Ashen Dragon

"Master, a guest from Hell wishes to see you."

Accompanied by a slight ripple in the Magic Web, Ramp's image appeared before Cassius. He remained respectful in demeanor, his voice precise.

"Are these the demons who love to market themselves again? Just send an illusion to deal with them, they are never-ending." Cassius's tone was somewhat impatient.

Ever since he defeated Balachiel, Cassius had been inundated with invitations from demons, receiving various embellished olive branches.

The factions within Hell all hoped to gain a powerful and unmatched Red Dragon as a backup to fight for them, seizing feats in the brutal blood wars.

Ramp hesitated for a moment before answering, "Master, the guest claims to have urgent business to report and hopes you can personally attend."

"Who are you referring to?"

Only then did Cassius take it somewhat seriously, having roughly guessed the guest's identity.

"That former Devil Lord." Ramp spoke cautiously, avoiding directly naming him—for a Great Devil could sense anyone's summons and respond to it.

Cassius paid no mind, merely shaking his head and lightly stretching the wings folded behind his back, continuing, "Where is he now?"

"Currently in Black Flying Dragon City, being hosted by the leader of the Bipedal Wyvern clan—the Marquis Smaug."

"Alright, I understand."

Before his words had barely left his mouth, Cassius took a step forward, causing the space before him to shatter like glass, revealing a massive void, and the Red Dragon leaped into it.

As long as he was within the boundaries of the Ashen Empire, the Red Dragon, endowed with the power of the Imperial Region, could appear anywhere without restraint.

...

Flying Dragon City, Lonely Mountain Treasury.

This once-dwarven treasury had now become the palace of "King Under the Mountain" Smaug, where he lived comfortably with over a dozen female wyverns.

But at this moment, the usually majestic master of the wyverns was curled up in the corner of the cave, trembling, with a smile on his dragon face that looked more like a grimace.

And a black-haired young man, dressed in luxurious attire and of handsome appearance, sat on the throne that should have belonged to him, curiously looking around.

"So this is the Lonely Mountain Treasury of the dwarves... tsk tsk, even I've never entered before." The young man sighed softly, gazing at the stone walls.

He turned his head towards Smaug, smiling benevolently as he inquired, "Noble King Under the Mountain, me sitting here—shouldn't be considered disrespectful, right?"

"Th-this gentleman, of course not, you are the master's esteemed guest." Feeling the overwhelming pressure from Hell, Smaug huddled in the corner, nearly crying.

The young man appeared frail, much like a noble heir abducted into the den of a cruel wyvern, yet terrifying ghost lights flowed from his pitch-black eyes.

Looking into those eyes, seeing through the illusion, one would behold a lofty, cruel, and tyrannical Devil Lord, laughing flirtatiously, with an immense pressure sweeping forth, putting Smaug as if in purgatory.

Smaug had believed that with his master's Bloodline Gift, becoming a Legendary level figure, he could act with impunity across the Fianso Continent.

But never did he expect that Divine Incarnations and Great Demon Lords would appear before him one after another, making him, the "King Under the Mountain," a complete joke.

Suddenly, an even more intense, nearly tangible pressure descended, making the air inside the cave abruptly scorching, even the stone walls glowing red.

Soon, the Magic Web within the cave surged like waves, space showing web-like cracks, followed by the appearance of a flaming portal.

"Lord Piere, with your stature, there's no need to terrify my Retainers, is there?" A majestic voice echoed from above.

Smaug, as if finding his backbone, exhaled deeply, his eyes reigniting, he eagerly called out, "Master, you've finally arrived!"

Cassius stepped proudly out of the portal, and with a massive dragon body almost sixty meters long, even the Lonely Mountain Treasury felt cramped.

Piere then withdrew his jesting expression, adopting a polite smile and standing up from the throne, "Your Majesty Cassius, you jest. As the most loyal ally of the Ashen Empire, how would I provoke you?

You've recently made a great show of power on the Fianso Continent, successively annihilating the North Aisier Duchy, the High Mountain Dwarf Kingdom, and even killing a Divine Incarnation, which is truly admirable to me..."

Cassius seated himself on the throne, mercilessly interrupting, "Lord Piere, I'm growing weary of devil flattery lately. Say, what brings you to me this time?"

"So it is....." Piere chuckled wryly, his expression turning serious, his voice, once amiable and mellow, now filled with malice, "It's that madwoman, I can sense it—she's grown stronger, having absorbed tens of thousands of souls.

Her strength is beginning to influence the Material Plane, her angels tread upon the earth—especially in the City of Sunrise, when that boundary is broken..."

"Will Augustus then fall into Hell?" Cassius asked.

Piere gritted his teeth and answered, "Yes, and the entire city will become her soul ranch, providing her with endless strength."

The voice of this Great Devil was filled with hatred, jealousy, disgust—and a deep greed and longing.