Chapter 32: Here he comes

Seojun sat on a rock, looking at Malara. "Okay, I'll help," Malara's face lit up with relief, and she eagerly started to approach him.

Seojun raised his hand, signaling her to stop. "Don't expect too much from me. After I save your clan, you need to help me find where the Fallen God Nerathiel is."

Malara gasped, her eyes widening with fear. Slowly, she knelt in front of Seojun and asked, "Why do you want to find him, my lord? He's terrifying."

"The Fallen God Narathiel has massive black wings and an aura of dread. His eyes glow with an eerie red light, and his presence brings nightmares. Many say that even his gaze can drain the life force of those who look at him."

Seojun, determined, replied, "I will defeat him."

Malara, now more anxious, crawled closer to Seojun on her knees, grabbing his hand with both of hers. "My lord! He is very dangerous. His power is beyond imagination. Many have tried to defeat him and failed miserably."

"Just Give me details of your clan, Let's talk about that after this"

Malara took a deep breath and began explaining the situation to Seojun. "This domain is the home of all demons. We have different factions, or as we call them, clans. One of those is our clan—my kind, the Bino. We are the weakest among the demon clans. The ones who attacked us are the Oni, who are easily recognized by their single horn. They are stronger and more aggressive than us."

She paused, "The Great Hellhound is our clan's lord. But it seems... we've been sold to the Oni." Her shoulders slumped, and a hint of sadness clouded her eyes.

"Why would the Great Hellhound sell his own clan?"

Malara hesitated for a moment before replying, "Lord Hound's plan is probably to let the Oni grow in numbers and strength. Then, when the time is right, he will challenge the Oni Lord to a duel and take over their clan for himself."

Seojun's eyes narrowed as he considered her words. "So, he's letting the Oni do all the work of gathering power and territory, only to swoop in and claim it all when they're at their peak?" He thought for a moment, seeing the strategy unfold in his mind. "That's a cunning plan—using others to build up his own power without lifting a finger."

Malara nodded. "Yes, my lord. But while he waits, we Bino suffer. We're caught in the middle, weak and defenseless."

Seojun's expression turned serious as he asked, "What about the Fallen Deity? What do you know about him?"

Malara looked uneasy but answered, "The Fallen Deity... he occasionally holds a gathering, a kind of... I think you'd call it a 'summit,' my lord. He invites all the clan lords to this summit. If he senses that any of them might be strong enough to endure his power, he challenges them to a duel. But... none have ever succeeded."

Malara continued, "They say the Fallen Deity committed a great sin in the Heavenly Realm and was cast down here, to the Abyss Realm, as punishment. No one knows his true form—only the clan lords have ever seen him, and even they refuse to speak of his appearance. He is... terrifying, my lord."

She shivered slightly, her eyes darting around as if the very shadows around them could bring the deity to life. "They say he has great black wings and eyes that can pierce through your soul. His presence alone can bring lesser demons to their knees. It's as if the darkness itself bends to his will."

Seojun remained deep in thought, his eyes fixed on the rocky ground beneath him. 'If the Fallen Deity is that strong... just how powerful is the Abyss Lord?' he wondered.

His thoughts were interrupted when Malara spoke again, "My lord... are you also a fallen deity, cast into this realm? Is that why you seek to defeat the Fallen Deity? To increase your rank among the fallen Deities?"

Seojun frowned, feeling more confused by her words. 'What is she talking about?' he thought, not understanding what she meant by 'rising in rank.' Before he could respond, his system's hologram appeared.

[Host, this Abyss Realm is where all fallen deities are exiled after committing grave sins or being cast out from the heavenly realms,]

Seojun kept silent, waiting for more information.

[The fallen deities in this realm are not merely exiled gods; they are beings of immense power who have taken on new identities to reflect their sins and nature. Many of them have adopted the names of the Deadly Sins: Wrath, Envy, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony, Lust, and Pride. Each one rules over a faction within the Abyss and has followers who serve them, seeking to increase their power and influence.]

System continue, [Among them, Nerathiel is known as 'Wrath.' However, his powers are deceptive. Though he bears the title of Wrath, he is not simply a warrior driven by anger. Narathiel possesses a unique set of powers centered around healing and regeneration, allowing him to recover quickly and keep his forces alive on the battlefield. This makes him exceptionally dangerous, as he can both inflict and recover from immense damage.]

"Healing powers... for a being of Wrath? That's unexpected," he thought, considering the strategic implications. "It means he'd be nearly impossible to kill in a prolonged battle, and his followers could be almost unkillable if he supports them directly."

Malara's voice interrupted Seojun's thoughts, her tone filled with awe and a hint of fear. "My lord... are you speaking to a spirit?"

Seojun frowned, feeling a new wave of confusion wash over him. "What is this now?" he thought, exasperated. "Why does it seem like the deeper I get into the Abyss, the more confusing everything becomes? Spirits, fallen deities, clans—this realm is a chaotic mess of overlapping information."

Before he could even process Malara's words, the system's hologram appeared again, filled with more explanations and data points about spirits and how they interact with fallen deities in the Abyss.

Seojun glanced at the hologram, his patience wearing thin. "Enough," he muttered, pushing the hologram away with a swipe of his hand. He stood up from the rock he'd been sitting on, brushing off the dust from his coat. "Too much information all at once," he muttered to himself. "We'll talk about that later."

He turned his attention back to Malara, who was still kneeling, her eyes filled with wonder and uncertainty. "Take me to the Oni clan,"