SHK CH 755 (Patreon)

All the Pedestrians stopped. Until now the conversation between Pandora and the Old Demon had been blocked. But now, even without words they could see an old feeble man kneeling in front of a young and strapping young man.


Feeling the stinging look of disdain and confusion on his skin, Anubis face palmed.


“Pandora. Cover us with your illusion.”


“Understood.”


Pandora, while bewildered, still nodded and immediately covered the entire gate with her illusion. 


From the perspective of the citizens, the last few moments seemed to have been nothing but a dream and they simply went back to their activities as they entered the gate. For all her clumsiness, Pandora was still a very powerful King and her mastery increased ever since she joined the Tower.


After making sure she erased the memories of all those that were present, she gazed back at the old pitiful man that was still bowing so low she could see the crown of his head. HIs forehead was perfectly kissing the ground and his two knees were bent. 


Pandora could understand kneeling in front of someone stronger. She could even understand begging for his life. 


But…


Still…


Wasn’t it going a little too far? 


She was feeling lost. As if she was a little girl discovering all the lies adults hide about the world.  


The Old Demon or simply Old Ancestor was perhaps one the greatest trauma in Pandora’s mind. A demon who discarded his own name and only lived in the depth of the Royal Family. 


A man who witnessed the Demon Empire at its peak and survived its fall. He was both an object of fear and respect for her. He was also a myth and a legend for all young demons.  


Though he would sometimes ‘joke’ about how much of a coward he was, she had always taken his words as nothing but jest. After all, the Ancestor did not cower even in the face of the Goddess. While he respected Invidia, he did not fear her and even the Supreme Daughter was merely his equal despite him having his path broken. 


For all purpose and intent he truly was one of the highest powerhouse in this Mortal Realm. 


So how could such a man truly be a coward?


This image she had of him was now completely shattered. 


“Hah… You should look at the face of Pandora. Seems like your pathetic display destroyed any respect she had for you.” Anubis sneered as he placed his foot on the Old Demon’s head, pushing his face further into the ground. But the man showed no rejection. 


“There is no shame in bowing to a man such as you, Your Majesty. Please do not sully your esteemed feet by touching my dirty body.”


“Heh, are you telling me what I should do?”


“I would never dare. A direct contact with you is simply too much honor.”


Anubis’ face briefly contorted in disgust. If the man had been lying or acting, he would have found it admirable. People who could hide their indignation in humiliations were truly fearsome. 


But as someone who could read souls, Anubis could say without a shadow of doubt that there was no lies, hesitation or deceptions in those words. 


The man was truly bowing and yielding to Anubis from the bottom of his heart. 


“Tsk. Bullying you isn’t fun. Rise up.”


He took his foot from his head and all the old man did was, 


“I am grateful for your mercy.” He slowly stood up but still kept his head low. As if looking at Anubis directly with his eyes was something he could not dare to do.


Anubis shook his head. It had been so long. But he remembered now. The reason why he spared this man back then.


When Anubis stormed the Demon King castle with Echidna and Ambrosia, he had been ready to torch everything to the ground. Only a few of his most loyal servants were spared. As for those related to blood with this body, he made sure to kill nearly every last one of them with his own hand. 


Be it then or now, he felt no regret. They were not family. Merely a stranger who shared blood ties with him. 


Of the few he did not kill, this Old Man was the most memorable one.


This was undoubtedly the most shameless and cowardly bastard he had seen in his entire life.


Had he been weak, it would have been one thing. But Anubis distinctively remembers that he had been the most troublesome one to fight after his progenitor, the Demon King.


How in the hell someone like him became a Demigod in the first place was beyond his understanding. 


But in a way, perhaps the fact that he was so clear about his desire and his own heart was why he could advance so high.


“Can you still use your concept?”


“Surely, you jest Your Majesty. You personally destroyed my Territory, erased my Name, broke my Horn and twisted my Veins. I am now nothing but a poor cripple shamelessly  clinging to life and an old ghost of a now forgotten glorious past.”


“The way you talk makes me look like a terrible man. Do I need to remind you that you were the one who proposed those measures in exchange for your pitiful life?”


“And I am forever grateful for your magnanimity.”


“Hum…” Anubis mused, scanning the demon up and down. No matter how he looked at it, the old man was truly crippled. The only reason he was still alive was because of his innate vitality as a True Demon and the little divinity he cultivated as a Demigod before his fall.


“You make me uneasy. I truly want to kill you.” Killing intent started brewing in Anubis’ eyes. 


“....”


“You say nothing this time.”


“I know that mere words cannot change your opinion. Once you decide to kill me, you will act.”


“What will you do then?”


“I want to live. But in front of you, struggles are useless. I would simply destroy my body in a massive explosion, and flee to the Divine Realm with my soul. Though it will be a shame, I am sure the goddess would allow me to stay at her side as a reward for my service.”


“So this is why you have been slowly gathering the small amount of energy you have remaining.” 


“A cornered rat will bite a cat after all. Letting my soul fall in your hand would be the end.”


“Heh…Truly a coward but not completely stupid it seems.”


“I am sorry to contradict you, Your Majesty, but I am quite stupid. I should have listened to my intuition and not approach this place in the first place. Who would have thought I would face you?”


Anubis scoffed. “You should be grateful you faced me. If it was the boy. Losing your body or soul would be the least of your worries.”


“Is that so…?” The Old Demon did not ask if Anubis was exaggerating. Anubis was one the strongest beings in the world. For him to say this could only mean one thing.


“Well. It seems like the Supreme Daughter will fail in her endeavor.” Taking a peek at Pandora, he smiled, “Your bet this time was the correct one. Congratulation.”


“Keep your congratulations for yourself. All I want is for my daughters to be safe.” Pandora said somewhat emotionally.


“They will be. I can promise you. I have no intention in provoking His Majesty's respect.”


Pandora sneered. She found it somewhat irksome how the Old Demon still called Anubis ‘Majesty’, while showing no respect to her. But she understood that in his eyes, she was simply no threat to his life.

“Now that this is done. Mind telling us why all the Supreme Daughters are sending proxy in Lustburg?”

“Of course.” The Demon nodded, “The reasons are simple. For one, they wish to meet the new Supreme Daughter of Castitas. The investiture of a new Supreme Daughter is a very important event.”

“Cut the bullshit. What is the true reason?”

The Old Demon smiled, “A Divine Beast will descend in Lustburg. As for who it would be…It’s quite evident wouldn’t you say?”

Anubis mouthed, speechless, “Asmodeus.”