Chapter 1285

Chapter 1285: I will take it (II) Chapter 1285: I will take it (II) Cain only nodded in response to the Demon King, saying, “I did.” He didn’t elaborate, keeping the details locked away.

Even though he felt the Demon King’s words held truth, Cain’s cautious nature prevented him from fully trusting the man.  The Power of Order held his bias and prejudice in check, keeping his mind clear, yet it couldn’t erase Cain’s loathing for the Depravita Race.

Following the Prima Depravita Path might mean choosing one’s destiny, but that choice didn’t inherently make anyone a good person.

The Demon King could see the wary caution in Cain’s gaze.

However, he didn’t dwell on it and continued his speech.

“That explains a few things,” he acknowledged.

“Either way, you are truly remarkable.

You entered the Blood and Hunger Trials unprepared, yet every fiber of your existence seems honed for these powers.

Your True Name aids you in wielding the Oniric Truths of Destruction and Gluttony, while your draconic heart assists with the Oniric Truth of Hatred.

And for the Sanguinea Area… you had no aid there.

Yet, you achieved incredible heights through ingenuity and wisdom, proving to me that your path remains open and unfixed.” The Demon King’s words left no doubt that he saw Cain as his choice for an heir.

To anyone else, the opportunity to become the heir of such a powerful figure would bring overwhelming excitement, a thrill beyond measure.

Yet Cain’s expression remained calm.

His eyes were sharp, and the Power of Order fortified his will, keeping any emotions under control as he pondered his response.

After a moment, he spoke in a steady tone.

“What will happen if I refuse?” He wasn’t outright rejecting the offer, but before taking any steps along the Prima Depravita Path, he wanted to know the full extent of his options.  The Demon King’s single, intense left eye narrowed slightly, and he remained silent for a few moments, appearing to contemplate his answer.

Finally, he responded.

“You are the Blood of Adam, so I will neither harm nor force you onto this path.

If you refuse to become my heir and rise on this path beside me, I will accept your decision.” Cain’s gaze held steady as he stared directly into the Demon King’s eye, his focus sharpened to its peak.

He allowed his instincts to take over, seeking to detect any hint of deceit in the Demon King’s words.

After a thorough study, he found no deception, no hidden malice, and his lips curled slightly in a faint smile.

With a soft nod, Cain replied, “I would like to know more about the Prima Depravita Path and the journey it entails before making my decision.

Is that acceptable?” A laugh rumbled from the Demon King, a sound rich with a hint of satisfaction.

“Hahaha, of course, it is acceptable,” he replied, pleased with Cain’s cautious approach.

As long as the young man didn’t refuse outright, the Demon King felt confident that the allure of power and an incredible destiny would eventually draw him along the path.

The Demon King straightened, preparing to make some final arrangements.

“But before we start, I will make sure we are alone.” He then turned his focus toward Meylin and Helios.

“Your journey through my castle is over.

I will send you back to the Primeval World with your friends and comrades.” Meylin’s face lit up with a broad smile as she immediately nodded in agreement.

The outcome of these trials seemed more than favorable to her.

If she and Helios left the Demon King’s castle, the prophecy that loomed over Cain’s fate could never be realized, ensuring his safety.

Her expression revealed her relief and satisfaction at this conclusion.

Helios, however, did not share her happiness.

Instead, his face took on an odd, almost determined expression as he stared intently at the Demon King.

Under the gaze of everyone in the hall, he did something wholly unexpected-he raised his hand and, with shocking force, struck his right eye, shattering the eyeball in an instant.

Blood splattered outward, painting the floor in dark red droplets.

Cain, Meylin, and even the Demon King himself were stunned, their expressions mirroring the shock and confusion they felt.

The room fell silent, and everyone froze as they tried to comprehend why Helios had just destroyed one of his own eyes.

Yet things were far from over.

The blood that poured from Helios’s ruined eye didn’t just fall.

It hovered in the air, suspended for a moment, then began to glow with sinister runes that pulsed ominously.

Each rune carried an energy that seemed foreign, otherworldly, and deeply unsettling.

As soon as the Demon King caught sight of the dark runes, his left eye widened in recognition.

The next instant, his colossal soul force surged into existence, so immense that it caused space and time around him to distort under its sheer magnitude.

His power manifested with a force that rippled through the hall, the air around him crackling with the weight of wrath.

“You dare!” roared the Demon King, his voice filled with fury.

Cain and Meylin, watching in confusion and horror, couldn’t begin to grasp what Helios had just unleashed.

They heard the Demon King’s wrathful shout echoing through the chamber as his overwhelming soul force crashed down, aiming straight at the floating blood and Helios himself.

The immense power in that soul force was staggering, a destructive energy that could tear a hole in the Helix Continent itself.

But just before the Demon King’s soul force could reach Helios, the blood with the dark runes morphed, twisting and reforming into a gargantuan black hand.

This spectral hand, born from the corrupted essence of Helios’s own blood, stretched out and met the Demon King’s soul force head-on, absorbing the brunt of its impact.

A resounding shockwave erupted, a wave of energy so fierce that it threw Cain and Meylin off their feet, sending them tumbling across the vast hall.

As they struggled to regain their balance, they saw Helios standing, now shielded by the ominous black hand.

The energy around him radiated with a malevolent glow, casting shadows across his face as he gazed at the Demon King with defiance.

“If you don’t want to give me your power,” Helios declared, his voice laced with venom, “I will just take it!”