The Damned Demon - Chapter 680: The Hall Of Echoed Valor

In the well-lit main room of the Culthold of the Coven of the Damned, a somber atmosphere pervaded the room. Grace sat in a chair, her head resting against her palm, her usually sharp eyes clouded with worry. Beside her, Emiko and Yui sat on either side, their presence a quiet comfort as they tried to console her.

“Aunty Grace, please don’t worry. We will get him out one way or the other,” Emiko said, her voice firm with determination, though her lips were pressed together in a tight line.

Grace sighed, her gaze unfocused as she looked at the concrete floor beneath her feet, “It’s not that simple, Emiko. Remy is being watched. If we make one wrong move, it could endanger him even more.” Her voice was heavy with worry and fatigue.

Yui leaned forward, her eyes earnest as she spoke, “But we can help him, right? We can enter the academy. How about we help Remy get out? We can do more than just sending a letter to him.”

Grace’s lips twisted into a bitter smile as she shook her head, “No, dear. You know what we’re up against. If we get caught, it’s not just Remy’s life on the line. It’s ours as well. And I can’t risk losing any more of you. If it were me alone, then it would be fine. But I can’t take any action without jeopardizing our Master’s plans.”

“They’re probably holding him hostage,” Asher’s voice echoed as he entered the room, flanked by Amelia and Rebecca. He held the end of a leash fastened to the black choker around Rebecca’s neck, though she was glad he at least let her walk upright.

Emiko and Yui quickly stood up, bowing respectfully, while Grace also rose to greet him. Asher waved them down, gesturing for them to sit back. Emiko and Yui exchanged shocked glances, their expressions reflecting the unease Asher’s words had sparked.

Rebecca’s gaze flickered over Grace’s doleful expression. She knew the situation surrounding Grace’s grandson, and despite herself, she felt an odd irritation seeing the usually smug bitch so weighed down with worry. Grace didn’t seem surprised by Asher’s statement and sighed heavily, “Derek must be suspecting I’m still alive. Remy is a genius, but they gave him a slot over other geniuses who are older and stronger than him. It can’t be a coincidence.”

“Oh no…” Yui mumbled, her voice filled with concern, while Emiko clenched her fists, her brows furrowed in frustration.

Amelia crossed her arms, her expression conflicted, “We always knew this could be a possibility. But we never expected him to find out so soon. It must be because you fought the Thundering Reaper, Aunty Grace.”

“What’s the big deal? Just ask that so-called Daughter of Justice to kidnap him and bring him here. The only other option is to attack the stupid place and take him out,” Rebecca said with a dismissive shake of her head as if the answer was obvious.

Amelia rolled her eyes, exasperated, “You cannot be serious. Rachel is already risking herself a lot. What you’re suggesting would be like offering her on a silver platter to her father.”

Rebecca shrugged, “She’s a big girl. She can handle it.”

“She’s right about one thing,” Asher interjected, his tone serious. “Remy can’t get out without us forcing our way in. He’s constantly watched, so none of us can sneak him out.”

“You’re right,” Amelia agreed, “But force our way in? The academy is right within the headquarters of the WHA. We would have better chances of taking on the North Korean military than the fortress of Huntress. It’s literally the place where the most talented Hunters are concentrated. It also won’t look good for our cult if we attack an academic place filled with kids. It’s impossible with all those Hunters there,” Amelia finished with a shake of her head, her frustration palpable.

Asher nodded slowly, considering her words, “I know. That’s why we’ll attack when Remy is on his way to the teleportation chamber that’s located elsewhere, which would take him to Mars. We just have to know when it happens. I’ll ask Rachel to look into it.”

“Of course… there is that option as well,” Rebecca mumbled, pretending to look elsewhere, her eyes darting to and fro as if to make sure nobody was looking at her.

Grace’s heart lightened slightly, a spark of hope igniting in her chest. She stood up, her gaze fixed on Asher with a look of deep appreciation and gratitude, “Thank you, Master.” She knew he was doing this for her, as it wouldn’t affect his plans whether Remy had the M.A.M installed or not.

—

In a desolate, dark wasteland with eerie golden lightning streaking across the roiling sky, Lenny stood, trembling before a towering figure that hovered just above him.

The young man’s body seemed to hum with an otherworldly energy, his presence oppressive and suffocating. His golden eyes radiated a blinding light, crackling with energy, and his muscular form was sheathed in a sleek, black suit adorned with a cape. Emblazoned on his chest was the emblem of a golden sun, slashed by lightning.

“You fucking bastard…” Lenny growled, his voice raw with anger and fear. Sweat dripped down his brow, his knuckles white as he tightened his grip on his sabre, which began to glow with a fierce, radiant brown light. He felt the crushing weight of his opponent’s gaze, but he refused to back down. He had no reason to fear him…not anymore!

“I will gut you this time!” he roared, his voice breaking through the oppressive silence like a desperate war cry. Summoning every ounce of his power, Lenny lunged forward, his sabre blazing with the intensity of his rage, aiming for the hovering man’s neck.

In that instant, the figure’s golden eyes flickered, crackling with lightning, and a deafening thunderclap split the air. A shockwave, powerful and unstoppable, surged from the figure’s form, rippling through the wasteland like a tidal wave. The ground cracked and split beneath its force, and Lenny’s eyes widened in horror as he found himself rooted to the spot, his body frozen in place, his sabre raised uselessly in the air.

“Uhh…” Lenny tried to speak, but his voice was lost in the howling wind as the shockwave’s backlash engulfed him. The next moment, his body exploded in a grotesque spray of blood, shattered bones, and torn flesh.

“AAAHHHH!!!” Lenny’s scream echoed through the grandiose hall of the WHA Academy as he jerked awake, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with terror. He blinked rapidly, disoriented by the sudden shift from the desolate wasteland to the opulent hall with its vaulted ceiling and gleaming marble floors. The large white crystal on the raised dais before him glowed softly, its light dancing across the runes and sigils encircling it.

[ The Corrupted Prince Wins ] the message rang out, cold and emotionless, reverberating in the otherwise empty hall for the umpteenth time.

Lenny’s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to catch his breath, his limbs still numb from the phantom pain of his gruesome defeat. He let out a low, frustrated growl, slumping back against the floor.

“That ended faster than I thought,” a familiar voice rang out from behind him, causing Lenny to jerk in surprise. He looked behind to see Rachel sitting on one of the many empty chairs, her arms crossed and a curious smile playing on her lips.

“R-Rachel? When did you arrive?” Lenny stammered, scrambling to his feet with an awkward chuckle, feeling a flush of shame rise to his cheeks. His earlier bravado had vanished, replaced by the stinging embarrassment of being caught in such a state. How shameful to see him get defeated like that, especially at his hands even if it was just a mere echo.

“I was looking for you when I heard you were unexpectedly in the Hall of Echoed Valor,” Rachel said, her tone light but with a hint of curiosity. “I had no idea they still kept the Corrupted Prince’s Echo in this hall. Usually, only the echoes of legendary and honorable warriors are kept here to train the students. But I suppose it isn’t a bad idea to train students by letting them fight someone who was once the strongest Hunter,” she mused, her gaze drifting to the glowing crystal.

She then looked back at Lenny, her brows furrowing slightly, “But why were you fighting his Echo? I was surprised to see you get instantaneously destroyed by him. Weren’t you the one who dealt him a severe blow that helped my dad kill him?” Her face looked as if she was genuinely curious about what went wrong.

Lenny forced a laugh, wiping the sweat from his brow, “Don’t mind me. I’m not in my best shape right now. I’ve been distracted with a lot of things. I was only trying to vent my frustration by fighting that fucker.” His voice cracked slightly at the end, betraying his shaken state.

Rachel nodded slowly, though inwardly her thoughts were more scathing, ‘Best shape, my foot. I bet you were hiding all the time in your fight against Cedric. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be alive in the first place,’ she thought bitterly, her eyes narrowing.

But once again, seeing how powerful Cedric was, she felt even more horrible about how things had ended for him. If only he wasn’t backstabbed like that in his most vulnerable state…he would have still been-

Suddenly, the large double doors of the hall swung open with a loud creak, drawing both their gazes. A group of students, chattering excitedly, stepped inside, their voices falling silent as they spotted the unexpected duo standing by the dais. At the forefront of the group was a dashing young man with a calm, composed demeanor and striking hazel eyes.

“Arthur?” Rachel murmured, her brows raising in surprise as she saw him come in with all these students.