In an instant, the previously chaotic scene on the street came to a halt. Several demons, who had been face-to-face and ready to attack each other, immediately became as obedient as sheep.
They even trembled slightly, clearly engulfed in immense fear.
Some demons even reached out to clasp hands.
"Bro, I told you, those guys from that race have excellent heads; they have a nice chew to them."
"Really? I've never tried them. Next time we're on the battlefield, you point the way, and let's hit up a buffet together."
"Sure, I've got some secret spices my family brought; I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
"You're too kind! Bro!"
...
Not only were the fighting demons quiet, but even the ones robbing small vendors or assaulting female players and engaging in various other chaotic activities came to a standstill.
All of this happened because "Lord Mephistopheles" did not approve, and the strong could set the rules while the other demons had to obey.
Sterl nodded in satisfaction at the scene. He wasn't worried about his persona crumbling because the behavior of Mephistopheles demonstrated that he could do as he pleased while everyone else had to follow the rules.
Many demons shared this mindset.
Moreover, with this dynamic, every time Sterl passed through the camp, he wouldn't have to witness the chaotic displays, which lifted his spirits considerably.
At the same time, demons and players from Swallowing Heaven approached to pay their respects.
"Mephistopheles, my lord."
"Mephistopheles, my lord."
Each of them bore a humble expression, respectfully coming closer.
"Under your leadership, we have achieved one victory after another on the battlefield; we are all willing to serve you!"
"Mephistopheles, please grant me the opportunity to follow you."
"Mephistopheles, I am willing to dedicate my life to you!"
...
There were even fervent demons and Hell players kneeling on the ground, practically viewing Sterl as a deity.
Then, a demon of a charming humanoid race approached.
"Lord Mephistopheles, I have something I'd like you to see..."
Swish!!
The chaotic skills of the Moon Law activated instantly, and Sterl felt as if he were immersed in mercury, his entire being sinking into a state of extreme sluggishness, even his thoughts seeming to freeze.
The woman who had just shown him a smile now hesitated not a moment as she reached toward her smooth, white chest, then swiftly produced a blade as thin as a cicada's wing and lunged at him.
The blade shimmered with a dark purple light, unmistakably a lethal assassination technique formed from a blend of chaotic skills.
Sterl instantly recognized that it resembled a toxic Law, and being struck would undoubtedly result in dire consequences.
"Let's see how you die!" the female player sneered, her once beautiful face distorting grotesquely, splitting in two to reveal a monstrous visage brimming with writhing tentacles and sharp spikes.
At the same time, the demons and players who had previously been smiling at Sterl split into two groups. One group hastily fled in disarray! Despite their previous grand declarations of loyalty, they now showed no hesitation or regret.
The other group was more straightforward, brandishing their weapons and lunging directly at "Mephistopheles"!
Their eyes glinted with malice, and a platinum glow surrounded them.
Every one of them launched their attacks with full force!
In an instant, a barrage of notifications flashed before Sterl's eyes.
[You have been marked by the Reaper; you cannot use any teleportation abilities, and two of your skills will be randomly sealed.]
[You are experiencing the effects of malicious capture; all attributes are reduced by 20%.]
[You are under the curse of the Woe Lock; each action will deduct your maximum life force and all attributes.]
[You are suffering from the skill: Eye of Destruction; damage taken increased by 100%.]
Now, another demon camp was trying to ruin this event.
Wasn't that putting Sterl's life at stake?!
After dealing with the group of assassins, Sterl walked forward with a cold expression.
He noticed that these assassins had dropped nothing, meaning the rules of the event hadn't changed!
With a few swift movements, Sterl was already at the edge of the camp.
Then...
He discovered that many demons and Swallowing Heaven players from other camps, after killing their allies, didn't rush to continue their slaughter. Instead, they took out a colorful gemstone and swiftly began to channel the surrounding energy.
In the end, countless threads surged from a group of dead Swallowing Heaven players and demons into the gemstone.
If this were the main world, Sterl would likely have to put in some effort to gather intelligence to understand the gemstone's purpose.
But now, that group of demons and Hell players were laughing heartily.
"Great! Great! Great!"
"We've gathered so much contribution from this wave; it's way easier than fighting on the battlefield."
"Thank you! We've accumulated so much contribution without lifting a finger!"
"Not enough! Not enough!"
"Kill every last one in this camp!"
...
They were incredibly excited.
The reason for their betrayal of their allies became clear; they could use the gemstones in their hands to completely siphon off the contributions of others.
The reward for killing an ally would far exceed that of slaying an equally powerful player from the main world!
However...
Sterl rushed forward.
"It's Mephistopheles!"
"Run!"
"Didn't that group of assassins say they had found his weakness?"
"A bunch of unreliable fools, hurry up and run!"
...
Instantly, the Swallowing Heaven players, who had just been jubilant, began to flee in a panic, as if they wished they could grow two more legs.
Mephistopheles, as a Swallowing Heaven player, shone not only on the frontline but also attracted many demons and prominent players to challenge him, all of whom he ruthlessly killed.
Quite a few managed to escape this time because Sterl had no intention of dealing with these small fry.
He wouldn't gain anything from killing allies!
He was only here to forcibly take down a flawed demigod player.
"Hand over that gemstone."
The demigod, terrified, turned pale and went limp.
"I'll hand it over right away, I'll hand it over right away! Spare me! Spare me!"
Sterl easily received the trade request.
The gemstone quickly landed in his hands.
With a casual kick, he sent the unfortunate soul flying, sparing his life.
But the next second, he looked at the specific attributes of the gemstone and was left dumbfounded.
"Ah??"