(Deep Space Coordinates, Caleb’s POV)
Once Caleb finally reached the designated coordinates deep within the empty void of space, he immediately began scanning the surrounding area carefully from inside the merchant vessel’s cockpit, however despite extending the radar range to its maximum limit, he still failed to detect even the slightest trace of another ship anywhere nearby, as the endless darkness surrounding him remained pletely silent and undisturbed.
"Is this some sort of a joke...?
Where the hell are you?"
Caleb muttered as his heartbeat gradually grew heavier inside his chest, because the deeper he drifted into the isolated region of space, the stronger his instincts warned him that ing here alone may have been one of the worst decisions he had ever made in his entire life.
And yet, before Caleb could even properly process the growing danger surrounding him, something suddenly landed directly atop the cockpit glass above his head violently enough to shake the entire vessel slightly.
*Thud*
Startled immediately, Caleb instinctively looked upward, only for his pupils to constrict sharply the moment he saw Mauriss crouching directly above him while staring down through the glass with a wide unsettling grin spread across his face, as the Deceiver pressed his face disturbingly close against the cockpit window while continuing to maintain direct eye contact without blinking even once.
For several long moments, neither of them moved at all, as Mauriss simply continued staring downward through the glass like a plete lunatic while Caleb stared back upward coldly from inside the cockpit without allowing even the slightest panic to appear across his face.
Then suddenly, without warning, Mauriss vanished pletely from above the ship.
And before Caleb could even turn around fully—
"Hahahaha! Hehehe! HAHAHAHAHA!"
A laughing sound boomed from behind him, as Mauriss appeared behind him, and began to stroll around casually inside the cockpit.
"You really came here alone without informing your father?
Honestly speaking, I genuinely expected Leo Skyshard to be hiding nearby somewhere with those lovely Origin daggers already prepared to cut my head off the moment I appeared before you."
Mauriss began as amusement flickered endlessly within his black eyes.
"But despite understanding exactly who I am, despite understanding that this entire situation could very obviously be a trap...
You still came here anyway.
That means you truly must love your wife deeply, because from a strategic perspective, what you just did is unbelievably stupid."
Mauriss explained as Caleb quietly continued staring toward him without replying, while deep within himself, he already understood that every word leaving the Deceiver’s mouth right now was deliberately designed to provoke an emotional reaction out of him.
However unfortunately for Mauriss, Caleb inherited Leo’s temperament far more than most people realized, as he remained pletely indifferent to the taunts.
"You know, I could kill you here right now without much difficulty whatsoever.
And honestly speaking, part of me is genuinely curious regarding how your father would react once he discovers his precious golden child floating dead somewhere within the void of space."
Mauriss muttered while slowly walking around the cockpit casually, as though the vessel belonged to him instead.
"Because unlike your brother, you were always the one he secretly placed the highest expectations upon.
The responsible child.
The intelligent one.
The future leader."
Mauriss continued while smiling faintly.
"So watching all that disappear in a single moment honestly sounds rather entertaining."
Mauriss remarked as Caleb’s expression remained pletely unchanged.
Meanwhile inside his mind, only one thought continued repeating endlessly.
Sophia.
As long as Mauriss still needed something from him, there was still a possibility that she remained alive.
Which meant that losing control emotionally here would acplish absolutely nothing useful.
"Loving someone too deeply can bee a weakness, you know.
And honestly speaking, I’ve never truly understood why people grow so attached toward spouses in the first place."
Mauriss continued while glancing lazily toward the endless darkness outside the cockpit window.
"You are a Monarch ranked warrior currently walking the path toward being a Demi God eventually.
Meanwhile your wife?
She’s a master tier mortal, who will soon grow old and die.....
Perhaps she reaches Grandmaster someday if she trains diligently enough.
Perhaps even Transcendent if she’s particularly talented."
Mauriss shrugged lightly while grinning.
"But eventually she dies regardless.
A century.
Maybe two if she’s fortunate.
And despite understanding that reality perfectly clearly...
You still willingly walked into the territory of someone capable of killing you instantly just for her sake."
Mauriss muttered as though he genuinely could not prehend Caleb’s thought process whatsoever.
As finally, after remaining silent for so long, Caleb opened his mouth.
"Where is she? Where is my wife?"
Caleb questioned calmly while staring directly toward Mauriss without blinking.
For a brief moment, the Deceiver simply smiled.
Then suddenly, his grin widened further.
"Just your wife?
Or wife carrying your child?"
Mauriss questioned as instantly, Caleb’s expression froze pletely.
For perhaps the very first time since arriving here, genuine shock finally surfaced visibly across his face.
And the moment Mauriss noticed that reaction—
"Hahahahaha!
Oh, so you genuinely didn’t know?"
Mauriss laughed wildly while clutching his stomach dramatically.
"That’s absolutely incredible.
Your wife herself probably discovered it only recently then."
Mauriss muttered while Caleb’s thoughts momentarily descended into plete chaos.
Pregnant?
Sophia was pregnant?
For several long moments, Caleb genuinely struggled to process the information properly, because the realization struck him so suddenly that even his normally calm mind failed to reorganize itself immediately.
However, unfortunately for him, Mauriss clearly understood exactly what effect those words carried.
Because now...
This negotiation possessed significantly higher stakes than before.
And both of them understood it clearly.
"What do you want from me, Deceiver?"
Caleb questioned eventually while his fists slowly tightened beside him unconsciously.
As hearing those words, Mauriss’ expression gradually shifted into something significantly colder and more serious than before.
"It’s less about what I want from you personally..."
Mauriss began while slowly stepping closer toward Caleb again.
"And more about what I need you to bee eventually."
He explained as Caleb’s eyes narrowed sharply.
"You see, your father built something extremely interesting with the Cult Of Ascension.
Originally, I viewed the organization merely as another temporary power rising within the universe before eventually collapsing like countless others throughout history."
Mauriss continued while casually placing one hand against the cockpit wall beside himself.
"However now?
Now the Cult has bee something far more important than that."
A dangerous smile slowly spread across his face.
"And once I eventually take control over this universe pletely, absorbing the Cult beneath my authority naturally bees one of my highest priorities."
Mauriss explained as Caleb’s gaze gradually darkened.
"However, unfortunately, the Cult’s people possess extremely strong loyalty toward the Cult’s core beliefs and towards your father himself.
They won’t willingly bow toward me.
Nor would they ever willingly follow one of my own direct subordinates."
Mauriss continued while slowly raising one finger toward Caleb directly.
"Which leaves me with only one viable option remaining.
A puppet leader."
His smile widened further.
"And lucky for you...
I’ve already chosen exactly who that puppet leader will bee."
Mauriss concluded as Caleb immediately clenched his fists harder while murderous intent slowly leaked from his body unconsciously.
"You want me to betray my father?"
Caleb questioned coldly as Mauriss immediately shook his head lightly.
"No.
That would be far too simple."
Mauriss replied while chuckling softly.
"You see, betrayal only works properly when the victim understands what’s happening too late to avoid it.
And your father is far too intelligent for something as straightforward as ordinary betrayal."
Mauriss explained while his pale eyes gradually sharpened.
"What I need from you is something significantly more poetic."
He continued while Caleb silently listened.
"Soon, at a time of my choosing, events will unfold in a way that forces you into making certain decisions naturally.
You won’t believe yourself to be betraying your father.
In fact, you’ll genuinely believe you’re trying to help him."
Mauriss muttered while amusement flickered visibly across his face once more.
"And yet despite all that...
Your actions will still eventually place the dagger directly against his throat regardless."
Mauriss explained as Caleb’s expression finally darkened pletely.
"You’re insane."
Caleb muttered quietly while Mauriss immediately burst into laughter again.
"Hahahaha!
Of course I am.
You don’t bee feared across the entire universe while remaining sane."
Mauriss replied as Caleb continued glaring toward him coldly.
"But understand this clearly, young Skyshard.
The moment you decided to e here alone, was the moment I had already won."
Mauriss declared before turning away to leave, as he snapped his fingers, and out of nowhere, an unconscious Sophia appeared inside the cockpit.
*Thud*
She landed on the floor without any visible injuries on her body, as Mauriss exhaled a long breath and said, "She doesn’t know that she was kidnapped.
You may choose to tell her about it or not.
The choice is yours, young Skyshard.
If I were you, I’d take better care of her going forward."
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