"Tell me, what do you want?"

Kairon’s voice was gravelly and torn, thick with a suppressed weight. It was the hoarse rumble of a volcano on the verge of erupting, the result of sheer will holding back a tidal wave of desperate longing and anticipation.

"Kill the Insect Queen!"

"And if possible, once you rule this world, spare us a few crumbs from your table."

Compared to Kairon, the cloaked figure was impossibly calm, as detached as a passing breeze.

What Kairon couldn’t see was the swirling mix of disdain, contempt, and pity hidden deep within the cloaked stranger’s eyes.

To the figure in black, Kairon was utterly powerless.

Those words were nothing but lies—empty promises meant to manipulate.

"Is this all I have to give?"

Kairon stood up. Step by step, slowly but resolutely, he walked toward The Chapter of the Profane and the Fel Fruit.

Kairon didn’t actually care, because in truth, he was paying no price at all.

Slaying the Insect Queen was already his ultimate goal, the absolute core of his revenge.

As for rewarding the cloaked figure later, that was a problem for another day. He didn’t even know if he would live to see it.

Kairon knew full well that the man before him was no saint. He might even be a far deadlier predator, a new wolf at the door.

But right now, he had to fight fire with fire. He would invite the wolf in to chase away the tiger.

"As long as it drives the invaders out, I will do whatever it takes!"

...

Minor Hell. The Ever-Burning Volcano.

Whoosh!

Blue flames erupted from Ashreign, Commander of the Wraith Knights. The azure fire danced across his heavy armor and wreathed the blade of his greatsword.

Compared to the towering inferno of the distant Ever-Burning Volcano, his flames were a mere spark.

But in the eyes of Deputy Commander Ozyrel, the fire burning on Ashreign was more than just hellfire; it was the very faith of their knighthood.

"My lord, your power has grown again!"

Ashreign nodded. This was Minor Hell, a realm perfectly suited to enhancing their strength. If they couldn’t grow more powerful here, it would be an utter disgrace.

Furthermore, countless wraiths and evil spirits prowled the outskirts of the Ever-Burning Volcano, waiting to be purged.

The soul energy absorbed after each battle had caused their ranks to swell. The Wraith Knights were growing into a truly formidable force.

"Keep pushing your limits. This is not our liege’s territory. We are merely passing through, and sooner or later, we must leave."

Ashreign reigned in his aura and glanced back at the Ever-Burning Volcano. Deep within the flames, he could sense the familiar presence of their liege.

"The brothers are advancing rapidly. Even I have touched the threshold of an Archlord. It won’t be long before the Wraith Knights rise to glory once more."

"Commander... do you think we can fight our way back?"

A faint blue light flared in Deputy Commander Ozyrel’s hollow eye sockets. He stared intently at Ashreign, desperate to hear a hopeful answer from his leader.

Ashreign, however, said nothing. He tore his gaze away from the Ever-Burning Volcano and strode back toward the battlefield.

...

Deep within the Ever-Burning Volcano, the wills of Demigods were beginning to stir.

In truth, it was a long-standing tradition. Whenever the aura of a Champions Alliance member appeared in the cavern, regardless of who it was, the others would awaken to meet them.

"It hasn’t been that long, little brother. Don’t tell me you wiped out all those enemies by yourself?"

Leonidas’s voice was groggy at first, but the moment the Spartan realized it was Orion’s will that had roused him, his tone shifted to teasing banter.

"Or have you been running for your life, getting chased all over the realm?"

Before Orion could reply, Alexander—usually the quietest of the bunch—spoke up.

"I can guarantee that even if you managed to get yourself killed, Hulk would still be standing."

It was Alexander’s way of acknowledging Orion’s strength, though he was more than happy to take a jab at Leonidas while he was at it.

"Is there an emergency?"

It was Arthas. Ignoring the bickering between Leonidas and Alexander, he cut straight to the point and addressed Orion directly.

"Brothers, have any of you ever heard of the Profane Lands?"

Silence answered him. Orion thought for a moment and added another detail.

"What about The Chapter of the Profane? Or the Fel Fruit?"

Yet the cavern remained dead quiet. No one offered a response.

"The Profane Lands... never heard of it."

After a long pause, having scoured his memories, Arthas was the first to answer.

"Are these the same freaks and Serpent Gods you mentioned last time?" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Yes."

Orion confirmed Arthas’s guess. His brother-in-arms was as sharp and perceptive as ever.

"Are they strong?"

Orion didn’t have an answer for that. Instead, he simply brought forth The Chapter of the Profane, which the phantom will had transmitted to him.

The moment the cryptic, ancient page materialized, the others gasped and frowned. They instantly sensed the highly dangerous aura radiating from it.

For a moment, everyone fell into a deep, contemplative silence.

"How did you manage to cross paths with them?"

Just as Orion assumed his brothers had no useful intelligence to offer, Deputy Commander Edward’s aged voice drifted from the darkness.

At the same time, an elderly, spectral projection bathed in divine light appeared beside The Chapter of the Profane. The phantom hand reached out to trace the unholy scripture, only to stop an inch away.

"The Profane Lands, also known as the Realm of Heresy. They are a faction far more malevolent than any Abyssal Demon, and far more twisted than the undead."

"They will use any means necessary to achieve their goals. There is no line they will not cross."

"Within the strict taboos of the Saint Gran Council, there is a direct mandate: stay far away from the Profane Lands."

Deputy Commander Edward stared intently at The Chapter of the Profane, a sudden, unnatural obsession flickering in his wise old eyes.

He looked at it as a mortal man might gaze upon a long-lost, unattainable love from his youth.

"This is a foul artifact."

"It is more insidious than any curse. It radiates a dark magic that bewitches the soul and corrupts the will. I strongly advise you to keep your distance."

The fleeting obsession vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Steeling his resolve, Edward pulled himself back from the brink of fanaticism.

The Deputy Commander turned his back on the scripture and walked into the shadows, choosing to return to his slumber.

His decision was absolute, lacking even a sliver of hesitation.

Just as Orion opened his mouth to press for more answers, Edward’s voice drifted back from the void.

"That is the extent of my knowledge regarding the Profane Lands. I have never encountered them personally."

"That page of scripture is profoundly vile. You would do well to bring it to the Commander. If anyone holds the intelligence you seek, it will be him."

By the time the echoes faded, the Deputy Commander had already slipped back into a deep sleep.

"Brother, I’m going back to sleep, too!"

"We’ll catch up properly when the Champions Alliance launches our crusade against the Verdant Cloud Realm."

Leonidas’s voice faded into the darkness.

As for Alexander, Orion could no longer sense his presence at all.

"I am bound to this place. It would be exceedingly difficult for me to leave and offer you aid."

"You’re the heavy hitter now; there is little left I can do for you."

"I’ll leave you with this: think thrice before you act, and tread carefully on the path ahead."

Arthas materialized beside Orion. He drove his greatsword into the earth with both hands and, rather than looking at Orion, stared intently at the impenetrable darkness ahead of them.

"Brother, you have already helped me more than enough."

Standing beside Arthas, Orion felt an involuntary sense of ease and kinship.

Deep down, he harbored a profound respect for the man.