The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

The commands are concise and clear.

Sita bowed and accepted the order: "Yes!" She immediately began arranging for the servants to set up defenses. Although Aita was somewhat eager to try, she obediently nodded: "I know, meow. Lord Shadow, please be careful too."

Gray turned away without another word, leaving behind the desolate yet magnificent Silent Royal Court, and all the worried and trusting gazes.

Alone, he trudged through the cold, seemingly absorbent ground, deeper and deeper into the core region where the call was strongest.

Within the royal court, all was silent, except for his presence, which was the only variable in this absolute stillness.

Opening the map in the Demon King's legacy in his mind, Gray noticed that he was already in a "red cross".

It seems we found the right "red cross" this time, and there won't be any nesting doll-like situations.

What he was looking for was right here.

Although he didn't know what this thing was or how it could help him.

However, Gray, who has no clue how to break the deadlock so far, must also grasp at this lifeline, even if he doesn't know if it's reliable or where the tide will carry him after it breaks.

The barrier's light curtain completely closed behind him, completely isolating him from the outside noise, the light mist, and even the presence of his companions.

Gray stood alone within the eternally silent Demon King's castle.

The air seemed to freeze, heavy and still. The temperature dropped noticeably, and a bone-chilling cold spread, not just a simple low temperature, but more like the chill brought on by the absolute nothingness left after life force had been completely drained.

Beneath his feet was a street wide enough for a giant beast to pass through. The paving material was the same as the outer walls—a dark substance that absorbed light and sound, making his footsteps sound as if swallowed by a black hole, a silence that was unsettling.

He moved forward slowly, his mental energy like the finest probe, sweeping over the towering, jagged buildings on both sides. However, the restrictions within the secret realm... the restrictions on his mental energy that had existed since he arrived in the desert, continued even after he entered this place.

Although these buildings share a unified style, they function differently. Some are towering structures with surfaces covered in countless tiny holes, resembling some kind of large-scale energy conduction or absorption device.

There are vast halls with complex internal structures, resembling a maze. The remaining traces of energy suggest that this place was once a site for important ceremonies or council meetings.

There are also many strangely shaped facilities covered with interfaces and grooves, the purpose of which is difficult to discern even with the Shadow Master's knowledge, but they all reveal the superb magical skills and powerful strength of the ancient demon race.

The deeper he went, the more certain he became.

This is no ordinary demon stronghold or refuge. Its grand scale, meticulous planning, and the high level of technology and power embodied in its architecture clearly indicate that it is a fully functional demon king's castle, built for rule and war.

An ancient, desolate city, perfectly preserved and now utterly silent!

Along the streets, one can occasionally see scattered remnants of machinery that have long since lost their power, or faded and broken magic crystals embedded in the walls. They are like frozen moments of history, silently telling of the past bustle and power, which only serves to highlight the eternal silence of the present.

There were no signs of battle, no chaos of impending disaster. Everything seemed to have been brought to a standstill at some point and then sealed away forever.

That call from his very blood became as clear as a whisper in his ear in this absolutely silent environment.

It no longer merely pointed the way; it generated a mysterious, ineffable intuition, as if an invisible map was slowly unfolding in his consciousness, marking the optimal path, bypassing meaningless side roads and empty squares, and pointing directly to the city's most central and hidden location.

He followed his intuition and quickened his pace slightly. He walked through one silent street after another, crossed one magnificent but empty bridge after another, and finally stopped in front of a huge, relatively flat, dark wall.

The guidance of intuition becomes exceptionally strong here, pointing clearly to the wall itself.

Gray stared intently at the wall. The wall was made of the same material as the rest of the wall—smooth and cold—without any obvious doors or markings.

However, in his perception, there was an extremely subtle energy node here that was perfectly integrated with the surrounding space.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly placed his hand on the cold wall.

No defense mechanisms were triggered. The faint, ancient sound of machinery churning emanated from within the walls.

Immediately afterwards, the dark material in the area where his palm was pressed rippled like water, then silently caved in and slid in, revealing a deep, downward-sloping passage that could only accommodate one person at a time.

The passage was completely dark, so deep it seemed to lead to the earth's core, and an ancient, pure, yet unsettling aura emanated from it.

The call of his bloodline reached its peak at this moment, crashing into his senses like a tsunami, the source of which was right beneath this passage!

Without hesitation, almost without a moment's pause for thought, the way the passage appeared, the precision with which it was hidden, and the call to its zenith all confirmed that this was the path he was searching for.

Gray strode forward, his pace even quicker than before, and stepped into the deep darkness without hesitation.

After his figure completely disappeared, the wall behind him silently slid back into place, sealing perfectly, as if it had never been opened.

The passage led him downwards, leading him to the ultimate secret of this desolate royal city.

Inside the passage was a darkness far denser and more absolute than the outside world. It was a tangible gloom that could devour all light; an ordinary creature placed within it would likely be unable to see even its own finger, and would quickly descend into madness in this extreme silence that deprived the five senses.

However, this was not an obstacle for Gray. His special perception, which did not rely on ordinary light, acted like the most sophisticated dark scanner, clearly outlining the scene inside the passage.

What you see is not a colorful spectacle, but a clear picture composed of countless shades of gray and cool-toned outlines of flowing energy.

The walls of the passage were smooth as a mirror, still made of the same dark material that could absorb all energy and sound, making it even quieter than the Deadly Court outside. It was so quiet that you could hear the low hum of your own blood flowing through your veins, and the increasingly clear and urgent call from the very source of your soul.

The passage descends steadily, its gentle slope extending relentlessly into the depths of the earth. Apart from this seemingly endless downward path and the smooth, cold walls on either side, there is nothing else.