Chapter 652: Death Of An Alliance

Sol slowly turned around to face the approaching figure. His gaze travelled over Damian’s black robes before settling on the peculiar hand fan concealing the lower half of his face.

"What are you doing here, Damian?"

Damian stopped several metres away.

"Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?" he replied. "What exactly are you planning to do in the Imperial Capital?"

Before Sol could answer, Leo stepped forward. The golden lion’s enormous paws struck the ground with a heavy thud as he positioned himself beside his master. His eyes narrowed, and a menacing growl rumbled in his throat.

"Whose side are you on, human?"

Damian looked at him and laughed.

"Mine, of course."

Leo’s expression darkened, but Sol raised one hand, signalling him to remain silent.

The golden lion reluctantly withdrew half a step.

Sol returned his attention to Damian. His smile had not disappeared, though there was now a trace of curiosity behind his eyes.

"How much did you hear?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"From your conversation with Duke Riot to your little explanation about the Illusionary Heaven Mirror Barrier. I even heard you asking him to hand over Morning Star."

Sol glanced at the fan in Damian’s hand.

The purple illustrations of nine-tailed foxes were unmistakable. The metallic edge along its outer frame carried a faint demonic radiance, and the weapon’s presence was far too distinct for someone of Sol’s standing to overlook.

He chuckled.

"It seems you’ve sold your soul to the demons."

Damian shook his head.

"Not quite. I simply have very generous benefactors."

"Generous?" Sol repeated.

He looked at the Devil Fox Violet Bloomer again.

"Nothing is free in the Underworld, Damian. Especially not something of this quality. What were you asked to do in exchange for such a precious God-tier weapon?"

Damian’s eyes curved slightly above the fan.

"They asked me to find you and help bring about your defeat."

Sol remained silent.

Damian continued, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"However, considering our friendship, I suppose I could always pretend I saw nothing."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Sol shook his head.

"You’re a rascal."

His smile remained, but something behind it had changed. The warmth disappeared from his gaze, replaced by an unmistakable hostility.

"Unfortunately, since you’ve already come this far, there’s little reason to let you leave."

Leo lowered his body slightly, his claws digging into the ground.

Sol’s eyes settled on Damian.

"Since you’re here, I might as well gather the Lust and Greed inheritances alongside Morning Star."

Damian did not move. His hand fan continued to conceal the lower half of his face, and a faint chuckle escaped him.

"Even the Prince of Aurelios can be delusional at times."

The smile vanished from Sol’s face and the temperature around him began to rise.

It happened gradually at first. The golden flames scattered across the palace ruins grew brighter, and the air began to shimmer as though the entire corridor had been placed beneath the scorching rays of a summer sun.

An amber aura diffused from Sol’s body.

The surrounding stones began to crack. The remaining metal structures heated until they glowed, while the flames crawling across the ruined palace bent toward him as though drawn by an invisible force.

Leo’s mane stirred and a low growl escaped his throat.

On the opposite side, Damian chuckled. Darkness began spreading from his body.

It was not ordinary demonic energy. It carried a suffocating presence that seemed to swallow the surrounding light, spreading across the ruined corridor like an endless tide.

The temperature dropped.

Frost crept across the broken stones, covering the scattered debris and the remains of the shattered pillars. The flames nearest Damian began to weaken, their golden brilliance fading beneath the encroaching darkness.

Within moments, the battlefield had become a strange division of two opposing forces.

Sol’s side was unbearably hot while Damian’s side was intensely cold.

The two auras collided in the middle, producing a violent distortion in the surrounding space.

Sol’s eyes narrowed. He stared at Damian, finally noticing something unusual about his appearance.

Beneath the pitch-black surface of Damian’s eyes, a faint crimson glow flickered.

It was subtle, almost imperceptible.

"What are you hiding?"

Damian chuckled again and his body began to distort.

The transformation started with his shoulders, which broadened as his frame expanded. His height increased rapidly, forcing the black robes to stretch around his changing physique. Two enormous black horns emerged from his head, curving backward like the crown of some ancient beast.

Dark scales spread across his skin.

They began around his neck and shoulders before extending over his arms, chest, and back. Each scale carried a faint metallic sheen, and the darkness surrounding them seemed deeper than the shadows cast by the ruined palace.

His fingernails lengthened into sharp claws and his teeth grew into fangs.

A pair of powerful demonic features emerged from his changing silhouette, and the pressure radiating from his body intensified with every passing moment.

Sol’s expression finally changed while Leo’s growl abruptly stopped.

By the time the transformation was complete, Damian stood nineteen feet tall.

He was now slightly taller than Sol, his imposing frame looming over the Prince of Pride. The black dragon scales covering his body reflected almost none of the surrounding light, while the crimson glow within his eyes had become more pronounced.

His black horns completed the terrifying appearance.

The Devil Fox Violet Bloomer remained in his hand, looking almost delicate against his transformed physique.

Damian took a step forward and the ground beneath his feet cracked. He continued until he stood directly before Sol, towering over him with an expression that remained hidden behind his hand fan.

"Since I’ll be acquiring the Pride inheritance tonight..."

His voice was deeper now, carrying an unsettling resonance.

"...there’s no need to hide my strength anymore."

Sol stared at him while Leo’s eyes widened. For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then, almost simultaneously, they muttered a single word.

"Abyss!"

The surprise on their faces lasted only briefly. It was replaced by exitcitement.

"HAHAHA! You little rascal!"

He looked Damian up and down, his eyes gleaming with renewed interest.

"So this is the secret behind your success all this while."

His gaze lingered on the black scales and horns.

"I wondered how you managed to accomplish so much in such a short time. No wonder you were able to defeat Lazarus and gather the inheritances of Greed and Lust."

Sol laughed again.

"I don’t know how you managed to get your hands on something this precious, but I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore."

His amber aura surged.

The golden flames surrounding him erupted, illuminating the ruins with an almost blinding radiance.

"How fortunate! I was beginning to think I’d have to search for the Abyss myself. But now you’ve brought it directly to me."

Leo finally recovered from his surprise. The golden lion threw back his head and laughed.

"HAHAHA! Thank you, Damian!"

He stepped forward, his body radiating golden demonic energy.

"Thank you for keeping such a precious inheritance safe for us. We will never forget your contribution!"

Damian chuckled.

"How interesting... It seems you’ve mistaken me for prey. Let me corrected that mindset."