BXBX NOVEL Chapter 250: Agendas
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a Demon Lord in this city," the masked man replied, his voice stuttering under the pressure of standing near someone who could end his life effortlessly.
The masked man, once filled with pride and arrogance, would have faced down dozens of hunters without hesitation.
Now, confronted by someone at the apex of the food chain, all his bravado evaporated, leaving him humbled.
Little did he know, Reign was still keeping his aura controlled, ensuring no one else noticed.
'Could Demon Lords be such a big deal already?' Reign pondered.
He knew he was strong, but he was still far from being the strongest .
And strength was subjective; for instance, he might be powerful, but he would have still avoided the Illusion Demon girl because her abilities posed a serious threat to him.
"What was that serum you gave the boy?" Reign shifted the conversation, curious about its origin.
The serum had turned a seemingly harmless kid into a wild killing machine, impressing even Reign, who had taken multiple evolutions to reach such power.
The masked man hesitated, realizing the danger of divulging his secret.
But he had no choice. If he didn't answer, he would be killed on the spot.
"I'm waiting," Reign repeated, tapping his foot impatiently, his tone growing more annoyed .
"Please don't kill me! I'm just a lackey. I don't know where the serum comes from; someone just ordered me to test it," he pleaded, valuing his life above all else.
"Why would I kill you over that?" Reign asked with a puzzle tone.
"B— Because of what I did to the boy?" the masked man asked nervously.
Reign shook his head. "That's his choice. Besides, you did nothing wrong. You just provided an option," he said calmly.
The masked man was astonished by Reign's response. He had anticipated a one sided judgment and execution.
"S— So you're not going to kill me?" the masked man asked cautiously, seeking confirmation.
He found it hard to believe that a Demon Lord would make such a statement so casually.
"Don't misunderstand. I will still kill you, but not for what you did. I'll kill you because I want to," Reign clarified.
"And don't think about causing a commotion. I can end you before you make a sound." His threat sent a chill down the masked man's spine.
Desperate to save himself, the masked man blurted out, "Please don't! I can tell you more. We are an organization called the Enlighten, and we're big. Some Demon Lords are affiliated with us. Maybe we can negotiate," he stammered.
Reign's curiosity was piqued at the mention of "Demon Lords."
It seemed demons were more active in human cities than he had imagined.
"So your organization is backed by a Demon Lord?" he inquired skeptically.
"I-I heard it from our leader. He told us that we have their support," the masked man replied hesitantly, having never met a Demon Lord himself prior to this.
"Alright, I won't kill you, but you will work for me from now on," Reign offered.
"W— What?" The masked man was stunned.
It felt more like a recruitment than punishment for his crimes.
But considering Reign's demonic nature, his criteria for servants were equally sinister, requiring ruthlessness, morally evil, and degeneracy .
In that regard, the masked man fit the bill perfectly.
"You don't want to ? I can just kill you, you know. And don't think your organization can save you. I'm close to reaching Demon King status, so choose wisely," Reign warned, his tone filled with threat.
He was just bluffing about his progress toward becoming a Demon King, but who would dare to question him?
"I'll serve you... I'll serve you," the masked man replied hastily.
"Good choice," Reign nodded in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the battle between the boy and the hunter concluded.
As expected, the boy's body couldn't contain the overwhelming power within him, leading to a sudden explosion that painted the ground black.
"Finish what you're doing and take me to your base. I want to speak with your leader," Reign commanded.
He could have killed the masked man immediately, but that would leave him with only one person to consume. So his plan was to investigate this organization called the 'Enlighten,' uncover the source of their power, and devour everyone associated with it.
'This guy isn't human or demon. The miasma I felt from him is like the one in the Corrupteds', but it's more restrained and controlled. I'm sure his organization can offer me a lot of benefits,' he thought, a sinister grin spreading across his face as he imagined the rewards from this unexpected encounter.
The masked man's blood ran cold at the command. He understood the potential consequences of leading Reign to their base but had no alternative.
He regretted coming here in the first place. It was his leader's idea to provoke the demon attack, hoping to lure hunters to test the experiment's combat capabilities.
Instead, it had backfired, leaving him cornered and facing unexpected consequences.
"I have a car," the masked man replied dejectedly.
"Lead the way."
Reluctantly, he led Reign to where his car was parked nearby.
As they drove down the highway, the masked man stole nervous glances, uncertain of the Demon Lord's intentions.
'So their base is in the capital, huh?' he mused, having assumed it would be hidden in a smaller town. He was surprised when the GPS indicated they were headed toward the city center.
Throughout the journey, the masked remained silent, acutely aware of Reign's watchful eye.
Every move, every glance, and every gesture was scrutinized. The masked man kept his actions careful, afraid to provoke any suspicion that could lead to dire consequences.
After an hour or so.
'This place is on another level,' he muttered to himself as they finally saw the outline of the city .
Towering walls loomed larger than any he had seen in Tier 4 cities. They stretched so far that even with his vision, he couldn't see from end to end on either side.
Atop the walls, rows of massive cannons were visible, their size and scale apparent even from a distance, emphasizing the city's formidable defenses.
And not just the walls, he could also see a lot of equipment on the flat area surrounding the area. They looked like cannons but more advanced.
"Where exactly is your base ?" Reign asked .
The masked man paused for a moment, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "It's in the 3rd Region," he admitted reluctantly.
"3rd Region, huh," Reign nodded.
He had done some research using the man's phone and figured out that this place had a total of 5 regions. The closer to the center, the more exclusive it became.
After seeing the entire map on the local internert network, he discovered just how massive this place was.
The area inside the barrier was only twice as big as a Tier 4 city, but the actual walled capital was at least six times larger.
'I'm finally here,' he muttered.