Chapter 563: Checkmate

___ Nulldeep, Pale Palace ___

Aien suddenly sat upright, startling the several Succubus ladies resting around him as the water bubble floating before him displayed the ongoing battle in Velmora. His usual lazy expression had vanished, replaced by mild excitement as he stared at Damian forcing Lazarus deeper into his trap.

"He’s a devil." A rare smile appeared across Aien’s face, stunning the women around him.

"Sire?" one of them asked cautiously. She had fair skin, delicate fairy wings and wore translucent robes, a black file tucked beneath one arm while a pair of glasses rested neatly on her nose.

Aien leaned against the headrest of his bed and pushed his long white hair away from his face. "The weight of arrays is placed directly on the soul. Should a normal demon or angel attempt to forcefully break through them, they will end up destroying their soul and dying in the process. A God or demigod with a sufficiently powerful soul can force their way out, but even then, they risk damaging themselves. Considering how many arrays have been layered across that battlefield, it is certain Greed will have to damage his soul if he wants to escape."

Aien chuckled softly as his eyes remained fixed on Damian. "This fox is sly and vicious at the same time... Interesting."

The room fell silent as everyone stared at their prince. It had been a long time since they had seen the notoriously lazy Aien this invested in another person’s actions, and that alone told them how unusual Damian’s strategy had become.

___ Golden Palace, Aurelios ___

Sol watched the battle through the water bubble with a deeply critical expression. What he had expected to be a close confrontation between two powerful figures had instead become a relentless beatdown, with Lazarus spending most of the battle defending himself and Damian dictating the pace. It was making the Prince of Greed look far weaker than Sol had anticipated.

"Do you understand now? This man is just as cunning as Lin Qui but much bolder!" Leo said coldly, his eyes never leaving the battlefield.

Sol’s frown tightened. "If he damages Lazarus’ soul, Lazarus will never be able to use a complete Territory again. It will be reduced to a false Territory, and his cultivation may drop slightly. What I cannot say is whether Damian will be able to defeat him at that point with his secret inheritance."

"He can!" Leo replied without hesitation.

Sol glanced toward him and raised a brow. "What makes you so certain?"

Leo’s expression hardened as he pointed toward the water bubble. "Can’t you see it? Everything that child has done until now has been designed to make him use his Territory. There is no way he is deliberately leading Lazarus down this route without having an actual plan. The moment Lazarus gives in to this demand, Lazarus is as good as dead."

___ Velmora, City Square ___

Meanwhile, Lazarus’ body skidded violently across the ground as he retreated, his feet carving deep trenches through the stone while cannon explosions erupted behind him wherever he had stood moments earlier. He was being pushed backward faster than he could create distance, and every attempt to counterattack was intercepted by Damian’s forces. Hagrid remained draped over his shoulder, his weakened body barely able to hold itself together.

"Use it, sire... Use it or we all die," Hagrid said in a hoarse voice.

Lazarus remained silent, his eyes flickering with hesitation as another explosion shook the ground behind them. Hagrid tightened his grip around Lazarus’ shoulder with what little strength remained.

"Even if your soul is damaged, you will become the only deity with two inheritances and the most powerful being in the realm. Who would dare harm you then?"

Lazarus’ expression darkened.

"My soul..." he muttered, staring at the destruction surrounding him.

The original plan had been to make Hagrid the new Sin of Lust, using Damian’s death to give him the inheritance. But judging by the desperation in Hagrid’s voice, the High Censor had abandoned that dream.

At this point, he simply wanted to survive.

"Sire, sometimes you must lose something to gain something," Hagrid continued, forcing the words through his exhausted lungs.

"Once you acquire both realms, I will dedicate my life to searching for a remedy for your condition. All you need to focus on now is winning this fight." His voice cracked as he screamed the final words, using the last strength he could muster.

Buzz!

Lazarus’ pupils dilated as those words settled inside his mind, as though Hagrid had dragged him out of a deep slumber. His expression slowly hardened. The hesitation disappeared from his eyes, replaced by determination. If the price of victory was his soul, then so be it. He would pay it and take the power waiting on the other side.

BOOOOM!

Immense golden energy exploded from Lazarus’ body, surging across the battlefield with such force that nearby soldiers were thrown backward. He slammed his palm into the ground, and the force of the impact caused the air itself to crack around him.

Crack!

Pain immediately twisted his face as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. More blood poured from his eyes, nostrils and lips as the pressure tore through his body.

Crack! Crack!

His soul fractured violently beneath the strain, the damage spreading through his spiritual foundation, but Lazarus gritted his teeth and refused to stop. He pressed his palm harder against the ground as golden energy poured through it.

"TERRITORY: GOLDEN CITY OF BABYLON!" Lazarus roared.

Golden cracks spread across his eyelids as his Territory began forcing its way into reality.

Swoosh!

Liquid gold erupted from the ground like an enormous geyser, flooding outward in every direction. It rushed through the city square like a turbulent sea.The golden tide rapidly expanded toward Damian’s forces, threatening to spread beyond the boundaries of the city square.

Damian’s smile slowly widened into a vicious grin. He slammed his hand against the armrest of his throne and stared directly at Lazarus.

"NOW!" Damian commanded.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

At several points surrounding the city square, the demigods of Velmora suddenly activated the preparations they had been waiting for. Their eyes widened as immense demonic force erupted from their bodies.

Damian’s soldiers immediately fell back from the marked areas while the demigods prepared to unleash their combined power against Lazarus’ newly manifested Territory.

___ Two Weeks Ago, Violet Palace Royal Court ___

Damian had sat upon his throne with his chin resting against his hand, his expression thoughtful as Yuji explained the plan before the assembled officials.

"So let me get this straight, if I can force him to break the arrays, his soul gets damaged..." Damian asked, still struggling to comprehend the absurdity of the strategy.

"His Territory suffers as well, and with enough help, we can suppress its activation with our joint domains, stalling its manifestation. That will give you the chance to catch him in your false Territory. He will be a helpless God with a damaged soul, trapped within the Territory of an enemy. From there, I believe you can end him," Yuji proposed.

Damian’s eyes widened slightly. He had never heard of anyone deliberately stalling the activation of another God’s Territory, and the idea sounded almost absurd.

Before he could dismiss it, Mary stepped forward with a firm nod. "I agree with this plan. Even with a damaged soul and the array restrictions, it will be difficult to stall his Territory, but I believe we can all do it and give you the chance you need to trap him in your world and kill him there."

One by one, the others nodded in agreement, each understanding that the plan depended entirely on Damian forcing Lazarus into a desperate decision.

Damian remained seated upon his throne, silently considering the risks before finally accepting the strategy.

---

The memory faded, and Damian’s eyes refocused on Lazarus as the golden Territory continued spreading across the city.

The demigods surrounding the square were already moving into position, preparing to execute the plan they had spent weeks developing.

Damian leaned forward slightly on his throne, his smile widening as he watched the consequences of Lazarus’ decision unfold before him.

"OLD ELF, YOUR GREED HAS LED YOU STRAIGHT TO YOUR GRAVE! THIS IS CHECKMATE!" he hissed viciously.