The Damned Demon - Chapter 683: Not Ready Yet

Lenny immediately stepped forward, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips as he addressed the President, “President, sorry about this. I tried to stop this unauthorized simulation from running, but Arthur here found it a bit hard to follow my warnings, eheh.”

Arthur’s brows furrowed, confused by the sudden blame being thrown his way. Why was Lenny making it sound like he had caused trouble? Looking at Derek, Arthur spoke with a steady voice, “I’m sorry, sir. Other than the students being curious, I just also wanted to see how terrifying the Corrupted Prince was.”

Derek nodded, his expression calm but unreadable, “It’s fine. So… what do you think about the outcome?”

Arthur blinked, taken aback by the question. He winced slightly before answering, “I… Considering how things went down in reality, I didn’t expect such an unexpected outcome. But the simulation can’t be flawed, right?”

Derek’s eye flickered, “You are right. The simulation isn’t flawed, and the outcome is indeed overwhelming.” He then turned his gaze toward the gathered students, most of them looking confused and shaken. His tone softened as he pointed toward the large crystal in the middle of the hall, “This crystal is not perfect. It records the abilities and fighting styles of those it echoes, but it cannot capture the true essence of a battle. It’s not meant to tell stories, only to provide training.”

Arthur’s brows furrowed further in contemplation. His mind was racing, and before he could stop himself, he asked, “But still… Why would it show such an overwhelming outcome? Could it be that the Corrupted Prince really was that powerful? And if he was, how was he defeated?”

The question hung in the air for a moment before a murmur spread among the students. Derek turned his gaze back to Arthur, his expression thoughtful, “It’s a fair question, Arthur.”

He nodded slightly, acknowledging Arthur’s doubt, “The truth is, the Corrupted Prince was indeed powerful. More powerful than most of you could ever comprehend. But power alone does not decide the outcome of a battle. It was strategy, sacrifice, and unity that led to his downfall. Twenty-five of our strongest Hunters fought together, and many gave their lives to put an end to his evil. The simulations can’t account for how Hunters work together or the bonds and emotions we share when fighting evil.”

Derek’s voice carried the weight of authority, his words sinking deep into the students, “Do not idolize strength alone. The world is full of powerful beings, but it is those who use their power for the right reasons, who fight not for themselves but for the world, who truly make a difference. Remember that.”

A heavy silence followed, the weight of his message settling over the room like a thick fog. Arthur could sense the truth in Derek’s words, yet something still gnawed at him, something that felt unfinished. The power the Corrupted Prince displayed seemed too great to be simply explained away.

Rachel’s eyes were locked on her father, noticing the subtle tension in his shoulders, the way his eye narrowed ever so slightly. She could see that he hated that this simulation had been seen by the students, but he was trying to contain the fallout, to steer the narrative. The more she saw this side of him, the more unsettling he became.

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Lenny took a step forward. His voice was uncharacteristically meek, barely a whisper. “I—I’m sorry, sir. I should’ve been more vigilant. I’ll make sure nothing like this happens again.”

Derek’s gaze shifted to him, cold and piercing, like a blade drawn under the skin. His voice was low, meant only for Lenny’s ears, “Don’t let me see you in this hall again.”

Lenny paled, nodding quickly before retreating a step, his frustration unbearable, and he couldn’t help but shoot daggers at Arthur again. Just because of that Evangelion bastard, he was getting punished for it.

Turning back to the students, Derek’s expression softened once more, his tone measured and paternal, “As for the rest of you, I hope this serves as a reminder. Power is a dangerous thing, and those who wield it without understanding the consequences are often consumed by it. Learn from the past, but do not dwell on it. Focus on becoming the kind of Hunters the world needs.”

The students nodded solemnly, their earlier excitement dampened by the weight of Derek’s words. They had come expecting stories of legendary battles and heroic strength, but instead, they were leaving with a sobering lesson about responsibility and sacrifice.

However, as they began to file out of the hall, some couldn’t help but cast lingering glances at the Echo Crystal, the memory of the Corrupted Prince’s terrifying prowess still fresh in their minds. One of the students silently but quickly pocketed a device, hoping nobody saw him recording the simulation’s end result.

The questions remained—buried beneath the President’s warnings, but not forgotten.

As the last of the students filtered out, bidding their quick goodbyes to Arthur, he hurried across the hall, making his way toward Derek, who seemed to be waiting for him by the exit. Derek’s face softened into a warm smile as Arthur approached.

“I got your message,” Derek said, his tone relaxed, “But I was in a meeting. What did you want to talk about?”

Arthur offered a brief, almost sheepish smile before speaking, “It’s about the Mars Vanguard Initiative, sir. I heard the priority is based on ranking, but I didn’t see my name on the list of S Rankers. Did I do something wrong? I really want to go to Mars and help the others fight demons.”

Derek shook his head, the warmth in his eye never fading as he placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder, “Son, that’s not it at all. I want what’s best for you. But we can’t send all S Rankers to Mars. Some Hunters, like you, are needed here on Earth in case any powerful demons decide to cause trouble. We can’t afford to make any mistakes when demons like Hellbringer and the Thundering Reaper are exploiting loopholes to sow chaos without using quests.”

Arthur’s expression shifted, realization dawning on him. He nodded slowly, “I see… that makes sense.”

“Don’t feel disappointed, kid. You’ll get your chance.” The voice was aged but strong, coming from the far side of the hall. Arthur turned to see a stern-looking old man, seemingly in his early seventies.

His dignified posture and finely tailored suit reflected a life of wealth and power. A short white beard framed his inscrutable expression, and his bald head gleamed under the bright light.

“Council Member Hart,” Arthur greeted him with respect, bowing slightly, “It’s an honor.”

Albert Hart nodded slowly, a thin smile tugging at his lips as he approached, “You’ve got potential, son. Real potential. You’re our hope for the future. We can’t risk anything happening to you. But when you’re ready…” His gaze flickered toward Derek before he added, “I’ll personally make sure Derek does what’s necessary.”

Arthur smiled briefly, feeling the weight of the praise, “Thank you, sir. I appreciate your confidence. I won’t waste any more of your time,” he said, bowing his head again. He turned on his heel, walking away, his footsteps echoing in the quiet hall.

But as Arthur walked, a thought nagged at him. Was it really about keeping him safe? Or were they holding him back because they didn’t believe he was ready? A determined spark lit up in his eyes as he thought about his next move—training harder, pushing his limits. Advisor Ash crossed his mind, and he knew exactly where he would start, his eyes glowing with a determined light despite remembering Ash’s refusal.

Rachel looked at Arthur walking away from afar and couldn’t help but wonder if he would make a good ally. He might be blind to everything happening around him but he was someone who had the courage to do the right thing…just like Cedric.

But she couldn’t guarantee how exactly he would react to the truth and it wasn’t like Asher would agree.

There was also the fact that he might be holding resentment towards Cedric because of what happened to his sister and might not believe the truth behind Cedric’s death.

As Arthur disappeared from view, Albert shifted his gaze to Derek, his brow furrowing slightly, “How long do you think before he’s ready for things to move forward?”

Derek’s expression darkened, his eye narrowing, “We can’t force anything. It has to happen naturally. We’ll just have to wait and watch.”

—

Meanwhile, in a WHA base near a Junction Tower set for an unveiling ceremony the next day, Cecilia sat in her office. Papers were scattered across her desk, but her focus was far from her work. The events of the previous night played over and over in her mind, like an unwelcome ghost haunting her thoughts.

She kept receiving messages and emails on her device, but that didn’t pull her out of her reverie.

However, outside, Asher had just arrived, standing before the base, staring up at the window of Cecilia’s office. A subtle smirk played at the corner of his lips, a dark blue rectangular box in his hand. His eyes gleamed with a quiet calculation as he turned and strode confidently into the base.

He heard from Rachel that Cecilia should have the information of when Remy would be transported to prepare for his arrival at Mars since she was still a Head of Department at the academy while Rachel was no longer part of the academy.

And so he was determined to pry out that information from her one way or the other