Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Secrets Unknown
"Bella, I need to ask him something. Don\'t kill him yet," Aengus said with a serious tone.
Bella turned and smiled. "Sure, sweetheart. Ask away—he can\'t escape anyway."
The young leader was in a dire state, his bones and body twisted in a disturbing manner.
Aengus leaned in closer, while Bella stepped back slightly, giving him some space. She understood that invading personal space too much could lead to distrust. Until they could share their secrets equally, she was willing to tolerate it.
Ignoring Ashter\'s agonized cries, Aengus leaned in closer and whispered, "Hey, which world are you from? I\'m one of you. If you tell me the truth, I might let you live."
The young leader\'s eyes went wide with shock. "H-How did you know?" His voice was a shaky whisper, disbelief etched on his pale face as he scanned Aengus from head to toe, searching for any clues. Then, something clicked in his mind. His expression shifted, recognition and fear mingling in his eyes.
"So, you\'re a trial participant like me? What... what is your family name in the higher realm?" he asked, his voice trembling, as though speaking too loudly would summon something terrible.
Aengus inwardly smirked but kept his face composed, his exterior calm as if this was nothing new to him. In reality, his mind raced. This was his first real lead to uncovering the truth about his identity and the origins of these Unique Skills. He had to play along carefully. The answers he sought were within reach, and this Ashter might hold the key.
"My name is Aengus... Degaro," he replied, his voice steady.
The reaction was immediate. Ashter\'s eyes went wide with horror, his face draining of color. He stumbled back a step, trembling. "D-Degaro?" His voice cracked. "Y-You\'re from that ruthless Devil Family? B-But...
how? H-How could you be here?" He stuttered incoherently, as if even speaking the name was enough to curse him.
"N-No, leave me alone... I can\'t... I can\'t stay here any longer! You\'re a devil... I have to inform everyone!" Panic overtook him as he struggled to rise, frantically trying to summon the strength to flee. His dragon wings flared, and his body tensed, ready to escape at any cost.
Aengus watched the pathetic display, his mind racing. Ashter knew something crucial, something about his family, the so-called "Devil Family," and what it meant. If this information leaked, it could lead to catastrophic consequences-perhaps even drawing unwanted attention to him. He couldn\'t let Ashter escape.
Ashter was a loose thread that had to be dealt with, and Aengus knew deep down, the moment he uttered the name Degaro, there was no turning back.
Bam!
Crash!
Aengus moved with blinding speed, his Boost Skill enhancing his strength and speed as he struck Ashter mid-flight. His fist collided with Ashter\'s side, sending him hurtling toward the ground like a broken doll.
The impact shook the earth, dust and debris flying up as Ashter\'s body crumpled into the dirt, his dragon wings folding awkwardly beneath him. His ribs caved inward, and blood trickled from his mouth as he gasped for breath, his once-defiant face twisted in agony.
"Aarrgh..." Ashter groaned, his voice barely a rasp, trying to muster what little strength he had left. His eyes, once full of defiance, now flickered with fear and desperation. "You\'ll pay for this... you devil-"
THWACK!
Aengus delivered another brutal punch, this time directly to Ashter\'s face. The impact twisted his head at an unnatural angle, a sickening crack echoing through the air as his neck snapped. Blood splattered across the ground as Ashter\'s body went limp, his eyes glazing over in death.
Silence descended upon the battlefield. The humans and orcs who had once been engaged in fierce combat stood frozen, their eyes wide with terror as they watched from a distance. None dared approach. They had seen enough to know that these two newcomers- Aengus and Bella-were not to be trifled with.
Bella, standing nearby, simply smiled as she watched the scene unfold. She knew Aengus was searching for unknown answers, and for now, she let him have his space. Her gaze lingered on Ashter\'s lifeless body before she turned her attention back to Aengus. "Done already, sweetheart?"
Aengus straightened, wiping the blood from his hands. His heart stirred, not from the fight, but from the implications of what Ashter had said.
The name "Degaro" seemed to strike fear into those who heard it, but why? What did it mean for him? For the first time in a long while, Aengus wasn\'t sure where the path ahead would lead.
But one thing was certain: Aengus was not forgetting his goals because od this.
Aengus then turned to Bella, meeting her gaze.
"Yes, I got my answers."
"Good," Bella replied, her voice sharp. "But did you find out how many of them there are? And their positions?" She pressed, wanting to be sure.
Aengus hesitated, a frown crossing his face. "Uh..." His words trailed off as if caught off guard. "No, I didn\'t. I was asking him about... something else," he added slowly, his uncertainty clear.
Bella\'s lips curled into an amused smile. "Don\'t worry, sweetheart." She waved it off, her tone laced with a mix of affection and danger. "They\'ll tell us what we need to know." Her eyes flicked to the trembling humans, kneeling before them, their bodies shaking uncontrollably despite being under the charm\'s influence.
She stepped forward, her voice dripping with venom. "Now, tell me, you filthy humans. How many more of you are out there, besides this place?"
One of the charmed humans responded mechanically, his words hollow and devoid of any emotion.
"We have entered in several battalions, numbering five thousand."
Bella\'s eyes narrowed slightly, her surprise barely visible. "Why are you here? Who sent you?" she demanded.
"We were ordered by the Dragon God\'s Shrine to collect demon cores... for unknown reasons."
Bella\'s jaw clenched. "Where are the others? Tell me their exact locations."
"They are scattered throughout this region, attacking villages and tribes, slaughtering them to gather demon cores," the man answered in a monotonous voice, oblivious to the rage building in Bella.
Her fists tightened, a wave of fury rising through her chest. "Filthy humans!" she hissed, her voice trembling with contempt. "You dare to slaughter the innocent? I\'m ashamed to share even a drop of your blood."
Her eyes glowed with murderous intent. "Die."
In an instant, all the kneeling humans and the humans on the battlefield fell lifeless, as if Death God itself had passed judgment upon them.