Chapter 905: Sacred Dimension hidden between Hell and the Abyss
The True Depravitas and Overlord had watched the battle in the sky with unblinking focus and heard everything the White Devil told Vlad, making solemn and troubled expressions arise in their faces.
Their mission in Hell had never been about establishing a foothold or forging a dominion. They were here to find the portal that would lead them to the heart of the Zanis Homeworld.
If they failed to reach the portal in time, the monstrous entity that nearly killed Vlad with a single hand would emerge from the Zanis Homeworld. Compared to that horror, even Hell would seem like paradise. Whatever the cost, they had to stop it.
A thousand thoughts churned in the minds of the True Depravitas. They could change their methods, vanish into the shadows, and try to uncover the portal through clandestine operations. They could hide, mislead, and maneuver. Yet none of those paths offered real chances of success—not within the short window of time they had. Delay would mean failure, and failure would mean the extinction of the Graecia Empire and all the worlds under its control, including Terra.
"Before anything else," Overlord said at last, his voice cold and steady, "let us examine the deal Zialath forged with Devil Lord Nebolex."
His words brought the others back to reality. Vlad gave a curt nod and drew forth the parchment he had been handed by Amur, unrolling it with deliberate care.
The contract was long and intricate, riddled with clauses, codes, and infernal seals. Yet once stripped of the legal trappings, its essence was clear.
Devil Lord Nebolex had uncovered information about a Sacred Dimension hidden between Hell and the Abyss—the land of demons. According to his sources, a powerful treasure lay within that strange realm. But Nebolex could not march into it himself. He was already locked in a war of attrition against the Master of Sector 3, one of his ancient rivals. Leaving his Sector would risk disaster.
Thus, he had chosen another path. He provided Zialath with a powerful treasure that boosted her cultivation and, in exchange, she pledged herself and her strongest warriors to march into the Sacred Dimension on his behalf. She was to join a coalition of Sector Masters and their elites under Nebolex’s banner.
According to the pact, the expedition would march in forty-five days.
Displeasure rippled through the group. The True Depravitas scowled openly as they realized what the contract demanded of them. They would have to step into an unknown dimension, face monsters and enemies they could not anticipate, and secure a treasure not for themselves, but for a Devil Lord. Worse, whatever reward Zialath had received for her service was already gone. They had inherited only the burden.
Yet while irritation spread among the others, a flash of delight crossed Overlord’s eyes before he smoothed his expression back into its usual mask. For something to stir such a reaction in the A.I. Chip Clone, it had to be significant. He did not make them wait for an explanation.
"This is precisely what we needed," he said.
The other Depravitas turned toward him with confusion, and he continued without pause.
"Our expansion was never an end in itself. It was only a means to reach the highest circles of Hell’s hierarchy. To find the portal, we needed entry into the courts of the great powers. This pact provides it. By joining Nebolex’s expedition, we will stand in the same camp as the strongest forces of the Third Layer. It will give us the access we require."
Understanding dawned, and excitement flickered in their eyes. Still, solemnity quickly followed.
"Yes," Overlord admitted, "the dangers will be exponentially greater. But they will allow us to move faster. To refuse and remain hidden would make our chances of finding the portal near zero. We cannot afford that."
Silence stretched for several heartbeats as they weighed his words. Then Vlad spoke, voice firm and resolute.
"We will seize this opportunity. We will join Nebolex’s forces, search carefully for clues to the portal. And if, by the mission’s end, we have found nothing—then we kill them all and scour their souls. Somewhere among them lies the knowledge we need."
The plan was set. Risky, yes—but it carried the best chance of success. The possibility that a Devil Lord might learn of their betrayal loomed as a future threat, but for now, the path ahead was clear.
The True Depravitas all nodded in agreement.
Still, the matter of the present remained. There were forty-five days until the expedition’s muster. Travel to the Third Sector of Hell would take ten, leaving thirty-five days unclaimed. The question was simple: how best to use them?
They could spend the time in secluded cultivation, slowly pushing their strength upward. But this was Hell. Why climb step by step when their neighbors were ripe for plunder?
"Let us conquer Sector 52," Vlad said.
Overlord, Freya, Ouroboros, and Fafnir all nodded, their eyes blazing with determination and killing intent.
Only Jormungandr remained silent, his small feline body glowing faintly as he absorbed Origin Force from the Infernal Monolith of Sector 53. He had been cultivating quietly throughout the discussion, drawing in the energy that the others had left for him. He stirred now, preparing to cease and join the coming war.
But Vlad raised a hand.
"Remain in cultivation," he said firmly. "Join us once you have absorbed every drop of Origin Force we reserved for you. You are close to awakening your Depravita Sun, and that will be worth far more than your presence on the battlefield. As for Sector 52—"
He paused, his eyes narrowing, voice dropping to a growl.
"I will fight this battle alone. I need a crucible. A struggle that pushes me to my limits, that forces my instincts and skills to sharpen. Only then will I be ready for what lies ahead."
The small yellow cat met his gaze for a long moment before nodding. Jormungandr returned to his cultivation, the glow around him intensifying as he drew ever closer to his next evolution.