Chapter 375
The scorching lava seared their bodies, making the five members of Boxlunch's team drenched in sweat, as if they were placed inside a furnace.
Fortunately, they were able to adjust their sensory perception via the system settings. Otherwise, each of them believed that the extreme heat would have already rendered them unconscious from the searing pain.
As a matter of fact, their health bar have been rapidly decreasing ever since the Shadow Dragon they've been tracking had discovered and captured them.
However, at this moment, they had little time to worry about their diminishing HP as they were more stunned by the sudden attack of the Shadow Dragon and the monstrous demonic figure right before them.
Judging by what the dragon had said, it seems it had already discovered their presence right from the start!
In hindsight, it sort of made sense.
After all, how could the five of them whose merely at the upper Iron-rank be able to track a demigod without being noticed?
The fact that they had managed to follow their target all this way was already a telltale sign that the Shadow Dragon had intentionally let them follow behind it.
Thinking about it, their target's intermittent stops along the way clearly indicated it had been baiting them!
Otherwise, with the Shadow Dragon's flying speed, how could they have caught up so easily?
In an instant, the veteran players from the first-beta understood everything.
Yet despite this realization, they still felt little fear.
They knew deep down that this was just a game, and this encounter was likely related to the quest they had received, or possibly a part of the hidden questline.
Even so, when they saw the fiery demonic face resembling a goat's in the volcanic lake, their hearts pounded wildly, and they couldn't help but feel a strange sense of fear and dread within them.
"W-What the hell is that? A demon?!"
Calabash exclaimed.
Seeing the Shadow Dragon present them to the demonic goat, they noticed a hint of interest appear on its fiery face.
"Hmm? Elves?"
"It's interesting that they haven't been affected by my power... Moreover, I seem to sense a trace of the laws of life and nature within them."
The fire demon muttered to itself.
Afterward, its fiery face focused more closely at the five of them, with curiosity evident upon its expression.
"What is your relation with Yggdrasill?"
...Yggdrasill?
All the five of them were slightly taken aback, feeling that this particular name sounded quite familiar.
⤷ Oh I remember now...it's the Goddess! Isn't that the Goddess's last name? It's clearly asking about the Goddess Eve!
Optimist mentally typed in their team's chatroom.
The Goddess?!
The others instantly cheered up.
⤷ We can't reveal the Goddess's secret! Otherwise, this quest will surely fail!
Calabash also typed in response.
All of the five of them exchanged glances, seeing determination within each other's eyes.
They nodded secretly, preparing to bluff their way through and try to get some information from the other party, only to realize they had lost the ability to speak...
Boxlunch: "..."
Calabash: "..."
Chopin: "..."
Optimist: "..."
IAmInvincible: "..."
Great, the system had automatically muted them again.
It seemed this was another fixed cutscene.
Their expressions quickly relaxed, switching to spectator mode.
This was the players' natural attitude during story events.
However, at this moment, it all felt a bit eerie.
After all, they had been captured and were clearly in a disadvantageous situation. Under normal circumstances, no one could remain calm, let alone look around curiously and excitedly at the demonic monster in front of them as if nothing was wrong.
Seeing the five elves' silence and their incongruous expressions, the demonic fiery face seemed even more intrigued.
"Interesting."
A beam of light then shot from the flame giant's pupils, which enveloped the whole group. Mere seconds later, they suddenly felt a vast mental force surge right into their minds.
However, the very moment this force entered their minds, their vision immediately turned dark in response, before the system displayed its usual death message:
"You are dead. Be more careful next time."
Boxlunch: "..."
Calabash: "..."
Chopin: "..."
Optimist: "..."
IAmInvincible: "..."
What the hell...
They all suddenly died just like that!?
Meanwhile—
As the terrifying presence within the volcanic lake tried to break into the minds of the five elves and control their souls with his powerful force, Azazel abruptly encountered an unbreakable "wall."
In that instant, the Demon, Azazel felt as if he had seen a giant network shimmering with countless stars.
It resembled the network of faith by the Gods of faith in his memory, but at the same time, it was also quite different from it.
Just as Azazel was analyzing the network, a familiar yet strange divine force suddenly surged forth, blocking his probing mental attack and nearly causing a backlash.
Azazel, whose unprepared for such a situation, quickly withdrew his probe out of the elves' mindscape.
"Are these elves...believers of Yggdrasill? No...that divine force just now felt different from Yggdrasill...it's far more weaker and less potent..."
Azazel muttered to itself whilst reflecting upon the divine force he had just encountered.
When he looked at the five elves once again, their bodies had already died and turned to ashes.
In that moment, Azazel fell silent.
The lava in the volcanic lake churned as the fiery demonic face resembling a goat turned to the Shadow Dragon.
This time, his voice carried a hint of displeasure:
"Little one, why have you brought a god's believers here in my domain?"
Azazel, whose been an enemy to nearly all gods, had been laying dormant here for thousands of years.
To be drawn into a conflict with a god's believer upon his awakening made this ancient being both wary and furious.
Yet the Shadow Dragon remained unflustered, continuing to prostrate respectfully as it replied:
"Great Demon Azazel, I brought these elves here to make you believe what I am about to say." Darkness briefly paused before continuing:
"You surely must have noticed the power within those elves. It's definitely the law of nature and life, which belongs to the Divinity of the Mother of All Gods."
"However, Your Lordship must have also sensed that the existence that protected those elves aren't as powerful."
this is a being inheriting nature and life, and this being is not powerful."
"Your Lordship, the being that inherited the Divinity of Nature and Life in this era is a newly born god!"
"As such, my master is wondering if such power may 'interests' you..."
After hearing the Shadow Dragon's words, the flame demon briefly fell into silence.
After a brief pause, he then asked in a deep voice;
"...What does Hödur want?"
Instantly, Azazel eased the pressure that's pressing down upon the Shadow Dragon.
In response Darkness raised his head and faced the center of the volcanic lake, showing what it believed to be a friendly expression as the dragon said:
"This... is merely a proposal from my divine master, an offer of trade... and friendship."
At the same time, in the central area of the Elven Forest.
Within the divine kingdom of the World Tree hidden within an isolated space, Evé sat upon her throne, whilst deep in thought:
"....Azazel?"
"The Demon God Azazel, one of the Seven Godly Demons of Hell?"
— 375 —
[ DEMON LORD AZAZEL ]
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