Emperor's new. Emperor hirohito. Emperor theme. Emperor justinian. Emperor nero. Emperor forneus. Emperor's new groove. Author note: The Cryopod to Hell is a Reddit-exclusive story with over three years of editing and refining. As of this post, the total rewrite is 199 parts long and 834, 000+ words. For more information, check out the link below: What is the Cryopod to Hell? Official Discord Server. Support me on Patreon! Every dollar helps, and you get access to lots of art and other cool stuff! Want to read the whole story without waiting? Click here. It's free! I will be reposting the full story on HFY until I've caught up with the current timeline. During that period, I will update the reposted parts to edit them more cohesively, as well. Once I catch up, new parts will be posted on HFY and RedditSerials, alongside my main subreddit as they become available. Thank you for reading, and enjoy.................................... ( Previous Part) ( Part 001)... Recommended Listening The prattling and babbling of the women in my life often seems neverending. If it isn't the she-ogre following me around and fawning after me with a vile look in her eyes, it's the she-devil who stands a little too close to me for my liking as we travel the Labyrinth's halls. Ose, the newest Emperor, and a royal pain in my neck, matches my pace as I head down one of the near-infinite corridors littered throughout the Labyrinth. Like me, her elevated position is a recent gain, given how Bael promoted us at the same time. However, while I defeated Agares in a terrific upset of the ages, Ose did little to earn her title. I can't help but feel jealousy burning in my chest. The white-haired demoness glances at me for a moment before looking away. Then she does it again. Revulsion boils up in my stomach, and I shoot a glare at her. "Stop staring. You're giving me the same look Rosalia does. It's disgusting. " Immediately, she averts her gaze and stares at the floor. "S-sorry. My apologies. " We continue walking in silence. The Basilisk dens appear in our sights, and a distinct sensation of annoyance washes over me. Ose is a stunningly gorgeous woman, even compared to the beauty of Belial, one of the most fawned-after succubi. I might rank Ose as the most physically attractive specimen the demons have to offer. A high compliment, given how I go out of my way to avoid women every day. No matter how pretty they seem, I despise their vapid thoughts, their constant need to maintain appearances, and all the other traits their gender shares. Despite her ravishing good looks, I feel nothing toward this snake leading my people. She isn't my type. Perhaps it's her hair or the way she carries herself. Bah, who am I kidding? It's her personality. She walks around like a queen and looks down on others beneath her ? an admirable trait in a male, but repulsive in the opposite sex. Women belong at the feet of men, licking their boots, among other things. My ideal mate is a woman who flatters me at every opportunity, perhaps someone who treats me as though I were the highest authority to walk the twelve planes of the physical universe. Sadly, few women have such a personality. Ose, naturally, acts worse than many other beautiful demonesses. She sees me as little more than a tool ? a disposable item to be used and tossed aside. I'm nobody's fool. If she wants me to play a role, so be it. When the time comes, my allegiance will never be to any woman, for I am- "Beelzebub? Are you alright? You haven't said anything for several minutes. " Ose's voice interrupts my thoughts. I stop myself from sighing. "Yes, I'm fine. Silence is the breeding ground for brilliance. Surely, one as accomplished as you knows that much. " A nod. "Of course. I was merely making conversation. " Silence follows. Ose's high heels click against the ground as the dirt surfaces of the Labyrinth give way to a texture more akin to stone. Glowing rocks appear in the ceiling above, lighting the way. We're entering the Basilisk caves. Ose speaks again. "I've heard that you, erm, spend a lot of time with Artorias. Has Barbatos shown any signs of resurfacing? " At least she's making small talk about things other than makeup and emotions. "Barbatos is as silent as Diablo. Uriel hasn't spoken to Artorias, either. He's in sole control of his body. Even Uriel's holy energy seems to have receded over the last few years. " "That's wonderful. I've been busy developing the structure for Operation Stormbringer. Artorias will be an essential part of my ultimate plan to defeat humanity. Would you mind telling me a bit about his current state? I haven't had time to speak with him at length. " The Basilisk cave's glowing gems continue to brighten as we walk. Soon, I can see into the distance as easily as if it were daylight outside. The ceiling crystals, reliant on the ambient magical power of the nearest monsters and demons, glow most brightly when nearby denizens cluster together in tightly-knit groups. The hallway expands outward, and soon we enter a series of large interconnected rooms, each with puddles of water splashed across the floor. A glance to the left and the right reveals massive creatures swimming under the glowing blue lakes, each aquatic monster big enough to swallow ten demons of my stature whole. However, the long, snake-like creatures, while aggressive and territorial, know better than to attack a Duke or Emperor. A hapless orc or grunt on the other hand... Well, some demons are too stupid to stay away from dangerous areas. It's better they die quickly. I tilt my head in Ose's direction. "Operation Stormbringer. Will you finish the plans for it soon? " "Within the month. Mephisto is still locating bodies to revive, but our first attack waves should easily overwhelm the human's defenses. " I pause my walking to stare at the noble creatures swimming in one of the nearby lakes. The crystal-clear water allows me to gaze at their blackened bodies in all their majesty. One of the Basilisks spins around underwater and stops to evaluate me. After a moment, it turns away, seemingly thinking to itself, perhaps these two are not a meal worth dying over. "Easily? You sound confident. Need I remind you of the Wordsmith? He obliterated a star with a single word. Whatever defenses he conjures will be beyond the scope of your science and experiments. " "Possibly. However, I've been keeping an eye on him for a while. Do you know what my magical repertoire includes? " "No. " "I can project my body astrally. Using this technique, I have surveyed the humans for the past six years. " "That might be useful, I suppose. What did you discover? " Ose stares at the side of my head for a moment. I feel her eyes burning a hole in my ear, so I tear my gaze away from the Basilisks. "Beelzebub, can I trust you? " Her question catches me off-guard. "What? No. I'm the least trustworthy demon you'll ever meet. I'll stab you in the back the first chance I get. " "Perfect. We're quite alike, in that regard. " A question forms in my mind. I wonder whether Ose or Rosalia is the more aggravating woman? "I just told you I wasn't trustworthy. Whatever you want to tell me, you should know I'll use it against you at the first possible-" My throat suddenly catches, and I stifle a cough ? fire flares from my nostrils. "Kah!! Kah, kah! " It takes me a moment to regain my breath. "-the first possible opportunity. " Ose cocks her head. "Are you alright? " "Couldn't be better. " "Ever since you ignited yourself, I've heard you had issues with your abilities. Are they going to present a recurring problem, or-" "I said I'm fine. " I snap at her, putting a tinge of venom in my voice. "Don't question my capabilities. Didn't I wipe out an entire squad of those pesky armored humans a few months ago? " Ose lowers her eyes. "I only want to be certain your condition is stable. If you say it is, I won't pester you. " "Damn right, you won't. " I continue walking forward, and it takes Ose a second to start walking after me. I decide to change the subject. "Tell me more about Vepar's attack. You wanted to capture the Wordsmith. Why did the ambush fail? " "Vepar claimed it was because the Sphinx showed up. The troublesome lizard-lion-eagle monster put up quite a fight and forced her to retreat. " I snort fire. "Hmpf. Kar, right? I fought him when I first became a Baron. I would have defeated him if Belial hadn't jumped in from out of nowhere. How could he best a seasoned Baron like Vepar? " Ose raises an eyebrow. "I don't remember hearing about Belial's intervention. " "Must have slipped my mind. " "Mmm. Well, Vepar didn't face him alone, but also a squad of armored troops. I only managed to create one Nanite Destabilizer, and its charges were limited. She drained it on the Wordsmith to bypass his air filters. " The exit to the Basilisk den draws near as we continue walking forward. I rub my chin. "For such an essential operation, why send a Baron? You should have gone yourself. " Ose's voice lowers. "In hindsight, you are correct. However, Vepar has never failed me before. Doing so now taught me an important lesson. " "And that would be? " "I need demons I can trust. At the least, I need ones who perform. " A smirk crosses my face. "I already told you I wasn't trustworthy. " The Third Emperor closes her eyes and flips her hair gracefully. "Of course, and I appreciate your honesty. What I need to know is whether you'll fulfill the latter requirement. " "I always win. That's why I'm the first demon to become Duke since the conclusion of the Energy Wars. " "Didn't you lose to the Sphinx and the Wordsmith? " "Tactical retreats. " "Of course. Haha! " Ose chuckles. I force a smile as well, though her gentle ribbing touches on something of a sore spot for me. "A few mild defeats from when I first ascended. I'm not the demon I once was. I've crushed the humans several times now. They know to avoid Dukes because of my efforts. " Ose nods cordially and tou