Ingrid stood still staring at Alex who was ready to battle.
He had cleared his section of the tournament phase with ease as there had been no real contenders in his bracket—just players he regarded as weaklings and placeholders.
He hadn't even broken a sweat on that phase and naturally, he had expected the same for Prince Malik, the demon king's heir and a force of nature on the battlefield.
But then the rumors spread.
Whispers at first, then confirmations.
Malik had been killed.
Not defeated.
Killed.
His soul hadn't returned to the demon realm like it was supposed to.
Somehow, the killer had found a way to sever the ties completely—body, spirit, and core.
A permanent death.
Which was odd as something like this was not supposed to happen. He didn't think it could happen.
The demon king's fury had shaken the realm, and then the order came down the line—"Find the killer. Eliminate him. No matter the cost."*
