Chapter 4

Entering the library, Zeldris stared at the two of them, both Hikaru and Cusack drinking tea, which surprised him slightly since it was known that Cusack doesn't like Hikaru that much However, his expression had remained neutral, not giving anything away.

"Hikaru... follow me...father wants to see you.."

After hearing his words, it took a while for hikaru mind to fully register what he was saying. Once his mind caught up to speed, he swallowed the tea and coughed before placing the tea cup on the table and flied over to Zeldris and getting very close to him with a scared expression.

"Your father.....the Demon King....wants to see me.....!!!"

Hikaru began panicking, shaking his shoulders hysterically before being stopped by Cusack, who pulled him away, glaring at him slightly to stop, which he did, and as soon as he let him go, hikatu went back to Zeldris.

"Hikaru."

Zeldris voice was stoic, yet there was something in his tone that made Hikaru quiet down and stood still and sighed, slumping his shoulders accepting his fate and followed Zeldris out.

Hikaru POV

"Cmon Zeldi... can't you come with me?"

"No."

I tried to coax him into joining me but only to fail so I sighed and catch up with his walking pace and held his hand and intertwining our fingers while also locking our arms together as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Hikaru! That is highly too intimate with the young master!"

I rolled my eyes, turning my head back, and sticked out my tongue at him before turning back, facing forward before looking out the palace window to calm myself for what's to come.

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The walk to the Demon King's throne room felt like it took an eternity. My heart pounded in my chest with every step. The air grew heavier the closer we got, and I had to focus on my breathing just to keep from fainting. Zeldris, as calm as ever, didn't seem the least bit bothered by the suffocating pressure.

"Stay calm, Hikaru," I muttered to myself, gripping Zeldris's hand a little tighter. His green eyes glanced down at me momentarily before he sighed and squeezed back, a small gesture of reassurance that I desperately needed.

Cusack walked behind us in his usual, rigid posture, eyes locked forward like a machine following its orders. He didn't even bother hiding the judgmental glares he'd occasionally shoot my way, as if silently telling me, "One wrong move, and I'll end you."

The grand doors to the Demon King's chamber loomed ahead, massive and foreboding. Two elite demon guards flanked the entrance. Upon our approach, they bowed and pushed the doors open with a low rumbling creak.

The pressure of his presence hit me instantly.

It wasn't just heavy - it was oppressive, like the weight of the entire underworld was pushing down on my soul. My knees buckled, and I staggered forward, barely catching myself. I glanced at Zeldris, who walked forward without hesitation.

How can he be so calm?!

I glanced up at the throne.

There he was.

The Demon King himself sat upon his throne like a mountain of darkness, his form as colossal as his presence. His eyes were sharp, glowing with a piercing red light. His face was rough, carved from stone, and his body radiated raw, primal power. His very gaze felt like it was judging my every sin, my every flaw, as if I had been laid bare before him.

I bowed quickly, not daring to meet his eyes for long. My heart was racing. Don't mess up. Don't mess up. Don't mess up.

"Father," Zeldris said, his voice sharp and firm. He bowed his head, though only slightly, as if to acknowledge his father's status but not submit fully. "You summoned us."

The Demon King's eyes slowly shifted to me, and I felt his gaze pierce straight through my soul. I gritted my teeth to avoid trembling.

"So... this is the incubus I've been hearing so much about."

His voice was a deep rumble that echoed through the chamber like thunder. It wasn't loud, but it didn't need to be. The sheer weight of his words made it feel like the world itself would crack.

I dropped to one knee, bowing deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty. My name is Hikaru."

There was a long, heavy silence. The kind that makes you second-guess every decision you've made up to that point.

"Look at me, boy."

I froze. Did he just-?

Slowly, I raised my head, locking eyes with him. It felt like staring into the abyss, and the abyss was staring back. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to look away, to run, to hide - but I didn't.

"Hmm..." The Demon King's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward slightly. "You cling to Zeldris like a parasite... yet I sense no malice from you."

Parasite?! I had to bite my tongue to avoid saying something reckless.

"Tell me, incubus. Why do you follow my son so closely?"

I blinked, realizing this was a test. The wrong answer could mean death. Do I tell the truth? Do I lie?

"Because I love him," I answered before I could stop myself as if i was being controlled. My eyes widened slightly. Did I just say that out loud?!

The Demon King's eyes bore into me, scrutinizing every inch of my being. His silence was suffocating. Then, he leaned back on his throne, the faintest hint of amusement curling at the edge of his lips.

"Love... how peculiar." His tone was cold, yet there was a subtle mockery behind it. "Love is weakness. A leash tied around the neck of a beast. Do you seek to tame my son, incubus?"

"No, Your Majesty," I said firmly. My eyes met his again, even as I felt every fiber of my being scream at me not to. "I do not seek to tame him. I seek to stand beside him."

His eyes narrowed. The silence stretched on for an eternity.

Then, he laughed. A low, rumbling chuckle that shook the very floor beneath us. Zeldris glanced at me, eyes wide in surprise. Even Cusack raised an eyebrow in mild shock.

"Bold words," the Demon King said, his chuckle fading as quickly as it came. "Very well. If you can prove your worth, then perhaps I will tolerate your presence at his side." His gaze turned to Zeldris. "Take him to the training grounds. If he survives, I will accept him."

Zeldris nodded once. "Understood, Father."

Without another word, the Demon King waved his hand, dismissing us. The weight of his presence didn't lift until we were out of the chamber.

---

Training Grounds

The open arena was vast, lined with stone pillars, charred marks, and broken fragments from previous battles. It was a battleground for demons, a place where strength was forged in blood and pain.

Zeldris led me into the center of the arena, his eyes sharp and focused. Cusack followed, arms folded behind his back, watching intently like a hawk waiting for its prey to make a mistake.

"Do you understand what's about to happen, Hikaru?" Zeldris asked, his eyes unwavering as he turned to face me.

I swallowed hard, glancing around at the destruction that littered the arena. "You're going to test me."

"Correct." Zeldris's aura flared slightly, and I took a cautious step back. "If you fail, you'll die."

"Not exactly comforting, Zeldi," I muttered, rolling my shoulders as I took a ready stance. If I'm going to survive this, I need to take it seriously.

"Your opponent will be me," Zeldris said, summoning his sword in a flash of dark energy. His eyes locked onto me with a predator's gaze.

Great. Fantastic. Just what I needed today.

Cusack watched from the sidelines, his eyes cold but calculating. "Do not hold back, young master. If the incubus dies, then he was never worthy to stand by you."

Hey, I thought we're were finally becoming friends!!

"Don't worry, Cusack," Zeldris said, his eyes never leaving mine. "I have no intention of holding back."

My heart pounded in my chest, but something shifted in me. If I'm going to stay by his side, I can't run from this. I exhaled slowly, letting my nerves settle. My eyes locked onto Zeldris, and a smirk tugged at my lips.

"Alright, Zeldi," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Let's see if you can keep up."

His eyes widened in brief surprise, but a grin slowly crept onto his face. "Hmph. Don't disappoint me, Hikaru."

---

3rd Person POV

Zeldris moved first. In an instant, he closed the distance, his blade slashing with lightning speed. Hikaru barely had time to duck, his body moving on instinct. The shockwave from the slash sent a gust of wind rushing past him.

"Too slow," Zeldris said, already swinging his blade downward. Hikaru leapt back, eyes wide, adrenaline coursing through him. He's fast!

"Focus, fool," Cusack called from the sidelines. "You can't just dodge forever. Fight back or be crushed."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you, old man!" Hikaru growled. His eyes flicked to the side, catching sight of one of the charred stone pillars. His mind raced. I need a plan. Think, Hikaru. Use the environment.

He darted to the side, dodging another strike as Zeldris pursued him relentlessly. Sparks flew as Zeldris's blade carved through stone like butter. Hikaru reached out, his fingers glowing faintly with magic.

Distortion.

The air around Zeldris shimmered like a heatwave, and for a split second, his movement staggered. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Hikaru rushed forward, summoning his own magic as his hand glowed with dark energy.

The swirling darkness around Hikaru flared around Zeldris covering him from all sides into a dome covering the entire training field. This caught Cusack's interest as he jumped away a safe distance.

Inside the dome Hikaru stared down at Zeldris with a blank gaze before flying quickly from his spot and in that exact moment Zeldris already had appeared in that exact position and slashed his blade making Hikaru sweat drop and smiled smugly.

"You're too slow zeldi~"

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Demons also have a heart but shrouds it in hate.

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Hi hi I know it's been awhile hasn't it? But who can find the Easter egg I put in this? Your only hint is:

They're well known but not known to everyone