Devil Slave (Satan system)

Chapter 1026: Nergal’s Bane

Lamastu looked at the battle, "Interesting, now that is a very fine weapon. if I am not mistaking, I think it was called the Nergal’s bane."

"Oh! I believe that I have also heard about it. Quite an interesting weapon if I do say so myself. I think I remember the story behind it as well..."

The bow, known as Nergal’s Bane, was an artifact steeped in myth and shrouded in the dark tales of the underworld. Carved from the heart of a Rank 5 Hell Beast, this weapon possessed a sinister life of its own, pulsating with an unholy vitality. Its origin story was whispered in hushed tones among the denizens of the underworld, each recounting adding to its fearsome legend.

It is said that Centuries Ago...

In the shadowy depths of the underworld, there once lived a Greater demon known as Nergal, feared for his unparalleled strength and cruelty. Nergal’s prized possession was the heart of a Rank 5 Hell Beast, which he had painstakingly carved into a bow out of A Hell Beast he had accidentally killed after being swallowed whole by the beast.

It is said that at the time, he ran an errand for the Morningstar and the smell of the present he carried attracted the Hell beast to him.

Fortunately, this item he carried had too much power in it and ended up becoming poison to the beast.

Seeing as he was now free, he used the opportunity to claim the heart of the Hell Beast for himself.

This bow, imbued with the Hell beast’s lifeforce, had the uncanny ability to find the weakness in any attack and devour it. It was said to even consume anything its user wished, making it an artifact of insurmountable power.

And Nergal used it to conquer even Demons above his power level and realm.

But Nergal’s arrogance would be his undoing.

A cunning and elderly centaur named Phineas, learned of the bow and devised a plan to steal it. Phineas was not just any centaur; he was a master of stealth and deception, his skills honed over centuries of survival in the brutal underworld.

One fateful night, when Nergal was deep in a rare slumber, Phineas crept into his lair. The air was thick with the sulfuric stench of Hell Beasts, and the ground trembled with the low growls of infernal guardians. Phineas moved with the silence of a shadow, his hooves barely touching the ground. He reached the bow, its dark wood glowing faintly with a pulsating light. With a silent prayer to forgotten gods, he snatched it and fled into the labyrinthine depths of the underworld.

Phineas’s daring theft became the stuff of legend. With Nergal’s Bane in hand, he roamed the underworld, using its power to survive and conquer. The bow devoured the attacks of countless demons, its insatiable hunger growing with each victory. It was said that the bow’s heart pulsed more fiercely with every life it consumed, its power magnifying with each battle.

Stories of the bow’s prowess spread far and wide. It was rumored to have vanquished the great Hydra of the Stygian Marshes, its arrows piercing the beast’s many heads with unerring precision. In the ashen fields of Tartarus, Phineas used the bow to defeat the Colossus of Acheron, a towering figure of stone and shadow. The bow’s legend grew, and so did the fear it inspired.

Phineas, knowing that his time was drawing near, passed the bow to his most trusted apprentice, Aeliana, a fierce centaur warrior.

She, in turn, passed it down through generations in a secretive and forgotten clan of centaurs known as the Eclipse Riders. This clan guarded Nergal’s Bane with their lives, using it to protect their territory from the myriad threats of the underworld.

The Eclipse Riders like many of the Centaur clans were a nomadic tribe, traversing the most dangerous and forbidden places of the underworld. Their path took them through the Flame Pits of Dis, where the bow was said to have vanquished the Fire Wyrms that plagued the region.

They crossed the Cursed Forest of Gehenn, where the bow felled the Night Stalkers, shadowy creatures that fed on fear and despair.

Over the centuries, tales of Nergal’s Bane became intertwined with rumors and epic fables. Some said it had once belonged to a god who had used it to challenge the very rulers of the underworld. Others whispered that the bow had a mind of its own, guiding its wielder to targets of great power and significance, feeding on the chaos and bloodshed.

Legend had it that the bow had even been present at the Battle of the Eclipsed Moon, where the forces of the underworld clashed in a cataclysmic struggle against Demon royal families for supremacy of the realm.

There, the bow’s arrows darkened the skies, raining death upon the enemies of the Eclipse Riders. Its presence was said to have turned the tide of the battle, ensuring victory for its wielder.

Now, in the hands of Deckner, the bow had found a new master. The male centaur, with his lust for power and destruction, was a fitting wielder for such a weapon. The bow pulsed with dark energy, its heart still beating with the life force of the Rank 5 Hell Beast from which it was carved. Its appetite for destruction and death was as insatiable as ever.

"Hmmm! Well said. Well said!" Lamastu complimented her. And then her face went serious, "However, you forgot a few details. Throughout the period of its make up till now, Nagal’s Bane has never bonded with any of its masters. No matter how much they tried, it refused. I heard that it has been waiting for a special someone. Well, If I got my hands on it, I am sure I can it submit. Besides, it can’t possibly be that hard?"

Naamah nodded at her words. "True! These stupid living-things belief in the subjugation of fate too much, and that is why their undoing is eminent."

Lamastu nodded at her sisters words. "There is still another important part of that Bow. Which I am sure, even you have noticed by now."

"it has the ability to evolve into a rank 6 hell beast bow."

The women nodded at themselves, "A weapon that can evolve on its own, now that is rare."

As Deckner and his sister, Rackner, prepared to face Lenny, the bow hummed with anticipation. It had devoured countless attacks and enemies over the centuries, and it was eager to taste the blood of its next victim.

The air crackled with dark energy as the bow prepared to unleash its devastating power once more, its legacy of bloodshed and terror continuing in the hands of its new master.

Lenny wiped the blood from the side of his mouth, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the centaur twins. Despite their mocking demeanor, he knew he was stronger than them, and he was ready to crush them. After all, he was of the greater demon rank, and they were of the Great demon.

He rushed forward, his muscles tensing as he raised his sword high above his head. With a fierce yell, he brought the blade down with all his might.

But just as the sword was about to strike, a shimmering holographic shield appeared from seemingly nowhere, blocking his attack with a resounding bang. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the air, causing dust and debris to swirl around them. Lenny’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw Rackner holding up her broad swords, from which the holographic light emanated.

The shield held firm, glowing with an otherworldly light that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of Rackner’s heartbeat. The twins chuckled, their voices filled with sadistic glee.

"Oh, I love it when they play hard to get," Rackner complimented, waving her swords in a taunting manner. The holographic shield flickered but remained solid, a testament to the strength of her weapon.

Lenny’s mind raced as he leaped back, his feet barely touching the ground. He channeled his magic, forming a protective barrier around himself. The air around him crackled with darkline Magic, a shimmering aura that promised to repel any attack.

However, to his astonishment, Rackner’s swords cut through his magical defense like a hot knife through butter. The shimmering barrier shattered with a sharp, crystalline sound, leaving Lenny momentarily vulnerable. He could feel the searing heat of the blades as they sliced through the air, barely missing his skin.

His muscles coiled like springs, ready to react. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

Lenny shook his head. It would seem that the centaur siblings did not have one Hell beast weapon, but two sets.

The Broad swords were also hell beast weapons.

It was no wonder that they had the confidence to face him even though he was of a higher Realm than them.

Then again, Lenny was not yet giving it his all. Just now, he had not used Holy Power, but rather, he used Darkline magic. He had his reasons for this...