The Devil’s Cage

After multiple explosions without obvious reasons throughout the city, Alkender finally returned to its peaceful state.

No super criminals, no curfew and tightened securities throughout the day, and no sudden deaths.

Other than the bad weather, which resulted in daily drizzles and the occasional storm, the civilians finally welcomed the long overdue peace. Everyone cheered for peace, thinking the days they had been waiting for were finally here, but not all of them shared the same thoughts.

Pudder was sitting in a coffee shop at Olinde Street. He wasn’t looking at or bothered by the steamy, aromatic coffee at the table but his eyes were glued to Drexton.

“Tell me, what happened to 2567?”

The chief officer was a straight person who always spoke his mind, never hiding his thoughts, especially in front of the Fist of Justice.

“I don’t know. I tried to arrange a meeting a few times now, but Ferris stopped me. The security around Randletine Street has increased, almost doubled to be exact, so I assumed… 2567 is not in good shape. I wanted to help but was rejected,” Drexton shook his head.

After finding out that the major from the military paid Kieran a visit, Drexton flew himself to Randletine Street right away but he did not meet Kieran, stopped outside the door by Ferris. However, judging from the lingering presence, something must have happened.

What happened?

Drexton had no idea, despite his multiple visits to Kieran’s place in the past week. Each time he knocked on the door, Ferris would come out and deny him entrance.

“I knew it!” Pudder said in a heavy tone.

As a matter of fact, when Kieran approached him, suggesting someone else take his identity for a while, Pudder already had a bad feeling, but he had no grounds to reject it because he was knocked out.

When he woke up in his own house, the dust was settled.

“What do you know about the major?” Drexton asked.

“Not much. Other than his name, Urken, and was that he was in charge of the Dark Night Squad in Alkender. Everything else on him was confidential. I have no authority to check his background,” Pudder showed helplessness on his face.

What else was more frustrating than knowing where the clues were yet being unable to investigate?

None!

The situation was like having a fish bone stuck in the throat for Pudder.

“Not just you, even the mayor was restricted access to the major’s background.”

“Even the mayor?”

Pudder was shocked by Drexton’s words.

The new mayor of Alkender City came from the senate, not some random rich John Doe.

“Not just restricted access, I think the Union held the mayor responsible for the unnecessary prying. Based on what I heard, some specialist will come to the city to investigate the major’s death,” said Drexton with a heavy face.

It seemed like someone in the Union had no intention to spare his friend, otherwise the specialist wouldn’t come forward.

“This is over!” Pudder slammed the table.

Pudder might be reckless, impulsive, and bad-tempered, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew what a ‘specialist’ meant.

A special agent! Or something even crueler that is not known by the public!

Regardless of which, all of them shared a common point: ruthlessness and cruelty.

Once his frustration reached an all time high, Pudder slammed the table again.

Fortunately, the coffee shop belonged to the Hero Alliance. When Drexton arrived, all the regular customers were sent off politely and the shop closed up for a while.

“Don’t worry. I’ll deal with what’s coming and… I have to say sorry on behalf of 2567’s methods,” Drexton said sincerely.

“It’s fine. I do hate his ways but I have to admit it worked.”

Pudder was mad about getting knocked out but the one who knocked him out helped him overcome a huge danger, hence the anger being replaced with gratitude.

Gratitude was bigger than anger, so Pudder knew what to do.

“If there is anything that I can help with, ask away. I’ll do whatever I can within my capabilities,” Pudder made a promise to Drexton.

“I will,” Drexton nodded.

Both of them didn’t chit-chat any further and parted ways.

Drexton saw Pudder into his cruiser before he himself headed to Randletine Street again.

Although it was the 8 consecutive time that he was rejected, Drexton wasn’t someone who would give up this easily.

It was just 8 times, he would continue even if this was his 80th rejection.

For the sake of 2567, everything would be worth it!

The thought of his friend in trouble hastened his steps.

However, while he was traveling to Randletine Street, Willis contacted him.

“Boss, something happened and it’s bad. It’s about 2567!”

Something happened to 2567?!

Drexton was shocked.

“Where?!”

“Near the outskirts.”

After getting the exact location, Drexton vanished from the streets like an arrow let loose.

…

Kieran walked out of Randletine Street 17th with his usual face.

In front of the house was an off-road vehicle and Ferris and Odork were standing beside it.

Behind Kieran was Emma Eddie, who, despite her best efforts in covering her expression, looked worried.

Kieran walked towards the vehicle with steady steps but rather slow. It was, however, very subtle and unnoticeable without a closer look.

“My lord, please slow down.”

Ferris opened the door and stood beside with a careful look at Kieran, as though something would happen to Kieran but other than the slower than usual movements getting up the car, everything was fine.

Ferris heaved a breath of relief and headed to the driver seat; Odork got into the passenger seat.

“We will be back soon,” Odork rolled down the window and waved at Emma Eddie.

“Em,” Emma Eddie nodded softly, tears brewing in her eyes.

The keys started the engine and it growled to life before it steadily accelerated away from Randletine Street.

Emma Eddie saw the car off until it went out of sight before she returned to the house.

She shut the door carefully and had to confirm with Goran that she was out of sight before she heaved a heavy breath. She tapped on her chest.

“That is torture! That guy is alive and kicking but he has to pretend like he is dying and I have to play along… How would I know how to look like I’m holding in my sorrow? Thankfully I kept replaying the scene where I lost my first dog, otherwise I’d have used that guy as a mic. Glad it’s over now.”

Emma Eddie couldn’t help but sigh as she recalled her whole week playing a character.

Until now, she’d feel like she was in a dream and almost couldn’t differentiate reality and dream state but she did remember one thing: the target she set for herself a week ago.

She strode back to her room, took out the leather scroll from under her pillow and sized up the words and pictures on it—this was her treasure, the only thing her father left for her.

This scroll allegedly held the secrets to empower a common man.

At first, she thought it was just some fairytale her father boasted about out of habit but some time earlier, when she took it out for a reminiscing look, she noticed the words and the pictures on it had. changed.

When did it change?

Emma Eddie didn’t know.

It probably happened when she touched that guy right?

Following the contents of the scroll, Emma Eddie knelt down on her right knee, placing her left hand on her left knee and her right hand on her chest.

The guy’s face appeared in her mind when she performed the posture.

She wasn’t used to the image at first but now?

Her breath remained stable, she followed everything in the scroll in reminiscing the best time in her life and transformed the memories into power with her regulated breathing.

The changes that happened during the process became a habit, like breathing for her.

Everything was happening, unknowingly.

…

Sitting behind the car, Kieran pulled the curtains on both sides of the window and a small arrow appeared in his hand.

[Name: Exorcism Arrow (Xenotype)]

[Type: Weapon]

[Rarity: I]

[Attack: I]

[Attribute: Exorcise 0/1]

[Effect: None]

[Prerequisite: None]

[Able to bring out of dungeon: Yes]

[Remark: During the papal era, the demons that roamed the earth were mankind’s mortal enemy. They were messy and chaotic and would destroy any kind of living being within sight. Each encounter with the demons cost the Demon Hunters and Knights a lot, therefore with Mordin’s help, the Exorcism Arrow was forged! However, this Exorcism Arrow is different from the real one…]

…

[Exorcise: Inflict lethal damage to beings possessing or tainted with the Devil Force. (Attack is no higher than rank IV)]

…

This arrow was fired out from the dying major.

It wasn’t an item with special attribute but its rarity alone was enough to capture Kieran’s attention. Coupled with the [Exorcise] ability, Kieran was actually scared of it.

Rank IV damage was high enough to inflict actual damage to him, plus the attribute, which was specifically targeted at the Devil Force. A light misstep from Kieran would really cost him his life, just like what the description said.

Still, it wasn’t enough for Kieran to alter his plan. Quite the contrary, it strengthened his plan further.

Some people would choose to step away in front of difficulties, while some would face them heads on.

Kieran was a third kind: he would not just take the problems heads on, he’d remove the matters and the people who caused him trouble altogether.

Also, Kieran possessed the necessary carefulness and vigilance to carry out his thoughts.

“Mordin.”

Kieran curled up his lips as he pondered upon the name in the remark.

It was obvious Mordin’s Sculptures were beneficial to the Devil Force.

If he wasn’t afraid of losing balance of the Origin Forces in him, Kieran would have allowed Devil Force to consume all the sculptures. It was also a solid face that the sculptures contained Demon Energy.

“The pope from the papal era, Mordin, the Devil and Demons? Things are getting interesting.”

Kieran squinted his eyes, his left index finger tapping on his knee cap. It was his thinking habit.

Ferris and Odork knew it very well, so if it wasn’t necessary to speak, neither of them willing to disturb Kieran but things weren’t always that smooth.

“My lord, they are here,” Ferris said as he checked the back mirror. He put his hand outside the window and waved behind.

Several waves of freezing aura appeared and froze the road behind them.

The cars on their trail were caught off guard by the sudden freezing road, hence none were able to drive away from the ice. As they skid along the icy road, the cars moved like snakes on hot sands.

Bang!

BANG BANG!

The first car crashed into an electrical line pole while the others behind it followed, crashing into a huge mess but it wasn’t over!

While the cars behind them crashed, several more figures with ferocious auras appeared from both sides of the road and threw themselves at Kieran’s car.

Sou!

Odork opened the door without a second thought, transforming into a cloud of blood mist and flying towards the figures too.

The jumping figures were obstructed by the blood mist.

Ferris stepped on the pedal, trying to escape the area with everything the off-road vehicle had but at the end of the road, a cloaked figure appeared.

The figure laughed ferociously, raising his hand and forming a fireball as big as a basketball above his hand before hurling it towards Kieran and co.

Fuuaaa!

Before the fireball even hit, the scorching air forced Ferris to jump off the vehicle and give his best in his counterattack.

“My lord, leave!”

Ferris shouted while two streams of freezing aura blasted out from his hands.

Kieran jumped to the driver seat, got control of the vehicle and drove away from the outskirts, traveling to a farther spot.

“A game of chase. How nostalgic.”

“I know right!”

“It’s been a hundred years since we played!”

“A high-tier Devil descendant, our efforts will be worthwhile.”

4 scarlet red figures, as red as blazing flames, stood tall above the buildings. They watched the vehicle driving further away with sinister laughter.

Then, they too flew towards the vehicle.

One of them waved at the vehicle in mid-air and the moving vehicle’s engine died off just like that.

“Technology is convenient but also very weak. Break one component and it will stop working. Same goes for you, 2567!”

The four red figures landed in front of the stopped vehicle. Their amber-colored eyes showed scorn, greed, and contempt, not concealing anything.

A guy without any inheritance and solely relying on the awoken powers to become a powerhouse that attracted so much attention recently.

They had seen too many in the likes of Kieran, but none escaped their hunt before!

Not even one! Not one in the past, present, or the future!

Perhaps the Devil descendant might be a little different from the others, but it would only make him more delicious.

The four figures glued their gazes at Kieran, unable to hold back their saliva when they thought about the tastiness.

As for Kieran?

He too was swallowing his saliva.

Both sides looked at each other as though they were looking at some rare delicacy.

The only difference was, the four figures took Kieran as the main course while Kieran viewed them as appetizers.

He waited patiently for the appetizer to come closer, reminding himself to keep calm and not rush it because the main course was just around the corner.

Do not scare it away!