Chapter 261 - 1034 - 1043

Cerberus

Even the most powerful pit fiends in Baator lived under a shadow of anxiety and fear. Although they possessed formidable power, that was compared to ordinary devils. They were direct subordinates of Archdevils instead, subject to more stringent requirements and treatment. Even the slightest thoughtlessness would engender punishment.

The harsh treatment and death threats from their superiors was a curse no devil could escape— unless of course it was someone at the peak of society, an Archdevil!

Consequently, when the seven Archdevils publicised their agreement to let their underlings battle for the Second Hell, many pit fiends went wild. The Dark Eight were only the first wave of entrants, and many more devils would end up participating. Even the dragons and gods of Avernus couldn't resist the opportunity.

Be it the Dark Eight or their colleagues, everyone had become as frail as paper in front of the great temptation that was the lordship of Dis. As cunning as devils were, the backstabs and assassinations that followed were only expected. Now, even greater devils on par with the Dark Eight did not expose their backs to anyone else…

Just as the Dark Eight were taking over the Iron Tower, a desolate bugle horn resounded as an army under a different banner appeared on the horizon of the City of Iron. It was formed entirely of kytons, devils covered in twisting iron chains, and looked like an elite troop.

"The kytons of the Third Hell, underlings of the Lord of Avarice! They came so quickly!" A pit fiend of the Dark Eight lamented.

"Get ready! The army has completed their battle preparations… Additionally, shouldn't we send someone over to negotiate?" Devils preferred small-scaled conflicts over larger battles, or even ingenious diplomacy as a method to solve their problems.

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. After all, the attraction of the lordship is something that can't easily be extinguished with words alone. We need to fight, to let them see our true power," another member of the Dark Eight proposed.

"No! I propose that we immediately send out emissaries!" Yet another devil immediately suggested something else.

"Look…"

A few pit fiends looked towards the direction the others had pointed at, and soon they discovered that two more armies had drawn closer, harbouring evil designs. The flames that burnt on their body, as well as the unique ice devils amongst them, revealed their identities.

"The armies of the Fourth and Fifth Hells?" another pit fiend lamented, "As expected. With the distance our reinforcements need to travel from the Eighth And Ninth Hells, we're at a disadvantage here. It'll take a very long time…"

"Let's negotiate." The Dark Eight very quickly came to an accord. Negotiation did not damage the prestige of a devil, and in the first place they never really cared about something as useless as their reputation.

Tens of pit fiends gathered together quickly. There were no blockheads among them, any such candidates long since wiped out by their subordinates' plots. Each one was shrewd and insightful.

All the pit fiends of Baator had come to an agreement in a hurry, resolving the situation. Each of them would enter a limited portion of the tower. They would compete fairly with the Iron Tower at their centre, aiming to win the unlikely prize of becoming an Archdevil.\

...

Baalzephon, the first to infiltrate the Iron Tower, had currently brought Leylin to a black door. The enormous door was made of cast iron, with terribly twisted sculptures protruding out of it. The most prominent one was a model of a three-headed cerberus, filled with a sense of ruthlessness.

'This door seems to depict Beelzebub's rise and history,' Leylin meticulously looked through the sculptures on the door. Looking at the characteristics of the devils and other beings there, it seemed to proclaim Beelzebub's feats in style, embellishing them with beauty and praise.

Once they reached the door, Leylin immediately discovered that several of the images matched with Beelzebub's memories, explicitly confirming his position.

"Dammit… DAMMIT! The autocannibalism ceremony consumed half of my energy." Unlike Leylin who was calm and collected, Baalzephon was flustered and utterly discomforted. His deliberate curses clearly demonstrated his coercive intentions. At the very least, Leylin felt that Beelzebub's earlier arrangements had taken out three quarters of Baalzephon's strength. However, he still had more than enough strength to suppress a mere horned devil.

'Hmm? Don't tell me that he wants to pull something on me to intentionally expose the flaws in the door?' Leylin's eyes flashed. Devils weren't chaotic like demons were, there was a particular reason for everything they did. This was especially true between superiors and their subordinates. Even the harshest of superiors required sufficient evidence to punish their underlings.

For example, Leylin was currently masquerading as the horned devil Leycian. Although he posed a threat to Baalzephon, the horned devil had always obediently followed his master's orders and completed his job. Even the pit fiend couldn't recklessly dispose of him.

Naturally, if Leylin did not resist the coercion, and executed his own subversive plot now that Baalzephon was weak, the pit fiend could crush him without second thought.

"I feel like we've reached the core of the Iron Tower, my Lord." It was a great pity that Leylin's current persona didn't give Baalzephon the slightest opportunity to do so. Instead, he acted like the most devoted of subordinates, standing protectively in front of his master.

"This is the Palace of Gluttony, the core of the lord's power. Rumours say—" Leylin happily played the role of a guide.

"What do the rumours say?" A regretful look flashed across Baalzephon's eyes. It was clear that he felt disappointed that Leylin had not taken the bait.

However, keeping Leylin with him seemed to have been the right decision. After all, it was rare for a devil to have any understanding of the Iron Tower, even if it was just a few rumours. Perhaps it was a clue that would end up being of extreme importance.

"They say that this place is guarded by a contracted ancient devil!" A coarse voice sounded, answering Baalzephon's question. However, it was not Leylin who had replied.

"57 years! It's already been a full 57 years… Beelzebub has not supplied me with enough souls and flesh, and seems to have completely disappeared…" Roars of rage and dissatisfaction sounded, and a tremendous voice seemed to ring in Baalzephon's heart.

*Bzzt!* The enormous iron doors in front of him rumbled, and the statue of the cerberus suddenly grew more lifelike, a bright glow surrounding it. This red eyes opened one after the other, emitting a radiance that was a thousand times more dazzling than rubies. A trace of purple greed flashed within that red, demonstrating a thirst for blood and souls.

"This is… A hellhound!" Baalzephon retreated further and further. Hell was not limited to the devils. There were also hellcats, hellhounds, nightmares and even humans who'd moved here from the prime material plane.

These beings had strong experts amongst them, with strength on par with greater devils. One could build the most perfect of fortresses, and hire them to protect it through contract. This hellhound greatly surpassed others of its species, but had been confined by Beelzebub in this tower.

"I am the King of Hellhounds— Soul Devourer Chekov!" A tremendous clang resounded, and the cerberus leapt out of the iron door. Its body was wreathed in flames as it grew in stature, only the tip of its being still connected to the door.

"The King of Hellhounds?" Baalzephon rather speechlessly looked at the enormous Cerberus in front of him, a crafty glint in his eye, "Then why is someone who is powerful enough to lead an entire race here?"

*Rumble!* It was clear that Baalzephon's words had touched a sore spot. Chekov suddenly roared, and infernal flames spread all around them.

"It was Beelzebub! That greedy devil, the cruel glutton! He deceived me!" Without waiting for Leylin and Baalzephon's coercement, Cerberus began to hog the conversation, "He trapped me with a fight, the loser having to serve the winner for 9900 years…"

In this moment, even Baalzephon looked at Cerberus with eyes of pity. Engaging in a game of chance with an Archdevil never ended well. The pathetic hellhound was lucky it didn't get crushed to death. It being shackled here was natural, and with almost ten thousand years of a contract it definitely wouldn't end well.

"What did the competition entail?" Leylin asked inquisitively.

"Souls. I competed with Beelzebub to see who could devour the most souls in a short span of time," Cerberus' three heads all drooped, hanging low with an air of dejection. "Originally, my three heads could devour even a city of souls in an instant. However…"

Leylin was inwardly laughing to himself, and even Baalzephon shook his head and sighed. Competing in an eating competition with the Lord of Gluttony? One had to wonder whether this King of Hellhounds had a defective brain, or was actually a demon in disguise.

"What a sorrowful tale…" Baalzephon finally said, summing up the incident.

"Well then! None of you have the slightest trace of Beelzebub's aura on you. Are you intruders?" Cerberus' gaze glinted with danger.

"Although I hate that fellow, I regret that I must follow the rules of the contract. I will devour the souls of all intruders!" Cerberus grinned, revealing a mouthful of towering fangs and a barbed, scarlet-red tongue.

Treasure Vault

The cerberus continuously radiated a powerful aura. Its might could repel even the strongest of pit fiends, and it caused Baalzephon to feel uneasy. Leylin, on the other hand, was only frightened on the surface. He was snickering in his mind.

'Such a silly dog, it can't even see through my disguise. No wonder a devil could manipulate it so easily…' The fact was that Leylin's stealth was too powerful. Even the famed cerberi of hell couldn't sniff anything off about his soul.

"Wait… Wait! Negotiate! I think we can negotiate!" Baalzephon retreated several steps as he called loudly.

He did not have much of a chance against this King of Hellhounds. Moreover, he hadn't found a trace of Beelzebub's whereabouts. He wasn't dumb enough to waste his resources and even risk his life here. Devils considered diplomacy the path of experts anyway.

"The contract was sworn upon the Styx. If you can remove it for me, you'll have my gratitude. I'll open the gates to the Palace of Gluttony, and share every bit of information I have about Beelzebub…" Chekov spoke from his left head, but the other two heads still snapped at Baalzephon without hesitation.

"Leycian, hold it back!" In this time of crisis, Baalzephon ordered his subordinate into danger.

"Yes, my Lord!" He saw this horned devil he'd contracted stand reluctantly in front of him. However, Leycian was smacked away by a swipe of Chekov's paw. Even if Leycian was a greater devil, the difference between him and Chekov was still too large.

"Dammit, do I have to use one of my trump cards now?" Baalzephon hastily pulled out a silver shield.

The shield seemed to be forged exquisitely from the finest silver. Numerous runes were inscribed on it, and gems embedded as ornaments. The shield gave off an extremely holy aura, glowing with a gentle light.

The moment the shield came into contact with him, Baalzephon's hands corroded quickly into white smoke. The pain caused him to frown. This shield was made of whitesilver, a noble element with powerful corrosive effects against all devils.

Of course, this effect depended on the target. Even buried in a pool of whitesilver would just leave a pit fiend itching.

However, the shield in Baalzephon's hands didn't seem to be any ordinary whitesilver item. It was imbued with great energy, and even had a hint of a god's aura.

"An item used against devils!" Cerberus howled, and flames soon began to engulf the two figures as they engaged in a ferocious battle.

...

"Well done! Keep it up!" The horned devil who was smacked to the side by the cerberus got up from his lying position.

'One must first face the gatekeeper to enter the Palace of Gluttony. But since it's engaged in battle now, there's a chance to sneak in…' After reaching this area, Leylin immediately recalled Beelzebub's memories and grew familiar with the place. He discovered that there were several hidden tunnels, meant for Beelzebub's escape in times of need.

And now, Leylin began to execute his plan like it was a matter of course.

'It seems to have been a correct decision to bring Baalzephon along!' Leylin stood in admiration of himself at he looked at the miserable figures of Baalzephon and the cerberus before disappearing into the darkness.

'I sense more pit fiends coming here, I have to hurry…' With the help of Beelzebub's memories, Leylin soon skirted past the giant gate that the cerberus was guarding, coming to a circular corridor.

The ground was covered in crimson carpet, and oil lanterns flickered on the sides of the corridor. There were a large number of paintings on the walls, depicting scenarios of the underworld. Some works even showed the battles against gods in the prime material plane.

'The winding corridor of exhibitions! I'm finally here…Beelzebub's treasure vault!' Leylin excitedly appreciated the oil paintings with both his hands behind his back. In Beelzebub's memories, this was an important treasure vault. It contained about a third of an Archdevil's wealth, and had numerous treasures gained from dangerous expeditions.

'If only Beelzebub had stored the Manderhawke Plate in here… But that's unlikely…' Leylin pondered in front of a painting.

The aesthetic views of devils were often grotesque and fear-inducing from a human perspective. There was a fundamental difference in their definition of beauty, but even then the intentions of the artists were the same.

The painting in front of Leylin was rare, one of humans. A devil was lifting a kneeling human by the collar using one hand, the other holding a curved dagger up as if to pierce the human's heart. Set to a crimson backdrop, the human clutched onto a piece of parchment holding a contract of sorts, his face convulsing in dear.

'Is this to commemorate the temptation Beelzebub poses for humans? This person had to be a king for him to act personally…' Leylin did not care anymore about the the meaning behind the painting, and reached out with his right arm.

"To break the curse, I remember that I have to…" Leylin spat a series of syllables in a language that only an Archdevil would know. As he spoke those words, a brilliant light appeared on the oil painting and a defense mechanism that seemed to be a glass protector appeared.

"Activate!" Leylin emitted his devil aura, causing the glass to melt like ice. He stretched his right hand into the oil painting, pulling out a curved dagger.

[Beep! Host has obtained a high-energy item, beginning scan…] The A.I. Chip's light flashed in Leylin's eyes, and very soon the scanning came to a conclusion.

[Epic Demonblood Dagger (+5). Weight: 666 grams. Ingredients: Pit Fiend Bones, Souls of Avarice, Crystallised Soul of Gluttony.]

[Abilities:

Offering: The owner of this dagger can extract the life and souls of their enemies, allowing them to absorb power effectively until they're a high-ranked legendary. Rate of conversion depends on the compatibility and willpower of the wielder.

Summon Devil: The dagger contains a devil contract, and allows the wielder to summon a greater devil up to once a day.

Judgement: The wielder needs to strengthen their will and alignment towards evil every three days. If they fail, Beelzebub will appear from the depths of hell and devour their flesh and soul.]

[Description: This legendary Demonblood Dagger has evolved under Beelzebub's powers of extreme evil. No living creature can resist its temptation…]

'An epic weapon?' Leylin toyed with this dagger in his hands. It was evident that the dagger was an exquisite item made by Beelzebub himself, much stronger than the one that Leylin had crafted himself back on Faulen Island.

Because of how common the materials he'd used were, the Demonblood Dagger Leylin had made himself lost effect after his stats all reached 10. However, this epic dagger could enable the wielder to enter the legendary realm through devouring others! If adventurers in the prime material plane were to learn of this dagger, they would do all they could to obtain it, even if it meant losing their souls.

'One needs to slay an opposing church's pope even to be bestowed an ordinary Demonblood Dagger. This one most likely requires one to kill someone with divinity…' Leylin also found several heinous traps laid in the dagger. This was a personal touch of Beelzebub: anyone who wielded it would immediately be put under his control.

'Although it's useless to me, it makes for a good item to bestow to my men…' Leylin casually tossed the dagger into his spatial pouch. Since he'd comprehended the law of gluttony and even gained Beelzebub's powers and authority anyway, he could remove the traps with just a thought.

'Each and every one of these paintings is a treasure chest, and even other Archdevils will lust after the items within…' The next painting that Leylin walked up to depicted a bloody battle between Beelzebub and a fallen flame balor. The demon did not have even the chance to self-destruct.

"In here, there should be…" Through the same process, Leylin obtained a fiery gem that seemed to be beating.

[Flame Balor Heart: This is the quintessence of a flame balor, and can be used to forge legendary or even demigod weapons. Any weapon it is used to forge will be aligned to chaos. If a demon swallows this, it will awaken the flame balor bloodline, gaining the chance to evolve into one,] the A.I. Chip stated.

'Not bad. Demons will go red with desire as they fight over this. After all, it isn't easy to find the carcass of a flame balor…'Leylin stowed the fiery gem away, looking into a different direction.

"You let me pillage the items just like that. Are you really a protector of this place?"

"Haha… I have no chances against an Archdevil at all. After all, this was part of the contract I signed with Beelzebub…" As the ancient voice sounded, a withered looking figure stepped out from the darkness.

This figure assumed a human form, seeming like an old man who was about to turn into a tree. There were wrinkles all over his face, and he seemed to pose no danger at all.

However, how could someone that Beelzebub contracted to look after his treasures be easy to deal with?

Leylin nodded. "You're much smarter than that dog," he said in praise.

Borke

"It's my honour to be complimented by an Archdevil!" The old devil bowed humbly to Leylin, with all the formality of a noble. His eyes were filled with solemnness.

"You were already here when I took the first item. Now, tell me… Why are you here?" Leylin's eyes squinted, and the old devil shuddered as he formed cold sweat.

"Freedom! Of course it's for freedom! Being confined in this dark, icy place and having to guard the treasures…I've already done more than enough!" The old devil clenched his teeth and cursed vehemently.

"I sensed the terrifying powers of the law of gluttony on you, along with a part of Beelzebub's powers and aura. I can pledge my allegiance to you, letting you obtain everything in here, and also inform you of all of Beelzebub's secrets. I want a small favour in return: Annul the contract on my body. If you want, I could even serve you for a hundred years…"

"Hmm, these are great conditions!" Leylin looked in interest at the cunning demon in front of him, perhaps the strongest guardian in the City of Iron, "How are you so sure that I can annul the contract for you?"

"Beelzebub had used his identity as the lord of Dis to confine me…" The devil blinked, "As long as Dis obtains a new owner, they'll have the authority to annul the contract…"

'Devils really are extremely cunning…' Beelzebub himself would never have set a rule like this. It was likely a condition that this old devil had fought for himself. Since he'd signed the contract reluctantly, this devil didn't have much loyalty to Beelzebub. On the other hand, Beelzebub had been extremely confident of sitting on his throne forever. Before his demise, that is.

"Alright, I accept your conditions!" Leylin agreed because he wouldn't face any losses at all. However, he did not sign any contract: once he officially became the lord of Dis the contract with this old devil would shift to him. At that time, he could do whatever he wanted with him.

Leylin had no capacity for trust in devils, especially long-lived ones like this. That was another reason why he wouldn't sign a contract.

"My Lord!" Evidently, the old devil understood his intentions, and could only smile wryly in return.

"So then, tell me your name. Since you're the guardian of this place, do you know of the Manderhawke Plate?" Leylin wasted no time, getting to the point directly. In front of his might, the old devil couldn't retaliate at all.

"My name is Borke, my Lord." A strange expression appeared on the devil's face, "Of course I know the Manderhawke Plate, it was originally mine. But Beelzebub, that disgusting, conniving thief! He stole it away from me…"

"Yours?" Leylin was somewhat taken aback. After all, Beelzebub's memories regarding the Manderhawke Plate had been sealed strongly. Leylin himself didn't have much information regarding the item. Now that he had met the original owner, his interest was piqued.

"Okay, Borke, tell me. How did you get your hands on the Manderhawke Plate then?" Leylin had an extremely strong urge to research the background of that object. That clay disc could change one's destiny.

Noticing the glint in Leylin's eyes, Borke sounded out a feeble protest, "My Lord, that's mine…"

"Was. Past tense. It's currently in Beelzebub's hands, no? Also, do you want your freedom or not?" Leylin eyes slanted. He had never held any trust for devils, so he would crush any plans they had, again and again.

Borke was most likely being dishonest with him, already engaging in wordplay. However, no matter what sort of ploy he set up he would have to give some amount of true information.

"That… It was many underworld years ago, so far into the past that I have even forgotten the history of that era. The City of Iron had not yet been built, and Dis was just a barren land…" Borke muttered, his eyes seemingly lost in some distant memory.

"As a devil my lifespan is that of Baator. I'm effectively immortal, and before we harvested souls from the prime material plane my hobby was to journey across the endless barren lands. The Manderhawke Plate was something I chanced upon in a ravine during my travels…

"I used it to travel to various planes, and I advanced into the peak of devil kind, becoming an ancient devil. It was then that I met the Lord of Gluttony, and after that…" Regret welled in Borke's eyes.

Leylin's eyes flashed, 'Looks like this devil only discovered the plate's ability to connect to other planes. He hasn't tried breaking through the crystal sphere of the World of Gods.'

Travelling between planes was one thing, but it was completely different to break through the crystal sphere. However, regular devils would never consider such a thing. Leylin realised that Borke had a very vague understanding of the Manderhawke Plate, and likely couldn't even use it as well as Beelzebub had. Naturally, he would not know anything about it having the ability to change destinies.

'There's a chance he's trying to fool me as well, hoping to get it back another day…' Numerous thoughts flashed past Leylin's mind as he continued to plunder the treasure vault relentlessly. After all, this was a portion of the treasures accumulated by an Archdevil of Baator. Even demigods would be tempted.

"Ignore that for now. Do you know where he is?"

"He's disappeared for sometime. Last time he returned, he'd come back from another plane, gravely injured…" Borke didn't withhold any information in this regard. He needed Leylin to free him from his current position anyway.

"I searched for his soul through our contract, and I know he's extremely weak right now. Even a mere pit fiend could defeat him!" Borke exaggerated the extent of Beelzebub's injuries, for fear that Leylin might back down. "However, he has hidden himself well. Even I myself am unable to find any traces of his whereabouts…"

The old devil laughed malevolently, regret and greed appearing on his face. It seemed like he wouldn't have hesitated to strike if he'd found Beelzebub himself.

"So even you don't know where he is. Is there not even a clue?" Leylin's brows furrowed. Things had become more troublesome now.

"Apologies, my Lord! Due to the restrictions of the contract, I can only move about within the circular corridor and its vicinity… Even if he's hidden in a part of the Iron Tower, I wouldn't be able to notice it. In any case, Beelzebub is the owner of this place…" Borke's explanation was backed by logic, but somehow Leylin felt that he was holding back some information. Was it not a necessity given the crafty nature of devils?

*Rumble!* At this moment, space rippled as an explosion rocked the tower, the reverberations of the sound causing the items within to vibrate. Both Leylin and Borke turned around, looking towards the Palace of Gluttony.

'This aura… Pit fiends! There should be at least ten of them to break Beelzebub's seal!' Leylin had estimated their strength immediately, 'This degree of unity… It seems like there's something happening that I'm not aware of…'

'However…' Leylin looked at Borke who resumed his calm after an initial shock, and smiled. He too adopted a calm disposition.

Borke noticed that Leylin had not taken the bait, and felt regretful. However, he still fulfilled his duty and explained the situation. "Beelzebub's defences can't be broken that easily by a group of pit fiends. Moreover, there isn't any treasure there. There are certainly many guardians in the area, each no weaker than the cerberus…"

"Where are Beelzebub's experimental lab and resting area? Mark it down for me!" Although Leylin wasn't influenced by the plans of these hotheaded devils, he would have to take action now. He did not wish for anything to land in their hands.

'It's just a pity that…these remaining treasures… ' Leylin's figure faded into the void, leaving behind Borke who looked deep in thought as he watched Leylin disappear.

...

"Baalzephon! I have never seen you in such a miserable state in such a long time…" A few greater devils mocked Baalzephon. Chekov's carcass lay at a side, and teleportations or dimensional leaps would allow one to grasp it by the claws.

"Zapan… and Lyle, you're all here…" Baalzephon's expression changed numerous times, finally changing into a gentle and agreeable smile, "I was about to inform you guys… that there is a great discovery here…"

"Oh really?" Zapan cared little for Baalzephon, and the other members of the Dark Eight too watched on in mockery.

"Open the Palace of Gluttony!" Zapan commanded, and many large paeliryon and various other devils ran forward in a disorderly manner. They caught the carcass of the cerberus, tossing it into the air and smearing its blood on the giant metal gates.

The huge amount of blood was quickly absorbed by the gate, and it greedily sucked Chekov dry. A crack appeared in the centre of the gate, spreading to both sides.

Advance

"We're finally here. The Palace of Gluttony, the core of the Iron Tower…" Zapan muttered, his eyes blazing as the gates opened.

"What are you doing?" A loud shout sounded suddenly, and Zapan saw Baalzephon's body turn into a blur as it zipped between the cracks of the gate. However, the other pit fiends watched on without the slightest inclination of stopping him.

*Rumble!* A blinding flash radiated out, and thunder boomed as Baalzephon's body was struck by golden lightning. It disintegrated into nothingness. The only thing he left behind was a barely audible cry of rage as he screamed, "No!"

"Tch! How can the defence mechanism of an Archdevil's core territory be breached so easily?" Another pit fiend shook his head in disdain and mocked the Dark Eight, "Such a foolish devil can also become one of the Dark Eight… Ahahah…"

Devils normally competed across the different hells. They had no qualms with bringing their counterparts down.

"Damn it, do you want to fight?" Corin of the Dark Eight stood out, his eyes showing fury.

"Alright alright, Corin!" Two other pit fiends stopped him, "We share goals right now. Any internal strife will stop us from entering the Palace of Gluttony, and gaining access to the lord's lair…"

"Alright then!" The other pit fiends heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Corin recollecting his cool. However, their eyes showed that they now harboured even more schemes.

'This general… His rage earlier was most likely just an act. Did he do it so he could get better terms?' 'Someone with empathy? Ha!' Although many of the devils present were second guessing themselves, the pit fiends finally came to an agreement to break into the palace together.

The void flickered right after they left, revealing Leylin's figure.

"Haha… Should I say it's as expected of devils?" His gaze settled on something in the distance as he shook his head, giving off a mysterious smile. Gods were high and mighty, able to peer into the future.

An army of devils appeared within Avernus, launching a frenzied attack at the two divine realms within. Five dragon corpses were piled up in the Bronze Citadel, like small mountains as they surrounded the Chromatic Dragon, Tiamat. She roared furiously, "You despicable liars!"

The armoured devils were fearless, as if the rage of this dragon couldn't affect them. They poured forth like a torrential wave, eventually cutting off Tiamat's five heads. Once the last crimson head fell to the ground, Tiamat's body crashed down with an epic thud, causing a minor tremor inside the Bronze Citadel. Chromatic Dragon Tiamat, who'd just received full authority over the Bronze Citadel, had perished.

"Commander, Tiamat's death has been confirmed!" This news was quickly sent to an unknown pit fiend.

"Very well, occupy the whole city, and begin cleansing it of werewolves, wereleopards, and dragons. Any who resist are to be killed immediately, there will be no need for further updates." The commander of the army was a size smaller than his peers, but his eyes were cold as frost. A red scar streaked across his face, making him look malevolent. The bridge of his nose was extremely tall and sharp. The devil seemed complicated, possessing savagery and tyranny but at the same time tenacity and experience.

"Yes!" The messenger had no intention of disobeying his commands. Very soon, the order had been spread throughout the Bronze Citadel. Wails and cries resounded as Tiamat's kith and kin, those half-beasts who had been attracted by her evil, were purged. The majority of them would definitely not live past the night, and those that did would become slaves to the devils, toiling somewhere with no day and night.

A huge conspiracy began to engulf the Nine Hells with Tiamat's death. Similar events were occurring in the Third through Fifth Hells, and a large undercurrent erupted into the limelight, as if planning to devour all prey at one go.

...

Dis, the City of Iron.

"Argh…" Another assassin cried in anguish as he was swallowed by darkness. However, the expressions of the pit fiends were extremely calm, as if a common sight.

"The Sentinel's Passage is the best guarded place after the hall of gluttony. Rumours say that we'll be able to reach Beelzebub's palace if we follow this road…" Dagos of the Dark Eight had assumed human form, looking like a scholarly and well-mannered sage. However, his evil aura betrayed his disguise.

"Our mission ends with this wave, the rest depends on you!" Dagos spoke to the other pit fiends.

"Of course… We will abide by the rules. You, get over there!" A pit fiend walked forward and pointed at a paeliryon subordinate.

The pit fiends had all agreed that using their subordinates as cannon fodder was the most optimal way, and they would count the losses and each sacrifice some of their men.

"My Lord…" The paeliryon which was extremely massive looked on at the darkness, its face extremely solemn.

"Cut the bullshit. Do you want to become a lower devil?" The pit fiend roared, revealing its aura.

Devils had great control over their subordinates. They could promote or demote them, and using their auras with the threads of loyalty, the pit fiend could force this paeliryon into danger regardless of circumstance.

*Ka-cha!* *Ka-cha!* Devils were extremely meticulous and cautious, and most traps would not faze them. However, that wasn't true for traps laid by an Archdevil. This particular paeliryon was extremely nimble and cautious as it ducked past several traps, even seeing the end of the passage. However, it was soon engulfed by a silvery liquid that fell from the sky. It screamed in anguish, its veins and bones visible as the liquid corroded its entire body…

"It's Devil's Solution. To think he used it here…" Zapan had grown rather irritable. After all, most of the traps had been laid against devils themselves, causing great casualties. This also confirmed that devils themselves had only one type of opponent— other devils.

The defenses of the Iron City had to be maintained however, and they were limited in numbers. With the pit fiends sending out their subordinates one after the other to activate all the mechanisms, they would be able to overcome them sooner or later.

"We're finally out!" Everyone was relieved after exiting the passage, especially the greater devils that had survived the ordeal.

However, the smiles on their faces very soon turned still. What was in front of them was a large field. Rows of metal and lava golems stood neatly in formation, making up an army. A black figure seemed to be sending out orders from the centre.

"Fuck, the information was inaccurate! Didn't they say everything would be alright after we got past Sentinel's Passage?" A pit fiend hurled vulgarity as it berated its fellow devils.

Devils found it instinctual to push blame, even harming others when met with difficulty.

"You trespassers shall soon feel the glorious wrath of Lord Beelzebub. This army of golems…" A booming voice sounded from the golem army. It sounded rather young, but still carried a dignified tone.

The golems raised their head once the voice sounded, as if possessing their own souls. They immediately launched an attack. The devils quickly suffered another wave of heavy casualties.

"We can't teleport in here, shit!"

"These are arcane golems, and have some diamonds embedded within them. O' Supreme of Baator, has the Lord of Gluttony obtained a flying city?"

"There's no other choice/ Have the subordinates hold them back, we need to try and break through!" Devils were expert leaders and diplomats, and many of them sought a straightforward attack. However, their current opponents were extremely effective against their kind, leaving them feeling helpless.

However, the temptation of a lordship was currently dangling in front of them like a carrot, causing them to lose sight of the precarious situation.

Pit fiends found it normal to send their subordinates out as sacrifices, using them to escape danger. Some of them had even brought a large group of greater devils along just for this purpose. They were running out of cannon fodder, however, and Beelzebub was yet to be seen.

"Die! Fireball!" "Summon Hellfire!" "Summon Devil!"

With the urging of their superiors, the greater devils could only put all they had into a frontal collision with the golem army. Broken limbs and flaming pieces of metal flew in the air as brilliant flashes dazzled the battlefield.

Discovery

'It seems to be a mere imitation of a Netherese golem…' Leylin hid in the darkness, watching the big duel in the square. With the advantage given by Beelzebub's memories and the fact that the golems were fixated on the pit fiends, the chances of him being discovered were minute.

He could stalk behind this pit fiend, using it at the last moment to break past the blockade of golems in the square.

'Only after the greater devils are all dead will the pit fiends be fatally wounded…' Looking at the pit fiends who were still alive, Leylin shook his head inwardly. Many of the greater devils had taken the brunt of the golems' rampage, and even some pit fiends were unlucky enough to be left behind and trapped in one's vicinity.

With the golems' personalities, it would be completely suicidal for their colleagues to rescue them. Consequently, those pit fiends ended up with a tragic death, finally falling to Beelzebub's traps.

Even members of the Dark Eight had fallen amongst the other pit fiends. The palace of an Archdevil was not something they could go after carelessly, even if it had fallen out of its owner's control.

And yet despite all this, many of the pit fiends had ambition written all over their faces.

A tall statue stood before them, looking over their broken flesh. It had multiple pairs of eyes, and six strange fingers. A grin was on its face, spread from ear to ear, and all one could see were rows upon rows of jagged fangs.

"The Lord of Gluttony… This definitely has to be his palace!" Zapan's eyes grew wide, and he greedily looked at the small palace building behind the statue.

The building was in the style of the devils. It was distorted and terrifying, with strange and intricate descriptions. There was still a little hellfire burning atop it, seemingly going to continue burning to the end of the world.

'The lord's bedchambers. It's rumoured that a lot of his treasures are hidden here. It's an extremely important clue…' Many pit fiends immediately began breathing heavily, and began to distance themselves from each other. Even the Dark Eight began to do the same.

They had all taken great risks to come here, all for the inheritance of the Archdevil. They wished to grasp the power of gluttony, obtaining mastery over the origin force of hell. Only then would they qualify to become a Lord of Baator.

In that pursuit, every other devil here was a competitor. Even former colleagues weren't in the least bit worthy of their trust.

The pit fiends exchanged glances. There seemed to be some invisible signal as they all rushed into the palace in unison. Devilish power fuelled fireballs that rained down on their peers, their earlier partnership put aside now that they were here. This wasn't infighting: they'd never been united in the first place.

"Get lost, this belongs to me!"

"Kibosh, I'll remember this!"

"Damn, wait until we fight a bloody battle!"

All these devils coveted the lordship. They used all possible tricks, some even with a trace demonic influence.

Leylin had no intention to take part in this great battle. He could keenly sense that Beelzebub was absent. Yet, having suffered a great injury it wasn't like he'd scurry back to his den to lick his wounds. That would only lead to death from his competition. All devils would betray their superiors, so Beelzebub wouldn't even think of returning to his palace.

'The most I can find here will be a few baubles and treasures; it won't surpass what I've taken before. This statue, however…' Leylin stealthily rested his hand on Beelzebub's statue, and felt the surface texture and temperature. His eyes shone with the light of the A.I. Chip's prompts.

'This is one of Baator's rarest materials, and it can preserve its temperature forever… The A.I. Chip's scan didn't glitch after all!' Leylin's eyes flashed, 'Still, this statue must have been crafted by a master, it even expresses Beelzebub's divine charm. On top of that, it has a trace of the laws of gluttony…'

The gods of the World of Gods, just like Magi of laws, had comprehended the laws of their world to some extent. Their true bodies were a manifestation of these laws. When he'd become a demigod, Leylin's own body was imprinted with the laws of massacre and devouring.

Of course, devils had their own power of laws, and Beelzebub was the embodiment of gluttony. His true body represented the laws of gluttony, and if a Magus could observe his body they would feel the power of gluttony. It was precisely this reason that a devil's true form and truename were taboo, and offenders of the same were investigated by the churches.

'Something that preserves the feeling of the power of gluttony like this statue can really be considered a treasure. But I feel like there's something a little off about it…' Just as Leylin prepared to research this a bit more deeply, his eyebrows suddenly twitched. He quickly concealed his form, becoming illusory and hiding his aura.

A stealthy figure hurried across his vision, heading towards Beelzebub's palace. The person was using a powerful invisibility spell in tandem with many blessed items, but he still couldn't hide from Leylin's True Vision. Nothing could be hidden from the eyes of a god.

'Baalzephon! So his death was faked after all,' Leylin immediately realised who that stealthy figure belonged to.

He had been entirely correct. The devil who was drawing closer seemed to be the member of the Dark Eight who had fallen in the Hall of Gluttony. This was the person who'd brought him all the way here, Baalzephon!

His private actions had already made him a traitor, so Baalzephon hadn't hesitated to fake death in order to avoid being questioned and attacked. His acting had been extremely successful, and as fixated on Beelzebub's powers and authority as they were the fiends let him get away with his actions. The only one he hadn't hoodwinked was Leylin.

Baalzephon had done the same thing as Leylin, furtively following behind the competition. The group of pit fiends cleared his path, but because his ability at stealth was awful he'd ended up trailing behind Leylin.

'There are conscients of Archdevils following behind these pit fiends. There must be some other hints…' Leylin didn't have much of an opinion about what had just happened, but he looked with anticipation towards the palace. Devils understood each other best, and perhaps the meddling of the other Archdevils could expose traces of Beelzebub.

However, if any of them actually discovered Beelzebub, who could win a fight with him?

"I've found it!" A voice exclaimed in pleasant surprise. It attracted the attention of many pit fiends.

There were powerful fluctuations in the area, and the pit fiend seemed to have activated some sort of mechanism which revealed the shadow of a semiplane that Leylin hadn't noticed before.

A blazing pillar of light lit up around the palace, forming a mysterious array. It formed an illusory entrance.

"That Archdevil must be within the semiplane!" All of the pit fiends looked on with covetous eyes, frantically rushing towards the opening plane.

"It's mine, it's all mine!" Baalzephon had cast off his stealth as well, running in the same direction. However, none of the pit fiends cared. All of their attention was now fixated on the authority of the Archdevil.

Only the few from the Dark Eight let out cries of surprise.

'He hid it well, going as far as to secretly create a semiplane…' A holy radiance flashed gold, and the blood red massacre domain came into existence. Many of the pit fiends were completely shoved aside.

An incomparably perfect god appeared amongst the devils, his platinum form handsome and imbued with the greatest majesty. Seeing his target, Leylin had made an outrageous move, the outcome something even Baalzephon could not imagine.

"Divine force! It's a god, a god has snuck in!" "It's only a demigod. If we obtain his essence…" The greedy devils quickly surrounded Leylin.

"Hmph." Leylin only snorted disdainfully, and an enormous tide of divine force turned into a spiritual storm that spread across the area.

"Stop him! How can we allow a god to obtain something from Baator?" Threatened by a demigod, the devils stood together in a rare show of teamwork. They cut apart the bindings of the divine force and the massacre domain, coming in front of Leylin. However, just at this moment, a strange smile curved in the corner of Leylin's mouth.

He turned his head and roared at Baalzephon: "Baalzephon, my servant. Stop these thieves, with no mercy. I command you as your superior!"

"Are you joking? Do you think you're Asmodeus?" Baalzephon's face split into a smile of ridicule. However, his movements soon dulled. Under the restraints of the contract, he couldn't help but stop dead in his tracks. He stood solidly and blocked the other pit fiends, his bulky flaming sword slashing at them quickly.

"Damn, this is the power of a contract! When did I—" Baalzephon wanted to cry out, but he was entirely unable to. Restrained by the severe difference in their ranks, he was forced to attack the other pit fiends fiercely.

Sadly, all of his power was used up against the attack of so many of his peers. It took a short while for the other devils to completely tear him apart.

However, this was already enough.

Reacquire

With the help of Baalzephon the 'traitor,' Leylin was the first to enter the semiplane.

Powerful spatial force flickered in this place, and he could barely make out the world at the other side. This was a plane of lava, and at its heart was a massive devil deep asleep.

The chest of this veritable mountain heaved up and down in his slumber, his devilish wings and giant eyes quivering with a powerful life force.

"Beelzebub's true body!" The pit fiends who saw this scene rejoiced loudly, the fire in their eyes blazing intensely.

In front of them was an unequaled throne. It was a position at the head of all devils, exempt from eternal damnation!

Yet Leylin slowed his footsteps, coming to a halt. He'd already fulfilled his goals the moment he entered the semiplane.

'It's so lifelike that it almost fooled even me, but…' The A.I. Chip's light flashed in Leylin's eyes, following which he left and disappeared without the slightest hesitation.

With the domain and divine force that was repelling the pit fiends removed, they'd entered the semiplane as well.

"What do we do now? That god seems to have left, could this be a trap?" Zapan blinked. Beelzebub may have seemed strong here, but he still coveted this place greatly.

"How about we send some cannon fodder up to see if it's the real thing?" A devil suggested from the side. Its body was spewing flames occasionally.

"You bunch of cowards, now its all mine… Haha…" Even as the rest of the devils grew indecisive, one of the pit fiends laughed maniacally and dashed into the semiplane. Following that precedence, the other pit fiends joined in as well.

"Pearza was the first one to enter. I'm not going to be promoted next year anyway…" another devil sighed, "I'm going to leave…"

Demons would have rushed in without thought. However, devils weren't the demon horde. They were of the lawful alignment, and possessed great intelligence.

"I smell a trap as well. Pardon me, I'll excuse myself…" The devils who entered this place were the unlucky ones, those who were going to fare badly in the next evaluation and thus wanted to prove their mettle. The others saw that the scene before them was too good to be true, and they planned to retreat.

"The god may have left, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a trap. Besides, if we combine our forces…" Even more devils grew restless, trying to persuade their peers.

*Rumble!* However, a terrifying change had occurred in the semiplane. It thundered loudly and distorted, as if turning into a terrifying beast. The entrance before them turned into a monstrous mouth.

*Bang!* Being the first one to rush in and touch the true body in the semiplane, Pearza exploded into a wisp of smoke. The giant figure of the Archdevil began to melt within the lava, turning into a putrid black liquid that clung onto the bodies of the devils and corroded them.

"Argh…This is…" The devils in the semiplane wailed. It was like they were being digested in the stomach of a strange beast, the black liquid being its stomach acid. This new beast roared out as a force of suction was formed at its mouth.

"Damn it, it's a trap! Hurry and leave!" Zapan of the Dark Eight bellowed, but he soon discovered that the force had grown to encompass him. The giant mouth covered the sky and earth, as if wanting to swallow everything within. Many pit fiends died to the black liquid.

This beast only stilled after devouring many of them, emitting the evil energy it had digested in satisfaction. It then sent its energy to a certain location.

...

"What a pity…"

Ninth level of Baator, Nessus. Asmodeus was atop the great citadel of Malsheem, sighing.

Mammon, Samuel, and Levistus jumped at the same time. "Our subordinates, what have you done?"

"It was to complete a contract I had with Beelzebub…" Asmodeus shrugged his shoulders. "I never schemed against your men, it was agreed upon before Beelzebub entered his deep slumber. He laid a trap to invite an enemy in, and if he was able to successfully devour them, he could heal from his injuries and retain order in Dis. However, it seemed like the beast couldn't fool that enemy…"

"Which is to say… You have been deceiving us all these while?" The frosty aura around Levistus had strengthened.

"Oh no, not at all my friends." Asmodeus smiled maliciously, "The agreement sworn to the Styx is still in effect. If your subordinates had managed to grasp Beelzebub's weakness and take over, I would have acknowledged it for sure. However, they failed and became medicine for a lord of Baator. It's not all that serious, is it?"

"Which means we helped Beelzebub recover for nothing in return? Damn it!" Mammon and Samuel howled, "Let us return, it should be a mess at our side now…"

"I'm afraid not. After all, the pact has not yet reached its maturity…" Asmodeus blinked his eyes, as if everything in the Nine Hells was laid before him, "Please, let us wait…"

...

"So he wanted to devour me through this trap to recover?" Leylin's figure appeared atop the Iron Tower, his divine force causing the area around him to still.

He looked at the beast devouring the pit fiends without a care in the world, and his eyes glowed. He had confirmed that this was a trap laid by Beelzebub, aiming to ensnare him so that the Archdevil could regain his lost authority and power.

However, even if Beelzebub's plan had failed he'd managed to devour a lot of pit fiends. They now fuelled his recovery. Even if swallowing Leylin would have been most effective, this was better than nothing.

"Too bad… Your trap had one flaw, and an undeniable truth!" Leylin's eyes smiled.

"The fact is that you've already entered a deep slumber. You could only lay this trap in a hurry, but couldn't control it from the background. It's a little shabby.

"As for your fatal error… The energy this beast sucked in is being transported to you through a tunnel to somewhere nearby!" One could not transport energy an infinite distance, and Beelzebub himself was a master of tactics. The most dangerous place would also be the safest one!

"But I still can't sense your existence. There isn't a trace of your aura in the plane…" Leylin's eyes squinted, "There's only one way for that to happen, the Manderhawke Plate. You used it to carve a small space out of the void, huh? That way, even if you're not in Dis you're still nearby."

'A.I. Chip!' Leylin fiercely commanded.

[Beep! Bringing up data on the Manderhawke Plate…] the A.I. Chip intoned, sending a large amount of information to Leylin's memory.

He'd made several attempts to replicate the Manderhawke Plate back in the Magus World, and now it seemed to have paid off. Elegant runes and patterns began to appear from Leylin's fingertips, forming a complex and intricate pattern. The patterns had all joined together, forming a strange circular rune.

[Beginning replication of Manderhawke Plate, searching for similar wave bands…] Looking at the notification, Leylin descended to the ground and moved towards Beelzebub's statue. The semiplane beast had ripped the entire palace to ashes, but this region had been spared that treatment.

[Beep! Search complete. Target's location: 00] the A.I. Chip prompted.

"So it's here!" Leylin did not hesitate any further, pressing the replica up against Beelzebub's statue. The rune buzzed as it began to merge into the statue. It was like something being dropped in water as it opened up a mysterious space.

This place was extremely small, and the world seemed to be in grayscale here. There was an aura of extreme evil in here, being radiated by the body of a devil that was curled up in the centre.

"I've finally found you, Beelzebub…" Leylin muttered.

He'd never thought that this Archdevil would have grown so weak. Although he looked to be the same, Beelzebub had dropped to the size of an infant. Illusory tubes connected his body to the semiplane beast, absorbing the power it devoured.

A conscient awakened slowly, immediately beginning to give off feelings of fear and anxiety upon seeing Leylin.

"From the Magus World to the Purgatory World, and back to the World of Gods before the Nine Hells. Our feud is finally coming to an end…" Leylin looked at Beelzebub, sighing at the sight of his enemy. Crimson runes began to cover his body, as a vertical eye split apart his brows.

"Nightmare Absorption— Dream Eater!" Leylin used the best method of absorption he had for the World of Gods. Dark red dreamforce engulfed the entire space, forming an oval egg. The egg began to throb slightly, as if alive and breathing.

Rank 7

In front of Leylin was an incomparably vast dream world. Innumerable crystal planets formed what looked like a honeycomb, each with a figure of Beelzebub flashing within.

Having survived from the ancient dusk of the gods to this date, Beelzebub's memories encompassed everything in all these years. If it was all put into the mind of an ordinary mortal, they would perhaps go insane from the overload of information. Even with Leylin's background, it still took him a while to fully digest it.

However, this was exactly what Leylin wanted. It wasn't just Beelzebub's authority and power of laws that he was after; he was quite interested in the lordship and the remaining portion of the Archdevil's memories.

'Is he trying to delay me with such a long dream?' Leylin's mouth curved into a wry smile. He had completely seen through Beelzebub's intentions. 'Pity… Even if ten thousand years pass in this dream, only a moment will pass in the real world…'

*Hss!* His body burst apart violently, becoming a formless crimson smoke that gradually formed the image of a Targaryen serpent. The serpent opened its jaws wide, devouring the entirety of the enormous crystal structure.

A single blood-red eye formed at the centre of the crystal, containing an image of Beelzebub.

Having acquired the Nightmare Absorbing Physique, Leylin was currently the ruler of Dreamscape. Within it, Leylin accompanied Beelzebub in a trip through his entire existence. Over the tens of thousands of years, he obtained everything he wanted.

A very short amount of time had passed in the real world, and the blood-red eye opened to swallow Beelzebub up in his entirety. Just at this time, something occurred in the outside world. The infantile devil trembled, losing all of its aura.

The ruler of the Second Hell, the Lord of Gluttony… Beelzebub was now dead!

Beelzebub's original body was then corroded by dreamforce, exposing a round plate embossed with patterns.

'The true form of the Manderhawke Plate! So he hid it within his body…' Leylin examined this round plate. The intricate patterns on it rather intoxicated him as the plate weakened the world's boundaries greatly.

'With the Manderhawke Plate opening the way, dreamforce should be enough…' A brilliant glow was emitted from the Manderhawke Plate, forming a deep and mysterious black hole.

'Beelzebub's last bit of divinity, as well as his divine force and power of laws…' Dark red light glowed in Leylin's palm, immediately getting sucked into the black hole. It disappeared without a trace.

...

Targaryen Castle was now a mottled building, filled with a sense of history. It was the residence of many high-ranking Kemoyin Warlocks, as well as Leylin's own Targaryen bloodline.

*Rumble!* With its link to Dreamscape, the dark red light quickly exited the World of Gods, arriving at the Magus World. A gentle tremor shook the castle.

Having long since developed its own conscient, the castle automatically protected the Warlocks within. It didn't allow a single person to be injured, and at the same time it transmitted an enormous sense of joy.

At the bottom of the laboratory. Leylin had long recovered from his injuries, but he had been awaiting something else. He finally opened his eyes, and the strange phantom of a giant serpent slithered across his pupils.

"My plans of over ten years, as well as the risk of splitting my soul… They have finally succeeded," Leylin sighed. His true soul rapidly communicated with the A.I. Chip, and in an instant he had comprehended everything.

"The complete comprehension of a law, and hence my advancement to rank 7… It happens today!" Light flashed as Leylin was completely enveloped by a blood-red fireball. He quickly moved outside the boundaries of the Magus World, arriving at the boundless astral plane.

Comprehending a complete law was no small matter; he wasn't certain that he could contain all the radiation. Targaryen Castle was full of Leylin's subordinates and blood relatives, so he wouldn't accept any large accidents.

"Dreamforce!" Leylin gently chanted, and dark red runes appeared on his body.

Before he'd advanced to become a demigod, Leylin had already recovered from his injuries. However, he was still in a state of slumber, and apart from waiting for his clone all he did was to get accustomed to the power of his new bloodline.

Although his clone was the one who'd acquired the Nightmare Absorbing Physique, his main body had also been upgraded in that process. Nightmare Absorption was the ultimate bloodline of Dreamscape, its mysterious abilities far exceeding Leylin's expectations.

A vertical eye opened between Leylin's brows, its gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of space and time to connect to his clone's body through Dreamscape.

[Beep! Host has obtained the origin of laws, determined to be the laws of gluttony! Assimilation with the body: 99%. Transferring…] the A.I. Chip's voice intoned.

[Beep! Law of devouring has been analysed completely.]

[Beep! With the influence of the Nightmare Absorbing Physique, the host's bloodline abilities have been perfected. Targaryen bloodline advanced to rank 7!]

[Innate Skill Devour advanced to rank 7.]

An update on the skill followed.

[Devour (rank 7 innate spell)— With a perfect comprehension of the laws of devouring, its power has greatly risen. The ability can now be inherited.]

[All requirements met, advancing to rank 7.]

After the law of devouring was completed, Leylin didn't restrain himself any longer. He projected his bloodline, and a Targaryen the size of a star hissed as its devilish wings flapped up a massive gale. Its razor-sharp claws and horns radiated light.

With the Nightmare Absorbing Physique, the Targaryen's scales had turned a dark red. A vertical eye had formed between its two eyes that were as large as stars. A torrential surge of his bloodline power assimilated with the law of devouring, wrapping Leylin within a mysterious process.

[Beep! Host has advanced to rank 7. Body of laws has been perfected. Stats have changed greatly, recalculating data.]

The A.I. Chip's prompts brought Leylin back to his senses. He looked at his hands, mulling over the change. 'A perfect body of laws. My body is now completely made up of my laws and bloodline; as long as the laws are not extinguished… I'll be indestructible?'

Leylin felt the law of devouring within his body. The feeling of obtaining a full body of laws was incomparable to what he'd gotten when he'd approached the boundary of rank 7.

[Beep! Host's stats have been recalculated.]

Very soon, Leylin's new stats were projected by the A.I. Chip.

[Leylin Farlier, Rank 7 Warlock. Bloodline: Targaryen(Rank 7). Strength: 215.73, Agility: 170.21, Vitality: 300.05, Spiritual Force: 575.44. Soul Status: Body of Laws. Laws comprehended: Devouring (100%), Massacre (57%). Host's body of laws has lost all constraints, and can now absorb World Origin Force to increase in power.]

'Rank 7 Warlock! A Magus that has comprehended laws! Only… At this stage I can greatly sense the pressure to pursue eternal life…' His soul now made of laws, Leylin's gaze transcended all distance. He could see into the infinite river of time and space. As long as the origin of his laws survived, this river would allow him to be reborn even if he were felled.

This was the secret of Magi and Gods!

"I also seem to have acquired more authority…" Leylin rubbed his chin, and the his own secret imprint appeared. It was an inverted triangle with a black snake coiled in the centre.

"This will be my emblem from now. No matter which intelligent life, or where the place is, as long as they pray or make sacrifices to this emblem, I will be able to sense it, and send my powers to them… I seem to have inherited part of the gods' powers huh? Or do all paths eventually converge?"

Leylin eyes saw into the distance, his vision traversing countless worlds to look at two different places.

"Your Excellency Leylin! Welcome to the realm of rank 7…" In the subterranean part of the Magus world, Ignox and Mother Core congratulated him.

The other location was the Purgatory World, within the endless ball of snakes. The Snake Dowager looked bewitchingly at Leylin, "Rank 7 now, huh? Don't forget our pact."

"Cunning woman!" Leylin shook his head.

After turning into a rank 7 Warlock, he had finally mastered his own bloodline. In other words, the Targaryen bloodline had no connections with the Snake Dowager from now. This strength was his own, his absolute power. He was not constrained by any bloodline.

As close to rank 7 as he was before, he'd still been a rank 6 Warlock. His plethora of trump cards had allowed him to equal Magi who wielded laws before, but now everything had fallen into place.

"We'll discuss this later!" The two powerful conscients diminished, and Leylin looked at the Magus world once more.

"My bloodline has already spread this far? It seems like Syre and Daniel have been fulfilling their duties…" At this moment, Freya, Celine, his other few female counterparts, and their children surfaced in Leylin's mind.

"Although it isn't consistent with my original plans, I should see them again. It's been such a long time!" With just a thought, Leylin's body appeared at the centre of the Targaryen Castle. There were no traces of any energy waves, demonstrating the terrifying abilities of a Magus who wielded laws.

Usurp

*Crash! Rumble!* A vile power surged forth, and great amounts hellfire erupted into the sky.

The entirety of the Second Hell seemed to be roaring, rejoicing. The flames grew in intensity with the evil power, and the City of Iron seemed to come alive. The walls and ground grew hotter and hotter, even glowing orange, and the slightly translucent lava now seemed able to melt metals. Any unlucky devils swept up by this torrential force turned into torches as they fell to the ground.

Baator's origin force welled up, welcoming its new owner.

*Hss!* The terrifying phantom of a giant serpent appeared in the sky, but was very soon covered by the dense blanket of smoke. Hell's authority was being handed over; Leylin had now taken on Beelzebub's role completely, becoming the new Lord of Dis!

'The Second Hell is now my divine realm.' Leylin felt an extreme amount of power here, one that he could activate at any time. His eyes sparkled with excitement.

'Although I'm still a demigod, I can now use my powers as a rank 7 Warlock. I needn't even be afraid of greater gods anymore. More importantly, now that I'm the true Lord of Dis my power is similar to that of a divine realm…'

Every Archdevil was the Lord of a different layer of Baator. In their own hells these lords could even suppress gods, a power akin to what true deities held inside their divine realms. Were a greater god to enter Dis right now, Leylin could make them suffer a huge loss.

'But still, this is just one level of Baator. The relationship between me and Dis isn't as intimate as that of a true god and their divine realm either, and there's no way to bring my worshippers' souls here…' Leylin did not wish for his worshippers to enter Baator after death, becoming lower devils.

'However… I'm sure this incident exposed my status to the remaining Archdevils…' He seemed to smile as he looked down, his gaze piercing through the numerous hells all the way to Nessus…

"The authority over Dis has been transferred, a new lord has been born… But it doesn't seem to be a devil." "Within Malsheem, Asmodeus sat facing three other Lords of Baator. His expression remained gentle, masking his true intentions.

"Damn it! Somebody actually took advantage of our infighting… We'll become a joke to those demons of the abyss… I'll go there and kill him now! Before he is completely familiar with his authority!" Samuel's body blazed with heat as he howled and flew up into the sky.

"Please wait. You cannot leave until the contract is fulfilled." Asmodeus waved his hands, and the contractual power immediately stopped Samuel from going further.

"What's happening? Wasn't the contract supposed to expire when Dis gained a new lord?" Samuel looked at the binding power of the contract, his face incomparably dark. He sensed that Asmodeus had made him a pawn in his game.

"Asmodeus! Explain yourself!" The Lords of Avarice Wrath roared, their figures pressing towards Asmodeus.

"Hehe. Everything is stipulated within the contract. Haven't we discussed this already?" Asmodeus tapped the black book containing the contract in a slow and unassuming manner, "Let us see…"

*Rustle!* The pages flipped under his control, until finally landing on the most recent contract.

"The contract says that we have to remain here until Baator has regained peace. None of the lords may participate, only allowed to watch the developments…" Asmodeus used his pointed fingernails to touch the words, and a dark green flame spewed from them to form a projection in the air. He enlarged it so the remaining lords could have a closer look.

"We agreed on all of Baator. That is to say, as long as at least one of the Nine Hells is in chaos the contract remains valid. " Asmodeus smirked as he faced the furious gazes of the other lords head on.

"So Dis wasn't your only target. You also made plans on Avernus?" Mammon grabbed his harpoon, but didn't act immediately. He was after all of the lawful alignment, and even as an Archdevil contracts were firm and unbreakable. Were he to breach one, Baator's will would view him with disdain, forever robbing him of part of his power.

"I still say the same thing. Let us wait and see." Asmodeus still had that genteel smile one him, but now it spoke volumes.

...

First Hell of Baator.

A large army of devils had assembled under the lead of a smaller scarred pit fiend. Centred at the Bronze Citadel, they'd already occupied a third of Avernus. The only regions left were treacherous, or part of the two divine realms in this hell.

The pit fiend finally stopped his army outside the realm of the Shark God Sahuagin. A sharkman cleric walked out, his face extremely solemn. He was followed by other worshippers as well as a squad of elites.

"As per the agreement, this will be our new boundary," the cleric said solemnly.

"Of course. Lord Asmodeus is extremely thankful for Sahuagin's help, and he sends his blessings and friendship!" The pit fiend spoke in a well-mannered tone.

"Don't forget your promise. Bring us the items agreed to in the contract immediately!" the cleric reminded the pit fiend once again…

"It's finally settled…" The pit fiend heaved a sigh of relief after looking at the newly demarcated area, having an erinyes pour a cup of red wine.

"A third of Avernus," the pit fiend muttered, "that should be enough to make the lord happy. If his plan comes to fruition, we of Nessus will be able to unite all of Baator. The council of eight Archdevils will become a thing of the past, and I'll have paved the way for the future!"

However, energy rippled out from Dis at that moment. It notified the Nine Hells of the changes in the second.

Being the First Hell, Avernus experienced the ripples of energy most strongly. The extreme change, coupled with the rejoicing of Baator's origin force, caused the pit fiend's expression to change drastically. The glass holding the wine crashed to the ground, shattering with a crisp sound.

"The devils in the second level have failed… Those useless fellows, I have should reduced all of them into lesser devils…No, bugs!" After venting his frustration, the pit fiend could only dismiss his troops helplessly.

Before he left, the pit fiend cast his gaze deeper into hell. "Even if there were changes in Dis, the little miss will still be alright. Our lord still holds the upper hand!"

...

Sixth Hell, Malbolge.

This was an endless realm of mountains and valleys. The terrain was rocky, and boulders constantly fell from above that were so strong they could smash anything in their path to smithereens. The sky rippled with ever-changing clouds.

In this vile environment the devils could only take shelter within their copper fortresses, although even then many perished to the steep slopes and frequent landslides.

Rumours were abound that underneath this rocky surface were numerous holes, holding some ancient beings of Baator and primordial devils within them. However, the Hag Countess, the current lord, had sent men to search these areas to no avail. They all ended up dead.

The Countess was a night hag, an outsider to Baator. Her fortress was at the centre of a giant mountain, surrounded by lava.

The devils were rising up in this area that day, a common sight in Baator. With the hardships their superiors put them through, these devils often took great pain to finish their missions, at the same time frenetically searching for their masters' weaknesses. Once any weaknesses or loopholes in contracts were discovered, a bout of unrest would begin.

However, the Hag Countess was one of the Lords of Baator. She'd seldom received any challenges of the sort, and back in the past no devil had been foolish enough to challenge the might of a lord.

However, an exception was made today. The dusty gates of her palace were forced open, and many devils equipped with heavy armour followed a beautiful erinyes inside. The erinyes looked at the rotting night hag on the throne in front of her, eyes blazing.

"Hag Countess, your reign will end today!" The erinyes had unbelievable strength and beauty. Her body possessed a fatal charm that could intoxicate the devils nearby. Yet at this moment, she tossed the head of a pit fiend towards the foot of the throne, putting on a proud and icy demeanour.

"Hahaha… So it's Glasya, the little princess of Nessus… I was wondering which devil would have this audacity…"

The betrayal of her subjects and the death of her guards should have been extremely dangerous to her, but the Countess did not look fazed in the slightest. She looked mockingly at Glasya, her withered finger pointing at the erinyes as she spoke in a hoarse and raspy voice, "Do you really believe you can overthrow me with this bunch of trash? This is Baator, not the abyss. Without the power of laws, you cannot usurp my authority!"

Start of The Contract

With control over the World Origin Force, the Lords of Baator far surpassed ordinary devils in strength. Even pit fiends could only tremble under one's authority.

However, there was one rank of devil between the pit fiends and the lords. It was only awarded to the most beloved of an Archdevil's subordinates, and it was known as the exception. They were called dukes!

Were a pit fiend to evolve to its very limits, with permission from its lord it could undergo a bizarre promotion. It would give them a special morphed form, distinguishing them by gender and allowing them to master an ultimate ability.

Dukes were the Archdevils' most trusted confidantes, and given that there was a limited amount of origin force to go around they were very rare. Glasya was one such Duke!

She was Asmodeus' daughter, the princess of the Ninth Hell. When she'd advanced to the peak of pit fiends, her father's favour had allowed her to be moulded into a unique form. She'd become the Queen of Erinyes!

This change gave her the ultimate charm, and great influence. Her abilities approached the pinnacle of power, and she could be considered second only to an Archdevil.

"Tut tut, what a pretty little erinyes! I believe the nupperibo under me will be very fond of you…" The Hag Countess looked at Glasya. Her pit fiends were crowded around the duke as well, their eyes filled with a scarlet light.

"Has Asmodeus gone demented? Does he actually think that he can take me down just by sending a bunch of devils?" The Hag Countess' voice grew higher and higher in pitch, until the very sound radiated an aura of absolute authority and might. The energy snapped the bewitched devils back to their senses, and their eyes now exuded a sense of fear.

The Hag Countess occupied the throne of Malbolge, and would forever be the lady of the Sixth Hell. How could she be easy to deal with? Her formidable power and schemes had been etched into the deepest part of these devils' blood.

It wasn't so easy to overthrow a Lord of Baator. They were powerful ancient beings in their own right, and on top of that they had the power to utilise Baator's origin force. Within the Nine Hells, any of them could exhibit the strength of a rank 7 Magus. And similarly, in their own territories they were like true gods in their divine realms!

The only reason Beelzebub died so easily was that he ruined himself. When he projected his power out to external worlds, he'd been brutally suppressed by Leylin. Seriously injured, he'd been forced into a coma. If not for that, Beelzebub could have easily suppressed a demigod within Dis.

That was the same situation here. This was the Sixth Hell, the Countess' territory. In addition to her powers as a rank 7 Magus, she could use Malbolge itself to suppress her enemies as if it was her divine realm. The only way to defeat her here, and even then only cause her to retreat, would be a combined attack of three other Lords of Baator.

Even if they managed to defeat the Countess and obtain the authority over this hell, there was a more difficult issue. Devils were a bunch of lawful creatures, whereas rebellion and foolishness were the domains of demons.

Although Glasya's methods were unorthodox, the Countess had decided to teach Asmodeus a lesson that he would never forget.In any case, every lord had equal authority in Baator. With Glasya the one at fault, the Hag Countess wasn't afraid of Asmodeus' retribution.

"So this is the authority of Baator's origin force?" Looking at the surging origin force and the powerful suppression that brought her close to death, Glasya's eyes grew a little intoxicated.

"I'm the only one suited for such power and authority!" Two contracts flew out from Glasya's hands, glowing beautifully in midair. The light they gave off completely eliminated the Countess' control over the origin force, returning everything to peace and tranquility.

"How?"Sensing the suppression of her authority, and her disconnect with Baator's origin force, the Hag Countess' face warped with unbearable rage.

"This is a contract that you signed yourself!" Glasya's lips curved into a smile. Her beauty seemed to momentarily transform hell into heaven.

"The agreement between the seven Lords of Baator was that you will all remain within your locations until Dis gains a new lord, and the unrest in Baator ends…" Glasya illustrated with her pleasant voice, but it caused the Hag Countess to break into cold sweat.

"Until the unrest in Baator ends, not Dis. Which means all levels of Baator are open for contest, and the winner will obtain eternal glory as a Lord of Hell!"

"Ah! NO…" The Countless snarled, pulling out the contract and noticing that it wasn't just Dis.

"Strange isn't it? Did the tens of thousands of years as the Lady of Malbolge rot your brain? Did you think nobody would ever challenge your authority again?"

Glasya waved her hand, "She's lost the power of her authority for now, any strength she wields is her own. Kill her!"

The devils roared forth under the bewitching words of the Queen of Erinyes, their eyes an abnormal red.

"Dream on!" the Countess screamed, and a murky green metal whip appeared in her hands. A pit fiend was caught within the moment she brandished it, and she immediately smashed him to flesh and bones.

"Even without the power of Baator, I am an epic being of evil. You pathetic devils dare to oppose me?" The Hag Countess looked malevolent as she reached out with her claws, smashing two more greater devils to pieces.

"You'll go to prison and be sold as a lesser devil, thrown into a pit of males. I believe they'll be able to treat you properly…" Even as she made her threats the Hag Countess dealt heavy damage to Glasya's army. In a mere moment the palace was riddled with corpses.

However, The Countess found that her threats had no effect on Glasya, who maintained a calm demeanour.

"Even without their authority a lord is not somebody I can face right now." Glasya bit on her tantalising juicy lips, reaching out with her right hand to point at the second contract.

While the former contract was to reveal the loophole regarding Dis, this one looked rather archaic. It was covered in runes, and seemed to be from ancient times.

"This is why I'm so confident in taking everything from you," Glasya purred.

"This is… the primordial contract! So you were holding on to it!" The Countess screamed in rage, and energy undulations radiated from her body.

"That's right. My father fought the gods themselves for this contract, all in the name of Baator. All fallen souls shall belong to the Nine Hells." Glasya's eyes glowed with pride.

"This is why my father obtained great support from Baator's origin force. This contribution alone will garner him additional support as the Nine Hells are being united. Although it doesn't have power of authority like an Archdevil, it is enough to deal with you!"

The primordial contract was a legendary agreement signed between the devils and the gods. It stipulated that the Nine Hells would obtain all fallen souls that lost their lives in the prime material plane. This contract was the foundation of the devils, and of Baator itself. It also qualified Asmodeus' claims to be the Supreme of the Nine Hells.

However, there had been severe changes since then. Baator's World Will had broken apart, split into eight parts which were controlled by the eight different lords. Asmodeus' true body had been gravely injured, so now he could only harness a fraction of his strength. The Nine Hells had splintered apart.

Still, Asmodeus was the rightful ruler of the Nine Hells. As for Glasya, his daughter, she had the right to exercise this power as well.

"You…The other lords will never let you off! Absolutely never!" The Countess was finally overwhelmed by the primordial contract and the wave of incoming devils. Right before her head was severed, she unleashed a final howl of fury.

"Sure! Even if they don't come to me, I will be going to them!" Glasya grabbed onto the head that was still dripping with blood, as she cleaned the blood on her sword using The Countess' corpse.

She looked once again at the unresigned look on the Countess' face and smiled, before issuing her next orders. "Hang this ornament in my room as a decoration."

...

The grave changes in Malbolge and the shift of authority there swept Baator as well.

Many devils clutched their heads in bafflement, such a series of events had never occurred before in their memory. In a single day, two of the Nine Hells had shifted rulers.

This would definitely lead to an epic change in Baator, and even incite the wild ambitions of other devils!

"Asmodeus!" Several livid roars were heard as three lords left Nessus in a hurry, immediately returning to their respective planes. They were seemingly shocked by the spate of events.

"Sixth Hell, Glasya huh?" Leylin felt the changes as well.

"As expected of the Supreme of the Nine Hells. Asmodeus is the most cunning and versatile Archdevil of the lot. Even as his plans for Dis failed, he's obtained a third of Avernus and the entire plane of Malbolge!"

Farm

Leylin put on a solemn expression.

"If I hadn't interfered, then they would have gotten authority of Dis as well. At that time, with the powers of three levels of Baator and another third of Avernus, he could have ousted the other lords from their thrones…

"Right now, as long as Asmodeus consolidates his strength, stabilises his position, and ropes in one to two more overlords to his side, he will become the dominant force in the Nine Hells…

"However, this has nothing to do with me anymore." Asmodeus had indeed lived up to his name as a crafty old devil. He had capitalised on the precarious situation that Dis was in, and carried out a revolution.

Although this had alerted the other lords to his schemes, the devil had already met his goals. His power had grown, and he now held a superior position. It wouldn't be impossible for him to unite Baator in the future.

"Hmm? He even sent me a message, and wants to speak to me?" Leylin had received a spiritual energy wave, evidently a message from Asmodeus.

"Indeed, getting the assistance of an outsider like me would be best. My position in hell is still unstable after all. However, this devil's goodwill cannot be trusted at all; and the best way to avoid all negotiations is to leave." Leylin put on a mysterious smile.

"Azlok!"

"Your Excellency, I'm here!" When Azlok arrived, he had some of Leylin's worshippers in tow. The collective armies of the different hells had now returned to their own levels of Baator. Had they remained, Leylin would most likely have assimilated them into his own forces.

"I'll be leaving for a while. Take care of the affairs in Dis for me. I also have a few missions for you to take care of." Leylin did not hesitate to hand the tasks down to his men.

Azlok wasn't in a position to refuse him, and even if he was why would he? This pit fiend was extremely glad to be able to take over an entire hell.

'Since I'm the one with the authority, when I leave Asmodeus can only look on without doing a thing…' Leylin turned back and looked at the City of Iron for one last time before leaving Baator. 'Once my goals are achieved and I finish ascending to godhood, he can only eat back any schemes he's plotting…'

It would be extremely simple to leave Baator. Even a demigod could traverse planes, and Baator was already close to the prime material plane. There was a portal in the outskirts of Ribcage City whose guards could be bribed.

However, Leylin was now a Lord of Baator. He had the right to move to the prime material plane as he wished. Although many others found it difficult to travel between different worlds, to Leylin it was like taking a walk in his backyard. Before the other lords could react, he had already returned to the prime material plane.

...

The newly established Faulen Empire on Debanks Island, within the Giant Serpent Church.

'Almighty Lord, you are the serpent that controls all, holding the powers of massacre.' The church itself radiated a colourful sheen, and many of the priests prayed piously. Tiff was at the back of the church, meeting a white-robed Leylin.

"Master!" he began a report, his eyes blazing with fervour, "We moved Marquis Jonas and his wife to the empire as per your decree, along with all their servants…"

"Well done," Leylin nodded his head. This was something he'd planned immediately after he'd become a demigod. He couldn't entrust things such as this to the Goddess of Luck Tymora. He was always fastidious, and would have these things settled himself.

His family was on his lands now. There was no faith here other than that he approved. Along with his church containing multiple legendaries, totem spirits, and another demigod to help, Leylin could finally be at ease. Were any god or church to make an attempt on this place, they would all gang up on them.

'You need at least a hundred thousand elites to take over Debanks Island, and they need to travel a long distance over sea. You'll also need many high-ranked legendaries, and have to sacrifice multiple divine avatars…' Leylin's eyes blazed.

'In fact, if the churches that tried to group up against me tried to do it again, they will definitely suffer heavy losses. Furthermore, at a critical time I can turn to their enemies, forming an alliance with the evil gods… The costs far outweigh the benefits. Even Mystra, as much as she hates me, wouldn't be so foolish.'

"How's the empire been faring lately? Has there been anything special on the mainland or Faulen Island?"

"We've planted the first batch of rice this season. The plague was controlled by a free supply of holy water as well. There was some commotion on Faulen Island due to the withdrawal of the Jonases. Still, the remaining managers managed to minimise the impact on trade."

Tiff had only needed a moment of thought to answer. With the Faulen Empire being a theocracy, Tiff was the one with the greatest authority as the country's pope. With his many years of travel in the mainland, he'd deeply experienced the ups and downs of life. Paired with his strength and knowledge, he'd managed Debanks Island well.

"The churches you had me keep an eye on have been rather dormant, bar the church of protection. Helm has declared that you're a false deity!" When he came to this point, Tiff had grown enraged. To a pious believer their god wasn't a mere part of their beliefs. The Lord meant everything!

"Those vile gods, they actually dare slander my Lord like this! One day, I will make them pay the price for this insult. The slate will only be wiped clean with their blood!"

"As it should be," Leylin didn't blush in the slightest as he made this promise, despite being a false god through and through. "We only need to endure this for now. Focus all your attention on developing the empire."

This put Tiff's heart at ease. He listened to Leylin's orders with respect and left. As he was leaving, a contemplative look emerged on Leylin's face.

'It's unlikely that they'll mount a massive invasion, so I'll need to take precautions against elite squads and ambushes. Another important aspect is the agriculture. I can't ignore it until after I become a true god, with my own divine realm and a strong foundation. Then I can open the crystal sphere now, letting my main body in along with many more Magi of laws.'

Godhood was an enormous threshold to cross in the World of Gods. True gods were the darlings of the world, and obtained everlasting life and immortality. Even upon death they could revive themselves as long as worshippers still believed in them, emerging once more from the river of space and time. Even the most formidable gods had to pay a great price to breach a divine realm, granting all true gods an extremely powerful defence.

Besides, deities themselves only valued other true gods, and viewed them with equal standing. In other words, Leylin would become a member of the pantheon once he advanced. It would also give him the means to confront the Goddess of the Weave!

'I already have my godfire ignited, and plenty of divine force. What's left is my divinity and divine realm. Once those requirements are met, I can accumulate faith to form an exalted throne…' Leylin was well aware of how ascension worked.

'My domain will be in massacres. Cyric and Malar are huge problems, yes, but I've already offended them greatly. What's the harm in enraging them further? The crucial point is still the power of faith…'

The ascension of gods in this world was rather peculiar. A new member of the pantheon only needed an echo of origin power with a certain foundation of believers to easily ascend to become a true god.

However, these sorts of gods would always be extremely weak. They could only be lesser gods, living under the asylum of the more powerful.

After all, with the slow development of this world's civilisation, asking the populace to accept something new would be a bit too forceful. These sorts of gods would need hundreds or thousands of years to develop.

The advantage was that they would not be in conflict with the other gods, and they had rather good potential for development. With Leylin's knowledge and experience, he had thought of several domains that the World of Gods did not currently possess, with excellent potential for development. It was a shame that he had rejected all of them.

There was reason for this. The plan was far too long term, and he himself would be too weak. This wasn't in line with his current situation.

Becoming a god of massacres would eliminate these limitations. This divinity would greatly aid his combat strength, and met his requirements for power. It could also develop rather well later, at the very least making him a greater god.

The only catch here was that there were already gods in the domain of massacres. Leylin's ascension would be encumbered by the conflict.

'Even if a native is only worth a tenth of a believer on the mainland, I still have enough faith to ascend to godhood. The problem is still the divinity…' Leylin's wish for a powerful divinity to support his ascension increased his requirements for faith. He estimated that he already had enough faith to become a god of disease, but massacres required over ten times the faith.