Casaric sat on the throne.

His left hand propped against a skull, knuckles pressing his temple. His elbow rested on the black iron armrest, the skull’s jaw forced slightly open, as if silently sneering.

His gaze was cold and deep, like a whole dusk sky compressed into his pupils, revealing no emotion.

When Durlontan was swept by that look, his breath hitched.

A more primitive instinct than fear rose inside him, like a rabbit frozen beneath the shadow of an eagle; his body made the choice before his will did.

No one in the throne hall dared speak. The frost wolves stood rigid, neither advancing nor retreating.

Even the dust motes in the light spots hovered motionless.

Silence stretched on for a long time.

Until Casaric slowly stood.

He descended the steps, the scepter clutched in his right hand. With each step down, the scepter struck the stone stair.

“Clack.”

The sound slammed into everyone’s sternums, pierced muscle and ribs, and struck the heart.

“Clack.”

The heart jumped.

“Clack.”

Again it jumped.

The wolf riders behind Durlontan held their breath, hands trembling.

Casaric stepped off the last stair.

A jet-black cloak billowed from his back and settled on his shoulders like a coronation mantle.

He came to a stop in front of Durlontan.

Although he appeared a head shorter than Durlontan, no one dared belittle this seemingly frail demon warlock.

He spread his arms, like a monarch greeting subjects, like a father embracing children.

“Children.”

“Bow to the emperor of the North.”

Durlontan’s eyes instantaneously bloodshot, berserk red light surging from his pupils, tinting the whites of his eyes pale red.

“The emperor of the North—”

“It is not for a mere demon!”

He roared, lifting his battle axe. Muscles bulged beneath his skin, veins snaked up his arms to his neck. His skin heated, steam rising from his pores and condensing into white mist in the cold air.

The axe blade sliced the air with a shriek, aimed at Casaric’s neck.

Casaric gave him a single warning look.

[Awaken the Dead]

The flagstones beneath Durlontan exploded open, and a rotted arm burst through from under the stone.

The arm swung across.

Its back slammed into Durlontan’s flank, sending his body flying. The battle axe slipped from his grasp and smashed into the throne hall’s side wall.

The stone bowed inward, a large dent forming as dust fell from its edges.

The wolf riders panicked and rushed forward.

“Commander!”

They crowded around, trying to drag Durlontan out of the wall dent, then carry him back.

Casaric glanced at them and simply extended his left hand.

The rotted arm moved, palm bracing against the stone, pulling an entire body from beneath the earth.

It was a ghoul.

Clad in tatty armor, once a knight of the White Horse Kingdom—perhaps slain while defending the city, perhaps dragged underground by demons—it now rose again in the form of the dead.

The ghoul strode forward, each step shaking the ground. It pushed through the wolf riders, sweeping aside the blocking orc warriors.

It snatched Durlontan from their hands, ripped him free, turned, and returned to Casaric’s side.

Casaric lowered his head.

He raised his left hand, extended his index finger, the fingernail hovering less than half an inch above Durlontan’s forehead.

[Soul Peering]

The fingertip glowed, a deep purple point no bigger than a needle.

Durlontan cried out, a sound full of agony, as if his skull had been pried open and an intruding hand sifted through his memories.

Casaric’s eyes narrowed.

He saw things.

The silver floating fortress... the Slime King who could defeat Azazel, the strange flying sword magic...

Casaric showed a look of interest.

He had looked down on these gel creatures born from the swamp.

In the Abyss, oozes were the lowest of beings, hardly possessing brains, but the slimes of this plane were different.

They built a floating fortress, constructed a kingdom where monsters and humans could stand in the same ranks, and even had a slime leader approaching Legendary stature.

This was a race worth enslaving.

He withdrew his finger; the deep purple light extinguished.

Durlontan’s howl stopped. His body went slack, forehead against the stone, his chest heaving violently.

Casaric ignored him and walked along the red carpet toward the exit.

The ghoul stepped aside, its rotting form bowing its head as if making way for its new master.

Casaric walked through the throne hall doors.

Sunlight fell on him and the crown, the sun’s remaining rays flashing dazzlingly.

He stood at the top of the steps, facing Chen Yu.

Chen Yu, small crown on his head, squatted atop Peachy and met his gaze, like two rulers staring across a void.

Is this what Legendary looks like?

Chen Yu’s little face grew serious, he readied himself to use his skills.

Casaric examined him for a long while, then spoke.

“Interesting little fellow.”

His voice carried satisfaction, like one admiring a decent piece of craftsmanship.

“Would you like to become my demon pet?”

Chen Yu leapt up in fury.

“You’re the demon pet!”

“You and your whole family are demon pets!”

Casaric’s face chilled. He extended his left hand, fingers splayed toward Chen Yu.

“Protect the king!”

Big Brother Slime burst out from beside Peachy. He stood in front of Peachy, brandishing a short sword with its point aimed at Casaric, his little eyes showing unprecedented resolve.

“Protect the king!”

The Slime Knights answered in unison, surging up behind him in a line, shielding Peachy and Chen Yu. Their little eyes fixed on the top of the steps where Casaric stood.

Louisa also raised her staff warily.

“Weak creatures,” Casaric chuckled, Gnaw-Gnaw-like, “do you even know what a true ruler is?”

As he spoke, the crown above his head ignited, the sun’s remaining light pouring out through its seams.

Just as everyone’s alertness peaked, believing Casaric would use the crown’s power, holy light rained down on his skin, sizzling and releasing blue smoke, forcing him into a pained howl.

“Ah... damn sun, won’t you rest!”

Chen Yu’s little eyes brightened. Though he didn’t fully understand what had happened, he realized this was an opportunity.

A flying sword shot from a hidden corner, plunging straight into Casaric’s back,

a sneak attack!

[Dome of Life]

A sphere of light rose around Casaric. The flying sword pierced the dome and passed through, as if the barrier and Casaric were not truly occupying the same space.

Louisa raised her staff to fire arcane missiles and spoke quickly through the gel network:

“Dome of Life, a Legendary warlock’s spell. It can create an independent demiplane to shelter the caster and their soul. The caster’s body isn’t in this space; any attack passes through him and cannot touch the physical form.”

She paused, drawing breath.

“But Your Majesty, he has not fully mastered the crown’s power. The sun’s flames are burning him—this is our chance.”

Chen Yu realized this too.

If the crown’s authority cannot be used, and the spell hasn’t fully transformed, Casaric is at best a half-Legendary.

Behind the throne hall, Durlontan rose, clutching his battle axe as they moved to surround the area.

Casaric seemed to anticipate their thoughts. He braced the scepter on the ground, looked up and rasped a Gnaw-Gnaw-like laugh: “Foolish things.”

“It seems you do not know—”

“what Legendary power is.”

The scepter struck the ground.

[Summon Abyssal Demons]

A dry, ancient magic circle manifested around him.

Runes twisted within flame as Abyssal aura poured from the formation.

Ten demons crawled out of the circle: inferno demons, shadow demons, demon warlocks... each saturated with Abyssal stench.

Greater Demons.

Ten Greater Demons?!

Three towering terror demons at the rear strode toward Durlontan, their heavy steps shaking the ground.

Durlontan instinctively raised his axe to block.

The first terror demon’s giant axe came down.

Blade met blade with a clanging ring, and Durlontan’s arm sagged an inch.

Before he could react, two other terror demons slammed into him, sending him crashing into the wall.

The remaining seven Greater Demons charged Chen Yu.

“Mm!”

Big Brother Slime planted himself resolutely before Peachy, lifting his short sword.

[Gravity Control]

Centered on him, the ground suddenly sank. The floor creaked as rubble was pushed into the mud king.

The inferno demon at the forefront felt his body grow heavy, but he staggered his head and pressed on. Gravity barely affected him.

A horned demon strode past Big Brother Slime and kicked it, sending it flying.

The remaining demons continued toward Chen Yu.

The lead inferno demon raised a molten-rock great hammer, its head glowing bright red as the air around it warped with heat.

Just as it was about to bring the hammer down, the flying sword arrived.

[Primordial Chaos Qi Absorption True Explanation]

[Primordial Sword Guidance Art]

The flying sword stalled midair.

Then, empowered by the Qi Absorption technique, its swordlight swelled. The blade stretched into a silver line and pierced straight through the demon’s body.

The inferno demon remained frozen mid-swing, obsidian-black eyes wide, and then split cleanly in two. Molten slag gushed from the smooth wound, pouring across the floor.

The remaining demons narrowed their pupils and halted, unwilling to advance.

Casaric’s brow furrowed.

What kind of magic is that flying sword?

Its speed was terrifying.

Even he, with one misstep, could be struck by it.

While the demon warlock pondered, the demons lunged again.

Chen Yu sprung up from Peachy’s back.

“Go!”

Peachy snorted, turning and breaking out with Louisa and the Slime Knights to force an escape. Her tusks gouged a blocking shadow demon; her ice-armored charge shoved aside two hellhounds closing from the flank as they raced outward.

Louisa crouched on Peachy’s back, staff raised, unleashing arcane missiles to cover their retreat.

They burst out of the throne hall.

Only Chen Yu remained.

[Magic Muscle]

[Slime Ejection]

Compressing his gel slightly, Chen Yu launched from the ground, darted beneath a terror demon’s giant axe, slammed into the ceiling, then bounced down straight into a shadow demon’s face.

The gelatinous ball, bolstered by magic muscle and seemingly solid, struck the shadow demon, denting its face instantly. The demon screamed and stumbled back.

Demon warlocks began casting.

But whether poison mist or control spells, they struck Chen Yu yet were blocked by mimic black dragon scales that manifested. Terrible magic resistance made the demons helpless.

Magic muscle granted Chen Yu strong physical resistance. He bounced among the Greater Demons; even when a giant axe landed on the gel, he sprang back swiftly.

To the demons, this small gel mass was slipperier and trickier than even the most cunning Abyssal fiend.

The terror demons swung wildly; a giant axe struck a colonnade, splitting a stone pillar in two. Walls were corroded by warlock spells into great holes; demonic flame spread along walls and reached the wooden beams of the ceiling.

The castle collapsed in the fighting.

Columns fell, ceilings crashed down, dust surged up and swallowed everyone’s sight.

Galvin stood in the palace square, his gaze fixed into the dust-filled depths.

“Sky Oath.”

His voice transmitted through the gel network.

“Fire.”

“All allied ranged units.”

“Fire.”

The Sky Oath’s main cannons lit up.

Fifty Goblin Rippers fired simultaneously. Columns of light poured from the fortress’s flank into the palace. Blue-white beams turned the dust an eerie blue.

Allied mages cast in unison: fireballs, arcane missiles, ice storms, chain lightning... every spell that could be hurled, was hurled.

Archers loosed arrows, crossbowmen bolts—arrows, bolts, lead shot—mixed with spells and artillery like a sideways downpour.

Finally, the palace dome collapsed. Rose windows shattered, colored shards whipped up by the shockwave, tumbling through the air and reflecting the cannon fire.

Dust billowed skyward.

Mana Tide churned within the dust, forming a chaotic mana zone over the ruins. Everything inside was twisted and dissolved; newly formed monsters there were quickly torn apart.

The battle raged on amid the chaos.

Then a deafening roar came from the dust.

A shockwave burst from the depths, pushing the surrounding Mana Tide aside; the dust was blown away, revealing the silhouette within.

Chen Yu’s gel swelled, darkened into jet black, and quickly transformed into a massive black dragon towering over the ruined palace.

He coiled his neck, head lowered, vertical pupils gleaming amber through the dust.

One claw lifted.

It slammed down.

A horned demon was crushed beneath the claw; his proud horns were snapped clean off, his body rendered into an unrecognizable smear of blood and flesh beneath the dragon’s talon.

The remaining demons stepped back.

The black dragon opened its maw.

[Corrosive Breath]

A mix of dark green acid and flame blasted forth from its throat. The acid hit the ruins; stone dissolved into gray slurry and oozed off the debris.

Demon warlocks were engulfed by the corrosive stream, their bodies dissolving in the acid. Skin, muscle, bone melted like wax, dripping down until screams blended with the sludge.

[Mana Explosion]

Several demons that tried to approach triggered a violent flash as the mana within the acid sparked and detonated.

A pure mana shockwave swept out, hurling demons outward and slamming them into surrounding broken walls.

Dust was blown completely clear by the shockwave.

Another Greater Demon died.

The remaining Great Demons had not yet recovered.

Green light flashed within the dragon’s body.

[Hixiulong Part One]

[Promote Growth]

[All Plants as Soldiers]

The forest burst into life, covering the palace. War-trees uprooted themselves and surged to encircle the Greater Demons.

Chen Yu felt it still wasn’t secure enough, and unleashed another wave of skills.

[Transform Mud to Stone]

[Mud Pellet Sword Crafting]

Melted stone rose and congealed into three forms, gradually taking the shape of flying swords that Chen Yu guided with his consciousness to stab at the remaining demons.

[Kunyuan Foundation Establishment Chapter]

The soil roared like tides, forming high mounds that buried the demons.

After a moment, the battlefield finally fell silent; the corpses of the Greater Demons lay scattered around the pit edges. Some were smashed by dragon claws, some dissolved by breath, some shredded by mana explosions into spilling innards.

None survived.

Likewise, the palace was gone.

White stone, spires, towers, flying buttresses, rose windows, tapestries, statues, the throne—all vanished.

Only a gigantic crater remained, its rim a ring of jagged rubble, the bottom glassified by dragon breath and still steaming.

Durlontan stood outside the palace ruins. The orcs behind him who witnessed this absurd scene fell silent.

What had he said?

This slime’s gel skin might hide a dragon.

The ground slimes had already begun cheering.

“King! Amazing!”

“King! Mighty!”

“King! King! King!”

Voices rose and fell, merging into a chorus.

Above the palace, the dragon that had towered higher than the walls collapsed back into the slime.

Chen Yu floated on his flying sword in midair.

Though still small, no one dared underestimate the terrifying power hidden inside him now.

He lowered his head, his little eyes scanning the dust, coming to rest on Casaric across the crater.

Casaric still stood within the Dome of Life, untouched by the palace’s collapse.

He watched Chen Yu in the center of the pit, brow furrowed.

Just one blink, and a pile of spells had erupted:

flying sword, dragon transformation, corrosive breath, mana explosion, treant summoning, earth manipulation... each spell required spirit or mana to cast.

The stronger the spell, the greater the consumption—basic rules of casting.

But this slime... did it cast without consuming resources?

Casaric’s frown deepened.

However...

If one thought that was enough to reach the Legendary domain—

It was only then that Casaric truly raised his scepter and intoned a rough demon incantation.

The gem atop his staff lit with a black light without impurities, pure as if a sliver of the deepest Abyssal night sky had been captured and sealed within the jewel.

[Summon Abyssal Demons]

It was the same spell as before, but the tremor it produced was different.

Three magic circles appeared around him, each larger than the ten combined from earlier.

Black flames licked the edges of the circles, sucking warmth from the surroundings. Frost formed on the surfaces of rubble.

All three circles flared simultaneously.

A more ancient, more rotten Abyssal aura poured out, as if the history of the Abyss had been concentrated within the formations.

A figure stepped from the first circle.

An armored skeletal demon knelt on one knee.

“Bone Lord, Marzan.”

His hollow voice echoed from within the helmet like a sound rising from the deep earth.

“I answer the summon.”

A figure emerged from the second circle.

A demon wrapped in gray rags, only a mouth exposed. The lips were black as if stitched and torn.

He knelt on one knee.

“The Silent One, Visago.”

His lips did not move; the voice came from beneath the wrappings.

“I answer the summon.”

A figure stepped from the third circle.

Its upper body corporeal while its lower half dissolved into black mist, skin gray-white, as if soaked too long in water.

The black fog writhed.

“Hunger’s Maw, Molher.”

It opened its mouth; inside, no tongue or teeth—only a bottomless black hole.

“I answer the summon.”

The three demons half-kneeling before Casaric pressed the air with their combined presence, weighing down the surroundings.

Casaric looked toward Chen Yu.

“These are veterans of the Abyss’s countless battles.”

“None survived without slaughtering through the worst wars.”

“I want to see how you will respond.”

How to respond.

Chen Yu bounced once.

His super intelligence told him it was time to use his super power.