Chapitre 66: 64th Adversary: Luka Flameheart
*Clang!*
In the Demon's Nest in front of a solitary confinement cell.
*Clang!*
Two guards were standing in front of a door that leads to Miko's cell.
*Clang!*
The sounds of chains rattling continuously reached their ears. This sound made them feel a bit creeped out because it was sometimes accompanied by a growl.
*Clang!*
"Hey, isn't he ever going to quit? It's been over a month now."
Said one of the guards.
"I heard the runes carved into those in solitary confinement induce pain so terrible that it pushes the inmates to the brink of death in an instant, and continues to induce that level of pain for hours before stopping. Even though they are forcibly made unconscious by a spell, they still feel the pain. Also, the pain comes at random intervals."
"So you're saying he can't handle the pain and that's why he's rattling around so much?"
"I think so."
"Hahaha! So even the monster can wither in pain."
"It's best we get used to it because I doubt he will."
The two laughed.
Meanwhile, inside Miko's cell.
*Clang!*
The chains attached to his limbs, with 5 inches-thick spikes, were rattling vigorously. However, it wasn't that Miko was pulling the chains from withering in pain. In fact, he had a smile on his face under the helmet placed on his head.
If one was to see him, they would be shocked. That was because the size of his limbs was interchanging every second. They would double in size with rock-hard muscles overflowing with power, before returning to their normal size. That wasn't the only thing, his skin was covered in azure dragon scales. Everything together looks like he was becoming more and more like a dragon.
Miko's smile silently turned into a beastly grin.
Meanwhile at Miko's home.
"Aunty, are they really going to try and execute Miko?"
Hina asked. She and the boys were still staying at Miko's home to prevent Krow from reaching them.
"I want to say no, but Krow and the others seem set on executing him, so I don't know."
Sasha let out a tired sigh.
"It's been over a month since I've seen or heard from my son, it's starting to get to me."
"I just remembered, but didn't Miko say he had siblings? I haven't seen them since we've been here."
Ace said.
"The twins are at the academy. We decided to have them stay there until Miko's issue is dealt with. It's a precaution in case things go south."
Leon answered.
"I really hope things don't get out of control. This country can't survive a civil war between us and the Flamehearts."
Momo seemed exhausted as well.
"What about the Saevus clan? Isn't Miko their direct descendant? Are they going to leave him be?"
Sora asked.
"While father is the clan leader, when I married into the Dragna clan I gave up my inheritance right, so in a way Miko's seen as a Dragna, not a Saevus. In other words, he's a stranger to the clan."
"Isn't that stupid? Their blood runs through his veins!"
Hina shouted.
"True, but even if that's the case it's too risky to get themselves involved in this. One wrong move and a civil war might really happen, and let me tell you no side would survive that war unscathed."
"And that's what Krow wants."
Momo added.
"Krow….I don't get it. How can everyone know what he's planning, but be unable to do anything about it?"
Ace asked.
"Just who is he?"
Sasha and Leon looked at each other when they heard his question. They both had troubled expressions on their faces. The one who answered was Momo.
"The thing is, Krow is a very special existence. He's the last and only living child of Augustus Dragna."
"How is that special?"
"Oh, it's very special."
Leon said.
"Augustus wasn't a normal existence, he was a mortal who reached the highest level of godhood with his own strength. His name struck fear into the heavens. It took a coalition army of higher beings to finally bring him and his allies down. Back then, the Dragna clan practically ruled the world, the current clan which is feared worldwide is nothing but a shell of its old self. Krow is that man's son and is someone that thrives to carry on his legacy."
"I still don't get it. Krow isn't Augustus, so can't Nero or Nova take him down themselves?"
"I'm wondering the same thing myself. I mean, Nero is a Deicider after all."
Sora added.
"Isn't a Deicider someone who can turn the world on its head? They go against common sense."
"You're not wrong, but you're not completely right about Deiciders. They aren't the only ones who can do that."
Sasha said.
"First, let me explain what a Deicider is and for that, I must ask a question. Have you ever heard the term Divine Proxy?"
"No…."
The trio looked like it was the first they'd heard the term.
"Well, it's mostly used by those involved directly in the war for the throne, normal citizens might not know the term."
Momo then went on to explain.
"A Divine Proxy is a proxy that has surpassed the threshold of mortality and stepped into the realm of True Godhood. A Divine Proxy is comparable in strength to the Higher Beings they are a proxy for."
"To give you a clearer picture, Nine Hells Dante, Black Heavens Eris, and War Sage Stein are just a few examples of Divine Proxies."
The proxies Sasha listed were the proxies of Lucifer, Zeus, and Odin respectively. All three were household names across the globe and are seen as invincible by most.
"Deiciders are mortals who have slain Divine Proxies from each of the four sides of the war; Demon, God, Beast, Hero. My father was the first person to achieve this feat, hence is the first Deicider. What makes it even more terrifying is that he did it during an era ruled by proxies. He proved to the world that proxies aren't invincible and singlehandedly ushered a new era in this war."
"You know, because of their personalities I tend to forget how amazing Gramps and Uncle Nova really are."
Momo said with a bitter smile.
"Momo, I've warned you countless times before, don't be fooled by their behavior. Those two are walking disasters."
Sasha warned.
"What you said further proves my point. If they're so amazing, why can't they do anything to Krow?"
"Because Krow is equally dangerous, in a way even more dangerous. I'm not talking about his strength alone, his influence is extremely terrifying. Not only in this empire but on a world scale."
"Do you still not understand?"
Leon looked at the trio.
"As Augustus' last living son, he's the sole heir to everything his father once owned; but the clan got most of Augustus' possessions, or so they thought. In actuality, Krow got everything, and no one knows what he did with it. Think about it, Augustus was someone who nearly conquered the whole world. How would you feel if you knew that someone gained most of his legacy, and hid it away and plotting something you can't imagine?"
"…..I would be terrified."
Hina replied.
"Exactly. Krow is terrifying. It's not only his assets and influence, but he's extremely crafty. No one knows his full strength, but he's at least on Nero's level meaning he's as strong as a True God."
"You know, that's not what makes him terrifying to me."
Sasha clenched her fists.
"It's the fact he got everything one could want from his father, but doesn't rely on it. The status and authority he has is something he acquired himself over the years. Augustus died when he was young, so even his strength is thanks to his hard work. It's like he wants to acquire everything he wants with his own efforts, and he's so close to achieving that. It makes me wonder, what would happen if he was to use Augustus' legacy on top of his own talent and skills…"
"...…."
Everyone was quiet. Even the trio was starting to see how much of a threat Krow was.
"A-Anyway, let's get back to Miko."
Momo tried to change the topic.
"Oh, yeah. Aunty, with how things are with the Flameheart, what about Miko's engagement to 'her'?"
"Wait!"
The trio stood up in shock.
"Miko is engaged?!"
In the Dragna empire, three clans ruled over everything. These three clans are the Dragna, Flameheart, and Saevus clans. These clans made up a triangle of power and were known by the people as the Triad. They all were officially stationed in the capital, but only the Dragna clan truly lived there all the time. The Saevus and Flameheart clans mostly spend their time at their official residences in other countries in the empire.
The tourist hotspot, Lushun. Lushun was one of the four most famous countries in the Dragna empire along with the capital, Gael, and Vera. This country was located on the north coast of the Silver Continent. It was famous for its glow-in-the-dark beaches, vibrant culture, as well as a lot of other things. It's the go-to country if you wanted a good time.
In the center of such a country was the home of the Flameheart clan. The Flameheart residence was a giant palace that was made of emerald and gold, with a statue of Venus on top of it. It was surrounded by 20ft walls which were made of marble and special emeralds. The symbol of a burning heart could be seen on the gates along with the initials FH. Currently standing in front of the gates were two guards dressed in emerald and black military clothing. They had swords and guns on their hips and gave off an intimidating pressure. They looked so serious that no one dared to meet eyes with them.
"Hm?"
The guards' attention were drawn toward a cab that pulled up in front of the gates. They immediately placed their hands on their weapons and glared at the car.
*Kacha!*
The door opened and someone stepped outside.
"?!"
The two immediately took their hands off their weapons and bowed toward the person who came out. It was a girl with a doll-like face, red draconic eyes, black hair, and fair skin. She wore a uniform that consisted of a white blazer with black trimmings, a black and white skirt, and high-top boots.
"Young Miss, welcome back!"
The guards greeted her with the utmost respect. The girl nodded and smiled.
"Go inform my grandfather of my return."
"Yes!"
The guards quickly abandoned their post and raced into the residence.
"Thanks again for the ride."
The girl then said to the driver.
"I knew you looked familiar, but I didn't expect the miss of the Flameheart clan to take my cab one day. I feel like I've made you experience something unpleasant."
The driver had an embarrassed look on his face which made the girl laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous. It's not like it's my first time using public transportation. I really enjoyed your small talk too."
"I see!"
The driver's mood quickly recovered.
"So, how much do I owe you?"
"No, no, no, no! It's on the house! Getting to meet and talk with you is more than enough!"
"I see. Just so you know, I'm not kindhearted enough to turn down a free ride. So don't come crying to me later when your wife gets angry at you."
The girl and the driver laughed.
"Well, see you later. Just know that the whole Lushun country is rooting for you."
With that, the driver drove away and the girl waved goodbye.
"Young Miss."
She heard someone call out to her and turned around. There she saw Jeffery along with a young girl in a maid uniform.
"Luka!"
The little girl ran up to Luka and hugged her.
"Emilia, you've gotten bigger."
Luka rubbed the girl's head.
"Young Miss."
Her body flinched when she heard the cold voice.
"Yes, Jeffery."
"Why did you arrive in a cab? What about your escorts?"
"I kinda…ditched them."
"You what?"
Luka and Emilia took a couple of steps back.
"Do you realize the situation we're in? What would you have done if the Dragna clan had kidnapped you? And where's Ouroboros? How could he allow you to do something so stupid?"
Luka wanted to answer but under Jeffery's sharp gaze her tongue was tied.
"Jeffery, that's enough. You're scaring her."
A man walked up behind Jeffery and spoke. He was tall, a bit muscular, and dressed in a dark vest suit. He had tall hair that was tied into one with a black ribbon. His hair was emerald and black near the ends. This was Darius' father, and leader of the Flameheart clan, Darwin Flameheart.
"I'll deal with Luka."
Jeffery looked at him for a while clicking his tongue. He left but only after giving Luka a sharp gaze.
(I'm still the clan leader you know? Can't you at least give me some face?)
Darwin thought with a bitter smile.
"Grandfather, I'm back."
"…Let's go to my office. There's stuff that we need to talk about."
"Yes."
Luka and Emilia started walking towards the palace. Darwin didn't immediately follow them but instead glared towards the east. He did this for a while before following the girls.
"A war might really break out you know, Nero."
He mumbled.
"Whew~. He actually noticed me from this far out."
Around 10 miles away, someone who was dressed in black from head to toe, was looking at Darwin through a pair of binoculars.
"As expected of the Flameheart leader. He's no joke."
The only thing that could be seen that could identify the person was their purple hair.
Luka and her grandfather were inside Darwin's office a few minutes later. Luka was sitting in a chair in front of him.
"First, I would like to congratulate you. I heard of your heroics at the academy. It makes me proud to be your grandfather."
"Thank you, but I still have a long way to go."
Darwin nodded.
"And Ouroboros?"
"Father returned to the Summit of Gods because of some urgent business. I think that something big has happened because he left in a hurry."
"I see. I guess we'll hear about it when he comes back."
Darwin remained silent for a while before speaking again.
"As you've heard, your uncle Darius is dead. He died at Miko's hands."
"…..Yeah. I heard."
Luka frowned.
"But I'll be honest. I don't really feel anything toward his death. I don't feel anger or sorrow."
"Well, you've never met him. So what's to be expected."
"What the others? I can sense a great tension in the palace."
"Everyone wants to go to war. They are all demanding revenge for Darius' death."
"I see. I would expect as much. We tend to be driven by emotion all the time. Although, I'm a bit different since I'm only half Flameheart."
"Then what does that says about me? I'm a full-blooded Flameheart, yet I'm able to maintain my cool in the face of my son's death. Doesn't that mean that I'm the odd one out?"
"You have to think about the lives of everyone here, so it's best you remain the way you are."
Darwin sighed.
"By the way, Luka. You hated Miko, right?"
Luka frowned.
"I just didn't like the fact I could never beat him. If he was arrogant or humble then it wouldn't have hit me so hard. He was just indifferent, like to him winning was natural…..Like me losing was predestined….I hated that part of him."
"Then do you want to break your engagement with him?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, you hate him right? And with the way things are, I don't think it's fair to have you bonded together with him. It was something Nero and I decided on our own anyway."
"No!"
Luka flew out of her seat and startled Darwin.
"I…I mean, there's no need to be hasty. If we break the engagement now, it would seem like we plan to cut off all connections between the two clans. We can't give the others an excuse."
"I-I see. You got a point there. I'll leave your engagement then."
"Really?!"
Darwin saw Luka sigh in relief before sitting down. This made him realize something.
"Well, shit."
"Is something wrong?"
Luka asked.
"No, everything is fine. Oh, why don't you go pay Lisa a visit? I'm sure she'll be happy."
"…..Okay. I was planning to anyway."
Luka left Darwin's office and walked towards a different section of the palace. She stopped in front of a door that had two maids stationed there. She greeted the maids before entering the room. Once she was inside the dimly lit room, she saw someone sitting on a chair facing the window.
"Mother….."
A painful expression appeared on Luka's face for a second, but she soon forced herself to smile.
"Mother, it's me; Luka. I'm back from the academy."
She approached the woman and stood in front of her.
"I have so many things to tell you. I got the #1 rank for my grade again. I also made some more friends. Also, I've developed some new techniques. Father Ouroboros said I'm becoming more and more like Papa every day."
She spoke to the woman but got no response. All she got was a blank stare from the face which looked like a slightly older version of herself.
"And…And…."
Luka's shoulders started to tremble and she bit her bottom lip so hard it started to bleed.
"And I'll definitely become the heir to the clan and use every connection possible to cure you. I promise…"
Her voice cracked while she spoke, and her mother only stared back at her like a lifeless doll.
This was the daily relationship between this mother and daughter.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone