"Si—Six-Ears Damon?" King Gloomape stared in shock, his whole body trembling, sweat pouring down like rain.
"That's me. What's wrong?" Six-Ears Damon breathed lightly into King Gloomape's ear, tightening his grip on the king's throat. "Aren't you happy to see me? Hm? Hahahaha!"
That sharp, piercing laughter slowly echoed through the grand hall.
King Roc's eyes widened, his hand gripping the Heaven-Flame Halberd trembling slightly. "Attack!"
"Attack?" King Liontusk looked stunned. "Sixth Brother is still in his hands..."
"This guy will kill him—if we don't move now, it'll be too late!" With a furious roar, King Roc swept his Heaven-Flame Halberd out, the force stirring a powerful current that left a clear crack in the solid floor.
At the same time, King Liontusk gritted his teeth, swinging his Nine-Ring Saber as he charged straight at Six-Ears Damon.
Of the three, only Nine-Headed Wyrm remained standing. He stared, stunned, at Many-Eyes the Centipede, whose expression was as calm as ever.
In a flash, King Roc's Heaven-Flame Halberd was already within three feet of Six-Ears Damon. Six-Ears drove his knee hard into the hollow of King Gloomape's knee, forcing him down on one knee—his forehead lined up perfectly with the tip of Roc's halberd!
At that instant, King Liontusk was startled, his charging steps faltering slightly. King Gloomape, used as a shield, was utterly blank with shock.
Yet, an unexpected scene unfolded.
Instead of pulling back, King Roc furrowed his brow and unleashed more force. In an instant, the tip of the Heaven-Flame Halberd spun rapidly, white sparks bursting forth as it whirled straight for King Gloomape's brow.
King Liontusk was utterly stunned.
At the critical moment, Six-Ears Damon yanked hard, dodging to the side with King Gloomape—who was manipulated like a puppet—barely brushing past King Roc's piercing attack.
But the move was far from over.
As the two crossed paths, King Roc's massive wings snapped open, abruptly slowing his momentum. The Heaven-Flame Halberd, like a feathered arrow, was wrenched back midair for a crescent slash—again, showing no concern for King Gloomape's life. In fact, the strike was aimed directly at Gloomape's neck, because on that same trajectory was Six-Ears Damon's forehead.
King Liontusk was completely dumbfounded, forgetting to attack altogether.
"He's my 'food.'" Six-Ears Damon spat, dragging King Gloomape sharply backward, pulling them out of the halberd's range.
The second strike missed as well.
Before King Roc could recover, Six-Ears Damon grabbed his captive and, in a flash, burst through the roof tiles overhead and flew out!
"What are you waiting for?" Before he had even landed, King Roc turned and roared at the stunned King Liontusk. "He's here to drain our essence! If he sucks Old Six dry, it'll be too late!"
King Liontusk snapped out of his daze as if waking from a dream.
Before Roc finished speaking, he had already leapt after Six-Ears Damon, charging out.
Gritting his teeth, King Liontusk had no choice but to follow.
"Assemble all troops—quick! Anyone who can move, gather up!"
Several demon officers, weapons in hand, led their subordinates past the doors at a run.
In an instant, chaos erupted outside—shouts, screams, the clash of blades, the rumble of collapsing buildings, all blending into a cacophony.
Inside the grand hall, Many-Eyes the Centipede and Nine-Headed Wyrm stared quietly at each other.
"Ahahaha! Come on! More! More!"
In the crowded city blocks, countless demons packed shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow. Yet Six-Ears Damon, clutching King Gloomape, passed through unhindered.
He could leap through the air with King Gloomape in tow, like a giant flea, soaring dozens of zhang high. Or vanish like a ghost in an instant. Whether demon officers or minor demons, before him they were mere bubbles—every gesture sent blood and flesh flying.
Behind him, two demon kings pursued relentlessly, their blasts of force tearing through everything in their path—including their own troops.
Building after building, even fortresses, crumbled in the sudden battle, dust and panic spreading rapidly to every corner of Lionback Kingdom.
While the entire Lionback Kingdom boiled like a cauldron, the grand hall where the fighting began was eerily silent.
A wild gust swept through, and broken tiles from Six-Ears Damon's exit rained down at Nine-Headed Wyrm's feet, shattering across the floor.
In the wrecked hall, Nine-Headed Wyrm squinted at his opponent, while Many-Eyes the Centipede merely smirked with contempt.
"What is that supposed to mean? Have you already sided with Six-Ears Damon?"
"Six-Ears Damon?" Many-Eyes the Centipede brushed his sleeve and chuckled. "I told you, it's two souls. Who can say which is the real Great Sage?"
Nine-Headed Wyrm's eye twitched as he clenched his fists, still glaring at his opponent.
"Maybe both are, maybe neither... but that's not the point. What matters is who can revive Blossom Mountain." Many-Eyes sighed softly. "My loyalty is to Blossom Mountain's legacy, to Qi Tian Palace's authority. Whoever can restore demonkind is, to me, the real Great Sage."