Novel Full Chapter 249: Simple
Chapter 249: Simple
“What is so funny, demon?” Cain asked in a cold, disgusted tone.
Elion didn’t answer because he couldn’t.
Every breath felt like it was tearing through his chest, and the laughter that had escaped him moments ago had left his lungs burning and his throat feeling raw.
His body also refused to cooperate with his actions, so all he could do was remain there on his hands and knees, blood dripping onto the stone beneath him as his vision flickered.
Cain, however, did not wait for an answer, and instead, he took that silence as confirmation of his claim, his expression turning colder as he looked down at Elion.
“See,” he said, his voice carrying easily across the arena, “he has already lost his mind.”
The crowd stirred again, and the whispers grew louder, more uncertain, more divided, as suspicion began to take hold more firmly in the minds of those watching.
Maximus frowned deeply as he looked at Cain, and though his voice remained controlled, there was an unmistakable edge to it now.
“What makes you believe he is no longer human?” he asked, his gaze steady and unyielding.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
“And how did you even see it?”
Cain let out a soft breath, almost as if he was humoring the question, and then he descended slowly, his boots touching the ground as he moved toward William, who was still lying there in a dazed state.
“Well, first of all,” Cain began as he bent down and grabbed William by the collar, lifting him up with ease despite the boy’s condition, “my son here tells me that this so-called peerless talent of yours was nothing more than a bottom feeder not too long ago.”
He turned slightly, positioning William so that he faced the arena.
“But then, one day, after an unfortunate accident in the dungeon, he was proclaimed dead… only to return stronger and more talented than ever.”
A ripple passed through the crowd again, because this was information that most had simply never heard.
“You see,” Cain continued calmly, “he also tells me that the two of them never got along, so of course, the first thing the boy did after his miraculous return was seek revenge against my poor son.”
He gave William a slight shake.
“Right, William?”
William blinked, still somewhat dazed, but he nodded quickly, almost too quickly, and though confusion lingered in his expression, something else appeared as well.
Understanding.
’No wonder…’
His eyes widened slightly.
’That’s why… That’s why he became so strong so quickly…’
“Yes,” William muttered hoarsely, as if convincing himself as much as anyone else. “There’s no way… no way he could have grown that strong on his own…”
Cain lifted him, letting him stand unsteadily using his support as he turned back to the air arena with William in his grip.
“Now,” Cain said, his voice rising just enough to reach everyone clearly, “I can assume the more intelligent people here can already see where this is going.”
The tension thickened.
“I believe one of two things happened,” he continued, holding up two fingers as he spoke.
“One—”
“The boy truly died, and a powerful demon managed to slip through a crack in the seal and steal his body in the dungeon.”
He paused briefly.
“This is highly unlikely, as such possession would typically strip away most of the body’s human traits, and it is almost impossible for demons to come into our world without outside influence or help from a native of our world.”
He lowered one finger.
“Or—”
“On the brink of death, this boy sold his soul to a powerful demon in exchange for great power and unparalleled talent.”
His gaze hardened slightly.
“I am leaning toward the latter.”
The arena fell into a heavy silence. The idea had taken root, and that was all he needed.
“Now,” Cain said, turning his attention toward the professors, “if the boy’s professors are present… would you care to confirm my suspicions?”
For a moment, no one moved, and then George raised his hand calmly in agreement. He still had that faint smile on his face, even now, as if none of this bothered him in the slightest.
The gesture alone sent a ripple through the crowd.
Eveline and Selene, however, were frozen in shock, so they couldn’t give their input.
They stood near one of the tunnel entrances, a bit further away from the center of the arena, but both of them looked like they had forgotten how to breathe; their bodies were stiff, and their expressions looked pale.
Selene, most of all, could not believe it.
Her eyes trembled slightly as she looked toward Elion, then back toward Cain, her mind refusing to accept what was being said, because no matter how she tried to rationalize it, nothing about Elion had ever felt like that.
It hurt her more than anything else, because she had been so deeply invested in Elion’s growth, especially from the moment he had pushed past his limits; it had all resonated with her in a way that very few things ever had.
He reminded her of herself.
Not the person she was now, standing here as a respected instructor, but the version of her that had clawed her way up from nothing, from the dirt, from the trenches where no one believed in her and no one gave her anything freely, and she had fought for every ounce of strength she had gained, just like he had.
Watching him grow had not just been interesting.
It had been personal, even though she hadn’t really shown it or done anything to actively support him.
It had brought back memories she had long buried, memories of exhaustion, of pain, of stubborn determination, and of the quiet satisfaction that came from proving everyone wrong, and in a strange way, it had been… comforting, seeing someone walk a path so similar to her own.
And now, to hear this, to hear him reduced to something else, to something inhumane, something so vile.
Her chest tightened, and her breath grew shallow. “No…” Her voice trembled. “It cannot be…”
Maximus spoke once more, and this time his tone was calmer and measured, as if the earlier burst of anger had been deliberately reined in, but there was still an undeniable weight behind his words as he looked directly at Cain.
“My question remains the same,” he said, his voice carrying clearly across the arena, “what proof do you have to show us that he is not human as you claim, and what sort of means did you use to arrive at such a conclusion?”
He paused briefly, his aged eyes narrowing slightly as he continued slowly.
“Forgive my supposed ignorance, but I am well aware of how rare such methods are, those that are capable of reading into a person’s hidden traits, their bloodline, their essence… so I must ask, did you perhaps resort to unethical means?”
His words flowed smoothly, almost casually, but there was intent behind them, because in truth, he was stalling, buying time, forcing Cain to speak more, reveal more, while he himself considered the situation carefully.
If Dawncrest had gone this far, if he had stepped into the arena and struck a student in front of everyone, then there was almost certainly at least a fragment of truth in what he was saying, and if that was the case, then the next step was obvious.
It would only be a matter of time before he suggested taking Elion away for examination to back his actions and claims.
Once that happened, once they had the chance to look deeper into the boy’s body, they would inevitably find something, because regardless of whether Elion had made a contract with a demon or not, the origin core was most definitely there. And it would be bad for him if it fell into someone else’s hands.
Maximus’s mind raced behind his calm expression.
’I need more time…’
Cain laughed lightly.
“Very well,” he said, his voice laced with faint amusement, “I see that you are just intent on protecting one of your former students.”
He did not seem offended.
If anything, he seemed a bit entertained.
“I happen to have a subordinate with very sharp senses,” Cain continued, his gaze shifting briefly toward the side, “and the boy happened to let traces of his demonic aura slip when he cast his spell.”
The words landed heavily.
Cain did not give them time to dwell on it on purpose. Most of what he was saying was made up, but as long as the fact of the matter remained true, then he would be judged to be right in the end.
A part of him, however, was completely shocked!
That strike on Elion had been meant to knock him out, and preferably leave him half dead. Checking him and proving his claims would have been a simple matter then, but now he would probably have to give the devil a chance to speak and perhaps explain himself.
He more than expected Maximus to ask such. If he suggested the same, however, it would paint him as a just and honest man who is simply serving his kind.
’I don’t know how George and that girl managed to get this information, but I’ll be damned if I don’t use it.’
“However,” he added smoothly, “it will be quite simple to prove my claims.”
He paused, then spoke plainly.
“I suggest a simple extraction and examination of his bloodline essence.” His confidence did not waver, not even slightly.