Chapter 147: A Devil’s Bargain

Mad Hatter felt the weight on his body and legs multiply severalfold in an instant. Involuntarily, he bent his knees slightly, lowering his stance.

The amplified gravity caused his blood to rush downwards, dimming his vision and inducing a wave of dizziness.

The gravity field had clearly taken effect, yet it was Eve who expressed surprise.

“Damn it! He’s still standing!?”

An Elementalist’s gravity field wasn’t particularly potent, typically only adding two to three times the normal weight to a target. While insufficient as an offensive spell, it served well as a means of restraint.

However, after Kleiman’s reinforcement, her gravity field now reached the level of a Fifth-Tier Grand Archmage. It imposed six to seven times the normal weight, an amount that, if applied suddenly, could easily shatter a common person’s legs!

Yet, Mad Hatter, who had already reached the Apostle-tier, was not merely adorned with a demonic carapace. His entire body had been transformed into a monster, thoroughly permeated by the power of the Abyss. His seemingly slender frame possessed the resilience of a calamity-grade magical beast.

Eve swiftly began to summon the fire elements she specialized in. Although the gravity field hadn’t inflicted damage, it was sufficient to restrict Mad Hatter’s movements. At this moment, her opponent had no way to evade the flames she was conjuring!

Mad Hatter raised a hand and swiped it through the air. Corrosive flames flickered between the fingers of his demonic claw, transforming into a long whip that lashed out at the two.

In his demonized state, a Sixth-Tier or higher Demon could forge corrosive flames into weapons. These weapons naturally carried the potent ‘venom’ extracted from the corrosive flames, not only enhancing their power but also allowing them to pierce ordinary armor!

“Imprisonment!”

Kleiman promptly cast his ability, ‘Punishment of Imprisonment,’ summoning a translucent cage that enveloped Mad Hatter.

The fiery whip struck the boundaries of the cage, and in an instant, cracks appeared. Under the corrosive power of an Abyss Lord, this cage would not withstand many more blows.

Nevertheless, as a defensive measure to buy time, it was more than sufficient.

Eve conjured flames in her hand, pointing them at Mad Hatter. Even a body as tough as a magical beast’s could not endure the scorching, extreme heat within the sealed cage.

However, Mad Hatter suddenly let out a maniacal laugh and shouted, “He who plays with fire shall be burned!”

A Devil’s ‘Disorderly Veto’ could affect each target once within a short duration.

Eve gasped, feeling a clear sense of her summoned elements detaching from her will!

She tried to retract her ability, but it was too late. The flames surged violently in her hand, not towards Mad Hatter, but towards herself!!

Against the Fourth-Tier Kleiman, Mad Hatter could only slightly modify the rules, allowing Alice and her companions to exploit a loophole and escape.

But against Eve, with nearly three tiers of suppression, he could directly cause her ability to spiral out of control! Even without the interference of the Abyssal Gate, he had no reason to fear a mere Elementalist!

Eve shrieked, feeling the searing pain on her arm as the flames continued to spread up her body. In a moment of desperation, Kleiman pointed at Eve.

“Exile!”

Eve vanished from the scene, leaving behind only flames that, with nothing left to burn, dissipated into sparks in mid-air.

A Fourth-Tier ‘Executor’ could use ‘Punishment of Exile’ to banish targets no higher than their own tier from the current space. This ability inflicted no damage or interference on the target, and upon the exile’s duration ending, the target would return to their original position unharmed. The length of exile depended on the caster’s tier.

This method allowed Eve to escape the danger of being consumed by her own flames.

With Eve’s disappearance, the gravity field binding Mad Hatter also vanished. He stretched his demonic body, which had grown to nearly two meters tall, and repeatedly swung the flaming whip, shattering the cage that enveloped him.

“You’re quite good to your subordinates,” Mad Hatter said with a strange laugh as he approached Kleiman.

“She is my favorite girl. If she were to die, I would lose much, much enjoyment,” Kleiman replied, hands behind his back, looking up at Mad Hatter.

“I think you should worry more about yourself. Dead men enjoy nothing,” Mad Hatter flicked his wrist. The fiery whip changed form, transforming into a massive, flaming broadsword that he raised high, with Kleiman now within his attack range.

He had little time left before his sanity slipped, but his mission was complete. Alice and the others should have escaped the plaza, and these Inquisitors could not stop him from leaving.

He simply needed to take some precautionary measures to prevent them from quickly organizing further pursuit. Eliminating the commander seemed like a good choice.

At that moment, Kleiman suddenly summoned a cage, enclosing both himself and Mad Hatter.

“Are you planning to cage fight me to the death? How brave,” Mad Hatter cackled.

“No, no, quite the opposite.” Prince Kleiman raised his hand. “The outcome is decided. I surrender, Mr. Mad Devil. Rest assured, I will not be so foolish as to organize a pursuit. You and your people can leave safely. Please spare my life.”

“Oh?” Mad Hatter raised an eyebrow beneath his mask, a hint of surprise in his voice. “That’s quite unlike an Inquisitor.”

“Indeed, I am somewhat different from ordinary Inquisitors. I have a prominent virtue: I know how to adapt to circumstances,” Prince Kleiman replied. “This also benefits you. If you were to try and capture me, I would have no choice but to fight to the death.”

“Though there’s a gap between my strength and yours, I could still stall you for a while, I imagine. I presume you’re in a hurry?”

“Interesting. You’re more likable than that Grand Inquisitor,” Mad Hatter commented with a smile. “Provided, of course, that you’re not foolish enough to try and trick me.”

“With your contract, Mr. Mad Devil. I know Devils possess such abilities,” Kleiman proactively offered the condition of using a Devil’s contract.

“According to the Church, engaging in a Devil’s contract is a sign of damnation,” Mad Hatter laughed heartily. “Isn’t that rather inappropriate for an Inquisitor?”

“It’s merely an ability of the blessed. I, of course, know better than you what the Church’s pronouncements are for,” Kleiman shrugged.

“If other Inquisitors saw this, you’d be finished, you know,” Mad Hatter warned.

“Everything within this cage is neither seen nor heard by those outside. Otherwise, why do you think I summoned this?” Prince Kleiman replied calmly.

“Hahaha, you’re truly excellent! I’m actually starting to like you, kid,” Mad Hatter roared with laughter.

Mad Hatter realized that this Inquisitor had never intended to win against him from the very beginning. Kleiman had never gone all out. Every offensive move had been initiated by Eve, while he merely hid behind her, simultaneously probing Mad Hatter’s strength and focusing on ensuring his and Eve’s safety.