Hearing Clyde’s words, Morvius actually froze even after what he said earlier.
It wasn’t just what the man said, but how he said it. He waa calm and casual as if the destruction of the Bureau, this entire domain that Morvius had spent tjousand of years fortifying, was nothing more than an errand.
There was no hint of doubt in him and that certainty stabbed into Morvius’s heart make him feel chilling cold.
For a brief second, Morvius forgot how to breathe.
But Clyde didn’t stop there.
He continued, stating that he knew that Morvius knows where he ca from. He said it with quiet assurance of soone who already knew the outco of the ga before the pieces had even been moved.
And with that, Morvius’s heart dropped.
He hadn’t told anyone. The file on Clyde’s origin was locked behind the highest clearance levels, known only to the innermost circle of the Bureau.
Yet Clyde had spoken of it as if it were common knowledge. This wasn’t coincidence. Soone had told him. Soone inside the Bureau had fed him classified information.
The traitor.
The realization burned like acid. His jaw clenched and his fists followed. Rage boiled under his skin, not at Clyde, but at the unknown traitor who had betrayed them all.
That kind of leak could only co from soone he trusted and close. Possibly those in Observation wing or thw World Masters. How long had they been playing both sides?
But even that fury was eclipsed by the greater danger standing before him.
This creature was no ordinary enemy. He didn’t posture or threaten for show. He simply stated what would happen. And worse, he and the woman could make it happen.
The energy that clung to him like a stormcloud was unnatural. Morvius can feel it now.
And then there was the woman at his side.
Asqa.
Morvius had seen many powerful individuals in his ti, but few who emanated such silent nace. Her expression was fierce despite her small face, and the pressure she exuded told him all he needed to know. She was as deadly as Clyde.
Morvius’s mind raced, desperate for options. He had protocols for invasions, counters for magic, even contingency plans for rebellion of the higher beings, but this... was different. He needed ti. A few seconds more to breath and to think.
But the world refused him that rcy.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shattered the tense stillness. The sound tore through the compound like a scream, followed by the roar of flas.
Morvius turned, his eyes wide, and saw one of the eastern towers engulfed in fire. From its base, a swirling plu of black mist poured out, crawling through the air like sothing alive.
Then he heard Clyde again.
"Oh... I forgot to ntion," Clyde said, a faint smile curling his lips. "We actually have more allies."
Morvius turned back, his mouth dry, his chest tightening.
Horror blood in his heart. He was already losing.
Morvius stood still, mouth slightly agape, his mind reeling. For the first ti in years, he was truly lost for words.
Then, the communication device on the table beside him flared to life with a sharp burst of static. A panicked voice ca through.
"Director! Director Morvius, do you copy? There’s movent on the eastern periter—we have an army attacking!"
Morvius lunged toward the device, hands trembling. "Report. Who is it? Who’s approaching?"
There was hesitation. The man on the other end was clearly terrified, his voice quivering with each word.
"They... You’re not going to believe this, sir. They looked tall, horned figures... with black armor and glowing eyes."
Morvius felt his pulse spike. "Who are they?!"
A long pause. Then, the answer ca in a whisper barely above a breath:
"They... they’re Demons, Director."
The words hit Morvius like a sledgehamr to the chest. His breath caught. He staggered back in his chair, as if the very idea of it was too much to bear.
Demons?
He looked up—his eyes found Clyde again. The man was calm as ever, sitting there with that sa smile, as if this was all according to plan.
Morvius’s thoughts spiraled.
The Demons—those ruthless, prideful tyrants of the higher realm. They bowed to no one. They burned worlds, shattered armies, and defied gods. Even the Bureau had learned to avoid direct confrontation with them, preferring diplomacy or distance. And yet...
Clyde had brought them here as his allies.
Morvius’s mouth moved, but only a whisper escaped. "You... you actually made them follow you..."
The implications were staggering. This was a full-blown invasion, backed by one of the most dangerous races in existence.
The kind of war Morvius had feared for decades was no longer theoretical. It was here.
Morvius looked into Clyde’s eyes and saw certainty.
And that terrified him more than anything else. This man can really defeat the higher realms if he wanted to.
Morvius’s thoughts spiraling in a storm of panic and desperate calculation. The world he had carefully built was collapsing around him.
Flas danced in the distance, black mist rose, and every tremor in the ground reminded him that ti was running out.
But even now, in the heart of this disaster, he clung to the cold threads of strategy.
"Can I still salvage this?Is there a way to turn this around? to twist this chaos into a trap, corner this creature, and strike when he least expects it?"
Morvius clenched his jaw, his mind racing. He knew this was his only chance. If he really wanted to turn the tide it had to be now. He pushed his intellect to its limit, grinding every possibility through his mind like a blade against stone.
But the reality was worse than he feared.
Clyde hadn’t acted on impulse. He hadn’t co here alone, burning with reckless fury. This had been planned thodically and far in advance. He had prepared, coordinated, and now executed it.
Morvius’s once again processed the implications of what the comms had told him.
Demons. Real Demons. Not rcenaries. An actual army of Demon race.
"Yes. I have allies among the Demon race," Clyde said, as if revealing nothing more than the weather. His voice echoed in his ears. "In fact... one of them is a Demon King."
Morvius’s breath caught. "One of the Demon Kings?!"
Clyde standing up from his chair then stepped forward, the flickering light of distant flas reflecting in his eyes. "Before I ca here, I made preparations. I reached out to one of the Demon King. I told him I would need a portion of his army, sent to specific coordinates. He agreed imdiately."
The words fell like heavy stones in Morvius’s chest.
"The Demon King... agreed?" he whispered, almost in disbelief.
"Yes. The portal was activated the mont I arrived. I sent him the coordinates through our link. And now... they’re here."
As if on cue, another massive explosion erupted from the eastern quadrant. The ground shook.
BOOM!
Alarms wailed. The skies above that section of the city turned an eerie shade of crimson. Structures crumbled under the siege. Screams echoed faintly.
The end was getting closer. Morvius felt it.
"Decide," Clyde said, voice low, unwavering. "You can’t defeat , diector. Not now. So help ."
That offer—simple yet imnse—hung in the air like a blade waiting to drop.
His world was burning and Morvius had to choose.
Under the crushing weight of Clyde’s presence, Asqa’s silent nace, and the growing destruction consuming his domain, Morvius felt the walls of resistance closing in around him.
The fires in the east crept ever closer, each explosion shaking the foundations of his resolve. There was no cavalry coming his way that will made it in ti. No secret weapon left to unleash. Just this mont and the hard truth that survival now ant surrendering to this creature, at least for a ti.
He gritted his teeth, before speaking. In the end, the decision was made.
"...Alright," Morvius said, voice low and heavy. "I’ll help you."
For a mont, the chaos seed to pause.
Clyde smiled, genuinely, almost warmly and stepped forward. He placed a hand on Morvius’s shoulder. The touch made Morvius flinch instinctively.
"Finally," Clyde said. "Now... take us to the place where you’ve been keeping the data on ."
With no other option left, Morvius turned stiffly and began walking. His mind was numb, his pride shredded, but he knew better than to resist further.
Behind him, Clyde and Asqa followed without a word.
Through dim hallways and hidden elevators, deep beneath the surface of the Bureau’s heart, Morvius led them toward the vault—a sealed chamber containing every classified record the Bureau had ever gathered on Clyde and his information.
They arrived at the vault. It was an imposing chamber reinforced with seals and humming with magic power. As the heavy door slid open, Clyde and Asqa were t with rows of floating tubes and tablets, each inscribed with glowing runes and pulsing with stored magic.
Morvius stepped forward, raising his hand. One of the tablets obeyed, drifting toward him through the air.
But just before it could reach his grasp, a crack of lightning burst from Clyde’s hand, striking the tablet mid-flight. It shattered into fragnts of light and dust.
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