Shafney had already anticipated Shien’s suggestion. She knew he would offer to transfer the curse to himself. This was one of the reasons she was hesitant to mention this method.

And Shien didn’t disappoint her.

“Even if I’m cursed, I can dispel it with the Holy Sword,” he said, “So you don’t have to worry about it causing me any trouble.”

Shafney immediately refuted this.

“But have you considered that you might die from the curse before you can dispel it?” she asked, looking directly at Shien, “This curse is inflicted through the deep connection of [Ripple Heart Demon]. Even if you have skills that resist negative status effects, they will be bypassed.”

In other words, Shien’s [Inner Manifestation of Heaven’s Decree] wouldn’t be able to resist this curse, and he would have to bear its full brunt. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“Even the Holy Sword’s protection can be bypassed by [Ripple Heart Demon]. Once you do this, you’ll have to endure this centuries-old curse with your mortal body. Are you sure you can handle it?”

Shafney looked at Shien seriously. After all, he was still a human with a mortal body, unlike demons, who were naturally strong and resilient, let alone Demon Lords. Even she was almost incapacitated by this curse. A mere human like Shien might die instantly upon being cursed.

“I don’t want to be hated by little Airi for the rest of my life, nor do I want to owe you a lifelong debt,” Shafney said, staring intently at Shien, “I’d rather not use this second method.”

This was her true feeling. She’d rather wait for rescue and scare away the enemy than owe Shien such a huge favor and risk his life.

But Shien wasn’t making this suggestion lightly.

“I’m not seeking death. Since I made this suggestion, I naturally have a way to withstand the curse,” he said calmly.

“A way?” Shafney wasn’t convinced, “What makes you so confident?”

Faced with her aggressive questioning, Shien was speechless.

Shafney didn’t relent, continuing to stare at him, trying to see through him with her mind-reading ability, not wanting to be deceived.

But Shien was serious.

“What makes me so confident…?” He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and said,

“Because the blessing I received was bestowed by the Supreme God.”

These words silenced the cave.

Shafney’s expression changed drastically, and she stood up abruptly.

“You… what did you say?” she asked, her face filled with shock and even disbelief.

But it was true.

“The blessing I received was bestowed by the Supreme God. It’s the highest level blessing of the God Race, transcending the world itself, possessing the effects of all the Goddesses’ blessings, a power beyond even Transcendent Level beings.”

Shien revealed this truth to Shafney.

“With this blessing, I’m practically favored and protected by the world itself. Under such circumstances, I don’t believe a mere centuries-old curse can kill me, a blessed one of the Supreme God.”

This was Shien’s confidence.

So what if [Inner Manifestation of Heaven’s Decree] was ineffective? So what if the Holy Sword’s protection was bypassed? With the Supreme God’s blessing, the world’s protection, Shien believed he would be incredibly lucky. Even if he couldn’t directly dispel the curse, the blessing should at least allow him to endure it for a while, giving him a chance to dispel it.

“If you don’t believe me, you can read my mind,” Shien said, spreading his arms, a smirk on his face, “I’ll let you use your lie detector.”

Shafney bit her lip, uncertainty in her eyes.

“The Supreme God’s blessing…”

How was this possible? Why would the Supreme God’s blessing be on this Hero? Hadn’t she retreated into an almost eternal slumber? How could she bestow a blessing on someone? When did this happen? What was going on?

Throughout history, wasn’t the only person to receive the Supreme God’s blessing the legendary first Hero, whom only the Demon King and the Supreme God had met?

Why was it on Shien?

“Could it be that the Supreme God has awakened…?” Shafney couldn’t help but consider this possibility.

“Don’t overthink it,” Shien interrupted her thoughts, “Although the blessing on me was bestowed by the Supreme God, I wasn’t directly blessed by her. There’s another reason.”

The Supreme God added a mechanism to the Hero Summoning Grand Ritual, allowing the God Race to summon the last Hero in the world by sacrificing the ritual itself if they faced annihilation. Once activated, not only would the Hero Summoning be permanently disabled, but the summoned Hero would also receive the Supreme God’s blessing and the world’s favor and protection, turning the tide.

Shafney also knew about this.

For tens of thousands of years, the Demon Race had been researching the Hero summoning. Shafney, as the second Demon Lord, naturally understood it well.

Now, hearing Shien’s words, she couldn’t help but wonder,

“Could this be the reason why he was summoned to this world?”

But that didn’t make sense. When did the God Race face annihilation, needing to sacrifice the Hero Summoning to summon the last Hero?

And since he received the Supreme God’s blessing, did it mean that the red gem’s appearance was also related to this? After all, that gem should have been in the Supreme God’s possession.

Shafney was confused.

“Still pondering?” Shien said, exasperated, “Don’t overthink it. Let’s start. With the blessing’s protection, I can withstand the curse and dispel it with the Holy Sword.”

He urged her.

“…Even so, what about the connection?” Shafney asked after a moment of silence, “Don’t forget, you’re not infatuated with me to the point of dying for me. The connection isn’t deep enough to transfer the curse.”

Shien couldn’t refute this.

After all, although they shared a few absurd and wonderful nights, that was all. Besides that accident, he had only known Shafney for about a week. Moreover, he had been resisting her charm, so her place in his heart wasn’t very high, definitely not comparable to Lucy, Airi, Diere, or Melika.

Therefore, he wasn’t willing to die for her. He didn’t value Shafney that much. This was an undeniable fact.

If they faced a true crisis, Shien believed he would stay behind and sacrifice himself to buy Shafney a chance to escape. But this was based on their unusual relationship, not because he loved her deeply.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be infatuated with her to such an extent.

Therefore, even if Shien was willing to bear the curse, [Ripple Heart Demon] might not work.

“The connection…” Shien murmured, then suddenly looked up at Shafney.

“W-What?” Shafney’s expression turned unnatural, seeing something she shouldn’t have in his eyes.

Burning passion.

Lewd thoughts.

Infatuation.

She instantly understood.

“You’re making yourself fall in love with me…?” Her voice trembled slightly.

Shien didn’t answer, just walking towards her.

Shafney instinctively retreated, her heart pounding. This was the power of [Ripple Heart Demon]. Perhaps sensing his intentions, her Unique Skill activated, influencing her through the impression he had left on her heart.

This was why she couldn’t resist him the past two nights.

Now, Shien was clearly planning something, so it was natural for [Ripple Heart Demon] to make her unable to resist.

Shafney panicked.

“You… you’re not going to do something to me here, are you?” she asked, flustered like an ordinary girl. If others saw her like this, they would be shocked.

Shien ignored her, cornering her, then reached out and grabbed her slender shoulders.

Shafney trembled, her heart racing.

Shien said seriously,

“Say it.”

“S… say what?” Shafney was stunned.

Shien said in an unquestionable tone,

“Say you love me.” His expression was serious.

“Huh?” Shafney’s jaw dropped. For a moment, she thought he was joking.

But he wasn’t.

“Seduce me, tempt me, make me fall for you,” Shien looked directly at her, a smirk appearing on his lips, “Even if it’s just temporary, make me fall for you.”

“Come on.”

“Let me see your skills as the Succubus.”

Moon Demon Territory, forest at the border.

A demon man stood there, cloaked in black. He had a rugged, fierce face with hideous scars, like a gang leader, intimidating to behold.

“Haven’t you found them yet?”

The rugged man, seemingly impatient and anxious, kept clenching and unclenching his hands beneath his cloak, the cracking of bones occasionally audible.

His name was Gorud, a member of the Original Demon, an Old Demon Faction, and an Apostle under the Moon Apostle, a Legendary-level expert at level ninety-eight.

Gorud was a well-known figure in the Demon Race.

Before joining the Original Demon, he was a genuine Demon Lord executive.

He served under the Poison Demon.

He participated in the final battle a thousand years ago.

He even fought against one of the Thirteen Heroes, the top Legendary-level experts of the Human Race, only losing by a single move.

Therefore, Gorud was a highly respected executive. If he had remained under the Poison Demon, he might be the strongest in her territory now.

After all, the Poison Demon had ten executives, the most among the Six Demon Lords. And the more executives a Demon Lord had, the weaker their individual strength. Like now, the Poison Demon’s top executive was a Legendary-level expert at level ninety-eight, the same as Gorud in terms of raw power.

Therefore, if Gorud had stayed, he would undoubtedly be one of the strongest in the Poison Demon Territory, possibly even her top executive.

Unfortunately, after the Demon King was defeated and the Demon Race surrendered, seeking peace with the Human Race and the God Race, this former executive chose to betray the Demon Race, joining the Original Demon and becoming one of the four Apostles under the Moon Apostle.

Undoubtedly, Gorud harbored hatred in his heart.

He hated the God Race and the Human Race for defeating the Demon Race and making him an outcast.

He also hated the Demon Race for their lack of backbone and their cowardice, groveling before the enemy for the sake of peace.

And he hated the Demon Lords even more. It was because of their decision that the Demon Race surrendered, forcing him to betray and break away from them.

Therefore, when the order came to gather the Apostles and Envoys in the area and search for the cursed Succubus at the border of the Moon Demon Territory, Gorud came without hesitation.

He had already ordered his Envoys to search thoroughly.

However, after so long, they still hadn’t found her.

This made Gorud increasingly impatient.

“The curse’s fluctuations appeared in this area, so why haven’t we found her yet?”

He slammed his fist into his palm.

His superiors had already instructed that this search couldn’t last too long. With the Succubus’s abilities, she could easily call for help. If they couldn’t find her before then, they would have to retreat.

The Succubus, afflicted by a centuries-old curse, was at her weakest. If they missed this opportunity to eliminate her, Gorud wouldn’t be reconciled.

“We need more people, a more thorough search.”

With this thought, Gorud continuously contacted the Original Demon members in the area, even some Old Demon Faction members he had dealings with, asking them to search diligently.

“I refuse to believe we can’t find her like this.”

Gorud gritted his teeth, suppressing his anxiety and waiting for good news.

His wait wasn’t in vain.

Just as his anxiety reached its peak, a cloaked envoy appeared behind him and knelt.

He brought good news.

“We’ve confirmed the curse’s exact location, Master Gorud,” the envoy reported respectfully, much to Gorud’s delight.

“Are you sure?” Gorud couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes,” the envoy replied without hesitation, “We’ve locked onto the curse’s fluctuations. The location is…”

The envoy told Gorud the location.

“Good!” Gorud shouted excitedly, “Inform everyone, surround that location, and try not to alert them!”

After all, she was a Demon Lord, and even at her weakest, she was still a formidable opponent for those still bound by the limits of life. A wounded beast was at its most dangerous, as it would attack recklessly, willing to die with its enemy.

Gorud wanted revenge on the Demon Lords, but he didn’t want to be dragged down to hell with them.

Moreover, there was also a Hero rumored to have Transcendent Level power. Gorud had witnessed the terror of a Hero at that level. A thousand years ago, when Hero Mitra, having achieved Transcendence, rampaged across the battlefield, Gorud was almost caught in the crossfire and suffered the same fate as Alid, his body invaded and eroded by the Holy Sword’s divine power. Even the Demon Lords couldn’t stop that Hero, only watching as he charged into the Demon King’s castle and, together with Omnis, vanquished the Demon King. Gorud didn’t think he was stronger than the Demon Lords, capable of resisting a terrifying Hero.

Even if his superiors said that this Hero, like their leader, only had limited Transcendent Level power, it was still the same.

Thinking of this, Gorud took out a scroll, unfurled it, reported the discovery of the Succubus to the Moon Apostle, then led his team, carefully entering the forest.

Along the way, he met up with more and more envoys, finally arriving at a cave.

“Is this the place?” Gorud asked the envoy who reported the information, lowering his voice for final confirmation.

“The curse’s reaction is here. The last time it was confirmed was ten minutes ago,” the envoy reported in a low voice.

“What’s the detection magic showing?” Gorud was still cautious. Although he looked rugged, he was actually very careful, never underestimating his opponents even when he was a Higher Demon, a Legendary-level expert, and an executive under the Poison Demon. Perhaps it was this cautiousness that allowed him to survive the final battle a thousand years ago.

In short, knowing how dangerous the enemy was, he didn’t mind double-checking before deciding on a course of action.

The envoy, seemingly accustomed to this, reported softly,

“The detection magic didn’t find anything initially. It wasn’t until ten minutes ago, when the curse’s fluctuation reappeared, that we discovered two powerful magic power reactions here.”

Hearing this, Gorud was basically certain that this was Shien and Shafney’s hiding place.

“What should we do, Master Gorud?” the envoy asked.

Gorud’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly raised a hand. The hand transformed into a sharp blade, and his body took on a metallic sheen. This was clearly his Unique Skill, [Infinite Transformations], which could turn his entire body into the hardest metal and transform any part of his body into a deadly weapon.

“Master Gorud?” The envoy seemed startled by this and asked cautiously again.

Gorud ignored him and simply said,

“Go and send the signal, gather everyone.”

Saying this, he looked around at the waiting envoys and took a deep breath.

“Prepare attack magic!” he shouted coldly.

Yes.

Gorud was ready to attack.

The envoys immediately carried out his orders, gathering their magic power and chanting spells.

“Release!”

As Gorud’s cold shout turned into a roar, the envoys unleashed their prepared magic.

Instantly, the entire forest was illuminated by magical light.

Various large-scale attack spells, like a magical downpour, bombarded the cave. It was a true magical feast, cast by a group of Higher Demons between level seventy and eighty, unleashing flames, blizzards, lightning storms, and other disasters upon the cave.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom…!”

In the next second, terrifying explosions echoed.

Demons were inherently powerful in magic, comparable to Elves. The magic used by a group of Higher Demons was naturally not ordinary, but genuine High-Level magic. The bombardment of countless High-Level spells was a terrifying sight.

The cave instantly collapsed, the surrounding ground scorched black, the trees either shattered or burned.

The scene was like a bombardment.

“Hopefully, this will take care of them,” Gorud said, staring grimly at the bombarded area.

Until…

“Hmph!”

As this cold snort echoed, the world changed.

“Rumble…!”

Air currents swirled in the sky, turning the clouds into a vortex.

A terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the area.

Now, calamity arrived.