Chapter 228

Words : 1929 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 228 Moving around a hotel room on the top floor of Turkey’s most luxurious hotel, Amir prepared to return to the Pleasure District. He had just finished handling some family business and was currently changing his clothes. He paused, having caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Like any other day, he was wearing subtle and ordinary apparel, but today, he noticed that within the depths of his eyes was a storm brewing thick with dark clouds, threatening to unleash chaos at any moment. Am I... nervous? It was obvious why he was nervous; the day he had waited all these years for was finally within reach—it was the day he would bring down the Pleasure District and kill the Dream Demon. And because of that, it didn’t seem real. Staring at his reflection, Amir pinched his cheek hard. Squeeze- “Ouch.” The pain was real, and his skin had reddened in proof of his actions. It had been a foolish act, something his old self would never have done. But right now, he desperately wanted to convince himself that the current moment was indeed real. I don’t want to start doubting everything again. The chance he longed for had finally arrived at his doorstep thanks to a single individual. Even now, with the day imminent, Amir struggled to believe how it all came to be. How could a young man, who wasn’t even an S-rank hero, let alone a Perfect One, be talking about bringing down the Pleasure District and slaying the Dream Demon? He was just a mere student who had joined Babel half a year ago. Who would believe such a fantastical tale? What if... this is all part of the Dream Demon's trap? What if they had already fallen for the Dream Demon’s scheme and were unknowingly revealing every detail of their plan without even realizing it? Knowing best the ability of the Dream Demon—making reality feel like a dream—and the true terror of it, Amir couldn't shake off his lingering doubts. If even my Winter Sky Eyes can't see through her, then how is Se-Hoon holding up? The Dream Demon had once said that Se-Hoon was similar to her, a being who believed that the reality he was living in was all a dream. But if that were true, what could be driving Se-Hoon to act so desperately? Spiraling, Amir's thoughts drifted to when he last spoke to Se-Hoon two days ago. “I can't promise we'll succeed. So, at the very least, do your best to prepare so that you have no regrets left after.” At the time, Amir had simply thought his words reflected the difficulty of the task. Now, however, his words about settling regrets resonated more deeply. To have no regrets... Even if their reality turned out to be a dream, Se-Hoon was still resolved to act based on his convictions and do everything he could. Perhaps that determination was what separated Se-Hoon from the Dream Demon, despite their similar states of mind. Yes... this should be enough. No matter what happened, Amir vowed to use everything he had prepared to avoid future regrets. Burning that determination into his mind, he closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened his eyes again to look at the mirror. Though faint, a glimmer of light began to shine through his stormy sky of emotions. And upon noticing it, he promptly turned to head toward the Pleasure District, his eyes now sparkling. *** [The bond with ‘Amir Singh’ has grown to Lv. 3.] [Since the bond has grown to Lv.3, the existing Relationship has deepened.] [Relationship: Vigilance] [Just like how one can easily flip the side of a coin, the standards of good and evil easily flip. With such vague standards, one can easily be led astray. However, the story changes if they are able to establish their own criteria. If you and the subject start to feel less cautious when interacting and start to look in the same direction, this Relationship can evolve into something new. *A Fatestone is created whenever the subject’s vigilance lessens. *The maturation rate of the Fatestone increases as the subject’s vigilance decreases. * The probability of the subject’s synesthetic mindscape manifesting inside the Fatestone increases when you and the subject share the same standards. *Current created Fatestones: 1] Staring at the notification message that popped up, Se-Hoon raised an eyebrow at the message before letting out a small chuckle in the dark alley on the outskirts of the city. At least he still has some conscience left. Since he had offered to rescue a person he had never even met from the Dream Demon’s stronghold, it was only fitting that the bond level between him and Amir grew. In fact, Se-Hoon had just been thinking that he might be helping an ungrateful beast, but the notification had eased his mind. But still, to think he hasn’t let his guard down after all that.... Well, I guess it’s understandable, albeit a bit frustrating. After all, Amir’s entire life had revolved around the Dream Demon and revenge. Given his personality and past, it would be hard for him to relax until everything was completely resolved. If we succeed, our Relationship will likely progress significantly. If they managed to rescue his cousin, Zayed, and kill the Dream Demon, Amir’s bond level could shoot up to level four in an instant. Thinking about the possibilities that could bring, Se-Hoon fell into deep thought. “Huff... Huff...” At the tense breaths, Se-Hoon put away his thoughts and turned his head to see Lea. Clad in a white coat, Lea was taking deep breaths to calm herself. “Are you nervous?” “...” Hearing Se-Hoon’s carefree voice which contrasted sharply with her own tension, Lea shot a quick glance at him. “Of course I’m nervous. Isn’t it weirder not to be in this situation?” They were about to enter the Dream Demon’s territory—the Pleasure District—to meet the Puppeteer. And their goal? It was to use the Puppeteer to kill the Dream Demon. Considering the grandness of their scheme, not being nervous in such a situation would indeed be strange. “Hmm... I suppose that’s true.” Though he agreed with her, Se-Hoon still showed no tension. After all, compared to his days during the war against the Demon Force, their situation didn’t seem so bad. Back then, I had to fight not for the best outcome but to avoid the worst... He still vividly recalled the struggles of those days when he was driven purely by revenge rather than hope. Compared to that, the current situation could even be called favorable. Though Se-Hoon had vanished without a trace, Lea didn’t panic. He had already told her that once inside, he would immediately hide to avoid the detection of the Dream Demon and Puppeteer. He should be nearby, even if I can’t see him. It’s fine. Taking a deep breath and reassuring herself, she pulled out the map she had received along with the invitation and walked out of the alley. She felt eyes on her, not just curious ones but predatory ones as well, and she had only just stepped out onto the main street. “Isn’t that the honor student from Babel?” “What’s someone like her doing here?” “Let’s see how much she’s worth.” The gazes were reminiscent of hunters eyeing prey. Shivering under their scrutiny, Lea tried her best to ignore them and continued to follow the map. Cling! When she turned into a narrow alley off the main road, she felt her white coat deflect a bullet and send it into the wall. “...” Bewildered by the sudden bullet, Lea stared at the bullet in the wall, and four figures—three demons and one human—proceeded to appear as if they had been waiting. The bald man, who had most likely fired the shot, scratched his head. “Damn, I guess it wasn’t just a regular coat.” “You idiot... move aside.” Shoving aside the bald man, one of the demons stepped forward, his monstrous eyes glinting as he glared at Lea. “What was your name again? Lea Glaudel? Clodele?” “...” “Well, whatever. If you’re looking for something, you should come with us. We got lots of good stuff.” The demon’s tone was oozing mockery. He seemed confident that he could easily subdue someone from Borsippa since it wasn’t a combat-oriented college like Aqar Quf. He didn’t know what kind of equipment Lea might have, but he dismissed it, certain that she had little combat experience. “Hmm.” Glancing around, Lea let out a sigh and snapped her fingers. Cling- Activated, one of the hairpins in her bun trembled slightly, and thin needles hidden among her braids emerged. Surprised, the four attackers tried to react, but... Swoosh! Shooting forward explosively, the needles pierced the three demons, leaving them riddled with holes like Swiss cheese on the ground. “What the...!” The bald man had been the only one to leap into the air out of caution, and now he was frozen in shock. He couldn’t understand how needles that were thinner than toothpicks had inflicted wounds dozens of times larger on the demons. Damn it, she’s no ordinary crafter! Since his fellow demons were taken down so easily, his fate was obvious. Decisively taking action, the bald man charged at her, channeling his mana and launching himself off the alley wall. I’ll deal with the aftermath after I kill her! He believed his only chance to strike was now since Lea shouldn’t be able to launch another attack like that. After all, the needles were still embedded in the surrounding walls. He swung his sword down toward Lea’s head. Creaaak- However, the blade stopped dead just above her scalp. “...Huh?” Taken aback, the bald man looked around, expecting to see some sort of contraption that had blocked his attack, but there was nothing. Confused, the bald man began to wonder what was going on, and it was at that moment that a strange noise reached his ears. Creak, creak- It was the sound of something rusty and mechanical being forced to move. The bald man frowned. Wait, why am I still in the air? If his attack had been blocked, shouldn’t he have fallen back to the ground? Belatedly realizing something was wrong, the bald man looked down at his body in confusion. Creak, creak- His body was twisting in directions it shouldn’t. “Wai—” Snap! Before he could even process what was wrong, his joints were all bent backward, contorting him into an impossible shape in midair. It was a grotesque sight that made Lea frown. What a tasteless execution... Was this meant as a warning to her? Stone-faced, Lea gazed at the gruesome display. A beat later, she heard footsteps echoing through the alley. Turning her head, Lea stared intently at the woman who slowly approached from the end of the alley. “...” The woman, passing under the bald man’s twisted body, stopped in front of Lea. She was covered in tattoos and exuded a decadent aura, a person Lea had never seen before. But she felt familiar. “It wasn’t enough.” Abruptly recognizing the expression in the woman’s eyes—an expression she could never forget—Lea's eyes narrowed with disgust. It was the same vivid gaze she remembered, the one belonging to the woman drenched in her father’s blood. “Welcome, Lea.” Smiling warmly, the woman—Puppeteer—greeted her daughter.

Chapter 228

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