The Author's POV

The internal structure of the underground cavern was massive. Ryan couldn't count the handful of times he had taken the wrong path and headed toward a dead end.

It was starting to get to him.

"Not this one either."

Staring at probably what seemed to be like the tenth dead end, Ryan sighed in frustration and glanced at his phone.

There was a single red dot displayed on the screen, and that was where Ryan was currently headed to.

That was where Leopold was being held, and while he knew the exact direction of where he was, finding him was starting to prove to be a more difficult task than he had anticipated.

In a maze, just knowing where someone was, wasn't enough.

'If only he was somewhere more open.'

The fact that he was inside a massive underground network made it hard for Ryan to find the correct path, but he wasn't completely hopeless.

When he reached a new one, his phone would trace his steps so that he could see exactly where he was going and the places he had been in the past. Although he did run into a lot of dead ends, this helped him stay on track and stopped him from going to the same places twice.

He was steadily making progress, but still...

"Ugh."

Ryan groaned out loud.

'This is so frustrating.'

Time was of the essence, and he was wasting a lot of time finding the right path.

When he looked at his body, the demonic energy that had been encircling him had practically disappeared, and he no longer felt like a demon.

If he were to meet a demon, he'd instantly be found out.

'How annoying.'

The situation was anything but pleasant.

Despite that, Ryan could only grit his teeth and take out another demon core. This one belonged to the second demon he killed.

Crack!

Crushing it in the palm of his hand, he repeated the process from before and once again trekked on.

'No point in complaining… If I don't hurry up, things might turn for the worst. I need to hurry up.'

*

'Bingo.'

Ryan didn't know for how long he had walked, but after a couple more dead ends, he finally found the correct route, and he was shortly exposed to a large opening that was filled with thousands of metallic doors.

He was still quite a distance away from it, but he was able to see everything properly with the aid of a certain device.

'Well… shit…'

moment he

patrolling the area. They all emitted intimidating auras, and Ryan knew that

were to be

shudder

It's fine…

was within his calculations. Scanning around, his eyes

the time was ripe yet and remained where he

made a concerted effort to eavesdrop on the

idea of

them were going to be kept there for long as he'd see demons routinely approaching the cell doors and taking out

but that didn't concern him

prepared to

energy covering

body was still stable, he nodded his head with an unwavering

He was ready.

Tap.

stepped into the area, he felt countless

to move toward where Leopold was being held. He ignored the gazes and continued

seems to be

there for a

and Ryan's body froze on the spot. When he turned his head, he almost fell to his knees. Towering over him was a large demon with a bulky build and a

was overwhelming, and Ryan had a hard time keeping himself from passing out under

that moment that he wasn't dealing with just any regular demon but someone that seemed to

"Y,yes?"

asked, his composure almost

you doing over

which Ryan already

I need to meet one of the 'sources' that

terminologies that Ryan picked up while listening in on

meant, he knew that the term

"Which one?"

Ryan could only lower

9862? …Hm, last I recall, that's where a human

his head, Ryan cautiously nodded his head, trying not to

that's exactly where

"Hmm, okay then."

quick to

have work to do, I won't disturb you any further. When you go there, you can just tell them the reason why you're visiting, and they'll let

"Thank you."

smoothly. Things would've been troublesome if the demon had noticed

Thankfully, he didn't.

'Okay, this is good.'

resided, Ryan took a deep breath and

time he moved, he touched his wrist and

***

an eye on him; don't make

The commander said expressionlessly.

turned his head, his gaze fixed on

moment that he appeared, he knew that he didn't belong in this

show up in such a location, the fact that the demonic energy that covered its body

demon right then and there was because he wanted to see what

Their goal.