Arthur realized that demons possessed an exceptional sense of smell that allowed them to detect the scent of souls from afar. However, they typically sensed only low-quality souls, which were not worth the effort to chase. But when a rich fragrance of high-quality souls wafted through the air, it lured hundreds of demons towards it.

Following this enticing scent, Arthur arrived at an extinct volcano. These were rare in the upper abyss, as most of them were active volcanoes. Nevertheless, demons had gathered here, drawn by the scent's allure, which deepened Arthur's curiosity.

Inside the volcano, Arthur found a chaotic scene. Demons engaged in a fierce battle, with the battlegrounds strangely centered around an altar—an artificial structure, an anomaly in this world.

The altar was large, featuring a platform adorned with a glowing magic array. At its core was a six-pointed star containing an enigmatic painting resembling an Ouroboros, surrounded by unintelligible demonic script. Although Arthur couldn't decipher the script, his intuition told him it was a demon language.

Currently, the magic circle was active, its symbols pulsating rhythmically with a faint hum. Surprisingly, there was no visible high-quality soul on the altar, despite the lingering fragrance.

The demons below, intoxicated by the scent, fought fiercely for the anticipated high-quality soul. Tempted as he was, Arthur chose to observe from a safe distance, still puzzled about the altar's purpose.

The fighting grew savage, resulting in demonic deaths and pooling purple demon blood. Survivors, driven by their insatiable hunger for souls, eagerly joined the next battle. Amidst the chaos, one demon stood out—a massive, eight-meter-tall creature. It had a four-legged body covered in thick, scaly armor and a humanoid upper torso adorned with long, curving demon horns on its head. Its age was evident from the rings on its horns, marking it as one of the oldest demons present.

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This formidable demon wielded a massive stone hammer, crudely crafted but covered in the blood of other demons, which gave it an eerie, dark glow. The old demon seemed to have embedded some of his own soul fragments into the weapon, enhancing its power significantly.

Realizing that challenging this demon would be futile, Arthur decided against participating in the skirmish.

The old demon ultimately emerged as the victor, and he let out a triumphant roar, compelling the remaining demons to acknowledge his superiority and withdraw slowly.

This display reminded Arthur of the laws of the demon world—power reigned supreme, and when a demon proved its might, others submitted to its authority.

As the old demon approached the altar, Arthur watched intently, curious about what would happen next. To his astonishment, rather than a high-quality soul appearing, a black spot materialized on the altar. The entire magic array began to shine as the black spot expanded into a dark mist enveloping the old demon. Upon contact with this mist, the old demon's body began to blur until he vanished completely, and the magic circle's glow faded.

Arthur was flabbergasted. It was as though the old demon had been teleported away. He considered the possibility that this was some form of summoning ritual. Someone was calling demons from another world, using high-quality souls as bait. The victorious demon would answer this call and be transported to the summoner's realm.

The altar seemed to serve as a conduit, connecting the abyss of hell with another world. Arthur was elated by this revelation, as it mirrored stories of demon summoning he'd encountered in novels and movies. But he was left with more questions than answers. What kind of world were the demons being summoned to? How many realms were there? Who was the summoner, and what was their purpose in calling forth demons? Did the summoned demons forge contracts with their summoners?

With these thoughts racing through his mind, Arthur's once-boring existence in the abyss had suddenly become fascinating. He was determined to wait and see how often this altar summoned demons and if other extinct volcanoes held similar portals.