Tssst—
Smoke coiled around Zeke's body and attempted to erode him.
Before he knew it, the maids nearby approached from behind and grabbed his shoulders and arms to restrain him.
Kududud—
For mere automatons, each one's strength was comparable to that of giants.
Mephistopheles looked at Zeke, who was being consumed by the smoke, with eyes that had darkened to black.
"Hand over the soul of the Arrogant Savior to me, Zeke Draker." As he called Zeke's name, Mephistopheles spoke in a seductive voice.
Zeke, ensnared by the smoke and held by the maids, showed no reaction.
But then.
"Is this why you summoned me all the way here? For such nonsense."
Zeke's voice came from behind.
Mephistopheles started and turned, only to see Zeke seated once more in the opposite chair.
The body of Zeke that the maids had restrained shimmered like a mirage, and shadows began to rise from within it.
Tssst—
Zeke's clone transformed into shadow and seeped into the maids holding him, forcibly accessing their systems.
The maids resisted the shadows trying to invade them, but it was futile.
There was no way mere automatons could reject Zeke's authority, which had even subjugated the angels of the Thirteen Palaces created by the Primordial Light.
Woooong!
The eyes of the automatons, whose systems were instantly rebooted by Zeke, changed.
Over a dozen maids, their eyes now transformed into golden dragon eyes resembling his own, raised their hands toward their former master Mephistopheles and summoned attack magic circles.
Click!
Automatons stood before Mephistopheles, and Zeke stood behind him.
Seeing this, Mephistopheles took another draw from his hookah, exhaled the smoke, and snapped his fingers.
Tssst—
Not only the hookah but also the maids threatening him vanished from the spot as if erased.
When he snapped his fingers again, the entire study spun around, returning to the state where Zeke and Mephistopheles faced each other.
Mephistopheles smiled at Zeke, who glared at him, and clapped his hands.
"Good! Very good!"
He burst into satisfied laughter, but Zeke's cold expression did not soften.
And he reached one conclusion.
"He's mad."
Mephistopheles and the other fallen constellations had been trapped for over tens of thousands of years in this unstable boundary between dimensions.
Moreover, when the Arrogant Savior vanished and Babel collapsed, splitting the Demon Realm, they had no choice but to seal themselves in their respective domains to maintain balance.
If any one of them decided to abandon and destroy the Demon Realm, this unstable world would vanish immediately.
That was why the fallen constellations, to escape their long and tedious exile, had dominated and manipulated the Demon Realm's races to intervene in the Phenomenal World and gather karma.
"But the fallen constellations are already broken somewhere inside." Even the Grand Lords were no exception.
Mephistopheles soon wiped the smile from his face, adopted a serious expression as he looked at Zeke.
"Sit."
Seeing Mephistopheles's sudden shift in atmosphere, Zeke felt he could somewhat understand what demonkind were like.
"They're as unstable as the Demon Realm itself."
As Zeke sat back down, Mephistopheles conjured blood-red wine this time.
Holding the wine glass with elegant poise, he looked at Zeke and said,
"I've confirmed that you've inherited the soul of the Arrogant Savior."
At those words, Zeke glared at Mephistopheles and replied,
"You could've figured that out just by looking."
Mephistopheles swirled the wine glass, savored the aroma, and responded leisurely. "Wasting time with pointless pranks is a demon's virtue, don't you think, Zeke Draker?" Zeke furrowed his brow at Mephistopheles's words. "I have no desire to waste time on your word games." He continued in a firm voice.
"I have two demands. First, convene the Grand Lords' council. Second, reveal to me the hidden truth that the Arrogant Savior spoke of."
Mephistopheles smiled at Zeke's words and said,
"You're impatient, Zeke Draker. A Grand Lord requires leisure and dignity befitting the title."
"With the celestial constellations of the Celestial Realm trying to lead the Phenomenal
World to apocalypse, can you afford to take it easy?"
Mephistopheles frowned at the mention of the Celestial Realm's constellations and looked at Zeke. Zeke shook his head at his reaction and spoke again.
"The Watchers of the Apocalypse have awakened. It may not have been the orthodox way, but you can take it as a revelation that the end is approaching."
When all the angels of the Thirteen Palaces, created by the Primordial Light, awakened, civilization would regress to its origins, and the current era would become a "fragment of forgotten time," preserved only in records.
Mephistopheles dispelled the wine glass he held and looked at Zeke.
"What did the Arrogant Savior say to you, Zeke Draker?" Zeke pondered for a moment before speaking.
"He told me to absorb the Demon King's power and shatter the wheel of fate." At his words, Mephistopheles's eyes widened.
"Absorb the Demon King's power?"
The Arrogant Savior had proposed a direction different from the descent or resurrection of the Demon King that others had pursued.
Zeke closely observed Mephistopheles's reaction.
If he showed any unexpected movement, he planned to attack immediately.
'This is essentially his unique domain. But if I deploy the Purgatory unique domain I received from Satan and draw him in...'
As he contemplated his attack strategy, Mephistopheles suddenly began clapping.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
He stood from his seat, wore a satisfied expression, and said to Zeke,
"Indeed, the Arrogant Savior. What an excellent plan."
Zeke remained vigilant despite Mephistopheles's positive words, watched his movements.
But there was no sign of aggression.
Mephistopheles looked at the wary Zeke and said,
"Zeke Draker, as you know, the other Grand Lords, unlike me, won't take kindly to the Arrogant Savior's plan."
Zeke nodded at his words.
"I know. If any oppose, I'll crush them. I heard the Demon Realm follows the words of the strong."
At his less-than-friendly tone, Zeke and Mephistopheles glared at each other.
Kugugugu!
Their powerful auras clashed between them, sending waves rippling outward.
As the tension between them grew, Zeke prepared to draw his sword at any moment.
But then Mephistopheles withdrew his aura first, scratched his neck and shuddered as he spoke.
"Haa, no, can't do that. I keep getting excited without realizing it."
Mephistopheles steadied his breathing to calm his excitement and smiled mildly at Zeke once more.
"Zeke Draker, I'll convene the Grand Lords' council as you wish. There, we'll acclaim you as the new lord of the Demon Realm and declare the Phenomenal World as your domain."
If Zeke, bearing the title of lord of the Demon Realm, declared the Phenomenal World as his domain, the demons under other lords could not enter it recklessly.
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles, who had proposed a condition he hadn't anticipated, and asked,
"And what is the price for that?"
Mephistopheles grinned and said,
"Grant Pandemonium exclusive rights to exchange with the Phenomenal World."
"Exclusive exchange rights. If you think I'll trade human souls..." Mephistopheles shook his head at his words.
"The Demon Realm's land is barren beyond measure. Things from the Phenomenal World, beyond human souls, are of great help to us."
Currently, free exchange between the Phenomenal World and the Demon Realm was impossible.
But if Zeke declared the Phenomenal World as his domain as lord, smoother exchanges than before would become possible.
Zeke thought for a moment at Mephistopheles's words and nodded.
"If that's the condition, it's feasible."
"Good, then the deal is sealed." He said with a smile.
"It'll take some time to contact the Grand Lords. I'll provide you a room, so rest comfortably."
As Mephistopheles spoke and waved his hand, the space where Zeke had been instantly changed from the study to the swimming pool where they first met.
Beside Zeke stood the slender maid who had guided him initially.
"I'll escort the esteemed guest to his room."
As Zeke moved to follow the maid out of the swimming pool, a loud laugh from behind made him turn.
"Hahaha! So that's when I led the knights and..."
Arataso was at the bar, drinking a cocktail and regaling the automatons with tales of his exploits.
Zeke stared at Arataso for a moment before snapping his fingers.
Tssst—
Arataso's form reverted to that of a sword.
Perhaps because his power was unsealed, it was no longer the green sword but the Dawn Sword, its color gleaming in red gold.
'What the hell? Suddenly?'
Zeke responded to Arataso's indignant voice echoing in his mind.
'You looked like you were having a great time.'
'Ahem, what do you mean?'
'You were this close to defecting to their side.'
With that, Zeke gripped the sword's hilt tighter.
"Aaack! Stop! Stop!"
Zeke headed to the room, dragging the protesting Arataso along with the maid.
*
Kugugugu!
Mephistopheles stood in a dark room, holding a wine glass.
Four mirrors surrounded him.
Soon, the mirrors rippled, and black figures began to emerge from within.
Mephistopheles looked at the beings in the mirrors and said,
"I hope you've all been well."
The figures revealing themselves were none other than the Grand Lords, rulers of the Demon Realm.
In the Abyss to the east of the Demon Realm,
The Ruthless Sovereign and the Unyielding Arbiter of Strictness waged endless war over that domain.
In contrast, the Lord of the Abyss ruled the south's Abaddon, and the Lord of Unyielding Fiery Passion governed the north's Gehenna without major conflicts.
And Mephistopheles was the master of Pandemonium, the largest and most prosperous domain among all in the Demon Realm.
The Grand Lords in the mirrors spoke to him.
[Mephistopheles, still that insufferable face.]
[I want to crush you right now.]
[Why have you summoned us?]
Mephistopheles smiled at their varied reactions, raised his wine glass, and said,
"A human who has inherited the soul of the Arrogant Savior wishes to attend the Grand Lords' council."
At his words, the shadows of the other Grand Lords wavered.
[The Arrogant Savior! That cursed dictator's soul has been inherited by a human?] [Impossible!]
The Ruthless Sovereign and the Unyielding Arbiter of Strictness reacted most vehemently.
As Mephistopheles showed no particular response, the Lord of Unyielding Fiery Passion from Gehenna spoke calmly.
[A human suddenly inheriting the Arrogant Savior's soul? Mephistopheles, what scheme are you plotting?]
Mephistopheles shrugged at his words and replied,
"Scheme? Don't say things that could be misunderstood."
The Lord of Unyielding Fiery Passion never trusted Mephistopheles, so he wore a displeased expression at the answer.
Then, the silent Lord of the Abyss spoke.
[The soul of the Arrogant Savior... Tempting. I'll take it.]
At his words, the Ruthless Sovereign and the Unyielding Arbiter of Strictness shouted excitedly.
[Nonsense! It's mine! I'll twist that weak human's neck and devour his soul too!]
[Fool! If you devour that soul, I'll devour it along with yours!]
[Try it if you can!]
As the two lords raised their voices noisily, Mephistopheles's eyes, holding the wine glass, turned violet.
Woooong!
His immense power transmitted through the mirrors to the Grand Lords.
As the mightiest among all Grand Lords, Mephistopheles forced the others into silence with his strength.
As the commotion died down, he slowly spoke.
"You're all just spouting nonsense."
Mephistopheles continued in a cold voice.
"I will use the Arrogant Savior's successor to revive Babel."