บท 16: Truths

When an absolute something becomes different from one's expectations or logical reason, one becomes confused, hesitates, and won't be able to react for a short period of time.

Oh, just how easy logic could fail in times of desperation.

Jonas, who had always seen Miguel as a burden and a useless fool, was shaken when he saw Miguel talking normally and was even being accompanied by a powerful summon.

Facing Miguel's question, Jonas answered with a cracking voice.

"B-branch leader... it's because of the branch leader's daughter!"

Hearing that, a frown appeared on Miguel's face.

Through his Innate Skill, which he can easily see through others, he was able to tell that Jonas' words were not a lie; however, at the same time, Miguel also sensed that it was not entirely the whole truth.

"Explain it clearly! Also, don't lie. My Innate Skill allows me to tell whether someone is lying or not," Miguel stated calmly.

Upon hearing that, Jonas gulped a mouthful of saliva as Miguel became even more terrifying in his eyes.

Sometimes, a small action can cause a great reaction. The burden on Jonas' mind was heavy. As his life depended on it, he started explaining everything to Miguel carefully.

Miguel could easily tell that he was telling the truth. No lies could escape his eyes as he looked at Jonas coldly.

After a few minutes, Jonas' mouth became dry after speaking for too long.

Miguel shook his head and stood up from the ground. He waved his hand, and the Fiery Empress immediately executed one of her skills.

Seeing the action, horror flashed across Jonas' eyes as the aura of death loomed over him.

"No! You promise to let me live if I tell the truth! You bastard! What are you trying to do!?"

As the fear of death consumed Jonas' mind, his tone of voice also changed into a forceful one as he questioned Miguel's actions.

However, Miguel merely shook his head as the Fiery Empress finally executed her skill, [Incinerating Beam].

[Skill: Incinerating Beam (Level 1)

Description/Effects:You can release a continuous beam of incinerating fire over a short distance. ]

The beam of fire was released from her slender hands and aimed straight into Jonas' head. Without the shield to protect him, Jonas' head was incinerated the moment it came into contact with the beam.

The Fiery Empress did not stop there as she moved her aim downwards, incinerating Jonas' whole body. It was akin to a direct cremation; only ashes were left in the area where Jonas' sat earlier.

The Fiery Empress has total control over her fire. Only Jonas' body was cremated, while the tree behind it was left untouched except for the smash it received earlier.

Her skills were indeed powerful and oppressive. The only downside was that she was already near exhaustion after using the beam continuously.

"A person like you who has a weak will... you did not even realize the fault in my words earlier. I never said I would let you live, fool!" Migeul shook his head with a smile.

All he said was, 'If you want to live, answer truthfully! '

Jonas indeed wanted to live, hence why he answered truthfully. In the end, it was still Miguel who would decide whether he lived or not.

Of course, even if Miguel said that he would let him live if he answered truthfully, he would still kill him right after obtaining information.

Miguel was not a saint or a good person to begin with.

As someone who stood as a supreme cultivator from his previous life, he had long forgotten how many lives he took and corpses he stepped on to stand at the pinnacle.

A liar?

Only those who remained alive can decide what was the truth and what was the lie.

For Miguel, this was just a small episode that would be taken care of sooner or later, with or without the arrival of the Fiery Empress.

And besides, conflicts and dangers were endless, so it was better to get rid of them while they were still young, before they piled up to become a huge problem in the future.

According to the information he gained from Jonas, Miguel learned that the branch leader's daughter was indeed the main reason for Jonas wanting to take his life.

According to Jonas, the daughter of the branch leader was attracted to Miguel's celestial-like appearance from a young age.

Due to this reason, she would reject her suitors and would often brag that she did not like them because they were not as handsome as Miguel.

A few weeks ago, someone finally erupted and decided to seek Miguel and kill him to shut the daughter's mouth.

As a mercenary, Jonas accepted the commission secretly the other day and took action immediately.

As for the reason why he used poison to kill him, Jonas' reason was actually simple yet in line with his real personality.

He was just afraid that the branch leader would find out about it and kill him for it.

Using poison and making it as if he died out of fever would clear him out of the branch leader's sight.

Aside from that matter, Miguel also asked about his return eighteen years ago and his real purpose for returning.

What he heard made Miguel realize that this world was not as simple as a summoning and beast-taming world as he initially thought.

When Miguel asked about the corresponding information, Jonas' head would always throb in pain. His words would become disoriented, and the only clear words Miguel could make out of him were that Jonas had returned here to search for something.

As for what it was and who ordered Jonas to return here, there was no information about it for now.

Miguel clicked his tongue in curiosity as he thought of the real mastermind behind Jonas' return.

"It's a pity I can't use the high-level soul search for now; otherwise, I would have already gotten every piece of information I want from this idiot," Miguel lamented to himself.

He was genuinely curious about the identity of the person who brainwashed or controlled Jonas.

And as for the person who ordered him to kill him due to being rejected by the woman he loved, just like Jonas', that kid was just a small problem that would be resolved in no time.

Now that this hidden threat, Jonas', was officially resolved, it was finally time to settle another matter—the jet-black grimoire that has been pulsating quite hard since earlier.