670
Chapter 670
Zeke frowned at Mephistopheles' words.
"Arthur Draker trying to become the king of the demon realm? What do you mean?"
Arthur Draker was the incarnation of Apollion, the sun god.
The idea of Arthur Draker trying to become the king of the demon realm didn't make sense right away.
At those words, Mephistopheles gave a self-deprecating smile and said.
"It's exactly as I said. Arthur Draker is trying to put the demon realm under his feet. Using the power of those in the celestial realm."
The celestial constellations strengthened their power and territory through the karma generated while creating and destroying civilizations in the current world.
And the demon realm had been absorbing karma in a different way by opposing these celestial constellations and corrupting humans.
Until now, the celestial realm had left the demons of the demon realm alone, but now they intended to directly manage them through Arthur Draker by drawing their swords.
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles and said.
"Is it possible to establish Arthur Draker as the king of the demon realm?"
To Zeke's words of incomprehension, Mephistopheles pointed at him and answered.
"Zeke Draker, your existence has made that plan possible."
"What do you mean?"
"Since there exists someone who became a demon lord despite being human, it's been proven possible."
Mephistopheles licked his lips slightly before continuing.
"Arthur Draker planned to lure you to the abandoned continent, eliminate you there to take the position of Demon lotd, and absorb the demon king's soul to become the king of the demon realm."
Zeke's eyes trembled at Mephistopheles' words.
'It wasn't simply about resurrecting the demon king to bring about Ragnarok, but there was another plan?'
Arthur Draker wanted to open a new world ruled by the new humanity after destroying the current world.
And the demon realm was also included in the new world he envisioned.
Arthur Draker was trying to become an unprecedented being who would lead the new humanity and rule that world as the god of the current world, king of the demon realm, and agent of the celestial realm.
Zeke clenched his teeth as he realized Arthur Draker's plan.
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, he asked Mephistopheles.
"Did Asmodeus cooperate with Arthur Draker's plan knowing this?"
Mephistopheles shook his head at Zeke's question.
"No, Asmodeus didn't know that at all. The demons of Gehenna are fanatics who worship the demon king's power more than anyone and wish for that power to awaken."
He clicked his tongue and continued.
"Asmodeus probably tried to use Arthur Draker's forces to proceed with the demon king's resurrection from behind, but instead ended up being used by them. Only after realizing he had been deceived did he finally come to me for help."
Zeke could finally understand how things had transpired.
"So you demanded loyalty in exchange for helping Asmodeus. When the balance of power between the grand dukes broke, you took advantage of that gap to subjugate the Abyss as well."
Mephistopheles nodded.
"Well, something like that. Now that you know the truth, how do you feel, Zeke Draker?"
When his plan as the demon realm's greatest schemer went awry, Mephistopheles abandoned his usual relaxed attitude and thoroughly mocked Zeke.
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles and said.
"If what you say is true, then Arthur Draker intends to take the Demon lord position from me."
"The demon king's soul is power itself. So even if it exists, it cannot have any influence on the demon realm. But if a grand duke obtains that power, the situation is different."
Zeke listened quietly before cutting off Mephistopheles' words.
"There's one thing I'm curious about."
He glared at Mephistopheles and said.
"You told me to absorb not only the arrogant savior's soul but also the demon king's soul. According to your words, if I, who holds the position of demon lord, absorb the demon king's soul, I would qualify to become the king of the demon realm."
Killing intent burst from Zeke's body and pressed down on Mephistopheles.
"A cunning demon like you wouldn't hand over the position of demon realm king to a human like me. Tell me honestly. You were certain that even if I absorbed the demon king's soul, the throne wouldn't pass to me, weren't you?"
At Zeke's words, Mephistopheles bit his lip.
Having made a soul contract, he couldn't lie to Zeke's words.
Zeke added, pressing him further.
"You never intended to give me that position in the first place, Mephistopheles. That's why you spouted nonsense about having heirs with the princesses and acting as their guardian. Tell me. What happens when I absorb the demon king's soul?"
Mephistopheles sealed his lips and bit his thumbnail.
He appeared to be resisting, trying not to speak at all costs.
Seeing this, Zeke infused his words with divine authority.
【SPEAK NOW.】
Unable to resist any longer, Mephistopheles opened his mouth.
"Damn it! Yes, humans cannot withstand the demon king's soul from the start! Your soul will be swept away into that soul as well!"
Zeke frowned at Mephistopheles' words.
'Soul gets swept away?'
But then.
TCHTCHTCHTCH!
Someone appeared behind Mephistopheles.
Zeke couldn't help but be surprised seeing the figure that appeared in a faint soul form.
"The Arrogant Savior?"
The soul form of the Arrogant Savior whose soul had been absorbed by him had appeared.
He looked at Zeke and spoke.
-It's been a while, Zeke Draker.
Zeke opened his mouth toward the Arrogant Savior's soul form.
"Your soul should have been absorbed by me. What's going on?"
To Zeke's words, Mephistopheles shook his head.
"Zeke Draker, do you know what the fallen constellations specialize in? It's the ability to split souls."
Generally, if a soul is split or divided, one cannot mentally withstand it.
As one's sense of self divides, they fall into fundamental questions causing the soul itself to collapse.
But demons were free from this limitation.
Being inherently twisted beings from the start, even if their souls were split, they could maintain their form without questioning their identity.
The Arrogant Savior looked at Zeke and said.
-A small fragment, but part of my soul exists within Mephistopheles' body. Just like how I gave part of my soul to Lilith and implanted authority in her. Of course, this is different from Lilith's case since Mephistopheles diverted part of my soul.
Mephistopheles shook his head at the Arrogant Savior's words.
"Refrain from saying things that could cause misunderstandings. I received it legitimately through a contract."
-Whatever the case, this is how things turned out. My essential soul exists in your abyss, Zeke Draker. But I am also truly a part of the Arrogant Savior. Thus, I know what happened between you and the me you absorbed.
Zeke looked at the Arrogant Savior and said.
"Talk of exchanging souls between you lot isn't important. Just tell me what it means that my soul will be swept away if I absorb the demon king's soul."
At his words, when Mephistopheles bit his lip again, the Arrogant Savior's soul form spoke.
-Mephistopheles won't easily speak since he's forbidden from mentioning the demon king due to karmic restrictions. I'll answer instead.
The Arrogant Savior glanced at Mephistopheles before turning back to look at Zeke and continuing.
-Do you know what the demon king's power is?
Zeke frowned at the Arrogant Savior's fundamental question.
"Don't beat around the bush, just get to the point."
-Still impatient as ever. Fine, I'll get straight to the point. The demon king's power is endless 'Devouring'.
Zeke recalled something when he heard the word 'Devouring' from the Arrogant Savior.
'Could it be related to the Authority of Devouring?'
Among his authorities, Devouring was the only one he couldn't control.
It was an authority that changed when the power of the Evil God Ajitahaka combined with the Shadow King's power.
The Arrogant Savior nodded as if reading Zeke's thoughts.
-Your thinking is correct, Zeke Draker. The Authority of Devouring you possess is small and insignificant compared to the demon king's power. But fundamentally, they can be considered the same.
Zeke recalled the power of the uncontrollable Authority of Devouring.
If the source of the demon king's power was such devouring, then even someone like himself with divine authority would likely be consumed by it.
After hearing the detailed explanation, he could somewhat understand how even the God Slayer King Solomon, who had the strongest will of all, was absorbed by the demon king's power.
Zeke looked at the Arrogant Savior and said.
"If devouring is the source of the demon king's power, how did Mephistopheles plan to control me after I was swallowed by that power?"
At those words, Mephistopheles turned his head away completely.
Seeing his attitude, the Arrogant Savior spoke up again.
-There is one way to control the demon king's power.
Then Mephistopheles next to him shouted at the Arrogant Savior's soul form.
"Satan! You!"
Though his attitude was quite fierce, when Zeke glared at Mephistopheles, he had no choice but to seal his lips.
The Arrogant Savior spoke again.
-A sacrifice is needed to control that power.
"A sacrifice? What does that mean?"
The Arrogant Savior pointed at Zeke and said.
-A pure descendant of Adam who has deviated from the laws. If that body becomes a vessel to imprison the demon king's power, the soul can be controlled. This is the only way.
Zeke understood what the Arrogant Savior meant and asked to confirm.
"You're saying you need the body of an Irregular who is a pure-blooded Draker, a descendant of Adam?"
-A difficult condition. That's why Arthur Draker also spent much time searching for that vessel.
Zeke realized something from the Arrogant Savior's words.
"You mean to use me as a vessel to control the demon king's power?"
The Arrogant Savior replied with an even more serious expression.
-No, more than that.
Then Mephistopheles behind him emitted killing intent toward the Arrogant Savior.
"Satan, stop. If you say anything more, I'll destroy your dust-like soul fragment."
But the Arrogant Savior shook his head.
-Poor Mephi. Will you calm down? I no longer fear destruction. And you still need me.
At the Arrogant Savior's words, Mephistopheles made a fierce expression and shouted.
"Damn! Curse it!"
While Mephistopheles clutched his head nervously, the Arrogant Savior continued.
-Arthur Draker plans to absorb you after you obtain the demon king's power to become complete.
Zeke's eyes widened at the Arrogant Savior's words.
"What do you mean by becoming complete?"
Mephistopheles shouted from behind.
"No more! Say nothing more, Satan!"
Ignoring his screams, the Arrogant Savior looked at Zeke and said.
-He plans to absorb you, who will contain the demon king, to become the complete 'Adam'.
"The complete Adam?"
The Arrogant Savior nodded and continued.
-Yes. If he becomes the complete Adam, he can become the sun god itself.