The Sinful Life of The Emperor

"What is your name?"

"Riley."

Kiba plucked a feather from his wings and handed it to the mesmerized Riley. The latter and everyone else were stunned because they could feel a power as vast as the oceans. 

"I can't be in your heart," Kiba said as his body started fading into a golden haze. "But I hope you will keep my token of gratitude close to it."

After saying that, he disappeared, leaving Riley and pretty much everyone else dumbstruck. 

No one knew the use of the feather, but given the presence they felt and the might Kiba displayed so far, there was no doubt it was a priceless treasure. 

Everyone, including Riley's supposed boyfriend, stared at the feather, their eyes flashing with greed. 

Riley felt their cruel intentions, but she wasn't frightened despite being weak. 

Because she was sure Kiba would have expected the nefarious desires of others. Yet he handed her such a treasure in front of everyone and left.

This made her realize the use of the feather. 

"Thank you…"

She whispered and placed the feather close to her heart. She was sure it will increase her chances of surviving Infinity Maze. 

…

Thousands of miles ahead, there was a series of halls as vast as mountains. The traps leading to halls were such that none below the strength of an Alpha could even dream of stepping here. 

An hour passed, and Kiba arrived in the second last hall after completing a few tasks. He was late than other Alphas, something he could feel from the traces of battles.

"Six more hours left… now time to focus for real."

Kiba thought as he looked around.

BANG

An invisible pressure crashed down, catching him off-guard despite his strength. It was because the pressure didn't crash onto him, but rather the path ahead, turning into a force field. 

Kiba's eyes narrowed, and his lips curved up. 

"She wants to play like this yet again?"

A whirlwind of energy erupted from his body, and he transformed.

…

In the last hall, fifteen Alphas were fighting with mystical phantoms, causing the surroundings to shine with colorful blasts. 

Despite the divine powers Alphas possessed, the phantoms weren't easy to handle. Whenever an Alpha was about to destroy the phantoms, the maze would transfer strength into them, revitalizing them for another round. 

This was how it went from the last half an hour. 

The Alphas knew they couldn't afford to waste time as they have to cross the halls and enter the path leading to the mausoleum where the real treasure lay. 

"This is so frustrating!" Katherine blasted a phantom and summoned a Life & Death Gate to handle a ghastly phantom sneaking on her.

Alan, too summoned his powers. 

"I'm tired of them!" An Alpha called Flame King erupted out a wave of blue flame. "Time to end this!"

The wave spread in all directions, melting through the boundary of space to burn the phantoms' foundation. 

Flame King was from the House of Hestia, and as such, his strength was far above others of the same rank. 

With his strength reaching early Level VIII, the others thought he will succeed. Flame King thought the same, his lips forming a grin. 

The phantoms indeed caught fire, but the maze transferred power into them, helping them survive yet again. 

"Shiet!" Flame King cursed. 

The phantoms once again charged at the Alphas.

This happened at the same time as Kiba emerged in the adjacent hall. As if on cue, the attacking phantoms stopped and retreated. 

"They are running away?" Flame King laughed. "So they finally realized their true place!"

His laughter didn't remain for long, though. Because the phantoms gathered on the exit of the hall and fused together, transforming into a barrier. 

"Only those below the strength of Alpha could continue the path ahead."

A voice reverberated from the barrier, shocking everyone. 

"What the hell!?" Flame Lord looked at the barrier with disbelief. 

It was impossible for someone who wasn't even an Alpha to even come close to these halls. So how could the requirement for the next round be the strength below an Alpha? 

The records from the expedition of Nine Sovereigns never mentioned such a thing.

Even if there were changes, they at least have to make sense!

"Just disappear from my sight!" Flame Lord aimed at the barrier, and a column of blue flames boomed out. 

To his shock, the column bounced back without even touching the barrier. 

Simultaneously, the other Alphas acted. Some launched space-splitting punches on the barrier, while others use magical abilities to travel through the barrier. A few even suppressed their powers below an Alpha's rank to see if they could deceive the barrier, but none succeeded. 

…

Only one Alpha didn't act. It was a woman named Margaret Parcae. 

As a House of Parcae member, she could see Strings of Fate and understand what others couldn't.

Everyone ignored her, believing her to be selfish as she only stayed at the entrance without fighting the phantoms. 

"We can't win," Katherine said to her husband and acquaintances. "The barrier is powered by the maze itself!"

The others nodded in agreement. Unless one was powerful enough to destroy Infinity Maze, passing through the barrier was impossible.

The hall turned silent, and everyone's expression turned bitter. They couldn't handle seeing their efforts ruined by an absurd requirement.

With a sigh, Katherine thought, "When that shameless scoundrel appears here, even he won't be able to cross!"

~step~ 

The sound of footsteps cut through the silence and echoed in the hall. 

With the powers Alphas possessed, they didn't need to see through their eyes to know who was making this noise. Just their perception alone was enough to tell them everything about the noisemaker.

"!!" 

The expressions of Alphas changed dramatically, and they turned around to see with their eyes. Because their perception noticed something they couldn't believe. 

The noisemaker wasn't an Alpha! 

"How could this be?" Flame King was taken aback. 

Alan's eyes turned wide as he looked at the young man that has stepped in. 

His fists tightened, and his nose flared. 

Because this young man was the dream of his daughter! 

Someone whom his daughter talked about all the time - like he was the only man in this entire universe!

So, as a father, how can Alan handle the sight of the man who has entrapped his daughter?

"Zed!?" Katherine was also amazed. 

Indeed, the one to appear in the hall was Zed and not some Alpha. 

With the kind and noble disposition he was known for, he moved forward, as if he was in a park.

Margaret was at the entrance, and as Zed moved past her, she smiled. 

"The key is finally here," She thought as she closed her eyes. "Everything will work."

Stopping in the middle of the hall, Zed raised his head to observe the ceiling. 

At the same time, quite a few Alphas discussed him telepathically. 

Many knew of him due to the unbelievable stories from Desolate Blood Forest. Seeing him here, they wondered if there was a connection with those events.

"Zed?" 

Flame King eyed Zed with a look of disdain. 

"So you are the bastard child of Rebecca and Zerenski!" 

As a man, he empathized with Kurtis, who was cuckolded by Zerenski. 

This was why he made such a statement.

With a smile and respectful expression, Zed lowered his head and replied, "Yes, I am."

"….." Flame King was startled. 

Did this stupid kid not understand his statement was an insult and not a question? 

"Seems like the venerated senior is from House of Hestia!" Zed exclaimed as he saw the blue flames wrapping Flame King's body.

Hearing the venerated tone, Flame King's lips stretched from ear-to-ear, and he nodded. 

This bastard of Rebecca was indeed bright! He knew how to act in front of elders!

"Since I don't know much about the family, I don't know your identity," Zed explained politely. "So, can you please tell whose bastard child you are?"

"!!!!"

Flame King's smile turned rigid.

"Hahaha!" The other Alphas started laughing, some rather loudly.

"Oh, god, that kid!"

Even Katherine broke into a pearl of laughter. 

This naive kid knew how to retort!

She looked at Zed to see his smile and was surprised. 

Because his expression was the same as before – full of respect and politeness. 

It didn't even seem he realized he has insulted Flame King! 

"Not insulted but humiliated!" Alan said with clenched teeth. "This kid will get himself killed!"