Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"Haaah! I really want to witness the battlefield's excitement once more."

Eliza declared, picking up her pace as she headed in a specific direction.

Eren and Layla had both informed her that the initial days of the battle wouldn't involve Sage-ranked entities clashing. Thus, she had some time to wait. However, she could alleviate her prolonged boredom by observing the bloodshed that was unfolding, essentially for her and because of her.

Outside Purgatory, Eliza's journey was relatively trouble-free. They soon located the Space Gate they were searching for and used it to swiftly reach Layla's current position.

Eliza had been apprehensive, fearing that Sage Rankers from the Anfang Alliance would be waiting for her as soon as she stepped out of Purgatory. Her greatest concern lay with the Seer Array users frequently employed by the Anfang Alliance to monitor Sage Rankers at the pinnacle of their abilities.

Even if the current generation of Rankers was largely unfamiliar with her, the elder members of the Alliance knew she had escaped the lethal trap they had set for her. Since they couldn't confirm her death firsthand, they likely considered her an unexpected threat.

Regardless of how many generations of Sages had come and gone within the Alliance, this enduring "menace" in the form of Eliza was an issue they were meant to contend with.

However, it appeared Eliza's concerns had been unwarranted. There was neither death nor danger awaiting her. She regretted not being aware of this, as she could have at least released her Soul Sense Manifestation from Purgatory if the Anfang Alliance had proven to be so careless.

Unbeknownst to Eliza, there was a specific reason why the Alliance hadn't initiated conflict with her. The explanation lay in Argo's recent breakthrough into the S-Rank, which had occurred just hours ago.

The Alliance regarded Argo's breakthrough as the most significant anomaly and threat, warranting extreme caution. Even though the Alliance had thinly spread its resources due to the ongoing conflicts between major powers throughout Anfang, it had allocated all available assets to locating Argo.

Argo, harboring the soul fragment of the Demon Prince of Gluttony, Beelzebub, was considered a walking calamity of even greater magnitude than Eliza or any other Sage of her caliber currently within Anfang. The Alliance urgently needed to find and address the Argo situation. They either had to negotiate with him or eliminate him entirely, employing all their strength if necessary.

Given the Alliance's existing challenges in dealing with Demonmir, who could be seen as the embodiment of the Demon Prince of Wrath, Samael, they were reluctant to allow the world of Anfang to descend into demonic chaos due to the presence of another Demon Prince.

***

A substantial portion of the Lancelot Mountain Range, just beyond the City of Lancelot, lay in ruins.

It was a testament to the brutal clash between two S-Ranked entities.

Among them was Avir Lancelot, the city lord of the City of Lancelot, who had attained S-Rank status six centuries ago. His mana core had progressed to the liquid core stage, a clear indication of his well-established foundation as a Sage Ranker. On most days, Avir appeared regal and aristocratic, no older than 40 by mortal standards, signifying that he had plenty of time ahead to advance further in his arduous Ranking Journey.

However, despite his considerable talent and experience as an S-Ranker, Avir resembled nothing more than a battered ragdoll due to the formidable opponent he was facing. In contrast to Avir's nearly 600 years of experience as an S-Ranker, his adversary was a newly minted S-Ranked entity who had not even spent a full day enjoying his newfound Ranking Status.

Nevertheless, thanks to his overwhelming demonic might, this opponent had managed to thoroughly trounce Avir. The opponent's physique alone was as robust as a transcendent-grade artifact.

"Fucking thief. Just who the fuck are you? Hand the Titan's corpse as well as Shallot's Mirror you stole from us and I might let you have an easy death."

Avir Lancelot demanded with unwavering resolve as he locked eyes with his adversary. He discerned that the entity he faced was not merely an S-Ranker but a demon beast of extraordinary power, surpassing that of ordinary Sages. Yet, Avir possessed his own means to confront this S-Ranked demon beast.

"Yo. This Prince is no thief, sir. I'd snatch everything right from under your nose if it were me. But perhaps it's time to let this one slide, knowwhatimsayin!

You see, the boss... Uh, I mean that wretched thief… How dare he, right? Yeah. He has already made off with his sweet loot. You might wanna keep your distance from me too. Otherwise, I might've had to use my hands as well," Argo cautioned Avir Lancelot in a tone that didn't quite convey seriousness.

Avir found it infuriating that, despite his deadly attacks, he couldn't wipe the smug expression and demonic grin off Argo's face. Avir's assaults had left the nearby region significantly altered, forever changing the landscape of the Lancelot Mountain Range. Yet, all they had accomplished was to provide Argo with insights into Avir's strengths and weaknesses as an S-Ranked entity.

Unbeknownst to Avir, Argo was merely toying with him. He could have unleashed his full might against Avir, but Eren had advised against it. Eren understood that, with Argo's recent breakthrough, the Anfang Alliance would be hot on his trail. No matter how occupied they were, they would send at least a few Sage Rankers with liquid core mana or higher to engage with Argo.

Eren had advised Argo to prioritize safety and evasion over engaging with Avir. However, given Argo's recent breakthrough, it wasn't simple to shake Avir off his tail, even if he could eventually defeat him in a head-on confrontation.

Avir's laughter dripped with disdain as he glared at Argo, his fury undisguised.

"Hahaha, what a joke, you vile demon beast," he scoffed.

"It appears you harbor some delusions. Do you think we will let this slide just because Edinburgh is currently entangled with Layos? You've meddled with House Lancelot. No matter where you hide or how many tricks you employ, we will track you down, and we will end you," Avir declared, unwavering in his resolve.

Argo initially regarded the man with a neutral expression but couldn't help himself and burst into laughter. 'Sorry, boss. I gave it a shot,' he muttered to himself before finally unleashing his distinctive demonic abilities.

With a smile, Argo cautioned, "dude, I hope you've prepared your last wishes and bid farewell to your loved ones. This Prince will get serious now.

Maximum efforts!"

Argo extended his arms, casually summoning a formidable demonic domain.

Beelzebub's Authority: Domain of Gluttony!