The room was a spacious living room, furnished with the refinement of an old European noble estate.
A man in armor sat on the sofa, watching television. Animal World was playing on the screen, its rich, tranquil narration echoing through the empty hall. "Spring has arrived, all things are coming back to life, and it is once again the season for animals to breed—"
The moment Caesar entered, he smelled the heavy stench of blood. That sweetly metallic scent emanated from the burly man on the sofa, so thick it was almost tangible. It was clear that he had just been through a vicious battle. His armor was badly damaged, as though it had been slashed apart by something sharp.
"You're here—" A deep voice came muffled through the mask.
"You had those two wolves bring us here. What exactly do you want?" Caesar kept one hand on the hilt of Dictator, not loosening his grip.
"What do I want?" A soft sigh came from beneath the mask. The voice was weak, yet strangely gentle. "I just wanted to see you again—"
Caesar frowned. That voice, that manner of speaking, that skin-crawling sense of familiarity—
He had heard it somewhere before.
"Who the hell are you?"
The armored man stood and slowly turned to face Caesar. Then, in a tone so affectionate it was almost nauseating, he said, "I'm your dad!"
Chen Motong's eyes widened. She looked from Odin to Caesar, and the corner of her mouth twitched. "Are you two working off a Star Wars script?"
But Caesar was in no mood to joke. He stared at the man in utter disbelief, because Odin had removed his mask—and the face beneath it was Pompeii Gattuso's.
"How can it be you?" Caesar's voice seemed to squeeze out through clenched teeth.