Chapter 516: Grayfia's Escape
No one knew where the silver-haired woman was at this exact moment. For her part, she only needed to wait quietly for the veil of night to fall. Even an iron-blooded warrior could feel the heavy, aching pull of exhaustion after wading through endless slaughter.
On this particular day, it seemed as if silver-haired women everywhere were enduring a trying time. Right now, on the blood-soaked battlefields of the Underworld, a brilliant, lethal figure carved her way through the front lines of the opposing armies.
Whether it was her flawlessly cold beauty or her proud, elegant figure, her appearance formed a stark, almost jarring contrast with her terrifying combat power.
This was Grayfia Lucifuge, one of the absolute strongest women in the Underworld. The title 'Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation' was not bestowed lightly; her legendary fame for both stunning beauty and merciless ferocity truly went hand in hand.
After systematically eliminating the most crucial enemy presences as usual, Grayfia retreated to her temporary quarters. Because she was a core commander of this military operation, and her noble family had served the Lucifer bloodline for generations, her resting place was excessively luxurious.
Grayfia stood in the center of the opulent room, her cold eyes sweeping over the velvet drapes and gilded furniture. She fell silent for a long moment before letting out a heavy, weary sigh. "War... death... I am so utterly tired of it all. And to serve that absolute madman, Rizevim... I refuse. I absolutely refuse."
Despite her quiet declaration, she knew the reality of her situation perfectly well. If she attempted to abandon the war effort, she would undoubtedly be hunted down by the Old Satan Faction. Not merely pursued, but ruthlessly hunted like an animal.
Those ancient devils never considered life to be precious, nor did they view it as entirely worthless. To them, life was simply a toy. Rizevim, in particular, possessed a deeply twisted sense of playfulness.
Rizevim Livan Lucifer—the direct descendant born to the original Devil King Lucifer and the Mother of Demons, Lilith. His raw power was catastrophic, earning him the moniker 'Lilith's Son' within the annals of the Bible.
However, the man's mind was exceptionally abnormal. He treated everything and everyone as playthings resting in the palm of his hand, deriving a sick, euphoric pleasure from tormenting others. He had once ordered his own son to violently persecute his grandson, sitting back to enjoy the show. Later, when his grandson finally managed to escape, Rizevim suddenly complained that his life had become boring again.
The most chilling part of it all was the aftermath. Driven by sheer boredom, Rizevim had directly tortured his own son to death, only to complain afterward that the man had died too quickly and ruined the fun.
That was the kind of monster Rizevim was. He was an existence far more demonic than any ordinary demon. Unless one was a hopeless masochist or simply tired of living, absolutely no one in their right mind would ever want to serve a Lucifer like him.
Even knowing the Old Satan Faction would dispatch executioners after her, Grayfia was thoroughly fed up. She refused to throw her life away for such a vile master.
In this moment, Grayfia perfectly embodied an old truth: there was no predicting the sheer, outrageous willfulness of a woman pushed to her limits. She was actively mapping out an escape route in her mind. She was going to run, and no one in this wretched realm was going to stop her.
As she saw it, this defection could only end in one of three ways. First, she could join the Anti-Satan Faction and continue fighting. However, the reformists were far more lenient; they wouldn't force her to the front lines every single day. Her participation would depend entirely on her own mood and terms.
The second option was to reject both sides entirely and flee to a place where no one knew her face—specifically, escaping the Underworld altogether. She personally considered this the ideal method, as the human world offered countless ways to mask her demonic signature and live in peace.
The final outcome was that she would die on the run. The probability of this was dangerously high; the Old Satan Faction would never allow a strategic asset like her to leave alive. But she didn't care anymore. She had to seize her freedom.
Having made her decision, Grayfia raised her voice slightly. "Dinner."
A few moments later, a servant entered, carefully pushing a silver dining cart. Grayfia kept her expression perfectly neutral. "Prepare one additional portion. Today's battle was far too exhausting."
After the servant bowed and left the room, Grayfia sat down and ate in total silence. High-class demons did not strictly require food to survive, but consuming a rich meal was an efficient way to replenish lost stamina and demonic energy. If she requested too much food at once, it would definitely raise suspicion. The servants wouldn't dare report her directly, but they would certainly gossip in private.
The ancient elders leading the Old Satan Faction were terrifyingly cunning. If they caught wind that she was rapidly stockpiling her magic and physical reserves, they would instantly deduce her plan to defect.
After finishing the lavish meal, Grayfia waved a hand dismissively. The attending maids swiftly cleared the silver platters and dispersed, leaving her alone once more. Grayfia lay back against the plush pillows of her bed, her silver hair spilling across the sheets.
"Will the next battle be my window to leave...?" she whispered to the empty room.
She slowly closed her eyes, letting her breathing steady into a peaceful rhythm. She needed to conserve every ounce of her physical and mental strength for the trial ahead.
Meanwhile, in a much brighter and livelier setting, Ren glanced at the chaotic scene spread out before him. He tilted his head, a wry smile touching his lips. "Personally, I feel it might be better if we cut back on the drinking."
Justice adjusted her dark shades and nodded in agreement, though her signature grin remained firmly in place. "Agreed. But you have to admit, it's really impressive. Both Shizuka and Chihiro can drink themselves into a blinding migraine and still keep going. Now those are two excellent young women!"
Lucifer swirled the amber liquid in her glass, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Your definition of 'excellent' is tragically simple."
"What's the big deal?" Justice chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "Being too serious all the time just makes you look stiff. Anyway, Ren, where are we heading next?"
"According to Lucifer's itinerary, we need to pick up the rest of the daily necessities, and then we're paying a visit to the WGO, right?" Ren asked, looking over at the white-haired CEO.
Lucifer nodded, her haughty demeanor returning. "That is correct. When Mana and the others return tonight, we will purchase the remaining items for you. Once that is settled, we can head straight home."
Justice tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, that's a very reasonable arrangement. As expected of our glorious Lucifer. So, what are we waiting for? The meat is gone, and the wine is dry. Let's move."
Ren nodded in agreement. Beside him, Nami stood up and stretched her arms high above her head, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Man, that wine was really good! Aoandon, are you holding up alright?"
Aoandon offered a polite, slightly flushed nod. "It was a slight miscalculation of my own tolerance, but I am perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern, Nami."
"No problem at all!" Nami grinned, before her eyes darted over to the CEO of Hell. "Oh? Speaking of which, Miss Lucifer surprisingly has a really good alcohol tolerance!"
Lucifer's brow twitched, her pride instantly pricked. "And just what kind of tolerance did you expect me to have in your mind?"
"You know, the 'two drinks and passed out under the table' type."
"I am not that weak!" Lucifer shouted, her refined composure cracking. "Why would you even assume something so insulting?!"
Nami rubbed the back of her neck, laughing a bit awkwardly. "Well, Miss Lucifer, you're pretty much the walking definition of 'moe gap'. You act all high and mighty, but you have so many clumsy moments. I just figured being a total lightweight would fit your character perfectly."
Lucifer's mouth twitched violently. "Nami... I do not exist simply to provide a 'contrast' for your amusement."
Justice smirked, unable to resist piling on. "Getting her out of the office to do actual work is the biggest contrast of all."
Lucifer shot her a withering glare. "If you drop the subject of work right now, we can still be friends."
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