Chapter 431: Day 1
'HAHAHAHAHAHAH I KNEW IT!! IT WAS ALL JUST A NIGHTMARE!! LIKE ANY OF THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN!! A demon lord randomly showing up to question !? Adam losing to a fraud like Moby Kane and Kai Fatebringer!? In what world!?"
"HAHAHAHA!!" His laughter continued, youthful and filled with life. It reached to all ends of his estate and had almost made the ground shake from where he stood from the pure emotions emanating from him.
"Supre General sir! Is— Is there a problem!?" A man burst through the door unannounced. He wore an all-black suit, his jet black hair was slicked back and shined brightly under the golden light, and his face of worry was covered in subtle sweat.
"HHAHAHAA— Oh! Joey!" The supre general halted his laugh acknowledging his faithful butler. "Don't mind boy, I was just having a good ti! The big tournant is today after all!" He continued.
"Ah— That's great sir! I'm delighted to see you so happy!" He wiped the sweat along with the concern from his face. I will get everything ready for you! If you need any assistance please don't hesitate to call!"
Joey deeply bowed before his master and gracefully exited the room, leaving the supre general all alone once more with an even greater grin on his face.
The joy and relief from the deepest depths of his heart made him want to burst into laughter once more, yet he managed to control himself from doing so.
With a spring in his step, he hopped out of bed and imdiately went to the washroom, showered and brushed his teeth before dawning his special military attire for the day using his storage ring.
And before he left, he made sure to inspect himself in his grand mirror, ensuring all looked appropriate, smiling in various poses, sothing he could not rember doing in years— He almost felt like a new man.
Upon leaving his room, he was t with an all too familiar long corridor, yet he wasted no ti walking, instead, he teleported to the dining hall where his breakfast had already been prepared, along with a special guest who ca to visit for this special day.
"Ho-ho! Adam! It seems like my grandson has co to visit today!" He laughed upon his arrival, quickly taking a seat in front of his plate, his grandson on the other side of the table.
"Greetings grandfather." Adam swiftly raised himself and bowed. "It is only natural I would co to see you on such a day."
"Hahaha! No need for formalities boy! We're family!" He laughed zealously.
"As you wish," Adam slowly nodded and took his seat once more.
"It's been a while since we last t! How is training?"
"Excellent grandfather, I have all but perfected what you have taught ." His voice was almost gray and monotone as he spoke eating his food.
"I'm glad to hear!" He smiled brightly.
"Grandfather… Excuse my words but… You seem… Odd today…"
"Oh ? hm hm! I'm just happy! Why shouldn't I be! My grandson will take first place and bring honour to the family! Why don't you seem happy?"
"Yes… Indeed I will win… Quiet easily at that… No one in this school could hold a candle to my power… That is fact... Maybe even law..."
"Indeed!" He proudly nodded.
"But that's the problem… Apologies grandfather… But I truly want a challenge…" He lowered his head and gritted his teeth.
The supre general halted and gazed intently.
'In my dream, this never happened… … But, I always knew this boy wanted a challenge… Huh, I guess that's the difference between dream and reality,' He inwardly snickered.
"Don't worry boy! Once you graduate, in the real world you will face much hardship! That I can guarantee!"
"... … …"
There was no response, and the room grew awkward before he once again tried to restart the conversation.
"So, who in this tournant are you keeping your eyes on?"
"... Normally, I would say no one… But from rumour, and my gut instinct… I'd really like to face this Moby Kane fellow…"
"M— Moby Kane…" The supre general's voice shifted, and Adam clearly took notice as he looked up with brighter eyes.
"You know him?"
"Oh— Well of course! That boy is kinda famous you know? He is a top student at this school, but beyond that, he's nothing to worry about!"
"Oh… That's a sha… Last night, I had a dream… A dream of a good fight with an equal, I don't rember who had won… His face was obscured in my mory, but I believed it to be Moby Kane… *Sigh* I've never been a person to believe superstition, but here I am…"
Upon hearing those words, the general's heart skipped a beat, and the thump that ca after rattled his entire chest. However, he could not let a stupid dream sway his heart, so he disregarded it.
"I feel your pain boy! I truly do! But don't fret! Don't fall for such superstition! Here is advice from an old sage-like …. You understand reality, you know what is real and what is fake! If sothing seems too unreal to occur, then that is most definitely the case! That's how it's been all my life!"
"Th— Thank you, grandfather… I truly do not deserve such kindness, I am truly grateful for everything, and I will surely pay you back in the future."
♦️ ♦️ ♦️
Breakfast had ended, and Adam once again left to prepare at his own dorm. From the mont he had entered his very own grandfather's house, he had spoken no words to anyone but the supre general, such was how he normally was, so he paid it no heed.
There was little more to be done, and preparations ensued as usual, all handled by the young butler Joey before the supre general finally made it to his own special VR room where he would attend the tournant.
And as he fell dormant within his machine, his mind wandered off to his new reality, seated upon a grand throne looking over the waves and waves of ant-sized masses chearing below.
The arena itself looked identical to that of his mory, and the cheering was just as energetic as he imagined, filling him with much-needed strength.
His fellow judges had already arrived sat next to him, acknowledging his greatness by lowering their heads.
And now that he had finally arrived it was finally ti to begin…
The students were then soon after teleported upon the stage, gazing upon all the wonders of this reality before gawking up at his greatness at the canopy.
He smiled down at them proudly, yet he grimaced for a re instant when he noticed a familiar face, his eyes of green looking aimlessly past his ssy yet oddly pleasant-looking hair of black and red.
'Kane…'
However, that grimace indeed only lasted for an instant, for in the next instant his expression completely changed…
His body quivered, his eyes trembled, and his arms clenched tightly. His expression changed into primal fear, and all that Kane did was simply lazily glance at his direction and smirk with an absolutely dwarfing aura.
And as he blinked, the smirk and the aura had suddenly disappeared like they had never even been there, which was the only logical conclusion.
'That damned nightmare is making my eyes play tricks on !'
Luckily, it seed like none noticed anything. He shook his head and once again wore his mask of greatness, raising his hands to address the crowd with a great speech of his own. His voice kind yet demanding respect.
♦️ ♦️ ♦️
What followed was standard. The opening ceremony was usual and was oddly similar to his nightmare, yet far from exact, which the supre general only attributed to his impeccable mory and imagination.
The tournant then began, and the rounds randomized were familiar… They were identical to his nightmare.
That was the first sign of clear unease in his heart, yet still, he did not mind it.
Like before, Moby Kane had the very first round of the tournant, and there he sat in his special room with his great friend, Pope Rutherfurd.
The match that had transpired seed too familiar, and the power Kane displayed gave him goosebumps.
When he looked over to his friend smoking on his couch, he could not help but feel the unease that he had been there before.
"That man! He's up to sothing! He might be so sort of demon! Kai Fatebringer! Inspect him too just in case!"
This ti, the supre general made certain to be even more adamant. Even he himself could not believe his nightmare was anything more, yet deep down, he felt like there may have been rit to suspicion, especially after what he had seen.
"Fatebringer? They would never…" The pope casually laughed, taking a puff of his cigar.
"Just use the cube on them! There's no harm in doing so no!? What if they are heathens!? Then we'd get a big reward!"
"Cade old friend, you need to calm down. You're stressed over nothing. After we took care of his parents, I sensed him with the cube, and nothing ca up. I've had a close relationship with the Fatebringers, and the cube has never reacted, he's completely safe! And as you know, there is no conceivable way to turn a human into one of those heathens, so there should be no worry. Unless you're trying to tell you know sothing I don't?"
"No! Of course, you know more than ! But—"
"I'm sorry Cade, but I've got to get going… Normally, I'd call anyone like you crazy, but since it's you, I give you more credit. You may be onto sothing I don't know. I'll think it over. For you Cade, I'd do anything. Don't take my playful banter too seriously. I don't know, maybe I'm just denying it because I'm too afraid to consider if it's true…" He stood up and left the room, leaving the supre general stunned, all alone once more with a sense of unfathomable deja vu.
♦️ ♦️ ♦️
"Welco! To the last qualifying match of the day! One that has been much anticipated! Adam Walker, grandson of our supre general and Kai Fatebringer! The boy of flas!" The announcer yelled as the crowd roared.
"Supre General, you look shaken, what is it on your mind? Are you worried?" Ashley Orbec, leader of the Fla Seekers asked.
"Oh, , worried? No no!" He laughed. "My grandson will surely win, there is no doubt! If you think otherwise you're just being a bias fire user!"
"Huhu! I wouldn't be so sure! Fatebringer has shown much promise in the last few matches! This is no bias at all!" She proudly proclaid.
"Yes yes, I know. I've watched them too as I was doing paperwork, but he still stands no chance!"
"Huh," Ashley looked rather stunned, keeping a keen gaze upon her supre general. "Well, let's just watch and enjoy the show! Shall we?"
The supre general took several deep breaths, blood pressure was already at an all-ti high trying to keep himself under control, yet even with all his ntal preparations, none could prepare him for the ensuing nightmare ready to occur…
Threw the bright flas and thick shadows, the supre general's mind went rampant.
'This… this can't be happening… HOW IS FATEBRINGER WINNING!? AM I STILL IN THAT DAMNED NIGHTMARE!! WHAT IS THHISSS!!" He leaned in closer, my fists clenched tightly in anger and his eyes nearly bursting out their sockets.
And as soon as his hands closed, the tide of the match shifted as expected, yet it was still a back and forth of imnse power almost none could keep up with or see.
"Supre General… I thought you weren't worried! You look pretty stressed to !" Ashley smugly proclaid.
"? Stressed! No no no!" He shook his head, trying to calm the nerves that had taken control of him.
"Hmmm… Supre general… Open that fist of yours…"
"Excuse ?"
"It's shaking like crazy… My flas have healing and soothing properties, maybe I can…" She slowly reached over to open his fists… His heart sped up, ti slowed, and his survival instincts kicked in.
"STAY AWAY FROM !!" He angrily shook his hands away, taking all beside him by surprise.
"..."
In that mont of awkward silence, within the darkness of the fading shadows, a victor appeared, Adam Walker standing proud over his fallen foe with an expression of sadness and joy indescribable.
And upon seeing the result, his hands opened in relief, and he slid his back once again towards his chair with a sigh that turned sombre.
"Apologies for that. I didn't an to hurt or startle. Yes, I may have been slightly worried about the results, and clenching his fists is a way of stress relief. That Kai Fatebringer is much stronger than I thought, but my words still stand that he stood no chance." He smiled.
"No sir… I must be the one to apologize… I had another motive— nothing sinister of course!" She made sure to clarify. "I just thought that there may have been sothing else… If you don't mind, can I ask you a simple question with a lie detecto—"
"No… young miss... How dare you ask such a thing? Maybe I got too friendly... Had you forgotten who I am!? Not only do I not kneel to such tests but I've also much to do now!!" He angrily released his drowning aura of darkness.
And, with clear grandness and superiority in his step, he closed his eyes and stood up out of his seat, leaving through the teleporter without batting an eye to anyone else.
"FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!! WHAT'S GOING ON!! SHE… SHE COULDN'T HAVE!! BUT SHE HAS NO PROOF!! BUT THE SUSPICIONS ARE STILL THERE NOW!!"
"Agghhh! I'll deal with her later! Now! KAI FATEBRINGER!! HOW IS HE— HE'S A DEMON!!" He scread in realization within the seclusion of his own room.
"I NEED TO KILL HIM NOW!! HE AND—"
And as he yelled, his voice suddenly stopped by an all too familiar aura, and a sound that had left a scar on his very soul.
"A demon? Kill him now? How did you figure that out? Hmmmm… You may be smarter than I gave you credit for supre general…"
His spirit lurched, the air felt thin around him, and his eyes shook uncontrollably seeing that luscious hair of very bright purple, standing up to reveal her smirking, demonic face.
"AH— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Like a little girl, he screeched. His legs gave out, landing him on his bottom.
And through the deafening scream, the girl's smile only increased, amused by what she had seen, like his face that well surpassed the worst terror was art and like his horrid voice was music to her ears.
His entire body sensed fear, and every fibre of his being scread for an escape. And in his quick thinking, he raised his hands to his head in surrender, only to press upon his forehead, allowing him to escape this hellish space and return back to his VR pod in the real world.
*huh huh* he heavily puffed, running out of his secured room.
"Oh, supre general, welco back! We were—"
The sense of looming danger never escaped, it was primal fear, nothing but survival mattered in this reality. Through several servants, he ran without paying heed.
His mind was in distress, absolute chaos, yet the path he was headed to for dear life was more than clear… To his room… In the safe where he kept his most prized possession.
However, that once clear path was suddenly halted by a wall, a wall made of sand and adamantine at the sa ti…
In his secluded teleportation room which only he had access to, stood another, yet it was not that demon lord from before, this ti, it was a man with a similar purple gaze, leaning onto a wall almost waiting for his arrival…
"Supre General… You didn't arrive for the final round! So we were all tasked to look for you since you would not answer! I asked the guards to let — " Moby Kane moved forward and smirked with that sa spine-shivering gaze.
"You… I'll... FUCKING KILL YOU!!" At a speed untraceable to most, he lunged over to him, yet his fists did not connect…
Instead, he was t with unimaginable, burning pain that left him crying and rolling on the ground… Only the shadow of a voice addressing him from above.
"Oh… So you knew I had ulterior motives? Well, doesn't matter, only ans I'm gonna have to do this the hard way… Let's just get straight into business... Supre General… I have a few questions for you… What the hell did you do to my parents? And what ticked you off about ?"
"Aghhh— Wha— Who… Who are you…" He looked up to et his hellish gaze.
"I am asking the questions! Do you really think you're in the position to question !?" As he witnessed him speak, he quivered, gritting his teeth and clenching his body preparing for the pain.
"Hmph… Well, maybe you do deserve to know… Rember this well human… I, am Moby Kane… The future demon lord… You never stood a chance, so don't try... There is no escape… Satisfied?"
"D— D— D-D-Demon Lord…"
"Now… Will you answer ? Or must I torture you with the worst pain imaginable for you to speak and maybe jog your mory…"
"..."
"N— No… Please no… This can't be real… SOONE SAVE EEEEEEEE— Agh— "
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