A certain incomplete [Hell Dimension].
Satana Hellstrom walked across a desolate, sulfurous land.
Although she could have simply used teleportation magic to reach Marduk Kurios' palace.
To complete the task Karl had given her, she patiently circled the border.
Every so often, she would pluck a bead from the colorful bracelet on her wrist and drop it in an inconspicuous spot.
She stopped when only one bead remained on her wrist.
This one couldn't be discarded, as it was needed to contact Karl.
“Hmph, in all my life, no one but that jerk of a father has ever dared order me to do such a time-consuming task…”
“But the thought that one day, that man might personally kill that jerk of a father and then seize this [Hell], makes me excited… I hope that day comes soon!”
Looking at the towering palace in the distance, a slightly morbid, crazed smile appeared on Satana Hellstrom's beautiful face, capable of bewitching all beings.
Before long, she arrived before the black palace, built with the massive sternum of some unknown race as its core dragon bone.
“Halt, who goes there?”
A squad of demon warriors guarding the gate raised their weapons, blocking the half-demon woman's path.
However.
Their response was [Hellfire] rising from Satana Hellstrom's palm!
Whoosh—
All the demon warriors were instantly engulfed in [Hellfire], and then quickly turned to ashes!
As the [Son of Satan] and daughter of Satan, the Hellstrom siblings were born with the special ability to freely use [Hellfire].
But because Satana Hellstrom inherited more demon blood, her control over [Hellfire] was far greater than her brother's.
However, just as Karl could only use [Hellfire] after transforming into his [Hellfire Form], the Hellstrom siblings could only use this innate supernatural power after reverting to their “half-demon forms.”
Now, in [Hell], the daughter of Satan felt like she was on her home turf. Even though she was outnumbered, she gleefully used [Hellfire] to slaughter the demon soldiers in the palace.
Even when some soldiers recognized her identity and quietly retreated to the side, they still couldn't escape the fate of being burned to ashes.
Satana Hellstrom seemed to thoroughly enjoy the sensory stimulation brought by the slaughter, giggling non-stop along the way.
It wasn't until a familiar yet strange voice echoed from the front hall that the smile on her face gradually disappeared.
“Look who's back? What brings me the honor of witnessing the return of a rebellious daughter?”
At the end of the hall, [Satan] Marduk Kurios rested his head on his right hand, sitting listlessly on the throne, his pair of dark and enormous wings hanging down on either side like a cloak.
Although he had long sensed that his daughter was wantonly slaughtering the soldiers in the palace, he had no intention of stopping her.
This wasn't because he doted on Satana Hellstrom.
It was because he had countless demon warriors like that under his command. He didn't care how many died.
So naturally, he couldn't be bothered to interfere.
“I think you know why I'm back…”
Satana Hellstrom crossed her arms in front of her chest, lifting her heavy breasts, her face still wearing that proud expression.
She was too lazy to put on a show of “fatherly love and filial piety.”
Because that kind of low-level tactic couldn't deceive this treacherous old geezer in front of her.
Only by playing it “real” could she lower his guard.
Old geezer, watch me handle you!
“Heh, is that so? Then let me guess…”
Marduk Kurios looked his daughter up and down from his high position, his expression playful as he said, “You wouldn't be here for the [Truce Treaty], would you?”
“That's right.”
Satana Hellstrom brazenly straightened her neck, and with the disgusted expression on her face, she immediately gave off the sense of a willful daughter bullying her old father.
Sure enough.
Marduk Kurios, far from being angry at the sight, laughed heartily, “Tell me, my daughter, what do you want to know?”
“You're not even going to ask where I got the information?”
Satana Hellstrom pouted suspiciously, “And I don't believe you'd tell me the information so easily… That's not your usual style!”
“Hahaha, my dear child, don't you trust your father at all anymore?”
The smile on Marduk Kurios' face grew richer, “Besides your good-for-nothing brother, who likes to think of himself as human and always goes against me,
I really can't think of anyone else who could get a cruel and willful daughter of Satan to come here and inquire about information?”
“I know you and your brother better than anyone… It's just a pity that your brother is determined to go his own way, so the only one who can inherit my mantle and take over this [Hell] is you… Satana!”
Who would have thought that Satana Hellstrom wouldn't appreciate it at all, impatiently urging, “Hmph, say what you have to say, don't dilly-dally and beat around the bush.”
“Alright, alright.”
Marduk Kurios slowly stood up, walking towards the huge window as he explained with a smile:
“Actually, you don't have to doubt, because even if I tell you the entire plan, you and Daimon can't stop what's about to happen.”
“So, where should I start… You probably already know the meaning of the [Truce Treaty], but I want to tell you that I was actually there the day the [Truce Treaty] was drawn up.”
“At that time, I was still following Lord Lucifer, and all of us were filled with rebellious enthusiasm, but after our defeat, Lord Lucifer disregarded everyone's opposition and resolutely chose to agree to the requirements of the [Truce Treaty]… Then he voluntarily relinquished the title of [Satan] and disappeared from then on.”
“Hmph, I don't want to know about your past, nor do I care what your old boss did back then.”
Satana Hellstrom sniffed, interrupting with an unkind tone, “I just want to know if those [Thirty Silver Coins] can really kill an [Archangel]?!”
“Of course.”
Marduk Kurios nodded noncommittally, saying with a face full of reminiscence:
“Presumably, in the eyes of most people, Judas is a shameless traitor who betrays his principles for profit… But if you look at it from his perspective, he's probably the one who was betrayed!”
“He thought that the person he had been faithfully following was a true leader, a martyr who could end the tyranny and oppression of the [Roman Empire]… But in the end, he was dismayed to discover that he was merely following a weak and incompetent preacher.”
“And after he committed suicide, his fallen soul completely corrupted those silver coins, constantly craving revenge… You know, betrayal and revenge are like two sides of the same coin, and only the slightest boundary can separate them.”
“Actually, I've had my eye on these silver coins for a long time, but I've never known their whereabouts, until that self-righteous human black magician discovered them!”
“So, now to go back and answer your question just now… Yes, a weapon fused from those 'sinful silver' can not only kill [Archangels], but even fallen angels like me can hardly escape.”
At this point, a grim smile suddenly appeared on his face, and he stared at the half-demon woman with burning eyes, reminding her:
“But I advise you and your brother not to covet those 'sinful silver', I won't give you a chance to assassinate me…”
“Because after that black magician assassinates the messenger from [Heaven], [Heaven] will automatically trigger the 'insurance mechanism' and permanently close the portal to Earth, and then… there will be no one to stop my hellish army from sweeping across Earth!”
Marduk Kurios' gaze gradually shifted to the ground below the palace.
There, a dark mass of demon armies was busily gathering.
Completely different from the previous "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons" that the [Demon Lord] Lilith had planned on [Belle Isle].
This demon army was vastly different in terms of quantity, scale, and combat power!
Judging from the number alone, there were at least hundreds of thousands!
And these demons all belonged to his [Flame Legion], whose commander was naturally Marduk Kurios' most trusted [Demon Lord], Bruce.
If everything went smoothly, in another ten or so hours, it would be the [Flame Legion]'s shining moment to make its debut.
Looking at his daughter beside him, who was slightly pale, whether she was frightened by the "truth" or by the [Flame Legion] gathering below… Marduk Kurios couldn't be happier.
He immediately burst into triumphant laughter.
“How is it, are you frightened by my old man's plan and methods? Does your heart now begin to revere me as a father?”
“To achieve this plan, I have spent a lot of effort and waited countless years, and now… only the last piece of the puzzle is missing, a perfect scapegoat!”
Although the half-demon woman had already learned the inside story from Karl and her brother Daimon, she still pretended to be incredulous, saying, “Wait, are you saying… that black magician Necrodamus?!”
“That's right.”
Marduk Kurios smiled triumphantly, “No matter what era, the humble ambitions of humans can always help me achieve my goals…”
“And that foolish and greedy black magician, in order to get that page of the [Darkhold] from my hands, is still happy to be used by me even though he knows I'm using him.”
“Are you so confident that your plan will succeed?”
Satana Hellstrom stretched out a fair finger, fiddling back and forth with the brilliant bead on her wrist, her beautiful eyes slightly narrowed as she said:
“Maybe my brother will think of a way, or find some powerful allies to disrupt your plan?”
“Hahaha, Daimon, that useless little wimp?!”
Marduk Kurios snorted disdainfully from his nose, then looked at his daughter and said nonchalantly:
“Besides being able to grab a front-row seat in advance and then quietly enjoy my performance, there's nothing else you can do…”
“Don't forget, no matter how unwilling you are to admit it, you are still my children, no one will believe the words of a pair of children of Satan, and no one dares to directly antagonize [Satan]!!”
“Alright, I've told you all the inside information you wanted to know, you can go back and inform your brother now.”
In Marduk Kurios' view, his daughter must have been sent back by his son Daimon to probe his intentions.
After all, that rebellious unfilial son's favorite thing to do on weekdays was to sing a different tune from him.
However, the other party's actions just showed that they hadn't found any substantive clues at present.
Otherwise, this information could have been obtained from Necrodamus.
And as he had just said, there were only a dozen or so hours left before the [Truce Treaty] began.
Even if he told the other party the answer directly, they would be powerless to change anything.
Marduk Kurios still had this confidence.
Heh, you want to bring me down with these tricks?
You're still too green!!
“Hmph, I don't want to.”
But who would have thought that Satana Hellstrom would raise her head at this time, saying angrily, “Brother, like you, is just a bastard who only knows how to use me, I don't want to tell him the news.”
This answer was obviously beyond Marduk Kurios' expectations, and he asked somewhat uncertainly, “Then what are you going to do…”
“Tch, didn't you just say to let us watch your performance?”
The half-demon woman snorted softly, expressing with a proud face, “I want to stay here and see if your plan can succeed!”
“Good, truly my good child.”
A look of satisfaction appeared on Marduk Kurios' face, and he stretched out his big hand, wanting to pat his daughter's head to show his joy.
But he was directly dodged by the rebellious half-demon woman, so he could only awkwardly take advantage of the situation to wave towards the position where the army was gathering below, saying with impassioned words:
“Ahem… Next, let's, father and daughter, witness the arrival of that moment together!!”
“Then shall we make a bet? I have a feeling that you might lose miserably this time.”
Satana Hellstrom narrowed her beautiful eyes like a lazy Persian cat, and a meaningful arc slowly appeared on the corner of her mouth.
Old geezer, you didn't expect this, did you?
The perfect plan that you regard as flawless has actually been seen through by that man named Karl Malla.
The happier you laugh now, the more embarrassed you'll be when you lose.
Although that man won't attack you this time, I have a feeling that sooner or later... you will die at his hands!!
...
...
Late at night.
Somewhere in the desolate desert area on the border between New Mexico and Texas.
Boom—
A dazzling beam of light descended from the sky with terrifying power.
Vast energy rapidly converged on the ground, and in the blink of an eye, it formed a bowl-shaped golden barrier, enveloping a large area.
This is the temporary 'Truce Zone' designated by this 'Ceasefire Agreement'.
Within this golden barrier, only two selected messengers are allowed to enter.
