Hellbound With You Chapter 928: Alicia & Zeke Side Story 4

Thick, viscous demon blood dripped steadily from his sword. Countless demons lay slain, their bodies piled in scattered heaps around his feet.

Clenching a fistful of the high demon's hair, Zeke yanked his head back sharply, forcing him to meet his gaze. This move demanded utter submission while baring the demon's throat vulnerably to him. "I've warned you… never dare try to betray me, Duke. But look at what you just did. Now everyone's dead, all because of your idiocy. To think you even managed to harm Prince Gavriel. You've found his weakness, haven't you?"

"Forgive me, My Liege!! I swear I will break ties with Prince Argon from here on and swear my loyalty to no one else but you." The high demon pleaded desperately for mercy, fully aware that Zeke was not to be trifled with. "I swear on my own lifeblood. You can take full control of my mind, Prince Ezekiel. That should be enough to make you trust me again right, my Liege – ahh!!!" A piercing, blood-chilling scream tore from the high demon's mouth.

Without the slightest flinch, Zeke thrust a dagger into the man's eyeballs. His icy, ruthless stare bore down on the Duke.

"I, Ezekiel, never give any second chance to traitors. Never!" he proclaimed, as the man's tortured howls echoed through the vast throne hall while Ezekiel delivered a deliberate, excruciating death to the Duke. The spectacle struck terror into the surviving demons nearby, making them shudder and fall utterly silent. "You know why…? If they can betray you once, they can always do it again. So I'd rather avoid the trouble. Wouldn't you agree as well?" Zeke growled lowly. Still, every word he uttered reached the ears of all present, sending violent tremors of dread through them.

As the Duke's corpse slumped onto the blood-drenched floor, Zeke raised his head and fixed his eyes on the empty throne.

Having sent everyone away, Ezekiel stripped off his robe and flung it aside. It was saturated with the blood and entrails of his foes. Demon blood touching his skin repulsed him, so he always donned cloaks in advance when anticipating a slaughter.

Slipping off his gloves, his gaze snagged on a gleaming item—his wedding ring. He froze, staring intently at it. Of late, numbness had begun to settle in. Relentless slaughters and battles eroded all feeling within him. The near-constant bloodbaths dulled his moral compass, leaving him fearing that one day he might completely lose the ability to experience emotions.

This realm proved far deadlier than he'd ever imagined. Just one final prince remained for him to eliminate. Yet things weren't unfolding as smoothly as planned. He hadn't anticipated Prince Argon's sharp intellect, rivaling his own. The prince didn't just rely on a massive army; he wielded cunning tactics, devious plots, and traps meticulously laid out, ready for Zeke to stumble into. Luckily, Zeke retained the advantage, piercing through Argon's strategies.

The gravest issue lay in Prince Argon seizing Zeke's mother hostage before Zeke could locate her. Now, Argon exploited her ruthlessly. But challenges didn't end there. Gavriel posed another major obstacle. Hampered by his frail state, constant protection duties hindered Zeke from pursuing his schemes or fighting unbound. He couldn't risk leaving Gavriel unattended. And that f**king duke's betrayal had inflicted harm on his already vulnerable charge.

Events strayed from Zeke's original blueprint. Though failure never entered his thoughts, he sensed the conflict stretching far beyond his projections. A quiet fear gnawed at him over what prolonged strife might turn him into. The realm's turmoil, shadows, and endless killing overwhelmed everything. It held the potency to taint any heart, reducing it to an emotionless void, barren of mercy or simple feelings.

Clenching his eyes tightly shut, Zeke lifted his hand to his lips and pressed a devoted kiss to his ring. This had become his daily rite. Kiss the ring, close his eyes, summon Alicia's image in his mind to recenter and steady himself. Not a single day passed without it. He dreaded this world's encroaching darkness erasing his true purpose—his beloved Alicia.

"Alicia…" he murmured softly. Saying her name aloud had turned into a ritual much like his daily prayer. He made a habit of it for that very purpose. He dreaded the thought that her name might fade from his mind if he ever stopped.      

"My Liege." Ruka's voice drew his focus, yet he didn't turn. "We've discovered a… peculiar woman. She possesses long silver hair. And she insists she's your… wife."    

Zeke stiffened upon hearing his subordinate's report. Yet soon his shoulders eased, and a crooked grin pulled at his mouth's edge.      

"I figured you wouldn't buy it… so we took the liberty of bringing her with us." Ruka went on, clearly aware Zeke would simply dismiss the news with laughter.      

Zeke showed no response, merely tossing aside his soiled gloves without a care. In his view, their words described something utterly impossible. No matter how fiercely he yearned inside for it to be real, he refused to glance at the woman they mentioned.      

"Cut the foolishness and get this mess cleaned up." Ezekiel's profound, flat voice echoed. "Also, tell Archer to gear up for battle –"    

"Ezekiel!!" rang out a familiar, enchanting voice - one Ezekiel had accepted he'd never hear again in this realm. A voice that straightaway stabbed into his dulled spirit.