Chapter 313: Corruption and Madness

Chapter 313: Corruption and Madness



Without wasting a moment further, Ms. Queen 'Folded,' a smug grin plastered on her face, thinking that she had figured out Emir, her plan to hold it over him for the games coming next.

[8+] [8]

Yet her grin didn't show itself for long as he revealed his 'Hand' with a full-teethed smile, dwarfing hers as he felt to be on an all-time high.

[A♥] [4]

He, a Seraphim just pulled the wool over an Archon's shoulder.

It was quite the spectacle.

A true bluff, one that he planned for since the beginning, and like a hunter of Earth, he stalked his prey until the opportune moment when everything came into play, influencing her decision, someone much older and more experienced than him.

Truly... even gods were bound to fall.

"АНАНАНАНАНАНАНАНА!"

"BUHAHUAHAUAAAUAAUAH!"

Such a scene wasn't lost on Ms. Knight or Mr. King however, as they both began to holler in laughter, their voices booming, seeing the irony in the one who corrupts getting played with like that. A puppet on strings.

"You're mean doing that to me, you know."

Emir shrugged his shoulders at the pouting Ms. Queen.

"I was lucky."

"No, you weren't."

He agreed with a chuckle:

"No, I wasn't. And besides, this isn't a big deal, just because someone's older doesn't mean that they're smarter."

Ms. Queen nodded her little head.

"True, but where is the but? I'm waiting for it."

His smile widened ever further.

"But you don't relate to that phrase. You're young."

Mr. Board, who was quietly listening so far, interrupted their conversation while throwing Emir a sack full of coins.

"That's yours."

Emir nodded, and calmly pulled the sack open, peeking inside the sack, his eyes meeting the tinkling Valora coins.

With the first 'Hand,' Ms. Knight won two hundred and ninety Valora, the second 'Hand' had Ms. Queen winning two hundred and seventy Valora, quite the amount to say the least, but the winner's earnings of the third 'Hand' dwarfed them, a whopping four hundred and fifty Valora.

Of course, he would've received only two hundred and eighty if not for Mr. Board generously adding in the rest, as he didn't have money with him, just chips, so even in his excitement, he didn't forget to thank him with a nod.

And yes, excited he certainly was, in that match, only he won so much, Ms. Knight profited thirty Valora while the rest lost, with the worst of them being Mr. Rook, who was followed closely by Mr. King, as he had lost a hundred and twenty Valora.

Emir's heart began to beat hard as he experienced an even further adrenaline rush.

At that moment, he could really understand why gamblers got addicted; if he had no self- control, he definitely would've become one right then and there.

"I can see it... There's no need for more."

he condensed as a chair.

"I as well, but no, he's more than enough. Corruption of that degree is rare, no?... You think he's from the Najmat Al-Khulud? A Black eye?"

Mr. King slammed his foot down hard, obviously angered by Ms. Queen's question. "Are you insane? Think of such things; that's fine, but never publicly accuse someone like

that; you don't know what they'll do to him if such rumors fly out."

Ms. Knight chuckled as she stepped closer to Mr. King, tapping his back.

"But this ain't a public place. Calm your tits lad and explain to me what's Mr. Pawn's deal."

"Allow me."

This elf seemed to like being the one answering questions, and the rest were used to it, so they gave him the metaphorical mic and allowed him on the similarly metaphorical stage. "As you are aware, every Celestial treading the path akin to any Primordial encounters corruption. This corruption stems from the Primordial already comprehending a law inscribed in 'Their' chosen script, a law that unsettles those beneath 'Them' since they too must comprehend the same law to progress. Yet, in their endeavor to fathom this law, this path, they become linked to the very Primordial who has reached the culmination. With each ascent in rank, these Celestials become more entwined with Aether, our mother tree, and that specific Primordial, leading to a heightened experience of corruption and madness..."

He paused for a moment, looking at the ceiling with reverence.

"Indeed, our minds are ill-equipped to fathom 'Theirs.""

Then his eyes returned to Ms. Knight as he continued:

"With that in mind, consider Mr. Pawn over there. He is likely a distant descendant of an irregular, someone whose lineage traces back to the inhabitants of Najmat Al-Khulud, the People of The Sands themselves."

His reasoning for reaching that conclusion was obvious, besides what he said, Emir called

certain things by particular names that weren't used in the circle of the Star, he didn't have a storage item either, and most importantly, he was a so-called "space virgin."

"Even in its diluted form, such lineage carries immense power. Now, envision how his Aether core would respond if his corruption was suddenly induced, spiked, and elevated to levels he has never before experienced."

Ms. Knight understood what he implied, and finished his words for him.

"He would go boom!"

His nod affirmed her words, but the silence that followed was deceptive.

They underestimated Emir, dismissed him as a mere irregular.

They were right, but not so quite.

In fact, one could say they were completely wrong, as the difference between the two held no

comparison.

He wasn't just a distant descendant; he was a direct one, a 'Black eye,' bearing the tainted bloodline of his father, thick with corruption.

And his was much thicker, much more corrupt, even as a Seraphim. For within him flowed the blood of a Prince, an Emir, and an average man, combining two different lineages.

One from the Sultan and the other unknown, or rather diluted to the point where its origin was

close to being non-existent, untraceable.

But even so, once he 'awakened' his blood at the age of five, Emir adorned the legacy of

Najmat Al-Khulud, their unmistakable eyes of pure darkness.

What the chess pieces saw wasn't a one-time thing, those eyes were a part of him.

He was the Prince of The Fallen, and he was about to show Mr. Player what that status

entailed.