‘Offer sacrifices, and you can obtain my power?!’

Naturally, Yumo did not agree with that statement.

But strictly speaking...

She really had granted power to ordinary humans before.

More than five hundred years ago, when her consciousness had only just fused with the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, she had still been rather kindhearted. Toward those who wandered into the Hall’s sphere of influence, as long as they did not show obvious hostility, Yumo would not actively dispatch Abyss Demons to eliminate them.

She had even guided certain exiles, or younger children, into the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons itself, giving them food and a small amount of Shadow of Silence Power so they would have the ability to leave the Great Winter Forest alive.

It seemed that was when rumors about the “Demon God” first began spreading through the outside world.

And apparently from that very moment onward, groups of suicidal idiots started entering the Winter Forest, hoping to perform sacrifices or something?! Digging out people’s hearts right in front of her, burning victims alive... it made Yumo feel deeply uncomfortable every single time.

She had tried warning those fools before.

But they simply refused to listen, continuously bringing sacrificial slaves into the Winter Forest.

However, both the people and the sacrifices they carried usually died in the outer or middle regions of the Great Winter Forest long before reaching the Hall’s sphere of influence. Very few ever actually made it there.

At the same time, in order to “satisfy” her and obtain powerful abilities or immortality, these so-called believers specifically chose sacrifices with extraordinary talent and exceptionally strong souls.

Dragging talented children from across the land into the Winter Forest just to die?!

Goddamn idiots!

The younger generation across the Anqieka Continent keeps getting weaker every year. You brain-damaged lunatics definitely share the blame!!

Yumo could not help cursing internally.

During the final assault on the Winter Forest, the protagonists would need an extremely powerful army! Those children with strong souls could have become incredible fighters in the future!

And yet they were dying meaninglessly like this?

What if the protagonist’s army couldn’t even defeat outer-region Abyss Demons later?!

Wouldn’t I cry myself to death then?!

And using children as sacrifices was simply intolerable to begin with!

Seriously...

‘The more I think about it, the angrier I get!!’

At this moment, Yumo’s emotions could no longer be described as calm in the slightest. She was absolutely furious.

And as her mood plummeted—

The Abyss Demons outside the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons bared their savage fangs.

The blood butterflies drifting around Biluomu and the others gradually became restless as well. At the same time, Yumo’s voice once again echoed within their minds.

“I’ll accept the sacrifices you brought. As for the rest of you... I suppose I can give you a little ‘reward.’”

As the words rang through their minds, the blood butterflies serving as vessels for Yumo’s consciousness slowly drifted before the so-called believers.

?!!

Th-This was?!

A reward?! 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

‘The Demon God is going to grant us power?!’

“Thank you, Lord Demon God!!!”

After crying out excitedly, Biluomu’s face flushed red with overwhelming joy, making his already twisted appearance look even more bizarre. Staring at the blood butterfly fluttering before him, he cautiously raised his right hand.

Under his ecstatic gaze, the blood butterfly slowly landed on the back of his hand.

Seeing this, the other believers hurriedly imitated him, stretching out their hands to receive the butterflies. For those too slow to react, the butterflies simply landed directly on their heads.

For a moment—

Every believer kneeling within the great hall came into intimate contact with at least one blood butterfly.

Watching this scene {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} from nearby, the gigantic snow-white wolf could not help revealing a trace of mockery within her eyes.

Of course—

Those believers whose minds had been completely overwhelmed by joy noticed nothing strange about the wolf’s gaze. Well, strictly speaking, none of them even dared look directly into the giant wolf’s blood-red vertical pupils.

Ordinary people simply lacked the courage to meet the gaze of a Demon King-class existence.

I...

Am I finally about to obtain the immortality I’ve always dreamed of?

Will I become a Saint Mage? Perhaps even a God Mage?

Staring at the vivid blood-colored butterfly resting upon the back of his hand, Biluomu could not help fantasizing about his glorious future.

Once he successfully obtained power, he would undoubtedly rise to a far higher position within the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church!

And just as Biluomu was drowning in fantasy—

The blood butterflies resting upon them gradually began emitting waves of crimson light.

Under the excited gazes of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church believers, the red glow became increasingly intense, slowly enveloping their bodies.

But as the crimson radiance thickened—

Biluomu and the others’ expressions abruptly changed.

Because to their horror, they discovered they were not gaining power from the blood butterflies at all.

Instead—

Their own magic power, battle aura, soul energy, and even life force began flowing endlessly out of their bodies!

Following the crimson light, everything poured directly into the blood butterflies.

?!!

No! Weren’t you supposed to grant us power?!

What is this?!!

“Lord Demon God, you—!!”

In an instant, every trace of excitement vanished from Biluomu and the others’ faces, replaced instead by incomprehensible confusion and overwhelming terror born from the depths of their souls.

Had they not already offered the highest-quality sacrifices?!

Why was the Demon God stealing their life force?!

This wasn’t what the doctrine said!!!

As their vitality drained away, excruciating pain akin to being sliced apart thousands of times suddenly assaulted their minds. The members of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church immediately erupted into miserable screams resembling the wails of tortured ghosts, frightening the black-robed slaves outside the hall so badly their entire bodies trembled.

Meanwhile, the Abyss Demons led by Limo released delighted roars.

To them—

Today meant extra food, hehe~

“N-No! Lord Demon God! Wh... why...”

Biluomu desperately and unwillingly looked upward toward the ceiling, trembling as he stretched out his right hand.

However, before he could finish speaking—

The rate at which their strength drained away accelerated even further.

And in the next instant—

Under the horrified gazes of the many black-robed slaves behind them, every member of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church, including Biluomu himself, instantly withered into dried corpses before collapsing powerlessly onto the floor.

The screams filling the great hall came to an abrupt stop.

Silence returned.

A deathly, unnatural silence where not even a bird dared cry out.

The enormous snow-white wolf king revealed a stunned expression.

She stared at the pile of corpses on the ground with utter disappointment.

‘I... I don’t want to eat jerky!!!’

Apparently sensing her thoughts, a blood-red butterfly immediately flew furiously before the giant wolf, frightening her so badly she let out a pitiful whine before dropping flat onto the floor again.

Limo always felt incredibly aggrieved that Mother forbade her from eating human flesh.

Clearly all the other Abyss Demons were allowed to!

So why wasn’t she?!

Mother bullies me, woo woo woo~~

The giant wolf gloomily lowered her ears.

—

At this moment, outside the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons—

Dozens of Heavenly Punishment Holy Church members responsible for guarding the rear and preventing slave escapes suddenly changed expression after hearing the screams echoing from within the hall.

A terrible premonition instantly enveloped their hearts.

After one member informed the others of what he had witnessed, endless terror crashed over them like a collapsing flood.

‘This is bad!! We need to retreat!!’

After exchanging glances, the rear guard squad of several dozen people immediately turned and fled without hesitation.

However—

The moment they turned around, a gray-haired little girl suddenly appeared directly before them.

“Sorry, but Mother has no intention of letting you leave, so...”

In the next instant—

A jade-green pillar of energy violently erupted from beneath their feet, soaring straight into the heavens...