Things would not have been lively enough if they had ended there. What happened afterward was what truly left people dazzled.
Because of Solam's interference, Demogorgon could do nothing to Malcanthet, so he could only withdraw for the time being. Demogorgon knew some of Solam's calculations as well. He knew that Solam cared more about the Blood War and needed Malcanthet's support, just as Solam also needed Demogorgon's support.
Before Solam achieved his objective, neither he nor Malcanthet could do anything to the other. So although Demogorgon was greatly displeased, he knew he had plenty of opportunities and did not care about temporary gains or losses.
After Demogorgon absorbed every soul within the Pearl of Greed, the benefits he gained far surpassed those gained by Malcanthet and the others. In terms of personal strength, Demogorgon remained supremely confident that he stood above the entire Abyss. Thus, even though he had failed once, he was not especially disappointed.
However, Demogorgon's retreat gave others room for speculation. They believed that Demogorgon was no longer the existence who once intimidated the entire Abyss and whose word had been law, so some people stepped forward to try and profit from the situation.
The first was Fraz-Urb'luu, the Lord of Deception and ruler of Heart of Deception on the 176th layer of the Abyss, who launched a surprise attack on Demogorgon. This demon lord was also an old-established demon lord, once a figure at the pinnacle of the pyramid. But long ago, he had been tricked by a mortal mage and sealed in the Material Plane for centuries. Not only had his territory been ravaged beyond recognition during his disappearance, but his strength had also declined drastically, leaving him in his current sorry state.
Yet Fraz-Urb'luu, the Lord of Deception, had not become despondent. He