Chapter 216 Hell's Rebellion!

[The Lord of Hell · Solomon's Ring of Dominion has absorbed soul energy, replenishing its strength. The Devil Duke, The Duke of Hell Zepar, ranked sixteenth among the seventy-two pillars of demon gods, has returned a fragment of his soul, raising the power of the Lord of Hell's ring to level A+.]

The cosmic will's notification stirred no reaction in Novak. Watching as a soul body slowly took form within the magic circle, he remarked, "Not bad, you still know how to obey."

"Yes, Your Majesty! Serving you is the greatest honor for one as lowly as myself. Thank you for your immense grace!" the Duke of Hell replied humbly.

Novak's motives for sparing the Duke of Hell were clear—he needed an inside informant in hell, someone who could reveal the current state of affairs.

At Novak's question, though, the Duke of Hell's entire soul body quivered under the weight of the Cosmic Will, but he replied in haste, "Your Majesty, since your death in ancient times, Lord Beelzebub has risen to claim the title of supreme emperor of hell. And your... your legacy..."

Novak's face remained impassive, yet a faint shadow began to seep from the Lord of Hell's ring. Sensing the shift, the Duke of Hell instinctively knelt again, trembling.

"What is going on?" Satan's voice emanated with a coldness that even Novak had never heard before.

The Duke of Hell hurried to respond, "Your Majesty… Beelzebub revoked all reverence for you countless ages ago! All the new devils, fallen angels, and others—none remember your greatness. Only the original seventy-two demon gods who once followed you remain aware of your legacy. Yet, most have pledged full loyalty to Beelzebub, erased any memory of you, and now honor him as the supreme emperor of hell. He is credited with making hell stronger, even capable of warring against the Gods."

Novak's eyebrows lifted with interest.

Of course. Devils are creatures bound by contracts but inherently cunning and treacherous. True loyalty among them, like Aga Reiss's, was exceedingly rare. The only reason the Duke of Hell was cowering now was due to Satan's aura and the Ring of Hell's power. Likely, when Beelzebub claimed the mantle of Hell's Supreme Emperor, the Duke of Hell had quickly joined his side.

Such was the nature of devils—ever swayed by the prevailing winds.

Novak imagined that if Beelzebub learned Satan had returned, albeit as a soul imprint without power, he would strike with the full fury of his might to obliterate him. But to Novak, this wasn't much of a concern. He was already pondering an idea: if he relinquished Satan's soul imprint, what would Hell's new Supreme Emperor, Beelzebub, offer in exchange?

Satan's expression darkened, his gaze meeting Novak's knowing eyes. Clearly, he'd guessed exactly what Novak was considering, and, were their roles reversed, Satan might have done the same. 

However, he spoke, breaking the silence, "How many gods are there in Hell now besides Beelzebub?"

Given Satan's standing, Aga Reiss could claim godhood within the abyss, suggesting Hell too would hold other divine beings.

The Duke of Hell responded, "In addition to His Majesty Beelzebub, there is also His Highness Lucifer, the king of fallen angels. Vasago has been imprisoned for opposing Beelzebub, and there's also His Royal Highness Baimon."

Novak raised an eyebrow; it seemed that Hell had no fewer than four true gods—a structure not unlike the Abyss.

"Damn him!" Satan growled, "He will learn that Hell's authority was never his to take, and I'll see that this plague-ridden usurper who dares to wield thunder's might is cast down."

With those words, Satan's presence receded back into the Ring of Hell.

Novak's voice broke the ensuing silence. "Go. I'll call for you if I need anything. Report to me immediately if anything stirs in Hell."

The Lord of Hell's ring could summon a fragment of the demon god's soul attached to it, even at the cost of some power to call forth their true form. 

Of course, with a powerful figure like Aga Reiss, the Lord of Eternal Night, Novak couldn't simply summon him whenever he pleased without draining his own strength. Even the power of an Abyss master had its limits. A true god could not be summoned by mortals at will.

"Yes!" the Duke of Hell replied, finally letting out a sigh of relief. He could barely summon the courage to glance at Ian; retaining his soul had already been an extraordinary mercy.

As the Duke of Hell's form vanished, the tendrils of dark, black-light virus wrapped around his demon body, devouring it entirely. Moments later, the head of the devil, encased in blood-red armor, was severed, left behind as the soul fled.

The Duke of Hell's case was unusual—while his soul escaped, his demon body was still slain. As such, the judgment of the Cosmic Will eventually arrived, albeit delayed:

[Hidden BOSS defeated: the Duke of Hell. Experience gained!]

Novak's eyelids twitched. 'Zero experience point? And this counts as a kill?'

Fortunately, a special notification followed:

[Hell Dungeon "Red Star Mental Hospital" fully cleared. Dungeon unlocked. Earned 10,000 experience points!]

[Your level has increased! Current Level: 13. Strength +17, Agility +17, Constitution +22, Spirit +23. Free attribute points: 20.]

Though the experience gained wasn't vast, it was significant for Novak, given that he'd already reached Level 12. And for Ian, Zezelia, and especially Yuzuru, it was evident from the radiant light around them that, despite playing only a minor role, they'd reaped incredible, unimaginable rewards.

Meanwhile, Novak paid no mind to Satan. The black-light virus continued to writhe, swirl, and consume the Duke of Hell's demon body, feeding a steady flow of power back to him, which brought a faint smile to Novak's face.

[Special species devoured. Black-light virus exclusive evolution points gained: 200 points!]

[Special species devoured. Acquired skill "Hellfire—Desire" (S-level), merged with existing skill "Hellfire—Body Burning."]

[Special species devoured. The black-light virus detects a unique bloodline in this species. You may choose to absorb the bloodline or expel it from the body.]