669
Chapter 669
Zeke furrowed his brows and glared at Mephistopheles' words.
"Is this some low quality joke from the demon realm?"
Mephistopheles shook his head in response.
"A joke? Zeke Draker, I'm being very serious right now. Have a child with any of my daughters that's my condition for giving you the information."
Mephistopheles smiled as he looked at Zeke.
Then he shrugged his shoulders at the glaring Zeke and said:
"None of my daughters to your taste? Or do you want all three? If you want, we can arrange that. The more children, the better."
Zeke felt a headache for the first time in a while at Mephistopheles' proposal.
He immediately answered as if it wasn't worth considering.
"I refuse."
At his firm answer, Mephistopheles looked at Zeke with round eyes as if surprised and asked:
"Why? I'm offering such valuable information in exchange for making children. Shouldn't you naturally accept?"
Zeke released his killing intent as he responded to Mephistopheles' question.
"Why would I readily accept such conditions from an untrustworthy demon like you who could do anything? Stop talking nonsense and get lost."
At his words, Mephistopheles shook his head and said.
"My, my, Zeke Draker, you're more naive than I thought."
Mephistopheles, possessing Anastasia, approached Zeke and extended his finger to lift his chin.
"You're not thinking like ordinary humans that you need to share true love and have children as its fruit, such romantic thoughts?"
He continued speaking with a devilish smile.
"It would be fortunate if you go to that abandoned continent and prevent the Demon King's revival and kill Arthur Draker to stop the apocalypse. But what if you fail?"
When Mephistopheles snapped his fingers, an image appeared in the floating mirror.
The scene showed the central continent being destroyed by natural disasters and demon beasts.
Zeke silently watched the apocalyptic scene Mephistopheles was showing.
"All this becomes reality. Before that happens, if you, the Demon Lord of the physical realm, unite with my daughter and have a child, those rights can be transferred to your legitimate heir."
Hearing Mephistopheles' words, Zeke frowned and spoke:
"So you're saying that as the Demon Archduke, you could officially interfere in the physical realm's affairs as the child's guardian."
Mephistopheles grinned at Zeke's words.
"Yes, for my precious daughter's child, I could personally descend to the physical realm and protect the crumbling central continent. How about it, Zeke Draker? Wouldn't you say it's a kind of insurance against your defeat?"
Zeke responded with a contemptuous expression to Mephistopheles' words:
"You plan to use that excuse to turn the physical realm into a demon's den. Using legitimate rights as a guardian to escape karma's sanctions. Isn't that why you made me the Demon Lord of the physical realm?"
In the end, Mephistopheles had elevated Zeke to the position of Demon Lord for all of this.
The Contract Demon clapped and laughed loudly at Zeke's words.
"As expected, we understand each other. Either way, it's a deal with no downsides for you. If you agree to the conditions, we'll proceed with the wedding immediately. What do you say, Zeke Draker?"
Zeke glared at Mephistopheles and said:
"My answer remains the same. Get lost now."
When Zeke firmly expressed his refusal, Mephistopheles shrugged and then nodded.
"How unexpected. I thought humans would naturally accept my offer. Some foolish humans even offer their souls just to sleep with demon kind."
He crossed his arms and said to Zeke.
"Anyway, unlike those fools, I should say I'm glad you proved you're not stupid. However, Zeke Draker, unfortunately, this isn't something you can decide on your own."
Zeke snorted at Mephistopheles' words.
"Are you going to force your conditions? That's unlike a Contract Demon."
After finishing his words, Zeke drew out Leviathan.
Mephistopheles shook his head in response.
"Of course, forcing conditions on you isn't my style. So I'm going to help you change your mind voluntarily."
Mephistopheles continued with a cold smile, his purple eyes gleaming.
"If you don't accept this proposal, I'll tame you and make you my companion instead."
KUGUUGUGUGU!
Suddenly, a powerful force erupted from Mephistopheles' body.
The force of an Archdemon and the strongest Demon Lord of the demon realm.
Zeke responded by releasing his force as a constellation, strongly clashing with Mephistopheles' energy.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Unlike the celestial constellations that descended into angels' bodies, Mephistopheles' energy possessing Anastasia's avatar body was far rougher and more direct.
'Is this the true form of an Archdemon?'
Against the fierce energy that felt like it could tear his soul apart instantly, Zeke focused his transcendent power while steadying his breathing.
Gripping Leviathan tightly, Zeke resisted Mephistopheles' energy and drew Solomon's Chain with his left hand.
"Do you think taming me is possible? Your head will roll before that happens."
Mephistopheles shuddered and shouted at Zeke's threat:
"HAHAHA! Excellent, Zeke Draker! Being threatened by a human after descending to the physical realm what an entertaining experience!"
Mephistopheles continued, looking down at Zeke with cold purple eyes.
"Humans always end up submitting no matter how strong they act. I am a being who has lived for eons. You think I can't make one like you submit?"
Mephistopheles stepped closer to Zeke.
Simultaneously, Zeke's image appeared in countless mirrors spread throughout his unique domain.
It felt like tens of thousands of eyes were watching him, as if space itself was observing Zeke.
"How about it, Zeke Draker? Will you submit and be tamed by me, or will you wed my daughter? There's clearly an easier choice here."
This was ultimately the demon's method.
Giving freedom to choose between a difficult and an easy option.
Most would choose the easier path.
There was no reason to choose the difficult option.
Mephistopheles, knowing this human tendency, believed Zeke would choose marriage with the demon princess as intended.
But that was wrong.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
As Mephistopheles smiled meaningfully, his unique space suddenly blurred and another landscape painted over it.
Mephistopheles' expression changed to confusion.
'This is?'
Zeke's unique domain 'Vanished Stage' had overlaid Mephistopheles' domain.
The city Zeke revealed on the Vanished Stage was one Mephistopheles knew well.
Gritting his teeth, he muttered while looking at the cityscape:
"Babel..."
It was Babel, the demon city created by the Arrogant Savior and the original model for Pandemonium that he now ruled.
While the unique domain the Arrogant Savior gave Zeke was Babel burning in purgatory, the space he summoned now was Babel in its most glorious and beautiful era.
From above Babel's sky, Zeke said:
"Quite nostalgic seeing it again."
Mephistopheles glared at Zeke with a cold expression unlike before.
"You're choosing the difficult option deliberately?"
"The choice between difficult and easy is mine, not yours. And I'm not naive enough to accept a demon's options at face value."
Having a child through marriage with a demon princess and making the Demon Archduke the guardian.
While it seemed like gaining strong backing, it ultimately meant voluntarily surrendering the physical realm to demons.
Understanding Mephistopheles' plan, Zeke had no reason to comply.
Pointing Leviathan at Mephistopheles, Zeke said.
"Conversely, if I eliminate you now, your authority over the demon realm transfers to me. Pandemonium, Abyss, and even Gehenna."
Except for Abaddon ruled by Belzeebub, most of the demon realm had transferred to Mephistopheles' domain. If Zeke killed him and claimed that authority, it meant the entire demon realm would fall into his hands.
Mephistopheles laughed loudly at Zeke's words, as if in disbelief.
"HA! You'll kill me and take over the demon realm? You, a human?"
Zeke raised shadows and slowly approached him.
"Why not? If you can desire the physical realm, so can I. I've been thinking taking over the demon realm might not be so bad."
BOOM!
At Zeke's words, violent energy erupted from Mephistopheles' body like a storm.
RUMBLE!
The Babel domain Zeke summoned began to shake.
He glared at Zeke with a fierce expression and said.
"You've gone too far with your provocation, Zeke Draker. You've crossed the line."
"You're the one who crossed the line, you damn demon bastard. This time, I'll be the one setting conditions."
Zeke pointed his sword at Mephistopheles and said.
"First, die by my hand now and transfer all authority before being destroyed. Second, hand over information about Arthur Draker and quietly return to the demon realm."
Mephistopheles' energy burst out even more violently at Zeke's words.
RUMBLE!
The elegant structures of Babel crumbled as if under attack from that energy.
Yet Zeke pressed Mephistopheles without wavering.
"Can't decide? Perfect. I'll just kill you now. How foolish to come alone, and while possessing an avatar's body at that."
Zeke smiled at Mephistopheles and activated Overclock, fully unleashing his divine power.
RUMBLE!
Mephistopheles couldn't help but be surprised when the complete power of mythical-class was unleashed.
He hadn't expected Zeke's power to have grown this much.
Moreover, Mephistopheles hadn't fully recovered his strength after recently facing other Great Demon Lords.
'I provoked him too hastily.'
He had overlooked how different Zeke was from other humans.
Mephistopheles, who had been glaring at Zeke as he approached slowly radiating brilliant light, eventually stepped back and contained his energy.
"...Whoa whoa. Calm down."
He twitched his lips and said to Zeke.
"Fine. Given the situation, the second option seems more rational."
In the end, Mephistopheles chose to avoid direct confrontation with Zeke.
Zeke said to Mephistopheles.
"You like contracts, so you'll understand. I don't trust words alone."
With his words, a translucent contract made of letters appeared before Mephistopheles.
It was an adaptation of a contract that could be inscribed directly on the soul.
In this humiliating situation, Mephistopheles briefly showed an enraged expression looking at the contract Zeke presented.
"You human..."
"If you don't like it, you can take the first option."
The Great Demon found himself in the exact opposite situation of what he had intended.
He had no choice but to sign the contract Zeke presented to avoid immediate conflict.
'There are other ways to catch him besides this. I'll escape from here first.'
RUMBLE!
When the contract was completed, the souls of the Great Demon and Zeke resonated as the contract's contents were inscribed.
Now Mephistopheles was forced into a situation where he had to maintain an alliance with Zeke.
Zeke said to Mephistopheles.
"Now tell me the information about Arthur Draker."
Though feeling humiliated, Mephistopheles had no choice but to answer Zeke's demand.
He slowly opened his mouth.
"Arthur Draker is trying to become the king of the demon realm."