Chapter 1860 Eternal Struggles of Immortal Demons
A major reason why Vepar had pledged allegiance to Eren and his Elder Ichor faction was because she had witnessed the level of authority he wielded over demons of her own caliber.
And this was when he was merely a Master Ranker.
Through firsthand experience, Vepar had discerned that Eren would inevitably ascend to become an immensely powerful ent.i.ty, surpa.s.sing even the most venerable Immortals.
So, when he offered her the choice to serve him, she wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to support his faction.
Additionally, Vepar"s decision to align with Eren was fueled by a sense of betrayal from the Demon Prince of Wrath, Samael.
She believed that only someone like Eren could eventually pose a credible threat to Samael"s authority, and supporting Eren"s cause became her way of exacting retribution for the injustice she felt she had endured at Samael"s hands.
Vepar had endured considerable struggles to attain her current status as one of the 72 Ars Goetia Demons, aware that her position could be usurped by any demon who managed to surpa.s.s her in power and influence.
The demonic hierarchy established by G.o.d Aleph was absolute and subject to constant flux. While technically one of the 72 Ars Goetia Demons could challenge the authority of the Demon Princes and potentially replace them through a frontal clash, in reality, such ambitions were rarely pursued.
Most demons feared the potential failure and loss of their esteemed positions among the Ars Goetia Demons, deeming the endeavor too risky to undertake.
The demonic way was ruthless. It didn"t make concessions for anyone, including the most well-established demons.
However, upon encountering Eren, Vepar resolved to deviate from the cautious approach adopted by her peers. Interacting with him through Roza Thaglas, she observed Eren"s remarkable growth and recognized his exceptional potential. Witnessing Eren"s ability to produce pseudo-avatars only reaffirmed her belief that she had chosen the right path. Despite the inherent risks, Vepar harbored no regrets about aligning herself with Eren"s cause, given his remarkable progress and unwavering dedication.
Even if she were to fall from her demonic seat because of supporting a newbie, Vepar desired her defeat to be meaningful, ensuring she wouldn"t lose face in the process. Tagging along with Eren was the best decision she could have ever made in that regard.
After all, if Eren managed to become an Immortal in the future, his authority over all the demons would be sufficient for her to surpa.s.s her current status. There was even a chance she could replace one of the seven Demon Princes if she proved her loyalty to him.
One could say that Vepar remained as ambitious as ever, despite her status as one of the 72 Ars Goetia Demons. She aspired to elevate herself to higher levels, freeing herself from the need to follow Samael"s directives.
The 72 Ars Goetia Demons were formidable beings in the eyes of mortals, especially demonic ent.i.ties. They served as goals and targets for other demons striving in the lower tiers. However, only the 72 Immortal Demons knew the extent of the struggles they endured to attain their current status.
Even after ascending to the Ars Goetia tier, the 72 Immortal Demons were still obligated to act as subordinates and errand runners for the Demon Princes. No Ars Goetia Demon with a modic.u.m of courage would overlook the one-in-a-million chance to transcend their circ.u.mstances.
***
"Hm? What are you thinking about?" Eren"s sudden question interrupted Vepar"s train of thought. She gazed at him in a daze, taking a moment to realize she had been staring longer than intended, prompting Eren to regard her with puzzled expressions.
"My liege…," Vepar began, but Eren shook his head, issuing his next command.
"Vepar, your task is complete. Switch back with Roza. I want to speak with her," he said casually.
Vepar appeared as though she wanted to protest, but ultimately sighed and nodded before her demon soul fragment slipped into a deep slumber.
Roza"s body swayed as if suddenly losing consciousness. It nearly collapsed face-first into the sand before Roza regained control. Fortunately, Eren moved closer, supporting her by placing his arm around her neck, half-hugging her to keep her upright while she regained control of her body.
Eren observed the sea waves in silence, feeling the cool breeze tousle his hair. Having erected a barrier around Siren"s Sanctuary, he remained in his true form rather than a.s.suming the ident.i.ty of E-Ranked Potion-maker Ren Roman Idril.
It took some time for Roza to fully regain control. Unlike Eren, she lacked the luxury of employing an Elder Seed Artifact to control her clones. Eren"s clone technique, a product of his combined skills and experiences, was flawless, unmatched even by someone like Vepar, who technically possessed more experience in soul-related studies and clone creation.
"Where…. Where am I?"
Roza blurted out in a drunken-like stupor as she adjusted her blurred vision by dubbing her eyes. It took a while for her vision to clear and for her to realize where she was and what had just happened between Vepar and Eren.
As a host for Vepar"s demon soul fragment, Roza could retain some of the memories and experiences the former made while taking full control of her body. She processed those experiences and feelings quickly and came to a simple conclusion– Vepar was practically smitten by Eren"s charms. Not that she was any different.
"My.. My li—" Roza was about to say something to Eren but before she could do that, Eren turned his head towards her and brought it forward before kissing her on the lips.
All of this happened within a blink of an eye. Roza felt like she had been sent into the same domain of drunken stupor she had just come out from because of Eren"s actions.
Eren wanted to ask Roza about some affairs related to Siren"s Sanctuary and his other ongoing projects. However, he had suddenly received a notification on his demi-G.o.d-specific notification panel through Menaka"s Blessing.
This notification made Eren jubilant, and he immediately decided to celebrate his recent achievement by indulging in some fun times with Roza.
[ You have received all seven Virtue Series Marks. These remaining Marks have successfully strengthened all of your Sin Series Marks. ]