Chapter 594

Chapter 594: A Lackey May Not Die Well, But He Gains a Big Brother

The Chaos Council had made significant moves recently.

Xidi, Belial, and other members of the Giant God Association finally understood the meaning of the "bad news" conveyed by the Outer Gods from the Void—Barbatos had fallen too deeply into corruption.

This began when the First Demon God convened a full “Chaos Council Meeting.”

Under the Chaos Council’s structure, all councilors theoretically enjoyed equal rights. Yet demon gods pursued their own affairs and couldn’t gather daily for endless meetings.

Thus, the "Core Council of Chaos" was formed to decide major matters for most councilors.

But for exceptionally critical issues requiring every councilor’s presence, a full “Chaos Council Meeting” would be enforced!

Such summons were exceedingly rare.

Replacing core councilors didn’t warrant it; not even the "Saraph Rebellion" three thousand years ago—which engulfed half the Chaos Swamp Realm—had provoked such drastic action from the First Demon God.

By the Chaos Demon Gods’ understanding, only an existential war against another realm could justify this!

Many demon gods cursed loudly after being forcibly summoned.

They vowed that unless Barbatos gave a justifiable reason, they would challenge this witless "First Demon God" and overthrow him!

Yet…

Barbatos delivered.

"All authority in the Chaos Swamp belongs to the First Demon God!?"

"This…"

"Outrageous!"

Every demon god—core councilors and ordinary members alike—recoiled at Barbatos’ declaration during the Chaos Council.

Shock swiftly turned to fury.

Barbatos had invoked the “Emergency State Bill for Wartime.”

This bill was tyranny incarnate—an amplified version of the already harsh "Emergency State Bill"!

The original bill had been draconian enough, granting the First Demon God near-absolute power. It allowed branding all Chaos Demon Gods with the "Chaos Mark," subjecting them to constant surveillance.

Defiance meant Barbatos could punish and torment any deity through the mark.

To freedom-loving Chaos Demon Gods, this was vile oppression—a monstrous regression!

Yet the "Emergency State Bill for Wartime" made its predecessor seem merciful.

Simply put, it granted the First Demon God limitless authority.

He could seize any deity’s power at will and wield life-or-death control over all non-core councilors!

The entire chaos would tolerate no voice but his. Barbatos could drain any deity’s strength or execute non-core members without justification.

The bill aimed to forge chaos into a single organism.

Barbatos was the brain.

He decided who starved, who prospered, and who died.

This was truly…

The demon gods were treated as mere "body cells."

Such a cruel decree naturally provoked backlash from all sides.

"This is too extreme…"

"We are demon gods who each rule our own territories!"

"Exactly… What does Barbatos even take us for?!"

"Slaves to be killed or tortured at his whim?!"

A buzzing murmur spread through the assembly.

Barbatos remained seated on the platform, his expression unreadable as he listened to the deities’ voices—filled with anger, panic, and confusion.

He waited, watching for the first to act.

Aside from the "King of Ether," an ether deity beyond the First Demon God’s reach, nearly every god in the Chaos Swamp would be bound by this command.

Barbatos was certain an opponent would emerge.

And once someone stepped forward, he would crush that defiant voice!

"So…"

"Who will it be…"

He tilted his head slightly, studying the core councilors flanking him.

His gaze immediately settled on Lady Xidi.

Just as expected…

Lady Xidi gave a subtle blink. Amid the buzzing clamor below, one councilor gave a faint nod.

He abruptly stood.

Unlike Barbatos, who projected a weary "middle-aged gentleman" aura on the platform, this core councilor had dressed himself as a dashing young prodigy.

He cast a warm glance toward Lady Xidi, cleared his throat, and addressed Barbatos: "Esteemed First Demon God."

"Your actions suggest you intend to shatter our Chaos Council’s glorious and ancient traditions, grasping for absolute power to become a shameful tyrant!?"

"This—"

Before he could finish…

"Urk—"

A choked gasp escaped him as he crumpled.

His body convulsed and twisted.

His mouth gaped wide, straining to unleash a scream of agony, yet his voice seemed stolen by an unseen force—not even a whisper emerged.

Barbatos had barely moved, offering only the faintest glance.

The chamber fell into complete silence.

Every complaint, every murmur, ceased instantly.

Even the other ten core councilors present looked at Barbatos with surprise.

Lady Xidi also lost her usual composure.

Her lips pressed together slightly as her brows furrowed.

Lying on the ground was…

"Elioerg, right…"

Barbatos glanced indifferently at the struggling core councilor.

"I recall you hold seat fifteen."

The First Demon God remembered this one.

After all, he ranked relatively high among core councilors; his power barely reached "quasi-core councilor" level, so earning seat fifteen wasn’t undeserved.

More importantly, Elioerg was Xidi’s follower—

obeying her nearly without question.

Though…

Xidi rarely acknowledged him, barely remembering his name except when useful.

Regardless, Elioerg remained part of Xidi’s faction.

The First Demon God had resolved:

Today, he’d make an example of Elioerg—this "chicken"—to warn Xidi, Gimmerly, and the other "monkeys."

He’d show them the truth: If I can’t deal with the Giant God, do you think I can’t deal with you!?

"Heh. From today, you’re no longer seat fifteen."

"Elioerg’s status as chaos councilor is hereby revoked, along with…"

"Buzz—!"

As Barbatos spoke, potent magic enveloped Elioerg. Then…

"Sss—!"

A blood-like substance bubbled up from Elioerg, streaming into Barbatos’ palm.

"I’ve drained all your Magic Power and degraded your Soul and magic circuits!"

"Henceforth, only inert Death Magic Power flows in your magic circuits!"

"In other words…"

"You, exiled deity Elioerg—a wandering ghost—shall never cast spells again!"

Hearing Barbatos’ cold pronouncement, Elioerg thrashed violently.

His mouth opened in a silent scream—voice stolen by Barbatos, leaving only mute protest.

His lips clearly formed:

"No—!"

All witnessed Elioerg’s utter despair and helplessness.

He looked toward Lady Xidi for help.

Unfortunately, Lady Xidi’s gaze shifted elsewhere.

In the end, all that remained was despair!

Depriving a deity of spellcasting capability was a severe weakening and a profound insult.

What deities took pride in, above mortals or any massive creatures, was their "spellcasting ability!"

Once lost, they could only bite with their teeth and tear with their claws, becoming no different from coarse, vulgar, and foolish beasts!

Could a god stripped of grace still be called a god!?

Finally…

Elioerg’s head tilted, and he fainted!

"Drag him out!"

"And toss this wandering ghost outside!"

Barbatos waved his hand, and his attendants hauled the unconscious Elioerg from the conference hall.

Harsh exile awaited him.

"Rest assured, everyone."

"My punishment wasn’t for his disrespectful words."

"Instead, my spies and investigations reveal this Elioerg holds unclear ties to our chaos realm’s great enemy—the Giant God."

"Yet, either he’s too cunning or too insignificant. Current evidence shows shallow involvement. That’s why I spared his life."

"If I discover anyone colluding with ‘Giant God forces’ hereafter—regardless of status, even core councilors—doom awaits them!"

"Finally…"

Barbatos stood, surveying the intimidated deities with satisfaction.

His oppressive glare forced all gods, core councilors included, to lower their heads.

"Understand this!"

"The Emergency State Bill for Wartime isn’t impending—it’s already enacted!"

"Under this bill…"

"As the First Demon God, my authority is limitless!"

"Now, I unveil our strategy!"

"Whoosh—!"

He swept his hand, conjuring a massive tactical map before the gods. Though flat, it displayed the Endless Ether, Chaos Swamp, and Primal Wilderness in rough outline.

"Our situation seems dire."

"Chaos’s strength alone may no longer crush the Giant God."

"So…"

"Whoosh—!"

A stark red line divided the "Chaos Swamp Realm" from the "Endless Ether Realm"; then…

"Hum…"

The boundary between the "Chaos Swamp Realm" and "Primal Wilderness" gradually blurred, as if the two universes were merging into one.

"This is our strategy!"

"Hold the ‘Endless Ether’ through our defenses, then join forces with ‘Primal Wilderness’ for a full assault!"

"The very plan we’ve pursued all along!"

"I refuse to believe the combined might of two realms can’t crush the Giant God…"

"Along with his foolish allies—the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons, those feeble mortal spawn, and those virtually defenseless ‘Giant God Fantasy Trees’!"

—-

"Finished…"

"Utterly finished this time…"

Across the desolate land, Elioerg wandered distraught and aimless.

The etheric storm lashed against him, its icy touch deepening his discomfort.

Yet cold as the ether rain was, it held more warmth than the chill in his heart!

He never imagined Barbatos would be so merciless—not only expelling him from the Chaos Council’s ranks but cruelly warping his Soul and blocking his magic circuits.

Henceforth, he’d be but a deity—magicless, with a feeble divine body, rendered insignificant.

"Hah…"

"Am I… truly done for?"

"Where is this…?"

Elioerg scanned his surroundings, spotting sprouting "Fantasy Trees" and peculiar "Pan-Spirit Deities" scurrying over the ground.

"Primal Wilderness!?"

"Staying here means death at the hands of its ‘Giant Spirit Gods’…"

"Still…"

He abruptly lifted his gaze; a speck in the distant sky kindled a flicker of hope.

"Ah—!"

That was the "Sigh of the Void"!

Gimmerly soared through the void above Primal Wilderness, her broad wings outstretched.

She seemed to beckon the "weakling" below to follow!

"Hah…"

Elioerg hesitated.

He recalled how Xidi had endorsed and supported him when he confronted Barbatos for her sake…

At least he had thought so!

Lady Xidi’s gentle nod and slight blink were surely meant as encouragement for him!?

Yet when Barbatos tormented him, both Lady Xidi and Gimmerly pretended not to see—letting the First Demon God strip everything from him.

"Could he still trust them!?"

Soon Elioerg realized it was a foolish question—he had no choice!

"Run!"

He moved his short limbs and swiftly sprinted forward.

Sure enough…

"Crash—!"

Elioerg collided with a sturdy "pillar."

"Damn!"

"Too busy tracking Gimmerly’s path through the void to watch my steps!"

"Must’ve hit…"

"A Fantasy Tree or such?"

But…

"Whoosh—!"

Blood-scented mist drenched his head.

As he knew, even the sturdiest Fantasy Trees never breathed!

"So what struck me must be…"

"Gods above!?"

The deposed Elioerg found himself rammed against a thick forelimb!

Above that limb, suspended over his head, loomed a Colossal Head bearing saber teeth!

"Grrrrrrr…"

A deep, rolling-thunder roar detonated in his ears.

The demonic sound savagely battered his Soul.

Though Elioerg still possessed a formidable Divine Body, he seemed a dwarf before this colossal creature!

"Thump—!"

He landed hard in the slurry of Primal Mud and etheric liquid.

"Boom—!"

A massive shadow engulfed him.

"Doomed!"

"Are Gimmerly and Lady Xidi betraying me again?"

"Why such wretched luck!"

As Elioerg wallowed in self-pity over his fate…

Abruptly…

"Buzz—!"

The colossal creature lowered its head, scrutinizing Elioerg’s Divine Body with gem-like Double Eyes.

Though those eyes gleamed mechanically cold and emotionless, their piercing gaze terrified the "deposed one"!

He felt flayed alive!

Torrents of information flooded his Soul!

"Ni—shi—wo—de—ke—hu—ma!?"

Strange, jarring syllables saturated with Information Entropy reverberated through his being.

Excruciating pain radiated from this query surpassing all magic language.

Yet even as his Soul swelled near bursting, even as agony shredded his form, Elioerg rejoiced!

The dawn of hope shone upon his Divine Body!

He knew at last which deity questioned him!

"Giant God!"

"Save me, Giant God!"