Chapter 493: Treachery In The Underworld

’Belial.... That is the symbol of the bug Prince.’ Abel’s cold voice rang through Damian’s mind, immediately drawing his attention back to the beetle shaped necklace hanging from the Ifrit’s neck.

Damian’s eyes widened slightly as the name finally clicked somewhere in his memory. He had heard it before, but the information was buried beneath everything else he had learned about the Underworld since arriving in Velmora.

’The bitch is talking about the Sin of Envy... The one who sent an Ifrit, Djinn, Ooni and Bachi at you on Earth,’ Rin added, and Damian’s expression immediately became colder.

He remembered those creatures now. They had been dispatched against him during the chaos on Earth, and although he had dealt with them, the encounter had left a lasting impression of how far the Princes were willing to reach into mortal worlds to eliminate threats.

Damian watched the Ifrit disappear through the entrance ahead of them without immediately following. His mind was already turning over the possibilities. Why would an Ifrit warrior of this caliber be living quietly in Cinderfall while suppressing his cultivation?

More importantly, why was he using an artifact belonging to Belial, a Prince ruling an entirely different realm? That alone would have been suspicious, but there was another problem that bothered him even more.

According to his girls, Belial and Lazarus had joined forces to prevent Sol from intervening when Kaizer attacked him on Earth. They had worked together when it benefited them, yet now Cinderfall was apparently preparing to rebel against Kaizer. If Belial was secretly involved in this operation, then what had changed?

Had the alliance between the three Princes already begun to fracture, or had something much larger been happening behind the scenes?

’This is the life in the Underworld. Everyone is treacherous, so you must always watch your back,’ Loth sighed bitterly.

Damian’s narrow brows slowly relaxed before a mischievous smile appeared across his face. The uncertainty did not frighten him. If anything, it made the situation more interesting.

He had come to Cinderfall searching for Fulgur, expecting to sneak into a hostile realm, locate a wounded demigod and drag him out before Wrath’s forces discovered him. Instead, he had stumbled across what appeared to be a secret rebellion involving one of the strongest races in the realm and possibly another Sin. There was no reason to complain about finding more pieces to the puzzle.

’Ooh? It seems I’m not the only one who has big plans in Cinderfall. Well, let’s go find out what they want,’ Damian chuckled inwardly.

He finally stepped forward, and Loth hurried after him. They moved silently through the final section of the tunnel until the narrow passage opened into a massive chamber. The sight waiting beyond immediately forced both of them to stop.

It was an underground auditorium large enough to accommodate hundreds of people. Several tunnels opened into the chamber from different directions, suggesting that this place had been constructed specifically as a gathering point rather than a simple hidden meeting room. Rows upon rows of stone seats descended toward a large podium at the center, and the chamber was already packed with Ifrits.

More than twenty five of them were present.

Their crimson skin reflected the warm torchlight while flames constantly rolled across their bodies. Some were dressed in simple robes, others wore armor, and several carried weapons openly. Yet none of them appeared to be ordinary civilians. They sat with the rigid posture of warriors who had gathered for something important, their attention completely focused on the elderly Ifrit standing upon the podium.

’Demigod...’ Rin muttered, his voice suddenly losing its usual playful tone.

Damian, however, was more amused than alarmed. The presence of a demigod changed everything. He had expected to find information, perhaps a few rebellious soldiers or some connection to Belial. He had not expected to walk directly into a secret gathering led by someone powerful enough to stand at the same level as the people he had been fighting throughout his rise.

Rather than retreat, Damian calmly moved toward one of the empty seats near the back and sat down. Loth immediately followed, positioning herself beside him. Damian leaned back and casually crossed his legs, his eyes fixed on the podium.

The elderly Ifrit slowly stroked his long white beard before addressing the gathering. "Ifrits of the southern region, I thank you all for answering my call!"

The gathered demons responded with approving murmurs, several of them leaning forward as the elder continued. "Ten years ago, the Prince of Wrath lost to a human and lost the Will of Heaven. He ran mad and terrorized his own people, putting nearly half a million civilians to death simply because they dared to speak about those shameful events."

The auditorium immediately erupted into whispers. Several Ifrits clenched their fists, while others exchanged grim looks and nodded firmly. Damian’s expression changed as he listened. He had not known Kaizer had slaughtered civilians after his defeat, and even if he suspected it, he had never realized the scale had reached nearly five hundred thousand lives.

For someone who had just ordered the deaths of more than fifty thousand soldiers himself, the number still made him uncomfortable. There was a difference between slaughtering an armed force that had openly refused his rule and killing defenseless civilians simply because they reminded you of a humiliating defeat.

The elder’s voice grew louder as he continued. "While this was happening, where were the so called mighty dragons who claim to be the keepers of this realm? Where was the all powerful race that has ruled over us for twenty thousand years when the people they claimed to protect needed them the most?"

The whispers became louder, spreading through the auditorium like a growing fire. Anger was beginning to replace grief, and Damian could see the elder deliberately feeding it. Every sentence was carefully chosen to remind the Ifrits of their humiliation, their suffering and their position beneath the dragons.

"Brethren, it is time we Ifrits take back what belongs to us and return the throne to our race, just as it was in the time of Azazel, our ancestor and the first Sin of Wrath! No longer can we allow dragons to roam freely within our Crimson Palace!"

The response was immediate.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Ifrits rose from their seats and raised their fists, their voices merging into a deafening roar that shook dust from the ceiling. Flames erupted from several bodies as their excitement intensified, and Loth instinctively covered her ears while Damian merely watched with a faint smile. The elder allowed the uproar to continue for several seconds before raising one hand.

The room gradually quieted.

"And to accomplish our goal, we will need the help of the very dragon who made this opportunity possible. The one who wounded the mad dragon and has forced him to remain within the Crimson Palace recovering," the elder continued, his voice carrying renewed excitement. "Fulgur is by far the most honorable dragon to have ever existed. He is a man who understands the plight of the people, and that is why we must save him and use his gratitude toward us to gain his allegiance. With his help, occupying the Red Palace will no longer be a dream!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The auditorium trembled beneath the renewed roar. Several Ifrits slammed their fists against the stone seats, while others shouted their approval toward the podium. Loth covered her ears again and turned toward Damian, intending to see his reaction.

He was gone.

Her eyes widened as she immediately looked toward the podium.

Damian was standing there.

Somehow, without anyone noticing his movement, he had crossed the entire auditorium and now stood beside the elderly Ifrit. His black ceremonial robes shifted gently around his legs while his long hair fell around his shoulders. His pitch black eyes stared down at the elder, and the small smile on his lips made the entire scene suddenly feel wrong.

The elder stopped speaking.

His gaze slowly moved upward until he was staring directly into Damian’s eyes. The difference in their height was almost comical. Damian stood like a tower over him, forcing the old Ifrit to tilt his head back.

The elder’s eyes then dropped toward the black Chinese dragon hanging around Damian’s neck before moving to the fox sitting comfortably in his hand.

Recognition struck him.

"Y... You are the Prince of Lust?" he muttered.

Damian’s smile widened as he slowly nodded. "In the flesh."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The Ifrits seated throughout the auditorium stared at him in disbelief. Some had heard rumors about the human prince who had killed Duke Haborym, defeated Kaizer and recently massacred an entire garrison in Velmora. Others had only heard the latest stories spreading through Cinderfall about the tyrant who had declared war against the traditions of the Underworld.

But none of them had expected him to appear in their secret meeting. An Ifrit abruptly rose from his seat, his hands moving toward his weapons.

Rin moved first.

A streak of purple light flashed from Damian’s hand.

The fox shot across the short distance with terrifying speed and reached the nearest Ifrit before the demon could even draw his weapon. Rin’s paw swung upward with enough force to distort the air around it.

Boom!

The Ifrit’s head exploded beneath the impact, spraying blood across the stone floor as his body collapsed heavily beside his seat. The sudden death silenced the entire auditorium.

Rin landed on the corpse without the slightest hesitation. He glanced around at the stunned gathering, slowly licked the blood from his paw and revealed a sinister grin.

"My lord never gave any of you permission to move. Be respectful to my prince."