NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 561: Counterproductive
Everyone was silent after his bold declaration.
"A primordial demon..." Remu whispered, the words barely leaving her lips.
It was as though the very mention of such a being had pulled the ground out from under her confidence.
The other demon gods also exchanged uneasy glances.
To claim to be a primordial demon was more than audacious—it was almost blasphemous.
Such entities were considered myths, beings so ancient and powerful that even the oldest of demons had only heard whispers of their existence.
"Impossible," Caurus muttered, his voice low and tinged with disbelief. "Primordial demons vanished eons ago. Even the Ancients only tell stories about them..."
Tara also stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as if trying to discern whether Reign's words were a trick or the terrifying truth.
"A claim like that... Do you understand what you're saying? To call yourself a primordial demon is to declare yourself above us all."
Reign's cold smirk stayed on his face. "I am above all of you," he said, his voice blunt and clear.
"To be honest, I'm very disappointed. You call yourselves Demon Gods, but this is all you've got?" His words were full of contempt, making sure they knew he saw them as weak.
The demon gods' faces turned sour, but they said nothing. His power, the way he crushed Asmodeus, was still fresh in their minds.
"You walk around with your fancy titles, but when it matters, you fail," Reign continued, his voice calm but mocking. "Is this what strength looks like now? No wonder your enemies see you as nothing more than a joke."
Remu clenched her fists, but she stayed silent, her pride battling with the truth of his words.
"Hard times create strong men. Strong men create peaceful times. Peaceful times create weak men..." Reign's voice lingered on the last part before his smirk deepened. "And your generation really took that last part seriously."
The disdain in his tone hit harder than any physical blow.
Remu's jaw tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm. "We—"
"Silence," he cut her off, his eyes locking onto hers. "Don't interrupt me, unless you want to add more to your list of failures."
The group flinched as his words struck like a whip. It wasn't just arrogance—it was a deliberate, calculated display of dominance.
"Understand this," Reign continued, his voice lowering but no less commanding. "From now on, I decide the direction of this war. If you think otherwise, feel free to step up and challenge me."
Remu clenched her fists, her pride stung by his words. "Your power is indeed beyond us," she began, her voice steady and firm. "But you're mistaken if you think you can simply assume command. The demons already have a leader—Draven, the strongest demon alive."
Her words hung in the air, and a flicker of defiance sparked in the other demon gods as they nodded in agreement.
Draven was a figure revered among their kind, his strength a beacon that even the proudest demons acknowledged.
It was true that Reign had killed the devil general in a one-sided manner. However, the same could be said for Draven.
Their leader's strength was legendary, known to every corner of the demon world.
Stories of him annihilating entire armies and slaying the most formidable opponents circulated like sacred texts. To the demon gods, what Reign had done—though impressive—was not beyond what their leader could achieve.
Reign's smirk widened into an amused grin. Then, to their surprise, he began laughing. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire
It wasn't a soft chuckle or a reserved snicker. It was full-bodied, echoing across the battlefield as if mocking the very idea.
"That's your standard of strength? The so-called strongest demon alive?!"
Tara stiffened at the blatant disrespect, but before she could respond, Reign continued.
"Let me put this in simple terms for you," he said, his tone dropping into something far colder. "If you people are the best this era could offer, then I should be able to kill him with one hand tied behind my back."
The demon gods froze, their disbelief written plainly on their faces. Such arrogance, even from someone as powerful as Reign, bordered on insanity.
"Watch your words," Venzo finally spoke up. "Draven isn't just strong. He's—"
"Spare me the speeches," Reign interrupted, his tone dripping with disdain. "If he's really that powerful, he should be standing here instead of you lot, cleaning up this mess."
"But he's not, is he? So tell me, is he strong enough to challenge me, or does he hide all the time?"
Tara's teeth clenched as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Draven doesn't hide out of cowardice," she said firmly. "He's been leading the Demon Gods for centuries. His strength isn't something you can mock so lightly."
Reign chuckled darkly. "Let me make this clear. I'm not mocking him. I'm just stating the obvious. If your leader wants to keep his title, he'd better prove he deserves it. Otherwise..." His eyes gleamed with menace. "He's just another demon who'll have no choice but to bow to me."
The demon gods tensed. The sheer audacity of his words was almost too much to process.
Before anyone could respond, Reign's energy exploded outward, silencing them with its oppressive weight.
A suffocating wave of power washed over the demon gods, forcing them to stagger as if their bodies were being crushed by an invisible force.
It wasn't just the raw strength that terrified them. His aura carried something far more sinister—a sense of absolute domination that clawed at their instincts, screaming at them to kneel or be obliterated.
The overwhelming feeling wasn't just due to his power level. It was the sheer number of elements he commanded, each one rippling through the air, radiating chaos.
Alongside that, his killing intent struck like daggers, a haunting reflection of the countless lives he had taken.
The demon gods froze, unable to speak, unable to move. For the first time, they truly understood how vast the gap was between them and the being standing before them.
"I'm going to give you all a chance," Reign said. "I'll visit your so called strongest demon in a few days, and I'll give him a choice: one, surrender to me, or two, die by my hands."
Before they could even reply, Reign vanished, flying away so fast that it didn't even register in their vision.
By the time they realized what had happened, he was already gone.
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Demon Capital Council Room.
The members had gathered, each eager to report what had just transpired.
Remu was the first to speak, her voice laced with frustration.
"He claimed to be a primordial demon. He mocked us, belittled everything we've worked for. He even said he's coming for you in a few days, giving you an ultimatum—surrender or die by his hands."
Draven stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze distant as he processed the information.
He had already seen the footage, but hearing it from the others allowed him to paint a more vivid picture of the new player in the game.
Normally, Draven would have relished the chance to kill the arrogant fool for insulting him, but now was not the time for that.
The threat of Hell still loomed over them, and if the claims were true, they would be fools to go against someone who could be a potential ally and help them.
"I'm not going to hand my position to him," Draven said, his voice steady. "But I do think there's a lot to gain by forming a partnership. Regardless of whether he was telling the truth about being a primordial, we can't deny his power."
Remu frowned, clearly not happy with the idea. "So, you're saying we should align with him? After everything he said, after the way he insulted us?"
"I'm not saying we bow to him. But if he can help us defeat the Hell Army, then we use what we can. This isn't about pride. It's about survival."
Tara crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "He's dangerous, Draven. If we're not careful, he could turn on us just as easily. We need to keep him in check."
Venzo nodded in agreement. "We can't afford to let him get too comfortable. If we form an alliance, we need to make sure it's on our terms."
Draven leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "You're all too emotional. Right now, we have bigger problems than his arrogance. If we can use his power to take down the Hell Army, then we deal with him after. The war comes first."
Visara, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "I agree with Draven. We're facing a losing war. If he can help us, then we do what we must to ensure victory."
With the two most senior and respected demons having spoken, no one else dared raise any further concerns.
It was true. Right now, they couldn't afford to turn away any additional help.
And even if they tried violence, it would mean sacrificing too much manpower, which would only be counterproductive.