Devil Slave (Satan system)

Chapter 1180: Hunting The Lenny Family

In the heart of Imperilment, where molten lava flowed like rivers of fire, Victor floated effortlessly through the searing heat.

The volcanic depths roared around him, but the lava did not burn his skin. He moved with ease, as if the inferno were nothing more than a gentle breeze, and soon arrived before her: Vandora.

Her form was massive, a hulking beast of old, her outer shell hard as obsidian and her presence as ancient as time itself. Victor floated closer, gently patting her shell, which radiated an intense warmth. "Old friend," he greeted her with a smile, "how are you doing today?"

A low chuckle rumbled from Vandora, her voice reverberating through the magma-filled chamber. "It’s only been about three hundred years, Victor. We’re not that old yet!"

Victor laughed, the sound echoing off the cavern walls. "I forget that time passes differently for humans and hell beasts. Regardless, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for our cause. You’re truly special to our entire operation—the Lenny family owes you much. Even the pups wouldn’t have been as great without your guidance."

Vandora giggled in response, her massive form shifting slightly, causing the lava around her to bubble and hiss. "You’ve become quite sentimental in your old age, Victor. But I appreciate your care nonetheless."

After a moment of shared warmth, she tilted her massive head toward him. "Is there a problem?"

Victor shook his head, his demeanor relaxed. "No, nothing of concern. I simply wanted to see the treasures we’ve acquired so far."

Vandora sighed, her exhale causing the lava to ripple. She knew Victor’s habit well—his unusual fascination with the relics they had gathered over the centuries. But she did not mind it.

With a faint shift of her massive body, the center of her chest opened, like a great book folding apart. From within, five jars floated out, each sealed in containers etched with ancient runes, the glowing symbols weaving their own laws of protection around the artifacts inside. These treasures were no ordinary items; they were relics of immense power, dangerous and unpredictable.

One jar, in particular, contained something truly dark: a rain curse. This jar had the power to summon rain, but it came with a devastating consequence. The more it rained, the drier and more barren the land became, until nothing but death remained. Legends told of entire planes consumed by this curse, where the rain would fall endlessly until even the core of the world dried up and crumbled into dust. It had been forged by the water tribe in their agony, after sacrificing their true names, their souls, and their hearts in the aftermath of the demon wars. They had poured all their suffering into its creation.

Though they called it a treasure, it was more a weapon of sorrow. It was said that if one listened closely while the rain fell, the cries of the sacrificed souls could be heard within the drops.

Victor floated closer, placing his hand gently on each jar in turn, feeling the weight of their histories and the power they held. Satisfied that they were intact, he pulled back and smiled.

"Are you satisfied now?" Vandora’s voice held a teasing edge.

Victor nodded shamelessly, a smile spreading across his face. "Absolutely."

Both of them laughed, their voices mingling with the rumble of the volcanic landscape. Vandora didn’t mind Victor’s frequent checks on the treasures. After all, they had gone through great lengths to acquire them. Many lives had been lost in their pursuit, all for the day when the eighth earth would be opened. And when that day came, the Lenny family would be ready—with these relics, they would hold an advantage unlike any other.

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The None Zones were an anomaly, a tear that was undetectable by senses, and where reality itself seemed to warp and bend.

There were few None Zones known to exist, and those who found one usually did so by accident—an accident they rarely survived to tell the tale. Stumbling into a None Zone was one of the most feared occurrences in the universe, a moment of sheer misfortune that no being, no matter how powerful, could hope to escape unscathed. This was why most travelers followed meticulously mapped routes across the cosmos, avoiding the dangers lurking in the unknown.

But, as with all things, there were always the few who sought out such places. Void mappers. They were adventurers, fools, or something far worse—individuals who scoured the edges of known space, hungry for the thrill of the unexplored. Some were driven by curiosity, others by a reckless thirst for adventure, some by the hope of escspknv yhe claws of demons and their war, and some, the most foolish of all, were driven by a desire to challenge the universe itself, to see if they could defy the power of the None Zones.

It was to one such group that Victor had reached out.

Void mappers—fearless, chaotic, and willing to traverse the darkest corners of existence for the right price. They were like pirates, but far worse in form and ability. Their lives were constantly on the line, for at any moment, the universe could claim them. And that was the seal of their lifestyle—the gamble of life and death was the thrill they craved.

Tomato and Perseus found themselves standing before one of their vessels: a massive space crate, an amalgamation of twisted metal and the organs of destroyed demon ships. It was both grand and grotesque, imposing yet bizarrely disjointed, as though every piece of the ship was wrong, yet somehow it held together.

The captain emerged from the ship to greet them. He was a peculiar figure, a tree-man whose form constantly shifted between youth and age. One moment, his skin was vibrant and green, his leaves fresh and full of life. The next, he withered before their eyes, bark cracking and limbs sagging as if decades had passed in the blink of an eye. His appearance flickered, cursed to cycle between vitality and decay.

Tomato’s sharp nose twitched as she sniffed the air around him. Her crimson eyes glinted with interest. "So it’s true what they say about you," she said, smirking. "You’ve actually been to a None Zone. I can smell the mixed magic on you." She turned to Perseus, her grin widening. "You should thank your stars I found you when I did, or you’d have ended up like this one—cursed and twisted by forces far beyond your understanding."

The captain let out a low chuckle at Tomato’s words, entirely unbothered by her cutting remarks. His shifting eyes met hers with a knowing gleam. "I’ve heard of you, Tomato of the Lenny Tales Royal Family. A devil among humans... interesting." His voice carried the weight of years and the sharpness of youth, fluctuating with his changing form. "So, this is the elusive Lenny royal line. I’d always thought your people were purely human, but it seems your king has some foresight, allowing a devil to thrive among you."

He bowed low, his movements graceful despite his constantly shifting body. "My name is Branch."

Tomato rolled her eyes at the formalities, tossing a careless glance at the peculiar man. "Yeah, yeah. Skip the pleasantries, Branch. Let’s get to the part where you take us to the None Zone."

Tomato waved her hand and branded marked human skins appeared. There was a log if them.

This was the known currency of the underworld as well as many places overtaken by demon power.

Branch accepted the payment with a wide grin on his face. His joy so evident that he actually became young again.

Perseus, standing uneasily to the side, kept his distance from the void mappers, his gaze flickering nervously between Tomato and the strange captain. His stomach churned, the idea of entering a None Zone now more terrifying than ever.

Perseus was not at all a coward. In fact, he was very strong, but even men had their demons and he was currently being forced to go wed his own.

Branch, still smiling, nodded. "Of course, now we are talking. But know this, once we enter the None Zone, survival is not guaranteed. Not even for someone like you, Devil or no." He looked directly at Perseus then, his eyes shifting to an eerie dark shade. "And you, human, pray that your companion’s powers are enough to protect you. Once inside, there’s no coming back without scars."

Perseus swallowed hard, feeling Tomato’s eyes on him as she flashed a mischievous grin. "Oh, don’t worry, Branch," she said, licking her lips. "just do what you have to. Mu family is kn my hands...mostly"

Victor, however, stood far behind, floating in space at the back, arms folded, his expression unreadable. He knew this journey was dangerous, but there was no turning back now. The mission was too important.

Vandora had told them what they needed in the None Zone, its essence.

Practically raw creator’s magic.

She was going to use it as a tracer.

Branch straightened, his form flickering between young and old again as he gestured for them to follow. "Come aboard, then. The None Zone awaits."

As they stepped onto the bizarre ship, the weight of what was to come settled heavily on Perseus’s shoulders. Tomato, on the other hand, looked positively thrilled, eager for the chaos ahead.

Unknown to anyone, the moment she ship shot into space, and Victor had turned his back, opening a portal to return to his station back in Imperilment, the void shook and two fallen angels appeared from nowhere. If perseus had seen them he would have recognised them as the same ones that had attacked him back then.

They looked at each other and then immediately shot in the direction that the pirate ship had left.