The Devil’s Cage

It was reasonable for Reinholt to cry out in shock because he didn’t even take the king who disappeared during the attack on Burning Dawn seriously.

Compared to the previous kings throughout the history of Saint Cyanda, the XI king was too normal, to the point that people would forget him easily.

Although there wasn’t a truly any fabrications about his prestige, it was already at the lowest point for a king throughout the past hundred years.

However, a king like this ruined his plan. A heavy sense of humiliation appeared in Reinholt’s heart.

“I’ll kill you!”

Enraged by the embarrassment, he dashed towards the king but was stopped by the Burning Marquis.

Reinholt looked at Burning Marquis with a confused gaze.

The moment the king appeared, the Burning Marquis was showing a cold expression. He didn’t even care about the confused gaze from his collaborator, instead, he locked gazes with the king.

“Are you related to Starbeck’s disappearance?” Burning Marquis asked.

“Mm. I’m quite lucky, to be honest. I met the “Wiseman” in the beginning and accidentally noticed Starbeck… I can tell he is a good child but I didn’t expect that his father was a hungry wolf that requires one to be cautious at all times. I didn’t hurt him, I just sent him away to a safe place.”

Saint Cyanda XI nodded.

His cotton robe made him look like any common elder but anyone who took him as one would be the biggest idiot.

Reinholt did, so he lost his final spoils.

Burning Marquis did, so he “lost” Starbeck.

More importantly… it wasn’t the end.

“You want to see Starbeck again? Kill him.”

The king turned his eyes at Reinholt.

Reinholt who swiftly woke up from his enraged embarrassment turned his attention to Burning Marquis.

“Lord Marquis, this is a trap! Stay awake, don’t fall into it! Even if you kill me, he won’t release Starbeck back to you, instead he will use this to threaten you and force to you do all sorts of things. He will treat you like a dog!”

Reinholt said loudly and added some wordplay in his statement.

He knew how prideful the Burning Marquis was and the Marquis would never withstand being ordered around.

Therefore, Reinholt shed light on that particular point and made a despicable description as well, however, there was another point that Reinholt did not consider.

Burning Marquis cherished his family, or one could say, he valued his only heir over anything.

Therefore, when the devil flame burned in the Marquis’ hand, Reinholt dodged the fire in an ugly manner but he didn’t give up just yet.

“You have more than one son! You can have another in the future and a new heir will be next in line!”

Reinholt’s tone was very normal, as persuasion, it was very suitable but the moment his “persuasion” subsided, the devil flame in the Marquis’ hand didn’t just burn hot, it has a sense of terrifying killing intent as well.

Killing intent rumbled across the vault like boiling water.

The Burning Marquis didn’t hold back anymore since his landmine was triggered by those words. He engulfed himself in his devil flame and the unique “frenzied state” appeared again.

Saint Cyanda XI smiled, a smile that came from his heart, the smile that he was most delighted of.

How could the old king not be delighted?

It was one of the merits throughout the hundred years of the Imperial household was most proud of yet was forced to conceal it.

The Burning and Dawn Family started off with many children. The thriving and prosperous state was gradually reduced to a desolate state and was even left with a single heir. This matter had unsevered ties to the secret spell that Saint Cyanda Imperials performed back in the day.

“I thank the two female ancestors of our household.”

Saint Cyanda XI thought in his mind before watching Burning Marquis slaughter Reinholt leisurely.

Other than “slaughter”, the king couldn’t think of any words to describe it.

He knew how powerful the Grand Duke of Dawn and the Burning Marquis were, otherwise he wouldn’t have pretended to be a normal king.

Now, however, the situation had no need for facades anymore.

The Grand Duke was killed.

Burning Marquis’ weak point was in the king’s hand, eventually, the Marquis would be the most loyal hound to the Imperial household.

Just like Reinholt said, the king would never give Starbeck back to the Marquis.

The leverage was too good to be given up, how would it be enough for him to use it just once?

The smile on the king grew brighter.

He watched Burning Marquis tear Reinholt’s arms down and rip his legs apart.

The old king very very happy.

The old king never felt so happy in his entire life before.

The old king had tolerated everything for far too long, he must vent his anger.

What was better for venting anger than slaughtering?

The frantic blood that passed down to him from the VI King was awakened in his body again.

The strange aura was faintly appearing as well.

“Go on! Go on!”

The old king couldn’t stop cheering, he didn’t notice the changes happening to his body.

The Burning Marquis and Reinholt who were engaging in a fierce battle didn’t notice the changes either; they were captivated by each other.

“YOU FORCED ME!”

Reinholt after losing many parts of his body growled loudly and activated the contingency that he had prepared.

Above the sky of Dawn City, faint clouds had suddenly blocked out the moon without anyone knowing, the bright moonlight started to turn blurry.

The time was a quarter before dawn and it should be the darkest time in the sky but when a certain change occurred in the sky, countless wickedness and fear were was given birth to by the darkness.

Shadows! Wicked Shadows!

All the shadows within Dawn City started to distort, transform, and accumulate.

The shadows silently sucked away the life force of the people within range.

The shadows bared their fangs and claws and drove the innocent souls away.

They then gushed into the ground like countless streams of a river returning to the sea, gathering to where Reinholt was.

This was what Reinholt had prepared.

After he arrived in Dawn City, he had already set up this killer move. It was originally planned for his employer but as time went along, the target of his killer move kept shifting non-stop.

From Darde the Titan to Extremus, then to the Grand Duke of Dawn and lastly, the Burning Marquis.

Each time his target changed, Reinholt would feel delighted about it because the change of target represented the smooth progression, despite some obstructions in the process, it wasn’t too concerning.

However, if it was possible, he really hoped to deal with the Burning Marquis like how he had planned, not like this.

Huuu!

The breath felt like it came from an elder dragon, the densest shadow energy was blown out.

Shadows completely enveloped Reinholt as they gushed into the vault. His body grew bigger and taller by a few times and he had to bend down to remain standing in the side vault; the shadows that looked so real made him impenetrable as well.

However, the impenetrable form was a little lackluster against the Burning Marquis’ devil flame that had a frenzied aura.

Each time the flame was hurled at the shadow, Reinholt would cry in agony but it didn’t stop him from doing what he had planned.

“DIE!”

Reinholt screamed.

His already huge shadow body engorged right away and…

BOOOM!