CHAPTER 263: BETRAYAL
The Demon King braced himself for impact, his hands stretched out in a defensive stance, eyes narrowing as the incoming force neared.
"Urgh!" he grunted as a rope coiled tightly around his right leg, yanking him out of harm's way just in time. The ground cracked and burned where he had once stood, the shockwave rattling his bones.
"Did I take too long?" asked a calm, commanding voice.
The Demon King twisted midair to find the Celestial King standing there, having been the one to save him at the last possible moment. His robes fluttered slightly, golden energy still flickering in his hands from the technique he had used to pull the Demon King aside.
"I have my complaints," the Demon King said through gritted teeth, steadying himself on his feet, "but your return was timely enough."
"And our plans?" he asked, concern flickering behind his crimson eyes.
The Celestial King's expression hardened. "Foiled," he said grimly. "Grey—he's betrayed us. We're on our own from now on."
"What?" the Demon King roared, fists clenching so tightly that his claws dug into his palms, dark blood trickling out. His voice trembled with rage and disbelief. "After everything...!"
"I guess this is the end, then," he added, shaking his head, voice heavy with resignation. "We've lost."
"Not yet," the Celestial King replied, drawing a long breath, his aura pulsing like a dying star flaring one final time. "One last stand. Let's go all out. No holding back. We may lose, but we won't go down in shame."
Both kings gathered their remaining power, preparing to unleash everything they had in a final clash.
But just as they were about to strike, they paused mid-charge.
Standing before them was Grey—his body blocking the path to Rebecca. Behind her, the "Numbered" were arriving one by one, their ominous presence filling the battlefield with overwhelming pressure.
The Demon King and Celestial King halted, dread coiling in their chests. The sheer number of enemies and the weight of their presence crushed any last flicker of will to fight. The odds were no longer just bad—they were hopeless.
"Grey!" the Celestial King barked, fury and confusion burning in his eyes. "Why the betrayal?! You agreed to the plan. What changed?!"
Grey's expression was tense, but calm. His gaze didn't flinch.
"I can't hurt her," he said quietly. "Not after learning she's my sister—the one our mother always spoke so fondly of. There's no way I can keep working with you to kill her. I won't do it."
As he spoke, he took a slow step closer to Rebecca—but stopped at a respectful distance, careful not to make her feel threatened, not wanting her to think he might attack from behind.
Rebecca's expression flickered. For a moment, her cold, stoic face softened. Something inside her stirred. His words touched something raw and ancient in her. But just as quickly, she closed herself off again, returning to her unreadable mask.
She didn't trust him. Not yet.
The Celestial King, unable to bear Grey's defiance, acted without hesitation. His aura flared violently, elemental energies swirling around him in a chaotic storm. Lightning bolts crackled into existence. Fireballs roared to life. Ice spears shimmered in the air. Even a sphere of dark energy—his imitation of Rebecca's law-infused darkness—formed in his palm.
Though it lacked the law of darkness's true power, it was still deadly.
All of it took less than a heartbeat.
With a roar, the Celestial King hurled every spell at Grey at once.
Caught off guard, Grey barely had time to react. His eyes widened as the lethal volley rushed toward him.
But the pain never came.
Inky black orbs materialized around him, rotating swiftly as they absorbed the incoming attacks with eerie silence.
"I should return your attack to you," Rebecca said coldly, her voice low and lethal.
She didn't understand it—this rage that surged within her. But seeing Grey, her brother, attacked so ruthlessly, ignited something primal inside her. She barely knew him. They had shared no real moments together. And yet... the bond of blood was undeniable.
Family could not be erased.
Dark portals opened around the Celestial King and Demon King. A heartbeat later, the same attacks the Celestial King had unleashed came tearing out of the void—magnified in speed and power, laced now with the authentic law of darkness.
The Celestial King had a moment to summon several shimmering shields, but they shattered upon contact. The enhanced spells pierced through his defenses and exploded on impact, enveloping both him and the Demon King in a maelstrom of agony.
Their screams echoed through the battlefield.
Rebecca stood motionless, her eyes still fixed on Grey. She remained distant, not yet letting herself believe he was on her side. And Grey understood. Her suspicion was well-earned. Trust would take time.
The Celestial King and Demon King writhed in pain, their once-pristine robes torn and burned. The majesty that once defined them was gone—replaced with desperation and rage.
"Do you think you can stop me if I truly wish to hurt him?!" the Celestial King roared. His eyes glowed with madness as he pressed his hand to his chest, reaching within—to the very heart of the first celestial sleeping inside him.
The Demon King stood beside him, tense, ready to defend his ally no matter the cost.
Rebecca frowned, her ancient eyes glowing blue. Intricate inscriptions spun around her pupils as she attempted to divine his plans, to peer into the future.
But something was wrong.
She felt it the moment she tried. The will of the universe pressed down on her like a mountain, suppressing her insight, blocking her premonition.
It was like something—or someone—was deliberately obscuring what came next.
She refused to accept it.
Gritting her teeth, she poured more power into her eyes, pushing back against the suppression.
Too late.
"Urgh!" Grey choked, blood gushing from his mouth. His eyes widened in pain as blood streamed from his nose and eyes, his skin turning pale, his aura dimming to a whisper.
"No!!" Rebecca screamed, panic tearing through her voice. She rushed toward her brother, her expression breaking into one of raw emotion.
"You!" she spat at the Celestial King, her fury erupting like a volcano.
Her eyes blazed with unbearable light.
Without a word, the left hand of the Celestial King simply vanished. Not burned. Not sliced. Erased—like it had never existed.
"AAARGHHHH!!" he shrieked, collapsing to one knee, writhing in agony. But she wasn't done.
She stared at his abdomen—and a moment later, a massive portion of his side disappeared into nothingness. The pain struck harder than anything he had ever felt, nearly sending him into unconsciousness.
"I'm not done with you yet," Rebecca said coldly, stepping forward. But then—
"Cough—" Grey let out another ragged breath, blood splattering down his chin.
Rebecca froze. Her focus returned instantly to her brother.
"Brother... what happened?" she asked urgently, placing her hand gently against his chest. Her eyes scanned his entire body, her power peeling away the surface to find the root of his collapse.
"He must have... crushed the rebellion seal..." Grey gasped, each word a struggle.
Her eyes widened.
The rebellion seal.
A cruel creation of the Celestial King—placed on every celestial after he overthrew the first celestial. A seal designed to prevent any betrayal. A punishment embedded in their very essence.
"You can't... stop it," Grey rasped, his aura flickering weakly.
"Don't speak," Rebecca whispered. She placed her palm over his heart and poured her power into him.
To Grey's surprise, something changed.
The misfortune became a blessing. Her power surged through him, cleansing the seal's backlash, and even strengthening him beyond his previous limits.
"Sister... don't..." Grey tried to stop her, sensing how much power she was sacrificing.
"Don't say anything," Rebecca said, her voice trembling with emotion. "You have to survive this. I can't let you die. You're the only family I have left! What's the point of all my power if I can't even protect my brother?!"
She hugged him tightly, her tears falling silently into his hair.
"Sister... I don't deserve this..." Grey whispered, sorrow painted on his face.
"You more than anyone do," Rebecca said, brushing a lock of his hair back gently.
"I'm being honest. I don't... Sister... I hope you can forgive me... for not protecting Mother..." Grey's voice cracked. "She spoke of you so often... said she loved watching you sleep... I always wanted to see you..."
Rebecca opened her mouth to answer. "It's alright, it's not your—"
Her words died in her throat.
Her eyes widened in confusion.
She looked down.
A dagger—cold, silent, and merciless—was embedded deep in her chest, right over her heart.
She stared at it, unable to comprehend.
Why?
Why was there a dagger...?
Why now?
Why...?