Chapter 967: Battle for High Tower (Part One) (Patreon)

In DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Hell, a place in various mythologies, opposite to Heaven. It is said that the souls of evildoers will fall into Hell, enduring endless fires and experiencing various painful punishments, paying for their sins in life.

The Hell in DC Comics shares similarities with the Hell in mythologies but is not entirely the same. Here, it is not solely responsible for punishing sinful souls. Instead, it serves as a destination for souls who have made deals with demons or are unable to enter Heaven.

DC's Hell differs from Marvel's as well. Marvel's Hell is essentially a dimension, and while it refers to itself as Hell, it does not have a fixed duty.

Mephisto claims to be the lord of Hell and the only Satan in the world. However, he is neither the ruler of Hell nor the only Satan. Anyone from other dimensions, including Mephisto, can claim the title of Satan. It's not an official position but a self-appointed title. The dimensions they possess are their own territories, not public spaces, and the souls housed there belong to the rulers of those dimensions.

In DC's Hell, there is a certain level of public authority. It is responsible for sheltering souls that cannot ascend to Heaven and cannot dissipate on their own. Additionally, the demons in Hell can make deals with humans, exchanging various conditions for the ownership of their souls.

Moreover, power dynamics in DC's Hell are highly complex. Apart from Lucifer Morningstar, many others have also held the title of Satan, the true ruler of Hell.

Firstly, it is necessary to mention the "First Fallen," who was God's first creation, a companion to God and an incarnation of His conscience. However, one day, he felt that God had gone mad and no longer wished to be associated with Him, so he was banished to Hell by God.

He was called the "First Fallen" because he was the first creature to arrive in Hell. At that time, he became Satan, the true ruler of Hell.

Later, there were the second and third fallen ones. The First Fallen shared power with them, forming a triad ruling Hell. However, this structure was disrupted when the fourth fallen one, Lucifer Morningstar, arrived.

Lucifer Morningstar was God's favorite son. After he fell out with God, he descended to Hell and immediately ousted the First Fallen from the position of Satan, becoming the ruler of Hell himself.

He also delegated his power to some demons, including Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Beelzebub, one of the oldest demons in Hell.

Perhaps his name is not well-known, but his two sons are famous. One is the anti-hero demon Etrigan, and the other is the renowned sorcerer Merlin.

As time passed, everyone knew that Lucifer Morningstar grew tired of staying in Hell. He frequently visited the mortal realm and even opened a bar on the West Coast.

He left abruptly, leaving Hell in chaos. While the triad of Satan's rule was relatively stable, with various powerful demons still governing their territories, Lucifer's departure, the strongest and most influential leg of the triad, inevitably caused unrest.

Meanwhile, Mazikeen, temporarily taking Lucifer Morningstar's place, had to juggle between persuading Lucifer to return and managing Hell, suppressing the ambitious demons. It was a hectic and chaotic time.

However, such suppression could only last for a while. Eventually, Astaroth initiated a rebellion, aiming to break the triad of Satan's rule and become the sole Satan.

As Schiller plummeted down the cliff, chaos reigned in Hell. Astaroth rallied other powerful demons, attacking Beelzebub's territory. Asmodeus worried about Beelzebub's indifferent attitude, while Beelzebub remained in a watchful state. However, many of his demons were becoming restless.

Constantine only witnessed Schiller's descent into the endless fires of Hell. However, due to the inferno obscuring the situation, he didn't see that Schiller landed strategically, right at the forefront of the war between Astaroth and Beelzebub.

At that moment, both sides of demons stood facing each other, their shouts echoing between the hills and deserts of Hell. They awaited the command of their respective generals, ready to engage in battle.

Just then, the thick clouds of Hell split open, and the light of fire projected onto the dark and desolate land from above. With a sharp whistle, a meteor fell, and countless ancient demons raised their heads from the shadows, reminiscent of the fallen Morningstar from long ago.

With a deafening roar, an arrow pierced the ground of Hell, splitting it open into a massive crevice. As the rumble of earthquakes spread, almost all demons found it hard to stand steady.

Once the dust settled, the demons gazed intently and discovered a towering high tower, standing crookedly in the center of the battlefield.

As the most brilliant sorcerer in a century, Constantine wouldn't seek aid from the grunts on the battlefield; he would approach the demon lords. Similarly, Schiller's mission to repay Constantine's debt involved dealings with these lords, irrelevant to the foot soldiers charging into battle. Hence, they remained unaware of what had just occurred.

Perhaps some may wonder, since Schiller has already struck deals with all of Constantine's creditors, why his soul wasn't immediately divided upon his fall. The reason lies in the unique nature of his soul.

To most demons, the soul of a human is like a small, soft treat. Just grab it and pop it in your mouth for a delightful snack.

Initially, the demons who came to collect debts held little regard for Schiller's mission. They thought it was absurd, as they knew the extent of Constantine's debts. Even if Constantine managed to deceive a few demon lords and split his soul to repay them, it wouldn't satisfy their appetites.

However, the one who conveyed this information hadn't been seen for a long time but was still the ruler of Hell—Lucifer Morningstar. Despite dissatisfaction among many demons due to the prolonged absence of the ruler of Hell, they still acknowledged Lucifer Morningstar's power. Thus, they were curious about this boastful individual.

As a result, the majority of demon lords gathered at the designated location to witness what Lucifer Morningstar had to say.

However, when Schiller and his soul, manifested as a high tower, appeared on the cliff at Hell's Edge, all the demon lords erupted in excitement. They saw boundless sin in that soul, like a brilliant gem composed of countless souls.

The dazzling light dazzled all the lords, and they believed that this gem would be the most radiant jewel in their crown once they became Satan.

No demon wished to be anything but Satan. Astaroth had already made his move, making war inevitable. Given this, whoever could obtain this soul at this moment would naturally enhance their power and gain more advantage.

To seize this unique soul, one had to intercept it first. Since Schiller fell from Hell's Edge, there was a certain distance to traverse before reaching Hell. During this process, if someone could snatch the soul and immediately consume it, other demons would have no way to reclaim it.

So, at the moment Schiller plummeted, countless hands reached out for him. However, all the demon lords were left dumbfounded.

A human had jumped, but as soon as he reached mid-air, he transformed into a high tower. Moreover, this tower had an extremely sturdy shell. Countless demon claws scratched at the tower, sparking and thundering, yet they failed to stop the tower's descent into Hell.

Schiller's temple of thought plunged into the ancient and solid land of Hell. Not only did it create a massive rift in Hell, but it also became a leaning tower akin to the Tower of Pisa in Hell. Most importantly, it subtly altered the imminent war.

The reason Astaroth dared to attack Beelzebub was simply to pick the low-hanging fruit. He didn't have the courage to directly assault Lucifer Morningstar's palace and risk Lucifer returning from the mortal realm to punish him. Thus, attacking Beelzebub's territory was a test.

Initially, everything proceeded smoothly. Astaroth amassed his forces and approached the border of Beelzebub's territory. Beelzebub didn't react aggressively but instead gathered his own demonic forces at the border. After several days of confrontation, they were about to start the war formally.

However, at this moment, Lucifer Morningstar suddenly sent word to Hell, stating that someone could repay Constantine's debts. All creditors were to gather at Hell's Edge to claim their share of the return on their investment.

Both Astaroth and Beelzebub held debts owed by Constantine. However, they hadn't interacted with Constantine much, so they didn't bear a deep grudge against him. They would go to Hell's Edge to see Lucifer Morningstar's attitude.

Unexpectedly, when they saw this colossal opportunity falling into their hands, Astaroth and Beelzebub tried to intercept but failed. When they turned around, they found that this tempting morsel had landed right at the border between their territories, with countless greedy demons eyeing it.

Now, Astaroth and Beelzebub were in a quandary. Schiller's stunning appearance not only left a deep impression on Constantine but also aroused the appetite of most demon lords.

For the majority of humans, souls are nothing more than toothpicks. With enough quantity, perhaps one could be satisfied, but they're hardly considered delicacies. However, Schiller was different. He not only had quality but also quantity. His soul was rich in emotions, abundant in sins and virtues, and teeming with soul energy, like a sumptuous feast.

Upon realizing that this massive windfall had landed overhead, Astaroth and Beelzebub's immediate reaction wasn't to command their armies to seize it. Instead, they ordered all demons to cease their actions and keep away from the high tower.

They understood that this would be their best bargaining chip to rally allies and gain more power. But before that, they needed to bring this high tower's sphere of influence under their control.

Meanwhile, inside the high tower, Marvel's Schiller stood by the window, gazing at the intimidating demon army on the horizon. He sighed and said, "I've always said it, that guy, Schiller, is the most cunning of them all."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Next Chapter>>Chapter 968: Battle for High Tower (Part Two)