The Great Demon System

"I'm usually not a fan of such rudeness… But I must make it clear… You disrespect me, I'll give you what you deserve. Simple. I hope I proved my point well! Oh, and before my time is up here. I would like to make one thing known. I'm well aware that there are many people that aim to win, and there are many projected favourites. But, in this tournament… I'll be the sole victor, and that's a promise you can hold me up on…"

*YEAAHHHA!!*

"A— Such bold claims from this match's victor! It just goes to prove the absolute passion and confidence today's competitors have! As for if he can back up those claims is still to be seen! But! The answers are soon to come in the upcoming matches! I hope—"

*Tssshhh*

The screen that once displayed the match suddenly closed, and the atmosphere of the moderately small room of red was brought back to absolute silence.. The room was brightly lit and elegantly decorated in high-class furniture fit for a medieval king. The burgundy floor tiles were warm, and the machines around the room magnificently contrasted the old aesthetic of the design.

In this room sat two people casually staring upon the now closed display, age clearly displayed upon their wrinkly faces. 

"So, Pope Rutherford! What do you think? Did you sense anything suspicious?" The skinnier of the two spoke to the other who casually sat on the other end puffing a cigar with seemingly no care in the world, a white garb upon his well-fed body, his blonde hair short and his blue eyes oddly dull and vibrant at the same time.

"Cade old friend… Why do you of all people, the supreme general have to stay in here? We could have been up watching the match with our own two eyes."

"I already told you! I don't want to seem suspicious! And there's a big chance he'll be wary of someone like you! I can't show too much interest!"

"You're being way too paranoid, and you sound like a horny teen who's too scared and anxious to show too much interest in their crush. just chill out for a bit…" The pope puffed a whiff of smoke into the sky and chuckled towards his flustered friend. 

"Just answer the question! Moby Kane! What do you think of him?"

"Ummm… Well, it's been a couple of years since I last saw him. I didn't expect him to get this far in life that's for sure. He seems pretty tame yet cocky at the same time, just like the ordinary kid these days. I don't see why you're making such a big fuss to bring me all the way out here…"

"You know don't you! He's the son of Serena and Horace Kane!"

"Yeah, of course I know, how could I not..." He shook his head and sat up properly. "But, general… You should also know that we tested and found that he has no blood relation to them… That necklace that they sent back as a dying wish was nothing but a hunk of junk. Their house was carefully searched and nothing was found. And, he was questioned about all he knew with an advanced lie detector and the kid knew absolutely nothing. You do know this right?"

"Yes! Of course, I know this! But—"

"But what? He's been racking up achievements like crazy? He keeps running into shalkers? You really think that he's one of those heathens on the other side?"

"Yes! Exactly! The things that he's been doing are so lucky and convenient! It can't be a coincidence or humanly possible!"

"I guess that does have some merit to it. But it's nothing but speculation. It's not like there weren't any other shalker sightings in the past year, he just happened to get famous from it and hold his own. There's nothing suspicious about it. At this rate, your gray hair will begin to fall out, I say you should calm down and focus on more important things that deserve your stress. Like you know, the war and all."

"What about the cube? Is there anything you can do with it?"

"The cube?" The pope raised an eyebrow. "The cube of Abagon blessed upon us by the gods themselves has not reacted in a very long time, and I doubt it will now or anytime soon." He sighed, and pulled out a cube from his pocket, one made of dazzling crystals of a white, heavenly aura, only the light it emitted was rather dim compared to its beauty. "I even used the cube on him back then, and it sensed absolutely nothing, which just confirms he was just a kid they adopted without a shadow of a doubt."

"Yes! But I just have this feeling about him! I can't explain it really! And you're the only person I know who can help me on this."

"Cade old friend, at this point you're truly too paranoid over nothing. As you keep your secrets secret there should be no need for alarm. Are you trying to hide the fact that you're doing this because you think that your little grandson won't be able to beat him in this tournament?" The pope grinned and leaned back into his seat. 

"No! Of course not! I have no doubt he's gonna win!"

"You know, if you really feel that flustered about it you can do a little modifying, it's your world after all."

"What! Even I won't stoop so low! Aghh! Nevermind that! Are you willing to help me or not!?"

"Hmmmmm…" The pope thought deeply before a smirk emerged from under his cigar that he disintegrated into thin air, standing up with his robe of pristine white hovering over the wooden floor as he walked towards the door on the other side of the room.

"Normally, to anyone else, I would just call them crazy and leave since I have other things to do. BUT! For you Cade old friend, I'm willing to do anything. Don't take my playful banter too seriously. I don't know, maybe I'm just denying it because I'm too afraid to consider if it's true…" And with a sombre look towards the supreme general, he left without another word, leaving Cade Walker all alone with a headache brewing from under his furrowed eyebrows.