Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 152: Faustian bargain (I)

Chapter 152: Faustian bargain (I)

"Prey!"

That word echoed in Vlad’s mind, causing terror to rise in his heart as he felt the devil’s consciousness breaking through the formation and covering the entire room. Its power was so immense that he felt no different than an ant, and a suffocating pressure assaulted his chest with such might that he thought he would fall unconscious at any second.

However, just as Vlad’s eyes widened with terror, thinking he had unleashed a horrible disaster upon the Silent Wind Military Base, the eyes and darkness that flooded the room trembled for a second before vanishing.

"What just happened!" The young man shouted in shock as he rose from the ground and looked around, ready to strike at anything that might arise. The runic lines and formation were intact, and there seemed to be no problem with the place. However, he had seen how that devil’s consciousness had shattered everything.

[Beep! Devil consciousness attempted to overcharge the communication channel and break through the formation.

...

The Host had fallen into an illusion due to the force of the devil’s consciousness!

...

Forcefully breaking connection!

...

Connection broken!]

Suddenly a wave of messages appeared in Vlad’s mind and he realized what had just happened. The devil’s consciousness had attempted to break through. To prevent Vlad from doing anything, the devil put the young man in an illusion where everything was already over.

Cold sweat ran through Vlad’s body as he realized how close things were to a catastrophe. Even if it was just a consciousness, the power of the devil’s soul force was so massive that it could have easily killed everybody in the Silent Wind Military Base.

’It is no wonder summoning magic is so dangerous. One wrong step and you could bring something so powerful that instead of obeying your command, it would devour your soul and go on a rampage, killing everything,’ the young man’s eyes grew solemn as he gazed at the Vengeful Runic Formation.

’This time, I was lucky. If the consciousness had been more powerful, it might have broken the formation faster than the A.I. Chip could have reacted and killed me,’ Vlad thought, considering the danger he was facing with this formation.

While Vlad was not someone who allowed fear to cloud his judgment, he understood he also needed to be careful and not allow greed to confuse him about his limits.

In the end, the young man considered whether the risk was worth it for a few minutes, and a sharp light appeared in his eyes as he nodded. ’One last time. If I fail to find a devil capable of trading with me but whose power doesn’t endanger the Silent Wind Military Base, I will wait until my power rises.’

Vlad ensured all the runes were in a perfect state and there were no flaws or weaknesses before triggering the power again. A solemn expression appeared as he waited silently, hoping everything would be alright.

Minutes passed until suddenly, the Runic Formation began to glow. It was very intense, making the room shine, yet it was not as powerful as the previous one, calming Vlad’s heart.

Soon, a devil fog emerged from the Vengeful Runic Formation, but it did not remain like that for long. It suddenly was set ablaze, generating a wave of fire before finally, a face emerged. It was humanoid and female, extremely beautiful, with a charming aura that seemed to draw the desire of any man.

Vlad did not allow that charming aura to cloud his mind. His focus was as sharp as possible, monitoring the situation and waiting for the message from the A.I. Chip. Luckily, the robotic voice did not take long to echo inside his mind.

[Beep! The entity can keep the communication channel open and is using her own energy to keep her side stable!

The chance that the devil entity can establish a space channel and send desired components is greater than 82%!

The chance that the devil’s consciousness can forcefully break the Runic Formation and enter the world is less than 4.7%!]

A smile appeared on Vlad’s face as he heard those words. The entity should be able to trade with him, and her power did not seem high enough to break the formation. Even if she tried, he could cut the communication before any damage could occur.

Yet, that smile did not last long as Vlad’s face grew serious and sharp. The fact that a trade channel was in place was just the start since he now would have to deal with a powerful devil from Hell, an entity known for its scheming nature whose pacts usually trick the other side into a horrible fate.

The devil’s charming face glanced around the room, her eyes glowing with mysterious light before finally focusing on the young man before her, a flash of interest appearing on her fiery face. "Such an intriguing display of runes. My consciousness can reach this world, yet I am oblivious to its coordinates. Such security means this is either a weak Plane or..."

The devil did not finish her sentence; her eyes focused on Vlad, trying to decipher anything from the young man, yet this one remained impervious, not even his vital signs showing any form of alteration.

Vlad was actually nervous since he was sure the devil entity must be a Legend, a life form whose destructive power could alter landscapes and the topography of a continent! Luckily for him, just like the A.I. Chip could take control over his energy, it could also act over his body and vital signals, making sure nothing could be revealed from them.

The Legendary devil and young Depravita gazed at each other, neither uttering a word, each trying to pry into the mind and goals of the other side.

The Legendary devil, a being of ancient power and cunning, stared at the young man before her, her curiosity piqued. Over the centuries, she had encountered many people, each driven by desires and weaknesses she could exploit. This one, however, was different.

She could feel Vlad’s low Level and age, yet his face was a mask devoid of emotion that no mortal should be able to adopt in her presence. This made the young man an enigma that even her profound perception struggled to penetrate.