The Contractor King stood up and approached Zeke and Nolan, his crimson eyes gleaming as he observed them both. His expression, a mix of satisfaction and smug amusement, betrayed his true intentions.

"You did great!" the king exclaimed, his tone as sharp as his smile. "Bringing me Arthur Dulley, dealing with the Knights in such a clever manner. Good job!"

Zeke, filled with hope, couldn't help but let excitement slip into his voice. "Does that mean I can go back to Lower Babel?"

The king's smile twisted, becoming a mocking grin. "No."

"But you said—" Zeke stumbled, his excitement faltering.

The king waved his hand dismissively, his expression darkening. "It doesn't matter what I did or didn't say. The fact is, you're far too unpredictable for me to allow you to leave. Too dangerous to let out of this kennel," he said, his voice dripping with finality.

Zeke's eyes narrowed as frustration and rage welled up inside him. "Then I'll leave on my own," he growled, his posture becoming aggressive. Dark smoke swirled around his body, the black particles dancing with his rising anger.

"You've grown overconfident," the king sighed, extending his golden chain, which shimmered like a serpent. "Far too confident."

Suddenly, Fredric entered the room, his expression cool and detached as he removed his mask and tossed it to the floor. "Finally!" Nolan shouted, his patience worn thin. "So, are we doing this or not?" he asked, gripping Fredric's shoulder.

Fredric nodded casually, as if the confrontation that was about to happen was nothing out of the ordinary. "We are."

As Fredric walked towards the throne room, he peeled off his red hoodie, letting it fall to the ground to reveal a simple black T-shirt beneath.

The king's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "Doing what?" His voice carried a deadly calm, though his eyes betrayed his suspicion.

Fredric snapped his fingers without answering, and in an instant, Nolan clapped his hands together. From the ground, two massive stone hands erupted, grabbing Zeke and encasing him in a thick stone shell. The stone cocoon embedded itself into the wall, trapping Zeke completely.

Nolan shrugged off his jacket, tossing his shades aside as he rolled up his sleeves. "It's for his own protection," Nolan explained as the king circled them, his piercing gaze unyielding.

"Trapping your own friend," the king mused, his voice a mixture of amusement and disdain.

"He's too valuable to let you toy with him," Fredric replied coldly, his smile sharp. "We're protecting him from you."

The king sighed, running a hand through his silver hair as if he were disappointed by their actions. "I knew this day would come. Slowly usurping power from under my nose, forming a little secret club within my city. But let me tell you something," he laughed, a low, menacing sound, "I was aware. I allowed it because I hate stagnation. Power grows through competition. However," his tone darkened, "now that you've bared your fangs at me, I'm afraid you'll both have to die."

Fredric's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "This is only happening because you're too egomaniacal to let Zeke leave."

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The king's expression became a cold mask. "Provoking me with such crude words, Fredric?" He sighed, but his fingers curled into fists. "Fine. I'll bite."

"Soul!" Fredric called out, summoning his dagger, its blade gleaming with lethal energy. He charged at the king, closing the distance with blinding speed.

The king shifted into a boxer's stance, throwing precise punches in Fredric's direction, which Fredric narrowly dodged with ease.

"I see even a former knight still clings to their old techniques," Fredric remarked, weaving through the king's strikes.

The king smirked, suddenly shifting his weight. With a fluid motion, he leaned back, launching a sharp kick toward Fredric's head.

Fredric parried the kick with his dagger, slashing at the king's leg. But the wound healed instantaneously, the flesh stitching itself back together as if nothing had happened.

The king's stance changed then, becoming eerily familiar, his movements taking on the grace and precision of X. "That hurt," the king smiled darkly.

In a flash, he darted forward, ducking under Fredric's blade and delivering a powerful uppercut to Fredric's jaw.

Fredric phased through the strike, using his demonic abilities. He placed his hand on the king's neck. "This is the end," he whispered. A deep gash appeared on the king's throat, decapitating him instantly. His head flew through the air, landing several meters away from his limp body.

"That was easier than expected," Fredric said, turning toward Nolan with a satisfied smirk.

"Wonderful," the king's voice echoed. Chains sprouted from the king's severed neck, reattaching his head to his body. "You thought that would be enough?" the king laughed. "You thought you could kill me that easily?"

The chains fully reconnected his head, and the king stood tall, his eyes glowing with malevolent energy. "I can regenerate any wound I'm aware of. I just choose not to show my cards often."

The king's grin widened. "Now, let's take this seriously," he whispered, brushing his blood-soaked hair out of his face. "31, 74, 67, 83! Come to me."

From a shadowed doorway, four masked figures emerged, faceless and silent. The king's golden chain extended, piercing their skulls in an instant, killing them. The jewels on the king's gauntlet glowed, and with a sickening smile, he muttered, "Soul."

A jagged gray gauntlet materialized around his arm, its surface scratched and worn. Four silver chains extended from its center, each ending in blades that floated ominously beside him.

Nolan swallowed hard. "Here we fucking go," he muttered, summoning his soul weapon. A massive, ornate battle axe formed in his hands, its surface gilded with golden branches and leaves, a symbol of life frozen in precious metal.

Nolan rushed forward, swinging his axe with all his might. One of the king's chains coiled around the weapon, stopping it mid-swing. Another chain lashed out, but Nolan flipped over it, using the momentum to hurl the king into the wall.

The king released his grip, landing on the wall and clinging to it with his chains like a spider. Fredric leaped forward, slashing at him with his dagger, but the king dodged each strike with the fluidity of a dancer.

Nolan summoned stone pillars from the ground, smashing them into the wall in an attempt to crush the king. The king nimbly dodged, landing back on the ground before delivering a crushing blow to Nolan's face, sending him flying across the chapel.

Without warning, thousands of chains erupted from the floor, entangling Nolan and Fredric, dragging them to their knees.

"Too easy," the king chuckled, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

Fredric looked up, his eyes filled with defiance. "You're not killing us," he said with a smirk, phasing through the chains as Nolan shattered his own bindings with sheer force.

"You're right," the king admitted, his voice tinged with reluctant respect. "You've made this a stalemate."

Fredric stood tall, brushing himself off. "But let's make a deal."

The king's eyes narrowed. "I do not compromise."

"You're not in a position to be stubborn," Fredric replied calmly. "The Knights are overstepping, going against the agreement you set up in Upper Babel. If they're allowed to continue unchecked, they'll take control of the Undercity."

The king remained silent, his eyes cold and calculating.

"Send me and Zeke to infiltrate the Knights. We'll bring you closer to your goal," Fredric continued.

"And how will you guarantee this?" the king asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"I'll bet my life on it," Fredric grinned, the smile of a madman ready to gamble everything.

The king's gaze lingered on Fredric, his mind weighing the options. After a long pause, he smiled. "You've always been a risky bet, Fredric. Fine. But fail me, and your life won't be enough to cover the debt."

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