Meltdown

The fire column unleashed by the Flame Demon was terrifying, scattering countless smaller flames along its path, scorching and killing vast numbers of imps. Their screams and cries echoed everywhere, and Noah could only endure desperately. He reached for the Charred Ring, but the flame demon craftsman was quicker, snatching it with its fiery claw.

Boom! The fire column exploded on the forge, and Noah felt the stones beneath his feet quickly heating up.

"You're trying to steal?" the flame craftsman mocked. "You, an underdeveloped imp, how do you plan to defeat the flame?"

Noah watched it nervously, his mind suddenly filled with chaotic visions.

Fire... fire! Fire is burning. Chaotic thoughts surged in Noah's heart. Fire brings high temperatures, fire brings light, fire consumes things, fire changes the way matter exists. It vaporizes water, it melts everything. It can fly, it can dance, it can shriek, it can sing. It can purify everything. I should become a flame as well, so I can merge with them...

In an instant, Noah's mind was again filled with slashes of blades, the most effective battle was cutting, the most powerful weapon was the edge, to go on conquests and killings! To cut through all obstacles on the path! Was this the influence of Gladius?

Wait—! Noah's body shuddered, don't give me your psychological suggestions!

"Then show me some spirit!"

Noah found his skin starting to emit smoke, beginning to char like something roasted at low temperature. If he had lingered too long in the illusion of flames, he would become a little flame demon.

How to defeat the flame...

"Die, little one!" The flame craftsman swallowed the Charred Ring into its fiery core and then unleashed a terrifying fire blast at Noah, who desperately leaped and dodged, seeking suitable cover amidst rocks and furnaces.

More similarly ranked demon smiths noticed the fleeing Noah and converged on him, prepared to obliterate him together. He was finished!

Fire... everywhere was fire! Noah was frantically distressed as the shadow of death loomed over him. He could die at any moment, burned alive by fire.

I can't die, I don't want to die—

But there was no escape, no matter what he tried. His space to stand was dwindling; he hid and dodged as best he could, while more powerful flames bombarded his location without restraint from afar. He watched as an enormous furnace was hit by a fiery missile, its demonic essence surface melting away into a puddle of molten sludge. If such flames were to douse him, how much of a chance would he have to survive?

It's no use—there's no way out—damn it—

Noah backed against the end wall of the armory, no room left to retreat. The flame craftsman approached Noah

Fire... how to defeat a living flame... Noah racked his brain.

"We should go!" Noah urged Gladius. "Take us out of here!"

"It's not that easy, don't make noise." Gladius responded impatiently. "You're responsible for staying alive. I'll figure out a way back."

"Easy for you to say!" Stay alive? How am I supposed to do that!

Noah watched the flame craftsman closely, the flames on its body flickering upwards, swaying.

Think, think of a way to defeat the demon, although always talking about cutting through demons, how do you cut through flame?

"Which thieving imp are you from? Sent by a spy?" The flame craftsman extended the flames toward Noah, creeping ever closer, the intense heat signaling imminent death.

"Burn it! You've cornered it, now finish it off!" the distant Flame Demon urged, "Don't give it a chance!"

Suddenly, the flames surrounding Noah expanded drastically, becoming even hotter and more intense. He dodged to the side, but the fire followed, inescapable. Noah was desperate—if he were to be burned alive here—

The flames wrapped around his demonic shell, it hurt! It hurt so much! Noah frantically rolled on the stone ground, eliciting sharp laughter from the demons watching the spectacle.

"Look, the imp is rolling!"

"There's nothing funnier than this."

"This is more tormenting than throwing them into the furnace, why don't we always play roast the imp?"

"You're too cruel."

Noah barely managed to extinguish the flames on his body. He lay on the ground, looking up at the towering flame craftsman as it raised its flaming claw high, poised to strike Noah like any other anvil before it.

"—Phantom Force!" Noah's eyes widened, exerting all his effort.

A majestic current surged through the air, launching a piercing howl.

Work now, hunter's spell—Noah was determined, binding the air of Hell with the most forceful rhythm he could muster, pushing his powers to the limit.

The flowing air turned into a whirlwind, targeting the flames, instantly blowing the flame craftsman away. The large fireball stumbled backward, losing grip, and the Charred Ring, unbound from the fiery core, fell with a clink.

Noah rushed to pick it up, but another fireball rolled towards him. Instinctual fear froze him for a moment.

"Get down!" Gladius yelled, snapping Noah back to reality. He ducked just in time as the flames soared over his head.

He hurriedly fled, jumping off the edge of the forge, landing amidst a tide of energetic little imps in the plaza. Other irate demon smiths pursued, forming a sea of fire on the ground and angrily ordering the patrolling greater demons to capture Noah.

But then the fire! An endless stream of flames poured down from the palace above. Noah looked up at the horrific sight.

The Flame Demon's body pressed down upon the armory above, causing the entire rocky dome to heat rapidly, emitting an ear-shattering noise. Heated stones expanded, violently compressing the surroundings, undergoing metamorphosis that put immense burden on the ceiling. Cracks became visible within, holding unthinkable pressure. The scorched segments turned crimson and soft, with fire shooting out and debris raining down. The stones seemed to come alive, swelling uncontrollably, birthing enormous force, becoming soft and fluffy yet doubling in thickness, and the air sparked with jumping flames.

"Ah-ah-ah!"

"Gurgle gurgle!" Even the foolish and weak imps, with their low comprehension, sensed something was amiss.

Noah stood frozen, watching as the dividing dome between the armory and the rest of the palace began to melt into a lava cauldron, pouring down below. The Flame Demon that had burned there for so long was also swept down.

Was this a fire rain of annihilation? Noah shuddered as the scene in Hell's forge turned nightmarish, countless imps perishing instantly in the fiery downpour. Greater demons struggled futilely to evade but couldn't escape. The magnificent furnaces were punctured by the molten rocks, spewing out similarly hot black liquid that scorched deep holes in any demon it touched.

Screams, cries, and the sound of flames echoed endlessly. Noah dodged desperately, always on the brink of death, barely avoiding the hot magma and collapsing slabs that fell from above. He needed to exert all his strength just to escape narrowly.

Souls... souls were converging toward him?

As untold numbers of imps died instantaneously amid the catastrophe, their souls departed. Gladius took the opportunity to absorb them continually, pumping more and more soul fragments into Noah, inflating his own soul, and causing his body to expand.

But this wasn't working!

Initially, Noah's small size allowed him to dodge around, but as he gained strength and size, it became increasingly difficult to avoid the falling, burning rocks.

Dodge, run, jump, roll... It was all too slow! Noah saw an especially large piece of molten rock falling directly above him.

Instinctively, he raised his arms to block the rock, but a massive cutting sound echoed in the air, and the entire stone was split in two by a strange force. The struck stone spun and flew outward, crushing the head of another greater demon.

Gladius now had increased power, euphoric, frenziedly absorbing the souls of the dying demons, quickly regaining its abilities, and Noah's size continued to grow. Without consuming any new demonic matter, Noah felt like an overstuffed water bag, swelling more and more.

"You know yourself you need to eat some demonic matter, hurry, pick up something to eat from around." Gladius urged.

The ground was littered with burning stones or the shattered remains of lower demons. Noah pounced on their remains, devouring them as Gladius sliced through falling rocks, steering Noah away from searing magma. After feeding, Noah's body gradually became more elongated and sturdy, no longer the disproportioned shape of a common imp.

He noticed many cunning low-level demons also taking advantage of the chaos to absorb souls and eat the weak.

The faster and greedier the demon, the stronger it became amid the turmoil.

"You're doomed! Gladius! You're doomed!" The Flame Demon searching from above the dome tried to lock onto Noah amid the endless tide of imps. Its body twisted and bloated like a four-legged animal, its form made of lava, with charred demonic matter covering its surface.

"I'm right here!" Gladius announced its presence, "You trash, submit to me! Submit to the Blade Demon, Gladius, your new lord!"

"Wow-wow!"

"Gurgle gurgle!"

"Gladius! Gladius!" The imps echoed mindlessly.

The flame smiths looked at each other, confused. The smarter greater demons and newly grown demons paused their actions.

"Blade demon..."

"The most powerful edge demon?"

"The Supreme Cutter!"

"Blade demon!" Some recognized Gladius' reputation, and under its intimidation, most chose to heed Gladius' command.

"I've returned to Hell! I will rebuild my rule! You are my first followers; I will elevate you, granting you supreme power and glory within the demon legions!" Gladius commanded, and the demons started to change, growing horns and blades on their bodies, becoming Blade demon-like, accepting the constraints of the demon lord. Many of the flame smiths switched sides, their bodies growing constantly burning blades under Gladius' influence.

"Go! Take up arms, we'll demolish the Flame Demon King's domain here! I'll share its soul furnace with you!" Gladius encouraged them.

The newborn Blade Demons found fitting weapons, eager for battle, longing to strike and slash.

"In my name, cut this one open!" Gladius shouted at the Flame Demon that had fallen onto the plaza, its voice hoarse with rage, "I am back, and Hell will respect me again! Show your loyalty, and I will grant you power!"

"Ugh-oh!"

"Kill!"

As the varied Blade Demons charged out, Gladius felt satisfied.

"We'll fight this one," Noah was ready to confront the central Flame Vanguard.

"Wrong, why are you so eager to fight? Not like me who loves peace. Come, let's take advantage of their distraction and raid the palace treasury, then return to the human world I love the most," Gladius urged. "It's so hot here."