System's POV - Chapter 1433: I Do Not Prepare To Lose

Chapter 1433: I Do Not Prepare To Lose

Zaphiel frowned as he observed the artifact he especially acquired to help him track the location of the keys.

These seven divine keys were all needed to open Pandora’s Treasury.

They had collected three so far. Four more, and the set would be complete.

If Wormwood hadn’t interfered with their plans, the Key of Sloth would already be in their hands, and they’d have one less thing to worry about.

Taking the key from the Plague Bearer would’ve been troublesome but not impossible. Unfortunately, Forneus, Dantanian, and Mammon joined the fray, complicating the situation and allowing Wormwood to flee with the key.

’I can see the two keys,’ Zaphiel thought. ’But the other two keys are missing. Are they not in the main continent?’

He had already flown far out into the sea to check on the other locations where the other keys were supposed to be, namely the Fortunate Isles and the Island of Aeaea.

But when he checked, the artifact had shown negative results. That said, he didn’t bother dropping down to check these islands, believing it was a waste of his time.

Had he spent a bit more effort in his search and went down those islands for a few minutes, he would’ve found Thirteen and Forneus converting the Fortunate Isles into the ideal battleground for their final showdown.

Zaphiel had always prioritized efficiency above all else, so he missed the chance to get the upper hand.

He was also not stupid.

Since the location of the two keys were constantly moving at an incredible pace, it only meant one thing.

“Dantanian has two keys in his possession,” Zaphiel muttered.

The conclusion was obvious.

Only the Fiend of Many Faces could move at such speeds without pause.

“And he is trying to lure us into chasing him,” Pharzuph commented. He was quite certain that the Fiend of Many Faces planned to take them on a wild good chase.

Belial, who stood a few paces behind him, frowned. “I really hate that guy. But are we not pursuing him?”

“No.” Zaphiel’s answer was immediate. “Dantanian thrives on mobility. If we pursue recklessly, he will drag us across the continent until our forces are exhausted.”

Pharzuph crossed his arms. “Then what’s your plan?”

The Celestial who controlled the armies of Heaven glanced at the crystal ball on the palm of his hand, which he relied on to track down Dantanian’s current location.

“I know time will come when we once again clash against the Fiends,” Zaphiel said calmly. “So I prepared several artifacts that will effectively counter them. I have a way to deal with Dantanian.

“Our goal is to trap him and prevent him from moving. To do that, we must first take control of the center of the continent. Once we plant the artifacts, Dantanian wouldn’t be able to use his ability to travel at great speeds.”

“We will slowly advance to his location and plant more of these artifacts until we have him cornered. By then, even if he were to cry, he can no longer escape our grasp.”

Zaphiel’s pupils glowed in a golden color, and a sneer appeared on his face. Deep down, he was glad that his collaborators had given him the artifacts that would defeat those who were trying to get in his way.

The Celestials and the Fiends weren’t really enemies.

They just happen to think differently and have different values.

In fact, Zaphiel didn’t wish to fight any of them, believing that the Fiends could help him realize his dream.

That dream was to be free from the cage called Solterra, allowing them to travel to other worlds.

The sense of conquest that Zaphiel had felt after realizing that the very thing that was stopping them from doing what he wanted were the seals that caged their world from the outside.

In order to do that, he would need to get the Divine Artifact located inside Pandora’s Treasury.

Once he acquired that, nothing would be able to stand against his way. This included their “Eldest” as well as any other bastard, who had the power to defeat a Celestial or Fiend in battle.

“So what are we waiting for?” Belial arched an eyebrow. “The sooner we catch Dantanian, the closer we get to our goal.”

“Although I’m a little concerned why the other two keys aren’t being picked up by that artifact, that is a worry that we can worry about after we secure the two active keys first,” Pharzuph stated. “Maybe we will learn something from Dantanian once we torture him a bit. I think that guy is not used to pain.”

Zaphiel nodded in agreement. “Very well. We will first focus on Dantanian. Everything else will be put on hold until we secure the two keys in his possession.”

Belial, and Pharzuph nodded in agreement.

They had their armies at their beck and call, so they wouldn’t need to personally help in creating the net that would catch the Fiend with Many Faces.

The Celestial that commands the Army of Heaven extended his hand. A golden ring materialized in midair, followed by hundreds of metallic stakes inscribed with radiant runes. Each one hummed with Zaphiel’s authority.

“These are Anchor Pillars,” Zaphiel explained. “Once embedded into the ground, they will distort spatial flow within a hundred-mile radius. Dantanian’s long strides will shorten. His leaps will falter.”

Belial let out a low whistle. “You really prepared well.”

“I do not prepare to lose,” Zaphiel replied flatly.

Several days later, streaks of golden light shot across the skies of Solterra.

Angels descended in organized formations, planting the radiant pillars into mountains, plains, forests, and cities alike.

Wherever the pillars were placed, space subtly warped.

Invisible ripples spread outward.

A net to capture the fastest Fiend in Solterra was slowly but surely coming to life.

This would not be an easy feat, but Zaphiel was determined to see it through until the end.

He had already negotiated with both Fiends and Celestials, and right now, the only ones trying to get in his way were Dantanian, Forneus, and Wormwood.

Zaphiel had visited Mammon’s City and had come to an agreement with the Fiend of Greed. The latter wouldn’t help them fight against his colleagues or share any information about them.

However, he was willing to sell resources to Zaphiel’s army like a true merchant who prioritized profit even during wartime.