The Damned Demon

Chapter 671  It's Us Or Them

Cecilia's eyes widened in shock, "A weapon? I thought you said this was to protect our world from demons that found a loophole to roam around in our world like Hellbringer and others."

"Of course," Derek replied, his eye gleaming with a cold yet fervid light, "Once this tower is active, not only Hellbringer but no demon will ever threaten our kind again. After they're annihilated, we'll create a new world—a powerful world governed by Hunters like us, with both of us overseeing everything. We will be the architects of a new era, and future generations will thank and revere us for it."

Cecilia felt a knot tightening in her stomach. She mumbled, "Honey... what are you talking about? A new world governed by us? Are you planning to dismantle the current governments and get rid of democracy? You cannot be serious. It would plunge the entire world into chaos, and no country would stand by idly. There would be an unprecedented world war. Please tell me you aren't planning to do such things."

Derek shook his head firmly, his gaze intense, "Cecilia, it's time to wake up. Look at the world we live in. You know the suffering, the poverty, the wars. These are the failings of mortal men—frail and corruptible. We are more than that, aren't we? Our powers mean something. They give us the chance, even the obligation, to reshape a world that has failed everyone. This world reeks of corruption, and the weakest are easily exploited, dragging us all down. We have to remove these weak links so that no one can break us. The angels blessed us with the power to change the world for this very reason."

Her eyes quivered with conflicting emotions. While part of her understood his perspective, another part felt a deep unease, "Derek... you're not wrong about the world's problems. But what you're planning... How can you do it without turning our world into a battlefield? If we fail, we'll go down in history as tyrants. I don't feel good about this. How about we just focus on destroying the demons? We shouldn't try to change the path our ancestors paved for us."

He leaned closer, his expression softening yet remaining resolute, "If that's what you're worried about, don't be. Do you think I've been planning all these years without considering such concerns?"

Cecilia parted her lips, her voice barely above a whisper, "What do you mean?"

"Project Guardian and Project Mars will work in tandem to address those issues," Derek explained, "I can guarantee there will be no war among us. Everything will proceed smoothly. All I need is for you to stand by my side and help me create a better world. That's all I want from my wife."

She looked into his eye, searching for reassurance, "I... You still haven't explained how everything is going to proceed smoothly. What about the people who won't agree with us? Those who believe in freedom and democracy? I want to know so that I can understand all this."

Derek's expression grew grave as he glanced up at the towering Nexus Tower, its dark silhouette cutting a formidable figure against the twilight sky. He took a deep breath, the weight of his intentions pressing heavily upon him, "What we are going to do is..." His voice was steady, yet laden with determination as he began to unveil the intricate details of his plan.

Cecilia listened intently, her eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. However, as Derek went on, her initial disbelief transformed into shock, and then into deep distress. The magnitude of his vision was overwhelming, twisting her thoughts into a tangled web of shock, fear and confusion.

The moment he was done explaining, Cecilia's voice trembled as she struggled to process his words, "D-Derek... You can't do that... You can't.... Is this really what you plan to do?" Cecilia couldn't believe her husband was the one who came up with this.

Before she could fully comprehend the depth of his revelation, Derek's strong hands gripped her shoulders firmly, pulling her closer. His teeth clenched, betraying the turmoil beneath his composed exterior, "Cecilia, I know this sounds shocking, but believe me... this is the only way. For thousands of years, we've been held back, restricted by needless sentiments and power. Now is our chance to finally be free to do what we were born to do. So, please... you have to understand me... You are the only one I need to understand. Remember what we promised each other when we married... We would always stand by each other's side, no matter what."

Cecilia's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she felt the sincerity and desperation in his words. Her hands clenched the sleeves of his shirt, anchoring herself amidst the emotional storm, "Derek... I don't know if I can be a part of this. We will be sinners in the eyes of the angels. Our ancestors-"

Derek cut her off sharply, his voice firm and resolute, "Our ancestors never had the courage to do what was necessary," he interjected, his gaze sharp, "Do you think the angels would consider us sinners when they themselves granted us the power to trigger the Final Reckoning Quest? The only way to complete this quest is through the method I've planned. You know that. We can't afford to fail because the demons are planning something big, especially the Moon Guardian, who's laying low despite our actions. I have a feeling we will be the ones to get annihilated if we keep being afraid to make the hard choices, unlike our ancestors. Or do you wish for all of us to be destroyed? It's us or them."

Cecilia pressed her lips together firmly, her heart aching under the weight of his words. Slowly, she opened her eyes to meet his, seeing the fear and determination mingling within them. She realized he was genuinely worried about the Moon Guardian's plans, yet she couldn't digest the enormity of what he was proposing.

"I... I need some time to think. I never saw this coming..." Cecilia mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper as she gently freed herself from Derek's grip.

Derek reluctantly released her, his own eyes clouded with regret, "It's alright. I'm sorry to throw all this upon you all of a sudden. It's just that you are my wife, and I don't want to hide anything from you. I wanted you to understand because you are the only one who can and the one I love. But I know you will need to think about what I said. There isn't much time left, and we have no choice but to walk this path together. That's the only way humanity will survive. The future rests on your shoulders too, Cecilia. I hope you never forget that."

Cecilia stiffly nodded, her expression heavy with the burden of newfound truths, "I... need to sort this out myself. Let's talk later," she said softly, turning away and walking slowly out of the open roof area. Her back was burdened by the knowledge of Derek's grandiose and perilous plan, and she felt the weight of responsibility settle over her like a dark shroud.

As the last echoes of Cecilia's footsteps faded into the air, Derek reached into his pocket and retrieved a sleek earpiece. He placed it snugly into his ear, the subtle click signaling the start of a calln. With a swift tap on the digital screen of his wrist device, the connection was established.

"Greg, it's time," Derek began, his voice steady and authoritative, "Prepare everything to announce the onboarding for our Hunters to Mars. It's time to make it public as well, and let's not forget that boy we discussed earlier. He needs to be on the priority list among the other academy students."

A brief pause followed before Greg's voice crackled through the earpiece, "You must have told your wife, eh? I'm guessing she didn't take it well. Isn't that why you suddenly called me up?"

Derek's jaw tightened, but his resolve remained unshaken, "I expected this. She will need some time, but she will come around. But this has nothing to do with her. We don't have much time left."

"Alright. I will coordinate with my father and get this done," Greg responded before ending the call.

Derek slowly removed the earpiece, his mind already racing through the next steps of their intricate plan. He leaned against the railings, gazing up at the towering Nexus Tower that dominated the island's skyline. It's dark peak reflected in his radiant blue eye as a fervid light flashed across.

—

Hours later, under the cloak of darkness, Cecilia found herself wandering the secluded paths of a street. The night sky was clear, stars twinkling like distant beacons of hope and despair. She wore a dark brown overcoat and a mask to conceal her identity, ensuring no one would recognize her as she took a solitary walk.

Feeling the weight of the day's revelations pressing down on her, Cecilia pulled out her earpiece and dialed her daughter's number.

"Mom? I wasn't expecting a call from you at this time. Did something happen?" Rachel's voice was warm yet tinged with concern.

Cecilia hesitated, the urge to confide in Rachel battling with her instinct to protect her daughter from the dangerous secrets she now harbored. With a heavy heart, she decided to keep her fears at bay, "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a bit tired and I wanted to hear your voice."

Rachel's voice softened, sensing her mother's unease, "Oh, Mom. I wish I could come to you, but I'm in the middle of some work. Why don't you get a drink to relax? It won't hurt to let yourself ease up for tonight. Just head to the hotel we usually hang out at. If I finish my work early, I'll come to you there."

The suggestion was tempting. Cecilia knew she could use a drink to dull the turmoil raging inside her, "Alright, dear. I will do just that," she replied, a faint smile breaking through her masked facade.

As she ended the call, Cecilia glanced at her recent contacts and saw Ash's name blinking at her. He was the only one she felt she could truly talk to about the conflict swirling within her even if she can't reveal what her husband told her. Derek had clearly implied to her that this was supposed to remain a secret between them.

But she knew she had to get some of this weight off her chest to feel better, even if she couldn't talk about everything. Despite being young, Ash seemed to oddly understand her struggles and thoughts and sympathize with her.

Yet, uncertainty gnawed at her—was it appropriate to reach out to Ash now? The dilemma weighed heavily on her as she continued her walk, knowing she needed to unburden herself but unsure of how to proceed.