Cucking The Demon King
Chapter 95: What the hell is this place?

Chapter 95: What the hell is this place?

Lela’s hands curled into tight fists, her fingers trembling slightly as she tried to steady her breath.

Her body still felt weak, her knees slightly shaky from the intense pressure that had crushed her moments ago.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t forget the feeling—

The sheer weight of Emma’s divine presence.

It wasn’t just an oppressive aura.

It was something far beyond that.

Something that made her feel like she was nothing more than an ant, struggling under the might of a god’s gaze.

Her teeth clenched, and her thoughts turned bitter.

’I... couldn’t even stand when her blessing was fully active...’

Her fingers tightened against her palm, nails digging into her skin.

’Am I really... that weak?’

She bit the inside of her cheek, suppressing the lump that formed in her throat.

Her eyes slowly lifted, settling on Emma—

The red-haired girl who stood there calmly, the divine creature perched on her shoulder like a loyal guardian.

Emma barely seemed affected by what had just happened.

She looked in control.

Powerful.

Like someone who was used to standing above others.

Lela’s breath came out shaky, her gaze flickering toward Liam for just a second.

Her mind whirled with doubt, a voice whispering in the back of her head—

’Maybe... only powerful girls like Emma and Elsa deserve to stand beside him.’

The thought hit her like a blade, sharp and painful.

Because deep down...

She knew it might be true.

Maybe that was why Liam had chosen Emma over her for the mission.

Not because of favoritism.

Not because of personal feelings.

But because she—Lela—simply wasn’t strong enough.

Her chest felt tight, but she didn’t let it show on her face.

Instead, she forced herself to stand still, swallowing the emotions bubbling inside her.

Because no matter how much it hurt...

She couldn’t deny reality.

She was weak.

And the weak were usually the ones who got left behind.

Emma sighed, the tension in the air still thick.

The golden bug, Uti, flapped its delicate wings before settling down onto her shoulder.

For a brief moment, she reached up, gently brushing her fingers along its shimmering body.

And then—

She suddenly paused.

Her gaze shifted to the two girls standing at the side.

Lela and Cynthia.

Their faces were pale, their bodies still shaking slightly from the lingering effects of her blessing.

Guilt stirred in her chest.

She hadn’t meant to... do that to them.

Her lips parted, her voice softer this time.

"...I’m sorry."

Both girls looked up at her, slightly startled by the sudden apology.

Emma’s brows furrowed, and she continued—

"I didn’t mean to make you go through that."

Lela blinked, her eyes flashing with a strange glint.

For a second, something unreadable flickered through her expression.

But then, she gave a small shake of her head.

"Don’t worry about it," she said, her voice surprisingly steady.

"I’m completely fine."

Cynthia, who had been quiet until now, let out a small, breathy laugh.

She turned to Emma, shaking her head as well.

"You’re too kind," she murmured.

Her lips curled into a small, tired smile.

"It wasn’t your fault. We were simply... too weak to bear the pressure from your blessing."

Emma’s lips pressed together into a thin line.

She appreciated their words, but—

This was exactly why she didn’t like using her blessing when others were around.

The divine pressure it emitted was too much for anyone below Master Rank to handle.

Even Master Rank mages struggled to stand properly when she fully activated it.

And yet—

Her eyes drifted toward Liam.

There was no sign of exhaustion on his face.

Not even a hint of fatigue.

He stood there, completely calm, watching everything unfold with sharp, narrowed eyes.

Emma felt a flicker of surprise.

’How did he... remain standing?’

She had assumed the divine pressure would at least affect him in some way.

But... he was completely fine.

Her lips parted slightly, wanting to ask—

But Liam’s gaze suddenly shifted, locking onto her.

His red eyes narrowed.

Emma hesitated.

Something about his stare... made her feel like she shouldn’t question it.

So, instead, she simply turned her attention back to the golden bug on her shoulder.

Her brows knitted into a frown.

And then, she turned to the others.

"Uti can track the heretic’s magic."

Her voice was firm, bringing back the sense of urgency in the room.

"We should be able to find him."

Lela and Cynthia’s eyes widened in surprise.

They immediately turned toward the golden bug, staring at it in a new light.

Lela’s fingers twitched slightly, her mind racing.

She had underestimated this tiny creature.

It was no wonder Emma summoned it.

It might not have any fighting capability, but it’s power to perfectly replicate what happened, and even track someone through their magic...

Such an ability was... invaluable.

Cynthia exchanged glances with her, and they both nodded.

They needed to prepare.

Weapons, supplies, anything they might need for the mission.

If they were lucky—

Rex should still be with the heretic.

Which meant finding the latter would also mean finding him.

But then—

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Because they all knew.

There was also a chance that Rex was already dead.

Or worse—

That he had been passed along to another heretic.

The thought sent a sharp, unpleasant chill down Lela’s spine.

But there was nothing they could do about that now.

They could only hope for the best.

And move forward.

***

Meanwhile...

A deep, muffled grunt escaped Rex’s lips.

His body twitched slightly, his muscles tense as he slowly regained consciousness.

A dull, throbbing ache pulsed in his skull, and for a moment, his mind was a blur—

Foggy, disoriented, struggling to piece together what had happened.

His eyelids fluttered, and with a slow, heavy breath, he finally opened his eyes.

Only to be met with—

Nothing.

Just... pure darkness.

A void that stretched endlessly in every direction.

His breath hitched, and he instinctively blinked, thinking his eyes were still closed.

But they weren’t.

They were wide open.

And yet—

He still couldn’t see anything.

His heart rate spiked.

A strange, unsettling feeling crawled up his spine as he tried to look around.

Left.

Right.

Up.

Down.

However, there was no difference.

Just the same, pitch-black nothingness.

A deep frown settled on his face.

His chest was bare, and he could feel a cold, biting sensation creeping up his exposed skin.

It was unnatural.

Not the kind of cold that came from weather.

This one felt like it was seeping into his bones.

A silent shudder ran through him.

’Where the hell am I?’

His teeth clenched, his breath coming out in short, quick puffs.

This... wasn’t normal.

This wasn’t just darkness, it was clearly the effect of a sort of blessing!

A deep, instinctive fear curled in his gut—

Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

And he hated it.

Gritting his teeth, he took a slow step forward, his bare feet pressing against what felt like a solid surface.

He didn’t know what it was—

It wasn’t grass, neither was it stone.

It was just... there.

As if the darkness itself had somehow become a floor.

He didn’t like this.

Not one bit.

His mind was racing, thoughts colliding into each other as he tried to make sense of the situation.

And then—

A thought hit him.

His blessing! He could use that to illuminate his surroundings and find out where he really was.

His fists clenched.

’Light Gloves!’

A sharp glow immediately erupted around his hands as two bright, white gloves materialized over his fingers.

The gloves shone brightly, a warm, radiant shine that should have illuminated everything.

But—

The glow barely lasted a second before the darkness devoured it.

Rex’s breath caught in his throat.

’What—?’

He raised his hands, staring in disbelief as the light from his gloves was instantly swallowed by the abyss surrounding him.

It was like something was feeding off his light, slowly draining them.

His pulse spiked, and his fingers twitched as a wave of unease crashed over him.

Even with his blessing active, he still couldn’t see a damn thing.

A chill spread across his skin.

His hands started trembling, his fingers twitching slightly as a sudden, creeping fear took hold.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up—

His lips parting as he shouted:

"Light Beam!"

A thin, yet powerful beam of light erupted from his glove, cutting through the darkness like a sharp blade.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in his chest—

Until he saw what happened next.

The beam didn’t travel far.

Barely a few meters forward before it was consumed—

Swallowed by the abyss.

It immediately vanished, like it had never existed in the first place.

Rex’s throat went dry.

His breathing turned shallow, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.

’What the hell is this place?’

His hands clenched into tight fists, his entire body tense as he took a slow, hesitant step back.