Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

989  Chapter 989- Caged (2)

The fact that Itherion and Vincent were able to accomplish what was thought impossible, showed how truly incredible they were.

Humanity was strong even without the angels, this was a fact proven time and time again through history.

'No wonder the demon nobles were never able to gain an advantage over the humans in all these years' Simon thought inwardly.

"Now do you know how incredible these two are? Let me tell you they have not only Conquered the Thousand Trials but they… "

"Alright, alright… that's enough, Rothgard. You've explained plenty."

Rothgard who was about to go into another impassioned explanation, was stopped by Itherion. The latter chuckled and calmed his friend down "We're veering off topic. Let's not overwhelm the demon."

Saying that, Itherion looked at Simon and offered "As Rothgard said, if you have any reward in mind, ask freely. You've earned it."

Simon remained silent, lost in thought as he carefully weighed his options. The three humans were insistent—adamant even—on rewarding him for his actions, leaving him unable to reject their offer outright.

He understood their intent clearly. They wished to clear the slate, to write off the favour they owed him. After all, nobody liked owing a favour. Especially being at the peak of power like them, it was not a good feeling for them.

That said, Simon had no interest in any material wealth they could offer. Items, artifacts, weapons, or money—none of it held any real value for someone like him.

Thanks to the [Gacha] and [Shop] options in his possession, he was already overflowing with resources. His inventory was teeming with unused items, some of which were gathering dust simply because he had no immediate use for them.

Some were used like disposables, thrown into the armoury to refine higher tier items, others simply sitting in his space ring, waiting for the day to be used. Asking for yet another object to add to his already big collection seemed pointless.

So, what should he ask for as a reward?

As Simon mulled over this dilemma, an idea struck him. Material wealth might hold no value to him, but there was something far more precious that he severely lacked: information. It was the one thing that could shape the course of his actions and provide clarity in a world he still understood so little about.

 Despite his inherited memories, Simon's knowledge of the broader world remained painfully incomplete.

Events like Hexennacht and Walpurgis had showed him, just how out of touch with the world he truly was. If not for these events, he wouldn't even know what was going on around the world.

Other high-ranking demons had vast information networks, capable of keeping them informed about every recent development in a matter of moments.

Simon, however, was still preoccupied with defending his dungeon and eliminating nearby threats, so he was far from being in a position to build such a network.

What he needed most was knowledge—information that could help him prepare for what lay ahead. And who better to ask for information than Itherion and Vincent?

Just as Rothgard said, the two humans in front of him were extraordinary individuals, the strongest the humanity could offer in the current era. Clearly, they were privy to a lot of information that could allow him to clear the trial and possibly fill his Memories of the world.

With his mind made up, Simon spoke "I don't want items or artifacts as my reward, what I want is information".

When he said those words, the three humans looked at him with amused expression. However, their amusement quickly gave way to understanding.

Itherion nodded approvingly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips "A wise choice. Information is power. Knowing what goes on around you allows you to predict what's coming. Since I promised to reward you, ask your questions freely. If it is within my knowledge, I will tell you the truth without withholding anything. However..."

His expression grew solemn "I would advise against asking questions that go against my morals."

Simon nodded, he was not interested in any hidden stratagems the humans, angels and the other members of the alliance had devised.

Though knowing it would allow him to clear the objectives of his trial more easily. However, doing so would earn distrust and probably spoil his relationship with the humans here.

No, there was something far more pressing on his mind. What Simon truly wanted to know was about the Second Apex War.

Ever since his arrival in this trial, this event had loomed over him like a dark cloud. A war so devastating that it consumed entire continents in its flames, leaving unimaginable casualties in its wake.

Battles so catastrophic they permanently scarred the land, evidence of their destruction still lingering to this day.

Why? Why did such a massive conflict occur? What led to it? Who were the perpetrators responsible for plunging the world into such chaos?

Simon met Itherion's gaze and asked his question. "I want to know about the Second Apex War, what caused it? And why did it escalate into such a catastrophic conflict?".

For a second, the three humans fell silent, their expression shifting between confusion and surprise.

"You don't know what sparked the Second Apex War?" They couldn't believe that there was someone in the current world who didn't know about it.

Seeing the demon's serious face, Itherion sighed and answered. "If that's your question, I will answer as honestly as I can. The war… It didn't start for a single reason. Like most conflicts, it was a culmination of events, decisions, and forces that spiralled out of control"... n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"This isn't just a war between Demon horde and demons. It's a war of ideologies, a clash of survival, power, and ambition. Decades ago, the Demon Lords suddenly began expanding their territories aggressively, subjugating lesser beast and monster clans and spreading their influence toward the Central Continent"...

"At first, we believed that it was just another skirmish that would end soon. Treaties were signed, trade was established, and for a while, there was peace."

Getting closer and closer to the truth... 13:56