Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 558 - 511 Limited Force

The Liches’ attitude toward the Modified Mechanical Demons was one of novelty and playfulness. Shiny had already crawled right under the Chain Sword, squatting to admire those mechanical joints like steel guns, the glowing saw teeth driven by the wind causing the scales on his head to flatten. If the Modified Demon wasn’t careful, the chain saw could easily sink into his skull.

It wasn’t just Shiny; after a brief initial surprise, Lyle quickly regained his composure. Though the demons looked fierce and the roaring engines were indeed impressive, their Magic Power aura was relatively weak, which to Lyle felt less threatening than that of a robust Demon of the common class.

"They don’t seem very powerful," Lyle honestly expressed his opinion, and Fema, in charge of these projects, was not angered by his words.

"The body of the Demon Race far surpasses that of steel, that is an undisputed fact. To Lord Lyle, of course, they are not strong. Their original form belongs to the lower-middle class of the Demon Race. The mechanical modification plan is but a project to assist the weak, raising the lower limit of demons’ strength. It can’t enhance the combat abilities of high-ranking demons and has little effect on strengthening the race as a whole."

"Then why push for this not-so-useful project? Isn’t the Demon Race obsessed with strength?"

"To solve the civil issues of our demons," Fema Black Abyss pulled out parchment and led Lyle to her workstation, at a juncture on the ground marked by Hell’s Nail. The Black Abyss Princess began to register the demons’ information and answered Lyle’s questions with calm and undisturbed dual attention. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"During my days in the City of Wandering, I focused on studying the largest race in this world—humans. They are different from us; they reach out to help the weak. No human nation is established without a few elite leaders of wisdom and valor, nor without the majority of ordinary, frail individuals. The weak build the walls and feed the warriors’ horses. The nation’s strength is supported by the weak gathered under the leaders—a kind of strength that hellish creatures predicated on the survival of the fittest cannot understand."

Fema’s eyes seemed to light up.

"Learning from the strength of humans, I, Fema Black Abyss, have decided to give my weak subjects a chance, an opportunity for inner rebirth. Although to my brother, it seems more like the whimsical fantasy of an odd sister." No one would have imagined that years later, this Black Abyss Princess, who understood the power of the people, would lead her army of the weak in a shocking war of conquest in Hell, becoming a new Grand Duke of the Black Abyss Demon Race.

The future formidable demoness was currently holding a Ram’s Horn Pen, performing the final inspection on the newly modified demons.

A new towering Mechanical Demon lowered its head in respect, then straightened its bent mechanical legs after the courtesy.

"Hell above, Princess Fema..." The demon, looking up reverently, noticed the Western suit on Fema.

"Princess..."

"What is it? You seem to be holding something back—this is not typical of the Demon Race," Fema lifted her head, gazing up at the basketball-sized head mounted on top of the metallic lump.

"That outfit looks terrible; it makes you look so weak, Princess Fema."

Crack— the Ram’s Horn Pen was crushed, a pen specially made for demons, soaked in the magma of Hell and crafted from black ram’s horn.

Fema Black Abyss’s pupils widened, her gaze intensifying on the Mechanical Demon’s face like a spotlight, a terrifying aura coalescing around her. Dark Magic Power surged from the collar and sleeves of her suit, the metal beneath her feet began to crack, and the Hell’s Nail oozed with black and red miasma, suppressing Fema’s power.

"You blind insect—you really dare to say that~" Fema, on the brink of rage, was terrifying, as if she might twist the Mechanical Demon’s head off in the next moment.

"Your modification results are a bit weak, but still passable. Go back to Hell."

Fema’s anger, like a summer downpour, lasted only a brief moment. In other words, even the supremely self-controlled Demon Race eventually obeyed reason, as Fema, turning a new Ram’s Horn Pen, branded the sheepskin with a mark and smiled while controlling Hell’s Nail to open the Hell Portal.

"Go home, start your new life, Mechanical Demon."

The Mechanical Demon clan, which had narrowly escaped by luck, trudged its heavy mechanical legs into the portal leading to Hell.

"How tender of you, Fema. I thought you would seek some revenge because of the suit, but unexpectedly, you chose to be generous."

But Fema looked at the next Mechanical Demon with a cold laugh.

"Tender? Showing them mercy is the highest cruelty. That idiot’s mechanical modifications are far below the Demon Race’s average. It means that upon returning to Hell, he will still be the one bullied by others. Continuously enduring a state of powerlessness, that is my revenge."

The work that Fema was doing at that time, the main task of an inspector, was to assess the results of the Mechanical Demons’ modifications, allowing those who met the standards to return to Hell.

"Too weak, go back and tell No. 4266 to redesign your modification plan." Two demon guards approached the inadequate Mechanical Demon and, amid its terrified screams, disassembled it; its mechanical parts were discarded, and its barely alive remains were hurled back through the Hell Portal into the magma, where the powers of Hell would help this unfortunate rebuild its original form, then face another round of mechanical modifications.

"Not stable enough, the mechanical parts have overly affected your sanity." Fema reached out and crushed the metal creature’s head, a strand of black-and-red soul absorbed by Hell’s Nail. The original body was beyond repair. This demon’s new life would need more time, but the next mechanical modification owed to him as a soul-binding contract was still inscribed within his soul—a promise etched into the soul.

A long line formed before Fema Black Abyss, making her increasingly busy.

Lyle nodded to the working female demon and, with their curiosity satisfied, the Hand of Society trio left the Demon Race’s modification zone.

"The Mechanical Devine Sect doesn’t seem all that impressive." Shiny crossed his hands behind his head, following behind Lyle.

"They manufacture simple merchandise, using those novel technologies."

"And even the biological modifications aren’t particularly powerful."

"Although the metal feel is quite pleasant, it must be said. The Mechanical Devine Sect seems to be merely conducting experiments similar to those of Andrey, like a weakened version of us, a weakened version of the Necromancers’ Hand of Society. At least our Spirit summoning creations can flee on their own, instead of us having to flip a switch to show a certain degree of ’intelligence’."

"Plague Doctor, I highly doubt that the Mechanical Devine Sect, with only this level of research, can provide the incredible creator codes promised by Mr. Delusional, considering the technological prowess they’ve displayed is so feeble."

Lyle was about to speak, perhaps suggesting they were hiding something, when an abrupt voice interrupted them.

"That’s because this world, this era, is restricting us. Our technological prowess is limited, more profound scientific achievements cannot be ’rationally’ expressed."