Chapter 781 |
【 AZAZEL’S SPIRALING WOES 】
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Demon Lord’s Labyrinth, Azazel’s Palace.
Azazel, the Seventh Demon Lord sat upon his throne, staring blankly into space in a daze.
Around him, greater and lesser demons attentively massaged his shoulders and back, while several Demon Kings eagerly offered him his favorite delicacy, sweet melons taken from the elves.
However, the melons, once crisp and pleasantly sweet, now felt completely tasteless to him.
As he recalled the words Samael had spoken before being forced into labor under the elves’ torment, his mood grew increasingly irritable.
A heavy atmosphere of oppression filled the entire palace, leaving every demon in the vicinity silent with fear, not daring to utter a single word.
However, that very silence only made Azazel even more agitated.
Confusion.
Hesitation.
Excitement.
Satisfaction.
Schadenfreude.
A myriad of complex emotions.
But every single one of those looks only made Azazel want to gouge their eyes out.
He had not fallen yet!
But these damned traitors were already beginning to stir up some funny ideas!
Had they started entertaining dangerous thoughts simply because even Samael now had been captured?!
So what if that bastard was a Demon Lord of Higher Divine Power?
Wasn’t he still caught by Yggdrasill?
Had these fools forgotten that he, the great Azazel, was the very first labyrinth master personally chosen by Yggdrasill?!
Did they really think he was unaware of their little schemes?
At the end of the day, they had merely heard Samael mention that his Hell Core was on the verge of being discovered. Believing that his downfall was imminent, they were already seeking opportunities to betray him!
Azazel’s gaze swept toward the nearest Demon King standing beside him with both hands respectfully offering a melon.
Their eyes met.
The Demon King immediately lowered his head guiltily.
Azazel: “…”
Fury surged within him.
He smashed the melon onto the floor and roared:
“Get out! All of you, get out! OUT!!!”
When a Demon Lord unleashed his wrath, even with the majority of his power sealed away, the pressure he emitted was still far beyond what these demons, whose own strength was likewise restricted, could withstand.
Their expressions filled with terror as they scrambled and crawled out of Azazel’s palace in panic.
Yet Azazel, whose nerves had become as sensitive as those of a frightened rabbit, clearly sensed the relief in their emotions as they fled…
It felt as though something had become lodged inside his chest before instantly erupting into boundless fury.
“OUT!!!”
He kicked the melon on the ground with all his might. However, the fruit was too fragile and exploded apart instantly, its pulp splattering across his foot and nearly causing him to slip in his sealed state.
The last demon near the doorway stumbled, shivered violently, then immediately threw itself onto the floor and rolled smoothly out the entrance without the slightest hesitation…
Yet as it rolled through the doorway, its movements somehow became strangely light and lively, as though it might float into the air at any moment.
Azazel: “…”
“Bastards! Traitors! Ungrateful curs!”
He cursed furiously.
The enraged roars of the Seventh Demon Lord echoed throughout the Labyrinth.
Yet as he continued cursing, Azazel’s fury gradually transformed into an indescribable sorrow as an overwhelming sense of loneliness slowly rose within his heart.
In that instant, it was as though all strength had left his body, causing him to collapse weakly onto his throne.
Slowly, he raised both hands and covered his face.
“What… am I supposed to do now?”
Azazel’s voice carried deep confusion and fear.
At the same time, an immense sense of crisis and unease began growing within his heart.
The schadenfreude he once felt earlier while watching one unfortunate Abyssal Myth after another get captured had long since vanished.
Likewise, the excitement and satisfaction he had experienced upon witnessing his old rival Samael become Yggdrasill’s prisoner, only to be thrown before him in a miserable state, had already faded away.
Samael’s words had forced him to calm down, while also making him feel an unprecedented sense of danger.
My First Layer’s Hell Core…
A Hell Core was the foundation which allowed every Demon Lord to revive endlessly and remain truly immortal. So in essence, it was equivalent to the life of each Demon Lord.
Therefore, the possibility that his own Hell Core might soon be discovered caused Azazel, who had lived for countless tens of thousands of years, to feel death looming closer than ever before.
For the first time in his endless existence, he experienced a profound and indescribable fear…
At the same time, after Samael had been imprisoned within the labyrinth, after his initial excitement and delight had faded, and after noticing the flickering gazes of the surrounding demons, Azazel suddenly realized another grave issue.
That was the question of how he had originally become the Master of the Labyrinth.
In truth, Azazel understood very well why Yggdrasill had granted him this role.
Simply put, it was because Yggdrasill had taken interest in his unique ability to draw limitless power from the Abyss.
Ultimately, that ability itself originated from his Hell Core, the very source of his foundation as a Demon Lord.
Before Samael had been captured, Azazel could be considered the true central pillar of the Demon Lord Labyrinth, the only candidate in Yggdrasill’s eyes truly irreplaceable for this position.
However, now another Demon Lord, one even stronger than himself, had been imprisoned within the same space.
If the war between the Gods and Demons had never begun, and if his dominion, the First Layer of Hell were not currently under siege, then to Azazel, this would merely have meant the arrival of another potentially threatening existence.
But now, the gods’ army had already reached Hell’s very doorstep, and his dominion could be destroyed at any moment.
At a time like this… what choice would Yggdrasill make?
To be honest, even after spending several years within the Demon Lord’s Labyrinth, Azazel still felt as though the current Yggdrasill was shrouded in an impenetrable mist.
He could not understand what the other party was truly thinking, nor could he determine Yggdrasill’s actual attitude toward them, the Demons.
However, he knew for a fact that throughout history, every true god had desired to purify the Abyss.
And as the renowned All-Divine Mother amongst the deities, Yggdrasill’s attitude toward the Abyss would certainly not be any kinder than that of the others.
So if given an opportunity to purify him…
Then Yggdrasill would probably seize it without hesitation, would she not?
Not to mention that she now also had Samael.
So even if he were to perish, Yggdrasill could simply replace him with another Demon Lord to take on the role of the Master of the Labyrinth.
And judging from Azazel’s understanding of Samael, that hot-tempered and energetic fellow might very well satisfy Yggdrasill even more than he did.
After all… strength meant resilience, a violent temperament meant a strong desire for battle, and boundless energy meant endurance.
What could possibly be more suitable for a labyrinth boss than that?
From this perspective, even if his Hell Core were not discovered this time, even if his dominion somehow survived this crisis, so what?
If his speculation was correct, then was Samael not destined to seize a portion of his authority over the labyrinth, or perhaps even use his superior strength to completely overshadow him?
And even if he managed to survive this entire ordeal, was it still possible that he would be forced to return to those miserable days when the elves endlessly treated him like a plaything, repeatedly challenging him and farming him for experience?
The more Azazel thought about it, the more terrified he became.
With each passing moment, the sense of crisis within him only grew heavier, like an invisible pressure tightening around his chest.
And the more he dwelled on it, the more horrifying everything began to appear, as though every possible future had already been sealed into a bleak outcome.
At the same time, an inexplicable sense of grievance also began to rise within his heart, quietly festering into resentment.
He was the one who had arrived at this Demon Lord Labyrinth first!
Everything here, every palace within this place apart from the original few, had been built under his personal orders by him and his subordinates themselves!
Matter of fact, he had even been voted the elves’ favorite Labyrinth Boss among all those damned elves!
Even if he had no great achievements, he had at least worked hard all this time!
So why…
Why had Yggdrasill still sealed another Demon Lord into this place?
Why not simply imprison Samael somewhere else instead?
Had she already known that the First Layer of Hell would come under siege?
Had she already anticipated that he would face this crisis?
Had she perhaps… already decided to abandon him?
The more Azazel thought about it, the more fearful and panicked he became, while the sense of grievance within him only deepened further.
Gritting his teeth, he slammed a palm heavily onto the armrest of his throne.
“No… I can’t keep waiting like this…”
“I have to save myself! I refuse to perish! And I refuse to let that bastard Samael stand above me!”
As he spoke, a trace of struggle flashed through his eyes, and he slowly straightened his posture.
Yet after remaining stiff and motionless for a moment, he suddenly deflated once more.
“Sigh, it seems… there is only that choice left…”
Having made a certain decision within his heart, Azazel collapsed limply back onto the throne as though completely drained.
However, it did not take long before he adjusted himself and regained his composure.
Only now, something deep within his gaze seemed different from before.
“I… should speak with Yggdrasill…”
“At this point, the only one who can keep me alive… is her…”
Azazel stared toward the entrance of the palace as he muttered softly to himself.
Yet at that moment, he suddenly realized another issue.
Normally, it was always Yggdrasill who summoned him.
So how exactly was he supposed to contact her now?
But suddenly, a thought stirred within his mind, and he looked toward the outside of his palace.
More precisely, toward the direction of the palace where Samael had been imprisoned.
Azazel narrowed his eyes slightly.
“If I remember correctly… those elves once said that first impressions are the most important.”
“To be honest, that does make some sense.”
Letting out a cold laugh, Azazel regained his spirits. Reaching into his robes, he took out the crystal sphere used to control the Labyrinth…
༺⟐༻
Inside the ugliest palace in the entire Labyrinth, the Second Demon Lord, Samael, wore an extremely grim expression.
“With my strength completely sealed, aside from my divine aura, the most power I can currently exert is probably only at the upper Gold-rank.”
At this point, if he still failed to realize that this place was where the Goddess of Life imprisoned all the demons she captured, then all his years as a Demon Lord would have been for nothing.
“No, I have to find a way to escape!”
Samael’s eyes flickered as he rose from the ground.
His gaze swept across the palace’s grotesque walls and tightly shut gates before he suddenly roared and charged forward.
His power may have been suppressed.
But his body was still the body of a Demon Lord.
He intended to smash a massive hole straight through this palace!
However, after crashing into the wall, Samael discovered with dismay that this palace’s sturdiness far exceeded his expectations…
“A protective seal… damn it, this entire place is probably one gigantic sealing formation! Everything here is connected as one!”
Samael’s expression became even uglier.
And just as frustration and fury were boiling within his heart, the palace gates suddenly opened.
༺⟐༻
Deep within the Demon Lord Labyrinth, inside a dark and gloomy corridor, more than a dozen fully armed players cautiously advanced while scouting their surroundings.
Walking at the front was a Guardian-class warrior player at intermediate-silver rank, who also happened to be the leader of the group.
Clearly, this was a dungeon raid party.
The recent large-scale war campaign was already nearing its conclusion, and the most difficult battles had long since passed. So by now the various guilds had also lifted their emergency mobilization orders, thereby allowing the Labyrinth Dungeon to become lively once more.
Especially because the recent war event had caused heavy losses among many players, while the enormous quantity of captured demon equipment had driven prices down to almost nothing, making them practically worthless on the market. As a result, many players were now searching for ways to earn contribution points.
And carrying newbies through the Labyrinth Dungeon was undoubtedly one of the best options for veteran players.
Over the past few months, new players had continued joining the game every month, and Silver-class advancement opportunities remained just as highly sought after as ever.
Thus, each dungeon run could bring along five max-level Iron-rank players acting as paying clients. As long as advancement rewards dropped, every member of the party would receive a substantial share of contribution points.
As he walked, the party leader explained things to the oblivious newcomers experiencing the Labyrinth Dungeon for the first time.
“This is the deepest part of this dungeon. Once you reach this area, defeating certain elite monsters gives you a chance to obtain keys leading to the Demon Lord Palaces.”
“Heh, you guys are lucky. Most people are still over at the Maple Moon hunting demons on the battlefield. There probably won’t be many people in the labyrinth these next few days, so nobody will compete with us for keys.”
The newcomers nodded excitedly before one of them asked curiously:
“Um… Guildmaster, what level are the Demons here, exactly? Yesterday, during the Goddess’s cinematic cutscene, those Abyssal Myths looked way beyond anything we could possibly fight…”
“Haha, relax, relax. If we were talking about those Abyssal Myths fighting in the sky yesterday, then of course we’d stand no chance. Those were Mythical-ranked beings that only the Goddess herself could handle. But the Demons here are different.”
The party leader laughed loudly.
Then he enthusiastically continued explaining to the newcomers:
“All the Demons here have their strength sealed. The game system balances everything according to the strength of the player party, so generally their power only ranges from Silver-rank to lower Gold-rank.”
“Based on our party’s combat strength, plus you Iron-rank newbies, we’ll probably only face something around peak upper-Silver rank boss.”
“But don’t underestimate this boss. High ranking Demons are still incredibly powerful. Even at the same rank, they’re far stronger than the magical beasts in the Elven Forest or those demons out on the battlefield.”
“So when the fight starts, focus on staying alive. Don’t rush forward. Just lie low and let us old timers carry you.”
After hearing that, the newcomers relaxed somewhat.
But at that moment, one of them looked diagonally ahead and froze slightly.
“Huh? Guildmaster, is that the kind of palace you were talking about?”
Hearing this, the party leader turned his head before letting out a surprised exclamation.
“Huh? A Demon Lord Palace? Who opened it?”
Ahead of the group stood a magnificent palace, as solemn, oppressive, and sinister as ever.
However… the decorative statues outside looked somewhat ugly, and oddly asymmetrical as well, far less imposing than the other palaces players remembered.
“Huh? Looks like a palace we’ve never seen before? Did we trigger some hidden event?”
The party leader looked excited.
Several veteran players examined the palace exterior closely and frowned slightly.
“Ugh, this new palace is so ugly… the art team must’ve gotten lazy.”
“Who cares whether it’s ugly or not? We definitely triggered some kind of special event!”
The party leader said excitedly.
Then he gestured toward his teammates.
“Let’s go! Buff up first! We’re checking this out!”
The group finished making preparations and approached the palace gates.
However, before they could even figure out how to open the doors, the palace gates suddenly opened by themselves.
In the next instant, accompanied by an earth-shaking roar, a gigantic figure charged out and the intermediate Silver-rank party leader did not even have time to react before he was crushed into a bloody paste beneath a single stomp.
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