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The other demon lords immediately understood Leviathan's intentions. Ever since God's disappearance was confirmed, Leviathan had been scheming. He'd already won over two of the lower four demon lords—Samael and Mammon—and now he was aiming to pull Asmodeus into his fold. If he succeeded, Leviathan would control more than half of Hell's power.
This realization infuriated Belial. "Leviathan, what's that supposed to mean? Are you turning against me too?"
The three upper demon lords—Lucifer, Leviathan, and Belial—were roughly equal in strength, with Lucifer perhaps slightly stronger. But with Samael and Mammon at Leviathan's side, Belial was at a clear disadvantage against the trio.
Asmodeus glanced at Lucifer, who seemed indifferent to the whole affair, and then at Beelzebub, who was still munching on popcorn with relish. Suddenly, she saw an opportunity. "So many demon lords gracing my domain—it's quite an honor! Though, some of you aren't exactly welcome."
The "some" was clearly aimed at Belial.
"Asmodeus, don't think Leviathan's backing will save you. Hand over Roy now!" Belial demanded.
At the mention of Roy's name, Lucifer, who'd been quietly cursing Beelzebub and zoning out, suddenly sharpened his gaze. Beelzebub, mid-bite, froze as well. Leviathan, Samael, and Mammon's attitudes shifted dramatically, and the atmosphere grew tense.
Lucifer turned to Belial. "You said Roy's with Asmodeus?"
Belial glared at Asmodeus. "She used some trick to drag him into Hell!"
Leviathan's serpentine eyes flicked between Lucifer and Belial, his tongue hissing as he let out a low chuckle. "How interesting! Seems like everyone knows Roy Black."
Asmodeus was stunned. She hadn't realized Roy had such extensive connections in Hell—every one of the seven demon lords seemed tied to him in some way. Belial clearly had a close relationship with Roy, and Lucifer's reaction suggested a friendly bond. Meanwhile, Leviathan, Samael, and Mammon's evident resentment hinted at some past grudge. Only Beelzebub's stance remained ambiguous.
"Wait a second, Beelzebub," Asmodeus said. "Don't tell me you know Roy Black too!"
Beelzebub scooped up a pawful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth. "I know him, but just barely."
It was then that Asmodeus realized Roy was a massive liability. How many humans could claim connections with all seven demon lords and still be alive?
Leviathan spoke again. "Asmodeus, hand Roy Black over to me, and I'll help you take down Belial."
Back on Earth, Leviathan couldn't touch Roy, but now that he was in Hell, Leviathan's patience was wearing thin.
Asmodeus hesitated. Defeating her longtime rival Belial was tempting, but giving up Roy felt like a steep price. Mammon chimed in, "Asmodeus, what are you waiting for? Haven't you always wanted to one-up Belial?"
"Mammon, are you pretending I'm not here?" Belial snapped, his mental energy distorting the surroundings, a clear sign he was ready to fight.
Leviathan's trio, however, remained unfazed. Three against one gave them the upper hand. "Belial, all this for a lowly human? Don't tell me you've actually fallen for one," Leviathan sneered, his expression mocking as the three began subtly countering Belial's power.
"My business is none of your concern!" Belial retorted. Though facing three opponents was daunting, the Lord of Sloth showed no fear, banking on his ferocity to intimidate them.
Leviathan, Samael, and Mammon were allied, but demon lords weren't like Heaven's angels. They'd unite for mutual gain but wouldn't sacrifice their own interests for an ally. Belial knew this and targeted Mammon, the weakest of the three, hoping to force him to back off.
The silent clash between the four demon lords caused the surrounding space to fracture, black rifts appearing in this layer of Hell. Asmodeus sensed trouble—this was turning her domain into a battlefield. If a fight broke out, even if she won, her territory would be in ruins.
"Hold it! If you want to fight, take it somewhere else—like the ninth layer! It's empty, so go wild there. Don't wreck my place!" Asmodeus protested.
Belial shot her a venomous glare. "Hand over Roy, and I'll leave right now."
Leviathan's snake-like eyes locked onto Asmodeus. "Give me Roy Black, and we're allies. If Belial comes for you, we'll have your back. Otherwise…"
The veiled threat in Leviathan's words made Asmodeus frown, torn by indecision.
Then Lucifer stepped forward. "I think Roy Black is a person with his own will. Perhaps we should let him decide for himself."
Leviathan's expression darkened. Lucifer was clearly taking a side, and if he aligned with Belial, it spelled trouble for Leviathan. While Leviathan could hold his own against Belial, Samael and Mammon combined wouldn't stand a chance against Lucifer. Unless Beelzebub joined Leviathan's side, they were outmatched.
Leviathan glanced at Beelzebub, who was still crunching popcorn, his compound eyes gleaming with the thrill of drama. Clearly, the Lord of Gluttony wasn't picking a side.
Asmodeus was at her wit's end. She'd only wanted Roy as a pet or the father of her child, not to attract the attention of all seven demon lords. Handing Roy to Leviathan might secure an alliance, but Belial and Lucifer could still make her life miserable. Leviathan wasn't likely to risk fighting both the Lords of Sloth and Pride for her sake.
Returning Roy to Belial was even worse—Leviathan's faction would retaliate, and Belial would likely stand by and watch. Lucifer might offer some help, but it wouldn't end well. Keeping Roy for herself and defying everyone? That was a terrifying prospect.
As Asmodeus sat trapped under the scrutiny of five demon lords, something stirred in her palace. Roy, struggling against his bindings, sensed someone watching him. With a shout, he saw Adra step out.
"You?" Roy stared, surprised to see her.
But something was off—Adra's eyes were blank, clearly under someone's control.
"I feel like I know you. Who are you?" The voice was unmistakably Alma's.
Alma had possessed Adra. This wasn't surprising—her abilities, amplified by the Horseman of Famine, rivaled a god's on Earth, even without the soul torch. Adra, though enhanced by Asmodeus, wasn't on that level. Alma hadn't acted earlier because her soul was still disoriented from her recent death. But when Adra tried to make a move, it triggered Alma's survival instincts, and she took control.
Roy's eyes lit up. Alma's mental powers might be his ticket out. "Alma, I'm the father of your child! Help me break these bindings!"
Alma paused, confused. "My name's Alma? That does sound familiar. The father of my child? The one in my belly?"
She could sense a new consciousness forming inside her. After possessing Adra, that consciousness had transferred to the succubus's body, which now showed a noticeable pregnancy-like bulge. This reality-warping ability was nearing Belial's level. If Alma's physical body weren't so frail from her immense mental power, killing her would be no easy task—and even then, her ghostly second phase would be a nightmare.
"Yes, I'm the father! Quick, undo this magic!" Roy urged.
Alma touched her belly, then looked at Roy, puzzled. "What do I do?"
"Just will it strongly—anything's possible with your power!"
Alma's mental strength could distort reality, so even without magical knowledge, she might unravel Asmodeus's spell. She approached Roy, curiously eyeing the glowing pink magical ring on the prominent "flagpole" binding him. It was hard to miss.
She placed her hand on the ring, trying to warp it with her mind. At first, she nearly destroyed the flagpole itself, startling Roy. "Careful! If you break that, it's out of commission for good!"
Luckily, Alma quickly got the hang of it, her reality-warping instincts kicking in. With a crack, the magical ring shattered like glass, and Roy's face lit up. "Great job, Alma! Now get the ones on my hands and feet!"
The moment the ring broke, Asmodeus sensed it and immediately assumed Belial was behind it. "Belial, you sent someone into my palace!"
Belial's heart skipped a beat. She had sent someone—Eloresha, Asmodeus's own daughter and a succubus, who could easily infiltrate the palace. But could Eloresha have acted this quickly? Without her past memories, navigating the palace should've taken time.
"What are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean," Belial said, her face a mask of innocence. As the Lord of Sloth, master of deception and lies, no one could tell when she was bluffing.
But that very reputation worked against her—everyone assumed she was lying. Asmodeus moved to end the standoff. "Keep debating if you want. Let me know when you've decided something. I'm going back to my palace."
Belial couldn't let her leave. Whether it was Eloresha or not, Asmodeus's reaction confirmed Roy was free. She had to stall. "Trying to dodge the choice, Asmodeus? Not happening. You're picking a side today, or you're not leaving!"
Leviathan, sensing something was up, stayed silent. The situation still favored him—Asmodeus might lean his way under pressure from Belial and Lucifer.
"Belial, it was you! You've crossed a line!" Asmodeus snapped, unfurling her bat-like wings and unleashing a barrage of pink bubbles. The other demon lords retreated several kilometers, except for Lucifer, who stood unmoved. The Lord of Pride always looked down on others, only acknowledging those he deemed worthy.
Lucifer saw through Asmodeus's attack—it was a distraction to escape. Belial saw it too, conjuring a mirror to absorb the bubbles. "You're not going anywhere, Asmodeus!"
Asmodeus glared at Belial, seething. "Fine. If I can't have him, neither will you!"
With a clenched fist toward her palace, a massive bubble burst.
Another female demon lord card.