"So…" Alaric's tone shifted, his smile turning playful as he looked at Amon. "To make your father-son relationship even more harmonious, I took the liberty of informing the Ancient Sun God about all the misdeeds you've committed over the years. I even invited some victims to speak for themselves. Guess how Grisha reacted after hearing it all?"
Amon's smile vanished in an instant, his face now expressionless as he stared at Alaric.
"Grisha was disappointed. He always thought you were a good child, always hoped you'd become a light in the apocalypse." Amon's displeasure only widened Alaric's grin. He continued, unhurried, "So he approved this operation. He agreed to let me beat you to within an inch of your life and strip away your Beyonder characteristics…"
"Of course, your father still loves you. He even forbade me from killing you. Alas, poor old father... your existence is practically the only stain on his legacy…" Alaric sighed and shook his head, feigning pity for the Ancient Sun God.
"If you ask me, a rebellious son like you should just be dealt with permanently. What use are you, other than tarnishing your father's name? It's because of beings like you that the Ancient Sun God's life has turned into a tragedy!" By the end, Alaric's expression was earnest as he gazed at Amon, as if genuinely expecting an answer.
"Shut up!" Amon's gaze turned icy, his earlier composure completely gone.
"How terrifying!" Alaric shook his head, taking a theatrical half-step back, though his smile betrayed his obvious delight.
As the saying goes, to kill someone, you must also destroy their heart. For Alaric, merely beating Amon physically was pointless... true victory required breaking him mentally as well.
Only then could Amon truly be undone.
Though Amon wanted nothing more than to tear Alaric apart, his gaze flickered to Mr. Door, and he restrained himself. He could tell that Mr. Door, despite appearing to be a mere spectator, was fully committed to protecting Alaric.
And with Mr. Door at his peak, protecting someone was almost effortless. Even a Sequence 0 would struggle to harm anyone under his watch.
The authority over space was just too unfair in this regard.
Amon ground his teeth, then turned to Bethel. "Bethel, are you really protecting this monster? Do you even know what he is?"
As a King of Angels who had been in close contact with Alaric... and had even lost a Avatar to him... Amon could hardly miss the strangeness emanating from Alaric.
Bethel's eyes flickered, but he merely shrugged. "He may be a monster, but I believe he has a human heart."
"Hahahaha!" Amon barked out a laugh, almost amused by the absurdity. He sized up Alaric, then turned back to Bethel, not holding back. "Bethel, have you finally lost your mind?"
Like recognizes like. From the moment Amon laid eyes on Alaric, he knew this man's malevolence might even surpass his own.
A human heart? Did Bethel even realize the nonsense he was spouting?
Bethel, unfazed by Amon's mockery, replied calmly, "I can only believe he has a human heart."
"Amon…" Bethel sighed, looking at him. "You should understand why."
Amon fell silent, instantly grasping Bethel's meaning. This man might indeed be a monster, but he also held the power to either save or destroy the world. As long as this monster was willing to wear a human guise, they had no choice but to treat him as one.
"That's harsh, Bethel. You make it sound like I'm some villain threatening to destroy the world to force your compliance." Alaric, catching the subtext of their exchange, didn't seem offended. He merely let out a wistful sigh.
"Aren't you?" Before Bethel could respond, Medici, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow and cut in. His blood-red eyes fixed on Alaric with a casual air. "Little monster, even now, you wouldn't mind dragging the whole world down with you, would you?"
Alaric blinked, then grinned. "You're right. I've always been a monster. But what does it matter? Do you mind, Medici?"
"Tch! Who cares about that?" Medici rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I just wish you'd have some self-awareness. If you're sick, get help."
He meant it. Medici had long thought Alaric needed a good psychiatrist to sort out his issues, rather than constantly flirting with the idea of blowing up the world.
"First, I'm not sick. Second, there's no reliable psychiatrist in this world. What, do you expect me to go to Adam for therapy?" Alaric said, his face deadly serious.
Medici paused for a second, then pressed a hand to his forehead as if struck by a painful thought. "This world is doomed."
"No worries. Look on the bright side... at least everyone will go down with us. Isn't that a kind of happy ending?" Alaric said with a smile.
"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Ouroboros, the Angel of Fate, looked puzzled.
"Big snake, shut up!" Medici shot Ouroboros a glare, irritated.
Alaric's words were already chilling enough, especially since Medici could tell he was deadly serious... he genuinely thought the world ending together was a good outcome. Ouroboros's comment only made the atmosphere frostier.
As the only sensible adult present, Bethel finally spoke up, addressing Alaric with sincerity. "I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. You're just stating a fact." Alaric shook his head, smiling. "I understand your wariness. If I were you, I'd be even more cautious."
Bethel's expression grew more guilt-ridden. He sighed, then said earnestly, "No matter what, as long as you don't destroy this world, I'll stand by your side."
This was Mr. Door's promise. Though Alaric's unique nature made Bethel wary, he was also a man who repaid kindness. Barring matters of principle, he would do his utmost to support Alaric, his benefactor.
Amon, meanwhile, made a face like he'd bitten into something sour. He adjusted his monocle, his gaze sweeping from Medici to Bethel before settling on Alaric. "They've all been fooled by you. Maybe I should hand over the title of God of Deceit to you."
"No, they just believe in my humanity." Alaric shook his head, looking at Amon with a serious expression. "How pitiful, Amon. You lack humanity, so you'll never understand this."
***
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