The Gabanpi Demon, an acolyte of one of the Seven Lords, the Gluttonous God Berusai Bab, is eternally enslaved by insatiable hunger and desire, never truly sated.
Kalo finally discerned how the monstrous bird demon bore marks of insect bites. It must have encountered another Gabanpi Demon or been treated as mere plaything. The Gabanpi Demon peered at Kalo with its hollow eye sockets, emitting an unsettling giggle.
"You are different... You've shed your inferior bloodline. Beret will take delight in your emergence..." the Gabanpi Demon growled, low and ominous, transforming into a writhing sea of insects as it lunged toward Kalo.
His vision was suddenly consumed by a swarm of brown insects, blotting out the already dim light of the valley. Kalo was enveloped in darkness.
Faced with such small, numerous foes, a wide-area magical attack would prove effective; however, Kalo had better strategies at his disposal. The overwhelming swarm quickly engulfed him, wrapping him in a massive sphere. The Gabanpi insects collided, creating sickening sounds of flapping wings and tearing flesh.
The Gabanpi Demon’s will reverberated within the swarm, accompanied by its discordant laughter. Then, as if a monstrous beast were striving to break free, the insect mass constricted and swelled. The laughter abruptly ceased, replaced by startled screams.
In the next instant, with a thunderous "boom," a torrent of scorching breath erupted like a volcanic explosion, incinerating countless insects into charred remains that scattered in every direction.
A towering figure, cloaked in crimson flames, emerged—massive bat-like wings, sharp horns, and a formidable, menacing body, radiating an aura of fury, destruction, and terror.
Kalo basked in the flickering flames, the light illuminating his savage, cruel gaze. "You’ve hurt me, bugs!"
The explosion had charred at least a third of the Gabanpi insects, severely wounding the Gabanpi Demon, whose humanoid form diminished as it emitted a series of low growls filled with rage and apprehension.
Kalo took flight, ready to confront these pesky insects. The purgatory fire, with its burning and igniting properties, was perfect for the task. Yet, as his flaming claws grasped the Gabanpi Demon, this cunning creature again transformed into insects, scattering and leaving behind a few charred corpses as it fled.
"I remember you... I'll be back..." a distorted voice echoed through the air as the Gabanpi Demon retreated without a trace of regret.
Kalo could not pursue; these insects were too nimble, and he couldn’t eliminate them all. As long as one survived, the Gabanpi Demon would endure.
The searing flames retreated into his body, and Kalo glanced down at himself—his skin marked with red bite marks. If he lingered any longer, those wretched insects would breach his skin and taste his flesh.
He could not remain in this accursed place. The mention of a companion's name by the bug demon made Kalo think it was not idle talk; it might truly return for vengeance. Demons were notorious for their grudges.
Kalo pulled out two Sinful Fruits and swallowed them, retracting his meat wings as he swiftly melted into the shadows.
As the sixth blood moon ascended fully in the sky, Kalo finally emerged from the circular deep valley.
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The once dim hues transformed into a striking crimson, and he felt waves of heat radiating from beneath his feet. This area was a relentless chain of volcanoes, erupting incessantly, with scalding lava winding across the ground, gradually solidifying into vast patches of dark red.
So far, Kalo had encountered no vegetation in the abyss; such a hostile environment harbored only death and destruction.
On either side of Kalo, many large demons of varied forms crawled out from the depths. Except for a few foolish souls twisted by hunger and destruction, most demons maintained a wary distance from one another, avoiding a new round of slaughter.
From above, countless large demons could be seen traversing the crimson terrain like ants. Many had perished in the fiery eruptions and brutal skirmishes, yet more large demons continued to emerge from the depths, pressing onward.
All demons were summoned forth by the will of the abyss, crossing this volcanic expanse toward the vast abyss and the unending darkness.
Kalo treaded cautiously, evading the bursts of fire that occasionally erupted from the ground. The sizzling sparks that landed on him produced a stinging sensation; even with the purgatory fire within him, he dared not confront the lava directly.
The eruptions of the volcanoes roared thunderously, akin to the cries of countless giant dragons swirling in the sky. Black smoke settled in the air, forming heavy leaden clouds that obscured the light of the blood moon.
Just as Kalo was about to squeeze through the narrow gap between two volcanoes, a colossal roar echoed in his ears, reminiscent of a terrifying creature’s bellow.
A shadow, vast enough to block out the sun, loomed above Kalo. He looked up, and his pale red eyes instantly narrowed.
Before him stood a colossal abyssal beast—a true dragon.
Its pitch-black scales, resembling armor, covered its entire body. The hideous, menacing head exhaled dark red dragon breath, and its enormous wings spread wide, casting a shadow over hundreds of miles.
To it, the volcanoes were mere toys; the molten lava splashing against it left no trace, and Kalo, a large demon, was nothing more than an insignificant insect.
Cursed be it, just as I escape the sea of demons, I encounter this epic wild beast.
Kalo cursed inwardly, desperately lowering his body to avoid drawing the dragon's attention. Of course, it wouldn’t even notice him.
He had hoped to pass safely, but Kalo was mistaken. In the next moment, numerous large demons flew from the dragon's back, each possessing at least high-tier strength.
They donned jagged bone armor, appearing like well-trained soldiers, swooping down rapidly to assault the newly emerged large demons stumbling at the base of the volcano.
Kalo watched as these high-tier demons wielded black short rods. Upon reaching the top of one large demon, the rods erupted with countless black threads, enveloping the demon and ensnaring it.
Those black threads appeared remarkably resilient, allowing no large demon to escape. The high-tier demons that captured their prey soared back to the dragon’s back before descending once more.
It resembled a well-trained hunting squad.
The newly emerged large demons fled in a frenzy, but none could evade capture. Some plunged into the lava, bursting into flames as they screamed in agony; others were casually killed and devoured by the famished high-tier demons.
Kalo’s heart raced. He didn’t know what fate awaited the captured demons, but it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant.
What status could slaughtered pigs and dogs possess?
He did not wish to be captured; he could only hide.
Kalo concealed his demon form, shrinking himself to the smallest possible size, then hidden behind a volcanic rock, carefully observing the movements of the hunting squad.
Yet in this barren volcanic expanse devoid of vegetation, finding a truly concealed position was nearly impossible.
Someone had detected Kalo’s presence. A towering high-tier demon with a bull's head approached him.
The Bullhead Demon lacked wings and could not fly, but its hooves struck the ground with astonishing speed.
In a one-on-one confrontation, Kalo would have confidence in fighting it, but in this situation, slaying one high-tier demon would only attract more.
Kalo's mind raced; a voice urged him that he absolutely could not be discovered, he absolutely could not.
But now he seemed to have entered a dead end, with only two choices: death or capture.
Suddenly, Kalo noticed a fissure at his feet where fire and lava surged, the dark red viscous liquid radiating an intense heat and bubbling vigorously.
It was time to take a gamble.
With crimson eyes and a fierce expression, Kalo pulled out two Sinful Fruits and shoved them into his mouth. Gritting his teeth, the crimson purgatory flames enveloped him, and he leaped into the churning lava.