Chapter 40: The Demon King's Heart
The void fell into a long silence.
Joshua, who had long been ready to attack, clenched his fist several times and then released it several times. He stared at the Demon King who had expressed submission before him, opened his mouth several times, and then closed it without speaking.
A strong man's fist is only swung at the strong. Since Goliath had broken his own weapon, causing his own strength to fall and no longer posing a threat, then Joshua, during this period when he needed the Abyss Demons to work for him, had no reason to throw a punch at all.
"No one will believe in the loyalty of a demon."
The sunken space gradually calmed, and the Transcendent stars floating around the warrior were also taken back into his body one by one. Joshua deeply glanced at Goliath, who did not move, then turned his gaze away and shook his head: "But you have made the right choice... At least until the threat of the unknown Evil God is over, you don't have to worry about safety issues. We don't have the extra strength to insist on annihilating you either."
Joshua turned around. He faced away from the Demon King, revealing a huge opening. Although, given the warrior's current realm, whether it was the front or the back, the outside or the inside, it was all equally flawless. If he wished, he could grow three heads and six arms at any time, perfectly countering any attack coming from any direction.
But Joshua simply converged all his defensive measures, directly exposing the opening before Goliath.
Yet, facing such an opportunity, the other party showed no unusual movement at all, still staying in place, maintaining that somewhat ridiculous posture.
"...Why?"
Still not turning back, Joshua gazed at the dim stars in the Abyss. He exhaled a breath, then asked in a deep voice: "Enduring humiliation for the sake of the demon race? Willingly becoming a servant for the continuation of civilization? If it were the Five-Colored Dragons, Dragonmen, or Siberians, I would believe it. But demons, absolutely impossible. They don't understand what civilization is, what inheritance is. Demons are just beasts that huddle together. If not for the guidance of you Greater Demons, they would prefer internal strife over external invasion."
"Goliath, state your reason for loyalty."
The man's icy voice echoed in the dark void. Because of the previous battle between the two, the surrounding world had long deviated from its original orbit, moving towards the distance. Even the Sixth Abyss was far from the battlefield. Facing Joshua's questioning, Goliath slowly raised his head. His eight eyes were calm, as if he didn't feel the slightest shame about his previous surrender and loyalty.
"There is no reason." He said in a low voice: "If I must say, it's probably for the future."
Joshua narrowed his eyes slightly, and Goliath continued: "You are right, Soulflame King Radcliffe. I don't care at all about that 'Insectoid Civilization', nor do I care about the 'Demon Race'. The Insectoid Civilization was destroyed long ago by its own self-inflicted internal strife. Their death was deserved. I am not an Insectoid either; their civilization has nothing to do with me. As for the latter, they are my tools. Their value is just that; they are hardly my subjects."
"I don't care at all about the life and death of the demons under my command, because I know they are all completely, utterly beasts that crave chaos, love bloodshed, and delight in internal strife and violence. They are subordinate to me because I am the strongest, not because I am their leader."
Goliath said this, his tone extremely indifferent, with no sign of lying. He truly believed this, without any falsehood.
As a Demon King who grew up in the acid wasteland, Goliath had no empathy for the Insectoid Civilization. He had even personally eaten the last member of the Insectoid Civilization buried in an underground laboratory, completely ending the Insectoid era and beginning a new epoch for demons. But he also disliked demons, even considering them mere tools, not his subjects.
But if that was the case, why did Goliath pledge loyalty to Joshua and the Mycroft Civilization? As a powerhouse comparable to a deity, possessing the Abyss Will, Goliath alone was almost equal to the entire demon race and the Abyss world. If he wanted to run, no one could currently intercept him. He had no reason to break his own weapon and do everything he had just done.
Joshua did not speak. He just continued to face away from Goliath, waiting for the other party to state his reason. Soon, this Abyss Lord spoke calmly.
"But a new generation has appeared. Unlike those demons born in the Sixth Abyss, inherently filled with chaotic nature, true 'demons' have been born."
At this moment, Goliath retracted his broken double scythes. It could be seen that those scythes were essentially the strongest part of his wing bones. But now, with the wing bones broken, the Greater Demon's wings looked somewhat pathetically twisted. However, Goliath didn't mind. He continued to answer calmly: "Just half a year ago, demons I had placed in other worlds, demons living on a 'part of my body', had already given birth to a new generation in the orderly world."
"As everyone knows, the World Will rejects us refugees who burn, kill, and loot. But after the Abyss Will merged with me, my body became equivalent to the Sixth Abyss. As long as I place my body in another world, I can create an 'orderly abyss land' for demons, deceiving the world. And half a year ago, a completely new generation was born among the demon garrison living on my body... They are demons with true souls, completely naturally born. Unlike me, unlike Haier Mu, unlike Saruka, Drael, Grutia. Unlike us 'demons' who gained intelligence by coalescing from countless soul fragments, their souls are complete, blank."
"Without the inheritance of innate souls, without any power from the soul fragments of the previous generation, these 'demons' are truly pitifully weak... But. So what?"
Saying this, Goliath actually showed a 'smile'. No one could imagine how terrifying a ferocious eight-eyed Demon King's smile could be, but he still 'laughed': "The demon's mania, irritability, treachery, bloodlust, belligerence, insanity, and uncontrollable chaos all stem from the incompleteness of their souls. No new souls can be born in the Abyss, only intelligence pieced together from countless fragments. This innate condition destines demons to be a 'demon-like' race. No intelligent life can cultivate normal intelligence amidst the daily, repeated illusions, headaches, and mental distortion. The twisted madness from countless souls will tear apart all reason."
"But they are different... They are normal creatures. As long as they grow up properly, they are normal intelligent life... I can even perceive that they have an innate affinity for 'Shadow'. This unfamiliar power is for the first time residing in a completely new creature. I feel this is the blessing of the Multiverse, like a rebirth... I have even deduced a completely suitable cultivation method for them. Different from us, different from all demons."
Saying this, Goliath slowly raised his head. His eight eyes no longer held the light of lava, but were like deep red crystals, tinged with a bloody hue. This Abyss Lord, for the first time, brought a hint of pleading tone to his voice, and said in a low voice: "As long as Mycroft is willing to acknowledge 'them' as a normal orderly race, and not treat them as demons."
"Then I guarantee, until my death, the reliability of the loyalty of all demons in the Sixth Abyss."
Joshua turned around. The Giant God's silver eyes met the deep red eight eyes. In that instant, Goliath could not see any emotion, any element, any intention from the other's eyes. The other's gaze was intense and pure, and seeing any thought in it was an impossible luxury.
The only thing to be thankful for was that no emotion also meant no killing intent.
After a moment, with a rumbling echo like thunder, the Giant God spoke heavily: "As expected of the Gluttonous Demon King, truly too greedy."
"Just by 'offering loyalty', you want to gain a future, gain hope, and also want to obtain my promise and protection through this... This deal is too good. No wonder you didn't hesitate, admitting defeat as soon as you lost, surrendering as soon as you surrendered."
"But, Goliath, if you want to pledge loyalty to me, to the Mycroft Civilization, how do you account for the worlds you have plundered and destroyed over the past few hundred years? How do you account for the people in the Mycroft world who were killed and sacrificed by demons?"
The Giant God slowly approached Goliath. He raised his left hand, and a silver storm gathered in his palm, eventually forming a long, thick chain. He threw the chain in front of Goliath, then lowered his hand, grasping the Demon King's right horn. The warrior said without any emotion: "I know what you are afraid of."
"You are afraid that killing you is not enough, destroying the Sixth Abyss is not enough, and that we will even erase all existence related to you, including those 'orderly demons'. But don't be afraid. I won't do that. I am Joshua van Radcliffe, the Soulflame One, the Guardian of Order. Since those demons have never killed anyone, I will treat them equally."
"Even now, I have only one request for you demons: Now, go and reorganize the Abyss, then send a demon who knows the way to take me through the River Styx to the Abyss Nirvana Land as quickly as possible."
In Joshua's left hand, the Light of Order shone brightly. Accompanied by Goliath's muffled groan and a suffocating aura of the Abyss, the warrior raised his left hand, and a strange, mysterious rune appeared on the Greater Demon's right horn.
"If the unknown Evil God awakens, your sacrifice, your struggle, everything you bear, the future you want to see, all of it will be meaningless. Remember this, and then do your utmost to complete the task."
The Giant God said in a low voice, then turned his head and said no more. Goliath endured the sharp pain in his right horn, struggled to his feet, and neatly tore a piece of shadow from his own wings, then threw it towards Joshua.
"Although I don't know exactly what the Abyss Nirvana Land is, if you mean the source of the River Styx, the deepest part of the Abyss, then I have indeed traced back to it."
Goliath picked up the chain left by Joshua. The moment he picked it up, the chain automatically wound around his hands like a snake. The Abyss Lord did not resist the chain's binding, but continued: "That is a part of my soul. It will guide you to the deepest part of the Abyss. But, strong one of Mycroft, even I have never truly reached that place without any light. Unlike our Abyss, where demons still live, that is the true 'Extreme Dark Abyss'!"
"Is that so."
Taking the piece of shadow, Joshua looked down and saw it was a constantly writhing, constantly changing soul entity. Goliath had indeed not lied; this was indeed the soul of a Demon King-level demon, and there was no hidden trick. He put away this shadow soul, then left without looking back, walking towards the depths of the Abyss void, leaving only a faint, calm voice echoing behind him.
"We will illuminate it."
Without any hesitation, having achieved his goal, Joshua simply left the void around the Sixth Abyss.
Only the Demon King Goliath, his hands bound by chains of Steel Force, remained in place.
The chain left by Joshua, for a Transcendent powerhouse of his level, was almost fragile and easily broken. Such a thing could seal an ordinary newly promoted Demon Lord, but even Haier Mu and Saruka could easily tear it apart.
But this was precisely Joshua's purpose: if Goliath erupted with full power, the mere aftershocks would tear the chain apart, and he would immediately know that this Demon King had other intentions.
"..."
Silently touching the rune engraved on his right horn, Goliath did not know what it meant. But both the Abyss Will and his own instinct told him that this rune was not something harmful like 'monitoring', 'sealing', or 'blocking'. On the contrary, he vaguely felt that this rune was even somewhat beneficial to him, but it was hidden very deep and hard to detect.
He did not ponder for long. Goliath's body collapsed, re-forming into countless fragments—arms, leg bones, vertebrae, bone shards, internal organs... countless limb fragments containing powerful Shadow and Abyss power flew towards different directions of the void like a storm of flesh and blood. Only a hot, deep red heart wrapped in silver chains spun in the void for a moment, then flew towards the direction of the Sixth Abyss.
Sixth Abyss, top floor of the Valley of Tears Fortress.
The only remaining Demon Lord, Saruka, watched the high heavens. The deep red Demon King's Heart fell to the earth like a meteor. Amidst endless smoke and black clouds, it returned to the deep core of the Sixth Abyss through the Abyss Great Rift Valley. The pulse of Goliath's heart maintained the last trace of vitality in the Sixth Abyss's core. In just the short time he had been away, the activity and temperature of the Sixth Abyss's core were rapidly declining, dropping off a cliff.
"My King..."
Facing Goliath, who appeared before him in the form of a pure shadow and smoke incarnation, the Insectoid Lord knelt respectfully, expressing his loyalty. But even so, Saruka's voice carried a hint of confusion and anger: "I heard that human's arrogant words... Are we to submit without any resistance? Remember, we are demons! The demons that make countless worlds tremble and shudder, whose very name inspires fear!"
"And you are our King—"
"Enough, Saruka."
Because his own flesh and blood was the Sixth Abyss, the Demon King, who had left no flesh for himself, stood on the top floor of his fortress, shaking his head to interrupt his subordinate's questioning and complaint.
He gazed at the iron-black sky of the Sixth Abyss, the plains and mountains filled with poison gas, dust, smog, and the aura of death. After a long time, he finally said in a low voice: "Don't you understand yet?"
"It is precisely because I am the Demon King, the King of Demons, that I cannot be as short-sighted as a demon, cannot act like a demon."
Beyond that, Goliath had no further explanation, no further action.
But that was enough.
The Insect Demon Lord Saruka bowed his head deeply, saying no more. He might not understand, but he knew he should accept the Demon King's command.
Thousands of years ago.
Demon Lords would never submit to any existence, let alone pledge loyalty.
In the Abyss, countless Demon Lords were in a state of division. They fought, killed, and invaded each other. They recklessly consumed the world's last refuge, slaughtering their own kin, simply because it was fun, it was interesting, they felt it best suited their nature.
A powerful Demon Lord might temporarily rule a large group of Demon Lords, forming an Abyss invasion that expanded outward and waged war on other worlds. But that was it. As soon as this Demon Lord died, his empire, or dynasty, or tribe, or court—whatever its name, whatever its form—everything he possessed would fall into chaos, leaving behind no lessons or conclusions.
One Demon Lord could rule one layer of the Abyss. Two Demon Lords would begin to fight internally. Demons refused to submit to each other. They would constantly fight, struggle, and consume. Even if occasionally a demon received the protection of the Abyss Will, it would at most make one Abyss layer slightly more stable.
This utterly dark era, mired in blood and evil, continued until a greedy soul opened its eyes.
Demon King Goliath. What he craved, aside from the Demon Lords under his command, no other demon could know. But what needed to be known was that the Demon Lords, who would never submit to a single strongman and would rather fight internally and consume themselves, for the first time gathered under a single banner.
Warm wind, acid rain, gloomy haze clouds, a lightless sky, a sun without warmth, gray stone mountains faintly visible in the black mist, and the winding River Styx that cut through the entire world.
These were the sights of the already dead world, the Sixth Abyss.
The Demon King, to whom only shadows belonged, stood atop his fortress in the Valley of Tears, forged from bones and black iron. The tears shed over thousands of years due to the suffering of all beings were enough to carve a Valley of Tears across the plains. No one knew why the Gluttonous Demon King used this as the name for his fortress.
But just as all demons neither knew nor wanted to know what the Demon King truly craved in his heart, neither humans nor demons cared about this point.
Although, born in a dark world.
Gazing at his territory, his homeland, the Demon King closed his 'eyes'.
It cannot be said that demons are born only to enjoy shadows, and cannot yearn for flame and light.
Even if the flame is scorching, the radiance is dazzling, and the temperature is enough to burn everything, even causing shadows to cease to exist.
It is, nonetheless, so.