Chapter 76: The Devil's Bargain!

Chapter 76: The Devil's Bargain

Ikehara was led to the dark, stone-walled interrogation chamber—the same chamber where General Rwald Dune had once been questioned. As soon as he stepped inside, a cold shiver ran down his spine. The air felt thick, suffocating, as if every breath was a battle to draw in. His eyes fell on the far corner of the room, and for the first time in years, Ikehara felt true fear.

General Dune, the once-mighty warlord who had towered over battlefields and crushed armies with a single command, now sat slumped in a chair, barely a shadow of the man he used to be. His eyes, once sharp and gleaming with authority, were glazed over, unfocused, his pupils dilated in an eerie daze. His muscular frame was now gaunt, shoulders drooped in defeat, as if the very essence of his being had been drained away.

The man before him wasn't a general anymore—he was a shell. His lips trembled, muttering incoherent words, his sanity barely holding on by a thread. What little consciousness he had left flickered in and out like a dying flame.

Ikehara's heart skipped a beat. His mouth dried as he forced himself not to show his fear. If these people could break General Dune… He swallowed hard. What would they do to me? The thought gripped him like a vice, and for the first time, he cursed himself for not being more careful. But he wasn't a normal man, he reminded himself. He had tricks of his own.

Still, as Ikehara glanced around the room, it was clear he wasn't fooling anyone. Tessa stood in the middle of the room, flanked by the Big Seven—Adrian, Nymff, Ecdy, Abdel, Nyala, Lhize, and Lhaze. Each of them watched Ikehara with icy gazes, unblinking and unforgiving. Even Ms. Caldwell, who had insisted on attending, stood with arms folded, her face a mask of stoic determination.

Ikehara's smile was a flimsy shield against the tension that thickened the air. He attempted to mask his nervousness, but the sharp, knowing glances from everyone in the room told him they'd seen through his act. They knew he was rattled.

"Let's get on with it," Tessa's voice cut through the silence like a blade, her tone commanding. Her patience, already thin, was wearing out.

Ikehara cleared his throat, straightening himself. "Well," he began, his voice strained but trying to appear casual, "I just need the cloak for a day. You can use it first—no tricks. Afterward, I'll take you to my hiding ground, I'll use it briefly, and then return it to you."

His words hung in the air, but no one moved. Tessa's gaze narrowed, and suspicion etched across her features. She had dealt with enough treachery in her life to know that there was more to Ikehara's request than he was letting on.

"And what exactly do you need the cloak for?" Tessa asked, her voice dripping with mistrust.

Ikehara's lips curled into a practiced smile. "Now that's my business, isn't it?" he replied with feigned nonchalance. "After all, I don't know what you need it for, either."

Before Ikehara could finish his sentence, Ecdy stepped forward, his face contorted in rage. "Don't you dare lie, you insane bastard!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "How the hell would you know we need it if you don't know why?! You're a damn liar!"

Ecdy's fury was palpable. His mind flashed back to the last time Ikehara had appeared in their camp. It was a moment Ecdy would never forget—the lunatic had popped up out of nowhere, right after Ecdy had just relieved himself in the bushes. The shock had been so intense he'd almost lost his soul to fear that day. And now here Ikehara was again, this time with a sly grin plastered on his face, as if nothing could touch him.

Ikehara laughed softly, clearly amused by Ecdy's frustration. "Relax, Ecdy," he purred, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Let's not get in each other's way. We both want the cloak, right? We can work together. I know where it is, and you need me to find it. You have my word—I won't claim it for myself. I just need it for a single day. Isn't that a fair deal?"

Tessa's eyes flickered with suspicion. She didn't buy it—not for one second. But she knew the truth of the situation: time was against them. The cloak had been stolen by Akanon, another trickster and an equally mad creature like Ikehara. Tracking it down could take years, even decades. And as the moon goddess had reminded her time and again, Tessa's powers, bound to the full moon, were fading with each passing day. Soon, she would revert to a much lesser state, her strength almost on par with Adrian's—not enough to face the threats that lay ahead.

She clenched her fists at her sides, the weight of the decision pressing down on her like a storm cloud. If she had her way, she would have killed Ikehara the moment he stepped foot in their land. But time was slipping away, and the people of Rhemon would be long gone if they waited another fifty years to find the cloak.

With a long, deep breath, Tessa finally spoke, her voice cold and cutting. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "But let me make one thing clear."

Ikehara's smile faltered as Tessa stepped forward, her eyes blazing with deadly intent. "If you ever cross me," she continued, her voice low and menacing, "you will remember in hell how I made you suffer before killing you. And I promise, it won't be quick."

For a moment, silence reigned in the room, the weight of Tessa's words sinking into Ikehara's bones. He shivered despite himself, the bravado slipping from his face for the briefest of moments. He had faced Tessa before, back when she was already a force to be reckoned with. But now—now she had the legacy of the moon goddess coursing through her veins. She was terrifyingly powerful, and Ikehara didn't doubt for a second that she would make good on her promise if he pushed his luck too far.

"I understand," Ikehara finally said, his voice quieter, more subdued than before. His eyes flickered with an uneasy mixture of respect and fear. "Let's just get the cloak."

The tension in the room slowly eased, but the unease remained. There was no trust between them—only a tenuous alliance born of necessity. Tessa turned away from Ikehara, but her guard never lowered.

In that moment, the devil's bargain had been struck. Now, all that remained was to see who would survive to reap its rewards.