492 Forge a new Road (1/2)

Following the star-dwarfing chthonian dragon's self-detonation and the armored entity's ejection, peace returned to the Higher Realms. But in that peace, endless fright lingered. Events that defied the cognition of even deities succeeded one another in a flash, leaving the remaining Gods to wonder if their past visions had been too shallow. In Hell, the Demon Primogens stared at Heaven's scene with gravity.

In this battle, it could be said that Heaven's strength dropped to an insignificant level. Of the Seven Divine Lords, none remained. As for the Cardinal Lords, they were but paper tigers. Daksha and Durga suffered such dreadful wounds that without ten thousand years of secluded cultivation, they couldn't make full recoveries. The Warden wasn't much better off. As for Surya, though he remained wholly unharmed, what could he alone accomplish?

Meanwhile, though Hell suffered the loss of several Archdukes in internal clashes, and the Overlord now stood in a near-death state, all the Infernal Kings remained. It could be said that if a Realm War broke out at this instant, Hell held a 100% chance of victory.

Yet, no demon could rejoice.

There was no cause for celebration.

Now, Heaven and Hell's elites finally realized they'd always been frogs trapped at the bottom of a well, blind to the vastness of the sky. Entities able to make the Warden and the Overlord look like ants existed, eyeing them from the shadows, ready to end them all at a whim. The Chthonian Primogen was one. That armored lady was another, and those old deities didn't doubt that more lurked in faraway lands.

Beyond the Three Realms, more existed. And that ”more” mastered their life and death. Having always believed themselves at the summit of all, that knowledge was not easily digested. But while even aloof deities such as Ashara and Dolgron felt humbled, another problem lingered in the minds of all, devas and demons alike.

”Is he...truly dead?”

Rati wondered, unable to believe that the awe-inspiring Chthonian Primogen had fallen so easily. And the same words lingered in the mind of her surviving peers and predecessors.

”The Chthonian Primogen is the master of the Underworld, the Supreme Lord of Death. Can such an existence truly perish in battle? This is fishy.”

Dolgron rationalized, and wasn't the only one with such a train of thought. But as the bloodied Blood Nether dragged her unsteady self back to Heaven's sky, no trace of the Chthonian Primogen remained. It was almost as if he'd never been there to begin with.

With a smile, Talroth retrieved his Transmission Mirror and turned heels. In that world-rending clash, none dared compare the facial similarities between Talroth and the Chthonian Primogen. Their minds didn't dare dwell in that territory. Someone else, however, couldn't help but notice it.

And as Talroth returned to his royal palace, a sober Malkam awaited in the throne room, meeting him with unprecedented gravity.

”Is it him?”

Malkam directly asked. Though the thought seemed inconceivable, as he observed the clash from within the Infernal Realm, the striking resemblance between Konrad, Talroth and he struck him immediately. Either this was one of those one in a billion chance of unrelated look-alikes, or they all shared similar genes. Malkam desperately hoped for the former.

Alas, Talroth chose to disappoint him.

”It is indeed him. Happy? In the future, if anyone bullies you, you can go beg your little brother for help.”