Chapter 585: Chapter 585- Gathering of the Heavenly Kings (2)

Astaroth looked at the cocoons and smiled.

Just then, space behind him convulsed. The air warped with green and black light, fracturing the fabric of space.

Before long, a portal was formed.

From within, a figure stepped out.

The figure wore high heels, had a tall slender figure, and draped a dark green coat. She had citrine colored hair, a beautiful face with dark eyelids. Venomous glowing pupils and black sclera.

From her head protruded two horns that elongated behind like a crown. Whether it be her aura or her poise, she exuded a calm, calculated, dangerous presence like a poisonous flower.

Beautiful yet deadly.

Behind her emerged another figure with flamboyant steps.

Dressed in motley colors of deep crimson and violet, bells hung from his horn tips and jingled every time he moved.

With pointy shoes and that ridiculous appearance, the identity of the figure was obvious.

A mid-ranking demon, Jester-Jester.

The Jester-Jester bowed theatrically towards Astaroth.

As for the woman walking forward, she inclined her head a little in acknowledgement of the being in front of her.

"Congratulations on your revival, Astaroth."

The Eighth Heavenly King didn’t even bother to glance at the Jester-Jester; his attention was on the woman from start to finish. That appearance and insolence, there was only one demoness who came to mind.

Still lounging on his throne, he snorted at the greeting.

"Ninth Heavenly King, Duvessa. So you came, huh."

As it turns out, the woman was none other than the Ninth Heavenly King who turned the Kingdom of Aetherion upside down and almost stole its Supreme Divine Treasure.

The one who manipulated Jenea for years by wearing the skin of her grandma and the mastermind behind the recent upheaval of Solaris.

Now that she had no use for the old woman, she simply discarded the skin and showed her true appearance.

Duvessa smirked, glancing out over the writhing demonic horde below.

"It seems you wasted no time turning a prison into a kingdom. And it looks like your Demon Generals are soon going to be born."

Astaroth refused to comment. He simply sat on his throne and waited for the numerous cocoons to hatch.

Once they did, he would launch his attack on the kingdom above and free himself from this prison that sealed him for centuries.

"Such lovely despair! Such delicious panic! Shall we open more doors, my kings?"

The Jester-Jester giggled, spinning in place.

"That annoying thing... so it possesses ancient bloodline, huh. No wonder you keep him around."

Astaroth gave a brief glance at Jester-Jester. With just a single look, he was easily able to determine the power residing within the mid-ranking demon.

"He has his uses."

Duvessa did not delve on this topic anymore and curtly changed the subject.

"The remaining human kingdoms are showing surprising resilience. The birth of those abominable heroes has also increased in recent years. It makes me wonder if those old gods have a hand in it."

Astaroth thought for a second before replying.

"Unlikely. Those old gods should be dead."

Although Astaroth had survived many battles and wreaked havoc in the continent, even he didn’t know much about the catastrophic ancient war that began in the era of the Gods.

Still, heroes, huh?

In every age and era, there are always those who rise to resist their advance. Beings of immense power who could even fight Heavenly Kings like them.

Surpassing all odds and carrying the hope and will of all humanity, they stood in the way of the forces of Darkness time and time again.

What was even more annoying was that even if you killed these heroes, others inherited their will and rose to the challenge.

Generation after generation, they inspire the ones below them and then burn away their life to carve a future for others.

Those were the kind of existences heroes are.

Despicable, abominable, cockroaches that refuse to die down.

Had it not been for existences like them, the demons would have long conquered the continent of Valdonia.

Even if the times have changed, and it was no longer the period from a hundred years ago, Astaroth still took them seriously.

It might have been just his avatar, but it had clashed with one of the heroes of this age.

A man riding a huge black griffin variant. Arrogant and insufferable.

The loss of his avatar still stung him.

"There are currently three such existences above. What are your plans?"

Duvessa questioned. She had investigated the Kingdom of Lunaris thoroughly as it was destined to be the next battleground.

She was also in touch with Astaroth while stirring up trouble all around the continent.

"Assemble everyone. Once my Demon Generals finish constructing their body, we will be breaking out."

The Jester-Jester nodded its head and opened a spatial gate.

Soon, a figure stepped out of the portal and stood before everyone.

He had a large build, his arms and thighs the size of a tree’s trunk. He had a square jawline, a stoic face, and ram horns protruding out of his head.

Decked out in a suit, he looked more like a businessman than a demon.

"Beleth greets the Eighth and Ninth Heavenly Kings."

The demon who introduced himself as Beleth inclined his head towards Astaroth and Duvessa.

"So you are the Tenth Heavenly King, huh. It has been a long time, and many things have changed. What happened to Purson?"

Astaroth slightly acknowledged the new entrant.

Although the Tenth Heavenly King was not the demon he knew anymore, the demon named Beleth was still familiar to him.

"Lord Purson died by the hands of a Hero 65 years ago. I was chosen by the fragment next."

So that was the case.

Astaroth nodded his head.

Then he tilted it to the side, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Why are you alone? Don’t tell me this is all the reinforcement you all managed to get?"

His tone, slightly annoyed, fell on Duvessa. They had long planned for this moment. The day when he would revive and destroy one of the Seven Great Kingdoms.

For that goal, they had even set aside their own disdain for each other and collaborated on certain matters.

Yet this was the result?

"The Eleventh Heavenly King Malcroth and Twelfth Heavenly King Skarnyx have been killed."

Duvessa answered with a mix of exasperation and resentment.

She had once tried to warn these two fools who had been newly chosen by their fragments about the potential risk of their plan.

However, the two were clearly above their heads after gaining that kind of power.

In the battle, they lost their lives and their entire legion, causing the forces of Darkness to suffer a setback.

Although she tried to make up for it by stealing their Supreme Treasure, she had to stop midway due to the intervention of one of the heroes.

If anyone had the right to be frustrated, it was her.

"Malcroth? Skarnyx? So the wielders have changed owners once again, huh? So who killed them?"

Beleth stood in silence while Duvessa looked at Astaroth with interest.

"I’m sure you recognize this person. He is someone you fought before. Though you ended up eating a loss."

Demons’ nature never changed. There was clearly a hint of gloating in Duvessa’s voice and she did not even try to hide it.

"Tsk. So it’s that damn hero calling himself the Dark Knight, huh."

Astaroth’s face was a sight to see. It was common knowledge to every human and demon that the Eighth Heavenly King had once clashed with the Dark Knight in the battle of the Black Tide.

Although it was just his avatar, it was still a humiliating defeat for Astaroth.

How could he forget that arrogant man?

"Still, to think he has the power to defeat two Heavenly Kings. Even if they were bottom feeders, were those two that weak?"

"Don’t misunderstand, Astaroth." Duvessa shook her head, correcting him. "The Black Knight is far stronger than when he fought with you. And besides, the Eleventh died in the hands of a different hero. The one who clashed against the Seventh."

"Oh? How did the fight go?"

Maybe his interest was piqued, or maybe he had nothing else to discuss; his eyes narrowed on Duvessa, seeking more information.

"Although the Seventh was only using his avatar, he still managed to inflict the hero with the Demon Lord’s Curse."

At those words, Astaroth lost interest. If that hero could fall to such a simple scheme, they could never catch his eye.

"I once judged him to be weak too. However, that man destroyed such thoughts of mine. Not only did he survive the curse, but he also came back stronger. My instincts are telling me that he is a dangerous man, one who may ruin our plan."

Duvessa still remembered the warning the Ultimate Demonic Treasure, the Black Sun Needle gave her and the white fire that devoured her arm.

If not for her quick thinking, she might have been killed too.

The Jester-Jester behind her trembled, recalling those memories.