Devil Slave (Satan system)-Chapter 1242: Hell’s Biggest Secret

Without hesitation, Athena raised her hand, the air around her crackling with chaos magic. A resounding slap echoed across the chamber, carrying such profound force that the very walls of blood rippled in response as though alive and recoiling from her fury.

The impact struck Moranda, square across the face, his head snapping to the side as he was hurled to the ground.

The silence in the room was deafening, the chaotic energy lingering in the air like an unspoken warning.

A second cup bearer, one whose body shimmered and flowed like molten fire, instinctively stepped forward, his eyes blazing with defiance.

But before he could act, Moranda, still sprawled on the floor, raised a hand to stop him. Slowly, he pushed himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth.

His lips curved into the faintest of bitter smirks as he bowed slightly before Athena, his voice steady despite the sting of humiliation.

"I apologize, Regent Athena, for my disrespect in the presence of the Hell Mother’s throne room," he said, his tone formal and contrite.

The other cup bearers, seeing Moranda’s submission, immediately followed suit. Each one bowed deeply, their voices echoing in unison as they murmured their apologies. The weight of Athena’s authority, undeniable and absolute, bore down on them like a tangible force.

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Athena’s fiery gaze lingered on them for a moment longer before she waved her hand dismissively. "Learn your place," she said, her tone as sharp as the edges of her chaos. "I will not tolerate such foolishness again."

With that, the cup bearers turned and left the throne room, Moranda trailing behind them, one hand massaging his swollen jaw as the doors closed behind them.

Virgil, who had been silently observing the entire ordeal, finally moved. Hovering closer to Athena, his voice resonated directly into her mind, calm and measured. "You handled that well, Regent. However, next time, consider a harsher lesson. Take Moranda’s limbs and offer them to the other cup bearers as a reminder of what defiance brings. That is what the Hell Mother would have done."

Athena sighed, leaning back in her blood-crafted throne as her fingers lightly drummed against its pulsating surface. "I know, Virgil," she replied aloud, her tone a mixture of frustration and contemplation. Her fiery eyes flickered like a dwindling flame. "But I have my own plans."

Her lips curled into a faint, knowing smile, one that carried a hint of danger. "And plans require patience... not just chaos."

In actuality, Athena was just putting up a front, so well practiced for the last hundred years that now, it was her go-to look.

.....

Athena descended deeper into the bowels of the blood-soaked castle, her steps echoing softly against the obsidian and crimson stone floors.

This was the heart of Hell, a labyrinth carved deep into the infernal earth, pulsating with the energy of tortured souls.

The walls themselves seemed alive, writhing and shifting as countless damned spirits clawed their way out, their translucent forms straining against the blood-red surface.

Some cried, their voices trembling with despair. Others screamed, their anguish like nails scratching at the edges of sanity.

"Please! Spare me!" one soul wailed, its face melting into the wall only to reform moments later, twisted anew by eternal agony.

Once, long ago, Athena had felt pity for these trapped beings. She had tried to make sense of their suffering, their cries tugging at the remnants of her mortal heart. But those days were long gone. Now, they were nothing more than an ambient noise, their presence akin to blades of grass crushed beneath her stride. Their torment was a constant, a necessary byproduct of Hell’s ecosystem, and she regarded them as such—unimportant.

As she moved through the corridors, devils paused in their tasks to bow deeply, their heads lowering in respect. Their eyes, some glowing, some hollow pits of darkness, followed her with a mixture of reverence and fear.

Athena was the Regent of Hell, the right hand of the Hell Mother, Lilith. Though they recognized her strength, it was not her alone who held Hell in check. They all knew that her authority was a reflection of the Queen who stood behind her. The shadow of Lilith loomed large, and even Athena, for all her might, was a conduit of that unfathomable power.

The temperature dropped as she turned down another corridor, this one darker and quieter. Here, no devils lingered. Instead, four towering hell beasts stood watch.

These creatures were the epitome of Hell’s grotesque beauty. Each one was a monstrosity of sinew and bone, their bodies fused with armor made of molten rock and glistening obsidian. Their eyes burned with a deep crimson glow, and their forms twisted unnaturally, with limbs too long, mouths filled with jagged fangs, and claws capable of rending steel.

One of them, a hulking beast with a serpentine body and wings that shimmered like molten metal, lowered its massive head as she approached. Another, quadrupedal and covered in jagged spikes, thumped its tail—a gesture of respect.

Despite their terrifying appearances, Athena showed them an almost maternal affection. She reached out, running her fingers over their grotesque forms. Her touch was surprisingly gentle, her voice low and calm.

"You’ve done well," she murmured as the beasts rumbled in satisfaction, their breaths releasing plumes of black smoke.

These creatures were more than guards; they were loyal to her in a way few others in Hell were. Athena’s bond with the hell beasts was one of the few reasons her rule as Regent remained unchallenged. No devil dared to cross her knowing that she commanded the allegiance of these monstrous protectors.

After a moment, she stepped past them, their hulking forms shifting to make way. Before her stood a massive door, pulsating like a beating heart. It was not made of wood or stone but of blood, thick and viscous, flowing yet solid. Without hesitation, Athena pressed her hand against its surface.

The door rippled, the blood parting for her as though recognizing her essence. She stepped through, leaving the world of Hell’s tormented cries behind her.

Inside was a chamber that few even knew existed.

Only Virgil was allowed to enter this place alongside her. It was a room of secrets, one that held the most dangerous and guarded truth in all of Hell. The air inside was thick, humming with power so ancient and potent it seemed to weigh down on her shoulders.

Athena took a deep breath, her glowing eyes narrowing as she prepared herself....