"Bug, are you worthy?!" Beelzebub roared in fury.
The two devils who wielded the power of origin were actually able to fight the Four Evil spirit demons on equal terms.
"Come here!" Ladin didn't forget his original goal.
He used the power of the Sky Devil, creating a powerful wind vortex that pulled Beelzebub and Megicula straight toward him.
The two demons were caught off guard and forcefully ripped out of Zenon and Vanica's bodies.
"Don't hide it. You're going to die," Megicula cursed coldly.
"Damn bug, let me take you to the underworld for some fun!" Beelzebub's form twisted into space itself, wrapping around Ladin's entire body like a black hole.
Megicula's curse accelerated the burning of Ladin's demonic energy, causing him to falter for a moment.
Most of his original power was burned away, and he could no longer maintain his peak upper-demon strength.
The two demons hadn't planned to fight so hard.
The underworld was a place where the weak were devoured by the strong—a brutal hierarchy of survival. Weak demons became nourishment for the strong.
Upper demons looked down on middle demons, while middle demons bullied the lower ones.
At the very top were Beelzebub, Megicula, and Lucifuge—the Three Pillars of the Underworld.
They had to maintain their dominance at all costs, never allowing other high-ranking demons to surpass them.
Even Lucifer, the strongest of them all, constantly monitored both the underworld and the human world to ensure that no human ever rose to challenge his rule.
"Get out of here!" Dante said, already in his demon form.
With a sharp whoosh, Ladin vanished from the spot.
Megicula retreated back into Vanica's body. With only a fragment of her essence left, she no longer had the power to return to the underworld.
Now, she could only rely on Vanica to execute the next stage of their plan.
Using a centuries-old curse, she intended to sacrifice the souls of three powerful female mages to fully descend into this world.
Most of her true power remained sealed in the underworld, beyond her reach until the Gate of the Underworld opened again.
"Beelzebub, you've fully transformed. You can definitely crush that human."
The First Level of the Underworld
Am I dead?
Ladin could no longer feel his body.
I can't sleep. My mission isn't done yet.
Father… Mother… I'm coming to save you.
Through sheer will, Ladin forced his eyes open. All he saw was endless darkness. The crushing pressure and pain nearly made him pass out again.
That demon isn't here?
All four of Ladin's evil spirits had vanished. He had already sacrificed all his magic earlier.
Right now, he was nothing but a useless shell.
That demon will come for me.
Ladin twisted his head, enduring the pain of poisonous corruption. He needed to understand his surroundings—any chance of escape mattered.
It hurts…
His voice came out like a mosquito's hum. His vocal cords were damaged, and the mental strain made speaking nearly impossible.
What is that?
A small green fruit lay to his left, radiating a familiar, intoxicating scent.
Demonic energy.
A spark of life flashed in Ladin's eyes. He strained with everything he had to crawl toward it, but his body refused to move.
"We're having such a hard time. That Hard bullies us every day."
A lower-level demon with tiny horns walked toward him.
"Yeah, when will this day end… Ugh!"
Another demon, taller with a heart-shaped tail, sighed.
"What is that?"
They spotted Ladin lying in the shadows and ran toward him.
Bad luck…
Ladin felt like an ant on a hot pan, panic rising in his chest.
"Ladin, go do what you want to do."
"Your father and I will be waiting at home, so don't worry."
Two warm, illusory hands pushed him gently. Tears welled up in his eyes as he swallowed the green fruit in one bite.
He couldn't tell if it was reality or illusion, but his long-gone parents were still protecting him… a worthless child.
I'm sorry to make you worry again.
"What is this thing? I've never seen it before."
The horned demon poked him with a fork. Lower demons like them had never encountered other creatures.
"At least it's not a demon."
The heart-tail demon pulled out a knife and fork, ready to feast.
"Gudong~"
"What are you doing?" asked the little horned demon.
"Eat him. We haven't absorbed any energy today. Let's make him our meal."
"Can you handle that?"
"Relax. I can tell from years of experience—this is top-tier prey. A once-in-a-century ingredient!"
A lower demon would rarely encounter something like this in its entire miserable life. If they let it go, they weren't demons at all.
"I'm going in first."
"I'll grab the other side."
The two jumped at Ladin. But just as they lunged, powerful hands seized them midair. No matter how they struggled, they couldn't break free.
"Let us go—!"
"Refine."
Mountain Demon Devours the World.
Ladin devoured both demons without a flicker of emotion. Beasts like these weren't even worth a glance.
As their essence was absorbed, a new power surged through him.
Demonic Power.
Devouring demons grants their power.
This was the terrifying gift of the Mountain Demon.
"But these two are trash. One has Hardening, the other has Magic Shaping."
Ladin's body hardened under layers of dark magic, and a spear formed in his hand—his most familiar weapon.
"Forget it. I just need to devour more."
Ladin stretched his limbs, determined to grow stronger before that demon found him.
Then I'll be the one to surprise them.
"Let's go."
The Spade Kingdom – Underground Laboratory
"Morris, I'm leaving them in your hands. Reform them properly." Dante tossed the battered Zenon and Vanica to the mad scientist.
His fury was palpable. Their plan hadn't even begun, and all three Dark Triad members were already down.
Humiliating.
"Yes," Morris said eagerly. As a pioneer of human experimentation, nothing thrilled him more than exploring the mysteries of the human body.
Only the Spade Kingdom would shelter someone like him.
"Hurry up and heal them. I'm leaving now." Dante's eyes hardened.
Even if he was the last one standing, the plan to open the Gate of Hades would not stop.
He was heading to the Clover Kingdom to capture Yami Sukehiro and William Vangeance. Only by sacrificing Dark Magic and World Tree Magic could the underworld's gate be opened through the ritual.
The evil tree would descend—and the world would become a paradise for demons.
As Dante's silhouette disappeared, Nacht Faust emerged from the shadows. He had been observing everything.
With the Dark Triad away from the castle, now was the perfect time to steal intelligence.
"I hope that guy's still alive."
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Black Clover: I Awakened the Power of the Twelve Zodiac Talismans is now on Patreon!
🔥 I also have a Additional 18+ fanfics now available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1.Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your support and love for this story 💙