CHAPTER 969: RETURN OF THE DEMON SOUL MASTER STRENGTH SYSTEM

"Strength."

That single word echoed through the chamber like thunder.

Every one of them fell silent, the meaning of the word sinking into their minds. "Strength" could mean many things and take many forms, from soldiers to weapons. But when Overlord spoke it, they all knew exactly what he meant.

"No matter who our enemy is," Overlord said, his tone measured and absolute, "we will need the strength to crush them. Which means only one thing—it is time our forces march into the Abyss."

Every gaze in the room widened.

The Abyss. A place of chaos, eternal war, and endless hunger—a realm where even the Lords of Hell tread carefully. The idea of willingly entering it now, when the Kingdom already faced danger on multiple fronts, was madness.

And yet, none of them interrupted. Overlord’s plans were never reckless; they were calculated with mechanical precision.

"We must strengthen our armies," he continued. "We must raise soldiers capable of reaching the peak of the Legendary Realm, warriors who can march across the void and conquer entire worlds in days, who can survive on a battlefield with Lords in it. And the only way to achieve such rapid growth is by returning to the same methods that once allowed us to stand against the Leviathans."

Recognition dawned on their faces.

"Devil Bloodlines and Demon Souls," Grand Marshal Anglius said, his voice steady but tinged with excitement.

Those two sources of power had built the foundation of Xaos’s military supremacy.

The Devil Bloodlines enhanced a warrior’s innate potential exponentially, while the Demon Soul Master System of Strength nourished both body and spirit. Together, they flooded every cell and Soul Dimension with energy, accelerating growth beyond natural limits.

With these methods, even soldiers of average talent could ascend to the Sage Realm within mere years—an achievement so extraordinary that other civilizations had called it impossible.

However, the system had its limits.

The higher the power sought, the rarer the resources became. Guardian-tier and even Sage-tier bloodlines were relatively easy to obtain—Xaos’s current power and influence as the Core Commercial Agent of the Graecia Empire ensured a steady supply. They could acquire millions without issue.

But Legendary-tier bloodlines were a different story. Those were treasures hoarded by ancient families and empires. Few would part with them, and even fewer existed to be traded.

As for Demon Souls, they were even harder to secure. A Demon Soul could only be harvested once—from a living Demon who had been defeated and prevented from either escaping or self-destructing. To capture a Legendary Demon Soul, one had to subdue a creature of catastrophic might.

Overlord’s voice broke through their thoughts.

"Thanks to our expedition through the Third Layer of Hell, I have secured enough genetic material to produce nine hundred and ninety-nine Peak Superior Legendary Devil Bloodlines."

A wave of astonishment swept the chamber.

With those bloodlines, the Kingdom could accelerate the growth of nearly a thousand elite warriors—each capable of reaching unimaginable heights in a fraction of the usual time.

But Overlord’s expression remained impassive, and the seriousness in his mechanical eyes told that not all was good news.

"However," he said, "we have no stock of Legendary Demon Souls. Not a single one. We would need years of trial and error to collect enough through normal means. The only place with sufficient supply..."

He paused.

"...is the Abyss."

Silence fell once again.

They all knew what that meant.

They could, of course, send Overlord and Vlad to the Abyss to capture Demons themselves. Between the two of them, it would not be difficult to harvest hundreds of souls. But not only would that send the Demon Lords ablaze with hatred, it would also defeat the purpose.

The goal was not simply to collect Demon Souls—it was to forge warriors.

The soldiers themselves needed to fight, bleed, and conquer. Only by facing real danger could they temper their will and claim the souls through their own strength.

If the Xaos Kingdom was to grow strong enough to survive the coming storm, its people had to earn that power in fire.

Freya’s voice was quiet but steady.

"It will be dangerous," she said. "There will be casualties."

Vlad nodded grimly.

"Yes. But those who return will be monsters among monsters."

Overlord’s eyes flashed with faint light as streams of data rippled through the chamber.

"I will implant the Superior Legendary Devil Bloodlines into our strongest soldiers," he said. "Then we will march into the Abyss. With those bloodlines—and with me assuming the identity of a Devil Lord—we can deceive the rulers of Abyss. They will think this is an invasion from Hell and respond accordingly. They will send their armies, allowing us to test and train ours under real conditions."

It was a bold plan—part deception, part controlled chaos.

Vlad studied him for several moments before finally nodding.

He was not fond of placing his people in danger, but he understood. Soldiers existed for one purpose—to become the shield that guarded their world, and the sword that struck down its enemies.

He turned toward his companions, his tone calm but resolute.

"Then the path is clear. I will lead a team to Valhalla, uncover who Antorus is truly working with, and learn the identity of the enemy behind the veil. While I am gone, Overlord, you will take the nine hundred and ninety-nine chosen warriors into the Abyss."

His gaze hardened.

"You will shape them into Legendary Demon Soul Hunters."

Overlord inclined his head in acknowledgment before turning his attention to the two men standing beside Vlad.

"Grand Marshal Anglius," he said, "you will accompany me into the Abyss. You will serve as Chief Commander of the expeditionary force. Every operation, every engagement, every soul claimed will go through you."

Anglius straightened, his crimson armor gleaming with shifting nightmare patterns.

"As you command."

"Chief Counselor Alonz," Overlord continued, "you will remain here to maintain order. You will have full control over the government, trade routes, and diplomatic channels. The survival of the Kingdom’s infrastructure will depend on you."

Alonz bowed slightly.

"Understood."

Vlad’s eyes swept across them all, his expression grave yet proud.

The path ahead was perilous. One wrong move could doom them all, but standing still would be worse. The enemies of Xaos were moving—Valhalla, the Alien Powers, perhaps even greater threats beyond.

They could not afford to wait.

For a long moment, none spoke. Then, one by one, they nodded as they left the peak of the tower. There were a lot of tasks to complete before leaving Terra, and time was not on their side, so they needed to act fast.