After listening to the general figures reported by the other side, Orsaga smiled and asked Gewa,
"So, how are we dealing with the other surrounding powers?"
If it were only as the other side described, the demons present could easily join forces and wipe them out with some effort. But the key was—they were currently deep in enemy territory.
Right at the center of hostile power.
And Augustus was one of the major cities in the area.
Even the slightest disturbance would, in Orsaga's view, likely trigger the appearance of dozens more demigods and a flood of reinforcements.
In such a situation, with only their current numbers and no overwhelming strength, these demons wouldn't even have a chance to flee.
Not that he particularly cared.
After all, with his powerful vitality, minor setbacks wouldn't kill him. As long as the price was right, anything could be negotiated.
Faced with Orsaga's question, Gewa didn't avoid or sugarcoat his response. Since they had signed a contract, they were all in the same boat. He straightforwardly revealed what should have been classified information:
"Within the city of Augustus, a few of the local elites have already pledged allegiance to our side. When the time comes, I'll infiltrate the city's barrier and activate it from the inside, sealing off the entire city—cutting off all connection with the outside world. So long as we act quickly enough, we can complete the sacrificial ritual before any of the other factions even realize something's wrong."
Receiving the answer, Orsaga gave him a slight nod to show he had no further questions.
At that moment, a demon shaped somewhat like a spider spoke up,
"So, when do we take action?"
"It'll take another two to three years to complete all the necessary preparations," Gewa replied.
"So some of the intel on Augustus might shift slightly by then. If you haven't fully recovered your strength yet, now's the time to hurry."
He added pointedly,
"During this time, if you need to harvest souls, I suggest you stay far away from the vicinity of Augustus. I don't want anyone drawing unwanted attention and causing unnecessary complications."
Most of the demons present showed looks of disdain at the warning, but none of them spoke up to object.
After all, Ignarok's name still carried some weight.
As long as the request wasn't offensive or unreasonable, they couldn't be bothered to argue.
Whether or not they'd actually follow Gewa's advice?
That would depend on their mood.
Just because they'd managed to successfully infiltrate enemy territory didn't mean they were obedient or disciplined. Quite the opposite—what allowed them to lie low for this long without slaughtering their way through everything in sight was the fact that each of them had something they cared about, something worth restraining themselves for.
In that sense, they were indeed more self-controlled than most demons—more aware of what they truly wanted.
After several more minutes, once everything had been discussed and no further questions were raised, Orsaga stood up from the stone platform.
He took a single step forward—and in an instant, his body crossed the barrier and vanished, leaving the meeting first.
The other demons followed suit shortly after, each returning to their respective domains.
Soon, the once-crowded cavern fell into silence, with only Gewa left behind.
A moment of stillness passed.
Then, the sound of footsteps echoed faintly from the shadows nearby, accompanied by the voice of a young man:
"It seems that the strong among your kind are particularly arrogant—none of them seem to take you seriously."
Pop~
A soft, bubble-like sound rang out as a pitch-black bubble suddenly swelled from the shadowy corner, then burst, revealing a figure hidden within.
It was a young human male, seemingly in his twenties.
He had fair skin, stood around 190 cm tall, wore a deep-blue robe, and held a slender staff in his hand. His features were handsome, and his golden hair had clearly been meticulously styled. A strange symbol marked his forehead, giving him an aura of mystery.
In response to the man's comment, Gewa remained calmly seated and replied,
"That doesn't matter. As long as they don't screw things up, I don't care."
Hearing that, the young man recalled the earlier scene and shook his head.
"From what I saw, if you're undertaking something this important, you should be recruiting people you can actually trust. But those demons of yours—none of them look remotely reliable. All I saw in their eyes was suspicion and hostility, like they could turn on each other at any moment."
"There's no trace of trust between them. So I still don't understand—how can a race this chaotic become so powerful?"
Gewa scratched his ear, then replied unhurriedly:
"That question's been asked many times—how does a race made up of lunatics who love killing each other end up becoming so powerful?"
"Even I find it hard to believe sometimes."
"But it's the truth."
"This race of madness has grown incomparably strong."
"I once heard a scholar explain it this way:"
1. Demons have limitless numbers. New ones are born constantly by the riverbank, so there's never a shortage of population.
2. Every demon is born with strong potential, and their bloodline carries innate techniques.
3. All demons possess the trait of evolving through slaughter. Their path to advancement is straightforward—kill your way forward. No need to study or research.
4. Demons are immortal. As long as they're not killed by external force, any one of them can outlast the stars. So even if the survival rate is low, time eventually builds an army of terrifyingly powerful beings.
After hearing that, the young man couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness.
"Unlimited numbers, inborn techniques, evolutionary slaughter, and endless lifespans… What a race to be jealous of. Everything that most lifeforms yearn for, you're born with."
Gewa, unfazed by the envy, laughed lightly.
"And so what? You don't actually believe that in this boundless world, hard work alone can make up for everything, do you?"
"Birth is the starting line for all living beings."
"And among the races who stand at the top of existence, which one started from mediocrity?"
"Even humans come in different kinds—Divine-Born Humans, Primordial Humans, Golden Humans… Each category so vastly different that there's no comparison. And your kind—your world's humans—are already among the better ones. Compared to most so-called humans, you're stronger, smarter, more gifted…"
He paused, eyes glinting slightly,
"…and more delicious."
Sensing the subtle malice in that final word, the young man frowned slightly.
"And what does any of that matter, if we're still not strong enough?"
"Hahahaha!!"
Gewa burst out laughing at that blunt remark.
"Now that's true—if you're not strong enough, nothing else matters!"
"So keep working hard. As long as your contributions are sufficient, once our Lord descends, He will personally conduct the Demon Ascension Ritual for you. At that time, you'll shed your human shell and break free from the limits of this small world—becoming a true demon, stepping into a vaster future!"
"Let's hope it happens," the young man muttered, visibly annoyed by Gewa's condescending tone. He slipped back into the shadows.
"I'll see if I can recruit a few more allies and weaken Augustus from within."
Just before his body fully vanished into the darkness, he turned back with a final thought:
"By the way, a few of those demons earlier seemed to notice me. Hope that doesn't mess with your plans."
Gewa waved his hand casually.
"It's fine. That's nothing to worry about. Some of those guys might actually be stronger than me. It's only natural they'd sense you. But since they didn't do anything about it, there's no need for you to worry either. As long as you don't interfere with each other, it's all good…"
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T/N:
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