powerful erinyes.

This was a huge leap! Even Hanalin's previous superior should only be a succubus. Leylin could already imagine the ruckus that would be stirred up after Hanalin returned.

After all, devils were often very strict with their subordinates. Hanalin would probably be filled with hatred towards her own. She would probably constantly be thinking of ways to pull her superior down, and with this strength her plans would be more feasible.

The large-scale promotion got the Dark Eight the praise of all the devils. They were now called benevolent commanders, generous masters, and many other titles; the devils were certainly not stingy with their praise.

'The way this promotion is hosted is too magnanimous. The merits of many devils are still iffy, and they've passed everything… They aren't even considering the superiors of these devils… Leylin thought inside. He found something different about this.

He could already predict the unrest after this wave of devils that had advanced returned to their superiors. With how scheming the devils were, this was inevitable.

Leylin's temporary senior officer, Baalzephon arrived in front of him.

"Brave warrior, you killed a balor on the verge of evolving! This achievement should be enough for you to become a pit fiend." Baalzephon looked truly regretful, as if really feeling indignant for Leylin.

"Unfortunately, your superior, the greedy Azlok, is a crazy person filled with jealousy, so we can't allow your advancement unless he approves of it…" After these words were said, the gazes of the devils landed on Leylin, ridiculing him.

Incitement and Recruitment

Leylin remained silent, but his eyes flashed, he'd acutely sensed Baalzephon's conspiracy. 'So he's instigating me, huh? He couldn't meet his purpose, so now he's full of hatred and jealousy.'

Had he been a real devil indeed, he would've fallen for the ploy by now. After all, to stop someone from advancing would make a blood enemy out of them. Furthermore, his 'superior' was a pit fiend as well. If Azlok did not agree, he could overthrow the decision of the Dark Eight and stop Leylin's advance. Given the nature of the devils, this was definitely going to happen.

'Pit fiend? The most efficient way to garner more hatred is to skip evolutions…' An ordinary devil that had just evolved would be resented by twenty to thirty others. They would look everywhere for any mistakes they'd commit, trying to get it demoted. However, if a devil had jumped ranks the hatred would be tenfold, maybe even a hundred times worse!

As for a greater devil evolving into a pit fiend, Baator had limited origin force. There could only be a certain number of pit fiends at any one time. If no other pit fiends died, Leylin's advancement would rob another potential candidate of their chance.

This scenario was likely to play out in Leylin's case. That was why greater devils would have to have rotting brains to let their subordinates advanced.

Most devils who jumped forms did not meet a good end. The only ones that did were those who were extremely scheming themselves, proving their mettle with their brawn and brains.

"Come. Although you can't evolve, please hold on to this; you deserve it!"Baalzephon handed Leylin a crystal that stored a holy spirit's energy, "The energy stored inside this is enough for you to evolve into a pit fiend."

Baalzephon was not in his pit fiend form right now. He'd instead adopted a human shape, looking extremely conniving. His poorly constructed face put on a 'kind' smile.

"Thank you, my Lord!" Although he felt extremely disgusted, Leylin still thanked him for the gift.

"Alright Leycian, I think you have great potential. We could have dinner one day…" Baalzephon invited. Leylin could do nothing but smile wryly and agree.

...

"Goodbye, Leycian! I'm returning to Malbolge. My superior is Madam Thatcher of the Copper Citadel. You can look for me there, I'll be excited to meet you again, soon…"

Hanalin bid her bittersweet farewell to Leylin after the tense trial. She was currently in her evolved form, with black wings and an angelic face. She looked even more seductive and charming than before.

However, Leylin had astutely discovered the change in her personality and character, obvious even from how she addressed him as an equal and even tried to lure him in. Now that she'd skipped multiple evolutions to reach her current state, her enemies were far stronger and more terrifying than before; they included her very own superior!

Her enemies would definitely be more attentive than before, looking for any loopholes that would cause her to be demoted, turning once more into an ugly lower devil. Knowing this, she was already trying to garner as much support as she could.

"Got it!" Leylin memorised her destination and the route, putting on a solemn expression. 'It's best to leave a backdoor, who knows whether I might have to use it in the future. I recall that the lady of the Sixth Hell is the Hag Countess.'

Leylin had been focused on Dis recently, but he couldn't eliminate the possibility of travelling to other levels in the future. If Hanalin were still alive when he did, she would be a useful connection.

Hanalin departed, satisfied with her gains. Leylin looked instead at the Bronze Citadel, with its flames reaching high in the sky. He scratched his nose as several half-dragons appeared abruptly, as well as the visages of several jackals.

'Has the transfer of authority already begun?' Leylin thought as he directly arrived at the Dark Eight's garrison. His identity was verified, and he was immediately lead to Baalzephon in his vile human form.

"My lord Baalzephon! I am immensely honoured by your invitation," Leylin bowed in gratitude. He glanced at the dining hall's preparations— the carpet was a deep red as if it had been stained with blood, the floor-length curtains embroidered with glistening golden motifs of Baator, and chandeliers hung from the ceiling. There was even a demon's head hung on the wall, and it looked as if it was Baalzephon's.

The tableware was all made of the finest gold, inlaid with all kinds of diamonds and pearls. The maids were all beautiful erinyes and pleasure devils.

Several petitioners, moulded into twisted forms, pushed a cart into the dining hall, one that was entirely on fire. They bowed in respect before taking their leave, allowing the erinyes and pleasure devils clad in black and white maid uniforms to place the dishes in front of The two.

Soup was first, a bubbling milky-white broth.

"Haha, no need to hold yourself back, my friend. The taste of cold soul worms is not as palatable…" Baalzephon smiled widely, scooping out a translucent soul worm. The thing was still wriggling.

Several struggling and miserable human visages could be seen on the worm, but Baalzephon just directly swallowed it down. An intoxicated expression appeared on his face.

Devils enjoyed enticing mortals to fall. Torturing the souls of petitioners and absorbing their immortal essence and soul force was their pleasure. After a petitioner had been sucked dry, they would be tossed into the hellforge and suffer torturous transformations. They would then become the lowest of the low— a lower devil.

Only a select few souls were able to survive the treatment, becoming lower demons. They would be a bit stronger than others of their kind, and were more likely to be promoted.

Devils used the absorbed soul force of petitioners to climb up the ranks and grow stronger. Naturally, there were those who directly swallowed them up like Baalzephon— rumour had it that he was supposedly searching for the most beautiful texture and taste in souls.

Although Leylin was not opposed to swallowing souls, his personal preferences were different from devils. He did not like this twisted torture. As a result, he glanced away and found another topic to change the subject to.

"Well, Lord Baalzephon, may I ask if you are ready to move?" Leylin gestured at the busy lower demons, imps and others of their kind. They were all toiling away, lifting several huge demon ribs with complex carvings upon them. It seemed as if it was a spoil of war that was used to commemorate some bloody battle.

"Mm. We'd signed an agreement to hand the Bronze Citadel back to Tiamat… Not even a devil would betray a binding oath to the Styx." Baalzephon sniffed the dark red blood in the tall wine glass, elegantly swirling the liquid around in leisure.

"Please forgive me for being direct, but such a high price for the victory of a single battle— isn't that a bit much…" Leylin had deliberated over his wording carefully.

"Haha, Leycian! You really are an interesting fellow. To be honest, many of our subordinates dare not say anything, but inwardly they must be ridiculing us eight 'fools'…" Baalzephon's eyes seemed to see through everything, the corners of his lips curving into a humorous smile.

"Of course not! Even if half of the Bronze Citadel was exchanged for the destruction of the demon army, and especially the four flame balors and a bunch of greater demons, it would be extremely worth it!" Leylin naturally chose to continue Baalzephon's discourse.

"You're right! What do those ignorant animals know?" Leylin's words had evidently touched Baalzephon's heart. He stood up suddenly, walking around the dining hall in excitement.

"What is the Bronze Citadel even worth to us? It's just a dead piece of land. The only useful thing is souls. Only with more souls can we forge more devils to improve our power and kill those chaotic bastards."

Two hellish streams of flame were shot out of Baalzephon's nostril. He looked like he truly hated the crazy and chaotic demons.

"Are you willing to assist me, Leycian?" Baalzephon looked at Leylin, his eyes blazing with fervent emotion. It seemed as if this was the main reason he had invited Leylin here.

'If I don't agree, will he grow hostile immediately?' Leylin seemed to go into shock, but in his heart he just laughed coldly. The solicitation of a devil was extremely unreliable. No matter how it looked, Baalzephon most likely just wanted to use him as cannon fodder.

"I am most grateful to my lord for valuing me. However, Lord Azlok is my direct superior." Leylin's expression was rather hesitant. After all, a loyal devil would find it difficult to change factions.

"Azlok? Hmph…" Baalzephon smiled disdainfully, but did not bring up the matter any further. It was clear that he was waiting for Leylin to make a decision. Besides, he'd completely exposed his true motives, and it was not possible to reveal anything more.

'Mm, it looks as if my past in the second layer of hell has attracted his interest. So, the Supreme of Baator, that ruler only in name, has ambition towards Dis?' An electric beat seemed to pulse in Leylin's heart.

Pledging Loyalty

Devils were usually excellent at persuasion. Their sharp tongues seemed to be coated with both honey and poison, even able to convince the purest of paladins.

Baalzephon was evidently even more brilliant than normal. Although he'd said nothing and merely snorted, it still told Leylin a great many thing.

'Think about it! Azlok has been so greedy, envious and foolish to prevent all his underlings from advancing. In comparison, Lord Baalzephon is benevolent, generous and kind… Isn't the answer obvious?' Such were the thoughts Leylin was supposed to be tempted by.

Even worse, devils already held a deep-rooted hatred for their superiors. It would be strange if Leylin was completely unaffected.

"Does my lord mean… you want me to start a rebellion?" Leylin's voice was as hoarse as a wanderer about to die of thirst in the desert. Truth be told, he'd planned to side with the Dark Eight anyway and see what the Supreme of the Nine Hells was up to. Unexpectedly, Baalzephon had come up to him on his own.

"No, no. This is only an uprising, a fight against injustice!" Baalzephon twirled his fingers. "Believe me. Once you join us, Lord Asmodeus will definitely give you a suitable position… Or he could personally oversee your promotion. Becoming a pit fiend definitely won't be just a dream…"

While Asmodeus was only the Supreme of the Nine Hells in name, his title was still very useful. In addition, his power was still greater than that of the remaining eight Archdevils.

"Lord Asmodeus…" Leylin's voice tremored, and his eyes lit up with fervour and a firm look, "In that case, I offer my loyalty to you, Lord Baalzephon!"

At the very moment that Leylin stated his allegiance, he suddenly felt the descent of Baator's origin force. It turned into a powerful binding, prepared to imprint a means of communication between the two. It was extremely difficult for a devil to back out of a contract.

Of course, playing around with sly word games was a common tactic. Devils did not slander those who were successful at cheating others, instead mocking the losers for being stupid.

"Good! Sign this contract, and I'll accept your loyalty." Baalzephon was obviously prepared, and a contract that had been verified by the origin force appeared in front of Leylin.

Green phosphorescence blazed on yellowed parchment paper, forming a large number of conditions. Still, this was concise for a devil. From this aspect, Baalzephon seemed quite sincere and had not made any traps in the choice of words.

'A devil can only be loyal to one superior. Once two oaths of loyalty are sworn, the next promotion will grow chaotic. A choice will need to be made between the two, and one needs to be eliminated…'

Leylin snickered inside. If he was really Leycian, he would have no way to choose right now. While Baalzephon made things sound pleasant, he could very well become hostile right away if Leylin had any thoughts of rejecting him.

Unfortunately, the person Baalzephon was facing now was Leylin. Leylin, who with his authority of an Archdevil surpassed him greatly!

"Such a lax contract! Lord Baalzephon, your leniency and benevolence is well known even on the prime material plane…" The horned devil now seemed so emotional that he could not control himself, trembling as he extended his right hand.

'A.I. Chip, begin interference!' Leylin commanded in secret.

[Beep! Mission established! Host's authority far exceeds target, dulling target's origin force sense. Interference in progress…] the A.I. Chip intoned loyally.

The moment Leylin's finger touched the parchment piece of paper, perhaps in a millionth of a second, an astounding change occurred. Another piece of parchment that looked exactly the same appeared, replacing the contents of the original contract. It was still a pledge of loyalty, but the punishment was much more severe. The master and servant had changed place, and Baalzephon would now pledge his allegiance to Leylin.

Given that Leylin far exceeded Baalzephon in authority, the devil did not notice anything wrong with the contract. Baalzephon could also sense a thread of loyalty from this 'Leycian.'

An authority that surpassed Baalzephon's own, as well as the powerful abilities of the A.I. Chip, allowed a substitute to replace the original in an instant, completing a magnificent feat in the Nine Hells. What the A.I. Chip had formed was instantly hidden in the original parchment, and all Baalzephon saw was the horned devil signing his name with his right index finger.

"Good! You made the right choice!" Baalzephon nodded with satisfaction. After sensing the thread of loyalty made of origin force, he glanced at the parchment paper. There were no changes to the green phosphorescence of the letters, save for the signature at the lower right corner.

'Strange… why did I suddenly feel fearful?' Baalzephon shook his head, and tossed this thought out of his mind. After ascertaining that this was the contract he had created, he entered his name at the position of the superior.

A blood-red truename formed on the paper, and it quickly burnt up. A phosphorescent green imprint disappeared into each of Leylin's and Baalzephon's chests.

[Beep! Fealty contract obtained. Target: Baalzephon of the Dark Eight. Note: Target has signed a contract with another superior. If host's orders clash with Asmodeus', there is a 50% chance that Baalzephon will grow confused.]

'Good. Continue concealment.' Leylin had now become Baalzephon's superior, and as an Archdevil, it was a breeze for him to cover a portion of his senses.

Baalzephon obtained a simulated thread of loyalty, and was extremely satisfied.

"Very good! Tell me, Leycian, why are you here in Avernus?" Superiors were what devils feared the most. Baalzephon now believed he had complete control over the devil in front of him. If not for this devil for still having his uses, he would have long since abandoned his false pretence and interrogated him properly.

This sudden change caused 'Leycian' to feel a sense of foreboding.

"I… I obtained an order from Lord Azlok to search for…" Leylin's voice showed his fear, and he cowered back.

"Search for what? Make yourself clear! Do you want me to demote you into the most lowly nupperibo?" Baalzephon's breathing began to get rough, and Leylin could even sense the intense emotions in his mind.

Leylin pretended to be unable to take Baalzephon's gaze, gritting his teeth as he said, "Azlok commanded that I come search for all traces of Dis's Archdevil, Beelzebub…"

"Beelzebub? Has he really gone missing?" Baalzephon grabbed at Leylin's arm, eyes glinting.

"Y- yes. Even Lord Azlok doesn't have any news about him!" Leylin now seemed like he had been scared stupid.

"Haha… haha… so the intel was right! An Archdevil has gone missing. What a wonderful thing…" Baalzephon laughed maniacally, and finally calmed down.

"Good! Tell me all you know and don't hold back, or else…"

...

A long while later, a horned devil walked out of the bronze tower, looking lost.

'I see. So Asmodeus finally can't hold on anymore, and he wants to act?' Leylin was actually the one scheming here. He'd blurted out a large amount of fake information just now, and Baalzephon had let his guard down against him to reveal some information as well.

'He plans for one of the Dark Eight to take over lordship and become an Archdevil?' Leylin stroked his chin. 'This doesn't seem like something Asmodeus would do, but this is so great a temptation that the Dark Eight don't consider the danger…'

Based on what Baalzephon had revealed, Asmodeus finally decided to take care of this confusion and get one of the Dark Eight to take over Dis. But the position of the Second Hell's lord had been empty for a long while. That was an empty spot to be an Archdevil of Baator, representing the peak of Baator's might!

He seemed to depend on the Dark Eight's merits, including dealing blows to the demons, expanding Avernus, and so on. That was why the Dark Eight had set a trap without hesitation, wiping out a demon army. The pit fiends, dazzled with the lordship as they were, would go around attacking everything to expand the territories of Avernus.

When this happened, a mere strategic location, the Bronze Citadel, was not that important. In order to obtain Tiamat's approval and help, the Dark Eight had not hesitated to give up the place. After all, the chromatic dragon was still one of their allies, and there were many other places in the First Hell that they could attack.

The trap at the Bronze Citadel would be the last time the Dark Eight worked together. Next they would go at it alone, hoping to obtain enough merits to be acknowledged by Asmodeus. They all wished to become the Archdevil of Dis.

'Sadly, this is just a huge trap. Without the authority being transferred and now that they can't get a hold of Beelzebub, would Asmodeus appointing them to the post actually do anything?'

Dis

When it came to Baator, there were less than ten devils with as much knowledge as Leylin. He knew extremely well how far Asmodeus' influence extended.

Although Asmodeus was the most powerful devil, his might was restricted to the Ninth Hell. The other seven Archdevils did not bother with him. Him appointing a lord of Dis? That was just a huge joke!

Even so, many of the Dark Eight were lured by him; at the very least, they wanted the reputation of having taken over the Second Hell. Although it would be a false reign, it would at least be supported by Asmodeus.

'In comparison, Baalzephon is more pragmatic!' Recalling the plan that he had revealed, a smile appeared on Leylin's face.

...

Leylin looked around, and quickly saw a city of iron ablaze. Red hot hellfire scorched the inner walls, and thick smoke rose to form great amounts of black fog that covered the entirety of Dis. The walls were red, and the slightest of contact with them would result in grave burns.

Even the metallic pebbles that used to form the road were experiencing high temperatures. Without immunity to fire or special shoes, the pedestrians would soon be thrashing around on the ground in pain, before burning up.

The drafts around the street corners often carried miserable cries that seemed to come from the depths of hell. This was the lament of the prisoners in the large underground prison, including slaves, petitioners from the Blood War, and even mortals that had been kidnapped from the prime material plane.

Once the souls grew ripe with the torture and suffering, the better goods would be sent to the lofty residences around, to be enjoyed by nobility.

Many noble devils liked holding banquets. They would gather together, discussing which portion of a prisoner was more delectable, and then come up with even more exquisite 'cooking' techniques.

Just standing on the street, Leylin could feel the breathing and thumping of hearts under Dis. Unlike Avernus, he felt like he could use all the power of this plane, as if he were its owner in the first place.

The turbulent origin force of Baator moved to Leylin's will, with only the slightest bit of resistance. That was Beelzebub, still alive and possessing that last bit of laws and authority.

'Dis! If I completely devour Beelzebub, I'll be like a god in his divine realm!' The authority Archdevils had in hell could definitely compare to what true gods were like in their divine realms. Of course, this was limited to the territory they were lord of.

Leylin sighed inside. This was Dis, the second layer of Baator. It was a huge city of iron, so huge there were no boundaries at all. The city made up an entire plane!

"What are you standing there in a daze for? Aren't you moving yet?" A grey-robed person standing beside Leylin berated him.

"Yes, my lord!" Leylin bowed humbly, while actually snickering inside. This person in disguise was naturally Baalzephon. The pit fiend obviously had not followed Asmodeus' game, expanding the territories of Avernus. Instead, he had secretly arrived at the Second Hell.

However, his goal was abundantly clear. The pit fiend, who was one of the Dark Eight, intended to take over lordship of this hell. He wanted to find the missing Beelzebub and take him prisoner. He would then extract Beelzebub's strength, becoming the true Lord of Dis!

Asmodeus' orders would be nothing to him then, the lords of the Nine Hells were on the same level as the Supreme!

Evidently Baalzephon had already betrayed Asmodeus in secret, but Leylin was not the least bit surprised. After all, betrayal and schemes were nothing new to the devils, especially when it came to their superiors.

'Honestly, Baalzephon's going in the right direction, but there's something wrong with his plans. He's not the only person thinking of doing this… Whether it's Asmodeus or other lords, they're all probably planning to lay their hands on Beelzebub…' Leylin sighed inside.

"I'm preparing to sneak into the Iron Tower and investigate. Do you have any plans?" Baalzephon pointed at a conspicuous at the centre of the city that towered into the clouds.

This was the Iron Tower, Beelzebub's palace. He seldom left the place, but it had already been decades since there was news of him last. Once tens of attempts at communication failed, and there was no reaction even when they barged in, news of Beelzebub's mysterious disappearance began to spread.

However, with how cunning the devils were, nobody knew if this was some scheme by the Archdevil. Even Baalzephon was not quite sure himself.

Of course, Leylin had given him enough confidence that he was even entering the Iron Tower to take a risk and investigate it. He hoped to gather information regarding Beelzebub's disappearance.

Leylin was egging him on to serve his own purposes. After all, finding Beelzebub and devouring him before the other Archdevils did was his main purpose in coming to Baator.

"Lord Baalzephon, there are some fairs and markets around Dis. We could find a way to sneak in from there…" Leylin earnestly gave a suggestion.

As his personal stronghold, Beelzebub's Iron Tower had a large amount of tricks and traps inside. There were golems and contracted beings guarding the tower, and within the Iron Tower itself Beelzebub was basically invincible. This was why he rarely left the area, nor did he allow any devils to enter.

From Leylin's perspective, the reason he never left was out of caution and cowardice. It was also because he was using the Manderhawke Plate to connect to the prime material plane, spreading faith and contaminating souls.

Obviously he'd also tried to make contact with many other place, finally succeeding in escaping the crystal sphere. Had his timing been right, he could even have surpassed Asmodeus in strength, using an unending supply of souls to become a true Supreme of the Nine Hells. Unfortunately, he'd med with tragedy in the form of Leylin.

'From what I sense, there's no sign of Beelzebub in the Second Hell…' Leylin thought as he followed Baalzephon. 'With him covering me, there won't be much suspicion. The other Archdevils should be furiously trying to find traces of Beelzebub, so I can temporarily use their powers…

'The Manderhawke Plate is also an important target inside the Iron Tower…' The Manderhawke Plate was a mysterious item that could weaken the crystal sphere. Even a mere imitation of the patterns in his memories helped Leylin enter the World of Gods, so in his view this plate's uses surpassed even most divine weapons.

"Market? Are you trying to make a fool of me?" A dangerous glint appeared in Baalzephon's eyes, and the green flames of the contract appeared on his hands.

"You're part of the guard corps of the Archdevil serving under Azlok, one of Beelzebub's lackeys. That pit fiend manages the safety of the Iron Tower, do you not have any methods to enter it? Huh?"

The flames on Baalzephon's hands flickered, causing a look of pain to appear on Leylin's expression. Of course, this was fake.

"Please wait, my Lord! I'm supposed to be away right now, so it's impossible for me to get approval from Azlok…" Leylin sounded like he felt wronged.

"That's your problem. I need to enter the Iron Tower within three hell hours. If you can't do that, you'll become a foolish and ugly xerfilstyx!" Baalzephon threatened, showing the natural temperament of devils.

Devils like to treat their subordinates harshly, and even give them impossible tasks before punishing them. This was usually done to the subordinates closest to them physically, in order to ensure that nobody could pose a threat to them.

Those subordinate devils could only complete every task in fear, and grasp every single opportunity to ascend. They would use all their power to climb up the social ladder, betraying their superior at the appropriate time and staging rebellion. They would want to reach the peak of power in Baator to rid themselves of this suffering.

In Baalzephon's eyes, however, the horned devil called Leycian still had his uses. This tactic was used unknowingly.

"Alright, I'll immediately come up with a way!" Seeing Leylin darting away like his ass was on fire, Baalzephon grinned in satisfaction. Only if he used a whip and viciously lashed at these devils would they obediently listen to him. It was also necessary that shackles were placed on them, which would prevent them from attacking their masters.

Baazelphon was actually abiding by all of a certain devil's maxims.

...

Two hell hours later, Leylin had returned.

"My Lord…" The horned devil now had a flattering look and a modest smile on his face.

"I've done my best to get Azlok to believe that I've found clues regarding the whereabouts of the Archdevil, which is why I've returned to Dis. I've also made contact with some of my people and bribed them. I managed a chance to enter the Iron Tower for a thousand jingles…"

Devils could obviously be bribed, but the price caused Baalzephon to frown. "What a greedy guy. Are you sure that his promise is true, and he won't sell you out to your superior?"

"I can promise that. Jack even signed a contract, and swore an oath." Leylin looked resolute.

"Good. Take this!" Baalzephon tossed a gem full of soul energy inside, and then saw the hesitant look on the horned devil's face.

"There's only a hundred here, but he wants a thousand…"

Bribe

"Pay the rest yourself! Didn't I reward you with a huge amount of wealth already?" Baalzephon placed his hands behind his back and left, seemingly interested in the unknown flesh being sold on the market.

The smells of all sorts of spiced meat wafted through the market. Baalzephon hummed nursery rhymes in contentment as he seemed to pass the time.

'Not giving subordinates wealth is akin to not giving them strength… Not giving them chances, is akin to not letting them be promoted… If your subordinates have wealth and the chance to advance, then your head will become a decoration in their rooms…

'Seems like superiors controlling their subordinates is a huge trend here…' Leylin glanced at the pitifully tiny soul gem in his hands and snickered.

Unfortunately, all that he'd said had been a lie. While the devils that guarded the Iron Tower were Beelzebub's trusted aides, their loyalty wasn't spectacular, especially when their superior was weakened.

Dis was like his own backyard, and the guard legions were basically like a sieve with numerous holes. Why? It was naturally because of the prime material plane. Leylin had already subdued Beelzebub's followers from the prime material plane, and he'd had some of them return to Baator in secret.

Besides, with the authority he had and the law of devouring, no devil would suspect anything even if he pretended to be Beelzebub himself.

'Baalzephon isn't the only one here. There's still many organisations around laying low, so I can't be too high-profile…' Leylin sighed inside, and arrived at a luxurious residence near the Iron Tower.

A pit fiend appeared and bowed deeply to Leyin, "Master!"

"Mm. There will be huge changes here soon. Take all the subordinates who are loyal to me and leave. Also, get Jack to do what we agreed on."

"Understood, Master of Devouring, Lord of Dis!" The pit fiend pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed, eyes full of reverence and flattery.

"Lord of Dis. I quite like that name, Azlok…" Leylin burst into laughter.

Indeed. The pit fiend standing in front of Leylin was Beelzebub's trusted aide who was in charge of his armies. He was the greater devil in charge of the Iron Tower's guard, Azlok! When he'd seen Leylin's law of devouring and his control over Dis, Azlok had bent the knee instantly. He hadn't even hesitated a moment to betray Beelzebub.

However, even Azlok had no clue of where Beelzebub had gone. The Lord of Gluttony hadn't even contacted this devil before he left. It was evident that Beelzebub had actually never truly trusted him. Or perhaps the word 'trust' was too far-fetched to use amongst devils…

Dark fumes filled the skies, causing the Iron City to be lit up purely by the fires of hell. Groups of petitioners and lemures were guided by imps to all parts of the city, modifying it to fit into the Second Hell and performing repairs. Rumour had it that the city would continue to expand under Beelzebub's wishes, with no end for all eternity.

There was no such thing as sunrise or sunset here, and the devils of Dis used specific devices to record time. However, they had no need for rest. As long as there was an opportunity to obtain souls, many would charge over for it without fatigue.

"It's time. Let's go!" Baalzephon glanced at a crimson pocket watch, and brought Leylin towards the Iron Tower.

Numerous noble residences were built around the Iron Tower, all of them looking imposing and magnificent. However, most of them were now empty, the whereabouts of their owners unknown.

Beelzebub's disappearance had been a huge blow to Dis, even if the the lesser devils hadn't noticed it yet. The greater devils were filled with ambition for the lordship, or were afraid of the unrest and left. Only one legion was still performing its duties. An armoured lower devil watched every person trying to get close to the Iron Tower, regardless of which plane they came from.

"Enter from the west. Jack's guarding that side today."'Leycian' brought Baalzephon deeper into the city, looking like he was familiar with the route. They finally arrived at a steel sentry that had been scorched red with hellfire.

Seeing the guarded looks of them any armoured devils here, Leylin yelled a greeting towards the sentry. "Hey, Jack. Look who's here!"

'Prevent Teleportation, Detect Stealth, and an anti-demon formation. There's also spells boosting the defence of the guards, giving them magic immunity…' Baalzephon's eyes showed awe and a trace of nervousness, 'These defences… Even us of the Dark Eight would need to send out all our legions, spending a month or two fighting before we could get in…'

"Leycian?" a gruff voice sounded, as an enormous devil appeared in front of Leylin and Baalzephon. He was huge and swollen, with disgusting tumours on his skin and scales. His bulging eyes made him look like a toad, and his matching mouth revealed densely packed sharp teeth.

This was the peak form of a greater devil, the paeliryon. Only pit fiends and the overlords of hell exceeded him in might.

"Yep! You look just as strong as before! So… does our agreement from before still count?" Leylin handed over a large number of soul gems.

"Of course! A thousand jingles in exchange for a chance to enter the Iron Tower. I'm always honest!" the huge paeliryon said, its roaring voice causing Baalzephon to frown. Although he didn't mind the tiny loss, it would be terrible if the other devils discovered them.

As if noticing his worries, the large paeliryon laughed wildly, "No need to worry. Nobody here would dare to reveal anything, unless they want to be imprisoned in the dungeons and punished with eternal hunger…"

The dungeons were something all the devils of the Second Hell dreaded. Hunger, in particular, was used on those who made mistakes. With the influence of the law of gluttony, those punished thus would grow incomparably hungry, with nothing that could satiate them. They would grow so frantic they would eventually choose to gnaw at themselves!

While Beelzebub had set the law that those who could endure seven days of hunger would be forgiven regardless of their errors, none had been able to last that long. Most devils of Dis would rather be demoted into ugly nupperibo than take on this punishment, such was the terror it caused.

Hearing what their superior said, the other devils all but wished to sew up their mouths, perhaps burying their heads in the ground.

"Good! I like your attitude!" Baalzephon nodded in satisfaction, preparing to enter with Leylin.

"Wait!" However, an unexpected incident happened. After Leylin entered, Jack immediately blocked the way, "One thousand jingles for one chance. One has already entered, so the contract has been fulfilled!"

"What are you saying?" Baalzephon's brows furrowed threateningly.

"You need to pay an additional amount!" Jack pointed at Baalzephon

"So if he doesn't enter, I'll get the chance to enter?" Baalzephon frowned. He did not want to attack anyone here, especially when this would reveal his identity.

"Keke… My apologies, but no!" Jack chuckled in a strange manner. The surrounding devils quickly picked up their weapons, aiming them at Baalzephon.

"You darned horned devil, I really should have turned you into a nupperibo. How could you have even created a contract with so many loopholes that devils could make use of…"

Baalzephon was in a spitting rage as he glared at Leylin, who was almost scared stupid, "You pay up the thousand jingles!"

"Apologies, master, but I don't have any more…" 'Leycian' sounded on the verge of tears, causing the fury in Baalzephon to blaze.

"You piece of trash!" He now looked extremely grim and took out a soul gem, "Take it, you greedy fiend!"

The huge paeliryon hugged his hands to his chest and answered fearlessly, "Sorry, but there's now a change to the price. It will be two thousand jingles. Also, your humiliation caused spiritual damage to me, so it will be a hundred more on top!"

"Damn it, damn it! If I get a hold of you, I'll definitely demote you to a nupperibo and have you pick up manure in the Rotting Pit for ten thousand years…" Baalzephon's chest heaved, but unwilling he was Jack still urged him into handing over the jingles.

"My- my apologies.." Seeing Leylin right now, Baalzephon couldn't even be bothered to get mad. After all, if he were to kill or demote him to a nupperibo, then weren't all his previous efforts in vain?

The other party was a greater devil after all, and he could be used as cannon fodder while exploring the tower. That was Baalzephon's decision.

After passing through the sentry, they finally arrived in front of the Iron Tower. Beelzebub's lair was so high that it reached the clouds, its body enveloped in a dull light that flowed around as it changed the quality and style of the tower.

'The throne of Dis… Here I come!' Baalzephon gazed at the pedestal within the Iron Tower, his eyes flickering with unconcealed ambition as he quickly brought Leylin in.

Nessus

'The audience is coming in…'

Baalzephon had yet to notice the glint in the eyes of the horned devil cowering behind him. The Iron Tower was Beelzebub's lair, a place that was filled with danger even for Leylin. While he'd already obtained Azlok's loyalty, Azlok was merely a guardian of the outer regions of the Iron Tower, and he couldn't enter the place himself.

If he wanted to completely scope out this lair, Leylin would need hundreds of greater devils or even many pit fiends. Leylin naturally didn't want to purge his own subordinates, and at the same time he wanted to lure everyone coveting the lordship out of hiding. This was why he'd kept his strength hidden, entering the tower alongside Baalzephon.

Baalzephon's actions would result in a chain reaction, breaking the initial balance in the Nine Hells. With his actions, the Dark Eight and Asmodeus would be besieged from all sides. That way, Leylin could use the powers of other devils to scope out the tower.

...

Ninth Hell of Baator, Nessus. Deep gorges and valleys filled the area, forming large expanses filled with lifeless rocks. It looked like the land had been formed by a huge explosion, or perhaps a battle between existences compared to gods. Nobody knew the real truth to the day.

Inside a valley that was unimaginably deep and wide was a fort called Malsheem, standing tall with a dark, grand, and hellish beauty. The citadel was extremely large, and numerous miles wide. Its dimensions were unimaginable for all devils.

More than a million devils lived within this city, and conspiracy theorists said that they would one day start killing their way out, drowning out the entirety of Baator in Asmodeus' quest to take over all of Hell.

"Ah, Malsheem. She's so beautiful! I want to possess her and touch every bit of her skin lovingly…" A voice full of greed suddenly rang in the air, and a devil appeared. His upper body was human, while the lower half was that of a huge poisonous snake. He held what looked like a harpoon, and his triangular eyes looked full of avarice.

This was Mammon, the Lord of the Third Hell. He possessed the laws of avarice, and was one of Baator's eight Archdevils that stood tall above the rest.

"Mammon! Long time no see, old friend. It's been five hundred years since we last met, no? I remember it was in Minauros…"

An illusory devil appeared at the peak of Malsheem. He looked like an aged devil with black hair that was combed back perfectly. He had a black goatee, and his eyes shot flames. His courteous greeting was as if Mammon was a friend he hadn't seen in a long while.

"Your hypocrisy makes me want to hurl, Asmodeus!" Another Archdevil appeared next to Mammon, revealing Asmodeus' identity. This one had flames twirling around him, seemingly like fury incarnate that could burn everything in the world to nothingness.

The old devil that had appeared atop Malsheem was the legendary Supreme of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus. This was Baator's ruler in name.

"Oh, it's Samuel! You're just as angry as always…" Asmodeus seemed to think nothing of the power Samuel exuded, and his grin widened.

"When will you abandon this form, and dare meet us with your true body?" Pure white snowflakes fell one by one, instantly freezing a large portion of the valley. A devil that grasped extreme cold walked over, his eyes fearless as he met Asmodeus' gaze with an aura exuding arrogance.

"Oh, so Levistus is here too! Cough cough… Forgive me; with the injuries to my body, it's already amazing that I can appear in this form…" Asmodeus' pale face now had a slight flush, looking like an old man on the verge of death from illness.

Rumour had it that the Archdevil of the Ninth Hell had sustained grievous injuries. He'd now taken the form of a high-ranked projection, an avatar of sorts.

Even so, Asmodeus' power was still the greatest amongst the Archdevils, the sight of which would shock other devils into silence.

Mammon, who controlled the third layer, Samuel who controlled the fourth. Levistus, who controlled the fifth, and the original ruler of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus. Four of the Archdevils had actually appeared here!

Ever since the conspiracies of the ruthless Blood Wars, and the incident where the abyss broke off from the Nine Hells, the Archdevils rarely met. Their fights had even affected the prime material plane, and the gods' divine realms.

With four of them meeting, people would believe that a conspiracy that would turn the world upside down was being hatched. It wasn't as if four lords of Baator meeting could result in good.

"Cough cough… May I know why you have gathered here?" Asmodeus produced what looked like presbyopic glasses as he began to flip through a thick sheepskin book. The book had a black cover, with hellfire atop it. It made it seem extremely evil. Within the book, the paper recorded numerous vile contracts!

"Of course it's about Dis, and Beelzebub!" Mammon was the first to speak, "The rest of us seven wouldn't be able to decide on the appointment of an Archdevil even if we were to have a joint discussion!"

"Is that so?" A poisonous worm crawled out from Asmodeus' goatee, which he then picked up and swallowed. "But… From the contract of our alliance, you don't seem to think that way…"

Asmodeus flipped to a certain contract and pointed at the clause, "So? Need me to read it and explain it to you?"

"That's only when the Archdevil of a layer is unable to fulfill one's task. You have the power to help them, but only temporarily!" Samuel exclaimed in anger.

"But as the Supreme of the Nine Hells… Fine, even if only in name it's my responsibility to maintain the stability and order of Baator…" Asmodeus spoke up for himself.

"Even so, you can't appoint someone to the Second Hell when its Archdevil is in danger. What's worse is that you're choosing from the Dark Eight, who don't even have any authority…" Levistus snickered.

"They might be mere pit fiends, but if they can ensure there is order in the Second Hell, it would make sense to give them some rewards…" Asmodeus still persisted.

"All I see is them plotting and causing destruction!" The flames on Samuel's body leapt into the sky.

"The only one who can stabilise Dis right now is Beelzebub with his authority over the place. Which of you knows where he is?" Mammon's eyes were filled with greed.

"It's said that after getting gravely injured, he's hidden in the prime material plane. One of my followers found traces of him on the surface, and there even seems to be some interesting guide…" Asmodeus spoke nonchalantly, as if this was no secret.

Such honesty and magnanimity had the three overlords puzzled. It took a length of time before Levistus spoke up. "What are you planning?"

"That's what I should be asking you," Asmodeus looked innocent, "You barge into my house and rudely block my door. Why is that?"

"It's obviously for the stability of Baator! You're not to interfere with Dis anymore!" Samuel yelled.

Although it was acknowledged that Asmodeus was the strongest and most mysterious of the eight lords of hell, there wasn't much of a difference between them. Still, he was the strongest devil despite his injuries. Rumours were abound that a fully healed Asmodeus could even unify all of Baator itself!

As the situation was now, Asmodeus would be able to defeat a single Archdevil in combat. Even then, he wouldn't be able to kill his opponent. Two Archdevils working together could even suppress him! With three Archdevils present here, he would definitely lose a battle.

"Give up. The Hag Countess won't help you. Belphegor will stay at Maladomini forever, and can't be bothered to leave and meddle in this. You might be able to rope Mephistopheles in, but you still won't have enough numbers. You won't win a vote amongst the lords of Baator without bribing us, and I'm quite interested in what you're willing to pay.…"

Mammon sized Malasheem up and down, "Give Malsheem to me, and I might consider it. I promise it on the honour of an Archdevil of Baator!"

"Looks like I really have no chance of winning…"

Asmodeus waved his arms around with no other choice. "Alright then. Based on the contract, I'll stay in Nessus! However, Dis does need a substitute. How about we sign an agreement?"

Before the other Archdevils could speak, Asmodeus continued on, "Let's all stay here till everything dies down and order resumes. Let's not go anywhere. How about it? Isn't that your goal?"

Sudden Entry

"That's all you have to suggest? Nothing else?" Samuel and the other Archdevils looked at each other, disbelief in their eyes.

Although Asmodeus had the Dark Eight, the other lords weren't without their own subordinate pit fiends. Combined, the forces of the three could annihilate Asmodeus' underlings.

Asmodeus grinned, tossing out great bait, "Nothing else. Until everything is done and dusted, we should all just stay here and let the developments play out for themselves!"

"What do you think?" Mammon looked at his two companions. He'd already been moved. After all, there was an entire level of Baator at stake here!

"You want to sow discord amongst us?" Samuel laughed, "You're going to be disappointed…" Although he said that, nobody believed a word of it.

"Your physical form should remain here, including those of Mephistopheles and the rest," Levistus added.

"Alright, I'll have them sign another contract. The other lords that aren't here shall need to stay in their territories as well, not acting until everything is settled." Asmodeus chuckled, "So?"

"Order is everything! If we reject it, even if it's for the sake of Baator's World Origin Force the Nine Hells will be thrown into turmoil. The World Will will repudiate us." Levistus' analysis was calm, and he ended up answering, "I agree to this contract!"

"I concur!" "I as well!" Mammon and Samuel agreed as well. After all, this outcome far exceeded their expectations.

"Very well! The Hag Countess, Belphegor and Mephistopheles have given me their reply as well. Let the River of Styx be our witness!" Asmodeus now turned his book of contracts to a new, blank page.

Once the other three ascertained that there was nothing wrong with the contract, they nodded their heads, making the most solemn of vows to the river of the underworld…

...

Right now, Leylin had no inkling of this contract made between the Archdevils of Baator. However, the ripples of this event would soon throw Baator into a flurry of events, culminating in the dawn of a new era.

"Beelzebub's Iron Tower…" Baalzephon looked at the heavy coat of darkness in front of him, his eyes filled with deceit and solemnity. "Leycian. What do you know of this place?"

This was the castle of an Archdevil! Baalzephon was but a pit fury, and he didn't dare to make any assumptions about the place.

"Lord Baalzephon, the Iron Tower has always been forbidden territory in Dis. Even my former superior, Lord Azlok the chief guard, has never stepped into this place…"

Leylin had spoken the truth. His earlier investigations and Azlok's own testimony told him Beelzebub was someone who did not entrust things to his subordinates. Very few devils were permitted to enter the Iron Tower, perhaps a shortcoming of their race.

Legends said that the only way to enter the Iron Tower was to sign a contract with Beelzebub under witness of the Styx, foregoing everything to protect it for life. Even so, the contract restrained all these devils to the interior of the tower.

Leylin wasn't gullible enough to say such things blindly. The reason he did was that Baalzephon still had some value.

"Legend has it that the Iron Tower contains numerous curses, and is guarded by a huge army of golems. There are ancient, powerful devils here, contracted to protect it. We're currently in the outermost regions of the Iron Tower, the Plains of Gluttony. This place is guarded by an army of hungry spirits Beelzebub has trained, and only devils with permission are allowed to enter. Any others will have to perform a rite of autocannibalism."

"Hungry spirits?" Baalzephon nodded his head, and felt that this new subordinate he had recruited was rather useful, "Autocannibalism is where you make an offering by eating a part of yourself?"

Baalzephon's face was filled with worry. He wasn't reluctant to sacrifice a part of his body, but the most prevalent rule of the law of gluttony was that any powers sacrificed could never be regained.

Evidently, this was Beelzebub's first line of defense. Without his permission, anyone who wanted to enter would first have to weaken themselves.

'Are there any ways to bypass this rule?' Baalzephon pondered, before shaking his head helplessly. How could there be a way for him to beat the cunning of an Archdevil of Baator?

'The most important part of the ceremony is that it requires a part of one's core power. Any other energy is useless…' Baalzephon glanced at Leylin standing beside him, restraining himself from acting upon his impulse.

'I'm going to lose a part of my powers before even meeting the Archdevil… This isn't a good start…'

Just as Baalzephon was mulling over this, he felt an imminent crisis looming over him. He didn't think twice, immediately using an instant Greater Teleportation spell inscribed into his body.

He disappeared from his original location in a flash, reappearing nearby. It seemed like the restrictions of the original realm of gluttony made it extremely difficult for him to use teleportation magic and escape this realm.

"Damn! This interference…" Baalzephon swore foully as he raged, but he soon looked to his right shoulder in astonishment.

A large chunk of flesh was missing from that shoulder, and threads of evil energy still circulated around it. A fish-like illusory monster had suddenly appeared as he tried to teleport earlier, rending apart the fire resistance and other defences that all devils were so proud of. A single bite had reduced him to this state.

'A creature with the Teleportation feat? No, this is a top-level ability to traverse two planes and blur the distance between them! I even sense the unique aura of a creature from the astral plane…' Leylin had managed to gather a lot of information immediately, using Baalzephon as a big pathfinder stone.

Although he'd devoured most of Beelzebub's memories, the devil had clearly hidden some of the most important secrets. Those scattered fragments had lacked many important details, which meant that Leylin lacked knowledge about the iron tower.

'Besides, even if I knew all about it, perhaps there is no better way. After all, the Iron Tower itself only recognizes Beelzebub's aura. Even Baator's authority and devil essence would be useless here…' Leylin smiled wryly to himself.

While Leylin was able to stabilise himself, Baalzephon, on the other hand, was about to throw a fit.

'Damn! This creature is definitely not something from hell and has never appeared before on the prime material plane. Don't tell me it's some abomination borne of a god?'

Baalzephon's knowledge did not extend to things beyond the World of Gods, let alone the astral plane. To him, an existence that possessed powers even a pit fiend couldn't comprehend was an abomination, the flawed offspring of a god! Only something with the power of a god could create such a bizarre and powerful creature.

In a short span of time, Baalzephon was attacked several times. The loss of some of his body was but a small matter, but he sensed his own origin being lost with the passage of time. It left him extremely horrified.

'Damn, what do I have to do to leave this place?' Baalzephon continued to try using teleportation spells. However, those hungry spirits chased after him, biting his flesh apart and devouring his power.

Forget demons and other races, a devil's greatest enemy was other devils. Beelzebub had specifically arranged his preparations to target his kin. Baalzephon was unfortunate, being toppled so simply.

'Mm, how clever,' Leylin cut a sorry figure as he stood at the side, but he was only pretending.

The hungry spirits sensed the energy on his body, not daring to stick close to him. There were several berserk little fellows who dared make contact with him, but they were immediately dissolved by the dissolving power coming from Leylin's body. They ended up becoming a part of him.

'Mm, it seems like it's some sort of spiritual body. They are undoubtedly some sort of astral creature…' The A.I. Chip's light flashed, and displayed the results of its investigatory research before Leylin's eyes.

'It looks like Beelzebub relied on the Manderhawke Plate to acquire several interesting things from the astral plane…' Greed flashed across Leylin's eyes. Soon, he heard Baalzephon's despairing roar: "There's nothing else for it, hurry up and begin the autocannibalism!"

...

Even as Baalzephon struggled bitterly, something was happening within the burning Iron City of Dis. An enormous teleportation portal opened up, and troops of armoured devils marched out to take over the enormous city.

Small-scale conflicts continued to occur, but the devils who had lost their leaders and the core of their operations were far weaker than these elites. They lost very quickly, and beat a hasty retreat.

Due to Leylin's earlier arrangements, Azlok had evacuated with the devils who were still loyal to the Winged Serpent God, and luckily they had not been involved. The main army soon moved to the vicinity of the Iron Tower, headed by seven pit fiends.

"That fool Baalzephon, he actually dared to come by himself! Does he think that he is a match for an Archdevil alone? Besides, he actually even dared to betray my lord!" Zapan of the Dark Eight snickered as he looked at the tall glowing tower which broke through the clouds.

"Hurry and take over the defences. We need to surround the tower, the main forces of the other Archdevils will get here soon!" Another member of the Dark Eight urged him on, his fiery eyes full of longing and ambition.

Asmodeus' order had arrived, and the unanimous decision of the remaining Archdevils let the Dark Eight, who stood unable to break free of their torment at the pinnacle of hell, see their only chance at lordship!