Chapter 540: Abyss King

Luke stepped out of the chamber after opening the door with his Spectral Beast, a thin black thread stretching from him to the creature.

“So, how did it go in there?” Azazel asked.

“Nothing a bit of intelligence couldn’t handle,” Luke replied.

“And as always, you survived,” Azazel muttered.

The beast evaporated, its essence retreating back into the core nestled in Luke’s abdomen like an organ.

“Congratulations on your achievement, Luke Moon,” Vaelor said. “Truly surprising that you made it out alive.”

“The beast dissolved,” Luke murmured, glancing down at his stomach.

“You’re a beginner at this. You’ll need to learn how to manage the consumption your beast demands. It uses soul energy to function. As its core evolves, it grows stronger, and your own core increases its storage as well.”

“And how exactly do I evolve my second core?”

“Let the beast feed on cores, creatures, and whatever else crosses your path,” Vaelor explained. “Just like a familiar beast.”

Luke opened his system interface.

“Your beast should have come with an innate skill, born from you and the materials you used. It’s called the Core Skill.”

He tapped on the beast’s skill.

“This is…”

“Very interesting,” Azazel said, peering at Luke’s display. Of course the Primordial God could see it.

A part of Luke wanted to test that power immediately. But he knew he couldn’t yet. Luke was notified how long he had remained inside the chamber, at least a month The hunger gnawing at him made sense now. He felt like he could devour an entire banquet on his own. They moved to the temple’s main hall. Time for goodbyes.

“Do not forget your side of the bargain, little demon,” Vaelor said. “You will bring me an apprentice worthy of inheriting my forging arts.”

“I promise I’ll bring not just one, but many apprentices when I establish my kingdom,” Luke answered.

He extended his hand, and the demon took it.

“And don’t forget my invitation,” Azazel added. “You’ll be free to enter my realm anytime once you leave this dimension. And there you can complete the deal you made with Samael.”

Luke had everything he needed now. He’d even learned about Spirit Tools.

“And my eye… did you know this could happen?” he asked.

Luke now had one deep brown eye and one blue.

“And did you want it to happen?” Azazel countered.

“I’ll admit, for a long while before coming here, I thought that thing was meant to be a weapon for Angie, not for me.”

“Now that you have it, make good use of it.”

“And about Charlie and Angie… can we talk?”

“Anything regarding that subject can be discussed only in my realm,” Azazel replied.

Luke had expected that answer.

The temple doors opened. “Leaving without saying goodbye to your uncle?” Asmodeus asked.

The demon approached and held out his hand. “Well done, my nephew. You passed the trial and even acquired a new eye. Who would’ve guessed? Aren’t you going to shake your uncle’s hand?”

Luke clasped it firmly.

“I knew you wouldn’t leave me hanging. But if you had, I would’ve let it slide. You’re my nephew, after all. Vaelor, were you considering leaving me hanging?”

“No, Primordial Asmodeus.”

“You see, nephew?” Asmodeus flicked a hand toward him. “Now tell old Azazel to head back to whatever corner of existence he crawled out of. He’s breaking some rather inconvenient rules by standing here.”

“We’re technically in a gray zone, and I haven’t even left the temple,” Azazel replied calmly.

“Rules? You mean the one about an external god not being allowed into my universe?”

“Oh, that rule?” Asmodeus waved dismissively. “Please, I can think of a thousand ways around that before breakfast. Not that rule. I’m talking about the Rule. The Big Rule. You know, the one that says Azazel is banned from reality.” He said it casually, as though commenting on the weather.

“We’ll continue this discussion another time,” Azazel cut in. “You’ve finished what you came here for. There’s no reason to linger. Nothing left you can learn.”

Luke had a thousand questions burning in his mind, but he understood the dismissal.

“I’ll see you all around,” he said, and the three demons turned and vanished, leaving him standing alone in the quiet, empty space.

“Huh. That was… kind of anticlimactic,” he muttered.

Then the summoning chalice flared with light, and another figure materialized.

“Oh, me leaving? Oops, forgot something,” Asmodeus said.

Luke stared at the demon.

“Relax about the hand thing. I’m not climbing out of it again. Promise,” Asmodeus added.

“Yeah, Azazel already guaranteed that.”

Asmodeus glanced at the ceiling. “If you ever want to learn something interesting, ask Azazel where he came from.”

And with that, the demon disappeared.

***

Outside the temple, Luke walked through the camp and found it empty. No sign of his group.

The author’s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

They must be hunting in the forest to level up.

“What are you doing here?” Franky asked.

Everyone except this one.

“I finished what I needed to do.”

“You look different, human. Your hair’s longer.”

“Yeah. It grew while I was… gone.”

“You were gone a long time, human. Not that I was worried or anything. And I definitely didn’t ask the rats about you or wait here almost every day,” Franky blurted, far too fast.

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Luke said, glancing around before looking down at the wyvern. “I’m going after the biggest snake in this place. Want to come with me?”

***