While Horde bloodline warriors like the Gnoll Arlo and the Giant Kordun were locked in a desperate, bloody slaughter on the ramparts, their roaring war cries carried over the city like the endless beating of war drums, echoing all the way to the royal castle.

Ever since Orion had concealed his movements, Lilith had occupied the high throne.

War is a ravenous beast. One misstep, and it will devour our civilization and order. Yet, it is also the ultimate catalyst that forces our society to evolve and advance. Every war that descends upon us is a baptism of fire for the Stoneheart Horde. I—and my people—will only emerge from this stronger, our resolve forged in iron.

Lilith’s mind was as still as an undisturbed lake. She arched a delicate brow, her eyes harboring a striking duality of profound calm and brilliant intensity.

This was her first time commandeering the grand board as the supreme tactician. Stepping out from the shadows of the inner sanctum to the absolute forefront, she sat high upon the throne, radiating the majestic, untouchable authority of an empress.

However, this imposing aura was abruptly broken by a Succubus handmaiden rushing in with a report.

"Your Highness, an unidentified cloaked figure has arrived outside the palace gates requesting an audience! Intelligence from Seeker indicates there is absolutely no record of this individual!" the handmaiden warned, specifically name-dropping Seeker to emphasize the sheer anomaly of the stranger’s undocumented existence.

A cloaked stranger? Unknown origins? Heh... To boldly request an audience during such a tense, apocalyptic war... this newcomer is definitely a foe, not a friend.

Lilith narrowed her beautiful eyes, casting her senses outward without the slightest restraint. A moment later, she fell into a heavy silence.

I can’t pinpoint his exact realm, nor can I fathom the depths of his power. He is far above me, she deduced internally. An Archlord? Or a Demigod phantom?

In truth, whether the intruder was an Archlord or a Demigod phantom, Lilith felt no fear. This was the royal castle; this was Orion’s absolute domain. It was precisely because of this that the mysterious figure was waiting respectfully at the gates to request an audience rather than simply barging in. Had the stranger exhibited even a sliver of killing intent within the City of Stoneheart, the residual cosmic laws of Orion’s divine power would have obliterated him on the spot.

An entity above the Lord tier... he isn’t here for me. The one he truly seeks is Orion. Who does he represent? The swarm?

Although the swarm’s attempt to seal and assassinate Orion hadn’t leaked to the public, Orion hadn’t shown his face in the Horde recently. Whether he was dead or alive was the ultimate burning question for both the insectoids and the other predators lurking in the dark. If Orion had truly fallen, the Stoneheart Horde would instantly transform into a massive, defenseless feast for the taking.

What is his endgame for seeking Orion? Do I grant the audience or not?

For a moment, Lilith was torn. Her instincts screamed that during a crisis like this, barring the gates to all strangers was the only logical play. Yet, she was also acutely aware of a stark reality: she was merely a Lord. If the figure outside was indeed a Demigod, his arrival didn’t represent a lone wanderer; it represented an entire powerhouse faction. The high-stakes geopolitics between Demigods were beyond her complete understanding, and far beyond her capacity to meddle in.

"Let him in. I want to see exactly which faction these hidden players belong to." Just as Lilith was lost in thought, Orion’s deep, unshakably confident voice echoed directly in her mind.

Reassured by Orion’s presence, Lilith’s eyes snapped open, her regal, empress-like aura blazing to life once more.

"Bring him in!"

At her command, the waiting Succubus handmaiden bowed and swiftly departed to escort the stranger.

Moments later, the cloaked figure entered the grand hall. Facing Lilith, the stranger made no move whatsoever to lower his hood and reveal his face. From Lilith’s perspective, it was profoundly insolent. However, from the perspective of a Demigod, it was entirely standard procedure. To Vaelian, a Legendary-tier combatant like Lilith was fundamentally indistinguishable from an insect.

Despite this, Vaelian still projected a thin veneer of civility and respect. It wasn’t for Lilith; it was entirely directed at Giant King Orion.

"Your Grace, we should converse. I, Vaelian, hold something you will inevitably require in the days to come."

Vaelian’s voice was placid and smooth, completely devoid of any oppressive weight. He sounded exactly like a shrewd merchant arriving to broker a high-stakes deal, keeping things perfectly cordial to ensure a profitable outcome.

Lilith said nothing. She knew full well those words hadn’t been meant for her ears. Thus, she chose silence, maintaining her imperious posture as she locked her icy gaze onto the cloaked figure.

The seconds ticked by. The grand hall was suffocatingly quiet—so quiet that one could hear the faint breathing of the handmaidens, so quiet that the apocalyptic chittering and the roars of slaughter from beyond the city walls echoed with crystal clarity.

"Rather than whatever it is you hold, I am far more interested in knowing where you and your masters hail from. What is your endgame?"

After a long, agonizing pause, Orion’s voice finally boomed through the hall, thick with divine majesty and a crushing, absolute pressure.

Hearing Orion’s voice, the corners of the cloaked figure’s mouth curled upward. It was the distinct thrill of a man who had just found exactly what he was looking for.

"Your Grace, your presence confirms that you did not perish in the swarm’s execution trap," Vaelian noted smoothly. "This means you are undeniably powerful. And a powerful entity like you is the perfect candidate for a partnership."

The cloaked figure tilted his head up. Though his hood remained raised, Lilith could finally glimpse a portion of his visage.

It was a hideously grotesque, deeply evil face. One half was brutally bestial, sporting a vertical, purple Demon-like pupil and a jagged tusk that jutted past his lips the moment he looked up. The other half of his face belonged to a human woman. Her expression was locked in a frozen, twisted grimace—somewhere between agonizing weeping and desperate prayer. It was profoundly, stomach-churningly aberrant.

Naturally, whatever Lilith saw, Orion perceived with absolute clarity—and likely saw far deeper into the entity’s true nature.

"We hail from the Profane Lands."

It was a jarringly blunt answer, at least from Orion’s perspective. To expose one’s origins so effortlessly—whether truth or fabrication—caught him entirely off guard.

"Hehehe... The fact that you have chosen silence confirms that you are completely unaware of the Profane Lands, and oblivious to our origins." The cloaked figure let out a smug, eerie chuckle that quickly escalated into loud, unbridled laughter.

"This is actually a wonderful thing! Being ignorant of our history means that when you partner with us, you won’t be burdened by any preconceived prejudices or unnecessary paranoia."

Just as Orion’s divine fury was about to ignite, the cloaked figure abruptly silenced himself. The sheer arrogance, the smug superiority, and the lawless disdain for everything in existence vanished in a heartbeat, wholly swallowed back beneath the black cowl.

"This realm has already become a grand feast," Vaelian stated coldly. "And among all the entities currently standing at the table, only you and the Insect Queen hold the Authority to carve the spoils."

"My purpose here is quite simple. I am here to help you grow stronger—to ensure that when you finally face the Insect Queen, you actually have the power to kill her. Nothing more."

With that, Vaelian tilted his head and stared unblinkingly at Lilith. In that moment, beneath the dark hood, the two completely disparate eyes—the bestial and the human—projected the exact same perfectly synchronized emotion: predatory anticipation and beguiling temptation.

As for Lilith’s peerless, unmatched beauty? It didn’t even register in his gaze.