Heaven.
Beelzebub knelt before the boiling furnace, holding a cup of wine with trembling hands.
The liquid swirled in the cup, golden like the dawn at one moment and deep purple like the twilight the next, with faint, blood-red ripples shimmering within.
“So that's how it is... So that's how it is!”
A sob escaped Beelzebub's throat, followed by a burst of wild, manic laughter.
As the Demon King of Gluttony, he had consumed every delicacy in the world, yet he had never known what it felt like to be full.
But now, he finally understood the true meaning of gourmet food.
Fine food was not meant to satisfy an endless hunger, but to create a single moment of happiness.
A flavor of happiness that made the soul tremble, a perfect balance of the sacred and the profane.
The God of Light appeared behind him, his tone indifferent. “You made it.”
Beelzebub said in an excited voice, “Yes, I made it! I have named it—the Wine of Divine Fall!”
The God of Light's eyes flickered slightly. “The Wine of Divine Fall?”
Beelzebub nodded. “Anyone who drinks the Wine of Divine Fall will experience supreme happiness, then dissolve into light dust amidst pure ecstasy.”
The God of Light raised his hand, and the liquid in the cup coalesced into a sphere, hovering in his palm. “And what if a god drinks it?”
Beelzebub said, “If a god drinks it, they will fall into a sweet, deep slumber, and no one will be able to wake them.”
“If you don't believe me, you can taste it yourself!”
The God of Light cast a cool glance at him.
Beelzebub fell silent.
The God of Light murmured to himself, “What method can I use to make Ning Busan drink this wine completely defenseless?”
Beelzebub's body stiffened, and he instantly panicked.
What the hell?
The God of Light wants to use the Wine of Divine Fall against the King!
Beelzebub patted his chest and said with absolute certainty, “I am the King's most trusted subordinate! Rest assured, leave the Wine of Divine Fall to me, and I will definitely trick the King into drinking it!”
The God of Light: “...”
Although he knew Beelzebub was unreliable, the demon's words gave him a very good idea.
If it were an invitation from someone he trusted, Ning Busan would definitely not refuse.
...
Evercinder Island.
“What did you say? The God of Light is here?” Ning Busan frowned.
“The moment he approached the Peak of Helios, Demogor led the dragons to gang up on him,” Leo tutted. “Don't look like you're facing a formidable enemy. Even if he does show up in front of you, with your current strength, you can easily mop the floor with him.”
Ning Busan was puzzled. “Then what did he come here for?”
“Who knows?” Leo sneered. “That bastard is definitely plotting some new mischief.”
Ning Busan's eyelids twitched, feeling as if his ears had been defiled. “Just how much do you hate him?”
Leo's entire aura turned dark. “At first, I wanted to tear him into ten thousand pieces.”
“At first? What about later?”
Leo smiled and said, “Later, I thought about it—even gods have desires. For a god with desires, destroying the goal he sacrificed everything to achieve would definitely be far more painful than killing him.”
Ning Busan said, “How ambitious of you!”
Leo: “...”
He felt like he was being subtly mocked.
Leo asked, “By the way, what were you doing just now?”
Ning Busan slapped his own forehead, closing his eyes and refusing to answer.
Leo raised an eyebrow. “Why the sudden retreat into your shell?”
“My humanity and his divinity are currently influencing each other, so I tried to look through the eyes of the believers to observe the various aspects of the world and human emotions, hoping to pollute his divinity.”
Ning Busan sighed and held his head. “I don't know if he's affected, but I'm really at my limit. It's like hurting the enemy a thousand times over but suffering eight hundred in self-damage. I must have been out of my mind to do something so stupid!”
“You weren't looking at some... disturbing things, were you?” Leo's expression turned strange. “Louis, I didn't expect you to be that kind of person!”
Ning Busan blew up. “I was not! Don't slander me!”
“Divinity is emotionless. If you want to influence it, you just need to make it feel your emotions,” Leo said with a smile. “The sunrise at the Peak of Helios is beautiful. Do you want to go to the highest peak and take a look?”
Ning Busan saw through his little scheme. “Just say so if you want to watch it.”
Leo gave a mischievous chuckle.
Ning Busan said, “Alright, let's go take a look then.”
Ning Busan transformed into his dragon form, carrying Leo as he soared into the high sky.
A wild wind rose suddenly, parting the clouds to both sides like surging waves.
Leo gripped the gaps between the scales tightly with his fingers, his cloak fluttering wildly behind him.
The Peak of Helios was located at the extreme east of the Landia Continent, the place closest to the clouds.
When the sun rose from the sea of clouds, the sky seemed to be set ablaze, reflecting thousands of rainbow-colored lights—crimson, golden-orange, indigo-purple...
Ning Busan circled down to lower his altitude, landing on the edge of the cliff.
Leo leapt down from the dragon's back, his boots stepping onto the ancient ice, making a crisp cracking sound.
Ning Busan also transformed back into his human form.
Beneath their feet, the sea of clouds churned, as if the entire world were breathing.
“Where is your hometown?” Leo asked in a low voice, his exhaled breath instantly condensing into frost.
Ning Busan's pupils contracted slightly, reflecting the boundless sky.
“It lies beyond this world, in the far, unreachable East.”
Leo sat cross-legged, pulled out two flasks of strong liquor, handed one to Ning Busan, opened the other himself, and took a swig.
“What kind of place is it?”
Ning Busan caressed the flask, lost in nostalgia.
“There are giant cities like ant nests, and iron birds soaring through the high heavens, traveling thousands of miles a day.”
“There are endless blue waves where fishermen do not use oars, but instead ride giant steel whales that spew white smoke to cleave through the waves.”
“There is an invisible network woven from torrents of data, where one can know everything in the world through a tiny screen.”
“There is a brilliant and magnificent civilization, with five thousand years of heritage forging a proud and unyielding spiritual backbone.”
“...”
Ning Busan said softly, “My words are too poor to describe its beauty, but in my heart, it is simply beautiful.”
Leo said, “If there's ever a chance, take me to see it.”
Ning Busan gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“You're afraid,” Leo said. “You're afraid of being influenced by the divinity of the Silver-Crowned God, gradually turning into someone unfamiliar to yourself, and even forgetting where you originally came from, right?”
Ning Busan did not deny it.
Leo chuckled softly and raised his flask. “Louis, in this world, you also have family and friends by your side. With us here, your humanity will never disappear.”
“That world is your anchor, and so are we.”
Ning Busan's heart warmed.
“Good brother!” Ning Busan raised his flask and clinked it against Leo's, then tilted his head back to take a large gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing.
“Good brother!” Leo patted his shoulder. “The wine is poisoned, though. One sip is enough, don't drink too much.”
Ning Busan: “...”
What a touching moment!
In this setting!
Was this really appropriate?
Rate on N.U.
