Hours later, inside the bamboo building…
"I guess, any semblance of his presence is gone by now". Legolas whispered as he glanced outside, hoping to not see any presence of that Demon again.
"His presence had left this region since". Bam Bam smiled.
"Then why didn't you say it?" Legolas looked at the blob.
"We were telling interesting stories".
"…" Legolas was speechless.
Despite his speechlessness, he was able to get a clue from that. "You are able to sense energy from a distance, right?"
"Yes, that is one of the core abilities of an energy lifeform".
"Bam Bam can also hide his presence completely, only Grade A existences can discover him when he is serious and they will have to be really concentrated to be able to detect his presence".
"…" Legolas silently looked at this energy lifeform.
During the past few hours of their interactions, though he admit that he was fascinated by Bam Bam's adventurous stories, he didn't decide to casually talk so much to a stranger that he met a few hours ago because they killed a Demon.
He talked so much to Bam Bam because he wanted to understand him.
The scene of that Demon's body being used to pulverize himself to pieces could never leave his mind, it left an extremely deep impression on him.
Bam Bam may seem harmless now, but that scene was more than enough proof that this cute blob was an extremely dangerous existence.
He wanted to know if Bam Bam could be temporarily trusted, and from their interactions, they had common goals, to escape the Underworld.
On that basis alone, his hunch told him that he could be trusted.
Before pitching his escape plan to him though, Legolas looked intently at the energy lifeform as he asked a question that had been lingering in his mind since. "If you're so powerful and stealthy, then why didn't you escape Tarmac since?"
"Or…, at least even kill him like you did".
Bam Bam calmed down as he focused on Legolas. "Tarmac is a maniacal Demon with a crazy personality, but he's also a genius".
"I am not the first energy lifeform that he had met".
"Energy lifeforms are incredibly powerful and dangerous, but they become slightly tame once you know their weaknesses".
Legolas' eyes widened. "He knew your weakness?"
"Yeah, that's the only reason why he tortured me for so long".
"Despite torturing me, he was always on guard against me, never leaving any opening for me to attack to my greatest strengths. It was only due to your arrival and subsequent attack that he lost focus for a moment".
"That was my opportunity to attack and I took it".
"That's why I thanked the both of you after bringing you here".
"Should I thank you again?"
"No need". Legolas shook his head.
For the past few hours, as they conversed, Legolas had actively been trying to paint the persona of a naïve and gullible warrior. He didn't know if Bam Bam bought it but he would keep up the act.
Daemon was indeed naïve about galactic knowledge as a bumpkin from Planet Darvis, this being his first time meeting an energy lifeform.
As for Legolas though, he played 4 versions of Dominator in his previous life before he died, energy lifeforms were normal sights to him.
This was how he knew that Bam Bam was not lying. Perhaps, he knew Bam Bam's weaknesses even more than Tarmac, the crooked Demon.
This was what gave him the confidence to go on with his plan.
"Bam Bam…" Legolas looked at the Demon. "I have a plan, an escape plan and I want you in, it'll increase our chances of escaping".
The energy lifeform perked up. "What is your plan?"
Legolas did not hesitate, he told him everything.
He may have been cunning before but due to an energy lifeform's ability to read emotions at times, he dared not gamble with lying at this moment, trust was paramount if they were to escape the grasp of this Universal Treasure.
"With your abilities, we can retrieve both of my beasts while rescuing the 2 other elements in my plan. With them, we stand a chance at escaping".
Bam Bam looked at him. "So, we'll be escaping to your timeline?"
"Yes, I won't compromise that". Legolas stood his ground.
"Once we get to my timeline, we have warships, we can sail everyone home. Besides, you're an energy lifeform, you can travel through space".
"Fair enough but…" Bam Bam nodded in an uncharacteristically solemn manner. "That means I will have to fight the Grade A Cosmic Horror alongside you when I'm no where close to my peak".
"That is a great risk, what is my reward for that?"
Legolas was expecting this, he was prepared. "Like you said, you've spent 45 years in here. As for me, I've only spent a few days".
"What do you think?" He smiled.
"I can afford to increase my time here to better finetune my plan if you refuse to become part of it, as for you, you need to escape now".
"Staying here for a few more years will only traumatize you further".
Legolas' eyes gleamed. "Freedom…, that is your payment".
Bam Bam silently looked at him. "Fair enough".
Legolas smiled.
…
There were 5 Upper Demons in the Inner Zone.
Originally, Legolas had to be extremely careful with his movements due to the limitations of his human soul but after getting Bam Bam's help, the uniqueness of an energy lifeform negated most of the most glaring problems.
It was a perfect combination in his opinion.
After the 1st Upper Demon's orders to Akramac, his tamed Demon, Legolas improvised his plan. "We need to get everything in order in 2 days".
"Akramac being sent to the Demon Master gives us easy access to him which simplifies the most complicated part of my plan".
"For these 2 days, let's be at our best and most efficient".
With Bam Bam's help, sneaking into the 3rd Upper Demon's lair was as easy as eating pie. Referencing Akramac's information, Legolas knew that this Demon could be taken on and was why he did exactly that.
While Daemon went to rescue Akela who was tortured for days, Bam Bam restricted the powerful Demon while he went for his usual staple, taming.
The Demon could not resist, he became Legolas' 2nd tamed Demon.
After taming this Demon, another idea came to Legolas. 'What if I can take these Demons out of the Underworld? They are further reinforcement for me in the 2nd version of the showdown against the Bug Emperor'.
He pitched his suggestion to Bam Bam who replied.
"These Demons are created by their father, the All-Father through the Underworld. The power of the Underworld strengthens them, once they leave, they are only able to survive 10 hours in the outside world".
"10 hours…" Legolas rubbed his chin. "That's more than enough time".
"Afterall, they're not saints, so why care about their fate?"
The 2nd Upper Demon was a Giant almost 3 times taller than a normal Demon, his lair was huge with a great amount of space fitting a Giant.
Sneaking into the 2nd Upper Demon's lair, Legolas remembered a very important tip. 'The Upper 2, they have unlocked partial affinity with the Universal Treasure'.
Legolas dared not take the risk, he had a plan.
After days of studying the Demons' physique, he understood them enough to create potions that were targeted at their physiology.
-----
Congratulations! You have concocted 4 bottles of a brand-new Potion: Demon Sleeping Potion!
You have received 800,000 Experience Points!
----
2 bottles were all it took to knock this Demon out as Bran was saved. Legolas' intentions were to tame it after but Bam Bam stopped him.
"His affinity with the Underworld means he is connected to the Demon Master. If you tame him, the Demon Master will be alerted".
Saving Bran also revealed something. "Our remaining 2 targets are not here, does that mean they're both being tortured by the 1st Upper Demon?"
"No". Bam Bam looked at him. "Azrael detests torture, he doesn't torture souls, he only take in powerful souls to study them and make them his servants".
"It is one reason why he hates the other Upper Demons".
"Hmmm, he's a really special case". Legolas adjusted his plans accordingly.
With that, he left the Demon to sleep.
They finished their preparations 3 hours ahead of time.
"What now?" Daemon asked.
Legolas looked at him. "Now, we wait".