Chapter 319 : Black Spiral
Hofa rubbed his temples.
He didn't know why, but lately he always had a stinging sensation... Even though his head was already covered by Terminal Ice, he shouldn't be able to feel pain.
"Is it because of... that Princess Lonis?"
Just thinking of that girl's name made Hofa genuinely uncomfortable.
In fact, though ordinary demons might not know Lonis's reputation, for Exotic Decay demons like them who had lived for hundreds of years, that was definitely a headache-inducing name.
Because...
A hundred years ago, General Caster had officially launched the plan to seize the Rainbow Abysses, and the first battle of that plan took place in the icy Snow Kingdom.
They had bewitched General Kuru as an inside agent, activated ancient weapons as vanguards, and even sent elite warriors to the front lines.
But still...
They couldn't seize the power of Flame Abyss.
Under Princess Lonis's command, the dying warriors launched a final counterattack, and even General Kuru was trapped in the underground prison, unable to escape for life.
And Princess Lonis at that time was only 14 years old, right?
And now?
This Princess Lonis had not only changed her name to Elucia, but was also attacking with the power of Land of Ends and demon cooperation.
After over a hundred years of tempering, her will should be nearly perfect. Even General Caster would find it difficult to find her weaknesses.
So...
Caster had sent him here to snipe.
Whether they could win was secondary—the key was to force out all the opponent's trump cards and make them reveal more Rainbow Abyss power...
So from the beginning, those three were just pawns.
Mortak, though one of Caster's key close associates, possessed an immortal body, making him most suitable for this kind of work.
Withered Leaf was originally an abandoned baby thrown away by humans, basically worthless. But she had successfully gained the power to replicate Tree Abyss, and to obtain this power, she had to complete the tasks Caster assigned.
Minotaur, though a product of the Independent Kingdom from a thousand years ago with immense strength, was a brainless fool... Throw this bull-headed man into a slightly complex underground maze and he'd never get out.
So...
"No, even I... am probably just a pawn too, right?"
Hofa smiled coldly. Though the influence of Terminal Ice had made him forget too much about the past.
But he still remembered the original purpose of establishing the Doomsday Independent Kingdom.
To create a country led by the strong, absolutely guided by order and law.
In this country, power was the criterion for measuring everything—technology, culture, economy, education—all served power.
People were divided into different classes based on power, and all society's resources were provided to the powerful strong.
But this didn't mean leaving the weak with no way to live. In fact, many people knew that pure strong ones often emerged from among the weak.
So...
In the Doomsday Independent Kingdom, there were numerous arenas, countless untested black drugs, various hormones, and even medicines made from processed Exotic Decay fragments.
Consuming these things would most likely make you insane and brutal.
But there was also a small possibility you could overcome it all and become an incredibly powerful elite.
So that meant...
Caster was originally a pawn too?
Initially, no one would have looked favorably on this man with messy hair who couldn't even open his eyes properly.
Until he personally killed his opponents and stood on that platform forged from iron skulls... only then did he display his extraordinary power.
He possessed extraordinary learning and analytical abilities, and seemed able to reproduce and absorb enemy flesh and blood. So he climbed upward, not only advancing to S-class personnel but becoming the third director of the research center.
But then a rebellious disaster occurred and became...
......
"Lord Hofa, they're coming!"
"!"
The girl's shout brought Hofa's thoughts back to reality. He looked down at Withered Leaf standing below the throne.
Like when they first met, her body was still small and frail. The difference was that Withered Leaf now possessed power far beyond what she'd had before.
"Yes, Withered Leaf, you'll attack together with Minotaur and Mortak."
"What? I have to work with those two guys again? I can handle it completely by myself!"
"This is an order."
"!"
"Remember, your task is only to force the opponent to use more power, not to eliminate the enemy."
"Lord Hofa, are you looking down on me?"
"......"
"Please watch carefully. I've specifically developed new power. This time, no matter what tricks that Elucia uses, I'll bury her here!"
......
With that, Withered Leaf ran out to face the battle.
But Hofa knew...
Arrogance comes with a price.
Even General Caster wouldn't act rashly without understanding the opponent's true strength... especially at a time like this.
Though Elucia had seemingly been trapped by Withered Leaf's forest killing array before, that was only because she'd encountered such a trap for the first time and was confused by carelessness.
If she thought carefully afterward, the opponent would definitely find a way to break the situation. Then Withered Leaf positioned in the array might very well be killed by her in one strike.
(Killed?)
Imagining that possibility, Hofa slowly closed his eyes.
Then he opened them, but a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth:
"Is Caster using this method to make me also fight with everything I have?"
Ice Rock Fortress,
This was a very important pass in the former Doomsday Independent Kingdom.
It was located at the core of the Sea of Ice and Lava, the only route to Ruins City. Though the current Doomsday Independent Kingdom had fallen, Ice Rock Fortress still functioned.
It continuously emitted energy, mobilizing the ice lava to form an impenetrable energy wall... If enemies wanted to continue forward, they had to enter the interior of Ice Rock Fortress and shut down the energy shield.
And that was when...
Withered Leaf would strike.
"Hehe, hehehe!"
Gazing at that golden warship, the green-haired girl smiled coldly.
She had already formulated spreading plants specifically to counter Elucia based on her characteristics. As soon as the opponent entered Ice Rock Fortress's range, they would face comprehensive continuous attacks.
Not just physical vine attacks—specially made pollen would also permeate the entire area.
Once they smelled the pollen, no matter how powerful Elucia was, she would slowly lose her reason and be completely captured by the traps she'd set.
Afterward, she need only extract Elucia's bodily fluids to gain even more powerful strength and capture everyone in one net.
"Haha, just wait and see! Everyone who underestimates me will pay with their lives!"