Beside Illusion Star Lake, the opulent tent of the Succubus God Camp was filled with soft, seductive music and a faint, sweet fragrance. Yet the atmosphere inside was tense.
"Little one."
Bewitching Heart Demon King Mephisto gently swirled the Crystal Cup in his hand with practiced allure. Crimson liquid rippled inside it.
"Little one, did you think we hadn't heard about the infighting that just broke out in your Blood Demon Faction?"
Black's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered. He even found himself a seat without a trace of panic or irritation, crossed his legs, and relaxed as though he were at home.
"Mephisto, you certainly keep yourself well informed. Since you already know what happened at our Base Camp, you should have even more reason to believe I'm sincere about seeking an alliance."
He raised one finger.
"First, the Undead Demon God Side is the strongest. That's beyond dispute. If the Blood Demon Faction and the Succubus Faction keep fighting separately, how much of the resources inside do you think either of us will get once that Seal breaks? We'll be lucky to get a sip of the leftovers. They might even use us as pawns to test the way, ready to sacrifice us at any moment."
Then he raised a second finger.
"Second, I admit I approached the Undead Faction first, but they rejected me without hesitation. Setting aside their usual arrogance, don't you find that strange? The Blood Demon God Faction may have lost some Prodigies, but our Demon Kings are as strong as ever. We offered them an alliance, and they still refused. Either they've gone mad, or... they have a trump card we know nothing about. That would explain why they're so confident they don't care whether we join forces."
His words dropped like