CHAPTER 178: CHAPTER178-WARLORD OF DESTRUCTION, DEATH

For the very first time, the Warlord of Destruction experienced just how beautiful the surface world truly was.

Everywhere he looked, he saw vibrant flowers and heard the melodic songs of birds. The atmosphere exuded a kind of intoxicating tranquility and joy, a serenity utterly alien to the filth and stench of the abyss he came from.

And with that realization came a surge of jealousy.

Why?

Why did the humans get to live in such a paradise, while he and his kind were condemned to exist in the squalor of the abyss?

Aren’t we all sentient beings?

Why are the humans privileged with such a world?

What gave them the right to monopolize this beauty?

"Your Majesty Malkar, can you feel this?" the Warlord of Destruction cried out with awe and longing in his voice. "This... this is the surface! This is what the surface really looks like!"

"I’m about to initiate a sensory link. Please, I implore you, do not resist."

Truth be told, Malkar had long been curious about the surface. Though he had ruled the abyss for thousands of years, he had never once set foot beyond its borders.

So he agreed to the link.

But the moment their senses connected, Malkar didn’t feel wonder.

He felt horror.

An overwhelming, soul-crushing fear surged from deep within him, as if some ancient instinct had awakened in the face of a primordial predator.

This wasn’t beauty. This wasn’t paradise.

This was death.

What terrified him most was that there wasn’t just one source of that dread—but three.

Three beings exuding such overwhelming auras that even Malkar, sovereign of the abyss, felt his immortal life flicker.

What the hell was this idiot Warlord of Destruction doing?!

Malkar’s physical body trembled uncontrollably.

Fragrant air? Birdsongs? Lovely landscape?

Who cared about any of that when faced with an aura strong enough to crush a mountain?

In front of that kind of pressure—diamond-rank pressure—the superficial allure of the surface meant absolutely nothing.

"Warlord of Destruction, you—!"

"Your Majesty Malkar! We must invade the surface immediately! Why should humans be the only ones allowed to enjoy such a place?"

"I believe this land... all of this... should belong to us as well!"

But Malkar gave no reply to his subordinate’s fervent message.

His gaze had already turned to Daniel, who stood beside him silently.

Malkar knew Daniel had long suspected him. This whole situation—it was a message. A warning.

Daniel spoke calmly, "Malkar, I’ve delivered the Warlord of Destruction to the surface."

"Perhaps it won’t be long before he finds a worthy opponent."

Daniel’s voice was steady, but his meaning sharp as a blade.

He wanted to send a message to the abyss, and this sacrificial offering would serve as a very loud one.

Because Daniel was confident—confident that his creations, the [New Life], could completely subdue the entire abyss.

Even the mighty Emperor of the Abyss, Malkar, would think twice before entertaining any rebellious thoughts.

After all, in the abyss, the strongest creatures were merely gold-rank world bosses.

And between gold-rank and diamond-rank... there was a chasm two ranks wide.

A gap that represented a completely different level of existence.

So even someone like Malkar could not help but feel a deep, instinctual fear.

"I apologize, Daniel," Malkar said, his vine-covered limbs coiling humbly. "I didn’t mean to test you intentionally."

He had realized by now that Daniel had seen through him long ago—and wasn’t interested in playing games.

After witnessing the immense power of the surface beings, Malkar gave up all thoughts of conquest or even exploration.

"Daniel, I wish to officially express the position of the abyss," he continued. "We hold a deep and abiding respect for humanity. We do not wish to test or provoke you in any way."

...

Meanwhile, on the surface.

The Warlord of Destruction, still enraptured by the natural beauty around him, slowly raised his head as if guided by some unspoken cue from Malkar.

And then he saw them.

Floating above the sky—three figures.

Three terrifying beings.

Three [New Life].

The moment their presence locked onto him, they fully released their aura.

In an instant, the Warlord’s mind went blank.

What was this power?!

What kind of monstrous beings were these?!

Even the strongest gold-rank bosses in the abyss had never possessed such oppressive force!

His instincts screamed: These aren’t gold-rank.

They must be something beyond that.

Platinum-rank? No... Could it be—diamond-rank?!

Panicked, he cast a Detection spell.

The result made his blood freeze.

[New Life]

[Rank: ???]

What?! Why was the rank "???"

Did this mean... his own power was so low, he couldn’t even see their rank?

He wasn’t even qualified to know?

And these terrifying monsters... were being controlled by humans?!

Since when had humans become so powerful?!

The Warlord’s once-fiery thirst for battle was instantly snuffed out, replaced by an icy dread.

Yes, he was a war maniac. Yes, he reveled in battle and chaos.

But he wasn’t suicidal.

He liked war—but that was not the same as volunteering for death.

Even someone like him wouldn’t dare challenge Emperor Malkar himself—why would he now charge toward an opponent clearly a hundred times more dangerous?

No. Absolutely not.

There was only one thing in his mind now: run.

Get out. Escape. Get back to the abyss.

The surface was far too dangerous. This wasn’t paradise. This was a death trap!

Yet before he could even move—

Dozens of bandages shot out from the void, wrapping tightly around him.

He didn’t even have time to struggle.

In the blink of an eye, his entire body was torn to shreds, scattered into countless bloody fragments.

Just like that.

He died.

From beginning to end, Emperor Malkar had witnessed the entire execution.

The entire thing was so swift, so brutal, it was hard to even believe what he had just seen.

A king-class being, destroyed effortlessly.

No resistance. No final cry. No fight.

This was the strength of humanity?

They could not only summon diamond-rank monsters—but tame them?

Apparently, humanity was even more terrifying than Daniel had implied.

Looking back now, Malkar felt like he had been dancing on a razor’s edge.

Testing a race this powerful was nothing short of suicidal.

"Warlord of Destruction is dead," Malkar finally said.

"According to abyssal law, since he died on the surface, all that he possessed now belongs to humanity."

Daniel nodded casually.

"Humanity has no real interest in the abyss," he said. "As long as you don’t initiate conflict, we won’t interfere in abyssal matters."

"But those abyss creatures trying to crawl their way up here... I suggest you clean up your own trash."

Daniel spoke lightly, as if discussing a minor chore.

But to Malkar, every word carried immense weight.

A species that could control diamond-rank monsters had no reason to covet the abyss.

Why would a man with a golden rice bowl in hand want to fight over a beggar’s cracked wooden one?

To Daniel’s demands, Malkar didn’t dare offer a single word of resistance.

In fact, in his heart, he had already elevated the human race to an untouchable status.

A race that had once given birth to a god.

Who could say for sure that there wasn’t still a god hiding among them?

"My friend," Malkar said solemnly, "rest assured. I will personally oversee the matter. I promise, those deranged abyssal creatures will never again threaten the surface."

Daniel nodded, then snapped his fingers.

"Tell me," he asked with a small smile, "have you ever seen the sun?"