CHAPTER 86

A month had passed, and the central continent was experiencing a crisis unlike any before. In the north, the Winter Kingdom of Dietrich had fallen—its capital lost, and every grand city and fortress, whose legends were told across continents, had collapsed like a row of dominos in the hands of the Nightmare Demon King. This demonic being, with a mist-like body, had painted the northern snow red with slaughter. Having reached a legendary level, no defenders remained who could oppose him, not even the mighty King of Winter Dragons, Valaros, the ancient ice dragon of legendary rank, who had fallen into his grasp, sending another shockwave through the entire continent.

Despite this, humanity's resistance in the empire continued with the rise of two legendary heroes. Their presence halted the advance of the elves and fallen angels, even leading to the fall of five epic-ranked angels, which significantly boosted the empire's morale. However, the cost of each imperial battle was the sacrifice of tens of millions of brave men and women fighting against the demonic army to protect their homeland. Their courage against the fallen angels of torment was so commendable that the souls of some who were not completely obliterated by the fallen angels ascended into their dimensional heaven, bringing tears to the angels of light—including a fourteen-winged angel. This angel, positioned as a lower god and leader of these celestial beings, swore that if the dimensional restrictions placed by the God of Destruction did not block the angels, he would have personally descended to cleanse the fallen ones and return them to the embrace of the Creator. But no matter how much he tried and shouted, his voice did not reach, and he could only await the day when this barrier would be lifted, allowing him to purify the forces of the Abyss with his sacred light.

Meanwhile, in the south of the continent, the Abyssal Ant King Demon, Scarlet, had deployed his forces—including his subordinate demon kings—to cleanse all dark lands of any intelligent hostile race. Establishing his bases, he had secured a firm foothold.

Such actions did not escape the gaze of another figure—the Undead Demon King, Hazard, who now stood before a Spirit Demon King. This demon, possessing a massive magical body, bowed his head to Hazard, followed by all the spirits surrounding him. Alongside them stood hundreds of undead heroes, including Afrit, ready to obey Hazard's command. However, Hazard had no need to use them. With just a display of his power, he had made the Spirit Demon King submit.

"Raise your head, Loki! I told you I'd find you!"

Loki, the Spirit Demon King, had long fought for survival in the cursed lands of the empire, a place rumored to be where a powerful winter demon had fallen ages ago, cursing the land with his death. Loki had built formidable defenses and thrived. However, the curse of the dead had no effect on undead foes, allowing the well-known southern Demon King—who had repeatedly demanded his submission—to finally defeat him. The one who once dreamed of ruling the world had now been forced into submission.

"Hazard… it seems I wasn't fast enough, was I?"

With the contract signed, Loki spoke, awaiting Hazard's response.

"Loki, it would have been much easier if you had submitted from the start. But you put up a good fight. Now return to your castle and leave your teleportation gate open for my forces!"

Loki lowered his head and left, cursing himself for not pushing harder during the past year and a half.

Then, Afrit stepped forward, a wooden crown encircling his head.

"According to rumors, the Lute Army has fortified its borders. Attacking from behind won't be easy!"

Hazard turned his gaze to Afrit, with whom he had communicated frequently via telepathy over the past month.

"Reaching level six and epic rank… I must say, you've set a record, Afrit."

Afrit's gaze was firm. As he watched the Spirit Demon King depart, he spoke.

"With the help of the undead heroes, the Treant Demon King was easily defeated..."

Then he turned to Hazard.

"Where do I go next?"

As Hazard walked toward his fortress, preparing for today's summoning, he addressed the undead heroes.

"The war between the Succubus Demon Queen and the Abyssal Giant King is raging in the Orc Continent. It seems one of the Succubus's subordinates betrayed her, opening her portal to Cain's massive army. Go there and assassinate as many Demon Kings as you can."

Afrit's expression hardened—Hazard had previously told him that a Demon King existed in the southern continent, supported by ten thousand Demon Kings. According to what Hazard had shared, this Demon King—Cain—was an old giant striving to form the greatest Demon King alliance in history. However, leaders of other continents, unwilling to lose their positions of power, had refused to join him, forcing Cain to declare war to achieve his goal.

Cain had set his sights on the second-largest Demon King alliance after his own—that of the Succubus Demon Queen, Kaya, who had recently suffered a crushing defeat and was still licking her wounds.

Afrit glanced at the undead heroes.

"Are they coming with me again?"

Hazard laughed.

"Fifty more will accompany you. You should listen to their advice."

Afrit frowned, scanning the area for these fifty individuals—until they finally appeared. Fifty legendary beings, the resurrected kings and queens of death, radiating overwhelming power.

"Are you ready, kid?"

A Death King, towering at four meters, stepped forward. A massive mace and shield rested on his back, his gaze fixed upon Afrit's very soul.

The sheer difference in power was evident in his mastery and the aura of dominance exuding from him. He was unlike anyone standing behind him. Once a mid-tier god in life, he possessed an extraordinary awareness of his surroundings. His presence had even surprised Hazard when he emerged in the second wave of summoning.

He was the sole reason Hazard had the confidence to invade another continent—the god who, upon being summoned, had promised to elevate Hazard to godhood and requested that Hazard allow him full autonomy.

Amon, the God of Plague and Death, summoned with the help of the God of Destruction—an entity who had stored the souls of millions of fallen mid-tier gods, seeking to resurrect them in due time.