Chapter 336: Two Empty Seats

Yuuta blinked, his crimson eyes fixed on the floor.

"...Huh?"

He hadn’t moved. The faint light entering through the prison bars hadn’t changed either, yet something about the darkness beneath him seemed different. Yuuta stared at his own shadow for several seconds, unsure whether his exhausted mind was playing tricks on him.

"...Did I just see my shadow move?"

Yuuta narrowed his eyes and continued watching it. For one uncomfortable moment, he had the bizarre sensation that the shadow was watching him back. It almost felt alive, as though something inside that darkness was staring at him and waiting to come out.

A slight tremble passed through Yuuta’s body.

Having a demon stare at him was one thing. Feeling as though his own shadow was staring back at him was far more disturbing.

After another few seconds, Yuuta sighed and shook his head.

"I’m hallucinating."

Considering his condition, that seemed far more believable than his shadow suddenly becoming alive. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten properly, he was dehydrated, exhausted, and his body had already been pushed far beyond what it should have endured.

"I really should’ve eaten properly..." Yuuta muttered. "Or at least drank some water. Maybe I would’ve fought better."

He sighed again before looking toward the restraints around his wrists. Sitting here wasn’t going to accomplish anything. If physical strength wasn’t enough to break them, then he still had his aura.

Yuuta closed his eyes and concentrated.

A faint trace of his aura began moving through his body.

CLANK!

"AHHH!"

The shackles suddenly contracted.

Yuuta’s eyes shot open as the restraints violently tightened around both wrists. The metal squeezed hard enough that pain shot through his hands and up into his shoulders, while the restraints around his legs tightened at the same time.

"Fuck.....!"

Yuuta immediately stopped using his aura.

The reaction was instant.

As soon as his aura disappeared, the shackles loosened and returned to their previous state. Yuuta hung there breathing heavily, his fingers trembling from the sudden pressure as he stared at the restraints in disbelief.

"Ouch... fuck."

He tested his wrist carefully without using aura this time. The restraint didn’t react.

Yuuta’s expression darkened.

So they react when I use aura?

Whatever these shackles were, whoever had imprisoned him clearly hadn’t thrown ordinary chains around him and hoped for the best. They had prepared something specifically capable of stopping him from using his power.

"I can’t stay here."

Yuuta looked through the bars again. The darkness outside the cell suddenly felt much less harmless now that he understood how carefully he had been restrained.

I can’t die here.

Considering the prison, the chains, and the amount of effort they’d taken to capture him alive, Yuuta had no idea what they intended to do with him. But nothing about this place gave him any reason to believe he would simply be released later.

No. I didn’t come this far just to die chained inside some demon prison.

He forced himself to think.

There has to be a way out. I just have to—

A faint hissing sound interrupted his thoughts.

Yuuta stopped.

"Huh?"

Something was entering the cell.

Thin green smoke began leaking through an opening, spreading slowly across the floor before rising around him. Yuuta watched it for a moment in confusion, unable to identify what it was.

"What is this...?"

He instinctively tried holding his breath, but his already exhausted body immediately demanded air. Yuuta took another breath before turning his face away from the thickening smoke, his mind racing for some way to avoid inhaling more.

Then his throat suddenly felt dry.

Yuuta swallowed.

It hurt.

"Water..."

His tongue felt dry against the inside of his mouth. Within moments, the thirst became so intense that it overwhelmed nearly every other discomfort in his body.

"Water... I need water."

Yuuta looked toward the corridor.

"Someone... water..."

No one answered.

"Shit..."

His breathing grew heavier. Only a short while ago, he had been thirsty but still capable of thinking clearly. Now it felt as though he had been wandering through a desert for days without a single drop of water.

What’s happening to me?

Yuuta tried lifting his head, but it suddenly felt unbearably heavy.

His vision blurred. The bars in front of him shifted in and out of focus as his eyelids repeatedly tried to close, and even the faint light beyond the cell began blending into the surrounding darkness. Yuuta fought against it, forcing his eyes open again, but whatever strength he had regained was disappearing far too quickly.

"No..."

His head dropped slightly.

I can’t fall asleep here...

Yuuta tried once more to raise it, but his body refused to obey. The green smoke continued spreading through the cell, and the unbearable thirst only worsened with every passing second.

That was when hurried footsteps came from outside.

Two demon soldiers appeared at the end of the corridor. The first barely glanced toward Yuuta before his eyes widened at the sight of the green smoke filling the cell.

"Damn it!"

He rushed toward the bars and looked at Yuuta’s hanging body before immediately turning toward the other demon.

"Contact the control room! Tell them to shut off the trap gas!"

The second demon stared at the smoke in confusion.

"What happened?"

"This human tried to break free from the chains." The first demon pointed toward Yuuta’s restraints. "He must’ve tried using his power. It triggered the Hell Gas."

The other demon’s eyes widened.

"Hell Gas?"

"Yes! That’s why he’s suddenly so thirsty. Now move!"

"Okay!"

The second demon immediately turned and dashed down the corridor, his footsteps rapidly disappearing into the distance.

The remaining soldier stayed beside Yuuta’s cell, watching him nervously through the bars. His earlier irritation was gone. He knew exactly how important this particular prisoner was, and the orders surrounding him had been unusually strict.

If something happened to this human while he was supposed to be guarding him, explaining it to the higher-ups would become his problem.

"Damn it... Don’t die on me."

Yuuta could barely hear him anymore.

The voices outside the cell had become distant and distorted, but he had understood enough. His exhausted mind slowly pieced together what the demons had said.

The chains reacted to his aura.

Trying to break free activated the gas.

Even the cell itself had been designed to punish an escape attempt.

A weak, bitter thought passed through Yuuta’s fading consciousness.

I see...

So that was it.

He hadn’t simply been chained inside some random prison cell.

They really put me in the most secure place they have...

His remaining strength disappeared.

No easy escape, huh...?

Yuuta’s eyelids finally closed.

The last thing he saw was the green smoke drifting through the darkness while the demon outside watched him anxiously. His head fell forward, and the heavy chains held his exhausted body upright as consciousness slipped away once again.

______________________

The Royal Meeting Hall fell completely silent.

The Elite Demons stationed at the entrance immediately moved into position. One stepped forward, lowered his head deeply, and announced in a powerful voice that carried throughout the golden hall.

"Rise before His Majesty!"

Every Upper Blood Demon immediately turned toward the entrance.

The guard dropped to one knee.

"His Majesty, the Demon King, has entered the Royal Meeting Hall!"

The atmosphere changed instantly.

All six Upper Blood Demons rose from their seats and bowed as a figure walked through the enormous doors. Allen wore a long black royal robe, its dark fabric trailing behind him as he moved. His loose red hair fell around the two straight horns rising from his head, while his golden eyes swept across the hall without the slightest change in expression.

His presence alone was enough to silence everyone.

Allen walked past the bowed Upper Blood Demons without saying a word and approached the largest seat at the head of the table, the throne-like chair that had been reserved exclusively for him. He calmly took his place, looking over everyone gathered before him.

Another figure had entered behind him.

Xemom.

Known among demons as both a torturer and an executioner, Xemom had earned his reputation through countless acts of cruelty, including crushing the heads of children without hesitation. More importantly, his position wasn’t merely based on brutality. He stood among the highest ranks of the demonic hierarchy, one of the three most powerful demons directly beneath their king.

Xemom silently moved toward one of the three seats reserved for the highest-ranking demons and sat down.

Allen finally spoke.

"You may sit."

The Upper Blood Demons began returning to their seats, but several exchanged subtle glances.

Something was wrong.

There were supposed to be three seats occupied beside their king.

Only one was.

Xemom had arrived with Allen, but the other two seats remained completely empty.

One belonged to Zeri.

The other belonged to General Malakar.

Neither was present.

Mae-hwa glanced toward the empty seats before briefly looking at Ragnar. Even the usually aggressive giant remained silent. The Jester Demon’s smile weakened slightly, while the Salesman Demon quietly observed Allen, clearly wondering the same thing as everyone else.

Why were two of their highest-ranking demons absent from a meeting this important?

One by one, the Upper Blood Demons sat down.

All except Zanki.

Allen noticed immediately.

His golden eyes settled upon the standing demon, and his expression turned cold.

"Is there something you want, Zanki?"

Zanki lowered his head respectfully.

"No, my lord. By your grace, I have everything I could ask for. There is nothing I require."

Allen’s gaze didn’t move from him.

"Then why do I not see you sitting after I ordered you to sit?"

The hall became even quieter.

Zanki remained bowed for a moment before slowly raising his head.

"However, my lord... there is something I find troubling."

Allen said nothing, allowing him to continue.

Zanki’s many eyes shifted toward the two empty seats beside the Demon King.

"While Your Majesty graces this hall with your presence, I see two seats that remain empty."

His voice stayed calm and respectful, but every demon at the table immediately understood what he was asking.

Zanki lowered his head once more.

"To leave seats vacant while Your Majesty is present feels disrespectful to your honor."

His many eyes briefly shifted toward the two empty chairs.

"May I ask, my lord... why have Lord Zeri and General Malakar not appeared?"

The Upper Blood Demons exchanged glances.

None of them had dared to ask the question themselves, but now that Zanki had spoken first, the others found enough courage to voice their concerns. They remained respectful, however, keeping their heads lowered as Mae-hwa spoke first.

"Yes, my lord." Mae-hwa lowered her fan and bowed her head. "We understand that the High Demons hold positions far above ours. However, in Your Majesty’s presence, no one’s position is more important than yours."

A few of the others quietly voiced their agreement.

The Jester Demon leaned forward slightly, his usual playful smile still present, although his tone remained unusually respectful.

"My lord, if I may speak... Lord Zeri has gone too far this time. To remain absent after being summoned by Your Majesty..." His smile widened faintly. "It almost appears as though he no longer fears you or perhaps he has simply forgotten what fear is."

Several Upper Blood Demons lowered their heads even further.

"We humbly request that Your Majesty take action."

Their concern wasn’t entirely born from loyalty.

Every demon sitting at that table understood the hierarchy.

Above the Upper Blood Demons stood the three High Demons, occupying positions that none of them could easily challenge. Those three seats represented power, authority, and status beyond anything the Upper Blood Demons currently possessed.

And now two of those seats were empty.

Allen understood exactly what was going through their minds.

He sat silently upon his throne-like chair, one elbow resting against the armrest while his hand supported the side of his face. His golden eyes moved across the bowed demons without revealing the slightest emotion.

"So..."

His cold voice immediately silenced every whisper.

"You all want to know where those two High Demons are?"

Every Upper Blood Demon bowed.

"Yes, my lord."

Allen’s expression didn’t change.

For several seconds, he simply looked at them.

Then he answered.

"They’re dead."

The entire Royal Meeting Hall went silent.

To Be Continued...