"I don't know what you're talking about," the flaming bird replied defensively, "We were just tasked to guard this place. I don't know what's hidden here, nor do I care."
Reign picked up on the creature's unease and realized he just needed to keep pushing it.
"Really? You're telling that after all these years, you've never been curious? Never once tried to find out what you've been guarding all this ti?"
The flaming bird shifted, its flas dimming slightly. "We were given strict orders. There is no room for doubts."
Reign's smirk deepened. The divine beast tone revealed its frustration for its duties, suggesting it was bound to this role against its will.
From this conversation alone, he could gather valuable insights to leverage against it.
"You don't sound too happy about your duty," he pointed out, tilting his head slightly as he studied the creature.
"If you're just following orders, then you're not really in control of your fate, are you?"
"That's none of your concern. I have my reasons for accepting it,"
"Sure, but how long are you willing to endure it?" he pressed, sensing an opportunity. "If you join , you could be free. No more guarding this boring trial "
His real reason for making the offer was much simpler—he thought the bird looked aweso and very powerful.
He wasn't joking when he pictured it as a potential mount.
And despite the fact that its power was easily countered by his own, it was still at the Demon King level, which made it a valuable asset.
Furthermore, as his reputation grew and he ventured into more dangerous territories, having powerful pawns would be invaluable.
He had always disapproved of Lilith's thod of gathering weaklings. She seed to collect anyone who was willing to join her, regardless of their strength.
But collecting powerhouses like this flaming bird? That was a different story.
Adding the divine beast to his collection would be a smart move, especially now that he possessed two demon king bodies.
The risk of attracting a more demon kings and a demon god's attention was now much higher.
It hesitated, torn between its pride and the allure of freedom. "And what makes you think I'd trust you?"
"Because you don't really have a choice," he stated bluntly.
"Think about it. You don't even know what will happen after this trial. For all you know, this whole place could just disappear along with you."
"T— That's not possible," it replied, though the tremor in its voice showed its doubt.
"Are you sure?" Reign pressed, stepping closer.
"You've been stuck here, guarding a place you don't understand, for who knows how long. What if the one who made all of this decide they don't need you anymore? You'd just be another casualty in their grand design."
The divine beast hesitated, its pride clashing with the reality he presented. "But... I have my duty. I wont abandon it."
"Wont or Can't" Reign challenged, sensing the crack in its resolve.
As the flas danced around the creature, he could see its internal struggle .The temptation was there, and he had to keep selling it.
"I can free you,"
The divine beast's resolve began to waver "What if you're just using ?"
"I am using you, but at least I'm being honest about it. I'll keep you around until you're no longer useful to ."
"What will happen if I'm not useful anymore?"
"You won't like my answer, so it's best you work hard to make sure that ti never cos."
The flaming bird hesitated for a mont. Reign's bluntness gave his words an air of credibility.
If he were rely trying to win its favor, he wouldn't have been so direct.
This was a big difference to its experiences with the creator of the trial, who had promised a better world but ultimately trapped them here like re objects.
Little did the divine beast know that Reign was also aware of this, which was why he chose to take this approach.
"What do you plan to do if I join you?" the flaming bird asked, its voice tinged with both curiosity and caution.
"A lot of things. I'm aiming to beco the strongest. When I'm powerful enough, I'll attack Heaven and eliminate all the angels," he declared with unwavering confidence.
It sounded like he really hated them, but the truth was a bit different. The idea of feasting on their divine powers thrilled him.
He knew the world had a limited population, and if he wanted to grow stronger, he would have to go down this path sooner or later. Explore more stories at empire
Even Hell was on his target list, a proof to just how greedy he was for power.
The flaming bird was taken aback. It harbored a deep hatred for the angels, as they were the ones who had forced the Divine Beasts into this state.
If Reign really wanted them gone, their goals aligned perfectly.
"I'll consider it, but only after you pass the trial,"
"Sure, teleport to the next area now,"
"I can't do that alone anymore. You're already more powerful than I am, so you can't travel through normal ans. What I can do is open the portal just a bit, and you can feed it with your own energy."
"Feed it my energy? How does that even work?"
"Just channel your divine energy toward the portal once I open it. But be careful. If you overload it, you might get stuck and be shredded to pieces "
"Sounds simple enough. I'm ready," he gave the go signal.
The flaming bird concentrated, its flas swirling into a vortex.
A very small portal began to form, flickering with a bright orange light.
"Now!" it shouted, urging him to act quickly.
With a deep breath, Reign focused his energy, letting it flow toward the portal.
He felt a surge of power, a connection forming as his divine energy rged with the flickering light.
"How's that?" he called out, glancing at the bird.
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