Chapter 252 Surrender

As the amethyst dome slowly went out, night fell silently.

A gloomy atmosphere enveloped the sky above the Demon City, as if even the wind was frozen by the invisible pressure and stagnated in this dead place.

The manor of the Dragun family stood tall, like a sleeping ancient fortress. Its towering obsidian walls shone with a faint magical glow, guarding the power and pride accumulated by the family for generations.

Surrounded by roiling red magma, flowing with hot and dangerous light, the entire manor is isolated from the outside world, like a fortress isolated in the abyss.

However, this impregnable manor is now shrouded in an atmosphere of despair.

Accompanied by the Death Knights, the Judges of the Ministry of Truth have arrived, and the chilling sense of oppression has already crossed the high walls long before they did.

Under the night sky, the scarlet robe floated on the armor as solid as obsidian like rolling magma.

The judges stood quietly at the front of the team, with the Death Knights lined up behind them, and death burning in the dark green soul fire.

A silent and murderous atmosphere spread throughout the area, like the calm before a storm, causing passers-by around to retreat.

However, this group of mighty warriors did not rush to break through the fortress surrounded by magma. Instead, they quietly surrounded the manor like hunters and laid an impenetrable net of death.

They seemed to be waiting for something.

"...Why don't we attack directly?" a young adjutant asked in a low voice, with some confusion in his tone.

This is the Demon City, not the territory of the Dragun family. With the power in their hands, it would only take a few minutes to flatten the Dragun family's manor.

Beside him, a high-ranking judge wearing heavy armor quietly held a huge obsidian sword, his figure as motionless as a statue.

The years have carved countless battle scars on his armor, like medals.

He did not answer immediately, but just stared quietly at the closed door of the manor, with a deep and calm light in his eyes.

After a long while, he spoke calmly.

"The door will open."

The adjutant was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked towards the solemn gate. Red magical patterns appeared on the surface of the door, emitting slight vibration ripples like a shield.

That was the defensive magic of the Demon City nobles, which meant that the people inside had already noticed their arrival.

"...Why?" He couldn't help but ask, with confusion in his eyes.

The hand of the high-ranking judge holding the hilt of the sword remained as steady as a rock, his eyes never left the gate of the manor, but his voice was full of meaning.

"There's no need to make such a scene."

…

The gloomy night wind blew over the solid courtyard wall, blowing the iron-like night curtain.

The spire study of the Dragun family.

This ivory tower that once symbolized supreme power has now become a suffocating cage, with fear and confusion reflected in the shadow of the inverted hammer.

Kamu Dragon sat by the window, his face pale, his fingers tightly gripping the edge of the desk, cold sweat sliding down his forehead and dripping onto the letters and documents piled on the table.

The night outside the window was as silent as death, and the walls and barriers protecting the manor were still as solid as a rock.

However, the suffocating pressure still seeped in through the tightly closed windows, as if something irresistible was approaching, shrouding the entire manor in the shadow of death.

That is the arbiter of the Ministry of Truth.

If there was anything in the entire Demon City that frightened him, it would undoubtedly be those guys in red robes.

As for why they came here, Kamu knew it very well.

His plan failed! The turmoil in Black Wind Castle, the manipulation of the hearing, the game between the Dragun family and various forces in the Magic City... All of this should have been the same as usual, just an ordinary pressure, or game.

However, he never thought that things would get so out of control! The most fatal thing was not this, but that he had left a fatal handle in this operation, so that even the Supreme Council Chamber, which was usually closed, held an emergency meeting to discuss, and finally even the judges of the Ministry of Truth were dispatched!

Obviously this is not a negotiation.

But the final purge!

Not forcing their way in was the ultimate form of decency; after all, the Dragun family was also part of the core power circle of Hell.

However, he knew very well that this decency could not last long, one hour was the limit.

In other words——

There is no time to waste! Kamu suddenly came to his senses, stood up abruptly, and roared with a hint of despair, his voice echoing above the tower.

"Grandpa... Zakro!! It's already so late, why don't you come out! Are you going to wait for them to take me away?!"

There was no response from the empty study, only the candlelight flickered slightly, casting his anxious reflection.

A trace of fear surged in Kamu's heart, and then he roared loudly in anger.

"Ye Ge! Get out here!"

That gargoyle might know where Zakro went.

However, until his voice disappeared in the corridor outside the spire, he still did not hear the familiar response.

Kamu's heart sank suddenly, he clenched his fists, and his face turned pale.

“Damn it…”

Where is the guy who claims to be in control?

Didn’t he say that his chess pieces were scattered all over the Magic City, and that they were of no use at all when the critical moment came!

And Ye Ge, the capable servant of the gargoyle bloodline, hadn't he been carrying out Zakro's orders? Why did they all disappear? ! Kamu felt an indescribable fear, and his body trembled slightly.

It was not until this moment that he suddenly realized that the "family pillar" he had always relied on was not as reliable as he had imagined.

At this critical moment of life and death, they all disappeared!

Kamu gritted his teeth, threw off his robes behind him, and hurried down the tower.

He must find Zakro before everything becomes irreversible!

Although they don't want to rely on that old guy, the political resources of the Dragun family are basically in the hands of the latter. That guy said he was retired, but he never really handed over the power in his hands.

The more Kamu thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn't help cursing and hurried downstairs.

The main hall of the manor, which has always been used by the nobles as a place for banquets and negotiations, is usually deserted, but at this moment it is packed with frightened demons.

As members of the Dragun family, they were usually extremely spoiled, walking on the streets of the Magic City like emperors on patrol, but now they were whispering in the hall, exchanging fear in each other's eyes.

"Damn... the people from the Ministry of Truth!"

"Why are they here?!"

"I heard that the incident at Black Wind Castle was too big..."

"Shouldn't you go find the lord there? Why are you looking for us here?!"

"I heard... they seem to have found evidence related to us."

"This is slander and frame-up!"

"It's no use saying this now... Let's think of a solution!"

Listening to the discussions in the hall, the servants huddled in a corner of the hall, not daring to make any sound for fear of angering these dignitaries.

The moment Kamu stepped into the hall, all eyes were on him.

A member of the side branch of the family immediately stepped forward and asked anxiously in a low voice.

"Master Patriarch! What on earth is happening outside? Why are the Judges from the Ministry of Truth surrounding the manor?!"

"Is this the devil's conspiracy?! Go and explain it to them!"

"This must be a misunderstanding! We need to clarify this in parliament!"

Everyone was asking, everyone was expecting an answer, but Kamu couldn't say a word.

His whole body was stiff, his throat seemed to be strangled by something, and his face was ashen.

"I have no idea……"

He struggled to squeeze out a few words, his face looking extremely ugly, "Elder Zakro... has anyone seen where he is?"

Everyone looked at each other, confusion written on their faces, followed by fear after confusion.

The sound of discussion spread quickly, and a feeling of panic filled the air, spreading like a plague.

Looking at the frightened tribesmen, Kamu swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice.

"We must find Elder Zakro first! He must know what to do—"

“That’s enough!!!”

At this moment, the door of the hall was pushed open suddenly, and the sound of heavy footsteps seemed particularly harsh in this depressing space.

The voice, with unprecedented clarity and anger, hit everyone's eardrums hard.

Everyone turned around subconsciously and saw a burly and strong figure striding into the hall.

That was Shino Dragun, Kamu's younger brother, a man regarded as a "fool" in the family!

However, at this moment, Xino, who was standing in the hall, was different from the frightened crowd. His face beneath the horns showed a rare clarity.

His face was heavy, and his eyes swept across everyone in the hall like a knife, finally stopping on Kamu Dragun's face, filled with long-suppressed anger.

He said with a low growl.

"Elder Zakro? It's already this late, and you still want to go look for that guy!"

Kamu glared at the idiot fiercely.

"What do you know—"

"I don't understand!"

Shino strode forward, staring at his powerful yet cowardly brother with a scorching gaze, and spoke angrily.

"I don't understand! Why! Obviously you, Kamu Dragun, are the master of this family! From the moment you became the head of the family, the fate of this family is in your hands! Why do you want to be a puppet of that old man and take all of us as his pawns!"

His words were like thunder, hitting the hall hard.

For a moment, the entire hall was silent and everyone's breathing seemed to have stopped.

Kamu stood there, his face turning pale and blue. He had never heard Xino speak to him in such a tone, and he never expected that this brat would actually expose the fact that made him extremely ashamed but too embarrassed to admit.

really--

He looked no different from Zakro's puppet.

But what can he do?!

The entire family, from top to bottom, relied on that old man, and even the servants didn't listen to him! And now, even this silver-level terror dared to challenge him.

"I...what about you...you dare to talk to me like that, who is behind you?"

Kamu suddenly understood something, squinted his eyes and looked at his brother, his voice gradually became colder, and a sinister smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Haha, I understand. No wonder we lost. It turns out the traitor is among us—"

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a disappointed voice.

"My friend told me that a person who is used to being a slave will see everyone as a slave. Even if he falls on the street, he will find a master behind him." Xino looked at Kamu with disappointment and a trace of pity in his eyes. "Brother... when did you become like this?"

"shut up!!!"

Kamu glared at him angrily, and rushed to Xino like lightning and grabbed his throat.

As a platinum-level demon, his strength is far superior to Xino! As long as he wants, he can crush him to death in an instant! However——

He just couldn't bring himself to do it.

After all, they are his relatives.

Kamu's fingertips trembled, and his ferocious expression twisted unconsciously.

Shino looked at his brother without fear, staring directly into his burning pupils.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Luo Yan has looked for you..." Kamu gritted his teeth and squeezed out a word from between his teeth.

"He came to me. To be honest, we talked for a long time... but it had nothing to do with the fight between him and the Dragun family. We just talked about some things between us."

Shino admitted it frankly and continued.

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"I told him that the reason I initially sought him out for a duel was because Elder Zakro told me that he had gotten into the Thundershire maze through a backdoor. But I went there and saw that it was not a fertile land at all. The little demons there were hiding in caves eating insects, and the wildly growing crypt spiders were about to dig the maze down, and the demons underneath were still fighting each other! There was not a single demon there who didn't hate us. It wasn't a treasure at all, but a mess that no one wanted!"

Kamu gasped and stared at him.

"What do you know..."

"You're saying that again. What do you know?" Xino stared into his eyes and continued, "Elder Zakro is interested in that again. It's simply because he thinks our father figured out a way to become a god before he died, isn't it?"

Kamu's pupils dilated a little, and there was a light of disbelief in his eyes.

"How did you..."

"How would I know, right?" Xinuo looked at him with pity. "I guess you still want to ask, why should I tell you, right?"

Kamu didn't say anything, but stared at him.

Xino sighed inwardly, "As expected."

Just as Luo Yan guessed, his brother was also bewitched by Zakro.

But unlike the things that bewitched him, his grandfather probably promised him to become a god.

But how could this be possible? Over the long years, that guy had long forgotten that he was a living being and had turned into a living stone.

Stones don't have feelings.

He only has the obsession of becoming a god in his heart, and he is willing to sacrifice everything for this goal, even his own family.

Xino was silent for a while, looked at his brother with a ferocious expression, and continued.

"Luo Yan... Actually, he had already realized that we might not want the territory in his hands, but our father's notebook. So after the duel, he took the initiative to return the notebook to us, hoping to end this meaningless fight."

Kamu shook his head.

"You are too naive, my brother. The notebook may not be complete... Without the help of the power of the gods, how could a mere mortal calm the chaos of the entire maze in such a short time? There is only one explanation. Our father actually completed the research, or was almost completed-"

"You wouldn't say that if you visited Thunder County."

Shino looked at him disappointedly and continued.

"The changes there have never relied on the power of the gods. In fact, it is precisely because the local lords no longer seek the power of the gods that the maze has become different from the period when our fathers ruled."

Looking at Kamu who was stunned, Shino continued.

"He once mentioned to me that he used force to suppress the rebels in the labyrinth, but it was not enough to just kill the demons that opposed him. He solved the problems of the little demons, the problems of the underground spiders, and almost all the problems that the demons were facing or might face, even the problems faced by humans on the surface. Only then did they submit to his throne from the bottom of their hearts..."

"On the contrary, it's because our father longed to become a god that he always dragged the demons there to do meaningless things, which caused the demons there to suffer. Reggie Dragun's research was not successful at all, and even reached a dead end at the beginning. If his research is really so useful, why don't his servants use it themselves, and have to wait until Hell sends a new demon king?"

"Zakro has gone crazy. He attributes everything he can't do to the power of the gods, and even wants to drag you into it... Wake up!"

Kamu couldn't utter a word, but the strength in his hands relaxed slightly, and he slowly placed Xino on the ground.

really--

If becoming a god was so easy, why did their father's subordinates give the notebook to the devil? Wouldn't it be better for them to keep it for themselves? It was obvious that their father had failed utterly, and nothing was left except a ruined maze.

Zakro was unwilling to admit that his hard work had gone to waste, so he fell into crazy thoughts.

And he is not innocent either.

He was too dependent on Elder Zakro.

Even though the family was at the end of its rope, he still instinctively felt that his grandfather would definitely be able to find a way.

Shino covered his neck which was pinched with claw marks, and continued speaking as he looked at his brother with a pleading look with a hint of sadness.

"We have all been used... whether it's you, me, or our father. Zakro has never loved us, including the entire family. He only loves himself and the power in his hands. Ruling the Dragun family is not enough for him. He wants more, even to replace the Demon God... I guess he must have promised you to become the new Demon God."

"I think he probably promised this to our father, so he was arranged to live in the distant Thunder County."

"That's enough. I know. Don't say any more." Kamu closed his eyes in pain. "Why... didn't you tell me earlier?"

Shino was silent for a moment, then looked up into his eyes.

"Have you ever heard what I said?"

Kamu fell silent, and then the silence turned into a sigh.

"It was my fault."

As the head of the clan.

Elder Zakro certainly has his own responsibilities, but that doesn't mean he can shirk his responsibilities.

The surrounding family members looked at each other, including the servants huddled in the corner, all of them were at a loss as to what to do.

"This is our last chance..."

Shino took out a notebook of Reggie Dragun from his arms and slowly handed it to Kamu.

Looking at Kamu who looked surprised, Xino said in a deep voice.

"Zakro gave me this notebook and told me that I would be the next head of the family. He asked me to report to the Ministry of Truth and put all the responsibility on you... I agreed to it, but I didn't intend to put all the responsibility on you as he expected. If I did that, you would be finished."

After a pause, Xino said in a serious tone.

"I think... it might help your final sentence if you confess the situation to the Ministry of Truth and explain clearly your role in this farce and Zakro's role."

After hearing this, Kamu was silent for a long time, and finally a bitter smile appeared on his face.

Unexpectedly, in the eyes of Elder Zakro, he had already become a discarded pawn.

How ironic.

In the end, I'm still hoping that the old guy can find a way to turn the situation around.

Kamu reached out and grasped the notebook in Xino's hand, but did not take it away.

After pondering for a moment, he spoke slowly.

"…If we reveal Zakro's situation, it may not be good for the Dragun family. Many of our resources are in his hands."

Shino knew what his brother was thinking.

If we follow the idea of ​​putting the overall situation first, it is indeed the best option for the head of the family to take on everything.

but--

He is not a cold stone.

He believed that his brother was not the same.

Otherwise, after hearing that he was missing, he would not have been so anxious, and even threatened Luo Yan to completely break off relations with him.

He only knew all this because Luo Yan told him.

Shino loosened his hand, put the notes in Kamu's hand, and said seriously.

"There's nothing to be afraid of about losing those resources. We still have our territory and our own people. If he continues to manipulate us from behind the scenes, then our future will really be over."

Looking at Xino's determined gaze, Kamu's serious expression gradually melted, a hint of approval appeared in his eyes, and a relieved smile appeared on his originally ferocious face.

It's like finally getting rid of a worry.

“…You’ve grown up.”

He reached out and patted Shino's head, then stuffed the notebook into his arms.

"I feel relieved that you will be the next head of the family."

Glancing around at the frightened tribesmen around him, Kamu announced in a majestic voice.

"After I leave, my younger brother will inherit my title and glory. He will be the next head of the Dragun family! You must obey his orders unconditionally and follow behind him, just like you followed me and my fathers, and revive our fallen flag and glory... just like starting all over again."

After saying that, he looked at Xino again.

"I'll leave this to you."

Shino looked at him and nodded solemnly.

"...I will definitely not let you down."

In just three generations, the Dragun family, once ruled by amethyst-level demons, has fallen to the point where a silver-level demon is needed to carry this heavy burden.

Kamu felt emotional, but he was not as frightened as before. He even had a calmness that he had never had before.

If it were a year ago, he would definitely feel like the sky has fallen and would be ashamed to face the ancestors of the Dragun family.

But now——

Instead, he felt that perhaps tomorrow would be better.

…

The hot evening breeze brought a touch of restless sadness. The gate of the Dragun family manor slowly opened, and a figure that surprised many demons walked out.

The high-ranking judge standing with a sword in his hand had a slightly surprised expression on his face. He stared straight at Kamu who was walking towards him calmly, his eyes fixed on the raised right hand - or rather the notebook held in his hand.

Not quite what was expected.

Wasn't it agreed that the younger brother would come out? How did it become the older brother? He felt something was wrong, but it was too late to do anything now.

There are too many eyes here...

The adjutant also looked at Kamu in surprise, but for a completely different reason.

Things turned out just as his superior had said.

The door really opened! Kamu stopped at the door, knelt on one knee, and lowered his proud head in front of the murderous team.

"I am Kamu Dragun. I am ashamed of the grace of His Majesty the Demon God. I was deceived by the words of the treacherous and treacherous, and caused a huge disaster in my moment of confusion..."

His Adam's apple moved and he spoke in a deep voice.

"I want to turn myself in."

(End of this chapter)