Morgrimm's eyes darted as he sensed Azazel's gaze on him.

In an instant, their eyes locked, and the kid grinned, sending a chill through Morgrimm's core.

Long ago, thousands of years past, Obsidian X and his seven Warlords traversed their village to eliminate a threat that had afflicted the villagers with a deadly plague.

Back then, Morgrimm was just a little boy unfamiliar with the monarch. While everyone knelt, offering reverence to the Demon King, Morgrimm stood his ground, staring intently.

During that moment, Obsidian X noticed him, and the Elders and villagers all prostrated themselves, begging the king and warlords for forgiveness due to Morgrimm's insolence.

However, Obsidian X merely stared at them before grinning at him.

Yes . . . a grin that, although thousands of years had passed, could still shake his very core till now.

The words of his elder at that time resonated in him once more. Before Obsidian X became the strongest demon in the Netherworld, he was known as Azazel, the troublemaker in Obsidianreach.

Morgrimm clutched his chest at the memory. Though it had been so long ago, the recollection remained vivid.

Why?

Morgrimm looked at Azazel once more and sighed deeply.

Why did seeing that kid evoke memories of Obsidian X?

There was no way he could be Obsidian X. There was no reincarnation in the Netherworld.

He was long gone, Morgrimm sighed.

On the other hand, Azazel was unfazed by the physical onslaught by the villagers.

He laughed amidst the chaos, the blows seemingly having no impact on him. However, his face was full of angry purple lumps.

"Ahahaha. I will forgive this transgression just this once! It's my fault, after all, for being absent for so many years. So you can direct all your anger and frustration at me! I will accept them all! But now that I am finally back fear no longer, for I shall claim my throne and bring glory to the Netherworld once more! Ahahahaha!"

The villagers were the ones who got exhausted at Azazel, and they shook their heads and sighed in resignation.

Some muttered about the absurdity of the situation, while others expressed their disbelief.

"What a waste of time," one villager remarked, shaking his head.

"Kid, I know that we excel in deceit and lies, but you have gone too far," another villager scolded, frustration evident in his voice.

"Don't go claiming the dead monarch's identity if you don't want to be punished."

Despite his lumps, bruises, and injuries, Azazel remained unfazed and continued to grin. "I'm not lying, though. I'm weak at the moment because my powers are within my generals, so I need to see them and get them back."

"Yes, yes, whatever, kid."

"What a liar."

"The kid has a wide imagination."

Everyone collectively sighed, clearly giving up on Azazel's foolishness.

The momentum to face Voraxa was temporarily derailed by Azazel's whimsical revelation.

"Can you let us go now?" Elena asked the villagers.

It was only at that moment that the villagers noticed Ren and the others were still tied up.

"Elder, what are we going to do with them?" one of citizens inquired.

Morgrimm remained silent before declaring, "Release them. If we want to rise up against Voraxa, then we need all the help we can get."

He then gazed seriously at Ren and the others. "Let's form a pact right now and defeat Voraxa together."

One of the villagers sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what you all are thinking, but Voraxa has an army, you know! And we're only, like, less than fifty! Most of us here are old and young and couldn't even fight! What are we going to do against them?!"

The others agreed, expressing their concerns. "What are we going to do about that?"

At that moment, a sudden, loud boom echoed through the chamber, causing everyone to flinch. The ground beneath them quivered as the town square shook, unsettling the very foundations of Obsidianreach.

The villagers looked around in confusion, their attention shifting from Ren and the others to the source of the disturbance.

Ren exchanged glances with Evie and the others. Looks like they now faced a new threat that demanded their immediate attention.

Morgrimm and Nori recovered from their initial shock and exchanged a grave look, realizing that they were under attack.

As the echoes of the boom faded, a foreboding silence settled over the square. The villagers, still reeling from Azazel's revelation and the subsequent chaos, now directed their collective gaze toward the ceiling.

The Netherworld, shrouded in perpetual darkness, seemed to hold its breath.

Then, a shout came running in their direction.

""Voraxa's soldiers! They're coming!"

"They're here!"

"They're above and will be upon us soon!"

Panic rippled through the crowd as the impending danger sank in.

Azazel, who had been reveling in the chaos he caused, momentarily dropped his facade, his gaze narrowing at the approaching threat.

The panic in the village square was palpable, a turbulent sea of distressed faces and desperate cries.

The Villagers, who were caught off guard at the sudden attack, expressed their fear with tears and anguished pleas.

"Voraxa's soldiers are here!"

"What are we going to do now?!"

The words echoed through the air, a collective lamentation that reverberated through the chamber.

Morgrimm's authoritative voice cut through the chaotic symphony of panic and shouted to get the villagers to calm down.

"Women and children should stay here. Everyone who is able to fight, come with me! We will not die in hiding; we will show them the true might of the demons and devils of Obsidianreach!"

His words acted as a rallying cry, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. The able-bodied men in the village roared with newfound resolve, their faces etched with grim determination as they rushed outside, ready to face the impending threat head-on.

Amidst the fervor, Elena, still bound with Ren and the others, voiced her concern. "Wait! What about us?"

Nori approached Ren and the others. "I'll release you right away."

She moved forward to untie the ropes, but to her dismay, she found them tightly bound, resisting her attempts.

"Hoi! What are you doing? Stop playing around," Lorelai demanded.

"S-sorry. I couldn't seem to untie this rope," Nori admitted.

"You're a devil, right? Use your powers!" Elena directed.