Chapter 265: Ashardalon

"Cooperation?"

"With a demon from the Abyss? Do you really think I’m one of those brainless red dragons with magma for brains?"

Cassius controlled his flame avatar, letting out a cold laugh.

"Whether it’s a god or a demon, they are all just parts of the machinery that keeps the world running. I don’t see anything particularly wrong with that."

Jezal Slak gazed at the avatar, speaking as if reciting poetry: "There’s something I wanted to tell you, something I’ve wanted to say for ten years."

The demon slightly raised his head, and the fire of vengeance in his eyes blazed even more intensely.

"Cassius, your mother was slain by a half-elf, half-human bastard, and even you fled in disgrace. It was a total humiliation of the noble dignity of red dragons.

"Don’t you wish to exact vengeance against them?"

The voice was like a black hole, drawing the thoughts of others into the Abyss.

But Cassius merely spread his wings slightly, speaking calmly: "Do you think I lack the power to do so now?

"Vengeance against humans? Hundreds of thousands of people already bow under my dragon’s might, millions across Anzeta tremble beneath my wings."

"Whether or not to take revenge is solely up to me—it does not rest in the hands of an Abyssal demon imprisoned in the Astral Plane, struggling for his own survival."

Jezal Slak shook his head with some pity, sneering: "What biting words, enough to wound me deeply."

"As I expected, the trajectory of fate has altered—I wonder who has intervened. You’re clearly no longer who you once were."

"Tsk, what a shame. I spent all that effort peering into the destiny of the Material Plane, rehearsed my lines hundreds of times, and now they’re useless."

Cassius stared intently at the demon’s gaunt, grotesque face, noting the complete lack of concern in his expression.

"If this is all you brought me here for, then the negotiation is over. Your vague promises of vengeance are of no value to me."

"As for cooperation? It seems that deformed Frost Giant was what comes of collaborating with demons—reduced to ashes, offering everything to the Abyss."

The demon met his gaze indifferently.

"You mean Koman?"

"He was nothing but a lowly pawn."

His voice was filled with disdain, as if describing an ant that could be crushed without a second thought.

"And besides, I am not one of those lowly devils who loves to toy with contract clauses."

"Did the Frost Giant not get what he wanted? In just three years, he gained power comparable to a Balor Demon, enough to confront an enemy he could never have hoped to defeat. That alone was a great honor. And all he sacrificed was a trivial life."

"To me, his only purpose was to bring you to the Astral Plane."

The demon paused, his expression becoming fervent.

"But you, you’re different. My most perfect collaborator, my destined contractor, you can become a new king with me—a creator of a new world."

Jezal Slak’s tone was fervent, almost sincere, leaving no trace of pretense. Even Cassius couldn’t find any flaws in his emotions.

Cassius’s pupils flickered, filled with sarcasm.

"As expected of the so-called ’Lord of Vengeance,’ speaking so grandiosely about using your contractor as a sacrificial pawn."

"So if I choose to cooperate with you, what will I gain? To become a foolish Balor Demon?"

Jezal Slak seemed unconcerned by the sarcasm in the dragon’s words. Instead, his excitement grew, and a mysterious smile spread across his face.

"Of course not, my dear collaborator."

"Have you heard of Ashardalon?"

Cassius paused, though he hid his reaction.

In his previous life, he had heard rumors of that name—a terrifying red dragon of unknown challenge level, known as the ’Heart of Desecration.’ He was said to reside in a mysterious place called the Infant Prism Fortress, somewhere in the Sea of Stars, worshipped as a god by several cults.

In Version 4.0 of his previous life, over ten top players who had broken the level 20 cap had accepted a mission to venture to that fortress, only to be wiped out—a catastrophe that made headlines on the forums at the time.

The demon’s deep eyes seemed to penetrate the flame avatar, glimpsing the true body of the red dragon in the Material Plane and noticing his slight shift.

"It seems you have heard of him."

Jezal Slak chuckled lowly.

The heavy chains coiled around the demon clattered, and he slowly raised his emaciated arm. Countless chaotic mists gathered in the distance, forming a massive curtain in the void.

Cassius immediately grew wary, ready to sever the connection with the flame avatar at any moment.

Yet the demon saw through him again and laughed:

"No need to be so tense; it’s just a small demonstration."

Cassius calmed down, starting to build up mental barriers—if things continued like this, he’d be led by the nose by this old, cunning demon, unknowingly falling into the Abyss.

He turned the flame avatar around, looking at the chaotic misty screen in the sky.

The swirling mist formed a strange and eerie image.

It depicted something resembling an ancient red dragon in its prime, but with several peculiar features.

The red dragon had a demon-like face, a horrifying scar on its chest shaped like a massive winged humanoid—a Balor Demon. Its eyes blazed like two bright, burning flames, and sparks danced between its claws.

"What a magnificent work of art. This is Ashardalon, an arrogant red dragon who sought infinite power. When dealt a mortal blow, this dragon summoned a Balor Demon, fusing it into his chest as a second heart to attain near-immortality."

"Ha, I knew that poor demon, Soul-Eater Emmet. He was powerful. I once considered devouring him, but now it seems he’s been relegated to screaming helplessly inside Ashardalon’s chest."

The demon spoke, enthusiastic, eager to explain.

"He is indeed formidable."

Cassius gazed at the monstrous demon-dragon, nodding in acknowledgment, though he remained unfazed by its power.

Instead, a different thought arose in his mind: If this so-called ’Lord of Vengeance’ fused into his chest, would he truly remain in control of his body?

It was like the age-old paradox of the ’Ship of Theseus’—if he allowed his body to be corrupted by the Abyss, with each part replaced by chaotic energy, would the resulting demonic entity still be himself?

Koman had already returned to the Abyss.

Perhaps the original Cassius had also long since died.

He had perished in Jezal Slak’s flowery lies, believing himself to be avenging his mother, while in reality, his mind had already been twisted by the will of the Abyss, becoming part of endless chaos, sacrificing everything to expand the Abyss.

While the demon was lost in admiration for the vision, Cassius discreetly activated his panel to assess his information, a faint glimmer in [Cataclysmic Dragon Eye].

[Lord of Vengeance - Jezal Slak]

Status: Sealed

Challenge Level: ???

Immediately, Cassius’s pupils contracted sharply.

The night was still young.