Transcending Realms With My Leveling System As A Demon-Chapter 92: A King’s Decision...

No one denied it.

Zylus shifted, sitting up slowly. Pain flared through his ribs, but he pushed past it. Rasper instinctively reached out, then froze, pulling his hand back as if burned.

Zylus noticed. He said nothing.

"You want the truth," Zylus said. "Then listen carefully. I didn’t get stronger by choice. I got stronger because I’m much more different in comparison to the rest of you."

Chris’s eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"I can’t," Zylus replied. "Not fully. Not yet."

Rasper slammed his fist into the wall. "Then this is bullshit."

"Let him finish," Moovrin snapped.

Zylus continued. "There are some things in this world that you’ll just never be able to witness. Things that you can’t even comprehend, possibly things that just won’t make sense to how Htrae functions."

Zenos smiled thinly. "Okay, so what?"

"I survived that change," Zylus corrected. "There’s a difference between surviving change and moving with it."

Chris studied him for a long time. He saw no panic, no desperation. Only restraint. That scared him more than rage ever could.

"You’re saying you’re an exception," Chris said.

"No," Zylus replied. "I’m saying exceptions shouldn’t exist. And yet, here I am. This world’s balance is no different from a creature’s natural habitat. A bird will stay at its nest protecting its kids; the second it goes away, there’ll be a creature waiting to haunt."

Zylus exhaled, then continued, "Haunting requires change to happen, things that shouldn’t. Charles Darwin had a similar theory to this, yet strayed away slightly. He said that all creatures exist to adapt, or that the most adaptable creature would survive longer."

They all waited, trying to absorb the information he was tossing at them.

"It’s true, don’t get it mistaken," Zylus then frowned, "But what if a creature, who was doing so well to adapt, suddenly met its end? Maybe someone or something stepped onto its path, changing the way of fate."

He took a cup of water from his side, sipping it before going on.

"This is what I call an anomaly. Beings who can truly alter the change that happens, things that shouldn’t exist, individuals who aren’t struck down by their mere natural bounds."

Everyone looked at him closely as he pointed towards the sky, looking up. "The Gods up there aren’t Gods, they’re just anomalies, looking down on us for their pure entertainment, like fans watching two criminals fight inside a colosseum like dogs. In their eyes, we’re nothing but mere pleasure toys."

The room felt smaller.

Sebastian swallowed. "If the Spirits learn this..."

"They already suspect it," Zenos said. "Michael wouldn’t have used light otherwise."

That name drew a sharp reaction from everyone.

Chris turned back to Zylus. "If I let you walk free, you become a symbol. Hope for some. Terror for others. If I kill you, I risk throwing away our best chance."

Zylus met his gaze evenly. "For now, I’ll allow you to keep whatever it is you want. Whether it’s the title of being the ’Demon King’ or maybe even the arrogance that comes from behind that." He paused, and everyone understood what was coming: "Just know, I’m doing this for my own safety; all of y’all can die for all I care."

Rasper looked away, teeth grinding.

"What do you want?" Chris asked, finally.

Zylus didn’t answer right away. He thought of Medrus. Of Ivy collapsing in the arena. Of the countless lives crushed under decisions made in rooms like this.

"I want time," he said. "Give me some time to figure all of this out, there are things I just can’t handle under this moonlight-"

As he looked outside his window, the moon was slowly fading, as morning was coming to shove.

"And if that time ends with us losing control?" Chris asked.

Zylus’s eyes darkened. "I’ll still be watching, simply in the shadows. Don’t make any dumb moves,s so I don’t need to step in and save your ass. I just don’t want the Anomalies above to gain suspicion and go for me before I have full access to my strength."

Another long silence followed.

Chris straightened. "I won’t name you ruler," he said. "Not yet."

Zylus nodded. "I didn’t expect you to, and I literally just told you I don’t want it. This is my decision to make, not someone who had watched one of their comrades die."

"But," Chris continued, "I will not try to execute you, or do anything to harm your senses in any way. I just bed you to please continue assisting us."

Rasper opened his mouth to protest, then stopped. He remembered Reynolds’s words. Assets. Pawns. War.

"And if I refuse?" Zylus asked.

Chris held his gaze. "Then we’ll have to do what must be done, whether you’re an anomaly or not. I’m a king. And a king’s duty is to protect his people."

Zylus considered it. Then he leaned back against the pillows, closing his eyes.

"Fine," he said. "For now."

Zenos chuckled softly. "Pragmatic. Exactly like my brother when he’s in that acting mood. Speaking of my brother, wonder where he’s at right now."

Zylus opened one eye. "I agree with you, wonder where he is at currently..."

Zenos laughed louder, rolling toward the door. "Enjoy your stay, and enjoy going at it while I lean back in my hospital room."

Those words echoed informally inside the room, oddly, one that didn’t speak of truth.

As Zenos disappeared down the corridor, Ivy stayed quiet, unconscious, pale but alive. She looked between Chris and Zylus, then a breath came out from her softly.

"This isn’t over," she said, somehow, even though she seemed tired, exhausted.

It was a surprise to all, but Ivy went into her slumber right after, so it was nothing extraordinary.

Zylus met her gaze. "No," he agreed. "It’s just starting. Didn’t know even a tiresome individual like yourself could say something so smart."

Outside the hospital, the Demon Realm churned. Forces moved. Eyes watched. Somewhere beyond the veil of realms, something older than doctrine and stronger than law took notice.

And for the first time in a very long time, fate hesitated.