On the nexus point, every focused carve from Blair, every surge of mana channeled by Agri, resonated with Adam's own power; fueling a slow but undeniable maturation within him.
Something akin to a rulers intent slowly formed.
'Although they are near their physical peak and mana capacity, and can only become 2nd rank demons to become stronger, their control over their mana could still be honed greatly,' He thought, 'By working them to their limits, I can increase their strength and control; making them exponentially more useful at the same time.'
The competition he had sparked was already proving to be a potent motivator for the girls.
Blair, with her delicate carving, and Agri, with her immense, brute force channeling, were both working with an intensity they had never shown before. Their rivalry, once a source of infighting, was now changed into motivation; an engine of progress.
Adam, a cunning devil, had perfectly manipulated the situation to his favor. He knew that their lust for his favor would not only build his fortress, but also fuel his own growth.
Seeing them work attentively, his ambitions grew with every second that passed.
He needed more workers.
He closely oversaw the girls as they worked, with Roh at his side, discussing the basin's current state.
"Is there any more demons with the same level of Blair's control?" Adam asked, wanting to expedite the gate's completion.
"Master, there are three to four demons with such control," Roh answered immediately. His quick, assured response showed his diligence; he had already inspected the entire population of their new horde and knew its strengths and weaknesses.
Adam was happily surprised by such foresight, giving Roh a longer glance than usual as his dedication to detail was noted.
"Good, bring them," Adam ordered.
Roh grunted and turned to fulfill the orders.
Suddenly, Adam raised his hand and called out to the diligent worker, stopping him before he could leave. Roh stopped and looked back at his lord, wonder what he was thinking.
"Have any new demons arrived?"
Adam's eyes roamed toward the hazy figures that walked, crawled, and slithered around the basin's edge; a constant trickle of lost, wandering souls seeking a new home.
Roh's eyes gleamed with a hint of depravity once he heard his words, "No sir. At least, none that would warrant your attention."
Adam raised a brow, instantly understanding that Roh most likely meant any beautiful demonesses, but he smiled internally, feeling that he wasn't too far off the mark.
"Still, what's the current population at?" Adam asked.
"We have only received 10 more full grown demons, while those weaker demons number to around 200," Roh answered.
That meant that in total there were 40 peak-tier demons and 200 growing demons. The 200 weaker demons were all less than three years old, still in the earliest stages of their development.
Most peak-tier demons had long chosen to leave the 1st layer of hell, as it was a place too weak to sustain their ambition; thus the 1 to 5 disparity in numbers.
In other layers of hell, rank 1 demons were a rarity.
All demons were beings blessed with power, easily able to overcome the hurdle to advance in rank once they had matured to adulthood.
In fact, given that a demon could live long enough, reaching the 6th rank was basically guaranteed. They only needed enough time and souls to reach a level that most mortals would never touch.
Still, a rank 6 demon would never be stronger than even a 4th realm devil: a True Devil.
Only Angels were comparable to Devils in terms of strength and realm.
Just like Adam, many of the demons within the basin were newborns, with a majority even being those little imp-like demons from earlier.
Only with the refinement of their bloodline, or rather through the transformation of it, would their appearance and strength change.
Adam brushed the slightly itchy nubs growing on his head; the beginning of devil horns, a physical manifestation of his power's growth.
'I suppose I'm almost at the middle stage of being a lesser devil.' Adam thought before directing his gaze back toward Roh.
"Bring in those who are adept at controlling mana, and also bring in one demon of every stage of tier 1."
"Right away, my lord." Roh answered unhesitatingly before darting off, disappearing down the obelisk's steps with a speed born from a deep desire to please his unruly lord.
As Roh went off, Adam went back to overseeing the portal's construction, lest one of the girls make a mistake and ruin his plans.
In less than five minutes, Roh came back with four peak tier lesser demons with great mana control and another peak tier 1 demon, followed by one at every stage below: lower, middle, and high tier of rank 1.
The newcomers were a sight to behold.
Their bodies, at the mercy of their random bloodlines, were a testament to the chaotic nature of hell.
One was a hulking brute with a hide like a rhinoceros and short, stubby legs. Another was a slender, elegant creature whose limbs were as long and thin as spider legs, its face a collection of sharp, angular planes.
They all watched him with a mixture of reverence and terror, their eyes darting nervously between Adam and the two powerful demonesses who were openly lusting for him.
Seeing their arrival, Adam first directed the demons adept at mana control to be led by Blair, before making the rest of the nervous demons wait at the side.
While Blair and her new 'apprentices' began their delicate work, their minds calmed and their bodies now radiating with a collective sense of purpose, Adam turned his attention to the rest of the waiting demons.
A simple, commanding gesture was all it took.
"You. You. And you," he pointed at a trio of lesser demons, their bodies short and brutish, with heavy horns and squat legs. "You will command the others. We need an underground chamber built directly beneath this nexus point."
Their eyes widened, a mixture of fear and confusion, but Adam's next words erased their hesitation.
"It will be a dungeon. For the weak and for those who dare to cross me. Build it deep and strong. Remember, your lives depend on satisfying my wishes." Adam's casual words were like that of a decree to the demons, an unchangeable law carved into their very souls.
With a desperate cry of acknowledgement, the three demons went to quickly gather over a hundred of their weaker kin and began to scramble to finish the task.
They were a disorganized bunch, using their claws and brute strength to tear at the obsidian-like rock. Yet progress was being made.
Soon, the air filled with the sounds of grunting, scraping stone, and Adam's cold, authoritative corrections as he directed their chaos into a semblance of order.