Ashen Dragon

The soul is something every devil is born with an insatiable longing for; it's a law of the multiverse, and as a Great Devil, Piere craves it even more so.

In the eyes of devils, there are no eternal friends, only unchanging interests.

Cassius knew that if Piere were still the lord of Aphernas, he would not hesitate to cooperate with Wilhelm and become an enemy of the Empire.

Piere's voice was hoarse like a venomous serpent: "Your Majesty Cassius, Zareel is too powerful now, and my forces in Hell are retreating step by step.

Forgive me for being blunt, but those insane 'soulless' under your command, though undying, cannot even provide us with a trace of Power of the Soul.

As an ally of the Empire, I must obtain more souls to continue resisting her and become your support, so...

"Impossible."

Before Piere finished speaking, Cassius ruthlessly refused; in those few short exchanges, he had already guessed Piere's thoughts.

This Great Devil wanted the Ashen Empire to perform soul sacrifices like the Thrace Kingdom, to gain even greater strength, or even create a similar "Land of Souls."

But Piere did not know that Cassius's goal was to achieve godhood and that every citizen of the Empire was a precious resource in Cassius's eyes, set to become the source of his faith in the future.

And the land of the Empire was even more a line Cassius could not allow to be crossed; it was his unique dominion, and he could never permit it to become a grazing field for devils.

Seeing Cassius's resolute tone, Piere forced a smile, persuading gently: "Your Majesty Cassius, your Empire is vast, and its population numerous, whereas what I need is—"

The devil carefully extended a finger, whispering, "just a trivial portion of it."

In Piere's view, these Five-colored Dragon Lords usually regarded their citizens as lowly slaves, expendable materials, caring not about their lives.

Piere thought that with enough elegant persuasion, the Emperor of the Crimson Dragon would relent, sending tens of thousands of pure souls into Hell.

How could he have anticipated—the Red Dragon would be so greedy as to view each citizen as his precious property?

"Lord Piere, this matter need not be discussed further."

Cassius's voice was like a blade: "To assist you in your conflict with Zareel, I will dispatch thirty thousand elite Starfallen—what you devils call the soulless—to Hell for combat."

Cassius's idea was simple: send a group of players as reinforcements, who could level up while battling Zareel, achieving two goals at once.

But upon hearing this, Piere's handsome face immediately turned somewhat grim, with fine cracks appearing in his skin, as if about to be torn apart, and whiffs of sulfur smoke emerging.

His pitch-black pupils shimmered lightly, filled with anger, as if a surge of hellfire was about to erupt from within.

"Boom—"

A powerful hellish aura radiated outwards, inciting terror as if seeing mountains of corpses and seas of blood in Aphernas.

But Cassius merely sneered, spreading his wings as an even stronger Dragon's Might descended, the Power of Laws of the Imperial Region pressing down as well, creating intense waves with their collision.

While the confrontation between these powerful beings took place, Stieg cowered in the corner of the cave, trembling, letting out a low wail.

Was this not his lair?

How had it come to this?

Under such an overwhelming pressure that left him unable to lift his head, the Wyvern Leader began to question his own draconic existence.

Piere issued a suppressed growl: "Cassius, you have gone too far!! Anyone who collaborates with devils must pay the appropriate price, even you are no exception; this is an immutable truth for millennia!"

"Typical devil's concept swapping," Cassius sneered, taking a step forward, as the hellish aura was immediately devoured by his Dragon's Might.

The unparalleled might of the Ancestral Dragon descended upon Piere's shoulders, instantly tearing apart his façade, making it impossible for the Great Devil to maintain his composure.

Suddenly, a tall devil, with wings on its back, appeared in the cave, engulfed in blazing hellfire—this was not Piere's true form, merely an incarnation condensed from Hell Source Power.

Cassius stepped forward, his voice icy: "Piere, you've gotten one thing wrong, in this collaboration, the Ashen Empire is the absolute dominant force.

You're nothing but a deposed Hell Lord; without the Empire's support, you'd likely be skulking in some hidden corner of Aphernas for millennia, like a wild dog evading Zareel's pursuit.

But I have many choices; in Hell, there are countless Great Devils who hold grudges against Zareel; even those few Hell Lords have offered me olive branches...

Finally, the Red Dragon looked down upon the devil, a faint glow in his pale golden eyes: "Remember, it's the Empire that chose you, giving you the chance to reclaim Aphernas.

If not for Zareel... you wouldn't even have the qualifications to negotiate with me."

Every word of Cassius was forceful, firm as a spear, piercing deep into the devil's being.

Cassius wasn't exaggerating; if he wished, the Ashen Empire could indeed sign contracts with numerous Hell Lords for collaboration, though that presented too great a threat to the Empire.

Rather than partnering with those powerful, cunning Hell Lords and risking deceit or betrayal, Cassius preferred to support a fallen Great Devil for better control.

Upon hearing Cassius's words, the arrogance Piere displayed earlier quickly waned, even the hellfire on his body receded.

This Great Devil's form shrank back, reverting to a slender, gentle young man, a forced smile appearing on his handsome face as he bowed and apologized: "Forgive me, Your Majesty Cassius, it was my oversight. I hope you can forgive me.

The Dragon's Might dissipated as suddenly as it had come, and Cassius smiled, saying, "No need for formality, Lord Piere, I have always regarded you as a steadfast ally.

I understand, you were just momentarily overwhelmed by greed and desire, which led to such irrational requests."

"Indeed."

Any rift between them vanished, leaving a scene of harmony as if their previous tension was but an illusion, leaving the nearby Stieg bewildered and unsure.

Then, Cassius asked, "However... given Zareel's current strength, how do you plan to overthrow her, or even—kill her?"

Piere displayed a cunning smile: "You may not know, the day the City of Sunrise falls into Hell will be when Zareel is at her weakest.

At that time, she will undoubtedly exhaust herself maintaining the channel between the Material Plane and Hell, dragging the city into Aphernas, and that will be my opportunity to strike."

Cassius expressed curiosity: "Aren't you worried she might quietly complete the ritual?"

"Impossible."

Piere declared with confidence: "Before completely losing hope, Wilhelm will never willingly abandon the City of Sunrise, and right now, you are the only one who can push that King to the brink—Your Majesty Cassius."

The man and the dragon exchanged a smile, no words necessary.

"His Majesty's merciful hand is eternally warm as spring." In the confession room, a maid sobbed while holding a golden basin, her sleeve revealing scabbed burns, "But why does his robe never get wet when he changes? Why is the reflection in the mirror always a beat slower than the person?" The wood grain of the confession room suddenly cracked like a spider web, startling her and causing the rosary to snap on the blood-red carpet.

Even the most insightful astrologer dared not interpret the emerging serrated pattern on the royal crest, which was clearly the mark of an Abyss Demon, yet cleverly hidden in the folds of a lily's petals. Each time the King waved and smiled at his people from the balcony, tiny beads of blood seeped from the lining of his cloak, following the pattern of gilded vine embroidery, silently trickling into the scratched door behind the throne.