Creating a New Abyss? Or a Purgatory?

The conclusion of the war with the Thunderlake Kingdom and the subsequent peace treaty not only stabilized the northeastern region of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents but also intensified tensions within the Southern City-State Alliance.

With the Thunderlake Kingdom no longer under attack, a new question arose. Who would be next?

The answer seemed almost certain.

Tensions between the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents and the Southern City-State Alliance quickly escalated as both sides began to exchange accusations.

The Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents accused the Southern City-State Alliance of colluding with the Abyss Cult, sacrificing to evil gods, causing famine, and betraying the royal court.

In response, the Alliance vehemently accused the Royal Court of oppressing the royal family and seizing its authority. They dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that the claims were nothing more than a fabricated spectacle.

The two sides argued without resolution.

It appeared war would break out at any moment.

At this critical moment, Suinhor stepped in to mediate, and the White Tower Alchemy Alliance also became involved.

The Southern City-State Alliance, believing they had external support, assumed the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents would not act rashly. This assumption allowed them to relax slightly.

Amid the clamor, war erupted without warning.

The first battle occurred at Serc Harbor.

The harbor, held by the Southern City-State Alliance for several years, was lost in a single day as the flames of war swept relentlessly from north to south.

Warships loaded with weapons, supplies, and soldiers sailed up the Shepherd's River, casting the shadow of war over the Southern City-State Alliance.

Two Alchemy Corps from the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, along with numerous local legions, attacked the Southern City-State Alliance from two routes.

One departed from Fort Pence in the northwest, advancing along land to capture cities and strongholds.

The other departed from Mooneclipse City, planning to strike the towns of the Southern City-State Alliance situated along the Shepherd's River.

The Dark Moon General had devised the strategy but left the main direction of attack undefined. In truth, there was no single main direction of attack to begin with.

The main attack would be determined by whichever path offered greater gains and wherever the Southern City-State Alliance exposed its largest vulnerabilities.

Byron, commander of the Solar Flame Legion, received orders to depart from Mooneclipse City and advance along the Shepherd's River, swiftly breaking through the Southern City-State Alliance's defenses to spread war into their territory.

By the time the garrison at Serc Harbor noticed the Alchemy Corps approaching on distant warships and saw patrol boats consumed by flames one after another, it was already too late.

The warships from Serc Harbor rushed out to engage them.

Red hair, red pupils, and a perpetually gloomy face with sunken eye sockets.

He likely never slept peacefully, for whenever he did, he fell into nightmares.

This was the infamous Byron the Burner.

Standing at the ship's bow, the red-haired young man waved his hand.

Dense flame puppets flew from his body, whistling toward the distant harbor.

At that moment, he stood like a king of flames, his presence commanding the battlefield with an aura of unrelenting fire.

Fire rained from the sky, igniting all the warships rushing from the harbor and instantly consuming thousands in the fierce blaze.

Within the city, crowds gathered in the streets, their faces filled with terror as they stared at the towering flames rising in the distance.

Black smoke from the flames billowed into the sky. Faint screams echoed from the inferno, and the air grew thick with the smell of burning wood and human flesh.

"Is that a fire?" Many in the city remained unaware that war had already arrived.

"Fire is raining from the sky! What's happening?" some cried, having witnessed Byron summon the flames from afar.

"Ships! So many ships! The Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents is attacking!" People from the harbor area had already begun fleeing in panic, bringing news of war, and with it, terror.

The Shepherd's River was blocked by vessels, cutting off all escape routes from Serc Harbor.

The people in the city looked at the warships blocking the river and the fiercely burning harbor in the distance.

One by one, horrified expressions appeared on their faces.

As more soldiers from the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents arrived, their numbers swelled. Eventually, they launched their assault on the city.

Although they avoided using Third-Rank power after the initial lightning strike to protect the prosperous city, the city still fell within a day. The remaining forces ultimately surrendered.

The red-haired Byron disembarked from his ship and stepped onto the shore.

He entered the city like a conqueror, his presence declaring the return of the city's former rulers.

The fires at Serc Harbor and on the river had not yet been extinguished, and many buildings within the city continued to smolder, emitting thick smoke.

Various divine techniques, artifacts, and supernatural powers had brought destruction and death.

Fire proved to be the simplest and most effective means of all.

Among the divine techniques of the snake people, the ability to control fire and earth was the most prevalent. Artifacts designed to manipulate fire were especially favored and widely used.

Byron entered the administrative hall as people were being dragged out one by one.

Some defiant individuals, facing death, hurled their final curses at him.

"Byron the Burner!"

"You will face retribution!"

Byron walked past them as if he had not heard.

However, as he climbed the steps to the administrative hall, he stopped and turned to look back.

His eyes lingered on the city, which was being consumed by raging flames and thick black smoke.

The deputy legion commander spoke to him.

"Commander Byron, you should stop looking."

"We need to rest and then continue our advance."

"The Dark Moon General wants us to capture as many cities as possible, as quickly as possible. We must put maximum pressure on the traitors in the southern five territories."

Byron knew the deputy was concerned he might recall the great fire that had once consumed Fort Pence.

"Years ago, they started this war, seized this city, and destroyed my home."

"If not for the Dark Moon General, they could have taken the Dark Moon Province during the famine, even occupying our sea outlets and the Great Serpent Road."

"These past years, one comrade after another has drunk my blood, willing to become a monster to win this war."

Byron raised his arm, showing the deputy the fire patterns that covered it.

"Do you see this?"

"Every mark here represents a living person."

"Every mark is a deeply etched hatred."

"It's a hatred that cannot be erased, not in death, not even by becoming a monster."

Byron lowered his arm.

"Do you still think I'm that little carpenter from Fort Pence?"

"Those who died in the war, those who perished in the famine, those who lost their lives in the disaster."

"Everyone seeks a result. Everyone yearns for an answer."

"Whatever the cost. Whatever I must do."

Byron stared at the deputy commander and finally spoke.

"If evil goes unpunished, and if all of this just passes... then where is justice?"

"And if this world has no justice..."

Byron suddenly fell silent.

He did not continue, did not speak the words buried deep in his heart.

The deputy commander looked at Byron, who still wore that deathlike expression, but in his eyes, the deputy saw raging flames burning.

It was a fire that could fill the entire world, threatening to consume everything.

He suddenly said, "Hatred... will it truly vanish once it finds a result and an answer?"

Deep in his heart, he suddenly found Byron frightening.

He had joined this war to serve his country. He was one of the earliest followers of the Dark Moon General and had inherited the ideals of the Dark Moon.

However, the Byron standing before him was different, driven by revenge as his sole purpose for participating in this war.

He was a man driven by vengeance, a man who had lost everything.

As he had said, he needed a result and an answer.

But what if that result, that answer, was not what he wished for?

The deputy commander joined Byron in looking at the burning harbor and river.

He felt that hatred was like these flames and this war. Once ignited, it would continue to spread endlessly.

Perhaps it would only end when cities lay in ruins, and races and kingdoms were no more.

Byron did not answer the deputy commander's question. He had noticed many people gathered in the street not far from the administrative hall.

"What is that over there?"

A voice from nearby responded, "Legion Commander, it appears to be a temple!"

Byron suddenly descended the stairs and walked toward the temple.

The Mother of All Snakes had long been removed from the temple, replaced by a statue of the Scarlet Goddess.

Dense crowds knelt inside and outside, seeking refuge in what had become a sanctuary during the war. They believed that as long as the deity was present, no harm could come to them.

They trembled and shook, begging for the deity's mercy and praying to be spared from disaster.

"God!"

"Please protect me! Spare me from this calamity!"

"God! Punish those evildoers!"

"God..."

Their calls accumulated in the hall, gathering beneath the divine altar.

At that moment, Byron led a group of soldiers into the temple, causing immediate panic inside and out as everyone scrambled to avoid them.

Byron approached the hall and looked up at the statue of the Scarlet Goddess.

He turned his head, his gaze moving over everyone present. All of them lowered their heads, avoiding the intense eyes of the red-haired, red-eyed young man.

He saw weakness, incompetence, and desperate wailing in the face of disaster.

He saw a reflection of his former self.

Suddenly, the flames of rage ignited boundlessly in his chest.

He abruptly raised his head, staring fiercely at the statue's eyes, a movement so sharp it made hearts tremble.

Then he laughed, a scornful sound rising from the depths of his soul, filled with pure contempt.

"Praying to gods?"

"You're merely seeking empty comfort."

He laughed wildly, behaving irreverently in the divine hall.

"What are you praying for?"

"You worthless insects, you worthless mortals, what are you begging these lofty gods for?"

He despised their expressions of fear and helplessness, loathing the sight of those who could do nothing but bow in submission.

Just as he despised the person he used to be.

He extended his arm, pointing at the deity's statue as he shouted.

"No god cares about you!"

"No god will save you!"

"When disaster strikes, the gods merely watch. Only you can save yourselves."

"You can choose to fight and die, you can choose to surrender, or you can choose to take any action within your power, instead of pleading with gods here!"

Under everyone's gaze, Byron, consumed by rage, destroyed the statue of the Scarlet Goddess.

With a swift motion of his hand, the statue broke apart into countless fragments.

Most of those present were stunned by his unbridled action, and crowds fled in terror.

But some soldiers saw nothing wrong, even cheering in approval.

If the other side dared remove the Mother of All Snakes from the temple, why should they not destroy the statue of the Scarlet Goddess?

Byron stood in the temple, feeling immensely satisfied.

He spread his arms. "After the fire, the Dark Moon General will establish a country with a new order."

Finally, Byron lowered his head, looking directly at everyone.

"We need not beg the gods. We need only rely on ourselves."

On the Battlefield

Two Alchemy Corps clashed intensely as Ability Users on the ground commanded swarms of stone puppets, while wing demon units engaged in aerial combat.

Divine techniques of all kinds fell from the sky, striking the earth.

Groups of low-rank Ability Users waved their arms, activating large ritual arrays.

Monsters tore through the earth, divine techniques claimed countless lives in an instant, and various supernatural powers left permanent scars on the land.

The power of Third-Rank Ability Users was especially devastating. Their battles could reshape vast areas of terrain, with even a single strike impacting an area tens or hundreds of meters wide.

Over time, the power wielded by mortals became more potent and increasingly terrifying.

The destruction and disasters they brought became ever more horrifying.

Roar!

A massive flame puppet, towering over seventy meters, roared fiercely as countless smaller flame puppets swirled around it, descending rapidly toward the ground.

Sitting atop its head, encircled by fierce flames, the red-haired youth raised his hand.

The massive flame puppet also raised its hand.

Hiss!

In the sky, a monster with fleshy wings let out a hiss as it generated wind blades that tore through the earth.

It became slightly careless and was caught by Byron.

On the other side, the Third-Rank Ability User controlling the stone puppets grew anxious and attacked Byron without restraint.

However, Byron completely ignored his attack.

Withstanding the assault, he refused to release his grip on the wing demon.

The Third-Rank great wing demon, now desperate, called forth a hurricane that spiraled fiercely around the flame puppet.

However, this force not only failed to harm Byron and his flame puppet, but instead amplified his power, transforming into a towering pillar of flame.

The scene was truly breathtaking to behold.

It also forced back the snake person Third-Rank Ability User, cutting off the great wing demon's last chance of escape.

Byron held the Third-Rank wing demon tightly, pouring flame power into its body without pause.

The intense heat consumed it entirely, burning through its core until nothing remained.

It was only after a moment that Byron finally let it go.

Under everyone's gaze, the wing demon with a wingspan of over forty meters turned into a ball of fire, swaying as it plummeted from the sky.

It struck the ground with a heavy impact, its body reduced to a charred corpse.

There was no longer any sign of life.

In Byron's recent battles, his greatest enemy had been this terrifying great wing demon.

He had seized this opportunity to kill his formidable foe in one strike.

On the other side, the Third-Rank Ability User attempted to flee after witnessing the failure of the Third-Rank wing demon. However, Byron was determined not to let him escape.

The opponent rode a stone puppet, crossing forests in just a few steps.

Byron controlled the flames, weaving through the sky with relentless determination.

It did not take long before he closed the distance and caught up with his target.

When he reappeared on the battlefield, he held the head of the Third-Rank Ability User in his hand.

There was nothing more shocking than witnessing this scene unfold.

One man, fighting two Third-Rank Ability Users and emerging victorious.

"Victory!"

"Legion Commander Byron has won!"

"Invincible in battle!"

"Invincible in battle!"

The legion soldiers below pressed forward frantically, while the enemy began to collapse, losing all will to fight. The earth was covered with corpses left by the routed forces.

Byron, commander of the Solar Flame Legion, pursued the fleeing troops, charging into the distant city.

Numerous soldiers followed, occupying this important fortress.

This was deep within the territory of the Southern City-State Alliance. Ahead lay Wing Demon City, the capital of the Southern City-State Alliance.

Naturally, the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents did not recognize the name "Southern City-State Alliance" and refused to acknowledge their so-called capital.

This was the location where the Southern City-State Alliance had concentrated their forces for a counterattack, and their defeat here solidified the victory.

Inside the Fortress

All members of the Solar Flame Legion were resting after the major battle, which had consumed vast supplies. They were waiting for replenishment from the rear.

The consumption of such an Alchemy Corps was beyond ordinary imagination. Without adequate supplies, their power would weaken significantly.

Byron now had only one goal: Wing Demon City.

He stood beneath the city wall, refraining from entering, his gaze fixed on the distant silhouette of Wing Demon City.

Byron turned to the deputy commander.

"It will be over soon," Byron said with a resolute tone. "In just a few days, we will bring this to an end."

The war had lasted exactly one month.

The Southern City-State Alliance had managed to endure for only a month.

Although they held off the Silver Serpent Legion's assault from Fort Pence, they were forced to retreat repeatedly under the relentless attacks of the Solar Flame Legion, resulting in the loss of half their territory.

True to their legion's name, they had consumed this country like a raging fire.

This kingdom, born just a few years ago, now teetered on the brink of collapse amid the war, its people panic-stricken.

They had repeatedly sought external support.

However, the White Tower Alchemy Alliance and Suinhor showed no intention of taking further action, limiting their assistance to words of encouragement and a bare minimum of supplies.

Even for the supplies and supernatural artifacts they provided, they charged at least twice the normal price. When buying, their allies also had to endure condescension.

The Southern City-State Alliance was not weak. It possessed two Third-Rank Ability Users and a Third-Rank wing demon as its foundation.

Originally, even if the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents attacked, they had the capability to hold their position.

The greatest variable was Byron the Burner.

This was especially true after Byron defeated the Southern City-State Alliance's Third-Rank Ability User in the recent major battle. The powerful wing demon, a creature passed down from ancient times, was consumed by flames and fell from the sky as a blazing fireball.

This news was enough to send shockwaves across the entire Ruhe Beast Island.

A Third-Rank Ability User, no matter their country or location, was regarded as a nation's core strength. Each one was an invaluable resource and a formidable fighting force that required significant resources to develop.

Byron the Burner stood as the pivotal force in this war, single-handedly altering its course.

This was the reason the Dark Moon General had kept him. He had taken him from the Abyss Cult, and his past intervention was now bringing a hundredfold return.

"We will advance tomorrow," Byron said firmly. "We will take Wing Demon City in one decisive sweep."

The deputy commander quickly responded, "There's no need to rush. The Dark Moon General instructed us to wait for the Silver Serpent Legion."

"Then we will attack Wing Demon City together. That is a safer approach."

Although Byron was eager to capture those who had initiated the conspiracy, he still obeyed the Dark Moon General's words.

However, at that moment, he suddenly raised his head, looking toward a corner of the fortress.

Byron spotted a strange figure standing on the fortress wall.

The person was watching him, wearing a black cloak with an ouroboros on his back, a snake biting its own tail.

The mark of the Abyss Cult.

The man stood brazenly atop the wall, his robes flapping loudly in the gusting wind.

Byron first froze, then his expression instantly changed.

Terrifying flames radiated from his body as layer upon layer of flame puppets spread across the sky, turning the space above the fortress crimson.

"You people!" he roared, his voice filled with fury. "How dare you show yourselves before me!"

Byron had been searching for Abyss Cult members for years, but apart from insignificant madmen, he had never found any core figures.

The surviving Abyss High Priest and two Fallen High Priests had all vanished without a trace.

Standing on the city wall, Senge, the new generation Abyss Cult High Priest, looked at Byron with a calm gaze. It was the first time they had crossed paths in several years.

Once again, he faced the Son of Wrath, the very creation of their own making.

When Byron attacked, he also recognized the person before him.

In his heart, he identified the other's identity and name.

"Fallen High Priest of the Abyss Cult, Senge!"

Byron had learned this information from the Dark Moon General and had seen the other's portrait.

Apparently, the Dark Moon General was also very interested in this person and had been investigating information about him.

Flames pursued Senge, who instantly transformed into a ball of fire and shot into the sky.

Compared to Byron's flames, which were wild and intense, Senge's flames seemed more agile.

Byron chased after him, plunging into the sea of clouds.

The two clashed and twisted within the sea of clouds for some time.

The Abyss Cult High Priest Senge showed no surprise at the other's emotional state.

If one could face this world calmly, it would not be called wrath. In truth, his current behavior was precisely what they had created and exactly what they desired.

"Son of Wrath, I came looking for you deliberately!"

Byron let out a harsh laugh before responding.

"Good."

"Very good."

"I have also been searching for you."

Finally, Byron roared with fury.

"I have been looking for you!"

The flames from his body intensified, dyeing the entire sky's clouds red as terrifying fire storms spread across the horizon.

Senge continued to flee, appearing completely unable to fight back.

However, his speed of escape was significantly greater than that of the Ability User who controlled stone puppets.

"It seems you still resent what happened back then!"

Byron did not speak, only making his movements more ferocious.

"I wonder if you have ever had this feeling," Senge continued.

"Why did it happen in Fort Pence and not in another city?"

"Why were you chosen? Was it a mere coincidence that it happened shortly after you met that person?"

"And during that disaster, it seemed that person had prior knowledge and had even prepared countermeasures in advance."

"Have you ever wondered why everything was so coincidental?"

"Prince of Wrath?"

Senge, a true core member of the Abyss Cult, had a remarkable talent for manipulation.

"Have you considered the possibility that the operation wasn't planned by the people of the Southern City-State Alliance?"

"But instead..."

"By the very person you admire most."

"That he is the one who truly colluded with the Abyss Cult, and the real mastermind behind everything?"

Senge did not name this person, but Byron knew who he meant.

"You think I would believe someone like you?"

"You wretched souls deserve nothing but death!"

"No matter what you say, this time you will not leave here alive."

After speaking, his movements became even more violent.

He wanted to detain Senge, but Senge was incredibly elusive, slipping away like a fish that could not be caught.

In an instant, the two had flown tens of miles away. Byron, however, was cautious and avoided flying too far, concerned that the other might be attempting to lure him away to target the Solar Flame Legion.

However, the other did not seem to want to lure Byron away, merely circling with him as if he truly just wanted to speak with him.

Seeing Byron grow angrier, Senge seemed even more pleased.

He flew low, surveying the land below.

"Look at what you've done. You defeated the Thunderlake Kingdom, and now you're on the verge of destroying the Southern City-State Alliance. You're a great hero, aren't you, Son of Wrath..."

"You're saving this country, saving this world!"

"Is that what you think?"

Senge's voice became mockingly contemptuous, ridiculing Byron without restraint.

"Saving the world?" he sneered. "You're nothing more than a pawn, a sacrifice offered by the Dark Moon to preserve this kingdom!"

"Your mother."

"Your father."

"Your elder brother."

"Your sister."

"All sacrifices!"

The Son of Wrath, Byron, hearing the other mention his family, fell completely into a frenzy.

"Shut your mouth!"

Cascading flames fell from the sky, completely igniting the forest below.

Numerous flame puppets rushed out, surrounding Senge, seemingly about to trap him.

Yet Senge disappeared as if he had never been there.

Before vanishing, he threw a clay tablet into the air.

The tablet was inscribed with ancient symbols and newly compiled content.

"The Art of Purgatory's Divine Grace"

Senge's voice echoed in the air, telling him what this tablet was.

"This is the power of an apostle, the method to break through to the apostle rank."

"Do not doubt its authenticity!"

"Because in this world, no one cares more about you or fears more for your death than we do."

"We are merely creating you. We want you to become stronger. We want you to become king!"

"You are part of us, Byron!"

"You are destined to be the Abyss King."

What Senge said was not wrong. If he were truly an Abyss High Priest loyal to the God of Original Sin, his words would carry weight.

Senge, though appearing as an Abyss Cult High Priest, served primarily as a devoted follower of Yafuan, the King of Pride.

He was not undermining the Son of Wrath project. Instead, he was advancing Byron, the Son of Wrath, toward becoming a king.

This seemed quite unusual.

Byron was unaware of the hidden secrets at play, as well as the intricate schemes and calculations of those powerful figures, including the deities themselves.

He was simply frustrated because his enemy had managed to escape.

After years of searching without finding any trace, he had finally encountered the cultist responsible for that disaster. It made him feel as though he had arrived at the right place.

He looked toward Wing Demon City.

He believed that by following the Dark Moon General's orders and breaking through that city, he would uncover answers. He hoped to discover the truth behind what happened years ago and identify all those responsible for orchestrating that disaster.

"Cultists!" Byron shouted, his voice filled with fury. "I won't believe you, not a single word."

"I will find your lair," he said, his voice steady and cold, "and I will return everything you gave me. I will give it all back."

For reasons he could not explain, he held onto the clay tablet.

Dream Realm

In the dark void world, a massive and grotesque embryo loomed, oozing black mud that spread across the surrounding expanse.

The embryo steadily released black mud that flowed downward, spreading into a vast black swamp below.

Its origin was unknown, but it was clear that it was steadily growing.

Streams of powerful sacrificial energy from the mortal world continuously gathered here, becoming its nourishment.

At first, it might have seemed trivial, even unremarkable. Over time, however, it expanded into something vast and immense in both size and scope.

Black mud surged as it continued to nourish the grotesque embryo.

This scene was strikingly reminiscent of the Abyss's birth in ancient times.

In the distant past, the Abyss started as nothing more than an embryo, surrounded by a horrifying expanse of black mud.

Senge had just vanished from the mortal world, pulled here by an invisible force.

Now, he stood suspended above the black swamp.

He looked up at the embryo, which was as large as a small mountain.

Senge's eyes showed excitement, like watching a long-nurtured seed that was about to blossom and bear fruit.

"Purgatory!"

"A new Abyss!"

"Finally... it's finally about to be born!"

Clearly, he was familiar with this place.

This was his second visit here, the first being before creating the Son of Wrath.

When it was uncertain whether they would create the Son of Gluttony, the Son of Wrath, or another King of Original Sin, he had already begun making preparations in this place. Pursuing this path was the will of the King of Pride.

Senge removed his hood, revealing his entire face and hair.

His hair color, eyes, and facial features clearly showed Avel characteristics.

Like Sukob, he was a descendant of the Avel people left on this island.

However, he ultimately chose not the God of Knowledge and Truth, but Yafuan, the King of Pride.

The reason was simple.

If he were to choose a deity to worship in this world, it could only be Yafuan.

He would never choose those distant gods who merely observed the mortal realm from above.

Senge's eyes were full of anticipation.

"Master, great hero Yafuan!"

"Soon," he said with fervor, "I will complete your grand design. I will free you from the chains of Original Sin."

"A true deity that belongs to us, the people of Avel, will be born!"

He approached the grotesque embryo and noticed a fleshy tube extending from beneath it. The tube transformed into a fleshy carpet that merged seamlessly with the black swamp.

In the black swamp, thousands upon thousands of human shadows could be seen squeezing out.

The black swamp formed a thin membrane, and the horrifying faces beneath it pressed against the surface, their cries echoing toward Senge.

These people had clearly died violent deaths.

They perished in successive wars, including countless soldiers, auxiliary troops, and transport personnel who had lost their lives in the conflicts.

There were also ordinary people who perished in the atrocities of war, as well as nobles and officials who were burned alive.

Among them were even people from Fort Pence who had perished in that disaster. Among the struggling faces, the likenesses of Byron's family could be seen.

Everything here was part of a sacrificial ritual.

The Purgatory Ritual.

The purpose of this ritual was to bring forth a new Abyss.

Initially, it was just a pool of primordial black mud bearing Yafuan's mark. This was the mythological power that had been separated from the Mythological Embryo and the Will of the Abyss when the Abyss first came into existence.

The power originated from the Mythological Embryo created by the Abyss Queen Melde.

At that time, Xiao was not yet the God of Original Sin, but the Lord of Radiance.

He had not yet fallen into the Abyss.

Back then, the Abyss Queen Melde fell into slumber. For a long period, the one who governed the Abyss and served as its master was Yafuan.

This primordial black mud served as the cradle for the Abyss's most ancient and fundamental power.

The birth of the Son of Wrath marked not only his arrival but also the initiation of the Purgatory Ritual.

From that moment onward, the Son of Wrath, Byron, was integrated into the Purgatory Ritual as an essential component.

The primordial black mud in the Dream Realm, the massive sacrifices, and the Son of Wrath as the executor of these sacrifices came together to form the complete Purgatory Ritual.

The people who died in that disaster, along with those later killed by the Son of Wrath through his flame puppets, were all part of the sacrifice. Countless lives lost in the wars he fought, consumed by flames, were offered to the Dream Realm through this ritual.

This brought forth the embryo that was gradually taking form.

A completely new Will of the Abyss.

Senge and Yafuan's ultimate goal was to create a new Abyss.

Without a doubt, this was a terrifying and evil plan.

It had been in preparation for decades, perhaps even a century.

At that time, Senge was just an ordinary young man. The King of Pride, Yafuan, selected this mortal with an Avel bloodline to serve as his chosen follower.

From the Abyss, he took a long and indirect route.

He quietly handed over a mass of mythological, power-emitting black mud to Senge, setting in motion the initial step of this plan known as the Purgatory Ritual.

"Senge," the voice resonated with authority.

"My servant, follow my instructions and bring forth a new Abyss in my name."

Senge was excited to meet the legendary hero Yafuan. "A new Abyss?"

At that time, the King of Pride was completely different from his usual self.

His voice, though still arrogant, sounded filled with reason rather than madness.

"Call it the Purgatory Abyss!" he declared with conviction.

"Or simply Purgatory. My purgatory!"

It was from that moment that Senge's story truly began.

Now, Senge observed the black mud flowing from the embryo. Threads of flame emerged from it, intertwining and forming intricate fire patterns that seemed alive with a strange energy.

"The ritual is progressing well, but the final fruit has not yet formed."

"Byron is about to become an apostle."

"Just a little more."

The moment Byron accepted the Divine Grace Technique, he knew the other would eventually use it.

Even if Byron refused, Senge would ensure it happened by compelling him to become an apostle.

First Layer of the Abyss, the Fire Abyss

The Door of Original Sin opened on schedule. Black rain fell from the sky, driving all Abyss monsters into a frenzy.

The insane Bone King suddenly raised his head, staring at the mythological door.

The madness gradually faded from him, and he uttered a word.

"God of Original Sin~"

His words contained both resentment and covetousness.

The King of Pride, Yafuan, knew that within the Original Sin Evil God's Abyss, he could never defeat him.

But he could create a new Abyss, one completely unrelated to the Original Sin Evil God Xiao, a place called Purgatory.

Then, he would rise from that Abyss to challenge the Original Sin Evil God Xiao for rightful ownership of the Abyss.

This day did not seem far away.