Soul of Searing Steel

“You have displayed great power… we don’t have to fight to the last.”

Floating in the Void far away from Joshua, Goliath evaded the celestial radiant zone that the warrior Created. Although it was beaten back countless times and was maimed in mere recoil, Goliath showed no quickness to inconsolable rage typical of demons and spoke calmly instead, “You have found a weakness to my power, not to mention that I could not hurt you with effect… In the end, nothing changed even after I played my trump card.”

“I surrender, and acknowledge your power.”

Joshua was indeed shocked by how quickly Goliath surrendered—he had believed that Goliath would morph three more times to display the true trump card which he ascended to Legend with, and not Shadow, an ability he learned recently before admitting defeat so easily.

It appears that he misunderstood the Demon King of Gluttony’s personality.

“You don’t resemble a demon at all.”

Joshua replied coolly, stroking his own fist but not withdrawing the celestial zone. “While you’re staying so far away, it’s clear that I could still attack you even if you surrender.”

Such was Joshua’s earnest thoughts—it was Goliath who provoked him, and now he was already done? What right did he have to stop? After all, with its present level, Joshua could pummel it half dead before rallying and pacifying the scattered demonic species—Joshua would not stop even with the assurance of control over the Abyssal armies of the Sixth Abyss.

However, Goliath appeared to have thought of that and kept itself far away. It would be an extended cat-and-mouse battle if the fight continued since their abilities actually did not differ that much. If Joshua did not summon his true form and there were no one else to box in the Demon King, it would not be unusual for their battle to extend over a few years.

That would be a meaningless cost for the warrior, who was short on time—no one knew when the unknown Evil God would awaken, which is why it was better for civilizations of Order to act as quick as they could.

The two huge black-red scythes that Goliath held were broken due to the recoil from slashing Joshua’s body. It was probably one of the most powerful supernatural weapons the Abyssal Liege forged with its own bones and many rare enchanted metals, but it was still a level beneath the warrior’s armor. Now, as Goliath split a part of its flesh to fill the cracks on the blades, both weapons were restored to their original state.

Then, Goliath made a calm response to Joshua’s mockery.

“Demons can be demons. They can be bloodthirsty, crafty, warmongering, rash and traitorous. It’s nature, exposed by environment, norms and bloodline instincts.”

“But Demon Kings are different.”

“The Liege of Demons must never be a demon, just like how fitting human rulers should abandon the innate evils of the humane, the centuries of life as a Demon King had long since ground the demonic tempestuous nature away from me.”

“I might occasionally throw a fit, but now is not the time.”

***

Meanwhile, Joshua simply stared at Goliath—he had no positive opinion of the Demon King who led Abyssal invasions in the preexistence and essentially reduced Mycroft into scorched earth.

Demons were a race that invaded other worlds to plunder souls and Flame, remnants of fallen civilization, self-destructing failures or the defeated in an invasion. At most, they were mere echoes left after their former civilizations were destroyed, and should have vanished with the many realms of the Abyss, recycled as materials for new rules.

It was cruel, but that was far less cruel than how demons treated other races. The demons’ hunt would see the extinction of a race or the slaughter and robbing of souls, and if was not for World Wills rejecting their presence, they would act like cuckoo birds, slaughtering all local life before taking residence in the invaded world and turning it into another Abyss.

If Mycroft civilization did not presently need the Sixth Abyss to keep the peace over all the Abysses, Joshua would not be alone now—the combined force of at least eight Legends would be here.

“You never had the right to refuse.”

Joshua growled. “Your refusal means destruction, for we would never allow any threat to lurk in the darkness while we saved the galaxy. Goliath, if you are indeed the King of Demons you call yourself, you should understand that helping us to pacify the galaxy and leading me to the Bottom of the Abyss is your only choice.”

“It’s either serving or death.”

There was no threat in the warrior’s voice. However, anyone could hear his immeasurable determination in that statement.

And Goliath certainly did.

After some silence, it slowly approached Joshua’s domain of stars and entered the range of his power radiation. It was certainly unbearable a demon that had learned the art of Shadows, but it kept moving forward, even as its black shell billowed scorching dark smoke.

“…I just want to know one thing, champion of humans.”

Returning to the previous one-world distance before they fought, the Demon King spoke quietly, “That is, whether you would proceed with the plan to wipe out the Sixth Abyss after the crisis is resolved.”

“To me, demons all deserve death.”

Joshua, never one to lie nor hold back his opinions folded his four arms before his chest as he stood over a large dark blue planet. “That being said, Mycroft has no intention of getting involved—you don’t exist if we don’t see you. Naturally, the condition is for you to work with us and accomplish your task perfectly, proving that your existence at least benefits the entire galaxy and are not mere destroyers.”

“And I won’t say another word. Goliath, what say you?”

The warrior did not hide his hostility against the demon; he had follow-up plans whether the Sixth Abyss cooperated. Ultimately, compared to how demonic infighting in the Abyss would help the unknown Evil God, the Demon King’s might was the true threat to Mycroft.

“Is that so… I understand.”

Goliath lowered its head, unangered by Joshua’s naked hostility since demons interacted with more clear sinister intent than Joshua, even in greeting. That, however, was not the question at hand—the Demon King who knew Mycroft well was deep in thought, while the warrior waited patiently and did not urge it.

Nevertheless, after a brief dozen seconds, the dual-horned Demon King with eight eyes looked up to level its gaze at Joshua’s own once more. Each eye blazed dimly, just like the final radiance of cores that were cooling yet reluctant to die.

That was no gaze of Chaos demon, but that of a being that only knows of slaughter.

“If that’s so, there’s only one answer.”

As it laughed self-mockingly and rather hoarsely, stirring shadows, Goliath slowly straightened its back, spreading its wings in its entirety so that it blocks out all light of day.

Refusing?

Moving his arms from his chest, Joshua assumed a battle stance, unsurprised by Goliath’s choice. Whether it was charming or hostile, demonic instincts were always the same—Mycroft clearly wanted to use them as a tablecloth that would be disposed of after use, and any ordinary demon would definitely not agree to such a partnership. Even the Demon King, after holding back for so long would reveal its cruel nature, rather choosing death after having chewed off a piece of their enemy.

Joshua understood its choice, which was why he had prepared at the very start. He stared at Goliath as it raised its two scythes again, once more gathering the blasphemous power of a hot apocalypse, while the Abyssal Liege Halo once again appeared, gathering a surge of shadows.

I did my best, the warrior thought.

The very next blow would be Goliath’s full power attack. What did it intend? Repel him and flee with the elite demons of the Sixth Abyss?

Joshua thought about many things, and was ready countless times.

But in the end, what he saw was a different sight.

***

“Aaaaaargh!’

The Abyssal Liege roared and clenched on its two scythes, with black-red fiery light promptly bursting out and transform into countless churning halos. That power, however, was not directed at Joshua.

It was directed at the scythes instead!

Crack!

Dangerous dark bolts danced wildly in the Void. The endless world fragments that wafted in the Abyssal Void were reduced to ash upon contact, and between breaths, the dark-red halos combined with Abyssal Breath, expanding countless times to disintegrate and destroy every independent object, turning everything into heated plasma.

Thus, Goliath’s dark scythes were forcefully shattered by itself.

The Demon King’s presence was at once much weaker after the armaments that were linked to its very essence was broken. Its voice became coarse and fatigued, while its horns that flickered in red light dulled, just as its head lowered.

Left utterly shocked that he forgot to attack, Joshua thus watched Goliath as it bent its scythes. When it looked up again, he could see that not only did the flames in the Demon King’s eyes remained, they were ablaze—even so, it slowly bent its back, imitating a human bow on all fours.

“I, Goliath the Demon King so swear my fealty!”