Just as Sin was about to leave, Arcuz called out from behind him.
"Brother, I think that it's about time you stop pretending like you're not aware of my personal matters."
Sin stopped and stood in place. With his back to Arcuz, Sin kept his guard down as he felt no hostility. And to be quite frank, Sin was also still naive in some ways. For example brotherhood, Sin had been stabbed in the back before back on Earth. But his personality didn't allow him to put up guards, once an oath of brotherhood has been made.
Sin turned around, and leaned up against the rock wall with his arms crossed against his chest.
"Brother, I am well aware each man has his secrets, and each man has his own pride as well as selfishness. I am also a victim to my own secrets, pride, and selfishness. I was already aware from the first moment, you had other devices in mind for approaching me. However, you have also showed me zero hostility, and even if you did, I fail to believe I would make it out on top."
"A little bit of advice man to man, it is none of my business for the matters of that night you were with Acacia. While my Mana happened to unintentionally catch some details. I must tell you this now, if you do not pick up that bridge with Acacia and Alaris. There will come a day when you will regret it. Take it from me, my selfishness is the reason why my daughters lived everyday for the last three years without their mom or dad."
Arcuz was silent, but his eyes found it hard to conceal the shock within. From the very moment he had made hand contact with Sin, he was already figured out and gave himself away.
Arcuz also took a comfortable spot, leaning up against the rock wall directly across from Sin. Sighing he said to Sin.
"I originally didn't want to tell you this until you became much stronger. But ever since the night of the starlight energy you formed, it has begun awakening a certain calamity, something that should never belong in the lower, or upper domains. But first things first, to gain your complete trust in me, I will reveal my true identity to you. But you must not ever let word out. I am the 250th generation Emperor Ragenitus you just saw on the stage not long ago. However, during the period of this tournament please continue calling me brother, or Arcuz."
Sin nodded his head calmly, while the reveal of Arcuz' identity was within his mind. It hadn't been something that concerned himself a whole lot from the beginning.
Ragenitus began telling what he felt was important enough for Sin to know.
"Around 1,500 years ago when I was still a fledgling youth, I was out travelling and came across a very unholy place. Many cruel and torturous rituals were held within, while I was still too weak at that time, I should have died within. A middle aged man who called himself the Prophet brought me to a hidden library. That was where I learned about everything, and was foretold one day of your own arrival to our world. With his beyond Immortals power, the Prophet helped me seal away the Infernal Keep. When he revealed his power though, scarlet chains fell from the sky and wrapped him within. I heard the voice of a monstrous entity, it said something amongst the lines. [You goddamn traitor! How dare you help insignificant humans seal away our home. Don't forget, we were created to devour the fish, evolve and kill our creators enemies. You have crossed the line, no matter how you're tortured it could never pay for your grave offence.]"
Ragenitus continued on. "It was then that my burning curiosity began taking over. I read through each and every book within the library. It took me two decades, but the history I learned through the various books, the bleak future, a giant System that controls all life throughout our lower and higher domains. The higher domains where Immortals roam, is not the end of the path. Beyond that is the creators of this so called System. They play the game of Gods Hand and determine our destiny. The system creators named this race the Tera Knox. The race was imbued with their power, to put it in simple terms. The strongest Immortals in the higher domains, is of equivalent power to the infants of the Tera Knox race."
"During that time, the creators of the System and Tera Knox were in a war of extinction with another enemy, Septimum Alcharos. The Tera Knox and System was created with two main purposes. One, to successfully separate the original world, creating a cage where we would all become live stock for the Tera Knox to consume and evolve. Two, the creators were originally enslaved by the Septimum Alcharos, they came from various races outside of the Systems separation plan. Their plan was to use all the other races that were trapped inside this big system, as food for the Tera Knox. The Tera Knox would successfully evolve, and eliminate the Septimum Alcharos."
This time Sin could no longer remain calm, there was always questions behind his transfer to Desolate Kingdom. Ever since Sin was a child, he always had these fragmented dreams that haunted him and were his constant nightmares. Hearing the short bit of history from Ragenitus, Sins memory began working in overdrive. The nightmarish fragmented dreams he had as a child, became clear once more after he heard of the Tera Knox, and Septimum Alcharos.
Feeling the surging shock within Sin, Ragenitus confirmed his suspicion and continued on.
"That is the most that I can tell you right now, already telling you that is pushing boundaries and hidden expectations. However, what is the true and most pressing matter right now, is that the Infernal Keep has reacted to you, and the power you gained. While there is much more I would like to explain to you, I feel like it would only hit a wall and earn nothing."
Sins mind began working, organizing the new information he received. After a minute of deep thought, Sin began asking his own questions.
"You mentioned you spiced things up for the opening of the new King Of Mercenaries tournament. Not only that, you reveal your identity to me, the history behind an impeding destruction that is out of our hands. And to top it all off, you introduced me to the Infernal Keep, Tera Knox, and the Septimum Alcharos. So tell me Ragenitus, do you expect me to have some power or method to reseal the Infernal Keep?"
Ragenitus had a mulling look on his face, he hesitated to answer the next part, but nonetheless he did so.
"To answer your questions, I don't believe you have any power or method to reseal the Infernal Keep. I also told you everything relating to the System, Tera Knox and Septimum Alcharos because you should be aware of it. At one point in time, you had the last bit of Shenzis remnant soul in your body. The Ancestor of the Wolf God Clan. And back then, although Shenzi didn't thwart any major plots, we were bought 350,000 years. The remaining power that Shenzi hid within you, is the key to reseal the Infernal Keep."
Sin had a deep and mulling look on his face. It seemed like long since he were a innocent child, he was already a piece of the chess board. What piece he became was not in his own hands to decide.
"Tell me Ragenitus, within 350,000 years there is only 10 generations of Wolf Kings. Something here doesn't add up, your ancestors supposedly go way back with Shenzi. This grudge between us humans and demons, is that also a ploy made by those creators? A lot of mystery revolves around the Wolf King Ancestor, what was the cause of his death, what did he do to attract their attention? And why was it that I became the casket for his remnant soul?"
"350,000 years ago when Shenzi supposedly fell in battle with the Demon Lord, by mysterious means he managed to exit the System we are trapped within. There he pillaged the hidden Infernal Keep that went under the Septimum Alcharos' radar. However, he was contaminated by the blood of the Tera Knox Royalty. The creators came to eventually learn of these events, they wiped out my ancestors and the Immortal unit Shenzi created, Crimson Constellation. The Wolf God Clan, and Desolate Kingdom have been in a constant time loop. Every 500,000 years, the world is wiped clean of all Karma, and all records of the past civilizations are erased. Shenzi then split his soul into millions of remnant pieces, and here you are, as one of those chosen ones."
Ragenitus took out a thin needle from his clothes, his eyes looked heavily at Sin before he said. "Before I can truly rule out everything running inside my mind, the simplest way would be to test the blood in your body. I was warned by the Prophet once, the resurgence of the Infernal Keep is a grave matter to my families kingdom, my citizens, and my only sisters and nieces future. I hope you can understand."
Sins atmosphere began changing, the hostility he held back within him was beginning to resurface. With a voice full of steel he asked. "And so what if this test proves those thoughts in your mind, will you dispose of me? I had better warn you ahead of time, I have five of my senses left, I will not give a damn how many I have to sacrifice. If you push my bottom line, one of us will die here today!"
Ragenitus went on full alert just like Sin was. Raising both hands into the air and putting the needle away, Ragenitus tried to calm the situation. "Easy brother, I do not plan to dispose of you. I just need to confirm your true origins. If by some odd miracle like the Prophet told me, you may become the only deciding factor to brave these raging currents. I do not ask you for myself, but as a father and husband to each other. Think about your own family and clans future, you are from Earth just like Shenzi is. I'm sure you have parents there who long for the best of their son."
Sin and Ragenitus had both been on full alert for half an hour, both were mentally weighing each other out. Beads of sweat quickly began to pitter patter onto the ground, both men were people with their inner demons and darkness. If both were to go toe to toe without any thought of their current situations, it could very well cause galaxies to disintegrate if they held no punches back.
Sin retracted his hostility back into his body, Ragenitus did the same thing as Sin. Both men instantly felt like a invisible knife had been removed from their throat.
Rolling his shirts sleeve up Sin said. "Do as you must, but my words remain true. Turn on me, and either one of us will die and leave behind something that we cannot afford to leave behind!"
Ragenitus took out the needle once more, feeling Sin on high alert had also triggered himself. But to prove his sincerity, Ragenitus held it within himself. Quickly piercing the needle into Sins arm, after a minute passed and the entire needle became a metallic purple. Ragenitus pulled it out, and began earnestly studying it.
This however, had provoked a third part to Sin that had been hidden for a long time. Sins sclera began turning black, and his eyes became a deep crimson. Ragenitus noticed the changes within Sin, but the greater shock had yet to arrive. Within his bloodline, Ragenitus felt a prehistoric beast staring right at him. The Infernal Keep he sealed began reacting to the needle with Sins blood.
Sins eyes began changing between a deep crimson, and back to their lifeless white colour. Sins hands reached to his head, he began digging his fingers into his flesh and tearing downwards. Sin let out a bestial roar of rage and pure wickedness. Sins body fell to the ground, and it quickly became covered in Sins sweat.
"You..... bastard Ragenitus... I swear if you fucked around with me.... I will purposely lose control and wipe your kingdom out!" Sin was panting like a dog, a strong bestial intent began corroding his mind. The blood in Sins Heart World began rumbling, the sound of a bells dong began echoing from the palace behind the gates in Sins Heart World.
Sasha who was inside cultivating, felt a disturbance in the Primordial Chaos energy. When she opened up her eyes, there was a tangible monstrous entity standing in front of her. Its hand reached out, and began sucking away the spirit fire from her being.
Midnight Reaper who was in Desolate Kingdom, felt the sudden change from their soul. That third being which had been sealed away, temporarily woke up and was beginning to corrode them.
Ragenitus who was staring in shock muttered to himself in disbelief and terror. "The blood of the Tera Knox royalty!"
Crimson-black flames began radiating off of Sins body, Sins eyes widened as his flesh became tense and started tearing apart. Purple blood oozed out of Sins flesh, Ragenitus quickly snapped out of his trance and began acting with speed.
Remembering what he read from the books, Ragenitus stabbed the needle with Sins blood through his heart. He interjected all of his Mana into Sins Heart World. The tangible figure that appeared began flickering, its hand let go of Sasha's spirit fire. It grinned cruelly, looking in the main hall and saw Midnight Reaper there and left its last words.
"It seems our play time has come to an end brother Midnight. My awakening isn't that far off in the future. I can't wait to watch how you and him struggle to seal me again! The Infernal Keep has begun reacting, I wish you the best in the near future brother. Until the day Sin accepts who he really is, I may just kill you both if it takes too long."
The tangible figure disappeared, Sins struggling came to a halt. His flesh began repairing, the oozing purple blood returned to red, the teared flesh began repairing itself. Sins sclera and eyes returned to normal, panting and covered in sweat. Sin laid on the ground in extreme exhaustion.
"I would beat you black and blue like I did everyone else if I weren't so goddamn tired!" Sin managed to push these last words out of his mouth before he blacked out.