Rise of the Rejected Deity from Chaos

There was no doubt the description perfectly fitted Seiya. However, how could that be? It seemed unbelievable to the commander.

"A young boy with white hair who has a blindfold on?" He asked, finding it hard to believe.

"Yes. I couldn't see him too well because I only saw his back, as he was already leaving when I came," Zero recounted. "Beni kept on repeating 'I didn't', multiple times."

It wasn't far-fetched that the young boy—Beni—had indeed encountered something or someone from the incident to have triggered his relapse. However, what the commander found hard to believe was Seiya being the trigger.

To him, Seiya was after all, a mere boy with no awakened power whatsoever—and he couldn't possibly pass as a demon. After a while of mulling things over in his head, the commander shook his head.

He concluded if it was indeed Seiya that was seen on the scene, then it was only because he was passing by. Although he hadn't spent much time with Seiya, the commander had come to know how serious Seiya minded his business.

He concluded Seiya was probably minding his business, and that was why he didn't care to stop and check on the boy having a breakdown.

"I do not think he's the right person to suspect," the commander sighed.

"Why is that? Who even is he? I've never seen anyone like that in the association before," Zero inquired. "Is he perhaps a new recruit?"

The commander shook his head. "More than that," he replied, clasping his hands under his chin, eyes staring straight at Zero with intensity like he was about to announce something important.

"He's my son," he blurted out blatantly. Zero remained staring back in silence, the comamnder's revelation having breezed past his ears. Slowly, his eyes began opening wide, realization dawning on him.

"Son?" He echoed, disbelief evident in his tone.

The commander nodded. "You heard that right."

"Commander, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but didn't your wife leave you?" Zero asked, voice steady with seriousness and curiosity.

A vein twitched on the commander's head, a tensed smile blooming across his face. "Y-yeah. I adopted him."

Zero's brows narrowed, pondering. "But sir, there are a lot of kids to adopt within the association. Why go out to adopt a total stranger?"

The commander went into mild panic, nervous sweat breaking out on him because he didn't have any logical response to the question.

If he had indeed wanted a child, there was plenty to choose from within the association. And to say the least, he ought never to have gone out to adopt one.

"I just…I just felt like it," he forced out, his tensed smile twitching to stay in place.

Zero stared bewildered at the man, speechless at his reply.

"Then, if he's new to you as he is to everyone here, what makes you so sure he isn't the one that triggered Beni' break down?" Zero asked, shifting back to his sternness.

"Because that boy have no powers," the commander revealed. "He isn't an awakener but an ordinary person."

This response, of course, came quite as a shock to Zero, because he wasn't expecting that at all.

"Then can you explain why he just walked away without trying to help Beni at all?"

"It's simple. That child is an odd one. From the little time I've spent with him, I've come to understand a few things. He excels at keeping to himself—never speaks unless spoken to. So it's no surprise he simply walked past Beni without a word," the commander explained.

"Then what was he finding there in the first place? Where was he headed?" Zero pressed on, unwilling to relent.

"He was just having a tour around the association. I allowed him."

"Then how do you explain Beni's relapse? What did he encounter if not that boy that I saw there?"

"I am not sure. He might've already broke down even before the boy came, who knows? It's not fair to put the blame on him without solid evidence."

"You're right commander," Zero said, exhaling softly. "I shall take my leave now." He bowed, and walked out the office.

The commander rested back on his chair, breathing out in relief.

"Just what is all this?" He muttered lowly, eyes closed as he relaxed his body.

If the boy had really been triggered after encountering someone from the incident, then the suspects should be Seiya, Im Seun and his assistant—Since they're the only new people in the association right now.

However, Seiya and Im Seun's assistant are mere humans, so I doubt they could be the ones. The primary suspect here is Im Seun.

I need to meet that boy again, the commander sighed.

****

Into the afternoon, after Im Seun and his assistant had left to finalize their personal things before settling within the association, Seiya was called by the commander for lunch together.

As usual, the assistant had set the table for Seiya and the commander, while he stood guard behind the commander.

As they dined in silence, the commander found his gaze drifting to Seiya at brief intervals, unable to shake the possibility that he might be the trigger behind Beni's relapse.

He wanted to know, wanted to find out something at least. "When you were touring this morning," the commander began in a low voice, eyes resting on Seiya who continued eating. "Did you happen to come across an ill boy?" He asked.

Without glancing at the commander, Seiya answered. "I did."

The commander was speechless for a moment, a bit taken aback by Seiya's blunt response, as was his assistant.

In the short time they had known each other, the commander had learned more than just Seiya's tendency to keep to himself. He had also come to know him as someone remarkably honest—direct, and never one to waste words.

That was why, staring at Seiya as he ate right there, the commander was tempted to directly ask Seiya if he was the trigger to Beni's relapse. After all, Seiya seemed like a person who spoke the truth no matter what.

But the words felt too heavy for the commander to blurt out that he couldn't stop hesitating.

"Then, you…were you…" the commander stuttered, sweating hard just to get the question out. His assistant behind him was perplexed, surprised that the commander had such a side to him.

It was the first time, after all, he was acting like this. The commander, though always playful, doesn't play with business, and never finds it hard to investigate.

However, in front of this young boy, he was not only hesitating, but making a fool of himself. Why was that? Because he wanted to be the ideal parent like he's been talking about?

"You…do you…you," the commander stuttered once more. He shut his eyes, building his resolve. "You…do you know how to contact Kaeliyus?" He blurted, sinking a heavy stone down the assistant who was expecting a different question.

Seriously? The assistant sighed.

The commander as well let out a sigh, silently cursing himself. How could I suspect such a pure boy? I must be too tired.

"I do," Seiya replied, focusing on his food.

"I see. Then you should inform him that the papers are ready. His signatures are needed, so ask him to come," the commander said. Even he had no means of contacting Kaeliyus except for the emergency orb which wasn't for casual communication. But the young boy had a way.

The commander wasn't surprised because Kaeliyus was the one who brought Seiya after all.

"He can't, he's busy with something," Seiya replied.

What could a demon possibly be busy with if not killing peoples? Tsk! The assistant thought to himself.

"Alright, have him come when he's free. In the meantime, we'll start processing your registration under my family name," the commander informed.

They ate the rest of their food in silence, and when they were done, the commander returned to his office while Seiya returned to the chambers.

*****

In the Restricted zone where Kaeliyus faced off with the demon, Kaeliyus is seen with a foot atop the demon—pinning him down.

Kaeliyus stood, bloodied and battered, crimson drops falling from him onto the broken form of the demon beneath his foot. One of his eyes was gone—replaced by a gaping hollow—thick blood coating the ruin where it had once been.

Deep, ragged wounds scored his body, and his chest rose and fell with each labored breath as he held the demon pinned.

The demon below him was in far worse condition. His chest was a canvas of gaping wounds and brutal slashes—but most striking of all, he was headless.

In one hand, Kaeliyus gripped the demon's severed head, and in the other, he held its final heart—the only one that remained—still pulsing steadily within his grasp.

"To think it took this long to beat you," Kaeliyus said, his voice rough with fatigue.

"And to think even this long wasn't enough to defeat you," the demon chuckled from Kaeliyus' grasp, its head swaying slightly.

"But I really did a number on you, though. You aren't even regenerating anymore. It will take you weeks to heal," he chuckled once more.

"It will only take me a few days," Kaeliyus refuted.

"C'mon now, are you truly going to kill me?" the demon said with a strained grin. "I admit—I acted in error. But surely, there's a shred of mercy left in you?"

Kaeliyus's gaze remained cold. "I'm afraid not. This concerns my young Lord. I cannot afford to take chances."

Without a moment's hesitation, he closed his hand around the demon's heart—and crushed it without remorse.

"Farewell."