“Baal!”

“Why is he here?!”

The Demon Kings looked at Baal with startled expressions.

They recently heard that he woke up, but they didn’t expect him to appear in front of them so boldly.

When everyone’s gaze was focused on him, Baal laughed out heartily,

“Ho, I see that the trash sealed in Lemegeton are here as well.”

“… Keuk.”

The lower-ranking Demon Kings glared at Baal while baring their teeth.

He was very aggressive even among the aggressive high ranking Demon Kings and didn’t recognize those above the 9th rank as Demon Kings.

Therefore, many Demon Kings detested Baal.

“Baal… Then you must be the 1st ranked Demon King. Did you need to see me?” Lucifer asked.

“Why, yes. I need to keep my promise to a friend,” Baal responded.

The friend Baal spoke of was Mammon, another ancient demon.

Mammon had brought Baal and the other high ranking Demon Kings to his side to keep Lucifer in check.

Since there was only one spot on the Demon Lord throne, the clash between the two ancient demons was inevitable.

Baal was promised his current position in the demon world and the Holy Aperia Empire in exchange for helping Mammon.

With 17 of the 72 Demon Kings sealed, and a universal quest to capture the remaining Demon Kings outstanding, Baal’s choice could be considered excellent.

As Baal replied confidently, Lucifer calmly replied,

“Do you think a fly like you can intervene and influence the confrontation between me and Mammon? Look closely at the current situation, what has changed? Do numbers mean anything?”

“Hmph! Don’t ignore me. During the Great Demon War, I fought evenly with the G.o.d of Light and wasn’t pushed at all,” Baal snorted.

Furthermore, sooner or later, Mammon would appear.

No matter how strong Lucifer was, there was no chance of victory if he had to fight against the current enemies and the incoming demons.

“Haha! You’re very confident, Baal. If you think so, it wouldn’t be bad to try. Of course, you have to risk your life,” Lucifer said without a hint of frustration or nervousness.

When he finished speaking, the rigid tentacles that came out from his Flamesword, which had been stationary just a moment ago, all changed directions and flew toward Baal in unison.

Sa.s.sa.s.sa.s.sa.s.sa.s.sasa!

It was a wide area attack that left no room to escape, as the s.p.a.ce between the tentacles were very narrow.

However, Baal’s expression didn’t change. He skillfully cut the approaching tentacles apart by wielding his red Explosion Sword.

“I heard from Mammon about your skills, Lucifer. We have been preparing for this day for a long time.”

When Baal made a motion with his hands, several long fissures appeared in the air around him, and other Demon Kings started to appear.

It was a whopping 32 Demon Kings.

It was a larger number than the Demon Kings that were currently on the battlefield.

“You must have insecurities about your leaders.h.i.+p to bring in so many people all at once, Baal. With such low self-esteem, can you really reign as a great demon in the demon world? Also, how come so many chose not to come?” Lucifer scoffed.

“Because we each have different opinions. Some of the moderate and conservative Demon Kings chose not to attend,” Baal replied.

However, the number of forces he summoned, along with the Demon Kings currently on the battlefield, accounted for more than half the number of the existing 72 Demon Kings.

After Baal finished speaking, Lucifer sighed and remarked,

“It’s unfortunate, Rafael, but I think the discussion and battle with you will be delayed to a later time. Well, looking at the situation, it wouldn’t matter if you chose to stick your fate with these newcomers.”

“… I don’t really feel like doing that,” Woohyuk replied.

They were planning to fight each other, so Woohyuk didn’t see a purpose to intervene.

Baal laughed out loud when he saw Woohyuk preparing to leave with his subjugated Demon Kings in tow.

“The trash and their garbage Master are scurrying away in fright. Such spineless fools. Anyways, it doesn’t matter. I’ll deal with Lucifer first,” Baal muttered to himself.

He had brought 33 Demon Kings, including himself.

It was about twice the number of Woohyuk’s Demon King force.

Even if Woohyuk’s party decided to side with Lucifer, Baal wasn’t particularly afraid.

While the three camps were still on the battlefield, a pitch-black tornado appeared within the s.p.a.ce. Mammon was descending into this world.

Hu-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh!

He looked similar to Lucifer in appearance, except for his bright red hair.

Since there was no significant difference in the demonic magic and power that emanated from their bodies, their fighting power seemed similar.

Of course, Mammon had 33 Demon Kings on his side, so overall, he was in a much more advantageous position.

“I’m sorry to fight like this, Lucifer. However, our confrontation is inevitable, no matter how it happens,”

Mammon explained.

“Of course, I was expecting you. I didn’t know that you’d come out in such a flamboyant way, though,” Lucifer sarcastically answered.

Lucifer glared at Mammon and lifted his Great Flamesword.

He pretended to be unperturbed, but the situation was not looking very good for him.

Lucifer didn’t have to pay much attention to the low-ranking Demon Kings, but the higher-ranking Demon Kings, like Baal, would definitely get in his way.

‘In the end, will everything go according to the Creator’s will?’ Lucifer thought to himself.

All those who partic.i.p.ated in the Odyssey Plan in the past betrayed and killed each other for one reason or another.

According to the flow, it seemed that the last one standing would be Rafael’s soul, Woohyuk.

In order to restore the system that was damaged by the Odyssey Plan, which had failed before completion, Woohyuk had to descend as a Demon Lord and negate the irregular code.

The irregular code was like a virus that couldn’t be destroyed by system initialization alone.

Only Rafael was able to counteract the irregular code through his soul, which had the same irregular code imprinted on it.

‘I’m curious what decision you’ll make in the end, Rafael.’

He’d have to sacrifice a lot of things to overcome what the previous Asura couldn’t.

He’d have to sacrifice his former lover, Pina, and her own happiness.

However, Lucifer wondered if Rafael could do that.

‘No matter how I see it, I’m the most appropriate being to sit on the Demon Lord throne,’ Lucifer concluded in his thoughts.

Mammon, who was trying to defeat him using the Demon King, would never succeed in the first place.

No matter what the Creator had designed and planned for the future, Lucifer promised himself that he would surely win on this battlefield.

With that promise and mental conclusion, Lucifer flew toward Mammon with all his might.

Kw.a.n.g!

The clash between the two ancient demons caused a natural catastrophe.

The earth split deeply in all directions, and s.p.a.ce-time fissure cracks broke out in various parts of the sky. Furthermore, red energy like plasma spread in a circle from the center of their clash.

It was as if the end of days had come.

As they continued fighting, Baal supported Mammon with the other Demon Kings that came with him.

“Kill Lucifer! There’s only one throne! We can’t sit there, so we have to make sure Mammon steps upon the throne!”

In general, Lucifer and Woohyuk were not very generous or thoughtful towards demons, so it was easy to understand why the Demon Kings would choose to side with Mammon.

As the Demon Kings joined the battle, the scale of the battle rapidly expanded.

Du-Du-Du-Du-Du.

From the dimensional fissures, each Demon King’s legion started pouring out.

Among them were high-ranking demons and high-grade monsters, which were hard to see in the Eeth Continent.

When the various Demon Kings’ forces surrounded him at once, Lucifer ruthlessly slaughtered them by stretching out numerous tentacles from his body.

Pu-Wook!

Pu-Wook!

The tentacles made up of abyssal mana easily penetrated the demons’ st.u.r.dy armor and defensive barriers.

The demons who succ.u.mbed to the attack were absorbed by Lucifer’s tentacles, leaving behind only empty body sh.e.l.ls.

“Wouldn’t it be better to focus on me, Lucifer? If you really want to sit atop the Demon Lord throne,”

“…”

Lucifer stared at the approaching Mammon who was bounding towards him.

Mammon’s weapon was a crescent blade that emitted a purple glow.

The resulting mana storm that it would bring in its wake had lethal power.

Kw.a.n.g!

Once again, the earth split even deeper with the following vibrations from the clash. It was as if the heavens and the earth were collapsing.

As a result, the Krobaichen Isthmus became h.e.l.l on earth.

On the far coast, the seawater raged, and black rain poured down from the sky as if there was a punctured hole in the heavens.

Meanwhile, the s.p.a.ce-time fissures expanded more and more. The appearance of objects became elongated and stretched. Furthermore, the unstable fissures started to warp, causing plasma explosions to occur.

If things continued like this, this world may truly end.

At that time, another black gap appeared. Lilith and her followers appeared.

“Something interesting is going on. Are the archangels who had shared intentions long ago finally fallen? Have you now aimed your weapons at each other?” Lilith calmly stated.

“… Lilith…” Mammon whispered under his breath.

“So, you’ve also appeared… with you loyal dogs in tow, I see,” Lucifer replied.

Lucifer and Mammon showed outright hostility toward Lilith.

She was one of the main reasons why the Odyssey Plan failed in the past.

They did not achieve their goal because Lilith urged Cruella to touch the forbidden knowledge and to operate the Ark of Knowledge according to her will.

When a common enemy appeared, the two ancient demons paused their battle and looked toward Woohyuk.

“Rafael, kill Lilith. She’s a witch who will become a daunting barrier in the future. If you don’t deal with her now, you’ll regret it greatly,” Lucifer suggested.

“We need to resolve our differences, so only you can do it,” Mammon added on.

“…”

Woohyuk was completely dumbfounded.

The guys who wanted to kill him just a moment ago were asking him for such an absurd request.

However, he couldn’t deny that it was advantageous for him in the end.

“Lilith, I heard that you’ve been planning to sacrifice us Demon Kings to set the Demon Lord you want onto the throne. Well, you won’t be able to do whatever you want anymore. You’ll die to us here!” a Demon King shouted out.

The 33 Demon Kings, including Baal, who were on Mammon’s side, attacked Lilith first.

It was a rather threatening force, but Lilith smiled lightly, as if this was nothing,

“Me? Die? Haha… it seems that you all don’t really understand the situation. Your collective fate has already been decided. From the moment Lucifer and Mammon held their weapons, your fates were sealed!” Lilith shouted out.

Lilith chose Woohyuk, not Lucifer or Mammon.

Everything and everyone was just foundation fodder for his growth.

Thus, she personally descended onto the world with her followers.

She was finally implementing the plan she had been making for a long time.

Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji!

A huge magnetic field formed around Lilith and covered the surroundings.

[Black Demolition].

A powerful barrier that absorbed all magic within the spells cast area was cast.

It was far more dominant in power and scale than Woohyuk’s Absorber Trigger.

“Keuk…!”

The Demon Kings, who had rushed toward her with great energy just a moment ago, twisted their bodies with painful expressions. They were like birds with broken wings.

Then Aleister, who was next to Lilith, spoke with a serpent-like smile fixed on his face,

“Hahaha! How do you like that, Demon Kings! This is my ultimate alchemy! You will now be offered on the beautiful altar as living sacrifices for the Demon Lord!”

“Keuk… Aleister, that d.a.m.n alchemist b.a.s.t.a.r.d…!” Baal said as he clenched his teeth in anger.

He knew about Black Demolition, but he didn’t know that its power and influence would be to this extent.

Lilith seemed to have helped Aleister improve Black Demolition. Even Baal, the 1st ranked Demon King, couldn’t control his own body from twisting in pain.

“…Something keeps going in a weird direction’ Woohyuk thought.

While everyone else was on edge, Woohyuk was watching the current situation unfold from a comfortable distance.

Clearly, Lilith was an adversary that he should be wary of.

However, many of her plans were helpful to him.

In the first place, the content of the plan itself was aimed at advancing him to become the Demon Lord.

‘If I subjugate them all, I’ll have 50 out of the 72 Demon Kings, right?’ Woohyuk thought.

In addition, Baal, the number one in the ranks, was included among the group, so collecting the remaining Demon Kings would be fairly easy.

Of course, some of the high-ranking Demon Kings such as Agares, who was second in rank, were not here, but most of them were moderate Demon Kings who would understand the situation they were in.

Unlike Baal’s group, Agares and the moderate Demon Kings were beings he could communicate with to some extent.

‘First, I’ll have to make the most out of the current opportunity.’

There was no reason to refuse Lilith’s gift just because she was his enemy.

Woohyuk had a calm expression as he pointed Lemegeton toward the entrapped Demon Kings.