The Devil’s Cage

Huha, huha.

Monte sprinted full speed across the palace with his hands dangling behind him.

This would be the first time he ran around the palace in such an ugly way. If he had a choice, he would never want to show this side of himself but… Prince Svenson was dead! In the hands of the Snake Sect Demon Hunter!

Until this very moment, Monte still dared not believe what he heard. His mind was blank, as white as paper with only a single sentence written on it, which was Edatine VI’s direct order: bring that Snake Sect Hunter to him!

With the order in mind, as the close vassal, Monte had to put in the extra effort.

When he ran back into the grand hall and saw the royal court agents confronting the Snake Sect Demon Hunters, Monte slightly heaved a breath of relief.

Still manageable! Still manageable! Things hadn’t gone completely south!

Monte couldn’t help but feel lucky in his heart, but when he saw Svenson’s body on the side, the luckiness in his heart flew far away, leaving him with swollen temples and a suffocating chest.

Monte was dizzy, as if he was punched in the face, stars swirling around his head and his body wobbling, falling to the floor.

The situation before his eyes was the worst!

What else could be worse than the situation before his eyes?

It would probably be the death of the king.

When the thought popped up in his mind, Monte shook his head quickly, discarding the disrespectful thought out of his mind.

He then breathed quickly and looked at the Snake Sect Demon Hunter.

The Demon Hunter stood there with a nonchalant look.

Behind him was the follower and the guard, who stood tightly to him. Especially the guard, his eyes viciously gazed over all the agents and palace guards who had them surrounded.

It seemed like with a single order from the Snake Sect Demon Hunter, the guard would throw himself towards the palace guards and agents, ripping them apart.

Of course, it also included the follower.

As a matter of fact, compared to the vicious looking guard, Monte was more concerned about the follower because of the two flintlock pistols in both of his hands.

It wasn’t the normal flintlock pistols but the upgraded version with a bigger muzzle, comparable to a cannon!

Damn it!

Where did he hide his weapons? Monte cursed deep down in his heart.

It was without a doubt that he had neglected his duty.

When he guided the three of them into the palace, he was the one who confiscated their weapons for safekeeping.

Now, a weapon for mass killing had appeared in the follower’s hands…

Monte couldn’t help but smile bitterly when he thought of the punishment that he could suffer.

Svenson’s death would surely drag a bunch of people with him and Monte didn’t want to be one of them.

So, he walked to the two groups confronting each other.

“Calm down, Duke Colin! Everyone calm down.”

Monte was loud as he tried to control the situation.

How could he escape his deadly fate?

It would be by carrying the king’s order to perfection and going the extra mile so that he could win mercy and get a pardon from the king!

As the close vassal of the king, regardless of his reputation outside the palace, his words had weight and served as a decent deterrent force. His appearance immediately eased up the tense agents of the king and the palace guards.

Although the agents and palace guards were undoubtedly elites of their ranks, they had never met a situation like this before.

The heir to the kingdom was murdered in the palace?

How ridiculous would it sound in people’s ears? Who would believe it?

No one could! Neither could they!

They were utterly lost when the murder happened before their eyes yet all they could do was report it to their superior and their superior passed the news to the higher ups.

Thankfully, Monte arrived! Everyone shifted their gaze at him.

Monte nodded slightly. The palace guards and king’s agent opened up a path for him, allowing him to walk up to Kieran.

“My duke,” Monte greeted Kieran with a bitter smile.

Things were far beyond redemption, but basic manners and etiquette must remain. It was not an old-fashioned thought, it was just that Monte didn’t have a death wish.

If he failed to carry out the king’s order, his fate would be sealed without a question.

If he voiced any disrespect to the Snake Sect Demon Hunter before his eyes, he would also be dead. Monte clear knew what the Demon Hunter was capable of.

Both going forward and retreating led him to a grim fate, the only way he could escape alive was to handle things with the utmost caution.

At that very moment, Monte felt helpless and pitiful.

‘If I can escape this alive, I will retire early! Even if I have to move to Mozaar, the outskirts of the north, I don’t want to spend another day in this place.’

Unknowingly, the decision was made in his mind and it seemed to calm Monte down.

“His Majesty summons you and wants to hear what you have to say about what you did,” Monte respectfully delivered the message.

At the same time, his mind was thinking about excuses to make the Demon Hunter go to Edatine VI.

Threats could not work, Demon Hunters were not afraid of threats.

Meaning his only way was to try to win empathy from the Demon Hunter.

Monte opened his mouth and started to beg pitifully.

“My dear duke, please pity…”

“Mm.”

“What? What did you say?”

Kieran nodded before Monte could even finish. It caught Monte off guard and the question came out intuitively.

“Lead the way,” said Kieran calmly.

“V-Very well. Please follow me.”

Monte had no idea why Kieran agreed to meet the king so straightforwardly. The mission that he deemed almost impossible was completed with such ease!

Borl also had no idea why Kieran agreed to meet the king, but he knew Kieran must have his reasons.

The Flaming Devil was not a rash and reckless person.

Therefore, Borl quickly followed when Kieran started to move; Aschen also followed his boss and his comrade.

The hunk from the outskirts bared his teeth at the palace guards and agents when he walked past them though. Aschen was a simple man, and because of his simple thoughts, he was able to tell who bore ill-intents and who were the bad guys.

These agents who hid in the shadows earlier were the bunch who bore ill-intents.

They only came out after things went out of hand and far beyond redemption.

When Svenson announced his presence, Aschen already knew he was the prince and heir to Edatine’s throne.

Yet the prince was murdered by his big boss and his big boss agreed to meet the king.

He wouldn’t assume Kieran was going to have a chat with the king, there must be a fierce fight coming.

‘The boss’ pistols can seize the upper hand against them. I’ll have to get to my weapon and clear out all the enemies as quickly as possible. We can’t go back the route we came from anymore, too many enemies. The only option is… jump off the cliff from either side?’

It was rare but Aschen started to think with his head.

The hunk’s presence then started to change. His killer intents sharpened his killer presence.

The secret agents of the king around him sharply noticed the change of presence, their gazes at the simple hunk becoming dangerous as well.

But at the next moment—

A freezing pressure froze their nerves from top to bottom.

A killer presence ten times, hundred times denser than Aschen’s befell them, as if they were drowned by the sea of blood and squashed by the mountains of body.

The pungent smell of blood tightened the king’s agent’s body, forcing the palace guards to stagger backwards, the other attendants falling limp on the ground.

Everyone intuitively looked at the origin of the powerful presence.

It was the back of a figure. It was dark and abysmal and it didn’t look back.

Footsteps sounded as the figure moved forward; it was the Snake Sect Demon Hunter!

Everyone else was stunned on the spot, especially the palace guards and king’s agents who had the thought of taking him down with the advantage of numbers, chills going down their spine and their hearts becoming cold.

The presence of a person wasn’t everything, but a powerful presence was enough to prove how powerful the person was, especially the bloodiest kind that felt like he had slaughtered millions!

‘This is a Demon Hunter?’

Everyone in the grand hall watched the figure walk away. Borl and Aschen were tightly behind.

Borl thought he must present himself decently since he came here as Kieran’s follower.

Therefore, before Borl left the grand hall, he turned around, crossed his hands with the pistols in front of his chest and bowed slightly.

It was considered manners and a popular one among the nobles.

Aschen saw his boss bow, so he would also follow.

Aschen did not perform the salutation of the nobles though, he did the one that people practised in Mozaar. The big hunk turned around with gnashing teeth, lifting his left hand and putting his thumb over his throat.

After the provocation, the big hunk habitually showed a vicious smile before he walked away, side by side with his boss and following his big boss’ footsteps.

One in front, two at the back.

After the trio left, breaths of relief sounded across the grand hall nervously.

It sounded like one’s heart was lifted to the throat, causing difficulties in breathing, and then suddenly heaved a breath of relief.

Such breath of relief wouldn’t be loud if there was only one, but when a group of people did it at the same time?

Monte could even hear the breaths after he walked out of the grand hall but he decided to turn a deaf ear, similar to how he turned a blind eye at the killer presence of the Snake Sect Demon Hunter and the “etiquette” of the follower and the guard.

All he had to do was bring the Snake Sect Demon Hunter to the small council room.

The rest was none of his concerns and not something he could handle.

As for the rest after that, he wouldn’t even want to spare a thought to think. He was just a small figure who carried out orders obediently. He begged to be pardoned from all kinds of ‘revenge’.

That’s right! Revenge!

Monte had already calmed down, his mind thinking about all the possibilities and he was able to make sure one thing: the Snake Sect Demon Hunter must have found out the despicable role that the king played in the Black Cataclysm, hence murdering the prince.

Otherwise, what else would have caused the Snake Sect Demon Hunter to murder His Highness Svenson?

Could it be the prince disturbed his eating and made his mood sour?

When the vassal of the king thought of what the royal court of Edatine did in the past and what the Demon Hunters had to go through, he couldn’t help but shudder uncontrollably.

Get to the bottom of this even if it cost them their lives!

There was no other possibility except this!

Monte was also afraid that not only this young Snake Sect Demon Hunter, but his friend and his teacher should have infiltrated Edatine’s palace quietly.

There would be a fierce battle coming their way!

‘ I hope his Majesty is prepared for this!’

The thought made Monte walk faster.

He kept having the feeling that someone was watching him from the shadows.

Therefore, he made up his mind to fake his death after he led the Snake Sect Demon Hunter into the council room.

Why not leave right away though?

He believed the Demon Hunters came prepared, attempts to escape would only lead to a quicker death.

The best choice would be find a secluded place and play dead.

Monte almost cried out loud when he thought of what would happen next. He was actually planning to escape to the outskirts with his years of saving but now, it seemed like being able to escape with his life was good enough.

‘PITY ME!’

Crying in his heart, Monte brought Kieran and company to the door of the small council room.

Fully armed royal court guardians were on guard in front of the door. Their gazes on Kieran and company were extremely hostile.

It seemed like they, too, had heard of the death of the prince.

“His Majesty will only see you alone. The two of you have to stay outside,” said the chief of the guardians.

Borl gripped his pistols tighter and Aschen was ready to brawl, but Kieran signed at them with a wave of a hand.

“Stay out here,” said Kieran.

“As you order, my duke,” Borl bowed, Aschen followed.

The door of the small council room was opened.

Monte, as the vassal, also stayed outside. Only Kieran went in.

Bang!

The door was slammed shut behind him, locking all the guardians outside.

The guardians never worried about their king’s safety. More precisely, in the whole palace, or the whole of Edatine Castle, nowhere was safer than the room behind them.

Not even the God of War or Lady Calamity could harm the king inside the room.

Inside the small council room, Edatine VI was still sitting in his tall back chair.

His bloodshot eyes stared at Kieran furiously as he walked closer.

Kieran, unlike others, who were scared by the king’s gaze and dreaded by his presence, reacted calmly, if with a bit of arrogance.

His reaction infuriated Edatine VI.

“Are you showing off in front of me? You are trying to say that the Demon Hunters had found out the truth? Or do you think a dead son will pain me?” Edatine VI bellowed.

Just like what he said, Edatine VI showed no sorrow, only anger. He did not look like a father who had lost his son.

“Why don’t you use that smart brain of yours and think about why I would react like this? Of course, you figured out: Svenson is not my blood. He appeared so that I can use him as a shield to block some rumours. If this one died, I can simply breed another.”

Edatine VI’s gradually slowed down as he spoke, his anger also slowly fading away but what remained wasn’t calmness but the coldness and ridiculing words of a predator towards its prey.

He continued, “But you only live once. Risking yourself for an imposter that should not have existed, do you think it’s still worth your while? Or do you think that with your strength, you can just walk away unscathed?”

Edatine VI lifted one of his index fingers.

A later of phantasmal mirage, appearing like glass, surrounded him and protected him in the center.

Then, pagan after pagan walked out from the mirage.

The pagans mostly maintained their human looks but they either looked vicious or had twisted limbs. The moment they appeared, they groaned in pain and anger, hatred and killer intent filling their presence.

But…

“KNEEL!”

Edatine VI bellowed and the pagans knelt down beside his feet.

“Power. You or your kind never know what true power is. I am the king but I rule not only humans, but these pagans too! This is the reason why Edatine exists! This is also the other reason that you Demon Hunters must die!”

Under the mirage shield, Edatine VI raised his volume once more.

“Tactic wise, I toyed with your kind within my palms; strength wise, your kind are nothing! So… how dare you offend me? How dare you go to war with me? How dare you ruin my plan?! On what grounds?”

In his almost frenzied state, Edatine VI stood up and raised his hands, swinging them into a flurry.

The king failed to notice that the tall back chair behind him was slowly transforming.

The chair slowly transformed into a human figure.

The figure quietly lifted its right hand and simply perforated the chest of the king.

Edatine VI’s question stopped all of a sudden. He looked down at the hand holding his beating heart and in his ears, he heard a whisper, “On my ground, of course.”