Chapter 121: Demon Hierarchy
The fourth demon, perhaps more intelligent than its fellows, tried to abort its attack. It spread its leathery wings that had been folded against its back, attempting to glide back to safety on the opposite bank.
But, before it could turn around to retreat another explosion went off.
BOOM!
The explosion caught it full in the chest, the lightning boring through its torso and erging from its back in a shower of sparks and gore.
It hit the river with a splash that disturbed the peaceful flow of souls, its body sinking beneath the surface within seconds.
The fifth demon, apparently learning from its companions’ fate, tried a different approach.
Instead of flying in a straight line, it attempted to skip across the surface of the soul-river like a stone, using the spectral forms as stepping stones toward the trail.
Moving quickly and avoiding the unseen orbs.
It was a clever strategy. It might even have worked against a less prepared opponent.
BOOM!
The Static Orb that caught it had been positioned at the exact point where Jack’s system analysis suggested such an attempt would be made.
The demon managed one startled yelp before the lightning reduced it to ash and mory.
System notifications cascaded across Jack’s vision like digital rain:
[Congratulations, you have slain a lesser demon!]
[Congratulations, you have slain a lesser demon!]
[Congratulations, you have slain a lesser demon!]
[Congratulations, you have slain a lesser demon!]
[Congratulations, you have slain a lesser demon!]
The watching horde across the river rustled with agitation. Jack could see more sets of eyes moving, positioning themselves for what looked like a coordinated assault.
These demons learned quickly, it seed. The next wave would be larger, better organized, and they would account for his orbital defense.
They never got the chance.
More demons leaped, five, then ten, their desperate hunger overriding any thought.
But Jack’s network of Static Orbs had been deployed with exactly this scenario in mind. Every possible approach vector was covered, every landing zone protected by overlapping fields of electrical death.
The sky above the soul-river erupted in a symphony of destruction. Blue lightning arced between the orbs as they detonated in sequence, each explosion perfectly tid to catch the incoming threats at their most vulnerable points.
The canyon walls reflected the strobing light like a twisted disco ball, and the thunder of repeated explosions rolled across the landscape like the drums of an army on the march.
When the light faded and the echoes died away, the river hissed softly as the demons’ scorched remains dissolved into silver mist and were carried away by the eternal current.
More system notifications filled Jack’s vision:
[Congratulations, you have slain 10 enemies total.]
[Achievent Unlocked: Demon Slayer – 10% damage increase against demons.]
[Reward:
25,000 EXP]
[Reward:
5,000 Death Tokens]
[Total Death Tokens: 28,250]
[Level Up! Arc Mage Level 7 (17,200 / 75,000)]
Jack barely glanced at the scrolling text, though he filed away the information about his new demon-slaying bonus.
Such things would be useful when a horde of demons were watching you.
Across the river, the remaining demons began backing away from the bank.
The glowing eyes dimd one by one as the creatures retreated into the deeper shadows, their appetite for combat apparently satisfied by the demonstration of overwhelming superiority.
Jack continued his climb, the soft hum of his remaining Static Orbs providing a quiet escort.
Behind him, the trail was now protected by a network of nearly two hundred lightning spheres, each one positioned to intercept anyone foolish enough to attempt pursuit.
It had cost him most of his mana, but the investnt would ensure his journey remained uninterrupted.
The path steepened as he climbed higher, winding through increasingly bizarre formations of volcanic glass that had been twisted into impossible shapes by forces beyond mortal comprehension.
Strange crystals jutted from the canyon walls, their surfaces reflecting distorted images.
Hours passed in asured silence, broken only by the crunch of boots on stone and the distant, otherworldly rush of the soul-river far below.
Jack’s mana slowly regenerated as he walked. By the ti the trail finally leveled out, his mana was almost fully restored.
When the path at last erged onto a broad ledge carved from the mountain’s peak, Jack found himself facing a sheer wall of obsidian that rose into the crimson sky like a black mirror.
The stone was perfectly smooth, unmarked by wind or weather, but set into its center was a single door.
The door was crafted from the sa black stone as the wall, but veined with red threads. They pulsed in a rhythm that reminded Jack of a heartbeat.
Slow, steady, and oddly comforting after the chaotic violence of his ascent.
The mont his boots touched the ledge, the door swung open with a pleasant chi that seed completely at odds with the foreboding architecture.
Warm lamplight spilled across the dark stone, carrying with it the scent of old books, exotic spices, and sothing indefinably magical.
A familiar voice drifted from within, cheerful and irreverent despite the otherworldly setting:
"About ti you showed up. I was starting to think you’d gotten lost, eaten, or decided to take up residence in that lovely canyon with all your new demon friends."
Jack stepped across the threshold, leaving the desolate mountain behind.
The interior of the Emporium of the Damned was exactly as he rembered from his previous visit, yet sohow more impressive now that he had experienced true divine power firsthand.
Shelves lined every available surface, stretching up into the gloom and filled with weapons, armor, and artifacts that humd with barely contained power.
Behind the familiar counter stood the God of Death himself, wearing the sa black shopkeeper’s apron embroidered with tiny silver skulls that Jack rembered from their first eting.
A quill made from phoenix feather danced between his skeletal fingers as he made notations in a ledger bound in what looked suspiciously like human skin.
The god looked up from his bookkeeping, eye sockets glowing like twin moons in the lamp light.
When he saw Jack, his skull sohow managed to convey both surprise and approval.
"Welco back, Soul Warden," he said with a grin that carried both nace and genuine hospitality. "I see you’ve been making quite the impression on the local wildlife. Not bad for a mortal who was nearly demon food just a few hours ago."
He chuckled and laughed at his comnts.
Jack allowed himself a faint smile as he approached the counter.
Jack allowed himself a faint smile as he approached the counter. "Just how many demons are there? And how strong are they?"
Hades set down his phoenix feather quill and leaned against the counter. "Ah, getting right to the point. The demonic hierarchy here runs deeper than most mortals realize."
He gestured toward the window, where the crimson sky stretched endlessly. "What you killed were lesser demons, bottom of the food chain. Above them, you’ve got Low Grade demons like your friend Cho. Then Mid Grade, High Grade, EX Grade, and finally Demon Lords at the apex."
Jack’s expression grew more serious. "How many of each are we talking about?"
"Lesser demons breed like rabbits and die just as easily. Their cores get harvested and fed to stronger demons to enhance their power. It’s a rather efficient system, really."
Hades’ eye sockets glead with dark amusent. "The real numbers you need to worry about? There are twenty-five known Demon Lords in existence right now across all the realms."
Jack felt his blood run cold. "Twenty-five?"
"And here’s the particularly interesting part," Hades continued, his tone taking on the casual delivery of soone discussing the weather. "Two of them happen to be residing in the Voidlands, what used to be the old Prosperity Kingdoms. They’ve made quite a ho for themselves in those cursed ruins."
If demon lords were the Apex, and most likely Tyrant ranked, there were too many in existence.
But sothing else was bothering him, sothing that had been nagging at the back of his mind since their divine encounter during the fight with Cho.
Jack’s jaw tightened as he t the god’s glowing gaze. "Speaking of interesting information... Why did you lie to
about the blessing?"
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