Prince of the Black Abyss, Gogallan of the Black Abyss.

The royal family of the Demon Race, the future ruler.

His terrifying presence, far exceeding that of his peers, rendered what should have been a sunny smile cold as ice.

The two "Prince of the Black Abyss" stood face to face, one lofty and superior, the other lifting his head in defiance. One with a smile, the other in pain.

Gogallan possessed all that a royal should have. His handsome and wild features seemed almost poetic against his tall and sturdy physique, a perfect body that, in both strength and appearance, made Lyle feel utterly inferior.

And that joke of a title, "Prince of the Black Abyss," just like the smile on Gogallan’s face, had the same effect, trampling Lyle’s dignity into the filthy bloody mire. An unbearable sense of inferiority and humiliation brewed within Lyle’s heart, a foolish "Pride."

Gogallan gazed down at Lyle’s prostrate form, gradually relaxing his guard. He smiled and greeted Lyle.

"I’ve heard of Plague Doctor long ago. Another Prince of the Black Abyss, and when I heard the title associated again with the name of Lord Raymontos, do you know what that feels like, Plague Doctor?" Gogallan clenched his fists, gazing at the crystal fragments attached to his arms. Power coursed within him.

"It’s excitement, my blood burning, boiling inside me! Finally, a rival as outstanding as I am!"

"We are the same, Plague Doctor. Our strength far exceeds our generation; we surely have much in common! We could become great friends, standing at the same heights, fighting each other!"

"I’ve been looking forward to it, fantasizing about us brawling, breaking each other’s spines! Blood splattering, bodies bruised and battered! What joy that would be!"

Lyle heard Gogallan’s laughter, the Prince of the Black Abyss lifted his head and looked up at the bleak sky of the Hell Plane, as if witnessing a nonexistent future.

Gogallan lowered his head, chuckling with embarrassment like a child.

"Hahaha, I forgot, there are no stars in the Hell Plane, no such magnificent sights."

"It’s as if everything... has not gone as I wished..."

The corners of Gogallan’s mouth slowly turned downward, the dreadful power coiling around the body of the Black Abyss royal family flared up like flames.

"I organized this hellfire invitation game and sincerely invited you, Plague Doctor."

"But... Plague Doctor... why are you so weak!!!!"

Gogallan suddenly erupted, his fists of rage pounding fiercely toward Lyle.

Nia’s tentacles urgently dragged Lyle away from the spot, with Gogallan’s fist pounding the ground where Lyle had been. Like a grenade exploding at one’s feet, shards of shattered rock flew out like bullets, grazing the air around Lyle and striking the warped Bone Shield.

The battle had begun.

But Gogallan was still flailing his fists without technique, channeling his dissatisfaction, erratic as they were, those swings from the Prince of the Black Abyss were deadly enough to claim Lyle’s life.

"Why! Why is the Plague Doctor so fragile!"

Gogallan’s fists, though charged with the curse of the Plague Doctor, could only barely be parried by Lyle due to their diminished speed.

"Where is your strength! You, the creator of the wild Spine Wheel, why are you so weak!"

The sweeping kick caused a sonic boom, like a scythe with an afterimage slicing towards Lyle’s body. Twisted flesh and pierced bones left scars upon the long leg, only making the ferocious attack more cruel.

"You, also called the Prince of the Black Abyss! Why disappoint my expectations!"

Gogallan tore the flesh from his own thigh, shattering the grotesque bone spurs. He continued advancing as if nothing happened, the surging power of hell regenerating his flesh, creating limbs even more powerful than before.

Curses and plague could not defend against Gogallan’s might. Laughably, all he was doing was simply flexing his muscles.

"I am quite angry, Plague Doctor. A member of the Demon Race, frustrated at not having his desires fulfilled, is very irritable," Gogallan lifted his head, his golden eyes now blood-red with primitive rage.

"The weak can only face destruction."

The Prince of the Black Abyss raised his fists high, like an enraged sovereign delivering the final decree.

He intended to tear the ridiculous jester to shreds.

Gogallan’s body began to swell, the muscular man of one meter ninety sprouted scales and black bone spurs, blood-red demonic runes intertwined with the power of hell, blossoming like flowers on his growing body.

His demonic form, Gogallan returned to his original shape, boulder-like fists ignited with hellfire, like a dark sun.

Chuckles from the demonized Gogallan, his hoarse voice like slicing through rock.

"It’s quite funny, actually. My clan, the Black Abyssal Demons, originally set up this Hellfire Invitation Tournament with the intention of restoring our Hell Plane lineage’s dignity."

"The Andrei Liches, your previous generation, King of Weaponry Giant Dragon, King of Curses Mr. Jing, Lord Raymontos, the Prince of the Black Abyss... their power truly made the Demon Race despair. The greatest honors of the Black Abyss Arena were all controlled by Liches, and during that dark era of Lich oppression, our kin were under great pressure."

"Not comparing ourselves to the strong previous generation, but rather to challenge the younger new generation. Our Demon Race is indeed despicable."

Gogallan squeezed out a smile, which in Lyle’s eyes was brimming with mockery.

"But, Mr. Plague Doctor, the future doesn’t belong to Andrei; Andrei is destined to decline. You’ve already proven this point. You will see, the day I lead my brethren to rise. It is the Demon Race that truly are the darkest of clans."

"Hahaha, too many pointless words, let me end this all, this farce of a competition."

Above the Black Abyss Arena.

The stands for Andrei.

The Dean was gnashing his teeth in anger, "Damn Demon Race, so they had this kind of scheme in mind, that muscle-headed brute is even thinking of dirty tricks, despicable!"

Mr. Giant Dragon snorted coldly, "Stupid Demon Race is just deluding themselves. Andrei Liches are academy-affiliated spellcasters, their true strength comes at the moment they complete their studies. Now going against a Spirit Summoner who has just started the Plague Doctor studies, warriors taking on a Spirit Summoner in the early stages, shame on them for even lifting a finger."

Mr. Jing chuckled, "It’s alright, the junior Plague Doctor has done very well to get this far. Hehe, and to think my idiot subordinates stabbed him in the back," the head of the Magic Research Society let out a chilling sneer, "I’ll make the Demon Race remember the cruelty of Liches once I deal with those two."

Andrei Liches aren’t much concerned with honor, to Liches, practical benefits and research progress are the truly useful things. For Andrei, it’s just about chanting slogans. All Liches continued laughing and joking, but they also took note of the Demon Race in their little black book.

Liches do not care about honor.

But humans do.

Lyle’s right arm was broken, only movable again thanks to Nia’s flesh support. His face was slashed by the wind, the Plague Doctor mask long since shattered. On the big screen, such a disheveled figure was displayed. The blood on his cheek had coagulated, leaving behind streaks, indecipherable in the dark, and even those originally lucid eyes had turned dull due to the substantial blood loss.

Lyle opened his mouth, which tasted of rust, breathing in air mixed with blood and the scent of charring.

"You’re right, Prince of the Black Abyss Gogallan, you’ve indeed said a lot of nonsense."

"The most nonsensical of all was degrading my academy."

"Andrei Academy."

"My mentors, my friends, my sanctuary of knowledge, my home."

"You muscle-brained fool, those who look good on the outside always have something wrong inside."

"Andrei is not a place for you to belittle!"

Nia wrapped around Lyle’s shattered body, granting him the ability to move once more.

Lyle grabbed two bone spears, one thrust directly into the ground, the other pointed at the Demon Prince Gogallan from afar.

The pillars of hellfire illuminated Lyle’s cheeks, and the polluted dark wind carried his voice.

"I will not allow, any force to surpass my academy!"

"By the name of Mr. Plague Doctor of Andrei Academy, I vow to shatter your frivolous delusions."

"Anyone who covets the chaotic throne of the Andrei Liches will be defeated by me."

"Liches, will always be that darkest star, while you, will continue to wail beneath us, lamenting your own powerlessness."

"Let us begin the final battle then, Prince of the Black Abyss."

"For Andrei."

Lyle raised his head, issuing a challenge to the enraged sovereign.

"Do not call me the Prince of the Black Abyss, Gogallan."

"Call me the Plague Doctor."

"Mr. Plague Doctor of Andrei."