The Devil’s Cage

Something wasn’t right!

It was too easy for Darde the Titan to be victorious in this battle!

Other than that, Ansecord was too reckless as well!

It didn’t fit the image in Kieran’s mind of him at all.

That’s right!

According to Otto’s previous confession, because of engaging Darde and preventing him from reaching Dawn City, Ancecord has suffered a great loss. Due to this loss, Ancecord should have gone with the “bait and distract” method, similar to a lizard cutting off its tail to distract enemies similar to his previous arrangements in Supreme Road and now taking great risk in diving into Darde’s shadow.

Even more so when Darde had a precise understanding of Ancecord’s skill. It wasn’t taking a risk anymore but beingsuicidal!

On top of that…

‘The lord seemed to be angry yet had scruples about something, he didn’t make a move himself’

Kieran didn’t forget this particular phrase from Otto.

“He had scruples before but not now? Is it just because Darde the Titan haf stepped onto his turf? That shouldn’t be it. Ancecord had lost a great deal of manpower, what else would he lose if he continued to bait and distract? Besides, what loss was greater than his own life? Unless…”

Just as Kieran was deep in thought, a ball of blazing fire was charging towards Darde the Titan.

The sulfuric smell filled the entire Dawn City almost instantaneously, making the people feel like they were beside a volcano.

The familiar smell, the familiar feeling of bloodline…

Dong, Dong Dong!

Kieran’s heartbeat increased uncontrollably.

The Devil Force rose up in Kieran’s body in reaction to the smell and feel.

Huuu!

The furniture and the walls of the room were engulfed by the devil flame.

Amidst the blazing room, the devil’s mirage quietly appeared behind Kieran.

It looked up with an arrogant gaze at the flying ball of fire. In the deepest part of the devil’s soul, a terrifying battle roar exploded.

For the devil, the same kind didn’t mean friendly and close bloodline didn’t mean kinship.

Most of the time, when the same kind with close bloodlines appeared, it only meant… battle!

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Whispers sounded in Kieran’s ears.

It was alluring yet blazing around as if whenever one heard the whisper, they could own everything.

But, Kieran was not moved.

Compared to the cardinal sins, the devil’s temptation was incomparable.

Kieran stood there with a calm face as he watched the ball of blazing fire crashing onto Darde’s head.

The ball of flame exploded upon contact and revealed a figure from within.

The figure pressed Darde on the ground hard before lifting him up high in the air.

Then…

BOOM!

A blazing flame pillar sprung up to the sky.

Darde’s defensive energy field was shattered upon contact, even his powerful body was burned heavily by the slightest touch of the fire.

The power from the fiery blast didn’t just burn Darde’s skin, it even tore the flesh apart, crushed his bones and damaging his organs but Darde didn’t die from that.

The Titan’s bloodline granted Darde outrageous lifeforce, thus keeping him alive and maintaining his consciousness.

Therefore, Darde saw the flames that gathering on the Burning Marquis’ hand, the flames looked as if they could absorb and devour light like a black hole as it took form.

Instantaneously, Darde who was lifted up in the sky felt threat to his life.

“How is this possible?!” Darde shouted.

Then when the black hole-like flame was hurled towards Darde, his body shrunk rapidly.

The shrinking of his body allowed Darde to avoid damaging his weak spots but the black hole flame still grazed him.

It was just a graze passing by his body yet a small portion of his body vanished without a sign.

Vapourized?

No!

It was consumed!

The black flames then emanated a frenzied laugh, entering Darde’s ears. It sent Darde directly into a “Fear” state and the black flame just consumed his body without resistance.

The burning went on until Darde was burned to ashes.

Everyone in Dawn City was overwhelmed by the scene; everyone’s jaw dropped.

They couldn’t believe the Titan that seemed invincible before was killed that easily yet the smell of burnt flesh told them it was really happening.

“H-How is this possible?!”

The Imperials nobles were all terrorized, scared, and felt reverence towards the blazing figure in the sky.

They never thought the Burning Marquis would this powerful.

Whenever they thought about the despicable deeds they did in the past, the two princes and the nobles couldn’t help but feel even more frightened.

Kieran, however, didn’t even flinch as he watched the scene.

Burning Marquis’ outrageous power did not exceed his expectations, or in other words, it was because of the Burning Marquis’ power that his guesses were proven correct.

“Ancecord?”

Kieran muttered the name of the dead player he’d never met before. He curled up the corner of his mouth and showed a mysterious smirk.

Even more so when he didn’t receive the notification of Darde the Titan’s death, his smile felt more at ease.

“Everything is starting to make sense. Now then… let’s see who is faster!”

With mutters in his heart, Kieran jumped out of the window and merged into the shadows before leaving the place swiftly.

Although when the Devil Force in his body was triggered by the Burning Marquis’ appearance, he knew he wouldn’t have fooled the Burning Marquis’ senses.

However, it didn’t mean he would appear out in the public just like that.

Kieran sprinted all the way to the premises of Burning Marquis’ mansion before he stopped.

The moment Kieran stopped, a figure appeared before him instantaneously.

Even without the blazing flames as company, the scorching heat didn’t decrease one bit.

The red eyes of the figure were hotter than a real burning flame, a simple gaze from the figure would cause unrivaled pressure to descend on his target. The black long hair was over his shoulder, seemingly merged with the black colored mantle behind him.

When the wind blew, the black mantle revealed a dark red armor underneath with the devil family emblem faintly showing.

It was the Burning Marquis.

The sheer pressure from his aura would cause others to instinctively neglect his face and real age, one would even fall into a trance by looking at him.

Kieran glanced over the rapidly appearing Spirit authentication notifications and eventually landed his gaze on the Burning Marquis’ face which had wrinkles at the corner of his eyes.

Although the “background” stated both of them were father and son, they looked nothing alike.

The Burning Marquis’ face looked more handsome with a sense of strengthg and coldness; Kieran leaned more towards having a common face.

However, both their presence was strikingly similar, especially when their Devil Force was peaking, a sulfuric smell was spreading out between them both.

“You sensed that thing as well?” Burning Marquis asked coldly.

The cold tone didn’t treat Kieran as one of his blood kin.

Kieran, however, was relieved.

Before he arrived at Dawn City, he was afraid that he might run into a messy, dramatic situation but the attitude of Burning Marquis before him told Kieran that he was overthinking.

“Not just me,” Kieran answered.

Relieved, Kieran used his habitual calm tone to reply and it sounded similar to the Burning Marquis’ cold tone.

“Inheriting Burning Dawn… made you a little bolder.”

Burning Marquis squinted his eyes. His red eyes were shining in blinding brilliance as his devil power surged.

Wung!

An aura ten times more powerful was blasted at Kieran.

Roar!

The Devil Force in Kieran roared in dissatisfaction when it faced a provocation from a similar source.

This time though, Kieran did not hold it back anymore.

Kieran released the restrictions on his Devil Force.