The defensive rune was shimmering with a dark gloomy light, the energy gathered, and runes weaved like vines around it.
With a single, small burst of radiance, its completion was signaled.
It was only the most basic defensive rune from his hell's inheritance, but he had succeeded on crafting it on his first try!
Knowing how to do something in theory was still difficult to materialize in the real world without prior experience.
Adam channeled the nexus point's energy, it's potent, demonic reserve resonated with his own core, as he pushed it into the newly engraved rune.
Gathering his will, he took a breath before starting the activation of the rune.
The stone around him vibrated, and with a low vibration, a translucent black barrier shimmered into existence, stretching out in a perfect circle with a one kilometer radius. His core base and budding building perfectly encapsulated by the barrier.
It was an instant success!
Adam stood on the platform on the obelisk, his bare chest rising and falling with a profound sense of accomplishment, and a hint of fatigue.
Below him, the demons showed startled and worshiping expressions, their leader now an object of worship as he stood high on a platform before the portal. The alter stood behind him as his red gaze pierced down the black steps that lead up to him, looking onto his subjects.
The red backdrop of hell and the floating black miasma seemed to highlight his devilish attractiveness.
A talented, awe inspiring devil stood before them.
His moment of triumph, however, was swiftly interrupted.
Agri, having come up from below, wrapped her body around his, her praise overshadowed by a blatant purr of pure greed.
"Master, you are so powerful," she cooed, her eyes fervent with lust, "You have already created a fortress, a symbol of your greatness! You are soo talented for creating such a power rune~"
Her blatant words of kissing ass still did wonders to Adam's ego, his ears enjoying her praise, while his hands enjoyed her lithe body.
Roh and the other powerful demons also came before him, roughly 30 of them, their expressions a mix of awe and respect, while their faces blatantly expressed their greed and desire for power.
Adam's gaze swept over them, roughly one third male, one third female, and the rest non-gendered amalgamations. This was the current gathering of his 'top' strength.
For a moment, he inwardly expressed his dissatisfaction at the low number of attractive women in the demon race. Though all of those who were inclined to feminine appearances were truly beautiful.
A flash of desire burned momentarily in his gaze when his eyes hovered over another beauty amongst the demons…
Shaking the thoughts away, Adam reluctantly released Agri's ample breast and slender waist, directing the demons to gather more food and materials, while also maintaining order.
His goal wasn't limited to the defensive rune.
His focus now turned to the attack rune, a more complex inscription that required carving a physical structure at the highest point of the obelisk.
The reason an attack rune needed a structure was so that there could be a point of concentration, that could take the brunt of an energy attack passing through, while also helping in directing the shot towards its target.
This would take more time, which was a luxury he didn't know he had.
Everyone, with their new senes of purpose and orders, wen their separate ways.
While Adam went back to work, new undercurrents were unfolding below.
Agri, as she stepped off the platform, felt a cold murderous gaze tracing on her back.
Her first thoughts were that several demons might have been jealous that she had gotten so close to the devil leading them.
Yet, when she turned, her eyes landed on the only other beautiful demoness within the basin.
Blair, a lesser flame demon, had watched Agri's interaction with Adam; obviously noticing that this particular female shadow demon had ran up towards Adam while the rest of the demons, including her, had watched on with reverence.
Agri's 'unsightly' and lascivious nature ticked Blair off for some reason at first, but then she started to ponder on why Adam had allowed such disrespectful behavior from one of his subordinates.
Her forming ideas were only further confirmed when she felt Adam's burning gaze rest on her body momentarily.
Because of this, a single, arrogant, surprisingly simple thought formulated in her fiendish mind: 'This devil likes beauty? Then I shall present myself after removing this one!'
Her sin of pride was her most dominant trait, and it was her pride that told her to act.
She didn't consider whether she could or should kill Agri; it was simply the most direct, efficient path to what she wanted.
Blair was a beautiful pale red demoness, with black obsidian-like armor that stretched out of her skin to cover her nude body. A distinguishing small, pinky-sized red gem was centered on her forehead; a vassal of beauty and power that got bigger, more intricate, and beautiful as she reached higher realms.
She was a fiery, beautiful demoness who did not know the meaning of the word hesitate.
Agri, who was short-tempered, stomped over to confront Blair, but the other demoness merely turned and walked towards the forest.
Seeing the direction in which she went, Agri hesitated, not out of fear, but due to the humiliating memory of her last time in the woods, a phantom pain still lingering on her behind.
But then she recalled that Blair had just arrived in the basin a couple of hours ago, so she shouldn't know what had transpired. This, coupled with the insult of being ignored, spurred Agri forward.
Consequences and caution a vague after thought in most fiends.
Entering the woods, Agri found Blair already waiting, the nonchalant expression on her face a stark contrast to the extreme killing intent that radiated from her.
"I don't seem to recall making you mad… in fact I don't seem to recall you at all~" Agri questioned, her tone dripping with mock innocence.
The anger and annoyance she was seething with seemingly washed away, hidden under the perfect facade.
Fiends were strong with emotions; as easily susceptible as their were at controlling them. Another contradicting anomaly, a mystery of the abyss of hell's residents.
Blair's blazing golden eyes were uncaring as she ignored her question, "Why does his Greatness show you fondness?"
Agri was slightly annoyed by the blatant disregard for her question, but also intrigued by the female demon's motivation. A viscous smile began to form on her lips as she had already decided that this bitch wouldn't need to live any longer.
Agri started to weave a false scenario, her expression one of reminiscence.
"He admires that I showed him defiance, that I tried to kill him when trying to make me submit," Agri said, her eyes gleaming with a proud expression, "But he was too powerful! He defeated me, and then he forced me into submission with his power and his rough touch… letting me experience his greatness~"
Agri failed to control her lustful expressions as she started to recall and fantasize the scenario that she forged...