Chapter 50: Life At Demon City
During this period, Alexander couldn't help but become a silent observer of Xeron's summoning techniques. He began to discern a pattern in the types of demons that Xeron would call forth. It seemed that Xeron summoned demons from a select few variants, likely because he needed specific kinds of demons for his battalions and preferred not to complicate matters. Every time Xeron summoned, he got precisely what he wanted.
Alexander eventually unraveled the secret. Xeron seemed to have an intimate understanding of what each demon desired. For instance, when he sought to summon smaller demons, he added powdered eggshells from birds and worms into fresh blood as offerings, altering the scent of the blood. This offering, when used, unfailingly brought forth a multitude of young, newly hatched demons from the upper Abyss. The powdered eggshells seemed to remind them of their earliest days when they cracked their demon eggs and devoured the shells, drawing them to be teleported into this world.
However, once summoned, their destinies were sealed. Newborn little demons had little combat prowess, making them ideal for bolstering the construction workforce or serving as cannon fodder in future battles.
In addition to summoning these fledgling demons, there was a distinct method for summoning hellhounds—adding the urine of griffons to the blood. Xeron had managed to capture some wild griffons and raised them. Mixing griffon urine into the blood seemed to trigger an irresistible allure for hellhounds.
This tactic reminded Alexander of his previous life when he learned the art of fishing, using various baits to catch different fish.
When Alexander responded to the summon at the Gate of the Abyss, he had indeed noticed the unusual, pungent smell, a mixture of griffon urine and blood. He had found it curious at the time but hadn't realized that Xeron was using this method to lure hellhounds. Had he been more knowledgeable, he might not have been ensnared so easily. The demon summoning ritual was inherently risky since you couldn't see what awaited on the other side of the Abyss's gates. Falling into such summoning traps required relying on one's strength to escape.
Only a demon truly understood a demon. The age of this high-ranking demon, Xeron, remained a mystery, but he possessed the expertise to summon the demons he required. The Abyss was a vast and enigmatic realm, housing countless demons. Even among the low-ranking demons with their intricate bloodlines and diverse appearances, finding specific types was not overly challenging.
One consistent aspect of Xeron's actions was that he enslaved all the demons he summoned. In preparation for the upcoming war, he couldn't afford to let these summoned demons return easily. In this domain, Xeron was the demon lord, and the summoned demons were essentially his subjects. Since he controlled their path home, the demons had no choice but to let him have his way.
Of course, there were demons like Alexander who initially resisted after being summoned. However, a taste of Xeron's whip quickly convinced them to sign the contract and obediently work under his rule.
Alexander observed all of this without a hint of sympathy, understanding that Xeron's actions were entirely in line with typical demon behavior.
There was a distinct lack of warmth among the demons. Their interactions were marked by a utilitarian approach, with little room for anything beyond killing and exploiting one another. Rarely did their ideas align. Even when high-level demons placed value on bloodlines, it was typically confined to those within their own rank. It was quite ordinary for high-ranking demons to treat those of lower status as little more than slaves, often subjecting them to brutal treatment.
For Xeron, summoning demons to fight on his behalf required minimal cost, yet the returns were vast in the form of collected souls. Such a high return rate would likely attract not just demons, but even human capitalists.
As the demon city continued to grow, two high-ranking demons made their appearance, arriving astride nightmare horses and leading a small demon army. These nightmare warhorses were notoriously temperamental creatures, adorned with glossy black, hardened skin, a single demon horn on their heads, and four hooves perpetually ablaze, leaving scorched imprints in their wake.
It's worth noting that these nightmare warhorses were indeed demons, not mere monsters. Due to their intelligence, they occupied a middle-rank position among demons, making them highly sought-after mounts for many high-ranking demons.
Both of the high-ranking demons wore cloaks to conceal their appearances. Once they entered the demon city, they engaged in a conversation with Xeron in the interior hall. Alexander, who served as Xeron's deputy due to his heightened intelligence, waited outside the hall. He couldn't help but overhear their conversation as the three high-ranking demons spoke.
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