Baator Hell Promotion

"Calm down, little devil." A warm hand held the chipmunk. The darkness before his eyes forced Hap to calm himself down. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Ask your stupid sister," Hap said, no longer bothering to maintain his harmless facade, revealing his mean nature. "A fool like her should dig out that insanely large ambition of hers and fill in the missing part of her brain."

Harp took a long breath, his mind racing, his ears and nose twitching involuntarily as he searched for any sign of the Harvester's presence.

However, there was only the whistling sound of the wind in the air.

Impossible! Charlotte would teleport back if she sensed her ritual had been triggered. Could he really be so arrogant as not to set a trigger alarm for the ritual? Regardless, she couldn't stay here any longer.

"Blood, take a drop of your father's blood," Hap said to Edim, emerging from between his fingers. Without another word, he immediately pulled out the dagger from his boot. To avoid being discovered, he crawled under the quilt and took a drop of blood from his foot. He carefully held the dagger and handed it to the chipmunk.

"Give it to her. I hope the warlock lady hasn't forgotten the basic reversal ritual."

Claire opened her mouth, but seeing Edim's expression, she took the dagger tactfully and looked at the little devil with a tense face.

"Drop the blood in the center of the ritual platform to guide the power of hell in the room to reverse the ritual."

As the blood dripped onto the altar, the entire ceremonial platform began to hum. Claire's robe, cape, and cloak were blown off by the wind, and her black hair danced wildly in the air like a venomous snake. She raised her hands and waved them, as if catching and weaving invisible threads in the air. As the altar shook, the sound of the wind gradually faded. Until the warlock clapped his hands suddenly, the candles on the pedestal were extinguished, and the wind and shaking stopped completely.

Hap waited for a few seconds, but the room remained silent and Charlotte still didn't appear.

"Very well, let's hurry. Using the recipient's blood can reverse the earlier ritual without leaving a trace. You're lucky Charlotte was as foolish and arrogant as this warlock lady and didn't actually set an alarm for the ritual."

The little devil leaped from the bed and ran toward the door without looking back. He reflected on how careless he had been and how foolishly he had chosen his allies. Claire glanced at the ritual table unwillingly, trying to memorize more information before turning and leaving.

"What are you waiting for?" The little devil turned his head in confusion. Edim did not follow him. He was still kneeling beside the bed, holding Viscount Sassen's hand.

"Since the Reaper Demon hasn't noticed, I still want to try to wake my father."

Hap was speechless, and he felt the blood rushing to his head again, and the most vicious curses were on his lips. But he didn't need to say anything. The door behind Hap opened silently, and the little devil turned his head stiffly.

Charlotte, dressed in a brown robe, stood leisurely outside the door and bowed to them mockingly.

Chapter 10: Coming as promised

"You two are truly filial," the Harvester walked in leisurely, his booted hooves clacking against the floor. He praised the two men as they struck attacking stances. "You're still here to see poor Master Bansey so late. Are you worried he's lying alone with no one to take care of him?"

"Children, you are so naughty! Master Bansey is very ill, and you really shouldn't have disturbed him so late at night," the Harvester said, twirling his mustache with one hand and leaning on his short cane with the other, with a hint of reproach. "But how can I blame you? Who can blame a child for his deep love for his father?"

"Even Mr. Levi, who is still coughing, can't let his father go," the Harvester pulled a short figure in from outside the door. "He begged me to bring him here for a long time."

Everyone's attention was focused on the newcomer. Hap knew Levi Sassen was about ten years old, but he looked so much taller than average that he couldn't even be called a child, more like a teenager. The tall, thin boy had messy brown hair and bright blue eyes filled with confusion. He clearly didn't understand why his siblings were in their father's room.

"Levi, get away from him, he's a devil!" Edim drew his sword and shouted at Levi. While he was attracting all attention, Hap quickly slipped into the darkness.

"W-what? Brother, he's Dad's pharmacist?" Levi glanced at Charlotte in confusion. The Harvester even gave him a quick, calm smile, which only further confused him. Still, he took two steps toward his brother. By the time they reached the bedside, with Edim protecting him, Charlotte still didn't move.

"Mr. Charlotte, my brother has been a bit rambling because of our father's illness," Claire said quickly. She didn't know why Charlotte was being so restrained and polite, but she didn't mind the pretense. "We've already seen our father. Now let me take Levi back to bed."

The Harvester's smile remained unchanged, and he even leaned sideways, making a gesture of invitation. Claire returned the greeting, casually picking up the embroidered white cloth from the ground and draping it over her shoulders. She winked at Edim and prepared to leave.

Perhaps these two humans didn't know, but the little devil under the table knew very well that the Harvester would never let them leave the room. He was just enjoying playing with his prey, and Hap would never let him do as he pleased, otherwise everyone in the room would suffer.

Edim hesitated for a second, then followed his sister while still protecting Levi. He stared at the devil and moved outward in small steps. Claire had already passed Charlotte and was almost at the door. When he reached Charlotte, something strange happened.

The chipmunk shot out from the shadows like an arrow, leaped high, and bit Charlotte's thigh. The Harvester cried out in pain and reached out to grab it, but out of the corner of his eye he saw a dagger piercing his chest.

"Ishtar!" Claire turned around suddenly, threw her cloak, and a ball of blue-black lightning condensed at her fingertips hidden under the cloak.

"Ah!" Two cries of pain echoed through the room, and Edim and Claire fell to the ground with splitting headaches. The dagger clattered to the ground. The Harvester grabbed Hap, straightened up, and brushed off the nonexistent dust.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Harold, this won't do. Are you terrible at choosing your allies? Or did you fail to tell them that I can't be harmed by mortal creatures?"

"If I were you, I wouldn't be so confident," the little devil retorted without a shred of confidence. The Harvester was confused for a second, then felt his feet burning. He looked down and saw that Claire had thrown her embroidered white shawl at his feet when she fell.

"Abelardo!" Claire said weakly, then repeated loudly "Abelardo!!"

Pure white flames burst from her cape, rapidly spreading along Charlotte's body. For the first time since entering the Sassen household, the Harvester felt pain. The intense corrosive sensation even caused him to unconsciously loosen his grip, and he doubled over with a scream. The chipmunk rolled under the table, avoiding the holy flames.

"Levi, run!" Edim struggled to stand up, gripped the sword again, and yelled at Levi. The frightened Levi reacted and rushed out the door.

"How dare you, how dare you!" the reaper roared, and the power of God focused on him, causing him unbearable pain. But something was wrong. The flames did not burn him to death, and no angels descended from the sky.

A sense of foreboding swept through Harp's mind. Charlotte snapped her fingers with force, creating an unusually loud crack. The flames from the runecloth exploded harmlessly, exploding into a shower of brilliant sparks. The Harvester had already teleported to the other side of the room.

"Well, Harold, you and your stupid allies really ruined my fun." Charlotte stood up with a cough, smoke rising from her body, and her disguise was burned off, but she did not look seriously injured.

Claire looked at the reaper in disbelief, her hands trembling slightly. She crawled to the ground, grabbed the rune, and repeated the spell several times in a shrill voice. This time, the rune cloth did not give her any response.

"What a waste of effort!" the Harvester snorted. Now stripped of all disguise, his voice was no longer deep and melodious, but sharp as grinding metal. "I suppose that idiot Harold taught you how to use this thing. So, did you make a completely altruistic wish, completely putting aside your own selfish motives when making it? Those winged creatures up there can be very picky."

Claire's face paled, looking like a drowned corpse against her sweaty black hair. Charlotte noticed and grinned, her lip splitting across her face.

"You don't think I'm completely unaware of what's going on in this castle, or the true story of the Sassen family, do you?" The Harvester licked his lips with his forked tongue, his smile widening. "I love watching incompetent people busily put on a play."

The little devil hid aside, not daring to breathe. He had immediately activated his invisibility spell, minimizing his presence. The reaper demon valued the protection of his original contract and would not attack any mortal directly unless he was absolutely sure. However, Harp was not subject to this restriction. Charlotte might use him as a punching bag.

"I've been wanting to speak with you, my dear lady." The Harvester stepped around the bed, discarding his staff. He casually drew a dagger carved with purple runes from thin air and advanced on the two siblings. "You crave power, that's obvious, and I have far more to offer than that rag, so why not sit down and talk?"

"Back off, devil!" Idim shielded his sister behind him, knowing he couldn't fight the invulnerable devil. Despair gripped his heart. "We have nothing to discuss with you."

"Ah, you really misunderstood me." Charlotte stopped near the gate. "I really want to save your father. Let me prove it."

The door opened, and Dinah dragged the unconscious Levi in. She didn't see her child, but only stared at the Harvester.

"If I hadn't missed Levi's mother and gone to visit her, I wouldn't have known that you had subjected Lady Dinah to such horrific abuse and imprisonment." The Harvester Demon grabbed Lady Dinah's waist and pulled her into his arms. His hands with sharp claws stroked her face, then he lowered his head and kissed her for a long time with his snake tongue, and his long tail also reached into her skirt.

Edim looked as if he was about to vomit. When the Harvester raised his head, he was holding a steaming heart in his hand. Lady Dinah's blood stained his chest, and his blue eyes were empty.

"How beautiful, isn't it?" The Harvester tossed the corpse aside and dragged Levi towards the ceremonial platform. The chains on the platform, like cobras encountering a mouse, reared up and wrapped around Levi's limbs like a noose, tying him to the bracket.

At the same time, the little devil secretly crawled towards Edim, his mind working frantically, wait a little longer, there is still a chance, you must not be impulsive.

"Acknowledged blood, ignorantly given to your master, may save his life," Charlotte intoned, and one of the three candles at the base burst into flame.

"The blood of a betrayer, forced to feed the one you hate, can ignite his spirit." The Reaper raised the still bleeding heart high and squeezed it hard, pouring the still-uncooled blood onto Levi's head. The second candle then lit.

Hap had already climbed up Edim's pants, and the knight shuddered, feeling the invisible little devil, but he said nothing.

"The power of Hell, the utmost order, open the portal of exchange." Before he finished speaking, the last candle was lit. Simultaneously, the green runes on the bed lit up, floating in the air. The Harvester smiled confidently at the siblings. Bright green light shot from his eyes, intertwining with the runes in the air, ultimately forming an arched bridge connecting Levi and Viscount Sassen. Charlotte took a breath; it was clear the spell had taken its toll.

"Recite the spell quickly, quickly! Before he loses his strength after casting the spell." Hap whispered on Edim's shoulder. The brown-haired young man snatched the cloth from Claire's hand without any hesitation and shouted loudly.

"Abelardo!"

The Runecloth remained unresponsive. The Harvester, drawn to its attention, laughed out loud. "Foolish! It requires a pious virgin to activate. Your sister isn't pious enough, and you're not a woman."

Before Charlotte finished her words, the runecloth took flight. The door embroidered in its center erupted with brilliant light, forming a portal of delicate, graceful light, taller than the bedroom's mahogany door. A resounding bell echoed through the air, sending Harp plummeting to the ground, his invisibility failing. The Harvester watched in astonishment as the door slowly, yet irresistibly, unfolded from within.

The first thing that appeared through the doorway was an ancient lantern, a blue-white flame burning quietly within. Then, a bare foot with skin gleaming silver stepped over the threshold, and a tall figure emerged. Four pure golden wings spread out, illuminating the entire room.

"Ayaz, from the Seventh Heaven, comes here in response to the call of an ancient pact."

Author's words: I have something to do on November 26, 2024, so I will update it a little earlier.

Chapter 11 Forced to Keep the Promise

Hap had recognized the identity of the visitor from the bright lamp in her hand and the iconic wings. She was a lantern messenger.

Archons, also known as God's Messengers, are the native inhabitants of Mount Heaven. If demons represent the evil side of order, symbolizing power and self-interest, then God's Messengers represent the good side of order. Born from the brilliant essence at the summit of Mount Heaven, the various Archons are the most powerful protectors of justice and goodness in the world.

Each archon performed their own duties. Lantern Archons were far less powerful than the Sword Archons, who could easily annihilate half a legion, or the Heavenly Mountain Enforcers. Yet, they were the most feared by all the demons remaining on the Prime Material Plane. The reason was simple: the fear of destruction. Normally, even if immortal demons were destroyed on the Prime Material Plane, they would at most be banished to the lower planes to be reborn. Lantern Archons, however, had the power to completely dissolve them.

Although this silver-skinned messenger of God already made Hap instinctively afraid, another instinct, which came from the devils' instinct to seize any opportunity to backstab their superiors, made the little devil grin at Charlotte.

"My dear boss, did you ejaculate your brain into Lady Dinah's womb?" With the appearance of Archon, the little devil completely abandoned his disguise and simply threw down his glove and lashed out. "Of course I knew you would know about the unusual movements in the castle. But I also knew that someone as arrogant as you would never pay too much attention to the details, so I asked them to perform a prayer ceremony together. All the words on the rune cloth are in Celestial language, including the phrase 'The devout virgin prays with good thoughts for three hours.' But have you noticed that the inhabitants of Celestial Realm, like us, are genderless, so the meaning of virgin in their language doesn't just refer to virgins, hahaha."

The little devil spoke out his plan loudly, and watched Charlotte's face change from shock at seeing the messenger of God to anger at being caught in its trap. He felt the twisted joy of revenge and the sense of superiority of being more intelligent than his boss, and the gradually frightened reaper made Hap laugh like a ball of fluff.

Lantern Fairy Ayaz ignored the mad little devil. In her eyes, the priority of the reaper demon and the threat it posed to mortals were much higher than that of a fat chipmunk. Her beautiful and delicate face turned gloomy and terrifying when she saw Charlotte and the ceremony before him.

The messenger closed her eyes, placed her free hand on her chest, and murmured a word. With a lion-like roar, she opened her eyes. At the same time, a pearly aura lit up from behind her head and slowly spread until it illuminated half the room.

Harp, relying on his size and speed, quickly found a cup to cover himself the moment the light appeared. The Harvester wasn't so lucky; he was too close, and almost instantly black smoke began to rise from his body, filling the air with the stench of sulfur.

Charlotte acted decisively and raised the hem of her brown robe, causing it to spin in the air like a windmill. The robe hissed under the light, becoming smaller and smaller, and finally turning into a wisp of green smoke and disappearing. Under the cover of the robe, Charlotte had disappeared.

"No!" Claire screamed shrilly, staring at the altar in horror. Levi's eyes were wide open, like two gray sapphires, reflecting the beautiful messenger of God. A dagger was stuck in his heart, and he was already dead. Edim stumbled over, felt his carotid artery with a trembling hand, then raised his hand to close his eyes.

As the sacrifice died, the green bridge of light in the sky exploded into a row of emerald fireworks and disappeared into the thin air.

Seeing this, the divine messenger who called herself Ayaz folded her wings and aura and landed on the ground. She hung the lamp on her belt, one hand on the grieving Edimu's shoulder, and the other on Levi's forehead.

Then her expression changed from sorrow to anger.

"His soul is gone!" The angel flew up again, looked around the room, and asked, "Where is the bloodline of the Sassen family?"

"Honor and family go hand in hand; blood continues, and glory endures." The voice wasn't coming from Edim, who was untying Levi, nor from Claire, who hadn't yet recovered from her shock. Instead, it came from between the bed curtains. The Sassen siblings exclaimed and hurried over. Even Hap couldn't help but peek his head out from under the cup. Bensay Sassen was half-sitting up, his lungs rumbling like a broken bellows, as if these words had drained every last bit of his energy. "Since I'm awake, it seems the devil's trick really worked."

"I came here because of an ancient oath I made with the Sassen family." After seeing Viscount Bansay's condition, Ayaz's face turned icy, as if every feather on her body was emitting a chill. "But I didn't expect to see such a depraved scene. You actually gave up the gift of rest and used this blasphemous method to prolong your lingering life. Foolish!"

The last word was shouted out, and even though it was halfway across the room, it made the little devil's blood boil.

"Blasphemy? Ignorance? Perhaps. I don't expect you, 'creatures' without even an offspring, to understand me." Viscount Bansay showed no shame. There was even a hint of a smile in his voice. His pupils, sunken in his eye sockets, shone a brilliant blue, as if all the strength of this shrunken body was concentrated within them. "My bloodline continues. The unfaithful perish by betrayal. Her bastards nourish a pure bloodline. Isn't this the will and revelation of the Perfect One?"

Ayaz shook her head, obviously thinking he was hopeless, and she spoke again, her voice indifferent and calm.

"I have no intention of arguing with you, much less judging your crimes. The Sassen family has many ancestors who sacrificed their lives for justice. I will mourn for this glorious and noble family, and you will no longer be under our protection. Now, state your purpose. If it is not against justice, I will faithfully fulfill my duty and complete this final task as my farewell to the Sassen family."

"In the name of the Sassen blood," Viscount Bansay said calmly, holding his son's hand and slightly raising himself up. "God's messenger, please eliminate all creatures in this room that are not of the Sassen bloodline, especially Charlotte. I don't want any demons to harass the Sassen bloodline after my death."

"At the same time, I invite everyone present to witness this contract." Viscount Bansay's wrinkled face was filled with sarcasm and malice. "Including the devil present, Charlotte, witness your own demise."

"I walk the world in the blood of Sassen, and you will get what you wish for." Ayaz looked at Bansai and accepted the contract in a businesslike manner. "You mean that the reaper demon was still in the room just now? How dare he stay here?"

"He won't leave. He hasn't got my soul yet." The old man said firmly, "He is a devil, and devils always die from greed."

Hap rolled his eyes, calming himself down and thinking. While the Lantern Angels were among the demons' most feared foes, they often served as executioners within the Celestial Legion. They weren't specialized in frontal combat, nor did they possess spells that dealt direct damage. Would Charlotte really flee? Probably not. The old man's conversation with Ayaz reminded him, and it also made him understand Charlotte's trump card.

The little devil quietly climbed out of the cup and disappeared into the air.

Chapter 12: Battle

Yakong pondered for a moment, then removed the lantern from his waist, raised it to his face, and began to chant a hymn. As the song grew louder, the lantern's brightness grew, so bright that even Harp, hiding under the bed, felt the glare of its silvery light. But the little devil didn't stop. Harp was certain that Charlotte couldn't squeeze under the less than a foot high bed like he had. He had to seize control of the situation before the divine messenger could finish Charlotte off.

The blinding light obscured the entire room, but a shadowy figure, a man's height, strangely appeared at the door. Charlotte reacted the instant she appeared. Four identical Charlottes appeared, grinning mockingly at Ayaz.

The four reapers threw out their daggers at the same time, and used the daggers as cover to move forward, aiming directly at the chest and abdomen of the messenger.

The divine messenger Ayaz deftly flapped his wings and dodged the dagger, then swung the lantern in his right hand in a downward arc, aiming for Charlotte's head. The four Charlottes simultaneously rolled forward to avoid the dagger, flicking the lantern upward to block it. The two opponents exchanged their first moves, neither gaining an advantage.

At this time, Hap had already climbed onto the headboard of the bed. He was less than a foot away from the noble head of Li Jue, which could effectively prevent him from being accidentally injured by the power of the messenger of God.

The angel calmly raised her hand and pulled, extracting an ebony handle from thin air. With a twist of her lantern, she transformed it into a handy hammer. Charlotte seized the opportunity to teleport. With a snap, he appeared behind the angel, his ghostly dagger piercing his vest. Ayaz, using the hammer as a guide, spun in midair, the hammer still aimed for the reaper's head. As a cunning demon, Charlotte had fully anticipated her reaction. Instead of retreating, the four Charlottes advanced, charging directly into the attack.

The hammer struck Charlotte's head, but the Charlotte vanished into thin air with a mere sound like shattering glass, while the real Charlotte had already stabbed the dagger into Ayaz's wing. This made Ayaz cry out in pain, and she flapped her wings violently, knocking the Harvester Demon over. Taking advantage of his unstable footing, she swung the hammer at the real devil.

The hammer missed again. Another loud bang echoed, and Charlotte teleported before the hammer could strike his face. Faster than his presence, the dagger he flung out flew towards the angel's chest. Simultaneously, he slashed his forehead with a powerful finger, sending a spurt of blood lingering between the devil's horns, then erupting in a stream of blood that shot towards Old Bansai on the bed.

The invisible Harp leaped with all his might. As a fellow demon, he knew all too well what the Harvester Demon was capable of. While the blood arrow wouldn't directly harm the flesh, it would taint the magic of anyone struck. Old Bensai was now hanging on by the magic of the longevity ritual, so weak he could barely turn his head. If the blood arrow contaminated the ritual's magic, he would be practically dead on the spot.

But someone was faster than it. The fact that Edim and Claire could not break through the protection of the devil in the original contract did not mean that they did not care about the battlefield. As soon as the blood arrow flew out, Edim opened his arms to block the bed. The blood arrow hit his leather breastplate with a sound and turned into powerless dirty water drops.

Ayaz slammed to the ground with a thud, dodging the dangerous dagger. She seized the moment Charlotte cast her spell, a starlight ignited from her fingertips, and pointed at Charlotte from afar. The reaper demon had only time to roll back before a light rope entangled her ankles.

"I've got you." Ayaz's cold face flashed a smile, and he flapped his wings fiercely and rushed forward. The reaper demon tried to use the same trick again, but the air around him seemed solid, and his teleportation ability was blocked. And in the seconds when it failed to cast the spell, the hammer of the angel smashed another reaper demon's phantom.

For the first time, Charlotte felt the threat to his life. He elbowed Ayaz under the armpit, then turned over, kicked the table, and rushed towards the bed curtain.

Only Edim stood in his way. The Harvester Demon trusted the protection of the original contract. As long as he didn't harm mortals, mortals couldn't attack him. But the world is full of change. Edim rushed at the charging demon like a bull. This time, Charlotte didn't get what she wanted. Man and demon collided violently. The young knight's right arm clamped around the demon's neck, and his iron-gauntleted left hand, with the utmost hatred, repeatedly struck the Harvester Demon in the face.

Harp, watching from the sidelines, saw clearly that the hand he had used to strike Charlotte was covered in purple blood. Edim was clever, seizing the moment the Harvester flung the dagger and blocking it with his bare hands. The dagger sliced ​​deeply into his left hand, but at the cost of the injury, he broke the protection granted to the Harvester by the original contract.

Ayaz also noticed the blood on the hands of the young man who was frantically beating the reaper demon. Her brows jumped, and she ran while shouting to Edim:

"Come here quickly, it's dangerous!"

Before Edim could react, his hand was grabbed tightly by Charlotte. The Harvester's face was crooked and his nose and mouth were twisted by the beating, but the devil seemed to feel no pain and laughed wildly at him instead.

"Little Sassen, didn't anyone tell you not to touch the devil's weapons casually?"

The reaper kicked him hard in the stomach. Even Harp, standing at the head of the bed, could hear the crackling of ribs as the hairy hoof struck. The knight was sent flying like a sandbag. Fortunately, a divine messenger rushed over and caught him mid-air. However, Edim's condition was very serious. His eye sockets were filled with purple fluid. He thrashed around like a fish, even attempting to strike the divine messenger with his fists. Ayaz was forced to kneel down on his chest, then raised her hands. Golden light gathered in her hands. As if saving a drowning man, she pressed the golden ball of light into his chest and began to dispel the curse brought by the dagger. Edim twitched twice, and finally, he gradually regained consciousness.

"Mortal, you are too young to fight against the Harvester Demons." Ayaz placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him from taking any further action. "And you are too badly injured."

Elsewhere, Charlotte wasn't faring much better. She brushed past Ayaz's hammer several times, the overflowing divine power alone making it difficult for him to breathe. The reaper struggled to his feet, only to face a trembling Claire, her lips bitten until pale, who pointed her wand at him with a defiant air. Under normal circumstances, a novice sorcerer like Claire wouldn't have posed any threat, but Charlotte didn't want to gamble on the divine emissary's speed; any delay could lead to his demise.

The Harvester spat out a mouthful of black blood into his palm, threw himself to the ground, and roared:

"Aka-Yaga"

Black smoke billowed out of the floor, and a six-foot-tall figure walked out. He looked like some kind of bipedal green-scaled lizard with an ugly human face, and the machete in his hand was taller than him.