Chapter 961 – Rightfully His By Birth
"Your Highness, how did the meeting with His Majesty go?" a middle-aged demon, that had a single horn on his head, asked.
"Same as always," Felix replied. "Have you made the necessary preparations, Sebas?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Sebas replied. "They are all waiting for you at the ruins."
Felix nodded as he rode the flying carriage that was especially prepared for him. Right now, the Demonic Clans had gathered in the capital because of the great undertaking that his father, Luciel, wanted to accomplish.
For that to happen, he needed the support of the Patriarchs of the various clans in order to raise an army. As to what that army was supposed to do, only Luciel knew.
That had always been the case. The Demon Lord didn't trust anyone, even his children, when it came to important matters of the realm. Luciel was a selfish, self-centered, individual who only cared about things that would benefit him greatly.
Felix sneered inside his heart as he thought of his crippled father who desperately clung to his throne. Although Luciel still had the support of the majority of the Demonic Clans, his rule was growing more and more unstable with each passing year.
"Your Highness, we will now be entering the Teleportation Gate," Sebas announced.
Felix nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. As Luciel's eldest son, Felix was busy building his own factions that would support him when the time came for him to take over his father's mantle.
'Still, getting the support of these candidates is not going to be easy,' Felix thought as his flying carriage passed through the teleportation gate that would bring him to the recently discovered ancient ruins.
All of the candidates that he was going to meet were all prodigies. Proud geniuses who were a cut above the rest. Between him and his father, he was sure that the candidates would choose the latter to support, but Felix wasn't someone who gave up easily.
If he was able to convince a few of them to join his faction, he would already consider it a victory.
—-
Ancient Ruins of Atrum…
Felix walked proudly, while Sebas followed a few steps behind him.
The guards stationed at the temporary stronghold, that was built on the outskirts of the ruins, pressed their hands to their chests in order to salute him.
Felix gave them a brief nod, as he passed through the gates. There, he was escorted to the lodgings of the candidates who wielded the power of darkness.
The moment he entered the spacious training room, thirty three pairs of eyes locked onto his body. This wasn't the first time he'd met the candidates. Some of them respected him because he was the son of the Demon Lord, while others ignored him because he was merely a son and not the Demon Lord.
Felix was already used to this kind of treatment since it was something he had frequently encountered when he was young, so he didn't mind it one bit.
The first thing he did was approach the strongest, and youngest, among the candidates present in the training room. Felix knew that if he wanted to gather as many elites as possible, he should first take the leader of the pack under his wing.
Once he succeeded, it was only a matter of time before a few more joined as his subordinates.
"Adam, how's your training coming along? Are you satisfied with the arrangements I made for you?" Felix asked with a smile.
A demon who was in his late teens smiled and nodded his head. Adam was a few years younger than Felix, but his purple eyes seemed to have seen many battles in life, which made him look more mature than he actually was.
"This place is wonderful, Your Highness," Adam replied. "However, I'm very curious about the ruins. I feel like there's something inside it that is calling to me. No. To be more exact, there is something inside it that is calling to all of us. Am I right, everyone?"
The other candidates that were older than Adam and Felix by a few years nodded their heads in agreement.
As wielders of the Dark Arts, the ancient ruins were like an oasis to them, who thirsted for water. There was a feeling deep inside their hearts, that what they sought could be found within its depths, which was protected by layers upon layers of deadly arrays.
This was the reason why Feilx had sent every other Demon with lesser potential to explore the ruins. He hoped that once they found a way to reach its depths, they would be able to proceed with the second phase of their plan.
"Rest assured," Felix said as he patted Adam's shoulder. "Once the explorers return, I will let all of you enter the ancient ruins. I just hope that after you manage to learn its secrets, you will share them with me."
"Of course, Your Highness."
"Good."
Felix nodded in satisfaction. Adam had already secretly pledged his allegiance to him, so it wasn't bad to give the young prodigy some benefits to solidify his trust.
The eldest son of the Demon Lord then turned his head to the side to look at the other candidates, who were also looking in his direction.
"To those who will excel in this endeavor, you may ask me of one wish," Felix stated. "If I have the power to grant it, I will give it to you without fail. So, do your best to train your Dark Arts until the explorers return. We no longer need to stay here in the Demonic Continent. The world is ours for the taking!"
""Yes!""
The other candidates raised their fists high in the air as if to proclaim that they would be the new conquerors of the world. Felix smiled as he looked at this scene. He was already looking forward to seeing how many of these candidates would become his followers.
Since he was too preoccupied with his thoughts of one-upping his father, he didn't notice the sneer that had briefly appeared on Adam's lips.
A sneer that showed his disdain for the Demon Lord, as well as those who carried his bloodline. For Adam, only one thing mattered and that was power.
As long as he had it, he was willing to bow his head and bide his time until he reached a height that could no longer be reached by others.
Adam was a patient person. As a wielder of Dark Magic, he knew better than anyone else how to act low-key until the perfect opportunity arrived, to claim what was rightfully his by birth.
Chapter 962 – Buy One Take Three For Free
William stared at the Black Sea in front of him as he rubbed his chin in contemplation.
This was the edge of the Central Continent, and beyond it was the Black Sea that led to the Demonic Continent. If he were to travel it using normal means, the journey would be perilous, and filled with uncertainty.
However, Optimus had told him that there was one interesting island in between the Central Continent and the Demonic Continent, where a dungeon was located. This was the only dungeon that could be found in the Black Sea, so it had sparked William's curiosity.
This Island went by the name Serifos. It was an uninhabited island in the middle of nowhere that housed a dungeon called the Dungeon of Gorgons.
There was a time when the Demons tried to build a settlement on the island, but after a year, they were forced to leave due to the unpredictable weather, in addition to the Dungeon Outbreaks that happened once a year.
It was simply a difficult place to relocate to and when the casualties continued to pile up, they no longer wanted to do anything with the island.
The Dungeon of Gorgons had ninety floors. It was ranked as a Class S Dungeon by the System. Optimus thought that it would be very useful to William once he had unlocked his Dungeon Conqueror Job Class' full potential.
The Half-Elf was also very interested in the island, so even though it set them on a long detour in terms of reaching their destination, he still decided to give it a visit.
The Demons no longer traveled to the Black Sea in order to reach the Central Continent. They had built many teleportation gates that they had kept hidden in places where Humans, and the other races, didn't dare to go.
If William wanted to reach the Demonic Continent right away, he would have used these hidden gates as a means to travel, but the allure of establishing a teleportation point on the island using the Ring of Conquest held a temptation that the red-headed teenager couldn't pass up.
"In any case, Soleil is already in the location where one of the teleportation gates is located," William said as if to assure himself. "A little side trip will not hurt too much."
The Half-Elf summoned Raiden and jumped on its back. They flew over the Black Sea as dark clouds hung above their heads.
Flashes of lightning, and the rumble of thunder greeted their arrival as if welcoming their Lord, who had graced their subjects with his presence. As someone who possessed the Thunder Emperor Job Class, William and the Black Qilin, Raiden, were the least scared of the thunder and lightning.
Three days passed before William arrived at the Island of Sefiros.
But, unlike what Optimus had said, the island was not uninhabited. There were literally hundreds of monsters living on the island, and all of them looked like walking abominations. Some looked like a giant sea slug, while others looked like demihumans with grotesque features.
However, no matter what they looked like, they all had one thing in common and that was their snake-like hair that slithered, and hissed at William who was looking down on them from the sky.
< These monsters are capable of spraying deadly venom at their enemies. Although I'm sure that they wouldn't do much damage to you, it would be best to summon only members of your Herd and King's Legion who are Millennial Rank and above. >
William nodded his head in understanding. Truth be told, he didn't have any intention of fighting the monsters in the dungeon. His goal here was to set up a waypoint, so that the dungeon would be connected to the Ring of Conquest.
However, if he wanted to do that, he must clear half of the floors of the dungeon first. This was a condition that had been set by the Dungeon Conqueror Job Class.
As William was about to psyche himself up to enter the dungeon, one of the monsters on the island flew up towards him.
The Half-Elf was about to attack, but stopped midway when he noticed that the monster flying towards him bore no killing intent. In fact, the monster even made a gesture of pressing her open palms over her chest, which some people in the Central Continent use to express that they meant no harm.
The flying monster stopped several meters away from William and spoke in the language of the Gorgons which were composed of hissing sounds that would not make sense to ordinary people.
However, William had Optimus who could translate almost any language in the world, so understanding what the Gorgon was trying to say was not a problem for him. The Half-Elf had to admit that he was quite curious about what the flying monster wanted to say to him.
"I welcome you, Dungeon Conqueror." The flying monster bowed its head in greeting. "We have been waiting for many years for your arrival. Please, proceed to the lowest floors of the Dungeon. Not one of our brethren will block your path."
William blinked once then twice before the flying monster's words registered inside his head. This was the first time he had experienced something like this, and he didn't know how to react to the sudden pie that fell from the sky.
'Optimus, did we just get a free Class S Dungeon?'
< It seems like it. >
The Half-Elf was still half in doubt about what the flying monster was saying. However, after entering the Dungeon, the red-headed teenager found himself not in the first floor, but in the Final Boss Room where three beautiful women smiled at him as if they had found something very tasty to eat.
William gulped as he looked at the three beauties in front of him. Right now, there was only one thought in his mind and that was…
'I guess this is what you call "Buy one take three for free",' William thought as he smiled back at the three beauties in front of him, whose charming eyes almost turned him to stone.
Chapter 963 – Either We All Go, Or We Don't Go At All
"So, what are your favorite foods?" William asked the three Gorgons who were
"Humans."
"Demons."
"Half-Elves."
"Okay. From this day onwards, Half-Elves are no longer part of the menu," William replied as the corner of his lips twitched. The youngest of the Gorgon Sisters, Medusa, who reminded him of the purple-haired young lady in Faith Gran Order, smiled sweetly at him.
The three Gorgon sisters chatted with William as if they had been his long time friends, who just happened to reunite with him after many years.
The red-headed teenager found the three ladies quite lovely, and easy to talk to. The Gorgons told him about the time when the Humans, and Demons, tried to establish a city on the island, and why they failed in securing a foothold, despite having many strong individuals in their ranks.
"This island is a very special kind of island," the oldest of the three Gorgon Sisters, Stheno, explained. "Twice a year, this island will submerge itself under the sea and stay in its depths for a week.
"During that time, no one is able to enter the dungeon, so those caught by the sudden change of events would either find themselves trapped inside the dungeon, or floating in the sea in the middle of nowhere."
Euryale, who was listening at the side, giggled as she also added another possibility.
"Those who can't swim find themselves sinking along with the island, only to be buried at the bottom of the sea for all eternity," Euryale added.
Stehno nodded as if to affirm her sister's claim.
"Because of this phenomenon, this island was given the nickname Sinking Island, and everyone stopped visiting us," Stheno complained. "It's been several years since I've eaten Humans and Demons. I hope that our new Master, You, will allow us to dine as we please!"
The Half-Elf could only smile on the surface as beads of sweat start to form on his forehead. Stheno's words were quite sincere and had no falsehoods whatsoever. Meaning, she really planned to eat Humans and Demons, and her pleading gaze made William feel like taking them in was a bad idea.
"Don't worry, Master," Euryale commented from the side. "Without your orders, we won't eat Humans and Demons, even if they walked right in front of us…"
Euryale wasn't able to finish her words because William had summoned Zhu and presented him in front of the three sisters.
Immediately, the three gorgon sisters salivated as they gazed at the chubby Demonic Pig, who suddenly felt like his chastity was in danger.
"Oink! What are you girls looking at?" Zhu asked as he slowly backed away. "Will, bro, my friend, my nakama, where am I? Who are they?"
Stheno and Euryale tried to reach out at Zhu, but the latter was one step ahead of them and hid behind Wiliam's back.
The Half-Elf scratched his head as he introduced the three Gorgon sisters, who were looking at Zhu as if he was lunch.
"Zhu, these are our future comrades," William answered. "Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Girls, this is my friend Zhu."
"Nice to meet you, piggy."
"Today's lunch will be porkchop."
"Roasted pork is nice as well…"
Zhu felt all the fat in his body tremble in unison as he stared at the three beautiful ladies whose saliva flowed out from the corners of their lips like a river.
"Will…"
"Okay."
The Half-Elf returned the trembling Zhu back to the Thousand Beast Domain, which made the three ladies have a disappointed look on their faces. Just from that short experiment, the Half-Elf knew that the girls were still not ready to mingle with other races aside from their kind.
The only reason why they didn't consider William as food was because he was the successor of the Dungeon Conqueror. For the Gorgon Sisters, he was their ticket out of this miserable place, so they had no intention to harm him.
"I need to tell you girls the truth," William said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Although I am indeed the successor of the Dungeon Conqueror, most of my abilities are sealed. Meaning, I can't register your dungeon as part of my army."
William's words made the three gorgons look at him in confusion.
"Explain the details," Stheno stated. "Why are your abilities sealed?"
The Half-Elf nodded his head and told the three ladies that he still hadn't met his father's friend, who held the key to unlock all the abilities of the Dungeon Conqueror Job Class. He also told them that his purpose for visiting the island was to put his mark on it, so he could teleport to it instantly once his abilities were unlocked.
Stheno and Euryale glanced at each other as they contemplated William's words. Only Medusa looked at William with a sad expression, as if she was denied something good to eat.
"How long do you think it will take before you meet your father's… friend?" Stheno asked. "A year? Two years? Three years?"
William shook his head. "I do not know when, but I have a feeling that it will not take long for that day to arrive. If I had to give an estimate, it would be in a year, or less than a year before my Dungeon Conqueror's Job Class is unlocked."
What Wiliam didn't tell the Gorgon Sisters was that, even without his father's friend, he would be able to unlock the power of his Dungeon Conquer Job Class in less than a year. His recent adventures in the Forbidden Ground, had brought him a lot of benefits, including the laws that he had acquired from the Deadlands.
These laws had merged with William's body, and they had mostly unsealed the restrictions placed on the Prestige Class that was passed to him by his father.
The smile on Stheno's and Euryale's faces returned after hearing William's reply.
"Then, we have a favor to ask," Stheno said as she patted William's right shoulder. "Take our little sister, Medusa, with you. She's not bound to the Dungeon, so she can move freely anywhere."
Euryale nodded her head in agreement. "Her rank is also at the peak stage of the Millennial Beast. She will definitely be helpful to you in the future."
Medusa, who was just listening to the side, suddenly became alarmed when she heard that her two sisters were planning to send her away. Ever since she had been born, she had been with Stheno and Euryale. The mere thought of being separated from the two of them made her panic.
"No! I won't leave!" Medusa clung to her big sisters as she pleaded. "Either we all go, or we don't go at all. I'm not leaving without the two of you!"
"Hah~ You're so silly, Medusa," Stheno said as she patted her little sister's head. "Just think of it as going away on a short vacation. It's not as if we are parting forever."
"That's right," Euryale commented. "You know where this island is, so you can return here at any given time. So, why don't you explore the world for a bit? You have been cooped inside this island for so long, that the only thing that you have seen of the outside world is the black sea, and that gloomy sky above our heads."
William was touched by the two sisters' encouragement to Medusa. However, those feelings instantly disappeared when he heard the next set of words that Stheno told her.
"The world is a beautiful place," Stheno added. "As you know, we can't leave this island. But, nothing can stop you from doing so. This is a perfect opportunity to gather as many Demons and Humans as possible for us to eat!"
"Yes!" Euryale nodded like a hen pecking rice. "It's an all you can eat buffet! Just imagine eating as many Humans and Demons as you can, without worrying that they will be gone the next day. Isn't it simply fantastic?"
Medusa drooled at the images that her sisters were painting inside her head. As if waiting for that moment, Stheno and Euryale delivered the killing blow which made Medusa's will falter.
"You love us, right?" Stheno asked. "Since that is the case, you should bring as many Humans and Demons as you can back to this island. That way, we can eat them too!"
"I want Elves as well," Euryale declared. "Since Half-Elves are no longer part of the menu, get me some of those long-eared delicacies. Their bodies are overflowing with magical and spiritual power. Just thinking about them makes me drool."
Medusa nodded her head with a determined expression as if she was a brave general who was going to order takeout at McBonalds, which she would bring back home to her sisters.
William, who was watching this scene from the side, felt his liver itch. He was wondering if it really was a good idea to bring the young lady out to the world, who was determined to catch Humans, Demons, and Elves, so she could bring them back to the island of Serifos and eat with her sisters.
Chapter 964 – Not If I Eat You First
"W-Wow," Medusa exclaimed as she looked at the creatures that lived in the Thousand Beast Domain.
This was the first time she had seen so many different types of creatures in one place, and she couldn't stop herself from salivating as she gazed at all of them.
It was at this moment when a certain rainbow-colored Anteater walked towards William. Kasogonaga had been busy helping the Requiem Antz increase their ranks by letting them explore the Dungeon of Atlantis and bring back the corpses of the creatures inside it, so that their Queen could eat them.
Right now, the majority of the Antz, numbering in the tens of thousands, were at the peak of Class B Monsters. It would just be a matter of time before all of them broke through Class A, which would make William the owner of one of the strongest armies in the continent.
"Will, why did you call for me? Don't you know that I am busy?" Kasogonaga asked as it neared William.
The anteater wasn't aware that a certain Gorgon had locked it into her sights. When Kasogonaga was only two meters away from the Half-Elf, Medusa immediately lunged at it and grabbed it in her arms.
William laughed internally as he watched the entire thing unfold. He knew that Medusa wouldn't be able to control her urge to attack the beasts in his domain, so he planned to teach her a lesson.
He called Kasogonaga to meet him without telling the Anteater the reason why he called for it. Just as he expected, the little gorgon lunged at the first beast that came within her strike range.
Soon, a resounding cracking sound, followed by a panicked cry, reverberated inside the Thousand Beast Domain.
Medusa hurriedly backed away as she dropped the curled up rainbow-colored Anteater in her hands. She then covered her lips as tears streamed down her eyes.
William glanced at the several cracked teeth that lay on the ground after the little gorgon bit the Sky Deity, who was known for having one of the strongest scales in the multiverse.
Kasogonaga rolled towards William before uncurling itself, and glared at the crying purple-haired girl who had lost several of her teeth.
"What's that? Chiffon's long lost cousin?" Kasogonaga inquired as it narrowed its eyes at the now wailing little girl, who got her just desserts for biting something that she couldn't chew.
William chuckled when he heard Kasogonaga's question. Comparing Medusa to his glutton wife was like comparing heaven and earth. If Chiffon really wanted to eat Kasogonaga, the rainbow-colored Anteater would be hard pressed to escape once Chiffon activated her Divinity of Gluttony.
"She is Medusa," William explained after he finished laughing. "From now on, she will be staying here with us until I can fully unlock the power of my Dungeon Conqueror Job Class."
Kasogonaga clicked its tongue because it could tell that the purple-haired little girl was trouble. If it hadn't reacted fast enough to stop itself, it might have unleashed its sharp spikes, which would have pierced Medusa's throat, when she tried to take a chunk of flesh earlier.
"Medusa, you should really curb your instinct to try and eat any beast that you see," William stated as he pressed his hand over the little gorgon's head. He then activated his Life Wizard lesser restoration magic, to help the crying girl recover the teeth that she had lost.
When the pain went away, Medusa touched her newly grown teeth to test if they had really regenerated. After making sure that they were fine, she hugged William's leg and thanked him for restoring her teeth.
'She's like a little pet,' William thought as he patted her head. Just as the Half-Elf was about to introduce Medusa to the other inhabitants of his domain, a pink-haired girl walked towards him with a smile.
"Will, have you already arrived on the island of Serifos?" Chiffon asked. She then looked at the purple-haired girl who was hugging her husband's leg with an amused expression on her face.
Before William could even introduce the two to each other, Medusa lunged at Chiffon with her mouth wide open.
When she was only a few meters away from the pink-haired girl, the latter raised her hand summoning her mace, Sharur. The mace instantly enlarged itself to up to four meters in thickness, in accordance to Chiffon's will.
The pink-haired girl then smashed the mace, that earned the nickname "Smasher of Thousands", into the gluttonous Gorgon without a shred of mercy.
A powerful shockwave spread across the surroundings, as Sharur pinned Medusa on the ground, like a nail that had been hit by a hammer.
William, and Kasogonaga winced at the same time because they knew for certain that anything hit by that attack would definitely be in a world of pain.
Chiffon raised the mace to inspect the condition of the girl that had tried to attack her. Medusa was at the peak of the Millennial Stage, so she had survived the attack. However, she wasn't feeling too good as she reached out to the pink-haired girl in front of her.
"I-I will eat you!" Medusa declared.
The corner of Chiffon's lips curled up into a smirk because she found the words of the little-girl, who was the same height as her, very funny.
"You are going to eat me?" Chiffon asked with an amused expression on her face.
"Yes!" Medusa replied angrily. "I will eat you!"
Chiffon smiled evilly as she looked down at the struggling little girl in front of her.
"Not if I eat you first," Chiffon stated. As soon as those words left her lips, the Number One Glutton under the heavens opened her mouth wide.
Just like a powerful vacuum cleaner, Chiffon swallowed up the little gorgon until she disappeared under William's and Kasogonaga's horrified gazes.
"Chiffon! Spit her out!" William immediately grabbed his wife's shoulders. "Medusa is still ignorant of the world. She thinks that everything that moves is food!"
Chiffon hugged William and patted his back.
"Don't worry. I just stored her in my 99th stomach," Chiffon replied as if to assure William that Medusa was safe. "My stomach acid over there is only strong enough to make her skin feel itchy. The most it can do is melt her clothes. Relax, she will be fine."
William and Kasogonaga both sighed in relief because they thought that Chiffon had really eaten Medusa.
"Can you let her out now?" William inquired.
Although Chiffon had already told him that Medusa was fine, he was still worried because the little Gorgon was now his responsibility. If anything happened to her, it might sour the relationship he had with Stheno and Euryale, and he didn't want that to happen.
Chiffon shook her head firmly before giving her husband a teasing smile. "It will be best if I teach her a little lesson first. That way, she will not accidentally die once she comes face to face with someone whose appetite is greater than hers."
Chiffon smiled sweetly which made William and Kasogonaga feel their liver itch. Clearly, the pink-haired girl really wanted to punish Medusa for even thinking of eating, the sole person who could devour almost anything in the world, just by opening her cute, and adorable, mouth.
Chapter 965 – Do You Believe In Dark Magic?
"Adam, did you really align yourself with the Prince?" one of the prodigies that were also in the stronghold asked.
"Yes," Adam replied. "What's wrong?"
"He's just a puppy compared to his father. Why didn't you swear allegiance to the Demon Lord instead?"
"In my eyes, there's not much difference between them."
"Hahaha! Do you mean to tell me that in your eyes, the Demon Lord is just another puppy?"
Adam smiled as he lightly patted the young prodigy's shoulder.
"The one who said that was you, and not me," Adam replied before leaving the prodigy behind.
The youngest and strongest among the Dark Magicians in the Demon Continent returned to his room and shut the door firmly. He then activated his powers to ensure that no kind of scrying, or spying magic had been placed inside his room.
After making sure that everything was in order, he activated a sound proofing spell to prevent anyone from hearing anything that he did inside his room.
'Fools, you still don't understand the situation you are in,' Adam thought. 'Once we get hold of the power inside the Ancient Ruins, no prince, or emperor, will be able to stop us from usurping their position. All of you are just frogs in the well who don't know anything about the opportunity that is right in front of you.'
As someone who held the purest, and strongest form of Dark Magic in the group, Adam was able to feel the limitless magic power inside the Ancient Ruin. if he was able to absorb it, the Demon Lord would just be another "puppy" in his eyes.
Several hours later, under the cover of darkness, Adam left his room and snuck towards the ancient ruins. He had covered his body in Dark Magic and applied stealth to himself, so that he wouldn't be discovered by anyone.
The main entrance had several guards stationed in it, so any unauthorized persons wouldn't be able to slip through. However, Adam didn't need to enter the front door to enter the ancient ruins.
He had already sensed another place, that was far away from the prying eyes of others, where he could enter. He had accidentally discovered it while on his morning jog around the Ancient Ruins, which was just an excuse to observe it from a distance.
He still hadn't tried to enter that backdoor, since the security at that time was quite tight. Fortunately, all of the guards were now stationed at the main entrance, so it was easier to slip past their area of detection.
Adam leaned on the wall of the ancient ruins, and looked at his left and right side. The night was silent, so any kind of sound would easily reach his ears. After making sure that there was nothing unusual in his surroundings, he placed his right arm over a runic design on the wall's surface.
A few seconds later, a black portal appeared, and Adam didn't waste any time and entered it without fear. He knew that within great danger, lay great opportunities as well.
—–
"Adam, are you awake?" Felix asked as he knocked on the door of Adam's room. "Can we talk??"
Felix waited outside of Adam's room, but no reply came to him. He continued to call for the young genius for ten more minutes before finally deciding to give up.
'He might be tired from his daily training,' Felix thought as he decided to take a stroll around the stronghold. He had been assigned by his father to be the supervisor of the stronghold, so no one stopped him from doing anything he wanted.
After an hour of patrolling the area, looking for opportunities to have a chat with the various prodigies living inside the stronghold, the Prince of the Demon Lands stared at the Ancient Ruins from the elevated viewing platform that allowed anyone to observe it from a safe distance.
'Just what kind of secrets are you hiding, and will I be able to put any of them to good use?' Felix frowned. Although he was the eldest son of the Demon Lord, he could feel the contempt in the eyes of the prodigies that he had encountered inside the stronghold.
Felix knew that these prodigies thought too highly of themselves, especially since their existence was being given top priority by the Demon Lord himself. Aside from Adam, he was only able to bring two more candidates under his wing, but after looking at the rest of the candidates, he knew that no one would be joining his faction anytime soon.
'Well, I still have time,' Felix thought. 'As soon as the explorers return, I will be able to devise a way to let my chosen candidates advance inside the Ancient Ruins first, leaving the others behind.
"This way, they will understand that, as long as I am the supervisor of this place, they will have to curry favors from me, or they will be left alone to rot inside this stronghold while my candidates explore the secrets of the Ancient Ruins."
Felix knew that if words of this reached his father, the latter would be displeased. However, he could always make the excuse of sending a few people to test the ruins first, to ensure that it was safe enough to send all the candidates in.
Although Luciel would still find this excuse troublesome, the Demon Lord would also see the reasoning behind it, which gave Felix the opportunity to have his way inside the Stronghold
The Demon Prince didn't know that "one" of his chosen candidates was already inside the ruins and investigating it without his permission.
—–
Inside the Ancient Ruins…
"So, this is the reason why none of the explorers returned," Adam muttered as he narrowed his eyes.
He had come across two demons sealed in what seemed to be giant blocks of Obsidian. Their horrified expressions told him that something might have happened to them before they met their tragic fates.
Adam carefully traversed the maze-like structure in search for more clues about the missing explorers. His purpose in going find them was not to save them, but to understand the dangers that were lurking inside the Ancient Ruins.
Although he was confident in his Dark Magic, Adam understood that he was far from invincible. As the young prodigy traveled within the ruins, he found three more explorers, embedded in the walls, pierced by several steel spears that pinned them in place.
The young genius frowned when he saw this because ordinary spears couldn't possibly kill these demons. Although the explorers knew Dark Magic, their knowledge was not as profound as Adam's. Because of this they were used as guinea pigs by Felix to scout the Ancient Ruins in order to pave the path for the other prodigies.
Felix had prepared himself to see that some of the explorers had died during their mission, but he didn't expect that not even one of them would be able to return alive to report about the things that they had found inside it.
As Adam was inspecting the dead bodies pinned on the wall, he heard a muffled laugh coming from the other side of the hallway.
His body immediately tensed as he chose between investigating the source of the sound, to fleeing the place before anything untoward happened to him.
Adam was an ambitious person, so he would always prioritize his safety above all else. As soon as he made up his mind, he hurriedly retraced the path he had taken that would lead him back to the exit.
However, after making a turn, he came face to face with what seemed like a Dark Wraith blocking the passage that led to the exit.
"Tell me… child," the Dark Wraith said in a hoarse voice that made Adam's heart tremble.
"Do you… believe… in… Dark Magic?"
Chapter 966 – Exploit Me In Any Way You Wish
Adam made his way back to the Stronghold with his heart caught up in his throat. The things he saw, and the entity he met along the way, made him realize how dangerous the Ancient Ruins truly were.
'If I answered wrongly back there, would I have suffered the same fate as those people?' Adam's body unconsciously trembled as he remembered the scene that had happened not too long ago.
When the Dark Wraith asked him if he believed in Dark Magic, he had answered with a Yes. He thought that it would be over after that question, but he was greatly disappointed when the Dark Wraith asked him a second question, then a third question.
All in all, the Dark Wraith asked him five questions. After answering all of them, the Dark Wraith gave him a bone-chilling laugh before disappearing like a wisp of smoke.
Adam didn't know if he answered all of the questions correctly or not. All he knew was that if the Dark Wraith wanted to end his life then and there, it could have easily done it without breaking a sweat.
Just as he was about to arrive near the Stronghold, he noticed a figure standing on top of the elevated platform, looking straight at him.
Adam momentarily stopped to see who it was. After identifying the person as the Eldest Prince of the Demon Lord, he gave Felix a brief bow before entering the Stronghold.
He had no intention of telling anyone what he saw, not even the Prince who believed that he had Adam in the palm of his hands.
—–
Meanwhile back in the Central Continent…
William had used Soleil to instantly travel to one of the locations where the teleportation gates of the Demonic Continent were found.
This place was strictly regulated by Demons, so any other race—aside from them—wouldn't be able to pass through the gates without being attacked by the guards that were stationed to protect it.
After careful consideration, William knew that the best approach was to enter the place as Demons, so he, Zhu, and Sha discussed their plans for infiltration within the Thousand Beast Domain.
"First, we will proclaim ourselves as slave traders," William said. "Even if we manage to pass through the teleportation gates, we will still be questioned at the fortress that guards the Demon Continent's borders. Posing as slave traders will allow us to easily infiltrate the stronghold."
"This is a good plan, Oink, but, how can we be slave traders if we don't have slaves?" Zhu asked as he scratched his head.
"Who said we don't?" William smiled as his gaze landed on Charmaine, and the other elves who were serving them tea. "Will you be fine with this arrangement, Charmaine?"
"I am fine with being Sir William's personal slave," Charmaine answered in a heartbeat. "Feel free to exploit me in any way you wish."
"Me, too, Sir William," a pretty Elf commented. "I will carry out this mission without fail. Also, feel free to exploit me as well during the duration of this mission to make it look convincing."
"That's right, Sir William," another Elf commented. "Elves are usually used as sex slaves by the Demons. As slave traders, you need to show them your lecherous side as well."
William nodded as he patted Zhu's shoulders. "I'll leave the lecherous side to you."
"Sorry, but I'll pass," Zhu replied without batting an eye. "It will be more convincing if you were the one that does it. After all, me and Sha are still inexperienced when it comes to women."
He knew that if he really did anything lecherous to the Elven beauties, all of them would unite to castrate him.
Hearing Zhu's answer, the Elves nodded their heads and returned their sharp daggers to where they hid under the skirts of their maid uniforms. If the Demonic Pig had said yes, all of those daggers would have pierced his body, turning him into a pin cushion.
Sha on the other hand, averted his gaze. A red hue was creeping up his neck and cheeks as he pretended that he didn't hear Zhu's words. The Demonic Pig chuckled as he placed his arms over Sha's shoulders because he thought that his friend was being shy about being called inexperienced.
What Zhu didn't know was that Sha was already in a steady relationship with the black-haired librarian back in Hestia Academy. Both of them had done the deed several times, and he was no longer as "inexperienced" as Zhu thought he was.
"It can't be helped then." William sighed as he glanced apologetically at Charmaine and the other elves. "If the circumstances call for it, I may do inappropriate things to you girls. I apologize in advance for my rudeness."
"Not at all, Sir William," Charmaine replied with a smile. "We are willing to play our part well in order to make this mission a success."
William smiled and nodded his head. Although he felt bad about taking advantage of his maids, there was simply no other choice but to do it.
"Very well, I will make the preparations now," William closed his eyes as his body glowed briefly.
When the light receded, a black-haired young man, who may be considered good looking, but fell short when compared to the Half-Elf, appeared in front of everyone.
"How do I look?" William asked.
"You look nice," Charmaine replied as a blush crept on her pretty face.
Although the current William was not as good looking as his former self, the appearance he had right now had a more innocent appeal, which made Charmaine, and the other Elves attracted to him.
"Darling, is that you?" Princess Sidonie asked as she entered the Villa, followed closely by Ashe.
William nodded. "It is me."
"I almost didn't recognize you."
"That's the plan. My face is too well-known, so I can't use it to infiltrate the Demonic Lands. It will be best if I use this appearance for the time being, so that our plan will be successful."
At first, William was surprised when Optimus told him that another ability had been added to his Quick-Shot Shepherd Job Class when he returned to Hestia. This new ability was the ability to change his appearance to what he looked like back on Earth when he was still living.
Although the Half-Elf didn't know how he acquired this ability, he was more than happy to use it. This way, no one would be able to recognize him, even if he were to strut around under the eyes of the people who were familiar to him.
However, William was not finished yet. He then equipped his Vampire Progenitor Job Class which gave him a noble presence. Although it made him look paler, it also added a bad guy sharpness to his look, which made the Succubus Princess have the strong urge to have a taste of this brand new William whom she had never seen before.
Seeing Princess Sidonie's gaze, the Half-Elf hurriedly cleared his throat and told everyone that the operation would start in eight hours.
William knew that if he didn't sate Princess Sidonie's cravings, her Divinity might flare up while he was doing his mission.
This was something that he couldn't afford to have happen, so he had no choice but to spend quality time with her, Ashe, and Chiffon, so that his wives would be watered adequately, and not left to dry, while he looked for Celine's whereabouts in the Demonic Continent.
Chapter 967 – I Dare You To Make Love To Me Right Here, Right Now
The Guard Captain that protected the Teleportation Gate perked up when he saw several carriages approaching their location.
Guarding the teleportation gate was a boring task, they were assigned to stay there for two months before their commander would send a new batch of people to take their place.
It had only been three weeks since he, Ozul, had been assigned to guard this barren place, with over three demons from the Demonic Continent. So far, everything was going smoothly, with the occasional slave trader, bounty hunter, and mercenary passing through the gates once or twice a week.
As the group neared, he noticed that the carriage leading the group was pulling a large cage. Several Elven ladies were tied up inside it with specially designed chains that prevented them from using their magic.
This was a very common procedure when handling races with powerful magic, and Ozul had seen his fair share of such things. However, this was the first time that he had seen Elf slaves and it made him think of indecent things.
Five minutes later, two carriages stopped at the bronze gate, which barred anyone from entering the Demon Encampment.
"Halt!" Ozul shouted. "What business do you have here?"
After making his declaration, the carriage door opened and a teenager with short black hair, and brown eyes emerged from it. He had a teasing smile on his face as he dragged a pretty Elf behind him as he walked towards the bronze gate.
"My name is William, and I have come here to use the teleportation gates to return to the Demonic Continent," William lazily stated. "There is business to be had, and I will definitely sell these beauties to the highest bidder in the capital city. Aren't I right, sweetheart?"
William wrapped her right arm to the Elven beauty beside him whose proud face was filled with disgust.
The Demons who were manning the ramparts whistled when they saw Charmaine's pretty face, who was being held by the black-haired teenager.
"So, you came to do business," Ozul smiled as his eyes appraised Charmaine's body. The pretty Elf was wearing nothing but rags that showed some juicy parts, which made the Guard Captain's inner desires flare up. "I like doing business as well. Men, open the gates!"
The bronze gate slowly opened wide to allow William's group to pass through. The black-haired teenager walked lazily, while half dragging the pretty Elf beside him, who was powerless against his whims.
"Hurry up, girl," William ordered. "Or would you like me to screw you in front of these gentlemen for their entertainment?"
"You evil fiend!" Charmaine replied. "You can do whatever you want with my body, but you will never have my heart!"
William chuckled as he pulled the Elf towards him, and locked her body in a firm hold with his right hand.
"Sorry, gentlemen, this lass is quite stubborn and arrogant," William said as he winked at the Demons who watched this scene with amused expressions on their faces. "Breaking her will give me incredible pleasure and satisfaction."
"Who's afraid of who?" Charmaine stated as she struggled in William's hold. "You're just all talk. I dare you to make love to me right here, right now."
William raised his hand and held Charmaine's chin in a firm grip. "Are you sure? You want me to humiliate you right in front of these gentlemen? You have guts, I'll give you that."
"Shut up and do me! We'll see who has guts between the two of us, or are you scared?"
"Girl, don't push my patience."
"You're all talk and no action," Charmaine sneered. "You want to make me submit? You have to man up first!"
The Demons cheered, and whistled as they saw the arrogant Elf badmouth her captor fearlessly. William, on the other hand, felt that Charmaine's acting was over the top. She was even pressing her body against his, as if daring him to do her in front of the Demons, whose eyes glinted with greed.
Even Ozul was quite impressed about the Elf's tenacity, which made him more interested in her.
Since that was the case, he took the initiative to introduce himself to the black-haired teenager whose pale skin made everyone identify him as a member of the Vampire race.
"I am Ozul, the Guard Captain of this encampment," Ozul declared. "William, since you want to do business, how about you sell that Elf girl to me? Name your price."
William glanced at the Demon who had light-brown skin and a scorpion tail hanging behind his back. One quick glance and he knew that this particular demon was of the Adamantium Rank, which was equivalent to that of a Centennial Beast.
"Sorry, but I decided to make this b*tch my personal toy," William replied. "As for the others, I plan to auction them, and sell a few directly to the Demon Princes."
Ozul frowned when he heard William's reply. He knew that Elves fetched a high price due to their beauty and rarity. They just couldn't be compared to Human slaves that could be captured in the dozens.
"Well, I won't let you pass unless you sell me one of your wares," Ozul stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I am the one that calls the shots here. If you don't like to sell, I can also take them by force, right, boys?"
The Demons shouted in agreement at their captain's words. Having a few Elven beauties to enjoy for the duration of their stay was not a bad idea.
After checking that the black-haired teenager only had a chubby Demonic Pig, and a skinny Demon with blue skin as bodyguards, the Demons guarding the gate felt that stealing the slave trader's slaves was a very profitable idea.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," William said in a teasing tone. "Do you want Prince Felix to personally chop your heads off?"
The Demons who had started to encircle William's group immediately froze, and looked at the black-haired teenager with suspicious gazes.
"His Highness personally ordered me to capture these Elves at the risk of my life," William stated. "I already informed him that I would be returning soon, and even told him that I would be using this encampment as the gateway into the Demonic Continent. If something happens to me, or my wares, all of you are dead."
The Demons glanced at each other. Their eyes showed unwillingness, as well as fear as they felt unsure about what to do next. In the end, they all stared at their Captain, who was eyeing William with a serious expression on his face.
"Very well, I will let you pass here under one condition," Ozul said with a devilish look on his face. "I want to see how you will break that Elf, and make her submit to you. If you can't do it, you will not pass this place. Aren't I right, boys?"
The Demons once again cheered in agreement. Although they weren't able to touch the merchandise, they were more than happy to watch an entertaining show, and see how the pretty Elf would be humiliated in front of them.
What these Demons didn't know was that Charmaine was giving Ozul two thumbs up in her heart. She then gazed at William with a contemptuous look, as she waited for him to humiliate her in front of the Ozul's lecherous gaze.
Chapter 968 – I Will Treasure This Fleeting Happiness
(Disclaimer: there are some minor R-18 scenes in this chapter.)
'Isn't your acting a bit too good?' William asked Charmaine via telepathy.
The pretty Elf smiled as she replied to her Master's question. She didn't mind being humiliated in front of everyone, as long as the one that was humiliating her was the person standing next to her.
'Sir William, doing it like this will make it more convincing,' Charmaine answered. 'Demons are known for their lecherous tendencies, if you don't do anything, they might suspect that you are fake.'
'You're really making things difficult for me. Are you prepared for this?'
'No matter what happens, I will carry out this mission without fail. Come at me, Master!'
William was touched by Charmaine's sacrifice, so he decided to get a little bit serious as well.
"Those eyes of yours, ever since I saw them for the first time, I have long wanted to make you kneel before me," William stated as he looked down at the pretty Elf, whom he had forced to kneel on the ground. "Before this day is over, you will know who your real Master is."
Charmaine looked up with a defiant gaze as she gritted her teeth. "I'd like to see how you will make me submit to you."
The Demons laughed as they taunted William that he should just switch with them, so that they could teach him how to break the pretty Elf, who was showing her arrogant nature.
Ozul crossed his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes. A part of him was disappointed that he wasn't the one who would personally break Charmaine, but the other half was looking forward to an entertaining show that was rarely seen inside the Demon Encampment.
"Fine." William sneered. "Since you want it rough, I'll make your wish come true."
William pulled Charmaine up by grabbing onto her hair, which made the Elf grimace, but no words escaped her lips. The Half-Elf then used his left arm to wrap around her waist, while his right hand groped her right breast from underneath her ragged clothes, in front of the demons, which made them howl in excitement.
Suddenly, without any warning, William bit into her neck, which shocked Charmaine, Ozul, and the rest of the Demons who were watching the scene.
Immediately, the pain Charmaine was feeling disappeared, and what followed next was the familiar, sublime pleasure that she hadn't felt in a while. She felt herself floating, as William's hands and lips made her lose her sense of reason.
Blood flowed down her neck, and into the rags she wore for her clothes. She looked like an innocent young lady that was being corrupted by an evil vampire, who happened to find her while she was all alone.
The smell of blood made the Demons excited. They were a bloodthirsty race that liked violence, and torture. The scent of the pretty Elf's blood intoxicated them, as their nostrils flared, and lust boiled up in their loins.
William didn't pay any attention to them, and simply continued drinking Charmaine's blood. He drank sparingly, because his bloodthirst had grown stronger when he became a Vampire Progenitor.
When he made love with Belle back on Earth, he told her about his current condition, and the black-haired beauty volunteered to let William have a taste of her blood.
This was a bad move on her part because the two of them had been resting after they had made love with each other. Because of this, William wasn't able to stop himself from sinking his fangs on her soft, and tender, breasts.
The memories of that memorable night, surfaced in William's head, as he too had become intoxicated with Charmaine's blood. Ever since the Elves had become his personal slave, Charmaine was the one who was always there to give him blood whenever, and wherever, he needed it.
When William pulled back, the wounds on her neck had healed, but it still looked tender. The black-haired teenager then licked the bloodstains that had trailed down her neck to where it had mingled with Charmaine's clothes.
The pretty Elf, on the other hand, was still lost in her euphoric state, and moved subconsciously to hold William's face. Without any warning, she kissed her Master, and intertwined her tongue with his, realizing the wish that she had since she had started serving him.
They kissed for a full-minute before William backed away, making Charmaine reach out to hold his body.
"Who is your Master?" William asked in a domineering voice that was filled with charisma, and power, that even made the lady Demons within the encampment feel their heart stir. Demonic ladies loved bad boys, and the black-haired teenager right now was making them want to join in on the fun.
"You," Charmaine replied in an enchanting voice, that made Ozul feel a great urge to reach out to the pretty Elf, and pin her down under his body.
"How about your body?" William inquired as his hand trailed down her lips, down her neck, and into her ragged clothes, brushing over the firm tip that lay hidden under that thin piece of clothing.
"Yours," Charmaine replied as she pressed her body unto him. "Forever, and ever."
William smiled as he kissed her soft lips for a few seconds before whispering in her ear.
"Kneel, and make an oath of subservience," William whispered. "By doing so, you will belong to me, for eternity."
Charmaine nodded as she kneeled on one knee in front of Wiliam and looked up at him with moist eyes.
"I swear upon my name, and the Gods above, that I will be forever loyal to you, My Lord," Charmaine said in a voice filled with passion. "My heart, body, and soul, will be yours, and yours alone."
"Good," William replied as he lovingly caressed her face. "Rise, and become my slave for eternity."
"Yes…," Charmaine said as she stood up and wrapped her arms around WIlliam's body, burying her head on his shoulder. "My Lord."
William smiled evilly as he winked at Ozul.
"That is how you break these stubborn girls," William declared. "Pretty easy right? All I need to do is sink my fangs on their necks, and they will be driven to ecstasy. If you have anyone who needs to be broken, just look for me. I will be more than happy to break them for you."
Seeing the arrogant and pretty Elf submit her entire being to William made Ozul, and the Demons, look at him with jealousy and envy. They were a race that recognized strength, whether it was underhanded or not.
Although they had heard that Vampires had the power to charm women, this was the first time that they had seen it in action.
Charmaine's sighs of pleasure escaped her lips, as the black-haired teenager's hand groped her breast, over her clothes.
William kissed her lips one last time before glancing at Ozul with a triumphant gaze.
"Well then, Mr. Guard Captain, can we pass through the gates now?" William inquired. "This slave still hadn't had enough. I want to enjoy corrupting her slowly. I apologize, but I don't intend to show how I will break this girl completely. It's one of my trade secrets."
The black-haireed teenager wnked, which made Ozul snort at him. However, he had indeed enjoyed a good show, albeit briefly.
"Go," Ozul said as he stepped aside to let William's entourage pass.
William nodded as he walked towards the teleportation gate, while holding Charmaine's waist, who seemed to still be in a state of Euphoria.
Just as the black-haired teenager was about to step inside the teleportation gate, Ozul shouted and called out to him.
"Sir William, I have a request," Ozul stated as he walked towards the Vampire, who had made his day interesting.
"A request? Well, if it is within my power then why not?" William replied with a smile.
"The next time you hunt for Elves, reserve one for me," Ozul replied. "I will pay you handsomely for your trouble."
The Demon then glanced at Charmaine, who had turned completely docile under William's sensual touch.
"If you can find someone like her, I will double the price," Ozul added. "Just like you, I like to break arrogant girls until they beg me to have mercy on them."
William nodded. "Very well. The next time I hunt for Elves, I will reserve the best one for you as a sign of friendship. Till we meet again, Sir Ozul."
"May your trip to the Demonic Continent be profitable, Sir William."
"Thank you."
Ozul raised his hand and signaled the Demonic Mages to activate the teleportation gate. As soon as the light receded, William and his entourage were nowhere to be seen.
——
Demonic Continent near the Southern Fortress…
"Charmaine, I'm sorry. I got carried away," William said as he lightly patted Charmaine's back, who was currently leaning weakly over his body.
The two were currently inside the carriage, as they made their way towards the Southern Fortress, which served as the first line of defense for the Demons against any kind of invasion from the Central Continent.
This was the side effect of having her blood taken from her. Once the euphoric state fades, she would be in a lethargic state for a few hours before returning to normal.
"You don't need to apologize, Sir William," Charmaine replied. "I'm glad that our mission succeeded. So, please, let me stay like this for a while. Treat it as my reward for doing my best."
"Okay," William nodded as he allowed the pretty Elf to wrap her arms around his body, allowing Charmaine to enjoy this rare occasion where she was alone with him.
'I will treasure this fleeting happiness,' Charmaine thought as she hugged William's cold body, which was slowly becoming warm due to her blood.
She knew that what she wanted was not meant to be, but she still enjoyed the feeling of tenderness that had bloomed in her heart, when she had declared her everything to the Half-Elf, whom she had hated in the past.
Chapter 969 – Stop Raising Flags
"Well, that was easier than I expected," William muttered as his group passed through the gates of the Fortress City that guarded the Demonic Continent's borders.
He had underestimated the special privileges that slave traders had in the Demon Lands. As long as they brought in slaves of other races, the doors of the fortress would always open for them.
Although this was a very ridiculous notion, he somehow understood that they had nothing to fear. After all, the one overseeing the fortress was a Demigod that guarded the Demon Realm.
'Stronger than Takam, but weaker than Vlad,' William thought as he and Optimus felt the energy that was coming out from the tall tower that stood at the center of the fortress.
In the past, the Half-Elf would have cowered to such existences, but times had changed. He had plenty of things in his arsenal that could fight them on even terms—his Heroic Avatar, summoning Sun Wukong, his Vampire Progenitor at full power, and of course, his Einherjar Job Class.
Out of all of these options, William didn't want to use his Einherjar Job Class because his memories of Belle were only few. He was afraid that if he used it one more time, he would forever forget his wife, whom he had left back on Earth.
This was why, if possible, William didn't want to have a confrontation at this moment. His priorities were to find Celine, and take her back to the Central Continent. He couldn't afford to fight against such an existence before he could find his first Master, who was somewhere in the Northeastern regions of the Demon Continent.
"Where is the best inn in this stronghold?" William asked one of the Demon guards that were patrolling the area.
The black-haired teenager didn't forget to sneakily give the guard a few gold coins, which made the latter smile in satisfaction.
"Near the plaza, you will see a three-story tavern with a black horse sign hanging above its doors," the guard replied. "That is the Nightmare Tavern. It is the second best inn and tavern in this stronghold."
"Why not tell us where the first best tavern is?" William inquired with curiosity.
The patrol guard moved closer and told him the reason why he didn't tell him where the best inn was located.
"Right now, the Grand General has reserved the best inn in this city," the guard replied. "If you want to keep that head of yours on your shoulders, it is best to just settle for the second best. Our Grand General is known for having a short temper."
The Demon Guard then glanced at the slaves that had been locked up in the cage and smirked.
"If he saw your merchandise, you would definitely suffer a loss," the guard added. "He is known to seize any men, women, or slaves that he comes to fancy. You're pretty good looking yourself, make sure to stay out of his sight."
"Thank you, Friend," William replied as he handed five more gold coins to the Demon guard as an added bonus. "You've been a great help."
The Demon chuckled as he took the gold coins offered to him. He then gave William a brief nod before walking away in good spirits. A few gold coins was enough for him to enjoy some good wine and food after his shift, which gave him a good impression of the black-haired vampire, whom he had met for the first time today.
"Zhu, Sha, sorry, but stay with the Elves tonight and guard them properly," William stated.
Zhu and Sha nodded in understanding. All of them were on the same team. The least they could do was offer protection to their comrades as they completed their mission.
William then took out a black blanket from his storage ring and used it to cover the cage, so the Elves would be hidden from plain sight. The Elves were his maids, and he would not allow any scum General to have his way with them.
As they traveled towards the center of the city, they eventually arrived at the Nightmare Tavern. Zhu and Sha led the carriages to the stable, while William entered the tavern alone. At first he wanted to travel with Charmaine walking alongside him, but the guard's advice had reminded him that showing his merchandise out in the open might not be the best of ideas while inside the Fortress City named Amberfang.
William sat on the stool in front of the barkeeper and placed a few gold coins in front of him.
"Send your best food, and wine to my two guards in the stables," WIlliam said. "Also, I'd like you to give me one of your best rooms available."
The barkeeper nodded as he took the gold coins from the counter. He then presented a mug of mead to William as he relayed his orders to the kitchen.
The Half-Elf took a sip of the sweet and spicy mead that was surprisingly delicious, as he scanned the Demons that were present in the tavern.
After meeting Zhu, Sha, and his wife Chiffon, he no longer had any bias for this race. For him, they were just like ordinary people, with just different appearances. Some Demons could easily take Human form, which almost made them impossible to identify when they mingled themselves in Human Lands.
Chiffon was Half-Dwarf, and Half-Demon, but she looked like just an ordinary Human girl, if you looked past the part that she could swallow an entire city if her Divinity surged out of control.
Several of the Demons inside of the tavern were observing William, just as much as he was observing them. Most of them were regulars in the Nightmare Tavern, and new faces were certainly something that they paid extra attention to.
After several minutes, the Barkeeper told William that he had already sent his men to bring the food he ordered to the stables, and handed the black-haired teenager a key to his room.
William thanked the Barkeeper as he made his way upstairs. It didn't take long before he found his room, so he entered it without a second thought.
"Not bad," William muttered as he scanned the spacious room. This was the first time he was spending the night in a Demonic City and noticed that their standards for good accommodations were similar to Humans, but without the luxurious decorations.
Even so, the Half-Elf found his room to be comfortable enough to stay in. It also had a balcony that allowed him to have a good view of the plaza.
William observed the Demons that were walking the streets, minding their own business.
It was at that moment when he saw a green-haired beauty walking in the plaza with steady steps. She had a long tail that resembled that of a lizard that swayed as she walked. As if sensing someone was staring at her, the young lady glanced in William's direction and arched an eyebrow.
Although they were dozens of meters apart, both of their eyes met, and William felt a sudden surge of electricity run down his spine.
The green-haired beauty smiled, and even winked at William, before continuing to walk in the direction she was headed. Only after her figure disappeared in the distance did the Half-Elf move away from the balcony and return inside his room.
The reason why he felt a tingling sensation on his body was because the lady that he saw somehow felt familiar.
It was at that moment when William suddenly remembered the memory he had in the Deadlands while he was in a comatose state. He had seen the green-haired beauty alongside Haleth, Amelia, Pearl, Priscilla, a beauty with a single horn on her head, and a Half-Ling that looked like a doll.
Back then, the Half-Elf had no idea who the lady was. But now, things had changed. For some reason, he felt that this brief meeting of theirs would somehow lead to things that were not part of his plan.
'Will, stop raising flags,' William thought as he lightly tapped his forehead. The guard earlier had already raised a flag about the Elves, and him, so adding more to that queue would definitely not be a good idea.
Just as William was trying to regain his composure, he heard a soft rustle coming from the balcony. He thought that it was just his imagination, but when he turned his head to look in its direction, his body stiffened when he saw the same green-haired lady, who he had seen not long ago, sitting on the railing, and looking at him with an amused smile on her face.
Chapter 970 – F*ck Your Daddy!
"Um, Hello?" William said as he looked at the young lady who was looking at him with amusement.
"Good evening," the green-haired lady greeted as she appraised William from head to foot. "Your face and hair color are different, but are you perhaps William Von Ainsworth?"
William's body immediately froze when he heard the young lady's inquiry. He didn't know how the lady knew of his identity, but he would be damn stupid if he admitted that he was indeed the one she had mentioned.
The name Ainsworth was a taboo to the Demon Race. This was the family name that had prevented them from conquering the Silvermoon Continent, and made them suffer for a decade due to Demon Lord's defeat in the hands of the Dungeon Conqueror, Maxwell, who was also William's father.
"You are mistaken, My Lady," William replied. "Although my name is William, my surname isn't Ainsworth but Stark. My Full name is William Stark. Nice to meet you."
The green-haired lady smiled as she nodded her head. She gave William the "don't worry, I understand gaze", which made the Half-Elf's liver itch.
"So, Mr. Stark, what brings you here in Amberfang City?" the green-haired beauty asked.
William smiled as he gave the lady a brief nod. "My Lady, I already told you my name, but you still haven't told me yours?"
"Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners?" The young lady jumped off the railing and walked towards William.
When she was only a few meters away, she made a curtsy as she introduced herself.
"My name is Vesta Cy Agni," Vesta said with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir William."
"The pleasure is mine, My Lady," William replied as she returned her smile.
Deep inside his head, alarm bells were constantly ringing. Every fiber of his being was telling him that the girl was bad news.
The two stared at each other for a while before Vesta walked towards him. She once again appraised him up and down and circled him three times to observe every angle of his body.
"Although your current form isn't bad, I still prefer your Half-Elf form," Vesta muttered as she continued to circle around William. "Well, I guess you will show that form in good time, so I don't need to hurry."
"Um, excuse me, Ms. Vesta? What are you doing here in my room?" William asked.
He was starting to have goosebumps because the girl that had entered his room clearly knew who he was. Even so, he still tried to keep the smile on his face as he addressed this seemingly bold girl whose eyes were focused on his body.
"Me? I came here because our eyes crossed earlier," Vesta replied. "Isn't that a good enough reason to visit you?"
The corner of William's lips twitched. He knew that the green-haired was just making an excuse. What he wanted to know was the real reason she was inside his room.
"Just relax Sir William, I mean you no harm… at least, for now," Vesta said as she faced William with a sweet smile that was enough to rot a person's teeth.
William finally frowned. He didn't intend to do anything unusual while he was inside the Fortress City because it would cause complications to his plans if he did that.
Vesta chuckled after seeing William's expression. She was like a rich young lady who had found something very interesting while window shopping, and decided to have a closer look at the thing that caught her fancy.
"Just, what do you want from me, Lady Vesta?" William asked. He knew that the young lady was toying with him, so he decided to just ask her what she wanted, in an attempt to get her leave him alone.
"Well, that will depend on how our talks will end tonight, Sir William," Vesta answered. "If we part in good graces then things will be good. If we don't…"
Vesta grinned before she mouthed the words "I will leave the rest to your imagination".
The frown on William's face deepened. Right now, Vesta had complete control of the conversation, which left him in a passive state. Clearly, she knew William's difficulties and she was exploiting it to the fullest.
"Talk? You want to talk?" William inquired. "Then how about the two of us have a seat first? It's not good to talk while standing up, right?"
"Seven points," Vesta commented. "I'll give you that much for trying to regain your initiative in this negotiation."
Vesta giggled before walking towards a chair. She then gestured for William to sit on the chair opposite hers, so that they could have a serious discussion.
William sat and faced the young lady who seemed to be oozing with confidence. Just as he was about to ask her again what she really wanted, the green-haired beauty placed a finger on her lips, which made the Half-Elf hold back the words he wanted to say.
"First, let me tell you who I am, and who my father is," Vesta declared. "I am the daughter of Joash Cy Agni."
William nodded. "I understand."
"No, Sir William, you don't understand." Vesta giggled. "I just told you my name, and who my father is, but you don't have any idea who we are. Well then, since this is your first time coming to the Demonic Continent, allow me to educate you a bit."
Vesta leaned on her chair and crossed her long legs over the other as she gave William a confident gaze.
"My father, Joash Cy Agni, is a very well known figure here in the Demon Continent," Vesta explained. "He is also looking at you, right here, right now from up there…"
Vera pointed at the tower that overlooked the entire city. It was at that moment when a realization hit William and he finally understood the alarm bells that were going on inside his head.
Seeing his expression, Vesta grinned mischievously because the intended effect that she was looking for had appeared on the Half-Elf's face.
"Yes, Sir William," Vesta smiled evilly. "My father, Joash, is the Demigod that is stationed to watch over this Domain. Would you like to say hi to my daddy?"
William cursed internally as he met Vesta's evil smile head on. Right now, there were only three words that he wanted to say to her, and they were.
F*ck your daddy!