Four hours ago...

Drip, drip, the cold sensation of the water droplets woke Cyclone up in the darkness without light on his back.

Waking up, the world in front of his eyes seemed like a nightmare.

His hands were handcuffed, feet bound by shackles.

Being forced to kneel down, his body was leaning forward, causing his locked hands to hang behind his back.

Each cold drop of water trickled down his back, making his bare upper body feel an immense chill.

This chill continued to intensify the fear of the person trapped here, as if it was meant to constantly keep him on edge and feel the fear itself.

With each drop of water falling, it formed a stark contrast with the accelerating heartbeat.

No light, no one around, in complete darkness, Cyclone was alone.

"Where is this..."

Suddenly, the sound of pushing stones came from the distance, as if a stone door had been opened.

Following that, multiple overlapping footsteps could be heard.

The approaching footsteps made Cyclone's heartbeat continue to quicken, an unknown fear spreading through his heart.

Then, a scene appeared in front of him.

A torch light appeared at the three-way intersection in front, finally allowing Cyclone to see the environment here.

He was trapped in what seemed like a cave cell, with stone walls on three sides, and a wooden barrier directly in front, forming a closed prison.

On the other side of the wooden barrier, where the light emerged, there were two paths, one to the left and one to the right.

The light was coming from the right side.

As the footsteps and light drew nearer, it seemed that someone was approaching.

When the source of the light arrived, the little girl that the High Priest had described appeared.

Cyclone struck first, realizing that the person approaching was King Kakarl.

He had thought he would have to go through several layers of subordinates to see the true form of King Kakarl.

To his surprise, it was unexpectedly simple, as King Kakarl had come in person.

Before the light shone on him, Cyclone couldn't help but reveal a victorious smirk.

"Is this the person?"

King Kakarl, though a little girl, was the same height as Cyclone who was kneeling down.

But when speaking, she looked down at Cyclone in a condescending manner.

"Yes."

A giant man behind King Kakarl replied, having to bend ninety degrees to reach King Kakarl's ear.

"Luck is on my side, I didn't expect it was you, King Kakarl!"

Cyclone took the initiative, showing a confident smile to bring up the topic he desired.

However, King Kakarl ignored Cyclone completely.

"Where did you hide the note?"

The trap set by words was easily shattered by King Kakarl's indifference.

Her cold gaze had ignored all of Cyclone's performances from the beginning.

Driven solely by the desire for answers, King Kakarl asked again.

"The note?"

To this question, Cyclone naturally refused to answer.

Not to mention that he had swallowed the note during his previous escape.

Now, in his current trapped situation, that note was Cyclone's only weapon for survival.

"We have a common goal! As long as you are willing to help me kill the High Priest, I will..."

King Kakarl reached out her right hand, forcefully gripping Cyclone's lips.

Not only did she silence Cyclone, but her fingers also pressed against his lips.

Beyond the physical pain, Cyclone felt unease.

"I'll ask one more time, where is the note?"

King Kakarl glanced upwards and smiled.

"Or rather, what is written on that note that gives you such confidence to try and make a deal with me?"

No, Cyclone finally realized a fact.

His biggest mistake was treating this event as a repetition of Sunset City.

What stood in front of Cyclone was definitely not a simple trade.

From her eyes, it was clear that this little girl in front of him only cared about herself, unlike the kings he had encountered who prioritized their people.

The destruction of the Water Shrine was just a means for her self-indulgence.

She lacked the qualities that a king should possess, completely different from the kings Cyclone had known.

In hindsight, this seemed inevitable.

After all, the High Priest staked everything and would not want King Kakarl back in her hands.

Seeing Cyclone's silence, King Kakarl released his hand.

"It seems you won't understand your situation without a lesson."

Without even looking back, King Kakarl turned around and coldly ordered,

"Use the whip, lash him until he talks."