"Right. Besides what Youyan reported, there is one more thing I called you here to adjust."

"What is it?"

"Enchantment will temporarily withdraw from the front. There is no need for you to participate in the assault on Dolongslei." The Divine Will Grand Duke said.

"Why?"

The Enchantment Grand Duke frowned slightly.

Though the front truly was a battlefield that made her sick—what she hated most was filthy blood splashing onto her body—if they cracked that turtle shell and she was not present, it would affect a great deal of the subsequent distribution of benefits.

"You are not skilled at siege warfare to begin with, so I need you to help me find someone."

"Who?"

"That one."

The Divine Will Grand Duke spat out two words flatly.

Sometimes, those two words could mean nothing at all. But when they came from the Divine Will Grand Duke’s mouth, every Grand Duke present immediately understood the implication.

"That one... escaped?"

"Yes. It was I who underestimated her." The Divine Will Grand Duke lowered his gaze. "This matter is on me—I did not do it perfectly. I apologize to you all."

"Even you can’t find her?"

"Precisely because it is me, she is not easy to find."

"Is that so?"

The Enchantment Grand Duke propped her smooth, thought-provoking chin. "Although this does concern something major for the entire demonfolk, but..."

"Don’t worry. What belongs to you will not be lacking. I swear it in the name of the Divine Will Grand Duke."

"Heehee... how embarrassing. I’m also someone who contributes to the demonfolk—how could I casually make Lord Divine Will swear?"

From within the phantom outlined by green ghostfire, that seductive silhouette rose lightly, stretching languidly through wavering shadows.

"Since that’s the case, I will certainly complete this duty."

"Not ‘certainly.’ You must complete it. You also understand that one’s importance... and I’ve heard a few rats have also popped up in the Abyss depths and caused quite a commotion. Go handle those as well."

"Fine, fine, fine. You old things who have lived too long really do know how to order people around."

The green ghostfire swayed, and the phantom that represented the Enchantment Grand Duke slowly dispersed.

"Then what about the front?" the Youyan Grand Duke asked.

"You want us to break the fortress in the shortest time, yet you also pull away a portion of top-tier combat power—doesn’t this arrangement contradict itself?"

"Don’t worry. I will have Ruinfall take Enchantment’s place. His strength is second only to mine. For you, this swap actually increases combat power."

"I disdain the act of encirclement."

The Ruinfall Grand Duke’s tone was cold, his words crisp and brief.

"I’m not going."

"It is not for you to encircle..." The Divine Will Grand Duke paused.

"It is merely an insurance."

"Insurance?"

"You all think that the Lion King’s son coming to the Abyss is a small matter. I do not."

The Divine Will Grand Duke said, "That Lion King’s son is not worth mentioning, but by my guess, at least one powerhouse of the Empire will come to the Abyss along with him. The Empire truly cannot divert an army over here right now, but sending a top-tier powerhouse alone—they should still be able to do that."

"Who?"

"I don’t know. It is only a guess." The Divine Will Grand Duke shook his head. "Our intelligence on the Empire’s side can only be obtained by routing through the Kingdom. In that respect, it truly is hard to infer."

"Is that so?"

The Ruinfall Grand Duke thought for a moment, then said, "Fine. If that newly arrived powerhouse has value worthy of me making a move, I will make a move."

"I hope he has no value that would make you move, and I hope everything goes smoothly."

The Divine Will Grand Duke sighed again.

"Since that’s the case, then let us all encourage one another. I hope the day we see the light of day again is not far..."

...

...

The Divine Will Grand Duke opened his eyes.

There was no longer the dead rot of the Extinction Sea, nor the arrogant bickering of the demonfolk Grand Dukes.

Threads of incense drifted leisurely up from a purple-gold burner, becoming white silken paths that extended all the way to the top formed by countless bizarre patterns.

"This is Chaluo incense?"

"Yes, my lord."

To the side, a demonfolk maid with red skin lowered her head respectfully.

"It smells wonderful. I didn’t think that after so long, I still wouldn’t have forgotten its scent."

The Divine Will Grand Duke savored the incense’s unique fragrance. In a place like the Abyss, this was a scent that could never be found.

"It was offered by Lord Chinu Haza. He said it was spoils after he killed a human powerhouse."

"Heh... for that position, currying favor from all sides—he really has put in no small effort, even knowing his hope is slim."

The Divine Will Grand Duke braced both hands on his knees and said, "Then let him try. With that will to struggle, perhaps he truly can carve out a sliver of vitality."

"Yes. I will go notify Lord Chinu Haza at once."

The demonfolk maid turned and left, looking a little happy.

The Divine Will Grand Duke shook his head, stared at that pure white smoke for a long time, and finally rose. He picked up the lantern at the side and walked along another pitch-black passage.

As the demonfolk’s number one Grand Duke, the Divine Will Grand Duke did not look as majestic and domineering as his seniority and strength might suggest. Even his waist and back were somewhat hunched, like an ordinary elderly human.

Only the tiny horns on his head and his crimson pupils proclaimed his demonfolk identity.

He walked very slowly. Each step landed on old footprints, and he walked along that ordinary-looking passage for a very long time.

At last, the view suddenly opened up. In the extremely scarce glow of demonstones among the demonfolk, this vast space was illuminated.

The Divine Will Grand Duke extinguished the lantern and carefully set it at the entrance, so it could be used on the way back.

Unable to dwell in darkness—that was the rule of that passage. Even he did not dare violate it lightly.

The Divine Will Grand Duke continued forward ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) along a road lined with many stone statues.

Those statues were lifelike, as if real people—only each face was ferocious, as though frozen in the frantic struggle before death, giving one a heart-stopping sensation.

The Divine Will Grand Duke passed them and arrived at the very front.

Tier upon tier of steps rose upward, reaching the brightest place of all—

The throne.

A throne forged of obsidian, like an enormous crown woven of thorns.

No gems adorned it. No gold formed its base. Yet it was still so majestic, so solemn, that one could not help but kneel.

"I have come, Your Majesty."

Before the throne, the Divine Will Grand Duke half-knelt, and toward the one upon the throne... called softly.

The light seemed to sharpen for an instant, illuminating the luxurious feathered robe above the throne.

That feathered robe did not seem woven from materials of this era. From any angle, it showed a different color.

And those colors interwove, forming an outfit of utmost extravagance. Yet from the kneeling perspective below, this garment that symbolized power and identity was nothing but a blood-bright, terrifying crimson.

This was the king’s robe—utmost in the world’s splendor, and utmost in the world’s authority.

And within that robe was an existence that even the Divine Will Grand Duke had to bow his head to—

A skeleton.

Yes. It seemed to be nothing more than a skeleton.

The exposed bone, set off by that vivid, gorgeous feathered robe, looked even paler—only those black, deep eye sockets, as if as ancient as this darkness itself.

The skeleton lay askew on the throne. A hand that had wholly become bone propped up a cheek that no longer existed, as if gravely gazing into an immeasurable distance, and as if frivolously looking down on the one before it.

"Yes. She escaped."

The Divine Will Grand Duke spoke softly.

"She does not want to accept this fate. That is only right. But rest assured—I will bring her back."

"And that matter, I will complete it as well. Everything is proceeding according to plan."

"Yes. Yes. I have already made every preparation."

At last, the Divine Will Grand Duke raised his head. In his cloudy crimson eyes, a trace of fanaticism was reflected as he stared at the pale skeleton upon the throne.

"I will be here, to welcome your return."