"Fear not; I have no desire to explore this matter any further. The debt has been settled. As long as you fulfill your obligations, you're free to govern your dukedom as you see fit—just make sure to honor my annual tributes, and refine your oratory and motor proficiency.
That human physique holds immense potential. I anticipate remarkable achievements from you, being the youngest Rank 2 Archdevil among our kin." Alika declared
"???"
'Is that a warning to us?' The three dukes' covetous eyes withdrew from Endrick
At that moment, Ula handed each duke a scroll. "The Annual Tribute Requirements expected from each region" The scroll contained no less than a hundred items.
"And what are your thoughts, Marquis Molch?" Alika asked, redirecting her attention to her next subject.
"May I humbly request a duel?" Molch, the Cyclops inquired.
After bearing witness to a great torment, the behemoth Molch devised a daring plan, which some might call foolish, depending on their perspective.
His colossal fist descended rapidly, targeting Alika to catch her off guard and seize an advantage. With his innate abilities, petrifying gaze, and meteor shower, he aimed to exploit the opportunity for a swift escape.
However, just as the blow seemed imminent, the ground beneath Molch suddenly yielded, sending him tumbling into an unexpected abyss.
"Why did you intervene… the future couldn't be all that bad right?" Alika inquired, turning towards Ula.
"It's my duty, such an insect isn't worthy of touching your garment!" Ula replied, delivering a powerful kick to Molch's eye, sending him flying into the massive pillar.
Ula's sandal rested upon the Molch's face, eliciting a chuckle from Alika.
'Oh my, when did she rise to the rank of an Archdevil... and that ghostly speed?' Yor mused, his previously indifferent demeanor finally changing as he took notice of Ula.
"You've truly surprised me today, Ula. Am I to interpret your interference as a sign that you no longer wish to stand by my side and aspire to be a Marquis?" Alika questioned.
"Your jest is a bit much, Your Majesty. This humble servant lives to please her grace," Ula replied.
"Yet, your lips speak, but your heart seems distant..." Alika whispered as she walked past Ula
"Molch, you've thoroughly disappointed me. How can I entrust my territory to such a pathetic fool?" Alika remarked.
With a single snap of her fingers, Molch careened around the throne room like a ragdoll for the next half an hour
"..."
"Does this satisfy your curiosity about my strength?" the now battered and broken Molch gazed on in abject horror. With a mere flick of her finger, he had been pummeled within an inch of his life like a tetherball.
"Meteor Shower, I beseech you, relent!" Molch pleaded, dropping to all fours, tears streaming, and body trembling.
"Ui come here!"Alika commanded
The timid Ui scuttled hastily towards Alika. Such a sight left a sour taste in Ula's mouth—this was the traitor she had once shared intimacy with, reduced to nothing more than a submissive bitch, obedient to every command.
"Cast this fool to the hounds, for his boldness in thinking he could catch me unawares," Alika declared, her steady gaze never faltering." As of this moment, you shall ascend to the title of the new Marquis.
Though you still carry the mantle of a Demon Lord, I sense that you're mere months away from attaining the esteemed rank of an Archdevil."
Molch's eyes widened in disbelief at the revelation, struggling with the sudden change in fortune. He scolded himself for entertaining such wretched thoughts.
Those Dukes, more powerful than he behaved like obedient lambs. 'How could I have been so naive? But how did she see through my plan?' Molch's gaze shifted to Ula, only to be met with coldness as if a giant looked down upon an insect.
"Do I also have to compensated for this newfound role?" Ui cautiously inquired.
"You possess nothing I desire, and your massages were subpar. For your own good, remember to whom you hold allegiance," Alika responded with a dismissive tone, emphasizing her disinterest.
"Her Majesty's kindness is boundless," Ui quickly added, bowing in reverence, and if anyone noticed, a great sigh of relief escaped his lips.
"The loftier you ascend, the nearer you approach your demise," Ula murmured as her gaze settled upon Ui.
As for Ui, he thought nothing of Ula's comment, just another hateful ex-lover trying to impede his ambition.
"...."
Ui, the mystical tengu, held out hands ablaze with ethereal blue flames. They flickered and danced, embodying a perfect blend of obedience and unwavering determination, poised to carry out Alika's every command.
"Your Majesty, have mercy... I have already offered my talent... please!" Molch pleaded. However, what met his plea was Ui's hand resting upon his head, causing it to explode like a watermelon.
His lifeless behemoth of a body was then dragged out of the throne room. As for the four Dukes, their expression remains darker than charcoal, as they watch the scenario unfold.
Alika's gaze shifted toward the trembling abyzou demon, Kaliel.
"This humble soul shall relinquish her Foul Temptation. In but a fleeting moment, one can shatter mental barriers, compelling a person to act on their desires. Those targeted should not hold a higher rank than oneself," Kaliel stammered, her voice quivering as her gaze met Alika's.
"Am I truly that intimidating, Yor?" Alika inquired, shifting her focus to her devilishly handsome young man.
"You're crushing her hand!" Yor replied with indifference.
"You may retain your talent, for I have no need of it. However, remember, should you dare to defy me, such is the fate that awaits all traitors," Alika declared.
Kaliel found those words to be sweet music to her ears, and she bowed her head profusely upon the tiles in gratitude.
"Depart, all of you. I have grown weary of gazing upon your pitiable forms. I've even forgotten why I kept you here, but remain within the Palace. There are emissaries from a neighboring land arriving tomorrow!" Alika commanded.
"Ula, fetch me that aged Bassal. It is time for him to settle his debt. But before that, have you compiled the list?"
"As per Her Majesty's request," Ula replied.
"At this moment, we have 99 Greater Demons, 15 Demon Lords, and 6 Archdevils. If you include Ui, then it's 7."
"These useless ones, only a handful have made a breakthrough. Should we conduct another purge?"
'Did she not just scold, Lord Birger…' Ula was astounded by this erratic behavior.
"You are dismissed!" Alika waved Ula away dismissively.
Just as Ula was preparing to depart, her body was gripped from behind.
Ula felt her neck under Alika's attack and her garments being parted.
"Did you anticipate this too?" Alika giggles, as, her lips plant delicate kisses on Ula's neck.
"..."
"Aren't you You a delightful surprise," Alika murmured.
Her fingers parted Ula's wet petals, causing Ula's breath to hasten.
"My chambers tonight, bring the oil!" Alika whispered softly, underscoring her request with a tender touch upon Ula's generous chest.
"...."
"Ahem," a sharp cough resounded through the chamber.
At Yor's interruption, Ula hastened her departure not daring to look up.
"What weighs on your mind, Igris?" Alika inquired. "Can I not enjoy myself? I have spent millennia nurturing your soul. The least you can do is stay silent. Or perhaps... do you desire Ula?"Alika teased
A silence settled between them.
"Don't give me that look, Ula is truly captivating," Alika continued. "Maybe you should pursue her. I yearn for a grandchild."
"You haven't changed, Mother," Igris replied. "I'm content with the women I have now. Pangea is no more; let us embrace our new identities. Besides, you have numerous descendants who have also borne offspring."
"Those treacherous scum are not my grandchildren," Alika lamented. "And you, Igris Ambrosia, will forever be my flesh."
"..."
"We haven't been mother and son for nearly a million years."
"It doesn't matter. We share a bond, and soon, I shall awaken your wife, Emily, and Consort Raquel."
"I thought we needed a decade. What has changed?"
"Have you not noticed? The vessel you currently inhabit possesses the innate ability to strip away one's consciousness, those white flames upon your back." Alika revealed.
Silence fell once more.
"You have indeed prepared the perfect vessel. However, I do not intend to solely follow the bloodline's path. It is a path with too many constraints. And judging by the appearance of your body, it seems a little special."
"Oh, you've noticed... I was fortunate to encounter the dying succubus Alika, a woman blessed with one of the Five Exalted Physiques, Igris— I mean Yor. Do you know what happens to the body of those blessed by Heaven?" Alika said
[Henceforth, we shall refer to Igris as Yor. To unravel the depths of this character's essence, one must embark upon the journey to locate my incomplete opus: "Birth of the Primordial Bloodline."]
Yor's curiosity was piqued, urging Alika to continue eagerly.
But Alika suddenly switched to communicating through thought transmission.
"What I'm about to tell you should never be spoken aloud unless you wish to be erased from existence."
"..."
"Physiques can be stolen but not inherited!" Alika declared.
"But this rule only applies to those with a similar constitution. Bloodliners like myself will explode if we attempt such a feat." Yor said
"That only happens if you have a corporeal body. I spent centuries in search of an ability that split a soul from the body once understood this truth, but among all those wretched demons, not one could be found in the archive.
However, all that changed when I stumbled upon Bassal....even now, there's a condition that must be met, and I already have a solution," Alika smirked
"What is it?" Yor inquired with eagerness
Without saying a word, Alika opened up a dimensional door.
"Isn't this the Eternal Prism? I thought it collapsed?" Yor's stupefied face said it all
"Why would I collapse the place that will bring me the greatest boon." With a wave of her hands, the door closed up."
"Greatest boon? That place has become nothing but broken rocks floating in pure darkness, what use is that?' Yor inquired with great skepticism
"When I first arrived in this world, my body was almost destroyed, the world consciousness had marked me as a foreign invader.
I had sacrificed my legion and resources to escape the Heavenly Extinguishing Hounds, and only by jumping into that wretched abyss did I encounter a fortuitous encounter, and even then, I had to wander an endless sea of darkness for a century before I encountered the dying succubus Alika.
For the next decade, I watched over this woman who was banished due to her frail body and uselessness. You should already know that strength is what all demons admire; such a woman without a purpose was lower than cattle."
Alika the succubus had a habit of talking to herself, so I used those moments to learn about the situation and the reason for her plight.
That's how I came to understand the Five Exalted Physiques are those born without compatibility to mana similar to our 7 Legendary Physiques of Pangea, and it was even worse for Alika.
She had no access to her Innate Bloodline due to her Heavenly Restriction Physiques. While in my ethereal form, I searched these planes to gather more information, but it wasn't easy with a guardian like Birger and Modeus around.
I could only bide my time due to my soul needing to recover: I waited and waited until god knows how long. But one day security was weak, I don't know why but I didn't care, so I snuck into their most guarded area, where I found these stars along with information on the Five Exalted Physiques, and among the five, Alika had the worst.
There has never been a Heavenly Restriction vessel that lived to old age, they were mortal with no benefit...so the record said.
But you know me, Yor, I simply couldn't believe such nonsense. At the same time, I realized something, Heaven Will was rather lethargic down here, as though it barely existed.
Eventually, my centuries of waiting paid off, and the succubus succumbed to her plight, as her eyes closed for the last time, I witnessed the most magical thing: when an Exalted Lifeform dies, a fruit begins to blossom in absolute darkness."
"I have never heard of any Physiques sprouting fruit or even there being a corpse remaining. Heaven Will devour its children with unfathomable speed, so how?" Yor inquired with an inquisitive gaze.
"In the absence of light, Heaven's Will seemed limited in its efforts to reclaim the body. It was the perfect time for harvesting, and thankfully, the Eternal Prism had granted me a great gift. After consuming that fruit, my soul descended into a deep slumber.
When I woke up, my ethereal form was gone, replaced by Alika's corporeal body and her devil bloodline.
Because of my unique soul's state, our features blended to a point where no one could recognize the original Alika. Out of respect for her, I took on her name."
"The last time we spoke, you had captured Ergan's child... What happened to the Nightmare Absorption Physique?" Alika asked.
"He's trapped on a barren planet," Yor replied.
Alika's face lit up. "Do you have the coordinates?"
"Our current strength isn't enough to face Jagger. I won't send you to your death, Mother until you reach the Rank 6 Archdevil status.
There's no need to rush; we have all the tools we need to address these issues. The bloodline's master of the Nephilim doesn't seem too keen on asserting their will, as long as they don't overstep. We can ignore it for now!" Yor explained.
"If that's what you desire, but we should still locate (him/her) just in case."
"Do as you see fit, but now our main objective should be hunting down those with the Five Exalted Physiques."
"I have already given the order!"
"I still can't believe you're allowing those individuals to escape your sight!"
"Hehe, do you take me for a fool... Be it Birger or Modeus, none can betray me. The moment they handed over their innate talent, I had already placed a chain upon their hearts. Unless they can gain the help of a Rank 7 Law lifeform, they can never escape my grasp."
"I have been rather curious, how many innate abilities can you have?"
"My Heavenly Restriction only permits five. I currently have Dimensional Door, Overwhelming Might, Astral Projection, and Meteor Shower, with one spot remaining, you would think. But I can bestow an innate ability unto others to avoid reaching the limit."
"Why would you do that?" Alika wore a smirk on her lips. "For each ability I discard, the slot would increase by two. As long as I do not accept the next limitation, I can keep this up indefinitely."
"Wait, didn't I just see you regenerate Modeus' limb? That means you have already met the requirement."
"That's my bloodline's passive ability."
"Broken, bitch!" Yor shouted.
"That's no way to talk to your mother, hehe!" They both burst into a fit of laughter.
"Yor, do you still blame me for not saving Jasmine?" Alika asked.
"It's not your fault. I blame my own weakness. If only I could have transcended my demi-god status, our family wouldn't have suffered defeat," Igris admitted.
"Did anyone survive?" Alika inquired.
"No one could have survived that assault, neither Ergan nor Tyrannical Johannes," Yor assured her.
"You've truly grown. Kenos would have been proud of the Patriarch you've become," Alika said as she embraced her son.
Sobs filled the air as they held each other. Agapi's enduring love for Kenos, a man who had perished along with half the family a century before the Ascension War, was evident.
A few minutes later, Alika spoke, "I thought you'd be angry with me for delaying your resurrection."
"It was beyond your control. My soul wasn't compatible with most of these demons. You had no choice but to place me in this child. So, do those sealed catacombs hold the souls of Emily and Raquel?"
"Yes, but with your assistance, they should reawaken within 2 to 3 years.
Is that a smile I see? Even after so many years, you're still infatuated with Emily, a shame Amelia died at such a young age... that wild lass actually die from choking on your cock!"
"..."
"Do you have any information on the body residing within the catacomb?"Yor inquired
"The body Raquel's soul resides in, is that of a lamia that rampage during the year on immemorial, as for Emily her body belongs to an infamous dragon."
"What about the remaining catacomb?" Yor inquired
"I was only able to save those two, and luckily they were both females…I don't believe you swing that way, hehe" Alika teased
"...."
"And what about this Bassal character? Can we rely on him?" Yor steered the conversation.
"Trust Bassal? Never. He's a pawn, deeply involved in researching the Split Soul," Alika replied.
"How did you meet this Bassal... I find it hard to believe an ordinary human could reach the subterranean level."
"Hmm, I came across Bassal during one of my experiments on the outskirts of that accursed prism. Both he and another person were on the brink of death, but it was Bassal who captured my attention—a man overflowing with hatred to the extent that death refused to take his wretched soul. His determination moved me!" Alika explained.
"Very well, then," Yor remarked, "He shall indeed prove an exceptional hunting dog."
Shortly thereafter, an old man with grey hair, approaching the twilight of his existence, strolled alongside Ula into the throne room.
"It has been centuries since our last conversation, Alika. Why beckon these aged bones now?"
"What if I could rejuvenate you to your youthful vigor, Bassal?" Alika posited, her intonation reflective.
"And I would say, you're lying. I have no time or patience for your jests, Alika!" Bassal responded, slowly turning to depart with deliberate steps. Yet, with each step, he felt a lightness and renewed vigor within him.
Silence settled once more, a palpable tension in the atmosphere.
"The Khan has sent an emissary. Are you still not moved?" Alika teased, as she caressed Ula's breast.
"Eeh?"
Before Bassal could answer, he felt a sharp sensation coursing through his body, his blood was burning. Standing in front of him was this young man with black wings and white flame.
"What I have given you is the Blood of House Orpheus, and not just any blood. The former head of their Household. Serve me well and the stars will be at your command," Yor said.
"Who might you be?" Bassal couldn't believe it, his wrinkly hands and shaky knees were no more. His body had returned to when he was in his early 30s.
"Your new master, Yor Ambrosia!"