"What words does that Quasit use to motivate those new devils on the battlefield?" The mage gently posed the question but did not turn around.

"He'd say, 'Most of you will die, but your mission is to take down as many enemies as possible before you do! If any fool tries to run away, I'll make you regret not being flayed alive by those devils!'" the Desire Demon mimicked their tone.

"So you've seen the punishment for deserters too!" Lynch's cold voice came, like a frost cast upon the scorching battlefield: "If you had another chance, would you still leave the battlefield?"

"I would, yokel!" Eryies snorted. "This is a blood battle! Do you understand or not? It has no beginning and no end, no hope and no justice, no mercy and no so-called chivalry! It only has sacrifices, a vast number of sacrifices! No matter how long it lasts, there will be no victors, not even anyone to loot the dead!"

The Desire Demon's anger seemed misplaced, for Lynch's gaze still did not return to her. She paused, suddenly realizing that the situation before her had changed in an instant. Against the backdrop of the black smoke-covered sky, the mage clad in bright red seemed to merge with the world itself. He was not a transient from an outside space, but a native Bator being, the crimson earth and blood-soaked battlefield perfectly complementing his figure; and on this copper-stained arrow tower, his red robe swaying in the foul wind was like a fluttering banner. Just like the row of Hell Lord insignia on the fortress walls, he became an inseparable part of this world.

Eryies looked at the mage, suddenly feeling like an outsider, while Lynch was the guide to this world. His suddenly emotionless voice brought the Desire Demon's soul to the perspective of an observer. Memories of the blood battle became distant, like a nightmare that had constantly plagued her, now finally diminishing as she woke up. The Desire Demon enjoyed this feeling; it was a sense of gradual detachment.

"How would you like to live?" The mage turned around and softly addressed Eryies.

"I..." the Desire Demon hesitated, but suddenly raised her head sharply, her eyes ablaze: "You cast a magic spell on me, trying to interfere with my mind! Is that what you just did?"

Lynch took a step closer to the Desire Demon, his red figure seemed to grow taller. Eryies suddenly felt that the aura of the blood battle had already enveloped her, even though they were clearly outside the battlefield. It might have been the effect of the mage's magic, or perhaps his demeanor truly possessed such change? The Desire Demon couldn't immediately comprehend the origin of this sensation, but for the first time in her life, she retreated from the target she had always aimed to charm.

"Eryies, are you okay?" Lynch asked again: "I just understood something about the usage of charm spells, thanks to your recent training. If you need to forget certain things from the past..."

"No! Don't say it!" Eryies shouted. She already knew that the techniques she used had been gradually grasped by the mage opposite her, at least he could mimic them. Combined with his original magic power, he had likely already exceeded the scope of what she could control. The Desire Demon tightly grasped her tail, as she did whenever she was nervous or scared. Though she couldn't recall when this habit began, the pressure from the end of her tail soothed the anxiety in her heart.

The mage shrugged, as if he had just done something quite ordinary. He continued to watch the distant battle, where the two armies had already clashed, and the melee was progressively unfolding. The magical explosions were like a sky full of flashing stars, beyond count. The demons charged forward, brandishing massive weapons, continuously swinging at their opponents; while the devils formed small squads of warriors, covering each other to resist the enemy's assaults. On the battlefield, there was almost no gap, any so-called safe zones would be instantly covered with deadly toxins and acids. The recently fallen bodies were trampled by the warriors coming from behind, stomped into the ground, or buried by new corpses. In fact, the later reinforcements didn't even need to bring any weapons. Even with their eyes closed, they could find suitable equipment by bending down at random.

The catapults' effect was very clear; each stone hurled crushed a swath of enemies. The shattered lumps of flesh adhered to the stone, rolling forward with tremendous force, creating a bloody path. Even those winged demons and devils dared not take to the skies, as crossbow-wielding archers constantly sought suitable targets; on the ground, they could find some cover, but in the air, they would be instantly riddled with arrows.

The demons were relatively more numerous, but the devils placed greater emphasis on planning, tactics, and order. On a balanced battlefield, the two would enter a long-term stalemate, neither able to overcome the other—just like the blood battle itself. But outside the Bronze Fortress, regardless of numbers or siege weapon support, the devils held a clear advantage. The battle outside the city would soon be decided.

The mage turned back, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, as if with a smile: "I have witnessed the blood battle, so there's no further reason to linger in this world. Eryies, tell me, how do people usually leave here?"

"I don't know!" the Desire Demon felt, only anger could express her dissatisfaction. The mage's gaze remained unmoved, instead drawing even closer. Lynch was determined that, at any time, he must dominate the conversation—even if it was only through the power of magic. Eryies felt she could no longer hide any secrets, with only one choice left—to confess everything honestly.

"In the fourth ring of the Bronze Fortress, there is a teleportation gate, managed by Piffed, an Abyss Demon," Eryies said weakly. "It leads to the Main Material Plane, the world you came from."

"Then come with me, Eryies." The mage walked past the Desire Demon, his robe brushing against her wings, making her tremble slightly. Lynch said, "An Abyss Demon, I fear, is a creature beyond my ability to handle. I need your help, at least in terms of information."

'I fear I am under his control,' Eryies thought, 'but his spell must have weaknesses, and no human can maintain concentration forever. When that time comes, I shall have my chance.'

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