In Hell, even the most powerful Pit Fiends actually lived under a state of constant fear and anxiety.
Though they possessed strength far greater than ordinary devils, this very fact placed them directly under the jurisdiction of the Hell Lords, who imposed harsher demands and treatment upon them. The slightest misstep could bring down punishment.
The harshness of superiors and the threat of demotion — these were curses that no devil could escape, except for the Hell Lords at the very top!
Therefore, when news spread that the seven Hell Lords had reached an agreement to let their subordinates compete for the title of ruler of the
The Eight Demon Generals were merely the first wave. More and more devils would join the fray. Even the evil dragons and true gods of the First Layer, Avernus, might not pass up this opportunity!
And in the face of a Hell Lord's ambition, what were the Eight Demon Generals, what were colleagues? They were all as fragile as sheets of paper, ready to be punctured at the slightest touch!
Given the cunning nature of devils, the betrayals and backstabbing that followed were virtually inevitable.
By now, even high-ranking devils among the Eight Demon Generals dared not turn their backs to any party.
Just as the Eight Demon Generals took control of the Iron Tower's perimeter…
Amid the mournful blare of horns, a devil legion bearing different banners appeared on the horizon of the burning city.
This legion was composed entirely of Chain Devils, their bodies wrapped in iron chains, and they looked supremely elite.
"It's the Chain Devil legion of the Third Layer Lord — the Lord of
One of the Eight Demon Generals, a Pit Fiend, let out a mournful sigh.
"Get ready! All forces, prepare for battle… Also, perhaps we should send someone to negotiate?"
Zapan suggested.
Compared to large-scale warfare, devils preferred to resolve matters through small-scale skirmishes or clever diplomatic language.
"That won't work right now! After all, a Lord's ambition cannot be so easily extinguished by mere words. At the very least, we need to fight a battle first, so the other side recognizes our strength!"
Another member of the Eight Demon Generals offered their advice.
"No! I suggest we send an envoy immediately!"
However, yet another devil proposed a different suggestion: "Look…"
Several Pit Fiends followed the direction indicated and discovered that two more devil legions were also closing in with hostile intent.
The flames burning upon their bodies, along with a distinctive breed of frost devil among their ranks, clearly announced their identities.
"The armies of the Fourth and Fifth Layer Lords?"
One of the Eight Demon Generals let out a wail: "As expected! Due to our geographic advantage, we could only seize less than one hell-hour of head start, but reinforcements coming from the Eighth and Ninth Layers of Hell will necessarily need far longer…"
"Let's negotiate!"
The Eight Demon Generals quickly reached a consensus. For devils, this did not harm their pride or anything of the sort. After all, they had never really possessed anything as superfluous as "face" to begin with.
Dozens of Pit Fiends quickly gathered together.
And among these devols, fools were essentially nonexistent — or had long since been overthrown by subordinate conspiracies. Those who remained were all shrewd and far-sighted specimens.
Therefore, with the possibility that Pit Fiends from other layers of Hell could arrive at any moment, they swiftly reached an agreement.
All the Pit Fiends, each bringing along the quota of high-ranking devil subordinates determined by their respective legion's strength, entered the Iron Tower's perimeter.
They would compete fairly within the Tower for that sliver of a chance to become a Hell Lord!
…
Meanwhile, Balzefen, who had been the first to infiltrate the Tower, had brought Leilin before an enormous black gate.
The colossal gate of wrought iron bore twisted and horrifying reliefs, and at the forefront stood a protruding sculpture of a three-headed Hellhound, radiating an aura of sheer cruelty.
"This appears to depict
Leilin studied the giant gate and the surrounding reliefs with careful attention. According to the typical tendencies of devils and other beings, this place had been crafted as a monument glorifying Beelzebub's achievements, filled with words of embellishment and praise.
Upon arriving here, Leilin immediately identified several locations that matched memories from Beelzebub's mind, confirming his position.
"Damn it! Damn it! That self-devouring ritual just now consumed at least half of my essence!"
Composed and unhurried as ever, Leilin cut a very different figure from Balzefen, who now appeared somewhat flustered and exasperated.
The words Balzefen deliberately spoke aloud also carried an unmistakable hint of baiting. At the very least, in Leilin's perception, Beelzebub's previous arrangements had at most eliminated thirty to forty percent of Balzefen's strength — more than enough to suppress a "Horned Demon."
"Hmm? Could it be that it intends to make a move against me, deliberately exposing a weakness to lure me in?"
Leilin's eyes flickered. Devils were not like demons of the chaotic evil alignment after all. As lawful beings, everything they did required proper justification.
This was especially true between superiors and subordinates — no matter how harsh a superior might be, they needed solid evidence before they could freely punish a subordinate.
For instance, the Horned Demon Rachel that Leilin was currently impersonating could pose a threat to Balzefen, but because the Horned Demon had always followed its superior's orders and completed its assigned tasks, the Pit Fiend could not simply dispose of it on the spot.
Of course, if Leilin lost his patience and, thinking Balzefen was currently weakened, put his schemes into action, then Balzefen could crush him without the slightest difficulty.
"Sir, I believe we've now reached the core of the Iron Tower…"
Unfortunately for Balzefen, the Horned Demon Leilin was playing did not give him any opening to act. Instead, he positioned himself protectively in front of Balzefen like a loyal subordinate.
"This is the Hall of
Leilin played the role of guide to perfection.
"According to legend, what?" A flash of regret crossed Balzefen's eyes, clearly disappointed that Leilin had not taken the bait.
However, keeping the other party around seemed to be the correct choice after all. Devils who possessed knowledge of the Iron Tower were exceedingly rare, and even secondhand rumors could prove to be invaluable clues.
"According to legend, this place is guarded by an ancient devil bound by contract!"
A deep, rough voice sounded, answering Balzefen's question — but it was not Leilin who spoke.
"Fifty-seven years! A full fifty-seven years have passed… Beelzebub has not provided me with enough souls and flesh. He's practically vanished without a trace!"
Accompanied by roars of fury and不甘, the tremendous voice resounded directly within Balzefen's mind.
BOOM!
Before Balzefen's eyes, the enormous iron gate let out a thunderous rumble. The three-headed Hellhound relief upon it suddenly became vivid and distinct, a brilliant layer of light flowing across its surface.
One after another, red eyes opened, each radiating a brilliance ten thousand times more dazzling than a ruby. At the center of that red glow, a hint of purple greed flickered — a craving for souls and flesh.
"This is… a Hellhound!" Balzefen stumbled backward repeatedly.
In Hell, devils were far from the only inhabitants. There were also Hellcats, Hellhounds, Nightmares, and even humans who had migrated there later!
Among them existed powerhouses no weaker than high-ranking devils! Some could even construct impregnable fortresses and employ devils as guards through contracts.
This particular Hellhound was obviously far more powerful than any of its kind, yet it had been imprisoned here by Beelzebub.
"I am the King of Hellhounds — the Soul Devourer, Chirikov!"
With a thunderous boom, the three-headed Hellhound leapt fully free of the iron gate, hellfire writhing恐怖地 around its body. Its frame swelled enormously in size, though its hindquarters still remained connected to the gate.
"The King of Hellhounds?"
Balzefen stared rather speechlessly at the colossal Hellhound blocking their path, a cunning gleam in his eyes: "Then tell me… a being as powerful as you, ruler of an entire species — why are you trapped here?"
BOOM! BOOM!
Clearly, Balzefen's words had struck a nerve, drawing a furious roar from Chirikov as powerful hellfire spread in every direction.
"Beelzebub! That greedy devil, that cruel Lord of Gluttony! He deceived me!"
Before Leilin or Balzefen could even begin to bait further, the three-headed Hellhound launched into a torrent of words: "He set up a scheme, proposing a contest with me. The loser would serve the winner for nine thousand nine hundred years…"
At this point, even Balzefen's gaze toward the Hellhound carried a note of pity.
A Hell Lord's wager — was that something you could just accept?
This wretched Hellhound was lucky it hadn't been outright killed. Of course, being bound here for nearly ten thousand years of servitude was hardly a pleasant fate either.
"What was the content of the contest, if I may ask?"
Out of curiosity, Leilin probed one step further.
"Souls! He challenged me to see who could devour the most souls in the shortest time!"
All three of the Hellhound's heads drooped, radiating an air of complete dejection.
"With the advantage of my three heads, I should have been able to swallow the souls of an entire city in an instant, but…"
Leilin chuckled inwardly. Even Balzefen shook his head and sighed. Competing in eating capacity with the Lord of Gluttony? Was this Hellhound King's mind broken, or was it actually a demon in disguise?
"That truly is a tragic story…"
Balzefen offered a final summary.
"Enough! You don't carry Beelzebub's scent upon you, which means you are intruders?"
The gaze of the three-headed Hellhound turned dangerous.
"As much as I despise that fellow, I'm afraid I have no choice but to abide by the terms of the contract and devour the souls of any who trespass!"
The three-headed Hellhound grinned, baring rows of jagged fangs and a scarlet barbed tongue.