Chapter 14 Eternal Blood War
Lucifer gazed at the newly born nine layers of Hell. This former archangel, now the lord of Hell, knew he had to quickly consolidate his power, or this nascent Hell would soon be swallowed by the abyss or descend into internal strife.
"Deep Hell Demon, Bayer!" Lucifer's voice echoed throughout the entire Ninth Floor.
A tall, imposing demon stepped forward in response, his scarlet skin covered in armor; he was one of Lucifer's most trusted lieutenants. "As you command, Your Majesty."
"I appoint you as Lord of Avernus, to govern the first layer of Hell. Your task is to establish a defensive line and stop the abyss's counterattack."
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Bayer knelt on one knee, his sharp nails scraping the ice with a piercing sound: "In the name of hell, I will let the blood of demons stain the land of Avernas."
Lucifer then appointed rulers for the other eight levels. He chose Mechanost to rule the Dis level because she was skilled in deception and seduction;
Koschitchet was appointed to rule the Kania layer, utilizing its control over the cold.
Each lord received a portion of Lucifer's power, but in doing so, they also formed an inviolable contractual bond with him.
"Remember," Lucifer's voice was as cold as Ness's, "you have power in my domain, but you must obey the laws of hell. Any betrayal will be punished more cruelly than the abyss."
Lucifer established the Iron Court in the heart of Hell and summoned all the demon lords to the First Hellish Council. At this council, he promulgated the Code of Hell, a legal system of extreme severity.
The code stipulates that demons are divided into nine ranks, from the lowest, inferior demons, to the highest, hellish demons. Each demon can collect souls through contracts to improve its rank, but must strictly abide by the rules of its respective rank.
"We are different from demons," Lucifer declared to the newly born demon race. "Chaos only leads to self-destruction. Only order and discipline can truly help us conquer the abyss."
The demon society quickly developed a unique structure. Lower-ranking demons were responsible for enforcing contracts and collecting souls, mid-ranking demons plotted conspiracies and seduced mortals, and higher-ranking demons managed the operations of the various levels of hell and participated in the strategic planning of the blood war.
The most unique are the Contract Demons, who specialize in making agreements with mortals in exchange for their souls in exchange for service or power.
These contracts are complex and full of hidden traps, but they are strictly protected by the laws of hell—the devil must fulfill the literal obligations of the contract, even if it means giving mortals unexpected benefits.
The will of the abyss was enraged by Lucifer's "theft." After losing nine layers, it assembled the largest demon army in its history, led by the demon princes Demogorgon and Orcus, and marched straight for Avernus.
The first bloody battle unfolded outside the bronze fortress. Countless demons surged in like a tidal wave, frenzied and disorderly, killing purely on instinct.
Standing atop the fortress walls, Bayer calmly directed the demon legion into battle. "Spearmen, front line! Flying squadrons, flank! Contracted Demon Order, unleash the curse!"
The demons countered the chaos of the demons with strict discipline. Whenever a demon breached a line of defense, the demon army would retreat in an orderly fashion, while simultaneously setting up ambushes on both sides. Although the demon army was vast in number, it often fell into the demons' carefully designed traps.
Lucifer personally observed the battle from the front lines. When Demogorgon charged forward and was about to break through the devil's defenses, the Lord of Hell finally intervened.
Lucifer spread his black wings and rose into the blood-red sky of Avernus.
He conjured a greatsword engulfed in black flames, pointing it directly at Demogorgon. "Puppet of the Abyss, let me show you the true power of Hell!"
Two powerful beings collided in mid-air.
After all, it was in Hell. Lucifer's power of order clashed fiercely with Demogorgon's chaotic energy. In the end, the demon prince was defeated and left with wounds that were difficult to heal.
The initial battle was a success, but Lucifer knew this was just the beginning.
After the war, Lucifer strengthened the defenses between the various levels of Hell. He ordered the construction of the "Cursed Stairs," connecting the nine levels, allowing the demon legions to move quickly between them, while each level's entrance was fortified with strongholds that were easy to defend and difficult to attack.
At the same time, Lucifer began systematically tempting beings from other planes to join Hell. He especially targeted angels who were dissatisfied with the strict order of Heaven's Mountain, and demons who were disillusioned with the pointless chaos of the Abyss.
Some of the lower-ranking angels, drawn by Lucifer's promise of "true order," deserted Mount Heaven and joined Hell.
These fallen angels became important commanders of the demon legions, bringing with them knowledge of celestial tactics and the use of divine energy, giving the demons a greater advantage in their battles against evil.
Even more surprisingly, a very small number of demons also flocked to Hell. They were tired of the endless chaotic civil war in the Abyss and attracted by the order and discipline of Hell.
Lucifer gladly accepted these converts, but demanded that they fully obey the laws of hell and abandon their chaotic nature.
Heaven's Mountain was shocked and enraged by Lucifer's change of heart. Michael summoned all the archangels for an emergency meeting to discuss how to deal with this upheaval.
"Lucifer has completely fallen," Michael asserted. "He has not only betrayed the light himself, but also tempted other angels to join his evil cause."
Gabriel, however, held a different view: "But we cannot deny that the bloodbath did alleviate the pressure on other planes."
The demons are now focused on attacking Hell, and the invasion of Heaven Mountain and the Material Plane has decreased by 80%.
Raphael added, "Moreover, Lucifer's demons are indeed lawful, unlike demons who are irrational. We can predict their behavior and may even reach some kind of agreement."
Ultimately, Heaven Mountain decided to refrain from direct intervention for the time being, but to closely monitor the movements of Hell while strengthening its own defenses.
Among the gods, opinions were even more divided. Suren was deeply concerned about Lucifer's actions, believing he had opened a dangerous Pandora's box.
Shantia noted that the birth of Hell restored balance between chaos and order in the universe. Gewush even publicly praised Lucifer's "pragmatic approach."
On the material plane, the influence of demons began to manifest. Contract demons tempted mortals to sign agreements in various ways: nobles craved power, merchants sought wealth, artists thirsted for inspiration, and lovers tried to salvage their relationships.
These contracts often come at the cost of the soul, granting mortals short-term benefits but leading to disastrous long-term consequences.
However, unlike the pure destruction of demons, the devil's contracts always leave room for "reasonable" interpretation, allowing victims to think they have cleverly exploited loopholes, only to ultimately fall into the trap.
Surprisingly, some ordinary people began to actively worship the devil.
They formed a secret cult, believing that Lucifer brought a more "realistic" order—acknowledging the existence of desire and evil, but restraining them through rules.
Ling Hao observed these changes with mixed feelings. He knew that in the game's history, this was the beginning of the devil's infiltration of the material plane.
But unlike the demon of pure destruction, the devil brings a corrupting order, an evil that makes people willingly fall into depravity.
As time went on, the bloody battle grew increasingly fierce. Demons seemed endless, constantly pouring forth from the deepest abyss; the devils, relying on discipline and tactics, triumphed over the odds.
Lucifer personally commanded several key battles. On the Stygian ice plains, he lured the demon army deep into the glacial canyons, then ordered the Ice Demons to detonate the glaciers on both sides, burying hundreds of thousands of demons.
In the Fiery Cross Range, he commanded the Fire Demon to manipulate the flow of lava, luring the demonic forces into a death trap.
However, the will of the abyss was also learning. It began creating new, more intelligent demons, even mimicking their tactics. Some demon lords, in a rare move, united to fight against the threat from hell.
Some demons began to revel in slaughter and power during the bloody battles, gradually becoming similar to evil spirits. Lucifer had no choice but to severely punish these subordinates who had strayed from the path of law, as a warning to others.
"The difference between us and demons lies in self-discipline," Lucifer emphasized in a post-war address. "Once we indulge in chaotic desires, we lose our reason for being and become another kind of demon."
Countless years have passed, and the universe has gradually adapted to the new order. Heaven, the Abyss, and the Nine Hells have formed a delicate tripartite balance.
The gods continued to monitor the progress of the blood war, but intervened less and less directly.
The angelic legions occasionally purge the rampant demonic cults, but they no longer attack the Abyss as frequently as before; they have tacitly agreed to fight against the Abyss alongside Hell.
Lucifer consolidated his rule, and the nine circles of hell were entirely under his control. He sat on the frozen throne of Ness, gazing at the endless carnage of the bloodbath, his eyes flashing with a complex light.
Ling Hao knew this was just the beginning. In his knowledge of the game, the Abyss Bloodbath would last forever, devouring countless lives.
But perhaps, just perhaps, this brutal balance does prevent either side from achieving complete victory, thus avoiding the entire universe being ruled by pure chaos or absolute order.
"The universe has infinite possibilities," Ling Hao thought to himself. "Lucifer should be the supreme ruler. He should use one kind of evil to restrain another, and use one kind of order to balance the chaos."
Afterwards, Ling Hao turned his attention to the location of the strange Desolate God.