Ch. 901: Chapter 901-910
Chapter 901 Queen Rhiannon’s Treasure Vault?
"Since all of you decided to fight, in a possible war against the Demon Lord of the 12th Layer, Andras, I have decided to open up the treasury of the Passion Palace," Queen Rhiannon announced. "All of you are only allowed to take two items from my treasure trove. Take one more than you're supposed to, and…"
Queen Rhiannon didn't finish her sentence and simply gave the men and the Satyrs a devilish smile that spoke volumes.
After Queen Rhiannon used her authority to make an announcement that could be heard within the 13th Layer, the number of Satyrs who had gathered in the Passion Palace was just a little over a thousand.
The rest who didn't wish to fight hid themselves in the mountains, far away from the portal that led to the 12th Layer of the Abyss.
As for the Succubi, who were only around five hundred, they were to remain inside the Passion Palace during the war.
Even though the 13th Layer didn't have legions of monsters that served as its army, Queen Rhiannon alone was enough to handle most threats.
Her power as a Demigod was the real deal.
In truth, during her battle against Lux and his comrades, she didn't unleash her full powers for fear that she might accidentally kill the Half-Elf in the process.
She had limited her strength to the Initial Stages of a Demigod when her true powers were somewhere in the middle stages.
Now that war was threatening her territory, she no longer had a reason to hold back, and she would fight using her full powers against the Abyssal Lord, whose greed knew no bounds.
"Now, go," Queen Rhiannon announced as she waved her hand, unlocking the Vault that stored the treasures she had collected over the past hundred years.
Although she was reluctant to do this, she deemed that these treasures would be useless if they weren't used for the benefit of her domain.
The Satyrs all entered the Vault with very eager expressions on their faces.
Lux and the others shared the same excitement, and they entered the Treasure Vault to see if there were any items that they could use for the upcoming battle.
"I have never seen so many Mythical, Pseudo-Legendary, and Legendary items in one place," Malcolm muttered in awe as stared at the countless rare ores, gold, gems, weapons, armor, and miscellaneous items that were scattered across the entire Vault, which was as big as an entire football stadium.
"Remember, all of you are only allowed to get two items each," Queen Rhiannon reminded everyone, whose faces had become greedy after seeing her collection. "No more than two if you value your lives."
The Satyrs didn't bat an eye and immediately picked up pieces of armor, which they believed would help them survive the upcoming battle.
Some picked short bows and short swords, which were the common weapons they used to fight.
Xander and Malcolm directly headed to the sword area and feasted their eyes on the Legendary Swords that were up for grabs.
Lux didn't join everyone immediately and simply crossed his arms over his chest.
His Soul Book hovered in front of him, and it was checking every item inside the treasury, searching for the most suitable artifacts that would serve him and his own Army best.
Since there were countless treasures inside the Treasure Vault, he wasn't in a hurry to join the others, which surprised the Succubus Queen.
"Why aren't you joining them?" Queen Rhiannon asked as she walked beside the Half-Elf, who was busy looking at his Soul Book.
Since Lux didn't give Queen Rhiannon any permission to see it, she thought that Lux was just staring into empty air.
"Your Majesty, I have a request," Lux said. "I am wondering if you can do me a favor."
"A favor?" Queen Rhiannon arched an eyebrow. "What kind of favor?"
The Half-Elf made a gesture of wanting to whisper something in her ear, so she decided to hear him out.
"If possible, I want you to…" Lux whispered.
Queen Rhiannon frowned after hearing the Half-Elf's request.
"Aren't you a little too greedy?" Queen Rhiannon glared at the Half-Elf who was asking for more than what she had stated.
"Believe me when I say that I'm not saying this because of greed," Lux insisted. "I'm doing this to give us a better chance of winning."
The frown on Queen Rhiannon's face deepened as she stared at the Half-Elf, whom she considered the main fighter in the battle that was about to knock on her doorstep.
"Very well," Queen Rhiannon said. "But wait until everyone leaves the Treasury."
Lux nodded. "Understood."
Since the Succubus Queen had stated that everyone could only take two items from the treasury, she decided to let Lux choose the treasures he would need after everyone was done picking theirs.
She didn't want anyone to think that she was giving Lux preferential treatment, and the Half-Elf knew this as well.
Two hours later, only Lux and Queen Rhiannon remained inside the Treasury because everyone had already taken the treasures they wanted.
As if to make sure that no one would take a peek later, the Succubus Queen waved her hand and closed the doors behind her.
"Guys, it's our turn," Lux said with a smile. "Only two items, so choose wisely."
All of his Named Creatures, as well as the members of his Covenant, with the exception of Bedivere and General Garret, appeared around him.
Asmodeus also summoned Morpheus and Ithaqua because Lux had found items that were suitable for Lich King's two henchmen.
King Leoric had also summoned his Knights because Lux had also given them permission to join the fun.
Suddenly, Blackfire appeared out of nowhere and spat a person who looked familiar to him.
Although there were great changes in his body, his face remained the same, allowing the Half-Elf to recognize him.
The person that Blackfire spat was none other than Leonidas, who was holding a flaming spear and shield in both hands.
His skin was red, and flames would occasionally erupt from it, making him look like a creature that wouldn't look out of place in the Abyss.
In fact, Queen Rhiannon thought that he was an Abyssal Creature at first because he radiated the stench of the Abyss.
"It is an honor to finally see you again, Master." Leonidas gave Lux a brief nod. "The mere thought of fighting alongside you makes this second chance at life worth it."
"You honor me with your words, Leonidas," Lux replied. "Having you here puts my mind at ease."
As someone whom Lux had recognized as a true warrior, Leonidas didn't need to bow and kneel before him to prove his allegiance.
He could tell that the Agarthian was willing to fight for him, and that was enough.
Just as Lux thought that Blackfire's unexpected surprise was over, the Black Coffin spat several more people, which made the corner of Queen Rhiannon's lips twitch.
Aside from Leonidas, Blackfire had spat out the Gladiators from the Arena, the Bounty Hunters who were once Sion's subordinates, and the two Saints that he acquired not long ago.
The Giant Tiger, whom Vera had crushed in the Necromancer's Ancestral Lands, was now emitting black flames, making it look more sinister.
The High Templar, who had been burned to a crisp after slashing Eiko's Nuclear Blast Bomb, had made a full recovery and was wearing a Paladin's Attire, with his eyes burning with infernal flames.
Both of them knelt in front of Lux and swore their allegiance to him.
Queen Rhiannon who was feeling displeased earlier, now had a smile on her face after seeing Leonidas and the two Saints appear in front of her.
What her army was lacking was High-Level Warriors, so having these three made her feel that she could forgive the Black Coffin for bringing uninvited guests, who also joined the others in looking for items inside her treasury.
Chapter 902 Abyssal War [Part 1]
12th Layer of the Abyss…
"Are the preparations done?" a Demon with two horns on his head asked his right-hand man, who was kneeling in front of him.
"Our Armies have gathered, My Lord," Andras' second-in-command, who went by the name, Jackal, replied. "They are just waiting for you to lead them to battle."
The Demon Lord of the 12th Layer of the Abyss, Andras, clenched his fist as his eyes glowed with power.
"The day has finally come," Andras said as he stood from his throne. "I've waited for decades to screw that b*tch, Rhiannon. I will make her regret opposing me back then."
Jackal didn't lift his head and simply stared at the black marble under his feet.
He didn't know why his Lord suddenly decided to declare war on the Succubus Queen out of the blue.
As Andras' second-in-command, he was certain that his Liege hadn't surpassed Queen Rhiannon's strength, which made him wonder why the Demon Lord was picking a fight with her.
The only way for them to conquer the 13th Layer was if their Master was able to prevent the Succubus Queen from wiping out their forces before they managed to secure the location of the Abyssal Core, which served as the heart of the 13th Layer.
As long as they were able to overwrite Queen Rhiannon's authority over the Core, their Lord would gain a great boost in strength, allowing him to overpower his opponent.
'But that will only be possible if we get to the Core right away,' Jackal thought. 'Did Master perhaps gain a fortunate encounter during his travels?'
While Jackal was deep in his thoughts, Andras walked down the stairs that led to his throne, until he stood in front of his right-hand man.
"Raise your head, Jackal, and order our armies to march," Andras ordered. "Worry not. I will guarantee that this battle is already in the bag."
Jackal wanted to ask his Lord where his confidence was coming from. But since he didn't want to ruin his Lord's mood, he simply bowed his head and left the throne room to follow the orders he was given.
————————
13th Layer of the Abyss…
"They're coming," Queen Rhiannon muttered while sitting on her throne.
She then looked towards the East where the portal of the 13th layer was located.
If possible, she wanted nothing more than to destroy the portal, but doing this was impossible.
The portals connecting the layers were indestructible. They could try to break it, but even if they succeeded, the Abyssal Core of the 13th Layer would just create another one, making the attempt a waste of time and resources.
Lux, Xander, Malcolm, and the Satyrs who were all standing on the mountaintop, gazed toward the East, where they felt a formidable presence.
Malcolm's face paled because he didn't expect that he would feel such a foul and overwhelming presence several miles away.
"This is very different from Queen Rhiannon's Aura," Xander commented. "It's like I'm about to be run over by our Chieftain in his Boar Form."
Ampelos, who had seen Queen Rhiannon fight decades ago, was still calm. They had seen how the Succubus Queen had defeated the Demon Lord, Andras, and forced him to retreat back to the 12th Layer.
But they still doubted whether they would be able to deal with the Demon Lord's Abyssal Legion, which numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
Even with the Legendary Equipment that Queen Rhiannon had bestowed upon them, Ampelos didn't believe that they would win in a head-on confrontation.
The only reason why he wasn't running away was because he believed that after Queen Rhiannon overpowered Andras, she would immediately and single-handedly wipe out the Demonic Army.
'We just have to buy enough time until then,' Ampelos thought as he gripped his shortbow firmly in his hand. 'If things get really dicey, I'll just retreat and beg Andras to spare me later.'
Lux remained calm as he waited for the Demon Lord and his Army to finally arrive on the 13th Layer. He was confident that even if their enemies had the advantage in numbers, they would still prevail as long as Queen Rhiannon was able to hold off the Abyssal Lord.
A few minutes later, Queen Rhiannon appeared in front of her make-shift army and simply said, "It's time".
With a wave of her hand, Lux, Xander, Malcolm, Ampelos, and the Satyrs all floated in the air.
"Let's meet them on the battlefield," Queen Rhiannon stated before flying in the direction of the portal while carrying everyone with her magic.
She had no intention to fight near the Passion Palace because it might endanger the Succubi, whom she didn't want to die in the war.
A few minutes later…
"Have you personally come here to welcome your new Master, Rhiannon?" Andras said with a smile on his face.
"Cut the crap, Andras," Queen Rhiannon replied. "Go back to where you came from before I twist your neck."
"You had the chance to do that several decades ago, my dear," Andras commented. "But now, times have changed. Soon, you will be the one kneeling in front of me and sucking my d*ck like the whore you are."
"I only suck the d*ck of real men." Queen Rhiannon sneered. "You can't even match up to this kid, who is still wet behind the ears."
The Succubus Queen rested her hand on Lux's shoulder, which made the Half-Elf's body stiffen.
"Hahaha!" Andras laughed after hearing his opponent's taunting. "You are comparing me to a child? Even if the Abyss turns into a frozen waste land, I don't believe that you'd suck the d*ck of that boy. Your taste is better than that, Rhiannon."
Lux wanted to spit in the Demon Lord's face for calling him a child. He wanted to shout so badly that the Succubus Queen had sucked him dry until he could not get it up again.
However, he held his tongue.
He had a feeling that if he really revealed that, Andras would get angry, single him out, and kill him right away before the Half-Elf could even understand how he died.
Queen Rhiannon only giggled as she eyed the Demon Lord with contempt.
Just like Lux, she was tempted to tell the Demon Lord that she had already done it with the boy, not just once but multiple times.
But to ensure that her strongest fighter wouldn't die an untimely death, she kept her silence as she eyed the Abyssal Army in front of her.
Andras knew that Queen Rhiannon wished for nothing more than to wipe out his army in an instant before facing him.
That was her only chance at victory and he knew it. Even so, he wasn't worried because he had prepared well beforehand.
"Well then, Rhiannon. Shall we begin?" Andras said before flying towards the sky. "Don't try anything funny. You're not the only one who can wipe everyone out in the blink of an eye."
Queen Rhiannon sneered before flying upwards in order to face the Demon Lord, who was oozing with confidence.
Now that the two powerhouses were in the sky, the ones left on the ground eyed each other.
This standoff didn't last long as Jackal raised his hand and ordered the Demonic Army to advance.
He already knew that the army of the 13th Layer was nothing compared to their own.
Because of this, he intended to wipe them out as soon as possible before advancing to the location of the Abyssal Core that would grant his Master dominion over the 13th Layer of the Abyss.
Chapter 903 Abyssal War [Part 2]
These Demons ranged from Rank 5 Monsters up to Deimos-Ranked Monsters, and their Captains and Generals ranged from the Argonaut Rank up to the Dreadnaught Rank.
Jackal, who was Andras' second-in-command, was an Empyrean-Ranked Alpha Monster.
He served as the General, as well as the strategist of their army, during their campaigns in the Abyss.
Seeing that they were only going to face a ragtag army with less than two thousand fighters, Jackal decided to order two of their Demonic Legions to crush them instantly and the half of their forces to spread out in order to search the Abyssal Core of the 13th Layer.
'The difference in military might is staggering,' Ampelos thought. 'They even sent two Legions in order to end this battle as swiftly as possible.'
Currently, Ampelos was the "strongest" Monster that was on the frontlines of the battlefield.
Even so, he was certain that he alone was not strong enough to fight a hundred-thousand strong army, which was now charging in their direction.
The Satyrs, just like their leader, were also feeling anxious. They were wielding Mythical and Legendary Grade weapons, but having great equipment wouldn't be enough to overturn the situation.
Just as the Leader of the Satyrs were thinking of running away, someone took a step forward, making him stop in his tracks.
"Everyone get back," Lux said as he continued to walk forward. "I'll handle this."
Xander and Malcolm nodded their heads because they already knew how Lux fought his battles.
Ampelos and the Satyrs had also seen him fight, but since Lux was fighting against a Demigod at that time, his summons didn't play a major role as they were instantly wiped out by Queen Rhiannon's AOE attacks.
In front of everyone, Lux summoned his two clones, who immediately flew in the direction of the other Legions that had spread out in order to find the Abyssal Core of the 13th Layer.
Jackal, who noticed this peculiarity, narrowed his eyes as he assessed the Half-Elf's strength.
'A Human Ranker?' Jackal thought. 'I've heard reports that there are several humans who suddenly appeared in the Abyss. Did this pitiful creature appear in the 13th Layer. Were they enslaved by the Succubus Queen? Poor guy. He will die so young.'
Just as Jackal thought that the enslaved Human had decided to commit suicide by facing his army alone, he saw the Half-Elf raise his hand before speaking in a loud and confident tone.
"Arise!" Lux ordered.
As soon as he gave the order, the members of his Undead Legion and his Covenant appeared around him.
A little more than a thousand Undead Warriors, Golems, and Gargoyles, appeared on the battlefield.
Compared to the hundred-thousand strong army in front of them, this number was rather pitiful.
But this was just the beginning.
Asmodeus chuckled before summoning his clones, and his Undead Minions to fight alongside their Master.
Overall, Lux's forces instantly rose up to 4,000, making Jackal frown.
"A Necromancer…," Jackal muttered. "I should end this battle quickly."
He understood just how troublesome it was to fight against Necromancers, so he decided to order the 15th and 16th Legion to reinforce their 1st and 2nd Legion, whom he had ordered to crush the resistance forces earlier.
"But General, isn't this overkill?" the Commander of the 15th Legion asked.
"Just do as I say and prioritize eliminating that Half-Elf!" Jackal ordered. "Kill him as fast as you can!"
"…Very well." The Commander reluctantly agreed to Jackal's order and commanded his man to advance.
Although Jackal was confident that they would emerge victorious, there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that was making him feel anxious.
Meanwhile, Lux stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for the Demonic Army to come within their strike range. The moment he deemed that the right time had come, he sent a telepathic message to Asmodeus, signaling him to start their operation.
"Lich Revenants, it's time to show them who's boss!" Asmodeus shouted. "Summon our own Abyssal Legion!"
During their time in Zangrila, the Liches had revived countless Abyssal Creatures and added them to their Abyssal Army.
Originally, Lux planned to use this in his fight against the Divine Army of Light, but since they were at a disadvantage, he decided to use these reserve forces, right here, right now.
Each Lich could summon 200 Animated Undead Creatures.
Right now, the number of Liches on the battlefield was 240.
The moment they all summoned their Abyssal Creatures, Lux's army drastically increased to over fifty thousand strong.
But, Lux and Asmodeus weren't finished just yet.
"Flesh Golems, come out!" Asmoedus ordered. "Plague Deathworms, kill them all!"
Suddenly out of nowhere, Four Flesh Golems that stood over six meters tall appeared in front of Lux's army and took a charging stance.
The ground under their feet trembled for a brief moment before four Plague Death Worms, which were over twenty-meters tall, rose up from the ground before burrowing once more.
"Charge!" Lux ordered.
Immediately, the four Flesh Golems charged forward, followed closely by the Fortress Defenders, the Doom Knight Gangbangers, and the Jade Golems.
The Nightstalkers, as well as the Lich Revenants, began to unleash their long range elemental bombardment at the approaching Demonic Army, who originally belittled Lux's forces.
The moment the two forces collided, a shower of blood erupted, dyeing the ground red.
Since Lux's army was composed of the Dead, the blood that was staining the ground red didn't belong to his forces but from the opposite army.
The battle was fierce, with Demons fighting tooth and nail with the Undead, who knew no fear.
As piles of scattered bones and dead bodies littered the front lines, Lux's forces did the unthinkable.
The Jade Golems backed away from the fighting and started to pick up the corpses on the ground.
They then threw these corpses towards the middle of the opposing army, as per their Master's order.
While this was happening, Lux, and Asmodeus glanced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time.
"""Corpse Explosion!"""
Lux's deadly skill that didn't care whether those that it would annihilate were friend or foe, erupted in the center of the enemy's formation, killing their enemies en masse.
Screams of pain, disbelief, and fear spread in the surroundings as the explosion of death spread outwards like wildfire, killing more in its wake.
—————————
High above the sky, Andras, who was exchanging blows with Rhiannon, looked down at the battle on the ground with an amused expression on his face.
"Looks like you found yourself an interesting pet, Rhiannon," Andras said with a smile. "He will make a good addition to my army after I defeat you."
"Keep smiling, Andras," Queen Rhiannon replied. "You won't be smiling later."
"Hahaha! You're right, my dear. I won't be smiling later, but laughing my heart out."
"Sure. Laugh like the clown you are."
Although Queen Rhiannon had a calm expression on her face, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.
She could tell that Andras wasn't faking his confidence, and his complete disregard for Lux's existence bothered her.
It was as if he had already won the war before they even started, which made her feel anxious.
Because of this, she went all-out on the offensive in an attempt to kill her opponent, and wipe the annoying smile off of his face.
Chapter 904 Abyssal War [Part 3]
Jackal's face turned grim as he witnessed the carnage that was happening on the battlefield.
Although not all the soldiers who had been affected by the Corpse Explosion died, most of them suffered serious injuries and were now unable to continue fighting.
To make matters worse, he noticed a Black Coffin swallowing up the dead bodies of his soldiers before spitting them back out like cannonballs towards the two Legions that he had sent to reinforce their vanguard.
The commanders of the two Legions hurriedly ordered their soldiers to retreat as fast as possible and even took the initiative to use spells to obliterate the falling corpses from the sky to prevent their own Legions from getting annihilated.
Blackfire wasn't too pleased to see its attempt to draw first blood on the enemy's reinforcement fail.
Because of this, it flew in the direction of the two retreating legions like a cannonball, flying past the rear forces of the two armies.
When the Black Coffin was deep in the enemy's battle formation. Its lid opened up, and several beams of light rained down on the Demonic Army.
The Commanders watched as a man, whose skin was crimson red, appeared in the midst of their army.
He was holding a flaming red spear and a round shield in his hands, which made the temperature rise in his surroundings.
Surrounding him were several men who also held spears and round shields in their hands.
The only difference was that their weapons and shields weren't covered in flames unlike the man standing at the center of the formation.
Before the Commanders and their soldiers could even react to the new threat that had infiltrated deep among their ranks, Leonidas' words reached their ears.
"Unless I miss my guess, we're in for one wild night."
The leader of the gladiators then thumped the rear end of his spear on the ground twice, and his comrades moved accordingly to stand side by side, forming a phalanx formation.
The only difference was instead of forming a wall of shields and spears, they formed a dome of shields and spears with Leonidas at its center.
If someone were to look at it from afar, it looked like a turtle shell with spikes protruding at the small spaces by its side, giving no room for the Demons to attack them.
"Show them hell!" Leonidas ordered.
As soon as he gave his orders, the dome of shields and spears started to spin rapidly.
A moment later, it caught flames, turning into a spinning dome of fire that rammed its enemies, tearing them apart and burning their remains.
It didn't take long for the smell of burning flesh to spread on the battlefield, forcing the enemy's forces to scatter in order to escape the spinning dome of fire that was slaughtering demons in the dozen.
Due to their location, it was hard for those at the center to escape because they were right in the middle of the formation, allowing Leonidas and his men to continue their one-sided slaughter for a good period of time.
Those who were at the edges finally realized that they needed to back away in order to allow their comrades to escape a gruesome fate, but they suddenly found themselves facing four Plague Deathworms.
These deadly Tyrants didn't hesitate to use their enormous bodies to crush the Demons under them, creating complete chaos among their enemy's ranks.
In a span of a few minutes, the Four Demonic Legions found themselves running for their lives as Lux's forces steadily decimated them.
Naturally, the two Commanders who were leading the reinforcements were infuriated because of the sudden turn of events.
Because of this, they personally attacked the Black Coffin, which was floating not far away from Leonidas, and his Gladiators.
"I'll shatter you to pieces even if it's the last thing I do!" a Demon with a giant war axe charged at Blackfire with his weapon raised high.
His companion, who was wielding a halberd, shared the same opinion.
This Commander then moved behind the Black Coffin for a pincer formation, charging at their target from the front and the back.
Blackfire, who had been singled out by the two Dreadnaught-Ranked Commanders, made several rows of texts appear in front of the two Demons who planned to destroy it.
"So you choose death."
Those were the words the Blackfire had shown the two Commanders, which only angered them more.
When the two Commanders were only a few meters away from Blackfire, the lid of the coffin opened, and two beams of light erupted from it.
The Demon wielding a Giant War Axe found himself staring face to face with a Giant Flaming Black Tiger, whose jaws were wide open.
Before the Demon could even react, the Tiger's jaws bit the side of his body, making him scream out in pain.
The Demon, who had swung his Halberd from behind Blackfire found his weapon blocked by a silver tower shield, preventing it from reaching its target.
The Paladin of Vengeance, who was once the High Templar of the Divine Army of Light, looked at the Demon with indifference before thrusting his sword towards his enemy's chest, piercing his demonic heart.
The two Demon Commanders died just like that, making those who witnessed it feel a chill run down their spine.
The Paladin of Vengeance carried the body of the slain Commander and offered it to Blackfire, who nodded gratefully before swallowing the offering.
The Black Flaming Tiger, on the other hand, casually tossed the Demon on its jaws towards the Black Coffin as if throwing a piece of trash in the garbage can.
Naturally, Blackfire didn't reject the tribute and swallowed the Demon Commander as well.
When this deed was done, the Black Coffin hovered above its two bodyguards and scanned the battlefield.
It was like a food aficionado who was analyzing the dishes in front of him, searching for those that were of high quality.
Blackfire no longer swallowed corpses willy-nilly because it now had "standards".
Only those it deemed to be worthy to become part of its Master's Legion would be brought into the fold.
As for the rest, they still had some worth since their corpse could serve as fodder for his Master's Corpse Explosion.
After finding its next target, the Black Coffin flew, bringing its two bodyguards alongside it.
Truth be told, Blackfire was eyeing Jackal from afar.
Aside from Andras, who was fighting against Rhiannon in the heavens, the Demon General was the one he wanted to devour the most.
If not for the fact that Jackal was well protected by half of Andras' Demonic Army, Blackfire would have already brought his two servants to attack him, adding another powerful subordinate to his Master's army.
Chapter 905 Abyssal War [Part 4]
"Xander, I'm glad I didn't choose to become your team's enemy in the Gates of the Apocalypse," Malcolm said as he looked at the battle taking place in front of him with awe and disbelief. "I don't want to be on the receiving end of this army."
Xander didn't say anything and simply nodded his head.
When Malcolm first met Lux, the Half-Elf was weaker than him. Because of this, he didn't treat him seriously and even thought that he wasn't that of a big deal.
When he faced him for the first time, even though he got defeated by the Half-Elf, he thought that Lux only got lucky.
But soon, he later found that it wasn't just luck.
Every time he saw Lux, he couldn't help but feel bitter due to how fast his rank was improving. Also, the Half-Elf could summon a formidable army, allowing him to fight large-scale battles even if he was on his own.
Malcolm was now a D-Ranker, but Lux was already a C-Ranker.
This difference in strength wasn't something that he could even out in a short period of time.
The only way to reach this rank, right after completing the Ranker Trial, was to absorb tens of thousands of Beast Cores of High-Ranking Monsters.
Then and only then would you become a C-Ranker.
Even so, Malcolm despised people who did this.
Yes, their rank would drastically increase, but so what?
The moment they faced someone of equal Rank who had reached that level through continuous battles, these Fake-Rankers wouldn't even stand a chance.
But Lux was different.
Malcolm knew that whatever method the Half-Elf used to reach the rank he had now, it wasn't due to consuming countless Beast Cores to get an upgrade.
"This is crazy," Malcolm muttered as the Demonic Army in front of him started to scatter and run away from the Undead Legion, who surged forward like a wave of death.
The Satyrs were also just as surprised as Malcolm, with some of them looking at their leader, Ampelos, with determined looks on their faces.
"Boss! Are we just going to let those Doom Knight Gangbangers get the better of us?" one of the Satyrs stated. "Just look at them! Those Demons are being impaled left and right by their long and hard swords."
"That's right, Boss!" another Satyrs spoke up. "As a Satyr, I pride myself in being hard and strong. If they can do it, we can do it better!"
Ampelos blinked once then twice before glancing at his subordinates, who were looking at him with faces ready to go to war.
However, instead of telling them to fight, he spoke out something that bothered him.
"But those Demons are men," Ampelos commented.
"Boss, have you heard of that famous saying?" a Satyr inquired. "As long as there is a hole, there is a way!"
"I repeat, those Demons are men," Ampelos stated.
"Boss, sometimes, it takes a man to be the best girl," another Satyr commented. "Have you heard of Astolfo?"
"No. And I don't want to know anything about him."
"Your loss, Boss. I'd tap that guy anytime."
Ampelos pretended that he didn't hear his subordinates' words and simply stared in front of him. However, the more he waited, the more these gazes intensified until he finally relented.
"Fine," Ampelos stated. "Do what you want to do. Just make sure that you don't die, okay?"
"Yeah! Boys let's go!"
"Damn right. Time to use Deez Nuts!"
"Charge my brothers! Let's show those Doom Knight Gangbangers what we're made of!"
"""Wooo!"""
The Satyrs that numbered in the thousands charged towards the Demonic Army who were now in chaos.
The Demons, who were unlucky enough to be overtaken by these madlads, were stabbed repeatedly until they cried for their mothers and fathers.
The Doom Knight Gangbangers who were near these chaotic scenes looked at the Satyrs with a steady gaze.
The Satyrs looked back at their "rivals", feeling all smug and peppy.
"Noice!" one of the Doom Knight Gangbangers commented as he gave the Satyrs a thumbs up.
The Satyrs also gave the Doom Nnight Gangbanger a thumbs up before all of them continued to stab any Demon within their reach, painting a very gruesome sight.
"Just kill me already!" one of the Demons that were captured by the Satyrs cried out. "A warrior would rather die than be humiliated!"
"That's what they all say at first," the Satyr that was stabbing the Demon sneered. "Don't worry, you won't get any complaints after I am done with you."
Malcolm, Xander, and the rest of the humans, gave Ampelos side-long glances.
All of them looked at the Satyr Leader in disgust, but the latter simply pretended that he was not aware of their gazes.
Perhaps wanting to shift the topic, Ampelos cleared his throat before pointing in the direction of the other Legions who didn't participate in the battle and completely ignored their presence.
"We are not like that Half-Elf who has an army of his own," Ampelos stated. "However, we shouldn't forget that we are here to fight. It is impossible for us to face an entire legion by ourselves, so let's just harass them from afar."
Xander, Malcolm, and the others nodded their heads in agreement.
They truly couldn't fight the way that Lux was doing, and standing on the side without doing anything wasn't their style.
Because of this, all of them banded together and began throwing long-range attacks at the Demonic Legion closest to them, killing several demons in the process.
"G-General, what should we do?" one of Jackal's Aide's asked.
"Order all Legions to use long range attacks to kill the enemy," Jackal ordered.
"But, Sir, our men are still there fighting," the Aide commented.
"There is no other way. We can't get near them, or that Necromancer will use his Corpse Explosion Skill," Jackal replied. "The best thing we can do is decimate his entire army before he can summon more Undead. If our men die in the process, then so be it. They will die for the greater good."
Although he was reluctant to do it, the Aide bowed his head and passed Jackal's orders to the rest of their army.
A few minutes later, a rain of spells and other projectiles rained down on Lux's Undead Army, killing thousands of Undead and Demons at the same time.
Asmodeus, who was standing beside Lux, placed his hand behind his back and smiled.
"Master, it seems that the enemy General plans to wipe out our entire forces, with complete disregard for his own men," Asmodeus stated. "Should we do Plan B?"
Lux nodded. "Yes. It's time for us to bring the battle to their doorstep."
Asmodeus chuckled before summoning a dozen Giant Skeleton Cannons that he had prepared for this day.
"Master, we can only use each Cannon six times," Asmodeus stated. "I did my best to imitate the design of the Destroyer, but my prototype lacks both range and firepower."
"Will your projectiles reach the enemy camp?" Lux inquired.
"Just barely, but I am very optimistic that it will enough," Asmodeus replied.
Lux smirked. "Good. As long as we can close the distance, that is enough."
The Half-Elf and the Lich King then recalled their forces that were being decimated by the enemy's long ranged attacks.
They then pressed their hands together in order to create some cannonballs for their counter offensive.
"Skeleton Make…. Cannonballs!" Lux, and Asmodeus shouted and encased fifty Doomknight Gangbangers in a Skeleton Shell, which would be used as projectiles for the cannon.
The Lich King's clones did the same, and before long, nearly 50 Skeleton Cannonballs filled with Doomknight Gangbangers, as well as Jade Golems were ready to go.
While Asmodeus and his clones were busy loading up the cannonballs with their forces, Lux created a special Cannonball, which would contain Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, Orion, Lazarus, ALL-MITE, Zagan, and Shax.
He intended to also send his main force at the enemy's camp, allowing his heavy-hitters to rampage to their heart's content.
Once everything was ready, Asmodeus didn't waste any time and gave the signal to start the counterattack.
"Aim!" Asmoedus raised his hand, as the Bone Cannons took their aim.
After making sure that they were all aiming in the same direction, the Lich King sneered before pointing at the center of Jackal's army.
"Fire!"
A series of explosions erupted from the Cannons, sending their payload towards where the strategist of Andras army was located, giving him a nasty surprise.
Chapter 906 I’ll Just Have To Bully You Back!
Jackal, who saw the Skeleton Cannonballs flying in their direction, frowned, but he wasn't fazed by it.
"All spellcasters and ranged attackers, concentrate all your attacks on those Cannonballs!" Jackal ordered. "Don't let them get near us!"
His men were quick to follow his orders, and before long, countless spells flew towards the sky with the intention of destroying the enemy's counter attack that came from a great distance away.
Just as the spells were several meters away from hitting their targets, some of the Cannonballs exploded mid-air, catching Jackal by surprise.
What followed next was a fireworks display that illuminated the red-sky, making Queen Rhiannon and Andras pause their battle for a brief moment.
From the dust cloud in the sky, eight gigantic Hecatoncheires crashed down on the frontlines of Jackals' Army, sending dirt, rocks, blood, and fleshbflying in every direction.
With a roar of anger and defiance, these eight behemoths charged forward. They smashed, slapped, punched, bit, and trampled anything and anyone that stood in their way.
Behind them were four giant Blood Golems, who were making their way toward Jackal's army .
When Diablo's Cannonball landed on the ground, he and the rest of his comrades followed behind the Hecatoncheires and started to massacre anyone that managed to survive the rampage of the eight abominations.
—————
"Your boys are putting up a good fight," Andras commented. "They did a good number on my troops."
"Why do I sense that you don't care even if your entire army is annihilated in this battle?" Queen Rhiannon asked. "That's not like you, Andras. Do you not care about your men?"
"Of course I care," Andras replied. "But I care more about you than I care about them."
"You're sick in the head, Andras. Has your constant wars with Andrealphus made you crazy?"
"While it's true that I waged war with Andrealphus a couple of times over the past decades, the two of us realized that we can sit down and talk in a civilized manner."
Queen Rhiannon's eyes widened in shock as an unbelievable thought appeared inside his head.
"Y-You!" Queen Rhiannon looked at Andras in disbelief. "Don't tell me…"
"Too late, My Dear," Andras said as he took out a crystal ball in his hand." Andras smirked. "I got you where I want you."
Without another word, Andras crushed the crystal ball in his hand.
A second later, a purple dome enveloped him and Queen Rhiannon, locking both of them in place.
The Succubus Queen immediately unleashed her strongest attack on the barrier, but it did nothing but make it shake for a few seconds before coming to a complete stop.
"It's no use, my dear," Andras chuckled. "This is checkmate."
As if to prove his point, the Abyssal Gate that connected the 12th Layer and 13th Layer glowed brightly.
Queen Rhiannon's face turned grim as she sensed the power of another Demigod that was about to come out from those very gates.
A Giant Dreadlord emerged from the Abyssal Gate and he looked at his surroundings with an amused expression on his face.
"You're finally here, Andrealphus," Andras stated. "You sure took your time."
The Giant Dreadlord chuckled as he glanced towards the sky.
"Well, I thought that I don't need to make an appearance since your army greatly outnumbered your opponents," the Dreadlord stated. "But to think that Rhiannon managed to get help from the Surface Dwellers. How interesting."
The Dreadlord shifted his attention to the Half-Elf, whose face had become solemn after another Demigod appeared in the battlefield.
"Make sure not to kill the boy, Andrealphus," Andras stated. "He will make a fine Darkspawn after he is corrupted."
"True," Andrealphus commented. "I'm sure he will be a good addition to my army."
The corner of Andras' lips rose up, but he didn't say anything.
His agreement with Andrealphus was that he get Rhiannon, and the Succubi, while the Dreadlord gets everything else, including the authority of the 13th Layer.
Although it was regrettable to not keep someone like Lux who could replenish the loss of his army, he could still turn a blind eye on it since the real prize was now in his hands.
Andras knew Queen Rhiannon's weakness, and that was her Succubi.
The Succubus Queen didn't want any of her followers to get hurt, so as long as he could make Queen Rhiannon become his willing slave, the losses he suffered would be worth it!
"Now, let me deal with these small fries first." Andrealphus sneered before pointing at one of the Hecatoncheires in front of him.
A tiny flame that was the size of a human head emerged from his finger tip and flew in the direction of the Giant Abomination.
The small fireball was fast and swift, and in just a blink of an eye, it hit its target, making the Hecatoncheires explode into countless pieces that turned into particles of light not long after.
Andrealphus chuckled before repeating the same thing in quick succession, instantly obliterating the Giant Abominations in a matter of seconds.
"Ah… I missed a few."
The Dreadlord raised his hand before snapping his finger.
The Blood Golems that were still dozens of meters away from Jackal's forces exploded, creating a blood rain that drenched the battlefield in blood.
"We're doomed…" Ampelos' face became deadly pale as he looked at the Abyssal Lord of the 11th Layer. "Two Demigods working together. There's no way for us to win."
And to the Satyr Leader's horror, the Dreadlord looked in his direction and sneered.
"You never had a chance of winning from the very start," Andrealphus sneered. "I hate Satyrs, so I will not dirty my hands in killing you. Go and kill him for me!"
Andrealphus' Demonic Legions surged out from the Abyssal Gate and charged forward.
Lux and Asmodeus both glanced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time.
Since there was nowhere to run, they might as well just fight!
Recalling Diablo and the others, Lux once again summoned his Undead Army to fight back.
However, the moment they were summoned, a fireball landed several meters away from Lux, creating a powerful explosion that decimated his newly summoned army.
Asmodeus, who was beside him, didn't hesitate to use his body to shield his Master from the sudden attack that came from the Demigod.
It was not only Asmodeus who made a move to protect his Master.
Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, Orion, Lazarus, Zagan, ALL-MITE, and Shax all stood in front of their Master, shielding him from harm.
The blast was so powerful that it sent the Half-Elf, and his Named Creatures flying several meters high in the air before crashing on the ground.
Andrealphus didn't hesitate to make the Half-Elf understand that it was no use fighting against him.
Lux might be able to fight anyone below the Empyrean Rank, but Calamities and Demigods were still far from his reach.
The Dreadlord laughed heartily as his forces charged at the fallen teenager in the distance.
Just as Ampelos was thinking of running away to save his life, he saw a blue shooting star descending from the heavens.
"Boom Boom Bakugan!"
Countless Blast Bombs dropped down from the sky, creating countless explosions, making the army on the ground cry out in pain and surprise from the sudden attack that came from above.
Out of nowhere, Blackfire appeared and caught the baby slime from the sky.
"Ei!"
"Ei!"
"Ei!"
"Ei!"
"Ei!"
Eiko didn't stop throwing one-meter tall Blast Bomb one after the other, forcing the approaching army to stop in their tracks, as Blackfire flew towards his Master.
"Pa!" Eiko shouted before jumping off Blackfire and nudging Lux's cheeks, asking him to stand up.
"You're finally here, Eiko," Lux said as he patted the baby slime's head, assuring her that he was fine.
Eiko also smiled before looking in the direction of the Dreadlord who had tried to hurt her Papa earlier.
She then spat Gaap, Lilian, and Piccoro from her mouth, making them join the battle as well.
Queen Rhiannon, who was trapped inside the purple dome covered her lips as tears streamed down the side of her face.
She didn't expect that she would be so moved after seeing Lux's Baby Slime who suddenly arrived when all hope was lost.
Andras, who thought that the Succubus Queen was crying out of despair and sadness, decided to tease her.
"It's fine for you to cry tears of sadness now, my dear, because soon, I will make you cry in pleasure," Andras stated. "So watch closely as your precious Necromancer turns to ashes."
Andras had noticed that Andrealphus wasn't too pleased of having his men die under his nose. He had been fighting the Dreadlord for many years and knew how much the Abyssal Lord cared about his subordinates.
Just as he expected, the Dreadlord pointed his finger at the fallen Half-Elf, who was currently talking to the baby slime.
He no longer cared about turning Lux into a Darkspawn and simply wanted to kill him and his pet.
Unlike Andras who could sacrifice his men so easily, Andrealphus had stronger bonds with his soldiers.
Because of this, he was willing to kill a potential powerful subordinate for the sake of avenging his subordinates.
"Die and apologize to my subordinates in the afterlife!" Andrealphus roared as he threw a fireball that was as big as his hands in the Half-Elf's direction.
An earth-shaking explosion erupted, sending flames rising up towards the sky.
Andras laughed, thinking that with this, Queen Rhiannon's last hope would now turn into ashes.
Just as he was laughing out loud, something gigantic emerged from the hellish flames that could wipe out an entire city in a heartbeat.
Suddenly, a chuckle that was filled with ridicule reverberated in the surroundings, making Andras stop laughing.
There was something very familiar with the laughter he was hearing, and for some reason, he couldn't get it off his head.
Then something monstrous appeared, and the sight of it made Andras and Andrealphus gasp in shock.
"You dare bully little Rhiannon?" Antero asked as he looked at Andras whose face had turned pale from fright. "No problem…"
The Golem of Destruction chuckled as he raised his gigantic fist, ready to strike.
"I'll just have to bully you back!"
Antero smashed his fist on the purple dome that imprisoned the Succubus Queen, shattering it into countless pieces.
Chapter 907 Where Do You Think You’re Going, Puny Demon?
In the past, the Abyss only had a single layer.
This layer was the size of a massive continent, spanned thousands of miles, and later, it was called the "Land of Endless Races".
In this great continent, the first Abyssal Demons appeared.
But before these first Demonic Races even walked the land, there was one creature that was born before them.
It was none other than the Golem of Destruction, Antero.
He was the oldest creature in the Abyss, as well as the one who struck fear in the hearts of many.
Several years later, the 2nd Layer was born.
A few thousand years later, the 3rd Layer came into being.
This cycle continued until the present day, and hundreds of Layers had been created in the abyss.
But it didn't end there for the Abyss was constantly expanding, even extending to many planes of existence and breaking through to several star systems in the multiverse.
This allowed the Abyssal Creatures to invade other worlds, and every time they succeeded, these worlds would permanently become part of the Abyss.
Solais and Elysium faced their onslaught head-on.
Elysium fared a little better and was able to push back the invaders back to the Abyss. They also sealed as many portals as they could to prevent a second invasion from happening.
The Elysians knew that they would be unable to stop the Abyssal Creature from spilling into their world completely, so they devised and created a very powerful barrier that prevented any Calamity and Demigod-Ranked Abyssal Creatures from getting through.
Although the threat of Empyrean-Ranked Creatures and below was a pain, it was still better than dealing with far more dangerous opponents which posed a greater threat to their very existence.
Solais, on the other hand, suffered a lot and vast swaths of land became uninhabitable in the Hundred-Year War.
Miasma thrived in these places, sealing kingdoms and empires off from the outside world.
Those who dared to venture through this miasma would encounter horrendous monsters, diseases, and plagues that could end their lives in a day if they weren't lucky.
While the Abyssal Demons were busy waging wars on different worlds, Antero roamed the many layers of the Abyss out of boredom.
There, he met the Succubus Rhiannon whose rank had degraded to a Rank 1 Monster after she was discarded by the Abyssal Noble who had taken advantage of her Unique Constitution.
Antero wasn't a kind creature and preferred to destroy things as he wandered the land.
When he encountered Rhiannon, the first thought he had was to step on the puny insect and end her suffering.
But after countless years of killing and destroying things, Antero had become bored, so it decided to spare the Succubus and went on with his business.
Rhiannon, who thought that she was going to die, steeled herself and tagged along with the Golem of Destruction as it wandered the Lower Layers of the Abyss.
Everywhere Antero went, destruction followed and countless lives were ended.
Trailing not far from him, the Succubus harvested the Abyssal Cores of the Demons that had been killed, consuming them and raising her strength little by little.
The Golem of Destruction found this funny and even thought of Rhiannon as its pet.
After hundreds of years, the weak and frail Succubus slowly gained a reputation in the Abyss as the Herald of Death. Wherever she was spotted, death and destruction would soon follow.
After spending many years with Rhiannon, Antero had grown attached to her and treated her as his daughter.
When the War between the Abyss and the Elysians started, Antero had just finished killing the Abyssal Lord of the 13th Layer.
He then bestowed its Authority on Rhiannon, giving her a safe place to call her home.
Back then, Rhiannon had already reached the Calamity Rank, so Antero deemed that she was already strong enough to protect herself.
When Rhiannon asked to accompany Antero in the war against the Elysians, the Golem of Destruction rejected her request and asked her to stay on the 13th Layer until she became a Demigod like him.
When the war ended and the gates of the Abyss were sealed, Rhiannon was heartbroken when she found out that Antero was one of the Demigods that had been unable to return to the Abyssal Plane.
Countless eyewitnesses said that the Golem of Destruction had fallen during the war, shattering into hundreds of pieces when he fought against the previous Dragon King.
They said that his sacrifice was worth it because he dragged the Dragon King to die along with him, but that didn't make Rhiannon happy.
For her, Antero wasn't just her savior and protector, he was also the closest thing to a family she ever had.
So when she finally saw the Golem of Destruction appear for a second time after a hundred years, she was unable to stop her tears from falling as her 'foster father' raised his gigantic fist high up in the sky to save her once again.
"You dare bully little Rhiannon?" Antero asked as he looked at Andras, whose face had turned pale from fright. "No problem…
"I'll just have to bully you back!"
When the fist came crashing down, the barrier that she was unable to break using her full powers shattered easily as if it were made from glass.
Andras' face turned ashen as his Trump Card in the war to make Queen Rhiannon his slave broke in front of his eyes.
Since he was a Demigod, he was able to recover from his shock right away, and the first thing he did was flee!
No one in the Abyss dared to fight against Antero because he was the most ancient and strongest creature in existence.
Some even said that if there weren't any limitations placed on the denizens of the Abyss, the Golem of Destruction would have already attained Godhood because of the strong power of Faith that he had gathered over the years.
Weaker Demons treated Antero as their God and aspired to become him.
Smaller Demonic Tribes and Communities would sometimes build Antero's statue in their territories in the hope that the Abyssal Lords would leave them in peace.
After the Golem of Destruction had laid waste through all the Layers of the Abyss, the majority of the Abyssal Lords feared him, so they left these small Demon tribes alone in fear that Antero would visit them and destroy everything they possessed.
That was also why no one dared to touch the 13th Layer, for this was the Domain of Antero's Herald of Death.
Although many eyewitnesses believed that the Golem had truly fallen in the war, they still didn't dare to attack it as they feared that Antero might revive and find its way back to the Abyss.
Andras was an exception because he managed to discover the truth about Rhiannon's body constitution through the diary of her former lover, making him covet her even more.
"Where do you think you're going, puny Demon?" Antero chuckled as he pointed his finger at the fleeting Abyssal Lord.
"Duel [Divine]."
Andras, who had nearly reached the portal, immediately froze mid-air and found himself being pulled towards the Giant Golem, whose fist was already raised high in the air.
"N-Nooooooooooooo!"
Andras' scream reverberated across the battlefield as he found himself helplessly staring at the gigantic fist that was about to land on his body.
A few seconds later an earth-shaking explosion blew everyone away from the battlefield.
Lux grabbed Eiko in his arms before summoning his Corpse God and Skeleton King to protect the two of them from the aftermath of Antero's full-powered-smash, which was more powerful than Eiko's tactical nuke that was used against the Saints of the Divine Army of Light.
Chapter 908 Playing Possum
The entire 13th Layer of the Abyss shook as Antero's gigantic fist smashed against the ground.
ALL-MITE, who was watching the scene, raised his thumb and said "Nice Smash", immediately after which he was sent flying by the powerful shockwave that followed.
(E/N: Kowabunga!)
Everything within the three-mile Radius of Antero was blown away, and those who were near the point of impact were instantly obliterated by his overwhelming might.
When the dust receded, Antero's hulking figure appeared, with his fist firmly embedded in the ground.
A moment later, he lifted his hand, allowing those who had recovered see Andras' pitiful form.
Surprisingly, the Demigod survived Antero's punch, but his body was wounded all over. His arms and legs were bent at unnatural angles.
Clearly, he had suffered serious injuries after taking the Golem's punch head-on.
Without any warning, Blackfire appeared beside the Demigod and started smacking it with its body. It even resorted to using its entire body to body slam the Demigod. Unfortunately, it wasn't able to deal much damage to it.
Antero chuckled as he watched the persistent Black Coffin try to beat the crap out of the Demigod in order to devour it.
However, even in his injured state, Andras was still a Demigod, and Blackfire's repeated attacks weren't able to deal much damage to him.
Suddenly, Antero picked up the black coffin with his fingers and stopped it from attacking.
"Funny coffin," Antero chuckled. "Greedy coffin."
Blackfire stopped struggling and behaved like an obedient child. Clearly, it didn't want to get on Antero's bad side.
Even so, it looked down on the body of the Demigod with regret because it was unable to steal it!
Queen Rhiannon landed beside the fallen Demigod and looked at him in disdain.
To his credit, Andras didn't flinch from her stare and even managed and dared to laugh despite his injured state.
"You got lucky this time, Rhiannon," Andras said as blood spilled at the corner of his lips. "I was this close to making you submit. If only Antero hadn't appeared, you and your Succubi would have become my playthings!"
Queen Rhiannon didn't say anything because what Andras said was certainly a possibility. Although she wouldn't go as far as to say that she would have become his slave, the fact remained that her Succubi would indeed become his playthings if Antero hadn't appeared.
There was simply no way for her to fight against two Demigods at the same time.
The Succubus Queen then stared in the direction of the portal.
Andras' associate, Andrealphus, was nowhere to be seen.
During the commotion, the Dreadlord quickly made his escape and was probably fleeing back to the 11th Layer.
Queen Rhiannon sneered before shifting her gaze back to Andras.
She would deal with Andrealphus later, but for now, she had to deal with the hateful Demigod on the ground.
"Any last words?" Queen Rhiannon asked as she summoned a purple blade in her hand.
Andras didn't reply and simply spat on her feet.
Queen Rhiannon didn't bother to dodge, allowing the Demigod to get a little bit of satisfaction before he died.
The Succubus Queen then stabbed Andras' chest, piercing through his Abyssal Core.
A moment later, her blade glowed brightly, absorbing the Demigod Core and passing its strength to its new Master.
When the absorption was done, Queen Rhiannon felt her strength soar drastically, making her sigh in pleasure due to how good it felt.
"Don't worry, Andras," Queen Rhiannon stated. "I'll take over your domain before I visit Andrealphus. He and I have a lot of things to talk about."
As soon as she pulled out the sword from the Demigod's dead body, Blackfire appeared and swallowed the corpse whole.
After succeeding with its attempt, the Black Coffin gave Queen Rhiannon a brief bow before disappearing completely.
The corner of the Succubus' Queen's lips twitched because she didn't expect the Black Coffin to snatch Andras' body in front of her and Antero.
The Golem of Destruction looked at his fingers that had been holding Blackfire a moment ago and chuckled.
"Sly little coffin." Antero chuckled. "Playing Possum."
Just as Antero had stated, Blackfire decided to play the obedient coffin and waited for the perfect moment to strike.
Lux, who had just witnessed the scene, laid down on the ground and closed his eyes.
Eiko, who didn't understand what her Papa was doing, nudged his cheek in an attempt to wake him up.
"Shhh, let's play a sleeping game for now, Eiko," Lux said in a hushed tone. "We didn't see anything."
"Pa!" Eiko nodded and played along with her Papa.
The Baby Slime then closed her eyes, pressed her cheeks against Lux, and pretended to be asleep.
Gaap, who saw his disciple's antics, could only chuckle and shake his head helplessly.
Deep inside, he was quite impressed by how bold Blackfire was. He knew how diligent the Black Coffin was when it came to collecting the bodies of strong people in order to strengthen Lux's army.
But getting the corpse of a Demigod wasn't the same as getting the corpse of a Saint.
Demigods were inherently more powerful than Saints, and it would take a party of them to defeat one in combat.
With a Demigod secured in Blackfire's hands, Gaap had no doubt that his disciple would be able to stand on the shoulders of giants very soon.
'With this, I will be able to rest easily,' Gaap thought. 'There is still some unfinished business that I have to do, and staying with Lux will only hinder his growth.'
While the Halfling was thinking about these things, Queen Rhiannon landed beside them. She then walked past Gaap before kicking Lux off the ground, which sent the Half-Elf fly a few meters away.
"Where am I?!" Lux shouted after he crashed on the ground. "Who am I?!"
"Brat, it seems that you don't recall what happened just now," Queen Rhiannon stated as her tail extended, and wrapped itself around the Half-Elf's body, dragging him back to her. "Do you want me to make you remember?"
The Succubus Queen flashed the Half-Elf a devilish smile before making her nails grow longer.
Lux smiled bitterly as he looked at Queen Rhiannon with a face filled with injustice.
"Consider Andras' body as my reward for helping you," Lux replied. "I won't ask for anything else."
"Oh? After your servants pillaged my Treasury like bandits, you still have the guts to ask for a reward?" Queen Rhiannon then moved forward to whisper something in his ears. "Do you want me to squeeze you dry and make your Rank regress? I think you're forgetting that I have the Celestial Maiden Physique."
The Half-Elf's face paled because of the Succubus Queen's threat. He had a feeling that she wasn't joking, and it made his blood rush to his middle region.
'Idiot! What are you thinking at a moment like this?!' Lux berated himself because his little brother reacted like a fearless soldier prepared to fight a war that it had no chance of winning.
A giggle escaped from Queen Rhiannon's lips after sensing the changes in Lux's body. Truth be told, she was not offended when Blackfire stole Andras' body.
In fact, she was even glad about it because she didn't want to see his face for another second, even if he was already dead.
"Fine. I'll let you off just this once," Queen Rhiannon stated. "But your duty is still not done. Follow me."
"Follow you where?" Lux inquired.
"Where else?" Queen Rhiannon sneered. "It's time to give the 12th Layer a new Master."
Although she didn't have any goals to expand her rule, the other Abyssal Lords would look down on her if she passed up this opportunity.
Since she didn't want anyone aside from Andras to think that she was softhearted, she decided to carry out the motions of conquering the slain Abyssal Lord's Domain.
Antero chuckled before following Queen Rhiannon to the portal.
He knew that he couldn't stay long in the Abyss, and the only way for him to ensure her safety was to make every Abyssal Lord think that he could return to the Abyss anytime he wanted.
In the next few days, rumors spread through the Abyss like Wildfire.
Every demon was talking about the reappearance of The Herald of Death on the 12th Layer, accompanied by the Golem of Destruction, as well as a Necromancer, whose Undead Army had taken the entire layer by storm.
Chapter 909 Do I Need A Reason To Save Someone? [Part 1]
A week had passed since Andras and Andrealphus joined forces and attacked the 13th Layer of the Abyss.
After Andras' death, Queen Rhiannon easily subjugated the 12th Layer and took control over its Core, further raising her strength and influence as a Demigod.
With her current power, no Abyssal Lord from the 2nd Layer up to the 100th Layer was her match. Only those at the deeper levels whose strengths were equal or perhaps stronger than hers didn't fear her.
However, none of them would dare to antagonize her, especially now that the Golem of Destruction had made its appearance in the Abyss once again after having been missing for more than a hundred years.
Inside a room in Andras Castle, the Succubus Queen sighed in ecstasy as Lux's hot essence spurted inside of her.
"Let me rest for a bit," Lux complained as he panted for breath while resting his head on the Succubus' Queen's voluptuous chest.
"Fine," Queen Rhiannon replied as she lovingly patted his head. "We still need to do it ten more times so that you can strengthen both Cai and Iris and allow both of them to break through to become D-Rankers."
After absorbing Andras' Abyssal Core and gaining authority of the 12th Layer of the Abyss, Queen Rhiannon decided to let Lux absorb some of her strength in order to strengthen his two fiances as compensation for the hardships they suffered inside her Domain.
Truth be told, the Succubus Queen was just making an excuse to spend a little more time with the Half-Elf, who would soon return to Elysium.
At first, Lux resisted her advances because he already had two fiances.
However, when Queen Rhiannon pointed out that they had done it many times already when Cai was still in the Abyss and said that doing it a few more times wouldn't make a difference, Lux folded.
The Half-Elf couldn't find any flaw in this statement since he had indeed done it countless times with the Succubus Queen, with Cai even joining them in a threesome.
Also, her reasoning to let him absorb her strength in order to strengthen his two fiances to make them stronger made the Half-Elf hesitate.
This hesitation allowed Queen Rhiannon to use Lux's weakness against him, sealing the deal.
While her subordinates rounded up Andras' forces, she spent the entire day making love to Lux.
An hour later, Queen Rhiannon left the room looking radiant and more beautiful than ever before.
Although she had lost some of her strength, Lux's life essence was incredibly potent, making her feel that their exchange was worth it.
The Half-Elf, on the other hand, slept soundly on the bed out of exhaustion and would only wake up half a day later.
When Queen Rhiannon arrived in her new throne room, she saw Gaap and Piccoro playing a game of chess beside the throne.
The Halfling sensed her presence and looked at her with a smile.
"My Disciple?" Gaap asked.
"Sleeping," Queen Rhiannon replied.
The Halfling nodded his head in understanding before shifting his attention back to their game.
Piccoro snorted and even gave the Succubus Queen a look of disgust. He didn't need to ask to know what she did with the red-headed teenager whom he hadn't seen for an entire day.
Queen Rhiannon didn't give a damn about what the Dragon Born was thinking because she was in a good mood.
Not only did she subjugate the 12th Layer, she had also forced Andrealphus to sign a Soul Contract, forcing him to protect the 12th and 13th Layers should any danger befall them.
If the Dreadlord were to break the agreement, his Soul would cease to exist, snuffing out any hope for revival.
"We will leave in two days time," Gaap stated. "I would like to thank you for your help in rounding up the Humans and Dragon Borns that had been sent to the Abyss. Although technically we are enemies, I greatly appreciate your help."
"It's just a trivial thing," Queen Rhiannon replied. "But you are right. This is only a temporary truce. Although I personally don't care about attacking your world, the other Abyssal Lords don't share the same opinion. I'm telling you now that the moment they find a way to invade your world, another great war will commence."
Gaap didn't reply right away and first moved the Queen chess piece in order to corner Piccoro's King, making the Dragon Born scowl.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Gaap commented. "At least, there is one less Demigod to worry about. So what are your plans?"
"Me? I intend to stay here in the Abyss," Queen Rhiannon replied. "However, some of my Succubi wishes to go to your world for some sightseeing. Will you be so kind as to let them have some fun?"
Piccoro, who was already annoyed from losing another game, scoffed.
"By having fun, you mean you want us to bring those wenches to our world so they can fornicate with Humans?" Piccoro asked. "No, thank you."
"I'm not asking you, Dragon Born, so shut up," Queen Rhiannon smiled sweetly. "Besides, the men we brought in our castle didn't have any complaints. In fact, they all agreed to the idea of bringing some of my sisters back to Elysium."
"They're just a bunch of horny brats. Their opinion is not important."
"Well, I'm also not asking for your opinion. Can you stop butting in?"
Gaap chuckled as he watched the two banter.
Although he didn't have a high opinion of Abyssal Creatures, he was willing to make an exception for Queen Rhiannon and the Succubi.
Since Antero treated the Succubus Queen as his daughter, he believed that she would also not become hostile to them.
Also, he could tell that she had developed a soft spot for his Disciple.
'My boy, it seems that you are treading in dangerous territory,' Gaap mused. 'If only my Master was awake. Once she finds out that you have slept with the Succubus Queen, who is also a Demigod, she would definitely laugh out loud and say, 'As expected of my Disciple's Disciple!'"
Truth be told, Gaap wanted to see that scene. Unfortunately, he didn't know that Hereswith's soul was already inside Blackfire and was undergoing a complete recovery.
The Half-Elf still hadn't told him about this because he planned to surprise him the moment the beautiful Elf finished her rebirth.
"Listen, woman, I'm gonna tell you directly what's going to happen." Piccoro glared. "The moment your Succubi and those perverted Satyrs cross over to Elysium, all of them will immediately be annihilated by the Saints waiting on the other side. This is a fact.
"Even if they manage to survive, where will they go? No faction will accept them, and they will be hunted down by the Abyssal Hunters."
Queen Rhiannon smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't have to worry about that. They can all join Lux's Guild. Problem solved."
The Dragon Born almost choked after hearing her reply.
Lux's Guild Headquarters were currently situated within the territory of the Crystal Palace.
If the Half-Elf really brought them all there, wouldn't that mean that they would have no choice but to protect the Abyssal Creatures since Lux had sought asylum?
Seeing the Dragon Born's face turn pale made Queen Rhiannon laugh.
Truth be told, he had already asked for Lux's permission to bring her people under his wing. The Half-Elf didn't reject her proposal, and even said that, although it would be tricky, it was not impossible.
With this matter already settled, the Succubus Queen left the throne room in order to talk to her people.
In two days time, the Half-Elf would return to Elysium, so she wanted to have everything done before he left the Abyssal World for good.
(E/N: Who says he ain't returning?)
Chapter 910 Do I Need A Reason To Save Someone? [Part 2]
After finishing her tasks, Queen Rhiannon returned to her temporary room in Andras' Castle with a satisfied expression on her face.
She had delegated one of her trusted subordinates to serve as the temporary ruler of the 12th Layer, who would keep it in check in her absence.
Although she knew that the Demons under Andras' control would not be cooperating with them anytime soon, she believed that they would soon accept her as their leader.
"Still sleeping?" Queen Rhiannon smirked as she looked at the handsome Half-Elf, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, completely naked.
She was tempted to play with him again in order to wake him up, but she resisted this urge and simply sat on the space beside him.
Queen Rhiannon then gently patted his head and decided to peer inside his memories.
When she captured Cai, the High Priestess had told her that her fiance would come to save her after he was done with his mission. She didn't elaborate on the mission, and back then, Queen Rhiannon didn't believe that Lux would truly come to his fiance's rescue.
For her, all men were the same, and they couldn't be trusted.
Naturally, this mindset changed a bit after meeting Lux.
Although she didn't want to admit it, she felt jealous of Cai because even though Lux knew that he would face her, a Demigod, the Half-Elf didn't abandon the High Priestess and fought against her in order to save his fiance.
She understood that Lux had abandoned whatever he was doing and came to the Abyss as soon as he could, giving Queen Rhiannon a good impression of him.
'I wonder what you were doing before you came to the Abyss?' Queen Rhiannon thought before closing her eyes to peer in Lux's memories.
A minute later, she abruptly opened her eyes and looked at the sleeping Half-Elf in disbelief.
"I-It can't be," Queen Rhiannon muttered. "Is Fate playing a trick on me?"
The Demigod bit her lip before peering at Lux's memory a second time. This time, she traced the memory that she had seen earlier and confirmed that it wasn't just a figment of her imagination.
"So it's true," Queen Rhiannon said as she looked at the sleeping Half-Elf with a complicated look on her face. "Fate, you are a b*tch."
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When Lux opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a peerless beauty, who was staring straight at him.
"Good morning?" Lux said before stifling a yawn.
"Good morning," Queen Rhiannon replied in a calm manner. "Lux, I want to ask you a question. What were you doing before you came to the Abyss?"
Lux, who was still half asleep, replied. "I was going to the Pantheon of Exile in Agartha to meet someone."
"Is it a girl?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Tell me more about her."
Lux yawned before giving his reply. "Are you talking about Aurora? She is currently imprisoned in the Pantheon of Exile. She is also a very pitiful girl that bears the title Misfortune's Beloved. If possible, I want to find a way to prevent her from infecting others with bad luck, so I can bring her back to the Surface World with me."
The Half-Elf then blinked once then twice as he looked at the peerless beauty in front of him.
"Now that I take a good look at you, the two of you bear a great resemblance with each other," Lux said with a smile. "Are you perhaps her long lost mother?"
Lux said these words in a teasing manner.
Although Aurora and Queen Rhiannon had some similarities, he didn't believe that the two of them were related. Afterall, the Succubus Queen lived in the Abyss and was a Demigod.
It was impossible for her to go to Agartha.
Aurora was also a little thin and obviously malnourished from her stay within the Pantheon of Exile.
After a bit of pondering, Lux believed that once she became healthier, her beauty would rival the woman who was lying on the bed with him at the moment.
"Misfortune's Beloved? Truly a pitiful girl," Queen Rhiannon replied. "And you want to save someone like her? Why?"
"Do I need a reason to save someone?" Lux answered. "Isn't that a normal thing to do?"
Queen Rhiannon eyed Lux critically as if looking for any signs of insincerity. Her stare was so intense that the Half-Elf felt as if she was staring straight to his soul.
"Is something wrong?" Lux inquired. "You don't look so good."
"It's nothing." Queen Rhiannon propped herself up from the bed before closing her eyes. "Tomorrow, before you leave, I plan to give you something. I will visit the 69th Layer for the time being. Make sure you don't leave until I come back, understand?"
"Well, if you say so."
"Promise me that you'll wait for me."
"O-Okay."
Queen Rhiannon gave Lux an intense stare before walking towards the window of the room. A moment later she vanished, leaving a confused Half-Elf behind.
Not far from the castle, Antero sat on the ground, with two guests sitting on his head.
Lilian was patiently teaching Eiko a few things, and the Baby Slime was listening to her with a serious expression on her face.
"Lord Antero, I need your help," Queen Rhiannon said. "Please come with me to the 69th Layer of the Abyss. It is of grave importance."
Antero chuckled and slowly stood up from the ground.
Lilian held Eiko protectively in her embrace before jumping off the Golem's body. She didn't intend to follow them to whatever layer of the Abyss they planned to go to.
She was busy passing a Legacy to the Baby Slime that would allow the latter to unlock her true potential and become stronger.
The two Demigods left in haste, and no one knew what they were going to do once they reached the 69th Layer of the Abyss.
Whatever Queen Rhiannon was planning, it had to be something of great importance because she personally asked Antero for help.
Lux, who had been left alone inside the room, decided to sleep a little bit more in order to recover his stamina.
He was not aware that the simple question he asked earlier had lit a flame inside Queen Rhiannon's heart that had remained dormant for nearly two decades.