Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes-Chapter 53: A Father’s Threat

The silence that followed was thick, oppressive.

Ivaim’s mind buzzed with confusion and suspicion.

’He’s stalling...’ Ivaim thought, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of the Master’s cryptic words.

’He’s waiting for us to react. Waiting to see how we respond to his words...’

His body ached in the unyielding chains, but his mind was sharp, always seeking an answer.

’What does he want from us? Why this talk about fate?’

"What if it’s a clue?" Ivaim blurted out, unable to stop himself. He couldn’t afford to let this moment slip away without trying to make sense of it.

Every word from the Master felt like a piece of a puzzle, and he couldn’t afford to miss it.

The Master of Cruelty paused, a low sound escaping from the darkness within his helmet, as if amused by Ivaim’s sudden insight.

"Hm?" he murmured, his voice cold and unreadable.

Ivaim’s mind raced, his thoughts jumbled but desperate for clarity. He turned toward Nathan, who was still straining against the chains, his eyes narrowing. The Black Veil Master remained silent, watching, waiting.

"The prophecy," Ivaim said, his voice steadying as he spoke aloud, trying to piece it together.

"It said that Reves is one of the key reasons for the fall of the Ten Throne Holders." He met the Master’s unseen gaze, challenging him with his words. "But what if the opposite is true? What if he’s not just the cause, but the solution?"

A dangerous silence settled over the group.

Ivaim swallowed, his words gaining confidence as he continued.

"If Reves is the reason for the fall, then maybe he’s also the key to your survival. Maybe... killing him is the very thing that leads to the Ten Throne Holders’ demise."

Reves, who was chained to the ground let out confused grunts. How was he involved in this?

The Master of Cruelty’s presence seemed to grow darker at his words. A chilling laugh, low and mirthless, slipped from behind his helmet.

"Interesting," the Master replied, his voice oozing with mocking curiosity.

The Master of Cruelty tilted his head slightly, the motion barely perceptible beneath his helmet.

"You think I want him dead?" His voice grew darker, almost amused by the suggestion. "You believe that the death of one child will undo what has been set in motion for centuries?"

Ivaim clenched his fists, the chains biting into his skin as he struggled to focus through the oppressive atmosphere.

"Then, it makes sense now...," he said, his voice tinged with a desperation that even he could hear.

"You’re stalling because you want to find solutions to avoid the grand prophecy, and you know that killing Reves is too much of a simple solution for it to immediately be fixed..."

"In other words, you’re trapped!" Ivaim said.

The Master’s laugh cut through the tension like a knife. It was low and twisted, almost a growl of frustration as he stood over them, his chains humming in the dark.

"I am not trapped," the Master of Cruelty snarled, his voice hardening with a renewed intensity. "You still don’t understand, do you? You think you can break the prophecy, turn it around, find an escape. But you cannot escape what you are bound to."

The Master of Cruelty stepped closer, his towering form casting a long, dark shadow over Ivaim. His voice, cold as steel and final as death itself, echoed through the still air.

"The sky is a lie. The world itself is a lie. And so are you."

His words seemed to hang in the air, suffocating the space around them. Every syllable was like a hammer, driving the truth of his statement deeper into their minds. Ivaim could feel the weight of it pressing down on him, but he fought against it, pushing aside the creeping doubt that sought to consume him.

But the Master wasn’t finished.

"Although…" The Master’s tone shifted, a strange, almost contemplative pause hanging between his words.

"It is true that I had come here seeking other solutions." His armor groaned with each step, each one heavier than the last, causing the very ground beneath them to tremble.

He walked deliberately toward Reves, the chains rattling with a sinister rhythm as if they, too, were drawn to the child.

The Master of Cruelty’s voice, low and mocking, continued.

"However, I must admit... I am curious. What is so special about this child? What makes him worthy of being part of that vile woman’s Prophecy?" His words dripped with venom, as though the very idea of the prophecy disgusted him, but it only made him more intrigued.

Ivaim’s breath caught in his throat, his mind scrambling for a way to stop him, but before he could act, Nathan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

"Wait!" Nathan growled, his voice thick with restrained fury. He was seething, his every muscle taut with the urge to spring into action.

"Master of Cruelty, I serve the Eighth Throne. Do not lay a hand on my son."

For the first time, the Master of Cruelty paused. His gaze flicked toward Nathan, but it was more like a passing glance, as if Nathan’s words carried no weight at all. The helmeted face revealed nothing, not even a hint of recognition.

But Nathan wasn’t finished.

His teeth gritted, Nathan’s voice became sharper, colder, as he pushed himself up despite the weight of the chains.

"Since you’ve stepped out of your Fractured Reality, it won’t be long before the others notice and come down to deal with this. And when they do…" He let the words hang in the air, his voice dripping with a quiet menace.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

The Master of Cruelty’s laugh was harsh, cutting through the tension like a jagged blade.

"Are you threatening me?"

His words were spoken like a simple observation, his amusement clear in the way his voice lingered, mocking the attempt.

Nathan’s head sank again, the chains digging deeper into his skin as he slowly lowered himself back to the ground. His voice, though quiet, was laced with a fierce promise.

"No... I’m making a promise. Harm my child... and I’ll make sure you’re the first of the Throne Holders to fall."

The air grew colder, the weight of Nathan’s words settling over them like a storm cloud. The Master of Cruelty remained unmoved, his expression hidden beneath the helmet, but his silence was telling.

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.