“Let me take a good look at this little fellow.” The chief demon’s gaze roamed over Carlo, instilling a slight sense of pressure within him.

“The smell of sulfur, the bloodline of a fire demon... hmm, such beautiful eyes, and also the bloodline of a succubus, though that’s of little use…”

“And what else...”

The chief demon raised his right hand, and a small ring of lightning crackled into existence in his palm.

A wave of immense danger surged from the depths of Carlo’s heart, prompting him to leap forward like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.

“Bang.” The lightning struck the ground where he had just stood, creating a charred pit.

“Not bad for a reaction.” The chief demon’s eyes sparkled, and more lightning flickered in his hand before disappearing.

Carlo’s figure flickered as he darted from one spot to another, the sense of impending doom intensifying. His combat instincts drove his body to evade repeatedly.

Jumping, rolling, retreating... Carlo was like a clown, utterly at the mercy of his adversary.

The lightning struck faster and faster; even though Carlo sensed the danger approaching, his body couldn’t respond in time, and finally, he was hit.

A sharp pain followed by numbness—Carlo collapsed to the ground, a burnt smell wafting from him as his muscles twitched uncontrollably.

He couldn’t even control a single finger.

In the air, a swarm of insects rushed toward him, coalescing into the grotesque and hideous face of Nemos.

“Gaga... kid, today is your day...”

The disgusting insects plopped onto his face and body, stirring a tremendous sense of humiliation and powerlessness within Carlo.

A hoarse voice escaped his lips: “I choose to submit.”

Carlo understood that the chief demon had toyed with him not to kill him. Faced with death and humiliation, Carlo unhesitatingly chose the latter.

“You’re surprisingly smart.” The chief demon clapped his hands, a grotesque smile creeping across his face. “You should call me Lord Beret.”

“Lord Beret, please accept my submission.” Carlo repeated, his voice steady.

The swarm of insects receded, swirling madly in the air, mixed with Nemos’s raucous laughter.

Carlo finally regained some sensation and stood up, bowing his head slightly, with hatred and resentment buried deep in his eyes.

“Good.” Beret seemed quite pleased, nodding in satisfaction as he approached Carlo. “Now I want to place a small mark on your soul.”

The soul contract, something Carlo had mastered in the Green World, was now to be used against him.

For a fleeting moment, the impulse to flee surged within him, but the chilling aura of death swiftly extinguished that thought.

If he dared to move, Beret would kill him without hesitation.

The nature of demons included cunning, deceit, betrayal, and lies; they trusted no one but themselves unless the other’s life rested in their hands.

Beret’s finger pressed against Carlo’s forehead, the sharp tip piercing his flesh. Suddenly, Beret halted.

“I’ve changed my mind.” Beret rubbed his muscular chin, contemplating. “Your recent performance surprised me; the soul contract doesn’t give me confidence...”

“Speak your true name, and I shall treat you as my own child.”

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Carlo’s head shot up, locking eyes with Beret’s cold stare.

As long as his strength surpassed Beret’s, there remained a chance to overturn or tear up the soul contract, but if his true name were revealed, he would face utter doom.

Even if he rose to the rank of a leader-level demon, a demon lord, or even a demon duke, he would still perish at Beret’s whim.

This was a true dead end.

All because Carlo’s dazzling traits had drawn Beret’s keen interest, igniting a fear that he might one day become uncontrollable. Selfish as he was, Beret had to know Carlo’s true name.

A true name cannot be fabricated; each demon’s true name is unique, resonating with the abyss when spoken.

Perhaps Carlo hesitated too long, for Beret grew impatient.

“If you’re unwilling, you can choose to return to the embrace of the abyss right now...”

A bolt of lightning, more terrifying than any before, flickered in Beret’s hand, illuminating Carlo’s face, which wavered between despair and defiance.

Filled with envy, Nemos shouted from the side: “Kill him, Lord Beret! Kill this ungrateful wretch!”

“Shut up!”

Lightning splattered onto Nemos, a large portion of the insects turning to charred remains, and Nemos let out a shriek, retreating in fear, no longer daring to speak.

Carlo raised his head to meet Beret’s gaze, his lips moving: “My true name...”

Only Beret heard the words. As Carlo ceased speaking, a strange sound echoed in the dim sky.

All three unconsciously looked up.

It was the omen of a demon’s true name being revealed.

Beret nodded in satisfaction, his eyes betraying unabashed admiration: “Your talent is truly astonishing; the length of your true name even surpasses mine... hehe...”

Carlo fell silent, seeming utterly numb and despondent.

Beret patted his shoulder, reassuringly: “Cheer up, little fellow; things aren’t as bad as you think. You just earned the greatest trust from Lord Beret.”

The fierce, violent Beret now wore a paternal smile, just as he had said, “I shall treat you as my own child.”

Carlo spoke: “You can just call me Carlo.”

“Carlo?” Beret nodded slightly. “That’s quite a good pseudonym.”

At the mention of the word “name,” Carlo’s face twitched involuntarily.

“Alright, Carlo, next I’ll introduce you to a few interesting miscreants. You’ll be quite pleased to meet them.”

Beret unfurled the skeletal wings on his back, and Carlo respectfully followed behind, with Nemos trailing close, the swirling insects gathering around Carlo.

“I heard your name, Carlo, right? Lord Beret is treating you quite well.” Nemos’s tone dripped with schadenfreude.

Carlo tilted his head slightly, revealing a cruel smile. The next moment, “bang,” flames erupted, a close-range ambush scorching more than half of Nemos’s body.

The screams echoed through the sky.

“Carlo, you bastard!”

“Shut up, Nemos; you’re too noisy.” Beret hissed, then turned to Carlo, flashing a radiant yet sinister smile: “You could kill him if you wanted to.”

Carlo gloomily replied, “I will.”

After his great loss, Nemos dared not speak again, clearly aware that in Beret’s eyes, he was merely a disposable, easily squashed insect compared to Carlo.