Chapter 566
Step.
The figure that emerged among the angels was a high-ranking demon with long horns.
At the very least, he was of noble rank equivalent to a division commander or an earl.
When they’d urgently called for him to come, he hadn’t expected it to be because of a demon whose guts had spilled outside his body.
“How dare you… bring that filthy body into this place.”
The angels’ brows furrowed sharply.
No matter how high-ranking a demon he was, he was still alone.
There was no way he could face this many angels.
They were ready to cleave his body in half and annihilate him in one stroke, their divine power surging violently at the thought.
But at that moment—
“Now, now. There’s no need to glare at me with such hatred. I didn’t come here empty-handed—I brought quite the interesting proposition.”
The demon raised both hands high, a bright smile on his face.
“The only thing to discuss with you is through the blade.”
Tamdel lifted his blazing spear high.
[[Spear of Sin Purging] has been activated!]
[Attack power against demons increases by 30%!]
Fwoooosh!
Hot flames spread out in all directions.
“Even if I told you I’m here representing Lord Diablo?”
“…!?”
At those words, Tamdel froze.
Diablo…
That was the Demon King they had planned to strike on Berial’s front.
Come to think of it—
The crest engraved on the demon’s shoulder was the symbol of Diablo.
That meant he was unmistakably one of his bloodline.
Tamdel glanced toward Uriel.
How could the Diablo side have known in advance that they would be attacked?
And if they knew, why send an emissary instead of launching a preemptive strike or fortifying their defenses?
Whatever the reason, it was enough not to attack immediately.
“…Speak.”
Uriel nodded toward the demon.
“My name is Azazel, a servant of Lord Diablo. I’ve come to propose that instead of joining forces with Berial, you ally yourselves with us.”
As expected.
The ominous hunch was spot on.
“Damn it. The information leaked. Was it Olympus or the Celestial Order who found out? And then they told you?”
“Yes, correct. They approached us first. And as you surely know, in this situation, joining us would be far more advantageous.”
It was only natural.
If the goal was the same, it was better to strike the unsuspecting side.
And if they allied with Diablo, they wouldn’t have to antagonize the Celestial Order or Olympus.
It would also be a bonus to deal a blow to the annoying Veteran Corporation.
“…”
Uriel let his mace drop to the ground.
There was no need to weigh the options—the scale had already tipped to one side.
“We strike Berial.”
That was the surest path.
“A wise decision. Then, allow me to guide you to his domain.”
Azazel bowed deeply.
At the same time—
Vwoooong!
[Special Field Skill [Veil of Chaos] from Base ‘Demon Realm’ has been lifted.]
The angels’ flanks began to collapse.
“…!?”
It was such a perfect barrier that even Uriel hadn’t noticed it.
What appeared was an army of tens of thousands from the Demon Realm.
All were elite forces under Diablo’s command.
“So, if we refused, you planned to attack us right away.”
“It was merely insurance. And surely, this shows that we are worth allying with, doesn’t it?”
Azazel shrugged.
“You do talk insolently. Still, you’re not wrong.”
Thus, a temporary alliance between the Demon Realm and Eden was formed.
—
The 34th floor’s residents were wiped out, and Athena barely managed to escape with her life.
They had lost over 90% of the forces initially meant to stop the Titans and the Veteran Corporation.
Among the remaining residents, only the Great Chieftain of Hodo and his orcs—mid-boss level—had survived.
“Smooth.”
Kronos smiled in satisfaction.
Soon, Zeus’s location would be within reach.
The long-dreamed conquest of Olympus was near.
Jinhyuk also judged the situation optimistically.
With all of the enemy’s trump cards destroyed, there were no variables left to overturn the situation.
‘Protecting Alice and holding the 34th floor was the biggest thing.’
To be honest, when the contract was cut, his heart had gone cold.
It had been a direct hit to his weakest point.
Still, they had overcome every crisis perfectly.
The last variable, Hercules, was being held back by Thor and the Norse forces.
Now all that remained was to focus on the final battle against Zeus and the remaining gods.
But then—
Throb!
A dull pain flared up in his right collarbone.
“This is…”
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
He knew what that pain meant.
It was the mark—inscribed as a token of alliance when Berial had pestered him endlessly to become his Black Apostle.
The combination of Demon Tongue and runes was set to react only when a lethal danger threatened either party.
Countless scenarios flashed through his mind.
The worst-case possibility hit him.
No way…
Had Olympus and the Celestial Order figured it out?
That would explain why Uriel was stalling.
[[Enclosure: Tracker’s Ring] has been activated!]
[[Skill: Celestial Net] has been activated!]
He had cast a tracking spell on Uriel just in case.
Mana surged, forming blue particles that shaped into letters and numbers.
[Target’s current location: Demon Realm, Coordinates: 212, 36, 369]
Damn it.
Jinhyuk’s face twisted.
Those coordinates were dead center in Berial’s domain.
—
In war, unexpected situations always arise.
The difference between a great commander and a poor one lies in how quickly and effectively they respond to such variables.
[[Video Call Connected]]
Kukukuku—Kwaaang!
“Aaaargh!”
“Gaaah!”
“Grooargh!”
Screams and acrid flames rang out everywhere.
The scent of blood seemed to seep through the feed.
In Berial’s domain, forces beyond imagination clashed in all-out war.
“You picked a bad time to call. When I invited you before, you didn’t even show your face. And now you want to drop in for New Year’s greetings?”
Berial appeared, looking haggard.
Whether from divine power or something else, his condition was dire.
The wounds were severe enough that even a Demon King’s regenerative power struggled to keep up.
“…Sorry.”
Jinhyuk had intended to warn him, but it was already too late.
The coalition had struck first, seizing the advantage of surprise.
And the price was devastating.
“Can you hold out?”
Jinhyuk asked gravely.
“It won’t be easy. The first strike hit too hard. The domain grew too fast for me to be familiar with it, and it looks like there are Diablo’s spies inside. Worst of all, I never expected the angels to come—biggest mistake I made.”
Even now, Uriel’s angels were sweeping over the walls.
Diablo’s elite Hell Wolves were also extremely troublesome.
He had to go help.
But if he left now, it would give Olympus time to regroup.
That was precisely why they had targeted Berial—they knew he wouldn’t abandon him easily.
The only option was to split forces carefully—enough to defend Berial’s domain while still keeping the strength to face Olympus.
‘If I screw this up, I could lose both.’
Jinhyuk swallowed dryly.
The sands in the hourglass were falling fast.
It was time to decide.
—
[[Uriel activates Lv??? Holy Smite!]]
Vwoooong… kukukukuku!
An indescribable light burst from the mace toward a single point.
From the sky…
…to the ground.
Kwakwaaaang!
The impact turned everything to dust.
The sheer force left a crater as if a meteor had struck.
“As expected, you’re fiery. No wonder everyone talks about divine power like it’s the greatest thing. Makes me think maybe I should pick up a religion myself.”
Azazel clapped.
“Quit the sarcasm. It’s more annoying. Where is Berial?”
Cutting off the enemy’s head would end the fight.
But strangely, Berial was nowhere to be seen.
After an initial skirmish when they invaded, he had completely vanished.
Given his personality, he wouldn’t just throw away his subordinates like consumables.
That could only mean—
‘He’s waiting for reinforcements.’
Since Berial and Jinhyuk were allied, maybe he was holding out hope there.
“I understand what you’re worried about, but it won’t happen. Kang Jinhyuk can’t pull out of the war with Olympus. We all know it, which is why this operation is perfect.”
No matter how strong his subordinates were, they couldn’t turn the tide alone.
The only real threat was Alice—but…
She had been gravely injured in the modern world and wouldn’t be moving anytime soon.
There was nothing left to fear.
But just then—
Vwoooong!
A red gate appeared in the heart of Berial’s domain.
Ominous mana swirled.
“Grkk…”
“Th-there…!”
“Look up there!”
Berial’s soldiers, who had been pushed back hard, lifted their heads.
Berial.
The Demon King who ruled a pillar of the Demon Realm had manifested.
“The rampage ends here.”
Berial looked down with an arrogant expression.
“So you finally show yourself after running.”
“This time, I’ll crush your head for sure.”
Azazel and Uriel unleashed their fighting spirit.
Their long-awaited prey had finally appeared.
But their smiles didn’t last long.
“You…”
“How…”
The figure beside Berial was completely unexpected.
Alice von Ataraxia.
The True Ancestor who should have been recovering with her mana completely drained was with him.
It made no sense.
The wounds and trauma from Ares couldn’t possibly have been healed in such a short time.
But there was one thing the two didn’t know—
Among Jinhyuk’s newly copied abilities was the power to manipulate status windows.
“Hey, horned Demon King. You know the price for making me move, right?”
“Hmm. How about I offer every dessert in the Demon Realm by type? Our chef is one of the best in the Tower, after all.”
Berial shrugged.
“Puhahaha! Do you really think you can win over the head of Ataraxia with something that—”
“I accept.”
Alice nodded in satisfaction.