GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?



Now they will have a part to play in adding more crowns to his collection. Others will gaze upon their crowns around the core of his plane and be filled with despair. He has acquired 41 extra crowns in total. But he isn't too happy about it.

"My fun has been ruined." He complained. "Just a little more and the fight would have peaked."

He wasn't going to take any chances with them so he killed them and cut short his fun. There are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the summons so he doesn't want any more uncertainties. Their death has made it certain that nothing can be gotten from them that can be used against him. He was going to kill all of them anyway. It just isn't fun this way.

"Let's see what this is about. Do I run or do I fight? I have to find out." He said as he sat back on his throne.

One of the crowns around the core of the plane detached from it. The crown began to glow a red light. A red shadow appeared beneath the crown as Chaos energy was infused into it. The red shadow solidified and was infused with powerful soul force. Then the red shadow became an entity of divine flesh and blood. It grew four wings, four arms, two great horns tipped in gold, two thick trunk-like legs, and finally a black armor accompanied by a black claymore.

An Avatar of his was formed quickly. It has the same red and translucent crystal-like skin that he has but it has no face on its head. He created an exit out of his plane so a whirlpool appeared in the sky. The Avatar flew up into the whirlpool and left the plane. It entered the energy sea and began making its way to the source. 

He met a lot of demon kings on the way. Apparently, he is not the only one making this trip to the first plane of the abyss. They all looked solemn and quiet. None of them talked or asked what the summons could be about because they didn't expect the others to know. A summons like this has never happened as far as anyone can remember.

All of the demon Kings that he met are just avatars at the level of demon lords. No one has an Avatar with the strength of a demon king like him. Most of them, if not all of them, didn't come in their real bodies because demon gods are known to have a great appetite. 

Demon gods are always seeking to expand and become greater than what they are. These demon Kings don't feel safe. They might go to the meeting and never return if they go in their real bodies. So it is better to be careful despite the promise by the demon god that they will be safe.

Their Avatars flooded the energy sea as they swam toward the surface. Not all of them are demon Kings. There are some avatars belonging to demon lords. Those avatars are very weak. They are hollow bodies formed out of half-divine sin energy not the Divine energy of demon Kings. These avatars can be popped like fragile bubbles. They are that weak. 

No one that he can see is attending the summons with their real bodies. There might be some that he is unaware of who are present with their real bodies but they will be few in number. It is because to come with their real bodies is to be very brave or foolish or both. That's why they all looked at him weirdly. They don't know that it is only an Avatar so they think that he is attending this meeting with his body.

One demon king asked him. "Are you a demon king of wrath?"

The implication of that question is a question of his intelligence. He just snorted and continued on his way.

"Ignorant fools." He thought to himself.

He ignored the odd looks and the inquisitive gazes and focused on observing his environment quietly. 

He breached the top of the energy sea and came out to the 1st plane of the abyss. His avatar appeared above a massive purple sea. It doesn't look like a sea because it doesn't have waves or storms at all. Its water is as heavy and thick as mercury and it is as calm as a peaceful lake. The exit of several avatars didn't even create any ripples on its surface. 

The energy sea is a calm body of liquid energy. The surface of its purple waters reflects light as if they are frozen solid. One can watch it for its beauty. But Aeternus wasn't watching the scenic view. His gaze went past the floating structures above the energy sea and focused on the 10 clouds above the floating structures.

The floating structures have a ring-like base. There are pillars on this ring. The pillars are in the hundreds. They are not identical. In fact, the pillars look old and decrepit. They are broken here and there. Some are much shorter than others. Even the ring is chipped in several places with cracks spreading through it and the pillars above. It is obvious that this structure hasn't seen much use or maintenance in a long time. 

Above the pillars are some floating thrones. Each throne is free-standing and above the pillars. They don't have any contact with the pillars so they just levitate there silently. Aeternus doesn't care about the ring and the floating structures. He is more concerned about the presence of demon gods floating above the structure of the abyssal conclave.

"This meeting has to be very serious. All of them are here. All 10 of them." He thought to himself. "I don't see how this can possibly end well for me or for everyone. Something very bad must happen soon."

The clouds of energy are demon gods. They are more like seas of energy, but they float in the air so they look like clouds. But unlike normal clouds, these cloud are not light. They feel heavy because of the weight their presence places on their surrounding. These clouds must not fall or the earth will shatter.

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A/N: Bonus chapter for reaching golden ticket goal.