NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 261: BLOOD OR DUTY
"Because I promised someone I won't destroy this universe," Rebecca replied, her voice calm, her tone unhurried, and her pitch low—each word carrying a finality that made the air feel heavier.
"You claim you can destroy the universe? Ha! How laughable," the demon king scoffed, chuckling softly.
But even as he laughed, his eyes searched Rebecca's face for any sign of jest—any hint that she was exaggerating, perhaps bluffing to intimidate him. Yet her expression remained unchanged: solemn, resolute. There was no flicker of deception in her eyes. No tremble in her voice. Nothing but the terrifying certainty of someone who truly could do what she claimed.
His chuckle died mid-breath.
A cold dread slithered down his spine. His body tensed, instincts warning him that he was standing before something far beyond his comprehension. He didn't know why she was holding back her true strength, but a part of him feared the moment she chose to let it all loose. And if that moment came before the plan—his plan, and the Celestial King's—was complete, it could mean the end of everything.
No matter what, he had to delay her.
With his heart hardened, the demon king surged forward, cutting through the air like a blade. His movements were laced with purpose—not to win, but to buy time.
Rebecca moved to meet him. Not with dominance. Not with weakness. She matched his force with precise restraint, engaging him with just the right amount of strength to neither overpower nor appear vulnerable. It was a dance—a carefully choreographed spar between destruction and delay.
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"Grey, there is a task that you must perform," the Celestial King said as he appeared before his son, his voice urgent but composed.
"My lord," Grey said, bowing respectfully, instinctively recognizing the gravity in his father's demeanor.
"There is no need for formalities now," the Celestial King said, stepping closer, his celestial aura crackling with intensity. "We need your help… if we are to defeat Rebecca."
"What must I do?" Grey asked, his posture straightening, his voice serious. He could tell this wasn't just a matter of war—it was something deeper.
"Come with me," the Celestial King commanded, turning without another word as he headed toward the heart of his castle.
On their way, several enemies—beasts, corrupted spirits, and rogue creatures twisted by void energy—attempted to block their path. But the Celestial King dispatched them effortlessly, his divine power tearing through them like parchment before a flame. The halls of the castle shook from the residual force of each strike.
When they reached the inner sanctum, the Celestial King slowed his pace. His voice grew low as they navigated through marble corridors carved from starstone.
"Rebecca… is more dangerous than we originally believed," he said, his face hard with tension. "She has the strength to destroy our entire world—possibly more. And we fear the day she chooses to stop playing and starts fighting seriously."
Grey absorbed the words in silence, his mind already racing.
"If she's truly that strong, how do we even stand a chance?" he asked.
"You play a vital role in this," the Celestial King said cryptically.
"Me? How? You're the Celestial King, and even you say she might be beyond you. What could I possibly do that you cannot?"
The Celestial King stopped walking.
"You share the same birth mother."
Grey froze.
"…What?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"You heard me," the king replied, turning to face him fully. "She is your half-sister."
Grey's entire world slowed. The air felt heavier. He could hear the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"My sister…" he echoed, the word strange on his tongue. It didn't feel real.
He clenched his fists tightly. The revelation sank into his soul like lead. He hadn't known her—had never even heard of her growing up. And now, suddenly, she was his blood. His sibling. The one he was being asked to destroy.
"My lord… must I…?" he asked, voice trembling slightly. The words refused to form completely. His throat tightened. The very idea of raising his hand against someone connected to his mother tore at something deep within him.
"Only you can do this," the Celestial King said firmly. "No one else has the connection—no one else can reach her, or kill her if it comes to that. And though she is your sister, too much is at stake to let emotions cloud your vision. Zere… Grey."
He almost called him by the true name he'd given him—the name befitting a celestial. But he caught himself. He had promised Grey's mother that the boy would be called only by the name she had chosen: Grey. A promise he'd broken long ago… but not now. Not in this moment. Not when emotions could decide the outcome.
The Celestial King had few children, unlike the demon king who sired countless offspring across realms. The Celestial King's nature limited him. His divine essence permitted only rare conception, and of his children, only Grey held true potential. The others had been given ceremonial roles—positions that upheld their dignity but kept them out of war and power.
As for the children of lesser celestials, most were sent into minor service. The gifted ones became low-ranking warriors. The weak ones were relegated to menial roles—celestial messengers, errand-runners of divine bureaucracy.
Grey stood at a crossroads now—between duty and blood, between the sister he never knew and the world he lived to protect. Memories of his mother, of comrades he had bled beside, flickered through his mind.
Could he betray Rebecca? Could he strike her down for a world that had given him purpose?
Or… could he betray the celestial kingdom? Side with his sister, let the world fall, and vanish into the dark with her?
The Celestial King said nothing more. He watched his son wrestle with the impossible choice. He knew the decision had to come from within. It had to be real.
And finally, after a long minute, Grey turned to him.
"I will do what I must," he said, his voice quiet but firm. The decision burned inside him, leaving behind only cold resolve. He would bear this burden. He would end his sister's life… even if it shattered him. The world mattered more than a sibling he never knew—more than a story only told in whispers from his mother.
The Celestial King nodded, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. The most delicate part of the plan—convincing Grey—was complete.
"Good. Now, before you face her… we must ensure that when the opportunity comes, you don't fail because of weakness," he said, placing a hand on Grey's shoulder.
Without another word, the Celestial King turned once more and resumed his stride.
Grey followed closely, silent, shoulders squared, eyes steady. His heart ached, but he buried it beneath layers of steel will.
They arrived before a colossal vault, locked by mechanisms from a forgotten age—arcane runes, layered divine spells, and barriers of light and shadow intertwined.
"This is…" Grey began, staring up at the monumental door.
"The resting place of the first Celestial," the king said. He stepped forward, lifting a hand that began to glow with a brilliant, ancient light.