The nearby towns—and even entire nations—were in turmoil.
Countless residents, pale as sheets, lifted their heads to gaze at the massive vortex in the sky that rumbled endlessly overhead.
No explanation was needed. The moment they laid eyes on the phenomenon, they understood what it meant.
Because this sight had already appeared hundreds of times across the world, it had become the most terrifying omen of all—far more dreadful than any natural disaster.
Whether or not someone managed to suppress it in the end, it would still bring unspeakable pain and devastation.
In fact, its mere appearance was already a declaration that countless lives had been lost.
Instinctively, driven by the primal urge to escape danger, people across the land began preparing to flee overnight, desperate to escape this fearsome region.
They set their sights on safer territory.
Some even stirred up chaos in their panic to leave faster, sparking pointless conflicts in the process.
———
In an ancient kingdom bordering the territory of Augustus...
Even though it was the dead of night, the opulent royal palace blazed with light.
From the study echoed a furious roar: "Damn it! How did Augustus suddenly become a polluted Zone?!"
The calm composure the king usually carried had completely vanished, replaced by a hint of hysteria.
After witnessing Augustus's current state through magical means, he was filled with both rage and overwhelming dread.
He had always despised those arrogant Mages who looked down on nobles, but he still held deep respect for their power.
He knew Augustus possessed deeper foundations than his own kingdom, and had long been a bulwark against abyssal invasions.
He had even considered that, should demons ever invade his lands, he might be able to enlist help from Augustus—at a price, of course.
But before anything had even happened to his own kingdom, Augustus, the stronger power, had already fallen.
No warning signs. No buildup. It was too sudden—unbelievably so!
This development completely blindsided him, and he now found himself even more terrified of the forces of the Abyss.
After brooding in grim silence for a while, he finally let out a long, helpless sigh.
He understood that without decisive power of his own, everything else was meaningless. All he could do was take things one step at a time.
So, he began issuing orders, mobilizing the massive machine that was his "nation" in an effort to restore some sense of security:
"Mobilize all military forces immediately! Seal off all areas bordering Augustus, and impose strict domestic surveillance. Anyone trying to exploit this chaos—arrest them on the spot!"
"The polluted Zone hasn't fully formed yet—there may still be civilians alive inside. If they escape, let them through, but they must be thoroughly inspected!"
"I don't want a single demon slipping into my kingdom!"
Originally, he had considered eliminating any survivors outright. But after weighing the long-term consequences, he reluctantly abandoned that idea.
Seeing that the king had regained his composure and was now handling matters pragmatically, the ministers—who had been trying their best to keep their heads down like quails—dared not speak out and promptly acknowledged his commands.
Scenes like this were unfolding across numerous countries and factions.
Though the exact wording differed, the underlying sentiment was the same.
It was a day that left many sleepless with anxiety.
———
At dawn that very day, millions of demons descended upon the ruins of Augustus, guided by teleportation arrays.
After only a brief period of rest—far too short to fully recover their strength—they began clashing with the native forces.
Neither the Abyss nor the Myling World were fully prepared.
Both manpower and resources were still en route.
Yet the brutal battle had already begun, unavoidable and immediate.
After all, with a newly formed polluted Zone in their world, the people of Myling couldn't possibly allow the demons to consolidate their hold. Ill-prepared or not, they had no choice but to fight.
The same held true for the abyssal demons. Though still weakened, they had to defend this place.
Failing to do so would mean losing their only foothold—a place where the world's suppressive forces were greatly reduced.
If they lost it now, they'd be powerless, mere paper tigers—doomed to die pathetic deaths.
So their only option was clear: Don't flinch. Just fight.
Both sides were essentially being pushed into battle with no time to breathe.
But while the mood on the Myling side was heavy and grim, the abyssal demons were treating it like just another Tuesday.
They carried on with their usual behaviors, utterly unfazed. After all, for them, fighting was part of everyday life. Danger didn't faze them—it was routine.
In fact, strictly speaking, the danger now wasn't even as bad as what they'd faced during their infancy, back when they had to battle other juviline demons by the riverbank just to survive.
Back then, their survival rate had been less than one in several hundred. Compared to that, this opening skirmish was practically a cakewalk—even if most of them ended up dying, it wouldn't come close to that level of carnage. After all, many of the Myling side's heavy weapons hadn't even arrived yet.
To the abyssal demons, this was as safe as going home.
That was one of the key reasons why abyssal demons were so enthusiastic about world invasions—many were even willing to pack their own rations.
After all, staying home meant risking being eaten by a stronger demon as a snack.
Might as well visit another world.
And if they were lucky enough to end up in a low-tier world, they could even enjoy the thrill of beating up the equivalent of elementary schoolers!
———
As for Orsaga, he couldn't care less about the brewing conflict.
The moment he received his mission reward, he bolted from the area before the defense lines could even be set up—vanishing in the blink of an eye.
He had no intention of sticking around for what came next.
To him, this kind of side gig was fine to dabble in, but not worth grinding himself down for.
His main business in this world was still his "Lay-Low multi-World Plague Inc Strategy", the cornerstone of his long-term, steady-income plan—and it was far too important to risk.
After flying over ten thousand kilometers away from Augustus…
Orsaga suddenly dove downward, phasing silently through the earth and into the deep underground.
He was looking for a secluded place to absorb the high-level grimoires he had plundered.
Unlike the low-level knowledge he used to process casually, the books he'd seized this time were all at least Legendary Rank, with no shortage of Demi-God and even God-Tier knowledge.
They brimmed with immense power, and understanding them wouldn't be easy.
To improve his efficiency, Orsaga decided to find a spiritually rich location where he could enter a light hibernation.
____
T/N:
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