Chapter 292 - 292: Entertain Me

Zane continued staring at the man chained to the wall.

Caelum's body remained completely still, his eyes, ears, and mouth sealed while the strange needles continued extracting the golden vapor from his body.

"Best friends..."

Zane muttered quietly.

"I thought his best friend was Lucen Merrith."

The demon standing beside Clara remained silent for a moment before finally answering.

"We did have an argument in the past."

Zane turned his eyes toward him.

The demon continued in the same calm voice. "We were young back then. Orphans during the Great Wars. We experienced discrimination from almost every tribe."

His gaze shifted toward Caelum.

"I faced it from humans, elves, dwarves... everyone."

"Caelum and Lucen faced discrimination from elves and dwarves."

He paused.

"But Caelum's response was different from mine."

"He wanted to establish an academy where every species could study together. Humans, demons, elves, dwarves, beastmen... everyone."

Zane's expression remained calm as he listened.

"He believed that if the next generation studied together, perhaps they wouldn't repeat the mistakes of ours."

The demon's eyes darkened.

"But after experiencing so much discrimination myself, I began thinking differently."

"I started believing demons should stay among demons."

"They would be safer that way."

"I didn't want them living alongside other species anymore."

He looked toward the floor.

"So I rejected Caelum's idea."

"I separated myself from both him and Lucen."

"Then I came to Malgrith."

His expression became slightly more proud.

"I proved my loyalty to the Demon Kingdom and eventually established an academy for demons."

A short silence followed.

"I am its founder..."

The demon finally looked directly at Zane.

"...and its chairman."

"Ryneros."

"Hmm..."

Zane looked at the demon standing beside Clara for a moment, as if putting the pieces together. "Ryneros. Chairman of the Demon Academy... and Caelum's best friend." He gave a small nod. "That pretty much sums up your story."

A faint smile appeared on his face, but his eyes remained sharp.

"Now comes the main question."

He glanced around the room before looking back at Ryneros. "Why? Why go through all this trouble? Capturing Caelum, experimenting on Jax, obtaining that God Stone... what's the point of all this?"

Zane's gaze suddenly shifted toward a particular door on the far side of the room.

He smiled.

"And I suppose the person who can answer that is standing right there."

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then a familiar voice came from behind the door.

"As expected..."

The door slowly opened.

"You sensed me."

A familiar three-horned figure stepped into the room.

Dark forest-green hair, a rough beard, and ruby-red slit eyes immediately revealed his identity.

Phomet de Marl.

The Demon King.

He calmly entered the room while his gaze remained fixed on Zane.

Ryneros stepped slightly aside as Phomet stopped beside him.

Zane looked at the Demon King with a small smile. "So, Your Majesty. I assume you're finally going to explain what all this is about?"

Phomet's expression remained serious.

"We need them."

His gaze shifted toward Caelum, Jax, and the strange materials surrounding them.

"We need them to create a defense..."

He paused.

"...for mortals."

Zane looked at Phomet for a moment.

"For mortals, huh..."

Then he smirked.

"So, to save them..."

"...you're killing them."

His eyes moved around the laboratory.

The tanks.

The experiments.

The remains of what this place had been doing for years.

"If this project has been going on for as long as it seems, then I'd estimate you've already used millions of people across the planet."

Phomet didn't deny it.

"To protect billions and ensure the survival of mortals..."

His expression remained firm.

"...the sacrifice of millions is a small cost."

Zane was quiet for a second.

Then he nodded.

"If you look at it like that..."

"...indeed."

"It's a small cost."

Clara's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You don't seem very angry after hearing that we've sacrificed so many people."

Zane looked at her.

"Why would I be angry?"

The question came so casually that Clara went silent.

"They aren't related to me."

"I'm not obliged to save them."

Zane placed his hands deeper into his pockets.

"I save when I want."

"I kill when I want."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"People simply misunderstood me."

"I didn't save this planet because I'm some hero."

His eyes briefly moved toward the unconscious Selene floating inside the blue mana bubble.

"I saved this place because of my student..."

Then his smile widened.

"...and because I found the whole thing entertaining."

"I just let the misunderstanding continue."

For a moment...

Clara had no words.

The hero the world admired.

The World's Saviour.

The man countless people believed would always come to their rescue...

Was far colder and more detached than she had imagined.

Then Clara slowly smiled.

"Well..."

"That's certainly interesting."

Zane let out a small sigh.

"Alright. I've wasted enough time here."

His eyes moved from Clara to Ryneros, then finally settled on Phomet.

"So I'm going to kill all of you, take Jax and Caelum, and leave."

He took a step forward.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Ryneros's body tensed. A small bead of sweat appeared on his forehead as he instinctively went on guard.

Clara's smile remained, but even she couldn't completely hide the sweat forming near her temple.

Phomet, however, quickly raised a hand.

"Wait."

Zane stopped but didn't lower his gaze.

"Don't you want to hear about the God Stone and the black horn?"

Zane narrowed his eyes.

"I can research them after I kill you."

His eyes briefly moved toward the dark horn floating inside its tank.

"They'll eventually fall into my hands anyway."

Phomet's expression stiffened slightly.

Another bead of sweat appeared.

"But don't you want to hear the story behind them?"

Zane remained silent.

Phomet continued.

"From what I've seen, Zane Creed... you're someone who chases excitement."

"Entertainment. Mysteries."

He slowly gestured toward the God Stone, the black horn, and the countless experiments surrounding them.

"Wouldn't you like to know what all of this really is?"

"The secret behind Project Obsidian."

A small smile appeared on Phomet's face.

"And perhaps..."

"...find out whether this is interesting enough to entertain you?"

Zane stood still.

For a few moments, nobody spoke.

Then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm..."

A smile slowly returned to his face.

"I know you're playing me."

Phomet remained quiet.

"But..."

Zane turned back toward him.

"...you're right."

He casually stepped back and placed his hands inside his pockets again.

"Go ahead."

His deep purple eyes gleamed with interest.

"Tell me everything."

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

"And entertain me."