Chapter 50: Accidental Entry
The tense atmosphere preceding the war was not just limited to Solor. Some of the demon legions, having learned of the impending lifting of the seal line, were also eager for a fight.
But some factions, on both sides, were not so optimistic. This time, the war was not as… imminent as the previous one.
Solor had never been truly united, and the Abyssal Demon Realm was no different.
Elthorp’s decision to start the war was partly to buy time, to seize space, and partly because his Evil Blade needed the bloodlust.
Feeding it with blood enhanced its power, but if it went too long without a kill, it risked losing control.
To control the blade, and to become stronger, Elthorp had to see this war through.
He knew that if he could conquer Solor… he had a chance to surpass Shaya, to become the strongest of all demons. His Evil Blade Legion, after a baptism of blood, would be able to crush the Vampire Knights.
…But now, he had another problem, a thorn in his side.
“She, who has the power to directly revive the Abyssal Lord…”
…
Meanwhile, in another part of the Abyss.
After leaving the Frigid Lands, Iradace led Bai and Ara on a long, winding journey, before finally heading towards the heart of the Abyss.
“Actually… this isn’t necessary,” Bai said, exasperated. “Elthorp won’t attack us on the road. It’s pointless.”
“What if he anticipates that you anticipate that he won’t attack?” Iradace retorted, her expression serious. “I am now anticipating that he has anticipated that you anticipate that he won’t attack. That’s why we’re taking a detour.”
“Anticipate, anticipate…”
Ara, who had been listening intently, was now a bit… confused.
“It’s not anticipation. It’s… a fact,” Bai sighed. Oh well. A detour was a detour. It would just take a little longer.
Elthorp wouldn’t attack them on the road because, firstly, he was busy with other matters. Otherwise, he would have come in his true form, not an avatar.
And besides him, few in the Abyss could threaten her, and he couldn’t mobilize a legion without starting a full-scale war.
And secondly, it was unnecessary. He knew her destination, and it was his home turf.
To intercept her outside of it would be a waste of effort.
In fact, he probably hoped she would take as long as possible. A hundred years or so would be fine.
Iradace, of course, didn’t know all this. She hadn’t seen the battle on the snowy plain, and she had no idea of Bai’s true power, or what she represented.
And she was still, technically, in a partnership with Bai. She had to ensure her partner’s safety.
Of course, Bai hadn’t been idle during their journey. The Abyss was not just filled with demons, but also with dangerous creatures.
And Iradace, with her knowledge of the Abyss, knew where to find them.
But any beast that Iradace thought would be a certain death for them, was, to Bai and Ara, an easy kill.
And they had collected a great deal of precious materials from them, which they had then traded in the various towns and settlements for Abyssal currency. So, their journey had not been… too difficult.
And as Bai had said, Elthorp had not attacked them. The Evil Blade Demons they had encountered had treated them with the same indifference as any other demon.
In fact, they didn’t even know she existed.
The source of the information, the Frigid Lands, had been cut off by the Ghost.
And Elthorp had no reason to reveal her existence. It would only cause him more trouble.
Again, the Abyss was not a unified entity.
If he tried to make a move against Bai, other factions would, for whatever reason, oppose him.
Even if he revealed her true identity, her true purpose, it wouldn’t change anything.
There were many followers of the Abyssal Lord in the Abyss, some, like Isabelle and Azakana, their minds twisted by her power, others just… mad.
“Where are we now?”
Bai picked up the map. It was the most complete map Iradace had, with detailed information on the Abyss’s terrain, and the various demon races.
It even showed the territories of some of the races, their internal structure, their defenses.
After all, Iradace was an intelligence broker, and the “Ghost” possessed the most extensive intelligence network in the Abyss. A detailed map was a basic tool.
“Now, let me see…”
Iradace pulled out her own map, her finger tracing a line across it. “Here.”
But then she looked closer, and her eyes widened. “Wait! How did we get here?”
“Where?”
Bai frowned. She heard the tension, the panic, in her voice, and she was on her guard.
“This place… we’ve… we’ve entered a very dangerous place,” she said, her hand trembling as she held the map. “How did we get to their territory…?”
She quickly put the map away. “Let’s go, let’s go! Before they find us—”
“Where is it? Why are you so nervous? We’ve been to other territories before…”
Bai was confused, but before she could ask, she felt a wave of killing intent.
No, not just one…
One, two, three… a thousand spears, a torrent of fire, hurtling towards them.
“This, this is… the Vampires’ territory!” Iradace shrieked, seeing the standard-issue Vampire Knight spears approaching, the wind from them almost tearing at her skin.
“Hmm? Vampires…”
Bai paused, her grip on her pure frost sword loosening slightly, and at the same time, her hair began to turn a deep, crimson red.
