The Incubus System Chapter 1029. The Holy Chamber II

The Incubus System Chapter 1029. The Holy Chamber II

Yeah, it was clear that Puriel’s power was reacting to me, the lone demon in the room. Even though Puriel knew me, her holy power still recognized me as an intruder. The pressure was subtle but unmistakable. We stepped further into the room, and the door shut behind us with a heavy, echoing thud.

The room itself was surprisingly simple. Pure white, with smooth marble floors. The architecture was also simple, with towering pillars that stretched to a ceiling so high it seemed to disappear into the shadows. In the center of the room was something large, draped in a thick cloth. The fabric hung over it, giving no clues about what was hidden beneath.

We approached it, but I could tell this wasn’t the chamber where Puriel was imprisoned. Something was off. The pulse of power in the room, though present, wasn’t strong enough. The energy radiating from it was no more potent than the holy spheres I’d encountered before. Certainly not the kind of power that could contain an angel as powerful as Puriel.

My curiosity got the better of me. “What is that?” I asked, my voice low but edged with curiosity.

Zalira glanced over her shoulder at me, her expression calm but unreadable. “That,” she said, gesturing to the draped object, “is a fake crystal. We use it to trick anyone who might come looking for the real one.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A decoy?”

Zalira nodded. “Yes. In case someone gets past the barriers or finds out about the crystal’s existence, this is what they’ll find first. It gives us time to react before they can reach the real thing.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Clever. I suppose it makes sense. If word got out that the crystal actually existed, it would be a prize fought over by everyone.”

Zalira’s gaze sharpened, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Exactly. The crystal is the only one of its kind. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could tip the balance of power in ways that would be catastrophic for us. That’s why we keep it hidden, protected. And why we limit the amount of vaccines we produce and export.”

“Because you don’t want anyone to realize where the vaccine’s power is truly coming from,” I finished for her.

She nodded, her expression serious. “We have to keep the truth hidden. If the soldiers or demon hunters who gain strength from the vaccines figured out that their power comes from the angelic energy of the crystal, they might turn on us. They might think they could take the crystal for themselves and use it to create an army.”

I let out a low whistle, impressed by the level of strategy at play. “That’s a dangerous game you’re playing. But it makes sense. Once the secret’s out, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.”

Zalira’s eyes darkened as she spoke. “That’s why we take every precaution. No one can know the full extent of the crystal’s power. It’s not just about protecting the kingdom—it’s about maintaining balance. If even a fraction of what the crystal could do got out… it would spark a war the likes of which we’ve never seen.”

I nodded. “It makes sense.”

In my thoughts, the full picture started to come together. ‘That’s why she considered my offer so carefully.’ Zalira knew the stakes. I bet she already had an army of demon hunters to protect themselves and the kingdom, but even with that, it wasn’t enough. She knew that if the demon hunter association—or worse, several nations—joined forces, even the strongest army they could muster wouldn’t stand a chance against the sheer numbers. The crystal would become the most coveted prize in the world, and all of this—the palace, the kingdom, the Serpent Tribe’s legacy—could crumble.

And the recent surge in demon attacks? That only compounded the issue. The need for stronger vaccines had become a necessity, not a choice. With the demons becoming more aggressive, the kingdom had no choice but to ramp up production, pushing the limits of how much they could siphon from Puriel without drawing unwanted attention.

We reached a large, imposing crest mounted on the wall—a symbol of the Serpent Kingdom, intricately designed with coils of serpents encircling a gleaming crown. But what caught my attention wasn’t the crest itself, but what Zalira did next.

She approached the crest and, without hesitation, slid a small section of it aside. The move was so practiced, so precise, that I could tell she had done this countless times. Behind the panel was a small, hidden scanner. Zalira pressed her passport to it, her fingerprint glowing faintly in the dim light.

Beep

A moment later, the wall beside the crest shifted with a low mechanical hum. A hidden passageway opened up, the stone sliding aside with barely a sound.

Mia and I exchanged a brief glance before following Zalira into the narrow hallway beyond. The air was cooler here, the atmosphere even more oppressive at least for me. There was a faint hum, like the distant pulse of power, and I knew we were getting closer to Puriel. Her angelic energy was unmistakable now.

The passage was stark compared to the rest of the palace. No ornate decorations, no grand architecture. It was purely functional, designed for secrecy and protection. The walls were smooth and metallic, the faint glow of lights embedded in the ceiling guiding our path.

Another door awaited us, and this time Zalira used both her fingerprint and a retina scan to unlock it. The faint mechanical sound filled the silence, and with a soft hiss, the door slid open. The moment it did, the holy energy washed over me—Puriel's power, raw and unfiltered. My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I felt every inch of my demonic nature recoil under that angelic presence.

This was it. This was Puriel's true power.