After two days of meticulous refinement, Ciel completed the details of his elaborate scheme and presented it to the Demon Lord in his usual calm and measured manner. Lumen was brought before the Demon Lord as part of the presentation, her celestial presence subdued under the weight of his mark. The Demon Lord listened in silence, his mismatched eyes gleaming as he absorbed every word, his mind calculating every implication and possibility.
Ciel described the God of Sun's army with precision, emphasizing its unparalleled strength despite its relatively modest numbers. The army consisted of at least 100,000 soldiers—a figure that paled in comparison to Verdince's force of 300,000 warriors. Yet, the disparity in numbers was deceptive. Each soldier in the God of Sun's army possessed power far beyond that of the average human soldier, capable of single-handedly taking on ten of Verdince's troops. Among the celestial forces, the angels could slay hundreds with their divine prowess, and the Archangels could decimate thousands without faltering. The army also boasted two champions of the God of Sun, beings so powerful that either one of them alone could lay waste to Verdince's defenses and scatter its forces. Towering above them all was the God of Sun himself, a deity whose might was unparalleled. Should he enter the fray, he could obliterate Verdince entirely on his own.
However, the grand barrier encasing Verdince presented a significant obstacle. Its impenetrable strength was both a shield for the city and a hindrance to any would-be attackers. Even the God of Sun, with all his divine might, would need considerable time and effort to breach it. During that time, Verdince’s army would be able to strike from the safety of the barrier, exploiting the defensive advantage to launch calculated attacks. Furthermore, the destruction of the barrier would inflict backlash on the God of Sun himself, leaving him weakened and vulnerable—a precarious state for any deity facing a formidable opponent.
Ciel elaborated further, recounting the history of Verdince's City Lord, Luxor, who had once faced the God of Sun on the battlefield. Though nearly killed in the encounter, Luxor had managed to wound the great god, an act that brought shame to the celestial being. Luxor’s strength, while not divine, was undeniably formidable and posed a threat to even the most powerful adversaries, especially one in a weakened state. The encounter had solidified Luxor’s reputation as an exceptional warrior and tactician, one who commanded respect even among the gods.
The barrier itself was a marvel of divine ingenuity, its source lying within the heart of Verdince: a pure crystal tree connected to the very center of the planet. The tree, known as the Emerald Tree, served as the foundation for the barrier, channeling energy from the planet’s core. The barrier was originally a gift from the combined strength of some of the most powerful gods, who had descended to earth and infused their divine energy into the tree. Their intent was to protect humanity from external threats, but when war erupted between humanity and the gods, the barrier became humanity’s most potent weapon against its former benefactors.
Ciel’s plan hinged on this vital element—the Emerald Tree. He proposed infiltrating the sacred site where the tree resided, studying its mechanisms, and uncovering the principles that powered the barrier. Confident in his ability to understand and manipulate the tree’s energy, Ciel intended to create a temporary breach in the barrier—a small but significant hole that would allow them to execute their strategy. Once the breach was prepared, Lumen would be sent back to the God of Sun, bearing the location of the vulnerability within the barrier. This would lure the celestial forces into a direct assault on the city, exploiting the gap in Verdince’s defenses.
As the God of Sun’s army poured through the breach, Verdince’s forces would rise to meet them, engaging in a fierce battle that would drain both sides significantly. Verdince’s soldiers, though numerous, would serve as cannon fodder against the celestial army’s overwhelming power. While the two armies clashed, Ciel envisioned launching a surprise attack, targeting key positions within the celestial ranks and ensuring strategic dominance.
The ultimate goal of the plan was clear: for the Demon Lord to face the God of Sun directly in the ensuing chaos. With the god weakened by the backlash from destroying the barrier and occupied by the city’s defenses, the Demon Lord would seize the opportunity to strike. In this moment, he would slay the god and claim his power, further solidifying his position and strength in this realm. The absorption of such divine energy would elevate the Demon Lord’s abilities to an unimaginable level, making him not just a force to be reckoned with but a being of unprecedented supremacy.
Ciel’s scheme was audacious, intricate, and fraught with peril, yet it carried the promise of victory. The Demon Lord remained silent as he processed the plan, his mind meticulously calculating every variable, every potential risk, and every opportunity it presented. Though he showed no outward emotion, the heavy aura in the room suggested that the Demon Lord was weighing the stakes carefully, his relentless pursuit of power driving him toward this ambitious gamble. The dawn of a new confrontation loomed on the horizon, one that would shake the foundations of Verdince, the celestial forces, and the Demon Lord himself.
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The Demon Lord's malicious grin spread wider as he mulled over Ciel's intricate and daring plan. Though he found a certain charm in the city of Verdince with its ingenuity and human tenacity, it was little more than a fleeting sentiment. The pursuit of power far outweighed any fondness for mortal creations. To him, Verdince was an expendable stepping stone on his path to godhood. He reassured himself that this planet surely held countless other cities like it—wonders he had yet to see, marvels he would eventually either conquer or sacrifice to further his dominion.
"Very good," the Demon Lord said with a sinister resonance in his voice. "Inform the others of the plan and collaborate with them to execute it without delay. Let me know when the angel departs. Should you fail..." His tone darkened ominously. "...then we shall wait for the siege. But the sooner this pitiful God dies by my hand, the better."
Ciel bowed low before his Lord, his crimson robes flowing around him, and departed with practiced precision. He wasted no time in gathering the other Archdemons to discuss the plan’s first step: infiltrating the Emerald Tree, the keystone of Verdince’s impregnable barrier. Together, they worked through the complexities of the task, their combined cunning forming a deadly alliance. Insight’s ability to manipulate perception cloaked their movements in shadows and misdirection, granting them the stealth needed to navigate the city undetected. The Emerald Tree’s location, uncovered through Lumen’s reconnaissance, served as the foundation of their strategy.
After Ciel’s departure, a servant approached the Demon Lord with a message from the City Lord Lexor. The message was an invitation to share an evening meal atop the tower, a rare gesture of diplomacy and respect. The Demon Lord, always one to indulge in opportunities to gauge potential allies or manipulate adversaries, agreed without hesitation. He informed Mira of their plans, and to his mild annoyance, she requested that Baphomet accompany them. The Demon Lord, though visibly displeased by the suggestion, reluctantly acquiesced, masking his distaste for the Ancient Demon with a veneer of calm.
The hours passed swiftly, and the appointed time for the dinner arrived. The Demon Lord, Mira, and Baphomet made their way to the dining hall at the pinnacle of Lexor’s tower. The journey through the polished halls was marked by an eerie quiet, broken only by the faint hum of magic emanating from the structure itself. The Demon Lord’s regal strides set the pace, Mira walking beside him with her emerald eyes flickering with curiosity, while Baphomet followed just behind, his expression inscrutable, though a faint trace of irritation lingered in his features.
The summit of the tower provided a breathtaking view of Verdince’s skyline. The city’s emerald barrier shimmered under the twilight, casting an ethereal glow that painted the horizon with hues of green and gold. The dining hall itself was an open-air space, adorned with lavish decor that combined the sophistication of human ingenuity with a touch of divine opulence. A long table was set with crystalline glasses, finely polished silverware, and an array of culinary delicacies that showcased the city's cultural refinement.
Elsewhere, the Archdemons began their preparations for the infiltration. Under the veil of Insight’s shadowy abilities, they navigated the labyrinthine city streets with practiced stealth. Their presence was a phantom, invisible to the human populace that bustled around them. They moved with purpose, a deadly force cloaked in silence, their eyes fixed on their ultimate goal: the Emerald Tree.
The location of the tree had been identified through the angel Lumen’s observations during her reconnaissance of Verdince. Hidden beneath layers of security and divine enchantments, the tree was no mere symbol. It was a living conduit of unimaginable power, anchoring the city’s barrier to the planet’s core and drawing energy from the depths of its being. To reach it would require precision, subtlety, and a willingness to manipulate both human and celestial vulnerabilities.
The Archdemons approached their task with a chilling sense of determination. Each of them carried the weight of the Demon Lord’s command, their shared purpose driving them forward despite their individual inclinations. Insight’s tactical mind and Greed’s fiery resolve led the way, their synergy forming the backbone of the operation as they maneuvered through Verdince’s underbelly, leaving no trace of their passing.
The stage was set for the unfolding of the Demon Lord’s grand plan. The threads of strategy and manipulation were being woven into a tapestry of destruction and ambition. The players moved across the board—each driven by their purpose, each shaping the fate of Verdince in ways yet unseen. Above the tower, the stars shone faintly, their light distant and indifferent to the events about to transpire. And in the hearts of mortals and demons alike, the tides of change began to churn, unrelenting and unstoppable.
