From the perspective of K’s stalker, both K and the dragon were enclosed in a bubble. He couldn't see through it.

"What the hell is that?" the mysterious man muttered, examining the bubble closely.

"It's called a corporeal Soul Realm manifestation, or a spiritual domain," came a voice, explaining the phenomenon. "If you’re trapped in one, your chances of survival drop by half," the voice continued calmly. "But if you're trapped in one created by a being with a powerful soul…"

The voice paused, and the darkness morphed into a humanoid shape with red eyes. "If that happens, you better pray your soul is stronger than your opponent’s because in the spiritual world, the strongest wins!"

"Take note, Zilka. You'll be able to do something like this too in the future," the shadow remarked with a smirk.

Zilka was perplexed. "Master, you said that whoever has the strongest soul will win in the spiritual domain. Then why didn’t he do it from the beginning?" Zilka pointed out K’s earlier actions. "Why did he have to go through all that?"

The shadow shook his head. "Because it requires you to open your soul and take over the physical space itself," he said, turning to the bubble. "That thing is not the real deal, but only a substitute. It's precarious at best, and its barrier is extremely fragile."

A sinister smile appeared on the shadow’s face. "I guess Levi used too much of his infamous Chaos Energy before coming here and doesn’t have much left for the big bad lizard." The shadow then pointed to the top of the bubble. "That is its weak spot."

"He knows he can’t create a perfect spiritual domain, so he focused all the energy on the sides. That’s why he took out the dragon’s wing, to prevent it from flying off and breaking through the barrier’s weak spot." The shadow giggled playfully as he explained.

Then, with a sigh of relief, the shadow spoke in a lower voice. "He’s always good at finding others’ weaknesses," he let out another sigh and murmured under his breath, "But he could never figure out his own."

Zilka sat there watching the bubble. "Master, who is he?" He then turned to his master with a questioning expression. "You seem to know a lot about him!"

The shadow laughed, shaking his head. "Of course, I know him," he answered. "He is my brother." This answer made Zilka turn to him abruptly.

"He is your brother? Then is he also…?" Zilka began to ask but was cut off.

"Master, if I may inquire about your past," Zilka asked with pleading eyes. His master observed the earnestness in his disciple's gaze and asked, "What is it that you want to know, Zilka?"

As he was about to continue, a crack rang out, drawing both master and disciple's attention. The barrier slowly unveiled, revealing K standing atop a motionless dragon. Strangely, the dragon's body appeared unharmed, yet it lay dead on the ground. K wore a satisfied smile. "Thank you for the entertainment."

"Master, how did this happen?" Zilka asked, eyes widened in astonishment. His master answered with a proud smile, "The dragon’s body is intact, but its soul has departed. It lost because its soul was weaker than Levi's!"

K slumped onto the ground, gasping for air, his smile unwavering as he turned to the dread dragon. "That was fun! Truly a memorable one."

Two figures dropped down. "Indeed, it will surely be... memorable," Zilka’s master said. K turned to them, breathing heavily. He scoffed, "Wouldn’t you look at that, seems like the vultures have already come to feast!"

Zilka took offense at K's words towards his master. He shouted fists clenched, "How dare you—" But he was cut off by his master, "It’s alright, Zilka." Zilka’s master then calmly addressed K, "It’s been a long time since Leviathan…"

K tilted his head to the side. "Do I know you? Judging by the way you speak and act, I presume we’ve met in the past." K put on a thinking gesture. After a long pause, K shrugged his shoulders and said, "Nope, I don’t recall ever meeting a walking Slenderman."

Zilka didn’t grasp the meaning behind K’s words and quietly pondered to himself, "Is my master really that slender?"

Zilka’s master shook his head and calmly replied, "Perhaps this form will jog your memory a bit!"

With a bright smile and a caring gaze, his master transformed into a man with two bat-like wings sprung from his back. He had a muscular build with the body of a 40-year-old man with a lot less energy.

Instantly, K recognized him and shouted in shock and disbelief, "Beelzebub?" Seeing K like this, Beelzebub casually exclaimed, "So you still remember me?"

K rolled his eyes and mockingly said with a smirk, "Well, it's kind of hard to forget someone when they're labeled as the lord of the dung." He quickly corrected himself with a comedic shake of his head. "Fly-Fly… I mean the lord of flies."

Beelzebub stood with a forced smile, a vein popping up on his forehead. "You’re insufferable!" K stood up straight with a cheerful smile and asked Beelzebub, "So, brother, tell me why you’re here?"

Beelzebub quickly replied, "I’m just here to catch up with my bro—"

K cut him off with a carefree demeanor. "Oh, please, cut the crap. Both of us know you’re here for something else!"

Beelzebub giggled. "Fine, you caught me. I’m here for this!" No longer hiding his intention, he raised a dragon heart that had magically appeared on his arm. "Look familiar?" he mockingly asked.

K turned to the dragon he had slain and, using his Eye of Chaos, confirmed that the heart in his brother's hand was indeed the black dragon’s heart. He sighed before casually turning back towards Beelzebub.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

K placed his hand on his hip and let out an annoyed sigh. "What, did you rebrand as the lord of thieves while I was away?"

Beelzebub laughed. "You've changed a lot since the last time we met," he said slowly. "You used to be so reserved, so stoic. What happened?"

Beelzebub giggled, his eyes locking onto K’s expression. "Or perhaps it was that girl? Maybe she’s the one who—"

K quickly cut him off with a loud yell. "If I wanted a therapy session," he then lowered his voice, "I’d make a reservation!" Despite his nonchalant expression, Beelzebub's words shook K deeply.

Beelzebub relished K's reaction. "Someone's shaken up!" he taunted, hurling the dragon heart at K. He then started monologuing, "I was headed to see Typhon today, but who would've thought I'd run into you!"

"You can keep that, but remember—you owe me one," Beelzebub said, leaning in close to K's face. He whispered menacingly in K's ear, "And I’ll make sure to collect in the future."

The cave fell into silence, as both K and Beelzebub stared at each other. Then K burst into laughter. "Yes, but now that I already have it, why would I agree to that?"

Beelzebub turned away. "I'm not an idiot, Leviathan! I would’ve never done something so risky back then."

"But now," Beelzebub said, glaring at K from head to toe, "you’re nothing but a cunning snake." But K shot back, "And you’re just a fly that hovers around the meal you can't have."

Beelzebub stared at K before dropping his friendly façade. "You don’t have a choice, brother. Either you agree and get the dragon heart, or you refuse and lose it."

"Or," K interjected, "I take the heart, and you can’t do anything to stop me." He answered confidently. Beelzebub gestured for him to leave. "Go ahead, brother. See if you can."

K stood still, unmoving, his smile unwavering as he looked at Beelzebub, who began to unleash his demonic energy. The power was so corrupted that it made his followers struggle to breathe.

Beelzebub intensified his energy before reminding K, "Leviathan, might I remind you that you're a bit late to the game!" His teeth sharpened as he continued, "I, along with many other gods that had awakened before you, can snuff your life out in a matter of minutes!"

K replied confidently. "They're welcome to try. And for your information, I'm just giving all of you a head start. It would be a boring game otherwise." His voice was clear and confident, but his hands were tightly clenched behind his back.

Beelzebub retracted his energy. "Leviathan, you’re one of the strongest among the humans, but you’re one of the weakest among us."

Beelzebub got up close, his voice rising with rage. "I would’ve killed you for what you did back then. The only reason I’m not ending you right now is that I don’t want Lucifer coming at me for revenge."

"And all that for what? For a damn clay doll that calls you dad?" Beelzebub's anger was palpable.

"One, that's none of your business. And two, fuck off." K coldly responded. Long dragon claws and a draconic tail appeared, and four more eyes opened on K's face. "You have my word—I will accept one request from you in the future. Now fuck off and leave me be!"

"Is that why you’re doing this? Is that why you made the contract with that boy?" Beelzebub asked, his tone laced with suspicion. "You’re now just a soul materialization. You’re struggling to even maintain a corporeal form."

Beelzebub then scrutinized K. "That boy who used your power isn’t your vessel, is he? He’s your replacement." Beelzebub laughed sarcastically. "You’re emotional, you’re weak, pathetic—just like the creatures you despise."

"You were never like this… You've turned into this pathetic state because of that disease. You were infected by them when you roamed among them," Beelzebub continued to belittle K. "That fake smile... If you keep going down this path, you will die just like the girl you failed to protect."

K couldn’t take it anymore and angrily shouted, "My life, my choice. Crawl back to whatever hellhole you crawled out of and leave me be!"

The two stared each other down, the tension in the cave so thick it felt almost tangible.

Beelzebub scoffed at K. "Fine, I hope you enjoy your heart... Brother!" He took a few steps back. "Let's go, Zilka. We're done here." His form then melted into a shadow and merged with Zilka's shadow. A blazing flame appeared from the ground, and Zilka disappeared once the flame dissipated.

Alone in the cave, K's thoughts raced as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Despite his desire to deny it, he couldn’t ignore the truth. Closing his eyes, his mind flashed with an image of a giant tree with pinkish leaves, surrounded by a shallow river.

In the vision, a young girl with black hair stood with her back to him, gazing at the tree. She turned with a bright smile and gentle eyes, and innocently called out to K, "Good morning, Dad."

Opening his eyes, K saw only the pile of gold and treasure that the dead dragon had guarded. Struggling hard to hold back his tears, he lowered his head and mumbled, "Fuck."

Outside the cave, Zilka rushed toward the slowly closing rift. "Master, I thought our original plan was to kill him?"

Beelzebub replied, anger still lingering in his breath, "I wasn’t thinking clearly when I first came up with our plan. I'd prefer to use him until he is no longer useful before killing that treacherous bastard."

"Master, you said he is one of the strongest among humans?" Zilka asked, breathless.

Beelzebub regained his composure and calmly responded, "Yes, although he's now just a husk of his former self. He's still considered one of the strongest among humans due to his primordial power."

Zilka probed further, "Will I be able to win if I were to go against him?" Beelzebub fell silent, and after a few seconds, he answered, "Even if ten of you fought him together, you'd still lose. After all, he has billions of years of experience over you!"

Zilka asked with a skeptical gaze, "Then how powerful was he in his prime?" Beelzebub reminisced as he narrated his experience. "During the rebellion in a desolate landscape where tens of thousands of humans gathered to fight against the armies of darkness."

Beelzebub narrated his past with K with awe. "He and I led the army to subjugate them. There, I asked him about his opinion of you humans. He coldly responded with an unprecedented level of charisma and confidence that even made me feel in awe."

"He said, 'Within the heavens, among the stars, our brother is the light, and we are the shadows. Everything that exists in between is nothing but trash.' Then, with a wave of his hand, he annihilated half of the enemy forces."

Zilka, after learning of his master and his enemy's past, couldn’t help but ask, "Master, forgive me if I overstep, but you seem to almost... idolize him to some extent. I’m sorry if I said anything wrong."

Beelzebub let out a deep sigh. "He and I forged a bond during our years battling against heaven. That's why we call each other brother. Yet, he abandoned us when we lost the war." He paused, then added bitterly, "And he was the one who killed me back then."

Zilka received his answer and fell silent. After a brief pause, he returned to Celestia. "Where should we go now, master?" Beelzebub’s voice replied, "Let's proceed with our original plan and go meet Typhon."