Chapter 1039 Naked Truth
His lady remained silent, the weight of Joey's revelation hanging heavy in the air. She knew Joey to be a man of truth, not given to exaggeration or falsehood. Yet, what he claimed was beyond belief. However, understanding the gravity of the situation, he knew he had to compose himself.
"As a Demon King, this man is bound to pose a threat to Rosewood City," Joey asserted with a sobering gaze. "Rest assured, my lady, I will protect you, no matter the cost."
"Keep up the good work, then," his lady replied with a sigh. "I can still sense something amiss with you, so I will contact you again once the skill cooldown is over. Sober up before then. That will be all."
With those words, the hologram vanished, leaving Joey alone with his thoughts. He closed his eyes, attempting to etch the image of his lady into his memory. When he reopened them, a man stood before him, his immaculate uniform outlining his well-defined physique.
"A spy from Rosewood City, huh?" the man muttered, his golden eyes fixated on Joey with an unusual interest. In that moment, Joey's mind raced, and he instinctively summoned a forcefield, ready to break through the walls and make his escape. But before he could react further, a bolt of lightning struck him down, dispelling the forcefield.
"Is that protocol etched into your muscle memory, agent?" the man inquired, his tone cool and collected.
Joey found himself on the ground, disoriented, as the man circled him. The realization dawned upon him that he had been apprehended by the very person he had been tasked to monitor. How had this man appeared seemingly out of thin air? How had he overheard their earlier conversation?
"You underestimated my perception, Joey," the man continued as he paced behind him. "I learned of your identity even before we left the demonic dungeon. However, I didn't immediately consider you an enemy."
"What...what are you going to do to me?" Joey stammered, his body drenched in sweat. He understood that despite his hidden strength, he stood no chance against this man. He was, after all, the Demon King.
"As I mentioned earlier, I initially regarded you as a comrade," the man, Alexie, replied as he pulled up a chair to sit in front of Joey. "But your current state of mind renders you useless to my objectives within this tower. You need to return to being the man I met just a few days ago."
Joey couldn't help but inquire further, his anxiety growing with each passing moment. "Your objectives within this tower?"
"Even in this situation, you are designed to extract information," Alexie replied with a grin, clapping his hands together to remove the dust. "However, I see no harm in revealing the truth. My goal is simple: complete domination over the Warring Cities."
"You claimed your desire wasn't to conquer and that you had no enemies," Joey countered, his voice trembling as he considered the implications. "Was that all just a lie, crafted because you discovered my identity?"
"I learned of your identity after the fact," Alexie clarified with a dismissive shake of his head. "The situation is rather straightforward. I have a friend who believes that the second floor is the only sanctuary for the citizens. But the ongoing war obstructs that. Our aim is to end the war by defeating all the lords."
"That's...that's impossible," Joey exclaimed, incredulous. "Each lord is a formidable power, some even capable of challenging the final floor. Regardless of your strength, there's no way..."
"All of my stats have surpassed a hundred," Alexie stated with a smile, causing Joey to fall silent. The man's words left him in awe. A hundred points in each stat would indeed turn someone into a force of nature, stronger than even dragons.
Joey struggled to find words in response to this revelation. Everything Alexie disclosed made him feel increasingly terrified, and he realized he was dealing with a being of unprecedented power.
"In any case, I wanted to ascertain who was backing you before taking any action," Alexie explained as he leaned back in his chair. "Rosewood is one of the three most powerful cities on the second floor. Xeloria, Rosewood, and Crestview are the unspoken rulers. However, the balance of power between them has kept them in check, ensuring no one city stands superior."
"Please, I implore you to leave my city be," Joey finally spoke, recognizing the sheer might this man possessed, capable of toppling an entire city. "My mission was to observe the Xelorian Army from within, never to provoke you."
"As soon as I learned the truth behind you, you became as compliant as a child," Alexie noted with a frown. "Is this loyalty? It bears a striking resemblance... to love."
Joey clenched his fists together, his unease intensifying as Alexie's golden eyes continued to unnerve him. The realization that one of the lords this man intended to defeat was his own young lady birthed a chilling thought. Would he be willing to sacrifice his own life to eliminate this formidable adversary?
"Your killing intent is seeping out," Alexie noted with a small chuckle. "Even if you manage to kill me, I'll only lose my levels and grow weaker. Do you truly believe I won't become strong enough to threaten your city?"
Joey, his frustration mounting, finally asked, "What do I need to do to ensure that you spare Rosewood?"
"Bring it down with me," Alexie responded bluntly, shocking Joey into silence. "Rosewood's competition with the other cities fuels this cycle of strife. If we unite all the cities, there can be peace and equality. Children in Lonin City won't go hungry anymore."
"So, you're doing this for the sake of starving children?" Joey retorted with a hint of cynicism. "If we're truly comrades, you wouldn't threaten my city. It's clear you just want to rule."
"Don't cast me as a villain, Joey," Alexie retorted with a shake of his head as he stood up, a few feet away from Joey. "I will wage a fair and open battle. Everyone will participate in the impending war, and only I will emerge victorious. This fact won't change, but you can decide which side Rosewood stands on."
"What do you mean?" Joey inquired.
"Convince your lady to relinquish her position as a lord, and she will remain as the acting lord after I unite the cities," Alexie explained as he distanced himself further from Joey. "Moreover, I'll elevate you to the status of an acting lord as well."
"I have no interest in that," Joey protested.
"But you do have an interest in her," Alexie stated, his expression inscrutable. Joey felt as though his innermost truth had been exposed, leaving him without a rebuttal. "Your loyalty to her, and perhaps something deeper, has made you incapable of acknowledging your love for her."
"I'm not..." Joey began, but he couldn't meet Alexie's golden gaze, lowering his head instead. "It was just an illusion, designed to mess with my mind."
"Sometimes, the truth is the most unsettling illusion of all," Alexie remarked as he took several steps away. "I'll leave now, and you can contemplate my offer. You shouldn't flee or return to Rosewood, for you understand that nothing can stand in my way."
With that, Alexie opened the door and departed, leaving Joey with a choice: whether to report back to his lady or not. The twist lay in the fact that he knew Joey couldn't.
"This man doesn't fear the entire second floor," Joey mused, a weak smile on his face. "Even if I do inform my lady about him, there's nothing she can do to avert what's coming. Our best option... is to find refuge."
Joey pushed himself up from the floor and slumped onto his couch, mentally and physically drained. Alexie had seen through his emotions toward his lady and even offered to make him a lord, elevating him to her equal.
"I can't defeat him," Joey laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "What am I supposed to do, my lady?"
***
Arthur had no intention of exposing Joey; instead, he wanted to intervene in his downward spiral of alcohol abuse. Any man deserving of his respect shouldn't descend into the abyss of self-loathing. He viewed this as an opportunity to win over Rosewood rather than a threat.
As he entered the common area connecting the pavilions, another man arrived through the main gate. The man sported a uniform adorned with several stars on his shoulders. However, upon seeing Arthur, he immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Sir Alexie," the man greeted, adjusting his sharp glasses as he straightened up. "I've been sent here by Sir Jonathan. We're set to depart in a few hours to commence the artifact hunt."
"You are a lieutenant, right?" asked Arthur with raised brows. "You don't need to be this formal with me. I work underneath you."
"Anyone who has earned the respect of Sir Jonathan is not one I can disrespect," said the man with a headshake. "Our captain even called you the man who will save the residents of the Red Tower."
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