42: Chapter 42

Ajuka Beelzebub could not help but sigh. He picked out what he could use from the [Dragon Reincarnation] and deleted the remaining memory fragments on the spot.

His gaze wavered, looking a bit dazed, and it took several seconds for him to return to normal. "Let's put personal matters aside for now. What do you want to ask? The Underworld's intelligence network isn't bad; there isn't much in the Three Realms that can be hidden from you."

"It's certainly not bad. But we can't get a handle on this mess that is the [Khaos Brigade]."

Ajuka Beelzebub spoke up. "[Khaos Brigade]..."

Luo Yu rubbed his chin and said slowly, "Since you know that name, you should also be aware that I am one of them."

"The [Four Great Emperors] and the [Old Satan Faction] are the two largest forces within the [Khaos Brigade]. Rizevim Livan Lucifer is also involved. As for your boss—"

Ajuka Beelzebub suddenly lowered his voice, his tone tinged with wariness: "The Infinite Dragon God, Ophis."

"You know quite a bit; this can hardly be called a blind spot. But let me mention one thing: the [Old Satan Faction] isn't just that bunch of lunatics from your Underworld; there are people from Heaven and the [Grigori] involved as well."

"Thanks. But—"

Ajuka Beelzebub shook his head. "We don't know enough. Especially those [Old Satan Faction] members; they are a thorn in the side of the Underworld."

"When Rizevim Livan Lucifer, Zeus, and Loki made their move last time, the Infinite Dragon God Ophis was there too, right?"

Ajuka Beelzebub stared at Luo Yu. "She was protecting you from the shadows. If Cao Cao and the others couldn't hold them off, and the dragons didn't arrive in time, she would have been your final trump card."

"Who can say for sure?"

Luo Yu smiled enigmatically.

He neither admitted nor denied it—let Ajuka Beelzebub guess whatever he wanted. "What you want to inquire about must be the hideouts of the [Old Satan Faction] or the base of the [Khaos Brigade]."

"Red Dragon Emperor, how about we make a deal?"

"Let's hear it."

Luo Yu also wanted to see what the Underworld was really planning. "Our Underworld will help you take out Rizevim Livan Lucifer, as well as the [Old Satan Faction] that is at odds with your [Four Great Emperors]. You—or rather, all of you—just need to hold off Ophis."

"Clap, clap, clap."

Luo Yu couldn't help but clap his hands a few times. "The Underworld's plan is really well-calculated. The [Old Satan Faction] and Rizevim Livan Lucifer have always been a major headache for you. If you let me hold off Ophis while you wipe them all out in one go, the Underworld will be worry-free in the future."

Ajuka Beelzebub didn't make a sound, waiting for Luo Yu's confirmation.

After a long while.

Luo Yu glanced at Ajuka Beelzebub and finally said:

"No matter how I look at it, I'm the one getting the better deal. I'll keep an eye on Ophis for you. Just don't disappoint me, Underworld."

"Of course."

It seemed that at this very moment, the Underworld and Luo Yu had unilaterally sealed the fate of the [Old Satan Faction].

In the villa garden at dawn, Tsubaki Shinra gripped her long sword, slashing again and again.

Sweat slid down her forehead, dripping onto the stone floor beneath her feet.

Her clothes were soaked, and the muscles in her arms trembled slightly as she swung the blade, clearly having reached her limit.

Yet, she didn't stop; she gritted her teeth and continued to swing.

In the bamboo pavilion, Luo Yu leaned against a pillar, his gaze fixed on Tsubaki Shinra.

Sona sat on a stone stool, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said: "She's been training like this for more than a day or two; she hasn't stopped since the last battle ended."

Luo Yu nodded: "Even with the strong self-healing ability of a devil, she's reaching her limit at this rate."

Sona frowned and put down the teacup: "If she continues like this, I'm afraid she will suffer hidden injuries, which will be difficult to treat later on."

Luo Yu didn't reply, just quietly watching the figure in the garden drenched in sweat.

He could, of course, see that there was a reason Tsubaki Shinra was pushing herself so hard.

On the other hand, Luo Yu had already calculated everything regarding the mess of the [Khaos Brigade].

He didn't feel there was any problem with betraying the [Khaos Brigade].

To put it bluntly, the [Khaos Brigade] was just a group of losers using Ophis's power as a tool.

That bunch from the [Old Satan Faction] spent their days dreaming of retaking the Underworld's throne by relying on the snakes given by Ophis.

And they claimed they would defeat the Great Red?

If a real fight broke out, even including Rizevim Livan Lucifer, if all these people were added together, they probably wouldn't even be able to withstand a single breath from the Great Red.

Of course, if one calculated seriously, the [Four Great Emperors] weren't any better.

Three out of the four were undercover agents.

Dulio Gesualdo was the biggest mole; he was originally sent to the [Khaos Brigade] by Heaven.

Vali joined the [Khaos Brigade] purely to become stronger and challenge the Great Red.

As for Cao Cao, it goes without saying; he just wanted to carry out the will of a hero and fight the god and demon races to the bitter end.

After Luo Yu and Ajuka Beelzebub finished discussing the overall layout, he informed Cao Cao and the others about the matter.

Cao Cao and Vali had no objections.

They had long been displeased with Rizevim Livan Lucifer and the [Old Satan Faction], and this time, using the Underworld's hands to take care of them would save them the trouble.

Vali even said that if it weren't for his lack of strength, he would have wanted to kill Rizevim Livan Lucifer himself.

As for Dulio Gesualdo, his opinion could basically be ignored.

Ever since his identity as a Child of Light and a half-angel was exposed, the [Khaos Brigade] had already kicked him out as a traitor.

Now they just needed to wait for the Underworld to finish its secret deployment.

There were quite a few members of the [Old Satan Faction] hidden in the Underworld, and Ajuka Beelzebub's intention was to take this opportunity to wipe out these hidden dangers in one fell swoop.

In the garden, Tsubaki Shinra delivered another fierce slash.

The blade cut through the air, emitting a sharp whistle.

She bent over, supporting herself on her knees, panting heavily, sweat dripping from her chin to the ground.

Yet, she only paused for less than ten seconds before straightening up again and raising her sword.

Sona glanced at Luo Yu, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You know it too; compared to me, she is more willing to listen to you."

"Thanks, Sona."

"Why are you being so polite with me? I'll leave Tsubaki Shinra to you. My sister is about to wake up, so I need to go back."

Having said that, Sona stood up and left.

Clang.

The long sword in Tsubaki Shinra's hand slid to the ground, her whole body aching as if it had fallen apart. "It's no use... If I remain this weak, I won't be able to keep up with Master's footsteps at all."

She gritted her teeth, wanting to bend over to pick up the sword, but even her fingers were trembling.

A large hand snatched the sword away directly and patted her on the shoulder.

The heavy burdens and [Arcane Magic] suppression on her body were instantly lifted. "I gave you [Arcane Magic] to give you another way to save your life, not for you to use it to risk your life."

Luo Yu looked at the wear and tear on Tsubaki Shinra's body, his tone stern. "This is simply reckless."

"Master... I just want to be a little stronger, even if it's just enough to block a few enemies for you."

Tsubaki Shinra lowered her head, her voice filled with grievance.

After the great battle that day, she realized how weak she was.

Especially when Zeus delivered the final blow, watching her Master disappear before her eyes, she had completely broken down.

Her mind went blank, her chest hurt as if it were being torn apart, and she almost couldn't hold on.

Luo Yu sighed.

His palm gently stroked her loose long hair, his movements filled with comfort and heartache. "Little Tsubaki, don't put so much pressure on yourself. Cultivation is like sailing against the current, but if you are this impatient, you will only burn out your potential prematurely. You won't get far."

"Your Master is very strong; for now, it is my job to protect you. When you are truly grown up, it won't be too late to help me."

Tsubaki Shinra bit her lip, was silent for a moment, then looked up at him earnestly. "Master, I want to undergo [Dragon Reincarnation]. A [Dragon Reincarnation] like yours."

Luo Yu's brows knitted together instantly.

He hadn't expected Tsubaki Shinra to have this thought.

Looking at her expression, it wasn't something she had just thought of today; she had probably been pondering it for a long time.

But [Dragon Reincarnation], just as Ajuka Beelzebub said, was far too dangerous and simply not suitable for others.

Moreover, when he originally developed this technique, it was tailored entirely to his own physical condition.

Tsubaki Shinra had already reincarnated as a devil once, and now she wanted to reincarnate from a devil into a dragon species.

The danger involved was several times higher than what he had faced.

No, it was absolutely not possible. "Little Tsubaki, dragon species are not for you. Don't blindly pursue it just because you see superficial strength."

A few leisurely months flashed by, and life was so peaceful that not even a few splashes were made.

If one had to say anything, it would be that the devil girl Serafall, who was always looking for trouble, was still jumping around.

Her resentment toward Luo Yu kept accumulating, and even though she had been disciplined by the [Eternal Paradise] several times, the girl still refused to change her ways.

Ever since he comprehended the [Origin Gold Pattern], Luo Yu naturally didn't have to bury himself in hard training like before, and he suddenly had a lot of free time on his hands.

He spent all this time teaching the three of them: Tsubaki Shinra, Tsubaki Shinra, and Reya Kusaka.

In the end, it was mainly to guard against that girl Tsubaki Shinra, fearing she would stubbornly try to challenge her physical limits again.

In the evening, under the bamboo pavilion in the garden.

Luo Yu and Sona sat face to face, trading moves on the chessboard, which was a unique way for the two to cultivate their relationship. "Sona, you lost again."

Luo Yu picked up a black piece and decisively swallowed the path of Sona's white pieces.

He had won this game today as well.

"I was so careful, yet I was still calculated to death by you."

Sona stared at the endgame in front of her, her face full of frustration.

In these three days, except for one time when she was incredibly lucky and beat Luo Yu, every other time she had been wiped out without a trace.

Sona's chess skills had indeed improved quite a bit under Luo Yu's step-by-step teaching, but in things like chess, it was only interesting if wins and losses alternated.

Losing all the time—if it weren't for Sona's stable mindset, she would have probably been discouraged from playing chess long ago.

Of course, this was also her own fault for having fiercely warned Luo Yu earlier, telling him absolutely not to go easy on her and to go all out.

"Your chess style is too direct; it's more interesting to have more variety. There are only a few old-fashioned patterns, and it's easy to have your mind figured out; sometimes, adapting to circumstances is better than just stubbornly thinking about the next move."

Luo Yu placed the remaining pieces on the chessboard back into their original positions one by one. "One more game."

Just as Sona and Luo Yu were about to start a new game, an urgent, delicate shout suddenly came from outside the door. "Luo Yu, get out here right now!!"

"Rias Gremory!!"

Sona recognized the owner of the voice instantly.

Luo Yu raised an eyebrow; were there too many people coming to find trouble lately?

It had only been a few months.

A while ago it was Serafall.

This time it was Rias Gremory's turn...

According to Sona, the Gremory Clan had clearly warned Rias Gremory fiercely not to provoke him.

In the first-floor living room.

"Yo, little Rias Gremory, why did you run over here? Did that guy, the Red Dragon Emperor, provoke you?"

Serafall looked at Rias Gremory, who had rushed in hurriedly, and greeted her.

"Lady Serafall, where is Luo Yu?"

Rias Gremory scanned left and right, looking for him everywhere.

"He is currently..."

Before Serafall could finish her sentence,

Luo Yu and Sona had already appeared in the living room.

Luo Yu frowned and was about to speak, but Rias Gremory cut him off first. "Luo Yu, where did you hide Koneko? Hurry up and give her back to me!"

Rias Gremory rushed forward and grabbed Luo Yu by the collar.

Luo Yu was stunned.