Though Peter screamed in agony and begged Derek to undo whatever he had done, Derek remained still. He let Peter suffer a few more moments — just long enough for the man to understand exactly whom he was dealing with, and what the consequences would be should he refuse to cooperate.

Yami, meanwhile, could only stare, eyes wide with shock. 'This boy… he's full of mysteries and surprises.'

After a few more minutes, Derek finally struck several precise points on Peter's chest in the same way as earlier, releasing the technique a bit and reducing the pain.

Peter collapsed, trembling violently. It felt as if his very soul had almost torn itself out of his body. His back was drenched, and sweat streamed down his forehead without pause. Every inch of his being quivered in terror — none of his muscles, not even his instincts, wished to ever experience that horrific sensation again. Not even in his worst nightmares.

"I've reduced the pain so you can talk," Derek said calmly. "But you do understand what will happen if you refuse to answer my question, don't you? If your cooperation doesn't satisfy me… you'll wish you had never crossed paths with me

Peter swallowed, throat dry and raw. He believed him. The pain was still there, heavy, throbbing, coiled like a nest of snakes waiting for a command. All it would take was a few simple pokings to awaken the full storm again.

Behind Derek, Yami remained silent, arms crossed, his gaze unmoving. His expression seemed detached, but his eyes were sharp, taking in every detail with precision.

"Now," Derek said, stepping back half a pace, his voice steady. "Let's start again."

Peter's breath hitched.

"Have you met an upper rank?" Derek asked.

The words hung in the air — calm, casual, but carrying a weight that made Peter's fingers twitch.

He hesitated.

His gaze flickered — not to Derek, not to Yami, but somewhere unfocused, as if searching for an answer in the dark ceiling above them. For a split second, the fear of something else, something beyond this prison cell flashed in his eyes.

Derek didn't miss it.

He didn't repeat the question. He didn't warn him. His hand simply moved.

Tap! Tap!

Derek hit two points in Peter's chest again, and the effect was immediate.

Peter's entire body convulsed again, a hoarse, guttural scream ripping out of his throat.

"AAARRRHHHH! STOP! PLEASE....!"

Yami watched, eyes narrowing, but his face didn't soften. This man tried to transform students into beasts, and one student was already ready, two barely escaping the same fate. Compared to that, this pain was almost lenient.

Derek waited. Then, just like earlier, he loosened the technique to reduce the pain again. His face was calm, yet it felt utterly terrifying and intimidating.

"I hope I won't have to do it again," Derek said, his tone devoid of anger. "Any time you try to lie or don't cooperate, you will go through that pain. And I don't like to wait for replies either."

Peter clenched his teeth. "I… I've met one," he finally rasped.

Derek's brows furrowed. 'So… they're really here. Already making their move. But why so early? I haven't regained even half of my power. If they make a move now, no way I would be able to stop the history from repeating itself.'

"Alright," Derek started again. "Next question.

Which upper rank is it?" Derek asked. "What's his number?"

"I… I don't know his name..." Peter started, shaking his head weakly.

"I didn't ask his name." Derek's voice cut cleanly through his rambling excuse. "I asked which number he is."

Peter stared at him, blank confusion clouding his features.

"I… I don't under..."

Derek leaned in slightly, his gaze locking onto Peter's with a calm intensity that felt more suffocating than any shouting could.

"Which digit," Derek said slowly, every word clear as steel, "is engraved in the upper rank's eyes?"

Peter went still.

It wasn't just an ordinary surprise. It was as if someone had ripped the ground out from under him.

His lips parted, but no sound came out at first. The color drained further from his already pale face, leaving him looking like a corpse whose soul had just been yanked back mid-departure.

"You…" he whispered at last, voice shaking. "How… how do you know that?"

He stared at Derek as if seeing him for the first time. "How do you know they have digits engraved in their eyes?!"

Yami's eyebrows tightened slightly. From Derek's questions and Peter's reactions, he was now certain — Derek truly did know something about these beings that had suddenly risen as a threat — the demons.

But one question still lingered in his mind.

How?

How did Derek know any of this? Was it really as Derek had explained? Yami wondered in silence.

But he didn't intervene. Now was not the time to interrogate Derek.

Derek, for his part, didn't react to Peter's shock.

"Answer the question already," he said simply.

Peter shook his head slightly, still stunned. "I… I…"

Derek's hand moved again. He wasn't going to waste his energy asking the same question twice.

Peter's back arched again as the burning swarm flared up, chewing through his nerves.

"A-AGHHH! NINE!" he screamed. "It's nine! His number is nine!"

The echoes of his voice bounced down the corridor, into the other empty cells and dead corners of the underground prison.

Derek's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Upper rank nine, huh…" he murmured under his breath.

It wasn't a surprise. It wasn't confusion. It sounded more like confirmation, like plugging a missing piece into an already familiar puzzle.

Peter heard that tone and felt his skin crawl. "You… you knew… You knew there were more of them," he whispered, still shivering. "You know their ranking… you… Who are you…?"

Derek ignored the question.

Instead, he eased the pain again with a gentle tap, allowing Peter to breathe more evenly.

"Is there only one upper rank here… or more?" Derek asked.

"Only…" Peter swallowed hard, forcing moisture into his dry throat. "Only one. I've only seen one upper rank. I don't know how many of them there are and if others are in this world or not… but the one who gives orders here… is nine."

Derek's expression didn't soften. "And what about the minions? How many of them are currently here?" he asked next.

Peter blinked. "You… you mean the normal ones?" he clarified weakly.

"Yes," Derek said. "Not upper ranks. The other demons."

Peter shut his eyes for a moment, thinking.

"I don't know the exact number," he said finally. "But there are many. More than thousands."

He shuddered.

Derek's jaw tightened. For a heartbeat, a flicker of memory crossed his face — visions of burned cities, broken walls, humans twisted beyond recognition — but he buried it quickly.

"What are they after?" he asked. "What exactly are they doing here?"

Peter hesitated again.

Derek didn't move his hand this time. He simply stared at him, his gaze calm and deadly serious.

"They're… they're building an army," Peter said in a hollow voice. "Using us. Using humans."

"Explain," Derek pressed.

"They said… humans have potential," Peter continued, each word tasting like ash on his tongue. "That our bodies are adaptable. That once we merge with their power, we can become something far beyond normal demons. That we can turn into… perfect weapons."

Derek fell into deep thought. Yami did as well. He could sense it clearly now — the situation was dangerous. Extremely dangerous.

After a long silence, Derek finally asked again, "How many people like you are working with the demons?"

"Many," Peter replied weakly. "Individuals from every kingdom… some from academies like this one, some from different guilds, and even a few from noble families."

Derek's frown deepened.

"Where is this upper rank staying? Where can I find him?"

'We need to deal with this immediately,' Derek thought. But Peter's answer only disappointed him.

"I don't know," Peter said, shaking his head. "Whenever the master wants to speak with us, the demons escort us to him. And if we need help, we use an orb they gave us."

"Then use that orb," Derek ordered. "Call for assistance. Once the demons show up, I'll question them myself."

"I can't," Peter whispered. "I already used it. When Leo successfully transformed into a magic beast, but he had no mind left, and worse, he was far stronger than the beast I had under control. Two demons came in response… but they died. So no more help will come until the master realizes what happened and decides what to do next."

"Then do you know who the others are? Where can I find them?"

"Not the ones from other kingdoms, but…" Peter hesitated.

"If you don't want to perish from the same pain I just made you taste," Derek said coldly, "then speak. My mood can change at any moment, and I may choose not to be so considerate."

A violent shiver ran through Peter's spine. He swallowed hard. "I-I know a few from this kingdom. But they're all from powerful families. One of them is even from the royal family."

"You mean… someone inside the king's palace?" Yami couldn't help asking.

"Yes," Peter whispered.

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