《Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight》
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 1: There Was a Talent
I had a talent.
¡°Are you insane? Causing a scene at the tavern and getting thrown out? Do you have any idea how much disgrace you¡¯ve brought upon our family¡¯s name?¡±
I had a talent for tarnishing my family¡¯s honor.
Dealing with the trouble caused by his son, my father couldn¡¯t sleep at night.
¡°Why did you challenge Lord Ryan Bloom¡¯s apprentice to a duel? Now your sister has been dragged into it trying to resolve the matter with that filthy scoundrel!¡±
I had a talent for trampling upon the family¡¯s future.
To appease Lord Ryan Bloom¡¯s wrath, our sister had no choice but to enter an unwanted marriage.
¡°Damien¡ Why did you mortgage the family¡¯snd for money? The ce you borrowed the money from belongs to the duke. This time, even your mother can¡¯t help you.¡±
I had a talent for squandering the household¡¯s wealth.
The meager property of the struggling Viscount Haksen vanished into my hands.
¡°Leave.¡±
Finally, my father couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and kicked me out of the family.
My mother who used to embrace and protect me stayed silent this time.
My younger brother rejoiced, saying it should have happened sooner.
¡°Damien¡ Take this money with you.¡±
Only my sister worried about me.
Due to me, her wretched brother, she had to part ways with her beloved fianc¨¦, ruining her own life.
¡°Please be happy.¡±
For the first time that day, I understood what guilt and shame were.
I fled from the family, as if I was running away.
***
After being expelled from the family, I wandered around aimlessly.
For someone who had lived off the family¡¯s wealth for a lifetime, there was no reason to believe I possessed any special talents.
The money I had vanished in the blink of an eye. To avoid starving, I had to do whatever it took.
Begging was futile and often led to confrontations.
¡°Oh, you say you are the Viscount¡¯s son. Seems like your arrogance knows no bounds.¡±
¡°You must be desperate to die. Should I fulfill this wish of yours?¡±
And surprisingly, I discovered a new talent.
¡°My arm¡ My arm!¡±
¡°Please, a potion¡ My leg won¡¯t move!¡±
¡°Please, just spare me this once!¡±
I had a talent for swordsmanship.
When I brought down over ten thugs with a rusty dagger I found in an alley, I finally realized my talent.
During my time in the family, I wasted my days being reckless andzy, never once holding a sword.
That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t know I had such a talent.
¡°What? You want to be a mercenary? With that frail body?¡±
¡°Huh, contrary to your appearance , your skill with a sword is deadly.¡±
¡°With this level of skill, you won¡¯t die easily. Congrattions on joining our mercenary group.¡±
Working as a mercenary, I discovered something.
My talent was far more exceptional than I had thought.
I swiftly mastered any form of swordsmanship, and not just swords but various other weapons as well..
¡°I had my doubts, but you really defeated that knight!¡±
¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we would¡¯ve all died!¡±
¡°Sir! I will only trust and follow you from now on!¡±
In no time, I became the ace of the mercenary group.
***
I wasn¡¯t afraid of any foe. Even a knight wasn¡¯t my match.
So it wasn¡¯t long before I realized my talent knew no bounds.
But it wasn¡¯t in a pleasant way.
¡°Fresh corpses walking right to me!¡±
On a mission we thought was going to be easy, our mercenary group encountered a Lich.
Lich.
A dark mage who turned himself into an undead to escape the clutches of death. Only the most powerful dark mages could be Liches, their abilities were beyond humanprehension.
And if that was not enough, the Lich we faced wasn¡¯t just any Lich but an Archlich which is considered to be at the pinnacle of Liches.
Our group was rendered powerless by the dark magic of the Archlich.
I was no exception.
¡°Ah, what a surprise. To think a mere human has such immense talent. Even my sight can¡¯t gauge its limits!¡±
The Archlich showered praises and astonishment at my talent.
¡°But the development of your talent is pitifullycking. With this level of talent, a little swing of the sword could easily elevate you to the level of a master.¡±
Observing me again, the Archlich pped his hands.
The sound was harsh from the body that had nothing but bones.
¡°Oh, now I understand. Your talent has been rotting due to inherentziness, as weak as the light of your soul!¡±
The Archlich pinpointed my situation urately.
¡°Tsk tsk, how unfortunate. But fear not. I shall fully bloom your talent.¡±
What followed was a hellish time.
The Archlich subjected my body to unspeakable deeds.
He used dozens of potions on me.
He reced all of my organs with those of other creatures, he also inserted various magical artifacts inside my body.
When a decade passed, I was no longer human.
¡°It¡¯s finally done!¡±
Death Knight.
The highest-ranking undead born only when a dark mage corrupts a knight¡¯s soul.
The Archlich pooled all of its knowledge and resources to make me a Death Knight.
I found this situation far from pleasant. But it wasn¡¯t my turn to express dissatisfaction.
During my transformation into a Death Knight, the Archlichpletely obliterated my ego.
He aimed to make me its loyal ve.
However, for some reason, my ego didn¡¯t vanish entirely and some of it remained.
However I was unable to move my body as I pleased, feeling trapped within.
¡°Now, let¡¯s show your power to the world.¡±
Right afterpleting me, the Archlichmenced an all out war against the humans.
Surprisingly, in my first battle alone, I ughtered over a thousand soldiers.
It was the culmination of the Death Knight¡¯s formidable physique, forcibly imbued with tremendous dark magic, and, finally, my enhanced talent.
¡°Truly, humans are dying like insects!¡±
The Archlich eagerly deployed me to more and more battles.
I shed and shed.
With each strike, my talent surged steeply.
At some point, I could perfectly understand and mimic any swordsmanship I saw just once.
Gradually, I went beyond imitation and reached the point of creation.
I amalgamated all of the swordsmanship arts I learned and created a new art.
From then on, I had no adversaries.
Countless knights fell by my hand.
Some were Mercenary Kings, Sword Saints, and even a renowned Imperial Swordsmaster.
No one could stop me.
Not even myself.
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[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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¡°Damien! Why are you with the Archlich? What is that appearance!¡±
When I plunged a dagger into my father¡¯s heart on the battlefield, it was the same.
¡°Brother! Why are you doing this? Stop! Please, stop!¡±
When I slit my brother¡¯s throat, it was no different.
¡°You are alive? But that form¡¡±
When I burned down the family, killing my mother, it was the same.
¡°Damien¡ I guess you couldn¡¯t find happiness, huh?¡±
I had no choice but to see the skeletal soldiers kill my sister, as I attacked Marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡°How did it feel to directly kill the family that kicked you out? I prepared something special just for you.¡±
After returning, having killed my entire family, the Archlich spoke to me.
***
He knew everything and ordered me to attack Viscount Haksen, my father and Lord Ryan Bloom.
¡°Heheh, of course, you wouldn¡¯t have thought of anything while killing them. But I truly enjoyed it. Watching it was immensely entertaining.¡±
I had never despised the Archlich as much as I did then.
I had never resented my talent as much as I did then.
Yet, I had to continue fighting for the Archlich.
And eventually, as per his wish, I seeded in toppling all of the kingdoms.
¡°Finally! The entire world kneels before me!¡±
On the day the resilient empire finally crumbled, the Archlich greatly praised me.
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you! If it weren¡¯t for you, this day wouldn¡¯t havee. No, since I found you, ultimately, my contribution is the greatest. Hahahaha!¡±
Indeed.
Only the Archlich truly recognized my talent in this world.
And thus, the world faced its catastrophe.
But even the Archlich didn¡¯t anticipate something.
My talent had already surpassed the Archlich¡¯s expectations.
To the extent that I had regained control over the body the Archlich had seized.
On the day of the triumph.
My consciousness returned.
It was a scene reminiscent of hell.
The fortress had crumbled. Buildings were all destroyed and aze.
Massacres were happening in the streets.
¡°Aaah!¡±
¡°Run! Don¡¯t let them catch you!¡±
The ones being massacred were humans.
The blood of those who originally lived within these walls was sttered around.
The ones doing the massacre weren¡¯t human.
Half-rotten zombies, meat golems formed from mashed flesh, skeletal ogres moving with a body made of only bones.
Countless undead were killing the humans.
¡°Please, spare my son at least!¡±
¡°Mom! Mooooom!¡±
The undead, devoid of reason, showed no mercy.
People were being brutally ughtered.
¡°Hahaha, Ahahaha!¡±
Amidst that sight, someone burst intoughter.
It was a man wearing an elegant fur coat that seemed out of ce in this hellish scene.
Was it really a man?
With only bones left, it was impossible to discern its exact gender.
¡°Excellent! Absolutely excellent! Just as I anticipated!¡±
The skull clicked his jaws as a cynicalughter echoed endlessly.
Because it only had a skull remaining, its facial expressions were indiscernible.
But anyone could tell the skull was ecstatic.
¡°It¡¯s said that the longer you wait for revenge, the greater the joy. I wonder how immense the satisfaction is now that I¡¯ve fulfilled what I vowed 500 years ago?¡±
No response came.
Then, the skeletal figure turned and asked again.
¡°Why no answer? I¡¯m asking, aren¡¯t I?¡±
As the figure turned, skeletal soldiers were restraining a middle-aged man.
With ripe yellow hair and a beard so full it reached his chest.
It was Howard Adrd, the Emperor of the Empire.
Howard Adrd, held by the skeletal soldiers, shouted at the figure.
¡°You bastard! How dare you kill all of my people! You¡¯re even filthier than a devil fallen into hell!¡±
The Emperor¡¯s curse meant nothing to the current Dorugo.
It even seemed somewhat pleasing.
Dorugo savored the Emperor¡¯s anger before speaking.
¡°Alright, finished with the words? Then let¡¯s proceed with the coronation ceremony.¡±
¡°What ridiculous nonsense! The likes of you conducting a coronation!¡±
¡°Hmm, naturally, it¡¯s my coronation. I¡¯ve achieved the first-ever unification of the continent in history. So, being called an Emperor wouldn¡¯t fall short, would it?¡±
Dorugo burst intoughter.
The Emperor squinted his eyes.
How much further would this undead go in mocking humanity?
¡°Now, bring the imperial crown.¡±
Among the undead legion, an undead figure d in ck armor stepped forward.
The moment the Emperor saw that undead, he couldn¡¯t maintain hisposure.
Death Knight Damien Haksen.
Countless knights lost their lives to that Death Knight, tens of thousands of soldiers were ughtered by him.
Dorugo could conquer the continent solely because of that Death Knight.
¡°Oh, my most loyal knight.¡±
Dorugo looked at the Death Knight with eyes filled with affection.
¡°Thanks to you, I could reach this position. How should Imend your service?¡±
The Death Knight stood still, holding the crown.
Seeing this, Dorugo chuckled.
¡°That was a foolish question. You are my ve. Serving me should be your greatest pleasure.¡±
Dorugo¡¯sughter grew louder.
Suddenly, the Death Knight threw the crown behind his head.
At this unexpected action, Dorugo¡¯sughter abruptly stopped.
¡°Huh? What is this? I never gave such an order¡ª¡±
The Death Knight gripped the greatsword on his back.
As he took a step, he swung the sword.
Reflexively, Dorugo cast dark magic.
A ck barrier blocked his front.
However, the Death Knight effortlessly tore through the barrier.
Simultaneously, he cleaved Dorugo¡¯s body in half.
¡°W-what is this¡¡±
The Death Knight removed his helmet, revealing a young face.
An unmistakably human face.
But due to the influence of bing the Death Knight, the skin was entirely gray.
¡°Finally¡ I can move at my will.¡±
As a voice echoed from that face, Dorugo could only be more bewildered.
¡°How¡ How are you speaking? I thought I eradicated your ego entirely.¡±
¡°It only seemed like I was eradicated. I didn¡¯t entirely disappear. I¡¯ve been watching everything, trapped inside my own body.¡±
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The Death Knight.
No, Damien Haksen held the upper half of Dorugo¡¯s body.
While the face was emotionless, hatred and rage zed in his eyes.
Recognizing this, Dorugo smiled.
¡°Oh¡ it seems you¡¯re quite angry. I understand. I would have been the same.¡±
Even in this perilous moment, Dorugo was oddlyposed.
Lich stores his soul in a magical vessel called a Life Vessel.
Unless the Life Vessel of a lich isn¡¯t destroyed, the Lich cannot die.
Dorugo, as the Archlich, was no different.
¡°In consideration of your efforts, I¡¯ll specially allow you to vent your frustration today. Just until I find a way to control you again.¡±
Dorugo had prepared several spare bodies.
When his physical form was destroyed, he nned to transfer his consciousness to one of these, once again dominating Damien Haksen.
¡°Now, do whatever you want. You can reduce me to dust, curse me as much¡ªUwaaargh!¡±
Suddenly, Dorugo spewed ck magic from his mouth.
It wasn¡¯t just his mouth; his entire body emitted ck magic.
The dark magic and soul stored in the Life Vessel were flowing out.
¡°N-no way¡ Uwaaargh!¡±
The Life Vessel remained intact.
Yet, Dorugo was dying in real-time.
It was utterly iprehensible.
¡°For years, I pondered ways to kill you.¡±
A Lich doesn¡¯t die unless its Life Vessel is destroyed.
But finding the Life Vessel while under Dorugo¡¯s control was impossible.
¡°I devised a martial technique that could sever your soul along with the physical body, solely to kill you.¡±
¡°Th-that kind of technique¡ impossible¡¡±
¡°Why would you think it doesn¡¯t exist?¡±
Damien Haksen tightened his grip around Dorugo¡¯s throat.
¡°Have you already forgotten who I am? Weren¡¯t you always proud to have me! You hailed me as your greatest masterpiece!¡±
Damien Haksen.
His talent, honed by consuming numerous powerful beings, touched the divine realm.
With his sword alone, he could aplish anything.
The word ¡°impossible¡± didn¡¯t apply to him.
¡°B-lock him! Stop him right now!¡±
Flustered, Dorugomanded the undead legion.
Skeleton soldiers and golems rushed at Damien Haksen.
As Damien swung his greatsword, a tsunami-like deluge of ck aura crashed over the undead legion.
The ck deluge of aura tore through the legion of undead, shredding and obliterating them.
¡°N-no¡!¡±
Dumbfounded by the bizarre spectacle, Dorugo was lost for words.
Now as an enemy, it struck him deeply how much of a monstrous being the Death Knight he created truly was.
No more dark magic seeped from Dorugo¡¯s body.
He could feel it. Death was drawing near, a fact.
¡°P-please¡ sp-spare me¡¡±
Twisting the corners of his mouth, Damien Haksen spoke.
¡°Rot in hell.¡±
The glint in Dorugo¡¯s skull vanished. His soulpletely vanished.
Damien Haksen mmed Dorugo¡¯s skull to the ground.
And he stomped on it until it turned to dust.
¡°Uwaaargh!¡±
¡°Kreeeaaagh!¡±
The remaining undead outside the pce began to shriek.
With their master gone, they began to rampage.
¡°Silence.¡±
Damien dispersed dark magic, reasserting control over the undead.
The legion instantly fell silent.
As the war continued, Dorugo imparted his knowledge of dark magic to Damien Haksen.
Hence, within the legion, Damien became the second most skilled necromancer after Dorugo.
¡°All of you, repent.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, the legion began to destroy itself.
The legion of over a million undead vanished in an instant.
¡°Wh-who are you, exactly¡?¡±
The Emperor stared at Damien Haksen with astonishment.
However, Damien Haksen showed no interest in him.
¡°¡It¡¯s finally over.¡±
Damien Haksen slumped to the ground.
Despite being undead, an overwhelming fatigue consumed him.
¡°No, it¡¯s not over yet.¡±
Damien Haksen gripped the de in reverse.
He pressed the de against his chest.
Underneath his skin lies the source that activates Damien Haksen as the Death Knight.
Destroying it would grant Damien Haksen true death.
¡°There¡¯s still an¡ unfinished business.¡±
The faces of his family came to mind. No smiling faces appeared.
He always managed to upset his family.
¡°I need to apologize. Say sorry, express regret.¡±
Without hesitation, Damien Haksen plunged the de into his own chest.
There was no pain.
Only a deep darkness shrouded his vision.
And then¡
¡°Damien?¡±
A voice echoed through the darkness.
¡°Damien, why are you sleeping here? Get up quickly.¡±
It was the voice of his elder sister from his dreams.
Luckily, he had a chance to meet his sister before plummeting into Hell.
¡°Father is looking for you, he¡¯s furious. What have you done this time?¡±
Seems like his father was also quite angry.
He needed to meet his father as soon as possible.
He had to confess all his sins and ask for forgiveness.
Damien Haksen made up his mind and opened his eyes.
Bright sunlight beamed down, revealing his sister¡¯s face.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
She looked much younger than thest time he saw her.
Damien Haksen, shocked, asked his sister:
¡°¡Sister, why have you gotten so much younger?¡±
¡°Ah, suddenly calling me ¡®sister¡¯? I got it. You¡¯re trying to soften Father¡¯s mood, aren¡¯t you?¡±
His sister chuckled.
Hearing thatughter after so long left Damien Haksen dumbfounded.
¡°Alright then, Trust me, then. Tidy up ande quickly, okay?¡±
His sister took off ahead.
The direction she headed towards was the mansion of Viscount Haksen.
¡°¡But I¡¯m certain I destroyed that mansion with my own hands?¡±
Damien Haksen looked down at his body.
Unlike during his time as the Death Knight, he saw his pale, blood-flushed skin.
¡°What¡ happened to me?¡±
It took a bit more time for Damien Haksen to realize.
He finally understood that he had returned to the past.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Chapter 2
Chapter 2
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 2: Came Back for Revenge (1)
¡°What happened to me?¡±
Lying in the field, Damien murmured to himself.
He killed the Archlich Dorugo and thenmitted suicide. He intended to go to the afterlife to apologise to his family.
But when he came to his senses, he found himself regressed into the past.
¡°Could this be a dream?¡±
They say when people die, their whole life shes before their eyes like antern.
Perhaps he didn¡¯t know he was dying after seeding in suicide and was currently seeing that sh of life.
¡°Or¡ on the contrary, was all of that just a dream?¡±
Being expelled from the family, bing a mercenary, meeting the Archlich, bing a Death Knight, and ultimately causing the destruction of all of humanity.
Maybe none of those events actually happened and was just a bad dream
¡°¡I¡¯ll know once I check.¡±
In his past life, Damien fought numerous strong opponents, adopting their techniques and reaching their levels.
If it were a dream, all that knowledge would be nothing but an illusion. But if it wasn¡¯t a dream¡
Damien picked up a fallen tree branch from the ground.
Then he approached the rock lying on the field. The rock seemed extremely sturdy.
¡°This should be just right.¡±
Among the many opponents that he had faced was a knight known as the ¡®Wall Breaker.¡¯
He was a master who had reached the state of ¡®Crushing Waves.¡¯
Crushing Waves amplified the impact transmitted through strikes several times over.
Thanks to reaching this state, the Wall Breaker could shatter walls like ss with a single swing of his warhammer.
Damien had absorbed all his techniques and skills after a 20-minute struggle with the Wall Breaker, securing victory.
¡°If this is reality, then a rock like this should easily break under Crushing Waves.¡±
Damien aimed at the tree branch at the rock.
Leaning forward, he thrust his arm out. The tip of the branch struck the centre of the rock.
But unable to withstand the impact, the branch snapped.
Staring at the broken branch with dismay, Damien muttered under his breath.
¡°¡I must be losing my mind.¡±
Cracks began spreading from the centre of the rock.
The cracks covered the entire rock like spider webs.
Eventually, the rock shattered into pieces like ss, copsing.
¡°¡It wasn¡¯t a dream.¡±
It became certain.
The memories and knowledge in his mind weren¡¯t illusions.
Damien had truly travelled back in the past.
To a time when his family was still alive, to a time when he could make things right.
¡°¡Haha.¡±
For the first time in many years, Damienughed.
Hisughter soon turned into tears.
He clenched his chest with his hands, unable to contain his emotions.
Damien crouched on the ground, shedding tears for a long while.
¡°How did Ie back to the past?¡±
As his tears subsided, questions started to arise in his mind.
But no matter how much he pondered, there seemed to be no answer.
To regress into the past. It could only be described as a miracle of the God.
¡°I did think about wanting to apologise to my family, but¡¡±
¡°I never imagined I¡¯d find myself offering apologies in the afterlife, especially for something in the distant past.
¡°In my previous life, I was a selfish bastard who was oblivious to anyone but myself.¡±
¡°I failed to recognize my family¡¯s love and dedication and acted recklessly.¡±
¡°I caused harm to them and ultimatelymitted a terrible crime by killing them with my own two hands¡±
¡°But this time, it will be different.¡±
¡°I will live for my family.¡±
¡°I must live only thinking about their happiness and future.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not going to be a difficult goal.¡±
Damien possessed a talent.
A talent that had caused the downfall of entire kingdoms and even the mighty empire without an end in sight.
With this talent, he could achieve anything.
It was when Damien made up his mind.
¡°Oh! Young master Damien!¡±
A male servant rushed to him urgently from the mansion.
Seeming not in good physical condition, he gasped for breath upon reaching Damien.
¡°Lady Louise has been waiting for you toe in. Why haven¡¯t youe until now? Lord Haksen is furious!¡±
Damien stared intently at the servant¡¯s face.
It seemed familiar, but his memory was not clear.
¡°¡Victor.¡±
Suddenly, the name of this male servant came to mind.
¡°Yes? Why are you suddenly calling my name?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Victor had been responsible for cleaning up Damien¡¯s messes during his days of being a troublemaker.
¡°Lord Haksen demands to bring you to him no matter what!¡±
¡°It seems father is very angry. What did I do to upset him so much?¡±
Victor wore an incredulous expression at Damien¡¯s words.
But it was unavoidable for Damien.
He had no idea about the exact period of time he had returned to.
¡°A few days ago, you caused a scene at the tavern and got thrashed by the staff there. That¡¯s why he¡¯s mad.¡±
Fragments of forgotten memories revived in his mind.
Yet, why he went to the tavern remained nk in his memory.
Only one thing stood out ¨C causing a ruckus at the tavern, getting thrashed like a dog, and fleeing.
¡°So, your father is very angry.¡±
¡°Not just angry. The rumor about you being beaten has spread everywhere, tarnishing the reputation of the House of Haksen. He¡¯s fuming because of that.¡±
Although their estate was small, the Haksen House was of noble status.
But the eldest son had been beaten bymoners and chased out from a tavern.
This disgrace was beyondpare.
¡°I must go and see Father.¡±
¡°What do you n to do there?¡±
¡°You were asked to bring me, right?¡±
¡°Yes, but¡ wouldn¡¯t it be better to hide and wait until Lord Haksen¡¯s anger calms down?¡±
At that, Damien shook his head.
¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°In this life, I¡¯ve decided not to bring shame to my family.¡±
For a moment, Victor looked perplexed.
It seemed incredibly unfamiliar for Damien to say such words.
¡°Then I will go see Father.¡±
Damien patted Victor¡¯s shoulder and headed towards the mansion.
¡°Enter!¡±
As Damien entered the Viscount¡¯s chamber, a sword flew towards him.
His father swung a longsword at him.
But Damien didn¡¯t evade.
Judging by the trajectory of the de, it seemed his father didn¡¯t intend to kill him.
Sure enough, the longsword grazed Damien¡¯s head and embedded itself in the door.
¡°Honey! Please calm down!¡±
¡°Father! Please stop!¡±
His mother and sister rushed in and held onto his father¡¯s arms desperately.
But his father¡¯s rage showed no signs of abating.
¡°You must be crazy! Causing a scene at the tavern and getting thrown out? And on top of that, tarnishing our family name by getting beaten up? Do you realize how much our family¡¯s honor has been tarnished because of you?¡±
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[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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His father tried to pull out the lodged longsword with determination.
His mother and sister tried their best to stop him.
¡°Put that down! You¡¯re going to hurt him for real this time!¡±
¡°No! I must bash this scoundrel¡¯s skull today!¡±
¡°Father! Please think rationally! This will only cause trouble!¡±
The three of them began a heated argument.
But the true culprit of the incident, Damien, was lost in reflection.
¡°How many times have I faced my father¡¯s wrath?¡±
In the past, he despised his father so much.
He believed his father was tedious and closed-minded.
But now, looking back, his father had always been concerned about Damien.
Whenever an incident urred, Damien quickly noticed the evidence.
¡°Damn it! I understand, so let go now!¡±
Eventually, the victors of the scuffle were his mother and sister.
His father let go of the longsword embedded in the wall.
Then, he slumped down onto a nearby chair.
¡°Why are you silent? At least try to exin!¡±
However, his father¡¯s anger hadn¡¯tpletely subsided.
In response to his father¡¯s outburst, Damien promptly replied.
¡°There¡¯s nothing to say.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Of course there isn¡¯t! If you had a mouth¡ What? Nothing?¡±
His father, taken aback, retorted.
It was a natural response.
The Damien of the past was always a pathetic person who engaged in excuses and self-defence.
¡°I made a mistake that sullied the honour of the Haksen House. It¡¯s entirely my fault, with no room for excuses.¡±
But the present Damien was different.
He had vowed not tomit shameful acts in front of his family.
¡°¡R-Right, you do understand.¡±
His father wore a bewildered expression.
Damien admitting his mistake immediately left his father too flustered to vent his anger.
¡°Look, dear. The child is admitting his mistake. Please forgive him.¡±
¡°Father, I¡¯ll take his responsibility and be punished. I¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t do such things ever again¡¡±
His mother and sister began to cate his father.
Damien gazed at them with a face full of longing.
It had always been like this.
Whenever he made a mistake and his father got angry, his mother and sister defended him.
At that time, he felt that their actions were bothersome.
He felt coddled, though in reality, it wasn¡¯t that way at all.
¡°No, there¡¯s no need for forgiveness.¡±
However, now was not the time to rely on those two.
¡°I havemitted a sin and will ept punishment.¡±
At Damien¡¯s sudden deration, his mother and sister¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°You..!¡±
The fading anger of his father surged again.
¡°You still haven¡¯t learned your lesson! Instead of begging for forgiveness, you dare to assert your pride?¡±
From his father¡¯s perspective, it seemed that Damien standing up was epted.
This was also Damien¡¯s fault.
In his troublemaker days, he often tried to challenge and argue with his father.
¡°This guy still hasn¡¯t learned his lesson! Hey! Give him the punishment he deserves! I will never let this slide¡¡±
¡°But before that, I will rectify the mistake I made.¡±
¡°Wh-What?¡±
His father¡¯s eyes widened.
The troublemaker Damien had never once taken responsibility for his actions.
For such words as ¡®rectify¡¯ toe out of that child¡¯s mouth was nothing short of shocking.
¡°I will properly ept the consequences for my actions.¡±
After a polite farewell, Damien left the lord¡¯s chamber.
¡°¡¡±
His father slowly turned his head to his wife and daughter, asking,
¡°Could it be that he got hit too much that day, and his head got hurt?¡±
As Damien left the Viscount¡¯s chamber,
He came face to face with a young boy standing in the corridor.
The two of them stood silently, gazing at each other for a while.
Damien felt moved, while the younger boy¡
¡°Elder brother, until when will you continue to bring disgrace upon our family?¡±
It was contempt that the younger boy and his brother, Abel Haksen, held towards him.
¡°Our father, mother, and sister, do you have any idea how much they suffer because of you? If you did, you wouldn¡¯t act this way.¡±
Unlike Damien, his younger brother Abel was sharp, capable, and overflowing with talent.
He was considered the pride and hope of the Haksen family.
Shamefully, Damien was jealous of such a brother.
¡°Abel.¡±
¡°Why? Are you going to make more excuses? I¡¯m tired of hearing your excuses¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been sorry all this time.¡±
Abel Haksen¡¯s pupils widened.
He was so astonished that he didn¡¯t even blink.
¡°I will take responsibility and resolve this matter.¡±
Damien took a step forward.
After patting his brother¡¯s shoulder once, he left.
As he stepped outside, Victor, looking surprised, asked Damien,
¡°Sir? Why are you unharmed? I was certain you¡¯d be reprimanded by the lord.¡±
¡°Stop with the nonsense and bring the carriage.¡±
¡°What? Why the carriage?¡±
Unconcerned, Damien replied to the question.
¡°We have to go and repay what we received.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Chapter 3
Chapter 3
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 3: Came Back for Revenge (2)
Landwalk City.
It was a city not far from the Haksen Manor.
Situated at the nexus connecting the northern and eastern parts of the kingdom, it served as amercial ma where numerous goods were transported daily.
With suchmerce thriving, entertainment venues also flourished. In his past life, Damien had visited Landwalk City merely for the sake of enjoyment.
¡°To see myself in such a fine state again.¡±
Upon entering Landwalk City, Damien was briefly immersed in nostalgia.
During the time when he was a death knight Death under Dorugo¡¯smand, Landwalk City met the same fate as his family at his hands.
The screams of ughter done by the undead that day still echoed in his ears.
¡°Young master? You seem troubled.¡±
Victor nced at Damien¡¯s Face and asked.
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing, you say. Aren¡¯t you afraid to return to that tavern again?¡±
To Damien, Victor¡¯s words seemed absurd.
It was a face that questioned what this was all about.
¡°I understand. It¡¯s because of the ck Serpent, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re scared of going back there?¡±
¡°ck Serpent? What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Oh my, young master. Why do you always¡ That¡¯s the name of the most influential organisation thriving in Landwalk City.¡±
¡°Ah, I see¡¡±
Only after hearing did my memory about it return.
At that time, there was indeed a highly renowned organisation in the Landwalk city.
It rapidly absorbed all the other organisations in Landwalk City and rose to be the ruler of the underworld within a short period.
However, by the time Damien worked as a mercenary, it had already copsed.
The knights who had arrived in Landwalk City at that time had systematically wiped them out.
¡°So, being affiliated with the ck Serpent allowed them to act so recklessly.¡±
Landwalk City thrived as a merchant hub.
It established its independent power, escaping the grip of nobility with vast capital and influence.
Therefore, the aristocratic power was inevitably weak here.
Given that context and the tavern¡¯s association with the ck Serpent, it seemed that they belittled minor nobles like Haksen House.
¡°Guide me.¡±
¡°Excuse me? Um, where exactly?¡±
¡°If not that tavern, where else would I be going?¡±
He hadpletely forgotten about the ck Serpent, let alone the way to that tavern.
Victor¡¯s expression turned pale at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Sir¡ Y-You really intend to go there?¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
¡°I was absolutely sure you¡¯d just pretend to go there¡¡±
¡°I am good at telling jokes.¡±
Damienughed lightly, patting Victor¡¯s shoulder.
¡°From now on, remember this. I won¡¯t tell lies anymore.¡±
¡°Yes? Yes?¡±
¡°Understood? Then hurry up and lead the way.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, tears welled up in Victor¡¯s eyes
¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Victor said in a feeble voice.
The tavern appeared as soon as they entered a narrow alley.
¡°Sir, are you really going in? Please, for both our sakes, let¡¯s reconsider this¡¡±
Damien nced at Victor with an amused look.
If he disliked it so much, he could have refused. Yet he went through with the guidance, grumbling along the way. Truly a stubborn fellow.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, just follow me.¡±
Damien stepped forward without hesitation.
Though hesitant, Victor followed behind him.
Two guards were stationed at the tavern¡¯s entrance.
One was smoking a cigarette, the other was peeling an apple core.
¡°Hmm?¡±
The guard smoking a cigarette noticed Damien¡¯s arrival. Unfortunately, he was bald.
The bald guard nodded and gestured to another guard beside him.
¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that guy¡?¡±
The other guard, unlike the bald one, had a full head of hair and was busy peeling an apple.
¡°You mean the nobleman who got his butt kicked and ran away?¡±
¡°Seems like it. How dare he show his face here again? We warned him not to, but he¡¯s back.¡±
As the two guards exchanged words, Damien arrived at the door.
¡°Hey there, noble sir. What brings you here again? We told you not to show your face here again.¡±
The guard with hair sliced an apple corner excessively and shoved it into his mouth.
Chewing on the apple, he asked
¡°Or perhaps, are you here for revenge?¡±
¡°You catch on quickly. Indeed, I¡¯m here for revenge.¡±
The guard blinked repeatedly in surprise.
Then he turned to the bald guard and asked,
¡°Hey, what did this guy just say?¡±
¡°He said he¡¯s here for revenge.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mishear it, did I?¡±
The bald guard chuckled bitterly.
¡°Is your pride hurt,ing here like a noble to usmoners, after getting beaten?¡±
Throwing the partially eaten apple to the ground, he smacked Damien¡¯s cheek with his hand, stained with apple juice.
¡°Need a few more hits to wake you up? Maybe break a few teeth to sober you up?¡±
As if that weren¡¯t enough, he pinched Damien¡¯s cheek with his fingers.
¡°Just so you don¡¯t misunderstand. A no-name family like the Haksens has no power in this city. Even if we killed your family here¡¡±
Damien gazed silently at the guard.
More urately, his attention was fixed on the guard¡¯s apple knife.
¡°Enough.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Suddenly, Damien snatched the apple knife from the guard¡¯s hand.
¡°As I didn¡¯t bring a weapon, I¡¯ll borrow this for a moment.¡±
¡°Is this guy crazy!¡±
The bald guard tried to grab the apple knife back, but Damien swung it first.
The horizontally swung apple knife barely missed the bald guard¡¯s neck.
Flesh tore, blood sprayed, and the bald guard copsed, spurting blood like a broken faucet.
¡°Argh!¡±
A person¡¯s neck was sliced off as if it were a piece of paper cut by a dull knife.
Shocked by the gruesome sight, the bald guard couldn¡¯t utter a word.
¡°What the¡ What¡¯s this guy doing!¡±
Among Damien¡¯s previous opponents that he had fought, there was a master nicknamed as the ¡°Killer Ghost¡±, known not for martial arts but murderous techniques, attaining mastery in the art of killing.
The Killer Ghost¡¯s most powerful sword art was the ¡°Life-Taking Sword¡±, a sword art which allowed him to effortlessly sever a person¡¯s body like cutting water with a de.
Due to his infamy, Dorugo had attempted to recruit him, but the situation turned sour, leading to his fight with Damien.
After a 30-minute struggle, Damien absorbed all of the Killer Ghost¡¯s skills and achieved victory.
¡°Dare to mess with the ck Serpent? You¡¯re really out of your mind, wanting to die!¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you hear earlier? I said I came for revenge.¡±
¡°This son of a¡!¡±
The bald guard clenched his fists and lunged forward.
With emotionless eyes, Damien anticipated the bald guard¡¯s movements.
He dodged the flying fist aimed at his face by twisting his upper body.
At that moment, he raised the apple knife upwards.
The apple knife brushed against the bald man¡¯s wrist as it passed by.
Despite the casual swing, the wrist was severed abruptly.
¡°Argh!¡±
The bald man screamed in agony, clutching his severed wrist.
Damien pushed the apple knife into the bald man¡¯s neck.
The bald man¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he copsed to the side.
As a result, the apple knife was automatically removed.
¡°Phew.¡±
Damien took a deep breath.
Even after a brief movement, his breathing became ragged.
¡®My body is indeed too weak.¡¯
His muscles were undeveloped, and cardiovascr endurance was at its lowest.
Moreover, he hadn¡¯t mastered any aura techniques.
¡®No wonder it¡¯s difficult to achieve the level of my past life.¡¯
Upon deciding on a n, Victor interrupted.
¡°M-Master!¡±
Victor rushed over in shock, staring at the copsed body without a word.
¡°Wh-When did you¡ or, rather, did you really have to kill?¡±
From Victor¡¯s perspective, it was a reasonable question.
The gap in skill between Damien and the others was stark.
Even though he could have subdued them, killing was an excessive act.
But Damien didn¡¯t see it that way.
¡°Why did I kill?¡±
Even if his family¡¯s influence was weak, Damien was still a nobleman.
The stigma of causing trouble in a tavern and getting beaten bymoners was hard to erase.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we restore my and my family¡¯s honour?¡±
If there was a way, it would only be to repay disgrace multiple times over.
For instance, by killing everyone on the other side.
Ultimately, Damien was the victim.
He caused a ruckus in the tavern due to ridiculous insults hurled at him.
Undoubtedly, they must have looked down on him and thus deserved the consequences.
¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can wait outside.¡±
Victor lowered his head and said.
¡°But I should at least protect your back, sir.¡±
At that response, Damien chuckled. Victor was truly naive.
¡°What a noble sentiment.¡±
With that, Damien entered the tavern.
The inside of the tavern was incredibly spacious.
In the centre, there was a stage for dancers in revealing outfits.
Customers sat around, drinking and cheering while watching the spectacle.
¡°Yeah, I used to love hanging out at ces like this.¡±
Memories from the past flooded in.
Embarrassment overwhelmed him at the thought of his naive days.
¡°Why did I evene to such a ce¡?¡±
As Damienmented internally,
¡°Ahh!¡±
¡°Ahh!¡±
The Female staff, noticing Damien stained with blood, screamed.
Hearing themotion, guards emerged from various ces.
¡°Damn, what the hell happened?¡±
¡°Hey, who¡¯s this guy? He¡¯s holding a knife!¡±
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One of the guards approached Damien.
He had a face full of scars, as if he had lived a rough life.
¡°Hey, where did youe from? Whye to someone else¡¯s establishment and cause trouble?¡±
¡°I have no business with the underlings. Tell your boss toe out.¡±
He didn¡¯t really expect the boss to appear. It was just to provoke the man in front of him.
¡°Have you seen such a crazy guy?¡±
The man, unable to contain his anger, tried to grab Damien¡¯s cor.
But before that, Damien¡¯s apple knife moved.
Swiftly swaying, the apple knife severed the man¡¯s wrists.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Were human wrists really so easily severed?
As the man was stunned, Damien passed him by. Simultaneously, his throat was cut.
Arteries and veins were severed, blood gushed out, and a pungent smell of blood spread in all directions.
¡°Aaah!¡±
The people screamed in horror.
¡°I¡¯ll say it again.¡±
Damien addressed them.
¡°Bring out the boss.¡±
The guards exchanged nces, then swiftly drew their daggers.
¡°This bastard!¡±
¡°Kill him!¡±
About a dozen guards rushed from all directions.
Observing them, Damien briefly clicked his tongue.
¡°I won¡¯t let you moths escape¡±
Damien¡¯s hand moved.
With each swing of the apple knife, the guards¡¯ throats were cut.
¡°Gah! Ack!¡±
Adult men fell like scarecrows.
In the blink of an eye, all the guards turned into corpses.
¡°Phew.¡±
Damien calmed his rough breath. Clearly, his stamina wascking.
¡°Master! Here, take this!¡±
Suddenly, Victor brought the daggers the guards had carried.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire Victor¡¯s adaptability.
¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡±
¡°What? But wouldn¡¯t this be better than using the apple knife?¡±
Compared to the apple knife, the dagger was slightly longer, wider, and much sharper.
However, Damien had no intention of changing weapons.
¡°When dealing with such riffraff, any weapon will do.¡±
He entered further into the tavern.
As he passed, the hiding staff and customers dashed outside.
As he went in further, the guards rushed at him.
¡°Everyone, charge together!¡±
¡°Push him back with shields!¡±
As intended, they blocked Damien with wooden shields.
¡°Kuk!¡±
¡°Argh!¡±
But it was futile resistance.
With each swing of the apple knife, shields were cut and throats were slit.
Thud.
He kicked the office door. With a loud sound, the door swung open.
¡°Noisy.¡±
Inside were two men.
An elderly man sat in the boss¡¯s chair.
Next to him, a young man stood upright.
¡°Can¡¯t youe in quietly? I detest disturbances.¡±
For someone cornered, he seemed remarkablyposed.
Puzzled, Damien asked the old man, ¡°Are you the boss?¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m Andersen Holm, the owner of this tavern. And who might you be?¡±
¡°Damien.¡±
¡°Haksen? The brat from the Viscount Haksen family?¡±
Andersen¡¯s eyes widened.
With an incredulous look, he scrutinised Damien.
¡°The brat was this skilled? No, why did you attack my establishment?¡±
¡°I was here a few days ago, and got into a scrape.¡±
¡°You, with that much skill, got into trouble with our guys?¡±
Andersen looked even more puzzled. Damien shrugged.
¡°I was quite drunk at the time.¡±
He mumbled roughly, not really here to justify himself.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t you have been quietly tucked away at home if I let you live? Whye back to my establishment?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve lost too much because of that incident. I¡¯vee to reim it.¡±
¡°Lost? Ah, talking about honour, huh? But, am I getting too old, or is it just that I can¡¯t understand? Is there any honour to lose for the Haksen family¡¯s Damien?¡±
The corners of Damien¡¯s eyes twitched at the old man¡¯s words.
¡°My subordinates didn¡¯t even report this to me. Do you know why? Because Damien isn¡¯t worth much.¡±
¡°This won¡¯t work.¡±
Damien said shortly, clicking his tongue.
¡°I was nning to spare you if you came to apologise, but now I might as well take an arm.¡±
¡°Hahaha, how absurd.¡±
Andersen Holm chuckled as he rose from his seat.
Then, he politely bowed to the young man who had been standing still.
¡°It seems Ted should step in.¡±
¡°The cost of using me is high.¡±
¡°I understand. I¡¯ve already exined it to the boss.¡±
Andersen Holm took out a small leather pouch from a drawer and extended it.
¡°Here are ten gold coins.¡±
¡°What do I have to do?¡±
¡°Just cut off a limb. Then I¡¯ll have my subordinates take care of the rest and dump it in the back shed.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Ted dryly replied as he drew the longsword from his waist.
At that moment, a heavy aura spread all around.
Damien scrutinized the young man with an intrigued expression.
¡°It seems you¡¯re not someone typically employed in a ce like this.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make unpleasant assumptions. I belong to the ck Serpents. I was waiting here on the boss¡¯s orders.¡±
¡°The ck Serpents? They¡¯re making quite the waves these days. Using a squire as a tavern guard.¡±
Damien¡¯s words surprised the young man.
¡°¡How did you guess I¡¯m a squire?¡±
¡°I have a good eye.¡±
To be a full-fledged knight, one must go through the ranks of squire, apprentice knight, junior knight, and then knight.
The squirees right after the trainee.
However, being a squire doesn¡¯t mean being weak.
Just being a squire means being strong enough to kill a beast with bare hands.
¡°Quite a decent opponent.¡±
¡°Decent?¡±
Ted reacted with surprise.
¡°Just seeing a squire working in a ce like this gives me an estimate.¡±
Damien added with a smirk,
¡°Seems like you weren¡¯t talented enough to rise to the rank of junior knight and got kicked out. For someone like that, even saying ¡®decent¡¯ is an overestimation, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Click.
Along with the sound of teeth gritting, Ted¡¯s aura intensified.
¡°Seems like I¡¯ve hit a nerve?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s start by tearing that mouth of yours.¡±
Before finishing his, Ted lunged forward towards him, kicking the ground fiercely.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 4
Chapter 4
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 4: Came Back for Revenge (3)
The distance between Damien and Ted was roughly 10 metres.
Ted cleared that distance in just a single leap.
¡°His leg strength is quite impressive.¡±
As the distance between them closed, Ted immediately swung his longsword.
A de over a metre long aimed at Damien¡¯s neck, soaring through the air.
Damien stepped back a pace.
The longsword narrowly grazed past the tip of his nose.
¡°Even with such broad movements, the de doesn¡¯t waver. His skill is quite high for a squire.¡±
Despite the first strike missing, Ted continued to attack without flinching.
Consecutive strikes targeted Damien.
With just one step at a time, Damien evaded the attacks.
¡°Good physical ability, excellent swordsmanship, sharp reflexes. Evidence of continuous training.¡±
Despite being employed by a group like the ¡°ck Serpents,¡± he was a skilled individual.
¡°He¡¯s gradually exerting force.¡±
Damien¡¯s swordsmanship had long surpassed the realm of a master.
However, his physical stamina did not match up to his swordsmanship.
He was already short of breath, sweat pouring from his body.
¡°I really need to work on my stamina when I get back.¡±
Continuing to evade attacks and running out of stamina would be dangerous.
Damien decided it was time to counterattack.
¡°This little rat!¡±
Ted yelled in anger, raising his longsword high.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can dodge this too!¡±
He positioned the hand holding the longsword next to his face, aiming the de at Damien.
A typical stabbing stance.
But Damien immediately read Ted¡¯s intention.
¡°He is using ¡®Vision.''¡±
Vision.
It refers to the secret technique possessed by one or two renowned swordsmen at a time.
Whenbined with Aura, Vision possesses immense power, capable of bringing down mountains or breaking down fortress walls, resembling natural disasters.
As he was still just a squire, it was evident that the young man¡¯s use of Vision was only at an ordinary skill level.
Yet, even that was deadly.
Originally, Vision techniques were devised in times without Aura to ensure the opponent¡¯s certain death.
¡°Hah!¡±
As the youth lunged forward, shing with his sword, Damien attempted to parry the technique, at that moment the young man twisted his body.
The body, elerating in a straight line,pleted half a rotation.
The following longsword struck Damien¡¯s nape.
It was an astonishing sequence of attacks.
However, Damien¡¯s assessment of it was brief.
¡°Not much.¡±
Damien casually leaned backward, evading the longsword.
The longsword swept through the air.
At that moment, Damien lifted the apple knife.
He brought the apple knife to where the youth¡¯s hand would pass.
The wrist was severed, muscles cut apart.
The longsword fell to the ground, slipping from his fingers.
Ted groaned, clutching his wrist.
¡°T-This can¡¯t be! How did you¡ with my technique¡¡±
Damien thrust the apple knife into the young man¡¯s neck, and he copsed to the ground.
¡°That was somewhat enjoyable.¡±
Wiping the blood off the apple knife, Damien turned to Andersen Holm.
¡°Your trusted man is dead now. What do you n to do?¡±
Andersen Holm froze, his hand hesitantly pointing at Damien, trembling.
¡°D-Do you realize what you¡¯ve just done? That squire was the boss¡¯s trusted aide from the ck Serpents! If you kill him, the ck Serpents¡¡±
Approaching Andersen Holm, Damien spoke,
¡°Instead of worrying about the ck Serpents, you should worry about yourself first.¡±
cing the Apple knife on Andersen¡¯s shoulder, a warning of imminent dismemberment, Andersen¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°I-I think there might have been a misunderstanding¡¡±
¡°A misunderstanding? Isn¡¯t there something more immediate to address before resolving such misunderstandings?¡±
Andersen knelt before Damien, shaking.
¡°Y-You¡ Do you know what you¡¯ve done? That squire was a loyalist of the ck Serpents¡¯ boss! If you kill him, the ck Serpents will¡¡±
¡°Enough of these pointless questions. You should think about your own situation first.¡±
Satisfied, Damien lightly patted Andersen¡¯s head with his palm, leaving him looking disgusted.
¡°Why do you look so unhappy?¡±
¡°I-I couldn¡¯t possibly¡¡±
¡°Your words are quite brief.¡±
¡°I-I couldn¡¯t possibly¡¡±
¡°Alright, now I find you somewhat likeable.¡±
Damien sat down in the chair previously used by Andersen.
It was quite a luxurious andfortable chair.
¡°Victor. Why are you standing there all fidgety? Come and sit.¡±
Damien addressed Victor, who hesitantly stepped inside.
¡°M-Master¡ What did I just witness? H-How could you¡ with the squire?¡±
¡°Save those useless questions forter.¡±
Damien turned to Andersen.
¡°Shall we continue our conversation from earlier? The humiliation I faced at this tavern not only tarnishes my reputation but also our family¡¯s. How do you intend topensate for that?¡±
Andersen swallowed hard.
¡°J-Just wait a moment, please.¡±
Andersen approached a safe in the office and took out a few gold bars.
¡°Th-This is a token of apology for causing trouble to Viscount Haksen. Would this be sufficientpensation?¡±
¡°Not enough.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°There¡¯s more inside. Bring it all out.¡±
¡°B-But if you take everything, I won¡¯t have anything left for the ck Serpents¡¯ dues.¡±
¡°That¡¯s your problem. If you don¡¯t like it, I could just kill you and take it.¡±
Andersen bit his lip.
Damien flicked his finger at Andersen¡¯s actions.
¡°Ta-Take it, please!¡±
Andersen fetched all the gold bars and coins from the safe, finally eliciting a satisfied response from Damien.
¡°Victor. Gather everything.¡±
¡°Yes, yes!¡±
Victor hurriedly collected all the items.
Andersen looked on with a bewildered expression.
¡°Now, let¡¯s settle the remaining debt.¡±
¡°T-The remaining debt?¡±
¡°I said I would sever one of your arms.¡±
Damien stood up from the chair.
Andersen panicked and shouted,
¡°W-Wait! Didn¡¯t I give you the money?¡±
¡°That was for the affront to me and my family. This is a separate matter.¡±
Damien approached Andersen without hesitation.
Andersen¡¯s face turned ghostly white.
Andersen Holm was on the brink of licking Damien¡¯s shoes.
¡°If you don¡¯t like it, pay for the loss with something else.¡±
¡°I-I have no more money left now.¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t pay, then it¡¯s time to cut.¡±
Damien raised the apple knife.
Andersen Holm extended both hands, yelling,
¡°Wait! Just wait a moment!¡±
He dashed off somewhere.
He pushed aside the drawer in the office, revealing a small safe embedded in the wall.
¡°H-Here, please take it.¡±
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Andersen Holm took out ten vials from the safe.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°Potions made by the Alchemy faction!¡±
Damien examined the vials with a fascinated expression.
The Alchemy faction was a renowned group specialising in alchemy.
They were the only ones capable of producing the Elixir, a universal remedy, at the current time.
Potions made by the Alchemy faction were said to be traded for gems of equal weight.
¡°What do they do?¡±
¡°They¡¯re potions knights use for training. They greatly enhance stamina and vitality.¡±
He¡¯d heard of it.
Some knights would consume potions to maximise the effects of their training.
It was a privilege reserved for wealthy families.
¡°Why do you have these?¡±
¡°As I¡¯m getting older, I¡¯ve been buying them to maintain my health.¡±
¡°You seem to have bought quite a lot. Moderation would be wise.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue.
Secretly, Andersen Holm clenched his fists.
¡°With this, it should be enough for an arm¡¯s worth.¡±
¡°T-Thank goodness.¡±
¡°Cut off your ear as payment.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Before Andersen Holm could understand, Damien struck with the apple knife.
The apple knife grazed his ear, which fell to the ground.
¡°Aaaah! You bastard!¡±
Andersen Holm held his ear, writhing in pain.
His furious eyes red at Damien.
¡°You! Do you think you can get away with this? After causing such trouble and killing a member of the ck Serpent, they will¡¡±
¡°Speak.¡±
¡°W-What?¡±
¡°Tell them clearly that Damien wrecked this ce and took your money.¡±
Damien continued in a monotone voice.
¡°I know well how your gang operates. Am I wrong?¡±
During his mercenary days, Damien had learned a lot about the world.
One of the lessons was to ruthlessly crush enemies when they emerged.
¡°I¡¯ll visit the ck Serpents soon. If they dare to issue a warrant against me, I¡¯ll wipe them all out.¡±
Damien hurled the apple knife.
The apple knife brushed Andersen Holm¡¯s nose and thudded onto the ground, apanied by a shrill scream.
¡°Make sure you understand and ry my message urately.¡±
Saying so, Damien left the tavern, followed by Victor.
On their way back to Haksen Manor, Victor, with a worried expression, asked from the carriage,
¡°Sir, can we really go back like this?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve killed so many people. Won¡¯t the authorities in Landwork Citye after you?¡±
Damien casually responded to Victor¡¯s question.
¡°When we left the tavern, were the guards blocking our way?¡±
¡°N-No, they weren¡¯t.¡±
¡°Organizations as big as the ck Serpents usually make arrangements with guards. They tend to ignore incidents in their area.¡±
Originally, it would have been a request not to be apprehended by guards, but this time, it worked in Damien¡¯s favor.
¡°But what if they issue a warrant for you in Landwork Cityter on?¡±
¡°If we let these gangsters dent our pride, what will be left? They got everything from a single person. Would they ask the guards to arrest me?¡±
Damien¡¯s reason for sparing Andersen Holm¡¯s life was also for this reason. Shouldn¡¯t they quickly assess the situation from the ck Serpents¡¯ side to avoid trouble with the guards?
¡°If it¡¯s the ck Serpents, they¡¯ll definitely try to eliminate us themselves. They might even attack our territory.¡±
Upon hearing this, Victor¡¯s expression darkened.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here.¡±
Damien¡¯s reassurance brought a glimmer of hope to Victor¡¯s face.
¡°But, sir, when did you learn swordsmanship like that? I understand about the tavern¡¯s guards, but I didn¡¯t expect you to defeat even a squire.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been training whenever I had the chance.¡±
Damien casually brushed off the query.
It was too much of a hassle toe up with a convincing excuse.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to attack the ck Serpents today?¡±
¡°Ha, have you seen such a fearsome guy? Shouldn¡¯t we just get rid of him altogether?¡±
¡°Oh, n-no, that¡¯s not the way. From what I saw of Lord Damien¡¯s skills today, the ck Serpents won¡¯t be a problem.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
But today, Damien chose to step back.
His weak stamina continued to hold him back.
Even a brief skirmish would leave him breathless with his inferior physique, making a full-scale fight against the ck Serpents quite uncertain.
¡°Do you have something urgent? There¡¯s no rush, let¡¯s take our time.¡±
Damien murmured as he took out the potion he obtained today.
A potion crafted by the Alchemy Faction. He had made a significant acquisition today.
With this potion, training could be elerated, honing the body at a much faster pace.
Just a bit more improvement in stamina was all he needed.
He intended to go straight to Landwork City as soon as he felt a bit better, to annihte the ck Serpents.
¡°Ah, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Victor said, looking out the window.
The two got off the carriage.
¡°Damien! You rascal!¡±
As soon as they alighted, their father came running from a distance.
Their mother, sister, and brother were also present.
¡°Where in the world have you been until now? I have no idea what you might do next, and I¡¡±
Father¡¯s voice gradually lessened.
He noticed bloodstains on Damien¡¯s clothes.
¡°You, you¡ where in the world did you¡?¡±
¡°Victor, show him.¡±
Damien said to Victor.
Whimpering, Victor ced arge pouch in front of their father.
As Victor opened the pouch¡¯s mouth, gold bars came into view.
Father was so shocked that he made a strange noise.
¡°W-What is this!¡±
¡°I went to the tavern I was thrown out of and apologized. This is the price for it.¡±
¡°P-Price?¡±
¡°Yes, soon all the negative talk about our family will disappear.¡±
Even if it was the ck Serpents, they couldn¡¯t stop the rumors.
In a few days, everything that happened today would spread throughout the city.
¡°I¡¯m a bit tired, so I¡¯ll go up now.¡±
Damien moved his steps. Father couldn¡¯t continue speaking.
¡°¡What exactly happened just now?¡±
Father asked his wife and daughter.
Both of them were clueless as well.
¡°¡Brother!¡±
As Damien tried to go to his room, his younger brother, Abel Haksen, grabbed him.
¡°Is what you just said true? You went to the tavern and received payment?¡±
¡°It¡¯s true.¡±
¡°How in the world did you get payment? Did you, by any chance, kill their guards?¡±
¡°Yeah, I did.¡±
Abel¡¯s expression hardened at that statement.
¡°Are you telling me you stabbed them from behind with a knife?¡±
¡°Do you think I would do such a cowardly act? I went through the main entrance and killed them all.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking right now!¡±
Abel didn¡¯t believe Damien¡¯s words.
It was indeed unbelievable.
A man who only squandered the family¡¯s wealth suddenly killed dozens of people.
¡°Do you know what the situation in Landwork City is right now? The ck Serpents, a new organization, have taken control of everything. If you act like this, the ck Serpents won¡¯t stay quiet!¡±
The reality for the Haksen Manor was having to fear organisations like the underworld.
Their territory was small, and the number of people defending the estate was minimal. It was natural to worry about such a thing.
¡°Why do you keep causing trouble? You¡¯re putting our family in danger!¡±
¡°I can trust you to handle everything on behalf of the family.¡±
¡°What? What did you just say¡ Stop it!¡±
Damien vigorously ruffled Abel¡¯s hair.
Though Abel tried to resist with both hands, Damien deftly avoided him.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±
Leaving those words behind, Damien ascended the stairs again.
Abel looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Chapter 5: Training (1)
¡°Victor! What on earth is going on!¡±
Paul Haksen, the head of the House of Haksen, grabbed Victor and demanded an exnation.
In a voice devoid of any confidence, Victor recounted the events that had transpired in the city.
Paul Haksen found his statement unbelievable.
¡°Who are you lying to!¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m telling the truth!¡±
¡°Damien has never once held a sword in his life! Are you telling me that such a fellow killed dozens, and to add to that, even a squire?¡±
Victor felt unfairly used.
The most unjust part was that, upon careful consideration, it didn¡¯t seem logical to him either.
¡°This won¡¯t do! I need to send someone to confirm this myself!¡±
Paul Haksen immediately dispatched a steward to Landwork City.
The steward, who had departed at dusk, returned the next day at noon.
¡°How did it go?¡±
The steward hesitated to reply. Only when pressed by Paul Haksen did he speak up.
¡°Victor¡¯s words were correct. There was a massacre at the tavern managed by the ck Serpents. Rumors are spreading all over town that the culprit was a nobleman.¡±
Paul Haksen grabbed his head.
He felt so confused that it seemed like his surroundings were spinning.
¡°Thank you for your efforts. You may go now.¡±
The steward bowed and left.
As the steward disappeared, Paul Haksen turned to his wife.
¡°Did you hear? It seems thatd got into some serious trouble.¡±
Paul Haksen was well acquainted with the ck Serpents, often encountering stories about them in the contentious gatherings of nobles.
¡°This is serious. Now that we¡¯ve provoked the ck Serpents, they won¡¯t leave us alone.¡±
As much as it wounded his pride, the Haksen Manor was a terribly small noble family.
Theycked the strength to withstand retaliation from a massive organization like the ck Serpents.
¡°I can¡¯t fathom this at all. As far as I know, Damien has never learned swordsmanship. But then how¡¡±
His wife approached and firmly grasped her husband¡¯s hand.
¡°Honey, I might not know the details, but¡ isn¡¯t this somewhat fortunate?¡±
¡°Fortunate? What do you mean?¡±
¡°Well, at least Damien didn¡¯t return beaten and bruised, right?¡±
Paul Haksen looked bewildered.
He was about to say that this couldn¡¯t be a joke, but his wife¡¯s expression was genuine.
¡°I¡¯m as confused as you are. But isn¡¯t it better that Damien returned without being beaten?¡±
¡°This time, it¡¯s not just about being beaten¡¡±
Paul Haksen said with a bitter expression.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about the ck Serpents. How can those roguesy a finger on nobles like us?¡±
Though rebuttals continued toe to his mind, Paul Haksen kept them to himself.
He knew that right now, it was important to empathise with his wife.
¡°We¡¯ll inquire about the situation from thatdter, in detail.¡±
¡°¡Alright.¡±
Paul Haksen sighed deeply.
¡°But what is thatd doing right now?¡±
¡°I heard he¡¯s running.¡±
¡°Running?¡±
Paul Haksen looked puzzled.
His wife said it casually, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.
¡°Heins about his weak stamina but has been circling around the estate since dawn.¡±
The morning after visiting Landwork City.
Damien Haksen rose from bed at dawn.
His body, ustomed toziness, desired more sleep, but he endured it with superhuman patience.
He changed intofortable attire and stepped outside.
¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve felt the morning air.¡±
During his Death Knight days, Damien Haksen was imprisoned within his own body, devoid of freedom.
That¡¯s why the chilly morning air felt particrly weing.
Beforemencing his morning training, Damien Haksen retrieved a ss bottle he had brought along.
It was the elixir he had stolen from the Andersen Holm.
He brought the bottle to his lips and drank the elixir.
The elixir immediately transformed into vitality coursing through his body.
¡°The effects are better than I thought.¡±
From now on, Damien Haksen¡¯s task was to absorb all the vitality obtained from the elixir.
The best way to absorb vitality was to move his body directly.
The more Damien Haksen pushed his body to its limits, the quicker vitality absorbed to aid in his body¡¯s recovery.
¡°Haa, haa.¡±
Along the boundaries of the estate, Damien began to run.
Considering he had never trained, his running speed was subpar. Exhaustion caught up quickly, leaving him breathless after a short distance.
¡°Huff, huff.¡±
Nevertheless, Damien didn¡¯t stop running.
Despite the agony, he felt the elixir¡¯s vitality being rapidly absorbed.
In truth, Damien didn¡¯t possess extensive knowledge of training the human body. He merely replicated training methods learned from the captain during his mercenary days.
¡°But still, it was based on the training methods of a knight family.¡±
Surprisingly, the captain he served in his past life had been an apprentice knight. Everything he learned stemmed from techniques taught within a knight family.
Knight families were renowned for their efficient training methods as they groomed knights through generations.
¡°The captain used to say that the foundation of all training is running.¡±
He enforced daily morning runs for the members to improve basic stamina and cardiovascr endurance.
Initially met with dissatisfaction, it didn¡¯t take long for them to realize the captain¡¯s methods were correct.
¡°Right now, what I need is stamina.¡±
While swordsmanship was essential, stamina was currently the priority.
With a weak physical state, exerting oneself excessively would be futile.
¡°After building up stamina, I¡¯ll focus on swordsmanship.¡±
In his past life, Damien defeated numerous strong opponents, absorbing their skills and reaching new levels.
And with those as a foundation, he reached an unprecedented level in history.
Damien Haksen named this level ¡®Divine Sword.¡¯
¡°Someone might think I¡¯m arrogant if they hear that.¡±
Still, he had no intention of changing the name.
Damien Haksen had earned the right to a name befitting the level he had reached.
The fact that he annihted the formidable presence of Archlich with a single stroke was evidence enough.
However, at present, achieving the level of ¡®Divine Sword¡¯ was impossible.
¡°First, my stamina is too weak.¡±
The higher the level, the more strain it ced on the body during implementation.
With a body that got tired from just a few swings of a sword, he couldn¡¯t manifest the Divine Sword.
¡°And I need to create a new swordsmanship too.¡±
In his previous life, Damien honed his swordsmanship based on his Death Knight physique.
Now, in his human body, the techniques he had developed back then were unusable.
To achieve the level of ¡®Divine Sword¡¯ once more, a new techniquepatible with his human form had to be forged.
¡°If I develop a decent technique, I could use it, but¡ I can¡¯t settle for something like that.¡±
He refused to settle for regaining only the power of his past life. He aimed to create an absolutely superior swordsmanship, surpassing his days as a Death Knight.
¡°And I¡¯ll have to learn mana absorption techniques.¡±
Mana absorption involves absorbing external magical power and storing it within oneself.
To be a knight, mastering mana absorption was imperative.
¡°All the mana absorb techniques I know are based on dark magic.¡±
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Dark mana and regr mana were fundamentally different forces. Hence, he needed to learn mana absorption techniques that used mana, not dark magic which involves the use of ck mana.
¡°I learned some mana absorption techniques from the captain during my mercenary days, but they were very basic.¡±
His expulsion during his training prevented him from receiving extensive teachings despite being an apprentice knight.
¡°There¡¯s so much to do, but not enough time.¡±
Besides securing his family¡¯s happiness, Damien had one more goal: ¡®Dorugo.¡¯
Having returned to the past, Dorugo should still be alive.
Dorugo¡¯s goal was to bring about the extinction of humanity and establish an empire for the deceased.
Without eliminating Dorugo, discussing his family¡¯s happiness was impossible.
¡°I need to reach the level of ¡®Divine Sword¡¯ as soon as possible to kill that guy again.¡±
Dorugo had been preparing for centuries to bring about the downfall of humanity.
However, without Damien in this lifetime, the ultimate goal would remain unattainable. Yet, it was evident that he would cause harm in some way or another in this world.
¡°I can¡¯t negotiate on peace without taking him down.¡±
Dorugo had mastered all forms of dark magic, particrly excelling in the creation of undead creatures.
The undead he crafted were not only formidable but possessed bizarre abilities and intellect. They could think like humans, learn, and even wield special powers.
Their threat surpassed imagination.
¡°Especially the three Great Demon Kings crafted by Dorugo were nothing short of disasters.¡±
Dorugo dared to give his creations the title of demon kings. However, considering their abilities, no one dared to say the name was exaggerated.
Each of the three Demon Kings wielded power equivalent to that of a nation.
¡°But they were still weaker than me back in my Death Knight days.¡±
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien was overwhelming, even against all three Demon Kings.
But that was a story from his Death Knight era. He couldn¡¯t afford to becent now.
¡°Soon, Dorugo will reveal his hand.¡±
If Damien¡¯s memories were correct, in a few years, the undead created by Dorugo would appear in the world.
They¡¯dmence activities to gather resources necessary for war.
Sending the undead he created worldwide to collect various resources.
Even during his time as a mercenary, Damien had epted missions to defeat the undead, leading to his encounter with Dorugo.
¡°I need to build the strength to kill Dorugo before that.¡±
His regression didn¡¯t bring back emotions from the past.
Inside Damien, a burning hatred for Dorugo still lingered.
¡°I will kill him for sure.¡±
Thinking so, Damien quietly sharpened his de.
Several days had passed since Damien started his training.
During this time, Damien had transformed astonishingly.
¡°Haa, haa.¡±
At first, he was so slow that it was hard to tell if he was walking or running.
But now, his running speed had increased remarkably.
¡°Haa, haa.¡±
His endurance had improved significantly, and he didn¡¯t tire much even after running for over an hour.
It was proof of his dedicated focus on training, although the elixir yed a significant role.
Without absorbing the elixir¡¯s power, he wouldn¡¯t have improved his stamina so rapidly in such a short time.
The early morning runsted until breakfast time.
¡°I¡¯m starting to enjoy running a bit now.¡±
Damien sat under a tree, catching his breath. He opened his canteen and drank some water.
¡°Ahh, refreshing.¡±
Though he¡¯d run for over two hours, Damien¡¯s training wasn¡¯t over yet.
Today, he nned to add several more exercises to improve his stamina.
All of them were exercises directly learned from the mercenarymander.
¡°By the way, why is the ck Serpent so quiet?¡±
Since that day, the ck Serpent hadn¡¯t caused any trouble.
¡°Any trouble brewing?¡±
Damien intended to thoroughly clean up the ck Serpent once he improved his stamina a bit.
Now that his elixirs were depleted, it was time for replenishment. He nned to visit the Landwalk City soon.
¡°We¡¯ve rested enough; let¡¯s get started.¡±
Damien rose to resume his training.
And it concluded around lunchtime.
As he made his way back to the mansion, he noticed several sophisticated-looking carriages parked in front.
¡°Where are these carriages from?¡±
At first nce, they didn¡¯t seem like ordinary carriages for someone of average status.
It was when Damien went closer to check the insignia.
¡°Young Master! Young Master!¡±
With urgent cries, Victor rushed over to Damien.
Stopping in front of Damien, Victor was panting heavily.
¡°Sir, something terrible has happened! You need toe to the reception room right away!¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°¡Marquise Ryan Bloom has sent someone!¡±
Ryan Bloom.
As soon as Damien heard those words, a foreboding feeling washed over him.
¡°No way, has the Heir of House of Bloome?¡±
¡°H-How did you know? The Heir and his escort knights have arrived at our estate!¡±
Damn it.
Damien rubbed his forehead with his palm.
His head throbbed with pain.
¡°I had a feeling, but it seems I¡¯ve already meddled with the Heir.¡±
One of the biggest incidents Damien caused in his past life might have already happened.
¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡±
After expressing his gratitude to Victor, Damien dashed towards the mansion.
He immediately opened the reception room door and entered.
First, he saw the faces of his family.
¡°Damien?¡±
His family eximed in surprise.
Before Damien could respond, he shifted his gaze.
¡°Oh, so you¡¯re here?¡±
Sitting across the room from where the family was gathered was an unfamiliar face.
¡°Sorry for dropping by unannounced. But waiting any longer was just too hard.¡±
A mischievous face, a smaller buildpared to Damien, yet incredibly muscr.
Even without needing to recall his name, Damien immediately remembered who this man was.
¡°Damien Haksen, so what¡¯s your n to pay for smacking my face?¡±
The Heir of House of Bloom, Edwin Ryan Bloom, asked Damien.
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Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Chapter 6: Training (2)
Before his regression, Damien had caused many problems for his family .But among them, the most notorious has to be the act of punching Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s face in front of everyone.
This incident escted to the point where the entire Haksen family had to take responsibility for it. To cover up this matter, Damien¡¯s sister, Louise Haksen, had to marry Edwin as if she were being sold.
¡°Da-Damien¡.¡±
His father, Paul Haksen, approached Damien, holding his shoulders as he questioned,
¡°Is it true? Is it true that you struck his face?¡±
Damien simply nodded his head.
Anger shed in Paul¡¯s eyes.. If they hadn¡¯t been in front of the Edwin, he might have struck Damien right then.
¡°Why on earth did you do such a thing? Why!¡±
¡°Sir, please don¡¯t say too much. In fact, it was partly my fault.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom intervened.
He wasn¡¯t clueless; it was a deliberate act.
¡°Who would have thought that Damien Haksen, the heir of the House of Hasken, would have feelings for thedy I was engaged with. Yet, I carelessly blurted it out in front of the parties involved¡¡±
He chuckled as he spoke.
¡°It was quite a fierce punch. My teeth still feel loose,¡± he said, looking amused.
Damie stared at Edwin Ryan Bloom sternly.
The Marquis Ryan Bloom was a renowned knight.
¡°The Marquis¡¯s bloodline was a distinguished one, and all those who inherited it had great talent.¡±
Erwin Ryan Bloom was no exception.
While not as grandiose as the Marquis, he too was rumored to possess remarkable talent.
His skills were not something to be tested by someone like Damien Haksen.
What a joke.
In other words, Edwin Ryan Bloom intentionally allowed himself to be hit.
¡°However, punching me at the social gathering¡ My father was furious about it. He said, ¡®Does a mere viscount dare to look down on Ryan Bloom?¡¯ ¡±
Paul Haksen¡¯s face turned pale.
Marquis Ryan Bloom was among the kingdom¡¯s top knights. It was inconceivable for the Haksen family to withstand the wrath of such a man.
¡°Sir, how do you n topensate for the insult our family has suffered?¡±
¡°That, well¡¡±
Paul Haksen couldn¡¯te up with an answer.
In a small family like the Haksen, there was nopensation that the Marquis Ryan Bloom would find satisfactory
Even if they sold all their assets, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.
¡°It seems you have no real solution for it.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom sneered as if he had already anticipated it.
¡°Then what if we do like this?¡±he continued.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Actually, I¡¯ve admired Miss Louise for a long time.¡±
Edwin shifted his gaze to Louise.
Under his sticky gaze, Louise turned her head slightly.
¡°I¡¯ve expressed my feelings to Miss Louise several times, but she rejected me every time.¡±
¡°What does that have to do with this incident?¡±
¡°Marry Miss Louise to me.¡±
The room fell silent at his words.
Ignoring the tension, Edwin continued.
¡°Then, we can reduce this issue to that of family matters. I can easily overlook the insult I received, and others won¡¯t gossip about it anymore.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±
Paul Haksen tly refused Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s proposal without a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
¡°Louise is already engaged to someone else. So¡¡±
¡°Then, how do you n topensate for the insult I¡¯ve suffered?¡±
Smile vanished from Edwins face, as he coldly stared at Paul Haksen.
¡°This incident cannot be brushed aside with a few words of apology.The Haksen family must take the responsibility for it.¡±
¡°You¡¡±
¡°Choose. Whether you¡¯ll pay the price for the insult or not.¡±
Under Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s deration, Paul Haksen lowered his head.
He was hesitating, unable to decide what to do.
¡°¡Fine.¡±
Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
Louise Haksen who was looking at Edwin spoke.
¡°I¡¯ll ept the proposal.¡±
At her words, a wide smile spread across Edwin¡¯s lips.
Conversely, the faces of Paul Haksen, his wife, and the youngest son crumpled in dismay.
¡°Louise! What on earth are you saying!¡±
¡°Just wait a moment! Mom and Dad will think of another way!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Why should you bear the responsibility for what our brother did!¡±
The family began persuading Louise Haksen.
However, Louise Haksen didn¡¯t change her opinion.
To avoid the wrath of Marquis Ryan Bloom, this was the only way for the Haksen family.
¡°Miss Louise, indeed, you¡¯re wise.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom cast a subtle nce at Louise Haksen. It felt greasy, like melted butter.
¡°Then, I will soon send someone officially. Let¡¯s discuss the specifics of the marriage then.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom attempted to leave.
But someone blocked his path.
¡°Huh? Damein, do you have something to say?¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom chuckled as he asked.
¡°No. Should I start calling you my brother-inw now?¡±
Damien Haksen heard Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s nonsense with one ear and let it pass.
Instead, he observed his family, wearing grim expressions.
It¡¯s been just a few days since I promised to make them happy¡ yet this is happening.
He realized how deeply rooted his mistakes were.
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The past him was truly a despicable person.
How should I fix this?
He couldn¡¯t simply let his sister be married off to Edwin.
While Edwin Ryan Bloom was a trustworthy lord to his subordinates, within the family, he was akin to a tyrant.
He often used violence against his wife and children under the guise of educating them.
He even had paranoia, causing him to suspect and scrutinise his wife regrly, sometimes even resorting to violence.
¡®So, there was never a day when the bruises on her body would fade.¡¯
Even while enduring such harsh treatment Louise never med Damien, even when Damien attacked the Ryan Bloom Castle, intending to kill Edwin for her.
Right now, I have no way to stop Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s coercion.
Damien Haksen was just a minor noble¡¯s eldest son.
He had no power to stop the House of Bloom¡¯s second heir.
¡®It¡¯s annoying. Should I just kill them all and end it?¡¯
Damien Haksen eyed Edwin Ryan Bloom and his guards.
¡®All four of them are Junior Knights.¡¯
To be a knight, one must go through the stages of a Squire, Apprentice Knight, Junior Knight, and finally, a Full fledged Knight.
To be a Junior Knight, one must learn how to manifest Aura.
And once they can adeptly manipte Aura, they¡¯re promoted to Full Knight.
Edwin Ryan Bloom is particrly strong among the Junior Knights.
Even within the same stage, there were differences in levels.
While Edwin Ryan Bloom was just a Junior Knight, he was just one step away from bing a Full Knight.
On the other hand, his guards were far from being Full Knights.
¡°If I end up fighting him, I¡¯ll have to face all four of them at once.¡±
It was a situation where logically, he couldn¡¯t win.
Five minutes should be enough to kill them.
But,
Damien Haksen had reached the divine level as a swordsman in his previous life.
Not talking about four but even four hundred Junior Knights, won¡¯t be able to defeat Damien Haksen.
¡®But if I really kill them all, Marquis Ryan Bloom won¡¯t just sit back and watch.¡¯
Killing wasn¡¯t the issue. It was what would happen after that.
While Damien alone might not have a problem, he couldn¡¯t risk his family¡¯s safety.
¡®I have no choice. Though It¡¯s troublesome, but I should retreat for now.¡¯
* * *
¡°You cowardly bastard!¡±
Suddenly, Damien Haksen shouted.
¡°Dragging the family into our issues? Is that what the son of a Marquis household does?¡±
Damien Haksen stood tall, continuously confronting him.
Seeing his so-called demeanor, Edwin Ryan Bloom held back augh.
¡°Since when did you start bothering about such matters? Because youck the ability, Louise has to bear the responsibility for it.¡±
¡°Shut up!¡±
Damien was fuming.
The more furious he became, the broader Edwin¡¯s smile grew.
Edwin was already acting like a triumphant winner, having achieved all his objectives.
The anger of a defeated opponent was nothing but enjoyable to him.
¡°Let¡¯s have a duel!¡±
¡°A duel?¡±
¡°Yes! If I win, this whole matter is forgotten!¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
Edwin showed a displeased reaction.
¡°What If I win?¡±
¡°W-What?¡±
¡°What will you give me if I win?¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s¡ Well, what do you want to take? Of course, I will win!¡±
¡°Tsk, tsk.¡±
Edwin clicked his tongue.
¡°If you want to duel me, you must offer equal terms.¡±
Saying so, Edwin tried to pass by Damien.
That¡¯s when it happened.
¡°Where are you running off to!¡±
Damien swung his fist at Edwin.
Edwi turned his head, dodging the punch.
¡°Huh, avoiding?¡±
Damien tried to strike again, but then the guards intervened.
¡°Don¡¯t step forward.¡±
Edwin ordered the guards not to step in.
Only by receiving help to stop Damien could he preserve his dignity.
¡°You seem to need a little taste of reality.¡±
Edwin excelled not only in swordsmanship but also in hand-to-handbat. He easily subdued Damien¡¯s feeble punching.
¡°Now that we¡¯re a family, I¡¯ll try to be a little more gentle.¡±
Despite this, Damien extended his fist again.
Edwin caught the fist, attempting to overpower him by breaking his arm.
That¡¯s when it happened.
A sudden shock struck his face. Edwin¡¯s head jerked backward.
¡°Crack!¡±
A punch struck him on the face, Edwin toppled backward.
Edwin wore an expression of disbelief.
¡°¡You just hit my face?¡±
How did that happen?his momentary confusion was quickly reced by pure anger.
There was a huge gap between him and Damien.
Last time, he intentionally took the hit.
But this time he was hit when it was not even intentional .
Edwin¡¯s pride was severely shaken because of this.
¡°Yeah! I hit you! What are you going to do about it!¡±
Damien charged again.
Edwin quickly got up.
¡°I tried to restrain myself, but it seems impossible now.¡±
Edwin adjusted his posture.
As the punch came, he wrapped both hands around it.
This time, he prepared to exert enough force to break bones.
But before that, Damien struck Edwin¡¯s abdomen with his knee.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Sudden pain in his lower belly drained all his strength.
Not missing that moment, Damien punched his face again.
Crack!
Edwin grabbed his face and staggered backward.
However, this time, it didn¡¯t end with just one hit.
¡°This bastard! How dare you touch our sister!¡±
Jutting forward, Damien punched Edwin¡¯s side.
Every bone in his body ached.
¡°Yeah! I hit you! What are you going to do!¡±
Damien¡¯s punches didn¡¯t stop.
Sessive assaults struck Edwin¡¯s body all over.
Edwin Ryan Bloom tried to counter, but it was futile.
Damien Haksen¡¯s punchesnded unexpectedly.
Face, side, abdomen, ribs, and more. His body took hits in various ces.
In the end, Ryan Bloom had no choice but to abandon his counterattacks. He hunched his body a bit to minimise the impact.
¡°I-I¡¡±
¡°Ah, what?¡±
The startled knights couldn¡¯t even think to intervene.
¡°Th-This bastard!¡±
That was the moment.
While he was receiving a barrage, Edwinshed out in frustration, throwing a punch.
Damien easily evaded that punch, sweeping Ryan Bloom¡¯s leg.
Ryan Bloom¡¯s body floated momentarily before crashing to the ground. However, as he fell, his head hit the corner.
Edwin¡¯s eyes rolled back, showing the whites.
¡°Young Master!¡±
¡°Are you alright?¡±
The guards were in a panic, shaking Edwin¡¯s body vigorously.
Yet he couldn¡¯t regain consciousness.
¡°Huh.¡±
Damien Haksen wiped his forehead as if feeling refreshed.
¡°Now that¡¯s a bit relieving.¡±
Damien Haksen felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
He thoroughly thrashed Edwin Ryan Bloom , exerting himself vigorously yet not losing his breath.
These two facts immensely gratified Damien.
¡°All that training paid off.¡±
While feeling proud, Damien was interrupted.
Edwin, who had been unconscious, regained his senses.
Thud.
The moment he was back, Ryan Bloom stood up, grinding his teeth.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Shouting vehemently, he pulled out his gloves from his pocket.
He threw them toward Damien¡¯s face.
¡°I challenge you to a duel!¡±
¡°Finally epting, I see.¡±
Damien grasped the gloves stuck on his face.
¡°If I win, don¡¯t hold me responsible for what I¡¯ve done.¡±
¡°Fine! But you have to agree to my condition too!¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°If one of us dies in the duel, don¡¯t hold the survivor ountable!¡±
At that, Damien twisted the corner of his mouth.
¡°You are going to regret that.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 7
Chapter 7
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 7: Training (3)
¡°Heir Edwin! What¡¯s that supposed to mean now?¡±
Paul Haksen strongly objected to Edwin¡¯s statement.
¡°A duel risking lives? This is absolutely uneptable! What does my son¡¯s life even mean to you?¡±
¡°Try touching a single hair of my son¡¯s! I won¡¯t let it slide!¡±
¡°Leave immediately! I won¡¯t tolerate any more of this insolent behaviour!¡±
It wasn¡¯t just Paul Haksen. Even Damein¡¯s mother and sister protested against this.
The only one keeping quiet was Abel Haksen, his younger brother.
¡°Go and stop them.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom neither attempted to persuade nor engage with the Haksen family. He simply gave orders to the knights.
¡°Young master, please calm down a bit.¡±
¡°Yes, why are you getting so worked up over this pointless matter?¡±
The knights gathered the courage to speak. Even they could see that the situation was flowing oddly.
At that, Edwin red at the knights with bloodshot eyes.
¡°Do you guys want to die?¡±
Upon hearing this, the knights could only swallow hard.
Having guarded Edwin Ryan Bloom for so long, they knew this wasn¡¯t a joke but a genuine threat.
¡°Stop the pointless chatter and prevent them from interfering.¡±
The knights had no choice but to block the Haksen family.
¡°Step aside now! Do you think this makes any sense?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the young master¡¯s orders.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I say to step aside?¡±
Paul Haksen tried to push the knights aside.
However, he couldn¡¯t ovee their strength.
Watching his father like this made Damien Haksen feel aplex mix of emotions.
To stand against a Marquis family¡¯s heir for a wretched son like him.
He felt both admiration and guilt simultaneously.
¡°Damien! Don¡¯t do it! Stop! I¡¯m begging you!¡±
Paul Haksen urgently shouted.
In this life, he had resolved to obey his father¡¯s words. But today was an exception.
Why should he beg?
The current situation was intended by Damien Haksen.
¡°You Three, gather weapons. Surely our household isn¡¯t so poor that weck usable weapons?¡±
Damien Haksen opened his eyes wide.
He didn¡¯t like asking his family so casually but spoke without much thought.
Just winning the duel wasn¡¯t enough.
He wanted to utterly demolish Edwin¡¯s pride.
Not finding a suitable weapon, he looked around.
Then, something caught his eye on the table.
¡°¡What are you doing?¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom asked, unable to understand.
Understandably so, because what Damien Haksen held was a fork, meant for eating dessert.
¡°Didn¡¯t you say to gather weapons?¡±
¡°I said a weapon for the duel.¡±
Damien Haksen flicked the fork lightly.
¡°For the likes of you, this is enough.¡±
¡°Ha¡¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom burst intoughter, utterly bewildered.
Theughter continued for quite some time.
Then, with a face filled with intense malice, he growled,
¡°You, I will surely kill you.¡±
As his words came to an end, Edwin Ryan Bloom kicked the ground.
He swung his longsword towards Damien Haksen¡¯s head.
But Damien Haksen evaded the strike by slightly adjusting his upper body.
¡°You dodged that?¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom looked surprised.
¡°Running away like a scared mouse, is that it? Let¡¯s see how long you can keep dodging.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom swung the sword repeatedly.
However, Damien Haksen managed to evade all the attacks with slight movements.
¡°His habits are just like his older brother¡¯s.¡±
In a previous life, Damien Haksen had brought down the House Ryan Bloom alone.
At that time, he shed with the House Ryan Bloom¡¯s Grandmaster.
The Grandmaster was at the level of a Sword Master and was preparing to inherit the marquis position. That¡¯s how talented the Grandmaster was. His skills evolved in real-time duringbat.
¡°Even though I won in the end¡¡±
After a fierce battlesting for about seven hours, Damien Haksen mastered all the Grandmaster¡¯s skills and techniques. He then exploited this weakness and slit open the Grandmaster¡¯s throat.
¡°I¡¯ve thoroughly understood the Ryan Bloom family¡¯s sword technique.¡±
Lion¡¯s Roar Sword. Its namees from the forceful momentum resembling a lion¡¯s roar.
However, from Damien¡¯s perspective, who was aware of its ws, it seemed no more threatening than a puppy barking.
¡°You¡¡±
As the sword kept missing its mark, Edwin¡¯s expression changed.
He realized that something was amiss.
¡°How are you dodging all my strikes?¡±
¡°It¡¯s all about skill.¡±
Damien Haksen replied indifferently.
A surge of rage distorted Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s face.
¡°Enough of this nonsense!¡±
With a shout, Edwin Ryan Bloom invoked his mana.
Upon utilizing mana, Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s movements visibly elerated.
¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to dodge now.¡±
Thanks to his dedicated training in the past few days, Damien¡¯s basic stamina had significantly increased. His ability to move intensely without gasping for breath was evidence of this.
However, his physique was still too frail.
Edwin swung his longsword downward.
The de was aimed for Damien¡¯s forehead.
Damien blocked the longsword with a fork.
At the moment of collision, a look of disdain crossed Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s face.
A fork, intended solely for eating dessert, couldn¡¯t possibly block a longsword. The fork would shatter miserably, and Damien Haksen¡¯s wrist would be severed.
But when he thought so, the trajectory of the longsword deviated.
The de, meant for the forehead, veered to the left and stuck into the ground.
It was an iprehensible phenomenon. Edwin¡¯s expression disyed confusion.
The other knights were equally baffled.
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¡°How?¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom swung the sword again, pulling it out from the ground and drew a diagonal line from bottom to top.
Again, Damien Haksen used the fork to block the longsword.
At the moment of collision, once more, the sword¡¯s trajectory shifted.
The de that traced the diagonal suddenly shot upwards.
Due to which , Edwin almost lost hold of the sword.
¡°Huh?¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom gritted his teeth and swung the sword again.
But Damien could clearly see what he was trying to do.
He inserted the flying longsword between the tines of the fork, and slightly adjusting the angle, he let the longsword slide away.
Edwins pupils widened as if in disbelief.
Alternating between the longsword and the fork, he gazed at Damien with a face that couldn¡¯t believe it.
¡°H-How¡ How can you wield such techniques!¡±
Among the opponents Damien Haksen had fought was a figure known as the ¡®Sword Saint („¦Â})¡¯.
This individual had reached an unparalleled level in swordsmanship, capable of redirecting not only flying arrows but also magic.
The pinnacle the Sword Saint achieved was the ¡®Ten Thousand Flows Insight (ÈfÁ÷ͨ²ì)¡¯, allowing them to perceive the flow of all attacks.
Damien emerged victorious after three days of intensebat against the Sword Saint.
¡°Because I¡¯m a genius.¡±
He had no intention of exining the circumstances in detail and replied briefly.
His words enraged Edwin Ryan Bloom.
¡°I told you to stop with that nonsense!¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom adjusted his grip on the hilt.
His overall mana surged more intensely.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll slice you with my sword!¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom swung the sword even more fiercely.
But Damien Haksen effortlessly deflected all the attacks.
¡°W-What¡ Am I seeing things?¡±
¡°What am I witnessing right now?¡±
The knights watching this spectacle couldn¡¯t help but be astonished.
Initially, they thought Damien had been lucky to deflect the sword strikes.
But after it happened a second, third, fourth time¡ They had to acknowledge something extraordinary about Damien Haksen: his exceptional swordsmanship.
¡°H-Hey, just what am I seeing?¡±
¡°I-I don¡¯t know either.¡±
Even the Haksen family was taken aback.
From Paul Haksen to the rest of the family, they watched Damien with stunned expressions.
¡°Did he really single-handedly kill all the tavern¡¯s guards?¡±
While everyone was in shock, Damien himself felt a great sense of satisfaction.
¡°The effects of the potion are quite impressive. I should grab a few more.¡±
Despite moving for so long, he didn¡¯t feel overly tired. If it had been ordinary physical training, his stamina wouldn¡¯t have increased so rapidly.
It was precisely when Damien was contemting something else.
¡°This¡ This can¡¯t be happening!¡±
Was it due to consecutive mistakes? Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s expression twisted fiercely.
¡°As Ryan Bloom¡¯s heir, me! Unable to deal with a lowlife like you! how Does that make any sense?¡±
Among those present, Damien Haksen was the first to notice a change.
A reddish-brown smoke arose from Edwin¡¯s longsword, terrifying all the knights who witnessed it.
¡°Young master! Do not summon the aura!¡±
Aura.
The ultimate weapon that only warriors who have trained for a long time can create.
Cover it over a de, and it can cut through metal tes like water. Embed it in a hammer, and it can shatter rocks.
Aura was the main reason why humans, aparably weak race, could dominate the whole continent.
¡°Let¡¯s see whether you can block this too!¡±
The sword imbued with aura cut diagonally towards Damien Haksen¡¯s body.
Damien Haksen brought the fork towards the iing de.
At that moment, everyone could sense Damien¡¯s impending demise.
They thought the fork would be severed, and his body would be shed.
But¡
¡°¡Huh?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Nothing changed. Even an attack infused with aura was deflected by the Sword Saint¡¯s pinnacle technique, ¡®Ten Thousand Flows Insight.¡¯
At this incredible sight, Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s mind momentarily nked out.
As a result, the hand holding the longsword lost its strength.
Damien Haksen noticed this and applied a bit more force with the fork.
The longsword slipped out of his hand and fell helplessly to the ground.
With the weapon gone, Edwin Ryan Bloom was left defenseless.
Damien Haksen rushed forward.
Before Edwin Ryan Bloom could evade, Damien Haksen aimed the fork at his neck.
A line of blood appeared on Edwin Ryan Bloom¡¯s neck.
At the moment his neck was cut, Edwin Ryan Bloom saw his life¡¯s memories sh before his eyes.
However, despite the end of his life¡¯s journey, he wasn¡¯t drawn into the afterlife.
¡°¡H-huk!¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom copsed to the ground, screaming in horror.
He clutched his neck with trembling hands. Blood flowed, but the wound wasn¡¯t deep.
¡°I-I¡¯m alive?¡±
Though not dead, the intense fear made him feel powerless all over.
Edwin Ryan Bloom yelled at the knights,
¡°W-what are you doing! P-protect me, right now!¡±
¡°Stay back.¡±
Before he knew it, Damien was standing beside him.
¡°This duel continues until one side dies. If anyone interferes, I¡¯ll kill them first.¡±
Threatening with a fork used for cutting cakes was absurd, yet no one found it amusing.
¡°Edwin Ryan Bloom.¡±
Damien Haksen spoke with a chilling tone.
¡°I am the victor of this duel. You will not mention the previous incident to anyone as we agreed.¡±
In his heart, Damien wanted to kill Edwin Ryan Bloom right there. But he wasn¡¯t yet at a level to handle Marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡°I don¡¯t want to see your face anymore. So, get lost right away.¡±
After saying that, Damien Haksen ced the fork on the table.
Edwin Ryan Bloom fled from the Haksen estate as if escaping.
¡°¡Damien, I can¡¯t let the incident today slide without asking.¡±
As soon as Edwin Ryan Bloom left, the family members detained Damien Haksen and questioned him.
¡°When and where did you learn swordsmanship like this and from whom?¡±
When they heard about him single-handedly dealing with the tavern¡¯s guards, they dismissed it as a bizarre incident.
But today was different. The Ryan Bloom Marquis was a highly respected knightly family.
To treat someone known as a genius, like Edwin Ryan Bloom, who hailed from such a prestigious family, like a child?
And on top of that, to repel a sword imbued with aura?
¡°Hmm.¡±
In response to the family¡¯s questions, Damien Haksen fell silent, lost in thought.
His family wouldn¡¯t believe that he had regressed.
The problem was that he couldn¡¯te up with a usible exnation.
That¡¯s how significantly stronger Damien Haksen had be.
Eventually, Damien Haksen gave up on exining.
¡°I just realized it on my own.¡±
At this, his father made a peculiar expression.
¡°Don¡¯t joke.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±
¡°Do you think you¡¯ve be a heaven-sent genius? Suddenly realizing such swordsmanship?¡±
Damien Haksen¡¯s pupils widened.
¡°How did you know? That¡¯s the correct answer.¡±
¡°Damien!¡±
¡°Then, I¡¯ll go train now.¡±
Ignoring his father¡¯s inquiries, Damien hurriedly fled from his fathers room.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Chapter 8
Chapter 8
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 8: The Dark Mage (1)
Landwalk City.
In this bustling city, which was a hub for traders and artisans, prosperity flowed endlessly, with wealth and people in constant abundance. Its vibrant exterior radiated splendor, yet dark shadows lingered within its wall.
People who couldn¡¯t adapt to the city¡¯s lifestyle drifted away, settling on the outskirts. The slums of Landwalk City were formed this way.
Dirty, smelly, and dangerous, the people of the city tended to avoid the slums as much as possible. Consequently, the slums remained quiet, as if by some unspoken agreement.
¡°Agh!¡±
¡°What in the world is this!¡±
However, the slums, which were usually quiet, were particrly tumultuous today.
Suddenly, dozens of thugs barged in, ransacking each hut and dragging out the impoverished inhabitants.
¡°Where do these beggars get off shouting like this!¡±
¡°They can¡¯t even keep quiet!¡±
The impoverished residents resisted in their own way, but it was futile. As the thugs punched their faces and abdomens, silence fell.
¡°Find that scum quickly!¡±
¡°The first to find him gets ten gold coins from the boss!¡±
The thugs roamed among the slum dwellers, carrying sketches with scrutinizing faces.
¡°Is he the one?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not him, there¡¯s no mark on his forehead.¡±
Suddenly, one of the impoverished residents rose abruptly and punched two thugs in the jaw before darting away.
¡°Hey! He¡¯s running away!¡±
¡°Capture him! If we let him escape, the boss will kill us!¡±
The man ran away from the thugs, but couldn¡¯t get far before being captured.
¡°How dare these ratsy a hand on our people! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡±
Despite causing amotion, the man couldn¡¯t match the strength of the thugs. He was firmly subdued on the ground.
¡°Boss! We¡¯ve caught the leader of the Sewer Rats gang!¡±
¡°Pleasee and check!¡±
The thugs who overpowered the man called someone over who supposedly was their leader.
Shortly after, a chubby man walked over with short steps.
¡°Tsk tsk.¡±
He held arge sugar bun in his hand.
¡°Tsk, tsk, you caught him faster than I expected.¡±
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your exceptional leadership, isn¡¯t it? After all,petent subordinates gather under apetent leader.¡±
The subordinate standing nearby ttered the chubby man, rubbing his palm together.
The ttery seemed to please the chubby man as he nodded contentedly.
¡°Tsk tsk, hiding in such a dirty ce.¡±
The man said, eating the sugar bun in his hand like it was a pot. Then, the subordinate promptly offered another sugar bun.
¡°Tsk tsk, the food tastes bad because of the smell here. Anyway, he¡¯s someone I don¡¯t like.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Hecks any sense whatsoever.¡±
As the ¡®tsk tsk¡¯ sound continued, the expression of the man pinned on the ground by the thugs contorted.
Eventually, he couldn¡¯t bear it and shouted, ¡°You pig! Stop gobbling and listen!¡±
¡°Tsk tsk, pig? Are you saying that to me?¡±
¡°Seems so. A person without any discernment, called the boss a pig while looking at his muscr body.¡±
¡°Tsk tsk, youck judgement to that extent. You¡¯ve ruined your gang.¡±
The chubby man didn¡¯t show any signs of anger. Instead, he bite into a third sugar bun.
¡°Hey, sewer rat.¡±
The chubby man said as he licked the sugar dust off his fingers.
¡°I warned you. Come join me willingly, abandon the Sewer Rat gang.¡±
The Sewer Rat was a powerful gang that, until recently, had secured a firm grip over Landwalk¡¯s underworld. Its influence was so dominant that other gangs needed to unite to confront it.
However, the once powerful Sewer rat gang met its downfall overnight. It wasn¡¯t just the Sewer rat gang¡ªall other gangs copsed as well. This swift destruction was all credited to the chubby man, Cedric Walker.
¡°Look, the rat eventually has to be the serpents prey¡±
Cedric Walker¡¯s gang, ¡®ck Serpent,¡¯ boasting formidable aggression, swiftly dominated Landwalk City¡¯s underworld. With the Sewer rat gang now in ruins, there wasn¡¯t a single gang left to oppose the ¡®ck Serpent.¡¯
¡°Alright, now that we¡¯ve got the leader of the Sewer Rats gang too, it¡¯s over. Handle it roughly and bury the body anywhere.¡±
¡°Yes, Boss.¡±
As if he no longer cared, Cedric Walker turned away. The leader of the Sewer Rat gang attempted to curse but couldn¡¯t as the ¡®ck Serpent¡¯ members ganged up on him.
Cedric Walker, mounted on a carriage, asked his subordinate, ¡°There are no remnants left right?¡±
¡°Yes, none remains.¡±
For the past few days, Cedric Walker had been focusing on eradicating the surviving remnants of the defeated gangs.
¡°Now, it¡¯s time to deal with that noble.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s the noble¡ Ah, you mean the one who attacked the tavern.¡±
Upon the subordinate¡¯s words, a flicker of frustration appeared in Cedric Walker¡¯s eyes.
About a week ago, a tavern Cedric was attacked. The gang¡¯s members guarding the tavern, even the squire they sent, was ughtered. It was an immense incident that had significantly tarnished Cedric¡¯s and the ¡®ck Serpent¡¯s¡¯ reputation.
It was to such an extent that the remnants of the defeated gangs, who had been hiding all along, had now started raising their voices against him.
¡°Shall I send the boys to handle it?¡±
Cedric Walker abruptly struck his subordinate on the back of the head.
¡°Kill a noble in his estate? Are you an idiot?¡±
Dealing with some insignificant noble family could be done in a day. But despite being insignificant, nobles were still nobles. A sudden murder of a noble residing in his estate? The pce won¡¯t sit idly and watch.
¡°I am such a moron for having an imbecile like you as my subordinate¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°If you know you¡¯re sorry, then offer me one more bun.¡±
The subordinate timidly offered a sugar bun.
Cedric Walker took a big bite of the sugar bun.
¡°Tsk tsk, it will get annoying if I get involved in this directly. For these matters, it¡¯s best to leave them to the experts.¡±
¡°I see, boss! But who¡¯s the expert?¡±
¡°A dark mage.¡±
¡°Huh!?¡±
¡°I¡¯m hiring a dark mage. No, I¡¯ve already hired one.¡±
A cunning smile crept upon Cedric Walker¡¯s lips.
¡°A slight maniption by a dark mage would be enough to destroy that small noble family. We don¡¯t need to spill blood unnecessarily.¡±
Even after hearing Cedric Walker¡¯s words, his subordinate¡¯s face didn¡¯t brighten.
¡°Bu-but aren¡¯t dark mages dangerous? I¡¯ve heard that they can brainwash the employer and turn them into ves.¡±
¡°Huh! Do you think dark magic of this caliber is easy to do? It¡¯s something only high-level dark mages can perform. Meeting a high-level dark mage is incredibly rare.¡±
¡°That may be true, but¡¡±
¡°And right now, the Church is strictly monitoring the movements of the dark mages. High-level dark mages are too busy evading the Church.¡±
As he finished his words the carriage abruptly came to a stop.
Cedric Walker, along with his subordinates, entered a shabby house on the outskirts of the city.
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Inside the house, a cowering man was waiting for Cedric Walker.
¡°Are you Faycle?¡±
¡°Y-Yes.¡±
Faycle not only looked hesitant but also stuttered over his words.
His demeanor didn¡¯t exactly instill confidence or trust.
¡°You¡¯re aware of the request, right? The more damage you inflict upon the Haksens, the higher the price I¡¯ll pay.¡±
¡°Oh, understood!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll provide the necessary items for using dark magic. Just tell me the list.¡±
¡°Really? Th-Thank you!¡±
Faycle repeatedly bowed.
Generally, mages tend to have a high and mighty attitude due to their use of magic, a transcendental power. Dark mages were no exception. Butpared to them, Faycle seemed overly submissive.
¡°But if you get caught by the Church, I¡¯ll deny knowing you.¡±
¡°Understood, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
Faycle bowed again, almost touching the ground with his head.
***
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Morning breakfast time.
The people of the Haksen household were all gathered in the dining room, yet there were no conversations, and only the clinking of utensils could be heard.
However, all family members were continuously ncing in one direction which was towards the eldest son of the Haksen family, Damien Haksen.
Whether he noticed those nces or not, Damien silently focused on his meal.
As soon as he finished eating, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up to leave.
¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡±
¡°Y-Yes, go ahead.¡±
Upon receiving permission from his father, Damien rose from his seat.
Outside, Damien scratched his cheek.
¡®It must have looked awkward.¡¯
However he didn¡¯t have anyints. After all, he had suddenly changed his behavior overnight, so it was inevitable for his family members to feel strange.
¡®It¡¯ll get better over time.¡¯
Thinking so, Damien walked down the corridor. It was time to begin the morning training.
At that moment, a maid approached Damien.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°Madam asked me to give this to you, young master.¡±
The maid handed him a jug of water and some simple snacks.
Damien looked at the items with a nk expression.
¡°¡Mother asked you to give these to me?¡±
¡°Yes, she said it¡¯s to show her support for you.¡±
Damien smiled bitterly.
Even though he always created problems for his family his mother had always supported him like this.
¡°Please convey my thanks to her.¡±
The maid slightly bowed and went back.
Damien came outside with the training items. Besides the water and food given by his mother, he also brought a towel to wipe off the sweat and, finally, a slightly special item.
¡°I should thank Father for this.¡±
It was a longsword.
It was the same longsword that nearly split Damien¡¯s head on the day of his regression.
Since he nned to start swordsmanship training from today, he talked to his fatherst night and received it from him as a gift.
¡°It¡¯s not a great sword sword¡ But well, it¡¯s for training anyways.¡±
The cksmith who made the sword wasn¡¯t particrly skilled, and the iron used as material was of low quality. Yet considering Haksen¡¯s financial situation, even a sword like this had to be used sparingly.
¡°I should¡¯ve stolen a weapon from Edwin Ryan Bloom.¡±
Edwin Ryan Bloom, fitting for his position as a noble, had an impressive weapon. It was a sword that even Damien would envy.
¡°If I get the chance, I should get a proper sword for myself.¡±
Though he was beyond being restricted by the choice of weapons. But warriors by nature tended to yearn for exceptional swords.
As Damien pondered over these thoughts, he stepped outside the lord¡¯s residence.
¡°Oh, how did this happen¡¡±
A sigh came from the direction of the stables.
Puzzled, Damien walked over to that area.
And there, he saw a group of servants gathered around the stables.
Curious about what was happening, he peeked through the gaps between the servants to see inside the stables.
¡°The horse is dead?¡±
Among the three horses the household owned, oney dead inside the stable, its eyes still open and its tongue sticking out.
¡°It was perfectly fine until yesterday¡¡±
¡°Why did it suddenly die?¡±
The servants scratched their heads in confusion.
¡°Lord Haksen will be terribly angry¡¡±
¡°It will be fortunate if he¡¯s just angry. What if he asks us for an exnation?¡±
It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for the servants to worry since an animal as expensive and valuable as a horse suddenly died under their supervision.
It was just an animal that had died, but Damien couldn¡¯t easily divert his gaze.
There was something oddly familiar about the dead horse.
Aplex and almost foul odor, akin to burnt ashes and a hint of blood, emanated from it.
¡®¡Dark magic?¡¯
To explore further, Damien pushed through the servants and approached the horse.
¡°Who is this? Oh, Young Master?¡±
¡°The Y-Young Master is here?¡±
As the servants noticed Damien¡¯s presence, their expressions were filled with fear.
Considering the significant loss to the Haksen estate and Damien Haksen¡¯s notorious reputation, it was a natural reaction.
However, Damien didn¡¯t pay much attention to the servants.
He was only interested in examining the dead horse for traces of dark magic.
¡®Seems like my guess was right.¡¯
As he caressed the horse¡¯s skin, a hint of ck magic lingered on his fingertips.
It was faint but definite. It wasn¡¯t regr magic; it was dark magic.
¡®Someone killed the horse using dark magic.¡¯
In truth, Damien was well-versed in dark magic. During the Death Knight era, Dorugo aimed to make Damien a more powerful being. So, he had instilled all the dark magic he was familiar with.
¡®Who could it be?¡¯
The only possible foes who would hold a grudge enough to hire a dark mage were Edwin Ryan Bloom and the ck Serpent gang. But Edwin Ryan Bloom had left just yesterday, so it was unlikely that it was him.
¡®That leaves the ck Serpent.¡¯
It seemed like they resorted to harassing him by employing a dark mage since killing a noble posed too much risk.
¡®This is bing a headache.¡¯
If animals kept dying this way on the impoverished territory of Haksen, it would result in a significant loss.
¡®I need to eliminate the dark mage as soon as possible¡¡¯
The problem was how to track down the mage.
If Damien Haksen from the Death Knight era were present, he could have expanded his senses to locate the dark mage, but it wasn¡¯t possible right now
¡®¡Should I try tracking them using dark magic?¡¯
Damien found dark magic repulsive. It had ruined his life under Dorugo¡¯s influence. But if it could be helpful, he was willing to use it for the sake of his family¡¯s safety and happiness.
¡®First, I need to send the servants away.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t use dark magic in front of them.
Damien addressed the servants, ¡°Seems like this horse died from some contagious disease.¡±
¡°What? a-a contagious disease¡!¡±
The servant quickly covered his mouth, looking at Damien with fearful eyes.
Feeling that he might get severely scolded for saying something in between, the servant seemed to think that Damien would be furious.
¡°Since there might be a risk of contagion, keep people away from the stable. Also, gather some people and cremate the horse¡¯s body.¡±
¡°Oh, understood.¡±
Following Damien¡¯s instructions, the servants dispersed.
The area near the stables soon became quiet.
As the people disappeared, Damien gathered all the remaining dark magic from the horse¡¯s body.
Collecting dark magic wasn¡¯t possible through regr means, so he had no choice but to reuse the magic present in the body.
Although it was a small amount, it was enough to cast a tracking spell.
¡°If I do this¡¡±
Damien wove a spell and cast it.
A ck wave spread in all directions from him. After a while, a sly smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips.
¡°Found you.¡±
Damien¡¯s gaze pointed towards the west.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Chapter 9
Chapter 9
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 9: The Dark Mage (2)
Damien followed the tracking spell, pursuing the dark mage.
The location indicated by the dark magic was a forest which was adjacent to the Hasken manor.
It was a ce frequently visited by the residents of the territory to gather mushrooms and herbs.
¡®It was farther than I thought.¡¯
Curse type dark magic tended to have a lower sess rate as the distance increased.
The fact that the dark mage had established his base so far from the mansion meant that he was a skilled magician.
¡®This might be dangerous.¡¯
Saying so, Damien moved further into the woods.
It was when he reached the heart of the forest that the tracking spell suddenly ceased.
¡®It seems to be around here¡¡¯
There was nothing at the ce where Damien was currently standing.
Leaves littered the ground, and only trees grew nearby.
¡°He must be hiding somewhere here.¡±
Dark mages were pursued by the Church for being considered as demons¡¯ kin, leading most of them to habitually conceal their abilities or residences.
¡®Let¡¯s take a look around¡¡¯
Damien Hasken began to explore the surroundings meticulously, inspecting under tree roots and seemingly ordinary rocks.
After a while of wandering, Damien halted.
The sensation under his foot felt peculiar. Damien examined the ground.
¡®It¡¯s an illusion¡¯
Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary illusion. It possessed some degree of dark magic as well.
¡°Indeed, it¡¯s the dangerous one.¡±
Damien scrutinized the illusion closely.
The knowledge of dark magic imparted by the Dorguo to him was extensive and precise, enabling him to quickly grasp the magicalponents.
¡°Found it.¡±
He thrust his longsword towards the core sustaining the magic.
As the core shattered, the magic formation supporting the illusion dissipated and the illusion vanished, revealing a staircase.
As Damien descended the stairs he found himself in a big chamber.
¡°Kukk-kuk-kukkk.¡±
Suddenly, a strangeughter echoed in the chamber. Damien hurriedly hid himself behind the wall.
¡°Whether he¡¯s the boss of the ck Serpents or whatever, he was indeed a foolish guy. He really brought all the items that I demanded.¡±
A small-framed man entered the chamber and spoke to himself.
Damien observed the man.
He barely surpassed 150 cm of height and had a small stature withnky arms and legs which was devoid of any muscles.
A typical physique for a magician.
¡°Strange. He doesn¡¯t seem as threatening as I expected him to be.¡±
Contrary to Damien¡¯s anticipation, the dark mage didn¡¯t emanate a significant aura of power.
¡°Is he hiding his strength? No, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize it if he did that.¡±
Damien¡¯s observation skills transcended those of an expert. So even if the dark mage concealed his strength, it wouldn¡¯t have escaped Damien¡¯s notice.
¡°I should observe a little longer.¡±
Concealing his presence, Damien observed the dark mage.
¡°With this much amount, I won¡¯t have to worry about experimental materials for a while.¡±
The dark mage looked at the items scattered around the chamber.
Jars filled with the insides and blood of various animals, a plethora of herbs, and more were spread across the chamber.
¡°But goodness, what a downgrade I have be, ending up with such a petty job.¡±
The dark mage expressed his discontent.
¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t been chased by the Church, I wouldn¡¯t have had to take on such annoying tasks¡ damn it.¡±
The dark mage picked up a wine bottle ced on the table.
Without pouring it into a ss, they took swigs from the bottle.
¡°Phew, it might get boring, but it¡¯s not so bad. Avoiding the Church¡¯s gaze and conducting the experiments that I¡¯ve been nning for a while.¡±
Seemingly having a high tolerance towards alcohol, the dark mage quickly emptied a bottle of wine.
¡°Still, it feels lonely being alone.¡±
The dark mage pondered while surveying the cave.
¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve heard that the noble¡¯s daughter is quite a beauty.¡±
Lost in thought, the dark mage sat still, stroking their chin.
¡°No, no, she can¡¯t be ¡®quite a beauty¡¯. Beauties of that level are rare even in the capital. It was unlikely that I¡¯d find such a gem in a ce like this countryside.¡±
The dark mage smirked.
His gaze was unsettling, hinting at some ominous thoughts.
¡°Since it¡¯s a doomed family anyway, might as well have some fun by kidnapping in advance, huh?¡±
Perhaps because there was no one to listen.
The dark mage unleashed all sorts of lewd remarks about Louise Hasken.
¡®What nonsense is that imbecile spouting?¡¯
The problem, contrary to his thoughts, was that there was one more person present here.
¡®Just what is he talking about my sister?¡¯
In his past life, Louise Hasken, her sister was the only one who worried about him till the moment of her death.
She was the person Damien had the most to atone for.
Hence he was furious when he heard the dark mage talking something indecent about his sister..
Deliberately making loud footsteps, Damien entered the chamber.
¡°Who are you?¡±
The dark mage immediately turned to Damien.
As soon as he saw Damien¡¯s face, the mage¡¯s pupils widened as if about to pop out.
¡°You¡¯re¡ that guy. The eldest son of the Hasken family.¡±
The mage¡¯s pupils dted with unease.
¡°The ck Serpent warned me to be cautious of you since you alone killed dozens of their members¡ but how did you find this ce?¡±
¡°What are you, a soon-to-die man so curious about?¡±
¡°Die? Who? Me?¡±
Damien Hasken drew the longsword given by his father.
¡°You¡¯re well aware. If you understand, politely offer your neck and wait.¡±
¡°This guy¡¯s a real pain.¡±
A smirk formed on the dark mage¡¯s lips.
¡°I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll turn you into an experimental subject and torment you forever.¡±
As the mage raised his hand, dark mana began to gather in the air.
The dark magic coalesced into dozens of projectiles, aimed straight at Damien Hasken.
As the dark projectiles wereunched, hundreds of ways to kill the dark mage flooded Damien¡¯s mind.
He could¡¯ve deflected all the projectiles and thrust a de into the mage¡¯s heart, or redirect the projectiles to strike the mage instead.
But due to the sudden turn of events, all those ns had to be forgotten.
A crimson light emanated from Damien Hasken¡¯s left palm.
¡°Could this be¡?¡±
Flustered, Damien peered at the back of his hand.
Brightly glowing inscriptions appeared on his hand.
As Damien saw the writings, his pupils widened in disbelief.
¡®This power¡?¡¯
The moment Damien Hasken eximed in astonishment, the dark projectiles surged towards him.
However, not a single projectile reached Damien.
They disintegrated and became dark mana particles before reaching him.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Observing this, a sense of puzzlement crossed the face of the dark mage.
The mage nced at his own palm.
¡°Did I get drunk by any chance? I¡¯m handling this so carelessly.¡±
The mage recreated andunched the dark projectiles once more.
This time, twice the number of projectiles surged towards Damien.
Reaching out towards the projectiles, Damien caused them to vanish withouting close.
¡°You¡ What¡¯s your identity! What kind of interference are you causing in my magic!¡±
The dark mage shouted with an astonished expression.
Damien had no time to respond to his question.
¡®How does this still remain?¡¯
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[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Dorugo intended to make Damien an ultimate weapon.
Despite granting him the strongest physique and infusing the best magic artifacts in him, Dorugo was still dissatisfied.Hence, he decided to transfer the ancient powers contained in the Sacred Water he had gotten by chance into Damien¡¯s body.
That¡¯s how Damien gained a total of seven different powers or ¡®The Seven Authorities¡¯.
Each Authority possessed incredibly formidable abilities, which were difficult for even Dorugo to control.
Among them, the Authority Damien currently used was the ¡®Authority of Greed¡¯.
¡®It can¡¯t be true. There¡¯s no way the power of the seven Authorities still remains inside me.¡¯
Damien himself didn¡¯t know the true identity of this Authority.
However, as he had reverted during the regression, losing both his Death Knight body and dark magic, he assumed the Authorities were gone as well.
¡®Is it really the Authority of Greed?¡¯
The Authority of Greed had the ability to disintegrate anything that is made of magic and absorb the mana present in it.
If this was indeed the Authority of Greed, then it wouldn¡¯t just stop at dispelling the dark projectiles but it also would acquire the dark mana itself.
Damien Hasken reached towards the empty space. As the dark projectiles vanished, the dispersed dark magic gathered back together.
¡®Incredible¡¡¯
He had hoped against it, but it was indeed real. Damien Hasken still possessed theplete seven Authorities.
¡°I understand! So, you were a dark mage too! It was possible for you to kill dozens on your own because of your proficiency in dark magic!¡±
The dark mage heaved a sigh of relief.
¡°Meeting a fellow dark mage in a ce like this¡ It¡¯s rare for a noble to be a dark mage. Who taught you? Your skills are really impressive.¡±
Damien looked at the dark mage with an incredulous expression.
Instead of replying, he utilized the gathered dark mana through the Authority of Greed to create dark projectiles.
¡°What are you trying to do now¡?¡±
Damien aimed the dark projectiles towards the dark mage.
The dark mage quickly created a shield using dark magic to block the projectiles.
¡°What are you doing! Why are you attacking me, you lunatic!¡±
¡°Why am I attacking you? Huh?¡±
Damien said with a bewildered expression.
¡°You received the job of killing the Hasken family from the ck Serpents and also cursed our family¡¯s territory. Isn¡¯t that enough of a reason for you to die?¡±
¡°You and I are both dark mages!¡±
¡°Who said that?¡±
Damien furrowed his brows.
¡°The thing I hate most in this world is a dark mage. I¡¯d tear one apart just by seeing them.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t harbor any positive feelings towards dark mages and there was a simple reason for that,.
Dorugo, who ruined his life, was a dark mage.
¡°What? But didn¡¯t you just use¡¡±
¡°Stop babbling and prepare to die.¡±
Damien drew his longsword. His curiosity had been satisfied; now it was time to conclude.
¡°¡I don¡¯t know who you are.¡±
Dark magic began to emanate from the dark mage¡¯s whole body.
¡°But If you intend to kill me, even if you are a fellow dark mage, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±
The dark mage formed hand seals with both hands.
¡°Standing before a dark mage who specializes at cursing is akin tomitting suicide.¡±
In an instant, the dark mana disappeared.
It hadn¡¯t truly vanished but had been expended in using the dark magic.
Gray smoke billowed up from beneath the dark mage¡¯s feet.
The gray smoke, surprisingly, looked like a mouth with big teeths inside it.
¡°Let every joint in your body rot to death.¡±
The gray smoke engulfed Damien, and the pointed teeth chewed at various parts of his body.
He didn¡¯t actually feel any pain, but something was seeping in through the teeth.
¡°A corrosion type curse.¡±
During his time as the Death Knight, Damien had frequently utilized curses.
Using curse was considered to be the best thing to do when fighting against multiple foes.
Even a massive army would copse instantly if they are affected by the curse.
¡°It¡¯s a fairly potent curse. If it were to be anyone else in my ce, he would have felt the effects of the curse significantly.¡±
Damien exerted the Authority of Greed.
The gray smoke disintegrated in an instant.
The disintegrated dark mana was converted into dark power which was absorbed by Damein.
¡°¡¡±
Witnessing his magic being nullified, the dark mage¡¯s face stiffened.
¡°¡W-What are you?¡±
¡°Damien Hasken.¡±
¡°I¡¯m asking for your ¡®real¡¯ identity! Who are you? And why are you pretending to be Damien Hasken!¡±
The dark mage couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.
¡°I really am Damien Hasken.¡±
¡°What nonsense¡! Not only did you undo my dark magic, but you also absorbed my dark power as your own! It¡¯s something only a high-ranking dark mage could do!¡±
The dark mage shouted angrily.
After a while ofposure, the dark mage calmed down slightly.
¡°¡Fine.¡±
With a snap, the dark mage gritted their teeth.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to reveal your identity willingly¡ I¡¯ll force it out of you.¡±
The dark mage unsped the bracelet that he was wearing.
Suddenly, the entire cave turned pitch ck.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 10: The Dark Mage (3)
As the dark mage removed his bracelet, the entire cave was engulfed in dark magic.
The floor, the ceiling, the walls¡ªall turned pitch ck. It felt like being wrapped in the night sky.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Even after releasing such dark magic, the dark mage wore an uneasy expression.
¡°It was supposed to be the secret weapon against the Church.¡±
With a glint, the mage sharpened their gaze at Damien.
¡°Now that it¡¯se to this, don¡¯t think of dying gracefully! I¡¯ll make you beg for death!¡±
Damien paid little heed to the mage¡¯s warning.
The mage¡¯s focus was entirely on the bracelet they had removed.
¡°To hold such a vast amount of dark magic, and I didn¡¯t notice.¡±
Storing magic inrge quantities makes it hard to conceal.
The more it umtes, the stronger its presence bes. The same applied to dark magic.
However, that bracelet concealed its magic so perfectly that not even Damien could sense it.
¡°Could it be an artifact?¡±
An artifact, from the distant, obscure remnants of ancient civilizations, said to possess extraordinary abilities due to technology far beyond the present.
¡°Carrying something like that, you¡¯re no ordinary dark mage. Who in the world are you?¡±
¡°I have nothing to say to someone who won¡¯t even reveal their identity.¡±
Once again, the dark mage refused to answer.
¡°¡I¡¯d like to say that, but I¡¯m not a rude stranger like you.¡±
The mage gestured to their wrist.
A white flower was tattooed on their forearm.
¡°I¡¯m known as Yn¡¯s executive, Akitora.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
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Dark mages are despised everywhere they go.
They use dark magic to corrupt people¡¯s souls and bodies, turning them into ves, because of this they are deemed as heretics.
In order to hunt these mages deemed heretics, the Holy Church conducts ¡®purification¡¯ operations several times a year.
However, the mages did not sit idly by
The dark mages formed different organisations in order to counter the attacks of the Holy Church, these organisations exchanged information with each other and also provided mutual assistance against the Church, Over the time these organisations gained considerable notoriety and grew to a size that made it difficult for the Church to eliminate them.
¡°Yn¡¯s executive?¡±
¡®Yn¡¯ was one of those dark mage organizations, it was famous enough that even a countryside noble like Damien knew about it.
Yn is a rtively new organization, it primarily focused on contract killings using dark magic. Despite it being implicated in numerous incidents, the Church hadn¡¯t been able to hunt them yet, which is thanks to the exceptionally highbat capabilities of their members.
Given the formidable nature of the orginsation, there was no need to gauge the abilities of this dark mage, Akitora.
¡°Why would someone like you agree to be hired by a small gang like the ck Serpents?¡±
¡°I just wanted toy low for a while. I wasn¡¯t hired by anyone!¡±
¡®Lay low¡? Ah, Is it because of the Church?¡¯
When a figure as significant as an executive Yn had to conceal himself so discreetly, it signaled the movement of the Holy Church.
¡°I heard the rumors that the Holy Church is hunting dark mages as of recently, is that the reason why you were pretending to be a third-rate mage.¡±
Akitora sharpened his gaze after listening to Damien.
¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Damn it, of all the gigs to make money, I end up meeting someone like you.¡±
Akitora spat out curses and questioned, ¡°You know my name, yet you persist in hiding your identity?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never hidden it.¡±
¡°Hah, you still see me as an idiot, huh?¡±
Anger shed across Akitora¡¯s face. His emotions stirred the dark magic.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t listen now.¡±
Despite not constructing an incantation, the dark magic took shape.
Thick tentacles emerged from the ground, coiling around Damien.
[QC/N: Dirty Mind Activated]
[PR/N: Focus on work you horny mf]
The sheer force of the tentacles were squeezing Damien.
¡°You damn bastard. Regret it in the afterlife.¡±
Despite his victory, Akitora wasn¡¯t particrly ted.
Victory was expected from the moment he, a Yn executive, disyed his true prowess. Yn might not rival the colossal dark mage organization like the Abyss which is rumored to be lurking within the walls empire, but it was quite impressive in its own right¡
At that moment,
Cracks began to surface on the tentacles, rapidly spreading all over it.
With the sound of a shattering ss, the tentacles shattered into pieces.
As the dark magic dissipated, scattered dark mana began to swirl like a tempest.
¡°I thought it was some impressive dark magic.¡±
In the midst of it all, Damien spoke in a solemn voice.
¡°But it¡¯s not as impressive as I thought.¡±
¡°This¡ this is impossible!¡±
Akitora shouted in agony.
¡°This magic, I¡¯ve developed it all my life! It¡¯s something only I can use in this world! How¡ how could you¡!¡±
As long as Damien had the Authority of Greed, no matter what dark magic Akitora tried to use, it was futile.
¡°All your life? Seems quite rudimentary for something like that. You should strive harder.¡±
Of course, Damien didn¡¯t reveal this fact; instead, he provoked Akitora.
¡°You¡ I won¡¯t spare you, not in a million years. I¡¯ll make sure you¡!¡±
Shame and rage surfaced simultaneously on Akitora¡¯s face.
Akitora began absorbing all the unleashed dark mana from the bracelet.
An immense amount of dark mana was injected into his body.
¡°Ugh, ugh.¡±
It seemed quite taxing as Akitora¡¯splexion turned pallid, as if he might vomit at any moment.
¡°If it¡¯s too much, you can always stop.¡±
Akitora didn¡¯t respond. No, it seemed he had no strength to respond.
Dark lines began etching themselves on the skin exposed beyond the robe.
¡°Is that¡.magic circle?¡±
Damien immediately recognized the nature of those lines.
Using the dark energy, Akitora was drawing a magic circle on his own body.
But Akitora didn¡¯t stop there. He retrieved a dagger from his bosom.
¡°Damn it, I didn¡¯t expect to use this magic here!¡±
Akitora shed his own wrist with the dagger. The blooding out of it turned to ash upon hitting the ground.
Right after that, a green me emerged above Akitora¡¯s head.
The green mes extended like serpents, swirling around Akitora.
Damien immediately discerned the nature of these mes.
¡°You¡¯ve borrowed power from a demon.¡±
Skillful dark mages could harness power from demons by sacrifices.
Akitora had summoned these demon mes by sacrificing his blood and dark magic.
¡°Yes! This is the power of a demon! Hell¡¯s mes!¡±
The green mes were unprecedented. Merely touching caused the ground to melt, transforming into flowing streams likeva.
¡°This is something you can¡¯t dispel! This isn¡¯t just dark magic, it¡¯s the power of a demon!¡±
Akitora extended his hand towards Damien.
¡°Go! Incinerate him!¡±
The demon¡¯s mes engulfed Damien.
It felt more like a surging wave than mere mes.
¡®He¡¯s seriously mistaken something.¡¯
Contrary to Akitora¡¯s thoughts, the authority of greed could disintegrate even the power of a demon.
At the moment Damien attempted to exert his authority towards the mes, a thought urred to him.
¡°¡I don¡¯t necessarily have to use the authority.¡±
Despite having the power of authority in addition to dark magic, Damien was originally a swordsman.
Even during his time as a Death Knight, he always wielded a sword when facing formidable adversaries.
¡°With this much dark magic, I can use the sword technique from my Death Knight days.¡±
In his past life, Damien had amalgamated techniques acquired from battling strong opponents, creating a single sword technique.
Infusing his aspirations into this technique, he named it the ¡®Soul Severing Sword¡¯
It was only thanks to the soul severing sword technique, that Damien could attain the realm of the ¡®Divine Sword.¡¯
However, in this current life, he had to give up on the soul severing sword technique because It was a technique which used dark magic as its basis, which his current bodycked.
¡®I can¡¯t use the Soul Severing Sword without dark magic in my body.¡¯
Dark mana and natural mana were fundamentally different and couldn¡¯t substitute for each other.
Yet, he didn¡¯t contemte gathering dark mana to use the Soul Severing Sword.
Dark magic could only be obtained through corpses. The dark mages didn¡¯tmit horrifying crimes without any reason.
Damien had no intention of acting like a dark mage.
¡°I¡¯m curious. How far can I materialize the Soul Severing Sword using a human body?¡±
Damien absorbed the dark magic into his body.
The dark magic smoothly integrated, as if it had entered its own home.
Pitch ck aura surged from the longsword¡¯s de.
Akitora¡¯s face stiffened upon seeing the aura.
¡°Aura? You¡ you are not a dark mage?¡±
The smoky, fiery aura began converging around the de.
Gradually, the aura took aplete form. A jet-ck de formed as if it would absorb all light.
Aura de.
A technique only wielded by those who¡¯ve reached the swordmaster¡¯s level.
An invincible weapon capable of ying even the pinnacle of creatures like dragons.
That absolute power now materialized in Damien¡¯s hands.
¡°Wait a moment!¡±
Damien raised the sword.
The air around the aura de started to distort.
¡°S-Stop! I-I surrender!¡±
Damien swung the sword horizontally.
A single ck line that looked like it could have even divided the world in half, was shot at Akitora.
Green mes were embedded into the line.
In an instant, not a single spark light remained in the cave.
¡°Sto¡ªAh! Plea¡ªPlease spare me! Spare me!¡±
Akitora tried to turn and flee, despite Damien blocking the only exit.
Then, all of a sudden his upper body slipped and fell on to the ground.
Startled, Akitora looked back.
His two legs were standing on the ground, severed without him even realizing.
¡°Agh! Noo! Aaaaaaah!¡±
Clutching the severed thighs, Akitora screamed in agony.
¡°Too noisy.¡±
Damien, now close to Akitora, pped his face.
The scream abruptly halted.
¡°M-My¡ my legs¡ my legs¡¡±
¡°The shock must¡¯ve been significant. But now¡¯s not the time to worry about that.¡±
Damien pressed the longsword¡¯s de against Akitora¡¯s neck which caused color to drain from Akitora¡¯s face.
¡°P-Please spare me. I-I don¡¯t want to die.¡±
¡°Do you want to live?¡±
Damien chuckled.
¡°Then you¡¯ll have to pay something other than your life.¡±
¡°These, these are all the belongings that I have.¡±
Akitoraid out all his possessions in front of Damien.
With eyes tinged with irritation, Damien examined the items.
¡°Is this really all you have?¡±
A book inscribed with curse type dark magic,
The bracelet worn by Akitora and,
And a pouch containing gold coins.
The materials Akitora obtained from the ck Serpent were all destroyed during the battle.
¡°You are supposed to be a high-ranking member of Yn? Yet you are so poor?¡±
¡°I was fleeing from the Church¡¡±
¡°Useless, you should have brought more.¡±
Damien lightly tapped Akitora¡¯s head with the longsword.
Akitora¡¯s face reddened with panic and fear.
There was nothing noteworthy in the dark magic book so Damien immediately picked up the bracelet.
In truth, this single bracelet alone held tremendous value.
¡°What¡¯s the identity of this bracelet? Is it an artifact?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡±
As Damien anticipated, the bracelet was no ordinary item.
¡°What exact abilities does it have?¡±
¡°I-it can contain any kind of energy within it. Whether it¡¯s natural mana or dark mana, it doesn¡¯t matter. Plus, it has a concealment function, so the contents stored inside it will never be revealed.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Th-the fact that I¡¯ve managed to survive until now is enough proof.¡±
With a satisfied expression, Damien re-examined the bracelet.
Its functionality might have been straightforward, but it was really useful to him.
¡°I could store dark mana in here and use dark magic.¡±
As proven today, using dark magic could help him replicate the sword techniques he learned in the past, although they won¡¯t be as powerful as before, but it was enough of a trump card against powerful opponents.
However, dark magic was a perilous force that could lead to being chased by the Holy Church if exposed.
With this bracelet, he could be free from such concerns.
¡°With some skill, I might be able to reach the realm of the ¡®Divine Sword¡¯ again.¡±
After battling with many formidable opponents, Damien Hasken absorbed their skills and techniques
Using them as a basis, he reached the realm of the Divine Sword.
He was able to y Dorugo in his past life only after reaching the realm of the Divine Sword.
¡°But seriously, is this the end? Do you have nothing more?¡±
¡°N-no, I don¡¯t. Really! Please, put that sword down!¡±
Damien said as he raised the longsword.
¡°No, there has to be something. Squeeze it out.¡±
¡°How can I squeeze out something that doesn¡¯t exist¡¡±
Then, a glimmer of hope appeared on Akitora¡¯s face.
He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a notebook.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s a piece of paper where the ck Serpent boss wrote down the records of items I wanted to purchase! If you visit the stores written here, you¡¯ll be able to confirm it!¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
Damien opened the notebook and checked its contents.
The trade records of materials were meticulously written.
¡°If-if that¡¯s there, it could prove that the transactions did take ce. You know, dealing with such transactions is a major crime, right? If we y this right, we can associate both the organization and the ck Serpent with each other!¡±
¡°Then I can wipe out the ck Serpent without lifting a finger.¡±
¡°Given how quickly you understood, you¡¯re quite smart.¡±
The twoughed loudly. Akitora cautiously asked,
¡°Now, you¡¯ll spare my life, right?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Damien swung the longsword and beheaded Akitora.
¡°I don¡¯t forgive those who harm my family.¡±
Damien grabbed Akitora¡¯s head and ced it in a suitable pouch nearby.
¡°And I needpelling evidence.¡±
What good was just a notebook?
He needed concrete evidence linking to the involvement of a real dark mage.
However, keeping Akitora alive would pose a risk to Damien.
¡°Now, shall we go and teach the ck Serpents a lesson?¡±
Saying this, Damien exited the cave.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 11: Hunting the Serpent (1)
A rattling carriage was running on the road to the Landwalk city.
Inside it, Victor, the loyal servant of Viscount Hasken, was gazing across with a face full of distrust and wariness.
Sitting there was Damien Hasken, the eldest son of the Viscount Paul Hasken.
¡®What scheme are you nning to involve me in this time?¡¯
Just a few minutes ago, Victor was busy disposing of the carcass of the dead horse along with some other servants.
However, Damien suddenly appeared before him, and summoned him for a task.
¡°Young master, what is it that you need me to do?¡±
¡°I want you to go to the Landwalk city with me.¡±
¡°What? Why on earth would you want to go to that dangerous ce?¡±
¡°I have something to do there, so follow me quietly.¡±
Recalling that conversation, Victor sighed to himself.
Entering Landwork City now meant an inevitable encounter with the notorious ck Serpents.
Yet, there was no avoiding it.
Damien Hasken was the sessor to the Viscount and It was Victor¡¯s duty to serve him.
¡°I hope everything goes smoothly without any trouble¡¡±
Whether aware of Victor¡¯s thoughts or not, Damien was engrossed in reading.
The book he was reading seemed to be very old with its coverpletely worn out.
Seeing Damien so engrossed in reading that book Victor curiously asked,
¡°Young master, what book are you so fervently engrossed in?¡±
¡°This? It¡¯s a Grimoire.Its something I recently got¡±
Victor subtly smiled at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Young master, do you think I¡¯d fall for such a frivolous lie?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±
¡°I may be an ignorant fool who doesn¡¯t know how to read and write, but I am well aware of how dangerous and rare Grimoires are.¡±
With his chest puffed out, Victor spoke.
Damien Hasken nced at Victor and murmured,
¡°You truly are a funny one.¡±
A few hourster, the carriage safely arrived at Landwork City.
¡°Victor, there¡¯s something I want you to do.¡±
As soon as they entered the city, Damien handed a pouch to Victor.
Victor¡¯s expression turned serious when he saw the sack
Underneath the pouch, it felt damp, emitting a strange odor.
¡°¡Young master, what is this?¡±
¡°A human head.¡±
¡°No, Young Master. You jest, but even for my ignorance, such jokes¡¡±
Victor, without much thought, peered inside the pouch, meeting the eyes of a staring head.
¡°Ah! Aaaah!¡±
Victor screamed, falling backward. Damien Hasken picked up the pouch.
¡°Victor!¡±
¡°Get a hold of yourself. People are watching.¡±
Indeed, the surrounding gazes had turned towards them.
¡°What on earth is this?¡±
¡°Askter. Your task now is to deliver this head and this notebook to the Church of this city.¡±
Victor hastily took the notebook that Damien gave him.
¡°It¡¯s a very important mission. You must deliver these to the Church without fail. That¡¯s crucial.¡±
¡°F-fail?¡±
At Victor¡¯s question, Damien chuckled.
¡°I said to askter, didn¡¯t I? If you understand, then move quickly.¡±
Victor nodded with a determined face.
Clutching the pouch and the notebook, he set off to the city¡¯s Church.
¡®Then I must move as well.¡¯
The first ce Damien headed to was the tavern attacked the day before.
¡®Cutting off their heads is easy, but that won¡¯t appease my anger. They touched my family, so I¡¯ll crush them starting from their core.¡¯
Damien aimed to uproot the ck Serpents entirely from thendwalk city.
To achieve that goal, he needed to know the exact locations of the ck Serpents gang¡¯s bases within the city.
Hence, he visited the tavern he went tost time.
¡°As a side note, I¡¯ll ask for some more elixirs from the owner too.¡±
However, Damiens n was spoiled.
¡®The door¡¯s shut?¡¯
The tavern¡¯s entrance was blocked by boards, with a paper stating ¡°Closed¡± stered on top.
¡®How did this happen?¡¯
Damien clenched his jaw. With things turning out this way, he had no choice but to find other members of the ck Serpent gang and inquire about their headquarters¡¯ whereabouts.
At the moment Damien Hasken pondered where to find ck Serpent members¡
¡°You swindler!¡±
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed. Turning towards the source, two men were locked in a scuffle.
¡°Hand over my money right now! I said hand it over!¡±
A skinny man, draped in rags, shouted angrily.
¡°Your money? I told you that I¡¯d arrange work for you in exchange for a fee.¡±
The man retorted to the ragged one¡¯sints with a sneer.
Unlike the ragged man, the other was well-dressed, with a sturdy body.
¡°A fee? Yes, I agreed to that! But you never said you¡¯d take 80% as an introduction fee!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll say it now then. The introduction fee is 80%.¡±
Damien observed the two men intently.
Or more specifically he was looking at the snake tattoo on the neck of the sturdy man.
¡°You thief! Give me my money now!¡±
The ragged man hung onto the other.
The man, his face firm, thrust his fist into the ragged man¡¯s abdomen.
¡°Ugh!¡±
The ragged man¡¯s back bent like a shrimp.
Continuing, the man grabbed the ragged man¡¯s hair and began pping him.
¡°Hey, you beggar. You begged me when you needed a job, but now that you¡¯ve found work, you act up?¡±
¡°St-stop.¡±
¡°Stop what? You should have been grateful that I found you a good job. But you are calling me a bandit? A swindler?¡±
¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡±
The ragged man, being weak, could only take the beating without resistance.
After beating the ragged man for a while, the man finally stopped.
¡°Next time you catch my attention, I¡¯ll cripple you.¡±
As the man turned to leave, someone grabbed his shoulder.
¡°What now?¡±
He turned around with a firm expression.
Damien had his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder.
¡°Are you a member of the ck Serpent?¡±
¡°What if I am? You need a job too?¡±
¡°No, I need something else.¡±
¡°Something else?¡±
¡°Tell me the locations of all the bases of the ck Serpent gang in the city.¡±
The man was shocked after hearing Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Are you insane?¡±
Suddenly, the man threw a punch on him.
Damien easily evaded the man¡¯s punch and drew his longsword out.
He aimed the de at the man¡¯s wrist, and swung it, soon enough, the man¡¯s hand dropped to the ground.
¡°Aaaah!¡±
The man clutched his wrist with his hands.
Blood seeped through his fingers.
¡°You bastard¡ you¡ cut my arm!¡±
¡°You¡¯re making a lot of noise. Could you keep quiet for a bit?¡±
Damien pressed the sword against the man¡¯s throat.
The man choked, closing his mouth.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
¡°You seem to understand my words quite well. I¡¯m pleased.¡±
¡°Who¡ who are you?¡±
¡°If I say I¡¯m Damien Hasken, would you recognize me?¡±
¡°¡De-Damien Hasken? The noble who raided our tavern and murdered the guards and the squire there?¡±
¡°You¡¯re very slow to catch on. I only sought rightful vengeance.¡±
¡°You¡you dared¡.toe back here¡ you are a lunatic..a lunatic.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to be quiet?¡±
Damien pressed the de closer to the man¡¯s neck, causing his face to pale.
¡°Why did that tavern over there shut down? I may have caused a ruckus, but the ce itself should¡¯ve been fine.¡±
¡°Be-because¡ of what you did to the tavernst time, the customers stoppeding, and there was no ie so the boss decided to close it!¡±
¡°What about the owner? Was it Andersen?¡±
¡°I-If you are talking about that old man then the boss held him ountable for everything that happened in the tavern and has told him to rectify it.¡±
Damien nodded his head thoughtfully.
He wanted to get another elixir from him but that won¡¯t work now.
¡°Now to the main question, tell me about all the bases of the ck Serpent gang in the Landwork City.¡±
The man¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment. It was evident he was hesitating.
¡°Seems like you still don¡¯t get the situation you are in. Should I help by cutting off your ear?¡±
¡°N-no! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk, so stop!¡±
Scared by the threat. The member spilled everything to Damien.
Damien marked all the locations the member mentioned on the city map he had prepared beforehand.
Apart from the central headquarters, there were a total of five ces that he said were the main bases of the ck Serpent gang.
¡°Why are there so many?¡±
¡°T-the ck Serpents are the biggest gang in Landwork City. That many bases are¡ to be expected¡¡±
¡°No matter how grand a thug thinks he is, the fact that he will be a thug remains.¡±
Saying this Damien put away his sword from the man¡¯s neck. The man¡¯s face brightened immediately when he sensed that the sword had been taken off his neck.
¡°Th-then, you¡¯re letting me live now?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Damien swung the sword, slitting the gang member¡¯s throat.
Unaware of what had befallen him, the member bled to death.
¡°All of you will die anyway when the Churches.¡±
The Church never forgave ck magicians or their coborators.
If Victor presented the dealings between the ck Serpent gang and the ck magician.The Church would eradicate the ck Serpent on charges of coborating with demons.
Damien had intended to exterminate the ck Serpent beforehand.
Creating such arge threat might prevent his future enemies from recklessly targeting his family.
¡®There seems to be one nearby.¡¯
Damien prepared to move.
At that moment Damien saw the ragged man who was beaten up by the gang member.
The ragged person, with a face full of fear, warily stared at Damien.
¡°Ah.¡±
As if a thought had suddenly struck him, Damien reached into the gang member¡¯s pocket.
He retrieved a pouch of money and tossed it over to the man.
¡°Why¡ why are you giving this to me?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not because of you that I killed this guy.¡±
¡°T-then why are you giving me this money?¡±
¡°As a gesture of goodwill.¡±
At that, the ragged person disyed a perplexed expression.
Leaving him behind, Damien moved towards first base.
The first base Damien visited was a two-story building located in an alley.
At the entrance stood a guard who seemed quite vignt.
Damien walked steadily toward the guard.
¡°Hey, outsiders are not allowed at this ce. Get lost.¡±
Despite the warning, Damien didn¡¯t halt and instead looked at the guard.
The guard, seeing that Damien didn¡¯t bat an eye to what he said, shouted again with a stern expression.
¡°Can¡¯t you hear me? If you don¡¯t want to get beaten like a dog, scram¡¡±
As soon as the guard came under his striking distance, Damien swung his longsword and severed the guard¡¯s neck.
He then opened the door and stepped inside the building.
The members of the ck Serpents were seated around arge table, drinking and gambling.
Besides them, a man and a woman were kneeling totally naked.
¡°You bastards!¡±
A middle-aged man raged in front of the man and woman.
¡°I told you to supervise the prostitutes, but you ended up running away with one! Even then instead of apologising you dared to mess with me and strike at my face!¡±
¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry. I made a mistake!¡±
¡°P-please spare us! We won¡¯t disobey your orders again!¡±
Despite the pleading of the man and woman, the leader¡¯s anger did not subside.
¡°You vile wench! You owe me so much money and yet you dared to run away? If your mother couldn¡¯t pay and died, it is natural for you, her daughter to repay the debts just as eagerly¡±
The leader grabbed the woman¡¯s hair, causing her eyes to well up in agony.
¡°Fine, it won¡¯t work. I should set an example by slitting both of your throats.¡±
¡°P-please, have mercy!¡±
¡°I-I beg you!¡±
¡°Shut up!¡±
The leader pped the faces of both the man and woman.
They groaned and copsed to the floor, writhing in pain.
¡°Sir, rx ande join us for a round.¡±
¡°Yes, what¡¯s the point of getting worked up over these leeches?¡±
The other members addressed the leader.
The leader, still fuming, decided to join the gambling table.
At that moment, he noticed Damien standing at the door.
¡°Ah¡ really, these idiots can¡¯t even do security work properly.¡±
The leader furiously ran his hand through his hair.
¡°What the hell, who¡¯s on security today?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Henry, sir.¡±
¡°Bring him to my room. It¡¯s high time for me to do some serious mental re-education for these guys.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°What, understood! Don¡¯t just sit there and get that guy out right now!¡±
The leader, infuriated, struck the back of the gang member¡¯s head.
The member rubbed his head and stood up.
¡°Ah¡ damn.¡±
The member, bearing the brunt of the leader¡¯s fury, had an frustrated expression.
Seemingly intending to vent this rage on Damien, the member clenched his fist and approached him.
¡°Where do you think you are barging in? You think the ck Serpent gang is a joke? Let me enlighten you properly today.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t even bother to respond to him and swung his longsword.
The de pierced through the gang member¡¯s neck.
Shortly after, the man¡¯s head slid off his neck and fell to the ground.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Other gang members watching the scene uttered dumbfounded sounds.
The sudden death of their colleague caught everyone off guard, causing a dyed reaction to the situation.
The body, now missing its head, lost bnce and toppled over.
At that moment, the gang members regained theirposure.
¡°B-Broad¡¯s dead!¡±
¡°I-It¡¯s an ambush!¡±
The members hastily searched for weapons.
However, Damien was faster than them in grabbing weapons.
He leaped among the gang members.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Aaahh!¡±
Blood of the gang members spattered every time Damien swung his sword.
The bodies of the gang members were severed. In the blink of an eye, they all turned into piles of corpses.
The only one who remained was the leader.
¡°A-Aah!¡±
Losing strength in his legs, the leader started to tremble before Damien.
¡°Wh-who are you! D-do you know who I am? I¡¯m an executive of the ck Serpents!¡±
¡°Noisy.¡±
Damien stomped on the leader¡¯s ankle.
Crack.
With a sound, the ankle broke, and the leader screamed.
¡°If you scream one more time, I¡¯ll cut you this time.¡±
At Damien¡¯s warning, the leader tightly shut his mouth.
When he quieted down, Damien nced at the naked man and woman.
¡°P-please spare us!¡±
The naked man and woman prostrated themselves before Damien.
In an indifferent tone, Damien Hasken said,
¡°You¡¯re free to leave.¡±
¡°Th-thank you!¡±
¡°We promise to live our life peacefully.!¡±
The two hurriedly dressed up and fled outside.
¡°Now it¡¯s just the two of us here.¡±
Damien¡¯s gaze returned to the leader which caused the leader¡¯splexion to turn pale.
¡°Now, answer all the questions I ask truthfully.¡±
¡°W-Would you spare me then?¡±
¡°Let me hear your answers first and then I will make any decisions.¡±
Crouching to match the leader¡¯s eye level, Damien looked into his eyes and continued,
¡°Tell me about all the ck Serpent¡¯s branches in this city.¡±
Though he had heard it from the member he had met near the tavern, he couldn¡¯t fully trust the information, after all he was just an errand boy of the gang. That is why he decided to ask the leader who is one of the executives of the ck Serpents.
¡°Wh-Why would you¡¡±
Damien hit the leader¡¯s face with the hilt of his sword.
The leader spat out blood and broken teeth, growling in pain..
¡°Just answer the question, understand?¡±
With tears streaming down his face, the leader nodded in pain.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 12: Hunting the Serpent (2)
Anyone who met Cedric Walker for the first time might think of him as a pig, but when they start to know him they realize that he is instead a cunning wolf in the form of a pig.
¡°Hahahaha! It has been a great day today, all thanks to boss Cedric¡±
¡®Silk Cat¡¯ is an upscale bar in Landwalk city, because it is located at the very centre of the ce. It is very popr among the upper ss of the city.
However this evening instead of the usual bustling of the people there wasplete silence in the city, an unusual emptiness hung in the air, the surroundings eerily devoid of the usual bustle.The reason? Cedric Walker had rented out the entire ce.
¡°I¡¯ve often heard of Silk Cat¡¯s reputation, but it was too expensive for me to considering here¡ This really exceeds my expectations, truly.¡±
Seated beside a beauty, a man with a goatee gently encircled his hand on her waist as he began to speak.
The beauty didn¡¯t show any sign of displeasure but instead smiled enchantingly.
¡°Truly remarkable!They have wines from all around the world with them.¡±
Beside the man with the goatee sat a muscr and robust man.
Seemingly only interested in his drink, he sat there emptying his ss without any femalepanion.
¡°I¡¯m d you both are enjoying yourselves.¡±
Cedric Walker stood besides them, not taking a seat at the table. In fact, he was acting like a servant, pouring drinks for them and picking up the discarded items form , as if he were a waiter and not the host.
¡°To rent out the Silk Cat entirely must have cost quite a fortune.¡±
¡°Indeed, it must have. While it¡¯s true that we¡¯re having a good time, you must have paid a lot for this.¡±
A grin spread across Cedric¡¯s face as he caught wind of their words.
¡°I am happy to spend this much money if I can make you happy.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°I would appreciate it if you could visit more often, ¡±
The faces of the two men lit up as they heard Cedric¡¯s words.
¡°Your words mean a lot, thank you.¡±
¡°Then shall we enjoy a bit more?¡±
The two men indulged again. The man with the goatee focused on the woman, while the muscr man concentrated on his drink.
The cold gaze of Cedric Walker watching these two was chilling.
¡®They¡¯re incapable trash.¡¯
If someone who knew the identities of those two had heard, they would have been shocked at Cedric¡¯s statement. The man with the goatee held the esteemed position of the governor of Landwalk City, and the muscr man served as the guardian knight protecting Landwalk City.
In Cedric Walker¡¯s perspective, both of them were on their posts due to their luck and the situation in the city, they are notpetent at all, appearing as inconsequential insignificant trash.
¡®Ultimately, the governor is nothing but a scarecrow set up by the guild leaders and that knight is just a brute good at wielding a sword.¡¯
Landwalk City was heavily influenced by merchants and craftsmen; it naturally swayed to the desires of the guilds that had coalesced.
For the sake of safeguarding their interests, the guilds established governors aligned with their tastes. The knight was hardly any different.
Formally a knight, he was hired by the city for a pittance, being immersed in gambling and alcohol, offering nothing more.
Yet Cedric Walker was heavily investing in these two.
Both were nothing more than empty-headed fools, but their facade held considerable value.
¡°Ah, Sir Cedric. Regarding the establishments owned by other gangs, it seems feasible for the ck serpent to acquire them all.¡±
This was due to the profitable dealings the ck serpent gang had with them currently.
¡°Is it really alright?¡±
¡°Yes. Let the ck serpent manage all the entertainment venues in the city.¡±
¡°While I am pleased about that, won¡¯t the others object?¡±
¡°I have sufficient authority to suppress any opposition.¡±
The governor confidently asserted, though his goat-like beard didn¡¯t make him particrly impressive.
¡°Thank you very much Governor!¡±
Cedric bowed his head as if to nt it in the ground.
¡°No need for thanks. It all thanks to Sir Cedric¡¯s diligence andpetence¡±
¡°I regret that there isn¡¯t much I can do in this situation.¡±
The guardian knight spoke, setting down an empty ss.
Cedric feigned surprise as if questioning his statement.
¡°Just by safeguarding this city, you do a service deserving of gratitude, Sir Knight!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that just something I should do?¡±
¡°It might be expected, but maintaining security in arge city like the Landwalk isn¡¯t an easy
task, you know? While you may be humble, excessively lowering yourself embarrasses others.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
The guardian knight seemed satisfied with Cedric¡¯s ttery.
¡°Still, if there¡¯s anything you need, just tell me. I¡¯ll do my best to assist you.¡±
¡°Thank you very much sir knight.¡±
Cedric once again bowed his head to them.
Though not visible to the two men, Cedric¡¯s eyes were icy at that moment.
¡®There¡¯s not much time before trash like these will bow to me.¡¯
Cedric¡¯s ambition was to attain a position of power, allowing him to wield absolute control over the city.
The n was still being diligently executed.
It won¡¯t be long before the governor and the knight would bow to Cedric instead.
¡°Is there anythingcking? I¡¯ll immediately go and get it for you.¡±
It was when Cedric Walker spoke thus.
One of his subordinates approached him and whispered.
Cedric Walker¡¯s expression immediately stiffened.
¡°¡I¡¯m truly sorry to you both, but I¡¯ll have to step away for a moment.¡±
¡°Seems like there¡¯s urgent business.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s not worry about it and attend to our matters.¡±
Already deeply immersed in women and alcohol, the two didn¡¯t pay attention to whether Cedric Walker left or not.
Emerging from the guest room at Silk Cat, Cedric Walker grabbed his subordinate by the cor.
¡°What did you just say? Damien Hasken is attacking our people?¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°What in the world is that dark mage doing? How can he allow that brat Damien toe here and cause a ruckus at my ce as if he owns this city!¡±
¡°I-I don¡¯t know s-sir¡¡±
Cedric let out a deep sigh.
¡°Darn it, he must¡¯ve just taken the money and run. This is why wishy-washy people aren¡¯t to be trusted.¡±
Thinking about the payment that he gave to the dark mage made his blood boil.
Suppressing his anger, Cedric Walkermanded his subordinate.
¡°Given the situation, I must personally take care of Damien Hasken. That scoundrel must be brought here alive. Do you Understand?¡±
After saying this Cedric turned around to return to the room to entertain the governor and the knight.
His subordinate urgently grabbed hold of Cedric Walker.
¡°Boss! You can¡¯t just go in! You need to issue orders for us!¡±
¡°I just said. Capture that guy alive.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not possible.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°With our abilities, we can¡¯t capture Damien Hasken!¡±
Upon hearing this, Cedric Walker struck his subordinate¡¯s thigh.
The subordinate screamed, clinging onto Cedric Walker¡¯s leg.
Can¡¯t you see that I am busy right now. Cut the nonsense. How much money have I invested to train you all? Yet you are saying can¡¯t you capture some insignificant brat!¡±
After the tavern was wrecked by Damien Hasken, Cedric rigorously armed and trained his gang members.
He provided them armor made of monster hide and weapons crafted by skilled artisans.
If that wasn¡¯t all he even taught and allowed the higher ups to use magic tools in times of emergency.
No matter how much it was , Cedric didn¡¯t care at all.
In this business, underestimating your opponent could lead to downfall.
He was already humiliated by Damien previously so doing this much to rectify it didn¡¯t mean that much to him
¡°Even if we use magical tools, that guy turns everything to ashes. Does it make sense to you that we can¡¯t deal with just one guy?¡±
A member of the gang spoke with trembling eyes.
¡°I-I¡¯m telling the truth! P-Please believe me!¡±
¡°So you won¡¯t stop ranting huh?.¡±
Cedric Walker struck at his subordinate with his fist. At that moment, another subordinate of his rushed in hurridely.
¡°B-Boss!¡±
It was so urgent that the subordinate stumbled and fell to the ground.
However, they quickly got up and reached Cedric Walker.
¡°D-Damien Hasken! Our southern branch has been destroyed by that guy!¡±
Cedric Walker¡¯s mind hardened instantly.
What is this guy saying now?
¡°Boss! Boss!¡±
Before Cedric Walker could regain his senses, another subordinate rushed in.
Before reaching Cedric Walker, the subordinate shouted.
¡°The eastern branch has been annihted by Damien Hasken!¡±
***
The northern district of Landwalk City.
Known for its numerous residential areas and usually peaceful surroundings, today was unusually chaotic.
¡°Kill him! I said kill him!¡±
No, would this even qualify as chaos?
Scores of ck Serpent gangs¡¯ members had gathered in the square of the northern district.
¡°Everyone charge! Crush him to pieces!¡±
Surprisingly, there was only one person opposing them in the square¡¯s center.
A young man was standing against all members of the ck Serpent gang in the midst of the square.
His weapon? Just an old longsword.
In contrast, the enemies were equipped with spears, shields, crossbows which were made by skilled artisans and even armor made of monster hide.
In terms of numbers and strength, the ck Serpent gang members were overwhelmingly superior.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
However, it was the members of ck Serpent who were being pushed back.
Every swing of the young man¡¯s sword severed the limbs of the gang members.
Some lost their heads.
Neither the monster hide nor the shields were of any help against the sword of the young man.
¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! He¡¯s human too! He¡¯ll get tired soon! Keep charging until then!¡±
A man who seemed like an officer rallied the members.
But no matter how much time passed, the young man didn¡¯t seem to get tired at all.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
Instead, his swordsmanship became more intricate and ferocious resulting in the casualties among the ck Serpent gang to increase.
¡°T-This guy¡!¡±
Finally, an officer who couldn¡¯t bear it anymore pulled something out from his bosom.
It was a cylinder with peculiar patterns densely drawn in red.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can survive this!¡±
A fireball erupted from the cylinder.
It flew straight towards the young man.
ncing at the fireball, the youth swung his longsword horizontally.
The fireball followed the trajectory of the sword.
It looked as if leaves were flowing along a stream.
¡°W-What¡¯s that¡?¡±
Shock appeared on the officer¡¯s face.
He had often heard that once you became a master, you could smoothly deflect an enemy¡¯s attacks. However, hearing that someone could pull off such a trick against magic was entirely new to him.
¡°H-How?¡±
The young man swung his sword, twirling his body.
Then he aimed the tip of his sword towards the officer.
The spinning fireball flew towards the officer.
¡°W-Wait!¡±
The darting fireball exploded.
A massive me engulfed the officer and the gang members.
¡®What kind of thugs even use magical tools?¡¯
In the end, Damien Hasken sighed, tongue-tied.
¡®Still, it ended quite neatly, thanks to that.¡¯
Apparently, dealing with magic was better against multiple opponents than mere swordy.
¡®Now, let¡¯s see¡ Where should I head next?¡¯
Damien unfolded the city map.
Scanning the map, he decided on his next destination.
¡®I should head here.¡¯
¡®Boss! The northwest branch has been wiped out!¡¯
¡®B-Boss! We¡¯ve received a message from the west branch! There¡¯s only one survivor left the others are killed by Damien Hasken!¡±
Seeing his subordinates rush in sessively, Cedric Walker grabbed his head.
He couldn¡¯t believe it, but he had to.
The gang he painstakingly built was being destroyed by just one person.
He was experiencing it for the first time hence, it was hard to believe.
He was even starting to doubt whether his subordinates were all collectively lying.
¡°B-Boss¡ W-What should we do?¡±
¡°Just shut up and wait.¡±
It was evident that with the gang¡¯s own power, they couldn¡¯t stop Damien Hasken.
In that case, they needed to seek help from the outside.
¡°Damn¡ I didn¡¯t stash away my money for times like this.¡±
Cedric Walker lifted his head.
He looked towards where the governor and the knight were enjoying themselves.
¡°Go and tell the guys to do their best and hold Damien Hasken.¡±
¡°Yes! Understood.¡±
After sending out his subordinates, Cedric Walker entered the VIP room.
The governor and the knight warmly weed Cedric Walker.
¡°Oh, Sir Cedric! Why are you only arriving now? Let¡¯s quickly have a drink.¡±
The governor offered a ss, but Cedric Walker didn¡¯t ept it.
Instead, he kneeled on the floor.
¡°I admit it¡¯s a bit shameless of me, but I have a favor to ask from both of you.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 13: Hunting the Serpent(3)
Damien roamed the city, destroying the branches of the ck Serpent gang.
The members of the gang resisted fiercely, but none could stop Damien.
Now, only the headquarters in the city center remained.
¡®It is easier for me now that they have made the centre of the city as their Headquarter.¡¯
Damien made his way towards the ck Serpents¡¯ headquarters.
The city streets were unusually quiet and deserted today.
It was because themotion caused by Damien had driven all the merchants to seek shelter.
¡®Hmm?¡¯
As he was about to cross the city square, soldiers suddenly started toe out from various alleyways.
The soldiers surrounded Damien and aimed their spears at him.
The soldiers who had remained still while Damien was dismantling all the branches of the ck Serpents were now in motion and it seemed like they were here to capture him.
This could only mean one thing.
¡°It seems like I¡¯ve caught the big fish this time.¡±
Two men were walking towards them, escorted by the soldiers from the opposite side.
One was elderly and thin, while the other was young fat.
¡°I am Sebastian Baker, the governor of Landwalk City!¡±
The man with a goatee shouted aloud.
However, his voicecked any sense of authority that a governor should have.
¡°How dare you turn Landwalk City into a mess? Drop your weapons and surrender, now!¡±
Damien casually brushed off the governor¡¯s words.
He wasn¡¯t particrly curious about who the governor was.
His attention was focused on the overweight man standing beside the governor.
¡°Are you Cedric Walker?¡±
Although he hadn¡¯t seen him directly, he had heard from his associates that Cedric was extremely obese.
More than anything, his eyes were filled with vitality, unlike an ordinary person¡¯s.
Cedric Walker didn¡¯t respond to Damien¡¯s question.
Instead, he rebuked the governor.
¡°Governor, have you seen? This despicable person not only ignores your words but also disrespects them. We must swiftly deal with him to uphold your authority.¡±
¡°As Mr. Cedric said! How dare he disregard me, the governor of this city! I cannot forgive this insolence!¡±
It seemed Cedric Walker had no intention of engaging in conversation with Damien.
¡°Trying to kill me? You don¡¯t seem to have that ability.¡±
Damien spoke, surveying the soldiers.
The number of soldiers easily exceeded a hundred.
However, they were no more than ordinary people who hadn¡¯t even mastered martial arts, let alone mana maniption.
Even if thousands of such people came they wouldn¡¯t be enough to intimidate Damien.
¡°What audacity? I don¡¯t understand what he believes to be so brash about! Is he oblivious to the magnitude of his actions?¡±
The governor shouted in frustration.
¡°You not only aimed to killCedric Walker, a well-known phnthropist but also attacked his pany¡¯, causing the deaths of more than dozens of innocent ¡¯employees¡¯! This is an unforgivable crime!¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
It was almost ridiculous how the leader of the ck Serpents, orchestrator of dreadful crimes, was being packaged as a virtuous businessman.
¡°Drop to your knees and plead for forgiveness!¡±
¡°One should have guilt to ask for it.¡±
¡°Such audacity!¡±
What Damien had caused today was indeed a chaotic situation.
However, the ones he had in were not innocent civilians but members of the ck Serpent gang.
Though he had stirred up the city, he didn¡¯t harm any of the ordinary citizens.
¡°I tried reasoning with you youngd, but it seems futile! Don¡¯t me me for what¡¯s going toe now!¡±
As the skirmish seemed imminent, Damien grasped his de.
However, the soldiers didn¡¯t rush in but remained still. It was when Damien felt puzzled by their behavior.
Suddenly, a surge of energy came from behind him.
Damien swiftly turned around.
The soldiers split in half, revealing a burly man in between.
¡°I was curious about who was causing this ruckus.¡±
As the man approached, his aura grew increasingly intense.
A high-density energy pounded against Damien¡¯s skin, akin to being caught in a heavy downpour.
¡°Seems like it was just a youngd.¡±
Their gazes locked. At that moment, Damien realized.
Who this man was and how formidable he was.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m Robert, the city¡¯s guardian knight.¡±
A full-fledged knight.
A formidable enemy had stepped forward.
Today, when one speaks of knights, everyone thinks of Aura users.
However, not everyone who can use Aura is a knight.
If one can manifest Aura, they¡¯re a Squire.
To be recognized as a full-fledged knight, one must wield and control Aura freely.
Manifesting and controlling.
To regr people, the gap between these two won¡¯t seem so vast.
But in reality, there existed an insurmountable barrier.
Many reached the level of Squire but failed to be true knights, facing disappointment.
¡°The city¡¯s guardian knight has personally intervened.¡±
A full-fledged knight; Damien couldn¡¯t underestimate them easily.
If it were his Death Knight self, facing a full-fledged knight wouldn¡¯t be a challenge in fact, he could have easily defeated a Swordmaster. However, the current Damien, was far from what he was before he regressed.
¡°You still have time run or lose your head?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the guardian knight, Robert, looked puzzled.
¡®Strange.There was no fear or hesitation in his eyes when he said that.¡¯
Not underestimating, but the oue remained unchanged. It was just going to be a bit more challenging.
¡°Are you bold or just foolish?¡±
¡°Confident.¡±
¡°You were foolish.¡±
Robert lifted the halberd resting on his shoulder.
At that moment, Robert¡¯s momentum spread all around.
The air in the entire square grew oppressively heavy.
¡°Stay put there. I¡¯ll give a clear demonstration to your ignorant self of what I¡¯m capable of.¡±
Robert took a step forward. As he approached, the pressure intensified.
However, Damien didn¡¯t prepare to confront Robert.
¡°Are you so scared that you can¡¯t even run away?¡±
Robert asked willingly. However, Damien wasn¡¯t looking at Robert; instead, he scanned the surroundings as if waiting for someone.
¡®What¡¯s Victor doing? Why hasn¡¯t hee yet?¡¯
¡®Has he gone mad?¡¯
Robert furrowed his brows as he spoke.
From a distance, someone ran across the rooftop of a building.
The ck silhouette, nearing the square, forcefully mmed into the building.
Soaring over the soldiers¡¯ heads, the figurended in front of Damien.
¡°Huh?¡±
Robert squinted at the intruder.
However, as the figure was wearing an inverted ck robe, their identity remained hidden.
¡°So he had someone to back him up!¡±
Robert swung his halberd towards the figure in ck.
The Aura-bound halberd struck at the figure in ck, who raised their forearm to block the attack.
At that moment, a thunderous noise erupted.
Surprisingly, the figure in ck neither flinched nor flew away. Instead, it was the halberd that got deflected.
¡°You blocked my attack?¡±
Robert muttered, seemingly incredulous.
At that moment, the figure in ck mmed the ground, lunging forward and throwing a punch.
An explosive boom apanied the giant being thrown backward.
Robert corrected his posture mid-air andnded solidly, ring as if to kill the figure in ck.
¡°Who are you? Reveal your identity!¡±
The figure in ck removed the hood covering her head.
Surprisingly, the figure in ck was a woman.
Moreover, despite her extremely short hair, she was exceptionally beautiful, enough for anyone to recognize her as a woman. But beyond that, there was something else that astonished people.
Her hair, eyebrows, even her irises were all white.
Robert, upon seeing this, muttered in bewilderment.
¡°¡Pdin?¡±
Pdins receive power not from mana but from God. As a side effect, their pigmentation gradually fades away, ultimately turning pure white.
The woman¡¯s white hair and eyes were symbols of her being a Pdin.
¡°Guardian Knight Robert, lower your spear. Otherwise, I will have to consider you an enemy.¡±
Robert¡¯s eyebrows twitched.
A full-fledged knight was a position that garnered respect wherever they went. However, being ordered around like a subordinate by a Pdin made Robert very ufortable.
¡°¡Damn.¡±
Nevertheless, Robert obediently released his grip on his halberd.
Defying the authority of a Pdin was akin to opposing the entireHoly Church.
Next, the woman turned to Damien and inquired,
¡°Are you Damien Hasken?¡±
To which Damien nodded, saying,
¡°Yes, I am Damien Hasken.¡±
¡°I rushed here after receiving the signal. I¡¯ve received the evidence.¡±
Damien smiled at the news. It seemed that Victor had done a good job.
¡°From now on, I intend to intervene on behalf of the Church.¡±
The Pdin nced around.
¡°If you¡¯re busy, we can dy this.¡±
Unlike Robert, the Pdin showed a kind attitude towards Damien.
However, Damien shook his head.
¡°We can¡¯t disrupt the Order¡¯s proceedings. You can proceed as nned.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
The Pdin expressed gratitude, cing a hand over the chest.
Then, retrieving arge ss bead from his robe, he threw it onto the ground. As it shattered, light shot up into the sky, exploding like a firework.
¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡±
¡°The light is covering the sky, don¡¯t you see?¡±
The soldiers watching the spectacle were trembling in fear.
Soon after, another army appeared in the square.
They all wore white armor, holding shields and clubs.
The city¡¯s soldiers, witnessing them, panicked and shouted,
¡°It¡¯s the Execution Corps! The Church¡¯s Execution Corps is here!¡±
¡°This, this can¡¯t be happening! Why, why is the Chuch¡¯s army in our city¡!¡±
The Church¡¯s army only revealed itself when dealing with heretics and demons. They were knights willing to sacrifice even their souls to eliminate the heretics.
¡°But who is that?¡±
¡°There¡¯s a suspicious figure among the Execution Corps.¡±
Among the Execution Corps, there was a man in a shabby appearance and in shabby clothes.
The man waved his arms toward Damien, shouting, ¡°Young Master! Young Masterrr! Victor has arrived!¡±
Victor broke free from the army and rushed forward.
¡°It seems you¡¯ve handled the task I entrusted to you quite well.¡±
¡°Of course! I may not know anything or have any skills, but when ites to errands, I¡¯m confident that there¡¯s no one who can match up to me!¡±
Victor enthusiastically thumped his chest. He was quite a humorous fellow.
¡°Soldiers and citizens, listen up!¡±
At that moment, the Pdin raised his voice.
¡°The city of Landwalk is currently under suspicion of colluding with a wanted dark mage!¡±
At those words, the soldiers¡¯ faces turned pensive.
The Holy Order was known for showing no mercy towards dark mages. If necessary, they would even capture royalty and subject them to torture.
¡°While we uncover those involved, the management of the city will be handed over to the Order! If you wish to prove your innocence, actively participate in the Order¡¯s proceedings.¡±
The soldiers swallowed their saliva nervously, but no one opposed. It was far better to cooperate as much as possible than be branded as heretics.
However, not everyone thought like the soldiers.
¡°What in the world are you saying!¡±
However the Governor of Landwalk reacted strongly.
¡°Landwalk is a city recognized for its autonomy within the kingdom! You mean to say that the Order will manage the city instead of a governor like me? Is this some kind of joke?¡±
¡°Eliminating filthy heretics is the will of God. The authority of the Holy Church stands far above the kingdom.¡±
The Governor¡¯s protest fell on deaf ears. In the eyes of the Church that could detain even royalty, a mere city governor held no fear.
¡°How dare you say such things! I will formally file aint to the Church about this¡¡±
¡°Above all, you are also a prime suspect. We cannot entrust the city to someone who might have colluded with the dark mage.¡±
¡°W-what are you saying! Why would I coborate with a dark mage!¡±
The Pdin pointed at Cedric Walker.
¡°That man besides concealed a dark mage and even provided support.¡±
At those words, Cedric Walker¡¯s mouth gaped wide.
¡°M-Mr. Cedric! Is that true?¡±
¡°N-No! Why would I hide and support a dark mage! It¡¯s a conspiracy!¡±
The Pdin took out a notebook from her robes and raised it.
¡°This notebook contains records of items you procured for the dark mage and where you obtained them.¡±
¡°N-No, I have never assisted a dark mage!¡±
¡°That will be revealed through the investigation.¡±
The Pdin paid no heed to Cedric Walker¡¯s protest.
¡°Governor Sebastian Baker, you mobilized soldiers to protect the coborator of the dark mage. Therefore, you cannot escape the suspicion either.¡±
The Pdin then pointed at Robert.
¡°Pdin Robert, you¡¯re in the same boat. You wielded weapons to protect Cedric Walker, so this cannot be overlooked.¡±
At those words, Robert¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Soldiers, take these two into custody immediately.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 14: Hunting the Serpent (4)
The soldiers of the Church started to move as soon as they received the orders.
Sebastian and Cedric were tied up without even putting up a decent resistance. They seemed more resigned than obedient to the pdin¡¯smand, as if they had given up on everything.
¡°¡You¡¯re going to capture me?¡±
However, Robert was different.
Robert kicked his Halbert which was on the ground, with his foot, and grabbed it
¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be caught so easily?¡±
¡°If you resist, you¡¯ll die.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll die even if I don¡¯t resist! Did you not know how vile the church is?¡±
Robert summoned his magic. Aura enveloped Halbert.
¡°Since it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ll strike you down here and flee!¡±
Robert charged toward the pdin, simultaneously lifting the Halbert higher.
The pdin¡¯s pupils narrowed.
She clenched her fist and adjusted her stance. A blue me engulfed the pdin¡¯s body.
Strangely, the robe the pdin was wearing did not catch fire.
It fluttered as if a strong wind was blowing.
¡°You!¡±
Robert struck down Halbert.
But the pdin was faster, unleashing a punch.
The sound of the air exploding pierced their eardrums.
The pdin¡¯s body disappeared and reappeared right in front of Robert.
At that same speed, she threw a punch at him.
The fiery fist engulfed the breastte, striking hard.
¡°Urgh!¡±
The breastte crumpled and shattered into pieces.
Robert vomited blood as he was thrown backward.
¡®How foolish.¡¯
Under the madness of fanaticism, a pdin undergoes rigorous training throughout their life. Not only that, they must fulfill various perilous missions under the guise of divine trials.
The strength cultivated by a pdin in this manner is vastly different from that of an ordinary knight.
¡®By the way, this woman¡ was a disciple of Cheongyeom.¡¯
Cheongyeom Bridgendin.
Among the Five Great Elders who were considered to be at the very apex within the church she was renowned for striking down numerous heretics, including several continentally recognized Dark mages.
¡®She was an incredibly powerful martial artist.¡¯
In a previous life, Damien had fought against Cheongyeom. A formidable opponent worthy of her fame.
It took over half a day of struggle before achieving victory.
¡°Damien Hasken.¡±
Damien¡¯s thoughts were shattered by the pdin¡¯s voice.
He raised his head to look at the pdin.
¡°Your merit in eliminating the Yn¡¯s executive ismendable beyond measure.¡±
¡°I merely did what was expected.¡±
¡°Though you utilized the Church for your own purposes, I won¡¯t hold you ountable for any wrongdoing.¡±
Damien shrugged.
¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re implying.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you summon the Church to cover up the attack on the ck Serpent?¡±
She was keenly aware of the situation reverting to the topic just arrived.
He felt she might have a clue as to why she arrivedte at the assembly.
¡°It seems like you¡¯ve been watching me from afar.¡±
It was an intrusive move, yet, in a way, understandable.
Dark mages have long been adept at nting spies within the Church.
¡°Thank you for understanding. That scoundrel, Akitora, not only cursed our territory but also dishonored my family.¡±
The pdin¡¯s pupils slightly widened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°So, I wanted to eradicate the ck Serpent with my own hands.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I can¡¯t me you any further.¡±
Contrary to public perception, the Church was quite flexible.
However, when it came to matters involving heresy, they would be extremely vignt.
¡°We¡¯ll ensure the bounty on Akitora¡¯s head is paid promptly.¡±
¡°How much can I receive?¡±
¡°Around a hundred gold.¡±
Hundred gold was a staggering amount that could buy a small castle in a country side easily.
But Damien had little interest in the money.
¡°Could I receive goods instead of the gold?¡±
¡°It¡¯s possible, what do you desire?¡±
Finally, the awaited moment arrived.
Damien revealed the prepared answer.
¡°I wish to receive one of the Church¡¯s Mana Absorption Techniques.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±
The pdin shook his head.
¡°A skilled individual like you who is capable of exterminating the ck Serpent gang alone¡ and yet, you need Mana Absorption Techniques?¡±
The pdin chuckled incessantly.
¡°I¡¯ve only mastered the basic Mana absorption Techniques. What Damien is currently practicing was taught to him by amander during his mercenary days. It¡¯s the most rudimentary form of Mana Absorption, slow in umting magical power, with no special effects.¡±
¡°I was looking into acquiring an even more advanced Mana absorption Techniques when an opportunity arose, so I¡¯m making this request.¡±
Of course, given Damien¡¯s talent, he could enhance these basic Mana Absorption Techniques to create more advanced ones. However, based on Damien¡¯s experience, having ¡®reference materials¡¯ yielded far superior results than starting from scratch.
¡°I¡¯ve heard among the items seized from heretics by the Church, there are many Mana absorption Techniques. I wish to obtain those confirmed to be safe.¡±
However, Mana absorption Techniques are not only extremely costly but also challenging to acquire. They rarely appear even in the ck market and, when they do, it¡¯s through asional auctions.
Finally connected with the Church, Damien contemted acquiring the Mana Absorption Techniques.
¡°¡You¡¯ve reached this level just with basic techniques?¡±
The pdin was surprised beyond belief.
Damien extended his wrist to the pdin, indicating a request for a direct inspection if he couldn¡¯t believe it.
The pdin grabbed Damien¡¯s wrist and channeled sacred power.
The sacred power scanned Damien¡¯s body.
After a moment, the pdin, wide-eyed, uttered,
¡°It¡¯s true¡¡±
¡°Now, will you believe me?¡±
The pdin crossed his arms, lost in thought. Damien patiently awaited the pdin¡¯s response.
¡°There¡¯s a better way than receiving the Mana Absorption Techniques.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
Upon Damien¡¯s query, the pdin spoke.
¡°Are you not interested in bing a pdin?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±
Damien stated bluntly. The pdin¡¯s pupils slightly widened at his words.
¡°W-Why not?¡±
Judging from his stumbling speech, it seemed quite shocking.
¡°Bing a pdin is the most honorable position, blessed by the grace of the gods, to purge evil.¡±
Unfortunately, Damien had never possessed even an ounce of faith in his life. Moreover, there was a significant reason why Damien refused to be a pdin.
¡°A pdin is just a hound for the Church.¡±
A pdin incurs an obligation to obey the Church. Refusing it results in emunication and being handed over for religious trials.
¡°Reconsider once more. With your skill, even my master would take an interest.¡±
To garner the attention of ¡®Cheongyeom,¡¯ one of the Five Great Elders of the Church.
If it were someone else, they might have felt honored, but not Damien.
¡°I have yet to understand the love of the gods. Right now, I want to travel the world and practice the teachings of the divine.¡±
Unable to outright state it, Damien decided to divert the conversation appropriately.
¡°¡Such sacred words. They¡¯re truly enlightening to my ears.¡±
Despite the somewhat fabricated words, they seemed to resonate with the pdin.
The pdin looked at Damien with a rather burdened expression.
¡°But if your thoughts change, please visit the Church anytime. I¡¯ll personally wee you.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Perhaps Damien¡¯s visit to the Church to be a pdin would never happen.
¡°As requested, instead of the bounty, we¡¯ll provide you with the Mana Absorption Techniques.¡±
The pdin readily granted Damien¡¯s request.
If she was a disciple of Cheongyeom, her power to amodate such a request was more than sufficient.
¡°However, there is one condition. We¡¯ll dispatch people from the Church to investigate Akitora¡¯s traces. I hope you¡¯ll receive them as assistants at Hasken Manor.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Damien spoke without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Truthfully, it wasn¡¯t a request he could refuse.
The Chrch¡¯s members would do anything to eradicate heretics.
He couldn¡¯t risk unnecessary suspicion by rejecting their offer.
¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±
The pdin drew two lines in the air with two fingers¡ªan etiquette of the Church.
¡°By the way, we haven¡¯t exchanged formalities. My name is Agnes, a direct disciple of Cheongyeom.¡±
Direct disciple.
It referred to those brought in first as disciples.
In his past life, Cheongyeom¡¯s disciples were widely known.
However, the name Agnes was not among them.
¡®Was she assassinated before she could make her name known to others by the dark mages?¡¯
Being Damien didn¡¯t mean knowing everything about the future.
¡°Agnes, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±
Imitating the Church¡¯s etiquette, Damien replied.
¡°Anyway, can I finish my task now?¡±
¡°As you wish. But what task are you referring to?¡±
Damien approached Cedric Walker. Cedric¡¯s hands were tightly bound.
As Damien neared, Cedric merely turned his head, speaking gruffly.
¡°Why is this bastard approaching me¡ ugh!¡±
Suddenly, Damien thrust his foot into Cedric Walker¡¯s abdomen.
Cedric retched and copsed to the floor.
¡°Soft like a piglet.¡±
¡°This crazed¡ urgh!¡±
Damien continued to stomp on Cedric.
He targeted areas causing intense pain but not risking his life.
If Cedric were to die here, it would cause trouble. He would face more torment within the Church.
¡°Phew, I feel a bit better now.¡±
Damien halted the assault only after Cedric fainted.
With a refreshed expression, he turned to Agnes.
¡°Shall we take him now?¡±
Agnes nodded, looking bewildered.
That way, Damien returned to the estate.
By the time he arrived, the sun had already set.
However, the entrance to the estate was lively.
¡°Damien!¡±
His family members were waiting for him, holding torches.
¡°Where on earth have you been at such a dangerous time!¡±
Paul Hasken scolded Damien as soon as he saw him.
But despite his words, his eyes were filled with worry.
¡°Why are you out in this cold weather?¡±
¡°Is the weather important right now? You didn¡¯t get into trouble again, did you?¡±
¡°I just went out to get some some fresh air and a walk.¡±
Hasken had a face of suspicion.
His mother gave a p on Paul¡¯s head despite his words.
¡°What did I tell you? I said Damien wouldn¡¯t do that again.¡±
¡°Uh¡ You were right.¡±
Paul Hasken let out a relieved sigh.
¡°Damien, you might be frustrated because children y outside at your young age, However you stay in the estate for a while. There are more than just one or two people who have a grudge against you.¡±
Soon, his father spoke with a face full of concern.
¡°With the ck Serpent gang and Marquise of Ryan Bloom at your neck¡ Don¡¯t let your guard down; who knows what might happen.¡±
His father tightly held Damien¡¯s hand.
¡°Even with just ck Serpent, those guys don¡¯t know any limits. Who knows if they might prepare poisoned arrows for the roads you frequently travel?¡±
Damien nodded slowly.
¡°Father is right.¡±
¡°Do you understand my point?¡±
A bright smile appeared on Hasken¡¯s lips.
¡°Yes, I thought the same, so I took precautions beforeing back.¡±
However, his expression darkened again after listening at his words.
¡°W-what? Pr-precautions?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll soon hear about the disappearance of the name ck Serpent.¡±
¡°W-what are you talking about?¡±
¡°For more details, ask Victor.¡±
At the mention of the name, Victor¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Well then, I¡¯m a bit tired, so I¡¯ll go in now.¡±
Damien released his hand from his father¡¯s grip and began running down the street.
¡°D-Damien? Damien!¡±
Viscount Paul Hasken tried to grab Damien, but it was futile. Damien was already far away.
¡°Oh, right.¡±
He turned back and shouted.
¡°People from the Holy Church mighte soon; don¡¯t be scared. They¡¯re just here to investigate the traces of the dark mages.¡±
Hasken¡¯s mind went nk at these words.
¡°W-what? The Holy Church? Why would the Churche here? And what about the dark mages?¡±
Damien was already gone, unable to answer that question.
Paul Hasken turned to Victor. His gaze was so fierce that Victor trembled.
¡°Victor¡ You¡¯ll have to exin everything that happened today without missing a single detail!¡±
The ident was caused by Damien, but Victor was the one enduring the suffering.
Victor shed a few tears silently.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 15: Warning (1)
Ryan bloom manor, training grounds.
Something peculiar was happening in this ce, known as the best swordsmanship training ground in the Apple Kingdom.
More than ten young men stood with wooden swords, swallowing their saliva repeatedly. In the direction they faced stood a middle-aged man.
He had a robust build, but that was about it. He wasn¡¯t particrlyrge or imposing.
¡°Is everyone adequately warmed up?¡±
However, despite this being the man¡¯s routine, the young men were on edge, watching his every move intently with tense expressions.
¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±
Yet, the young men still hesitated.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man clicked his tongue briefly.
¡°I thought you were lion cubs. But it turns out that you¡¯re just puppies?¡±
The vibrant young men couldn¡¯t remain silent in the face of such provocation.
Their gazes shifted, and one by one, they raised their wooden swords.
Amused, the man shed a satisfied smile.
¡°Now that¡¯s more like it.¡±
The young men charged forward with shouts, wielding their wooden swords. The man also lifted his wooden sword in response.
And in the blink of an eye, the oue was decided.
The young men writhed on the ground, struck by the wooden swords, while the middle-aged man stood unscathed.
¡°You¡¯re all quite good. I can¡¯t afford to let my guard down now.¡±
At the middle-aged man¡¯s words, one of the young men pursed his lips.
¡°Even so, hasn¡¯t there been anyone who blocked Lord Ryan bloom¡¯s strike?¡±
In the Apple Kingdom, those who could be called ¡°Lord¡± were exceedingly rare. And among the Lords, there was only one with such skill.
Hond Ryanbloom.
The middle-aged man was the master of Lord Ryanbloom.
¡°It¡¯s a matter of my dignity. I shouldn¡¯t let myself be caught by you all so easily.¡±
Hond Ryan bloom chuckled softly.
¡°Keep progressing, everyone.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
The young men rose from the ground, their voices raised.
Hond Ryanbloom left the training ground with his wooden sword in hand.
¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±
An elderly man offered him a towel as he entered the manor.
Lord Hond wiped away his sweat and spoke, ¡°Vincent, the knights have improved significantly. If I make the slightest mistake now, I might lose.¡±
At his words, the elderly man referred to as Vincent simply smiled without saying a word.
The youths who were defeated by Lord Hond were all formal knights.
Despite that, none of them could even touch the hem of Lord Hond¡¯s garment.
However, the knights didn¡¯t feel ashamed. This man, Hond Ryan bloom, was a formidable figure on the verge of bing a Swordmaster.
¡°Have you decided on the knights to send for the duel?¡±
At Vincent¡¯s question, Lord Hond fell into a brief moment of contemtion.
¡°There are a few decent ones, but I need to observe a bit more to be sure.¡±
Currently, the Lord of Ryanbloom was in conflict with the Lord of Goldpixy. A gold mine had been discovered on the border between their estates.
Both families had long been in conflict and finally decided to settle the ownership of the mine through a duel.
¡°The first participant has been decided, so it¡¯s practically one win already. But I¡¯m concerned about the other two.¡±
The formal knights were ssified into High ss, Middle ss, and Low ss based on their skills.
For this duel, both families decided to only include three Low-ss knights from each side.
¡°Regardless of who we send, we¡¯ll win, but I want to make the skill gap clear this time.¡±
Lord Hond¡¯s face was filled with strong confidence.
He was indeed the one managing the best knightly family in the Apple Kingdom.
¡°It would have been perfect if the second young master could participate.¡±
¡°Well, I think so too. It would¡¯ve been a great opportunity to announce his name¡ but his skills are stillcking.¡±
Second Master Erwin Ryanbloom, hailed as a genius, had not been chosen for this duel as he was still a squire. Crossing the threshold to be a formal knight was no easy feat.
¡°But what is Erwin doing now? I haven¡¯t seen his face aroundtely.¡±
At the Lord¡¯s inquiry, Vincent expressed a somewhat awkward expression.
¡°Well¡ he went to visit the Haksen family estate.¡±
¡°Haksen family? Ah, it¡¯s because of that family¡¯s youngdy.¡±
The fact that Erwin Ryanbloom showed great interest in the Haksen family¡¯s eldest daughter was something the Lord already knew.
¡°Thatd is quite something. Taking after me, being so fond of women.¡±
Contrary to his words, Lord Hond had a smile on his face.
¡°Still, if you¡¯re a man, it¡¯s only natural to have such desires, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a pity that the eldestcks in that regard.¡±
Unlike Erwin Ryan bloom, who showed interest in women, the first young master of the Ryan Bloom family had absolutely no interest in that direction.
¡°However, it seems this prank is going to be a bit prolonged. Those rural family women should be enjoyed reasonably and then discarded.¡±
It was when Lord Hond clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
A messenger hurriedly approached from afar.
The messenger whispered something in Vincent¡¯s ear.
Upon hearing the whisper, Vincent¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Your Grace, the Second Young Master has returned.¡±
¡°Oh, is that so?¡±
Lord Hond¡¯s face lit up instantly.
¡°Talk about the tiger and the tiger¡¯s here. I must hurry and see Erwin¡ But why does your face look like that?¡±
Lord Hond asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°That¡¯s¡ um¡¡±
Vincent cautiously began to speak.
¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, speak quickly.¡±
¡°The second young master has suffered a grave insult at the Haksen family estate.¡±
At that moment, Lord Hond¡¯s face contorted like a demon.
¡°Erwin!¡±
Lord Hond forcefully swung open the door to the infirmary.
The sound startled Erwin Ryan bloom, who was crouched on the bed.
¡°Oh, father?¡±
Erwin Ryan bloom peered out from under the covers.
The skin visible beyond his clothes was covered in bruises, and there were still visible wounds on his neck from a de.
¡°Father¡ Th-the, they tried to¡ k-kill me¡ They tried to slit my throat¡ with a¡ fork.¡±
What was more concerning was Erwin¡¯s mental state.
Unable to articte properly, it seemed he had suffered a severe psychological shock.
¡°Erwin! Fear not! Your father is by your side!¡±
Lord Hond firmly grasped Erwin¡¯s hand, yet the trembling did not cease.
After consoling Erwin for a while, Lord Hond stepped out of the infirmary.
¡°Your Grace.¡±
Outside stood Vincent and the junior knights who apanied Erwin.
Lord Hond red at the squires with his lively eyes.
¡°What happened at the Haksen family estate?¡±
The squires swallowed hard and exined in detail.
As the squires continued their exnation, Lord Hond¡¯s brow furrowed.
¡°¡He parried an aura sword with a fork?¡±
Even for the High-ss warrior Hond, it wasn¡¯t easy to fend off an aura sword with ordinary weaponry. And he managed to deflect the aura attack with a fork?
¡°Are you weaving false tales out of fear of retribution?¡±
¡°N-no! It¡¯s true!¡±
¡°P-please, believe us!¡±
The junior knights shouted as if pleading.
Lord Hond scrutinized the faces of the junior knights and said, ¡°Alright, step back at once.¡±
The junior knights bowed and swiftly left.
¡°Your Grace, what do you think?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re lying.¡±
An High-ss individual could detect the opponent¡¯s breath and heartbeat through their senses. By using this, they could somewhat discern the truthfulness of their words.
¡°However, the eldest son of the Haksen family is known for his mischief. How could a man like that¡¡±
¡°Perhaps he ingested hallucinogens or poison in the tea or food at the Haksen family estate.¡±
At that remark, Vincent sighed. He hadn¡¯t considered that possibility.
Erwin Ryanbloom and his guards had arrived at the Haksen family estate and were treated to tea and food. If it was spiked with hallucinogens or poison?
Even if Erwin, renowned as a genius, had been affected, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to wield his sword properly.
¡°Damien Haksen likely blocked the poorly swung sword under the influence of hallucinogens or poison, and the knights must have misunderstood.¡±
Grim-faced, just the thought of it was enough to stir Lord Ryanbloom¡¯s anger.
¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the impending duel with the Duke, I would have personally apprehended that scoundrel.¡±
At this juncture, with the impending duel with the Goldpixy Duke, the Lord couldn¡¯t recklessly leave his position.
¡°Send someone immediately to the Haksen family estate and bring Damien Haksen here.¡±
Lord Hond was usually magnanimous, but when it came to his children, he was known to be selfish. Seeing such a disy of care for his children, he couldn¡¯t stay still.
¡°Tie him up like a dog and bring him back. Let everyone witness his humiliation.¡±
¡°Who should we send as the knight?¡±
¡°Send Gerrick.¡±
At the mention of Gerrick¡¯s name, Vincent¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly.
Gerrick was a Low-ss knight, exceptionally loyal within the Ryanbloom estate. Because of this, he had caused trouble several times.
Once, he had turned a group of mercenaries insulting the estate into obedient followers.
Lord Hond was well aware of this. Nevertheless, in such a sensitive situation, singling out Gerrick for this task was a tant disy of intention.
¡°Understood.¡±
Vincent quietly nodded in response.
The day after Damian Haksen exterminated the ck Serpent, someone from the Church visited him.
¡°Greetings, Master. I am Agnes, a pdin from the Church.¡±
Agnes, along with a group of knights and an investigative team, had been dispatched from the city, led by the disciple of Cheongyeom whom they had met in the city.
¡°Wee to the Haksen Estate.¡±
¡°Greetings Pdin.¡±
Paul and his wife greeted them with visibly tense faces.
It was a natural reaction considering they were facing full fledged knights who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to massacre if it served the will of God.
¡°Damien has informed us about your visit and that you will be staying in the estate for a while¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s because we have to investigate the remnants of the Dark Mage that cursed your territory. We¡¯d appreciate your cooperation.¡±
At the mention of the, Master Haksen swallowed hard again.
¡°We have emptied the servants¡¯ quarters, so feel free to use them as needed.¡±
¡°We appreciate your consideration. This is a small token of our gratitude.¡±
Agnes handed something to the Viscount.
It was a palm-sized piece of tinum. As soon as the Viscountid eyes on it, his pupils widened.
¡°Oh, no, this¡!¡±
¡°It¡¯s a token of appreciation for approving the investigative team¡¯s activities.¡±
The tension that lingered in Master Haksen¡¯s and his wife¡¯s eyes noticeably softened.
Indeed, the power of money was substantial.
¡°How have you been, Damien?¡±
Next, Agnes greeted Damien.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again so soon.¡±
¡°I pursue the Dark Mages of Yn myself hence I came to assist in the investigation.¡±
When mentioning Yn, a fleeting spark of anger appeared in Agnes¡¯s eyes. It was a momentary change that would have gone unnoticed by anyone other than Damien.
¡°And I have a personal interest in you as well.¡±
At this statement, everyone in the family turned to look at Damien.
His mother covered her mouth with her palm.
¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡±
Damien nced at her, seemingly misunderstanding something deeply.
¡°I have no intention of bing aPaldin.¡±
¡°But you never know.¡±
¡°It will never happen.¡±
Damien asserted firmly. Agnes instantly looked disheartened.
¡°Such a pity. Please, take this.¡±
Agnes extended two old books to Damien.
¡°These are the manuals you requested, specially chosen ones.¡±
¡°Why are you giving me two books?¡±
¡°One is a swordsmanship techniqe. I thought it wouldn¡¯t match if I only gave you the absorption technique.¡±
While the swordsmanship technique wasn¡¯t particrly necessary, there was no harm in epting it.
Damien examined the covers of the two books.
¡®The Unleashed Sword Of Domination¡¯
¡®The Supreme Absorption Technique¡¯
They were sword techniques and martial arts that Damien hadn¡¯t seen in his past life.
During his time as a Death Knight, he had directly assaulted the headquarters of the clergy. However, he couldn¡¯t seize everything from the clergy, as everything sacred and valuable was burnt down by Dorgo himself, stating that it couldn¡¯t fall into Dorukan¡¯s hands.
As a result, even Damien didn¡¯t know whaty within the clergy.
¡°It was challenging to procure these.¡±
Agnes¡¯s words indicated that these were genuinely valuable items.
Damien expressed his gratitude while holding the books close.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°I genuinely mean it. It was challenging. There was a lot of opposition within the clergy.¡±
As Agnes repeated the same sentiment, Damien narrowed his eyes.
¡°No matter what you say, I have no intention of bing a knight.¡±
Agnes¡¯s shoulders drooped slightly.
¡°This is it.¡±
Damien guided Agnes and the investigative team to the underground hideout of the Agitoh.
As they descended into the hideout, the investigative team couldn¡¯t conceal their surprise.
¡°To generate such destructive power using curses¡¡±
¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a skill worthy of a high-ranking Yuran officer.¡±
The team began their investigation, scattering throughout the area.
A few stayed behind and inquired in detail from Damien.
¡°How did you deal with the dark mage?¡±
Damien answered nonchntly.
¡°I dodged and struck his neck, killing him.¡±
His response left the investigators dumbfounded. Some seemed like they wanted to question further.
¡°You truly are remarkable.¡±
However, since Agnes didn¡¯t show any particr reaction, they couldn¡¯t press further.
¡°Then I¡¯ll be reviewing the absorption and swordsmanship techniques. Let me know once the investigation is over.¡±
After saying that, Damien exited the hideout.
¡®I¡¯ve concealed all traces of me using dark magic, so it should be fine.¡¯
Damien had returned to the hideoutst night to manipte the scene appropriately.
If it were revealed that he could use dark magic, it would cause trouble within the clergy.
¡®It¡¯ll be challenging for them to find anything suspicious.¡¯
Damien, a figure of his stature, manipting the scene deliberately, would be hard to sense for an investigative team¡¯s standard.
Setting his worries aside, Damien opened the books received from Agnes.
As he unfolded the pages of the manual, the inscription on the first page caught his eye.
The Galway Family.
It was a family name Damien had heard of during the time he worked as a mercenary in his previous life.
50 years ago, considering the current timeline, it was a family that had been annihted by the clergy.
Originally, the Galway Family was a knightly lineage affiliated with the empire.
They had a Sword Master as their progenitor and had been an illustrious family, producing one Sword Master after another.
However, as the generations passed, even the High-ss Knights couldn¡¯t emerge, and the lineage leaned significantly.
For some reason, they got involved with dark mages, which led to exposure by the clergy.
¡®It wasn¡¯t just an empty im that it was challenging to procure.¡¯
The technique developed by a Master ss swordsman had tremendous value.
It was far more advanced than other technical books, primarily because it contained the method to be a Master ss.
¡®It might be useful enough.¡¯
However, it didn¡¯t impress Damien much.
In his past life, Damien was a formidable figure, even disparaging the Sword Masters.
The level of swordsmanship and martial arts was unseen to him.
Initially, Damien had demanded the martial arts to reference them and create even higher-level martial arts.
¡®There¡¯s nothing exceptional about swordsmanship technique.¡¯
The ¡®Unleashed Sword of Domination¡¯pressed magical power and released it, creating a mighty destructive force.
As there was nothing particrly special, Damien only nced through the swordsmanship once.
However, unlike swordsmanship, the Supreme Absorption Technique was a remarkably intriguing technique.
¡®The Unleashed Sword of Domination is a swordsmanship technique that consumes a tremendous amount of magical power. To address this drawback, the Supreme Absorption Technique evolved to increase the speed of gathering magical power.¡¯
Compared to other mana gathering techniques, the Supreme Absorption Technique umted magical power at an incredibly fast rate.
The secrety in drawing external magical power when operating the Supreme Absorption Technique, allowing for the umtion of a considerable amount of magical power at once.
¡®Once reaching the Master¡¯s level, you can directly harness the surrounding magical power¡ that¡¯s what¡¯s written here.¡¯
In essence, the Supreme Absorption Technique was a mana technique that controlled the magical power in space.
It was a much higher level of enlightenmentpared to the Unleashed Sword of Domination.
¡®How much range of magical power control is possible? Can it control not just natural but also the opponent¡¯s magical power?¡¯
Damien pondered numerous times.
In the process, he meticulously dissected the Supreme Absorption Technique, extracting what was necessary.
In the quiet forest, something was being born in Damien¡¯s mind.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 16: Warning (2)
¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit suspicious?¡±
A young investigator asked a senior colleague while examining the excavation site.
The senior investigator, rummaging through the debris scattered around the site, replied,
¡°What? The sudden sound of something munching on grass?¡±
¡°No, not that. It¡¯s about Akitora. He¡¯s an executive of Yn who has thwarted the pursuit of the Holy Church multiple times.¡±
Yn wasn¡¯t an ordinary group of dark mages.
Their size was small, but each individual¡¯s skills were remarkably high.
To the extent that all the Pdins dispatched by the Church fell in their trap during the hunts.
¡°Of course, Akitora belongs to the cursed faction, so hisbat prowess is rtively weak.¡±
Compared to those skilled inmanding undead or those who strengthen themselves for battle through fervent practices, the curse factioncked directbat abilities.
¡°But still, does it make sense for a high-ranking dark mage like Akitora to lose his life to a countryside noble?¡±
However, it was a rtive statement.
Even knights of regr status found it challenging to kill a curse sorcerer as skilled as Akitora head-on.
¡°Maybe that man, Damien Haksen¡ could be Yn¡¯s spy? It¡¯s possible he disguised someone else¡¯s body as Akitora and handed it over to the Church.¡±
The senior investigator nodded in agreement with the junior¡¯s suspicion.
¡°I¡¯ve had simr thoughts.¡±
¡°So, I¡¯m not the only one who finds this strange!¡±
¡°But what can we do? Lady Agnes hasn¡¯t said a word about it.¡±
Agnes was a respected Pdin who had eliminated countless heretics until now.
The young investigator couldn¡¯t believe that Agnes would just overlook something even the investigators doubted.
But Agnes didn¡¯t harbor even the slightest suspicion about Damien Haksen.
¡°Nevertheless, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to make a suggestion?¡±
¡°Finish the investigation first and then voice your concerns. Focus on the work for now¡¡±
¡°Damien Haksen is not a spy.¡±
Suddenly, a voice from behind startled both investigators.
Agnes was looking at the two of them with her usual impassive expression.
¡°I understand your doubts, but Damien Haksen is not that kind of man.¡±
At Agnes¡¯s words, the two investigators blinked in surprise.
¡°But-but how could he possibly have killed Akitora in the first ce?¡±
Summoning courage, the young investigator asked.
Without hesitation, Agnes replied.
¡°Didn¡¯t you already hear how he killed him?¡±
¡°Yes? Ah! Yes we did hear it.¡±
Suddenly, the young investigator recalled Damien Haksen¡¯s words.
¡°Roughly dodged and then struck at the neck to kill.¡±
A deep sense of bewilderment appeared on the young investigator¡¯s face.
¡°Oh, no, so that means he really¡ just dodged his attacks and killed him?¡±
Agnes nodded.
¡°When that servant brought Akitora¡¯s severed head, I didn¡¯t immediately intervene. I observed Damien.¡±
In truth, Agnes had already been suspicious of Damien.
It didn¡¯t make sense for a figure like Akitora to die so easily.
The situation was unavoidably suspicious.
¡°Truly¡ he was a skilled person to the point of astonishment.¡±
And upon witnessing Damien Haksen¡¯s fighting prowess, all her doubts were dispelled.
¡°Facing dozens of opponents simultaneously, yet he didn¡¯t sustain a single injury. Instead, he overwhelmed all of them.¡±
Agnes still couldn¡¯t forget.
Damien Haksen evaded attacksing from all directions by the smallest margin and surpassed his enemies.
Every move was meticulously calcted.
It felt almost unreal, as if watching a meticulously orchestrated y.
¡°The most astonishing thing was¡ the fact that he deflected magic using a sword.¡±
At first, the two investigators didn¡¯t grasp the meaning of her words.
¡°One of the members of the ck Serpent gang used a magical tool to shoot a fireball. Damien Haksen wielded his sword and redirected the trajectory of that fireball.¡±
Only after hearing Agnes¡¯s exnation did they begin to understand.
No, in truth, they still couldn¡¯tprehend it this time either.
¡°Is that¡ even possible?¡±
People struggle to even block an approaching sword right in front of them.
In such a scenario, deflecting magic? It was an unbelievable tale.
¡°It is possible. I¡¯ve heard that the Empire¡¯s Swordmaster ¡®Gyumsung¡¯ can withstand any attack, even magic.¡±
The jaws of the two investigators dropped.
In other words, it meant a feat achievable only by a master-level expert.
¡°If, if that¡¯s true, then Damien Haksen¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s an extraordinary expert, an unparalleled genius. There¡¯s no way such an individual would merely serve as a spy. Just using him as abat agent alone would cause significant damage to the Church.¡±
Agnes spoke with an infinitely serious expression.
¡°Surely the reason you came here personally was because of that man, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°The reason I followed all of you is because of Yn.¡±
Agnes cut in sharply.
There was no one in the sect who didn¡¯t know that Agnes harbored deep animosity towards Yn.
¡°But I also have something to deal with regarding that man. I would prefer to take him to my mentor as soon as possible. If other Great Elders find out about him, it will cause significant trouble.¡±
In the Church, Cheongyeom Brigandin held a position not inferior to a monarch of a country.
And among Cheongyeom¡¯s disciples, Agnes was the most outstanding figure.
Such a person was pouring out praises for someone without a hint of conceit.
¡°So, now, please set aside your suspicions about him and focus on the investigation.¡±
In response to those words, the investigators could only nod in agreement.
Four hours passed before the investigation concluded.
Regrettably, due to the aftermath of the battle, everything had turned to rubble, leaving little information to gauge.
¡°Thank you all for your hard work.¡±
Despite this, Agnes rallied the investigators without a hint of disappointment.
It was when Agnes and the investigators emerged from the site.
As soon as they stepped outside, they witnessed an unusual sight.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
The air was swirling.
In ordance with the air, the leaves around them also started vibrating.
At the center of it all was Damien Haksen.
He sat on a rock, with his eyes closed.
Each time he breathed, the flow of air alternated between rapid and slow.
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡±
The investigators watched in amazement at the peculiar scene.
As ordinary individuals, they couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening.
¡°¡Divine.¡±
Only Agnes recognized the unfathomable nature of what Damien Haksen was currently engaged in.
He was gathering and absorbing all the dispersed magical energies around him, subjugating them to himself.
¡°What am I witnessing?¡±
Agnes was well aware of the Absorption Technique she handed over to Damien Haksen.
Understanding its significant value, she passed it on to him.
The Unleashed Sword of Domination itself wasn¡¯t particrly remarkable.
However, the Supreme Absorption Technique was different. It was an extraordinary skill that anyone would envy.
¡°To master the Supreme Absorption Technique during the investigation¡¡±
The Supreme Absorption Technique involved gathering and absorbing the surrounding mana, significantly speeding up the process of umting magicpared to other techniques.
Once mastering it, one could go beyond merely absorbing nearby magic and begin to dominate it.
[Note- This technique increases the range and speed of absorbing mana and also helps in using it efficiently]
What Damien Haksen was currently doing was precisely that.
He used the Supreme Absorption Technique to control and absorb the surrounding magical energy.
¡°Huff¡¡±
Damien halted his breathing.
Simultaneously, the flow of air ceased abruptly.
¡°Have you finished your investigation?¡±
Damien asked Agnes and the investigators.
Agnes nodded with a nk expression.
¡°Sir Damien¡ have you¡ achieved something?¡±
¡°Yes, I had a bit of fun.¡±
Damien smirked.
Even he seemed satisfied with his aplishment.
¡°It¡¯s already evening. Let¡¯s hurry back. Father has prepared dinner¡¡±
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s expression hardened.
He turned his gaze in the direction of his domain.
¡°The vultures have arrived.¡±
At the unexpected harsh words, Agnes was slightly surprised. Damien Haksen bowed his head to her and said,
¡°An urgent matter has arisen. I must go ahead. Take your timeing.¡±
Without waiting for a response, he stamped the ground.
Before Agnes could catch him, Damien Haksen turned into a speck and vanished.
His speed left Agnes astonished once again.
¡°Is he moving with the help of magic?¡±
Using magic could amplify physical abilities.
Damien Haksen¡¯s ability to move at superhuman speed was all thanks to magic.
¡°But Damien didn¡¯t possess such magic.¡±
In the Landwalk City, Agnes had infused divine power into Damien Haksen¡¯s body to inspect his internals.
At that time, the amount of magic Damien Haksen had was extremely feeble.
With such a small amount of magic, he couldn¡¯t have moved so quickly.
¡°Is it because of the Supreme Absorption Technique? No, even with the extreme mastery of the technique, it¡¯s impossible to umte as much magic in such a short time.¡±
Even if Damien had reached the peak of the Supreme Absorption Technique, he could only umte magic for barely 3 to 4 hours.
Yet, Damien Haksen¡¯s movements were much faster than an average knight.
¡°Could it be¡ precise maniption of magic to this extent?¡±
The more precisely magic was manipted, the greater its efficiency and wastage of magic also decreases ordingly.
Swordmaster Gyumsung, renowned for deriving double the efficiency from the same amount of magic, was considered a genius among geniuses.
In Agnes¡¯s eyes, Damien¡¯s efficiency wasn¡¯t merely at double the level.
¡°Where does this man¡¯s limit lie?¡±
Confronted with talent that seemed limitless, Agnes felt a shiver run down her spine.
The realm of the Haksen household.
Three men appeared on the path leading to it.
All three were d in full-body armor, riding high quality horses.
One could easily tell that they were not of ordinary status.
¡°Ah, finally arrived.¡±
One knight stretched as he spoke.
Exhaustion had umted over the past two days of forced marches.
¡°Ugh, Alpheus. What¡¯s that smell? It¡¯s really foul.¡±
Another knight remarked with a grimace.
In response, Alpheus, the knight who had stretched, scoffed mockingly.
¡°Lavender, you city bumpkin, that¡¯s the scent of cow dung. It¡¯s a noble smell, so sniff it in deeply.¡±
¡°Cow dung smell? Ugh.¡±
The knight called Lavender started brushing his armor with his hand.
Seeing this, Alpheus burst intoughter.
¡°You fool. Do you think the smell will vanish like that?¡±
¡°Damn, don¡¯t you have any perfume or something? If you do, give me some. What if this smell sticks to me!¡±
While the two knights chatted away, another knight who had stayed quiet spoke briefly.
¡°Quiet.¡±
At the softly spoken words, Alpheus and Lavender immediately fell silent.
The knight who silenced the two stared silently at Haksen¡¯s estate.
¡°Is that the Haksen estate?¡±
¡°Yes, Sir Gerrick.¡±
Alpheus, despite his casual manner, spoke in a grave tone that made it seem like he was lying. It was inevitable. Unlike Alpheus and Lavender, who were just junior knights, the man before them was a fully-fledged knight. Furthermore, he was skilled enough to receive a mission directly from marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡°We finally meet. That rascal who dared defy Lord Ewin and besmirched Lord Ryan bloom¡¯s reputation.¡±
A viscous aura exuded from Gerrick¡¯s eyes.
Alpheus and Lavender swallowed hard. They felt overwhelmed by Gerrick¡¯s imposing presence.
¡°Alpheus, what was the task that our lord assigned to us?¡±
¡°Yes! We were ordered to arrest Damien Haksen and bring him back to the manor!¡±
¡°Capturing that trash won¡¯t be difficult¡ But that alone is not enough.¡±
Gerrick¡¯s aura grew a bit denser.
¡°Not just Damien Haksen, but the entire Haksen household must pay the price. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s only fair?¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
¡°Absolutely!¡±
The two knights quickly replied.
Gerrick was loyal but known for his rough temperament. There had been an asion when he had whipped the residents of an estate for not showing proper respect to the Lord¡¯s g.
Given Gerrick¡¯s temperament, they had to agree, even if they didn¡¯t think so. Otherwise, they might be the first ones to face the consequences before the Haksen household.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
The three knights headed towards the Haksen household. At the entrance, they found a steward sweeping.
¡°Hey.¡±
Lavender spoke to the steward.
The servant paused his sweeping and looked up.
¡°Oh!¡±
The servant eximed, startled. Lavender, in turn, was also surprised.
¡°What-what brings the knights to our estate?¡±
The servant trembled as he asked.
The steward trembled as he asked.
The steward¡¯s submissive attitude made Lavender feel a faint sense of superiority.
¡°I¡¯m here to meet Damien Haksen. Tell him toe out right away.¡±
Lavender spoke louder.
Upon hearing this, the steward¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Why are you looking for our master?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to know that much. Just ry my message to Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡±
The steward frowned at Lavender¡¯s words.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°You called for our master without revealing who you are. I cannot do it.¡±
The steward nervously stammered.
¡°If you wish to see our master, please state where you are from and your name. Then I¡¯ll pass on your message to him.¡±
Ugh.
Lavender let out a sarcasticugh and nced at Gerrick.
As if eager to trample the Haksen household, Lavender had caught a perfect opportunity.
¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Victor.¡±
¡°Okay then, Victor.¡±
Lavender approached Victor. Sensing an odd atmosphere, Victor stepped back.
¡°Why, why are youing closer¡ ugh!¡±
Lavender struck Victor¡¯s abdomen with a gauntlet-d fist.
Victor doubled over, retching.
¡°W-Why are you doing this¡ Ugh!¡±
This time, a blownded on Victor¡¯s head, sending him sprawling on the ground.
¡°If I tell you to do something, you¡¯d better do it, instead of whining around!¡±
Lavender raised his foot and pressed down on Victor, who attempted to cower but to no avail.
Against the disciplined physique of a knight, the body of an ordinary person was exceedingly feeble.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Victor! What happened?¡±
The stewards inside the mansion rushed out in a flurry.
However, upon seeing the knights, they froze in ce.
¡°Get, get the master! Bring the master out!¡±
One maid hurriedly scurried back into the mansion.
Shortly after, Damien Haksen and his family emerged.
¡°We cannot continue like this!¡±
After hearing themotion from Haksen Manor, the knights ceased their violence, but Victor was already covered in blood.
¡°Atst, you¡¯vee out.¡±
Upon seeing Victor¡¯s state, Viscount Paul Haksen erupted in fury.
¡°What is this! Knights assaulting a civilian like this!¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to what your son did to young master Erwin Ryan bloom.¡±
At the mention of the name Ryan bloom, Paul Haksenr¡¯s face stiffened.
¡°Paul Haksen, the Lord wants Damien Haksen. If you surrender him peacefully, there won¡¯t be harm to your estate.¡±
¡°Damien? You¡¯vee for Damien?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Shouldn¡¯t you face the consequences for insulting Lord Ewin?¡±
Haksen Master¡¯s eyes trembled. Biting his lip, he said, ¡°I cannot hand over my son!¡±
Unsurprisingly, Gerrick showed no particr reaction.
¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret this?¡±
¡°Of course not!¡±
¡°In that case, we have no choice. Bring it all down.¡±
At Gerrick¡¯smand, Lavender and Olphis drew their swords, and blue smoke rose around the crimson des.
¡°Oh, oh no! Are you really nning to kill someone?¡±
The Viscount shouted in horror.
Gerrick spoke calmly, ¡°I won\t kill anyone instead, I\ll demolish everything here.¡±
Even the ck rocks enveloped by aura were sliced as easily as water. Whenbined with the knights¡¯ enhanced physical abilities, such a dreadful weapon would turn this small estate into ruins in no time.
Gerrick¡¯s words weren¡¯t mere bluff or exaggeration.
¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s get started.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Lavender and Alpheus moved as they received Gerric\s orders , starting to break down nearby doors and walls.
The Viscount panicked, shouting at the knights.
¡°S-Stop!¡±
However, the two knights paid no heed to his words and continued to break the walls.
¡°These guys! Why aren¡¯t they stopping!¡±
As the Viscount rushed toward the knights¡
¡°Did you lunatics lose your minds?¡±
A third voice made Gerrick and the two knights turn around.
Tufts of brown hair that seemed slightly burnt with eerily ominous eyes.
¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you to stop?¡±
Damien Haksen was approaching the three knights.
[PR/N- mana is the energy present in the nature, while magic and aura are the ways by which you utilize that energy or rather mana, however mana sometimes can also be used in its raw form as used by Damien here and as used by Erwin when he sparred with Damien in the Haksen Household, but it is still referred to as magic I also don¡¯t know why, I change it where it is of utmost importance so tell me if you guys want me to change it everywhere where you think ¡®mana¡¯ should have been used instead of ¡®magic¡¯]
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 17: Warning (3)
¡°Are you Damien Haksen?¡±
Gerrick asked, his tone calm but his eyes ominously gleaming at Damien.
Damien didn¡¯t respond to Gerrick¡¯s question. He didn¡¯t show any interest towards him at all.
¡°Hey, Victor.¡±
Victor, who was lying on the floor, lifted his head slightly. He seemed on the verge of passing out at any moment.
¡°Are you okay?¡±
To Damien¡¯s inquiry, Victor simply raised his thumb without saying a word.
That action made Damien smirk. He was quite an amusing fellow, after all.
¡°Do you three often hear that you¡¯re lucky?¡±
At the sudden question, the knights looked puzzled, indicating they didn¡¯t understand.
¡°If Victor¡¯s body weren¡¯t sturdier than others¡¯, he wouldn¡¯t have survived your attacks. If anything would have happened to him, I would have beaten the three of you to death. But¡¡±
Damien stared directly at the knights as he spoke.
¡°Fortunately, Victor is alive, so I won¡¯t kill you three.¡±
At his words, Lavender and Alpheus burst intoughter.
Gerrick didn¡¯t make a sound but wore a displeased expression.
¡°I expected the one who tarnished the reputation of our lord to be a brave man, but it seems like it was just a lunatic.¡±
Gerrick ordered Lavender and Alpheus, as if there was no need to hear more.
¡°Break his legs and bring him to me. Maybe that¡¯ll clear his head.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°He might have used some cheap tricks, but don¡¯t underestimate the one who brought down the second young master.¡±
Despite Gerrick¡¯s advice, the two knights showed no sign of caution toward Damien.
Seeing them, Damien twisted his lips.
¡®Well, this is perfect timing.¡¯
He had been wanting to properly wield the power he¡¯d amassed through after learning the techniques given to him by Agnes.
And facing opponents who were clearly underestimating him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased.
¡°What did that guy just mutter?¡±
¡°He must have lost his mind due to fear.¡±
While the two knights conversed, Damien gathered his mana.
Objectively speaking, Damien hadn¡¯t gathered a significant amount of mana.
To understand it better, if the two knights had a mana umtion of 100, then Damien had an umtion of 3.
Even when absorbing mana through the Supreme Absorption Technique there wasn¡¯t arge difference in the umtion. However, using it increases the potency and utility of the umted mana.
¡°Look at his eyes? Seems like he¡¯s really considering taking us on, huh?¡±
¡°We have to show him his ce.¡±
Damien Haksen thought of Cheongyeom Brigandine.
Brigandine had risen to the position of one of the five great elders of the Church with just a single fist. As such, she excelled in martial arts more than anyone else.
Damien had achieved victory in a battle against Brigandine, acquiring both her techniques and mastery. However, at present, there was no need to use Brigandine¡¯s mastery. Just manipting the techniques was enough.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
Damien moved. He pushed the ground with his feet while simultaneously releasing his mana.
In an instant, the distance of about 3 meters closed rapidly.
The two individuals couldn¡¯t even react to Damien¡¯s speed.
It wasn¡¯t until Damien was right in front of them that they felt that something felt off.
¡°T-This guy!¡±
Due to the sudden attack, Lavender attacked with his fist instead of a sword.
Damien lightly blocked the punch with the back of his hand. Simultaneously, he punched Lavender¡¯s breastte.
At that moment, mana surged throughout his body, creating a powerful explosive force that channelled around his fist.
The punch elerated, embedding itself in the center of the breastte causing the breastte to shatter, crushing Lavender¡¯s ribs.
Blood gushed like a fountain from Lavender¡¯s mouth.
¡°L-Lavender!¡±
Desperately, Alpheus swung his sword.
But before that, Damien grabbed Alpheus¡¯s wrist.
¡°This bastard!¡±
As Alpheus attempted to shake off the grip on his wrist, Damien swiftly twisted it, simultaneously sweeping out his ankle.
Alpheus¡¯s body floated in the air, disconnected.
Alpheus experienced a phenomenon where the sky and ground seemed to swap.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
In a moment of confusion due to not understanding the situation, Alpheus found himself mmed headfirst into the ground.
His brain rattled, and the pain of his neck cracking made Alpheus scream out.
¡°Kuh¡ Kek!¡±
Damien forcefully kicked on Alpheus¡¯s face.
The kick, empowered by mana, effortlessly crushed Alpheus¡¯ jawbone.
¡°¡¡±
Gerrick looked at the scene with a dazed expression.
As the person in charge of this mission, Gerrick had the responsibility to protect Lavender and Alpheus. However, he couldn¡¯t intervene. More precisely, there was no opportunity to intervene, as both individuals had been taken down in a single strike.
¡°This is¡ unbelievable¡¡±
Just bing a junior knight is already acknowledged as a force capable enough to make a significant impact in a war. To think that not just one, but two junior knights were taken down this quickly?
¡°It seems Sir Erwin wasn¡¯t defeated by some cowardly tactics¡!¡±
Upon hearing about Erwin Ryanbloom¡¯s defeat, Gerrick was filled with immense anger.
Naturally, he had suspected that Damien might have used some dirty tactics to win.
But seeing the situation before him changed his perspective. Erwin Ryanbloom hadn¡¯t been defeated by some underhand tactics.
It was purely because Damien was stronger that he suffered defeat.
¡°But no matter how much I think, I can¡¯tprehend it! How can a rascal like you possess such skill?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the big deal about being stronger than those little kids?¡±
Gerrick acknowledged that Erwin Ryanbloom had talent.
However, the world was vast, and such talents were moremon than one might think.
¡°¡Understood.¡±
Suddenly, Gerrick¡¯s expression changed.
With a face that showed realization, he spoke,
¡°You¡ You¡¯re not Damien Haksen.¡±
This time it was Damien¡¯s turn to be bewildered.
¡°What nonsense are you speaking?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t y dumb! Who wouldn¡¯t know that all of this is a trapid by a pack of mongrels fearing Lord Ryanbloom¡¯s prosperity!¡±
Gerrick yelled while pointing fingers.
¡°You¡¯re not the ¡®real¡¯ Damien Haksen! You were clearly brought here to defeat Sir Erwin and tarnish Ryanbloom¡¯s reputation!¡±
Anger began to surface on Gerrick¡¯s face.
¡°You despicable lot dares to target marquis Ryanbloom? Do you think I¡¯ll just stand by and watch that?¡±
They say if someone is too bewildered, they¡¯re left speechless. Damien was exactly in that state.
¡°Think whatever you like.¡±
Yet, he had no intention to rify any misunderstandings.
Whether misunderstanding or not, the fact remained that Gerrick needed to be stopped no matter what.
¡°You! As long as I, Gerrick Howard is here, I won¡¯t allow you to do anything to the marquis! I¡¯ll thwart your vile schemes right here!¡±
Gerrick grasped therge sword strapped behind him, Zweih?nder, famous for its size which wasparable to that of an adult male. Even with Gerrick¡¯s already imposing stature, the sight of him brandishing the Zweih?nder exuded tremendous intimidation.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you right here and make it known to the whole world! I¡¯ll show how strong the Ryanbloom marquisette truly is!¡±
¡°If that¡¯s your wish.¡±
¡°After I kill you, I¡¯ll also kill the entire Haksen family and burn down your entire territory!¡±
At his words, Damien¡¯s body tensed. The expression of annoyance vanished, reced by sinister eyes ring at Gerrick.
¡°Family¡ what?¡±
To Damien, his family was his soft spot. For him they were a lifetime of penance and a treasure to protect.
¡°You¡¯re doomed.¡±
Damien gripped the hilt of his de.
It was Gerrick who charged first.
It wasn¡¯t a calcted move to gain the upper hand by seizing the initiative.
¡°For the honor of marquis Ryanbloom!¡±
It was a kick fueled by the desire to quickly avenge the disrespect shown to the marquis.
Gerrick¡¯s momentum was fearsome.
It felt like the pressure of dozens of bulls charging at once.
¡°Indeed, you are a true knight.¡±
Damien observed Gerrick. To be a true knight, one had to wield Aura freely. It wasn¡¯t just about mastering Aura; it required an understanding that unlocked the extreme potential of one¡¯s techniques.
¡®Unlocking the extreme potential changes everything. It¡¯s iparable to a mere junior knight.¡¯
A true knight surpassed junior knights not only in physical prowess but also in understanding Aura.
Gerrick and Damien were locked in a head-to-head sh, yet Damien didn¡¯t take a single step back.
¡°After a few blows, I get a sense of your level.¡±
Even in this situation, Damien went as far as to engage in conversation.
¡°For a low-ss knight like you, you¡¯re fairly decent, but not enough for me to warrant caution.¡±
Upon hearing this, Gerrick¡¯s expression contorted instantly.
Receiving contempt from someone he considered inferior fueled an unbearable anger within him.
¡°How dare you¡ belittle me, a knight of the Ryanbloom marquisette?¡±
Gerrick drew upon his Aura, supplying more energy to his muscles.
¡°If your intention was to provoke me, you did an excellent job!¡±
Gerrick¡¯s attacks grew swifter.
Now, even the motion of his sword became difficult to discern.
The strikes were so rapid that they resembled a storm.
In the midst of this, Damien threw a remark.
¡°It¡¯s not a pleasant feeling to be treated like sewage by someone like you, a low-ss knight.¡±
Damien¡¯s hand moved swiftly. The next moment, something brushed past Gerrick¡¯s cheek.
A tingling sensation spread across his face.
Something trickled down and touched his lips.
A metallic taste spread through his mouth.
¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯
Startled, Gerrick stepped back.
He distanced himself while pressing his own cheek.
The clean edge of a de had grazed him. Blood continued to flow from the wound.
Gerrick looked at Damien in astonishment.
He couldn¡¯tprehend what had just happened.
¡°Now, do you feel the difference in our levels?¡±
Damien ced the longsword on his shoulder.
Gerrick examined Damien¡¯s longsword; it was stained with blood.
¡°Correct your posture now, or you¡¯ll be dead.¡±
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s body vanished.
In Gerrick¡¯s moment of confusion, Damien appeared right in front of him.
¡°I told you to correct your posture.¡±
Damien swung his longsword.
Gerrick reflexively raised his Zweih?nder to block the de.
At that moment, a heavy impact transmitted through the greatsword.
He nearly lost grip of his sword.
¡°Urgh?¡±
There was no time for Gerrick to be astonished as the second strike followed suit.
Gerrick hastily wielded the greatsword and the two shed in mid-air.
With a sharp sound, the greatsword was deflected, and Gerrick¡¯s body was pushed backward.
¡°This is unbelievable!¡±
From the weapon used to their physical powers, Gerrick was overwhelmingly superior. Yet, he was being pushed back. It was an iprehensible situation.
¡°What trickery have you pulled off?¡±
To Gerrick¡¯s outburst, Damien replied calmly,
¡°The difference in skill.¡±
The efficiency of using mana increases with precise control. Judging by the mana¡¯s quantity, Gerrick far surpassed Damien. However, it wasn¡¯t the case with control.
Damien¡¯s mastery of manipting mana had already reached a divine level. In other words, the reason Gerrick was being overpowered was purely due to the gap in skill.
¡°Stop spouting nonsense!¡±
Gerrick shouted as he brought down his Zweihander.
He put all his strength into the strike, prepared to end Damien in one blow.
Damien effortlessly parried the attack. Not only that, but he also sliced through Gerrick¡¯s breastte.
The breastte Gerrick wore split like water, cutting through the flesh and muscle beneath it.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Struck by the sharp pain, Gerrick staggered backward.
But Damien allowed no respite.
Damien¡¯s assault continued relentlessly. Swift and powerful strikes poured forth without pause.
With each movement of the sword, wounds carved into Gerrick¡¯s body, spraying blood.
¡°You¡!¡±
Gerrick desperately swung his greatsword. But it was futile.
He couldn¡¯t block Damien¡¯s attacks, let alone read their trajectory.
¡°Aargh!¡±
Gerrick, unable to hold on any longer, attempted to retreat backward. But even that was beyond his control.
Damien stuck close to Gerrick as he withdrew, the injuries on Gerrick¡¯s body continuing to umte.
¡°Heh¡ cough!¡±
Eventually, Gerrick had no choice but to kneel on the ground. Momentarily, he felt lightheaded from the substantial loss of blood.
With trembling eyes, Gerrick gazed at Damien.
Damien remained unchanged from the start. Not a drop of sweat, let alone an additional wound.
¡°You, you are¡ You are¡¡±
When people witness something iprehensible, they experience acute fear.
At that moment, Gerrick felt precisely that.
At his level, he couldn¡¯t fathom how formidable Damien was, what kind of monster he was facing. It felt like being lost in the middle of an endless ocean, unable to gauge its vastness or depth, just like the immeasurable with a mere nce.
¡°You, you¡ letting you live¡ is not¡ not an option¡!¡±
That realization ignited a spark in Gerrick¡¯s eyes.
Ignorance bred courage. Unknowingness fueled resistance.
¡°Someday¡ you will definitely bring great cmity to the marquis!¡±
Gerrick¡¯s demeanor shifted. Though his momentum had lessened from moments ago, an indescribable ominousness emanated from him.
Damien immediately sensed Gerrick¡¯s change.
¡°Are you going to use Vision?¡±
Vision referred to techniques specifically designed to ensure the certain death of an opponent. While ordinary Vision was threatening, Vision employed with Aura or mana, was even more menacing.
Depending on the weapon technique, Vision could split mountains or even evaporatekes.
¡°The Vision of the Lion¡¯s Sword is a rare sight.¡±
The knights of Ryanblum were proficient in a sword technique called ¡®The Lion¡¯s Swordsmanship technique.¡¯ While the Lion¡¯s Roar Swordsmanship, learned by direct descendants, was a superb technique, Lion¡¯s Swordsmanship specialized in powerful strikes.
The pinnacle of Lion¡¯s Swordsmanship was the ¡°One-Strike, One-Kill¡± technique.
Gerrick wasn¡¯t just gathering aura to showcase his magical prowess. He was preparing an attack meant to ensure Damien¡¯s demise.
¡°For the future of marquis Ryanbloom, I¡¯ll stop you!¡±
Gerrick charged forward. As his foot struck the ground, the condensed aura manifested itself, propelling his entire body at an incredible speed. With that momentum, he swung his greatsword.
It wasn¡¯t a simple thrust; it was an attack infused with all of Gerrick¡¯s mana. It was so strong that the air in its path tore apart, creating a gust of wind.
An intangible pressure overwhelmed Damien.
¡°Noisy, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Before the greatsword could reach him, Damien¡¯s sword moved. He aimed a simr strike toward Gerrick, the tips of their swords meeting each other.
In that sight, Gerrick was certain of victory. Unlike Damien¡¯s ordinary thrust, Gerrick had concentrated all his mana.
The oue seemed clear when they shed.
¡°For Ryanbloom!¡±
Gerrick shouted loudly, as their sword tips shed. Then, the aura Gerrick had gathered scattered in all directions.
¡°What?¡±
But that wasn¡¯t all. The de of Gerrick¡¯s greatsword shattered into pieces, fragments scattering around.
With a disheartened expression, Gerrick looked at his broken hilt.
¡°I warned you.¡±
Gerrick lifted his gaze at Damien¡¯s voice.
Damien was raising his sword high.
¡°If you don¡¯t get your stance right, you¡¯ll die.¡±
Damien swung the longsword.
Gerrick¡¯s shoulder was severed.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 18: Warning (4)
The severed arm soared high into the sky before plummeting to the ground.
Soon after, blood burst forth from his shoulder.
Caught in a bted agony, Gerrick hunched over, groaning in pain.
¡°Cough, cough¡.¡±
He lost his right arm, which, for him, was more precious than his life as that was the hand through which he used to hold his sword and fight.
Now, his life as a knight seemed to have reached its end, at least in Gerrick¡¯s view.
However, what filled Gerrick¡¯s mind at this moment was not the torment of loss but rather bewilderment.
¡°Ho-how¡?¡±
In a single move, Damien had obliterated Gerrick¡¯s vision.
No, it wasn¡¯t just an obliteration.
As Damien thrust his longsword, his flow aura was also disrupted. Simultaneously, the greatsword shattered as well.
¡°Tell me! W-what technique did you use? What in the world¡!¡±
Cheongyeom Brigandine.
Among the five great Elders of the Holy Church, there is no one equal to her in terms of martial arts prowess.
As a master, Brigandine achieved a state known as ¡®Annihtion¡¯.
Once achieving Annihtion, it became possible to dismantle the structure of objects using external shocks.
With this ability, Brigandine nullified techniques, weapons used by enemies, and even magic.
There was an instance where Brigandine obliterated a disaster that Dorugo had spent years making.
¡°Is this the time to ask such things?¡±
Damien raised his longsword, pointing it at Gerrick¡¯s neck.
Gerrick¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Pl-please spare me.¡±
¡°If you were going to plead, you should¡¯ve done so earlier. It¡¯s toote now.¡±
The edge of the de slightly pierced the skin.
Gerrick¡¯s face grew even paler.
¡°I, I beg you. P, please¡¡±
Gerrick knelt on the ground.
With only one arm left, he touched the ground.
The previously resolute figure was nowhere to be found.
¡°Spare you?¡±
Damien aimed his longsword at Gerrick¡¯s neck.
Gerrick¡¯s pupils trembled rapidly.
¡°You caused trouble at my territory, beat my attendant, threatened me and my family and yet you¡¯re asking to be spared?¡±
¡°I¡I was wrong! I¡I¡¯ll apologize for everything¡!¡±
¡°I am not the one you should be apologizing to.¡±
Saying this, Damien turned to his family.
They looked at Damien with a mix of astonishment and relief. While they already knew Damien was quite powerful, the extent of his strength was beyond their expectations, leading to these reactions.
¡°Ggh!¡±
Gerrick used mana to stop the bleeding on his shoulder. True to his status as a true knight he used mana to seal off his blood vessels and forced his trembling body to stand, and approached Paul.
¡°V..viscount Haksen! I was wrong! I¡I apologize for all the rudeness I have shown towards you¡!¡±
Gerrick spoke while kneeling.
Initially bewildered, Paul Haksen soon yelled with an angry expression.
¡°You just now tried to kill my son. Do you think a few words of apology can make up for it?¡±
Paul Haksen¡¯s anger didn¡¯t subside at all.
¡°If my son didn¡¯t have this much power, our territory would have been ruined, and he might have been dragged off to suffer as my heir!¡±
Initially, Gerrick¡¯s apology wasn¡¯t sincere; it was just an attempt to survive. So Paul Haksen¡¯s anger didn¡¯t dissipate easily.
¡°I beg you! P..please spare me!¡±
Gerrick bowed his head to the ground repeatedly.
¡°I beg for mercy!¡±
Paul Haksen stared at Gerrick for a while. Eventually, he turned his gaze towards Damien and nodded, indicating not to kill Gerrick.
Damien sheathed his sword without harming Gerrick.
¡®I never intended to kill him anyway.¡¯
If not for his family Damien would have already killed him.However, killing Gerrick here would worsen the rtionship with Marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡®I can fight against the Lord of Ryan Bloom if I am alone.¡¯
I can find his weakness and exploit it, or if I get the chance I can find lord Ryan Bloom¡¯s enemies and join them.
But when considering his family, that option wasn¡¯t feasible.
No matter how skilled Damien might be, at his current level, he couldn¡¯t protect his family while fighting against the marquisette of Ryan Bloom.
¡®Above all, this path is too difficult.¡¯
That was his determination upon returning.
He pledged not to subject his family to any more hardships.
¡®However, I can¡¯t just let things slide like this.¡¯
Not only did he defeat the young master but even an official knight.
Damien couldn¡¯t simply overlook the humiliation that he had given to Lord Ryan Bloom.
It was clear that retaliation woulde soon.
¡®How fortunate.¡¯
In reality, Damien had already made ns.
Since hearing about the knight from the Lord of Ryan Bloom, he had been prepared.
¡®I made the right move by establishing ties with the Holy Church.¡¯
That was what Damien thought.
¡°What¡¯s going on here!¡±
A familiar voice echoed.
Agnes and the investigative team were approaching.
Agnes, arriving in front of Damien, looked around with a startled expression.
Damaged objects, devastatednd, bloodstains scattered around.
¡°This is¡¡±
Agnes¡¯s gaze stopped at Gerrick.
¡°The pattern on that armor¡ isn¡¯t it from the marquisette of Ryan Bloom?¡±
¡°Yes, this guy here and the two lying over there. All of them are knights of marquis Ryan Bloom.¡±
At that reply, Agnes¡¯s pupils dted slightly.
¡°The marquis¡¯ knights¡ attacked your territory?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Agnes nced at Gerrick again, specifically focusing on his shoulders.
Compared to Damien, who stood unscathed, Gerrick was on his knees with one of his arm severed.
It was a clear disy of who was the victor and who was the loser.
¡°¡Ryan Bloom¡¯s knights are known for their prowess. Did you really face three of them simultaneously?¡±
¡°Even if there were three, two were mere junior knights, so there is nothing remarkable about it. Only this one here is an official knight.¡±
At those words, Agnes¡¯s pupils widened even further.
Having single-handedly dealt with Akitora, she had expected Damien to possess skills beyond that of an official knight¡¯s. However, she hadn¡¯t foreseen that he could win with such an overwhelming gap.
¡°I¡¯m relieved you didn¡¯t suffer any upheaval.¡±
¡°Relieved¡ Though I¡¯m not facing any right now, who knows what might happen in the future.¡±
Agnes looked puzzled at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°If someone hears that the knights of Ryan Bloom were defeated by me, I¡¯m concerned about how the marquis might react.¡±
Saying this, Damien subtly observed Agnes.
Agnes pondered for a moment before speaking.
¡°If that¡¯s your concern, I can assist you.¡±
¡°Do you have any solutions then?¡±
To Damien¡¯s query, Agnes nodded.
¡°Thanks to the Haksen family¡¯s efforts, the Holy Church seeded in killing a high-ranking member of the Yn for the first time. With such a contribution, the Haksen family can be designated as a cooperative family.¡±
A cooperative family referred to a family closely associated with the Holy Church. Such families couldn¡¯t be easily touched, not even by great nobles, as that might lead to the Holy Church¡¯s retaliation.
¡°What do you say?¡±
¡°Although it¡¯s shameful, I¡¯d like to say yes to that.¡±
This was precisely what Damien had been aiming for.
Using the Holy Church¡¯s influence to restrain the actions of Lord Ryan Bloom.
¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
Agnes asked Gerrick. Gerrick spoke somewhat reluctantly.
¡°¡I¡¯m Gerrick Howard.¡±
¡°Knight Gerrick Howard. Go and inform marquis Ryan Bloom that the Viscounty of Haksen is under the Holy Church¡¯s protection. If they dare to wield force against them again, they will have to face the wrath of the Holy Church.¡±
Upon Agnes¡¯s warning, Gerrick nodded heavily.
¡°Take those trash lying over there with you and leave quickly.¡±
Damien said with a stern face, Gerrick swiftly got up andplied with what he was said to do.
cing the two of them on a horse he brought along, they departed from the territory.
¡°Thank you for your assistance.¡±
Damien said to Agnes, who replied that it was nothing serious.
¡°Damien.¡±
As Gerrick left, Paul arrived and called Damien.
¡°I want to hold a family meeting, considering what to do next¡±
At his father¡¯smand, Damien simply nodded without saying a word.
That¡¯s how a family meeting was instantly convened.
The attendees were Damien, Paul, Damien¡¯s mother, his sister Louise, his younger brother Abel, the Housekeeper, and Agnes.
¡°Let¡¯s begin the meeting. The topic for discussion¡ as everyone is aware, is finding a solution to deal with Lord RyanBloom.¡±
At his words, Damien¡¯s younger brother, Abel, raised his hand to speak.
¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to receive the Holy Church¡¯s protection? Why do we have to resolve it by ourselves?¡±
¡°Abel, it¡¯s because we can¡¯t rely on the Holy Church for mediation,¡± Louise responded after hearing his words.
¡°What?¡±
Abel wore a puzzled expression. Paul nodded, continuing,
¡°Louise is right. The Holy Church doesn¡¯t involve itself in the affairs of the nobles.¡±
The Holy Church already roamed around here and there under the pretext of heresy trials. Intervening in incidents among nobles would be crossing a line.
¡°But¡ as long as the marquis doesn¡¯t touch us, isn¡¯t everything fine?¡±
¡°The marquis¡¯ power doesn¡¯t rely solely on force he has. He has numerous methods to trample small noble families like us if he wishes to.¡±
He could disrupt the export of the main source of ie for Haksen Viscounty¡ªwheat¡ªor block the purchase of provisions. Or He could apply direct pressure through the royal pce.
¡°So, that¡¯s why we need to handle this situation ourselves. That¡¯s the only way the Viscounty of Haksen can remain unharmed.¡±
Only after hearing Father¡¯s exnation did Abel understand the situation they were facing.
¡°The only immediate options seem to bepensation to the Lord or entering under the wing of another major noble.¡±
However, realistically speaking,pensation was unfeasible. The marquis would demand an exorbitant amount.
¡°The only thing left is to be vassals of a major noble¡¡±
¡°There¡¯s one more option.¡±
Agnes, who had been quiet, spoke up.
Paul Haksen, surprised, asked her, ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Damien bing a Pdin,¡± said Agnes.
¡°Then it will be the Holy Church¡¯s affair, and you will have grounds for mediation.¡±
All the family members looked at Damien.
But Damien shook his head.
¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±
Paul turned to Agnes again.
¡°If Damien refuses, that method won¡¯t work.¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
Agnes nodded with a crestfallen expression.
¡°Now, let¡¯s consider other options¡¡±
¡°Father! Why are you agreeing so easily?¡±
At that moment, Abel suddenly stood up and shouted.
¡°If my brother bes a Holy Knight, everything ends, doesn¡¯t it? Speak up! Tell him to quietly be a Holy Knight!¡±
Pointing at Damien, Abel spoke. Paul sighed after listening to that.
¡°Sit down.¡±
¡°Father! This is all because of my brother! He should take responsibility for everything!¡±
¡°Abel.¡±
Paul shouted, his voice echoing with authority.
Under the strange pressure, Abel couldn¡¯t help but stop talking.
¡°I told you to sit.¡±
Biting his lip, Abel reluctantly took his seat.
Paul continued in a hushed voice,
¡°Indeed, Damien triggered the conflict with the Lord. But it¡¯s not entirely Damien¡¯s fault.¡±
Abel raised his head, seemingly questioning what was being said. But upon Paul¡¯s stern gaze, he bowed his head again.
¡°The marquis¡¯ heir had bad intentions toward Louise. You know he¡¯s infamous for hissciviousness. Do you think a man like that would have willingly given up on Louise just because Damien interfered?¡±
Damien nodded in agreement with his father¡¯s words.
Considering Erwin¡¯s nature, he might have plotted in some way.
¡°In a way, Damien has protected Louise from the Lord¡¯s heir. He did it in the ce of an ipetent father who couldn¡¯t even exert his powers as a noble.¡±
Paul looked towards Louise with an apologetic expression, who simply smiled without saying anything.
¡°Today, the knights came for the same reason. Regardless of Damien¡¯s provocation, it was the Lord¡¯s heir who challenged him to a duel and drew his sword first, however the marquis simply, without thinking, used our family.¡±
Frustrated, Paul clenched his fists.
¡°Damien.¡±
¡°Yes, Father.¡±
¡°You did really well today.¡±
With his father¡¯s praise, Damien¡¯s eyes widened slightly.
¡°You¡¯ve repaid the insult our family suffered.¡±
Why did he feel this way? Suppressing an overwhelming emotion rising in his chest, Damien tried his best to hold back his tears.
¡°Of course¡ it was something I had to do.¡±
Suddenly, memories from his previous life came flooding back.
Causing havoc within the family, ruining his sister¡¯s life, and ultimately, being responsible for killing his entire family.
In those horrific days, all Damien had wished for was atonement.
The moment he heard his father¡¯s praise, Damien felt a slight, just a tiny bit of atonement.
¡°Nevertheless, I cannot deny that this happened because of me.¡±
Damien suppressed his tears. It wasn¡¯t yet time to cry.
Damien hadn¡¯tpletely atoned to his family yet.
¡°Please, just wait a little longer. I will handle this.¡±
¡°No.¡±
Paul firmly intervened.
¡°This is something for your father to resolve.¡±
¡°What? But¡¡±
¡°You are underestimating your father too much. Let me handle this, I¡¯ll ask the nobles I have a good rtion with for help. I n to mediate with the power of higher nobility between us and the marquis¡¯ heir.¡±
Paul spoke while pounding his chest with his fist.
¡°Let me show my fatherly side to you all for once.¡±
¡°Father¡!¡±
Tears welled up in Damien¡¯s eyes. Paul smiled contentedly.
¡°Father!¡±
Damien stretched his arms and rushed towards his father. His father held Damien tightly in his arms.
It was an emotional moment for the two.
¡°My lord, may Ie in?¡±
The steward knocked on the meeting room¡¯s door and spoke.
¡°Yes,e in.¡±
Paul released Damien from his embrace and said.
As the steward opened the door and entered, he delivered news to the patriarch.
¡°Sir, there¡¯s a visitor outside.¡±
¡°A visitor? Is it from the marquisette of Ryan Bloom?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s from Duke Goldpixie.¡±
The mention of ¡®Goldpixie¡¯ brought confused expressions to everyone, including Paul Haksen.
¡°What brings someone from Duke Goldpixie here?¡±
¡°Well, you see¡¡±
The steward seemed hesitant to respond.
¡°Master Damien has borrowed money from the Goldpixie Duchy by putting the estate¡¯s wheat fields as coteral¡ and the deadline has already passed.¡±
Damien looked at his father.
His father¡¯s face, which just a moment ago was serene, gradually turned into one of anger.
¡°Damien! You cursed child!¡±
Damien sighed, hearing his father¡¯s rage.
¡®¡Oh, could it be that I¡¯ve already sold it off?¡¯
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 19: The Debt Collector (1)
During his days as a rascal, Damien brought many problems upon his family.
The incident at the tavern, where he was driven out and was made aughingstock of the whole city.
Or the incident with the Marquis¡¯ son Erwin, where her sister Loiuse had to sacrifice herself in order to save their family from Marquis Ryan Bloom¡¯s wrath.
Nevertheless no matter what he did, his family never abandoned Damien. They continued to shield him under the guise of being a family.
However there was an incident when his family¡¯s patience with him finally broke.
It was when Damien used the family¡¯snd as coteral to borrow money from the Duke¡¯s conglomerate.
¡°Damien, you fool!¡±
Paul Haksen erupted in rage, his face zing as if engulfed in mes.
¡°If only you had changed! I was foolish to hold even a shred of hope that you might have changed! Today, I¡¯ll kill you and then end my own life! Let¡¯s go together to the afterlife and confess our wrongdoings to our ancestors!¡±
Paul grabbed a decorative axe hanging on the wall and charged at Damien.
¡°Darling, please calm down!¡±
¡°Do you truly intend to kill Damien?¡±
¡°Father, please put the axe down and let¡¯s talk!¡±
His mother, sister, and even his younger brother, Abel, tried to restrain their father.
Perhaps Agnes thought it wasn¡¯t her ce to intervene. So she quietly left the room.
¡°Release me! Today, things will trulye to an end!¡±
Even with everyone intervening, they couldn¡¯t pacify Paul Haksen¡¯s rage.
Damien looked at his furious father with a mix of embarrassment and apprehension.
¡°Damien! Can¡¯t you just give yourself up right now!¡±
Before resolving the situation, it seemed necessary to first calm his father.
Damien knelt down on the floor causing Paul Haksen and the family¡¯s gaze to widen with surprise.
¡°Father, I apologize for disappointing you once again.¡±
Damien spoke in a remorseful tone.
¡°Even apologizing through death wouldn¡¯t suffice for this incident. But for now, shouldn¡¯t our priority be to rectify this situation?¡±
Upon his return, Damien made a vow.
He wouldn¡¯t live this life as he did in his past life.
He vowed to make his family happy at all costs.
¡°Please, just trust me one more time. I will take responsibility and resolve this.¡±
Damien spoke earnestly.
At this, hesitation flickered across Paul¡¯s face.
¡°Can you really resolve this?¡±
¡°Yes, Father.¡±
Paul Haksen hesitated for a moment before lowering the axe.
¡°Considering what you¡¯ve shown so far, I¡¯ll trust you one more time.¡±
Damien nodded, expressing gratitude.
Afterwards, he immediately headed to the room where the guests were sitting.
As he entered the room, the first person he saw was a man dressed in a suit.
The man wasn¡¯t alone. He was apanied by three bodyguards.
¡°Oh, hello Mr. Damien.¡±
The man stood up, his neatlybed hair, glistening in the light from the pomade he¡¯d applied.
¡°I¡¯m An Demiche, manager of the western branch of the Dash and Cash bank.¡±
He spoke with a polite tone but didn¡¯t bow despite his courteous manner.
An Demiche.
Damien couldn¡¯t remember him at all.
In reality, it might have been a few months ago, but from Damien¡¯s perspective, it was decades ago.
Memories of this man had long been buried in the depths of his mind.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since west met.¡±
Upon hearing those words, forgotten memories began to resurface slowly.
¡°Are you the one I was told about? The son of Viscount Haksen. No wonder you carry yourself differently.¡±
¡°I handle the western division of Dash and Cash. Unlike Mr. Damien, I¡¯m not important enough for you to remember my name.¡±
¡°It might take a bit to get the documents ready. Would you care for a drink? We have some alcohol.¡±
¡°Why not use your family¡¯snd as coteral? That way, we could offer you more money.¡±
¡°The interest is too high? It¡¯s just a formality as we can¡¯t lend money without it.¡±
¡°No need to worry about your family¡¯snd. How could amoner like me take away a noble¡¯snd as coteral?¡±
This man was the one who had convinced Damien into using the family¡¯snd as coteral.
¡°The agreed repayment date is today, so I¡¯vee to collect the money. You borrowed twenty gold from us, and if we add up the interest,you now have to pay us thirty gold.¡±
thirty gold, it was a big amount, enough to buy an estate in the countryside.
However the money he received after killing Akitora was a hundred gold. It was an amount that would easily cover the debt.
But it had been a long time since that hundred gold had turned into tinum by the Church.
¡°I can¡¯t just give away the tinum¡±
He thought. It was a gift given by Agnes as the representative of the Holy Church; it is not something that he could have given to others.
¡°As you know, if you can¡¯t repay the money today, thend you put up as coteral will be the property of our Dash and Cash bank.¡±
¡°Wasn¡¯t that just a formality?¡±
He inquired, following the memory from the past.
At that question, An Demiche smirked slightly.
¡°Of course. How could amoner like me take away a noble¡¯snd as coteral? But what can I do? I have received orders from the Goldpixie duchy that the debt must be collected, without distinction between nobles andmoners.¡±
An particrly emphasized the mention of the Goldpixie duchy.
The bank where Damien borrowed money from, Dash and Cash, was a business run by Goldpixie the Duke.
The Goldpixie family had amassed wealth and fame through business for generations.
Apart from Dash and Cash, they owned numerous other businesses.
¡°If you understand, please bring the money soon. Or perhaps¡ Is it that you don¡¯t have the money to repay?¡±
An Demiche chuckled like ackey. Damien crossed his arms, lost in thought.
¡°In my past life¡ ournd was eventually taken, and the entire family was on the verge of being on the streets.¡±
Luckily, Louise, his sister, managed to secure thend and estates by borrowing money from Erwin Ryan Bloom.
However, in return for that favor, Louise ended up being tied to Erwin Ryan Bloom for her entire life.
¡°I can¡¯t let her go through that again.¡±
But, there was no way for him toe up with 30 gold immediately.
He needed to find a way to dy repayment or discover another way to clear the debt.
¡®¡I vaguely remember a duel that took ce between Duke Goldpixie and Marquis Ryan Bloom soon after.¡¯
The recollection came suddenly.
A knightly duel over ownership of a gold mine between two families.
Duke Goldpixie not only lost the ownership of the mine but also lost honor in that duel.
¡®Thanks to winning the duel, Marquis Ryan Bloom gained immense strength.¡¯
Presently, Haksen viscountry had incurred the wrath of Marquis Ryan Bloom.
Hence if the Marquis¡¯s influence grew stronger, it would pose a threat to his family.
¡°I wasn¡¯t able to arrange the money.¡±
At that remark, An¡¯s mockingughter grew stronger, as if he had anticipated it.
¡°If that was the case, you shouldn¡¯t have borrowed the money.¡±
An slumped into his chair, crossing his legs and looked down at Damien as if scrutinizing him.
¡°How can a noble like youckmon sense? Or perhaps, living as a rascal has made you forget that?¡±
As soon as An realized Damien couldn¡¯t repay the debt, his attitude suddenly changed.
However, Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised, as it was something he had experienced in his previous life.
¡°I¡¯ll repay the debt in a different way.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s fortunate. But how do you n to repay the sum of 30 gold?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you about to engage in a duel with the Marquisette of Ryan Bloom?¡±
¡°Has the rumor spread this far already?¡±
¡°So, the Duke is recruiting skilled knights from his estate.¡±
An gave a look as if questioning the relevance.
¡°Rmend me to the Duke. Instead of repaying the debt, let me secure victory for the Duke.¡±
¡°Hahaha!¡±
Laughter burst out.
For the first time in a long while, An Demiche forgot his dignity andughed vulgarly.
¡°What did you just say? You¡¯ll secure victory for the Duke?¡±
It was so funny that his belly began to ache. It was painful, yet theughter didn¡¯t stop.
¡°Pfft!¡±
¡°Pfft.¡±
Even the bodyguards standing behind him couldn¡¯t hold back;ughter escaped their lips.
¡°Hehehe! What incredible confidence. Defeating the second son of Marquis Ryan Bloom and driving out the violent gangs from Landwalk City, quite a knightly aplishment.¡±
An Demiche was already aware of the rumors surrounding Damien Haksen.
It was unavoidable. Whenever people gathered these days, that story was always on their tongues.
¡°But did you think such lies would work on me? That makes me a bit angry.¡±
However, An Demiche wasn¡¯t fooled by such baseless rumors.
He knew very well what kind of person Damien Haksen was. He had seen it with his own eyes.
A fool with nothing except the title of being a noble.
An insignificant braggart whose pride came before logical understanding.
A clueless troublemaker running wild and making trouble for his family.
That was Damien Haksen.
¡®He must have won by feeding something venomous to Ryan Bloom¡¯s heir, and it was obvious that the Church had already dismantled the gangs in Landwork.¡¯
An Demiche wiped away tears as he continued speaking.
¡°Hey, don¡¯t try to deceive me like that. If you don¡¯t have money,e clean and ask for it. Oh, just speaking won¡¯t be enough.¡±
An licked his lips with the tip of his tongue.
¡°Come to think of it, your sister was quite a beauty. No, she has surpassed the level of mere beauty. My eyes were wide open after seeing her.¡±
An pped his hands together, smirking at Damien.
¡°How about this? Let me borrow her for a week, and I¡¯ll extend the repayment deadline by about two months.¡±
An pointed to the bodyguards behind him.
¡°Right, I¡¯m not the only one involved here. See back there? They¡¯ll be part of it too. Make a careful decision; things might get messy if you make the wrong decision¡¡±
The sound of metal interrupted An¡¯s words.
Before he knew it, Damien Haksen had drawn his sword.
An Demiche liked his profession.
Dash and Cash Bank.
Just running a business owned by a Duke was enough to carry oneself with a proud posture and broad shoulders and needless to say, his sry was high.
But the real reason An loved his job was different.
-Sorry! P-please wait just a month! I¡¯ll p-pay the money!
Witnessing the pitiful pleas of well-off nobles was his joy.
-I¡¯ll b-borrow like this! Please, at least the estate¡!
Born amoner, he had always looked up to the nobles.
He had to bow his head whenever the nobles would pass by.
He couldn¡¯t even step on the shadows of the nobles.
He found it quite amusing how these once proud individuals begged him as if they would lick his shoes.
-My daughter? I-isn¡¯t there any other way? N-no! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to!
-My body? W-wait a moment! I-I¡¯m married!
asionally, An also satisfied his secret desires.
The nobles couldn¡¯t resist. He was the upper ss, they were the lower.
If it were an ordinary banking business, he wouldn¡¯t have enjoyed such authority. Not getting fleeced by the nobles would have been a stroke of luck.
But Dash and Cash belonged to the Duke¡¯s business.
The minor nobles in the countryside had no choice but to bow before the Duke¡¯s authority.
Therefore, An Demiche enjoyed his profession.
¡°You should reconsider.¡±
An Demiche had to suppress a rising tide ofughter.
Seeing nobles cornered was the best scenario An Demiche could hope for.
¡°The friends behind me aren¡¯t your average strong guys.¡±
An Demiche always had bodyguards with him.
They weren¡¯t people supported by the Duke but individuals specifically chosen by An Demiche.
Their skills were all above average knights, reliable and trustworthy.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡¡±
Damien Haksen pointed at An Demiche and the bodyguards with his finger.
¡°I¡¯ll just kill those three, and cut off your right arm. Afterall I would need a guide to the Duke¡¯s estate.¡±
An Demiche and the bodyguards exchanged nces, smiling at each other.
What¡¯s this fool jabbering about now?
¡°Consider it fortunate that you¡¯re of use to me.¡±
Damien¡¯s pupils gleamed fiercely.
It was like looking into the eyes of a beast lurking in the darkness.
¡°I don¡¯t usually spare bastards who disgrace my family.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 20: The Debt Collector (2)
¡°Pathetic, your life is at stake here and yet you are boasting.¡±
An Demiche snapped his fingers. The three bodyguards behind him drew their swords.
¡°Bring him to his senses, but don¡¯t kill him.¡±
The bodyguards chuckled as they came close to Damien.
None of the three bodyguards were skilled, they all had ws which Damien could easily see.
Apart from that, there was a weighty and oppressive air around Damien.
Taking lives for sustenance wasn¡¯t an easy way to live.
¡°Hey, young master. Shall I let you witness something rare before I beat you?¡±
One bodyguard poised a de inches from Damien¡¯s face.
A shimmering aura enveloped the de. The bodyguard proudly disyed it to Damien.
¡°See this? This is an aura. You might¡¯ve never seen it befo¡ª¡±
Damien swung his sword, drawing a diagonal line from bottom to top.
The longsword shed through the bodyguard¡¯s neck, his head thudded to the ground.
The deceased bodyguard didn¡¯t grasp what had urred.
¡°Beingcent with your enemy so close to you can lead to downfall.¡±
Damien swung his sword into the air, sttering blood on the ground.
¡°This son of a¡ª!¡±
Another bodyguard, grasping the situation, exploded in anger.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±
He lunged forward, seemingly aiming to crush Damien¡¯s skull in one swift motion.
Unconcerned, Damien swung his sword.
First, he severed his raised arms, then sliced his chest, and finally, cut open his waist.
Three strikes.
Not one of the bodyguards saw a single move clearly before they were killed.
¡°Slow and dull.¡±
Damien turned his gaze to thest remaining bodyguard.
The bodyguard¡¯s eyes darted uncontrobly.
¡°Ah¡aaah!¡±
The bodyguard threw his sword and tried to leap out the window.
But Damien struck the ground before him, brushing past the guard.
A gash marked the guard¡¯s neck, and the next second his head fell to the ground.
¡°If you were a coward, you shouldn¡¯t have touched the sword.¡±
Damien said this, turning to An Demiche.
An Demiche waspletely stunned.
¡°This can¡¯t¡ ho-how could a mere countryside noble like you¡ have such skill¡¡±
Damien approached An Demiche.
Only then did An Demiche regain his senses and screamed.
¡°Aaaah! No¡no!¡±
Struggling in his chair, he toppled over its backrest.
He writhed on the floor, trying to get up with difficulty.
In that moment, a longsword fell towards his wrist, severing it.
¡°Ah¡¡±
An Demiche, with an unbelieving expression, stared at his severed wrist.
¡°Aaah! My¡my hand! My han¡ª¡±
Damien pped An Demiche in the face to make him quiet.
The scream abruptly stopped as An Demiche whimpered, with his mouth being held by Damien.
¡°Be quiet. You¡¯re too loud.¡±
Damien pressed the de close to An Demiche¡¯s throat.
An Demiche¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Da¡Damien Ha¡Hak¡sen! No¡no¡Mr. Da¡Damien!¡±
The fear of death suppressed the agony. An Demiche prostrated before Damien.
¡°This lowly being spoke rudely to you!¡±
At this moment, An Demiche could only think of surviving.
¡°Please¡please spare my life! I beg you!¡±
¡°No, if you really want to live, say something else.¡±
Damien pressed the de closer. Blood trickled down.
An Demiche desperately shook his head.
Within an instant, thousands of thoughts raced through his mind.
¡°I-I¡¯ll do everything to serve you even if it means to betray the duchy!¡±
An Demiche screamed desperately.
¡®He¡¯s a clever one.¡¯
Only then did Damien sheathe his sword.
After sending Damien off, Paul Haksen couldn¡¯t sit still for even a single moment.
He paced around the room, sighing deeply.
Not just Paul, his youngest son, Abel, mirrored his father¡¯s behavior, pacing in the room.
¡°Sigh.¡±
¡°Sigh.¡±
Both the men sighed simrly, their expressions mirroring not just parent and child, but more.
¡°Dear, please sit and rest. You¡¯ll exhaust yourself pacing like this.¡±
¡°Abel, you tooe and sit here.¡±
Paul¡¯s wife and daughter, Louise, spoke.
Unlike the father and son, the mother and daughter duo indulged in a leisurely tea time.
¡°My dear, how can I rx and sit? Our family¡¯s fate is at stake here.¡±
¡°Mother, Father is right. With the family¡¯s destiny on the line, how can we remain still?¡±
Despite the two men¡¯s arguments, Paul¡¯s wife and Louise spoke calmly.
¡°Damien assured us he can handle it.¡±
¡°Yes, for now, let¡¯s trust and wait for Damien.¡±
Viscount Hasken and Abel wore puzzled expressions.
¡°How can you be so rxed?¡±
¡°Mother, do you truly believe in his words?¡±
Paul¡¯s wife sipped her tea, savoured its aroma and then spoke.
¡°Has Damien ever failed us before? No, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s because Damien possesses extraordinary swordsmanship. But negotiation skills and swordsmanship are different.¡±
Undoubtedly, Damien possessed incredible skills.
But those were predominantly effective in fights.
In negotiations, where tact and eloquence mattered, his skills were of no use.
¡°Father, why don¡¯t we go see him now?¡±
Abel¡¯s words stirred something in Paul¡¯s mind.
Yes, even now, they can still go and assist Damien¡
¡°You said you trust Damien, yet you want to go help him now?¡±
¡°Father, perhaps it¡¯s not a good idea.¡±
The words of the mother-daughter duo startled Paul Haksen.
If he said that he trusted him and would leave the matter to him, perhaps it was really not a good idea to interfere¡
It was aplete disregard for Damien.
Paul was thinking about that, but then¡
The door creaked open, and Damien walked in.
¡°Father, I¡¯m back.¡±
The appearance of Damien caught the attention of the entire family.
Especially Paul, who rushed forward eagerly.
¡°Damien! What happened? Did you resolve it?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s settled. I received confirmation that they won¡¯t ask for any more debt from us.¡±
A bright smile lit up at Paul¡¯s face.
But then a strange thought crossed his mind. The negotiation result was good, it a bit too good.
Not just postponing the repayment or reducing it, but directly waiving it all off?
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°Yes, I knew you wouldn¡¯t believe it, so I brought the person in-charge directly.¡±
Damien gestured, and a man walked in from beyond the door.
He was dressed decently, but his clothes were disheveled, and his hair unkempt, making him look shabby.
¡°Speak now.¡±
¡°Yes¡yes!¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the man nodded, trembling.
¡°V..Viscount Haksen right? N..Nice to meet you. I¡¯m An Demiche, in-charge of the western branch of the Dash and Cash.¡±
¡°T¡That¡¯s right¡¡±
Paul was greatly taken aback. The situation is really different from what he had expected it to be.
¡°You said you won¡¯t ask for debts¡ Is that true?¡±
¡°I¡It¡¯s true! After today, there will be absolutely no inconvenience caused to the Viscount due to money matters! Yes, absolutely not!¡±
An shouted causing Paul to get even more confused
¡°What did Damien say to make¡ you allow this?¡±
¡°Th-The duel between the Duke and Marquis Ryan Bloom is about to take ce! Young master Damien has decided to participate in that duel instead of repaying the debt!¡±
The duel between the Duke and the Marquis was something Paul had heard of before. It was a crucial battle, not only because of their status, but also for the family¡¯s honor tied to the gold mine.
¡°Surely he didn¡¯t make such a condition¡¡±
In other words, Damien was selling his prowess to repay the debt.
However, Paul had no choice but to ept.
¡°Damien¡ you really solved it on your own, as you promised.¡±
¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? To trust me.¡±
Paul Haksen wore a puzzled expression on his face. In truth, he didn¡¯t fully trust Damien yet.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Go in and rest now¡¡±
At that moment, something caught Paul¡¯s eye.
There was a bandage wrapped around An Demiche¡¯s wrist. The bandage was stained red from seeping blood.
¡°¡Damien?¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Just asking in case¡ did you cause that on his wrist?¡±
¡°There was a slight sh of opinions during negotiations; it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±
Suddenly, dizziness swept over him. Paul ced his hand on his forehead.
¡°Oh, and send the servants to clean the reception room please.¡±
¡°Why? What happened?¡±
¡°During the conflict resolution process, this guy¡¯s bodyguards shed with mine.¡±
Damien mimicked slicing his throat with his hand.
¡°They made quite a mess of the reception room.¡±
Paul Haksen rubbed his face with both palms.
After taking a deep breath, he yelled,
¡°Damien! What have you done this time?!¡±
Damien exined the situation in detail to Viscount Haksen.
Initially angry, Paul Haksen¡¯s reaction changed entirely upon hearing that An Demiche had mocked Louise.
¡°You despicable man, how dare you?!¡±
It was all thanks to the Haksen family holding him back, An Demiche remained unharmed.
The debt isn¡¯t cleared yet.
An Demiche was just a branch manager. The real negotiation would be with the Duke.
¡°Your skills are undoubtedly exceptional, but I¡¯m not sure if the Duke will consider you.¡±
It was natural for Paul to worry.
Surely, the Duke had many exceptional knights surrounding him.
To participate in the duel, Damien had to surpass them.
¡°Are you confident?¡±
Without hesitation, Damien nodded at Paul¡¯s question.
And so, the next day arrived.
Damien, prepared for his journey and stepped outside.
His family and Agnes were waiting for him at the entrance of the estate.
¡°Agnes, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done.¡±
Damien first expressed his gratitude to Agnes.
Agnes not only prevented the war with the Marquis but also treated Victor. Thanks to the divine magic that a priest belonging to the investigation team had used, Victor was able to recover from serious injuries.
¡°It was the least I could do.¡±
Agnes responded casually to Damien¡¯s gratitude.
¡°Our investigation is nearlyplete, so we n to return the day after tomorrow.¡±
Damien was leaving today, hence this meeting was theirst.
¡°May the god bless your journey, Damien, I hope you reach your destination safely¡±
Agnes made a praying gesture. Damien did the same.
¡°Oh, and in case you change your mind¡¡±
¡°I have no intention of bing a Pdin.¡±
Damien cut in sharply, as if anticipating what she was going to say.
Agnes¡¯s face involuntarily fell.
¡°Well then, take care.¡±
Next, Damien bid farewell to his family.
¡°Damien, take this with you.¡±
His mother handed something to Damien. It was a vial with a golden frame around it.
¡°It¡¯s a superior potion I luckily obtained in the past. It can heal even life-threatening wounds in no time. Keep it with you, use it if things get dangerous.¡±
His mother¡¯s exnation went on for a while.
But none of it reached Damien¡¯s ears.
He remembered seeing this potion when he killed his younger brother by order of the Archlich Dorugo. Holding onto his brother¡¯s severed body, his mother had handed him this potion.
Her cries and usations still echoed in his ears.
¡°¡,¡±
Emotions buried under unpleasant memories resurfaced.
Hatred towards Dorugo, anger at his own powerlessness, and despair at the dreadful reality gradually consumed Damien¡¯s heart.
¡°Damien?¡±
At his mother¡¯s voice, Damien snapped out of it abruptly. Holding the vial dearly, he said,
¡°¡Thank you mother. I¡¯ll make sure to return this potion when Ie back.¡±
Damien looked back at Louise and Abel for thest time.
Louise wore a worried expression, while Abel avoided Damien¡¯s gaze.
¡°Damien, you must take care of yourself. Understand?¡±
Damien nodded before turning to his younger brother.
Abel purposely averted his eyes from Damien¡¯s gaze.
¡°Abel.¡±
¡°¡Yes?¡±
¡°When I return, let¡¯s practice archery.¡±
Abel¡¯s face filled with surprise at this unexpected remark.
Damien whispered to Abel¡¯s ear
¡°Doesn¡¯t the Viscount Copperhead¡¯s daughter enjoy hunting? If you want to impress her, you need to be skilled with a bow.¡±
Abel¡¯s face reddened at his words.
¡°H¡how do you kn¡know¡¡±
Having worked as a mercenary in his past life, Damien continuously gathered information about the Haksen estate.
Among them was the fact that Abel had proposed to the Viscount Copperhead¡¯s daughter but was rejected due to hisck of money and low status. He even heard that the Viscount took offense in it.
¡°There¡¯s a way to know everything.¡±
Leaving a bewildered Abel behind, Damien approached the carriage.
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±
An Demiche opened the carriage door with his remaining hand.
¡°This carriage is quite spacious.¡±
Damien nced inside the carriage.
¡°I, I cannot tolerate difort, so I intentionally ordered expensive items to be used to make this.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s a carriage like this, I can expect afortable journey, right?¡±
¡°Of course! I¡¯ll take extra care to ensure that you have afortable journey.¡±
An Demiche forced a smile.
¡°Good attitude.¡±
Damien patted his head and boarded the carriage. Victor swiftly followed Damien onto the carriage.
The carriage rode off down the road.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 21: The Goldpixie Duke (1)
¡°¡Even if I take you there, you won¡¯t be able to meet His Grace the Duke.¡±
An Demiche spoke with a face filled with fear.
Across from him sat Damien Haksen, who was gazingzily out the window.
¡°I¡¯m just a mere branch manager at best. I¡¯m not even the CEO of Dash and Cash loan firm.¡±
[TL/N- Changing Dash and Cash bank to Dash & Cash loan firm, did a mistake back there.]
[PR/N- You are useless.]
[QC/N- Tsk.Tsk. you both are useless]
¡°I know, so could you please shut up already?¡±
At Damien¡¯s remark, An tightly sealed his lips.
Fear emanated from his eyes and face, making him tremble.
¡°All you need to do is bring me in front gates of the Duchy, and I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t know the way to the Duchy. He hadn¡¯t even prepared for a long journey.
That¡¯s why he specifically needed An Demiche to apany him.
¡°¡Do you really intend to participate in the duel?¡±
An Demiche cautiously asked. Damien only nodded.
¡°¡So, does that mean you¡¯ll make the Duke win in the duel?¡±
Damien nodded again.
Strong suspicion crept over An Demiche¡¯s face.
¡°Do you know who ising from the Ryan Bloom marquisette? It¡¯s Michael Ryan Bloom, the monster of the Ryan Bloom family.¡±
The Goldpixie Duchy doesn¡¯t directly train knights like the Marquis Ryan Bloom does. Instead, they receive knights from knightly families that are loyal to the Duke.
Thanks to this, the quantity and quality of knights in possession of the Goldpixie Duchy were notckingpared to those of the Ryan Bloom Marquisette.
The reason they recruited knights for the duel from other sources was precisely because of Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom became a Low ss knight before even reaching adulthood. In fact, ording to the rumors, he has already reached the Mid ss.¡±
An Demiche had witnessed firsthand how strong Damien Haksen was.
Yet, he didn¡¯t believe that Damien could defeat Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡±
Damien interjected, making An Demiche cover his mouth with his remaining hand.
¡°I never asked you to worry about me.¡±
¡°I¡I¡¯m sorry.¡±
An Demiche bowed his head so low that his forehead touched the ground.
¡°If you understand, be cautious from now on.¡±
He trembled vigorously.
The journey to the Duke¡¯s residence wasfortable.
Thanks to An Demiche generously spending money, they secured the best amodations in every town they passed, and the food was also top-notch. He spared no expense, and even used the supposedly expensive magical tools to make the journey morefortable for Damien.
As a result, even when Damien was not at his house, he could enjoy bathing in hot water.
¡°Feels morefortable than being at home.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t waste this time. He invested every moment of the rare resting time in building up his mana.
Except for sleeping, he constantly practiced his swordsmanship skills.
¡®Right now, what I need the most is mana.¡¯
When it came to skills and knowledge, nobody could match Damien.
But hecked in many external aspects for example, his body wasn¡¯t fully trained yet, and his mana was also insufficient.
¡®If I could just acquire the mana of a Junior Knight, I could do so much more.¡¯
So, five days passed.
The carriage arrived at the Goldpixie Duke¡¯s residence.
The Goldpixie Duke¡¯s residence stood tall on a vast field.
The castle was so massive that there were a staggering eight entrance gates.
At each gate, aspiring entrants stood in line in order to either meet the Duke or to get a job in the Duchy.
With An Demiche present, Damien didn¡¯t need to wait. As the manager of Dash and Cash, he had the authority to bypass the outer inspections.
The carriage passed through the residential andmercial areas and reached the inner fortress walls.
¡°Halt.¡±
Soldiers guarding the inner gate blocked the carriage.
An Demiche, sweating profusely, addressed Damien,
¡°I¡I can only guide you up to here.¡±
Inside the inner gate stood the mansion of the Duke Goldpixie.
An Demiche had never entered there even once.
¡°Then, I guess I¡¯ll have to walk from here now.¡±
At those words, An Demiche let out a sigh of relief.
But soon, he realized something, Damien was staring directly at him.
¡°I¡¯ve pondered during the journey, you know.¡±
¡°Yes¡yes?¡±
¡°It weakens my heart to kill you, you know.¡±
¡°T¡Then, will you spare me?¡±
¡°But then it¡¯d be hard to forgive myself for sparing you, as you tried to harm my family.¡±
Damien rose from his seat. The sunlight from the carriage obscured him.
A dark shadow enveloped An Demiche.
¡°So, let¡¯s settle on by just cutting your tongue.¡±
¡°Yes¡Yes? W¡Wait¡¡±
The sound of a de being drawn echoed in the carriage.
Soon, a piercing scream spread in all directions, tearing through eardrums.
The Duke¡¯s soldiers who blocked the carriage were taken aback and raised their spears.
A momentter, the carriage door opened, and Damien stepped out.
¡°It¡¯s quite massive when you see it like this.¡±
Damien observed while looking up at the inner gate.
The inner gate was much taller than the outer one. You had to tilt your head as far back as possible if you wished to see the end.
¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±
¡°What do you think this ce is?¡±
The soldiers aimed their spears at Damien and shouted.
Ignoring the soldiers¡¯ threats, Damien asked,
¡°I have matters to discuss with the Duke. Could you open the gate?¡±
In response to Damien¡¯s query, the two soldiers burst out angrily,
¡°What nonsense! How can we allow a filthy brat like you to go in and meet His grace!¡±
¡°It seems you¡¯re aiming for His Grace¡¯s life!¡±
Judging by the soldiers¡¯ reactions, peaceful means might not let him cross the inner gate.
¡°In that case, there¡¯s no choice but to force my way through.¡±
Damien recalled his past experiences.
He had never personally met the Goldpixie Duke, but he had heard plenty about him.
A strict meritocrat.
[PR/N- Meritocrat here means a person who selects or favors someone based on their abilities and merits, and not their status or authority.]
If onecked ability, even if they were his children he wouldn¡¯t favor them. Conversely, if one had talent and abilities, then he would treat them leniently even if that person was to be his enemy.
¡®If I¡¯m going to participate in the duel anyway, I¡¯ll have to prove my skills. Showing is better than just talking, right?¡¯
Damien, having made his decision, nodded.
Hisposed demeanour astonished the soldiers.
¡°What nonsense have you been saying since earlier?!¡±
¡°Maybe a few hits will sober him up.¡±
Damien slightly bent his knee.
Immediately after, with a burst of air, Damien¡¯s body vanished.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Instinctively, the soldiers looked up. And there, they could see it.
Damien floating midway up the inner fortress wall.
¡°W¡What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Huh¡huh!¡±
Damien stepped on the fortress wall, then leaped up again.
Continuously propelling himself, he started going up the fortress wall.
In the blink of an eye, he reached the top of the wall.
¡°Ughhhh¡¡±
¡°Hey, you¡¯ll catch flies in your mouth.¡±
Soldiers were also standing atop the wall. Damiennded between two of them.
¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°W¡What?¡±
The two soldiers stared at Damien in bewilderment.
Whether they reacted or not Damien didn¡¯t care, he just admired the view below the wall.
¡°Wow, what a view.¡±
Then, the soldiers aimed their spears at Damien.
¡°Intruder!¡±
¡°Die!¡±
Damien leaped again, avoiding the spears, and flew down the wall.
The two soldiers, startled, looked down.
Despite the height of his fall, Damien seemed unscathed.
¡°Where¡¯s the Duke¡¯s mansion from here?¡±
Damien strolled confidently. His demeanour left the soldiers¡¯ eyes widened.
¡°Intruder! Sound the rm!¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t an ordinary one! We need the knights!¡±
The noisy nging of bells echoed throughout the entire Duke¡¯s estate.
Despite the rm sounding, Damien didn¡¯t rush.
He strolled leisurely, almost as if he were out for a walk.
Surprisingly, the ones who were worried were the people from the Duke¡¯s side.
¡°There he is!¡±
About ten knights rushed in, surrounding Damien.
¡°Reveal your identity immediately!¡±
¡°Who sent you?¡±
¡°What¡¯s your purpose?¡±
The knights shouted questions one after another.
Damien nced over them. They were all Junior Knights.
¡°Tsk, these fledglingse out first.¡±
Fledglings.
At Damien¡¯s words, the Junior Knights were bewildered. Shortly after, they became angry.
¡°How dare you disrespect us?!¡±
¡°Shall we cut off his arms?¡±
Damien shook his head.
¡°Where¡¯s the Duke? I have urgent matters to discuss with him.¡±
At his words, the knights¡¯ faces reddened as if about to explode.
¡°¡You¡¯vee to target His Grace!¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s an urgent matter that I have to discuss.¡±
¡°Shut up!¡±
The knights drew their swords, pointing the sharp des at Damien.
¡°You¡¯ll pay for your actions right now!¡±
The knights charged at him. Damien scratched the back of his head.
Right now, Damien could easily eliminate them all with a single sword strike.
However, Junior Knights were valuable forces that could be immediately deployed inbat.
Killing ten of them?
It would be tantamount to dering war against the Duchy.
That¡¯s why Damien didn¡¯t draw his sword.
He skillfully deflected all the desing at him barehanded.
The bewildered expressions on the Junior Knights¡¯ faces at his actions struck Damien.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
Then Damien¡¯s body disappeared.
He approached the Junior Knights,nding quick strikes at their chins.
His speed left an afterimage behind.
The Junior Knights were knocked out without even realising they were under attack.
¡°Oh, I forgot to ask where the Duke is.¡±
That¡¯s when Damien regretted.
One knight, whom he thought had passed out, groaned.
¡°Wh¡What¡ Uhh¡¡±
He hadn¡¯tpletely lost consciousness; he was just not in his right mind.
Damien approached, somewhat sympathetic to the daze of the knight.
He grabbed the knight¡¯s hair and lifted his head.
¡°Where is the Duke?¡±
¡°T¡The Grace¡ is in the meeting room¡¡±
Thanks to the partial loss of reason, it was easy to extract information.
Damien lowered the knight¡¯s head and looked toward the mansion.
¡°He¡¯s over there.¡±
Damien moved again.
Recently, the Duke Goldpixie had been troubled by one thing.
¡°You still haven¡¯t found a knight to challenge Michael Ryan Bloom?¡±
The attendants seated in the meeting room all bowed their heads. Seeing this, the Goldpixie Duke let out a deep sigh.
¡°Money isn¡¯t an issue, just bring someone even if you get it from abroad.¡±
No one among the attendants raised their heads. The Duke Goldpixie sighed deeply once more.
In truth, the root cause of all this trouble was the Duke himself.
The Duke Goldpixie and Marquis Ryan Bloom had been at odds since their youth.
It all started when the he set his sights on ady of the Ryan Bloom family, which the Marquis intercepted and married.
As the time passed however the emotions didn¡¯t fade in fact, they grew even stronger.
Amidst all this, a gold mine was discovered at the boundary between their territories.
To settle the ownership of the gold mine, the Duke and the Marquis gathered for discussions.
However, despite lengthy talks, the ownership remained undecided.
Why not settle this with a duel? It would be much cleaner.
The Duke rejected the Marquis¡¯ proposal, well aware of the terror that the Ryan Bloom family¡¯s monster was.
¡®Running away again without acting like a man. That¡¯s why Elise chose me.¡¯
Elise was the name of thedy who was taken from the him.
At that moment, the Duke lost his temper. By the time he regained his senses, he had already epted the duel.
It was toote to take back the words already spoken. He hurriedly sought a knight to challenge Michael Ryan Bloom.
However, finding such a knight, both domestically and internationally, proved exceedingly difficult.
¡°This is giving me a headache.¡±
The Duke rubbed his forehead with his hand.
At that moment, amotion was heard from afar.
Lowering his hand, the Duke asked his attendant,
¡°What¡¯s that noise? Go and find out.¡±
The attendant went out and soon returned, his face showing concern.
¡°Y¡Your Grace! There¡¯s an intruder!¡±
Rather than being surprised, the Duke felt puzzled by the news.
¡°An intruder?¡±
¡°Yes! He ispletely breaching the building right now! You must evacuate immediately!¡±
Numerous thoughts about the fortitude of the castle and the thoroughness of its defences crossed the Duke¡¯s mind.
Realistically, an intruder entering was impossible. However, denying what had already happened would be futile.
¡°Who dares to disturb the Duke¡¯s residence!¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s not clear yet!¡±
¡°Gather the knights immediately! They must eradicate that audacious group!¡±
The Duke naturally assumed there were multiple intruders.
But the attendant contradicted the Duke¡¯s assumption.
¡°I¡It¡¯s not a group!¡±
What kind of statement was that?
The attendant, looking quite serious, said to the Duke,
¡°There¡¯s only one person!¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 22: The Goldpixie Duke (2)
After defeating the junior knights, Damien immediately headed towards the Duke¡¯s mansion.
To reach the mansion, one had to cross through the garden.
¡®Maintaining the garden was Mother¡¯s only hobby.¡¯
While the garden in the Haksen estate was norger than a vegetable patch, the garden of the Duchy was vast and reminiscent of a forest.
¡®Mother would appreciate hearing stories about the Duke¡¯s garden.¡¯
However, Damien couldn¡¯t leisurely wander the garden.
¡°Found you!¡±
¡°You were here!¡±
Knights emerged from various spots in the garden.
Their aura was different from the junior knights they had just fought.
Low ss knights.
The Duke¡¯s official knights had stepped forward to stop Damien.
¡°I don¡¯t know where you came from, but you dare attack the Duke!¡±
¡°Cut off his arms and throw him in prison!¡±
The knights drew their swords, their aura enveloping the des.
Even faced with so many low-ss knights threatening them, Damien¡¯s expression barely changed.
¡°Taking life isn¡¯t difficult¡ but the repercussions are.¡±
During the journey to the Duke, Damien had gathered quite a bit of power through the sword techniques he practiced in his previous life and mana through the Supreme Absorption Technique.
Right now, there was little difference to Damien between junior knights and low-ss knights.
However, if he tried to spill blood here then it would pose a threat to his rtion with the Duke, in fact, he might take it as an offense.
¡°Is there something suitable around here?¡±
Damien scanned the surroundings.
Conveniently, there were tools for tending the garden nearby.
Damien picked up a shovel from among them and struck its de with his palm.
As the shovel¡¯s de cleanly fell off, it turned into a decently sized staff.
Damien swung the staff around. It felt good.
¡°Alright. you cane at me now.¡±
Damien flicked their finger. Veins popped on the knights¡¯ foreheads.
¡°Do we look like a joke to you right now?¡±
¡°This is no petty provocation!¡±
¡°Kill him right away!¡±
The knights rushed forward, expressing their anger.
The lead knight swung his sword, tracing a semicircle with the de.
Damien attempted to block the sword with a club.
¡°You foolish brat!¡±
The knight shouted. The knight¡¯s sword was infused with aura, while Damien¡¯s staff¡ was just a staff.
If things continued like this, the aura-infused sword would easily cut through both the staff and Damien.
However, contrary to the knight¡¯s expectations, the sword couldn¡¯t cut through the staff.
Instead, its trajectory deviated.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The sword, which was moving horizontally, suddenly shot upward.
Without missing the opportunity, Damien struck the knight¡¯s head with the staff.
The knight copsed right away.
¡°Die!¡±
Another knight followed, swinging his sword down.
Once again, Damien blocked the sword with the staff.
The shing de suddenly twisted to the left.
¡°What¡? Ugh!¡±
Damien immediately struck the knight¡¯s forehead. The knight, screaming, lost his consciousness.
In the blink of an eye, two knights immediately lost.
Witnessing this unbelievable sight, the other knights couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.
Damien tapped his shoulder with the staff and said to the remaining knights,
¡°What¡¯s up? Coming at me?¡±
The knights exchanged nces. Then, one after another, they lunged forward.
The sound of shes echoed endlessly.
***
¡°¡Only one intruder?¡±
The Duke asked with an incredulous expression. The attendant vigorously nodded.
¡°The knights? What are the knights doing?¡±
¡°Ten junior knights had already tried to stop the intruder but failed!¡±
¡°What¡. ten junior knights¡?¡±
Even just as junior knights, they held remarkable power. Yet, ten of them failed to stop the intruder?
¡°Not only that, but the low-ss knights also intervened and lost to him!¡±
The Duke felt his head spinning.
Could what he was hearing right now be true?
¡°Could it be that you are trying to deceive me?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry! The middle-ss knights have moved! We¡¯ll soon be able to suppress the intruder!¡±
At the mention of ¡°middle-ss,¡± the Duke regained hisposure. There was no reason to be afraid when there were not only lower-ss but middle-ss and even high-ss individuals here.
The Duke nced at the elderly knight standing beside them. The elderly knight shed a reassuring smile and said,
¡°Your Grace, don¡¯t worry. I am here by your side.¡±
Karl Heimlich.
One of the three high-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
He was the pinnacle of power owned by the Duke Goldpixie.
¡°How many casualties are there?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard there are none.¡±
Once again, doubt crossed the Duke¡¯s face.
¡°What do you mean, no casualties? Then what about the injured?¡±
¡°They say there are only minor injuries.¡±
This intruder had invaded the Duke¡¯s estate in broad daylight, fought with the knights, and yet, hadn¡¯t killed a single person.
¡°Wait a moment.¡±
A possibility sprang to the Duke¡¯s mind.
¡°I must meet this intruder in person.¡±
After knocking down all the low-ss knights, Damien entered the mansion.
The Duke of Goldpixie was renowned as the wealthiest man in the Apple Kingdom.
To prove the authenticity of this reputation, expensive artworks were ced throughout the mansion.
¡°Stop him! Stop that person!¡±
As soon as he entered the mansion, knights rushed towards Damien. They were all low-ss knights.
Damien swung the staff wildly towards the iing knights.
The knights fell like autumn leaves. Damien charged into the mansion, trampling over the fallen knights.
He reached a wide hall after passing through a corridor. There, Damien halted his steps.
It was because of the knight standing in the center of the hall.
¡°So, you¡¯ve finally made it here. You bastard.¡±
The knight muttered quietly. There was a vigor in his voice.
¡°The crime of causing a disturbance in the duke¡¯s estate is severe. I¡¯ll personally tear your body apart and scatter it as food for the rats.¡±
The knight pulled out the spear he had stuck in the ground. His sharp aura filled the entire hall.
¡°Impressive.¡±
Damien eximed briefly. The energy emanating from the knight was considerable.
¡°I¡¯m Damien Haksen. What¡¯s your name?¡±
Fighting without formal introductions felt unsatisfactory.
In response to Damien¡¯s question, the knight scowled. Despite showing reluctance to answer, he said,
¡°Middle-ss knight Ernest Horowitz.¡±
A big fish had appeared.
The status of a knight is divided into five major stages: Junior Knight, Low-ss knight, Middle-ss knight, High-ss knight, and finally, Master.
The gap between each stage increases exponentially as one progresses.
It¡¯s more challenging for a Low-ss to be a Middle-ss than for a Junior Knight to be a Low-ss.
Hence it is said that one bes a true knight only after reaching the stage of a low ss knight, possessing the strength of a hundred men.
So, what about the more elusive Middle-ss knight?
¡°Strength of a thousand men.¡±
They can face over a thousand soldiers alone.
The Middle-ss, who transcends natural disasters with their human body, was a formidable existence.
¡°This has be quite troublesome.¡±
Damien tapped their shoulder with the club.
¡°Troublesome?¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s expression changed as if bothered by those words.
¡°Seems like fear made you say something stupid. You should have said you want to run away instead.¡±
Ernest Horowitz raised their momentum.
The ground began to split around where they stood. The cracks spread across the entire room, even affecting the walls and ceiling.
¡°What will the Duke say if you wreck the building like this.¡±
Honestly, Damien didn¡¯t want to fight Ernest Horowitz.
It hadn¡¯t been even a month since Damien came back. Thus, his stamina and mana were still significantlycking.
There wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t fight, but it was bing quite an exhausting battle.
¡°Above all, only low-ss knights can participate in the duel.¡±
To take part in the duel, he had to suppress his level as a low-ss knight. Hence, engaging in a fight with Ernest Horowitz, a middle-ss, might cast doubts on his low-ss knight status.
¡°If you keep hesitating, I¡¯ll make the first move!¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s posture slightly lowered, ready to lunge forward.
Damien clicked his tongue briefly.
Under these circumstances, it seemed best to engage moderately and then retreat.
That¡¯s when the door behind Ernest Horowitz swiftly opened.
¡°Both of you, stop!¡±
A middle-aged man walked in, shouting. Ernest Horowitz looked surprised.
¡°Your Excellency?¡±
¡°You, there, should be thinking of catching the intruder, but what if the entire building copses?¡±
The middle-aged man tapped Ernest Horowitz¡¯s shoulder.
Ernest Horowitz immediately lowered his head and apologized,
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was not attentive.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll just summon the mages to repair everything anyway.¡±
After saying so, the Duke approached Damien.
¡°Your Excellency, it¡¯s dangerous!¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±
Despite Ernest Horowitz¡¯s attempt to intervene, the Duke didn¡¯t stop.
¡°Young friend, what¡¯s your name?¡±
Just a few steps away.
The Duke asked, standing at a distance where Damien could easily draw his sword and cause harm to him.
He was indeed a man with a demeanor befitting his status as the duke.
Damien lowered the staff he was holding and said,
¡°I am Damien Haksen, Your Excellency.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen? Are you by any chance the troublemaker from the Haksen family?¡±
¡°Thank you for recognizing me.¡±
The Duke¡¯s expression subtly changed.
¡°I thought the rumors were false or exaggerated¡ I never expected them to be true.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a bit unfair. Because of that misunderstanding, everyone I meet tends to underestimate me.¡±
The Duke chuckled at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You came all this way and didn¡¯t kill a single member of the Duchy¡¯s knights. No one suffered fatal injuries.¡±
¡°I went through some trouble to handle things appropriately.¡±
¡°What? Appropriate? You¡¯re quite an interesting character.¡±
A smile crept onto the Duke¡¯s lips.
¡°So, what do you want from me? You didn¡¯t cause this uproar for no reason.¡±
Finally, the moment Damien had been waiting for arrived.
¡°I owe Your Excellency a debt.¡±
¡°A debt?¡±
The Duke wore a perplexed expression. He couldn¡¯t fathom what Damien was hinting at.
¡°I borrowed money from the loan firm you operate. I have to repay 30 gold coins, principal plus interest.¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s what this is about. Are you here because of that?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have the money right now, so I want to repay the debt in another way.¡±
The Duke nodded in response to Damien¡¯s exnation.
¡°Another way?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll offer victory by defeating Michael Ryan Bloom instead of repaying the debt.¡±
The Duke¡¯s eyes widened at that response.
Michael Ryan Bloom.
Someone had emerged to resolve that troublesome issue.
¡°¡Interesting. Truly interesting.¡±
The Duke rubbed his chin, examining Damien.
He was likely mentallyparing Damien and Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom is considered a monster who will one day be a Master. Are you confident?¡±
¡°If I lose, you may take my life without hesitation.¡±
Damien replied without a hint of hesitation.
The Duke burst intoughter at that response, forgetting his manners as heughed heartily.
¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve never seen someone so spirited.¡±
Extending his hand, the Duke said
¡°Let me trust you for once.¡±
Damien shook his hand firmly, saying
¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 23: Proof (1)
The attendants of GoldPixie Duke were engulfed in turmoil and fear.
They had gathered at the Duke¡¯s residence to discuss the biannual tournament that was going to take ce between the Duchy and the Marquisette of Ryan Bloom.
During a meeting concerning business matters with the Duke, news had spread of an attack on the Duke¡¯s castle.
While the news of an attack on the outer castle would have been shocking enough, it was not the outer but the inner castle that had been assaulted.
This alone was a grave matter, yet unexpectedly, the Duke had left his post vacant to meet the intruder.
Leaving behind his escort, Knight Karl Heimlich, he went alone.
¡°An attack on the Duchy¡ Who could havemitted such an act?¡±
¡°And that also in broad daylight¡ Not even at midnight¡¡±
The attendants murmured in anxiety.
The somewhat fortunate aspect was the presence of Karl Heimlich in the conference room.
Karl Heimlich was one of only three high-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
Whoever the attackers might be, if Karl Heimlich was present, he would surely subdue them.
It was when they were thinking, suddenly,
¡°Apologies for making everyone wait!¡±
The door to the conference room creaked open, and the Duke entered.
Unlike when he had left the room alone, there were now two additional individuals with him.
One was a knight well-known to the attendants, Ernest Horowitz.
However, the other was apletely unfamiliar face.
¡°Who¡¯s that young man?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡±
¡°He¡¯s quite handsome, however his demeanor is quite rough, though.¡±
The attendants whispered among themselves regarding the young man.
¡°It was unexpected, but there¡¯s someone I¡¯d like to introduce.¡±
The Duke presented the young man to the attending individuals.
¡°This fellow here is the intruder who assaulted the residence just a while ago.¡±
The murmuring voices quickly subsided.
The attendants stared at the Duke and Damien Haksen with incredulous expressions.
¡°Hello, I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
Damien greeted them with a nod. His attitude was incredibly arrogant and impolite.
However, the attendants focused more on his name than Damien¡¯s attitude.
¡°Damien Haksen? Could it be that scoundrel?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who defeated the heir of the Marquis Ryan Bloom, and dismantled the enormous ck Serpent gang in Landwalk City?¡±
Rumors about Damien Haksen were so widespread that even the Duchy had heard of them.
However, there wasn¡¯t a single person who believed those rumors. They seemed too fantastical to be considered true.
¡°That scoundrel attacked the Duchy?¡±
¡°I thought all those rumors were fake¡ are they actually true?¡±
¡°This is unbelievable. How could a scoundrel like him¡?¡±
The attendants were greatly disturbed. Some could even be found denying reality.
¡°He told me that he came to the castle because he had borrowed money from a loan firm under me but had no money to give back the amount and interest.¡±
Whether he knew the sentiments of these attendants or not, the Duke became visibly agitated.
¡°So, instead of repaying the debt, he came here intending to participate in a duel. When the soldiers refused to let him in, he barged in recklessly.¡±
The attendants looked at Damien with disbelief.
They had been agonizing over what could be the reason behind the intrusion, but they never imagined that it would be such a naive one.
¡°Do you know what he said to me? That he¡¯d defeat Michael Ryan Bloom and dedicate the victory to the Duchy.¡±
A suppressed chuckle erupted among the attendants.
Who was Michael Ryan Bloom?
A prodigious genius evaluated to soon ascend to the level of a master in the near future.
He was such a formidable opponent that even with all of GoldPixie Duke¡¯s connections and resources, they couldn¡¯t find a rival that could fight against him.
To defeat someone like Michael Ryan Bloom? Dedicate the victory?
However, as time passed, the derision that crossed the faces of the attendants began to diminish.
¡°That man against Michael Ryan Bloom¡?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not an entirely impossible im. He did breach the Duke¡¯s defenses.¡±
¡°And he took down the Duke¡¯s knights, too.¡±
¡°Have we seen such a skilled young knight before?¡±
Considering Damien¡¯s demonstrated abilities, he was notcking whenpared to Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°I might just do as Damien Haksen desires. I chose Damien as the representative knight who will rival Michael Ryan Bloom in the duel.¡±
The Duke continued addressing the attendants.
¡°Does anyone have a differing opinion?¡±
Everyone remained silent, which indicated consent. The Duke nodded as if he understood.
¡°It seems there are no opposing views. Then, Damien Haksen will be elected as the representative¡¡±
¡°Your Grace! Please reconsider that decision!¡±
At that moment, someone eximed loudly, capturing everyone¡¯s attention.
Ernest Horowitz stood there with an enraged expression.
¡°Damien Haksen attacked the Duke and the knights! To appoint him as a representative, when the immediate punishment is due, is an absurdity!¡±
Several attendants nodded in agreement with Ernest Horowitz¡¯s words.
Although the Duke seemed resolute and didn¡¯t say anything, it was clear he wasn¡¯t pleased with the situation.
Appointing someone who attacked the Duke as a representative was inconceivable.
¡°Damien Haksen might have tarnished the Duke¡¯s name a bit, but finding someone of this caliber isn¡¯t easy.¡±
¡°Before discussing skill, hecks the qualifications! Appointing someone who assaulted a noble family as a representative? How much mockery will this bring upon us when it¡¯s revealed!¡±
More attendants began to agree with Ernest Horowitz¡¯s words.
¡°Without Damien Haksen, there wouldn¡¯t be a knight to stand against Michael Ryan Bloom.¡±
¡°True for now! But hasn¡¯t the Duchess of Chelsea yet to return?¡±
At the mention of the Duchess of Chelsea, the Duke briefly furrowed his brow.
¡°It has been a month since the Duchess left, iming to have found a knight to face Michael Ryan Bloom. She wille back soon!¡±
¡°The Duchess didn¡¯t inform me of who this knight is. It¡¯s uncertain whom she¡¯ll bring. Should I just reject Damien because of a knight whose abilities I haven¡¯t even seen?¡±
¡°Has the Duchess ever disappointed Your Grace? Being astute and capable, she will surely meet your expectations this time too!¡±
The attendants began to murmur in agreement.
¡°That¡¯s right. The Duchess of Chelsea has always excelled in Your Grace¡¯s tests.¡±
¡°She¡¯s someone we can trust.¡±
The opinions of the attendants gradually leaned towards the Duchess of Chelsea.
Observing this, the Duke too became lost in thought, arms crossed.
¡°The ims of knight Ernest Horowitz do have a point .¡±
The Duke turned towards Damien Haksen.
¡°Damien, my apologies. It seems I¡¯ll have to dy appointing you as the representative.¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s face visibly brightened at these words.
Conversely, Damien felt irritated.
¡®The bone that the orc chewed on is suddenly being snatched away in the end.¡¯
Damien hadn¡¯te here simply to repay a debt.
The Marquis would significantly strengthen his position following the duel with the Duke.
Damien Haksen hade here to prevent that future from happening.
¡®Whoever the Duchess of Chelsea brings, they won¡¯t be able to defeat Michael Ryan Bloom.¡¯
For the Duchy to win in the duel, Damien Haksen had to face Michael Ryan Bloom.
Thus, after much deliberation, Damien spoke out.
¡°I cannotply with that decision.¡±
All eyes, including the Duke¡¯s, were fixed on Damien Haksen.
¡°I came not just to repay my debt but also to fight against Michael Ryan Bloom. Hence, I won¡¯t concede my position as the representative.¡±
An outsider outright refused the Duke¡¯s decision. Naturally, the attendants¡¯ reactions were far from favorable.
¡°Wha¡what¡ There¡¯s nothing impressive about you despite boasting about your skills!¡±
¡°Daring to have dissatisfaction with His Grace¡¯s decision!¡±
¡°He should be apprehended and punished immediately!¡±
Especially, Ernest Horowitz¡¯s anger was palpable among the attendants.
¡°¡What are you muttering now?¡±
Ernest Horowitz ground his teeth as he reprimanded Damien.
An intense hostility poured out from Damien, so much so that it felt bone-chilling.
¡°Your Grace, please give the order. I¡¯ll seize this rascal and make him kneel!¡±
However, the Duke did notply with Ernest Horowitz¡¯s plea.
The Duke gazed at Damien with a mix of anger and interest.
¡°Damien, I do feel sorry for you. But with the opinion of the attendants as such, what can I do?¡±
The Duke shrugged.
His demeanor was exaggerated, and his eyes were filled with anticipation.
From there, Damien could roughly discern the Duke¡¯s intentions.
¡®He¡¯s expecting how I¡¯ll handle this situation.¡¯
Come to think of it, there was a story heard from a previous life.
The Gold Pixie Duke was known to be a relentless meritocrat who enjoyed testing the attendants continually.
He favored only those who passed his tests and dismissed those who didn¡¯t.
¡®A troublesome type to be idolized as a superior.¡¯
To pass the Duke¡¯s test, one had to convince the attendants.
However, Damien had no intention whatsoever of bothering to persuade the attendants.
He aimed to show through actions who he was and why they shouldn¡¯t detain him.
¡°You all are under a tremendous misconception.¡±
After determining his course, Damien Haksen spoke up.
¡°If one aims to win the duel, they must undoubtedly sit in the representative¡¯s seat. Whoever the Duchess of Chelsea brings, they won¡¯t evenpare to me.¡±
¡°Such arrogance! Are you spouting that nonsense, not knowing whom the Duches might bring?¡±
Ernest Horowitz scoffed and said.
Damien Haksen pointed at Ernest Horowitz and spoke.
¡°Let me demonstrate my abilities by blocking Ernest¡¯s attack.¡±
What did that guy just say?
The attendants began to doubt their own ears. It was an unavoidable situation.
Ernest Horowitz is a mid-ss.
Not only has he been in the mid-ss for quite a long time, but he also has umted enough experience and achievements.
To block an attack from such a figure?
¡°Oh,and I said ¡®attack,¡¯ which means he can use any technique he wants too. You can also use deception or employ tactics without any hesitation.¡±
As Damien Haksen continued speaking, the attendants couldn¡¯t contain their astonishment.
Usually, when a superior knight fights against an inferior one, there are several penalties imposed on the superior knight.
However, Damien Haksen was suggesting not to impose any penalties but to unleash everything.
¡°Perhaps using tactics would be better. Blocking them would further confirm my abilities.¡±
Damien Haksen stopped talking.
It was due to the dreadful aura emanating from Ernest Horowitz.
¡°Come at me. I¡¯ll make holes in your face.¡±
Ernest Horowitz growled at Damien Haksen.
Damien and Ernest Horowitz immediately headed to the training grounds.
The Duke and the attendants followed suit. They surrounded the training grounds and stood guard, observing the two.
¡°Even now, if you lick my shoes, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±
Ernest Horowitz twirled his spear as he spoke.
Instead of responding, Damien let out a long yawn.
¡°I¡¯m sleepy. Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡±
¡°¡Asking for death so tantly.¡±
Ernest Horowitz gripped his spear with both hands.
Damien Haksen didn¡¯t take any particr stance.
¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and get ready.¡±
¡°You¡¯re awfully full of yourself. Stop worrying about me and mind your own business.¡±
Damien plunged his sword into the ground. He ced both his arms on it and leaned his body against them.
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s facial muscles tensed visibly at Damien¡¯s tant disregard.
¡°As I mentioned earlier, any attack is fine. You can use deception or employ tactics without any constraints.¡±
Before long, Damien was taunting Ernest Horowitz.
Repeated taunts filled Ernest Horowitz¡¯s eyes with bloodshot fury.
¡°This¡ a brat like you won¡¯t be satisfied until I torn you to pieces¡.¡±
Ernest Horowitz surged his mana.
Mid-ss.
Exceptional individual capable of doing miracles.
The highly dense mana, befitting his status, began to swirl around Ernest Horowitz.
¡°Anything goes as long as it¡¯s called an attack¡Huh?¡±
A flicker emerged at the tip of the spear held by Ernest Horowitz.
It was so vivid it looked more like mes than a mere spark.
¡°Then let me pierce through that unlucky face.¡±
Ernest Horowitz raised his foot and forcefully struck the ground.
The floor of the training ground shattered. Simultaneously, Ernest Horowitz¡¯s body shot forward like an arrow.
At an incredible speed, the air burst sessively. Ernest Horowitz pierced through the air barrier and arrived inches from Damien Haksen.
Ernest Horowitz thrust his spear.
A storm surged forth. Hidden within it, a sh pierced through Damien Haksen.
Even before Ernest Horowitz thrust his spear, Damien had already deciphered the trajectory.
¡°The chest.¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s posture and gaze said it all.
Despite the words about piercing through the face, Ernest Horowitz aimed for the heart.
¡°A straightforward thrust.¡±
No deception, no tactics. It was a pure thrust.
However, due to exerting full power, its speed and destructiveness were fearsome.
¡°Did I provoke him too much? It¡¯s bing dull.¡±
Damien¡¯s provocation seemed to have pricked at the knight¡¯s pride.
Trying to kill Damien with such an honest attack showed this.
¡°If it¡¯s so easily readable, dealing with it should be simple.¡±
Ernest Horowitz thrust his spear. Damien immediately raised his longsword to block the spear.
Immediately after, a strike as blinding as a sh hit the de.
Every bone in his body creaked. The fibers in his limbs felt like they were bursting vividly.
¡°As expected from a Mid-ss.¡±
Though Damien was far ahead in experience and skills, Ernest Horowitz surpassed him several times over in physical abilities and mana.
In reality, forcibly blocking such a powerful attack wasn¡¯t Damien Haksen¡¯s preference. However, at this moment, Damien had to act as a Low-ss.
For a Low-ss to avoid or deflect an attack from a Mid-ss, it was definitely surprising.
¡®So, I have no choice but to block his attack.¡¯
Unable to withstand the assault, he was pushed backward. The ground cracked, creating two cavities.
He could have stopped right there, but Damien allowed himself to be pushed further back.
Eventually, his back mmed into a wall. The wall shattered with a thunderous noise.
The intense impact concentrated on his internal organs.
With Damien¡¯s level of skill, he could have used mana to shield his internal organs. However, he deliberately allowed himself to suffer internal injuries for a more realistic portrayal.
¡°Cough.¡±
Damien Haksen coughed out blood from his mouth. He deliberately staggered as he walked out.
As he nced away, he caught sight of Ernest Horowitz¡¯s shocked face.
Not only Ernest Horowitz but the Duke and the attendants wore simr expressions.
Suddenly, Damien realized his hand felt light.
When he looked down, he saw the shattered longsword.
It wasn¡¯t a particrly high-quality item received from his father, nor was it sentimental to him.
¡°Your Highness, as promised, I have withstood Ernest Horowitz¡¯s attack.¡±
Discarding the longsword¡¯s handle onto the ground, Damien spoke.
¡°Now, the position of the representative belongs to me.¡±
There was no reply. Only a prolonged silence ensued.
¡°Hah,¡±
The Duke broke the silence.
¡°Hahahaha!¡±
The Duke burst intoughter loudly, pping his thighs with his palm.
¡°You¡¯ve endured! You¡¯ve truly withstood the blow of a Mid-ss!¡±
The Duke rushed towards Damien, patting his back vigorously.
¡°Cough.¡±
Due to that sudden motion, Damien couldn¡¯t help but cough up blood once again.
Despite it being staged, his injuries were real.
¡°Hahahah! Sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡±
Even seeing that, the Duke didn¡¯t stopughing.
¡°Attendees, listen up! Damien Haksen has splendidly demonstrated his abilities! As promised, I¡¯ll employ Damien Haksen as the representative!¡±
At that moment, Ernest Horowitz, who had been standing dumbfounded, snapped back to reality.
¡°Y¡Your Highness!¡±
¡°Quiet.¡±
The Duke spoke in a chilling tone,pletely different from when addressing Damien Haksen.
¡°Right now, I am in a good mood. Don¡¯t ruin it.¡±
At the Duke¡¯s words, Ernest Horowitz, sweating coldly, bowed his head.
¡®He looks disappointed.¡¯
The Duke was an extreme meritocrat.
That¡¯s why Damien Haksen, who lived up to his expectations, received his favor, while Ernest Horowitz, who didn¡¯t, was treated poorly.
The Duke¡¯s favor didn¡¯t end there.
¡°You seem to be injured. I can¡¯t just let you leave like this.¡±
Suddenly, the Duke adjusted the ring on his right hand. Then, a ck hole appeared in the air.
¡®A spatial magic tool?¡¯
It was a top-grade magical tool that twisted space to use as a storage.
From within, the Duke pulled out a box.
¡°This is a gift for you.¡±
Damien Haksen epted the box offered by the Duke and opened it.
As soon as he lifted the lid, a refreshing scent spread everywhere. Inside were five pills.
¡°It¡¯s called the ¡®Bnce Pill.¡¯ Ever heard of it?¡±
Damien felt his ears perk up.
How could he not? It¡¯s a potion that boosts physical abilities just by ingesting it.
There was a tale passed down about the Empire¡¯s weak prince, who, after consuming twenty Bnce Pills, defeated a bull bare-handed.
¡°It was obtained at a high price from the Alchemist Association.¡±
Moreover, these Bnce Pills were products of the Alchemist Association.
The Alchemist association specializes in alchemy for concocting potions that aid in growth.
The potions produced here had far superior performancepared to those made by other sects.
¡°It¡¯s said that by consuming the Bnce Pill, the body develops, and mana surges. Originally, it¡¯s something knights take during training, but it also has excellent effects on injuries.¡±
The Duke patted Damien Haksen¡¯s shoulder and spoke.
¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you in the future.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 24: Proof (2)
¡°You seem very tired, so rest for today. Let¡¯s discuss the details about the duel tomorrow,¡±
The Duke said, instructing a servant to guide Damien to the guest room.
As befitting a renowned wealthy family, Damien received exceptionallyvish treatment. The hospitality extended to him was incredibly luxurious.
During his bath, several servants, about three or four, hovered nearby, attending to his needs.
The dishes served for dinner were all made by top-tier chefs, each meal being of exquisite quality.
Over five servants stood near him, awaiting Damien¡¯s orders at any time.
¡°Never have I indulged in such luxury before in my life.¡±
Up until now and likely in the future, it was an extraordinary extravagance, to a degree where one couldn¡¯t fathom whether such luxury could be sustained.
¡®Butpared to this, everything else seems insignificant.¡¯
Sitting on the bed, Damien retrieved a Bnce pill.
Inside the wooden box were delicately packaged five pills.
Upon a closer look, he noticed golden inscriptions on the lids.
Bnce pills
Crafted by Azort Archaeus of the Alchemy Association in the year 197.
¡®Could this be the Azort Archaeus ?¡¯
With a surprised expression, Damien double-checked the inscriptions multiple times.
Azort Archaeus.
Among the few alchemists known as the leaders of the Alchemy Association, he was one of the rare Grand Alchemists.
¡®If this was truly made by that Azort, then it must be astronomically expensive.¡¯
Of course,pared to the legendary elixirs created by Azort, the Bnce pills might seemcking in many aspects.
Nevertheless, inparison, the Bnce pills were undoubtedly remarkable elixirs, albeit inferior.
¡®An elixir that enhances physical abilities just by consuming it.¡¯
Damien had only heard rumors about it, but this was his first time witnessing it firsthand.
¡®It¡¯s said to excel in healing injuries as well.¡¯
However, Damien had no intention of using the Bnce pills for healing. The injury he had sustained was so minor that he could easily heal it by himself.
Damien intended to use these elixirs for their original purpose.
¡®I shouldn¡¯t just consume them; I shouldbine their use with training.¡¯
Ordinarily, an elixir couldn¡¯t bepletely absorbed; consuming it meant losing about half of its potency.
However, Damien Haksen was confident in fully absorbing the power of the elixir.
¡®A much-needed treasure hase to me.¡¯
Damien had an urate understanding of his condition.
Currently, both his physical and magical abilities were severelycking.
While the magical deficiency had somewhat been resolved through the supreme Absorption Technique, his physical strength was still feeble. It had barely been a month since his regression.
¡®With my current condition¡ I can¡¯tpete with a high ss knight.¡¯
Damien recalled Karl Heimlich.
Though he could somehow manage to surpass Ernest Horowitz inbat, there was no way he could defeat Karl Heimlich.
Of course, in terms of skill and experience alone, Damien had long surpassed Karl Heimlich by several hundredfold.
The issuey with his physique and mana. With these two being so inadequate, Damien couldn¡¯t defeat Karl Heimlich.
There were limitations topensating for insufficient strength with skill alone.
¡®Since it¡¯se up, why not train right away?¡¯
It was the moment Damien was about to retrieve one of the Bnce pills.
¡°Lord Damien Haksen, are you sleeping?¡±
The sound of knocking on the door apanied the voice of a servant.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°His Excellency requests your audience.¡±
Though curious about the effectiveness of the Bnce pills, Damien couldn¡¯t refuse an audience with the duke.
Closing the box¡¯s lid, he stepped outside.
Following the servant, Damien headed to the duke¡¯s study.
¡°Oh, have you arrived?¡±
As Damien entered the study, the duke greeted him warmly.
¡°Don¡¯t stand there,e over and take a seat.¡±
The duke personally guided Damien to the table, even going as far as pouring tea that had been prepared in advance.
¡°Did you rest wellst night? How¡¯s the injury? Do you feel any sort of difort?¡±
It was an overwhelming disy of kindness, which was extremely ufortable for Damien.
It seemed the duke was quite impressed by Damien¡¯s skills he demonstrated the day before.
¡°Apologies for summoning you so early. There are quite a few matters I have to discuss regarding the duel.¡±
The duke continued speaking while pouring tea into his cup.
¡°The duel is scheduled to take ce after a month at the Leafy Hill between Micheal Ryan Bloom and you.¡±
Damien recalled his memory about the Leafy Hill.
The Leafy Hill was and situated on the boundary between the Duke¡¯s and Marquis¡¯ territories.
With its even terrain and solid geology, it was a suitable ce for a duel.
¡°I don¡¯t doubt your abilities, but I¡¯d like to hear how you n to prepare for the duel during the remaining time.¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t have any special ns, I just intend to focus on training as I have been doing.¡±
During this time, Damien intended to use the Bnce pills to significantly boost his physical abilities.
¡°It¡¯s good to stick to what you¡¯re familiar with. But Damien, since you¡¯re here, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to receive some special training?¡±
¡°Special training?¡±
¡°If you wish, you could receive guidance from knight Karl Heimlich.¡±
Had it been another knight, they would have likely cheered loudly.
Karl Heimlich was one of the only three high-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
Receiving guidance from him was an opportunity that couldn¡¯t be obtained even with fortune.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright. I prefer training alone.¡±
However, Damien tly declined.
¡®A high-ss knight and such.¡¯
He wouldn¡¯t be interested even if a master-ss knight were toe. High-ss knights were not something he would even consider.
The duke chuckled at Damien¡¯s firm refusal to train under one of the strongest individuals in the Apple Kingdom.
¡°Hahaha, such a firm refusal. Karl might feel a bit wounded by your pride if he hears about this.¡±
¡°If Your Excellency is concerned, I¡¯ll consider receiving guidance from sir Karl.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. From what I have seen so far, you¡¯ve grown this much without a mentor. Self-training seems to suit your nature better, so I won¡¯t interfere in this aspect any further.¡±
Damien looked directly at the duke instead of raising his teacup.
He hadn¡¯t been here for even a day, yet it seemed as if his information had been thoroughly investigated.
¡®Or perhaps they¡¯ve been collecting information about me in advance.¡¯
Damien had recently started gaining rapid fame as a knight, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he drew the attention of the Duchy.
¡°It seems I¡¯ve held you up for too long. You may go and attend to your matters now.¡±
Without further ado, Damien briefly bid farewell to the Duke and left the study.
¡°To refuse guidance from a high-ss knight.¡±
As Damien left, the Duke raised the corner of his mouth.
¡°Karl Heimlich, it¡¯s a pity.¡±
Someone emerged from behind therge curtain in the study.
The retired knight, Karl Heimlich, responded with an indifferent expression.
¡°I am not feeling regretful at all.¡±
¡°Is that so?.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
Despite the answer, the gaze in Karl¡¯s eyes was filled with discontent.
¡°Karl, what do you think about that fellow?¡±
Upon the Duke¡¯s inquiry, Karl Heimlich pondered for a moment.
¡°¡He¡¯s an outstanding young man. Despite his young age, he has honed his skills to the extreme. His proficiency in manipting mana is wless.¡±
It was indeed the highest praise among praises.
Despite being declined for guidance, Karl Heimlich evaluated Damien Haksen without any personal bias.
The Duke appreciated this aspect of Karl Heimlich.
Unlike Ernest Horowitz, he knew how to clearly differentiate between business and personal matters.
¡°It¡¯s a shame you couldn¡¯t take him as your disciple¡¡±
¡°I mentioned it¡¯s not something I regret.¡±
Karl Heimlich immediately replied. The Duke chuckled again, patting his belly.
¡°Then, in a fight between him and Michael Ryan Bloom, who do you think would win?¡±
Karl Heimlich fell into contemtion, this time for a much longer period than before.
¡°It¡¯s difficult to give a definite answer.¡±
Soon, he spoke with a grave expression.
¡°Didn¡¯t Damien Haksen break through the Duchy¡¯s defenses and repel a mid-ss knights attack?¡±
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom could probably do the same.¡±
Even the Duke nodded at his words.
Michael Ryan Bloom was indeed a monster to that extent.
¡°When I first saw Michael Ryan Bloom, it felt like seeing a boiling volcano. Now he¡¯s quiet, but I felt as if someday, if he erupts, he would engulf the whole world.¡±
To reach the high ss as a knight, Karl Heimlich himself was acknowledged as a genius.
Michael Ryan Bloom was such an extraordinary genius that even someone like Karl couldn¡¯t deny it.
¡°And what about Damien Haksen?¡±
At the Duke¡¯s question, Karl fell into contemtion again, this time for a much longer period.
¡°¡It¡¯s oddly clear, to the point where it seems strange.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°It¡¯s ringly obvious that he¡¯s a low-ss knight, in fact, the top-tier among them. But there is something about him that makes me feel ufortable instead.¡±
If Karl Heimlich had been ten years younger, he might not have noticed the oddity. But his experience as knight was ringing rm bells. There was something about Damien Haksen.
¡°So, it¡¯s difficult to give a definite answer.¡±
Karl Heimlich lowered his head, seemingly ashamed.
However, the Duke didn¡¯t me Karl Heimlich.
¡°You also cannot determine the oue¡ that¡¯s very interesting indeed.¡±
The Duke¡¯s eyes gleamed as he muttered softly.
¡°An inherently confusing market is indeed a treasure trove that one can firmly grasp.¡±
Though quiet now, Goldpixie Duke was renowned in his younger days as a born gambler.
He fearlessly invested in fields others wouldn¡¯t dare, often yielding substantial profits.
¡°Damien Haksen is a man worth investing in.¡±
***
¡°Surely, Karl Heimlich was there.¡±
Inside the room, Damien Haksen thought to himself.
From the moment he entered, Damien sensed Karl Heimlich¡¯s presence.
Curious as to why Karl Heimlich was concealing himself, he pretended to leave and hid behind the door.
¡®He was constantly gauging me through Karl Heimlich.¡¯
Continuously masquerading as a low-ss was rewarding.
He hadn¡¯t concealed himself perfectly, but he seeded in deceiving Karl Heimlich¡¯s insight.
¡®Continuously testing me. Humans are indeed tiresome creatures.¡¯
Currently bound by a cooperative rtionship, the Duke wasn¡¯t someone Damien wanted to be close to for long.
¡°Now, I should go test the effects of the Bnce pills.¡±
Leaving the study, Damien headed towards the training grounds.
About ten knights were already fully engrossed in their training in the outdoor training ground.
¡°Look over there, isn¡¯t that Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°The guy His Excellency designated as our representative?¡±
As soon as Damien appeared, the knights¡¯ attention shifted towards him.
Meanwhile, Damien didn¡¯t pay any attention to the knights, busy inspecting the facilities of the training ground.
¡°As expected of the Duchy. Plenty of excellent equipment.¡±
Various exercise equipment to build strength, golems for sparring, magical cuffs that can adjust weights, and so on¡ªthings Damien had used when working as a mercenary.
He was admiring the training equipment when a group of knights approached him. One stepped forward and spoke,
¡°Are you Damien Haksen?¡±
Damien nced at the knight, momentarily pausing his examination of the magical tools.
The knight was notably short. His stature was so petite that one might mistake him for a boy.
¡°I am Pavel Vermound.¡±
Despite his small stature, his skills were evidently strong. It was apparent from him speaking on behalf of the Duchy¡¯s knights.
¡°You got elected as a representative this time? epting such a position after attacking the Duchy, where has your conscience gone,d?¡±
Damien nced over Pavel Vermound and the other knights.
¡°You¡¯re new faces. Who are you all?¡±
¡°Good question. We¡¯re the duelists participating in this match.¡±
Damien counted the knights. They were five in number. Probably including substitutes.
¡°Yesterday, we were all training outdoors, leaving our positions empty. You were lucky. If we were there, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to rampage as you did.¡±
Damien looked at Pavel Vermound with a slightly puzzled expression.
He couldn¡¯t understand how someone who had heard everything that happened the day before could belittle himself like this.
¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve seen these types of guys before in my past life.¡±
It was when Damien worked as a mercenary.
His mercenary group had participated in territorial battles, leaving a remarkable mark.
The noble who hired the mercenary group had quite an affinity for them. Yet, there was an incident when the eldest son of that noble had provoked Damien Haksen.
Of course, Damien Haksen promptly retaliated on the battlefield.
¡°Those who¡¯ve always experienced sess, and have talent and the power of their family behind them, tend to be like this. They cannot face reality.¡±
Their arrogance stemmed from a lifetime of constant sess.
¡°Why the silence? If you can¡¯t trust me, prove it here and now.¡±
Pavel Vermound rested his hand on the training sword.
¡°Too bothersome, just leave.¡±
Damien no longer felt it was worth engaging with them. He began examining the remaining magical tools.
Pavel Vermound and the other knights looked at Damien with contemptuous expressions.
¡°¡I was curious about you, someone with exceptional skills. But now I see you¡¯re nothing but a coward.¡±
¡°Pavel, there¡¯s no need to engage with such a guy. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Pavel Vermound and the knights departed.
Finally, Damien could inspect the training equipment without any disturbance.
¡°Alright, who¡¯s up next?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take the challenge today!¡±
¡°Great! Come at me!¡±
From the rear came the sounds of Pavel Vermound and the knights engaging.
The consecutive shing of swords indicated they were sparring.
However, something seemed odd.
A skilled knight¡¯s swordy should have had a distinctive rhythm.
But the soundsing from behind were allcking in finesse.
¡°Why is their skill level like this?¡±
In the end, Damien couldn¡¯t resist his curiosity and had to watch the sparring scene.
On the training grounds, Pavel Vermound and the knights were paired off, dueling.
¡°¡What?¡±
Having observed them for a while, Damien was left astounded.
¡°Why is their skill socking?¡±
Beforeing to the Duchy, Damien had fought against Gerrick, a knight of Lord Ryan Bloom.
¡®That knight was somewhat strong, but¡ since he didn¡¯t participate in the duel, the Marquis must have even more skilled knights.¡¯
The knights of the Duchy had skills far below Gerrick¡¯s.
¡®The knights¡¯ skills are inadequate for winning the duel.¡¯
The duel involved three participants, and the first to win two rounds would im victory. Even if Damien Haksen won against Michael Ryan Bloom, if he lost the remaining two rounds, he would ultimately lose the duel.
¡®So, this is why Marquis Ryan Bloom could defeat the Goldpixie Duchy in the future.¡¯
The level of knights depends on the family that is supporting them.
Even just considering the low rank knights, there was a substantial difference between the Duke and the Marquis.
¡®¡What can I do?¡¯
Damien pondered. The conclusion came quickly.
¡®I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to push them a bit.¡¯
Damien shouted towards the knights.
¡°Hey, you five.¡±
Pavel Vermound and the other knights looked at Damien with puzzled expressions.
¡°I¡¯ve had a change of heart. Let¡¯s have a round here.¡±
Upon this, Pavel smirked.
¡°I don¡¯t know what got into you¡ But fine, Let me show you my skills.¡±
Pavel approached, wielding a training sword.
Damien extended his hand towards Pavel.
¡°Just wait a moment.¡±
¡°Why? Changing your mind suddenly? It¡¯s toote now, don¡¯t think of running away!¡±
¡°What nonsense.¡±
Even for his own purposes, Damien couldn¡¯t serve freely.
He intended to train them while training himself.
¡®Strengthening through exercises is good, but sparring is still the best.¡¯
Sparring engaged the whole body and focused on necessary muscles.
¡°Stay right there without moving.¡±
Damien started putting on the adjustable wristband he had prepared.
As he activated the device, his body felt heavier, akin to carrying wet cotton.
He wore weighted boots that burdened his muscles. He tried to bend his arm, however it felt challenging, as if metal rods were embedded in his muscles.
Lastly, he picked up a wooden magic sword used for trainings. Swinging it in the air, it felt heavy and slow, like cutting through water.
Finally, he took out the bnce pills and ate it.
¡®Alright. Come at me now.¡¯
Damien flicked his finger.
¡°¡¡±
Pavel Vermound stared at Damien totally speechless.
Having lived in an aristocratic society, Damien was well aware of what he was disying¡ªutter disrespect.
To do such a thing and in a duel? It was something one could hardly do without tantly disregarding the other person.
¡®This guy¡ How dare he look down on me!¡¯
Pavel Vermound, furious, rushed at Damien, bringing his sword down towards his head.
Damien casually intercepted Pavel Vermound¡¯s sword. The sword flew out of his grip.
¡°Huh?¡±
Damien swung the sword towards Pavel Vermound¡¯s neck. Pavel Vermound screamed and copsed unconscious.
¡°Phew¡ That¡¯s quite a workout.¡±
Damien twisted his neck.
Just a brief movement and he already felt out of breath and muscles aching.
¡°What are you guys waiting for? Come at me.¡±
Damien called out to the remaining knights.
¡°If you won¡¯t, I¡¯lle to you.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 25: Proof (5)
Damien¡¯s training didn¡¯t conclude until an hour had passed.
¡°Ugh¡ugh¡.¡±
¡°S¡Save me¡.¡±
¡°My¡my arm¡ my arm¡.¡±
The knightsy strewn on the ground, groaning in pain.
Observing these knights, Damien clicked his tongue.
¡°These pitiful fools.¡±
They hadn¡¯t anticipated that participating in the duel would leave them unable to move after just an hour.
¡°I wanted to keep going a bit longer.¡±
Damien sheathed his sword and removed all the magical artifacts he was wearing.
In an instant, his heavy body felt light, apanied by an exhrating sense of liberation.
Using mana, Damien assessed his body¡¯s condition.
His muscle mass had noticeably increased aspared to what it was before the training.
¡°It¡¯s indeed an incredible elixir, as rumored.¡±
Bybining the effects of an elixir that caused bodily growth just by its consumption with his training, Damien maximized its efficacy.
Thanks to this, Damien achieved results satisfying even to himself.
In his heart, he wanted to immediately consume a second Bncing pill.
¡°Uwaaah¡ Uwaah.¡±
¡°M¡Mom¡ Mom¡.¡±
However, it was not feasible to continue the training. Damien clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
¡°Hey, you.¡±
Damien pointed to a small-built knight¡ªthe one who had initially spoken to Damien.
¡°Kuuh¡ Kuwee¡.¡±
The knight was in no condition to answer due to his groaning. Damien narrowed his brow and spoke again.
¡°If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll break both your legs.¡±
¡°U-ugh! Why¡why did you call me!¡±
Startled by Damien¡¯s warning, the knight hastily corrected his posture.
¡°What was your name?¡±
¡°P¡Pavel Vermound, sir!¡±
¡°Right, knight Pavel Vermound. How do you feel after undergoing my training?¡±
Pavel Vermound made a face as if chewing on a bug. He tightly sealed his lips, but his dissatisfaction was evident.
¡°No answer?¡±
¡°I¡I think it was an incredibly practical and beneficial training, sir!¡±
¡°Good. You¡¯ve assessed it urately.¡±
Damien nodded contentedly as Pavel Vermound¡¯s expression twisted again.
¡°Who trained you guys?¡±
¡°W¡We are being trained by Sir Sebastian Vincento!¡±
Pavel Vermound nced at Damien and added,
¡°B¡By the way, Sir Vincento is a Mid-ss knight. He is specially guiding us in preparation for the duel. If we return injured from such strict training, he will surely be greatly displeased.¡±
Pavel Vermound¡¯s words suddenly elerated, seemingly meant as a warning.
¡®What¡¯s the big deal if that guy is a Mid-ss knight?¡¯
However, Damien couldn¡¯t care less.
¡®This kind of training, huh.¡¯
Though Damien had never met him, the knight seemed ipetent to him.
Inwardly, Damien wanted to dismiss that training.
¡°If I did that, I¡¯d just create another enemy out of a Mid-ss knight.¡±
While High-ss knights are strategic weapons, Mid-ss knights can be considered the core of a family at the frontline.
They primarily intervene in numerous disputes within and outside the family. Hence, Mid-ss individuals are often dispatched outside their lineage.
This was also why there was only one Ernest Horowitz from the Mid-ss within the Duchy.
¡°When Vincento¡¯s training ends,e here. I¡¯ll have a duel with you.¡±
¡°Y¡Yes?¡±
Pavel Vermound replied in surprise.
¡°If I return beaten up, sir Vincento won¡¯t stay quiet!¡±
¡°Check your body. Are there any injuries?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Pavel Vermound inspected his body.
¡°Huh?¡±
Previously, he had thought that he¡¯d have bruises or broken bones from being hit by Damien.
But Pavel Vermound¡¯s body was perfectly fine without a scratch.
¡°H¡How?¡±
¡°I learned how to beat people up a bit more thoroughly back in the day.¡±
Among the masters Damien had fought, there was a figure known as the Personality Adjuster.
The Personality Adjuster had reached the status of a master for a very peculiar reason.
He traveled the continent and made it his profession to reform criminals.
His method of reforming criminals was very simple.
First, he beat them for an hour.
And if the correction didn¡¯t take effect, he doubled the time for the beating.
At first, it was one hour, then it increased to two hours then four hours then eight hours and so on.
ording to rumors, there were criminals who have endured his beatings for up to a maximum of 512 hours.
In the process of reforming criminals, the Personality Adjuster developed empathy for criminals who were beaten to a pulp by him.
Thus, contemting how to discipline criminals without causing harm to them, he ascended to the level of mastery. The state of mastery he attained was called ¡®Superficial Pain¡¯ where no matter how hard he struck, it only inflicted pain without causing a single drop of blood.
¡°Let me warn you in advance. If you report today¡¯s events to Sir Vincento, or not show up here tomorrow, or do something else that would disrupt the training¡ then¡±
Damien raised his eyebrow, and his aura red.
Pavel Vermound and the other knights couldn¡¯t withstand Damien¡¯s aura.
The weakest knight has foaming out of his mouth, trembling all over.
¡°Prepare to be at my mercy all day long.¡±
Since that day, the training of Damien and the dueling knights began.
Every day, Damien called the knights and used the guise of training to subject them to beatings.
¡°Sir Damien! No, Lord Damien!¡±
An impatient Pavel Vermound grabbed Damien¡¯s sleeve and eximed.
¡°We were wrong! I apologize for the rudeness I showed to you when we first met! Please forgive us now!¡±
Damien brushed off Pavel Vermound¡¯s hand.
¡°Hey, your words sound a bit off, don¡¯t they? You¡¯re speaking as if I¡¯m tormenting you lot.¡±
¡°N¡No, it¡¯s not like that¡¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m in the middle of training you guys right now.¡±
Pavel Vermound had much to say but kept a restrained expression.
¡®Blind fools even if gold is ced before their eyes, they would ignore it because of their short sightedness.¡¯
Damien inwardly clicked his tongue.
Unbeknownst to them, when Damien engaged in duels, he used a specific swordsmanship.
It was the Lion¡¯s Swordsmanship technique used by the knights of Marquis Ryanblum.
Elevating the skill of knights within a month was challenging.
Therefore, Damien decided to limate them to the Lion¡¯s Swordsmanship technique.
¡®I thought maybe one or two would recognize it.¡¯
Yet not a single knight recognized it. It was evidence of theirck of experience.
¡°You rested enough, spewing useless words, now get up quickly.¡±
Damien Haksen spoke while striking the ground with the training sword.
Five days passed in this manner.
During this time, Damien sessfully absorbed all the Bnce pills while he trained with the knights.
The transformation he experienced was truly dramatic.
Originally, Damien¡¯s body had lean muscles, but when he dressed up, he appeared slightly thin. But now, his physique had changed to a robust build. It was all thanks to the Bnce pills, which significantly increased his muscle mass.
¡°It¡¯s not just an external change.¡±
Damien swung his training sword. With a crisp sound of wind, the sword prated deep into the ground of the training area.
¡°The quality of my muscles has changed. They are much sturdier and are overflowing with strength.¡±
There¡¯s no need to ponder over the fact that a tiger¡¯s muscles are superior to a dog¡¯s.
The Bnce pills had developed Damien¡¯s muscles to a higher level.
¡°Truly the elixirs of Azort Archaeus.¡±
Damien was greatly satisfied with his transformation.
¡°Ugh¡ Aaah¡¡±
Knights lying on the ground groaned in pain.
Damien nced at them.
¡°They¡¯ve also grown a lot.¡±
Initially, they couldn¡¯t resist Damien¡¯s attacks and only took hits. But after ten days, they hade to a level of somewhat responding to his attacks. It meant they were gradually adapting to the Lion¡¯s Mane Sword.
While it was due to Damien¡¯s leniency, it was also because of their exceptional talent.
¡®They weren¡¯t chosen as dueling knights for nothing.¡¯
If this continued for another month, they would easily won the duels against Marquis Ryan Bloom .
¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all! Get up right now! The training isn¡¯t over yet!¡±
Damien shouted loudly. The knights continued lying on the ground.
¡°If you don¡¯t get up, I¡¯ll beat each one of you to death!¡±
After Damien threatened once more, the knights sprang to their feet.
At that moment,
¡°Sir Damien! There you are.¡±
The Duke¡¯s attendant rushed into the training area.
¡°His Excellency is looking for Sir Damien.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°That¡ ¡±
The attendant¡¯s expression stiffened, as if he was in trouble.
¡°Duchess Chelsea Goldpixie will return shortly.¡±
[TL/N- Chelsea is a name not a title as stated previously]
[PR/N- That is why I told you to drink ¡®apple juice¡¯ less
Damien immediately headed to the conference room.
The Duke was already present in the room along with his entourage. The number of people present were fewer than when Damien had attacked the Duchy. Back then, there was a discussion about the tournament hence attendants from other regions had also gathered, iparable to the current situation.
Damien nced around. Judging by the absence of any women, it seemed that Duchess Chelsea hadn¡¯t entered the conference room yet.
¡°Oh, Damien.¡±
The Duke waved his hand, and Damien went to stand beside him.
¡°I heard that Duchess Chelsea will be returning soon.¡±
¡°Yeah, she sent a message to inform us beforehand. She said she¡¯s on her way back.¡±
The Duke smiled broadly, but his eyes didn¡¯t share the same expression.
¡°It would have been better if she hadn¡¯t returned after going abroad.¡±
His words were so severe that it was hard to believe a father would say that to his daughter.
¡°I don¡¯t know what knight Chelsea will bring back. But let me tell you this, if the knight she brings is better than you, then I would change the representative position.¡±
Contrary to the demeanor he had shown so far, the Duke¡¯s attitude was remarkably harsh.
¡°Your Highness, seems like you¡¯ve already forgotten what I saidst time.¡±
¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°No matter whom she brings, He won¡¯t be better than me.¡±
The Duke had a moment of bewilderment before bursting into loudughter.
¡°Hahaha! I like this attitude of yours! Always full of confidence.¡±
The Duke patted Damien¡¯s back vigorously.
At that moment, footsteps were heard outside the door.
By the sound of it, there were over a dozen people approaching, if not more.
As the noise drew closer, the guards at the conference room opened the door.
More than ten men, led by a young woman, were approaching.
They all seemed to be warriors, exuding a fierce aura.
¡°Father, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
The young woman knelt on one knee, and the men behind her replicated the gesture.
¡°I, Chelsea Goldpixie have returned.¡±
A clear voice echoed throughout the conference room.
Damien stood beside the Duke, observing Chelsea Goldpixie.
She was quite different from the nobledies Damien had seen until now, in many aspects.
First was her attire. She wore simple and practical travel clothes. They appeared worn-out, indicating they had been worn for a long time.
Her hair was modestly tied back, exposing her neckline.
¡®Above all, her gaze is different.¡¯
It seemed to hold a small spark, a look filled with ambition, something only those brimming with ambition had.
¡®Is this why the Duke seemed displeased?¡¯
Conflicts between parents and children in noble families were quitemon, where one seeked a swift session to power, while the other wanted to firmly hold on to the power.
¡°Chelsea, you¡¯ve returned safely.¡±
Despite his inner thoughts, the Duke warmly weed Chelsea, extending his arms to her.
¡°So, have you brought the knight to participate in the duel?¡±
Chelsea gestured, and someone from the group stood up and walked forward.
He was a man of considerable stature, reminiscent of a ck bear with abundant fur on his body.
His eyes were rather small, while his ck mustache was sorge that the white one was barely visible.
He carried two axes on his back, clean but emitting a faint scent of blood.
¡°Greetings, your Highness!¡±
The man spoke with a booming voice that echoed in the conference room.
¡°I am Guiume ckwing!¡±
As soon as his name was mentioned, the conference room buzzed with noise.
Damien had no prior knowledge of who Guiume ckwing was.
Most of the knights he remembered were mostly Master ss. He wouldn¡¯t bother remembering anyone from the Low ss stage.
¡°Guiume ckwing¡ the man famous as a Frencer knight?¡±
¡°He was involved in the conflict in the Eirean Kingdom and almost massacred the Low ss knights there¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s considered unmatched among the Low ss stage.¡±
However, understanding who Guiume ckwing was posed no problem.
Just by listening to the conversation among the entourage was enough.
¡°Ah, I see.¡±
Even the Duke showed interest in Guiume ckwing. The Duke carefully examined him and asked,
¡°I¡¯ve heard much about you. They say you¡¯re called ¡®Wild Beast¡¯ due to your ferocity on the battlefield?¡±
¡°It seems my reputation has spread to the Apple Kingdom as well.¡±
Guiume ckwing chuckled roughly, pleased with the recognition.
Though referred to as a knight, hecked any understanding of manners.
¡°Father, Guiume ckwing has graciously pledged allegiance to me and has agreed to participate in this duel.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie stepped forward and spoke.
¡°If it¡¯s Guiume ckwing, he should be able to adequatelypete with Michael Ryan Bloom. If father supports us, our chances will increase significantly.¡±
The attendants nodded in response to her words.
¡°Guiume ckwing might truly make it possible.¡±
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom is known as a genius, but judging their reputation, isn¡¯t Guiume ckwing more famous than him?¡±
¡°Whilst Michael Ryan Bloom is still evolving, Guiume ckwing is already a veteran.¡±
The opinions of the attendants were highly positive. However, the Duke did not share their sentiment.
¡°This has be quite a headache.¡±
The Duke massaged his temple, muttering. Chelsea tilted her head in response to his words.
¡°Yes? What do you mean?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t introduced him yet.¡±
Pointing towards Damien Haksen, the Duke spoke.
¡°He¡¯s Damien Haksen. He¡¯s be the representative for this duel.¡±
Chelsea¡¯s eyebrows twitched.
¡°What do you mean? I asked you to wait.¡±
¡°I did say that. But did I ¡®promise¡¯ to wait?¡±
Chelsea¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, appearing bewildered.
¡°¡Then, change the representative now.¡±
¡°I need to consider that.¡±
¡°Why do you need to consider that? I¡¯ve never even heard of a person named Damien Haksen. Choosing someone like him, who seems utterly insignificant, over Guiume ckwing is not logical, is it?¡±
Chelsea red at the Duke, pouring out her words.
¡°That¡¯s true. While Damien Haksen may be exceptional¡ Guiume ckwing is more reliable.¡±
¡°If Michael Ryan Bloom faces Guiume ckwing, Damien Haksen can duel another knight.¡±
The attendants seemed to align with Chelsea¡¯s viewpoint. To them, Guiume ckwing appeared far stronger than Damien Haksen.
However, the Duke¡¯s opinion differed.
¡°Damien Haksen here alone breached the Duchy¡¯s security and even blocked Ernest Horowitz¡¯s attack. While Guiume ckwing¡¯s prowess is impressive, Duke Haksen is no pushover,¡±
The Duke remarked.
Chelsea Goldpixie sneered at the Duke¡¯s words.
¡°¡You im importance for skills, yet when it came to rejecting Mother, the situation bes different, huh?¡±
At that moment, the Duke¡¯s face stiffened. His grip on the chair¡¯s armrest tightened.
¡°You speak too boldly.¡±
¡°Forgive me. I¡¯m fatigued from the journey; my mind isn¡¯t clear.¡±
Chelsea responded while lowering her head.
¡°I¡¯ll consult with the attendants before deciding on a representative. Withdraw without further argument.¡±
The Duke gestured, speaking firmly.
Just then,
¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s the fuss about choosing the representative?¡±
Suddenly, Guiume ckwing spoke up. Startled, Chelsea Goldpixie tried to restrain him.
¡°What are you doing now? I told you to stay put¡¡±
¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t the representative supposed to be the strongest? Let¡¯s just have a fiery fight and let the winner take it,¡±
Guiume ckwing pointed at Damien Haksen.
Damien let out a wryugh.
In his mind, he wanted nothing more than to knock down that arrogant fellow on the spot. However, doing so would undoubtedly equate him to an ignorant man.
Hence, he decided to first seek permission from the Duke.
¡°Your Highness, may I slightly damage the meeting room?¡±
¡°Hmm? Do as you please.¡±
Damien approached Guiume ckwing, getting close enough to see the hair on his nose.
¡°Let¡¯s solve this like men¡±
¡°Oh, seems like you¡¯re agreeing with me over there?¡±
¡°Agreeing or not.¡±
Damien extended his hand to Guiume ckwing.
¡°Is there really a need to fight? Let¡¯s just test our strength right here.¡±
The attendants were greatly perplexed by this statement.
Guiume ckwing had not just a visible physical advantage over Damien Haksen, being over a head taller and with arms three times thicker, but he was also renowned for his raw power.
¡°Would you still be this oblivious even if your arm got torn off?¡±
¡°You¡¯re quite ruthless.¡±
Damien nced at Guiume ckwing¡¯s arm.
¡°I¡¯ll just tear off your shoulder de moderately and leave.¡±
¡°Stop the crap.¡±
Guiume ckwing grabbed Damien Haksen¡¯s arm.
Right after that, Guiume ckwing was mmed headfirst into the ground.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 26: Fake Knight (1)
What just happened?
All the people in the room were looking at the two with bewildered expressions.
As if they were about to shake hands, Guiume ckwing suddenly mmed his head into the ground.
Everyone only saw what happened, but no one witnessed how it happened.
¡®¡Impressive.¡¯
Only one person, Karl Heimlich, was able to see what had happened. He had keenly observed the trick Damien had yed.
¡®Using the opponent¡¯s strength to subdue them.¡¯
As soon as Guiume ckwing grabbed Damien¡¯s hand, he attempted to twist and break it.
However Damien skillfully used that force to, instead, bring Guiume ckwing down to the ground.
Technically, it meant that Damien was far ahead of Guiume ckwing in terms of skill.
¡®It¡¯s not just skills, his physical abilities are also much better.¡¯
If it was just a matter of strength, Guiume ckwing was stronger than stronger.
However, in terms of agility and dexterity, Damien Haksen was far superior.
That¡¯s why Guiume ckwing ended up losing as soon as Damien Haksen used his technique.
¡®He achieved this tremendous physical growth, in just these few days.¡¯
Karl Heimlich recalled the day he first saw Damien Haksen.
He had a frail and weak body, which definitely did not look like the physique of a knight.
But now, it was different, his muscles were nicely carved out, and his physique had grown significantly.
¡®It seems like he haspletely absorbed the Bnce pills.¡¯
Damien Haksen was truly a peculiar knight.
His skills were outstanding, but his stamina and mana were toocking.
Topensate for these, he relied on techniques.
But now, things had changed. He had somewhatpensated for hiscking stamina.
Just that alone transformed the auraing out from Damien Haksenpletely.
¡®If he can resolve the issue of insufficient mana, I can¡¯t imagine how much stronger he¡¯ll be.¡¯
Karl Heimlich thought that he wouldn¡¯t encounter a monster like Michael Ryan Bloom again in his life.
But now, he found himself facing another monster that isparable to him.
Even as a high-ss knight, Karl Heimlich felt a shiver down his spine.
¡°I was going to rip out your shoulder bone, but it seems to be intact? It is sturdier than I thought.¡±
Suddenly, Damien Haksen looked down at Guiume ckwing and said,
¡°But why are you so quiet now? Earlier, you were boasting about ripping off my arm.¡±
Karl Heimlich couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile at Damien Haksen¡¯s mockery.
¡®Skilled, indeed. But quite harsh in retaliating against his enemies.¡¯
Simr to the time when he fought Ernest Horowitz, this man Damien Haksen seemed to have a strong sense of justice, and takes revenge when he is wronged.
¡®It would have been better if he had humility too.¡¯
Just as Karl Heimlich was feeling regret,
¡°This¡ guy¡¡±
Guiume ckwing muttered under his breath. It was a voice filled with anger and hatred.
¡°How dare you¡ bring such¡ disgrace to me?¡±
Something like steam began to rise from Guiume ckwing¡¯s whole body.
It was a phenomenon unique to when mana was stirred inside someone.
¡°This¡ brat¡ I¡¯ll twist you to death!¡±
Guiume ckwing shouted. At the same time, his mana exploded. Rough waves spread in all directions.
¡°I¡¯ll split that backbone right away!¡±
Guiume ckwing roughly pulled out the axe strapped to his back, intending to swing it down towards Damien Haksen.
Or rather, he tried to swing it down.
However suddenly, a tremendous wave of mana spread from one side of the conference room. The air in the room was pushed out due to the massive wave of mana, creating a strong wind.
Under that tremendous force, Guiume ckwing¡¯s body stiffened suddenly.
¡°How dare you wield your weapon in front of His Excellency.¡±
Guiume ckwing¡¯s head turned slowly, like a rusty hinge towards the source of the voice.
On the Duke¡¯s right side,
A knight d in silver armor stared coldly at Guiume ckwing.
¡°Do you wish to die?¡±
Karl Heimlich¡¯s two pupils gleamed ominously.
¡°Impressive, indeed.¡±
Damien inwardly admired Karl Heimlich¡¯s momentum.
¡®I was curious why one can bring weapons into the Duke¡¯s presence.¡¯
¡®It was because he was there.¡¯
As long as Karl Heimlich was there, nobody had the confidence to harm the Duke.
¡°Ugh¡kk¡uuugh¡.¡±
Guiume ckwing had a face that seemed like he might die any moment, with cold sweat incessantly streaming down his face.
No matter how famous he was, he was only a Low-ss knight. There was no way he could withstand the pressure of a High-ss knight.
¡°For the sake of Lady Chelsea¡¯s dignity, I¡¯ll overlook this matter once. But remember, you won¡¯t get a second chance.¡±
Karl Heimlich slowly retracted his mana. Only then did Guiume ckwing get a chance to breathe.
¡°There seems to have been a little disturbance.¡±
p! p!
.
The Duke drew attention by pping his hands.
¡°It would be best for sir Damien Haksen to continue holding the position of the representative of the Duchy in the duel. Personally, I find sir Damien more reliable than Guiume.¡±
The duke got up from his seat and started to leave the room.
¡°Your Excellency! This was an unfair match!¡±
Someone shouted towards the Duke. It was none other than Ernest Horowitz.
¡°Sir Guiume ckwing hasn¡¯t fully recovered from the fatigue of his journey. This was a much more favorable match for Damien Haksen!¡±
Ernest Horowitz defended Guiume ckwing. However, not a single person in the room paid attention to his words.
¡°Regardless, this duel took ce with Guiume ckwing¡¯s consent, right?¡±
¡°To say he lost due to the fatigue of the journey is too feeble of an excuse.¡±
Amidst the voicesing from everywhere, Ernest Horowitz¡¯s face turned bright red in embarrassment.
¡°Above all, Sir Guiume ckwing is a knight who uses weapons! You can¡¯t properly assess his skills when he just fought with bare hands!¡±
But he shouted stubbornly, without yielding.
¡°Sir Ernest¡¯s words are correct.¡±
Then, as if waiting, Chelsea Goldpixie spoke up.
¡°This is not a childish prank; I believe it¡¯s right topare the skills of the two knights through a formal duel.¡±
¡°Even if you say that, I doubt the oue would change.¡±
The Duke¡¯s response was somewhat dismissive. She bit her lip.
¡°Your Excellency! That¡¯s too hasty a decision! Sir Guiume ckwing is already a renowned knight from abroad¡¡±
¡°Chelsea, stop forcing it.¡±
The Duke cut her off sharply.
¡°Your Excellency!¡±
¡°Stop boasting about your ipetence to me.¡±
With that cold tone, not only Chelsea but also the other people in the room couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
¡°¡He hasmitted a grave offense.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie hastily apologized and stepped back.
¡°Your Excellency, may I say a word?¡±
At that moment, someone raised their hand.
¡°I will ept Lady Chelsea¡¯s proposal.¡±
Upon Damien Haksen¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes widened.
In truth, there was another reason why Damien Haksen epted the duel.
¡®I definitely sensed dark manaing out from Guiume ckwing.¡¯
When Guiume ckwing unleashed magical power, Damien Haksen could clearly feel it.
It was the dark magic operating within his body.
It was so thoroughly concealed that even Damien Haksen had to examine it closely.
¡®I never thought I¡¯d see a fake knight so quickly.¡¯
Fake knights.
A nickname for knights who had be stronger through the rituals performed by dark mages.
Fake knights obtain high physical abilities and abundant mana through dark magic, making them so strong that they were considered the best in their stage.
However, the drawbacks of using dark magic were substantial.
Firstly, they had to pay for the dark magic with their own lifespan. As far as Damien knew, there wasn¡¯t a single fake knight who survived for more than five years after the ritual.
That wasn¡¯t the only issue. Dark mages secretly cast a subservient dark magic on the knights during the ritual.
As a result, fake knights had to spend their lives as ves to dark mages in exchange for gaining mediocre strength.
¡®Fake knights are like ticking time bombs. They are about to explode soon.¡¯
Fake knights were soon reaching the end of their ropes.
The church conductedrge-scale search operations, capturing all fake knights and executing them.
In the case of a Duke, he couldn¡¯t be free from the church¡¯s search because of Lady Chelsea¡¯s involvement.
¡®The church¡¯s searches are relentless and brutal. We¡¯ll undoubtedly suffer significant losses.¡¯
The situation wasn¡¯t looking good from Damien¡¯s perspective, as he aimed to use the Duke to restrain Marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡®I have no choice. I have to use my power a bit.¡¯
In reality, intervening for such practical reasons was not his primary motive.
¡®I can¡¯t just stand by and watch those filthy cockroach bastards crawling in front of me.¡¯
Damien hated dark mages to the point that he wished for their extinction if possible.
¡®Should I just expose them right here? No, it¡¯s too risky for that.¡¯
Damien¡¯s goal was to maintain peace in the Duchy.
Therefore, he needed to find out how deeply Lady Chelsea was involved in this incident.
¡°Is Sir Guiume ckwing proposing a duel?¡±
The Duke asked, lookingpletely bewildered.
¡°Since it seems they didn¡¯t quite understand the situation from their side, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ept it.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s a request from Sir Damien we can¡¯t refuse it. I¡¯ll permit the duel.¡±
The Duke readily granted Damien¡¯s wish.
¡°All of you, listen up. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll choose the knight who wins in the duel as the representative.¡±
At that deration, a sense of relief appeared on Lady Chelsea¡¯s face.
¡°Bute to think of it, even if Damien Haksen wins, he won¡¯t gain much. After all for him he¡¯s just defending his position.¡±
The Duke fiddled with the ring on his finger and opened a spatial gap, he pulled something out from it.
It was a small ss bottle containing a light-blue liquid.
¡°Do you know what this is?¡±
The Duke asked as he jerked the bottle. Damien Haksen and the other people had no clue.
¡°It¡¯s an Elixir of Mana Crystalization.¡±
But the moment the Duke mentioned the name, everyone couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.
It was one of the legendary elixirs created by the leader of the Alchemist Association, Azort Archaeus.
An elixir made by further purifying the mana extracted from young magic spirits.
In reality, the amount of mana one could obtain from the Elixir of Mana Crystalization was not that significant¡ªroughly equivalent to ten years¡¯ worth.
The real efficacy of the elixiry elsewhere. It significantly increased mana sensitivity.
With heightened sensitivity, not only does the ability to manipte mana increases, but the natural recovery speed also increases significantly.
Because of this unprecedented efficacy, it boldly imed a spot in the Empire¡¯s Top Twelve Elixirs that one must take without fail, as dered by the Imperial Swordmaster.
¡°Let¡¯s present this elixir to the one who wins in the duel tomorrow.¡±
The Duke¡¯s deration caused a stir among the people.
Saying this the Duke dismissed the people in the room.
Firstly, Chelsea Goldpixie left the conference room with her entourage, including Ernest Horowitz.
The attendants also started to leave the room one by one. Damien also tried to leave the conference room, mingling among the attendants.
¡°Sir Damien, wait a moment.¡±
The Duke grabbed Damien, who turned back with a puzzled expression.
¡°Hasn¡¯t the longsword you were using been damagedst time because of Sir Ernest?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°So, you don¡¯t have a weapon to use in tomorrow¡¯s duel?¡±
¡°I n to use a training sword.¡±
Damien replied nonchntly. With his skill, he could easily defeat Guiume ckwing barehanded.
¡°That won¡¯t do.¡±
But the Duke shook his head.
¡°For a knight, their weapon is like their face. Using a training weapon in a public event like a duel is the same as smearing dung on your own face.¡±
The Duke¡¯s words made sense. There was a reason why knights took pride in wielding noble swords.
¡°Moreover, you can¡¯t use a training weapon when dueling with Micheal Ryan Bloom, can you? There¡¯s a workshop managed by the Duchy for external use. You can get a sword from there.¡±
Surprised, Damien asked the Duke.
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, I¡¯ve already told you. Feel free to use it whenever you want.¡±
Damien felt his chest swelling.
If it was a workshop managed by the Duchy, the quality of the weapon would undoubtedly be exceptionally high.
Being able to spar with weapons made there ¨C any knight would be delighted.
¡°Thank you, Your Excellency.¡±
Damien expressed his gratitude to the Duke, who waved it off as if it were nothing.
He then summoned an attendant to guide Damien to the workshop.
Following the attendant, Damien arrived at the workshop
He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight in front of him.
¡°It¡¯s truly amazing.¡±
The walls were high and long. Smoke was rising from five chimneys.
He had never seen such arge workshop in his life.
¡°This is a workshop carefully created by the Duke. He recruited several renowned cksmiths from all around the world, establishing a solid foundation. It¡¯s a ce exclusive for knights affiliated with the Duchy.¡±
The steward proudly introduced the workshop.
Unable to wait any longer, Damien opened the workshop¡¯s door and entered.
Inside, many cksmiths were wrestling with pieces of metal in front of the forge.
¡°Hmm? Who¡¯s visiting?¡±
¡°Looks like someone from the Duchy¡±
Some cksmiths nced at Damien and the attendant.
¡°I came by the Duke¡¯s order. I¡¯m here to get a sword fitted for this young knight beside me.¡±
At the attendant¡¯s exnation, the cksmiths buzzed with excitement.
¡°If it¡¯s the Duke¡¯s guest, we can¡¯t be careless.¡±
¡°Captain! Where are you? This is something the Captain should handle!¡±
Among the cksmiths, a short and stocky man walked forward.
¡°I¡¯m called Brody. I¡¯m in charge of this workshop.¡±
Brody spoke as he approached.
¡°Pleasee this way. I¡¯ll guide you to the weapon storage.¡±
Damien and the attendant followed Brody into the inner part of the workshop.
Once inside the storage, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be amazed again.
¡°It¡¯s impressive.¡±
Perfectly crafted weapons hung everywhere. Not a single onecked in quality.
Excited, Damien explored the storage. He examined each weapon closely.
¡°Hmm?¡±
While admiring the weapons, something peculiar caught Damien¡¯s eye.
¡®Nice.¡¯
Among the weapons, he noticed a peculiar item.
Externally, it resembled a longsword.
However, the de was slightly longer than a typical longsword, and the center of the de was hollow.
Two de edges extended from the hilt, converging into one at the tip.
To anyone, it seemed like a design that might raise doubts about the durability and performance of the sword.
¡®Look at this.¡¯
But Damien¡¯s reaction was different.
¡®Why is the Sword fanatic¡¯s weapon here?¡¯
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 27
Chapter 27
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 27: Fake (2)
In the past, among the masters that Damien had fought, there was a person known as the Sword Musician.
Compared to other masters, The sword musician wasn¡¯t particrly skilled and was ranked the lowest among all the masters.
Nevertheless, he left a deep impression on Damien.
¡®He was a master who shone brightly inrge-scale battles with the undead.¡¯
¡®Sword Resonance is the sound which is produced when a sword vibrates.
The Sword musician possessed a unique technique where he infused his aura into the Sword Resonance and dispersed it.
[PR/N- It is like dispersing aura through sound waves which are created by a swords¡¯ vibration.]
Whenever Sword Resonance would echo out on the battlefield, bodies would explode, and weapons and armors would get destroyed.
¡®Thanks to that technique, he was able to bind the undead legion for a whole week.¡¯
Even the undead legion sent by Dorugo, numbering in the thousands, couldn¡¯t prate the Sword musicians¡¯ Sword Resonance and came to a halt.
This was an achievement no other master had aplished.
In the end, Dorugo had no choice but to send Damien out. After an hour-long battle with the Sword musician , Damien emerged victorious.
¡°Quite an unusual sword, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Brody approached him from behind and asked.
¡°It wasmissioned by a knight who used to work for the duke. However, he had to leave abruptly before the sword waspleted due to some urgent matters.¡±
¡°Did that knight happen to provide incense iron and request you to make the sword from it?¡±
¡°Huh? How did you know?¡±
There are many metals in the world which have unique properties which ordinary metals like iron, steel do not have. They are called ¡®Rare metal¡¯.
Weapons made from these metals are referred to as ¡®divine weapons¡¯. In this world, there are very few rare metals that have been discovered, some of them are Adamantium*, which amplifies the mana of its user, and Frost Iron, which emits cold energy which the user can use in battles.
[*PR/N- Hope marvel doesn¡¯t read this]
¡®This is indeed the Sword musicians¡¯ sword.¡¯
Incense iron, as a Rare Metal, had the property of creating waves when mana was infused into it.
Because this special property of it interfered with the mana circuit of the knights, people usually avoided using weapons made from Incense Iron.
However the Sword musician was an exception.
¡®But when I fought him, the weapon the Sword musician used didn¡¯t seem to be this one.¡¯
At that time, the weapon he used was crafted by dwarves.
It contained a much higher concentration of Incense Iron than the sword in front of me, along with a mix of other Rare Metals.
¡®This must have got lost and in the end he was forced to look for a different weapon.¡¯
The Sword musician could use his techniques even with a regr sword.
However, when using a weapon made from Incense Iron, the effectiveness of his technique doubled.
¡®Did the Sword musician go through the duke to obtain Incense Iron?¡¯
Damien didn¡¯t know much about the Sword musician. All he knew was that he had lived his life as a wandering knight.
¡®I¡¯ll take this sword.¡¯
Without hesitation, Damien picked up the sword.
Brody was surprised and stopped Damien.
¡®Do you choose that sword despite knowing what Incense Iron is?¡¯
¡°Yeah, I chose this sword.¡±
Damien could also utilize the Sword musician¡¯s techniques and reach his level. That¡¯s why he was not worried about the incensed Iron¡¯s property to interfere with his mana circuits.
The Sword musician may have been a weaker master among the others, but his techniques were different. He could easily handle multiple enemies and simultaneously resolve offense and defense.
The versatility fascinated Damien, and he wanted to study it further.
¡°Does this sword have a name by any chance?¡±
¡°The knight whomissioned it called it Cheonligum (ǧÀ).¡±
Remembering the name, Damien took Cheonligum.
In addition to Cheonligum, Damien also took a dagger and a few throwing knives.
After choosing his weapons, as he was about to leave the workshop, a woman blocked Damien¡¯s path.
She was not alone, two knights were behind her.
¡°Have you found the weapon you like?¡±
The woman spoke with a refreshing smile.Damien tilted his head slightly, looking at the woman.
There was a dark shadow under her eyes, giving her a somewhat ominous appearance.
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Reba, Lady Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s attendant.¡±
The woman ced her hand on her chest and slightly bowed her head.
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, mydy has requested a meeting with sir Damien. Would you be willing to spare some time ande with me to meet her?¡±
Considering Damien¡¯s intention to investigate if Chelsea Goldpixie had any connection to the fake knight, he had nned to meet her at least once. He just didn¡¯t expect the opportunity toe so quickly.
¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything to discuss with her.¡±
However, Damien didn¡¯t immediately ept the offer. He declined to get a sense of their intentions.
¡°Well, you never know.¡±
Reba continued to speak, still wearing a smile.
¡°Lady Chelsea has many resources. If you speak with her, who knows you might obtain what you need, Sir Damien Haksen.¡±
Although she turned her words around, in the end, it was an attempt to persuade Damien to go with her.
For Chelsea Goldpixie to openly employ persuasion like this to a knight aligned with the duke was unusual.
Damien, harboring strong curiosity, responded
¡°Alright, lead the way.¡±
Reba guided Damien to a quiet restaurant.
It wasn¡¯t arge establishment; it barely had one floor.
¡°Lady Chelsea personally operates this restaurant. Only the nobles can visit here ¡±
As they walked through the restaurant¡¯s corridor, Reba exined,
¡°However, today, the entire restaurant has been reserved just for Sir Damien.¡±
Reba stopped as they reached arge hall.
A single dining table was set there, and a familiar face was sitting there.
Chelsea Goldpixie.
She raised her wine ss and said
¡°You¡¯re a bitte, aren¡¯t you? Come and take a seat.¡±
Reba didn¡¯t enter any further. Damien walked in alone and stepped into the hall.
The moment he entered, Damien could feel it.
Dark mana had filled the entire hall.
¡®I came to investigate Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s connection to dark magic, and here it is.¡¯
Without the need for further investigation, Damien already had evidence.
Approaching the dining table, Damien analyzed the dark magic.
¡®Dark magic is everywhere, I can feel it even when I breathe.¡¯
Thanks to his memories and experiences as a Death Knight, Damien was well-versed in dark magic.
¡®Enchanting scent.¡¯
It was a dark magic that invoked false affection through a scent, using it to manipte people at will.
¡®With this concentration, one would be a ve within an hour.¡¯
Dark mana seeped into his body with every breath. The concentration was intense.
¡®Using a high-level dark magic like enchanting scent and concealing it separately. There must be an incredibly skilled dark mage involved here.¡¯
The reason why such dark magic could be spread in the midst of the city without being detected was due to the concealment dark magic that covered the entire restaurant.
It seemed that the dark mage behind Chelsea Goldpixie was not an ordinary person.
Most knights would likely sumb to this enchanting scent.
However, Damien was an exception. He possessed the seven abilities engraved by Dorugo in his past life.
Therefore, most magic and dark magic did not affect Damien.
¡®If it¡¯s the power of greed, I should be able to break it down without any issues.¡¯
Using the ability of greed, Damien broke down the dark magic absorbed through breathing.
The dark mana obtained from breaking down the dark magic was stored somewhere in his body.
¡°Why did you summon me?¡±
Damien asked, sitting opposite to Chelsea Goldpixie, who put her wine ss down and replied.
¡°You¡¯re quite impatient. How about discussing things till our meal arrives?¡±
As Damien, who had already detected the dark magic, this didn¡¯t seem like consideration but rather a mere act.
¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time unnecessarily. Just say what you want now.¡±
Chelsea¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly at Damien¡¯s refusal.
¡°Well, I guess that can¡¯t be helped. I have only one demand. Resign from the position of representative.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t feel much about Chelsea¡¯s demand. It was expected; he knew what she would demand.
¡°Why? Don¡¯t you trust Guiume ckwing?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. If Guiume ckwing raises his axe, you¡¯re nothing in front of him.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie cut in sharply, her voice filled with strong conviction.
¡°However, I want to fully reserve my strength in preparation for the duel against the Marquis. It¡¯s just that I want to avoid unnecessary trouble of him getting injured during the duel.¡±
It was a reasonable judgment.
Unless one¡¯s skills were overwhelmingly superior, there was always a chance of shedding blood during a duel.
¡°Why should I fulfill your request? What¡¯s in it for me?¡±
¡°If you resign from the position, I¡¯ll make sure you get everything you desire.¡±
Damien burst into a bitterugh at her response.
¡°What do you think I want, making such a statement?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious what a countryside knight like you wants? Money, honor, things like that, right?¡±
Chelsea raised one corner of her mouth as if mocking him.
Through this conversation, Damien could roughly grasp the kind of person Chelsea Goldpixie was.
¡®An arrogant woman.¡¯
Judging others at will and drawing conclusions recklessly.
It was an action that speaks about her arrogance.
¡®In a way, she resembles her father.¡¯
The duke enjoyed testing people, possessing a nasty hobby of evaluating others as if he were a superior figure.
However, the duke, unlike Chelsea Goldpixie, did not directly disy his arrogance.
¡®Arrogant and ipetent.¡¯
This was what Damien concluded about Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡°You mentioned money and honor? The duke would be better at providing such things right?.¡±
¡°It might seem that way for now. But think about it carefully. The dukedom will soon be passed on to me. Appeasing the future duke is much more advantageous for you, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°Nonsense. The duke is upright in his actions.¡±
¡°No one knows what the future holds. A more capable person than my father might appear and take his ce, who knows?¡±
It was a dangerously bold statement.
Damien stared at Chelsea Goldpixie, narrowing his gaze.
Suddenly, Damien realized that there was a small hourss in front of Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡®Is she keeping track of the time when the enchanting scent takes effect?¡¯
There wasn¡¯t much sand left. Chelsea nced at the hourss and spoke to Damien.
¡°If you understand, go and tell my father. Tell him that you will step down from the representative position.¡±
Chelsea ordered in amanding tone.
There was a strong conviction that Damien would unquestionably follow her instructions.
In response, Damien immediately replied
¡°What if I refuse?¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s expression crumbled.
¡°What¡what? This¡this can¡¯t be happening.¡±
Chelsea eximed in disbelief. Damien leaned back in his chair.
¡°What can¡¯t be happening?¡±
¡°Oh¡no¡it¡¯s not that¡Wh¡why would you refuse? I told you. I¡¯ll fulfill everything you desire!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡±
¡°W¡why would you refuse? Did you swear allegiance to my father or something? You must be mistaken. Do you know how cruel my father is? That man¡ he did things to me and my mother¡¡±
Damien raised his hand, interrupting Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡°I have no interest in the domestic affairs of your family. Stop talking about it.¡±
Damien only wanted to use the duke¡¯s power to restrain the marquis. He had no interest in who the duke was as a person.
¡°Listen for a moment! If you hear it, you¡¯ll understand. How untrustworthy and cruel my father is¡.¡±
¡°From the start, what I desire is something you cannot fulfill.¡±
¡°What? What is it that you want?¡±
¡°The happiness of my family.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie wore a nk expression in response to Damien¡¯s answer.
¡°What¡ what?¡±
¡°My family¡¯s happiness, peace and well-being¡ªall these are the things you cannot provide.¡±
To protect his family, Damien needed to constrain the Marquis.
And for that, Damien had to participate in a duel and defeat Michael Ryan Bloom.
No, even if it weren¡¯t for those reasons, Damien had no intention of conceding to Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s demands.
After all, she had allied herself with a dark mage.
¡°I¡¯ll be on my way now. Tell Guiume ckwing to prepare for the duel.¡±
Damien rose from his chair. He turned to leave the hall.
¡°¡Your family seems precious to you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s words made Damien pause.
¡°Well, how about I phrase it differently? Resign from the representative position. Otherwise, I¡¯ll send people to crush the Viscounty of Haksen.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s hand emerged and seized her by the throat.
¡°How dare you touch my body¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien tightened his grip. It wasn¡¯t a human hand; it felt like the pressure of iron mping down on her throat.
¡°Kuk! Kugu¡Kugh!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie wriggled, unable to breathe.
Damien gazed at her with indifference.
As if observing the dying moment.
That¡¯s when it happened.
¡°Lady Chelsea!¡±
¡°How dare youy hands on Lady!¡±
Two knights guarding the entrance noticed themotion and rushed towards Damien.
Even with the two knights closing in, Damien¡¯s gaze remained solely fixed on Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡°Let go of her immediately!¡±
The two knights gripped their sword hilts, ready to draw and strike Damien.
Damien released Chelsea¡¯s throat. Simultaneously, he picked up the utensils on the table.
He swung the utensils toward the knights. The dull knife used for cutting meat passed by the necks of the two knights.
Blood burst from the knights¡¯ necks. They clutched their throats, twisting their bodies.
¡°I made a shallow cut, so if you apply a potion right away, you won¡¯t die.¡±
After saying that, Damien turned his attention back to Chelsea Goldpixie.
Chelsea Goldpixie was sitting on the floor, breathing heavily.
¡°Chelsea Goldpixie.¡±
Startled, Chelsea Goldpixie looked up at Damien. Gradually, she began trembling under Damien¡¯s icy gaze.
¡°The reason I didn¡¯t kill you right here is not because I fear retaliation from the Duke.¡±
Just a moment ago, Damien had internalized countless conflicts.
He wanted to cut Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s throat right here.
But that felt too merciful a punishment.
¡°Anticipate it. Tomorrow, something dreadful will happen to you.¡±
With those words, Damien left the restaurant.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 28
Chapter 28
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 28: Revtion (1)
¡°Lady Chelsea!¡±
As Damien Haksen stepped out, Reba rushed forward and supported Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡°Re¡Reba¡ Did you see? What did that guy do to me?¡±
¡°Ye¡yes your majesty, I¡I saw.¡±
¡°I¡I¡¯ll definitely kill him. And make him regret what he did to me¡¡±
Chelsea murmured, trembling in anger, with irritation in her eyes.
¡°Mustang Fury!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie stood up abruptly and shouted. In response, a middle-aged man came running through the door leading to the adjacent room.
¡°Yes¡yes! Mustang Fury reporting, I came as soon as I heard you call!¡±
He seemed to be a middle-aged, with a noticeably thick belly.
¡°What¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t the enchantment work on him !¡±
¡°I, I don¡¯t know. asionally, there are people with strong immunity to dark mana. Perhaps he was one of them¡¡±
¡°You ipetent fool!¡±
Chelsea threw a teacup that was on the table towards Mustang Fury. The cup hit Mustang Fury¡¯s forehead squarely.
¡°That guy¡ can¡¯t be left alive. I¡¯ll definitely kill him. So he¡¯ll regret spouting those words to me today!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely.
¡°Guiume ckwing? Where is he?¡±
¡°He¡he¡¯s at the tavern. He said he needs to relieve his stress because of what happened today¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s enjoying at the tavern the day before the duel?¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s gaze became sharp.
Mustang Fury sweated profusely, nervously reading Chelsea¡¯s mood.
¡°Bring him to me right now! I won¡¯t let him go unpunished!¡±
¡°My ldy, please calm down! I¡I¡¯ll bring him here right away and make him exin!¡±
Upon hearing this, Chelsea forcibly suppressed her anger.
¡°¡Tell me, can Guiume ckwing really defeat Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Y-Yes! Who is Guiume ckwing? He is our masterpiece! I have never seen a knight with a more excellent affinity for dark mana than him.¡±
¡°Such a person suffered humiliation from Damien Haksen during the day?¡±
¡°That was an unexpected situation¡If he was using a weapon, the oue would bepletely different.¡±
Mustang Fury spoke confidently.
¡°Mydy, please endure a little longer! We, the Yn, will ce the Duchy in your hands!¡±
With Mustang Fury¡¯s assurance, Chelsea spoke with a venomous expression.
¡°Make sure to keep your word. Otherwise, you might be the first to die.¡±
Mustang Fury¡¯s face turned pale.
***
¡°Indeed, a dark mage was hiding in the vicinity.¡±
On the restaurant¡¯s roof, Damien was crouching down, eavesdropping on the conversation between Chelsea and the dark mage.
After leaving the restaurant, Damien had immediately jumped onto the roof. Using his mana, he enhanced his hearing and listened intently to the conversation inside.
¡°It¡¯s not just a simple alliance. Chelsea Goldpixie is controlling the dark mage as if He was a pawn.¡±
That¡¯s what the conversation seemed to imply. However, Damien felt something uneasy about it.
¡®Those dark mage bastards don¡¯t submit to anyone like that..¡¯
The dark mages Damien knew were venomous, with poison instead of blood running through their veins. They wouldn¡¯t yield to anyone so easily.
Above all, the organization to which the dark magicians belonged was the issue.
¡®Mustang Fury, that man, he mentioned something about Yn.¡¯
Yn.
It was a group that Akitora, the dark mage who had cast a curse on Haksen Territory after receiving a mission from the ck Serpent gang belonged to.
Yn was a dangerous group of dark mages, dangerous enough for the Church to actively track and pursue them.
Would dark mages from such a ce obey a novice like Chelsea Goldpixie?
¡®What on earth are they aiming for?¡¯
Suddenly, a certain conversation from Damien¡¯s memory popped up.
¡°Do you know what dark mages desire most desperately? It¡¯s settling in one ce.¡±
It was something Dorugo, in his past life, had said to Damien. Strictly speaking, it couldn¡¯t be called a conversation, as Damien wasn¡¯t in a situation to speak at that time. Moreover, Dorugo believed Damien hadpletely lost his mind.
In essence, it was just Dorugo ranting.
¡°The life of a dark magician can be summarized as a wanderer. You have to hide from people¡¯s gaze and escape from the Church¡¯s pursuit. Eventually, everyone earnestly desires it¡ª a ce to settle.¡±
It exined why dark mages, particrly, sought to infiltrate society.
¡®They are trying to use Chelsea Goldpixie to dominate the Duchy.¡¯
No dark mage lives for long if they are caught by the Church, there has been no case of a dark mage returning alive after being persecuted by the Church.
Hence, Yn would likely be seeking a powerful shield to protect themselves.
So, it seemed that Chelsea Goldpixie was the chosen one. There was no doubt that they nned to use her to gain control over the Duchy.
¡®These vermin are causing trouble beyond their scope.¡¯
The behavior of Yn, aiming to dominate the Duchy using Chelsea, seemed to ovep with the actions of Dorugo, who had treated Damien as a ve in a past life.
¡®I¡¯ll thoroughly crush that n.¡¯
Damien¡¯s eyes glowed ominously.
Damien quietly returned to the guest room.
Upon reaching the guest room, Damien first infused the bracelet with the dark mana he had stored within his body.
¡®The more I see it, the more useful it bes.¡¯
The bracelet, obtained by killing Yn¡¯s lieutenant Agito, had the ability to store and conceal any energy.
Thanks to it, Damien could hide the absorbed dark magic seamlessly.
¡®I wish I could just discard dark magic from my life.¡¯
Damien hated both dark mages and dark magic itself. He wanted to erase thempletely from this world.
Yet, the reason for collecting dark magic was to be prepared for any unexpected events.
¡®You never know what might happen in life.¡¯
Damien, who had been thriving as a mercenary, saw his life fall apart after encountering the Archlich Dorugo.
To prevent such unforeseen situations, he stored dark mana.
After storing all the dark mana in the bracelet, Damien drew out the Thousand-Mile Sword.
[Changing the name of the sword Cheonligum to the Thousand Mile Sword]
¡®Rather than going to the Duke and exining, it¡¯s better to show it to him directly.¡¯
Damien¡¯s n was simple.
He intended to destroy the dark magic entrenched in Guiume ckwing¡¯s body.
When dark magic is destroyed, the released dark mana will expose the existence of the use of dark magic by Guiume ckwing to the world.
¡®Fortunately, the Resonant Sword Art is suitable for such tasks.¡¯
[TL/N- The resonance Sword art is the name of the technique used by the Sword Musician]
Damien lightly flicked the edge of the Thousand-Mile Sword with his finger.
Buzz.
Just a slight impact made the sword vibrate fiercely.
After infusing magic into the Thousand-Mile Sword, Damien flicked the sword again.
Buzz.
The vibration became even stronger. Simultaneously, a nearby window shattered.
¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy, indeed.¡±
Damien frowned in dissatisfaction.
Originally, Damien had intended to break a chair, not a window. However, due to not properly controlling the vibrations, the window ended up breaking.
¡°How did the Sword Musician control this?¡±
The Sword musician possessed not only sword skills but also a talent for sound. He was naturally gifted with a strong musical sense and perfect pitch.
Damien, however,cked the same musical sense as the Sword musician Therefore, while he understood the techniques and principles, he couldn¡¯t use them proficiently.
¡®I¡¯ll need some practice if I intend to use it in the duel tomorrow.¡¯
Damien spent the night practicing with the Thousand-Mile Sword.
And just like that the sun rose and the day of the duel came.
The people in the pce gathered at the training ground on time. They were there to witness the duel that was happening today.
Among them were the numerous knights of the Duchy, and there were also knights participating in the duel as representatives against the Marquis.
¡°Who do you think will win, Sir Pavel?¡±
One of the candidate knights asked Pavel, a knight with a sturdy build and short height, about his opinion.
¡°If we only consider reputation, Guiume ckwing is likely to win.¡±
Although he was a knight from a distantnd, Guiume ckwing¡¯s reputation was so remarkable that it had reached the Apple kingdom too.
¡°Then, do you think we¡¯ll finally be free from the clutches of that demon?¡±
The candidate knight asked, trembling.
In recent days, the duel knights had been subjected to beatings disguised as training by Damien Haksen. Resisting only resulted in brutal retaliation, and attempting to escape led to being chased down.
What particrly tormented the duel knights was Damien Haksen¡¯s bizarre striking technique. No matter how hard Damien Haksen struck, the knights wouldn¡¯t sustain any visible injuries.
Therefore, the duel knights couldn¡¯t evenin to their superiors.
¡°If Guiume ckwing wins, it might be possible.¡±
With such a significant collision, the losing side would likely leave the Duke¡¯s service.
If Damien Haksen loses, the duel knights may finally be liberated from those dreadful days¡
¡°But somehow, I don¡¯t think that person will lose¡¡±
Pavel Vermound thought of Damien Haksen.
With his eerie swordsmanship, seemingly lost emotions, and finally, brutal tactics, he was a fearsome individual, enough to send shivers down the spine just by imagining.
¡°Well, even so, it¡¯s natural for Guiume ckwing to win, isn¡¯t it?¡±
It was when a fellow knight chuckled and spoke that a man entered the training ground, shouting with incredible vigor.
¡°Huuaaah!¡±
He was incredibly tall and had a muscr build, especially his long and thick arms that resembled wooden logs.
¡°That man is Guiume ckwing¡¡±
Pavel Vermound stared at him with a curious expression.
It was evident at a nce. Even if they were at the same level, Guiume ckwing was much stronger.
¡°Damien Haksen! Come up here! Today is the day I¡¯ll crush you!¡±
Guiume ckwing, who had climbed onto the training ground, shouted loudly.
Pavel Vermound couldn¡¯t help but frown at his behavior, which reminded more of a diator than a knight.
Although skilled, he was an individual without any refinement or dignity.
¡°Sir, he¡¯s here.¡±
At that moment, a knight shook Pavel Vermound¡¯s arm and pointed somewhere.
Damien Haksen had just revealed himself on the training ground.
¡°So, you ddn¡¯t run away? Huh!¡±
Guiume ckwing, who spotted Damien Haksen,ughed fiercely.
In contrast, Damien Haksen yawned, looking quite rxed.
¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t get much sleepst night. My shoulders are stiff.¡±
Damien Haksen massaged one shoulder while tilting his head from side to side.
There was no trace of determination or tension. Guiume ckwing scoffed at his attitude.
¡°He¡¯s really asking for death.¡±
A fierce energy started emanating from Guiume ckwing. Faced with this rough energy, Pavel Vermound swallowed nervously.
Guiume ckwing seemed even stronger than he had thought.
Guiume ckwing stared at Damien Haksen as if he was about to charge at him any moment.
However, the actualbat did not begin.
¡°It seems I¡¯m a bitte.¡±
The reason was the arrival of the Duke on the training ground.
¡°Damien, did you sleep wellst night?¡±
¡°I was practising for the duel so I couldn¡¯t sleep properly.¡±
¡°Oh well. I don¡¯t know what you were so engrossed in, but don¡¯t forget about sleep. Sleep is the best medicine, they say.¡±
After warmly greeting Damien, the Duke approached Guiume ckwing.
¡°Guiume ckwing.¡±
¡°¡Yes, Your Grace.¡±
Guiume ckwing responded while giving a sidelong nce at Karl Heimlich standing beside the Duke.
¡°I hope you gracefully ept the oue.¡±
The Duke¡¯s tone suggested that the result was already determined, causing Guiume ckwing¡¯s face to turn grim.
¡°Yes, I will do so.¡±
However, with Karl Heimlich present, he couldn¡¯t explode in temper.
¡°Well then, no need to drag it out. Let the duel begin.¡±
The Duke¡¯s deration echoed.
As soon as the duel began, Guiume ckwing rushed into the training ground.
He held two axes in one hand each, and the axes were adorned with sharp des.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Unable to contain his passion, Guiume ckwing shouted loudly. In response, Damien Haksen frowned.
¡°Noisy brat.¡±
Despite the difort, Damien Haksen instinctively analyzed Guiume ckwing.
/Muscles in both arms are equally developed. It means he is ambidextrous.
Even when using dual weapons, the technique can differ based on whether one is right-handed or left-handed. Guiume ckwing was ambidextrous, indicating a wless technique.
¡°The depth varies with each step. It means he is not proficient in manipting mana.¡±
Inability to control magic consistently results in differences in the force applied to the ground, creating variations in depth with each step.
/I should stop analyzing here./
At best, he was a fake knight who elevated his status with dark magic. Damien found no value in further analysis.
¡°Not dodging? Are you nning to block me head-on?¡±
Guiume ckwing, who approached closely, raised his axes.
¡°There have been more than a few fools who tried to block me head-on and ended up dead!¡±
Power surged into Guiume ckwing¡¯s forearm, and the two axes fell towards Damien.
Damien blocked the axes with his Thousand-Mile Sword. Upon collision, the Thousand-Mile Sword vibrated ominously.
A low hum reverberated as shockwaves emanated from Damien, shattering the ground around him.
The shockwaves reached Guiume ckwing, sending him flying. Guiume ckwing somersaulted through the air beforending on the ground.
¡°What, what did you just do¡?¡±
Guiume ckwing stared at Damien in bewilderment, and others were equally astonished.
¡°What¡what is happening right now?¡±
¡°I¡I don¡¯t understand either.¡±
¡°There was a sound, and suddenly Guiume ckwing went flying?¡±
No one had seen such a defensive technique before, leading to confusion.
¡°¡That.¡±
Only one person, Karl Heimlich, recognized the technique Damien used.
The Duke turned to Karl Heimlich and asked him,
¡°Do you know about the technique Damien Haksen used?¡±
¡°A few years ago, a knight employed by the Duke used a simr technique.¡±
Karl Heimlich looked at Damien with amazement.
¡°It was a highly unusual technique, and the memory stuck with me. I never expected Damien Haksen to be capable of using it.¡±
After a moment of recollection, Karl Heimlich spoke to the Duke.
¡°If my memory serves me right¡ You might witness something even more interesting.¡±
¡°Where did you learn such a strange technique?¡±
Guiume ckwing got up and rushed towards Damien.
Damien ran his fingers along the de of the Thousand-Mile Sword.
As the de gradually vibrated, the vibrations intensified with each passing moment.
When the vibration peaked, Damien flicked the de with his fingers.
Instantly, a shock wave hit Guiume ckwing¡¯s abdomen.
¡°Oof!¡±
Guiume ckwing stopped, letting out a scream. Once again, he looked at Damien with confusion.
¡°This guy¡ keeps doing weird things¡¡±
Damien flicked the de once again.
This time, Guiume ckwing¡¯s face contorted as if being struck by an invisible club.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Damien flicked the de again, and this time, the impact hit Guiume ckwing¡¯s side.
¡°Argh!¡±
Guiume ckwing swung his axes wildly with both hands. However, the axes hit nothing.
¡°What, what is that? Could it be that Damien is using magic?¡±
¡°But Damien is a knight, isn¡¯t he?¡±
The guests were perplexed by this bizarre sight.
¡°This guy! Can¡¯t he just fight properly?¡±
Guiume ckwing, enraged, swung his hand axe. A red aura was emitted, flying towards Damien.
Woooom.
At that moment, Damien¡¯s resonating sword changed. What was solid before became sharp.
As the sharp resonance echoed, the aura sent by Guiume ckwing was split in half. The aura lost its center and dispersed.
¡°¡What?¡±
In an unimaginable turn of events, Guiume ckwing froze in confusion.
Seizing the opportunity, Damien resonated his sword again.
At that moment, Guiume ckwing urgently mmed the ground and leaped. The training ground floor seemed to be sliced like a de had passed through it.
¡°You¡you lunatic!¡±
Guiume ckwing, bewildered, rushed towards Damien. Damien nced at the approaching Guiume ckwing.
¡®I should stop ying around.¡¯
To test the capabilities of Guiume¡¯s techniques, Damien had toyed with Guiume ckwing for a moment.
Now it was time to reveal the truth to the people.
¡®The terrifying aspect of the Resonance Sword Art is not in its ability to handlerge-scale battles but in its capacity to inflict internal injuries to the opponent through sword resonance.¡¯
The Resonance Sword Art uses sword resonance as its principal energy.
Originally, this technique could not inflict internal injuries.
However, reaching the peak of the Resonance Sword Art allowed the Sword Musician to influence the opponent¡¯s internal body.
¡®However it didn¡¯t work against masters.¡¯
Masters had bodies trained to the extreme, coupled with incredibly precise maniption of mana.
That¡¯s why inflicting internal injuries to them through the Resonance Sword Art was almost impossible.
¡®But it is undoubtedly still useful.¡¯
Damien flicked the Thousand-Mile Sword. The resonance of the sword began to echo softly.
He held the vibrating Thousand-Mile Sword with both hands. After raising it high into the sky, he swung it forcefully towards the ground.
A tremendous sound enveloped the conference room to the point where the people shook their heads from the reverberation.
Guiume ckwing¡¯s body shook violently in the massive wave, causing him to freeze in his ce.
¡°You¡you¡¡±
Guiume ckwing¡¯s face gradually turned pale.
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
Guiume ckwing spewed something from his mouth.
It wasn¡¯t blood. Rather, it was a much darker and sticky substance.
¡°Why¡why is Guiume acting like that?¡±
¡°Something seems off.¡±
The substance Guiume expelled touched the ground. In that moment, it transformed into gas, spreading in all directions.
A pitch-ck mist filled the conference room. The faces of the people who witnessed it stiffened.
¡°This¡this couldn¡¯t be¡¡±
¡°In this world, there is only one type of mana that is ck in color.¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ Dark Magic!¡±
The guests screamed in horror.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Demon God¡¯s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 29: Revtion (2)
¡°Ugh, ugh! Uwaaaaa!¡±
Guiume ckwing tried to stop vomiting, but it was in vain. Dark magic continuously came out of his mouth.
As Guiume ckwing expelled the dark magic, his body gradually started withering. His ck hair turned stark white as if they were bleached, these were the aftermath of the dark magic spell being lifted.
¡°Cough, cough¡¡±
In an instant, Guiume ckwing had aged several years. He fell to the ground, unable to even stand, his body weakened beyond imagination.
The training ground fell into a hushed silence. Everyone was standing still due to the shock. Even the Duke was frozen in his ce.
¡°Dark magic? Is this really dark magic?¡±
¡°Am I seeing this correctly?¡±
Murmurs echoed from various ces. Everyone¡¯s voices trembled.
¡°How¡how do we deal with this?¡±
¡°Is it even possible? I¡¯ve never encountered dark magic in my entire life.¡±
¡°This is not the time for us to fight amongst ourselves. We need to understand the situation first.¡±
There was only one person who could exin the situation. As if orchestrated, all eyes converged on one point.
Chelsea Goldpixie, visibly distressed, shook her head vigorously.
¡°I-I don¡¯t know! I-I don¡¯t know anything!¡±
Despite Chelsea¡¯s panicked face, no one believed her words.
¡°Father! Please believe me! It has nothing to do with me!¡±
As it seemed that no one would believe her, Chelsea shouted towards the Duke.
¡°Father!¡±
Ignoring his daughter¡¯s plea, the Duke remained silent, standing still without moving an inch.
¡°Why are the soldiers just standing there?¡±
Suddenly, breaking the silence, the Duke spoke.
¡°Immediately imprison Lady Chelsea in the dungeon.¡±
Upon hismand, the soldiers stationed around the training ground began to move.
¡°Father! Please listen to me! I am innocent! I swear!¡±
Seeing this, Chelsea Goldpixie cried out in desperation, but the Duke¡¯s order remained unchanged.
¡°What are you all doing! Can¡¯t you protect me? Block the soldiers froming!¡±
Chelsea shouted at her knights.
Without any hesitation, the knights drew their weapons and shouted back.
¡°If youe any closer, we¡¯ll kill you!¡±
¡°To capture Lady Chelsea, you must defeat us first!¡±
The knights¡¯ lively threats caused the soldiers to hesitate.
While the Duke¡¯s soldiers were renowned for their prowess, they were helpless against the knights.
¡°Karl.¡±
At that moment, the Duke spoke again.
¡°Assist the soldiers and arrest Chelsea Goldpixie. Eliminate anyone who interferes.¡±
¡°I will follow yourmand.¡±
With his response, Karl Heimlich drew his sword. The chilling sound of the de scraping against its sheath echoed throughout the training ground.
The faces of the knights guarding Chelsea paled at the sight.
One of the three high-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
There was no need to exin how powerful his presence was.
¡°Mydy, we will handle this! Please escape immediately!¡±
The knights abandoned the idea of confronting Karl Heimlich and chose to sacrifice their lives to let Chelsea Goldpixie escape.
¡°Mydy, you must move quickly!¡±
¡°All right, I got it.¡±
Lady Chelsea Goldpixie attempted to flee as the knights advised.
However, before she could, Karl Heimlich swung his sword.
A blue aura swept across the training ground. The aura spread like a circle, cutting through everyone in its path.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Confusion appeared on the faces of the Duke¡¯s servants.
The aura passed through them without causing any injuries.
However, not everyone emerged unscathed.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The movements of the knights who tried to protect Chelsea Goldpixie abruptly stopped.
¡°Why are you guys so quiet? Why is it so still¡?¡±
Feeling difort, Chelsea reached out towards a knight.
But before her hand could make contact, blood burst forth from the knights¡¯ body as if a sack filled with water had burst open, the only difference being that instead of water there was blood in it.
The knights¡¯ bodies split in half, copsing to the ground.
¡°¡Kyaahhh!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie screamed, blood-soaked, and clutched her head as if trying to wake up from a nightmare. She violently tore at her hair with both hands.
The knights who tried to fight against his aura were cut in half.
The attendants and soldiers, in awe of the advanced swordsmanship, looked at Karl Heimlich with faces full of reverence.
¡°What are you doing? Quickly surround Chelsea Goldpixie,¡±
The Duke shouted.
Upon the Duke¡¯smand, the soldiers finally snapped out in reality. They surrounded Chelsea Goldpixie as instructed.
¡°Ah¡ Aah¡ Aaah!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie, screaming in desperation, frantically looked around, as if searching for someone to help her.
Then, Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s pupils dted.
¡°Sir Ernest!¡±
She had spotted Ernest Horowitz standing amidst the practitioners.
¡°Pl-Please help me! I-I beg you!¡±
At Chelsea¡¯s plea, conflicting emotions appeared in Ernest Horowitz¡¯s eyes.
¡°Please!¡±
Chelsea¡¯s cry intensified Ernest Horowitz¡¯s inner turmoil.
Addressing Ernest, Karl Heimlich said, ¡°Sir Ernest, you have greatly contributed to the Duchy¡¯s progress as a Middle ss knight. His Excellency still values you highly.¡±
Karl Heimlich¡¯s voice remained steady, but the force he emanated was far from calm.
¡°However, if you protect Lady Chelsea, I will execute you on the spot.¡±
A massive pressure enveloped Ernest Horowitz. In that moment, he saw a vision.
A storm raging over the sea.
In the midst of it, he felt as if was standing, weathered and worn, on dpidated wooden nks.
¡°Ah¡ Uh¡ Ugh¡¡±
Overwhelmed by suffocating darkness and endless terror, Ernest Horowitz unconsciously dropped to his knees.
A posture of submission.
Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s expression twisted at this action.
¡°Sir Ernest? Sir Ernest! Don¡¯t do this! Hurry, save me! Right now¡ Agh! Ah!¡±
Soldiers grabbed and bound Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s limbs.
¡°Father!¡±
Even as Chelsea Goldpixie was being led away, she pleaded with the Duke.
¡°P¡Please, listen to me! Y¡You¡¯ll know the truth! I am innocent!¡±
In response to her pleas, the Duke uttered a single word to Chelsea.
¡°Ipetent.¡±
Upon hearing these words, Chelsea¡¯s eyes widened as if in disbelief.
¡°Our family almost suffered a great cmity because of you.¡±
¡°Father¡ I-I¡¡±
¡°Recalling you was the biggest mistake of my life.¡±
The Duke¡¯s tone carried a deep sense of disdain.
¡°N¡No! It¡¯s not true! I¡¡±
¡°It seems futile to continue listening. Soldiers, take her away.¡±
¡°Father! Fa¡ Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!¡±
The soldiers dragged Chelsea Goldpixie out of the training ground.
Tears streamed down Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s eyes.
At that moment, someone entered Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s line of sight.
Damien Haksen.
He gazed at her with a mocking smile.
¡°Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie red at Damien Haksen as if she would kill him if released.
The soldiers took Chelsea Goldpixie outside the training ground.
Soon after, Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s screams abruptly ceased.
¡°This is a headache.¡±
Once Chelsea Goldpixie disappeared, the Duke sighed.
¡°I never expected her to be so deeply connected to dark magic. If this fact is revealed, the Church won¡¯t stay quiet.¡±
The Church¡¯s obsession with Dark Mages was so notorious that everyone knew about it, even someone from the Goldpixie Duchy.
Even as the Duke of Goldpixie, he couldn¡¯t resist the Church¡¯s intervention in this matter.
¡°Let¡¯s postpone the troublesome matters and deal with the Church first.¡±
Saying so, the Duke turned to Damien Haksen.
¡°Damien, what kind of trickery did you y for Guiume ckwing to end up like that?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure either. However, the technique that I use inflicts internal injuries upon my opponents. I suspect it broke the dark magic inside Guiume ckwing¡¯s body.¡±
The Duke¡¯s interest was piqued by Damien¡¯s exnation.
¡°A technique that inflicts internal injuries? Quite unique. Karl, didn¡¯t you mention seeing a knight use a simr technique before?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. However, the knight only caused external injuries; he couldn¡¯t inflict internal ones like Damien¡¯s technique did.¡±
Karl¡¯s praise only heightened the Duke¡¯s interest.
¡°Even to someone like me, who doesn¡¯t know much about swords, it seems like an extraordinary technique. When did you learn it?¡±
¡°I saw a certain knight using a simr technique in the past and created it myself.¡±
¡°¡You personally created such a skill?¡±
The Duke questioned incredulously. Damien shrugged in response.
¡°I¡¯m somewhat of a genius.¡±
A brief silence followed. The Duke sighed briefly.
¡°It¡¯s hard to believe you created such a skill after seeing it.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t say this to tter himself. The Duke had already conducted several investigations regarding Damien.
Falsifying a story about how he learned the technique might raise unnecessary suspicions. It was better for Damien to be recognized as a genius rather than fabricating a story that could lead to doubts.
Moreover, strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie.
¡°Thanks to you, we were able to eliminate a significant threat in advance. Your contribution is beyond words.¡±
The Duke opened a spatial pocket and retrieved a blue potion from within.
It was the mana crystallisation elixir he had initially offered as a reward for winning the duel.
¡°As promised, this is yours.¡±
Damien epted the potion offered by the Duke. It felt weightier than he had anticipated, making its potency vividly palpable.
The immense power contained in the elixir was undeniable.
¡°This potion is just a reward for the duel. It cannot be considered as the reward for this incident. So, tell me about what you need.¡±
At the Duke¡¯s words, Damien fell into contemtion.
At this moment, Damien could probably obtain anything from the Duke.
However, having acquired the mana crystallisation elixir, there was nothing significant that Damien currently needed. So, instead of actively seeking a reward, he thought that it would be better to leave it as a debt, especially considering that debts tended to grow over time.
¡°This incident happened by chance. There¡¯s nothing worthy of reward for it.¡±
The Duke nodded at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Even if it was by chance, the fact that you saved the family remains unchanged.¡±
¡°I am currently a knight of the Goldpixie Duchy, so I only did what was expected from me.¡±
Damien refused several times. In the end, the Duke had no choice but to step back.
¡°Well, if you insist so stubbornly, then fine¡ However, I¡¯ll remember this incident. If you ever need my help, feel free toe and ask me.¡±
After saying that, the Duke summoned Karl Heimlich.
¡°Karl, I¡¯ll entrust you with military authority. Take the knights and soldiers and apprehend everyone associated with Chelsea Goldpixie.¡±
¡°Yes, my lord.¡±
¡°Especially the dark mages who coborated with Chelsea Goldpixie, don¡¯t let a single one of them escape.¡±
Upon the Duke¡¯smand, Karl Heimlich kneeled on one knee.
¡°Everyone, listen. You must cooperate as much as possible with Karl Heimlich¡¯s investigation. If anyone fails to do so¡¡±
The Duke¡¯s eyes shed with intensity.
¡°I will consider them as having sided with Chelsea Goldpixie to destroy the family!¡±
At the Duke¡¯s sharp warning, the attendants involuntarily trembled.
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Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Chapter 30: Revtion (3)
Karl Heimlich¡¯s actions were incredibly swift.
He immediately took the soldiers with him and arrested all the attendants of Chelsea Goldpixie.
Her bedroom, as well as the businesses she managed and the shops she frequented, were thoroughly investigated.
As a result, they were able to apprehend many individuals who knew about the rtionship between Chelsea Goldpixie and the dark mages.
The Duke summoned inquisitors to interrogate them.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Lady Chelsea conspired with the dark mages!¡±
¡°How did they meet? Well, I don¡¯t know! Lady Chelsea suddenly brought them one day!¡±
¡°The dark mages aided Lady Chelsea in everything! They carried out all the tasks assigned to Chelsea Goldpixie by His Excellency!¡±
The truth revealed through them was shocking.
Firstly, all the abilities and achievements Chelsea Goldpixie had disyed so far were fake, achieved with the help of dark mages.
Chelsea Goldpixie had expanded her influence within the family with the assistance of the dark mages.
¡°There¡¯s, there¡¯s more! Lady¡Lady Chelsea received loyalty from her vassals with the help of the dark mages!¡±
¡°We¡we don¡¯t know what kind of dark mages they are! They use some sort of artifact to spread some kind of fragrance. If you inhale that special fragrance, you¡¯ll get captivated by Lady Chelsea!¡±
Even worse, Chelsea Goldpixie used dark magic to sway the people to her side.
Thanks to dark magic, numerous people had fallen under Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s influence.
Fortunately, there were no highly influential people among them.
The Duke sent soldiers to capture all the people and knights enchanted by Chelsea Goldpixie.
Upon closer examination, it became apparent that they were mere victims. Yet, considering their susceptibility to dark magic¡¯s influence, they couldn¡¯t be ignored or left unchecked.
As the interrogation was happening, The news that Chelsea Goldpixie hadmitted suicide spread everywhere.
Even on the day Chelsea Goldpixie died, Damien was dedicated to his training.
Although he had received the elixir, his current physical condition made it difficult to absorb itpletely.
He was returning from training when he saw the Duke standing in the doorway of his bedroom.
¡°Your Excellency?¡±
Damien asked with a puzzled expression. Only then did the Duke notice Damien¡¯s arrival.
¡°Oh, you¡¯vee. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you send a servant to summon me?¡±
¡°I suppose I can¡¯t disturb your training, can I?¡±
The Duke said with a smile.
¡°But what brings you here?¡±
¡°Oh, nothing special.¡±
The Duke raised his arm, holding a wine bottle in his hand.
¡°Do you enjoy a drink?¡±
***
The Duke led Damien to a room in the alcove.
¡°I have a room set up just for this taste.¡±
The room was filled with liquor.
There were many different types. Wine, vodka, whiskey, and more. It was hard to find anything that wasn¡¯t there.
¡°Have a seat and wait. I¡¯ll bring you something to eat.¡±
With that, the Duke took a block of cheese from the cupboard.
With deft hands, he sliced the cheese and ced it in a bowl.
¡°This wine goes well with angelic cheese from the nco region.¡±
The Duke poured the wine into the ss in front of Damien. The red liquid trickled down.
¡°Try it.¡±
Damien raised the ss to his mouth, the rich aroma filling his mouth.
¡°It¡¯s a good drink.¡±
¡°Hahahaha, I¡¯m d you noticed. It¡¯s not a very expensive drink, but it¡¯s my favorite.¡±
The Duke tipped his ss, and after a few sips, it was empty.
¡°Great, great, great.¡±
Then he popped the cheese he¡¯d sliced into his mouth.
¡°I see you¡¯ve decided to enlist the help of the Order after all.¡±
The Duke said suddenly.
Damien looked puzzled.
Calling in the Order was bound to lead to interference.
For a proud man like the Duke, that was not something he wanted.
¡°Don¡¯t you think you made your decision too quickly?
Damien asked as he popped a piece of cheese into his mouth.
He couldn¡¯t believe the usually prideful Duke was so quick to call out the Church.
¡°Actually, we lost track of the ck mages.¡±
The Duke clicked his tongue briefly.
¡°The associates of Chelsea have all been captured. Among them, there wasn¡¯t a single dark mage.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Yeah, hard to believe, but it¡¯s true. We couldn¡¯t even find out the names of the dark mages.¡±
The duke frowned. Missing the dark mages was quite embarrassing.
¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the likes of dark mages. My knights are strong enough to follow me. But who knows what cunning schemes they might devise?¡±
The most frightening aspect of dark mages was not their power but the sinister plots they could weave using dark magic.
If they were to unleash a curse of pestilence from the shadows, the inhabitants of the duke¡¯s domain would undoubtedly suffer significant harm.
¡°To face dark mages, calling in the pdin is best. That¡¯s why I n to entrust it to the pdin.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t Chelsea reveal the identity of the dark mages?¡±
¡°No chance for that. The girl died on the first day.¡±
Damien paused in his chewing and looked at the duke.
¡°It¡¯s been over 5 days since Chelsea was captured. And the news of her death just arrived today. But on the first day?¡±
¡°She bit her tongue and ended her life on the first day she was arrested.¡±
¡°Then why reveal it now after keeping it a secret for so long?¡±
To Damien¡¯s question, the duke nodded.
¡°If the news of Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s suicide had spread, those involved might have fled. So, we kept it a secret.¡±
Damien bit his tongue inwardly.
Even so, when your child dies. He never expected the duke to think so coldly about it.
¡°Chelsea is dead, we didn¡¯t catch the ck mage, and we haven¡¯t even figured out who they are¡ It¡¯s not just about pride.¡±
The duke sighed, leaning back in his chair.
Damien stared at the duke and said
¡°You seem quite tired.¡±
¡°Does it look that way? Well, that¡¯s embarrassing.¡±
The duke quietly chuckled but couldn¡¯t hide the fatigue that appeared beneath his eyes.
¡°Chelsea¡¯s mother was amoner.¡±
Suddenly, the duke spoke up.
¡°During my youth, I ventured on hunts alongside knights, eventually finding myself bound to a rural vige. It was in that quaint settlement that I encountered the mother of the girl.¡±
Nobles seekingmoners for a night is not umon.
The oue was predictable.
¡°That woman became pregnant with Chelsea right away. But in my youth, the idea of amoner carrying my blood was unpleasant. So, I rejected that woman when she came to me.¡±
The duke¡¯s expression was thoroughly emotionless as he spoke of the past.
He couldn¡¯t feel any remorse, regret, or any other emotion.
¡°As time passed¡ I suddenly became curious about the whereabouts of the child I had abandoned. After investigating, I found out that the mother had died of a gue, and the child was living alone.¡±
The duke brought Chelsea, who had been living alone, back with him.
No one knew the reason why. Perhaps the duke himself didn¡¯t know.
¡°Chelsea was not a particrly bright child. Even considering she had lived as amoner for a long time, she wasn¡¯t that clever. She had leadership qualities, but her abilities werecking.¡±
There is no more dangerous presence than an ipetent leader.
That¡¯s why the duke didn¡¯t use Chelsea prominently.
¡°I wished for her to live a normal life as a nobledy and then die. But one day, she began to show signs of potential.¡±
Just as the duke enjoyed testing his subordinates, he took pleasure in testing his children.
And Chelsea Goldpixiepleted all the tests the duke set for her.
¡°At first, I found it strange. No matter how I thought about it, the tests were impossible for her abilities. It was suspicious, but I couldn¡¯t find any evidence.¡±
So, the duke bestowed upon Chelsea the position of Grand Duchess .
He acknowledged her as his sessor.
¡°It seemed strange, but¡ I never thought she would have received help from dark mages.¡±
The duke sighed deeply.
¡°It would have been better if she had just lived moderately within her bounds.¡±
The duke silently emptied his ss. Damien had been sitting by the duke¡¯s side for a long time.
The duke emptied three bottles of wine and slumped down.
Damien called the attendants to move the duke and then returned to his bedroom.
¡°I still haven¡¯t caught anyone, after all.¡±
Back in his bedroom, Damien sat in a chair, lost in thought.
Although the duke hid it, Damien knew the identity of the dark mages.
Yn.
That was the identity of the dark mages who coborated with Chelsea Goldpixie.
¡°As rumored, they are extremely thorough. They left no trace of themselves.¡±
While the duke believed Chelsea hadmitted suicide, Damien¡¯s thoughts were different.
¡°She fell victim to a curse that imed her life.¡±
There was no way Yn would spare Chelsea.
To prepare for such a situation, they must have ced a curse in advance. Indeed, Chelsea was nothing more than a pawn in Yn¡¯s long-term scheme.¡±
The duke stated that Chelsea had joined forces with the dark mages.
But Damien had a different perspective.
Dangerous dark mages like Yn wouldn¡¯t join hands with Chelsea.
There must have been someone else involved.
¡°Perhaps the n was to engulf the duke¡¯s family. Introduce Chelsea Goldpixie as the next duchess andter control the entire family. Whatever the n, Damien hadpletely thwarted Yn¡¯s scheme.
¡°Probably didn¡¯t run too far.¡±
If it were an ordinary dark mage, they would have fled to a distant area as soon as their identity was exposed.
But Damien was convinced that Yn was still lurking near the duke.
¡°Definitely waiting for an opportunity to kill me.¡±
Damien killed Yn¡¯s subordinate, Akitora, and handed his head to the clergy.
Not only that, he dismantled Yn¡¯s schemes unfolding in the duke¡¯s residence.
Certainly, Yn would attempt to kill Damien.
This wasn¡¯t spection but a near certainty.
¡°Loyalty does not find a ce among individuals who delve into the shadows with thorough precision, like dark mages.¡±
Damien had spent a long time with Archlich Dorgo and knew a lot about the seedlings called dark mages.
In their allegiance, dark mages remained steadfastly in the shroud of secrecy.
There could have been a better reason for it. Dark mages had enemies all around. To survive, they had no choice but to stick together.
The best way to elevate camaraderie and belonging was to be thorough in loyalty.
If they received a favor, they would surely repay it.
If resentment arose, they would undoubtedly seek revenge.
That was the fundamental mindset of dark mages.
¡°I apologize for keeping it a secret from the duke, but¡ there¡¯s no choice but to lure them out.¡±
The reason Damien hid Yn¡¯s existence was to draw them out.
The less the duke knew, the more vulnerabilities there were. It meant more bait scattered before Yn.
Above all, there was one crucial reason.
¡°Disgusting bastards. I¡¯ll personally kill them all.¡±
Damien despised dark mages.
At the mere mention of Yn¡¯s name, his anger surged uncontrobly.
It seemed like his conscience wouldn¡¯t be at peace until he personally dealt with them.
¡°Come anytime.¡±
Walking through the dark corridor, Damien¡¯s eyes glowed.
¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all!¡±
A voice echoed in a dark corridor.
A man holding a bottle was cursing loudly.
The man¡¯s name was Ernest Horowitz.
He was a middle-ss knight in the Goldpixie Duchy.
In the recent investigation that swept through the entire duchy, Ernest Horowitz underwent a brief interrogation.
He didn¡¯t even know the fact that Chelsea had allied with dark mages.
However, Ernest Horowitz couldn¡¯t find anyfort in that fact.
¡°You idiot! You son of a bitch! You should have died right there! You should have protected her!¡±
This afternoon, Ernest Horowitz heard the news of Chelsea Goldpixie¡¯s death.
At that moment, something copsed within Ernest Horowitz¡¯s inner self.
¡°Argh! Uwaaaah!¡±
Ernest Horowitz pounded his chest with his fist, but the sense of guilt wouldn¡¯t dissipate.
¡°Lady Chelsea¡¡±
Ernest Horowitz sat down on the pavement, gazing up at the night sky.
Suddenly, the day he first met her shed before his eyes.
A spirited and confident girl.
That was the first impression Ernest Horowitz had received.
Her bright demeanor left asting impression, and he often found himself watching over her.
At some point, Ernest Horowitz began harboring overwhelming emotions for Chelsea.
He fell in love with her.
¡°Ah¡ Ahaaa¡¡±
It was when Ernest Horowitz let out a pained groan.
¡°Sir Ernest Horowitz, you¡¯re here.¡±
A voice echoed in the darkness. Ernest Horowitz lifted his head.
¡°Re¡Reba?¡±
The woman in front of him was Reba, the aide who had been serving Chelsea right beside her.
¡°Yes¡sir!¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s gaze became sharp. He conjured up mana to dissipate the alcohol fumes.
Reba had concealed her appearance as soon as Chelsea was captured.
It meant she was one of the dark mages who coborated with Chelsea.
¡°All because of you¡ all because of the likes of a dark mage associating with Lady Chelsea¡¡±
Ernest Horowitz attempted to grab her throat.
Just before that, Reba spoke.
¡°Sir Ernest, we seek revenge against the duke.¡±
At those words, Ernest Horowitz¡¯s hand stopped.
¡°What¡ what are you talking about?¡±
¡°You must have heard the news. Lady Chelsea has passed away. Although the duke did not disclose specific details, the cause is evident.¡±
After Reba took a breath, she continued.
¡°She died during the interrogation.¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s mouth slightly opened and then closed again.
If it was the duke he knew, the story was entirely usible. He was the kind of person who would willingly sacrifice his kin for the family¡¯s security.
¡°But we alone cannot avenge Lady Chelsea. Sir Ernest, we need your help.¡±
After a moment of contemtion, Ernest Horowitz said,
¡°What do you want me to do?¡±
A smile appeared on Reba¡¯s lips.
After Reba finished her exnation, Ernest Horowitz disappeared somewhere.
Reba remained alone, looking in the direction Ernest Horowitz had left.
¡°Fortunately, it seems like we persuaded him well.¡±
A man emerged from an alley.
He was the man Chelsea used to call Mustang Fury.
When dealing with Chelsea Goldpixie, he stuttered and seemed timid.
However, the Mustang Fury now had a chilling gaze, like an icy wind.
¡°I never anticipated that her name would carry such a profound impact.¡±
¡°Love makes a man strong, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
Reba chuckled, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
¡°You¡¯re being quite foolish. To get worked up like that without even knowing who truly killed Chelsea.¡±
Chelsea Goldpixie didn¡¯t die during the interrogation. It was because of the curseid by Yn that she took her own life.
¡°Still, Captain, I¡¯m not entirelyfortable with this. Do we really have to kill Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Are you suggesting we just sit back and do nothing? That scoundrel not only killed Akitora but also posed a significant hindrance to our ns.
Mustang Fury spoke with a furrowed brow.
¡°After dominating the duke¡¯s estate, orchestrating chaos in the Apple Kingdom was a mission bestowed upon us by ¡®that person.¡¯ Yet, we faced hindrances. How can we endure such setbacks?¡±
Mustang Fury sharpened his gaze.
¡°Damien Haksen and the duke are unaware of our true identities. We can use that to create an opportunity to kill him.¡±
Mustang Fury¡¯s pupils darkened.
¡°I want Damien Haksen to beg for his life before we grant him mercy.¡±
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Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Chapter 31: Leaf ins (1)
After that day, Damien dedicated himself to training.
Thanks to the elixir, his physical abilities had improved dramatically, but he still had a long way to go.
Currently, Damien¡¯s physical abilities were at a low-ss level. To reach higher levels, he needed to further train his body.
Above all, it was important to train the body to fully absorb the elixir.
Consider this revised version for better flow:
Imagine mana as water, and the body as its vessel. To hold a substantial amount of water, the vessel must be both wide and sturdy.
¡®I like that the Duke has so many training equipment.¡¯
The Duke¡¯s estate had all sorts of training tools for his knights.
Opportunities to use so many tools were rare. Damien utilized all the tools to train his body.
However, there was a specific type of training that Damien invested the most time in.
It was training through sparring, which proved to be the most effective.
¡°Ughhhh¡¡±
¡°Hoooo¡¡±
Inside the training ground arranged within the estate, around five knights were sprawled.
¡°These pitiful things.¡±
Damien remarked, gazing down at the knights.
¡°What will you do if you copse before me, wearing magical equipment, before I even step forward?¡±
Unlike the lightly dressed knights, Damien wore magical essories resembling bracelets and anklets on various parts of his body.
To maximize the training effect by using magical equipment that increases the body¡¯s weight or hindered movement, he intentionally wore them.
On the first day, he wore only about seven, but now it was over ten.
As his physical abilities increased, he increased the number of magical essories.
¡°You can¡¯t get up right away! Should I knock some sense into you by hitting your head a few times?¡±
The knights rose from their positions at Damien¡¯s intimidation. It was as if their previous moans were lies.
¡°As the days go by, your tricks seem to increase.¡±
Damien smirked at the knights.
¡°What good are the so-called knights of the estate if they flee in fear when faced with a challenge?¡±
As knights, they felt unjustly treated.
For over 20 days, Damien subjected them to beatings disguised as sparring sessions.
During this time, the knights had made strenuous efforts tond a blow on him.
Yet, not even a corner of his clothes had been touched. The knights hadn¡¯t relinquished their pride without cause.
¡°It seems you¡¯re getting used to my tricks. From now on, I¡¯ll extend the sparring sessions.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the faces of the knights turned pale. He nced around at them and chuckled.
¡°Just kidding. We¡¯ll end today¡¯s sparring with this.¡±
¡°What?¡±
One of the knights, surprised by the unexpected statement, asked.
It was Pavel Vermound, the leader of the duel knights.
¡°Y-you¡¯re stopping?¡±
¡°Why? Don¡¯t like it?¡±
¡°No¡ no! We like it!¡±
Pavel Vermound hastily eximed. The other knights vigorously nodded their heads.
¡°But, we¡¯re just curious why you¡¯re ending it earlier than usual.¡±
¡°In two days, we will have a duel with the Marquis. Starting today, there will be no more sparring. Take the remaining two days to reflect on what I¡¯ve taught you while resting.¡±
The knights looked bewildered at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°What have we learned? Weren¡¯t we just getting beaten up?¡± Their inner thoughts were clearly transmitted.
¡°Seems like no one has truly understood.¡±
Watching those knights, Damien inwardly smirked.
There were two main reasons why Damien sparred with them.
One was for physical conditioning.
If the goal was merely to increase strength, training with tools would be more effective. However, sparring allowed the use of all muscles necessary forbat.
Even in his previous life as a mercenary, Damien primarily enjoyed training through sparring.
The second reason was to win in duels.
ording to Damien¡¯s judgment, the knights of the duchy couldn¡¯t defeat the Marquis¡¯s knights. The Marquis¡¯s knights were just too exceptional.
To win in a duel, Damien had to win two out of three duels.
Even if Damien managed to defeat Michael Ryan Bloom, if the other knights were defeated, he would lose the overall duel.
Therefore, Damien trained the knights while conditioning his body.
¡°No one has figured out what swordsmanship I¡¯ve been using so far.¡±
When Damien sparred with the knights, he employed the Lion¡¯s Roar Swordsmanship, a techniquemonly practiced by Marquis Ryan Bloom¡¯s knights.
If they be familiar with the swordsmanship used by their adversaries, Damien could lead the duel more advantageously.
¡°I find myself wondering if I can pull off a victory tomorrow like this,¡± Damien pondered inwardly.
¡°¡¡±
Among them, only one person, Pavel Vermound, was seen with his chin in his hand, deep in thought.
¡°Oh?¡±
Among the duel knights, Pavel Vermound stood out. Not only did he possess leadership skills to the extent of being the eldest, but he also had outstanding talent.
¡°I can expect something from him.¡±
A subtle smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips as he observed Pavel Vermound.
***
After parting ways with the knights, Damien returned to his room.
Summoning his attendant, he gave clear instructions,
¡°No one is allowed to enter from now on. Even if His Excellencyes, do not open the door.¡±
Damien sat in the middle of the room and took out a small ss bottle from his pocket.
Shimmering within the bottle was a liquid of sparkling blue, as if infused with the gems.
A smile naturally formed on Damien¡¯s lips as he looked at the liquid.
¡°The time to consume this has finallye.¡±
Damien had refrained from consuming the mana crystallization elixir given by the Duke until now.
It was to ensure that his body was in the perfect state to fully absorb the elixir.
¡°The mana derived from the mana crystallization elixir isparable to the mana umted over a decade.¡±
In terms of the avable amount, it wasn¡¯t exceptionally high, considering its reputation as a renowned elixir.
However, the true advantage of the mana crystallization elixir lies elsewhere. It instantly heightened the sensitivity of the body to mana upon consumption.
This heightened sensitivity leads to a notable enhancement in manipting, umting, and recovering mana.
It was indeed a great elixir.
¡®Shall I test it out?¡¯
He consumed the mana crystallization elixir, the sensation akin to swallowing dense, viscous honey.
As a result, he keenly sensed the elixir making its way down his throat, settling vividly in his stomach.
Once the liquid had settled, the elixir ignited with intense heat.
The mes sparked by the elixir swiftly spread throughout his body, purging impurities and prating deeply into his muscles and organs.
¡°¡So, this is how you enhance sensitivity. I wondered how to increase responsiveness. I never thought it would be through this method.¡±
Simr to how y transforms into pottery through the heat of a kiln, the elixir¡¯s efficacy shared its resemnce. It fortified the body by harnessing high-purity mana.
¡°If it were anyone else, they might have remained motionless,¡± remarked Damien.
He then starts using the Supreme Absorption Technique.
By absorbing external mana, he directed the flow into the mana crystallization elixir, amplifying the mes to an even greater intensity.
How much time had passed like this?
¡°¡Phew.¡±
Damien exhaled a long breath and opened his eyes. In an instant, a sh of blue radiance appeared in his eyes.
Damien stood up from his seat, and something like gray ash gently fell.
It was the impurities burned by the elixir, expelled from his body.
¡°Excellent.¡±
He skillfully manipted mana. In the past, every maneuver of mana felt like traversing a gravel field.
Yet now, it was akin to effortlessly gliding on ice.
The pace at which he manipted mana saw a remarkable surge.
¡°Let¡¯s put it to the test,¡± he decided.
Slowly extending his hand into the vacant space, he closed his fingers around the air. Around his hand, a gathering of blue radiancemenced.
Step by step, the radiance assumed the silhouette of a sword.
If anyone had observed this disy, astonishment would have undoubtedly seized them.
Oveying aura onto a sword was standard practice, but condensing the aura to manifest a tangible form was beyond the imagination of a Low-ss knight.
Mid-ss level experts could extend their aura to strike enemies at a distance.
Yet, shaping a weapon entirely through the aura, as Damien demonstrated, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Such a skill was typically within the realm of a High-ss expert, at the very least.
¡°This should do.¡±
He casually swung the ethereal sword.
The perceptible feeling of air being sliced was undeniable. Damien gazed at the sword, satisfaction evident on his face.
¡°Now I¡¯m just one step away from forming an Aura de.¡±
***
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The two days passed quickly.
On the day of the duel, Damien, along with the Duke, headed towards the Leaf ins.
¡°We seem to have arrived a bitte,¡± the Duke remarked as they reached the ins.
There, the forces of the Marquis had already set up camp and were waiting.
¡°Damien, what is your assessment of their forces??¡±
Damien was standing right next to the Duke, treated as if he were a close aide despite being an outsider.
Damien squinted his eyes as he observed the Marquis¡¯s soldiers.
¡°Overall, it seems to be a high-quality army.¡±
Both the level of equipment the soldiers wore and the atmosphere each individual exuded was noteworthy.
Matching the reputation of being the top knight family in the Apple Kingdom, the Marquis¡¯s soldiers were formidable.
¡°Isn¡¯t that right? Even if nothing else, I envy those soldiers. If I could, I¡¯d want to learn how to raise soldiers like them.¡±
The Duke chuckled as he spoke.
In Damien¡¯s opinion, it was just empty talk.
A Duke with such strong pride as he wouldn¡¯t genuinely envy the Marquis. Even if he did, he would deny it and turn away.
Whether the Duke¡¯s arrival at the Marquis¡¯s camp was noticed, a messenger was seen departing.
The messenger, having arrived in front of the Duke, dismounted and said, ¡°Lord Goldpixie, His Excellency the Marquis suggests that representatives meet on the ins before the duel begins!¡±
After delivering the message, the messenger returned to the Marquis¡¯s camp.
The Duke¡¯s gaze shifted alternately between Damien and Karl Heimlich.
¡°With the Marquis suggesting it like that, we have no choice but to go. Will you both follow?¡±
Damien and Karl Heimlich nodded.
The three of them rode towards the center of the ins.
***
Around that time, a smallmotion was unfolding in the Marquis¡¯s camp.
¡°Michael! Can¡¯t you get up right now?¡±
The Marquis shouted angrily as he entered a tent.
The interior of the tent was surprisingly modestpared to its size, which could amodate dozens of people.
A single bed.
One sword.
That was all there was.
On the bed, someone had flipped the nket over and was sound asleep.
¡°We¡¯ve just received guests from the Duke! We need to go greet the Duke, so why are you still sleeping?¡±
Despite the Marquis¡¯s consecutive shouting, there was no sign of the person waking up.
The Marquis¡¯s face gradually turned red. Unable to contain his anger, he swept the bed aside.
¡°Get up immediately!¡±
The Marquis shouted with infused mana. The thunderous roar shook the tent and the ground.
¡°Oh,e on.¡±
Only then did the boy lying on the bed groggily wake up.
Marquis Ryan Bloom looked at the boy as if finding him pathetic.
The boy¡¯s name was Michael Ryan Bloom.
Renowned as the son of Marquis Ryan Bloom, he currently basked in great fame
Due to his small stature, he might be mistaken for a boy, but in reality, he had been an adult for a long time.
¡°Father, it¡¯s noisy.¡±
At Michael¡¯s words, the Marquis¡¯s forehead veins bulged. Unconsciously, he clenched his fist.
¡°Why are you waking up someone who¡¯s sleeping so well?¡±
¡°What I said¡ Where did you hear it¡? Didn¡¯t I say¡ that we have guests from the Duke¡ and need to go greet them?¡±
¡°That has nothing to do with me. Call me when it¡¯s time for the duel.¡±
The Marquis spoke, holding back his anger.
¡°This duel is an opportunity to spread your name far and wide. It¡¯s a chance that others wouldn¡¯t get even if they paid for it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± Michael dered, attempting to recline back on the bed.
The Marquis sighed and spoke, ¡°Damien will undoubtedly be there too.¡±
Michael Ryan Bloom, who was about to lie down on the bed, stopped abruptly.
¡°Why is that guy in the Duke¡¯s camp?¡±
¡°You, always in a state of slumber, may not have heard, but Damien has been chosen as the representative on behalf of the Duke.¡±
¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s convenient. I was already eager to take revenge on Erwin.¡±
For a brief moment, Michael¡¯s usually rxed face showed a glimpse of ferocity and then disappeared.
Although Michael was usuallyzy, when it came to matters rted to family, he charged in like an angry bull.
¡°That guy is rumored to have repelled an attack from a Low-ss. Quite impressive, don¡¯t you think? The guy who was originally evaluated as a Junior Knight is now defeating a Low-ss and blocking an attack from a Mid-ss.¡±
¡°Impressive.¡±
¡°Ever wondered what he looks like? He might be your rival.¡±
¡°Father, please don¡¯t say such things.¡±
Michael sat up and said, ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve heard such words and ended up disappointed?¡±
¡°This time might be different.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the same. They might be famous, but when you actually face them, they turn out to be nobodies.¡±
A haze seemed to obscure Michael Ryan Bloom¡¯s pupils, rendering them cloudy.
Because of his outstanding talent and strength, Michael had never encountered a worthy opponent.
Ironically, due to being too exceptional, Michael wallowed in boredom.
¡°Ah, you¡¯re finally awake.¡±
Michael got up from the bed and said, ¡°Shall we go meet them?¡±
The Marquis, along with Michael, headed towards the center of the in.
Already waiting there was the Duke.
Upon sighting the Marquis, the Duke immediately curled his lip and remarked, ¡°Extending invitations and arriving tardy¡ªstill deficient in basic courtesy.¡±
In response to this taunt, the Marquis smiled and retorted, ¡°Getting agitated over trivial matters. Is your perspective limited not just in sight but also inprehension?¡±
The two menughed loudly. Although they wereughing, the glint in their eyes was harsh.
¡°Sir Karl Heimlich, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
¡°Nice to see you after a long time.¡±
Next, the Marquis turned to Karl Heimlich and spoke, and Karl Heimlich replied with a bow.
While considering age and experience, Karl Heimlich was longer in both. However, due to their equal High-ss status and the fact that the Marquis held a higher position, he often belittled Karl Heimlich.
¡°Don¡¯t you get bored at the Duke¡¯s ce? Quit that ande over to our family.¡±
¡°I am thinking of burying my bones at Goldpixie Duchy.¡±
¡°That¡¯s regrettable. It¡¯s akin to throwing pearls before swine.¡±
The Marquis clicked his tongue, then turned his gaze away. If Karl Heimlich was on the Duke¡¯s right, on the left was a young man they had never seen before.
¡°If my guess is correct, this youth is Damien Haksen.¡±
The Marquis nced casually at the youth. However, when he faced the youth head-on, he felt a shock as if he had been hit on the back of the head.
¡®What is this?¡¯
The Marquis didn¡¯t hold a favorable opinion of Damien Haksen. He was an enemy who had brought disgrace to the knight of the family, the second son who was so precious and well-raised.
On the other hand, he was curious. Damien¡¯s actions were too radical, and the Marquis wanted to personally confirm what kind of person he was and how remarkable his talent was. Perhaps it could serve as a suitable stimulus for the indulgent Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡®¡What is this? A monster?¡¯
The moment the Marquis saw Damien, he felt a chilling sensation in his spine. Fearing a High-ss knight to the extent of Low-ss was unreasonable.
The reason for the Marquis¡¯s fear was Damien¡¯s talent. When he saw Damien Haksen, the Marquis felt that there was something eerie about him.
Damien was not merely a knight who would end up as a ything for the eldest son. He might be a monster who could rival the eldest son himself.
¡®Oh no.¡¯
The Marquis quickly turned to Michael. If he was shocked like this, there was no way Michael felt nothing.
¡°¡?¡±
Michael was looking at Damien Haksen with a vacant expression on his face. He hadn¡¯t blinked even once, as if he considered blinking a waste of time.
¡°Hah.¡±
A delighted sigh escaped Michael Ryan Bloom¡¯s lips. In that instant, Michael¡¯s hand instinctively gripped the sword¡¯s hilt.
The de unsheathed as he drew it forth.
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The Marquis swiftly extended his hand to seize Michael¡¯s hand, but someone had already intercepted Michael¡¯s movement.
Damien reached out, gripping Michael¡¯s wrist and thwarting his attempt to draw the sword. As a result, Michael was unable to unsheathe his de.
Michael surveyed his surroundings with a puzzled expression, shifting his gaze between the sword hilt and Damien.
¡°Looks like someone¡¯s in quite a rush,¡± Damien remarked, casting a nce down at Michael.
¡°Must be quite eager. Even so, isn¡¯t this an inappropriate moment to draw a sword?¡± he added.
It was only then that Michael turned his attention to his surroundings, finally noticing the figure of the Duke standing nearby.
¡°Marquis Ryan Bloom, what is the meaning of this?¡± the Duke spoke with a sharp tone.
The Marquis sighed as he wiped his face with his hand.
¡°¡ My son has done something foolish. There was no intention to harm your knight.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not something that can be easily dismissed, you know?¡±
Faced with sharp criticism, the Marquis could only break into a cold sweat.
The Duke epted the Marquis¡¯s invitation and arrived at this location. In such a situation, it was unusual for Michael Ryan Bloom to reach for his weapon. Carelessness in handling the situation could potentially tarnish the Marquis¡¯s reputation.
¡°He appears to have a ir for the dramatic,¡± Damien remarked, wearing an amused expression.
Damien was well aware that the Duke¡¯s anger was not genuine. He relished in exposing the Marquis¡¯s vulnerabilities and could discern it from the slightly twisted gaze.
¡°I would like to leave this ce immediately if it were up to me¡ but since a duel is pending, I shall refrain,¡± the Duke said.
¡°¡I appreciate your leniency.¡±
¡°In exchange, let¡¯s add a few more conditions as a reward for the duel.¡±
The Marquis swallowed nervously.
¡°¡Please state the conditions.¡±
¡°If I win this duel, I will take ownership of thend adjacent to the gold mine.¡±
The origin of this duel was the discovery of a gold mine on the border between the Duke¡¯s and the Marquis¡¯s territories. The Duke intended to im all thend along that border if he won the duel.
¡°Is that eptable?¡±
¡°And one more condition: if we emerge triumphant in the duel, I request ess to the Marquis¡¯s treasury for Sir Damien here.¡±
The Duke pointed at Damien as he spoke.
Damien looked at the Duke with a surprised expression.
The treasury wasn¡¯t just any storage space; it held the umted treasures of generations within its walls.
Asking to open such a ce meant allowing Damien Haksen ess to one of the Marquis¡¯s treasures.
¡°¡These are quite burdensome conditions.¡±
¡°But there¡¯s the condition that you have to win the duel in exchange.¡±
After a moment of contemtion, the Marquis spoke, ¡°Fine. I ept all those conditions.¡±
***
The conversation concluded with that.
The Marquis and the Duke returned to their respective camps.
¡°¡Michael.¡±
On the way back, the Marquis called his son¡¯s name resentfully.
¡°Why did you draw your sword in that situation? You almost destroyed our family¡¯s reputation just now¡¡±
¡°Father, did you see? I knew that guy expected me to draw my sword.¡±
But Michael didn¡¯t care at all about the Marquis¡¯s feelings.
¡°He could anticipate every move I¡¯d make. I¡¯ve never faced an opponent like him!¡±
Michael rejoiced like a child. His pure smile made the Marquis¡¯s expression serious.
¡°¡Did Damien impress you that much?¡±
¡°Yes! Father was right! Damien might fight me as an equal!¡±
Despite possessing master-level talent, Michael had never found a worthy opponent.
Now, he had encountered Damien, the adversary he had dreamed of.
With the arrival of his dream opponent, the boredom in Michael Ryan-Bloom¡¯s eyes vanishedpletely.
A talent that had been lying dormant began to awaken.
¡°¡If you¡¯re satisfied, then it¡¯s fine.¡±
A smile appeared on the Marquis¡¯s face.
After all, the conditions set by the Duke would only have meaning if they won the duel.
With Michael Ryan Bloom present, losing in the duel was inconceivable.
***
¡°Lucky start.¡±
Upon reaching their camp, the Duke spoke.
¡°It would be perfect if we just win the duel, don¡¯t you think?¡±
A smile adorned the Duke¡¯s lips as he looked at Damien.
¡°Your Grace, why did you propose such conditions?¡±
¡°What do you mean? Are you talking about the ¡®Treasury¡¯?¡±
Damien nodded. The Duke casually exined, ¡°You were the one who blocked Michael¡¯s sword, weren¡¯t you? If Michael had drawn his swordpletely, it would have been aplete disaster.¡±
¡°Then it¡¯s advantageous for you as well.¡±
¡°It may benefit the others, but not me. I don¡¯t want to win against the Marquis in such an unexpected situation.¡±
The Duke¡¯s expression became serious.
¡°I¡¯ve always despised that man. Vowed to trample him someday. The opportunity is right in front of me, and I can¡¯t let it slip away, can I?¡±
Only then did Damien understand the Duke¡¯s feelings.
Due to strong pride, he couldn¡¯t allow an unsatisfactory oue.
¡°And an opportunity to show off with someone else¡¯s money? Can¡¯t let that pass.¡±
The Dukeughed heartily. Then, shaking his head, he added, ¡°By the way, this is quite strange. Michael Ryan Bloom is famous for being an extreme cker. Why did he draw his sword?¡±
In response to the Duke¡¯s question, Damien shrugged.
¡°Perhaps he was bored.¡±
Contrary to his words, Damien understood Michael¡¯s impulsive actions.
¡®Even at a young age, he seems to have developed sixth sense.¡¯
Among the Masters, many had special talents. Sword musician with absolute sound sense was among them.
And Michael Ryan Bloom possessed such a special talent.
Sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.
He had a sixth sensepletely distinct from these five senses.
In his past life, Michael used this sixth sense to detect unforeseen dangers or read the hidden moves of his enemies.
¡®If this works out, it should be quite impressive.¡¯
In the future, Michael Ryan Bloom would reach the level of a Master. But for now, he was only in the low ss.
So, Damien was worried about what would happen if the duel ended quickly. Fortunately, it seemed Damien¡¯s concerns would be dispelled.
¡°Your Grace, a messenger from the Marquis is approaching.¡±
Karl Heimlich informed the Duke.
The messenger on horseback ryed the Marquis¡¯s message to the Duke.
¡°The Marquis requests your presence! He wants to start the first duel!¡±
¡°Good, the sooner, the better.¡±
The Duke muttered, lifting one corner of his mouth.
¡°The first duel, so gaining the upper hand is crucial. Whom should we send?¡±
The Duke inquired, scanning his knights. When no response came, he turned to Damien.
¡°Sir Damien, I heard you¡¯ve been training with potential knights recently.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ve had some sparring sessions.¡±
¡°Any rmended knight?¡±
At the Duke¡¯s question, Damien thought of Pabel Vermound. Among the knights he had trained with, Pabel stood out.
¡°Your Grace, may I offer a suggestion?¡±
At that moment, someone spoke up, and Damien naturally nced at the knight.
Sebastian Vincenzo.
He was a middle-ss knight responsible for training the duelists.
¡°Training duelists is my duty, Sir Damien. I believe I can rmend a more suitable candidate than Damien.¡±
While saying this, Sebastian Vincenzo nced at Damien.
It wasn¡¯t a friendly gaze; if anything, it was filled with resentment.
¡®A narrow-minded person.¡¯
Damien had shed with Sebastian Vincenzo before. Upon hearing that several duelists were training with Damien, Sebastian hadined to the Duke.
¨C Does it matter? The knights might learn something from sparring with Sir Damien.
Of course, the Duke sided with Damien back then.
It seemed like Sebastian wanted to settle the score now.
¡°Well, Sebastian¡¯s words make sense. Who do you have in mind?¡±
¡°I rmend my son, Fabian Vincenzo.¡±
Not all duelists had sparred with Damien; some had trained with others.
All those duelists had received training from Vincenzo.
¡°Sebastian¡¯s child¡ I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s exceptionally talented.¡±
¡°Yes, Your Grace. He inherited everything from the Vincenzo family. I have no doubt he will secure the first victory.¡±
¡°Very well. Let your son enter the fray.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo gestured, and a knight holding a spear stepped forward.
¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, Your Grace!¡±
After shouting these words, Fabian Vincenzo headed towards the center.
***
Fabian Vincenzo was well aware of his father¡¯s intentions in sending him out.
¡®Damien, that peasant dares to threaten my father¡¯s position.¡¯
To the Duke¡¯s knights, Damien was like a thorn in their side.
One day, he suddenly appeared, seemingly intending to seize the family¡¯s representative position, monopolizing the Duke¡¯s favor.
¡®If only that guy weren¡¯t around, the representative position would have been mine.¡¯
Fabian Vincenzo thought bitterly.
¡®I¡¯ll win splendidly in this duel and change His Grace¡¯s perception of me.¡¯
Fabian Vincenzo faced the Marquis¡¯s knights, drew the spear hanging on his back, and shouted, ¡°I am Fabian, son of the Vincenzo family! Give me your name!¡±
In response, the Marquis¡¯s knight named Robert spoke, ¡°Robert. No surname.¡±
¡°What? No surname? Are you amoner?¡±
Fabian Vincenzo immediately crumpled his face.
Knights were usually nurtured within knightly families. To be aplete knight, one had to acquire proper etiquette, knowledge, and understand the family¡¯s vision.
It wasn¡¯t a position where amoner could dare to challenge.
¡°Amoner dares to confront me?¡±
Fabian Vincenzo could not help but be disappointed that his first opponent was amoner.
¡°You¡¯re noisy, too. Do all the knights of the Duchy fight with their tongues like a bunch of whores?¡±
In response to Robert¡¯s mockery, Fabian Vincenzo wrinkled his forehead.
¡°A presumptuous fool. I¡¯ll teach you a lesson right now!¡±
Brandishing his spear, Fabian charged. There was a determination to end the duel swiftly.
¡°Oh, Fabian is attacking!¡±
The soldiers from the Duke¡¯s side, who were watching, erupted in cheers.
Even from a distance, one could feel the determination emanating from Fabian.
On the other hand, there was no sign of resistance from the Marquis¡¯s knights.
It seemed like the first duel would end easily.
However, the duel that eventually unfolded took an entirely unexpected turn.
The Marquis¡¯s knight effortlessly blocked Fabian¡¯s attacks.
¡°Ha! Huh! Ha!¡±
Fabian shouted louder, but no matter how much time passed, the oue remained unchanged.
¡°This¡ amoner like you!¡±
Perhaps frustrated by the continuous blocks, Fabian¡¯s movements increase.
At that moment, the Marquis¡¯s knight moved.
He easily deflected Fabian¡¯s thrust and closed the distance, then he kicked Fabian¡¯s body.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Fabian fell backward, and in that vulnerable moment, the Marquis¡¯s knight¡¯s de touched his throat.
The Marquis¡¯s knight, now approaching, held out his sword.
¡°Do you admit defeat?¡±
The Marquis¡¯s knight asked calmly. Fabian, with a trembling voice, replied, ¡°I-I lost.¡±
As Fabian admitted his defeat, cheers erupted from the Marquis¡¯s camp.
On the other hand, a heavy silence fell over the Duke¡¯s side.
***
¡°¡Send soldiers to bring Fabian Vincenzo here.¡±
After giving the order, the Duke turned to Sebastian Vincenzo.
¡°Sebastian, do you know what I just witnessed?¡±
In response to the Duke¡¯s question, Sebastian couldn¡¯t say a word.
¡°Your Grace¡ That, that was¡¡±
¡°I trusted Sir Vincenzo with the training of my knights, and this is how you repay me.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo seemed to attempt an exnation, but the Duke spoke with a cold gaze.
¡°I request that for now, you remain silent.¡±
Sebastian promptly sealed his lips.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a significant difference in the knights¡¯ abilities.¡±
The Duke massaged his temples, lost in thought.
¡°At this rate, even if Damien wins, it won¡¯t be a victory for our side in the duel.¡±
The silence hanging over the Duke¡¯s camp grew heavier, sensing the imminent defeat.
¡°Your Grace, may I offer a suggestion?¡±
At that moment, Damien spoke.
¡°Go ahead.¡±
In response to the Duke¡¯s permission, Damien continued.
¡°I rmend sir Pavel Vermound as the second knight.¡±
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¡°Pavel Vermound.¡±
The Duke was well aware of the names and skills of the knights participating in the duel. So when he heard the name Pavel Vermound, he immediately recalled who he was.
¡°I heard he¡¯s quite exceptional among the duel candidates.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve probably heard correctly.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re good enough to be rmended by Sir Damien, you must be good enough¡¡.¡±
The Duke fell silent.
As demonstrated in Fabian Vincenzo¡¯s duel, the Marquis¡¯s knights surpassed the skill of those in the Duke¡¯s ranks. Even with Pavel Vermound, victory was not assured, and the Duke, wavering in his noble stature, hesitated.
¡°Your Excellency, while the Marquis¡¯s knights may be strong, they are still of the same low ss. There¡¯s no reason to worry.¡±
Damien started to reassure the Duke.
¡°Pavel Vermound has prepared extensively for this duel. He will not be defeated by any opponent.¡±
If the knight sent out this time loses, it would confirm their defeat. However, Damien seemed unconcerned, as if he didn¡¯t care about being med for the potential loss.
His attitude strangely instilled confidence in the Duke.
¡°I will trust your words. Let Pavel Vermounde forward.¡±
Following the Duke¡¯smand, Pavel Vermound stepped forward. His face was pale from nervous tension.
¡°Pavel Vermound, Sir Damien rmends you. Do you have the confidence to live up to this expectation?¡±
Pavel Vermound couldn¡¯t answer immediately. After a moment of contemtion, he opened his mouth.
¡°¡Yes, I will bring victory even if I have to sacrifice my life.¡±
Satisfied with this response, the Duke smiled.
¡°Good. Go and fight, then return victorious.¡±
With his sword in hand, Pavel Vermound walked out onto the in.
***
The cheers from the Marquis¡¯s camp persisted until Pavel Vermound made his entrance.
As Pavel Vermound stepped onto the duel arena at the center of the in, Marquis raised his fist into the air.
A sudden hush fell over the soldiers, a striking demonstration of the Marquis¡¯s ability tomand attention.
Shortly after, a knight from the Marquis¡¯s side walked out.
He was a strikingly handsome, fair-skinned knight.
A greatsword hung on his back, and confidence filled his face.
¡®¡He¡¯s stronger than me.¡¯
The moment Pavel saw the knight, he instinctively realized that this knight was stronger than him.
¡°I¡¯m Huey Bara. And you?¡±
The Marquis¡¯s knight asked Pavel. After taking a deep breath, Pavel replied, ¡°I¡¯m Pavel Vermound.¡±
Upon hearing the name, Huey Bara sighed heavily.
¡°What¡¯s this? Never heard of that name. I was hoping to face someone more famous. Beating someone like you won¡¯t earn me any recognition.¡±
Huey Bara shook his head casually, unlike the first knight who came out.
¡°What about Damien Haksen? Can¡¯t you send him? He seems quite famous, and it would make the fight more interesting.¡±
Damien Haksen.
When that name was mentioned, Pavel Vermound couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
Upon seeing Pavel¡¯s reaction, Huey Bara raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What are you chuckling about?¡±
¡°When a stray dog brings up a tiger, it¡¯s bound to be entertaining.¡±
Huey Bara is strong, but not as much as Damien.
Damien¡¯s strength surpassedmon understanding. There couldn¡¯t be another monster like him.
¡°It seems people get arrogant even when they¡¯re not famous.¡±
Huey Bara lifted the greatsword hanging on his back.
The lengthy and robust de slid out effortlessly, akin to pulling a twig from a tree.
Concurrently, Huey Bara unleashed his mana. A potent force surged forth, as though being struck by a powerful gust of wind.
¡°Damm.¡±
Pavel Vermound muttered under his breath.
As he had feared, the man standing before him was undeniably more powerful.
Could he truly emerge victorious in a battle? A profound sense of despair and uncertainty gripped Pavel Vermound¡¯s chest.
¡°Hey, why are you so stiff? You should be on high alert and on guard, or else¡ you¡¯ll end up like this in an instant!¡±
Suddenly, Huey mmed the ground. Rushing forward with astonishing speed, he aimed to drive the hilt of his greatsword into Pavel Vermound¡¯s side.
Just in time, Pavel Vermound blocked the hilt of a greatsword with the de of his longsword. His body was forced backward.
¡°Oh¡ You¡¯ve got some skills, huh?¡±
Huey Bara eximed in admiration, as if praising an inferior.
¡°Why so silent? Are you too surprised?¡±
As Huey Bara spoke, Pavel Vermound was indeed too shocked to respond.
However, the reason for his astonishment was not the surprise attack from Huey Bara.
¡®¡It¡¯s simr.¡¯
The technique disyed by Huey Bara resembled what Damien had used.
Every time Pavel Vermound approached, Damien had casually struck his opponent¡¯s side with the hilt.
¡®¡Coincidence?¡¯
Utilizing the hilt instead of the de is amon technique in various swordsmanship styles. Therefore, Pavel Vermound couldn¡¯t be certain.
¡°I can enjoy this in my own way!¡±
Huey Bara charged at Pavel Vermound, rapidly closing the gap and swinging his greatsword.
Huey Bara skillfully wielded the greatsword, bringing it down with a force that tore through the air at an astonishing speed.
Reacting on instinct, Pavel Vermound took a quick step backward. The greatsword narrowly avoided him, leaving only a hair¡¯s breadth between the de and the body.
As the greatsword met the earth, it upheaved the ground, shrouding bothbatants in soil and dust.
¡°Can you dodge this as well?¡±
Without dy, the greatsword reappeared from the swirling dust. It swung horizontally, targeting Pavel Vermound¡¯s side.
However, Pavel Vermound had already assumed a defensive stance. He blocked the iing greatsword with the de.
¡°¡You can block this too?¡±
For the first time, a look of confusion appeared on Huey Bara¡¯s face.
¡®¡This can¡¯t be.¡¯
However, the person more astonished than anyone else was Pavel Vermound.
¡®Even this is simr?¡¯
Damien always swung down his greatsword and followed up with a charging horizontal sh.
During their sparring sessions, no dust had risen as the ground was made of stone.
Still, due to the frequency of the technique, Pavel¡¯s body instinctively reacted.
At this point, it was not merely a simrity; it was identical.
¡®The Marquis¡¯s knights are said to practice a sword technique called ¡°Lion¡¯s Roar,¡±¡ how did Damien master Lion¡¯s Roar?¡¯
Suddenly, a single possibility crossed Pavel Vermound¡¯s mind.
A spy.
Perhaps Damien was not a spy sent by the Marquis?
¡®¡Nonsense.¡¯
However, Pavel Vermound immediately dismissed this spection.
Two days ago, after the sparring had ended, Damien had said to the duel knights:
¡°Take a break during the remaining two days and carefully review what I¡¯ve taught you.¡±
Damien¡¯s advice had been invaluable. By repeatedly analyzing Damien¡¯s movements, Pavel Vermound was able to evade Huey Bara¡¯s attacks.
¡®A spy who reveals the secrets of an adversarial lineage doesn¡¯t exist.¡¯
If that was the case, there was only one possibility.
¡®¡He learned by observing.¡¯
There were stories about geniuses who could immediately replicate someone¡¯s actions just by seeing them.
A genius like Damien had more than enough potential for this.
¡®No, Damien didn¡¯t just copy it¡¡¯
Even though they both practiced Lion¡¯s Roar, Damien¡¯s proficiency was far superior. Huey Bara¡¯s sword seemed like a child¡¯s ything inparison.
¡®So, not only did he steal the Marquis¡¯s technique, but he also surpassed the Marquis¡¯s knights?¡¯
A chill ran down his spine. At that moment, Pavel Vermound¡¯s body stiffened.
¡°Focus!¡±
Huey Bara didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. He swung his greatsword toward Pavel Vermound¡¯s forehead.
This, too, was a technique Pavel Vermound had suffered numerous times from Damien.
Pavel Vermound skillfully deflected the greatsword with his de.
¡°This bastard¡!¡±
Huey Bara intensified his assault on Pavel Vermound. The greatsword moved relentlessly.
However, no sword could pierce Pavel Vermound¡¯s defenses. He effortlessly dodged the greatsword, The final blow was met with a sword.
There was a sharp sound as the des met, and the greatsword bounced back.
¡°Ugh?¡±
Confusion and embarrassment shed across Huey Bara¡¯s face. Pavel Vermound did not miss the opening.
For the first time since the duel began, Pavel Vermound advanced instead of retreating.
Unleashing his swordsmanship, With his sword, he began to push Huey Bara backward.
¡°Ugh, argh!¡±
Huey Bara didn¡¯t even bother to resist, instead focusing on blocking Pavel Vermond¡¯s attack.
He was losing to an opponent he had considered beneath him.
In the face of disgrace, Huey Bara¡¯s face turned crimson.
¡°Can¡¯t you ease up a bit!¡±
Huey Bara put more force into his greatsword. Pavel Vermound immediately noticed.
The longsword and the greatsword were entangled in aplex exchange. Pavel Vermound applied force to his hand, deflecting the greatsword.
The greatsword slipped from Huey Bara¡¯s hand, flying off into the distance.
Huey Bara stared at his empty hand in a daze. At that moment, a de touched his throat.
¡°I win¡±
Pavel Vermound dered calmly, pointing the de.
¡°Waaaah!¡±
¡°Uwaaaaah!¡±
Thunderous cheers erupted, lifting Pavel Vermound.
In the midst of the tremendous apuse, Pavel Vermound felt a tingling sensation throughout his body.
Putting away his sword, he turned toward the Duke¡¯s party.
The cheers grew even louder. Pavel Vermound sensed something overwhelming in his chest.
At that moment, Damien caught Pavel Vermound¡¯s gaze.
Unlike the jubnt people of the Duke¡¯s party, Damien wore an extremelyposed expression.
As if he had anticipated this oue.
¡®Damien¡¡¯
The excitement was gone.
A sense of foreboding and dread filled the void.
¡°Who the hell are you¡¡?
Pavel Vermound shuddered as he asked the unanswerable question.
***
¡°Pavel Vermound, you¡¯ve achieved victory in such a splendid manner,¡± Duke Goldpixie remarked, a smile overflowing on his face.
¡°Sir Damien¡¯s judgment was urate,¡± someone added.
¡°Pavel Vermound, the one he recognized and rmended,¡± another person chimed in.
The Duke nodded in agreement, his smile indicating his satisfaction.
¡°Unlike someone who suffered defeat due to ack of foresight,¡± the Duke¡¯s pointed words caused Sebastian Vincenzo to lower his head.
¡°Now, only the representative duel remains. Are you confident?¡± the Duke asked Damien.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Damien replied nonchntly.
***
¡°Please, end my life,¡± Huey Bara pleaded, prostrating himself in front of the Marquis.
¡°Why do you speak such words? You did your best. It¡¯s just that the knight on the other side was stronger,¡± the Marquis consoled Huey Bara.
It was unthinkable to punish a knight who had fought for his house.
¡°And don¡¯t be too disheartened. Victory is still ours,¡± the Marquis reassured.
With those words, the Marquis shifted his attention, noticing Michael Ryan Bloom standing a short distance away.
¡°Your words are correct, Your Grace,¡± Huey Bara said with a respectful expression.
To the knights of the Marquis, Michael Ryan Bloom was a symbol of invincibility.
¡°Return and take your rest now,¡± the Marquis ordered, and Huey bowed his head before stepping back.
The Marquis approached Michael.
¡°Michael.¡±
Despite the call from his father, Michael continued gazing at the in.
¡°Michael, isn¡¯t something strange?¡± the Marquis finally said.
¡°Father, isn¡¯t it odd?¡± Michael abruptly spoke.
Even with his father approaching, Michael kept his eyes on the in.
¡°Huey was stronger than the Duke¡¯s knight. I can confidently say he was one, or even two, steps above him.¡±
The Marquis agreed with Michael¡¯s words. Even with his high-ss judgment, Huey Bara was indeed stronger.
Physique, mana, skills, experience, and more.
He had grown like a wild nt in the Marquis¡¯s mansion, standing out among the mediocre individuals.
¡°But he lost. It wasn¡¯t just a defeat; he waspletely overwhelmed.¡±
The Duke¡¯s knights skillfully blocked Huey Bara¡¯s attacks, seized the advantage, and imed victory.
It was akin to a dog overpowering a wolf.
¡°The Duke¡¯s knight thoroughly pierced through the Lion¡¯s Roar Sword technique. But it¡¯s strange. He didn¡¯t seem to be that talented.¡±
Agreeing with his son¡¯s words, the Marquis nodded.
¡°I share the same thoughts. Perhaps the Lion¡¯s Roar Sword technique may have leaked. When we return, we must thoroughly investigate¡¡±
¡°No, Father, that¡¯s not it.¡±
Michael refuted his father.
¡°The Lion¡¯s Roar Sword technique didn¡¯t leak; that man discovered it. He found it and taught it.¡±
Only then did the Marquis realize where Michael¡¯s gaze had been fixed.
¡°Damien Haksen,¡± Michael continued, his attention solely fixed on that man.
¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible? The Lion¡¯s Roar Sword technique is by no means a low-level martial art. It¡¯s a technique that our ancestors continuously developed and improved over generations. And not only did he see through it, but he also taught it to other knights.¡±
Typically, it was an impossible feat achieved only in dreams and beyond the reach of most geniuses.
¡°Father, do you see? Experiencing a moment like this, where my heart is racing, this is a first time for me.¡±
Michael ced his hand over his chest, his face slightly lifted.
¡°I¡¯ve finally found someone who¡¯s my equal.¡±
The Marquis looked at his son with aplex expression.
Originally, he had nned to sternly warn his son that victory was essential.
However, faced with his son¡¯s brimming excitement, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pour cold water on his son¡¯s excitement. Moreover, it seemed unnecessary to say such things.
¡°Michael, go and enjoy yourself to your heart¡¯s content,¡± the Marquis said, looking at his son.
Michael gripped his sword in response.
¡°¡But kill him.¡±
The Duke¡¯s words were calm but carried a sense of gravity.
¡°I understand, Father.¡±
With determination in his eyes, Michael headed towards the battlefield.
***
As Michael Ryan Bloom walked towards the arena, he could feel his heart pounding fiercely.
¡®Finally, we meet.¡¯
Michael Ryan Bloom¡¯s life could be summarized in just one word.
Boring.
When he first held a sword, excitement surged within him. Learning swordsmanship from his father seemed thrilling and amusing. Meeting senior knights filled him with curiosity.
But as the days of wielding the sword increased, the initial excitement and interest quickly faded. In short, it was too easy. His father¡¯s taught swordsmanship could be replicated after a single demonstration. Knights who were supposedly stronger than him turned out to be nothing special inbat.
At some point, Michael Ryan Bloom stopped approaching the training grounds. He let go of the sword and began to suffer from boredom and lethargy.
¡®Found it.¡¯
He thought adversaries, rivals, or any challenging figures would never appear. However, today, he unexpectedly encountered someone with talent matching his own¡ªa genius who could be his rival, a knight who could be his equal.
Michael Ryan Bloom stood before Damien.
¡°I¡¯m Michael Ryan Bloom.¡±
Suppressing his anticipation, Michael offered a greeting. After a yawn, Damien responded.
¡°I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
Michael feltughter bubbling up.
¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for someone like you for a long time.¡±
In his heart, he wanted to draw his sword immediately. However, the other person was a valuable opponent he had finally met. He wanted to properly present himself.
¡°Fight me as an equal, my fellow warrior.¡±
Michael Ryan Bloom gripped the hilt of his sword, his heart pounding fiercely.
¡°I earnestly request. Please don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±
Michael drew his sword, the de glinting coolly in the sunlight.
¡°Equality?¡±
Damien uttered a single word.
¡°Your talent hasn¡¯t fully blossomed, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be saying that.¡±
The words from Damien¡¯s mouth werepletely unexpected for Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°Can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll have toe down a bit.¡±
What is he trying to say?
Michael was about to ask that when suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. It felt like someone was pulling his shirt¡¯s back with rough hands.
Foreboding, a sense of danger, fear.
All those emotions surged explosively.
Unconsciously, Michael drew his sword, pointing the tip at Damien.
No, he tried to point it.
The de didn¡¯t rise. It stiffened, pointing downward.
Not only could he not aim the sword, but he couldn¡¯t even look directly at Damien.
His whole body trembled. Cold sweat dripped onto the ground.
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom.¡±
Damien spoke softly.
It felt like a dagger piercing Michael¡¯s ears.
¡°Do I still appear as an equal to you?¡±
The sword fell to the ground.
Before Michael even realized he had let go of the sword, he knelt on the ground.
¡°I¡ lost.¡±
The words came out involuntarily. Michael Ryan Bloom didn¡¯t even think of stopping his own mouth.
¡°I lose¡¡±
The third duel.
The winner had been decided.
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Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Chapter 34: Leaf ins (4)
The duel ended in the triumph of the Duke.
After winning the duel, the first thing the Duke did was¡
¡°Drink and enjoy to your heart¡¯s content!¡±
A feast was prepared on the ins.
Animals brought in beforehand were ughtered, and barrels of alcohol were opened. The aroma of cooking now wafted through the air, filling the surroundings.
¡°There¡¯s an abundance of meat and alcohol, overflowing even! So, everyone, indulge to your heart¡¯s content.¡±
The Duke also invited the people of the Marquis to the banquet. Thanks to that, the Duke¡¯s soldiers sat on one side, while the Marquis¡¯s soldiers sat on the other.
The Marquis¡¯s soldiers, forgetting their grudges, indulged in the feast of meat and alcohol.
Just by looking at this, it seemed like the Duke was behaving generously.
¡°What a narrow-minded person.¡±
Damien had noticed it a while ago. This gathering was arranged by the Duke to mock the Marquis until the end.
The evidence was in the expression of the Marquis sitting next to the Duke right now.
¡°Marquis Ryan Bloom! Why is your expression like that? We may have quarreled for a moment, but since everything is over, forget it and enjoy the moment together.¡±
The Duke poured alcohol into the Marquis¡¯s cup while saying this.
¡°As the winner, I¡¯ll pour it first. I¡¯m the winner¡±
In response to the Duke¡¯s words, the Marquis made a disgusted expression look like he¡¯d eaten the shit.
It was evident that he wanted to leave immediately. However, refusing the winner¡¯s invitation was not in line with the etiquette of the defeated.
Moreover, the Marquis¡¯s soldiers were also enjoying themselves with alcohol and food.
There was no way to break this atmosphere.
¡°Come on, drink!¡±
Thanks to that, only the Duke was in high spirits. The Duke happily poured alcohol into the Marquis¡¯s cup again and again.
Damien watched this scene and smirked.
¡°Well, that solves my problem.¡±
The reason he intervened in the duel between the two families was to keep the Marquis in check by preventing the Duke¡¯s downfall.
The Duke¡¯s defeat in the duel was the beginning of his downfall. Damien stopped the dark mages who had nned to control the Duchy and prevented the downfall of the Duke.
Now that he prevented this incident from taking ce he was much more rxed, however
¡®All that¡¯s left is Yn.¡¯
The murder of Yn¡¯s executive by Damien thwarted ns of Yn to consume the Duke.
Yn would no doubt try to kill him. He was hoping for that, so he kept giving them opportunities.
¡°Maybe they¡¯ll appear on the way back.¡±
People are most vulnerable when a big event is over, in the midst of joy.
This was exactly the case now.
Damien was lost in various thoughts. Someone approached him.
Turning his gaze, he saw Michael Ryan Bloom.
¡°Oh, do you mind if I sit at the front?¡±
Michael spoke with a stiff, firm face.
It was an unexpected approach from Michael.
¡®I wanted to have a sincere conversation for once, but I never expected someone like him to approach me first.¡¯
¡°Do as you please.¡±
Michael¡¯s face lit up as Damien graciously agreed.
He cheerfully sat across from Damien. He seemed inexplicably happy,ughing softly.
¡°May I call you Sir Damien?¡±
¡°Oh, sure. Can I call you Sir Michael then?¡±
¡°Y-yes, of course! It would be an honor!¡±
Damien tilted his ss. As the cup emptied, Michael skillfully lifted a bottle and filled Damien¡¯s cup.
¡°Uh, I was impressed during the duel!¡±
¡°Impressed?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but ask at the unexpected word.
¡°Well, I mean, throughout my entire life, I never thought I would actually have a rival!¡±
Blushing, Michael continued, ¡°But Sir Damien, you are not like me¡ No, you are far more impressive than someone like me!¡±
The reason Michael willingly epted defeat in thest duel was not simply because Damien was stronger.
It was because he had glimpsed Damien¡¯s talent through his extrasensory perception.
Realizing that Damien¡¯s talent was on a different level than his own, he promptly admitted defeat.
¡°The world is indeed vast.¡±
Michael spoke with an impressed expression.
Michael Ryan Bloom was also a formidable figure, as he did not despair even after feeling the pressure of Damien.
¡®Or maybe he felt that lonely.¡¯
Damien had a dreadful time being held captive by Dorugo before realizing how extraordinary his own talent was.
That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t empathize with Michael¡¯s sense of despair.
¡°You are too arrogant.¡±
And he had no intention of empathizing.
¡°Yes, uh?¡±
¡°Just now, you thought you were the second best, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°H-how did you know?¡±
Even after meeting Damien, Michael¡¯s pride remained intact.
Damien, the unequivocal number one.
He himself was just below.
Although the gap was absolute, he still considered himself second.
¡°As you said, the world is vast. Your talent may not bemon, but it doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist at all.¡±
Michael¡¯s self-confidence was not entirely unfounded.
Indeed, among the master ss, Michael was quite strong.
It was a fact that Michael Ryan Bloom possessed a talent that would leave a mark on history.
But where did those who left a mark on history number only one or two?
¡°Even in the Empire, there are at least three people with talents superior to yours.¡±
In a previous life, Michael Ryanbloom was 25 years old when he was defeated by a girl much younger than him.
That incident pushed him to resume sword training and eventually reach the level of a master.
But even after reaching the level of a master, he couldn¡¯t defeat that girl.
That girl wouldter be known as the Sword Empress.
¡°Michael Ryan Bloom, do not be conceited. Do not be arrogant. Do not think you are the best. Remember that there may always be someone who can surpass you.¡±
Michael looked at Damien with a shocked expression and then cautiously asked, ¡°D-Do you also have such thoughts, Sir Damien?¡±
¡°No, not at all. I am the best,¡± Damien replied.
¡°¡But, just now, you told me to be careful.¡±
Michael¡¯s expression turned bewildered.
However, in reality, Damien Haksen was indeed the best, proving it in his past life.
¡°I consider myself the best, but I don¡¯t getcent. I¡¯m always prepared and vignt. Do you know why?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°Because you never know when, where, or what danger might strike.¡±
In his past life, Damien, by a twist of fate, encountered Archlich Dorugo and became a Death Knight, leading to the destruction of the world. In that process, he evenmitted the atrocity of killing his own family with his own hands.
That¡¯s why when Damien regressed, he made a firm decision¡ªto always be prepared for the worst.
¡°Even though I consider myself the best, what if you getcent? What would happen then?¡±
As Damien tilted his ss, he added, ¡°Michael Ryan Bloom, do not be conceited. Try harder. Be stronger than you are now.¡±
The reason he said these words to Michael was to prepare for the future.
What if Damien couldn¡¯t find Dorugo until the end?
And what if Dorugo led the undead army and attacked the world?
At that time, having the strength of Michael Ryan Bloom could be a significant help.
¡°Understood¡ I will remember,¡± Michael nodded.
¡°But, in return¡ I have one request.¡±
¡°I said it was for your own good.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s like this¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hear it first.¡±
When Damien asked, Michael immediately replied, ¡°Could I address you as my elder brother?¡±
Upon hearing that request, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.
¡°Uh¡ do as you please.¡±
Because of that, he unintentionally gave his permission.
A bright smile spread across Michael¡¯s face.
¡°I¡¯ll rely on you from now on, Elder Brother Damien!¡±
***
¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you two to be so friendly.¡±
When Damien unintentionally gained a younger brother, both the Duke and the Marquis approached them.
¡°It¡¯s always wonderful to see young people forming friendships, isn¡¯t it?¡±
The Duke chuckled and turned to the Marquis, who still had a stern expression.
¡°Your Excellency, what brings you here?¡±
Damien stood up and spoke. The Duke was Damien¡¯s employer, so in public, he needed to maintain courtesy.
¡°It¡¯s fine. Please, stay seated. I can¡¯t let the hero of this recent victory stand on ceremony, can I, Marquis?¡±
In response to the Duke¡¯s question, the Marquis maintained his stern expression.
¡®He looks quite upset.¡¯
Damien inwardly scoffed at the Duke¡¯s actions, which were still bothering the Marquis.
¡°Sorry for interrupting your drinking session. I thought I¡¯d drop by after the meeting with the Marquis ended.¡±
¡°A meeting?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to open the Marquis¡¯s treasury to you as a dueling reward?¡±
Due to Michael Ryan Bloom drawing his sword during the conference, there was a slight alteration in the duel victory reward. If Damien won the duel, the Duke was supposed to take overnd near a gold mine, and in return, Damien was to receive a treasure from the Marquis¡¯s treasury.
¡°I had to endure quite a bit to convince him not to be stingy.¡±
¡°Stingy? If you knew the value of those items, you wouldn¡¯t say that!¡±
¡°If you open the treasury, you have to part with something of that value.¡±
A lighthearted quarrel ensued between the two.
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
After concluding their banter, the Marquis turned to Damien.
¡°First, I offer my apologies to you.¡±
If the Marquis¡¯s subordinates had heard this, they would have been astonished. Due to the Marquis¡¯s strong pride, he hadn¡¯t readily apologized before. Moreover, Damien hadn¡¯t exactly treated him well.
¡°I apologize for sending knights for a show of force.¡±
Damien could roughly guess the reason behind the change in the Marquis¡¯s attitude.
He realized that treating Damien Haksen as an enemy would not lead to anything good.
Yet, killing him was not an option, as behind Damien stood the Duke.
If he couldn¡¯t kill him, it was best to get along.
Therefore, the Marquis decided to lower his head.
¡°Of course, I don¡¯t intend to settle this with just words. As an apology and as a reward for the duel, I present this item.¡±
The Marquis took a small box from his pocket.
The leather-made box exuded an elegant atmosphere.
However, the contents of the box were quite basic.
Inside was a in gray ring with no notable decorations.
¡°It¡¯s a ring enchanted with subspace magic.¡±
Despite its simple appearance, the true value of the ring exceeded imagination.
Subspace magic.
It referred to magic that twisted space, allowing various items to be stored. The secret treasury could only be opened by its owner, making it the safest storage in the world.
¡°This item was crafted by the White Magic Tower and can store up to 100kg.¡±
Even magical items had different grades. ording to Damien, the lowest-grade spatial magic item could store 10kg of items. This subspace magic item, ten times that capacity, held immeasurable value.
¡°100kg would allow you to carry a decent set of armor, several spare weapons, food, potions, and even gold coinsfortably.¡±
Thinking ahead, Damien realized he wouldn¡¯t need to carry a heavy backpack on future travels.
¡°I appreciate it, Your Excellency.¡±
Damien received the spatial ring that the Marquis offered.
He put the ring on his finger and infused it with magic. The ring memorized Damien¡¯s mana signature. Now, only Damien could use the ring.
¡°If there¡¯s anything else you need, feel free to let me know. While I can¡¯t offer more items from the treasury, in the estate I¡¯d quite a collection of fine weapons.¡±
The Marquis Ryan Bloom, being the highest-ranking knightly family in the Apple Kingdom, boasted an abundance of exceptional weapons.
¡°Oh, then may I make one more request?¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
Damien casually spoke.
¡°I¡¯d like to receive a bow.¡±
¡°A bow?¡±
The Marquis shook his head in response to the unexpected request.
Damien exined nonchntly, ¡°I need it for my younger brother¡¯s wedding.¡±
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Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Chapter 35: The Return (1)
The feaststed all night.
The soldiers were strewn across the in in a drunken stupor. Fortunately, the weather was hot enough to prevent any major problems.
As the day dawned, both Duke and Marquis began to prepare to return home.
¡°Elder Brother, please stop by our house sometime.¡±
Michael Ryan Bloom grabbed Damien¡¯s hand and urged him on.
¡°You have to stop by, okay? You have to.¡±
¡°Okay, now let go of me¡¡.¡±
Only after Damien assured him that he would visit was he released.
The convoy back to the Duke¡¯s estate set off.
***
Upon returning to the duchy, Damien immediately informed the Duke of his intention to leave.
¡°Already leaving?¡± the Duke asked, widening his eyes. Damien bowed his head and spoke.
¡°To leave so suddenly¡ I¡¯m in the midst of preparing for the festival. Can¡¯t you wait until then?¡±
The Duke had no intention of ending the celebration he had thrown in the ins as a congrattions.
He had nned to hold a festival to announce it to the world. The Duke Goldpixie had defeated the Marquis Ryan Bloom in a duel.
¡°I¡¯ve been away for too long. My family must be worried, so I want to return quickly.¡±
The Duke looked at Damien with a disappointed expression.
¡°If that¡¯s your wish, I suppose I can¡¯t help it. Instead, wait just for today. I need to choose a knight to escort you.¡±
¡°Escort?¡± Damien asked with a face questioning why such a useless thing was being prepared.
¡°I know very well that you¡¯re skilled. However, the situation is gettingplicated. Ernest Horowitz, the middle-ss knight, has disappeared.¡±
The Duke said, clicking his tongue briefly.
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know why he disappeared¡ As you know, Ernest Horowitz was particrly close to Chelsea.¡±
As the Duke said, Ernest Horowitz was on the side of Chelsea Goldpixie.
He was not punished because he had no idea that Chelsea Goldpixie was coborating with a dark mage, but many in the duchy did not believe him.
¡°Ernest Horowitz may attack the duchy. It doesn¡¯t matter to me since Sir Karl Heimlich protects me, but others don¡¯t have the same luxury.¡±
Mid-sses were ssified as strategic weapons because of their immense power.
Such a being targeting the duchy? It could truly be considered an emergency.
¡°Perhaps he might attack you. The downfall of Chelsea Goldpixie started with you.¡±
¡°So, are you trying to assign a guard to me?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. It might not be pleasant, but have an escort until you reach your hometown.¡±
In truth, an escort was unnecessary. Middle-ss knight like Ernest Horowitz, Damien could handle things alone.
However, externally, Damien was known as a low-ss. It was necessary to conceal his abilities.
¡°I appreciate your consideration, Your Excellency.¡±
He epted the Duke¡¯s favor.
***
The next day, Damien came to the castle¡¯s inner gate.
¡°Oh, have youe?¡±
Within the inner gate, the Duke awaited Damien along with Karl Heimlich.
¡°Come and meet them. These are the men who will escort you..¡±
The Duke pointed to those who had been waiting.
Three knights and ten soldiers stood ready.
Damien scrutinized the faces of the knights, recognizing a familiar one.
¡°Hmm? Who¡¯s this? Sir Sebastian Vincenzo, isn¡¯t it?¡±
As Damien identified him, Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s expression crumpled.
The two had a far-from-friendly history. On the day of their duel, Sebastian Vincenzo had strategically involved his child, resulting in a humiliating defeat.
¡°All the other mid-sses are currently on missions. Sebastian was the only one avable,¡± the Duke exined.
He couldn¡¯t be oblivious to the tension between them, but the urgency of the situation seemed to mandate entrusting Damien¡¯s protection to Sebastian.
¡°Sebastian, take good care of Damien.¡±
¡°Yes, Your Excellency. I will protect him with my life if necessary.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo ced a fist over his heart and pledged.
¡°Safe travels.¡±
Damien extended his hand.
¡°Do your best,¡± he added.
Sebastian Vincenzo, though visibly displeased, reluctantly shook Damien¡¯s hand, acknowledging the unavoidable circumstances.
***
The Duke escorted Damien all the way to the outer gate.
¡°Your Excellency, why have you sent Damien?¡± inquired Karl Heimlich, who stood nearby.
¡°A knight like Damien cannot be found anywhere else. It¡¯s preferable to keep him bound to the duchy¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ve considered that. I¡¯ve pondered if there¡¯s a way to make Damien a knight of the duchy,¡± the Duke replied.
The Duke had realized a bitter truth during the duel with the Marquis¡ªa stark difference in the skill levels between the knights of the two houses. While he had won the duel, it was possible only because of Damien¡¯s presence.
In such a circumstance, the significance of Damien as an individual became paramount.
¡°Damien must have sensed my intentions. If he had any intention to continue serving under me, he would have stayed.¡±
However, he had expressed his desire to return home.
It signified apleteck of attachment to the Duke¡¯s estate.
¡°Above all, Damien is not someone meant to serve under another.¡±
Unlike the Duke¡¯s knights, Damien had never once shown a gaze of admiration toward the Duke. He maintained formality and courtesy, nothing more.
¡°Just once, I saw a look in Damien¡¯s eyes.¡±
Swordmaster.
A being who transcended the constraints of mortality, stepping into the realm of the Superhumans.
It resembled that gaze.
¡°Taking a man like him? It¡¯s not something easily achieved. That¡¯s why I sent him,¡± the Duke said with a regretful expression.
¡°Now, go in. There¡¯s much to be done.¡±
***
Damien¡¯s return journey to the Haksen estate was serene. A convoy consisting of three knights and ten armed soldiers provided a formidable presence, dissuading any potential threats from approaching. Furthermore, their choice of transportation, riding on horseback, guaranteed swift and efficient progress.
As the sun began to set, Sebastian Vincenzo suggested, ¡°Today, we should make camp here.¡±
The group paused in the woods, and as the soldiers readied for the night, the knights established a campfire a short distance away, taking a moment to rest.
Damien Haksen found afortable spot near the fire and sat down on a log.
¡°Sir Damien Haksen.¡±
Suddenly, Sebastian Vincenzo called out to him.
¡°Thank you for winning the duel.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled by the unexpected remark.
¡°Well¡ my son lost in the duel.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo continued, with a smirk on his face.
¡°If Pavel also had lost the duel, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face Duke. But thanks to your training, the knight you instructed allowed His Excellency to im victory.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo, with his wed judgment, had handed the Duke his first defeat.
If Duke had beenpletely defeated in the duel, Sebastian Vincenzo would have faced numerous criticisms.
¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I had no intention of helping Sir Sebastian,¡± Damien responded.
¡°¡You have a talent for choosing your words very delicately,¡± Sebastian Vincenzo said.
Just then, Sebastian Vincenzo suddenly stood up.
The Duke¡¯s knights were surprised, looking at Sebastian Vincenzo.
¡°Hiding won¡¯t do you any good. Show yourself!¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo shouted. Shortly after, someone emerged from the darkness.
A man with an ordinary build, d in a ck cloak.
As Sebastian Vincenzo glimpsed the face of the intruder, his expression froze.
¡°¡Ernest Horowitz.¡±
Ernest Horowitz twisted his lips into a smirk.
¡°Long time no see, Sebastian Vincenzo.¡±
***
¡°¡Why are you here?¡±
After the death of Chelsea Goldpixie, the knight who had disappeared from the duchy reappeared in this ce.
Sebastian Vincenzo spoke with a face full of caution.
¡°There¡¯s no special reason. There¡¯s someone I need to tear apart and kill.¡±
Saying this, Ernest Horowitz looked at Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen, that damn bastard.¡±
¡°¡Sir Damien is a guest of his Excellency.¡±
¡°And provided the cause that led to the death of Lady Chelsea.¡±
A hint of resentment flickered in Ernest Horowitz¡¯s eyes.
¡°Sebastian Vincenzo, I don¡¯t intend to let anyone who¡¯s connected to Lady Chelsea¡¯s death live.¡±
¡°Lady Chelsea Goldpixie took her own life. It wasn¡¯t sir Damien¡¯s fault¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense!¡±
Ernest Horowitz roared.
¡°The Lady was a very resilient person! No matter how tough it got, she endured it! She would never take her own life!¡±
Ernest Horowitz took a deep breath.
¡°Lady Chelsea was undoubtedly killed by the Duke. Surely, she endured cruel torture before she died.¡±
With a face where vitality seemed to drain away, Ernest Horowitz spoke.
¡°I will never let Lady Chelsea¡¯s death go unanswered. I will kill Damien Haksen, the ones who interrogated Lady Chelsea, and, finally, the Duke.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo looked at Ernest Horowitz with an incredulous expression.
¡°You¡¯re going to murder his Excellency? You¡¯re truly out of your mind.¡±
¡°Yes, I am. I haven¡¯t been in my right mind since the day Lady Chelsea was brutally murdered.¡±
Ernest Horowitz let out a lowugh.
¡°Sebastian Vincenzo, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Give Damien Haksen. Then I will spare your life.¡±
¡°Arrogant words. Do you think someone like you can spare anyone?¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo exerted his aura.
A tremendous force spread in all directions. The sounds of beasts and insects from the forest instantly ceased.
¡°Arrogant, you say¡ Yes, you¡¯re right. Sebastian Vincenzo, you were stronger than me. That¡¯s why I prepared.¡±
Ernest Horowitz took off his cloak, revealing a bizarre scene.
Dark magic circles were inscribed all over Ernest Horowitz¡¯s body. Dark mana stones were embedded in various ces of the circles.
But that wasn¡¯t all. Despite being concealed by tattoos, traces of surgeries were evident all over the body.
Sebastian Vincenzo, seeing this, eximed in astonishment.
¡°Could it be that you dabbled in dark magic?¡±
¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t handle the Duke alone, so I sought a bit of assistance.¡±
A wry smile appeared at the corner of Ernest Horowitz¡¯s mouth.
¡°Like Guiume ckwing, I underwent the same procedures. In exchange for depleting my life force, I gained vast aura and physical abilities.¡±
Ernest Horowitz unleashed his aura.
A dark-colored aura surged into the sky like intermittent eruptions. The surrounding trees shook violently due to the immense amount of mana.
¡°Open your eyes and see what power I¡¯ve acquired!¡±
Ernest Horowitz struck the ground forcefully, thrusting his spear toward Sebastian.
Sebastian Vincenzo quickly lifted his sword to parry the iing spear.
At the moment of impact, Sebastian¡¯s body was forced backward.
¡°Ugh?¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo exerted force into his legs. His retreating body barely came to a stop.
Sebastian Vincenzo looked incredulously at his hand.
With just one collision, his palm was torn apart.
It was a shocking disy of speed and strength.
¡°Why? Surprised? Something seems wrong?¡±
Ernest Horowitz shouted with a face full of ecstasy.
¡°You should have heeded my warning! I said I wouldn¡¯t kill you if you just released Damien Haksen!¡±
Ernest Horowitz shouted as he thrust the spear again.
A crimson aura, like fresh blood, emanated from the spear. The aura turned into a storm, engulfing Sebastian Vincenzo.
Sebastian Vincenzo hastily moved aside. All the trees and rocks behind him were sliced into pieces.
Sebastian Vincenzo looked at the path the storm had passed.
A portion of the forest had transformed into a in.
Seeing this, Sebastian¡¯s face stiffened.
¡°What are you staring at? Run, everyone!¡±
The knights of the Duke hesitated at Sebastian¡¯s words. They were torn between following the order or assisting Sebastian.
¡°You fools! Your presence won¡¯t make a difference! So, go to the Duke and ask for help!¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo shouted vehemently. Still, the knights couldn¡¯t easily make a decision.
¡°Understood! We will call for help, so please hold on for a little longer!¡±
At that moment, Damien shouted.
Damien turned and fled. Only then did the other knights follow suit.
Damien and the knights distanced themselves. In response, Ernest Horowitz scoffed and said,
¡°Do you really think you can stop me?¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo, with a sneer on his face, retorted,
¡°Who said anything about stopping you? I n to kill you right here.¡±
¡°Oh, such remarkable confidence. Let¡¯s see if that¡¯s possible as we go along¡ By the way, do you think I came here alone?¡±
At that remark, Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s pupils widened.
¡°You¡ Surely¡¡±
¡°Dark mages are lurking nearby. Damien Haksen won¡¯t be able to go far.¡±
Anger shed in Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s eyes.
¡°You, bastard!¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo charged at Ernest Horowitz.
In the darkening forest, the two mid-ss knights collided.
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Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Chapter:36 The Return (2)
***
Damien shouted to the soldiers, ¡°Drop your baggage and mount the horses immediately! We need to leave this ce!¡±
Startled by the sudden noise, the soldiers hastily obeyed Damien¡¯smand.
¡°Knights, mount your horses as well,¡± Damien directed towards the two knights.
However, one of the knights hesitated and spoke, ¡°Sir Damien, going to aid Sir Sebastian even now might be¡¡±
Damien struck the knight across the face, leaving him dumbfounded.
¡°Would meddling in a duel between mid-sses with a low-ss like yourself be of any help? It would only be a hindrance.¡±
¡°But, sir¡¡±
¡°Stop the nonsense and get on the horses. Do you intend to let all the soldiers here die?¡±
Fear seized all the soldiers, and the knight who observed their trepidation nodded solemnly.
¡°¡Understood. Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Where are you heading?¡± an unfamiliar voice interrupted. The knights turned in surprise.
A middle-aged man and a woman stood a bit away. While the man appeared ordinary, the woman possessed an astonishing beauty.
However, the soldiers paid little attention to the woman¡¯s appearance. It was the mysterious unease emanating from the pair that unsettled them.
¡°Who are you?¡± Damien inquired, facing the two. The man chuckled and responded, ¡°Seems like a question we¡¯re not inclined to answer. We¡¯d rather keep our identity secret.¡±
The middle-aged man raised his voice.
¡°Our objective is Damien Haksen. We won¡¯t harm the others if you hand over him and leave peacefully.¡±
Upon hearing this, the knights shouted without hesitation, ¡°Nonsense! Do you think we would listen to the likes of you? Sir Damien Haksen is a benefactor of the Duke! Do you think we would abandon a benefactor?¡±
The middle-aged man sneered at the knights¡¯ response.
¡°So, this is what knights are like¡ They need a clear disy of their inferiority toe to
their senses.¡±
With a gesture, the middle-aged man spread his hands, releasing dark mana that flowed down his arms. The tendrils of dark magic meticulously formed intricate runes on the exposed skin outside his clothes.
Woo! Woo!
With eerie sounds, the man¡¯s body began to contort, bones and muscles growing rapidly. In an instant, his once ordinary body transformed into a giant exceeding three meters. His skin turned entirely crimson, resembling not human flesh but the hide of a monstrous creature.
Most peculiar were the four tentacles protruding from the man¡¯s back. Thick as tree trunks and covered in scales, they presented a gruesome sight.
The transformed man¡¯s appearance was horrific, akin to a demon crawling up from hell.
¡°¡Berserk Sect.¡±
One of the knights murmured with a terrified expression. The Berserk Sect referred to individuals who utilized their bodies as conduits for dark magic.
The dark magic wielded by the Berserk Sect surpassed mere body enhancement; it triggered profound transformations. The altered physique could manifest abilities surpassing those of humans, reaching levelsparable to monsters.
The Berserk Sect was renowned for possessing the highestbat capabilities among dark magic factions.
¡°Can you now feel the gap between us?¡±
The extent of the transformation indicated the man¡¯s proficiency in Berserk Arts. The middle-aged man had created entirely new sections on his body, evidence of being an advanced practitioner.
In the realm of knights, a high-ranking Berserk Arts practitioner would be on par with a mid-ss level expert. Faced with such a formidable opponent, the odds were overwhelmingly against the three low-ss knights.
¡°As a final offer, I suggest you abandon Damien Haksen and leave. I will spare those who choose to flee.¡±
The faces of the two knights turned pale. Their hands, holding the swords, trembled.
¡°¡Sir Damien, we will help.¡±
¡°If you give themand, we will strike.¡±
Despite the situation, they didn¡¯t choose to flee. Instead, their determination ignited.
Turning towards the knights, Damien spoke sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t you see? If we fight, everyone dies. Even you two should run.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Losing our honor is more frightening than death.¡±
¡°I share the same sentiment.¡±
Despite their words, the middle-aged man chuckled.
¡°Stubborn, aren¡¯t you? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I intended to kill you all even if you ran.¡±
The middle-aged man gestured behind him. Unnoticed, the woman now held a ck staff.
Dark magic swirled around the staff, and upon seeing it, the knights uttered their disdain.
¡°¡They nned to use dark magic if we fled.¡±
¡°These despicable wretches¡!¡±
The knights¡¯ curses only amused the middle-aged man.
¡°Giving a painless death for all three would be mercy. Make them beg for death.¡±
The middle-aged man began to move, and the knights unsheathed their weapons.
Out of nowhere, Damien swung the blunt side of his sword, hitting the backs of the heads of the two knights. Caught off guard, the knights instantly fell into unconsciousness.
Both the middle-aged man and the nearby soldiers were astonished as they stared at Damien.
¡°Mount these bodies on horses and make your escape, Run towards the duchy¡±.
Damienmanded the soldiers. When they hesitated, he roared, ¡°Move!¡±
Only then did the soldiers mount the horses and swiftly depart, disappearing into the forest.
¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d sacrifice yourself.¡±
The middle-aged man sneered.
¡°But it¡¯s useless. My subordinate behind me will curse them. They¡¯ll all die before leaving the woods.¡±
¡°Self-sacrifice? You¡¯re gravely mistaken.¡±
Damien suddenly spoke.
¡°They were just in the way. If anyone sees them, I can¡¯t fight properly.¡±
¡°In the way?¡±
¡°Yeah, if someone¡¯s watching, I can¡¯t give my best in a fight.¡±
With those words, he casually began stretching his body, eliciting a bewildered expression on the middle-aged man¡¯s face.
¡°Arrogant fool. I knew you were arrogant, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so foolish. Do you even know who I am? Do you think you can stand a chance against me?¡±
¡°I know. You¡¯re Yn¡¯s dark mage.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°You¡ How did you¡?¡±
¡°Yeah, I guessed your purpose roughly. Originally, you tried to use Chelsea Goldpixie to swallow the Duke. You failed because of me.¡±
The middle-aged man¡¯s pupils trembled, shocked not only by the revtion of his identity but also by the disclosure of their concrete objectives.
¡°Ernest Horowitz said something about killing the Duke, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s a lie. You have no intention of killing the Duke.¡±
¡°Damien extended his hand cracking his knuckles, continuing to speak.¡±
¡°Because the Duke is too formidable. Maybe you¡¯re plotting to control the duke by using dark magic on him, but attempting to assassinate a duke is risky business. So, the reason for your presence here is clear. Your true target is none other than me.¡±
Damien stretched his neck, tilting his head from side to side.
¡°I killed your subordinates and thwarted your ns. You won¡¯t just leave me alone quietly, especially since I¡¯m as relentless as an iron wall. Hence, to eliminate me, you take the help of Ernest Horowitz.¡±
From Yn¡¯s perspective, Ernest Horowitz was nothing more than a useful pawn.
The evidencey in the dark magic actively working within Ernest Horowitz. Like Guiume ckwing, Ernest Horowitz gained formidable power at the cost of his life force.
However, Ernest Horowitz was consuming life force at a much faster rate than Guiume ckwing.
He was destined to die today.
¡°Why did you hide our identity when you already knew it?¡±
¡°If I had disclosed it, wouldn¡¯t you all have just fled? That¡¯s why I deliberately concealed it. So that you woulde to kill me.¡±
The middle-aged man added with a face that showedplete iprehension,
¡°Why did you drag us into this? What¡¯s your hidden agenda?¡±
¡°No hidden agenda. I just want to kill you with my own hands.¡±
Damien hates dark mages. He couldn¡¯t get enough of them without destroying them whenever he saw them.
Moreover, the Yn was a faction of ck mages who had attempted to meddle with his home.
¡°Now that all the curiosity is satisfied, let¡¯s stop wasting time. I need to quickly kill you and go to aid Sebastian Vincenzo.¡±
ording to Damien¡¯s calctions, Sebastian Vincenzo wouldn¡¯t die easily. However, there was no room forcency; one never knew what unexpected events could ur during battle.
¡°I understand very well that you¡¯re a madman.¡±
The middle-aged man said with an absurd expression.
¡°Anyway, my decision to kill you was not wrong. We can¡¯t afford to let someone who knows our identity live.¡±
A cruel smile appeared on the middle-aged man¡¯s lips.
¡°Formally introduce yourself. I¡¯m Mustang Fury, the leader of Yn. That over there is our vice-leader, Reba.¡±
Damien¡¯s gaze changed slightly. While he knew about Yn, he hadn¡¯t expected them to have a leader and a vice-leader.
Considering the risky n of taking down the Duke Goldpixie, it was only natural that they had prominent figures leading the charge.
¡°To preemptively block such a dangerous person. This must be the grace of the great Archlich, nothing else.¡±
Damien¡¯s body tensed as he heard ¡®Archlich¡¯. He asked reflexively.
¡°Archlich? Dorugo?¡±
This time, Mustang Fury¡¯s pupils widened at the mention of that name.¡±
¡°How do you know his name¡¡±
With a snap, his mouth closed.
Without anyone touching him, his muscles contracted, and his mouth shut involuntarily.
¡?
He tried to open his mouth, but words wouldn¡¯te out.
As Mustang Fury, he couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered.
His body had defied the owner¡¯s will and moved on its own.
¡°Ah, what¡¯s happening?¡±
At the voice, Mustang Fury looked at Damien.
Only then did Mustang Fury understand why his mouth had closed.
The atmosphere had changed.
Until just now, Damien had consistently acted calmly and leisurely.
But now, it was different.
Behind the pupils staring at Mustang Fury, an intense aura of hostility emanated.
The concentration was so thick that it was hard to meet his gaze directly.
It felt as if he were pushing his face close to a giant pit of fire.
Unconsciously, Mustang Fury found himself breathing heavily.
Every muscle in his body stiffened. If he didn¡¯t consciously breathe, it felt like his breath would stop.
¡°Were you a subordinate of Dorugo?¡±
A smile appeared at the corner of Damien¡¯s mouth.
A sense of exhration emerged within the immense hostility.
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Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Chapter 37: The Return (3)
¡®This is unbelievable.¡¯
Mustang Fury denied what he was feeling.
¡®I am a dark mage of the 7th ss. It¡¯s on a different level than low-ss mages!¡¯
The status of a mage and a dark mage is divided by ss.
There are a total of 12 sses.
To be called a high mage, one needed to ascend to the 7th ss or higher.
Thebat prowess of mages varied depending on their sect, making it challenging to evaluate precisely.
Mustang Fury was a high-ranking dark mage specializing in the Berserk arts of Berserk Sect which is famous forbat.
He possessed formidablebat skills, enough to look down upon even mid-ss knights.
It was iprehensible. How could he be so terrified of a mere low-ss Damien Haksen?
¡®What in the world is he?¡¯
But denying it continuously became difficult, as Damien emitted an unusual aura.
Beingcent even after witnessing such a sight would be foolish.
Aware of this fact, Mustang Fury maximized his dark mana to its fullest.
Knights enhanced their bodies with mana, gaining superhuman strength and speed. The Berserk Sect could simrly use dark magic through a simr method.
A body over three meters disappeared suddenly.
It reappeared behind Damien.
Mustang Fury clenched his fist. Dark mana solidified tightly around his massive fist, akin to a bludgeon.
¡®One strike and it¡¯s over.¡¯
Mustang Fury brought down his fist.
A roar erupted as the ground shattered. The aftermath alone toppled the surrounding trees.
Yet, despite this level of destruction, Mustang Fury¡¯s expression remained unchanged.
The only thing destroyed was the nearby terrain; Damien remained unscathed.
¡±You¡ What trickery did you just pull?¡±
Moments ago, Mustang Fury had seen it clearly.
The moment he attempted to strike Damien with his fist, the trajectory suddenly deviated.
Due to the gust, Mustang Fury¡¯s fist mmed into the ground instead of connecting with Damien.
¡°It appears patience isn¡¯t your strong suit, so I¡¯ll warn you in advance.¡±
Damien offered no response to the question, muttering iprehensible words.
¡°Talk about Dorugo. If you reveal where he is, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±
¡°Nonsense¡¡±
Before he could finish his sentence, Damien swung the Thousand-Mile Sword.
The sword swung from bottom to top, and cut Mustang Fury¡¯s throat.
The sound of the neck-snapping was sharp and clear.
Kraaaah!
Blood began to spurt out wildly from the severed neck. Mustang Fury clutched his throat, screaming.
¡°Seems like my warning didn¡¯t sound serious to you?¡±
Damien stared at Mustang Fury with eyes full of killing intent.
¡°Then, from now on, I¡¯ll make you feel it to the bone.¡±
***
Mustang Fury desperately pressed his head, and then a bizarre phenomenon urred.
His muscles melted like jelly, and his severed neck began to reattach themselves.
The mages of the Berserk Sect altered their bodies forbat, and the greatest advantage gained was not immense power but rather regenerative abilities.
They could cleanly restore their bodies even if cut, torn, or contorted.
Grrrr¡
Barely managing to attach his neck, Mustang Fury growled toward Damien.
¡°Kill¡ I¡¯ll kill you. Tear you apart and kill you!¡±
¡°Those might not be the words you should be saying.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you¡ shut up!¡±
Mustang Fury charged.
His massive body seemed to disappear, then reappeared right in front of Damien. He swung his fist towards Damien.
Damien read Mustang Fury¡¯s movements with an indifferent gaze.
¡®So he thinks he can win with just one hit?¡¯
Currently, Mustang Fury paid no attention to defense at all.
It was a characteristicbat style of the Berserk Sect, relying on regeneration and focusing solely on offense.
¡®Let me show you that your thinking is mistaken.¡¯
He blocked the iing fist with his palm and pushed it aside.
The trajectory of the punch deviated, hitting the ground instead of Damien.
¡°What?¡±
Bewilderment crossed Mustang Fury¡¯s face. The same phenomenon as before had urred again.
¡°Another trick?¡±
Mustang Fury struck again.
Mutated body, vast dark mana.
Thebination of these made Mustang Fury¡¯s attacks resemble shes of lightning.
However, Damien effortlessly parried all of Mustang Fury¡¯s attacks.
His fists had never touched Damien.
¡®I can clearly see the effects of the elixir.¡¯
Sword insight, a state where a swordsman can change the flow of attack and change its trajectory.
However, the drawback was that it consumed a significant amount of mana, especially against strong attacks.
That¡¯s why Damien hadn¡¯t been able to fully utilize it until now. He had too little energy.
This time, however, the ingestion of the Elixir of Mana Crystallization solved this problem to some extent.
¡°How long do you n to keep dodging me?¡±
¡°Why, are you bored, then I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t let any more attacks slip through.
Dodging the iing attack, Damien shifted his body and swung the Thousand-Mile Sword, cutting through Mustang Fury¡¯s forearm. A long and deep wound immediately surfaced on Mustang Fury¡¯s arm.
¡°It¡¯s useless!¡±
As Mustang Fury raised dark mana, the forearm wound regenerated in an instant.
Seeing this, Damien wore a satisfied smile.
¡°Good, I¡¯ll have no problem slicing you up to my heart¡¯s content.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Charging towards Mustang Fury, Damien swiftly passed by, shing at his side and cutting through the ribs. The abdomen split open, revealing a gush of blood, though the organs didn¡¯t spill out.
¡°Aaaahhh!¡±
Mustang Fury screamed, swinging his fist.
Damien easily avoided his attack, rotting away the joints of the forearm. The forearm dangled like a broken tree branch.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Filled with anger, Mustang Fury¡¯s voice reverberated. The four tentacles hanging from his back lunged at Damien.
Damien¡¯s hand moved with finesse. The tentacles were swiftly sliced into dozens of pieces.
¡°This guy!¡±
New tentacles emerged from Mustang Fury¡¯s back and ready to swing at Damien.
But Damien¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. He disappeared somewhere.
¡°Where did he go?¡±
¡°Here.¡±
A voice echoed from the side.
Turning around, his thigh split. A bundle of muscles was severed all at once.
Mustang Fury¡¯s body swayed greatly. Shortly after, another voice echoed.
¡°This time here.¡±
Before he could turn around, his knee had cut-off.
Muscles, tendons, and even joint bones were cut. Mustang Fury¡¯s body tilted to the side.
¡°Kwaaah!¡±
Mustang Fury immediately inserted the tentacles into the ground to support himself.
Mustang Fury quickly regenerated the wounds on his knees.
However, before the knees could fully reattach, Damien struck again.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
When the same ce was shed again, the pain doubled. Mustang Fury screamed.
¡°Dull and slow.¡±
Damien relentlessly moved, torturing Mustang Fury¡¯s body.
Every time a voice was heard, blood spurted and flesh was cut. Eventually, Mustang Fury sumbed to the relentless assault and crumpled to the ground.
A situation where he couldn¡¯t make a move.
To finish it off, Damien appeared in front of Mustang Fury.
Just as he was about to swing the sword towards his neck, Mustang Fury¡¯s eyes shed.
Mustang Fury opened his mouth wide toward Damien. Dark mana began to surge from his throat.
¡°Try to dodge this one!¡±
Mustang Fury expelled dark mana, radiating it in a burst.
Just as it was about to vaporize Damien, Damien thrust his Thousand-Mile Sword.
forward.
The sword and dark mana collided. The Thousand-Mile Sword vibrated menacingly, emitting waves of its own brilliance.
The released brilliance formed an invisible barrier.
Relentlessly, dark mana pounded against the barrier. However, it failed to pierce through and only scattered in all directions.
¡°¡!¡±
Even with his trump card thwarted, Mustang Fury¡¯s pupils dted as if in disbelief.
Dark de ¨C Void Fortress.
It was a technique used by a Sword Musician in a previous life, capable of absorbing the opponent¡¯s attack to form a protective shield. Originally a defensive skill, it could also be utilized as a counterattack depending on how it was employed.
¡°I won¡¯t kill you because you need to hear about Dorugo.¡±
As the time blocking the dark magic stretched, the brilliance of the sword also intensified.
Damien flicked the de with his fingertips.
The brilliance of the sword was magnified several times. A tidal wave of sound engulfed Mustang Fury.
***
Mustang Fury was swept away by the brilliance and flew far, tumbling on the ground several times.
¡°Cough¡ Cough¡¡±
Mustang Furyy on the ground, spewing blood while facing severe injuries from the recent attack. His internal organs were ruptured, and blood vessels were torn apart.
¡°Quickly¡ Regen¡ erate¡¡±
Mustang Fury attempted to use dark mana to regenerate his body.
However, no matter how much dark mana he used, his body¡¯s wounds remained unchanged.
Being a practitioner of the Berserk Arts, it wasn¡¯t an ability to infinitely regenerate wounds. Each regeneration consumed both stamina and dark mana, so there were limits.
¡°Damn it¡¡±
Footsteps echoed.
As Mustang Fury struggled to lift his head, he saw Damien approaching.
He looked just as good as the first time. He wasn¡¯t even sweating.
¡°Da¡Damien Haksen¡¡±
Mustang Fury gazed at Damien with a face filled with terror.
¡°Who are you¡ How do you possess such power¡¡±
¡°Do you think I spared you to hear such nonsense?¡±
Damien ced the Thousand-Mile Sword on Mustang Fury¡¯s shoulder.
¡°Speak. Where is Dorugo?¡±
¡°¡Do you think I would tell you that?¡±
¡°Then you¡¯ll die.¡±
Damien raised the sword high. At that moment, Mustang Fury shouted.
¡°Reba! Now!¡±
Mustang Fury screamed.
From a distance, Reba unleashed dark magic.
She hadn¡¯t just been watching the situation unfold; she had been preparing dark magic in case of an emergency.
A ck shadow appeared behind Damien¡¯s back.
A skeletal figure, draped in a tattered cloak, thrust a scythe into Damien¡¯s neck.
¡°A curse of instant death from a curser who reached the 7th ss!¡±
Mustang Fury eximed in delight.
¡°No one has survived this curse at such close range!¡±
Even with death imminent, Damien¡¯s eyes remained unchanged.
¡°You should learn more about that curse, but I won¡¯t let you live for now.¡±
Damien said indifferently. Mustang Fury ground his teeth.
¡°Let¡¯s see if he can make that sound after he¡¯s dead, Reba, kill him!¡±
Reba sped her hands together. Then the skeleton tried to swing its scythe at Damien¡¯s throat.
In that moment, a pattern appeared on Damien¡¯s palm.
The pattern began to glow red. The skeletal figure recoiled, covering its face with its skeletal hands as if witnessing something horrific.
Gradually, it emitted a grotesque scream and shattered into pieces.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The shockingly gruesome scene left Mustang Fury dumbfounded.
With his knowledge, it was likely he couldn¡¯tprehend what he had just witnessed.
Authority of Greed.
One of the seven authorities that Dorugo imnted into Damien¡¯s body in his previous life.
It was an ability to dpose and absorb all forms of magic and dark magic.
As long as Damien possessed this ability, there was no way for him to be defeated by dark mages.
¡±This is dark magic that I¡¯ve spent my entire life studying in Yn¡¡! If the conditions are right, I can kill even a High ss!¡±
¡°What, was this crude dark magic your vision magic, you people?¡±
Just as knights had a vision, mages also had visions.
However, the meaning slightly differed. It referred to the magic that mages researched and perfected throughout their lives.
Some of their visions were not created by an individual but were studied and perfected by a group.
¡°Do you think you could walk around with such mediocre skills?¡±
Damian harbored a deep-seated loathing for dark mages. It was disgustingly unbearable for him.
This time, man¡¯s meager self-confidence akin to a frog in a well truly irked Damian¡¯s temperament.
It was to the point where he couldn¡¯t endure it without trampling on it.
¡°Before sending you to the afterlife, how about a little gift?¡±
Damien Haksen removed a bracelet.
It was a bracelet he had acquired after killing the Yn¡¯s member Akitora, an ancient artifact that could store any energy and perfectly conceal it.
Damien used this bracelet to store dark mana, preparing for emergencies.
¡°Let me show you what real dark magic is.¡±
Damien raised his finger.
No need for magic circles or spells. He manifested dark magic by merely manipting it.
The night sky instantly turned pitch ck.
The sparkling stars, the moon, and the brightening sky as it approached the horizon¡ªall turned ck.
¡°This is¡¡±
Mustang Fury couldn¡¯t recognize the dark magic Damien was using.
It was inevitable. This was the dark magic that Dorugo had kept as his secret technique.
ckness.
A dark magic that exerted physical force, obliterating everything within its range.
It corresponded to the highest-ranking 9th-ss dark magic.
In his past life, Damien had used this dark magic to obliterate a thriving city protected byyers uponyers of ovepping protective spells.
Damien lowered his raised finger.
An unseen force crushed Reba, Mustang Fury, and everything within its range.
Without a chance to feel pain, the bodies of the two werepletely obliterated.
All that remained in the ce where they stood was a blood pool.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 38: Cleanup(1)
***
Damien reims the ckness.
The shadow that had covered the sky was dispelled in an instant. The night sky returned to its original state.
Damien approached the thick blood puddle left on the ground.
The power of ckness was truly formidable.
Even the dark mages of the 7th ss, true to their name, lost their lives without a chance to resist.
Not only their bodies but also their clothes and belongings disintegratedpletely.
Damien raised his head and looked into the empty air.
The dark mana that had nowhere to go because of its wielder¡¯s death was swirling in the air.
Both being high-ranking dark mages of the 7th ss, the amount of dark mana was staggering.
He absorbed all the dark mana and stored it in his bracelet. A tremendous amount of dark mana was now stored in the bracelet.
Judging by it, it seemed to be about five times the dark magic he obtained by killing Akitora.
¡°Ah, I forgot to ask about Dorugo.¡±
Being dead didn¡¯t mean there was no way to find out about Dorugo.
In fact, there was even more information that could be extracted after death.
But Damien preferred to use something other than that method.
¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±
Damien stopped in front of the puddle. Something vague was sucked out of the two puddles.
Gray smoke-like orbs slowly took shape on Damien¡¯s palm.
-Aaahh!
-Ahhhh!
The two orbs emitted horrifying screams.
These two entities were none other than the souls of Mustang Fury and Reba.
Controlling souls was one of the greatest atrocitiesmitted by dark mages.
Dark mages utilized the souls of living beings for various dark magic purposes.
Originally, souls went through the cycle of life and death.
However, a soul utilized in dark magic was entirely consumed after expending all its power.
It signified theplete disappearance of a human being.
That¡¯s why Damien hesitated to use this method.
However, after extracting the souls, he felt no particr guilt.
Perhaps it was because they were the souls of abominable dark mages.
¡°I have to extract everything you know.¡±
Damien forcefully extracted the memories held by the two souls using dark magic.
-Ahh! Nooo!
-S-stop! Please, nooo!
The two souls writhed in agony, but Damien did not stop.
The memories held by the two souls streamed into Damien¡¯s mind.
¡°I am Dorugo, The Archlich.¡±
Within that moment, he once again encountered the countenance he vehemently despised.
¡°You¡¯ve likely heard of me. Most of the dark magic you¡¯re familiar with has passed through my hands.¡±
Seeing Dorugo¡¯s visage reignited the rage within Damien, but he forcefully suppressed it.
¡®Now is not the time to express anger; I need information about Dorugo.¡¯
¡°I¡¯ve been observing your activities for a considerable period. Your skills are trulymendable. I have a task that I entrust to you.¡±
¡°I aspire to establish an empire for dark mages, offering a sanctuary for those persecuted. That is my goal.¡±
Upon hearing this, Damien couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.
¡°An empire for dark mages? What a load of bullshit.¡±
Archlich Dorugo¡¯s goal was the extinction of humanity, and dark mages were no exception.
Dorugo had used dark mages during the war, only to kill them all in the end.
¡°To achieve my goal, it is necessary to weaken the power of each country. So, go to the Apple Kingdom and sow chaos between them.¡±
The meeting between the dark mages of Yn and Dorugo ended there.
Although it was a one-time meeting, Mustang Fury and Reba diligently proceeded to carry out Dorugo¡¯smand.
Their targeting of Duke Goldpixie was also part of that mission.
¡°Unfortunately, there is no other information about Dorugo on them¡¡±
There was no way for Damien to find a way to meet Dorugo, something he desperately wanted.
¡°Well, expecting anything from these scum was my mistake.¡±
Dorugo had moved so discreetly for thousands of years that there was no way to catch him so easily.
¡°I need to find and kill that bastard as soon as possible.¡±
Dorugo roamed the world to fulfill his n to bring about the destruction of the world.
The encounter between Damien and Dorugo in a previous life was merely a coincidence.
Even if he revisited that location, there was no assurance that he would cross paths with Dorugo again.
¡°Any other information?¡±
Despite that, Damien couldn¡¯t let go of his regrets and delved a bit more into the souls.
With each disturbance of the souls by dark magic, screams echoed.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
In the midst of it, a peculiar memory came forth.
It was a memory of Yn¡¯s members gathering in a cave and moving something.
¡°Ah, a secret warehouse.¡±
Yn had amassed a considerable amount of wealth through ndestine means in the Apple Kingdom.
But being pursued by the Church, they couldn¡¯t casually carry those riches around.
That¡¯s why Yn had created a dungeon deep in the mountains and stored items there.
¡°I should visit thereter.¡±
Having obtained all the necessary information, Damien stopped using dark magic on souls.
As the souls were liberated from torment, a sense of relief emanated from them.
Initially, the souls that had a deep gray hue were now noticeably faint.
During their torment caused by dark magic, the souls had significantly weakened.
¡°Is Sebastian still alive?¡±
It was when Damien muttered like that a loud sound echoed from afar.
It meant Sebastian was still alive.
¡°Oh, still kicking.¡±
Damien smiled and infused the two spirits with ck magic.
The two souls let out cries again.
¡°When you perform body enhancement on Ernst Horowitz, you also imprinted a seal of submission, didn¡¯t you? Signal the dark mana of Ernst Horowitz run wild.¡±
The two souls immediately obeyed Damien¡¯smand.
Using the dark mana Damien had channeled, they sent a signal to Ernst Horowitz.
The distant explosions quieted down. It was evidence that themand had been sessfully conveyed.
¡°Good job. As a reward, I¡¯ll release you.¡±
Damien tightly grasped the two souls. The two souls uttered their final cries and vanished.
Damien flicked his hands as if getting rid of something dirty.
The battle was concluded, but Damien¡¯s work was far from over.
***
¡°Huff, Huff, Huff.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo let out a deep exhale, his breathing rough and uneven.
His entire body was covered in wounds, and the flowing blood stained his clothes red.
¡°Sir Sebastian, you seem to be going through a lot.¡±
Ernest Horowitz sneered, holding backughter.
Despite his rxed demeanor, he too had wounds on his body. Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s asional counterattacks had left their mark.
However,pared to Sebastian, who seemed on the verge of copsing any moment, Ernst appeared in much more better shape.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect you tost this long against me. Truly admirable.¡±
¡°Admiration by you?¡ I find it shameful.¡±
¡°You should be proud of yourself because I¡¯m so strong right now that I¡¯m afraid of myself.¡±
Sebastian scoffed at Ernst¡¯s words.
¡°Falling behind someone who just uses dark magic to increase strength and aura is truly embarrassing.¡±
Knights aren¡¯t strong solely due to their speed and strength; it¡¯s their mastery of skills that sets them apart.
Swords, spears, axes, and more.
Mastering weapons to the extreme and realizing the truth beyond.
A knight who understands it and gains enlightenment can cleave the seas and split mountains.
That¡¯s why knights are feared.
As for Ernest Horowitz, it¡¯s a different story. He doesn¡¯t focus on honing his skills; instead, he merely enhances his physical abilities and aura.
That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t kill Sebastian Vincenzo so far.
¡°Still noting to your senses?¡±
Ernest Horowitz¡¯s face turned vicious.
Ernst adjusted his posture, and a red aura gathered at the tip of his spear.
Seeing the aura, Sebastian Vincenzo made up his mind.
He was okay with dying here. But even in death, he intended to take Ernst Horowitz with him.
Sebastian Vincenzo gathered his aura.
In a single stroke of the sword, he poured all his determination and skills.
In the darkness, Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s aura shone brightly.
¡°You¡¯re trying hard. But it¡¯s futile.¡±
Ernst Horowitz spoke with a sneer.
That¡¯s when it happened.
¡°Ahh!¡±
Suddenly, Ernst Horowitz made a gasping sound.
¡°Ugh!¡±
As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he began to convulse.
Ernst Horowitz threw away his spear and tore at his body with his fingers.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
A thick smoke began to billow from the orifices in his face.
Sebastian Vincenzo recognized it immediately.
Dark magic.
¡°No¡¡! Noooo!¡±
Ernst Horowitz¡¯s muscles withered, and his hair turned white as the dark mana drained from him.
In the blink of an eye, Ernst Horowitz transformed into an old man and copsed to the ground.
¡°Hmph, hmph, hmph.¡±
Sebastian Vincenzo¡¯s eyes widened as he observed Ernst Horowitz, who was breathing heavily.
¡°Did he¡ survive?¡±
***
As the day began to brighten, the reinforcements sent from the Duke¡¯s castle arrived.
Surprisingly, there were two mid-ss knights and a staggering five low-ss knights among them.
Witnessing the utterly devastated forest, those who arrived were rendered speechless.
Even more remarkable was the fact that not a single person had perished in this onught.
Sebastian Vincenzo was severely injured but not in a life-threatening condition. On the contrary, Damien was unharmed. On top of that, he had even managed to kill two dark mages.
¡°How on earth did you manage to kill those two? ording to the knights, they were not ordinary dark mages.¡±
Two mid-ss knights approached Damien and inquired.
Damien casually replied, ¡°I just dodged appropriately and slit their throats.¡±
The knights nced at the devastated forest, skeptical of evading such powerful dark magic.
¡°Evaded this level of destruction?¡± one of the middle-ss knight asked, giving a doubtful nce.
¡°The power was strong, but their skill wascking. Perhaps they enhanced their power using some method.¡±
The two mid-ss knights nodded in agreement.
Dark mages often increased the potency of their dark magic through dubious means, but the gained power wasn¡¯t usually stable. It came with drawbacks like slow casting speed or low activation probability.
¡°I can¡¯t see the corpses of the dark mages.¡±
¡°Do you see those two puddles over there? Those are the bodies. After slitting their throats, the bodies suddenly melted away.¡±
Dark mages often concealed themselves in such a way due to their many secrets.
Still, one of the mid-ss members found it hard to believe.
¡°You may be skilled, but¡ How did you evade suchrge-scale dark magic?¡±
¡°Oh, you really have to see it to believe it.¡±
Damien disappeared before their eyes and reappeared behind a knight.
The movement was so fast that even a middle-ss would have to concentrate to see it.
Seeing this, the knight reluctantly epts Damien¡¯s exnation.
¡°Truly remarkable. How on earth do you possess such skills at such a young age?¡±
To the knight¡¯s inquiry, Damien casually responded, ¡°I¡¯m a genius.¡±
The knight gazed at Damien, his face adorned with a dumbfounded expression.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 39
Chapter 39
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter:39 Cleanup(2)
***
Damien returned to the duchy with the knights. Upon arrival, Damien and Sebastian Vincenzo met face-to-face with the Duke.
The two exined in detail to the Duke about what they had experienced.
¡°How dare a dark mage ¡¡ do such a thing?¡±
The Duke¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red and blue.
¡°Sebastian, thank you for protecting the knights at the risk of your life. I am truly grateful.¡±
The Duke held Sebastian¡¯s hand tightly as he spoke. Sebastian was overwhelmed with gratitude.
¡°No, it was just the right thing to do.¡±
¡°How many people can¡¯t do that ¡®right thing¡¯?¡±
The Duke praised Sebastian continuously, It was as if he had made up for all the wrongs he had done in his duel with the Marquis.
¡°I cannot express my gratitude enough to Sir Damien either. Thanks to him, you have saved my reputation.¡±
Had the Duke not only faced assaults from dark mages but also suffered the loss of his knights, his reputation would have taken a nosedive.
Fortunately, due to Damien¡¯s intervention, not only were the knights rescued, but the ck mages were also eradicated.
It was a tremendous stroke of luck for the Duke.
¡°Sir Damien, would you be willing to extend your stay in the duchy? I¡¯m contemting a thorough investigation into this matter with the help of the Church.¡±
The Duke said apologetically.
Navigating matters with the Church required finesse, even for the Duke. The duchy was already closely tied to dark magic, primarily due to Chelsea Goldpixie.
Despite being a victim, Damien wasn¡¯t sure if the whole duchy might face an inquisition if things went awry.
¡°You are the only one who directly confronted the dark mages. Please assist us, even if it¡¯s bothersome.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s do that then.¡±
In truth, Damien wanted to return home immediately. However, owing another favor to the Duke now was worth the time spent.
¡°Thank you. I am truly grateful!¡±
And so, Damien became once again a guest of the Duke.
The Church didn¡¯t approach him directly. Instead, they dispatched investigators to meticulously scrutinize the battleground before arranging a meeting with Damien.
It was two dayster that Damien saw the Inquisitor¡¯s face directly.
¡°Huh?¡±
As soon as he saw the Inquisitor¡¯s face, he was greatly surprised.
It was a face he knew well.
¡°Damien Haksen, long time no see.¡±
Agnes.
The pdin who had been one of Cheogyeum¡¯s top disciples and whose image had been tarnished by the ck Serpent incident was in front of him.
¡°Agnes, what brings you here? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to the Church headquarters?¡±
¡°After hearing Damien¡¯s and the Duke¡¯s stories, I came here to offer my assistance,¡± Agnes stated. Her expression retained its usual sternness, but her eyes revealed a warmth.
¡°Let¡¯s take a seat and discuss this for now.¡±
Agnes offered Damien a chair and even poured him some tea. Despite the notorious reputation of the Inquisition Officer, the atmosphere was surprisingly warm.
¡°It seems, Sir Damien, that you have a deep connection with dark mages,¡± Agnes remarked, prompting a subtle smile from Damien.
It was indeed a relentless connection, as irritatingly true as she said.
¡°Did you manage to find out the affiliation of the dark mages before killing them?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t get that far, and seeing as how they weren¡¯t very good, I¡¯m guessing they were unaffiliated.¡± Damien concealed the fact that the dark mages he killed were part of the Yn.
He couldn¡¯t risk revealing too much information, especially if it led to the discovery of Yn¡¯s leader and vice-leader.
He couldn¡¯t defeat them with the skills he was known for.
¡°Ah, I see¡¡±
Regret flickered across Agnes¡¯s face briefly.
¡°Seems like you¡¯re disappointed.¡±
¡°Oh, did it reveal?¡± Agnes sighed and spoke.
¡°In truth, I¡¯m pursuing Yn. More precisely, I¡¯m chasing a dark mage affiliated with Yn.¡±
¡°May I ask who it is?¡±
Agnes nodded in response to Damien¡¯s question.
¡°A dark mage known as Corpsey.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes slightly widened. Agnes smirked at his reaction.
¡°You seem to know. Well, it¡¯s no surprise. It¡¯s a horrifying murderer who has ughtered thousands of innocents.¡±
Corpsey.
The exact identity remained unknown. The peculiar moniker became known through a certain incident. One day, a noble¡¯s estate transformed into an undeadir overnight.
As knights cleared the undead in the vige, they stumbled upon a shocking scene at the vige center. The word ¡®Corpsey¡¯ was written prominently using the corpses and entrails of the vigers.
It was a gruesome act of killing everyone in the territory to simply announce one¡¯s name.
However, what startled Damien wasn¡¯t the past of Corpsey but the future.
Copsey Delrunt.
A figure who wouldter rise to the position of Legion Commander with the blessing of Dorugo.
Delrunt would grow into a formidable dark mage,manding a legion of undead that exceeded tens of thousands.
He ruthlessly ughtered more than ten times the number of humans than he did in a recent undead incident.
¡°If you happen to learn anything about Corpsey¡ please inform me.¡±
Agnes¡¯s eyes, as she said this, burned with intense hatred.
***
The investigation didn¡¯t take long. Afterpleting the inquiry, Agnes dismissed Damien.
After Damien left, a single pdin entered the interrogation room.
¡°Ms. Agnes, do you really believe that man¡¯s words?¡±
The pdin gave Agnes a frustrated look.
¡°You¡¯re asking a strange question,¡± Agnes responded, her expression showing irritation.
¡°There are several suspicious points in merely trusting that man¡¯s words without any doubt.¡±
The pdin vividly recalled the shock he felt when he first went to the scene. The forest waspletely destroyed.
The use of high-level dark magic was evident, something lower-level mages could only dream of.
The lower-ss knight defeating a dark mage wielding powers akin to those of high-level dark mages and emerging unscathed was simply iprehensible.
¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting that dark mages, especially those tied to demons, use dark magic beyond their own capabilities through grotesque means?¡±.
¡°Still, there should be limits. There hasn¡¯t been a case where a lower-level dark mage exhibited power as strong as this one.¡±
¡°Like we advance, so will they, which is why the Church is so wary of dark mages.¡±
The pdin, feeling a rising frustration, retorted to Agnes¡¯s words as she persisted in taking Damien¡¯s side.
¡°I know that Damien killed a high-ranking member of Yn in the past. But Ms.Agnes, have you forgotten the motto of the Inquisition Officer?¡±
Doubt Endlessly, Continue Persistently, Always Verify.
Deception sprouts suddenly; like weeds; be ready to nip it in the bud.
¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±
¡°But then why are you readily epting that man¡¯s words? I¡¯ll pose the question back to you ¨C did you sense dark magic in the forest?¡±
When a powerful dark mage dies, dark mana umtes in the area. This dark mana could cause various problems and needed purification.
However, there was no trace of dark mana in the forest where the dark mages supposedly died, just as Damien imed.
¡°As Damien Haksen said, it¡¯s evidence that the ck mages he faced were not that powerful.¡±
¡°But¡¡±
¡°There¡¯s a reason why I believe Damien¡¯s word above all else. It¡¯s because he¡¯s strong.¡±
The pdin, standing before her, had recently reached the level of a low-ss knight.
That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t recognize how much Damien had grown.
Agnes was different. Upon seeing Damien, she could immediately grasp how much stronger he had be.
Pure and potent mana could be felt even when he was close to her.
A well-refined flow of mana circtes throughout his entire body.
In just about a month, Damien had be so strong that he was barely recognizable.
¡°I vouch for Damien Haksen¡¯s innocence.¡±
Upon Agnes¡¯s deration, the pdin couldn¡¯t argue any longer.
***
With Agnes taking care of the investigation, Damien prepared to return home again.
This time, the Duke himself stepped forward to assist Damien.
¡°Are you sure about this?¡± the Duke asked Damien with a face that betrayed his skepticism.
At the outer gate, there were five carriages lined up in a row. The carriages were loaded with various items, all gifts Damien had prepared for his family.
¡°This should be sufficient.¡±
Not only did the Duke purchase the gifts, but he also generously paid the duel reward. Damiencked nothing now; he simply wanted to go back and see his family¡¯s faces as soon as possible.
¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing more to be done.¡±
The Duke nodded reluctantly.
¡°Now it¡¯s a true farewell. It¡¯s been a pleasure all this time.¡±
¡°I feel the same way.¡±
¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±
The Duke pulled something out of his pocket and presented it to Damien. It was a ring with the crest of the Duke¡¯s family.
¡°If you show this ring at any business run by the name of Goldpixie, you can purchase goods for free.¡±
Damien¡¯s mouth was slightly agape at the revtion. With a bit of exaggeration, in the Apple Kingdom, there was hardly a ce untouched by the influence of Duke Goldpixie¡¯s enterprises.
¡°Compared to what you¡¯ve done, this is a modest gift. If you ever need my help, feel free toe and ask anytime.¡±
The Duke emphasized this multiple times.
***
¡°Sister, are you outside again?¡±
Haksen Family¡¯s youngest, Abel Haksen, spoke with a voice full of displeasure.
Louise, who was standing at the entrance of the mansion, gazing into the distance, turned her head at Abel¡¯s voice.
¡°Oh, Abel. What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter? You suddenly disappeared, so I came to look for you.¡±
Abel said with a displeased look.
¡°Do you think this will make brothere? Just go inside and wait.¡±
¡°Just a little longer, I¡¯ll go in soon.¡±
To Louise¡¯s response, Abel let out a deep sigh.
He was well aware that Louise Haksen¡¯s stubbornness was extraordinary.
¡°Are you so worried about your brother?¡±
¡°Yeah, I wonder if such a tender soul can adapt well to the pce. I¡¯m worried.¡±
For a moment, Abel almost heard sarcasm.
¡®What? Tender? The one who single-handedly infiltrated the city and eradicated an entire organization is tender?¡¯
¡°The pce has a lot of knights. They¡¯ll probably bully him a lot. How scary would it be for knights to bully him¡¡±
Abel recalled Damien¡¯s demeanor, casually defeating the knights of the Marquis Ryanbloom.
No matter how you thought about it, he wasn¡¯t someone who would be bullied by knights.
¡°I hope hees back safely¡¡±
At that moment, Louise¡¯s eyes widened. She shouted while looking into the distance.
¡°Damien!¡±
At her words, Abel also looked towards the road. Damien was walking towards them, riding a horse.
Recognizing the two, Damien waved his hand.
¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡±
Louise breathed a sigh of relief. However, strange things began to appear behind Damien.
Armored knights and soldiers began to emerge.
Seeing this, Louise and Abel¡¯s faces stiffened.
¡°Oh, Abel, what¡¯s that?¡±
¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡±
Following that, carts piled up like a heap and began to reveal themselves one after another.
Louise and Abel unconsciously opened their mouths wide.
¡°Sister, I¡¯m back. Abel, how have you been?¡±
Damien smiled broadly as he spoke. The two asked with bewildered faces.
¡°W-what are all these for?¡±
¡°Oh, I can¡¯te back empty-handed from a trip, can I? I brought some gifts.¡±
Abel¡¯s mouth remained wide open. The quantity of the gifts was too much.
¡°Go and bring our parents. I¡¯ll show them the gifts.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Abel hurriedly went into the mansion.
***
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Outside, Viscount and Viscountess Haksen were left speechless by the sight of Damien¡¯s gifts.
¡°Is it true that all of this was bought by Duke¡?
¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t steal them, did you, it¡¯s all genuinely purchased?¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s real, indeed.¡±
Viscount Haksen pinched his cheek with his fingers. He blinked his eyes continuously.
¡°Quit pinching your cheeks, Father, ande take a look. I visited the Duke¡¯s bookstore and bought all the books. There are even thetest novels that are popr in the capital.¡±
¡°Wait, what?¡±
Viscount Haksen rushed to the carts. He quickly browsed through the piled-up books inside the cart and shouted in excitement.
¡°This¡ This is Madame Delphinelle¡¯stest poetry collection! This is a new novel by Viscount Darak! Oh my God!¡±
Viscount Haksen found himself lost in a daze as he began scrutinizing the books.
Damien, recognizing his father¡¯s absorption in the matter, decided to leave him to it and turned to converse with his mother.
¡°Mother, your gift is here. You were dissatisfied with the old furniture at home, right? Not sure about your preferences, so I went ahead and got the most luxurious pieces I could find.¡±
As she approached the cart, Viscountess¡¯s face lit up.
¡°Oh, my goodness,¡± she eximed, ¡°this is furniture made of sandalwood. And look at a rosewood table. Oh my, what¡¯s going on?¡±
Viscountess looked through the furniture, pleased and overwhelmed.
¡°Sister, yours is over here.¡±
¡°Did you bring my gift too?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
In her past life, the person who took care of Damien until the end was Louise.
Therefore, special attention was paid to Louise¡¯s gift.
¡°This is a grand piano handcrafted by the master craftsman Berkeley. His Excellency the Duke gave it to me from his personal collection.¡±
Louise covered her mouth with both hands.
Her love for music was evident in her frequent attendance at concerts, and she was well aware of the renowned craftsman Berkeley. His reservations for instrument making were so in demand that they were booked for the next ten years.
¡°Ah! my little brother!¡±
Louise hugged Damien, jumping around the room.
¡°The moving will be assisted by the soldiers here.¡±
Soldiers were deliberately brought in abundantly for this purpose.
The soldiers started to move the items into the mansion in an uproar.
Damien watched the scene with a satisfied smile.
Then suddenly, he felt someone¡¯s gaze. His youngest sibling, Abel Haksen, was looking at Damien.
¡°Why are you like that?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Abel said with a chubby face.
It was definitely not a face that said ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯
¡°Get in there and help me move stuff.¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t going to.¡±
Abel spoke with a blunt tone, and Damien burst intoughter at Abel¡¯s behavior.
¡°Hey, did you think I¡¯d forget your gift?¡±
Damien opened a spatial ring and extended his hand into it. Startled by what he saw, Abel spoke.
¡°B-Brother, what is that¡?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a spatial ring. Here, take this.¡±
Damien pulled out a bow and tossed it to Abel, who looked puzzled.
¡°Doesn¡¯t Olivia Copperhead like bows? That¡¯s why I especially got this for you.¡±
The bow Damien handed over was no ordinary item. It was crafted using the horn of a minotaur, obtained with the help of Marquis Ryan Bloom.
¡°B-Brother, is this really¡?¡±
¡°Of course, it is.¡±
Damienforted Abel, patting his shoulder.
¡°I heard you want to get married, little brother. I¡¯m just helping you out.¡±
¡°Wh-who said I want to get married!¡±
Abel shouted with a flushed face. Damien widened his eyes in surprise.
¡°What, don¡¯t tell me you were nning to enjoy yourself with Olivia Copperhead and then call it quits?¡±
¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that!¡±
Abel hit his own forehead.
¡°More importantly, how can I give gifts like this? Olivia Copperhead doesn¡¯t even know me!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve got everything nned, thanks to Duke.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Abel asked, and Damien exined.
¡°When I was at the Duke¡¯s residence, I heard that the Earl of Copperhead is hosting a Jousting tournament in honor of Lady Olivia¡¯s birthday soon.¡±
[PR Note- It¡¯s apetition where armored knights on horses engage inbat withnces, each attempting to unhorse the other.]
A Jousting tournament is a perfect ce where knights could showcase their skills. It was a significant event that attracted nobles not only from the local region but also from other areas.
¡°We¡¯re heading to the tournament; you can present Olivia Copperhead with the bow as a gift and, moreover, win her heart.¡±
¡°What? But¡¡±
¡°Surely, you won¡¯t refuse, right? After I¡¯ve gone through all this trouble to prepare such a precious gift for my little brother?¡±
Not exactly a threat, but more of a non-negotiable persuasion, Abel was left speechless.
¡°Damien, is that true?¡±
Having overheard their conversation, Viscount approached them and asked.
¡°A Jousting tournament, indeed. The Earl of Copperhead has quite the resources.¡±
Jousting tournaments required significant expenses, and the Earl of Copperhead, while not as wealthy as Duke Goldpixie, was still a high-ranking noble capable of handling such events.
¡°Ah, Father!¡±
Abel sent a pleading look to his father.
¡®Please, stop Damien.¡¯
¡°That¡¯s excellent news!¡±
However, Viscount was overwhelmingly positive about Damien¡¯s opinion. Abel¡¯s shoulders slumped.
¡°Do you n to participate too?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ll participate and, furthermore, win.¡±
In truth, Damien had little interest in reputation. The tournament held in the western region seemed too small in scale for him.
However, he had two reasons for deciding to participate.
¡®In my past life, the winner of the tournament became the son-inw of the Earl of Copperhead.¡¯
He needed to prevent that future for Abel¡¯s sake.
¡®Moreover, that son-inw became quite a powerful knight, thanks to the prize he received.¡¯
The son-inw of the Earl of Copperhead eventually reached the level of high-ss knight. Rumors suggested that the prize for winning the tournament yed a significant role.
Damien intended to confirm the truth behind those rumors on this asion.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
However, Viscount seemed concerned about something.
¡°If it¡¯s hosted by the Earl of Copperhead, Sofia might alsoe¡ Is that okay?¡±
Damien smirked in response to Viscount¡¯s question.
¡°Who is Sofia?¡±
¡°Your former fianc¨¦e.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
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Chapter 40
Chapter 40
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 40: Floral Joust; The Duel (1)
Upon hearing the Viscount¡¯s words, memories flooded back.
Sofia Russell.
The eldest daughter of Viscount Russell, and the former fianc¨¦e of Damien.
In the western region, she was known for her beauty.
¡°She was too good for me.¡±
Sofia Russell wasn¡¯t someone Damien, a trash, could dare to touch.
However, the engagement happened due to a promise made between their grandparents.
The former Viscount Hasken and Viscount Russell had agreed to arrange a marriage between their future children.
Yet, as fate would have it, both of their firstborns were sons. Consequently, themitment was deferred, now resting on the shoulders of their grandchildren.
Thanks to that, Damien Haksen could easily pluck the coveted flower without much effort.
¡°Unlike me, Sofia Russell really hated it.¡±
Sofia Russell did not wee this engagement.
Damien had no outstanding qualities, and his behavior was even more unsavory.
Therefore, despite the engagement, their rtionship did not get any closer.
Then the previous Viscount Russell died¡She dered the break off of the engagement.
Upon hearing the news, Damien hurried to the Russell family, and what unfolded before his eyes left him stunned.
Sofia Russell, behaving affectionately with a stranger.
¨C Sofia, who is that man, and why is he angry with us?
¨C He¡¯s the fiance I told you about.
¨C Oh, you mean that piece of shit?
Enraged, Damien rushed at the man.
He endured a severe beating, literally teetering on the brink of death.
¨C Is this fool daring to attack me on such a trivial matter?
¨C I was initially nning to quietly send him home for Sofia¡¯s sake, but I just can¡¯t do it.
¨C I¡¯ll make sure you never appear in front of me or Sofia again.
Despite his young age, that man was a skilled low-ss knight.
Damien, who easily sumbed to ordinary people, was not a match for him.
¡°Damien! What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Lo-Louise! Quickly bring potions! Hurry!¡±
When Damien¡¯s father confronted Viscount Russell about the assault, he was met with a scornful and mocking reply.
¨C All because of your wed education.
¨C Even insects know how to choose their opponents. What confidence did Damien have to rush in like that?
¨C The mere thought of nearly giving away my Sofia to this family makes my blood boil.
Furious, Viscount Haksen decided to visit the Russell family in person.
But Viscountess Haksen stopped him. It was because of Sofia¡¯s new lover.
Being a Viscount of the small estate, he found himself unable to contend with the overwhelming strength of the low-ss knight.
¡°If it is a Jousting match, not only Sofia Russell but also her new lover wille. If you can¡¯t control your anger after seeing them, what will you do?¡±
Viscount said with a serious expression.
It wasn¡¯t to prevent Damien from facing a tough situation again.
Given Damien¡¯s skills, he could easily kill those knights.
That was the problem.
Taking lives at an event hosted by the Earl of Copperhead?
The Earl of Copperhead won¡¯t take that lightly.
¡°Father, I no longer harbor any lingering feelings for Sofia.¡±
In reality, Damien couldn¡¯t even recall Sofia Russell¡¯s face, let alone harbor any feelings.
¡°Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes, please believe me.¡±
Up to this point, it was the truth.
¡°Do you really have confidence you won¡¯t cause trouble?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
But from here on, it was a lie.
¡®How could you dare toy a hand on me like that?¡¯
Even Damien admitted to himself that he wasn¡¯t a good match for an engagement. Looking at it from Sofia¡¯s perspective, it was the same.
¡®And on top of that, you dare to insult my family?¡¯
Above all, what he couldn¡¯t tolerate was the fact that the Viscount Russell had insulted his father and his lineage.
Insults towards oneself are intolerable!
Insults towards the family are even more intolerable!
For these reasons, Damien intended to bury those two during this opportunity.
¡°Even if Ie across those two, I won¡¯t create the kind of trouble my father is concerned about.¡±
But regardless of his true feelings, now he had to lie.
After all, he needed his father¡¯s permission to go to the Earldom of Copperhead.
¡°Honey, trust Damien when he says that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Has Damien ever disappointed you recently?¡±
His mother and sister, who had been observing from behind, each added a word.
With these two also chiming in, eventually, Viscount Haksen reluctantly consented.
¡°Fine, you have permission to participate.¡±
With his father¡¯s permission, Damien¡¯s face brightened.
With his arm around Abel¡¯s shoulder, he spoke.
¡°Abel, did you hear? We can go together. Isn¡¯t that fortunate?¡±
¡°Why is it fortunate! It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯te along with me, brother!¡±
¡°You little rascal, saying things like that.¡±
Viscount nced at the two brothers with a worried look.
His wife, poking her husband¡¯s side, said, ¡°Do you truly believe that Damien is that untrustworthy?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the reason.¡±
¡°Then what is it?¡±
In response to his wife¡¯s question, Viscount Haksen spoke with a serious expression.
¡°I mean Damien¡ Hasn¡¯t he be quite famoustely?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. Whenever I go to gatheringstely, everyone asks about Damien.¡±
She asionally gathered with nobledies to chat.
That¡¯s why she knew how much of a hot topic Damien had be.
¡°But getting famous so quickly, hasn¡¯t he ever shown his face at a social event until now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°So, this isn¡¯t his debut?¡±
¡°Well¡ something like that.¡±
¡°Then won¡¯t the other nobles just stay quiet?¡±
¡°Uh.¡±
She finally understood what her husband was worried about.
***
Viscount Haksen immediately wrote to the Earl of Copperhead.
In the letter, he sincerely congratted Olivia¡¯s uing birthday and expressed his son¡¯s desire to participate in the uing Jousting tournament.
A few dayster, a weing response arrived from Earl of Copperhead.
Damien Haksen is participating in the Jousting tournament hosted by Earl of Copperhead!
This news quickly spread throughout the western region.
It didn¡¯t matter who leaked it; all eyes in the West were focused on Damien Haksen.
Noble gatherings in the West were filled with discussions about Damien Haksen.
¡°Have you all heard? Damien Haksen is participating in Earl of Copperhead¡¯s Jousting tournament!¡±
Whenever nobledies gathered, Damien Haksen was a constant topic of conversation.
¡°Didn¡¯t Damien Haksen defeat the eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom without drawing his sword?¡±
¡°The eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom is known as a genius among geniuses. To do that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more impressive. Isn¡¯t he amazing?¡±
No topic piqued the interest of nobledies as much as a young and talented knight.
¡°ording to the information I¡¯ve gathered, he¡¯s quite handsome too.¡±
¡°Oh my, oh my.¡±
With his good looks added to the mix, nobledies excitedly chattered about Damien.
¡°If he¡¯s so outstanding, why didn¡¯t he stay at the Duke Goldpixie¡¯s residence?¡±
¡°Could it be this? He couldn¡¯t find ady to dedicate his loyalty to, so he roams the world.¡±
¡°Oh my, oh my.¡±
It was an absurd imagination, but that wasn¡¯t important.
Thedies let their imaginations run wild.
In their fantasies, Damien became a skilled but lonely and solitary wolf.
¡°Then could the reason for participating in this Jousting tournament be¡?¡±
¡°Undoubtedly. He¡¯s probably proposing to Olivia.¡±
When Olivia Copperhead¡¯s name came up, the nobledies became contemtive.
Olivia Copperhead was so beautiful that she was known as the flower of the West.
Add to that the powerful background of the Earl of Copperhead.
She was ady admired by any knight.
¡°There¡¯s no guarantee they¡¯ll be lovers. We might have a chance too, right?¡±
At that statement, the eyes of thedies lit up.
¡°That¡¯s right. We don¡¯t know what fate holds.¡±
¡°Although Olivia is beautiful, Damien might not have the same taste.¡±
Thedies began discussing ways to attract Damien with fervent expressions.
***
Certainly, not everyone had a favorable reaction toward Damien Haksen.
¡°Damien Haksen is participating in the Jousting tournament!¡±
¡°That rascal is participating?¡±
Among the nobles in the West, some had investigated Damien Haksen¡¯s past and discovered more than just his recent achievements.
¡°Not long ago, wasn¡¯t he getting beaten up and kicked out of tavern?¡±
¡°He was beyond redemption; his engagement was unterally canceled by his fianc¨¦e¡¯s family.¡±
¡°Can someone like that really defeat the eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom?¡±
Those who learned of Damien Haksen¡¯s past were left in no doubt.
They questioned whether Damien Haksen was truly as remarkable as people imed.
¡°This is an opportunity to find out his true nature!¡±
¡°If he¡¯s a fraud, we won¡¯t let him off!¡±
And so, the nobles of the west began to gather for the Jousting tournament.
All because of one person¡ªDamien Haksen.
***
Small town, Rivercross.
A small tavern is located there.
¡°Jackson, ah~ please.¡±
A young woman extended a fork with a piece of fruit towards a sharply-nosed man, who graciously epted and savored the sweet and refreshing taste.
¡°Hmm, it¡¯s sweet and cool. Sofia, it feels even more delicious when you feed me personally.¡±
¡°Oh, do you think I¡¯d be pleased by such clich¨¦pliments?¡±
Sofia Russell, the former fianc¨¦e of Damien, let out a giggle whilefortably seated on the man¡¯sp.
[PR/N- I have one word for Sofia- Whore]
¡°What would you like next? Grapes? Apples? Just name it.¡±
¡°Instead, Sofia, did you hear the news?¡±
¡°What news?¡±
¡°They say the Earl of Copperhead is hosting a Jousting tournament.¡±
In response to Jackson Cutter¡¯s words, Sofia Russell pondered. She vaguely recalled hearing something simr from thedies in the city.
¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve heard about it. They¡¯re hosting the tournament to celebrate the Earl¡¯s daughter¡¯s birthday, right?¡±
¡°And there¡¯s talk that it¡¯s also to find a suitor for the Earl¡¯s daughter.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s why there were so many nobles gathering at the cksmith¡¯s and the costume room.¡±
Olivia Copperhead.
The Earl¡¯s daughter was renowned for her beauty, to the point where she was called the flower of the West. Add the formidable background of the Earl of Copperhead, and she became an irresistible condition for any man.
¡°But why are you talking about other women in front of me?¡±
Sofia Russell retorted with a sulky expression.
Jackson Cutter exined, tapping his fingers on the table.
¡°No, it¡¯s just that Damien Haksen is said to be participating in that Jousting tournament.¡±
At this revtion, Sofia Russell¡¯s expression momentarily tensed.
In fact, until not long ago, Sofia Russell had been trying her best to forget about Damien Haksen. More precisely, she had been trying to forget about him, as he was an utterly unremarkable man.
¡°That asshole participating in the Jousting tournament? Ridiculous.¡±
However, rumors about Damien began to circte. Tales of him defeating dark mages, wiping out a Landwalk City mega-organization, and subduing the eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom spread.
Sofia Russell dismissed these rumors entirely.
Was it an exaggeration?
Perhaps, but the main reason was that Sofia Russell knew well what kind of person Damien Haksen was.
The Damien Haksen she recalled was an ordinary person with no particrly noteworthy traits.
Sofia Russell was convinced that Damien Haksen had spread false rumors.
¡°Do you think the same way? I do. When I heard these rumors, it was unbelievable.¡±
Jackson Cutterughed with a bitter smile.
At that moment, groans were heard from the floor.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡¡±
Surprisingly, more than five knights were lying on the floor.
Judging by the calluses on their palms and the swords at their waists, they were no ordinary people.
They were clearly knights.
¡°You¡ you bastard¡¡±
One of the knights raised his head, ring at Jackson Cutter.
¡°What is this? Why did you attack us?¡±
¡°Why did I attack? You flirted with Sofia first.¡±¡±
Jackson Cutter pulled Sofia Russell closer, and she did not resist his touch.
¡°Flirt? Flirting with Sofia?¡±
The knight yelled through clenched teeth.
¡°What do you mean by I was flirting with her? I just bumped into her while walking down the street, and apologized and looked at her face for a second, how is that flirting!¡±.
¡°Sofia, did you hear that? He deliberately bumped into you and is making excuses.¡±
¡°Hmph, a man so ipetent even resorts to lying. Pathetic.¡±
The knight was dumbfounded by their conversation.
¡°How dare you insult me like this? Do you even know who I am? I am from the Dolphin House¡¡±
¡°No need to say it. I don¡¯t bother remembering weaklings like you.¡±
¡°Hey, weakling? Just because you¡¯ve got a big mouth¡ Argh!¡±
Jackson Cutter pressed his foot harder on the knight¡¯s hand, eliciting a groan.
¡°You, are you from the low ss? The rest are junior knights, right? It¡¯s embarrassing to be defeated by a single person. Why are you making a fuss? Why act like this?¡±
Jackson Cutter added more pressure to his foot on the knight¡¯s hand. The groans intensified.
¡°Let me ask you one thing. Do you know who I am?¡±
¡°How would I know who you are?¡±
¡°Stop talking and take a closer look. Maybe then you¡¯ll recognize me.¡±
Jackson Cutter grabbed the knight¡¯s hair and lifted his head.
Due to this, the knight could only forcibly gaze at Jackson Cutter¡¯s face.
¡°Let go of this right now! You son of a bitch, I wouldn¡¯t mind tearing these limbs apart to make a point!¡±
But the knight only spat curses and failed to recognize Jackson Cutter.
Jackson Cutter sighed and released the grip on the knight¡¯s hair.
¡°Sofia, do you think this makes sense? Nobody recognizes me.¡±
¡°Jackson¡ no, that person is just a foolish idiot.¡±
Sofia spoke with a sympathetic expression.
In fact, Jackson Cutter was not entirely unknown. He had his own titles.
Ogre yer.
This title was given to him for hunting an ogre, the king of the forest, by himself. It was a remarkable achievement to hunt such a dangerous monster alone.
However, the title Ogre yer was not that famous.
It failed to capture people¡¯s interest because hunting monsters wasn¡¯t something that appealed to them.
¡°Look at Damien Haksen. Everyone knows him, unlike me. People talk about him without even knowing who he really is. It¡¯s absurd.¡±
Like Sofia Russell, Jackson Cutter also did not believe in the rumors surrounding Damien Haksen.
This was because they had met Damien Haksen in person.
That¡¯s because he¡¯s met the man himself.
No, he hadn¡¯t just met him, he had fought him.
¡°I can¡¯t do this. I have to tell Master.¡±
¡°What? What are you going to tell him?¡±
¡°That I should enter the jousting tournament. I should go there and tell people how great a knight I am, and¡¡.¡±
In Jackson Cutter¡¯s eyes, a firm determination gleamed.
¡°And what a pitifully inadequate Damien Haksen is.¡±
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Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 41: Floral Joust; The Duel(2)
While Jackson Cutter was determined, the knights were nning revenge.
¡®Damn it¡ I won¡¯t let it slide once I leave this ce.¡¯
Frustrated, but with the current skill, the knight couldn¡¯t defeat Jackson Cutter.
Though they were from the same low ss, Jackson was iparably stronger.
However, he was notpletely out of options.
He has close ties to the neighboring knightly families.
¡®If I leverage the connections of these families¡ I can call in two more low-ss members.¡¯
No matter how strong Jackson Cutter was, he couldn¡¯t handle three low-ss members simultaneously.
As the knight entertained this thought, the tavern door opened.
A middle-aged man entered the tavern.
His facial expression was so rigid that one might think he was wearing a mask.
¡°Ah, Master! Oh, hello!¡±
At the man¡¯s appearance, Jackson Cutter and Sofia Russell quickly bowed.
It was apletely different demeanor from when they faced the knights earlier.
¡°Jackson, were you venting your anger on those trash again?¡±
The middle-aged man asked in an emotionless voice.
¡°I, um, they provoked me first.¡±
¡°You probably provoked them. Haven¡¯t I repeatedly told you not to cause trouble?¡±
¡°But leaving those guys alone¡¡±
Approaching, the middle-aged man with cold gray eyes stared at Jackson Cutter.
Under the intangible pressure, Jackson Cutter began to sweat.
¡°¡I apologize.¡±
¡°Do it one more time, and be prepared for the consequences.¡±
After saying that, the middle-aged man approached the fallen knight.
Suddenly, he lifted the knight¡¯s chin, causing their upper and lower teeth to collide.
The knight groaned, gripping their mouth.
¡°My name is Jacques Noir¨¦.¡±
Upon hearing that name, the knight forgot their pain and looked at Jacques Noir¨¦ in astonishment.
Jacques Noir¨¦.
One day, a middle-ss knight appeared in the Apple Kingdom without a clear origin, unaffiliated, operating as a free knight, but with remarkable skill.
His most famous duel was with a middle-ss knight of the Marquis of Bluegreen.
The Bluegreen was a prestigious knightly family representing the Apple Kingdom.
Especially, the current Marquis of Bluegreen was one of only three high-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
The mid-ss knights they had were considered outstanding even among the middle sses.
Jacques Noir¨¦ achieved an overwhelming victory against such a mid-ss knight from a prestigious family.
His fame soared as rumors of his clear superiority against upper-level middle-ss knights spread.
¡°If you want revenge,e find me. But it¡¯s better to give up.¡±
¡°I-I never had such thoughts!¡±
Regardless of how many low-ss knights there were, they couldn¡¯t beat a middle-ss knight.
Let alone someone as exceptional as Jacques Noir¨¦.
¡°Very wise. Now, round up all these individuals and leave.¡±
The knight woke up theirpanions and hastily fled the tavern.
When the situation was settled, Jacques Noir¨¦ looked back at Jackson Cutter.
¡°I heard interesting news while wandering the city. The Earl of Copperhead is hosting a Jousting tournament.¡±
¡°Yes, Master. I heard about it too.¡±
¡°Well, this conversation will be quick then. Participate in that Jousting tournament and win.¡±
Caught off guard by the suddenmand, Jackson Cutter was perplexed.
¡°Why¡ all of a sudden?¡±
¡°Why? Don¡¯t you have confidence?¡±
¡°No, no! I do!¡±
Jackson Cutter hastily replied. From experience, he knew his master didn¡¯t like being questioned too much.
¡°But what if I don¡¯t win¡?¡±
¡°You learned swordsmanship directly under me. There¡¯s no way you can¡¯t win in such a smallpetition.¡±
This Jousting tournament was hosted by the Earl of Copperhead, a major noble in the West.
All the knights from the Western region gathered to participate.
It might not be a smallpetition, but Jackson didn¡¯t point that out.
He didn¡¯t want to know what his master might do if he did.
¡°Still, there¡¯s always a possibility. If I fail and make you ufortable, what will happen¡?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ kicked Jackson Cutter in the stomach.
¡°Cough! Ack!¡±
He rolled on the floor. The intense pain made it hard for him to even breathe properly.
¡°Having a lot to say now that you¡¯ve reached the level of low-ss knight. Did you not like what I asked you to do that much?¡±
¡°N-no, that¡¯s not¡¡±
¡°When I took you as my disciple, what did I say?¡±
¡°To unquestionably obey your words¡¡±
¡°You remember it well.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ continued to speak, looking down at Jackson Cutter.
¡°Remember this. You must win. If you fail, I¡¯ll take back everything I taught you.¡±
Jackson swallowed hard.
Taking back what he taught meant something more dreadful.
It meant cutting off Jackson¡¯s limbs or destroying his blood vessels, rendering him unable to use swordsmanship again.
But more than that, he feared being executed by Jacques Noir¨¦.
Jackson Cutter was a disciple of Jacques Noir¨¦, who had taken him under his wing shortly after his arrival in the Apple Kingdom.
Jackson Cutter had been nothing more than a city bully.
His rise to the low-ss knight was all thanks to Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s teachings, making it natural for him not to dare oppose.
¡°I-I will definitely win.¡±
¡°Of course, you must. Now, I¡¯ll go find a carriage for my travels.¡±
Saying that, Jacques Noir¨¦ left the tavern.
¡°Jackson!¡±
Sofia Russell supported Jackson Cutter. Jackson Cutter refused her touch and said,
¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡±
He struggled to rise to his feet. Sofia Russell nced at him, her expression filled with concern.
¡°Even so, kicking you so suddenly! Your master is really too much!¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m unharmed.¡±
Jackson Cutter stood, unsteady on his feet. Sofia Russell gazed at him, a hint of worry in her eyes.
¡°As always, you¡¯re the only one who worries about me, Sofia.¡±
¡°Jackson¡¡±
The two lovers exchanged a tender gaze for a moment.
¡°It worked out well. I was nning to participate in the Jousting tournament anyway.¡±
He raised one corner of his mouth.
¡°Let¡¯s fulfill Master¡¯s orders and take care of Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s a very good n.¡±
Inside the tavern, the two lovers exchanged nces.
***
A few dayster, Damien left for the Earl of Copperhead estate with Abel.
¡°Both of you, be careful on your journey.¡±
His father, mother, and sister decided not to apany them.
This Jousting tournament was hosted by the Earl of Copperhead for young nobles. While there was no rule against older nobles attending, it seemed they were being discreet about it.
¡°I¡¯ll just stay at the mansion. He said he woulde.¡±
Louise couldn¡¯t leave because she was expecting a visit from her fianc¨¦.
¡®That brat ising.¡¯
In this life as well, Damien didn¡¯t like Louise¡¯s fianc¨¦. Wearing sses and behaving like a typical bookworm, he seemed quite sly.
No matter how much he thought about it, Louise seemed too good for him.
For this reason, Damien and Abel left for the Earl of Copperhead estate alone.
¡°Young master! It¡¯s an honor to have you back!¡±
Victor was in charge of their arrangements. Damien examined Victor¡¯s body and asked, ¡°Are all your wounds healed?¡±
¡°Yes! I¡¯mpletely fine now!¡±
When the knights of the Marquis Ryanbloom came, Victor faced them and suffered significant injuries. Fortunately, thanks to the treatment from the priest, he could recover quickly.
¡°You seem to have be more energetic in my absence!¡±
¡°Ah, it¡¯s embarrassing. Did it show?¡±
Victorughed, and Damien couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
In any case, seeing Victor in good health was a relief.
¡°Now, let¡¯s depart.¡±
A carriage set off for the Earl of Copperhead estate.
***
The interior of the carriage was filled with silence. Despite being brothers, Damien and Abel hadn¡¯t spent much time together, so there wasn¡¯t much to talk about in this situation.
¡°Master Abel, may I ask you something?¡±
At that moment, Victor, who was sitting in the coachman¡¯s seat, spoke up.
¡°What would you like to know?¡±
¡°Just curious, How did you happen to fall in love with the Olivia Copperhead??¡±
Abel¡¯s face turned noticeably red at Victor¡¯s question. Abel seemed ready to burst out of the carriage as if he could escape the question.
¡°Why do you care!¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s not easy to pass the time on the journey.¡±
As Abel was about to retort, Damien interjected.
¡°Yeah, I was curious too. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±
¡°Brother!¡±
¡°Come on, I¡¯ve been preparing gifts for you and helping you out. Can¡¯t you at least say it?¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you¡¡±
Abel was about to protest but stopped, exhaling a sigh, and continued.
¡°¡It happened four years ago.¡±
Damien, filled with curiosity, focused on Abel¡¯s words.
¡°I attended a social gathering with Father at a society where Western nobles gather.¡±
Abel had just be an adult, so four years ago, he was quite young.
¡°Lady Olivia also attended. She was slightly older than me. Maybe that¡¯s why she seemed much more mature.¡±
Abel¡¯s gaze gradually became clouded. It seemed like he was looking at the past rather than the present.
¡°She had golden hair, tied up, and was using a sapphire-made hairpin. She was wearing an Alize-style dress, and the crimson colorplemented her golden hair.¡±
Abel spoke with a dreamy expression.
¡°She was truly¡ incredibly beautiful.¡±
Looking at Abel¡¯s face, Damien thought to himself, ¡®He fell for her just because she was beautiful.¡¯
His younger brother was such an easy guy. Damien chuckled inwardly.
¡®I need to figure out how to connect Abel and Olivia.¡¯
Damien delved into the memories of his past life.
During his time as a mercenary, Damien deliberately spent money to gather information about his family.
¡®It¡¯s definite that they were lovers. But the Earl rejected Abel¡¯s proposal.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t just a simple rejection.
¨C The Haksen family? A lowly family whose name I¡¯ve never heard of?
¨C Who are you? Abel Haksen? I¡¯ve never heard of you!
¨C I can¡¯t stand fools like you who can¡¯t understand the situation! Can¡¯t you just leave right away?
In the end, Abel had no choice but to part ways with Olivia.
Later on, Olivia married into a different family, while Abel lived a solitary life until it was tragically cut short by Damien.
¡®How they became lovers in the first ce, I don¡¯t know.¡¯
As in his past life, there was a possibility that they could be lovers if left alone.
However, Damien always tried to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
There was no guarantee that everything would unfold the same way as in his past life.
In this world, many events ur due to ovepping coincidences.
Moreover, now Damien, the biggest variable, was by Abel¡¯s side.
¡®I need to persuade the Earl.¡¯
Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much information about the Earl of Copperhead.
However, considering the incident with his brother in mind, he presumed the Earl to be a highly authoritative figure.
¡®I¡¯ll find a way for you, Abel.¡¯
Damien made a silent pledge while looking at his brother.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 42
Chapter 42
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 42: Floral Joust; The Duel(3)
***
Three dayster, the carriage carrying Damien arrived at the Earldom of Copperhead.
The location for the Jousting tournament was a vast in near the Copperhead¡¯s mansion.
Temporary arenas for the Jousting tournament and tents for the guests were set up there.
¡°They must have spent quite a sum,¡± Victor remarked.
The temporary arena, constructed with wooden fences, was impressivelyrge.
Tents, numbering more than a few dozen, were erected for the guests¡¯ amodations.
¡°Stop right there.¡±
As the carriage reached the entrance, a middle-aged man blocked its way.
¡°May I ask where you all areing from?¡±
¡°We¡¯re from the Viscounty of Haksen.¡±
Victor replied nonchntly.
The middle-aged man began to inspect the list he held in his hand.
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
¡°Could it be that Damien Haksen is on board?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°I apologize for the oversight. I am Corner, the steward of Copperhead¡¯s Earldom.¡±
The middle-aged man quickly corrected his posture.
¡°We¡¯ll take care of the carriage. Pleasee this way.¡±
A steward guided the three individuals inside a tent.
¡°You can use this tent.¡±
The tent indicated by the steward turned out to be surprisingly spacious.
Soft carpets adorned the floor, and there were even two beds.
¡°That tent adjacent is designated for the staff.¡±
Even the amodation for the servants was adjacent.
It was indeed generous hospitality.
¡°A banquet is prepared for tonight. Rest until then. If you have any difort, don¡¯t hesitate to call for us.¡±
After bowing respectfully, the steward exited.
¡°Quite a splendid amodation. To think they would offer such a ce. Earl of Copperhead must be a generous person,¡± Abel eximed while inspecting the tent.
In contrast, Damien showed a rather indifferent reaction.
In his past life, the Earl of Copperhead had insulted Abel and mocked Viscount Haksen.
¡°Just treating me well because I¡¯m famous.¡±
The reason the Earl provided such excellent amodation was solely due to Damien¡¯s reputation.
A simr situation had urred in his past life.
The mercenary group Damien led had originally been an obscure and insignificant band, receiving poor treatment wherever they went. There were times when they didn¡¯t receive a single penny afterpleting a job and were chased away.
But after Damien gained fame through his exploits, everything changed drastically.
At that moment, Damien realized the immense power that fame held.
¡°Victor, take a look around the amodation too. Let me know if there¡¯s any issue.¡±
¡°Yes, understood.¡±
After a firm response, Victor left the tent.
Abel slumped onto the bed. It seemed the long carriage ride had taken its toll, and fatigue had umted.
¡°You rest here. I¡¯ll explore the surroundings and be back.¡±
¡°Yes, I unders¡¡±
Suddenly, Abel sprang up from the bed.
¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±
¡°What? Why? I told you to rest.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t. I make a promise with Father.¡±
¡°A promise?¡±
¡°He specifically told me to stop you if I thought you were going to cause trouble.¡±
Upon Abel¡¯s words, Damien burst intoughter.
¡°Trouble? Am I some child who would cause trouble? Don¡¯t worry, just rest.¡±
¡°No, I will apany you.¡±
As Abel didn¡¯t back down, Damien inwardly clicked his tongue.
¡°Ugh, Father must have already caught on.¡±
The reason Damien went outside was to inspect the arena and the knights. If he happened to encounter Sofia and her lover during the process, he nned to crush them without hesitation.
¡°Brother, Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°¡ Fine.¡±
Damien replied with ackluster voice.
***
Damien and Abel wandered around, observing the knights.
¡°Most of them seem to be junior-level knights.¡±
Earl of Copperhead had limited the participants in this Jousting tournament to young men, mostly in the junior-ss.
¡°asionally, there are even low-ss knights as participants.¡±
Roughly there was one low ss in every five. Achieving such a status at a young age indicated exceptional talent.
¡°Brother, look. That¡¯s the arena.¡±
Abel pointed ahead, where a makeshift arena was built by the Earl of Copperhead.
Although temporary, the arena was spacious, and the ground was even and well-prepared.
¡°Is this tournament for teampetitions?¡±
Jousting tournaments had various events, including one-on-one duels and group battles to determine the winner collectively.
¡°Maybe it¡¯s a monster hunt.¡±
Damien spected while discussing various topics, examining the arena.
¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that the man over there? Could it be Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Hmm? He looks simr to the portrait we sawst time.¡±
A group of about six individuals approached Damien Haksen.
Robust physiques and swords at their waists identified them as knights who hade to participate in the Jousting tournament.
¡°Are you Damien Haksen?¡±
One of the knights asked Damien, the only low-ss among them.
¡°What if that¡¯s me?¡±
The knights chuckled, exchanging amused nces.
¡°It¡¯s an honor to see the famous Damien Haksen in person.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the one who defeated the dark mages and triumphed over the eldest son of the Marquis Ryanbloom, right?¡±
¡°Those are some incredible rumors, almost too good to be true.¡±
The knights started surrounding Damien.
¡°But, I heard something about your past¡ Until a few months ago, you were just a notorious troublemaker, right?¡±
¡°Causing disturbances in taverns, using family property as coteral for loans and then defaulting¡ Is that true?¡±
¡°Really, isn¡¯t that rumor? The mighty Damien Haksen involved in such trash?¡±
The knights¡¯ tone and expressions were filled with mockery.
¡°However, these rumors have spread so widely that I wanted to check for myself during this opportunity.¡±
The knight who initially spoke rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
As the only low-ss, it seemed he was ready to take action if force was required.
¡®As expected, these kinds of guys.¡¯
While rumors spread quickly, gaining eptance from people took time, especially for Damien, who gained immense fame in a short period.
Therefore, Damien anticipated that there would be those who came to the Jousting tournament to confirm the truth behind the rumors.
¡°Well, this works out well. I¡¯ve been sitting in the carriage for too long, and my body is stiff.¡± Damien said, stretching his arm.
¡°Brother, you can¡¯t.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°You made a promise with father¡ not to cause trouble.¡±
¡°But they started picking a fight over there. Should I just endure it?¡±
¡°Well, you should try to finish this quietly¡¡±
¡°Oh, fine. I won¡¯t kill them.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡¡±
The knights couldn¡¯t help but furrow their brows at the conversation between the two.
¡°What kind of crap are you trying to spout now¡¡.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that the fucking Damien Haksen?¡±
At that moment, another voice echoed from a distance.
¡°I heard all themotion and came to check, only to discover it was caused by you. Didn¡¯t anticipate running into you so soon.¡±
A young man was walking towards them from afar, apanied by a young woman.
¡°It¡¯s disheartening to witness you in this state.¡±
The young man grinned fiercely.
***
Damien gazed at the young man¡¯s face. No matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t recall who it was.
¡°Why are you pretending to be friendly with me?¡±
¡°What are you doing? I¡¯d hate for this behavior to happen after I beat the shit out of you.¡±
¡°Beat me?¡±
Damien chuckled. At that moment, the woman beside the man spoke.
¡°Heh, feeling embarrassed about what happened back then? Well, there¡¯s no point. Even if you pretend not to know, we remember everything.¡±
¡°And who are you, meddling like this?¡±
Damien furrowed his brow. Already feeling ufortable due to the knights ignoring him, now even an unfamiliar woman was looking down on him.
¡°Brother, why are you suddenly like this?¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°That woman is Sofia Russell. The man next to her is her lover, Jackson Cutter.¡±
Upon hearing this, Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
Although memories of Sofia Russell were dim, he hadn¡¯t anticipated failing to recognize her right before him.
¡®So this person is Jackson Cutter.¡¯
Damien scrutinized Jackson Cutter.
Sharp nose, clear eyes¡ªmore handsome than expected.
¡®So, this is why Sofia Russell fell for him.¡¯
Good looksbined with low-ss knight skills.
It made sense why Sofia broke off their engagement with Damien and chose Jackson Cutter instead.
¡°What are you staring at? Does thinking about the past make your head itch?¡±
Jackson Cutter sneered, and Damienughed along.
What the hell is this guy saying now?
¡°Hey, why are you bothering us and just standing there?¡±
At that moment, the knight who arrived first spoke irritably.
The knight red at Jackson Cutter, saying, ¡°You, I don¡¯t know who you are, but we met Damien Haksen first. So, quietly back off.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me what to do,¡± said Jackson Cutter, ¡± I have business with Damien Haksen, too, so you can go fuck yourself.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a fucking idiot.¡±
The knight, seething with anger, approached Jackson Cutter.
¡°There are people who onlye to their senses when they see blood, just like you.¡±
¡°Sure, sure, hurry up ande at me.¡±
¡°You motherfucker¡¡±
The knight, enraged, grabbed Jackson Cutter by the cor.
At that moment, Jackson struck the knight¡¯s abdomen with a fist.
¡°Cough!¡±
The knight bent forward, staggering backward and even vomiting.
¡°Sir Berry?¡±
The other knights behind were bewildered.
Berry was a high-ranking knight in the low-ss knights, and seeing him suffer so much from a single punch was shocking.
¡®He used mana to hit him.¡¯
Damien urately saw why Berry was in so much pain.
Upon the impact of the punch to the abdomen, Jackson Cutter released mana, resulting in internal injuries.
¡®He can use such advanced technique.¡¯
Most of the knights were only familiar with infusing mana into their weapons, as they were users of Aura. However, there were countless other uses for mana.
¡®He¡¯s quite skilled.¡¯
Not only does he know such a technique, but he¡¯s also proficient in using it.
Jackson Cutter¡¯s proficiency demonstrated his remarkable abilities.
¡°This guy! How dare you touch Sir Berry!¡±
One of the knights gripped his weapon. At that moment, Jackson Cutter¡¯s gaze turned chilling.
¡°You can draw it freely, but¡ if you continue, you might end up dead.¡±
The knight¡¯s face turned pale at Jackson Cutter¡¯s aura.
The knight¡¯s skills were at most that of a junior knight. It was impossible to withstand Jackson Cutter¡¯s aura with such limited ability.
¡°I¡¯ll see youter!¡±
The knights, with Berry in tow, hastily retreated.
¡°Dealing with those nuisances, and now¡ let¡¯s settle our own matter. What the¡?¡±
Jackson Cutter turned to Damien and was surprised. Damien was smiling brightly, looking at his younger brother.
¡°Brother¡¡±
¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t start this, you know?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡¡±
Abel sighed deeply.
¡°Let¡¯s try to resolve this quietly if possible¡¡±
¡°Will there be a chance for that?¡±
Damien stepped up to Jackson Cutter and held out his right hand.
¡°What the fuck is this?¡±
¡°Why? Let¡¯s shake hands, shall we?¡±
Jackson Cutter¡¯s eyes gleamed mischievously.
¡°Alright. There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±
After shaking hands, Jackson Cutter suddenly floated in the air.
¡°What the¡¡±
Without a chance toprehend the situation, he was mmed head-first into the ground.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 43
Chapter 43
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 43: Jackson Cutter(1)
***
Jackson Cutter arrived at the Earldom of Copperhead¡¯s camp one step behind Damien Haksen.
¡°Use a ce like this?¡±
Jackson Cutter looked around the tent the servant had guided him to, expressing his displeasure. It was cramped, and the floor was covered with only a few worn-out leather pieces. The only furniture was a bed and a desk.
¡°Do you not know who I am? I am Jackson Cutter, the Ogre yer!¡±
Jackson Cutter shouted at the servant. The servant trembled and said, ¡°Sir Corner is aware of it.¡±
¡°But still, assigning me to such a ce? Are you out of your mind?¡±
¡°Even if you talk to me¡¡±
The servant said, feeling unjust.
Jackson Cutter sighed deeply. As the servant pointed out, getting angry at the lower ranks wouldn¡¯t change anything.
¡°Get out right now.¡±
The servant rushed out of the tent as if fleeing. As soon as the servant left, Jacques Noir¨¦
entered.
¡°It was noisy even from outside.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ said with an indifferent tone.
¡°Master, that¡¯s the point. They assigned me to this shabby tent despite knowing who I was. How can I endure this? Naturally, I had to protest¡¡±
Jackson Cutterined in a muffled voice.
Upon hearing this, Jacques Noir¨¦ grabbed Jackson Cutter¡¯s neck.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°I¡¯ve had you loose for a while now, you seem to think I¡¯m an easy target. Do I look like someone who listens to yourints?¡±
¡°Sorry, sorry!¡±
Jackson Cutter desperately shouted. Only then did Jacques Noir¨¦ release his grip on his neck.
¡°Try to stay quiet here as much as possible. I won¡¯t forgive you if you cause trouble and get expelled from the tournament.¡±
¡°Okay, I understand.¡±
¡°Remember, your goal is to win the Jousting tournament.¡±
Jackson Cutter nced at Jacques Noir¨¦, asking, ¡°But, Master, why should I win the Jousting tournament? Can you tell me the reason¡¡±
¡°It is something necessary for my personal desire.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s your desire¡ Are you talking about reaching the Master¡¯s level?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The Master.
The ultimate state of being, a true superhuman.
If others heard about it, they would probably think it¡¯s insane. Reaching the level of Master was an almost impossible task.
However, Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s expression was infinitely serious.
¡°So, how does my winning the Jousting tournament rte to your ambition?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ stared at Jackson Cutter.
He quickly closed his mouth. It was clear that pushing it further would lead to a difficult situation.
¡°I¡¯ll investigate Earl Copperhead and the participants. You quietly prepare for the tournament.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°One more thing, if you encounter Damien Haksen, ignore him.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Jackson Cutter looked at Jacques Noir¨¦ with a puzzled expression.
Jackson Cutter¡¯s participation in this Jousting tournament was driven by his intent to expose Damien¡¯s true nature.
It was challenging for him to tolerate that trash like him was far more famous than himself.
But to ignore him?
¡°There are too many unclear aspects about Damien Haksen. He might be the biggest variable among the participants in this tournament.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ spoke with a serious tone.
¡°So, until I verify the truth of the rumors, refrain from touching him.¡±
¡°But¡ Master, you also saw it, didn¡¯t you? How despicable that guy is.¡±
When Jackson Cutter assaulted Damien Haksen, Jacques Noir¨¦ was nearby. He even watched Jackson assaulting Damien Haksen.
Yet, to issue such an order?
¡°Do you have a problem with my order?¡±
Displeasure was evident in Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s voice.
He quickly lowered his head.
¡°Sorry, sorry.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all you need to know..¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ reiterated his point and left the tent.
As soon as Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s presence faded away, Jackson Cutter contemptuously muttered, ¡°Such a coward.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ always behaved like that.
Whenever something suspicious was noticed, he took precautions. This time, it was clear that he got frightened after hearing the rumors about Damien Haksen.
¡°And if you¡¯re going to give orders, at least exin in detail. What does winning the tournament have to do with bing a Master?¡±
Their rtionship was closer to that of a master and a ve rather than a teacher and a student.
In the first ce, Jacques Noir¨¦ taught Jackson Cutter for the sole purpose of using him for his own goals.
¡°Wait and see. Once I reach the Middle ss, I¡¯ll kill you first.¡±
However, aside from disdaining Jacques Noir¨¦, one couldn¡¯t deny the effectiveness of his teachings.
Jacques Noir¨¦ had spent a long time researching various swordsmanship and mana maniption techniques to reach the level of a Master.
The knowledge gained allowed him to swiftly elevate Jackson Cutter, who was nothing more than a thug, to the level of a low-ss knight.
Jackson Cutter aimed to learn more from Jacques Noir¨¦ and ascend to the Middle ss.
¡°Sitting here all the time makes me feel dirty.¡±
With annoyance, Jackson Cutter went out of the tent.
At that moment, he encountered Sofiaing out of the opposite tent.
¡°Oh, Sofia. Did youe out because it¡¯s stuffy too?¡±
¡°Jackson!¡±
Sofia let out a loud shout and rushed into Jackson¡¯s arms, and he reciprocated by embracing her.
¡°Just staying inside the tent gets boring.¡±
¡°As expected, we understand each other well. I also came out because it was stuffy.¡±
¡°That¡¯s great! How about taking a walk together?¡±
Jackson Cutter wrapped his arms around Sofia Russell¡¯s waist.
As the two of them wandered around the arena, they came across Damien.
¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the Damien Haksen?¡±
Jackson Cutter faced Damien.
¡°I¡¯m d to meet you like this.¡±
***
When his face hit the ground, Jackson Cutter silently questioned himself.
¡®Why did I fall for it?¡¯
As they sped hands, Jackson summoned all his strength. He intended to break Damien¡¯s arm and m him to the ground, but instead, he found himself on the receiving end of the maneuver.
He couldn¡¯t evenprehend how it happened.
¡°Ja-Jackson!¡±
Right beside him, Sofia screamed. He got up from the ground and reassured her.
¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine¡¡.¡±
But as he tried to stand, his body swayed. His head was spinning, and he felt nauseous.
¡°Oh, tough guy, huh? You took a direct hit to the jaw and already getting up?¡±
Only after hearing this did he realize that Damien hadn¡¯t blindly mmed him to the ground. He had adjusted the angle to deliver most of the impact¡¯s force to the jaw.
¡°You son of bitch¡!¡±
The Damien Haksen that he remembered was a pathetic individual who begged for mercy while being beaten up by his fists. How could he end up taking a hit from such a person?
It was a humiliation beyond measure.
¡°It seems the rumors weren¡¯tpletely false.¡±
Jackson Cutter gritted his teeth. The intense anger overwhelmed any sense of reason.
¡°And you don¡¯t intend to end this with such a petty trick?¡±
Jackson Cutter clenched the handle of his sword.
Damien looked at his younger brother and shrugged his shoulders, saying, ¡°Abel, did you see? He tried to pull out a sword first.¡±
¡°Brother¡¡±
Abel let out a deep sigh but didn¡¯t stop Damien.
¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, show your true colors.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Damien pushed Abel aside and spoke, ¡°Are you ready?¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡±
Even in the midst of rising anger, He couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Damien didn¡¯t have any weapon in his hands.
¡°¡What are you doing without drawing a sword?¡±
¡°For someone like you, this is more than enough.¡±
Damien raised his index finger. Jackson couldn¡¯t understand the situation for a while.
¡°¡Are you saying you¡¯ll face me with just one finger?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s too much, should I switch to a twig?¡±
While saying this, He looked around casually. Jackson Cutter¡¯s face turned crimson with rage.
¡°¡I¡¯ll cut off all ten of your fingers and make you eat them!¡±
Jackson drew his sword.
However, just as Jackson Cutter was about to charge, someone grabbed his wrist.
He turned to look with a dazed expression. Jacques Noir¨¦, his master, stood there.
***
¡°Ma-Master.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t respond to Jackson Cutter¡¯s words. He solely focused on Damien Haksen.
Damien, in turn, also gazed at Jacques Noir¨¦.
Although he didn¡¯t express it outwardly, Damien was quite impressed.
As a knight¡¯s rank increased, the walls became higher. It was a hundred times more challenging for a low-ss to reach the middle ss than for a junior knight to be a low-ss.
Therefore, as the rank ascended, the skill difference among knights grew exponentially. The top-tier middle-ss knights could easily defeat the lower-tier middle-ss with a single blow.
¡°Impressive.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ broke the silence.
¡°That such a pathetic brat could be so strong in such a short time is hard to believe.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ looked at Damien with eyes full of interest.
¡°I will apologize for my disciple¡¯s rude behavior.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ took Jackson Cutter with him and left. Sofia Russell hurriedly followed them.
¡°Abel, do you know who he is?¡±
¡°He¡¯s Jacques Noir¨¦, a middle-ss knight.¡±
Damien pondered Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s name inwardly.
The reason Damien came here was partly because of Abel, but it was also for revenge against Jackson Cutter and Sofia Russell. Therefore, a sh with Jacques Noir¨¦ was inevitable.
¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a sword like this in a long time.¡¯
[PR note- Here ¡®Sword¡¯ is meant by the talent of a person.]
A subtle smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips.
It seemed like this Jousting tournament wouldn¡¯t be dull at all.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 44
Chapter 44
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 44: Jackson Cutter(2)
***
While following the two healers, Sofia felt great confusion.
¡®Is that really Damien Haksen?¡¯ she wondered.
At first, she thought she had seen wrong. It was because he had changed so much.
Originally, Damien Haksen didn¡¯t like exercise, and his body was as skinny as a dog and frail. Due to drinking every day, his face used to be pale.
But what about now? Well-defined chest muscles were pushing against his clothes from the inside. The sleeves were taut as if they might burst any moment, and his broad shoulders were impressively intimidating.
The most significant change was in his gaze. Nervous and gloomy eyes had transformed into sharp glints.
Sofia couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡®Damien¡ defeated Jackson? Does that make sense?¡¯
Jackson Cutter was a formidable opponent. Sofia, who had watched from the side, knew it better than anyone.
He possessed exceptional strength and skills, enough to hunt ogres alone. Despite numerous duels, he had never been defeated.
But Damien yed with Jackson Cutter as if he were a toy.
¡®Could this be a dream?¡¯
Sofia pinched her cheek. She pinched it so hard that her cheeks turned red, but she didn¡¯t wake up. It meant it was real.
¡®But why did he pretend not to recognize me?¡¯
The two of them had broken up just a few months ago. In that short time, there was no way he could forget her face.
Moreover, Damien Haksen had been so obsessed with Sofia Russell.
¡®Maybe¡ he¡¯s holding a grudge against me?¡¯
Sofia unterally dered the breakup to Damien.
Not only that, but she also asked Jackson to beat him up.
¡®Yeah, he¡¯s definitely holding a grudge. That¡¯s why he pretended not to recognize me.¡¯
Sofia Russell chuckled. Damien¡¯s actions seemed cute to her.
Why else would he express his frustration? It indicated that he still harbored feelings for her.
It was evident that he engaged in these childish antics to capture her attention.
¡®Anyway, Men are like that¡¡¯
Sofia Russell shook her head. But it didn¡¯t feel bad at all.
Regardless of the past, Damien Haksen had be an outstanding and famous knight. It was only natural that she felt good when such a man paid attention to her.
¡®Well, it¡¯s useless. I have Jackson, so I don¡¯t need anyone else.¡¯
Sofia Russell lifted her head and looked at Jackson.
His back, which had felt so vast just moments before, suddenly seemed so small.
So different from Damien Haksen¡¡.
¡®Oh, what was I thinking¡¡ I¡¯ve got nothing but my darling Jackson!¡¯
Sofia Russell shook her head to clear her thoughts.
***
¡°Master, please give me one more chance,¡± Jackson pleaded as they walked back to the tent.
¡°Give it up. Damien is stronger than you,¡± replied Jacques Noir¨¦.
¡°What happened just now was just a moment of carelessness. If I fight seriously, I can win.¡±
¡°Do you doubt my judgment?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s voice lowered, and Jackson wisely remained silent.
¡°Don¡¯t provoke me. Considering you disobeyed my orders and had contact with Damien Haksen, I could easily rip your arm off right here.¡±
The stern tone in Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s voice made Jackson shiver.
His master didn¡¯t make empty threats. If he said something, he meant it.
¡°An unexpected variable. I didn¡¯t realize Damien Haksen was that good. We¡¯re not going to win the championship at this rate¡¡.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ muttered to himself.
Upon hearing this, Jackson¡¯s expression crumpled.
¡®Damn, why can¡¯t I beat Damien?¡¯
He couldn¡¯t ept the fact that Damien was stronger than him.
Sure, his skills had improved since before. It was a fact that he took a hit.
But with a weapon in hand, he was confident he could win.
¡®I¡¯ll prove it in the joust.¡¯
Anyway, he was scheduled to fight Damien in the joust.
Jackson aimed to triumph over Damien in the jousting match, intending to demonstrate that Damien was not a worthy adversary.
¡°But, I can¡¯t understand at all. How did he be so powerful in just a few months?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ muttered.
Jackson was curious about this too.
Regardless, it was clear that Damien had reached the realm low-ss knight.
Rising to the level of low-ss in just a few months was unbelievable.
¡°Could he be a genius?¡±
At Jackson¡¯s question, Jacques Noir¨¦ hesitated.
¡°It¡¯s not impossible. The Imperial Supreme Sword reached the Low-ss rank less than a year after wielding a sword.¡±
¡°Then, do you think Damien Haksen is a genius on par with the Imperial Supreme Sword?¡±
¡°Do you think Damien Haksen is such a genius in your opinion?¡±
Jackson shook his head.
Could a brat who begged him for mercy and his life be a genius? No way.
¡°In my opinion, he gained a golden opportunity.¡±
In the past, someone had obtained a weapon imbued with the ideals of the Master ss.
That person had imed to inherit incredible skills and knowledge through the weapon.
Of course, inheriting the Master¡¯s memories didn¡¯t mean bing a Master.
But reaching the level of the low-ss knight was easy.
Damien Haksen undoubtedly obtained such a legendary opportunity.
¡°Jackson, we need to add another goal.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ shifted his gaze towards Jackson. In response, Jackson swiftly adjusted his expression.
¡°Another goal?¡±
¡°We need to obtain the opportunity Damien Haksen got.¡±
In the next moment, he felt chills all over his body.
A sinister smile began to spread on Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s lips as if a doll was smiling.
¡°Treasure belongs to those who recognize its value.¡±
***
¡°Brother, if you break the promise with Father already, what will happen¡?¡±
As they returned to the tent, Abel sighed and spoke.
¡°I¡¯m innocent. They started the fight first.¡±
Damien said with a bashful smile on his face.
Abel wanted to argue, but¡ he gave up. Damien¡¯s words were somewhat true, and Damien wasn¡¯t the type to stay quiet when provoked by others.
¡°¡Still, you did well.¡±
¡°What? Taking care of Jackson Cutter?¡±
¡°Yes, to be honest, I didn¡¯t like those two either.¡±
Abel¡¯s eyes darkened.
The Russell family not only dered the breakup unterally but also insulted the entire Haksen family. Even the Abel couldn¡¯t help but feel anger.
¡°You brat. Are you taking my side?¡±
Damien put his arm around Abel¡¯s neck. Abel struggled to get away.
Just then, the tent was opened and Victor entered
¡°Master, there¡¯s a banquet scheduled in an hour.¡±
¡°Oh, is that so?¡±
Damien decided to forget about Jackson for the moment.
He needed to do something really important: bring Abel and Olivia Copperhead together.
¡°Abel, let¡¯s get ready to go out.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel opened the travel bag and took out the banquet attire.
Upon seeing the attire, Damien frowned. It was so old and tattered that he couldn¡¯t tell when he¡¯d bought it.
¡°Hey, what¡¯s with this old attire? Are you nning to wear that?¡±
¡°No, Father lent it to me.¡±
¡°Why borrow such old-fashioned clothes?¡±
¡°¡Because our family is short on funds.¡±
Abel looked at Damien with resentment. He realized his mistake from Abel¡¯s gaze.
Due to the incidents he repeatedly caused, the financial state of the Haksen family was in great deterioration.
As a result, Abel couldn¡¯t get a new banquet attire and had to borrow one from his father.
¡°I forgot to give you the reward money from the Duke¡¡.Well, don¡¯t worry. I bought new clothes for you.¡±
¡°You bought them?¡±
Damien opened arge bag. Inside were various banquet attires of different colors.
Not only were the colors beautifully dyed, but the designs were also sophisticated.
It was clearly luxurious and hard-to-find clothing.
¡°Brother, where on earth did you get these clothes?¡±
¡°At the Dress Waves City, there¡¯s a famous boutique called ¡®Moonlight Waves.¡¯ I bought them there.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Abel couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Moonlight Waves was so famous that even nobles in the West were familiar with it. To ce an order, you had to wait at least three years.
¡°Did you reserve them in advance? Reserving there isn¡¯t easy¡¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t make a reservation.¡±
¡°Then, how did you get the clothes?¡±
¡°I bought clothes that other nobles had ordered. Oh, don¡¯t worry about the sizes. I told them your measurements, and they adjusted everything for you.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Abel was dumbfounded. Damien added as if to reassure him.
¡°Do you doubt my sense? Trust me, my sense is quite sharp. I urately¡ and¡¡±
¡°Oh no, Brother! What about the clothes that are reserved for others?¡±
Damien answered Abel¡¯sint with a smug face.
¡°Hey, someone might think I forcibly tore them off. I paid five times the production cost and took them.¡±
He had promised to pay five times the production cost, so the boutique owner even rmended other clothes.
For Damien, who had a hefty sum of gratitude from the Duke, paying for the clothes was not a problem at all.
¡°Even so¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I bought new clothes for you, as I promised.¡±
¡°Thank you very much.¡±
Damien handed Abel the banquet attire with a bright smile.
***
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Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 45: Banquet(1)
***
Evening.
Sofia attended the banquet with Jackson Cutter.
Earl Copperhead had set up the banquet hall by connectingrge tents.
Although it was a temporary banquet hall, it exuded a certain opulence, leaving nothing amiss.
Bands yed musical instruments on one side. Servants busily carried freshly made food.
¡°Jackson, ah, please.¡±
Sofia extended a canap¨¦ just brought to her, saying.
Jackson Cutter took the food offered by Sofia Russell into his mouth.
¡°Mmm, delicious. Sofia, it tastes even better when you feed me.¡±
¡°If you think I¡¯ll be pleased by saying that, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±
The two burst intoughter. Passing nobles looked with envy.
¡°Ah¡¡±
Instead of answering, Jackson Cutter sighed deeply as he ate the food she offered.
Sofia looked at him with a puzzled face.
¡°Jackson, why are you suddenly like this?¡±
¡°Sofia¡ Look, don¡¯t you feel it?¡±
Jackson nced at the nobles in the banquet hall. She tilted her head.
¡°No one recognizes me.¡±
Jackson said weakly. It was then that Sofia understood her lover¡¯s words.
¡°Well, aside from thest bunch of bums, all the nobles are in the ballroom. I thought there would be at least one person who recognized me¡¡.¡±
¡°Jackson, don¡¯t worry. People are busy exchanging greetings with those they know. Someone will recognize you soon.¡±
Sofia said, embracing Jackson.
¡°Do you think so?¡±
His face brightened slightly at herfort. Sofia nodded.
¡°¡If it were Damien, wouldn¡¯t everyone recognize him?¡±
Suddenly, Sofia Russell thought of Damien.
As the day had proven, there was no one who didn¡¯t recognize his face.
Thanks to rumors, his portrait was widely circted.
¡®If it were Damien¡ there would be people trying to strike up a conversation.¡¯
She thought of herself next to Damien.
Just imagining it made her happy.
¡°Sofia? Why are you suddenly smiling?¡±
Jackson Cutter asked with a puzzled voice. Only then did Sofia Russell return to reality.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡±
She blurted out.
The murmurs from the entrance of the banquet hall grew louder.
¡°Is that person Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Who is the young man next to him?¡±
¡°They look oddly alike¡ Could he be his brother?¡±
At the name Damien Haksen, the two of them turned their heads toward the entrance.
Before they knew it, nobles were crowding the entrance.
¡°Well, he¡¯s more handsome than I thought, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s him. I heard rumors about your thin, anxious countenance, but you don¡¯t quite match the rumors, do you?¡±
¡°So is Damien Haksen, but his brother next to him is quite handsome.¡±
Sofia felt her heart pounding.
The Damien she saw during the day was handsome enough to momentarily captivate her.
Even his usual appearance was impressive. What would he look like when properly dressed?
Curiosity and anticipation rose simultaneously.
¡®No. Let¡¯s not do this. I have Jackson.¡¯
Sofia shook her head. But her heart continued to lean towards the entrance.
¡®Wait¡ Could Damien Haksen actually be hoping that I woulde?¡¯
The conflicted Sofia began to rationalize herself in a strange direction.
¡®Right. He even tried to provoke jealousy by pretending not to recognize me. He¡¯s probably expecting me to see how well he¡¯s dressed.¡¯
Sofia nodded to herself.
¡®Just to appreciate that effort, should I go and see him once?¡¯
But she couldn¡¯t go recklessly. Jackson was right beside her.
¡°Damm it¡ Damien Haksen¡¡±
Jackson gritted his teeth while ring at the entrance.
Damien, receiving attention unlike himself, seemed to displease him.
¡°Jackson, are you going to just stand here like this?¡±
He looked at Sofia with a face that seemed to ask, ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯
¡°You told me. You said you would definitely defeat Damien in the jousting tournament. Then, instead of doing this, you should approach and observe Damien closely.¡±
At Sofia¡¯s words, Jackson¡¯s eyebrows twitched.
¡°Are you telling me to observe him now?¡±
¡°A lion doesn¡¯t let its guard down even when catching a rabbit. You have to observe Damien closely to achieve a perfect victory and enhance your reputation, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Whether it was convincing or not, Jackson¡¯s gaze changed.
¡°¡You¡¯re right. Instead of doing nothing, I should get a close look at Damien. That¡¯s the key to a perfect victory.¡±
Sofia internally cheered. Fortunately, things were going as she hoped.
The two headed towards the entrance.
¡°I¡¯ll make way for you.¡±
Jackson pushed through the nobles, clearing the way. Thanks to him, Sofia could easily reach the front row.
And the moment she saw Damien, she was at a loss for words.
His hair was neatlybed, and a ck tailcoat elegantly adorning his physique.
At that sight, Sofia¡¯s face turned red in an instant.
¡®¡Is Damien really that handsome?¡¯
When she thought about it, Damien always belonged to the handsome category of men.
However, his messy behavior and irregr lifestyle had overshadowed all those advantages.
But now, Damien was different from the past.
His knightly physique was making his appearance even more radiant.
¡°¡Damien.¡±
Sofia Russell murmured with a touched expression.
¡®To put this much effort just to show himself to me.¡¯
If Damien heard this, he probably would haveughed out loud.
***
Upon entering the banquet hall, Damien felt only one emotion.
¡®Annoying.¡¯
The nobles in the hall were flocking towards him.
Warm desires to strike up a conversation were evident in their facial expressions.
However, not a single noble actually approached him.
It was because Damien deliberately exuded an intimidating aura, preventing the nobles from approaching recklessly.
¡°Brother, look. It¡¯s a dessert made with Ukulele fruit! I heard it¡¯s hard to find as it¡¯s a fruit grown exclusively in the Apple Kingdom.¡±
Unlike Damien, Abel was enjoying the food in the banquet hall.
Damien gave a bitter smile as he watched Abel.
¡°His brother is also handsome.¡±
¡°In terms of appearance, he¡¯s even more handsome than Damien Haksen, right?¡±
¡°But I still prefer Damien. Look at those biceps!¡±
Abel was also a subject of interest, especially among the female nobles.
Damien increased his intimidating aura a bit, just in case thedies came up to him.
Then it happened.
The soldiers guarding the entrance tapped the ground with their spears.
Thud, thud. The rough sound drew everyone¡¯s attention.
¡°Earl Copperhead is entering!¡±
The soldiers shouted loudly. The music from the band stopped. The soldiers pulled the curtains that covered the entrance to the sides. An elderly man entered through the gap.
The appearance of Earl Copperhead.
Beside Earl Copperhead, a youngdy was walking.
Everyone in the banquet hall was captivated by thedy¡¯s appearance as if possessed by a ghost.
It was Lady Olivia Copperhead.
Earl Copperhead and Lady Olivia crossed the center of the banquet hall.
Even without any orders, people dispersed to make way for them.
Earl Copperhead sat in the central seat prepared in the banquet hall. Lady Olivia Copperhead sat beside him.
¡°It seems the enthusiasm has waned because of me. Now, everyone, just enjoy the banquet.¡±
With that, the band resumed ying. The sounds of conversation among the nobles also resumed.
¡°Your Excellency, it is an honor to see you like this. I am Chris, from the Barony of Nacien.¡±
Suddenly, one of the lesser nobles walked forward, kneeling in front of Earl Copperhead and speaking.
¡°Barony of Nacien! I know it. Isn¡¯t it famous for its delicious apples?¡±
¡°Thank you for recognizing us.¡±
The nobleman lowered his head even more.
¡°Tomemorate Lady Olivia¡¯s birthday, we have prepared a gift. If you ept it, consider it an honor for our family.¡±
The item Chris held out was a small box adorned with jewels.
¡°It¡¯s a cosmetic made by alchemists from the Michu sect. I heard they used spirit powder to make it.¡±
As Chris exined, the female nobles began to buzz.
¡°If it¡¯s the Mithu School, they are the most famous alchemists for making cosmetics, aren¡¯t they?¡±
¡°He just mentioned spirit powder, right? The product that, when applied, is supposed to revitalize your skin?¡±
¡°I heard that a bar of gold for just a baby¡¯s fingernail-sized portion was traded¡ I wonder how expensive this cosmetic is?¡±
It was an item that any woman couldn¡¯t help but be curious about.
However, Olivia Copperhead showed no particr interest.
Earl Copperhead was also indifferent.
Earl Copperhead¡¯s wealth could easily afford items of this caliber.
¡°It must have been difficult to acquire. Thank you.¡±
In response to the Earls¡¯s nonchnt reaction, Chris returned, somewhat dejected.
As he returned, another nobleman stepped forward.
¡°I extend my greetings to Earl! I am Charles from the Zion House! I wish to present this ne to Lady Olivia!¡±
Charles Zion raised a ss case.
Inside the case was a ne adorned with various shining gems.
The faces of those who saw the light of the gems were filled with amazement.
¡°Isn¡¯t that a Heptastone?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a rare gem that, even after capturing a hundred golems in the rocky mountains, you might find just one.¡±
The Heptastone did not possess any particrly remarkable efficacy.
However, due to its rarity, beauty, and the difficulty in obtaining it, it is currently the most popr gem.
¡°To bring something so precious.¡±
Even Earl Copperhead seemed satisfied with the expensive item.
¡°Olivia, what do you think? Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡±
However, Lady Olivia Copperhead showed no particr reaction once again.
She simply looked at the ne with indifferent eyes.
¡°I¡¯ll make sure to take care of it.¡±
¡°Thank you!¡±
After bowing his head, Charles Zion returned.
After that, many nobles presented gifts.
However, Lady Olivia Copperhead showed no interest in any of the gifts.
¡®She¡¯s a very picky woman.¡¯
Damien thought so as he opened a spatial ring and pulled out a bow.
¡°Hey, catch.¡±
Then he threw the bow to Abel. Abel looked at Damien with a surprised expression.
¡°Why are you surprised? Since we brought gifts, we should give something too.¡±
¡°Are you really going to give me this bow?¡±
¡°Yeah, I got it from Marquis. It¡¯s supposed to be quite valuable.¡±
Abel looked somewhat uncertain.
That was because the bow Damien took out looked very in.
The bowstring looked like it was roughly carved with a dagger, and the color was rather dull.
¡°Ah, did I not exin about this bow to you?¡±
¡°You just said it was a gift from Marquis. You didn¡¯t say anything more.¡±
¡°Is that so? Well, let¡¯s go to Earl for now.¡±
Damien walked towards the Earl Abel had no choice but to follow his brother.
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Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Chapter 46: Banquet(2)
***
¡°Oh, look at that, Jackson. It¡¯s a cosmetic product from the Michu sect.¡±
Sofia couldn¡¯t help but marvel continuously as she observed the items nobles presented to the Earl.
These were treasures that a small family like Viscount Russell¡¯s could only dream about.
¡°Sofia, there¡¯s nothing to envy. I¡¯ll buy you something even betterter.¡±
¡°Really? I¡¯m counting on you, Jackson.¡±
It was when Sofia tightly embraced his neck.
¡°Here you are.¡±
A stern voice came from behind. Startled, the two turned around.
¡°Master!¡±
Jackson eximed with a surprised face. The sudden appearance of the master, who had been unseen since the start of the banquet, was indeed shocking.
¡°Where have you been?¡±
¡°I investigated the participants. It¡¯s necessary to prepare a n for dealing with Damien Haksen.¡±
Upon Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s words, Jackson¡¯s expression seemed to fold, hinting at something unsaid.
¡°There¡¯s something you need to do. Go and present this gift to the Earl.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ extended a ss bottle as he spoke.
Inside the bottle was a fluorescent liquid.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Olivia¡¯s birthday present.¡±
¡°So why should I offer this to Olivia?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s gaze turned chilling.
Worried that the master might get angry, Jackson took the vial promptly.
¡°Master, still, you should exin a bit about this elixir. When presenting it to the Earl, an exnation would be appropriate, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°No need to worry about that. Everyone will recognize it without me saying anything.¡±
Jackson felt puzzled by Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s exnation.
¡°So, don¡¯t worry about unnecessary concerns and go out quickly.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ pushed Jackson forward. With no choice, Jackson moved towards where the Earl was.
¡°Sofia,e with¡¡±
¡°You stay here.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ stopped Sofia.
¡°What? Why on earth¡¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ stared at her silently, causing Sofia to bite her tongue instead of asking for the reason.
***
Jackson approached Earl Copperhead, holding the gift given by his master.
¡°Your Excellency, I am Jackson Cutter.¡±
Bowing with one knee, Jackson spoke.
¡°Jackson Cutter? Does anyone know who that is?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ve never heard that name before.¡±
Not a single noble recognized Jackson Cutter¡¯s name.
Jackson bit his lip in silence.
¡°Jackson Cutter? Jackson Cutter¡¡±
Even the Earl couldn¡¯t identify Jackson. His face turned even redder.
¡°Your Excellency, just a moment¡¡±
At that moment, the butler approached and whispered to the Earl. The Earl¡¯s pupils slightly widened.
¡°You are the Ogre yer Jackson Cutter.¡±
¡°An honor to be recognized by you!¡±
As the Earl uttered his title, Jackson Cutter¡¯s face brightened instantly.
¡°Ogre yer? That¡¯s a title I¡¯ve never heard of.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of it. There¡¯s a young knight who hunted ogres alone. Seems like that knight is him.¡±
¡°He killed that monster alone? Impressive.¡±
The nobles started murmuring about Jackson Cutter.
As the nobles talked about him, Jackson¡¯s smile became even brighter.
¡°Your Excellency, for Lady Olivia, I present this item.¡±
Jackson took out the elixir and offered it with both hands.
¡°What¡¯s that? What kind of potion is it?¡±
¡°That red fluorescent color¡ Could it be the Elixir of Vitality?¡±
¡°A potion that, with just one sip, keeps you from getting tired for a whole day, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard about an item sold exclusively to certain customers by the Michu sect. How did he get that¡?¡±
The nobles¡¯ reactions were explosive.
If the elixir was indeed the Elixir of Vitality, it surpassed all the previous gifts in significance.
¡°Elixir of Vitality! How did you acquire such a precious thing?¡±
Especially the Earl¡¯s response was noteworthy.
Now, in his old age, he was preupied with concerns about his health.
¡°Olivia, look! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s an extraordinary gift?¡±
¡°I suppose.¡±
Olivia spoke with an indifferent tone, showing little interest in the gift once again.
¡°Good. Very good.¡±
The Earl ordered a servant to receive the Elixir of Vitality.
Holding the elixir, the Earl examined it with satisfied eyes.
Strictly speaking, the elixir was Olivia Copperhead¡¯s birthday gift, but no one pointed out that fact.
Since most of the gifts presented by the nobles were for the Earl, no one paid much attention.
¡°Jackson Cutter, I will remember your name.¡±
¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡±
Jackson stood up with a satisfied expression.
As he turned to go back to his ce, he hesitated.
Damien was walking out.
¡°Damien Hakse¡¡±
Damien passed by Jackson without acknowledging him.
Inplete disregard, Jackson clenched his fist tightly.
***
Damien stood before Earl Copperhead.
¡°So, you¡¯re Damien Haksen.¡±
Even without revealing his name, Earl Copperhead recognized Damien.
¡°There¡¯s been quite a buzz about youtely.¡±
¡°Just a minor reputation.¡±
Damien lowered his head slightly as he spoke.
¡°Minor? Defeating the eldest son of the Marquis Ryanbloom without drawing a sword is far from minor!¡±
Earl Copperhead eximed, shaking his head.
¡°Well, it might be a slightly exaggerated rumor that you defeated Michel Ryanbloom without even drawing your sword, hahaha.¡±
The nobles joined inughter at the Earl¡¯s words.
In the midst of it, Damien remained silent, smiling.
¡°I¡¯ve also prepared a gift for Lady Olivia.¡±
Saying this, Damien looked at Olivia Copperhead.
Olivia kept her head lowered, showing little interest in the party dedicated to her.
¡®A picky woman.¡¯
Even with Damien¡¯s appearance, she remained indifferent.
It already gave him a headache thinking about how to connect her with Abel.
¡°Here is my younger brother, Abel.¡±
Damien first introduced Abel.
However, Olivia still kept her head down, unable to see Abel¡¯s face.
¡°Abel, present the bow to Lady Olivia.¡±
Abel walked towards Olivia, swallowing nervously.
¡°Oh my, what¡¯s that? A bow?¡±
¡°I heard Lady Olivia enjoys hunting.¡±
¡°But it looks like a strangely shaped bow.¡±
The nobles in the hall started whispering.
Abel¡¯s bow indeed had an unusual appearance.
¡°¡a bow?¡±
At the mention of the bow, Olivia finally lifted her head.
Seeing the bow Abel held, her eyes widened.
Olivia cautiously took the bow. Then, with eyes filled with fascination, she caressed the bowstring.
¡°¡a bow made from the horn of a Minotaur?¡±
And for the first time, she spoke upon seeing the gift.
¡°Yes, you recognized it correctly. A bow made from the horn of a Minotaur, specifically the leader among them.¡±
¡°Impressive¡ Minotaurs are monsters even the middle ss finds challenging to face, and encountering them is even rarer.¡±
Damien added an exnation.
¡°As Lady Olivia may know, the horns of Minotaurs possess exceptional qualities for crafting weapons.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. They are as hard as steel but flexible like bamboo.¡±
¡°Exactly.¡±
Indeed, the rumor about her passion for hunting was not false.
¡°Would you like to examine the details of the bowstring? The name of the craftsman who crafted the bow is engraved.¡±
At Damien¡¯s suggestion, Olivia inspected the bow. As Damien mentioned, the name ¡®Auguste¡¯ was engraved on it.
¡°¡Auguste? Could it be the renowned craftsman Auguste?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
Auguste.
He was the most famous craftsman in the Apple Kingdom.
Rumors circted about how skilled he was in metallurgical skills, to the point that it was rumored that he had been tutored by a dwarf.
Of course, since dwarves wouldn¡¯t teach the art of metallurgy to humans, it was merely a baseless rumor.
Olivia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the bow. To anyone observing, it was clear she was delighted.
¡°A weapon made by Auguste¡ I never thought I¡¯d see such a rare item in my lifetime.¡±
The Earl, too, was impressed, but not by the bow itself, but rather by its value.
¡°Once, a shield crafted by Auguste went up for auction and its price skyrocketed.¡±
The Earl gazed greedily at the bow, silently calcting its worth.
¡°My brother, Abel, saved it for this day.¡±
In reality, Damien had acquired it through a deal with the Marquis, but the actual details were not significant.
¡°Really, you saved it for me?¡±
Olivia Copperhead lifted her head in astonishment.
Finally, Olivia Copperhead saw Abel¡¯s face.
As soon as sheid eyes on Abel, her lips slightly parted, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
¡®What¡¡¯
If Damien wasn¡¯t mistaken, Olivia Copperhead was feeling only one emotion at that moment.
¡®Was she also a girl who blushed when she saw someone¡¯s face?¡¯
***
¡°Fetch more chairs immediately. Make it two more,¡± Earlmanded the servants, ensuring the esteemed guests were not left standing.
Following the Earl¡¯s order, servants brought two additional chairs and ced them.
¡°Both of you, please have a seat.¡±
Damien sat next to the Earl. Naturally, Olivia¡¯s side was now upied by Abel.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯ve been wanting to have a conversation with you.¡±
The Earl poured drinks himself and inquired.
¡°If it¡¯s not impolite, I¡¯d like to hear about what happened during your duel with the Michael Ryanbloom.¡±
¡°It might not be very interesting, but if you wish to hear.¡±
¡°Still, I¡¯m curious. I¡¯d like to listen.¡±
Damien inwardly sighed.
Originally, Damien wasn¡¯t the type to go around talking about such matters. But now, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make for Abel.
An opportunity hade for Abel and Olivia to be closer. He couldn¡¯t afford to miss it.
¡°If you insist on hearing¡¡±
Damien began slowly recounting the events of the duel.
The Earl listened with great interest, pouring himself more wine.
During the storytelling, Damien discreetly observed Abel and Olivia.
¡°I heard there¡¯s a forest next to Viscount Haksen¡¯s estate. Oh, it must be truly beautiful.¡±
¡°Uh, it¡¯s not that impressive. The forest is small, and there aren¡¯t many wild animals¡¡±
¡°No dangerous beasts? It must be so peaceful.¡±
The situation was progressing quite smoothly.
Olivia Copperhead took the lead in the conversation, showing a keen interest in Abel.
¡®I always wonder how they became lovers in their past lives¡¡¯
Damien finally found the answer to that mysterious question.
¡®Was the bow really unnecessary?¡¯
Perhaps bringing a bow from Marquis Ryanbloom was an unnecessary effort.
Damien pondered for a moment, seriously contemting.
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Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Chapter 47: Banquet(2)
***
¡°It was truly an entertaining story.¡±
Earl Copperhead said with a very satisfied expression as Damien¡¯s story came to an end.
¡°Sorry, but I need to step out for a moment.¡±
The Earl added, looking somewhat embarrassed. It seemed like he had consumed a lot of alcohol, judging by the signals.
Earl Copperhead briskly walked out of the tent, giving Damien a chance to catch his breath for a moment.
¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯
Damien thought to himself, not ustomed to entertaining others in this manner.
If it weren¡¯t for Abel, he might have left abruptly, even if the individual in question had been a king instead of an Earl.
¡°But is this guy doing well?¡±
Damien nced toward where Abel was.
¡°I really want to see Viscount Haksen¡¯s wheat fields.¡±
¡°Oh, um, really? Well, then, in the autumn, would it be alright if I extend an invitation¡¡±
¡°I¡¯d be delighted.¡±
Olivia responded, her face adorned with a blush.
It seemed that Damien¡¯s efforts were not in vain; the rtionship was progressing quite well.
¡®Yeah, he¡¯s doing well,¡¯ Damien thought.
The bond between Abel and Olivia swiftly grew strong, and even the major obstacle, Earl Copperhead¡¯s favor, was gained.
So far, everything was unfolding smoothly.
¡°When I visit the Viscount and Viscountess Haksen, I shall be sure to pay my respects to them, and what kind of gifts do they like?¡±
¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Your visit alone will make them happy,¡± Abel assured with a pleased expression, and Damien watched the two with a contented face.
***
Sofia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Damien, who was seated next to Earl Copperhead.
¡®A bow made by Auguste? He didn¡¯t give me anything, yet he casually presents something so valuable?¡¯ she thought, irritated. The bow crafted by Auguste was an impressive item, evident from Earl Copperhead promptly seating it beside him.
But that was not the real reason for her irritation.
¡®I thought you had a small grudge against me?¡¯ Sofia doubted Damien¡¯s feelings toward her.
Her conviction was now wavering.
¡®That¡¯s why it looks like you¡¯vee to ¡¡ to woo Olivia.,¡¯ she thought, filled with jealousy.
Sofia shot a jealous gaze towards Olivia Copperhead.
¡®What¡¯s so beautiful about her¡ well, she is pretty¡¡¯ Despite her jealousy, Sofia couldn¡¯t deny that Olivia Copperhead was indeed beautiful, not just in appearance but also with the powerful background of being the daughter of Earl Copperhead.
¡®But my body is better,¡¯ Sofia thought, looking down at herself. In contrast to Olivia¡¯s ndness, Sofia exuded a sensual presence.
[PR note- WTF, ¡®my body is better¡¯. Whore + Delusional]
Sofia¡¯s jealousy became palpable as Earl Copperhead excused himself, leaving Damien alone. Damien silently observed Abel Haksen and Olivia Copperhead.
¡®Why doesn¡¯t he talk to Olivia Copperhead?¡¯ Sofia wondered, sensing a distance that made proposing to Olivia seem unlikely.
As Damien remained silent, Abel Haksen was growing closer to Olivia.
¡®Could it be¡ he¡¯s trying to match Olivia with his brother instead?¡¯ Sofia pondered, finding her spection usible.
¡®Phew¡ was that it? I worried for nothing,¡¯ Sofia sighed with relief. Then, she remembered, ¡®No, don¡¯t think useless thoughts. I have Jackson.¡¯
Sofia shook her head in dismissal, but at that moment, her gaze locked with Damien¡¯s.
Damien was precisely staring at Sofia, and in his gaze, Sofia felt her heart unexpectedly racing.
¡®Among all these people, he found me¡?¡¯ she wondered.
Damien¡¯s clear lingering feelings became evident, and as Sofia acknowledged it, a blush quickly spread across her face.
Ignoring his gaze, Sofia fanned herself, attempting to divert her attention.
***
Damien was observing Abel and Olivia¡¯s conversation when he felt an ufortable gaze directed at him from the crowd.
If Damien were an ordinary low-ss knight, he might not have noticed it.
However, Damien¡¯s senses had long transcended the realm of low-ss.
¡®Who on earth is it?¡¯ Damien turned his head to find the owner of the gaze.
Among the nobles, he could spot Sofia ring at him.
¡®What is she up to again?¡¯ Damien wondered as he observed her face, gradually feeling uneasy.
Damien no longer harbored any emotions for Sofia. While there might have been attachment in the past, now there was neither affection nor hatred.
However, anger surged when he thought about the humiliation his family had endured.
¡®We¡¯ll see about thatter,¡¯ Damien resolved, prioritizing Abel¡¯s romantic venture for now.
Damien decided to wait for the future, putting aside any thoughts of Sofia.
***
Jackson watched with a nk expression as Damien Haksen took a seat beside Earl Copperhead, the memory of the gift he had presented long forgotten.
Both Earl Copperhead and the attendees were praising Damien exclusively.
¡®Damien¡ Damien Haksen!¡¯
If it weren¡¯t for Damien, that position would have been his. He would have had the Earl¡¯s and the people¡¯s attention.
¡®Some nobody just stole my spotlight¡ dared to humiliate me like this? I swear, this disgrace will be avenged, without a shadow of a doubt!¡¯
At that moment, Jackson made a solemn promise. He would make Damien feel more despair than he had ever felt.
***
Like his student, Jacques Noir¨¦, too, was observing Damien Haksen.
¡®He brought the bow made by Auguste,¡¯ Jacques Noir¨¦ noted with a mixture of surprise and envy.
At first, Jacques had no ns to offer the Elixir of Vitality. Considering the challenges he faced in fulfilling his dream, he required every possible elixir at his disposal.
Nevertheless, he offered the elixir, hoping to win Earl¡¯s favor.
Unfortunately, Damien¡¯s gift had stolen all the attention.
¡®This is troublesome. Very troublesome,¡¯ Jacques thought, feeling the situation slipping away.
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s participation in the jousting tournament was primarily to establish a stepping stone to fulfill his wish.
The goal of Jacques Noir¨¦ was to reach the level of a master, a true superhuman.
Once you reach it, your name will be written in the history books.
To reach that level, extensive knowledge of the master ss and a significant amount of elixir was essential. Acquiring these required a substantial amount of money.
To cover these costs, Jacques Noir¨¦ engaged in various illegal activities, eventually leading to his expulsion from the Mandarin Kingdom.
Coming to the Apple Kingdom was a strategic move unrted to his past actions in the Mandarin Kingdom.
Jacques Noir¨¦ settled in the Apple Kingdom and aimed to acquire funds through legitimate means, avoiding the troubles he faced in the Mandarin Kingdom.
However, earning a meager sry through normal jobs wouldn¡¯t fulfill his desires. Thus, Jacques decided to target wealthy families by using his skills.
Taking Jackson Cutter as his student was part of this n. Jackson¡¯s bnced appearance and moderate talents made him an attractive target for noble families.
Encouraging Jackson Cutter to woo Sofia Russell was also part of Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s calcted move.
Through this, Jacques secured substantial support from the Russell family.
Despite the wealth of the Russell family, it was still a small familypared to others, and Jacques Noir¨¦ needed more significant resources for his dream.
That¡¯s why he chose Earl Copperhead as his next target.
Participating in the jousting tournament with Jackson was a strategy to establish connections.
However, with Damien in the picture, things became challenging.
¡®Damien making things difficult,¡¯ Jacques Noir¨¦ admitted. In terms of skills, reputation, appearance, and even wealth, Damien surpassed Jackson Cutter.
¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean I can simply let go of Earl Copperhead,¡¯ Jacques thought.
From his perspective, Earl Copperhead was a highly attractive target.
If he could devour the Copperhead family, it would bring him one step closer to fulfilling his ambitions.
¡®I need to be more proactive,¡¯ Jacques Noir¨¦ decided.
It was a nuisance, but far better than losing the Earl.
¡®At least it won¡¯t be a total loss.¡¯
¡®If I can manage to suck up the Earl of Copperhead as nned, and have Damien Haksen¡¯s treasure as well¡¡.¡¯
It would be a win-win situation.
¡®Damien, you better be prepared,¡¯ Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s eyes gleamed with a sinister light.
***
The banquet continued untilte at night.
¡°Well, let¡¯s call it a night for today. Everyone, go back and prepare for tomorrow¡¯s jousting tournament.¡±
The nobles left the banquet hall and headed to their quarters.
Damien and Abel also made their way to their amodation. As they reached the tent, Abel immediately flopped onto the bed.
¡°Whew¡¡±
Abel let out a deep sigh, finally feeling relieved.
¡°Were you that nervous?¡±
¡°Of course. I was in front of Lady Olivia, after all.¡±
Abel replied, lifting his head.
¡°So, how was it when you met her?¡±
¡°She¡¯s truly beautiful¡ lively¡ and a delightful person.¡±
Abel blushed as he spoke. It was evident that he had be even more infatuated with Olivia during their conversation.
¡°Think about what you¡¯ll talk about tomorrow in advance.¡±
¡°What? What do you mean?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to avoid meeting Olivia tomorrow?¡±
¡°I want to meet her, but¡ tomorrow is the day of the jousting tournament¡ and there will be a lot of people gathering around her¡ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have a chance to strike up a conversation¡¡±
¡°Hey, you boring guy. If there¡¯s no opportunity, you have to create one.¡±
Damien said mockingly.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to create one no matter what.¡±
At Damien¡¯s confident words, Abel gave a puzzled look.
¡°You¡¯ll understand when you see it tomorrow.¡±
In response, Abel sat quietly, observing Damien. Damien smirked.
¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re not going to tell me? I¡¯m not going to pry that out of you again¡¡.But Thank you, brother.¡±
Out of the blue, Damien fell silent at Abel¡¯s unexpected words.
¡°I appreciate you getting a gift for me¡ and arranging this opportunity¡ I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡±
¡°Why are you suddenly being so formal? It¡¯s embarrassing¡ You don¡¯t have to thank me for that. I just did what I had to.¡±
Abel¡¯s least favorite person in the family was Damien.
Even after seeing the changes in him after the regression, whenever something happened, Abel med Damien.
It wasn¡¯t Abel¡¯s fault; it was all because of Damien.
His own foolishness, his sheer pathetic nature¡ªconstantly letting his brother down at every turn.
The frustration gnawed at him relentlessly, reaching a point where he simply couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, and led to verbal expressions of discontent.
On the grand scale of bad things, what Damien had done was far worse.
In a previous life, Damien had killed Abel with his own hands.
He could still feel the sensation of slitting Abel¡¯s throat.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s only natural for an older brother to think about his younger brother. So, just focus on proposing to Olivia.¡±
¡°Yes, I will do that!¡±
Abel replied loudly. Damien gave a faint smile.
Looking at Abel¡¯s happy face, Damien felt a sense of forgiveness for his past mistakes, even if just a little.
***
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Chapter 48
Chapter 48
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 48: Jousting(1)
***
The next day became the day of the jousting tournament.
Early in the morning, Damien headed to the waiting room located behind the tournament arena.
Already present in the waiting room were knights preparing for thepetition.
¡°Young master, is this armor really suitable?¡±
Victor asked Damien while extending a leather armor towards him.
The leather armor Damien brought was small, barely covering the torso. Without any protection for the shoulders and arms, it seemed like any sword sh could cause immediate injury.
¡°This should be enough.¡±
Damien casually replied as he put on the armor.
All participants in the jousting tournament were either junior or low-ss knights. With their skills, they couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on Damien¡¯s head.
So, instead of wearing heavy iron armor, a lightweight leather armor seemed more fitting.
¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t it be better to put on at least a chainmail¡?¡±
Dong-dong!
A soldier, stripped of his armor, beat arge drum on one side of the tournament ground. The knights¡¯ attention shifted towards the arena.
Earl Copperhead was walking towards the center of the arena.
¡°Ahem, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you foring here. I am Earl Chester Copperhead,¡± he began, inaugurating the opening ceremony.
¡°Today, the bravest knights from the West have all gathered here. The victor shall not only bask in fame within our Western region but will also etch their name prominently across distantnds,¡± he continued.
A tournament of this scale was a rare urance. Undoubtedly, it would attract not only participants from the West but also pique the interest of neighboring regions.
As the Earl said, the winner could achieve significant renown.
¡°Of course, fame is not the only thing the winner will obtain. We have prepared prizes befitting the champion,¡± Earl Copperhead gestured, and servants brought in covered items.
After removing the cover, the Earl walked, revealing a small crystal the size of a child¡¯s fist.
Oddly, the inside of the crystal had a continuously burning me, like a candle.
¡°What is that? A magical artifact?¡± someone asked.
¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. If it were a magical artifact, it would have magic runes on the surface,¡± another noble exined.
Nobles looked at the crystal with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
Upon the Earl¡¯s signal, another servant brought in arge silver tray with a zing red me.
The Earl gripped the crystal and inserted his hand into the me without any sign of pain.
¡°Aah!¡±
¡°What is that!¡±
Nobles and knights eximed in shock. The soldiers in the waiting room had simr reactions.
But the Earl didn¡¯t seem to be in any pain.
¡°This is a treasure collected by my grandfather. As you can see, it has the power to protect the owner from mes. Not only that, but it also maintains body temperature.¡±
The nobles began to buzz with excitement.
Magical items that could protect the body were highly valuable. They were usually created by mages of the 5th rank or higher, with limited uses.
However, this crystal seemed to have no such restrictions, and it even had the added effect of maintaining body temperature.
It was truly an extraordinary item.
¡°As for its origin, even I don¡¯t know. My grandfather collected it, but when he asked the mages, they couldn¡¯t identify it,¡± Earl Copperhead said.
Although the mysterious origin was a bit disappointing, it wasn¡¯t a significant problem given the exceptional properties of the crystal.
¡°This item will be awarded to the winner as a prize,¡± the Earl dered, lifting the crystal. The nobles cheered.
In the midst of it all, Damien alone was astonished.
¡°Why is the Spirit¡¯s heart here?¡±
***
Spirit.
It was a term referring to mystical beings born with the power of nature.
Although their intelligence was only equivalent to that of a young child, the power they possessed was formidable.
Even the weakest spirit¡¯s power was considered low-ss, to say the least.
¡®He offered an incredibly rare item as a reward.¡¯
Unlike the Earl, Damien knew exactly what the item was.
Spirit¡¯s Heart.
When a high-level spirit perished, this was an extremely low-probability manifestation of its power.
High-level spirits possessed remarkable intelligence and exerted power equivalent to that of a high-ss knight.
¡®The rumors I heard in my past life were true.¡¯
The question was answered.
ording to Damien¡¯s knowledge, the winner of the jousting Tournament had reached the ranks of high-ss using the prize.
If it was the heart left by a high-level spirit, it was entirely possible.
If he could melt and absorb that heart, he could gain immense magical power and the power of the spirit.
¡®The power of the spirit¡¡¯
Damien recalled the elves he fought in his previous life.
When, under Dorugo¡¯smand, he sought to destroy the empire, the elven race came to stop him.
All of them had made contracts with spirits, including elves who contracted with the Spirit King.
¡®They were formidable. I thought I was fighting nature itself.¡¯
Damien had battled over thirty spirit mages for more than three months.
In the end, he emerged victorious by tearing apart the Spirit King.
¡®To offer such a treasure as a reward¡ It seems it was true, even though they imed not to know its true nature.¡¯
Humans didn¡¯t understand spirits properly.
Therefore, there might not have been a mage among them who recognized it as a spirit¡¯s heart.
Thanks to the knowledge from Dorugo and the battle with the elves, Damien could identify it.
¡®I didn¡¯t expect much from the prize, but this one is quite tempting.¡¯
If he could absorb the spirit¡¯s heart, he could speedup the process of regaining the strenght of his past life.
¡®But where is Abel in all this?¡¯
Damien scanned the spectator stands. There, he spotted Abel sitting inconspicuously among the nobles.
Abel was looking at something with an envious expression.
¡®What is he looking at¡ Ah.¡¯
Olivia Copperhead was sitting in the VIP section. Other nobles crowded around her.
Unable to break through the crowd to speak with her, Abel seemed resigned.
¡®Such an immature fellow.¡¯
Damien inwardly sighed.
It was unpleasant, but it was somewhat expected. Abel was practically a greenhorn in these matters.
¡°Victor, follow me.¡±
¡°Yes! ¡ What?¡±
Damien navigated through the knights and exited towards the tournament arena.
¡°You, Young Master? Thepetition hasn¡¯t started yet.¡±
¡°I am aware.¡±
After dismissing Victor¡¯sints, Damien stood in front of the Earl seated in the VIP section.
¡°Your Excellency, good morning.¡±
¡°Oh, Damien. Good morning.¡±
¡°Thanks to Your Excellency¡¯s gracious hospitality, I restedfortably in excellent amodations.¡±
Damien¡¯s response seemed to please the Earl, who wore a satisfied expression.
¡°However, what brings you here? Do you have something to say?¡±
¡°I wanted to address a concern before thepetition begins.¡±
¡°A concern?¡±
The Earl asked with widened eyes.
¡°The jousting Tournament can be quite brutal and asionally involves scenes of cruelty.¡±
Damien said, looking at Olivia, who was sitting beside the Earl.
¡°I am concerned whether someone as delicate as Lady Olivia could truly enjoy the jousting Tournament.¡±
Damien continued, making a worried expression.
¡°I believe it would be beneficial to assign someone to apany her, providing exnations about the difficulties of the jousting for a more enjoyable experience. Fortunately, my brother Abel, whom I personally trained in both swordsmanship and horsemanship, is good for fulfilling this role.¡±
Pointing to Abel in the spectator stands, Damien made his proposal. Abel looked at Damien with a surprised expression.
¡°Thank you for your concern, but Olivia is not such a fragile child. She enjoys hunting as a hobby even in her usual days¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion! I¡¯ll go along with Sir Damien¡¯s idea.¡±
Olivia Copperhead spoke briskly. Earl Copperhead turned to Olivia with a bewildered face.
¡°Olivia?¡±
¡°Having someone exin the tournament beside me would be better than watching alone.¡±
Damien looked at Olivia with an unexpected expression.
¡®A woman with a keen sense.¡¯
After Damien mentioned Abel, he expected some objection. What was more pleasing was Olivia¡¯s proactive attitude. It seemed she had a definite affection for Abel.
¡°Well¡ Since Olivia says so, I suppose there¡¯s no help for it. Abel,e forward.¡±
It was when the Earl gave the order that cries erupted from the waiting room.
¡°Your Excellency! This is too hasty!¡±
Arge knight walked up to the arena.
¡°My squire has umted long years of service under mymand. Evenpared to Abel, he will not becking!¡±
After asserting his opinion, the knight looked at Damien provocatively.
¡°Your Excellency! My squire also possesses exceptional talent and skills!¡±
¡°Your Excellency, my squire¡¡±
Other knights also rushed out of the waiting room, shouting.
¡®They all seem eager.¡¯
Most of the knights participating in the jousting Tournament came to propose to Lady Olivia.
If they could ce their squire next to Olivia Copperhead, they could make a good impression by praising their master during the jousts.
Therefore, giving up such an opportunity to Damien was a waste.
¡°Well, how should we handle this?¡±
The Earl frowned in distress.
Even though he was an Earl, he couldn¡¯t make decisions freely when the knights came out like this.
¡°Your Excellency, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±
Damien spoke up again, and the Earl¡¯s gaze turned to him.
¡°We can simply select the most outstanding individual to sit next to Lady Olivia.¡±
¡°Well, the most outstanding one? How do we choose that?¡±
¡°Right. Are you thinking of having us fight among squires?¡±
Some knights shouted at Damien.
Damien shrugged and said, ¡°Considering the most outstanding knight has the most outstanding squire, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Are you suggesting a duel between us?¡±
¡°Before the jousting Tournament, we can¡¯t afford to do that. Instead of a duel, how aboutpeting in other skills?¡±
Damien suggested to the Earl.
¡°Your Excellency, considering Lady Olivia¡¯s interest in hunting, why not have apetition in archery among the knights? The squire of the winning knight can then be seated beside Lady Olivia.¡±
Some knights strongly opposed Damien¡¯s proposal.
¡°What nonsense is this! How can we determine a knight¡¯s superiority with archery skills?¡±
¡°I agree. There must be a fairer way!¡±
Not all knights opposed the idea.
¡°A bowpetition sounds good. I like it.¡±
¡°I was known as the master archer of the Octavia Forest. I can demonstrate my skills.¡±
Above all, what sealed the deal was Lady Olivia¡¯s words.
¡°I love the idea. I was curious how others shoot arrows anyway.¡±
¡°Since Olivia agrees, let¡¯s decide with an archerypetition.¡±
With Olivia¡¯s support, the opposition couldn¡¯t exert any more force.
¡°Who will go first?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±
Damien stepped forward and said, addressing Victor, ¡°What are you waiting for? Go and get a bow.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Victor briskly ran and brought a bow and arrows from a soldier.
¡°Here you go!¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°But, sir, did you know how to shoot a bow?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Victor¡¯s expression momentarily froze at Damien¡¯s answer.
¡°¡No, then why did you make such a proposal?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m confident.¡±
Damien strung an arrow on the bow.
As mentioned earlier, Damien didn¡¯t know how to shoot a bow. However, he already knew everything intellectually.
¡®Let¡¯s see¡ How did that guy do it?¡¯
In the past, Damien had fought against a master named Gungwi. Surprisingly, Gungwi was not a human but a half-elf.
Gungwi was a formidable opponent, capable of shooting arrows from a far distance that rivaled high-level magic.
After a week-long battle, Damien managed to defeat Gungwi by severing his throat.
Of course, during the battle, Damien absorbed all the skills and attainments Gungwi had.
¡°Soldiers, listen. Go and bring the training targets.¡±
¡°No need for that. If it¡¯s targets you want, aren¡¯t they right there?¡±
Damien pointed to the sky with the arrow. A bird was crossing the sky with a fluttering sound.
¡°Damien, are you going to shoot a flying bird¡?¡±
Damien shot an arrow towards the bird. However, the arrow he shot went far beyond the bird.
¡°Hahaha. Talking big and all. Seems like you can¡¯t even get close.¡±
¡°Sir Damien, it seems you¡¯re not good with bows.¡±
Some knights ridiculed Damien with loud voices, but Damien paid no attention.
¡®I roughly understand how it flies.¡¯
The first arrow was to observe its trajectory.
He only shot once, but Damien fully understood this bow.
¡°Your Excellency, I¡¯ll aim for the left eye of that bird.¡±
Damien strung the second arrow, then released it without aiming. The arrow flew directly to the sky.
In the blink of an eye, the flying arrow pierced the bird¡¯s face.
The bird fell to the ground without strength. A soldier who was waiting rushed over and picked up the bird.
¡°Sir, he hit the left eye!¡±
The soldier¡¯s shout silenced the entire arena.
Handing the bow to the knights, Damien asked, ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±
The knights looked at Damien with astonished faces, but no one received the bow.
Thus, without anyone opposing, Abel imed the seat next to Lady Olivia.
[Damien is the best wingman fr.]
***
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Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Chapter 49: Jousting(2)
***
Abel Haksen moved to sit beside Olivia.
¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again like this.¡±
As soon as he sat down, Olivia said with a smile. Abel felt his heart swell.
¡®Thanks, brother.¡¯
If it weren¡¯t for Damien, he wouldn¡¯t have had another chance like this.
Abel felt a sense of gratitude towards Damien deep in his heart.
¡°I¡¯ll do my best to ensure Lady Olivia enjoys the match.¡±
Although he said so with tension, Abel was filled with worry.
Unlike his brother, hecked skills in swordsmanship. He wasn¡¯t confident he could entertain Olivia.
¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±
¡°Yes? But¡¡±
¡°Forget about that, and please tell me more about your family.¡±
Olivia looked at Abel.
Abel began to speak about the Haksen Estate, even though he felt it wasn¡¯t the right ce.
***
Damien returned to the waiting room.
As he entered, he sensed the gazes of knights.
Everyone looked at Damien with wary eyes.
The impressive archery skills Damien disyed had left a strong impression on them.
The fact that they were cautious meant there was an increase inpetition.
But Damien didn¡¯t care.
Even if he had to fight all the knights here, he wasn¡¯t afraid. What mattered was Abel¡¯s happiness.
¡°Participants, listen up.¡±
A knight in te armor entered the waiting area. The symbol of the Earl of Copperhead was embroidered on the knight¡¯s cloak.
They were the most loyal knights of the Earl.
¡°The jousting tournament will unfold over the next three days, featuring a variety of events,¡± the knight exined the detailed schedule to the participants.
¡°Scores will be awarded to the participants after each match. The participant with the highest score overall on the final day will be the winner.¡±
The participants nodded.
¡°There are three different events prepared. We look forward to your efforts.¡±
At these words, the participants began to buzz with excitement.
¡°Do not worry about injuries. A mage skilled in healing magic is on standby just in case. The matches will begin in 30 minutes, so please finish your preparations.¡±
With that, the knight left the waiting area.
¡°Young master! We¡¯re in trouble!!¡±
As soon as the knight left, Victor shouted.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°I-if it¡¯s the jousting tournament, don¡¯t you need horses to ride?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°B-but we don¡¯t have any! What should we do? Should I quickly buy one now?¡±
¡°We do have horses.¡±
Victor let out a sigh of relief at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°As expected of the young master. Everything is already perfectly prepared¡¡±
¡°You know, the horse that used to pull the carriage.¡±
Victor nearly fainted for a moment.
¡°Young master, those are draft horses, they¡¯re heavy and can¡¯t run fast¡¡±
[PR Note- Draft horse is a type of breed that is used for heavy work such as pulling carts.]
In jousting, the most important thing was the horse.
Horses that could run swiftly, didn¡¯t tire easily and remainedposed under dangerous situations.
Without such an excellent breed of horse, they couldn¡¯t participate inbat.
¡°Stop talking nonsense and go get a horse.¡±
¡°Okay¡¡.¡±
Victor headed for the stables with a worried heart.
***
¡°Young master, I¡¯ve brought it.¡±
Victor handed the reins of the horse to Damien. Damien stroked the horse¡¯s mane.
The horse raised by Viscount Haksen was very big with thick legs, giving the appearance of it being a draft horse.
As Victor had feared, the horse was not suitable forbat.
¡°Sir Damien, do you intend to participate in jousting with that horse?¡±
A passing knight scoffed at Damien¡¯s horse.
¡°It seems Sir Damien is unaware. That horse is a draft horse, it is not suitable for battle.¡±
¡°Sir Walter, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m afraid he may not understand that.¡±
The knights burst intoughter.
Damien ignored their words. Those mocking fellows wouldn¡¯t be toote to trample in the arena.
There was something else he needed to attend to now.
Among the masters Damien had fought in the past, there was a person named Jinnaikan.
He was a nomadic tribesman from the grasnds who became a master not with a sword or spear, but on horseback.
His mastery was known as the Inmate Mastery.
He achieved a state of unity between horse and rider.
He could perform all sorts ofplex ticks bymunicating with the horse.
He was even able to strengthen his horse¡¯s body with mana and shape it into an Aurorde.
This bizarre skill allowed Jinnaikan¡¯s horse to charge through the speed of sound with Aurordes wrapped around its body.
Damien had fought him for half a day and won.
¡°Look at me.¡±
Damien grabbed the horse¡¯s head, making eye contact with it.
¡°I¡¯ll need your strength today. It might be tough, but hang in there.¡±
Damien infused mana into the horse¡¯s body.
The horse¡¯s pupils dted. It seemed quite surprised by the sensation it felt for the first time.
Fortunately, the horse didn¡¯t buck. It calmly epted Damien¡¯s infused mana.
Damien¡¯s power spread through the horse¡¯s entire body.
¡°The jousting tournament will begin shortly!¡±
Soldiers shouted as knights mounted their horses. Damien also got on his horse.
¡°I¡¯ll rely on you today.¡±
The horse whinnied as if to acknowledge.
***
Monster hunting.
When he heard the name of the event, Jackson Cutter inwardly cheered.
¡®I can finally show my true skills!¡¯
Hunting monsters ispletely different from facing humans.
Even knights skilled in killing people often died pathetically while fighting monsters.
Hence, hunting monsters requires special skills and experience.
¡®I¡¯ll make a name for myself in thispetition!¡¯
He decided to firmly imprint the title ¡®Oger yer¡¯ into people¡¯s minds.
¡°Well then¡Open the gates!¡±
With the soldiers¡¯ shout, the gates of the waiting room opened. Knights passed through the gate and revealed themselves in the arena.
¡°Andrew Grand! Andrew Grand!¡±
¡°Gerda Born! Gerda Born!¡±
Nobles shouted the names of the knights they supported. The knights waved to the audience.
¡°Jackson! Jackson Cutter!¡±
Amidst that, a familiar voice was heard.
As Jackson turned his head, he saw Sofia Russell waving her arms.
Jackson Cutter smiled and waved back at Sofia Russell.
Dum! Dum!
At that moment, a soldier beat the drum. It meant that the monsters would be released soon.
The knights looked at the iron door on the opposite wall.
Although they didn¡¯t know what kind of monsters were prepared, dull and rough sounds could already be heard.
The knights stared at the iron door with tense faces.
As they were to be faced as a group, it was clear that the monsters wouldn¡¯t be ordinary.
And the knights¡¯ expectations were exactly right.
¡°Chieekk!¡±
As the iron bars opened, a monstrous figure leaped out.
The moment they saw the monster, the knights eximed in horror.
¡°¡It¡¯s a troll!¡±
Known for their tough skin that swords couldn¡¯t pierce and their ability to tear humans apart effortlessly.
They were monsters famous for their high vitality, not dying even after being shed multiple times.
Not just one, but three trolls appeared that even low-ss knights found challenging.
Chiekk! Chieek! Chieekk!
The trolls charged towards the knights as if they had been provoked.
¡°Run! Don¡¯t fight them head-on!¡±
At someone¡¯s shout, the knights began to disperse. The trolls chased after them.
¡°This is madness. Releasing trolls.¡±
Jackson Cutter clicked his tongue as he rode his horse.
An aura could cut a troll¡¯s tough skin with ease.
However, it was the same for the trolls. With their strength, trolls could easily kill knights.
Even low-ss knights might be able to withstand a single blow. But junior knights had no chance.
¡°Well, I guess I have to ept this level of danger, right?¡±
While the knights hurriedly fled from the trolls, Jackson attempted to attack instead.
Jackson Cutter circled around the trolls.
The trolls¡¯ eyes filled with killing intent as they saw Jackson charging towards them.
Chiek! Chiek!
The troll swung its palm to grab Jackson, but it missed.
¡°Take this!¡±
Drawing his sword, Jackson shed at the troll¡¯s thigh. A groan escaped from the troll¡¯s mouth.
But trolls are monsters that are known for their regenerative powers, the sword wound was gone in an instant.
¡°It seems this won¡¯t be enough!¡±
Jackson spurred his horse again and circled around the troll.
Whenever the troll showed an opening, Jackson shed its legs with his sword.
¡°Who is that knight?¡±
¡°Not only brave but also skilled.¡±
Nobles sitting in the stands admired Jackson Cutter.
As the nobles¡¯ cheers grew louder, Jackson felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
¡°See that? This is me! Jackson Cutter! The Oger yer, Jackson Cutter!¡±
Jackson swung his sword again. A long gash appeared on the troll¡¯s thigh.
That¡¯s when it happened.
The sound of hooves came from behind. He instinctively turned his head.
Damien was charging in his direction.
Chiekkkk!
As the troll caught sight of Damien, he swiftly whipped his horse, urging it to run faster.
¡°You fool!¡±
Jackson Cutter scoffed at Damien¡¯s actions.
Though trolls seemed muscle-headed, they were actually very fast and dangerous monsters.
One moment of carelessness could result in their hands crushing one¡¯s body. Knowing this well, Jackson continued to circle the troll, looking for openings.
¡°Don¡¯t you realize charging head-on is suicide?¡±
Indeed, as he thought, Damien wasn¡¯t such an exceptional knight.
¡®This is my chance.¡¯
As the troll was about to attack Damien, Jackson Cutter aimed for its abdomen, intending to split it open.
Even the troll would suffer grave injury if its stomach were shed open, spilling out its entrails.
Chiekkk!
The troll swung its hand down, just as Jackson was about to rush forward and aim for its abdomen.
The horse Damien was riding leaped high.
The troll¡¯s palm mmed into the ground. The horse on which Damien rode used the troll¡¯s forearm as a foothold.
Damien and the troll were now at the same level.
Damien swung his sword and struck the troll in the throat.
Blood sprayed onto the ground.
At the same time, the troll¡¯s head fell to the ground.
***
¡®It¡¯s not easy to control a horse.¡¯
Unlike weapons, horses had their own consciousness and emotions, making them difficult to handle.
However, Damien¡¯s talentpensated for anyck of experience.
Damien quickly grasped the reins andmanded the horse.
¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯
Without waving the reins or kicking its sides, the horse moved.
With each stride, Damien could feel it.
He felt how powerful the horse¡¯s muscles were and how it moved.
¡®So this is how it moves?¡¯
Damien manipted mana in rhythm with the horse¡¯s movements, enhancing its movements with infused mana.
With each hoofbeat, the horse¡¯s speed noticeably increased.
What was initially sluggish movement gradually became agile. Suddenly, it sprinted like the wind.
Chieeek!
Seeing Damien, the troll raised its arm. The horse¡¯s fear was palpable.
¡®Don¡¯t be afraid!¡¯
Damien reassured the horse.
¡®I¡¯m here!¡¯
Damien¡¯s strong will also influenced the horse. Without fear, it charged towards the troll.
¡®Run!¡¯
The horse leaped. The troll¡¯s palm struck below.
The horse rushed over the troll¡¯s forearm. Despite the narrow width, the horse didn¡¯t waver.
Reaching the shoulder, it was an ideal position to strike the troll¡¯s neck.
Damien swung his sword, beheading the troll. The headless troll copsed behind the horse.
The horse leaped again,nding gracefully.
¡°Wow!¡±
¡°What did I just witness?¡±
The nobles erupted in cheers.
The horsemanship Damien had disyed was something they had never seen in their lives.
¡°Good job.¡±
Damien patted the horse¡¯s neck. It neighed happily.
Damien nced sideways. Jackson wore a look of disbelief.
¡°Thanks for the distraction.¡±
With Damien¡¯sment, Jackson¡¯s expression crumpled.
¡°You fucking bastard¡!¡±
Damien didn¡¯t bother to listen to the words, he urged the horse forward again.
There were still two trolls left to deal with.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 50
Chapter 50
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 50: Jousting(3)
***
As Damien¡¯s de sliced through the troll¡¯s tough skin like a hot knife through butter, Abel found himself clenching his fists involuntarily.
The scene was so exhrating that even Abel, known for his calm demeanor, couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement coursing through him.
The troll, though categorized as a low-ss monster, proved to be a formidable opponent with its relentless ferocity, rapid regeneration, and impressive strength.
Despite its ssification, facing it was no easy feat, as its sheer power and tenacity could easily overwhelm even the most of the knights.
But to be able to defeat such a monster in one stroke.
¡°Abel, your brother¡ He¡¯s truly remarkable.¡±
Even Olivia was staring at the arena in astonishment.
Seeing his brother being acknowledged, Abel couldn¡¯t help but smile.
¡°Wow! I¡¯ve never seen such a technique in my life!¡±
Earl Copperhead eximed as he jumped up from his seat.
¡°Sir Abel! What breed is that horse? How can it move so lightly?¡±
Earl Copperhead turned to Abel and asked. Abel felt tongue-tied.
¡®Come to think of it, isn¡¯t that a draft horse?¡¯
If Abel¡¯s memory served him right, it was undoubtedly a draft horse raised by his father.
Originally used for plowing fields or carrying heavy loads.
¡®But how can it move like that?¡¯
Abel couldn¡¯t continue his thoughts due to confusion. At that moment, Earl Copperhead took Abel¡¯s hand and said.
¡°It seems difficult to answer! But please, do convey this message to Sir Damien! Tell him to sell me that horse! I¡¯ll even pay a thousand gold for it!¡±
¡°No¡ that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°Or can¡¯t you lend it to me as a stallion? I beg of you!¡±
[PR note ¨C stallion refers to a horse that is used for breeding.]
At Earl Copperhead¡¯s request, Abel¡¯s eyes rolled around.
Meanwhile, Damien seeded in hunting down the remaining two trolls.
Thus, he finished first event of jousting with an overwhelming score.
***
¡°Brother! You were absolutely astounding today!¡± Abel eximed with genuine admiration as they made their way back to Damien¡¯s quarters.
Abel¡¯s demeanor was unlike his usual calm self.
¡°I knew your swordsmanship was excellent, but I didn¡¯t expect you to handle the horse so well!¡±
¡°Oh, calling it well-handled is an understatement. Jumping onto the troll¡¯s arm and shing it in one go! I guarantee even the centaurs, who are half-man-half-horse, wouldn¡¯t be able to pull off such a feat.¡±
Not only Abel but even Victor was excited, speaking up.
Damien chuckled at the two.
¡°By the way, have you be close with Olivia?¡±
Abel blushed suddenly at the mention of Olivia.
Due to Damien¡¯s remarkable performance, Abel hadn¡¯t been able to chat much with Olivia.
To change the subject, Abel mentioned what happened during the day.
¡°Moreover, Brother, the Earl wishes to purchase the horse you were riding. If not, he requests to borrow it as a stallion.¡±
¡°What? Why would he want to buy such a draft horse?¡±
¡°What? Was it really a draft horse?¡±
Abel said with a surprised expression.
¡°But how could it move so agilely? Everyone thought it was such a high-quality breed.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because my skills are exceptional.¡±
Damien pointed at himself.
Abel stared at Damien in disbelief.
The horse¡¯s movements disyed in the arena were not achievable by mere horsemanship skills.
No draft horse in the world could run on a monster¡¯s arm like that.
¡°¡Alright, I understand.¡±
However, Abel didn¡¯t press further.
He thought that if it were Damien, it might be possible.
¡°Should I exin it to the Earl like that?¡±
¡°No, that would be awkward.¡±
From Abel¡¯s words, it seemed like the Earl really wanted that horse.
He was on good terms with the Earl, and it would do him no good to turn down such an urgent request.
¡°Tell him that I can¡¯t sell the horse, but I¡¯m willing to lend it as a stallion.¡±
The horse¡¯s exceptional movements were purely thanks to Damien.
Selling the horse recklessly would surely lead to trouble. But lending it as a stallion was no issue.
If a mediocre horse was born, it wouldn¡¯t be Damien¡¯s fault, it would be the Earl¡¯s fault for not raising the horse properly.
¡°Make sure to mention he needs to pay a suitable amount.¡±
It was also a way to fill the family¡¯s ounts while they were at it.
***
The second event took ce the next day.
¨C Grroar!
¨C Grroarr.
The monsters prepared for today were orcs.
Dozens of orcs were grinding their teeth while trapped behind bars.
The knights looked at the orcs with tense faces.
Compared to trolls, orcs weren¡¯t particrly formidable monsters.
But the terrifying aspect of orcs was revealed in group battles.
The heat of battle, the death of their kin, the life of their enemies.
When these factors converged, orcs unleashed their savagery and went berserk.
Berserk orcs didn¡¯t care if their limbs were severed; they killed their enemies regardless.
It was to the extent that they were nicknamed berserkers.
¡°Then, let it begin!¡±
With the Earl¡¯s shout, the bars opened, and the orcs rushed towards the knights.
The knights also attempted to charge towards the orcs. But someone ran out ahead of them.
¡°It¡¯s Sir Damien!¡±
¡°DAMIEN! DAMIEN!¡±
Nobles who recognized Damien cheered.
He dashed into the group of orcs, leaving the knights behind.
As he passed through the orcs, several orcs had their throats slit in the blink of an eye.
¨C Grroarr!
The orcs swung their clubs towards Damien, attempting to grab him.
As if anticipated, He pulled the reins.
Surprisingly, the horse moved sideways, evading the orc¡¯s attacks.
¡°Th-the horse can move like that?¡±
Usually, horses could only move forward.
Moving sideways by crossing their legs was a skill only horses of special breed could perform. It couldn¡¯t even be taught through training.
The horse moved here and there ording to Damien¡¯smands, dodging the clubs.
Damien swung his sword in time with the horse¡¯s movements. With each swing, an orc was killed.
¨C Grroar!
An orc leaped from behind Damien. It was determined to kill Damien even at the cost of its own life.
Without looking back, Damienmanded the horse.
The horse bent its body and stretched its hind legs. Its hooves struck the orc¡¯s jaw.
The orc¡¯s jawbone shattered, and its body flew far away.
¨C Grroar!
¨C Grroarr¡
In the blink of an eye, nearly twenty orcs were in, causing the orcs to hesitate in rushing towards Damien.
They only retreated with cautious expressions.
¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s annihte these orc bastards!¡±
At that moment, knights who arrivedte attacked the orcs.
The orcs, already demoralized, lost their lives too easily.
Damien sheathed his sword again. He had already killed enough orcs.
Thus, the second match also ended with Damien¡¯s overwhelming victory.
***
¡°Damien! Damien!¡±
When the second match ended, the nobles all cheered for Damien¡¯s name.
The remaining knights withdrew from the arena with frustrated expressions.
¡®Damn it.¡¯
Among them was Jackson.
¡®To think I¡¯d be ignored by everyone after being humiliated by that asshole¡¡¯
Jackson Cutter came here to make a name for himself.
But instead of achieving his goal, he was being ignored by everyone.
He was angry. He couldn¡¯t bear it.
But what anger Jackson more than anything was the sense of defeat brewing within him.
The skills Damien disyed yesterday and today were incredible.
Even Jackson couldn¡¯t help but admire.
He couldn¡¯t even imagine keeping up with Damien.
¡®It¡¯s ridiculous. That bastard is stronger than me?¡¯
He didn¡¯t want to admit it.
But deep down, he was already acknowledging that fact.
That¡¯s why his anger surged even more.
¡®Where¡¯s Sofia?¡¯
Jackson expressed his anger by mentioning Sofia.
Yesterday, she came to meet him as soon as the match ended. But today, she was nowhere to be seen.
Jackson headed to the audience seats to find Sofia.
¡°Wow! Damien! Damien Haksen!¡±
And there she was. Sofia Russell, cheering and shouting Damien¡¯s name.
¡°¡¡±
At that moment, something broke in Jackson Cutter¡¯s heart. His mind had struggled toprehend the sight, his chest tightening with a mixture of disbelief and anguish.
Every cheer she uttered had felt like a dagger plunging deeper into his wounded heart.
Jackson had felt a surge of conflicting emotions coursing through him ¨C betrayal, jealousy, and a profound sense of loss.
How could she, he had wondered, how could she so easily forget the love they shared? In that moment, the world around him had seemed to fade away, leaving only the painful realization that the woman once loved was slipping away from him.
***
Sofia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Damien.
He was impressive even when he defeated the trolls with a single stroke on the first day, but today, he was even more remarkable.
Massacring a horde of orcs numbering over dozens alone was an extraordinary feat.
¡°Sir Damien! Please look over here!¡±
¡°Sir Damien! Damien Haksen!¡±
Other nobles sitting nearby also cheered Damien¡¯s name.
Watching such spectators, Sofia felt a sense of pride.
Do they have any idea?
That Damien was so obsessed with her.
¡°Haah¡ Sir Damien¡ Where did such a persone from?¡± A young nobledy who was sitting beside Sofia said suddenly.
¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯ll ask Father to arrange a marriage with the Haksen family.¡±
The voice that suddenly reached her made her mood sour.
¡®Arrange a marriage? Ridiculous. Who does that ugly girl think she is,peting with me?¡¯
Since yesterday, more and more women were starting to show interest in Damien Haksen.
Fortunately, among the women here, there was no one as beautiful as Sofia.
But she couldn¡¯t bepletely at ease.
Objectively speaking, Sofia and Damien currently had no rtionship whatsoever.
There was always the possibility that he would give up on her and choose another woman.
Sofia imagined Damien with another woman.
Just the thought of it made her angry and her body tremble.
¡®No¡ I can¡¯t allow it.¡¯
Unlike Damien¡¯s previous self, the current Damien was too precious to let slip away to another woman..
The only fortunate thing was that Damien still had feelings for her.
¡®But I have Jackson¡¡¯
She was torn between the two of them.
Suddenly, she felt someone¡¯s gaze and turned around. She saw Jackson standing in the audience seats.
Only then did she remember that she hadn¡¯t gone to meet him because her mind was preupied with Damien.
¡°J-Jackson!¡±
She hastily got up from her seat.
Jackson turned around and descended below the stands. Sofia hurriedly followed him.
¡°Jackson, wait! Jackson!¡±
She reached for Jackson¡¯s hand but he shook her hand off.
¡°Sofia, what are you doing?¡±
¡°W-What do you mean?¡±
¡°Cheering for Damien while I¡¯m here? Are you out of your mind?¡±
Jackson¡¯s criticism made Sofia¡¯s face flush with embarrassment and shame.
¡°What did I do wrong? Isn¡¯t it natural to support a knight who performed well in the match?¡±
But Sofia refused to admit her mistake.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°Jackson, don¡¯t be so narrow-minded. You¡¯re just jealous because Damien is getting all the attention right now.¡±
Jackson Cutter¡¯s face tensed at her words.
¡°Sofia¡!¡±
¡°Besides, are you in any position to be jealous of Damien now? You haven¡¯t even performed well in the jousting tournament.¡±
Sofia thought it was time to stop talking at this point.
However, once the floodgate of words opened, Sofia found herself caught in a torrential downpour of thoughts, each drop a relentless cascade of pent-up expression, impossible to dam back as they surged forth like an unstoppable river, flooding thendscape of her mind.
¡°Jackson, what have you been saying to me all this time? Saying you¡¯re the best. Saying no one can beat you in your age group. What¡¯s all this about?¡±
When Jackson told her that he¡¯ll participate in the jousting tournament, Sofia was excited.
She hoped to see Jackson Cutter shine in the jousting.
And to see herself next to him, sharing the attention and cheers.
¡°Instead of ming me, think about what you¡¯ll do in tomorrow¡¯s match first.¡±
Sofia walked past Jackson and disappeared.
Jackson stared Sofia¡¯s back with a nk face.
¡°This¡ Thi¡¡±
Soon, anger boiled up and reached its peak in an instant.
Just as anger was about to cloud his judgment, a voice came from behind.
¡°The match is over.¡±
Surprisingly, as soon as he heard Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s voice, his anger subsided instantly.
Jackson turned and lowered his head.
¡°¡Master.¡±
Jackson couldn¡¯t lift his head.
Jacques Noir¨¦ ordered him to win the jousting tournament.
He himself had not only failed to fulfill the order but also failed to make any impact in the arena.
¡°It was a poor performance. Yesterday and today.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t offer any words offort.
¡°As expected, my judgment was correct. With your skill, you can¡¯t beat Damien Haksen.¡±
Jackson bit his lip at his teacher¡¯s words. But it was the truth, so he couldn¡¯t argue.
¡°Thankfully, I prepared for this. Otherwise, it would have ruined the n.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ turned and spoke.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°Yes? Where are you going?¡±
To Jackson Cutter¡¯s question, Jacques Noir¨¦ replied casually.
¡°To finalize the marriage proposal between you and Olivia Copperhead.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 51
Chapter 51
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter:51 The n(1)
***
¡°Did you say it¡¯s a private meeting right now?¡±
But Jacques Noir¨¦ began to walk without answering the question.
As usual, Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t offer any exnation. Jackson sighed and folLowed his master.
They arrived at a tent used by the Earl Copperhead.
As expected of the Earl¡¯s quarters, it was thergest tent, and elite knights stood guard.
¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ headed for the tent. Surprisingly, the knights did not prevent Jacques Noir¨¦ from entering.
It meant Jacques Noir¨¦ had been here several times before.
Inside, Jacques Noir¨¦ sat in a guest chair.
¡°Master, since when have you been in contact with the Earl?¡±
Jackson couldn¡¯t contain his suspicion and asked again.
¡°Two days.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ replied briefly. Jackson was deeply shocked by this revtion.
Two days ago was the night of the banquet. In other words, it was before the tournament even began.
¡®He really didn¡¯t trust me¡!¡¯
He didn¡¯t know Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s intentions.
But he knew that to fulfill those intentions, he had to win the tournament.
Jacques Noir¨¦ judged that Jackson had no chance of winning and contacted the Earl to achieve his goals in another way.
¡°Master, what on earth are you thinking? Why do I have to marry Lady Olivia? Please exin even a little¡¡±
It was when Jackson Cutter was pressing for an exnation.
The Earl Copperhead entered the tent. Olivia Copperhead was by his side.
¡°Sir Jacques, my apologies for keeping you waiting. I had to settle matters regarding the event beforeing.¡±
¡°No need to worry. We just got here, too.¡±
Surprisingly, even in front of the Earl, Jacques Noir¨¦ spoke casually.
Even more surprising was that the Earl didn¡¯t mind at all.
¡°¡Father, what¡¯s going on here?¡±
Olivia asked with a confused expression.
¡°Olivia, I haven¡¯t told you yet. Let me introduce you. He¡¯s Sir Jacques Noir¨¦, and you must have seen him before. And on this side¡ you must have seen him too. He¡¯s Jackson Cutter, Sir Jacques¡¯s disciple.¡±
The Earl added with a bright smile.
¡°We are here today to discuss about marriage between Jackson and you.¡±
***
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±
Olivia shouted, immediately expressing her resistance.
¡°I¡¯ve never had a proper conversation with that person! And yet, you¡¯re talking about a marriage proposal?¡±
Olivia seemed just as clueless as Jackson, not having heard any exnations.
¡°How can you make such a decision without consulting me even once!¡±
In response to Olivia¡¯s outcry, the Earl spoke calmly.
¡°Olivia, don¡¯t misunderstand. You¡¯re the eldest daughter of our family. Your marriage is not something you can decide on your own. It¡¯s for the head of the household to judge and decide.¡±
¡°But what right does Father have to judge!¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking about the benefits our family can gain through this marriage.¡±
Olivia stood still and red at the Earl.
¡°¡What about Damien Haksen? Weren¡¯t you considering him for me!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. But Sir Jacques has offered much better conditions.¡±
The Earl turned to Jacques Noir¨¦. Unlike when dealing with his daughter, he had a very gentle expression.
¡°Sir Jacques has agreed to serve our house as a Middle-ss knight if this marriage is finalized. Do you understand, Olivia, what I mean by Middle-ss?¡±
The Earl¡¯s eyes sparkled.
¡°Among the nobility in the West, only Duke Goldpixie and the Marquis Ryanbloom have the Middle-ss knights. Through this marriage, our family can acquire a powerful force like the Middle-ss.¡±
Middle-ss Knight.
A strategic weapon that could change the course of the war.
In Earl¡¯s eyes, Damien was no match for Middle-ss Knight.
¡°Damien may be an excellent knight, but at best, he¡¯s only Low-ss. There¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll ever reach the Middle-ss.¡±
The barrier between the Low-ss and Middle-ss was extremely high.
The majority of Low-ss individuals struggled to surmount the barrier, ultimately remaining Low-ss knights until their deaths. Among them were those who were once hailed as geniuses.
¡°And that¡¯s not all. He even promised to provide our family¡¯s knights with swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques. He said he would provide those used by the master ss.¡±
Jackson was astonished by this statement.
Jacques Noir¨¦ had gathered and researched a vast amount of knowledge to reach the level of a master.
Among them, what he cherished the most were the techniques used or directly created by the master ss.
To openly offer things that even he hadn¡¯t shared with his disciple.
¡°Now do you understand why I epted this marriage?¡±
Olivia bit her lip. Even to her, the conditions seemed too good.
¡°Well then, let¡¯s sit down. The discussion with Jacques Noir¨¦ is not over yet.¡±
Olivia helplessly sat back in her chair.
¡°Are you willing to ept the marriage proposal?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ asked as the father-daughter conversation came to a halt.
In response, the Earl nodded.
¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the Earl¡¯s words.
¡°What might that be?¡±
¡°Your conditions are satisfactory. But bringing in a knight who hasn¡¯t even made a name for himself in the tournament as a son-inw is rather embarrassing, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±
In essence, it was a statement that Jackson Cutter¡¯s reputation was inadequate to be epted into the family as a son-inw.
¡°If that¡¯s your concern, there¡¯s no need to worry. My disciple will win the tournament tomorrow.¡±
¡°Just performing well in one match may not be enough.¡±
¡°What if he not only wins but also defeats Damien?¡±
The Earl¡¯s expression became peculiar at that remark.
¡°If he defeats Damien¡ we would indeed gain a reputation worthy of our title as the son-inw of Earl. But is it possible?¡±
The Earl had doubts too.
The techniques Damien disyed in the tournament were truly extraordinary.
It was doubtful whether there was anyone among the Low-ss who could defeat Damien.
¡°It¡¯s possible. And if he fails, I¡¯ll offer swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques without conditions.¡±
¡°Well, even that¡ If those are the conditions, then I¡¯ll ept.¡±
¡°In return, I have something to ask from your side.¡±
The Earl spoke with a hint of difort.
¡°We have no rtion yet. I can¡¯t ept unreasonable requests.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing grand. I just hope that if Damien dies tomorrow, the Earl will refrain from interfering.¡±
The Earl pondered the request.
¡°I can agree to that extent.¡±
¡°One more thing, I must be the one to see his body first.¡±
¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. But why do you want to see Damien Haksen¡¯s body?¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ responded to the Earl¡¯s question with a faint smile.
¡°There¡¯s something I need from him.¡±
***
¡°Master, why are you doing this!¡±
As soon as they stepped outside, Jackson Cutter asked Jacques Noir¨¦.
¡°A marriage proposal. Without even asking for my opinion¡Ahh!¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ punched Jackson in the stomach.
He rolled on the ground clutching his stomach.
¡°Shut up for a second, I¡¯m in a very bad mood right now.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ looked down at Jackson with a contorted face.
¡°If you had the skill to win the tournament, I wouldn¡¯t have to make such proposals to the Earl. I wouldn¡¯t have to waste my resources and knowledge.¡±
Gasping for breath, Jackson Cutter couldn¡¯t do anything.
Only then did Jackson realize why Jacques Noir¨¦ had demanded him to win the tournament.
Undoubtedly, the winner of the tournament was the best option to be the candidate for the marriage.
¡°If you understood, shut up and follow my orders.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ utilized his mana to alleviate the pain, allowing Jackson to finally find relief.
¡°M-master¡ I-I have Sofia¡¡±
Jackson gasped for breath as he spoke.
¡°That woman is now useless. Get rid of her.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ cut him off sharply. Jackson looked up at Jacques Noir¨¦ with a shocked expression.
¡°I allowed you to associate with Sofia Russell to receive support from the Russell family.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ continued with a stern tone.
¡°Thanks to the Russell family, I was able to obtain the swordsmanship books I needed. And you were able to obtain the potions you needed when you rose to the Low-ss.¡±
With the support of Viscount Russell, who even incurred debts on their behalf, both of them managed to attain their desires.
¡°But the Viscount Russell doesn¡¯t have the ability to offer more than that. So now, I¡¯m looking for a new family.¡±
¡°The new, new family is the Earls of Copperhead? Are you looking for support like the Russells?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not looking for support. I n to dominate this family through the marriage.¡±
¡°W-why¡ why go to such lengths¡¡±
¡°For the sake of my ambitions.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s ambitions meant bing a master ss.
To be a master, you needed elixirs to enhance your senses and the knowledge left by the masters.
And such items were expensive. Not just expensive, but expensive beyond imagination.
¡°I need as much money as possible. The Earl Copperhead will be a stepping stone for fulfilling my ambitions.¡±
Only then did Jackson Cutter realize why Jacques Noir¨¦ had taken him as a disciple.
To lure in wealthy families.
Jacques Noir¨¦ truly saw him as nothing more than a tool.
¡°I¡ I can¡¯t obey this order.¡±
Perhaps due to this rebellion, Jackson Cutter spoke through gritted teeth.
¡°I have Sofia. I can¡¯t abandon Sofia!¡±
¡°You¡¯re still attached to a woman who just flutters her tail at the first sign of a better suitor?¡±
It was the first time.
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s words left Jackson speechless.
¡°Sofia Russell no longer intends to keep her loyalty to you. Are you willing to disobey my orders for such a cheap woman?¡±
¡°T-that¡¯s¡¡±
Jackson Cutter¡¯s pupils shook greatly. Jacques Noir¨¦ drove the nail in.
¡°If you reject my proposal, you will never be able to defeat Damien Haksen.¡±
Jackson hesitated for a moment then asked slowly.
¡°Was what you said inside true? Is there really a way to defeat Damien Haksen?¡±
In response to that question, Jacques Noir¨¦ nodded.
¡°Have I ever lied to you?¡±
¡°Well¡ what exactly¡ What kind of method is possible? O-or are you going to tell me about a secret method to defeat Damien Haksen¡¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ pulled something out of his pocket.
It was an old bracelet made of brass. Besides that, it had no other features or peculiarities.
But for some reason, Jackson Cutter felt a sense of danger when he saw the bracelet.
¡°This bracelet has the effect of disturbing the enemy¡¯s mana. If used skillfully, it can even induce a mana overload.¡±
Mana overload.
It was a phenomenon in which the mana in a person¡¯s body escapes their control and runs wild.
During a mana overload, not only does the user experience a massive drain of mana, but the body also sustains severe damage.
As a result, knights who experienced a mana overload lost most of their strength.
¡°This old bracelet¡ does it really have such remarkable abilities?¡±
¡°However, it¡¯s not an ability you can use recklessly. It requires some of your mana and life force.¡±
Upon hearing this, Jackson frowned.
The cost was too high. Of course, it could be considered cheap if it meant defeating Damien Haksen.
Then suddenly, Jackson remembered.
Bringing about an effect by paying a price. It was like¡
¡°Master, is this bracelet perhaps¡ dark magic?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ said in a menacing tone. Jackson sealed his lips shut.
¡°Choose. Will you ept my proposal, or will you refuse it?¡±
After deep contemtion, Jackson spoke.
¡°¡I will follow your words, Master.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve thought well.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ tossed the bracelet to Jackson.
Jackson caught the bracelet and held it close to his chest.
¡°Tomorrow, wear that bracelet and fight Damien Haksen. If Damien experiences a mana overload¡¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ added firmly.
¡°Kill him in the name of showing mercy.¡±
***
That night.
Olivia Copperhead made a decision.
¡°¡I can¡¯t just stand by like this.¡±
She had always been manipted by her father¡¯s orders.
The Earl Copperheadpletely ignored Olivia¡¯s wishes and handled everything.
Even this tournament was not what she wanted.
She took out a dagger from the drawer.
The tent was firmly fixed to the ground, making it impossible to lift the fabric except at the entrance.
Olivia used the dagger to tear through the tent and slipped out through the torn opening.
She hurriedly ran, avoiding the gaze of the guards protecting the tent.
She made her way to the tent where Damien was.
Having listened carefully during her conversation with Abel, she knew exactly which tent he was in.
Olivia Copperhead lifted the tent and entered.
¡°If brother wins, Father will be greatly surprised¡ Olivia?¡±
Damien and Abel, who were chatting, were surprised to see Olivia.
Olivia caught her breath, roughened from running, and spoke to the two.
¡°Sir Damien, someone is targeting your life.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 52
Chapter 52
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 52:The n(2)
***
¡°Something like this happened¡.¡±
Oliviaid out everything that had happened today to both of them.
¡°Brother.¡±
Abel looked at Damien with a face full of fear and worry.
The situation was dire, with the Earl and the Middle-ss joining forces to target Damien¡¯s life.
¡°We need to run away right now. Your life is in danger if we stay like this, Brother!¡±
While Abel seemed desperate, Damien remained calm.
¡®Jacques Noir¨¦, I must admit, when I firstid eyes on you, I held you in high regard. However, I find it hard to believe you would resort to such cheap tricks.¡¯
He thought things were going well, but I didn¡¯t expect Jacques Noir¨¦ to be such a jerk.
¡®The Earl Copperhead isn¡¯t any different from his past life. Just because it benefits the family, he¡¯s willing to try to kill someone so easily.¡¯
Indeed, everything that seemed good about him was just an act.
In reality, he was a cruel person ready to do anything for the benefit of his family.
He was much more trashy than what he had heard from his past life.
¡®How do I handle this?¡¯
Honestly, Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t worry him much.
Dealing with him might be a bit tricky, but Damien was not going to lose.
¡®Killing Jacques Noir¨¦ would be a real pain in the ass.¡¯
Currently, Damien, who had only recently picked up the sword, was already known as a genius who had risen to the Low-ss.
What if in this situation, Damien could defeat the middle ss too?
What if rumors spread that he had reached Middle-ss within a few months of taking up the sword?
The whole world would try to find out his secret.
¡®But how are they going to kill me? There¡¯s no way to do it.¡¯
Even if they were to teach techniques, mastering them would require time, and even with potions, absorption would take days. If there were a way to defeat Damien within just one day¡
¡®There¡¯s only dark magic.¡¯
Unlike other forms of magic, dark magic specialized in such nefarious deeds.
Cursing others, inflicting diseases, bringing misfortune, and more¡ªwhen it came to killing or crippling someone, nothing surpassed dark magic.
Since Jacques Noir¨¦ is a knight he wouldn¡¯t possess knowledge of dark magic, he would likely resort to using enchanted artifacts imbued with its dark power.
¡®If they¡¯re nning to employ dark magic tomorrow¡ then there¡¯s no need for me to be concerned.¡¯
Because he can dispel any form of magic with a single thought.
¡®I¡¯m also curious about the mana cultivation technique that Jacques Noire promised to hand over to the Earl.¡¯
Currently, Damien is researching to create his mana cultivation technique.
If he could get his hands on the mana cultivation technique used by the Master ss, his research would progress much faster.
¡°We¡¯re not running away.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Abel shouted in surprise at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Brother, Jacques Noir¨¦ is the Middle-ss knight! No matter how much¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a n.¡±
Damien said, raising the corners of his mouth. Abel looked somewhat uneasy.
¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment. Comfort Lady Olivia while I¡¯m gone.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°She must have been quite taken aback to hear about such matters of taking lives. Surely, she must require someone to calm her.¡±
¡°I, are you sure?¡±
Abel asked Olivia while looking worried. Olivia made a face as if asking what nonsense he was talking about.
Then, when Damien gave a hint, she began to pretend to cry.
¡°It¡ It was so scary.¡±
¡°L-Lady Olivia.¡±
Abel didn¡¯t know what to do.
Damien walked out, leaving the two of them behind, and went to the next tent.
¡°Victor, are you sleeping?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m awake.¡±
Viktor yawned and stepped out of the tent.
¡°What can I do for you?¡±
¡°I need you to do me a favor.¡±
¡°What? Thiste at night?¡±
¡°Yes. It¡¯s something only you can do.¡±
Damien whispered in a low voice in Victor¡¯s ear.
Victor¡¯s eyes widened.
***
The final day of the Jousting tournament.
There were significantly more people in the stands than usual.
Even nobles stood in rows at the back due to theck of seats.
It was inevitable. The final match was a teampetition, which was the most popr among the events in the tournament.
¡°Well then, let me exin the rules of today¡¯s match!¡±
The knight of the Earl Copperhead shouted to the knights at the waiting area.
¡°Unlike before, this teampetition will be conducted as individual matches, not cooperative!¡±
At the knight¡¯s words, the participants began to murmur among themselves.
The teampetition had been changed to individual matches where they fought separately.
As such matches could easily beckluster if not careful, both the participants and the audience began to wonder what was going on.
Soon, most people understood the intention.
¡°The one who defeats the mostpetitors will be the winner of this match!¡±
The knights looked at each other with rolling eyes.
¡°They¡¯re all so tant.¡±
Damien thought, feeling the gazes of the knights.
Every knight harbored resentment towards him.
Some knights exchanged nces. Damien could easily guess their intentions.
¡®Look at this, they¡¯re uniting against me?¡¯
It was an unfair act, but he had no intention of using them.
Just because a few joined hands, they couldn¡¯t do anything to Damien.
Although if everyone did, that would be another story.
¡°Well then, the match will start soon. I hope you¡¯re all prepared.¡±
The knights armed themselves and mounted their horses. Damien also took up the spear offered by Victor and mounted his horse.
¡°Please do your best today as well.¡±
Damien said while patting his horse.
¡°Well¡ let¡¯s begin!¡±
The door of the waiting area opened. The knights rushed out to the arena.
The knights scattered across the entire arena.
¡°Wow! Go for it!¡±
¡°Sir Alonso! Show them the might of Baron Alter¡¯s sword!¡±
¡°Damien Haksen! You can do it!¡±
The audience cheered fervently for the knights.
But the knights had no time to respond to the audience. They all looked at each other with tense faces.
¡®Now, who¡¯s going toe at me first?¡¯
Damien observed the knights¡¯ gazes and demeanor.
Then, he suddenly realized something strange.
Most of the knights were directly targeting him.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Even Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
¡°Start the final match!¡±
As soon as the Earl¡¯s shout came down, the knights all rushed at Damien.
***
Watching the knights converging from all directions, Damien let out a bitterugh.
¡®I didn¡¯t realize they¡¯d all formed alliances.¡¯
Strictly speaking, not all knights had agreed.
It was just groups of about six knights who were usually friendly, gathering together and forming alliances.
The problem was that the target of these alliances was exclusively Damien Haksen.
¡°Isn¡¯t it disgraceful for knights to act like this?¡±
Damien said, hoping to provoke the knights. But the knights didn¡¯t show any sense of shame.
¡°If we don¡¯t do anything now, you¡¯ll win the tournament with an overwhelming score!¡±
¡°It¡¯s far better to do this than to be mocked for sitting on the sidelines and watching you win!¡±
Damien¡¯s performance was so overwhelming that other knights couldn¡¯t perform well.
Among the nobles who came to watch the jousting tournament, some even mocked the knights as wooden dolls.
For this reason, the knights agreed to focus on Damien Haksen and suppress him.
¡°We can¡¯t let you take first ce in this match!¡±
¡°We¡¯ll obstruct you in the name of the Malta family¡¯s honor!¡±
¡°I swear on the name of Viscount St. Troller, I¡¯ll defeat you!¡±
The knights surrounded Damien and charged at him. Weapons rain down on him from all directions.
¡®Doing this while shouting out family names¡ Have they all lost their minds?¡¯
Damien sighed inwardly.
¡®Well, this should be fun.¡¯
He loosened the reins, but there was no problem. Damien could move the horse with his will alone.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
The horse stamped the ground. It galloped to the weakest point of the encirclement.
¡°Herees Damien Haksen!¡±
¡°Knock him down to the ground!¡±
The knights brandished their spears. The sight of knights charging in armor was eerily imposing.
Unlike Damien, who was lightly dressed, the knights were wearing armor.
Moreover, unlike Damien holding a short spear, they were wielding long spears.
It was clear who would suffer more in a collision like this.
Damien didn¡¯t stop the horse. Instead, hemanded the horse to increase its speed.
After riding the horse for two days, his understanding of horse anatomy and ¡®Inmate mastery¡¯ had increased.
Thanks to this, Damien could pull off another trick.
He infused mana into the horse.
The seeping mana strengthened the horse¡¯s muscles. With each step the horse took, its hooves left clear imprints on the ground.
¡°Huh? What?¡±
¡°What?¡±
The knights¡¯ faces showed confusion at this unusual scene.
¡°Wha, What¡?¡±
With a roar, the knights and horses flew together. The knights tumbled to the ground.
¡°Cou¡ cough¡ What¡ What kind of horse is that¡?¡±
¡°W, We¡ We have to¡ stop¡ Damien Haksen¡¡±
So shocking was the scene where other knights forgot they were in the middle of a match and stared at Damien Haksen.
¡°T, Tha¡ That¡¡±
¡°W, What¡ How¡¡±
Then, the horse carrying Damien changed direction. After looking back, it scraped the ground with its hooves.
It wasn¡¯t like a horse at all, more like a charging bull.
¡°T, Tha¡ That¡¡±
¡°S, Surely not¡¡±
A foreboding feeling crept into the knights¡¯ minds.
Sure enough, the horse charged at the knights again.
The knights scattered in disarray, shouting, ¡°B, Back off!¡±
¡°Stop, don¡¯t resist!¡±
However, the speed of the horse was faster than the knights¡¯ attempts to evade.
¡°Agh!¡±
¡°Eek!¡±
With a crash, three more knights and their horses were sent flying.
¡°Here ites again!¡±
Whenever Damien spurred his horse forward, knights flew and fell off their horses.
¡°Surround him! Don¡¯t give him space! If you do, he¡¯ll charge again!¡±
Only one knight, still reeling from the chaos, stepped forward to block Damien.
This time, the horse stooped before ramming with its head. The knight fell to the ground along with the horse.
¡°I got his back!¡±
A knight emerged behind Damien. This time, the horse extended its hind legs, sending the knight flying after taking the full force of the armor.
¡°What¡ what is that?¡±
A knight who had long fallen from the horse murmured while lying on the ground.
¡°It¡¯s like¡ it¡¯s not a horse, but a monster.¡±
As the knight said, the horse Damien rode on rampaged like a monster.
Its speed and power were impressive, but its massive size was even more intimidating.
Instead of wielding weapons against Damien, the knights were being thrown by the horse.
Within an hour of the start of the tournament, most of the knights had been eliminated.
¡°Wow! Damien! Damien!¡±
The nobles cheered for Damien, calling out his name.
Although many jousting tournaments had been held before, Damien¡¯s remarkable performance with horsemanship skills made him stand out, leading to even louder cheers from the audience.
Damien stopped the horse and enjoyed the cheers of the crowd.
¡°Sometimes, this kind of attention isn¡¯t so bad, is it?¡±
Damien patted the horse¡¯s head and asked. The horse seemed to understand Damien¡¯s words, nodding its head.
However, not all knights had been eliminated yet.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
At that moment, one of the remaining knights shouted.
Shout infused with mana reverberated and shook the entire arena.
The nobles in the audience were startled into silence and then turned their attention to the shouting knight.
¡°I am the Oger yer Jackson Cutter!¡±
He yelled, pointing his longsword at Damien.
Damien raised an eyebrow as he looked at Jackson.
¡°So, you finally decided to challenge me.¡±
Damien turned his horse toward Jackson. Meanwhile, Jackson continued to shout.
¡°You may not know it, but I do! I know what an asshole you¡¯ve been in the past!¡±
Damien felt puzzled by the unexpected usation.
Was he out of his mind to cuss another knight in public like this?
¡°A bastard like you has somehow gotten stronger, but don¡¯t think you¡¯re invincible just because you¡¯ve improved a little!¡±
Jackson Cutter raised his weapon high.
¡°I, the Oger yer Jackson Cutter, will expose your true nature!¡±
***
¡°This is myst chance.¡±
Jackson Cutter thought to himself as he rode forward on his horse.
¡°Today, I will defeat Damien Haksen and gain fame!¡±
It was embarrassing to rely on his reputation rather than his own skills, but Jackson forced himself to forget about it.
As long as he could get revenge on Damien, he was willing to throw away his pride.
¡°Make him pay for ignoring me!¡±
Jackson unsheathed his sword, aiming the tip at Damien¡¯s face.
Just before the de could touch him, Damien turned his head, skillfully avoiding the attack, and grabbed Jackson Cutter¡¯s wrist.
More precisely, he grabbed the bracelet on the wrist.
¡°As expected, it was dark magic.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Jackson Cutter¡¯s blood ran cold.
¡°W-What are you talking about?¡±
Damien exerted force on his hand. The bracelet twisted, and simultaneously, dark magic surged outwards.
The spectators¡¯ eyes widened as they witnessed the scene.
¡°I-It¡¯s dark magic!¡±
The audience eximed in astonishment.
At that moment, hooded figures in the stands rose up in unison.
They leaped over the stands and descended into the arena.
Then, they all removed their hoods, revealing pristine white robes.
As the audience saw their attire, they once again gasped in shock.
¡°They¡¯re the Pdins from Church!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 53
Chapter 53
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 53: The n(3)
***
At the appearance of the pdins, the arena fell silent as if icy water had been poured.
The nobles were even more terrified of the Church¡¯s arrival than they were of dark magic.
They knew that when it came to dark magic, the Church would rampage like a mad dog.
¡°Damn it!¡±
The first to break the silence was Jackson Cutter.
Realizing there was no good in staying put, Jackson Cutter attempted to flee.
But Damien wouldn¡¯t let go of his wrist.
¡°Let me go¡ Ugh!¡±
As Jackson Cutter attempted to resist, the pdins rushed in.
They forcibly knocked him out with the back of a de, forcing him off his horse and breaking both his arms.
While Jackson Cutter was being subdued, the one pdin addressed Damien. He was arge, chubby man with a face like a full moon.
¡°Mr. Damien, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Thomas, a second-grade pdin of the Church.¡±
Pdins, unlike regr knights, identified themselves by their grades. A 2nd-grade pdin was equivalent to a mid-ss knight.
Damien had sent Victor to contact the Church in a neighboring cityst night.
Damien¡¯s message was to dispatch a pdin to the jousting tournament in case any heretics showed up, and he specifically requested someone capable enough to face mid-ss knights among them.
[PR note- Heretics are knights ormon people who use the power of dark magic through artifacts or simr means.]
Not only did the pdin immediatelyply with Damien¡¯s request, but they also sent a force capable of truly rivaling the mid-ss.
Thanks to this, it seemed possible to handle the current situation without directly using force.
It was akin to using poison to counter poison.
¡°Sir Damien was right, there is indeed a filthy heretic.¡±
Jackson Cutter eximed as if throwing a tantrum.
¡°Who says I¡¯m a heretic? I haven¡¯t done anything wro¡!¡±
One of the pdins struck Jackson Cutter¡¯s mouth with the hilt of his sword, producing a crunching sound.
¡°You sure do talk a lot for someone who uses dark magic.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t dirty our ears and stay quiet.¡±
The pdins growled as if they were ready to kill Jackson Cutter at any moment.
Seeing their demeanor, Jackson Cutter visibly cowered.
¡°But, Mr. Damien, where are the other heretics?¡±
Damien raised his finger and pointed to the spectator stands.
There sat Jacques Noir¨¦.
¡°That man is the mid-ss heretic I mentioned.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s expression contorted.
Simultaneously, Thomas rushed towards Jacques Noir¨¦.
***
When the arena match had just begun, Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t have a care in the world.
The bracelet handed to Jackson Cutter was no ordinary item. It was a notorious dark mage¡¯s painstaking creation.
When Jacques Noir¨¦ was Low-ss knight, that bracelet saved his life too many times.
If it hadn¡¯t been for the significant drawback of consuming life force and mana, he would have always worn it.
As the arena match began, Damien Haksen started to move.
Watching Damien, who could knock down knights with just one horse, Jacques Noir¨¦ felt anticipation.
Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t know what sort of secret treasure Damien had.
But considering Damien raised to the level of low ss in just a few months, it must have been something very precious.
By killing Damien today, Jacques Noir¨¦ could have both the Earldom of Copperhead and that treasure in his hands.
Truly something to celebrate¡
But at that moment, Damien grabbed Jackson Cutter¡¯s wrist, causing the bracelet to shatter.
¡°¡?¡±
Dark magic permeated the surroundings thickly.
The unexpected turn of events left Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s mind in chaos.
But before he could even begin to process the confusion, something even more shocking happened.
The pdins sitting in the spectator stands revealed themselves.
¡°¡!¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ could only be astonished. Despite being so close, he hadn¡¯t sensed the presence of the pdins at all.
It wasn¡¯t until the pdins removed their robes that their presence could be felt.
The robes they wore were no ordinary items; they were special relics used during undercover operations by the pdins.
The pdins immediately subdued Jackson Cutter.
Amidst the chaos, Jacques Noir¨¦ couldn¡¯t think for a moment.
¡°That man is the mid-ss heretic I mentioned.¡±
Until Damien pointed toward him.
A pdin rushed towards him. The pdin swung his de towards Jacques Noir¨¦.
Jacques Noir¨¦ instinctively raised his forearm to block the attack.
The sh between the protective gear on his forearm and the de produced a sharp sound.
¡°Aargh!¡±
¡°Eek!¡±
The collision of the two mid-ssbatants caused a tremendous shock, enough to push back the surrounding audience.
¡°There really is the mid-ss heretic!¡±
The pdin¡¯s eyes glowed like mes.
¡°To dare to touch dark magic with your god-blessed talent!! I will tear you apart today and offer you to God!¡±
¡°You¡¯re deluded to the point of not even having a semnce of reason. Just spouting nonsense so carelessly.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ spoke in a calm tone.
But despite his demeanor, his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.
The Church was as powerful a force as the Empire. There was hardly a ce on the continent where the Church¡¯s influence didn¡¯t reach.
As far as Jacques Noir¨¦ knew, there were hardly any who could confront and survive against the Church.
¡°Don¡¯t bber about me with your filthy tongue!¡±
A white light erupted from Thomas¡¯ body. Strangely, despite the light emitting from him, it wasn¡¯t blinding.
Divine power.
A power that only those who believed in and served God could use had manifested.
¡°I¡¯ll tear your bones apart right now!¡±
Thomas exerted force on his arm, pushing the de even harder.
Jacques Noir¨¦ didn¡¯t resist. Instead, he utilized Thomas¡¯ force to fly backward behind the spectator stands.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re running!¡±
Thomas shouted loudly as he chased after Jacques Noir¨¦. Intense noises followed from behind the arena.
¡°Just as expected from the Church.¡±
Damien eximed, watching the scene.
There was no better way to counter dark magic.
¡°Hmm¡?¡±
At that moment, something caught Damien¡¯s eye.
The Earl of Copperhead was leaving the arena with a pale face.
***
¡°My, my, this can¡¯t be¡¡ happening on my, on my estate!¡±
The Earl Copperhead broke into a cold sweat as he walked as if he could copse at any moment.
¡°Jacques Noir¨¦! That bastard dared to use dark magic on mynd!¡±
The inquisitors of the Church were persistent and cruel.
It was evident that this incident would not be concluded as merely the antics of Jacques Noir¨¦ and Jackson Cutter; a broad investigation would surely uncover other rted individuals.
¡°If it¡¯s revealed that I was nning to deal with them¡ No, I knew nothing! I knew nothing!¡±
The Earl Copperhead trembled throughout his walk.
Olivia looked at the earl as if he were pitiful.
The human who usually acted so dignified and cunning was now trembling in fear at the real crisis.
¡°Olivia! I must think of a solution! When the pdinses looking for me, tell them I¡¯ve fainted and buy me some time! Understand?¡±
Upon reaching the tent, the earlmanded Olivia.
With a skeptical look, Olivia replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think that will work.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make it work! Why do you have so many words to say!¡±
The earl shouted in response to Olivia¡¯s retort.
He needed time to gather his thoughts no matter what.
¡°Your Grace, where are you going? Are you trying to take a nap?¡±
A voice suddenly came, startling the earl, who turned his head.
Right behind him stood Damien.
¡°¡Damien Haksen! How dare you show your face in front of me!¡±
By the demeanor of the pdins, it was clear that Damien had summoned the Church.
To the Earl, Damien was nothing short of a sworn enemy who had ruined everything.
¡°I¡¯vee to discuss matters with Your Grace.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! What are my knights doing? Drive him away!¡±
The Earl¡¯s knights blocked Damien.
¡°No further ess to¡¡.¡±
Damien lightly tapped the knights¡¯ chins with the back of his hand. It was too fast for anyone to see properly.
As knights copsed Earl let out a scream.
¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s regrettable to see you like this.¡±
Saying so, Damien grabbed the Earl¡¯s cor and lifted him up.
¡°It seems you¡¯vepletely forgotten your attempt to kill me, Your Grace.¡±
As Damien¡¯s gaze intensified, all color drained from the Earl¡¯s face.
¡°Shall we have a quiet discussion inside? Or would you prefer a different method of conversation?¡±
¡°W-We¡¯ll discuss! We¡¯ll discuss!¡±
The earl hastily eximed. Only then did Damien smile satisfactorily.
¡°You¡¯ve made a wise decision.¡±
***
¡°Your Grace, I¡¯m deeply disappointed.¡±
Damien sat with his feet on the table.
The Earl couldn¡¯t even think of correcting Damien¡¯s attitude.
¡°I thought we had quite a good rtionship, Your Grace. Yet you were plotting my demise behind my back.¡±
¡°You, where did you hear such nonsense? I¡¯ve never tried to kill you. What absurdity¡¡±
¡°Lady Olivia told me everything. Jacques Noir¨¦ wanted my life. And you promised him assistance, didn¡¯t you?¡±
The Earl red at Olivia. Olivia met his gaze nonchntly.
¡°Yes, Father. I told him.¡±
¡°Olivia! Have you gone mad? Why would you do such a thing¡¡±
Thump.
Damien kicked the table with his heel. The Earl fell silent again.
¡°Your Grace, my talk isn¡¯t finished yet.¡±
¡°Y-You¡¡±
¡°What do you think will happen if I tell the Church that Your Grace attempted to deal with Jacques Noir¨¦?¡±
The Earl¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°I-I didn¡¯t know! I truly didn¡¯t! I never thought Jacques Noir¨¦ would resort to dark magic¡¡±
¡°Do you think such excuses will work with the Church?¡±
The Church had zero tolerance for anything directly or indirectly rted to the Dark magic.
Moreover, the Earl was implicated in an attempted murder involving dark magic.
Attempting to im innocence to the Church would be futile.
¡°Sir Damien! I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! Please, don¡¯t report to Church¡¡±
¡°Even if I don¡¯t say anything, Jackson Cutter will expose everything anyway, and you know how horrible the torture of the Inquisitors is, don¡¯t you?¡±
As Damien pointed out, the Earl felt all strength drain from his body.
¡°Your Grace may not know, but I have my own connections within the Church. Defending a single person should be easy.¡±
Damien spoke with a subtle tone. The Earl¡¯s expression seemed as if he¡¯d met a savior.
¡°Y-You¡¡±
¡°But there are conditions.¡±
¡°Sp-Speak! I-I¡¯ll listen to anything!¡±
Damien raised his fingers one by one.
¡°First, you must grant my brother and Lady Olivia¡¯s hand in marriage.¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s easy enough.¡±
¡°Second, dere me the winner of this year¡¯s tournament.¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s only natural!¡±
The first two conditions Damien mentioned were quite easy. But the next one posed a problem.
¡°Before the year ends, transfer half of your estate to Lady Olivia.¡±
¡°That¡¯s preposterous! Half! Are you out of your mind!¡±
The Earl erupted in anger. In response, Damien¡¯s voice sharpened.
¡°Then go to the Church and im your innocence.¡±
With that warning, the Earl had no choice but to remain silent.
¡°Aspensation for this incident, send 300 gold to the Haksen¡¯s Viscounty .¡±
¡°Th-Three hundred gold¡¡±
¡°For someone who tried to kill me, isn¡¯t that a small price?¡±
With Damien¡¯s sharp words, the Earl could do nothing but remain silent again.
¡°What will you do?¡±
¡°W-Well, I need to think for a moment¡¡±
¡°Decide here and now.¡±
Damien stated firmly. The Earl sighed and said,
¡°¡I¡¯llply with all your demands.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve made a wise decision.¡±
Damien stood up. Before leaving the tent, he warned the Earl onest time.
¡°Your Grace, just in case. If you break our agreement today or continue to dy¡¡±
Damien unleashed his power.
His aura and killing intent engulf the entire tent.
The Earlpletely lost his senses to such overwhelming power.
¡°I will make sure to collect the price personally.¡±
The Earl¡¯s head nodded slowly.
***
Damien emerged from the tent with Olivia.
¡°Are you sure it¡¯ll be okay?¡± Damien pushed, his face filled with concern.
Last night, Damien had sought Olivia¡¯s agreement to reveal that he had reported the incident.
The price for that was acquiring half of the estate.
With this incident, Olivia was practically estranged from the Earl.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much. I¡¯m fine,¡± Olivia said without batting an eye.
¡°But Father has used me as a tool his whole life. So this time, I¡¯ll use him as mine,¡± she said, chillinglyposed.
Could I ept such a woman as Abel¡¯spanion?
Damien pondered for a moment.
¡®Well, Abel has his naive side. It might not be so bad.¡¯
As they walked, someone was running towards them.
¡°D-Damien¡ you¡¯re here!¡±
Sofia Russell spoke, her face on the verge of tears.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 54
Chapter 54
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 54
¡°Da¡Damien!¡±
Sofia rushed towards Damien.
¡°I¡I¡¯m d we met so quickly. There¡¯s no one else I can rely on but you.¡±
Fear filled Sofia¡¯s face as she trembled, speaking to Damien.
¡°When Jackson¡ or, no, when Jackson Cutter starts interrogating in the auditorium, I¡¯ll surely be taken as well.¡±
No one in this ce had a deeper connection with Jackson Cutter than Sofia Russell.
There was no way Damien could leave Sofia alone in the auditorium.
¡°B¡but I¡¯m innocent. I didn¡¯t know anything. I¡I only found out about that bracelet from Jackson Cutter!¡±
Sofia clung to Damien¡¯s arm.
¡°You¡¯re the only one who can help me. Please, protect me. I¡¯m begging you.¡±
¡°Why should I help you?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t understand at all.
Not only did Sofia unterally dere a breakup with Damien, but she also insulted the Haksen household in the process.
Now, the two of them had a worse rtionship than others. How could she so easily ask for help?
¡°I-I¡¯ll make your wishe true if you help me!¡±
¡°My wish?¡±
Sofia swallowed nervously. A slow smile appeared on her previously anxious face.
¡°I¡¯ll be your woman again.¡±
Sofia confidently stated with a face full of assurance.
Sofia was convinced that he would definitely ept her proposal.
¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡±
Damien said with a puzzled expression. In response, Sofia sighed deeply and scolded Damien.
¡°Damien¡ No matter how angry you are, you should at least pretend to give in when a womanes in with her head down. There¡¯s a charm in acting like you¡¯re losing when a woman approaches like this.¡±
¡°What are you talking about right now¡¡±
¡°Fine, I get it. I¡¯ll apologize again. I waspletely wrong. So, please stop being angry and ept me now.¡±
After his regression, Damien felt his mouth shut for the first time.
At the same time, he was infuriated by Sofia¡¯s unchanged attitude in this situation.
¡°Damien, I know everything. You still want me. So, when you first saw me, you were pretending not to know, right? To grab my attention.¡±
Sofia said with a confident tone.
¡°You kept giving up Olivia¡¯s seat to Abel because of me. You may have tried to hide it, but I noticed it a long time ago¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s so absurd that I don¡¯t even know where to start rifying the misunderstanding.¡±
Damien said with a cold tone.
¡°You¡¯re still not over it? How much do I have to apologize¡¡± Sofia said smugly
¡°No, I don¡¯t need anything. I don¡¯t need you. I have no interest at all.¡±
Damien cut her off abruptly.
¡°I¡¯m begging you, stop talking nonsense and just leave in front of my eyes.¡±
¡°D-Damien¡¡±
¡°If you dare to defy my warning and appear in front of me again, spouting such nonsense, I¡¯ll cut off your tongue.¡±
To clearly convey his intention, Damien even brought up a threat.
Sofia¡¯splexion turned pale.
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±
***
Damien passed by Sofia.
She stood like a statue, not even considering stopping Damien.
Damien headed to the martial arts training hall with Olivia.
It was to meet the knights remaining in the martial arts training hall.
But something was off.
The atmosphere among the knights gathered in the martial arts training hall was incredibly grim.
¡°Damien, you¡¯ve returned.¡±
Knight Thomas spoke with a heavy face, addressing Damien.
¡°We lost Jacques Noir¨¦.¡±
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°He was hiding his true skill. And because he used another dark magic tool¡¡±
Thomas said with frustration. Losing the heretic in front of him had clearly angered him.
¡°Jacques Noir¨¦¡ He was indeed a formidable skillful person, as the rumors say.¡±
Damien said with a stern face.
But contrary to his expression, Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised.
¡®He escaped after all.¡¯
Damien predicted this would happen from the moment he first saw Thomas.
Compared to Jacques Noir¨¦, Thomas¡¯s skill was insufficient.
Perhaps if Jacques Noir¨¦ had the intention, he could have easily killed Thomas.
¡®But killing a knight of the Church would bring even greater repercussions.¡¯
A situation where he couldn¡¯t kill the enemy, nor let them live.
In that case, escaping was the only option.
¡®I did well to ce the mark in advance.¡¯
Last night, after sending Victor to the city, Damien went to Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s residence.
Remembering Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s magical power, it wasn¡¯t difficult.
Deceiving the senses of a mid-ss being was also a simple task for Damien.
In Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s lodging, Damien discreetly drew a mark that allowed him to locate the position of his clothes while he slept.
¡°Knight Thomas, don¡¯t be too disheartened. With the help of the gods, you will have another chance to catch Jacques Noir¨¦.¡±
Damienforted Thomas. Thomas looked at Damien with a face full of emotion.
¡°Damien, even in such a situation, you never lose faith. Indeed, as Lady Agnes says, you are truly the pride of the knights!¡±
Damien distanced himself from Thomas slightly.
These fanatics were still as unsettling as ever.
From the next day, the martial arts training hall became noisy.
Theters from the Church began investigating all the nobles in the martial arts training hall.
¡°Hey! I have nothing to do with a guy named Jackson Cutter!¡±
¡°Do you know how much tithe I give to the Church every year? I can¡¯t tolerate this treatment!¡±
The nobles protested, but it didn¡¯t matter.
The Church interrogated each noble one by one.
Fortunately, since Jackson Cutter didn¡¯t actively interact with others, the investigation for the nobles was quickly resolved.
¡°Speak. Who gave you this bracelet?¡±
¡°J-Jacques Noir¨¦! Jacques Noir¨¦ gave it to me! He said that with this, I can, I can kill Damien Haksen¡ ugh!¡±
¡°He tried to kill Damien? Was there someone else involved in the n?¡±
¡°E-Earl Copperhead! Earl Copperhead was also involved!¡±
The person directly involved in the incident, Jackson Cutter, was interrogated by the inquisitor himself.
The interrogation by the Church¡¯s inquisitors was particrly infamous for its cruelty. Rumors circted widely that torture methods evolved each year to extract all desired information.
Even during mealtime and bedtime, Jackson Cutter¡¯s screams never ceased. The inquisitors only stopped questioning after hearing every trivial secret of Jackson Cutter.
Next, the inquisitors summoned Sofia Russell and Earl Copperhead.
¡°Ah, Your Lordship is innocent. It¡¯s true that I tried to kill him, but I had no knowledge of dark magic.¡±
Damien defended the Earl as promised. Despite speaking, Damien was somewhat worried. He knew how relentless the inquisitors could be.
¡°Understood. I will only summon Sofia Russell.¡±
¡°¡Um, do you believe what I¡¯m saying?¡±
¡°Of course. How much has Damien contributed to the Church?¡±
The inquisitors easily believed Damien¡¯s words, leading only Sofia away.
¡°I-I really don¡¯t know! He never told me anything!¡±
Sofia Russell asserted her innocence, but the inquisitors didn¡¯t believe her at all. They judged that, as Jackson Cutter¡¯s lover, she must be hiding many things.
Not long after Sofia was taken, a sharp, piercing scream erupted, tearing through the air.
A week passed before the Church concluded its investigation. The Church dered that there were no suspects other than Jackson Cutter.
Only then could the nobles be released from the martial arts training hall, though the martial artspetition had not yet concluded. The procession of nobles returning to their territories stretched long.
¡°Are you also leaving, Sir Damien?¡±
Like other nobles, Damien was also preparing to return as the heir of the Viscount Haksen. However, Thomas and the knights came to Damien.
¡°Yes, we would like to meet your family as they must be worried.¡±
¡°Well¡ I rmend staying a bit longer.¡±
Thomas spoke with a worried expression.
¡°Jacques Noir¨¦ might be targeting you, Sir Damien.¡±
Damien was the one who brought the Church to the martial arts training hall. There was a high chance that Jacques Noir¨¦ held a grudge against him.
¡°We are currently issuing a wanted notice for Jacques Noir¨¦. Until his whereabouts are confirmed, would it be possible for you to stay here?¡±
Although it was appreciative that they cared, Damien had no intention of epting the proposal. With his skills, he could easily handle Jacques Noir¨¦. Moreover, he hoped Jacques Noir¨¦ woulde looking for him.
Above all, traveling with bothersome knights was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.
¡°Thank you for your offer, but I¡¯ll decline. It wouldn¡¯t be right for Sir Thomas to be hindered because of me.¡±
As a second-ss knight, Thomas was an umon force within the Church. He had many tasks and responsibilities.
¡°Besides, the great one in the heavens is watching over me. How could such a special person harm me?¡±
Perhaps moved by Damien¡¯s words, Thomas quietly made the sign of the cross.
¡°Above all, since the Church has issued a wanted order, Jacques Noir¨¦ is likely too frantic to target me.¡±
¡°Sir Damien, still, if it¡¯s just for a few days¡¡±
Damien repeatedly rejected Thomas¡¯s words. In the end, Thomas had no choice but to give up on his request.
Damien set out as a representative for the Haksen estate. Unlike when he arrived, there was one more person in the party on the way back ¨C Olivia Copperhead.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect to go to Haksen as a member of the estate so quickly.¡±
¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t either. I never thought I¡¯d introduce Olivia Copperhead to my parents so soon¡¡±
Beside Abel, Olivia Copperhead sat. Olivia had already gained the approval of her father, the Earl. Therefore, rather than staying at the Earl¡¯s estate for no reason, she chose to leave with Abel.
¡°But how long are you going to use honorifics? You can speakfortably now.¡±
Olivia said with a chubby face. Abel hesitated for a moment before responding.
¡°Um, Olivia.¡±
¡°Good. From now on, please speak to mefortably like that.¡±
Damien, sitting across from them, looked at the two with an annoyed expression. Although he hoped they would get along, he had no intention of willingly epting their excessive affection.
Damien stood up.
¡°Where are you going, sir?¡±
¡°Outside. Have fun together.¡±
Damien opened the window, climbed onto the roof of the carriage, and looked at the two from above. Victor, who was on the coachman¡¯s seat, asked with a puzzled face.
¡°Young master, is anything ufortable?¡±
¡°No, there isn¡¯t. Just drive the carriage well.¡±
Damien opened a dimensional space with his hand, pulling out an item. It was the heart of a spirit, the prize for winning the martial artspetition.
Due to theplex turn of events, the award ceremony did not take ce. However, as promised by the Earl, Damien was dered the winner of the martial artspetition.
Therefore, Damien received the prize from him.
¡°Absorbing this is also considered a task.¡±
Thinking of the spirit¡¯s heart as a solidified stone was convenient. Without melting it, absorption was impossible. From now on, Damien had to stimte the spirit¡¯s heart with his own magic to melt the spirit power.
It was not an easy task even for someone of Damien¡¯s ability. However, the reward was certain.
If he could absorb the spirit power, he would gain not only magic power but also the power of the spirit.
¡°Spirit power¡¡±
Spirits were extremely powerful beings. They possessed countless abilities.
¡°Many elves absorbed the heart of a spirit to gain its characteristics.¡±
By absorbing the heart of a wind spirit, some elves obtained heightened senses, while others, by absorbing the heart of an earth spirit, gained tough skin to ward off attacks.
Those who absorbed the heart of a spirit became powerful individuals surpassing the Middle ss without exception.
¡°I wonder what characteristics I¡¯ll gain by absorbing the heart of a fire spirit.¡±
Damien knew the hidden abilities of the spirit¡¯s heart. Another reason he was surprised was because the heart containing the abilities of a fire spirit was particrly famous for being rare. Moreover, no elf had ever seen one that possessed the abilities of a fire spirit.
So, Damien did not expect it.
¡°I¡¯ll absorb it first and see.¡±
Throughout the carriage¡¯s journey, Damien continually infused magic into the heart of the spirit. That night, Jacques Noir¨¦ attacked Damien.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 55: Jacques Noir¨¦ (1)
As the sun set, Damien halted the carriage and prepared for camping.
¡°Everyone,e for the meal,¡± he called out.
Victor had prepared the evening meal. After filling their stomachs with Victor¡¯s cooking, the group retired to their sleeping quarters.
In preparation for any contingency, Olivia slept inside the carriage, while the remaining threeid out sleeping bags outside.
It was deep into the night when it happened.
A dark shadow approached the camp silently, moving so discreetly that not even the sound of footsteps could be heard.
No one in the camp noticed the intruder. They were all immersed in deep slumber, unaware of the impending threat.
The assant slowly unsheathed a dagger, its white de ominously gleaming in the moonlight.
Before swinging the knife, the intruder counted the people lying in the camp¡ªone in the carriage, two outside.
¡ Two?
¡°I was getting bored waiting.¡±
A voice echoed from above. The intruder quickly looked up.
Someone was sitting on top of the carriage.
¡°Jacques Noir¨¦, did you really want to kill me that badly?¡± Damien Haksen mocked, framed against the night sky.
¡°How did you know I wasing?¡± Jacques spoke with a calm tone, seemingly unfazed despite being caught off guard.
¡°Trying to easily reveal others¡¯ secrets isn¡¯t a good habit.¡±
¡°Smart. There¡¯s nothing to gain from exposing yourself to others.¡±
Jacques nodded, and Damien felt a sense of perplexity.
¡°It¡¯s strange. I thought you¡¯d be angry and ready to attack as soon as you saw my face.¡±
¡°Why should I be angry at you?¡±
In response to the unexpected question, Damien replied with a puzzled expression.
¡°I got you chased by the organization, remember?¡±
¡°Oh, that. I did get annoyed as you said, but I decided to forget about it. It¡¯s a hassle being wanted by the organization, but I can change my face and escape to the outskirts of the continent.¡±
Damien¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.
Speaking so casually about abandoning one¡¯s name and identity was unsettling.
From his breath and tone, it seemed like Jacques was genuinely speaking the truth.
It felt like Damien was finally understanding the identity of the difort he had felt since their first encounter.
Jacques was a personcking something essential as a human.
¡°So, why did you follow me?¡±
¡°To obtain the artifact you possess.¡±
¡°¡Artifact?¡±
Damien¡¯s expression tightened even more. He found the statement absurd.
¡°No matter how much you hide it, it¡¯s useless. You undoubtedly obtained the item left by the master. Through the memories and knowledge stored in that item, you¡¯ve be so much stronger.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t done anything like that.¡±
Damien responded with a face expressing utter disbelief.
¡°Even if you lie, it¡¯s futile. How else would you exin your rapid improvement in skills if not for the artifact?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just a bit of a genius.¡±
A brief silence hung between the two.
Jacques licked his lips briefly.
¡°It¡¯s impressive how thoroughly you conceal your ws. Intelligent. Almost irritatingly so.¡±
¡°No, really?¡±
¡°I initially considered sparing you if you handed over the artifact willingly, but¡ with you being like this, I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to kill you and take the artifact.¡±
Jacques discarded the dagger and slowly drew the sword hanging at his waist.
Unlike a regr sword, its de undted like waves.
¡°A treasure should be in the hands of someone worthy.¡±
Jacques spun the de once. With a bizarre sound, the afterimage of the de lingered before disappearing.
¡°So, peacefully hand over the artifact.¡±
Damien sneered, gripping the Heavenly Sword.
¡°This is ridiculous.¡±
Damien and Jacques Noir¨¦ charged almost simultaneously.
The sh of their two swords echoed through the air, with neither side giving an inch.
Simultaneously, both men stepped back, but as soon as the distance widened, Jacques sprung forward again.
Targeting Damien¡¯s face, he thrust his sword.
As if anticipating it, Damien effortlessly parried the sword, aiming for his opponent¡¯s throat.
However, Jacques smoothly evaded Damien¡¯s attack as well.
With each sh of their swords, the surrounding trees shook, apanied by a thunderous noise.
¡°He¡¯s on a high Mid-ss level. Efficient use of power,¡± Damien thought.
The captain they fought before, Yuran, was a Mid-ss Dark Mage. With every swing of his fist, earthquakes urred, and the terrain was destroyed.
Jacques¡¯ attacks seemedckingpared to that Dark Mage at first nce. However, in reality, it was not the case.
If Jacques willed it, he could unleash even greater destructive power. But for now, he concentrated all that power into his sword.
Evidence of this was the asional traces left by Jacques¡¯ sword in the surroundings.
Whenever the de grazed a wooden pir, the entire tree was neatly sliced. The cut surface was so smooth it could be used as a mirror.
Despite not causing any visible shockwaves, it demonstrated an incredible cutting force.
¡°Smart move to cast Dark Magic on the kids in advance,¡± Damien observed, ncing at the team lying on the ground.
Even in the midst of such chaos, the team remained in a deep slumber, thanks to the Dark Magic that induced profound sleep.
For the time being, Damien nned to hide his true abilities to avoid unnecessary trouble. He didn¡¯t want to reveal the fight with Jacques Noir¨¦ to the team.
¡°We should change the location.¡±
Continuing the fight here increased the risk of the team getting involved.
Dodging Jacques¡¯ sword, Damien darted to the side.
¡°Where are you going?¡± Jacques Noir¨¦ pursued. The two raced through the forest, swinging their swords.
Dozens of exchanges urred in a single breath. The sound of air being sliced resonated constantly.
¡®He¡¯s using a very elusive sword technique¡¯ Damien thought, analyzing Jacques Noir¨¦¡¯s swordsmanship throughout the battle.
It wasn¡¯t an honest swordy that secured victory by oveing the opponent¡¯s techniques head-on.
It was a relentless technique that targeted the opponent¡¯s vulnerabilities, tenaciously exploiting weaknesses.
And it wasn¡¯t merely due to Jacques¡¯ personality.
It was because of the essence embedded in the swordsmanship he was mastering.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Damien felt a significant fluctuation in Jacques¡¯ magical power. It indicated he was preparing a technique.
¡°Not bad, but it ends now.¡±
Jacques swung his sword in a straight line.
The power and magic imbued in the sword were immense, but the motion wasrge enough to be easily blocked.
However, Damien chose not to block the sword. Instead, he left his head exposed as if offering it to be sliced.
As Jacques¡¯ sword touched Damien¡¯s head, astonishingly, it turned into an illusion and disappeared.
Immediately after, a sneak attack targeted Damien¡¯s neck.
He had already noticed that the first attack was a deception and the second one was real.
Damien raised his de to block the attack. The force pushed his body backward.
Jacques halted the attack and increased the distance, wearing a surprised expression.
¡°¡Unbelievable. A Low-ss knight managed to block my attack like this.¡±
Mid-ss knights and Low-ss knights were on different levels. Not only in physical abilities but also in overwhelming magical power.
Yet, the crucial difference between the two was not these aspects.
It was the depth of their techniques.
The techniques of an enlightened Mid-ss knight were far more profound than those of a Low-ss knight.
In normal circumstances, a Low-ss knight wouldn¡¯t be able to engage in such a prolonged exchange with a Mid-ss knight.
¡°Even that¡¯s not enough, knowing the intervals.¡±
The illusion Jacques Noir¨¦ just disyed wasn¡¯t an ordinary technique.
It belonged to the swordsmanship intervals that he was mastering. Phantom Sword ¨C a type of sword technique that uses magic to create illusions and pierces the opponent¡¯s vulnerabilities. It was one of the most challenging and difficult sword techniques to learn and utilize.
¡°I told you, I am a genius, remember?¡±
Damien said, tapping Jacques¡¯ shoulder with the sharp edge of his sword. During the battle, Damien had already discerned the intervals of Jacques¡¯ stance and magical flow, recognizing the Phantom Sword technique.
¡°If you understand it well, it¡¯s easy to block. Just rely on senses other than sight.¡±
¡°What are you thinking?¡± Damien asked as Jacques remained silent.
¡°I get it now.¡±
After much contemtion, Jacques Noir¨¦ nodded slowly.
¡°The knowledge obtained through the conduit was indeed remarkable. Although you¡¯re in the Low-ss stage, You¡¯ve reached a Mid-ss level in terms of technique.¡±
¡°Still on that topic?¡±
¡°You must have gained significant knowledge. I¡¯m curious about the kind of conduit you have.¡±
A smile appeared on Jacques¡¯ face, but it felt forced and unsettling.
¡°I haven¡¯t felt this excited in a long time. Show me the conduit you obtained.¡±
Jacques Noir¨¦ raised his magical power. The aura of his sword was starting to be enveloped by an aura.
¡°Do you know the decisive difference that separates a Low-ss knight and a Mid-ss knight?¡±
The aura of Low-ss resembled a lion¡¯s mane.
The aura of the Mid-ss knight was much denser, almost like being surrounded by smoke.
¡°It¡¯s the crystallization of aura. Beyond manifesting aura, it¡¯s about transforming and shaping it. That¡¯s the essence of a Mid-ss knight.¡±
Jacques moved forward. Numerous afterimages remained where he passed. Surprisingly, the afterimages didn¡¯t stop at their initial positions.
They dashed in various directions ¨C some left, some right, and some even leaped into the air.
The departing afterimages didn¡¯t stop but dispersed in the air after moving a certain distance.
Jacques circled around Damien. Dozens of afterimages surrounded Damien, leaving no visible escape route.
¡°Let me show you my ideology.¡±
One of the afterimages charged towards Damien. Damien didn¡¯t rely on his eyes; he used his other senses to judge.
Activated senses confirmed it. It was not an illusion but real.
Damien raised his sword, blocking the attack. A powerful impact struck him.
However, what Jacques believed to be real scattered away.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Before Damien could react, another afterimage attacked from behind. Once again, his senses confirmed its reality.
Turning his body, Damien swung his sword. However, this time, too, it was an illusion.
¡°Interesting.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t hide his fascination. He didn¡¯t expect his senses to be deceived so easily.
In his past life, he had encountered various swordsmen, but none with such a peculiar Phantom Sword technique.
¡°It¡¯s impressive, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve spent a lifetime perfecting this sword technique.¡±
Jacques¡¯ voice echoed through the gaps between the afterimages. The constantly moving afterimages mesmerized Damien.
¡°All these are fakes, yet real. With your senses, you won¡¯t be able to tell what¡¯s real.¡±
The afterimages simultaneously aimed their des at Damien.
¡°This is the end.¡±
Dozens of afterimages rushed towards Damien simultaneously.
Observing the spectacle, Damien couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
¡°It¡¯s amusing, but nothing special.¡±
People encountering the Phantom Sword for the first time would inevitably be overwhelmed ¨C captivated by the mystifying technique that turned illusions into reality.
However, in reality, the Phantom Sword was not such an extraordinary de. Itcked the destructive powerpared to a strong sword and was slower than a swift one. Its main focus was on thrusting attacks. That was the essence of the Phantom Sword technique.
Coincidentally, Damien possessed a technique that could counter the Phantom Sword effectively.
¡°It seems you take great pride in that sword technique.¡±
Damien swept his hand over the Thousand-Mile Sword. The sword began to vibrate, emitting a resonating sound.
¡°Let¡¯s shatter that illusion.¡±
Damien flicked the Thousand-Mile Sword with his finger.
Dark de ¨C Merciless ughter.
The piercing sound of the sword seemed to tear the air apart.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 56: Jacques Noir¨¦ (2)
¡°It¡¯s interesting, but nothing special,¡± Damien remarked.
Upon hearing Damien¡¯s words, Jacques felt a faint anger. The swordsmanship he was employing was a high-level technique that Low-ss knightss could not belittle. It was the Phantom Swords technique, the technique favored by Swordmaster Shinkirou, who had been active a century ago. Shinkirou was a highly renowned swordsman even in the empire, where masters were asmon as sand piles.
When Jacques got hold of the Phantom Sword manual, he was ecstatic to the point of losing hisposure. However, his joy was short-lived as the manual was mostly lost. Despite this, Jacques couldn¡¯t bring himself to give up on the Phantom Sword. The name value associated with Shinkirou was too immense.
Jacques believed that mastering the perfectly restored Phantom Sword would elevate him to the level of a master. So, he devoted his life to it, and though he achieved only a meager 30% restoration rate, it was enough to create a convincing illusion.
¡°You seem to take great pride in that swordsmanship,¡± Damianmented, irritating Jacques with each word.
The Phantom Sword represented everything for Jacques, guiding him toward the mastery he sought.
¡°I¡¯ll shatter that illusion,¡± Damian dered.
As Damian swung the sword, its aura began to resonate. Witnessing this, Jacques felt a sense of foreboding. Throughout his life, he had never encountered a sword technique that amplified the aura like this.
Damian flicked his sword with his finger, and immediately, the aura spread in all directions. A storm of sound swept through the surroundings, and the residual illusions charging towards Damian turned into dust.
Not only the charging illusions but all the illusions created by Jacques vanished, leaving him alone.
¡°¡.¡±
In the face of this unexpected scene, Jacques was left dumbfounded. Illusions created by the Phantom Sword were not supposed to be erased so easily. They were resistant to cutting or piercing and required a significant amount of umted shock beyond what an ordinary person or Low-ss knights could achieve for them to disappear.
But now, they vanished at the mere sound?
¡°This is a major w of the Phantom Sword. Its weaknesses are as clear as its strengths,¡± Damian said, adjusting his sword. Jacques¡¯ instincts sounded the rm.
¡°Now, is it my turn?¡± Damian rushed towards Jacques.
Jacques snapped back to reality, realizing the battle was far from over.
¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky just because you managed to erase illusions!¡± he retorted, as the Low-ss knight initiated an attack against a middle-ss knight.
It was an unexpected turn of events. Jacques felt anger rising within him. Both of them swung their swords at each other, and dozens of trajectories collided and vanished. The shing sound of metal resonated continuously.
¡°Damien! It¡¯s about time you get your act together! I¡¯ll show you the true essence of Phantom Sword!¡± Jacques extended his sword towards Damien, simultaneously creating two illusions.
Three Jacques simultaneously thrust their swords. Each aimed for a different vulnerable spot. In that moment, Damien swept his sword with his palm, and the aura resonated.
The aura erased the illusions. Only the real Jacques was exposed.
¡°What?¡±
Compared to the previous urrence, the aura was unbelievably small. Yet, it was enough to make the illusions disappear. In the moment of Jacques¡¯ confusion, Damien swung his sword, leaving a long gash on Jacques¡¯ cheek.
He allowed a Low-ss knight to inflict a wound on his face.
Before feeling the pain, a deep sense of humiliation spread through Jacques¡¯ entire being. Life burst into his eyes.
¡°Don¡¯t act so arrogant!¡±
Jacques manipted his magic to create an illusion. However, before the illusion could take form, the magic dispersed and vanished. No matter how many attempts he made, the same result urred.
A situation where the Phantom Sword user couldn¡¯t create illusions.
In his perplexity, Damien spoke to Jacques, ¡°What, a middle-ss knight like you can¡¯t understand the situation?¡±
Only then did Jacques realize why his illusions were being blocked. It was due to Damien¡¯s sword. The damn sword emitted a disruptive aura, hindering the concentration of magic and preventing the creation of illusions.
¡°What is this¡!¡±
For the Phantom Sword to be blocked by such a simple technique was unthinkable. It shouldn¡¯t be happening.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡±
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s speed increased. The number of trajectories multiplied.
¡°This is absurd¡¡±
Jacques had no time to speak. He desperately tried to parry Damien¡¯s sword.
¡°Oh? Be careful; you might lose an arm.¡±
Before he could finish speaking, Jacques¡¯ forearm stung. Damien¡¯s sword had grazed past.
¡°Get your act together. Otherwise, you might lose a wrist.¡±
This time, the wrist was cut, though not deep. Just a slight graze on the skin.
Jacques¡¯ eyes widened significantly.
As a middle-ss knight, he was being outperformed by a low-ss knight. No, it was embarrassing even to admit being outperformed.
He was being toyed with like a ything.
¡°This sword¡ Do you even know what kind of sword this is? It¡¯s not a sword that someone like you can handle!¡±
Jacques eximed. Damien smirked at the sight.
¡°Making a fuss with such mediocre swordsmanship.¡±
¡°Mediocre? Nonsense¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien swept Jacques aside. Jacques¡¯ body flew backward.
He received another blow. Jacques coughed while the sword remained stuck in the ground.
¡°Yes, you¡¡±
Jacques red at Damien. Damien stood at a distance.
¡°Before I kill you, let me show you something interesting.¡±
Damien took a step forward. Suddenly, there was an afterimage left in the ce he was standing.
With each step Damien took, more afterimages appeared.
Over dozens of them were left on the ground.
¡°You, you¡¡±
Jacques looked at Damien with trembling fingers.
¡°How, how¡ the Phantom sword¡¡±
¡°Saw and learned.¡±
¡°Nonsense¡¡±
¡°By the way, I can do this too.¡±
Damien flicked his fingers.
Suddenly, the afterimages swung their swords towards each other. The afterimages cut by the swords disappeared.
Jacques¡¯ mouth gaped at the sight.
He couldn¡¯t move the afterimages so skillfully.
At best, he could only give onemand. Dreaming of giving differentmands was impossible.
¡°Jacques, wake up. You¡¯re swordsmanship isn¡¯t that great.¡±
Jacques slowly shifted his gaze at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Oh, to be precise, it¡¯s quite a decent swordsmanship. It¡¯s just broken. Strange, isn¡¯t it? The principles of the technique are quite advanced, but the actual techniques using those principles are pitifully inadequate.¡±
Damien continued speaking.
¡°There probably was an original swordsmanship. You probably tore it apart and modified it as you pleased. It¡¯s a case of improving the bad. Maybe you tried to restore it but failed.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t stop at merely copying the swordsmanship.
He was examining everything in detail.
¡°Understanding the principles makes it easy to create a technique. The original swordsmanship was probably in this form.¡±
An afterimage appeared in front of Damien.
The afterimage walked forward and eventually began to split.
One person became two, two became four, and four became eight.
Suddenly, the entire world was filled with afterimages.
¡°¡!¡±
The Phantom sword restored by Jacques could only create illusions where the user was present.
That¡¯s why Jacques kept moving constantly. It was to leave afterimages.
However, Damien created illusions while remaining still. Moreover, the number of entities he could create far surpassed what Jacques could produce.
At this point, they were no longer afterimages.
They should be called clones.
¡°Did you say Phantom sword? The original of this sword is probably something like this.¡±
In order to restore the Phantom sword, Jacques collected all the anecdotes rted to illusions.
Among them, there were many statements suggesting that Illusionists were not just one but dozens.
This was because the illusions created by Illusionists moved as if they were real.
Jacques made relentless efforts to realize those testimonies.
However, Jacques could only create afterimages, not clones.
What Jacques couldn¡¯t restore in his lifetime, Damien perfectly restored in just a few minutes.
¡°How¡ how on earth did you restore the Phantom sword!?¡±
¡°Just did.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°Just did, and it worked.¡±
With those words, Jacques¡¯ pupils darkened.
In his younger years, Jacques believed he was a genius.
His peers in training were all much weaker than him. He quickly rose to the ranks of the Low ss several years ahead of others.
He couldn¡¯t help but be deluded. He believed he was a ¡®genius.¡¯
This delusion was shattered just after reaching the Low ss.
It happened when he lost in a duel against a knight who was also called a genius.
The first experience of defeat.
The first experience of confusion.
The first experience of bitterness.
Various emotions entangled. Jacques couldn¡¯t admit defeat and challenged again.
The result was even more disastrous. Unlike the first time when he at least swung the sword once, this time he couldn¡¯t even wield the sword and was defeated.
When asked how the opponent easily defeated him, the so-called genius replied like this.
-Just did.
-Just did, and it worked.
That one sentence shattered Jacques¡¯ delusion.
Jacques was not a genius. Just slightly better than others.
Since that day, Jacques has obsessed over the sword like a madman. He gave up all pleasures and focused only on training.
After a decade or so, Jacques reached the Middle ss.
And the ¡®real¡¯ geniuses ascended to the High ss.
Despair overwhelmed Jacques due to the gap that effort alone couldn¡¯t bridge.
It must have been then that Jacques started to fixate on potions and master techniques. He thought that by consuming high-quality potions enhancing his senses, he couldpensate for hisck of talent.
He hoped to obtain knowledge he hadn¡¯t realized through the knowledge left by the Masters.
And so, for another decade or so.
Jacques remained in the Middle ss.
Others might have given up, acknowledged their shorings, and settled.
But Jacques didn¡¯t give up. He was determined to surpass the ¡®real¡¯ geniuses.
But today, he heard the same words.
¡°Just did, and it worked.¡±
The emotions that had umted over many years ignited.
The emotions were like rancid oil. The mes consumed the emotions and rose fiercely.
A rage so immense swept over Jacques that even he couldn¡¯t contain it.
¡°Now¡ you said ¡®just did¡¯?¡±
Force involuntarily surged into the hand gripping the hilt.
¡°Yes! It just worked! Just! Just! You bloody ¡®just¡¯!¡±
Teeth clenched on their own. Blood rushed in the veins, threatening to burst any moment.
Geniuses were always like that.
They effortlessly caught up with what others had painstakingly worked on.
And they always spouted the ridiculous phrase ¡®just did.¡¯
¡°It wasn¡¯t a coincidence! You were a genius, a genius! Damien! You were a genius too!¡±
Jacques intermittently began tough. Madness emanated from hisughter.
¡°No, not just a genius! No other genius I¡¯ve seen could do what you did!
No genius Jacques encountered could steal another¡¯s swordsmanship like Damien.
But Damien not only stole the swordsmanship, he perfectly wielded it and even restored it immediately.
¡°Enough. It¡¯s all unnecessary. I¡¯ll kill you even if I have to discard everything I have!¡±
If he couldn¡¯t be the best, he¡¯d find meaning elsewhere.
In this moment, Jacques decided to find meaning in trampling Damien, the unparalleled genius, before he could bloom.
The Master ss techniques Jacques possessed didn¡¯t just include the Phantom sword.
Jacques pricked his body all over with his finger.
Stimting the mana-flowing veins.
The stimted blood infused with mana. The surging mana brought out Jacques¡¯tent power.
Madness of Bolstering fury.
This was thest resort of a Master swordsman who was once called the incarnation of war, he in hisst moments in a fight burned his own body to ashes.
In terms of level alone, the technique was far higher than the Phantom sword technique, however it couldn¡¯t be used recklessly as it required sacrificing one¡¯s life.
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His muscles swelled all over his body. Mana rampaged ferociously.
Jacques raised his sword. The violently surging mana created a crimson aura.
¡°Die!¡±
Jacques swung his sword down. The colossal blow cleaved Damien¡¯s body in half.
¡°¡?¡±
However, something was strange. Even though Damien¡¯s body was cleaved in half, no blood flowed. The severed section seemed strangely hollow.
¡°No way¡?¡±
Damien¡¯s body, split in half, turned into an illusion and disappeared.
He had deceived his own eyes using the Phantom Sword technique.
A situation where he fell victim to his own technique.
Jacques¡¯ pupils dted with veins pulsating. The whites of his eyes turned a deep red.
¡°Damien Haksen! I¡¯ll tear you apart¡¡±
At that moment, a sword thrust from behind and beheaded Jacques.
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 57: Jacques Noire (3)
With a swift motion, Damien¡¯s de severed Jacques¡¯ neck. The headless body staggered briefly before copsing to the ground, its decapitated head rolling away.
¡°A knight should not be swayed by emotions.¡±
Jacques, who was blinded by rage, Damien found it easy to deliver the finishing blow. Otherwise, it might have posed a bit of a challenge in the end.
¡°You seem to have learned quite a few peculiar things.¡±
The technique Jacques used at the end was good.
However, if it was a technique meant to unleash destructive power, Damien had encountered plenty of that in his past life.
As a Death Knight, Damien himself had been a force of destruction, and many knights had been forced to use extreme measures to halt his rampage.
However, none of the techniques he had witnessed back then disyed a sudden surge of power quite like Jacques¡¯.
In particr, the final strike Jacques delivered was terrifying, rivaling that of high-ss knights.
¡°I better leave this ce quickly.¡±
The foresty in ruins, with only a massive sword left on the ground. It didn¡¯t make sense that no one had noticed despite the chaos he had caused.
It was certain that knights would be sent for investigation from nearby territories. If they encountered him and it was revealed that he killed Jacques, things would getplicated.
However, leaving empty-handed was not an option. Damien quickly searched Jacques¡¯ body.
There wasn¡¯t anything particrly eye-catching. All he found were the sword Jacques had wielded and the pouch on his waist.
Damien examined the sword; unfortunately, it was just an ordinary steel sword. But the pouch was different.
Surprisingly, it was enchanted with subspace magic. Although it looked like a small leather pouch from the outside, the inside was quite spacious. Any magical item enchanted with subspace was a priceless treasure.
However, it didn¡¯tpare to the spatial ring Damien possessed, which was far more valuable both in terms of space size and practicality.
Damien took out the items from the pouch one by one: emergency rations, healing potions, gold coins, and two swordsmanship books.
The Phantom Sword and The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
Both were techniques used by Jacques.
The Phantom Sword was in an iplete state, but The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation wasplete.
¡°Is there any information about the Mana cultivation technique?¡± He was currently developing his own Mana cultivation technique.
For his goal, He needed as much reference material as possible. He already had plenty of knowledge ofbat techniques stored in his mind. If it wascking, he could learn from other knights.
However, the Mana cultivation technique was different. It was much more intricate andplex thanbat techniques, working within the body rather than externally.
No matter how skilled he was, he couldn¡¯tpletely steal the Mana cultivation technique. That¡¯s why a book containing information about Mana cultivation technique was crucial for him at the moment.
He eagerly flipped through The Phantom Sword. However, his expression soon turned to disappointment.
¡°The section about Mana cultivation technique ispletely missing.¡±
Most of The Phantom Sword was lost. Not only the swordsmanship part but also the Mana cultivation technique was entirely gone.
Feeling disappointed he set aside The Phantom Sword and opened The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
Unlike The Phantom Sword, The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was intact. However, He still couldn¡¯t get what he wanted.
¡°Sacrifice your life, and you shall gain power,¡± he read the inscription on the first page.
Upon reading those words, He immediately realized something. This was the technique Jacques used at the end.
¡°I don¡¯t needbat technique right now, I need the Mana cultivation technique,¡±
¡°Despite his initial disappointment, Damien recognized the potential of The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. So if there might be something useful, Damien decided to read further.¡±
¡°¡Huh?¡±
As he read a few more pages, Damien began to feel uneasy. The content regarding thebat technique was too good and detailed for his liking. Damien remained seated, carefully studying The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
¡°¡Mana cultivation technique, right?¡±
Though skillfully concealed, Damien could discern it. For those with superficial knowledge, it might appear as nothing more than a normal technique.
The true identity of The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was that it was a Mana cultivation technique. Moreover, it was of a remarkably high level and possessed unique effects.
¡°A Mana cultivation technique that umtes mana throughbat.¡±
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was not a seated meditation technique for absorbing mana but a dynamic method of umting mana through physical movement. Unlike seated meditation Mana cultivation techniques, dynamic ones had significantly fewer numbers due to their high difficulty.
¡°Not only that¡ This Mana cultivation technique has a function to enhance the body.¡±
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a Mana cultivation technique that stored magical power in muscles. The stored magical power brought about unique effects, transforming the muscles to be faster and stronger. The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation aimed to create a body specifically forbat.
¡°Deceptively recording such an extraordinary martial arts technique¡¡±
It was natural that Jacques didn¡¯t recognize the true value of The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. Whoever developed it was unknown, but their character was undoubtedly cunning.
¡°This is quite a find.¡±
With a happy expression, Damien ced The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation into his spatial storage.
Damien returned to where the carriage was. Staying there any longer risked being discovered by others.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Damien cast Mana Illusion on the horses pulling the carriage. Being infused by Damien¡¯s mana horses surged forward with extraordinary speed, the carriage vibrating with the force of their gallop.
Despite the intensity of the ride, and everyone slept peacefully, it was all thanks to the ck magic Damien had cast on them.
¡°Let¡¯s stop around here.¡±
Damien stopped the carriage in the new forest. He slowly put down everyone and set up a campsite simr to the original forest.
By the time the work was done, the day slowly began to break. He released the dark magic that kept the party asleep.
¡°Ugh.¡±
The first to wake up was Abel. Stretching, he yawned.
¡°Hm? Brother, are you up already?¡±
Abel asked, looking at Damien, who was sitting by the campfire. Damien added logs to the fire and replied.
¡°The night air was chilly, so I woke up early. Oh, do you want a cup of tea?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡±
He poured water into the iron kettle and ced it on the campfire. After a while, Damien poured the steaming tea into an iron cup and offered it to Abel.
¡°Here, drink.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel blew on the tea to cool it down. As he sipped, he suddenly noticed something odd.
¡°By the way, Brother, was the forest always like this?¡±
The scenery he saw before going to sleep and the one he saw upon waking up seemed somehow different. Although not being a hunter, Abel couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint it, but he felt a sense of difort.
¡°Did you not get enough sleep?¡±
Damien said with a puzzled expression. Abel made a sheepish smile.
Even when he thought about it, it was an odd remark. However, Abel¡¯s suspicion grew stronger as the other two woke up.
¡°Ugh? My lord, something seems off about the forest.¡±
¡°What nonsense.¡±
¡°Before going to sleep, the trees seemed taller¡ and thicker¡¡±
¡°All trees are the same.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡¡±
Victor, rising from his slumber, rubbed his eyes repeatedly.
¡°It¡¯s noisy; get up and prepare the breakfast. I¡¯m hungry.¡±
¡°Yes, My lord.¡±
Victor quickly took out the ingredients and started making a simple stew.
¡°Good morning.¡±
Following suit, Olivia woke up from her sleep. She stepped out from the carriage while stretching her body.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Olivia looked around, tilting her head with a continuous puzzled expression.
¡°Why does the forest seem¡ something¡ hmm?¡±
With Olivia¡¯s reaction, Abel became convinced.
¡°Brother.¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°What on earth have you done this time?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t done anything.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t y dumb! Already three people are saying the forest is weird!¡±
Abel¡¯s words made one of Damien¡¯s eyebrows raise.
¡°What¡¯s weird about the scenery? Did I secretly trim the treesst night or something?¡±
As Damien countered, Abel hesitated in his words.
¡°Or maybe I brought you guys and relocated to another forest in the middle of the night? Am I crazy to do such a thing?¡±
The more Damien spoke, the more Abel felt uncertain.
Was Damien really up to such antics?
¡°Usually, the forest feels different in darkness and light. So, the misconception that the scenery has changed, I guess.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°If you understand, stop talking nonsense and go fetch the utensils. We need to eat.¡±
Abel rose from his seat with a sheepish smile.
Watching Abel leave to fetch the utensils, Damien exhaled softly.
***
¡°¡¡±
Arriving at the scene, the pdins were speechless.
Apletely devastated forest, and on the ground, clear sword marks.
Evidence that a fierce battle had taken ce herest night.
What shocked the Pdins even more was the body of Jacques lying on the ground.
¡°¡He was beheaded.¡±
Pdin Thomas spoke with a deeply shocked expression.
ording to the reports, people heard amotion nearby, they had requested assistance from other nobles in the neighboring territories.
As soon as the news reached the Church, they urgently dispatched the Pdins, thinking it might be Jacques.
It hadn¡¯t been more than a few hours since then.
To think that Jacques had lost his life in such a short time?
It was impossible unless the opponent¡¯s skill far exceeded Jacques¡¯.
¡°Sir Thomas, who do you think killed Jacques?¡±
One of the Pdins asked Thomas. After a brief hesitation, Thomas spoke.
¡°Jacques is a top Mid-ss Knight. Someone with the ability to kill him in a single blow¡ it must be¡¡±
Thomas fought Jacques just a few days ago.
Although they were both Mid-ss Knights, the difference in skill was clear. Jacques easily dealt with Thomas and then escaped.
An individual capable of killing someone like that¡
¡°Most likely, a High-ss.¡±
High-ss.
A position just below the Master, a true elite.
Not as powerful as a Master, but High-ss knights were monsters sufficient to be called monsters.
If it was a High-ss knight, they would possess enough skill to kill Jacques.
However, the Pdins couldn¡¯t easily ept Thomas¡¯s words.
¡°But Sir Thomas, if there were a High-ss knight in this vicinity, we would have known.¡±
Currently, there are three High-sses in the Apple kingdom.
If any one of them moved, rumors would spread throughout the kingdom.
¡°It¡¯s likely they encountered an unknown High-ss knight.¡±
¡°An unknown¡ High-ss knight?¡±
¡°The world is vast, and there are many talents. There have been instances where Masters were discovered deep in valleys, so it¡¯s not an unreasonable assumption.¡±
Above all, Thomas had reasons to believe it was a High-ss knight.
¡°And if it¡¯s not a High-ss knight, who else could have easily killed Jacques like this?¡±
Upon hearing this, the Pdins could only nod in agreement.
That day, a report announcing Jacques¡¯ death flew towards the Church.
***
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
Chapter 58
Chapter 58
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 58: Rest (1)
***
Three dayster, Damien and hispanions arrived at the Haksen Viscounty.
¡°Damien! Abel!¡±
Viscount and his wife ran out in unison when they heard Damien and Abel had arrived safely.
¡°We heard rumors about the appearance of dark mage at the Jousting Tournament, you don¡¯t know how worried we were. Fortunately, both of you are safe and sound!¡±
Viscount Haksen wrapped his arms around Damien and Abel.
¡°Damien, did you finish the Jousting Tournament safely? Are you injured anywhere?¡±
Viscountess scrutinized him with a worried expression.
¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, Mother and to top it off, I even won the tournament.¡±
There was no prize ceremony, but he had asked the Earl of Copperhead to dere him the official winner.
It didn¡¯t really matter, since Damien was the winner anyway, and numerous spectators, including nobles, had witnessed it firsthand, there were no major issues.
¡°What? You won? Is that true?¡±
His father asked in surprise. Damien responded yfully,
¡°Oh? Are you too surprised? Didn¡¯t you believe in my skills?¡±
¡°How could I not believe it! Hahaha, fantastic! Truly fantastic!¡±
Viscount rejoiced greatly, patting Damien¡¯s shoulders vigorously.
¡°Where is sister?¡±
¡°Louise sent a letter saying she¡¯ll rest a bit more and thene.¡±
Damien frowned slightly.
Louise had left the estate to meet her fianc¨¦. Damien didn¡¯t like Louise¡¯s fianc¨¦. Compared to Louise, hecked both in appearance and abilities. Damien wished Louise could meet someone better. But their rtionship was too firm for him to intervene.
¡°By the way, Abel, how did your proposal to the Young Miss of Copperhead go?¡±
Viscount Haksen inquired. Blushing, Abel replied,
¡°I, I seeded.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡± Viscount Haksen¡¯s face lit up with a smile. ¡°Then we should visit the Earl soon.¡±
¡°That¡ there may not be a need for that,¡± Abel hesitated.
¡°What are you saying? nning a wedding is incrediblyplex and challenging!¡±
¡°Yeah. Thinking back to when we got married¡ we almost didn¡¯t finish preparing for the wedding day.¡±
The coupleughed as they reminisced.
¡°Father, Mother, that¡¯s not it¡¡±
¡°May I step outside to greet everyone?¡±
A voice suddenly came from the carriage. Viscount and his wife¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Oh, Olivia¡ wait, just a moment¡¡±
Before Abel could stop her, the carriage door opened. Olivia stepped out of the carriage.
¡°Pleased to meet you. I¡¯m Olivia Copperhead.¡±
Olivia greeted, holding the ends of her skirt slightly. The mouths of the couple dropped open.
¡°Abel¡ di, did I just hear¡ something?¡±
¡°Oh, Olivia Copperhead? Why is the Earl¡¯s daughter here¡¡±
Abel nced at Olivia, silently asking if he could tell the truth. Olivia nodded.
¡°Father, it¡¯s because¡¡±
From beginning to end, Abel exined in detail what had happened at Earl Copperhead¡¯s estate.
As the story unfolded, the couple¡¯s mouths widened even more.
¡°So, to summarize, there was a conflict between Damien and Sofia¡¯s lovers?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Sofia¡¯s lover bore a grudge against Damien and attempted to use dark magic?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Olivia snitched on him, and Damien called the Church beforehand?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°The Church raided the jousting grounds and arrested all heretics?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Damien demanded a marriage between Abel and Olivia and half of the estate in exchange for your defense of the Earl?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
Viscount Haksen swept his palm across his face.
¡°Damien!¡±
Viscount shouted loudly. Startled, Damien looked at his father instead of letting out a yawn.
¡°Yes, Father?¡±
¡°You, you rascal! Didn¡¯t you promise toe back quietly?¡±
¡°¡Oh, right.¡±
Seeing Damien¡¯s reaction, as if he had forgotten all this time, Viscount felt his back stiffen.
¡°Father, I don¡¯t me you. I was trying to be a good boy, but what can I do when they¡¯re the first to argue, and I can¡¯t stand it.¡±
Damien sighed and spoke.
Viscount clenched his fist. The more urate the statements, the angrier he became.
¡°With this incident, our Viscounty has gained too much attention. Do you know how dangerous this is?¡±
Due to the Church¡¯s interference with the Jousting Tournament, the Earl Copperhead lost his reputation. Noble guests invited to the event were also suffered.
As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Earl now had to hand over half of their property to Olivia Copperhead.
From now on, the Earl Copperhead would no longer be referred to as a major noble.
In reality, a major noble had copsed due to Damien. The name of the Haksen Viscounty would now spread widely throughout the western region.
Being famous wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing; it made it easy to start rumors.
¡°In the future, many will attack on our Viscouty.Whether they don¡¯t like our sudden fame or want to take it away from us, enemies will overflow.¡±
Will people just leave an exposed rock alone? For various reasons such as it being bothersome, risky, or a potential threat, they¡¯ll try to destroy it.
Viscount felt uneasy even thinking about it.
¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. If someone dares to mess with us, I¡¯ll crush them as an example. Then everyone will think twice before acting.¡±
Damien said nonchntly. The Viscount let out a deep sigh.
¡°Honey¡¡±
Viscountess ced her hand on her husband¡¯s shoulder.
Indeed, the only person who could understand her husband¡¯s feelings was his wife.
¡°Now that Abel and Olivia are married, and Olivia inherits half of the Earl Copperhead¡¯s estate¡ Our Viscounty will be huge, won¡¯t it?¡±
Viscountess said with her eyes sparkling.
¡°Already, whenever we go to gatherings, they say our Viscounty is small or out of ce but this time, this is a chance for me to knock their noses out of joint!¡±
¡°Dear¡ Right now, that¡¯s not the important thing¡¡±
¡°Now that our Viscounty has grown, we must think about what to do next. Is there anything more important?¡±
Her words made Viscount snap out of his trance. His wife was right. The incident had already happened. It couldn¡¯t be reversed.
While the attention on the Viscounty was the matter to worry about, they had gained a lot more than that.
¡°Miss Olivia, I apologize for keeping you standing for so long. Pleasee inside.¡±
¡°Feel free to call me in. Mother.¡±
¡°Oh, mother, mother, she called me Mother!¡±
Viscountess was so delighted she didn¡¯t know what to do.
¡°Thank you for weing me into your family, Father.¡±
¡°Oh, Father¡!¡±
A warm smile spread across Viscount¡¯s face at the unfamiliar title.
¡°Come in, my child! Come in quickly!¡±
¡°Do you have any favorite dishes? Just let me know. I¡¯ll prepare them for dinner tonight!¡±
The couple entered the mansion with Olivia. The forgotten brothers nced at each other.
¡°Let¡¯s go in too.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
The two brothers also moved towards the mansion.
Olivia Copperhead adjusted to life at the Viscountcy of Haksen more quickly than she expected.
Not only has she won the Viscount and Viscountess over with her gentleness, but she¡¯s also broken down barriers with the servants by helping with the estate¡¯sck of manpower.
¡°The des on the windmill are worn out, and I think it would be a good idea to have them repaired this winter.¡±
¡°I heard that the Silence family¡¯sdy is pregnant. How about sending some good food for her health?¡±
¡°In winter, nomads from the northe to sell sheep and goats. If we buy them cheaply at that time, we can make a big profitter.¡±
Before they knew it, Olivia had taken charge of the affairs of the Viscounty. She went around the estate, resolving inconveniences for the residents and offering helpful suggestions.
¡°Thanks to Olivia, everything is much morefortable.¡±
During dinner, Haksen spoke with a satisfied expression.
Olivia expressed her gratitude with a slight nod.
¡°The servants are saying the same. They¡¯re thankful for Olivia taking care of things.¡±
Olivia¡¯s abilities were outstanding and praised multiple times by the couple.
¡®Indeed, she¡¯s a capable woman.¡¯
Damien also highly evaluated Olivia. He recognized her efficiency not only in her strong actions but also in her exceptional abilities.
¡®Abel got a good partner.¡¯
Though Damien was the eldest son, he had no intention of inheriting the Viscountcy of Haksen. He nned to leave it to Abel.
Not only did heck interest in managing the estate, but there were also other things to do. He couldn¡¯t be tied down to the estate.
When Abel eventually took over the Viscounty, Olivia would be a great support.
As Damien was thinking about this,
¡°Damien, it¡¯s about time you find a good person too.¡±
At his father¡¯s words, Damien choked on his drink.
¡°Cough! cough! why are you suddenly saying that?¡±
¡°Did I say something unreasonable? It¡¯s about time for you to consider marriage.¡±
¡°Even without saying, I keep getting proposals from here and there¡ Can¡¯t I chooseter?¡±
Even his mother subtly persuaded him with a sly smile.
¡°Marriage seems too early for me¡¡±
¡°What are you talking about? While there may bete marriages, there are no early marriages for men.¡±
¡°Above all, a man needs to settle in one ce. That¡¯s the only way to have stability.¡±
As soon as Damien expressed his refusal, his father and mother poured out words like a waterfall.
¡°You should also meet a good person soon. Abel is getting married, and if you, as the older brother, stay alone, it doesn¡¯t look good to others¡¡±
¡°The daughter of Viscount Childe is said to be gentle and talented. I¡¯ll set up a meeting. She¡¯s of marriageable age, too¡¡±
Damien heard their words with one ear and let it out with the other.
***
After finishing the meal, Damien headed to the forest. He nned to focus on training all day today. However, when Damien arrived in the forest, he couldn¡¯t concentrate on his training. His mind was tooplicated.
¡°¡Marriage.¡±
Damien looked up at the sky and murmured.
He had never thought about it before. The idea of getting married and creating a family had never crossed his mind.
¡°I have no intention of getting married. Well, not yet.¡±
Damien quickly came to a conclusion.
¡°¡It¡¯s not a privilege for someone like me, a killer.¡±
In his past life, Damien, as a Death Knight, ughtered many people. Someone¡¯s child, sibling, husband, wife, parent.
He turned everyone into corpses. Of course, it wasn¡¯t by choice. It happened under the domination of Dorugo. However, the fact that he killed them remained unchanged.
¡°Originally, such concerns are a luxury for me.¡±
To contemte marriage, Damien had too many responsibilities.
¡°Doruo, that bastard needs to be torn to pieces.¡±
Damien¡¯s face contorted like a ghost. His teeth clenched involuntarily due to the surging anger.
¡°This time, I won¡¯t kill him easily.¡±
Killing Dorugo wouldplete the revenge. It was a way to atone, even if just a little, for the sinsmitted in his past life.
Damien sharpened his goal once again. Now that the goal was set, it was time to make an effort. Damien stood up for training.
He opened a spatial ring and took out the The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a technique that allowed for the umtion of mana while in motion. It also served to bolster muscle strength.
The only drawback was its limited capacity for absorbing mana. Damien nned to ovee this drawback using the Supreme Absorption Technique.
¡°Combining the two Mana cultivation techniques, I will create quite a refined technique.¡±
To reach the level of a master, Damien needed toplete a perfect Mana cultivation technique.
Without a proper Mana cultivation technique, one couldn¡¯t advance to higher levels.
¡°That¡¯s right. I almost forgot.¡±
Damien also took out the heart of a spirit from the spatial ring.
In order to absorb the spirit heart, he needed to continuously inject mana into it to dissolve it.
From today, Damien nned to keep the spirit¡¯s heart with him, continually infusing mana.
¡°Shall I move my body after a long time?¡±
Damien drew the Thousand Mile Sword. Utilizing the The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, he swung the sword.
In an instant, Damien immersed himself in training.
Damien¡¯s training didn¡¯t end until evening. As he was about to put the Thousand Mile Sword back into the spatial ring and return home,
¡°Young Master! Young Master!¡±
Victor came running from afar. Damien asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°There, there¡¯s a guest from the Church!¡±
At Victor¡¯s question, Damien made a puzzled expression.
¡°From the Church?¡±
¡°Yes, yes! The Holy Knight who helped us in Landwalk Cityst time personally came!¡±
Agnes, a disciple of Cheongyeom. Hearing that she hade, Damien put away the Thousand Mile Sword into the spatial ring.
Damien returned to the mansion with Victor.
Agnes was standing in front of the mansion. However, the atmosphere was quite different from usual.
¡°Apologies for suddenlying, Sir Damien.¡±
Agnes spoke. Her voice was exceptionally gloomy and dark.
¡°I came today to make a difficult request.¡±
¡°A request?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve identified the dungeon of the Corpsey.¡±
At her words, Damien¡¯s pupils dted.
¡°Please lend your strength to eradicate the evil.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 59: Rest(2)
***
Delrunt the Corpsey.
How could I forget the dark mage who yed an important role in the downfall of humanity and was the Legion Commander of Dorugo?
Corpsey¡¯s specialty was the creation of Flesh Golems.
A flesh golem is an undead creature created by splicing together the bodies of living creatures.
Corpsey possessed the ability to recognize creatures with exceptional physical bodies.
Thanks to this ability, the Flesh Golems created by Corpsey disyed formidablebat prowess.
The ¡®Masterpiece¡¯ creations boasted by Corpsey could even rival high-ss knights.
At the end of Dorugo¡¯s War of Destruction, the Flesh Golems under themand of Corpsey numbered in the tens of thousands.
The materials for the Flesh Golems were living beings.
To create one Flesh Golem required dozens of different creatures.
The fact that tens of thousands of beings lost their lives in the hands of Corpsey implied the scale of the operation.
To thwart Dorugo¡¯s ambitions, one of the key figures to eliminate was Corpsey.
¡®Come to think of it, there was a dungeon of Corpsey also discovered in my past life.¡¯
It happened when Damien was expelled from his family and wandered as a beggar.
While begging on the streets, he heard rumors about the discovery of the Corpsey¡¯s dungeon.
In his previous life, the Church had also formed a crusade to raid the dungeon.
¡®The result was¡.the total annihtion of the Crusade.¡¯
Despite including many pdins with powers equivalent to middle-ss knights, the crusade got killed in the dungeon.
Due to this incident, Corpsey¡¯s danger level escted to that of a high-level dark mage.
¡®The exact reasons for the annihtion of the Crusade was never clearly revealed.¡¯
However, there were rough spections.
There was only one pdin who survived the dungeon.
He left a message before dying. There was a traitor among them. He couldn¡¯t recover due to severe injuries even with holy powers.
¡®Wait, isn¡¯t the timing a bit off?¡¯
As Damien was recalling his past, he noticed something strange.
The time he spent as a beggar was etched vividly in his memory, painful yet clear.
So he could say for sure, the time when the Corpsey dungeon was discovered waster than the present.
¡°Corpsey was originally a dark mage affiliated with Yn. Did killing the Yuran¡¯s leader influence this?¡±
As Damien pondered, Agnes spoke with a bitter expression, as if understanding his concerns.
¡°It seems you¡¯re concerned. I understand. After all, it¡¯s a dungeon of a dark mage.¡±
Whether Agnes interpreted Damien¡¯s silence as a refusal, she continued with a wry smile.
¡°A normal mage is considered to be two or three ranks higher in the dungeons he builds, and a dark mage¡¯s dungeon would be even more dangerous.¡±
There were several types of dungeons.
¡°Mage¡¯s dungeon could be seen as a kind of war fortress.¡±
Long-stored mana, meticulously prepared high-level spells, carefully crafted traps, and more.
A mage inside his dungeon was considered invincible, and calling a Dark mage¡¯s dungeon more dangerous was not an exaggeration.
The reason was that, unlike normal mages, Dark mages had no concept of good and evil.
Poison, curses, monsters, and more; a Dark mage would use every avable means.
¡°I won¡¯t me you if you refuse.¡±
Interestingly, when the Church formed a crusade, they generally did not force cooperation from other nobles unless absolutely necessary.
This was partly due to the belief that one should personally engage in acts of goodness, but also for the practical purpose of managing noble discontent.
The Church would interfere with any noble who had even the slightest connection to dark magic.
Amidst all this, if they were to act aggressively in such a dangerous matter?
There was a high possibility of noble dissatisfaction exploding.
Therefore, the Church only sought cooperation and did not force it. Even if cooperation was refused, there was no retaliation.
¡°There were many vitions. Well then¡¡±
Agnes tried to pass by Damien.
Damien absentmindedly grabbed Agnes¡¯s wrist.
When he grabbed her wrist, Agnes¡¯s body abruptly stopped.
¡°No, I was just contemting what Corpsey¡¯s intentions might be. I had no intention of refusing.¡±
Damien quickly spoke to dispel Agnes¡¯s misunderstanding.
¡°Rather than being afraid, I¡¯m grateful for the offer.¡±
This was sincere.
Thanks to Agnes, Damien had the opportunity to directly cut off one of Dorugo¡¯s limbs.
Not only that, in his past life, the Church suffered significant damage due to the annihtion of the crusade.
This incident had a ripple effect, negatively impacting the war with Dorugo.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, it was a chance to hinder some of Dorugo¡¯s ns and prepare for the war.
¡°Agnes, please ept my request¡¡.¡±
Suddenly, Damien noticed that Agnes¡¯s face looked strange.
It was as if she had turned as red as a ripe apple.
¡°Agnes?¡±
¡°D¡ C-could you please¡ let go of my hand¡¡±
As Damien released her hand, Agnes hastily distanced herself.
¡°T-thank you for epting the request.¡±
Agnes still spoke with a reddened face.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve parked the carriage at the vige outskirts. If you gather your belongings ande out, I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±
After saying so, Agnes left the room, looking somewhat urgent.
Damien looked at Agnes with a face indicating he didn¡¯t understand.
¡°Young master¡ Do you really n to participate in the crusade?¡±
Victor, who had been observing the situation all along, asked with a shocked expression.
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°I-Isn¡¯t it extremely dangerous? It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s Corpsey, an evil dark mage who turned an entire vige into an undead nest!¡±
Victor spoke with a face full of worry.
¡°I-I would prefer if the young master didn¡¯t go¡¡±
Damien chuckled at Victor¡¯s words.
¡°Do I look like someone who would be worried about by others?¡±
¡°Y-Young master, I know your skills very well. But it¡¯s a dungeon¡¡±
Although Victor was just a servant in the rural noble estate, he was well aware of how dangerous dungeons could be.
Every time news came of promising knights dying, the dungeon was always mentioned.
¡°Above all, I hope young master won¡¯t go¡¡±
Damien hesitated at Victor¡¯s words.
There were cases among noble parents who pushed their children into danger, urging them to stand out.
However, his father was not that kind of person.
¡°Umm¡¡±
Damien tried to think of a way to convince Viscount Haksen, but nothing came to mind.
¡°Victor, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s no way my father would allow it.¡±
¡°Of course. So, young master, please give up¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I have to go secretly.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Victor looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
Damien clenched his fist as if he was really sorry.
¡°I don¡¯t want to disobey father, but¡¡ I can¡¯t .¡±
¡°Uh¡ young master, if you know it¡¯s wrong, wouldn¡¯t it be better to endure?¡±
¡°Father will be furious but I think you can handle it on your own.¡±
¡°No, I won¡¯t! Do you realize how terrifying when he gets angry?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m making this request.¡±
Victor was visibly moved by Damien¡¯s words.
Being with Damien all this time, he had never seen him this angry before.
¡°And Victor, you seem to be misunderstanding something, so let me rify.¡±
¡°What other strange thing are you going to say¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not going to die.¡±
Damien said, his face full of conviction.
Victor seems to think he¡¯s walking into a limb, but it¡¯s not the same.
Damien can fight his way through the dungeon with pure swordsmanship.
But that wasn¡¯t the only weapon Damien possessed.
His mind is filled with high-level dark magic spells, and he possesses one of the seven authorities.
Most importantly, Damien had watched Corpsey for many years as a Death Knight.
He knew what type of dark magic he used, and how his Flesh Golems were constructed. He knew it all.
¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry¡¡ what¡¯s with that face?¡±
Victor looked at Damien in disbelief.
¡°Young master, I¡¯m worried about you. If you keep acting like that, I¡¯ll get angry.¡±
¡°Hey, man, I¡¯m not acting.¡±
¡°Alright. Anyway young master, you absolutely can¡¯t go. I¡¯ll stop you.¡±
Suddenly Damien moved behind Victor. He struck Victor¡¯s neck with the edge of his hand.
Victor let out a short scream and passed out.
¡°Say something nice to father.¡±
Damienid Victor gently on the floor.
Then he ran to where Agnes was.
***
¡°Sir Damien, over here!¡±
Upon arriving at the vige outskirts, he saw a carriage with the Church¡¯s emblem. Agnes stood in front of it.
As he approached Agnes, he paused in his tracks. It was because of the burly woman standing next to Agnes.
With a height exceeding two meters, broad shoulders, long and well-defined limbs, andrge, thick hands that spread out like pot lids, the woman possessed everything necessary for a knight.
It wasn¡¯t just the outward appearance; the energy emanating from the woman was substantial. She was at least of mid-ss or higher.
¡°Oh-ho¡ So, this man is the Damien Haksen, you¡¯ve been dying for.¡±
¡°¡Sister, please refrain from making statements that could be misconstrued by others. When did I ever say such things?¡±
Agnes sighed and spoke.
¡°Uh-huh, when did I ever say anything that would be misunderstood, I just told it like it is, and I want you to go back to the Chuch and tell the elders and the others how great Damien Haksen is¡¡.¡±
Agnes raised her foot and stepped on the woman¡¯s foot.
Despite the powerful step, the woman didn¡¯t bat an eye.
¡°Eehh, it seems like I¡¯ve teased her too much. Alright, I¡¯ll not do it anymore.¡±
The woman walked over to Damien and extended herrge hand.
¡°Pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Margata, a 2nd-grade pdin.¡±
2nd-grade Pdin.
A rank equivalent to mid-ss. Moreover, considering that Agnes referred to her as ¡®Sister,¡¯ this woman also seemed to be a disciple of the Cheongyeum.
A 2nd-grade pdin and a disciple of the Cheongyeum, one of the Five Great elders. As Damien anticipated, she was an immensely strong individual.
¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Margata.¡±
Damien shook hands with Margata. Her hands were filled with calluses.
¡°I hope it¡¯s not too presumptuous, but I thought you wouldn¡¯te. After all, it¡¯s a dungeon created by Corpsey.¡±
¡°Miss Agnes requested it. I couldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, I hate dark mages before anything else.¡±
Margata seemed impressed by Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Agnes, I was worried you didn¡¯t know any men, but it looks like you picked the right one.¡±
Agnes raised her foot again and stomped on the woman¡¯s foot.
¡°Ouch, be careful! She might get really mad. Alright, I got it.¡±
Margata gestured, and a soldier brought a long box.
¡°Agnes insisted and argued strongly with the Master, so this is what she received. If you participate in the crusade, we¡¯ll have to repay them with something equivalent, she says.¡±
Margata handed the box to Damien.
Damien received it with a bewildered expression. It was much heavier than he expected.
¡°What is this?¡±
In response to Damien¡¯s question, Margata, with a proud expression, answered.
¡°Holy Sword.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 60
Chapter 60
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 60: The Crusade(1)
***
When people heard the name ¡°The Church¡± three things immediately came to mind: fanaticism, divine power, and weapons.
The Church was not only followed by humans but also by other races who were epted as followers as long as they held faith.
The first non-human race to join the Church were the dwarves.
Dwarves were known for their exceptional craftsmanship, often considered descendants of the god of cksmith.
The Dwarves who joined the Church generously shared their exceptional skills and vast knowledge, significantly enhancing the Church¡¯s craftsmanship and contributing to its remarkable advancement.
The weapons provided to the soldiers were of exceptional quality.
Weapons specially crafted for pdins were beyond praise, true works of art.
Among the renowned weapons of the Church, there was one that stood out: the Holy Sword.
Forged through the visionary craftsmanship of the dwarves, the rarest metals, and the infusion of divine power by countless priests over several years, the Holy Sword possessed remarkable and unparalleled abilities.
¡°¡Is this really the Holy Sword?¡±
Even Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel excitement like a child. The Holy Sword was truly a magnificent sword.
¡°Why would I lie about something like this? Well, it¡¯s not high-tier, of course. You could call it low-tier at best.¡±
There was no way to give a high-grade holy sword to Damien, who was not even a pdin.
Yet, there was no need for disappointment. Even if it was a low-tier Holy Sword, it was still a holy sword.
Damien untied the cloth, revealing the Holy Sword stored in its wooden scabbard.
Itcked extravagant decorations. The pommel was rounded, and the crossguard in.
However, the moment Damien drew the sword, any notion of simplicity vanished from his mind.
The de gleamed with a smooth and shiny surface, seemingly forged from molten silver.
It was perfectly centered andfortable to hold as if it were an extension of his own body.
Most astonishing was the divine power emanating through the hilt.
The infused divine power washed away fatigue as if it were a refreshing breeze after training.
True to its name, the Holy Sword radiated divine power on its own.
¡°¡Impressive.¡±
Damien spoke sincerely.
During his time as a Death Knight, he had seen top-tier Holy Swords wielded by the elders of The Church, capable of annihting thousands of undead with a single swing, almost as if divine punishment itself.
Compared to such weapons, the power of the Holy Sword he received was negligible.
But it was all rtive to those legendary Holy Swords.
Even Damien¡¯s current weapon, the Thousand Mile Sword, paled inparison to this Holy Sword.
¡°You should thank Agnes, the Church had no intention of giving you the holy sword in the first ce, and she fought tooth and nail to get it.¡±
¡°Sister, don¡¯t say anything unnecessary.¡±
¡°Hey, when you do something good, you have to tell the whole neighborhood, otherwise, no one will ever know about it.¡±
Agnes red at Margata with a frightening re, and Margata understood and backed away.
¡°Thank you, Lady Agnes.¡±
Damien said sincerely. Agnes coughed in response.
¡°I had originally hoped to get armor as well, but master hit me on the head and said no way¡¡.¡±
Damien was taken aback by the mention of armor.
Like the holy sword, the armor was a treasured item of the Church, forged through aplicated process.
Only a select few persons who proved their skill and faith could be given one.
If they got armor, they might be forced to be pdins.
¡°I don¡¯t need the armor.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured, I¡¯ll make sure Sir Damien gets you armor¡¡.¡±
¡°I really don¡¯t need it.¡±
Agnes¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly at Damien¡¯s firm refusal.
***
¡°The Dungeon of Corpsey is located in the southern Noffery Mountains.¡±
While riding in the carriage, Margata exined the current situation to Damien.
¡°The lord near the Noffery Mountains used to have frequent dealings of herbs with the Noffery Mountain tribe. However, one day, they stopped contacting them..¡±
Damien listened to Margata¡¯s words while seated in the carriage.
¡°The lord found it suspicious, and during that time, one member of the mountain tribe came down from the mountains. At first, they couldn¡¯t recognize him. No matter how you looked at it, he didn¡¯t have a human form. The body was covered with the carcasses of animals, and only a human head was attached.¡±
Even just imagining it made Margata slightly furrow her brow.
¡°The mountain tribesman left a message that there was a dungeon of Corpsey in the mountains and died on the spot. The lord reported this to the Church, and thanks to that, we were able to locate the dungeon of Corpsey.¡±
Having finished the story, Margata looked at Damien and asked, ¡°So, what do you think?¡±
¡°It¡¯s suspicious.¡±
Damien answered immediately.
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem likely that the Corpsey would easily let go of its test subjects. If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t have remained hidden until now.¡±
Corpsey had revealed itself to the public only once.
It was when it turned an entire vige into an undeadir to announce its existence.
Since then, there has never been a single trace of Corpsey.
It didn¡¯t make sense that he would miss one of the test subjects.
¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. Even we have our suspicions that it might be a trap.¡±
¡°But still, you guys formed Crusade?¡±
¡°Dark mages are sinners who disrupt the bnce of the world and spheme the gods. We who serve the gods cannot avoid dealing with such scum, can we?¡±
Margata said with a fierce smile.
Despite her cheerful appearance, she harbored the fanaticism of a pdin within.
¡°Above all, the Church views the Corpsey as a dangerous dark mage. They believe it has the potential to grow into an archmage in the future.¡±
This judgment from The Church could be considered urate.
¡°In reality, Corpsey will ascend to the rank of archmage, bing a formidable force in Dorugo¡¯s army.¡±
¡°The Church believes that, even if it¡¯s a trap, it¡¯s necessary to enter the dungeon. If we can kill Corpsey it would be a great achievement. And even if we fail, we¡¯ll find clues to pursue him.¡±
Even the smallest traces were deemed too valuable for The Church to overlook.
¡°The Church isn¡¯t blindly sending a Crusade. Assuming the dungeon is a trap, they estimate the strength of the Crusade to be high. For this dungeon, three sects of the Church have gathered.¡±
Anyone who worships the gods in The Church can use divine power.
Among them, very few awakened to special powers.
Agnes was one of them.
Groups formed by those who unlocked new powers were called sects.
It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the core group leading The Church was a sects.
¡°Which sects have gathered?¡±
¡°We have ¡®The Incinerator,¡¯ ¡®The Mixed Blizzard¡¯, and ¡®The Blinding Pain¡¯ here.¡±
¡°Three of the sects of the Five Great Elders have gathered.¡±
¡°There were countless sects within the Church. Therefore, not all sects were on an equal footing. The size of their influence and power varied.
The term ¡°Five Great Elders¡± referred to the five strongest among The Church¡¯s pdins, and the sects they belonged to had great power and influence.
¡°It¡¯s not just individual pdins from different sects gathering. Even within The Church, they¡¯ve decided to send disciples of the Five Great Elders, like me and Agnes.¡±
The fact that the participants in this expedition were disciples of the Five Great Saints made it unnecessary to exin their strength.
¡°But why did you ask for my help? With that kind of power, you¡¯d have enough for the Crusade.
In response to Damien¡¯s question, Margata scratched her cheek awkwardly.
¡°The decision tounch this crusade was made so abruptly that we, The Incinerator, didn¡¯t gather enough power, just me and Agnes.¡±
Sects were the core strength of the Church, and priests and pdins who had awakened their abilities were much stronger than those who hadn¡¯t. As a result, they had many tasks to handle, and it was understandable that they struggled with a shortage of manpower.
¡°Originally, our master didn¡¯t want to send us for this crusade. It was deemed too risky for just the two of us. So, instead of us another sect going to participate, but¡¡±
¡°I insisted on participating and asked our master for permission.¡±
Agnes took over the exnation after Margata.
¡°As I mentioned to Sir Damien, I am pursuing Cropsey. I couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡±
¡°So our master set a condition. Even if you have to recruit outsiders, strengthen your power before theunch of the crusade. That¡¯s why Agnes came to find you.¡±
Margata said, clenching her fist.
¡°If you hadn¡¯t epted this proposal, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed Agnes to participate either.¡±
¡°Thanks to you, Sir Damien, I have the opportunity to put an end to Cropsey.¡±
Agnes bowed her head once again, expressing her gratitude.
¡°I appreciate it as well. Thanks to you, I have the chance to eliminate those bastards.¡±
Margata said with a sinister smile.
¡°I hope you can match the skill with which you killed that Yn members.¡±
***
The carriage moved and moved and moved until it reached the Noffery Mountains.
At the base of the mountain range was a camp already established by the Church.
The number of soldiers was not great. But they all had fierce eyes and muscr bodies.
They were undoubtedly the Church¡¯s most elite soldiers, having received specialized training directly from the Church.
There were also arge number of pdins. They were ordinary pdins who hadn¡¯t yet attained their powers.
Although they were called ordinary pdins, they were all low-ss knights.
I could sense that the Church was preparing for a decisive battle.
¡°Let¡¯s see. The meeting is supposed to be inside.¡±
Margata led Damien and Agnes into the center of the room.
¡°Ah, I found it.¡±
A tent was set up in the center of the clearing, open on all sides.
In the center of the tent was a huge table. People were seated around the table.
¡°Here you all are, good to see you after all these years.¡±
Margata sat down at the remaining table.
¡°Margata, you¡¯rete again.¡±
A nervous-looking man spoke up. His tone was extremely unpleasant.
¡°I¡¯mte because I had to stop somewhere. I won¡¯t do that next time.¡±
¡°I hear that every time I see you. I doubt you have any intention of honoring your oath.¡±
¡°Gamal, you¡¯re always nervous. You will get wrinkles on your forehead if you keep making faces like that.¡±
¡°You¡¯rete and now you¡¯re just spouting nonsense. That¡¯s typical of the Incinerator. You¡¯re so ignorant.¡±
Margata¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the male, Gamal¡¯s words.
¡°Gamal, watch your tongue. I don¡¯t mind if you insult me, but don¡¯t insult my sect.¡±
¡°Did I say something wrong? If your sect¡¯s teachings were correct, you wouldn¡¯t be acting this way.¡±
The smile faded from Margata¡¯s face.
¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit narrow-minded of you to act like this, even if ck Snow was beaten to death by our master?¡±
¡°¡¡When was my master beaten to death by you!¡±
Gamal shouted in exasperation.
¡°Oh, Your master was beaten to death and admitted defeat or not but ck Snow indeed lost to my master anyway.¡±
¡°At that time, master was very tired, having justpleted a great mission.¡±
Gamal red at Margata as if to kill her. It looked like a fight was about to break out.
¡°Who is that man?¡±
Damien asked Agnes. Agnes whispered in a low voice.
¡°His name is Gamal, a disciple of ck Snow and a second-grade pdin of the Mixed Blizzard.¡±
The Mixed Blizzard.
One of the sects of the Great Elders, ck Snow, that specialized in the use of ice divine power.
Damien had fought them himself as a Death Knight.
They had an insane ability to freeze the entire ocean in the middle of summer.
¡°The two sects don¡¯t seem to like each other.¡±
¡°They¡¯re not at odds, it¡¯s just that the Mixed Blizzard side is being unreasonable.¡±
Agnes said in a firm tone.
The sects differed not only in the nature of their divine powers, but also in their ideas and doctrines.
It was not umon to find sects at odds with each other.
¡°Not long ago, ck Snow was defeated by our master.¡±
However, it seemed that the conflict between the Incinerator and the Mixed Blizzard was simply a battle of pride.
¡°Everyone~ Don¡¯t fight, please~¡±
A woman seated between Margata and Gamal spoke in a slow, soothing tone.
¡°Don¡¯t waste your anger now~ Your anger should be used to tear apart those fucking dark mages who were hiding inside the dungeon~.¡±
Her gentle face contradicted the harshness of her words.
¡°This is Sanus, a second-grade pdin, a disciple of Radiant Light and a member of the Blinding Pain.¡±
Agnes added a quick exnation, sensing an unusual aura. Indeed, this woman was also a 2nd-grade holy knight.
Damien had fought against ¡®Radiant Light,¡¯ one of the Five Great Elders in his past life.
The Blinding Pain Sect was a sect that could strengthen various things through divine power.
The Great Elder Radiant Light fought with over a hundred divine enhancements, truly a formidable figure that could bepared to a walking fortress.
¡°Sanus, just sit quietly. Today, I have to fix Margata¡¯s nonsense.¡±
¡°Can a wimpy weakling like you handle me? What will you do if things backfire on you?¡±
The two of them growled at each other.
Caught in the tension between Margata and Sanus, Damien observed the three individuals.
He recalled the words of the pdin who survived in the dungeon in his previous life.
¡°If there¡¯s a traitor, the probability of these three being the ones is high.¡±
In his past life, the crusade was wiped out due to a traitor. Even considering betrayal, theplete annihtion of a force of this size seemed odd.
Moreover, pdins were known for their resilience thanks to divine power.
If the repercussions of betrayal were so significant, only these three individuals met the criteria.
¡®It might not be the case. The members of the crusade might be different this timepared to my previous life.¡¯
Certainly, the timing was different, and the members of the crusade might have changed.
However, he couldn¡¯t be overly optimistic.
Due to the incident of theplete annihtion of the crusade in his past life, The Church suffered immense losses, leading to a defeat in the war against Dorugo.
He needed to consider all possibilities.
¡®Anyway, my goal remains the same.¡¯
He has to kill Corpsey.
To Prevent the annihtion of the Crusade.
Even if there¡¯s a traitor, it doesn¡¯t matter. He can handle it himself.
¡°But who is that man? He doesn¡¯t look like a pdin.¡±
At that moment, Gamal looked at Damien and asked. Margata spoke with a smug expression.
¡°That¡¯s Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°What? The knight who supposedly took down Yn¡¯s member?¡±
¡°The same Damien Haksen who imed to have killed two dark mages at the same time?¡±
Gamal and Sanus looked at Damien in surprise.
¡°Isn¡¯t that great? Our Agnes went out and recruited him herself. I thought she was a little shy, but she¡¯s got a way with men.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Agnes red at Margata, her gaze full of fire. But Margata remained unfazed.
¡°Lady Margata, one moment.¡±
Just then, the young man sitting next to Gamal stood up.
He still had his boyishness.
¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to invite outside forces to join the crusade?¡±
¡°No, not outside forces. Sir Damien has performed many meritorious deeds for the Church, and he is designated as a cooperator.¡±
¡± After all, he¡¯s an outsider.¡±
The young man said, unconvinced.
¡°Doubt Endlessly, Persistently Continue, Always Verify. Deception sprouts suddenly; like weeds; be ready to nip it in the bud. Isn¡¯t that what the Church teaches?¡±
¡°Sir Dionysius, are you doubting Sir Damien?¡±
Agnes said in a sharp tone.
¡°Sister Agnes, I am merely speaking of the possibility of danger.¡±
¡°Sir Dionysius, Watch your words.¡±
¡°¡¡Sister Agnes, I am merely stating the possibility of danger.¡±
Gamal nodded at Dionysio¡¯s words.
¡°My pdin has a point, we cannot allow outside forces into something as important as this.¡±
¡°Gamal, what¡¯s wrong with you again?¡±
¡°Not ¡®again¡¯. There are quite a few people in the Church who are suspicious of Damien Haksen, and given his history, he killed Akitora after only a few years of training with the sword. It¡¯s not a good sign.¡±
Akitora.
A Yn¡¯s dark mage who had died at Damien¡¯s hands after cursing Viscount Haksen¡¯s estate on the instructions of the ck Serpent organization.
¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten who Akitora is, have you? He¡¯s a curse caster who¡¯s managed to slip past the Chruch¡¯s grasp and kill two third-ranked pdins. And that Akitora was killed by a knight who had only just trained with a sword?¡±
Gamal looked at Damien and continued.
¡°Not only that. I¡¯m also suspicious of the recent killings of two dark mages at the same time. There were signs of arge-scale dark magic usage at the scene, too much for a low-ss to handle.¡±
¡°It¡¯s possible that the dark mages enhanced their dark magic by some other methods.¡± ¡¡
Agnes defended Damien. But Gamal¡¯s attitude didn¡¯t change.
¡°It was high-powered ck magic, after all, wasn¡¯t it? I can¡¯t believe an ordinary knight could have dealt with not one, but two of them at the same time.¡±
Margata said with annoyance.
¡°So what is it you want to say?¡±
¡°I¡¯m saying that Sir Damien Haksen might have ulterior motives, and isn¡¯t there actually a case of dark mages setting themselves up to nt spies in the Church?¡±
¡°Watch your tongue. You¡¯re crossing a line.¡±
Margata growled. Sanus red at her, unmoved.
¡°Sanus, you don¡¯t think the same thing, do you?¡±
Margata asked, looking back at Sanus. Sanus smiled awkwardly.
¡°I share Gamal¡¯s opinion, but I think it¡¯s dangerous¡¡ to bring outsiders into the crusade.¡±
Margata¡¯s frown narrowed even more.
¡°This is too annoying.¡±
Just then, someone spoke up.
All eyes focused on Damien Haksen.
¡°You¡¯re suspicious of me not because it¡¯s the Church¡¯s policy, but is your suspicion¡¡ based on ack of faith in my abilities?¡±
Agnes was taken aback when Damien spoke up.
¡°Sir Damien¡¡.¡±
Agnes tried to stop him, but he turned away from her for a moment.
Damien had his reasons for participating in this crusade.
He couldn¡¯t let this petty power struggle stop him.
¡°Yes, it is. No matter how much I think about it, it doesn¡¯t make sense for an ordinary low-ss knight, not even a pdin, to kill Yn¡¯s member and y two dark mages¡¡.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because your sect¡¯s pdins are all weak.¡±
Damien said, ncing at Dionysius.
¡°I guarantee you, no matter how many third-ranked pdins from your secte at me, they won¡¯t be able to defeat me.¡±
Boom.
At that moment, Dionysio mmed his fist on the table and stood up.
¡°Get out of here now!¡±
Dionysius said, ring at Damien like he was going to kill him.
¡°I¡¯ll cut off both your arms and make sure you never hold a sword again!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 61
Chapter 61
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 61: The Crusade(2)
***
Damien stepped out for a duel.
¡°It suddenly got serious,¡± said Margata, clenching her fist with a troubled expression.
¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯ll let you know in advance. There¡¯s no need to apologize. I didn¡¯t like the behavior of those guys either.¡±
Margata pointed a finger toward Dionysius, who was preparing for battle.
¡°They¡¯re just a bunch of assholes. Always picking fights over trivial matters.¡±
¡°They¡¯re definitely harboring a grudge because the ck Snow lost to our master.¡±
¡°I think so too. Damien, since it¡¯se to this, show them what you¡¯ve got. Make sure nobody doubts you.¡±
Damien nodded.
Then, he suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t Lady Margata suspect me?¡±
Even Sanus of the Blinding Pain who held no grudge against the ¡® The Incinerator¡¯ suspected Damien. In contrast, Margata had been trusting him from the beginning.
¡°Huh? Of course, if Agnes believes in you, then I do too.¡±
Margata said it nonchntly.
¡°Even though Agnes is a bit naive, she¡¯s good at reading people.¡±
***
Damien stepped onto the open field for the duel.
Many people had gathered around to watch the duel between the two.
¡°Are you ready? Prepare yourselves mentally. The consequences of insulting our sect are severe.¡±
Dionysius said while gripping his spear.
Damien responded with a silent smirk. There was a spark in Dionysius¡¯s eyes.
¡°Now, are both of you ready?¡±
Sanus stood between the two, serving as a judge for the duel born out of the conflict between the two factions.
¡°Since we, the ¡®Blinding Pain,¡¯ are here, don¡¯t worry and fight to your heart¡¯s content. Even if your arms and legs are cut off, we¡¯ll reattach them in no time.¡±
Sanus casually spoke with a smile on his face.
¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±
Sanus raised his hand high and then brought it down.
As soon as the starting deration was made, Dionysius used his divine power to cover the spear.
Originally, divine power was bright and dazzling, oftenpared to light. However, Dionysius¡¯s divine power was the opposite. Shades of gray and ck mixed like remaining ashes.
¡®Mixed Blizzard.¡¯
A sect formed by peoples who awaken the power of coldness, known as the ¡®Mixed Blizzard.¡¯
As soon as Dionysius unleashed his divine power, the temperature in the vicinity plummeted. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. Ashen frost started covering the ground.
Simultaneously, a chilling cold pressed against Damien¡¯s entire body, as if he had been left naked in the middle of winter.
¡®It seems he has learned how to wield his abilities properly.¡¯
The primary tactic of the ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ sect was to create ice shards to pressurize their enemies.
However, it¡¯s a trick to fool enemies, the real weapon of ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ is something else.
The chilling effect of the ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ drained the warmth from the bodies of nearby enemies, causing their movements to be sluggish and slow.
In the case of ck Snow, a Great Saint, it was enough to freeze enemies who got too close and kill them with its coldness alone.
Dionysius, being a 3rd-grade pdin didn¡¯t possess such abilities.
Nevertheless, he was threatening enough. It would have been challenging for knights of the same level to withstand the chill emitted by him.
For Damien, however, the chill posed little threat. All he had to do was circte his mana and drive it away.
¡®There¡¯s an easier way.¡¯
Damien opened his spatial ring and drew the Holy Sword.
As he pulled out the sword, a dazzling de was revealed.
¡°A Holy Sword? How can someone who¡¯s not a pdin possess a Holy Sword?¡±
¡°Who on earth gave him the Holy Sword?¡±
Pdins shouted with an astonished expression on their faces.
Margata and Agnes subtly nced at each other, but Gamal wouldn¡¯t let it slide.
¡°Margata! What is that? How can an outsider possess the Holy Sword!¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s no rule against it, is there? The Holy Sword isn¡¯t some extraordinary treasure.¡±
¡°If the symbol of the Church isn¡¯t an extraordinary treasure, then what is?¡±
The unsheathed holy sword emitted divine power. It drove away the coldness invading Damien¡¯s body.
It was one of the abilities of divine power ¨C to protect the owner from all sorts of harmful things. Even with the same divine power, there were no exceptions.
¡°You¡¯re holding quite an extraordinary item!¡±
As the coldness was suppressed, Dionysius ground his teeth.
¡°After defeating you, I¡¯ll take back the Holy Sword!¡±
Dionysius concentrated divine power on the de of his spear, and an aura made of divine power covered the de.
Holding a spear covered with the grey aura in his hand, he charged forward.
In response, Damien infused mana into the Holy Sword.
In an instant, the aura of divine power covered the Holy Sword. Damien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by its speed.
¡®Indeed, it¡¯s a good sword.¡¯
Every weapon had a mana conductivity rate. The cheaper the material, the lower the mana conductivity rate. A lower mana conductivity rate meant more mana loss and slower manifestation of the aura.
In the case of this Holy Sword, there was almost no mana loss. Not only that, but the manifestation speed of the aura was incredibly fast.
It indicated that high-quality materials were used in its creation.
¡°Let me see your skills up close!¡±
Dionysius, who hade too close unleashed a series of thrusts with his spear.
Damien blocked every strike without batting an eye.
Dionysius¡¯s expression hardened slightly as the spear was blocked in vain.
¡°You have some skills!¡±
Dionysius ignored Damien¡¯s words and he continued with more strikes. Numerous thrusts were aimed at vital points, but Damien relentlessly countered.
To onlookers, it appeared that Dionysius, who was raining down attacks, had the upper hand. However, the reality was quite the opposite.
Pdins watching the duel had long realized this fact.
¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s blocking all those attacks and not being pushed back at all¡¡.¡±
¡°He¡¯s not just blocking; he¡¯s parrying. And to parry, you need¡¡±
¡°He has to be able to perfectly predict every attack¡¡±
Pdins were astonished at Damien¡¯s skill.
¡°So, He had been toying with Sir Dionysius.¡±
¡°I was curious about how he killed three filthy dark mages¡ Now I understand.¡±
¡°Lady Margata had a reason to involve him in the crusade.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a shame. Despite his skills, he doesn¡¯t know ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ well enough.¡±
While the pdins acknowledged Damien¡¯s skill, which had exceeded their expectations, they were actually predicting Dionysius¡¯s victory early on.
¡°The cold from ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ umtes in the body with every block.¡±
¡°At first, it¡¯s bearable, but eventually, the cold explosively increases.¡±
The cold emitted by ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ could be expelled using divine power from the body.
However, the cold that seeped into the weapon couldn¡¯t be dispelled as easily.
¡°He¡¯s probably reaching his limits now.¡±
Contrary to the pdins¡¯ thoughts, Damien¡¯s movements didn¡¯t slow down at all. Instead, Dionysius¡¯s breathing became rough, indicating that he was nearing his physical limits.
The Pdins were astonished at the sight of the two.
¡°The Pdin of ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ reached his limit first?¡±
¡°This is unbelievable. Sir Damien is continuously taking damage due to the cold¡¡±
The Pdins couldn¡¯t understand what was happening before their eyes.
¡°You¡¯re all blind.¡±
Margata eximed with a triumphant smile.
¡°Every time a weapon their weapon shes, Damien releases aura to fend off coldness that umtes in his sword.¡±
Even after hearing Margata¡¯s exnation, the pdins couldn¡¯tprehend. Emitting an aura to block the cold made sense. But doing it repeatedly against an onught?
Such skill was impossible for a Low-ss, and even a Mid-ss would find it challenging.
¡°Lady Margata, even if that¡¯s the case¡¡±
¡°Impossible? But the person doing it is right in front of you. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Gamal.¡±
All eyes turned to Gamal. Gamal, staring intently at Damien Haksen, spoke.
¡°¡Margata is right.¡±
The mouths of the pdins fell open in disbelief.
***
¡°Damn it!¡±
Dionysius cursed.
¡°Why isn¡¯t it working!¡±
Ironically, Dionysius had no clue why the cold wasn¡¯t affecting Damien at all.
¡°Hey.¡±
During the exchange, Damien spoke to Dionysius.
¡°Is this how it ends?¡±
At first, Dionysius didn¡¯t understand why Damien was saying such things.
¡°If you have any cards left, y them all. That¡¯s the only way others will believe.¡±
Only after hearing the following words did Dionysius realize the intent behind Damien¡¯s words.
¡°A guy like you, no matter how manye at me, won¡¯t be enough.¡±
Strength involuntarily surged into the hand holding the spear. Rage pounded through his mind.
¡°¡If you want to see it, I¡¯ll show you as much as you want!¡±
Dionysius struck the ground with his spear, simultaneously releasing all his divine power.
Divine power spread in all directions from the ground. Dionysius converted all of it into cold.
Ice spikes erupted from the entire arena, aiming to pierce through Damien Haksen.
Seasonal Technique ¨C Thorny Field.
There was no ce to escape. Even if he dodged, a second attack awaited.
Once all the ice spikes emerged, they shattered explosively, scattering cold and shards.
Just as Dionysius was certain of victory, Damien took a step forward.
***
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
In this mana cultivation technique, besides the method of umting mana, several other techniques were written. One of them was temporarily amplifying physical abilities.
The human body structure is inherentlyzy. Most athletic abilities are dormant, and one must continuously move the body to gradually awaken these abilities.
However, within The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, there was a technique that could instantly draw out full athletic abilities and unleash the full power of athleticism in one fell swoop.
That¡¯s not all. With mastery of the technique, it was also possible to enhance physical abilities. Just like Damien now.
Damien manipted mana ording to the principles of The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. The mana instantly activated the muscles. The body temperature rose sharply, and a pleasant tingling sensation spread throughout the brain.
At that moment, the entire world seemed to move in slow motion.
The pping wings of a bird flying in the sky leaves swaying in the wind¡ªeverything moved slowly.
Damien lifted one foot.
Ice spikes were emerging from the ground, but it was okay. Damien¡¯s movement speed was faster than the rate at which the spikes appeared.
He took a step forward.
The muscles in his lower body exploded. His entire body elerated. In the blink of an eye, he reached under Dionysius¡¯s nose.
Damien swung the sword down. Dionysius couldn¡¯t even react to Damien¡¯s attack.
The straight-falling sword struck Dionysius¡¯s shoulder.
Damien had already deactivated the aura. Dionysius¡¯s shoulder was protected by chainmail, so the blow didn¡¯t cut him in half.
Instead, the impact shattered his corbone. His body crumpled downward. His knees bent and touched the ground.
¡°¡?¡±
Dionysius blinked his eyes twice. He had no idea what had just happened to him.
¡°It¡¯s my victory.¡±
Damien spoke briefly, then sheathed his holy sword and looked at Gamal.
¡°Do you believe in me now?¡±
No response came from Gamal.
¡°Do you believe in me?¡± Damien raised his voice once more.
Only then did Gamal exhale a deep sigh and answer.
¡°I believe.¡±
¡°Then, you won¡¯t oppose my participation in the crusade?¡±
¡°One thing¡ just one thing I want to ask.¡±
Gamal asked Damien.
¡°We pdins participate in the crusade to exterminate dark mages and prove the greatness of the gods. Why are you participating in the crusade?¡±
The dungeon the Crusaders were to enter was a dark mage¡¯s dungeon. It was a dangerous ce to go and filled with potentially life-threatening dangers.
¡°You¡¯re asking a stupid question.¡±
Damien replied as if it were obvious.
¡°Our family¡¯s territory was cursed by the Yn¡¯s high-ranking member Akitora, who tried to kill our family. Killing just one won¡¯t satisfy my vengeance.¡±
Damien said sharply.
¡°So, I¡¯m going to avenge against the others.¡±
At that answer, Gamal¡¯s pupils slightly widened.
¡°¡Damien Haksen, I wee your participation.¡±
Thus, Damien Haksen¡¯s participation in the crusade was confirmed.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 62
Chapter 62
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 62: Crusade (3)
***
Gamal¡¯s epting Damien in the crusade was surprisingly swift.
However, not all of the ¡®Mixed Blizzards¡¯ acknowledged Damien.
¡°I will never forget today¡¯s humiliation.¡±
Dionysius spat out words mixed with hatred and anger and left.
¡°If you lose, you should acknowledge defeat obediently. Anyway, those guys from this sect are narrow-minded.¡±
Margata didn¡¯t like Dionysius¡¯s attitude.
¡°Sir Damien, well done.¡±
Agnes handed over a ss of water and said. Damien, who didn¡¯t even break a sweat, took the ss out of courtesy.
¡°By the way, weren¡¯t you really amazing? Dionysius is a guy who¡¯s repeatedly attacking. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d handle it so easily.¡±
Damien seemed pleased with the acknowledgment. Agnes said in an excited voice.
¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to kill those filthy dark mages.¡±
Margata said with cold expression.
¡°Congrattions on joining the crusade.¡±
***
After joining, the biggest surprise for Damien was the size of the crusade, which was surprisinglyrge.
There were 80 elite soldiers and 10 third-grade pdins.
¡®This much power is just to protect the rear.¡¯
What¡¯s more surprising is that this force is not the core.
The core of this crusade was the pdins of the different sects.
The only forces that could face high-level dark mages were them.
¡®The number of pdins from the sects are small, but¡ they¡¯re several times stronger.¡¯
The Mixed Blizzard consisted of one 2nd-grade pdin and four 3rd-grade pdins.
Blinding Pain dispatched a 2nd-grade pdin and five 3rd-grade pdins.
With Damien, Agnes, and Margata here.
¡®This much force should be able to take down any of the mid nobles in an instant.¡¯
People said the Church was the only force on the continent that could stand up to the Empire.
Looking at the size of a crusade, that assessment didn¡¯t seem like a mere rumor.
¡®A force of this caliber was annihted in the past.¡¯
The more I learn about the crusade¡¯s strength, the less I understand how they were annihted.
It was true that Cropsey was a dangerous dangerous dark mage, but it wasn¡¯t enough to kill three 2nd-grade pdins at once.
¡®Surely, there must have been a traitor among the three.¡¯
Mid-ss can only stop mid-ss.
The same goes for 2nd-grade pdins. There was no one who could kill a 2nd-grade pdin other than a 2nd-grade pdin.
¡®Currently, Gamal is the most suspicious.¡¯
The Mixed Blizzard was at odds with the Incinerator.
Didn¡¯t Gamal start an argument as soon as he saw Margata?
¡®I should keep an eye on the Mixed Blizzard.¡¯
***
As the Church prepared for the raid, they also searched the Mountains, investigating the dungeon.
¡°The scouts have been searching, and there seems to be only one entrance to the dungeon.¡±
At dinner, Margata shared her findings with Damien and Agnes.
¡°The entrance to the dungeon is close to the peak of the mountain. It¡¯s a bit of a climb to get there. I went and took a look, and the entrance is very wide andrge.¡±
Margata spread her arms wide. If she could describe it like that, it was big.
¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside the dungeon. There are reports that the Flesh Golems keep popping up, and the scouts can¡¯t scout the interior.¡±
In other words, the only way to find out what was inside the dungeon was to go in.
¡°When do you n to head into the dungeon?¡±
Margata grinned so wide that she showed her fangs at the question.
¡°Tomorrow.¡±
***
When the sun reached its highest point in the sky, the crusade gathered at the entrance of the dungeon.
One hundred elite soldiers.
Ten pdins.
And even the pdins of the sects.
The Crusaders gathered in one ce, emitting tremendous pressure.
¡°Finally, the day hase.¡±
Agnes, standing next to Damien, spoke with a fierce voice.
Agnes had an emotionless face as usual. But there was a strange fire in her pupils.
Damien felt like he could understand what Agnes was feeling.
The opportunity for revenge was right in front of her. She must have been filled with joy.
¡°I hope corpsey will be inside.¡±
Agnes looked at the cave entrance with darkened eyes.
Suddenly, Damien felt a sharp gaze and turned his gaze.
The Mixed Blizzard.
Dionysius turned his gaze away after staring at Damien.
¡®It seems like he¡¯s holding a strong grudge against me.¡¯
Damien smirked. In his experience, those who begged like that always caused trouble.
¡°Forward!¡±
The captain whomanded the soldiers raised his voice. The soldiers marched forward into the dungeon.
The pdins stood behind the soldiers, ready to step forward at any moment.
-Krrrr.
-Krrrrrr.
At that moment, creatures jumped out of the cave.
They were not ordinary creatures. They were undead created by the Corpsey.
The body was a horse, the legs were a wolf, and the head was a tiger.
Each body part still bore the marks of the stitches that connected them together.
Their appearance was creepy.
¡°Shield soldiers, forward!¡±
The soldiers with round shields blocked the path of the beasts at themand of the captain.
The shields collided with the creatures. The soldiers gritted their teeth and resisted.
Then the soldiers behind them cut the bodies of the creatures with swords and spears.
-Keng!
-Keung!
The creatures were killed easily.
¡®The coordination is excellent.¡¯
They were elite soldiers, indeed. They were skilled.
If they turned to mercenaries, all the soldiers could receive a gold te symbolizing a first-ss mercenary.
¡°Charge again!¡±
The captain shouted. The soldiers put away their weapons and moved forward into the dungeon again.
-Who¡ Who¡¯s there?
-Here¡ There¡¯s someone here! Help me!
At that moment, a voice was heard from inside the cave. The captain raised his hand and stopped the soldiers.
¡°Stop!¡±
The captain and the soldiers looked into the cave with tense faces.
Something walked out of the darkness that was thickly spread inside the cave.
First, arge and round body was seen. The body was made by sticking together the bodies of animals and monsters.
More than five legs supported the body, and on both sides of the body were giant hands.
The creature that first appeared seemed like it was made for practice, and there were traces of careful craftsmanship.
It was a Flesh golem, the main weapon of the Corpsey.
When the soldiers saw the flesh golem, their faces stiffened.
It wasn¡¯t because of its grotesque appearance.
¨C Aaah! It hurts! It hurts!
¨C Cold¡ painful¡
It was because of the human heads attached to its round body.
There were not just one or two, but more than eight heads attached.
All the ¡®heads¡¯ were shedding tears and crying out.
¨C Ah, it hurts¡ I can¡¯t bear the pain all over my body!
¨C Mom¡ where¡¯s mom¡ mom¡
Among the heads, there were even children.
The soldiers, and even the pdins, were at a loss for words at the sight of the unimaginably horrific scene.
¡°What on earth is that¡¡±
¡°Is there still consciousness in the people¡?¡±
The soldiers and the pdins became the church¡¯s swords and killed countless undead and dark mages.
But it was the first time they had encountered undead with consciousness like this.
¨C It¡¯s the church! They¡¯re from the church!
¨C Help! Please help!
The heads that discovered the Crusaders were in panic.
Even though they were asking for help, the soldiers couldn¡¯t take any action.
¨C What are you doing? Help us!
¨C Stay still! Turn us back to normal!
The heads vented their anger. They tried to attack the soldiers with their heavy arms.
¡°You fools!¡±
At that moment, Margata raised her voice.
¡°Everyone, snap out of it! That¡¯s just an undead! What are the pdins doing? Protect the soldiers now!¡±
Margata¡¯s shout snapped the pdins out of their daze.
The pdins all rushed towards the flesh golem. They swung their weapons to attack the flesh golem.
¨C Aaah! It hurts! It hurts! It¡¯s too painful!
¨C Stop, stop! We were wrong!
Every time a wound appeared, the heads attached to the body screamed. The pdins hesitated.
¨C Stop touching us!
¨C It hurts! It hurts!
Taking advantage of the moment, the flesh golem swung its fist. One pdin was hit and flew away.
¨C Why are you tormenting us?
¨C Don¡¯t touch us! If you do, we¡¯ll kill you all!
Holes opened up all over the flesh golem¡¯s body.
Green smoke spewed out of the holes. The pdins were startled and stepped back.
¡°It¡¯s poison! It¡¯s spreading poison!¡±
The poison was so potent that the weeds on the ground withered instantly.
The pdins protected themselves with their divine power and resisted the poison.
¨C Die! Die!
¨C Die! Die! Die!
The flesh golem attacked the pdins, spewing out hatred.
The pdins, who had spent their divine power resisting the poison, were helpless against the flesh golem.
More than ten pdins were overwhelmed by a single flesh golem.
¡°This isn¡¯t working. Agnes, you have to step in.¡±
¡°Understood. Sir Damien, I need your support.¡±
Agnes turned to Damien and spoke. But there was no one where Damien should have been.
¡°Sir Damien?¡±
Suddenly, Damien was seen walking past the soldiers towards the flesh golem.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Agnes shouted in surprise. But he didn¡¯t hear anything.
All of his senses were focused on the flesh golem.
¨C Die! Die!
¨C Don¡¯t touch me!
Damien was the strongest Death Knight in his previous life.
He could see it. The way that flesh golem was moving.
Dark magic cannot be acquired through normal means.
It was created only in death or pain.
Many human souls were enved in that flesh golem.
The dark magic emitted by the souls in pain was the driving force behind the flesh golem¡¯s movement.
So the more the pdins attacked, the stronger it became.
The more pain they suffered, the more dark magic they emitted.
¨C It hurts! It hurts!
¨C Mom¡ where are you¡ mom¡
They were all ordinary humans.
Such people were captured by the Corpsey and unwillingly modified, used as ingredients for dark magic.
They must have felt a terrifying and indescribable feeling.
When Damien was turned into a death knight, he felt the same way.
The horror of being restrained.
The terrible pain felt with each procedure.
The disgust of knowing that his body was changing into something else.
¨C They¡¯reing! They¡¯reing again!
¨C Are you going to hurt us too?
The flesh golem spotted Damien. It spewed out the poison fog more fiercely.
¨C Die! You die too!
¨C I¡¯ll tear you apart!
Ten bones emerged from the flesh golem¡¯s body. With a loud noise, the bones were ejected.
Damien didn¡¯t attack. He just slowly moved his steps.
The flying bones attacked Damien. But none of them pierced Damien. They just passed by and stuck into the ground.
¨C Huh? Huh?
¨C What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on?
The flesh golem fired bones again. This time, the bones just dodged by him.
It wasn¡¯t that the flesh golem couldn¡¯t hit him.
He was avoiding all the bone arrows by a paper-thin margin
Suddenly, Damien was in front of the flesh golem.
¨C Don¡¯te! Don¡¯te!
¨C Don¡¯t hurt me!
The flesh golem fiercely spewed out the poison fog.
The holy sword released divine power to protect Damien. The poison fog did not affect him.
He carefully examined the Flesh Golem¡¯s body.
His knowledge as a death knight told him where the Flesh Golem¡¯s core was.
¨C Die! Die!
¨C I¡¯ll crush you!
The flesh golem tried to strike with its fist.
But before that, Damien stabbed the holy sword into the flesh golem¡¯s body.
Holy sword deeply embedded into the flesh golem¡¯s body and cut through the core. At that moment, the flesh golem¡¯s movement stopped abruptly.
The flesh golem knelt on the ground. Its two arms hung limp.
¨C Ah¡ Ah¡
¨C Ah¡
Even the five heads lost their strength. Slowly, their eyes began to close.
¨C Mo¡ Mom¡
Thest headpletely closed its eyes. Only then did Damien pull out the holy sword.
Agnes came runningte. Agnes looked at Damien¡¯s face and trembled.
¡°Whew.¡±
Damien sighed and wiped his face with his palm. Only then did his facial expression rx.
That¡¯s why he hated dark mages.
Every time he met them, he remembered the annoying memories. It was an added bonus that his mood became filthy.
¡°This won¡¯t work.¡±
Damien muttered in a creepy voice.
¡°I can¡¯t grant him a painless death.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 63
Chapter 63
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 63: The Dungeon (1)
***
¡°Delrunt, what are you doing? Are you in your right mind?¡±
¡°You deliberately exposed our location and called the church! It¡¯s a stupid act that¡¯s no different from suicide!¡±
In a dark space, two men were exploding with anger. In the direction they were ring at stood anky young man.
The young man was staring nkly at arge mirror that stretched to the ceiling.
¡°Delrunt! Are you even listening to us?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hide immediately! There are only three of us left! If we die, Yn¡¯s lineage will be cut off!¡±
The two men raised their voices again. But the young man continued to stare at the mirror.
¡°¡I can¡¯t hear you.¡±
Then, the young man suddenly spoke.
¡°No matter how long I wait, I can¡¯t hear His holy voice¡¡±
The young man sped the mirror with both hands. The mirror only reflected the young man¡¯s face indifferently.
¡°It¡¯s the first time He hasn¡¯t answered for so long. He¡¯s never done this before.¡±
Seeing Delrunt like that, the two men frowned with disgust.
¡°Stop staring at the fucking mirror!¡±
¡°The church is right in front of us. We don¡¯t have time to worry about that¡¡±
At that moment, the young man turned his head sharply.
His handsome face had transformed into a sinister expression.
¡°That? That¡¯s what you call it? You dare to call it that when it¡¯s the only connection to Him?¡±
Dark mana started to emanate from the young man. A tremendous amount of dark mana began to shake the entire space.
¡°You dare to insult Him when you¡¯ve received His endless grace? It¡¯s clear now! He¡¯s disappointed in us!¡±
The young man vented his anger. The space shook even more.
¡°You can¡¯t even follow His orders properly! You forget His grace! He¡¯s disappointed in our pathetic attitudes! That¡¯s why He cut offmunication with us!¡±
The two men, overwhelmed by the young man¡¯s overwhelming momentum, couldn¡¯t say anything.
Yn¡¯s dark mages didn¡¯t have equal status; their status depended on their individual abilities.
These two men were also high-ranking dark mages in their own right.
But they were far from being as powerful as the young man. No, no one in Yn could match the young man. Not even the leader.
¡°Why did I bring the church here? To fulfill His orders! If we destroy the church¡¯s forces, not only the church but also the Apple Kingdom will be shaken! Then He will be satisfied!¡±
A smile of joy appeared on the young man¡¯s face as if he were happy with his imagination.
¡°No! That¡¯s not enough! I¡¯m preparing a gift for Him! I¡¯m making a flesh golem with the excellent bodies of the pdins! Since He liked my dolls, He will surely be satisfied!¡±
The young man¡¯s mana quickly pulled back. He looked at the two men and smiled wickedly.
¡°Now that I look at it, your bodies seem quite useful?¡±
Goosebumps broke out all over the two men¡¯s bodies. The two men hastily channeled their dark mana.
At that moment, something sprang from the ceiling.
At first nce, it looked like an ordinary human. But its entire body was made up of different creatures.
The flesh golem grabbed the heads of the two dark mages and mmed them into the ground.
Their faces were crushed, and they lost consciousness.
¡°Kite, take them to the Stitching Room, I¡¯m going to perform the experiments right now.¡±
The young man ordered the flesh golem.
The flesh golem, which looked simr to a human, nodded and surrounded the two men before disappearing.
¡°I need to find excellent bodies that will satisfy Him¡ I need to prepare a gift that will satisfy Him.¡±
The young man muttered as he bit his nails.
Then it happened. A round ss window with bat wings flew in.
The ss window showed the church and the flesh golem fighting.
¡°Finally, the materials areing in.¡±
A bright smile appeared on the young man¡¯s face.
¡°Will they be able to pass the test I¡¯ve prepared?¡±
The flesh golem, with multiple human faces on its round body, attacked the crusade.
The pdins were helpless against the attack.
¡°It won¡¯t work¡ Ordinary pdins won¡¯t work. We need the pdins of the sect.¡±
The flesh golem ced at the entrance was a creation that the young man had put a lot of effort into.
It was not something that ordinary pdins could handle.
¡°Alright, show me the pdins of the sect¡ Show me how excellent they are as materials!¡±
The young man stared at the ss window.
Then it happened.
A man stepped forward. He dodged all of the flesh golem¡¯s attacks and stabbed a sword into its torso.
The flesh golem¡¯s movements abruptly stopped. Shortly after, it began to copse.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The young man blinked repeatedly.
It was clear that the knight had used mana rather than divine power.
It was a normal knight who had precisely found and pierced the core of the flesh golem.
¡°How did he do that¡? Did he sense its core?¡±
The young man was fascinated by the knight.
¡°Amazing¡ I thought the pdins of the sect were the best¡ I never thought there would be such materials¡¡±
The excellence of the materials was not only determined by the quality of the body. The talents possessed by the creature also had a significant impact.
In that sense, the knight was the most outstanding material the young man had ever seen.
¡°I found it! With that alone, I can make a doll that will satisfy the Lord!¡±
The young man, Delrunt, spread his arms and cheered in excitement.
***
The crusade made its way into the dungeon.
As they went further in, new flesh golems appeared.
Flesh golems with human bodies attached to their four legs attacked the Crusaders from all sides.
Damien gripped his holy sword to fight the flesh golems.
¡°Damien Haksen, don¡¯t step forward. We¡¯ll handle this battle.¡±
Gamal spoke in a cold voice.
To that, Sanus asked, ¡°Oh my~ Gamal, shall we Blinding Pain can help you~? We¡¯ll strengthen you~.¡±
¡°Not need. We are strong enough to ovee obstacles without being helped by Blinding Pain. You guys should help the other pdins.¡±
After rejecting the offer of help, ¡°Listen up, pdins of Mixed Blizzard, for the honor of our sect, do not let a single one of them out alive.¡±
As soon as Gamal¡¯s order was given, the pdins of the Mixed Blizzard unleashed their divine power.
A chilling cold spread throughout the entire dungeon.
Frost formed on the surface of the flesh golems, noticeably slowing their speed.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
Led by Dionysius, the pdins of the Mixed Blizzard rushed toward the flesh golems.
Whenever the pdins swung their spears, the flesh golems¡¯ bodies shattered like ice.
The flesh golems screamed and retaliated.
However, with their frozen bodies, they couldn¡¯t properly attack the pdins.
¡®It¡¯s a terrifying power no matter how many times I see it.¡¯
The cold of the Mixed Blizzard had the ability to freeze not only objects but also mana.
For undead creatures who were powered by dark mana, it was nothing short of poison.
¡®I can¡¯t copy the abilities of the sect.¡¯
Damien was a rare genius, but he wasn¡¯t omnipotent.
He couldn¡¯t copy the abilities used by the sect. It was apletely different power from magic.
¡°It¡¯s quite a sight, isn¡¯t it?¡±
A voice came from beside him. When he turned his head, Sanus was approaching.
Her snow-white skin and her tinum hair were perfectly straight.
Her holy appearance seemed to have emerged from the holy fire.
¡°The Mixed Blizzard is very strong even among the various sects~. It¡¯s a bit of a w that they have a strong sense of pride~.¡±
Sanus chuckled softly.
¡°I know why he told you to stay still. It¡¯s because of his pride. You alone took down the flesh golem that popped out at the entrance.¡±
It was a ridiculous reason to Damien. If what she said was true, then he wasn¡¯t proud, he was just stupid.
¡°¡Ah, but you killed it too easily. It¡¯s a creature made by filthy dark mages. You should have taken out its organs and chopped them into pieces before killing it.¡±
Sanus muttered, looking sadly at the Mixed Blizzard fighting.
Hearing that, Damien looked at Sanus with a disgusted face.
¡®Radiant Light, that crazy bitch¡¯s disciple. This woman isn¡¯t sane either.¡¯
Damien had fought against all the Great Elders.
Among the five Great Elders, the strongest was Cheongyeum, but the most annoying was Radiant Light.
Radiant Light could be called the most fanatical among the fanatics.
It was so intense that other pdins seemed like atheists.
¡®Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t just Radiant Light. All the guys in the Blinding Pain were crazy.¡¯
During the Death Knight era, dozens of Pdins of Blinding Pain had blown themselves up to kill Damien.
¡°I apologize for doubting you, Sir Damien.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s okay. We have a big problem ahead, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with being thorough.¡±
Damien said indifferently.
He was not happy because Sanus took the side of the mixed snowstorm. But he didn¡¯t harbor any resentment.
¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone fight like you, Sir Damien.¡±
Sanus looked at Damien with eyes that sparkled almost like stars.
It was a gaze he had seen somewhere before. A bad premonition passed through Damien¡¯s mind.
¡°So, I have a question. Are you not interested in bing a pdin?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±
Damien answered bluntly.
¡°Why not? If you be a pdin, you¡¯ll be a representative of God¡¯s wrath. It¡¯s a truly honorable thing.¡±
¡°I¡¯m still too inadequate to represent God¡¯s wrath.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been having such worries¡ But don¡¯t worry. If you¡¯recking, you can fill it up. By the way, there¡¯s a six-month special crash course on the Bible for outsiders at the
Blinding Pain.¡±
Sanus didn¡¯t back down easily. It was when Damien felt tired.
¡°And if you be a pdin, yourck of mana will be resolved.¡±
The words broke the momentary dullness.
As Sanus said, Damien¡¯s weakness was hisck of mana.
He was taking potions and practicing mana-cultivating techniques every day, but he was still far from enough.
To see through it so urately.
¡°Do you not believe me?¡±
She seemed to take Damien¡¯s gaze as doubt and began to exin.
¡°Pdins receive divine power ording to their faith. Every time they eliminate filthy dark mages the gods bestow divine power upon them.¡±
Pdins increased their divine power differently from knights.
Prayer, good deeds, service, and so on.
There were many ways, but the most effective one was to eliminate dark mages.
By eliminating dark mages and offering them to the gods, their divine power increased.
But it wasn¡¯t a particrly attractive choice for Damien.
¡®I can¡¯t be subservient to the church just because Ick mana.¡¯
Bing a pdin meant having to deal with too many annoying things.
Above all, the problem ofck of mana would be resolved over time.
All he had to do wasplete his mana-cultivating technique and take more elixers.
Even just absorbing the spirit heart Damien had would give him a tremendous amount of mana.
¡°How about it? Isn¡¯t it attractive? If Sir Damien wants, we can baptize him right now¡¡±
¡°Sanus, what are you doing now? Why are you trying to take Damien away!¡±
At that moment, Margata screamed.
¡°Margata, it doesn¡¯t matter where Sir Damien belongs. What¡¯s important is that Sir Damien¡¯s skills are used to tear apart the dark mages, right?¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How many pdins have you taken away by doing that? And how many times have youined that other sects are short of manpower!¡±
Margata pushed Sanus.
¡°Stop talking and go back to your sect.¡±
¡°Sir Damien, let¡¯s talk againter.¡±
¡°I said go now!¡±
Margata lifted Sanus and headed towards the Blinding Pain.
As Sanus disappeared, Damien breathed a sigh of relief.
¡°¡Sir Damien.¡±
Agnes looked at Damien with a dark face.
¡°When I tried to persuade you, you refused so firmly. Why couldn¡¯t you refuse Sanus?¡±
Agnes¡¯s voice was full of resentment.
As Damien, it was an absurdint. It wasn¡¯t that Damien couldn¡¯t refuse, it was just that Sanus was persistent despite Damien¡¯s refusal.
¡°I thought Sir Damien wouldn¡¯t give in to Sanus.¡±
¡°But what do you mean by taking a pdin? Isn¡¯t it that only pdins who have awakened their special abilities can join the sect?¡±
To change the subject, Damien asked a question. Agnes answered with an ufortable expression.
¡°Under the pretext of following the doctrine interpreted by the sect, ordinary pdins can also join. Then they can receive the sect¡¯s support. However, they also have an obligation to help the sect in times of need.¡±
That¡¯s why Margata was angry. Sanus had taken away all the good pdins.
¡°Sir Damien, Sanus may be a good person, but you must not fall for her. After all, faith is¡¡±
Agnes began her sermon with a solemn face.
At that moment, something caught Damien¡¯s senses.
Damien drew his holy sword. He swung the holy sword with a mighty force.
The released aura swept across the ceiling, walls, and floor. Blood gushed out from the cracks.
¨C Kieak!
¨C Kieeak!
With a scream, something sprang out from the wall.
They were flesh golems wearing thick armor like insects.
¡°Wha, what¡ what is that!¡±
¡°An ambush! Flesh golems have appeared behind us!¡±
The soldiers panicked and shouted.
¡®They must be the ones with the invisibility ability.¡¯
Damien examined the flesh golems. They hadn¡¯t been visible from this close.
They seemed to have the ability to blend in with the surrounding environment.
¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean theyckbat ability.¡¯
The armor surrounding their bodies looked quite tough. It seemed very difficult to deal with.
Damien raised the aura to deal with the flesh golems.
¡°Sir Damien, please take a rest.¡±
Agnes stopped Damien. She raised her knuckles and said.
¡°I will handle them.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 64
Chapter 64
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 64: The Dungeon(2)
***
Cheongyeum.
One of the five great elders of the Church and leader of a sect ¡®The Incinerator¡¯.
All five great elders were like monsters. Even the master ss called Superhuman was just a childpared to the five great elders.
Damien fought and won against all five great elders.
If you ask him who was the strongest of the five great elders, he will not hesitate to name Cheongyeum.
That¡¯s how great Cheongyeum was. Even Damien remembered him as a dangerous opponent.
Agnes was Cheongyeum¡¯s direct disciple.
Direct disciples referred to those who were considered the highest among all disciples. Agnes was one of the few who received direct teachings from Cheongyeum.
¡°I am going to dedicate this battle to God.¡±
Blue mes began to spread over Agnes¡¯s hands.
The blue mes exploded. In the blink of an eye, Agnes reached the Flesh Golem¡¯s nose.
A series of explosions.
The explosion that started from the elbow pushed the fist forward. The elerated fist struck the Flesh Golem¡¯s neck.
With a nging sound, the Flesh Golem was mmed into the wall.
Agnes moved again. With another explosion, this time she appeared behind another Flesh Golem.
Two consecutive strikes hit the Flesh Golem. Blood burst from its mouth.
¡®She has already mastered Cheongyeum¡¯s battle tactics perfectly.¡¯
The pdins of the sect ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ could control powerful mes that could burn all things to ashes.
But Cheongyeum used this power in a slightly different way.
The power of mes did not harm the owner. Of course, the explosions were the same.
Cheongyeum invented a technique that used the power of explosions to propel him forward.
¡®Although most of the attacks are straightforward and easy to read¡¡¯
Cheongyeum¡¯s self-invented technique showed overwhelming speed and power that overwhelmed this disadvantage.
Before they knew it, all the Flesh Golems were lying on the ground. Agnes looked at Damien and said, ¡°Damien, it¡¯s all over¡¡±
Suddenly, Damien rushed towards Agnes. He wrapped his arms around Agnes¡¯s shoulders and turned his body. At the same time, he stretched his legs backward. The Flesh Golem that was about to attack Agnes was kicked away.
¨C Kieak!
The Flesh Golem was pushed back. With its eyes full of hatred, it red at Damien.
¨C Kieak!
¨C Kieak!
Flesh Golems also got up and roared.
The Flesh Golems were unharmed, only momentarily stunned by the impact.
Their tough skin protected them.
¡°Even after getting hit by the master¡¯s techniques, they are still fine¡?¡±
Agnes muttered with an incredulous expression on her face. Soon after thinking something her face lit up.
¡°Sir Damien, please watch over me again. This time, I will burn them all.¡±
mes began to burn on Agnes¡¯s entire body.
It looked like she was going to use her divine power to reduce the Flesh Golems to ashes.
¡®It seems like she has talent. But there are still too many shorings.¡¯
Damien sighed inwardly.
If Agnes were to fully utilize the power of mes, she could burn these Flesh Golems in an instant.
But they didn¡¯t know how long the dungeon conquest wouldst. They couldn¡¯t afford to waste their strength already.
¡°Miss Agnes, please calm down.¡±
Agnes¡¯s talent would be a great help to the Church.
For the growth of Agnes, Damien gave her one piece of advice.
¡°Quantity is not important. Quality is important.¡±
Damien stood up. Aura was gathered around the Holy Sword. The aura was much denser than usual.
¨C Kieak!
A Flesh Golem rushed towards Damien. It was the one he had just kicked away.
¡°Increase the concentration of divine power. Think of it asva, not fire. Use divine power so dense that it flows, not burns.¡±
Damien swung the Holy Sword. The tough skin that had even withstood Agnes¡¯s punch was cut like a piece of paper. The Flesh Golem was destroyed.
¡°Did you see that?¡±
Damien turned to Agnes. She was looking at him with wide eyes.
¡°Miss Agnes, you can do it too. Remember what I said and try it.¡±
Encouraged by Damien, Agnes clenched her fists. Blue mes started to gathered around her fists.
But the mes subsided. A faint light covering appeared on her fist.
Agnes moved forward. She rushed and struck the Flesh Golem.
The Flesh Golem¡¯s skin shattered like a cookie. Its core crumbled and exploded.
A faint smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips.
She learned it so quickly. Indeed, she had the exceptional talent to be considered a direct disciple of a great elder.
Perhaps she could even reach the level of a master.
¡®I¡¯m d I participated in the crusade.¡¯
Watching Agnes overwhelm the Flesh Golem, Damien was very satisfied.
***
After that, the Crusaders fought a few more battles.
As they continued to advance, a wide space appeared.
¡°Huh? It splits into five paths?¡±
Margata pointed ahead and said. There were five entrances in the wall.
¡°Now the real dungeon begins.¡±
Gamal muttered, looking at the five entrances.
¡°Let¡¯s take a break here. Soldiers, start preparing meals. Margata, Sanus, follow me. We need to discuss about that.¡±
After saying that, Gamal turned around.
¡°Why is he suddenly acting like a leader?¡±
Margata thought, looking at Gamal with a displeased face.
¡°Well, he¡¯s always been eager to take charge.¡±
¡°You seem to know a lot about Gamal~?¡±
¡°What do you mean ¡®know a lot¡¯? He¡¯s always like that, so I know.¡±
¡°Margata~ Let¡¯s go together~.¡±
Margata moved towards where Gamal was heading. Sanus followed behind.
While the 2nd-grade pdins were discussing, the soldiers started preparing meals.
The soldiers started bringing food like jerky and dried bread.
¡°Sir Damien, rest here. I¡¯ll bring it.¡±
Before Damien could move, Agnes spoke first.
¡°No need for that.¡±
The two turned their heads towards the sound.
Dionysius, the pdin of ¡®Mixed Blizzard¡¯ sect, was standing with food in his hand.
¡°Here, take it.¡±
Dionysius handed the food to Agnes. Agnes took the food and thanked him briefly.
¡°Thanks.¡±
¡°You¡¯re my big sister, so I brought it for you.¡±
Saying that, Dionysius turned around.
Before leaving, Dionysius gave Damien a sharp look.
It seemed that he had not forgotten his defeat from the previous day.
¡°Sir Damien, take it.¡±
Agnes handed half of the food to Damien. Damien chewed on a piece of jerky and asked.
¡°You seem quite close to that pdin.¡±
¡°Are you talking about Dionysius? I¡¯ve taken care of him a few times when he was still an ordinary pdin.¡±
Agnes grabbed a piece of bread with both hands and started eating it.
¡°He kept saying he would join the ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ after following me. But he ended up going to the Mixed Blizzard.¡±
Agnes¡¯s voice was tinged with regret. It seemed they were quite close.
Damien and Agnes were silent for a moment, focusing on their meal.
Throughout the meal, Agnes looked inside the cave.
Her face was calm, but there was a strange fire burning deep in her eyes.
¡°Why are you pursuing Corpsey?¡±
Damien asked suddenly.
All pdins abhor dark mages. Dark mages are beings who oppose the gods.
But Agnes¡¯s hatred seemed to be not for such reasons. It seemed to be more personal.
¡°¡You¡¯re asking about personal matters so easily. Sir Damien, you¡¯re quite indifferent.¡±
¡°If you are not okay with it, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±
¡°No, You came all this way for me, and it would be rude to keep it from you. You¡¯ve taught me some important lessons.¡±
Agnes took a sip from her water bottle. She looked somewhat frustrated.
¡°Do you know how corpsey first came to be known to the world?¡±
¡°He got famous after an incident where arge vige was turned into an undeadir.¡±
¡°That vige is my hometown.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the shocking reveal.
He had never expected there to be survivors in that vige.
¡°I still remember it vividly. It was the day my brother finally returned home.¡±
Agnes continued with a sigh.
¡°My brother was a pdin. Like me, he was a member of the ¡®The Incinerator.¡¯ He was the most promising pdin.¡±
Agnes¡¯s talent was exceptional. Her brother must have been a great pdin as well.
¡°I liked listening to my brother¡¯s stories. That day, I was urging him to tell me about the mission he had been given by the Church.¡±
Agnes¡¯s expression softened slightly.
¡°Suddenly, we heard screams from outside. My brother rushed outside. I followed him without knowing anything and¡ saw it.¡±
Creatures were pouring into the vige from outside.
They were not ordinary creatures they were different types of creatures, and they were attacking and killing the vigers.
¡°At that moment, I believe my brother realized that he could not solve the problem with his powers, so decided to hide me in arge box in the house.¡±
Agnes¡¯s expression stiffened again.
¡°And he gave me something in the box. Later, I found out it was a holy relic of stealth specially provided by the sect to protect talented pdins in tough situations.¡±
Young Agnes trembled with fear inside the box.
All she could see was the faint scenery outside through the cracks in the box.
¡°I kept hearing screams from outside. It was the screams of people I knew, like the neighbor Cecile and Mr. Obel from across the street. Then, I heard my brother¡¯s voicest.¡±
Agnes¡¯s hand holding the food was trembling slightly.
¡°I didn¡¯t even know if my brother was alive or dead, I was trapped in the box. I was hungry and thirsty, but I couldn¡¯t leave. My brother¡¯s request not toe out until someone opened the the box. When my mind became hazy, and I had no strength in my body¡ the lid of the box opened.¡±
The Crusade sent by the Church had arrived.
After dealing with the undead, the Crusade discovered Agnes while searching the vige.
Since then, Agnes has been under the protection of the Church. Only after fully recovering her strength could she hear the truth about what happened in the vige.
A dark mage known as Corpsey was responsible whole massacre.
And it goes without saying that Agnes was the only survivor in the vige.
Agnes looked at Damien. Her eyes were as dim as a dried-up well.
***
¡°Is the meal going well?¡±
Margata returned a whileter.
¡°I just discussed ns with Gamal. There are about five entrances. Should we split up or we go in one by one to be sure.¡±
Margata chewed on some jerky thoughtfully.
¡°What were your thoughts?¡±
¡°Me? I was in favor of dividing. The entrances and corridors are small, so it would be too crowded if we all rushed in at once.¡±
Even though Margata had seen how strong the Flesh Golems were on the way here, she was still suggesting splitting the forces without any concern.
Perhaps it was due to her confidence.
The sect¡¯s 2nd-grade pdin had earned the right to be so arrogant.
¡°Sanus shared the same opinion. Gamal wants us all to go in together, but Sanus and I suggested dividing. What could he do?¡±
¡°Is it confirmed that each will enter separately?¡±
¡°Seems like it.¡±
¡°Then your role will be crucial once the forces are divided. You¡¯re the strongest among us.¡±
Margata raised an eyebrow at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°That¡¯s not it, We¡¯re lucky to have you here. Thanks to you, there have been no casualties, and we¡¯ve been conserving our strength.¡±
The Flesh Golem blocking the entrance was unusual. If it weren¡¯t for Damien, there might have been casualties.
The Flesh Golem with tough skins was the same. It almost caused significant damage to the forces because of its stealth and ability to tank hits.
¡°I look forward to the future¡¡.¡±
Damien¡¯s senses picked up something. He stood up with his Holy Sword.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Margata asked with a puzzled expression.
It was right after that. Eerie sounds began to emanate from the five entrances.
The forces immediately stood up and held their weapons. Both soldiers and pdins stared at the entrance with tense expressions.
Five Flesh Golems walked out of the entrances one by one.
They had elongated arms like monkeys, and their lower bodies were snake-like.
All five were so tall that their heads almost touched the ceiling. They were emitting a dense dark mana that made it difficult to breathe.
¡°These are formidable foes.¡±
Margata muttered under her breath, licking her lips.
¡°Agnus, Damien, stay still. It seems like we have to deal with them.¡±
Agnus reached out for her weapon hanging from her waist.
Seeing that, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.
¡°Is that¡Gauntlet?¡±
Damien had thought it was a blunt instrument for crushing, but it was actually a protective gauntlet for her fist.
Other 2nd-grade pdins seemed to feel what Margata and Damien sensed.
Gamal took out a spear for the first time. Sanus held arge axe like a guillotine.
¡°Gamal, I¡¯ll attack first. You provide support.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯re my support.¡±
¡°Everyone, stop fighting.¡±
A 2nd-grade pdins of the Church.
On top of the disciples of the Five Great Elders.
Despite not raising their divine power, an indescribable pressure emanated from the three.
¡°Ah, forget it. I won¡¯t fight you. I¡¯ll fight with Sanus.¡±
¡°Childish¡¡±
Margata and Gamal were bickering.
Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from beneath their feet.
At the same time, the ground where the crusade stood copsed all at once.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 65
Chapter 65
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 65: The Dungeon(3)
***
The crusade fell, its members entangled and intertwined with debris, as if they were caught in a spider¡¯s web.
¡°Aaaah!¡±
The soldiers and pdins screamed like children.
No matter how experienced they were, falling into an endless darkness was a first for them.
¡®To blow up such a vast area ofnd, you must have been well prepared¡¯.
Damien remarked, his voice tinged with admiration and a hint of surprise.
Even Damien didn¡¯t feel uneasy standing on the ground. The thickness of the ground was evidence of its sturdiness.
It wasn¡¯t easy to copse such arge piece ofnd all at once.
¡®It¡¯s so deep. I can¡¯t see the end.¡¯
[PR Note- Me when I saw her¡¯s¡ Ahem! Ahem!]
Even if he amplified his eyesight with mana, he couldn¡¯t see the bottom.
Even the pdins seemed unlikely to survive if they fell here.
¡®Did he excavate the entire mountain? That¡¯s why the dungeon entrance was on the mountain peak.¡¯
The reason the dungeon was located on the mountain seemed to be to create such a deep space.
¡®Corpsey didn¡¯t attract the Church¡¯s attention without proper preparations.¡¯
With Damien¡¯s skill, he could have stepped on the rubble and jumped up to safety.
However, Damien didn¡¯t opt for that route. The dark mana emanating from below was too potent. This was where Damien and the crusade going to fall.
Terrifying dark mana was emanating in the depths where darkness piled upyer byyer.
Until now, he couldn¡¯t feel it because of the solid ground.
As soon as it disappeared, he could feel it vividly as if it were right in front of him.
¡®Corpsey, there you are.¡¯
A smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips. He had finally found the prey he was expecting.
¡°Soldiers and pdins, listen up!¡±
At that moment, Gamal¡¯s voice echoed.
A 2nd-grade pdin might have seen the debris as a means of escaping the trap, just as Damien had initially considered.
But Gamal was falling with the Crusaders. It was to save as many people as possible.
Margata and Sanus also continue to fall down with the crusade like Gamal.
¡°Activate the holy relic given by the Church! If you use the holy relic, you can survive even if you fall from this height!¡±
It was to save as many people as possible.
¡°If you fall down, don¡¯t move and wait for rescue! We will definitelye to save you!¡±
Gamal shouted towards Sanus.
¡°Sanus! Use buffs! You must protect them all!¡±
¡°Yes~ I got it~.¡±
Even in such a situation, Sanus still seemed calm. When Sanus put her hands together, a bright light surrounded the crusade.
The divine power surrounded the body. It seemed to have a protective effect in collisions.
Unfortunately, in the urgent situation, the effect wasn¡¯t significant.
¡°Margata! Move immediately if you fall down! You have to rescue as many people as possible!¡±
¡°I got it! Trust me!¡±
After Margata shouted loudly, the crusade collided with the ground.
***
Just before the collision with the ground, Damien rotated his body in mid-air.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he bent his knees and waist to absorb the impact.
Hisnding was as soft as a feather drifting down.
¡°Ow, it hurts.¡±
But there was still some impact. Damien stretched his back and grumbled.
¡°Aaaah!¡±
At that moment, someone else fell. With a loud noise, a pit was dug into the ground.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
Someone crawled out of the pit. Surprisingly, it was Dionysius.
¡°D-Damien Haksen?¡±
Even Dionysius was surprised. He looked at Damien with a worried face.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get treated quickly? You don¡¯t look okay.¡±
¡°Who said I¡¯m not okay? This kind of impact¡ Aaargh!¡±
Before he could get up, Dionysius screamed.
Dionysiusy on the ground and activated divine power. The wounds began to heal.
¡°Darn it.¡±
Dionysius grumbled as he got up. It seemed like everything was resolved perfectly.
¡®This is why pdins are such a pain in the ass.¡¯
Pdins could use divine power for self-healing.
It was difficult to use during battle, and it consumed a lot of divine power, but it was a significant advantage.
¡°Of all people, you had to fall with me.¡±
Dionysius grumbled at Damien. Damien shrugged.
¡°Youin a lot. If someone saw you, they¡¯d think you came here to have fun, not to fight.¡±
¡°W-Who¡¯sining! Anyway, you¡¯re the guy who¡¯s annoying me¡¡±
At that moment, Dionysius¡¯s expression changed.
He aimed the spear at Damien. The spearhead was about to pierce Damien¡¯s face.
Damien didn¡¯t dodge the attack. The spear grazed his cheek, and then, with a swift motion, it passed through, stabbing a silhouette thating from behind.
-Kieeek¡!
The flesh golem, shaped like a bat, was screaming with the spear piercing through it.
¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down and look around. We¡¯re in the dark mage¡¯s dungeon right now.¡±
Damien looked at Dionysius with a surprised expression.
Damien had been aware from the start that the flesh golem was approaching.
He had left it alone out of curiosity about how Dionysius would act. He never expected Dionysius to save him.
¡°I thought you had a grudge against me.¡±
¡°Yeah! I do! I¡¯ll definitely get revengeter! ¡But that doesn¡¯t mean I can just let you die.¡±
Damien looked at Dionysius with an unexpected feeling.
He had thought Dionysius was just a reckless kid when he showed anger towards him.
But now he realized that he was someone who could distinguish between work and personal feelings.
¡°And if you die, Sister Agnes will be sad.¡±
¡°What? Are you interested in Agnes?¡±
¡°What, what nonsense!¡±
Dionysius shouted. His reaction reminded Damien of his younger brother, Abel.
¡°Stop talking nonsense and follow me! We need to join the others!¡±
Dionysius took a few steps forward. But he didn¡¯t go far before stopping.
In the darkness, a man covered in rags appeared.
¡°¡Is that a person?¡±
Dionysius looked at the man with a puzzled expression.
¡°I¡¯m a pdin dispatched by the church. Did you escape from the warlock?¡±
Dionysius tried to approach the man. At that moment, Damien grabbed Dionysius¡¯s shoulder.
¡°What are you doing?¡±
¡°Look closely. That¡¯s not a human.¡±
Damien pointed at the man. Dionysius¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
¡°¡The skin is stitched like rags?¡±
Damien had known from the beginning that the man was not a human but a flesh golem.
¡®It must be the inner area of the dungeon. Seeing such high-quality flesh golems already¡¡¯
The Corpsey had one peculiar obsession.
The more meticulously he crafted his flesh golems, the closer they resembled humans in appearance.
To him, it was a matter of beauty, but to Damien, it was simply a matter of horrible taste.
A flesh golem in the shape of a human.
The Corpsey had given it the ridiculous name of ¡®Masterpiece.¡¯
¡°Waaah!¡±
A beastly roar came from the man¡¯s mouth. Soon, his entire body began to swell.
The man, who had just been of average build, transformed into a muscr figure surpassing an ogre.
¡°Darn it, that was a flesh golem too.¡±
Dionysius raised his spear with a disgusted look on his face. A gray aura covered the spear.
¡°I don¡¯t have time to deal with the likes of you!¡±
Dionysius rushed towards the flesh golem. He tried to pierce its chest with the spear.
But as soon as the spear touched the skin, the aura dissipated.
¡°¡What?¡±
The spear, without of divine power, was nothing more than amon spearhead. It proved ineffective against the flesh golem¡¯s tough skin.
¡°Waaah!¡±
The flesh golem swung its palm at Dionysius. He coughed a mouthful of blood and copsed to the ground.
¡°Wha¡ how¡¡±
Dionysius looked at the flesh golem in astonishment.
He wasn¡¯t mistaken. He had definitely thrust the spear, but the divine power disappeared.
¡°D-Damien Haksen¡! Run¡! That thing is¡ dangerous¡! Don¡¯t fight it¡¡±
Dionysius shouted at Damien. He couldn¡¯t run away because of his injuries, so he tried to save Damien at least.
But when Dionysius saw Damien¡¯s face, he felt his mind gone nk.
Laughter.
A creepy smile appeared on Damien¡¯s face as he looked at the flesh golem.
It was an exaggerated and vivid smile as if someone was pulling the skin on his face from behind.
¡®I thought there might be a chance.¡¯
Damien¡¯s hand tightened around the holy sword, it started radiating a brilliant glow.
¡®Indeed, he is connected to Dorugo.¡¯
It seemed to stimte Damien¡¯s fighting spirit. The flesh golem roared and charged.
Damien also charged without hesitation. The flesh golem¡¯s fist came down toward his head.
Damien didn¡¯t dodge and instead struck with his sword. As the holy sword met the fist, the fist split in half.
Damien slightly adjusted the angle of the de. The flesh golem¡¯s massive arm was cut off vertically.
¨C Ugh?
The Flesh Golem stared at his hand in disbelief.
A line was drawn in the air as the knee was cut in half.
¨C Ugh!
The flesh golem¡¯s body tilted to one side. It tried to regain its bnce by iling its arms.
Damien then climbed onto the flesh golem¡¯s chest. When he kicked the golem on its chest, the flesh golem fell back weakly.
¨C Ugh!
The flesh golem swung its arms to grab him.
Damien cut those arms as if they were bothersome. The thick arms of the flesh golem flew far away.
¡®Corpsey! I knew it from the beginning!¡¯
Damien muttered iprehensibly. He started to chop the flesh golem with great joy.
¡®He must have received it from that bastard! Where did he put it? Here? Or here?¡¯
Blood and flesh sttered everywhere. Damien¡¯s body was dyed red.
Yet, the creepy smile that appeared on Damien¡¯s face did not disappear.
With continuous shing, the flesh golem came to aplete stop. But Damien¡¯s hands did not stop.
Dionysius trembled all over at the horrifying sight.
¡®I found it.¡¯
Damien took something out of the flesh golem¡¯s body. A round stone was filled with strange runes.
¡°Take it.¡±
Damien threw the stone at Dionysius.
¡°Take it to the church and have it checked. You might find out why the divine power was absorbed.¡±
Damien already knew the answer.
This was no ordinary item. It was a magical tool created after years of research by Dorugo to fight the church.
Due to this magical tool, the church suffered great losses in the war against Dorugo. They found a way to deal with it towards the end of the war, but the tide had already turned.
This time, Damien discovered it first and handed it over to the church. They would be able to find a solution more quickly.
¡°Can you move?¡±
Damien asked Dionysius.
¡°Yes, I can.¡±
¡°Why the sudden formality?¡±
¡°I-I just¡ I thought it was necessary¡¡±
Dionysius uses his divine power to heal his body.
¡°Let¡¯s get moving if you¡¯re ready.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Damien, with Dionysius, who was unusually polite, moved on.
***
They walked for a long time, but they didn¡¯t see any other survivors.
¡°I can¡¯t see the end. How big is this ce?¡±
Dionysius looked around.
¡°From what I observed during our fall, it appears that the entire interior of the mountain has been hollowed out. It¡¯s likely muchrger here than the dungeon size we previously estimated.¡±
As he spoke, Damien had one question in mind.
The Corpsey was an excellent Flesh Golem creator but he didn¡¯t have the ability to carve out a mountain like that.
¡®Are there any other mages working with him besides dark mages?¡¯
There are no dark magic users who can manipte Earth. It was outside the realm of dark magic.
So it was clear that there were other mages from different fields.
¡®Well, there weren¡¯t just dark mages under Dorugo¡¯smand.¡¯
Dorugo¡¯s forces had a lot of different races who had gathered out of hatred for humans.
They cooperated with Dorugo to destroy humanity.
As he was thinking about this and walking.
Suddenly, a wide hall appeared. The ceiling and surroundings were all wide.
¡°Oh my~.¡±
For the first time since arriving here, another person¡¯s voice was heard.
¡°Both of you are alive~?¡±
Sanus, the second-grade pdin of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯, spoke in her usual soft tone.
Sanus wasn¡¯t alone. There were several more members of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ standing around.
¡°I¡¯m so d to see you both safe~.¡±
Dionysius¡¯s pupils widened when he saw Sanus.
It wasn¡¯t because he was happy. It was because of someone Sanus was holding.
¡°Cough¡¡ Cough¡¡¡±
The person caught in Sanus¡¯s hand coughed up blood.
At that sight, Dionysius shouted urgently.
¡°Death for Gamal!¡±
***
When she collided with the ground, Agnes felt a pain as if her entire body was being torn apart.
She almost lost consciousness, but Agnes somehow managed to hold on.
This ce was the dungeon of the dark mage. Losing consciousness was akin to dying.
¡°Agnes! Snap out of it!¡±
Suddenly, Margata appeared in her field of vision. Fortunately, it seemed that Margata had fallen into the same ce as Agnes.
Margata supported Agnes. Unlike Agnes, who was barely holding on, Margata looked fine.
¡°Hurry up and heal your body with divine power!¡±
Agnes began to heal her wounds with divine power as Margata instructed.
The broken bones quickly mended, and the torn muscles returned to their original state.
¡°Sister, what happened to the others?¡±
As Agnes got up, she asked. Margata silently pointed somewhere.
She turned to look and saw a pdin and a soldier, their entire bodies crushed to death.
Agnes had only barely managed to survive, but the other knights and soldiers were at an impossible height.
¡°¡¡But there must still be people alive. Let¡¯s go find them.¡±
At Margata¡¯s words, Agnes nodded.
¡°Materials are already showing up?¡±
At that moment, a strange voice was heard.
Agnes and Margata quickly turned to where the sound came from.
¡°To fall right where I am. Both of you are unlucky.¡±
A young man who looked so frail that he could copse at any moment was looking at them.
¡°Who are you? Reveal your identity.¡±
Margata said with a guarded face.
The young man weakly smiled and said.
¡°Corpsey.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 66
Chapter 66
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 66: The Traitor (1)
***
¡°Death for Gamal!¡±
Dionysius shouted urgently.
¡°Madam Sanus! What is this?¡±
¡°Dionysius~ Calm down~.¡±
Sanus spoke in his usual calm voice.
¡°Gamal was the one who attacked first~ We were resting with our sect¡¯s pdins when Gamal, who had been hiding, attacked~.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Why did Sir Gamal do such a thing?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask Gamal?¡±
Dionysius looked at Gamal with trembling eyes. Gamal screamed at Sanus.
¡°Dionysius! Don¡¯t believe her. Sanus¡ cough!¡±
Sanus squeezed harder on Gamal¡¯s neck. Gamal coughed up blood.
¡°Death for Gamal!¡±
Dionysius shouted urgently and tried to save Gamal.
But the pdins of Blinding Pain blocked Dionysius¡¯s way.
¡°Don¡¯te any closer. You might be on Gamal¡¯s side too.¡±
¡°There must be some misunderstanding. Why did Sir Gamal ambush Madam Sanus?¡±
¡°Misunderstanding? Several of our knights almost died. Can you call that a misunderstanding?¡±
Dionysius bit his lip at Sanus¡¯s words.
¡°Then please arrest me and Sir Gamal. We¡¯ll have a fair trial at Church!¡±
¡°That¡¯s not possible~ We¡¯re in a dangerous ce right now~ We can¡¯t leave any loose ends~.¡±
Sanus grabbed Gamal¡¯s neck and raised her axe. Dionysius was about to leap forward to save Gamal.
¡°Did Sir Gamal ambush you?¡±
Damien, who had been watching quietly, asked Sanus.
¡°Yes~.¡±
¡°And you subdued him?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right~.¡±
¡°You seem too fine for that. Considering that you seem quite unscathed
Originally, the attacking side had a significant advantage over the defending side.
Moreover, Gamal was a 2nd-grade pdin like Sanus. If Gamal had attacked, Sanus would have suffered considerable damage.
Even if that was the case, the surroundings should have been in chaos.
¡°Are you sure it¡¯s Gamal who attacked first?¡±
Sanus smiled slyly at Damien¡¯s question.
¡°Oh my, you¡¯re not fooled~.¡±
***
¡°Madam Sanus, what are you talking about?¡±
Dionysius asked with a trembling voice. Sanus spoke naturally.
¡°What do you mean? I ambushed Gamal first. I nned to subdue you both after you let your guard down, but it didn¡¯t work.¡±
Dionysius¡¯s eyes narrowed with tension.
¡°Why would you do such a thing¡!¡±
¡°Ah, I don¡¯t have any grudge against Gamal. It¡¯s all to fulfill the will of the gods.¡±
Dionysius¡¯s forehead creased at the cryptic words.
¡°The Church has be too soft. Just look at the recent incidents in the Jousting tournament. We only interrogated the nobles who participated in thepetition and sent them back. It¡¯s trulymentable.¡±
¡°That¡¯s just natural after the interrogation is over¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯smentable.¡±
Sanus shook her head with a sigh.
¡°If it were the old Church, they would have started by cutting off the fingers of the participants one by one. Anyone who was even slightly suspicious would have been burned at the stake. People have to suffer to bring out the truth.¡±
While the church was renowned for its fanaticism, it was unexpectedly more softened now.
There was a time when they killed all the vigers because they couldn¡¯t find the hidden dark mages.
¡°Our Blinding Pain has always been regrettable in that regard. That¡¯s why we n to lead the Church to its former glory.¡±
¡°And what does that have to do with killing Gamal?¡±
¡°It does. In order to carry out the n, our Blinding Pain needs to be the backbone of the Church. We have to stand above the other sects.¡±
The best way to weaken the power of other sects is to kill talented pdins who can lead other sects in the future.
And in this Crusade, there were not only the Mixed Blizzard¡¯s ordinary pdins but also Gamal, a disciple of the ck Snow and Cheongyeum¡¯s two direct disciples.
¡°¡Are you really trying to kill Gamal for that reason?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you understand? It doesn¡¯t matter. I can¡¯t understand you either.¡±
Sanus released Gamal. Gamal fell to the ground weakly.
¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re doing this. Since we can¡¯t understand each other, all that¡¯s left is to shed more blood, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Sanus raised his axe high.
¡°Death for Gamal!¡±
Dionysius, unable to control his rage, rushed at Sanus.
But the pdins of Blinding Pain again blocked Dionysius¡¯s path.
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
Dionysius swung his spear, but the pdin blocked it with his shield.
At that moment, light burst from the shield.
¡°Cough!¡±
Dionysius¡¯s body was thrown back. He spat out blood and rolled on the ground.
¡°Don¡¯t resist in vain. Our Blinding Pain will rise to glory today.¡±
What had just sent Dionysius flying was not a pdin¡¯s skill.
The shield had released a shockwave of its own, sending Dionysius flying.
¡°D-Damien¡ run away¡¡±
Dionysius spat out blood as he spoke.
¡°I¡¯m armed with a high-level holy relic¡! No matter who you are, you can¡¯t win¡!¡±
Dionysius used his spear as support and struggled to stand up.
¡°I¡¯ll hold them off here! You go and join the Incinerator¡ Argh!¡±
Damien kicked Dionysius¡¯s leg. Dionysius¡¯s bnce copsed, and he fell to the ground.
¡°W-What are you doing!¡±
¡°You can¡¯t even stand up, and you¡¯re trying to hold them off¡ Sit down and heal your wounds.¡±
Damien stepped forward. Sanus looked at Damien with a surprised expression.
¡°Are you seriously going to fight us?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not going to let you go anyway, and I¡¯ll be in trouble if I run away and tell the other pdins of your treachery.¡±
Damien replied bluntly. Sanusughed.
¡°The more I see, the more I regret it. Well, Sir Damien, why don¡¯t you join our blinding pain now, and we¡¯ll spare you.¡±
Instead of answering, Damien drew his holy sword.
Sanus sighed as if disappointed with the clear refusal.
¡°Kill him, but don¡¯t let your guard down, he¡¯s quite skilled.¡±
Just now, the pdin who had sent Dionysius flying charged forward.
Damien swung his sword towards the pdin. The pdin raised his shield in response.
The holy sword shed with the shield. In the next moment, the de of the holy sword pierced through the shield.
The shield split without resistance as if cutting through cheese with a red-hot knife.
The body of the pdin holding the shield was also split in the same way. Crimson blood spilled onto the ground.
¡°¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Every person in the room wore an expression of disbelief.
When a knight used aura, they could slice through steel tes with ease.
But that wasn¡¯t an ordinary shield; it was a holy relic. It was an item that wouldn¡¯t even have scratches if an ogre struck it.
¡°You were too careless. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate me.¡±
Careless?
Could one expect a shield, a high-level holy relic, to cut like tofu?
Could it be called carelessness just because one didn¡¯t anticipate it?
¡°Are you all just going to watch?¡±
Damien looked at the remaining two and asked. The two pdins growled in response.
¡°Oh Lord! We offer this battle to you!¡±
¡°We are the executors of God¡¯s wrath!¡±
Both pdins swung their weapons towards Damien.
Just before the weapons could make contact, Damien disappeared before their eyes. Suddenly, Damien was standing behind the two pdins.
¡°Wha¡?¡±
¡°Wha¡?¡±
Blood sprayed from the necks of the two. Their heads fell to the ground. Their bodies, now headless, staggered and copsed.
3rd-grade pdins of the Blinding Pain sect were killed by a single stroke. They didn¡¯t even seem to realize that they had been attacked.
¡°You¡¡±
Witnessing this unbelievable scene, Sanus came to one conclusion.
¡°You weren¡¯t low ss after all.¡±
¡°As you can see.¡±
Damien responded nonchntly to Sanus¡¯s question.
¡°You said you betrayed others to fulfill the will of God?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not betrayal, it¡¯s just¡¡±
¡°No matter how you sugarcoat it, it¡¯s still betrayal.¡±
Damien cut off Sanus¡¯s words.
¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t help but be grateful to God. Thanks to that, I was able to quickly identify the traitor.¡±
Perhaps even in a past life, the Blinging Pain was a traitor.
The Blinding Pain side must have thought they could handle a Corpsey on their own.
They had sent a 2nd-grade pdin, opened up the sect¡¯s armory, and armed them with high-level holy relics.
However, as the results showed, such thoughts were nothing but a big misconception.
¡°It¡¯s unpleasant. Don¡¯t belittle our decision with words like betrayal.¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t ept it, then don¡¯t. I have no intention of convincing you.¡±
Damien circtes his aura. Aura covered the surface of the holy sword.
¡°Are you really going to challenge me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m somewhat of a coward, you see. If I spare a traitor, I¡¯ll be constantly paranoid about getting stabbed in the back.¡±
Sanus responded with a smirk.
¡°Fair enough.¡±
A tremendous divine power emanated from Sanus¡¯s body.
***
¡°How much do you know about the Blinding Pain?¡±
The divine power emanating from Sanus was like the sun. It was so bright and hot that even standing nearby was unbearable.
¡°The Blinding Pain can enhance anything. It can simply improve physical abilities like strength, agility, and endurance¡ If you delve deeper, it can also strengthen armor and sharpen weapons.¡±
It was impossible not to know.
Damien recalled the time during the Death Knight era when he fought against the Radiant Light.
The Radiant Light enhanced gravity to crush and kill tens of thousands of undead.
¡°The power of the Blinding Pain can be stacked. As you reach higher levels, the number of times you can stack it also increases.¡±
Sanus gently ced the axe de on the ground. Then, with a loud bang, the ground split open.
It was the result of simply enhancing the sharpness and weight of the weapon.
¡°How many times do you think I can stack it?¡±
¡°About ten times?¡±
¡°Thirty times.¡±
Sanus disappeared. The sound of a sonic boom was heard, and she suddenly appeared in front of Damien.
Sanus swung the axe down. Damien leaped backward.
As the axe struck the ground, thousands of cracks appeared. The ground and surrounding walls werepletely shattered.
Damien was amazed by the sheer power.
¡®I can¡¯t even dream of deflecting it now.¡¯
However, the stronger the enemy¡¯s attack, the more mana was consumed. Damien¡¯s mana was not enough to deflect Sanus¡¯s attack.
¡°What, you¡¯re still fighting back?¡±
Sanus said with a surprised expression. Meanwhile, she continued to swing the axe at Damien.
Damien dodged the axe without trying to block it. Blocking such an attack would be suicidal.
¡°Didn¡¯t you just reach Middle ss~?.¡±
Sanus had enhanced her physical abilities dozens of times, making every attack incredibly fast and powerful.
If it was a beginner Middle ss, he would have died without even being able to dodge a single blow.
¡°You¡¯re amazing! Excellent! Let me ask you again! Are you willing to join the Blinding Pain¡?¡±
Damien¡¯s hand moved. He swung the holy sword and cut Sanus¡¯s body in various ces.
Despite being incredibly fast and powerful, Sanus¡¯s movements wererge, leaving many openings.
Moreover, unlike other pdins, she wore a white robe, making her an easy target.
However, despite being cut several times, Sanus¡¯s body was intact. Only her clothes were cut, and his body was unharmed.
¡°Oh~ You¡¯re not listening to me while I¡¯m talking.¡±
Sanus said with a wless face. Damien inwardly clicked his tongue.
¡®She¡¯s damn tough.¡¯
Sanus had ¡®hardened¡¯ her skin to block Damien¡¯s attack. It was too hard to pierce, even with an aura.
¡°If you don¡¯t intend to be my pdin¡ Then I¡¯ll just have to kill you!¡±
Sanus swung the axe again. She ignored defense and focused only on the attack.
¡®She¡¯s too arrogant. She has too much faith in the power of Blinding Pain.¡¯
Despite having such an incredible ability, the Radiant Light was not the strongest among the five Great Elders.
There was a reason for that. The Blinding Pain was a very useful skill, but it was too wed to be called the best.
But the power of The Mixed Blizzard and The Incinerator can be used in many ways andbined with many skills. There was no end to the techniques that could be created.
However, the ability of Blinding Pain was only about enhancing existing abilities and things, making it easy to predict.
Sanus was a perfect example.
She had enhanced her physical abilities and defense, and although she was attacking, she had not seeded innding a single effective blow on Damien.
Even though Damien¡¯s skill was excellent, ultimately, Sanus¡¯s attacks were just swinging the axe.
¡®Besides, enhancement consumes a lot of divine power. The more times you stack it, the more it consumes.¡¯
Moreover, enhancement was not a one-time thing. Divine power was continuously consumed with each stack.
Sanus just wants to end this in the short term.
If he could drag out the time, it would be Damien¡¯s victory. But Damien didn¡¯t intend to spend much time on Sanus.
¡®There¡¯s a Corpsey. I can¡¯t afford to be tied up by this girl.¡¯
Damien¡¯s movements changed. He dodged the axe and rushed toward Sanus.
At the same time, he stabbed with his sword. The long de grazed past Sanus¡¯s neck.
¡°It¡¯s useless¡¡¡±
The sword cut Sanus¡¯s neck. It seemed to have cut the artery. Blood spurted out like a fountain.
Sanus backed away with a shocked expression. Quickly, she used divine power to regenerate the wound.
¡°How¡?¡±
Sanus looked at Damien with a shocked expression.
Among the masters Damien had fought, there was one called the Killer Ghost.
The Killer ghost was a person who had reached the master¡¯s level with the art of killing.
Where to cut to easily cut a person¡¯s muscles. How to cut to cut a person¡¯s bones in half.
After studying these gruesome methods, Killer Ghost attained mastery of the Life-Taking sword and rose to the level of a master.
After mastering the Life-Taking sword technique, the Killer Ghost could cut a person¡¯s body with just a twig.
No matter how much Sanus stacked his defensive abilities, it was useless. With the Life-Taking sword technique, he could ignore the ¡°enhancements¡± and cut through the person.
¡°I don¡¯t know what trick you pulled, but this much is certain. You¡¯re too dangerous to keep alive.¡±
Sanus pulled out divine power. The divine power gathered on the axe.
¡°So I¡¯ll finish this with this.¡±
Damien immediately recognized what technique Sanus was preparing.
It was a technique that pdins of Blinding Pain often used.
In simple terms, it was a downward sh.
However, the Blinding Pain enhanced every aspect of this simple movement, resulting in tremendous destructive power.
Every movement of lifting the axe, stepping forward, putting strength into both arms, and swinging the axe was ¡°enhanced¡±.
When the axe fell, the weight, intensity, and cutting power of the axe were ¡°enhanced¡±.
Finally, the destructive power and explosive power of thepressed divine power were ¡°enhanced¡±.
It was a simple and brutal attack, but there was no way to evade it.
Even if you avoided the attack, the aftermath would cause significant damage.
Avoiding it was a losing proposition. On this side, you had to counter it with an appropriate technique.
¡°I¡¯ll finish you off with this attack.¡±
Damien grabbed the holy sword with both hands. He bent his arms and pressed them against his head. Finally, he aimed the tip of the wword at Sanus.
A simple stabbing posture.
In that movement, Sanus could only sneer.
¡°You¡¯re so arrogant. You think you can block me with that?¡±
¡°The real arrogant one is you. You almost died just now because your neck was cut.¡±
Sanus¡¯s expression twisted at Damien¡¯s mockery.
¡°Let¡¯s see who the real arrogant one is!¡±
Sanus kicked the ground and leaped out. An elongated afterimage extended all the way to where Damien was.
The axe,pressed to the limit of divine power, fell from above his head.
Damien thrust the sword towards the axe.
The sword and the axe collided. The next moment, all the divine power of the axe scattered.
It wasn¡¯t just the divine power. The axe de shattered and broke into pieces, turning into powder.
¡°What¡?¡±
Sanus¡¯s face was bewildered.
With her knowledge, she couldn¡¯t understand what had happened.
¡®Annihtion¡¯
The technique was created by Cheongyeum, one of the five Great Elders of the church when he got enlightenment.
He was able to focus all of his power on a single point andpletely destroy anything.
There were no exceptions, whether it was an object, an aura, a magic circle, or even divine power.
¡°No, this can¡¯t be¡¡±
Sanus screamed in horror.
But before she could finish her sentence, Damien closed the distance.
The holy sword pierced Sanus¡¯s chest.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 67
Chapter 67
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 67: The Traitor (2)
***
Corpsey.
The moment she heard the name, Agnes felt something ignite deep within her soul.
Before her mind could understand, her body moved first. She charged towards the Corpsey.
However, at that moment, Margata grabbed Agnes¡¯s head and mmed it to the ground.
¡°Agnes, calm down.¡±
Margata spoke with a cold voice.
While Agnes¡¯s face contorted with anger, Margata, in contrast, stared at the Corpsey with a stern gaze.
¡°This is the dungeon of Corpsey. If you can¡¯t control your anger, you¡¯ll be prey just like that.¡±
With Margata¡¯s advice, Agnes was able to regain herposure.
¡°The young pdin there seems to hold a grudge against me. Would you mind telling me why? There are too many people who hate me, so I can¡¯t guess the reason.¡±
The Corpsey asked as for his tone was surprisingly gentle for someone infamous as a dark mage.
¡°¡Do you remember Palmer Vige?¡±
In contrast, Agnes¡¯s voice was filled with suppressed anger.
¡°Palmer Vige? Oh, I remember it well. It¡¯s the vige I personally ¡®decorate¡¯ with its residents.¡±
Each word pricked at Agnes¡¯s nerves. Recalling Margata¡¯s advice, Agnes barely held back.
¡°I am a survivor of that vige.¡±
¡°A survivor¡? I ordered them to kill everyone in that vige, yet there was a survivor¡?¡±
For a moment, the Corpsey¡¯s expression nked.
Thinking that she had finally managed to shock the damn bastard, Agnes felt a slight relief.
¡°Now do you understand why I came for you? I¡¯m here today to kill you and to settle the score for my brother and the vigers¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s impressive¡ Not only did you survive from my dolls, but you¡¯ve also be a pdin ande to kill me!¡±
Suddenly, the Corpsey burst out inughter. It seemed overwhelmed with joy, trembling all over as if unsure how to contain himself.
¡°Receiving such an unexpected gift! This is why life is enjoyable! Ah¡ now that I think about it, the people of Palmer Vige were all gifts to me. They all made excellent materials.¡±
Materials.
At that word, Agnes felt her body stiffen.
¡°Now¡ what are you saying¡¡±
¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know. You couldn¡¯t have. Since they were all bing undead and rotting away, it wouldn¡¯t have been noticeable.¡±
With a warm smile, the Corpsey continued speaking.
¡°I never kill people in vain. I always try to utilize them as materials. I killed the people of Palmer Vige, but before resurrecting them as undead, I reserved suitable body parts for other uses.¡±
Agnes¡¯s entire body began to tremble slightly.
Unaware of this, the Corpsey continued to boast.
¡°They were even used in the Flesh Golems your crusade killed. I never waste a single material, so I remember everything clearly. Would you like me to borate more?¡±
Blue mes surged from Agnes¡¯ body. The dark cave was instantly brightened.
¡°Shut up now.¡±
Agnes¡¯s voice echoed throughout the entire cave.
¡°Say another word, and I¡¯ll burn every inch of your flesh until you can¡¯t even whimper.¡±
***
There is saying that when a person¡¯s anger reaches its peak, they often experience a sudden sense of calm.
The explosive anger actually cooled Agnes¡¯s rationality.
¡°Agnes, I¡¯ll go and fight first, so stay behind me.¡±
Margata said while clenching her knuckles. Agnes nodded.
¡°The goal is to get close to Corpsey and defeat him as quickly as possible. Within his dungeon, his actions are unpredictable. Any dy could leave us vulnerable to potential disadvantages.¡±
Margata¡¯s destructive power was so powerful that even among 2nd-grade pdins, she was one of the best.
If she could get close enough, it would only be a matter of time before she reduced the Corpsey to ashes.
¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±
Margata summoned blue mes and sprinted across the ground.
Unlike her massive muscr body, Margata¡¯s running figure was light and agile like a leopard.
¡°Block them.¡±
Flesh golems fell from the ceiling. Each had a different form.
Margata and the flesh golems collided. Explosions followed one after another.
elerated punches shattered the flesh golems into pieces. Every attack was a finishing blow.
The Corpsey admired Margata¡¯s performance.
¡°Excellent! Such a sturdy body! You¡¯ll be a great material!¡±
At that moment, spider-like flesh golems crawled on the ceiling and reached Margata¡¯s head.
The flesh golems shot thorns at Margata.
Just before the purple thorns pierced her back, Agnes deflected them all.
¡°As expected of my sister!¡±
Margata cheered joyously.
Since Agnes was supporting her from behind, she could focus on the front.
Margata¡¯s punches became even faster. The flesh golems¡¯ bodies were continuously shattered.
Eventually, only the Corpsey was left alone in whole room.
¡°Come on! I¡¯ll give you a big one!¡±
Margata charged towards the Corpsey. At that moment, something blocked Margata¡¯s path.
At first nce, it looked just like a human. If it weren¡¯t for the stitches covering its entire body, one wouldn¡¯t have recognized it as a flesh golem.
¡°You¡¯re trying to stop me with such a flimsy thing?¡±
Margata changed her target and swung her fist at the flesh golem.
The moment her fist touched the flesh golem, something unbelievable happened.
The blue mes on Margata¡¯s fist vanished.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
With divine power gauntlets were nothing more than ordinary metal. The gauntlets couldn¡¯t prate the flesh golem¡¯s body and were stuck.
Margata tried to use divine power again. However, before she could do that, the flesh golem thrust its fist into Margata¡¯s abdomen.
¡°¡Ugh!¡±
The divine power protecting her body was shattered.
The fist pierced through her armor and struck her abdomen. Her internal organs exploded. The impact reached her back.
¡°Sister!¡±
Margata¡¯s body was thrown far away. Agnes flew into the air and caught Margata.
¡°Cough, cough¡¡±
Margata coughed up ck blood. It was evidence that her injuries had reached a critical stage.
¡°Sister! Pull yourself together! Sister!¡±
Agnes desperately infused divine power into Margata¡¯s body. But Margata¡¯s expression didn¡¯t be any more rxed.
¡°Ah¡ He¡¯s truly amazing¡¡±
Suddenly, the Corpsey knelt down on the ground. He sped his hands together as if praying.
¡°How you guys feeling, you can even think that a material with such great abilities exists! How great must the one who created such a thing be!¡±
Agnes desperately treated Margata.
She gave her potions and infused her with divine power. Only then did Margata¡¯s expression slightly ease.
¡°Agnes¡ run away¡¡±
Margata said weakly.
¡°Something¡ is strange¡ Corpsey¡ did something strange¡ run away¡ we need to inform Church¡¡±
Divine power was always superior to dark magic.
That wasmon sense and truth. It was just overturned.
¡°That guy¡ I¡¯ll stop him¡ in the meantime¡. you should¡¡ run¡¡ away¡¡.¡±
Agnes hesitated in her eyes.
Run away in front of the enemy? And abandon my Sister?
¡°¡No. I can¡¯t do that.¡±
Agnes¡¯s words made Margata¡¯s face fill with anger.
¡°Agnes!¡±
¡°Anyway, we can¡¯t run away.¡±
Before they knew it, they were surrounded by Flesh Golems.
The flesh golems Margata had killed were only the tip of the iceberg, for there were many more flesh golems in Corpsey¡¯s possession.
Margata wanted to evacuate Agnes as soon as possible.
But Agnes¡¯s eyes were too determined, so she could only watch.
¡°Sister, I¡¯ve told you about my brother before.¡±
Agnes choose to be a pdin was for revenge.
And because of her brother. Her brother, who died as a pdin to protect the vige, was too honorable death.
¡°If we can¡¯t run away, I¡¯d rather fight and die. I will also fulfill God¡¯s will like my brother.¡±
God said.
The reason I give you strength is to help the weak.
The reason I gave you strength is to drive out dark mages.
The reason I allowed you to have strength is to fulfill my will.
¡°Ah¡ impressive¡ to see such a magnificent material¡!¡±
The Corpsey looked at Agnes with a moved face.
¡°When you show such a courage, it makes me curious. How long can you maintain that courage?¡±
Something walked out between the flesh golems. It was a flesh golem in the form of a human.
¡°Release.¡±
The human-shaped flesh golems began to transform. They transformed from humans to monsters.
Then, a chillingly powerful aura spread in all directions.
Agnes and Margata¡¯s faces stiffened in an instant.
¡°This can¡¯t be¡¡±
Of the two, Margata was more shocked.
¡°They¡¯re¡ all mid-ss¡!¡±
The biggest mistake of the church.
It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t anticipate the Corpsey¡¯s dungeon was trap or that they didn¡¯t think there would be a strange device that nullified divine power.
Underestimating the Corpsey¡¯s power was the church¡¯s biggest blunder.
¡°These are my ¡®Masterpiece¡¯ creations that I¡¯m proud of. I really struggled to make them.¡±
The Corpsey¡¯s voice was full of pride. It was like an artisan showing off his masterpiece.
¡°Even after seeing this, can you still stand against me?¡±
The gauntlets fell from Margata¡¯s hands. A deep sense of despair trampled Margata¡¯s determination.
¡°Agnes¡ this can¡¯t be¡¡±
Even Margata, who was called the warrior who knew no fear, was nothing more than a weak human in this situation.
¡°¡¡±
Agnes¡¯s face was as cold as ice.
She too would fulfill God¡¯s will for the sake of people like her brother, who died for people.
Agnes, as if she had made up her mind, took a few deep breaths and raised her divine power.
A small blue me burst forth amidst the dark mana emitted by the flesh golems.
¡°Agnes¡¡±
Margata called the name of her sister with a sorrowful voice.
She soon realized. Unlike herself, trembling with fear, Agnes¡¯s eyes showed no sign of wavering.
At that moment, light burst from Agnes¡¯s body.
The flesh golems, bathed in light, screamed and retreated.
¡°Unbelievable¡¡±
Margata muttered with a face that was hard to believe.
The way pdins elevated their rank waspletely different from knights.
The source of divine power was God.
Therefore, pdins received divine power from God by proving their faith and elevated their rank.
There were various ways to prove faith. Prayer, penance, hunting dark mages, etc.
And there were cases where one received great favor from God and a huge amount of power.
It was called the ¡°Holy Stigma.¡±
Agnes waved her hand lightly. Explosions urred one after another.
The flesh golems surrounding her were swept away by the explosions.
¡°Agnes¡!¡±
Margata looked at her with a moved face.
With the disy of power alone, more than ten flesh golems were turned into ashes.
2nd-grade pdin.
No, she was no longer just a 2nd-grade pdin.
Now Agnes was at the peak of the 2nd grade, just one step away from a 1st-grade pdin.
Agnes approached the Corpsey. Resolve appeared in her determined eyes.
¡°¡Impressive. To see someone else with the Holy Stigma!¡±
The Corpsey pped with joy.
Agnes ignored the Corpsey¡¯s words. She had no intention of listening to the Corpsey¡¯s words at all.
¡°It was the same in Palmer Vige. A man who was just a 3rd-grade pdin like you suddenly became stronger after receiving the Holy Stigma.¡±
However, she had to stop at the words that followed.
¡°How surprised I was then¡ I almost lost all the flesh golems I had taken there. Fortunately, I was able to subdue him by taking the vigers hostage and threatening him.¡±
Margata looked at the Corpsey with a nk face. Her pupils began to shake slightly.
¡°I can¡¯t express how happy I was after capturing that pdin. He was the finest material for my work! The flesh golem crafted from that pdin¡¯s body parts was truly exceptional!¡±
Corpsey tilted his head.
¡°Come to think of it, your face looks familiar¡ I¡¯ve seen it somewhere¡ Kite,e here.¡±
The flesh golem that had inflicted a fatal wound on Margata approached the Corpsey.
The Corpsey began to untie the cloth covering the flesh golem¡¯s face.
As the cloth was untied, Agnes denied reality more and more.¡±.
But when the flesh golem¡¯s face waspletely revealed, Agnes could only despair.
¡°¡Brother.¡±
It was exactly the same as the face that remained in her memory.
His face hadn¡¯t aged a bit. He looked as if he coulde to life at any moment.
¡°Brother? That¡¯s why your face looked familiar. It seems like fate is predetermined. Isn¡¯t it?¡±
Agnes grabbed her head and screamed.
When the scream stopped, Agnes¡¯s face was stained with anger and tears.
¡°You¡ I will definitely¡ kill you¡!¡±
¡°Good.¡±
The Corpsey smiled deeply.
¡°With such a good material, and such a deeply matured despair¡ I think I can make a doll that¡¯s even better than Kite when I use you.¡±
¡°Shut up!¡±
Agnes ran towards the Corpsey, spewing out her anger.
Kite blocked her way. Agnes¡¯s body hesitated.
¡°Oh¡¡±
Kite kicked her in the side.
As soon as his shin touched, the divine power protecting Agnes was scattered.
Agnes bounced off like a ball and mmed into the wall.
¡°Cough, cough¡¡±
Agnes coughup mouthful of blood while lying on the ground.
Due to receiving the intense blow of the flesh golem with her bare body, her internal organs hadpletely ruptured.
A Shadowing close to her. Suddenly, Kite was right in front of her.
¡°Brother¡¡±
Kite grabbed Agnes¡¯s face and mmed her down to the ground.
The impact shook her brain. Agnes couldn¡¯t even groan.
¡°Agnes!¡±
Margata ran towards Agnes. But other flesh golems blocked her.
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
Margata use her divine power. The wounds that had barely healed ruptured again due to the impact.
ck blood poured from Margata¡¯s mouth. She copsed to the ground weakly.
The Corpsey approached Agnes. Agnes was being held by Kite, barely able to breathe.
¡°You¡¯ll make a really great material.¡±
The Corpsey looked down at Agnes and grinned.
¡°How should I use you? Should I make a new flesh golem with you? No, there¡¯s a better way¡¡±
The Corpsey began to p thoughtfully.
¡°That¡¯s it! How about mixing you with Kite? Since you¡¯re siblings, you¡¯ll blend together without any resistance. Isn¡¯t that a brilliant idea?¡±
Agnes red silently at the Corpsey. Soon, tears began to flow from her eyes.
¡°Yes, cry. Cry all you want. After today, you won¡¯t be able to cry anymore.¡±
The Corpsey let out a eerieugh.
¡°Let¡¯s go then. Let¡¯s hurry. There¡¯s so much to prepare to make you into a material¡¡±
The Corpsey¡¯s ears twitched.
There was a distant explosion.
¡°It seems there are still pdins around?¡±
The Corpsey thought indifferently. Soon, another explosion was heard. This time, it was slightly louder than before.
¡°It seems there are more living ones than I thought?¡±
The Corpsey thought indifferently again. Shortly after, another explosion was heard. This time, it was louder.
¡°What the heck¡¡±
Explosions continued to be heard consecutively. With each explosion, the sound grew louder and closer.
Thud.
The entire cave where the Corpsey was shook. Dust fell from the walls.
Thud.
This time, the cave shook even more violently. The explosions sounded as if they were right next to them.
And the next moment, with a loud noise, the wall copsed.
As the wall copsed, debris poured down. A man settled on top of the rubble.
¡°It¡¯s really damn deep.¡±
The man brushed off his dirt-covered clothes.
The Corpsey immediately recognized who the man was. He was unmistakable, as he had been marked as the first target in material list while watching crusaders.
¡°You¡¯re here. You son of a bitch.¡±
Damien Haksen.
He was looking down at the Corpsey from the pile of rubble.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 68
Chapter 68
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 68: The Traitor (3)
***
Damien pierced Sanus¡¯s chest with the holy sword, leaving the de embedded in her body before thrusting it into the ground.
¡°Kuh! Kuk!¡±
Sanus continued to vomit blood. Damien spoke in a cold voice.
¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. You can heal your wounds with divine power.¡±
Damien avoided the heart while stabbing the de in her chest. He couldn¡¯t kill Sanus right away because he had a lot of questions to ask.
¡°Sir Gamal!¡±
As Damien subdued Sanus, Dionysius rushed towards Gamal.
Dionysius poured a potion into Gamal¡¯s mouth and healed him with divine power.
¡°Di¡ Dionysius¡.¡±
Fortunately, Gamal quickly regained consciousness. As soon as he regained his senses, Gamal stood up.
He still looked very weak due to his injuries. Nevertheless, Gamal moved his legs and approached Damien.
Dionysius tried to persuade him to rest, but he didn¡¯t listen.
¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve been saved. I will definitely repay this favor.¡±
Gamal¡¯s voice was sincere. Damien shrugged.
¡°Sanus.¡±
Gamal looked down at Sanus. Sanus was in pain with the Holy Sword stuck in her chest.
Because the sword was stuck in her chest, she couldn¡¯t properly use divine power. She couldn¡¯t even pull out because it was deeply embedded.
All Sanus could do now was endure the pain and heal his wounds with divine power.
¡°Is whole Blinding Pain trying to betray us like this in the future?¡±
¡°It¡¯s my decision. I prepared for this alone.¡±
It was different from the beginning.
Since the n had failed, she seemed intent on taking all the me herself.
¡°It¡¯s useless to resist. If I take you to the church, the interrogators will do whatever it takes to make you confess.¡±
¡°I already told the truth. How can I tell a different truth?¡±
Sanus said with a strange smile.
¡°And have you forgotten? We Blinding Pain never open our mouths.¡±
Blinding Pain.
Sect filled with madmen even Damienbelled them as poisonous sect.
As Sanus said, there had never been a story of someone who was from the Blinding Pain confessing or sumbing to torture.
¡°If you still want to take me, be my guest.¡±
Gamal turned to Damien and asked.
¡°Sir Damien, is it okay to kill Sanus here?¡±
The person who subdued Sanus was Damien. Damien had Sanus¡¯s life and death in his hands.
¡°You¡¯re not nning to take her to the Church?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, Gamal smiled bitterly and said,
¡°Sanus will obviously confess that she is the mastermind even if she goes to the Church and she will deny the charges on the Blinding Pain.¡±
A sect of the size of the Blinding Pain would be able to disguise the incident as Sanus¡¯s personal decision.
¡°And they will try to protect Sanus at all costs. They¡¯ll try to protect her like she¡¯ll have to pay for her sins through some form of military service, and then they¡¯ll see an opportunity to bring her back into the sect.¡±
¡°Even if she¡¯s a 2nd-grade pdin¡ will they go that far?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s Blinding Pain they will. To them, Sanus is a noble saint who only practiced the will of God.¡±
If that happens, everything will go back to square one.
In that case, it would be better to kill Sanus here.
At least that way, they could reduce the power of Blinding Pain.
¡°Do as you please.¡±
When Damien gave his permission, Gamal raised his spear.
¡°Gamal, please kill the dark mages of my share.¡±
Sanus smiled and said. Gamal silently struck down with his spear.
Sanus faced death without even screaming.
As soon as Gamal struck down with his spear, he copsed to the ground. Dionysius supported Gamal.
¡°Sir Gamal, you¡¯re too injured!¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be fine after a little rest.¡±
Damien thought differently from Gamal.
Divine power wasn¡¯t omnipotent. No matter how much divine power was poured into severe injuries, they couldn¡¯t be healed.
Gamal had suffered a fatal injury from Sanus. Even if he healed with divine power, he was not in a condition to fight.
¡°Sir Damien, can I ask you a favor?¡±
Gamal said to Damien. He looked at Gamal as if to say, ¡°Speak.¡±
¡°I hope you can save the others while I heal.¡±
¡°That¡¯s something I should naturally do.¡±
Damien came here to prevent the total annihtion of the crusade.
By stopping Sanus, he saved Gamal and Dionysius, but it wasn¡¯t enough.
He could only say that the goal was achieved if more people were saved.
¡°¡¡You are truly a chivalrous knight, and I can see why the Incinerator continues to insist that you should be a pdin.¡±
Gamal said with a touched expression.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, they were creepy words. Damien had no intention of bing a pdin.
¡°You¡¯re not a knight, you¡¯re a pdin.¡±
Whether Gamal knew Damien¡¯s inner thoughts or not, he looked at Damien with a fiery gaze. Damien was caught in a foreboding feeling.
¡®Next time, I¡¯ll have to be more careful of him.¡¯
Damien added Gamal to the list of people he needed to be cautious of.
At that moment, something was caught in Damien¡¯s senses. There was a huge amount of dark mana being emitted from a ce deeper than where Damien was standing.
In this dungeon, there was only one person who could emit such a huge amount of dark mana.
¡®Corpsey.¡¯
In his past life, a follower of Dorugo and a mass murderer who had killed countless humans.
No, that was fine.
The reason Damien was chasing after the Corpsey now was simple.
The Corpsey had already made contact with Dorugo. Maybe he even knew Dorugo¡¯s whereabouts.
That assumption made Damien¡¯s blood boil.
The problem was that the ce where he sensed the dark mana was too far away.
In such aplex dungeon, it would take a long time to find the Corpsey.
¡®If I break the ground and make a straight line¡ but my mana is too low for that.¡¯
His low mana always held Damien back.
As Damien was thinking of a solution, he felt a huge power pulsating in his pocket.
Damien put his hand in his pocket. The heart of a spirit was glowing like a lump of fire.
¡°This is such a pure mana¡ what the hell is this?¡±
Gamal looked at the heart of the spirit with a surprised expression.
The heart of the spirit, which had been stiff all along, had finally meltedpletely.
By absorbing the heart of the spirit, Damien could increase his mana and dig a hole to where the Corpsey was.
Damien swallowed the heart of the spirit. The hot lump of fire went down his throat.
As expected, the power of the spirit was amazing.
The mana was pure without any impurities. Yet it was abundant enough to overflow.
What surprised Damien the most was the effect the power of the spirit had on his body.
¡®My body is bing more resistant to fire.¡¯
Not only his skin but also his muscles and internal organs had changed. Now, ordinary mes couldn¡¯t hurt Damien.
¡®I¡¯m even developing new senses.¡¯
Damien¡¯s vision had gained an additional sense. It was the ability to see the heat of living beings.
No, saying he could see wasn¡¯t quite right. He was sensing it.
He could feel the heat of the survivors on the other side of the wall, as well as Dionysius and Gamal right next to him.
Damien expanded his senses. As a result, he could feel even more heat.
¡®Something satisfying.¡¯
With pure mana, a body that could withstand fire, and a sense of feeling heat, Damien was satisfied.
¡®Hmm?¡¯
At that moment, something caught Damien¡¯s senses.
Two heat signatures were detected right next to where the huge dark mana was felt.
The heat emitted by the two people was incredibly strong. It was almost mistaken for a lump of fire.
¡®Agnes? Margata?¡¯
Damien immediately saw through the identities of the two people.
The heat emitted by the two people changed rapidly as if they were in battle.
Gradually, the lump of fire, presumed to be Agnes, felt like it was being hit uncontrobly.
Soon after, Agnes¡¯s mes noticeably weakened.
¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±
At the sudden words, Dionysius and Gamal blinked.
¡°Dangerous? What do you mean?¡±
There was no time to exin. They had to go there immediately.
If they tried to find a way, they wouldn¡¯t be able to arrive in time. They had to make a way.
In Damien¡¯s sight, arge axe used by Sanus came into view.
He raised the axe and sent mana into it. The de of the axe was filled with aura.
Just pouring aura into it wasn¡¯t enough. Damien recalled the perfect technique for this situation.
¡®Crushing waves.¡¯
An ability that could amplify the impact several times.
After mastering this ability, master ¡®WallBreaker¡¯ had been breaking down walls like ss.
Damien swung therge axe towards the ground. The ground didn¡¯t just shatter, it turned into dust.
¡°Ah!¡±
Dionysius and Gamal were startled and screamed.
But Damien didn¡¯t stop and struck with a second attack.
BANG!!
With a loud noise, the ground shattered again.
Damien didn¡¯t stop there and struck with a third attack.
Every time he swung the axe, the ground noticeably lowered.
BANG!!
A hole several meters deep was drilled, revealing a huge cave.
¡°Damn, it¡¯s really deep.¡±
Damien brushed off the dirt on his clothes. He was covered in dirt from drilling through the ground.
When he looked up, he saw familiar faces.
Agnes and Margata, and a frail-looking young man.
He had a younger face than Damien remembered, but he recognized him right away.
¡°You were here. You motherfucker.¡±
Corpsey Delrunt
Damien smiled as he looked at the prey he had finally met.
***
¡°Ooh¡¡±
The Corpsey who faced Damien had a face full of happiness.
¡°To think the material I was hoping for would appear in front of me like this! Can I be this happy?¡±
Damien smirked.
The old Corpsey he had seen in his past life was always lost in his own world.
The young Corpsey was no different.
¡°Don¡¯t kill him, and don¡¯t damage his body.¡±
The Corpsey raised his hand. The flesh golems looked at Damien.
The flesh golems rushed towards Damien.
Damien let go of the axe. Instead, he opened his spital ring and pulled out the Thousand-Mile Sword.
He remembered the time he fought the Sword Musician.
The Sword Musician wasn¡¯t among the strongest masters.
But when it came to dealing with arge number of enemies, he was more terrifying than anyone else.
It was the same back then.
With a flick of his sword, the Sword Musician caused an army of tens of thousands of undead to shatter into tiny pieces and vanish.
Until now, he couldn¡¯t use that technique due to his low mana.
But now, it was different. By absorbing the heart of the spirit, Damien¡¯s mana had greatly increased.
Now, he could perfectly use that technique.
He infused mana into Thousand-Mile Sword. The Thousand-Mile Sword vibrated on its own and began to emit a low hum.
Dark de- Fierce Sound Defeats the Mountain.
He flicked the hilt of the sword.
The horde of flesh golems rushing towards Damien was torn to pieces in an instant.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 69
Chapter 69
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 69: The Hunt (1)
***
The Flesh Golems crumbled into pieces of meat and fell apart. The ground was stained red with blood and flesh.
Corpsey looked at Damien with a face full of shock.
¡°¡Impressive.¡±
He began to p.
¡°You destroyed my dolls in an instant! I¡¯ve never seen such incredible skill!¡±
Corpsey wasn¡¯t at all surprised by the sight of his dolls being destroyed.
¡°Such incredible talent! You will be the best material for my life!¡±
Material.
Damien¡¯s mouth twisted. It was truly a disgusting word.
Especially from the perspective of Damien, who was turned into a Death Knight by Dorugo.
¡°Sir Damien¡ How did you get here¡?¡±
At that moment, Agnes spoke with great effort, raising her head.
¡°Run¡ Please¡ That man¡ is too dangerous¡¡±
Corpsey heard Agnes¡¯ voice with a very interested face.
¡°Are you two very close?¡±
Corpsey flicked his finger.
Kite pressed Agnes¡¯s head harder. Agnes groaned.
¡°His name is Damien? Well then, Damien, I want to ensure you are in the best possible condition when you be my material. So, let¡¯s make a deal. If you wish to save this woman, surrender quietly.¡±
¡°Sir Damien¡ No¡ Run¡ quickly¡¡±
Corpsey flicked his finger again. Kite¡¯s pressure became stronger. Agnes¡¯s groans grew louder.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance. There¡¯s one more hostage. Would you like to see over there?¡±
Corpsey pointed to the side. Margata was being held by the Flesh Golems.
¡°You¡¯re truly a piece of shit.¡±
Damien said with an uninteresting face.
¡°But it¡¯s fortunate. Because you¡¯re a trash that doesn¡¯t exceed expectations.¡±
Damien raised his head and shouted upwards.
¡°You two save Margata. I¡¯ll take care of Agnes.¡±
From the hole that Damien had opened, Gamal and Dionysius came down and moved quickly.
Gamal threw a spear emmating chilling aura. A chilling aura froze all the Flesh Golems.
Dionysius threw a spear next. The flying spear shattered the Flesh Golems into pieces.
The remaining Flesh Golems tried to attack Dionysius and Gamal.
At that moment, Margata, who was now free, summoned blue mes.
The ming fist exploded the Flesh Golems. As soon as she swung her fist, Margata copsed, vomiting blood.
¡°Margata!¡±
Gamal supported Margata. It seemed that she was injured. Margata kept vomiting blood from her mouth.
¡°Don¡¯t touch my material!¡±
Corpsey spat out in anger and tried tomand the other Flesh Golems.
At that moment, Damien swung his holy sword.
The sword aura flew towards Corpsey. Corpsey shouted desperately.
¡°Kite!¡±
Kite, who was holding Agnes hostage, stepped in front of the Corpsey.
The aura hit Kite¡¯s body. But it disappeared without a single scratch.
¡°Kite! Secure the material!¡±
Kite pointed to Agnes. But it was already toote. Damien, as if he had anticipated Corpsey¡¯s actions, had already arrived next to Agnes.
¡°Sir Damien¡¡±
Agnes looked up at Damien with a surprised face.
Even she, who had been raised to a higher level due to the Holy stigma, couldn¡¯t keep up with Damien¡¯s movement because it was so fast and stealthy.
¡°Dionysius, I entrust Miss Agnes to you.¡±
Damien said to Dionysius. Dionysius quickly ran over and supported Agnes.
¡°I¡¯ll stop Corpsey. The rest of you, get out of here.¡±
¡°Sir Damien¡ What are you talking about? Corpsey is a dangerous opponent. I will fight with you.¡±
¡°She is right. I will help too.¡±
Agnes and Dionysius did not simply follow Damien¡¯s words.
Damien turned to the two.
Damien¡¯s eyes were overflowing with killing intent. The two closed their mouths without realizing it.
¡°Go.¡±
There was an irresistible force in the short word. The two left without a word.
¡°I can¡¯t understand why you refuse to help¡ Do you think you can win alone?¡±
Corpsey asked as if he found Damien¡¯s actions odd.
¡°What you broke were dolls I made for practice. The ¡®Masterpieces¡¯ I made with all my heart is different.¡±
Corpsey flicked his finger. Then the Flesh Golems, which had been standing behind like mannequins, began to move.
Each one emitted an enormous amount of dark mana.
¡°Calling rotten pieces of meat ¡®Masterpieces¡¯, as always.¡±
Damien said with a disdainful face.
During the Death Knight era.
Damien had worked with the Corpsey on numerous missions under Dorugo¡¯smand.
He¡¯d seen enough to know better. He¡¯d seen firsthand what a disgusting piece of shit the Corpsey was.
If he wanted to know how human emotions affected doll making, he would do all sorts of terrible things to the war prisoners.
Once, he even killed a child in front of her mother, saying he wanted a corpse with maternal love. He repeated that act not once, but thousands of times.
¡°I¡¯m so d I get to kill you with my own hands.¡±
Unrestrainedughter intermittently burst out.
¡°I don¡¯t know how happy I am to get a material like you.¡±
Corpsey also smiled and raised his hand.
The ¡®Masterpieces¡¯ Corpsey had put so much effort into creating rushes toward Damien.
Mid-ss dolls were focused solely on killing Damien.
The fastest Masterpiece to reach attacked Damien.
It looked just like a human. But it had four thick arms like a pedestal behind it.
The arms contracted like rubber, attempting to seize him. It was as if four massive snake-like arms were trying to coil around him.
Damien narrowly avoided the hands trying to grab him. Then, in a moment, he pulled out his holy sword and swung it upwards.
The sword¡¯s aura cut off all four hands at once. When the arms disappeared, Damien had a clear view.
Before the Masterpiece could react, Damien rushed towards it. He stabbed the holy sword into the Masterpiece¡¯s body.
The divine power destroyed the core. The Masterpiece stopped moving.
Then, other Masterpieces attacked Damien. He avoided all the attacks like flowing water.
While avoiding the attacks, Damien urately stabbed the Masterpieces¡¯ bodies with his sword.
The deeply embedded sword destroyed the core. The Masterpieces¡¯ functions stopped immediately.
¡°Stop! Back off!¡±
Corpsey shouted desperately. The Masterpieces that were rushing forward backed off.
But it was a bted judgment. Already, more than half of the Masterpieces had been destroyed by Damien¡¯s sword and were lying on the ground.
¡°¡How, how could you, my dolls, my dolls¡¡±
Corpsey¡¯s pupils shook greatly. Corpsey shouted like a child.
¡°This can¡¯t be! My Masterpieces, made with all my heart, can¡¯t fall so easily! Tell me! What did you do!¡±
Corpsey¡¯s talent was so great that even Dorugo had to admit it.
The dolls he created with that talent also showed great performance.
When his talent was at its peak, he continued to mass-produce high-ss dolls.
But the high-ss dolls created by Corpsey had never won against real high-ss opponents.
The power of their bodies, the amount of dark mana they contained, and their bizarre features.
Looking at those things alone, it was clear that they were of high ss. But there was one thing missing.
That was skill.
Corpsey was an expert in flesh golem making, not an expert in skills.
If it were a high-ss knight, he could easily see through the dolls¡¯ movements.
A fake that only looks good on the outside.
That was Corpsey¡¯s doll.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, the dolls made by Corpsey were nothing more than stiff wooden dolls.
Such low-level attacks could be avoided even with closed eyes.
¡°I can¡¯t ept this¡.¡±
Corpsey, who was watching his beloved Masterpieces being cut down, muttered in a low voice.
¡°You¡¯re no longer needed. I won¡¯t use you as materials. Just die.¡±
Corpsey raised his hand. Two dolls descended from the dark ceiling.
Surprisingly, the two dolls were floating in mid-air using dark magic.
¡°Adjustment isn¡¯tplete yet, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±
The two dolls spread their hands. A magic circle made of dark magic appeared around them.
Damien looked at the magic circle and recognized the level of the dark mages.
Shockingly, the two dolls were manifesting high-level dark magic.
¡°Kite. I¡¯ll need your help too.¡±
The doll that had been protecting Corpsey stepped forward.
tes shaped like scales began to wrap around Kite¡¯s skin.
In no time, Kite¡¯s whole body was wrapped in tes. Then, three des each appeared on his forearms and calves.
Kite emitted dark mana. The mana emitted by Kite alone was much stronger than that of all the Masterpiecesbined.
¡°Isn¡¯t it cool? Kite is the best ¡®masterpiece¡¯ I¡¯ve ever made. I prepared him to fight high-ss opponents.¡±
Corpsey¡¯s face rxed. He already seemed to be sure of his victory.
Corpsey had the qualifications for that.
One Doll is his greatest masterpiece.
Two dolls were made by using the bodies of high-level dark mages.
In addition, five other Masterpieces that Corpsey boasted about.
It was a tremendous force. The reason the crusade had beenpletely annihted in their past life was not for nothing.
Perhaps even if there had been no betrayal of Blinding Pain, they still would have been killed.
¡°You¡¯re having a hard time controlling all your toys.¡±
Of course, from Damien¡¯s perspective, it was pathetic.
With Damien¡¯s swordsmanship, he could sweep away Kite or anyone else.
But Damien didn¡¯t have the peace of mind right now.
He wanted to suppress Corpsey as quickly as possible and ask about Dorugo.
He wanted to find out where that skull-faced bastard who ruined his life was, and then he wanted to smash that body into pieces.
The desire for revenge burned within Damien.
¡°There¡¯s no other way.¡±
Damien removed the bracelet he was wearing on his wrist.
The dark mana contained in the bracelet was released.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 70
Chapter 70
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 70: The Hunt (2)
***
The dark mana released by the bracelet spread in all directions and the entire area was filled with it.
¡°The member of the crusade has dark mana?¡±
Even Corpsey couldn¡¯t help but be shaken by the sight.
Damien was not an ordinary knight, but a helper of the church.
Such a person has dark mana stored?
Moreover, the amount of dark mana was extremely high. It was as much as three high-level dark magesbined.
What was truly surprising was not just the quantity of dark mana, but the fact that Damien was able to control such a vast amount of dark mana all by himself.
Dark mana is usually gained through negative things like death and pain. Since it could easily disperse with a slight mistake, it was much more difficult to handle than ordinary mana.
However, Damien was controlling all that vast amount of dark mana.
¡°You¡ What¡¯s your identity?¡±
For the first time, fear was felt in Corpsey¡¯s voice.
¡°My identity? You don¡¯t need to know, trash like you.¡±
Damien began to use the dark mana.
The dark mana intertwined with each other and began to form a magic circle and an incantation.
¡°He even uses dark magic¡?¡±
Not only dark mages use dark magic. There were also demons, bizarre monsters, and even some mages who were not dark mages who could use dark magic, although they were rare.
The Corpsey naturally thought that Damien was a swordsman who used dark magic.
But that was a mistake. Damien was more than that. He was a dark mage himself.
He was even implementing a magic circle and an incantation with dark magic at the same time.
It meant that he did not learn dark magic superficially.
¡°This crazy¡¡±
Corpsey broke out in a cold sweat.
Moreover, since it was the first time the Corpsey had seen a magic circle and an incantation together at the same time he could not know what Damien was preparing with dark magic.
But he could instinctively feel that it was extremely dangerous.
¡°Block him frompleting the dark magic!¡±
The ¡®Masterpieces¡¯ rushed towards Damien.
Generally, the most dangerous situation for a mage is when they are preparing arge-scale magic. This is because they cannot move because they are controlling their magic.
And that was no exception for dark mages. Even if Damien was a great knight, he could not fight with dolls while preparing dark magic.
The judgment of the Corpsey was shattered the next moment.
Damien moved his left hand. The dark mana in the air gathered and created countless spears.
Creating a spear itself was a simple dark magic. But the other dark magics attached to the spear were different.
Three types of top-ss curses, decay, corrosion, and copse, were attached to the spear de. The air behind the spear began topress.
All this dark magic waspleted in the blink of an eye.
¡°Multiple projectiles¡?¡±
A trick that even the highest-level dark mages above the high-level dark mage could not easily do.
The moment Corpsey recognized the level of dark magic, spears were shot toward the dolls.
Thepressed air exploded and pushed the spear. The spears pierced the dolls.
With a roar, the dolls pierced by the spear became a mess. Their whole bodies were shattered and could not move.
Even the dolls that were in good shape were destroyed in an instant because of the curses attached to the spear de.
¡°¡ Attack! Hurry up and stop Damien!¡±
The Corpsey shouted evilly. The dolls made by bodies of dark mages had just unleashed their finished dark magic.
The two dolls were originally from the Doom sect.
Dark mages from the Doom sect are famous for using the most destructive dark magics among all practitioners of dark magic.
Demon¡¯s Breath.
A dark magic that turns everything within a certain range into dust.
As the dark mana gathered in the air, it rotated fiercely and created a sphere. It looked like a storm had beenpressed.
The two dark magic dolls sent the sphere towards Damien.
At the moment the sphere was about to collide with Damien, he raised his hand.
A runic symbol began to shine on the back of his hand. Instantly, the sphere formed by high-level dark magic disintegrated and the dark mana scattered in all directions.
Damien had dismantled all the dark magicing towards him.
¡°¡.¡±
The Corpsey thought he was dreaming. Otherwise, such a thing would not have happened.
Even though they had been transformed into dolls and had lost most of their skills, they were still high-level dark mages.
To dismantle the dark magic that high-level dark mages had carefully prepared so easily? Not only that, but he could also move while controlling the dark mana.
¡°¡.That¡¯s why the world is so interesting.¡±
The Corpsey was grateful.
To himself who continued to look for excellent materials.
To himself who continued to hone his doll-making skills.
Thus, to himself who finallypleted the masterpiece called Kite.
¡°Kite, it¡¯s your turn. Finish it.¡±
Suddenly, Kite had moved towards the ceiling.
Kite clung to the ceiling like a lizard, while simultaneously swinging the de of his elbow downwards towards Damien.
It was the moment when a thunderbolt-like blow was about to hit Damien¡¯s forehead.
Damien flicked his finger. Shadows surged and arge shield was created.
The de was blocked by the shield. Kite put strength into his arm, but it was useless.
The next moment, the surface of the shield rumbled and an identical de emerged, just like Kite¡¯s.
The de cut Kite¡¯s body. Kite¡¯s body was thrown far away.
¡°¡.Shadow Shield?¡±
The dark magic Damien used had a unique ability: after defending its caster from an attack, it could reflect an identical attack back toward the original attacker.
It was a dark magic that was so difficult that even high-level dark mages required a high level of concentration but Damien used it in an instant.
¡°It¡¯s impressive, but you can¡¯t stop Kite with that level of dark magic.¡±
Kite, who had been thrown far away, got up without any problems. However, the steel tes that protected his torso fell off.
Damien cast dark magic again. Countless dark spears were created in the air. Thebination magic that destroyed the dolls in an instant was shot.
Dark mana began to gather on the de of Kite¡¯s forearm.
The de, which absorbed the dark mana, turned red. When Kite swung the de, an intangible de was released.
Several des all cut through the dark spears.
Aura.
Surprisingly, the doll named Kite was using a skill that was only used by knights.
¡°How is it? This is my ¡®masterpiece¡¯.¡±
Even though it was in the middle of a battle, the Corpsey felt proud.
A flesh golem that could use Aura. It was a function worthy of a ¡®masterpiece¡¯.
¡°Kite, kill him.¡±
As soon as the order was given, Kite rushed towards Damien.
¡°Help the Kite!¡±
The Corpsey ordered the dark mage dolls. The dark mage dolls flew towards Damien.
The dark mage dolls attacked Damien with dark magic.
The dark magic of the Doom sect poured down on Damien. But none of them reached Damien.
It was because they turned into dark mana and disappeared as soon as they got close to Damien.
But it was enough to attract Damien¡¯s attention. While the dark mages were attacking, Kite approached him.
Kite took a stance and swung his de. A huge Aura flew towards Damien.
The Corpsey was sure of victory. Aura was the strongest weapon humanity possessed.
No creature¡¯s body could entirely block Aura. Neither the tough hide of an ogre nor the formidable teeth of a drake could withstand the force of Aura.
And that was no exception for dark magic.
No matter how strong a shield you made with dark magic, it was just a piece of paper in front of Aura.
At that moment, the magic circle that was cast by Damien and had been spread out above his head waspleted.
His shadow burst into mes and covered the entire floor of the cave.
Then, chains sprang out of the shadow and shattered the de of Aura into pieces.
¡°What is that¡!¡±
As the Corpsey let out a startled cry, a cluster of chains suddenly erupted from beneath Kite¡¯s feet.
They pierced through Kite¡¯s body and were pinned to the ceiling. The steel tes surrounding Kite¡¯s body did not stop the chains at all.
Next, even the dark mage dolls were pierced by the chains.
¡°Cough¡!¡±
The Corpsey was no exception. Chains sprouting from the ground pierced his abdomen, chest, and limbs.
¡°Move¡Move!¡±
The Corpsey shouted at the dolls. Although the dolls heard the owner¡¯smand, they did not move a finger.
Chains of Darkness.
One of the ancient dark magics that Archlich Dorugo kept to himself.
It summons chains that block the movement of everything within range.
Anyone pierced by the chains cannot move, and all powers such as mana and divine power are sealed.
¡°Damien! Who are you? How you can cast such dark magic!¡±
The Corpsey shouted at Demien. He took a step towards the Corpsey.
As Damien approached, the corpse y¡¯s face grew increasingly pale with each step he took.
A look of sheer terror began to spread across his face.
¡°Delrunt the Corpsey.¡±
Damien opened his mouth. For a moment, the corpse y wondered if he had ever revealed his name.
¡°Where is Dorugo?¡±
However, the question was promptly overshadowed by the following words.
¡°¡How do you know his existence.¡±
Archlich Dorugo.
He was a savior who taught and set goals for Yn when they were just a group of ordinary dark mages.
Dorugo thoroughly concealed his identity. Only a tiny fraction of dark mages knew that he even existed.
Eventually, one hypothesis came to the Corpsey¡¯s mind.
¡°Could it be¡are you also a person who received teachings from him?¡±
If Damien was a covenantor, everything made sense.
Even the swordsmanship skill at the mid-ss level and the dark magic skill beyond the highest rank.
¡°Yes, a dark mage of this level is rare¡But if you¡¯re a covenantor, why did you attack me?¡±
The Corpsey¡¯s face was filled with confusion.
¡°I am also a covenantor like you! Arade who promised to bring the era of dark mages with Dorugo on the day of the promised¡¡±
Damien flicked his finger. Another chain sprang out and pierced his body.
¡°Aaah!¡±
The Corpsey screamed in pain. He bowed his head in agony and gasped for breath.
¡°Answer me. Where is Dorugo?¡±
¡°Huh, huh¡hehe¡¡±
The Corpsey let out a strangeughter.
¡°Why covenantor like you betrayed him¡I don¡¯t know¡But¡I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll tell you even if I do.¡±
¡°If not, I¡¯ll kill you and ask your soul.¡±
¡°Haha! That¡¯s right. If you¡¯re also a dark mage, you should do that! But, you see, my soul is already sealed!¡±
Corpsey¡¯s words made Damien¡¯s eyebrows twitch.
¡°I¡¯ve sealed my soul so that I can¡¯t reveal anything about him! If you ask me about him, my soul will be destroyed!¡±
Damien stared at the Corpsey. Eventually, he licked his lips briefly.
¡°Really. Crazy motherfucker. Sealing his own soul.¡±
¡°Now do you understand? You can¡¯t find out anything from me!¡±
The Corpsey shouted loudly. Damien calmly looked at the Corpsey and said,
¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to kill you.¡±
Even though death was imminent, there was no fear on the Corpsey¡¯s face.
Instead, it was filled with joy. Being able to die for him. It was truly the best situation.
¡°You¡¯re going to die anyway. Let the deceased have their revenge.¡±
But the following words made the Corpsey unable to help but be confused.
¡°The dead¡? What are you talking about¡¡±
Damien raised his finger high. Then, the remaining dark mana began to react.
The dark mana formed a symbol in the air. Soon, strange sounds began to burst out.
-@#$@#%!
-@#!$!!%@!
It was an iprehensible sound for humans. Just hearing it made them shiver with cold and goosebumps.
¡°Can you hear it? It¡¯s the voices of the dead who hate you.¡±
¡°Nonsense¡ There are no dead here!¡±
¡°A dark mage like you couldn¡¯t see it. You¡¯re no different from a blind man.¡±
Damien hadn¡¯t witnessed the resentment of the dead on Corpsey, but he could still sense it. The grudges of the deceased surrounded him.
Their numbers were in the thousands, but the dark mana of the Corpsey was too strong to have any effect on him.
But now it was different. Damien was directly lending his strength to the dead.
¡°No matter how you think about it, this method will bring the most terrible pain.¡±
The pupils of the Corpsey widened. He tried to bite its tongue.
But the chains that pierced his body did not allow it.
¡°No¡ Don¡¯t¡ Just kill me¡!¡±
The Corpsey pleaded with Damien.
As a dark mage, he knew too well what the dead could do to someone they held a grudge against.
¡°Please, just kill me!¡±
Thousands of vengeful spirits entered the Corpsey¡¯s body by chains.
A scream full of despair and pain burst from the Corpsey¡¯s mouth.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 71
Chapter 71
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 71: The Clean-up (1)
***
Spiritual space.
Thousands of spirits surrounded the Corpsey.
-Don¡¯te any closer! Don¡¯t touch me!
The soul of the Corpsey, a high-level dark mage was huge.
The spirits were unable to approach due to the momentum of the Corpsey.
But it was just for a moment. The spirits who seized the opportunity swarmed like fish in water and surrounded the soul of the Corpsey.
-Stop! Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t do it!
The spirits were too weak and small, but Corpsey¡¯s spirit wasrge enough for them all to cling to.
Thousands of spirits began to tear apart the soul of the Corpsey at the same time.
-Aaah! Aaah!
The pain of the soul being torn apart was several times more painful than the whole body being torn apart.
It was already long past the limit of pain that a person could endure.
-Please¡¡ Stop¡¡ Please kill me like¡¡ Stop the pain¡¡
The Corpsey begged them earnestly. But spirits onlyughed and started to tear it apart as they had deep resentment against him.
The spirits had no intention of easily destroying the soul of the Corpsey. They intended to continue to suffer.
-Aaah! Aaah!
This is a spiritual space.
The concept of time was very different from reality here.
In this ce, the Corpsey suffered for what felt like an eternity.
***
Damien silently watched Corpsey¡¯s soul being tormented by the dead.
Corpsey screamed for a while before finally closing his eyes and stopping breathing.
Only after confirming the death of the Corpsey did Damien release the dark magic. The chains that sprang from the ground were all scattered.
The dolls that were bound in chains of darkness were also released. But the dolls just stayed still like corpses and didn¡¯t move anymore.
With the death of Corpsey, the person responsible for issuing orders to them, all functions came to a stop.
¡°The disposal of the Flesh Golems should be left to the Church.¡±
It was a win-win situation: Damien could raise his reputation within the Church, while the Church could conduct research on the Flesh Golems.
Next, Damien began to gather the dark mana in the cave.
All the Dark mana originally possessed by Damien, the dark mana released when the Flesh Golems were destroyed and the dark magna of the Corpsey were all sucked into the bracelet.
¡°Now its capacity is almost full.¡±
Although a considerable amount of dark mana was consumed in the battle, he obtained more dark mana than that.
The capacity of the bracelet, which he thought was endless like a bottomless pit, was mostly filled.
¡°It would be nice to get another simr artifact.¡±
Damien also knew that it was impossible.
He had never seen such an artifact in his past life. It was impossible to get such a rare artifact again.
Then, Damien found a hole in the opposite wall.
It was a cave that was well-made so that people coulde and go.
Out of curiosity, Damien headed for the cave. As he went in, a terrible sight caught his eye.
Dissections of various creatures were scattered everywhere, and various organs were stored in reagents. On one side, half-made Flesh Golems wereid out.
¡°¡It was a Corpsey¡¯s researchb.¡±
He looked around theb, wondering if there was anything useful.
There were many things, but most of them were used to make Flesh Golems. There was nothing that Damien could take.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Suddenly, Damien found a map attached to the wall.
Looking at the map, Damien recalled that it was a familiar ce.
¡°Ah, it was where Yn¡¯s secret warehouse was.¡±
It was a ce he had seen through the memories of Yn¡¯s leader and vice-leaderst time.
He had nned to visit once but hadpletely forgotten about it.
He thought he should go and see it this time, so he took the map with him.
Damien went deeper into the cave. Then arge mirror appeared.
It was a veryrge mirror, reaching up to the ceiling.
The moment he saw the mirror, Damien felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
It was inevitable. This was a magical tool made by Dourgo formunication with his subordinates.
¡°I can¡¯t believe he had this¡¡.¡±
With this magical tool, he could see Dorugo¡¯s face and talk to him directly.
His heart began to beat faster.
Damien reached out to the mirror. But soon his face was filled with disappointment.
¡°He¡¯s been out of touch for a long time.¡±
After investigating the magical tool, Damien realized that although the Corpsey had requested contact many times, there had never been a response from Dorugo¡¯s side.
¡°The Corpsey was someone Dorugo considered important enough to appoint as a legionmander. But Dorugo stopped contacting him¡?¡±
The first hypothesis that came to mind was that Dorugo felt a crisis due to Yn¡¯s downfall and cut-off contact.
As a result of Damien¡¯s active actions, Yn had fallen too quicklypared to his past life.
Dorugo might have thought that Yn was hopeless and cut off contact.
¡°¡No, that¡¯s not it. Dorugo wouldn¡¯t give up the Corpsey for that reason.¡±
The Corpsey imposed restrictions on itself to avoid revealing Dorugo¡¯s identity.
Dorugo was not the kind of person to just abandon a loyal pawn like that. He was someone who would use them to the end and then discard them when they became irreparable.
¡°Or is he researching something?¡±
Since Dorugo was a dark mage by birth, he had a tendency to block external contact and lock himself in theb when he had something to research.
Maybe that¡¯s why they haven¡¯t been in touch for so long.
¡°That¡¯s much more likely.¡±
Damien licked his lips with regret.
Once Dorugo locked himself in theb, he didn¡¯te out for at least a year.
cing his hopes on this mirror was useless.
Damien turned his back on the mirror and headed deeper into theb.
There, he found something strange again.
It was a small human tied up in chains.
It had a neutral appearance that made it impossible to tell its gender.
¡°¡A person?¡±
At first, Damien thought it was a person. Unlike the Flesh Golems, it didn¡¯t have any stitches on its body.
But it was too bizarre to call it a human.
After examining it closely, Damien realized that it was not a human but a Flesh Golem.
¡°It¡¯s strange. A Flesh Golem that looks exactly like a human.¡±
The ¡®Masterpiece¡¯ flesh golems created by the Corpsey were sometimes simr in shape to humans, but it was easy for anyone to recognize them as Flesh Golems.
Stitches all over the body, different skin colors, and an appearance that didn¡¯t match anywhere.
Above all, the fact that they turned into monsters when their true nature was revealed was the reason.
However, this Flesh Golem was so simr to a human that Damien briefly mistook it for one.
As Damien examined the Flesh Golem, he discovered a magic circle drawn on the floor that blocked dark mana.
The magic circle was designed to be able to activate and deactivate.
¡°It seems that this orb can deactivate it.¡±
Damien grabbed the orb attached to the wall. When he sent dark mana into the orb, the magic circle stopped working.
As the magic circle was deactivated, the eyes of the Flesh Golem shed open.
Immediately, the Flesh Golem rushed towards Damien.
But it couldn¡¯t touch Damien because its hands and feet were tightly shackled by chains.
Every time the Flesh Golem twisted its body, the entireb shook.
Without using dark magic, it was shaking theb purely with its monstrous strength.
-#%@$#%@!
A scream burst from the mouth of the Flesh Golem. It was a cry filled with pure hatred and resentment.
¡°It¡¯s strange. A Flesh Golem that has awakened its ego.¡±
Flesh Golems are created using the bodies of living beings.
Therefore, it was inevitable that the consciousness of the creatures used as materials would be mixed in.
This wasn¡¯t a big problem in itself. But asionally, a self would emerge from the tangled consciousness.
This Flesh Golem was such a case.
¡°Moreover, it¡¯s a Flesh Golem that hates dark mages.¡±
The emotion that the Flesh Golem had awakened was hatred.
In a way, it was natural. The consciousness that gave birth to this Flesh Golem was mixed with the resentment of the people who were victims of Copsey.
The reason the Corpsey tied up this golem was probably because he couldn¡¯t control the hatred of the Flesh Golem.
-%@#$#@$!
The Flesh Golem went on a rampage even more fiercely. The flesh on its wrists was torn apart by the chains.
But the next moment, the torn flesh began to regenerate in an instant.
Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
The Flesh Golem was already an undead creature made by connecting dead bodies. He had never heard of an undead creature with regenerative abilities.
¡°Is it because this regeneration ability caused the stitches to disappear?¡±
Not only was it a formidable force to be reckoned with, but it also had this kind of regeneration ability. It was a Flesh Golem that was so terrifyingly powerful.
¡°I guess he couldn¡¯t get rid of its hatred after all.¡±
In my past life, he never used a Flesh Golem with this kind of performance.
Perhaps it was ultimately disposed of because he couldn¡¯t find a way to erase the hatred.
-@##@%@#$!
The Flesh Golem exerted all its strength to tear Damien apart.
Perhaps it was because of the traces of dark mana felt from Damien.
When you use dark magic, dark mana is consumed. At this time, the remnants are left on the soul or body.
The weaker the dark mage, the stronger the remnants are left.
If it were Damien, there would be no remnants. Even if there were, they would disappear cleanly after a little time.
The Flesh Golem detects the faint remnants and causes a ruckus.
¡°I use dark magic, but I¡¯m not a dark mage.¡±
The Flesh Golem stopped at those words.
-@$@#$@!
The Flesh Golem roared as if to say not to talk nonsense.
¡°I¡¯ve never dug up a grave to get dark magic, nor have I tormented a human soul. You should know my words are true.¡±
If Damien had done such a thing, he would have been followed by the resentment of the dead who hated him.
This Flesh Golem was born from the consciousness of the dead who hated dark mages, so it was impossible not to feel resentment.
-¡¡
The Flesh Golem fell silent. It seemed to acknowledge Damien¡¯s words as true.
¡°More than anything, I hate dark mages. I killed the Corpsey that made you like this.¡±
At that, the eyes of the Flesh Golem widened. It red at Damien as if to say not to talk nonsense.
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask the dead. Since you were born from the consciousness of the dead, you should be able to hear the voices of the dead.¡±
The Flesh Golem remained silent for a while. Eventually, the eyes of the Flesh Golem widened.
¡°¡¡Kya?¡±
Instead of a scream, a fox-like cry came out.
Damien nodded at the question of whether he really killed them.
¡°Yes, I killed the Corpsey. To be precise, the dead killed them.¡±
The Flesh Golem sank to the floor. Since the target of hatred had disappeared, it had lost its reason for action.
¡°So go ahead and rest in peace.¡±
Damien took out the holy sword to break the core of the Flesh Golem.
At the moment when he tried to pierce the core of the Flesh Golem with the holy sword, the Flesh Golem grabbed the holy sword.
The divine power of the holy sword began to burn the flesh of the Flesh Golem. Nevertheless, the Flesh Golem did not let go.
¡°Why are you resisting?¡±
Damien asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand.
¡°It may sound cruel, but you are undead. You shouldn¡¯t stay in this world anymore.¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, the eyes of the Flesh Golem turned fierce again.
It wasn¡¯t directed at Damien. It was directed at the dark mage.
The target of this Flesh Golem¡¯s hatred was not just the Corpsey.
It was the dark mages.
¡°Do you want to stay in this world to kill the dark mages?¡±
The Flesh Golem nodded. Damien was lost in thought.
If this Flesh Golem had this level of performance, it would be a great help to Damien.
But Damien had been turned into a death knight and used by Dorugo in his past life.
But if he used this Flesh Golem? That would be no different from Dorugo.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
The Flesh Golem made a sharp cry. It seemed to be saying not to hesitate.
Upon reconsideration, in the case of Dorugo, one could view it as a forced master-ve rtionship, but this is a cooperative or transactional rtionship for mutual purposes.
Their goals are somewhat aligned, and this Flesh Golem is also refusing to face true death until it releases its resentment.
After a long deliberation, Damien swung the holy sword. The chains that bound the Flesh Golem were all cut off.
¡°Let¡¯s treat each other well.¡±
Damien extended his hand. The Flesh Golem tilted its head. It seemed to be asking what the meaning of this action was.
Damien realized that he had overlooked the Flesh Golem¡¯s situation.
Now that it had just developed a consciousness, it was natural that it didn¡¯t know what a handshake was.
Damien shook hands with the Flesh Golem. The Flesh Golem¡¯s pupils dted.
¡°¡¡But how do I take you with me?¡±
The surroundings of the dungeon were now filled with members of the crusade.
In such a situation, if Damien took an undead outside?
¡°Kya? Kya!¡±
The Flesh Golem headed somewhere. After rummaging through theb, it brought something to Damien.
It was a leather travel bag.
It was very old, and the leather was a deep color.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
The Flesh Golem opened the bag. The insides of the bag were full of darkness.
¡°Kya!¡±
As the Flesh Golem stepped into it and suddenly sucked into the bag.
¡°¡¡Oh?¡±
Damien immediately took the bag. He soon understood what kind of magic was cast on the bag.
¡°It¡¯s a spatial magic tool made to transport the undead.¡±
Unlike the spatial ring that Damien had, it could only store the undead.
Rather than being restricted in terms of type, it boasted a considerable capacity, capable of amodating hundreds of Flesh Golems with ease.
Not only that. This bag could be put into another subspace.
Originally, spatial magic repelled each other, so it was impossible to store a space in another space.
This bag could only store the undead, but it only stores high-quality undead like Corpsey¡¯s masterpieces.
¡°Thanks to this the Flesh Golem has not been caught by the church so far.¡±
Damien opened the bag again. The Flesh Golem popped out of the darkness.
¡°Kya!¡±
The Flesh Golem made a proud expression. Damien said, as if impressed.
¡°Did you remember seeing the Corpsey using the bag? You¡¯re smart.¡±
¡°Kya!¡±
The Flesh Golem nodded its head with a proud face.
Suddenly, Damien confirmed that there was writing on the Flesh Golem¡¯s leash.
¡°Nine?¡±
As Damien said that name, the Flesh Golem¡¯s expression crumpled.
The Flesh Golem grabbed the leash and tore it off, then threw it to the ground. And Flesh Golem stomped on it several times.
It seemed that it was disgusting because it was a name made by the Corpsey.
¡°You need a new name.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the Flesh Golem¡¯s expression swelled with anticipation. After much thought, Damien said.
¡°¡¡Miya?¡±
The name seemed to please the Flesh Golem, as it nodded its head.
¡°From today, you¡¯re Miya. Let¡¯s kill all the dark mages together.¡±
Miya nodded its head at Damien¡¯s words.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 72
Chapter 72
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 72: The Clean-up (2)
***
After obtaining Miya, the first thing Damien did was to remove the traces.
It was good to defeat the Corpsey with dark magic, but there were too many traces left. It was clear that it would be a lot of trouble if seen by the Church.
First, Damien gathered all the flesh golems in one ce.
The flesh golems pierced by the spear made of dark magic were rotting due to the curse.
First, he burned all the flesh golems and then used dark magic to cause explosions in various parts of the cave.
If the Church asked about the low number of Flesh Golems, he nned to say that the Corpsey had caused them to self-destruct.
Next, Damien uses aura in the form of spears and pierced holes in various parts of the cave.
There were traces of piercing left on the bodies of flesh golems, including the Corpsey by the chains of darkness. It was a trick to hide it.
If asked about the wound in the church, he nned to say that it was a wound caused by this technique.
After adding a few more tricks and marks, he went outside.
***
Inside the cave.
Agnes, who had taken refuge in a safe ce, first healed Margata.
The wound on her abdomen was already serious, but it became even worse due to the rush during the escape.
Not only the skin and muscles of the abdomen werepletely crushed, but also all the internal organs were destroyed.
After sprinkling a healing potion on Margata¡¯s wound, Agnes used her divine power to heal the wound.
After receiving the Holy stigma, Agnes¡¯s divine power increased significantly in both quantity and quality. Thanks to this, even wounds as severe as Margata¡¯s could be treated.
¡°Agnes, thank you.¡±
Margata said with a relieved face. Agnes let out a sigh of relief.
¡°Margata! Are you okay?¡±
Gamal asked in an urgent tone. Margata smiled and said.
¡°Gamal, you look really funny right now.¡±
¡°Even though someone is worried¡ Seeing you saying such foolish things makes it seem like you¡¯re okay.¡±
Gamal¡¯s expression softened. Seeing that Margata was safe, Gamal felt relieved.
¡°Miss, please have this.¡±
Dionysius handed Agnes water and food. Agnes expressed her gratitude and ate the food.
Meanwhile, she continued to look somewhere. It was towards the area where the Corpsey was.
¡°Miss, is Corpsey bothering you?¡±
At Dionysius¡¯s question, Agnes shook her head.
¡°I was thinking about Damien instead of the Corpsey.¡±
As soon as Damien¡¯s name was mentioned, Dionysius¡¯s expression darkened.
¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry too much. If it¡¯s Sir Damien, he will be fine. Even if it¡¯s a Corpsey, it¡¯s difficult to deal with a knight of the middle ss.¡±
Dionysius said in a strong tone.
¡°Margata has also recovered, so let¡¯s go help Sir Damien quickly!¡±
Dionysius clenched his fist and shouted. But there was not a single person who supported his words.
¡°Um¡ Did I make a mistake?¡±
Dionysius asked in a puzzled voice. Then Gamal let out a deep sigh and said.
¡°Dionysius, Sir Damien might¡ have died by now.¡±
¡°What? But¡¡±
¡°You need not voice it. Sir Damien is a middle-ss knight and may very well be on the cusp of ascending to the ranks of the High ss.¡±
Gamal had seen Damien fight.
His skills were by no means that of an ordinary knight of the middle ss.
The end of the middle ss.
It was clear that he was on the verge of reaching the level of a high-ss knight.
¡°But the Corpsey¡ The power that guy prepared was not something that Sir Damien alone could handle.¡±
Dionysius¡¯s encounter with the Corpsey was extremely short. Therefore, he did not realize how fearful the Corpsey was.
But Gamal, a second-grade pdin was different.
The moment he faced the Corpsey he realized it immediately. The huge amount of dark mana that the Corpsey and the flesh golems possessed.
¡°The Corpsey¡ Even if we get involved, we can¡¯t guarantee victory.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no way¡ Sir Gamal, you and Lady Margata are second-grade pdins. Miss Agnes also obtained holy stigma¡¡±
¡°The four of us have suffered severe injuries and have also consumed a lot of divine power. Especially Margata, it¡¯s amazing that she¡¯s still alive.¡±
There was a limit to the injuries that could be healed with divine power.
The more severe the injury, the less perfect it could be healed. Even if it seemedpletely healed on the outside, if it moved even slightly violently, the wound would open again.
That was the case with Margata and Gamal. Right now, the two of them were not in a situation where they could fight properly.
¡°Sir Damien probably knew that fact well. So he probably stayed behind and evacuated us.¡±
Gamal clenched his fist. His frustration was evident.
¡°Darn it, to be saved by Sir Damien and not be able to do anything to help him.¡±
Margata grabbed Gamal¡¯s hand tightly. But Gamal¡¯s expression did not loosen.
¡°I agree with Gamal¡¯s words. We need to quickly leave the dungeon and inform the Church about the Corpsey. If we leave the Corpsey alone like this, he will be a big problem in the future.¡±
Margata looked at herpanions and said.
¡°We can¡¯t waste the time that Sir Damien bought for us.¡±
The group was enveloped in a heavy silence.
Then, a presence was felt in the darkness. The group stood up and stared into the darkness.
Someone walked out of the darkness. At the sight of that someone, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but cry out in surprise.
¡°Damien?¡±
The appearance of someone they thought was dead shocked not only Agnes but also the other three.
¡°Oh, I found you. Fortunately, you didn¡¯t go far.¡±
As Damien approached, the four of them stepped back.
¡°Is it really Sir Damien?¡±
Could it be that the Corpsey killed Damien and now they¡¯re being deceived by that corpse?
Instead of answering, Damien drew his holy sword. The holy power of the sword flowed into Damien¡¯s body.
No undead in this world could absorb divine power and remain unscathed. It meant that it was not a joke of the Corpsey, but Damien himself.
¡°Damien!¡±
Agnes rushed forward and hugged Damien¡¯s neck.
Damien looked at Agnes with a surprised expression. Agnes hugged Damien tightly, not knowing anything.
¡°How on earth are you alive?¡±
¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! Did you escape from the Corpsey?¡±
¡°Damien! I believed in you!¡±
The other three also approached Damien in surprise.
Only then did Agnes let go of Damien and ask.
¡°What happened to the Corpsey?¡±
In response to Agnes¡¯s question, Damien pointed to the back.
¡°Go and see for yourself.¡±
***
When the group arrived at the ce where the Corpsey was and were at a loss for words.
The Corpsey was dead, riddled with holes all over its body.
¡°Wow! The Corpsey is dead! Sir Damien killed the Corpsey!¡±
Dionysius shouted with joy, looking at Margata and Gamal.
¡°Unbelievable¡.¡±
¡°This is¡.¡±
Margata and Gamal were shocked.
They had felt endless despair from the Corpsey. They had thought they couldn¡¯t win no matter what they did.
The Corpsey, which had been like that, was now a pitiful corpse lying on the ground.
¡°Damien? How did you kill the Corpsey? It would have been difficult to deal with just the flesh golems.¡±
¡°So I dealt with the flesh golems first, then aimed for the Corpsey.¡±
Margata could onlyugh bitterly.
The vulnerability of a dark mage who employs undead in battle lies in the mage¡¯s own frailty and susceptibility. Margata knew that fact.
But knowing and executing were worlds apart.
The Corpsey was too difficult to approach because he was thoroughly protected by the flesh golems.
¡°Amazing¡. Truly amazing¡.¡±
But they had no choice but to believe. The evidence was right in front of them.
¡°¡.¡±
Agnes had been staring at the corpse of the Corpsey since they entered this ce.
There was intense fear in the face of the Corpsey, as if he had seen something before he died.
The enemy they had harbored so much animosity towards was now dead. Amidst the relief, however, was a sense of regret for not being able to take the revenge themselves, apanied by a myriad of other emotions.
¡°How did the Corpsey die?¡±
¡°He writhed in agony, pleading for his life, only to fall silent as his breath ceased. It was a gruesome death.¡±
¡°Even this madman is afraid of death.¡±
Agnes sighed heavily.
¡°Where is my brother¡ no, where are the flesh golems that the Corpsey was controlling?¡±
Damien pointed somewhere. The remaining flesh golems were neatly gathered in one ce.
Agnes walked over there. Among the flesh golems, she saw her brother¡¯s face.
Agnes stared at the flesh golem as if she were nailed to the spot.
¡°Agnes¡.¡±
Margata looked at Agnes with a worried expression.
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
Agnes said in a calm voice.
¡°That¡¯s not my brother. My brother died a long time ago. That¡¯s just an undead made using my brother¡¯s body.¡±
Contrary to her words, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her brother¡¯s face.
¡°¡.Damien, what are you going to do with those flesh golems?¡±
Margata asked Damien.
Damien had defeated the Corpsey alone. He had the right to dispose of everything here.
¡°I n to leave them all to the Church.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t have much to gain from the remaining flesh golems. There was a good chance they would just be an unnecessary burden and since it was a matter involving the Church, it was better to leave it to them.
In fact, he thought it would be better to give anything to the Church to curry favor with them.
¡°Agnes, the Church will analyze these flesh golems thoroughly. They¡¯ll probably dissect them muscle by muscle.¡±
Dark mages with talents like the Corpsey were rare.
Analyzing these flesh golems would be a great help when dealing with other flesh golems in the future.
¡°After that, the flesh golems will probably be preserved forever within the church.¡±
Agnes looked back at Margata. Her pupils were shaking slightly.
¡°But at this moment, we are the only ones present here. If one or two flesh golems disappear, no one will know. Doesn¡¯t everyone think that way?¡±
Margata looked at the group. Everyone nodded.
¡°Agnes, do as you wish.¡±
At Margata¡¯s words, Agnes slowly embraced her brother¡¯s flesh golem with both hands.
A blue me rose from Agnes¡¯s body. The blue me began to burn the flesh golem.
Agnes didn¡¯t let go until the flesh golem waspletely reduced to ashes.
***
After that, they continued to search around the dungeon and rescued the survivors.
More than half of the soldiers died and even the pdins suffered heavy casualties.
¡®Still, it¡¯s much better than the previous life.¡¯
In the previous life, the crusade was annihted. The Corpsey survived and rose in power.
But this time was different. More than half of the crusade survived and the Corpsey died.
¡®The greatest gain is that Agnes managed to survive.¡¯
Agnes obtained the holy stigma.
It meant that she was a talent favored by the god. Therefore, pdins with holy stigma had all reached the master ss.
¡®I gained quite a lot too.¡¯
First, I got the flesh golem Miya, and I even got a magic tool that could store undead.
After clearing the dungeon, they sent a messenger to the church to report the situation.
The church was also eagerly awaiting the results of the crusade.
Not long after sending the messenger, the church sent an investigation team.
¡°What on earth is this?¡±
¡°They set up such a trap inside the mountain?¡±
The investigation team was shocked as soon as they entered the dungeon.
After digging through the inside of the mountain, there was a trap that would cause the crusade to fall.
No one in their right mind could havee up with such a trap, let alone executed it.
¡°Is this the flesh golem? It¡¯s surprisingly well-made and detailed.¡±
¡°I know the Corpsey as a high-level dark mage¡ Is it possible to create such high-quality flesh golems at the level of a high-ranking dark mage?¡±
Then the investigation team couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at the flesh golems.
¡°Are you Damien?¡±
A middle-aged man in a monk¡¯s robe looked at Damien.
¡°I am Borromeo, who has been appointed as the leader of overall investigation team.¡±
¡°Nice to meet you. I am Damien Haksen.¡±
Damien shook hands with Borromeo.
¡°I have a few questions. ording to the report, it is estimated that there are many more flesh golems than the number of flesh golems present here. But when I arrived, it seemed that the number was insufficient.¡±
¡°Some of them were self-destructed by the Corpsey. Those pits over there are the traces.¡±
Damien pointed to the deep pits.
The members of the investigation team looked down at the pits and were amazed again.
¡°Wow¡ this is not a normal scale.¡±
¡°To avoid an explosion of this size in the middle of a battle.¡±
Borromeo coughed. The members of the investigation team shut their mouths.
¡°I saw the report that you were hiding your original abilities¡ Why is that?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no great reason. I just thought people would be annoying if they knew I was a middle-ss.¡±
Damien shrugged and said.
With that, Borromeo recalled the information about Damien.
He rose to the low ss shortly after practicing the sword. For that alone, people praised him, calling him a genius.
In the meantime, if it is revealed that he is not a low-ss but a middle-ss? The whole world would be turned upside down.
¡°Last question. It is written in the report that you killed the Corpsey killed alone. How on earth was that possible?¡±
¡°I killed the Corpseyy by taking advantage of the gaps while dealing with the flesh golems.¡±
¡°You killed him by all yourself?¡±
Damien unsheathed his holy sword and swung it with force, causing the Aura to shot like spears, puncturing dozens of holes in the wall.
¡°Like this.¡±
Both Borromeo and the investigation team lost their words and stared at the wall.
Damien had used it casually, but the speed, range, and power of the technique were extraordinary.
¡°The wounds on the Corpsey¡¯s body are the same. It seems that the mystery is solved now.¡±
Borromeo took a deep breath and exhaled.
¡°Thank you Sir Damien for helping the crusade to kill the Corpseyy and for helping and saving the precious talents of the church. Thank you very much.¡±
Especially Agnes, a 3rd-grade knight who participated in this crusade, received a holy stigma.
A pdin with a holy stigma without exception, reached the level of a master, so the Church almost lost its future master ss.
¡°The Church has owed you an unimaginable debt. We promise to repay you properly.¡±
It was the moment Damien had been waiting for.
However, Borromeo went beyond simply promising repayment and showed even greater favor.
¡°If you have anything else you want separately, please let me know. I¡¯ll try my best to amodate you as much as possible.¡±
At Borromeo¡¯s words, Damien hesitated for a moment.
In fact, Damien had always had a reward in mind. But it was questionable whether the Church would ept it.
¡°Please allow me to choose items directly from the Church¡¯s treasury.¡±
Borromeo¡¯s pupils widened at Damien¡¯s request.
Treasury.
It was a ce where treasures collected from all over the continent since the establishment of the Church were piled up.
Due to its importance and symbolism, even a 1st-grade pdin of the Church could not use it casually.
¡°Treasury¡ Treasury¡ It¡¯s truly a difficult request.¡±
Borromeo closed his eyes tightly and fell into thought.
¡°The Holiness has entrusted me with all the negotiations for this incident. So I can answer you here.¡±
Borromeo spoke with an unwavering voice.
¡°I will grant your request. I hope you will visit the church in the near future.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 73
Chapter 73
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 73: The Treasure Hunt (1)
***
Since the investigation team has arrived at the dungeon from the Church, there is no need for Damien to remain any longer.
Damien told his intention to return to his family to Agnes.
¡°Are you really leaving already?¡±
Agnes asked Damien with a disappointed face.
¡°A celebration tomemorate the victory is being prepared. If you could stay until then¡¡±
¡°I left without my father¡¯s permission, so I have to return as soon as possible.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Agnes let out a short sigh.
¡°Then please contact me when you visit the Church. I want to personally guide you.¡±
Damien had the opportunity to enter the Church¡¯s headquarters thanks to the meritorious service he performed this time.
Agnes seemed to want to guide Damien personally.
¡°I understand.¡±
¡°You must do that.¡±
Agnes said while squeezing Damien¡¯s hand tightly. Under immense pressure, Damien had no choice but to say he understood several times.
¡°Sir Damien! I am sincerely grateful for the time we shared!¡±
Next, Damien came face to face with Dionysius. Dionysius¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯ll never forget you, you are a very great person!¡±
¡°You said you would never forget the grudge between us.¡±
¡°At that time¡ I didn¡¯t know anything¡¡±
Dionysius scratched the back of his head. Damien chuckled.
¡°Do your best. You have the potential too.¡±
Damien said while patting Dionysius¡¯s shoulder. Dionysius¡¯s pupils shook at those words.
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Really. I have a good eye for people.¡±
Those were not mere empty words, but rather genuine ones.
Dionysius¡¯s talent was quite remarkable. It was a talent that could rise to the level of a 1st-grade pdin.
Not only Dionysius. Margata and Gamal were also rare talents.
The main reason why the Church was weak in the previous life was because of theplete destruction of the crusade which had many rare talents.
¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do my best!¡±
Dionysius replied loudly as if he had gained strength from Damien¡¯s encouragement.
¡°Hey, how long are you going to talk? Come out now.¡±
Then, Margata pushed Dionysius back. He screamed and was pushed out.
¡°Sir Damien, thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have died.¡±
¡°It would have been worse. If it weren¡¯t for Sir Damien we would all be the flesh golems controlled by Corpsey .¡±
Margata¡¯s words were interrupted by Gamal. Margata looked at Gamal quietly.
¡°That¡¯s a funny way to put it¡¡ but you¡¯re right. I would have turned into a flesh golem by now.¡±
Margata agreed with a wry smile.
¡°I could have transformed into a Flesh Golem and in our brothers and sisters from the Church with my own hands. Thank you for preventing that.¡±
Margata held Damien¡¯s hand tightly.
¡°I¡¯ll send you an invitationter, so please attend.¡±
¡°Invitation?¡±
Damien asked with a puzzled face. Then Margata leaned her head against Gamal¡¯s shoulder and said.
¡°Gamal proposed to me. I might send you an invitation soon.¡±
Even Damien was astonished.
¡°Sir Ga-Gamal proposed t-to you?¡±
¡°Si-, G-Gamal? Really?¡±
Agnes and Dionysius seemed too surprised after hearing unexpected news. They looked at each other with shocked faces.
¡°Ah, you two didn¡¯t know either? We were originally dating for a while. We didn¡¯t even think about marriage¡ But this guy suddenly proposed me.¡±
¡°Margata, don¡¯t talk about it too much.¡±
Gamal rebuked Margata with a red face. But Margata didn¡¯t stop.
¡°I almost died this time, didn¡¯t I? I realized that because of that. You never know what life will be like. I want to do my best. Hahaha!¡±
Margata burst outughing. Gamal¡¯s face turned bright red like it was about to explode.
¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what happened, so I hope you¡¯lle backter.¡±
Margata said while wiping away her tears.
***
Damien returned to the viscounty after leaving the crusade.
At first, he was eager to see his family¡¯s faces, but as he neared the viscounty, his anxiety started to grow.
¡°¡I can¡¯t help but think my father is still angry.¡±
Given his father¡¯s stubbornness, there was a high probability that he was still angry.
Damien abandoned the idea of entering the mansion¡¯s entrance from the front gate. He silently moved towards the backyard.
¡°Ugh! Hush!¡±
Just as Victor was feeding the horses in the backyard, Damien suddenly appeared in front of him.
¡°Hey Victor, how you doing¡±
¡°Huh? A, an intruder¡ no, I mean my lord?¡±
Victor looked Damien up and down with surprise evident in his expression.
¡°Are you hurt anywhere? You didn¡¯t get cursed by a dark mage, did you? Oh, no, that¡¯s not it! How can you leave me behind that day!¡±
Victor got angry as soon as he saw Damien.
¡°Do you have any idea how angry my lord was with me?¡±
¡°Was he really that angry?¡±
¡°He wanted to kick me out, saying why didn¡¯t I stop you from leaving that day!¡±
As Damien expected, his father was clearly very angry.
¡°Has he calmed down at all?¡±
¡°There is a chance of him still being angry! My lord is determined to teach you a good lesson when you return!¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
Damien just nodded. It seemed impossible to solve this situation alone.
It was a good idea to seek help from a third party. For example, his mother or his sister¡
¡°By the way, Viscountess and Lady Louise were also angry because you went to a dangerous ce without saying a single word.¡±
He was nning to rely on his mother and sister if necessary. But even that n didn¡¯t seem to work.
¡°That¡¯s not going to work. I¡¯ll have to return when he¡¯s calmed down.¡±
¡°Where are you going?¡±
Victor grabbed Damien in surprise.
¡°If I let you go again, I might really be driven out! and you¡¯re not leaving until I get dirt in my eyes!¡±
They say people be stronger when their livelihood is at stake.
Victor said firmly. He seemed determined not to let go of this hand.
¡°But I have something to do.¡±
¡°What do you have to do?¡±
Damien said, waving the map he obtained from the Corpsey¡¯sb.
¡°Treasure hunting.¡±
Victor looked impressed.
¡°Don¡¯t just brush it off with strange words! Anyway, I can¡¯t let you go!¡±
¡°Okay, okay, I get it. Take this.¡±
Damien opened a spital ring and took out a pouch from it. Victor took the pouch without knowing what it was.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°Check it out yourself.¡±
When Victor opened the pouch, he was greeted by the sight of shiny gold coins.
¡°Huh, huh! My lord! What on earth¡¡±
¡°Reward.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Please tell my father a few good words about me.¡±
Damien quickly pulled his hand out of Victor¡¯s grip. Then he left without a word.
¡°My lord! My lord!¡±
Victor shouted desperately, but Damien had already disappeared from his sight.
***
Damien was far away from the mansion.
¨C Damien! You damn Bart! Come back here right now!
The sound of his father¡¯s shouting came from the mansion.
¡°He must be old but he¡¯s still so stubborn.¡±
I was thinking of getting him a second wife but that appeared to be a futile endeavor.
¡°I¡¯ll have to stay away for a while.¡±
By the time Damien finished searching Yn¡¯s secret warehouse and returned, the news about the crusade would have spread widely.
Of course, total information on the whole crusade wouldn¡¯t be exactly as it was. That would tarnish the reputation of the Church.
But it would be known to everyone that Damien was actually a strong knight of the middle ss and had yed a very important in dealing with Corpsey.
When his father heard the news, he would surely realize that Damien hadn¡¯t done anything reckless.
¡°¡ He¡¯ll calm down, right?¡±
After shaking off a bit of anxiety, Damien headed to Landwalk City.
Yn¡¯s secret warehouse was in the Longhost Mountain Range. It was a very distant ce, so a few preparations were needed.
Damien bought a sturdy horse, nkets, flint, and travel items like food.
¡°Why would it be in the Longhost Mountain Range?¡±
From the top of his horse, Damien muttered a few words.
The Longhost Mountain Range was not a ce where dangerous creatures lived, but it was famous for its difficult terrain.
Because of these characteristics, it was a ce where criminals and thieves gathered.
¡°When I arrive, I¡¯ll need to find a guide first.¡±
The Longhost Mountain Range was soplex that without a guide, it was easy to get lost.
A guide was essential to reach the secret warehouse.
¡°It¡¯s going to be a tough road ahead.¡±
The thought of searching such aplex ce gave him a headache.
But it was worth a visit.
Yn was a fairly well-known group of dark mages. Their power wasn¡¯t great, but each individual¡¯s skill was excellent, so they were always in demand.
They must have collected a lot of property and treasures in their warehouse.
Moreover, Yn was moving directly under Dorugo¡¯s orders.
He might get a clue to follow Dorugo.
So Damien arrived at the Longhost Mountain Range.
First, Damien headed to the Olden Vige located under the mountain range.
Travelers trying to cross the Longhost Mountain Range gathered in the Olden Vige to findpanions.
¡®The first thing to do is, I¡¯ll have to hide my identity.¡¯
Damien was already too famous. If the rumors about the dungeon spread, he would be even more famous.
If it became known that a famous person like Damien was searching the Longhost Mountain Range, it was certain that annoying flies would bother him.
Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, it was better to hide his identity while searching for the warehouse.
Damien pulled out a ck cloth and covered his face with it.
Both the Holy Sword and the Thousand-Mile Sword were put into the spital ring and he pulled out a regr iron sword.
After disguising himself like this, he headed to the mercenary employment office in Olden Vige.
The tavern-turned-mercenary employment office was quiterge. As he entered, he heard the lively chatter of mercenaries enjoying drinks and food.
As soon as Damien entered, the eyes of the mercenaries gathered on him. It was a mix of curiosity and wariness.
¡°I¡¯m looking for a guide who knows about the Longhost Mountain Range.¡±
Damien said to the man standing at the front bar, wiping a ss.
He was a retired mercenary, bearing the mark of his profession with a missing ear and scars etched across his face.
The man nced at Damien and said bluntly.
¡°If you¡¯re thinking of crossing the mountains, it would be wise to go to the merchants, not the mercenaries.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not thinking of crossing the mountains, I need to find something inside.¡±
¡°You¡¯re going to search that dangerous ce? You¡¯re out of your mind.¡±
The Longhost Mountain Range was a boiling pot of criminals and thieves.
The mountain paths that merchants took to cross the mountains were rtively safe ces. Other than that, safety was not guaranteed.
¡°Sorry, but there won¡¯t be any guides willing to take on such a request. Unless they¡¯ve lost their minds¡¡±
Damien took out a pouch of gold coins from his pocket and turned it over. The gold coins piled up on the table.
¡°If it¡¯s money, I have plenty. I just hope a skilled guidees.¡±
Even though Damien showed the gold coins, no mercenaries stepped forward.
The Longhost Mountain Range was dangerous, but theck of skilled guides was also a reason.
¡°Is there really no one?¡±
Damien was about to put the gold coins back into his pocket.
¡°You¡¯re looking for a guide to wander around the Longhost Mountain Range?¡±
At that moment, someone approached Damien.
Damien absentmindedly looked at the mercenary, and his mind went nk with surprise.
A young man between youth and middle age.
A slightly smaller stature than average.
A chubby physique for a mercenary.
Juan David.
The mercenary captain who hired Damien in his previous life was right in front of him.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 74
Chapter 74
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 74: The Treasure Hunt (2)
***
The image that Damien had of Juan David could be summarized in one word.
Benefactor.
The time when he was chased out of his family and became a beggar and wandered around.
Damien first became aware of his talent by knocking down more than ten ruffians with a rusty dagger he happened to pick up by chance.
Damien went to the mercenary hiring hall to settle his life. At that time, the only job that came to mind when he could eat and live with a sword was a mercenary.
But no mercenary would ept a beggar like Damien. Even if Damien begged to see his skills, he was ignored.
-Young friend, where are you going to show your skills?
The only person who did not mistreat Damien was Juan David.
-¡Wow, your skill with a sword is quite good and different from what I¡¯d expect at first nce.
-If you have this level of skill, you won¡¯t die anywhere. Congrattions on joining our mercenary corps.
As soon as Juan David confirmed that the skill was real, he hired Damien.
-First, I have to wash off all the dirt over you with water.
Juan David used his own money to rent a bathroom for Damien and buy him new clothes.
So Damien joined Juan David¡¯s mercenary corps.
After that, there were only pleasant memories.
He became friends with other members while training.
In a crisis, he gained recognition from his colleagues by ying a big role.
He was recognized for his ability and learned swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques from Juan David.
He gained the trust of everyone by preventing the mercenary corps from being wiped out by a knight¡¯s attack.
To Damien, the mercenary corps was nothing more than another family. He thought he could do anything with them.
Until everything copses when he meets Dorugo.
¡®Was Juan in the Longhost Mountains at this time?¡¯
Damien didn¡¯t know everything about Juan.
He didn¡¯t know much about what Juan and his mercenaries had done before he joined them.
¡°Here.¡±
It was strange that Damien didn¡¯t say anything. Juan David shook his hand in front of his nose.
¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one who looks bad. The members under me are all skilled.¡±
Juan David¡¯s habit of saying this was the same as in his previous life. He always put his members before himself.
¡°I want to decide after seeing the members.¡±
¡°Follow me. Everyone is gathered here.¡±
Juan David took Damien to a corner of the hiring hall.
Five men were sitting at two tables.
¡°Hey, you guys, can¡¯t you get up right away? He might be our employer.¡±
At Juan¡¯s words, the five got up from their seats.
They looked immature in their actions, but their eyes were clear and their bodies were well-trained.
¡°From left to right, Bread, Bolt, Fish, Leg, and Bob.¡±
[TL/N- I know guys, these are not names of human beings from any angle. But we can¡¯t change the context of the story.]
Even if Juan David didn¡¯t say it, Damien knew all five names.
How could he not know? They wererades who had been together for over a year.
¡°I guarantee the skills. ¡Bob is still a rookie. But he¡¯s big enough to be useful.¡±
Bob was the biggest of the group. His eyes were very big but so he looked innocent.
In his previous life, he was the one who called Damien his brother and followed him around.
¡°I like it. I¡¯ll hire you.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t regret it. The hiring fee is¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll pay one gold coin per person.¡±
Juan David was surprised at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Wait a minute¡ Do you not know the market price? We¡¯re just bronze mercenaries. Even one silver coin per person is too much!¡±
Damien held back theughter that was about to burst out.
If the employer is immature, he will take advantage of it. He¡¯s just saying it straight.
In his previous life, Juan was a foolish human who couldn¡¯t even take care of his own rice bowl in the mercenary world.
So he often got scolded by other mercenaries and even by his own members.
The only reason the members were working with Juan was because of his immature personality.
¡°I know how much mercenaries are worth. I raised the request fee as a sign of good faith, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±
¡°Even so, one gold coin per person¡.¡±
¡°If you do a good job guiding me, I¡¯ll pay two gold coins.¡±
The reason Damien was so generous with the request fee was because of past connections.
Of course, this also included the fact that they were trustworthy individuals.
Anyway, Damien¡¯s spatial ring was already filled with rewards from the Duke. This level of spending wouldn¡¯t even make a dent.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about guiding the way. We¡¯re confident in it.¡±
Juan David said with a proud face.
Even in his previous life, Juan was not a liar, even though he was a coward.
¡°Then it¡¯s better to make a specific n. When are you nning to go up the mountain in a few days? Tell me which area you n to explore¡.¡±
¡°Wait a minute, Juan, something happened while I was gone?¡±
At that moment, a group of mercenaries walked towards where Damien was.
All eight of them had a strong smell of blood. It meant they had killed a lot of people.
¡°Hey, if you hire those fuckers, you might get killed in the mountains. Why don¡¯t you just hire us?¡±
A man with dirty blond hair reached out to Damien.
¡°Griffin! What are you doing!¡±
¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m just introducing better mercenaries to the customer who offered one gold coin.¡±
Griffin said with a shameless attitude.
¡°If you¡¯re looking for someone to guide you through the Longhost Mountains, we¡¯re the perfect fit. We¡¯re familiar with the geography of the Longhost Mountains and we¡¯re also friendly with the people there.¡±
Griffin said confidently.
¡°Instead of them, hire us. It will be better for you.¡±
¡°This motherfucker!¡±
Juan grabbed Griffin by the cor.
Griffin¡¯s men put their hands on their weapons. Juan¡¯s men also stepped back and raised their weapons.
There was a tense atmosphere between the two mercenary groups.
¡°Juan, don¡¯t be too arrogant. Do you want to die?¡±
Griffin said in a condescending tone. Juan pushed Griffin aside and shouted.
¡°Come out right now! Don¡¯t let this opportunity pass!¡±
At Juan David¡¯s shout, Griffin backed down.
¡°Good. Should we go in for a reorganization during this opportunity?¡±
The two mercenary groups went outside. Soon, the sounds of fighting came one after another.
The chaos didn¡¯tst long. When it was quiet outside, Damien went out.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡.¡±
¡°Ugh¡.¡±
Juan and his men were lying on the ground, groaning.
¡°Where did these weaklingse from?¡±
Griffin spat on the ground.
Griffin and his men were all fine. There was no sign of being hit.
¡®Looking back, it¡¯s pathetic.¡¯
Damien could only smile bitterly at the skills of Juan¡¯s mercenaries.
Now that he thought about it, Juan¡¯s mercenary corps wasn¡¯t that good at fighting.
Thanks to Juan¡¯s training as a knight, the physical abilities of each individual were quite high.
But because they were all naturally not good at fighting, they didn¡¯t make much of an impact on any mission they were assigned.
In contrast, Griffin¡¯s mercenary group was full of fighters.
Not only were their personalities rough, but they also had no qualms about using violence.
¡°You see? How weak these guys are.¡±
Griffin said, looking at Damien.
¡°You¡¯re lucky. We met before you signed a contract with these assholes. Shall we go write the contract? Since we¡¯re high-quality mercenaries, you should pay more than one gold coin¡.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not necessary. I don¡¯t n to contract with you.¡±
Damien said tly causing Griffin to frown.
¡°That¡¯s nonsense. We won. Don¡¯t you see?¡±
¡°I never said I would contract with the winning side. You fought on your own.¡±
Originally, Damien wasn¡¯t hiring mercenaries because of ack of power.
He just needed a guide to navigate the Longhost Mountains.
¡°It seems like this nobleman doesn¡¯t understand the situation right now¡.¡±
Griffin approached Damien, muttering.
¡°Am I asking for a favor right now? I¡¯m asking you to contract with our mercenary corps. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be fun¡.¡±
Griffin¡¯s words stopped abruptly. It was because of the de under his neck.
Suddenly, Damien was holding a knife to Griffin¡¯s neck.
¡°This guy is crazy!¡±
¡°What are you doing to the leader!¡±
Griffin¡¯s men cursed. When Griffin raised his hand, his men closed their mouths.
¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re quite talented. But if you¡¯re going to boast about your swordsmanship skills like this, you¡¯ll regret it¡.¡±
Damien lifted the sword. The surface of the sword was covered with aura.
The aura touched Griffin¡¯s skin, and blood began to flow from his neck.
¡°O, oh, aura?¡±
Griffin¡¯s attitude, which had been rxed all along turned grim. His face turned pale, and he began to tremble all over.
¡°Do you understand the situation now?¡±
If Damien were in a position simr to Juan¡¯s, he could kill all the mercenaries here without any problems.
Damien was a nobleman and a powerhouse as a middle-ss knight.
But now Damien was hiding his identity. There was nothing good about attracting people¡¯s attention.
Above all, Damien was very happy to meet Juan and his men.
¡°You lucky guys. I¡¯ll let you live, so get out of here right now.¡±
Saying that, Damien raised his knife. Griffin and the mercenaries ran away.
After they left, Damien spoke to Juan.
¡°Let¡¯s go write the contract. The conditions are the same. One gold coin per person.¡±
¡°Why did you choose us?¡±
Juan asked with a face that couldn¡¯t understand at all.
¡°You seemed more trustworthy.¡±
Damien was now heading to the secret warehouse of the dark mages. It was natural to hire someone who was tight-lipped.
He knew well from working together in his previous life. Juan was a very tight-lipped man.
Even if he didn¡¯t know Juan, he would have made the same choice.
The mercenary group led by Griffin was too shady to hire. They were not to be trusted at all.
Mercenaries are basically fierce and rough people. There were often cases where they were not much different from thieves. Many mercenary groups threatened clients and took more money.
¡°Ha¡ You have a good eye for people. The bad rumors about those guys are huge.¡±
Juan stood up and asked.
¡°Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even know the employer¡¯s name. What¡¯s your name?¡±
Damien thought for a moment.
Since he couldn¡¯t use his real name, he needed a suitable alias.
¡°They call me Victor.¡±
Juan nodded.
¡°Victor, I¡¯ll count on you from now on.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 75
Chapter 75
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 75: The Treasure Hunt (3)
***
That night, Damien rented the best inn room in the Olden Vige.
With a guide hired, the preparation to find the secret warehouse waspleted. Damien wasying on the bed and organizing his thoughts.
¡®What kind of items would they have hidden?¡¯
The ce Damien was looking for was a ce created by the dark mages of Yn to safely store the treasures they obtained.
There would surely be a lot of goods, as well as many rare items.
¡®The most necessary items for me are mana cultivation techniques and potions.¡¯
Since it was a dark mages¡¯ secret warehouse ce, he couldn¡¯t expect mana cultivation techniques, but it seemed reasonable to expect potions or enough ingredients to make potions.
¡®By the way¡ what about the mercenaries?¡¯
What made Damien worry more than anything was Juan and the mercenaries.
¡®They¡¯re too weak.¡¯
It was a fact that Damien had felt in his past life as well. The six, including Juan, were not people suited for mercenaries.
Not only were they not talented in fighting but they were also short-tempered.
Thanks to Juan¡¯s application of the training methods he learned as a knight trainee, they had barely managed to survive as mercenaries until now.
¡®I can¡¯t be with the mercenaries anymore.¡¯
Unlike his past life, Damien had something to do now. No matter how precious the mercenaries were, he couldn¡¯t be with them.
¡®But if I leave them alone¡ they will definitely be in trouble someday.¡¯
In his past life, it was almost impossible to count the number of times the mercenary group had been saved by Damien¡¯s efforts in times of crisis.
¡®It can¡¯t be helped. They have to work hard to improve their skills.¡¯
If you¡¯re worried about not having the skills, you can train them.
Fortunately, Damien¡¯s head was filled with the skills and levels of dozens of masters.
¡®I can¡¯t teach them very difficult skills. Then they won¡¯t be able to learn it properly.¡¯
But he couldn¡¯t just give them anything. If he did, it would be too difficult for them to learn any of the movements properly.
¡°I can¡¯t help it. I have to create something new.¡±
He needed a simple and effective weapon technique that even a dull person could learn.
Damien went outside and bought ink and paper.
He sat at the table and started thinking about the weapon techniques that he would teach his mercenaries friends.
That¡¯s how the night got deeper.
***
While contemting weapon techniques for the members, the day broke.
Damien packed his things and headed to the meeting ce with the mercenaries.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here early.¡±
Juan greeted Damien with a warm smile.
In just one day, Juan¡¯s mercenary group had changed a lot.
First of all, they were wearing sturdier armor than yesterday. Their weapons had also been reced with new ones.
¡°Thanks to the generousmission, we were able to get new equipments.¡±
Juan said after noticing Damien¡¯s gaze.
They had received arge sum of money but instead of squandering it, they had used it to upgrade their equipment.
It seemed obvious but most mercenaries did not make such choices. When they came into the matter of spending money, they would often squander it on alcohol and gambling.
Indeed, they were good at everything except fighting.
¡°Trust us firmly. We know the Longhost Mountains very well! And there are many thieves we know. We can avoid unnecessary fights!¡±
And so, the journey began.
¡°Here, the ground suddenly lowered, so we need to be careful.¡±
¡°That flower is poisonous, so don¡¯t touch it. Even a brush against it can cause poisoning.¡±
¡°Eek, it¡¯s a venomous snake. Let¡¯s go around.¡±
As Juan confidently predicted, his guiding skills were impressive.
By following Juan¡¯s instructions, they were able to avoid all dangers.
¡°That rock over there looks like the woman you mentioned.¡±
Juan pointed to a distant ce. A strange rock was precariously perched at the edge of a cliff.
Damien unfolded the map. The map showed aplex path starting from that rock.
¡°I want to move in the direction that rock is facing.¡±
¡°Towards the valley. The other way is even more treacherous. You need to be well prepared.¡±
Juan was about to turn around.
At that moment, Damien said to Juan.
¡°Wait.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an ambush.¡±
¡°Ambush? That can¡¯t be. Thieves usually in deeper¡¡±
Damien picked up a stone and threw it into the forest. With a hard sound, a scream erupted.
¡°Ah!¡±
A man grabbed his head and fell to the ground.
¡°Damn! We¡¯ve been spotted!¡±
¡°Everyone,e out!¡±
Immediately, a group of people emerged from the forest.
Unlike their shabby clothes, they all held deadly weapons.
They didn¡¯t look like normal people with regr jobs.
¡°You noticed the ambush! You¡¯re not an ordinary guy!¡±
¡°What¡¯s the use of that? If you¡¯re outnumbered, you can¡¯t do anything.¡±
The thieves poured out a series of insults towards Damien¡¯s group.
¡°Get out of the way. You idiots who can¡¯t even hide properly.¡±
Pushing aside the thieves, a bald man walked out.
¡®He¡¯s quite skilled.¡¯
Surprisingly, the man was not an ordinary thief. Mana could be felt from his whole body.
¡°Hedgehog! What¡¯s this all about? We¡¯re paying the toll every time!¡±
After seeing the man, Juan shouted with an angry expression.
The man called Hedgehog replied, poking his ear with his finger.
¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t want to do this either. But I heard that the person over there is rich.¡±
Hedgehog¡¯s mouth twisted.
¡°If the person has that much wealth, wouldn¡¯t it be better to rob them directly than to take a toll?¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t heard the rumor properly! The client here is a knight who knows how to use aura!¡±
¡°Kuhahaha, a knight? A knight is fine, right?¡±
Hedgehog picked up the axe he had hanging on his back. The crimson aura enveloped the axe.
¡°I forgot. I¡¯m also a knight. I¡¯m just stuck in this backwater because I¡¯m unlucky.¡±
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that people were afraid of the Longhost Mountains.
Many of the criminals and thieves who flocked to the Longhost Mountains were former knights.
¡°Hey, you there. I¡¯ll tell you in advance. I¡¯m low ss.¡±
Hedgehog pointed to himself with his thumb. He seemed quite satisfied with his status.
¡°¡¡±
From Damien¡¯s perspective, he wondered what he was supposed to do.
¡°Hahaha, are you speechless because you¡¯re confused? I know guys like you well. They¡¯ve just be knights and they came to the Longhost Mountains to make a name for themselves.¡±
Hedgehog pointed at Damien.
¡°Then five people who crossed me are already dead! Now you¡¯ll be the sixth. Hahaha!¡±
Hedgehog shouted, pointing at Juan¡¯s mercenaries.
¡°Kill them all! We don¡¯t need hostages!¡±
The thieves rushed in with their weapons.
¡°Step back!¡±
Juan pushed Damien towards arge tree. Then he stood behind the tree, forming a shield wall.
Juan, Bolt, and Leg held up shields and blocked the surroundings. Behind them, Bread, Fish, and Bob held spears and waited.
¡°Come on! You son of bitches!¡±
¡°Cut off their heads!¡±
Juan, Bolt, and Leg threatened the thieves by striking their shields and swords. When the shields blocked their way, the thieves couldn¡¯t easily approach.
At that moment, Bread, Fish, and Bob stabbed the thieves with their spears from behind.
¡°Ow! Ah! It really hurts!¡±
¡°These bastards! Do you really want to die?¡±
Because of the mercenaries¡¯ solid defense, the thieves couldn¡¯t easily approach.
¡®Individually, they¡¯re not that impressive, but in a group battle, they¡¯re different.¡¯
Although they had been underestimated by Griffin¡¯s mercenaries, Juan¡¯s mercenaries were actually quite exceptional. Thanks to Juan¡¯s rigorous training, their stamina and perseverance weremendable. They were qualitatively different from thieves who just yed around all day.
¡®But apart from that, it¡¯s pitiful.¡¯
From Damien¡¯s perspective, all their movements were incredibly sloppy.
If they changed their movements a little, they could more efficiently deal with the enemy.
If they targeted different areas to stab, they could kill them in one go.
That thought kept swirling in his mind.
¡®But their attitude towards the employer is praiseworthy.¡¯
Despite seeing Damien¡¯s skills, the mercenaries didn¡¯t ask for his help. They were only facing the thieves with their own strength.
Since they had received a reward, they were determined to give their money¡¯s worth.
¡®I¡¯ve really met a good group of mercenaries.¡¯
If it had been another mercenary group instead of Juan¡¯s, even if they had epted Damien, they would have used him as a shield and then discarded him.
¡°Damn it! What are you doing without killing them quickly!¡±
Hedgehog shouted angrily.
¡°If you act like this, you¡¯ll know that you¡¯ll die in my hands!¡±
Hedgehog shown is aura. Then fear spread across the faces of the thieves.
Fear drove out fear. The thieves rushed forward more aggressively.
¡°Ah, aah!¡±
¡°Rather than being killed or crippled by the boss, it¡¯s better to die here!¡±
The thieves rushed forward, sacrificing their lives. The thieves who couldn¡¯t be stopped with spears started banging on the shields.
¡°These motherfuckers! Can¡¯t you just get out of here!¡±
Juan shouted, shing behind the shield. But he couldn¡¯t swing his sword properly because he was holding a shield and hadrades on both sides.
The situation was the same for Juan as well as Bolt and Leg.
¡°Juan, Bolt, Leg. If you attack upwards, it¡¯s ineffective because you can¡¯t swing properly. Bring the sword down and stab them in the thigh.¡±
Then Damien who was watching all the fight from behind gave them advice. Juan shouted urgently.
¡°What the hell does that mean¡¡.¡±
¡°If you stay like this, the shield will be prated. Do as I say right now!¡±
At Damien¡¯s advice, Juan, Bolt, and Legs were startled and followed his instructions.
They stabbed the thighs of the approaching thieves with their swords. As the swords pierced their thighs, the thieves screamed.
¡°Aaah! You bastards!¡±
¡°My leg! My leg!¡±
The thighs were not only important for movement but also where major arteries and veins passed through.
If the thigh was pierced, not only would the ability to move be lost, but if you were lucky, you could even cut the femoral artery.
¡°Bread, Fish, Bob. The three of you are too weak to kill someone by stabbing them head-on with the spear. Strike down diagonally below.¡±
Damien gave instructions to the remaining three as well. The three of them followed Damien¡¯s instructions without understanding a word.
¡°Crunch! Kweok!¡±
The spear was properly stuck in the thieves¡¯ bodies. The thieves screamed and died.
¡°Juan! Youck the technique of using a shield! If you see the enemying, hit them with your shield! Don¡¯t just stand there!¡±
¡°Bread! Get your head out of your ass! If you don¡¯t want to die, don¡¯t stop moving your hands!¡±
¡°Leg! What¡¯s with the way you¡¯re holding the spear? Hold it shorter!¡±
¡°Bob! What are you doing with that big body? Look far ahead and see if there are any dangerous guys!¡±
As soon as Damien gave the order, the situation began to change. Juan¡¯s mercenaries began to overwhelm the thieves.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten thieves were killed or injured.
The remaining thieves couldn¡¯t rush in recklessly. They just surrounded the area with fearful faces.
¡°You trash! I¡¯ll clean up. Get out of the way!¡±
Hedgehog pushed the thieves aside and stepped forward. The thieves spread out, creating a path.
¡°You there, you coward! You¡¯re also a knight, aren¡¯t you? Come forward! Let¡¯s fight like real men!¡±
Hedgehog raised his aura. The faces of Juan and his men turned pale at the tremendous power.
¡°If you want to die like that, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
Damien also stepped forward. Hedgehog looked at him with a puzzled expression.
¡°Where¡¯s your weapon?¡±
¡°This is enough for someone like you.¡±
Damien raised his index finger. Blood vessels appeared in Hedgehog¡¯s eyes.
¡°This kid¡ going to break all your fingers¡¡±
Suddenly, Hedgehog¡¯s movements stopped. Even though Damien didn¡¯t approach, Hedgehog stood there, shaking all over.
A momentter, a zigzagging line of blood ran from the hedgehog¡¯s head to its toes. The hedgehog¡¯s body split into pieces and copsed.
The spilled blood stained the ground. The smell of blood spread in all directions in an instant.
The ce where Hedgehog was standing.
To be precise, a woman was standing there.
Her hair was disheveled like a homeless person and her demeanor was cunning.
¡°Hello?¡±
The woman smiled broadly. Her blood-red lips were parted up to her ears as if they had been smeared with blood.
¡®¡Why is that woman here?¡¯
Damien knew exactly who the woman was.
A madwoman who reached the level of a master by being too absorbed in killing people.
A killer that Dorugo had tried to bring to his side, but it had failed, and she had died at Damien¡¯s hands.
Killer Ghost.
She was right in front of him.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 76
Chapter 76
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 76: Her (1)
***
The Killer Ghost was a mysterious master, with her past shrouded in enigmatic obscurity.
Origin, past, name, none of them were known.
The first time the Killer Ghost appeared was when Damien was active as a mercenary.
A gruesome and cruel incident urred in a neighboring kingdom¡¯s city.
Citizens were being killed one by one and eventually even knights were being attacked.
People who checked the knights¡¯ bodies couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. Numerous wounds were found all over the bodies.
The depths, shapes, and sizes of the wounds were all different. It was as if a child had yed a prank.
As the damage increased, some knights who couldn¡¯t stand by any longer joined forces to catch the murderer.
The knights dug traps and lured the murderer, then attacked.
The result was shocking. Instead, the knights were counter-attacked and the murderer killed all the knights and calmly left the scene.
The knights of the neighboring kingdom were shocked. They realized that the murderer was no ordinary person and mobilized more knights.
From then on, the murderer was called Killer Ghost.
The knights seeded in cornering Killer Ghost after a long chase.
Many knights attacked Killer Ghost together. Among them were high-ss knights.
But the result was the same. All the knights who attacked Killer Ghost became victims. Not even the high-ss knights were exceptions.
After that, Killer Ghost was not caught. She wandered the continent and killed people.
Soon after, Killer Ghost became known on the continent with rumors that she was suspected to be a master ss.
¡®The faces are identical.¡¯
The first time Damien met Killer Ghost was after he became a Death Knight.
At that time, Killer Ghost, despite being a master ss, had a beggar-like appearance.
¡®Her eyes still have some warmth.¡¯
The future Killer Ghost had eyes that were much colder and murkier than now.
Inparison, the current Killer Ghost¡¯s eyes were¡ so clear and clean.
¡°I said hello, but you won¡¯t ept it?¡±
Killer Ghost asked, shaking her head. The thieves around cursed her.
¡°What is this crazy bitch saying now!¡±
The thieves tried to attack Killer Ghost. Just before that, she drew two swords with both hands.
Both swords were heavily corroded. It seemed that they would break soon, not to mention killing people.
However, when she swung them, they cut through the thieves¡¯ bodies as if they were sharp swords.
The speed of attack was so fast that it seemed as if the thieves were standing still.
¡°Uh¡ uh¡¡±
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Blood lines were drawn all over the thieves¡¯ bodies, and they were torn apart.
¡®Foundation was alreadyid in ce by this time.¡¯
Damien admired Killer Ghost¡¯s swordsmanship. She had already established her own swordsmanship.
¡®Moreover, she is already on the path of bing middle ss.¡¯
Killer Ghost was already at the peak of the low ss. It was only a matter of time before she reached the middle ss.
She was not as talented as Michael Ryanbloom, but she was still a rare talent.
¡°I changed the angle of the cut, but it doesn¡¯t give me good eleration.¡±
Killer Ghost squatted down and looked at the body. She was poking the cut surface with her fingertips.
¡°It should be cut more smoothly and coolly. Is it better to narrow the angle?¡±
Her behavior was simr to that of the Killer Ghost Damien had met in his previous life. It was a behavior that came out when she killed someone and thought there should be a better way.
¡®How did she do that?¡¯
Thinking about the future actions of Killer Ghost, it was only right to kill her now. The number of knights who would be killed by her would exceed three digits.
But Damien thought Killer Ghost¡¯s talent was a waste. Such a genius was hard to find even in the master ss.
There was a dangerous existence called Dorugo. It was foolishness to let such power disappear.
It was much better to make it helpful here.
¡®Besides, she hasn¡¯t even started to cause trouble yet.¡¯
The mass genocidemitted by her was to happen a few yearster from this point on.
The serial murdermitted by Killer Ghost was to happen several yearster from this point on.
The current version of her couldn¡¯t even be called Killer Ghost. The title of Killer Ghost was created as a result of that incident.
Damien was just calling her Killer Ghost because of the memories of his previous life.
¡®Shall I try to rehabilitate her?¡¯
It would be nice if I could, but it didn¡¯t seem easy. Killer Ghost was a human with strong willpower.
In her previous life, Dorugo also praised Killer Ghost¡¯s abilities and tried to bring her to his side.
Dorugo wanted to destroy humanity, while Killer Ghost was obsessed with murder.
The two had a lot inmon.
-What? You want to destroy humanity? Then who am I supposed to kill!
But the negotiation broke down there. Killer Ghost was not a person who would obediently follow his words.
¡®Dorugo failed, but there is one way.¡¯
In his previous life, Damien had fought a master called the ¡®Personality Corrector.¡¯
He was probably the most absurd master among the masters Damien knew.
He was the person who had risen to the level of a master by rehabilitating criminals.
The way the Personality Corrector rehabilitated criminals was very simple.
At first, he would beat the criminal for an hour.
But if the criminal didn¡¯t repent, he would double the beating time.
From 1 hour to 2 hours, from 2 hours to 4 hours and from 4 hours to 8 hours.
ording to rumors, there were times when he beat them for 512 hours.
Furthermore, the Personality Corrector¡¯s unique skills were said to be so powerful that there was no one he could not rehabilitate.
If I use the Personality Corrector¡¯s technique, can¡¯t I rehabilitate Killer Ghost too?
That was what Damien thought.
¡°I get it now! I figured out how to cut at what angle!¡±
Killer Ghost shouted excitedly and stood up. Killer Ghost grinned and looked at Damien.
¡°You know what, I just came up with something really interesting. Would you guys like to help?¡±
Killer Ghost approached with rusty twin swords. The mercenaries were surprised and stepped back.
¡°Just stay still. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all. It¡¯ll be over soon. So you don¡¯t need to be scared at all¡ What are you doing?¡±
Killer Ghost asked with a puzzled look. It was because Damien had cut a thick branch and started to sharpen it with a dagger.
A club of the right thickness was made. Damien tapped his palm with the club and said.
¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
Since the title of Killer Ghost had not yet been created, he couldn¡¯t keep calling her Killer Ghost. Damien¡¯s question was met with a nod from Killer Ghost, who said.
¡°Me? I¡¯m called Veronica S¨¢nchez.¡±
¡°Good. Veronica S¨¢nchez. From now on, I¡¯ll rehabilitate you.¡±
¡°Rehabilitate? Why me?¡±
¡°Why not? Because you¡¯ve done wrong.¡±
¡°Wrong? I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±
¡°No, you did.¡±
Damien remembered the Personality Corrector he had seen in the past.
The Personality Corrector never tried to persuade his opponents. The reason was simple.
I¡¯m right, and he¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s so obvious, why would I try to persuade him?
¡°From now on, let me make you ept that fact.¡±
***
¡°I¡¯ll show you what a crazy person can do.¡±
She said, sticking out her tongue.
¡°In that sense, I¡¯ll start by killing you first!¡±
She swung the rusty twin swords at Damien. They were nothing more than pieces of junk, but they couldn¡¯t be ignored.
As he had just seen, Killer Ghost had used those rusty swords to chop up people¡¯s bodies.
¡®That killing technique was created during this time.¡¯
Veronica¡¯s technique was very strange.
She approached Damien with her arms outstretched, her entire body swayed. Only her head remained still in the air.
It looked ridiculous, but he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Veronica was a madwoman who loved killing people, and she only thought about the best way to do it.
In other words, that was an optimized movement for killing people.
In fact, most of the knights who were killed by the future Killer Ghost mocked her technique and met their deaths.
Veronica, who was shaking, approached Damien and swung the twin swords in her hands.
Veronica¡¯s swordsmanship had no restraint or rules. At first nce, it looked like a beginner swinging randomly.
But the sharpness and weight of the real attack were extraordinary.
Damien blocked her attack with the club. Sparks flew several times from the air.
¡°Huh? You¡¯re good at blocking?¡±
Veronica¡¯s face widened in surprise. Soon, a smile appeared on her face.
¡°You had the right to say strange things to me!¡±
She shook her body and moved her position wildly. While doing so, she continued to swing her twin swords.
Whenever an attack seemed to hit head-on, she was already behind him.
But if you turned around, she was already moving to the left.
¡®She¡¯s urately assessing the range of people¡¯s vision and moving.¡¯
She was swinging her weapon outside of people¡¯s vision.
It was a skill that only Veronica, who had studied people to the extreme to kill them, could do.
If it were any other middle-ss knight, they would have been helpless.
But the one here was Damien.
Both in experience and skill, he was far superior to Veronica S¨¢nchez. Moreover, Damien had fought the future Killer Ghost directly.
¡®Back.¡¯
Damien moved first again and blocked the twin swords flying from the left. Her expression changed from surprise to astonishment.
¡°You, you! H-how!¡±
She shouted loudly in confusion. Confusion soon turned into a gap.
Revealing a gap in front of a skilled person like Damien was no different from asking to be killed.
Damien struck her head with the club. With a popping sound, she fell to the ground.
¡°Ow! Ahh! Ughhh! My head! My headdd!¡±
She grabbed her head and rolled on the ground.
Damien spoke to her in a cold tone.
¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. You¡¯re fine.¡±
She murmured, feeling her head around.
¡°Uh¡ how? I thought it had burst¡¡±
Even after being beaten for hours by the Personality Corrector, the criminals did not receive any injuries, let alone their lives being in danger.
The reason this was possible was due to the state of enlightenment that the Personality Corrector had achieved.
A state where no injuries appear no matter how hard you hit.
A state to safely inflict pain without worrying about injuries.
He reached in state of enlightenment because the personality corrector felt ¡®sympathy¡¯ for the criminals.
¡°Come on, say it again. Killing people is bad.¡±
¡°What nonsense is this all of a sudden!¡±
She rushed again with her twin swords. However, it was useless as Damien had already read all of her movements.
Damien avoided all her attacks and hit her head. Once again, She fell to the ground with a terrible sound.
¡°You hit me again!¡±
¡°Say it again. Killing people is bad.¡±
¡°Who would follow such nonsense!¡±
She raised her twin swords again. However, before that, Damien hit her head.
Crunch!
With a strange sound, Veronica¡¯s head was mmed into the ground. She stroked her head and sobbed.
¡°Why¡ why are you only hitting my head? Do you think I¡¯m an idiot!¡±
¡°You are an idiot. An idiot who kills people.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡±
As Damien raised his club, she covered her head with both hands.
¡°Say it again. Killing people is bad.¡±
¡°Killing¡ killing people is¡ bad.¡±
In the end, she had no choice but to follow Damien.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire the changed Veronica S¨¢nchez.
¡®Personality Corrector, that crazy method works.¡¯
It was not for nothing that the Personality Corrector was highly regarded as an expert in rehabilitation.
¡°Say it again. Killing people is bad.¡±
¡°Killing¡ killing people is¡ bad.¡±
¡°Good attitude. Then let¡¯s fix another mistake this time.¡±
¡°An¡ another mistake¡¡±
¡°Say it again. I¡¯m weak.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, her eyes showed defiance again.
¡°I¡¯m not weak!¡±
¡°You are weak. You¡¯re getting beaten up by me like this.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s¡ you¡¯re the weird one! Do you know how many people I¡¯ve killed!¡±
Damien sneered at her protest.
¡°You can just kill normal people.¡±
¡°So what!¡±
¡°Do you know how to deal with monsters? The undead that dark mages summon? The spirits that elves summon?¡±
Veronica¡¯s eyes widened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°I don¡¯t care about them!¡±
¡°That¡¯s your preference¡ I¡¯m asking you. Can you win against them in a fight?¡±
¡°Of course I can!¡±
¡°No, you can¡¯t win.¡±
In a past life, Damien had fought Veronica directly, so he knew well.
Veronica¡¯s skills declined significantly when fighting things other than humans due to being too absorbed in murder.
During the Death Knight era, when Damien fought Veronica, this problem became apparent. Veronica¡¯s state of mind, which was like a whirlpool of human blood, did not affect Damien at all.
¡°Ogres don¡¯t die just because you sh them a few times with a sword. The tough exterior of a rock elemental cannot be broken by ordinary magic. Ghost warriors can quickly heal even if they¡¯re cut by a sword.¡±
Unless it was an Aurade that only can be used by master sses, the aura was not invincible.
¡°That¡ that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°If you understand, say it again. I¡¯m weak because I only know how to deal with humans.¡±
Her face twisted. Defiance returned to her eyes.
¡°As expected, not easy.¡±
Damien swung the club. She shouted desperately at the sight.
¡°I¡ I am weak! I¡¯m weak because I only know how to kill normal people!¡±
Damien, who was about to strike with the club, stopped his hand.
He nodded as he was very satisfied.
¡°Now you¡¯re admitting your mistakes. That¡¯s a very good attitude.¡±
¡°So, can I go now?¡±
She tried to move away from Damien. He shook his head and said.
¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve been rehabilitated, so you¡¯ll have to apany me for a while.¡±
Her expression copsed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Hmm? I still see defiance in you?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Veronica smiled broadly again.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 77
Chapter 77
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 77: Her (2)
***
That didn¡¯t mean Veronica S¨¢nchezz was going along with Damien.
¡°Oh! I feel a presence there! It¡¯s definitely a thief! I¡¯ll find and kill him!¡±
¡°It¡¯s almost dinner time. Shall we catch some prey? How about roasted wild boar?¡±
¡°I have something to do! It¡¯s a big one! It seems to being out soon!¡±
She tried to run away by giving various reasons. Every time, she was caught by Damien again.
¡°Why do you keep catching me!¡±
¡°Because you¡¯re weak. Who told you to have knowledge about only killing people?¡±
¡°What does killing people have to do with me not being able to escape!¡±
¡°You¡¯re still rebellious because you haven¡¯t been properly educated.¡±
¡°Ahh¡ No! I¡¯m fine!¡±
After getting hit a few more times, she became very humble.
The reason Damien took her with him was to definitely rehabilitate her.
¡®That¡¯s what the Personality Corrector does. You can¡¯t let your guard down just because you¡¯ve rehabilitated someone.¡¯
The Personality Corrector had also been apanying criminals for a while, constantly checking to see if he or she was rehabilitated.
¡®If rehabilitation not going to work, I should kill her right away.¡¯
While exploring the Longhost Mountains, he continued to observe Veronica.
¡°Are you telling me to prepare for camping? I can just sleep on tree branches!¡±
¡°I was talking about my sleeping ce, not yours!¡±
¡°That¡¯s your job!¡±
¡°It means reflecting on your mistakes while doing your work.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to! You do it! I won¡¯t¡¡±
Damien raised his club. She ran to prepare for camping.
¡®This is quitefortable.¡¯
Thanks to Veronica, Damien was able to be freed from annoying tasks.
***
Juan and the mercenaries began preparing for camp.
On one side, they were preparing meals andying out sleeping bags on the ground.
Juan was in charge of preparing the meals. In addition to the bonfire, he ced an iron pot on it and boiled various ingredients.
He was stirring the thickened vegetables with adle.
¡°Captain, can you give me a moment?¡±
Bread approached Juan and asked.
¡°Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m cooking? Speak here.¡±
Juan said as he stirred the ingredients with adle.
Cooking was all about sincerity. There was no room to leave even for a moment.
¡°Who is this Victor guy?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s our principle not to ask about the personal information of the client.¡±
There were a few rules among the mercenaries.
One of the most important was that once you¡¯re paid, you¡¯re paid.
It meant not to be curious about the client first.
¡°Then I¡¯ll change the question. Are knights always so great?¡±
Bread said with a dreamy face.
¡°Captain, you¡¯ve experienced it during the day. Everything changed when the Viror gave orders.¡±
The battle during the day was a fight that Juan¡¯s mercenaries couldn¡¯t win because there were too many thieves.
But as soon as Damien started giving advice, the situation changed.
¡°That¡¯s not all, He also easily subdued that strange woman.¡±
Many criminals gathered in the Longhost Mountains.
Among them, the Hedgehog was particrly skilled and was leading arge force by unifying the surrounding thieves.
Especiallyst year, when two low-ss knights who came to suppress the thieves were turned into corpses, it was being passed down among the thieves like a legend.
But Hedgehog was easily killed by that woman.
Even low-level thieves who do not know much about swordsmanship could see the overwhelming difference in skills.
And Damien subdued the woman like a child.
¡°Captain, since you were a knight trainee, you should know about knights.¡±
Juan was a knight trainee. He had been trained for about a year, although he was driven out due tock of talent.
The instructor who taught Juan and the trainees at the time was a junior knight. Sometimes, low-ss knights came and taught the trainees.
The low-ss knights he saw then¡
¡°There¡¯s no way.¡±
The knights who taught Juan were just talking nonsense. They were people who disappeared after boasting about themselves, they never taught.
Compared to them, that knight gave necessary advice at the right time.
Just following that advice made their skill improve significantly.
¡°That knight was a real knight.¡±
Juan said briefly, looking down at the iron pot.
***
The next day, Damien started traveling again.
Unlike yesterday, they didn¡¯t encounter thieves along the way.
¡°It seems like the rumor that the Hedgehog died has spread.¡±
Juan said as he climbed the mountain.
¡°He died with a single blow from that woman, but the Hedgehog was quite notorious in the Longhost Mountains.¡±
Since a strong guy died, the guys below would take care of themselves.
Thanks to that, Damien reached deep into the Longhost Mountains without fighting once.
He was resting for a moment. Damien sat down and spread out the map.
¡°Water.¡±
Damien reached out his hand and said. Then Veronica held out a water bottle as if she had eaten shit.
¡°You¡ you treat me like a maid¡ Do you think I¡¯ll stay still forever¡!¡±
Damien slowly picked up the club he had set aside and she fled in a panic.
Damien sipped the water and examined the map.
He had obtained memories of the hideout from the captain of the mercenaries, but there were many uncertainties. Therefore, he had to keep checking the map.
¡°Victor, do you think we should go further inside?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Juan¡¯s expression hardened at Damien¡¯s answer.
¡°Hmm¡ Victor, it¡¯s dangerous to go further. The inside is called forbidden and even thieves avoid it.¡±
¡°Forbidden?¡±
¡°No one who has gone inside hase back alive. Not even knights like the Hedgehog.¡±
Juan¡¯s words made Damien smile instead.
It was evidence that he had found the right ce.
¡°I have business inside. If you think it¡¯s dangerous, you don¡¯t have to follow me anymore.¡±
After resting, Damien and the mercenaries moved back inside.
¡°Ca, Captain, don¡¯t you feel a bit cold?¡±
One of the mercenaries said as they went further inside. It was Bob, the biggest one.
¡°I feel a bit chilly too.¡±
¡°Something¡¯s weird in this hot weather.¡±
Not only Bob but also other mercenariesined of strange symptoms.
¡°You guys are weak. Hey, did you see that? That¡¯s what weakness is, I¡¯m not weak!¡±
On the other hand, Veronica was still energetic.
¡®It seems like a curse has been cast over the entire region.¡¯
The reason theyined of the cold was because of the curse.
The curse of weakness was constantly bothering the mercenaries. It was clear that it was a curse set up by Yn to prevent outsiders from invading.
As we went deeper inside, the curse seemed to get stronger and stronger.
The reason this ce came to be known as the forbidden zone seemed to be because of this curse.
Damien utilized the Authority of Greed. As he used this power, the curse that had been lingering around him began to dissipate.
¡°Huh? Suddenly, I feel morefortable.¡±
¡°The weather suddenly feels warmer.¡±
The mercenaries¡¯ expressions brightened.
¡®However, it¡¯s a bit worrying that even the low-ss ones haven¡¯te back after entering this ce.¡¯
Unlike the mercenaries, Veronica was a low-ss knight who was not affected by the curse at all.
That meant there was something separate that could kill the low-ss.
When Damien was pondering, something began to reveal itself in front of him.
A half-rotten body, a rusty sergeant¡¯s weapon, slow movements.
¡°Z, zombie! It¡¯s a zombie!¡±
Juan shouted in confusion. The mercenaries quickly drew their weapons.
A zombie referred to a corpse that moved due to dark magic, and even though it was a low-level undead, it wasn¡¯t particrly dangerous.
¡°Captain! It¡¯s not just one or two of them!¡±
The problem was the numbers. Suddenly, more than dozens of zombies surrounded the group.
It seemed that all the mercenaries who had entered the forbidden area and died had turned into zombies.
¡°It¡¯s a perfect situation to gain experience.¡±
The mercenaries were surprised at Damien¡¯s words and looked at him. Damien jumped onto a nearby branch and said.
¡°What¡¯s wrong? Go fight. If you think you¡¯re going to die, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the mercenaries rushed out, crying and grinding their teeth.
¡°Gather here! Fight with taking the cover of the trees! Don¡¯t be afraid, they¡¯re slow!¡±
Juan and the mercenaries tried to fight as they usually did but Damien started advising them.
¡°Staying in one ce against zombies is akin to suicide. Keep moving and fight! Push them back!¡±
The mercenaries immediately changed their strategy as Damien had said.
The shield-bearing mercenaries cleared the way, and the spear-bearing mercenaries restrained the zombies.
¡°Should I go and help?¡±
Veronica, who had also climbed up the tree, asked Damien.
¡°There¡¯s someone you need to deal with.¡±
¡°Huh? What? What? You? You?¡±
Damien raised his finger and pointed it somewhere. Behind the zombie horde, a monstrous figure revealed itself.
-Uwaaah!
Troll.
However, it was no ordinary troll. It had two heads and four arms.
There was no way there could be a troll like that. Upon closer inspection, there was a seam-like thing in the center of its body.
It was a flesh golem.
Judging by the familiar feeling, it seemed to be something created by Corpsey.
¡®Now it¡¯s certain that there¡¯s a warehouse of Yn.¡¯
That flesh golem was the evidence that Yn¡¯s secret warehouse was here.
¡°Wow, it looks strange. I¡¯ll kill it right away!¡±
¡°Huh? You should hear the exnation first¡¡±
¡°No need!¡±
Veronica wielded her twin swords and charged at the flesh golem. Damien clicked his tongue.
¡®He¡¯s not as easy as he looks.¡¯
It¡¯s the Yn¡¯s secret warehouse. It was unlikely that the Corpsey had created it carelessly.
¡°Die! Die!¡±
She swung her swords in anger. The sharp des of the twin swords stabbed into the flesh golem¡¯s arm.
The flesh golem¡¯s flesh was easily cut. But as time went on, its speed slowed down and eventually stopped.
¡°Huh? Huh?¡±
Her aura was so sharp that it could cut through a person¡¯s body down to the bone and muscle.
The flesh golem¡¯s arms were thick, but it was strange that they couldn¡¯t be cut off and stopped.
-Uwaaah!
The flesh golem attempted to swing its fist at Veronica. She dodged backward without a chance to draw her sword.
¡°What, what is it? Why, why won¡¯t it cut?¡±
It seemed to be her first encounter with such an event. Veronica S¨¢nchezz struggled to shake off her bewilderment.
¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but¡ if it doesn¡¯t work once, then keep doing it until it does!¡±
Veronica handed her another sword that had fallen to the ground, one previously used by a zombie.
She swiftly moved to start hacking at the flesh golem, causing numerous wounds to appear on its body.
However, before long, her movements noticeably slowed down.
¡°Huff! Huff! Huff!¡±
Exhausted, Veronica began to pant heavily.
It was clearly strange. Low-ss knights like her shouldn¡¯t tire so quickly.
¡®That flesh golem has the ability to absorb an opponent¡¯s mana.¡¯
That exined why she would tire quickly and struggle against it every time she hit it with her aura.
The reason her sword couldn¡¯t prate deeply at first seemed to be due to the sudden absorption of mana, causing her aura to disappear.
¡®It¡¯s hard to defeat it by using aura directly. So I prepared such a trick.¡¯
A mage¡¯s strength is not as good as a knight¡¯s, but their cunning surpasses it.
But Veronica S¨¢nchez had a big disadvantage.
She was only used to cutting people.
¡°Ugh, ugh! Help me! Help me!¡±
Eventually, Veronica¡¯s mana was almost depleted. She began to run away from the flesh golem¡¯s attacks.
Damien clicked his tongue and drew his sword. Then he stood in front of the flesh golem.
-Uwaaah!
The flesh golem screamed and swung its fist. Veronica shouted at the sight.
¡°Hey! Be careful! There¡¯s something off about it! My aura isn¡¯t effective!¡±
Damien avoided the flesh golem¡¯s fist and swung his sword twice. The thick wrist was cut off and fell to the ground.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Veronica was greatly surprised at the sight of the troll¡¯s wrist being cut off with a sword that wasn¡¯t infused with aura.
-Uwaaah!
Since the flesh golem couldn¡¯t feel pain, it didn¡¯t care that its wrist had been cut off and rushed forward.
Damien held his sword with both hands and swung it twice. Two deep gashes crossed on the flesh golem¡¯s torso.
Eventually, the flesh golem¡¯s body split and copsed to the ground.
¡°¡¡¡±
Veronica¡¯s mouth gradually fell open at the sight.
¡°Get some rest.¡±
After a brief remark, Damien ran towards Juan¡¯s mercenary group.
She stared back and forth between the Flesh Golem and Damien for a long moment.
***
Damien continued to assist Juan¡¯s mercenary group to exterminate the zombie horde.
He didn¡¯t directly engage but provided advice to the group, helping them gain experience.
After a fierce battle, the group gathered in one ce to rest.
¡°Thanks to you, we¡¯re survived again.¡±
Juan said while drinking water. If Damien hadn¡¯t given advice again this time, they would have been in a dangerous situation once again.
¡°But why is that woman so quiet?¡±
Juan pointed to Veronica and asked. Since the fight with the flesh golem, she had been staring into space without saying a word.
¡°It seems she has something on her mind.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°By the way¡ what exactly are you looking for in the mountains? It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re just looking for simple treasure, considering the undead are involved.¡±
No matter how taciturn Juan was, he couldn¡¯t help but ask questions in this situation.
Undead were not easily seen monsters. Unlike monsters, they were only created by dark magic.
Damien pondered for a moment.
Although Juan tended to be tight-lipped, it was dangerous to speak honestly in this situation.
In times like these, showing rather than convincing was more effective.
Damien opened a spatial ring. Juan¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the phenomenon he had never seen before.
¡°W-what¡¯s that? A-are you, by any chance, a mage?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a magical artifact, calm down.¡±
Damien took out the Holy Sword from the spatial ring. When he drew the Holy Sword, a bright light burst forth.
Everyone bathed in the light experienced a miraculous surge in their health. Surprised by the phenomenon, Juan said,
¡°D-Divine power¡? A-are you¡ a pdin?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not a pdin. Instead, I received the Holy Sword from the church.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Juan looked at him with a mixture of awe and reverence.
¡°Now I see, you must be an ally of the church¡ I understand now why you came to the Longhost Mountains. You came to deal with the undead.¡±
Juan nodded his head and understood.
¡°I hope you kept my presence here a secret. It¡¯s a secret mission, you know.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret. No one can interfere with the Church¡¯s grand n.¡±
Juan crossed his arms and nodded softly.
***
¡°I have to go in alone from here.¡±
As the break was ended, Damien said to the mercenary group.
¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ll go with you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not telling you to go back. I mean, stay here and wait. It won¡¯t take long, so don¡¯t bother setting up camp.¡±
Juan hesitated. To such Juan, Damien said,
¡°It¡¯s a request as a client.¡±
¡°¡I understand.¡±
The proper attitude of a mercenary is not to interfere unnecessarily. Juan had no choice but to ept Damien¡¯s request.
¡°Hey.¡±
Damien approached Veronica. She looked at Damien with a nk face.
¡°I¡¯ll go in ande back soon. You stay here and guard the mercenaries.¡±
Veronica nodded. It was a reaction like a broken machine.
Leaving the group behind, Damien entered the valley.
He encountered a few more undead on the way, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem.
Eventually, Damien stopped in front of a cliff.
¡°It¡¯s definitely here¡ What was the pattern?¡±
Damien released a bit of dark mana from the bracelet and drew a few patterns.
Then the cliff disappeared, revealing arge cave.
¡°I found it.¡±
Damien entered the cave. As soon as Damien entered, the illusion covered the cave again.
***
Damien continued to walk deeper into the cave. After a while, a wide hall appeared. In the hall, two flesh golems were bowing their heads.
¡®They made more trolls just like the one outside.¡¯
As Damien moved towards the center of the hall, the flesh golems suddenly raised their heads.
-Unauthenticated magic pattern detected.
-Intruder identified. Exclude ording to security procedure.
Suddenly, bones and armor fell from the ceiling. The bones intertwined and formed a human skeleton.
Skeletons.
Dark magic utilizes human souls by binding them to bones to use as soldiers. It was also a representative of the dark magic of the necromancy sect.
¡°As expected, the inside is also prepared to deal with intruders.¡±
Damien was about to draw his sword but put it back and instead opened a spatial ring.
From it, he took out a leather bag and opened it. Inside, pitch-ck darkness was writhing.
¡°Come out.¡±
Something emerged from the darkness.
An androgynous appearance that was hard to identify the gender.
A petite body that was below average.
A strange atmosphere that felt unfamiliar.
¡°Miya, let¡¯s see your skills.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Miyaughed fiercely.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 78
Chapter 78
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 78: The Secret Warehouse (1)
***
¨C Kyaa!
With a fox-like cry, Miya rushed at the skeletons and swung her hands.
A frail body with long, slender fingers.
At first nce, Miya appeared to be nothing more than a young girl or boy.
But as her thin fingers struck the skeletons, bones shattered and scattered into pieces.
Miya promptly attacked other skeletons. After a few swings, dozens of skeletons had turned into piles of bones.
¨C Kyaa! Kyaa!
Miya looked at Damien with a satisfied expression. Damien shook his head vigorously.
¨C Kyaa?
The pile of bones gathered again and reassembled into skeletons. The reformed skeletons picked up fallen weapons from the ground.
¡®That¡¯s the troublesome aspect of skeletons.¡¯
Among necromancy spells, skeletons were considered quite challenging. Unlike zombies, they required souls to be bound.
Once a soul was bound, skeletons operated semi-permanently. Even if destroyed or damaged, they could repair themselves.
¡®Disgusting necromancers.¡¯
In Damien¡¯s eyes, he could see souls bound to the bones, supplying dark mana. It was truly a nauseating sight.
¨C Kyaa!
Miya charged at the skeletons again. The skeletons raised their shields in response.
This time, she used her fists instead of her fingers. Her small fistsnded on the skeletons¡¯ heads.
With a crisp sound, the skeletons¡¯ bonespletely crumbled. The shattered bones scattered on the ground.
¡®She¡¯s got good instincts. She¡¯s figured out how to deal with skeletons instinctively.¡¯
The most effective way to deal with skeletons was to break their bones into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the weaker their ability to regenerate.
¨C Kyaa!
Miya moved around, breaking the skeletons. The shattered bones scattered wildly on the ground.
However, there were still many skeletons left. As they fought, the broken skeletons returned to their original form, repeating the cycle.
An endless cycle of fighting.
Yn didn¡¯t just use skeletons as 1st line of defense in the warehouse for nothing.
¡®There¡¯s no end like this. I need to think of another way.¡¯
It was when Damien thought to himself. Suddenly, Miya¡¯s gaze turned toward the ceiling.
There, a flesh golem in the shape of a human held a staff.
Miya mmed against the wall and swiftly reached the flesh golem. With no chance to escape, she kicked the torso, shattering it into pieces.
Simultaneously, the movements of the skeletons ceased. The dark magic dissipated, and the skeletons returned to bones.
¨C Kyaa!
Miya descended triumphantly, akin to a fox sessful in its hunt.
¡°Well done.¡±
Damien praised, to which Miya responded with an even more triumphant expression.
At that moment, a heavy sound reverberated through the ground. The flesh golems guarding the door approached the two.
Since the first line of defense, the skeletons had been breached, the flesh golems began to move.
Upon seeing the flesh golems, Miya¡¯s face turned fierce once again.
¡°Can you handle them alone?¡±
He asked Miya and she nodded in response. Lowering her body until her chest touched the ground, she plunged her ten fingers into the earth.
With both hands and feet pushing simultaneously, she shot forward like an arrow.
Arriving in front of the flesh golem¡¯s nose, Miya jumped into the air. With her knee, she struck the flesh golem¡¯s face.
With a dreadful sound, its facepletely caved in, and the flesh golem staggered.
As Miyanded on the ground, she wrapped one of the flesh golem¡¯s arms with both hands.
As her body rotated, the flesh golem¡¯s arm twisted and tore off.
¡®It¡¯s not ordinary strength.¡¯
The force emanating from Miya¡¯s small body exceeded imagination.
¡®But her body is too weakpared to her output.¡¯
Every time Miya attacked, her skin peeled off, and her muscles tore, despite her regeneration ability. Even considering her regeneration, her body durability was noticeably weakpared to her output.
As Miya tore off the arm, she was about to continue her next attack. At that moment, another flesh golem nearby kicked her body away.
Miya flew and crashed into the wall, spitting out blood.
¨C Kyaa!
Due to herck of experience, she had let her guard down. The price was steep. Despite the approaching flesh golem, Miya could only spit out blood without thinking of evasion.
¡®Should I intervene?¡¯
Damien thought to himself.
The blood spilled by the flesh golem began to gather around Miya.
Miya¡¯s skin started absorbing the blood. As she absorbed more blood, her body rapidly regenerated.
¡°¡What¡¯s that?¡±
Even he was so surprised that he almost spoke aloud. But what was more astonishing was yet toe.
As Miya got up from her seat and stretched out her arm to the side, her arm suddenly grew huge. It was simr to a troll¡¯s arm.
¡°¡Body transformation?¡±
Miya moved again and struck the flesh golem that had attacked her with a troll¡¯s hand. The flesh golem¡¯s body shattered into pieces in one blow.
Thump!
The flesh golem that had fallen to the ground tried to resist. Miya immediately twisted the flesh golem¡¯s head.
Kyaa!
Miya made a triumphant cry. The arm that had grown huge had returned to its original size in no time.
Miya ran over to him. He examined Miya¡¯s body and asked.
¡°How far can the transformation go?¡±
In response to Damien¡¯s question, Miya transformed both arms.
¡°Can you transform more?¡±
Miya shook her head. It seemed that this was the limit.
¡°Can you increase the recovery speed by absorbing blood and transform into the corresponding organism?¡±
The flesh golem Miya faced was made bybining two trolls.
Miya had absorbed the blood of a troll. That¡¯s how she was able to transform her arm into that of a troll.
¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯
If his thoughts were correct, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary ability.
If the Corpsey in his past life had seeded in subduing Miya, humanity would have faced another disaster.
¡°Good job. Let¡¯s go inside now.¡±
Damien and Miya moved inside the warehouse together.
***
As they went further inside, they reached a fork in the road.
¡°Treasure, herbs, nt toxins, biological toxins¡¡±
The warehouse, used by many dark mages, had various types of items.
He first headed towards the treasure warehouse.
As they entered, they saw a space of about 20 square meters filled with gold coins and jewels.
¡°The quantity is a bit¡ disappointing.¡±
Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t many items in the warehouse. There were only five pouches of gold coins and one pouch of jewels.
¡°Someone has already looted¡ What¡¯s this?¡±
He discovered a ckboard hanging on the wall.
January 10th ¨C Akitora: Took 50 gold.
February 28th ¨C Mustang Fury: Took 150 gold and 10 sapphires.
April 25th ¨C Reba: Left 80 gold coins and 5 gold statues.
August 10th ¨C James: Took 70 gold and 4 diamonds.
The records of the members of Yn taking the treasure were listed.
However, at the bottom, there was a name that didn¡¯t seem right.
November 1st ¨C Corpse y: I need to make a masterpiece, but I don¡¯t have enough money, so I¡¯ll take it all.
©»Akitora: Hey, you jerk! What will we do if you take it all?
©»Mustang Fury: Return it when you¡¯re done!
©»Reba: Corpsey! Do you want to be cursed?
Damien clicked his tongue briefly. The reason the warehouse was so empty was because of Corpsey.
¡°He¡¯s a totally useless guy.¡±
He grumbled as he put the remaining things into the spatial ring.
Next, He went to the herb warehouse. However, there were only a few ingredients left here as well.
November 1st ¨C Corpsey: I need to make a masterpiece, but I don¡¯t have enough ingredients, so I¡¯ll take it all.
©»Akitora: Is this jerk crazy?
©»Mustang Fury: Do you know how much the herbs you took are worth?
©»Reba: I¡¯ll really kill you!
¡°¡.¡±
He looked at the ckboard with a bewildered expression.
¡°Still, there must be something left in other ces.¡±
He visited all the other warehouses, but the situation was the same. Corpsey had taken everything from the warehouses.
¡°Why did this guy take everything?¡±
He was bewildered as he headed towards thest ¡°treasure warehouse¡±.
Once again, there weren¡¯t many items left here either.
December 1st ¨C Corpse y: Even after using everything I took, it¡¯s still not enough. I need money to make a Nine, so I¡¯ll take everything.
©»Akitora: @#$@#%@$@#.
©»Mustang Fury: %^&$%^#$#.
©»Reba: @#%#%#%#.
As he read the message left by Corpsey, he looked back at Miya. She was shaking her head.
¡°Nine¡ that was definitely your old name.¡±
It made sense that her performance was excessively good.
Since all the treasures collected by Yn were used to create her, she was able to perform at this level.
¡°Still, this regeneration ability and blood absorption ability are unbelievable.¡±
Damien was pondering when¡
¡°Kyaa! Kyaa!¡±
Miya grabbed Damien¡¯s clothes. There was still one box left in the corner of the warehouse.
Since Corpsey didn¡¯t take it, it was likely to be an item of little value.
Still, to confirm what it was, Damien approached the box.
ATTENTION:- The item ¡®He¡¯ was looking for. Keep it safe until the promised day.
¡°¡.He?¡±
There was only one person Yn referred to as ¡®He¡¯.
He was Dorugo.
It was an item Dorugo wanted. Curious, Damien opened the box.
¡°¡.¡±
As soon as he saw what was inside, he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.
A handle that looked rough, as if it were made of obsidian.
A crossguard that looked like it was entangled with thorns.
A de that was barely left due to being broken.
¡°Erebos¡.¡±
The sword Damien used during the Death Knight era was right in front of him.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 79
Chapter 79
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 79: The Secret Warehouse (2)
***
Archlich Dorugo had made many preparations to destroy human society.
He recruited capable dark mages and caused chaos across the continent, creating a powerful undead army over a long period of time.
He devoted himself to using all the abilities he had gathered over the years to modify Damien Haksen into a Death Knight after dozens of surgeries.
In addition, there was another important n that Dorugo considered.
It was the restoration of the cursed sword Erebos.
Erebos was an unknown cursed sword. There were no records of it anywhere in this world.
Only the Church mentioned that if they find a piece of Erebos, they must seal it thoroughly.
But even the Church did not know what Erebos was.
¡®Maybe Dorugo knew well about Erebos. So he must have searched for it obsessively.¡¯
Even during the war of destruction, Dorugo was obsessed with finding pieces of Erebos.
Even Dorugo could notpletely restore Erebos.
The Erebos restored by Dorugo was about 70%plete. But even that alone had a tremendous power.
There was a case of a country farmer who identally obtained a piece of Erebos and went on a rampage, killing a high-ss knight.
¡®If Erebos didn¡¯t recognize me, I would have died.¡¯
Erebos was not only powerful but also a cursed sword that was difficult to choose its master.
At first, he did not recognize Damien as his master. Even if he became strong enough to trample over the master ss, it was the same.
Then, just before fighting the Imperial Supreme Sword, Erebos finally recognized Damien as his master.
¡®It was a tremendous battle.¡¯
Considering that the empire was the strongest on the continent, the Imperial Supreme Sword was practically the strongest in humanity.
The Imperial Supreme Sword was a terrifying monster befitting its reputation. Even Damien felt a sense of crisis.
Above all, the Imperial Supreme Sword had the divine sword ¡®El De¡¯.
One day, El De, which fell from the sky, had a power stronger than any other weapon in this world. Even the best holy sword made by the Church was far inferior to the divine sword.
If Damien didn¡¯t have Erebos, he would have lost his life to the Imperial Supreme Sword and El De.
¡®¡It might have been better. If I had died by the hands of the Imperial Supreme Sword, Dorugo¡¯s ambition would have been thwarted.¡¯
When the Imperial Supreme Sword lost its life to Damien¡¯s hands, the Empire fell into a steep decline.
And Dorugo seeded in fulfilling his long-cherished wish to destroy humanity by destroying the empire.
¡®How did I say this¡?¡¯
Erebos was too dangerous an item. But it couldn¡¯t be destroyed either.
No matter what method was used, Erebos¡¯s fragments could not be destroyed. So did the Church order to seal it instead of destroying it?
¡®I must have it for now.¡¯
Damien thought so when he picked up Erebos.
Erebos¡¯s hilt and de turned into smoke before being absorbed into Damien¡¯s body. Then, a tattoo in the shape of Erebos appeared on his wrist.
¡°What?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised once more. This phenomenon was evidence that Erebos had acknowledged him.
¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡¡±
During his Death Knight days, Damien never received recognition from Erebos.
Even though he killed numerous masters and rose to a dominant position, it was still the case.
Erebos, who had been so stubborn, now easily recognized Damien as his master.
It was surprising, but not a bad thing. It meant that one of Dorugo¡¯s powerful forces had been taken away.
¡°Well, I can use dark magic with this sword. There¡¯s no reason not to use it with a cursed sword.¡±
The only problem was that only the hilt remained, so it couldn¡¯t be used as a weapon.
There was a bit of the de left, but it was too short to be used as a dagger.
¡°Maybe I should hang it on a pole.¡±
Hanging it at the end of the pole seemed like a reasonable option. Then, it would be called a cursed spear instead of a cursed sword.
¡°Miya, let¡¯s go now.¡±
Miya nodded at Damien¡¯s words.
***
Damien put Miya in the bag and went outside the secret warehouse.
¡°Oh, he¡¯sing now.¡±
Juan was sitting with the mercenaries, waiting for Damien.
When he got up, the other mercenaries also got up.
¡°Is everything resolved well?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±
Juan smiled slightly and said. He didn¡¯t ask any more than that. He was very epitome of the mercenaries.
¡°Where is that girl?¡±
¡°Oh, the one who likes killing people? Over there.¡±
Juan pointed to under the tree. Veronica was sitting there.
Damien approached. Veronica S¨¢nchez looked at Damien with a nk face.
¡°¡Don¡¯t greet me.¡±
Suddenly, Veronica said something absurd.
¡°What nonsense.¡±
¡°Weak¡ I¡¯m weak¡ I don¡¯t even deserve your greeting¡¡±
Of all the logic Damien had heard so far, this was the most bizarre.
¡°Stop talking nonsense and get up. We have to go back now.¡±
¡°Leave me alone¡ I¡¯m too weak to deserve to apany you¡¡±
By now, Damien was starting to get annoyed.
¡°You want another round of beating? Or you can simply go.¡±
¡°Just beat me up¡¡ All a weakling like me can do is get beaten up¡¡.¡±
Damien sighed.
Energetic Veronica was annoying, but lethargic Veronica was even more annoying.
¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding one thing. You¡¯re not weak.¡±
¡°Lies¡ It¡¯s a lie¡¡±
¡°The Flesh Golem you faced had the ability to absorb mana. The more you hit it with an aura, the more mana it would take away. That¡¯s why you were pushed back.¡±
Veronica looked at him with a face that said, ¡°So what?¡±
¡°The reason you lost to him was because you didn¡¯t quickly grasp that characteristic. You didn¡¯t lose because you were weak.¡±
To be honest, it was true that she didn¡¯t have enough insight to handle a Flesh Golem.
But now, it was important to revive Veronica¡¯s crushed pride, so he had to endure.
¡°The swordsmanship you showed when you killed the thieves was excellent. I¡¯ve even thought about it many times.¡±
Veronica¡¯s ears perked up at the sessive praises.
¡°With that kind of swordsmanship, you can¡¯t be weak. Once you get a little more familiar with the undead, you can easily defeat a Flesh Golem like cutting a person.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Alright, so. From now on, don¡¯t just focus on killing people. Try to diversify your efforts.¡±
It was something Damien had wanted to say for a long time.
¡°The realm of swordsmanship is very broad. It¡¯s a waste for a genius like you to focus only on murder.¡±
This was Damien¡¯s sincere opinion.
Veronica S¨¢nchez was a person with talent that Damien would acknowledge.
However, the problem was that her talent was solely focused on killing people.
If she could redirect that interest elsewhere, and if she could fight for the sake of humanity, she would gain tremendous power.
¡°You¡ what¡¯s your name?¡±
Veronica asked Damien, looking at him.
Damien hesitated for a moment. Originally, He had been hiding his true identity.
But if he used a pseudonym now, his connection with Veronica would bepletely severed.
¡°They call me Damien Haksen.¡±
After much deliberation, Damien decided to use his real name. Veronica S¨¢nchez¡¯s pupils dted.
¡°I¡¯ve heard of you¡ You won the jousting tournament¡ So you¡¯re Damien Haksen¡¡±
Veronica¡¯s expression became dazed.
¡°You were the person I wanted to kill the most¡ I didn¡¯t expect to meet you like this.¡±
However, Veronica¡¯s reaction was strange.
¡°Thanks to you, I realized my shorings¡ Once I ovee this, I will be much¡ much stronger¡¡±
As her words continued, her eyes began to change.
The lifelessness in her eyes was reced with vitality.
¡°To receive teachings from the person I wanted to kill the most¡ This is fate! Heaven has given me a goal! To kill you!¡±
It was just like when Veronica was obsessed with murder. The moment Damien saw it, he knew.
The target of her obsession had changed from murder to Damien.
¡°Is that why you gave me advice? To make me stronger so I could kill you! Right?¡±
¡°What nonsense¡¡±
¡°Alright! I¡¯ll try to learn other things too! I¡¯ll be stronger than I am now and challenge you again!¡±
Veronica clenched her fist and said.
¡°I will definitely kill you, so watch out!¡±
***
After the brief altercation with Veronica, Damien began to descend the mountain range.
¡°You can go now.¡±
On the way down, Damien decided to let her go.
Since the target of her obsession had changed from murder to killing him, he judged it would be fine.
¡°Just in case, I¡¯ll tell you this for fun. Don¡¯t kill people for fun. Only kill those who attack you.¡±
¡°Ahaha! You¡¯re worried I¡¯ll kill someone other than you. Is that it?¡±
Fatigue washed over him. Veronica chuckled and waved her hands.
¡°Don¡¯t worry! There¡¯s no one else for me but you! I¡¯ll definitelye back to kill you!¡±
Leaving those words behind, she ran across the mountain range.
¡°Uh¡ congrattions?¡±
Juan, who was nearby, said to Damien. Damien red at Juan.
¡°Stop the nonsense and let¡¯s go down.¡±
¡°Ah, okay.¡±
It was faster to go down than to go up.
Thanks to the rush, the group arrived at the Olden Vige around sunset.
¡°This is the promised money.¡±
As promised, Damien paid Juan and the mercenaries an additional amount of gold coins.
Originally, he wanted to give them one more, but he gave them two.
¡°This is¡ too much. Three gold coins per person.¡±
Damien justughed at Juan¡¯s words.
During the exploration of the mountain range, Damien was happy to be with the mercenaries.
Juan and the mercenaries were just as Damien remembered. Diligent, loyal, and honest.
¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. This was really important to me.¡±
¡°We didn¡¯t do anything special¡¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you? Thanks to your excellent guidance, the time spent in the mountains was shortened.¡±
As Damien continued to persuade him, Juan reluctantly epted the gold coins. A broad smile spread across the faces of the entire mercenary group.
¡°And this is an additional reward.¡±
Damien handed Juan a thick piece of paper. It was something he had written secretly while climbing the mountain range.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°Mana cultivation techniques and swordsmanship.¡±
Confusion appeared on Juan¡¯s face.
¡°Why on earth¡¡±
¡°I noticed that everyone is learning mana cultivation techniques.¡±
The confusion on Juan¡¯s face grew.
¡°H-How did you¡¡±
¡°They¡¯re all using mana. But it¡¯s too weak. They were probably learning an iplete mana cultivation technique.¡±
In his previous life, Juan taught his colleagues the mana cultivation technique he knew.
The problem was that the mana cultivation technique was the most basic of the basics that Juan learned during his knight trainee days.
No matter how much they learned, such a low-level mana cultivation technique had its limits.
In his past life, Damien was so talented that he could defeat a knight with the mana cultivation technique Juan taught him.
¡°What you¡¯re learning now is rubbish. It¡¯s better to learn that.¡±
In fact, the mana cultivation technique Damien gave Juan was based on what he learned from Juan. So, it was no problem to learn it differently.
¡°¡I can¡¯t ept this.¡±
Juan held out the paper again. He was cautious.
It was a wise attitude. The mana cultivation technique was something that couldn¡¯t be bought even with dozens of gold coins.
It was abnormal for someone to offer it like this. There must be some ulterior motive. It was right to be suspicious.
¡°I¡¯m just showing my gratitude.¡±
Damien smiled bitterly. Juan¡¯s wisdom could eventually turn into poison, but Damien liked them for staying the same and being honest.
¡°It¡¯s not free. I have one request for you.¡±
¡°A request?¡±
¡°First, keep my identity a secret. Second, if you find a request to investigate the missing persons case at Lake Devon,e to my workshop and let me know.¡±
¡°Identity?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not Victor, I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
Juan¡¯s body stiffened at that. He pointed at Damien with an unbelieving expression.
¡°Not Victor¡ Damien Haksen? Is that really you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Unbelievable¡ so that means¡ your skills, the Holy Sword¡ you really were a great genius.¡±
Juan pped his cheeks with both hands.
¡°So, what¡¯s the second request?¡±
¡°Do you know Lake Devon?¡±
¡°The one in the southern part of the Apple Kingdom. It¡¯s huge and wide.¡±
¡°If you find a request to investigate the missing persons¡¯ case there,e to my estate and let me know immediately.¡±
In his past life, Damien went to investigate the missing persons case with the mercenaries and met Dorugo.
But Damien didn¡¯t investigate Lake Devon because it wasn¡¯t the right time yet.
Dorugo didn¡¯t stay in one ce and kept wandering. Going there now would be pointless.
¡°Is that all for solving such a request¡?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just that. It¡¯s the most important request for me.¡±
Damien said in a serious tone.
Damien couldn¡¯t make such a request to the Mercenary Office because he wasn¡¯t a mercenary.
But he couldn¡¯t ask another mercenary either. They would surely take the money and forget about it.
But he could trust Juan. He would do whatever it takes toplete the task he was given.
¡°I don¡¯t know what the reason is¡ but if that¡¯s the reason, I¡¯ll ept it.¡±
Juan said as he took the paper. Damien smiled with relief.
¡°Practice hard. It¡¯s much better than most things.¡±
He had made it in a hurry over two days, but he was confident in itspleteness.
He made it as simple as possible so that they could learn it without a teacher.
At the same time, he made sure it was as powerful as any weapon technique.
¡°If you get stuck while learning,e to my estate. I¡¯ll help you.¡±
After leaving those words behind, Damien parted ways with Juan¡¯s mercenaries.
It was time to go home now.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 80
Chapter 80
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 80: The Unexpected Guest (1)
***
The return journey was as long as the trip there.
It wasn¡¯t possible to leave Erebos as it was before. Damien decided to stop by the city¡¯s cksmith on the way to see if there was any suitable equipment for the spear.
¡°I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s heavy, but I¡¯d like it to be as sturdy as possible.¡±
Erebos had an effect that corroded surrounding objects even when left alone.
Currently, only the handle remained, so it had a weak corrosive power, but it had the characteristic of getting stronger as it was restored.
When it recovers to 70% in a previous life, just taking out Erebos would turn everything nearby into dust to the point of breaking.
¡°Something heavy and sturdy¡ How about this?¡±
The cksmith brought a long pole from inside.
¡°It¡¯s an item ordered by a lord near the city to use as a gpole. But when it waspleted, they said it was too heavy to take away.¡±
Damien tried lifting the pole as a test.
It was so heavy that it was impossible to lift with one hand, and he had to hold it with both hands.
He tried to lift the pole with both hands and put strength into it. It didn¡¯t bend at all, no matter how hard he tried.
¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing? It¡¯s a thing made of steel that has beenpressed tightly for months.¡±
It was extremely heavy and didn¡¯t bend easily. It was the worst item for use as a gpole, as it was originally intended.
Still, Damien liked the pole.
It was good for training with heavy things, and since it was made ofpressed steel, it seemed like it could withstand Erebos¡¯s corrosion for a long time.
¡°Let¡¯s use this.¡±
Damien asked the cksmith to buy a few bundles of steel wire along with the pole.
Damien took out Erebos when he went outside the city.
Erebos, which was stored as a tattoo, came out again ording to Damien¡¯s will.
Damien tied Erebos¡¯s handle to the end of the pole with the steel wire.
He wrapped it with all his might, summoning up all of his mana. Erebos and the pole stuck together as if they were one.
¡°It doesn¡¯t look like much, but it should be useful.¡±
Erebos was a greatsword. It was very big. The de at the end of the handle was very wide and thick.
Thanks to that, it looked more like a broken de than a spear.
Damien infused the mana into the pole. Even though he put in only a little, not only the broken de but also the entire pole was covered with aura.
¡®As expected, the essence doesn¡¯t go anywhere.¡¯
Erebos had many abilities. One of them was the amplification of mana.
Even a small amount of mana could be increased severalfold. No one knew how this was possible. Not even the Dorugo could figure it out.
The amplification of mana will be increased as Erebos is restored.
In a previous life, there was a time when Erebos created a sky-reaching and gigantic aura de, which was able to instantly cut down an entire army.
¡®There¡¯s one more thing I need to check.¡¯
Next, Damien drove Erebos into the ground. Then, within a diameter of 1m around the spear, the nts turned ck.
The ckened nts gradually turned to dust and disappeared. There were no exceptions, from weeds to towering trees.
This was one of Erebos¡¯s main abilities, ¡®ck Copse.¡¯
ck Copse was an ability that corroded the surroundings and then destroyed the structure.
Currently, the range was small and the power was weak, but as the Erebos restored, ck Copse also became stronger.
In a previous life, no one could approach Damien because of ck Copse. Living beings turned to dust and scattered as soon as they came close, and long-range magical bombardment was the same.
Only the Master ss could resist ck Copse. Even then, they had to continuously consume mana to resist corrosion.
¡°It¡¯s really dangerous, as expected.¡±
Damien muttered and turned Erebos back into ck smoke, then absorbed it.
Interestingly, not only Erebos but also the spear turned into ck smoke. This was also one of Erebos¡¯s minor abilities.
¡°Now it¡¯s a straight line to home.¡±
Damien drove the horse in the direction of the Haksen¡¯s estate.
***
As Damien approached home, he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious again.
¡°I don¡¯t know if Father¡¯s anger has subsided.¡±
It had been over two weeks since he had traveled back and forth through the Longhost Mountains. At that time, rumors of Damien¡¯s rise to the Middle ss would have spread far and wide.
His father must have heard the news, so wouldn¡¯t his anger have subsided?
While harboring such expectations, Damien arrived at the Haksen¡¯s estate.
However, as soon as he set foot in the mansion, he felt uneasy. Instead of being weed, Damien finds no one inside the mansion.
There were no servants, no family members. Damien extended his senses.
He sensed multiple energies in the reception room on the second floor. When he focused his gaze, he could see the heat of people beyond the wall.
Damien moved to the reception room and opened the door without hesitation. Only then did he see his family sitting on the sofa.
The problem was that hooded men were standing behind them with weapons.
¡°D-Damien¡?¡±
His father spoke with a face full of fear just as Damien was about to respond.
¡°So you¡¯vee.¡±
One of them spoke. Like the others, he wore a hood, so his face couldn¡¯t be seen.
The man approached Damien. Two of the hooded men came forward and ced two chairs.
The man sat down on one of the chairs. Another man stood behind him. He looked like a bodyguard.
¡°It¡¯s nice to see your face. Please, have a seat.¡±
The man sitting on the chair spoke. His voice was very dignified.
Damien obediently sat across from the man. It was a ce facing the door.
¡°What do you want from me?¡±
Damien asked as he leaned back in his chair. The man seemed to like his rxed attitude and chuckled.
¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in a hurry. Is it because of your confidence? Or is it an act to hide your true feelings?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and get to the point. What do you want from me?¡±
The man next to him became agitated and stepped forward. The man raised his hand to stop him.
¡°You¡¯re impatient. Or do you not want to talk to me?¡±
¡°Both. So tell me what you want.¡±
¡°Haha, then I have no choice.¡±
After a shortugh, the man said to Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen, I came here to confirm a rumor.¡±
¡°A rumor?¡±
¡°ording to the rumors, you helped the Church to defeat the dark mage¡ and you¡¯ve already reached the Middle ss.¡±
The man changed the subject as he continued.
¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t believe it at all. As far as I know, you were just a nobody a few months ago. It¡¯s impossible for someone like that to reach the Middle ss in less than six months¡ it¡¯s unheard of.¡±
It was a reasonable doubt.
To learn swordsmanship and rise to the Low ss within a year was considered a genius feat.
However, Damien had reached the Middle ss in less than half a year.
¡°Such unprecedented events are not unheard of.¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. Historically, there have been one or two cases, right? In other words, your growth rate is that of a genius. So it¡¯s hard to believe.¡±
The man raised the teacup that was on the table.
¡°Most of the people who heard the rumors don¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m one of them. That¡¯s why I came here to confirm it.¡±
The man snapped his fingers. Then, the men standing behind Damien¡¯s family hit the ground with their weapons. The rough sound made the family flinch.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance, you can¡¯t refuse. If you do¡ you know what will happen.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue. The difort was reaching its peak.
¡°These guys are acting like they own the ce.¡±
The man next to him, who had been standing like a bodyguard, became agitated again.
¡°Be careful with your words. This person is not someone you can speak to lightly.¡±
¡°Then why would such an esteemed person do such a despicable thing?¡±
A burst of energy erupted from the man¡¯s body. The shockwave hit Damien¡¯s face and body.
¡®He¡¯s a Middle ss.¡¯
He looked young, but he was already at the Middle-ss level. It was not a typical talent.
¡°Tell me how to bow down that stiff neck of yours!¡±
The man lunged forward and grabbed his sword hilt. Damien kicked the man¡¯s sword hilt while sitting down.
As a result, the man couldn¡¯t draw his sword. Meanwhile, Damien kicked the sword hilt and flew backward behind the chair.
¡®If we fight here, the surrounding family members could be harmed.¡¯
Damien opened the door and ran outside. A momentter, the man also ran outside.
The man chased after Damien and swung his sword. The sword enhanced by the aura, aimed to cut Damien at a sharp speed.
Damien blocked the attack with the iron sword he had used in the Longhost Mountains.
¡®This guy is causing trouble in someone else¡¯s house.¡¯
It was easy to avoid, but if he did, the family would still be under the direct influence.
Damien blocked the attack while luring the man out of the mansion.
¡°How long do you n to keep running away?¡±
The man shouted in frustration, pulling out more mana.
A Middle ss that could change the course of the war was trying to exert its full power.
The surrounding objects began to fly away just from the mana emanating from him.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but grimace at the sight.
¡°Is this guy nuts?¡±
When the Middle ss truly exerted its power, the nearby area would be devastated.
If that man exerted his full power, not only the mansion but also the fields would bepletely destroyed.
Especially in this situation where he had already done something regrettable to his family. He couldn¡¯t let the mansion be destroyed.
Damien used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation technique.
The first effect of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was activated. His body temperature rose rapidly. All the muscles in his body and all his senses were activated.
His senses were heightened. The whole world seemed to slow down. Sweat droplets from the man¡¯s forehead hovered in the air.
He took a step forward.
He aimed for the man¡¯s neck and blocked the horizontal swing with his sword.
The ¡°Ten Thousand Flow Perception,¡± a technique of the Swordmaster level, was activated. The trajectory of the de twisted. The de that had been swinging horizontally suddenly shot up.
The de slipped out of the man¡¯s grip and flew far away.
¡°¡!¡±
The man was surprised toote. Damien didn¡¯t hesitate and kicked the man¡¯s abdomen.
¡°Cough!¡±
With a bang sound, the man¡¯s body bent forward and flew backward.
The man rolled on the ground several times. He held his stomach and writhed in pain, unable to get up.
Damien stomps the ground. Without hesitation, he swung his sword towards the man¡¯s neck.
The swinging de was about to hit the man¡¯s neck.
¡°Ah.¡±
Just before that, someone intervened between them. A Hand grabbed Damien¡¯s sword and stopped it.
Damien looked at the person who grabbed the de. It was a middle-aged man who had been in the drawing room.
¡°You almost got his throat cut. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±
¡°It¡¯s too much for you.¡±
Damien replied, putting away his sword.
¡°A person who is almost a High ss is ying such a prank.¡±
¡°Hmm? Have you already noticed? This is no fun.¡±
The man took off his hood. Then, the face of a middle-aged man with a full beard appeared.
¡°I was going to introduce myself nicely after the fight was over. But the situation has gottenplicated.¡±
¡°I know that the threat to the family was fake.¡±
¡°You even figured that out? This is really no fun.¡±
The man said with a disappointed expression.
¡°Let me introduce myself properly.¡±
In fact, Damien already knew without being told.
It wasn¡¯t because Damien had memories from a past life. Any citizen of the Apple Kingdom would know.
¡°I¡¯m Liam Bluegreen.¡±
One of the three High-ss knights in the Apple Kingdom.
There was a man in front of him who was loyal only to the king.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 81
Chapter 81
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 81: The Unexpected Guest (2)
***
Liam Bluegreen.
The Marquessate of Bluegreen is famous for being a prestigious knight family in the Apple Kingdom.
At the same time, he was a high-ss figure who was loyal only to the royal family, as there were only three people in the Apple Kingdom who were high-ss.
There was not much information about Liam Bluegreen that Damien knew.
Because he had already died when he was turned into a Death Knight.
¡°Why did such a great person like you do such things?¡±
Once the identity was revealed from the other side, there was no way to belittle him.
Instead, Damien looked at Liam Bluegreen with a face that he didn¡¯t like as much as possible.
¡°I wanted to see your real skills.¡±
¡°Then did you ask for a duel?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say ¡®real¡¯ skills. You can¡¯t know real skills with a lukewarm duel.¡±
Damien¡¯s forehead narrowed even more at the absurdity.
¡°So did you make a farce pretending to take my family as hostages?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be too angry. I exined everything to your father and got permission.¡±
At that, Damien wiped his face with his palm without even knowing it.
¡°What if your subordinates died?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I intervened at the right time. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±
Liam Bluegreen said with a smile. Damien had to hold back hisughter from trying to leak out.
Does this man know? The fact that if Damien had made up his mind, he could have killed his subordinate before Liam Bluegreen stepped up.
¡°And this guy is not a subordinate. He is my son and disciple. He¡¯s a tough guy, so he won¡¯t die easily.¡±
Liam Bluegreen said with a smile towards the man.
¡°Dover, isn¡¯t that right?¡±
However, the man just trembled without saying a word. Only then did Liam notice that something was wrong.
¡°Dover?¡±
¡°Ah, father¡ Po, potion¡ Kwek!¡±
The man barely managed to say a word and shook his head.
¡°Oh, no, why is this guy suddenly like this? Dover! Wake up!¡±
Liam hurriedly took out a potion from his pocket and poured it into the man¡¯s mouth.
Judging that it was not enough, he injected mana into the man¡¯s body while massaging it. It was a treatment called Bloodletting and purging.
¡°You, you, you, why are you still unconscious!¡±
Even so, the man¡¯splexion did not return to normal.
There was no other way. When Damien kicked his abdomen, he released a st of mana that hit him inside.
He won¡¯t die, but it was an injury that would take at least a few weeks to recover. It wasn¡¯t easy to get better.
After a while, the man regained his senses and got up. As soon as he raised his head, he met eyes with Damien, who had been staring at him.
¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself! I¡¯m Dover Bluegreen!¡±
Immediately, Dover bowed deeply. Damien was taken aback by thepletely changed attitude.
¡°I apologize for being rude! My father told me to provoke you as much as possible!¡±
Dover scratched the back of his head with an innocent face.
¡°Hey, how can you lose so easily? What will be of your father¡¯s dignity?¡±
¡°I lost! I will work harder in training in the future!¡±
¡°Of course. I¡¯ll double the intensity, so be prepared.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Dover answered loudly. It was a lively scene.
¡°Well, Sir Damien, now that we¡¯ve seen your skills¡ shall we start the real conversation?¡±
Liam¡¯s eyes became serious.
Surely, a high-ss figure like him wouldn¡¯t havee just to see Damien¡¯s skills.
¡°Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±
Damien returned to the reception room with the two of them.
The atmosphere inside the reception room waspletely different from before.
His Family and the people who were disguised as troublemakers were sitting together, eating tea and dessert and chatting.
¡°Oh, Damien. Have youe?¡±
Father waved his hand and said. Damien rolled his eyes at him.
¡°Father, for someone who makes his son worried, you seem quite pleased.¡±
¡°Will you be the only one to do it? You fooled me and wandered around outside.¡±
At that, Damien was speechless. If you were to judge who was right or wrong, Damien¡¯s side was much worse.
¡°¡¡I¡¯ll understand and let it go this time.¡±
¡°Stop talking nonsense and sit down.¡±
Damien sat down on the empty seat. Liam and Dover also sat on chairs.
¡°Sir Liam, are you done with your business?¡±
¡°Thanks to the Viscount Haksen. I saw earlier that your acting skills were top-notch. Even the actors of the Water Theater would have to bow before you.¡±
The two of themughed out loud as they spoke. Damien could only look at them with a face of disbelief.
¡°So, what¡¯s the main point?¡±
¡°Right, I almost forgot.¡±
Liam put down his teacup and said.
¡°Sir Damien, won¡¯t you join the White Horse Knight order?¡±
***
The term ¡®knight order¡¯ referred to abat groupposed only of knights.
Considering the cost and procedures involved in raising a single knight, it was not easy for individuals or private organizations to operate a knight order.
For this reason, it wasmon sense that it was almost impossible for anyone other than high-ranking nobles like Duke Goldpixie and Marquis Ryanbloom to operate a knight order.
Among them, the White Horse Knights was a royal knight order directly operated by the Apple Kingdom with a long history.
It was also a ce that received a lot of support as a core force of the Apple Kingdom.
For Apple Kingdom knights who had been interested in knights since childhood, it was a dream knight order that everyone hoped to join.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll decline.¡±
However, Damien refused without any hesitation.
They didn¡¯t expect a refusal. Liam¡¯s face stiffened. The other families had the same reaction.
¡°Can I ask for a reason?¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t want to belong anywhere.¡±
Although he said so, the reason was that Damien wasn¡¯t very interested in the White Horse Knights. Even if he joined, there was nothing that would benefit him.
¡°Hahaha, I didn¡¯t know I would be rejected. I didn¡¯t even know I would have to persuade you.¡±
Liam scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
¡°The White Horse Knights is the best knight order in the Apple Kingdom. If you join, you will receive many benefits. You can even receive weapons and mana techniques and elixirs.¡±
Elixir.
It was the most needed item for Damien right now.
But it wasn¡¯t urgent. There were many ways to get elixirs.
Above all, he still had the opportunity to enter the Treasury of the Church.
The Treasury of the Church was a ce full of elixirs that could not be obtained even if millions of gold coins were given.
Thinking about that, Damien didn¡¯t even notice the elixirs that would be given in the knight order.
¡°In addition to this, there is another reason why you should join the knight order.¡±
Liam continued with a serious tone.
¡°There are many people in the Apple Kingdom who suspect you right now. I was one of them. Of course, if you experience it once, you will understand. But¡ rumors spread more slowly than you think. Unbelievable rumors are even more so.¡±
Considering Damien¡¯s growth rate, anyone would be suspicious.
It had only been a few months since he had picked up a sword, and he had already reached the middle ss.
¡°People who want to test you, people who are jealous of you, people who want to use you¡ all sorts of annoying bugs will bother you. It won¡¯t be easy to get rid of them.¡±
Damien nodded as if he agreed. Liam Bluegreen¡¯s expression brightened at that action.
¡°It seems you understand what I¡¯m saying. Then I¡¯ll consider joining the White Horse Knights.¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±
Liam made a groaning sound at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Do I have to exin it again?¡±
¡°I understand what you are saying. But still, I¡¯m not attracted to being part of an organization.¡±
Receiving support from an organization was convenient, but it also brought obligations and responsibilities.
Damien had an important mission to stop Dorugo¡¯s n. He couldn¡¯t be tied to the Apple Kingdom.
¡°You were worried that bugs would bother me. It might be a bit annoying, but it¡¯s not something I can¡¯t handle.¡±
If you squash some bugs, other people will start to understand.
It means that the rumors about Damien Haksen are not fake.
¡°Haha, this is a headache. I thought it was a chance to swallow a confirmed jackpot.¡±
Liam scratched his chin, lost in thought at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Okay. If you join the knight order, I¡¯ll teach you everything. Even if I do this, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll join¡¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have any ns to join.¡±
Damien¡¯s firm answer shocked Liam.
¡°You¡ are you sure? I¡¯m a high-¡±
¡°I know. But I still don¡¯t want to join.¡±
Liam was even more shocked by Damien¡¯s repeated rejections.
¡°¡But I was relieved. I didn¡¯t think you would join another knight order.¡±
Missing talents like Damien was a painful loss for the Apple Kingdom.
But if Damien didn¡¯t belong anywhere, at least they wouldn¡¯t lose him totally.
¡°So, Sir Damien, do you have any thoughts on receiving the king¡¯smand as a knight of the Apple Kingdom?¡±
¡°I¡¯m considering it.¡±
Damien answered vaguely.
If the conditions were right, there was no reason not to ept. On the other hand, if the conditions weren¡¯t right, there was no reason to ept.
¡°In fact, His Majesty wants to give you a task that he really wants to entrust to you. So he asked me to bring you here.¡±
¡°His Majesty?¡±
There was a slight sense of foreboding in the fact that Damien was specifically invited.
He didn¡¯t show any reaction and focused on Liam¡¯s words.
¡°Originally, I was going to let you join the knight order and give you this task, but¡¡±
At that, Damien¡¯s expression involuntarily twisted.
He had thought about giving him a task as soon as he joined the knight order. Not joining was indeed wise.
¡°Now that things have turned out like this, I hope you¡¯ll take on the task at least.¡±
¡°What kind of task are you talking about?¡±
¡°Can you take on the role of swordsmanship instructor for the Crown Prince?¡±
For a moment, Damien doubted his ears. It was such an unexpected word.
¡°Swordsmanship¡ what?¡±
¡°Swordsmanship instructor. In short, a swordsmanship teacher. All you have to do is stay in the capital for a while and guide the Crown Prince. That¡¯s it.¡±
It was a much easier task than he had thought. But Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.
¡°Why are you inviting me? There must be many excellent teachers in the capital.¡±
¡°From here on, it¡¯s a bit of a secretive matter¡ It¡¯s difficult to talk about it with outsiders.¡±
In other words, if you want to hear more, ept the mission.
Damien looked at Liam with even more suspicion.
¡°Ah, right. I almost forgot. If you ept the position as a swordsmanship instructor, His Majesty will provide you with a suitable reward.¡±
¡°A reward?¡±
Of all the words that came out of Liam¡¯s mouth, this was the only one that caught Damien¡¯s attention.
¡°Originally, if you joined the knight order, His Majesty nned to grant the title of Earl to Viscount Haksen.¡±
At that, Viscount Haksen looked surprised and nced at Liam.
The Apple Kingdom was a country with a fairly strong monarchy. The rights of nobles varied ording to the titles bestowed by the king.
In particr, the title of Earl was a highly esteemed one, with rights greatly expandedpared to those of Barons and Viscounts. Thus, nobles with the title of Earl were notmon.
¡°Not that you have any intention of joining the knight order. But if you ept the position as a swordsmanship instructor, I¡¯ll speak to His Majesty and arrange for you to receive the title of Earl.¡±
Earl.
Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t something that directly benefited Damien.
But it was clearly beneficial to his family. That alone was enough to make epting this proposal worthwhile.
The problem was why the king¡¯s side had insisted on such conditions.
¡®The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom¡ Was his name Oliver Apple?¡¯
Thinking back on the past, Damien couldn¡¯t recall much.
During his being an asshole days, he was too busy enjoying himself to pay attention, and when he was a beggar, he was too preupied with begging. As a mercenary, he was too upied.
So Damien didn¡¯t know much about the Apple royal family.
But one thing he did know was that there was an incident in the Apple Kingdom.
¡®Surely at this time, the capital was attacked.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t an external invasion, but suddenly the capital was under attack.
The servants in the capital fled hastily, leaving only knights and soldiers to fight off the intruders.
¡®The royal family managed to drive out the invaders, but the king died.¡¯
Thete king passed away, and the one who seeded him to the throne was the current Crown Prince, Oliver Apple.
Despite being praised as a genius by Liam Bluegreen, Oliver Apple didn¡¯t properly govern the country.
¡®He probably wasn¡¯t ready to inherit the throne so suddenly.¡¯
The unprepared young king greatly weakened the Apple Kingdom.
As a result, during the war with Dorugo, the Apple Kingdom couldn¡¯t muster much strength and fell quickly.
¡®It¡¯s difficult for the Apple Kingdom to be unstable, especially now.¡¯
He didn¡¯t have any intention of preventing all future events. Not only did heck a sense of duty, but it was also an impossible task.
However, the attack on the capital of Apple Kingdom was different. The Apple Kingdom was where his family was based.
If the kingdom was shaken, it was the same as his family suffering. He couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.
¡®Simply put, it¡¯s just being called in as a swordsmanship instructor, so it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡¯
In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if it was difficult or not. Damien already had a good method that could rehabilitate people.
¡°Sir Liam, I will ept His Majesty¡¯s will.¡±
Liam couldn¡¯t help but smile softly at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Congrattions oning to the capital.¡±
***
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Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 82: The Crown Prince (1)
***
And so, Damien¡¯s journey to the capital was set in motion.
¡°My son has been summoned to the capital!¡±
¡°Darling, it¡¯s truly a joyous day.¡±
The reactions of the father and mother were immense. It was inevitable, as the Haksen family had been a lineage that supported the king for generations.
It was a situation where the one who had always been loyal was chosen, so it was impossible not to be pleased.
¡°Damien! Go and do your best! You¡¯re not just teaching anyone, you¡¯re teaching the Crown Prince!¡±
Historically, when a new king ascended the throne, the tutor often held significant power.
For this reason, the role of guiding the Crown Prince was a coveted position.
His parents already knew of such political tactics, so they were even more pleased.
¡°Yes, well, I¡¯ll do the best I can.¡±
Damien said and smiled at his parents. However, he was rather indifferent.
For him, this was merely working for the family.
He had no particr enthusiasm for pledging loyalty to the king.
¡°Damien, take care of yourself. Traveling to foreignnds can sometimes lead to digestive issues with unfamiliar water and food. So, you need to be careful what you eat.¡±
¡°Sister, brother is not a child. He will take care of himself.¡±
¡°Brother, have a safe journey.¡±
After exchanging greetings with Louise, Abel, and his betrothed Olivia, Damien departed for the capital with the knights.
***
Damien rode towards the capital with the knights.
Despite the name ¡®White Horse Knights¡¯, the horses they rode were of various colors.
¡°Sir Damien, how much do you know about Prince Oliver?¡±
Perhaps because it was free to keep talking, Liam Bluegreen asked Damien.
¡°I don¡¯t know much.¡±
In fact, he only knew the name, but he couldn¡¯t say that outright.
¡°Well, you¡¯re not from the capital. It¡¯s hard to know more than that.¡±
Liam continued, stroking his beard.
¡°Prince Oliver is said to resemble the king in his youth. With his dark brown hair, golden eyes¡ even his yful smile.¡±
Liam¡¯s eyes seemed a bit misty as if reminiscing.
¡°Not only that. He¡¯s inherited his intelligence as well. No matter how thick a book is, he memorizes it after reading it a few times. He even understands everything perfectly.¡±
¡°In that case, teaching him shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡±
Being smart and being physically fit were two different things.
Still, intelligent people usually had a good understanding, so teaching swordsmanship should be easy.
¡°Well, we¡¯ll see about that.¡±
Liam said with a strange smile.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯m warning you because I like you¡ you should prepare yourself mentally.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°You asked. There are many swordsmanship teachers in the capital, so why did the king call you? There must be a good reason for that.¡±
The smile on Liam¡¯s lips grew even more intense.
¡°Why on earth would His Majesty give such order?¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun if I told you in advance. Don¡¯t you think?¡±
Saying that, Liam blinked one eye.
Damien looked at him with a puzzled expression.
¡°Well, don¡¯t ask anymore. I don¡¯t want to be a bad person who takes away your joy.¡±
He said firmly. Damien was even more puzzled.
Damian was not one to respond sharply, even when faced with such statements.
And it wasn¡¯t like he was desperate for an answer.
¡®The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom¡¡.¡¯
He rummaged around in his memory, but couldn¡¯te up with much.
¡®Well, if things go wrong, I can use a club.
Luckily, the club he¡¯d used to rehabilitate Veronica S¨¢nchez was still in the spatial ring.
It was a little too fearsome looking to be used on the Crown Prince, but it could do with a little polishing.
¡®The more pressing issue is how to stop the attack on the royal capital.
Strangely, very little was known about the attack.
Witnesses are few and far between, as the Apple family kept everything under wraps.
¡®I¡¯m afraid this is more troublesome than being a swordsmanship instructor.
Damien mused as he rode on his horse.
***
After a week of traveling, Damien and the White Horse Knights arrived at the capital where the royal pce was located.
¡°Sir Damien! Congrattions on entering the capital!¡±
Liam Bluegreen shouted from his horse, spreading his arms wide. His hearty voice caught the attention of passersby.
¡°Have you ever been to the capital before?¡±
¡°No, this is my first time.¡±
It was meant to convey that it was his first time in this life. He had visited once in his previous life.
¡°Haha, I see. How do you like it? Isn¡¯t it impressive?¡±
Damien raised his head and looked around the capital¡¯s streets.
The road leading from the castle gate was very wide. Buildings of 3 to 4 stories stood densely on both sides.
The number of people passing by seemed like an ant swarm.
¡°¡.¡±
Suddenly, he remembered the scenery he had seen in his past life.
During the Death Knight era, Damien had destroyed this street at Dorugo¡¯smand.
He hadmanded the undead to massacre the citizens and released the aurades to demolish all the buildings.
He had advanced to the capital, drenched the streets in blood and screams.
¡°Sir Damien? Your expression suddenly turned sour.¡±
Liam said with concern. Damien snapped out of his thoughts at his words.
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°Hmm¡ If you¡¯re not feeling well, speak up quickly. Illness only gets worse if you leave it.¡±
Damien took a deep breath. After inhaling the fresh air, his mind cleared a bit.
***
Damien arrived at the capital and was soon presented to the king.
¡°No, can I just meet His Majesty like this?¡±
That was while he was still wearing travel clothes.
¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t worry. His Majesty is not someone who would mind such things.¡±
Damien looked displeased. But Liam Bluegreen didn¡¯t care at all.
¡°Then let¡¯s go meet His Majesty. By this time, he¡¯s probably enjoying reading in his study.¡±
Liam took Damien and moved within the pce.
After a while of walking, they stood in front of a door guarded by two knights.
¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s Liam Bluegreen. Sir Damien has returned with me.¡±
Liam knocked on the door and spoke. There was a moment of silence.
¡°Come in.¡±
With permission granted, the two of them opened the door and entered.
As they entered, they saw bookshelves that reached the ceiling.
There wasn¡¯t just one or two bookshelves. They filled the entire room.
In the middle of it all.
An old man with a plump figure was sitting at arge and grand desk.
¡°Oh, Sir Liam! You¡¯ve been through a long journey! Wasn¡¯t it difficult?¡±
The king stood up from his seat and spoke. His face and voice showed joy.
With the king¡¯s warm wee, a smile blossomed on Liam¡¯s face.
¡°Difficult? Not at all. Just being able to follow Your Majesty¡¯s orders is a joy for me.¡±
¡°Sir Liam, you are truly a knight beyond my expectations.¡±
The king and Liam Bluegreen looked at each other andughed heartily.
Afterughing for a while, the king soon noticed Damien.
¡°Could this be¡?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. This is Sir Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°So the rumors about you bringing Sir Damien are true¡ and it seems the rumors about him being a Mid-ss are also true?¡±
¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The rumors about Damien were indeed true. They were an understatement.¡±
The king looked at Damien with a surprised expression. Then, he nodded as if moved.
¡°Sir Damien, it is such a pleasure to have an exceptional knight like you join the White Horse Knights¡¡±
¡°Your Majesty, actually¡ I cannot join the knights.¡±
¡°Huh? Why you didn¡¯t want to?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ ¡±
Liam began to whisper softly in the king¡¯s ear. As his words grew longer, the king¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°¡Well, it¡¯s a bit disappointing that you won¡¯t be joining the knights, but I¡¯m truly d to meet you.¡±
The king approached and extended his hand to Damien. Damien shook his hand and bowed his head.
¡°It is an honor to meet you.¡±
¡°The honor is mine. To be in the presence of a talent that may leave a mark in history.¡±
Damien felt a sense of wonder as he looked at the king.
Despite his position as king, he didn¡¯t exude authority or ws. It was as if he was facing a friendly neighbor.
¡°Sir Damien, from what I¡¯ve heard from Sir Liam, even if you don¡¯t join the knights, you might consider my request¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°Hahaha, what wonderful news¡ Let¡¯s sit down and talk.¡±
The king seated the two of them on chairs opposite his desk.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯ve actually wanted to invite you to the capital since I first heard about you.¡±
Upon hearing this unexpected confession, Damien felt a bit perplexed.
¡°It might be ufortable for you to hear this from my perspective¡ but until recently, your reputation¡ wasn¡¯t very good.¡±
¡°In fact, it wasn¡¯t just not very good, it was the worst.¡±
As Damienughed and spoke, the king alsoughed heartily.
¡°But in less than six months, everything has changed so splendidly.¡±
¡°I put in some effort.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what I expect from you.¡±
Damien¡¯s expression turned puzzled at the suddenment.
¡°What I expect from you is to be able to change our Crown Prince¡¡±
The king¡¯s exnation was interrupted.
¡°Sir Liam has returned? And he brought some strange fellow with him!¡±
¡°Your Highness! You can¡¯t do this! His Majesty is receiving guests right now!¡±
¡°Let go! Don¡¯t stop me! How dare youy hands on me!¡±
Suddenly, there was amotion outside. The sound of heavy footsteps and multiple voices could be heard.
¡°I heard it all! He¡¯s the new swordsmanship instructor that Father is hiring this time! I can¡¯t stand to see him!¡±
As the voices drew closer, the king¡¯s face grew grim.
Bang!
With the sound of a door being kicked and opened, the door to the study swung open. A young man appeared through the open door.
Despite his young age, he had a patchy beard, and his clothes were untidy.
Moreover, there was a strange smelling from the young man.
¡°Smells like alcohol and sweat¡ He must have been enjoying himself until just now.¡±
These smells were familiar to Damien. The problem was why these smells were emanating from the capital.
¡°Father! I told you! Don¡¯t hire any more instructors!¡±
The young man strode into the study. The unpleasant smell grew stronger.
¡°What kind of uncultured behavior is this? Can you still call yourself a Crown Prince after this?¡±
The king shouted in anger. However, the young man showed no fear at all.
¡°Don¡¯t twist my words! Why do you keep ignoring what I say?¡±
¡°Even if he does!¡±
The king and the young man began to argue loudly.
Damien, who had been watching them quietly, asked Liam.
¡°Surely¡ not?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Liam, who always had a cheerful face, now looked as surprised as anyone could be.
¡°That¡¯s Oliver Apple, the Crown Prince.¡±
After a moment of hesitation, Liam added.
¡°As you can see¡ he¡¯s quite a jerk.¡±
***
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Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Chapter 83: The Crown Prince (2)
***
¡°You are the crown prince! How long do you n to live so recklessly when someday you¡¯ll have to take responsibility for this kingdom!¡±
¡°Reckless, you say? The only one who would see a brief moment of rxation with such disdain is none other than my father!¡±
¡°How is drinking and frolicking with women a way to rx? It¡¯s only ruining your life!¡±
As the confrontation between the two continued, Damien felt a terrible sense of difort.
It was because the crown prince¡¯s attitude and speech reminded him of his past self.
¡°I won¡¯t tolerate this anymore! Starting today, you¡¯ll receive the education necessary as the crown prince!¡±
¡°Is reading books with old men considered education? Even passing dogs wouldugh at that!¡±
¡°Are you going to say that in front of your father?¡±
¡°Instead of such old-fashioned methods, I have my own way!¡±
After shouting like that, the Crown Prince closed the door and walked away.
As Oliver Apple was gone, the king lowered his head d and covered his face with his palm.
¡°¡.Sir Damien, I must admit, I¡¯ve disyed a regrettable aspect of my character.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t say a word. Sometimes silence was the best answer.
¡°As you can see, the crown prince¡¯s behavior is not good. He wasn¡¯t always like that¡ I don¡¯t know where things went wrong.¡±
The king sighed with a puzzled expression on his face.
¡°What I want to ask of you is to guide the crown prince onto the right path.¡±
Once again, the king had called Damien to ask for help with his spoiled son.
The fact that Damien¡¯s reputation had reached the king was evidence of that.
¡°I already know about your past. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve settled your life and changed so splendidly¡ Can¡¯t you use that experience to change the crown prince?¡±
The king looked at Damien with pleading eyes. Damien felt tired under that gaze.
¡®Ah, this is getting annoying.¡¯
From Damien¡¯s perspective, it was a request he didn¡¯t particrly want to ept.
Seeing the crown prince¡¯s actions felt like looking at his past self, which made him feel terrible.
While trying to rehabilitate the crown prince, he would have to endure watching that scene unfold, and he couldn¡¯t bear the stress.
When Damien didn¡¯t respond, the king hastily spoke.
¡°Of course, I¡¯m not asking you to do this for nothing. If you guide the crown prince properly, there will be rewards beyond just the title of Earl.¡±
Opening a drawer on his desk, the king took something out and ced it on the table.
There were two vials that looked like they were made of carved stone.
¡°This is Allecto¡¯s Royal Jelly.¡±
Cough!
Damien coughed without even realizing it. Despite coughing several times, he couldn¡¯t calm down.
¡°Your Majesty! That¡¯s too much!¡±
Liam was also shocked. He shouted in surprise.
It was natural for Liam to react like this. It was a product that even caused a stir among the Master ss.
Allecto was a bug-like monster resembling a giant ho¡¯s nest.
Even one of them was more dangerous than mostrge monsters and when they went hunting, dozens would swarm together, posing an even greater threat.
Despite this danger, Allecto was not well known to people because it was a very rare monster.
The reason Allecto became famous was that a certain adventurer identally fell into an Allecto¡¯s nest and ended up eating the royal jelly contained within.
Originally, royal jelly was used to give birth to queen bees. However, when humans ate it, they gained very unusual effects.
Immunity to poison and regeneration.
The adventurer who ate the royal jelly remained unharmed even after being bitten by venomous insects, and even if parts of his body were cut off, they would regenerate quickly.
Of course, it was hard to see such effects from the offering the king had made. The adventurer reportedly drank the royal jelly until his stomach burst.
Nevertheless, Damien couldn¡¯t help but show great interest in the royal jelly.
¡®It should go well with the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.¡¯
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a very useful mana cultivation technique, but it ced a heavy burden on the body.
So Damien had only used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation when necessary.
But by consuming the Royal Jelly, he could greatly reduce such burdens.
No, it wasn¡¯t just reducing the burden. He could unleash the potential of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to a different level than now.
¡°Your Majesty! Please reconsider!¡±
¡°If it can change the crown prince, it¡¯s worth more than anything.¡±
Liam looked at the king with a pitiful expression.
¡°Sir Damien, if you ept this task, I¡¯ll provide you with one bottle first. If the crown prince changes, I¡¯ll provide the remaining bottle as well.¡±
It would be foolish to miss out on something that even tempted a master.
Damien dropped to his knees and shouted.
¡°Though I may becking, I will do my best to fulfill yourmand!¡±
The king¡¯s face brightened at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡±
The king personally lifted Damien up and expressed his gratitude.
***
The king held onto Damien and expressed his gratitude repeatedly.
A few momentster, Damien, having barely managed to extricate himself from the king¡¯s presence, took a deep breath and stepped out of the study.
In his pocket was a bottle of Royal Jelly given by the king.
¡°Sir Damien.¡±
At that moment, Liam Bluegreen walked out.
¡°What¡¯s your n from now on? Are you going back to your quarters to unpack?¡±
¡°No. I n to first meet with the Crown Prince and greet him properly.¡±
Liam¡¯s eyes widened slightly at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°So you were genuinely intending to change the Crown Prince.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a promise I made to His Majesty himself, so naturally, I must keep it.¡±
Seemingly pleased with Damien¡¯s response, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Liam¡¯s mouth.
¡°Then let me guide you. We can have a chat on the way.¡±
Damien still needed to learn more about the workings of the court, but he decided to ept Liam¡¯s offer.
¡°Forget what I said earlier. It wasn¡¯t because I was surprised by the Royal Jelly, you know.¡±
Liam said on the way. It seemed he was still concerned about something that had been bothering him since the king offered the Royal Jelly.
¡°I¡¯ve already forgotten. And even I would have acted like you did. It¡¯s quite an impressive item, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Heughed loudly at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Haha! It might have seemed that way. But what I didn¡¯t like was that His Majesty offered such a thing regarding the Crown Prince.¡±
Suddenly, Liam said.
¡°It seems His Majesty believes that the Crown Prince can change¡ but my thoughts are different.¡±
Damien looked silently at him.
¡°Many people have tried to change him before. They¡¯ve tried persuasion, intimidation, and various methods. But he hasn¡¯t changed one bit.¡±
A deep weariness flickered in Liam¡¯s eyes.
Perhaps he was among those who had tried to change the Crown Prince.
¡°He hasn¡¯t changed a bit.¡±
¡°You believe you can change the Crown Prince because you¡¯ve transformed yourself. You expect me to look at you and have hope for the Crown Prince? I¡¯m sorry, I simply can¡¯t.¡±
Liam said with a bitter look on his face. It seemed he had already given up hope on the Crown Prince.
¡°All we could do¡ was constantly watch the Crown prince to prevent him from tarnishing the honor of the royal family.¡±
It was strange to think about. If the crown prince of a kingdom was such a wastrel, rumors would spread quickly. Damien hadn¡¯t heard anything at all.
Perhaps that¡¯s why Damien hadn¡¯t heard any rumors about the Crown Prince due to these circumstances.
¡°That¡¯s the mansion where the Crown Prince stays.¡±
Liam stopped and pointed at arge building.
¡°I believe he¡¯s in there. He rarely leaves the pce.¡±
¡°Thank you for guiding me, I¡¯ll look for him myself.¡±
¡°Here¡¯s onest piece of advice: it¡¯s better to give up sooner rather thanter.¡±
After tapping Damien¡¯s shoulder a few times, Liam left, as if he didn¡¯t want to encounter the Crown Prince.
¡°He¡¯s in there.¡±
Damien looked up at the pce. It was incrediblyrge and spacious, fitting for where the Crown Prince stayed.
Damien stepped into the mansion.
¡°Wait a minute. Who are you to barge in like this?¡±
As he entered, a guard blocked Damien¡¯s way. He replied nonchntly.
¡°I¡¯m Damien Haksen, who has been appointed as the Crown Prince¡¯s swordsmanship instructor.¡±
¡°What? What?¡±
¡°I¡¯vee to see His Highness. Would you kindly let me in for a moment?¡±
Dodging the guard, Damien entered. The guard who seemed to be confused started to follow him.
¡°Wait, hold on! You¡¯re not supposed to go up there. His Highness has ordered not to let anyone in¡¡±
¡°Understood. Just follow that order. Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡±
¡°Um, excuse me? But he¡¯s already entered¡¡±
It was impossible for the guard to catch up with Damien¡¯s pace.
The guard could only watch as Damien disappeared in an instant.
***
Having brushed off the guard, Damien walked to the top floor. He could sense the Crown Prince¡¯s presence there.
He promptly entered the room without knocking.
¡°Who¡¯s there? I told everyone not toe in!¡±
Upon opening the door, the room was immediately filled with shouts and apanied by the nauseating smell of alcohol.
Prince Oliver fixed a re on Damien while clutching a bottle of liquor in his hand.
¡°How¡?¡±
The Prince frowned as he examined Damien¡¯s face.
¡°Are you the one Sir Liam brought?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
Damien slightly bowed his head.
¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself. I¡¯m Damien Haksen. I¡¯ve been entrusted with instructing His Highness in swordsmanship for a while.¡±
Upon hearing Damien¡¯s name, a brief spark of interest flickered in Oliver Apple¡¯s eyes.
¡°Damien Haksen? The one who used to be an asshole?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±
¡°I wonder who my father called¡ Ha! I didn¡¯t realize that person was you.¡±
The Princeughed heartily as he gulped down liquor from the bottle.
¡°I was already curious about what kind of person you were¡ªseeing you like this? Quite an honor, huh? Huh?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an honor for me to meet His Highness.¡±
¡°What nonsense!¡±
Suddenly, the Prince threw the bottle of liquor he was holding. Damien dodged it with just a tilt of his head.
¡°Do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve caused me by following Liam?¡±
The Crown Prince shouted at Damien but he listened to the prince¡¯s words with one ear and waved them away.
¡°Viscountcy of Haksen? I don¡¯t even know where you live! You must have been curious about the capital because you¡¯re in such a countryside, right?¡±
The Prince shouted vehemently, bing increasingly agitated.
¡°Go tell my father that you¡¯re going to quit right now and get the fuck out of here, or I ¨C I ¨C will make you regret evering here¡¡ Wait, what are you pulling out?¡±
Damien was slowly pulling out arge club from his spatial ring.
Damien responded casually to the Crown Prince¡¯s question.
¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s continue our conversation.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 84
Chapter 84
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 85: The Secret Club (1)
***
The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom.
Oliver Apple felt like dying every daytely.
The reason? There was no need to exin much. It was all because of Damien.
¨C Your Highness, it¡¯s time to study.
It was a routine toe at the same time every morning to wake himself up.
¨C Your Highness, sitting still stiffens the body.
He even made him do exercises he didn¡¯t want to do regrly.
¨C Your Highness, no alcohol. Consider every drop as poison.
He even dered abstinence to himself, knowing he couldn¡¯t sleep well without alcohol.
Among them, the most painful thing was that.
¨C Your Highness, you seem to have lost your determination due to not being hit for a while. Let¡¯s lightly hit you ten times today to regain your determination.
Even if he did nothing wrong, he was regrly called up and punished.
Every time he was punished, he felt a surge of anger, but he had to endure it.
There was hardly any trace of punishment on how it was done. Without evidence, no one believed his words.
¨C Damn it! I can¡¯t take it anymore! Today you die or I die!
¨C Oh, how can you say such a thing? Didn¡¯t I ask you to respect your teacher?
¨C Shut up!
There were times when he rebelled and ended up being beaten all day long.
¨C Your Highness, if you do this again next time, it¡¯ll be doubled.
It was undoubtedly the most chilling warning he had ever received in his life.
After hearing those words, Oliver could no longer maintain his rebellion against Damien.
¡°Damn you, you son of a bitch.¡±
Tonight, Oliver sat reading a book without even touching alcohol.
It was because Damien had ordered him to memorize ten more books by tomorrow as punishment for rebellion.
And it was about tedious etiquette books!
¡°Why the hell do I have to read this?¡±
While grumbling, Oliver didn¡¯t stop reading.
If Oliver concentrated, memorizing ten books wasn¡¯t particrly difficult.
It was just annoying and he thought there would be no use for it even if he memorized it.
The main thing was that he didn¡¯t know what would happen to him if he didn¡¯t do what he was told.
Then, there was a tapping sound.
Oliver turned his gaze. A crow was perched outside the window, tilting its head.
A small cylinder was tied to the crow¡¯s ankle. Oliver¡¯s face brightened when he saw it.
¡°You finally came!¡±
Oliver immediately opened the window. When he opened the lid of the cylinder, he saw a rolled-up piece of paper.
Oliver gave the crow some feed, then unfolded the paper and read it.
¡°Tonight at 10 o¡¯clock, is this it?¡±
A bright smile appeared on Oliver¡¯s face.
¡°Now¡¯s not the time for this. I need to get ready to go.¡±
Oliver Apple hurriedly changed his clothes. He put on a robe on top to make sure no one could recognize him.
¡°This should be enough so that even that guy won¡¯t be able to recognize me. Here I go!¡±
***
¡°The moon is unusually bright today.¡±
Damien murmured as he looked up at the moon from the roof of the building.
The sky was clear without a single cloud. The moon was exceptionally bright as well. It was a perfect night to gaze at the sky.
¡°It¡¯s also a good day to eat this.¡±
Damien took out three bottles that he received from the king.
Inside these peculiar bottles made of carved stone was royal jelly from a giant wasp called Allecto.
¡°Eating this significantly boosts regeneration powers.¡±
The most useful effect one could obtain from consuming Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was an increase in regeneration ability.
The person who first consumed Allecto¡¯s royal jelly reportedly experienced astonishing regeneration of their body parts within just a few days, akin to the remarkable ability of a lizard¡¯s tail to grow back after being severed.
However, it¡¯s said that the person in question ate the royal jelly until his stomach burst. It seemed unlikely to expect such efficacy with just three bottles.
¡°Still, it¡¯s quite remarkable.¡±
Damien opened the bottle and drank the royal jelly.
The viscous liquid went down his throat. It tasted bitter and sour.
It wasn¡¯t a taste he desired to experience again, but Damien gritted his teeth and drank the remaining two bottles as well.
Three bottles.
In terms of quantity, the equivalent of a ss of water was poured over Damien¡¯s stomach.
¡®It¡¯s not easily absorbed.¡¯
The elixirs he had consumed before were immediately absorbed upon ingestion.
However, Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was different. It seemed to clump together and was unwilling to be absorbed.
¡®Then I¡¯ll force it to be absorbed.¡¯
Damien channeled his mana. He forcibly broke apart and crumbled the royal jelly that lingered in his stomach, ensuring he absorbed everyst bit.
¡®This is amazing.¡¯
As soon as he absorbed the royal jelly, there was a change in his muscle fibers. They became denser and more solid. He could feel the immediate physical changes taking ce.
Damien gripped the bottle slightly and applied some force. The stone bottle, which had been made of stone, crumbled into dust in an instant.
¡°I like this one.¡±
Using pure physical strength, he crushed the stone bottle without resorting to mana.
It was a feat impossible without tremendous strength. And this strength was gained through the royal jelly.
But this was just a minor change.
Damien drew his dagger and lightly nicked his fingertip. The skin was cut open and blood trickled out.
However, as time passed, the bleeding stopped, and the wound healed cleanly.
¡°I really like this.¡±
Indeed, Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was as remarkable as rumored.
There was one more thing to test. Damien closed his eyes and use the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His body temperature rose rapidly. His senses sharpened. The sound of the wind in his ears gradually faded. The movement of leaves carried by the wind slowed down.
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation temporarily maximized physical abilities and senses by activating the body.
It was an outstanding ability, even for Damien but the problem was the immense strain it put on the body.
So Damien only used it when it was necessary.
After consuming the royal jelly, it was different now.
Despite using the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, his body managed to endure the strain, thanks to its enhanced strength and resilience.
¡®I can probably use it a little further.¡¯
Damien intensified the effects of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. His body temperature soared, and his senses sharpened even more.
The world, which had been moving slowly, came to aplete halt. The sound of the wind ceased entirely. The leaves fluttering in the wind stopped moving altogether.
¡°Cough.¡±
At that moment, Damien spat out blood from his mouth. It was the price of pushing The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to its limit.
¡°Well, I won¡¯t use it often.¡±
It was when Damien had spat out all the blood remaining in his mouth. Vaporous substance began to rise from his entire body.
This served as clear evidence that the enhanced vitality he had gained from consuming the royal jelly was actively working to heal his injuries.
¡°Satisfying.¡±
Damien wore a satisfied expression.
¡°Huh?¡±
From the building where Damien sat, someone was seen sneaking away.
¡°The Crown Prince?¡±
He covered himself with his robe, but he couldn¡¯t escape Damien¡¯s sharp eyes.
¡°Disobeying my orders again? Was the punishment not enough?¡±
Damien grabbed the nearby club. Then, a sudden question crossed his mind.
¡°But where is he going at this hour?¡±
Curiosity piqued, Damien secretly followed Oliver Apple.
***
Oliver sneaked out of the royal pce through the soldiers he had bribed.
¡°Hmm, the smell of freedom.¡±
As Oliver walked through the streets of the capital, he savored the sense of liberation.
¡°Yes, this is life. It¡¯s not about being beaten up by a lunatic.¡±
Walking along the main road, Oliver gradually made his way to a dimly lit area.
After wandering through the alleyways, Oliver stopped at a tavern guarded by two burly men.
¡°What do you want?¡±
One of the guards spoke gruffly. Oliver clicked his tongue at the remark.
¡°These idiots still don¡¯t remember my face.¡±
¡°Oh, is it Your Highness?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡±
¡°Pleasee in! The boss is waiting for you!¡±
The guards opened the door wide. Oliver grinned mischievously as he entered.
Contrary to the narrow entrance, the interior was spacious. Not only spacious but also elegantly decorated, resembling a caf¨¦.
¡°Your Highness, you¡¯vee.¡±
A woman in a red dress greeted Oliver as he entered.
The red dress hugged the woman¡¯s body like a second skin, entuating her curves and revealing her figure.
As a result, it was difficult to find a ce to rest one¡¯s eyes.
¡°Carmen! Why did you call me after such a long time? You know how much I¡¯ve been looking forward to this gathering!¡±
¡°The guests didn¡¯t gather as quickly as expected. But I¡¯ve gathered only pretty ones for you. You won¡¯t regret it.¡±
Carmen, as the woman was called, smiled brightly and said. Oliver whispered to her in a subtle voice.
¡°I¡¯d prefer you to sit next to me rather than the others.¡±
¡°Oh my, thank you for choosing me.¡±
¡°Then will you grant my request?¡±
¡°I have a lot to do today. But many beautiful girls are waiting for you more than I am.¡±
¡°You always say that. They¡¯re all inferior to you.¡±
The two continued their conversation as they headed inside. Then, they entered the guest room.
Inside the guest room, other men were already seated with women, drinking.
¡°Your Highness! Have you arrived!¡±
As Oliver entered, the men stood up and bowed their heads.
¡°Oh, what¡¯s with all themotion? Sit. Sit down quickly.¡±
Oliver gestured for them to sit. He then took a seat in the center.
¡°Your Highness! You seem more handsome since west met!¡±
¡°Oh, look at this guy. His Highness is always like this. Always acting like something is new.¡±
¡°Hahaha, it seems so. Your Highness, I misspoke.¡±
The men fawned over Oliver Apple. A satisfied smile crept onto his lips.
¡°Why all the unnecessary chatter¡ Come on, let¡¯s drink. Bottoms up.¡±
Oliver raised his bottle. The men followed suit.
¡°What¡¯s the rule of our ¡®Real Men¡¯ club?¡±
¡°Real drinking is done straight from the bottle!¡±
With that, Oliver Apple and the men started chugging their drinks.
¡°Ahh, now I feel alive.¡±
Oliver hadn¡¯t been able to drink a single drop, having been tormented by Damien. To him, the drink now was like honey¡
¨C You rascal! What¡¯s going on here? Where do you think you¡¯re going¡ Gack!
¨C Wait! Stop that! Someone stop him!
But suddenly, there was amotion outside. The group stopped drinking and looked towards the door.
¡°What on earth? Ruining the taste of the drink.¡±
Oliver spoke irritably. A man sitting beside him lowered his head and said,
¡°Your Highness, shall I go and handle it?¡±
¡°Huh, what nonsense. It¡¯s too much for Sir James to handle.¡±
The ¡®Real Men¡¯ gathering was a noble assembly led by Oliver Apple.
The members were diverse, ranging from Prince Oliver Apple to the children of bureaucrats working in the capital, and even knights.
Among them, James John was a knight from the middle ss.
Using a middle-ss knight to quell the disturbance at a tavern?
It was like using a sledgehammer to swat a mosquito¡
ng.
The tavern door swung open, and someone entered. The moment Oliver saw the face, he could only be stunned.
¡°Your Highness, here you are.¡±
Damien smiled and looked at him.
¡°I distinctly recall telling you to treat alcohol like poison¡ Yet here we are, causing trouble and drinking.¡±
Damien shook his head with a pitiful expression.
¡°That¡¯s too bad, I have two hours of free time tonight.¡±
Oliver froze in ce. Just for a moment, his whole body began to tremble.
¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±
Damien walked towards Oliver. His trembling intensified.
But someone blocked Damien¡¯s path.
¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±
The only middle-ss member of the ¡®Real Men¡¯.
It was James John.
¡°Who are you to darey a hand on His Highness?¡±
James John red fiercely at Damien. Damien showed an interesting expression at his sight.
¡°Oh-ho.¡±
The moment Oliver saw the two facing off, one thought crossed his mind:
The only one who can stop a monster is another monster.
Likewise, the only one who can stop a middle-ss man is another middle-ss man.
¡°Sir James!¡±
The prince shouted without hesitation.
¡°He¡¯s an utterly vile viin! Kill him immediately! Hand him over to the guards if necessary!¡±
At the prince¡¯s words, Damien¡¯s expression became even more interesting.
¡°Oh-ho-ho.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 85
Chapter 85
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 85: The Secret Club (1)
***
The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom.
Oliver Apple felt like dying every daytely.
The reason? There was no need to exin much. It was all because of Damien.
¨C Your Highness, it¡¯s time to study.
It was a routine toe at the same time every morning to wake himself up.
¨C Your Highness, sitting still stiffens the body.
He even made him do exercises he didn¡¯t want to do regrly.
¨C Your Highness, no alcohol. Consider every drop as poison.
He even dered abstinence to himself, knowing he couldn¡¯t sleep well without alcohol.
Among them, the most painful thing was that.
¨C Your Highness, you seem to have lost your determination due to not being hit for a while. Let¡¯s lightly hit you ten times today to regain your determination.
Even if he did nothing wrong, he was regrly called up and punished.
Every time he was punished, he felt a surge of anger, but he had to endure it.
There was hardly any trace of punishment on how it was done. Without evidence, no one believed his words.
¨C Damn it! I can¡¯t take it anymore! Today you die or I die!
¨C Oh, how can you say such a thing? Didn¡¯t I ask you to respect your teacher?
¨C Shut up!
There were times when he rebelled and ended up being beaten all day long.
¨C Your Highness, if you do this again next time, it¡¯ll be doubled.
It was undoubtedly the most chilling warning he had ever received in his life.
After hearing those words, Oliver could no longer maintain his rebellion against Damien.
¡°Damn you, you son of a bitch.¡±
Tonight, Oliver sat reading a book without even touching alcohol.
It was because Damien had ordered him to memorize ten more books by tomorrow as punishment for rebellion.
And it was about tedious etiquette books!
¡°Why the hell do I have to read this?¡±
While grumbling, Oliver didn¡¯t stop reading.
If Oliver concentrated, memorizing ten books wasn¡¯t particrly difficult.
It was just annoying and he thought there would be no use for it even if he memorized it.
The main thing was that he didn¡¯t know what would happen to him if he didn¡¯t do what he was told.
Then, there was a tapping sound.
Oliver turned his gaze. A crow was perched outside the window, tilting its head.
A small cylinder was tied to the crow¡¯s ankle. Oliver¡¯s face brightened when he saw it.
¡°You finally came!¡±
Oliver immediately opened the window. When he opened the lid of the cylinder, he saw a rolled-up piece of paper.
Oliver gave the crow some feed, then unfolded the paper and read it.
¡°Tonight at 10 o¡¯clock, is this it?¡±
A bright smile appeared on Oliver¡¯s face.
¡°Now¡¯s not the time for this. I need to get ready to go.¡±
Oliver Apple hurriedly changed his clothes. He put on a robe on top to make sure no one could recognize him.
¡°This should be enough so that even that guy won¡¯t be able to recognize me. Here I go!¡±
***
¡°The moon is unusually bright today.¡±
Damien murmured as he looked up at the moon from the roof of the building.
The sky was clear without a single cloud. The moon was exceptionally bright as well. It was a perfect night to gaze at the sky.
¡°It¡¯s also a good day to eat this.¡±
Damien took out three bottles that he received from the king.
Inside these peculiar bottles made of carved stone was royal jelly from a giant wasp called Allecto.
¡°Eating this significantly boosts regeneration powers.¡±
The most useful effect one could obtain from consuming Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was an increase in regeneration ability.
The person who first consumed Allecto¡¯s royal jelly reportedly experienced astonishing regeneration of their body parts within just a few days, akin to the remarkable ability of a lizard¡¯s tail to grow back after being severed.
However, it¡¯s said that the person in question ate the royal jelly until his stomach burst. It seemed unlikely to expect such efficacy with just three bottles.
¡°Still, it¡¯s quite remarkable.¡±
Damien opened the bottle and drank the royal jelly.
The viscous liquid went down his throat. It tasted bitter and sour.
It wasn¡¯t a taste he desired to experience again, but Damien gritted his teeth and drank the remaining two bottles as well.
Three bottles.
In terms of quantity, the equivalent of a ss of water was poured over Damien¡¯s stomach.
¡®It¡¯s not easily absorbed.¡¯
The elixirs he had consumed before were immediately absorbed upon ingestion.
However, Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was different. It seemed to clump together and was unwilling to be absorbed.
¡®Then I¡¯ll force it to be absorbed.¡¯
Damien channeled his mana. He forcibly broke apart and crumbled the royal jelly that lingered in his stomach, ensuring he absorbed everyst bit.
¡®This is amazing.¡¯
As soon as he absorbed the royal jelly, there was a change in his muscle fibers. They became denser and more solid. He could feel the immediate physical changes taking ce.
Damien gripped the bottle slightly and applied some force. The stone bottle, which had been made of stone, crumbled into dust in an instant.
¡°I like this one.¡±
Using pure physical strength, he crushed the stone bottle without resorting to mana.
It was a feat impossible without tremendous strength. And this strength was gained through the royal jelly.
But this was just a minor change.
Damien drew his dagger and lightly nicked his fingertip. The skin was cut open and blood trickled out.
However, as time passed, the bleeding stopped, and the wound healed cleanly.
¡°I really like this.¡±
Indeed, Allecto¡¯s royal jelly was as remarkable as rumored.
There was one more thing to test. Damien closed his eyes and use the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His body temperature rose rapidly. His senses sharpened. The sound of the wind in his ears gradually faded. The movement of leaves carried by the wind slowed down.
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation temporarily maximized physical abilities and senses by activating the body.
It was an outstanding ability, even for Damien but the problem was the immense strain it put on the body.
So Damien only used it when it was necessary.
After consuming the royal jelly, it was different now.
Despite using the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, his body managed to endure the strain, thanks to its enhanced strength and resilience.
¡®I can probably use it a little further.¡¯
Damien intensified the effects of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. His body temperature soared, and his senses sharpened even more.
The world, which had been moving slowly, came to aplete halt. The sound of the wind ceased entirely. The leaves fluttering in the wind stopped moving altogether.
¡°Cough.¡±
At that moment, Damien spat out blood from his mouth. It was the price of pushing The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to its limit.
¡°Well, I won¡¯t use it often.¡±
It was when Damien had spat out all the blood remaining in his mouth. Vaporous substance began to rise from his entire body.
This served as clear evidence that the enhanced vitality he had gained from consuming the royal jelly was actively working to heal his injuries.
¡°Satisfying.¡±
Damien wore a satisfied expression.
¡°Huh?¡±
From the building where Damien sat, someone was seen sneaking away.
¡°The Crown Prince?¡±
He covered himself with his robe, but he couldn¡¯t escape Damien¡¯s sharp eyes.
¡°Disobeying my orders again? Was the punishment not enough?¡±
Damien grabbed the nearby club. Then, a sudden question crossed his mind.
¡°But where is he going at this hour?¡±
Curiosity piqued, Damien secretly followed Oliver Apple.
***
Oliver sneaked out of the royal pce through the soldiers he had bribed.
¡°Hmm, the smell of freedom.¡±
As Oliver walked through the streets of the capital, he savored the sense of liberation.
¡°Yes, this is life. It¡¯s not about being beaten up by a lunatic.¡±
Walking along the main road, Oliver gradually made his way to a dimly lit area.
After wandering through the alleyways, Oliver stopped at a tavern guarded by two burly men.
¡°What do you want?¡±
One of the guards spoke gruffly. Oliver clicked his tongue at the remark.
¡°These idiots still don¡¯t remember my face.¡±
¡°Oh, is it Your Highness?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡±
¡°Pleasee in! The boss is waiting for you!¡±
The guards opened the door wide. Oliver grinned mischievously as he entered.
Contrary to the narrow entrance, the interior was spacious. Not only spacious but also elegantly decorated, resembling a caf¨¦.
¡°Your Highness, you¡¯vee.¡±
A woman in a red dress greeted Oliver as he entered.
The red dress hugged the woman¡¯s body like a second skin, entuating her curves and revealing her figure.
As a result, it was difficult to find a ce to rest one¡¯s eyes.
¡°Carmen! Why did you call me after such a long time? You know how much I¡¯ve been looking forward to this gathering!¡±
¡°The guests didn¡¯t gather as quickly as expected. But I¡¯ve gathered only pretty ones for you. You won¡¯t regret it.¡±
Carmen, as the woman was called, smiled brightly and said. Oliver whispered to her in a subtle voice.
¡°I¡¯d prefer you to sit next to me rather than the others.¡±
¡°Oh my, thank you for choosing me.¡±
¡°Then will you grant my request?¡±
¡°I have a lot to do today. But many beautiful girls are waiting for you more than I am.¡±
¡°You always say that. They¡¯re all inferior to you.¡±
The two continued their conversation as they headed inside. Then, they entered the guest room.
Inside the guest room, other men were already seated with women, drinking.
¡°Your Highness! Have you arrived!¡±
As Oliver entered, the men stood up and bowed their heads.
¡°Oh, what¡¯s with all themotion? Sit. Sit down quickly.¡±
Oliver gestured for them to sit. He then took a seat in the center.
¡°Your Highness! You seem more handsome since west met!¡±
¡°Oh, look at this guy. His Highness is always like this. Always acting like something is new.¡±
¡°Hahaha, it seems so. Your Highness, I misspoke.¡±
The men fawned over Oliver Apple. A satisfied smile crept onto his lips.
¡°Why all the unnecessary chatter¡ Come on, let¡¯s drink. Bottoms up.¡±
Oliver raised his bottle. The men followed suit.
¡°What¡¯s the rule of our ¡®Real Men¡¯ club?¡±
¡°Real drinking is done straight from the bottle!¡±
With that, Oliver Apple and the men started chugging their drinks.
¡°Ahh, now I feel alive.¡±
Oliver hadn¡¯t been able to drink a single drop, having been tormented by Damien. To him, the drink now was like honey¡
¨C You rascal! What¡¯s going on here? Where do you think you¡¯re going¡ Gack!
¨C Wait! Stop that! Someone stop him!
But suddenly, there was amotion outside. The group stopped drinking and looked towards the door.
¡°What on earth? Ruining the taste of the drink.¡±
Oliver spoke irritably. A man sitting beside him lowered his head and said,
¡°Your Highness, shall I go and handle it?¡±
¡°Huh, what nonsense. It¡¯s too much for Sir James to handle.¡±
The ¡®Real Men¡¯ gathering was a noble assembly led by Oliver Apple.
The members were diverse, ranging from Prince Oliver Apple to the children of bureaucrats working in the capital, and even knights.
Among them, James John was a knight from the middle ss.
Using a middle-ss knight to quell the disturbance at a tavern?
It was like using a sledgehammer to swat a mosquito¡
ng.
The tavern door swung open, and someone entered. The moment Oliver saw the face, he could only be stunned.
¡°Your Highness, here you are.¡±
Damien smiled and looked at him.
¡°I distinctly recall telling you to treat alcohol like poison¡ Yet here we are, causing trouble and drinking.¡±
Damien shook his head with a pitiful expression.
¡°That¡¯s too bad, I have two hours of free time tonight.¡±
Oliver froze in ce. Just for a moment, his whole body began to tremble.
¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±
Damien walked towards Oliver. His trembling intensified.
But someone blocked Damien¡¯s path.
¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±
The only middle-ss member of the ¡®Real Men¡¯.
It was James John.
¡°Who are you to darey a hand on His Highness?¡±
James John red fiercely at Damien. Damien showed an interesting expression at his sight.
¡°Oh-ho.¡±
The moment Oliver saw the two facing off, one thought crossed his mind:
The only one who can stop a monster is another monster.
Likewise, the only one who can stop a middle-ss man is another middle-ss man.
¡°Sir James!¡±
The prince shouted without hesitation.
¡°He¡¯s an utterly vile viin! Kill him immediately! Hand him over to the guards if necessary!¡±
At the prince¡¯s words, Damien¡¯s expression became even more interesting.
¡°Oh-ho-ho.¡±
***
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Chapter 86
Chapter 86
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 86: The Secret Club (2)
[[Chapter 84 was posted incorrectly, it was supposed to be 85, please re-read chapter 84 again, it¡¯s fixed. For this error, we¡¯llpensate with an additional chapter.]]
***
¡°I will follow Your Highness¡¯s orders!¡±
James John cried out loudly. He looked incredibly reliable.
On the other hand, Damien looked tired. He already has a headache with educating the prince. He didn¡¯t want unnecessary conflicts.
¡°I am Damien Haksen, Your Highness¡¯s swordsmanship instructor. I have no intention of causing harm, so step aside.¡±
¡°No! That¡¯s a lie! Don¡¯t be fooled! What kind of violent thug is a swordsmanship instructor!¡±
Oliver shouted as if having a fit. Damien spoke briefly to the prince.
¡°Your Highness, I will extend it to three hours.¡±
At this, the prince¡¯s eyes widened significantly.
¡°Damien Haksen?¡±
As Damien revealed his name, Jamem¡¯s eyes lit up.
¡°Could it be the famous Damien Haksen I¡¯ve only heard rumors about?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s an honor to meet the famous person I¡¯ve only heard rumors about. I was curious about your identity anyway!¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but sigh at that.
¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we just sit down and have a drink instead of all this?¡±
Damien said, patting James John¡¯s shoulder. James John¡¯s face stiffened at the gesture.
¡°Don¡¯t touch me¡¡±
James grabbed Damien¡¯s wrist. However, something was off.
No matter how hard he tried, Damien¡¯s hand didn¡¯t budge from his shoulder.
¡°I said sit down.¡±
Damien exerted force through his hand. James found himself involuntarily sitting back in his chair.
¡°This, this mothe¨C¡!¡±
James tried to rise again. But he couldn¡¯t push away Damien¡¯s hand pressing on his shoulder.
¡°Ugh!¡±
James exerted all his strength. His eyes were bloodshot. Yet, his body didn¡¯t even twitch.
¡®He¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡¯
Damien thought as he looked down at James John, who was writhing in pain.
In general, Knights had much greater physical strength than ordinary humans due to the mana they contained within their bodies, which transformed their physique.
By the time they reached the mid-ss level, they could take down beasts with pure physical abilities without even using mana.
Such a Middle ss was being driven back by strength alone. Thanks to Allecto¡¯s Royal Jelly.
At this point, a sense of defeat dawned on James¡¯s face. He realized the gap between him and Damien.
¡°Sir James! Stay strong!¡±
¡°That guy¡¯s gonna be knocked down in no time!¡±
However, the nobles belonging to the ¡®Real Men¡¯ started cheering without realizing James¡¯s inner turmoil.
In fact, it was inevitable.
Whoever James John was, he was a significant figure even among the mid-ss knights affiliated with the capital.
From their perspective, James would appear stronger than Damien, who had just be a mid-ss knight.
¡°Dammit!¡±
James couldn¡¯t shake off the expectations of hispanions. He felt the need to demonstrate something, even if it was just for his pride.
James uses his mana. Power surged through his entire body.
No matter how strong Damien¡¯s physical strength had be, he couldn¡¯t match the power of a mid-ss knight who wielded mana.
James leaped up and immediately swung his fist towards Damien.
¡°I¡¯llpletely smash your face in!¡±
Damien easily dodged the punch and then struck James¡¯s abdomen with his fist.
¡°Ugh!¡±
James¡¯s body was pushed back against the wall. As his back hit the wall, he toppled forward.
¡°Cough, cough.¡±
Foam dribbled from his mouth. His eyes were already zed over, possibly from being knocked unconscious.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like him, how about clearing out of the room?¡±
Damien pointed at James as he spoke. Members of the ¡®Real Men¡¯ hastily fled outside.
¡°You should take him with you.¡±
In response to Damien¡¯s words, a few members returned and carried James John out.
Thus, only Damien and Oliver remained in the guest room.
¡°Well then, Your Highness, shall we have a serious discussion?¡±
Oliver¡¯s face turned sullen as he realized that hisst defender, James John, was no longer with him.
***
Damien took a seat on an empty chair.
¡°Your Highness, please have a seat for now.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver stiffened and took a seat a few feet away.
¡°So, what exactly is this gathering about?¡±
¡°It¡¯s, um, about the Real Men¡ Nobles from the capital¡ periodically¡ gather to share friendship¡ in such gatherings.¡±
¡°Seems like a group of cowards despite the name.¡±
Oliver snapped at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Don¡¯t insult my friends, even if you insult me!¡±
¡°Is there anyone else among them besides James who stood up to protect Your Highness?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver remained silent.
After listening, it seemed true. Despite always iming loyalty, there was only one person who tried to stop Damien among them.
¡°Who arranged this ce?¡±
¡°The owner of this tavern provided it¡ The appointment time is also set by the owner¡ When good drinks and women are arranged, the owner sends a message¡¡±
Having heard the story, Damien clicked his tongue in disapproval.
¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m deeply disappointed. You broke our agreement and came here to drink like this.¡±
¡°Sir D-Damien! P-Please spare me! I won¡¯t do it again! So¡!¡±
Damien poured liquor into two sses. He ced one in front of Oliver.
Oliver looked at Damien with a face that seemed to say, ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯
¡°Have a drink.¡±
Damien first raised the ss to his lips. Oliver cautiously drank, keeping an eye on him.
¡°Cheers.¡±
Despite the situation, the liquor was enjoyable. Having just one ss felt too unsatisfying.
¡°Would you like another drink?¡±
Oliver extended the ss, watching Damien¡¯s reaction. Damien poured another drink.
Oliver downed his second ss. As the alcohol spread through his body, he gained a little courage.
¡°A-Are you not angry?¡±
¡°I was nning to be.¡±
Oliver¡¯s face turned contemtive at those words.
¡°Bute to think of it. Your Highness has been through a lot these past two days.¡±
Through a lot.
At that word, Oliver blinked his eyes repeatedly.
Yes, he had suffered. He had suffered a lot. He had suffered to the point of death.
When was thest time he heard or even experienced, such words?
It felt strange to hear Damien acknowledge it like this.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard all this time, so I think it¡¯s okay to rx a bit today. So, have another drink.¡±
Oliver extended the ss again. He downed a third.
¡°Your Highness, if you want more drinks, just let me know. I can¡¯t permit it every time, but asionally, I¡¯ll turn a blind eye.¡±
¡°R-Really?¡±
¡°Yes, but you can¡¯t drink in ces like this. And no bringing women along either. It¡¯s just about drinking sensibly.¡±
The prohibition on women caused Oliver to hesitate once more.
Alcohol and women.
Both were indispensable in Oliver Apple¡¯s life.
But even with those two, something was missing. That¡¯s why he kept searching, perhaps without knowing what he truly desired.
¡°I don¡¯t seem to get a response.¡±
¡°Ah, I understand! I¡¯ll do as you say!¡±
¡°You must stick to it.¡±
Damien offered the bottle again. Oliver Apple epted and drank.
¡°Sir Damien¡ C-Can you repeat what you said?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Y-You said I worked hard.¡±
Oliver asked, trying to conceal his embarrassment. Damien replied nonchntly.
¡°You did work hard. You put in a lot of effort studying things you weren¡¯t familiar with.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver squirmed ufortably.
He realized it for the first time.
How good it was to be acknowledged by others.
***
Following a lengthy night of drinking, Oliver Apple sumbed to unconsciousness, sprawled out on the couch in a state of utter oblivion.
¡°I don¡¯t understand why weaklings like him insist on drinking so much.¡±
Damien muttered as he finished the remaining liquor. It didn¡¯t taste very good.
He was only drinking forcibly topany Oliver.
¡°Why did I used to like this tasteless stuff so much?¡±
It was when Damien let out a wry smile and mumbled to himself.
¡°May Ie in?¡±
A woman¡¯s voice came from outside. Damien set down the ss and said.
¡°Feel free.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
As the door opened, a woman entered. She wore a red dress that suited her remarkably well.
¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Carmen, the owner of this establishment.¡±
Damien scrutinized the woman who introduced herself as Carmen. She didn¡¯t seem like your typical tavern woman. She exuded elegance, yetcked something to be called noble.
¡°You don¡¯t seem like an ordinary tavern owner.¡±
Carmen smiled in response to Damien¡¯sment.
¡°This tavern is just a side business; I have a main profession.¡±
¡°Main profession?¡±
¡°I manage ¡®Green scent¡¯.¡±
The term ¡®Green scent¡¯ made Damien look at her with surprise. He had heard of the term ¡®Green scent¡¯ a few times in his past life. It was a dark underworld organization that spread throughout the Apple Kingdom, not limited to the capital.
Their organizational power was meticulous, and their influence was so significant that many nobles were in league with the Green scent.
¡°You¡¯re quite a formidable figure.¡±
¡°Only you, Sir Damien.¡±
Carmen said with a smile.
¡°So, why did you arrange such an event? It must have cost a lot to prepare for the gathering.¡±
The drinks here weren¡¯t something you could easily obtain. Even the food they brought to share was all made with top-quality ingredients. Emptying out an upscale tavern of this size would undoubtedly incur massive losses.
¡°I wanted to lead a noble gathering centered around His Highness the Crown Prince. It would be very helpful if I could manage those connections.¡±
¡°You¡¯re just answering obediently?¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide.¡±
Carmen said casually. Damien looked at her with an amused expression.
¡°It seems too easy for you to agree.¡±
Despite being the center of the gathering, if the Crown Prince were to be absent, Carmen would suffer significant losses.
Yet Carmen nodded without a hint of difort.
¡°I may not know much, but I know a little about survival.¡±
Damien chuckled at Carmen¡¯s words.
It was true. If a refusal came, Damien had intended to turn the Green scent upside down for the day.
¡°I hope you keep that promise.¡±
Damien suddenly said, as if he had just remembered to support the prince.
¡°By any chance, are you also running an underground market?¡±
The underground market.
It was a market where illegal items like stolen goods or drugs were traded.
Because it was an illegal market, not just anyone could run it. Only organizations asrge as Green scent could manage it.
¡°Yes. Is there something you need?¡±
Damien needed only two things right now: elixirs and mana cultivation techniques.
Despite significant physical growth from consuming Allecto¡¯s Royal Jelly, his mana remained the same. He urgently needed elixirs to increase the capacity of his mana.
Mana cultivation techniques were also indispensable. To regain the level of his past life, Damien needed to develop a mana cultivation technique that suited him.
Ideally, he needed to acquire many high-level mana cultivation techniques.
¡°I¡¯d like to participate in the auction at the next underground market.¡±
Among illegal items, particrly valuable ones were consumed at auctions held within the underground market.
Perhaps Damien didn¡¯t know if he would find the items he needed.
However, unlike the regr underground market, not just anyone could participate in the auction at the underground market.
Only those with close ties to the Green scent and deemed trustworthy could ess it.
¡°If Sir Damien desires it, I¡¯ll send an invitation for the next auction.¡±
But thanks to Damien¡¯s direct encounter with the boss of the Green scent, he could easily obtain an auction pass.
¡°I appreciate it.¡±
Damien put Oliver on his back and stood up from his seat.
As he stepped outside, he realized that the sun had already risen.
***
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Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Chapter 87: Alexander Apple (1)
***
Since that day, Oliver Apple¡¯s behavior changed significantly.
¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s time to wake up¡¡±
¡°Sir Damien, good morning!¡±
Damien, who came to wake up Oliver early in the morning, was taken aback when he saw that Oliver Apple had already gotten up and finished washing.
¡°Sir Damien, didn¡¯t you remind me every time? You always said I should start the day early!¡±
At those words, Damien could only feel even more bewildered.
Originally, Oliver had thezy habit of not getting out of bed until noon. Despite Damien¡¯s attempts to change that, nothing worked. And now, suddenly, everything was different.
¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re doing great. You¡¯ve finally realized the importance of a regr lifestyle.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver¡¯s lips spread into a wide smile.
After that day, Oliver¡¯s peculiar behavior continued.
¡°Your Highness, continuing from yesterday, today we¡¯ll study the history of the empire¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already finished it!¡±
¡°Already?¡±
¡°When discussing the history of the continent, the empire is indispensable, isn¡¯t it? I thought you would ask, so I finished it in advance.¡±
Damien narrowed his eyes and looked at Oliver.
Oliver was intelligent but incrediblyzy. An individual who, despite being forced to study with a stick for about an hour, would barely start studying voluntarily?
¡°Uh¡ well done. Indeed, Your Highness.¡±
With Damien¡¯s praise, Oliver¡¯s face lit up with joy.
By now, Damien could slowly understand what Oliver wanted.
Praise.
Oliver Apple was improving his own ws to receive praise.
¡®Was receiving recognition that satisfying?¡¯
Damien somewhat empathized with Oliver¡¯s way of thinking. After all, he himself was once a troublemaker and understood it well.
¡®He must have felt lonely without receiving recognition from anyone.¡¯
Honestly, everything was Oliver¡¯s own doing.
Oliver Apple held the blessed position of a crown prince. Even the king was willing to do anything for his son.
Yet, the one who disregarded such favorable conditions and engaged in reckless behavior, only to end up isted, was none other than Oliver Apple.
¡®I was like that too.¡¯
Past Damien wasn¡¯t much different. He med only his family without reflecting on his own actions.
Unaware of how much love he was receiving from his family or how much trouble he was causing them, Oliver Apple had indeed changed for the better.
Wasn¡¯t Damien¡¯s prolonged stay to make Oliver a proper king?
¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve mastered the etiquette you learned yesterday perfectly! Indeed, you are the pride of the royal family.¡±
¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve already learned the swordsmanship I taught you. Now I see you¡¯re overflowing with talent even in physical activities.¡±
Damien continued to praise the prince whenever he could. Every time he received praise, it was a bonus that Oliver¡¯s ws were being corrected.
¡°Wow, the Crown Prince is voluntarily studying¡?¡±
The king was equally surprised by Oliver¡¯s change.
¡°Sir D-Damien! What¡¯s going on? Why is the Crown Prince¡ Oliver¡!¡±
¡°Calm down. Everything you see before your eyes is real.¡±
¡°Hu¡ hu¡!¡±
The king, who saw Oliver¡¯s transformation with his own eyes, rubbed his eyes several times. Then he held Damien¡¯s hands and thanked him repeatedly.
¡°Sir Damien, you truly are an angel in my life!¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t done anything. It was all possible because of His Highness¡¯s efforts.¡±
¡°Haha! You¡¯re even humble! Oliver,e here!¡±
At the king¡¯s call, Oliver stepped forward. The king embraced him with both arms.
¡°You¡¯re finally walking the right path! Excellent! Excellent! You¡¯re truly my son!¡±
Oliver¡¯s face was filled with surprise.
It seemed like this was the first time he had received praise from the king, judging by his astonishment.
Looking at the both of them, Damien also felt a rare sense of satisfaction.
¡®Now, once I deal with the rebellion, I can go back.¡¯
Oliver¡¯s behavior had greatly improved. There were even signs of cracks in the barrier between the father and son.
Now, all that was left was to stop the rebellion and stabilize the kingdom.
But as they say, things don¡¯t always go as nned.
Soon after, a new incident urred.
***
On that day, the courtiers were moving around very busily.
Damien found himself puzzled by this and searched around the pce to find Oliver.
Eventually, he was able to spot Oliver hiding in a corner of the garden.
¡°Your Highness, what are you doing here?¡±
Oliver was startled by Damien¡¯s voice and turned to look at him.
¡°Sir Damien¡!¡±
¡°Now you start to run away just because you don¡¯t feel like studying?¡±
¡°N-No! I¡¯ve been studying right here!¡±
Oliver Apple shouted, waving the book in his hand.
¡°Then why were you hiding in this corner?¡±
¡°I-I wasn¡¯t hiding¡ I¡¡±
Oliver sighed and changed his words.
¡°Yes, I was hiding.¡±
¡°Why on earth?¡±
¡°Today is the day when He returns.¡±
He? It was when Damien questioned this that he heard the voice of a bureaucrat from behind.
¡°Your Highness Oliver! You¡¯re here! His Majesty Alexander will arrive at the pce soon! Pleasee quickly!¡±
Oliver¡¯s eyes widened at the bureaucrat¡¯s words. He sighed deeply and said,
¡°¡Alright. I¡¯ll go soon.¡±
As soon as he heard the response, the bureaucrat left.
¡°Who is His Majesty Alexander?¡±
¡°¡He¡¯s my uncle.¡±
Uncle? It meant the king¡¯s younger brother.
¡°Why are you avoiding your uncle?¡±
¡°He¡¯s quite annoying in many ways¡¡±
Oliver replied with a wry smile to Damien¡¯s question.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯ll be in another ce for a while, so please don¡¯t tell anyone else¡¡±
At that, Damien frowned.
He didn¡¯t know the exact reason why Oliver was avoiding his uncle.
But to avoid a situation where the elder of the household must be greeted? That was not behavior fitting of a crown prince.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, who was tasked with raising Oliver into a fine crown prince, it was nonsense.
¡°Stop talking nonsense and go meet your uncle.¡±
With Damien¡¯s firm response, Oliver¡¯s shoulders slumped.
***
Damien led Oliver towards the castle gate. Already, many other nobles had gathered at the gate.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Even though they hade this far, Oliver¡¯s expression remained unchanged. However, due to Damien, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that he wanted to turn back.
¡°It seems His Majesty Alexander is returning sooner than expected.¡±
¡°It appears he has sessfully cleared out the bandit groups.¡±
¡°That¡¯s truly impressive. It would have taken the local lords months to achieve what he did.¡±
Damien listened attentively to the nobles¡¯ conversation. Thanks to them, he could roughly grasp who Alexander was.
¡°His Majesty Alexander is entering!¡±
With someone¡¯s shout, a group of knights began to enter through the castle gate.
The smell of sweat and dirt permeated the air. It seemed they had recently been in battle. Their armor was dented, and they were covered in dirt.
It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight. But there wasn¡¯t a single person who didn¡¯tmand respect.
¡®They seem to have a lot of experience.¡¯
Damien thought as he looked at the knights. Experienced knights often disyed skills beyond their ranks.
¡®Huh?¡¯
However, among the knights, there was a figure emitting a peculiar atmosphere.
Damien¡¯s gaze fell on the knight at the forefront. The middle-aged man seemed to exude an unusual energy.
¡®High-ss? No, there are many shorings¡¡¯
The middle-aged knight also looked at Damien. No, to be precise, he was looking right beside Damien.
The middle-aged knight pulled on the reins and stopped in front of Damien.
¡°Why does your face feel familiar? Oh! It¡¯s you, my nephew.¡±
The middle-aged knight said, addressing Oliver. Oliver forced a smile and said,
¡°Un- Uncle¡ Hello.¡±
The middle-aged knight Alexander Apple smiled warmly at Oliver¡¯s greeting.
¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to see you and as for my nephew here¡ Well, no need to say anything, right? You are always stuck in the pce anyway.¡±
At Alexander¡¯s words, the knights burst intoughter. Among the bureaucrats, there was also someoneughing.
¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? At your age, you should go out more. Don¡¯t you know that hardships make you stronger when you¡¯re young?¡±
¡°I-I heard¡ I heard¡¡±
¡°And you wasted time knowing that? Understand that it¡¯s embarrassing for your subordinates to see you like this.¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡¡±
Oliver hung his head, feeling chastised by Alexander Apple¡¯s every word.
From a third-party perspective, Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable.
Regardless of being a household elder, was it appropriate to scold one¡¯s nephew, especially in front of so many people, and that too, the crown prince?
¡°But the young man next to you¡¡±
Alexander¡¯s gaze shifted to Damien. Instantly, Damien¡¯s pupils dted slightly.
¡°You must be Damien Haksen, right?¡±
¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It¡¯s an honor to be recognized.¡±
Damien replied with a smile on his face.
Alexander examined Damien with even more interest.
¡°Not only did you rise to the middle ss at a young age, but you also assisted the Church in defeating dangerous dark mages? I thought the rumors were exaggerated¡ but seeing you, it seems they¡¯re all true.¡±
¡°You tter me, Your Majesty.¡±
¡°But I heard you¡¯re still alone. Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
Alexander clicked his tongue at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°Foolish. Very foolish. Well, young men of that age are all like that. They tend to overestimate their abilities.¡±
Damien felt ufortable at the remark, though he didn¡¯t show it.
¡°Sir Damien, as your senior in life, let me give you some advice. Find a lord to serve under as soon as possible. Talented knights like yourself should find a position quickly.¡±
Alexander suddenly snapped his fingers as if he had just remembered something.
¡°Dumbell, isn¡¯t there still a vacancy in our White Shield Knights?¡±
¡°Yes, Your Majesty, there is.¡±
¡°Damien, join our White Shield Knights. There¡¯s no need to thank me. I¡¯m also pleased to ept talents like yours.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
Making decisions and judgments arbitrarily.
Alexander Apple was the kind of person Damien disliked the most.
¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t feel like belonging anywhere just yet.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s why young folks are a problem. Didn¡¯t I say it before? Don¡¯t overestimate your abilities. A knight¡¯s duty is to serve a lord¡¡±
¡°I know my abilities very well.¡±
The irritation and difort reached unbearable levels.
After scanning Alexander and the knights behind him, Damien spoke again.
¡°It¡¯s not as appealing as you make it sound.¡±
For a moment, silence fell. Soon after, the knights erupted in anger.
¡°Who does this brat think he is, speaking so arrogantly!¡±
¡°Draw your sword at once! I¡¯ll teach you some manners!¡±
At that moment, Alexander raised his hand to silence the knights.
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such a bold young man.¡±
Unlike the knights, Alexander Apple¡¯s face wasn¡¯t filled with anger. Instead, he appeared calm.
But Damien could see it. The deep-seated anger burning in Alexander¡¯s eyes.
¡°If that¡¯s your wish, then so be it.¡±
Without further ado, Alexander turned away. The knights followed after him.
¡°Sir D-Damien! How you can speak like that to Uncle!¡±
As soon as Alexander left, Oliver grabbed Damien and eximed.
¡°You¡¯ve embarrassed Him in front of so many people!¡±
¡°He seemed fine to me.¡±
Knowing it wasn¡¯t true, Damien replied casually.
¡°Anyway, His Majesty Alexander seems to be quite popr.¡±
Considering the reactions of the bureaucrats when he entered the castle, it was anything but typical poprity.
¡°Whenever there¡¯s trouble in the kingdom, he always takes the lead to solve it. That¡¯s why he has so many followers.¡±
Saying that Oliver sent an admiring nce towards Alexander, who was now walking away.
¡°Moreover, he showed talent in swordsmanship from a young age, so there are many knights who follow him. There are even enough to establish a separate knight order.¡±
¡°Impressive.¡±
¡°Did you know? Sir Liam is also a peer of Uncle. Uncle learned swordsmanship from the Marquis Bluegreen.¡±
It was an unexpected connection.
¡°Your Highness!¡±
At that moment, a bureaucrat rushed towards Oliver Apple.
¡°His Majesty Alexander will meet the King in two hours. Your Highness should prepare to attend.¡±
At those words, Oliver¡¯s expression hardened once again.
¡°Understood. I will apany His Highness to the meeting.¡±
Damien spoke to the bureaucrat. At that, Oliver¡¯s expression betrayed a deep sense of betrayal.
¡°Sir Damien¡? I would prefer not to attend¡¡±
¡°Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t be stubborn.¡±
Damien said firmly. Oliver looked crestfallen.
¡®This doesn¡¯t bode well.¡¯
The reason Damien came here was to prevent the rebellion.
In a previous life, a rebellion swept through the capital, resulting in the death of the king and the hasty crowning of Oliver Apple, which plunged the Apple Kingdom into turmoil.
That¡¯s all Damien knew. He didn¡¯t know specifics about who attacked or what happened. It was concealed by the royal family.
¡®It seems the situation that the royal family wants to conceal¡¡¯
Damien nced in the direction Alexander Apple had gone.
***
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Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Chapter 88: Alexander Apple (2)
***
A littleter, Damien and Oliver went to the audience chamber.
The king was already seated, and the noble officials had also arrived and taken their seats.
Damien and Oliver stood directly below the throne.
Oliver Apple, being the crown prince, naturally had the right to be there, and Damien stood beside him as his mentor.
¡°Oliver, have youe?¡±
The king seated on the throne spoke to Oliver Apple.
¡°I thought you would leave your seat empty again this time, but today is different.¡±
Oliver¡¯s lips twitched slightly at the king¡¯s praise. Despite disliking the atmosphere, receiving praise seemed to please him.
¡°It¡¯s a discussion about uncle¡¯s aplishments, so I couldn¡¯t possibly miss it!¡±
Damien¡¯s words on the forced topic were diplomatic.
Regardless, the king seemed greatly pleased with Oliver Apple¡¯s words.
¡°His Majesty Alexander is entering.¡±
At that moment, an official announced loudly. The king straightened up, interrupting his conversation with Oliver Apple.
Other noble officials did the same, halting their conversations.
Through the wide-open door, Alexander Apple and his knights entered.
Unlike what one might expect at the castle gates, they were dressed in neat attire rather than armor.
Alexander knelt before the king, and the other knights followed suit.
¡°I havee after receiving Your Majesty¡¯smand to subdue the bandits in the south.¡±
Alexander spoke with solemnity. The noble officials murmured in response.
¡°The subjects of Lord Godroc have assassinated lords and turned into a bandit group?¡±
¡°Otherndowners and mercenaries have joined, making their influence grow.¡±
¡°Their operations centered around forested areas, making it difficult to eradicate.¡±
¡°To handle it so neatly. Indeed, His Majesty Alexander.¡±
The noble officials praised Alexander¡¯s achievements.
However, as the officials¡¯ praise increased, Oliver Apple¡¯s expression darkened.
¡°Alexander, rise.¡±
At the king¡¯smand, he stood up.
¡°Your contribution to calming the chaos in the kingdom is immeasurable.¡±
¡°It¡¯s an exaggeration. I just did what needed to be done.¡±
Alexander spoke calmly, eliciting admiration from those around.
¡°Truly, there is no one as dedicated and humble as His Majesty Alexander in service to the kingdom.¡±
¡°Indeed, Your Majesty must continue to rely on him.¡±
The officials¡¯ praise continued to grow.
And then¡
¡°Indeed, it¡¯s quite a contrast with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±
¡°It would have been nice if Oliver had followed even half of that¡¡±
Oliver¡¯s name began to be mentioned.
¡°All he does all the time is drink and chase after women.¡±
¡°Now that he¡¯s getting older, I worry he should gain experience by assisting Your Majesty.¡±
As the murmurs increased, Oliver hunched his shoulders.
¡°Your Majesty, there is one more achievement I must mention.¡±
When the murmurs subsided, Alexander spoke up. The king asked with curiosity on his face.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°We discovered a ruin in the forest during the process of clearing out the bandits.¡±
At the mention of ruins, the officials began to murmur again.
Long ago, there existed a civilization much more advanced than the current one. Although that civilization had long since perished, ruins like these asionally revealed its existence.
Rare and extraordinary artifacts were sometimes found in ruins, some of which were powerful enough to shake the entire continent.
¡°We were able to obtain an artifact called the Relic sword during the exploration of the ruins.¡±
The Relic sword.
It was an ancient weapon rarely found in ruins. Made with technology so advanced that it couldn¡¯t be replicated today, it possessed formidable abilities.
Many mages had tried to reproduce the Relic sword, but none had seeded.
¡°I-Is that really true?¡±
The king asked in surprise. The Relic sword was ssified as a strategic weapon due to its immense power.
If what Alexander said was true, then the Apple Kingdom would have acquired a tremendous weapon.
¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Furthermore, through the Relic sword, I was able to elevate my ss.¡±
¡°E-Elevate your ss? Is that¡ Are you saying¡ You¡¯re now a High ss?¡±
Alexander nodded. The king¡¯s mouth slowly fell open.
¡°C-Can you show it to us?¡±
¡°My abilities as a High ss can only be manifested when I draw the Relic sword due to my humble skills.¡±
It was a rule to return all weapons in front of the king. Alexander was unarmed now.
¡°Well, you are permitted to do so. Bring Alexander¡¯s sword at once.¡±
At the king¡¯smand, a servant brought a sword.
It was a very old longsword, from the scabbard to the hilt, showing clear signs of age.
Alexander drew the sword. Unlike the worn scabbard and handle, the sword itself was clean and sharp as if freshly forged.
As soon as the sword was drawn, Alexander¡¯s demeanor changed dramatically. The people in the room felt as if they were caught in the midst of a storm.
Alexander Apple mmed the relic sword into the ground, and branches of light began to sprout throughout the room.
Everyone gaped at the mystical sight.
¡°This is the Thornwood, the relic sword I¡¯ve acquired.¡±
Everyone looked at the Thornwood with stunned faces, including Damien.
¡°It¡¯s no ordinary item. It¡¯s at least Grade 3.¡±
Relic swords were ssified based on grades, ranging from Grade 10 to Grade 1.
Among them, Grade 3 relic swords had the ability to sweep away more than a thousand troops when activated.
¡®But something seems off¡¡¯
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien had seen many relic swords and even fought against them. Therefore, he felt a sense of unease.
¡®Does a relic sword really elevate one¡¯s ss?¡¯
While it was known that relic swords were weapons, Damien had never heard of them directly elevating one¡¯s status.
¡®Above all, it feels creepy.¡¯
There was something strange about the energy the sword held. Damien observed the relic sword with suspicion.
Meanwhile, Alexander retrieved the sword he had plunged into the ground, causing the glowing branches to disappear.
¡°¡Amazing! Not only acquiring the relic sword but also ascending to the High ss!¡±
The king eximed in astonishment. The other noble officials were equally surprised.
¡°My, truly remarkable! The fourth High ss! It¡¯s a boon to the Apple Kingdom!¡±
¡°We knew His Majesty Alexander was impressive, but¡ we never expected such good fortune.¡±
¡°Indeed, he is the pir of the Apple Kingdom. There¡¯s no one like His Majesty Alexander.¡±
The nobles praised Alexander Apple incessantly.
¡°But Oliver, His Highness¡¡±
¡°Even His Majesty has been so excellent¡¡±
As the praise for Alexander increased, so did the disparaging remarks about Oliver Apple.
With each word of praise for Alexander, Oliver¡¯s expression darkened more and more.
And it wasn¡¯t just darkening; there was a visible buildup of resentment in his eyes.
¡°Not good.¡±
Damien, being somewhat of a type of Oliver himself, could guess what Oliver might be feeling.
His already twisted temperament, not being acknowledged, was undoubtedly bing even more warped.
He had been trying to change for the better recently, but it seemed it was only making things worse.
¡°Alexander, I¡¯d like to give you some rest if I could, but the world won¡¯t allow it.¡±
The king gestured, and an official unfolded a parchment and began to read.
¡°There have been reports of unusual orc activity in the eastern regions recently. It¡¯s suspected that an Orc lord has been born.¡±
At the mention of an Orc lord, the officials began to murmur again.
¡°An Orc lord? If it¡¯s true, it¡¯s no ordinary matter.¡±
¡°The danger varies depending on the type of lord, though¡¡±
Orcs were peculiar monsters in that their danger level depended on the type of leader.
Usually, a gathering of a few dozen posed no significant threat.
However, asionally, when a particrly unique individual worthy of being called a lord emerged, the danger skyrocketed.
In the past, when beings like Orc Lords were born, it required the nation to mobilize all its forces.
¡°Alexander, will you take charge of this matter?¡±
All eyes turned to Alexander. It seemed everyone expected him to step forward once again.
But someone spoke up before Alexander could.
¡°He wishes to take charge of this matter.¡±
Everyone looked at Damien with surprise, even Oliver.
¡°S-Sir D-Damien?¡±
Oliver asked with a trembling voice. Damien continued, ignoring Oliver¡¯s uncertainty.
¡°His Highness has been seeking ways to contribute to the kingdom as the Crown Prince. So, he expressed a strong desire to take on this task.¡±
His words elicited admiring reactions from the officials.
¡°We didn¡¯t expect His Highness to have such amendable thought.¡±
¡°He seems to have truly changed recently. This time, it seems genuine.¡±
¡°Well, despite his questionable behavior, he¡¯s quite intelligent, isn¡¯t he?¡±
The officials looked at Oliver with newfound respect.
Oliver¡¯s mood visibly improved as he received these approving nces.
Of course, not all officials showed positive reactions.
¡°His Highness, who has no experience, can¡¯t possibly handle the orc horde!¡±
¡°This will only escte the damage further. I object.¡±
Given the importance of the matter, it couldn¡¯t simply be passed over with praise for beingmendable.
When faced with opposition, Oliver¡¯s spirit seemed to dampen again.
¡°I will vouch for His Highness¡¯s capabilities. Moreover, I will apany him on this orc extermination mission.¡±
Damien¡¯s words changed the nobles¡¯ reactions.
¡°If it¡¯s Sir Damien¡ Haven¡¯t there been rumorstely that he¡¯s risen to the Mid ss?¡±
¡°Even if only half of the rumors about Sir Damien are true, handling the orc extermination should be easy.¡±
With Damien expressing his intention to participate, the tide quickly turned in a positive direction.
Eventually, all eyes turned to the king. After all, he was the one who would approve the matter.
¡°Oliver.¡±
At the king¡¯s call, Oliver Apple lifted his head in surprise.
¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±
¡°This extermination process will involve rigorous preparations and considerable danger. Will you still ept?¡±
Oliver Apple hesitated at the king¡¯s question.
¡°Your Highness, if you back down here, you¡¯ll truly be seen as a coward.¡±
Damien whispered softly. Oliver Apple looked at Damien with a resentful expression.
¡°What will you do?¡±
Damien asked Oliver Apple, cutting straight to the point. Oliver Apple clenched his fists and shouted,
¡°I will take charge of this!¡±
And thus, the southern expedition of the Crown Prince was decided.
***
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Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Chapter 89: Reunion (1)
***
¡°Sir D-Damien! What on earth are you doing?!¡±
As soon as the meeting ended, Oliver grabbed Damien andined.
¡°Sir Damien help me! I-I couldn¡¯t possibly do such a big task!¡±
Damien smiled.
¡°Then why did you say that you couldn¡¯t do it in front of King?¡±
¡°H-How could I can say that! Everyone was looking at me with such expectant eyes!¡±
Oliver protested loudly. But when Damien raised his hand, Oliver stepped back in surprise.
¡°Still, it¡¯s quite remarkable how the attitudes of the officials have changed, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Oliver fell silent at Damien¡¯s words. It was also a sign of agreement.
¡°Didn¡¯t it feel good to see His Majesty pleased?¡±
Oliver nodded silently.
Oliver was a man who wanted recognition more than anyone else.
Such a person wouldn¡¯t dislike the situation just now.
¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Just get it done. Then everyone won¡¯t dare to ignore you again.¡±
¡°But¡¡±
It was when Oliver spoke with ack of energy. An official approached Damien and spoke.
¡°Sir Damien, His Majesty requests a separate audience with you.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go right away. Your Highness, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±
Guided by the official, Damien headed to the king¡¯s chamber.
¡°Sir Damien, what¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡±
It seemed that the reason the king summoned Damien was to inquire about Oliver¡¯s situation.
¡°I know about the Crown Prince very well. He¡¯s not the type to get involved in such matters.¡±
The king wasn¡¯t reprimanding Damien; there was pure curiosity and concern.
It couldn¡¯t be helped. His son had gotten himself into a risky situation.
¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡±
Damien said to the king.
¡°The Crown Prince has a strong desire for recognition. Moreover, he respects his uncle, Alexander, deeply.¡±
The king listened to Damien¡¯s words in silence.
¡°So he always wished to contribute to the kingdom like Alexander.¡±
¡°So is that why he supported the orc extermination?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
The king pondered for a moment.
¡°¡As a king and as a father, it pleases me to see Oliver taking direct action. I want to help in any way I can. But as you know, Oliver¡¯s position as the Crown Prince is precarious.¡±
Oliver had lived as a spoiled brat for a long time. King had tried to hide it within the royal family, but it wasn¡¯t perfect. The officials already knew.
¡°All I can offer is basic support. Doing more would only tarnish Oliver¡¯s reputation.¡±
The king¡¯s words were correct. Favoring an ipetent Crown Prince could reflect poorly on the king.
¡°Compared to that, Oliver bears too much risk. If this expedition fails, it could lead to a catastrophe.¡±
As Damien had seen with his own eyes, Oliver¡¯s position was precarious enough for nobles and officals to openly ridicule.
In such a situation, if he volunteered for the orc extermination and failed? Perhaps the Crown Prince¡¯s position would be in jeopardy.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here.¡±
Damien said nonchntly. The king found great trust in his indifferent attitude.
¡°With Sir Damien by his side, I feel reassured. But¡ I still don¡¯t understand. Why go to such lengths for Oliver?¡±
The king¡¯s question left Damien in thought.
The reason Damien was helping the prince was for the sake of the family.
In the future, due to rebellion, the king dies and Oliver suddenly ascends to the throne.
The inexperienced king couldn¡¯t handle the affairs of the kingdom properly. The kingdom trembled greatly, and the suffering of people increased. As a result, the Apple Kingdom fell too easily in the war against Dorugo.
Damien came here to prevent that.
After all, the Apple Kingdom was where his family lived.
But it wasn¡¯t just for such pragmatic reasons.
¡®I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.¡¯
Damien never expected to develop such affection for Oliver, of all people. At first, he found him annoying.
¡°With you taking the lead, I can¡¯t just stay still.¡±
The king opened a drawer and took something out. It was a small chest made of ebony.
When the lid of the chest was opened, a scent like pine needles spread in all directions. Inside, blue beads were wrapped in silk.
¡°This is the Core that the Sea Serpent possessed.¡±
The Core referred to a clump of mana generated within the body of certain monsters.
Some monsters used these Cores to manifest various abilities.
The Sea Serpent was one such monster.
The Sea Serpent was arge monster that inhabited the sea. Not only was it enormous in size, but it also possessed the ability to control water.
Because of this, it was regarded by sailors as a minion sent by the demon of the sea.
¡°What a fascinating item.¡±
The Core was not something easilye by. Cores from rare and powerful monsters like the Sea Serpent were even more scarce.
The amount of mana contained within the Core matched the Sea Serpent¡¯s notorious reputation.
¡°If you manage to finish this task safely¡ No, even if you don¡¯t finish it, I promise to give this to you.¡±
Damien¡¯s chronic issue was hisck of mana.
If it was the Core of the Sea Serpent, it could neatly resolve that problem.
It was a generous reward for taking on such a bothersome task.
¡°Please trust me.¡±
***
It was when Damien finished his business and left the study.
¡°Sir Damien, did the audience with His Majesty go well?¡±
Liam was waiting for Damien outside the chamber.
¡°Someone wants to see you. Can you spare a moment?¡±
A person who could use a high-ss individual as a messenger.
Only one person came to Damien¡¯s mind.
¡°After you, sir.¡±
Damien followed Liam. He guided Damien to the royal garden.
A small artificialke.
A small pavilion was erected on it.
Someone was sitting there.
¡°Sir Damien, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±
Alexander spoke with a friendly smile.
¡°Please, have a seat.¡±
He gestured to the seat opposite him. Damien took out a chair and sat down.
¡°Your Majesty, what can I do for you?¡±
¡°I called you to give advice to a promising young man who is walking into a trap.¡±
Damien raised an eyebrow.
It seemed he was nning to engage in useless small talk likest time.
¡°Sir Damien, it seems you¡¯re still inexperienced in worldly matters.¡±
¡°While I believe I¡¯ve reached an appropriate age.¡±
¡°Hahaha, is such a friend taking the nephew¡¯s side?¡±
Alexanderughed loudly.
¡°Sir Damien may not know, but Oliver¡¯s situation is quite dire.¡±
Damien listened to Alexander¡¯s words vaguely and brushed them off.
¡°My nephew¡ That child isn¡¯t trustworthy even with empty words. His conduct is notmendable.¡±
He continued, oblivious to Damien¡¯sck of attention.
¡°At first, everyone tried to change Oliver. Haven¡¯t you heard the saying ¡®No fruit under the canopy is without a worm¡¯? But he didn¡¯t change. He always stayed the same.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t pay much attention to Alexander¡¯s words.
It wasn¡¯t because he trusted Oliver. It was because he believed that if he didn¡¯t listen, he could always resort to using a club again.
¡°Now, everyone haspletely given up on him. There are hardly any people who believe in him anymore. Instead¡¡±
¡°It seems ufortable for Prince Oliver to receive attention.¡±
Damien interjected. Alexander nodded.
¡°You suddenly say strange things. Why would he be ufortable with that?¡±
Damien smirked. Alexander thought he hid it well, but Damien had already noticed.
The moment he said those words, Alexander¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.
¡°I appreciate your concern, but it seems like unnecessary advice.¡±
With that, Damien stood up. Before leaving the pavilion, he nced at Liam.
¡°Sir Liam, I didn¡¯t expect you to be on this side.¡±
Liam smiled faintly at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°It¡¯s a choice for the kingdom.¡±
¡°In that case, there¡¯s nothing to be done.¡±
Damien left without further ado.
As Damien disappeared, Alexander clenched the teacup tightly. The cup shattered, turning into dust.
¡°That arrogant brat.¡±
Alexander gritted his teeth and muttered.
***
After that day, notices were posted recruiting troops for the orc extermination.
However, no matter how much time passed, no volunteers showed up.
Even after sending letters in Oliver¡¯s name, it was the same.
Noble families cited various reasons for refusing participation.
¡°¡It seems to be because of my reputation.¡±
Oliver said with a dejected face.
¡°The noble families close to the royal family all know how pitifully I¡¯ve been living. So it seems they have no intention of sending troops.¡±
The fact that the Crown Prince was an asshole was undoubtedly known by nobles and knightly families connected to the royal family.
If the knightly families didn¡¯te forward, there was nothing Oliver could do.
He could force troops out by invoking the king¡¯s name. But as the king had said, receiving such support would only tarnish Oliver¡¯s reputation.
¡°W-What should we do? If we can¡¯t even start the expedition like this, and if it ends¡¡±
Oliver¡¯s face turned pale. He already looked fearful of others¡¯ ridicule.
¡°Well, there¡¯s no helping it.¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s right¡ There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to sell my name.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°Put my name on the notice. Damien Haksen is recruiting troops to join in the orc extermination.¡±
So another line was added to the notice.
And not even two days after Damien¡¯s name was included, a knight led troops and joined the expedition.
¡°Brother! I¡¯m here!¡±
Michael Ryanbloom.
The eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom.
The future Swordmaster had arrived.
***
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Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Chapter 90: Reunion (2)
***
Damien couldn¡¯t help but stare at Michael with a surprised expression.
¡°How did you get here?¡±
Michael held a significant position as the eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom.
Even though Damien wanted to help, he never expected Michael toe personally.
¡°My brother requested assistance. How could I just stand by? I dropped everything and came running.¡±
¡°Marquis probably tried to stop you.¡±
¡± No, He said if I don¡¯t leave, he¡¯de after me with a sword. Don¡¯t worry about him. Would he really swing a sword at his own son?¡±
Michael chuckled, making Damien suddenly feel a headacheing on.
¡°Next time, please contact me immediately if something like this happens again!¡±
¡°¡Yeah, I¡¯ll make sure to do that.¡±
Contrary to his words, Damien had no intention of calling Michael again.
If such incidents recurred, it would only worsen his rtionship with Marquis Ryanbloom.
¡°I wanted to bring other knights too¡ but one was the best I could manage.¡±
It was a bit disappointing. Knights known for their skill under Marquis Ryanbloom¡¯smand would have been a great help.
¡°Well, just having you is more than enough.¡±
But instead of those knights, Michael Ryanbloom came.
One Michael Ryanbloom was worth more than ten other knights.
Moreover, Michael was no longer of low ss.
¡°You¡¯ve risen to the middle ss in the meantime.¡±
¡°As expected, you noticed right away.¡±
Michael smiled faintly.
Unlike thest time they met, Michael was now of middle ss, not low ss.
Considering Michael¡¯s talents, it wasn¡¯t surprising. He was among the top of the master ss.
¡°As for you, sir¡¡±
Michael looked silently at Damien, his pupils trembling slightly.
¡°¡You remain unchanged. Still high and distant.¡±
Damien responded with a silent smile to Michael¡¯s words.
During their first meeting, Michael had a big misconception that he and Damien were on the same level.
And now, having risen to the middle ss, Michael had immediately realized the gap between him and Damien. It was a significant improvement.
As they were having various conversations¡
¡°Damien, guests have arrived.¡±
The steward came and informed them. With doubts, Damien went outside.
As they reached the castle gates, they could see why the steward referred to them as guests.
Ten knights d in armor were waiting for Damien.
¡°Sir Damien, we¡¯vee to assist you under the orders of Duke Goldpixie!¡±
Surprisingly, all ten were low-ss knights. The duke had sent a formidable force.
¡°This is much appreciated. I¡¯ll have to thank the duke separately.¡±
¡°He¡¯s been feeling a bit disappointedtely as his grace hasn¡¯t been visiting often.¡±
Damien burst intoughter at the knight¡¯s words.
With two middle-ss and ten low-ss, they had gathered quite a force.
It was a force to rival any major noble¡¯s. And the two middle-ss were none other than Damien and Michael Ryanbloom.
There was enough surplus to not worry about numbers.
Damien was feeling quite satisfied when a soldier approached him with a worried expression.
¡°Sir Damien, something big has happened.¡±
¡°Big?¡±
¡°There¡¯s a strange¡ no, a crazy woman causing amotion on the streets of the capital. She insists on meeting you and her swordsmanship is so superior that the guards can¡¯t handle her!¡±
¡°¡A strange woman?¡±
Damien felt an inexplicable unease at those words.
¡°¡Let¡¯s go and see what this is about for now.¡±
He went out onto the street with the soldier. The streets were chaotic, with unconscious soldiers scattered everywhere.
¡°There! Over there! Damien! It¡¯s me! I¡¯vee!¡±
And in the midst of it all, a woman with a rather displeasing face was waving her hand.
Veronica S¨¢nchez.
Upon seeing Veronica, Damien couldn¡¯t help but rub his face with his palm.
¡°Why are you here?¡±
¡°Why am I here? Because you said you needed help, so I came!¡±
She said, pounding her chest with her hand. Looking at her enthusiastic expression, Damien felt the urge to spank her.
¡°You said no one should die until I do, remember? So, I came to protect you!¡±
¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. You¡¯re weaker than me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s in the past! Do you know how strong I¡¯ve be since then? Now, that¡ what¡¯s it called? That thing!¡±
Come to think of it, Veronica¡¯s demeanor had changed. Damien looked at her closely and said, ¡°Middle ss?¡±
¡°Yeah! I¡¯m middle ss now! How about that, impressive? This means I can beat you now!¡±
Damien rolled his eyes. While Veronica was indeed talented, he never expected her to be middle ss in such a short time.
¡°Right! Since we¡¯ve finally met¡ let¡¯s see how it goes!¡±
She immediately drew her sword and rushed at him. Instead of facing her, Damien stood aside. He had someone to fight for him.
Standing beside Damien, Michael drew his sword and blocked Veronica. The swords of the two shed in the air.
¡°Why is this woman so audacious to challenge you like this, brother?¡±
Michael Ryanbloom asked, looking incredulous. To which she replied with a grimace.
¡°And who are you to stick by Damien¡¯s side? Are you also after his life?¡±
¡°What? How dare you speak such vile words¡ take it back immediately!¡±
¡°Damien belongs to me! Find someone else!¡±
They red at each other. Eventually, they started swinging their swords at each other.
¡°Make sure you never misbehave towards my brother again!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make sure to educate you without killing!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll show them the consequences if you ever dare to say that again!¡±
The two continued fighting while shouting nonsensical threats.
Damien looked at them with a tired expression.
¡°Well, let them be.¡±
Leaving the two of them behind, he returned to the mansion.
***
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
As Damien returned to the mansion, he could see Oliver running towards him from afar.
He seemed to be out of breath, yet he didn¡¯t stop running.
¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°I just heard! Knights have arrived!¡±
Oliver seemed to have heard the news a bitte while studying.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. The military force needed for the orc extermination has been arranged.¡±
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you! If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to gather a single knight!¡±
Oliver rejoiced with open arms.
Then suddenly, his expression turned grim.
¡°If things continue like this, I¡¯ll keep relying solely on your help¡ Then, I won¡¯t have a face to show father and you!¡±
Damien inwardly admired Oliver¡¯s change. He seemed to have had a slightly different attitudetely. He never expected him to have suchmendable thoughts.
¡°I also¡ I want to do something! I want to help with this expedition!¡±
It was a noble sentiment, but the situation was uncertain.
¡®Is there anything he can do?¡¯
While his enthusiasm wasmendable, there was nothing to assign him to do.
He couldn¡¯t just hand him a weapon and tell him to fight orcs, especially as the Crown Prince was already taking action. Yet, he couldn¡¯t quash his enthusiasm either.
After pondering for a while, Damien came up with a solution.
¡°I understand your intention well. Fortunately, there¡¯s a task you can take on.¡±
¡°Just tell me!¡±
¡°Now that we¡¯ve gathered thebatants, we need to develop a concrete n. We need to secure funding, purchase provisions, and discuss how to reach the operational area.¡±
In truth, Damien wasn¡¯t well-versed in this field. He only had a rough idea.
¡°I would like you to handle this task.¡±
¡°Me¡?¡±
Hesitation flickered across Oliver¡¯s face. It was a natural reaction, as he had never undertaken such a task before.
¡°¡Trust me.¡±
But Oliver didn¡¯t back down. He didn¡¯t show any signs of worry either.
Damien once again realized the change in Oliver.
***
So the preparation for the expedition began.
Damien focused on understanding the individual skills of the knights. That way, they could be used effectively in appropriate situations.
¡°Today¡¯s the day to settle this!¡±
¡°Just as we hoped! Don¡¯t even think about running away like yesterday!¡±
Michael and Veronica had yet to reach a conclusion on the second day. Fighting in the training grounds had be their routine for the past few days.
And Oliver¡
¡°We might need to reselect the route. ording to the report from three years ago, it¡¯s difficult to use the main road in this area because wolf packs gather periodically.¡±
Oliver was handling tasks beyond Damien¡¯s expectations.
The reason Damien entrusted the preparation to Oliver was that he believed Oliver wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention, whether he acted or not.
With many other capable officals around, there wasn¡¯t a pressing need for Oliver to excel.
¡°Your highness, the Duke Goldpixie has offered to supply all the goods needed for this expedition.¡±
¡°With the small number of troops we have, carrying goods would only slow us down. It would be better to get the necessary amount in the viges and towns along the way.¡±
However, Oliver wasn¡¯t just being led by the officials; he was leading everything himself.
¡®I knew he was clever, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be this good.¡¯
In his past life, Oliver had hastily ascended to the throne, resulting in a significant weakening of the Apple Kingdom¡¯s power.
However, viewed differently, it was also a testament to his leadership that he managed the affairs of the kingdom to some extent despite ascending to the throne unprepared.
¡°Contrary to rumors, His Highness the Crown Prince seems to be quite remarkable.¡±
To the extent that Michael even said so.
¡°But when are your fight going to reach a conclusion?¡±
¡°Oh! Well, you see¡!¡±
Michael was greatly flustered by Damien¡¯s question.
¡°Just a bit¡ Just a bit more, please wait¡¡±
¡°You told me. The world is vast, and there are quite a few people who can rival me.¡±
After saying that, Michael spoke with a serious expression.
¡°But I can¡¯t admit that but such a strange woman is my match.¡±
With that said, Damien was left speechless this time.
¡°So, I must win today at all costs!¡±
Michael spoke with a determined expression.
¡°Stay strong.¡±
Damien replied with little interest.
Thunk.
A tapping sound came from the window. When he turned his head, he saw a crow staring at him.
¡°Huh?¡±
As Damien inspected the crow, he realized that something was tied to his ankle.
Opening the pouch tied to the crow¡¯s ankle revealed a piece of paper.
When he unfolded the paper, a brief line was written on it.
¨C Midnight Tonight ¨C
And below it was written ¡®Green Incense¡¯. As Damien read the words, he smiled quietly.
Finally, he could participate in the auction at the ck Market.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 91
Chapter 91
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 91: Auction House (1)
***
That night just before midnight, Damien slipped out of the pce.
Upon arriving at the tavern, Carmen weed Damien.
¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to have you here, Sir Damien.¡±
Carmen said with a smile. Her skill in amodating and talking to others was extraordinary.
¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the auction house.¡±
Carmen guided Damien to a carriage she had arranged in advance. The carriage carrying the two of them started its journey through the night streets.
¡°Where is the auction taking ce?¡±
¡°It¡¯s prepared at the Marlin Theater.¡±
Damien was slightly surprised to hear that.
The Marlin Theater was thergest theater in the Apple Kingdom and a symbol of the capital.
He hadn¡¯t expected the influence of the Green Scent to extend to the extent of renting out the Marlin Theater.
¡°It seemsrger than I thought.¡±
¡°We were able to rent a good venue because many nobles will attend the auction.¡±
It seemed that many nobles with connections in the Green Scent would be present.
After a while, the carriage arrived at the theater. The two of them got off the carriage.
Despite all the lights being off, quite a few people were gathering at the theater. They all seemed to be nobles intending to participate in the auction.
¡°Come this way.¡±
Damien followed Carmen into the theater. It was a passage used by VIPs.
Carmen led Damien into avish room. Red carpets covered the floor, and expensive-looking artworks decorated the room.
¡°This room is only for the VIPs who¡¯reing to the theater. You can rest here until the auction begins.¡±
Damien nodded as he admired the artwork in the room.
¡°Sir, I heard you¡¯ve had some conflicts with His Majesty Alexander recently.¡±
Carmen suddenly brought up the topic. Damien looked at her with interest.
¡°You have good ears. Knowing such news already.¡±
¡°It¡¯s inevitable for the weak like us to survive.¡±
She approached a corner of the room. Tapping on the seemingly thin wall, he said, ¡°This side of the wall is unusually thin, so you can hear sounds from the next room very clearly.¡±
¡°Perhaps there was a w in the construction.¡±
She chuckled softly.
¡°Even if it¡¯s noisy, I¡¯d appreciate your understanding.¡±
With that said, Carmen left.
Damien sat on the sofa, trying to guess her intentions.
But it didn¡¯t take him long to realize that there was no need for that.
¨C It¡¯s an honor to serve you again.
Carmen¡¯s voice came from the adjacent room.
¨C His Majesty Alexander.
***
Alexander.
As soon as that name was heard, Damien immediately suppressed his presence and approached the wall, leaning in to listen.
¨C I¡¯m not particrly pleased.
¨C If you could tell me the reason, I¡¯ll fix it immediately.
¨C Don¡¯t give me excuses. It¡¯s because your people messed up the job!
There was a sound of something breaking, indicating that Alexander had thrown something.
¨C I¡¯ve warned you several times. Oliver, that idiot, should have been kept in check!
¨C If that¡¯s the case¡ I have nothing to say.
-There shouldn¡¯t be! There shouldn¡¯t be! Stupid bitch. Can¡¯t even follow orders to keep him in line.
Earlier, Carmen had mentioned that providing entertainment to Oliver was to maintain connections.
But listening to their conversation, the truth seemed different.
¨C Do you know what that brat did? He said he would go to tackle the Orcs! That fool who was obsessed with booze and women!
¨C I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths to feed.
¨C Damn it! If you had done what you were asked properly, that idiot would have been kicked out a long time ago!
Audible gasps filled the air, echoing the intensity of Alexander¡¯s struggle to rein in his anger, evident in his ragged breaths.
¨C We couldn¡¯t do anything either because Damien Haksen warned us not to approach the Crown Prince.
¨C Oh, really¡ Is that brat intimidating to you but not to me?
¨C It¡¯s not that¡
¨C Isn¡¯t it!
Thud!!!
This time, the sound of furniture falling over entirely was heard.
¨C We¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make up for it.
¡°Who do you think will give tasks to idiots like you again? I¡¯ll make sure you guys pay the price for this incident properly!¡±
¨C Please calm down¡
¨C Get the fuck out of here!
The sound of something being thrown again echoed. Soon after, the sound of the door closing was heard. It seemed like Carmen had left.
¡®He truly was a different person than he appeared to be.¡¯
In front of nobles and officials, Alexander Apple yed the role of a knight dedicated to the kingdom.
In reality, he was nothing more than someone who yed petty tricks against his nephew.
¡®There¡¯s only one child of the king, Oliver. Does he think he¡¯ll inherit the throne if Oliver is kicked out of the Crown Prince position?¡¯
Damien was lost in various thoughts. It was when the door opened again.
¨C Your Highness, you seem very angry. It was noisy even from the corridor.
A woman¡¯s voice.
Her tone was very stern and cold. Although her face wasn¡¯t visible, it seemed like she would remain expressionless no matter what happened.
¨C Leona! Do I look like I¡¯m not keeping my cool? All my ns have been ruined because of these idiots!
¨C Please calm down. It¡¯s already happened. Getting angry won¡¯t change anything.
The woman spoke with a stern tone. Surprisingly, Alexander began to calm down as the woman suggested.
¨C I think that this crisis is an opportunity. By seizing this opportunity, Your Highness could obtain what you desire even faster.
¨C Faster?
¨C After all, the original n has failed. We aimed to ruin Oliver Apple¡¯s reputation to bring about his downfall and kick him out of his position of crown prince¡ but haven¡¯t we been without any good results for years due to the firm support of the King?
¨C That¡¯s¡ true. Oliver, that fool, has been causing trouble for years, and my brother always seems to turn a blind eye to his misdeeds.
The woman continued.
¨C Since the Crown Prince volunteered to tackle the Orcs, if he fails this time¡ This could be the chance for him to lose the position of Crown Prince.
¨C Didn¡¯t I think of that? Damien Haksen is by Oliver¡¯s side! Isn¡¯t that enough? Not to mention, there is knight like the Michael Ryanbloom and other knights from the side of Duke Goldpixie!
¨C Indeed, it¡¯s a strong force, but you don¡¯t need to worry. We just need to mobilize all my sisters¡¯ abilities.
¨C Do you have any ns?
Damien focused more on figuring out what n was being discussed.
¨C It¡¯s time for the auction to begin. I¡¯ll exin moreter. Besides, there are items we must purchase to proceed with the n.
As the two left the room, Damien couldn¡¯t hear any more about the n.
He was biting his tongue in disappointment.
Carmen entered the room where Damien was.
¡°Did you bring me here to listen to this?¡±
Damien asked Carmen. She simply smiled quietly.
¡°If what Alexander Apple said is true, I can¡¯t just leave you alone. He said you deliberately interfered with the Crown Prince.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no excuse for that. But I hope you understand this. If someone like His Highness Alexander Apple demands something, we have no choice but toply.¡±
Even if Green Scent was influential, they couldn¡¯t stand against royalty. There seemed to be no other option even for them.
¡°What do you want from me?¡±
¡°We just hope you¡¯ll step back from this troublesome conflict.¡±
¡°When Alexander Apple gains power, you¡¯ll benefit greatly too.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, one corner of her mouth twisted.
¡°Sir Damien, our Green Scent was formed by gathering the weak. Survival is our only purpose.¡±
For thergest organization in the Apple Kingdom and it had a such simple goal.
¡°Until now, We have witnessed many powerful figures fall. ording to our experience, His Highness Alexander may not be as reliable as we think.¡±
It was a wise judgment. In reality, Alexander Apple hadn¡¯t left his mark anywhere in the future.
¡°I guess I¡¯m reliable, huh?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡±
At Carmen¡¯s words, Damien couldn¡¯t help butugh. She truly seemed like a woman who had honey on her tongue.
¡°Do you know who the woman with Alexander Apple was?¡±
¡°I have absolutely no information about her. I¡¯ve tried digging a few times, but couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±
If even Green Scent couldn¡¯t find out, it was even more suspicious.
If even Green Scent didn¡¯t know, Damien had no choice but to find out for himself.
¡°I need your help one more time.¡±
¡°Please tell me.¡±
¡°Since the entire theater is being used as an auction venue, do VIP customers have private rooms?¡±
He referred topletely separate spaces from the seats in the theater.
It was perfect for having private conversations, but the rental fee was expensive, so not just anyone could use them.
¡°I¡¯d like you to ce me in Alexander¡¯s adjacent room.¡±
***
Carmen kept her promise to Damien.
The private rooms at the Marlin Theatre were quite spacious, with tables and chairs arranged forfortable viewing.
Looking outside, people were filling up the seats. Since it was a secretive meeting, the attendance wasn¡¯t toorge.
¨C Leona! Tell me quickly. How do you n to fail the expeditionary force?
The voices of Alexander and the woman came from the adjacent room.
To hear their conversation clearly, Damien amplified his hearing with magic.
¨C Just wait a moment. Since it¡¯s a dangerous discussion, let¡¯s prepare first.
A strange wave spread beyond the wall. At the same time, the voices of the two disappeared.
Damien¡¯s pupils dted upon sensing the wave.
¡®¡Dark magic?¡¯
There was no mistaking it. Just now, the woman had used dark magic.
¡®¡And it¡¯s not just ordinary.¡¯
The woman had used high-level dark magic that only experienced high-level dark mages could use.
¡®Is Alexander Apple in collusion with dark mages?¡¯
In his past life, Oliver concealed everything even after oveing the rebellion and ascending to the throne.
If Alexander was the mastermind behind the rebellion, everything fell into ce.
Revtion of a royal family member¡¯s alliance with dark mages would not only stain the Apple royal family¡¯s reputation but also invite interference from the Church.
¡®A member of the royal family in collusion with dark mages¡¡¯
With the thought of a dark mage being right next to him, his killing intent showed signs of erupting but Damien suppressed his emotions.
It wasn¡¯t time to showng emotion. There was much to uncover.
¡®Although it¡¯s high-level dark magic¡ there is a way to eavesdrop.¡¯
The woman¡¯s dark magic created a barrier to absorb sound. Even with amplified senses, Damien couldn¡¯t eavesdrop.
But if it was dark magic, Damien could use it too.
Damien slightly released the dark magic in his bracelet. He discreetly manifested dark magic within the woman¡¯s unnoticed range.
¡®A small hole should do.¡¯
Using dark magic, Damien created a hole in the barrier without the woman noticing. Then, the voices of the two starteding through again.
¨C ¡It is unfortunate, for Noctis has painstakingly gathered a horde of orcs for you¡.
Damien clicked his tongue at the woman¡¯s words.
¡®Are they saying they intentionally caused the orc incident?¡¯
That was possible. There was only one dark mage sect capable of such a thing.
The Necromancy Sect.
They not only controlled monsters but also mutated them to fight.
Among the sects of dark mages, it was known as the most difficult to fight.
¨C Darn it, we nned to get hefty support from my brother by instigating the orc incident. Who would¡¯ve thought that idiot would intervene.
Listening to the conversation, it seemed they had nned to incite the orc incident on purpose and make it seem like Alexander was suppressing it.
¡®Come to think of it, Alexander has gained a lot by resolving incidents in the kingdom.¡¯
Perhaps all the incidents he had resolved so far were all staged.
It was to boost his reputation and expand his influence.
¨C I informed Noctis. I told her to increase the orc horde and mix in otherrge monsters.
¡®Orcs and ogres? Can we fail them with that? They have at least two mid-ss knights there.¡¯
¨C That¡¯s why I asked Marina to prepare poison.
It seemed there was another dark mage apanying Alexander.
¡®So, if they¡¯re talking about poison, the other one must be from the Venom sect.¡¯
They were a group that dealt with poisons and dabbled in alchemy as well.
¡®It¡¯s getting annoying.¡¯
Poison was a formidable weapon. A single drop of deadly poison could kill even the strongest.
Damien had no worries about dealing with poisons, but the issuey with the other knights.
¨C However, crafting a poison that works against mid-ss knights is extremely difficult. That¡¯s why I said we must participate in this auction.
¨C So, there¡¯s something I need to buy for you?
¨C Quite a few items. It might be a considerable burden.
¨C You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I brought a lot of money just in case.
Alexander reassured.
¨C But you must promise. I must ensure the failure of this expedition.
¨C You need not worry. I will ensure the sess of this n, putting Pandemonium¡¯s name at stake.
At that moment, Damien felt as though he had been struck by an arrow to the head.
Pandemonium.
Thergest, strongest, most sinister group of dark mages operating around the empire.
They were capable of annihting entire nations if they mobilized all their forces.
Because of this immense threat, they were simultaneously being watched by both the empire and the Church.
¡®How amusing. Incredibly amusing indeed.¡¯
In his past life, Pandemonium was Dorugo¡¯s most powerful ally.
Therefore, anger surged within him. Suppressed hatred rose its head and screamed.
He felt the urge to barge into the adjacent room and tear the woman apart.
But Damien gritted his teeth and suppressed the hatred.
Killing that Leona woman wouldn¡¯t be difficult. But doing so might make him miss the other two dark mages.
He had to wait until he could kill all three of them.
¨C I¡¯ll be back in a moment.
At that moment, a man in ceremonial robes entered Damien¡¯s room.
¡°Sir, These are the items up for auction.¡±
After handing Damien a booklet, the man left. He unfolded the booklet and examined its contents.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Unfortunately, there were no items that caught his interest. Nevertheless, he continued to browse through the back pages just in case.
Then, one item caught his eye.
¡®Mana cultivation and Rted Techniques. About 50% burnt by fire?¡¯
He was always searching for new mana cultivation techniques.
The starting bid was unusually low, probably due to the damage caused by the fire.
¡®Should I purchase it?¡¯
It was regrettable that it had been damaged, but with Damien¡¯s experience and knowledge, he could restore it.
¡®Is there anything else?¡¯
As he flipped through a few more pages, another unusual item caught his attention.
¡®Unknown item. Grants immunity to cold when carried, also blocks frost-type magic?¡¯
As Damien read the description, he eximed in surprise.
¡®¡The Heart of a Spirit?¡¯
If his guess was correct, it could be considered a treasure.
The Heart of a Spirit was not widely knownpared to its value, so it could be acquired cheaply.
¨C Your Majesty, please take a look here. The Heart of a Spirit is being auctioned.
But Damien wasn¡¯t the only one who recognized the Heart of a Spirit.
The dark mage of Pandemonium also recognized it.
¨C We must acquire this. It¡¯s not an item easily obtained.
¨C Understood. Let¡¯s also purchase this.
¨C We appreciate Your Majesty¡¯s discretion.
Damien clenched his teeth. It wasn¡¯t a very favorable situation.
Although he was quite wealthy himself, his opponents were royalty.
There was no guarantee he could win a financial battle against them.
¨C Are there any other items we need?
¨C We also need a bundle of Moonflower, Basilisk¡¯s Eye, Mandragora Powder, Heart of the Seven-Star Sage, and a Dried Fruit of the Withered Tree.
¨C With those items, we can create a poison capable of killing mid-ss knights, right?
While listening to their conversation, an idea urred to Damien.
The Heart of a spirit was ced towards the back, while the items mentioned by the woman were ced in the front.
Anyone could participate in the auction and bid on the items. And Damien knew about the items they needed.
¡®Shall I stir up some trouble?¡¯
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 92
Chapter 92
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 92: Auction House (2)
***
When it was time for the auction, a man wearing a mask stepped onto the stage.
¡°Thank you,dies and gentlemen, for participating in today¡¯s auction.¡±
His voice echoed throughout the theater. All eyes turned to the man.
¡°As we¡¯ve previously informed, the auction items will be presented in the order listed in the catalog we provided. If you¡¯re interested in any item, please write down your bid on the card.¡±
Damien nced at the card he had received in advance. It was enchanted, allowing him to freely write and erase.
¡°Let¡¯s begin the auction! The first item to introduce is a bundle of Moon Dreamgrass!¡±
A woman, also wearing a mask like a man, appeared, pulling a cart. On the carty something resembling celestial weeds shining in sky-blue.
¡°As you all may know, Moonflower is a rare nt that only giants can harvest. Hence, even if you try to order it from herbalists, you won¡¯t get it.¡±
Damien was familiar with the nt. To be precise, it was among the dark magic knowledge imparted by Dorugo.
¡°It looks pretty, but you should be cautious. It¡¯s a dangerous toxic weed that induces extreme hallucinations. Considering its rarity, we¡¯ll start the bidding from 20 gold coins!¡±
People in the audience began raising their cards. The auctioneer shouted busily.
¡°21 gold¡ 24 gold! I see 27 gold right away!¡±
Damien listened intently in the adjacent room. He heard Alexander and the woman¡¯s voices.
¨C Your Majesty, Moon Dreamgrass is an item Marina must acquire at all costs.
¨C No need to rush. I have plenty of money.
Sounds of writing were heard. Soon, the auctioneer shouted loudly.
¡°35 gold! The current highest bid is 35 gold!¡±
No one else raised their cards. Then the auctioneer asked again.
¡°Any more bids? If not, the item is sold for 35 gold¡¡±
At that moment, Damien raised his card. Written on Damien¡¯s card was 60 gold.
¡°60 gold! We have 60 gold!¡±
Jumping from 35 to 60 gold, but Damien remained unfazed.
He knew it was essential, as mentioned from the other side.
¨C 60 gold? Is that weed worth that much?
¨C While Moon Dreamgrass is indeed hard to acquire¡ It may seem a bit expensive, but at this price, it will surely be of sufficient value.
A voice filled with perplexity came from the adjacent room.
¨C Your Majesty, Moon Dreamgrass is essential.
¨C Can¡¯t it be obtained elsewhere?
¨C It¡¯s such a rare item¡ You couldmission it from giants, but it will take time.
¨C Damn it!
Cursing and sounds of writing were heard. Eventually, the auctioneer shouted.
¡°70 gold! 70 gold! This is the highest bid we¡¯ve had for Moon Dreamgrass at our auction house!¡±
Damien didn¡¯t raise his card this time. He focused on the soundsing from the adjacent room.
¨C Your Majesty, if the price goes up again¡
¨C Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got plenty of money.
At the mention of overflowing money, Damien wrote down a number on his card and raised it again. The auctioneer shouted excitedly.
¡°90 gold! 90 gold! I didn¡¯t expect such enthusiasm from the first auction!¡±
As Damien increased the amount, Alexander became annoyed.
¨C Who the hell is it? Damn it, let¡¯s see who wins!
¨C Your Majesty, please calm down. The price has be too high. There are still many items we need to acquire. Raise the bid one more time, and if the other party raises again, let¡¯s give up.
Upon hearing this, Damien lowered his card. If there was no intention to participate from the other side, he would withdraw as well.
¡°100 gold! 100 gold! Do we have any more bids? Anyone?¡±
Thus, Moon Dreamgrass became the property of Alexander. Although he obtained the desired item, the atmosphere in the adjacent room was not so good.
¨C We¡¯ve incurred losses from the first deal. I won¡¯t let whoever it is off easily if I catch them.
Soon after, the next auction item was presented, and the auctioneer shouted, pointing to the item.
¡°Now, the next item is the Basilisk¡¯s Eye! Just hearing the name is enough to know. It¡¯s an extremely dangerous item that must be handled with care!¡±
The Basilisk was a monster known as the king of snakes.
True to its name, it resembled a giant serpent and was said to curse anyone who looked directly into its eyes with petrification, turning them into stone.
¨C Your Majesty, it¡¯s finally here. That¡¯s something we absolutely can¡¯t afford to miss. It¡¯s the most important item.
Damien smiled at the woman¡¯s words.
To an alchemist adept at handling poisons, the Basilisk¡¯s Eye was an invaluable treasure beyondpare.
This time, it seemed appropriate to start the bidding at a high amount from the beginning.
¡°Considering its rarity, let¡¯s start from 50 gold! Please write down your bids!¡±
Thepetition was fierce due to the difficulty of clearly seeing the Basilisk¡¯s Eye.
cards were raised from various corners. Even without Damien¡¯s intervention, the price rose sharply.
¡°74 gold! Is there anyone else bidding?¡±
As the price almost doubled, no one raised their cards.
¨C Now, we should also write down our bids.
Alexander¡¯s voice came from beyond the wall. Damien also prepared to raise his card.
¡°90 gold! We have 90 gold¡¡±
Before the auctioneer finished speaking, Damien raised his card.
¡°130 gold! 130 gold is the bid! I didn¡¯t expect such fervent desire for the Basilisk¡¯s Eye!¡±
At that moment, cursing erupted from the adjacent room.
¨C Who is it! Who dares to raise the bid by 50 gold!
¨C Your Majesty, the Basilisk¡¯s Eye¡
¨C I know! You said it¡¯s important! I got it, so stop rushing me!
Now, even their argument could be heard. Shortly after, the auctioneer shouted.
¡°160 gold! Is there anyone else bidding?¡±
It was unlikely. Damien immediately wrote down and raised 180 gold.
¨C Damn it! Who the fuck is he!
The reaction was much more intense than before. It seemed their money was reaching its limit.
This time, Damien didn¡¯t raise his card.
¡°The Basilisk¡¯s Venom! Sold for 180 gold!¡±
Though obtaining the most important item, Alexander showed no joy. He continued to curse incessantly.
¨C I¡¯ve already spent 280 gold! Just in this damn ce!
¨C Your Majesty, please calm down¡
¨C Do I look calm to you? Ha¡ I¡¯m warning you. We must make this n seed at all costs!
Listening to Alexander¡¯s ultimatum to women, Damien couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.
¡°Now, the next item is the Mandragora Powder! When processed properly, it can be used as a panacea! Let¡¯s start the bidding from 20 gold!¡±
Upon the auctioneer¡¯s words, the woman cautiously spoke.
¨C Your Majesty, we also need the Mandragora Powder¡
¨C Yeah, I got it!
Listening to their conversation, Damien pondered how much to bid this time.
It was quite an enjoyable dilemma.
***
Since then, Damien fleeced Alexander¡¯s money several more times.
¡°Now, let me introduce the next item! The item we¡¯re going to present is the Mana cultivation Technique! Unfortunately, more than half of it burned down during¡¡±
In the midst of it, Damien also acquired the Mana cultivation Technique, which he had kept an eye on.
¡®I managed to get my hands on it for just 12 gold!¡¯
It wasn¡¯t such an attractive item as there were nopetitors. It was amon belief that if the Mana cultivation technique was lost, it couldn¡¯t be restored unless by a famous expert.
The cost ofmissioning an expert would exceed the purchase cost.
Thanks to that, Damien could obtain the Mana cultivation technique at a low price.
¡°The next item we have¡ is a rare item whose identity we haven¡¯t been able to confirm!¡±
The auctioneer pointed to the crystal on the cart.
Inside the transparent crystal was arge ice crystal.
¡°What¡¯s fascinating is that it¡¯s said this item can withstand cold and ice magic!¡±
The auctioneer exined various things about the Heart of the Spirit.
¡°Considering the uncertainty of its identity, let¡¯s start the bidding at 10 gold!¡±
Some people raised their cards. The auctioneer shouted busily.
¡°12 gold! 14 gold! We have 15 gold!¡±
The rising prices indicated that no one knew the true value of the item.
Perhaps they were purchasing it because it looked pretty and fascinating.
Before writing down the amount, Damien first listened intently to the conversation in the adjacent room.
¨C Your Majesty, we also need that item.
¨C It doesn¡¯t seem necessary to make poison¡ Can¡¯t we just pass on it?
¨C That crystal is filled with the power of the spirits. It would greatly help Your Majesty with the Thornwood Sword you use.
¨C With the Thornwood Sword?
At the mention of Thornwood Sword, Damien also leaned in with curiosity.
¨C As I mentioned, the Thornwood Sword is mostly sealed off from its power. Only pure mana can unlock it.
¨C So, the crystal is needed?
¨C Yes.
Alexander sighed. After a moment of contemtion, he made up his mind.
¨C You would know better, the one who obtained the Thornwood Sword. Alright, let¡¯s make the purchase.
It was a very suspicious item, given that it was a relic sword obtained from Pandemonium.
¡®Perhaps it¡¯s not even a relic sword.¡¯
At that moment, Damien felt a strange unease from the relic sword.
He didn¡¯t know if it was a real relic sword or something suspicious.
¡°Highest bid is 30 gold!¡±
The auctioneer¡¯s announcement snapped Damien out of his reverie. It seemed Alexander was writing down the amount.
¡°Alright, it¡¯s 30 gold! Anyone else?¡±
Damien immediately wrote down the amount and raised the card.
¡°40 gold! It¡¯s 40 gold! Seems like quite a generous bidder!¡±
It was quite arge sum, but it didn¡¯t matter. The Heart of the Spirit held a greater value than that.
Damien was prepared to bid whatever it took to win the Heart of the Spirit.
But the conversation soundsing from the adjacent room seemed a bit odd.
¨C Your Majesty, please write down the amount quickly¡ Your Majesty?
¨C Damn it¡ I can¡¯t raise the price anymore.
¨C But the Heart of the Spirit¡
¨C I don¡¯t have any more money! I¡¯ve used it all!
Alexander, the onlypetitor, had run out of money.
¡°Any more bids? Sold for 40 gold!¡±
Thanks to that, Damien was able to win the Heart of the Spirit in cheap.
¨C Your Majesty¡
¨C What can I do? I¡¯m out of money!
Damien chuckled softly as he listened to their conversation.
In the meantime, another auction item came up on stage.
The chest was filled with shining beads of various colors.
¡°Now, let me introduce the next item! These are Deciphering Beads, directly manufactured by the Alchemy Sect! It¡¯s said that consuming just one can counteract any poison¡¡±
Damien, who hadn¡¯t checked the item thoroughly, unfolded the booklet and examined the back.
¡®Deciphering Beads, Alpaca¡¯s Lung, Air Detection Ring¡¡¯
Among the remaining items, there were quite a few that could counteract poison.
Damien¡¯s expression subtly changed as he looked at them.
¡®Looks like I¡¯ll have to spend more money after all.¡¯
Muttering to himself, he began to write down the amount on the card.
When the auction ended, he had sessfully won all the items he desired.
***
After that day, Damien focused on preparing for the expedition.
Thanks to Oliver¡¯s outstanding performance, the timeline was significantly shortened. As a result, Damien and the knights could depart much earlier than nned.
¡°We¡¯ve arranged for boats, so let¡¯s travel along the river to the Arden ins.¡±
Oliver¡¯s capabilities shone even here.
With everything prepared, from the route to the manner of travel, the group could movefortably and swiftly.
When they arrived at their destination, Walnut Territory, they were met face-to-face with a sight that shook them to their core.
Uwaaaaah!
Eeeeeeeh!
It was the sight of an orc horde pounding on the walls of the territory.
¡°D-Damien, sir! The castle is under attack!¡±
Oliver turned to him in rm. Damien shrugged.
¡°Well, what else is new? Just give the orders, Your Highness.¡±
¡°Th-the orders?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you the onemanding us?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver¡¯s expression changed. But his eyes still showed his nervousness.
It was a natural reaction, given that it was his first time in such a situation.
¡°Your Highness, it wouldn¡¯t be cool if you didn¡¯t speak up much here.¡±
Damien joked, and Oliver couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.
¡°Soldiers¡!¡±
Thatughter eased the tension. Oliver shouted clearly.
¡°Charge!¡±
Damien drew his sword, tightened the reins, and dashed toward the orcs ahead of anyone else.
The remaining knights followed Damien¡¯s lead and rushed toward the orcs.
¡°Let¡¯s go! Waaaaah!¡±
A dozen or so knights thundered across the in.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 93
Chapter 93
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 93: Orc expedition (1)
***
The sound of hooves pounding the ground echoed incessantly in the ears. The wind brushed past faces and clothing.
The orcs, who were once far away, suddenly drew closer. Damien shouted towards the knights.
¡°Do not spare a single one!¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
All the knights responded with resounding voices to Damien¡¯smand.
¡°Wow! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s kill them all!¡±
Except for one, Veronica. She was already excited before swinging her sword.
¡°Barbaric¡¡±
Michael looked at Veronica with a disapproving face.
Meanwhile, Damien, who was at the forefront, reached the orc group. He immediately swung his holy sword.
The holy sword shed through the air with a sickening *swoosh*, carving deep into the flesh of the orcs. Blood sprayed in crimson arcs, painting the ground in grotesque patterns as severed heads rolled and lifeless bodies crumpled to the earth, leaving a gruesome scene of carnage in its wake.
Kwaaah!
Gwaaah!
With each swing of Damien¡¯s sword, the orcs¡¯ lives were extinguished one by one. He ughtered the orcs, clearing the way.
¡°Don¡¯t fall behind! Assist Sir Damien!¡±
¡°Haha! Their flesh is so thick, it¡¯s satisfying to cut through!¡±
Michael and Veronica followed closely behind Damien, providing support.
¡°Follow Sir Damien¡¯s lead!¡±
¡°Strike down these savage monsters!¡±
Following them, the knights finished off the remaining orcs. The orc group began to split apart.
Uwooo!
Woooo!
The orcs sensed danger btedly but it was toote. Damien and the knights had already broken through to the other side.
Damien pulled the reins and turned the horse¡¯s direction. The knights acted in unison.
Damien and the knights charged towards the orcs again. The orcs wailed upon seeing the approaching enemies.
Cheee!
Uwooo!
Although the first assault briefly faltered their formation, the orcs¡¯ momentum didn¡¯t diminish. If anything, it seemed to strengthen.
¡°They seem to be well coordinated. The leader must be quite formidable.¡±
Orcs possessed a characteristic where theirbat abilities varied depending on their leader.
Not only did their ferocity increase, but their physical strength also seemed to enhance.
¡°Breakthrough!¡±
Nothing changed. Damien charged at the orc group again.
Uwooo!
Chaaaa!
The orcs blocked Damien¡¯s path. Their determination not to yield was palpable.
But it was in vain. As Damien swung his holy sword, the orcs fell apart without resistance.
¡°Hyaaah!¡±
¡°Haha! Die! Die!¡±
Michael and Veronica also yed their part effectively.
Before the Middle-ss knights, the orcs were helpless.
The second breakthrough was much easier than the first. Damien and the knights emerged on the other side of the orc group.
Having been prated twice, the orc group was nearly disarrayed. Damien realized it was time to finish them off.
¡°Disperse! Completely annihte the orcs¡¡±
A sound of wind splitting was heard. The sound grew rapidly.
Damien raised his holy sword to shield his face. Just then, a hand axe struck the holy sword.
Despite the increased strength from Allecto¡¯s Royal Jelly, his arm trembled uncontrobly.
Damien nced in the direction where the axe flew. Far off, a particrlyrge orc was ring at him.
¡°You wanna fight me?¡±
Damien looked at the orc with an amused expression, or rather, at the greatsword the orc held.
The surface of the greatsword shimmered with a constant crimson glow.
¡°Didn¡¯t expect to encounter an orc warrior here.¡±
Orc Warrior.
There was a reason why they were given the title ¡°warrior,¡± born from the qualities of a true fighter among orcs.
Orc Warrior referred to an orc who had awakened to the aura.
Combining the orc¡¯s robust physique and ferocity with the aura made them even more dangerous. Their threat was beyond measure.
¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re from the Monstrum sect, you should handle this easily.¡±
As a dark mage of the Monstrum sect within Pandemonium, creating an Orc Warrior should be a simple task.
¡°Michael!¡±
¡°Yes, brother! What do you need?¡±
¡°From now on,mand the knights.¡±
¡°What? All of a sudden?¡±
Damien said, looking at the Orc Warrior.
¡°I¡¯ve got a bastard to deal with.¡±
Before Michael could respond, Damien rushed towards the Orc Warrior.
Dhum! Dhum!
The Orc Warrior also charged at Damien. With each pounding of the ground, the distance between them rapidly closed.
¡®Directly confronting it would be suicidal.¡¯
The horse Damien rode was not like a unicorn, just an ordinary warhorse.
Facing the Orc Warrior¡¯s strength head-on could seriously injure the horse.
Damien spurred the horse, leaping off its back as the Orc Warrior charged. He swung his sword towards the charging Orc Warrior.
The Orc Warrior quickly raised his greatsword to block Damien¡¯s sword. With a loud ng, both Damien¡¯s and Orc Warrior¡¯s bodies were pushed backward.
ng!
As soon as Damien was pushed back, the Orc Warrior leaped forward again. He wildly swung its greatsword towards Damien.
While the swordsmanship itself was crude, the orc¡¯s instincts and wildness made the swordy surprisingly sharp and threatening.
Damien parried all of the Orc Warrior¡¯s attacks. Meanwhile, he assessed the Orc Warrior¡¯s skill level.
¡®This Orc could easily defeat a Low-ss, but¡¡¯
He wouldn¡¯t match a Midss. Of course, even this level of skill was sufficiently threatening.
ng!
Annoyance flickered on the Orc Warrior¡¯s face. Despite his relentless attacks being blocked, he seemed to be growing increasingly furious.
Woooo!
The Orc Warrior roared, his eyes turning bloodshot with rage.
The muscles all over his body swelled up taut. The aura entwined around his greatsword grew denser.
Woooo!
The Orc Warrior swung his greatsword towards Damien. His intention to kill was clear in the strike.
Damien raised his holy sword to block the greatsword. The holy sword shed with the greatsword in mid-air.
At that moment, the direction of the greatsword suddenly changed. Its trajectory, which was descending vertically, abruptly shifted to the left.
As a result, the Orc Warrior lost his grip on the greatsword.
Ch-Ch¡!!
Even the Orc Warrior seemed bewildered, even forgetting his primal instincts.
Without pause for the Orc Warrior to regain hisposure, Damien¡¯s holy sword descended with unrelenting force, it tore through the Orc Warrior¡¯s neck, sending a spray of blood and gore sttering across the battlefield.
The headless body staggered momentarily, a fountain of crimson gushing from its severed stump before copsing in a lifeless heap. Damien stood amidst the carnage, his hands stained scarlet, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and the sickening scent of death.
In his dying moments, the Orc Warrior¡¯s eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape in a grimace, before life drained from his now lifeless corpse, painting the ground with a pool of gore.
After confirming the Orc Warrior¡¯s death, Damien surveyed the battlefield.
¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down until theypletely lose their morale!¡±
Under Michael¡¯s leadership, the knights were performing admirably in battle, cutting down the orcs with efficiency.
¡°Haha! Die! Die!¡±
Meanwhile, Veronica was fighting the orcs in her own way.
But due to her exceptional skill, the orcs were being effortlessly cut down.
¡°It should be over in 10 minutes.¡±
Damien¡¯s estimation was wrong.
The battle ended in less than 5 minutes.
It was a victory for the humans.
***
After the battle with the orcs ended, Lord Walnut came out of the castle gate to greet Damien and hispanions.
¡°Prince Oliver, how can I express my gratitude!¡±
Lord Walnut was almost prostrating himself. It was a natural reaction given the situation just before the castle was about to fall.
¡°Toe just before the castle fell! It truly felt like seeing angels sent by God to save us!¡±
Lord Walnut praised Oliver profusely.
¡°I have never seen such courageous knights in my life! To mercilessly trample the orc horde with so few in numbers!¡±
Lord Walnut praised not only Oliver but also the knights.
¡°In particr, when I saw you swiftly defeat the Orc Warrior in one stroke, I doubted my own eyes! If it¡¯s not too much trouble, I¡¯d like to know your name!¡±
Looking at Damien, Lord Walnut asked.
¡°I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen¡ Could it be¡ that you killed the Corpsey alongside the Church¡?¡±
Damien nodded. Lord Walnut¡¯s mouth widened in astonishment. It was as if he might lose his jaw.
¡°Indeed¡ As expected¡ It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration at all! You¡¯re truly remarkable!¡±
Pointing to the castle gate, Lord Walnut said.
¡°Come inside quickly! I¡¯ll prepare a banquet today to honor you and the knights!¡±
At the mention of a banquet, Oliver¡¯s expression brightened instantly.
But soon, he lowered his head with a serious expression.
¡°We appreciate the suggestion, but we don¡¯t know if there are still some orc left. It seems too early to hold a banquet.¡±
Standing behind Oliver, Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire.
Until recently, he would have thought of him as nothing more than a trash who would go crazy for alcohol and meat.
¡°Crown prince¡¯s words are correct. Indeed, you¡¯re wise¡¡±
¡°More importantly, please exin about the orc horde. When did they appear? What¡¯s their size? The more detailed, the better.¡±
¡°Oh, I see. ording to what the scouts found¡¡±
While the two were conversing, Damien called Michael and said.
¡°Michael, have you given the items I requested for distribution among the knights?¡±
¡°Oh, are you referring to the antidotes?¡±
¡°Yes, distribute them to everyone right away. But is it really necessary?¡±
Michael asked with a puzzled expression.
Orcs do use poison, but it¡¯s not particrly threatening. Most people didn¡¯t worry about poison; they worried about how to block orcs¡¯ attacks.
¡°Better to be cautious in advance, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien shrugged. But deep down, he was sure.
¡®It¡¯s obvious they¡¯ll spread poison tonight.¡¯
Here, alongside the Monstrum sect, there were also dark mages from the Venom sect.
During his Death Knight days, Damien had witnessed many times how the Venom sect¡¯s dark mages behaved.
The Venom sect was a sect with weak directbat capabilities. Thus, they pressurized enemies with very cunning tactics in unexpected situations.
¡°Don¡¯t forget to instruct the knights to patrol the surroundings. If there¡¯s any orc showing even the slightest suspicious movement, track them down and kill them without fail.¡±
***
¡°What? Why have those fuckers arrived already?¡±
A woman with messy hair, gazing at Walnut Castle from afar, eximed incredulously.
¡°Even if they rushed from Apple Kingdom, it shouldn¡¯t take less than a week, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll take more¡¡±
The woman, with sunken cheeks due to extreme leanness, said. Her voice was very soft and feeble, almost as if she were sick.
¡°Ugh! We were nning to smash Walnut Territory before the expedition force arrived and iste them¡ But now the n is ruined from the start!¡±
The woman with messy hair vented her frustration, punching the air fiercely.
¡°Geez, I can¡¯t stand it. I¡¯m calling all the kids! I¡¯ll bring them all here and crush those guys to pieces!¡±
¡°Noctis, calm down. You just saw it. They¡¯re not ordinary.¡±
The woman with messy hair, Noctis, said with a frustrated expression.
¡°Marina! But they¡¯ve ruined the npletely! If this continues, we¡¯ll get scolded by Sister Leona!¡±
¡°No need to worry. Sister Leona sent me to prepare for this kind of emergency.¡±
Marina lowered the backpack she was carrying on her shoulder. When she opened it, numerous vials filled with suspicious liquids were revealed.
¡°Sister Leona prepared plenty of poison with the ingredients she gave me. If we use this, those guys won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±
Noctis reached out curiously towards the vial but withdrew his hand promptly at Marina¡¯s warning.
¡°If you touch it wrong, your hand might rot away.¡±
At that, Noctis quickly retracted his hand.
¡°Noctis, prepare the orcs.¡±
¡°Why the orcs?¡±
Marina whispered something in Noctis¡¯s ear. As the conversation went on, Noctis¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Marina, you¡¯re really smart! I¡¯ll prepare them right away!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 94
Chapter 94
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 94: Orc expedition (2)
***
Late at night, the two dark mages began to put their n into action.
¡°Noctis, have you prepared what I asked for?¡±
At Marina¡¯s question, the green-haired woman spoke confidently.
¡°Of course! I wouldn¡¯t forget something you asked for, Marina.¡±
As Noctis pped her hands, the orcs brought in several wooden barrels filled with water.
Marina opened a vial of poison and poured it into the barrels. The poison mixed with the water and turned into a viscous liquid.
¡°Wow¡ amazing. What is this?¡±
¡°This is a poison called Tears of Septi. It¡¯s made with Moonflower as the main ingredient. Even a small amount of inhtion will cause symptoms such as hallucinations, headaches, and nausea.¡±
Marina¡¯s voice was filled with pride.
¡°There are stronger poisons, but if we use them, our traces will be left behind. But Septi¡¯s Tears is different. While they are delirious, we can kill them with the orcs.¡±
¡°Ooh¡ Marina is really smart!¡±
Marina poured the poison into the other barrels as well. Then, she used dark magic.
The poison in the barrels turned into solid spheres. Noctis looked at the spheres with a curious face.
¡°What kind of dark magic is this? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±
¡°It¡¯s dark magic that pollutes thend in a certain area and addicts the creatures on it.¡±
¡°Ooh¡ the dark magic of the Venom sect is always amazing.¡±
¡°Order the orcs to throw these spheres over the wall.¡±
¡°Got it! Have you guys heard that? Come on, take one each.¡±
Noctis ordered the orcs. However, none of the orcs obeyed her.
They just stared at the spheres with eyes full of fear and disgust.
They instinctively realized that if they touched the spheres, they would not be safe either.
¡°Noctis, why aren¡¯t the orcs listening to you?¡±
¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding! My kids are so dumb. Just wait a minute.¡±
Noctis pointed at the orcs and used dark magic. The dark magic that flowed from her flowed into the orcs¡¯ ears.
Kwooaaah!
Cheeek!
The orcs screamed, clutching their heads. After a while, the orcs¡¯ eyes became cloudy.
¡°Kids,e on, take one of those spheres each.¡±
The orcs obeyed Noctis¡¯s orders obediently. They held the spheres in their hands.
As soon as the spheres touched their bodies, the orcs¡¯ skin began to rot instantly.
It was a poison that caused hallucinations, but it was so strong that it had a negative effect even if it just touched the skin.
However, the orcs just stood there nkly, unaware of that fact.
¡°Then hurry up ande back!¡±
At Noctis¡¯s words, the orcs started running towards the direction of Walnut Castle.
The orcs ran out of the forest and across the meadow. It waste at night and the world was quiet.
¡°Huh? What is that? It¡¯s an orc?¡±
¡°What are orcs doing at this hour¡¡ Ah, there it is!¡±
But before they could cross half of the meadow, screams were heard. From afar, knights were riding horses and charging towards them.
¡°Sir Damien was right! The orcs are trying to attack us at night!¡±
¡°Those muscle-headed fools are trying to trick us!¡±
The knights charged towards the orcs. They swung their weapons and cut them down in one blow.
The orcs, having lost their minds to dark magic, did not even think to resist.
¡°What is this? Something strange is going on.¡±
The knights looked at the spheres the orcs were holding. The spheres were still round and solid.
¡°What the hell is this smell?¡±
¡°It smells sweet like honey.¡±
While examining the spheres, the knights suddenly began to cry out in pain.
¡°Ugh, my head hurts so much all of a sudden.¡±
¡°Uuk, my stomach¡¡ Uuk¡¡.¡±
¡°What, what is that? A g-ghost is looking at me!¡±
As the knights were all panicking, someone shouted.
¡°Calm down everyone! Sir Damien gave us something to eat in case this happened!¡±
The knights took out small beads from their bosoms and put them in their mouths. They only ate one pill, but the symptoms disappeared instantly.
¡°Phew¡¡ I feel alive again.¡±
¡°What the hell are these spheres?¡±
¡°Is it poison? The pungent smell, the strange things that happened to us¡¡ I can¡¯t think of anything else but poison.¡±
¡°Are the orcs using such a vicious poison?¡±
The knights looked at the spheres with confused faces. Then one of them said.
¡°What are we going to do with these things anyway?¡±
¡°Sir Damien told us to burn them unconditionally if we find anything strange.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. He definitely gave that order.¡±
The knights poured oil on the spheres. Then they used a magic tool to light a fire.
As the fire caught on, the spheres were instantly engulfed in mes. The sweet smell became even stronger.
¡°They¡¯re all burnt. We can go back now.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hurry and report to Sir Damien.¡±
With that, the knights returned to the castle.
***
Noctis and Marina stared nkly at the zing fire in the middle of the meadow.
¡°M-M-Marina¡ Th-that¡ How, how did that¡ How is it burning? Th-the poison, it¡¯s all burning!¡±
Noctis turned to Marina with a bewildered expression. But Marina wasn¡¯t in a situation where she could answer the question right now.
¡°M-My Tear of Sephti! I, I put in so many moonflowers to make it! Th-that¡ How could you burn something so precious like that¡?¡±
Marina seemed so overwhelmed that it seemed like foam might evene out of her mouth.
¡°M-Marina! Calm down! You can¡¯t copse here! Marina!¡±
Noctis hurriedly tried to calm Marina down. Fortunately, they managed to avoid the situation escting to foaming at the mouth.
¡°I swear. I¡¯ll catch those bastards and melt them in the poison to kill them!¡±
Marina¡¯s cry echoed heavily through the forest.
***
Although she said that, Marina didn¡¯t move right away.
¡°The knights weren¡¯t affected by the poison. Not only that, but they even saw the poison and burned it right away. It seems like the enemies are prepared for poison.¡±
¡°Then maybe the fact that they were patrolling at that time wasn¡¯t a coincidence either? Maybe they were prepared for us to use poison.¡±
¡°I agree with that. No matter how I think about it, it can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡±
¡°Then maybe¡ they know that we are here?¡±
¡°That can¡¯t be. How would those sons of bitches know about our existence?¡±
Marina cut off Noctis¡¯s spection in one go. No matter how she thought about it, it was nothing more than spection.
The only people in the Apple Kingdom who knew about the two of them were her sister Leona and Alexander Apple.
How would they know about Marina¡¯s existence in that situation?
¡°Maybe they had a bad experience with an enemy who used poison in the past¡ That¡¯s why they were prepared. I just happened to be unlucky enough to get caught in it.¡±
¡°Is that so¡?¡±
¡°What¡¯s certain is that the old methods won¡¯t work. So we need to use a different method.¡±
Marina dug a hole and then gathered the poison in one ce.
The weeds and trees around the hole were so withered that they were almost dead, even though the poison was strong.
¡°Marina, what are you going to do this time?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to turn this poison into gas and blow it away.¡±
The Venom sect was a sect that studied not only the manufacture of poisons but also how to use them.
The most effective way was to turn the poison into gas and spread it.
¡°That¡¯s amazing! But why didn¡¯t you use that method from the beginning?¡±
¡°¡¡It¡¯s because this requires a lot of poison, so it costs a lot of money!¡±
¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sorry I asked.¡±
When Marina suddenly got angry, Noctis immediately apologized.
¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯m going to use dark magic.¡±
Marina used dark magic on the poison. The poison that had been piled up in the puddle quickly dried up and turned fluffy like cotton.
¡°Noctis, tell the orcs to take these to the edge of the forest and burn them.¡±
It was best to burn them as close to the castle as possible. However, if they did that, they would be discovered by the knights, so it was best to burn them at the edge of the forest.
¡°Got it! What are you guys doing? Hurry up and take them¡ Where did you all go?¡±
Before long, the orcs had retreated far away. They seemed to be reluctant to go near.
¡°Come here right now!¡±
However, Noctis was a dark mage of the Monstrum sect, which specializes in handling monsters.
When Noctis used dark magic, the orcs had no choice but to carry the poison cotton.
The orcs¡¯ skin began to melt from the poison gasing out of the poison cotton. Some of the orcs even vomited blood.
¡°Come on, hurry up and move!¡±
However, Noctis didn¡¯t care at all. The Monstrum sect was a sect that controlled monsters, not a sect that loved them.
To the dark mages of the Monstrum sect, monsters were nothing more than tools.
The orcs headed to the edge of the forest with the poison cotton and torches.
Noctis followed the orcs and said with a happy face.
¡°When I give the order, you all burn the poison together. Got it?¡±
That¡¯s when Noctis said that.
The castle gate opened far away. Knights sprang out of the open gate.
¡°¡¡Huh? What are those guys? Why are they suddenlying out?¡±
While Noctis was confused, the knights reached the forest.
Noctis hurriedly hid behind a tree. Thanks to that, he was able to avoid being detected by the knights.
¡°Sir Damien was right! The orcs are up to something!¡±
¡°Torches and¡ cotton? Is that cotton?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like ordinary cotton. Look, the skin of the orcs holding it ispletely melting.¡±
However, they couldn¡¯t hide the orcs either. The knights attacked the orcs as soon as they saw them. The orcs were caught off guard.
¡°These, these bastards¡ they¡¯re here to interfere again!¡±
Noctis exploded in anger again. She wanted to go out and fight them himself.
However, her sister Leona had strongly urged her. She said that their existence must never be discovered.
¡°Turn the poison over!¡±
Instead, Noctismanded the orcs to spray poison over the knights.
The knights who had the poison scattered screamed. Some even vomited blood. As a result, the knights copsed to the ground. Because of that, the knights could only writhe on the ground.
¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s so satisfying!¡±
Noctis watched with delight. But it was too early to enjoy.
¡°Ugh, that was a close call.¡±
The knights got up without a scratch. Noctis was greatly confused.
¡°Why, why are you okay? I, I clearly turned the poison over¡¡?¡±
The poisons made by Marina, a member of the Venom sect, were incredibly powerful.
The poison that the orcs had spread was especially potent, as it was intended to be burned and spread.
And yet, they didn¡¯t die after being covered in it? No, they werepletely fine?
¡°It was a good thing we applied the oil that Sir Damien gave us in advance.¡±
¡°They say that the oil of the Blue Moon Snail is excellent at blocking poison. It really is amazing.¡±
The knights, who hade to their senses, killed all the remaining orcs.
Then, they gathered the remaining poison cotton, buried it, and returned to the castle.
Only after the knights had disappeared did Noctise out. She looked at the buried poison and shook her head.
¡°¡¡Marina is going to be really angry when she finds out.¡±
Noctis¡¯s worries were correct.
¡°What? All the orcs are dead and the poison cotton is all buried? What the hell are you talking about?!¡±
Marina was furious enough to spit blood when her second n also failed.
¡°M, Marina, calm down!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll kill all those motherfuckers. I¡¯ll me-melt them¡¡±
It took Noctis a long time to finally calm Marina down.
¡°¡¡This won¡¯t work. We need topletely change our approach.¡±
Marina, who had finally calmed down her anger, spoke to Noctis.
¡°What method are you going to use?¡±
¡°Anyway, they have no choice but to enter the forest to wipe out the orcs. So, we¡¯ll dig traps in the forest and wait.¡±
The Venom sect was not a sect that fought head-on.
It was a sect that waited for the enemy to fall into a trap and then cornered them.
¡°Now that the poison has been discovered, we can¡¯t let them live. If it bes known that the orcs used a highly toxic poison, the Church wille to investigate.¡±
The Church¡¯s eyes and ears were everywhere. If they left even the slightest trace, the Church would immediately take action.
¡°Then can we call all of my kids too?¡±
¡°Of course. Call them all. Call them all and kill them.¡±
Noctis was overjoyed at Marina¡¯s words.
¡°Really? You won¡¯t change your mind? Hehe, I¡¯m looking forward to it. I¡¯ve put a lot of effort into creating wonderful kids this time. You¡¯ll be surprised when you see it¡¡.¡±
That¡¯s when it happened.
Kweeeek!
Kieeek!
The screams of orcs could be heard from a distance. The two were shocked and ran outside.
¡°We found the orcs! Kill them all!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t leave a single one alive!¡±
Damien Haksen and the knights were attacking the orc vige.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
¡°¡¡What?¡±
At the sudden sight, Marina and Noctis¡¯s minds went nk.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 95
Chapter 95
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 95: Orc expedition (3)
***
While the orcs were attempting to raid the castle, Damien was moving to pinpoint the location of the Orc¡¯s vige.
It was clear that if he went into the forest blindly and failed to find the enemies, he would be in a dangerous situation.
He climbed to the top of the tower and kept a close eye on the orcs¡¯ movements, or spread his mana to detect a wide area.
Then, during the second attack, he discovered a dark mage with short hair hiding in the forest.
¡®Judging by what she¡¯s doing, it looks like that woman is from the Monstrum sect.¡¯
Damien immediately chased after the woman. And he was able to find the orc vige and the other dark mage of the Venom sect.
Damien looked around the enemy camp and checked their forces. There were over 100 orcs gathered, and many orc warriors were also waiting.
¡®Ogre? Where did they get this from?¡¯
There was even an ogre. It seemed that they had prepared thoroughly in order to make this expedition fail.
¡®The Monstrum sect is more dangerous than the Venom sect.¡¯
The Monstrum sect was the kind of people who would be more troublesome the longer they were left alone.
If they were to build a stronghold and set up traps, casualties would be inevitable.
¡®I can¡¯t give them time to prepare.¡¯
As soon as Damien returned to the castle, he summoned the knights.
¡°I have found the enemy camp. We will attack immediately.¡±
The knights were taken aback by the sudden order, but they quickly prepared.
¡°Prepare yourselves thoroughly! There are dark mages within the orcs in the vige now!¡±
At the mention of dark mages, the knights looked even more confused. They hade to fight the orcs, so they couldn¡¯t help but be confused when dark mages were mentioned.
However, no one doubted Damien¡¯s words.
After all, the knights themselves were also puzzled by the way the orcs were using poison.
The knights were not fools, so they had been thinking it was strange all along, but their doubts were cleared up as soon as they heard Damien¡¯s story.
If the dark mages were controlling the orcs, then everything made sense.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
They only carried basic weapons to attack the orcs, as riding horses would increase the chances of their surprise attack being detected.
The orcs seemed to have no idea that they were about to be attacked, as they had not even posted any guards.
¡°Chase them down! Don¡¯t give them a chance to regroup!¡±
Thanks to this, Damien and the knights were able to take the initiative at once.
Damien and the knights swept through the vige, cutting down the orcs.
Kreuruk!
Kkeeeek!
The orcs were caught off guard. A few orcs tried to resist, but it was in vain.
¡°How dare these green lumps rebel!¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you just surrender your necks already!¡±
The knights, armed with armor and aura, were truly overwhelming. The orcs were unable to even put up a fight against the knights.
¡°Huh?¡±
In the midst of cutting down the orcs, Damien noticed two women standing nkly in the distance.
¡°They are the dark mages! The dark mages are over there!¡±
Damien shouted as soon as he saw the two people. The knights turned their heads and looked at the two women.
The expressions of the two women contorted at the knights¡¯ gazes. The woman with short hair screamed.
¡°You filthy bastards! How dare youy a hand on my orcs? Do you know how hard it was to gather those!¡±
Dark mana erupted from the short-haired woman. As the woman formed hand seals, dark magic was manifested.
The eyes of the orcs changed. The confusion and fear were gone. In their ce were vicious killing intent and hunger.
¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly for touching my kids!¡±
The woman didn¡¯t stop there and cast another dark magic spell.
The orcs¡¯ muscles swelled and their skin turned pitch dark. Their teeth and nails grew thick and long.
The Monstrum sect wasn¡¯t just a sect that only controlled monsters. They could also use dark magic to draw out the potential of monsters or grant them new abilities.
The price for that was the monsters¡¯ life force. The orcs would probably die before the day was out.
Kreuruk!
Kkeeeek!
The orcs who were trying to escape let out eerie cries and charged at the knights instead.
¡°Ugh?¡±
¡°What the hell is this power¡!¡±
The knights who shed with the orcs couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. They were much faster and stronger than before.
Their confusion created an opening. The orcs pressed the knights even harder.
¡°That¡¯s troublesome.¡±
With that, Damien ran towards the orcs.
He used his mana to elerate. Damien¡¯s body disappeared. Right after that, a sh of light shed in the air.
One rotation.
In a blinding sh, the holy sword traced a lethal arc, cleaving through the ranks of the encroaching orcs.
With horrifying precision, the de bisected their bodies, separating flesh from bone in a macabre disy.
The battlefield was instantly adorned with a chilling tableau as blood and entrails spilled forth, mingling with the dirt beneath their feet.
¡°Oh my god¡¡.¡±
¡°This is unbelievable¡¡.¡±
The knights looked at the sight with stunned faces.
As knights belonging to Duke Goldpixie, they had seen too many middle-ss battles.
But there was no one who could move like Damien.
¡°Snap out of it! They¡¯re just orcs, even if they¡¯ve gotten stronger!¡±
Damien shouted at the knights.
The knights¡¯ fighting spirit was revived after seeing Damien¡¯s incredible move. They started to push the orcs back again.
¡°That, that fucker¡!¡±
The short-haired woman gnashed her teeth. She shouted.
¡°This won¡¯t do! You guyse out too!¡±
New orcs emerged from the forest. They were muchrger than the other orcs.
They were each holding different weapons, but they had one thing inmon. Their weapons were glowing with aura.
The orc warriors had revealed themselves.
¡°It¡¯s a shame to use you guys, but¡ I have no choice!¡±
The short-haired woman cast another dark magic spell. The orc warriors¡¯ bodies grew evenrger. Their skin turned dark.
It wasn¡¯t just their bodies that were strengthened. The aura on the orc warriors¡¯ weapons also became thicker.
¡°Kill that Damien guy together!¡±
The short-haired woman pointed at Damien. The orc warriors charged at him.
Kreuruk!
Kkeeeek!
Weapons imbued with aura rained down on Damien.
The already menacing orc warriors had been further strengthened by dark magic.
Each attack was terrifyingly powerful.
¡®There¡¯s a lot of them.¡¯
Damien used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, feeling his body surge with intense heat as his senses sharpened to a razor¡¯s edge.
Time itself seemed to bend to his will as the world around him slowed to a crawl. The orc warriors¡¯ frenzied assaults gradually slowed down until they froze entirely in their tracks.
With swift and deliberate movements, Damien advanced, weaving between the immobilized orc warriors, his holy sword shing with deadly precision as he decapitated them one by one.
Despite their severed necks, the orc warriors¡¯ heads remained suspended in the air, not a drop of blood emerged.
Pressing onward, Damien breached the orc warriors¡¯ ranks, carving a path to their rear before finally stopping using the Art of the Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
In an instant, blood erupted from the orc warriors¡¯ severed necks, their heads tumbling to the ground in a gruesome finale of violence and carnage.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
A look of bewilderment appeared on the short-haired woman¡¯s face.
To her eyes, it seemed like Damien had teleported and cut off the orc warriors¡¯ necks all at once.
¡°T, this is ridiculous¡¡±
¡°Noctis! Snap out of it! Quickly summon them!¡±
At that moment, the haggard woman shouted. At the same time, she threw a poison bottle on the ground. The bottle shattered and poisonous smoke billowed out.
As the haggard woman used dark magic, the poisonous smoke flew toward Damien and the knights.
¡®This is getting annoying.¡¯
Damien put away his holy sword and took out the Thousand-Mile Sword. He flicked the Thousand-Mile Sword with his fingertip.
The Thousand-Mile Sword began to vibrate. Damian gripped it and swung it forcefully.
The Thousand-Mile Sword emitted an aura. The released aura tore through all the flying poisonous smoke.
¡°What the hell is that ridiculous skill¡!¡±
The haggard woman eximed in disbelief.
¡°Noctis!¡±
¡°I¡¯m here!¡±
The short-haired woman shouted. At that moment, ogres burst out of the forest, breaking the trees.
Uwooowoo!
Wooooowoo!
The ogres¡¯ cries shook the entire forest. The knights who were killing the orcs shouted in shock.
¡°O, ogres?¡±
¡°Why are those monsters here!¡±
For the first time, fear appeared on the knights¡¯ faces.
The ogres, known as the kings of the forest and the giants of strength, were monsters with immense strength.
They could easily kill even low-ss knights, and they were dangerous even for middle-ss knights.
It was no wonder that the knights were flustered.
¡®Ogres? It¡¯s been a while.¡¯
¡°Wow, they¡¯re big. There must be a lot of meat to cut off.¡±
However, not all the knights were flustered.
Michael and Veronica just looked at the ogres with curious faces.
¡°Hey, Michael.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right, but isn¡¯t that a bit too much bad-mouthing? You¡¯re too vulgar.¡±
¡°Wanna make a bet on who kills more? The loser bes the winner¡¯s servant.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t regret it?¡±
Both of them simultaneously rushed towards the ogres.
The ogres swung their fists to kill them.
The Marquis Ryanbloom family is famous for its strong swordsmanship.
Michael Ryanbloom did not avoid the ogre¡¯s fist. Instead, he struck back.
The ogre¡¯s fist shattered. The ogre¡¯s face contorted in pain.
At that moment, Veronica jumped in and cut off the ogre¡¯s neck. The ogre¡¯s thick skin and bones were easily cut through.
¡°Got one?¡±
Veronica said and ran towards another ogre.
Michael Ryanbloom looked at her in disbelief.
***
While the two were dealing with the ogres, Damien reached the two dark mages.
The short-haired woman red at Damien and asked.
¡°Are you seriously going to take us on by yourself?¡±
¡°So what if I am?¡±
¡°Ha! You must think we¡¯re pretty easy.¡±
Even in this dire situation, the two didn¡¯t seem flustered.
High-level mages havebat powerparable to middle-ss knights.
Moreover, dark mages don¡¯t hesitate to use any means necessary to gain power, so they were much higher level than ordinary mages of the same rank.
¡°Let¡¯s show you exactly who we are.¡±
The short-haired woman curled her index and middle fingers into a circle and put them in her mouth. She blew a loud whistle.
Suddenly, the ground near Noctis began to shake. Something emerged, pushing through the dirt.
Judging by its head, it was a white lion with a lush mane. However, it was no ordinary white lion. It stood on two legs.
Not only did it walk on two legs, but its shoulders were also spread wide like a human¡¯s. Its pectoralis major muscles were well-developed, and even its abs were defined.
Its arms and legs were not those of a lion at all. From the elbows and knees down, it was covered in scales instead of fur. Its soles were like those of an eagle, with ws on its hind legs.
The most bizarre thing was the snake that was attached in ce of its tail. Therge snake slithered around and flicked its tongue at Damien.
¡°It¡¯s not a lion, it¡¯s a chimera.¡±
Damien said, as if surprised.
The chimera was a monster that could only be created by the Monstrum sect¡¯s forbidden dark magic.
It was created bybining multiple monsters, making it both bizarre and powerful.
¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it cool? This is my baby that I worked so hard to create!¡±
The short-haired woman shouted from behind the chimera.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s not just the chimera. I¡¯m here too.¡±
The haggard woman opened her bag and spilled out bottles of poison.
The poison that spilled out of the broken bottles turned into arge snake and wrapped itself around Marina¡¯s body.
Even though it was just poison, it seemed like all the fur on her body was standing on end.
It was clear that it wasn¡¯t ordinary poison, but the Venom sect¡¯s secret, deadly poison.
Chimera and deadly poison.
It was the worst possiblebination.
¡°¡¡You? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been interfering with all our ns?¡±
The haggard woman red at Damien and said.
¡°You¡¯ll pay the price for interfering with us. I¡¯m not going to kill you right away. I¡¯m going to catch you and make you watch with your own eyes.¡±
Her tone was calm, but her voice was filled with venom.
¡°I¡¯m going to make you watch your knights die, begging for their lives as they sumb to the poison. I¡¯m going to make this the most horrific day of your life.¡±
Horrific day.
At those words, Damien was suddenly reminded of his time as a Death Knight.
Damien, who had been a Death Knight, was a ve who had no choice but to obey Dorugo¡¯s orders.
He had his self-awareness, but he couldn¡¯t move his body. He was trapped inside his own body, forced to watch everything he did.
The burning castle, the mountain of corpses, the screaming people.
It was all Damien who did it, under Dorugo¡¯s orders.
Damien watched the scene every day. Without fail, every day.
¡°Why can¡¯t you say anything? Do you finally realize something is wrong? It¡¯s toote anyway¡¡¡±
A vicious killing intent erupted from Damien¡¯s body. It was as if dark energy was about to envelop the entire world.
As soon as they were exposed to the killing intent, the bodies of the two dark mages froze.
¡°This is why I hate dark mages. Every time I meet them, bad memories keeping up.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just memories that came up. The emotions he felt at that time were vividly felt.
As if it happened just yesterday.
¡°You said you were going to make this a horrific day?¡±
The two dark mages stared at Damien with frozen faces.
¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±
A smile spread across Damien¡¯s lips.
It was a creepy smile as if it had been forcibly created by tearing through his skin.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 96
Chapter 96
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 96: Orc expedition (4)
***
Despite his boiling killing intent, Damien¡¯s mind remained calm.
When facing a chimera, the most important thing is to be vignt and observe carefully.
A chimera is created by synthesizing multiple monsters. As such, it possessed a variety of abilities.
Therefore, it was dangerous to judge by its appearance alone. This is because you never know when, where, or what kind of ability will pop up.
¡°¡¡You¡¯re really good at bluffing. But do you know that? There are more than a few kids who died like that!¡±
Noctis shouted, pointing at Damien with her index finger.
¡°Yeppi, show him what you¡¯re made of!¡±
It was a cute name that didn¡¯t match his majestic appearance.
Shoosh!
Suddenly, the chimera¡¯s body disappeared. At the same time, a wind blew from the front.
The sudden strong wind shook his head and the hem of his clothes. Damien closed one eye tightly as dust got into his eyes.
At that moment, the chimera suddenly appeared in front of him and waved its hand at Damien.
Whoosh!
Even though he had one eye closed, it didn¡¯t matter. Damien easily dodged it, judging the distance.
At that moment, a sense of danger struck him. The moment Damien threw his body back, five long trenches were carved into the ground.
It wasn¡¯t just the ground. The trees behind him were also split and copsed.
¡°You¡¯re a good one.¡±
Damien said, looking at the sight as if it was amusing.
¡°You can not only turn into wind, but you can also use the wind to create shes?¡±
Just now, the chimera didn¡¯t just suddenly appear in front of him. It had moved by turning into the wind.
When it waved its hand, the ground and the forest were turned into a mess at the same time because it turned the wind into shes and blew them away.
¡°That¡¯s why I said chimeras are a pain in the ass.¡±
Neither of those abilities was ordinary. Moreover, it was clear that there were many more abilities hidden than this.
¡°Now do you see how great our Yeppi is? Yeppi, go get him!¡±
Noctis gave the order again. The chimera waved its hands frantically.
Every time it waved its hand, a hail of wind shes poured down. In the blink of an eye, the forest was turned into a mess.
However, Damien didn¡¯t even bat an eye and dodged all the attacks.
¡°Isn¡¯t this fun?¡±
On the contrary, he was enjoying himself, smiling brightly.
¡°Yeppi! What are you doing? That guy keeps dodging!¡±
Noctis got irritated as Damien continued to dodge the attacks.
¡°I told you to kill him right now!¡±
The chimera¡¯s eyes changed. At the same time, the chimera¡¯s body became blurry.
¡°Oh?¡±
The chimera disappeared, turning into the wind. Soon after, it appeared behind Damien.
Shoosh!
It immediately waved its hand. The de of wind swept over Damien.
Damien dodged the attack by dodging sideways.
When hended on the ground and raised his head, the chimera was already gone.
Whoosh!
This time, the sound came from right behind him. Damien kicked off the ground and soared into the air.
The chimera¡¯s hand shed through the air. The de of wind gouged the ground.
Whoosh!
The chimera turned into the wind again. Seeing this, Damien said as if he was bored.
¡°It looks shy, but it¡¯s not very effective.¡±
It was not bad that it could move in a blind spot by turning into wind.
However, there was a problem that it had to return to its original body to attack.
Once you figured that out, it was easy to dodge or block the attacks.
Just like now.
Damien spun his body and swung his sword. At that moment, the chimera appeared out of thin air.
Kwang!!
Damien was faster than the chimera could attack. The holy sword he swung trying to sh through the chimera¡¯s torso.
At that moment, the chimera raised both forearms to block the holy sword. The holy sword and the scales shed.
The holy sword cut through the scales and muscles, digging in. Green blood gushed out.
¡°Hmm?¡±
But that was all. Damien¡¯s holy sword had only cut through the chimera¡¯s skin, not severing its bones.
Seeing this, Noctis shouted proudly.
¡°Yeppi has the bones of a drake fused into it! You¡¯ll never be able to cut through it!¡±
Drake.
It was one of the dragon-type looking monsters that reigned at the top of the monster hierarchy.
With its enormous size, monstrous strength, and ferocity, it was considered one of the most dangerous even amongrge monsters.
In particr, the drake¡¯s skin and bones were known to be so tough that they were difficult to cut even with aura.
¡°Yeppi! Go get him!¡±
The chimera lunged forward. It swung its hands, attacking Damien.
Meanwhile, Noctis shouted at Marina.
¡°Marina!¡±
¡°¡¡You don¡¯t have to rush me. I¡¯m already ready.¡±
The haggard woman, Marina, cast a dark magic spell. The vipers that had been in the form of snakes turned into a swarm of wasps.
The swarm of wasps flew in at a terrifying speed and surrounded Damien.
The chimera was in front.
The wasps carrying deadly venom were all around him.
If he moved to avoid the chimera¡¯s attack, the wasps would inject their venom into him immediately.
Despite being cornered, Damien did not seem anxious.
¡°You¡¯re trying to do a joint attack, which is not the style of you two.¡±
Damien drew his Thousand Mile Sword. He dodged the chimera¡¯s attack and swung the Thousand Mile Sword in the air.
Every time it cut through the air, the Thousand Mile Sword began to vibrate fiercely.
When the vibration reached its peak, Damien flicked the Thousand Mile Sword with his finger.
Dark de ¨C Great Sonic Wave
A deafening sound erupted in all directions. The two dark mages hurriedly covered their ears with both hands.
The deafening sound caused the swarm of wasps to lose their form and revert back to venom. The chimera staggered, unable to regain its senses.
Damien gripped the holy sword instead of the Thousand Mile Sword and concentrated his aura.
Drake¡¯s bones? What¡¯s that count for?
If he couldn¡¯t cut it with aura, he just had to use more aura.
All middle-ss knights had that much skill.
Moreover, Damien had long surpassed the middle ss in terms of skill alone.
The concentrated aura enveloped the holy sword. The aura, which had been like a mist, became thick like smoke.
Roar!!
At that moment, the chimera shook its head violently. It had regained its senses, shaking off the effects of the Great Sonic Wave.
But it was already toote. Damien was already swinging the Thousand Mile Sword at Yeppi¡¯s neck.
It was then.
¡°Yeppi! Spit it out!¡±
Noctis shouted. Yeppi immediately opened its mouth wide.
mes erupted from the chimera¡¯s throat.
***
In an instant, the zing mes engulfed Damien. The mes even spread to the surrounding forest.
The intense heat instantly turned the trees into ashes. Even the soil and gravel on the ground melted.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
Noctis shouted in glee.
¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Our Yeppi also has the me sac of a drake!¡±
The biggest reason why drakes were considered so dangerous even amongrge monsters.
It was because they could breathe fire.
It was nothingpared to a dragon¡¯s breath, but it was powerful enough to turn a city into a sea of mes.
¡°Good! Good! Who¡¯s the show-off now? You see what happens when you let your guard down? You turn into a charcoal briquette!¡±
Unlike Noctis, who was already drunk with the joy of victory, Marina was looking at the mes with a tense face.
¡°No, Noctis!¡±
Thanks to her, she was able to discover it quickly.
¡°That, that guy¡ he¡¯s alive! He¡¯s alive, I tell you!¡±
She was talking about Damien, who was standing nonchntly in the mes.
¡°That¡¯s impossible! That¡¯s the me of a drake!¡±
Damien walked out, cutting through the mes. Noctis¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
¡°I can even sleep easily in this level of fire.¡±
Damien said, brushing the ashes off his clothes.
He can easily deal with fire because he had previously absorbed the heart of the fire spirit.
Thanks to that, Damien¡¯s body was now resistant to fire.
¡°Th, that¡¯s nonsense¡¡±
Damien walked out, cutting through the mes. Noctis and Marina were in a panic.
¡°Wh, what should we do, Marina¡?¡±
¡°I, I don¡¯t know! What are we supposed to do with a monster like that¡?¡±
Damien swung his holy sword repeatedly. The concentrated aura created a huge sh.
The first sh cut the chimera in half. The second sh cut through its waist. The third and fourth shes cut diagonally.
Several lines were drawn on the chimera¡¯s body. Soon, the chimera¡¯s body crumbled into pieces.
¡°You, you bastard¡!¡±
Noctis¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as she shouted with hatred and screams.
¡°How dare you! You killed Yeppi? I¡¯ll never let you get away with this¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien kicked Noctis in the abdomen as she ran towards him. Noctis was mmed into the tree behind her.
¡°You, you¡ I won¡¯t let you get away with this¡¡±
Even so, Noctis couldn¡¯te to her senses. Shey on the ground and spewed anger at Damien.
¡°Do you understand¡? The grudge for killing our Yeppi! I will definitely! Definitely pay you back¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien stabbed Noctis¡¯s fingers with his holy sword. Three fingers were cut off cleanly.
¡°M, my f, fingers¡¡±
¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll cut off your wrist.¡±
Damien said in a dry voice. It was even more terrifying because of it. Noctis covered her mouth with his other hand.
Damien pulled out the holy sword stuck in the ground and swung it sideways immediately.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
Marina¡¯s left hand was cut off. The severed hand held a bottle containing venom.
¡°Don¡¯t try anything funny. It¡¯s useless.¡±
Marina clutched her severed wrist and gasped for breath.
¡°I have a lot to ask you. I hope you will answer honestly.¡±
¡°Wh, who do you think will answer?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Stop doing something useless and just kill us.¡±
The two dark mages said with venomous eyes. Damienughed at their sight.
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the way to go. You should be rebellious like that. It¡¯s more fun.¡±
That way, he could also vent his anger under the pretext of interrogation.
¡°I just learned a very good technique this time.¡±
He bought the half-burnt mana technique and manual at the auction house.
It didn¡¯t take long to restore it. When he saw theplete mana technique and manual, he realized that he had obtained a treasure.
The name of the mana technique was Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.
It was a mana technique that could manipte the blood vessels, the path through which mana flows in the body.
Using this, he could train his own blood vessels, or strengthen his blood vessels when exerting arge amount of strength at once.
However, that was not the true use of the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.
It was the fact that he could also manipte the opponent¡¯s blood vessels. He could block the blood vessels or stimte them to cause excruciating pain.
¡°I just needed an experimental subject. You are perfect.¡±
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 97
Chapter 97
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 97: Evidence (1)
***
Michael swung his sword down, cleaving through the ogre¡¯s head. With that, thest of the ogres was in. Michael wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed in relief.
Looking around, he saw that the orcs had also been mostly dealt with. The knights were chasing down the remaining orc stragglers.
¡°One, two, three¡ four! I got one more than you! So I win, right?¡±
Veronica spoke with a triumphant smile right next to him. Michael gave her a puzzled look.
¡°You stole two of my kills! This victory mine.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? I still killed more!¡±
¡°You have to consider the process. What are youining about when you¡¯re stealing someone else¡¯s prey?¡±
Michael and Veronica red at each other and growled.
¡°Whatever. I¡¯m going to go see Damien¡ no, brother Damien. You can have fun on your own.¡±
Michael finally managed to shake off Veronica, who was still grumbling in dissatisfaction, and headed towards Damien.
He had been watching even while fighting the ogres. The way Damien fought the chimera.
¡®Brother is really amazing.¡¯
Michael also knew a thing or two about chimeras.
One of the most horrific monsters in this world.
Creatures that should never be taken lightly.
The nicknames for the chimera were numerous. That¡¯s how dangerous a monster it was.
Damien had chased down such a monster without any difficulty.
Michael was always confident, but he didn¡¯t think he could do what Damien did.
¡®The technique he used to cut down the chimera at the end was especially amazing.¡¯
Originally, the aura was strongest when it was on the sword of the aura. If it was released outside, it was bound to diminish in power.
However, Damien had released the aura and still exerted tremendous power. Michael, who was far away, could feel it.
Michael had no idea how to do that.
¡®Now that the subjugation is over, I need to learn a lot from brother.¡¯
The teachings he had received from Damien that day had greatly raised his power very quickly.
Without Damien¡¯s help, he would not have been able to be a middle-ss in such a short period of time.
¡®Maybe this time, if I learn from brother, I¡¯ll be able to get a clue on how to get to high-ss¡¡¯
It was while Michael was lost in thought.
¡°Ahaaaaa!¡±
A sudden scream broke Michael¡¯s reverie. Michael was startled and quickened his steps.
And he could clearly see the very cruel scene.
A dark mage lying on the ground, screaming in agony.
¡°P-please stop! Aaaah! Kyaaaah!¡±
The dark mage¡¯s eyes rolled back and her body trembled.
Michael looked at the sight with a puzzled face.
There was no trace of torture on the dark mage¡¯s body.
But he couldn¡¯t understand why she was in so much pain.
¡°This shouldn¡¯t be this painful. I still have more to show you.¡±
Damien tapped the woman¡¯s back with his finger. The woman¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°P-please, just kill me! Kill me¡ Aaaah! Aaaah!¡±
Michael, who was watching the dark mage, could not help but be horrified.
As soon as Damien touched her back, her muscles began to squirm like snakes.
It was so obvious that it could be seen with the naked eye. Every time the muscles squirmed, the woman¡¯s screams grew louder.
¡°Aaaah! Aaaah!¡±
¡°It¡¯s not working well. Was that not the way to do it before?¡±
As Damien tapped the dark mage¡¯s shoulder, a horrible sound of joints twisting could be heard.
Now the dark mage couldn¡¯t even scream properly.
¡®Bone Crushing and Muscle Separation¡?¡¯
He had seen it before when the Marquis¡¯s knights used it on criminals.
A torture method that artificially twists muscles and joints by injecting mana into the opponent¡¯s body.
ording to rumors, it was created by the empire¡¯s greatest torturers and designed to interrogate heinous criminals like traitors and heretics.
No, it¡¯s different from Bone Crushing and Muscle Separation.
Bone Crushing and Muscle Separation required constant physical contact with the target¡¯s body.
But in Damien¡¯s case, he was inflicting pain just by jabbing them with his fingers.
It was a technique far superior to it, though I couldn¡¯t be sure.
¡°Please! Stop it! Please! Just kill me!¡±
¡°If you want the pain to stop, just talk. How did youmunicate with your partners in the capital?¡±
¡°Th, through letters¡ I told you, through letters!¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t woken up yet. Spouting such nonsense.¡±
¡°Kyaaak!¡±
Damien jabbed the dark mage¡¯s body again with his finger.
The sounds of tearing muscles and crunching bones echoed vividly.
Michael trembled at the horrific sound.
But the most terrifying thing here wasn¡¯t the technique itself.
¡°Talk. Then I¡¯ll stop this pain.¡±
It was Damien, smiling as he tortured the dark mage.
Damien¡¯s smile was clearly imbued with pleasure as if he were deliriously happy in this moment.
That was what scared Michael more than anything.
¡°Brother.. Da, Damien¡¡±
Michael cautiously called out to Damien. Damien paused mid-jab towards the dark mage¡¯s body.
¡°Have you dealt with the orcs and ogres?¡±
¡°Y, yes, I¡¯m done. I¡¯m done, but¡¡±
Michael gulped. Staring intently at the dark mage who was still screaming, he asked,
¡°Do, do we need to continue? It, it seems like enough already.¡±
Having said that, Michael couldn¡¯t help but be startled by his own words.
Defending a dark mage? It was something he wouldn¡¯t dare do openly in front of ally of the Church.
¡°Enough¡ enough¡¡±
Fortunately, Damien didn¡¯t take offense to Michael¡¯s actions. He simply questioned him.
¡°Are you by any chance sympathizing with these motherfuckers?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that¡¡±
It would be a lie to say he didn¡¯t feel a sliver of pity.
After all, the sight of Damien using bone-crushing and Muscle Separation was horrifying.
¡°You¡¯re wasting emotions needlessly. Since it¡¯s a good opportunity, let me enlighten you about what kind of scum these dark mages are.¡±
Damien jabbed his finger into the throat of the haggard woman. The muscles went limp then.
With the pain gone, the screams ceased. The haggard womany face down on the floor, gasping for air.
¡°What sacrifice did you pay to use the dark magic that controls orcs?¡±
¡°Th, that¡¯s¡ well¡¡±
The haggard woman wheezed. She was still not fully conscious after being freed from the pain.
¡°Seeing how long it takes you to answer, it seems you haven¡¯t recovered yet.¡±
¡°I, I offered sacrifices¡ sacrifices! I threw p, people to the orcs and while they were being eaten, I cast a s, envement spell with dark magic¡¡±
¡°How many people did you kill?¡±
¡°Th, three hundred! Three hundred! I, I went around the v, viges to s, secure sacrifices!¡±
Michael felt as though he had been struck in the back of the head by the hag¡¯s words.
Three hundred people were thrown to the orcs? And an envement spell was cast while they were being eaten?
¡°Your turn. What did you do to create the poison?¡±
Damien looked at the gaunt woman. The woman stammered.
¡°I hear no answer.¡±
¡°I, I didn¡¯t kill many! I only kidnapped people to t, test new poisons!¡±
¡°You kidnapped people and tested poisons?¡±
¡°Yes, yes! But, but I didn¡¯t waste test subjects! If they seemed like they were going to die, I somehow saved them and used them again! Really!¡±
Michael¡¯s face hardened.
In other words, she forcibly saved people and kept using them for poison testing.
Those who became test subjects must have suffered for a long time.
¡°Michael, do you get it now? All dark mages are like this. They deserve no sympathy.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Michael slowly nodded.
¡°Then step back. There¡¯s still a lot of information we can squeeze out of these scum.¡±
As soon as Damien finished speaking, Michael retreated further away.
He understood how terrible dark mages were. But Michael was worried.
The smile that crept onto Damien¡¯s lips while torturing the dark mages wouldn¡¯t leave Michael¡¯s mind.
***
¡°Sir Damien, what on earth¡ are you talking about?¡±
After returning to Walnut Castle, Damien told Oliver the truth.
¡°You mean my uncle joined hands with the dark mages¡ and nned to drive us into a corner by making the expedition fail¡?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not all. All the incidents that he has solved so far were actually self-directed ys by these dark mages.¡±
Oliver staggered at the sudden truth.
¡°W, why¡ why on earth would he do that? Why¡?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you know the answer, Your Highness?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Oliver hardened his expression.
¡°It¡¯s for the throne¡ isn¡¯t it?¡±
Oliver took a deep breath. It seemed that he still couldn¡¯t ept the truth.
¡°Sir Damien, what should I do?¡±
¡°There is only one thing you can do, Your Highness. Expose the truth and expose that traitor in front of the king.¡±
Oliver¡¯s eyes shook at those words.
Oliver respected his uncle. He admired his charisma and outstanding abilities.
He couldn¡¯t help but hesitate at the thought of having to deal with his family and expose his own uncle¡¯s with his own hands.
¡°Your Highness,e to your senses. Now is not the time to be conflicted.¡±
Damien urged Oliver.
¡°Alexander Apple is a royal who has joined hands with the dark mages. Not only that, he deliberately caused chaos in the kingdom in order to grow his own power. On top of that, he tried to harm you.¡±
Damien was right. Alexander had crossed the line a long time ago.
It was foolish, to show mercy to such a man.
¡°¡¡Sir Damien is right. Alexander Apple is nothing but a traitor who caused chaos in the kingdom.¡±
Oliver looked back at the dark mages. The dark mages were out of their minds due to the long torture.
¡°I will take them and expose the whole truth.¡±
Damien smiled with satisfaction at the decisive answer.
¡°Thank you for making a wise decision. However, we cannot bring down Alexander just like this.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that Alexander will deny his rtionship with the dark mages and im that we framed him?¡±
Oliver could only nod at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°We need more solid evidence or witnesses cut off his breath.¡±
¡°What should we do?¡±
¡°I happen to have a good n.¡±
Damien took something out of his pocket. It was a parchment paper that was old and stained.
¡°This is a magical tool that the dark mages used tomunicate with each other. I figured out how to use it after interrogating them.¡±
Damien whispered something in Oliver¡¯s ear.
Oliverughed out loud after hearing the whole story.
¡°That sounds interesting. I¡¯ll do as Sir Damien says.¡±
***
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Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Chapter 98: Evidence (2)
***
Alexander Apple was in his room, listening to the news about the expedition.
A smile never left his lips as he only heard good news.
¡°Leona, is it true that the expedition is failing too badly?¡±
¡°Yes, I received the news from my sisters this morning.¡±
¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s good news.¡±
Leona had amunication tool that only worked with dark magic. Through that tool, he was able to constantly hear the news.
ording to the dark mages, the current situation of the expedition was truly a failure.
They charged in thinking there were only orcs, but there were many casualties from the orc warriors.
Thanks to the poison spread in the castle, the knights¡¯ stamina and morale were greatly reduced.
They even recklessly rushed into the forest and were massacred by the ogres.
¡°When do you think that idiot Oliver will give up the expedition?¡±
¡°ording to my sisters, it won¡¯t be long. They say it will be within 3 days at the most.¡±
¡°Good. Very good.¡±
Leona¡¯s prediction was urate. 3 dayster, news came that a messenger had arrived at the capital.
The crown prince apologizes. The resistance of the orc group is too strong, and the knights are suffering heavy casualties due to unknown factors¡¡.
The letter contained a long and detailed exnation of his defense, but in short, it meant that the expedition had failed.
¡°Hahaha, hahaha!¡±
Alexander was overjoyed when he heard the news. It was the first time he hadughed this long in his life.
¡°That idiot! He was too greedy and ended up failing!¡±
¡°Your Majesty, congrattions. You will finally achieve your wish.¡±
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you and your sisters! I will never forget this favor!¡±
Alexander Apple prepared to leave for the castle.
He nned to go to the castle as soon as possible to criticize Oliver¡¯s failure and kick him out of the crown prince position.
¡°Are you going with me?¡±
¡°My sisters are on their way back¡¡ I should go to them first.¡±
¡°Thene to the castle after you meet up with your sisters! I¡¯ll be waiting!¡±
Leona left the room before Alexander.
Leona headed to the ce her sisters had mentioned in themunication tool.
As she got closer to the ce, Leona¡¯s heart swelled with happiness.
Leona had spent a long time with Noctis and Marina. They were friends who shared both joy and sorrow.
Since she had been separated from her sisters for a long time, she nned to spend time with them this time when they reunited.
However, when she arrived at the meeting point, it was not her sisters who were waiting for her.
¡°You arrived just in time.¡±
Damien Haksen.
Leona¡¯s mind was confused by the sudden appearance of the uninvited guest.
***
¡°You¡¯ve set a trap.¡±
¡°You¡¯re smarter than I thought. And quiteposed as well. I thought it would take longer for you toe up with an answer.¡±
Leona took a deep breath. She was still shaken, but she couldn¡¯t show any weakness in front of the enemy. She pretended to be as calm as possible.
¡°Surely all themunications that have been sent to my sisters until now have been fake?¡±
¡°You¡¯re clever.¡±
Leona felt a sense of dizziness at his words. It meant that they had been ying in the palm of the enemy¡¯s hand from the very beginning.
¡°When did you know about our existence?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve known for quite a while.¡±
Damien spoke curtly. He didn¡¯t seem like he was going to borate, so Leona didn¡¯t ask any further.
¡°Where are my sisters?¡±
¡°Do you want them back? Then you¡¯ll have to answer my questions.¡±
She bit her lip quietly. She had always been the one doing the threatening. This was the first time she had been threatened herself.
¡°Ask me anything. But you have to guarantee the safety of my sisters.¡±
¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±
Damien said out of nowhere. Leona tilted her head.
¡°Just seeing human scum like you dark mages worrying about your family makes me want to vomit.¡±
Leona didn¡¯t react at all to Damien¡¯s insults. In order to survive as a dark mage, she had to be indifferent to this level of humiliation.
¡°What was your reason for approaching Alexander Apple?¡±
¡°It was to establish a foothold. So that my sisters and I could be safe¡¡±
¡°A foothold? You were nning to create a foothold for Pandemonium in the Apple Kingdom?¡±
Leona sighed inwardly at Damien¡¯s words. She had thought that her sisters might have been interrogated, but she didn¡¯t know they would have told him that much.
¡°¡Yes, I joined hands with Alexander in order to create a foothold for Pandemonium.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡±
Damien said curtly.
¡°Pandemonium was organized to overthrow the Empire. While there have been cases of Pandemonium-affiliated dark mages appearing in other kingdoms, they have never created a foothold.¡±
Leona doubted her ears at his words.
¡°How do you¡ ?¡±
¡°Furthermore, Pandemonium-affiliated dark mages always carry a mark on them in a visible ce. But I don¡¯t see any mark on you.¡±
Leona felt a sense of eeriness. Pandemonium was a very secretive organization. That¡¯s why, ironically, it was the most famous and yet the least-known organization.
But the man in front of her knew too much about Pandemonium.
¡°Shall I tell you my deduction? You¡¯re not a member of Pandemonium. You¡¯re just a candidate.¡±
That was also urate. Leona¡¯s sense of eeriness grew even stronger.
¡°In order to be a member of Pandemonium, you have tomit a certain level of evil. You must have nned this whole thing in order to join Pandemonium.¡±
¡°¡How do you know so much about Pandemonium?¡±
¡°I¡¯m the only one who asks questions here.¡±
Damien said firmly. Leona had no choice but to shut her mouth.
¡°When did you first join hands with Alexander Apple?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s been about 5 years.¡±
¡°What methods did you use to help Alexander Apple?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t do anything great. It was just a matter of Alexander dealing with the incidents we caused.¡±
¡°By repeating that, you raised Alexander¡¯s power and influence.¡±
Damien nodded as if he had expected this.
¡°Why did you interfere with Oliver¡¯s expedition?¡±
¡°Alexander Apple wanted the throne. He nned to use Oliver Apple¡¯s failure in the expedition as an excuse to kick him out of the crown prince position.¡±
Leona answered obediently. She knew that her sisters would have already told him everything. There was no point in trying to hide it.
¡°I think I¡¯ve answered enough questions. Now please release my sisters.¡±
¡°Thank you for your cooperation. However, I cannot grant that request.¡±
Leona sighed deeply. She didn¡¯t believe Damien¡¯s words either.
The reason she answered his questions was to gather information of her own. While answering, Leona secretly spread her dark magic to check if there was anyone else around.
As a result, she found out that Damien was alone.
¡°With this much evidence, then I can definitely make Alexander Apple fall.¡±
¡°Really? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±
Leona released her dark magic. Countless magic circles appeared at her feet.
¡°You don¡¯t care about your sisters¡¯ lives, do you?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that I can save them by following you. In that case, it¡¯s better for me to kill you here and use my own abilities to save them.¡±
Leona belonged to the Berserk Sect, which possessed the greatest destructive power among dark magic. With a single gesture, she could turn the man in front of her into pulp.
¡°It¡¯s a shame to kill you so easily, but¡ the situation is urgent, so I can¡¯t help it.¡±
Leona snapped her fingers. The magic circles on the floor began to glow.
That¡¯s when it happened.
A sh of light from the sky descended and a sword de flew down, embedding itself in the magic circle.
The ground shattered with a roar, and the magic circle disappeared in the wind.
¡°Ack!¡±
Leona screamed involuntarily. Immediately after, someonended on the spot where the sword was embedded.
The moment she saw the man¡¯s face, Leona cried out in shock.
¡°Liam Bluegreen!¡±
***
After defeating all the orcs, Damien did not return immediately.
He used the dark mage¡¯smunication tool to spread false information and buy himself time.
His goal was to corner Alexander and the dark mage.
¡°You must tell Sir Liam Bluegreen first.¡±
¡°Trust me. I will surely persuade Lord Liam.¡±
And when the time came, he sent Oliver Apple to Liam Bluegreen.
¡°¡Why are you here, when you should be fighting the expedition?¡±
At first, Liam did not wee his visit.
He was Alexander¡¯s man, even if he was a crown prince. Such a visit could lead to misunderstandings.
However, his expression gradually changed as he listened to the truth that Oliver spoke.
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Why would His Majesty Alexander do such a thing!¡±
Of course, Liam Bluegreen didn¡¯t believe Oliver at first.
Liam Bluegreen didn¡¯t think highly of Oliver in the first ce. He thought he was a hopeless good-for-nothing and had given up all hope.
He was only worried about the future of the Apple Kingdom, so he thought that it was okay to deviate from the procedures a little bit.
That¡¯s why he had visited Alexander in the first ce.
He had judged that Alexander Apple would be a great king to seed the king. He thought that he could contribute to the further development of the Apple Kingdom.
So it was unbelievable to him that Alexander had joined hands with the dark mages and caused all sorts of incidents.
¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t believe me, so I brought evidence.¡±
Oliver brought the two dark mages he had captured this time.
Liam¡¯s face hardened at the dark magic he felt from the two men.
¡°¡Are you saying that these two were with the orcs?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Sir Michael and the other knights.¡±
A conflict appeared on Liam Bluegreen¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t decide what to judge.
Oliver told him thest words he heard from Damien.
¡°If you still haven¡¯t made a decision, pleasee here. Then you will ept the truth.¡±
Oliver told Liam Bluegreen the location of Damien.
When Liam arrived, Damien was in the middle of questioning Leona.
¡°When did you start working with Alexander Apple?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s been about 5 years.¡±
¡°How did you help Alexander Apple all this time?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t do anything great. It was just a matter of Alexander Apple dealing with the incidents we caused.¡±
¡°By repeating that, you raised Alexander Apple¡¯s power and influence.¡±
Liam felt dizzy as he listened to the conversation between the two.
¡°It¡¯s a pity to kill you so easily, but¡ the situation is urgent, so I can¡¯t help it.¡±
But the situation was not good enough to just stand by and watch. Liam hurriedly threw his sword at the magic circle.
The ground was shattered by the sword filled with mana. The magic circle was obliterated and the manifestation of dark magic was canceled.
Liamnded where the sword was stuck. He pulled out the sword and looked back at Damien.
¡°Did you send the crown prince to show me this?¡±
¡°Yes. It was quite interesting, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
Liam made aplicated expression at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Let¡¯s catch the dark mage and talk first.¡±
Saying so, Liam looked back at the dark mage. The dark mage¡¯s face distorted.
¡°You¡¯re going to catch me? Do you think it¡¯s going to be that easy?¡±
She released arge amount of dark mana. At that moment, Liam¡¯s body disappeared and appeared in front of her.
¡°Aaack!¡±
And he grabbed her chin. He dislocated his jaw so that he couldn¡¯t cast a spell. Hepletely crushed both hands so that she couldn¡¯t make any sealsl.
¡°Ahhhhh! Uhaaaa!¡±
he fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Liam grabbed the back of her neck and knocked her out immediately.
¡°¡What¡¯s the next n?¡±
Liam turned to Damien and asked. Damien answered with a nod.
¡°I n to go to the royal pce and confront Alexander with his crimes.¡±
***
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Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Chapter 99: Evidence (3)
***
¡°Your Majesty! We cannot let this matter go unpunished!¡±
Alexander, upon arriving at the royal pce, headed to the audience chamber with nobles of the same faction.
¡°How much money have we wasted due to the failure of the expedition, and how many knights have been sacrificed?!¡±
The king listened to Alexander¡¯s words without saying a word. His face was filled with sorrow.
¡°Even if he is the crown prince, we cannot just let this go!¡±
¡°I understand. Once that child returns, I will punish him severely¡¡.¡±
¡°That is not enough.¡±
Alexander said in a firm tone.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it time for Your Majesty to admit it? Oliver, that child is not fit to be the crown prince.¡±
The king¡¯s eyes widened. However, Alexander did not stop talking.
¡°You must think calmly. Think about whether he will be able to lead the country when he inherits the throne in the distant future.¡±
The king looked around at the nobles Alexander had brought with him. The nobles all kept their mouths shut.
It was a sign that they tacitly agreed with Alexander¡¯s words.
¡°Your Majesty, you must make a decision!¡±
Alexander shouted again. The king took a deep breath.
After contemting for a long time, the king opened his mouth.
¡°¡¡You¡¯re right. Oliver is not qualified to inherit the throne.¡±
When those words came out of the king¡¯s mouth, joy rose in Alexander¡¯s eyes.
¡°I will strip that child from the position of crown prince¡¡.¡±
That was when it happened.
¡°Your Majesty! Please wait a moment!¡±
The door of the audience chamber burst open and a group of people entered.
Alexander, seeing them, frowned and shouted.
¡°Oliver? How are you here?¡±
¡°Uncle, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±
Alexander could not help but be taken aback by Oliver¡¯s greeting.
The nephew, who had always been timid in front of him, had suddenly changed.
His confident attitude was subtly irritating.
¡°You have the audacity to be so confident after failing the expedition!¡±
Alexander could not contain his displeasure. No, to be more precise, he did not need to contain it.
¡°You¡¯d better be prepared this time! His Majesty has also promised to ask you about the responsibility for this failure¡¡.¡±
¡°The expedition was a sess.¡±
Oliver said in a calm tone. At those words, not only Alexander but also the king had a surprised expression.
¡°What? Did you seed? Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t you send a report saying that you had failed?¡±
¡°There were extenuating circumstances.¡±
Just then, Damien, who had been watching the situation from behind, stepped forward and overturned arge bag in front of the king and Alexander.
Thick fangs poured out. The king was shocked by the enormous size.
¡°W, what is this?!¡±
¡°These are the fangs of the orcs and ogres we killed in this expedition.¡±
Damien said, throwing the empty bag behind him.
¡°As you can see, they are all fangs. One pair for each one. Can you get a sense of how many orcs and ogres we killed?¡±
The king stared at the fangs with his eyes wide open. The other nobles were the same.
¡°Then¡¡ why did you report falsely that you had failed?¡±
The king asked with a face that said he did not understand. Oliver raised his voice and answered.
¡°It was to find evidence to use the one who has been causing chaos within the kingdom and the royal family.¡±
¡°Causing chaos? Who on earth is he?¡±
Oliver pointed to Alexander.
¡°It¡¯s you, Uncle.¡±
At that moment, Alexander¡¯s expression twisted, but he tried to suppress it and spoke in a calm tone.
¡°Oliver, what are you talking about? Why am I the criminal? You know how much I have dedicated myself to the country.¡±
Oliver gestured. The knights threw three women tied with ropes to the ground.
The moment he saw their faces, Alexander¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°You conspired with the dark mages to cause various incidents in the kingdom. You used the pretext of subjugating them to increase your power and influence.¡±
Alexander¡¯s eyes darted around. He soon shouted as if he was wronged.
¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s a frame-up! I don¡¯t know who they are!¡±
The king had a confused look on his face. He was already confused by the fact that the expedition, which he thought had failed, was actually a sess. Now, he was being told that Alexander had conspired with the dark mages.
Alexander was a reliable brother. The king could hardly believe Oliver¡¯s words.
¡°Your Majesty! Oliver is making up ridiculous lies to avoid responsibility for the failed expedition. You must arrest him immediately and uphold the dignity of the royal family!¡±
¡°Crown prince¡¯s words are correct.¡±
Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the back of Oliver. Alexander, who saw that, muttered with a nk face.
¡°¡¡Sir Liam?¡±
Liam Bluegreen spoke in a quiet tone.
¡°Before being captured, this dark mage confessed to having a rtionship with Alexander.¡±
Liam said, pointing to one of the dark mages.
¡°S-Sir Liam! What are you talking about? I, I¡¯m innocent!¡±
¡°Your Grace, there¡¯s no point in hiding it any longer. I already heard everything with my own ears.¡±
It would be one thing if only Oliver had imed it, but Liam had also joined in.
Liam Bluegreen was one of the few high-ss nobles in the Apple Kingdom and a knight who was dedicated to the royal family.
When such a person supported Oliver, the bnce of power tipped to one side.
¡°¡¡Soldiers, listen up. Arrest Alexander Apple immediately.¡±
The king gave the order to the soldiers. The soldiers around him began to surround Alexander.
¡°Your Majesty, no, brother! You¡¯re making a mistake! You¡¯re believing the words of those fools instead of me!¡±
Alexander desperately protested. However, no one listened to him.
Alexander gnashed his teeth and looked around. Seeing him, Liam Bluegreen said.
¡°Your Grace, if you¡¯re thinking of calling the Knights, plz don¡¯t. I¡¯ll personally subdue him.¡±
Liam said in a calm tone. Alexander shouted with a face of great shock.
¡°Sir Liam, why are you doing this? Didn¡¯t you say you would support me!¡±
¡°Yes, I did. I sincerely thought that Your Grace was the one who should be responsible for the future of the kingdom.¡±
¡°Then why¡¡!¡±
¡°However, I cannot support someone who has allied with the dark mages to be king.¡±
At that argument, Alexander had no choice but to shut his mouth.
¡°Your Grace, please ept your arrest. It is for your own honor.¡±
Alexander gnashed his teeth and looked around. No one was on his side.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s all over.¡±
Alexander sighed and said.
¡°Are you admitting your guilt?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like anything will change even if I don¡¯t admit it. Yes, it¡¯s all true.¡±
At those words, the king staggered.
¡°Why¡¡ why did you do such a thing!¡±
¡°Brother, why are you pretending not to know? You¡¯re the one who started it all.¡±
Alexander curled one side of his lips.
¡°Think back to when we were young. His Majesty the previous king said that he would choose the better one of us to be the crown prince. So I worked hard.¡±
Alexander continued.
¡°Compared to me, who was already recognized as a knight, what were you doing, brother? You were just flipping through books in the royal pce. Anyone could see that I should have been the one to ascend to the throne, not you. But Father appointed you as the crown prince.¡±
Alexander¡¯s voice grew louder and louder.
¡°Even so, I decided to ept Father¡¯s decision! I endured it! But my patience ran out when that foolish child¡¡ Oliver was born!¡±
Alexander¡¯s gaze turned to Oliver.
¡°You good-for-nothing who only got the crown prince position because you were the only child! You wasted your time doing nothing but fooling around! But you, brother, kept that fool in the position of crown prince!¡±
Oliver bit his lip. It was shocking to hear his uncle¡¯s true feelings for the first time.
¡°Can you imagine how I felt when I saw that brat? I felt likeva was boiling inside me!¡±
¡°¡¡So you joined hands with the dark mages?¡±
¡°Yes! I used their power to grow my forces! I gathered the forces that supported me! Everything¡¡ everything was going smoothly!¡±
Alexander looked back at Damien.
¡°You! You ruined everything! You¡¯re the one to me for everything!¡±
¡°Then do it better.¡±
Damien said, sounding annoyed. Alexander¡¯s expression became nk at those words.
¡°What, what did you say?¡±
¡°I mean, you should have nned more thoroughly. Why are you taking your anger out on me when you failed? I see why the previous king didn¡¯t make you the crown prince.¡±
As Damien continued to speak, Alexander¡¯s eyes turned red.
¡°¡¡Be careful with your words. Do you not know who you are facing right now?¡±
¡°I¡¯m facing a criminal whomitted treason. You¡¯re the one who will soon be in prison waiting for the day of your execution. Don¡¯t talk too much.¡±
At that moment, Alexander¡¯s anger reached its peak. He stretched out his hand into the air and shouted.
¡°Come, my friend, I need you!¡±
A sword pierced through the wall andnded in Alexander¡¯s hand. It was none other than the relic sword, Thronwood.
¡°Your Majesty, are you nning to resist?¡±
Liam asked with a sharp gaze.
¡°Liam, have you forgotten? I¡¯m a high-ss now too.¡±
¡°Not all high sses are the same.¡±
The higher the level, the greater the gap between them.
The distance between the two ends of the middle ss was longer than that between the two ends of the low ss. Likewise, the distance between the two ends of the high ss was much longer.
Liam had ascended to high-ss a long time ago. Since then, he has devoted himself to training and bing even stronger.
He was on a different level from Alexander, who had raised his level by borrowing the power of the relic sword.
¡°Is that really so?¡±
Alexander was rxed, even though he couldn¡¯t have known that.
¡°You fool. This is not the time to be sleeping. Wake up quickly.¡±
Then he suddenly made a strange sound.
¡°Can¡¯t you hear me? I need your power. If you don¡¯t wake up now, we¡¯ll both die.¡±
Liam made a puzzled expression. It was a sound that was out of context no matter how he looked at it.
¡°Who are you talking to now¡¡.¡±
That was when it happened.
A mouth appeared on the cross guard of the Thronwood sword that Alexander was holding.
¡°Huh, huh!¡±
¡°W, what is that!¡±
Everyone was startled and took a step back. Liam also had a surprised expression on his face.
¨C You idiot, what did I say? I said I wouldn¡¯t wake up until the sun goes down.
¡°You asshole. Does this look like a time to be sleeping?¡±
¨C Kehek, you¡¯re making a fuss over nothing.
The sword was talking. Moreover, Alexander and the sword were having a conversation.
Everyone could not help but be confused by the strange sight.
However, there was one exception.
¡®So it wasn¡¯t a relic sword after all.¡¯
Damien quickly saw through the identity of the talking sword.
The eerie he had felt before was not a mistake. That was not a relic sword.
¡®It was a Demonic sword.¡¯
The cursed object called the Demon¡¯s Fragment was right before his eyes.
***
[TL/N- Cursed sword¡ª> Demonic sword]
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 100
Chapter 100
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 100: Thronwood (1)
***
In this world, there existed a number of weapons with special abilities.
The most representative of these were the holy swords created by the Church.
Imbued with divine power, holy swords were capable of protecting their users and possessed excellent power in defeating evil.
The next most famous were the relic swords discovered in ruins.
Crafted with ancient technology, relic swords each possessed extensive and destructive abilities. So much so that they were ssified as weapons of war.
However, there was a weapon even more famous than holy swords and relic swords.
That was the Demonic sword.
Demonic swords possessed the strongest power among all the weapons that existed in this world.
Even an ordinary soldier could kill a knight with a demonic sword in their hand, and a knight could leap several levels in rank if they wielded a demonic sword.
However, there was a fatal problem with demonic swords. That was the fact that they harbored a curse.
The curse had a fatal effect on the user.
At first, the users of demonic swords would resist, but eventually, they would be intoxicated by its power and, without a single exception, they would go mad andmit terrible crimes.
Therefore, demonic swords were designated as prohibited items, and they were usually destroyed as soon as they were discovered.
¨C Kehehehe, it feels good to be in front of people for once.
The demonic sword ¡®Thornwood¡¯ let out a strangeugh.
Unlike the demonic sword ¡®Erebos¡¯ that Damien possessed, ¡®Thornwood¡¯ was very talkative and had a high intelligence.
Originally, demonic swords were objects created by the demons of hell to exert their influence on the ground.
That was why they all had a clear sense of self and were able tomunicate.
It was strange that ¡®Erebos¡¯, who got restored to 70 percent in the past, did not show even a shred of self-awareness.
¨C So, partner! What are you going to do? Are you going to run away?
¡°Run away? You¡¯re talking nonsense. Then I¡¯ll have to give up everything I¡¯ve aplished?¡±
¨C Kehehehe, then what are you going to do? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking what I¡¯m thinking?
¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to kill them all. Everyst one of them.¡±
At those words, the demonic swordughed out loud. The unpleasantughter echoed in all directions.
¨C That¡¯s why I like you, partner! You¡¯re a bit of an idiot sometimes, but that¡¯s what I like about you!
Liam pointed his sword at Alexander.
¡°Your Grace, do you intend to resist?¡±
¡°If I don¡¯t resist? Do you think I¡¯ll be able to live?¡±
¡°You will be able to save your life.¡±
¡°You think I¡¯m an idiot. I¡¯m involved with the dark mages. Even if my brother spares my life, the Church won¡¯t let me be.¡±
Alexander had already made up his mind.
¡°In that case, I¡¯ll kill everyone here. I¡¯ll erase the truthpletely. And I¡¯ll take the throne.¡±
At those words, Liam said in disbelief.
¡°You¡¯re not in your right mind.¡±
The two men stared at each other. A tense tension flowed between them.
¨C Kehehehe, a high-ss knight is just this much.
At that moment, the demonic sword ¡®Thornwood¡¯ spoke derisively.
¨C Partner, what are you doing? Show them my power!
Alexander sprang forward. He swung his sword at Liam.
Liam also swung his sword. The swords of the two men shed several times in the air.
Each time the weapons collided, a shockwave and air burst out. Everyone in the court screamed.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Eek!¡±
Damien watched the battle between the two men quietly.
Surprisingly, Alexander was able to withstand all of Liam¡¯s attacks.
A person who had just reached high-ss was evenly matched against a middle-ss high-ss?
It was originally impossible.
¡®As expected of a demonic sword. It¡¯s not being wielded by its master, but rather it¡¯s wielding its master.¡¯
Damien immediately grasped the rtionship between Alexander and the demonic sword.
The demonic sword was using mana to move Alexander¡¯s body.
¡°That¡¯s how he was able to reach the high-ss rank.¡±
Alexander had not reached the high-ss on his own strength. He had reached the high-ss by epting the power of the demonic sword. In other words, he was mistaken in thinking that someone else¡¯s power was his own.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
In the middle of the battle, Liam Bluegreen shouted.
¡°Take His Majesty and His Highness and evacuate! It¡¯s dangerous to stay here!¡±
Damien nodded.
A high-ss battle was taking ce right next to them. It was too dangerous to stay here.
¡°Let¡¯s all go.¡±
Damien led the people in the court to evacuate. He also issued an evacuation order to everyone in the building.
¡°Think a volcano is about to erupt and run away as far as possible!¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the people hurried their steps. It was when the royal pce looked small.
An explosion erupted.
The people screamed and turned around. The top of the royal pce waspletely blown away.
In the midst of the wreckage, two people were staring at each other.
¨C Keheck! Kehehehe! It¡¯s been a long time since I stretched my legs, so this is fun! I¡¯m really enjoying myself!
Theughter of the demonic sword resounded loudly.
Damien watched the scene and said.
¡°Your Highness Oliver, please lead the people to a safe ce.¡±
Oliver made a bewildered expression at the sudden words.
¡°Yes? What are you going to do, Sir Damien?¡±
¡°I need to help Sir Liam.¡±
¡°Sir Liam will be fine. He has never been defeated once!¡±
Oliver said with a proud face.
Damien stared at the two people for a moment and said.
¡°Today will be the first day he is defeated.¡±
Damien could see it. The dark magic power that the demonic sword was emitting was increasing in real-time.
The amount of dark mana power had already surpassed the high-ss level. Even Damien couldn¡¯t get a sense of how strong it would be.
¡°Ha, but¡¡ if Sir Liam is defeated¡¡ isn¡¯t you also in danger too!¡±
Oliver said with a worried face. Damien said nonchntly.
¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy enough to fight a demonic sword?¡±
¡°I n to help Sir Liam depending on the situation and run away.¡±
Oliver thought for a moment and nodded.
¡°¡¡You muste back.¡±
At those words, Damien smiled and said.
¡°It¡¯s 100 years too early to be worried about me.¡±
Damien said to Veronica.
¡°Veronica, follow me. I need your help.¡±
¡°Huh? Why me?¡±
She said with a bewildered face. Michael, who was next to her, hurriedly said.
¡°Brother Damien! I¡¯ll go instead of that woman!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Make him go with you! Why are you trying to make me go? It¡¯s annoying!¡±
¡°Michael, shouldn¡¯t you be protecting His Majesty and Her Highness?¡±
¡°That, that woman can do it too¡¡.¡±
In the middle of speaking, Michael¡¯s face became serious.
¡°¡¡I see. I understand. I will protect His Majesty and His Highness.¡±
Michael led the people away. Veronica tried to follow them.
¡°I told you to follow me.¡±
Damien grabbed her by the neck.
Veronica sighed deeply.
¡°Sigh, I should have run away sooner.¡±
***
Liam Bluegreen looked down at his sword. It was not an ordinary sword, but a famous sword that had been passed down in the Bluegreen family for generations.
As such, it is made up of arge amount of rare metal. It was so strong that it had never been dulled even after being used by generations of ancestors.
But now, the famous sword was nicked and chipped here and there.
¨C Kekekeht, you shouldn¡¯te at me with such a trash sword! You know how strong is my body!
The demonic sword held in Alexander¡¯s hand shouted in delight. Unlike Liam¡¯s sword, the demonic sword ¡®Thornwood¡¯ was in perfect condition. It looked like it had just been forged.
¡®I can¡¯t fight him head-on anymore.¡¯
Thornwood pierced the sword through the aura. If they shed a few more times, there was a high chance that the sword would be shattered.
¡°Your Majesty, I will fight you seriously from now on.¡±
¡°How kind of you. To even give me a warning.¡±
Alexander said with a mocking tone.
¡°Sir Liam, you seem to have forgotten. You also learned swordsmanship from the Bluegreen Marquisate. I already know what kind of swordsmanship you will use.¡±
The Bluegreen Marquisate was a family that used the Flying Sword.
Flying swords were sword techniques that released auras to attack. Its consumption of mana was very high, but it was also an unorthodox way of fighting.
Therefore, this battle could not but be advantageous to Alexander.
¡°No, Your Majesty knows nothing.¡±
However, Liam denied Alexander¡¯s words.
¡°Do you know why the knight¡¯s realm is divided into four? It¡¯s because the things you can use are different depending on your realm.¡±
Low-ss is limited to manifesting aura.
Middle-ss can freely use aura.
And high-ss is¡
¡°I will show you, Your Majesty. The essence of my family¡¯s swordsmanship.¡±
Liam poured mana into his sword. A white crescent-shaped aura spread wide.
¨C You idiot, be prepared.
The voice of the demonic sword became serious. The technique that Liam was preparing was not ordinary.
¡°Your Majesty, please be careful.¡±
Liam swung his sword. Countless crescent-shaped auras rained down.
¡°This is crazy¡¡±
Alexander swung his demonic sword without even having time to be surprised. His body was pushed back every time he released the aura.
-Hey! I told you to put more strength into it! Why are you so weak?
The demonic sword shouted nervously. Alexander gritted his teeth and endured.
Just then, Liam Bluegreen appeared behind Alexander.
¡°Liam¡!¡±
Before Alexander could react, Liam brought down his sword.
A huge sh fell from the sky. The sh cut Alexander from his head to his groin.
¡°Kuaaaak!¡±
Alexander screamed and fell to his knees. He lowered his head and dropped the demonic sword.
¡°Hoo¡¡±
Liam took a deep breath. It took a lot of mana to use the Flying Sword.
No matter how high-ss he was, he couldn¡¯t help but get tired.
¡°¡Your Grace, I sincerely believe in you in past.¡±
Liam had given up on the crown prince early on. He had judged that his debauchery would never be cured. That¡¯s why he supported Alexander.
¡°I regret that I have to execute you with my own hands.¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±
A voice came from Alexander¡¯s mouth. Liam was startled and looked at him.
¡°¡Your Grace?¡±
¡°It really hurts like hell. Is it always this painful to be cut by aura?¡±
Alexander stood up. Even though his body had been cut by the aura, Alexander was unharmed.
Liam looked at Alexander with an incredulous face.
¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing? That¡¯s the power of this sword. It grants the owner the same level of hardness as the demonic sword.¡±
¨C Who¡¯s the master here? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s using you.
The demonic sword Thornwood protested in an irritated voice. Alexander lightly ignored the sword¡¯s protest.
¡°Sir Liam has shown a splendid performance, so I can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.¡±
Alexander held the demonic sword in reverse. He pointed the tip of the sword towards the ground.
¡°Watch carefully with your own eyes the power of the demonic sword.¡±
Alexander thrust the sword down with all his might. At that moment, countless thorns sprouted.
The thorns tried to pierce through Liam. They were so fast that it was difficult to react.
Liam reflexively tried to cut down the thorns.
However, he couldn¡¯t cut through the dark thorns. They shattered as soon as they collided.
With no time to spare, the thorns pierced through Liam¡¯s body.
***
What just happened?
Liam looked down at his body. Thick branches, like spear shafts, were piercing through him.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Blood welled up from a critical wound. He could feel his life force draining away in real-time.
¡°This is the power of the demonic sword.¡±
Alexander said with a triumphant grin.
¡°It sprouts thorns at an incredible speed. Not only are they fast, but they¡¯re also destructive. Powerful enough to shatter even a high-ss knight¡¯s aura.¡±
Liam coughed up blood repeatedly. He couldn¡¯t even speak a single word.
¡°I¡¯d like to chat a little longer, but there are more people I need to kill.¡±
Alexander said and gestured.
At thatmand, the surrounding thorns twisted and aimed at Liam.
¡°Then close your eyes.¡±
The thorns lunged towards Liam. He calmly closed his eyes.
Just then¡
Two figures plummeted from the sky. One of them lodged his sword into the ground just before hitting the earth.
The impact cracked the ground, and the thorns disintegrated into dust.
Thanks to that, Liam was freed from the thorns.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡± Alexander shouted with a voice filled with excitement.
¡°I was going to kill you next anyway! I¡¯m so d you showed up so quickly!¡±
Damien wasn¡¯t looking at Alexander. He was assessing Liam¡¯s condition.
¡°His injuries are severe. He needs immediate treatment. Veronica, take Sir Liam and get him out of here¡¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
Before Damien even finished speaking, Veronica scooped up Liam and bolted out of the building.
Damien stared after her in disbelief. He hadn¡¯t known Veronica could move that fast.
¡°No, wait¡¡±
The only reason he brought Veronica Sanchez instead of Michael was to give orders like this. Michael, with his unwavering loyalty, wouldn¡¯t abandon Damien, no matter what.
He thought Veronica would readily follow orders, but he never expected her to leave him so readily.
Just as Damien was vowing not to give that woman any important tasks,
¡°Buying time?¡± Alexander¡¯s voice called out. Damien turned to his side.
¡°A middle-ss knight trying to stop a high-ss one? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard such nonsense in my entire life.¡±
-Yeah, right. I¡¯ve never seen a more idiotic person than you either.
Alexander regripped the demonic sword.
¡°I¡¯ll show you just how big of a delusion that is. First, I¡¯ll pierce your limbs with thorns¡¡±
¡°Looks like we can see everything from here.¡±
Suddenly, Damien opened his mouth.
Confused by the unexpectedment, Alexander narrowed his eyes.
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°You¡¯re already pierced through. Multiple high ces. If I fight and kill you here, everyone will hear it.¡±
Alexander couldn¡¯t believe his ears.
¡°Kill? You think you can kill me?¡±
¡°Congrattions, it appears your hearing is already failing, adding to your impressive list of shorings.¡±
A vein bulged on Alexander¡¯s forehead. He growled through gritted teeth.
¡°You really want to die, so you¡¯re talking nonsense¡ Alright, I¡¯ll grant your wish!¡±
Just as Alexander was about to charge, Damien yelled loudly.
¡°What!? You¡¯re going to use dark magic to stop me from escaping!?¡±
Thepletely out-of-the-blue statement forced Alexander to stop in his tracks.
¡°Wh-what are you talking about?¡±
¡°You cowardly bastard! Trying to trap me with dark magic!¡±
Damien shouted again. His voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire pce.
¡°Damn it! Do you think I¡¯ll be scared of that? Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±
¡°No, what are you even talking about all of a sudden¡¡±
Damien unsped a bracelet on his wrist. Dark magic immediately spread out in all directions.
Witnessing this, both Alexander and the demonic sword yelled in shock.
¡°Dark mana¡?¡±
¨C What the heck! How do you have dark magic?
Damien used the dark mana to use a spell. He immediately unleashed the dark mana.
A dark curtain enveloped the entire building,pletely obscuring the two figures from view.
¡°Now I can finally fight without restraint.¡±
Damien cracked his neck from side to side, his demeanorpletely rxed.
¡°Then, let¡¯s clean up the trash.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 101
Chapter 101
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 101: Thronwood (2)
***
Alexander snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.
¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe how I feel right now.¡±
¨C Kehehehe, let me guess. Do you feel like shit because you got punked by a snot-nosed kid?
¡°That¡¯s about right. I mean, I¡¯m a high-ss, and I got killed by a middle-ss¡trash¡¡±
Alexander rubbed the back of his neck. His neck seemed to be throbbing with anger.
¡°I¡¯m curious how you can use dark magic, but¡ I don¡¯t think this is the time to ask. Yeah. There¡¯s something else I need to do right now.¡±
Alexander raised his demonic sword and pointed the tip at Damien.
¡°I¡¯ll make you, you insolent brat, realize what a high-ss is.¡±
¡°High-ss?¡±
A smirk appeared on Damien¡¯s lips.
¡°You¡¯re strutting around like some pompous peacock just because you¡¯ve got your grubby mitts on the power of the demonic sword.¡±
Alexander¡¯s strength was not his own.
¡°And here you are, fumbling about with that sword like a clueless child clutching a toy. You haven¡¯t the faintest idea how to wield its power and even if you did, you¡¯d likely just end up tripping over your own ipetence.¡±
Damien could see it all.
The fact that Alexander was just putting on a show as a high-ss.
¡°And that¡¯s precisely why Sir Liam kept wiping the floor with you. You¡¯re nothing but a low-ss imposter pretending to be something you¡¯re not. You keep calling yourself a high-ss but in reality, you just cluelessly iling about with borrowed power you can¡¯t even use properly.¡±
Alexander¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the repeated provocation.
¡°You¡¯re as good as blind with two eyes. Didn¡¯t you see me defeat that Liam?¡±
¡°That¡¯s because you caught him off guard with the demonic sword¡¯s ability. Without that ability, you would have lost to Sir Liam in the end.¡±
Alexander¡¯s expression twisted, but the demonic swordughed out loud.
¨C Kehehehe, you¡¯re a smart one. He would have been killed by Liam or whatever his name is if it wasn¡¯t for me.
¡°Can¡¯t you shut up?¡±
¨C Partner, getting angry like this makes you look really pathetic. You should at least keep your pride. Don¡¯t you think?
¡°I told you to shut up.¡±
Alexander red at Damien. His eyes turned bloodshot with anger.
¡°I felt it from the first time I saw you, but you¡¯re really unlucky.¡±
¡°Oh, spare me your feeble attempts at insight. When I firstid eyes on you, I saw nothing but a patheticbination of cluelessness and unwarranted arrogance.¡±
¡°You little punk! I¡¯ll first cut off your tongue!¡±
Alexander erupted in anger and charged forward. He swung his demonic sword at Damien.
Damien also rushed forward and easily parried the attack.
As soon as he blocked the sword, Alexander immediatelyunched a series of attacks.
Damien blocked all of the attacks as well.
¡°Not bad! Then I¡¯ll take you seriously!¡±
¨C Kehehehe, leave it to me, partner!
The demonic sword infused Alexander with even more dark magic.
Veins protruded prominently from his sword-wielding arm. At the same time, Alexander¡¯s movements became even faster.
¡°Kukakahat!¡±
Alexander burst intoughter and pressed Damien even harder.
The demonic sword shed through the air without rest. Damien¡¯s hands moved busily.
Both of them were so fast that their hands were invisible. Only the sparks bursting out of the air told of the exchange of blows.
At that moment, their swords crossed.
The holy sword and the demonic sword tried to cut each other¡¯s owner¡¯s throats.
Just before the demonic sword hit him, Damien tilted his neck. The demonic sword only cut off his cor.
On the other hand, Damien¡¯s holy sword cut Alexander¡¯s neck, but it bounced off with a ng as if it had hit metal.
Both attacks failed. The two men stepped back simultaneously.
¡°This is the first time my clothes have been cut.¡±
Damien said, touching his cor. Since his regression, Alexander was the first person to touch Damien¡¯s clothes.
¡°The demonic sword¡¯s ability is much more powerful than I thought.¡±
Damien said, looking at the demonic sword. But Alexander had no time to respond.
¡°You bastard¡¡.¡±
Thanks to the dark mana of the demonic sword, Alexander¡¯s speed had be even faster.
In fact, Alexander¡¯s shes were much faster than Damien¡¯s.
However, Damien calmly blocked all of those shes. It was as if he could read Alexander¡¯s mind.
That wasn¡¯t all. He even counterattacked at the end, and not only that, he cut the most vital point, the neck.
If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that his body¡¯s hardness had been strengthened to the point of being able to withstand the aura thanks to the demonic sword, he would have surely lost his life.
In other words, Alexander was overwhelmed by Damien.
He was outmatched in both skill and experience.
¡°How can a middle-ss¡ This is ridiculous¡ Who the hell are you¡ What the hell are you!¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing much, but you¡¯re really surprised.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°I told you, you¡¯re just borrowing someone else¡¯s power.¡±
What is a high-ss?
Is it just someone with superhuman physical abilities? Someone with a huge amount of mana?
No. A high-ss is someone who has reached the pinnacle of their skill.
¡°You don¡¯t even understand your own swordsmanship and calling yourself a high-ss is as absurd as a donkey donning a crown. Even a passing dog wouldugh.¡±
Damien¡¯s skills were not insignificant enough to be defeated by such a fool.
¡°This little motherfucker¡!¡±
Veins popped up on Alexander¡¯s face. He looked like he was about to charge at any moment.
¨C Partner, calm down. There¡¯s nothing good that wille from falling for that guy¡¯s provocation.
At that moment, the demonic sword stopped Alexander.
¨C What if that guy is not ordinary? Even so, that guy can¡¯t hurt the partner.
The demonic sword was right. Damien¡¯s sword had not been able to cut Alexander¡¯s neck.
¨C If we drag this out, we will eventually win. Besides, that guy¡¯s weapon is also broken.
It was terrifying to see that the holy sword that Damien was holding had cracked.
The divine power began to leak out from the crack, and the holy sword turned into an ordinary sword in an instant.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Damien looked at the holy sword with a surprised face. He knew that the demonic sword had extraordinary predictive abilities, but he had not expected it to be able to destroy even the holy sword.
¨C Kehehehe! Look at that guy¡¯s face! He¡¯s so surprised that his eyes are wide open! If you¡¯re going to fight me, you have to pay the price!
The demonic sword cried out in joy. Seeing Damien¡¯s expressions, Alexander also felt better.
¡°Haahaa! That precious holy sword has be scrap metal! Good!¡±
Damien stroked the holy sword with an apologetic face. It was a really good sword. He had not expected it to be broken in such an absurd way.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll let you get revenge with your own hands instead.¡±
Although it was cracked and its divine power was gone, the holy sword was still a great sword.
Damien gripped the holy sword. Alexander and the demonic swordughed at him.
¡°It looks like that guy is going to try again with us.¡±
¨C Kehehehe, let¡¯s show him what¡¯s for real this time.
Damien charged. Alexander also rushed forward with the demonic sword.
¡°Let¡¯s smash that sword first!¡±
Alexander swung the demonic sword down diagonally.
However, Damien did not block the demonic sword and dodged the attack by leaning his body to one side. Alexander immediately swung his sword horizontally.
As Damien leaned back slightly, the demonic sword once again cut through the air.
¡°You¡¯re good at dodging!¡±
Alexander swung the demonic sword repeatedly. However, Damien dodged the attacks all too easily.
As the attacks continued to miss, Alexander¡¯s expression began to change.
It was strange.
Their attacks were clearly much faster and stronger. But the attacks didn¡¯t hit.
¡°Are you curious how I¡¯m dodging?¡±
Damien was even calm enough to talk.
¡°I¡¯ve already memorized it all.¡±
Damien could master any swordsmanship he had seen once.
Once with Liam Bluegreen, and again in the recent sh.
¡°I¡¯ve seen it twice already. I¡¯ve already seen through the demonic sword¡¯s swordsmanship perfectly.¡±
¡°Why are you spouting such nonsense¡¡!¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see if it¡¯s nonsense or not from now on.¡±
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s see!¡±
Alexander swung down the demonic sword in anger. Damien turned his body slightly.
The demonic sword passed Damien by a hair¡¯s breadth.
At that moment, Damien thrust out the holy sword. The outstretched holy sword grazed Alexander¡¯s shoulder.
¡°It¡¯s useless¡¡.¡±
The flesh on his shoulder was cut open. Blood gushed out.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
¨C ¡¡Huh?
Alexander and the demonic sword were simultaneously shocked.
In the meantime, Damien retrieved the holy sword and swung it again. This time, it cut Alexander¡¯s forearm.
This time too, the flesh was cut and blood sttered. Alexander was even more embarrassed.
¡°This is ridiculous¡¡ What the hell did you do!¡±
Veronica S¨¢nchez.
In her past life, she was called the Grim Reaper, and through an obsession with murder, she reached the level of mastery known as the Life-Taking sword mastery.
After reaching Life-Taking sword mastery, she was able to slice through a person¡¯s body like water even with a blunt tree branch.
It was useless to strengthen his body with the demonic sword. With Life-Taking sword, he could cut through flesh.
¡°Kuaak!¡±
Damien swung his sword repeatedly and cut through Alexander¡¯s body. Alexander screamed.
¡°This is ridiculous¡¡ This is ridiculous! A middle-ss, to me¡¡ Me, me!¡±
Alexander¡¯s eyes gradually filled with fear.
He was starting to feel it. The fact that death was imminent.
¨C Partner! What are you afraid of? I¡¯m here!
At that moment, the demonic sword shouted. He came to his senses at those words.
¨C Use me! Let¡¯s turn him into a mincemeat!
Immediately, Alexander grabbed the demonic sword in reverse and thrust the tip of the sword into the ground with all his might.
Immediately after, thorns sprouted all over the ground where the two were standing.
***
Throughout the battle, Damien was wary of the demonic sword¡¯s special ability.
The demonic sword ¡®Thorns¡¯, as its name suggests, attacked enemies by causing thorns to sprout over a wide area.
It was not only fast but also destructive. It was capable of destroying weapons imbued with the aura of a high-ss.
It was too dangerous to face it head-on.
That¡¯s why Damien had already prepared a countermeasure.
Just before Alexander thrust the demonic sword down, Damien activated the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
The mana stored in his muscles instantly activated his body. His senses became extremely sharp.
As his senses became sharper, the amount of information entering his brain also increased rapidly.
All of Alexander¡¯s movements came into view. The movement of his facial muscles, the processing of his gaze, the swaying of his hair.
Alexander¡¯s movements began to slow down. He could see in detail the demonic sword touching the ground and the dark magic spreading towards the ground.
Damien stepped forward. Thorns pierced through the ground and poked their heads out.
Damien stepped only on the empty spaces. Thanks to this, he was able to avoid the thorns and reach Alexander¡¯s nose.
Even though Damien had reached his nose, Alexander did not recognize him. It was because the whole world had stopped.
Damien stopped using the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. The world that had stopped started moving again. Thorns sprouted out long and covered the whole world.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
Only then did Alexander find Damien. Even after finding him, he had a nk expression for a while.
¨C Partner! Dodge!
The moment the demonic sword cried out, Damien swung the holy sword.
Alexander¡¯s head flew into the air.
***
In that same instant, Alexander¡¯s hand whipped out and grabbed his head. Then, as if nothing was wrong, he reattached it to his neck.
Simultaneously, he swung the demonic sword with a powerful arc. Damien dodged the demonic sword and retreated.
Dark smoke erupted from the severed area. The wound regenerated in a blink of an eye.
¡°Kuh, keh! Keuheuk!¡±
Alexander coughed up a spray of blood.
¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m alive! I would¡¯ve been done for otherwise!¡±
Upon hearing these words, Damien realized that it wasn¡¯t Alexander who had just moved his body. It was the demonic sword itself, manipting the body to snatch the head and put it back on.
¨C Kehehehe, I just ensured your survival.¡±
The demonic sword boomed with augh.
¨C After all, your dying wouldn¡¯t exactly benefit me either.¡±
¨C Partner
the demonic sword continued, its tone suddenly serious.
¨C I just realized something. That guy is far too dangerous. We can¡¯t possibly win this way.
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re suggesting to run.¡±
¨C Kehehehe, of course not! We¡¯ve been thoroughly humiliated. We need payback.
¡°So you have a n to win?¡±
¨C Kehehehe, absolutely. Absolutely.
Alexander¡¯s face lit up at the demonic sword¡¯s words.
¡°If that¡¯s the case, why the wait? Use it now!¡±
¨C The time wasn¡¯t right yet.
the demonic sword exined.
¨C I had intended to use itter.
¡°Just get on with it already! Kill that guy right now¡.¡±
Alexander¡¯s body abruptly stiffened. He looked down with a face contorted in disbelief.
The demonic sword was embedded in his body, piercing straight through his chest and protruding from his back.
¡°W-what¡ What the¡ Cough.¡±
Blood bubbled from his mouth, rendering him barely able to speak.
¨C Partner, forgive me.
The demonic sword rasped.
¨C No matter how many options I considered, this was the only way.
The demonic sword liquefied and oozed into Alexander¡¯s body, merging with him.
Immediately following this gruesome transformation, Alexander¡¯s body began to morph. A metallic substance, eerily simr to the demonic sword¡¯s material, engulfed his entire form.
¡°Y-you bastard¡ What are you doing to my body¡!¡±
The metalpletely encased his face, obliterating all his features.
A momentter, a vertical split appeared down the center, followed by a horizontal one intersecting it.
The vertical split widened, revealing crimson pupils that resembled coagted blood.
The horizontal split stretched open, exposing rows of sharp, shark-like teeth.
The entity that was once Alexander wiped its metallic face with a pseudo-hand. Then, it slowly spread its arms outwards.
¨C Haa¡
It sighed, a soundced with a strange sense of euphoria.
¨C Having a body truly is a magnificent thing.
Sword¡¯s voice is a chillingbination of the demonic sword and Alexander.
¨C Wouldn¡¯t you agree?
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 102
Chapter 102
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 102: Thronwood (3)
***
Damien looked at the demonic sword and said with a disgusted expression.
¡°So you lent your power to Alexander Apple in order to take over his body.¡±
The demonic sword always leads its users to ruin in one way or another.
It drives them mad or amplifies their negative emotions.
But the worst way is to simply take over their body.
It takes over the user¡¯s body, ys with it until it breaks, and then finds a new user to take over when it bes useless.
¨C That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right! I kept feeding my partner dark mana, and thanks to that, my partner¡¯s body becamepatible with me.
The demonic sword took a step forward and spun around like a dancer. It looked incredibly light and agile.
¨C The results are very satisfying! It fits me perfectly as if it were my own body.¡±
The demonic sword said in an excited voice. Then it suddenly sighed deeply.
¨C Haah¡ That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more regrettable. If I had taken more time, I could have taken it over in human form instead of this form.
Damien felt a chill run down his spine at those words.
What if the demonic sword hadpletely taken over Alexander¡¯s body? What if it had infiltrated human society by impersonating Alexander Apple?
The Apple Kingdom would have been plunged into great chaos.
¨C Oh, but this is not the time for that. I have to avenge my partner!
The demonic sword pped its hands. The sound of the pping brought Damien out of his reverie.
¨C My partner sacrificed his own body for me! Who else will carry on his legacy if not me?
Alexander Apple.
Now, from the body that had turned into a demonic sword, a high concentration of dark mana emanated.
The concentration of dark mana was so thick that it was visible to the naked eye. The dark mana swirled like a storm, spreading in all directions.
The enormous force pushed Damien¡¯s body back. He crouched down and thrust the Holy Sword in the ground. Even so, his body continued to be pushed back.
¨C Hahaha! Ahahahaha!
The demonic sword burst intoughter. As theughter grew louder, the amount of dark mana increased even more.
¨C I¡¯m using my own power! I¡¯m not being used by others, I¡¯m using it myself!
The entire barrier that Damien had put up shook and began to crack.
The dark magic that Damien had cast was a high-level dark magic of the 7th rank.
It was a dark magic thatpletely isted a certain space, and it was not easy to destroy even with the power of the aura.
And yet, the demonic sword was destroying it simply by releasing its dark magic.
¨C You don¡¯t know! You don¡¯t know how happy I am right now!
The demonic sword stretched out one hand. A sword emerged from its palm.
A jet-ck aura erupted from the sword. It was so thick that it could be mistaken for an aura de.
¨C My friend, shall we start the second round now?
Before he could even speak, the demonic sword disappeared from his sight. Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
He had missed the move. He had no idea where the demonic sword had gone.
¨C Oh, my? Is it already over?
A voice came from behind him. The moment he turned around, the demonic sword struck down.
The aura erupted, creating a huge crater.
The building waspletely split open by the crater, and the barrier was shattered.
It was an attack so powerful that it seemed like the world was splitting in half.
¨C Oh?
A look of puzzlement appeared on the demonic sword¡¯s face. This was because Damien was standing there perfectly fine.
¨C What the hell? Why did it miss? What the hell are you doing¡
The moment the demonic sword was confused, Damien spun around. The Holy Sword, drawing a half-circle, cut off the demonic sword¡¯s neck.
***
With a loud crash, the demonic sword¡¯s body was flung backward.
The demonic sword looked up at Damien with a surprised expression.
¨C Wow¡ Did I actually get hit?
Despite a clean blow to the neck, the demonic sword was unharmed. Instead, the Holy Sword¡¯s de shattered on impact.
¡°Damn, that¡¯s incredibly hard.¡±
If it had been a human body, Damien¡¯s attack using the Life-Taking sword would have severed the neck.
But now, the body was no longer human. It had fused with the demonic sword.
¨C Tell me. What did you just do? I clearly swung my sword. It was an unblockable attack. But why did the direction suddenly shift when you did this, this to the sword?
Just before the demonic sword struck, Damien used the Holy Sword to perform Ten Thousand Flow Perception.
The demonic sword¡¯s attack was powerful, making it a bit difficult, but Damien sessfully deflected the blow using the technique.
¡°Even if I exined it, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±
¨C Wow, that stings a bit. But seeing it now, I guess you¡¯re right.
The demonic sword nodded, surprisingly quick to concede the point.
¨C Regardless, you¡¯re a tough one. You know how creepy it felt when you shed at my neck? Pointless, though.
The demonic sword tapped its neck with a mocking gesture towards Damien.
¨C Whatever you try, it¡¯s futile¡ but I suppose there¡¯s no point keeping you alive any longer, is there?
The yful smile vanished from the demonic sword¡¯s face, reced by a chilling killing intent.
Damien clicked his tongue, seeing the demonic sword ready to unleash its full power.
¡®This is a formidable opponent.¡¯
Unlike Alexander Apple, the demonic sword was a full-fledged High-ss.
All its abilities transcended human limitations, and it wielded them with exceptional skill.
That alone was a threat, but on top of that, the demonic sword possessed unique abilities.
It couldunch devastating attacks by conjuring thorn forests across vast areas, orpletely harden its body for imprable defense.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, the second ability was particrly troublesome.
With the Life-Taking sword, he could have countered Alexander Apple. But against this metal-encased monstrosity, that technique was useless.
¡®How do I pierce through that defense?¡¯
While his other techniques could potentially ovee this obstacle, Damien had a more efficient method in mind.
¡®This is perfect. I needed a ce to test that out.¡¯
Damien stretched out his hand. The intricate tattoo on his wrist vanished, and a long spear materialized in the air.
¨C A spear? What the heck is a spear all of a sudden?
The demonic sword cocked its head in confusion.
¨C The de is broken too? What use is that scrap metal?
Damien nted the spear butt on the ground and uttered a hushed incantation.
¡°Erebos, awaken.¡±
Erebos, bound to the spear¡¯s tip, greedily devoured all the surrounding dark mana.
Suddenly the entire world trembled. The ground shook violently as if struck by a monstrous earthquake. The air howled like a raging typhoon.
In the midst of this chaos, the demonic sword found itself transfixed by Erebos, as if possessed. It muttered unconsciously.
¨C Demonic sword?
At first, it wasn¡¯t clear. But as Erebos devoured the dark mana and unleashed its power, the demonic sword began to sense it.
The true nature of that entity.
And the horrifying aura it exuded.
¨C No, it¡¯s simr, but different from us!
The demonic sword shrieked, its face contorted in confusion.
Demonic swords recognized each other. Forged by demons, they shared a bond, a kinship.
But this entity was different. It wasn¡¯t kin.
¡°You¡¯re also speaking the same way¡¡±
The demonic swords who had encountered Erebos in their past lives all spoke the same words.
That is not a demonic sword.
That is not our kin.
That is an abomination that should not exist.
¨C You too¡ what are you babbling about¡
¡°Enough chit-chat. The second round is far from over.¡±
Damien gripped Erebos with both hands, assuming a battle stance.
This sight alone sent shivers down the demonic sword¡¯s spine. Every fiber of its being screamed with a primal urge to flee.
¨C ¡If you¡¯re thinking of attacking, then I won¡¯t back down either.
The demonic sword didn¡¯t pay heed to its instincts.
¨C That thing you¡¯re holding seems quite¡ but¡
The demonic sword raised its hand. Thorns that had erupted from the ground twisted and aimed at Damien.
¨C Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s really that great.
The demonic sword was confident in its abilities.
Whatever that weapon was, it couldn¡¯t possibly handle the thorns raining down from all directions.
¨C I¡¯ll turn you into a pincushion.
The demonic sword pointed at Damien with its finger. The thorns that covered the sky poured down towards him.
Just then, Damien raised his spear. He mmed the bottom of the spear into the ground.
At that moment, a wave spread out from the center of the spear.
The wave spread slowly, engulfing the world. Everything it touched disappeared without a trace.
¨C What the hell is that¡
The demonic sword was just about to speak in disbelief.
As the wave spread out, the thorns it touched turned gray in an instant. They then began to disintegrate from the outside.
¨C This is¡unbelievable¡
Erebos¡¯ first ability was to corrode everything around it.
In itspletely broken state, its corrosion ability was extremely weak.
However, it could temporarily strengthen its abilities by absorbing dark magic.
¨C This can¡¯t be¡ This can¡¯t be happening! My thorns!
The wave engulfed the demonic sword as well.
At that moment, the demonic sword felt as if its entire body had be several dozen times heavier. It was as if an invisible hand was pressing down on it.
The strange phenomenon didn¡¯t stop there. Its entire body began to corrode.
¨C Krrrghhh!
Its body was being destroyed in real-time. It tried to resist by drawing out dark mana, but it was no use.
The demonic sword hurriedly turned its body around. The only thought in its mind was to escape this area quickly.
However, its heavy body wouldn¡¯t allow it. It couldn¡¯t control its body properly due to the pain of its body being destroyed.
Just then, it heard footsteps behind it. The demonic sword slowly turned around.
Damien was walking towards it.
As Damien got closer, the speed of its corrosion increased and its body became even heavier.
¨C D-Don¡¯te any closer¡!
The demonic sword cried desperately, but he didn¡¯t stop. Its body disintegrated even faster.
¨C Please¡! Don¡¯te closer¡!
By the time Damien reached the demonic sword, more than half of it had already disappeared.
¨C P-Please spare me¡
The demonic sword pleaded desperately. Damien raised Erebos, seemingly uninterested.
¡°I made a vow a long time ago. I said I would never let any of you live.¡±
A look of fear appeared on the demonic sword¡¯s face. Just as it was about to beg for mercy, Damien swung Erebos down.
It shattered as easily as an eggshell.
***
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Chapter 103
Chapter 103
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 103: Exnation (1)
***
Damien looked down at the corpse of the demonic sword.
Was it even right to call it a corpse? It looked like a ceramic jar filled with ashes that had been shattered.
Only the outside was affected by Erebos¡¯s corrosion. The fact that the contents were like that was most likely due to the influence of the demonic sword.
After all, there was no way that a flesh that had fused with a demonic sword would retain human organs.
Just then, Erebos¡¯s aura rapidly subsided, and the surrounding area that was being eroded stopped as well.
¡°It seems time¡¯s up..¡±
Currently, Erebos was very little recovered, resulting in an extremely short operational time.
Not only that, but the time it took to recover its strength was also very long. It seemed like he wouldn¡¯t be able to use Erebos for a while.
¡°Ah.¡±
Erebos, which was at the end of the spear, fell off. The wire that had been binding Erebos had broken due to corrosion.
It wasn¡¯t just the wire. The parts of the spear that Erebos had touched had also worn away and disappeared.
¡°This ability is very useful, but this is also a pain in the ass.¡±
It was only because Damien had been constantly pouring mana into the pole that it hadsted during the battle.
Corrosion had no effect on corrosion because he had been recognized by Erebos. Therefore, objects infused with Damien¡¯s mana could also have resistance to corrosion.
Damien cut off the corroded parts of the spear and wrapped Erebos in wire again. Finally, he released the summon and turned it back into a tattoo.
After that, Damien approached the corpse of the demonic sword and began to dig through the ashes with his toes as if looking for something. Then, a small pebble popped out.
A small, bumpy pebble.
It was the core of the demonic sword.
The demonic sword was no different from a fragment of the demon. That¡¯s why the core was filled with the demonic power.
The core of the demonic sword was a very precious item to dark mages. On the other hand, it was a rather useless item to Damien.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to hand it over to the Church.¡±
The next ce that would be thrilled with this item after the dark mages was the Church.
Unlike the dark mages, the Church used the core to research and develop countermeasures against demonic power.
He was sure he would be able to get a big reward for bringing this.
¡°I was nning to visit the Church anyway, so this works out well.¡±
Damien had earned the right to enter the Church¡¯s secret treasury as a reward for preventing the death of the entire crusade from the hand of Corpsey.
That¡¯s why he was nning to visit the Church soon. He had also nned to hand over the core of the demonic sword at that time.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to fix this guy too.¡±
Damien said, looking at the damaged holy sword.
The holy sword had been severely damaged in the battle with the demonic sword, and all of its divine power had disappeared.
It had been a weapon that he had really liked, so it was inevitable that he would feel regret.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Rest for now.¡±
Damien carefully ced the holy sword into his spatial ring.
The enemy had been defeated, but Damien¡¯s work was not yet done.
Now it was time to start thinking seriously.
¡°How am I going to exin all this?¡±
Damien looked around him. The building was in ruins from the battle.
Not only that but there were traces of Erebos¡¯s corrosion everywhere.
To anyone looking, this was no ordinary battle scene. It was extremely suspicious.
The biggest problem was how Damien was going to exin how he had defeated Alexander Apple.
After all, Alexander Apple was a high-ss knight, even temporarily, when he possessed the demonic sword.
Moreover, he had proven his strength by defeating Liam Bluegreen in front of everyone.
And now, Damien Haksen, a known middle-ss swordsman, had defeated him?
¡°It doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡±
The Church would never let this go, especially not in the Apple Kingdom.
Whether their intentions were good or bad, they would definitely interrogate Damien until they got the answers they wanted.
The only fortunate thing was that thanks to the barrier, outsiders had no idea what had happened inside.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to say that Liam Bluegreen injured Alexander Apple, and the curse of the demonic sword elerated, causing him to self-destruct.¡±
When Liam fought Alexander, hended several powerful attacks.
Of course, he was unable to inflict any significant damage. The demonic sword made Alexander¡¯s body too strong.
So Damien nned to say that Alexander was actually badly injured internally, but he didn¡¯t show it on the outside.
¡°It¡¯s a bit of a stretch, though.¡±
Even though it was a hastily made lie, everyone would probably believe Damien Haksen.
As always, it was difficult to ept statements that went againstmon sense.
It was much more believable that a middle-ss swordsman had defeated a high-ss swordsman wielding a demonic sword.
¡°I¡¯ll have to say that the traces of corrosion were also caused by the demonic sword¡¯s ability.¡±
Of course, the demonic sword¡¯s true ability was to create thorns, but that didn¡¯t matter. He could just say it had another ability.
¡°Now it¡¯s time to clean up and leave.¡±
Next, Damien gathered the surrounding dark mana and stored it in his bracelet.
The high-concentration dark magic that the demonic sword possessed filled the bracelet.
Even then, there was still a lot of dark mana left. It was a pity, but he had no choice but to give up.
After collecting everything he could, Damien dispelled the barrier.
The barrier, which was full of cracks, copsed in an instant.
***
The people who had escaped outside looked at the royal pce with a sense of unease.
The top floor of the royal pce was covered in an unknown ck barrier. Damien and Alexander were trapped inside.
¡°Have the reinforcements not arrived yet?¡±
The king said in an anxious tone.
As soon as he saw Liam Bluegreen fall, the king contacted the other high-ss knights of the kingdom and the Church for help.
He had used up a valuable magical tool that had been passed down through the generations of the royal family to contact them, but he did not regret it in the least.
The situation was that urgent.
¡°Father, Sir Damien might die at this rate!¡±
Oliver cried out with a worried face. The king clenched his fists in frustration.
In the king¡¯s eyes, Damien was not only the one who had saved his son, but also a hero who had uncovered the treason.
Not only that, he was also a rare talent with both outstanding talent and skill.
He could not afford to lose such a person in such a vain way.
¡°Brother¡¡.¡±
Michael looked at the barrier with a regretful face.
If he had been there, he would have been able to help Damien.
¡°You¡¯re all worrying for nothing.¡±
Michael turned his head at the voice that came from beside him.
Veronica was munching on an apple that she had seemingly pulled out of nowhere.
¡°Why are you so rxed? You just left my brother behind!¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t leave him behind. He told me to go. He told me to run away with that old man.¡±
Veronica pointed to Liam Bluegreen, who was lying on the ground.
Liam was unconscious after receiving extensive treatment for his injuries.
¡°But how can you just leave him there!¡±
¡°I told you not to worry. That guy will never die.¡±
¡°How can you be so sure!¡±
¡°He promised me. He said he would never die until he died by my hand.¡±
Veronica said with a confident face. Michael looked at her with an incredulous expression.
¡°The barrier is copsing!¡±
At that moment, someone shouted, and everyone looked up at the barrier.
When the barrier disappeared, only the half-destroyed building was left. The people swallowed their saliva and looked at it.
¡°¡¡Brother?¡±
But something was strange. The only one standing was Damien. Alexander was nowhere to be seen.
Michael immediately ran towards Damien. He crossed the distance in an instant.
¡°Oh, Michael is it.¡±
Damien said, raising his hand. Michael almost burst into tears at the sight of him.
¡°H, how did you do it? What about Alexander Apple?¡±
Damien pointed to the ground. Michael¡¯s gaze naturally followed him.
Something strange was lying on the ground. Something that resembled a human being was shattered like a ceramic.
¡°Surely not¡¡.¡±
Michael made an expression of disbelief.
¡°Did you defeat Alexander Apple?¡±
¡°No, he self-destructed.¡±
Michael¡¯s mouth opened wide.
Even though it was said to be self-destruction, the fact remained that Alexander Apple was dead, and Damien was alive.
¡°Brother! You¡¯re amazing! Really¡¡ This is incredibly amazing!¡±
¡°He just self-destructed. It¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡±
Damien who was just a middle-ss knight had managed to survive until the high-ss swordsman with the demonic sword self-destructed.
If this was not a big deal, then what was?
¡°You¡¯re alive after all!¡±
Veronica arrived shortly after. She hugged Damien from behind by the neck.
¡°I believed you would be alive! You promised me you wouldn¡¯t die until I killed you¡¡ Ow!¡±
Damien twists Veronica¡¯s finger. Veronica Sanchez had no choice but to let go of her arm with a scream.
¡°What are you doing!¡±
¡°What the hell are you talking about? When did I say I would let you kill me?¡±
Just then, a group of people came up the stairs. They were the king, Oliver, the nobles, and other officials.
¡°This can¡¯t be¡¡ He¡¯s really alive!¡±
¡°Sir Damien! I was worried!¡±
The king and Oliver ran over with faces that showed they couldn¡¯t believe it.
¡°What exactly happened? What about Alexander?¡±
Damien once again pointed to the corpse without saying a word. The king was shocked when he saw Alexander Apple¡¯s corpse.
¡°This¡¡ Is this really him?¡±
¡°This is the price of using the demonic sword.¡±
¡°I see¡¡ I¡¯ve heard of it. They say the demonic sword leads its user to ruin.¡±
The king slowly knelt down in front of Alexander.
¡°This idiot¡¡.¡±
The king couldn¡¯t leave the ce for a long time.
A gust of wind blew. The ashes scattered into the sky.
***
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Chapter 104
Chapter 104
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 104: Exnation (2)
***
After that, the pdins arrived from the Church.
It was a formidable force, including two 1st-ss pdins who were said to be on par with high-ss.
¡°Your Majesty! Where is the heretic who uses the demonic sword?¡±
¡°He¡¯s¡ already dead.¡±
¡°?!?!?¡±
The pdins were greatly surprised by the king¡¯s words.
¡°Take a look at this.¡±
The king showed the body of Alexander Apple to the two 1st-ss pdins.
The two pdins frowned at the intense dark mana they felt from the corpse.
¡°This much dark mana¡ It¡¯s clear that he used the demonic sword.¡±
¡°Who on earth fought this guy?¡±
At the question of the two pdins, the king gestured. Damien, who had been waiting, appeared before the pdins.
¡°Sir Damien?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he the guy who killed the Corpsey and saved the entire crusade?¡±
Since they were in the Church, they couldn¡¯t have not known.
¡°Are you saying that you killed him?¡±
¡°No matter how much, that¡¯s¡¡±
ording to the information the two pdins received, Alexander Apple was not only a high-ss, but also a user of the demonic sword.
In that case, he was as good as having a power above that of an ordinary high-ss. A middle-ss had defeated such a person?
¡°I didn¡¯t kill him.¡±
¡°I see! So what happened?¡±
¡°Alexander Apple was already seriously injured by Sir Liam Bluegreen. So he was consumed by the power of the demonic sword and self-destructed while fighting me.¡±
The two pdins, who had heard Damien¡¯s exnation, had confused expressions on their faces.
¡°¡Isn¡¯t that what you call defeating him?¡±
¡°¡Anyway, the fact is that the enemy is dead, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien shook his head at the question of the two pdins.
¡°I can¡¯t say I defeated him because I didn¡¯t fight him fairly. I just stalled for time until the enemy self-destructed.¡±
The two pdins looked at each other.
It was true that he had not won a formal victory, as Damien had said.
However, it was still shocking that a middle-ss had held his own against a high-ss, even one who was a user of the demonic sword.
¡°To think that he defeated the Corpsey alone¡ He must have been quite a skilled person.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a shame to leave such a talented person alone in the world.¡±
The two pdins looked at Damien with glittering eyes. Damien felt a great deal of pressure.
¡®Why does every pdin want me to join the Church when they see me?¡¯
Damien took out the core of the demonic sword to change the subject.
¡°I found this in Alexander Apple¡¯s body.¡±
The eyes of the two pdins widened as soon as they saw the core.
¡°This is¡ the core of the demonic sword!¡±
¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such arge core!¡±
The pdins were greatly surprised as they examined the core of the demonic sword.
¡°Sir Damien, where do you n to use this item?¡±
One of the pdins asked with an anxious face. The core of the demonic sword contains the power of the demon.
It could be used in many ways, and if Damien used the core in the wrong ce, there was a high possibility of a big problem.
¡°I n to leave it to the Church to dispose of.¡±
As soon as they heard Damien¡¯s answer, the two pdins breathed a sigh of relief.
¡°To think that you would think of the Church first¡¡±
¡°How faithful. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such devout faith.¡±
The two pdins gave him another burdensome look. Damien broke out in a cold sweat.
¡°I n to visit the Church soon. I n to donate this item at that time.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a great idea! The Church will be very happy!¡±
¡°The Church rewards those who prove their faith in God. The more you donate the core, the more you will be rewarded.¡±
It was a very wee sound.
¡°Please visit the Church as soon as possible!¡±
¡°The core of the demonic sword is no different from the power of the demon. There¡¯s no point in keeping it for long.¡±
The two pdins added quickly, for fear that Damien¡¯s mind would change.
Damien nodded.
***
After the meeting with the pdins, Damien was summoned by the king.
¡°It¡¯s a shabby ce, but please bear with it.¡±
The king¡¯s study had been destroyed, so he had no choice but to use another ce.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡ no, the kingdom owes you a debt that we can never repay. I don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude.¡±
The king¡¯s eyes were filled with gratitude and affection as he looked at Damien.
¡°The reason I called you here is because I have something to give you.¡±
The king held out a rolled-up piece of parchment to Damien.
The parchment was snow-white.
¡°This is a decree to raise Viscount Paul Haksen to the rank of Count and grant him a County.¡±
This was one of the reasons Damien had agreed to be the Crown prince¡¯s swordsmanship instructor.
The title of Count and County would be of great help to his family.
¡°I would like to hold a grand ceremony for your appointment, but¡ the situation in the capital is not good.¡±
The pce where the king lived had beenpletely destroyed by the Alexander.
It was impossible to hold a banquet in such a situation.
¡°And this is the core of the Sea Serpent that I promised you.¡±
The king held out a box. Inside the box was the inner core, which emanated a strong mana.
¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±
Damien said, bowing his head. But the king¡¯s rewards didn¡¯t end there.
¡°And this is a small token of my appreciation for your help in resolving this situation.¡±
The king held out a round silver te.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°With this, you canmission the Alchemist guild to create potions.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the silver te again.
The Alchemist guild was the oldest andrgest guild of alchemy in existence.
It had many famous alchemists, and the types and effects of the potions it created were numerous and outstanding.
It was so famous and popr that even the king of a country had difficulty meeting them.
¡°I kept this for a time when I would need it. It seems that time is now.¡±
The king said, looking at the silver te.
¡°With this silver te, the Alchemist guild will create any potion you need. The kingdom will cover the cost of all the materials needed to create the potion.¡±
The potions created by the Alchemist guild were no ordinary potions. The cost of the materials alone would be astronomical.
The king was offering to pay for all of that. It was an incredible gift.
But Damien couldn¡¯t just ept the silver te.
The Alchemist guild was a ce that could create elixirs that could even save a dying person.
A token that allowed him tomission them without having to wait was a gift that was too great to ept.
¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±
The king said as if he had seen through Damien¡¯s heart.
¡°It is only a small giftpared to what you have done for our kingdom.¡±
After much deliberation, Damien epted the silver te. Only then did the king look relieved.
¡°I feel like I have finally repaid you a little for your kindness.¡±
***
After the meeting with the king, two guests came to see Damien.
¡°Sir Damien! It¡¯s been a long time!¡±
It was Duke Goldpixie¡¯s high-ss knight, Karl Heimlich, who hade to see Damien in person.
The old knight shook Damien¡¯s hand as soon as he saw him.
¡°I rushed here because the royal family asked for help, but you had already finished everything.¡±
¡°I was just lucky. If not, things would have been bad.¡±
¡°Surviving a fight against a high-ss is not luck. It¡¯s all your skill.¡±
Karl Heimlich looked at Damien with burning eyes.
It was a look very simr to that of the pdins.
¡°Duke was very disappointed. He said you haven¡¯t visited him since then.¡±
¡°I was too busy with work.¡±
¡°I¡¯m getting old now¡ It¡¯s time for me to retire. I¡¯d feel better if I had a solid sessor.¡±
¡°I see. I¡¯m sure a good person wille along soon.¡±
¡°I would like you to take on that role.¡±
¡°I¡¯m busy with family matters¡¡±
The duke¡¯s knight was very persistent.
Having seen Damien¡¯s talent early on, he seemed determined to bring him into the duchy in any way he could.
¡°You¡¯re a young man with strong principles. It¡¯s hard to find these days.¡±
He said with a sigh when Damien didn¡¯t seem to being around.
¡°But be sure toe visit the duchy. Duke will be happy to see you.¡±
With that, the Karl Heimlich left.
***
The next person to visit Damien was Marquis Ryanbloom.
¡°Hahaha, Sir Damien, it¡¯s good to see you. Good to see you.¡±
Marquis Ryanbloom greeted Damien with a weing face.
However, unlike the Marquis, Damien couldn¡¯t smile. It was because of Michael, who was being held by the Marquis.
¡°brother! Sa, save me¡ Ughhh!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about this guy.¡±
The Marquis said, covering Michael¡¯s mouth.
¡°Um¡ I apologize for involving your son in such a dangerous matter.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? This is all this guy¡¯s fault! He should be grateful that he learned a lot from being by my side.¡±
The Marquis said with a heartyugh.
¡°However, I think this guy needs some punishment. I told him not to go out saying that I had other things for him to do. He disobeyed my orders.¡±
¡°Ugh! Ughhh!¡±
Michael looked at Damien with pleading eyes. Damien had no choice but to ignore him.
It was not something an outsider like Damien could interfere in, as it was a family matter.
¡°Well, let¡¯s go then. Oh, and Sir Damien.¡±
Marquis Ryanbloom¡¯s eyes changed. The friendliness disappeared and shone sharply like a predator facing an enemy.
¡°I can¡¯t help but be amazed at your growth.¡±
High-ss.
The stage is just below the master ss, which is called the superhuman ss.
Damien¡¯s performance was so great that even a strong person in that position felt a sense of crisis.
¡°You may soon be on an equal footing with me. I hope we can maintain a good rtionship even after that.¡±
This was both a request and a warning.
From the Marquis¡¯s point of view, Damien was too dangerous to be left alone.
If he couldn¡¯t be made an ally, he had to be crushed now.
¡°If what happened between your second son and me doesn¡¯t happen again, I will remain your ally.¡±
Damien said in a calm tone.
Erwin Ryanbloom, the second son of Marquis Ryanbloom, had once visited the Viscount of Haksen and caused trouble.
In other words, Damien¡¯s words meant that he would stay still if he was not touched first.
¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±
The Marquis smiled broadly. And then he left the capital.
With Michael Ryanbloom in tow.
¡°Ah, that kid¡ He left without even finishing our fight properly.¡±
Veronica said, looking at Michael being dragged away by his father.
¡°Sir Damien, you know, right? That I actually won? That guy is no match for me.¡±
Veronica said proudly. Damien looked at her with pity.
In terms of pure talent, Michael was slightly ahead of Veronica.
On top of that, Michael was the eldest son of the Marquis Ryanbloom, a family known for its knights.
In terms of both talent and background, Michael was ahead.
¡°Then I¡¯ll go now too. Thanks to you, I didn¡¯t have to be bored.¡±
¡°Yeah, go well. Don¡¯t kill people and stay quiet in the future.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that! I realized it for sure this time! The only person worth killing is you!¡±
She was talking about the same headache-inducing nonsense.
¡°You survive against that high-ss knight! I¡¯ve never seen someone as tenacious as you! It would be so thrilling to kill a difficult opponent like you!¡±
¡°Shut up and go away.¡±
¡°Got it! See you next time!¡±
Veronica ran from the spot to the city gate. She hadn¡¯t even packed her things.
¡°She¡¯s really like a dog.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue as he watched Veronica.
With everyone gone, there was no need for Damien to stay in the capital any longer.
It was time to go back to his family.
***
A few dayster, Damien left the castle early in the morning.
He had to leave secretly because the king kept trying to stop him from returning to his family.
Just as Damien was about to leave the castle gate,
¡°It¡¯s a cold night for a walk, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Oliver was waiting for Damien.
¡°How did you know I was going out?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely surprised. How did Oliver know he wasing out when no one else knew?
¡°I asked the guards to monitor Sir Damien¡¯s movements. Thanks to them, I was able to know when you would be leaving.¡±
Damien was amazed inwardly. He had even won over the guards to his side in the meantime. The wastrel had changed so thoroughly in such a short time.
It seemed that the experience he had gained while preparing for the Orc expedition had changed Oliver in this way.
¡°Sir Liam asked me to give you a message. He said he was sorry he couldn¡¯te see you because he was so injured. He asked you to be sure to visit the Bluegreen Marquisateter.¡±
Liam Bluegreen has been under the care of doctors ever since. The wounds were so severe.
¡°You can¡¯t order me to stay in the castle and help you, can you?¡±
¡°You already know the answer, so why do you ask?¡±
Oliverughed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Thanks to Sir Damien, I was able to change. I will live my life with a grateful heart.¡±
Oliver said with a determined face. Damien spoke to the prince.
¡°You don¡¯t have to say that. I don¡¯t trust your promises.¡±
Oliver was greatly embarrassed by those words.
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I know very well because I have the same past as you. How weak and treacherous the human heart is.¡±
In his wastrel days, Damien couldn¡¯te to his senses even with his family¡¯s pleas.
After being kicked out of the family, he reflected on his actions a little bit. But it was only a little bit.
More than regret for his family, he felt sorry for not being able to enjoy pleasure anymore.
It was the same when he worked as a mercenary. He came close to falling back into debauchery several times.
¡°The human heart is weak. It is designed to seek pleasure rather than hardship.¡±
So was Oliver Apple. He seemed like a new man now, but he didn¡¯t know when he would go back to his old life.
¡°De, Damien Sir¡ I, I never¡¡±
¡°You may think so now, but you never know about tomorrow. There is an old saying that a man¡¯s heart is different when he is hungry and when he is full.¡±
Damien looked at Oliver with a cold gaze. Oliver Apple swallowed dry saliva.
¡°So doubt and be wary of your own heart. Beware of desire. And when you have shown me meaningful results, then I will believe you.¡±
Oliver fell into thought.
His eyes were a lot deeper than before.
¡°I will always keep Sir Damien¡¯s words in my heart.¡±
Only then did Damien show a satisfied expression.
***
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Chapter 105
Chapter 105
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 105: The Count (1)
***
Damien returned to the Haksen Estate immediately after leaving the capital.
As he approached the mansion, he saw Victor sweeping the entrance with a broom.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Victor yawned, stretching his arms. It was obvious that he had been up all night.
¡°You¡¯re too young to be yawning.¡±
¡°Huh! W-who¡¯s there!¡±
¡°Your reaction is always the same.¡±
Victor was startled by Damien¡¯s voice and pointed his broom like a spear.
He soon recognized Damien¡¯s face and smiled broadly.
¡°Young Master!¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±
¡°You¡¯re safe! I¡¯ve been worried!¡±
Victor eximed and hurriedly checked Damien¡¯s body for injuries.
¡°Come,e, this isn¡¯t the time for this. Let¡¯s go inside! Everyone is waiting eagerly!¡±
Damien followed Victor into the mansion.
As he entered the mansion, the gazes of his family members were focused on him. At first, they were all stunned, then they eximed in surprise.
¡°Damien!¡±
His father was the first to rush over. Viscount Haksen patted Damien¡¯s body and checked him for injuries.
¡°I heard you were in the capital when the treason took ce! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±
After defeating Alexander Apple, Damien stayed in the capital for several days.
He had to cooperate with the Church¡¯s investigation, and the king kept finding excuses to dy his departure.
During that time, it seemed that the news of the treason had spread throughout the kingdom.
¡°It seems you¡¯re not injured. That¡¯s a relief.¡±
¡°My dear, what did I tell you? I said there was no need to worry.¡±
¡°You are right. I must have been worrying unnecessarily.¡±
Viscountess Haksen said with a proud look on her face. Viscount Haksen chuckled.
¡°You¡¯ve been out and about too muchtely. Stay home and rest for a while. If you try to go out again, I¡¯ll scold you.¡±
His older sister, Louise, said with a stern face. The problem was that she had such a gentle face that she didn¡¯t seem intimidating at all.
¡°Brother, I was really worried about you.¡±
¡°Brother-inw, I¡¯m relieved to see you safe and sound.¡±
His younger brother and sister-inw also expressed their concern. Then, suddenly, Abel asked.
¡°By the way, brother, there were some strange rumors mixed in.¡±
¡°What kind of strange rumors?¡±
¡°They say you won against a High-ss.¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s just a distortion of the truth.¡±
Abelughed out loud at that.
¡°Of course, you¡¯re amazing, brother, but winning against a High-ss is¡¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t win, I just survived until the High-ss died.¡±
¡°?!?!?¡±
Abel, as well as the other family members, stared at Damien with shocked expressions.
¡°Hmph, brother¡ what do you mean by that?¡±
¡°The one who stopped the treason was Alexander Apple. That guy used dark magic to iste the space, and I was trapped inside.¡±
Damien spoke in such detail because he wanted to spread the rumor.
The more specific the rumor was, the less people would suspect Damien.
¡°Uh¡ brother?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you win against a High-ss in that way?¡±
Damien clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed at that question.
¡°I just barely survived while avoiding a direct confrontation, and the enemy self-destructed. How is that winning?¡±
Damien was right. But Abel and the other family members still looked unconvinced.
After all, Damien was alive and the High-ss was dead, so wasn¡¯t that a win?
¡°Oh, right, Father. This is a gift.¡±
While the family was speechless, Damien opened the spatial ring and took out the parchment.
His father asked with a puzzled face.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°This is the royal decree from His Majesty the King, elevating your title to Viscount to a Count.¡±
The Viscount¡¯s eyes widened at those words. The other family members couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
¡°D-Damien! Is that true?¡±
¡°Is that really the royal decree?¡±
The family members eximed, looking at the parchment. On the other hand, the Viscount Haksen stared at the parchment without saying a word.
Damien asked with a puzzled face at his father¡¯s reaction.
¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±
¡°I am happy. Of course, I am. How can I not be happy when the dream that my ancestors could not achieve has been achieved in my generation?¡±
All Viscounts aspired to be a Count.
Unlike a Baron or a Viscount, the title of Count required a certain level of qualification and influence, so it was not a position that anyone could attain.
That was why there were many Barons and Viscounts, but very few Counts.
Some people even said that a Count was a true noble.
¡°But didn¡¯t you have to go through another dangerous experience to obtain this?¡±
Viscount looked at Damien with sad eyes.
¡°I don¡¯t know anything about swords, but I know very well how terrifying a High-ss is. Aren¡¯t they superhumans who determine the kingdom¡¯s power by their numbers?¡±
Instead of the parchment, he grabbed Damien¡¯s shoulder tightly.
¡°I almost lost you because of this. How can I be happy¡¡±
Damien felt something inside him at his father¡¯s words.
He wanted to tell his father everything.
That High-sses were nothing, and that this level of risk was not even a threat to him.
¡°¡¡Dad, I feel bad for you when you say that.¡±
But he couldn¡¯t say that, so Damien could only mumble.
¡°I went through so much to get this. Aren¡¯t you happy for me?¡±
Damien forced a smile and shook the parchment. But his father¡¯s expression remained unchanged.
¡°My dear, Damien is right. If you don¡¯t celebrate his achievement, who will?¡±
Viscountess Haksen also stepped forward to persuade her husband. Only then did Viscount Haksen take the parchment.
¡°Hear ye, Viscount Haksen. I, who reign above all men¡¡±
Viscount Haksen unrolled the tightly rolled parchment and read the contents of the decree.
¡°¡and thus, I hereby decree that the House of Haksen be elevated to the rank of Count.¡±
As soon as his father finished reading, the family members pped their hands.
¡°Oh, His Majesty is granting us a County as well.¡±
¡°Which fiefdom is it?¡±
Olivia was the first to react. She was unusually interested in expanding the family¡¯s power.
¡°I don¡¯t know perhaps you would know.¡±
Viscount Haksen showed the decree to Olivia. After looking at it for a while, Olivia eximed in surprise.
¡°His Majesty is granting us the Gargari ins and the surrounding forests?¡±
¡°It seems to be goodnd.¡±
¡°Good? It¡¯s more than that! It¡¯snd that is famous for producing bountiful harvests no matter what you nt! His Majesty is just giving us such high-qualitynd¡¡±
Seeing Olivia¡¯s surprise, it became clear how good and the King had given them.
The King was not simply expressing his gratitude with words, but with actions.
¡°His Majesty has truly bestowed a great favor upon us.¡±
Viscount Haksen smiled with satisfaction.
Then, he asked his family with a sheepish face.
¡°It¡¯s good that I¡¯ve be a Count, but¡ what do I do now?¡±
Now that he was a Count, he couldn¡¯t live the way he used to. He had to change a lot.
The problem was that neither Viscount Haksen nor anyone else had any experience with this.
Except for one person.
¡°First of all, Father, you should go to the newly granted territory to receive it officially and then n for the future.¡±
Olivia, as the daughter of Count Copperhead, had observed firsthand how her father managed the family.
¡°As expected, you know this well, Olivia.¡±
Viscount Haksen said with a relieved face.
¡°But there¡¯s something we need to do before that.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
At Viscount Haksen¡¯s question, Olivia immediately answered.
¡°It is to widely announce to all the nobles of the West that our House of Haksen has be a Count.¡±
¡°Is that really necessary? They¡¯ll find out eventually anyway.¡±
Viscount Haksen, who disliked show-off, showed a negative reaction.
However, his wife, Viscountess Haksen was different.
¡°That¡¯s a good idea! My dear, let¡¯s have a party. Let¡¯s have a grand party and invite all the nobles of the West!¡±
Viscountess said, spreading her arms. Viscount Haksen said with a trembling face.
¡°Do we really have to do that?¡±
¡°Of course we do! Have you forgotten? How much the other families have ignored our House of Haksen! They say our territory is small and we¡¯re poor¡¡±
Viscountess clenched her fists and shook her body. It seemed that she had a lot of pent-up anger.
¡°Bringing all those people and showing them who we are! So they won¡¯t dare to ridicule our family anymore!¡±
¡°Mother is right. We should use this opportunity to increase the reputation of our family.¡±
Olivia also agreed with Viscountess¡¯s words.
¡°Uh, um¡¡±
Nevertheless, Viscount Haksen still looked uneasy.
¡°Dear! Why hesitate? It¡¯s a perfect opportunity for revenge!¡±
She nudged her husband. Viscount Haksen could only tremble.
¡°Mother is right again.¡±
Abel chuckled, observing the scene.
¡°Brother, shouldn¡¯t we go and help Father¡ Brother?¡±
Turning to his side absentmindedly, Abel couldn¡¯t help but be startled. Damien had a wide grin on his face.
¡°Oh, ho¡ There were so many who disrespected our family to the point where Mother got that angry, weren¡¯t there?¡±
Only then did Abel realize he had seriously misunderstood.
Damien wasn¡¯t an ally to help Father but rather the one to pour oil on the fire.
¡°To invite so many people, it¡¯ll cost quite a bit, won¡¯t it? Our family doesn¡¯t have that kind of money.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s money you¡¯re worried about, I have it.¡±
Saying so, Damien opened a spatial ring and took out money. Glittering gold coins poured out.
In reality, Damien¡¯s financial situation wasn¡¯t as good as before.
He had spent a lot of money participating in the ck market auctions.
However, he had enough to cover the expenses for the banquet.
¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry about money. Let¡¯s make it a grand event.¡±
¡°As expected, he¡¯s really our son!¡±
Mother eximed brightly, hugging Viscount Haksen.
With even Damien stepping in, Viscount Haksen, as the head of the Haksen family, had no more grounds to object.
¡°¡Alright. Let¡¯s do as my wife wishes.¡±
In the end, he had no choice but to permit the banquet.
¡°I truly love you!¡±
Mother embraced Viscount Haksen warmly as sheughed brightly.
Seeing his wife¡¯s happy face, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t in a particrly bad mood.
¡®A banquet, huh.¡¯
Looking at the two of them, Damien became lost in thought.
¡®Since we¡¯ve only just be a Count, everyone will probably look down on us.¡¯
It didn¡¯t seem like it would be an easy position.
There would surely be those who would envy and be jealous of the family.
¡®Father probably isn¡¯t used to such a position.¡¯
The same would go for the other family members as well.
After all, they were all just simple nobles who had lived in the countryside.
Olivia was the only one he could trust, but she was just one person and experinced authority.
¡®I¡¯m not used to such a position either.¡¯
If it was a matter of wielding a sword, that would be different. But when it came to the scheming of the nobles, Damien was also aplete novice.
¡®This won¡¯t do. I need to find another way.¡¯
Ultimately, this problem was happening because the Haksen familycked authority.
If the Haksen family had authority, then everyone would be busy fawning over them.
¡®Then let¡¯s just borrow it from the outside.¡¯
Fortunately, Damien had quite a few good connections.
¡®A Duke should be enough, right?¡¯
Damien pondered how he would write the invitation to send to the duke.
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Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Chapter 106: The Count (2)
***
The news that Paul Haksen had been promoted to Count spread like wildfire throughout the West.
The nobles of the West were in an uproar.
To the nobles, Paul Haksen was far from qualified to be promoted to Count.
¡°Just a while ago, they were a family of nobodies. How can they be called a Count?¡±
¡°I hear the Haksen family¡¯s entire fortune is a wheat field the size of a mouse¡¯s tail. How can such a small family be promoted to Count?¡±
¡°I found out they don¡¯t even have a knight, let alone guards! How can such a family be a Count?¡±
In fact, the Haksen family was not as small as they thought.
This was because Olivia took half of the family¡¯snd when she became independent, and most importantly, because of Damien.
The Middle-ss knight, the rtionship with the Church, and the hero of the Kingdom who stopped the treason.
Considering Damien¡¯s achievements, it was not at all strange for Paul Haksen to receive the title of Count.
However, human jealousy is a way to narrow one¡¯s thinking.
¡°They¡¯re just bragging because their son is good.¡±
¡°They¡¯re nothing without Damien Haksen.¡±
The nobles of the West began to belittle Paul Haksen and Damien Haksen separately.
There was another reason why the reaction of the Western nobles was so intense.
¡°Isn¡¯t Viscount Haksen bing the new Grand Noble?¡±
The Grand Noble was not a separately appointed title.
It was an honorific title given to the most powerful family in the region.
However, that is what the nobles were after.
After all, there were definitely things that came with fame.
Originally, the position of Grand Noble of the West was held by the Count Copperhead.
However, the Count Copperhead had recently been in great trouble after hosting a jousting tournament and being linked to dark magic.
Not only that, but the eldest daughter, Olivia, had inherited half of thend and became independent.
Now, the Count Copperhead was nothing more than a hollow shell of a Grand Noble.
That¡¯s why the families that had been gaining some power in the West recently were all aiming to be the next Grand Noble.
So, it was no surprise that they were not happy when Paul Haksen suddenly received the title of Count.
Then, one day, an invitation was sent to the nobles.
The nobles could not help but be surprised when they saw the contents of the invitation.
¡°What? Are they holding a celebration tomemorate receiving the title of Count?¡±
The nobles were shocked that Paul Haksen would dare to hold a celebration in their honor.
They had already been belittling Paul Haksen and Damien Haksen, and now they were holding a celebration to show off their newfound status.
The nobles of the West were furious.
They decided to attend the celebration, but they were determined to make it a day that Viscount Haksen would never forget.
¡°Paul Haksen, this guy is definitely crazy!¡±
The reaction of the nobles was like adding oil to a fire.
¡°Look, everyone! Paul Haksen is openly showing his ambition!¡±
¡°Why else would he invite us? He¡¯s looking for a family to be his vassal!¡±
¡°There¡¯s no doubt that Paul Haksen is also aiming to be a Grand Noble!¡±
In the eyes of the Western nobles, the Haksen family¡¯s actions seemed like a deration that they would be a Grand Noble.
¡°A country bumpkin is trying to do something he can¡¯t handle.¡±
¡°A man who used to manage a wheat field the size of a palm is holding a celebration? What a ridiculous thing to say!¡±
¡°It seems like he thinks this is just a neighborhood party. My goodness, this is ridiculous.¡±
The Western nobles began tough at the actions of Paul Haksen.
¡°I wonder if he even secured a proper ce to hold the celebration.¡±
¡°He¡¯ll probably gather people at that old mansion.¡±
¡°I wonder if he¡¯ll prepare the food properly? Are we going to get something like gruel when we go there?¡±
¡°I wonder how bad the music will be¡¡ Will he bring in a circus troupe that rolls around on the street to perform?¡±
¡°More than anything else, I¡¯m curious to see what kind of clothes he¡¯lle up with. What do people from the middle of nowhere know about fashion?¡±
The Western nobles were convinced that it would be a miserable celebration.
¡°I¡¯m going to attend. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how miserable the celebration will be.¡±
¡°I agree. I can¡¯t miss such an entertaining sight.¡±
The Western nobles agreed with each other.
Thanks to this, the number of participants in the celebration only increased.
***
¡°This is Spring Castle!¡±
While the Western nobles were in an uproar.
Damien and his family hade to the castle built on the Gargari ins.
¡°Oh my, the castle is really beautiful.¡±
¡°Mother, look over there. Who do you think carved that?¡±
The family eximed in admiration as they looked around Spring Castle.
Spring Castle, which was built rtively recently, was a castle that took into ount both functionality and aesthetics.
The white walls were as beautiful as well-made porcin.
The ck roof, which contrasted with the white walls, covered the spires.
At the main gate, intricately carved statues were ready to wee visitors.
¡°Damien! Did you really say that His Majesty will give this castle to us?¡±
His father, Count Haksen, asked with an excited face.
Owning a castle was the dream of every noble.
However, not anyone could have it. The price itself was expensive, and the maintenance costs were also high. And you had to prove that you were in a position to match it.
So, it was impossible not to be happy to have just acquired such a wonderful castle.
¡°It was clearly written in the letter.¡±
¡°His Majesty is truly magnanimous!¡±
The family, who had been looking around the castle, headed to the banquet hall.
The banquet hall, which was prepared forrge parties, was very spacious and splendid. It seemed that it could easily amodate hundreds of people.
¡°Oh my, I think it would be really cool to have a celebration here!¡±
Countess was delighted as she looked around the banquet hall.
Count Haksen looked at his wife with a happy face.
¡°By the way, my dear, what about the chef and the band?¡±
¡°Yes, father. You don¡¯t have to worry. I recruited the best people for the job.¡±
Olivia immediately answered Count Haksen¡¯s question.
¡°They are the ones who were often invited by the Count Copperhead. They have never received a bad review.¡±
Olivia, as the eldest daughter of the Count Copperhead, had participated in many family events. Thanks to this, she had a widework of connections in this area.
¡°Everything is going smoothly. The celebration will go off without a hitch.¡±
Count Haksen made a face of great relief. Then Damien spoke as if to ask what the matter was.
¡°Father, there is still the most important thing left to do.¡±
¡°Hmm? What is that?¡±
¡°We need to prepare the ceremonial attire to be worn at the celebration.¡±
Count Haksenughed out loud at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Hahaha, you underestimate your father too much. I have one ceremonial attire, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±
¡°That old, worn-out outfit?¡±
Damien knew. He knew that the ceremonial attire the family currently had was nothing to show about it.
On the day of the jousting tournament celebration banquet, it was revealed when Abel took out the old ceremonial attire.
When I was surprised and asked what happened, the answer came that I borrowed my father¡¯s old ceremonial attire.
Because of Damien¡¯s mischief, the family was in debt, so they didn¡¯t even have proper ceremonial attire.
¡°It¡¯s worn out! This is the clothes that this father wore when he was young!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it also worn out and out of fashion? If youe out wearing that, everyone willugh at you.¡±
People¡¯s evaluations inevitably change depending on their appearance.
It would be even worse among the nobles.
Damien had no intention of making his family wear such old ceremonial attire.
¡°Ugh.¡±
However, his father had a look that he couldn¡¯t understand.
Damien sighed softly. Come to think of it, his father had always been indifferent to his clothes.
At times like this, I had to persuade him in a different way.
¡°Don¡¯t you and your sister need new clothes too?¡±
Damien looked back at the two on his Father¡¯s words. His mother and sister said, embarrassed.
¡°Honey, I actually want to get a new ceremonial dress too.¡±
¡°Father, me too.¡±
With even these twoing out, Count Haksen had no choice but to change his mind.
¡°Damien, I¡¯ll do as you say, but¡ even if we try to order clothes now, it will take several months.¡±
My father said with a worried face.
Then Olivia spoke up.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, father. I¡¯ll ask around and find a seamstress who has free time.¡±
Then Damien shook his head.
¡°We can¡¯t entrust the clothes we wear on such an important asion as a celebration to such a careless person.¡±
¡°But brother-inw, then there¡¯s nowhere to make clothes.¡±
¡°I saw Moonlight Wavesst time, and it seemed to be good.¡±
The family couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Damien, it seems you don¡¯t know what Moonlight Waves is.¡±
¡°They say it¡¯s the most famous costume shop in the West.¡±
¡°You have to wait a few years to get your clothes made.¡±
The family said one word at a time. Still, Damien had a confident expression on his face.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ve already prepared a countermeasure.¡±
¡°What countermeasure?¡±
Everyone looked at Damien with a puzzled face.
Only Abel realized what Damien meant.
¡°Brother, don¡¯t tell me¡!¡±
Damien nodded and said.
¡°There is no such thing as a waiting time in front of money.¡±
***
Peter Lloyd, the owner of the costume shop ¡®Moonlight Waves¡¯ in the Landwalk city, was enjoying a break with quality tea.
¡°Hmm~ Hmm~.
After eating a full lunch, it¡¯s time for tea time.
It was Peter Lloyd¡¯s favorite time of day.
He couldn¡¯t stand anything that interrupted this break, even if he could put up with anything else.
Peter Lloyd approached the window with his teacup. A sky full of dark clouds was visible through the ss.
¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain. I should put out my umbre in advance.¡±
As Peter Lloyd watched the dark clouds, he suddenly recalled a past memory.
It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant memory. It was a memory that made him angry because it was so unpleasant.
¡°It was the same that day¡¡ It was exactly this kind of weather¡¡.¡±
It had been months ago, but it was still vivid.
That day, too, Peter Lloyd was enjoying his break with tea.
Then, suddenly, a stranger burst through the door.
¡°They say you make clothes well here?¡±
He was a handsome man, but he had a sullen attitude.
¡®Moonlight Waves¡¯ is the most famous costume shop in the Western region.
It is so famous that it is so crowded with nobles who want to ce orders that the reservation is full for 3 years.
So, the question ¡°Do you make clothes well?¡± was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
¡°What can I do for you?¡±
Still, the customer was a customer. Peter Lloyd suppressed his anger and responded.
¡°I want to make a ceremonial attire to wear at a banquet.¡±
¡°We are currently very busy, so you need to make a reservation.¡±
¡°How long does it take to make a reservation?¡±
¡°It will take at least 3 years to receive it because the order is full.¡±
Peter looked at the young man with a smug face.
You who ignored ¡®Moonlight Waves¡¯ so much are surprised to find out that it is such a great ce¡¡.
¡°It takes too long. The banquet is just around the corner, so I need the clothes right away.¡±
The young man¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the words. Peter frowned without realizing it.
¡°You seem to have a lot of clothes made.¡±
¡°No. All the clothes here are reserved.¡±
Peter said firmly.
Peter had received simr offers before, but he had always refused them.
All the clothes made at Moonlight Waves were custom-made.
They were children who had already been assigned an owner from birth. He couldn¡¯t give them to someone else.
That was Peter Lloyd¡¯s belief.
The young man stretched out his hand. Gold coins poured out of a ck hole that appeared in the air.
¡°I¡¯ll pay you three times the price.¡±
Peter¡¯s mouth dropped open as he stared at the gold coins. Saliva involuntarily swallowed.
¡°Oh, no! I have to make your reservation first!¡±
Peter barely managed to maintain his sanity.
More gold coins fell from the hole. The pile of gold coins dazzled Peter¡¯s eyes.
¡°Five times the price.¡±
¡°Which clothes would you like to choose?¡±
In the end, Peter could not help but sumb to the young man¡¯s wealth.
¡°Because of that brat, my beliefs that I have upheld for decades have been shattered.¡±
Now that he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t contain his anger.
Although he made a lot of money thanks to it, he shuddered to think of the effort he put into making new clothes that the young man had taken.
¡°I was crazy back then. From now on, no one will be able to break my beliefs.¡±
It was then that Peter looked at the dark clouds and made a firm determination.
¡°Are you here?¡±
The door of the costume shop opened with a jingle. Peter smiled brightly and looked back at the guests.
¡°Wee. As graceful and beautiful as moonlight. I¡¯m Peter Lloyd, owner of Moonlight Waves.¡±
The moment he saw the guests who had entered, Peter¡¯s eyes widened.
Peter pointed at the guests with his index finger, trembling.
¡°Y-you are¡¡!¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡±
The young man he had seen that day, Damien Haksen, was smiling brightly.
¡°W-why are you here¡¡!¡±
¡°What reason do I have toe to a costume shop? I came to get clothes.¡±
Damien took a step back and four more people entered.
¡°Oh, so this is Moonlight Waves.¡±
¡°Oh my, look at that dress. It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±
The group, who appeared to be Damien¡¯s family, started to scatter and look at the clothes.
As Peter looked at them, an ominous feeling rose slowly.
¡°We n to hold a celebration soon, so we¡¯re here to get some clothes.¡±
As expected, the ominous feeling came true.
¡°W-we Moonlight Waves can¡¯t give clothes without a reservation!¡±
¡°Oh,e on, again. When I saw itst time, there were a lot of clothes already made.¡±
¡°Those all have owners already¡¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll pay enough money.¡±
Damien created another hole in the air. Gold coins poured out.
¡°Seven times.¡±
Peter¡¯s mind raced.
If there were six people in total, selling them at five times the price would be a huge profit.
¡°¡¡That won¡¯t do.¡±
However, Peter vowed never to give up his beliefs again.
So this time, he would definitely refuse¡¡.
¡°Eight times.¡±
More gold coins poured out. Peterughed sarcastically.
¡°I will do my best to serve you! Pleasee this way.¡±
Thinking that it would be invalid since he was defeated by the same person, Peter guided the family.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 107
Chapter 107
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 107: The Celebration (1)
***
¡°Honey, the guests are here.¡±
Countess Haksen said, looking out the window. At her words, the other family members also gathered around the window.
Carriages carrying the guests were slowly entering Spring Castle.
The expressions of the family watching them were quite dark.
¡°Will we be able to do it well today?¡±
¡°That¡¯s an obvious thing to say. You know too well how hard we prepared for this.¡±
Count Haksenforted his wife. But his voice was shaking just as much.
The Haksen family had never hosted or attended such arge banquet before.
And now they were supposed to be the hosts of the banquet and wee the guests?
It was a situation that could only be burdensome as more time passed.
¡°But Hoooww¡¡±
¡°Hubby, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you.¡±
Abel was also nervous. Olivia, who was more familiar with such things, encouraged Abel.
¡°My heart is pounding.¡±
Even Louise, who was always gentle, had a hardened expression today.
Then, suddenly, Louise found Damien sitting with a rxed, almostnguid face.
¡°Damien, you don¡¯t seem nervous?¡±
¡°Is there any need to be nervous? I¡¯m just going to look at people¡¯s faces.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°The reputation of our family depends on the opinions of those guests.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±
¡°Oh? Why is that?¡±
¡°If there are any who speak ill of our family, I will personally straighten them out on the spot.¡±
¡°Ahaha, you¡¯re joking.¡±
Louiseughed out loud and waved her hand.
But she stoppedughing when she saw the seriousness in Damien¡¯s eyes.
¡°¡Are you serious?¡±
¡°Of course. So please don¡¯t worry and enjoy yourself, sister.¡±
Louise looked at Damien with a dumbfounded expression. Then she burst outughing.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll trust my little brother.¡±
***
The nobles of the West gathered in the Gargari in.
Some came in their own carriages, while others who had close rtionships rode together in the same carriage.
¡°Finally, the day hase. I can¡¯t wait to see how pathetic Viscount Haksen will look.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Viscount Haksen¡¯s abilities are nothing to talk about.¡±
These men belonged to a group called the ¡°Hignders.¡±
The Hignders was a social club for nobles of the West who were known for their culture and knowledge.
Even though the Haksen family had be a count family, they still called them a Viscount.
It was their way of showing that they would never recognize the Haksen family as a Count family.
¡°But why did they ask us toe to the Gargari in instead of the Haksen territory?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I thought they would hold the celebration there.¡±
¡°What is there in the Gargari in that they would hold the celebration here?¡±
The nobles were all puzzled. One of them pondered for a moment and muttered.
¡°Surely¡ No, it can¡¯t be.¡±
¡°Hmm? Sir Southoden, do you know something?¡±
¡°I heard that there is a castle built by the royal family near the Gargari in¡ No, it can¡¯t be.¡±
While the members of the Hignders were chatting, the carriage crossed the Gargari in.
The nobles who looked out over the in could not help but admire it.
¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about it, but I didn¡¯t know it would be this big.¡±
¡°A river flows through the middle of the in. We won¡¯t have to worry about irrigation.¡±
¡°I hear thend is so fertile here. They say it¡¯s a bumper harvest no matter what you nt.¡±
Looking at the Gargari in, the members of the Hignders could not help but feel envious.
This was thend known for having the best agriculture in the West.
Everyone was drooling, but it was a ce that they could not even dream of coveting because it was thend of the royal family.
They had no idea that the Haksen family would get all of thisnd.
¡°Viscount Haksen has received such a goodnd that it is beyond his means.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±
The members tried to hide their envy and were busy ridiculing them on the outside.
They thought that today would be the day they would no longer have to envy the Haksen family.
However, when they arrived at Spring Castle, the nobles had no choice but to change their minds.
¡°Oh my¡ This is such a beautiful castle.¡±
¡°Are you saying that they are holding the celebration here?¡±
The nobles could not help but exim in admiration.
The Gargari in was located in a remote area even in the West.
Therefore, most of the nobles had never seen Spring Castle before.
The walls and towers were all made of white bricks. It seemed to be white marble, which was very expensive.
The roof was in contrast ck. The ck stone is said to be made by firing rare y and is known to be as expensive as white marble.
It was a castle that was literally beautiful like a picture.
¡°How did Viscount Haksen¡ ¡±
The nobles could not stop admiring themselves as they got out of the carriage.
Spring Castle was magnificent even when viewed from the outside, but its beauty was truly breathtaking once inside.
The two stone statues guarding the gate were particrly artistic, possessing a beauty that could be designated as a national treasure.
The nobles who got out of the carriage headed to the banquet hall under the guidance of the attendant.
¡°So this is the ce they chose to hold the celebration.¡±
¡°Of course, no one in their right mind would choose the old mansion as the venue for the banquet.¡±
The members of the Hignders continued to make disparaging remarks about the Haksen family.
It was their way of not showing their envy.
¡°What matters is not the ce, but the food and music, right?¡±
¡°I wonder if these country bumpkins hired decent people.¡±
The membersughed and entered the banquet hall. And once again, they could not help but be stunned.
As soon as they entered the banquet hall, they were greeted by magnificent music. An orchestra of over twenty people was ying.
Despite therge number of people ying, there were no mistakes, the tone was very smooth, and it was even appropriate for the asion. It was proof that they were a skilled orchestra.
¡°Ahem¡ They seem to have hired a pretty decent orchestra.¡±
¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±
Just then, the attendants entered the banquet hall and began to set down the food in a flurry.
They were finger foods made for easy eating at a banquet.
The smell of delicious food wafted from all the dishes as if they had just been made.
Sniff! sniff!
The moment they smelled it, the nobles felt a pang of hunger.
The smell was so good that it seemed to be more than just stimting their appetite, it was almost like the best food they even smelled.
Simr to the music, the food could tell the skill of the person who made it just by the smell.
It was clear that all the food in the banquet hall was made by a top chef.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡¡±
¡°Ahem! Cough cough!¡±
The members of the Hignders suddenly became quiet. No one was badmouthing the Haksen family.
In their own way, they had experienced many banquets as nobles, so they could tell.
That the level of the banquet prepared today was extraordinary.
It was clear that a lot of money and the best people had been gathered to prepare it.
¡°The guests have arrived.¡±
Just then, a voice came. The nobles raised their heads. The Haksen family was approaching from the front.
¡°Hmph¡¡±
¡°This can¡¯t be¡¡±
The moment they saw them, the nobles could not help but be amazed.
They had already investigated the Haksen family. So they knew that the Haksens were all good-looking.
However, they thought it was a bit of an exaggeration. Even if it wasn¡¯t, they thought it couldn¡¯t be that great.
But the Haksens they saw in person surpassed their expectations.
¡°I heard the eldest daughter was the prettiest, but¡ howe she hasn¡¯t been known until now?¡±
¡°That young man must be the second son, Abel. I heard he¡¯s the most handsome among the Haksens.¡±
¡°Thatdy is Olivia copperhead¡ no, now she¡¯s Olivia Haksen. She was called the Flower of the West. She¡¯s really something.¡±
Even though they were all good-looking, the clothes they were wearing were also extraordinary.
The members muttered to themselves.
Among them, the most eye-catching person was Damien Haksen.
As befitting a member of the Haksen family, Damien Haksen was also a considerable beauty.
However, the nobles were not overwhelmed by his appearance alone.
Anguid expression.
But an indefinable sense of oppression was felt.
It was to the extent that they felt they were facing an absolute being.
¡°I am Paul Haksen. Thank you foring to the celebration.¡±
Saying so, Count Haksen shook hands with each of the nobles of the Hignders.
¡°It¡¯s a humble banquet, but I hope you all enjoy yourselves.¡±
***
The guests kept arriving even after that.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The noble members of the Hignders could not enjoy the banquet at all. They just sat in a corner without saying a word.
Their n to ridicule the Haksen family for not being able to prepare a proper celebration had gone awry from the start.
The celebration was perfect, beyond perfection. There was no room for criticism.
The Haksen family, whom they had despised as country bumpkins, was already a great count family.
¡°¡Does everyone intend to stay here like this?¡±
One of the members spoke. Everyone¡¯s attention focused on him.
¡°Do you mean to acknowledge the Haksen family just like this?¡±
The noble spoke in a strong tone. But the members of the Hignders just avoided his gaze.
They had all lost their will to fight.
¡°¡It¡¯s too early to give up hope.¡±
The member who had spoken first made a grim expression.
¡°Is there a n?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have a n, but¡ I heard something beforehand.¡±
At that, the nobles gathered around. They pricked up their ears and waited for the next words.
¡°I heard that His Excellency is attending this banquet.¡±
¡°His Excellency?¡±
¡°Who is he?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Viscount Topikan.¡±
The moment the name was mentioned, the nobles¡¯ faces lit up instantly.
Viscount Topikan.
He was the head of the Topikan family, which had exercised great influence in the West for generations.
Although the Topikan family was a viscount family, they owned a vast territory. With such arge fortune and even vassals, it was a public fact that they were a family with more influence than their status suggested.
¡°Viscount Topikan is determined not to leave the Haksen family alone.¡±
Despite possessing such a powerful force, the Topikan family was not called a great noble.
This was because of the Copperhead family.
The Copperhead family had been standing firm, so the Topikan family had not been able to obtain the status of a great noble, let alone the title of count.
Then, a great upheaval urred in the Copperhead family, and their power was greatly weakened.
It was an opportunity that Viscount Topikan could not miss. He was nning to seize this opportunity to suppress the Copperhead family and be a great noble.
At that moment, the Haksen family suddenly rose to the rank of count.
This was a situation that Viscount Topikan could not help but be angry about.
¡°Once His Excellency arrives, the Haksen family will no longer be able to afford to be calm anymore!¡±
Just then.
Suddenly, a loud noise began to spread through the banquet hall.
The Hignders turned their gazes towards the source of the sound. Soon, the expressions of all the members brightened.
A man was walking into the banquet hall with several nobles in tow.
Deeply furrowed brows.
Eyes that were torn open. A tightly shut mouth. Half-shaved head.
It was Viscount Topikan, known as the eternal second-inmand of the West.
¡°Where is Viscount Haksen?¡±
Viscount Topikan, who had entered the banquet hall, raised his voice and spoke. At that, Count Haksen walked over from a distance.
¡°Viscount Topikan, wee.¡±
Viscount Topikan twisted the corner of his mouth at Count Haksen¡¯s words.
¡°You have the audacity to establish yourself in my territory.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know when you do. It¡¯s annoying.¡±
At Viscount Topikan¡¯s arrogant attitude, the nobles of the Hignders cheered inwardly.
The sight of him cornering Count Haksen was exactly what they had been hoping for.
¡°I didn¡¯te here to enjoy the banquet. I came here to warn these bastards.¡±
Viscount Topikan shouted, looking around at the nobles in the banquet hall.
¡°You¡¯d better think carefully. Who you¡¯ll side with, me or Viscount Haksen!¡±
***
Abel could not help but be angry at Viscount Topikan¡¯s attitude.
He hade all the way here to ruin the atmosphere, and what he was saying was just¡
He didn¡¯t like the way he kept calling his father ¡°Viscount Haksen¡± either.
It sounded like he didn¡¯t like the fact that the Haksen family had be a count family.
However, Abel decided to suppress his anger for now. He had to control his anger right now.
¡°Brother! You shouldn¡¯t send an invitation to him! Viscount Topikan is very influential in the West¡¡±
But Abel soon realized that Damien was wearing a very calm expression.
¡°Brother?¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡±
¡°You¡¯re asking the obvious. I want to smash that bastard¡¯s face right now and then destroy the Topikan family.¡±
His face was very peaceful, but his words were murderous.
¡°B-but why are you just sitting here¡¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need for me toe out. It¡¯s almost time for him to arrive.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Just then, Abel asked back. Viscount Topikan raised his voice again.
¡°I don¡¯t make empty threats! Engrave this in your mind! I will not hesitate to go to war with the Haksen family¡¡±
¡°Count Haksen! Sorry, I¡¯mte!¡±
Just then, someone interrupted Viscount Topikan and approached Count Haksen, shaking both his hands.
¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you in person! Congrattions on being promoted to count!¡±
Viscount Topikan frowned. He grabbed the man¡¯s shoulder and shouted.
¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m talking here!¡±
Viscount Topikan pulled the man¡¯s shoulder hard. And the moment he saw the man¡¯s face, Viscount Topikan froze on the spot.
¡°H-h-h-h-h-h-h!¡±
He couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. Viscount Topikan swallowed his dry saliva before he could finally speak properly.
¡°Your Grace!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 108
Chapter 108
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 108: The Celebration (2)
***
The entrance of the Duke caused the banquet hall to freeze over as if a winter wind had blown through.
Even more perplexing to the nobles than the Duke¡¯s appearance was the situation unfolding before their eyes.
The Duke stared at the hand that was gripping his shoulder and spoke.
¡°Would you mind letting go of my shoulder?¡±
The Viscount Topikan hurriedly removed his hand at the Duke¡¯s words. The Duke brushed his shoulder with a cold expression.
¡°Isn¡¯t that the Duke Goldpixie¡?¡±
¡°I heard he doesn¡¯t attend social gatherings often¡¡±
¡°I heard he¡¯s close to Damien, but I didn¡¯t expect him toe so soon¡¡±
The nobles whispered among themselves as they looked at the Duke. Some of the nobles quickly wondered what the Duke¡¯s intentions were in participating.
¡°The fact that the Duke Goldpixie is here means¡¡±
¡°He has officially acknowledged his rtionship with the Haksen family.¡±
¡°The Haksen family is backed by the Duke Goldpixie. That¡¯s huge.¡±
While the nobles were chattering, Damien approached.
¡°Oh, Sir Damien! Thank you for sending me the invitation. I¡¯m a bitte, but I hope you understand.¡±
The Duke, who saw Damien, spoke with a bright face.
¡°I¡¯m just grateful that you attended.¡±
¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m d to hear that. I have a lot to talk to you about, but¡ let¡¯s leave that forter.¡±
The Duke looked at the Count Haksen and said.
¡°Count Haksen, would you mind if we had a chat?¡±
¡°I-it would be my honor.¡±
The Count Haksen quickly replied.
¡°Thank you for saying that. And Viscount Topikan?¡±
At the call of the Duke Goldpixie, the Viscount Topikan stopped leaving his seat and turned back.
¡°Y-Your Grace¡ W-what is it?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t youe with us?¡±
At that moment, the Viscount Topikan almost cried out involuntarily.
¡°I-I have something urgent to do¡¡±
¡°I said you¡¯lle with us.¡±
The Duke spoke in a cold tone. The Viscount Topikan had no choice but to follow the Duke, with tears in his eyes.
***
The Viscount Topikan felt like he was going to die.
It was all because of Duke Goldpixie, who was sitting at the same table.
The Iron Duke, the Golden Demon, the bloodthirsty meritocrat ¨C the nicknames attached to the Duke Goldpixie were all equally terrifying.
The Duke Goldpixie was that much of a fearsome figure.
If anyone got in the way of his business, he would not hesitate to eliminate them, regardless of the means or methods. He was also known for ruthlessly discarding those who werecking in ability, even if they were his own family.
Anyone who knew even a little bit about the Duke would avoid getting close to him.
With such a monstrous figure next to him, the Viscount could not help but feel tense, as if he was sitting on a bed of needles.
¡°Compared to Your Grace, I am nothing.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? In the past 10 years, the Haksen family has been the only one to have received the title of Count! That¡¯s quite an achievement!¡±
The Viscount Topikan even went so far as to touch the Duke¡¯s body without permission.
Although Viscount Topikan was said to be influential in the West, he was nothing but a firefly in the sunpared to Duke Goldpixie.
After all, the Duke Goldpixie was a figure who wielded tremendous power not only in the West but throughout the entire Apple Kingdom.
Right now, the Viscount Topikan was no different from a man who had his bald head exposed in the middle of hail.
¡°Once you be a Count, you will have a lot more to worry about. You will have to choose someone to manage your territory on your behalf. You will have to figure out how to supervise them. There are more than a fewplicated things to deal with.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so worried. I¡¯ve only ever managed a small territory before¡¡±
The Viscount Topikan was shocked as he listened to the two men¡¯s conversation.
The Duke, who was always known for being cold and meticulous, was treating Count Haksen with an extremely kind attitude.
¡°It¡¯s your first time, so you¡¯re bound to be worried. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Of course. If you need any knowledge or help, just send someone over. No, I¡¯ll have someone sent over within a few days.¡±
He was even actively offering to help.
This was apletely different side of the Duke Goldpixie than the one the Viscount Topikan knew.
¡°I don¡¯t know if I deserve such kindness¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Compared to the help Sir Damien gave me, this is nothing.¡±
In the middle of their conversation, the Duke Goldpixie nced at the Viscount Topikan and said.
¡°Viscount Topikan, you haven¡¯t said a word since earlier. Is there something wrong with you?¡±
¡°Ah, no! I¡¯m fine!¡±
The Viscount Topikan hurriedly shouted. The Duke looked at the Viscount and burst outughing.
¡°Hahaha, you don¡¯t need to be so tense. Do you think I¡¯m going to eat you?¡±
The Viscount Topikan felt goosebumps all over his body.
It might have been a joke to the Duke, but it wasn¡¯t to the Viscount Topikan.
¡°Speaking of which, Your Grace, may I offer you a piece of advice while we¡¯re here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±
¡°Thank you for that. It¡¯s not much of an advice, really.¡±
The Duke Goldpixie gestured to the attendant who was carrying the wine and called him over.
Then he took three sses from the tray the attendant was holding and handed them to Count Haksen and the Viscount Topikan.
¡°Power is a very sweet and delicious thing. It is like a fragrant wine that no one can resist. But as you know, a drunk person always makes a sorry sight.¡±
The Count Haksen nodded at the Duke¡¯s words.
¡°You are telling me to always be on guard.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. But here¡¯s the thing. It¡¯s not enough for me to be on guard alone. Power can also drive others mad.¡±
The Duke Goldpixie took a sip of his wine.
¡°Many people will gather around you in the future. Some of them will have good intentions, but¡ those will be a very small minority. Most of them will covet your power or try to take it away from you.¡±
The Duke Goldpixie¡¯s face became serious.
¡°So be wary of everyone who approaches you. What are their intentions? What do they want from me? Are they dangerous?¡±
With that, the Duke Goldpixie gulped down the rest of his wine.
¡°Do you know what to do if someone has bad intentions? Should I just kick them out?¡±
¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s not enough. You have to trample them down thoroughly so that they never underestimate you again.¡±
With that, the Duke Goldpixie looked at the Viscount Topikan.
The Viscount Topikan hupped involuntarily.
¡°What do you think, Viscount Topikan?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¡±
¡°Answer me. I want to hear it.¡±
¡°I¡ I think it¡¯s not bad to give them a chance once¡¡±
The Duke Goldpixie let out a short, dryugh.
¡°This is your one chance.¡±
Theughter disappeared from Duke Goldpixie¡¯s voice. The Viscount Topikan¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°That¡¯s all for now. I have something to talk to the Count Haksen about.¡±
The Viscount Topikan quickly left his seat.
He was treatedpletely like a subordinate, but he didn¡¯t care at all.
All he wanted now was to get away from this ce as quickly as possible.
***
After finishing his conversation with Count Haksen, Duke Goldpixie called Damien over for a private conversation.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a cunning side, Sir Damien.¡±
The Duke Goldpixie said with a yful smile.
¡°Inviting me here to give your family a boost.¡±
¡°Were you offended by any chance?¡±
¡°If it had been anyone else, I would have been. But since it¡¯s you, Sir Damien, I wasn¡¯t offended at all. In fact, I was d because it felt like an opportunity to repay your kindness a little bit.¡±
Some time ago, Damien had exposed the identities of the dark mages who were plotting against the Duke Goldpixie family. Thanks to him, Duke Goldpixie was able to protect his duchy.
¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m really surprised. I expected you to be a big shot, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this soon.¡±
Not only did he help the Church to kill a famous dark mage, but he also prevented a coup d¡¯¨¦tat from happening in the royal pce.
The current Damien could be considered a hero of the Apple Kingdom.
¡°Do you really have no intention of joining my duchy?¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s difficult because I have a lot to do.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get whatever you need.¡±
¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine.¡±
The Duke Goldpixie smiled wryly at Damien¡¯s firm answer.
¡°Well, if that¡¯s your will, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I¡¯ll take my leave then. I have other appointments.¡±
With that, the Duke Goldpixie left Spring Castle.
***
The celebration banquetsted for a week.
Thanks to the Duke¡¯s presence on the first day, all the guests who arrived afterward behaved themselves.
¡°Count Haksen! I am from the Barutalia Barony!¡±
¡°I have brought a gift to celebrate this asion! Please ept it!¡±
No, that¡¯s not quite right.
The nobles who came to visit were all busy ttering him. They were all trying to get on the good side of Count Haksen.
Considering Damien¡¯s position and his rtionship with the Duke Goldpixie family, this was only natural.
It was amazing to see how the nobles changed their attitude towards Count Haksen overnight as if they had received the information very quickly.
In that way, the Haksen family was able to safely conclude the celebration banquet for the promotion to Count.
After seeing off thest guest, the family members each thanked Damien.
¡°It¡¯s finally over! Everyone worked hard!¡±
¡°I was worried at first if we would be able to finish it safely¡ but I¡¯m really d.¡±
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, brother! Everyone became quiet because you invited the Duke!¡±
The family¡¯s eyes all turned to Damien. Damien coughed awkwardly. He felt a little embarrassed for some reason.
¡°It was nothing.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not nothing! If it wasn¡¯t for you, the atmosphere would have been a mess!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Who was it? Viscount Topikan? That shameless man would have caused a lot of trouble!¡±
Damien scratched his head with his fingers. He felt a little awkward hearing the family¡¯spliments.
¡°Damien,e closer.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
Damien approached his father, puzzled.
As he got closer, his father hugged him tightly. And then he spoke softly.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Our son, our wonderful son. Thank you so much.¡±
At that moment, something inside him burst out.
In his previous life, Damien had killed his entire family on Dorugo¡¯smand.
At the moment of death, the screams, the resentment, and the cries of his family did not go away. They were still clear in his ears. He had nightmares every day.
But for a moment, he was able to forget the terrible memories thanks to his father¡¯s words.
Damien had to bite his lip to stop himself from crying.
But he felt like he would remember this feeling for a long time.
***
Even though the celebration was over, the family decided not to return to the mansion.
¡°I think we¡¯ll make this our home from now on.¡±
Now that they were a Count family, they needed a suitable residence.
Moreover, the territories currently owned by the Count Haksen family were scattered in different ces.
The existing territory, thend that Olivia received from the Count Copperhead, and finally the Gargari ins.
Of the three territories, the Gargari ins was located in the middle. So it was better to stay in Spring Castle to manage the territory.
¡°Yes, father.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t offer any other opinion. He had already decided to leave the matters of estate to the family.
Moreover, they now had the reliable Olivia. With her ability, it seemed that she would be able to manage this much territory without any problems.
Now that the family event was over, it was time to focus on his personal business.
¡°I think I¡¯ll go to the Church now.¡±
As a reward for killing the Cropsey and saving the crusade, Damien had earned the right to enter the Church¡¯s secret treasury.
He nned to offer the core he obtained while destroying the demonic sword this time and receive a reward.
¡°And I¡¯ll also get the holy sword repaired.¡±
With anticipation, Damien prepared for his journey.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 109
Chapter 109
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 109: The Stranger (1)
***
The day to leave for the Church finally arrived.
After bidding farewell to his family, Damien mounted his horse and departed from Spring Castle.
The journey to the Church was incredibly long, so he had to move diligently.
After traveling for several days, Damien was able to reach the border of the Apple Kingdom.
He needed to cross the border, but the sun was already setting, making it impossible to travel any further.
¡°There are no viges nearby.¡±
He spread his mana to check, but he couldn¡¯t feel any signs of life.
In the end, Damien had no choice but to camp in the forest.
Fortunately, he had anticipated this and packed camping supplies in his subspace.
He gathered dry branches and lit a campfire. Then he put a kettle on and boiled water.
While the water was boiling, he had a simple meal of biscuits and jerky. Then, he brewed tea with the boiled water.
He sipped his tea while gazing at the sunset. Thinking about it, it had been a long time since he had such a peaceful moment.
¡°I never dreamed that such a day woulde in my previous life.¡±
Being alone like this brought back memories of his time as a Death Knight.
He was referring to the time when he was trapped in his own body, enved by Dorugo, and became a killing machine.
At first, he had tried everything to regain control of his body.
However, no matter how hard he tried, nothing changed. He could only helplessly watch as his own body killed people.
ck.
Just thinking about the past made anger well up inside him. It felt as vivid as if it had just happened.
The torrent of emotions was so intense that he felt like he was going to lose his temper.
Damien had to take deep breaths for a long time to control his emotions.
¡°Damn it¡¡.¡±
He had to kill that damn Archlich Dorugo as soon as possible.
Otherwise, he would never be able to find a day of peace for the rest of his life.
¡°To kill him¡¡ I need to get stronger, much stronger.¡±
Making a calm and objective assessment, Damien knew that he couldn¡¯t defeat Dorugo in his current state.
Among the Dark Mages, those who possessed a different level of skill were called High-level dark mages.
If a High-level dark mage crossed a certain wall and reached a transcendental level, they were called a Grand Dark Mage.
Only a very small number of Grand Dark Mages could transform themselves into undead and be Liches.
And Dorugo was an Archlich, the pinnacle of Liches.
Throughout history, no one had ever reached the level of Archlich except for Dorugo.
That¡¯s how much Dorugo¡¯s strength exceeded imagination.
¡°Even so, it¡¯s only a matter of time. I just need to get a little bit stronger than I am now.¡±
Damien was no ordinary knight.
In his previous life, he had killed countless Masters and possessed the talent to destroy humanity.
No genius born before has ever reached Damien¡¯s level.
In addition to his memories and experiences from his previous life, he also possessed the dark magic knowledge infused into him by Archlich Dorugo.
Not only that, but he also possessed Authorities.
In his previous life, Dorugo had tried to make Damien an absolute being.
To this end, he extracted seven Authorities from an ancient artifact and bestowed them upon Damien.
Each Authority possessed a power so strong that even Dorugo found it difficult to handle.
That¡¯s why he could say it with confidence. If he just got a little bit stronger than he was now, he could kill Dorugo.
He was confident that he could not only kill him but also obliterate him without a trace.
¡°If I just raise my realm a little bit more from my current state, I won¡¯t be afraid of Dorugo. However¡¡.¡±
He realized it in his previous life.
The fact that one should always assume the worst-case scenario.
That if he didn¡¯t, he would make a fatal mistake.
In order to perfectly eliminate Dorugo without any risk factors, being High-ss was not enough.
¡°Master. I need to reach that realm.¡±
Damien currently had the Heart of the Spirit he bought from the auction house and the Core of the Sea Serpent he received from the king.
If he absorbed these two, he could get one step closer to the Master realm.
However, simply increasing his mana pool would not allow him to reach the Master realm.
He needed toplete his own mana cultivation techniques as soon as possible. He needed to use it as a foundation and establish a center in order to step into the Master realm.
This was the reason why Damien was constantly collecting mana cultivation techniques.
¡°I need to finish my preparations before Juanes.¡±
Dorugo was constantly moving, so it was impossible to pinpoint his location.
In his previous life, Damien had encountered Dorugo while working on amission with Juan¡¯s mercenary group.
So he had asked Juan, whom he had met in this life, for one thing. He told him to let him know immediately if he took on the samemission that he had encountered Dorugo on.
¡°I will definitely kill him.¡±
Just as Damien was quietly suppressing his hatred,
A noise began toe from a distance. The ground continued to rumble as if arge monster was approaching.
¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡±
Damien looked in the direction of the sound with a surprised face.
Soon, he witnessed an incredible sight.
From a distance, the trees in the forest were falling to the ground one by one.
Something very powerful was knocking down the trees.
¡°Isn¡¯t iting this way?¡±
Damien realized that it wasing towards him.
¡°Whoa!¡±
The tree right in front of him fell with a roar. A girl and a young man appeared beyond it.
¡°David, look. What did I tell you? I told you there would be people here.¡±
The girl said, turning to the young man behind her. Her blonde hair swayed in the wind.
It was so well-maintained that each strand swayed beautifully.
¡°Oh dear, youngdy. What are we going to do if you make such a mess of the forest?¡±
The young man put his hand to his forehead as if he had a headache. He was carrying a backpack twice his size.
¡°We had no choice because we got lost! But thanks to that, we even made it to the light!¡±
The girl walked briskly towards Damien.
¡°Don¡¯t be scared! We don¡¯t mean to hurt you!¡±
The girl said, cing her hands on her hips.
It was hard to believe how arrogant she could look.
¡°We just want to ask for directions! We want to go to the Apple Kingdom, so can you just tell us which way to go!¡±
Unfortunately, Damien was not in a position to answer.
He had been in shock ever since the girl appeared.
¡®¡¡Why is the Sword Empress here?¡¯
The woman who hadpeted with the Imperial Supreme Sword for the title of strongest human was standing right in front of him.
***
The Sword Empress.
As her name suggests, it was an incredibly arrogant and haughty title.
The Emperor of the Sword? Who in this world could use such a title?
However, those who had actually fought the Sword Empress had no choice but to discard such thoughts.
The Sword Empress¡¯s skills were that overwhelming and great enough to inspire awe.
¡®She was an incredibly strong person.¡¯
During his time as a Death Knight, the majority of the Masters who fought Damien lost their lives in the first battle.
However, the Sword Empress was not like that. The oue was not decided at first. They shed several times after that.
Even though all of her techniques were seen through, and even her all enlightenments were stolen, the Sword Empress did not fall.
However, in the sixth battle, the Sword Empress eventually lost her life.
The girl¡¯s appearance was exactly the same as the Sword Empress that Damien remembered. If she were a few years older, she would have been perfect.
¡®She looks exactly the same as in my previous life.¡¯
The Sword Empress that Damien remembered and the girl in front of him waspletely identical. Except that she was much younger.
¡°Excuse me? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±
When Damien didn¡¯t say anything for a while, the Sword Empress tilted her head and asked.
¡°Aha! I see now. You¡¯re asking forpensation, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Damien was a little taken aback by the out-of-nowhere question.
¡°Compensation?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend you don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve already learned everything from my father! You have to paypensation if you want someone to do something for you!¡±
The Sword Empress gestured. The man standing behind her sighed and took out a leather pouch.
¡°Take it.¡±
The Sword Empress flicked a gold coin at Damien. The gold coin spun around andnded in front of Damien with a thud.
¡°Now that you¡¯ve received yourpensation, tell me. Which way is the Apple Kingdom?¡±
¡°No need.¡±
Damien threw the gold coin back at the Sword Empress. The Sword Empress caught the gold coin with a puzzled look on her face.
¡°What business do you have in the Apple Kingdom?¡±
¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. Do you know Michael Ryanbloom?¡±
At those words, Damien felt a strange feeling.
In his previous life, Michael Ryanbloom had lived azy life because he couldn¡¯t find an opponent, and he had been defeated by the Sword Empress. After that, he devoted himself to training again and reached the Master realm.
Seeing that the Sword Empress was looking for Michael, it seemed that this was the time.
¡°What are you going to do when you find Michael Ryanbloom?¡±
¡°That¡¯s an obvious question. What reason would a knight have for looking for a knight? Topete with each other, of course!¡±
The Sword Empress said, clenching her fist and raising it high into the air.
¡®I wonder. Who would win if the two of them fought right now.¡¯
In terms of talent alone, the Sword Empress was far superior to Michael. In his previous life, Michael had never been able to defeat the Sword Empress.
However, unlike in his previous life, Michael had left hiszy life much faster in this life by meeting Damien.
In addition, he was growing even more rapidly by epting Damien¡¯s advice wholeheartedly.
¡°I originally came here to fight Michael Ryanbloom¡ but I heard some strange rumors on the way.¡±
¡°Strange rumors?¡±
¡°They say that a man named Damien Haksen defeated Michael Ryanbloom.¡±
The Sword Empress continued, her face filled with interest.
¡°That¡¯s not all. They also say that he helped the Church to kill dark mages, that he reached Middle ss in the shortest time possible, and other ridiculous rumors like that.¡±
¡°He must be a very great man.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he? That¡¯s why I¡¯m so curious. I wonder what kind of person he is. How strong he is.¡±
Before long, the Sword Empress¡¯s gaze was fixed on Damien.
¡°You are Damien Haksen, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Damien finished his cup of tea and said.
¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on.¡±
¡°I was right then. After all, there can¡¯t be many people this strong.¡±
Damien could have easily hidden his strength if he wanted to, but he didn¡¯t.
This was because he was curious to see how the Sword Empress would react.
The Sword Empress that Damien remembered was a person who, despite her shy appearance, was morepetitive than anyone else.
¨C Damien Haksen! Today is the day I will defeat you!
¨C I¡¯ll retreat for now! Let¡¯s fight again next time!
¨C It won¡¯t be easy this time! I¡¯ve developed a technique to defeat you!
She was someone who never gave up, even after being defeated by Damien several times. Each time, she had sincerely tried to defeat Damien.
¨C ¡In the end, I was never able to defeat you.
¨C It was fun while itsted. I don¡¯t know about you, though.
Even at thest moment, the Sword Empress¡¯s attitude remained the same. She did not fear death. She did not resent him.
¨C I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the afterlife first. Let¡¯s fight againter. That time, I¡¯ll really have a conversation with you¡¡.
Until her neck was cut off, the Sword Empress had unterally promised a duel with Damien. It was a truly Sword Empress-like ending.
After killing the Sword Empress, Damien had been haunted by a terrible feeling for a while.
¡°If you¡¯re Damien Haksen, then there¡¯s only one thing I can do.¡±
The Sword Empress stood up. She stretched her limbs and loosened her body.
¡°Are you proposing a fight?¡±
¡°Of course. What else is there for us to do?¡±
He burst outughing at the Sword Empress¡¯s words.
The Sword Empress was truly the Sword Empress. She was exactly the same as the one Damien remembered.
¡°That¡¯s good.¡±
He had been curious anyway.
Just what kind of strength did the Sword Empress have at this point in time?
¡®I should also test out my new skills.¡¯
Damien cracked the knuckles of his fingers and stood up.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 110
Chapter 110
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 110: The Stranger (2)
***
Damien faced off against the Sword Empress in the darkening forest.
¡°Mdy¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, David. I¡¯ll be finished soon.¡±
David looked at the Sword Empress with concern. In contrast, her face was brimming with confidence.
¡®Soon? How arrogant.¡¯
This was the problem with geniuses like Michael Ryanbloom and the Sword Empress. They were too arrogant, even for their own good.
¡®They should learn to be humble, like me.¡¯
Even a genius like himself would never let his guard down when facing an enemy, so it could be a problemter on if the Sword Empress, who was not as skilled as him, acted like this.
It wasn¡¯t that they showed arrogance intentionally. They had probably always won every fight in their life at this point.
If they had only experienced such things, it was natural for them to be bored with everything like Michael, or arrogant like the Sword Empress.
¡®I¡¯ll show her just how vast the world is on this asion.¡¯
When Damien remained silent, the Sword Empress urged him.
¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and get ready.¡±
¡°I¡¯m already ready.¡±
The Sword Empress frowned at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You¡¯re barehanded.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m ready.¡±
Damien said, showing his empty hands. At that attitude, a vein throbbed on the Sword Empress¡¯s forehead.
¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? You¡¯re a swordsman!¡±
¡°There¡¯s now that says a swordsman can¡¯t fight barehanded. Is there?¡±
In fact, Damien was also deeply skilled in martial arts.
Among the masters he had fought in his previous life, there were many martial artists, and he had absorbed all of their knowledge and skills.
Moreover, the reason Damien had epted this duel was to test out a new technique.
The new technique that Damien had devised this time could only be used with bare hands, not with weapons.
¡°Stop ying around and get your weapon out.¡±
¡°Why? Are you worried that you¡¯ll lose to me barehanded?¡±
More than anything, fighting barehanded was a good way to cure the Sword Empress¡¯s arrogance.
This would be the first time she had ever been ignored like this in her life.
¡°¡Is that so? Let¡¯s see if you can still say that after seeing this.¡±
The Sword Empress, her face filled with anger, drew the sword from her waist.
The hilt was short and the de was very narrow. It was a form that was more suitable for stabbing than shing.
It was a weapon called a rapier.
The rapier was originally created as a weapon for self-defense in the city.
Therefore, it was known to be less suitable for use inbat than other weapons.
However, the story changed when it was held in the Sword Empress¡¯s hand.
Just getting close to her made one feel a chill as if their throat would be cut in an instant.
¡°This is yourst chance. Draw your sword.¡±
Damien stretched out his hands and shook them. Finally, the Sword Empress¡¯s anger exploded.
¡°¡¡If you get your wrist cut off after that, it¡¯s not my fault!¡±
The Sword Empress pointed her rapier at Damien. The moment the tip of the rapier and Damien aligned, she shot forward.
She slid across the ground, closing the distance in an instant. It was like watching a human-shaped arrow.
¡°Hah!¡±
With a shout, the Sword Empress thrust her rapier forward. The tip of the rapier aimed to pierce Damien¡¯s heart.
¡®Excellent.¡¯
The footwork that closed the distance in an instant, the swordsmanship that thrust the rapier, and the flow of mana that assisted all of it.
Everything was perfect. Any average middle-ss swordsman would have had trouble even blocking this attack, let alone dodging it.
However, the person standing here now was Damien.
He had already read the move and tilted his head to the side. The rapier pierced through the air.
¡°Well dodged!¡±
The Sword Empress immediately pulled back her extended arm. She returned to her original position.
¡°Hoo.¡±
The Sword Empress took a deep breath. And then, the rapier disappeared.
A flurry of over twenty attacks erupted. It was almost as if the rapier had split into multiple des.
It was an incredible speed, but it was all clear to Damien¡¯s eyes. He dodged the iing rapier by moving one step at a time.
¡°Tsk.¡±
When all of her attacks were rendered ineffective, the Sword Empress¡¯s swordsmanship changed. She stopped thrusting the rapier and started swinging it.
As it was light, the speed of the shes was also fast. She swung the rapier repeatedly, like a brush drawing lines in the air.
Damien dodged this as well with ease. And then, this time, the Sword Empress¡¯s body disappeared.
Immediately afterward, attacks came from all directions. The Sword Empress was nowhere to be seen, but the attacks kepting.
¡®She may be young, but the Sword Empress is still the Sword Empress after all.¡¯
The Sword Empress¡¯s swordsmanship could be summarized in one word: ¡®fast¡¯.
A swordsmanship that quickly closes the shortest distance to the opponent and moves at extreme speed to pierce them.
With mediocre skills, one would not even be able to see the Sword Empress¡¯s movements properly.
It was so fast that it was rather shy. It was enough to make one¡¯s eyes dizzy.
But in the end, there is only one de.
Damien swung his palm in ordance with the movement of the rapier. Damien¡¯s palm and the de of the rapier met.
The rapier, which had been drawn in a straight line, was deflected to the side.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
The Sword Empress was taken aback by the unexpected situation.
Damien did not miss this opportunity. He stepped forward and twisted his waist. He then swung his back heel and kicked the Sword Empress in the temple.
It was a very clean and powerful attack. However, just before Damien¡¯s heel hit her head, something strange happened.
A golden aura gathered on the Sword Empress¡¯s skin. And it spread wide, forming an armor.
As the heel and the armor collided, the Sword Empress¡¯s body was pushed to the side with a loud noise.
¡°You can use this?¡±
Damien said, putting down his outstretched leg. A strange smile spread across his lips.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you could use an Aura armor in the middle-ss?¡±
Any knight can use mana to block an enemy¡¯s attack.
It is a technique of concentrating mana on the part where the shock is applied to minimize the damage.
Aura armor is an advanced form of this.
It was a technique that used aura to form armor to block enemy attacks.
It was very useful, but it was also very difficult.
It was known that one had to be at least high-ss to use it.
However, the Sword Empress was using it at the middle-ss level.
Of course, there were many shoringspared to a high-ss aura armor.
It was much weaker, and the structure was not as solid.
It also took longer to implement.
However, it was still a great feat to be able to use it at all.
She was truly a gifted individual.
¡°¡¡I don¡¯t feel good hearing that from you.¡±
The Sword Empress said with a stony face.
¡°You¡¯re the one who not only dodged all my attacks but also created an opening andnded an attack.¡±
If Damien felt surprised, the Sword Empress felt shocked.
This was the first time she had ever felt so helpless in her life.
¡°I thought it would be over quickly¡¡ This won¡¯t do. I have to do this properly.¡±
A golden aura enveloped the Sword Empress¡¯s body.
She was trying to protect her entire body by using the aura armor in real-time, rather than activating it instantaneously.
¡°That¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s really amazing.¡±
Aura armor had the disadvantage of consuming arge amount of mana.
However, the Sword Empress was using aura armor to cover her entire body.
This meant that she not only had arge amount of mana, but she was also skilled in using aura.
¡°Aura armor¡¡ Good. It¡¯s perfect for using my new technique.¡±
Damien activated the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His body temperature skyrocketed.
His mana raged wildly, and his physical abilities and senses were extremely amplified.
Originally, Damien would not have gone beyond this point.
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a powerful mana cultivation technique, but it was also dangerous, as it could turn one into a cripple if one crossed the line.
However, things were different now.
He had found a way to prevent the side effects of the technique.
Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle technique.
A mana cultivation technique that Damien had obtained at an auction house in the ck market.
The Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle had the ability to manipte the blood vessels, which are the channels through which mana flows.
With the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle, one could strengthen or expand the blood vessels.
In addition, one could also destroy or twist the opponent¡¯s blood vessels, as in the previous incident, to cause them pain.
Damien used the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle to strengthen his blood vessels.
As a result, the burden on his body was rapidly reduced.
¡®Now I can go one step further.¡¯
He used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to further enhance his body and senses.
This increased the burden on his blood vessels.
However, thanks to the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle, his blood vessels were not destroyed.
¡°What are you doing¡¡?¡±
The Sword Empress¡¯s face hardened.
She could now instinctively feel that something was happening to Damien¡¯s body.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re preparing for¡¡ but I don¡¯t n to just sit back and take it.¡±
Aura armor surrounding the Sword Empress¡¯s body became even thicker.
It seemed that she was trying to strengthen her defense in case the enemy attacked.
¡°Good decision.¡±
Damien smiled and said.
And then he kicked the ground.
Something exploded from his entire body.
The ground shattered even though he had only lightly kicked it.
The recoil propelled his body forward.
It was iparable to the previous time he had used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
When the world finally returned to normal, Damien was within the Sword Empress¡¯s attack range.
¡°Wha¡ ?¡±
The Sword Empress realized this btedly.
The one who used the fast swordsmanship had missed the enemy¡¯s movement.
¡°This is ridiculous¡¡±
The Sword Empress hurriedly tried to get out of range, but Damien struck her abdomen with his palm first.
The moment the aura armor tried to block the blow, Damien released his mana.
The released mana spread throughout the Sword Empress¡¯s body.
At the same time, it blocked her blood vessels.
With her blood vessels blocked, the Sword Empress could no longer maintain the aura armor.
Damien¡¯s blow dug into the Sword Empress¡¯s abdomen.
¡°Ugh¡ !¡±
A gasp escaped from the Sword Empress¡¯s lips.
This time, she was unable to resist and flew backward.
She crashed into a wooden pir and hung her head limply.
¡®It¡¯s still a work in progress, but it¡¯s not a bad technique.¡¯
The technique Damien had just used was one that used the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle to block the enemy¡¯s blood vessels while attacking.
He had created it because he judged that it would be easy to subdue the enemy if he could use it properly.
¡®As I thought, I can easily prate the aura armor as well.¡¯
Aura armor was a great technique, but it was not invincible.
It could not block the Internal Injury Technique, which infused mana into the enemy¡¯s body to cause internal injuries.
That was why the Sword Empress was also unable to block the mana that Damien had released.
¡°Mdy!¡±
Just then, David rushed over and supported the Sword Empress.
The Sword Empress was unconscious.
David turned to Damien and protested.
¡°Aren¡¯t you going too far? How can you beat up a delicatedy like Mdy so mercilessly!¡±
Delicate?
Damien made a dumbfounded expression.
Who in the world would call a woman like the Sword Empress delicate?
¡°You¡¯re being too overprotective. You should know, don¡¯t you? That she¡¯s not as badly injured as she looks.¡±
The moment he struck her abdomen, Damien had pulled back most of the mana.
Thanks to this, the Sword Empress did not suffer great injuries.
¡°How am I supposed to know that!¡±
¡°If even a Master ss like you didn¡¯t know about it, what should I do?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, David¡¯s body froze.
The expression on his face disappeared.
¡°Since when did you know?¡±
When David raised his voice, Damien said nonchntly.
¡°From the beginning.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 111
Chapter 111
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 111: The Stranger (3)
***
Master.
A true transcendent being, known as an absolute being who can single-handedly take on a kingdom.
Any knight would aspire to be a Master. However, the number of knights who reach this level is rarer than finding a diamond in the rough.
Out of the hundreds of thousands of knights born each year across the continent, only a handful of geniuses could be Masters.
Upon reaching Master, one can transcend the pinnacle of swordsmanship and pave a new path.
This path is called the ¡®Path of Gods¡¯.
The techniques like Ten Thousand Flow Perception and the Killer Ghost¡¯s Life-Taking sword are examples of this.
¡°I¡¯ve concealed all my mana perfectly, so how did you know I was a Master? Even the Mdy didn¡¯t notice my true identity.¡±
As he said, Damien couldn¡¯t sense any mana from David.
It couldn¡¯t be helped. Even Damien couldn¡¯t surpass the gap between himself and a Master at this point.
¡°She looks like a Mdy from a noble family. I doubted you would be traveling alone.¡±
¡°From that you figured out I was a Master?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t sense any mana from you no matter how much I observed, so I took a guess, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be true.¡±
In fact, the part about taking a guess was a lie.
He couldn¡¯t sense any mana, but Damien had experience and knowledge.
He saw the lightness and fluidity of movement that only a Master could possess.
It was a subtle detail that only Damien could have noticed, and even David wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide itpletely.
¡°This is humiliating. To be exposed by a much younger generation.¡±
David said, scratching the back of his head.
¡°Should I call you Senior?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to hear sincere words.¡±
David grumbled as he sat down next to the sword empress.
¡°Anyway, you¡¯re incredibly skilled. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d take down the Mdy so quickly. And you even knock her unconscious. I¡¯ve never seen someone like you in the Empire.¡±
It was only natural. There couldn¡¯t be another talent like Damien in this world.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for Damien to destroy humanity in his previous life.
¡°If I had hurt her, you wouldn¡¯t have let me go, would you?¡±
¡°Well, I wonder what I would have done.¡±
David stared at Damien quietly. Then, suddenly, Damien noticed.
The whole world had be quiet.
The sound of birds chirping and insects buzzing had all disappeared. Even the sound of the trees swaying could not be heard.
Only then did Damien realize that David was spreading his mana and dominating this area.
He hadn¡¯t noticed until the space waspletely consumed.
This is why a Master is called a true transcendent being.
They casually perform phenomena that are far beyond the human level.
¡°Still, I know you wouldn¡¯t kill me.¡±
¡°How can you be sure?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t sense any killing intent.¡±
If David had even the slightest bit of killing intent, it would have permeated the air and pierced Damien¡¯s mind.
But the world was only silent. It meant that David had no ill will towards Damien.
Tsk.
David clicked his tongue and retracted his mana. The silent world suddenly became noisy.
¡°You even noticed that. It¡¯s not fun because you¡¯re too good.¡±
David said, shrugging his shoulders.
¡°Mdy was the one who challenged you to a duel first. She can¡¯tin if she gets hurt.¡±
Although he was an escort, he seemed to have no intention of protecting the Sword Empress.
¡°On the contrary, I think she learned a lot from this experience, so it¡¯s a good opportunity for her.¡±
David was right about this.
The Sword Empress had been winning all her life. In her eyes, the world must have seemed like a t in without any obstacles.
But by meeting Damien, she had experienced a wall. The way the Sword Empress saw the world would definitely change greatly.
¡°My name is Artus Berber. I am a Master who serves the mdy¡¯s family.¡±
Artus Berber.
Both David and Arthas Berber were names unheard of even in past lives.
¡®That¡¯s strange. If he was a Master under the Sword Empress, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know about him.¡¯
It was also possible that he had retired for some reason, or that he had already died by the time Damien was active.
¡°Why is a Master doing the escorting?¡±
Considering the status of a Master, it was a waste of power to have them do the escorting.
Even if it was for the escort of a precious person like the Sword Empress.
¡°I owe a debt of gratitude to the mdy¡¯s mother¡ no, to thedy that I can¡¯t repay. I volunteered to be the mdy¡¯s escort in order to repay that debt even a little bit.¡±
As he said this, Artus Berber looked at the Sword Empress with a very soft look in his eyes.
¡°I would like you to keep my identity a secret from the mdy. She thinks she is traveling on her own power.¡±
¡°It must be hard for you to keep up with her.¡±
Artus Berber burst outughing at Damien¡¯s words.
***
¡°Ugh!¡±
The Sword Empress only came to her senses the next day. As soon as she opened her eyes, she got up from her seat and shouted.
¡°What happened to the duel? Why am I lying here?¡±
Damien and David, who were sitting in front of the campfire drinking tea, looked up at her.
¡°Mdy! You¡¯re awake!¡±
David threw away his teacup and ran to the Sword Empress. The Sword Empress pushed him aside.
¡°Damien! What was that? How could you move so fast? How did you pierce my protection barrier?¡±
The Sword Empress sat down in front of Damien and bombarded him with questions. Damien sipped his tea with an annoyed look on his face.
¡°I can¡¯t just tell you my techniques.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true¡ How about we exchange them? I¡¯ll tell you all the techniques I¡¯m learning!¡±
¡°Mdy! You can¡¯t do that!¡±
David shouted urgently. Damien couldn¡¯t help but be terrified for a different reason.
¡®Does this woman think she can make me a public enemy of the family?¡¯
The Sword Empress came from the prestigious Lichteawer family, a ducal house of the Empire. Naturally, the techniques she was learning were also those of the Lichteawer family.
If their secrets were leaked, no family would just sit back and do nothing. There was a high probability that they would immediately send an assassination squad.
Above all, Damien already knew most of the Sword Empress¡¯s techniques.
This was because he had absorbed all of her swordsmanship while fighting her in his previous life.
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
The Sword Empress¡¯s spirits were dampened by Damien¡¯s firm refusal.
¡°From what I saw earlier, your footwork was clumsy when you were wielding your sword. You should focus on training your lower body for now.¡±
¡°Oh, really?¡±
¡°And because you¡¯re so focused on speed, all your attacks are too light. There are Mana Cultivation Techniques that can temporarily increase your weight. Look into those.¡±
David¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Damien¡¯s advice.
As a Master-ss, he must have noticed. That Damien¡¯s advice was urate.
No, it wasn¡¯t just urate. Damien was showing the Sword Empress the way.
The path that the Sword Empress had walked in the future.
He was even telling her about it with his own knowledge.
¡°But, when the family instructors told me¡¡±
¡°There were probably many times when you didn¡¯t like what the instructors were saying, right? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to just swing your sword however you wanted?¡±
¡°Y-yes. H-how did you know?¡±
The Sword Empress was a genius among geniuses. There was no way that ordinary people could teach such a person.
¡°Forget everything about the family¡¯s teachings except the basics. From now on, think of yourself as a pioneer.¡±
Damien said with a confident tone. The Sword Empress nodded her head repeatedly.
Then, her expression suddenly turned fierce.
¡°Wait a minute. Why am I taking lessons from you?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing?¡±
¡°Thank you! You¡¯re the one I¡¯m supposed to defeat! Stop talking nonsense and fight me right now!¡±
The Sword Empress tried to get up, but she copsed back to the ground.
¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡±
She looked down at her body, unable toprehend what was happening.
The Sword Empress was currently in a state where her blood vessels were blocked by the acupuncture technique.
The blockage would naturally dissolve over time, but for now, she would be unable to move her body or use her mana.
¡°T-this can¡¯t be¡ P-please wait a moment!¡±
Damien ignored the Sword Empress and stood up. He straightened his cloak, put the utensils into the spatial ring, and prepared to leave.
¡°Wait! Where are you doing?¡±
¡°It¡¯s morning already, and I have a long way to go.¡±
¡°Where are you going?¡±
¡°To the the Church.¡±
The Sword Empress¡¯s expression became anxious at his words.
The Church was located outside the Apple kingdom. She was headed for the Apple Kingdom, so they were going in opposite directions.
¡°I guess we have to part ways here.¡±
¡°B-before that, fight me one more time!¡±
¡°With that body?¡±
Damien looked down at the Sword Empress condescendingly. His expression made her face flush red.
Suddenly, the Sword Empress took off the ring she was wearing on her finger.
It was a in silver ring with no decoration. It was worn out in ces, suggesting that it was old.
¡°Take it!¡±
The Sword Empress threw the ring at Damien. Damien caught it without knowing what was going on.
¡°Oh, mdy! That ring is¡!¡±
¡°Be quiet, David.¡±
The Sword Empress¡¯s sharp cry forced David to shut his mouth.
¡°Damien, listen carefully. My name is Rachel Lichteawer! I am the sessor to the Lichteawer Dukedom, one of the seven great houses of the Empire!¡±
Damien already knew the Sword Empress¡¯s name and family.
However, he was surprised by what she said next.
¡°In our family, when we receive a great favor, we have a tradition of giving away an object that symbolizes our family! And this ring is a proof of my status as the sessor!¡±
If what the Sword Empress, Rachel Lichteawer, said was true, then this ring held immense value.
¡°I will return to the family as soon as I finish my business in the Apple Kingdom. If youe with that ring, I will tell my father and he will reward you!¡±
¡°And you¡¯ll also fight me in a duel?¡±
¡°Of course!¡±
In her previous life, the Sword Empress had wandered the continent, eager to meet strong people, before returning to the Empire.
It seemed that in this life, she nned to end her wandering early.
¡°Well, I can¡¯t refuse if you¡¯re offering a reward.¡±
Damien put the ring in his subspace and mounted his horse.
¡°Y-you have toe back! You have to!¡±
¡°I will.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll never let you go if you forget! I¡¯ll chase you forever!¡±
Damien left the forest, leaving the Sword Empress¡¯s cries behind.
***
After that, Damien crossed the border and headed for the Church.
The Church was no different from a kingdom.
It had a territory asrge as a small kingdom, and a considerable number of people lived inside.
Therefore, even after entering the territory of the Church, Damien had to travel a long way to reach the ce where the main headquarters was located.
A weekter, Damien finally reached his destination.
¡°I¡¯m finally here.¡±
Damien looked out from the top of the hill. A castle was built far away.
The scale of the castle was enormous. It seemed to be twice asrge as the capital of the Apple Kingdom that Damien had visited a while ago.
The castle was surrounded by massive walls that were as high and sturdy as cliffs. Inside, there were even higher walls built inyers.
This was the main headquarters of the Church.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 112
Chapter 112
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 112: The Church (1)
***
¡°This is still an amazing ce, even after seeing it again.¡±
The outer walls alone were so high and sturdy, and there were two more massive walls built inside. The structure of the castle was protected by threeyers of walls.
The moat surrounding the walls also made the siege difficult. It was called a moat, but it was almost like a river.
In his previous life, even Dorugo had to use all of his undead army to capture the Church.
¡°Shall I go in?¡±
Damien led his horse towards the Church. He followed the bridge built over the moat and stood in front of the gate.
There were two giant statues on either side of the gate, holding spears.
As Damien approached, the eyes of the two giant statues glowed.
Then they blocked Damien¡¯s path with the spears they were holding.
The size of the spear des was sorge that it seemed like a wall was blocking the way.
Surprisingly, these two giant statues were not ordinary structures, but a type of golem.
¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen them.¡¯
These two giant statues were golems called the Gift of Achilles.
They were one of the war weapons possessed by the Church, created by the saint Achilles after a lifetime of research.
They had a powerful fighting ability and could even be mass-produced. In his previous life, a single giant statue had matched the army of tens of thousands of undead.
¨C Halt. The Church does not wee visitors from afar.
A voice came from the giant statue. Damien spoke to the statue.
¡°I am Damien Haksen. I havee to receive the reward promised by the Church.¡±
¨C Please wait a moment. I will find someone to verify your identity.
The giant statues didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Then, they suddenly removed the spears that were blocking Damien¡¯s path.
The high gate opened slightly, and someone walked out through the gap.
With short hair like a man, but still with a beautiful appearance that caught the eye.
It was Agnes, the direct disciple of the Cheongyeum, one of the five great elders of the Church.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Agnes ran up to him. Her usual expressionless face was filled with joy.
¡°Why did it take you so long? I have been waiting for you toe.¡±
¡°I had a lot of work to do.¡±
¡°Ah, I heard. You found the dark mages who had infiltrated the Apple Kingdom, didn¡¯t you? You also fought the Demonic sword in the process.¡±
Anger began to rise in Agnes¡¯ eyes.
¡°They are truly like cockroaches. They spread germs everywhere they go. I am d that Sir Damien has punished them. God will be pleased.¡±
Agnes made the sign of the cross.
¡°Come this way. I will guide you.¡±
Damien followed Agnes into the Church.
***
As the two walked together, gazes poured in from all directions.
¡°Who is that man?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t feel any divine power, so he must be an outsider?¡±
¡°What? How did an outsider get into the Church?¡±
Most of the gazes were filled with wariness.
This was because the Sanctum of the Church was basically forbidden to outsiders.
¡°How can an outsider be with Lady Agnes¡¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Lady Agnes¡¯ expression so rxed.¡±
¡°Damn it, he¡¯s an eyesore.¡±
Damien ignored the murmuring of the pdins and looked around the Church.
Roads made of marble. Buildings that gave off an old-fashioned atmosphere due to their age.
It was all a familiar sight. This was because he had visited the Church once in his previous life.
Of course, he hadn¡¯t visited for a good reason. He hade to capture the Church on Dorugo¡¯s orders.
Dorugo had been unable to capture the Church even after throwing all of his undead army at it. The damage was only getting worse day by day.
In the end, Dorugo had no choice but to urgently call back Damien, who had been on a long-distance mission.
Damien, who had returned as Dorugo ordered, captured the Church in a single day.
The cries of the believers who had been massacred by the undead army on that day still seemed to ring in his ears.
¡°Sir Damien?¡±
Agnes, who was walking ahead, asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°Your expression doesn¡¯t look good. Are you perhaps tired?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing¡¡¡±
Damien said with a forced smile. Agnes looked at Damien with a very worried expression.
¡°To enter the secret treasury, you must first meet Her Holiness and obtain permission.¡±
There was only one person in this world who was called by the title of Her Holiness.
None other than the leader of the Church, the Holy Empress.
¡°Her Holiness is currently away on giving the blessing. If you are okay with it, would you be able to spare some time for teacher?¡±
Agnes¡¯ teacher.
She was referring to Cheongyeum, one of the five great elders of the Church.
¡°Teacher wants to thank Sir Damien¡¡¡±
Among the master sses he had fought against during his time as a Death Knight, Cheongyeum was a particrly powerful figure.
He was an impressive opponent, so he couldn¡¯t help but be curious.
What kind of person was Cheongyeum when he was not an enemy but an ally?
¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡±
Damien followed Agnes, filled with curiosity.
***
Following Agnes, Damien arrived at the northern region of the Church.
¡°The buildings here are all used by the members of our sect.¡±
The aura he felt from the pdins walking around was somehow unusual.
¡°Isn¡¯t that Lady Agnes?¡±
¡°Who is that next to her? Who is he to be with Lady Agnes?¡±
¡°He looks like an outsider? Is he by any chance Lady Agnes¡¯s¡ No, it can¡¯t be.¡±
The pdins of the sect, as if they had conspired with the outside, showed simr reactions.
Here too, Damien was met with suspicion..
¡°This is the building used by our sect.¡±
Agnes soon arrived in front of a building and opened the gate of the fence to guide Damien into the garden.
There, an old man was watering the flower bed.
His back was hunched and his limbs were frail. His face was covered in wrinkles.
It was like looking at an old tree that seemed like it would break at any moment.
¡°Master, I have brought Sir Damien.¡±
Agnes bowed her head to the old man. The old man slowly turned his head.
Damien was captivated by a strange feeling. Perhaps because he was old, he looked exactly the same as Damien remembered.
This old man was none other than Cheongyeum, one of the five great elders of the Church.
¡°Oh, Agnes. You must have had a hard time fulfilling this old man¡¯s request.¡±
The old man approached the two with a kind smile.
No matter how he looked at him, he looked like a grandfather you would often see in the neighborhood. He didn¡¯t look like a great figure like the great elder.
¡°So you are Sir Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Yes, it is an honor to meet you.¡±
Cheongyeum offered a handshake. Damien took Cheongyeum¡¯s hand.
¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯
Cheongyeum¡¯s palms were covered with calluses. It felt like he was being squeezed by shackles just by gripping him slightly.
¡°Looking at you like this¡ you have a really handsome face. No wonder our Agnes is going crazy.¡±
¡°M-Master! You shouldn¡¯t say such strange things! Sir Damien will misunderstand!¡±
¡°What misunderstanding? The rumors are already spreading. Agnes, you¡¡±
¡°T-that¡¯s enough! Stop it!¡±
Agnes shouted in a hurry. Cheongyeum clicked his tongue.
¡°To yell at this old master because of a man. What you¡¯ll going to do with this old man when you mar-?¡±
¡°Master!¡±
¡°Alright, go and bring something to eat.¡±
At those words, Agnes flinched.
¡°Master¡ you don¡¯t mean that, do you?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sir Damien is a benefactor of our sect. I wouldn¡¯t treat him harshly.¡±
Cheongyeum said firmly. Agnes sent him a suspicious look before muttering and leaving.
¡°Please sit here.¡±
As Agnes disappeared, Cheongyeum sat down at a wooden table on one side of the garden.
There was even a wooden table set up, perhaps for entertaining guests.
Damien sat down across from him and Cheongyeum opened his mouth.
¡°The reason I asked to see Sir Damien is to thank you. Thanks to you, my disciples returned safely.¡±
Cheongyeum said, bowing his head.
One of the Five Great Elders.
He was showing his respect too easily for someone who was no different from a king within the Church.
¡°My disciples¡ are truly special beings to me. It is no exaggeration to say that those children are my whole life.¡±
Cheongyeum said with an affectionate face.
¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Anyone would have saved the two of them in that situation.¡±
¡°You are even humble. You are truly a wonderful person, just as Agnes told me.¡±
Cheongyeum nodded as if he was impressed. Then, he handed Damien a silver te.
The hexagonal silver te was stamped with aplex seal.
¡°This is a silver te with my seal on it. If you need my help, go to any church and show them this te. Then I will be contacted immediately.¡±
The Five Great Saints were beings far superior to the Master ss.
When the strongest humans were mentioned, they were always mentioned together with the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Such a powerful being was telling Damien that he would help him at any time.
¡°I will keep it safe.¡±
Damien took the silver te.
It was Damien¡¯s belief to always be prepared for the worst. He didn¡¯t know when this silver te mighte in handy.
Suddenly, Damien felt Cheongyeum staring at him.
¡°By the way, you are a very interesting person. This is the first time I¡¯ve met someone so difficult to assess.¡±
Cheongyeum looked at Damien¡¯s face with an interested expression.
¡°I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I am confident in my ability to read people. But you¡ I can¡¯t see through you.¡±
He was indeed a Master ss.
Damien was hiding his abilities. He had pretended to be a Middle ss to others.
Cheongyeum couldn¡¯t see Damien¡¯s true strength either. However, he didn¡¯t fall for the deception either.
¡°I apologize for asking this on our first meeting, but can you please grant me one request?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°I have a bad habit. When I see young people with great talent, I want to see it for myself.¡±
A sense of foreboding arose in Damien¡¯s mind.
At that moment, Cheongyeum kicked Damien in the head.
It was a surprisingly fast and powerful kick for someone sitting down.
Damien reacted immediately and crossed his forearms to block the attack.
He was thrown backward by the impact. Damien crashed backward, destroying a flower bed.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m just so curious about your skills.¡±
Cheongyeum bared his teeth and smiled. He looked like a predator.
¡®That temper hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡¯
Cheongyeum was the most ferocious of the Five Great Elders.
He was so feared and dreaded even among the dark mages.
¡°Since it¡¯se to this, what can we do? I have to give you a taste of my power.¡±
Before Damien could respond, Cheongyeum charged forward.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 113
Chapter 113
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 113: The Church (2)
***
Cheongyeum thrust out his foot like a spear. It was a speed that could not be avoided. Damien had to block the blow with his forearm.
Although he had blocked it, his forearm throbbed. It felt like he had been hit by a lump of iron.
¡®As expected of a Master.¡¯
Even with just their bare hands, a Master was strong enough to be called a monster. Damien¡¯s body was as hard as iron, and could not be cut by a knife.
There was no time to be lost in thought. Cheongyeum was alreadyunching a fierce attack.
Cheongyeum¡¯s kicks rained down one after another. Damien¡¯s eyes darted around busily.
¡®There is no excessiveness in his movements. They are extremely simple, but fast and destructive.¡¯
He was indeed a Great Elder. Since his regression, he had met many people, but this was the first time he had seen such a simple yet efficient attack.
However, Damien was no easy opponent either. He blocked all of Cheongyeum¡¯s attacks and then used his hands and forearms to strike back.
A series of dull thuds rang out.
Cheongyeum¡¯s expression became strange as he saw Damien blocking his attacks so easily.
¡°Hmm, I heard you were a swordsman. Where did you learn your martial arts?¡±
¡°I learned a little bit in case I needed to use it in an emergency.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like just a little bit. You¡¯re much better than the pdins of our sect.¡±
Cheongyeum smiled with satisfaction.
¡°This is fun. I think we can go a little bit more intense.¡±
Damien looked at Cheongyeum carefully. He had realized something strange.
Cheongyeum¡¯s main weapons were his two fists. He asionally used kicks, but when he was actually fighting an opponent, he used his fists much more often.
However, in the recent exchange of blows, Cheongyeum had only used his legs. And even then, he had only used his right leg.
¡°I heard that you mainly use your fists.¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, Cheongyeum burst outughing.
¡°If I use my fists, it will be over too quickly. Using only my legs is my way of showing consideration.¡±
Damienughed at that.
It was the first time since his regression that he had been shown ¡®consideration¡¯ by an opponent.
In other cases, it might not matter, but ¡®consideration¡¯ from an enemy was nothing more than being ignored.
He could not stand being ignored. Damien took out the Thousand Mile Sword that was hanging from his waist and put it into his subspace.
¡°What are you doing now?¡±
Cheongyeum tilted his head. He did not understand why the swordsman was putting away his sword.
¡°How can I use a weapon against an elder? I will continue to fight you bare-handed.¡±
At those words, Cheongyeum¡¯s face froze for a moment. Then he startedughing loudly.
¡°An elder? You mean you¡¯re going to go easy on me because I¡¯m old?¡±
¡°I apologize if I have offended you. However, I have always been taught by my father to respect the elderly.¡±
Cheongyeum burst outughing again.
¡°Fine, do whatever you want. But don¡¯te crying to me when you get beaten up.¡±
Once again, Cheongyeum was the first to move. He jumped forward and kicked out with his right foot.
Damien dodged the attack by twisting his body. Cheongyeum immediately retracted his extended leg. Then he swung his right leg at Damien like a whip.
All of his attacks were much sharper and more threatening than before. The shock that umted in his forearms with each block grew stronger.
¡®As expected, the wall of a Master is high.¡¯
Even though he was only using one leg, there were no gaps in his defense. And even now, Cheongyeum was not fighting seriously.
He was just poking and prodding Damien to see his level.
¡®To break through this, I need to reach the Master level myself.¡¯
Masters are those who have surpassed the pinnacle of technique and have opened up a new path.
Standing on that path, they could see many things. Things that lower-ss knights could not even dream of.
That was why Damien could not defeat a Master ss at his current level.
Even if he had the knowledge and experience of countless Masters in his head, it would not matter.
¡®At this rate, I¡¯m going to lose.¡¯
In fact, it was only natural for Damien to lose in a spar against a Master.
However, his pride was hurt at the thought of losing just like that.
¡®At the very least, I need to make him use his hands.¡¯
Damien¡¯s senses were at their peak. He used all of his senses to read Cheongyeum¡¯s movements.
Then, Cheongyeum raised his right leg high into the air.
¡°If you block this, your arm might break!¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s heel plunged down towards Damien¡¯s head.
Damien threw himself backwards. Cheongyeum¡¯s heel passed just above his nose.
The heel hit the ground with a thud. The ground was dug deep into the ground as if a sledgehammer had been struck.
With the recoil, Cheongyeum leaped into the air and twisted his waist in midair.
At the same time, he brought his right shin down towards Damien once again.
***
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can take this too!¡±
Cheongyeum shouted with an excited face.
The technique that Cheongyeum was now using could be called his trump card.
The movements wererge, but they were quick because they were aimed at the opponent¡¯s weakness and were executed with a downward motion.
Most people could not see through this attack and were defeated. Cheongyeum thought that Damien would not be much different.
However, just as Cheongyeum¡¯s leg was about to press down on Damien¡¯s corbone, Damien lifted his body into the air.
At the same time, he turned his body. His shoulder rotated one full turn, deflecting Cheongyeum¡¯s attack.
¡°No way?¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s face was filled with embarrassment, as even he had not expected this.
Damien¡¯s body, which had been floating in the air, fell to the ground. Hended t on the ground.
Damien¡¯s body hit the ground first, and Cheongyeumnded a split secondter.
Damien, not missing a beat, swung his leg low and kicked Cheongyeum¡¯s leg.
No matter how strong Cheongyeum was, there was no way he could block an attack in midair. His body tilted to one side.
At this rate, his face would hit the ground.
As a Master and Great elder, he could not show such a disgrace. Cheongyeum had no choice but to use his hands to brace himself against the ground.
Cheongyeum stood up and looked at Damien with an incredulous face.
¡°What did you just do? It¡¯s like you read my attack.¡±
¡°It was just a lucky hit.¡±
Damien said, brushing the dirt off his clothes. Despite Damien¡¯s exnation, the question on Cheongyeum¡¯s face remained.
¡°¡¡This is interesting.¡±
But that was only for a moment. Soon, a fierce smile appeared on Cheongyeum¡¯s face.
¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had such an interesting opponent. Not even among the Great Elders, there hasn¡¯t been anyone like you.¡±
Cheongyeum clenched his two fists. The atmosphere changed drastically with that one action.
The frail old man was gone. All that was left was a beast that seemed ready to pounce on its prey at any moment.
¡°Weren¡¯t you not going to use your hands?¡±
¡°You were keeping that in mind? I apologize for underestimating you.¡±
Cheongyeum seemed to not care at all.
¡°So let¡¯s do this properly from now on.¡±
All that mattered to Cheongyeum now was his fight with Damien.
¡®This is troublesome. I¡¯ve awakened Cheongyeum¡¯s wild side.¡¯
He had only been able to seed in his attack before because Cheongyeum was holding back.
That was a great feat in itself. A Master was a monster that surpassed humans. No matter how careless they were, a middle ss could not find an opening.
It was like saying that you couldn¡¯t kill a sleeping lion with a dog¡¯s teeth.
However, Cheongyeum, who had revealed his true nature, was different. The few gaps that were left were nowpletely closed.
¡®But I can¡¯t avoid it.¡¯
Damien also braced himself and prepared for Cheongyeum¡¯s next attack.
¡°You¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re really an amazing guy.¡±
Cheongyeum eximed, his eyes shining.
That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, light erupted from the ground.
The next moment, his whole body felt heavier. It was as if an invisible hand was pressing down on him.
Damien looked down at the ground with a surprised face. It was a miracle he had seen before.
¡®Divine power?¡¯
Radiant Light, one of the Five Great Elders, had the divine power to ¡®enhance¡¯ anything.
She could enhance anything from physical abilities like strength and agility to the cutting power of weapons and even gravity.
¡°Radiant Light! What is this nonsense!¡±
As expected, Cheongyeum shouted, ring at someone.
Damien also looked in the direction that Cheongyeum was looking.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman was looking at them.
Her radiant blonde hair reminded one of spring. The smile on her lips had a magical power that could captivate one¡¯s mind. Her curvaceous figure was impossible to fully conceal even by the loose-fitting robe she wore.
Radiant Light.
One of the Five Great Masters and the leader of the sect ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯.
She had intervened in the fight between the two men.
¡°Elder Cheongyeum, don¡¯t get too excited.¡±
¡°How can I calm down after something like this has happened!¡±
¡°I was just following Her Holiness¡¯s orders.¡±
As Radiant Light stepped aside, an old woman appeared, leaning on a cane.
Her back was hunched and her back was protruding. One of her legs seemed to have some problem, so she limped.
She seemed to be in a lot of difort. However, the moment Damien saw her face, those things were no longer visible.
Holy Empress¡¯s eyes were deep and calm, like the night sky.
Even Damien was momentarily lost and drawn into her eyes.
¡°Cheongyeum, I asked Radiant Light to stop the two of you.¡±
Holy Empress opened his mouth. Her voice was very clear. Thanks to that, Damien was able toe to his senses.
Cheongyeum immediately knelt on the ground. Damien did the same as Cheongyeum.
¡°Cheongyeum¡¡¡±
Holy Empress looked down at Cheongyeum with a tired face.
¡°What will I do if you punch my guest¡¡¡±
¡°Your Holiness! I did it with Sir Damien¡¯s consent!¡±
Damien looked at Cheongyeum with a dumbfounded face. Cheongyeum gave him a pleading look.
¡°Sir Damien, is that true?¡±
¡°How could that be? He attacked me out of nowhere.¡±
Damien was not going to let it go. He coldly told the truth to the Holy Empress.
Holy Empress¡¯s eyebrows shot up. Cheongyeum broke out in a cold sweat.
¡°I will not let this go today. You better be prepared.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s words, Cheongyeum¡¯s expression turned as if the sky was falling down.
¡°Y-Your Holiness¡¡!¡±
Cheongyeum called out to the Holy Empress with an anxious face. But the Holy Empress just turned her head away and ignored him.
¡°Sir Damien, let¡¯s go with me. We need to discuss your rewards issue.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Damien answered hastily.
¡°Cheongyeum, youe too. I need your advice when we discuss the reward.¡±
¡°I understand¡¡¡±
Cheongyeum replied with a look of utter defeat.
Holy Empress turned to Damien. He had a kind expression on her face, unlike when she was talking to Cheongyeum.
¡°Then, Sir Damien, shall we go?¡±
***
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Chapter 114
Chapter 114
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 114: The Church (3)
***
The Holy Empress led Damien to the audience chamber.
The ceiling of the audience chamber was made entirely of ss, offering a breathtaking view of the blue sky.
Bright sunlight illuminated the entire room.
The Holy Empress, her body frail, took her seat on the holy throne in the center of the room.
Damien could not help but stop in his tracks.
Memories of his previous life in this ce flooded back to him. It was when he had stormed the castle on Dorugo¡¯s orders.
At that time, Damien had led an army of undead soldiers to this ce in order to capture the Holy Empress.
Unbelievably, the Holy Empress had not fled but had sat here waiting for Damien.
The undead dragged the Holy Empress before Dorugo, showing no respect for her age. They grabbed her by the hair and dragged her like a dog.
Even as her skin was scraped against the ground and her bones were broken on the stones, the Holy Empress did not waver. She remained unyielding even when Dorugo subjected her to all sorts of insults.
¡°I thought the leader of the Church would be more impressive. For the closest representative of God, you have a rather ugly appearance.¡±
¡°How shameful. For me, a being with flesh and blood, to be called ugly by a bag of bones like you.¡±
¡°¡Do you not understand the situation? Your life is in my hands now.¡±
¡°I do not fear death. Ah, you would not understand. That is why you are willing to be such a wretched existence to avoid death.¡±
Dorugo flew into a rage and ordered Damien to kill the Holy Empress.
¡°You are in pain, are you not?¡±
The Holy Empress spoke softly to Damien as he approached.
¡°Do not give up. If you do, your sins will only grow greater. Remember this. You are the only hope¡¡±
Even as her head was flying off, the Holy Empress kept her eyes on Damien.
¡°Sir Damien,e closer.¡±
Damien was pulled out of his past memories by the Holy Empress¡¯s voice.
He took a step towards her but stopped at the edge of the red carpet.
¡°Sir Damien, your aplishments are too numerous to list. You executed the Yn¡¯s executive Akitora, and since then you have repeatedly killed dark mages and reported those who use dark magic.¡±
The Holy Empress continued.
¡°For that alone, we owe you a great debt, but with the crusade, you have done us a favor that we can never repay.¡±
She was referring to what had happened in the dungeon of the Corspey¡¯s dungeon.
Thanks to Damien, the Church was able to greatly reduce the casualties of the crusade.
¡°Many pdins and soldiers owe their lives to you.¡±
¡°It was my duty.¡±
The Holy Empress smiled, pleased with Damien¡¯s answer.
¡°And in addition¡ I hear that you have recently defeated another evil being.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s words, Damien took out the core of the demonic sword. The Holy Empress¡¯s eyes widened slightly as she saw the core.
¡°So this is the core of the demonic sword that has shaken the Kingdom of Apple.¡±
¡°I wish to offer it to the Church.¡±
¡°As I have heard, you are a truly devout man.¡±
The Holy Empress said, making the sign of the cross.
¡°We had decided to repay your service in rescuing the crusade by granting you permission to enter the secret treasury, but the core of the demonic sword¡ I do not know how to repay you. Do you have any requests?¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s words, Damien took out the holy sword from the subspace.
¡°The holy sword was destroyed in the battle with the demonic sword. If possible, I would like to have it repaired.¡±
The holy sword was created by the Church. As such, he thought it would be easy to repair.
However, the Holy Empress¡¯s reaction was strange. She had a troubled expression on her face.
¡°Sir Damien, lower-level holy swords cannot be repaired once they are destroyed.¡±
This was the first time he had heard of this.
¡°The broken parts can be fixed and restored, but the divine power cannot be reinjected.¡±
¡°Then¡¡.¡±
¡°That holy sword can no longer be used.¡±
Damien looked down at the holy sword with a shocked expression. He had grown quite fond of the sword, so his disappointment was even greater.
The Holy Empress pondered for a moment before speaking to Damien.
¡°Although it is impossible to repair the holy sword, I will grant you a mid-level holy sword in recognition of your service in offering the core of the demonic sword.¡±
Mid-level holy sword.
Cheongyeum was even more surprised than Damien at those words.
¡°Your Holiness! There has never been a single case of a mid-level holy sword being granted to an outsider!¡±
Low-level holy swords only had the effect of protecting the user with divine power. However, mid-level holy swords were different.
They were imbued with miracles.
Miracles were supernatural abilities that priests and pdins could manifest using divine power.
The miracles bestowed upon mid-level holy swords were not ordinary. They were powerful enough to change the tide of battle.
Therefore, only after pdins had aplished many feats and gained the necessary qualifications could they receive a mid-level holy sword.
¡°Considering Sir Damien¡¯s aplishments, I believe we should give him such an item.¡±
¡°But¡¡.¡±
¡°Furthermore, Sir Damien joined the crusade and helped the Church even though it was not his business. He can already be considered one of us.¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s face contorted with conflict at the Holy Empress¡¯s words.
¡°And do you know something? Perhaps someday Sir Damien will be one of us for real.¡±
The Holy Empress spoke with a gentle smile, but there was something burning in her eyes. It was the same look that Agnes had given him when she tried to recruit him as a pdin. He felt a cold sweat running down his back.
¡°My will is still not strong enough to follow the will of God.¡±
¡°Then you will join the Church once your shorings are filled.¡±
¡°There are too many shorings¡¡.¡±
Damien desperately made excuses, as he had no intention of joining the Church.
¡°Then there is nothing we can do.¡±
The Holy Empress stepped back with a look of disappointment. Damien let out a sigh of relief.
The Holy Empress called for the priest standing next to the door.
¡°Go and bring Malta. Tell him I have something to discuss regarding the holy sword.¡±
The priest heard the Holy Empress¡¯s words and went outside.
A momentter, someone entered the audience chamber.
¡°Your Holiness! You called for me, so I came!¡±
The person came running and knelt before the Holy Empress.
¡°I have something to discuss about the holy sword. Are you finally going to approve the proposal for my ¡®Great Holy Light Crushing Army Obliteration Holy Sword for decisive battle with dark mages¡¯? As expected, Your Holiness knows the value of my proposal!¡±
Damien looked to the side with a somewhat surprised expression.
A short stature like a child.
A stocky build full of muscles.
A bushy beard thatpletely covered his face.
A dwarf.
They were a sub-race known for having the greatest craftsmanship and skills in the world.
¡°Malta, that¡¯s not why I called you.¡±
¡°Yes? Then why did you call me when I¡¯m so busy? Of course, I¡¯m happy to be summoned by Your Holiness, but I have a mountain of things to do that are more urgent¡¡.¡±
¡°I am going to grant Sir Damien here a mid-level holy sword. I need your confirmation.¡±
Malta turned to look at Damien. Then he gasped in surprise. It seemed like he had only just noticed Damien¡¯s presence.
¡°Your Holiness, my eyes must be crooked. No matter how I look, he doesn¡¯t seem to be a pdin.¡±
¡°You are correct. Sir Damien is not a pdin.¡±
¡°If he¡¯s not a pdin¡¡ then you mean he¡¯s an outsider?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°To an outsider¡¡ a mid-level¡¡ holy sword¡¡ you¡¯re going to¡¡ grant it¡¡?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right¡¡.¡±
Before the Holy Empress could finish speaking, the dwarf let out a scream.
¡°I absolutely cannot allow itttttt!¡±
The entire building shook with the thunderous roar. Dust fell from the ceiling.
¡°How could I have created those children with such care! I¡¯m even reluctant to give them to pdins, but an outsider? An outsider, you say? No! Absolutely not! I would rather have my eyes gouged out than let that happen!¡±
¡°But considering Sir Damien¡¯s aplishments¡¡.¡±
¡°What aplishments are you talking about? He¡¯s an outsider, regardless! Do you know what kind of item is a mid-level holy sword? If we just hand over such a cute, adorable, and lovely child to the hands of such an outsider¡¡ who knows what might happen!¡±
Malta roared loudly. The Holy Empress looked at Malta with a tired expression.
¡°Malta, Sir Damien has agreed to offer us the core he obtained after defeating the demonic sword this time.¡±
At those words, Malta¡¯s body trembled.
¡°Y-you said the core of the demonic sword? Where is it? I happen to need more information on the demonic sword in order to improve the ¡®Great Holy Light Crushing Army Obliteration Holy Sword for a decisive battle with dark mages¡¯¡¡.¡±
¡°I have agreed to grant Sir Damien a mid-level holy sword in exchange for it.¡±
Malta looked up at the Holy Empress in confusion.
¡°Y-Your Holiness! T-that¡¯s¡¡.¡±
¡°If you continue to oppose me, I will make sure you are excluded from the research on the core of the demonic sword.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s firm words, Malta¡¯s expression turned as if he had lost everything he had.
Malta clutched his head and began to ponder. He even groaned, showing how seriously he was considering it.
¡°Then I have no choice but to exclude Malta from the research¡¡.¡±
¡°Just wait a moment! Instead! I will let him have it if he proves his worth!¡±
The Holy Empress¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Malta¡¯s quick response.
¡°Prove his worth¡¡ you say?¡±
¡°Yes! If Sir Damien passes the Iron Trial, I will no longer oppose it!¡±
The Holy Empress looked at Malta with a displeased expression.
¡°Malta¡¡ you shouldn¡¯t make such excuses just because you don¡¯t want to give up the holy sword.¡±
¡°W-why not! Originally, all pdins of the Church had to pass the Iron Trial in order to obtain a holy sword, didn¡¯t they!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t the Iron Trial only for pdins who are granted a legendary holy sword?¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes shed at the mention of a legendary holy sword.
Holy swords created by the Church were given one of five grades: low, middle, high, supreme, and special.
However, there were asionally holy swords that were given a special grade.
That special grade was none other than legendary.
In order to create a holy sword, one had to infuse metal with divine power over a long period of time.
In the process, a metal was sometimes transformed by divine power.
The transformed metal had apletely different structure and properties than before. It was as if it had been reborn as a new metal.
The holy swords created from this transformed metal became stronger and sharper with each battle. Moreover, the amount of divine power they emitted also increased.
Finally, they have a new miracle that did not exist in this world.
In other words, a legendary holy sword was, in a nutshell, a holy sword that grew with the owner.
It was an iparably great itempared to a mid-level holy sword.
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
Damien said. Both of their gazes turned to Damien.
¡°Sir Damien? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°Hahaha! Outsider! Well thought! You have to prove your worth to receive a great weapon!¡±
Malta said with great joy.
¡°But you should know this. If you don¡¯t pass the trial, I can¡¯t give you the mid-level holy sword¡¡.¡±
¡°Instead, give me a legendary holy sword if I pass the Iron Trial.¡±
Malta¡¯s face was filled with hestation at those words. The Holy Empress had a simr expression.
¡°Sir Damien, a legendary holy sword is¡¡.¡±
¡°Good! Let¡¯s do that!¡±
Unlike the hesitant Holy Empress, Malta spoke loudly.
¡°But I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to pass the Iron Trial!¡±
Maltaughed confidently. He seemed convinced that Damien would not be able to pass the trial.
The Holy Empress sighed deeply as she looked back and forth between the two.
¡°¡¡Since both of you agree, I can¡¯t object. If Sir Damien passes the Iron Trial, I will give him a legendary holy sword.¡±
¡°Did you hear that? Follow me right away!¡±
Malta gestured for Damien to follow him.
Damien greeted the Holy Empress and Cheongyeum before following Malta.
***
As soon as the two left, the Holy Empress¡¯s body staggered.
¡°Svena!¡±
Cheongyeum hurriedly approached and supported the Holy Empress.
¡°What did you see in that guy to make you so distressed?¡±
Since there was no one else around, Cheongyeum did not use honorifics.
¡°Brother¡¡.¡±
The Holy Empress is also called Cheongyeum by a more familiar method. She swallowed dry saliva and said.
¡°¡¡I saw a mountain of corpses.¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s face hardened at the Holy Empress¡¯s words.
¡°The corpses covered the entire world. There were so many that there was no ce to even step. The blood was flowing like a river.¡±
¡°¡¡You saw such a vision?¡±
The Holy Empress Svena had a special ability. She could see into a person¡¯s heart.
It was an ability she had gained when she first awakened her divine power.
She had used this ability to identify countless heretics and dark mages up to this point who tried to infiltrate the church.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we lock him up right away?¡±
The Holy Empress shook her head at Cheongyeum¡¯s words.
¡°There¡¡ the ck knight was crying.¡±
¡°ck knight?¡±
¡°Yes, a knight wearing thick armor sorge that he didn¡¯t look human.¡±
The Holy Empress recalled the scene she had just seen.
The knight was shedding tears of blood. He let out a scream filled with agony.
He squeezed his own body and punched it. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he stabbed himself with a sword.
It was a very cruel, eerie¡¡ and sad sight.
¡°I don¡¯t think Sir Damien is a dangerous person.¡±
As she said that, the Holy Empress stared at the direction where Damien had disappeared for a long time.
***
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Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Chapter 115: The Iron Trial (1)
***
Malta led Damien to a workshop located inside the Church.
As expected of the Church, which was also famous for its cksmithing, the scale of the workshop was enormous.
Church members were constantly carrying iron and coal, and the sound of iron being hammered could be heard from all directions. mes zed from hearths ced here and there.
It boasted a sizeparable to a small town. It was indeed a ce that supported a huge group like the Church.
¡°Come this way!¡±
Malta took Damien to a corner of the workshop.
¡°This is where you will face the Iron Trial!¡±
Damien looked at Malta with a face that said.
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
There was nothing here. The only thing was arge iron te on the floor.
¡°Hmm, don¡¯t judge by appearances.¡±
Malta grabbed the hammer hanging from his waist. It was a hammer used for hammering iron.
When Malta lightly hit the iron te with the hammer, the center of the te opened and began to slowly open.
Damien looked down under the iron te. Then, arge and spacious room was revealed.
The room was filled with old and rusty weapons.
¡°The Iron Trial is a test created by our ancestors who first joined the Church.¡±
Malta opened his mouth and exined.
¡°You¡¯ve heard the story that we dwarves can hear the voices of metals, right?¡±
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that dwarves were famous for their cksmithing skills.
In addition to their natural cksmithing skills, they had many special abilities that other races did not have.
Hearing the voice of metals was one of them.
Of course, that didn¡¯t mean they could hear direct thoughts.
It meant that they could tell the purity, properties, and condition of the metal.
¡°Our ancestors thought that even if an excellent knight couldn¡¯t hear the voice of iron like us, they should have the ability to choose good metal.¡±
If other knights had heard this, they would have protested that it was nonsense.
However, it wasn¡¯t apletely unfounded im.
In fact, knights with excellent talent instinctively knew a good weapon.
It wasn¡¯t that they had any special abilities. They simply found it by instinct.
The interesting thing was that their instincts were incredibly urate.
¡°That room is filled with weapons that the cksmiths made for practice and discarded. They are all but scrap metal, but¡ there is exactly one weapon made of a rare metal.¡±
Damien looked down at the room. They were all covered in reddish-brown rust. It seemed impossible to distinguish them by appearance.
¡°Once you go inside, the internal mechanism will be activated and the door will close. To open the door again, you need to find the weapon made of rare metal and insert it into the slot over there.¡±
Looking at the wall that Malta was pointing to, there was a fairlyrge hole in the wall.
¡°Then the mechanism will activate again and the door will open, and you will pass the test.¡±
Malta asked Damien, who was quietly looking at the scrap metal piled up in the room.
¡°Is there a time limit?¡±
¡°No. It¡¯s unlimited.¡±
¡°That sounds easy.¡±
¡°Easy? Hahaha, that¡¯s why you people like you are never able to pass this trial.¡±
Malta said with a very meaningful smile.
¡°So far, thousands of pdins have challenged the Iron Trial to obtain the legendary Holy Sword. But do you know what happened? They were trapped inside all day and eventually gave up on the test and came out! Begging and begging to open the door!¡±
Malta seemed to be convinced that Damien would not pass.
¡°Oh, by the way, be careful. There are a lot of rusty nails down there, so it¡¯s dangerous even to fall. In fact, there was a guy who stepped on the wrong foot and had a big hole in his foot¡¡.¡±
¡°There it is.¡±
Damien said abruptly. Malta narrowed his eyes.
¡°What are you talking about? What is where¡¡.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that it?¡±
Damien pointed to a dagger lying in the corner.
On the outside, it was covered in red rust like the other weapons, and the de was even chipped.
But Damien could tell. The weapon made of the rare metal that Malta spoke of was that one.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
Malta turned to Damien. Hisrge pupils were shaking violently as if an earthquake had struck.
¡°W-what¡¡? W-w-what¡¡?¡±
A knight with great talent can recognize a great weapon. This was also true for Damien.
However, even for Damien, it was not easy to find a weapon mixed with rare metal among so many weapons.
So he used another ability.
In Damien¡¯s previous life, there was a Master ss called Weapon Master among those he fought.
He was a man who used a variety of weapons, as befitting his title.
The realm that the Weapon Master reached was called ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯.
When one reached ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯, one couldmunicate with weapons. Furthermore, one could further amplify the abilities of the weapon.
It was thanks to ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯ that Damien was able to find the weapon made of rare metal right away.
¡°W-what are you talking about? There¡¯s no way it could be discovered so easily. Stop talking nonsense and look for it more carefully.¡±
Malta said, dripping with cold sweat.
Damien scoffed. There was no way he could be wrong after confirming it with ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯.
¡°Then I¡¯ll go get it.¡±
¡°Wait! Wait! Hey!¡±
Damien threw himself down into the room. He avoided the rusty nails andnded safely.
¡°Damn it! This is a scam! A scam!¡±
Malta shouted from above. Damien lightly ignored Malta¡¯s shouts.
As soon as Damien fell down, the entire room began to move.
As if a hemisphere was being covered, the hole Damien fell through was blocked by something.
Pitch-ck darkness came. Soon after, a light source appeared from the ceiling and illuminated the room.
¡°Hey, hey! How about we renegotiate now? I¡¯ll give you the best of the best intermediate holy swords!¡±
Malta¡¯s anxious cries came from outside.
¡°If you don¡¯t like the intermediate holy sword, I¡¯ll give you an high one! So please give up¡¡¡±
Damien ignored Malta¡¯s cries and approached the dagger.
He grabbed the dagger and approached the slot on the wall.
¡°Is this really the right ce to put it in?¡±
The dagger seemed too small for the slot, but Damien hesitated for a moment before inserting the dagger into the slot.
Click.
The mechanism started to work with the sound of something fitting into ce.
¡°With this, the legendary holy sword is mine.¡±
Even Damien couldn¡¯t help but covet a treasure like the legendary holy sword. Damien congratted himself with a satisfied expression.
That¡¯s when it happened.
His wrist holding the dagger became hot. It felt like it was on fire.
Damien was startled and looked at his wrist. Erebos, which had turned into a tattoo, was emitting a dark aura.
¡°What is this¡¡.¡±
Suddenly, the entire room shook. There was a rough noise, and the entire wall began to rotate.
¡°Is this also part of the Iron Trial?¡±
It was possible, but his instincts told him no.
Erebos wouldn¡¯t have reacted if it was the Iron Trial.
More than anything, Malta¡¯s voiceing from outside solidified Damien¡¯s thoughts.
¡°What is this? The m-mechanism is malfunctioning! I¡¯ve never heard of it having this function!¡±
Something was clearly wrong.
Damien immediately heightened his senses. He sharpened his five senses to prepare for any unforeseen events.
Gradually, the vibration stopped. Then, the wall on the opposite side opened wide.
Beyond the wall was another space. Damien headed there.
As he entered, walls and floors made of stone came into view.
Intricate magic circles were drawn all over the space. Damien shifted his gaze and examined the magic circles.
¡°Why is there a ce like this in the basement of the Church?¡±
The magic circles drawn on the wall had the function of sealing and hiding the object inside.
The magic circle was incrediblyplex and borate, suggesting that it was intended to seal something very important.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s gaze stopped. There was a corpse sitting in a corner.
¡°That is¡¡.¡±
The corpse had turned into a mummy, indicating how long it had been there. The skin and flesh were discolored, and the lips were dried up, revealing all the teeth.
However, the reason Damien was really surprised was not because of the mummy.
It was because of the piece of iron stuck in the mummy¡¯s chest.
The piece of iron was quiterge. It had des on both sides. It looked like the tip of a greatsword had been broken off.
Damien, who saw it, muttered nkly.
¡°Erebos¡¡.¡±
A fragment of the cursed sword Erebos was right before his eyes.
***
Erebos.
A sword of unknown origin.
The Church has ssified the fragments of Erebos as extremely dangerous and has issued an order to seal them immediately upon discovery.
In his previous life, Dorugo spared no time or resources to restore Erebos.
He recovered all the fragments sealed by the Church and searched for the fragments hidden all over the continent.
Even with all that effort, he was only able to restore it to 70%.
¡°To think there was a fragment here¡¡.¡±
And the fragment before his eyes was one that Damien knew Dorugo had not discovered.
He could be sure of it. After Damien conquered the Church, Dorugo found two fragments. Neither of them looked like that.
¡°What on earth happened? How did a fragment of Erebos end up hidden in the basement of the workshop?¡±
Judging by Malta¡¯s reaction, it was highly likely that even the cksmiths on the ground didn¡¯t know the true identity of the fragment.
¡°¡¡I can¡¯t figure it out no matter how much I think about it.¡±
It was a question that wouldn¡¯t be answered no matter how much he pondered it.
Damien approached the mummy to retrieve the fragment.
Suddenly, a rough wave erupted from the fragment.
The stone fragments and dust scattered on the floor disappeared as soon as they were touched by the wave.
It was the power of corrosion, one of the abilities of Erebos.
An ordinary person would have lost their life just by being touched by the wave.
However, Damien¡¯s body had been acknowledged by Erebos. He was unaffected by the corrosion emitted by the fragment.
Damien approached the mummy and reached out to grab the fragment embedded in its chest.
At that moment, the mummy grabbed Damien¡¯s wrist.
***
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Chapter 116
Chapter 116
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 116: The Iron Trial (2)
***
¨C You¡¡.
The mummy opened its mouth. Its voice was dry and raspy, like the desert wind.
¨C How did you get in here? How did you activate the mechanism? No, even if you activated the mechanism, you shouldn¡¯t have been able to break the seal.
The mummy¡¯s eyes darted to Damien¡¯s wrist, where it found the tattoo of Erebos.
¨C You¡¡!
The mummy¡¯s eyes widened. Its withered face twisted.
¨C How do you have this? The only one who knows the location of the original is that woman!
Damien tried to pull his arm away, but the mummy¡¯s grip was stronger than he thought.
¨C I see! That woman betrayed us! I knew this day woulde! We shouldn¡¯t have epted her!
The mummy red at Damien and shouted.
¨C You fool! Do you know what that thing is? You shouldn¡¯t use it recklessly! You shouldn¡¯t let it see the light! It is an object that should be kept hidden in darkness forever!
Damien frowned. He couldn¡¯t understand what the mummy was talking about.
One thing was for sure, the mummy was not being friendly.
¨C Soon, destruction wille! The whole world will be plunged into darkness!
The mummy¡¯s eyes burned with madness.
¨C Now that it hase to this, I will take it! I will use its power to stop the destruction!
Muscles erupted from the mummy¡¯s chest and covered the fragment of Erebos.
A massive burst of dark mana exploded from the mummy.
The st sent Damien flying backwards. He quickly recovered andnded on his feet.
¡°What the hell is going on?¡±
Damien stared at the mummy, his face a mask of confusion.
The mummy was getting up. Its joints creaked as it moved.
¡°Look, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on here. Why don¡¯t we start with introductions?¡±
¨C Just hand it over!
¡°This is not a good time for a conversation.¡±
Just as Damien was about to open a subspace and take out the Thousand Mile Sword,
ck particles began to gather around the mummy. Soon, they formed into smooth, spherical shapes.
Dozens of spheres hovered around the mummy. The stone walls and floor crumbled and melted away wherever they touched.
It was not dark magic, but the power of corrosion.
¡°You n to use the fragment as a power source?¡±
The fragment of Erebos was a massive source of power.
Those who possessed the fragment gained incredible power and could use the powers of Erebos.
Once, a farmer who had found a fragment of Erebos had managed to inflict a fatal wound on a high-ss knight.
However, the cost was too high. Those who used the fragment of Erebos lost his mind and died within a day.
¡°The Thousand Mile Sword will be useless.¡±
Damien was safe from the power of corrosion because he had been chosen by Erebos.
However, the Thousand Mile Sword was not. Although its resistance to corrosion increased when he infused it with mana, it was notpletely safe.
In particr, it was clear that even a slight touch of the ck spheres would destroy it.
Damien closed the subspace again. And he manifested Erebos.
The mummy¡¯s face twisted even more at the sight of Erebos.
¨C You won¡¯t give it up easily!
As the mummy reached out towards Damien, the ck spheres shot towards him.
Damien¡¯s eyes moved rapidly. He read the trajectories of all the spheres and found the optimal path to block them.
Just as Damien was about to swing his spear,
Suddenly, the spheres scattered like smoke. Not just some, but all of the spheres disappeared at once.
¡°Huh?¡±
¨C What is this¡¡.
The mummy looked down at his chest in surprise. The area where the fragment was embedded was turning gray.
-No, this can¡¯t be¡¡ This can¡¯t be¡¡! I have a mission¡¡!
His entire body turned gray in an instant. Then it disappeared without a trace.
Only the fragment remained where the mummy had been.
¡°So it wasn¡¯t really a soul, but a thoughtform.¡±
Damien muttered, staring at the sight from a distance.
The lingering regrets of a sentient being left behind when it died were called thoughtforms.
The stronger the regret, and the greater the powers of the person when he was alive, the stronger the thoughtform became.
¡°A thoughtform strong enough for me to mistake it for a soul¡¡.¡±
He must have been a master ss or higher in his lifetime.
However, strong as it was, a thoughtform was still just a thoughtform.
The fragment of Erebos was powerful, but it came at a great cost. It was not something that a thoughtform could handle.
That¡¯s why it disappeared as soon as it used the power of the fragment.
¡°Why was such a great person dying in a ce like this?¡±
Damien, who had been wondering about the mummy, recalled what he had said.
¡°He said that using Erebos would bring destruction.¡±
It was something he had never heard in his previous life.
Dorugo, who had also been collecting fragments of Erebos, had never mentioned destruction either.
¡°There¡¯s no need to take the words of a thoughtform seriously.¡±
Thoughtforms were like the dregs of the original and did not have proper intelligence.
There was nothing more foolish than taking their words seriously.
Above all, Damien had never felt anything strange when he used Erebos in the past.
¡°And besides, it¡¯s safer for me to carry Erebos around than to leave it hidden.¡±
Damien was not the only one collecting Erebos.
Dorugo must also be using his forces to collect the fragments of Erebos.
Wasn¡¯t the hilt of Erebos that Damien currently possessed found by the dark mages group that served Dorugo?
Even if he hid Erebos, Dorugo would surely find it somehow.
It was much better for Damien to possess Erebos than for it to fall into Dorugo¡¯s hands.
¡°But it¡¯s still better to be vignt.¡±
The lesson Damien learned from his previous life was to always be prepared.
A moment of carelessness could lead to a fatal mistake, and that mistake could ruin everything.
¡°If there is even the slightest sign of danger, I will have to step forward.¡±
If the mummy¡¯s words were true, Erebos could not only bring about destruction but also prevent it.
Considering Damien¡¯s talent and the power of Erebos, he could prevent any danger before it happened.
¡°Erebos, absorb.¡±
Damien held out the hilt of Erebos towards the fragment.
The fragment turned into a liquid-like substance and attached itself to the broken de.
Once he found a fragment, it would automatically be restored and take its shape. Thanks to this, he didn¡¯t need to find the fragments in order.
¡°Now it looks a bit more like a weapon.¡±
The de had only be slightly longer, but it looked much more menacing. It now had the appearance of a weapon.
Damien transformed Erebos back into a tattoo.
¡°What is this again?¡±
A ring was lying where the fragment had been.
Judging from the material, it seemed to be made from the carved bone of some creature. An unknown pattern was engraved in the center.
Judging from the fact that it had maintained its form in the corrosion, it was no ordinary object.
Just as Damien was about to reach for the ring, the entire space began to shake.
He quickly grabbed the ring and ran outside.
As soon as Damien came out, the stone walls and floor grew rapidly and filled the space.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the sight.
¡°This wasn¡¯t a cave, it was a space expanded using magic.¡±
The space where the mummy had been was simr to a subspace. It was a ce created by expanding a crack in space that wouldn¡¯t normally exist.
Needless to say, it was a very high-level magic. Even a high-ranking mage couldn¡¯t use this kind of magic.
¡°There¡¯s no way a priest could use such advanced magic, and someone else set it up¡ .¡±
As Damien was lost in thought, the iron wall surrounding the trial ground rotated. The entrance to the space was covered by the iron wall.
The entrance on the ceiling opened. Light poured in, and the faces of Cheongyeum and Holy Empress appeared.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Cheongyeum cried out with a face of relief.
***
¡°W-what do I do to solve this¡ ?¡±
Malta was in tension as the iron gate, which was the entry point of the trial was not opening.
¡°Originally, I would have been able to intervene with the mechanism this way¡ .¡±
By adjusting the intensity with which he knocked on the iron gate, he could have activated the mechanism.
The problem was that this method no longer worked.
¡°Did they make a mistake while repairing itst time? Or is it so old that the parts are worn out?¡±
Malta circled the iron gate, lost in thought.
Just then, something fell from the sky. An old man was holding an old woman in his arms.
It was Cheongyeum and the Holy Empress.
¡°Malta! You said Sir Damien was trapped in the trial ground! What does that mean!¡±
Holy Empress shouted at Malta as soon as she got down from Cheongyeum¡¯s arms.
The two of them had been having an important conversation when they heard the news that Damien was trapped in the trial ground.
Since it was an urgent matter, Cheongyeum had carried Holy Empress here.
¡°That, that is¡ .¡±
Malta¡¯s face hardened. As the one who had first proposed the Iron Trial, Malta could not avoid responsibility for this.
¡°What on earth is wrong with the mechanism¡ No matter how I manipte it, it won¡¯t open¡.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me that now¡ Step aside. I¡¯m going to break it!¡±
The trial ground was a ce created by the dwarves using their craftmanship.
It was so difficult to break that even a middle-ss would have to spend a whole day attacking with their aura.
However, it was different with the Aura de used by a master.
¡°Oh, no! This mechanism is a treasure that our ancestors made themselves!¡±
¡°Someone is trapped inside right now, and that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about? Step aside, or I¡¯ll make you!¡±
Just as Cheongyeum was about to shout,
The iron gate began to open slowly, apanied by the sound of metal shing.
The three of them headed straight for the entrance. When they looked down, they saw Damien standing there.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Holy Empress shouted with a bright smile.
Damien lightly kicked the ground and climbed up, dusting off his clothes.
¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±
¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m fine.¡±
Holy Empress sighed in relief at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°What on earth happened?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. I put the rare metal dagger into the slot, just like Malta said, and this happened.¡±
Damien shrugged.
It was tooplicated to exin. In times like this, it was best to y dumb.
Since the space where the mummy had been was already destroyed, there was no way they would find anything even if they investigated.
¡°This has never happened before¡ .¡±
Holy Empress said, looking back at Malta.
¡°Malta, I will order the Iron Trial to be suspended for the time being. We need to send craftsmen to thoroughly investigate the cause of this incident.¡±
¡°Yes! I understand! I will call the craftsmen right away!¡±
Malta shouted and tried to run away. Holy Empress grabbed him.
¡°Malta, why are you going? Don¡¯t you have something else to do?¡±
¡°Yes, yes? What are you talking about¡ .¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to give Sir Damien a legendary holy sword?¡±
Malta¡¯s face hardened at those words.
¡°Although there was a minor ident, Sir Damien still passed the Iron Trial on his own.¡±
¡°T-that¡¯s¡ .¡±
¡°Leave the investigation of the cause of the incident to other craftsmen and go and keep your promise.¡±
Malta hesitated and then spoke to the Holy Empress.
¡°Your Holiness, even so, the legendary holy sword¡ .¡±
Holy Empress stared at Malta without saying a word. Malta broke out in a cold sweat at the strange sense of oppression.
Malta slowly turned to Damien. He spoke to Damien with a very earnest face.
¡°W-would it be okay to rece it with a high-ranking holy sword?¡±
Damien snorted at those words.
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
***
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Chapter 117
Chapter 117
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 117: Church¡¯s Treasury (1)
***
Malta led Damien to the tower located in the center of the workshop.
¡°This ce is only for the craftsmen of the workshop. Even pdins can¡¯t easily enter this ce. You¡¯re probably the first outsider toe in.¡±
Cheongyeum exined to Damien, pointing to the tower. Malta turned around and grumbled.
¡°Why are you following me again?¡±
¡°Her Holiness asked me to watch you so you don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±
Malta muttered something unintelligible at Cheongyeum¡¯s words.
Malta led the two of them to the basement of the tower.
The tower was high above ground, but it was also incredibly deep underground. They had to go through three floors before reaching the bottom floor.
There, arge door blocked their way.
Malta knocked on the door here and there with a hammer. Then the door slowly rose up.
As soon as they looked inside, Damien eximed without realizing it.
The inside of the building was filled with weapons.
Swords, spears, axes, gauntlets, etc. Various kinds of weapons were hung all over the walls.
¡°This is amazing.¡±
Damien said sincerely.
None of them were made carelessly. You could tell right away that they were weapons made by the best craftsmen with all their might.
¡°You don¡¯t have to give me such obviouspliments. I already received a lot of them.¡±
Malta¡¯s reaction was blunt, even though he had been praised.
¡°From now on, you go inside and let the weapon choose you.¡±
The words were a bit strange. Damien looked at Malta and asked back.
¡°I have to be chosen?¡±
¡°You knights don¡¯t seem to understand, but it¡¯s not just people who choose weapons. Weapons also choose people.¡±
Malta folded his arms as if he was unhappy with that fact.
¡°Especially legendary holy swords are more prone to that. If you¡¯re not chosen, you won¡¯t be able to fully draw out its power. You won¡¯t be able to grow the holy sword either.¡±
It sounded like he was already assuming that Damien wouldn¡¯t be chosen.
¡°How do you know if you¡¯ve been chosen by the holy sword?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll feel it once you go inside and start walking. The holy sword will speak to you first.¡±
It was a very vague and ridiculous method.
¡°If you don¡¯t feel it, it¡¯s useless to take the sword by force. I know everything, you see.¡±
¡°What happens if I¡¯m not chosen?¡±
¡°You can¡¯t take a sword out of here. That¡¯s why there are so many knights who have passed the Iron Trial but haven¡¯t obtained a legendary holy sword.¡±
Damien nced at Cheongyeum. Judging from the fact that he wasn¡¯t stopping him, it seemed like he wasn¡¯t lying.
¡°I see.¡±
Damien went inside and looked at the weapons hanging on the walls one by one.
The materials of the weapons were diverse. The colors were also different.
¡®Of course, they¡¯re not all the same.¡¯
A legendary holy sword grows as you fight.
However, that didn¡¯t mean that the starting and finishing points of all legendary holy swords were the same.
The performance depended on the metal used and the skill of the craftsman. It was like how a snake¡¯s cub and a dragon¡¯s cub couldn¡¯t be the same.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s steps stopped.
The holy sword hanging in the center of the wall caught Damien¡¯s eye. It was an artistic sword with a smoothly extended emerald green de.
Damien picked up the holy sword just to try it out. The handle fit perfectly in his hand. The bnce was also perfect.
¡®This is¡ a sword made of True Silver.¡¯
Thanks to the realm of the Weapon Master, ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯, he could recognize it right away.
True Silver or Mithril.
It was a material that ranked at the top of the numerous rare metals that existed in this world.
A sacred metal that would cause impurities to disappear just by touching them, and even a small amount of it could turn a weapon into a legendary sword.
A legendary holy sword made of True Silver would definitely be the best.
Woosh.
The sword also seemed to be satisfied with being held in Damien¡¯s hand, as it hummed.
¡®This is it.¡¯
Damien held the sword and tried to leave, feeling strongly convinced.
At that moment, a holy sword hanging in a corner caught Damien¡¯s eye.
Its appearance was quite unsightly. The surface of the de was rough and bumpy. The handle was just a piece of wood that had been stuck on.
It was a sword that made one wonder how it could have been made so carelessly.
However, Damien couldn¡¯t take his eyes off this sword.
Unconsciously, Damien reached out and stroked the de. The de trembled slightly.
Jiiing!!
A clear sound rang out. Damien was instantly immersed in the sound of the sword.
It was the first time he had heard a sword emit such a clear sound. It was only for a moment, but Damien waspletely captivated by this sword.
Damien picked up the sword. The sword¡¯s resonance became a little stronger.
Damien walked over to Malta with the sword.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring the holy sword you chose first?¡±
¡°That sword was good too, but I was more drawn to this one.¡±
¡°You¡¯re foolish. The sword you chose first was made of True Silver. It was the most outstanding one here.¡±
As Damien had seen, the emerald green holy sword was indeed made of True Silver. However, he didn¡¯t feel any regret.
Jiiing!!
The sound of the sword resonated in his heart. He couldn¡¯t think of any other sword.
¡°I still want this sword.¡±
¡°Are you sure? Are you sure you want to make such a foolish choice?¡±
Damien nodded. Malta closed his eyes tightly.
¡°Damn it¡ the one who sees the true value of this child is an outsider.¡±
Malta said, taking the sword that Damien was holding with both hands.
¡°This sword¡¯s name is¡ Dawn. It was given this name because it was made from a meteorite that fell just before sunrise.¡±
Meteoric Iron.
It was iron that could only be obtained from a meteorite that fell from the sky.
Even True Silver or Orichalcum, the rarest of rare metals, were nothingpared to Meteoric Iron.
¡°Not all meteoric irons are superior metals. That¡¯s because theirposition and properties are all different. That¡¯s why there are some meteorites that are even worse than scrap metal.¡±
Malta stroked the de of Dawn. Unlike with Damien, there was no resonance.
¡°But the meteoric iron used to make Dawn was different. I¡¯ve never seen such a superior metal before. Its hardness, its mana conductivity¡ everything was top-notch.¡±
Malta¡¯s voice was slightly excited as he described the meteoric iron. That alone showed how amazing it was.
¡°It was also that difficult to refine. Even pouring all the fuel in the workshop couldn¡¯t melt it. That¡¯s why we could only make it this way.¡±
It seemed like that was why Dawn¡¯s appearance was so unsightly.
It wasn¡¯t melted and poured into a mold, but rather it was forcibly heated in a fire and then hammered into shape.
¡°No one has ever chosen this child until now. Even the so-called great pdins couldn¡¯t see the true value of this child.¡±
Malta muttered with a regretful face.
¡°Who would have thought that the owner of a sword made of meteoric iron would be an outsider? Is this what you call fate?¡±
Malta held out Dawn to Damien and said.
¡°Please take good care of Dawn.¡±
***
¡°I will use it carefully.¡±
Damien tried to take Dawn again. But suddenly, Malta took Dawn back.
And he hugged Dawn tightly and started to cry.
¡°Kuh-huh-huh! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sending our cute Dawn away like this!¡±
Jiiiing!!
Malta cried and snotted. As if sympathizing with Malta¡¯s sadness, Dawn let out a long cry.
¡°I remember when I first made you! I can¡¯t tell you how happy I was when I finally managed to create you!¡±
Jiiiing!
Malta took out a greasy handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped his tears and nose with it.
¡°Outsider! You have to take responsibility if you take our Dawn!¡±
Jiing! Jiing!
¡°You have to oil it every morning, noon, and night! And Dawn loves watching the sunrise, so you have to wake up early in the morning!¡±
Jiing! Jiing!
Dawn echoed Malta¡¯s words. Damien looked at the two of them with an incredulous expression.
¡°Oh, and you can never flirt with other weapons! Got it? You have to use Dawn only!¡±
At Malta¡¯s words, Damien said firmly.
¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Jiing?
Malta looked at Damien with a shocked face. Dawn also trembled slightly.
¡°I don¡¯t n on using only one weapon¡ and I already have another sword that I use.¡±
¡°W-what are you talking about? Are you going to use another weapon instead of our Dawn? Y-you scoundrel!¡±
Jiiiiiiing!
Malta and Dawn protested vehemently.
¡°I can¡¯t give Dawn to a scoundrel like you! I¡¯m taking it back!¡±
Jiiiing¡¡.
¡°What? Do you still like this guy? Y-you brat! I knew raising a child was useless! You¡¯re just like that guy!¡±
Damien looked at the two of them with a tired face.
¡°I¡¯m starting to get annoyed, so hurry up and give it to me.¡±
***
Damien received Dawn from Malta and came out of the building with Cheongyeum.
Jiiiing!
Dawn let out a satisfied cry as it was held in Damien¡¯s hand.
Damien looked at Dawn with a somewhat disgusted expression.
¡®Should I go treasury now?¡¯
It was a serious consideration, even if only for a moment. Cheongyeum spoke to Damien.
¡°The sun is already setting.¡±
Cheongyeum said, looking at the sky where the sunset was taking ce.
¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t shown you your amodation yet. Follow me.¡±
The amodation that Damien arrived at following Cheongyeum was nearby.
¡°This is the amodation that we give to visiting people from outside. We don¡¯t have separate guest rooms, so this is all we can offer.¡±
The main headquarters of the Church was a ce where outsiders were prohibited from entering. So it seemed that the only ce avable was the one used by the outsiders.
¡°It¡¯ste today, so get some rest. I¡¯ll take you to the Treasury tomorrow.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes lit up at the word Treasury.
He hadn¡¯t decided what to get yet, but it didn¡¯t matter. Whatever he chose would be the best treasure.
¡°But are you going to take me there yourself?¡±
¡°Yes. The Treasury is a very important ce, so it¡¯s a rule that you must be apanied by a high-ranking pdin. Otherwise, the golems guarding it will attack.¡±
As renowned as the Church was for its craftsmanship, the golems they produced were also known for their formidable power.
¡°I¡¯lle back again around lunchtime tomorrow.¡±
Leaving those words behind, Cheongyeum left.
Damien went to the guest room, unpacked his things, and went to bed.
And the next day.
¡°Good morning. Did you sleep wellst night?¡±
Damien was facing not Cheongyeum, but Radiant Light.
***
The Radiant Light he met again was still beautiful.
There was something about her that was beyond mere beauty that captivated the eye.
The pdins passing by couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of Radiant Light. Even though they must have seen her often since she was at the headquarters.
However, Damien just looked at Radiant Light with an annoyed expression.
¡°Why are you here?¡±
¡°I volunteered to be the one to guide Sir Damien to the Treasury.¡±
¡°I thought Elder Cheongyeum was going to take care of that.¡±
¡°Something urgent came up for Elder Cheongyeum, so I¡¯m taking his ce.¡±
Since Cheongyeum was one of the Five Great Elders, it wasn¡¯t unusual for him to suddenly have urgent business.
However, the other person was Radiant Light.
Radiant Light was the head of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯.
And Damien had once thwarted ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯s¡¯ ns in the Corpsey¡¯s dungeon.
In other words, Radiant Light was an enemy to Damien.
¡°Why did you do that?¡±
Radiant Light asked, tilting her head. She looked very innocent.
However, Damien knew Radiant Light¡¯s true nature, so he could easily ignore her.
¡°It¡¯s nothing. Please hurry up and guide me to the Treasury.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected words.
¡®Avoiding me here would be a blow to my pride.¡¯
Even Radiant Light wouldn¡¯t be able to touch Damien inside the headquarters.
After all, Damien was under the protection of both Cheongyeum and the Holy Empress.
¡®Radiant Light probably doesn¡¯t have any intention of harming me either.¡¯
Even so, there must have been a reason for her to approach him like this.
The only way to find out her intentions was to go along with her for now.
¡°You¡¯re a brave one. Then pleasee this way.¡±
Radiant Light said, leading the way.
***
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Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Chapter 118: Church¡¯s Treasury (2)
***
Damien walked down the street with Radiant Light.
Pdins who recognized Radiant Light quickly lowered their heads.
She responded with a bright smile, replying to each greeting individually.
From the looks of it, she was indeed one of the Five Great Elders of the Church.
Nevertheless, Damien did not let down his guard.
Radiant Light was someone one should never underestimate.
Throughout their journey, Damien remained alert, trying to gauge Radiant Light¡¯s intentions.
However¡
¡®Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡¯
Radiant Light continued to walk in silence, even humming a tune. It was when Damien sent an incredulous nce her way.
¡°You mentioned receiving the legendary holy sword?¡± Suddenly, Radiant Light spoke up.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°Congrattions. It¡¯s notmon for someone to receive the legendary holy sword. Other pdins will surely envy you.¡±
Radiant Light nced at Damien, still wearing her smile.
¡°Nevertheless, you should handle it with caution at first. The legendary holy sword, in its initial stage, is quite weak.¡±
He already received a briefing from Malta.
¨C Dawn is my finest creation. As it grows, it will surpass the Supreme Grade and may even reach the Special Grade. It might be even stronger than that.
Holy swords are divided into five grades.
Among them, the Special Grade swords belong to such rare ranks that only a few have been crafted throughout the long history of the Church.
They were considered ultimate weapons, created by mobilizing all the resources of the Church in truly dire circumstances.
¨C But that¡¯s all a story for the future. Dawn is in its initial state now. It has never experienced battle. It may be superior to lower-grade holy swords, but it won¡¯t match up to the Middle Grade.
That¡¯s why Malta¡¯s exnation emphasized the need to be cautious until Dawn grows sufficiently.
¨C And each time it grows, it¡¯s best to return to the headquarters for further training. It¡¯s like a snake shedding its skin for growth.¡±
¡°You seem to know a lot about the legendary holy sword.¡±
¨C Yes, indeed. I, too, have received the legendary holy sword. In my case, it¡¯s not a sword but a hammer.¡±
Suddenly Radiant Light¡¯s steps halted. Damien also stopped and stood beside her.
¡°Oh, we¡¯ve already arrived. Time flies when you¡¯re enjoying a conversation.¡±
Radiant Light pointed straight ahead.
¡°That¡¯s the entrance to treasury.¡±
She gestured toward a massive statue sitting on a stone throne.
Below the statue was a stone gate. It seemed to be the entrance leading treasury.
Damien examined the statue. A rugged-looking man held a scripture in one hand and a mace in the other.
Suddenly, Damien noticed a ring on the hand holding the mace.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
It resembled the ring left behind by the mummy upon its disappearance.
Not only in appearance but also in the pattern engraved at the center, they were identical.
¡°Who is the statue depicting?¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve asked the right question.¡±
Proud expressions appeared on Radiant Light¡¯s face at Damien¡¯s question.
¡°He is none other than Bartholomeo, the first human to awaken divine power and found the Church¡¡±
She continued with a tone of reverence.
¡°The First Holy Emperor, Bartholomeo.¡±
Bartholomeo.
It was a name that Damien had heard often since he was young.
The founder of the Church, the first scribe of the doctrine, the Great Judge.
Considering the influence of the Church spread across the entire continent, it was no exaggeration to say that there was no one in this world who did not know about Bartholomeo.
¡®Was the mummy there Bartholomeo?¡¯
The mummy that Damien faced was at least a master-ss fighter in his lifetime.
Bartholomeo was also a master-ss fighter in his lifetime. The story of how he crushed a dragon¡¯s skull with a single mace was still passed down to this day.
¡®But why did someone like Bartholomeo die in such a miserable way?¡¯
Damien searched his memory. When he learned about Bartholomeo, he had also heard about his end.
¡®I heard he was mortally wounded in battle with the dark mages and died, surrounded by light.¡¯
Until now, Damien had never thought deeply about Bartholomeo¡¯s end.
But now, after experiencing the mummy, his thoughts were different.
Didn¡¯t being surrounded by light mean that his body was not left behind?
¡®If that mummy was the first Holy Emperor¡ why was a fragment of Erebos in him?¡¯
Erebos was a mysterious sword with no known origin.
Perhaps he could learn about Erebos if he investigated the first Holy Emperor.
Then suddenly, Damien pointed to the ring on the statue and asked.
¡°It must be an important ring, right? Judging by how meticulously it¡¯s depicted?¡±
¡°Ah, that ring. It can¡¯t be anything but important. It¡¯s the symbol of the Salvation Squad.¡±
Salvation Squad.
It was the name of the group that Bartholomeo had been a part of in his youth.
A thousand years ago, when Bartholomeo was alive, the entire continent was said to be in chaos.
Dangerously powerful monsters inhabited every corner, demons from hell roamed free, and disasters struck frequently.
At that time, humans were forced to wander in order to avoid danger. They were too busy to survive to even think about establishing a nation.
That¡¯s when the Salvation Squad appeared.
The Salvation Squad was a group of superhumans who came together to change the fate of humanity.
They exterminated every single monster that they deemed dangerous to humanity and sent all the demons back to hell.
Thus, they changed the continent to make it a morefortable ce for humans to live.
If one were to choose the most famous figures in the Salvation Squad, they would include Bartholomeo and the First Emperor of the Empire.
¡°Now that your curiosity is satisfied, shall we go inside?¡±
Radiant Light stepped forward and walked. Damien followed her closely and entered.
The inside of the statue was empty.
Instead, there was a small room that could amodate three or four people protruding.
¡°We¡¯re going to use that to go down.¡±
Radiant Light said, pointing to the small room.
¡°It¡¯s a thing called a lift made by dwarves. It¡¯s a magical thing that moves up and down. It only works if you infuse it with divine power.¡±
While Radiant Light spoke, the door to the statue closed again.
Only Damien, Radiant Light, and the lift were left in therge space.
¡°Oh my.¡±
Radiant Light smiled and said.
¡°We finally alone¡±
***
Right after that, Radiant Light¡¯s atmosphere surrounding her changed.
The texture of the air that touched her skin changed. It felt like someone was rubbing her skin with sandpaper.
Damien could feel it.
A faint hostility was emanating from Radiant Light. That alone brought a tremendous sense of pressure.
¡°I can¡¯t tell you how curious I¡¯ve been,¡±
Radiant Light said, staring at Damien.
¡°I wondered what the person who killed my disciple looked like. What kind of personality did the person who ruined our sect¡¯s n have? I was so curious that I always thought about you.¡±
The n that Radiant Light was referring to was for the sect ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ to take control of the Church.
The reason for this was that from the perspective of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯, the current Church was too merciful.
The Church of the past was a fanatical group that would even burn down entire viges in search of dark mages.
The goal of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ was to return the Church to its former state.
It was a goal worthy of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯, which was made up of nothing but fanatics.
¡°You know, because of your interference, our sect suffered a lot.¡±
¡°You seem too good for someone like that.¡±
¡°I had a hard time because it was all med on Sanus¡¯s personal n.¡±
Sanus was Radiant Light¡¯s disciple.
When the Corpsey¡¯s dungeon was raided, Sanus tried to kill all the other pdins of other sects for the sake of her sect¡¯s n.
Sanus¡¯s betrayal was stopped by Damien, and she was executed on the spot.
It was amazing that they had managed to cover up such a major incident showing it as a personal n of the individual involved.
But considering the influence of ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯, it was only to be expected.
¡°Is it okay for you to tell me all this?¡±
¡°You already know everything, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why I¡¯m talking to you sofortably.¡±
Radiant Light replied with a bright smile.
¡°Even so, the prestige of our sect has fallen considerably. So much so that I and the other pdins of our sect will have to be on probation for a while.¡±
It seemed that they had not been unaffected after all.
Even the Great Elders, who were as good as kings, had to be on probation.
¡°That¡¯s why I had so many things I wanted to say to you when I saw you¡ but I had to hold back because there were too many eyes watching.¡±
¡°Are you nning to get revenge?¡±
Radiant Lightughed out loud at Damien¡¯s question.
¡°I can understand why you might misunderstand. After all, Sanus was my disciple. Oh, she was more than just a disciple. She was like a daughter to me, whom I had raised myself since she was a child.¡±
For a moment, sadness appeared in Radiant Light¡¯s eyes.
¡°But Sanus died practicing the teachings of the our sect. She died following the will of God, so it is a cause for joy. Perhaps even she would not have resented you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±
Radiant Light was right. Sanus did not resent Damien until the moment she died.
¡°So I have no intention of revenge. Sanus¡¯s death is not a sad thing, but something to be celebrated.¡±
As she said this, Radiant Light¡¯s eyes were eerily clear.
It meant that it was the truth, without a single lie.
¡°Besides, if I hurt you¡ Elder Cheongyeum and Her Holiness won¡¯t just leave me alone, will they?¡±
Although she spoke lightly, Radiant Light¡¯s atmosphere remained unchanged.
She was still exuding a chilling and eerie murderous intent.
¡°But keep this in mind. This is the only time I¡¯ll tolerate your interference. If you try to ruin our sect¡¯s ns again in the future¡¡±
The smile disappeared from Radiant Light¡¯s face.
¡°Then we will not leave you alone.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s killing intent grew even stronger. The air felt like it had turned into needles.
As he breathed, he had the illusion that a clump of needles was being pushed in along with the air.
¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±
In the midst of it all, Damien smiled. It was not a forced smile, but a natural one that flowed out of him.
In his previous life, Damien had fought against countless masters. He had experienced the killing intent of masters countless times.
So, this level of killing intent could not have any effect on Damien.
¡°¡You.¡±
Even Radiant Light could not help but be surprised by Damien¡¯s calm demeanor.
¡°I also have something to say. You can¡¯t restrict my actions like this.¡±
Damien spoke to Radiant Light with sincerity.
¡°So, if you want to take my head, you¡¯d better move quickly. If you¡¯re even a littlete, I¡¯ll rise to a position where you can¡¯t touch me.¡±
Damien and Radiant Light stared at each other for a while.
¡°Tsk.¡±
Radiant Lightughed and retracted her killing intent. The world became quiet again.
¡°I appreciate the advice. Then shall we go to the treasury?¡±
As Radiant Light put her hand on the lift, the door swung open to the left and right.
***
The lift carrying the two of them descended underground.
¡°Her Holiness has only granted you permission to go down to the first basement level,¡±
Radiant Light said.
¡°It goes without saying, but the more precious the item, the lower the floor it is stored on.¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t think badly of me. It¡¯s actually very difficult to even enter the first floor.¡±
The lift carrying the two of them stopped on the first floor.
¡°You can only take one item. It¡¯s no use hiding it. The magic circle that covers the entire statue will detect it immediately.¡±
The door of the lift opened. Radiant Light waved her hand and said.
¡°Have a good time~.¡±
Damien stepped out of the lift.
His first thought was that it was a warehouse.
There were tall ceilings and rows ofrge shelves that reached up to them. There were countless items on them.
There were rare monster byproducts, various potions, and many magical atifacts and holy relics.
¡®There are no weapons or armor.¡¯
Come to think of it, all the decent weapons and armor were kept in the armory.
Any weapons and armor worth keeping in the treasury would be incredibly valuable, so they would be kept at the deepest level.
¡®Should I take some potions?¡¯
There were also many potions in the treasury. However, it was disappointing that there were none that were as good as the core of the Sea Serpent that he had received from King Apple.
¡®Potions are good, but something more valuable¡ Hmm?¡¯
Suddenly, Damien found a sealed box.
The gaps were sealed with wax, but the lid was made of ss, so he could see inside.
Five bracelets were inside the box.
¨C Made by One of the Five Great Elders.
¨C Bracelet with built-in protective magical shield.
¨C Consumes stored divine power to defend against external attacks.
¨C Divine power cannot be recharged.
Damien approached the box as if possessed by something.
Items enchanted with magic were called magical tools or artifacts. Simrly, items containing miracles were called holy relics.
A holy relic made by One of the Five Great Elders was sure to contain an incredible miracle.
The only downside was that it could not be recharged with divine power.
It was as good as a consumable, so it came in a set of five.
Damien picked up the box.
In fact, Damien didn¡¯t really need such a holy relic. He had many ways to defend against enemy attacks.
The only reason Damien chose this holy relic was this.
Family.
He was thinking of giving it to his parents, sister, Abel, and his wife, Olivia.
Wearing this bracelet would protect them from external attacks. It meant that they could be prepared for idents in addition to defending against enemy attacks in battle.
¡®I¡¯ll have to go and give them each one.¡¯
Damien returned to the lift with a rare sense of joy.
¡°You¡¯re back already? What kind of item did you choose¡ Oh, it¡¯s a holy relic I made.¡±
Damien¡¯s high spirits were brought crashing down by Radiant Light¡¯s words.
¡°¡You made this?¡±
¡°Yes, I made it when I was young to protect the pdins of the Church.¡±
Radiant Light looked at the bracelet with a longing expression.
¡°I¡¯m not bragging, but even a high-ss attack can be blocked with that bracelet. It will consume all the divine power though.¡±
Radiant Light added with a smile.
¡°If you ever use up all the divine power,e find me. I¡¯ll make you another one.¡±
Of course, there would never be a reason for him toe after using up all the holy relics.
Damien thought so and got on the lift.
***
Damien and Radiant Light took the lift back up to the first floor.
¡°You¡¯re finallying up.¡±
Cheongyeum was waiting for them outside.
¡°Oh, Elder. How long have you been waiting?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t act coy. You dared to make a false report and make me move, and in the meantime, you contacted Sir Damien?¡±
At those words, Damien red at Radiant Light.
He had wondered how Radiant Light came instead of Cheongyeum, but he didn¡¯t know there was such an inside story.
¡°I apologize for my rudeness, but I wanted to have some private time with Sir Damien.¡±
Even in the face of Cheongyeum¡¯s anger, Radiant Light was very rxed.
¡°You¡¯d better be prepared for this.¡±
¡°Yes, I will.¡±
¡°Come with me quickly. Her Holiness is calling us both.¡±
Oh, Radiant Light covered his mouth with his hand and said.
¡°Is something wrong?¡±
At Radiant Light¡¯s question, Cheongyeum said with a serious face.
¡°The branches of the Church in the Mandarin Kingdom were attacked by dark mages.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes turned fierce at those words.
¡°They say there were two of them. Abination of a dark knight and a dark mage.¡±
Dark knight.
It was a word that meant a knight who used dark mana instead of normal mana.
¡®Two people? A dark knight?¡¯
The moment he heard the two words, Damien was reminded of his past memories.
There were those who used to go around and attack the branches of the Church at this time.
The Hanger couple.
They were the ones who had been running errands for Dorugo in the far future and handling all sorts of dirty work.
The husband was a high-ss knight and the wife was a High-level dark mage.
They were a formidable force, so even the church had suffered greatly at the hands of the couple.
However, that was not why Damien remembered the couple.
¨C Lord Dorugo! I have investigated! I have searched the entire Apple Kingdom for the name Damien Haksen!
¨C He had a family! There is a small family in the Viscounty of Haksen!
¨C Both parents are alive, and he has one older sister and one younger brother!
It was the Hanger couple who had found out everything about his family and reported it to Dorugo on his orders.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 119
Chapter 119
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 119: Nemesis (1)
***
¡®I never thought I¡¯d meet them so soon.¡¯
Joy overflowed from the depths of his heart. He was so excited that he couldn¡¯t control himself and trembled all over.
¡®When I regressed, I vowed. I would definitely find those two and kill them.¡¯
Thanks to the information they had investigated, Dorugo learned about the Haksen Viscounty.
And Damien had to kill his own family with his own hands.
¡®They were working for Dorugo even at this time.¡¯
They would definitely have it. A way to contact Dorugo.
If he could get his hands on it, he might be able to find out not only the clues about Dorugo, but also his location.
¡®Thank you. For appearing in front of me. I really thank you.¡¯
The corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily with the joy that erupted.
Damien covered his mouth with his hand. He couldn¡¯t show the two people the smile that came to his face now.
Because it would be very ugly and disgusting.
¡°Have you identified the identities of those filthy scums?¡±
Radiant Light asked Cheongyeum. He shook his head.
¡°Nothing has been found out except that they are a group of a dark knight and a dark mage. There is only one survivor, so there is not much testimony.¡±
¡°Elder, didn¡¯t you just say that the ¡®branches¡¯ of the Mandarin Kingdom were attacked? Howe there is only one survivor?¡±
The Church was widespread on the continent.
It had many branches within each country. It was strange that there was only one survivor while so many ces were destroyed.
¡°I don¡¯t understand that either. It¡¯s impossible for just two people tomit such a mass murder. The survivor testified that there were two, but maybe there are more.¡±
Damien could tell that for sure. They were a Hanger couple.
The reason why the two of them could have such an overwhelming killing power was because of a certain dark magic that they had directly received from Dorugo.
¡°What about the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom? Isn¡¯t there a 1st grade pdin there?¡±
¡°He was killed by the dark knight. They say he was not just killed but yed to death before he died.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s expression became even more serious at those words.
A dark knight was a knight who used dark mana, not normal mana.
Considering the rtionship between divine power and dark magic, a pdin should have had an advantage over a dark knight.
The fact that he had still been defeated meant that the dark knight¡¯s skills were that overwhelming.
¡°Her Holiness ns to immediately dispatch a pursuit team to the Mandarin Kingdom. However, the level of the enemies is not ordinary, so we need to send a corresponding force.¡±
¡°So you called me for that?¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes lit up at Cheongyeum¡¯s words.
¡°Then has the house arrest imposed on ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ been lifted?¡±
¡°Yes¡..¡±
Cheongyeum said with a very unpleasant expression. On the other hand, Radiant Light¡¯s face was full of smiles.
¡°I should thank Her Holiness. Then I will visit Her Holiness after stopping by my sect.¡±
Just as Radiant Light was about to leave, Damien asked Cheongyeum.
¡°Then will you also be forming a pursuit team from ¡®The Incinerator¡¯?¡±
Cheongyeum nodded towards Damien.
¡°Of course. How can we stand by when these fuckersmit such heinous acts?¡±
¡°I would like to join the pursuit team with The Incinerator.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the eyes of the two people widened.
It couldn¡¯t be helped. Damien was asking for an unreasonable request now.
This incident in the Mandarin Kingdom was a very shameful thing for the Church.
It is true that the more shameful things are, the faster they should be covered up or resolved before others hear about them.
And yet, Damien, an outsider, wanted to join the pursuit team.
¡°Sir Damien, that is an unreasonable request.¡±
Even Radiant Light couldn¡¯t help but interject.
¡°This incident is something that our main branch should handle.¡±
¡°I agree with Radiant Light.¡±
Even Cheongyeum spoke firmly. However, Damien had his own reasons for not being able to back down like this.
¡®I have to join the pursuit team to meet the Hanger couple.¡¯
Damien knew the Hanger couple well. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to.
¨C Hey, Damien Haksen! You poor guy with nothing in your head! I really feel sorry for you.
¨C Oh, you too¡ You¡¯re always so thoughtful, you know. Worrying about a can like this.
The Hanger couple woulde and find Damien Haksen and chatter on and on about such nonsense.
¨C We were lucky yesterday. We almost had to sleep outdoors on the night road, but we found a vige!
¨C You¡¯re right. We were really lucky. We got a ce to sleep and something to see!
¨C Ah, the human-pig game was quite fun. You wouldn¡¯t know, can you? Human pig, you see. First, the arms and legs¡
Every topic was disgusting. If he could, he wanted to strangle the two of them right then and there.
¨C In the past, we were ordered to attack the branches of the Church. We needed souls soaked in divine power.
¨C It was hard work back then. No matter how many souls we put in, the seal wouldn¡¯t break.
¨C I got tired of it halfway and decided to just wait. I was going to kill all the pursuers they sent and collect their souls.
If what Damien had heard was true, the Hanger couple would not have run far after attacking the branch.
They would surely be waiting nearby for the Church¡¯s pursuit team. To kill the pdins and collect their souls.
¡®No matter the kingdom, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to just go looking for those two.¡¯
Just knowing that they were near the branch wouldn¡¯t be enough to find them, and as capable as they were, they were also top-notch at running away.
However, collecting souls soaked in divine power was one of their biggest goals.
They would be waiting with their mouths open to kill the pdins.
In other words, to meet the Hanger couple, he needed to move with the Church.
However, the two Great Elders were opposing him.
¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you.¡±
Cheongyeum patted Damien on the shoulder and consoled him.
Suddenly, Damien opened a spatial ring. He took out the Dawn from within.
Jiiiiiiing!
The Dawn that came out trembled slightly. As if it was protesting why it had been left alone until now.
Damien ignored Dawn¡¯s protest and knelt down on the floor.
¡°Elder!¡±
Cheongyeum pretended to be surprised by Damien¡¯s actions.
¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡±
¡°Although I am an outsider, I always live my life with the holiness of God in my heart!¡±
Damien feigned a tearful voice.
¡°It is all thanks to God¡¯s mercy that I can live and breathe! Every time I breathe, I feel that I am alive! And the grace of God!¡±
It was a lie.
Breathing was just breathing; who would feel such absurd things?
¡°But how could despicable scums like them¡ attack the pdins and priests, who follows the will of God! How can we just overlook this!¡±
Damien drove Dawn into the ground.
Jiiing!
Dawn protested. It seemed to ask to be handled more gently. But Damien ignored Dawn¡¯s plea once again.
¡°If you won¡¯t allow it, Elder, I¡¯ll go alone!¡±
With determined eyes, Damien looked at Cheongyeum.
A brief silence passed between them.
¡°¡Still, I cannot permit it.¡±
Radiant Light broke the silence.
¡°Although I understand Sir Damien¡¯s intentions, objectively speaking, he¡¯s still an outsider¡¡±
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Cheongyeum hugged Damien, tears streaming down his face. Radiant Light looked at Cheongyeum in astonishment.
¡°I knew I didn¡¯t misjudge you! I knew you¡¯d act like this!¡±
Damien had experienced who Cheongyeum was in a past life.
Fierce yet infinitely yielding to allies. Especially to those shown faith.
So, emphasizing faith, Damien thought he would be allowed.
¡°I will definitely include you in the ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ pursuit team!¡±
Cheongyeum tapped his chest with his palm as if to tell Damien to trust him.
¡°Elder, perhaps that¡¯s¡¡±
Radiant Light tried to intervene, but Cheongyeum, ring at her, continued.
¡°What does it matter that he¡¯s an outsider? With such devout faith, refusing such a person isn¡¯t what God desires. Sir Damien,e with me.¡±
¡°Yes, Elder.¡±
The two disappeared down the path.
Left alone, Radiant Light could only stare at them, seeming perplexed.
¡°He doesn¡¯t seem that faithful¡ Did I misjudge him?¡±
***
Cheongyeum led Damien straight to the building used by ¡®The Incinerator¡¯.
Inside the building, the pdins of the sect were moving busily. It seemed to be because of the formation of the pursuit team.
¡°Attention.¡±
At Cheongyeum¡¯s words, the movements of the pdins stopped abruptly.
¡°Sir Damien here will also be joining the pursuit team this time.¡±
At those words, the pdins of the sect began to murmur.
One of them stepped forward. He was a young man with copper skin and a muscr body.
¡°Master, may I ask you one thing? Is it okay to include an outsider in the pursuit team?¡±
At the man¡¯s question, Cheongyeum pondered for a moment before speaking.
¡°I know it¡¯s not right.¡±
¡°Then why did you include Sir Damien?¡±
¡°There was a reason I had to do so.¡±
Cheongyeum clenched his fist. He trembled all over with an emotional face.
¡°Sir Damien, although an outsider, has proven himself to be no less devout than us. He has always lived his life with the grace and gratitude of God in his heart, and he was more angry than anyone in the world at the attack of the dark mages this time.¡±
¡°There was such a reason¡!¡±
The man was immediately convinced. It wasn¡¯t just the man. The pdins of ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ also nodded their heads.
¡°Then of course we should ept him.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. If he hates those motherfuckers, so he¡¯s automatically one of us.¡±
Indeed, they were the most simple of the sects, ¡®The Incinerator¡¯.
¡®Can they really be this simple?¡¯
Damien was worried.
Come to think of it, it was because of this simplicity that ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ suffered the most casualties during the War of Destruction.
However, they had also saved so many people that it was not an easy issue to judge.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Agnes came running out from between the pdins. A smile appeared on her expressionless face.
¡°I¡¯m so d I can be with Sir Damien again.¡±
¡°Me too.¡±
From Damien¡¯s point of view, it was just a polite remark.
However, Agnes¡¯ reaction was a little different. She blushed slightly and avoided his gaze.
¡®To think that Sir Damien would feel the same way as me¡ .¡¯
Just as Damien was looking at Agnes with a strange look,
The copper-skinned young man approached him and extended his hand to Damien.
¡°My name is Paramond. I am the master¡¯s first disciple and a 1st grade pdin.¡±
¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
Damien shook Paramond¡¯s hand and thought to himself.
¡®Paramond? Could he be the ¡®zing God General¡¯?¡¯
The Church did not only have the Five Great Elders as Master sses.
In addition to them, there were many other Master sses who were active on the continent as members of the Church.
In the Church, Master-ss pdins were referred to as the ¡°White grade¡±.
Damien hadn¡¯t met many of the White grade members in the Church, but there were countless among them.
Among them was a White grade known as the zing God General, who was famous for wielding mes all over his body on the battlefield.
Damien hadn¡¯t met the zing God General due to his untimely demise at the hands of another corpsmander.
¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Paramond, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡±
Cheongyeum addressed his disciple.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°If Damien joins us, there will definitely be troublesome matters. You need to handle him well.¡±
Paramond nodded at Cheongyeum¡¯s words.
¡°I¡¯m prepared. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±
¡°You might need to be even more prepared.¡±
At the master¡¯s words, Paramond chuckled.
¡°The factions being mobilized for this pursuit are three in total: our ¡®The Incinerator,¡¯ the ¡®Blinding Pain,¡¯ and¡ the ¡®Bound Winds.''¡±
At the mention of the Bound Winds, Paramond¡¯s face stiffened.
¡°That cursed¡ I apologize.¡±
¡°No, feel free to speak your mind. I share the same sentiment.¡±
¡°Are those wretches also participating? But isn¡¯t the Bound Winds engaged in different missions altogether?¡±
¡°They¡¯ve nearlypleted their mission, and they¡¯ve been detached separately. They happen to be the closest to the Kingdom of Mandarin.¡±
At this, Paramond wiped his face with his palm.
¡°The Bound Winds are probably already conducting investigations at the destroyed stronghold by now. If those guys happen to see Damien¡ Well, it¡¯ll be incredibly troublesome.¡±
¡°It will indeed be very, very troublesome.¡±
Listening to the conversation between the two, Damien turned to Agnes and asked, ¡°Why are the Bound Winds reacting like that?¡±
Damien was well aware of the faction known as the Bound Winds.
It was a faction led by one of the Great Elders, Green Wind.
Damien had fought against Green Wind and the Bound Winds before.
But at the time, he didn¡¯t particrly feel anything remarkable about them.
¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡ You¡¯ll understand once you see for yourself.¡±
Agnes trailed off with a troubled expression.
¡®You¡¯ll understand as soon as you see it for yourself.¡¯
Damien looked bewildered.
And a few dayster, when they arrived at the stronghold in the Kingdom of Mandarin.
¡°You must have lost your mindpletely! I want to crack open that skull of yours and see what¡¯s inside! Regardless of your circumstances, our Bound Winds cannot tolerate the participation of an outsider. In that case, I¡¯d rather handle the mission alone.¡±
Damien could finally understand what she meant.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 120
Chapter 120
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 120: Nemesis (2)
***
The number of people in the pursuit team was not thatrge.
In the case of ¡®The Incinerator¡¯, it consisted of five people in total: 1st-grade pdin Paramond, three 2nd-grade pdins, and Damien Haksen.
The ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ side was simr. It consisted of one 1st-grade pdin and three 2nd-grade pdins.
There were two reasons why the number of people was so small.
First, it was because the pursuit team was formed too hastily. For the Church, which was chronically short of manpower, it was a stroke of luck to be able to mobilize two 1st-grade pdins.
Second, it was because they needed to move quickly. The more people there were, the more things they would have to take care of, so it was an inevitable choice.
In this way, a total of nine people headed for the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom.
***
¡°¡¡.¡±
When they arrived at the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom, the pursuit team was all shocked.
The central branch was the ce that managed all the affairs of the Church in the kingdom.
Distribution of doctrine, expansion of the Church, tracking of heretics and dark mages, and so on.
It wasrge in scale and well-defended against external attacks.
But now, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of crows cawing.
There were bloodstains everywhere on the building, and flesh was rotting on the floor.
What shocked the party even more was the sight of the statue at the entrance.
Dozens of corpses were hung from the neck of the giant statue, which was created to symbolize the greatness of God.
The bodies did not close their eyes even after death. They died filled with fear and pain.
¡®They had this horrible hobby from the beginning.¡¯
Damien also looked at the bodies with a disgusted face.
That was why they were called the Hanger Couple in the future.
¨C Can! You don¡¯t know this, but there¡¯s a taste of dark magic!
¨C My wife and I love the dark magic thates out when we hang people!
Theymitted such horrible acts simply because they suited their taste.
¡°Paramond, let¡¯s move now. We need to meet the Bound winds.¡±
Serbo, the 1st-grade pdin leading the ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯, said. Thanks to him, Paramond was able to get out of the shock.
¡°¡¡Let¡¯s go inside.¡±
Paramond said in a heavy voice. The pursuit team headed inside the branch.
As they headed there, they could see several pdins throwing bodies into a pit.
¡°Move quickly. There is no time to dawdle. We need to clean up the scene quickly and track them down.¡±
A man was directing them.
Maybe it was because he was wearing sses, but he looked more like a teacher than a pdin. He had a gentle face and no strength in his eyes.
However, the long scar on one eye changed all that impression.
The man felt their presence and turned to look at the pursuit team. The man¡¯s chest was emzoned with the symbol of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯.
¡°Paramond, Serbo. You are bothte.¡±
The man spoke to the two 1st-grade pdins. His tone was very stiff.
¡°We came here as fast as we could.¡±
¡°The branch has been destroyed. You shouldn¡¯t have juste here as fast as you could, you should havee here with a will to live or die.¡±
Paramond smiled kindly, but the man just frowned.
Damien asked Agnes.
¡°Who is he?¡±
¡°He is Nadine, a disciple of Elder Green Wind and a 1st-grade pdin of the Bound winds.¡±
It was a name he had never heard before. Even when he searched his previous life memories, it was the same.
¡°Are the only sects that came to support us the ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ and the ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯?¡±
¡°Yes, please take care of us.¡±
¡°Her Holiness has done something useless. The Bound winds alone is enough.¡±
Paramond¡¯s smile disappeared at those words. But the man didn¡¯t care at all.
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he is the kind of person who cares about others?¡±
Damien whispered in a small voice. Agnes smiled bitterly.
¡°Sir Nadine does have that kind of feeling. He is said to be the strongest among the 1st-grade pdins.¡±
It was an interesting assessment.
¡°The strongest, you say?¡±
¡°Yes, he is so talented that he is considered to be the closest to the Master.¡±
Master.
In other words, he was expected to be a candidate to be a Master. His talent was very high.
¡°Now that you are here, you should also lend a hand. We need to clean up before the dead are resurrected as undead.¡±
Where there were many corpses piled up, undead were crawling around.
This is because the miasma created by the rotting of the dead souls and bodies creates the undead.
Paramond approached the pit. Then he tilted his head.
¡°There are no wounds on the bodies? What the hell is the cause of death?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. They must have developed some other strange dark magic. It¡¯s obvious what the heretics are doing.¡±
At those words, Damien approached the pit. There was one thing he had to check.
As Paramond said, the bodies were all clean and showed no wounds.
They were just wearing expressions full of agony.
¡®¡¡So they used that after all.¡¯
A faint dark magic was emanating from the bodies. It was exactly the same as the dark magic Damien knew.
Nightmare ughter.
It was a dark magic that took away lives or destroyed minds by showing horrific visions.
It had a fast casting speed and a wide range, despite its fearsome killing power.
It was a devastating dark magic created by thebination of Dorugo¡¯s genius and evil.
¡®Damn it.¡¯
It was the first time Damien had felt Dorugo¡¯s dark magic since he regressed.
Something was boiling up. His head felt hot, like a stew that had been boiled for a long time.
Memories of the past came flooding back. The time he was turned into a death knight by Dorugo, the days he killed people on his orders, and finally¡¡.
¨C How did it feel to kill your own family that you kicked out? I prepared it especially for you.
Dorugo¡¯s voice came to mind when Damien killed his family with his own hands.
¨C Hahaha, of course, you didn¡¯t feel anything. But I really enjoyed it. It was so much fun to watch.
That voice, that eyes, and that smile ¡ªall vividly resurfaced in his mind.
It seemed like he was going to lose his mind at any moment. Damien barely held onto his sanity. It was a close call.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Agnes grabbed Damien¡¯s hand and poured out her divine power.
The infused divine power spread throughout his body. Agnes¡¯ divine power was very warm and peaceful.
¡°Are you really okay? Your expression just now¡¡.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Damien pulled away his hand. He couldn¡¯t worry about Agnes anymore. If he was careless, he might lose his sanity.
He couldn¡¯t bear that. Damien had to kill the Hanger Couple here.
Otherwise, it seemed like he would have a hard time maintaining his sanity.
¡°Wait, who is that guy?¡±
Just then, Nadine found Damien.
¡°I can¡¯t feel any divine power at all?¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡±
Paramond stepped in front of Nadine to exin. But Nadine pushed Paramond aside and red at Damien.
¡°He¡¯s not a pdin? Paramond, what is the meaning of this?¡±
¡°Sir Damien is an ordinary knight. But don¡¯t worry. He is very devout¡¡.¡±
¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡±
Nadine spat out a single word.
¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind letting an outsider participate.¡±
¡°Nadine, I would appreciate it if you would watch your words. The one who allowed Sir Damien to participate was our Master.¡±
¡°Then you should have stopped him. Are you saying you just stood there and watched?¡±
Nadine red at Paramond and spoke firmly.
¡°I cannot allow the participation of an outsider. Send that man back immediately.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡±
Paramond cut him off. Nadine¡¯s face turned grim at those words.
¡°I am not your subordinate. And as I said before, Sir Damien¡¯s participation was permitted by Cheongyeum.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t expel that man, we, the Bound winds, will carry out the mission alone.¡±
At Nadine¡¯s words, Paramond¡¯s pupils widened slightly. He thought for a moment and then said.
¡°Then there¡¯s nothing we can do. Let¡¯s each do our best.¡±
Paramond did not flinch even at Nadine¡¯s warning. The two men stared at each other in silence.
¡°Tarant!¡±
Just then, Nadine raised his voice. One of the pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ who was standing behind stepped forward.
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
¡°Go and subdue that man yourself. You are authorized to use force against anyone who interferes. Just don¡¯t kill him.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The pdin approached Damien. Paramond red at Nadine.
¡°Are you really going to do this?¡±
¡°If you had opposed Master¡¯s decision from the beginning, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±
Paramond narrowed his eyes and said.
¡°Agnes! Protect Sir Damien at all costs!¡±
Agnes stepped in front of Tarant. Tarant looked at Agnes with a mocking expression.
¡°I heard you just became a 2nd-grade pdin¡¡ Are you really going to try to stop me with that level of skill?¡±
¡°You talk too much. If you don¡¯t want to see blood, you¡¯d better back down now.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s see how you stop me.¡±
Tarant moved. In a gust of wind, he was suddenly behind Agnes.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Agnes spun around in surprise. At that moment, Tarant drew his sword from his waist and swung it.
A strong wind blew. The wind whipped around Agnes¡¯ body.
¡°Ugh!¡±
The wind was heavy. It felt like she was being beaten by invisible fists.
Agnes¡¯s body was flung far away. Agnes stopped herself by digging her hands into the ground.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
She cried out urgently and looked straight ahead. But Tarant had already reached Damien.
¡°Outsider, if you don¡¯t want to get hurt, you¡¯d bettere with me.¡±
Tarant held the de of his sword to Damien¡¯s neck. The skin was cut slightly and blood dripped down.
At that moment, a feeling of disgust surged up. The boiling emotions broke free from Damien¡¯s control.
Snap.
The sound of something breaking rang out clearly.
***
It was right after Tarant raised the de of his sword to Damien¡¯s shoulder.
Damien crouched down and lunged inwards. At the same time, he grabbed Tarant¡¯s wrist.
¡°Are you going to rebel after all? I¡¯ll cut off all your fingers!¡±
Tarant tried to swing his sword even though his wrist was caught.
At that moment, mana was infused through Damien¡¯s hand. Tarant felt a tingling pain and all the strength in his body drained away.
¡°¡.?¡±
When he came to his senses, he was already kneeling on the ground.
¡°What just happened to me?¡±
He tried to get up, but he had no strength in his body. It seemed like his mana and divine power had been blocked.
Damien put his hand on Tarant¡¯s head. Right after that, his head hit the ground.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 121
Chapter 121
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 121: Nemesis (3)
***
Even though he was not in his right mind, Damien¡¯s actions were swift.
As soon as he grabbed his wrist, he used the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle technique to paralyze his opponent¡¯s muscles and seal his blood vessels.
Afterpletely incapacitating his opponent, he grabbed his head and mmed it down.
With a loud crash, Tarant¡¯s head waspletely embedded in the ground.
By the time he finished this action, Damien was finally able to regain his sanity.
¡®I¡¯ve done it.¡¯
He had failed to control his anger and had ended up attacking a pdin. However, he didn¡¯t regret it.
He hadn¡¯t controlled his emotions enough to have any regrets. If he let his guard down for even a moment, he felt like he would lose his mind again.
¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡±
At that moment, a voice filled with anger rang out.
He turned his gaze and saw Nadine ring at him as if he was going to kill him.
¡°How dare an outsider like youy a hand on a pdin of our sect?¡±
Nadine drew his sword. A sharp aura surged like a tidal wave, pressuring Damien.
¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡±
Nadine rushed towards Damien. Paramond stepped in front of him.
¡°Paramondddd!¡±
Nadine spat out his anger and swung his sword down. Paramond blocked the falling de with his forearm.
1st-grade pdin.
Two powerful entities equal to the high-ss shed with each other.
Tremendous divine power shed in the air. Just being exposed to that aura was enough to make some of the pdins pale.
¡°Get out of my way!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do that. Sir Damien is a guest of our sect.¡±
¡°That bastardid a hand on my sect¡¯s pdin!¡±
¡°You¡¯re the one who drew your weapon first.¡±
Nadine red at Paramond with murderous intent. Paramond did not avert his gaze.
The two men stood in a sharp confrontation. The murderous aura they exuded grew stronger and stronger.
Just before the murderous aura reached its peak, someone stepped in between the two men.
¡°Calm down, both of you.¡±
It was Serbo, the 1st-grade pdin leading the ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯.
Being a 1st-grade pdin himself, Serbo was able to pierce through the storm of divine power and approach the two men.
¡°Serbo, are you crazy? Are you telling me to calm down after seeing that?¡±
Nadine said, ncing at Tarant who was embedded in the ground.
¡°Your pdin started it first.¡±
¡°Are you going to favor him now?¡±
¡°Sir Damien has already been granted permission to apany from Elder Cheongyeum and our Elder Radiant Light has also granted permission.¡±
In an instant, Serbo¡¯s gaze turned fierce.
¡°The actions of the Bound winds can be considered an act of defiance even towards our Elder. Do you really think we¡¯ll turn a blind eye to that?¡±
With Serbo siding with Damien, Nadine could no longer push forward with firmness.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Eventually, Nadine sheathed his sword first. Paramon also lowered his arm.
¡°What are you all doing? Go and treat Tarant!¡±
At Nadine¡¯smand, two pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ rushed forward and pulled Tarant out of the ground.
Tarant was lying unconscious, his face covered in dirt.
Nadine looked at Tarant with disdain. Soon, he shouted at Paramond.
¡°Paramond, ¡®Bound winds¡¯ will never forget today¡¯s events.¡±
¡°That¡¯s my line. ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ won¡¯t forget it either.¡±
Nadine sent a fierce gaze, but Paramond didn¡¯t flinch.
¡°We, ¡®Bound winds,¡¯ will act separately!¡±
Saying so, Nadine disappeared with the pdins of his sect.
Thus, only the pdins of the ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ and the ¡®Blinding Pain¡¯ remained at the scene.
¡°Damn it. This is why I hate dealing with the Bound winds. They seem so stupid and narrow-minded.¡±
Paramond spat on the ground, looking in the direction where Nadine had disappeared.
Then, with a slight smile, he turned to Damien.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. The real fault lies with them over there. No matter how much you dislike it, that¡¯s the truth. They¡¯re trying to overturn decisions made by the headquarters.¡±
Damien¡¯s inclusion had been approved not only by Cheongyeum but also by Radiant Light.
A single sect couldn¡¯t overturn such a decision arbitrarily.
¡°He¡¯s right. If he hadints, he should have formally lodged them in the Churchter. He shouldn¡¯t act recklessly like this.¡±
Agnes also intervened.
¡°I never thought the Blinding Pain would take our side, especially against the Bound Winds.¡±
Paramond addressed Serbo. Serbo responded as if it was inconsequential.
¡°No need to worry. I¡¯m just following the will of the Radiant Light.¡±
¡°Does that mean your Elder supports us?¡±
¡°While she didn¡¯t explicitly say to support, she also didn¡¯t say to oppose.¡±
It was an inscrutable attitude. Truly befitting to the Radiant Light.
¡°Anyway, it seems we¡¯ve been left to deal with the mess ourselves.¡±
In a situation where the strength of the opponents couldn¡¯t be estimated, they had made mistakes from the very beginning.
Paramond scratched his head with a troubled expression.
***
In a forest located a short distance from the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom, two figures stood on top of a tree, looking down at the central branch.
¡°Why are they fighting among themselves?¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if they got along like us?¡±
¡°I agree. I don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re like that, even though they¡¯re from the ce.¡±
¡°Honey, we shouldn¡¯t say such reckless things. We¡¯re just unusually close.¡±
The voices of a man and a woman were heard simultaneously.
However, both were wearing thick robes, making it impossible to discern their exact gender.
¡°Anyway, the guys came just as we nned.¡±
¡°What did I tell you? I said they woulde if we stirred up the central branch.¡±
¡°I was so bored waiting.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Right.¡±
There were only two people here. But they were talking too much for two people.
¡°The best part is that they¡¯re divided now, fighting each other.¡±
¡°What does it matter if they¡¯re divided or not? We have nothing to fear with His favor.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! We have nothing to fear unless they¡¯re a Master!¡±
¡°They should be afraid of us, rather.¡±
The more they talked, the more excited the two men and women became.
¡°If we can just finish this, he might even make us His acolytes.¡±
¡°Ugh¡ even the thought of it is thrilling. If that happens, even that unlucky bastard Gathdal won¡¯t be able to mess with us.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t even mention that guy! When I think about how he treated us like servants just because he was favored by Him¡ my blood still boils!¡±
¡°He was a really lucky guy. I¡¯d like to tear him to pieces with my own hands if I could.¡±
As the two exchanged words, the sun setpletely. Darkness fell.
¡°It¡¯s dark enough now¡ let¡¯s start moving.¡±
The two figures headed towards where the pdins were.
***
The Bound winds chose a nearby building and entered inside.
¡°Paramond! That muscle-headed fool!¡±
As soon as they entered, Nadine erupted in anger.
¡°What makes them think they¡¯re so special bringing outsiders on our mission!¡±
¡°Yes. And on top of that, that outsiderid hands on Tarant!¡±
¡°How dare an outsider touch a pdin¡ He held no respect for the Church!¡±
The pdins of the Bound winds spoke with rough tones. This incident had dealt a significant blow to their pride as well.
¡°Tarant? Has he regained consciousness?¡±
¡°He¡¯s still unconscious.¡±
¡°Weakling. Once this mission is over, I won¡¯t let him off easily. A pdin losing to an ordinary knight!¡±
Nadine couldn¡¯t contain his anger.
Suddenly, Nadine¡¯s expression changed. He grabbed the sword he had pointed beside him.
¡°Sir Nadine? What are you¡¡±
At that moment, a dark aura shot toward the building. Nadine raised his sword to block the attack.
¡°Ahh!¡±
¡°Kyah!¡±
The sudden disturbance caused the pdins to scream. Nadine silently watched the gap created by the aura attack.
Someone was outside.
They wore a robe, so their gender couldn¡¯t be discerned.
But the sword they held was as clear as day.
The surface of the sword was covered in a dark aura. It was a sign of a Dark Knight.
¡°Arrogant scums. Trying to prey on us like that.¡±
Nadine¡¯s lips twisted.
¡°The enemy has appeared! Get your weapons ready immediately!¡±
Nadine swung his sword towards the wall. Numerous gusts of wind cut through the wall, causing it to crumble into pieces.
Nadine and the pdins emerged through the hole.
¡°You¡¯re the one who attacked the central branch, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Nadine asked the robed man.
At the time of the central branch¡¯s attack, the 1st-grade pdin guarding it was killed by a Dark Knight.
ording to the survivor¡¯s testimony, he was brutally murdered and yed to death. It spoke volumes about the gap between the two.
The dark mana emanating from the man was abnormal. Nadine hadn¡¯t encountered such a formidable opponent in a long time.
There was no doubt that this man was the Dark Knight who attacked their central branch.
¡°I heard there¡¯s another dark mage. Where have you hidden them?¡±
The Dark Knight remained silent. Nadine raised one corner of his mouth in response to the silence.
¡°You don¡¯t have to speak. I already have an idea. Most likely, they¡¯re hiding somewhere, waiting to ambush me.¡±
Normally, a dark mage would support the knights from the rear.
It was the most effective strategy. Most likely, they were employing such tactics as well.
¡°I¡¯ll handle him. The rest of you, search the surroundings and find the dark mage!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
The pdins dispersed with loud shouts.
Even if they couldn¡¯t capture the dark mage, they would serve as a deterrent.
Now, Nadine only needed to focus on the Dark Knight before him.
¡°I¡¯ll take the blood of the in pdins and believers from here.¡±
Nadine drew his sword. As he did, the wind began to swirl around the de.
The Bound winds was a sect capable of converting divine power into wind.
Nadine, a skilled 1st-grade pdin, engages in a fierce battle with a dark knight.
Nadine utilizes his wind maniption abilities to enhance his agility to deceive the enemy¡¯s eyes and to create openings in his opponent¡¯s defenses.
¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of!¡±
Nadine swung his sword. Dozens of wind des surged towards the Dark Knight.
The ground split open along the path of the wind, and the rocks on it split in half.
Sharp wind des, like aura, rushed from all directions. Blocking or dodging seemed impossible.
However, the dark knight proves to be a formidable adversary, As he swings his sword dark mana wraps around him and he effortlessly deflects Nadine¡¯s wind des with a barrier of dark aura.
¡°Not bad skill!¡±
Nadine remains calm. He concentrated divine power into his sword again and unleashed a powerful wind de.
A massive wind de flew towards the Dark Knight. The Dark Knight raised his sword to block the windde.
But he couldn¡¯t withstand the impact entirely. The sword bounced back, causing his stance to falter.
Seizing the opportunity, Nadine closes in on the dark knight, aiming to deliver a fatal blow.
¡°Farewell!¡±
At that moment, the world turned upside down.
The positions of the sky and the ground reversed. A severe dizziness struck Nadine¡¯s brain.
As his senses scrambled, the trajectory of the sword also wavered. Nadine¡¯s sword shed through empty air.
Taking advantage of the opening, the Dark Knight swung his sword diagonally downwards.
Nadine instinctively threw himself backward. But he couldn¡¯tpletely avoid the attack.
He was cut diagonally from chest to abdomen. Blood spurted out.
Nadine stumbles backward and desperately tries to heal his wounds with divine power.
But the wound was too deep so didn¡¯t heal easily.
¡°Cough, cough.¡±
Nadine realizes that he is facing an opponent unlike any he has encountered before.
Nadine coughed up blood, looking incredulously at the Dark Knight.
Having fought numerous dark mages before, he quickly realized what had happened to him.
He had been hit by the ¡®Confusion Curse¡¯, which scrambled his senses.
But it was absurd. The curse¡¯s effectiveness sharply diminished with distance.
Moreover, to use such a curse on a first-ss pdin like Nadine, a high-ranking curse was needed.
But there was no dark mage here, only Dark Knight.
¡°I heard that a pdin named Nadine is quite strong. Looks like the rumors were true.¡±
¡°Yeah, he even knows how to dodge even under a curse.¡±
At that moment, two voices came from the Dark Knight.
Nadine couldn¡¯t help but be perplexed by the bizarre phenomenon.
¡°Honey, look at that face. Looks really dumb, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°I never thought even the esteemed pdin would make such an expression.¡±
The Dark Knight discarded his robe.
As Nadine saw the Dark Knight¡¯s bare body, his eyes widened in shock.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 122
Chapter 122
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 122: Nemesis (4)
***
The Incinerator and the Blinding Pain chose a nearby building.
Fortunately, most of the buildings were intact, so they could be quickly reused with a little repair.
¡°¡¡¡±
Damien stood in the hallway and looked out the window. His face was expressionless, but his heart was not.
¡®I was swayed in emotions earlier.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t keep his cool whenever he was involved with the dark mages.
¡®It¡¯s fortunate that I transferred to The Incinerator. If I had done something wrong, it could have turned into a big conflict.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m still tied to them even after I regressed.¡¯
That¡¯s why he wanted to get stronger as soon as possible. Only by killing Dorgo would Damien be able to regain his peace.
¡°Sir Damien, were you here?¡±
A voice came from behind. Agnes was holding a steaming mug.
¡°I boiled this for you to have. It¡¯s porridge made by boiling grain flour in water.¡±
Damien thanked her and took the mug. He took a sip of the porridge. The nutty vor spread in his mouth.
Agnes also came and stood next to Damien. She sipped from her mug like him.
¡°Are you calm now?¡±
As the mug emptied, Agnes spoke to Damien.
¡°I¡¯ve felt it before, but Sir Damien seems to hate the dark mage very much.¡±
¡°Is there anyone in this world who doesn¡¯t hate that filth?¡±
Damien said jokingly. But Agnes¡¯ expression didn¡¯t change.
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ Sir Damien seems to be a little different.¡±
¡°What do you mean different?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
Agnes trailed off. She seemed to be struggling to find the right words.
Just then, something caught Damien¡¯s senses. Damien stared out the window.
¡°Lady Agnes.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an attack. Go and wake the pdins.¡±
Damien opened the window and jumped out.
At that moment, a countless number of dark bullets rained down from the front.
Damien drew out the Dawn and infused it with mana.
Aura instantly covered the Dawn. Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire its speed.
The lower-grade holy sword he had used before also had an excellent mana conductivity rate. Butpared to the Dawn, that sword was at the level of a turtle.
Damien swung the Dawn. The aura shot forward and erased all the bullets.
¡°Amazing,¡±
Damien said, looking down at the Dawn. The Dawn trembled.
Jiing!
As if to protest that it that do you just realize it now?
He wanted to praise the Dawn a little more, but it wasn¡¯t the time for that.
Damien looked straight ahead. Something wearing a robe was looking back at Damien.
The identity of the attacker could not be determined. However, dark mana emanated from the hands pouring outside.
It was evidence of a dark mage.
¡°It¡¯s an attack! Wake up quickly!¡±
¡°What? An attack?¡±
¡°My weapon, where is my weapon!¡±
The inside of the building became noisy. Soon after, two peoplended next to Damien.
¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a dark mage. It looks like he¡¯s of a fairly high rank.¡±
It was Paramond and Serbo.
¡°Are they the ones who attacked the central branch?¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t many dark mages who would surprise attack the central branches. It¡¯s probably them.¡±
¡°I heard there were two of them. Where is the other one?¡±
Two people attacked the branch.
However, only the dark mage was visible, and the Dark Knight was nowhere to be seen.
¡°It seems like he¡¯s hiding and waiting for an opportunity.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a possibility. There is also a tactic of using a mage in the vanguard to make the opponent let their guard down.¡±
Originally, it was a principle that mages and dark mages were in charge of the rear.
However, there were asionally those who tried to exploit the gaps by reversing suchmon sense.
¡°How foolish. To use such a strategy when there are two 1st-grade pdins?¡±
Such a strategy should be used depending on the opponent.
¡°Let¡¯s kill that bastard first so he can¡¯t use his tricks.¡±
¡°I agree.¡±
Paramon and Serbo activated their holy power. It was even more ferocious than when they confronted Nadine.
They needed to control their strength and emotions when dealing with Nadine, but they didn¡¯t have to do that with an enemy.
The two of them charged towards the dark mage. Their speed was so fast that it looked like a sh of light.
Paramon threw a punch at the head. Serbo also swung his mace at the same spot.
It was at that moment.
Suddenly, a pair of hands emerged from the robe. A pair of swords were held in each hand.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
The two were unable to respond to the sudden situation.
No, even if they tried to respond, it was useless. The distance was too close.
The hands holding the swords moved. The surface of the swords was covered in a dark aura.
The dark sh cut through the bodies of the two.
***
Just before that, Damien pulled the two by their necks.
Their bodies flew back abruptly. des narrowly grazed their abdomens.
Cold sweat ran down their backs. If it weren¡¯t for Damien, they would¡¯ve surely lost their lives.
But instead of feeling grateful, doubts filled their minds.
Why did the person have an extra pair of arms?
¡°Ugh, it could¡¯ve been an easy job.¡±
¡°Honey, it¡¯s because of that guy. He save the pdins.¡±
Two voices emanated from the dark mage. They belonged to a man and a woman.
As the dark mage threw off the robe, a grotesque figure appeared.
Arms protruded from its shoulders, two on each side.
Surgeon marks covered its body. A fist-sized dark gemstone was embedded in the center of its chest.
The most weird part was its head. A man¡¯s and a woman¡¯s faces were attached back to back.
Paramon and Servo looked at the creepy couple with shocked faces.
On the other hand, Damien remained unfazed. He already knew.
The couple wasn¡¯t human.
To be precise, they were once human but had been experimented on by Dorugo, turning them into abominations.
Originally, the couple consisted not of two but four individuals, a pair of twins each. The twin brothers were dark knights, and the twin sisters were high-level dark mages. Together, they wreaked havoc wherever they went.
The one who took notice of them was Dorugo. He was conducting some experiments at the time and brought them in as test subjects.
And what stood before them now was the result of those experiments, a monstrous aberration.
¡°Ah, we made a bet on who would finish first. We¡¯re not going to lose, are we?¡±
¡°I also made a bet with ¡®sis.¡¯ If this takes too long¡ I don¡¯t want to think about how she¡¯ll tease me!¡±
From their conversation, it seemed the couple here was on the ¡®sibling¡¯ side.
¡°I don¡¯t want to lose the bet, so should I give it my all?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just kill them and go back!¡±
Paramond and Servo looked incredulous at their conversation.
¡°Do they think so little of us?¡±
¡°Their heads may be two, but they don¡¯t seem very smart.¡±
Paramond and Servo are filled with killing intent and hatred.
They had almost been caught off guard moments ago, but now there was no room forcency.
Moreover, they weren¡¯t the only ones here.
The remaining pdins poured out from the building. Both factions of pdins surrounded the monstrous couple.
There were two 1st-grade pdins and a whopping six 2nd-grade pdins. Additionally, there was the mid-ss Damien Haksen.
It was clearly an uneven match against the monstrous couple. However, the couple¡¯s attitude remained consistently rxed.
¡°It seems like they¡¯ve all gathered.¡±
¡°Shall we activate it?¡±
Suddenly, the gemstone embedded in the chest of the monstrous couple began to glow.
ck lines spread out from the gemstone, quickly covering their entire bodies.
¡°Block it!¡±
Paramond urgently shouted. It was a warning about the danger of umted experiences as a pdin.
But it was already toote.
As the monstrous couple opened their mouths wide, purple smoke spewed out.
The pdins had no chance to dodge as the smoke spread in all directions.
***
Pdins copsed as soon as they touched the purple smoke. It was a smoke that caused fainting even if they held their breath.
Among those who passed out was Damien.
When he came to his senses, Damien was drawn into a dream.
It was a ce filled with only darkness. How high was the ceiling? Are there walls? I couldn¡¯t tell anything.
¡®Anyway, they¡¯re annoying guys. To be able to activate such magic instantly.¡¯
The experiment that Dorugo conducted on the Hanger couple was to turn a person¡¯s body into a magic tool.
The Hanger couple were no different from a whole body magic tool. It is a magic tool for activating the dark magic called Nightmare ughter.
That¡¯s why the Nightmare ughter activated by the Hanger couple didn¡¯t require casting time.
Of course, with Damien¡¯s knowledge and skills, he could have dispelled the Nightmare ughter as soon as it was activated.
But then, Damien would be caught by the pdins if he used dark magic.
So Damien had no choice but to be obedient to the Nightmare ughter first.
¡®It¡¯s worked out well in some ways. Because I lost my sight.¡¯
Nightmare ughter was a dark magic that even a 1st-grade pdin could not avoid. This is because it was created by Archlich Dorguo himself.
Instead, it was impossible to kill a 1st-grade pdin with Nightmare ughter alone. It couldn¡¯t do any mental damage either. The duration of the Nightmare ughter was also rtively short.
The same was true for the 2nd-grade pdin. He would suffer more mental damage than a 1st-grade pdin, but it would not be enough to kill him.
While the pdins were having Nightmare ughters, Damien nned to subdue the Hanger couple and then question Dorugo. And he was going to finish the revenge.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Suddenly, there was a sound of wind blowing. Hundreds of arrows flew from afar.
The arrows pierced Damien¡¯s body. His whole body turned into a hedgehog.
But Damien didn¡¯t feel any pain.
¡®This is my space.¡¯
Nightmare ughter shows terrible sights, but after all, the owner of the dream is himself. If you just wake up your mind, it will have no effect.
Soon after, mes erupted from the ground. Next, a cold wind blew.
But none of that could bring pain to Damien.
¡®There¡¯s nothing more to see.¡¯
It was the moment Damien was about to release the Nightmare ughter.
Suddenly, the scenery changed.
The space filled with darkness was gone. Instead, a field appeared.
The field, which should have been covered with green grass, was now covered in red blood. Corpses were lying here and there.
Damien froze on the spot.
He knew it right away. Where is this field, and what will happen here from now on.
¡°Damien!¡±
A familiar voice rang out. Damien slowly raised his head.
There was his father right in front of him.
He was looking at Damien with a much older face than now.
¡°Damien! Why are you with Archlich! What the hell is that look!¡±
At those words, Damien lowered his gaze.
Before he knew it, Damien was wearing dark armor. He was looking down at his father with arger size.
His father slowly approached Damien.
Damien shouted not toe. But the words didn¡¯te out.
His mouth was now tightly shut.
¡°What happened in the meantime¡ Ugh!¡±
His father¡¯s movement stopped abruptly. A greatsword pierced his father¡¯s abdomen and protruded through his back.
Damien slowly followed the de of the greatsword down. At the end of it was his own hand.
¡°Da¡mien¡ .¡±
His father¡¯s head slowly lowered. The light went out of his eyes.
¡®Ah¡.¡¯
The voice wouldn¡¯te out.
¡®Oh¡.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t even open his mouth. He couldn¡¯t even express his pain.
Because this body was not his own. Because he was trapped here and could only watch helplessly.
¡®Ahhhh¡!¡¯
With a silent scream, his head turned white.
***
Looking down at them, the Hanger coupleughed lowly.
¡°Stupid, foolish, and insignificant things.¡±
The dark magic created by His Excellency was so great. Until now, there had been no one who could withstand this magic.
The Hanger couple trembled. Just thinking of His Excellency made reverence well up from the depths of their hearts.
¡°Then shall we hang them one by one?¡±
The couple moved their four hands and took out the ropes from their waists.
The ropes were long enough to hang all the Holy Knights here.
¡°Let¡¯s first kill that unlucky man who interrupted us.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. We should give that guy special treatment.¡±
The Hanger couple approached Damien. They grabbed his neck and lifted him up, then started to put the rope around his neck.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Damien¡¯s eyes slowly opened. The Hanger couple couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
¡°What, how did you wake up so soon¡ .¡±
¡°I had a very unpleasant dream.¡±
Suddenly, the man opened his mouth. His tone was songuid that it was hard to believe he was the one being held by the neck.
¡°It was a dream where I killed my father with my own hands. It was a sight I never want to see again.¡±
Damien slowly looked up at the Hanger couple.
¡°That¡¯s why I hate you guys. You¡¯re like rats. Seeing you makes me feel dirty and irritated. But if you¡¯re not killed, you will spread more disease and filth.¡±
The Hanger couple frowned at those words.
¡°What is this idiot babbling about now?¡±
¡°Honey, let¡¯s just break his jaw?¡±
The Hanger couple immediately grabbed Damien¡¯s jaw. They were about to twist his jaw off.
At that moment, Damien grabbed the Hanger couple¡¯s wrists. He poured mana into their wrists.
The muscles in their forearms twisted. Blood and dark magic boiled simultaneously.
Bang.
With a small sound, the muscles in their forearms exploded. Blood and flesh sttered everywhere.
¡°Kwak!¡±
¡°Aaagh!¡±
The couple screamed and let go of Damien¡¯s neck. They held onto their forearms, which were now just bones, and screamed in agony.
Damien drew out the Dawn. A blue aura covered the de.
¡°Please, hold on for a long time.¡±
Damien¡¯s face twisted like a demon, and his killing intent was at an unimaginable height.
At this much killing intent, all the living creatures in the forest held their breath. Even the sound of insects chirping could not be heard.
¡°It seems like I won¡¯t be able to get rid of this dirty feeling if you die too easily.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 123
Chapter 123
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 123: High ss (1)
***
Fear.
Mr. and Mrs. Hanger trembling without realizing it.
The killing intent of Damien standing in front of them was so overpowering that one couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Even swallowing their own saliva became tough.
Such a killing intent, they had never experienced it before.
Even among the dark mages who were crazy about killing, there was no one with such a killing intent.
Is this truly human?
Suddenly, doubt arose. No matter how much they thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem human. It felt like a heinous monster wearing human skin.
If they were to slightly pull that skin, it seemed like it would peel off, revealing a horrifying sight.
But the Hanger couple also had pride.
Before bing experimental subjects, the couple was high-ss knight and high-level dark mage. They had never been defeated by anyone in their lives.
After being modified, they lived with pride in being chosen by ¡®Him¡¯.
Countless dark magic and magical artifacts being researched by Him were inserted into their bodies.
Thanks to his grace, the couple was twice as strong as they were when they were human.
Yes.
We are bodies chosen by ¡®Him¡¯. We cannot possibly be defeated by mere humans.
As their thoughts reached that point, the couple could escape from fear. Their minds became much calmer.
Then they saw things they couldn¡¯t see before.
¡°¡This absurd fellow is a first.¡±
The ¡®husband¡¯ smirked. He spoke with a sneer.
¡°The guy has quite a terrifying killing intent, but¡ in the end, he¡¯s just a middle-ss, isn¡¯t he?¡±
The ¡®husband¡¯ could see through it because he was high-ss even before bing an experimental subject.
It meant that Damien¡¯s mana was not on par with the high-ss.
¡°If you unt your aura like that, did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice? Nonsense. We are not such mediocrities.¡±
To them, Damien¡¯s killing intent was ultimately just a show of vanity. It was like a hedgehog puffing up its spines.
It might seem threatening, but upon closer inspection, it was nothing.
¡°Darling, let¡¯s show this middle-ss brat what the real power is.¡±
The couple focused their dark magic on their bursting biceps. Instantly, the wounds regenerated and returned to their original state.
It was one of the abilities bestowed by ¡®Him¡¯. The couple could regenerate any wounds quickly.
The couple unleashed their dark mana. It flowed down to the ground like a rotten swamp.
The momentum of the couple overwhelmed Damien¡¯s aura. His aura rapidly diminished.
¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been in full swing, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Yeah, honey! I missed this feeling of liberation!¡±
The couple spoke with greatly excited voices.
¡°¡Yes, this body is still weak.¡±
At that moment, Damien spoke. His voice was heavily suppressed.
¡°I want to kill you two with my own hands¡ but since I can¡¯t do it in front of everyone else, if I don¡¯t kill you, you¡¯ll spread your filth everywhere.¡±
Damien brought the opposite hand to his mouth. He bit the bracelet locked around his wrist with his teeth and released it.
Immediately after that, dark mana erupted from the bracelet. Dark smoke covered the surroundings.
At that sight, the Hanger couple¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
¡°You¡ .¡±
Dark mana. It has a nature that devours the surroundings.
If those two weren¡¯t mistaken, that was definitely¡
¡°How do you have dark mana!¡±
Although that man may not be a pdin, he was acting with the Church.
Such a person possesses dark mana.
Moreover, its concentration was much thicker than the dark mana that the Hanger couple was emitting and the amount was much greater.
What was even more surprising was what happened next. All of that huge amount of dark mana was sucked into the Damien¡¯s body.
His flesh-colored skin turned gray. The whites of his eyes turned dark, and red light erupted from his pupils.
The blue aura turned dark. He had used dark mana to form the aura.
¡°This is ridiculous¡ .¡±
Mana and dark mana werepletely different powers. That¡¯s why the way they were used was also different.
A knight who had only used mana could not use dark mana. The vice versa was also true.
¡°Was he not a regr knight, but a dark knight¡ ?¡±
No, no. He had definitely used mana to create the aura at first.
¡°¡It¡¯s dirty.¡±
Damien said softly. His voice was thick with disgust.
¡°¡Dark mana always makes me feel dirty no matter when I use it. It¡¯s like getting filth on my body. I¡¯m going to vomit because I¡¯m taking it into my body.¡±
Damien¡¯s red eyes turned to the Hanger couple.
¡°Be prepared. I¡¯m not going to kill you easily.¡±
The Hanger couple felt goosebumps. But they tried to suppress that feeling.
¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you are¡ .¡±
The ¡®husband¡¯ decided to put the question on hold for a while. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to find out more after defeating that man.
¡°Even so, you won¡¯t be able to do anything to us who have received ¡®His¡¯ grace!¡±
The Hanger couple charged at Damien. Thanks to the release of dark mana, their bodies felt as light as feathers.
As they ran, they regripped their twin swords. Dark aura was condensed on the des of the twin swords.
The ¡®husband¡¯ swung the twin swords wildly. The twin swords tracedplex trajectories, trying to cut Damien¡¯s body.
No, they had cut it down.
The arms that should have been swinging the swords suddenly disappeared. The left and right were the same.
When he looked down, he saw his own hands, still holding the swords, lying on the ground.
Why are my arms there? What the hell just happened?
A myriad of questions came to his mind. But there was no time to find the answers.
With his two arms gone, his torso was nowpletely exposed. Damien closed the distance without hesitation.
Damien swung the sword in his hand wildly, the de shing and cutting across ¡®husband¡¯s¡¯ torso, shredding his flesh.
The muscles were tattered and the flesh fell off in pieces.
¡°Kuaaagh!¡±
The ¡®husband¡¯ screamed. But it didn¡¯t make any difference. Damien¡¯s shing did not stop.
¡°Don¡¯t touch my husband!¡±
The ¡®wife¡¯ hurriedly activated dark magic. The smoke of the Curse of Corruption spewed out towards Damien.
At that moment, Damien swung the sword forcefully.
A beam of light split and disappeared through his wife¡¯s wrists. Shortly after, as the mist abruptly cleared, her wrists fell to the ground.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
Amidst his wife¡¯s screams, the ¡®husband¡¯ realized.
Initially, her arms hadn¡¯t vanished. It was just an illusion caused by the rapidness of Damien¡¯s attack, surpassing his own perception.
In the next moment, Damien plunged the de deeply into her abdomen. Then, twisting the de, he shed outward.
Her abdomen split from the inside. Overwhelmed by agony never before experienced, the ¡®husband¡¯ screamed.
¡°Stop! I said stop!¡±
He shook the severed arm wildly. But no more attacks came.
As he raised his head, he saw Damien standing far away.
¡°Why¡ why¡¡±
There was no way Damien would retreat feeling threatened by his recent actions.
¡°Darling! Are you okay?¡±
Meanwhile, the ¡®wife¡¯ focused dark magic on her wound. It was to regenerate the wound.
Being one entity had its advantages. One could take care of what the other hadn¡¯t noticed.
¡°Huh? Wh-what?¡±
However, the wife¡¯s response was strange. There was a palpable sense of panic in her voice.
¡°T-the wound isn¡¯t healing! S-something is preventing the regeneration.¡±
¡°What nonsense¡¡±
At the moment when they were about to investigate, a sudden sharp pain surged from the wounded area.
The tingling pain split open like lightning, digging deep into the wound.
As the pain burrowed deeper, the muscles twisted. The ck magic wreaked havoc, destroying the cirction of blood in the body.
¡°Aaargh! Aaaargh!¡±
In the Hanger couple, mostly only the ¡®husband¡¯ can feel the pain, and the ¡®wife¡¯ uses dark magic to negate it.
But this pain was different. Both felt it. The excruciating pain scrambled their brains.
¡°What¡ what is this¡¡±
The bizarre phenomenon didn¡¯t end here. Suddenly, the wounded area began to swell.
The mutted body swelled. And with it, the pain intensified.
¡°W-what have you done to our bodies¡¡±
¡°Darling! Save me! Darling!¡±
With screams, the hanger couple¡¯s bodies exploded.
Flesh and blood scattered. The surrounding ground turned a deep crimson.
***
Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.
A mana cultivation technique that allows the user to manipte blood vessels.
Damien injected mana into the wounds as he cut through the Hanger couple¡¯s bodies.
Then, he activated the injected mana all at once, stimting the Hanger couple¡¯s blood vessels and causing them to explode.
He could have killed them more easily. But the reason he used this method was to inflict more pain.
¡°Ugh¡ ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
¡°Aaah¡ aaah¡¡±
The Hanger couple, who were left with nothing but bones and a little flesh, let out a blood-curdling scream.
Damien looked down at them and spoke in a cold tone.
¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and regenerate your bodies.¡±
His killing intent was still boiling. The frustration was not relieved. It seemed like he would only feel better if he stabbed them hundreds of times more.
¡°If you were created by Dorugo, you should be able to regenerate from this kind of wound quickly, right?¡±
Even at Damien¡¯s words, the Hanger couple only groaned.
Their brains seemed to be damaged from the pain that exceeded their limits.
Damien gnashed his teeth at their pitiful sight.
¡°I told you to get up!¡±
He swung his sword, spitting out his anger. The Hanger couple¡¯s heads were severed and rolled on the ground.
Their headless bodies trembled for a moment before stopping. Something slowly rose from their torsos.
¨C Uuuuh¡¡.
¨C Huuuh¡¡.
The souls of the Hanger couple rose into the air. Damien grabbed those souls.
¨C Kyaaaah!
¨C Kyaaaah!
The couple screamed. The pain of the soul was different from that of the flesh.
Damien squeezed the souls tightly. The pain was amplified hundreds of times, and the souls of the Hanger couple were destroyed.
Damien exhaled roughly. His anger, instead of being relieved, boiled even more.
¡°Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!¡±
Damien let out a loud cry filled with anger. He grabbed his face with both hands as if he was going to tear it off.
¡°Not yet¡ not yet¡¡±
He couldn¡¯t end it like this. It seemed like something would break if he didn¡¯tpletely relieve his anger.
Damien staggered and turned his head.
Far away, the Hanger couple of the ¡®other side¡¯ were fighting the Wind bounds pdins.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 124
Chapter 124
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 124: High ss (2)
***
Nadine was under a relentless assault from all sides.
He swung his sword frantically, blocking each attack. With every blow, his forearms throbbed and his palms felt like they were being ripped apart.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re not half bad?¡±
¡°I agree. You¡¯re putting up a much better fight than that 1st-grade pdin we foughtst time!¡±
Nadine bit his lip as he heard the couple¡¯s conversation.
Even though he was blocking their attacks, it was clear that he was no match for them. He was known as the strongest 1st-grade pdin and was easily held back.
The initial wound he had suffered was too severe. The deep gash from his chest to his abdomen made it difficult for him to move properly.
¡®No, even if I was fully healed, I can¡¯t say for sure that I could defeat these two.¡¯
The couple could have easily killed Nadine, but they were toying with him instead. Even their yful attacks were terrifyingly sharp and vicious. Their casual demeanor was a testament to their incredible strength.
¡®And the fact that couple is both a Dark Knight and a dark mage is a pain in the ass.¡¯
Even a Dark Knight alone would be a formidable opponent, but thebined attacks of a dark mage were even more troublesome. The initial blow that Nadine had suffered was also due to the dark mage¡¯s curse.
¡°Sir Nadine!¡±
A familiar voice rang out. The Pdins he had sent to search the forest had returned.
¡°Sir Nadine!¡±
¡°Save Sir Nadine!¡±
The Pdins drew their swords and charged forward. The couple exchanged amused nces.
¡°Moths to a me?¡±
¡°Honey, leave these ones to me!¡±
The amount of dark mana emanating from the couple increased dramatically. Nadine¡¯s eyes widened in rm.
¡°No¡ Don¡¯te! Don¡¯te any closer!¡±
Nadine¡¯s desperate cries went unheard as the Pdins, fueled by their sense of duty, charged toward to rescue him.
¡°Honey! Watch closely! I¡¯ll turn them all into rotting corpses!¡±
The wife spread her arms wide. Small magic circles appeared on her outstretched palms.
And then, it happened.
The Pdins suddenly rolled their eyes and copsed to the ground. Nadine¡¯s face fell into a mask of despair. This woman was no ordinary dark mage. She was powerful enough to subdue so many Pdins in an instant.
¡°Oh, dear? What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡±
The wife cried out in confusion. Her husband looked at her with a puzzled expression.
¡°What are you talking about, my dear? You¡¯re the one who put them to sleep.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not! I was trying to cast a Curse of Corruption! I didn¡¯t mean to knock them out!¡±
What is she talking about?
As Nadine listened to the couple¡¯s exchange, she was suddenly ovee by a wave of dizziness. An overwhelming drowsiness weighed down on her eyelids.
¡°What is¡ happening¡¡±
She tried to resist, but it was no use. Her vision blurred and she copsed to the ground.
The husband looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.
¡°¡¡Honey.¡±
The wife said with a stiff face.
¡°It¡¯s a sleep curse.¡±
¡°Of course it¡¯s you. To cast a curse on so many of them in such a short time.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not me!¡±
The wife cried out in horror.
¡°There¡¯s another dark mage! That dark mage used the sleep curse!¡±
The difficulty of a curse increases with the strength of the target and the number of targets.
There were over ten Pdins here. Most of them were 2nd-grade pdins, and there was even a 1st-grade pdin.
They were all put to sleep in an instant. It was an impossible feat with ordinary skills.
¡°High-level¡¡ No¡¡ Grand dark mage? Who the hell¡¡¡±
Just then, something came flying through the air. It rolled clumsily on the ground.
The couple looked down and saw it. To their horror, it was a human skull.
The front and back of the skull had the faces of a man and a woman. The faces were exactly the same as theirs.
¡°Brother!¡±
¡°Our darling!¡±
The couple hugged the skull and screamed. Soon, the couple looked around in anger.
¡°Who is it? Who the hell killed my brother!¡±
¡°How could anyone do such a cruel thing to our darling!¡±
Footsteps could be heard from a distance.
The intervals were long, so it felt very slow. But it was strangely clear.
The couple slowly turned their heads. A man was walking through the buildings.
Gray skin, dark eyes.
All of them were symbols of the Dark Knight. But the couple couldn¡¯t believe that this man was on the same side.
It was because of the clear hostility that was pouring out towards them.
The moment the man appeared, the air froze. It felt like small needles were piercing their lungs every time they took a breath.
Death.
They felt death from him.
¡°¡¡Did you do this to my brother?¡±
But the pride they had umted over their lives did not allow them to give in to fear.
¡°Speak. I¡¯m asking if you killed our brother¡¡¡±
¡°Fortunately.¡±
Damien¡¯s face suddenly broke into a smile.
Joy and anger were mixed together.
Damien spoke to the couple with a grotesque smile.
¡°I can¡¯t be happier that there are two of you. If I kill you two, I¡¯ll feel a little better.¡±
The couple closed their mouths.
A chilling killing intent emanated from Damien. It felt like all the hair on his body was standing on end.
Suddenly, Damien opened a spatial ring and put away the sword he was holding.
¡°Why¡¡ Why did you put away your weapon?¡±
The husband asked involuntarily. It was an action he couldn¡¯t understand.
¡°If I use the sword, you guys will die easily like those trashes? Then I¡¯ll be too disappointed.¡±
Damien said, looking at their siblings¡¯ heads. The couple felt a renewed sense of anger at his words.
¡°Honey, did you hear what that guy just said?¡±
¡°Of course I did. He seems to be taking us too lightly, doesn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°You think you can kill us easily just because you killed our brother?¡±
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Just you wait! We¡¯ll avenge our brother¡¡¡±
Damien¡¯s body disappeared. The next moment, something appeared in front of the couple.
Before they could even react, a fist struck with precision, piercing through their defenses andnding squarely in husband¡¯s eyes.
In an instant, the delicate structure of the eye was ruptured, with vitreous fluid spilling into the cavity. The force of the blow shattered the bones of his face, leaving him incapacitated.
His head snapped back and his body fell backwards. The husband grabbed his face and agonized.
¡°Ugh, ugh, aaargh!¡±
¡°Honey! Are you okay? Honey!¡±
Damiennded on the ground and lightly brushed his knees.
¡°You talk too much.¡±
And then he quietly whispered to the couple.
¡°Shut up and let¡¯s start. I don¡¯t think I can hold out any longer.¡±
***
The couple screamed and stood up.
They concentrated dark magic on their faces to regenerate their wounds. The ruptured eyeballs and sunken eye sockets returned to their original state in a short time.
¡°This damn bastard!¡±
The pain numbed his reason. The husband vented his anger at Damien.
He pulled out another sword that was hanging on his waist. He held the two swords and released his dark mana.
Before he was modified by Him, the husband was the dual wielder.
The husband was able to move both hands freely. He used the two swords that moved in different ways to pressure his opponent and finally take his life.
¡°I¡¯ll gut you until you die!¡±
The husband began to pressure Damien by wielding his two swords. The two swords moved erratically in an unpredictable pattern.
Just then, Damien stomped on the ground. He sprang forward like a released spring.
His fist, which he thrust out in a straight line, struck the husband¡¯s chin without warning.
His chin shattered and his head turned. A wave of dizziness washed over the husband¡¯s brain.
¡°Grrrrraahhhhh!¡±
The husband screamed and backed away. He hurriedly used dark magic to regenerate his chin.
¡°This bastard again!¡±
The pain was reced by anger. The husband swung his two swords and created an aura. The sh flew towards Damien.
Damien did not back down. He charged forward. The aura sh cut through Damien¡¯s body.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge¡ ¡¡±
The question was quickly answered. The aura sh did not cut through Damien. It was because of the armor surrounding his body.
¡°¡ ¡Aura armor?¡±
Once you reach the high-ss level, you can increase your defense by wrapping your body in aura.
However, even with aura armor, it was impossible to take an aura head-on.
The aura concentrated on the de and the aura spread throughout the body. It¡¯smon sense that the two densities are different.
It was a series of moments that were impossible to understand.
¡°This is ridiculous!¡±
He raised his arms to swing the two swords. At that moment, Damien punched him in the forearm.
The lightly thrown punch hit the forearm. The next moment, the forearm disappeared.
It wasn¡¯t a muscle tear or a broken bone. The arm was torn off whole.
A pain that was iparable to a broken jaw came over him. The husband screamed and backed away.
¡°This crazy bastard!¡±
He tried to swing the sword on the other side. Before that, Damien hit them in the chest with his elbow.
The chest caved in around the point of impact. The ribs shattered and the heart burst. The couple vomited blood from their mouths.
¡°Honey!¡±
The wife cried out in rm. In the moment of crisis, she concentrated her dark mana and regenerated his heart.
¡°H, honey¡ ¡Y, you have to stop him!¡±
The wound on their chest was not yet fully healed, and their forearm was torn off. They had to buy some time for the wounds to heal.
¡°Oh, I see!¡±
As the wife activated her dark magic, countless dark bullets flew out.
The bullets hit Damien¡¯s body. But they couldn¡¯t even make a scratch.
¡°What kind of aura armor is this¡ ¡¡±
Damien closed the distance and kicked husband in the abdomen. The abdomen ripped open and exploded. Part of it was torn off.
A pain of a different dimension struck his brain. His knees buckled and his back bent. His head lowered.
¡°Uwaaaah!¡±
The husband knelt on the ground and vomited blood. Pieces of his intestines came out with it.
Only then did the husband realize that the word ¡°trash¡± was not an exaggeration.
However, the couple was not going to take it lying down.
While the husband took on all the pain, the wife began to move her dark magic to weave a spell.
Unlike when she fired the dark bullets, the structure of the spell was incrediblyplex and esoteric. It meant that she was preparing high-level dark magic.
¡°Honey!¡±
The wife spread her hands. The spell waspleted and dark magic was activated.
¡°Now is the time!¡±
The wife cast a curse. The ¡®veil¡¯ that obscures vision and the ¡®confusion¡¯ that shakes the senses were activated simultaneously.
The distance is close. The target is clear. So there is no chance of failure.
¡°Grrrrrrr!¡±
The husband squeezed out all his strength. He grabbed the sword with his only remaining arm.
He concentrated the aura on the de. The dark aura burned like mes.
High-ss.
Although it didn¡¯tpare to the level of Master ss, it was known that they could mimic it to some extent.
The husband focused all his strength and prepared a single technique.
Ultimate Technique ¨C Gathering of Crows
As he swung the sword, the aura split. It divided into countless shes and covered Damien.
Dozens of shes cut through Damien¡¯s body. But not a single one of them pierced the aura armor.
It was possible to block the aura. It was also somehow understandable that he could block the dark magic.
However, it was simply ridiculous that he could bounce off even the high-ss ultimate technique without any trouble. It was impossible, and it shouldn¡¯t have been possible.
¡°This can¡¯t be¡ ¡¡±
The moment the husband muttered nkly, Damien¡¯s body disappeared. He then appeared above the couple¡¯s heads.
Damien stomped on the couple¡¯s heads.
With a thud, their heads hit the ground. The couple was unable toe to their senses due to the extreme shock.
Damien grabbed the couple¡¯s heads and lifted them off the ground.
¡°Kuhk! Heuk!¡±
¡°Puhuk! Huak!¡±
The couple gasped for air. The next moment, Damien mmed their heads down again.
The ground was once again shattered. The surrounding trees shook.
¡°Krrrr!¡±
Damien didn¡¯t stop there. He mmed their heads down repeatedly. With each m, the husband¡¯s face was crushed.
¡°S, stop¡ ¡Stop it¡!¡±
Eventually, the husband could only beg.
¡°P, please¡ ¡Stop it¡ ¡It¡¯s enough¡ ¡Please¡ ¡¡±
Damien mmed their heads down again. The couple¡¯s pain grew even worse.
How many times did he m them?
When their facial features were unrecognizable, Damien stopped.
¡°Hoo¡ ¡¡±
Damien exhaled a long sigh. He spoke with a calm face.
¡°Now I feel a little better.¡±
Damien looked down at the couple. The couple was using dark mana to regenerate their wounds.
However, perhaps because the shock was too great, the regeneration speed was noticeably slow.
¡°Now, let me ask you a few things.¡±
Damien asked the couple.
¡°Tell me everything you know about Dorugo.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 125
Chapter 125
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 125: High ss (3)
***
Damien¡¯s question made the Hanger couple¡¯s eyes widen.
¡°You¡ how do you know His name¡?¡±
¡°Only we, the covenantors know about his existence¡¡±
Damien stomped on their heads without hesitation. There was a sound like a sledgehammering down.
As soon as their heads were mmed back into the ground, Damien kicked them with his toes. Their sunken heads popped out again.
¡°I¡¯m the only one who asks questions. Don¡¯t ask again. Tell me everything you know about Dorugo.¡±
¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡¡±
Damien raised his foot again. The couple¡¯s faces turned pale.
¡°It¡¯s no use asking! We¡¯ll never talk!
¡°That¡¯s right! We¡¯ll never betray him!¡±
The couple gritted their teeth and shouted. Damien clicked his tongue at their attitude.
¡°I see this is how it¡¯s going to be.¡±
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Dorugo had kept the Hanger couple by his side to run his errands.
The Hanger couple¡¯s faith and awe in Dorugo had reached the realm of fanaticism.
No matter what torture they were subjected to, they would never open their mouths.
¡°You two are really pathetic. You¡¯re loyal to Dorugo without even realizing that you¡¯ve been brainwashed.¡±
The Hanger couple had not volunteered for Dorugo¡¯s experiments.
Dorugo had simply kidnapped four people and used them as experimental subjects.
Even the feelings the Hanger couple had for Dorugo had all been forcibly imnted.
¡°You can¡¯t shake us with your three-inch tongue!¡±
¡°Just kill us and stop this nonsense!¡±
However, the Hanger couple desperately tried to protect Dorugo, even though they didn¡¯t realize the truth.
Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Damien pitied the Hanger couple.
Even before they became experimental subjects, the couple had reached a high level of attainment as a dark knight and a dark mage.
It was clear as day how many people they must have sacrificed to reach that level.
¡°Fine, have it your way. I was nning to ask your souls anyway.¡±
¡°O-our souls¡?¡±
¡°D-don¡¯t talk nonsense! There¡¯s no way you can use such advanced dark magic¡¡±
Damien grabbed the couple by the neck and lifted them up.
He had no intention of killing the Hanger couple gently. He wanted to show them excruciating pain until the moment they died.
Recently, Damien has been continuously researching Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle technique.
As a result, he had created a torture method that used blood vessel maniption to inflict pain and a killing technique that made the body explode.
Damien went further and studied the merging of Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle and Supreme Absorption Technique.
Supreme Absorption Technique had an excellent ability to absorb mana. It could absorb not only natural mana but also the mana of living beings.
However, it was a very difficult task to absorb the mana of animals, let alone nts. The Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle was the solution to this problem.
The Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle was used to forcibly control and expand the opponent¡¯s blood vessels. Then, the Supreme Absorption Technique was used to forcibly extract the mana.
It was a crude method, so the efficiency was not good yet. The pain the opponent felt was also beyond imagination. There was still much room for improvement.
However, neither of those things mattered now.
¡°I didn¡¯t create it to use on trash like you, but¡ since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s make you taste it.¡±
Damien injected mana into the Hanger couple¡¯s bodies. The injected mana began to take control of the Hanger couple¡¯s blood vessels.
¡°Keu, keueueok!¡±
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
Originally, the Hanger couple¡¯s pain was borne by the husband alone. However, the pain caused by the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle was different. Both sides had to feel the excruciating pain.
¡°W-what are you trying to do!¡±
¡°H-honey! It hurts so much! Honey!¡±
The husband tried to move his body to resist, but Damien was already inplete control of the couple¡¯s bodies.
All their muscles were paralyzed, and their blood vessels were upied and expanded. Damien used the Supreme Absorption Technique in this state.
The Supreme Absorption Technique created a powerful suction force. The dark mana that was stored in the bodies of the couple was forcibly drawn out.
¡°What are you trying to do!¡±
¡°H-honey! It hurts so much! Honey!¡±
The husband tried to move his body to resist, but Damien was already inplete control of their bodies.
All their muscles were paralyzed, and their blood vessels were upied and opened up. Damien used the Supreme Absorption Technique in this state.
The Supreme Absorption Technique created a powerful suction force. The dark magic power that was stored in the bodies of the couple was forcibly drawn out.
¡°S-Stop!¡±
¡°G-Get away!¡±
Terrifying screams erupted from the mouths of the two. They trembled violently, their eyes rolling back.
At some point, no more dark magic came out. When the pain ceased, the Hangar couple gasped for breath.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Yet Damien didn¡¯t stop. On the contrary, he starts using it even more vigorously.
Instead of dark mana, life force was sucked in. A greater wave of agony crashed over them.
¡°St-Stop it! Please¡ just kill us! I beg you, kill us!¡±
The couple screamed in protest. But Damien had no intention of granting their plea.
The bodies of the Hangar couple shriveled rapidly like balloons losing air. They began to wither under the sun as if left out to dry.
No more screams were heard. The Hangar couple met their demise in such a miserable state.
Damien kicked the corpses of the Hangar couple.
He released all the absorbed dark mana and vitality outward. Damien had no intention of absorbing this disgusting power.
Gradually, souls flowed out from the bodies of the Hangar couple. Damien seized those souls.
¨C Aaaah!
¨C Aaah!
The souls screamed, but Damien paid no attention, gripping them tighter. The two souls spat out theirst breaths and slowly dissipated.
Damien absorbed the remnants of their souls, extracting fragments of memories.
¡°Merge these with the memories from the other side.¡±
When he obliterated the souls of the Hangar couple from the other side, he had also absorbed their memories.
Damien sifted through both sets of memories.
¨C Darling! He contacted us!
¨C Huh? When? I didn¡¯t hear anything.
¨C He sent a letter through the familiar while you were sleeping.
¨C Why would he do that? We have the mirror, don¡¯t we?
The mirror.
It referred to the magical tool formunication distributed by Dorugo to his minions.
Although there was one in the dungeon of the Corpsey, there hadn¡¯t been any contact from Dorugo¡¯s side.
At the time, Damien had judged that Dorugo was too preupied with his research tomunicate.
¨C He instructed to dispose the mirror. If there¡¯s anymunication needed in the future, he¡¯ll send a familiar.
¨C What? Then we won¡¯t be able to hear his holy voice! Why would he make such a cruel decision¡!
Even Damien found Dorugo¡¯s decision puzzling.
¡°Was he thorough to this extent?¡±
Throughout history, Dorugo had never revealed himself. He was that cautious.
But he had consistentlymunicated with his followers. It was all for preparing for the War of Destruction.
¡°He doesn¡¯t trust the Hangar couple enough to maintain themunication through the device?¡±
Upon reflection, the Hangar couple were more than just mere errand runners; they couldn¡¯t be considered covenantors.
Perhaps that¡¯s why the order to destroy themunication device was issued.
¨C Ah, and¡ this¡ um¡ so¡
¨C What other orders did he give?
¨C He instructed to transfer the Reliquary to Gathdal.
¨C What? Why him! That was our mission!
The Reliquary referred to the box containing fragments of Erebos.
During the Death Knight era, the Hangar couple had incessantly mentioned it, so Damien remembered.
ording to the Hangar couple, it was created long ago by the Church to seal Erebos¡¯s fragments.
¨C Then what about our mission? We were supposed to collect the souls of pdins to unlock the Reliquary!
¨C That¡ continue the mission, but send the collected souls to Gathdal¡
¨C Why such an order¡! Does he not trust us?
To unlock the Reliquary, souls infused with sanctity were needed.
To obtain such souls, they had to attack the Church.
That was precisely what the Church was after. They had set up such a seal to quickly detect anyone finding the Reliquary.
Damien finished absorbing the Hanger couple¡¯s souls. He felt stronger and more powerful than ever before.
He knew that he was ready to face Dorugo.
The problem was that the Reliquary itself was so old that almost no one in the Church knew about it.
¡®But still, Gathdal.¡¯
Gathdal the Chosen.
He was one of Dorugo¡¯s henchmen during the War of Destruction.
He was a necromancer, but he was known for carrying around a small number of elite troops rather than raising arge number of undead.
Gathdal¡¯s elite corps was so powerful that it had wiped out several of the Empire¡¯s knight orders.
¡®He was a genius, even among Dorugo¡¯s covenantors.¡¯
Gathdal was a monster among monsters, having reached the 10th tier at a young age and bing a Grand Dark Mage.
A Grand Dark Mage was equivalent to a Master ss in terms of knights.
In terms of talent alone, he wasparable to Michael Ryanbloom or the Sword Empress.
¡®It¡¯s dangerous for that guy to have the Reliquary.¡¯
A fragment of Erebos could be considered a huge mass of power in itself.
It was not good for it to fall into Gathdal¡¯s hands.
¡®At this time, Gathdal is probably in the Almond Country.¡¯
Fortunately, Damien knew where Gathdal was.
¡®He must be nning to strengthen his elite army there.¡¯
He roughly guessed not only the location but also the purpose and n.
Gathdal enjoyed raiding families with talented soldiers or knights and strengthening his army with their souls.
Gathdal was currently the most dangerous person among his covenantors, considering his talent and future growth potential.
He needed to be killed as soon as possible.
¡®I need to recover the fragment of Erebos anyway¡ I¡¯m going to the Almond Country.¡¯
And so Damien decided on his next destination.
¡®Now that I have what I want, it¡¯s time to free their souls.¡¯
Damien rummaged through the Hanger couple¡¯s bodies. A small pouch came out.
It wasn¡¯t enchanted with subspace magic, but it wasrge enough to contain various items.
Damien rummaged through the pouch. The first thing that came out was a ss bottle.
The inside of the bottle was filled with a faint smoke.
¡°Disgusting bastards.¡±
Damien frowned and cursed. The contents of the bottle were not smoke. They were the souls of the pdins and priests they had killed.
Damien took out all the ss bottles in the pouch and broke them. The souls were released and disappeared.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s movements stopped. Thest thing he held in his hand was not a ss bottle.
It was an old and crudely made bracelet.
¡°This is¡¡±
Damien looked at his left wrist. It looked exactly like the bracelet he used to store dark mana.
¡°Is it the same artifact?¡±
He brought the two bracelets close together topare them. The two bracelets vibrated and merged into one.
¡°What?¡±
Even though the two bracelets werebined, the thickness and size of the bracelet remained the same.
Damien circted his mana to check the condition of the bracelet to make sure there was no problem.
¡°The capacity¡ has increased?¡±
Even recently, he had often felt that the capacity of the bracelet was insufficient.
Not only that, but one more ability had been added. When he manipted the bracelet, it suddenly disappeared. It had be transparent.
¡°This is interesting.¡±
It was strange that there was another bracelet like it. And when they werebined, new functions were added.
¡°Where did they get such a precious thing?¡±
It seemed that the Hanger couple had it with them to hide their dark mana when they were in hiding.
Damien drew in the surrounding dark mana and stored it in the bracelet. Thanks to the doubled capacity, he still had plenty of room left even after putting in all the dark mana.
¡°Now I¡¯ve done everything I need to do.¡±
Damien looked around. He saw the fallen pdins and the bodies of the Hanger couple.
He turned and left without hesitation.
He had a new goal now.
He would go to the Almond Country and kill Gathdal.
He would recover the fragment of Erebos and free the souls that were trapped in it.
And he would get one step closer to his revenge against Dorugo.
¡°¡.What do I do with this?¡±
It was fine when he wasmitting the act.
The problem was the aftermath.
Of course, he couldn¡¯t reveal that he did it.
If he did, he would be attacked for using dark magic.
¡°Hmm.¡±
How could he get away with this?
Damien pondered for a long time and came to a conclusion.
¡°I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t know anything.¡±
If he could just hide his identity, wouldn¡¯t that be enough?
Damien decided to make some adjustments so that the Church could not deduce his identity.
¡°The important thing is to make the Church miss their target.¡±
Damien picked up a nearby branch.
And he wrote a name under the bodies of the Hanger couple.
¨C Evil must be subdued by evil.
¨C I came to punish them for their crimes.
¨C Remember, you who do not know the way.
After thinking about it, he felt it was not enough.
Damien added a few more words.
¨C In the name of Victor the Woodcutter.
Now satisfied, Damien nodded with a satisfied expression.
***
Early morning.
Nadine opened his eyes with a start at the sunlight streaming down from the sky.
¡°You damn motherfuckers!¡±
Nadine drew his sword as soon as he got up.
He frowned at the sharp pain he felt in his body.
But he couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on the wounds.
The battle was still going on. Then Nadine realized it.
That the world was bright.
At the same time, he remembered that he had passed out due to some kind of dizziness.
¡°What the hell happened?¡±
It had been midnight when he passed out, at least.
But the fact that the world was bright meant that a lot of time had passed since then.
¡°The Dark Knight? Dark mage?¡±
Nadine looked around.
He saw the Church¡¯s pdins lying on the ground.
¡°They¡¯re all alive!¡±
Nadine started to run towards the pdins, but a strange object stopped him in his tracks.
A withered corpse was lying on the ground.
It was definitely not therest night.
Nadine approached it as if he was possessed by something.
Only then did he see it.
That the corpse had two faces.
It was the person who had nearly killed him yesterday.
Those who had been so strong were now dead in such a miserable state.
¡°Who the hell¡ No, how¡
Nadine found a message written next to the body.
¨C Evil must be subdued by evil.
¨C I came to punish them for their crimes.
¨C Remember, you who do not know the way.
¨C In the name of Victor the Woodcutter.
While Nadine was reading the message, the pdins came to their senses one by one.
¡°Ugh¡ my head.¡±
¡°Where is the enemy? Sir Nadine?¡±
The pdins looked around and found Nadine.
They looked at Nadine, who was reading the message.
¡°Sir Nadine! Are you unharmed!¡±
The knights ran towards Nadine.
But Nadine did not answer their calls.
¡°Sir Nadine? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Only then did the pdins notice the body and the message on the ground.
The pdins, like Nadine, read the message with bated breath.
¡°¡What do you all think about this?¡±
Nadine asked the pdins.
¡°What knocked us out was a sleep curse. That means the heretic here is dead, and the one who saved us can be called a dark mage.¡±
It was a matter of course, but the pdins and the dark mages were like water and oil.
They would kill each other if they could, and there was no way they would save each other¡¯s lives.
¡°Maybe he was just here to get revenge? So he might not have been interested in us.¡±
¡°Maybe it was an executioner sent by Pandemonium. We weren¡¯t the target in the first ce.¡±
Pandemonium was thergest and most powerful group of dark mages operating in the Empire.
Pandemonium often sent punishers to punish dark mages who broke their rules.
It was possible that the monsters Nadine had fought had broken Pandemonium¡¯s rules and had been dealt with by the punisher.
But even so, it didn¡¯t make sense.
¡°Even so, why did they leave us alive?¡±
The pdins were knocked unconscious and defenseless under the sleep curse.
They could have been killed with just a flick of a finger, but they were left alone?
There was no way a dark mage would show such mercy to a pdin.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The pdins could not answer easily.
They all held their heads and pondered.
¡°But what is that?¡±
One of the pdins said, pointing to the message.
¡°Victor the Woodcutter¡ Was there such a dark mage?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never heard of him¡¡±
¡°Maybe he¡¯s a dark mage who went into seclusion a long time ago.¡±
The pdins pondered the name Victor for a long time.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 126
Chapter 126
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 126: An Unwee Guest (1)
***
As soon as the pdins returned from the Mandarin Kingdom, the Church was turned upside down.
¡°Are you saying that the group that attacked the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom were not humans, but chimeras?¡±
Combining different life forms was nothing special in itself.
After all, the dark mages of the Monstrum sect had been creating chimeras for a long time.
However, the chimeras were nothing more than low-intelligence monsters that had been fused together. Even then, there was only one monster that yed a central role.
On the other hand, the chimera that the pdins encountered this time had two intelligent beings coexisting in one body.
In such cases, the two intelligent beings would usually fight each other or the body would reject them.
¡°It¡¯s not like they justbined two ordinary humans. They say theybined a dark knight and dark mage.¡±
¡°I heard that they were using swordsmanship and dark magic at the same time during the battle.¡±
Dark knights and dark mages only had the use of dark mana inmon, but their methods of using it werepletely different.
Combining the two was not enough, and making them use swordsmanship and dark magic at the same time was impossible with ordinary techniques.
Even more shocking was the dark magic that the chimera used.
¡°I heard it¡¯s a dark magic that draws people into their dreams and shows them nightmares.¡±
¡°I heard that even a 1st-grade pdin couldn¡¯t resist this dark magic.¡±
The Church took this incident very seriously and came up with a countermeasure.
For Damien, it was a wee development.
In his previous life, the Church had not realized Dorugo¡¯s true identity until the war of destruction had begun.
As a result, they were helpless against the dark magic and magical artifacts that Dorugo had prepared.
However, this time it was different. Although Dorugo himself had not been revealed, the Church had seen a glimpse of him and was feeling a sense of crisis.
¡°But who is this Victor the Woodcutter?¡±
The next thing that shocked the Church after the chimera was the dark mage named Victor the Woodcutter.
¡°I heard he put all the pdins of the Bound Winds to sleep with a sleep curse?¡±
¡°And to turn the chimera into such a miserable state¡ ¡¡±
One of the chimeras was left with only bones as if a bomb had exploded inside it, and the other was turned into a dried fish as if it had been dried in the sun.
The Church had never seen such a horrific murder method before.
¡°Victor the Woodcutter. This is also a name that has never appeared before.¡±
¡°Victor¡ ¡ If we search the territory, there are bound to be one or two people with that name.¡±
¡°What does the alias Woodcutter mean?¡±
The priests muttered about the name Victor for a long time.
¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s a dangerous man. We¡¯ll have to add him to the Kill List.¡±
And so, a new name was added to the Church¡¯s Kill List.
***
While the Church was in chaos, Damien was at the ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ sect building.
¡°I, Cheongyeum, am greatly disappointed in you.¡±
The Great Elder ¡®Cheongyeum¡¯ spoke, carrying himself with dignity.
In front of him, the four pdins who had recently traveled to the Mandarin Kingdom were all prostrating themselves on the ground.
¡°I sent you to punish the dark mages, but you came back after being caught by dark magic and sleeping?¡±
Thanks to Damien¡¯s killing of the Hangar couple, the pdins of ¡®The Incinerator¡¯ were able to survive.
Of course, they had nightmares after being affected by the Nightmare ughter, but there were no major problems.
It was true that the Nightmare ughter was a formidable dark magic, but it was not enough to kill 1st and 2nd-grade pdins.
¡°Paramond.¡±
¡°Yes, master!¡±
¡°Especially you, what am I supposed to do if my disciple can¡¯t do anything?¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! This unworthy disciple has disgraced your honor!¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re sorry, but your ass is getting lower and lower?¡±
¡°I-I will correct it!¡±
Paramond hurriedly straightened his posture. The other pdins also straightened their postures in unison.
¡°You almost died to such insignificant guys¡ In my time, even if I was caught by such strange dark magic, I would have ovee it with my willpower.¡±
As Cheongyeum¡¯s lecture began, the faces of the pdins turned pale.
¡®This is starting to get ufortable.¡¯
Damien sat nearby and watched the scene. As an outsider, he was exempt from Cheongyeum¡¯s storm of corporal punishment.
However, Damien felt a little awkward being the only one who wasfortable.
¡°Everyone, get your butts down.¡±
As soon as Cheongyeum¡¯s words fell, the pdins copsed to the floor. They sat on the floor and gasped for air.
¡°I will start the power enhancement training tomorrow.¡±
At the next words, the pdins¡¯ eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
¡°M, Master. D-did you just say power enhancement training?¡±
Surprisingly, even Agnes, who was always calm, stuttered and asked.
¡°Why? Do you have aint? Do you want me to hit your head again?¡±
¡°No, master! I¡¯m so happy!¡±
¡°I, I¡¯m happy too!¡±
¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die of happiness!¡±
At Agnes¡¯s words, the other pdins shouted in unison. Cheongyeum smiled at their response.
¡°You can all look forward to it. Unlike before, the danger level has been lowered and the intensity has been increased. There will be no incidents like your leg bones being crushed.¡±
At Cheongyeum¡¯s words, Damien couldn¡¯t help but stick out his tongue. What kind of training was it that caused bones to be crushed?
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯m sorry for putting you in danger.¡±
Cheongyeum turned to Damien and said. Damien shook his head.
¡°No, it was something we all volunteered for.¡±
¡°Indeed¡ Sir Damien is a sincere man. He is prepared to give his life for God.¡±
Cheongyeum nodded as if he was impressed.
¡°In that sense, how about Sir Damien also joining the training?¡±
Damien¡¯s mind shed. He raised his head and saw Cheongyeum¡¯s face filled with anticipation.
And behind him, he saw Agnes desperately shaking her head.
¡°I¡¯m in a position where I need to go back as soon as possible¡ ¡¡±
¡°Oh! But if you send a letter saying that you want to train yourself further to serve God, your family will understand, right?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s the sect¡¯s training method, it¡¯s probably a secret, so it¡¯s not appropriate for an outsider like me to participate¡ ¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that either! I¡¯m giving my permission, so who dares to object?¡±
As the conversation seemed to be going in a direction where no matter what he said would be epted, Damien was sweating cold.
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the door. Agnes went to open it, and the figure of the Holy Empress appeared.
¡°You¡¯re all gathered here.¡±
The Holy Empress entered the room with a limp. White-robed priests followed him.
¡°Your Holiness! What brings you here?¡±
Cheongyeum rushed forward to support the Holy Empress. She refused Cheongyeum¡¯s help and said.
¡°I came to see Sir Damien. But¡ Sir Damien¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t look good. Did something happen?¡±
Damien looked at Cheongyeum instead of answering. Cheongyeum shook his head with a pleading expression.
¡°Elder Cheongyeum is trying to force me to participate in the sect¡¯s training.¡±
Damien quickly summarized what had just happened. The Holy Empress red at Cheongyeum with a fearsome expression.
¡°Cheongyeum¡ I told you not to¡ You¡¯re doing this again¡!¡±
¡°Y-Your Holiness! It¡¯s not like that¡!¡±
¡°Be quiet. I¡¯ll have a separate meeting with youter.¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s shoulders slumped at her words.
¡°Sir Damien, if something like this happens again,e to me immediately.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Damien spoke sincerely.
¡°But what can I do for you?¡±
¡°Ah, I almost forgot. I have something I want to give you.¡±
She gestured, and a woman in a priest¡¯s robe approached and opened a casket.
Inside the casket was a silver ne.
¡°This is a relic given to those who are appointed as pdins.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but look puzzled at those words.
¡°Why are you giving this to me¡ ?¡±
¡°I n to appoint Sir Damien as an honorary pdin.¡±
Everyone in the building was shocked by those words. Damien was no exception.
The honorary pdin was a title asionally given to knights who had made great contributions to the Church.
It was a title originally given only to those of high ss or master ss, such as high-ranking knights.
There had never been a case of a middle-ss knight being appointed as an honorary pdin.
¡°After seeing Sir Damien¡¯s performance, I thought it would be good to have a closer rtionship. So I made this decision after much deliberation.¡±
The Holy Empress picked up the ne.
¡°With this relic, you will be able to receive the protection of the Church wherever you are.¡±
This was a very wee gift for Damien.
¡®If I be an honorary pdin, I can suppress the conflict with the Almond Country.¡¯
Damien was nning to go to the Almond Country to kill Gathdal.
At that time, even if there was a conflict with the Almond Country, he could just use the Church as an excuse.
¡°Are you sure you can give such a precious thing to me?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, she smiled and said.
¡°I¡¯m giving it to you because I believe you won¡¯t misuse it.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of guilt at those words. Because he was already full of thoughts of how to misuse it.
¡°I will receive it gratefully.¡±
Damien did not refuse the ne that the Holy Empress offered.
***
After leaving the Church, Damien headed home.
He wasn¡¯t going to the mansion in the Haksen estate, but to Spring Castle on the Gargari ins. His family had moved there.
As he passed through the castle gate, he saw Victor chopping wood in the yard.
¡°Ha!¡±
With each swing of the axe, Victor neatly chopped through the thick logs.
Victor was surprised to see Damien and eximed.
¡°Young master! You¡¯re back?¡±
¡°Yeah, was there anything wrong?¡±
¡°What could go wrong when I¡¯m here?¡±
Victor said, pounding his chest with his fists. Damienughed at his confident demeanor.
¡°But why are you chopping wood? You can have someone else do it.¡±
When they moved to Spring Castle, they decided to hire arge number of servants.
Thanks to this, people like Victor who were already working there were promoted. They didn¡¯t have to do menial tasks like chopping wood anymore.
¡°Ahem, my hands were getting itchy. It¡¯s not boring to chop wood.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire Victor¡¯s answer.
¡°As expected of Victor the Woodcutter. I did a good job naming you.¡±
¡°Yes? What did you just say?¡±
¡°Nothing. Keep up the good work.¡±
Damien parted ways with Victor and entered the castle.
¡°I think we should change the curtains here.¡±
As soon as he entered, he saw his mother giving instructions to the servants in the hallway.
¡°Damien!¡±
His mother ran over to him, cheering, and Damien hugged her tightly.
¡°Mother, here¡¯s a gift.¡±
Damien handed over the bracelet he had taken from the treasury. His mother took it with a puzzled face.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s pretty. What kind of bracelet is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s something I received from the Church. It¡¯s a relic that protects the wearer¡¯s body, so you should always wear it.¡±
¡°This is a relic?¡±
His mother looked at the bracelet curiously, turning it over and over.
¡°I brought one for each of the family members¡ Where are they all?¡±
¡°Your father, Abel, and Olivia went out to look around the territory. Louise is in the music room.¡±
¡°Then I should go see my sister first.¡±
Damien started to walk away, but his mother stopped him.
¡°Damien, I think you should wait a bit. Your sister isn¡¯t alone.¡±
¡°Who is she with then?¡±
His mother blushed and said.
¡°Bad came to visit.¡±
There was only one person Damien knew named Bad.
Bad Hugo.
He was Louise¡¯s fianc¨¦.
As soon as he thought of the man, Damien frowned and said.
¡°That good-for-nothing is here?¡±
***
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Chapter 127
Chapter 127
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 127: An Unwee Guest (2)
***
¡°What¡¯s the big deal with a man who¡¯s nothing special bing our family¡¯s son-inw?¡±
Mother patted Damien on the shoulder. Damien protested with a sullen face.
¡°It¡¯s true. There are so many ways in which he¡¯sckingpared to sister.¡±
¡°He¡¯s kind, he has a good personality, he¡¯s sincere, and he¡¯s handsome. What else is the problem?¡±
Even with Mother¡¯s nagging, Damien¡¯s dissatisfaction did not disappear.
Father and Mother were of the opinion that as long as a person had a good character, it didn¡¯t matter much else, but Damien was different.
He thought that while good character was a given, other conditions should also be considered.
¡°I¡¯ll go see my sister for a bit.¡±
¡°Hey! Damien!¡±
Before Mother could stop him, Damien disappeared.
* * *
In the blink of an eye, Damien arrived in front of the music room.
This was thanks to the fact that he had memorized the entire structure of the castle when preparing for the celebration.
¡°Louise, when I listen to your ying, it feels like my soul is being purified.¡±
¡°You too¡¡ Do you think I¡¯ll like it if you say such things?¡±
¡°I¡¯m speaking from the heart. Your ying is so beautiful.¡±
As he approached the music room, he could hear theughter of two people.
One was the voice of his sister, Louise. And the other one was¡¡.
¡®Just hearing his voice makes me angry.¡¯
As he heard the voice of Bad Hugo, Damien felt his insides churn.
As expected, no matter what someone who you didn¡¯t like did, it would seem annoying.
He couldn¡¯t leave the two of them alone any longer. Damien opened the door of the music room and walked inside.
Then, he saw the sight of Louise and Bad sitting side by side in front of the piano.
¡°Oh?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
The two of them turned to look at Damien with surprised faces.
¡°Damien!¡±
Louise ran over with a bright smile. She checked Damien¡¯s body here and there.
¡°You came back safely! Was everything okay at the Church?¡±
¡°Yes, there were no problems. How have you been, sister?¡±
¡°I¡¯m always the same.¡±
Louise said with a giggle. Behind her, Bad Hugo approached.
¡°That¡¯s right! Damien,e say hi. Bad came all this way!¡±
¡°Damien, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other face to face!¡±
Bad extended his hand with a weing face. Damien took his hand with a crooked face.
Louise was a woman of unparalleled beauty in the West. If not for herck of social engagements, the title of the ¡®Most Beautiful Woman in the West¡¯ would have belonged to her instead of Olivia.
On the other hand, Bad Hugo was a man who was awkwardly unmatched.
He wore old and shabby clothes and had on a pair of outdated ck horn-rimmed sses.
His bushy hair covered his forehead and eyes, making him look unkempt.
Although one should not judge a person by their appearance, Damien thought that Louise should have a better person as her husband if she was to be happy. Compared to her, Bad¡¯s appearance was far behind.
¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You¡¯ve been doing great, haven¡¯t you? Our city is also buzzing with your name.¡±
Bad worked as a bureaucrat in a port city called Ocean.
The city of Ocean was located quite far from here.
So, even though Louise and Bad were engaged, they couldn¡¯t meet often.
¡®My sister¡¯s fianc¨¦ is just a bureaucrat¡¡.¡¯
He was not a high-ranking official, Bad was only a low-ranking official. He was also said to not receive much sry.
¡®No matter how I think about it, he doesn¡¯t match my sister.¡¯
Damien didn¡¯t like Bad Hugo. No matter how he looked at it, he felt sorry for Louise.
The only reason he didn¡¯t oppose the rtionship between the two was because Louise truly loved Bad.
In his heart, he wished for Louise to meet a better man.
¡°Oh, sister. I have a present for you.¡±
Damien took out a bracelet from the box and handed it to her. Louise looked at the bracelet with a curious face.
¡°This is a relic that has the function of protecting you from external threats, so you should always carry it with you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re giving me something so precious? As expected, you¡¯re truly my brother.¡±
Louise happily received the bracelet and put it on her wrist.
¡°A relic¡¡ It¡¯s really amazing.¡±
¡°Would you like to see it too?¡±
Louise offered the bracelet to Bad. Bad looked at the bracelet with a curious face.
¡®Why are you ying with the gift I gave to my sister?¡¯
Damien red at him, even his actions were annoying.
¡°Excuse me.¡±
Just then, a maid entered the music room. She spoke to the three people.
¡°The madam said that since it¡¯s been a while since young master Damien hase, we should all have tea together.¡±
¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡±
At Louise¡¯s words, the maid bowed her head and left the music room.
¡°Bad, you go first, okay? I have something to talk to Damien for a moment.¡±
¡°I see. I¡¯ll tell Mother that you two arete.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Louise smiled and saw Bad off. However, as soon as Bad disappeared, her face turned serious.
It waspletely different from Louise¡¯s usual bright appearance. Damien asked Louise with a worried face.
¡°Sister, is something wrong?¡±
¡°That¡¯s the thing¡¡ sigh.¡±
Louise sighed deeply. It was the first time he had seen his sister with such a darkplexion.
¡°Sit down first. You must be tired.¡±
Louise took Damien to a table on one side of the music room.
¡°Actually, I have something to discuss with you.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
Even at Damien¡¯s question, Louise didn¡¯t say anything for a moment.
¡°That¡¯s the thing¡¡ As you know, Bad is very popr, isn¡¯t he?¡±
It was surprising to Damien. That rustic man was popr with women?
¡°So when I sent Bad to Ocean City, I was really worried. Because other women wouldn¡¯t leave Bad alone.¡±
¡°Sister, no matter how I think about it, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Who would like such a man¡¡.¡±
¡°I think Bad has another woman.¡±
Crack!
The corner of the table that Damien was holding broke.
The table was not just broken into pieces. It waspletely pulverized and turned to dust.
¡®How dare he¡ with another woman¡ while my sister is engaged with you?¡¯
Already feeling devastated about Louise, the thought of Bad being with another woman was unbearable for Damien.
It was an act he could never tolerate. He felt an immediate urge to confront Bard and demand answers.
¡°Ah, it¡¯s not certain yet, so calm down!¡±
The flustered Louise tried to calm Damien down. However, Damien¡¯s anger did not subside easily.
¡°How did youe to suspect¡ Bad?¡±
¡°Do you remember when I went to Ocean City to meet Badst time?¡±
Damien searched his memory. At the time when the Corpse y Dungeon was discovered, Louise had left the home to meet Bad.
¡°Did you see something then?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, Louise nodded.
¡°Originally, he woulde out to meet me when I got near the city. But when I went to the meeting ce, Bad was nowhere to be seen.¡±
¡°So what did you do?¡±
¡°I waited for a while. Then, a whileter, he didn¡¯te running? He said that something came up suddenly and he waste.¡±
Damien took a deep breath.
He dared to break his appointment with his sister. He felt an urge to rush over and trample him right now.
¡°After that, I booked a room and asked him when he would be free to go on a date. But he kept avoiding me by saying he had something to do at every time I mentioned¡¡±
Veins popped out on his forehead at those words.
Was she saying that he had neglected his sister, who was like the heavens to Damien when she had made the trip to Ocean City?
¡°I finally made an appointment and we met¡ but he suddenly received a note from some man and left, saying that he had something urgent to do.¡±
His teeth gnashed involuntarily. He wanted to smash Bad¡¯s face right now.
He could barely hold back because Louise hadn¡¯t finished speaking yet.
¡°I would have let it go if it was just this¡ but once, I went to visit him when he was working to bring him a lunchbox.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡¡±
¡°But he wasn¡¯t there, so I asked the other people. They said he had gone out with another woman a while ago¡¡±
Damien grabbed the back of his neck. His blood pressure was rising and he couldn¡¯t take it anymore.
¡°Sister, you don¡¯t need to say anything more.¡±
¡°Uh, huh? What?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to capture that bastard right now and interrogate him.¡±
¡°Wh, what?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make him confess everything.¡±
Damien opened a spatial ring and took out a wooden club. Louise¡¯s eyes widened when she saw it.
¡°Da-Damien, what is that¡ ?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a very useful tool for conversation.¡±
¡°Y, you mean that¡¯s a tool for conversation?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a friend who even changed the Prince Oliver. The effect is guaranteed, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±
Damien stood up. His grip on the club tightened.
¡°Then, sister, I¡¯ll be going. Just wait an hour and I¡¯ll bring you the truth¡ no, I¡¯ll bring you the truth.¡±
¡°Ah, it¡¯s still just circumstantial evidence! It¡¯s not certain, so calm down!¡±
Louise hurriedly grabbed Damien. At his sister¡¯s persuasion, Damien had no choice but to sit back down.
¡°So I¡¯m wondering if I¡¯m just being paranoid¡ I want to make sure if it¡¯s real¡ I want you to follow Bad with me¡¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯llplete such a request.¡±
¡°Really? As expected, you¡¯re the only brother I have!¡±
Louise hugged Damien,ughing brightly. Held in his sister¡¯s arms, Damien thought to himself.
¡®I was hoping you would meet a better man¡ but this is perfect.¡¯
The other side was giving him an excuse on their own. Damien had no intention of letting this opportunity go.
¡®I will definitely find evidence.¡¯
Damien burned with determination in his heart.
***
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Chapter 128
Chapter 128
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 128: An Unwee Guest (3)
***
However, they couldn¡¯t start investigating Bad Hugo right away.
¡°He hade here to meet Louise while on vacation, with ns to stay for a few days.¡±
While Bad spent his time with Count Haksen¡¯s family, Damien also took a break. He didn¡¯t forget to give his family the bracelets he had obtained from the Church¡¯s treasury.
¡°Thank you so much for the past few days.¡±
On the day of his departure, Bad bowed his head to the people of the Count¡¯s family and expressed his gratitude.
¡°Is there any need for gratitude between us?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re going to be family soon, aren¡¯t we?¡±
The family members saw Bad off with a smile.
As soon as Bad left, Damien and Louise immediately took action.
They made an excuse to their family that they were going to see a performance in the capital and headed to Ocean City to follow Bad.
***
Arriving at the Ocean City, a breezeden with the scent of the sea greeted the two.
It was Damien¡¯s first time seeing the sea since his regression.
However, there was no leisure to enjoy the sea. Bad was entering the castle.
Carefully, the two followed Bad, making sure he didn¡¯t notice.
¡°Ah! Mr. Bad!¡±
It was when Bad was walking down the street.
A girl selling flowers ran towards him with a cheerful face.
¡°Already finished your vacation? Did you have a good time at Viscount Haksen?¡±
¡°Fleur, it¡¯s been a while. Oh, and it¡¯s not Viscount Haksen anymore, it¡¯s Count now.¡±
¡°Oh, I forgot!¡±
The girl grabbed Bad and chatted away. Bad listened to her gossip without any sign of annoyance.
¡°I must be going now. I have to get to work.¡±
¡°But I still have so many questions¡¡±
¡°We¡¯ll talk next time.¡±
As Bad said that and left, the flower shop girl looked disappointed.
The person who grabbed Bad wasn¡¯t just the flower shop girl.
¡°Oh, Mr. Bad!¡±
The young mistress of a general store recognized Bad and spoke.
¡°Why haven¡¯t you been visiting our shoptely?¡±
¡°I still have candles left over fromst time.¡±
¡°You should have guessed they¡¯d burn out soon. That way, I¡¯d get to see Mr. Bad more often.¡±
And this wasn¡¯t the end.
Simr incidents repeated two or three more times afterward. Watching this scene, Damien felt a sense of unease.
¡°As you said¡ he¡¯s really popr, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°So, you didn¡¯t believe me until now?¡±
Louise frowned slightly.
¡°Do you know how many women were hanging onto Bad when we were in the west? If I hadn¡¯t fought fiercely, I would have lost Bad. Just thinking about it still gives me nightmares.¡±
Damien felt greatly confused by Louise¡¯s words.
¡°Is it true that you were hanging onto him?¡±
As Damien, it was a reality that was hard to believe, or rather, one he didn¡¯t want to believe.
That such an outstanding woman would cling to such a man.
¡°That¡¯s why Bad didn¡¯t want toe to this city¡¡±
While Louisemented, Bad entered the government office of the city.
¡°What should we do? We can¡¯t go inside¡¡±
Louise tapped her foot anxiously. Damien looked around and asked Louise,
¡°Do you know which floor he works on?¡±
¡°Huh? Probably the third floor?¡±
Damien hugged Louise and then leaped onto the rooftop of a building roughly the same height as the government office¡¯s third floor.
¡°Oh my, my little brother is really amazing.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that difficult.¡±
The two peered into the government office¡¯s windows, waiting for Bad to appear.
After a while, Bad came up.
¡®It must be hard for my sister to see.¡¯
The distance between the government office and the building was quite far. Damien might be able to see, but Louise, an ordinary person, would have a hard time observing.
¡°Sister, are you ufortable¡¡.¡±
When he looked next to him, he saw Louise taking out her binocrs.
¡°Huh? Why?¡±
Louise, who noticed his gaze, tilted her head and asked. Damien asked with a confused voice.
¡°¡¡When did you prepare that?¡±
¡°I thought something like this might happen, so I bought it in advance. Oh, you can also hear the conversation because it¡¯s a magical artifact¡±
Damien felt a slight headache. What on earth did that man say to make Louise act like this?
¡°¡¡You¡¯re very well prepared.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
The two siblingsy on the rooftop and observed Bad.
Bad brought a pile of documents from somewhere and put them on his desk to start working. He was sitting by the window, so his side was visible.
Just then, someone approached Bad. Judging from her clothes, she seemed to be a maid working in the government office.
¨C Mr. Bad! You should have told me toe when you came back! How long have I been waiting!
¨C Oh, Emily. I¡¯m sorry. I have a lot of work to do.
Bad greeted the maid with a smile. The atmosphere was very cheerful.
¨C You have a lot of work to do. You mean Mr. Bad has to handle all of this?
¨C Now that I¡¯ve rested, I have to work that much. I think I can finish it by tonight.
¨C You¡¯re amazing!
The maid pped her hands in admiration. Then suddenly, the maid¡¯s eyes became sticky.
¨C So¡¡ you¡¯ll have time in the evening, right?
The maid slyly put her hand on Bad¡¯s thigh. The moment he saw that sight, Damien felt a surge of anger.
¡°That bastard?¡±
His sister¡¯s guess was right. He was definitely two-timing her.
He was leaving his angel of a sister behind and doing such things.
¡°Sister, wait here. I¡¯ll go and break that bastard¡¯s legs!¡±
¡°D-Damien! Calm down! Let¡¯s just watch a little longer, okay?¡±
¡°What more is there to watch? It¡¯s all clear!¡±
Louise grabbed Damien. While the two were arguing,
¨C Miss Emily, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think that will be possible. I have a separate appointment in the evening.
Bad took the maid¡¯s hand and moved it to the side. The maid then made a heartbroken expression.
-¡¡I see. Then work hard.
The maid stood up from the chair angrily.
At that sight, Damien¡¯s actions stopped abruptly. The anger that had red up lost its direction and scattered.
¡°¡¡Bad!¡±
Louise was looking at the sight with a moved expression.
¡°Tsk.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue with a disappointed look.
***
Time passed, and it was lunchtime.
Bad also came out to eat.
¡°Sister, let¡¯s follow him.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The two of them followed Bad closely. Bad entered a restaurant in a corner.
Damien and Louise approached the window of the restaurant. They peeked inside.
¡°Oh, Bad!¡±
The waitress who was sitting on the chair jumped up and greeted Bad as soon as she saw him.
¡°Why haven¡¯t you been here for so long? Was our food not to your taste?¡±
¡°How could that be? I was away on vacation.¡±
¡°Vacation? You should have told me. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±
The waitress pped Bad on the arm and said.
¡°Sit down. What do you want to eat? The usual?¡±
¡°Yes, please.¡±
¡°Okay. Dad! Bad is here! Make him a set meal!¡±
Bad sat at an empty table. Then, as if it were natural, the waitress sat down next to Bad.
¡°Bad! I have a favor to ask. Can you do it?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Can you take me to the beach you took me tost time? I want to see the full moon reflected in the sea again, but it¡¯s in a remote area and I¡¯m scared to go alone.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes widened at the waitress¡¯s words.
A young man and woman going to the beach together in the middle of the night? And to a secluded ce?
¡°¡¡Sister, that woman is definitely the one.¡±
¡°Oh, Damien?¡±
¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go and break that bastard¡¯s arms and legs right now!¡±
¡°Wait, Damien! Just a little longer! Just a little longer!¡±
Louise desperately stopped Damien. Meanwhile, Bad opened his mouth with a smile.
¡°Susan, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can do that.¡±
¡°Why? You took me with youst time!¡±
¡°That was because you helped me a lot when I first came to the city, and I wanted to repay you. It¡¯s not good for a young woman to be with a man alone. People will talk.¡±
The waitress hesitated at Bad¡¯s words.
¡°¡¡I don¡¯t care about rumors.¡±
¡°I do. As I told you before, I¡¯m engaged.¡±
At Bad¡¯s words, the waitress sighed and backed down.
Damien nced to the side. As expected, Louise was looking happy.
¡°Bad¡¡!¡±
Louise was even shedding tears of joy.
Damien could not help but suppress his unpleasant feelings.
***
After that, the two of them continued to observe Bad.
Although a few women approached him as before, Bad continued to politely refuse them all.
¡°I think I misunderstood.¡±
At sunset.
Louise spoke to Damien.
¡°I¡¯m such a bad woman. I didn¡¯t trust Bad until the end.¡±
Louise looked at the government office with affection in her eyes. Bad was working hard inside.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s fortunate that it wasn¡¯t like that.¡±
¡°Huh? But why do you have such an unpleasant expression?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue inwardly.
He had wanted to find a better man for Louise on the asion of this incident, but it had alle to nothing.
¡®But I have to admit it.¡¯
On the other hand, thanks to this incident, he came to see Bad in a different light.
After all, he refused all the many women who worked there and only looked at Louise.
¡®Yes, as long as my sister is happy.¡¯
That was what Damien was thinking when it happened.
The door of the government office opened and Bad walked out.
¡°It looks like he¡¯s getting off work now. He must have worked hard.¡±
But for some reason, Bad didn¡¯t go straight back to his quarters.
He stood at the entrance of the government office and checked his pocket watch several times.
¡°Bad!¡±
Just then, a woman approached Bad, waving her arms.
She was an exotic beauty with jet-ck hair and brown skin.
¡°Did you wait long?¡±
¡°No, I just finished work too.¡±
The woman took Bad¡¯s arm. Bad gave her his arm in a very natural way.
¡°I¡¯ve made a reservation at a good bar for tonight. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡±
The two disappeared into the darkness.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide.
¡°Sister? Did you see that?¡±
The moment he turned to the side, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be startled.
Louise was staring at the two of them with an icy cold gaze.
Damien was surprised and felt goosebumps all over his body.
This was the first time he had ever seen Louise with such a frightening expression on her face in all his life.
¡°Damien?¡±
¡°Uh¡¡ Yes, sister.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s follow them right now.¡±
Louise said in a voice full of anger.
Damien could only nod his head.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 129
Chapter 129
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 129: The Other Woman (1)
***
Damien and Louise followed the two.
¡°Being a mercenary isn¡¯t exactly a job to be proud of. You have to fight all the time and get ignored by people.¡±
¡°That¡¯s hard to believe. Who would dare ignore Miss Regina?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just the way the job is. People have a bad impression of mercenaries.¡±
The two walked around the city, chatting about this and that.
First, they went to a night market, and then they moved to the square to watch a clown.
¡°Look at that, Bad. It¡¯s a song imitating a siren. It doesn¡¯t sound anything like it to me.¡±
¡°You must know since you¡¯ve heard it yourself, Miss Regina.¡±
¡°It was much more beautiful than that. But I never want to hear it again. When I think of all the trouble I went through because of the siren¡ .¡±
As the two of them exuded a cheerful atmosphere, Louise¡¯s eyes became colder and colder.
Unlike her, Damien was more interested in observing the woman named Regina than their rtionship.
¡®She¡¯s no ordinary woman. She¡¯s quite skilled.¡¯
The depth of her movements and footsteps, the asional strong mana that emanated from her.
If Damien¡¯s guess was correct, the woman named Regina was definitely a high-ss expert.
¡®A mercenary with high-ss skills?¡¯
Even among mercenaries, low-ss were rare. This was because there were not many who had learned proper swordsmanship and mana cultivation methods.
Nevertheless, this woman had reached the realm of high-ss within the position of a mercenary.
This meant that she had received an advance education somewhere. And there was only one ce in the mercenary industry where such a thing was possible.
¡®There¡¯s no other ce that can raise a mercenary to high-ss except for that ce¡ Could she be rted to that man?¡¯
While Damien was lost in thought, the two stopped in front of a bar. It was a very luxurious building.
¡°I can¡¯t tell you how much trouble I had making a reservation here.¡±
Regina grabbed Bad¡¯s arm and pulled him. But Bad resisted and didn¡¯t let himself be pulled.
¡°Why are you doing this?¡±
¡°Miss Regina, I came here today to ask you a favor.¡±
¡°A favor? Why don¡¯t we go inside and talk?¡±
Regina tilted her head. Bad opened his mouth to her.
¡°I would like to thank you again for chasing away the siren. If you hadn¡¯t helped us, the city would have continued to suffer great damage.¡±
¡°What¡¯s there to be grateful for? I just did it for the money.¡±
¡°I know very well that a tinum badge mercenary like Miss Regina is hard to hire even with money. If you hadn¡¯t shown mercy, our city would have continued to suffer from the siren.¡±
Bad bowed his head and continued.
¡°That¡¯s why the mayor told me to grant Miss Regina¡¯s request unconditionally¡ .¡±
¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve been meeting me out of order all this time? It¡¯s disappointing to hear you say that.¡±
Regina said with a sullen face.
Bad spoke to her in a firm voice.
¡°I would like you to stop visiting the me from today onwards.¡±
There was a moment of silence.
Regina stared nkly at Bad before opening her mouth.
¡°Oh, I see. I guess I¡¯ve been too much of a bother. I¡¯m sorry about that. I won¡¯t call you out from now on when you have work.¡±
Regina nodded as if she understood.
¡°And I won¡¯t say anything if Bard meets other people. I won¡¯t worry about it from now on¡.¡±
¡°As I told you before, I have a fianc¨¦e.¡±
Bad interrupted Regina¡¯s words.
¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything that I can¡¯t be honest with her about anymore.¡±
Bad said again.
¡°So please, don¡¯t call me anymore.¡±
***
¡°¡¡Bad.¡±
Louise, who had been watching the scene, muttered with a nk expression.
Damien was not the only one who was surprised.
¡®He¡¯s a great man.¡¯
Bad must have known that the woman was high-ss.
At the high-ss level, one could kill someone just by looking at them.
The fact that he could refuse such a fearsome being who desired him was amazing.
¡®I think I know why my sister is so attached to this man.¡¯
Looking at Bad¡¯s appearance, he seemed like a reed that could break at any moment.
However, his inner self was not like that. He was a man with a strong heart and a straight gaze.
¡°¡¡Are you crazy?¡±
Regina¡¯s angry voice rang out.
¡°Are you looking down on me because I keep making concessions?¡±
¡°Absolutely not. I¡¯m just concerned about my fianc¨¦e¡ .¡±
¡°That¡¯s what you mean by looking down on me!¡±
Regina unleashed her mana. A huge mana exploded and blew away the surrounding objects.
¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±
¡°Kyaaah!¡±
People on the street screamed and ran away. The surroundings became deserted in an instant.
Bad¡¯s face also turned pale. He looked like he was about to copse at any moment.
¡°¡¡I would like it if I never saw Miss Regina again after today.¡±
Even so, Bad stubbornly finished what he had to say.
¡®He can endure this?¡¯
Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire him inwardly.
The mana of a high-ss person was a weapon in itself. An ordinary person would have felt excruciating pain that would have shaken their internal organs.
Not only was he able to endure it, but he would not even bend his posture.
¡®I was wrong.¡¯
Damien wanted Louise to be happy. That¡¯s why he wanted her to marry someone better than Bad.
However, that was just Damien¡¯s delusion.
Bad¡¯s inner self was notcking, even if his abilities might be.
He only had Louise in his heart, and for her, he could face any danger.
¡®My sister had the right eye for people.¡¯
Compared to him, Damien was stuck in his prejudice. He couldn¡¯t see the true value of people.
He was ashamed and sorry.
At the same time, his head cleared up. It was as if his eyes were opened and his vision widened.
¡°Sister, please stay here.¡±
As a sign of repentance, he resolved to handle this matter himself.
***
¡°Last warning. If you bring up that fianc¨¦e nonsense again, this time I¡¯ll really¡ .¡±
¡°That¡¯s quite a harsh thing to say.¡±
At the unexpected voice, Regina and Bad turned to Damien with surprised faces.
¡°Damien..?
Bad asked with a surprised face. It was as if he was asking what you were doing here.
¡°Let¡¯s talk about the detailster.¡±
Damien naturally stepped in front of Regina. Regina red at Damien with a displeased expression.
¡°Damien? I¡¯ve heard that name somewhere¡ .¡±
After thinking for a moment, Regina¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Damien Haksen? The genius of the Apple Kingdom who rose to middle ss in the shortest period of time?¡±
Regina looked at Damien with an interested expression.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you were acquainted with Bad.¡±
¡°If I had known, would you have backed down? This person is going to be my brother-inw.¡±
¡°Ha! Brother-inw? You¡¯re that woman¡¯s younger brother¡¡. But this is really annoying.¡±
Regina¡¯s aura became even more murderous. The surrounding buildings shook.
¡°You¡¯re just a middle ss, and you dare to raise your head in front of me?¡±
Regina said with a smile full of killing intent.
¡°Are you doing this because you trust your status as a noble? You seem to be mistaken. Even if I kill you here, the Apple Kingdom won¡¯t be able to say anything to me.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
Damien said nonchntly to the woman¡¯s words.
¡°If you¡¯re the granddaughter of the Mercenary King, you¡¯ll be able to easily cover up something like this.¡±
At those words, Regina¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°How did you know?¡±
¡°You couldn¡¯t have reached the realm of high ss as a mercenary at such a young age unless you were a descendant of the Mercenary King.¡±
The Mercenary King.
He was one of the Masters who was always mentioned when discussing the strongest humans.
The Mercenary King was not only incredibly strong himself, but what was more amazing was the force he had created.
The mercenary group led by the Mercenary King was not onlyrge in scale, but it was also famous for the individual strength of its members.
It had several high-ss members and even master-ss members among its close associates.
The leadership ability to lead all of them, who were thought to be uncontroble, without any discord within the organization.
It was because of this immense power that people did not hesitate to call him the ¡®Mercenary King¡¯.
¡°You know that and you¡¯re still acting like this in front of me?¡±
Damien had to hold back theughter that was about to burst out.
In his previous life, Damien had fought the Mercenary King and emerged victorious. He had cut off the old man¡¯s neck and turned it into a lump of meat.
Furthermore, he had absorbed all of his techniques, so it was only funny that his granddaughter was trying to intimidate him.
Although Regina was a high ss, she was still only half-bakedpared to the Mercenary King.
He thought he wanted to correct Regina¡¯s mistake right here and now.
¡°If you don¡¯t back down, it¡¯ll be difficult for you too.¡±
However, Damien was currently in a state of ¡®Self-repentance¡¯. He didn¡¯t want to ruin this refreshing mood.
¡°I wanted to resolve this peacefully if possible.¡±
So Damien tried to take out the insignia of a knight from his bosom.
Knights were protected by the Church. Their families were no exception.
No matter how much of a mercenary king he was, he couldn¡¯t oppose the Church. After all, the Church was on par with the Empire.
¡°Think I¡¯ll only kill you? I¡¯ll catch that sister of yours and kill her too.¡±
At that moment, Regina spoke to Damien.
¡°Why? Do you think I¡¯m lying? I destroy what I can¡¯t have. Just wait and see. I¡¯ll find that woman even if I have to search the entire Apple Kingdom.¡±
Regina spoke with venomous voice.
¡°So I¡¯ll just rip off that woman¡¯s throat in front of Bard. Got it?¡±
Damien put the ne back into his bosom.
The feeling of relief he had due to his ¡®self-reflection¡¯ vanished like smoke.
Anger rose in his hollow heart. Killing intent surged from Damien¡¯s entire body.
¡°You want to try me with that?¡±
Regina, sensing Damien¡¯s killing intent, took off a ring from her finger. The ring transformed into a sword.
It was a saber, with a thin de and a slightly curved end.
Regina held the hilt and scabbard of the saber at the same time.
Regina¡¯s momentum became sharp and fierce. Approaching her felt like being cut into pieces by an impending danger.
¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for misunderstanding your ce.¡±
Reginaughed cruelly. It seemed she intended to kill Damien right there.
Seeing Regina like that, Damien burst into bitterughter.
¡®How will you kill me?¡¯
Using dark magic would end it in an instant, but he couldn¡¯t resort to that with so many witnesses around.
¡®My body is still too weak.¡¯
Damien¡¯s skill was beyond high-ss, but his body and mana weren¡¯t.
That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t be sure of victory in battle against Regina. There existed realms he couldn¡¯t match with skill alone.
¡®Well, if it¡¯scking, I¡¯ll just fill it up.¡¯
Damien opened a spatial ring. He reached in and pulled out the heart of a spirit and the core of a sea serpent.
He swallowed them both in one go, without even chewing, and swallowed them down his throat.
¡°¡What are you doing?¡±
Regina, seeing this, shouted in surprise.
Items containing mana, like potions or cores, required careful preparation and consumption.
Otherwise, not only would the mana not be absorbed properly, but serious injuries could also ur.
For Damien to consume multiple mana-containing items at once was akin to swallowing a bomb.
¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯ll die¡.¡±
Sure enough, before Regina could finish her sentence, an explosion urred from Damien¡¯s body.
As mana exploded, windows of buildings shattered in its aftermath.
The explosion didn¡¯t end with just one. It urred continuously.
With each explosion, Damien¡¯s blood vessels burst. Blood flowed from his burst-eye capiries.
¡®He¡¯s using both the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation and the Supreme Absorption Technique at the same time.¡¯
The Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a mana cultivation method that reinforced the body using mana.
The Supreme Absorption Technique had excellent abilities in absorbing mana.
When these two mana cultivation techniques were added to the explosion of mana, a remarkable phenomenon urred.
¡°This is ridiculous¡ .¡±
As befitting a high-ss, Regina seemed to quickly realize what was happening to Damien¡¯s body right now.
With each explosion, his muscles and organs were rapidly strengthening. It was as if the iron was being reforged.
The amount of mana he held within him also increased greatly. It was like a balloon being filled with air.
¡®If it¡¯scking, then just fill it up.¡¯
To Damien, realms below master ss were nothing special.
They were merely realms that could be reached naturally by simply increasing his physical abilities and magical power.
And so, he forcibly raised those two abilities.
Using the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to strengthen his body, he absorbed and stored all of his remaining mana using the Supreme Absorption Technique.
Damien opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Even after vomiting so much blood, his eyes did not weaken in the slightest. They became even sharper.
The moment she saw those eyes, Regina¡¯s body broke out in goosebumps.
Before her head could understand, her instincts recognized it first.
The fact that the man before her had reached the realm of high ss.
¡°This is ridiculous¡ .¡±
Even so, Regina could not help but deny it.
Not only did he survive ingesting two cores at the same time, but he used the explosion of mana to temper his body and reach the high ss.
It would be more believable to say that a master ss had appeared among the mindless goblins.
¡°You can¡¯t do that twice.¡±
Damien spat out the remaining blood in his mouth and drew out the Dawn.
At that moment, the entire world was filled with the killing intent that Damien exuded.
At that ridiculous phenomenon, Regina unconsciously swallowed her dry saliva.
¡°Be prepared.¡±
Damien said in a chilling voice that seemed to freeze everything.
¡°From now on, I will make you pay the price for the nonsense you have spewed.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 130
Chapter 130
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 130: The Other Woman (2)
***
Regina Hopper was born as the 98th granddaughter of the Mercenary King.
The Mercenary King, Karl Hopper, was famous for his outstanding skills as well as his lecherousness.
Not only did he change women every day, but he even had ten in his arms at one time.
Because of such a chaotic private life, the Mercenary King had more than a dozen children. His grandchildren were much more numerous.
Unusually, all of the blood rtives who inherited the Mercenary King¡¯s blood had outstanding talents.
Among them, Regina Hopper seemed to have inherited the Mercenary King¡¯s blood especially strongly, showing outstanding talent in swordsmanship from a young age.
She learned faster than others, grew faster, and her ss also rose faster.
That¡¯s why Regina Hopper thought she was a genius.
It was at the family gathering she attended when she was 10 years old that this ridiculous illusion was shattered.
Among the blood rtives she met for the first time in her life, there were many geniuses who were far superior to her.
Some had already awakened their aura at the age of 10 or had killed a dozen orcs alone.
Monsterous geniuses who did incredible things without any difficulty.
The Mercenary King favored only them and kept them by his side. And he called them ¡®Purebloods¡¯.
Regina was not recognized by the Mercenary King because she could not even reach their ankles, and she had no choice but to wander outside.
¡°You¡ .¡±
When Regina Hopper saw him, Damien wasparable to those monsters.
No, no. None of the pureloods that Regina had seen could match Damien.
How could there be another madman in this world who would ingest two elixirs at the same time and raise his ss?
¡°You dare¡ ask me to pay the price?¡±
It wasn¡¯t that she was going to admit defeat.
Damien had just risen from the middle ss to the high ss.
Moreover, he was in a state of considerable internal injury from his previous act of madness.
Damien is a monster without a doubt. But right now, she was stronger.
¡°You cheeky brat. I¡¯ll cut off that tongue first.¡±
Moreover, Regina¡¯s specialty was the quick sword.
The quick sword was disadvantageous in a long battle because its attacks were monotonous.
However, in a short battle, especially in the first attack, it had a power close to a sure-kill.
No matter how great a genius Damien is, he has only just risen to high ss.
He would not be able to catch up to the quick sword that Regina had honed throughout her life.
I¡¯ll kill him with a single blow.
Regina drew out her mana to the fullest so that she could cut Damien down at any time.
But why is it?
Even though she was confident of victory, something kept bothering her. Fear seemed to be crawling up her legs slowly.
¡°You¡¯d better not spew any more nonsense.¡±
Damien approached her. He fearlessly stepped into Regina¡¯s range.
At that moment, Regina swung her sword. A sh of light cut Damien¡¯s throat.
No, it should have been cut off.
She swung her arm, but the sword did note off. Regina looked down with a puzzled face.
The sword was still sheathed. And her own wrist was caught in the hilt.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
She turned her gaze and looked at the arm she had just swung. There was nothing below the wrist.
¡°W, what did you just¡¡.¡±
¡°I cut it off first.¡±
Damien said nonchntly and swung his sword into the air. A drop of blood sttered on the ground.
When did he cut it off? No, when did he swing it?
Countless questions came to mind. But she forcibly pushed all the questions back into her memory.
Right now, she needed to fight. Fortunately, Regina had always practiced using the sword with her opposite hand as well.
She couldn¡¯t use it as skillfully as her right hand, but she could still fight to some extent¡¡.
¡°Your abdomen is open.¡±
Damien kicked Regina¡¯s abdomen. Her body folded forward as her head turned white.
¡°Keuk!¡±
Regina let out a short scream and flew backwards.
¡°I told you. I will make you pay the price for your trash talk.¡±
Damien immediately followed after Regina. At that moment, Regina kicked the ground and rushed towards Damien.
A dagger was suddenly clutched in her left hand. Regina tried to stab Damien with the dagger.
Without even flinching, Damien kicked Regina¡¯s shin.
With a cracking sound of bones breaking, her body fell forward.
¡°Kyaaaak!¡±
A scream erupted involuntarily. At that moment, Damien kicked Regina in the face.
Her jaw shattered and her teeth were knocked out. Regina clutched her face and trembled.
Damien stared at Regina like that and spat out a word.
¡°It seems you haven¡¯t paid the full price for your nonsense yet.¡±
Her spine chilled.
Regina felt the fear of death. She felt like she was really going to die if she kept this up.
¡°P, please spare me¡¡.¡±
Regina hurriedly prostrated herself at Damien¡¯s feet.
¡°L, like this, I¡¯m begging you¡¡ P, please just spare my¡¡ L, life¡¡.¡±
¡°Fine. I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±
Damien nodded calmly. Regina¡¯s face brightened.
¡°But in return, I¡¯ll take one of your wrists.¡±
At those words, Regina¡¯s face instantly turned pale.
¡°B, but you already cut it off.¡±
She said, showing him her severed wrist. Damien spoke nonchntly to that action.
¡°What was cut off during a fight doesn¡¯t count.¡±
¡°B, but¡¡ I, if a swordsman loses a wrist, it¡¯s the end¡¡!¡±
There were ways to regenerate a lost limb, but they were not only difficult but also very expensive.
Crucially, the regenerated part had to be trained all over again from scratch.
That¡¯s why Regina was desperately trying to protect her other wrist.
¡°P, please¡¡ I¡¯ll pay you! I¡¯ll pay you anything! So, so please¡¡.¡±
Damien swung his sword. Dawn didn¡¯t emit an aura, but it easily cut off Regina¡¯s wrist.
Regina¡¯s second wrist fell to the ground. Regina didn¡¯t understand the situation for a moment.
¡°Ah, ah¡ aaah! Euaaaak!¡±
Regina screamed. But since she didn¡¯t have either wrist, she couldn¡¯t touch the wound.
¡°You! You think you¡¯ll get away with this! I¡ I won¡¯t let you get away with this! I¡¯ll tell grandfather¡!¡±
¡°Your intellect rivals that of a wilted cabbage. Just remember, I¡¯m the one clutching your lifeline at this moment, lest you forget your ce.¡±
Damien ced Dawn on Regina¡¯s neck. Regina¡¯s face turned pale at the chill aura emitted by Dawn.
¡°And I don¡¯t know if the Mercenary King will even take care of a blood rtive like you who has been abandoned.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Regina made a surprised expression.
¡°T, that¡¯s also how¡ .¡±
¡°How can I not know? The Mercenary King only keeps the blood rtives he acknowledges by his side. Those who wander around outside like you are nothing but bastards who have not been recognized by the Mercenary King.¡±
Bastard.
At that insulting word, Regina¡¯s pupils turned red.
But she didn¡¯t know what would happen if she expressed her anger.
¡°Let me show you one more interesting thing.¡±
Damien showed Regina a silver ne in front of her. Regina¡¯s eyes widened when she saw it.
¡°P-Pdin.. ?¡±
¡°Honorary Pdin, to be exact.¡±
Damien said, picking up the ne.
¡°Attacking me and my family is like dering war on the Church. I don¡¯t think even the Mercenary King would want that, would he?¡±
For Regina, it was as if even thest hope had disappeared.
¡°Then get out of here now. Before my patience runs out and I kill you.¡±
Regina ran away as soon as she heard those words. Damien watched her go for a while.
¡°Damien!¡±
Louise ran towards Damien. Louise looked around Damien¡¯s body.
¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±
¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you? I took care of it so easily. How could I get hurt?¡±
¡°But I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±
Bad looked at Louise with a surprised face.
¡°Why are you here¡ ?¡±
At Bad¡¯s words, Louise¡¯s actions stopped. Louise looked back at Bad with a guilty face.
¡°T, that¡¯s¡ .¡±
Louise confessed all the reasons she came here. Bad burst outughing.
¡°So you suspected me?¡±
Louise nodded silently, as she hadmitted a sin.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t say anything either.¡±
¡°Y-you forgive me?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
The two hugged each other tightly. Damien turned away with a disgusted expression.
¡°By the way, I wonder what the mayor will say. I¡¯ve caused such an ident¡ .¡±
Bad sighed deeply.
He had finally established a rtionship with a tinum badge mercenary. It was all ruined because of Bad.
¡°Does the mayor know that you¡¯re engaged to your sister-inw?¡±
¡°He knows. Why?¡±
¡°Then there¡¯s no need to apologize, is there? The mayor told you to entertain Regina knowing that fact, didn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ I might have to find another job in the future.¡±
¡°Then juste to Haksen County.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
The two reacted with confusion.
¡°Recently, Father was promoted to the title of count, and as a result, we¡¯ll be in need of additional assistance. I believe you would be an ideal candidate to lend a hand.¡±
¡°That¡¯s also¡ I see.¡±
Bad scratched the back of his head and said. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t thought of such a simple solution himself.
¡°But¡ is that okay?¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll be ufortable if I go¡ .¡±
Bad hesitated and said. He seemed to know that Damien didn¡¯t like him.
¡°¡You¡¯re saying strange things. You¡¯re going to be a part of our family soon, so why would I be ufortable?¡±
Damien said with a smile. Bad made a very surprised expression.
¡°I ask you to take good care of my older sister in the future.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Bad nodded with a serious face.
***
Soon after, the city guards arrived. The guards gasped at the charred scene.
¡°W, what on earth happened¡ .¡±
The mayor, who had alsoe outside, looked around with a dumbfounded face.
¡°B, Bad Hugo! What on earth is going on here? Exin yourself immediately!¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ .¡±
At the mayor¡¯s words, Bad told him everything he had seen.
¡°What, what? To Lady Regina¡ .¡±
The mayor shouted, foaming at the mouth.
¡°This crazy bastard! I told you so! You have to make her feel as good as possible! If you do that, high ss will just fall into your hands! Do you understand? High cl¡ .¡±
¡°If you¡¯re talking about high ss, I¡¯m here.¡±
Damien stood behind Bad. The mayor shut his mouth after seeing Damien¡¯s face.
¡°Ah, ahahaha¡ Isn¡¯t that Sir Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°You must have made a lot of profit by selling out my brother-inw until now, but you don¡¯t have anything to say about it.¡±
Damien said in a sharp tone. That alone made the mayor¡¯s face turn pale.
¡°Then, brother-inw, please speak. You don¡¯t have to be so careful¡ .¡±
Bad expressed his intention to submit a resignation letter to the mayor. The mayor was furious after hearing the circumstances, but he soon became quiet.
This was because Damien was standing by Bad¡¯s side.
Thanks to Damien following him, Bad was able to sort out the situationfortably.
¡°Bad wants to work for our family?¡±
Count Haksen was surprised at first, but soon weed Bad.
¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s good. I was just running out of hands. I can trust you with anything.¡±
¡°I will do my best in whatever you entrust me with.¡±
Bad said confidently at Count Haksen¡¯s words.
And so, Bad Hugo joined the House of Haksen. Thanks to this, Louise¡¯s face was filled with smiles for a while.
***
Damien had traveled the long distance from the House of Haksen to Ocean City, but he had no time to rest and was once again preparing to leave the family.
¡®I haven¡¯t dealt with Gathdal yet.¡¯
Gathdal would be an important figure in the future, supporting the army as Dorugo¡¯s covenantor.
¡®He¡¯s a dangerous man, so I need to be prepared.¡¯
Even at this time, Gathdal was already a genius among geniuses, having risen to the position of Grand ck Magician.
The Grand ck Magician was equivalent to the Master ss in terms of knights.
In other words, it meant that he was a transcendent being who had surpassed the shackles of humanity.
¡®I will kill Gathdal and obtain the fragment of Erebos.¡¯
After setting his n, Damien left for the Almond Country.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 131
Chapter 131
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 131: The Almond Country (1)
***
This is a dream.
Damien looked at the sunset that was painting the sky and was convinced.
The dulled senses, the unpleasant feeling of buoyancy, etc. Various evidences told him that this was a dream.
¡°You¡¯rete.¡±
He turned his gaze at the familiar voice. A man was standing under the red sky.
A neatly tailored ck suit. Hair slicked back with pomade. Even the fancy cane he was holding in his hand.
It was as if he was looking at a nobleman who had just left a social gathering.
¡°I took care of the Order of the Cherry Blossom.¡±
The man took a step to the side. Then, the bodies of the knights came into view.
The knights were dead, their bodies torn to pieces. Their arms and legs were scattered far away, and their torsos were burst open, spilling their entrails.
¡°It was easier than I thought. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s one of the empire¡¯s representative knight orders.¡±
The man raised his cane and pointed somewhere. There, a woman was dead with weapons stuck all over her body.
¡°The female knightmander was also useless. I was wary of her because she was a Master ss, but she was far behind my Death Knights.¡±
There was a strong sense of pride in the man¡¯s voice.
¡°Why did he entrust such a simple task to you¡? Why did he ignore me when I stepped forward?¡±
Gathdal looked back at Damien. His pale skin and sunken eyes made him look not like a human, but like a venomous snake staring at him.
¡°I don¡¯t know at all. Why does he trust you more than me? Why does he favor you more than me?¡±
The man struck the ground with his cane. ck smoke covered the floor, and from within it, skeletons armed with armor and weapons crawled out.
¡°If I crush you here, he will know too. That I am far superior to you.¡±
Gathdal struck the ground once more with his cane.
The skeletal army charged at Damien, their blue eyes glowing.
***
Just before that, Damien opened his eyes. At first, he didn¡¯t realize that he had woken up from a dream.
He blinked his eyes repeatedly and recognized the scenery around him one by one.
The first thing he saw was the inside of a spacious carriage with a roof. The carriage was rattling as it moved.
Inside the carriage, many people, including Damien, were huddled together. They all had weapons.
¡®That¡¯s right. I was on my way to the Almond Country.¡¯
Only then did Damien remember where he was going.
Damien had made various excuses to his family and headed for the Almond Country.
¡®I decided to take a carriage because it would take a long time to get to the Almond Country.¡¯
The Almond Country was located next to the Macadamia Kingdom.
Originally, the Almond Duke¡¯s family was a family that belonged to the Macadamia Kingdom.
Then, after producing a Master, they received many rights from the Macadamia Kingdom and became independent as a country.
Since the distance between the Apple Kingdom and the Macadamia Kingdom was very far, it was more convenient to get on a merchant¡¯s carriage than to ride a horse.
All the people riding in this carriage were people going from the Apple Kingdom to the Almond Country.
¡°Ughhhhh¡¡±
Damien yawned.
Even though he had a strange dream, he felt refreshed because he had slept well.
If he hade on horseback, he wouldn¡¯t have been able toe thisfortably.
¡®Why did Gathdal appear in my dream?¡¯
The dream that Damien had just had was actually something that happened in the past.
Gathdal was always jealous of Damien, who was favored by Dorugo and picked fights with him.
The incident with the Order of the Cherry Blossom was the result of that explosion.
Gathdal first volunteered to deal with the Order of the Cherry Blossom, but Dorugo entrusted the task to Damien.
It was Gathdal, who harbored a grudge for this, to surpass Damien, he wiped out the Order of the Cherry Blossom and attacked Damien.
¡®He was just a bastard who didn¡¯t know how to read the situation, but¡ he was a dangerous guy.¡¯
A Grand Mage or Grand Dark Mage was considered to be on the same level as a Master ss.
However, that only meant that they were equal in the sense that they had surpassed humans. In terms ofbat power, the Master ss was much stronger.
However, not all Grand Magicians were weaker than Master ss.
Among them, there were those who gainedbat power equal to or even greater than that of a Master ss through repeated research.
Gathdal was one of them.
At the time of the War of Destruction, Gathdal¡¯s military power was so overwhelming that even a Master ss would have had a hard time fighting him.
That was because he hadpletely destroyed the Order of the Cherry Blossom, one of the empire¡¯s representative knight orders, head-on.
¡®He¡¯s a guy who¡¯s better off dead. I have to kill him this time.¡¯
Of course, he was still growing, so he wouldn¡¯t have had such power yet.
However, it was as clear as day that he would eventually gain such power.
It would be better to get rid of anyone who could be beneficial to Dorugo in advance.
That¡¯s why Damien was determined to kill Gathdal this time.
While Damien was making his determination,
¡°Did you sleep well?¡±
The man sitting next to him smiled and said. His missing teeth made him look a little dangerous.
¡°Yes, I slept very well.¡±
Damien replied vaguely, as he was a stranger.
¡°You look very good when you sleep. By the way, are you also going to explore the ruins of the Almond Country?¡±
Even in his previous life, people had flocked to the Almond Country at this time. This was because the ruins had been discovered.
The existing ruins had already been fully explored and opened to the public, so there was nothing left to gain.
However, the ruins of the Almond Country were different. It was recently discovered, so there were still many artifacts left.
¡°Yes, I heard that you can make a fortune if you go to the ruins.¡±
The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes lit up at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You know exactly what it is. The ruins are a ce where even the toys used by the ancients are sold for a high price.¡±
The middle-aged man exined enthusiastically.
¡°If you find even an ancient book or artifact, it¡¯s not a dream to be rich. If you happen to find a relic sword¡ your life will really change.¡±
Damien listened to the middle-aged man¡¯s words with one ear and let them go.
Damien¡¯s purpose was not to explore the ruins to obtain artifacts.
It was only to find Gathdal.
In his previous life, Gathdal had greatly strengthened his army in the Almond Country.
He killed and absorbed the mercenaries and explorers who came to explore the ruins, and finally killed the soldiers and knights of the Almond Country and made them into an army.
¡®Gathdal must be hiding inside the ruins.¡¯
The only ce where Gathdal could safely and easily grow his strength was inside the ruins.
¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name, young man?¡±
At the middle-aged man¡¯s question, Damien hesitated for a moment.
He couldn¡¯t use the name Damien in the Almond Country.
If he revealed his identity for no reason, it would be highly likely that he would arouse Gathdal¡¯s vignce and make it difficult to track him down.
And there was still a possibility that if he used his real name when a big incident happened while tracking Gathdal, it would be a headache.
He had the proof of an honorary pdin, but that was only ast resort.
¡°My name is Victor.¡±
¡°Victor¡ It¡¯s amon name, but it¡¯s a good one.¡±
¡°What¡¯s your name, sir?¡±
¡°My name is Thibaut.¡±
While the two were talking, the man sitting across from them mmed his fist on the floor of the carriage.
¡°Hey, you two. You guys were not the only ones who paid the fare here? Can¡¯t you be quiet?¡±
At the man¡¯s words, Thibaut quickly shut his mouth. He was clearly frightened.
¡°And what? Find a relic sword and change your life? You¡¯re talking nonsense. How dangerous are the ruins? Do you think a skinny guy like you can explore it?¡±
The man sneered at Thibaut as he spoke.
¡®Well, he¡¯s right.¡¯
Damien inwardly agreed with the man.
The ruins were by no means a safe ce. It was a ce full of traps and battle golems.
It was a ce that no one could enter without considerable force.
¡°Why don¡¯t you just go back quietly instead of increasing the number of bodies that need to be cleaned up?¡±
¡°Y-you¡¯re done now, right!¡±
Thibaut shouted angrily. At that, the two men next to the man raised their hands to their weapons.
At their murderous gaze, Thibaut had no choice but to lower his head quietly.
¡°What a coward.¡±
The manughed at Thibaut¡¯s behavior.
¡°And the guy next to you. You said your name was Victor?¡±
The next target of the man¡¯s ridicule was Damien.
¡°From what I can see, you¡¯re no different. If you don¡¯t want to be left behind at a young age, you¡¯d better not even go near the ruins.¡±
The two menughed at the man¡¯s words.
Damien did not react to the man¡¯s words. Instead, he thought about something else.
He could put up with other people being insulted, but he couldn¡¯t put up with himself being insulted.
While he was looking around the terrain inside the carriage and thinking about how to deal the people who insulted him at the same time.
The carriage that had been moving stopped abruptly.
¡°Everyone, please get off. We will be camping here.¡±
The coachman said to the people sitting in the back.
***
The people in the carriage rushed out. The man and the two men did the same.
Because of that, Damien missed his chance to punish him. Damien got out of the carriage, hoping for ater opportunity.
Looking around, he saw people getting off other carriages as well.
¡°As I said before, we¡¯re just giving you a ride. You¡¯ll have to figure out your own meals.¡±
The coachman left those words and headed towards the merchants.
The people who were riding in the carriage gathered in small group and discussed.
¡°We¡¯ll be together for the next few days, how about we take turns preparing meals?¡±
Everyone nodded at Thibaut¡¯s suggestion.
¡®This is getting annoying.¡¯
It was not a very pleasant suggestion for Damien.
Damien had already prepared various foods in his spatial ring in preparation for the long journey.
So there was no need for him to go through the trouble of having a meal schedule.
¡°What do you mean by ¡®Meal duties¡¯? Do you think we¡¯re going to do that kind of crap?¡±
At that moment, the three men who had picked a fight with Damien spoke in angry voices.
¡°T, then are you three going to eat separately?¡±
When Thibaut asked courageously, the man grinned and pulled out the machete he was carrying on his back.
The surface of the machete shimmered ominously. As the man swung the machete, the ground split open.
¡°How do you think we¡¯re going to solve our meals? There¡¯s a simple way.¡±
The man said, looking around. The other travelers, including Thibaut, looked away.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like this, you¡¯d better bring it yourself. Got it?¡±
The man put the machete back on his back. And he was about to leave with his friends.
Tok tok.
A very refreshing but strangely irritating sound caught the three men.
The man looked in the direction of the sound. Damien was tapping his palm with a wooden club.
The man frowned at the sight.
¡°Can¡¯t you stop that? It¡¯s so noisy¡¡.¡±
¡°I was almost annoyed, but this is good.¡±
Damien said with a bright smile.
¡°I¡¯ll rehabilitate you guys into honest and cooperative people.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 132
Chapter 132
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 132: The Almond Country (2)
***
¡°Just now, what did you say? Would you care to repeat it?¡±
The man asked, and Damien made a face.
¡°Well, it appears your ears are merely ornamental, for they surely don¡¯t serve the purpose of listening. Fear not, since you struggle toprehend simple words, I¡¯ll graciously take on the role of educator to enlighten your dim mind.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the man burst into a hollowugh, ncing back at theirpanions. Thepanions too chuckled along.
¡°In the next instant, the man revealed a machete, its sharpened edge covered in aura gleaming menacingly.¡±
As Damien attempted to strike the machete with his club, the man scoffed.
¡°You fool! Did you think you could stop me with that¡?¡±
Damien twisted his club, altering the trajectory of the machete.
The machete, aimed downward in a diagonal thrust, shot upward into the sky. In the wind¡¯s force, the machete slipped out of the man¡¯s hand.
¡°Huh¡?¡±
The man looked bewilderedly at his empty hand.
¡°H-how¡?¡±
Instead of replying, Damien swung his club down onto the man¡¯s head.
¡°Bonk!¡±
With a scream, the man¡¯s head hit the ground. Foaming at the mouth, he convulsed.
¡°Brother!¡±
¡°How dare youy hands on Brother!¡±
Two men drew weapons and charged at Damien. Like the man, their weapons were also covered with an aura.
¡°Seems like you don¡¯t understand the concept of learning.¡±
As Damien parried the two men¡¯s attacks, the trajectory of their weapons diverted once again, slipping out of their grips.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Bonk!!
Bonk!!
Damien struck each of them on the head with his club. The two men copsed onto the ground like frogs.
¡°Ugh, my head¡ my head¡!¡±
¡°Aaah! I think my head¡¯s cracked!¡±
¡°Mom¡ Mommyyy¡!¡±
Each of the three men groaned, clutching their heads. Watching them, Damien spoke gruffly.
¡°Stop crying. Your heads are fine.¡±
Only after hearing this did the three men realize their heads hadn¡¯t actually been injured.
¡°W-what¡¯s this¡?¡±
¡°I-I was sure my skull was cracked¡?¡±
Damien walked over to the three bewildered men. He pped their palms with his club and said.
¡°The beginning of repentance starts with admitting fault. All three of you reflect on your actions. You won¡¯t oppress others with your feeble strength anymore.¡±
¡°Who would follow such nonsense¡?¡±
Bonk! Bonk!
Immediately, Damien struck the foreheads of the three men with his club, this time twice each.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
¡°Aaargh!¡±
¡°Ughhh!¡±
The three men grabbed their heads and rolled on the ground.
¡°If you don¡¯t get up right now, you¡¯ll get more next time.¡±
At the stern warning, the three men promptly rose to their feet. Unconsciously, they knelt before Damien.
¡°We reflect. We won¡¯t oppress others with feeble strength anymore.¡±
Casting nces at each other, the three men shouted.
¡°We won¡¯t oppress others with feeble strength anymore!¡±
At their resounding answer, Damien nodded in satisfaction.
¡°Now, you¡¯ve adopted the right attitude for rehabilitation.¡±
***
The middle-aged man, Thibaut, thought he was dreaming.
He had lived his entire life as a third-rate mercenary at best. But he had seen enough to know how dangerous a person who used aura was.
After all, he was a monster who could massacre dozens of people with a single weapon.
¡°Roll to the left. Roll to the right. Oh, you¡¯re too slow?¡±
¡°I, I¡¯m sorry!¡±
And yet, such beings¡ not one, not two but three of them were powerless against a single man.
¡°What are your names?¡±
¡°Ah! My name is Aleksandrovich Asenko Leweiner!¡±
¡°That¡¯s too long. You¡¯re number 1, he¡¯s number 2, and that guy is number 3.¡±
No, it wasn¡¯t that they were powerless. They were too frightened, even cowering to move.
¡°I¡¯m a little thirsty.¡±
Damien muttered, rubbing his throat. Thibaut quickly handed over a water bottle at his words.
¡°H, here you go!¡±
Damien took the water bottle with a strange look on his face at Thibaut¡¯s actions.
¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±
¡°No! I¡¯m doing it because I want to, so you don¡¯t have to feel burdened!¡±
It wasn¡¯t that Thibaut was acting out of pure kindness.
This man was it.
This man was the one who would change his life, the one who would be his lifeline.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll gratefully drink it.¡±
Damien put his mouth to the water bottle and gulped down the water. Thibaut stuck close to his side and ttered him.
¡°You really have amazing skills! To think you could deflect a sword infused with aura with just a club! I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes!¡±
Damien didn¡¯t say anything and just kept drinking. But Thibaut wasn¡¯t discouraged.
¡°Have you heard of Damien Haksen? I hear there are ridiculous rumors that he¡¯s recently reached the High ss¡ Even that man wouldn¡¯t be able to fight like you, Damien! I mean, right?¡±
Thibaut didn¡¯t really know if the man in front of him was stronger than Damien Haksen or not.
The truth didn¡¯t matter right now anyway. What mattered was getting into his good graces.
¡°If you have any trouble in the future, please don¡¯t hesitate to call me! I, Thibaut, will serve you with all my heart!¡±
Thibaut shouted sincerely.
¡°Well, if you really want to, I can¡¯t help it.¡±
From then on, Damien¡¯s journey became much morefortable.
Thanks to Thibaut and Numbers 1, 2, and 3, he was able to take care of all the little things.
From meal duty to the simple task of setting up a sleeping ce, all four of them took care of everything.
¡°Victor-nim emphasized teamwork, so why aren¡¯t you doing anything¡ Ugh! Groan!¡±
Number 1 did make a small rebellion along the way, but it didn¡¯t turn into a big problem. After all, he could just ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ them again.
And so, after a few days, the merchant group carrying Damien arrived at the Almond Country.
***
After a long journey, Damien finally arrived at the Almond Country, which was a very lively ce.
Mercenaries and adventurers were seen everywhere, and merchants selling weapons and potions were scattered all over the ce.
¡°There are a lot of people here.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that it wasn¡¯t like this before. It¡¯s been getting crowded since the ruins were opened.¡±
Thibaut exined to Damien.
Just then, a man dressed in luxurious clothes passed Damien with his knights.
¡°There are nobles too?¡±
¡°Since the ruins are profitable, nobles from neighboring countries as well as distant kingdoms and countries are gathering.¡±
¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to need money.¡±
The nobleman who had just passed by looked very wealthy. He didn¡¯t seem to need to explore a dangerous ce like the ruins.
¡°Oh, you have a keen eye. In fact, most nobles are probably after the ¡®Princess Freize¡¯ rather than money.¡±
¡°Princess Freize?¡±
It was information that Damien didn¡¯t know.
¡°Do you know that the previous head of the country here was a Master ss?¡±
¡°I know. That¡¯s why it became independent from the kingdom¡¯s duchy to be a county.¡±
¡°After the death of the Duke, his eldest daughter, Princess Freize, took over the county. It is said that the one who decided to open the ruins was Princess Freize.¡±
Thibaut continued his exnation.
¡°ording to the Princess, the previous head of the family found a strangely shaped ¡®relic sword¡¯ while exploring the ruins. However, he failed to get his hands on it because a trap was activated.¡±
Damien focused on Thibaut¡¯s story.
¡°So Princess Freize dered that she would marry the one who finds and brings that relic sword. That¡¯s why the nobles are flocking here.¡±
It was a very intriguing story.
This was because if he married Princess Freize, he would not only be the head of the county but she was also said to be very beautiful.
It had all the requirements for nobles to flock to.
Of course, Damien had no interest in marriage, and the fact that there was a relic sword in the ruins was what appealed to him.
Jiiing.
At that moment, the dawn rang from his waist. It seemed to be protesting to Damien.
¡®But what I can do? No matter how many good weapons I have, it¡¯s never enough.¡¯
Jiing?
At Damien¡¯s words, the dawn now cried briefly. It seemed to be pouting.
¡°Let¡¯s go to the ruins.¡±
¡°Yes? Are you going in already?¡±
¡°Of course not. I¡¯m just going to take a look at the entrance.¡±
¡°I¡ .¡±
Just then, a weak voice caught Damien.
Numbers 1, 2, and 3 were standing with haggard faces.
All along the way to the Country, the three men had been used by Damien to the bone.
He had once made them catch crickets all night because they were disturbing his sleep, and he had also made them run through the forest hunting animals because he wanted to eat fresh meat.
¡°I, I think we should go now¡ .¡±
Number 1 asked with earnest eyes. Numbers 2 and 3 did the same.
¡°Where are you going? You¡¯re not finished with your rehabilitation yet.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the faces of the three men turned pale.
¡°P, please, Victor-nim!¡±
The three men knelt on the ground. They begged as if they would even lick Damien¡¯s shoes.
¡°I, we have firmly decided to change from today!¡±
¡°We have decided!¡±
¡°P, please forgive us just this once and we promise to be reborn as new people!¡±
¡°We promise!¡±
Damien stroked his chin and pondered at the three men¡¯s pleas.
¡°Are you sure about that?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Then go. Don¡¯t bother people again.¡±
Damien gestured for them to go. The three men ran away without looking back.
When the three men disappeared, Damien said to Thibaut.
¡°Then let¡¯s go to the entrance.¡±
***
The ruins were located behind the castle.
It was originally a forest, but after the ruins were opened, all the trees were cut down and it was being used as a forward base.
¡°That must be the door to the ruins.¡±
Thibaut said, pointing to the front. A huge iron gate was buried in the ground.
¡°This is my first time seeing the ruins in person, but it¡¯s really unique.¡±
Thibaut looked at the iron gate with a curious face. Damien, on the other hand, looked indifferent.
In fact, this was not the first time Damien had been to the ruins.
As a Death Knight, he had explored many ruins with Dorugo.
¡°Get out of the way! Someone is dying!¡±
At that moment, four people came running out of the entrance with a stretcher. A man with a serious injury was lying on the stretcher.
Thibaut clicked his tongue at the sight.
¡°Tsk tsk, it looks like he went in deeper than his abilities allowed. How dangerous is that ce.¡±
Thibaut said in a tone of regret.
¡°Do you know that? The level of danger varies from ruin to ruin, but the one in here is said to be incredibly dangerous. They say that out of 10 people who enter, only 2 or 3e back alive.¡±
Damien felt a sense of strangeness at those words. The survival rate was too low, even for a dangerous ce.
Among the ruins he had explored with Dorugo, there were not many that were as dangerous as that.
Moreover, such dangerous ruins were all thoroughly hidden from the entrance.
¡®As expected, there must be Gathdal inside.¡¯
Presumably, most of the dead were not actually killed in the ruins but were kidnapped by the Gathdal.
It was clear that they were being used as experimental subjects or consumed as material to strengthen the Gathdal¡¯s army inside the secret space created within the ruins.
¡®Just wait, Gathdal. I¡¯ll find you and kill you soon.¡¯
As Damien stared at the entrance and burned with murderous intent,
¡°What are you looking at¡ Ah, you¡¯re looking at the ancient letters.¡±
Thibaut nodded as if he understood.
<©»©ï©·©Ç©¥©×©Ç©·>
These letters were written at the entrance of the ruins.
¡°They¡¯re strange letters. The mages are trying to decipher them, but they haven¡¯t made much progress.¡±
Before he knew it, Thibaut hade closer and was chattering away.
¡°Did you know that? The ruins are said to be still functioning. They say that if you manipte the ancient letters, secret spaces will open.¡±
Thibaut said with a regretful face.
¡°If we could decipher the ancient letters, we would be able to find the hidden treasures of the ruins¡¡±
Damien looked at the letters on the entrance again.
<©»©ï©·©Ç©¥©×©Ç©·>
In fact, Damien knew exactly what those letters meant.
That¡¯s what it meant when tranted.
The reason Damien knew the ancient letters was all thanks to Dorugo.
Surprisingly, Dorugo was able to perfectly decipher the ancient letters.
Many of the dark magic spells that Dorugo used also used ancient letters.
So when Dorugo instilled his knowledge of dark magic into Damien, the ancient letters were naturally included as well.
Dorugo never told even his confidantes about the ancient letters.
So probably the only two beings in this world who know about the ancient letters are Dorugo and Damien.
¡®Workshop of the Master¡¡¯
Having explored several ruins with Dorugo, he knew very well.
A ruin that was described as a Master¡¯s Workshop was no ordinary ruin.
In many cases, it contained special weapons created by the Master.
¡®I was only thinking about Gathdal. I didn¡¯t have high expectations for the ruins¡¡¯
Maybe he would be able to get a great treasure.
***
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Chapter 133
Chapter 133
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 133: The Ruins (1)
***
¡°Then, Victor-nim, let¡¯s go back. If you want to find decent amodation, you need to move now so you can lie in bed before dark.¡±
Damien nodded at Thibaut¡¯s words.
¡°No, I changed my mind. I¡¯m going into the ruins right now.¡±
¡°Yes¡? You¡¯re going to go into that dangerous ce without any preparation?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t listen to Thibaut¡¯s words and headed for the iron gate.
At that sight, a conflict appeared on Thibaut¡¯s face.
¡°Damn it, do people nowadays want to die young?¡±
Thibaut cursed and followed Damien. The two passed through the iron gate and entered the ruins.
The inside of the ruins was like a different world.
Unlike the small iron gate, the inside was a very long and wide corridor.
The walls, floors, and even the ceiling were all bare. I didn¡¯t know what material it was made of, but it waspletely different from modern buildings made of stone.
¡°This is the ruins¡¡±
Thibaut looked around with a curious face.
You could tell just by entering the entrance. How advanced the ancient civilization was.
The two of them walked inside. As they walked down the corridor, entrances to other rooms appeared on either side.
<©ß©·©Ç©Ï©»©¿>
These letters were written on the entrance to the room. Tranted, it meant ¡®Guard Equipment Storage¡¯.
Damien entered the armory.
The inside was empty. There were only a few long benches fixed to the ground.
¡°There won¡¯t be anything left in this ce. Other explorers have already cleaned it all out.¡±
Thibaut said to Damien. It was only natural that it was empty since it was the closest room to the entrance and would have been touched the most.
¡°You need to go deep inside to find something. So it¡¯s dangerous, so it¡¯s better to be fully prepared¡¡±
Damien was not paying attention to Thibaut¡¯s words at all. He was looking at the letters written on the wall.
<©×©·©³©×©·©³©×©·>
Tranted, it meant ¡®Equipment Storage¡¯.
It was written in ancient letters, but there was nothing else. It was just a wall.
Damien recalled the memories of exploring the ruins with Dorugo in his previous life.
¡®I definitely activated it by infusing mana into it.¡¯
Damien felt the wall. He searched for a way to open the equipment storage by infusing mana.
¡®It¡¯s harder than I thought.¡¯
How much and where to inject mana. He had to figure it all out with his own abilities.
About a minute passed like that.
With a tter, the wall suddenly opened to the left and right. And the equipment rack appeared.
¡°Uh, uh? Uhhhuhh?¡±
Thibaut, who was watching from behind, was startled and shouted.
¡°H, how did this happen¡¡±
Damien checked the storage.
Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t many items left. There was only one helmet on the stand.
It was probably the helmet used by the guards who guarded the ruins in ancient times.
Unlike modern helmets, it was not jagged or pointed, but round. It looked like a perfect sphere.
It also had a structure that allowed the guard to be raised and lowered to protect the face.
¡®I thought there would be a map showing the structure of the ruins.¡¯
Damien was disappointed. He thought he would find a map that would help him find the treasures in the ruins, but there was no such thing.
Damien was not interested in the equipment used by the guards at all. They were only unique in appearance, but not very good.
Even the artifacts, if they were low-grade, did not differ much in performance from the equipment being made now.
They were just unique in shape and much stronger, but that was all.
Even Dawn would have been able to easily break a helmet like this.
¡®Maybe if it was an item used by a high-ranking person. I don¡¯t need this.¡¯
The equipment from the ruins increased in performance dramatically as it went up to the top grade.
Advanced technology, excellent performance, and powerful power.
What peoplemonly think of when they talk about artifacts is all about the top-grade items used by high-ranking people.
¡®Even these low-grade items are said to be sold for a high price¡ Shall I take them for now?¡¯
Damien picked up the guard¡¯s helmet and handed it to Thibaut.
¡°Take good care of it.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Thibaut hurriedly received the helmet as he said that. He opened his backpack, took out arge cloth, wrapped the helmet in it, and put it on his back.
After that, Damien looked at three more storage rooms.
He opened the storage boxes hidden in the storage rooms and gathered all the remaining items.
Thanks to this, Damien was able toplete a set of guard uniforms.
¡®It¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t find the map.¡¯
Damien¡¯s first goal was to find Gathdal.
If he had a map, he would have been able to infer the location where Gathdal might be hiding, but it was a shame.
Maybe it was on another floor.
¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Thibaut shouted at Damien¡¯s words, carrying the guard¡¯s uniform on his back.
***
The second floor of the ruins was arge open space, in contrast to the long and narrow corridors of the first floor.
There was one entrance on each wall of the open space.
¡®It says 3rd floor entrance, break room, and supplies warehouse.¡¯
Damien read the words written on the entrances one by one and pondered where to go first.
¡®The supplies warehouse would be good. There might be a map left over for the guards.¡¯
Damien headed to the warehouse with Thibaut.
As they passed through the entrance, a corridor appeared. After walking down the corridor for a while, doors leading to different warehouses appeared here and there.
They checked each one, but they were all empty. Only dust was rolling on the floor.
The two of them reached the warehouse at the deepest part. There was nothing left here either.
¡°They all took everything greedily. There¡¯s nothing left.¡±
Thibaut said as he put down the guard¡¯s uniform. He must have been tired because he sat down on a box-shaped chair nearby.
¡®There¡¯s really nothing here.¡¯
He looked around to see if there was a separate space that could be opened, but he couldn¡¯t see anything.
¡®There¡¯s no map in the supplies warehouse either¡ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in the break room.¡¯
While Damien was lost in thought,
¡°What are you two doing here?¡±
Someone shouted from the entrance of the warehouse. The two turned their heads and saw a young man in chain armor.
Arge emblem was drawn on the young man¡¯s armor. Thibaut saw it and whispered to Damien.
¡°Victor-nim, it¡¯s the Almond Country¡¯s emblem. He seems to be a soldier.¡±
¡°Why is a soldier here?¡±
¡°I heard that soldiers periodically patrol the ruins for security purposes.¡±
While the two were whispering, the soldier entered the warehouse.
¡°At first nce, you both seem to havee to Almond Country recently. So you¡¯re looking around the ruins?¡±
¡°The young man has great insight. As you can see, that¡¯s right.¡±
Thibaut said with a smile. The soldier shook his head at Thibaut¡¯s words.
¡°You won¡¯t find anything here. You have to go down to at least the 4th floor to find something.¡±
Thibaut¡¯s eyes widened at the soldier¡¯s words.
¡°You mean we have to go that deep?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll have to go down to the 5th floor to find any useful artifacts.¡±
¡°Hmph¡ I can¡¯t believe it.¡±
Thibaut sighed briefly.
¡°Victor-nim, why don¡¯t we call it a day ande back tomorrow? Let¡¯s go back and prepare thoroughly.¡±
¡°That would be a good idea. The ruins are very dangerous.¡±
The soldier lectured the two of them.
¡°And don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe just because you¡¯re on this low level. You might get into big trouble if you let your guard down.¡±
¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
Thibaut asked with a puzzled face.
¡°There have been quite a few people who died on the lower floors.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t it safe here since the exploration is already over?¡±
The reason the ruins were dangerous was because of the traps and ancient golems left inside.
However, since the 2nd floor was a ce that had been thoroughly searched by explorers, there was nothing left, and there were no dangerous elements either.
¡°That¡¯s what everyone thought¡ But bodies have been found here steadily until recently. No one knows who the culprit is.¡±
It was not an ordinary situation.
It was strange that such an incident urred when there was no danger.
¡°Do you think the mercenaries killed people and stole their belongings?¡±
¡°We¡¯re investigating that possibility as well, but¡ Anyway, please be careful until the culprit is caught, because the fact that it¡¯s dangerous doesn¡¯t change.¡±
¡°I think I know why the disappearances are happening.¡±
Damien suddenly spoke. The soldier was surprised and asked.
¡°Did you see the culprit? Or any evidence?¡±
Damien gestured for the soldier toe closer at the soldier¡¯s question.
¡°Yes? Why are you doing that?¡±
The soldier approached with a puzzled face. At that moment, Damien drew Dawn and shed the soldier¡¯s face.
Just before being cut by Dawn, the soldier tilted his head back. He immediately jumped back, doing a backflip.
It was an incredibly agile movement for a mere soldier.
¡°V, Victor-nim!¡±
Thibaut cried out in fear.
¡°Y, you shouldn¡¯t touch an Almond Country¡¯s soldier! If you get on Almond Country¡¯s wanted list¡!¡±
Damien silently pointed to the soldier. Thibaut looked at him without thinking and was startled.
The soldier¡¯s face was torn open. However, there was no muscle or blood that should have been there if he was a human.
All that was visible was a white skull.
¡°Ugh, ughhh!¡±
Unlike Thibaut, who screamed in surprise, Damien was indifferent.
Damien had known that the soldier was an undead from the moment he showed up.
¡®A skeleton that can talk to people?¡¯
Of course, it was impossible for an undead.
Undead were created by twisting and breaking the human soul. That¡¯s why most of them didn¡¯t have full intelligence.
The same was true of that undead. It didn¡¯t have intelligence, it didn¡¯t even exist.
The reason he could talk to people was because he had been injected with memories.
¡®It¡¯s definitely Gathdal hiding here.¡¯
The field that Gathdal focused on as a necromancer was human memory.
Originally, memories were supposed to be lost the moment a person died. Gathdal pondered how to maximize the use of those memories.
The undead before him was born thanks to that research.
An undead that could pretend to be alive by regaining memories.
The way Gathdal strengthened his army was also rted to memories.
¡®The culprit of the lower floor murders is definitely Gathdal¡¯s undead.¡¯
Gathdal probably hid undead on each floor.
It was in order to attack the explorers when they came to a remote ce and then take their souls.
It seemed like a shallow trick to disguise himself as a Almond Country¡¯s soldier to induce the adventurers¡¯ carelessness.
¡°B, be careful¡ be careful¡ be careful¡ be careful¡¡±
The young soldier repeated the words as if he were broken.
The injected memories were not working properly due to the unexpected situation.
Almond Country¡¯s soldier.
No, the skeleton drew the sword at his waist. A sharp aura instantly covered the de.
¡°I told you to be careful!¡±
The skeleton roared and rushed towards Damien.
¡°Ugh, ughhh!¡±
Thibaut screamed in surprise. Damien grabbed the back of Thibaut¡¯s neck and pulled him back.
He threw him backwards to protect Thibaut from the skeleton.
Then, he grabbed Dawn to cut down the skeleton.
It was then.
The de of Dawn gave off a dazzling light.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 134
Chapter 134
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 134: The Ruins (2)
***
Damien looked down at Dawn in surprise.
It was the first time that Dawn had emitted such a dazzling light since he had started using it.
¡®What¡¯s happening to Dawn?¡¯
The light gradually subsided. When the light finally disappeared, Dawn waspletely different.
The appearance looked the same, but the amount of divine power felt from Dawn had greatly increased.
That wasn¡¯t all. A miracle was inscribed inside Dawn.
¡®It grew.¡¯
The decisive difference between a low-grade and a middle-grade holy sword was the presence or absence of a miracle.
Now Dawn had grown into a mid-grade holy sword by creating its own miracle.
Jiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Dawn trembled. It seemed to be thrilled by its own transformation.
¡°Be careful! I told you to be careful!¡±
At that moment, the skeleton, which had reached the tip of his nose, swung his sword at Damien.
Jiiing!
Dawn trembled violently. Then, with a wave, the skeleton flew backwards.
¡®Did the holy sword release divine power on its own will?¡¯
Even in his previous life, he had never seen such a holy sword. It wasn¡¯t even among the special holy swords.
¡°Be careful¡ careful¡!¡±
The skeleton stood up. The part that had been hit by the wave was shattered and pieces of it were falling off.
¡°You have to be careful!¡±
The skeleton rushed towards Damien. Then, Dawn released divine power again.
Dawn released divine power again. The divine power became a sharp sh and cut the skeleton¡¯s body in half.
¡°Be careful¡ .¡±
The severed skeleton copsed. Soon, the torso shattered into pieces and disappeared into ck smoke.
Jiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Dawn trembled. It seemed to be asking for praise.
¡°That was great.¡±
Damien said sincerely. Dawn trembled as if it was happy.
¡°But now it¡¯s going to be hard to carry around because it¡¯s too noticeable.¡±
Jiiing?
With such powerful divine power, it was obvious that anyone who knew anything would recognize it.
Moreover, if Dawn was next to him when Damien used dark magic, it was highly likely that it would get in the way.
Ji-Jiiing!
Dawn seemed to be saying to wait a moment. Suddenly, the light that Dawn was emitting was absorbed into the hilt.
The divine power that had been felt just a moment ago had disappearedpletely.
¡®Did you hide your divine power?¡¯
Not only did it destroy the skeleton on its own, but it also hid its divine power.
It was so good that even Damien had to concentrate to detect it.
¡®This is getting creepy.¡¯
Damien looked at Dawn with a disgusted look in his eyes.
Dawn, oblivious to this, rang the hilt as if asking for praise.
¡°V, Victor-nim¡ W, what was that just now¡?¡±
Thibaut, who had been lying on the floor, asked, pointing to Dawn.
¡°It¡¯s a relic sword.¡±
He couldn¡¯t reveal that Dawn was a holy sword. Otherwise, Damien¡¯s identity might be revealed.
Since he wasn¡¯t a knight, he couldn¡¯t distinguish between a relic sword and a holy sword.
¡°T, that¡¯s a relic sword¡? I, I see it¡¯s as great as they say.¡±
As expected, Thibaut believed Damien¡¯s words without a shred of doubt.
¡°B, but what was that? Undead in the ruins¡ .¡±
Thibaut said, trembling.
¡°I, I think we should let Almond Country know right away.¡±
¡°That¡¯s going to be difficult.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no evidence.¡±
Damien pointed to the spot where the skeleton had disappeared. The equipment the skeleton had been wearing had melted down and turned into a ck liquid.
This was Gathdal¡¯s doing, who had put a curse of corrosion on the skeleton to activate when it was destroyed.
¡®Even if there was evidence, I wouldn¡¯t have told Almond Country.¡¯
Damien wouldn¡¯t have told Almond Country even if there was evidence because Gathdal might run away.
¡°Oh my¡ This can¡¯t be¡ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on¡¡±
Thibaut sat down on a nearby chair and covered his head. Damien looked at the chair carefully and then said.
¡°Come out here for a moment.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Thibaut got up from the chair, albeit with a puzzled look on his face.
Damien examined the surface of the chair. There was an ancient inscription carved there.
<©Ç©ï©¿>
Damien, who saw the ancient letters, muttered with a surprised face.
¡°A box?¡±
If it was a real box, there was no way it would have been left here. The explorers would have taken everything they could carry.
¡°Could it be that the letters are wrong?¡±
Damien tried to pick up the box, but it wasn¡¯t easy to lift.
He had to use his mana to lift the box.
¡®It¡¯s incredibly heavy.¡¯
It seemed that everyone had mistaken it for a chair and left it alone because it was so heavy.
Damien put the box down again and said to Thibaut.
¡°Step back, it¡¯s dangerous.¡±
Damien raised an aura with Dawn and cut off the top of the box.
Inside the box were a glove and a ring.
Damien first put on the glove. He could feel an unknown force spreading through his body.
¡®This glove has the effect of increasing strength.¡¯
Wearing the glove would activate his muscles and make him stronger.
It seemed that if an ordinary person wore it, they could be called a strongman.
However, the effect was minimal for someone like Damien, whose body was already close to superhuman.
Next, Damien put on the ring. When he infused it with mana, something appeared on the ring.
¡°It¡¯s a map, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien¡¯s face brightened. The map he had been looking for was here.
¡°We hit the jackpot.¡±
The gloves were nothing special, but the ring was different. It was the greatest treasure he had obtained while exploring the 2nd floor.
¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±
***
¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±
As soon as the two came out, people¡¯s attention began to focus on them.
¡°Isn¡¯t that ancient armor?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an item that was only found on the 1st floor¡ Where did you find it?¡±
People were shocked as they looked at the items Thibaut was carrying.
¡°Look at that. It even has the APG (Ancient Power Gauntlet)!¡±
¡°It¡¯s a relic that says even a weakling will be as strong as a bull just by wearing it!¡±
¡°I heard mercenaries are going crazy trying to get that relic.¡±
Greedy gazes poured in from all over. Thibaut asked worriedly at the people¡¯s reaction.
¡°Victor-nim, the way people are looking at us is not good.¡±
Just then, a man stepped in front of the two and shouted.
¡°Hey! Sell me those items! I¡¯ll give you 1 gold for all of them!¡±
The moment the man shouted that another person shouted.
¡°1 gold? Where are you trying to rip people off¡ I¡¯ll give you 5 gold! So sell it to me!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t listen to that nonsense! I¡¯ll give you 8 gold!¡±
People who wanted to bargain appeared in the blink of an eye.
In no time, a dozen people surrounded Damien and offered prices.
Damien, the person in question, had no intention of selling these items right away.
It was a foolish act to sell an item without knowing the exact price.
¡®They¡¯re really popr, huh.¡¯
He didn¡¯t think there would be so many people trying to buy just some low-grade defense equipment. It was a poprity that exceeded Damien¡¯s expectations.
¡®I¡¯ve almost spent all the money I had. Maybe I should make some money on this opportunity.¡¯
The rewards he had received from the duke and the king were almost all used up as he went through various things.
Damien wasn¡¯t exactly the type of person to be obsessed with money, but he wasn¡¯t a fool who would miss an opportunity to make money easily either.
¡°V, Victor-nim, what do you n to do?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll sell themter. We can¡¯t just hand them over without knowing the price, right?¡±
¡°You are wise! I was thinking the same thing as Victor-nim!¡±
Just as Thibaut was spouting ttery,
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, get out of here!¡±
Along with the rough voices, three mercenaries pushed people aside and made way.
¡°We heard about the APG!¡±
¡°Our employer wants that item!¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt badly, you better sell it to our employer¡¡±
The mercenaries who pushed aside the merchants froze as they saw Damien¡¯s face.
On the other hand, Damien smiled brightly when he saw them.
¡°Aren¡¯t you guys Nos. 1, 2, and 3?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the three mercenaries froze in ce and started sweating profusely.
Behind the three, a group of people appeared.
¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did you all stop suddenly?¡±
A man wearing luxurious leather armor spoke nervously.
Then, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 quickly hid behind the nobleman and said.
¡°H, Heyden-nim! T, that guy is him! He¡¯s the crazy guy we told you about!¡±
At the words of the three mercenaries, the man called Heyden frowned and looked at Damien.
¡°That man is the scoundrel who you said exploited you?¡±
Thibaut looked at the emblem on Heyden¡¯s chest and whispered to Damien.
¡°Victor-nim¡ That man is Heyden Oldenburg, the head of the Oldenburg Viscount family. He¡¯s a well-known strongman in this area. He¡¯s a middle-ss.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impressive. I didn¡¯t know you knew so much about this area.¡±
¡°I did a lot of research beforeing here. It would be a big deal if we got involved with someone we didn¡¯t know about.¡±
Thibaut scratched his head as if he was embarrassed.
¡°Hey, you scoundrel. The three you used like ves on your way here are the famous mercenaries known as the rk Brothers.¡±
Heyden said in a sharp voice.
Somehow, all three of them seemed to be quite famous mercenaries as they handled aura.
¡°So I paid a high price to the Mercenary Guild and called them here. I nned to explore the depths of the ruins as soon as they joined, but¡¡±
Heyden clicked his tongue.
¡°Thanks to being exploited by you, they¡¯re not in good shape. So my ns have been dyed for a while.¡±
¡°So?¡±
Damien asked with an innocent face. Heyden burst outughing at his reaction.
¡°You still don¡¯t understand even after I said all this? That¡¯s whymoners are hopeless. Let me exin it in more detail. You¡¯re the one who messed up my ns.¡±
Heyden pointed at Damien.
¡°Originally, I nned to punish you but as soon as I saw you¡¡±
Heyden¡¯s gaze turned to Thibaut. To be exact, he was looking at the things Thibaut was carrying.
¡°As soon as I arrived at the ruins, I achieved such results¡ It seems you have a pretty good eye. That changes things.¡±
Heyden rubbed his hands and said.
¡°I will show you mercy. I will forget about the losses I suffered and give you a special opportunity to work under me.¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
Damien smiled with interest at those words.
¡°Of course, if you refuse¡ I will take one of your arms as punishment for the additional crime of obstructing me, on top of thepensation you owe me.¡±
At those words, Damien smiled even more and eximed in admiration.
¡°Ohh?!!!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 135
Chapter 135
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 135: The Ruins (3)
***
¡°You want to get hit that badly? I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡±
Damien opened a subspace and pulled out the wooden club.
As soon as the wooden club appeared, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 let out a shrill scream.
¡°I offered you a chance, and you make such a foolish choice¡¡±
Heyden looked at Damien with a ridiculous expression.
¡°Or do you not know who I am? If you knew who I was, you wouldn¡¯t be able to do this.¡±
¡°I know roughly who you are.¡±
¡°Roughly? How can you be so ignorant? That¡¯s why you made such a poor choice! But ignorance is not a crime, so I¡¯ll let you understand.¡±
Heyden clicked his tongue and said.
¡°My name is Heyden Oldenburg! Some people call me this! Heyden, who even makes crying babies stop! The majestic Heyden! Do you know why?¡±
[PR/N- Bro worked as part-time nanny]
Heyden said, putting his hand on his chest.
¡°Because I¡¯m a middle-ss knight!¡±
Damien¡¯s face became irritated as he listened to the information he already knew.
¡°Ah, but don¡¯t think of me as an ordinary middle-ss! I¡¯m the real deal, who has fought and won against many middle-ss! That¡¯s why some people call me¡¡±
¡°Can you just shut up and draw your sword?¡±
Damien said irritably. Heyden shook his head slowly from side to side with a stern expression.
¡°I was going to give you thest chance of thest chance¡ but you¡¯re making this choice again. Fine. I won¡¯t indulge you any further.¡±
Heyden slowly drew the sword from his waist. It was no ordinary sword, as it emanated a formidable aura.
¡°I don¡¯t intend to take your life. My warning was only about one arm¡ I¡¯ll cut it off cleanly and even provide you with first aid.¡±
Heyden raised his mana. A chilling aura pressured Damien.
¡°Ahyoho! Ohhoho!¡±
Heyden charged forward, letting out a strange battle cry. The de imbued with aura pressured Damien.
¡®He¡¯s not just all talk.¡¯
Just because they were of the same realm didn¡¯t mean their skills were the same. Even within the same realm, there were differences in level.
Heyden was a strongman in the upper ranks of the middle ss. His well-refined swordsmanship proved that fact.
However, even so, he was only a middle-ss. Heyden¡¯s attacks couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on Damien¡¯s head.
¡°You¡¯re quite agile! But that won¡¯t be enough to stop my swordsmanship! Yohoho!¡±
Suddenly, Heyden¡¯s aura extended like a whip. As Heyden swung his sword wildly, the extended aura surrounded Damien.
¡°I¡¯m going to chop you up like a diced potato!¡±
The aura pressured Damien. Just then, Damien grabbed the club with both hands and swung it at the whip of aura. Heyden burst outughing at the sight.
¡°Have you ever seen such a foolish person! You can¡¯t stop aura with a wooden club¡¡±
With a sound of breaking pottery, Heyden¡¯s aura shattered. Heyden¡¯s mouth opened wide at the sight.
¡°¡Is that possible?¡±
While Heyden was still in confusion, Damien struck him on the crown with the club.
Bonk!
With a dull sound, Heyden¡¯s head bent forward. Seeing this, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 screamed and grabbed their own heads.
¡°Ugh, uwaaaah!¡±
Heyden held his head and backed away. Soon, he realized that his crown was intact and muttered with a surprised face.
¡°Huh? What, what is this? I thought my head was going to explode¡¡±
¡°Do you have the time to be thinking about other things?¡±
Damien, who had somehow approached from behind, swung the club at the back of Heyden¡¯s head.
Bonk!
It was a surprise attack, and there was no time to prepare. Heyden grabbed the back of his head and groaned.
¡°I-I¡¯ve been hit again!¡±
Heyden turned around, filled with rage, but there was no one behind him.
¡°Huh, there¡¯s no one¡¡±
Bonk!
Just then, he was hit on the back of the head with a club again. Heyden¡¯s body lurched violently.
¡°Keep your eyes open and watch!¡±
Damien began hitting Heyden¡¯s head with the club without a break.
With Heyden¡¯s skill, he couldn¡¯t even see Damien¡¯s movements. So he was helpless to be beaten.
¡°Stop, stop!¡±
Heyden shouted, holding out his hands. Damien stopped his hand.
¡°Why, why are you only hitting my head? Do you think I¡¯m a drum!¡±
Heyden protested, sobbing. Damien tilted his head and asked.
¡°Then should I hit you somewhere else?¡±
¡°Of course, you should¡ No, I¡¯m not saying you should hit me¡!¡±
Damien¡¯s club moved again. This time, he started hitting Heyden all over his body, not just his head.
¡°Ouch! Ugh! Ah!¡±
Heyden screamed every time he was hit with the club.
¡°Okay, wait! Stop, stop!¡±
When Heyden, who had been beaten for a long time, shouted, Damien stopped his hand.
¡°You, you! Do you know who I¡¯m serving? I¡¯m serving Lord Duplessis!¡±
As he said this, Heyden made a very smug face.
He looked as if he thought Damien would be scared if he said this name.
The problem was that Damien didn¡¯t know who Duplessis was at all.
¡°Lord Victor! Lord Victor!¡±
Thibaut ran up to Damien and whispered to him.
¡°Lord Duplessis is one of the High-sses of the Macadamia Kingdom. He is famous for his incredible skill with the spear!¡±
¡°¡You seem to know a lot about this ce.¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s detailed, because I paid an information group for it.¡±
Thibaut said, looking embarrassed.
¡°That sneaky man over there knows very well! Do you understand now? If you keep hitting me like this, your future will be very bleak!¡±
Heyden added confidently.
¡°That¡¯s right, Lord Duplessis is a High-ss!¡±
There was a brief silence. Damien said shortly.
¡°Oh, I see.¡±
And he started beating Heyden again.
¡°Ugh! Wait! Stop!¡±
This time, Damien didn¡¯t stop even when Heyden begged.
***
Heyden¡¯s beating did not end until a long timeter.
Damien put the club, which had be battered from all the beating, into his subspace.
¡°I feel refreshed for once.¡±
Thibaut looked at Damien with a shocked expression.
¡°Why? Do you have something to say?¡±
¡°Oh, no. No, not at all!¡±
Thibaut shook his head.
¡°Let¡¯s go find a ce to stay.¡±
They had a lot to do today. They had to make a n to find the Gathdal based on the map they had obtained from the ruins.
¡°You¡ you did this to me¡!¡±
That¡¯s when it happened.
Heyden staggered to his feet. He had no physical wounds, but he had been beaten so badly that he could barely control his body.
¡°You think I¡¯m going to put up with this?¡±
Heyden pulled something out of his pocket. It was a metal object shaped like an egg.
The moment he saw the object, Damien¡¯s eyes turned fierce.
It was not an ordinary object. It was a relic that could be found in the ruins, and it was an object that would explode if the lid was opened and thrown.
¡°You crazy bastard. You¡¯re not going to use that, are you?¡±
¡°Oh ho¡ you seem to know what this is. Then you must also know how powerful it is!¡±
It was clear that if that bomb exploded, everything within a 20-meter radius would be wiped out without a trace.
¡°Even for you, that¡¯s something to be afraid of!¡±
It was a ridiculous statement.
As Damien ascended to the High-ss, his body was strengthened by mana.
That kind of bomb couldn¡¯t kill Damien. It would be the same even if there were not one, but one hundred.
The problem was that other people besides Damien would die.
Damien had never thought of himself as some kind of guardian angel person.
However, it was clear that he would not be able to sleep soundly if innocent people died because of a conflict that he had caused.
¡°If you¡¯re going to detonate that, I won¡¯t just stand by.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re so scary. Why don¡¯t you try stopping me!¡±
As Heyden grabbed the lid of the metal object, Damien activated his Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. He nned to break Heyden¡¯s neck in an instant.
Just then, something came flying at them at a fast speed. A dagger pierced Heyden¡¯s forearm and stuck into the ground.
¡°Ahhh!¡±
Heyden screamed and dropped the bomb. He clutched his bleeding forearm and groaned.
¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±
A stern voice rang out. Damien looked in the direction of the voice.
A stern voice rang out. A knight in heavy armor was walking over with his soldiers.
The knight and the soldiers¡¯ armor were decorated with the emblem of the Almond country.
¡°D, Do, Lord Dominico!¡±
Heyden cried out in fear as soon as he saw the knight.
¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. What were you trying to do just now? Were you really nning to detonate that dangerous relic here?¡±
The knight¡¯s face was not visible because he was wearing a helmet.
However, it was clear that he was very angry.
Heyden broke out in a cold sweat at Dominico¡¯s menacing voice.
¡°N, not me, you, you have to question thatmoner over there! Amoner of unknown origin dares to¡ touch a noble!¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯m asking you about your crime right now.¡±
Dominico said, picking up the bomb that had fallen to the ground.
¡°You must have heard the rules beforehand, right? In return for allowing the activities of nobles and knights, you must not cause any disturbances on the ground.¡±
Dominico added in a cold tone.
¡°Heyden Oldenbourg. You have vited the rules, so I will have you expelled from the Almond Kingdom.¡±
¡°What, what are you saying? T, this can¡¯t be! Do, do you think Lord Duplessis will just sit back and watch?¡±
¡°Do whatever you want. Take this man away.¡±
The soldiers of the Almond Kingdom approached Heyden Oldenbourg. Heyden red at the soldiers.
¡°Just try toe near me! I¡¯ll kill you all¡¡±
Just then, Dominico moved. He approached Heyden and punched him in the jaw.
¡°Crack!¡±
Heyden rolled his eyes and copsed. The soldiers of the Almond Kingdom dragged Heyden away and disappeared.
¡°That was a close call.¡±
Dominico said, looking back at Damien. Damien could not help but admire the light shining from within his helmet.
¡®He¡¯s a High-ss.¡¯
There was a reason why he was so confident even after hearing the name Duplessis. He was a powerful man who had reached the realm of High-ss.
Damien went on to see the true value of the knight, Dominico.
¡®He has the talent to reach Master ss.¡¯
It had been a long time since he had seen such a genius after the sword empress.
¡°As the person in charge of security, I have no choice but to apologize. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡±
Dominico said, taking off his helmet. A rough face, like a poorly made loaf of bread, appeared.
His eyes were so small that they were barely visible, and he was covered in scars, making him look very fierce. It was a face that could not be called handsome even with empty words.
The moment he saw Dominico¡¯s bare face, Damien could not help but be shocked.
Was it because he was ugly? That wasn¡¯t it.
¡®¡The Domingo the Bloody Tears.¡¯
In his previous life, he was one of the most powerfulmanders that Gathdal had ever had.
The cursed monster that had killed countless Masters was standing before his eyes.
***
Death Knights are born when their flesh and soul are both corrupted, while Commanders are undead born when only their soul is corrupted.
Gathdal gathered the souls of excellent knights to create Commanders. He then formed them into an order of knights and made them his main force.
Among them, the Commander Gathdal loved the most was Domingo the Bloody Tears.
The name Domingo was given by Gathdal, but the nickname ¡°Bloody Tears¡± was given by humans.
True to his nickname, Domingo constantly shed red tears. The ces he passed by would be marked with a red line.
¡®Domingo is probably just a different reading of Dominico.¡¯
Dominico asked, touching his face, wondering if it was strange that Damien was staring at him.
¡°Why are you staring so hard? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a very handsome face.¡±
¡°You look like someone I know.¡±
¡°That friend of yours probably doesn¡¯t have a very handsome face either.¡±
Dominico burst outughing. But when Damien didn¡¯tugh, he scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.
¡°Anyway, you¡¯re really strong. Heyden is a bit strange, but he¡¯s an excellent knight who is hard to find an opponent for. To think you would crush him so easily.¡±
Dominico continued, looking worried.
¡°But you were reckless. Heyden belongs to the Duplessis faction. Duplessis won¡¯t leave you alone after this.¡±
It was understandable that Dominico was worried. No one would be content to sit back and do nothing after their pride was hurt.
This was especially true for a High-ss like Duplessis.
¡°I¡¯ll protect you as much as I can while you¡¯re on the ground¡ but be especially careful when you enter the ruins.¡±
With that, Dominico turned and left with the soldiers of the Almond Kingdom.
Damien followed Dominico¡¯s back and realized something.
There was a woman standing in the direction he was walking.
She was a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair that seemed to have been drawn with a brush. Her eyes were calm and her skin was pale, almost white.
¡°Wow¡ I never thought I¡¯d see Princess Freize outside.¡±
Thibaut, who had approached at some point, spoke to Damien.
¡°There¡¯s a reason why the nobles are flocking to the ruins. Not only can you get your hands on the Relic sword, but you can also marry a beautiful woman like that.¡±
As soon as Dominico approached, Princess Freize stuck to his side. She began to whisper in a small voice.
Whatever the conversation was about, Dominico¡¯s face was covered in a smile.
¡°It seems like Lord Victor also likes the princess.¡±
Thibaut said with a meaningful smile. Damien couldn¡¯t help but frown at his words.
¡°What nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±
¡°Yes? Then why are you still staring at the princess ?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
Damien looked back at the two of them. The two people together looked very happy.
But that happiness would soon be destroyed.
This is because Gathdal would kill all the soldiers and knights of the Almond Kingdom and absorb them into his own army.
Maybe it was because of his memories from his Death Knight days. The fate of those two didn¡¯t seem good.
It seemed like he knew why Dominico was called Domingo the Bloody Tears in his previous life.
¡®I¡¯ll stop it this time.¡¯
Let¡¯s find Gathdal and kill him before those things repeat again.
Damien added one more goal.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 136
Chapter 136
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 136: The Ruins (4)
***
Rumors about Damien spread quickly throughout the Almond Country.
Within a day, everyone near the ruins knew about him, or rather, Victor.
¡°Did you hear? A new explorer named Victor has appeared. He¡¯s apparently very good at finding relics.¡±
¡°So what if he¡¯s good at finding them? Why are you so excited?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? He found an APG!¡±
¡°What? The 1st and 2nd floors have been dry for a long time! Where did he find such a precious thing?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. But sometimes there are people who have a knack for sniffing out treasure.¡±
People were amazed and talked about the items Damien had found.
¡°It¡¯s been a while since a big shot appeared. Maybe this explorer can find the Relic sword.¡±
¡°Well¡ maybe he¡¯ll die before that.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°That Victor guy messed with Duplessis¡¯ faction.¡±
¡°What, really?¡±
The Almond Country was currently filled with nobles who wanted to find the Relic Sword and marry Princess Freize.
Among the nobles, there were many who formed alliances instead of exploring the ruins alone.
Of the factions that were created in this way, Duplessis¡¯ faction was thergest and most powerful.
¡°If what you say is true¡ that young Victor won¡¯tst long.¡±
¡°It¡¯s good for us. It means one less dangerouspetitor.¡±
While people were talking about him, Damien was lying in bed at the inn, making ns.
¡°It¡¯s a total of 7 floors deep.¡±
Damien muttered as he looked at the map he had obtained from the ruins.
The ruins were shaped like a triangle. The scale gotrger andrger as you went down the floors.
¡°It¡¯s going to take a long time to search this ce thoroughly.¡±
It wasn¡¯t enough to just search the visible areas. There were probably hidden rooms in the ruins as well.
However, Damien was not too worried. Damien¡¯s detection range was very wide.
If he could detect even a little bit of Gathdal¡¯s dark magic, he could follow it and find him.
¡°Maybe he¡¯lle out to catch me.¡±
Gathdal would definitely react in some way after Damien destroyed the undead he had created.
Would he be angry? Probably not. The undead that Damien had destroyed during the day were simple undead that Gathdal could create easily.
Right now, Gathdal was in the process of collecting people¡¯s souls for his research on ¡®memories¡¯.
And not just any souls, but souls with richbat experience.
So there was no way he would let go of a skilled warrior like Damien. He would try to catch him by any means necessary.
¡°I¡¯ll have to go deeper tomorrow.¡±
Damien decided to be the most tempting bait possible to lure Gathdal out.
***
The next day, Damien headed to the entrance of the ruins early in the morning.
¡°Lord Victor! Good morning!¡±
Thibaut greeted Damien, bowing his waist.
¡°Please leave all the annoying tasks to me today!¡±
He looked at Thibaut and said in surprise.
¡°You didn¡¯t run away?¡±
Before they parted ways yesterday, Thibaut was trembling, saying that the Duplessis faction would not sit still.
So Damien thought Thibaut would have run away to avoid being associated with him anymore.
¡°To be honest, if I said I didn¡¯t think about that, I¡¯d be lying¡¡±
Thibaut said with a determined face.
¡°When else in my life will I meet someone as great as Lord Victor? I can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡±
¡°I never said I would give you an opportunity?¡±
¡°Huh? Yes? That¡¯s¡¡±
Despair appeared on Thibaut¡¯s face. Damienughed.
¡°I¡¯m just kidding. If you do your job properly, I¡¯ll make sure you get a share.¡±
Thibaut¡¯s knowledge was quite useful, even though Damien didn¡¯t know it.
Thanks to him, Damien didn¡¯t need to learn about the Almond Country separately.
¡°Here.¡±
Damien threw the guard uniform and APG he had obtained yesterday to Thibaut.
Thibaut took the equipment and looked at Damien with a surprised face.
¡°Why are you giving this to me¡?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you. I¡¯m lending it to you.¡±
Damien was nning to go deep into the ruins today.
Damien himself was not in danger, but he didn¡¯t know about Thibaut.
¡°It might be dangerous, so I¡¯m lending it to you. Use it carefully and return it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll lend it to you in case you have to fight. Use it carefully.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°If you do a good job, I might just give it to you.¡±
Thibaut¡¯s eyes widened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°T, this Thibaut! I will work with the attitude of a living saint!¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡±
Damien was about to enter the ruins. Then, Thibaut spoke to Damien.
¡°P, please wait a moment, Lord Victor.¡±
Thibaut went into an alley and came back with a carrying pole. Damien looked at him with a dumbfounded face and asked.
¡°What did you bring that for?¡±
¡°Oh, I just brought it in case. If we have more luggage than yesterday, it will be difficult to carry.¡±
Thibaut was a more prepared man than Damien thought.
***
Damien went down to the 3rd floor of the ruins with Thibaut.
Like the 1st and 2nd floors, the 3rd floor was also empty. This was because the mercenaries and explorers had already taken everything of value.
¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like there are any hidden items here either.¡¯
Damien skipped the 3rd floor and headed straight to the 4th floor.
The 4th floor had multiple entrances. Damien entered the 4th floor through the nearest entrance.
As soon as he entered the 4th floor, he heard a loud noise.
¡°Hey! This area is ours first!¡±
¡°Nonsense! We got here first!¡±
Mercenaries were fighting everywhere. Some were hitting the walls with pickaxes.
¡°From what I know, when nobles conquer a certain floor, other people flock to it and take everything that¡¯s worth money.¡±
Thibaut said to Damien. That¡¯s why there were so many people on the 4th floor.
¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like I need to go around the 4th floor either.¡¯
It was hard to believe that Gathdal would be hiding in a ce with so many people.
It was also difficult to find hidden items because there were so many people watching.
¡°Let¡¯s go to the 5th floor.¡±
Thibaut¡¯s body stiffened at the mention of the 5th floor.
Unlike the 1st to 4th floors, the 5th floor had not yet been fully explored. It was also very dangerous.
¡°You can go up if you¡¯re scared.¡±
¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m not!¡±
There were also many doors leading to the 5th floor. Just as Damien was about to enter through a nearby door,
¡°Stop.¡±
Two men standing at the entrance stopped Damien.
¡°This is the door to the exploration area assigned to the ¡®Obter¡¯ mercenary group. Outsiders are not allowed to enter. If you want to go to the 5th floor, go through another door.¡±
Damien was taken aback by the unexpected situation. Thibaut then exined to Damien.
¡°Lord Victor, I¡¯ve been here before. I heard that the deeper parts of the ruins are divided into exploration areas by powerful forces.¡±
¡°Why are you telling me this now?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t know they would block the entrance.¡±
Thibaut said, scratching his head.
¡°Lord Victor, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t sh with the Obter mercenary group if you can. They have three Middle-ss knights, including the leader.¡±
As Thibaut spoke with a worried face, Damien nodded as if he understood.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t n to fight unnecessarily.¡±
¡°You are wise.¡±
¡°If they listen to my demands, that is.¡±
¡°¡¡What?¡±
Leaving the confused Thibaut behind, Damien spoke to the mercenaries.
¡°I don¡¯t n to interfere with your operation. Just let me go to the 5th floor.¡±
¡°How can we believe that?¡±
The mercenary said in a cold tone.
¡°The 5th floor is crawling with ancient golems. You could lose your life if you make one wrong move. We can¡¯t have a risk factor behind our backs.¡±
The mercenaries said in a firm tone. Damien pondered for a moment and then opened his mouth.
¡°Then there¡¯s nothing I can do. I have no choice but to force them to understand.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about? How can you force understanding¡¡¡±
Damien¡¯s hand moved quickly. The back of his hand brushed lightly against the mercenary¡¯s chin.
That was all it took for the mercenary¡¯s head to shake violently. The mercenary lost consciousness.
¡°Henson!¡±
Seeing that, hispanion was taken aback and drew his weapon.
¡°How dare you¡¡±
Damien¡¯s hand moved again. Once more, his palm brushed against the mercenary¡¯s chin, causing him to copse.
¡°Luckily, seems like these two understand me. Shall we go in now?¡±
Thibaut looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
¡°Why? Do you have something to say?¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s not it¡¡±
At that moment, something suddenly flew out from the door leading to the fifth floor.
After rolling on the ground several times, it stopped in front of Damien.
¡°Eek!¡±
Seeing it, Thibaut screamed. The object that flew from the door was a person.
Covered in blood, his limbs were crushed and his form barely recognizable.
¡°No¡no escape¡all dead¡the leader and¡the members¡all dead¡¡±
Before he could finish speaking, his head slumped to the side. He had stopped breathing.
¡°What in the world¡¡±
Thibaut was paralyzed with horror. Then, a heavy sound came from the direction of the door.
Something wasing up from the fifth floor to the fourth.
A metallic body.
Large external eyes upying half of its face.
Seeing it, Thibaut eximed in horror.
¡°An¡ ancient golem!¡±
At his cry, other mercenaries on the fourth floor also looked towards the door.
¡°¡An ancient golem!¡±
¡°The ancient golem ising up!¡±
The mercenaries, upon seeing the ancient golem, dropped what they were holding and began to flee. Over dozens of people rushed towards the entrance.
¡°Oh, an ancient golem.¡±
Damien looked at the golem with an intrigued expression. Since his regression, it was his first time encountering an ancient golem.
The ancient golems here looked quite different from the ones Damien had encountered in his past life.
¡°©ß©Ï©¥©ï©¥.¡±
The ancient golem spoke in a strangenguage. Unlike others, Damien could understand thatnguage.
¡°It seems they¡¯ve found intruders and intend to kill them.¡±
Light emanated from the crystal embedded in the golem¡¯s chest, spreading throughout its body.
Simultaneously, light began to flow from the surface of the sword held by the golem.
¡°Seems like it¡¯s carrying dangerous items.¡±
The ancient golem itself was dangerous, but the sword it wielded looked even more perilous.
It was iparable to the equipment of ancient guards found on the first floor.
¡°©¥©ï©¥!¡±
The ancient golem leaped. Despite its metallic body, it looked as light as a feather.
¡°It¡¯s better than human.¡±
Damien muttered in admiration as he dodged backward. At this point, a human would have been overwhelmed, but the ancient golem remained quiet.
¡°Perhaps because it¡¯s made of metal, it doesn¡¯t feel the satisfaction of ridiculing others.¡±
As the ancient golem swung its sword, splitting the ground and ceiling with each strike.
¡°This should trouble even middle-ss knights. Quite a formidable piece of scrap metal.¡±
As the ancient golem continued to swing its sword, splitting the walls and ceiling.
Dodging another strike, Damien continued. The power of the ancient golem was remarkable, more so than he had anticipated.
The golem leaped again, aiming its sword at Damien¡¯s head. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the attack.
At the same time, he swung his sword, beheading the golem. Its head fell to the ground, and its body knelt, lifeless.
Even without using Aura, Damien felt no resistance. It was evidence that the mana within him surpassed that of the metal body of the ancient golem.
¡°Your power has improved.¡±
Damien praised, and Dawn let out a joyful ring. It seemed quite satisfied.
¡°Collect everything. We can sell itter.¡±
Damien instructed Thibaut.
Since the ancient golem contained the technology of an ancient civilization, many mages were willing to pay a fortune to acquire it.
¡°Also, gather the weapons.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Thibaut loaded the ancient golem onto a cart and tied it to his back.
¡°Huh? It¡¯s lighter than I thought?¡±
Thibaut said in surprise. This too was a marvel of ancient civilization. Despite its appearance, the ancient golem was quite light.
¡°Shall we go down then?¡±
¡°Yeah!¡±
The two descended to the fifth floor along the entrance.
***
As soon as they went down to the 5th floor, they saw arge sign.
<©»©·©³©¿©»©·©³©¿©»©·©³©¿>
It said ¡°Researcher¡¯s Office¡± when interpreted.
The workshop and the researcher didn¡¯t seem to go together, but it was nothing unusual in ancient civilizations.
After all, ancient craftsmen were also excellent researchers.
¡°Hey, Lord Victor. There¡¯s something drawn here.¡±
Thibaut said, pointing to the wall next to him.
There was arge bulletin board hanging there. There were many papers hanging on the bulletin board.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised as he looked at the papers.
¡°This is¡¡±
These papers contained information about the equipment being manufactured in the workshop.
Among them, there was a paper that particrly caught Damien¡¯s attention.
The surface of the paper was covered with arge sword and countless ancient characters.
Damien read the words one by one.
¡°A statemission¡ an item to protect the soon-to-be-born prince¡ a sword that moves on its own and protects its master¡ 30 des in one body¡ must be able to move separately even when divided¡ the name of the project is¡¡±
Thest sentence was blurry, but he could somehow read it.
¡°Is it ¡®Mana-Controlled Sword¡¯?¡±
***
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Chapter 137
Chapter 137
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 137: Warning (1)
***
Mana-Controlled Sword.
The ability of the sword to freely float in the air ording to the user¡¯s will.
At first nce, it sounds simr to swordsmanship, but it was a much higher-level technique.
Historically, there were not many users of Mana-Controlled Sword among the Master ss.
It was not a matter of skill, but a matter of directionality.
This was because in order to use Mana-Controlled Sod, one had to attain a state simr to the Path of Gods. For example, Ten Thousand Flow Perception or Life taking the sword.
Since the realms rted to Mana-Controlled Sword are extremely rare, even Damien had only heard of them and had never seen them in action.
However, looking at the records of the Mana-Controlled Sword, it was clear that it was very versatile and powerful.
¡®Did they try to implement Mana-Controlled Sword into the Relic Sword?¡¯
They probably couldn¡¯t have implemented it perfectly.
Master ss was a position that only geniuses among geniuses could reach after honing their skills for a lifetime.
Therefore, it was impossible even with the technology of the ancient civilization topletely implement the realm of a Master ss.
However, considering the anecdotes of Mana-Controlled Sword, even just imitating it would be incredibly powerful.
¡®So the Relic Sword that Princess Freize is looking for is this.¡¯
As Damien was looking at the paper and lost in thought,
Footsteps could be heard from inside.
Two ancient golems were approaching Damien¡¯s location.
Judging from the fact that they were wearing armor, it seemed that they had just finished massacring the Obter mercenary group.
¡°Lord Victor! It¡¯s ancient golems!¡±
Thibaut shouted as he ran back. Damien temporarily put aside his interest in the Relic Sword and gripped Dawn in his hand.
The ancient golems that appeared this time were different from the ones he had fought just now in many ways.
They were bigger, and above all, they were holding different weapons. One was holding an axe and the other a spear.
Damien smiled as he looked at the ancient golems¡¯ weapons.
¡°I wonder how much they¡¯ll sell for?¡±
The moment Damien said that the two ancient golems charged at him.
As soon as the ancient golems came into range, Damien swung Dawn widely.
Dawn drew a semicircle and sliced through the necks of the ancient golems one after another.
The headless golems copsed to the ground.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
Thibaut asked Damien with an incredulous face.
¡°L-Lord Victor. Are ancient golems originally this weak?¡±
They charged first, but they couldn¡¯t even dodge Damien¡¯s single sword strike and their necks were cut off.
To Thibaut, who knew nothing about swordsmanship, it looked like the ancient golems had simply offered their necks.
¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just that my sword is so fast that they didn¡¯t even have time to react.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
It might sound like an excuse at first nce, but Thibaut could only nod his head.
This was because he had seen with his own eyes how strong Damien was.
¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and carry these guys. We need to go inside now.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Thibaut quickly got to work.
***
After that, Damien explored every corner of the 5th floor.
Perhaps because it was the researchers¡¯ office, he was able to find various items.
There were books, of course, as well as blueprints of unknown origin and equipment that was still under construction.
Unfortunately, most of the equipment was too old and damaged to be used.
¡®That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to find good items even when you find ruins.¡¯
The ruins were from a distant past. So most of the relics were damaged or destroyed.
Still, it wasn¡¯t aplete loss. He was able to find many relics that could still be used.
¡®I¡¯ve been walking around for so long, but I haven¡¯t met anyone.¡¯
Judging by the asional sounds and the asional smell of blood in the air, it was clear that there were people on the 5th floor.
However, the 5th floor was sorge that they couldn¡¯t meet.
¡®This should be enough for Gathdal to appear.¡¯
Contrary to Damien¡¯s expectations, Gathdal did not show up.
¡®Why is that? Is he perhaps wary of me?¡¯
While Damien was lost in thought,
¡°L-Lord Victor¡ I can¡¯t carry anymore.¡±
Thibaut said from behind in a tired voice. Thibaut¡¯s back was piled high with the relics Damien had found.
¡°Let¡¯s go back for today.¡±
Damien decided to return, not thinking Gathdal would show up even if he stayed.
***
As the two emerged, the attention of people nearby was focused on them.
¡°Look at that. I¡¯ve never seen so many relics.¡±
¡°Even the forces that im to explore the 5th floor only manage to find one or two weapons at best¡ how did they do it?¡±
People were amazed at the sight of Thibaut¡¯s back.
¡°Look, there¡¯s an ancient golem lying down there! Isn¡¯t that a captain-level one?¡±
¡°No way¡ captain-level ones are difficult even for middle-ss knights to deal with, and yet they only have two¡ wait, that is also a captain-level one!¡±
From their perspective, Thibaut¡¯s back was no different from a treasure trove.
Everyone was busy crowding around and admiring the items on the back.
¡°A captain-level golems with no damage at all. The mages will go crazy over this.¡±
¡°And it¡¯s not just the mages, is it? They also have the weapons used by the captain-level ancient golems. How much would the knights covet those weapons?¡±
However, unlike the first day, there were no people trying to bargain.
¡°To survive after encountering three ancient golems¡¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t approach them carelessly. Look at what happened yesterday. He beat Sir Heyden like a dog.¡±
This was because everyone was afraid of Damien because of the incident that happened yesterday.
Thanks to this, Damien was able to walk the roadfortably without anyone blocking his way.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Three men blocked Damien¡¯s path. All three were wearing armor and a considerable amount of mana could be felt from them.
¡°What business do you knights have with me?¡±
Damien spoke to the three. Then, the man in the middle stepped forward.
He was a man wearingrge sses and a checkered bakerboy hat.
¡°My name is Sanchez, and I serve Sir Duplessis.¡±
The knight, Sanchez, spoke, raising his chin slightly. He had a rather arrogant attitude.
When Damien just stared nkly at Sanchez, Sanchez spoke again.
¡°I said I serve Sir Duplessis.¡±
¡°So what? Tell me what you want.¡±
Damien said curtly. Sanchez frowned.
¡°¡You don¡¯t even show respect after hearing Sir Duplessis¡¯s name? As I heard, you¡¯re a really cheeky guy. Well, fine. I don¡¯t want to talk to you for long either, so I¡¯ll just deliver Sir Duplessis¡¯s message briefly.¡±
Sanchez took out a scroll from inside his coat and unrolled it.
¡°I, Duplessis, am greatly angered by the incident yesterday. Considering the humiliation you gave Sir Heyden, I should behead you right now and feed your corpse to the pigs.¡±
The people around him hardened their expressions at the grim content.
Only Damien, the person involved, listened with an indifferent face.
¡°However, I heard that you are quite capable. I have no intention of wasting talent. So I will give you ast chance. Come to me, apologize for your wrongdoings, and serve me until your bones crumble. Then I will forgive your sins.¡±
Sanchez rolled up the scroll again and put it in his arms. Then he spoke as if he were moved.
¡°Isn¡¯t he a truly magnanimous man? He says he will forgive a sinner like you. Sir Duplessis is truly a model of nobility and worth serving¡¡±
¡°What if I don¡¯t go?¡±
Damien interrupted Sanchez¡¯s words and asked. Sanchez red at Damien, displeased that his words were cut off.
¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re curious about that, but¡¡±
Sanchez approached Damien. Then he whispered in Damien¡¯s ear.
¡°If you don¡¯te¡ Sir Duplessis ns to mobilize all his connections to ruin you.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Yes. Sir Duplessis is one of only two high-ss knights in this kingdom. Can you imagine how extensive his connections are? A wandering swordsman like you can be killed without him even making a move.¡±
Sanchez said with a mocking face.
¡°You might get hit by a stray arrow while entering the ruins. The ruins themselves might be banned from entering. You won¡¯t be able to restfortably outside either.¡±
As the story went on, a meaningful smile appeared on Sanchez¡¯s face.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to go through such things, it would be better for you to obediently apologize to Sir Duplessis.¡±
To Sanchez, he must have thought he was giving the most terrifying warning possible, but to Damien, it was just annoying.
¡®I¡¯m busy looking for Gathdal, and now this bullshit. What a jerk¡¡¯
It was ridiculous that a mere high-ss knight was making such threats.
¡®I can¡¯t publicly reveal that I¡¯m a high-ss knight.¡¯
Although not as rare as the master ss, high-ss knights were still quite rare, with only a few existing in each country.
If it became known that Damien was a high-ss knight, his identity might be exposed.
Just then, a thought crossed Damien¡¯s mind.
¡®¡Wait, I might be able to use this to draw out Gathdal.¡¯
Gathdal was currently in the middle of collecting souls for his research.
He would need the souls of excellent warriors to get good results.
¡®Given Gathdal¡¯s personality, he must have a way or two to collect information even while holed up in the depths.¡¯
If he shed with the Duplessis faction, Damien¡¯s fame would inevitably rise, and Gathdal would also be interested.
¡®I might even be able to lure Duplessis into the depths of the ruins by provoking him.¡¯
In the ruins, where no one could see, he could easily crush Duplessis.
¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡±
Damien snapped out of his reverie at Sanchez¡¯s question.
¡°You seem to want an answer?¡±
¡°That¡¯s obvious. Answer quickly. Will you ept Sir Duplessis¡¯s mercy or¡.¡±
Damien opened his spatial ring and took out his club.
At that, Sanchez and the other two knights recoiled in fear.
¡°¡Why did you take that out?¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re curious about that?¡±
Damienughed, patting his palm with the club.
¡°This is my answer.¡±
Sanchez and the two knights hurriedly tried to grab their sword hilts.
However, Damien¡¯s club struck the heads of all three men before they could.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 138
Chapter 138
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 138: Warning (2)
***
When Sanchez received the order to capture the man named Victor, he didn¡¯t think it would be too difficult.
He had heard the news that Victor had beaten Heyden to a pulp with a single club, but he didn¡¯t take it seriously.
There were many knights under Duplessis who were more skilled than Heyden. For example, Sanchez himself.
¡®He fought Heyden with a club? It must have been a close fight, but I can do that too!¡¯
In terms of skill, the man named Victor might be slightly, just slightly, better than him. However, Sanchez was not alone. He had two knights of a simr ss apanying him.
That¡¯s why he was confident.
He was confident that he could subdue the man named Victor and bring back results that would satisfy Sir Duplessis.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
That confidence disappeared the moment he saw the club falling over his head.
He couldn¡¯t even react, let alone block it. The attack was that fast.
If he couldn¡¯t avoid it, he could only endure it. Fortunately, the club that Victor swung was not made of iron, but of wood. It wouldn¡¯t hurt that much even if he got hit¡
Bonk!
¡°Ugh!¡±
The moment the club hit his head, excruciating pain spread throughout his body.
What? What is this?
With a brief question, Sanchez¡¯s head hit the ground. The dirty mud that countless people had stepped on and passed by was smeared all over his face.
The unpleasant smell of dirt wafted through his nostrils, but Sanchez couldn¡¯t lift his head.
It really hurt.
It hurt so much that he didn¡¯t even have the time to feel his wounds with his hands. He could only wait for the pain to subside.
¡°Ugh, ughhh!¡±
Only after the pain had subsided somewhat was Sanchez able to lift his head. He rubbed the affected area with both hands.
¡°My, my head is fine?¡±
He thought his head would have burst open, but there was no wound at all. Sanchez was puzzled by this strange phenomenon.
Just then, a shadow loomed over his head.
He turned his head and saw Victor holding the club. Sanchez screamed and hurriedly spoke.
¡°W, wait! I¡¯m Sir Duplessis¡¯s messenger! If you touch me again, it will be considered a deration of war against Sir Duplessis!¡±
From Sanchez¡¯s point of view, he was making a threat in the sense of asking not to be hit anymore. However, the other party¡¯s reaction was somewhat strange.
¡°Oh? Really?¡±
Sanchez felt a sense of foreboding, but he emphasized again.
¡°I, I really am! If Sir Duplessis finds out that you touched me, he will be furious¡ W, wait!¡±
Damien immediately swung the club down. It hurt even more than before.
¡°Why, why are you hitting me again¡ Argh! Ughhh!¡±
Moreover, this time it didn¡¯t end with just one hit. Victor beat Sanchez all over his body.
¡°Those guys are up too?¡±
He didn¡¯t forget to beat the knights who had apanied Sanchez.
Only after a long time of beating did the club stop. Damien wiped the sweat from his forehead and said.
¡°Now I feel a little better.¡±
At those words, Sanchez felt anger welling up inside him.
However, he couldn¡¯t even get up recklessly. He thought he would get hit by Victor again if he did.
¡°What is this all about?¡±
Just then, a stern voice rang out. At the familiar voice, Sanchez quickly raised his head.
A man with a grim face was walking over, wearing thick armor.
Behind the man followed knights and soldiers bearing the emblem of the Almond Country.
A high-ss knight of the Almond Country.
It was Dominico who had appeared.
¡°D, Dominico!¡±
Sanchez hurriedly ran towards Dominico. He grabbed the hem of his pants and shouted.
¡°That guy! That Victor guy attacked me! He beat me and the other knights with that club!¡±
Sanchez pointed at Victor and his hands trembled.
¡°T, this is a vition of the Almond country¡¯s rule that prohibits conflict on the ground. He must be expelled immediately.¡±
¡°Is that true?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask the other people!¡±
Sanchez said with a confident face. Then Dominico asked the people around him.
¡°Is what this man says true?¡±
¡°Uh¡ That man did swing the club first.¡±
The people nodded with trembling faces.
Regardless of the circumstances, it was true that Damien had used force first.
As the people agreed, Sanchez shouted in an even more arrogant voice.
¡°You see? Expel this man immediately! That¡¯s the rule of Almond Country!¡±
***
¡®What a pathetic bastard.¡¯
Damien looked at Sanchez and clicked his tongue inwardly. It seemed pathetic to him that a knight would not think of getting revenge himself and instead cling to Dominico.
Thibaut cautiously whispered to Damien.
¡°Sir Victor, I think you should exin yourself quickly.¡±
¡°Why should I do that?¡±
Damien asked, tilting his head.
¡°The atmosphere is a bit¡ If you continue like this, you might be expelled.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. That will never happen.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Although no one else had noticed, Dominico had actually been nearby since a while ago. Damien sensed Dominico¡¯s mana, so he was sure.
However, Dominico did not stop Damien from beating up the knights and just watched.
¡°Expulsion¡¡±
Dominico stroked his chin and pondered.
¡°Bute to think of it, there is only one person on that side and three on this side. Did you really get beaten up by three people fighting one?¡±
At Dominico¡¯s words, Sanchez¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°W, what¡¯s the big deal about that now!¡±
¡°It¡¯s a big deal. Because it means that the knights of Duplessis, who were so arrogant, can¡¯t even beat one person out of three.¡±
At Dominico¡¯s words, the knights and soldiers of the Almond Country burst outughing.
When theughter died down, Dominico spoke in a serious tone.
¡°It was clearly a disadvantageous fight for Victor. It¡¯s strange to put the me solely on Victor. I will not impose any punishment.¡±
¡°Sir Dominico! Are you really going to side with that man now?¡±
Sanchez shouted with an angry face. At that moment, the smile that had been on Dominico¡¯s face disappeared.
¡°And if I do?¡±
¡°W, what?¡±
¡°I asked what you n to do if I do.¡±
Dominico released his aura. Sanchez¡¯s face turned pale at the enormous pressure.
¡°Do you have anyints about my decision?¡±
Sanchez¡¯s head involuntarily lowered. He could only sweat coldly, unable to withstand even Dominico¡¯s gaze.
¡°I asked if you have anyints.¡±
¡°N, no, sir.¡±
Sanchez said in a crawling voice. Only then did Dominico withdraw his aura.
¡°Then I take it we have no problem with each other now? Then get out of here.¡±
Sanchez and the two knights ran away quickly.
When the three men disappeared, Dominico spoke to Damien.
¡°You must have had a hard time exploring the ruins and getting yelled at.¡±
His attitude waspletely different from when he was dealing with Sanchez.
¡°If something like this happens again, just beat them up like you did today. I¡¯ll watch over you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be fair for the person in charge of security?¡±
Damien asked yfully, and Dominicoughed out loud.
¡°Those guys are acting like they own the ce just because they came to the Almond Country, so I think I¡¯m allowed to be a little bit biased. Who would dare toin to me anyway?¡±
A high-ss knight had that kind of authority.
Although not as much as a master ss, they were still important factors that could determine the whole kingdom or country¡¯s strength.
¡°I haven¡¯t finished my patrol yet, so I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡±
Dominico said goodbye and left with his subordinates.
***
After that, Damien returned to the inn to rest.
The artifacts found at the ruins were to be stored in the inn room Damien was upying, as there were too many to fit into the subspace.
The next day, Damien spoke to Thibaut in front of the ruins.
¡°There¡¯s a separate task for you to handle.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, Thibaut tilted his head in curiosity.
¡°A separate task?¡±
¡°You are to travel around the Almond country today and gather information on the prices of artifacts.¡±
Given therge quantity of artifacts umted during the ruins exploration, it was necessary to start figuring out how to deal with them. Furthermore, with more discoveries expected in the future, preparation was essential.
¡°You mean the prices?¡±
¡°Yes, not only for the artifacts we¡¯ve have, but also for other relics. Understand?¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, leave it to me! I¡¯m quite adept at gathering information.¡±
Thibaut spoke confidently, his extensive research on the Almond country from the Apple Kingdom making his abilities evident.
¡°And there¡¯s one more thing I need you to investigate.¡±
¡°What else?¡±
¡°I¡¯d like you to find out if anyone has encountered undead at the ruins or if there¡¯s anyone regrly purchasing magical reagents.¡±
Thibaut looked puzzled as if questioning the necessity of such inquiries.
¡®Information on Gathdal¡¯s movements is needed.¡¯
Waiting idly for Gathdal to appear was not an option. Any piece of information, no matter how small, about Gathdal was valuable.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll have the investigationpleted thoroughly before you return from the ruins!¡±
Thibaut said respectfully in response.
With his farewell, Damien entered the ruins.
***
Damien headed straight to the 5th floor.
Unlike yesterday, there were no guards guarding the entrance to the 5th floor. It seemed that the Obter mercenary group had been wiped out.
Thanks to this, Damien was able to enter the 5th floor without any friction.
¡°Oh? Sir Victor?¡±
As soon as he descended to the 5th floor, he came across a group of knights.
The knights¡¯ armor was emzoned with the symbol of the Almond Country. They seemed to be patrolling the ruins.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here!¡±
A knight who recognized Damien said with a yful smile. The other knights asked with puzzled faces.
¡°Who is he?¡±
¡°Oh, weren¡¯t you here yesterday? That man is Victor.¡±
¡°Victor? The explorer who beat up several of those unlucky Duplessis knights?¡±
The knights¡¯ reactions changed as soon as they learned Damien¡¯s identity.
¡°Are you going on an expedition today? Please be careful!¡±
¡°If the Duplessis knights show up again, please do us a favor. Please beat them to a pulp!¡±
Like Dominico, the knights of the Almond Country didn¡¯t seem to like Duplessis very much.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s gaze turned to the cart that the knights were dragging.
The cart was filled with people. They were still alive, moaning faintly.
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Oh, this? We¡¯re transporting the wounded to the ground. We can¡¯t just leave them to die, can we?¡±
They were lucky to have survived in a dangerous ce like the 5th floor.
¡°Then good luck with that.¡±
The knights of the Almond Country passed Damien and went upstairs.
Damien also took a step.
He had no ns to explore the 5th floor today. This was because he had gone around yesterday and found no trace of Gathdal.
Damien¡¯s target today was the 6th floor.
The size of the 5th floor was enormous, but thanks to the map, he was able to quickly find the entrance to the 6th floor.
¡°Nuclear production facility.¡±
Damien read the ancient letters written on the entrance to the 6th floor.
¡°It seems that this is an important ce.¡±
Damien turned his gaze forward. There, three ancient golems were crouching.
As he approached, the ancient golems woke up and stood up, ring at Damien. They were the same rank as the captain he had encountered yesterday.
He didn¡¯t have time to waste on these guys. It was just when Damien was about to grab the dawn.
¡°Let¡¯s take a look at that thing¡¯s face.¡±
Instead of grabbing the dawn, Damien opened a spatial ring. He reached into it and pulled out arge travel bag.
It was a magical tool that he had acquired in the researchb of the Corpsey. It gave off a heavy feeling due to its age.
Damien opened the bag left and right. The inside was filled with nothing but ck darkness.
¡°Come out, Miya.¡±
A person with snow-white skin emerged from the darkness.
A neutral appearance that was difficult to tell whether it was male or female.
A face that still made one think it was beautiful.
¡°Let¡¯s see your skills again after a long time.¡±
Thest masterpiece created by the Corpsey hade out into the world again.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 139
Chapter 139
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 139: Warning (3)
***
¡°¡¡¡±
Miya, who hade out, looked back at Damien. Herrge eyes were filled with anger.
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Kya! Kya! Kya!¡±
Miya pointed at the bag and got angry. It seemed that she was very angry that she had been kept in the bag for so long.
¡°Other people are watching. I can¡¯t take you out.¡±
Unlike her human-like appearance, Miya was a flesh golem.
As befitting a masterpiece created by the Corpsey, Miya possessed a very pure dark mana. Even ordinary people would be able to tell if they came near her.
¡°Kya!¡±
Even after hearing Damien¡¯s exnation, Miya still didn¡¯t seem convinced.
Jiing!
At that moment, the Dawn at his waist cried out.
¡°Kya?¡±
Jiing.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Jiing! Jiing!
Miya got angry every time the Dawn emitted light.
Damien had a speechless expression on his face. How on earth was he supposed tomunicate with her?
¡°Stop bbering and just deal with those things.¡±
Damien grabbed Miya¡¯s shoulder and turned her around. He pointed at the three ancient golems.
¡°You can fight, even though they¡¯re not undead?¡±
¡°Kya!¡±
Miya said with a confident face and ran towards the ancient golems.
Miya, who ran lightly like a cat, swung her fist at the ancient golem.
¡°Kya!¡±
The cute fist smashed the ancient golem¡¯s head. The golem¡¯s head exploded and it copsed limply.
The remaining two ancient golems swung their weapons at Miya. Two des tried to cut Miya¡¯s neck.
At that moment, Miya raised her forearm. Her seemingly weak forearm suddenly became huge.
Miya had the ability to absorb the blood of monsters and mimic their physical abilities and powers.
In the past, when she had absorbed the blood of a troll, she could transform her arm into that of a troll.
The des passed through Miya¡¯s forearm, cutting it. However, they were unable to cut through the bone due to her thick muscles.
Miya mmed her fists down on the ancient golems. The golems¡¯ bodies crumbled and shattered.
¡®She¡¯s gotten stronger than before.¡¯
She was a masterpiece created by the Corpsey, a great dark mage.
Her special ability to manifest the abilities of monsters was amazing, but her basic physical output was also high. She was even stronger than the middle ss.
However, she had the disadvantage of being inexperienced and having many gaps.
That¡¯s why when she was taken out at the secret treasury of Yn, she had once been cornered while fighting a gatekeeper flesh golem.
¡®Her gaps havergely disappeared after just one battle.¡¯
It was an incredible learning ability. She had greatly improved her weaknesses after just one battle.
¡°Kya!¡±
Miya approached Damien. Her forearm was scarred from blocking the ancient golems¡¯ attacks.
The wounds quickly began to regenerate. The torn muscles reattached and the skin returned to its original state.
The ability to regenerate was also one of Miya¡¯s special abilities.
¡°Good job.¡±
¡°Kya!¡±
Miya was overjoyed by Damien¡¯spliment. Damien handed Miya something.
¡°Now take this and follow me.¡±
Miya looked at Damien with a what-is-this expression.
¡°It¡¯s a carrying pole. It¡¯s a useful tool for carrying heavy loads.¡±
¡°¡¡Kya?¡±
Miya looked at Damien with a why-are-you-giving-this-to-me expression.
¡°We need to take a lot of things from here. I can¡¯t carry all of this, can I?¡±
¡°Kya¡¡.¡±
Miya had a very reluctant expression on her face.
¡°You don¡¯t want to do it? Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡±
Damien put down the carrying pole and took out a travel bag.
The moment she saw the bag, Miya¡¯s face hardened.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Miya quickly put the carrying pole on her back. And she took the lead as if to say hurry up and follow.
¡°Kya!¡±
***
Damien and Miya headed to the interior of the 6th floor.
Despite being almost thest floor of the ruins, there were no noticeable objects on the 6th floor. This was because all the rooms were empty.
It seemed that there would be nothing for other people to find on the 6th floor.
¡®At least on the surface.¡¯
Damien entered an empty room. He then poured his mana into the ancient writing carved on the wall.
The entire room vibrated slightly, and the floor and walls split open, revealing a desk and strange equipment.
He had seen this before when he came to the ruins in his previous life. The ancients used to hide rooms in this strange way.
¡®I don¡¯t know why they do this.¡¯
Damien nced through the papers on the desk.
¡®A semi-permanent light source¡ It was an artifact that creates light.¡¯
Damien picked up a fist-sized sphere next to the desk.
As he poured his mana into the sphere, it emitted light. It was a fairly bright light.
¡®Mages would like this.¡¯
Damien handed the artifact to Miya and headed to another room.
¡°New alloy material? It says it can be deformed and then returned to its original shape? It looks good.¡±
¡°It¡¯s an artifact that stimtes and grows strength on its own¡ It¡¯s suspicious, but let¡¯s take it anyway.¡±
¡°A bracelet that can create a force field¡ This looks quite useful.¡±
After that, Damien visited each researchb and collected artifacts.
¡°Kya¡¡¡±
Miya, who was following Damien, said wearily.
This was because the carrying pole that Miya was carrying was now filled with objects.
¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. With your strength, this should be easy.¡±
¡°Kya¡¡¡±
So saying, he entered another researchb.
This time, unlike the other researchbs, there was no need to activate the wall device.
¡°It looks like they were researching something here.¡±
There were several ss sks on therge desk. Inside the sks, only ckened traces remained.
Not all the sks were like that.
Only one contained a red liquid. It was so vivid that it gave the illusion that it had just been left there.
¡°What is this?¡±
Damien picked up a few papers in the researchb and checked them.
¡°An experiment to analyze the abilities of monsters through their blood?¡±
The beakers probably contained the blood of monsters.
However, it seemed that they had all dried up due to the passage of too much time.
¡°Then why is this one intact?¡±
Damien picked up the remaining sk and examined it. When he wiped the surface with his finger, ancient writing appeared.
¡°Phoenix?¡±
As far as Damien knew, the phoenix was a monster that had gone extinct long ago.
Of course, no one had actually seen it, and its existence could only be confirmed by records in books or artifacts containing phoenix feathers.
¡°I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s a ruin that this is still here.¡±
As Damien was looking at the sk with a curious expression, Miya spoke with shining eyes.
¡°Kya!¡±
¡°You want me to give you this? It¡¯s old, so you might die if you drink it.¡±
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Miya said as if it didn¡¯t matter. Damien hesitated for a moment before handing over the sk.
¡°Well, technically you¡¯re already dead. You can¡¯t die again.¡±
Miya opened the sk and drank it in one go. Then she made a satisfied expression.
¡°I gave you that, so you have to work hard.¡±
¡°Kya?¡±
Miya¡¯s face hardened slightly as if she didn¡¯t like that.
¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s still a lot to see.¡±
Miya drooped her shoulders again and followed Damien listlessly. As the two of them came out of the researchb, someone was standing at the entrance.
He was wearing a luxurious ck suit. He had a heavy-looking bowler hat and a shiny wooden cane.
He looked like a nobleman who had run away from a party.
However, unlike his noble appearance, a terrible ominous feeling emanated from the man.
¡°This is strange.¡±
The man opened his mouth. His face was hidden because he was wearing the bowler hat low.
¡°For someone toe this far. I thought I had made it clear that they shouldn¡¯t be able to do this.¡±
The man lifted the bowler hat slightly with his cane.
This revealed his pale skin and a hairstyle that was slicked back with pomade.
¡®I found him.¡¯
Gathdal the Chosen, the goal Damien had been searching for.
***
Gathdal the Chosen.
The man who had made great achievements as Dorugo¡¯s subordinate in his previous life.
As Damien had expected, Gathdal was hiding in the depths of the ruins.
Maybe it was because they had finally met.
He was happy. So happy that he thought he was going crazy. So much so that he wanted to stab that thin neck right away.
¡°I have something to ask you.¡±
Gathdal asked, pointing behind Damien.
¡°How did you activate the facility in the ruins? Don¡¯t tell me you can read the ancient text?¡±
Apart from Dorugo and Damien, no one knew about the ancient text. It was no wonder Gathdal was surprised.
¡°Why are you silent? Are you afraid of me? Don¡¯t worry. If you just answer my questions, I¡¯ll let you live.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t believe him. He knew how little dark mages thought of promises.
¡°Krrr!¡±
Miya bristled at Gathdal.
Although Miya was created by Corpsey, she was a flesh golem infused with hatred for dark mages.
¡°Endure it. He¡¯s not someone you can deal with.¡±
Damien said in a low voice.
Corpsey, who created Miya, was a high-ranking dark mage. Inparison, Gathdal had reached the position of Grand dark mage.
If a high-ranking dark mage wasparable to a middle-ss, a grand dark mage wasparable to a master ss.
In other words, he was a being of a different level.
¡°A flesh golem?¡±
Gathdal recognized Miya¡¯s identity at a nce.
¡°It¡¯s quite a well-made one. You don¡¯t look like a dark mage. How are you controlling a flesh golem¡¡.¡±
¡°Gathdal.¡±
Without warning, Damien opened his mouth.
Gathdal¡¯s pupils widened slightly at the sound of his name.
¡°How do you know my name? There can¡¯t be many people who know my face.¡±
¡°Thank you foring before me like this.¡±
Damien drew Dawn. The de shone coldly.
Gathdal sneered at the sight.
¡°So you¡¯re a hunter who¡¯s after my head. Then it makes sense that you would know me.¡±
Gathdal struck the ground with his staff.
The shadow at his feet spread wide. Skeletons began to crawl out of it.
There were not one or two. There could have been dozens, perhaps even hundreds.
In an instant, the entire 6th floor was filled with a legion of skeletons.
¡°It¡¯s my motto that I don¡¯t avoid the fights I¡¯vee to.¡±
Gathdal struck the ground with his staff once more.
The screaming legion of bones rushed forward.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 140
Chapter 140
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 140: Gathdal the Chosen (1)
***
Necromancy sect.
It was a sect of dark mages that enved the souls of the dead.
While other sects of dark mages also dealt with souls, it was only for the purpose of generating dark mana.
The Necromancy sect could directly influence souls by manipting them on a higher level.
The skeletons that Gathdal summoned were a perfect example.
He bound the souls of the dead to their bones, using them as soldiers.
¡®How horrible.¡¯
Damien could see it. The souls trapped in the skeletons, suffering in agony.
Unable to find peace even after death, they were being exploited by the dark mage.
It was truly a horrific sight.
¡°Krrr!¡±
Miya must have also been able to see the suffering souls.
After all, Miya was a being created from the resentments of those sacrificed by Corpsey.
¡°Krrr!¡±
Finally, Miya could no longer suppress her murderous intent and charged at Gathdal.
Hundreds of skeletons blocked her path. Miya erged her arms and swung them at the skeletons.
With each swing of her fist, skeletons were pulverized and sent flying.
The skeletons made of bones were no match for Miya. She smashed through the skeleton army, closing the distance to Gathdal.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a well-made flesh golem. I¡¯m curious to see its creator¡¯s face.¡±
However, Gathdal remained unfazed.
¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to get a little more serious.¡±
Gathdal struck the ground with his staff again.
The shattered bones gathered in front of Gathdal. They began to reassemble and fuse together.
Cracked bones, crushed bones, all returned to their original ces. The speed was so fast that there was no time to stop it.
This was the troublesome aspect of necromancy.
The skeletons controlled by the necromancer were endlessly revived. The only way to stop them was to cut off the supply of dark mana.
The problem was that Gathdal, the one supplying the dark mana, was protected by the skeletons.
¡°Krrr!¡±
But this was something Miya had already anticipated. She had fought skeletons before.
Since the skeletons could be revived endlessly, she had to cut off the supply of dark mana itself.
In other words, she had to kill Gathdal. That¡¯s why Miya had charged at him.
¡°Krrr!¡±
Miya charged at the skeleton army again. Once broken, they could be broken again.
At that moment, Gathdal struck the ground with his staff.
A magic circle appeared at his feet. At the same time, the bones of the skeletons began to turn dark.
It was dark Bone, a dark magic that dramatically increased the durability of skeletons.
¡°Krrr!¡±
Miya swung her erged fist at the skeleton. But unlike before, the skeleton didn¡¯t fly away.
It didn¡¯t break even after being hit, and instead held its ground and counterattacked.
¡°Krrr?¡±
The strengthened skeleton army pushed back Miya¡¯s fist and rushed in.
They shed at Miya¡¯s body with bone knives, pierced her with spears, and bashed her with shields.
¡°Kyaaa!¡±
Miya was helpless against the attacks of the skeletons. She was pushed back further and further.
¡°You can¡¯t even withstand this much. It doesn¡¯t seem to be made by a very high-level dark mage.¡±
Gathdal said with a disappointed tone. Miya red at Gathdal even as she was being attacked by the skeletons.
¡°Krrr¡ Krrr!¡±
Miya¡¯s eyes were filled with thick killing intent. Gathdal looked at her with interest.
¡°An undead that hates dark mages? That¡¯s unusual. It must be very rare to see an undead like you.¡±
¡°Krrr!¡±
Miya roared as if to tell him to stop talking nonsense.
At that moment, mes erupted from Miya¡¯s body.
¡°Hmm?¡±
The mes did not burn Miya¡¯s body. Instead, they instantly regenerated her wounds.
¡°Wait, this is¡ the phoenix¡¯s¡¡±
Miya charged at the skeletons. The skeletons that were touched by the mes were instantly engulfed in mes.
The skeletons that had not budged even when hit by the troll¡¯s fist were turned to ashes in an instant.
A wide path was opened through the skeletons that were blocking the way. Miya reached out to grab Gathdal.
Just then, Gathdal struck the ground with his staff again.
The shadow on the ground squirmed and dark spears sprang out. The spears pierced through Miya¡¯s torso, piercing through the mes.
¡°¡Kyaaaa!¡±
Even the mes that had turned the skeletons to ashes could not burn the spears. Miya groaned, her body pierced.
¡°An undead that uses holy mes? You¡¯re an interesting specimen. I should take you back and study you. But since you¡¯re dangerous, I¡¯ll have to cut off your arms and legs.¡±
Skeletons emerged from Gathdal¡¯s shadow again. The skeletons grabbed Miya¡¯s arms and legs and tried to tear them off.
Just then, Damien pulled Miya from behind.
He pulled Miya out of the spears and swung Dawn at the same time. The aura was released, creating a crescent-shaped sh. The sh cut through the skeletons and covered Gathdal.
However, before the sh could reach him, Gathdal created a shield of shadow to block the aura.
Damien took advantage of the gap to distance himself from Gathdal. He first needed to get Miya to safety.
Damien put Miya down on the ground. There were fist-sized holes all over her body.
¡°Kya¡¡±
Even with Miya¡¯s regeneration ability, she was not recovering properly.
¡°You¡¯re a careless master. You just watched until your pet became like that.¡±
Gathdal said mockingly. Damien looked back at him and said.
¡°She still has a lot to learn, so I left her alone.¡±
Miya had charged at Gathdal without controlling her anger and ended up getting badly injured.
She must have realized through this experience how important it is to gauge the strength of an enemy.
¡°Learning¡ That was a very dangerous decision. What would you have done if I had killed her in an instant¡¡±
¡°How many have you killed?¡±
¡°Hmm? What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±
Damien pointed to the spears that had sprung up at Gathdal¡¯s feet.
¡°Those¡ they¡¯re evil spears.¡±
Evil spears.
It was one of the forbidden magics of the Necromancy school.
It was a weapon created by intertwining, merging, andpressing souls filled with hatred, resentment, and anger.
It was said that even a living creature would lose its vitality just by touching it, and even a slight graze would kill it.
What was even more frightening was that it could resist divine power.
¡°How many people have you killed to create the skeletons and evil spears?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, Gathdal made a face like he didn¡¯t understand.
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. Do you remember how many times you¡¯ve breathed since you¡¯ve been alive?¡±
Damien burst outughing at those words. Hisughter was low and long.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I heard such bullshit.¡±
He infused Dawn with mana. The blue aura instantly dyed the de.
¡°Are you finally going to step in yourself?¡±
Gathdal summoned the skeletons with an excited face.
¡°I hope you¡¯re a little stronger than that girl.¡±
Gathdal struck the ground with his staff.
Skeletons made of dark bones charged forward with their weapons raised.
Hundreds of skeleton soldiers.
They can be broken. But even if it was, Gathdal would just restore it. There was no point in wasting time on such a useless task.
Damien observed the skeletons and read all their movements. Although they had no muscles, their bones were human, so it wasn¡¯t difficult.
Paths naturally formed in his mind. With dawn extended, he rushed into the army of skeletons.
¡°Kkieeek!¡±
¡°Skkkeeek!¡±
Hundreds of skeletons formed ayered to kill Damien.
The skeletons that formed the swung their weapons to kill Damien.
Attacks rained down from all sides. Spears and swords made of bone tried to wound Damien¡¯s body.
Damien stepped forward, looking for a safe path. The attacks of the skeletons repeatedly missed.
Damien was passing through the army so naturally, as if water was flowing between rocks.
¡°What¡ is¡ this¡¡±
Gathdal¡¯s face gradually turned to shock at the unbelievable sight.
¡°These stupid things¡! Why do you keep missing? Just stab him to death!¡±
Gathdal nagged, but it was useless.
Because Damien had already passed the army and stood in front of Gathdal.
¡°This is ridiculous¡!¡±
Gathdal struck the ground with his staff. The evil spears that sprang out of the shadow pierced Damien.
At that moment, Damien¡¯s body blurred and the evil spears only pierced the air.
¡°!¡±
Gathdal turned his body, feeling the danger behind him.
Dawn, swung by Damien, cut off Gathdal¡¯s neck.
***
Gathdal¡¯s head fell to the ground.
Damien did not stop there and cut Gathdal¡¯s body several more times with Dawn. The torso crumbled into several pieces.
¡°You¡¯re doing something useless.¡±
A voice came from below.
Gathdal, with only his head left, looked at Damien andughed.
¡°It won¡¯t do any good. This body is¡¡±
¡°A fake?¡±
Gathdal¡¯s face hardened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°This is just an undead that you¡¯re controlling remotely. The real you must be somewhere else.¡±
¡°How did you¡ ?¡±
Damien had noticed from the moment they first met.
Damien was a death knight, but he was also a skilled dark mage. That¡¯s why he could feel a sense of decay in the dark mana that Gathdal was emitting.
Above all, the skeleton army that Gathdal had summoned was too weak.
It was so weak that it was hard to believe that it was summoned by a grand dark mage.
¡°Who¡ are you really? Are you a pdin of the Church? Or¡¡±
Damien crushed Gathdal¡¯s head. The head burst and the voice stopped.
The Gathdal before him was a fake, but for Damien, it was as good as finding the real one.
Damien extracted the dark mana from the fake Gathdal¡¯s corpse.
The fresh dark mana that had just been released by the dark mage.
It was what Damien had needed so badly.
¡°With this, I can find where the main body is.¡±
Damien used the dark magic to form a ritual. It was a dark magic that used dark mana to backtrack the main body.
Damien, who had been closing his eyes for a long time, raised his head.
¡°It wasn¡¯t the ruins.¡±
The ce the detection magic pointed to was outside. It was not an ordinary ce either.
The Duke¡¯s House.
Gathdal was with the owner of the Almond Country.
***
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Chapter 141
Chapter 141
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 141: Gathdal the Chosen (2)
***
The question arose, but there was no time to dwell on it. He had to get to the Duke¡¯s castle as quickly as possible, as he didn¡¯t know what Gathdal would do now that his identity had been revealed.
¡®In the future, Gathdal killed and absorbed everyone who came to the ruins, including the soldiers and knights.¡¯
In the worst case, the massacre might be repeated exactly as it happened in history.
¡°Miya, how¡¯s your body?¡±
¡°Kyaa!¡±
Damien asked, looking back at Miya. She stood up abruptly as if nothing was wrong.
The wound that had been pierced by the Evil Spear had already disappeared cleanly.
Even for Miya, it would have been impossible to regenerate a wound caused by the Evil Spear so easily.
¡®It must be thanks to the Phoenix¡¯s blood.¡¯
The way he had caused mes to erupt when fighting Gathdal, it seemed that she had absorbed all of the Phoenix¡¯s abilities in that short time.
¡°We need to get to the Duke¡¯s estate first.¡±
¡°Kyaa!¡±
Miya said, burning with determination. Damien looked at her with a what-are-you-talking-about expression.
¡°You can¡¯te with me, because we need to go outside.¡±
Saying this, Damien held out a travel bag. Miya¡¯s shoulders slumped when she saw it.
***
Damien immediately ascended to the ground floor.
He left the artifacts he had found on the 6th floor as they were. After all, no one would be able toe down to the 6th floor without him.
The Duke¡¯s castle was located close to the ruins. Damien headed for the castle without dy.
The gate of the castle was tightly shut. As Damien approached, the soldiers standing guard in front of the gate blocked his way.
¡°I have an urgent message for Princess Freize. It is a matter of the Country¡¯s safety.¡±
At his words, the soldiers looked at Damien with dumbfounded expressions.
Even for Damien, he would have reacted the same way if he hade out of nowhere in the middle of the day and made such a im.
¡°Mr. Victor? You¡¯re Mr. Victor, right? I saw you defeating the knights of the Duplessis factionst time.¡±
One of the gatekeepers pretended to know him.
¡°However, Mr. Victor, you can¡¯t meet Princess Freize with such a strange excuse. So please go back¡¡.¡±
Just then.
The gate of the castle slowly began to rise, apanied by the sound of it turning. The gatekeeper looked back at the gate with a surprised expression.
Dominico stood beyond the wide-open gate. He spoke to Damien with a stern expression.
¡°Victor. Come inside. Princess is calling for you.¡±
Damien passed by the gatekeepers and entered the castle. The gate then closed behind him.
As he entered, he saw arge number of knights and soldiers standing guard.
In the center of them stood a young girl.
A beautiful woman with long blonde hair and pale skin that stood out.
She was Princess Freize, the sessor to the Duke¡¯s territory.
¡°Mr. Victor? I¡¯ve heard a lot from Dominico, but it¡¯s my first time seeing you in person.¡±
This was also the first time Damien had met Freize properly.
Freize¡¯s voice, which he heard directly, was very lively.
¡°You already knew that I wasing.¡±
Otherwise, the gate would not have opened without the soldiers even rying the message.
At Damien¡¯s words, Freize smiled quietly. It was a brilliant smile, but it felt somewhat dark.
¡°There is a dark mage hiding inside the Duke¡¯s estate.¡±
Damien said to Freize.
Dark mage.
Beings that the Church is trying to kill with fire in their eyes.
Freize was not surprised at all to hear that he was hiding in the Duke¡¯s estate.
Instead, she spoke with an indifferent expression.
¡°I know.¡±
***
There was a brief silence.
Given the circumstances, Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised.
¡°Have you joined forces with the dark mage?¡±
Still, there was a need to confirm properly.
¡°That¡¯s the case.¡±
¡°Then opening the ruins was also because of the dark mage, I suppose. The dark mage would have needed the souls of skilled warriors and knights.¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°Was the deration to marry the person who found the relic sword for the same reason?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°And the soldiers of Almond Country patrolling the ruins were to capture explorers for the dark mage¡¯s research material.¡±
¡°You¡¯re exactly right.¡±
Freize said with a curious expression. Damien asked with a sigh.
¡°Why did you join forces with the dark mage? You must know what would happen if this fact were to be known to the Church.¡±
¡°I¡¯d rather not say that.¡±
Freize drew a line with a smiling face.
¡°That mage just asked me a favor. He asked me to kill you.¡±
Freize raised her hand. Dominico and the knights stepped forward.
¡°Dominico, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±
¡°I will fulfill themand.¡±
With those words, Freize turned and disappeared.
Thus, only Damien, Dominico, and Almond Country¡¯s knights and soldiers remained.
¡°I never expected it would end like this with you.¡±
Dominico smirked.
¡°I shouldn¡¯t say this in such a situation¡ but I quite liked you. That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more regrettable.¡±
Dominico closed his eyes tightly. After a while, he said with a touch of embarrassment.
¡°¡Why did I get so deeply involved?¡±
Damien said firmly to Dominico.
¡°Step aside.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do that. Lady Freize has given orders.¡±
As Dominico gestured, a soldier came forward with a nod, holding a weapon.
It was a Zweih?nder.
Long and heavy, it required both hands to wield, but Dominico held it lightly with one hand as if it were a dagger.
¡°Above all, to fulfill Lady Freize¡¯s wish, that dark mage is absolutely necessary. We can¡¯t afford to lose him like this.¡±
As Dominico raised the weapon, some knights approached and spoke to him.
¡°Sir Dominico, we¡¯ll handle that person.¡±
¡°No, I have to face him.¡±
Dominico said firmly.
¡°He¡¯s not an ordinary mid-ss. You stand no chance against him.¡±
Dominico gathered his mana. A fierce aura burst forth.
Among the high sses Damien had encountered, no one had such a powerful aura.
This kind of energy wasn¡¯t something an ordinary high-ss could possess.
Master ss.
There was no doubt that he was just one step away from the realm of a superhuman.
It was truly remarkable talent. He hadn¡¯t gained notoriety as Gathdal¡¯smander in his previous life for nothing.
But Damien had no time to admire Dominico¡¯s talent. He was filled with rising anger and disgust.
¡°Joining forces with a dark mage? What a foolish decision.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Dominico¡¯s expression hardened.
¡°Don¡¯t speak so recklessly without knowing the circumstances¡¡±
¡°Whatever reasons you have, it doesn¡¯t matter! By believing the words of dark mages, you¡¯ve be nothing but idiots beyond redemption!¡±
In his past life, Damien¡¯s involvement with dark mages led to everything falling apart.
He ruined his own life, and his family¡¯s lives. He even brought about the destruction of the world.
¡°Do you even know what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into? You¡¯ve invited hell upon yourselves! When you¡¯re tearing your hearts apart with regret, it¡¯ll be toote for everything!¡±
And yet, here were these idiots willing to walk into that very hell willingly.
It was infuriating to the point of being unbearable. So much so that it was difficult to suppress the rising emotions.
¡°¡Shut up.¡±
¡°It¡¯s you who should shut up! Why didn¡¯t you stop it? When your master was doing despicable things, you should¡¯ve intervened! Or were you too brainless to fall for the nonsense spewed by dark mages just like them!¡±
With sessive insults, Dominico¡¯s face hardened. He gritted his teeth and raised his weapon.
¡°¡It¡¯s bing increasingly difficult to listen to you. Shut your mouth right now.¡±
Dominico mmed the ground. Closing the distance in an instant, he swung the Zweih?nder.
At that moment, the entire castle shook with a tremendous vibration.
***
High ss, No existence who is one step away from bing a master ss.
Such an existence unleashed a blow that split the ground and shook the world with its power.
However, what he was aiming for could not be broken. Dominico¡¯s attack was stopped by the dawn that Damien was holding and could not go any further.
¡°You can stop this!¡±
Dominico said in disbelief at the sight.
¡°Ha! You¡¯re not a middle ss, you¡¯re a high ss! I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t notice!¡±
Since entering Almond Country, Damien has been pretending to be a middle ss.
Even Cheongyeum, one of the Five Great Elders, did not realize Damien¡¯s true strength.
No matter how close he was to the master ss, it was impossible for Dominico to notice.
¡°If you¡¯re a high ss, then it¡¯s even better. I can wield my sword without hesitation!¡±
Dominico swung his Zweih?nder in session. The air was torn apart with a vivid sound every time he swung the long and heavy sword.
Damien swung the dawn to block Dominico¡¯s attacks.
Compared to the Zweih?nder, the dawn looked too thin and flimsy.
However, even after repeated shes, the dawn did not bend or break. On the contrary, the de of the Zweih?nder began to chip.
¡°What a great sword. Even so, this sword is made of an alloy from the ruins.¡±
Dominico said his face hardening.
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be a fair fight.¡±
As Dominico infused his Zweih?nder with mana, a red aura dyed the de. Damien also covered the dawn with a blue aura.
The two men swung their weapons at each other, filled with aura. Blue and red intertwined in aplex manner.
¡°Sir Dominico! Kill him!¡±
¡°We can¡¯t let the one who is interfering with Princess Freize¡¯s life!¡±
The knights and soldiers who were watching the scene cheered and cheered for Dominico.
Since the de of the Zweih?nder was much longer, the red area wasrger even when they swung their weapons equally.
So at first nce, it seemed that Dominico was overwhelming his opponent.
That¡¯s why the knights and soldiers of Almond Country cheered even more.
That was when it happened.
The blue cut through the red.
The de of the Zweih?nder was split in half. At the same time, Dominico¡¯s body was split open.
Dominico groaned and backed away. Blood was flowing incessantly from the long sword wound that ran diagonally across his torso.
¡°D, Sir Dominico?¡±
¡°W, what the hell is going on¡¡±
Damien swung the dawn in the air. The blood on the de sttered on the ground.
Dominico looked at Damien with a face of despair.
¡°T, this is ridiculous¡ How did you¡ see through all of my swordsmanship¡?¡±
Damien wiped the blood off the dawn and said.
¡°It¡¯s a difference in skill.¡±
¡°Skill¡ difference¡!¡±
Although they had only shed once, Dominico realized it to the bone.
The absolute gap between him and Damien.
¡°It¡¯s time to pay the price for your atrocities.¡±
The knights and soldiers of Almond Country did not just cover up the existence of Gathdal.
Under the pretext of patrolling, they also roamed the ruins, kidnapping explorers and sending them to Gathdal.
And the person in charge of managing the knights and soldiers was Dominico. In other words, it could be said that the act of offering explorers as research materials for Gathdal was carried out under Dominico¡¯s leadership.
There was no way he could let a man who hadmitted such a crime live. Just as Damien was about to cut off Dominico¡¯s head.
¡°Eek!¡±
The knights rushed in with a yell.
***
The knights cried out as they charged towards Damien.
Damien swung his sword towards the knights. The onught of his aura shed through them.
The knights tried to defend themselves by imbuing their weapons with aura to block the attacks.
¡°Argh!¡±
¡°Ahh!¡±
However, the knights¡¯ auras couldn¡¯t withstand Damien¡¯s assault. Their weapons and bodies were cleaved apart.
¡°Argh! Protect Sir Dominico!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t run away! Push him back!¡±
Yet, the knights didn¡¯t stop. Fueled by the death of theirrades, they rushed at Damien again.
In the end, Damien was pushed back by the knights¡¯ momentum.
In the meantime, the knights supported Dominico, applying potions to his wounds.
¡°Sir Dominico! Please, retreat!¡±
¡°We will handle this man!¡±
Dominico looked at them with a puzzled expression.
¡°What are you talking about? If You¡¯re going to fight, we should fight together!¡±
¡°Sir Dominico, we also have eyes! He¡¯s not an opponent we can defeat by confronting him alone!¡±
To the knights of Almond Country, Dominico was like a deity.
Dominico, who hadn¡¯t even had a chance to fight properly, suffered critical injuries. It meant that there was a significant gap between them.
¡°While we hold him off, please escort Princess Freize to safety!¡±
At those words, Dominico snapped out of it.
The knights were right. Even if everyone here fought together, there was no guarantee they could stop him.
If they couldn¡¯t stop him, Damien would undoubtedly kill Freize and the dark mage.
¡°¡I¡¯m sorry, everyone!¡±
Dominico dashed towards where Freize was, leaving the others behind.
The knights bid farewell to Dominico with bitter smiles.
¡°What a foolish thing to do.¡±
Damien said in a chilling tone.
¡°Your master has allied with a dark mage. If we don¡¯t stop the dark mage right now, there will be a heavy price to pay.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what nonsense you¡¯re talking about¡¡±
The knights gripped their weapons tighter, channeling all their aura.
¡°You will never get inside!¡±
All the knights rushed towards Damien. Watching them, Damien briefly licked his lips.
¡°Very well. I¡¯ll dly oblige. After all, you¡¯re all deserving of death.¡±
Victor raised his sword.
Soon after, the knights¡¯ blood scattered.
***
Dominico ran to the annex of the castle.
That was where Gathdal¡¯s researchb was located, and where Freize¡¯s wish was being fulfilled.
Freize always spent his time there outside of work hours. So he thought he would be there this time too.
¡°Princess Freize! You have to escape!¡±
Dominico shouted as he opened the door to the annex. At that moment, his body froze stiffly.
Freize was lying on the floor with a hole in the middle of his chest. His eyes were lifeless, suggesting that he was already dead.
¡°Hmm? Are youing now?¡±
Gathdal asked, looking back at Dominico. Gathdal¡¯s hands were stained red.
The moment he saw the heart resting on that hand, Dominico lost his sanity.
***
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Chapter 142
Chapter 142
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 142: Gathdal the Chosen (3)
***
After giving the order to kill a man named Victor, Freize headed to the annex.
Originally, it was the meditation room of the previous duke, her father, but now the entire annex was being used as Gathdal¡¯s researchb.
Freize opened the door to the annex and stepped inside.
The ce, which was once empty and deste when it was used as a meditation room, was now filled with all sorts of potions and corpses.
¡°You¡¯re back.¡±
Gathdal said, looking back at Freize.
Unfittingly for this gruesome ce, Gathdal was wearing a neat suit.
¡°Can you wait a moment? I was just about to inject the refined memories.¡±
In front of Gathdal was arge ss tank.
The ss tank was filled with an unidentified fluorescent green liquid. And inside it floated the body of a middle-aged man.
The man¡¯s body was not intact.
Half of his face was covered with a metal te, and his arms and legs were attached from other people. His torso was covered with intricate dark magic circles.
It was a horribly mismatched figure, but Freize looked at the body with a face full of longing.
She couldn¡¯t help it. That body was none other than her father.
Duke Adrian.
The first Sword Master to be born in the Almond Dukedom.
He was a knight known for his powerful swordsmanship that could split mountains in two.
It was all thanks to her father that the duchy was able to be promoted to a country.
However, a few years ago, Duke Adrian passed away from a sudden illness.
After her father¡¯s death, a swarm of hyenas gathered to devour the country.
The authority of the country was greatly shaken, and they began to seize various rights one by one with all sorts of schemes.
If Dominico, who was her father¡¯s disciple, had not risen to the High ss, the country would havepletely copsed.
¡°¡As you said, I ordered Dominico to kill that man.¡±
¡°Thank you for doing me a favor.¡±
It was a tone that was not at all grateful. Freize stared at Gathdal and asked.
¡°Why don¡¯t you do it yourself? With your skills, you can easily take care of him.¡±
¡°You know very well. If I step in, I can easily kill a man like that.¡±
¡°Then why¡¡±
¡°It was ominous.¡±
Gathdal said, staring intently at Adrian in the ss tank.
¡°My instincts kept warning me not to fight that man. I have a good sense of this kind of thing.¡±
Freize couldn¡¯t understand it at all. She knew all too well how formidable a dark mage Gathdal was.
¡°So¡ you¡¯re asking me to take care of it?¡±
¡°I¡¯d like you to take care of it, but I¡¯m not really expecting anything.¡±
¡°Then why give such an order¡¡±
¡°At least it will give me time to finish my research.¡±
Completion of the research.
Freize¡¯s eyes widened at those words. She spoke with a half-smile.
¡°Is the dark magic you were researching finallyplete?¡±
¡°It¡¯s almostplete. Now all I need are the materials.¡±
¡°T, then you¡¯re bringing Father back, right? You are, right?¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
Gathdal made a face as if to say what are you talking about. At that act, a sense of unease sprouted in Freize¡¯s chest.
¡°You told me. You said that once your research isplete, you¡¯ll be able to bring the dead back to life! You said you could bring Father back with that¡¡±
¡°Oh, that.¡±
Gathdal said, with a face as if he had just remembered something he had forgotten.
¡°I can¡¯t bring him back.¡±
***
Freize couldn¡¯t understand Gathdal¡¯s words for a moment.
¡°What are you talking about right now?¡±
¡°Bringing people back to life is impossible. Even the Empress of the Church can¡¯t do that.¡±
Gathdal said with a face as if it was obvious.
The reincarnation of the dead.
It was a research topic that many dark mages had been obsessed with.
It wasn¡¯t that it was impossible. Dark mages were the most proficient in dealing with souls.
So wouldn¡¯t it be enough to simply reconnect the original soul to the body?
However, there had never been a Dark mage who had seeded in the experiment.
¡°T, then what did you tell me? You said you could save him! You even brought Father back to life for a short time as proof!¡±
¡°That was just a temporary yback of memories.¡±
¡°W, what are you saying?¡±
¡°The bodies of people who have lived contain their regrets and memories from when they were alive.¡±
Gathdal said, pointing to her father¡¯s body.
¡°So I just extracted the memories from your father¡¯s body and yed them back. It was iplete, so I could only show it for a short time.¡±
Freize¡¯s mouth slowly opened. It was only now that she realized that Gathdal had deceived her.
¡°Why¡ why did you do such a thing¡!¡±
¡°I needed a researchb. A safe ce where I could also secure research materials on a regr basis. Thanks to you opening the ruins, all my problems were solved.¡±
Gathdal¡¯s lips curled into a quiet smile, seemingly satisfied.
¡°T, then what¡ what did you research? If it¡¯s not about bringing the dead back to life, then what¡ .¡±
¡°Oh, you were curious about that?¡±
Gathdalughed softly as if he was pleased with Freize¡¯s question.
¡°My real research was to create a Master ss-level Death Knight based on your father¡¯s body.¡±
The goal of dark mages who create undead was one and only.
It was to create an undead that surpassed the Master ss.
Of course, it was not an easy task.
A Master ss was a superhuman being born when a genius among geniuses devoted himself to training throughout his life.
That¡¯s why even for a Grand Dark Mage, creating an undead that surpassed the Master ss was a near-impossible task.
¡°Father¡ as a Death Knight¡?¡±
¡°Yes! Isn¡¯t it a great n? A Death Knight that matches a Master ss!¡±
A bright smile spread across Gathdal¡¯s face as if he was overwhelmed with emotion just thinking about it.
¡°A body that had already reached Master ss! And with the memories, it was definitely possible! Well¡ to be honest, it didn¡¯t go as I wanted from the beginning. Do you know why?¡±
The smile that had appeared on Gathdal¡¯s face disappeared in an instant.
¡°It¡¯s because the memories were iplete. Your father had been dead for too long, and he had lost too many memories.¡±
If the memories were notplete, they had to be filled with something else.
That¡¯s why Gathdal approached Freize to get the memories of excellent warriors.
¡°The research¡ was a huge sess. The imperfect vessel became quite presentable after I forcibly filled it.¡±
Gathdal looked back at Freize.
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯m grateful for your help¡¡±
¡°Gathdal!¡±
Freize, who couldn¡¯t listen any longer, ran at Gathdal. He grabbed him by the cor and shouted.
¡°Stop¡ I won¡¯t let you¡ Ugh!¡±
Gathdal pushed Freize¡¯s arm away with a disgusted look on his face. He brushed his clothes as if he had been touched by something unclean and said.
¡°You won¡¯t let me? That¡¯s good. I was thinking the same thing.¡±
At those words, Freize stood up and shouted.
¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t let me? You¡¯ve ruined our family, and what do you mean you won¡¯t let me? You filthy¡¡±
Crack.
A sound he had never heard before rang out. It was the sound of skin and muscle tearing and bones breaking.
¡
Freize slowly lowered his gaze. Gathdal¡¯s hand was digging into his chest.
¡°Your memories are thest piece that willplete the Death Knight.¡±
Gathdal pulled his hand out of Freize¡¯s chest. Freize copsed to the floor.
Gathdal snapped his fingers. Freize¡¯s soul was pulled out of his body.
Gathdal forcibly ripped Freize¡¯s soul apart and extracted only his memories.
¨C Gaaaaaaaaaaak!
Freize¡¯s soul screamed in excruciating pain. But Gathdal¡¯s hand did not stop.
¡°That¡¯s it.¡±
At Gathdal¡¯s gesture, the memories extracted from Freize were poured into Adrian.
Then Adrian¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Gathdal¡¯s eyes widened at the change.
¡°Ooh, ooh! The flesh reacts immediately to the memories of blood! This is it! This is what I¡¯ve been waiting for¡¡±
Just then, the door to the annex opened. Dominico stepped inside and shouted.
¡°Princess Freize! You have to escape!¡±
Dominico¡¯s body froze. He looked alternately at the dead Freize and Gathdal on the floor.
¡°Hmm? Are youing now?¡±
Gathdal asked nonchntly. At that moment, Dominico let out a roar and charged forward.
He concentrated all the mana he had into his broken Zweihander. A red aura soared high.
¡°Gathdal!¡±
Dominico swung his greatsword at Gathdal. At that moment, numerous spears sprang up from Gathdal¡¯s shadow.
The Dark spears shattered Dominico¡¯s greatsword and pierced his torso.
¡°Keuk!¡±
Dominico¡¯s body came to a halt. Dominico coughed up blood, pierced by the spears.
¡°H, how¡ the aura¡¡±
¡°Aurora? That¡¯s not a big deal. My children can use it too.¡±
Skeletons emerged from Gathdal¡¯s shadow. The skeletons were holding spears in their hands.
Surprisingly, the spears held by the skeletons were covered in a Dark aura.
¡°To disturb this joyous asion. You¡¯re a rude one.¡±
Gathdal looked at Dominico with displeasure.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll forgive you. You¡¯re the second research material.¡±
¡°Second¡ what nonsense¡¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know. Rather, it¡¯s lonely for me to watch alone. Will you join me?¡±
Gathdal waved his hand in the air. Then, Dark mana gathered and created a mirror.
¡°This is¡¡±
As Gathdal snapped his fingers, an image appeared on the mirror.
Dominico quickly realized where the mirror was pointing.
It was the Country.
¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a little short on memories to activate the Death Knight.¡±
Saying that, Gathdal opened a subspace. He took out a staff from inside it.
¡°In such cases, you have to solve it with quantity rather than quality.¡±
Gathdal raised his dark mana. The dark mana soared up, blowing away the roof of the annex.
It wasn¡¯t just the roof. The dark mana spread and blew away everything in the annex.
The only thing that was intact was the ss tank next to Gathdal.
Dominico trembled. The building had been blown away just by releasing mana. It was a sight he had never seen before in his life.
¡°Watch carefully. How I fill in the quantity for you.¡±
Gathdal mmed the staff into the ground.
Skeletal legions appeared all over the country.
***
Damien shook off the blood that had gotten on him at dawn.
The bodies of the knights and soldiers were strewn across the floor.
They had all fought to the death, but they were no match for Damien.
¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡±
Just as Damien was about to chase Dominico.
Souls rose slowly from the corpses. The souls screamed at Damien.
-Stop! Don¡¯t go! Leave him alone!
-This cruel bastard! You¡¯re not going to stop after killing so many people!
The souls poured out their anger and hatred towards Damien.
They had not colluded with the dark mage out of personal desire.
They had only blocked Damien¡¯s path out of loyalty to Freize.
That¡¯s why they tried to stop Damien even after they died, for Freize¡¯s sake.
¡°Shut up!¡±
Damien yelled at the souls.
¡°You knew about the existence of the Dark mage and you covered it up! That¡¯s not all, is it? You also yed a role in sending the explorers of the dungeon to Gathdal!¡±
The ruins were a ce with a high mortality ratepared to its danger.
This was because many people were sacrificed as research material for Gathdal.
And the ones who kidnapped the explorers from the ruins and sent them to Gathdal were the knights and soldiers of the country.
¨C We only acted for the sake of Princess!
¨C Don¡¯t insult our loyalty!
¡°That doesn¡¯t absolve you of your crimes. Shut up before I destroy your souls!¡±
The souls fell silent at Damien¡¯s killing intent.
It was then.
A huge dark mana burst out from the direction Dominico had run.
The dark mana spread throughout the Kingdom, forming dark magic.
Damien gnashed his teeth as he watched the sight.
¡°¡It¡¯s finally begun.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 143
Chapter 143
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 143: Gathdal the Chosen (4)
***
The chaos unfolding in the Country was shown in the mirror Gathdal had created.
¨C Ugh, ugh! What the hell are these!
¨C Oh, it¡¯s the undead! The undead have appeared!
¨C Kyaaaak!
Thousands of skeletons were attacking people.
The massacre was carried out on everyone, from the mercenaries and explorers who hade after the ruins, to the citizens of the Country.
Dominico stared nkly at the sight.
¡°This is¡ nonsense¡ This is¡ nonsense¡¡±
Dominico had fought a dark mage once before.
The skeleton he had used was less than five. Even then, they were so iplete that the dark magic would often be dispelled if they were even a little far away.
At that time, Dominico was able to kill the dark mage easily, even though he was a low-ss.
But what was that?
Over a thousand skeletons were summoned simultaneously. The dark magic was still being maintained even though they were so far away.
It was an unbelievable sight, even though he was seeing it with his own two eyes.
¡°Coborator¡ Yes, there was a coborator. This filthy bastard! He secretly brought in another dark mage without our knowledge!¡±
At Gathdal¡¯s signal, the dark mages hiding in the Country used dark magic.
That was why they were definitely able to summon and maintain so many skeletons.
Dominico thought that it was impossible for a dark mage to do this alone, but it was definitely possible if there were several of them.
¡°Coborator?¡±
Gathdal tilted his head at Dominico¡¯s words. He spoke as if he didn¡¯t understand why he was saying that.
¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t told you exactly what my level is yet.¡±
Gathdal had only introduced himself to Freize and Dominico as a high-level dark mage.
So Dominico and Freize had only judged Gathdal to be at least a high-level dark mage.
¡°I am a Grand dark mage.¡±
At those words, Dominico¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
¡°What¡ nonsense¡¡±
Dominico, who had lived his entire life as a knight, knew very well what a Grand dark mage was.
A levelparable to a Master ss. Weren¡¯t they beings that had transcended humanity?
¡°This is all child¡¯s y to me. If you still don¡¯t believe me, shall I summon more? I can double the number of skeletons.¡±
Although they were inferior to Master ss in terms ofbat ability, Grand mages had achieved incredible feats in other areas.
Like creating a bridge that crossed a continent and an ind overnight.
Or sinking the ground whole to create argeke.
Thinking about those anecdotes, it made sense what Gathdal had shown.
Dominico shook his head.
If the opponent was a Grand Dark mage, there was no chance of winning. It was a hopeless situation.
It was then.
¨C Go! Destroy all these filthy monsters!
¨C Follow Sir Duplessis! Let¡¯s save the people!
Through the mirror, a group of knights were seen saving people.
Centered around the High ss Duplessis, the other knights were tightly grouped together and knocking down the skeletons.
Dominico felt a glimmer of hope at the sight. But the hope was short-lived.
¡°There were still some fresh ones left.¡±
Gathdal tapped the ground with his staff again.
At that, skeletons began to pop up around Duplessis.
In an instant, hundreds of skeletons surrounded the knights.
¡°There¡¯s a High ss here, so let¡¯s work a little harder.¡±
Gathdal hit the ground again, and the skeletons turned dark. They charged forward, emitting red glows.
¨C Ugh, ugh! Basil, no!
¨C H, how can skeletons withstand the aura?
The knights were instantly pushed back by the skeletons.
At that moment, Duplessis stepped forward. As Duplessis swung his sword, the skeletons were instantly cut down.
¨C Sir Duplessis!
¨C You are truly amazing!
Before the knights¡¯ admiration could end, the skeletons were restored again.
¨C Stop them!
¨C Don¡¯t back down!
The fierce battle began again. Duplessis and the knights fiercely drove back the skeletons.
However, the situation was unfavorable for the knights. The skeletons were restored even when they were destroyed.
Dominico watched the scene with a dark look in his eyes.
The skeletons could be restored infinitely, but Duplessis and the knights¡¯ mana was limited.
If the battle continued like this, it was clear that Duplessis¡¯ side would lose.
Clench!
Dominico gritted his teeth.
He couldn¡¯t just let Duplessis die like this. He had to find a way to join forces with him.
With two High sses, they might be able to stand against the Grand dark mage.
Ugh, ugh!
Dominico grabbed the spear that had pierced his body.
He pulled himself out of the spear with all his might. His body, riddled with holes, fell to the ground.
C, cough¡¡!
Dominico forced himself to move, trying to run as far away from Gathdal as possible.
¡°You won¡¯t be able tost long since you were stabbed with the Evil Spear.¡±
Gathdal didn¡¯t chase after Dominico even though he was running away.
¡°You¡¯re in the palm of my hand anyway.¡±
Gathdal clicked his tongue as if he thought it was ridiculous.
***
Even amidst the agony, Dominico didn¡¯t stop moving.
He was determined to somehow leave this ce and join forces with Duplessis.
Suddenly, all strength drained from his body.
His legs wouldn¡¯t move anymore. He copsed to the ground.
He had to move. He had to find a way.
His mind raced, but his body wouldn¡¯t respond. Slowly, life faded from Dominico¡¯s eyes.
Momentster, someone appeared where Dominicoy.
¡°So it ended up like this.¡±
Damien Haksen.
He looked down at Dominico¡¯s body as he spoke.
Damien had moved to pursue Gathdal as soon as therge-scale dark magic was activated.
And now, he found Dominico lying on the ground.
Dominico¡¯s soul rose from his body. Transformed into a spirit, Dominico took a while to realize his own transformation.
¡°I¡ I¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re dead.¡±
Damien said coldly. Dominico looked at Damien with an incredulous expression.
¡°Freize has passed away.¡±
Dominico said with a dazed face.
¡°Gathdal, that man killed her. I¡ I couldn¡¯t do anything¡¡±
¡°Are you trying to garner sympathy from me?¡±
Damien said disdainfully.
¡°I told you. You brought this hell upon yourselves. You¡¯re just paying the price.¡±
Both Freize and Dominico had not only allied with dark mage but also offered the people gathered at the ruins to Gathdal.
They made wrong choices andmitted terrible sins. Now, the consequences wereing back to haunt them.
¡°If I hadn¡¯t stopped him, Gathdal could have prevented the widespread use of dark magic.¡±
Even Damien couldn¡¯t disregard the formidable power of a Grand Dark mage.
He didn¡¯t know what havoc they could wreak if given even a slight opportunity. So he tried to prevent it as much as possible.
¡°Do you even know what¡¯s happening right now? The skeletons summoned by Gathdal are killing people.¡±
¡°I saw it. That bastard showed it himself.¡±
Dominico sighed as he looked up at the sky.
¡°Gathdal¡¯s initial demand was the souls of the citizens. Freize opened the ruins to outsiders to avoid sacrificing the citizens.¡±
Dominicomented, covering his face with his hands.
¡°Wemitted the sin, but why do the citizens have to die¡¡±
¡°Ridiculous. You¡¯re worried about the citizens when you willingly offered explorers to Gathdal.¡±
Damien said mockingly. Dominico had nothing more to say.
Then it happened.
A massive magic circle appeared in the sky. At the same time, souls from all over country began to be drawn into the magic circle.
¡°W-what on earth¡ How can a person cast such arge-scale dark magic¡¡±
Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised.
Such dark magic was nothing to a Grand Dark mage.
¡°Aah!¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m being pulled in!¡±
Sounds came from behind. The souls of knights and soldiers who secretly followed Damien were being drawn into the magic circle.
¡°We¡ we can¡¯t resist¡¡±
Not only them, but Dominico¡¯s soul was also being pulled in.
¡°Tsk.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue. Whatever happened to them wasn¡¯t his concern.
But it wouldn¡¯t be good if their souls fell into Gathdal¡¯s hands.
Damien loosened his bracelet slightly, releasing some dark magic.
Then he cast protective dark magic on the souls present here.
Thanks to this, the souls of knights, soldiers, and Dominico were no longer being drawn in.
When Damien used dark magic, Dominico asked with a surprised expression.
¡°Victor¡ Are you¡ by any chance, a dark mage?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you darepare me to those trash.¡±
Damien said with annoyance.
¡°I can use dark magic, but that doesn¡¯t make me a dark mage.¡±
Dominico blinked at Damien¡¯s words.
His expression seemed to question if being able to use dark magic didn¡¯t make one a dark mage.
Leaving Dominico like that, Damien moved on.
¡°Where are you going?¡±
Without looking back, Damien replied to Dominico.
¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡±
***
¡°It¡¯s going smoothly.¡±
Gathdal said with satisfaction as he looked at therge number of souls gathering.
¡°Soon my wish wille true.¡±
A Master ss Death Knight.
Once he had that, he would no longer have to fear the Master sses.
¡°Then that person will also favor me even more.¡±
Gathdal¡¯s eyes shone.
Dorugo.
The founder of dark magic and the master of all dark mages.
Everything Gathdal did was to follow his holy will.
It was then that he felt a presence nearby.
He smiled strangely and looked towards the source of the presence.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here.¡±
Damien aka Victor.
The man who had pushed back his clone in the ruins was standing there.
¡°You¡¯re foolish. You didn¡¯t run away and instead came all the way here to me.¡±
¡°I have a personality where I can¡¯t just pass by trash when I see it.¡±
Gathdal burst outughing at Damien¡¯s words. He had felt it at the ruins too, but he was quite an amusing fellow.
¡°Still, since you came to see me, I should treat you well.¡±
Even though he had seen Damien¡¯s skills in the ruins, Gathdal was rxed.
The skeletons used by the clone were only low-level. But the skeletons Gathdal was about to bring out were different.
They were his main force, which he had raised for many years by feeding them souls and memories.
¡°Let me show you. My loyal followers.¡±
As Gathdal mmed his staff on the ground, the shadow at his feet spread wide.
Soon, the shadow began to stir.
It churned like a stormy sea. Skeletons rose from within.
***
Loyal followers.
As Gathdal confidently spoke, these were different from other skeletons.
First of all, they were not white but red in color. Not only that, but their appearance was also different.
The skeletons that Gathdal had summoned so far were so uniform in size that they seemed to be made from a mold.
However, the red skeletons were all different sizes.
There were skeletons as small as boys, skeletons asrge as bears, and even giants reminiscent of ogres.
Furthermore, the weapons they held were also different. There were skeletons holding not only swords and spears, but also greatswords and maces.
¡®I see them again.¡¯
Damien looked at the red skeletons and fell into thought.
In his previous life, they were also famous as Gathdal¡¯s elite army.
They were much weaker than in his previous life, but that was only whenpared to his previous life.
¡°They all have the strength to surpass the Low ss.¡±
Gathdal¡¯s voice was filled with pride.
¡°Do you know what happens when you add my support to that?¡±
Skeletons supported by a proper dark mage can exertbat power beyond their own abilities.
Hundreds of Low ss skeletons.
What if they were supported by Gathdal, a Grand dark mage?
Their power was so strong that it was impossible to estimate.
¨C No¡ this¡ this is impossible to win¡
Dominico, who had followed Damien, said in a trembling voice.
¨C Victor, run away. At least your life¡
Damien ignored Dominico¡¯s words. Instead, he drew out the Dawn.
Dominico, seeing this, asked with an incredulous face.
-¡¡You¡¯re going to fight?
¡°That¡¯s why I came.¡±
Damien said calmly. Dominico¡¯s eyes widened at those words.
A conflict arose on Dominico¡¯s face. After a while, Dominico opened his mouth.
¨C Victor, can you create skeletons?
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. dark mages have different fields. Not all dark mages can summon skeletons.
-¡¡I see.
¡°But I can.¡±
Dominico looked at Damien with a dumbfounded face.
¨C Then turn me into a skeleton.
This time it was Damien¡¯s turn to be dumbfounded.
¡°Don¡¯t you know what it means to be an undead?¡±
¨C I know. Souls that have epted dark mana cannot reincarnate and remain in the world.
The human soul constantly reincarnates and transmigrates.
However, souls tainted by dark mana can no longer reincarnate and are left in the world.
And then they slowly lose their power and disappear.
¨C Even so, I want to be of help in your fight.
Dominico said calmly. He had the face of a man who had already made up his mind.
¨C I beg of you too.
¨C I beg of you too!
It wasn¡¯t just Dominico. The knights and soldiers of the Country who had followed him also cried out earnestly.
¡°You will all regret this.¡±
Damien said to them. Dominico smiled bitterly.
¨C We have to pay the price for this.
Damien looked at them silently. Soon, he slowly unbuckled the bracelet on his wrist.
All the dark mana contained in the bracelet was released.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 144
Chapter 144
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 144: Legion (1)
***
The released dark mana spread in all directions. It looked like the branches of a tree stretching endlessly.
¡°Ohho!¡±
Gathdal¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight.
¡°Dark mana? I knew it when you were using the Flesh Golem, but you¡¯re a really strange guy.¡±
Although it was an unexpected situation, Gathdal¡¯s experience and knowledge were too rich to be surprised by what Damien had done.
¡°What do you n to do with that dark mana? Are you going to use alchemy? Or are you going to activate the legacy left by the demon?¡±
There were many ways to use dark mana, even if it wasn¡¯t dark magic.
Alchemy and the legacy of the demon that Gathdal had just mentioned were examples of this.
However, they were not widely used because they were less efficient or had more side effects than dark magic.
Damien did not answer Gathdal¡¯s question. Instead, he used dark mana to form a spell.
At that, Gathdal¡¯s reaction gradually grew.
¡°Dark magic? This is quite surprising! A High-ss knight using dark magic!¡±
Gathdal watched with a very interested face.
¡°I saw a knight like you a long time ago. He learned dark magic because he wanted to get revenge on a dark mage. He said that you had to know your enemy to kill them well?¡±
Perhaps because he had met an interesting opponent.
Gathdal¡¯s mood was much more excited than usual. So much so that he was talking nonsense.
¡°Do you know what happened to him in the end? The dark mana and mana shed and he became a cripple. Wasn¡¯t he a really stupid guy?¡±
While Gathdal was talking, Damien¡¯s spell waspleted.
ording to thepleted spell, arge magic circle began to be drawn on the ground.
¡°At least he has the right form. Let¡¯s see how different you are from him¡¡±
Gathdal¡¯s face hardened as soon as he saw the structure of the magic circle.
There was not one dark magic that created skeletons. It existed in tiers ording to the level of the dark mage.
The lowest tier skeleton creation spell was so crude that no matter what soul was used, it could only create low-level skeletons.
Skeletons that could be shattered with just a little hit, and that showed no trace of the reason and individuality of the soul used as the material.
As the tier of dark magic increased, the strength of the skeleton increased, and the characteristics of the soul used as the material also appeared.
And the dark magic that Damien uses is¡
¡°10th tier?¡±
It was one of the highest levels of dark magic that not only created skeletons as powerful as monsters, but also reproduced the reason, memory, and even habits of the soul used as the material.
¡°How did you¡¡±
Even Gathdal, a Grand dark mage, needed more than a day of preparation to use 10th tier dark magic.
Damien hadpleted it in a matter of minutes.
It wasn¡¯t just that he was fast. He had drawn such aplex and intricate magic circle without making a single mistake and without any hesitation.
¡°This is the path you have chosen.¡±
The magic circle emitted a ck light. The souls of the knights and soldiers began to be sucked into it.
¡°So don¡¯t me me.¡±
Just before beingpletely absorbed into the magic circle, the knights and soldiers looked at Damien and smiled.
The magic circle swallowed everyone¡¯s souls. Soon after, dozens of skeletons rose from within.
The skeletons were all different in size and shape, and they all had different atmospheres.
It couldn¡¯t be helped. They were transformed into skeletons by the highest level of dark magic, which perfectly absorbs their abilities during their lifetime.
Gathdal looked at them with a shocked face.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s great, but¡±
But it was only for a moment. Gathdal quickly regained hisposure.
¡°You can¡¯t defeat me with them. Do you know why?¡±
Gathdal said with a sneer.
¡°There are two main factors that determine the strength of a skeleton. First is the quality of the soul used as the material. Second is the effort put in by the owner.¡±
The red skeletons were not only made from souls carefully selected by Gathdal but they were also fed countless souls and memories to grow them.
Thanks to this, they were all able to obtain a strength that surpassed the Low ss.
On the other hand, what about the skeletons that Damien created?
Most of them were ordinary soldiers. There were also Low ss and Middle ss, but they were only a small minority.
Not only that, but the overall number was also small. There were only a few dozen of them on the other side, but Gathdal¡¯s loyal followers numbered over a hundred.
¡°Well, that¡¯s true. I can¡¯t defeat you with these guys who just finished.¡±
Surprisingly, Damien also readily acknowledged that fact.
¡°But there¡¯s one thing I didn¡¯t mention.¡±
Damien added, making a gesture.
¡°That undead can be strengthened as much as you want with the support of a dark mage.¡±
Damien used dark magic to form another spell.
Even though the enemy was preparing dark magic, Gathdal was rxed.
¡°I don¡¯t think any dark magic can close this gap, but¡ let¡¯s see. What kind of dark magic will you use?¡±
However, the moment he saw the spell Damien was creating, Gathdal¡¯s smile disappeared without a trace.
¡°¡¡What the hell is that.¡±
Grand dark mage.
The knowledge that Gathdal had umted to reach this position was enough to fill a valley.
Even Gathdal had never seen the dark magic that Damien was preparing.
The way the spell was constructed and even theposition were all things he had never seen before.
¡°It¡¯s on a different level¡ No. How can you use dark magic in such a way¡¡±
It was different from the existing dark magic from the beginning. It seemed topletely deny the foundation that the existing dark magic had.
¡°T, that¡¯s¡ Where did you get that dark magic¡!¡±
The moment Gathdal shouted, the dark magic Damien was preparing waspleted.
At that moment, the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
***
As Damienpleted the dark magic, the ground shook. At the same time, an altar began to rise behind Damien.
It was exactly the same shape as a square pir. It was wide at the bottom and narrowed towards the top.
There was a single chair ced on the top of the altar.
The chair was made entirely of bones and had a very high back.
Perhaps because of that, there was a strange sense of oppression emanating from the chair.
It was as if one felt a sense of pressure just looking up at it.
It was as if one should bow their head.
It was like looking at a throne.
¡°What¡ what the hell is that dark magic¡¡±
Gathdal asked with a trembling voice.
Even he, a Grand dark mage, had never seen such dark magic in any records.
That was only natural.
This was an ancient dark magic that Archlich Dorugo had as his personal secret.
Dark Binding.
Dark magic was created for the purpose of supporting the undead under hismand.
Damien stepped onto the altar. At that, everything became quiet.
Not only the skeletons that Damien had summoned, but even Gathdal held their breath and watched Damien ascend the altar.
Why was this?
Every time Damien stepped up to the altar, fear grew in everyone¡¯s hearts. The emotion of fear piled up. The emotion of awe slowly raised its head.
It was the same for both friend and foe. Even Gathdal was no exception.
And when Damien finally reached the top, the emotions that everyone held were maximized.
Damien sat on the throne. He leaned back against the backrest and looked down at everyone.
No one took offense at his arrogant attitude. Rather, only one word came to mind.
Monarch.
Damien¡¯s appearance reminded one of a monarch reigning over the dead.
¡°I dere.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice rang low.
¡°From now on, I will not move a single step from this spot.¡±
Chains sprang out of nowhere and wrapped around Damien¡¯s body and the throne.
¡°From now on, I will not react to any threats.¡±
A second chain bound Damien¡¯s two legs to the throne.
¡°From now on, I will not use any dark magic.¡±
A third chain bound Damien¡¯s arms to the throne.
Everyone who saw the sight wondered.
Why would he seal his own abilities? And that too, when he was about to fight a Transcendent, a Grand dark mage?
¡°In exchange for these three restrictions, I will share my knowledge and experience with my followers for a short time.¡±
Damien took a break and finished speaking.
It will be like diving into a sea of knowledge.
At that moment, a flood of information poured into the minds of the skeletons.
No, it wasn¡¯t like a flood. It was as if they had thrown themselves into a sea of knowledge. The amount of information was so overwhelming that they felt like they were going to suffocate.
The skeletons¡¯ talents were too low to absorb all of this.
All the skeletons could get was a single grain of knowledge.
However, the moment they epted it, a tremendous change took ce in the skeletons.
An explosive energy erupted from dozens of skeletons.
¡°What, what the¡¡±
Gathdal was greatly surprised by the sudden change.
¡°What¡ what¡¯s going on!¡±
The skeletons raised their weapons in unison. Dark aura rose from their weapons.
¡°Low¡ ss?¡±
Gathdal muttered with a dazed expression at the sight.
But he soon denied his own thoughts.
¡°No, no¡ this is¡ this is¡!¡±
Gathdal eximed in shock.
¡°Middle ss!¡±
All dozens of skeletons had been promoted to Middle ss.
¡°This is¡ ridiculous¡¡±
Most of them were ordinary soldiers during their lifetime. There were also knights, but they were only Low ss. There were only one or two Middle ss.
Those who were insignificant and useless had suddenly been promoted to Middle ss.
¡°What the hell did you do!¡±
Undead be stronger with the support of their owner.
However, there is a limit to that. No dark mage could promote an ordinary skeleton to Middle ss.
¡°What did you do!¡±
At Gathdal¡¯s scream, Damien folded his arms with an indifferent expression.
¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡±
The skeletons¡¯ gazes turned to Gathdal. Dozens of Middle ss killing intents poured out at once.
¡°Make him shut up right now.¡±
As soon as Damien¡¯s order fell, dozens of Middle ss rushed towards Gathdal.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 145
Chapter 145
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 145: Legion (2)
***
The pressure emanating from dozens of Middle ss skeletons was enough to give goosebumps and even chills.
¡°It¡¯s great, but¡¡±
But Gathdal was a Grand Dark Mage. His pride did not allow him to be overwhelmed by this situation.
¡°You can¡¯t beat me!¡±
It was certainly a formidable force, but it was not disadvantageous for him.
In a battle between undead, the dark mage¡¯s ability yed a big role.
However, Damien had put restrictions on himself and sealed his dark magic.
This meant that the skeletons had to fight with their own strength.
On the other hand, Gathdal was free to use any dark magic.
¡°I¡¯ll make you realize who I am.¡±
Gathdal gathered all his dark magic power. And he manifested several kinds of dark magic at the same time.
¨C Synthetic Bone: Consumes spare souls to increase the strength of the skeleton.
¨C Evil Surge: Injects dark mana to increase all abilities of the skeleton.
¨C Running Lantern: Makes the skeleton run wild and multiplies all abilities several times.
In addition to these, many other dark magics were manifested. The eyes of the red skeletons darkened slightly each time the reinforcement dark magic cast on.
¡°Go and crush them!¡±
At Gathdal¡¯smand, the red skeletons also charged. White and red shed with each other.
And the red side was cut down.
¡°¡What?¡±
The red skeletons were smashed to pieces every time the white skeletons swung their weapons.
There was no chance to fight back, let alone resist. The red skeletons were literally being cut down.
¡°T-this is ridiculous¡!¡±
Gathdal hurriedly activated his dark magic. He restored the broken skeletons and cast more reinforcement spells.
But it was useless. The red skeletons were simply beaten helplessly.
¡°The difference in power is this much¡?!¡±
Gathdal muttered in confusion. But he quickly regained his senses.
¡°That¡¯s nonsense! I haven¡¯t shown all my cards yet!¡±
As Gathdal hit the ground with his staff again, other skeletons were summoned from the shadows.
This time, the summoned skeletons were wearing armor. Not only that, but they gave off a much more eerie aura than the ones that were summoned first.
¡°If you¡¯re going to use Middle ss, I¡¯ll counter with the same force!¡±
Gathdal stretched out his hand. The second red skeletons moved.
-Kkiiieeeeek!
-Kieeek!
The Middle ss red skeletons rushed towards the enemies. They roared and swung their weapons.
And they were smashed to pieces.
Even the Middle ss were no exception. The white skeletons crushed the red skeletons after receiving their attacks.
It was no different from the Low ss red skeletons.
¡°¡¡±
The moment he saw it, Gathdal realized his mistake.
Not all Middle ss were the same level. There was a gap within that.
The red skeletons that Gathdal had brought out were only at the beginning of Middle ss.
On the other hand, the white skeletons had all reached the peak of Middle ss.
That¡¯s why Gathdal¡¯s loyal followers couldn¡¯t beat them no matter what they did.
¡°This is¡ ridiculous¡ I¡ raise those things¡¡±
Gathdal gritted his teeth. His eyes turned venomous.
¡°I never thought I would have to use myst resort here¡!¡±
Gathdal mmed his staff on the ground. ck smoke billowed from the shadows.
Knights wearing armor emerged from the smoke.
Death Knights.
Undead is made only with souls, unlike Death Knights.
Death Knights was created by Gathdal using the souls of high-ss knights he had collected with difficulty.
It could truly be called ast resort.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll crush you all!¡±
As Gathdal gave the order, the Death Knights charged towards the skeletons.
This time, even the white skeletons had no choice. The skeletons began to be crushed by the weapons wielded by the Death Knights.
¡°Hahaha! See that?¡±
As Gathdal shouted, he was filled with joy. But right after that, the Death Knights¡¯ advance was stopped.
The white skeletons had blocked the Death Knights¡¯ weapons.
¡°Skeletons¡ blocking Death Knights?¡±
At that moment, a thought shed through Gathdal¡¯s mind.
The skeletons that Damien had created were a mix of soldiers and knights.
Ordinary soldiers and the Low ss Knights had all been promoted to the Middle ss.
Then what about those who were originally Middle ss? What level had they reached?
¡°¡Surely not.¡±
Before Gathdal could finish his question, the white skeletons began to push back the Death Knights.
Even though they were both High ss, the difference in skill was clear. The Death Knights were quickly cut all over their bodies by the white skeletons¡¯ swords.
¡°W-what¡ what are you doing! Why are the Death Knights being pushed back by skeletons!¡±
Gathdal hurriedly used dark magic to strengthen the Death Knights.
He used every means at his disposal to help the Death Knights.
But the situation did not change. In the end, the Death Knights were destroyed and disappeared at the hands of the skeletons.
Unlike skeletons, Death Knights could not be restored quickly once destroyed. It took time to restore them.
With the disappearance of the Death Knights, there was no one left to stop the skeletons.
The white skeletons began to drive back the red skeletons.
¡°¡¡±
Gathdal lost his mind as he watched the white skeletons slowly approaching.
To think that his loyal followers, whom he had put his heart and soul into creating, would be destroyed so quickly.
¡°¡I¡¯m d I prepared it in advance.¡±
Gathdal snapped his fingers. The ss container behind him shattered and green liquid spilled onto the floor.
A ss container containing Adrian¡¯s body floated in the air.
His limbs had been reced with those of other people, and his face was covered with a metal te to hide the half-decayed parts.
He had been a Master ss in his lifetime, but now he was nothing more than Gathdal¡¯s puppet.
¡°But I never thought I would have to use this.¡±
Gathdal opened a subspace. He took out something from it. It looked like a piece of broken sword.
A fragment of Erebos.
Gathdal embedded it in Adrian¡¯s chest.
The power that flowed out of the sword fragment spread through his body through his blood vessels.
¡°Wake up. Adrian.¡±
As soon as Gathdal¡¯s order fell, Adrian opened his eyes.
They were not the eyes of an ordinary person. They werepletely ck, with the irises in the middle dyed bright red.
¡°Mom! I¡¯ll earn a lot of money ande back!¡±
Those were Adrian¡¯s first words.
¡°Don¡¯t put too much water when you boil soup! Bucks, I told you not to hold the sword like that! O-old golem? R-run away!¡±
Adrian spouted nonsense. Gathdal clicked his tongue in displeasure.
¡°I guess I activated him too quickly and his memories haven¡¯t settled in properly.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a big problem. Adrian was alreadyplete enough to be mobilized for battle.
Gathdal pointed to the front. His long, gnarled fingers pointed to the white skeletons and Damien beyond them.
¡°Can you see them? They are all your enemies. Get rid of them right now.¡±
Gathdal snapped his fingers. Arge sword appeared in front of Adrian.
It was not an ordinary greatsword. It was a greatsword that Gathdal had reforged for Adrian using the Evil Spirit¡¯s Fang.
Adrian drew the greatsword. At that moment, Adrian¡¯s aura exploded.
The white skeletons that were charging forward were swept away by Adrian¡¯s aura.
The white skeletons at the forefront were shattered, and the white skeletons behind them were blown away like they were caught in a storm.
An aura rose from the greatsword that Adrian was holding.
The aura soon solidified. A Dark de enveloped the greatsword.
On the battlefield, Aurade appeared.
A weapon considered the pinnacle of knights, only those of the Master ss could create such an absolute weapon.
On the battlefield, a true transcendent had been revealed.
***
¡°So he activated him after all.¡±
Damien looked at Adrian from his throne.
Even though a Master ss Death Knight had been born, Damien didn¡¯t seem particrly anxious.
¡°What a joke. Bringing out a guy who hasn¡¯t even established his own self and calling him a Master ss.¡±
From Damien¡¯s point of view, that wasn¡¯t a Master ss. It was just a piece of junk that was imitating the shell.
However, even that shell was threatening now. The skeletons were being crushed just by the aura he was emitting.
¡°Dominico. Are you ready?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, Dominico stood up from the side.
Dominico didn¡¯t look like a skeleton. He looked exactly the same as he did in his lifetime.
However, his skin was gray and he was emitting death energy from all over his body.
Dominico had be a Death Knight.
¨C ¡What just happened to me?
A deep question floated on Dominico¡¯s face.
While the skeletons were fighting Gathdal¡¯s summons, Dominico had been going through something else.
He had experienced something in his mind space.
Something so vast and terrifying that even Dominico¡¯s talents couldn¡¯t contain it all.
¡°Now is not the time to worry about that.¡±
Damien pointed to the Death Knight that Gathdal had created.
¡°If we can¡¯t destroy that undead, we¡¯ll all die. You¡¯ll have to take on that guy.¡±
Dominico¡¯s face hardened at the sight of the Death Knight.
¨C ¡So you weren¡¯t going to revive my master but use him like this.
¡°You¡¯re not going to give me the nonsense that you can¡¯t fight because it¡¯s your master¡¯s body, are you?¡±
¨C Of course not. I just want to give him a quick rest.
Dominico reached out into the air. Dark mana began to gather around his palm.
¨C Is this how I use it?
The gathered dark mana was converted into an aura. The aura solidified into a single shape.
The Aurade appeared.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 146
Chapter 146
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 146: Master (1)
***
The moment Damien activated the Dark Binding, Dominico was drawn to a strange ce.
It was a ce where darkness covered everything, no matter where he looked.
¡°Where is this?¡±
Just as Dominico was feeling confused, someone suddenly appeared in the darkness.
¨C Dominico, you¡¯re not holding the sword correctly.
He was a middle-aged man with thick brown hair and a kind face.
Adrian.
Dominico¡¯s master and the former Duke was yelling at him.
¡°Master¡?
Dominico¡¯s face became dazed. Soon, tears began to well up in his eyes.
¡°Master!¡±
Dominico sobbed and hugged Adrian. But his body simply passed through Adrian.
¡°W-what is this¡¡±
Dominico looked back at Adrian again. Then Adrian¡¯s figure disappeared like smoke.
A momentter, Adrian¡¯s figure reappeared. This time he was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
¨C You must never breathe quickly. Slowly, very deeply, you must feel the mana seeping in.
It was something Adrian had said to Dominico in the past.
The moment he remembered that fact, Dominico realized. What he was seeing now was a memory of the past.
No matter how this situation came to be, the memories of his training with his master were being recreated.
¡°So that¡¯s your master.¡±
Dominico was startled by the sudden voice and looked to the side.
Damien was now standing next to him.
¡°How did you get here¡¡±
¡°There is not much time. This is not the time for such trivial questions.¡±
So saying, Damien stood still and watched Adrian.
¨C Dominico, the most important thing when facing an enemy is not to be intimidated by their aura.
¨C Today, I will have youplete 1000 downward strikes!
¨C Daminico, didn¡¯t I tell you? You shouldn¡¯t break the rhythm.
In front of Damien¡¯s eyes, Adrian began to disy his skills one by one. They were all the same as the ones Dominico had seen in the past.
Dominico looked at Adrian with a wistful look in his eyes.
Like Freize, Dominico also missed Adrian. It was Adrian who had taken in Dominico, who had be an orphan and lived as a beggar since birth.
That¡¯s why he had high expectations when he heard Gathdal¡¯s words that he would resurrect Adrian.
But the result was a terrible price to pay.
¡°I think I get it.¡±
At that moment, Damien stepped forward. Adrian¡¯s figure disappeared like smoke.
As Damien reached out into the void, a greatsword appeared. Damien grasped the greatsword and began to wield it.
¡°It seems you¡¯ve had experience handling a greatsword? Quite skilled, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Dominico assessed Damien¡¯s swordsmanship as he watched.
But as time passed, Dominico couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Damien¡¯s swordsmanship became more and more intricate, swiftly reaching a level reminiscent of Adrian.
¡°H-How¡?¡±
It wasn¡¯t just a superficial resemnce. It was a perfect replication of the awe-inspiring presence and precision Dominico felt from his master.
Could it be his own misconception? Had the day¡¯s shocking events clouded his judgment?
Dominico thought so until Damien swung the greatsword with all his might.
In that moment, a massive shockwave rippled through the world. The ground split open, leaving deep fissures as if gazing into a valley.
¡°¡This can¡¯t be.¡±
Dominico muttered dumbfoundedly.
What Damien had just demonstrated was Adrian¡¯s technique. It was a technique only the master could perform in this world.
¡°I haven¡¯t seen your master directly, so I can¡¯t be certain, but it seems to have been something like this.¡±
Damien said as he plunged the greatsword into the ground.
¡°From now on, I¡¯ll impart what I¡¯ve learned to you.¡±
¡°Impart¡? What do you mean¡?¡±
¡°Remember. What¡¯s happening to you now is temporary. Once the dark magic I¡¯ve used is undone, you¡¯ll forget everything.¡±
Damien reached out towards Dominico.
¡°But with your talent¡ you might gain something.¡±
He added with a wry smile.
¡°Though realizing it in a dead body would be of no use anyway.¡±
With those words, the world copsed around them.
***
Dominico opened his eyes with a dazzling light.
¡°Dominico. Are you ready?¡±
As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard Damien¡¯s voice. Dominico asked with a face full of questions.
¨C ¡What just happened to me?
¡°Now is not the time to worry about that.¡±
Damien pointed forward. Dominico turned his gaze in the direction Damien was pointing.
The first thing he saw was the wreckage of the shattered skeletons. White and red bones were mixed together.
The next thing he saw was Gathdal, and next to him, was the body of his master.
¡°If you can¡¯t destroy that undead, we¡¯ll all die. You¡¯ll have to take on that guy.¡±
Dominico looked at Adrian with trembling eyes.
His master, who had been a Master ss in his previous life, had been reduced to a ything of the dark mage.
¨C ¡So you weren¡¯t going to revive my master but use him like this.
Dominico suppressed the rising sobs and said.
¡°You¡¯re not going to give me the nonsense that you can¡¯t fight because it¡¯s your master¡¯s body, are you?¡±
¨C Of course not. I just want to give him a quick rest.
Dominico reached out into the air. He moved his mana ording to the strange feeling flowing through his body.
¨C Is this how I use it?
Aura gathered in his palm. The aurapressed itself and created a single greatsword.
Aurade.
The symbol of the Master ss was manifested in Dominico¡¯s hand.
¨C To think that the day woulde when I would create an Aurade with my own hands.
Dominico smiled bitterly and looked at the Aurade.
¨C But it¡¯s not my own power.
¡°With your talent, you could have reached the Master¡¯s level someday.¡±
Damien said with a calm face.
¨C You don¡¯t have to give me emptyfort. I¡¯m just grateful for now.
Dominico stepped forward, holding the Aurade.
¡°Aurade? Aurade?¡±
Gathdal¡¯s expression became distorted as soon as he saw Dominico¡¯s face.
¡°That Death Knight is¡ Dominico. That guy must have been High ss originally? But how did he get an Aurade¡ No way¡ It¡¯s impossible¡ It can¡¯t be¡.¡±
Gathdal grabbed his hair with both hands. His neatlybed hairstyle was ruined.
¡°He created¡ created it¡ In that short time¡ What I¡¯ve worked my whole life to get¡ You¡ You bastard¡!¡±
Bloodshot eyes filled Gathdal¡¯s eyes. He clenched his teeth and muttered.
¡°Uneptable! You! I! I will never let you live!¡±
Gathdal stretched his arms forward and shouted.
¡°Adrian! Kill them all!¡±
As soon as the order was given, Adrian charged forward. Dominico also ran forward.
The two Master sses shed in the air.
***
The greatsword made from reforged evil spears fell towards Dominico¡¯s head.
Oveying the surface of the greatsword was Aurade. It was called the strongest weapon in human history.
No metal or monster¡¯s carapace was anything more than a sheet of paper in front of Aurade.
But the same was true for this side.
Dominico swung his greatsword to counter. The postures of the two were exactly the same. It was as if they were looking in a mirror.
The two Aurades shed.
At that moment, the ground shattered as if a volcano had erupted. The clouds that were drifting overhead were torn to shreds.
The two masters stared at each other with their Aurades drawn.
No, to say they stared would be a misnomer. Unlike Dominico, whose eyes were vividly alive, Adrian¡¯s eyes were hazy.
The two masters simultaneously exerted force on their forearms. Their bodies were pushed back.
Dominico immediately sprang forward. Adrian did the same.
The two masters swung their greatswords to crush each other.
The swordy was so fast that it couldn¡¯t be followed with the eyes. All that other people could see were afterimages and the asional sh of sword light.
¡°To raise a High ss to Master ss! This is the first time I¡¯ve been so surprised in my life!¡±
Gathdal shouted from beyond Adrian.
¡°But in the end, the master I created is winning!¡±
As the battle dragged on, Dominico¡¯s body began to deteriorate little by little. Unable to withstand the impact, fine cracks began to spread throughout his body.
¡°See! This is the advantage that the time and resources I invested in Adrian are bringing!¡±
Gathdal¡¯s smug smile appeared. On the other hand, Damien watched the battle with an indifferent face.
¡°What do you think a Master is?¡±
Suddenly, Damien opened his mouth. Gathdal curled his lips and said.
¡°What a question to ask! Isn¡¯t it right in front of your eyes? The master I created!¡±
¡°What you¡¯ve created is nothing more than an undead who knows how to use Aurade.¡±
¡°Of course¡ Aurade is the symbol of a Master!¡±
Damien clicked his tongue and shook his head at Gathdal¡¯s cry.
¡°It¡¯s true that a Master knows how to use Aurade, but not everyone who knows how to use Aurade is a Master.¡±
¡°You¡¯re just talking nonsense because you¡¯re about to lose! Anyway, you and that Death Knight will die here!¡±
A thick sneer appeared on Gathdal¡¯s lips.
¡°Listen carefully.¡±
Damien spoke slowly to Gathdal.
¡°A Master is someone who has attained the realm. If you can¡¯t reproduce that, you¡¯re just a shell. I¡¯ll show you the difference right now.¡±
Damien gave the order to Dominico.
¡°Dominico. Finish it now.¡±
***
¨C Master.
Dominico whispered during his sword fight with Adrian.
¨C I¡¯m sorry. I failed to protect Freize.
Dominico confessed his sins in a trembling voice.
¨C I failed to protect the Almond Country from enemies. I failed to protect the citizens of the Almond Country. I failed to protect the honor of the Almond Country.
Adrian didn¡¯t react at all. He just stared at Dominico with his dull eyes.
¨C ¡At least I will finish everything with my own hands.
Dominico swung his greatsword with all his might. It was a move as if he was trying to blow it away rather than cut it.
Adrian raised his greatsword to block Dominico¡¯s attack. But he couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and his body was pushed back.
The battle paused as the distance between the two widened.
During that short time, Dominico recalled the knowledge he had received from Damien in the spiritual world.
Adrian was a knight who used a greatsword. Naturally, Adrian came to pursue a one-hit kill with a strong sword.
The state that Adrian obtained when he reached the Master ss was ¡®Dignified and Solemn¡¯.
Dignified and Solemn was a state that enhanced the power of the beheading strike.
The simpler the movement, the greater the power and range of the beheading strike.
It was a state that contained Adrian¡¯s single-minded desire to crush his enemies without any need for trickery.
Perhaps this was not the real state. This was because it was only a state that Damien had created after seeing Dominico¡¯s memories.
However, Dominico, who had watched Adrian for a long time, was convinced.
He was sure that Dignified and Solemn was the state that Adrian had obtained as a Master.
Dominico raised his greatsword high into the sky.
It was a stance that clearly showed his intention to strike down with the greatsword.
Reading the intent was a shortcut to defeat. However, that was not the case with ¡®Dignified and Solemn¡¯.
Dominico concentrated his mana on the greatsword. The Aurade, which had been maintaining a fixed form, began to ze like mes.
¡°Adrian! Don¡¯t hesitate any longer! Destroy them all!¡±
Gathdal gave the order again. Adrian roared and ran towards Dominico.
At that moment, Dominico struck down with his greatsword.
The giant beheading strike fell to the world.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 147
Chapter 147
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 147: Master (2)
***
A giant blow fell upon the world. The immense strike obliterated Adrian without a trace. It swept away half of the ducal castle andpletely erased the mountain beyond it.
In an instant, everything vanished. In its ce, deep chasms remained etched into the ground like valleys, stretching out towards the horizon.
¡°Huff¡ Huff¡¡±
Dominico gasped for breath, having exerted all his strength and dark mana to unleash the blow moments ago. Even though he has the body of a Death knight, the severe exhaustion was palpable.
¡°Master¡¡±
Dominico looked around with a bewildered expression, but Adrian was nowhere to be found.
¡°This¡ can¡¯t be happening¡¡±
A faint voice interrupted. Gathdal gazed at Dominico with a bewildered expression.
¡°My¡ my Adrian¡ the Master ss I finally got my hands on¡ it can¡¯t end like this¡¡±
As Dominico looked at Gathdal, anger surged within him once more, consuming the fatigue.
¡°Gathdal!¡±
Dominico yelled, snapping Gathdal back to reality.
¡°Damn it¡!¡±
Gathdal hastily tried to unleash dark magic, but Dominico lunged forward, seizing his forearm in a brutal grip. With a savage twist, Dominico tore Gathdal¡¯s arm from its socket, sinew snapping and blood spraying in a gruesome arc. Gathdal¡¯s screams pierced the air as he stumbled backward, clutching the ragged stump where his arm used to be. Blood gushed from the wound, painting the ground crimson.
¡°Ugh¡ Argh!¡±
Gathdal groaned, clutching his shoulder in pain as blood streamed through his fingers.
¡°It hurts¡ I can feel your hatred¡¡±
Gathdal smirked lightly, looking down at Dominico.
¡°Do you n to exercise the rights of the victor? Tear me apart, crush me, do as you wish.¡±
Gathdal¡¯s voice, as he spoke, was inexplicably calm.
Hisposed demeanor fueled Dominico¡¯s rage even further.
¡°¡Fine, do as you please. Just let the words ¡®please kill me¡¯e out of your mouth!¡±
¡°Oh, that sounds intriguing. Shall we make a wager? Should I say those words or not?¡±
Gathdal¡¯s taunt ignited mes in Dominico¡¯s eyes.
It was when Dominico reached out to tear Gathdal¡¯s limbs away that a voice intervened.
¡°Stop.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice resonated, causing Dominico to halt his outstretched hand.
Between Damien and Dominico, there existed an absolute master-servant rtionship, rendering Dominico unable to defy his orders.
¡°Victor, please, leave me alone. This man¡ he killed Princess Freize! And our master¡ he disgraced him!¡±
Dominico shouted with a sentiment akin to vomiting blood. However, Damien remained indifferent.
¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself. You brought this upon yourselves. Moreover, youmitted the sin of abducting people and handing them over to Gathdal.¡±
Dominico gritted his teeth. Despite his rising anger, he couldn¡¯t refute Damien¡¯s words.
¡°But¡ at least¡ let me finish this with my own hands!¡±
¡°I cannot allow it. This is the final price you must pay.¡±
Damien spoke with utmost coldness.
¡°Above all, it¡¯s not your ce to kill him.¡±
¡°What do you mean¡¡±
¡°The time is running out. Hurry and subdue him.¡±
Damien sent information regarding Gathdal to Dominico.
Dominico pierced Gathdal¡¯s blood points with the knowledge of Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡!¡±
Gathdal groaned every time Dominico¡¯s fingers dug into his body.
As soon as Gathdal¡¯s dark mana was sealed by Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle, the altar disappeared just in time before ¡®Dark Binding¡¯ was released.
Gathdal was a Grand Dark Mage. He was a formidable enemy even without the skeletons. Therefore, it was necessary to subdue him before Dark Binding was released.
Damien, who hade down from the altar, approached Gathdal.
¡°Victor¡ What have you done to my body? I can¡¯t move my dark mana. Have you sealed my blood points? What is the meaning behind this?¡±
Even though death was imminent, Gathdal was still thirsting for new knowledge.
Gathdal¡¯s attitude was not something he put on.
Once one reached the level of Grand Dark Mage, one¡¯s mental world was bound to be different from that of others.
Unlike others, Gathdal could not be threatened by death or pain.
That was why Damien had stopped Dominico. He knew that no matter what torture he inflicted, he would not be able to make Gathdal beg for mercy.
¡°If you¡¯re thinking of killing me, you better reconsider. I belong to Pandemonium.¡±
When Damien didn¡¯t say anything, Gathdal spoke with a lowugh.
Pandemonium.
Thergest and most powerful dark mages force working in secret to overthrow the empire.
It was a ce that boasted immense power, with most of its members being Grand Dark Mages or even Liches.
¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this, but¡ Pandemonium is a ce that thoroughly upholds its debts. If a member is killed, they will definitely get revenge.¡±
Damien had previously killed a dark mage who imed to be from Pandemonium in the Apple Kingdom.
However, they were the only candidates. That was why Pandemonium had not taken any action even though Damien had killed them.
However, Gathdal was a true member of Pandemonium. If he were to be killed here, Pandemonium would definitely move.
¡°Victor, Pandemonium will search the entire continent for you. You can¡¯t stop them with just a Master-ss Knight Commander, can you?¡±
There was no exaggeration in Gathdal¡¯s words. One Master-ss was not enough to stand against Pandemonium.
¡°How scary.¡±
However, Damien only sneered at the name Pandemonium.
At Damien¡¯s attitude, Gathdal spoke with an amused face.
¡°It seems the name of Pandemonium doesn¡¯t scare you? How insolent. You¡¯re not worth killing¡¡±
¡°My name is not Victor.¡±
Gathdal¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at Damien¡¯s words. He looked as if he was asking what that was supposed to mean.
¡°My real name is Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°¡Damien Haksen? The one who killed the Corpsey and destroyed Yn?¡±
Gathdal¡¯s expression became momentarily dazed after hearing his real name.
¡°¡Amazing. This is really amazing. I never thought that you, an ally of the Church, would be a Grand Dark Mage.
Damien frowned at the word ¡®dark mage¡¯.
¡°I only use dark magic, I¡¯m not a dark mage. Don¡¯t treat me the same as you filthy people.¡±
Gathdal looked at Damien with a dumbfounded expression.
¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¡±
¡°So even if Pandemonium investigates the Almond Country, they¡¯ll have a hard time finding any clues about me.¡±
Damien had been using the name Victor since he came to the Almond Country.
Although he had caused somemotion, such as defeating a Middle-ss with a club, it would be difficult to identify Victor as Damien based on that alone.
¡°You¡¯re taking Pandemonium too lightly. There are many ways to find out about you¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re nning to leave your memories behind with dark magic, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Gathdal¡¯s face hardened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You¡¯re nning to spread dark mana mixed with your memories around this area. Then, when Pandemonium sends someer, they¡¯ll be able to identify me through those memories.¡±
He had seen it in his previous life. He was referring to how Gathdal would transmit information to Dorugo through the method he just mentioned.
¡°It¡¯s useless. I¡¯m going to clean up this area thoroughly after killing you. So that Pandemonium won¡¯t be able to find me.¡±
¡°Foolish. There¡¯s more than one way to leave information. Besides¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re thinking of leaving your memories behind? As a dark mage of your caliber, you can surely create powerful memories at the moment of death.¡±
Again, when Damien revealed his intentions, Gathdal¡¯s expression hardened.
¡°Don¡¯t make empty threats. From now on, all you can do is suffer.¡±
Damien ced his hand on Gathdal¡¯s head. Injecting dark mana into his mind, he spoke.
¡°Then it¡¯s time to pay the price.¡±
***
As the dark mana was infused, Gathdal¡¯s vision turned dark.
A momentter, when the darkness lifted, Gathdal found himself in a strange space.
Everything was white and blue. Gathdal was floating in a ce where all of those things were mixed together.
¡°So this is the spiritual space.¡±
Being a dark mage, Gathdal was able to quickly recognize where this ce was.
¡°You brought me here¡ You really are a reckless fool.¡±
A cruel smile formed on Gathdal¡¯s lips.
The spiritual space was a ce where the superiority was determined by the strength of the soul.
The soul of Gathdal, a Grand Dark Mage, was not only immenselyrge but also possessed powerful strength.
In this ce, he could destroy the soul of Victor, no, Damien. He might even be able to take over Damien¡¯s body if he yed his cards right.
¡°What do you mean reckless?¡±
A voice came from behind him. The smile on Gathdal¡¯s lips deepened.
¡°If you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll let you know from now on!¡±
Gathdal shouted and turned around. And the moment he saw Damien¡¯s soul, his whole body froze and he realized that something was wrong.
His first thought was darkness.
Darkness was swirling around Damien. It swirled wildly, as if it was going to devour the world, like a storm.
His next thought was death.
A terrible chill, like falling into a frozenke in winter, spread throughout his body. He felt a disgusting sensation, as if tens of thousands of insects were crawling under his skin.
Gathdal found himself kneeling down without realizing it. He pressed his forehead to the ground and shook his head.
Even though he took such a cowardly action, his fear did not disappear.
¡°Sir¡ Sir¡ ah, no¡ you are¡¡±
Honorifics came out of his mouth without him realizing it.
Until now, Gathdal had been under a great misconception. He had thought that Damien Haksen was a Grand Dark Mage like himself.
But at this moment, he realized how wrong he had been.
Damien was not a Grand Dark Mage. He was a dark mage who had reached a realm iparably higher than his.
¡°W, why on earth¡ with such power¡ did you create¡ skeletons¡¡±
With Damien¡¯s abilities, he could have killed Gathdal without even creating skeletons.
It would have been as easy as a human crushing an ant with a finger.
¡°Because I sympathized with you.¡±
It was a remark that Gathdal could not understand.
¡°You have no idea how frustrating it is to be unable to do anything even though you have your enemy right in front of you. How sad it is. I felt it too.¡±
¡°What¡ are you talking about¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s end the conversation here¡ and let¡¯s get started.¡±
Damien snapped his fingers. At that, something began to pour down from the sky.
Whitish wisps filled the world. They all spewed hatred and anger at Gathdal.
Souls.
The souls of tens of thousands of people that Gathdal had yed with until now were staring at him.
¡°Wait¡¡±
Even Gathdal, who had been indifferent in the face of death, could not help but be filled with fear now.
¡°No¡ this can¡¯t be¡¡±
The pain that the souls suffered was on a different level from the pain of the flesh.
No matter how great a Grand Dark Mage he was, he could not help but go crazy if he was tormented by so many souls.
¡°J, just kill me¡ kill me¡!¡±
Gathdal cried out desperately to him. But Damien did not even pretend to hear him.
He simply turned and disappeared into the darkness.
¡°Please kill me!¡±
Tens of thousands of souls surrounded Gathdal.
Soon, a scream that was not human rang out.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 148
Chapter 148
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 148: Master (3)
***
Thibaut always tried to be prepared for the worst.
But who could have predicted that an event would ur where undead would appear throughout the country and massacre people?
¡°Damn it, I thought I was finally getting a break. What the hell is going on!¡±
Thibaut cursed as he swung his weapon at the skeletons.
Just when he had met a man named Victor and acquired arge number of artifacts, he was filled with dreams that his life might change.
However, in one day, he was driven to such a desperate situation that he had to worry about his life.
The only fortunate thing was that Thibaut was not alone.
¡°Everyone, gather your strength! Don¡¯t fall!¡±
Numerous knights were fighting the skeletons alongside him. Among them, the most outstanding figure was Duplessis.
A High-ss, of which there were only two in the Macadamia Kingdom.
Duplessis¡¯s skills were truly impressive. With a single swing of his sword, dozens of skeletons were smashed to pieces.
The problem was that they would just be restored again.
The skeletons that Duplessis had smashed returned to their original state.
Seeing this, the faces of Duplessis and the knights were filled with fatigue.
¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±
At that moment, a spear thrust by a skeleton pierced Thibaut¡¯s shoulder.
Fortunately, he was unharmed thanks to his armor not being pierced.
¡°You bastard! This armor is an artifact even though it¡¯s broken up!¡±
Thibaut shouted and beat the skeleton with his club.
However, no matter how much he hit it, the skeleton did not break. Instead, it grabbed Thibaut¡¯s club and threw him to the side.
¡°Fuck! Fuck! Just die you motherfuking skeleton!¡±
Curses came out naturally. It was when Thibaut was filled with fear.
Suddenly, the light in the skeleton¡¯s eyes disappeared, and soon its body crumbled into pieces and copsed.
¡°Huh? What?¡±
It wasn¡¯t just the skeleton that Thibaut was facing. All the skeletons throughout the country were copsing.
Everyone was dumbfounded by the sudden situation.
¡°We¡¯re¡ alive!¡±
But that was only for a moment. People cheered in relief at the fact that they had survived.
¡°Phew, whew¡¡±
Thibaut sat down on the ground and let out a sigh of relief.
¡°Victor, is that guy safe¡?¡±
Thibaut muttered worriedly.
***
Gathdal writhed on the ground after Damien infused him with dark mana.
¡°S-stop! Stop it! This is enough! Stop tearing my soul out!¡±
¡°Oh, no! I was wrong! It¡¯s all my fault! Stop! Just stop!¡±
¡°Kill me¡ Please kill me¡ Please¡ Just kill me already¡¡±
Gathdal endlessly screamed and wailed in pain. He asionally pleaded to be killed in a desperate voice.
Dominico and the skeletons watched the scene in silence.
Since they were all undead, they could understand what Gathdal was going through.
He was being tortured by tens of thousands of souls in the spiritual space.
It was a horrific ordeal, even for someone they knew to be an enemy. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean they all truly pitied Gathdal.
¨C Is this why you didn¡¯t let me handle Gathdal? To make him suffer more?
Dominico asked Damien, looking back at him. Damien let out a chuckle.
¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I simply thought they were the ones who deserved to get revenge on Gathdal.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice remained cold.
¡°Originally, I should have thrown your souls to them as well¡ but consider yourself fortunate that I didn¡¯t.¡±
While Damien had given them the opportunity to take revenge, it didn¡¯t mean he had forgiven their sins.
However, he no longer condemned them for choosing to fight Gathdal even after bing undead.
¨C ¡You¡¯re right. Our sins still remain.
Dominico looked up at the sky. Unlike the ruined city, the sky was shining in clear blue.
¨C Your real name is Damien Haksen, was it?
Dominico stood before Damien. The skeletons then lined up behind him.
¨C Thank you for helping us.
As Dominico bowed his head, the skeletons did the same.
¡°¡¡You don¡¯t need to thank me. Go and take care of your master.¡±
¨C We appreciate your consideration. Then we shall retrieve his body.
Dominico and the skeletons left to find Freize¡¯s body.
Gathdal¡¯s released dark mana had blown away the annex, and Freize¡¯s body had been swept away with it.
In the meantime, Damien began cleaning up.
The first thing Damien secured was the fragment of Erebos.
Even in the midst of a powerful blow that could have leveled a mountain, the fragment of Erebos remained intact, lying on the ground.
Damien bent down and picked up the fragment of Erebos.
¡°This makes two.¡±
The fragment of Erebos he obtained this time was very small. It was hard to believe it had powered a Master-ss undead.
Damien took out Erebos, which was stored in tattoo form on his wrist.
The fragment turned into a liquid-like state and adhered to the de. The short de became slightly longer.
Damien swung the spear with Erebos attached to it as a test. Thanks to the longer de, he could feel Erebos cutting through the air.
¡°If it gets a little longer here, the power of nullification might awaken.¡±
Like the power of corrosion, nullification was also one of Erebos¡¯s most powerful powers.
If the power of corrosion destroyed matter, the power of nullification was the power to erase mana.
It was a power that was like a natural enemy to mages. In his days as a Death Knight, he had once blocked a magical bombardment prepared by the Grand Mages with the power of nullification.
Next, Damien gathered all the dark mana around him and stored it in the bracelet. Then he erased all traces of the use of high-level dark magic.
Finally, Damien approached Gathdal.
Gathdal had already stopped breathing. In the end, his soul had beenpletely destroyed.
¡°What a piece of trash.¡±
Damien said contemptuously and tried to burn Gathdal¡¯s body with dark magic.
Then, he suddenly saw the magic tool hanging around Gathdal¡¯s neck.
¡°This is¡¡±
Damien took off the ne and checked it. It was a magic tool with subspace magic applied to it.
Damien opened the subspace and checked the inside. The space was muchrger than the subspace ring he had been using. It seemed to be about three times the size.
¡°This is useful.¡±
What sin could an object have? Damien took the subspace ne.
Instead, he pulled out all of Gathdal¡¯s research materials and books that were inside. Then he burned them along with Gathdal¡¯s body.
Next, Damien¡¯s attention was drawn to the staff that Gathdal had been using.
Befitting the position of Grand Dark Mage, this staff was no ordinary object.
¡°A staff made from the branch of a spirit tree. Where did you get this precious thing?¡±
A spirit tree was a special tree that grew only in the spirit world, the world of spirits.
It was very difficult to obtain, but it was known that there was no better material for making artifacts.
Of course, if you were to rank them, the World Tree, which the elves cherished, was far superior, but it was almost impossible to obtain.
¡°I could probably sell this to the mages.¡±
It was a pity to throw it away. Damien put the staff in the subspace.
¨C Sir Damien, we¡¯re done here.
Dominico and the skeletons returned to Damien¡¯s location.
¡°Have you recovered the body safely?¡±
¨C Yes, I¡¯m on my way back after burying it in the backyard. I wanted to take some time to mourn¡ but I have more pressing matters to attend to.
¡°Urgent matters?¡±
Damien looked at Dominico with a puzzled face.
¨C People will soon be flocking to the castle. I want to repay you before that.
***
Dominico leads Damien to the basement of the Duke¡¯s Castle.
¡°This is the entrance to the Duke¡¯s vault. There is something inside I want to give you.¡±
Dominico, who had been here several times before, skillfully manipted the device attached to the iron door. The iron door slowly began to open to the left and right.
¡°The vault¡¡±
Damien looked at the entrance with an intrigued expression.
This was the vault of a family that had produced Master sses and had risen to the rank of Duke. Even Damien could not help but feel tempted.
However, when the iron door finally opened, Damien could not help but be greatly disappointed.
¡°¡Isn¡¯t it empty?¡±
The interior space was quiterge, but there were few objects left.
¡°After Master passed away, we had to sell everything inside to support the Country.¡±
Dominico said with a sheepish expression.
¡°But the most precious treasure is still here.¡±
Dominico led Damien inside. There, arge sword was hung.
The length of the de alone was easily over 2 meters. The hilt was also so long that it seemed like it would still be long even if held with two hands.
What was most unusual was the line engraved on the surface of the de. More than a dozen straight lines extended from the hilt to the tip of the de.
¡°This is a relic sword that Master found on thest floor of the ruins. It seems to be something extraordinary, so it has been kept in the vault ever since.¡±
Dominico began to exin from beside Damien.
¡°It is toorge and heavy to be a suitable weapon forbat. But Master never used this weapon either.¡±
Dominico looked at the greatsword with a regretful expression and said.
¡°I don¡¯t know what its function is, but¡ it was kept safe on thest floor. It can¡¯t be an ordinary object, so you can probably get a huge price for it if you take it and sell itter.¡±
Damien approached the relic sword.
If it was an object found on thest floor of the ruins, it could only be that.
The relic sword that the craftsman, who was the original owner of the ruins, was said to be in the process of making to present to the prince.
¡°I thought it would be here¡¡±
Among the descriptions he had seen at the ruins, there was also a description of how it worked.
Damien poured his mana into the relic sword. Then, the crossguard of the relic sword began to glow brightly.
¡°Oh?¡±
Dominico was surprised and took a step back when the relic sword started to work.
The relic sword floated up into the air and circled around Damien.
Damien tried to draw a movement in his head. The relic sword moved ordingly.
¡°You must need a name too.¡±
Damien said, looking at the relic sword floating around him.
¡°Let¡¯s call you Ethereon.¡±
And so, Damien became the owner of the relic sword.
[TL/N- I used the name Ethereon in ce of the name given in the raws ,i.e, ¡°Biyeon¡± meaning ¡°beautiful lotus flower¡± but ording to me I believe a sword¡¯s name should be more in tune with the what the sword could do while also sounding cool at that. So i hope you could let me take this trantor¡¯s liberty : ) ]
***
Damien left the Duke¡¯s Castle.
As soon as Damien came out, many people rushed into the castle. It was a close call.
Damien goes to retrieve the artifacts he left at the inn and the 6th floor of the ruins.
He didn¡¯t want to leave them behind.
Thanks to the subspace ne he obtained from Gathdal, he was able to put all the artifacts in it.
After retrieving all the artifacts, Damien sneaks into the inn where Thibaut is tied up to take care of somest business.
¡°Thud.¡±
Thibaut was sleeping sprawled out on the bed. Damien hit him on the forehead with a single blow.
¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±
Thibaut woke up screaming. As soon as he saw Damien¡¯s face, he was so surprised that he tried to scream.
¡°Oh.¡±
Damien quickly pressed on Thibaut¡¯s blood vessel. It was the spot that paralyzed the throat muscles. As a result, Thibaut stopped trying to scream.
¡°Calm down. It¡¯s me.¡±
Damien showed his face in front of Thibaut. Thibaut¡¯s eyes widened.
When Damien released the blood vessel, Thibaut said with a surprised face.
¡°Lord Victor? You¡¯re alive?¡±
¡°Did you think I was dead?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t see you anywhere, so I thought you were definitely¡¡±
As he said this, Thibaut sighed in relief.
¡°But why are you here at this time?¡±
¡°I have a lot to do before I leave.¡±
¡°Leave? What about the ruins?¡±
¡°With this mess going on, who cares about the ruins?¡±
Large-scale undead have appeared, so the pdins will soon be sent from the Church.
If they met Damien, it would be troublesome in many ways, so he nned to leave before that.
¡°I came here because I think I should pay you for your hard work before I leave.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°That armor and gauntlet are yours from now on.¡±
Thibaut¡¯s eyes widened at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡±
Damien took out a few artifacts he had brought with him. They were the items he had found on the 6th floor.
¡°Even if you sell these, you¡¯ll have no problem eating and living.¡±
¡°L, Lord Victor¡¡±
Thibaut looked at Damien with a grateful face.
¡°I don¡¯t mean to pay you back or anything, but¡ let me erase some of your memories.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Damien put his finger on Thibaut¡¯s forehead and used dark magic.
He extracted and erased a few days¡¯ worth of memories from Thibaut.
It was to prepare for when the Pandemonium interrogates people.
As a result of the dark magic, Thibaut passed out.
¡°Take care.¡±
After saying that, Damien left the inn.
***
Damien leaves the Almond Country.
After leaving the inn, Damien rode on a horse he had bought in advance and left.
He is stopped by the spirits of the knights, soldiers, and Dominico.
¡°Come out.¡±
As soon as Damien¡¯s words ended, the bushes around him shook.
From among them, people with opaque figures walked out.
They were the knights, soldiers, and spirits of Dominico.
¡°Why are you following me?¡±
After the battle, Damien lifted the dark magic that had been cast on them. They returned from the undead to spirits again.
¡°Your ce of death is the Almond country. Don¡¯t follow me anymore.¡±
Damien said in a firm tone.
The knights and soldiers of the Dukedom looked at Dominico. He stepped in front of Damien and said.
¨C Sir Damien, do you n to fight the dark mages in the future?
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¨C Why are you trying to fight the dark mages?
Damien frowned at Dominico¡¯s question.
¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you that. Are you telling me you came looking for me to ask such a silly question?¡±
¨C Use us in that fight.
Damien stopped at the unexpected words.
¡°What did you say?¡±
¨C You asked us to use us as a tool to achieve your goal.
¡°What are you thinking?¡±
Dominico smiled bitterly at Damien¡¯s question.
¨C There are two reasons. The first is because, as you said, we have not yet free from our sins.
As Damien had said, they captured innocent explorers and turned them into Gathdal¡¯s test subjects.
Although it was an act done for their lord, a crime was a crime.
¨C The second is¡ because we want to repay the favor we received from you.
Damien thought he had misheard something. However, Dominico and the other spirits looked at Damien with determined faces.
Damien fell into thought.
If Damien had been alone, he would have refused their loyalty.
Damien could fight alone just fine. They were more likely to be a hindrance.
However, Damien now had a family to protect.
Damien would soon sh with the Pandemonium. The Pandemonium would surely pressure Damien by any means necessary.
No matter how good Damien was, he couldn¡¯t handle both with one hand.
¡°¡You¡¯ll regret it.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Dominico and the other spirits smiled and said.
¨C Don¡¯t worry. We will never regret it.
Dominico and the spirits knelt before Damien.
They looked like knights about to swear allegiance to their monarch.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 149
Chapter 149
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 149: Returning Home (1)
***
Damien did not set his destination as the Spring Castle.
Before returning to his family, he had to deal with the artifacts in his possession.
¡®This kind of thing is best left to Green Scent.¡¯
Damien was going to entrust the sale of the artifacts to Green Scent.
Green Scent was an organization with tremendous influence in the capital. They even ran the ck market, so they were perfect for handling the artifacts.
However, if he were to hand over all the artifacts, Pandemonium might be able to identify Damien, so he nned to only select items that were often found in other ruins.
¡®I¡¯ll have to train those guys while I¡¯m at it.¡¯
Those guys referred to Dominico¡¯s party.
Although Dominico¡¯s party had joined him, he thought they were stillcking in many ways to be used as a fighting force immediately.
¡¯20 regr soldiers, 6 low-ss, 4 middle-ss, and 1 high-ss.¡¯
Normally, even this level of strength would be something to brag about anywhere.
The problem was that the enemy Damien was preparing for was Pandemonium.
Pandemonium had such a powerful force that they even belittled Mastersses. He couldn¡¯t possibly fight them with this kind of strength.
It wasn¡¯t like Damien could use Dark Binding every time.
¡°From now on, you will repeat the movements I teach you 10,000 times a day.¡±
On the way to the capital, Damien summoned Dominico¡¯s party and said.
¨C Master, You mean 10,000 times now?
Dominico asked with a surprised face. After forming a master-servant rtionship, Dominico had been using honorifics with Damien.
¡°Why? Do you have anyints?¡±
¨C I can do it, but¡ it seems like too harsh of training for the other guys.
Dominico had a point. Even doing a downward strike 100 times was so tiring that his arms felt like they were going to fall off. So what about doing a moreplex movement 10,000 times?
¡°It would be harsh if you were human. But you guys are undead now, aren¡¯t you?¡±
You don¡¯t need to eat or sleep. You can¡¯t even get injured.
¡°Don¡¯t whine and justplete it. You don¡¯t have anything to do inside anyway, do you?¡±
Damien said, pointing to the travel bag.
It was an artifact used by the Corpsey that had the ability to store multiple undead.
From what Damien had learned, the inside of the travel bag was an empty space, so the undead could move around freely.
¡°My goal is to make all of you high-ss.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Dominico and the other spirits burst outughing. They seemed to think he was joking to motivate them.
However, Damien didn¡¯tugh. Only then did Dominico and the other spirits realize that Damien was serious.
¨C ¡ Are you serious?
¡°Of course. I don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
It wasn¡¯t an impossible goal. Damien had Dark Binding.
With Dark Binding, he could share his knowledge and experience with them.
Of course, it was only temporary, and they would all forget everything once Dark Binding was stopped, but the feeling would remain to some extent.
Damien calcted that if he couldbine his guidance and training with periodic use of Dark Binding to engrave the feeling, he would be able to achieve his goal soon.
¡°Oh, you need to be a Master. You know that, right?¡±
Damien said to Dominico. Dominico smiled bitterly.
¨C I don¡¯t know if I can live up to your expectations.
¡°Don¡¯t act weak. You¡¯re the most likely one to do it.¡±
Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be long before Dominico reached Masterss, even faster than the others reached Highss.
That¡¯s because Dominico had that much talent.
¡°Oh, and¡.¡±
Finally, Damien turned around.
There, Miya was observing the snake on the branch with a curious face.
¡°You see that? Fight with her for 3 hours a day.¡±
¨C ¡¡Yes?
Dominico was startled and looked at Damien.
¡°She has good talent, but shecks experience, so she always loses.¡±
¨C In that case¡ I will follow your orders.
¡°Don¡¯t do it half-heartedly. You have to do it properly.¡±
¨C I understand. I will fight with the intention of killing her.
¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±
Damien shook his head and said.
¡°Just kill her.¡±
¨C ¡¡Yes?
¡°Don¡¯t fight with the intention of killing him, just kill each other. You won¡¯t really die anyway, right?¡±
Dominico was already a dead soul. In Miya¡¯s case, her regeneration ability was further enhanced by consuming the blood of the phoenix.
Dominico looked back at Miya. In terms of appearance, Miya was a beautiful woman with a gentle impression.
To just kill such a being?
¨C That¡¡.
¡°You have something to say?¡±
¨C No, it¡¯s nothing.
However, Dominico had no choice but to obey Damien¡¯s orders. He had received too much favor from him.
¡°Kyaa!¡±
Unaware of the fate that awaited her, Miya happily grabbed the snake¡¯s tail and spun around.
***
After that, Damien made contact with Green Scent in the capital.
He selected artifacts that wouldn¡¯t attract attention when sold and entrusted them all to Green Scent.
He checked the itemsing up for auction at the market, just in case there might be something useful.
¡°Too bad. All potions here are useless for me. No mana cultivation techniques at all.¡±
From the high ss onward, ordinary potions couldn¡¯t increase mana.
Legendary potions like Philosopher¡¯s Stone and World Tree¡¯s Fruit were needed.
Otherwise, umting mana slowly was the only option. The problem was Damien didn¡¯t have time for that.
¡°To fight Pandemonium, I need to be a master ss as soon as possible.¡±
Damien intended topletely annihte Pandemonium.
During the War of Destruction, Pandemonium was the strongest ally of the Dorugo.
Considering that, he couldn¡¯t kill every single member. At least the organization needed to be dismantled to some extent.
¡°Send the money to Count Haksen.¡±
With that, Damien left Green Scent. Now only the journey home remained.
Damien set his course for Spring Castle, where his family resided, as he left the capital.
While moving along the main road, a vast forest greeted Damien.
As Damien crossed the forest with his horse, suddenly, he stopped the horse and muttered to himself.
¡°When did the Apple Kingdom be so ominous?¡±
Before he finished speaking, arrows flew out of the bushes. Damien didn¡¯t even look at the arrows; he just leaned back. The arrows passed in front of him.
Soon, countless arrows flew from among the bushes. The spacing was too tight to dodge.
Damien drew in mana and released it outward. The shockwave caused by the mana swept away all the arrows.
¡°This is getting annoying.¡±
If a fight broke out here, the expensive horse would likely die.
Afternding on the ground, Damien pped the horse¡¯s hindquarters. The horse neighed and galloped forward.
¡°Come out.¡±
As Damien scanned the forest, a woman wielding a sword emerged from the bushes.
The woman swung her sword at Damien. Damien blocked the attack with Dawn.
A considerable amount of shock was transmitted through the de. Damien asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°High ss? There shouldn¡¯t be any female high sses in the Apple Kingdom, right?¡±
The woman didn¡¯t answer Damien¡¯s question. She just swung her sword.
Damien blocked all of the woman¡¯s attacks with Dawn. However, no matter how many attacks he blocked, the woman¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop.
Her relentless and entwining swordsmanship was like that of a snake.
¡°Where do you belong? What¡¯s your motive for targeting me?¡±
Damien threw another question.
At that moment, he felt a presence behind him. A man with a spear rushed toward Damien.
The man continuously thrusts the spear at Damien. Damien blocked the spear with Dawn.
If the woman¡¯s swordsmanship was relentless, the man¡¯s spear was exceptionally swift and urate.
¡°So, there was one more high ss.¡±
Just by looking at the posture of wielding the spear, Damien could tell. This man was also a high ss.
The two high sses cooperated to attack Damien. Their sword and spear incessantly aimed at Damien¡¯s vital points.
Damien¡¯s pupils moved quickly. He read everything about the two¡¯s techniques, muscles¡¯ movements, and even eye movements.
Once everything was grasped, the movements of the two were as clear as if they were in his hands.
With all the pieces in ce, all that remained was to finish the job.
Damien used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
As his body temperature rose, all of his senses were enhanced. At the same time, the movements of the two people slowed down.
The spears and swords that were raining down at a tremendous speed also slowed down. It was as if they were moving underwater.
In a world where everything was slowed down, Damien was the only one who maintained his original speed.
Damien twisted his body to dodge the spears and swords. Then he shed the throats of the woman and the man once each with his sword.
Damien deactivated Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. The world that had been flowing slowly sped up again.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Gasp!¡±
Only then did the two people realize that their throats had been cut.
The two people clutched their throats with faces of disbelief. Blood dripped continuously from between their fingers.
¡°Grr¡ ugh¡¡±
¡°Gasp, ugh¡¡±
The two people desperately used their mana to stop the bleeding. As expected of High-sses, the blood that was flowing stopped quickly.
However, they had only stopped the bleeding, and they were no longer in a condition to fight. If they moved even a little bit violently, the wounds on their necks would surely burst open again.
The two people looked at Damien with faces full of fear. He raised his sword to finish them off.
It was then.
An arrow flew out of the bushes.
It was iparably faster than the arrow that had flown in first.
It was not a speed that could be avoided. Damien raised his sword to block the arrow.
At that moment, a tremendous shock was transmitted. Damien¡¯s body was pushed back.
¡®As expected, a Masterss was hiding.¡¯
When he used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, Damien could have killed the two peoplepletely, but he did not.
It was not only because there was no killing intent in the two people¡¯s attacks, but also because of the enormous aura hidden in the forest.
The aura was hidden, but it could not deceive Damien¡¯s senses.
¡°Who is it?¡±
Damien pretended not to notice the existence and shouted, looking in the direction from which the arrow hade.
Then, two people walked out, pushing through the bushes.
One was a woman with a sharp impression. She was holding a longbow in her hands that was about the same length as her own height.
And next to her stood a boy.
Unusually, the boy had both white hair and eyebrows. He looked like an old man.
¡°He¡¯s quite a loud guy.¡±
Unlike his young appearance, the man¡¯s voice was old and rough.
¡°Cynthia, did you see that? That guy blocked your arrow.¡±
The boy asked the woman, looking back at her. The woman did not say anything.
The boy continued speaking with an excited expression as if it didn¡¯t matter.
¡°You said you didn¡¯t have the intention to kill him, but¡ a High-ss blocked a Masterss¡¯s attack? Isn¡¯t that really amazing?¡±
Damien did not respond to the boy¡¯s praise either. To be exact, he did not have a reason to do so.
¡®¡Why is this person here?¡¯
Damien was in great confusion after confirming the boy¡¯s face.
Anyone who knew the identity of this man would have felt the same way as Damien.
The boy¡¯s name was Karl Hopper.
He was the man known as the Mercenary King.
***
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Chapter 150
Chapter 150
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 150: Returning Home (2)
***
One who hasn¡¯t met the Mercenary King, Karl Hopper, in person can¡¯t help but be shocked.
The age of Karl Hopper known to the world is 70 years old.
However, Karl Hopper actually has the appearance of a young boy.
It is said that those who reach the pinnacle of Master ss can regain their youth, but Karl Hopper¡¯s youth has nothing to do with that.
It was because of the secret of Karl Hopper¡¯s bloodline.
¡°I am Karl Hopper. I am better known by the name Mercenary King.¡±
Karl Hopper said with a hint of pride. Unlike his young face, his actions were those of an old man.
Just looking at this, he was incredibly unmatched. He looked even more harmless because he was so defenseless.
However, Damien knew very well that all such feelings were an illusion.
Karl Hopper was a strong man above Masterss. There were less than five people in this world who could kill Karl Hopper.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re not surprised to hear my name. Are you courageous? Or are you just a fool?¡±
¡°Mercenary King, what brings you here?¡±
Damien asked, putting away Dawn. The Mercenary King looked at Damien with an amused expression.
¡°Look at this guy? Speaking so boldly. Didn¡¯t you tarnish my name recently?¡±
Yes, there was.
A few weeks ago, Damien had crossed swords with the Mercenary King¡¯s granddaughter over a matter rted to his sister Louise¡¯s fiance.
In that battle, he defeated the Mercenary King¡¯s granddaughter and cut off both of her wrists.
¡°I have tarnished your name, but it doesn¡¯t seem like you came to me because of that.¡±
¡°Oh? What kind of nonsense is that? Do you really think I need to cut your throat here toe to your senses?¡±
¡°You are not the kind of person who is free enough to move just because a blood rtive who is not even acknowledged as his kin has been humiliated.¡±
The Mercenary King was a man with a great sense of pride in his bloodline.
It was understandable. After all, each and every one of the Mercenary King¡¯s children had exceptional talent.
However, the Mercenary King did not recognize them all as blood rtives.
He only recognized those who were even more outstanding among the outstanding blood rtives, the geniuses who could be called monsters.
And he called them ¡®Purebloods¡¯ and treated them with great favor.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
The Mercenary Kingughed out loud at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re right! I don¡¯t care about anything as trivial as those insignificant things! You know me very well!¡±
Even though they were his own blood rtives, the Mercenary King called them ¡®insignificant things¡¯.
Is it because he doesn¡¯t care about his blood rtives?
No, it was because he had too much pride in his bloodline.
It was a pride that had its own reason. The blood of a dragon flowed through the body of the Mercenary King, Karl Hopper.
Half-dragon or a dragon hybrid.
Karl Hopper¡¯s mother was an ordinary human, but his father was a dragon.
The reason Karl Hopper doesn¡¯t age and all of his blood rtives are geniuses is because of the dragon¡¯s blood flowing through them.
¡°Still, thanks to that trash, I got to know about you. I heard you¡¯re a genius who rose to the high ss not long after picking up a sword?¡±
It hasn¡¯t even been a year since Damien regressed.
In that time, Damien had be known to the world as a high-ss swordsman.
¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you were training with the sword before then. I know everything.¡±
Of course, there were quite a few who didn¡¯t believe it, like the Mercenary King.
¡°Anyway, it¡¯s notmon to reach high ss at your age. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be satisfied until I saw such an interesting guy for myself, so I personally came to the Apple Kingdom.¡±
The Mercenary King was an individual akin to a king of a kingdom, perhaps even more powerful.
Even though such a big shot hade, Damien didn¡¯t feel anything special.
That¡¯s because he had already met him in his previous life, and even killed him with his own hands.
¡°But I couldn¡¯t find you at all. I was going to wait another week and leave. Fortunately, I heard that you were seen in the capital and came running.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue inwardly. He hadn¡¯t expected to be caught by the Mercenary King because he had visited the capital.
¡°I had my men attack you to test you, but¡ I never thought they wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch a hem of your clothes.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s gaze turned to the man and woman who had attacked Damien first.
While the two were talking, the man and woman were healing their wounds with potions.
¡°It seems the rumors were not false. You have a remarkable talent. I mean that in a good way.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes lit up slightly.
¡°Would you like to be hired as a frencer in my mercenary group?¡±
***
Damien¡¯s face was filled with question marks at the sudden proposal.
A frencer was a knight who was hired by another family to do work.
They were called frencers because they did not make a pledge of allegiance and were only employed on a contractual basis.
Of course, the Mercenary King had no need to hire frencers. He had more than enough talent under hismand.
¡°Cynthia, did you see that? That¡¯s not the usual surprised face.¡±
The Mercenary King spoke to the woman with the bow. The woman seemed uninterested and was only fiddling with the bowstring.
¡°Why are you offering to hire me as a frencer?¡±
¡°Why do you think, you brat? Because I need your strength!¡±
The Mercenary King barked briefly. Then heughed yfully and said.
¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to borrow your strength to take on a job.¡±
¡°Then where do you want me to use my strength?¡±
¡°I think my purebloods have been gettingzytely, so I¡¯m going to show them off.¡±
As soon as he heard those words, Damien realized the Mercenary King¡¯s true intentions.
He had heard about it before. The Mercenary King was said to often invite so-called geniuses. It was to make the purebloodspete with those geniuses.
So far, it sounded like the Mercenary King was being considerate, trying to show the purebloods the breadth of the world.
But the reality was quite different.
¡°You¡¯re trying to get me involved in something nasty.¡±
The geniuses who were invited by the Mercenary King returned a few monthster, crippled.
The Purebloods.
They were crushed by the overwhelming talent of those who had the blood of the dragon flowing through their veins.
That¡¯s why, at some point, a rumor started to spread that if you were invited by the Mercenary King, you should refuse.
¡°What, are you going to chicken out and run away too?¡±
Damienughed at his provocation. The Mercenary King¡¯s eyebrows twitched at hisughter.
¡°Youugh?¡±
¡°It¡¯s funny. If you want to use me, don¡¯t make such a low-level provocation and pay the price.¡±
¡°¡What, what?¡±
The Mercenary King had a look of great surprise as if he had heard something unexpected.
¡°If you give me a reward that I¡¯m satisfied with¡ I¡¯ll be happy to be hired.¡±
In fact, Damien was secretly overjoyed when he heard the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
In order for Damien to reach Master ss, he needed a legendary elixir.
The problem was that such elixirs were so rare that even a Kingdom-level power would have difficulty obtaining them.
¡®But the Mercenary King is different. He¡¯s a man who gets requests from all over the continent.¡¯
In order to hire the Mercenary King¡¯spany, you had to offer something of great value aspensation.
Among them, there was sure to be the elixir that Damien desired.
¡®And the Mercenary King is a man who is obsessed with collecting martial arts books to the point of madness. If I¡¯m around him, I might be able to get a good mana cultivation method.¡¯
In order for Damien to reach Master ss, he needed to create a good mana cultivation method.
However, what he had obtained so far was so good that anything less than that would not be enough.
But the Mercenary King¡¯s collection might be different. After all, if they were collected by a man who had surpassed Master ss, they couldn¡¯t be ordinary items.
¡®Above all, I had to go there once to prepare for the War of Destruction.¡¯
In the not-too-distant future, the Mercenary King¡¯s forces would copse. Not by outside invasion, but by internal division.
The ones who nned the division were Pandemonium. Pandemonium used the Mercenary King¡¯s lustful nature to provoke conflict.
As a result, the Mercenary King¡¯spany was greatly reduced in size due to internal conflict.
¡®Even with their weakened forces, they had a tremendous influence during the War of Destruction.¡¯
When they appeared on the battlefield, they ughtered tens of thousands of undead. Even the corpsmanders were no match for the Mercenary King.
In the end, Dorugo had no choice but to have Damien kill the Mercenary King.
After two days of fighting, Damien was able to win by stealing all of the Mercenary King¡¯s knowledge and skills.
¡°I need elixirs or herbs. Not the mediocre ones, but the ones that even high-ss knights can see a big effect from.¡±
The Mercenary Kingughed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Look at this guy. He¡¯s the first to ask for a price in front of me? You¡¯re a really gutsy guy. You would have made it big even if you had lived as a mercenary.¡±
A smile slowly spread across the Mercenary King¡¯s lips.
¡°Yes, those who are capable deserve to be paid properly. A mercenary shouldn¡¯t break that rule. First, I¡¯ll give you Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng as payment for hiring you.¡±
Snow ginseng refers to a mysterious herb that grows in the pr regions.
Its medicinal effects vary depending on the time it has grown, and in particr, there is a legend that the emperor¡¯s ancestor reached Master ss after consuming Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
¡°I¡¯ll pay you more depending on your performance in the future. Isn¡¯t this enough?¡±
In fact, Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng was far behind the elixir Damien wanted.
However, Damien decided to bet on the price the Mercenary King would pay in the future.
Of course, he would make it so that the Mercenary King had no choice but to give him Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±
Damien said, reaching out his hand. The Mercenary King burst outughing.
¡°You¡¯re a cheeky guy to the end.¡±
The Mercenary King also took Damien¡¯s hand. In contrast to his young appearance, his entire palm was covered in calluses.
Moreover, the aura felt behind the Mercenary King¡¯s skin was also extraordinary. It seemed as ifva was boiling instead of blood.
¡®I knew it already, but¡ he¡¯s really amazing.¡¯
The Mercenary King was always mentioned when discussing the strongest humans. It was only natural, as he had dragon¡¯s blood flowing through half of his body.
¡®¡Bute to think of it, it¡¯s a bit annoying.¡¯
In the end, the Mercenary King¡¯s actions were to sacrifice Damien and use him as fertilizer for the purebloods.
Even if he had dragon¡¯s blood, it was clear that he would be far inferior to Damien.
¡°You¡¯d better be prepared. Our kids are no pushovers.¡±
To the Mercenary King¡¯s advice, Damien replied with a meaningful smile.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±
***
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Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Chapter 151: Fafnir (1)
***
¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go together right now.¡±
¡°Ah, that won¡¯t do.¡±
Damien tly rejected the Mercenary King.
¡°I was on my way back to my family. I will visit you again after meeting my family.¡±
¡°You mean you¡¯d prioritize your family over my offer right now?¡±
The Mercenary King spoke with an angry face. Damien spoke nonchntly.
¡°It seems you don¡¯t, Mercenary King.¡±
With those words, the Mercenary King was rendered speechless.
¡°Sigh¡¡ You¡¯re a boring guy to the end. I thought I¡¯d have some fun with you.¡±
The Mercenary King scratched his head and spoke to Damien.
¡°I¡¯ll give you 5 days. Come to the Pel ins by then. I¡¯ll be waiting there.¡±
After leaving those words, the Mercenary King disappeared into the forest with his men.
Once the Mercenary King was gone, Damien headed for Haksen county.
***
When Damien arrived at the Haksen county, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
There was a line of people from the entrance of Spring Castle.
There were many nobles and merchants mixed in. They were all looking at Spring Castle with longing faces.
¡°Was it always this crowded?¡±
It couldn¡¯t be. When Damien left for the Almond country, Spring Castle was quiet.
¡°When did so many guests starting?¡±
Damien passed the line and headed for the entrance. However, he couldn¡¯t get in because it was full of people.
¡°Excuse me, I need to get through.¡±
When Damien spoke to the people blocking his way, one of them with a quick temper shouted angrily.
¡°Where are you from, you brat! Wait quietly in the back!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Do you think we have time to waste!¡±
The people shouted at Damien in angry voices. Then Damien said with a loud voice.
¡°I don¡¯t have to wait.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to deceive people like that, young man!¡±
The nobles and merchants were angry even after Damien¡¯s exnation.
One of them looked closely at Damien¡¯s face.
¡°Wait, is this¡!¡±
¡°Young master Damien!¡±
A voice came from inside the castle. Victor was waving at Damien.
¡°Are you just now returning? Come in quickly!¡±
Victor pushed through the people and approached Damien. Thanks to him, Damien was able to enter the castlefortably.
¡°What is this suddenmotion? Why are there so many visitors all of a sudden?¡±
¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Lady Olivia! The family¡¯s power has grown thanks to Lady Olivia¡¯s efforts while you were away.¡±
Victor said with a proud face.
¡°Everyone is here to establish a rtionship with our family. Or they are merchants who havee to buy the wheat produced in the territory.¡±
He knew that Olivia was very capable, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be this much.
¡®Abel really met a good person.¡¯
Damien had a great influence on the marriage of the two. So he couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied.
¡°But what are you doing here?¡±
¡°I am receiving the guests on Lady Olivia¡¯s behalf. I am also making a list.¡±
¡°Oh, your job has been upgraded from cutting firewood.¡±
¡°Hehe, isn¡¯t it all thanks to my good looks?¡±
Victor said with a silly smile.
¡°Oh, by the way, has anything happened recently? I mean, to you, not the family.¡±
¡°Yes? Nothing happened. Oh! Someone from the Church came looking for me.¡±
¡°From the Church?¡±
¡°Yes, they said they were investigating someone named Victor. What¡ were they looking for a dark mage?¡±
Damien opened a subspace and handed Victor a silver coin. Victor was confused when he received the coin.
¡°Why are you giving me this?¡±
¡°For the name. Good luck.¡±
Damien headed for the mansion¡ and then looked back at Victor.
¡°Oh, and let those four people in a littleter. They said they came to our family, but they didn¡¯t even recognize my face properly.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the faces of the four people turned pale.
¡°Anyway, you¡¯re always so thorough.¡±
Victor muttered, shaking his head.
***
¡°Damien!¡±
As soon as he entered the castle, his mother hugged Damien. Abel and Olivia, who were drinking tea with his mother, also got up from their seats.
¡°Brother! Where have you been this time?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know how much Abel worried about you, Brother-inw.¡±
¡°T-That, don¡¯t talk about that.¡±
Abel blushed and protested to Olivia.
¡°I¡¯ve been traveling here and there. Where are father and sister?¡±
¡°Your father is greeting guests in the study! Louise went out with Bad. I think they are about to start preparing for their marriage.¡±
His mother said with an excited face.
¡°I¡¯m d Abel and Olivia are here. You two,e with me for a moment.¡±
The two followed Damien, looking confused.
¡°Is there a ce in Spring Castle to store important items?¡±
¡°Ah, there is a secret room in the basement.¡±
Olivia guided Damien to the secret room in the basement. After entering, Damien spoke to the two.
¡°You must never tell anyone about what I¡¯m going to show you.¡±
Damien opened the subspace of his ne. He took out the artifacts he had obtained from the ruins.
The eyes of the two widened as they saw it.
¡°T-This, brother¡¡ W-Where did you¡¡.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t ask me the details.¡±
¡°Is there a reason why you can¡¯t answer? Don¡¯t worry. I will definitely keep it a secret¡¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just toozy to exin.¡±
Abel¡¯s face became sullen at Damien¡¯s words.
Damien was being sincere. He couldn¡¯t tell them everything that happened in the ruins, and he had to make up a lie. It was just too much trouble.
¡°This and that are armor and weapons for the soldiers to wear, and that is a war weapon. It explodes, so don¡¯t touch it carelessly.¡±
Damien briefly exined, pointing to the artifacts one by one.
¡°Do not use these artifacts carelessly and only use them in times of crisis.¡±
Before leaving the Almond country, Damien went back to the 6th floor and gathered artifacts for the soldiers to use.
Unfortunately, there were not many great items. This was because the real treasures had already been excavated and sold long ago.
Even so, the remaining items were still impressive. If the soldiers wore them, theirbat power would be greatly increased.
¡°And these are the swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques I wrote. Make sure all the soldiers learn the swordsmanship and give the mana cultivation technique only to those you can trust.¡±
Damien handed out the books he had written while returning from the Almond country.
The reason he prepared these was to secure the safety of his family in preparation for the sh with Pandemonium.
¡°Brother, why are you giving us these¡¡.¡±
¡°Because you two will be leading the family in the future. I¡¯m just telling you in advance.¡±
The person who would inherit the Haksen county would be Abel. However, in terms of ability, Olivia was more likely to be the real power.
¡°I¡¯m counting on you to take good care of the family in the future.¡±
Damien spoke sincerely to the two, who still looked dazed.
***
After that, Damien spent leisurely time with his family, going hunting with his father and ying chess with Abel.
A few days passed before he packed his bags and headed to the Pel ins, where the Mercenary King¡¯s mercenarypany was located.
¡°Wow¡ this is amazing.¡±
Upon arriving at the Pel ins, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the size of the mercenarypany.
Dozens of tents were lined up on the vast in.
Dozens of horses were grazing, and many more people were moving busily.
The Fafnir Mercenary Company.
It was named after the legendary evil dragon that once burned half of the continent.
The size of the mercenarypany was enormous, befitting its reputation as thergest and strongest on the continent.
¡®This is like an entire territory moving as one.¡¯
Damien approached the Fafnir mercenary camp.
Two mercenaries guarding the entrance to the fence approached and blocked Damien¡¯s path.
¡°This is the territory of the Fafnir Mercenary Company.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, leave immediately.¡±
Surprisingly, these two were learning the mana cultivation technique. It seemed that they were at the level of knight trainees.
The fact that even the gate guards could use mana showed the depth of the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
¡°My name is Damien Haksen. I¡¯m here to see the Mercenary King.¡±
The two mercenaries¡¯ eyes widened slightly at the name Damien Haksen.
Perhaps they had been instructed by the Mercenary King beforehand. The two mercenaries stepped aside.
¡°Follow me. I will guide you to the Mercenary King.¡±
Damien followed the mercenary into the camp.
The ce where the mercenary stopped was a circr open space in the middle of the camp. Many people were already surrounding the open space as if some kind of event was being held.
¡°Hahaha! Good job! Keep pushing!¡±
¡°Hey! Your reaction speed is slow! Can¡¯t you move faster?¡±
In the open space, two young boys were fighting with training weapons.
The people sitting around the open space cheered as they watched them.
¡®They¡¯re all purebloods.¡¯
Both the mercenaries fighting in the open space and the mercenaries watching were all purebloods.
¡°Kukukuku! Both of you are quite skilled!¡±
Damien turned his gaze at the familiar voice. The Mercenary King was among the people.
Unlike the others, he was lying in a hammock, looking veryfortable, and two women in thin clothes were fanning him.
He looked more like a rich man than a mercenary.
¡°Hahaha! I won! I won!¡±
¡°Aaaah¡ I lost all my money.¡±
Just then, one of the boys fighting in the open space dropped his weapon. As the oue was decided, the purebloods watching the fight sighed.
The boys picked up their weapons and retreated. At that moment, the mercenary who had guided Damien shouted.
¡°Lord Hopper! Sir Damien Haksen has arrived!¡±
At those words, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Damien.
¡°This guy! He finally came!¡±
The Mercenary King jumped out of the hammock with a smile.
¡°What are you doinging here exactly on the 5th day! Come this way quickly.¡±
The Mercenary King said as he walked out onto the open space. Damien approached the Mercenary King¡¯s side.
¡°Let me introduce you! This handsome young man is Damien Haksen! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard a lot about him!¡±
The purebloods¡¯ gazes focused on Damien. They were very familiar gazes to Damien.
Back when he was a good-for-nothing, the people who ignored and looked down on him had those kinds of eyes.
¡®No, maybe it¡¯s more than that?¡¯
Perhaps it was because they were proud of being recognized by the Mercenary King, an absolute being.
Or perhaps it was because all the geniuses the Mercenary King had brought in from the outside were nothing special.
The purebloods all looked at Damien with a mocking expression.
¡°Since he¡¯s a friend I hired with difficulty, show some respect, everyone. Got it?¡±
Unlike the Mercenary King¡¯s words, the purebloods¡¯ gazes did not change.
¡°Oh, look at the way these guys are looking. It¡¯s clear they have no intention of listening to me! This is really embarrassing. Mercenaries don¡¯t recognize anything unless they see it with their own two eyes.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s expression turned troubled as he made a suggestion to Damien.
¡°It seems like these guys don¡¯t believe in your skills¡ Can you show them your skills?¡±
Of course, he was asking Damien to show his skills, but in reality, he was trying to test Damien.
To see if he was really a genius who couldpete with the purebloods.
¡®Is it not enough that I showed my abilitiesst time?¡¯
Or maybe it was a decision made out of the purebloods¡¯ pride that even they could do that much.
After all, they were the ones who inherited the dragon¡¯s bloodline.
¡®Come to think of it, I seem to be tested like this every time.¡¯
Thinking about it, Damien always had his abilities tested whenever he got involved with a group.
However, this time was a little different from the others.
¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been looked down on so tantly.¡¯
Since Damien had risen to the middle ss, there had been people who doubted his abilities, but no one had looked down on him.
However, the purebloods here were different. They looked at Damien with expressions that were sure that he wouldn¡¯t even reach their ankles.
¡®I can¡¯t just stand by and let this kind of insult go.¡¯
From Damien¡¯s point of view, it was a very, very unpleasant thing.
So much so that he wanted to crush their arrogance right away.
¡°I¡¯d be happy to show you that much.¡±
¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re a really likable young man. Who wants to be the first to experience Sir Damien¡¯s skills?¡±
At the Mercenary King¡¯s question, one of the purebloods jumped up from his seat.
He was a man with broad shoulders and very long forearms.
¡°Grandfather! I¡¯ll go first!¡±
¡°It¡¯s Baltyn. You¡¯re qualified. I¡¯ll allow it.¡±
The man called Baltyn came out onto the open space. Then he picked up a training spear from the weapon rack in the corner of the open space.
¡°Damien Haksen, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. They say you¡¯re a great genius?¡±
Baltyn said, raising his head slightly. He looked like a superior looking down on a subordinate.
¡°But those on the outside use the word genius too often to be believable. So I¡¯ll check it myself. Whether your evaluation is real or not.¡±
His arrogance oozed out of every word, from his eyes to his tone of voice.
There was no way he could just sit back and take this kind of treatment.
Damien also approached the weapon rack. He looked over the training weapons and thought for a moment.
¡®Let¡¯s see¡ how should I show them a lesson?¡¯
After a moment of deliberation, Damien picked something up from the weapon rack.
Baltyn made a strange expression when he saw it.
¡°¡A spear? I heard you¡¯re a swordsman?¡±
¡°You purebloods are curious about my abilities, aren¡¯t you? I should show you something a little special.¡±
Damien said nonchntly in response to Baltyn¡¯s question.
¡°From now on, I¡¯ll face anyone whoes out with the same weapon.¡±
***
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Chapter 152
Chapter 152
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 152: Fafnir (2)
***
Damien¡¯s deration was met with silence.
¡°Pu, puhp.¡±
¡°Ke, kekeuhp.¡±
Soon,ughter erupted intermittently among the purebloods.
¡°He¡¯s going to face us with the same weapon? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a funny guy.¡±
¡°Another fool appeared, surpassing the one who camest time.¡±
The purebloods desperately held back theirughter, perhaps because they were in front of the Mercenary King. But it was no use.
¡°Kukukuku!¡±
Even the Mercenary King himself burst outughing. He raised himself from the bed and pped his knees with his palms.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen a guy as funny as you! Yes, of course, a man should have this much spirit.¡±
The Mercenary Kingughed so hard that he even shed tears.
¡°But even spirit can be arrogant if it goes too far. From what I can see, you¡¯re being too arrogant.¡±
The Mercenary King continued, wiping away his tears.
¡°You know this, don¡¯t you? Once you reach high ss, you have no choice but to master the weapon you use.¡±
High ss was a realm that could only be reached by mastering the art of weaponry.
Being a master was not enough. You had to know how to use a weapon on a much higher level.
And he was going to face them with the same weapon, not even his main weapon?
¡°It seems like your pride has been greatly hurt by the attitude of the purebloods. I will apologize for that. So use a sword.¡±
The Mercenary King said with a kind face. Damien replied with an annoyed expression.
¡°If you¡¯re done talking, let¡¯s start.¡±
¡°Kukukuku! If that¡¯s your will, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. Baltyn, do your best to face him.¡±
¡°Yes, I will face him with all my might, as if I have met the enemy of my life.¡±
The Mercenary King burst outughing again at Baltyn¡¯s mocking words.
¡°Then let¡¯s start, Damien Haksen.¡±
Baltyn unleashed his aura. A vast amount of mana spread out in all directions.
As soon as Damien was touched by Baltyn¡¯s mana, he felt a sensation like static electricity flowing through him.
¡®This is why the dragon¡¯s bloodline is annoying.¡¯
Dragon¡¯s mana had the property of paralyzing the flesh and mana of living beings. It was a power known as Dragon Fear.
This property was also present in those with the blood of the dragon. However, it became weaker with each generation.
Baltyn, being the grandson of the Mercenary King, did not have a very strong Dragon Fear.
That¡¯s why Damien only felt a sensation and didn¡¯t feel any significant effect.
¡®It¡¯s also because they don¡¯t know the secret of the bloodline that why the Fear is weak.¡¯
Baltyn and the other purebloods did not yet know the secret of the bloodline. This was because the Mercenary King had not revealed it to anyone.
¡°Keep your eyes wide open and watch. Or you¡¯ll fall over in the first blow!¡±
At that moment, mana exploded from behind Baltyn.
Baltyn¡¯s body shot forward at an incredible speed. In time with that speed, Baltyn thrust his spear at Damien.
Here, the spear elerated with another explosion of mana. The speed was so fast that it was as if the spear had disappeared.
However, Damien had already read Baltyn¡¯s move. Just before the spear elerated, he tilted his head to the side. The tip of the spear grazed his cheek and passed by.
¡°You dodged my first blow, which even my grandfather acknowledged? It seems the rumors are not all false!¡±
Baltyn quickly retrieved his spear. And he thrust his spear at Damien again and again.
Each time he thrust the spear, mana exploded and elerated it.
The intervals between attacks were so short that it seemed as if several people were thrusting the spear at the same time.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
With each thrust of Baltyn¡¯s spear, the purebloods¡¯ faces were filled with astonishment.
It wasn¡¯t Baltyn, but Damien who was blocking all the attacks.
Damien was effortlessly deflecting all the thrusts that Baltyn was pouring out.
The sound of the two spears colliding rang out incessantly, like a woodpecker¡¯s call.
¡°H-how¡ h-how is he blocking Baltyn¡¯s attacks?¡±
¡°Baltyn is one of the top ten spearmen in the mercenarypany¡ ?¡±
As the purebloods¡¯ astonishment grew, Baltyn¡¯s face hardened.
A swordsman who was using a spear not being overpowered by a spearman? This was the first time in Baltyn¡¯s life that he had experienced such humiliation.
¡°T-this¡ an outsider like¡!¡±
His pride as a pureblood was cracked. Blood rushed to Baltyn¡¯s throat.
The amount of mana Baltyn was emitting increased even further. The speed of his attacks also began to increase.
¡®So much mana. Truly befitting of the dragon lineage.¡¯
Damien was secretly impressed for a moment.
Baltyn had been attacking from the start without sparing his mana or stamina.
Normally, a high ss would be exhausted by now. But Baltyn was actually increasing the intensity of his attacks.
It was all thanks to the dragon¡¯s blood flowing through Baltyn¡¯s body.
Thanks to the dragon¡¯s blood, he had not only an abundant amount of mana but also strong blood vessels that allowed him to use it freely.
¡®I¡¯m envious. If I had the dragon¡¯s blood in my body, I would have already reached master ss.¡¯
The advantages of the dragon¡¯s blood were countless.
A strong body, endless stamina, senses sharper than a beast¡¯s, and so on.
No wonder the purebloods were so proud. They had abilities that were several times greater than those of humans.
Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Damien would lose.
¡°It¡¯s time to finish this!¡±
Baltyn pressed Damien even harder. Thrusts rained down from all sides. It was as if he was trapped in a forest of spears.
But Damien had already read everything about Baltyn.
He had caught the moment just before Baltyn thrust his spear when his strength and mana would loosen slightly.
He aimed for that moment and raised his spear. The sudden attack caused the spear to fly out of his hand.
At the same time, the bombardment of spear des that had been covering Damien disappeared in an instant.
¡°Wh-what¡?¡±
Just as Baltyn was confused, Damien struck Baltyn¡¯s forehead with his spear.
¡°Smack!¡±
The tip of the spear dug deep into the forehead. Baltyn flew backwards.
Since it was a training spear, he didn¡¯t die. But Baltyn was hit with a pain so intense that it was difficult to breathe.
¡°Gasp! Cough!¡±
Baltyn clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground. Tears spilled out from his eyes and covered his entire face.
It was a pathetic sight that didn¡¯t befit the grandiose title of pureblood.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
But no one could think of Baltyn as pitiful when they saw him like that.
Everyone knew Baltyn¡¯s skills.
The grandchildren of the Mercenary King were all born geniuses. The purebloods were a group of the most outstanding individuals among those geniuses.
And Baltyn was an outstanding figure even among the purebloods.
And yet, even after fighting with all his might, he had been defeated.
And he had been defeated miserably, without evennding a single effective hit.
¡°I heard that the purebloods are all monster geniuses, so I had my expectations up.¡±
Damien added as he looked down at Baltyn.
¡°Well, they¡¯re nothing special.¡±
At those words, the embarrassment on the purebloods¡¯ faces disappeared and was reced by anger.
The purebloods lived with a strong sense of pride in the fact that they were the descendants of the Mercenary King.
And now, an outsider was spheming them. They could not let this go unchallenged.
¡°Kukukuku!¡±
At that moment, a loud burst ofughter erupted. The Mercenary King wasughing so hard that his throat was exposed.
¡°Excellent! Excellent! I never thought you would even defeat the purebloods!¡±
The Mercenary King stoppedughing and looked at Damien.
The corners of his mouth were upturned, but his eyes were not. Damien looked at the Mercenary King and raised one corner of his mouth.
¡®He must be shocked.¡¯
The Mercenary King had brought Damien in the hopes of provoking the purebloods.
To put it more bluntly, he was nothing more than a toy. A toy for the purebloods to see how superior their talents were.
But the toy that was supposed to be beaten up and kicked out by the purebloods had instead knocked them down. And he had done it with an overwhelming difference in talent.
It was not difficult to guess what the Mercenary King must be feeling.
¡°Seeing this makes me want to see more. Is there anyone else?¡±
¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ll do it.¡±
One of the purebloods stepped out onto the open space. This time, it was a woman.
¡°Kueshi! The Kueshi of the Twin des!¡±
¡°Kueshi is reliable!¡±
The appearance of the woman named Kueshi drew an even more excited reaction than when Baltyn had fought.
¡°Good. I will allow it.¡±
The Mercenary King also sent out the woman named Kueshi with a trusting face.
Kueshi walked out onto the open space and threw something at Damien.
¡°You said you would use the same weapon, right? I don¡¯t have a training weapon, so use that.¡±
What Kueshi threw was a belt with daggers attached to it. It was made to be worn on the body.
¡°You seem to use dagger techniques?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m lending you mine.¡±
Kueshi said, folding her arms.
¡°You don¡¯t mean to say you¡¯re not confident, do you?¡±
At Kueshi¡¯s provocation, Damienughed and kicked the belt away with his foot.
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
¡°Huh, you said you would face me with the same weapon, and now you¡¯re trying to back out¡¡.¡±
¡°I mean I don¡¯t need to borrow yours.¡±
Damien picked up a pebble from the ground.
¡°This will do.¡±
Kueshi¡¯s eyes were fixed on the pebble. Soon, her eyes turned red with blood.
¡°¡Suit yourself. But don¡¯t regret itter!¡±
Kueshi drew her daggers and threw them at Damien.
Two daggers flew towards Damien¡¯s head and torso.
Damien dodged the two daggers by twisting his body. And then he immediately held up two fingers in front of his temple.
The third dagger, which was about to pierce Damien¡¯s temple, was caught by his fingers.
Kueshi clicked her tongue in regret.
¡°You¡¯re not bad. Do you think that¡¯s all it takes?¡±
¡°Who would be fooled by this kind of child¡¯s y? Do it properly.¡±
Damien said, throwing the dagger in his hand to the ground. At that attitude, Kueshi¡¯s eyes hardened.
¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want!¡±
As soon as the words were finished, Kueshi¡¯s body disappeared.
She started to move around Damien. Her movements were so fast that only afterimages could be seen.
At the same time, Kueshi threw daggers at Damien. Daggers flew from all directions.
Damien dodged the dagger. The deflected dagger hit the ground and exploded. It was as if a rock had fallen, not a dagger.
¡®She¡¯s quite skilled at imbuing daggers with mana.¡¯
Of course, imbuing objects with mana and throwing them was a very difficult technique.
After all, mana was meant to dissipate quickly once it left the owner¡¯s body.
Only around the middle ss could one barely release aura to attack enemies.
¡®This must also be thanks to the dragon¡¯s pureblood.¡¯
Dragons were not only the strongest creatures on the continent, but also the most excellent mages. This was because they had both superior quantity and quality of mana.
The purebloods also possessed these characteristics.
¡®She¡¯s not just throwing them quickly, she¡¯s aiming for my blind spots.¡¯
Damien tilted his head to the side. A dagger that flew from an unseen angle passed by his nose and hit the ground.
¡®It¡¯s great, but it¡¯s nothing special.¡¯
Damien read Kueshi¡¯s movements and swung his arm towards her.
¡°You think I can¡¯t dodge a mere pebble¡ ?¡±
Just before throwing the pebble, Damien clenched his hand. The pebble shattered into several pieces.
The moment it left his hand, it split into dozens of pieces. The buckshot rained down on Kueshi.
¡°Huh?¡±
The range was too wide to dodge. The pieces of stone hit Kueshi¡¯s body.
Each piece was small, but it was filled with Damien¡¯s mana.
¡°Ugh?¡±
The pieces of stone dug deep into Kueshi¡¯s body. Kueshi¡¯s body flew backwards with a shock that felt like her bones were being crushed.
¡°Ku, Kueshi!¡±
¡°Euaaaat!¡±
The purebloods hurriedly caught Kueshi¡¯s body. Kueshi was already unconscious.
¡°Ku, Kueshi!¡±
¡°Kueshi can be defeated so easily?¡±
¡°T-this can¡¯t be¡¡±
A heavy silence descended after the second defeat.
Two of those who had prided themselves on being purebloods had already been defeated. Everyone was stunned.
¡°¡¡±
Even the Mercenary King was speechless and looked at Damien.
¡°Do you want me to prove myself further?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, the Mercenary King gritted his teeth and said.
¡°¡No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±
***
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Chapter 153
Chapter 153
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 153: Fafnir (3)
***
The purebloods were shocked by the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
It wasn¡¯t that Damien had walked away first, but that the Mercenary King had stopped the test first.
To the purebloods, it meant that the Mercenary King had acknowledged that they could not defeat Damien.
¡°Everyone, go back and rest.¡±
The Mercenary King immediately gave the order to rest.
¡°And Damien,e with me.¡±
The Mercenary King took Damien into a tent.
It seemed to be a ce where he entertained guests, as there was arge table inside.
And there were various works of art scattered around. Judging from the variety of items, it seemed that they were collected from various countries.
¡°Sit down on any chair you like.¡±
The Mercenary King said, not even looking at Damien. His slightly rough breathing showed that he was still angry.
Damien sat down on a chair as the Mercenary King had said. He leaned against the backrest and waited for the Mercenary King to speak.
¡°You put on a great show, didn¡¯t you? When you said ¡®I¡¯ll face anyone whoes out with the same weapon¡¯. I¡¯ve seen countless geniuses so far, but I¡¯ve never seen a guy like you!¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s face was full of anger.
It was only natural, as the purebloods he was so proud of had been defeated helplessly by Damien.
¡®No, it¡¯s not that he¡¯s angry because the purebloods lost.¡¯
The Mercenary King had a very strong sense of pride in his bloodline.
That¡¯s why he was angry that the defeat of the purebloods felt like an insult to him.
¡°I can see that you¡¯re not happy with my actions.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s angry? I¡¯m not angry at all!¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes were boiling likeva as he spoke.
¡°I apologize.¡±
Suddenly, Damien apologized from his seat. The Mercenary King made a bewildered expression.
¡°I wascking in judgment. I should have at least drawn my sword¡¡.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s face flushed even redder at Damien¡¯s mockery.
¡°You¡ you arrogant bastard! Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself! The guys you fought aren¡¯t all the purebloods!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted as if he was about to explode.
¡°The purebloods who fought you today are all my grandchildren! They¡¯re just the second generation with diluted blood! My children, the first-generation purebloods, are several times more outstanding than them!¡±
I had heard about it in my previous life.
It was said that there was a hierarchy even within the purebloods that the Mercenary King was so proud of.
The Mercenary King¡¯s children were called the first generation, and his grandchildren were called the second generation. The reason for this division was because the dragon¡¯s bloodline became weaker and weaker as it was passed down through the generations.
The first generation had much thicker blood than the second generation, being the children of the Mercenary King, and as such, the characteristics of the dragon were also strongly manifested.
In fact, the core force that supported the Fafnir Mercenary Company was mostly made up of first-generation purebloods.
¡°No matter how strong you are, you¡¯ll realize how insignificant you are when you meet the first generation!¡±
The Mercenary King spoke with a confident face. He seemed to have no doubt that the first generation would surpass Damien.
¡°So¡ are you saying that you will put me up against the first generation?¡±
¡°Why? Are you scared?¡±
¡°I heard that the first generation is older than me and that there are even master sses among them¡ Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to¡¡±
¡°What are you talking about? Am I crazy? If I put a high ss and a master ss together in a fight, the whole world willugh at me!¡±
The Mercenary King roared as if it was ridiculous.
¡°There are many first generations who are about the same age as you! They are also high ss, so it¡¯s appropriate. They are all out on missions right now. ¡ They will be back soon, so you better start preparing!¡±
Damien looked at the Mercenary King with a disgusted face. So, he meant that he had children who were about the same age as his grandchildren.
Although he looked like a boy, it was still shocking. He seemed to be a real human who was famous for his lust.
¡°Alright, then give me the Hundred Year Snow Ginseng that you promised.¡±
¡°You little brat. I¡¯m talking and¡¡±
The Mercenary King opened a subspace. He took out a ginseng that was smaller than a baby finger.
It was a shabby-looking thing, not worthy of the name Hundred Year Snow Ginseng, but Damien didn¡¯t care.
It was natural for ginseng to be this small even after a hundred years because it only grew in harsh environments.
From what Damien knew, it was said that only Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng could be consideredrge.
¡°Take it! It¡¯s the Hundred Year Snow Ginseng I promised!¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Damien took the Hundred Year Snow Ginseng and put it in his subspace. The Mercenary King looked at Damien with a hateful face.
¡°I called someone outside. He will guide you to the tent where you will stay. Go in and rest for today.¡±
The Mercenary King turned his body away as if he didn¡¯t want to see Damien¡¯s face any longer.
It was something he shouldn¡¯t have said to the Mercenary King, but he couldn¡¯t help it.
So far, Damien had no bargaining chips. But now that he had greatly scratched the Mercenary King¡¯s pride, it was different.
¡°Didn¡¯t you initially say that you would give me Hundred Year Snow Ginseng as a hiring fee and that you would increase the price depending on my future performance?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°I would like to change that condition.¡±
The Mercenary King looked back at Damien. He had an expression as if he wanted to ask what the nonsense was.
¡°If I defeat all the purebloods here, give me Dragon blood essence or an elixir equivalent to it.¡±
***
¡°No,¡± the Mercenary King cut in sharply, rejecting Damien¡¯s request.
¡°Dragon blood essence? Or Elixir equivalent to it? Do you have any idea how valuable those are? Why would I give them to you?¡±
¡°In that case, I suppose I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes narrowed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I mean, I¡¯m leaving.¡±
¡°What do you mean, leaving? It¡¯s only been a day.¡±
¡°Well, I never promised to stay for any specific duration¡ And the purebloods turned out to be less interesting than I anticipated.¡±
Damien¡¯s words ignited a fire in the Mercenary King¡¯s eyes.
¡°You¡ saying the purebloods are uninteresting? You haven¡¯t even seen the first generation yet!¡±
¡°Why would I bother seeing them?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? Who among you and those guys is superior?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not curious.¡±
Damien spoke earnestly.
After all, the hierarchy of talent was obvious even without experiencing it firsthand.
There was no genius in this world greater than Damien.
¡°You¡ and you call yourself a knight?¡±
¡°Then I suppose I¡¯m not.¡±
Damien rose from his seat. The Mercenary King stepped in front of Damien, blocking his path.
¡°You! Are you trying to embarrass me and run away?¡±
¡°Why are you acting like this, Mercenary King? Come to your senses.¡±
¡°No! I can¡¯t allow that!¡±
The two stared at each other for a while. Eventually, the Mercenary King conceded.
¡°You stubborn brat¡ Fine! I¡¯ll ept your conditions!¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Yes! Really!¡±
¡°In that case, I guess I have no choice. Since the Mercenary King is earnestly asking, I¡¯ll continue to stay here.¡±
The Mercenary King stared at Damien incredulously.
But soon, he smiled with a hint of regret.
¡°You obstinate fool¡ You¡¯ll regret not leaving soon. When you meet the first generation, even you will submit.¡±
¡°Are the first generation really that strong?¡±
¡°Of course! They inherited my blood and were personally trained by me! Calling them my disciples wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration!¡±
The Mercenary King boasted proudly. Damien responded with a skeptical expression.
¡°Well, I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be much to talk about once we actually fight.¡±
¡°Have you fought them? Huh? Have you?¡±
¡°Then care to make a wager?¡±
Damien spoke in a subtle tone.
¡°If I yield to the first generation as you say, I¡¯ll not only return the Hundred-Year Ginseng, but also follow anymand you give me.¡±
Then Damien added one more thing.
¡°However, if the first generation yields to me, along with the elixirs, I request you to grant me one of the Mana cultivation techniques you¡¯ve collected.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s hobby was collecting techniques.
Thus, his study was filled with various rare techniques gathered from all over the continent.
¡°Hahaha! Your arrogance knows no bounds! What? You think the first generation will yield to you?¡±
The Mercenary King chuckled, seemingly certain that such a thing would never happen.
¡°Oh, they will! Trust me! Don¡¯t regret itter! You better be prepared to hand over everything you receive!¡±
Damien smiled meaningfully.
¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±
***
Outside the tent, a familiar face appeared.
It was Cynthia, the woman who had shot arrows at Damien on the Mercenary King¡¯s orders the other day.
Cynthia was carrying a bow on her shoulder and smoking a pipe.
¡°Follow me.¡±
After uttering a short word, Cynthia took the lead. She didn¡¯t even check if Damien was following her.
Following Cynthia, Damien felt a strange feeling inside.
¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen the Bow Demon this close.¡¯
Cynthia, the Bow Demon.
She was one of the confidantes who guarded the Mercenary King in her previous life.
The reason why Cynthia, who was not a pureblood but an ordinary human, could be the Mercenary King¡¯s confidante was very simple.
It was because she was better than the purebloods.
¡°You¡¯re going to make the first-generation purebloods submit?¡±
Cynthia suddenly spoke. It seemed like she had overheard the conversation between Damien and the Mercenary King.
¡°You made a reckless bet.¡±
Damien looked at Cynthia with an interesting face.
Even in her previous life, Cynthia was a very taciturn woman.
So much so that she didn¡¯t say a word to Damien until the moment he took her life.
Even the taciturn Cynthia seemed to find Damien¡¯s bet ridiculous.
¡°The first-generation purebloods are all geniuses. Half of all the first generations have risen to the master ss.¡±
In the Apple Kingdom, a master, which they had not a single one of, was considered a fairlymon talent here.
That¡¯s how great the benefits of the dragon¡¯s bloodline were.
¡°But the Mercenary King said that the first generation I would bepeting against is high ss.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Do you know who is among the first generation that the Mercenary King mentioned? There is one outstanding child who is even considered a candidate for the sessor.¡±
Damien was intrigued by Cynthia¡¯s words.
That¡¯s because there was one person who came to mind when she mentioned a candidate for the sessor.
It was the second Mercenary King.
After Damien killed the Mercenary King, one of his children inherited everything and took the ce of the new Mercenary King.
And surprisingly, she showed even greater skill than her father and drove back the undead army.
Athena Hopper.
People called her a greater warrior than her great father.
¡®I guess it was gic transcendence.¡¯
The dragon¡¯s blood, which should have weakened as it was passed down through the generations, was actually flowed more strongly in Athena Hopper.
She even possessed the ability to transform part of her body into that of a dragon. This was something that even her father had not shown.
Damien also had memories of having a much harder time fighting the second generation than the first.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you would be worried about an outsider.¡±
¡°I just can¡¯t let such a stupid thing go.¡±
As Cynthia spoke in a stiff tone, the entrance became noisy. Cynthia looked over there.
The distance from here to the entrance was quite far, but it was no problem for a master ss like her.
¡°That guy just came back.¡±
Cynthia asked Damien.
¡°Would you like to take a look?¡±
***
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Chapter 154
Chapter 154
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 154: Athena Hopper (1)
***
Damien and Cynthia headed towards the entrance.
Many mercenaries were already gathered near the entrance. They were all looking somewhere and cheering.
Where their eyes were directed, four men and women were riding horses and entering.
Arge wagon was being pulled behind the men and women. On the wagon, a huge snake was curled up and dead.
¡°Isn¡¯t that the Basilisk that ruled the Alpaca Mountains?¡±
¡°It¡¯s really huge. You can tell it¡¯s not an ordinary Basilisk.¡±
¡°It must be at least 300 years old. If we make armor with its leather, it would be amazing.¡±
The mercenaries kept admiring the snake on the wagon.
It was not just arge snake. It was a Basilisk, known as the King of Snakes.
It was a dangerous monster that was said to be able to petrify creatures just by looking at them.
The curse of petrification was not the only danger. Its leather was so tough that even a relic sword could not cut it, and its blood was as poisonous as venom.
Its strength was so great that just brushing against it could crush monsters like Ogres or Trolls.
It was a monster that even high-ss knights were reluctant to face because it was too dangerous. And yet, four young people had hunted it down.
¡®And they even killed it cleanly by cutting off its head. That¡¯s amazing.¡¯
Damien eximed briefly and looked at the four men and women one by one.
As expected of the 1st generation purebloods, they had a clear distinction from the 2nd generation purebloods.
It was the color of their hair.
The hair of the 2nd generation purebloods was not much different from that of other people.
However, the 1st generation, like the Mercenary King, had white hair.
However, the proportion of white hair was slightly different. Those with a lower proportion might even look gray instead of white.
And among them, only one girl had white hair as dazzling as the Mercenary King.
¡®Athena Hopper. She¡¯s exactly the same as her previous life.¡¯
The woman who had followed in her father¡¯s footsteps and resisted Dorugo was right before his eyes.
The four of them headed towards the Mercenary King¡¯s tent, listening to the cheers of the mercenaries.
Then suddenly, Athena Hopper and Damien¡¯s eyes met.
Athena Hopper passed Damien without a second nce.
¡°What do you think after seeing them in person?¡±
Cynthia asked Damien after the four of them disappeared.
¡°They¡¯re all very impressive.¡±
To be honest, Damien was only interested in Athena Hopper. He hadn¡¯t really paid much attention to the other three.
But even so, it felt natural. The powerful aura that the other three possessed.
¡°The Mercenary King is a fair person. He is so confident that he would never even consider foul y.¡±
It was the same in the previous life.
The Mercenary King was a man who was far from scheming. Even on the battlefield, he preferred to charge head-on rather than useplex strategies.
That doesn¡¯t mean he would just charge at the enemy without thinking. He had a unique talent for creating situations and battlefields that were advantageous to him.
¡°So you won¡¯t have topete with the Master ss purebloods. If you just beat the four High ss purebloods you saw earlier, the Mercenary King will acknowledge your victory.¡±
Cynthia continued in a firm tone.
¡°But speaking as a senior¡ I don¡¯t think that will happen.¡±
Cynthia was a Master ss.
That meant she could see and feel much more than a High ss.
And such Cynthia was speaking with conviction. That Damien could not defeat the 1st generation purebloods.
¡°Thank you for the advice. But I¡¯m the kind of person who does the things I¡¯m told not to do.¡±
Of course, Damien didn¡¯t listen to Cynthia¡¯s words.
Damien was currently hiding a considerable portion of his abilities and talents.
It was only natural that Damien would appear weaker than the 1st generation to Cynthia.
¡°¡If you insist on suffering, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. Follow me and I¡¯ll show you to your quarters.¡±
With that, Cynthia started walking. Her back seemed a little angry.
***
¡°Wee back safely, everyone!¡±
The Mercenary King looked around at the first-generation seated around him and spoke.
¡°To be honest, I was quite worried when I sent you out. I was afraid this mission might be too difficult.¡±
The Basilisk hunted by the purebloods this time had been a monster that had settled in the Alpaca Mountains and preyed on countless people.
To hunt this Basilisk, the High ss of the Grape Kingdom had set out, only to end up as the Basilisk¡¯s prey.
With the loss of such valuable resources as the High ss, the Grape Kingdom urgently contacted the Mercenary King to undertake the extermination mission.
¡°But seeing what you¡¯ve hunted, I guess I worried for nothing. Completing the mission so splendidly¡ You all make me proud as always.¡±
The Mercenary King smiled satisfactorily. The first-generation purebloods present here all wore simr expressions.
But one person did not. Deep in thought, she did not heed the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
¡°Athena, is there something on your mind?¡±
The Mercenary King asked with a worried expression. Athena Hopper then spoke up.
¡°When we came in earlier, I saw a strange man. Who is he?¡±
At Athena¡¯s question, the Mercenary King smiled mysteriously.
¡°As expected, you recognized him. That fellow is a frence knight I¡¯ve hired this time. His name is Damien Haksen.¡±
Even at the name Damien Haksen, everyone¡¯s eyes widened slightly.
Damien Haksen was famous to the extent that even first-generation purebloods had probably heard of him.
¡°Do you know what that guy did while you were gone? He defeated Baltyn and Kueshi. And they didn¡¯t even get to fight properly.¡±
At those words, the purebloods couldn¡¯t help but be astonished.
Baltyn and Kueshi were skilled among the second-generation purebloods.
The fact that such two lost without even fighting properly? It was an unbelievable story.
¡°How dare he tarnish the name of the purebloods.¡±
¡°A very arrogant fellow.¡±
¡°Are you just going to let him get away with it?¡±
Except for Athena Hopper, the other three expressed their displeasure one by one. Nodding sympathetically, the Mercenary King continued.
¡°So, there¡¯s something I need to ask of you.¡±
The Mercenary King looked at the first-generation.
¡°When you four and that guypeted, we made a bet on who would yield. And guess what, he challenged me,¡±
At the Mercenary King¡¯s words, the bodies of the three were filled with anger.
The fact that a mere rookie dared to challenge their great father was infuriating.
¡°Calm down, everyone. He may be very arrogant and disrespectful¡ but isn¡¯t this interesting? I wonder how many people are willing to challenge you and me.¡±
Most of the geniuses the Mercenary King had brought in before had yielded and been destroyed by the second-generation purebloods.
This was the first time someone like Damien challenged both the first-generation and the Mercenary King.
It was natural that the Mercenary King found it interesting.
¡°If you manage to make that brat yield and restore my honor¡ I¡¯ll pass on to you the techniques I recently developed.¡±
The eyes of the three widened at the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
Even though he was a first-generation purebloods, the Mercenary King hadn¡¯t revealed all his techniques.
He differentiated based on achievements and talents. Opportunities like this to inherit something were rare.
¡°Father! Trust me! I¡¯ll make that guy yield as soon as tomorrow!¡±
¡°No, trust me! I¡¯ll make Damien Haksen kneel before you!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t trust those two. They¡¯re just talkers. I¡¯ll show you through my actions!¡±
The three shouted towards the Mercenary King.
The Mercenary King looked at them with a pleased expression before speaking.
¡°Just hearing your words is enough for me to be grateful. It¡¯s been a tiring day, so go rest. Oh, and Athena?¡±
Athena raised her head. Unlike the other three, Athena had not participated much in the conversation.
¡°You stay. There¡¯s something I need to discuss separately.¡±
***
The three people came out of the tent.
¡°Damn it, he¡¯s only calling Athena again.¡±
Neil Hopper grumbled. He was the man with the most dull hair color among the three here.
¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Father only favors that girl.¡±
MacDowell Hopper spoke bluntly. He didn¡¯t like the fact that only Athena was called either.
¡°So what are we going to do?¡±
Vanessa Hopper asked the two. She was the woman among the four, along with Athena.
¡°What about Damien? We don¡¯t need to decide the order. Let¡¯s just say the first one to do it is the first to be master among us.¡±
¡°But then we¡¯ll end up fighting each other, right? The first one to go has the most chances to get hands-on father¡¯s technique.¡±
The other two nodded at Vanessa¡¯s words.
The three of them were firmly convinced that they would defeat Damien.
No, maybe the word ¡®convinced¡¯ wasn¡¯t the right one.
To the three of them, it was as natural as water flowing down.
¡°How about this?¡±
Vanessa said with a face that said she had a good idea.
¡°Instead of deciding the order, let¡¯s just do it a little differently.¡±
¡°What do you mean by doing it differently?¡±
¡°Each of us will challenge Damien in a different way.¡±
Vanessa looked at the two alternately and said.
¡°We canpete in terms of mana capacity. Or we canpete in terms of mana control. There are many ways.¡±
¡°It seems a little dangerous. We¡¯ll still win if we fight like that, but¡ there¡¯s always a chance.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the point. It¡¯s not fun if you always win. Wouldn¡¯t it be more fun if there was some risk involved?¡±
The other two nodded their heads as if they liked Vanessa¡¯s idea.
¡°Then lets each contact Damien and¡ let¡¯s call it a day for today.¡±
With that, the three of them dispersed.
***
Once they were alone, the Mercenary King bustled about.
He brought out the desserts he had been hiding. He even boiled water in a kettle and made tea.
¡°Athena,e on and try it. It¡¯s the dessert from Empire that you like. I had a hard time getting it.¡±
The Mercenary King spoke to Athena with a face full of anticipation. He seemed to be craving for praise.
However, Athena ate the cookie without saying a word. The Mercenary King¡¯s shoulders drooped slightly.
¡°Wasn¡¯t the journey difficult? Was there anything difficult?¡±
Still, he didn¡¯t give up and asked Athena questions. Athena frowned as if she was disgusted.
¡°Annoyingly¡ Don¡¯t you have to stop asking now? You ask me every time I go out ande back.¡±
It was something that would have made the other purebloods fall over in surprise.
The rtionship between the Mercenary King and the purebloods was close to that of a master and servant. That¡¯s why they were all afraid of him.
It was unimaginable to treat the Mercenary King with the same attitude as Athena.
¡°I see you¡¯re very upset. Then you don¡¯t have to say anything.¡±
Shockingly, the Mercenary King did not get offended and instead tried to soothe Athena.
Athena grumbled as she ate the other desserts and then asked the Mercenary King.
¡°But Dad, that Damien guy, did he really beat the 2nd generation kids?¡±
The Mercenary King frowned at his daughter¡¯s question.
¡°Yes, he won, and he even provoked me. He said that if he beats you guys, he¡¯ll get the elixir¡ I¡¯ve never seen a guy like that before.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re telling us to make that guy submit?¡±
¡°Of course! I can¡¯t stand the fact that he insulted my bloodline, even if I don¡¯t know anything else! If we don¡¯t show him a lesson¡¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just leave him alone? It would be a shame if he got ruined.¡±
At Athena¡¯s words, the Mercenary King¡¯s eyes began to shake violently.
¡°What? What are you talking about now?¡±
¡°He¡¯s too handsome to be ruined.¡±
The Mercenary King couldn¡¯t help but be shocked once again by those words.
¡°S-surely you don¡¯t have a crush on that guy, do you?¡±
The Mercenary King asked anxiously. Athena then brought her index finger and thumb close together and said.
¡°A little bit?¡±
At that moment, the Mercenary King felt something inside him copse.
¡°Y-you brat! A man¡¯s face isn¡¯t everything! A guy who¡¯s just good-looking is useless!¡±
¡°Then why do you choose women just by looking at their faces?¡±
¡°C-cough.¡±
The Mercenary King was speechless at Athena¡¯s words.
¡°You don¡¯t mean¡ you seriously have a crush on that guy, do you?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I have no intention of dragging a man weaker than me into bed.¡±
At those words, the Mercenary King breathed a sigh of relief¡ and then opened his eyes wide again.
¡°Drag him in! Where did you learn such vulgar words!¡±
¡°From you? You always take two or three women to bed with you.¡±
¡°Ahem.¡±
The Mercenary King was speechless again.
¡°A-anyway¡ you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t have any ns for that guy, right?¡±
¡°I told you already. I said I like men who are stronger than me.¡±
Athena added as she ate the dessert.
¡°I¡¯ve never met one before, though.¡±
***
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Chapter 155
Chapter 155
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 155: Athena Hopper (2)
***
From the next day on, Damien began investigating the mercenarypany.
In truth, he didn¡¯t know much about the Fafnir Mercenary Company either.
He only knew that it would decline greatly due to internal strife in the near future and that the cause was the dark mage.
¡°You¡¯re curious about the Fafnir Mercenary Company?¡±
The way Damien chose to investigate was to get close to the ordinary mercenaries.
He was able to quickly get close to them by recalling his experience as a mercenary in his previous life.
¡°Yes, the Fafnir Mercenary Company is said to be stronger than the military of any major Kingdom, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien asked, sitting in front of the campfire that the mercenaries had built.
¡°You¡¯re well-informed, Sir Damien! Our mercenarypany is quite something.¡±
¡°I hear that requests are pouring in from all over the continent. All of them are requests that only our Fafnir can solve.¡±
The mercenariesughed out loud and rejoiced at Damien¡¯s praise.
¡°It¡¯s such a great ce that I can¡¯t help but be cautious. Are there any rules I should keep in mind?¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing much. Our mercenarypany doesn¡¯t have that many strict rules.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll get beaten up if you skip training. My cheek from yesterday still hurts.¡±
¡°Hey, Inma, that¡¯s because you¡¯rezy.¡±
Although they were only talking about trivial things, Damien listened to the mercenaries¡¯ words.
He knew that important information woulde out only when their guard was down.
¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. If you go to the north, there¡¯s another fence, but you shouldn¡¯t go there.¡±
¡°Is there a special reason?¡±
¡°That¡¯s where the Lord Mercenary King¡¯s lovers are.¡±
It was quite an interesting story.
¡°The Lord Mercenary King is a kind man, but he is merciless when ites to women.¡±
¡°Well, any man would do the same if someone touched his lover¡ but the Lord Mercenary King is very extreme.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a great man, but his one problem is that he¡¯s too fond of women.¡±
¡°Is it okay to talk about it so openly?¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. The Lord Mercenary King himself admits it.¡±
Judging from the way they spoke so nonchntly, it seemed that the rumors about the loose manners were true.
¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, is there? There¡¯s an old saying that heroes are lustful.¡±
¡°There are also quite a few heroes who have been ruined by women. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a little worried.¡±
Another mercenary said as he roasted jerky over the campfire.
¡°The influence of those women is getting too big in our mercenarypany. They¡¯ve been forming factions and checking each other¡¯s power for the past few years.¡±
¡°Hey, hey, watch your words. You can¡¯t say anything you want.¡±
The colleague next to him covered the mercenary¡¯s mouth. Only then did the mercenary realize his mistake and look at Damien¡¯s reaction.
¡®Interesting. So the Lord Mercenary King¡¯s lovers are forming factions?¡¯
Although it was unfortunate for them, Damien had a rough idea of what the Fafnir Mercenary Company was going through.
¡®The Purebloods must be unable to move in those factions as well. There¡¯s no way a child can refuse their mother¡¯s orders.¡¯
The Purebloods were the center of the Fafnir Mercenary Company. So it was natural that the authority of the lovers would be stronger.
¡°So all the Purebloods are affiliated with a faction?¡±
Damien asked the mercenaries. The mercenaries looked at each other and said.
¡°Most of them are, so you have to be careful. If you offend even one of them, you¡¯ll make the whole faction your enemy.¡±
¡°Most of them?¡±
¡°There are some who aren¡¯t. For example¡ Athena Hopper.¡±
Damien was intrigued by the unexpected name.
¡°Lady Athena Hopper is monopolizing the Lord Mercenary King¡¯s favor. So she doesn¡¯t need to join a faction.¡±
¡°The Lord Mercenary King doesn¡¯t care about other Purebloods, but he doesn¡¯t stay still when ites to Lady Athena.¡±
¡°You should be more careful of Lady Athena Hopper than the factions¡¡±
¡°Sir Damien! You were here!¡±
Someone approached Damien. Damien shifted his gaze and checked the face.
Gray hair and a long, reed-like figure.
He was one of the 1st generation Purebloods he had seen yesterday.
The mercenaries were startled and stood up as soon as they saw the man¡¯s face.
¡°Y-you, Sir Neil Hopper!¡±
¡°I never expected to meet a celebrity like you here!¡±
Neil Hopper approached Damien closely, his face full of smiles.
¡°I was so curious when I first heard about you. A meeting like this must be fate. I hope we can get along well in the future.¡±
Neil Hopper reached out his hand to Damien.
¡°Pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Damien Haksen.¡±
As Damien shook Neil Hopper¡¯s hand, an immense amount of mana surged through Neil Hopper¡¯s wrist.
***
Even though they had agreed to a pact to prohibit directbat, Neil Hopper wasn¡¯t particrly worried.
¡®I¡¯m going to win regardless.¡¯
Those who inherited the blood of the dragon were superior to ordinary people in every way.
This included not only their mana sensitivity, but also the purity of their mana, their physical abilities, and the sharpness of their senses.
They weren¡¯t just slightly ahead. They were so overwhelmingly powerful that they seemed like a different species.
Even among them, Neil Hopper was particrly gifted in mana control.
The higher one¡¯s mana control, the greater the power one could wield with even a small amount of mana.
This was why Neil Hopper had chosen mana infusion as his means of subduing Damien.
Injecting mana into an opponent¡¯s body could not only cause them great pain but also rob them of their freedom of movement.
Of course, his opponent wouldn¡¯t just take it lying down. They would naturally use their own mana to resist.
A contest of mana strength.
In such a confrontation, the one with higher mana control and greater magna reserves had the advantage.
Neil Hopper was confident that he could subdue Damien here.
After all, there was no one who could manipte mana more finely than he could.
But something was strange.
Even as he poured his mana into him, Damien¡¯s expression remained unchanged.
¡°This is interesting.¡±
Suddenly, Damien smiled. Neil Hopper was taken aback by this sight.
¡®He¡¯s smiling? I¡¯ll make him snap out of it.¡¯
Neil increased his mana output. The mana surged like a torrent into Damien¡¯s body.
¡°Since you¡¯ve prepared such an entertaining spectacle for me, I should show you something as well, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Suddenly, the rate at which the mana was being infused began to increase.
¡®Wh, what the?¡¯
Neil was startled and tried to withdraw his mana.
But the flow of mana didn¡¯t stop. It was as if it was being sucked away.
¡®Wh, what is this¡?¡¯
He desperately tried to regain control of his mana.
But the situation was unyielding. No, the rate at which his mana was being sucked away was actually increasing.
¡®Th, this is dangerous.¡¯
Mana was like water.
A certain level of mana was essential for maintaining life functions.
So what would happen if one¡¯s mana fell below that level?
One would not only suffer internal injuries but could even lose their life in severe cases.
¡°Don¡¯t you think you should let go of me now?¡±
Neil forced a smile as he spoke. Damien responded by gripping his arm even tighter.
The mana was sucked away even faster. Neil felt blood welling up inside him.
¡°St, stop¡!¡±
Finally, a pleading sound came from his lips. Even then, Damien did not let go.
At that moment, Neil¡¯s mind went nk. When he finally came to his senses, his knees were on the ground.
¡°Y, you, Sir Neil Hopper is kneeling¡!¡±
¡°A first-generation pureblood kneeling before an outsider¡!¡±
The other mercenaries cried out in surprise at this sight.
If his mana level decreased any further, he might lose his life. Despite the humiliation he felt at the mercenaries¡¯ reaction, Neil Hopper had no choice but to plead.
¡°Pl, please¡ I¡¯ll beg you, so, please let go¡!¡±
Damien let go of his hand. Thanks to that, he was barely able to escape from the jaws of death.
¡°Ugh, uwaaah¡!¡±
He knelt on the ground and vomited blood. Damien looked down at him and spoke briefly.
¡°Get out.¡±
Neil¡¯s face flushed with humiliation, but he had no choice but to obey.
As he ran away, Neil came across an unexpected person.
Athena was watching him from a distance.
Neil¡¯s face flushed even more with humiliation. Of all the people he didn¡¯t want to see him like this, it had to be her.
¡°Wh, what are you looking at!¡±
Neil snapped and walked past Athena.
Athena watched his back for a moment, then turned her gaze back to Damien.
¡°¡What did you just do?¡±
And she muttered in amazement.
***
The humiliation suffered by Neil quickly spread throughout the entire mercenary group.
¡°Did you hear? Sir Neil Hopper challenged Sir Damien and lost.¡±
¡°Are you serious? Sir Neil Hopper is the son of the Mercenary King.¡±
When the second-generation purebloods lost to Damien, everyone was just amazed, not surprised.
The world is a big ce and there are many geniuses. Among the geniuses who visited the Fafnir Mercenary Group, there were quite a few who defeated the second-generation purebloods.
However, none of the first-generation purebloods had ever been defeated.
To the Fafnir Mercenary Group, the first-generation purebloods were like heavens.
And that existence had been subdued and defeated by Damien.
¡°You idiot.¡±
The Mercenary King looked down at Neil and spoke in a contemptuous tone.
Neil¡¯s face turned crimson, yet he didn¡¯t dare lift his gaze.
¡°It¡¯s only been a day since I gave you the order to subdue Damien. And you¡¯re back here defeated?¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s face was twisted like a demon with extreme humiliation and anger.
¡°Ah, father¡ If you just give me one more chance¡¡±
¡°Shut up and get out! Before I beat you to death!¡±
At the Mercenary King¡¯s roar, Neil hurriedly rushed out of the tent.
¡°Damn¡ This is bullshit¡¡±
The Mercenary King exhaled roughly and suppressed his anger.
¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±
The Mercenary King asked his two other children.
MacDowell and Vanessa Hopper red at each other and shouted at the same time.
¡°I¡¯ll do it this time!¡±
¡°No! Give me a chance!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±
A sudden voice rang out. The Mercenary King and both man and woman gazes turned to somewhere.
A little further away, Athena was eating apple pie.
¡°I want to fight Damien this time.¡±
¡°Athena, what are you talking about? You weren¡¯t interested until yesterday.¡±
The Mercenary King had promised to pass on the secret technique to the one who could subdue Damien.
However, Athena had a lukewarm reaction to hearing that.
The Mercenary King couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered when Athena, who had been like that, suddenly said that she wanted to fight Damien.
¡°I¡¯m a little interested in that man.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s face hardened at the next words.
¡°Huh, interest¡? Interest¡?¡±
¡°Yes, I think he¡¯s a more interesting man than I thought. I want to check it out once.¡±
¡°My¡ My daughter¡ To a man¡ This is ridiculous¡¡±
The Mercenary King staggered and copsed into his chair, apparently in shock.
¡°Athena, why are you suddenly butting in?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. We already agreed among the three of us!¡±
MacDowell and Vanessa Hopper protested with frowns.
The Mercenary King was too shocked to stop their actions.
¡°Agreement? I never did anything like that. Just let me fight.¡±
¡°What if we don¡¯t let you?¡±
MacDowell¡¯s expression turned fierce. Vanessa was the same.
The two of them didn¡¯t think for a moment that they would lose to Damien.
***
The one who subdues Damien first will not only receive the secret technique from the Mercenary King but will also be able to monopolize all the glory.
That¡¯s why Athena¡¯s deration was not wee.
¡°I don¡¯t think you two can beat that man with your skills. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just give up rather than get yelled at by Dad?¡±
Athena said to them. At that moment, MacDowell¡¯s expression became even more sinister.
¡°¡You talk a too much, don¡¯t you!¡±
MacDowell tried to grab Athena¡¯s shoulder.
Athena caught his hand in mid-air.
¡°I don¡¯t like anyone touching my body.¡±
¡°I also hate it when someone takes my prey away from me. Wait quietly for your turn. Otherwise, I won¡¯t sit still either.¡±
MacDowell applied force to his hand. Athena resisted without backing down.
At that action, MacDowell sneered.
¡°You¡¯re going to try topete with me in strength?¡±
If Neil had a talent for mana control, MacDowell was a man born with strength.
Not only did he lift heavy iron weapons with ease since he was a child, but he was also able to crush stones with his bare hands as a boy.
Now that he is an adult, there is no one in the mercenary group¡¯s high ss with better physical abilities than MacDowell Hopper.
¡°How can I beat my brother in strength?¡±
¡°Then just let go of this hand and¡¡±
¡°But I¡¯m faster, right?¡±
Athena¡¯s body disappeared. It was so fast that MacDowell couldn¡¯t even see her move.
¡°What?¡±
The moment MacDowell was confused, Athena appeared behind him and strangled him with her forearm.
¡°This¡ damn it!¡±
He tried to free himself from Athena¡¯s grip, but it was no use. Athena¡¯s arms were immovable.
Eventually, his carotid artery was constricted and MacDowell lost consciousness and copsed in an instant.
¡°You!¡±
¡°You too, sister, are you going to stop me?¡±
Athena red at Vanessa with killing intent.
A ferocious killing intent engulfed Vanessa. At that moment, she had the illusion that her whole body was being torn apart.
¡°Hmph, ugh¡!¡±
Vanessa unknowingly sank to the ground. She gasped for breath and trembled.
¡°Why don¡¯t you answer?¡±
Vanessa shook her head violently. Only then did Athena withdraw her killing intent.
¡°Since you two have given up, there¡¯s no problem now, is there?¡±
Athena asked, looking at the Mercenary King. The Mercenary King asked with a surprised face.
¡°¡When did you get so strong?¡±
Although they were both in the same high ss, Athena was weaker than the two of them until recently.
She had the talent, but she was too young. Athena had not yet reached adulthood.
And yet, Athena had subdued the two of them in an instant. It was a growth rate that exceeded the Mercenary King¡¯s expectations.
¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±
Athena said with a nonchnt air. In her position, the gap between her and the two of them was not particrly important.
¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no problem, right?¡±
At Athena¡¯s words, the Mercenary King could only nod his head.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 156
Chapter 156
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 156: Athena Hopper (3)
***
¡°That¡¯s why you and I are going to fight.¡±
Damien, who was having breakfast at his quarters, heard a sudden voice.
¡°Let¡¯s meet tonight without dy. Come out to the open space in the center then.¡±
In the sudden situation, Damien could only stare nkly at Athena after stopping chewing the food he had put in his mouth.
¡°Oh, and by the way, I knocked down all the other guys? So if you just beat me, you win the bet. Of course, that won¡¯t happen.¡±
After saying that, Athena turned around and left.
It wasn¡¯t until Athena had gone quite a distance that Damien was able toe to his senses.
¡°What the hell is going on all of a sudden?¡±
After Neil challenged him yesterday, he had expected the other first-generation purebloods to challenge him one by one.
However, he didn¡¯t expect Athena toe after defeating the other purebloods.
¡°She¡¯s just like the Mercenary King.¡±
That was the way she was so pushy. The Mercenary King had alsoe out of nowhere and hired Damien as a frencer, hadn¡¯t he?
Just as he was about to focus on his meal again.
The door of the tent was opened and the Mercenary King entered. He had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that something had happened overnight.
¡°¡Damien, let¡¯s talk.¡±
Saying that the Mercenary King copsed into the seat in front of Damien.
Damien looked at the Mercenary King like that and started eating the stew.
¡°You have no manners. Don¡¯t you even ask if an adult has eaten?¡±
¡°Have you eaten?¡±
¡°I have. You don¡¯t even ask now.¡±
The Mercenary King grumbled. Then he nced at Damien and muttered.
¡°What¡¯s so handsome about that face¡ I¡¯m going crazy.¡±
¡°So why are you here?¡±
¡°Athena just came and went, right?¡±
Damien nodded as he swallowed his food.
¡°I¡¯ll make it short. Give up the duel.¡±
Damien looked at the Mercenary King with a surprised face.
¡°Are you threatening me like this because you will lose the bet if I beat Athena?¡±
¡°What nonsense! Why would I threaten you when you¡¯re obviously going to lose if you fight!¡±
The Mercenary King frowned and got angry.
¡°Then why are you asking me this favor?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ because¡ ugh¡¡±
The Mercenary King took a deep breath.
¡°¡Athena is interested in you.¡±
Damien almost spit out the food in his mouth.
¡°¡What are you talking about right now.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want to say this either! But what can I do when it¡¯s true!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted angrily and shook his head in dismay.
¡°Damn¡ why did that cute girl¡ with a guy like you¡¡±
¡°You seem to have forgotten. That guy is listening to everything right in front of you.¡±
¡°The lucky thing is that it¡¯s still just interest. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s paying a little attention. So don¡¯t get too excited!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of doing that because of something like this.¡±
At those words, the Mercenary King¡¯s eyes widened twice.
¡°This guy now¡ He¡¯s just saying whatever he wants because he has a loose mouth! My daughter is interested, and you¡¯re saying it¡¯s something like this?¡±
¡°Just one thing, just one thing.¡±
Damien said to the Mercenary King with a tired expression.
¡°So why are you telling me to give up the duel?¡±
¡°What if Athena¡¯s interest grows even more during the duel! I want topletely cut off that kind of danger!¡±
The Mercenary King said, shaking his body as if he could imagine it.
¡°I roughly understand the situation, but¡ why should I let the duel go? There¡¯s no benefit at all.¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, the Mercenary King took out something as if he had been waiting and held it out.
It was a booklet made of old paper.
The cover of the booklet had the words ¡®Blue Water Revitalization Technique¡¯ written on it.
¡°This is a mana cultivation technique created 100 years ago. It¡¯s okay to learn it together with other mana cultivation techniques. If you learn it properly, you can enjoy the effect of your body¡¯s age bing younger.¡±
The Mercenary King said to Damien with a confident face.
¡°The potions you said you needed are too expensive to give. Let me give you this instead.¡±
Damien looked away from the Blue Water Revitalization Method and looked at the Mercenary King.
¡°I guarantee it. If you duel, Athena will win. Then you will lose the bet and lose everything, won¡¯t you?¡±
While they were talking, the food ran out. Damien put the spoon down on the empty te.
¡°So it¡¯s better to just forfeit and leave with this mana cultivation method. Then¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s pretend this offer never happened.¡±
Damien cut off the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
¡°What did you say?¡±
¡°You said I would lose and lose everything, but I think the opposite is true. If I back down now, I will lose too much.¡±
The Mercenary King looked at Damien with a dumbfounded face.
¡°Are you confident? Or are you arrogant?¡±
¡°You seem to have forgotten. I have been winning all the fights against the purebloods so far?¡±
¡°Ugh.¡±
The Mercenary King had no way to refute that statement.
¡°Well, don¡¯t regret itter.¡±
The Mercenary King put the Blue Water Revitalization Method back in his bosom and disappeared.
¡°He should have brought something decent.¡±
Damien muttered ufortably as the Mercenary King disappeared.
What Damien needed now was not a mana cultivation technique that made him younger.
He needed a mana cultivation technique that would be the core framework for him to reach the Master ss.
¡°Anyway, it¡¯s true that the Mercenary King really cares about Athena Hopper.¡±
He had heard it from the mercenaries yesterday, but he didn¡¯t really believe it. It was because it waspletely different from what Damien knew.
¡°I heard that you were once disowned in your previous life.¡±
When the Fafnir Mercenaries split, Athena Hopper chose to oppose the Mercenary King. As a result, she was disowned by the Mercenary King.
Even after the infighting ended, they acted separately for a while without any contact, but they were finally able to merge again due to various intertwining interests.
¡°Is it because they haven¡¯t made any moves yet?¡±
The reason the Fafnir Mercenarypany split was due to the conspiracy of the dark mages of Pandemonium.
Since arriving at the mercenarypany, Damien had been trying to trace the trail of Pandemonium.
However, he could not find any traces anywhere. It seemed that they had not yete out of Pandemonium.
¡°I should have found them at the beginning.¡±
Damien was stroking his chin and feeling regretful when.
The tent was opened again and someone entered. It was a face that was unfamiliar but had been seen once before.
It was MacDowell Hopper, one of the first-generation purebloods.
¡°Sir Damien, you have toe with me.¡±
MacDowell said with a face that was a mixture of anger and annoyance.
¡°Grandmother wants to see you.¡±
***
ording to the information Damien collected from the mercenaries, there are several factions within the Fafnir Mercenarypany.
The central axis of all the factions was the Mercenary King¡¯s lover. They formed factions by banding together and checking each other.
Among them, thergest was the one that MacDowell Hopper belonged to.
¡°Nice to meet you. My name is ire Fowler.¡±
A middle-aged woman greeted Damien.
ire Fowler.
She was the Mercenary King¡¯s first woman and the mother of his first son.
And she was the leader of thergest faction within the mercenary group.
¡°Please have a seat. We can¡¯t keep a distinguished guest standing.¡±
Damien sat down and observed ire Fowler.
On the surface, she looked like a very kind middle-aged woman.
¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be here.¡±
The ce ire Fowler invited Damien to was where the Mercenary King¡¯s lovers stayed.
Damien was in the Golden District.
¡°It¡¯s only forbidden to enter without permission. Invited guests are fine. Of course, it¡¯s not okay to be alone.¡±
There were not only Damien and ire Fowler in the tent now.
There was MacDowell and another woman.
The woman was staring at Damien with a very unpleasant face.
¡®Master ss, huh.¡¯
He could tell right away because she didn¡¯t hide her aura. That woman was definitely a Master ss.
¡°Why did you ask me toe here?¡±
¡°You seem to be a hasty person. Shall we get to the point then?¡±
ire Fowler gestured. The female Master ss threw a pouch in front of Damien.
Damien opened the pouch and checked the contents. It contained three ck pills.
¡°These are special potions made by the Alchemy Guild. Even one pill will greatly increase your mana.¡±
Damien looked at the pills and asked.
¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡±
¡°I want you to step on Athena.¡±
Damien raised his head and looked at ire Fowler. She still had a gentle expression on her face.
¡°From what I¡¯ve learned, you¡¯re very interested in the mercenarypany. You know a little about the situation of the mercenarypany, right?¡±
¡°I heard that the factions arepeting for the sessor position.¡±
¡°You are well informed.¡±
ire Fowler sighed and said.
¡°Even so, there are manypetitors. And suddenly, the Mercenary King is protecting that child? Do I need to tell you how unpleasant that is for me?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t answer. ire Fowler didn¡¯t seem to be expecting an answer either.
¡°So this time, I want to see that child being humbled¡ Well, I heard that she knocked MacDowell out in one breath?¡±
¡°Grandmother, that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you shut up?¡±
ire Fowler said in a sharp voice. MacDowell shut his mouth.
¡°You came back after losing like an idiot, so what are you butting in for?¡±
Just like the gentle face from before was a lie, ire¡¯s eyes were as eerie as a snake¡¯s.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s continue the story¡ Athena¡¯s talent is more than I thought, isn¡¯t it? But I really want you to win.¡±
¡°So you gave me this?¡±
Damien said, looking at the pills. ire Fowler smiled and nodded.
¡°I like things to be certain. This is a gift, so you don¡¯t have to feel burdened.¡±
Damienughed at her words.
How could he not feel burdened?
These pills were made with dark magic.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 157
Chapter 157
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 157: Duel (1)
***
Venom sect, one of the sects of dark mages, that made and used poisons.
As the saying goes, poison and medicine are only the thickness of a sheet of paper apart. The Venom sect also had excellent abilities in making potions.
The problem was that the potions they made were all abnormal.
The same was true for the ¡®Quelling Corps¡¯ that ire Fowler handed out.
The effect of the Quelling Corps was as ire Fowler said. Just by eating it, your mana would increase and your muscle mass would also increase.
Even an ordinary person who had never exercised in their life could have a beautifully toned body in an instant by eating this.
The problem was what happened next.
After taking the Quelling Corps, the person became emotional even over trivial matters. It was as if all their patience had disappeared.
And then, at some point, when their emotions crossed the line, madness with violence would manifest.
From then on, they could not suppress their emotions with their own will. Even if their physical strength ran out and their body was damaged, they would not stop until they died.
The only way to stop the madness caused by the Quelling Corps was to die.
¡®She intends to use me as a sacrifice to kill Athena.¡¯
ire Fowler¡¯s intention in giving this item to Damien was clear.
She wanted the madness to manifest during the battle with Athena.
¡®The Quelling Corps is not something that can be obtained easily.¡¯
The Quelling Corps not only required a lot of precious materials, but the manufacturing process was also veryplicated.
Even the highest-level dark mages of the Venom sect did not have a very high sess rate in manufacturing it.
The fact that she had such an item meant that ire Fowler had to be closely connected to the dark mages.
¡°Thank you for your help, but¡¡±
Damien said, pushing the elixir back to ire Fowler.
¡°This is not something I need.¡±
ire¡¯s expression hardened instantly at Damien¡¯s refusal.
Not only that, but her eyes started to shake violently. Somehow, her reaction was too much.
¡®Is there a reason why I have to eat the Quelling Corps?¡¯
Just then, ire Fowler, who had recovered from her agitation, spoke to Damien.
¡°Are you perhaps saying that this elixir is not good enough? The effect of this elixir is real. There¡¯s no way someone of your caliber, wouldn¡¯t feel it.¡±
I can feel it. The pure mana that the elixir contains.
In fact, the same materials used to make the highest quality potions were used to make the Quelling Corps.
However, all of this was just a disguise to make people swallow the poison.
¡®But I can absorb only the mana.¡¯
Even so, he didn¡¯t feel like taking this elixir.
This is because he knew very well how the elixirs made by the dark mages were made through a horrible process.
¡°I can defeat Athena without the help of potions.¡±
¡°Oh, I know. But there¡¯s always a chance in this world, isn¡¯t there? So¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will win without any exceptions.¡±
Damien said firmly. ire looked at Damien with a dumbfounded face.
¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±
Just as Damien was about to get up from his seat, the door of the tent was opened and someone entered.
¡°ire, I came to y~.¡±
She was a woman with an incredibly beautiful appearance. For a moment, it felt like the inside of the tent had brightened.
To be sure, she was more beautiful than any beauty Damien had ever seen.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when he saw the woman.
Was it because she was so beautiful? That wasn¡¯t it.
¡®¡¡What is the disciple of the Subus doing here?¡¯
The disciple of the giant evil that represented Pandemonium was right before his eyes.
***
Pandemonium was thergest and most powerful organization of dark mages in history.
Beingrge and having a long history, it included many powerful dark mages. And among them, there were particrly dangerous beings.
The Giant Evils.
Dark mages who were so dangerous that the Empire and the Church put them at the top of their assassination list.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that they had killed hundreds of thousands of people during their rise to power.
Subus was one of these giant evils.
A beautiful woman who drove both men and women crazy.
The extent to which she did this was so severe that it could only be described as brainwashing.
¡®This woman¡¯s name was definitely¡ Rubia.¡¯
Rubia was a disciple of Subus and was a figure in her own right as a great dark mage.
Although not as much as her master, Rubia was also a dangerous woman. No wonder Damien remembered her.
¡®I never thought she would be here.¡¯
In his previous life, Subus had never mentioned the Fafnir Mercenary Company. So Damien didn¡¯t expect to see Rubia here.
¡°Oh my¡ There¡¯s another gentleman here.¡±
As soon as Rubia saw Damien, she was surprised and went back outside. Then she poked her head out and looked at Damien.
¡®She¡¯s disgusting even though she¡¯s old and used up.¡¯
The disciples of Subus all used their appearance and bodies to throw the world into chaos. All of that behavior was just an act.
As Damien looked at Rubia with a disgusted face.
¡°Sir Damien, no matter how beautiful Rubia is, you shouldn¡¯t stare at her like that. She¡¯s the one Carl loves the most.¡±
As soon as he heard those words, Damien sighed inwardly.
The Mercenary King was a man who was bewitched by women, so he would not have been able to resist Rubia.
¡®Maybe he¡¯s already be her puppet.¡¯
Just thinking about it made his head hurt.
¡°Rubia, tell Sir Damien. I was going to give him a gift, but he refused.¡±
¡°Oh, really?¡±
Rubia came into the tent quickly. She stared at the Quelling Corps on the table and handed it to Damien.
¡°This is something that Lady ire prepared with great difficulty¡ Shouldn¡¯t you ept it?¡±
At that moment, a sweet smell spread throughout the tent.
The expressions of everyone inside the tent changed to a daze. Even ire Fowler was no exception.
The disciples of the Subus had all mastered dark magic that allowed them to release their pheromones strongly.
Because of these pheromones, men and women alike were helpless to fall for the disciples of the Subus.
Of course, Damien was an exception.
Ordinary dark magic had no effect on Damien.
It was because of the power he possessed.
The seven authorities that Dorugo had nted in Damien in his previous life.
One of them, the Power of Greed, had the ability to disintegrate other powers and absorb their strength. Even the Giants were no exception.
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
Damien threw the pouch that Rubia handed him onto the table.
Rubia¡¯s eyes widened slightly at that action. It seemed that she was surprised that Damien was not affected by the dark magic.
¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
Damien greeted ire Fowler and walked out of the tent.
He could feel gazes on his back until he left the tent.
¡®It seems she¡¯s quite surprised.¡¯
They had good reason to be. After all, the pheromones that had even captivated the Mercenary King had no effect on Damien.
¡®If my opponent is a disciple of the giant evil¡ It won¡¯t be easy for me to deal with them either.¡¯
It was just his spection, but he didn¡¯t think it would be just Rubia.
After all, even a disciple of the Subus would not be able to bring down the Fafnir Mercenary Group alone.
¡®I¡¯ll have to think about it a bit.¡¯
With that, Damien returned to the tent.
***
And then, it was evening.
Damien came out to the open space for his duel with Athena Hopper.
¡°Wow! Sir Damien! Sir Damien is here!¡±
¡°Damien! Damien!¡±
The open space was packed with people. It seemed that all the mercenaries of the mercenary group were gathered here.
Damien pushed his way through the mercenaries and stepped forward. Then, the Mercenary King appeared before Damien.
¡°This is myst offer. Even now¡¡±
¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
Damien lightly ignored the Mercenary King¡¯s words and walked out into the open space.
Athena had already arrived. She was dressed in simple clothes and was stretching.
¡°You¡¯re a littlete?¡±
Athena, who was stretching her arms wide, said to Damien.
¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±
Before he could ask what, Athena pulled out the spear she had stuck in the ground.
It was a spear made entirely of metal, from the shaft to the de.
¡®Yes, I remember.¡¯
At that sight, Damien recalled his past memories.
She used that spear when she became the 2nd Mercenary King in her previous life.
¡®It was a spear made of an alloy created by the dwarves.¡¯
It was a spear that the Mercenary King had specially made for Athena. That must have been why. When she used that spear, Athena¡¯s abilities were multiplied several times over.
It had taken even Damien three days to subdue her.
¨C You dirty bastards.
Even when she was captured by Damien and brought before the dark mages, her attitude did not change.
¨C I should have killed more of you!
¨C If it hadn¡¯t been for that Death Knight, you would all have died by my hand!
¨C You ipetent bastards who like to hide behind others!
Even though she was covered in wounds, Athena was not discouraged in the least.
The dark mage who was facing Athena at the time was Rubia.
She showed her something special to break Athena¡¯s spirit.
It was an undead made from the corpse of the Mercenary King, Kal Hopper.
Athena became quiet as soon as she saw her father¡¯s corpse. She muttered just one word with a face like she was about to cry.
¨C You guys are¡ not human¡
She did not die easily.
She was subjected to all sorts of indignities by Rubia.
Her dignity as a woman was dragged down to the bottom. Her dignity as a human being was rolled around in the dirt.
She was not allowed to die until she was reduced to a state worse than garbage crawling on the ground.
And even after she died, she could not rest in peace. Her soul was captured by Rubia and used until it was destroyed.
¡°¡¡¡±
His heart sank as he recalled the past. Damien took a deep breath.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Athena asked, tilting her head. Damien shook his head and said.
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°Is that so? Then shall we begin?¡±
Athena raised her mana. The mana she raised was released to the outside and turned into white lightning.
White currents covered her body. It was a sight that was both mysterious and terrifying.
The blood flowing through the Mercenary King¡¯s body was that of the dragon.
The dragon that could summon storms and lightning and that power was passed down to its bloodline.
¡°Keep your mind straight. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be disappointed again and deduct your points.¡±
¡°What on earth are you going to deduct points for¡¡±
Athena crouched slightly. Her body turned into lightning.
White currents ran across the ground. In an instant, Athena appeared behind Damien.
Athena swung her spear down without hesitation. The lightning contained in the shaft exploded.
Lightning struck the spot where Damien had been standing.
***
Before she swung the spear down, Athena couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed.
¡®He doesn¡¯t even notice this?¡¯
Even though Athena had circled behind him, Damien was still facing forward.
¡®Was I just mistaken?¡¯
She was as angry as she was disappointed. Athena swung the shaft down with all her might.
Just then, Damien turned his body and drew his sword at the same time, swinging it upwards.
The de and the shaft collided. At that moment, the trajectory of the spear changed.
At the same time, the lightning also missed Damien.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The moment Athena was surprised, Damien moved. He shed Athena¡¯s neck with his sword, who was now defenseless.
***
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Chapter 158
Chapter 158
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 158: Duel (2)
***
The moment the sword was about to cut her throat, Athena¡¯s body disappeared.
Athena, who had turned into a lightning bolt, retreated far back before restoring her body to its original state.
At that moment, Athena could feel a tingling pain in her neck.
When she touched her neck with her fingers, a faint trace of blood came out.
¡°¡.¡±
Athena looked at Damien with a surprised face.
She thought she hadpletely dodged it, but it was Athena who was slightly slower.
¡°U, uwaaa!¡±
¡°Did you just see that? Lady Athena is using her lightning power!¡±
At that moment, cheers erupted from the mercenaries. The exchange just now was enough to excite them.
¡°Since when did you start using lightning so naturally?¡±
¡°That¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s like watching the young days of the Mercenary King.¡±
The ¡®Thunderp Heavenly Movement Technique¡¯ that Athena was mastering was a mana cultivation technique that could convert mana into lightning power.
Lightning stimted the muscles and nerves, allowing them to move even faster. Furthermore, by entrusting one¡¯s physical body to the flow of lightning, one could move like lightning.
Even among the children of the Mercenary King, who was known as a genius, there were few who had learned the Thunderp Heavenly Movement Technique. It was that difficult of a mana cultivation technique.
¡°¡¡But what the hell is that guy? Where did such a monstere from?¡±
¡°It¡¯s amazing that he reacted to the speed of lightning¡¡but how did he able to react so fast?¡±
However, the skilled mercenaries, especially the master ss, were admiring Damien.
The Thunderp Heavenly Movement Technique was a mana cultivation technique that overwhelmed the enemy with its overwhelming speed and destructive power.
Damien had effortlessly turned all of that away.
¡°As expected, you can dodge this much.¡±
Damien spoke to Athena.
When she realized that she was the object of his evaluation, Athena found herselfughing involuntarily.
¡°You, you¡¯re interesting.¡±
Most of the enemies she had fought so far had not even been able to react to Athena¡¯s attacks.
But he had not only reacted, but he had also counterattacked.
¡°As expected, my eyes were not wrong. It¡¯s a point.¡±
A smile spread across Athena¡¯s mouth. It was bewitching, yet somehow joyful.
Damien slung his sword over his shoulder and looked at Athena with a crooked gaze.
¡°You¡¯ve been talking about points since earlier, but what are you scoring?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t tell you now. I¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s all over.¡±
The wound on her neck had already healedpletely.
The children of the Mercenary King all possessed such a fast recovery ability. However, it was not enough to instantly regenerate major injuries such as fractures or cuts.
¡°Now that I know you¡¯re not to be taken lightly¡¡¡±
Athena drew out her lightning even further. White lightning enveloped her body and soared high into the sky.
¡°I won¡¯t let my guard down anymore.¡±
Athena kicked the ground and lunged at Damien, thrusting her spear out.
Athena¡¯s spear, transformed by lightning, was so fast that it could not be tracked by the naked eye or even by sound.
However, Damien blocked the spear with his sword as if it were a matter of course.
Athena was not surprised. Of course, Damien could do this much.
Athena swung her spear at Damien one after another. Damien also did not dodge and responded.
The spear and the sword shed several times in the air. Sparks flew each time they collided.
¡°Amazing? But I don¡¯t think you can keep blocking it.¡±
Athena drew out her lightning even further.
The speed at which she thrust the spear became faster and faster. It was as if she was scattering multiple spears at the same time.
¡°Huh? What¡?
¡°How can he¡ ?¡±
A look of amazement gradually appeared on the faces of the mercenaries.
This was because Damien was blocking all of those countless attacks.
With the de, hilt, pommel, and so on.
He was blocking the spear with various parts of the sword. As a result, Athena was not able tond a single effective attack.
Athena was just as surprised.
She had been attacking intending to corner Damien, but all of her attacks were being blocked.
It was as if he was reading her mind.
¡°You¡¯re really amazing.¡±
After a moment of surprise, Athena rejoiced like a child.
Athena was born with an overwhelming talent. That¡¯s why she had never been able to find a proper rival until now.
Her peers were much weaker than her, and she had quickly surpassed those who were much stronger than her.
That¡¯s why, in Athena¡¯s eyes, other people looked like animals. The only person who was not like that was her father.
But today, she met a new ¡®person¡¯. It was Damien.
¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been since I had this much fun. So¡ can I go a little rougher?¡±
Athena¡¯s movements changed.
She transformed into a lightning bolt and began to envelop Damien¡¯s surroundings.
Every time Athena moved, afterimages made of lightning were created around Damien.
The moment the number reached ten, the afterimages charged towards Damien.
They had no physical strength, but since they were made of lightning, they were a technique that could cause an electric shock if they even touched him.
¡°What a troublesome technique.¡±
Murmuring thus, Damien swung his sword at the afterimages.
¡®So this is it.¡¯
Athena felt a great sense of regret.
Those clones were designed to explode with thunder power the moment they were cut.
In other words, Damien¡¯s chosen method of destruction was wrong.
It was at that moment that Athena made her judgment.
The afterimages that Damien had cut did not explode and instead scattered into the air.
¡°¡What?¡±
It was not a mistake. The afterimages he had cut did not explode.
This was because he had cut the center of the afterimages precisely, preventing the lightning from exploding and causing them to simply scatter.
¡°¡Wow.¡±
A smile spread across Athena¡¯s mouth.
This was the first time she had ever fought someone who could match her like this. Joy filled her heart.
She wanted to enjoy this moment for as long as possible. This was the first time she had an opponent she could go all out against.
However, the honor of her father was at stake in this battle. She had to finish it now and im the victory.
Athena prepared her final blow.
She gripped the spear with both hands and poured her lightning into it. The spear, which had absorbed her lightning to the limit, glowed red hot.
¡°This is the end.¡±
Athena thrust out the spear. The lightningpressed in the weapon was released in an instant.
Ultimate Technique ¨C Splitting Thunder Destruction.
The released lightning split into six branches and engulfed Damien. Each one possessed immense power.
At the moment she was convinced of her victory, Athena saw it.
Damien¡¯s entire body was glowing red. At the same time, his body disappeared.
The first time she blinked, the six bolts of lightning had reduced to four.
The next time she blinked, the four bolts of lightning had reduced to two.
The third time she blinked, there were no more bolts of lightning left.
Instead, Damien was right in front of her.
Even with her senses heightened by lightning, she had not noticed him approaching.
Without even giving Athena a chance to counterattack, Damien swung his sword down.
***
¡°Excellent.¡±
That was the emotion Damien felt as he received Athena¡¯s attack.
Of course, there were many areas where she wasckingpared to her past self. However, considering her young age, her skills were terrifying.
¡°Her eyes are the same as her previous life.¡±
Athena¡¯s pupils sparkled like stars.
Looking at those eyes, memories of the past surfaced in his mind.
And that¡¯s why it was painful.
Damien felt a sense of guilt towards everyone he had driven to misfortune.
He wanted to atone for everyone who had died by his hand.
Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t Damien¡¯s fault.
Back when he was a Death Knight, Damien was a ve who could only follow Dorugo¡¯s orders, having lost control of his own body.
But even thinking that didn¡¯t ease Damien¡¯s mind.
¡®Athena Hopper, you lost everything because of me.¡¯
On her way to bing the 2nd Mercenary King, she lost her father because of Damien.
She wanted revenge, but it failed because of Damien.
And that wasn¡¯t all. She was captured by Rubia, the mastermind behind the destruction of her mercenarypany, and after suffering all sorts of horrific humiliation, she lost her life.
It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine how bitter she must have felt at the moment of her death.
The same was true for Damien.
One of the reasons Damien came looking for the Fafnir Mercenarypany was to atone for his sins to her.
¡°This is thest one.¡±
Athena thrust out her spear.
Six bolts of lightning engulfed Damien. Damien briefly admired the technique that possessed immense power.
¡°You¡¯ve shown me something great, so now it¡¯s my turn to teach you a thing or two.¡±
Damien activated the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation. As his whole body burned, his physical abilities skyrocketed.
He took a step forward. elerating explosively, he cut down one of the lightning bolts with his sword.
The lightning that should have turned the ground into a mess was nullified in vain.
Damien continued to advance, cutting down the lightning bolts one after another. When all the lightning bolts were gone, Damien stood before Athena.
He swung his sword down at Athena.
But he stopped just short of cutting her throat. The de of the sword stopped next to Athena¡¯s neck.
In that moment, a heavy silence enveloped the entire world.
Damien sheathed his sword and spoke to Athena.
¡°I win. Do you admit it?¡±
Athena nodded in a daze.
The moment Damien¡¯s victory was confirmed, the mercenaries cheered in unison.
Even though he was an outsider, Damien¡¯s final move was enough to excite the mercenaries.
Damien put away the sword and enjoyed the cheers of the mercenaries.
¡®Every time I see them, I¡¯m reminded that they¡¯re a great mercenary group.¡¯
Just by listening to their voices, you could tell how thoroughly trained they were.
Suddenly, Damien noticed that Athena¡¯s face was flushed red.
Was she sick? There was no way she could have been injured.
As Damien looked at Athena with a puzzled expression,
¡°P-perfect¡¡.¡±
Athena muttered in a small voice.
¡°H-Handsome¡¡.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°T-that, how can I say that with my own mouth!¡±
Athena let out a shrill scream and turned to run away.
¡°It seems that Athena from this time has a bit of a problem mentally.¡±
Damien muttered with a dumbfounded expression.
***
¡°Hmph, heh¡¡.¡±
Amidst the cheers, the Mercenary King was so shocked that he could not say a word.
¡°Athena¡¡ my greatest pureblood¡¡ has lost¡¡?¡±
The Mercenary King knew well where his bloodline originated from.
Dragon.
The apex of all living beings under the heavens.
That extinct creature was his father.
That¡¯s why the Mercenary King was so proud of his bloodline.
That¡¯s why he gathered the outstanding children among his descendants and named them ¡®Pureblood¡¯.
But now, those Purebloods, his children, had been defeated by that one man.
¡°This¡¡ this can¡¯t be happening¡¡ this shouldn¡¯t be happening¡¡.¡±
The emotions the Mercenary King was feeling right now were trulyplex.
He was shocked and horrified. And then, anger red up.
¡°Damien Haksen¡¡! You insolent¡¡!¡±
But thest emotion he felt waspletely unexpected.
¡°¡¡I¡¯m intrigued.¡±
Greed.
The desire to possess that limitless talent surged within him.
He had never thought for a moment that he, a man, would desire another man.
The possessiveness grew in an instant, snowballing out of control. Even the Mercenary King could not control it.
Dragons were creatures with a possessiveness that bordered on obsession. The Mercenary King, who had inherited their blood, was no exception.
¡°How I can recruit that man into my mercenary group¡¡.¡±
Considering Damien¡¯s personality, he would not be easy to win over.
¡°Isn¡¯t there some way to do it?¡±
The Mercenary King stroked his chin and pondered.
¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s it.¡±
A sly smile slowly spread across the Mercenary King¡¯s lips.
Perhaps it was because of his young appearance, he looked like a mischievous boy who hade up with a naughty prank.
***
At that time, there was one more person who was interested in Damien.
Rubia.
The concubine who was favored by the Mercenary King was looking at Damien with a strange look in her eyes.
¡®A genius that surpasses the blood of the dragon? Is this even possible?¡¯
She had approached the Mercenary King early on, coveting the blood of the dragon.
After all, in the current era where dragons have disappeared, the Mercenary King was the only one who possessed the blood of the dragon.
That¡¯s why the value of the Mercenary King¡¯s bloodline was immeasurable. So much so that she had used it as bait to lure several dark mages from Pandemonium.
¡®I thought he was just a crazy man at first¡¡.¡¯
But if he had that kind of skill, it was a different story.
¡®Didn¡¯t he say that he was looking for outstanding souls to create Death Knights?¡¯
He was traveling the continent in search of souls that would satisfy him, in order to create a Death Knight that could lead all wars to victory.
If she offered him a soul that he would be satisfied with, she would surely receive his great favor.
Perhaps she would even be able to learn dark magic that surpassed her teacher¡¯s.
¡®Handling men¡¡ is easy for me.¡¯
Lust gleamed in Rubia¡¯s eyes.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 159
Chapter 159
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 159: A New Foundation (1)
***
The day after the duel, Damien had a private audience with the Mercenary King in his quarters.
After sitting down inside the quarters, the Mercenary King didn¡¯t say anything for several minutes. He just stared at Damien with a sullen expression.
¡°¡¡You.¡±
Then, the Mercenary King suddenly opened his mouth.
¡°Earlier¡¡ What was it¡¡ It was really¡¡ I mean¡¡ Great¡¡ Anyway¡¡.¡±
The Mercenary King stammered and couldn¡¯t finish his sentence.
¡°G, great¡¡ No! What was so great about it! It was nothing! That¡¯s right! It was nothing!¡±
The Mercenary King roared. Damien looked at him strangely.
¡°I understand, so please give me the promised reward.¡±
At Damien¡¯s request, the Mercenary King snorted.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to take it back. I¡¯m a man who keeps his promises.¡±
The Mercenary King opened a subspace and took out a small ss bottle.
As soon as the ss bottle came out, the temperature inside the quarters dropped instantly.
When he put the ss bottle down, even the table started to frost over.
¡°This is three drops of Mithra Holy Water. This should be enough.¡±
At those words, Damien¡¯s ears seemed to perk up.
Mithra Holy Water was a potion that was created one drop every hundred years in a deep cave in the extreme pr region.
It was a great item that ranked at the top of all potions with yin properties.
¡®It¡¯s more than enough.¡¯
Mithra Holy Water had an extremely yin property, so it was a dangerous item that could freeze all of one¡¯s internal organs and kill them if ingested carelessly.
¡®He seems to want to make me suffer.¡¯
A figure like the Mercenary King would probably have several other potions that were simr in level to Mithra Holy Water but were safer.
The fact that he gave him Mithra Holy Water anyway showed that he wanted to torment Damien.
¡°I will use it well.¡±
Damien put the Mithra Holy Water into his subspace.
Even though it would be difficult to consume it right away, he would be able to think of a way if he pondered it calmly.
¡°I¡¯ll let you choose the mana cultivation technique yourself. Just wait a moment.¡±
The Mercenary King took out arge brass key from his bosom and turned it in the air.
Then, a small door appeared in the air. Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the sight.
¡°Is that perhaps a relic?¡±
Originally, subspaces could only be used to store objects, not for people to enter.
This was because the subspace technology that modern mages could handle was limited to that extent.
However, there were some relics that could create a subspace that could be entered.
Needless to say, they were extremely rare items. It was impossible to obtain them even if you tried.
¡°You have good eyes. Then let¡¯s go in.¡±
Damien entered the subspace with the Mercenary King.
Inside, there were rows of bookshelves that reached up to the ceiling, and they were filled with books.
A quick nce at the books showed that there were a variety of genres, including novels, encyclopedias, and history books.
¡°This is an amazing ce.¡±
Damien eximed in genuine admiration. He had thought that his father¡¯s study in Spring Castle was spacious, butpared to this ce, it seemed small.
¡°Reading is my hobby. When I have nothing to do, I sit here and read books. It¡¯s the joy of my life.¡±
It was an unusual hobby for a man known for his love of women.
¡°From here on, it¡¯s all mana cultivation techniques. I¡¯ll let you read the title and the first page. Choose the one you want and take it.¡±
Damien took out the mana cultivation techniques on the shelves and looked at them one by one.
There were some made of paper, but also some made of leather, parchment, and even stone tablets.
¡®This is amazing. It¡¯s really amazing.¡¯
Even after reading just one page, he could get a rough idea.
What purpose was this mana cultivation technique created for? What principles does it contain?
They were all of high level. They were all written after years of experience and research.
¡®It¡¯s really worthy of the Mercenary King¡¯s study. I wish I could take them all.¡¯
Suddenly, a strange object caught Damien¡¯s eye.
It was not a book or parchment. It was a fist-sized crystal.
Inside the crystal, three rings were stacked one above the other.
¡°This is¡¡.¡±
Damien stared at the crystal. Surprisingly, even with Damien¡¯s eyes, he could not figure out the secret contained in the crystal.
¡°You seem to be curious about that.¡±
The Mercenary King, who had approached at some point, said to Damien.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°It was the previous, no, the previous previous generation¡¯s Imperial Supreme Sword who made it before he died. He said that if you can unlock the secret hidden in this crystal, you will gain knowledge that surpasses his own.¡±
The Empire was thergest power ruling the continent.
The most powerful force supporting it was the knights. The Empire produced tens of thousands of knights every year.
That meant that there were also many masters produced by the Empire. Even the Church and the Fafnir Mercenary Group had to bow down to the Empire.
That¡¯s why the title of Imperial Supreme Sword was considered to be on par with the title of World¡¯s Best Swordsman.
¡°You have an amazing item.¡±
¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that great. No one has been able to unlock its secret for hundreds of years. So I bought it cheaply when it was floating around the ck market.¡±
If even Damien couldn¡¯t figure it out, what about others?
It seemed that everyone had considered it to be the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s prank and had ignored it, which was why it had ended up here.
¡°It seems you¡¯re interested in that crystal¡¡ I rmend you choose something else.¡±
The Mercenary King was right. It would be wise to choose another mana cultivation technique.
After all, even if he did unlock the secret, it might be a mana cultivation technique that was useless to Damien.
But Damien couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the crystal, or to be more precise, the rings inside the crystal.
¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡±
¡°What? Are you crazy?¡±
The Mercenary King asked in surprise. Damien nodded.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m drawn to it.¡±
The Mercenary King thought for a moment and then said.
¡°Well, there¡¯s no point in me telling you what to do. Do as you please.¡±
Damien thanked him and took the crystal.
***
¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
After leaving the library, Damien was about to return to his quarters.
¡°Wait a minute. I still have something to talk to you about.¡±
The Mercenary King stopped Damien. Damien looked at him with a puzzled expression.
¡°About the Mithra Holy Water, I gave you¡ you have a way to absorb it?¡±
¡°Not yet.¡±
At Damien¡¯s answer, the Mercenary King nced at him and said.
¡°Is that so? That¡¯s perfect. I have a way to neutralize the yin properties of Mithra Holy Water¡ If you do one thing for me, I¡¯ll tell you how to do it.¡±
At those words, Damien made a tired expression.
¡°Are you going to keep doing this?¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°You¡¯re going to make another strange bet because you¡¯re sorry for the Mithra Holy Water and the mana cultivation technique you gave me. You¡¯re going to try to take them back.¡±
¡°What, what? Who do you think I am! I don¡¯t have the slightest intention of doing that!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted, his face red.
¡°Then what are your intentions?¡±
¡°My, my intentions¡ I¡¯m just trying to help you as a senior.¡±
Even as he said that, the Mercenary King couldn¡¯t meet Damien¡¯s eyes.
Damien looked at the Mercenary King with a very suspicious expression.
¡°I¡¯ll hear it out first and then decide.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re thinking well!¡±
The Mercenary King said with a smile.
¡°As you know, potions that concentrate energy on one side can kill you if you take them wrong, right?¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes turned a little cold. It was clear that he had given him Mithra Holy Water on purpose.
¡°However, if you take a potion with the opposite energy at the same time, they will neutralize each other and the risk will be greatly reduced. Not only that, but you will also be able to gain more mana.¡±
Damien nodded in agreement.
¡°Recently, there was a request from the Kingdom of Grape. They promised to give me a Flower of Fire if Iplete the request.¡±
At the words ¡°Flower of Fire¡±, Damien couldn¡¯t help but perk up his ears.
The Flower of Fire was a special moss that grew in volcanic areas. It was known for its extreme yang energy, so much so that even ordinary people would get burned if they touched it.
¡°It¡¯s a legendary potion, though it¡¯s a bit lower in rank than Mithra Holy Water.¡±
¡°But I received another request from another ce. I don¡¯t have enough manpower to take on both requests. If you help meplete the request from the Kingdom of Grape, I¡¯ll give you the Flower of Fire.¡±
From Damien¡¯s point of view, it was a risk-free request.
On the contrary, it was a very good opportunity. It was not easy to obtain a precious potion like the Flower of Fire.
¡°Fine. But first, you need to tell me what the request is.¡±
¡°Recently, a gue has been spreading in the Kingdom of Grape. They asked us to kill the undead that have naturally spawned in the gue area.¡±
Undeads were not always created by dark magic.
They could also ur naturally in ces filled with death and corpses.
¡°It must be quite dangerous if it¡¯s worth a Flower of Fire.¡±
¡°It is said that it injured two high-ss people and escaped. There were even reports that it had the upper hand throughout the fight.¡±
A newly created undead had the upper hand against two high-ss people?
¡®Wait, an undead that naturally urred in the Kingdom of Grape¡?¡¯
Damien recalled a past memory. He happened to know one undead that fit those two conditions.
Fenrir.
It was one of the Beasts of Destruction that had caused great damage to humanity during the War of Destruction.
A huge size that easily surpassed the walls. Leather that even bounced off magic and aura.
Numerous castles copsed under Fenrir¡¯s attack.
¡®It was originally a naturally urring undead, but the dark mages of Pandemonium captured it and presented it to Dorugo.¡¯
After recognizing Fenrir¡¯s potential, Dorugo personally modified it. Soon, Fenrir was reborn as a monster among monsters.
¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take the request.¡±
Fenrir was a being that had to be eliminated for the future.
Damien decided to ept the Mercenary King¡¯s request.
¡°You made the right choice.¡±
The Mercenary King said with a satisfied expression at his answer.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 160
Chapter 160
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 160: A New Foundation (2)
***
Damien returned to his quarters and took a closer look at the crystal he had taken from the Mercenary King¡¯s study.
No matter how hard he looked, he could not figure out its secret.
¡°I wish I could at least take a closer look at the structure of the ring.¡±
The reason Damien couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the crystal was because of the ring inside it.
The structure was not only incrediblyplex but also intricately woven. Even with Damien¡¯s knowledge, he couldn¡¯t figure out how this ring was made.
¡°Should I just break the crystal? Maybe I¡¯ll be able to figure something out if I absorb the mana stored inside¡¡±
Suddenly, a realization shed through his mind. Damien immediately grabbed the crystal tightly.
As the crystal shattered, the mana stored inside was released.
The mana floated into the air and began to intertwine, forming a ring.
As if to show someone, the whole process was very detailed and meticulous.
¡°I see. This was the right way.¡±
This crystal was no different from an egg. You couldn¡¯t get anything by just watching it. You had to break the shell to be able to eat the contents.
¡°What a tricky trick.¡±
Who would dare to think of breaking the legacy left by the Imperial Supreme Sword? They wouldn¡¯t have been able to bear to do such a thing, even if they wanted to.
Damien slowly observed the ring. Time passed without him realizing it.
¡°As expected¡ this is worthy of the legacy left by the Imperial Supreme Sword.¡±
The knowledge left by the Imperial Supreme Sword was the Mana Cultivation technique.
Originally, mana was stored in the human body and circted like blood.
The Imperial Supreme Sword tried to create a separate storage space by forming a ring in the body.
¡°No, this isn¡¯t¡ just a storage space. It should be called a new organ.¡±
The ring was not only used to store magic power.
During battle, it could be used to release mana and dramatically increase output. The more rings there were, the more mana output increased.
The surprising thing was that it could greatly reduce the risk while increasing the output.
Originally, if the output of mana was increased too much, it would put a great burden on the body, and in severe cases, it could even cripple the user.
However, by mastering this Mana Cultivation technique, the burden on the body could be transferred to the ring.
Even if something went wrong, only the ring would be damaged or destroyed, and the user¡¯s body would be safe.
¡°To think of such an idea. It¡¯s really amazing.¡±
I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the previous generation or the previous-previous generation, but it¡¯s definitely worthy of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
None of the Mana Cultivation techniques in the Mercenary King¡¯s study are better than this.
¡°This Mana Cultivation technique is enough for me to use as my foundation.¡±
One of the two pieces that Damien needed to reach Master ss was in ce.
¡°But it¡¯s not fun to just learn it like this.¡±
The idea itself was fresh, but Damien still saw room for improvement.
He nned to disassemble and modify it in his own way, and further develop some parts.
If possible, he wanted to integrate it with the Mana Cultivation technique he had already learned.
And so, Damien spent the whole night engrossed in the Mana Cultivation technique.
***
While Damien was engrossed in the Mana Cultivation technique, the Mercenary King was facing Athena.
¡°Well, you lost pretty badly.¡±
The Mercenary King said bluntly. Athena looked dignified even in the face of her father¡¯s ridicule.
¡°What can I do when he¡¯s so strong?¡±
The Mercenary King was at a loss for words at that.
Athena was right. She had done her best. Technical perfection, judgment of the situation, etc. Everything was perfect.
It was just that Damien was too strong.
¡°Wait, ¡®he¡¯? What kind of title is that? Since when did you start calling him that?¡±
The Mercenary King roared. Athena quietly blushed.
¡°¡¡I decided to call him that from today.¡±
¡°D-don¡¯t tell me¡ you¡¯ve already gotten that close to that guy?¡±
At the Mercenary King¡¯s question, Athena¡¯s face darkened rapidly.
That was enough of an answer. The Mercenary King clicked his tongue.
¡°Now that I look at it, you were just beating the drum and jangling the gong by yourself. Did you really inherit my blood? Why are you acting so coy?¡±
¡°If I had inherited your blood, I would have dragged men into my quarters every day.¡±
¡°Cough.¡±
The Mercenary King was speechless at Athena¡¯s counterattack.
¡°¡¡Anyway, you like that guy, right? That¡¯s good. I feel the same way.¡±
At that, Athena jumped up in surprise.
¡°¡¡Dad, even so, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to touch men.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m saying I like his skills and talent!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted angrily. Only then did Athena sit back down in relief.
¡°¡¡I made a proposal to that guy. I told him I¡¯d give him an elixir if he could solve the request that came from the Grape Kingdom.¡±
¡°So?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to send you and that guy, just the two of you, on that request. Do a good job.¡±
At that, Athena¡¯s eyes widened. She hugged the Mercenary King¡¯s neck and rejoiced.
¡°Thank you, Dad!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t say things you don¡¯t mean.¡±
The Mercenary King grumbled. Contrary to his words, his expression was not so bad.
¡°When do we leave?¡±
¡°Tomorrow.¡±
¡°Then I should hurry up and get ready. I¡¯ll see youter!¡±
Athena ran out of the room like a shot. The Mercenary King looked at the door with a bittersweet expression.
¡°That girl¡¡she¡¯s exactly like her mother.¡±
The way she looked at only one man was exactly the same.
What would she have said if she had been alive and seen her daughter¡¯s actions?
Suddenly, he felt a gloomy feeling. The Mercenary King was lost in thought for a while.
Some time had passed.
¡°Mr. Hopper~ I¡¯m here.¡±
Someone entered the tent. Hopper¡¯s face broke into a smile as soon as he saw the woman.
¡°Rubia! Why are you sote? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting?¡±
The Mercenary King hugged Rubia as soon as she entered. Rubia let out a short scream and hugged the Mercenary King back.
¡°Athena left. What did you call me for?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing big. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±
Rubia¡¯s eyes changed slightly at the Mercenary King¡¯s answer.
¡°It¡¯s disappointing when you say that¡¡±
A sweet scent wafted from Rubia¡¯s body.
The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes became hazy as he inhaled the scent.
¡°Can¡¯t you tell me?¡±
¡°¡I think that girl likes Damien, so I gave them some time alone.¡±
Unlike before, the Mercenary King readily spilled the beans. Rubia¡¯s expression became interesting when she heard that.
¡°How about this? A request came from the Grape Kingdom this time. I¡¯m thinking of sending those two there.¡±
Rubia¡¯s expression changed strangely at the mention of the Grape Kingdom.
¡°Let¡¯s talk about thatter¡ Let¡¯s enjoy ourselves for now.¡±
The Mercenary King pulled Rubia towards him. Rubia pretended to be reluctant and followed the Mercenary King¡¯s hand to the bed.
That night.
Rubia quietly slipped out of bed. The Mercenary King was sleeping naked on the bed.
Rubia came out and melted into the darkness. When she reached a quiet ce with no people around, she whispered.
¡°Kardak.¡±
The darkness solidified and a man appeared, wrapped head to toe in ck bandages.
¡°¡Did you sleep with that guy again?¡±
The man spoke softly. His voice was like metal scraping against stone.
Rubiaughed at that and patted Kardak¡¯s shoulder.
¡°What, are you jealous again? I told you, there¡¯s no other way to handle the Mercenary King, right?¡±
Kardak only gave Rubia a displeased look at her words.
¡°More importantly, I heard Damien is going to the Grape Kingdom? Garrot is there, right?¡±
¡°¡So?¡±
¡°Go and tell Garrot. That a subject that he will be satisfied with is going to the Grape Kingdom, so ask him to capture it alive.¡±
¡°¡You¡¯re telling me to leave your side?¡±
When Kardak spoke as if he didn¡¯t like it, Rubia hugged him tightly.
¡°There¡¯s no one else I can ask, so I¡¯m doing this. You know my heart, right?¡±
Kardak disappeared into the darkness again. As soon as he disappeared, Rubia put on a tired expression.
¡°Anyway, men¡ they¡¯re so easy.¡±
***
The next day, Damien came out to leave for the Grape Kingdom.
And he got into the carriage that the Fafnir Mercenarypany had prepared in advance.
¡°Huh?¡±
However, there was already a passenger inside. Athena was sitting on the chair.
¡°Did you also take the request?¡±
¡°Uh, yeah¡¡±
Athena said, lowering her head. Damien sat across from her.
After a while, the carriage started. The two didn¡¯t say anything in the rattling carriage.
Damien was contemting the Mana Cultivation technique.
And Athena¡ was just ncing at Damien.
Then, suddenly, Athena rummaged through the basket she had left next to her.
She took out an apple from it and started peeling it excessively. The only sound that could be heard in the quiet carriage was the ttering sound.
Damien watched Athena peel the apple and was shocked.
Her skill was so poor that she wasn¡¯t peeling the apple, but rather chopping it up.
¡°Hmm¡ ugh¡¡±
Athena looked down at the mangled apple and was troubled.
It was still edible, but it didn¡¯t look very good.
After contemting for a while, Athena put the apple scraps back in the basket. And she took out a second apple.
Athena looked at the apple with a determined look. Damien had a bad feeling that she was going to butcher this apple as well.
¡°¡¡Let me see.¡±
Damien took the apple and the peeler from her. And he peeled it off with skillful hands.
Athena¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the thinly sliced peele off.
¡°te.¡±
Athena immediately took out a wooden te from the basket and handed it over. Damien cut the apple into nice pieces and ced them on the te.
Damien picked up a piece of apple and put it in his mouth. Athena just stared at him nkly.
¡°What are you doing not eating?¡±
¡°Me, can I eat it too?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the apple you brought.¡±
Athena also took a piece of apple and ate it. She said, blushing slightly.
¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s really delicious.¡±
¡°It tastes like an apple.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s still delicious!¡±
Athena smiled and said, not knowing what was so good about it.
After several days of continuous travel, the carriage crossed the border of the Grape Kingdom.
¡°How much further do we have to go?¡±
¡°We¡¯re almost there. The area where the undead appeared is close to the border.¡±
As Athena said that, a scream suddenly came from outside.
Damien and Athena opened the window at the same time and looked outside.
A fortress in the distance was being attacked by a monster.
The monster¡¯s appearance was reminiscent of a wolf. It was only different in that it was the size of a house and its body was made of rotting flesh.
¡®Fenrir?¡¯
It was smaller than in his previous life, but it was definitely it. The monster that would be called the Beast of Destruction in the future was right before his eyes.
¡°Don¡¯t stop! Keep that thing away!¡±
¡°Rocks! Bring rocks! We need to stop it even a little!¡±
The people on the wall threw rocks at Fenrir.
However, it didn¡¯t affect Fenrir at all. Fenrir continued to pound on the wall.
¡®I never thought I¡¯d meet you so soon.¡¯
Damien exchanged nces with Athena. The two of them simultaneously jumped out of the carriage.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 161
Chapter 161
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 161: Fenrir (1)
***
As Damien rushed out, Fenrir struck the wall again. The wall caved in and was pushed back.
¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±
¡°Oh no!¡±
It seemed like the wall wouldpletely copse if it was hit one more time.
To stop Fenrir, Damien raised his mana. His running speed increased rapidly as mana spread throughout his body.
Feeling Damien¡¯s mana, Fenrir stopped trying to hit the wall and turned its head.
Its pale eyes stared nkly at Damien.
A wolf made of rotting flesh under the bright sunlight.
It was a bizarre and eerie sight. Perhaps he felt this way because the undead before him was Fenrir.
After all, that guy was called the Beast of Destruction in his previous life and dyed the world in blood.
¡°Athena, I¡¯ll cut off that bastard¡¯s body. You thrust your lightning into it.¡±
However, being called the Beast of Destruction was a story of the future.
Currently, Fenrir had not yet been modified by Dorugo, and it had not been born long ago.
Damien could handle it alone, but he had no intention of being careless. He wanted to make sure to kill it off.
¡°¡Did you just give me an order?¡±
¡°Why? Don¡¯t like it?¡±
Damien turned to look at Athena and was taken aback.
Athena was smiling brightly.
¡°Do you need me?¡±
¡°¡I guess you could say that.¡±
¡°Just trust me.¡±
Athena raised her lightning.
He was momentarily taken aback by the sight of the lightning bursting out. Wasn¡¯t she releasing too much?
¨C Grrr¡¡.
At that moment, Fenrir bared its teeth and growled. It raised its hindquarters and lowered its head. It seemed like it was about to charge.
¨C Awooooo!
Fenrir let out a loud cry.
At the same time, it pushed off the ground with all four legs and charged.
In the opposite direction of Damien.
¡°Huh?¡±
Damien was confused as he watched Fenrir run away.
An undead of that level would run away even though its prey was right in front of it?
It wasn¡¯t even just running away. It was running away with all its might.
Then it suddenly melted into the shadows and disappeared.
¡®Dark Assimtion¡¯
It was a special ability that only Fenrir possessed.
In his previous life, Fenrir could use that ability to hide or create clones, allowing him to use a variety ofbat tactics.
¡°¡He even used his unique ability to run away?¡±
Damien muttered in disbelief and stopped. Athena had a simr expression.
While the two were bewildered, the gate of the fortress opened and people rushed out from inside.
The people surrounded Damien and Athena and cheered.
¡°Oh my gosh! Thank you!¡±
¡°Thanks to you two, we were able to save our lives!¡±
A middle-aged man walked out from among the people. Judging from the high-quality silk clothes he was wearing, he seemed to be the lord.
¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough¡ If it¡¯s not too much of an imposition, may I know where you noble guestse from?¡±
¡°We came from the Fafnir Mercenary Company. We came to kill that undead.¡±
¡°Ah¡! I heard the edict was issued to the entire region! It said that warriors from the Fafnir Mercenary Company woulde, so we should treat them with the utmost hospitality!¡±
The lord¡¯s face suddenly brightened.
¡°Come in! We will prepare a ce for you two to rest!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we have to chase after Fenrir¡¡±
At those words, the lord grabbed Damien¡¯s hand tightly.
¡°P-please, I beg of you. If you two leave and that monsteres back¡¡±
The lord spoke with a terrified face.
Having seen the danger of Fenrir firsthand, it was only natural for him to be so afraid.
Damien looked at Athena. This was not a matter he could decide on his own.
¡°I think it would be better for us to rest for now. We need to unpack our things and find out the circumstances of our return.¡±
Athena had a point. Damien decided to ept the lord¡¯s invitation for now.
¡°Come this way!¡±
The lord led the two of them excitedly. Damien, who was following behind, asked.
¡°I only see soldiers. Don¡¯t you have any knights?¡±
¡°To my shame, yes. We are not wealthy enough to hire knights.¡±
The lord said with an embarrassed look.
¡°Then you must have suffered a lot of damage from the undead.¡±
¡°Fortunately, no one died. There are a few injuries, but the wounds were not serious. It¡¯s really a blessing, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien felt a great sense of doubt at the lord¡¯s answer.
¡®No one was injured even though an undead like Fenrir attacked?¡¯
It was something that Damien¡¯smon sense could not understand.
¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s also strange that the fortress was intact until we arrived. The current Fenrir should be able to capture this level of fortress quickly.¡¯
Although weaker than in his previous life, the current Fenrir was still a formidable monster.
He was so strong that he could hold his own against two high-ss individuals from the Grape Kingdom.
With that level of strength, it would be normal for him to capture this small fortress in an instant.
¡®Ande to think of it, he didn¡¯t show any killing intent when he met my eyes.¡¯
The Fenrir that Damien remembered was the embodiment of violence.
He tried to destroy everything he saw. He was so difficult to control that he even devoured several of his allied dark mages.
Inparison, the current Fenrir was significantly less aggressive. He was even gentle enough to be called docile.
¡®He¡¯s far from the Fenrir I know.¡¯
In that case, it was clear that something had changed since he was being used by the dark mages.
What on earth had happened to make him so ferocious?
Damien was filled with deep questions.
***
It was a bizarre sight.
Arge shadow glided across the ground, even though there was nothing to obscure the light.
The shadow was headed for arge forest. As soon as it entered the shadow of the forest, something sprang out of it.
A huge creature began to run through the forest. It seemed to be in a hurry, as if it was being chased by something.
¨C Awooo!
It ran through the dense forest, thinking. All it could think about was running away as far as possible.
The wolf¡¯s mind was filled with the image of the human male who had just charged at it.
The sense of oppression it felt from that human male was more frightening than any enemy the wolf had ever faced.
Human, scary! Too scary!
Come to think of it, it had always been like this.
Humans would see it and call it dirty and ugly, and they would torment it.
They would kick it and step on its head. Blood would flow from its mouth, but no one would stop.
Its whole body was in so much pain that it couldn¡¯t move. But with the will to live, it crawled on the ground, looking for food.
But at least then, there were no humans who really wanted to kill it.
Humans are bad!
After its body grew, every human it met tried to kill it.
Last time, two incredibly scary humans had stabbed its body.
The wolf struggled to survive and barely managed to escape.
After running for a while, the wolf finally stopped when it reached the depths of the forest.
The wolf gathered the fallen leaves on the ground. Ity down on them and curled up into a ball.
Master¡ I couldn¡¯t find you again this time¡
The wolf had been wandering around, chasing the scent it missed.
That¡¯s why it attacked the fortress. The scent of its master wafted from the fortress.
It ran over there happily, but the humans didn¡¯t open the door. It mmed its body against the wall to protest, asking them to open it.
Master¡ where are you¡
The wolf closed its eyes. Then, the image of its master slowly dissipate.
A small human.
A human who was as skinny as it was.
The only human who didn¡¯t torment it.
¨C Munchi~ Do you know what I brought today? I brought bread for you!
As it focused its memories a little more, it could hear its master¡¯s voice.
¨C Ahahaha, you can¡¯t lick me. It tickles.
¨C Are you worried about this wound? It¡¯s okay¡ Dad was a little drunk yesterday.
¨C Oh, what should I do¡ Oh, Dad is calling me¡ I¡¯lle backter.
It never saw its master after that.
The wolf wandered around looking for the boy. It was in pain and hungry, but it wanted to see its master more.
But before it could find its master, blood gushed out of its mouth. Its whole body felt heavy as if it was soaked in water. Darkness covered its eyes.
After that, when it came to its senses, its body had grown this big.
Strangely enough, it was no longer in pain. No matter how much it ran, it didn¡¯t feel hungry.
But it couldn¡¯t find its master.
Master, I want to see you again.
With a heartfelt wish, the wolf fell asleep.
***
¡°A sleeping undead? It seems that guy still thinks he¡¯s alive.¡±
In a ce far away from the undead.
A young man was looking at the undead with a telescope and said.
¡°It¡¯s amon phenomenon when animals be undead. Unlike humans, they don¡¯t realize their situation right away.¡±
The young man took his eyes off the telescope. Then he started to write something diligently in a small notebook.
Kardak looked at him with a displeased face.
His whole body, including his face, was wrapped in ck bandages, so it was impossible to see his expression.
However, his eyes were filled with reproach.
¡°Garrot. I don¡¯t have time to listen to your nonsense. Answer me quickly.¡±
¡°Answer? Oh, you¡¯re asking me to do Rubia¡¯s favor? Demi¡ Demi¡ What was his name again?¡±
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Right, you want me to catch that guy?¡±
The young man, Garrot¡¯s face showed boredom.
¡°Well¡ I¡¯m not really interested in humans¡ Can¡¯t you just do it?¡±
¡°I need to go back and assist Rubia quickly.¡±
¡°Ahahat, you should really watch what you say. You¡¯re not trying to help Rubia, you¡¯re trying to impress her. You¡¯re worried that Rubia might sleep with another man while you¡¯re away.¡±
A smirk formed on Garrot¡¯s lips.
¡°I didn¡¯t know that you, who was called the future of the Venom sect, would be so crazy about a woman and fall like this. This is why no one knows what will happen to people.¡±
Crack.
Kardak gritted his teeth. His eyes were filled with anger.
¡°So you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t do Rubia¡¯s favor?¡±
¡°Hey, why are you getting angry again? I¡¯ll do it. I owe Rubia a favor anyway.¡±
Garrot shrugged and said.
¡°Thanks to the gue you gave me, such a wonderful undead was born.¡±
The gue that was sweeping through the eastern region of the Grape Kingdom was none other than the one that Kardak had created.
¡°But I have to take care of my own business first.¡±
Saying so, Garrot brought the telescope to his face.
¡°I really want to see how that guy bes aplete undead.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Chapter 162: Fenrir (2)
***
As they entered the fortress, the smell of death wafted through the air.
Every resident they saw had their mouths covered with cloth. Some were carrying bodies on stretchers.
¡°It seems the gue is still severe.¡±
¡°The entire eastern region is in this state. Our fortress is still one of the better ones. It¡¯s much worse further inside.¡±
The lord spoke with a dark expression in response to Damien¡¯s question.
¡°People call this gue the Three Nights¡¯ Dream. Once infected, they suffer from extreme fever and nightmares for three days before losing their lives.¡±
Damien looked into the distance. There, people were digging pits and burning corpses.
¡°I envy the knights at times like this. They say knights are hardly affected by diseases, right?¡±
The lord¡¯s statement was half-right and half-wrong.
Knights could also be infected with diseases. However, their high level of mana increased their immunity, making it seem insignificant to ordinary people.
High-ss knights like Damien and Athena could be consideredpletely immune.
That was why the Mercenary King had sent them here without any specific countermeasures.
¡°Will you tell me about that undead from before?¡±
¡°Ah, you mean that wolf monster. We¡¯ve known about it for a month now. It suddenly appeared from a pile of corpses.¡±
Judging by its appearance, it seemed that the soul of a wolf had fused with the surrounding corpses due to its lingering desires, resulting in the birth of an undead.
¡°At first, all the nobles of the east tried to subjugate it together¡ but they ended up with dozens of casualties. Even with more than ten knights involved, they couldn¡¯t even scratch that monster.¡±
The lord shivered.
¡°After that, His Majesty the King dispatched Lord Opheus and Lord Ballet¡ but even those two high-ss is were unable to defeat the monster.¡±
A newly born undead was bound to be weak as it hadn¡¯t yet grasped its own situation.
Despite that, the nobles of the east were unable to subjugate Fenrir. It was truly worthy of being called the Beast of Destruction in the future.
¡°You two came here to subjugate that monster, right? Even with the gue, things are already grim, but everyone is on the verge of death because of that monster. Please subjugate that monster as soon as possible.¡±
Just as the lord spoke with a pleading tone, a voice rang out from beyond the walls of the fortress.
¡°Is Baron Burra here!¡±
The lord turned his head towards the source of the voice.
¡°That voice is¡? Excuse me for a moment.¡±
Saying so, the lord approached the gate. He instructed the soldiers to open the gate.
The gate slowly rose as the drawbridge lowered. Then, a dozen armored knights came into view.
The lord, Baron Burra, was greatly surprised to see the two knights at the forefront.
¡°Lord Opheus? And Lord Ballet?¡±
¡°Hahaha! Burra! How have you been?¡±
¡°Burra, it¡¯s good to see you. We meet again.¡±
Opheus and Ballet.
They were none other than the high-ss of the Grape Kingdom who had been severely injured and forced to withdraw from the subjugation of Fenrir.
Those who had once failed to subjugate Fenrir had now reappeared in this region.
¡°Hmm¡ I have a bad feeling about this.¡±
Athena muttered in a small voice. Damien agreed with her sentiment.
¡°How did you two get here¡? I heard you were recuperating.¡±
¡°How could we lie down after being insulted by that wolf cub!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here to finish off that monster this time!¡±
The two knights¡¯ faces were filled with anger. It seemed that their defeat by Fenrir had been that humiliating.
¡°We came here because we needed a base before fighting that monster.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll stay here for a while, even if it¡¯s shameless.¡±
The lord made a troubled expression at the two knights¡¯ words.
¡°Why are you doing this?¡±
¡°We n to pay the price. So don¡¯t worry about it¡¡±
Just then, the two high-ss noticed Damien and Athena.
The knights¡¯ eyes changed instantly. Opheus asked the Barron.
¡°Who are those two?¡±
¡°They are mercenaries from the Fafnir Mercenary Company, hired by His Majesty to subjugate the undead.¡±
Barron hesitated as he spoke. The two men¡¯s expressions changed at his words.
¡°The Fafnir Mercenary Company? Yes, I remember. His Majesty said he would make that decision.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to arrive so soon.¡±
The two knights approached Damien and Athena. Barron tried to stop them, but it was no use.
¡°I¡¯m called Jim Opheus. This is Richard Ballet.¡±
At their words, Athena whispered in Damien¡¯s ear.
¡°Opheus is a duke, and Ballet is a marquis.¡±
Both men were high-ss knights and high-ranking nobles.
This meant that they had a great deal of influence in the Grape Kingdom.
¡°I¡¯m Damien Haksen. This is Athena Hopper.¡±
Damien also revealed his and Athena¡¯s names.
Athena, who was standing next to him, was excited, saying, ¡°Damien told my whole name!¡± but he ignored her.
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°¡Athena Hopper?¡±
The two men looked at Damien and Athena with surprise.
¡°Are you the Damien Hansen, the genius of the Apple Kingdom? Why is a knight of the Apple Kingdom in the Fafnir Mercenary Corps?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s Hopper, then it must be the Mercenary King¡¯s family name¡ Are you the Pureblood?¡±
The two quickly realized Damien and Athena¡¯s identities. However, their attitude did not change significantly.
¡°I don¡¯t know what your circumstances are, but¡ I¡¯m grateful that you came to help solve the kingdom¡¯s problem. However, now that we¡¯re here, you two are no longer needed. You may leave.¡±
Opheus spoke in an arrogant tone. Ballet, who was standing next to him, also added a word.
¡°We came here to restore the honor we lost to that undead. If you interfere with us¡ we will not be gentlemanly.¡±
Saying so, Ballet slowly brought his hand closer to the hilt of his sword.
Damien clicked his tongue inwardly. He had not expected to be interrupted in this way.
Of course, Damien had no intention of following the two men¡¯s demands.
¡®They¡¯re just saying they don¡¯t like it.¡¯
Seeing the two men¡¯s oppressive attitude, his rebellious spirit began to stir.
¡®The problem is that these two are high-ranking nobles¡.¡¯
There is an old saying that even a dog eats more than half when it is in its own yard.
Since this was the territory of the Grape Kingdom, they couldn¡¯t simply ignore their demands. Doing so might lead to significant repercussions.
The reason they could assertivelye forward despite knowing Damien and Athena¡¯s status was precisely because of that.
It was at that moment when Damien was contemting.
¡°I can¡¯t just do that.¡±
Athena suddenly spoke up. The two men looked at her with bewilderment.
¡°It seems the youngster doesn¡¯t understand. I¡¯m a high-ss duke of the Grape Kingdom. If you don¡¯tply with our demands¡¡±
¡°Our Fafnir Mercenary Company has been officiallymissioned by your king. If you want us to leave, tell your king. He¡¯ll have to pay the cancetion fee.¡±
Athena spoke sharply.
¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then you have no authority tomand us.¡±
¡°This insolent brat¡!¡±
¡°Our Fafnir Mercenary Company alwayspletes its contracts, no matter what. If you don¡¯t like it¡¡±
Athena¡¯s presence emitted intense determination.
¡°Are you going to oppose the Fafnir Mercenary Company?¡±
Upon her words, the two high-ss individuals could only remain silent.
Apart from the Empire and the Church, there was hardly anywhere that could stand against the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
However, these two were dukes of the Grape Kingdom. And the Grape Kingdom was their domain.
¡°If you won¡¯t step back, then there¡¯s no choice but to persuade you through force.¡±
Opheus and Ballet gripped their weapons. Athena¡¯s determination grew stronger.
¡°Damien, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle this¡¡±
Saying so, Athena turned to Damien. Then, she was taken aback by his expression.
Damien was smiling brightly.
¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t think of that.¡±
Behind Damien now stood the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
There was hardly a more formidable background in the world than the Empire and the Chruch.
In other words, it meant there would be no problem in confronting these two directly.
¡°That¡¯s why people need backup.¡±
Damien opened subspace and pulled out something.
Seeing what Damien had taken out, Opheus and Ballet, the two high-ss individuals, couldn¡¯t help but wear grim expressions.
¡°W-what¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Oh, this?¡±
Damien tapped his palm with the club.
¡°Say hello. It¡¯s the teacher of manners here to correct your arrogance.¡±
¡°What nonsense is this?¡±
¡°Ah. You don¡¯t have to understand right now. You¡¯ll naturallye to understand eventually.¡±
¡°Really? How dare youy a hand on us? This guy must be insane!¡±
¡°Sir Opheus, I¡¯ve seen enough. Let¡¯s teach him a lesson!¡±
With that, Ballet shouted as he attempted to draw his sword. However, that was as far as Ballet could go.
Before the sword could be fully drawn, Damien swung the club downwards. Ballet was struck by the club and mmed his head into the ground.
Bonk!
¡°R-Richard Ballet!¡±
Opheus shouted in confusion. He looked at Damien and yelled,
¡°What is this madness¡?¡±
Bonk!
The entire field of vision was filled with something fuzzy.
Before realizing what it was, a dull impact struck his head.
Opheus, like Ballet, also mmed his head onto the ground.
¡°Gah, ack!¡±
Both high-ss almost simultaneously grabbed their heads and struggled to get up.
¡°T-this lunatic! How dare a mercenary like him attack a duke?¡±
¡°This won¡¯t just be overlooked!¡±
Athena, standing nearby, also looked at Damien in astonishment.
¡°D-Damien¡ Even if it¡¯s you, this is¡¡±
While the Fafnir Mercenary Company might be stronger than the Grape Kingdom, there was still a line not to be crossed.
A mercenary hired for a contract attacking a duke first? That was unheard of.
So, Athena stopped short of threatening the two.
¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly for this!¡±
¡°Pay? What pay?¡±
¡°That, for our heads¡ our heads¡ Huh?¡±
Opheus felt around his head and realized something strange.
There were no injuries.
Despite expecting blood to flow from a cracked head, his hair felt smooth. There wasn¡¯t even swelling.
¡°W-what¡¯s going on¡¡±
With a bewildered expression, Opheus looked at Damien. Damien tapped his palm with the club and said,
¡°Now, listen to me. Let¡¯s not try to snatch others¡¯ bowls after failing once.¡±
¡°Nonsense!¡±
Opheus and Ballet swung their swords at Damien. They disyed a surprisingly coordinated skill in attacking together.
Damien deflected their swords with the club. The two swords swung in different directions.
¡°Huh?¡±
Damien again struck the club toward their foreheads.
Twice each.
Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!
The crisp sound resonated four times.
***
Chapter 163
Chapter 163
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 163: Bundle (3)
***
With a brisk sound, the heads of the two high-ss knight hit the ground.
This time, neither of them could raise their heads. They could only lie on the ground, trembling.
¡°Hmm¡ I guess I used too much strength without realizing it.¡±
Thanks to the technique of the Personality Corrector the ¡®Strict Punishment¡¯, they were not injured, but the pain was so strong that both of them passed out.
¡°Still, it feels so good after rehabilitating someone.¡±
Damien put the club into his subspace with a satisfied expression.
¡°You there.¡±
Damien said, pointing behind him. The knights that the two high-ss knights had brought with them looked at Damien in fear.
¡°Get these guys out of here right now.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, the knights hurriedly supported the two high-ss knights and quickly ran out of the castle.
¡°They won¡¯t be able to bark again.¡±
Damien said with satisfaction and turned his head.
But then he saw Athena looking at him with a rather strange expression.
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Ah, no¡ I just thought you were a scarier person than I thought.¡±
Athena added with a sheepish tone.
¡°But I-I think that kind of look is cool too.¡±
Damien looked at Athena with a face that said, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±
***
After being carried away by the knights, Opheus and Ballet opened their eyes after a while.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
The two knights got up and looked around. Only then did they realize that they were lying in a carriage.
¡°W-why are we here¡ ?¡±
Opheus muttered with a bewildered face. At that, the other knights came running and said.
¡°Lord Opheus! You¡¯re awake!¡±
¡°You were knocked unconscious after being hit by that monster¡¯s¡ no, Damien Haksen¡¯s club.¡±
Opheus and Ballet looked at each other.
High-ss knights like themselves were knocked unconscious with just one blow from a club? It was a story they could hardly believe.
¡°¡I see.¡±
Just then, Ballet spoke up. He spoke with a determined look in his eyes.
¡°We were too careless.¡±
¡°¡Huh? What do you mean?¡±
¡°Think about it. Did you think we would be attacked in Baron Burra¡¯s castle?¡±
¡°W-well, no?¡±
¡°Because we were too careless, our bodies and minds were rxed. That¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t react to that guy¡¯s club.¡±
The surrounding knights looked speechless. No matter how you looked at it, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.
¡°¡Indeed.¡±
However, Opheus took Ballet¡¯s words seriously.
¡°It seems we were too careless. We need to reflect on ourselves.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. If we had been in our normal state, we would have been able to defeat that bastard in an instant.¡±
Opheus and Ballet nodded.
Although it was nothing more than self-rationalization, the two did not feel shame at all.
¡°By the way, where are we going?¡±
¡°We¡¯re on our way to the Fish Territory.¡±
The Fish Territory was located not far from the territory where the fight had just taken ce.
It was also the territory that the two knights, along with Baron Burra, had been considering as their base.
¡°A wise decision. We can trust Count Fish.¡±
Just as Opheus said that,
¡°K-knights! Knights! P-please help me!¡±
A young man ran over in a hurry from a distance. The knights stopped walking.
¡°What is it?¡±
Opheus asked the young man. The young man gasped for breath for a while before saying.
¡°I-I met an undead that looked exactly like a wolf, and my party was all killed! I barely managed to escape alive!¡±
At the mention of a wolf-like monster, Opheus and Ballet looked at each other.
It was without a doubt the undead they were chasing.
¡°You¡¯re lucky. We¡¯re on our way to kill that monster.¡±
¡°R-really?¡±
¡°Where is that monster? Do you know the location?¡±
The young man nodded at the two men¡¯s questions.
¡°I-it¡¯s the forest! I saw it in the forest! I can guide you to the location!¡±
¡°Good. Lead the way. I¡¯ll let you watch us kill that monster from the front.¡±
Opheus said, patting his chest. The young man smiled in relief at his gesture.
¡°To bring such great information. I will reward youter, so tell me your name.¡±
¡°M-me? I¡¯m¡¡±
The young man said, calming his rapid breathing.
¡°My name is Garrot.¡±
The lens of the telescope hanging around the young man¡¯s neck glinted in the sunlight.
***
I had a dream about Master.
In the dream, I was running with Master on a forest trail in the evening. When I looked up, I saw the sky dyed red between the tall trees.
¡°I found you!¡±
Master hugged me from behind. I shook its body vigorously to try to escape from the his arms.
¡°No way! I¡¯m not letting you go!¡±
I eventually gave up and licked the master¡¯s cheek.
Masterughed out loud and released me. But I didn¡¯t leave his side.
¡°Ahahaha, it tickles. Stop, stay still.¡±
When master was happy, I was happy too. When I was happy, master was happy too.
¡°Munchi, you know, I want to be a knight.¡±
Suddenly, master said that.
¡°I heard from the vige elders that knights are incredibly strong, incredibly brave, and incredibly powerful. They say even monsters are no match for them.¡±
I didn¡¯t understand what master was talking about at all.
But I was happy just knowing that master was happy.
¡°If I be a great person like a knight¡ won¡¯t my father love me too? He won¡¯t insult me anymore for being born after killing my mother¡¡±
Master¡¯s face turned gloomy. My mood also became gloomy.
I rubbed its face against the master¡¯s leg. Master smiled bitterly and patted my head.
Then I woke up from the dream.
The world filled with red sunset was nowhere to be seen. All that was visible was the eerily cold sky and the dark shadows of the forest.
Wolf stood up shakily. It looked around with dull eyes.
Master¡ I can¡¯t see you¡
Even though it was a dream, perhaps because it had met master, the empty space felt even bigger.
Master¡ where are you?
I missed the master¡¯s voice,ughter, and the touch of the hand that stroked its fur.
Wolf lowered its head and let out a small cry. Only wolf¡¯s cries could be heard in the quiet forest.
It was then. The smell of master reached my nose.
Master?
I hurriedly raised my head. I turned my head in the direction of the smell.
It wasn¡¯t a wrong smell. The smell of the master was getting stronger.
Master!
Just as I was about to run in the direction of the smell.
Something flew out, tearing through the bushes. A long, invisible de stretched out and pierced my body.
¡°Keng!¡±
It felt like it was being pierced by a red-hot iron rod. I screamed and rolled on the ground.
¡°So it really was here.¡±
Two human men walked out from between the bushes.
As soon as I saw their faces, it felt a chill. They were the scary humans who had attacked it before.
Why? Where is the master?
I felt confused. When they first met, they didn¡¯t smell like master. Why did both of them smell like the master now?
¡°Ballet, this time let¡¯s cut off that bastard¡¯s head and take it back.¡±
¡°Yes, Lord Opheus. Let¡¯s reim our honor.¡±
The two human men drew their swords. The des began to glow red.
As soon as wolf saw the red glow, its body trembled.
It knew very well from the previous experience. How easily those red des could cut through its body. And how much pain they would inflict.
¡°Kki, kkiing¡¡.¡±
Wolf backed away, wary of the two men. The two human men snorted at its sight.
¡°A monster like you is scared¡ We won¡¯t be fooled by that kind of act.¡±
¡°You must be thinking of lulling us into a false sense of security and waiting for an opportunity, just likest time.¡±
The two men simultaneously charged at wolf.
Running in different directions, the two men swung their swords at the same time.
Wolf¡¯s skin was cut like water by the red-hot des.
¡°Keng! Keung!¡±
Wolf struggled to shake off the two men. It pawed at the ground and rammed its body into trees.
However, the two human men were persistent. They continued to stab wolf¡¯s body without backing down even a bit.
It hurts! It hurts!
The pain was iparable to being kicked and trampled by the humans.
Every time I was cut by the red des, it felt like my wounds were burning. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, it felt like thorns were growing inside them.
Master! Master!
Wolf desperately searched for his master. But no one came to protect it.
Why.
Amidst the surging pain, the wolf wondered.
Why do humans always¡
Why do they torment me? Why do they only give me pain?
Why.
I just need to find the master. I just need to see the master.
Why! Why! Me! Me! Master! Always! Whenever! Every day!
¡°This bastard! You can¡¯t even move unlikest time!¡±
¡°Lord Opheus! Let¡¯s cut off its head now!¡±
The two men swung their swords down at Master¡¯s neck from both sides.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Dark mana exploded from the wolf¡¯s body. A massive amount of dark mana gushed out in all directions.
Wolf¡¯s dark mana was like a storm. It overturned the ground and uprooted trees. Even the two men were blown away by the storm.
¡°W-what is this dark mana¡?¡±
One of the men looked at Master with a bewildered face.
Wolf raised its head. It let out a howl towards the sky.
¨C ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö!
No, that wasn¡¯t a howl. It was something filled with pain and anger.
A horrible sound that human eardrums could notprehend shook the entire world.
Wolf lowered its head that it had raised. It red at the two human men. Its cloudy eyes were emitting a red light.
The two men froze at that overwhelming killing intent.
Wolf bared its teeth at the two men. The only thought that was dominating wolf¡¯s mind right now was one.
I¡¯m going to kill you!
Anger surged. Hatred gushed out endlessly.
I¡¯m going to crush your guts with my paws! I¡¯m going to bite off your heads! Just like what you did to me¡!
¨C Munchi~
Suddenly, a familiar voice from its memory came to mind. Wolf¡¯s body froze.
¨C You¡¯re so hurt¡¡.
¨C You have to eat¡ They say you need to eat to get better.
¨C Are you feeling better now?
The dark mana that the wolf was emitting instantly subsided.
Wolf turned around. It ran in the opposite direction of the men.
¡°¡¡What, what is it?¡±
¡°W-what the hell happened?¡±
The two men followed the wolf¡¯s back with bewildered faces.
They didn¡¯t know why the undead had stopped, but it was clear that they had passed the dangerous moment.
¡°It wasn¡¯t an ordinary undead¡ .¡±
¡°It was a much more dangerous creature than we expected.¡±
Just as Opheus and Ballet were trembling with fear,
¡°Lord Opheus, Sir Ballet!¡±
¡°Are you both okay?¡±
Other knights ran to the two men. The two nodded as if they were fine.
Then suddenly, they realized that one person was missing.
¡°Where¡¯s Garrot? Where¡¯s that young man?¡±
Opheus asked the knights. The knights looked around.
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°He was here just a moment ago¡ .¡±
The knights said with bewildered faces.
***
¡°I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re bothering with this annoying task. Is there a reason why you made the knights attack the undead like this?¡±
Kardak said in a dissatisfied tone.
¡°Is there a reason why you made the knights attack the undead like this?¡±
Garrot asked, looking at the fleeing undead through his telescope.
¡°When do you think the undead will beplete?¡±
¡°How the hell should I know? I don¡¯t touch corpses.¡±
¡°Ahahaha, I forgot. You don¡¯t handle corpses.¡±
Garrot said with a cheerfulugh.
¡°Then I¡¯m not going to ask a question. I¡¯ll just tell you the answer first. It¡¯s when it finds an opponent to hate.¡±
Garrot added with a regretful expression.
¡°Too bad. If it had crossed the line just a little bit more, it would have beenplete¡ Why didn¡¯t it kill those two?¡±
Garrot pondered for a moment and then opened his mouth.
¡°It seems that it¡¯s a very timid childpared to its talent. This won¡¯t do. We need to take it away and educate it separately.¡±
Garrot¡¯s eyes shone.
¡°Shall we go and retrieve it right away?¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 164
Chapter 164
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 164: The gue Investigation (1)
***
After chasing away the two high-ss, Damien headed towards the inner part of the eastern region.
¡°Do we really need to investigate another vige? We¡¯re here to catch the undead, aren¡¯t we?¡±
Athena asked as she followed him. It was a fair question. The two of them came here to subjugate the undead, not to solve the gue.
¡°I have something to check.¡±
When Damien saw the gue-ridden corpses in the castle, he felt a familiar aura.
The problem was that it was too faint to tell exactly what kind of aura it was.
So Damien set out to investigate to be sure.
¡°Oh, Damien! There¡¯s a vige over there!¡±
Athena pointed to the front. Damien looked at the map. It seemed to be the vige that Baron had mentioned.
The two of them entered the vige.
It was a fairlyrge vige, but there was no sign of people.
This was because everyone had left the vige and evacuated, just as Baron had said.
In the center of the vige, there was arge hole dug. The two of them approached the hole.
¡°¡This is terrible.¡±
Athena muttered in a small voice as soon as she saw the inside of the hole.
The hole was filled with gue-ridden corpses. They all died with expressions of pain.
¡°They say the castle was still better¡ That was true.¡±
Athena covered her nose with her sleeve as if she couldn¡¯t stand the smell of the corpses any longer.
Damien silently observed the corpses.
Although it would be invisible to Athena, Damien could see it.
Dark mana was oozing out of the corpses.
¡®So the aura I felt was dark magic.¡¯
This was not an ordinary gue. It was something that had been artificially created by a dark mage.
It wasn¡¯t easy to create a gue with such a high level of contagion and mortality.
Even if several dark mages from the Venom sect joined forces, it would take them years. Even then, there was no guarantee of sess.
¡®The only time dark magesmit such arge-scale massacre is¡¡¯
When they needed arge amount of dark mana, dark mages would cause such horrific events.
After all, dark mana can only be created when souls are in pain.
¡®Disgusting bastards.¡¯
They killed so many people just to get something like dark mana.
Even after death, people were not freed from suffering. They were captured by the dark mages and suffered until their souls were extinguished.
It seems I was right. You people cannot be left alive.
Damien looked at the child¡¯s corpse and quietly suppressed his anger.
It was then.
A huge burst of dark mana erupted from somewhere. Damien and Athena turned to the direction where the dark mana was felt.
In the forest far away, dark mana was rising like a storm.
¡°Athena!¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
The two of them ran to the ce where the dark mana was felt. However, it was already toote when they arrived at the scene.
The undead was nowhere to be seen, and only the knights were there.
They were familiar faces to Damien and Athena. It was Opheus and Ballet, who had been beaten and kicked out by Damien at the castle.
¡°You, you bastard!¡±
Opheus, who recognized Damien, shouted and pointed at him.
¡°I thought we¡¯d meet again here! Good! I challenge you to a duel!¡±
Opheus shouted, grabbing the hilt of his sword. However, Damien had no time to spare for the likes of Orpheus.
Damien could feel a faint dark mana from the two men.
It wasn¡¯t just the two of them. Dark mana was oozing out of the other knights as well.
¡°Who were you with?¡±
¡°Stop talking nonsense and draw your weapon! This time, I will never let my guard down likest time¡ .¡±
¡°Answer me! Who were you with! There must have been someone who approached you!¡±
Damien shouted.
The dark mana lingering on them waspletely different from what he felt from the gue.
It was much thicker and more eerie. It also had a faint smell of burnt flesh.
As far as Damien knew, no ordinary dark mage could possess such dark magic.
Great Dark mage.
Only from those called transcendents could he feel such a presence.
¡°There was a young man who¡ found the location of the undead¡¡±
Opheus, who was startled by Damien¡¯s shout, said with a trembling face.
¡°Where is he?¡±
¡°He suddenly disappeared, so I don¡¯t know.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. The situation was suddenly bing tense.
¡®Fenrir already caught their attention.¡¯
Presumably, the dark mage had informed the knights of the location in order toplete Fenrir as a true undead.
The undead ispleted by hating something. However, Fenrir was too gentle right now.
So he had the knights attack Fenrir. It was to make Fenrir hate the knights.
¡®Judging from the fact that those two are still alive, it seems that the n failed.¡¯
Judging from the state of the scene, it was clear that the two knights had attacked Fenrir with all their might.
Even so, Fenrir chose to flee instead of attacking the two knights.
What would the dark mage have thought after seeing that?
¡®He must have given up onpleting it and decided to capture it.¡¯
No matter how strong Fenrir was, he was not strong enough to surpass even the Great Dark mage.
He would surely be subdued in an instant without even being able to put up a decent resistance.
¡®He must be killed before they capture it.¡¯
If the dark mage apprehended Penrir and then left the area, it would be troublesome to pursue.
Damien amplified his senses and tracked the traces of dark mana. He felt the faint continuation of the dark mana.
Just as Damien was about to turn, Opheus & Ballet suddenly blocked his path.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? We have unsettled debts to clear between us!¡±
¡°Do you think we¡¯ll just let you go like this?¡±
Damien looked at the two with a weary expression.
There was no time to deal with them now. He needed to chase after the dark mage as quickly as possible.
¡°It seems urgent.¡±
At that moment, Athena asked Damien.
¡°Is there a reason why we need to find the undead quickly?¡±
¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t afford to dy.¡±
Upon hearing that, Athena brandished her spear and said,
¡°Then go ahead. I¡¯ll handle these guys.¡±
Damien looked at Athena with surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be this cooperative.
With Athena¡¯s skills, there was no need to worry. Damien decided to entrust everything to her.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±
Damien left Athena behind and pursued the dark mana.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
¡°Stop right there!¡±
The two knights tried to chase after Damien. At that moment, Athena used her lighting power.
With a sh of lightning, Athena appeared in front of the two knights. Athena drove her spear into the ground.
As lightning struck from the sky, the ground shattered with a loud noise. The two knights recoiled in surprise.
¡°You can¡¯t go any further.¡±
Athena pulled her spear out of the ground and said,
¡°Damien entrusted me with this. I can¡¯t let him down, can I?¡±
The two knights red at Athena.
¡°You¡¯re so arrogant¡ Thinking you can take on both of us alone?¡±
¡°Even though you¡¯re the child of the Mercenary King, you¡¯re incredibly arrogant!¡±
Athena sighed as if she was tired of their words.
¡°I¡¯ve encountered people like you before. People who underestimate me even though they haven¡¯t experienced what I have as a member of the purebloods.¡±
Athena used her lighting power again. White currents enveloped her body.
Under the oppressive aura, the two knights could do nothing but stiffen their expressions.
¡°After today, just hearing the name of the Fafnir Mercenary Company will make you crawl on the ground.¡±
***
Fenrir stopped a considerable distance away.
His whole body was covered in wounds. Dark mana oozed out from between the cracked wounds.
¡°Kkiiing¡¡.¡±
Fenrir licked the wounds and groaned in pain. The wounds cut by the silver-like thing didn¡¯t regenerate quickly. It took quite a while.
¡°Kkiiing¡¡ Kkiiing¡¡.¡±
Fenriry down on the ground. He whimpered in pain, waiting for the pain to subside.
Master¡¡ It hurts¡¡ It hurts a lot¡¡.
Whenever he was in pain, the master would hug him tightly with both arms. The pain seemed to subside when he felt that warmth.
Master¡¡.
It was then.
Once again, the master¡¯s scent wafted through the air. Fenrir jumped up in surprise.
Master? Is it master?
Fenrir turned his body in the direction of the smell. However, the person there was not the master.
It was another human male.
¡°To travel this far in such a short time. You¡¯re really a great creature.¡±
The human male looked at Fenrir and smiled brightly.
Fenrir could also recognize that the human male was smiling.
But why was it? Even though he was smiling, he felt a sense of foreboding.
¡°The wounds are already regenerating there? You¡¯re definitely not an ordinary undead. At this rate, even that person will surely be satisfied.¡±
Fenrir had no idea what the human male was talking about.
But even if he could understand, he wouldn¡¯t have cared.
The entity¡¯s gaze was fixed on the back of a human male.
¡°Ahh! Stop it! Please!¡±
¡°It hurts! It hurts! Aaaah!¡±
¡°Please! Spare me! Please! Please!¡±
Thousands of souls were bound in a dark line, suffering in agony.
They all screamed in painful cries, pleading to be killed.
The entity¡¯s gaze fell upon one soul.
¨C ¡¡
Can that be called a soul?
Unlike other souls, its form was indistinct. It looked as if it were just a lump of ashes.
Facial features were nonexistent, and it was impossible to tell where the head was.
Yet the entity could recognize it. The scent was telling.
Master!
With joy, the entity wagged its tail vigorously.
Master! I miss you!
But the master didn¡¯t respond. He just floated silently in the air.
¡°What are you looking at? Were you looking at this?¡±
The man grabbed one of the dark lines. The master, who had been floating in the air, was pulled towards the man.
¡°Oh¡ so the soul has been destroyed, leaving only debris? That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like children¡¯s souls. They don¡¯tst long.¡±
The human male shook the master violently with his hand. As he did, the master¡¯s body began to disintegrate into dust.
As the master¡¯s body dispersed, the scent faded. Eventually, no scent remained at all.
¡¡Master?
Fenrir stared nkly at the scene. The human male spoke to the entity in a cheerful voice.
¡°Well, it¡¯s all over now. Thanks to you, I was able to find the trash quickly. Now that there¡¯s one spot left, I¡¯ll need a new soul¡¡¡±
Dark mana erupted from the Fenrir¡¯s body.
In its aftermath, the ground cracked open. The trees around shattered into pieces. The clouds in the sky tore apart.
Master.
People often said that Fenrir looked stupid whenever they saw it.
The Fenrir agreed. It knew nothing. It was a foolish idiot who didn¡¯t even know why its master was suffering.
Master.
Even such stupid Fenrir could understand what had happened to its master.
My master.
That man killed the master. Not only did he kill him, but he also tormented him to the end. He erased him without leaving a trace.
My precious master.
No longer can Fenrir see its master. It¡¯s because of that man. That man took him away! From me! My master!
In this moment, the undeadpleted itself. It established the purpose of its existence.
Kill.
Kill the man who tormented my master.
Tear apart the man who took my master away, leaving nothing behind.
The entity threw back its head and let out a wail.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 165
Chapter 165
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 165: The gue Investigation (2)
***
¡°Oh¡¡ oh¡¡!¡±
Garrot spread his arms wide and rejoiced at the sound of the undead¡¯s cry.
¡°This dark mana! This life force! You¡¯re finallyplete as an undead!¡±
Garrot was the Grand Dark Mage of the Monstrum Sect.
The Monstrum Sect was a sect specializing in handling monsters. As the Grand Dark Mage of such a ce, Garrot had observed countless monsters up to now.
None of the monsters he had experienced so far were even a match for the undead before him.
¡°Now that you¡¯re a true undead, you need a name. What would be good? What kind of name should I give you?¡±
After a moment of thought, Garrot spoke as if he had a good idea.
¡°Fenrir! From now on, I¡¯ll call you Fenrir!¡±
Fenrir was the name of a giant wolf in the mythology of a certain ethnic group.
It was the name of a monster that was said to have devoured gods and brought destruction to the world.
¡°I don¡¯t know why you hate me so much¡¡ but it doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that you¡¯replete!¡±
Garrot smiled brightly.
The undead, no, Fenrir, stared at the man silently. Blood-red eyes and emanating killing intent.
¡°You¡¯re making a fuss because you want to kill me! That look is cute too, but¡¡ it¡¯ll be inconvenient if we¡¯re going to be together for a long time. I¡¯ll give you some education.¡±
As Garrot formed a hand sign, Dark lines tightly bound the souls.
¨C Kyaaak! It hurts! It hurts!
¨C S, stop! Please stop!
The screams of the souls grew louder. At the same time, they emitted a tremendous amount of dark mana.
This was the reason why Garrot had spread the gue.
It was to torture the souls after subjugating them and produce dark mana from them.
Thanks to this, Garrot was able to obtain a massive amount of dark mana at any time.
¡°Let¡¯s start by creating a fence so you can¡¯t escape.¡±
Garrot used all the dark mana emitted by the souls to manifest dark magic.
A Dark curtain unfolded from the sky. The curtainpletely isted the area where Garrot was standing from the rest of the world.
It was a high-level dark magic that sealed off a certain area. It was prepared to prevent Fenrir from melting into the darkness and escaping.
¡°Come on,e on. Show me your abilities.¡±
Garrot said, spreading his arms wide. Before he could finish his words, Fenrir charged forward.
The ground shook with every step he took. His speed increased rapidly, to the point where he was creating friction with the air.
Garrot formed a hand sign. At that moment, a subspace opened in front of Fenrir.
Something sprang out of the subspace and blocked Fenrir¡¯s path.
It was an ogre known as the Forest King. However, unlike ordinary ogres, it had three pairs of arms.
Fenrir opened his mouth to bite the ogre. The ogre grabbed Fenrir¡¯s upper and lower jaws with its six arms.
¡°This is a chimera created bybining three ogres. Its strength has also been increased by three times. It won¡¯t be easy to deal with¡¡.¡±
Fenrir exerted force on his jaws. The Ogre¡¯s arms and head disappeared altogether.
¡°Huh?¡±
Garrot¡¯s face lit up with admiration. He hadn¡¯t expected Fenrir to kill so swiftly.
¡°You can even do that? That¡¯s brilliant!¡±
Fenrir reached right up to Garrot¡¯s nose. To lunge at him, it opened its jaws wide.
Just then, something surged out from behind Garrot¡¯s back, from a newly opened spatial rift, and mmed into Fenrir.
The impact pushed Fenrir backward. Fenrir growled, revealing its fangs.
This time, the newly appeared chimera was a lion.
Of course, it was not an ordinary lion. Firstly, it was too colossal. Standing beside it, Garrot looked like a child.
The unusual aspect wasn¡¯t just its size. The lion had two heads.
Garrot climbed onto the lion¡¯s back. Holding onto its mane, he said, ¡°Nemesis! Let¡¯s flee!¡±
Nemesis dodged Fenrir and dashed into the forest. Fenrir chased after the lion.
The two beasts raced through the trees. Fenrir let out a long howl.
Then, the shadows in the forest began to twist. Wolves, smaller in size, emerged from the shadows.
¡°A clone? You can even create something like this?¡±
Garrot¡¯s pupils doubled in size. He admired Fenrir.
¡°Impressive! With this ability alone, your worth is undeniable!¡±
The clones were much faster than Fenrir. They swiftly surrounded the lions like the wind.
¡°Nemesis, you should show something too.¡±
Both heads of Nemesis opened their mouths simultaneously. Soundwaves burst out from both mouths. The clones hit by the soundwaves burst like balloons.
¡°The durability of the clones is disappointing! But don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll reinforce them, so don¡¯t you worry!¡±
Garrot chuckled excitedly, looking at Fenrir.
But Fenrir was nowhere to be seen. Bewildered, Garrot muttered under his breath, ¡°Where did it disappear to?¡±
Suddenly, Fenrir leaped out from Nemesis¡¯s shadow. Simultaneously, he sank his teeth into Nemesis¡¯s neck.
Crack.
Both necks were torn out simultaneously. Losing strength, the body fell to the ground.
Just before the body copsed, Garrot leaped onto the ground. Landing lightly, he looked back at Fenrir.
¡°To bring down Nemesis as well¡ you¡¯re much more impressive than I thought.¡±
Fenrir turned to Garrot. Its mouth was drenched in blood.
Crunch.
Fenrir lunged at Garrot. This time, he intended to tear Garrot apart and kill him.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Something struck Fenrir. With a thunderous noise, Fenrir¡¯s body flew sideways.
Sessive trees in the forest snapped. After smashing dozens of them, Fenrir finally stopped.
¨C Growl!
Fenrir raised his body and red straight ahead. Something strange was standing next to Garrot.
A slightly hunched back and short legs. Long arms that reached to the ground.
It looked like a monkey, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. The entire body of this monster was covered in Dark armor, not fur.
¡°Let me introduce you. This is Bagder.¡±
The Monstrum Sect¡¯s chimeras were born from the synthesis of multiple monsters.
The abilities of a chimera varied greatly depending on which monsters were synthesized and how their functions were arranged.
¡°This is a chimera I¡¯ve been working on, specifically to deal with Master ss opponents.¡±
Fenrir red at Bagder with wary-filled eyes. His attitude was different from when he faced other chimeras.
Growl!
But that didn¡¯tst long, and Fenrir charged first. He tried to bite Bagder¡¯s neck.
ng.
However, Fenrir¡¯s teeth were blocked by Bagder¡¯s armor. Instead, his teeth were crushed.
¡°My, my¡ You can¡¯t just bite it like that. Bagder¡¯s armor can even bounce off aura.¡±
Fenrir put more strength into his jaw. Even so, Bagder remained unmoved.
¡°Bagder, subdue him.¡±
Bagder grabbed Fenrir. In the next moment, Fenrir¡¯s massive body was lifted high into the sky.
A look of bewilderment appeared on Fenrir¡¯s face. Then, Bagder came into his view.
Bagder was floating even higher than Fenrir. Bagder sped its hands together and made a fist, then mmed it down.
Fenrir¡¯s body fell vertically. The entire forest was shattered with a roar.
***
As an undead, he did not bleed or suffer internal injuries.
¨C Growl!
However, it was not without pain. He let out a muffled scream.
Even in the midst of the pain, Fenrir quickly got up. He could not show a weak appearance in front of his enemy.
At that moment, Bagder, who had jumped out from the side, punched Fenrir in the face.
Fenrir rolled on the ground with a shock that felt like his head was going to be ripped off.
Bagder chased after Fenrir. It kicked off the ground and reached Fenrir¡¯s nose in an instant.
¨C Growl!
Fenrir created clones to block Bagder.
Dozens of clones rushed at Bagder. However, they were all blocked by Bagder¡¯s armor.
Bagder punched Fenrir in the head. With a loud roar, Fenrir¡¯s head was mmed into the ground.
The whole world shook from the impact. His vision was blurry and he had no strength in his body.
This time, even Fenrir couldn¡¯t hold out. He fell to the ground and shivered.
Bagder was far superior to him in both speed and strength. It was an overwhelming difference. Fenrir could not help but feel a deep sense of despair.
¡°Hmm.¡±
At that moment, a familiar voice rang in his ears. Fenrir forced himself to open his eyes.
Garrot had somehow approached him and was now standing right in front of him.
¡°Even you are no match for Bagder, it seems.¡±
Garrot, who had stopped in front of Fenrir¡¯s nose, nodded as if it was only natural.
¡°It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. This child has everything I have in him. That means he¡¯s incredibly strong.¡±
Fenrir¡¯s eyes came alive at the sight of Garrot. He burst out with killing intent and rushed at Garrot.
The enemy who killed his master was right in front of him. If he could just open his mouth a little, he could tear his head off!
Just as he was about to crush Garrot with his teeth, Bagder grabbed Fenrir¡¯s head and body and mmed him into the ground.
¨C Growl!
Fenrir struggled to shake off Bagder. But Bagder was unmoved. It felt like a mountain was pressing down on him.
¨C Growl! Growl!
Even so, Fenrir did not stop struggling to kill Garrot.
That man killed his master. And not only that, he did terrible things to his master.
He could not give up like this. Otherwise, who would avenge his master¡¯s grudge and injustice?
¡°My, my¡ It seems you still hate me.¡±
Garrot muttered with a regretful expression.
¡°It doesn¡¯t make me feel good to be hated like this¡ But I guess I¡¯ll have to teach you a lesson, even though it¡¯s a bit early.¡±
Garrot gestured in the air. At that, the souls bound by the Dark lines began to scream again.
¨C Kyaaak!
¨C Aaaak!
Screams erupted along with dark mana. Garrot concentrated the dark mana and created arge stake.
¡°One down.¡±
The Dark stake pierced Fenrir¡¯s body and pinned him to the ground. At that moment, Fenrir¡¯s pupils dted.
A searing pain, as if all his nerves were on fire, assaulted Fenrir¡¯s brain.
All the pain Fenrir had felt so far seemed like child¡¯s ypared to this.
¡°This will sting a bit. This is a torture dark magic developed specifically to inflict pain on the soul. Ordinary people would go crazy just by touching this stake.¡±
Garrot created another stake. The tip of the stake was aimed at Fenrir¡¯s torso.
¡°I wonder how many you can withstand?¡±
The pain doubled as the second stake was driven in. Fenrir thrashed his body.
¡°Third.¡±
The pain grew even greater as the number of stakes increased. When the fifth stake was driven in, Fenrir¡¯s body slumped.
¡°The fifth one¡ You¡¯re holding out well. You are indeed the undead I had my eye on.¡±
Amid the endless pain, Fenrir¡¯s eyes were fixed only on Garrot.
Master¡
The enemy of his master was right before him, but he could do nothing.
His master had passed away in pain. He could not even avenge his master a little.
Dark mana oozed out of Fenrir¡¯s eyes. It dripped down his cheeks like water droplets and evaporated.
¡°Tears? Tears from an undead? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a rare thing!¡±
Garrot rejoiced with a cry of joy. Fenrir could only stare at Garrot, unable to do anything.
¡°You are truly a beautiful creature! That person will surely be satisfied¡¡±
Suddenly, Garrot raised his head. A blue line was being drawn on the Dark curtain spread out above his head.
¡°¡Is that being cut?¡±
The moment Garrot was confused, a rectangr hole was opened in the Dark curtain. Someone jumped down from there.
¡°¡A human?¡±
The human male swung his sword. At that moment, des of aura rained down from the sky. Garrot¡¯s eyes widened at the sight.
The des of aura covered the ground like a torrential downpour. Just before that, Bagder grabbed Garrot and moved out of the way.
The aura fell on the spot where Garrot and Bagder had been. Countless sword marks were carved into the ground.
The human malended on the spot where Garrot had been standing just a moment ago.
¡°¡Who are you?¡±
Garrot asked the man. The man spoke as he sheathed his sword.
¡°You father Damien Haksen, You motherfucker.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 166
Chapter 166
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 166: The gue Investigation (3)
***
The dark mage¡¯s eyes widened slightly at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
The dark mage tilted his head and searched his memory.
¡°Damien Haksen¡ Damien Haksen¡ Now I remember. He was the human they told me to capture alive.¡±
The dark mage looked at Damien with interest.
¡°I was wondering why they were so interested in you¡ Now I understand a little. You have incredible skills, don¡¯t you?¡±
Damien wasn¡¯t paying attention to the dark mage¡¯s words. He just stared down at Fenrir.
¡°¡¡¡±
Damien didn¡¯t know what had happened between Fenrir and the dark mage. However, he could clearly feel Fenrir¡¯s emotions.
Endless anger and bottomless hatred were pouring out towards the dark mage.
At the same time, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Frustration followed. A howl erupted from there, flooding like a wave.
¡°¡I see now.¡±
He thought he understood why Fenrir was so ferocious in his previous life.
¡°¡He must have lost something precious to that guy.¡±
Damien muttered to himself and looked back at the dark mage.
¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°Me? Oh, right, you wouldn¡¯t know.¡±
The dark mage nodded at Damien¡¯s question and said.
¡°My name is Garrot. I am a Grand Dark Mage of the Monstrum Sect.¡±
Damien chewed on the name Garrot. It didn¡¯t ring any bells.
Just because he was Damien didn¡¯t mean he knew all the dark mages.
However, one thing was for sure. The dark mages that Damien didn¡¯t know were mostly insignificant.
¡®This is terrible.¡¯
Damien looked behind Garrot. Thousands of souls were bound to Garrot, spewing out dark mana.
¡°I¡¯m annoyed that you¡¯re getting in the way between me and Fenrir¡ but I won¡¯t kill you. I have a favor to ask.¡±
Garrot formed a hand sign. Arge subspace opened up and various monsters emerged.
They looked very different from ordinary monsters. They were all chimeras.
¡°There are so many of them.¡±
Damien looked at the chimeras and fell into thought.
He could finish them off quickly using dark magic. But there was a technique he wanted to try instead.
Damien also opened a subspace and pulled out a travel bag.
¡°Wait.¡±
Garrot¡¯s expression changed as soon as he saw the travel bag.
¡°How did you get that¡ ?¡±
As Damien opened the bag left and right, a dark space unfolded.
¡°Come out.¡±
Countless skeletons emerged from the darkness. They were followed by the Death Knight Dominico.
¨C Greetings, my lord.
Dominico and the skeletons knelt down in unison. Damien looked at them and tilted his head.
¡°Where¡¯s Miya?¡±
Miya jumped out of the darkness as soon as he spoke. She swung her fist at Damien.
Damien blocked Miya¡¯s fist with one hand.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Miya got angry and swung her hands repeatedly. Damien blocked Miya¡¯s attacks with one hand and asked Dominico.
¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡±
¨C That¡ my lord, don¡¯t you remember?
¡°What?¡±
¨C You said that if shecks experience, I should kill her with the intention of killing her¡ no, you just told me to kill her.
¡°Ah.¡±
Only then did Damien remember the order he had given.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Miya stopped her hands and protested furiously to Damien. He looked at Miya and said with a satisfied expression.
¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve be so sharp. My judgment was right after all.¡±
¨C Do you mean¡ you¡¯re not going to withdraw the order?
Damien looked at Dominico as if it was obvious. Miya¡¯s face turned pale and hardened.
¡°This can¡¯t be!¡±
Garrot eximed in surprise.
¡°Undead? Undead? You look like an ordinary knight, how are you controlling undead? How is this possible!¡±
Garrot shouted in rm.
¡°You¡¯re being noisy.¡±
¨C I agree.
¡°Grrr.¡±
Damien, Dominico, and Miya emanated killing intent towards Garrot. Garrot was even more delighted by their killing intent.
¡°Hey¡ you¡¯re nning to fight me? That¡¯s great! I¡¯m curious to see who¡¯s stronger, my chimeras or your undead!¡±
Damien ignored Garrot¡¯s words and asked Dominico.
¡°Dominico, have you seen any results from your training?¡±
¨C I apologize, my lord. I am ipetent and have not seen any significant results.
Damien was not disappointed. It was too short a time to see any meaningful results.
¨C However, all of the former soldiers have been raised to the level of quasi-knights.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smile at the following words.
¡°Excellent.¡±
It was one thing if they were ordinary skeletons, but things were different if they were quasi-knights. With this level of strength, they were worth fighting.
¡°Go. Kill everything that moves.¡±
The skeletons drew their weapons at Damien¡¯smand.
¡°Feel free to go wild.¡±
The chimeras bared their teeth at Garrot¡¯s words.
The undead and the chimeras rushed towards each other.
***
The skeletons, now able to use aura, rushed at the ogre chimera.
¨C Owoooo!
Of course, they were no match for it. Ogres were monsters that even low-ss knights had difficulty fighting.
And this was no ordinary ogre. It was a chimera that appeared to have four arms,bining two ogres.
There was no way that skeletons, who were only quasi-knights, could stand a chance against it.
However, the skeletons had one special advantage.
¨C Hahaha! Its head is smashed!
¨C Hey! Your arm is here.
They didn¡¯t die.
As long as their master, Damien Haksen, was alive, the skeletons would never die. Even if they were broken, they would quickly recover.
The skeletons endlessly rushed at the ogre. They didn¡¯t care if their bodies were broken.
The ogre chimera¡¯s body began to suffer wounds all over from the attacks that disregarded its life.
Like the saying goes, even a raincoat gets wet in the drizzle. Eventually, the ogre chimera fell, covered in wounds.
¨C Euaaaak! We won!
¨C Who¡¯s next!
The skeletons that had defeated the ogre chimera rushed towards the next chimera.
If the skeletons were steadily taking down the chimeras one by one, Dominico was ughtering them.
¨C Where do you think you¡¯re going, you monsters!
Every time Dominico swung his greatsword, the chimeras¡¯ heads flew off.
Even in his lifetime, he had been one of the top among the high-ss.
On top of that, he had seeded in absorbing some of the insights he had gained from Damien.
The next most notable figure after Dominico was Miya.
¨C Kya!
Miya rushed in and bit the ogre chimera¡¯s neck.
She absorbed the blood and copied the ogre¡¯s abilities, then used the ogre¡¯s strength to tear off the chimera¡¯s head.
As the chimeras began to be pushed back, Garrot eximed in admiration again.
¡°Amazing¡ They¡¯re not ordinary undead.¡±
The opponent Garrot was particrly paying attention to was Miya.
¡°Where did he get such a flesh golem¡ It¡¯s almost on par with Fenrir.¡±
Even though the chimeras were being destroyed, Garrot didn¡¯t seem flustered at all.
After all, those children weren¡¯t chimeras he had worked hard to create. There was nothing to lose if they died.
¡°It¡¯s time for you toe out, Bagder.¡±
If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might end up killing Damien Haksen, so he didn¡¯t want to use Bagder.
However, he couldn¡¯t stop Damien with the chimeras, so he had to use Bagder.
¡°You can kill everyone except that human male you see there.¡±
As soon as the order was given, Bagder moved. It rushed towards Miya at an incredible speed.
¨C Kya?
Miya didn¡¯t have time to react. Bagder¡¯s fist fell over Miya¡¯s head.
At that moment, Damien appeared in front of Miya. He blocked Bagder¡¯s fist with the dawn.
At the same time as blocking the fist, he deflected its trajectory. Bagder¡¯s fist missed Damien and hit the ground.
Damien immediately swung his sword and released aura. A huge sh cut through Bagder¡¯s torso.
Bagder¡¯s body was pushed back. But that was all. The aura hadn¡¯t even scratched Bagder¡¯s armor.
¡°It¡¯s incredibly tough. It must be a chimera that you put a lot of work into, huh?¡±
Damien reacted with interest at the sight.
¡°You¡¯d better be prepared. Bagder isparable to a master ss.¡±
Garrot said with a confident face. Damien burst outughing at that.
¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t help butugh. You¡¯ve made it a little tougher and you¡¯re deluding yourself into thinking it¡¯sparable to a master ss.¡±
While he acknowledged the danger of Bagder to some extent, the idea that it wasparable to a master ss was a ridiculous delusion.
¡°¡Don¡¯t talk big when you couldn¡¯t even cut through Bagder¡¯s armor.¡±
Garrot said in a sharp tone. He was different from the way he had been when the chimeras were being massacred.
This was a characteristic of the Monstrum Sect. The Monstrum Sect had a tendency to shower affection on a single chimera.
So while he might not care about other chimeras, he couldn¡¯t just let go of the criticism against Bagder.
¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±
Damien readily acknowledged Garrot¡¯s words. Bagder¡¯s armor was so tough that even Damien¡¯s aura had a hard time cutting through it.
¡°This is perfect. I happen to have a technique I¡¯ve been practicing for just such an asion.¡±
Beforeing here, Damien had gotten his hands on the mana cultivation method left behind by the previous Imperial Sword.
Damien named this mana cultivation method the Combined Infinity Cycle.
The Combined Infinity Cycle was a mana cultivation method that formed rings of mana within the body to double the output of mana.
Damien had created three rings in total.
He nned to use the Combined Infinity Cycle here.
¡°First Ring.¡±
One of the rings began to rotate. At the same time, a vibration sounded from Damien¡¯s body.
As the vibration grew louder, Damien¡¯s momentum grew stronger and stronger. At the same time, the aura that had been covering the dawn became even thicker.
¡°Bagder! Attack!¡±
Garrot, sensing something ominous, ordered Bagder.
However, before Bagder could move, Damien¡¯s body disappeared.
¡°Where the hell¡ .¡±
The moment Garrot muttered in a daze, Damien¡¯s afterimages surrounded Bagder¡¯s body.
The afterimages swung their swords in unison. Dozens of shes covered Bagder¡¯s body.
***
Chapter 167
Chapter 167
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 167: The gue Investigation (4)
***
Garrot, being a dark mage, did not understand what happened at first.
The afterimage of Damien enveloped Bagder, and a flurry of sword strikes began. The blue aura covered Bagder¡¯s entire body.
The bewildered Bagder iled its arms wildly. However, the aura did not stop.
¡°¡Surely not?¡±
Only then did Garrot realize it. The fact that Damien was moving at an incredible speed and swinging his sword at Bagder.
¡°Bagder! Calm down! He won¡¯t be able to cut your shell anyway!¡±
As Garrot said, Bagder¡¯s shell was intact. It meant that Damien¡¯s aura could not cut through the shell.
¡°Breathe out the poison! Shake off him and then counterattack!¡±
At Garrot¡¯s cry, Bagder opened its mouth. Purple smoke erupted from its throat.
The grass and trees that the purple smoke touched instantly rotted away.
It would be nice if Damien was poisoned and died, but it was a vain hope.
Damien had long since retreated to a ce where the smoke could not reach him.
However, they had seeded in their original goal of shaking off Damien.
¡°¡I can¡¯t believe Bagder is being pushed back so easily.¡±
Bagder was a chimera that Garrot had put a lot of effort into in order to fight against the Master ss.
In order to capture the movements of the Master ss, he had transnted the nerves and sensory organs of numerous monsters into Bagder.
Thanks to this, Bagder¡¯s senses were sharper than any other monster. Even High ss monsters were no match for Bagder.
However, all that effort had been for nothing against Damien.
¡°He¡¯s not a regr High ss.¡±
That doesn¡¯t mean there was no way to deal with him. Bagder had yet to show its true power.
¡°Bagder, activate the core.¡±
The center of Bagder¡¯s torso turned red. At the same time, steam began to rise from its entire body.
Activating the core enhanced all of Bagder¡¯s abilities. However, it had the side effect of rapidly increasing body temperature, which Badger could not sustain for long.
The steam was generated by the cooling mechanism that had been transnted in advance to counteract the side effects.
¡°Tear him to pieces.¡±
The ground caved in and Bagder¡¯s body disappeared. In an instant, it appeared above Damien¡¯s head and brought its hands together, smashing them down.
Damien dodged the attack by jumping into the air.
Bagder¡¯s fist hit the ground. The ground shattered and dust obscured the vision.
Immediately afterward, the dust cloud was ripped apart and Bagder charged in. It swung its arms like whips at Damien.
The sound of air bursting could be heard as it swung its arms. The ground shattered and trees fell in all directions.
Attacks of incredible speed and power followed one after another. Damien dodged Bagder¡¯s attacks and continued to retreat.
The situation hadpletely reversed. Damien was now being pushed back by Bagder.
¡°Second Ring.¡±
Just then, Damien muttered softly. The vibrationsing from him grew louder.
Damien¡¯s mana began to spread like wildfire.
The intensity of the aura was such that even Bagder paused for a moment.
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s body disappeared. The next moment, hundreds of sword strikes covered Bagder¡¯s body.
The intervals between the sword strikes were much shorter than before. Bagder¡¯s body was so obscured by the sword strikes that it was hard to see him properly.
¡°¡He¡¯s gotten even faster than that?¡±
Garrot eximed in horror.
Even with its core activated, Bagder was unable to react to Damien¡¯s speed. It could only be helplessly cut down by the sword strikes.
¡°Bagder! You¡¯re fine because you have your shell! If you just hold out, he will definitely get tired first¡¡±
Before he could finish speaking, Bagder¡¯s shell cracked like a ss. The flesh underneath was cut away, and purple blood gushed out.
¨C Kieeek!
For the first time, Bagder screamed. It was a cry that did not match its imposing appearance at all.
¡°Calm down! You won¡¯t die from a wound like that! Calm down and try to read his movements!¡±
Despite Garrot¡¯s advice, Bagder iled its arms wildly, not knowing what to do. It seemed that it was not used to pain.
¡°This stupid bastard! You¡¯re my creation, so don¡¯t embarrass me like this!¡±
Garrot spat out his anger. Even as he did so, Bagder¡¯s body continued to be wounded. Blood trickled down from between the gaps in its shell.
¡°Damn it¡ I¡¯m going to have to step in after all!¡±
Garrot cast a dark magic spell. He cast a curse of berserk on Bagder.
¨C Kieeek!
Bagder¡¯s eyes filled with madness. Its mind wentpletely mad, but thanks to that, it was able to be freed from the pain.
¡°Bagder! Ignore those wounds! Damien¡¯s sword strikes are shallow anyway!¡±
It was true that Damien¡¯s aura had cut through the shell, but the wounds were not deep. It was nothing to worry about.
¡°If you can¡¯t chase Damien, then cause a ruckus! Caught him up in it and kill him!¡±
Bagder clenched its fists and started to rampage.
It mmed its fist into the ground. It smashed the forest¡¯snd to pieces. Broken trees and rocks flew everywhere.
The sword strikes that had been covering Bagder¡¯s body stopped abruptly. Damien appeared a short distance away from Bagder.
¡°Yeah, you better back off if you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡±
Garrot looked at Damien and sneered. He was about to order Bagder to counterattack.
Damien raised his sword high into the sky. He was in a pose as if to split something.
¡°Third Ring.¡±
The vibrationsing from Damien became even louder. Now it was enough to make anyone¡¯s ears hurt.
The aura from the sword in Damien¡¯s hand erupted explosively.
The aura shot up into the sky like oil on fire. Soon after, the aura began topress around the de.
Originally, aura is likened to a will-o¡¯-the-wisp. This is because it has no definite form.
[PR/N- Will-o¡¯-the-wisps are atmospheric ghost lights seen over swamps or marshes at night. While science exins them as gasbustion from decaying organic matter, the real reason for urring still remains a mystery.]
However, the aura that Damien had now gathered on the de had a clear shape. It looked like a straight sword de.
¡°What the hell is that¡¡±
Garrot muttered with a puzzled look on his face.
¡°Aura de¡? No, that¡¯s not enough¡ It¡¯s not an Aura de. But¡¡±
Garrot¡¯s face turned to one of horror.
¡°It¡¯s almostplete¡!¡±
Damien swung his sword down. The aura that had beenpressed on the de stretched out like a sharp sword strike.
The ground and the clouds were split at the same time. Bagder¡¯s body, which was between them, was no exception.
At first, Bagder was unharmed. However, a momentter, a line was drawn from its head to its legs in a straight line. Purple blood gushed out furiously from the wound, dyeing the whole world.
Bagder slowly sank to its knees. Its upper body slowly slid down and fell to the ground.
***
¡°Hoo¡¡.¡±
Damien slowly exhaled.
Combined Infinity Cycle
It was truly a powerful mana cultivation technique. The more rings were activated, the more the output of mana increased exponentially.
As his mana was amplified, his speed and aura increased dramatically.
It was powerful, but it also consumed a lot of stamina. There was nothing he could do about that.
¡°This can¡¯t be!¡±
At that moment, Garrot shouted loudly. Garrot knelt down in front of Bagder and cried out.
¡°I created you with everything I have! Your opponent was mere High ss not even a Master, and you were defeated by him!¡±
Garrot grabbed his head with both hands and pulled his hair.
¨C Master, I will catch him.
Dominico said to Damien. Damien raised his hand to stop him.
¡°It¡¯s dangerous to go near him now.¡±
-¡¡Why?
Garrot red at Damien. His eyes were bloodshot.
¡°You dare to¡¡ trample on my Bagder¡¡ my dream like this? Stay there and don¡¯t move¡¡ I¡¯ll kill you right now¡¡!¡±
Garrot put his hand on Bagder¡¯s body.
The flesh of his hand melted and stuck to Bagder. Garrot¡¯s body was absorbed into Bagder.
¨C No way?
Dominico cried out with a shocked face. But there was still more to be surprised about.
Garrot¡¯s face appeared on Bagder¡¯s forehead. Soon after, tentacles sprouted from the upper and lower body that had been cut in half.
The tentacles intertwined and the body that had been split in half was reattached. Bagder straightened its bent knees.
¨C You made me use even this dark magic!
Garrot, who appeared on Bagder¡¯s forehead, shouted loudly.
Garrot had used his own body as a material to revive Bagder.
Of course, once fused, they could never be separated again.
That¡¯s why that dark magic was called the forbidden magic of the Monstrum sect.
¨C Damien! You will pay a heavy price!
Garrot stimted the souls that were bound to him. The souls screamed and produced dark mana.
A massive amount of dark mana was poured into Bagder¡¯s body, and its size increased even further.
¡°This is troublesome. I can¡¯t fight anymore.¡±
As a result of using the Combined Infinity Cycle, Damien¡¯s stamina was now at rock bottom.
¡°Then why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±
Damien asked, looking at Fenrir. Fenrir raised his head and looked at Damien.
¨C Grrrrrrr!
Fenrir growled, baring his fangs.
Even after being so badly beaten by Garrot and Bagder, Fenrir¡¯s spirit was not broken.
¡°Do you really want toplete your revenge with your own hands? That is splendid.¡±
Damien bit his thumb. He dropped the blood into Fenrir¡¯s mouth.
¡°I will show you a new world.¡±
A contract was formed between Damien and Fenrir through the blood.
Damien and Fenrir¡¯s minds were connected. At that moment, Fenrir¡¯s eyes widened.
His head was filled with the knowledge that Damien was transmitting. In it, Fenrir found the path he needed to take.
Fenrir slowly closed his eyes. Soon after, Fenrir¡¯s shadow began to gather in one ce.
¡°That¡¯s it.¡±
Damien said with a satisfied face.
¡°Your essence is not in that rotting body.¡±
That was just a temporary body that Fenrir had constructed. Fenrir¡¯s real body was somewhere else.
The shadow rose up. Soon after, it took the form of a wolf.
It was a jet-ck wolf, as if it had been carved out of darkness. The wolf raised its head and howled.
The howling continued for a long time.
Darkness spread from under the wolf¡¯s feet.
The thick darkness covered the entire ground. The darkness shook like a stormy sea.
¨C ¡¡What is this?
Garrot asked with a puzzled face.
¨C No matter how great that guy is¡¡ This ability is¡¡ This is¡¡!
In his previous life, Fenrir was called the Beast of Destruction.
It was because of Fenrir¡¯s unique ferocity and tenacity. And this special ability.
¡®Dark Assimtion¡¯
With this ability alone, Fenrir had driven the imperial army into fear.
¡°Finish your revenge.¡±
Damien said to Fenrir.
The darkness under the feet of Garrot, who had fused with Bagder, churned.
The darkness took shape. A giant wolf emerged from below and swallowed Garrot whole.
Garrot hurriedly reached out with both hands and grabbed Fenrir¡¯s jaw. But it was useless. Garrot¡¯s arms didn¡¯t hold up at all and broke.
¨C T, this can¡¯t be¡¡!
Pir-like fangs crushed Garrot. Ast scream erupted from his mouth.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 168
Chapter 168
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 168: Reunion (1)
***
The thick fangs crushed the shell mercilessly.
The tender flesh and organs behind it were all crushed into the shell.
¡®Ugh, ugh¡¡ ugh¡¡!¡¯
The senses that had been developed in order to make Bagder a Master-ss chimera now turned back on him.
The sharper his senses, the greater the pain. The pain, which had been amplified several times over, was transmitted directly to Garrot.
¡®P, please¡¡ hurry up and finish this¡¡!¡¯
The moment Garrot earnestly wished for it, the fangs shattered the core.
¡®I, I¡¯m alive¡¡.¡¯
At that moment, all of Bagder¡¯s functions stopped. Garrot was finally able to find peace.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡¡He thought he had found peace.
¡°Where is this?¡±
When he came to his senses, Garrot was standing in the darkness.
There was nothing but darkness all around him. Even under his feet. He was standing on darkness, not ground.
¡®Am I not dead?¡¯
As Garrot was wondering, the darkness stirred and a wolf emerged.
The wolf quickly approached and bit Garrot¡¯s arm before disappearing. Garrot grabbed his shortened forearm and screamed.
¡°Ugh, ahaaaa¡¡!¡±
Blood gushed out of the wound like crazy. Garrot gasped for breath in excruciating pain.
That wasn¡¯t the end of it. Another wolf appeared and bit Garrot¡¯s leg.
His leg was bitten off below the knee. Garrot fell to the ground, bleeding.
¡°A-Ahaaa¡¡ ahaaa¡¡ aaaaa¡¡!¡±
A dozen or so wolves appeared before Garrot¡¯s eyes. He waved his one remaining arm and said.
¡°W, wait¡¡.¡±
The wolves rushed at Garrot all at once and tore off his remaining limbs. They ripped open his stomach and scraped out his organs. They crushed his spine and licked his marrow.
¡°Aagh! Ugh¡¡!¡±
Garrot screamed in excruciating pain. But no matter how much he screamed, the wolves didn¡¯t stop.
¡°H, hahaha! Hahahahat!¡±
In the end, Garrot was reduced to a head. But he didn¡¯t die. He was just insane,ughing like a madman.
The wolf opened its mouth and swallowed Garrot¡¯s head. As he fell down the wolf¡¯s throat, Garrot felt relieved.
¡®F, finally it¡¯s over¡¡.¡¯
But the next moment, Garrot was greeted by the sight of himself intact.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
Garrot looked down at his body with a surprised face.
The limbs that had been torn off were now perfectly intact, and the stomach that had been ripped open had returned to its original state. The broken spine stood upright again.
¨C Grrrr.
¨C Grrr.
The wolves surrounded Garrot again. Garrot¡¯s face turned deathly pale.
¡°Aaaagh!¡±
Once again, the wolves surrounded Garrot and devoured his entire body. Garrot had to go through the excruciating pain again as if he was going crazy.
It didn¡¯t take long for the wolves to devour himpletely.
And then, the next moment.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Garrot¡¯s body was restored to its original state once again. The wolves were also surrounding Garrot.
Only then did Garrot realize.
He realized that this was a spiritual space and that he was suffering as a soul.
That¡¯s why he kept regenerating even after his entire body was devoured. The soul of Garrot, the Grand Dak Mage, would not easily be destroyed.
¡°Th, that¡¯s enough¡¡±
Garrot shouted at the wolves.
¡°Stop it! Leave me alone¡ I said, leave me alone!¡±
Garrot¡¯s screams echoed long and loud. But they were quickly drowned out by the sound of the wolves¡¯ feasting that followed.
***
¡®He must be suffering in Fenrir¡¯s stomach right now.¡¯
Looking at the corpses of Garrot and Bagder, Damien recalled his past memories.
Humans eaten by Fenrir did not die easily.
They were trapped in his stomach, forced to produce dark mana while suffering eternally. Until their souls were extinguished.
The soul of a grand dark mage like Garrot would not be easily extinguished, so he would suffer for a long time in Fenrir¡¯s stomach.
¡®A fitting end for a piece of trash.¡¯
Thinking so, Damien approached Fenrir.
¨C Whimper¡¡ whimper¡¡.
Fenrir, whose body had now been reced by darkness, was growling around Garrot¡¯s corpse.
He didn¡¯t seem to be grieving Garrot¡¯s death. There seemed to be another reason.
¡°Why are you doing that?¡±
¨C Master¡¡ Master is gone¡¡.
Because of the contract, Damien could read Fenrir¡¯s thoughts to some extent.
-This bad guy killed Master! Master is gone!
That didn¡¯t mean he could fully understand Fenrir¡¯s thoughts.
It took Damien a while to concentrate on Fenrir¡¯s words before he could understand.
¡°You mean this guy killed your master and tormented his soul until it was extinguished?¡±
Damien fell into thought for a moment.
There was no way to bring back an extinguished soul. However, there was a way to soothe Fenrir¡¯s sorrow.
Damien gathered all the dark mana that Garrot released when he died.
He stored some of it in his bracelet and used the rest to manifest dark magic.
Dust began to gather on the magic circle that Damien had spread out. Fenrir¡¯s eyes widened when he saw it.
¨C Master! I smell Master!
The ashes soon took the form of a small boy.
However, it was only a form in name only. It had no facial features, and its fingers were not properly formed.
Even so, Fenrir wagged his tail frantically with a happy face.
¨C Master! Master!
Fenrir ran around the boy. Hey down on his stomach in front of him.
However, the boy did not move and just stood there.
¨C Master¡¡?
Fenrir slowly raised his body. He licked his master¡¯s face.
But he didn¡¯t touch anything. The dust that formed the shape of its master scattered and returned to its ce.
Fenrir looked at Damien with his tail down. Damien said with a bitter face.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. There wasn¡¯t much thought left, so I couldn¡¯t create anything more than this.¡±
The boy had not been able to leave behind any proper thoughts until the moment he died. That meant he had been exploited so badly by Garrot.
¨C Master¡¡.
Fenrir looked at the boy weakly. Then, the boy slowly reached out his hand.
The incorporeal hand stroked Fenrir¡¯s head a few times. Color returned to Fenrir¡¯s face.
¨C Master! Master!
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the sight.
The thoughts that Damien had been able to gather were extremely weak. He had no idea that such weak thoughts could move.
Thoughts were the remnants of emotions and memories held at the moment of death. Perhaps the boy had also thought strongly of Fenrir until the moment he died.
The boy¡¯s thoughts began to dissipate slowly. Fenrir watched the sight for a long time as if trying not to forget.
When the boy hadpletely disappeared, Damien asked Fenrir.
¡°What do you n to do now?¡±
Once a soul bes undead, it can never reincarnate again.
Fenrir¡¯s only options were to remain as he was forever or to be killed and find peace.
¡°If you want, I can let you rest. In return, your soul will be extinguished¡¡.¡±
¨C Master!
¡°It is unfortunate, but your master is gone. He can nevere back.¡±
¨C New master! New master!
Fenrir wagged his tail furiously as he looked at Damien. Damien looked at Fenrir with a puzzled face.
¡°¡¡You mean I¡¯m your new master?¡±
Fenrir nodded his head. Damien looked at Fenrir with an incredulous face.
¡°If youe with me, you will keep fighting.¡±
¨C ¡¡Fighting? Who with?
Damien pointed to Garrot¡¯s corpse and said.
¡°With strong and dangerous guys like that.¡±
At that moment, Fenrir¡¯s eyes turned fierce. The hair on his round body stood on end.
¨C Good.
Fenrir spoke in amanding voice.
¨C If I can kill the ones who killed my master again¡¡ I like it. I will follow you. I will follow my new master.
Because of the contract, he could tell.
The reason why Fenrir hadpleted itself as an undead.
It was for revenge against the dark mages.
¡°You have also chosen a difficult path.¡±
It was something Damien could wee.
As he was called the Beast of Destruction, Fenrir¡¯s potential was enormous.
It was not yet in hisplete form. Fenrir would be even stronger in the future.
¡°Then what should your name be¡¡.¡±
From what Damien knew, the name Fenrir was given by the dark mage. He couldn¡¯t keep using such an unlucky name.
¨C Name? You¡¯ll give me a name?
Fenrir smoothed down his fur again and returned tohisround shape. He looked at Damien with a face full of anticipation.
¡°How about Eternal Destiny Breaker?¡±
¨C ¡¡.
But when the name came out of Damien¡¯s mouth, he couldn¡¯t help but be serious right away.
¡°Don¡¯t you like it? Well, it is a bitcking in intimidation. Maybe something like Absolute Power yer would be better.¡±
This time, Fenrir couldn¡¯t help but be serious. He even stomped his front paws on the ground. He seemed to dislike all of them.
¨C Munchi!
Fenrir said forcefully. Damien, who heard the name, asked with an iprehensible face.
¡°Isn¡¯t Eternal Destiny Breaker better than a name like that?¡±
¨C Munchi! Munchi! Munchi!
Fenrir shouted even louder. In the end, Damien had no choice but to follow Fenrir¡¯s wishes.
¡°No matter how I look at it, I think another name would be better¡ Fine, I¡¯ll call you Munchi.¡±
¨C New master! Good!
Munchi started rubbing his face against Damien. He looked at Munchi with an annoyed face. Then, Dominico approached Damien and said.
¨C Congrattions, my lord. You have acquired a powerful force.
¡°Well, he is strong.¡±
Although he acted like a dog, Munchi was a fearsome undead.
Then, he suddenly noticed Miya. Miya also noticed Munchi.
¡°Kya?¡±
¨C Woof?
Miya and Munchi looked at each other and tilted their heads left and right.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
¨C Whimper¡¡.
Miya growled, baring her teeth. Munchi tucked his tail between his legs.
¡°Kya! Kya!¡±
Then Miya patted her chest and made a proud face. Damien asked Dominico with an incredulous face.
¡°What is she saying now?¡±
¨C I¡¯m not sure either¡ Maybe they¡¯re establishing dominance?
¡°They¡¯re in simr situations, they should be able to take care of each other.¡±
Just as Damien was clicking his tongue, the barrier that Garrot had put up began to copse.
It would be inconvenient for others to see Damien surrounded by undead.
Damien took out a travel chest from the subspace and said.
¡°Everyone, get in.¡±
¡°Kyaa?¡±
¨C Woop?
Miya and Munchi made faces of displeasure. Miya expressed her opinion that she wanted to stay outside, and Munchi seemed to want to y with Damien more.
¡°Don¡¯t be annoying and get in quickly.¡±
Damien grabbed the two and forced them in. Miya and Munchi struggled, but it was no use.
Unlike the two, the skeleton and Dominico entered obediently.
¡°Ah, Dominico.¡±
Before Dominico could go inside, Damien stopped him.
¨C Yes, give me your orders.
¡°You seem to have trained Miya well. Well done.¡±
¨C You tter me.
¡°So double the intensity.¡±
¨C ¡Yes?
Dominico thought he had misheard at first. But there was no yfulness in Damien¡¯s face.
¨C Ah¡, I understand.
As a loyal knight, Dominico had no choice but to obey Damien¡¯s words.
Then, suddenly, Damien stared into the void. Dominico asked with a puzzled face.
¨C My lord, why are you doing that?
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Damien curled one lip and added.
¡°I just thought there was one more rat left.¡±
***
¡°¡.Garrot is dead?¡±
Kardak muttered with a perplexed expression as he observed the barrier from afar.
¡°What on earth happened¡?¡±
Since Garrot had left Kardak outside the tent, he hadn¡¯t seen anything.
¡°Garrot must have had a Bagder with him, right¡?¡±
Garrot was a pervert who was only interested in monsters and undead, but his skills were undeniable. In particr, the Bagder he created was an incredible chimera that even high-ss knights would die easily by his hands.
¡°Damien Haksen¡ What exactly is his identity?¡±
Feeling perplexed yet thrilled, Kardak couldn¡¯t help but wonder.
¡°¡If it¡¯s him, perhaps he would truly satisfy them.¡±
The greatest master.
The originator of all dark magic.
Archlich.
He was seeking souls with exceptional talents.
As Rubia had mentioned, if they brought that human to him, Archlich would offer tremendous rewards.
Kardak almost wanted to kidnap him immediately. However, he doubted his ability to capture him alive.
Even if he used the weakest poison he possessed, Damien would likely turn into pile of flesh and die.
¡°I should go see Rubia for now.¡±
Kardak¡¯s body melted back into the shadows and disappeared somewhere.
Shaken by the intense shock, Kardak failed to notice one crucial fact.
That Damien was still staring at the spot where he had been.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 169
Chapter 169
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 169: Reunion (2)
***
It was when the barrier was half-copsed.
Someone jumped over the barrier and came inside.
¡°Damien¡¡!¡±
It was Athena. She ran towards him, calling Damien¡¯s name urgently.
Despite having faced two high-ss opponents, Athena had not a single scratch on her, not even dirt on her clothes.
Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. Those high-ss opponents would have been nothing more than a nuisance to Athena.
Athena, who hade close, had an almost tearful expression on her face.
¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe¡¡ I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you¡¡ I couldn¡¯t get in because of the barrier.¡±
The ck barrier that Garrot had put up, as befitting a Grand Dark Mage, was incredibly powerful.
Even Damien had to focus his aura to the utmost when cutting through the barrier.
So there was no way for Athena to get inside the barrier.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all over now.¡±
Damien said, pointing to Munchi¡¯s corpse.
Munchi had abandoned his original body and created a new one out of darkness.
Thanks to this, Damien was able to use Munchi¡¯s former body as evidence of the subjugation.
Athena¡¯s eyes widened when she saw Munchi¡¯s corpse. Athena eximed in admiration.
¡°You¡¯re really amazing! As I thought you would be able to defeat it without any problems¡¡ Wait, what is that?¡±
Then, Athena asked, pointing to Garrot¡¯s corpse.
Garrot looked horrific, having fused with Bagder and then been chewed all over by Fenrir.
¡°A monster? No, something is strange¡¡ There¡¯s even a human face stuck on its forehead?¡±
¡°He¡¯s a dark mage who was targeting this undead. He was the one who put up the barrier.¡±
¡°¡¡A dark mage? This thing?¡±
¡°He fused with the chimera he created. That¡¯s why it looks like that.¡±
At those words, Athena looked at Damien with a shocked face.
¡°¡¡Wait, so you¡¯re saying you fought a dark mage who fused with a chimera and an undead at the same time?¡±
¡°No, they were fighting each other, so I attacked from behind.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t tell the whole truth.
Since a dark mage was involved, the Church would send investigators. Then the fact that Garrot was a Grand Dark Mage would be revealed.
It was simplymon sense that Damien, known as a high-ss knight, could not have defeated a Great Dark Mage on his own.
So he nned to make it look like Damien had finished off what Munchi and Garrot were fighting.
¡°So you¡¯re saying you killed both a dark mage who created a chimera of that level¡¡ and an undead that was on par with a high-ss¡¡ and survived?¡±
Athena¡¯s face turned red. She avoided Damien¡¯s gaze and said in a small voice.
¡°Y, you get a perfect score¡¡.¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again. What kind of score is that?¡±
¡°H, how can I say it with my mouth!¡±
Athena turned around with a short cry.
Damien looked at Athena with a face like he was looking at a strange person.
***
After that, the two of them sent letters to the Kingdom of Grape to inform them of the undead subjugation.
Not long after the letters were sent, the kingdom¡¯s officials arrived.
¡°It can¡¯t be this big¡¡.¡±
The officials¡¯ mouths dropped open when they saw Munchi¡¯s corpse.
Even more surprising than Munchi¡¯s corpse was Garrot¡¯s corpse.
Even to the eyes of a normal person who had never learned magic, the presence of Garrot¡¯s corpse was overwhelming.
¡°To think there was a dark mage who could create such a monstrous chimera¡¡.¡±
¡°He said he used a wide range of dark magic. He¡¯s not an ordinary dark mage.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a high chance that this dark mage was the one who spread the gue too.¡±
The officials muttered among themselves as they looked at Garrot¡¯s corpse.
Then the official who seemed to be the leader took Damien¡¯s hand and said.
¡°Thank you so much! Thanks to the two of you, we were able to eliminate this threat to the kingdom! I don¡¯t know how we can ever repay you for this¡¡.¡±
As he spoke, the official gestured. Several soldiers brought a small metal box.
¡°Here is the Flower of Fire as promised!¡±
Damien received the box that the official handed him. Damien opened the box slightly.
The moment he did, the surrounding temperature soared. It felt like he was standing under the hot summer sun.
The box contained a small amount of red petals. The petals were glowing bright red as if they were about to burst into mes.
As Damien closed the box again, the temperature returned to normal.
¡°This is indeed the Flower of Fire.¡±
¡°Of course. It is a promise with the Fafnir Mercenaries, and who would dare to break it?¡±
The official said with a cheerful smile. Damien also smiled back at the official.
Damien put the Flower of Fire into the subspace and stepped back. Then Athena stepped forward.
¡°Hello. My name is Athena Hopper.¡±
The officials¡¯ eyes widened at Athena¡¯s introduction.
¡°Hopper? Hopper is the surname of the Mercenary King, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Surely¡¡ you are of the pureblood?¡±
Athena nodded. The officials were greatly surprised and looked at each other.
¡°I didn¡¯t think the Mercenary King would send a member of the purebloods¡¡,¡±
¡°It seems they are taking thismission very seriously.¡±
¡°We must express our gratitude separately.¡±
Athena spoke to the muttering officials.
¡°Shall we start the additional settlement now?¡±
¡°Yes? Additional settlement?¡±
The officials looked at Athena with faces that said they had never heard of such a thing.
¡°Didn¡¯t you give us the Flower of Fire as agreed?¡±
¡°That was for when we subjugated the wolf undead.¡±
Athena said, pointing to Garrot¡¯s corpse.
¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything about there being a dark mage like this. As you can see, he¡¯s no ordinary dark mage. We almost lost our lives because of him.¡±
Athena continued.
¡°We would like to receive additionalpensation for taking care of an additional dangerous enemy that was not in the contract.¡±
At Athena¡¯s words, the officials looked at each other. There was a strong sense of determination that they could not back down now.
¡°We cannot ept that request. Everything is ording to the contract¡¡.¡±
¡°Oh, and by the way, you know how the kingdom¡¯s high-ss interfered with us?¡±
At those words, the officials¡¯ eyes shook violently. It seemed they had heard reports on their way here.
¡°T, that¡¯s¡¡ Sir Opheus and Sir Ballet went ahead on their own¡¡.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t just brush it off like that. We suffered a great loss because of those two. If you think about it, it¡¯s the kingdom¡¯s fault for not properly mediating between the two.¡±
The officials were rendered speechless by Athena¡¯s refutation.
¡°Shall we then have a nice long talk?¡±
Athena said with a grin. The officials could only nod their heads.
***
After that, Athena spoke with the officials for a long time.
¡®She¡¯s quite skilled at manipting officials.¡¯
Damien thought with admiration as he watched Athena from the side.
As befitting the daughter of the Mercenary King, Athena disyed a very seasoned demeanor in these negotiations.
¡°We¡¯ll send someone from the Fafnir Mercenariester to finalize the details of the payment,¡± Athena said after securing a positive response from the officials.
With that settled, Damien and Athena left the Grape Kingdom immediately. They knew that if the investigation team from the Church caught them, it would only dy their progress.
¡°Mercenary king should be in the Peach Kingdom by now.¡±
Damien said.
The Fafnir Mercenaries typically traveled the continent, taking on variousmissions.
While they were away, the Mercenary King had already departed for the Peach Kingdom to handle another assignment.
From Damien¡¯s perspective, since he had already secured the reward, returning to the Fafnir Mercenaries wasn¡¯t strictly necessary.
However, he couldn¡¯t simply abandon the connection he¡¯d just established with the Mercenary King.
Furthermore, he still needed to defeat Kardak and collect the additional payment he¡¯d been promised.
Therefore, Damien decided to apany Athena to the Peach Kingdom.
On the journey, Damien became preupied with a few thoughts.
¡®Now I have the Flower of Fire in my possession.¡¯
To reach the Master ss, Damien needed two things:
A foundation for cultivating his mana.
Enough mana to fill the void in his reserves
With the Combined Infinity Cycle cultivation technique, the Mithra Holy Water, and the Flower of Fire in hand, he had everything he needed.
¡®But I can¡¯t ingest it right away.¡¯
Both the Mithra Holy Water and the Flower of Fire contained immense amounts of mana.
While it was said that taking them together would neutralize their effects, it would still put a significant strain on his body.
Only with thorough preparation could he fully absorb the benefits of both elixirs.
¡®The dark mana I sensed at the end is also concerning.¡¯
Just after defeating Garrot, Damien felt a trace of dark mana vanish from the scene.
It was a type of dark magic he¡¯d encountered a few times in his past life. This made it easy for him to identify the source.
¡®I never thought Kardak would be there.¡¯
Kardak was once considered a promising candidate to lead the Venom sect, but he squandered his potential by falling deeply for Rubia.
Even in his previous life, Kardak had always been by Rubia¡¯s side.
¡®The gue Garrot unleashed must also be his creation.¡¯
Kardak¡¯s abilities were infamous during the War of Destruction.
The highly potent poison he¡¯d developed was so powerful that even Master ss struggled to withstand it.
¡®Of course, he¡¯s probably not at that level yet.¡¯
Kardak likely hadn¡¯t reached the peak of his abilities yet. However, that didn¡¯t make him any less of a threat.
¡®So there are two Great dark mages¡¡¯
Not only Kardak, but Rubia also posed a significant danger.
The fact that Damien recognized their names meant they had survived until the War of Destruction and wreaked havoc.
¡®It¡¯s no big deal.¡¯
Despite this, Damien remained confident.
Master ss knight was one thing, but a Grand Dark mage was another. Even if they were Grand Dark Mages, the oue wouldn¡¯t be any different.
In terms of his own dark magic abilities, Damien was overwhelmingly stronger. Additionally, he possessed seven authorities.
Even if he only used his first authority, the Authority of Greed, he could easily dismantle any magic.
However, the Authority of Greed couldn¡¯t neutralize poison. Even so, it wasn¡¯t a major concern.
¡®Poison is only truly deadly if you¡¯re unaware of it.¡¯
As long as he was prepared, any poison, including Kardak¡¯s, would be rendered ineffective.
¡®I might try using it if no one¡¯s around.¡¯
Damien thought, mentally strategizing for the future.
***
Damien and Athena Return to the Fafnir Mercenaries
After traveling for over a week, Damien and Athena finally reached the Fafnir Mercenaries¡¯ camp.
¡°We found it!¡±
Athena eximed with joy as she pointed to the camp spread out on the meadow.
¡°Why did Fathere all this way?¡±
She grumbled, but her face was still bright. It seemed to be because she would be able to see her father.
The two entered the camp.
However, something was strange.
Not only the mercenaries, but even the servants were all in a state of confusion.
Damien and Athena couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. Then Athena grabbed a passing mercenary and asked him,
¡°Excuse me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m so busy, who¡ Oh, Miss Athena?¡±
¡°Why is everyone acting like this? What¡¯s going on?¡±
At Athena¡¯s question, the mercenary replied with a grim face.
¡°The Mercenary King has copsed.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 170
Chapter 170
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 170: Split (1)
***
The Mercenary King¡¯s Copse
¡°Father¡ copsed?¡±
Athena¡¯s face drained of color at the mercenary¡¯s words.
¡°What do you mean? Why did Father copse?¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know either. I only know that the Mercenary King was found copsed about a week ago.¡±
Athena¡¯s body staggered. Damien supported her to prevent her from falling and asked the mercenary,
¡°Where is the Mercenary King?¡±
¡°He, he¡¯s in his quarters. The other purebloods are taking care of him¡¡±
Before the mercenary could finish speaking, Athena ran towards the Mercenary King¡¯s quarters. Damien followed her.
The tent where the Mercenary King was staying was much more splendid than the others, so they were able to find it quickly.
At the entrance of the tent, a woman sat with a bow in her hand. It was Cynthia, the Mercenary King¡¯s confidante.
¡°Cynthia!¡±
¡°You¡¯vee, mdy.¡±
Cynthia replied with a calm face. She opened the door of the tent and spoke to Athena.
¡°The Mercenary King is inside. Please go in.¡±
¡°Th, thank you.¡±
Athena entered the tent with Cynthia. Damien followed the two of them.
The Mercenary King was lying alone in a bed that was big enough for three or four people to sleep in at the same time.
The Mercenary King looked exactly the same as when Damien hadst seen him, like a young boy.
The only difference was that his eyes were closed and he didn¡¯t move at all.
¡°Father!¡±
Athena grabbed the Mercenary King¡¯s hand, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes even at his daughter¡¯s call. He looked like a dead man.
Tears soon welled up in Athena¡¯s eyes.
¡°W, what happened? Why did Father copse? He was so healthy that he couldn¡¯t be copsed like that!¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t figured out the cause yet.¡±
¡°But we have to do something!¡±
¡°We¡¯ve tried everything from potions to magical tools, but he just won¡¯t wake up.¡±
At Cynthia¡¯s exnation, Athena bit her lip without saying a word.
¡®The Mercenary King copsed at this time?¡¯
Damien looked at the Mercenary King and fell into thought.
What Damien knew about the Fafnir Mercenary Company was that the Mercenary King had fallen for the dark mage¡¯s trick and split the mercenary group.
¡®There¡¯s no guarantee that what I know is true. I didn¡¯t see it myself.¡¯
The information Damien knew was only what he had heard from others. The truth might bepletely different.
¡®There¡¯s no way someone like the Mercenary King could just copse.¡¯
The Mercenary King was a powerhouse that surpassed the Master ss. His body and soul had long since transcended humanity.
And yet, such a person had not only fainted but was also unable to regain consciousness? Someone must have intervened.
¡®The only person who could do something like this is¡ Rubia.¡¯
What was iprehensible was how she had managed to bring down the Mercenary King.
The Mercenary King was a Transcendent, and he also had the blood of a dragon flowing through his veins.
That¡¯s why the Mercenary King had a natural resistance to drugs and curses.
¡®No, the dragon¡¯s bloodline is a strength, but it¡¯s also a weakness.¡¯
There was no creature in the world that had been studied as much as the dragon.
This was because, from a researcher¡¯s point of view, there was no creature as fascinating as the dragon, with its immense power as the strongest on the continent and its numerous abilities.
Mages and dark mages alike had studied dragons, and as a result, many of their weaknesses had been uncovered.
Of course, knowing a weakness didn¡¯t mean that one could do anything about it.
¡®But the Mercenary King is not a dragon in the strict sense. Moreover, he has the fatal w of being attracted to women.¡¯
There was no way the Mercenary King would have left a beautiful woman like Rubia alone.
So there must have been plenty of opportunities for Rubia to manipte the Mercenary King.
¡®Hmm?¡¯
As Damien observed the Mercenary King, he realized one thing.
It was so faint that no one else would have noticed it if it hadn¡¯t been for Damien.
¡®Rubia, you¡¯ve yed a pretty interesting trick.¡¯
Damien smirked as he thought this.
It was then that Cynthia spoke to Athena.
¡°Mdy, I understand that you¡¯re going through a difficult time, but you need to pull yourself together.¡±
¡°An emergency meeting will be held soon. As a first-generation pureblood, you must attend.¡±
At Cynthia¡¯s words, Athena wiped her tears with the back of her hand and stood up.
Athena walked out of the tent first. Damien was about to follow her.
¡°Sir Damien.¡±
Cynthia stopped Damien and said,
¡°Please take care of the youngdy.¡±
***
Damien and Athena headed to the meeting ce that Cynthia had mentioned.
Inside arge tent that had been set up temporarily, chairs were arranged in a circle.
Many mercenaries were already sitting in the chairs, talking loudly. Their expressions were all very serious.
¡®This is amazing.¡¯
As soon as he entered the meeting room, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
Among those sitting down were arge number of Master sses.
¡®de Storm, Blue Lightning, Executioner¡ I never thought I¡¯d see them so soon.¡¯
Among them were some Masters that Damien had fought himself. They were all faces that he could acknowledge.
However, it wasn¡¯t just Masters that were present. There were also purebloods who were High ss.
In addition, there were middle-aged women present.
They didn¡¯t train their bodies or cultivate mana. To the outside eye, they seemed like ordinary people.
However, the purebloods treated these women with respect. Even the Masters did the same.
¡®They must be the leaders of the factions.¡¯
The Fafnir Mercenary Company was divided into several factions.
The core of each faction was the Mercenary King¡¯s women, in other words, the mothers of the purebloods.
¡°It seems that everyone who ising has arrived.¡±
One of the middle-aged women stood up and spoke. As she did so, the meeting room fell silent in an instant.
Damien recognized the woman¡¯s face immediately.
ire Fowler.
She was the Mercenary King¡¯s first woman and the leader of thergest faction. Rubia also belonged to that faction.
¡°It has been a week since the Mercenary King copsed. During that time, we have not been able to handle any requests. I felt that it was time to appoint a proxy, so I called this emergency meeting.¡±
The other mercenaries nodded at ire Fowler¡¯s words.
The Fafnir Mercenary Company was the best mercenary group on the continent. Requests came from all over the continent.
Someone needed to take over the operation of the mercenary group in the Mercenary King¡¯s ce.
¡°So who do you n to choose as the proxy?¡±
A woman sitting on the opposite side of ire Fowler asked.
She looked a little older than ire Fowler, but she was still old.
¡°Surely you don¡¯t n to choose someone from your side, ire?¡±
Susan asked in a sharp tone. ire smiled and said,
¡°Of course not. I n to gather everyone¡¯s opinions and entrust it to the most suitable person. So please all speak up and nominate a candidate.¡±
Susan looked at ire with a very suspicious expression and said,
¡°You¡¯re not going to rig the vote, are you?¡±
¡°Then I will be the first to make a rmendation. I think my son, Lennox, is the right person.¡±
As soon as Susan spoke, another woman from a different faction opened her mouth.
¡°Lennox? That guy failed a requestst time and caused a lot of damage to the mercenary group, didn¡¯t he?¡±
Susan¡¯s face flushed red at the woman¡¯s words.
¡°T-that wasn¡¯t Lennox¡¯s fault! It was the Empire¡¯s fault for interfering!¡±
¡°Joey is much more suitable to be the proxy than Lennox. Joey is recognized by the Mercenary King for his skills and he is also running his own mercenary group!¡±
¡°Joey? He¡¯s not good enough! How can he be the proxy with his skills?¡±
The words and actions of each faction became increasingly rough. The atmosphere was so heated that it was starting to look dangerous.
¡°How can we trust Lenic¡¯s judgment! He¡¯s definitely going to tarnish the reputation of the Fafnir Mercenary Company!¡±
¡°Ha! What about Thomas? You don¡¯t seriously think that idiot can be the proxy, do you?¡±
The word ¡°family¡± did not apply in this ce.
It was filled with hyenas who were after the attractive position of the Mercenary King¡¯s proxy.
¡°These idiots¡ Father is copsed, and what are they doing¡ .¡±
Athena sighed and muttered. Damien agreed with Athena¡¯s words.
¡®I wondered why the Fafnir Mercenary Company were divided¡ .¡¯
It was all because of power.
The power struggle between the factions was more intense than Damien had thought.
Until now, they had been suppressed by the overwhelming presence of the Mercenary King.
In the absence of the Mercenary King, the conflict had finally exploded.
¡®If this conflict continues to escte, there will be an internal war.¡¯
It was unclear how this came to be med on the Mercenary King.
There was only one thing that was certain.
¡®We can¡¯t let the mercenary group split up like this.¡¯
The Fafnir Mercenary Company was the third most powerful force after the Empire and the Church.
However, in the process of fighting each other in the internal war, its size was greatly reduced.
If the Fafnir Mercenary Company had maintained their full strength, humanity would not have been defeated so easily by Dorugo in the War of Destruction.
¡®To stop this, we need to wake up the Mercenary King first.¡¯
While Damien was lost in thought,
¡°But it seems like there¡¯s someone here who doesn¡¯t belong.¡±
ire Fowler raised her voice again. Her gaze was directed at Athena.
¡°Athena, why are you sitting here?¡±
When Athena opened her mouth to protest ire Fowler¡¯s question,
¡°That¡¯s right. Did that child have the qualifications to do so?¡±
Susan agreed with ire¡¯s opinion. She was not the only one.
¡°She hasn¡¯t reached the position or the level yet. It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s qualified.¡±
The women from the other factions also agreed with the two of them. It was as if their previous fight had been a lie.
¡°Athena, will you leave now?¡±
ire spoke in a soft voice and pointed to the door.
It was practically an eviction order.
***
In the end, Athena had no choice but to leave the meeting room without saying a word.
¡°Stupid idiots.¡±
Athena muttered angrily. She looked back at Damien and said,
¡°What¡¯s the big deal about me being alone¡¡? Is this how they¡¯re going to act¡¡?¡±
Since Athena was favored by the Mercenary King, she did not belong to any faction.
The other factions must have been unhappy with Athena monopolizing the Mercenary King¡¯s favor.
So much so that they were ready to pounce on Athena as soon as the Mercenary King¡¯s shield disappeared.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡ I wanted to send someone to the Kingdom of Grape as soon as possible to get thepensation¡¡ but it looks like it will take some time.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±
With the Mercenary King copsed, it was unclear when they would be able to send someone. It was clear that they would have to wait indefinitely.
¡°R, right¡¡ I¡¯ll try to find a way soon¡¡¡±
Athena spoke with a dispirited expression, as if she had misunderstood Damien¡¯s words.
¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I¡¯m saying that we need to wake your father up quickly, because we don¡¯t have time to wait.¡±
¡°Huh? Wake him up? Y, you mean there¡¯s a way?¡±
Damien nodded at Athena¡¯s question.
¡°T, then you should have said so earlier! L, let¡¯s go quickly!¡±
Damien stopped Athena as she tried to run off.
¡°That¡¯s not the way.¡±
¡°What do you mean? Father¡¯s tent is over there.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a fake.¡±
Athena made a face like she was talking nonsense. Damien spoke to her in a firm tone.
¡°The real one is somewhere else.¡±
***
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Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Chapter 171: Split (2)
***
¡°What¡¯s going on right now?¡±
Athena eximed with a bewildered expression.
¡°Fake¡ father?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not your father. It¡¯s just a meticulously crafted doll.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! This is the Fafnir Mercenary Company! Who could have done such a thing?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
In truth, Damien already knew who the culprit was.
Within this mercenarypany, there was only one entity capable of creating such sophisticated fake bodies.
It was Rubia, a disciple of the Giant Evil .
¡°As for who created the fake Mercenary King, who orchestrated the switch, I don¡¯t know the details. But what I¡¯m sure of is that it¡¯s fake.¡±
However, Damien didn¡¯t tell Athena everything.
He didn¡¯t want to risk raising suspicion by providing too much detail.
As an outsider, Damien being so knowledgeable about the internal affairs of the mercenarypany was already suspicious enough.
¡°Even if what you say is true¡ no one would have failed to notice. This is the Fafnir Mercenary Company!¡±
Athena found it hard to believe Damien¡¯s words.
It was natural. There were Master ss members abound here.
The Master ss had highly developed senses, capable of detecting not just the physical, but also the smallest amount of differences in mana.
Deceiving them was deemed impossible.
However, Rubia was not only a dark mage but also a disciple of .
Undoubtedly, possessed the most expertise in human physiology within Pandemonium.
For Rubia, ¡¯s disciple, crafting a doll that could deceive even the Master ss senses was child¡¯s y.
¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s so meticulously crafted. If I hadn¡¯t been gone to the Church myself, I might not have realized.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen a simr doll before when I visited the headquarters of the Church. It was an item retrieved after killing a dark mage. That¡¯s how I could recognize it.¡±
¡°Dark mage¡?¡±
At the mention of a dark mage, Athena seemed somewhat convinced.
A dark mage was indeed someone with the abilities to deceive the Master ss.
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll prove it to you right now.¡±
The reason Damien insisted on revealing this fact to Athena was to prevent the division of the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
They needed to find the real Mercenary King as soon as possible.
But it had been a week since the Mercenary King fell. It had been a week since Rubia had swapped him out.
No matter how capable Damien was, tracking traces from a week ago was impossible.
So, he decided to expose the fact that the Mercenary King was fake and mobilize the entire Fafnir Mercenary Company to find the real one.
And in this process, he needed Athena¡¯s help, which is why he disclosed the truth about the fake.
¡°Can you really prove it?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s go quickly.¡±
Just as the two were about to head to the location of the fake Mercenary King, the tent where a meeting was being held opened, and two figures walked out.
The one standing at the forefront was ire Fowler. And beside her stood a broad-shouldered man.
Beheader Ulric Hopper.
During the War of Annihtion, he had swept through the battlefield alongside the Mercenary King.
He was a figure of such remarkable skill that Damien remembered him distinctly.
¡°There it is, right in front of us. Thanks for making our job easier.¡±
ire Fowler addressed Athena. Athena, wary, asked.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
ire didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she just looked at Beheader Ulric Hopper.
¡°Ulric. I¡¯m asking you.¡±
¡°Mother, do you really have to do this?¡±
Ulric asked with an ufortable expression. ire bristled with anger at his words.
¡°Ulric! Are you sympathizing with the one who might be the reason your father fell?¡±
At ire¡¯s words, Athena shouted in surprise.
¡°What are you talking about? Why would I do something like that to my father?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. Among us, the one who has spent the most time with the Mercenary King is you alone. If it¡¯s not you, then who else could have done something to the Mercenary King like that?¡±
Athena looked incredulous at ire¡¯s words.
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Why would I do such a thing to my father?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll find out from now on. Ulric, what are you waiting for? Quickly apprehend these two.¡±
The Beheader sighed briefly and gestured. Then the mercenaries surrounding them closed in on the two.
¡°I will arrest these two as prime suspects.¡±
With a bitter expression, the Beheader addressed the bewildered pair.
¡°If you resist, I¡¯ll use force.¡±
***
The two people captured by the mercenaries were taken to different ces.
Damien arrived at a mobile prison located on the outskirts of the mercenary camp.
It was covered with iron tes on all four sides and had wheels underneath.
When he went inside, he saw an iron cage in the center.
¡°Stay in there quietly!¡±
The mercenaries pushed Damien into the cage and locked it after him, then left the prison.
Damien¡¯s hands were cuffed withrge handcuffs. They were magical tools that interfered with the flow of mana.
Damien hit the bars of the cage with his handcuffs. It seemed very sturdy.
¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±
He hadn¡¯t expected to be caught like this when he was looking for the Mercenary King.
¡°I¡¯ll have to take my chance and escape.¡±
The reason Damien was captured so easily was because of the Beheader.
Even for Damien, it was impossible to fight against a Master ss.
However, it was easy for him to take his chance and escape. Neither the handcuffs nor the bars were a big problem for Damien.
¡°The problem is how to find the Mercenary King¡¡±
With things going this way, it was difficult to expect the cooperation of the Mercenarypany.
The only way left was for Damien to escape from the Mercenarypany and find him himself.
Just as Damien was lost in thought, the door of the prison opened and a woman entered.
A woman with incredibly beautiful eyes.
It was Rubia.
¡°Thank you for opening the door.¡±
¡°N-no problem.¡±
The mercenary blushed at Rubia¡¯s words and closed the prison door.
Only after confirming that the door was closed did Rubia approach Damien.
¡°It seems like this is the second time we¡¯ve met face to face.¡±
Rubia said with a smile.
Even in this dirty prison, Rubia¡¯s appearance shone brightly.
¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡±
Damien was not interested in Rubia¡¯s appearance at all.
He knew her true identity and the fact that her appearance was artificial.
¡°You¡¯re still as cold as ever.¡±
Rubia said with a disappointed look. Then, suddenly, the entire prison was filled with a sweet scent.
It was the pheromone, the special ability of the Subus .
Anyone who smelled this scent, regardless of gender, would bepletely captivated by Rubia.
¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t work on you.¡±
Of course, it didn¡¯t work on Damien. He even covered his nose with the back of his hand, as if it was unpleasant.
Rubia looked at Damien with a curious expression at that gesture.
¡°That¡¯s strange. Other men lose their minds when they see me. You don¡¯t show any sign of that at all.¡±
¡°You seem to be overconfident. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that attractive.¡±
Rubia burst outughing at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°You¡¯re the one who had me locked up.¡±
Rubia nodded nonchntly at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on.¡±
¡°You came looking for me as soon as I was locked up. Anyone who doesn¡¯t notice that is an idiot.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. But you still don¡¯t know why I locked you up, do you?¡±
Rubia said, ncing at Damien.
¡°I¡¯m a dark mage.¡±
Damien had a look of disbelief on his face. He had never expected her to reveal it first.
¡°There is someone who is looking for a talented person like you. I n to offer you to him.¡±
¡°Who is he?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. Just know that he is a very great person.¡±
Rubia¡¯s face became slightly hazy.
Damien thought for a moment. He felt like he knew who Rubia was talking about.
¡°So originally, I asked Garrot to capture you alive¡ but he failed miserably and died instead. So I had no choice but to step in myself.¡±
¡°You¡¯re going to kidnap me in this ce full of Master sses? That¡¯s impossible.¡±
¡°There¡¯s always a way.¡±
Rubia took out a small bead and threw it on the ground.
The bead immediately began to expand and soon began to flow.
It looked like a mass of flesh that had been haphazardly put together. It made him feel sick just looking at it.
¡°Look carefully.¡±
As Rubia waved her hand in the air, the flesh turned into the exact same shape as Damien.
¡°Isn¡¯t it perfect? If I just fix the body odor and magic scent, everyone will be fooled. I n to use this to make it look like you¡¯re dead.¡±
As Damien had expected, Rubia was the one who created the fake Mercenary King.
¡°You¡¯re taking it well, aren¡¯t you? Or have you given up?¡±
Rubia said with a smile when Damien didn¡¯t say anything.
From his point of view, he should be grateful that Rubia would let him out without having to go through the trouble of escaping.
Then, suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
It was a good way to find the location of the Mercenary King without Damien having to struggle.
¡°Kidnapping me will only backfire.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re suddenly talking a lot. It looks like you¡¯re suddenly scared because you¡¯re going to be captured by a dark mage.¡±
¡°Dorgo won¡¯t be happy to see me.¡±
Rubia¡¯s eyes doubled in size as soon as Damien mentioned the name.
¡°Y-you! H, how do you know h..h-his name?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±
Damien said, assuming an arrogant pose.
¡°I¡¯m Dorugo¡¯s direct attendant.¡±
***
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Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Chapter 172: Untitled
***
Rubia¡¯s pupils began to tremble slightly as she gazed at Damien.
¡°W-who would believe such lies?¡±
Finally, Rubia spoke up vehemently denying Damien¡¯s words.
¡°I-I know who all his followers are! B-but I¡¯ve never seen them!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m only tasked with secret missions. So only Dorugo knows of my existence.¡±
¡°T-that¡¯s absurd! I¡¯ve never heard of any secret missions!¡±
¡°Of course, they¡¯re ¡®secret¡¯ missions. They shouldn¡¯t be known by just anyone.¡±
Rubia was speechless in the face of Damien¡¯s counterargument.
¡°Dorugo has countless ns in preparation. What you know is just the tip of the iceberg.¡±
Damien¡¯s words were undeniably true.
Dorugo¡¯s aim was to overthrow all kingdoms and ultimately exterminate humanity.
Even though he utilized dark mages, they too were merely tools to be disposed of in the end.
Thus, Dorugo had separate ns to eliminate all dark mages as soon as the war ended.
¡°Originally, I shouldn¡¯t be exposed to anyone. It¡¯s because of your foolish actions that I have to reveal my identity.¡±
¡°I-if you¡¯re his direct follower¡ why are you killing dark mages?¡±
Rubia still couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Yn disappeared because of you, and this time, you killed Garrot!¡±
¡°How would I know Dorugo¡¯s true intentions? I merely received orders and carried them out.¡±
Damien cut in sharply.
¡°Perhaps he interfered with Dorugo¡¯s ns, doing things against his will, or stole dark magic ingredients that he shouldn¡¯t know about. It¡¯s just my spection.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make excuses like that! Are you still trying to deceive me?¡±
¡°Excuses?¡±
Damien¡¯s pupils shifted subtly.
¡°Then, do you im to know all of Dorugo¡¯s secrets?¡±
¡°T-that¡¯s not it but¡¡±
¡°Even your master, , wouldn¡¯t know all of Dorugo¡¯s secrets, yet as her disciple, I didn¡¯t expect you to speak so disrespectfully.¡±
As ¡¯s name was mentioned, Rubia¡¯s pupils dted even further.
¡°H-how would my master¡¡±
¡°I just said it, didn¡¯t I?¡±
Damien raised his chin slightly, speaking with a very arrogant attitude.
¡°I am Dorugo¡¯s ¡®direct¡¯ ¡®secret¡¯ agent. Even if you don¡¯t know me, I know you.¡±
Unconsciously, Rubia took a step back. Then, tripped over her own feet and fell.
¡°W-wait! I-I¡¯ll ask him through my master ande back with an answer!¡±
¡°Asking ? A mere disciple like you daring to question about Dorugo¡¯s ns? Seems you don¡¯t value your life much.¡±
Damien said with a smirk.
¡°T-then you do it! Show me contacting him in front of me, and I¡¯ll b-believe you!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Or maybe you haven¡¯t received the information yet?¡±
Feigning bewilderment, Damien continued.
¡°Dorugo changed the method ofmunication long ago to unteral orders. We can no longer contact him.¡±
¡°¡.Even you?¡±
Rubia¡¯s words disappointed Damien internally.
Since his return, Damien had been tirelessly searching for ways tomunicate with Dorugo.
If he could send out a transmission to Dorugo, it would be possible to trace his location.
So, whenever dark mages died, he tried to absorb their memories to find a way.
But there was no harvest. It was because Dorugo had given the order long ago.
Dispose of allmunication means if there is a mission.
He had thought that the cunning might have another way, but it was a futile hope.
¡°Do you now believe me?¡±
¡°¡.Y-yes, I have no choice.¡±
¡°How long will you keep nodding like that?¡±
With an arrogant expression, Damien said. Rubia immediately knelt on the ground.
¡°I greet the faithful servant of the Great One.¡±
***
After that, Rubia broke Damien out of prison.
The soldiers guarding the prison were briefly knocked out by Rubia¡¯s dark magic. Then, she ced a fake Damien¡¯s corpse in the prison and took the real Damien out.
¡°I¡¯ve disguised it as a death from a heart attack, so no one will suspect anything.¡±
Rubia whispered as they left the prison.
She even deceived the Master ss with fake the Mercenary King¡¯s corpse, faking Damien¡¯s death would be nothing.
Rubia took Damien to her own tent.
Originally, this was a ce where the Mercenary King¡¯s women gathered, so Damien, a man, was not allowed to enter.
Rubia simply solved this problem by charming the female mercenaries guarding the ce with pheromones.
¡°Please have a seat.¡±
After sitting Damien down, Rubia moved busily, bringing out food and boiling water for tea.
Damien sat in the chair and looked around Rubia¡¯s tent. It was filled with luxurious-looking artwork.
¡°You have a lot of expensive-looking things here?¡±
¡°They were all gifts from the Mercenary King.¡±
Rubia said, putting tea leaves in the teapot.
¡°I¡¯m not really interested, but¡ what can I do? I have to pretend to like them if I want to win his favor.¡±
¡°Who nned the Mercenary King¡¯s kidnapping?¡±
¡°My master nned it. She wanted to study the blood of the dragon.¡±
¡°The blood of the dragon?¡±
¡°You know what school my master is from, don¡¯t you? I think she was nning to absorb the power of the dragon. She also gave the order to destroy the Fafnir Mercenary Company on the side.¡±
This was the fearsome thing about the Grand Dark Mages.
They might not be able to match the Master ss in terms of strength, but his true value was revealed when they worked in the shadows.
¡°It was really hard, you know. I chased him for over a year to win his favor. And only then was I able to catch his eye.¡±
Rubia grumbled as she ced a cup of tea in front of Damien.
¡°I thought once I got into the mercenary corps, everything would be fine. I¡¯m not bragging, but¡ I¡¯m quite confident in my ability to handle men.¡±
Rubia¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly. She have a very charming figure.
¡°But things didn¡¯t go at all like I thought they would. Everyone was afraid of the Mercenary King, so my seduction didn¡¯t work at all.¡±
¡°You must have had a hard time.¡±
Don¡¯t say that, Rubia waved her hand and said.
¡°But it¡¯s fortunate that the Mercenary King¡¯s kidnapping went smoothly. It¡¯s refreshing to see them fighting each other now that the Mercenary King is gone.¡±
¡°Where did you take the Mercenary King? It wouldn¡¯t have been easy to get him out of the Mercenary Company.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re curious about that?¡±
Suddenly, Rubia closed the distance. She leaned her body against Damien¡¯s shoulder and said.
¡°This is going to be a long story¡ you might get tired if you sit down to listen.¡±
So saying, Rubia slyly pointed to the bed.
¡°Actually, I prefer manly men like you, not lustful men like the Mercenary King.¡±
Damien did not avoid Rubia¡¯s advances. Instead, he observed her eyes.
Unlike her voice, which was full of lust, her eyes were as calm as a still water.
¡®She¡¯s after something.¡¯
Every word and action of Rubia¡¯s was a lie.
There was no doubt that she had another motive.
¡°If you want something, say it out loud. Stop with this nonsense.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Rubia looked at him with a strange expression.
¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this, but¡ are you perhaps really close to Him?¡ I¡¯ll just get to the point. I want my name to be known to him.¡±
¡°Is that all?¡±
¡°That¡¯s all? Do you know how difficult that is? The only dark mages he knows are either giant evils or geniuses among geniuses.¡±
Dorugo had the ability to discern people¡¯s talents.
Dorugo¡¯s standards were extremely high and strict. Even if a Grand Dark Mage did not meet his standards, he would not pay attention to them.
¡°If you just promise me, I¡¯ll tell you where the Mercenary King is.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a particrly difficult request.
Damien was about to say so. Just then, a shadow suddenly rose from the floor of the tent.
¡°Rubia, I¡¯m back. No one has noticed that the Mercenary King is a fake yet¡¡.¡±
Kardak¡¯s eyes caught sight of Damien and Rubia, who was clinging to him.
Kardak¡¯s face turned red and blue in an instant. Kardak finally couldn¡¯t hold back and exploded in anger.
¡°¡Rubia, what is this!¡±
***
Just like Damien, Athena was also imprisoned.
She was imprisoned in a prison that held criminals who hadmitted terrible crimes.
The floor was covered with rotten hay. The walls were covered with bloodstains.
Even though she was a suspect in the case, it was not a ce where Athena, a first-generation pureblood, should be imprisoned.
¡°Is Damien okay?¡±
Athena was more worried about Damien than the state of the prison.
She was a pureblood, so they wouldn¡¯t treat her too harshly, but Damien was an outsider.
¡°What the hell was that story about my father being a fake¡?¡±
While Athena was lost in thought, the door to the prison opened and someone entered. Athena clenched her teeth when she saw the visitor¡¯s face.
¡°This is convenient.¡±
Those were the first words that the visitor, ire Fowler, uttered.
¡°What is this?¡±
Athena said in a voice full of anger. ire Fowlerughed at her and said.
¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? You are a strong suspect in this case. You will have to be investigated here for a while.¡±
¡°Stop talking nonsense and tell me the real reason. Why did you lock me up?¡±
¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±
Athena frowned at ire Fowler¡¯s question.
¡°What did you just say¡?¡±
¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who acted like you were above everyone else because you were favored by the Mercenary King? You should have been more careful and made friends with me beforehand.¡±
Athena said with an incredulous expression on her face.
¡°Is that all you¡¯re doing this for?¡±
¡°¡¡Just?¡±
In an instant, ire¡¯s voice rose.
Athena couldn¡¯t help but flinch at the strange pressure.
¡°Do you know how hard we all work to be favored by the Mercenary King? Especially women like me who are getting old. We have no way to get the Mercenary King¡¯s attention unless we have children.¡±
The number of women that the Mercenary King had been with was countless.
Considering that ire Fowler, his first lover, was approaching old age, it was not difficult to imagine how many there were.
¡°But then you born¡ You, who have inherited the blood of the Mercenary King the most¡ You, who have turned the purebloods into fools¡!¡±
The attention of the Mercenary King was focused on Athena. The more the Mercenary King protected Athena, the less attention he could pay to the other women and their children.
¡°I gave the order to imprison you, but¡ all the women agreed with that decision. Do you understand now? What do they all think of you?¡±
Athena was silent for a moment before opening her mouth.
¡°¡¡When my father wakes up, he won¡¯t sit still.¡±
¡°Of course. With the Mercenary King¡¯s personality, he won¡¯t let this go. But that¡¯s only when he wakes up, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Athena frowned at those words and asked back.
¡°What are you talking about now!¡±
Athena shouted. But ire just stared at her without saying a word.
¡°Tell me! What the hell do you know? Why won¡¯t my father wake up¡!¡±
¡°It¡¯s a bitte, but¡ you really look just like your mother, except for your hair color.¡±
Athena was speechless at the sudden words.
¡°What are you talking about¡?¡±
¡°The regret of my life is that I didn¡¯t kill your mother myself¡ I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here, though.¡±
ire stared at Athena with dark eyes.
Athena found herself swallowing dry saliva. ire¡¯s eyes were that creepy.
¡°Then get some rest.¡±
With that, ire walked out of the prison.
***
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Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Chapter 173: Untitled
***
¡°Why are you getting angry again?¡±
¡°You brought another man here! I¡¯ve lost count of how many times this has happened! I begged you not to do this again¡ and what if you keep bringing in these mercenaries? There¡¯s a limit to how much cleanup I can do! If our identities are exposed to the other masters¡¡±
¡°You idiot. This man is not a mercenary. Look carefully.¡±
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°As I said, I was nning on abducting Damien.¡±
¡°But I told you to melt his limbs with that potion and toss him into the somewhere.¡±
¡°That was the original n, but circumstances have changed.¡±
¡°Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Damien Haksen. While the world knows me as a son of the Count Haksen, my true identity is different.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±
¡°I am a secret agent serving under Dorugo.¡±
Kardak looked back at Rubia. It was as if he was asking what the hell this was all about.
¡°What he says is true.¡±
Kardak could not help but be confused when Rubia defended Damien.
¡°Rubia, you can¡¯t seriously believe that nonsense, can you?¡±
¡°Sir Damien already knew your name. Not only that, but he also knows things that only a dark mage would know.¡±
¡°What¡?¡±
Kardak¡¯s eyes shook violently at Rubia¡¯s words.
¡°If this man is his agent¡ then why the hell did he kill Garrot?!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. Even he doesn¡¯t know the exact reason.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me now¡!¡±
¡°How can we possibly fathom His will?¡±
Rubia¡¯s eyes became hazy.
¡°You know, don¡¯t you? How great He is.¡±
At first nce, Rubia¡¯s expression was simr to that of a woman in love.
However, Damien saw it differently.
¡®He looks just like a fanatic.¡¯
All dark mages who knew of Dorugo¡¯s existence regarded him as a god.
Dorugo is the figure whoid the foundation for all dark magic and the first lich to be born.
Moreover, all dark mages in the present time have been taught by Dorugo, directly or indirectly, so it is inevitable that they would regard him as a god.
Of course, that was only if Damien saw it that way.
¡°Do you believe me now?¡±
Damien asked Kardak. Kardak nodded slowly. However, his eyes were still full of doubt.
¡°Then let¡¯s get back to the topic at hand. I¡¯d like to know where the Mercenary King is now.¡±
¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±
Kardak asked in a sharp tone. Rubia then snapped at Kardak.
¡°Kardak, I know you¡¯re suspicious, and I think that¡¯s a good thing¡ but Sir Damien is someone who receives orders directly from Him. Don¡¯t be rude anymore.¡±
¡°Rubia, I just¡¡±
¡°Kardak¡±
Rubia¡¯s voice softened.
¡°You¡¯re not going to argue with me now, are you?¡±
¡°No, of course not. I never intended to.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, then.¡±
Rubia gently patted Kardak¡¯s shoulder.
In that moment, a smile crept onto Kardak¡¯s lips. Despite being ignored just moments ago, he was genuinely pleased with the slight attention.
¡°The Mercenary King has been entrusted to someone I trust. He should have arrived near the border by now. He has agreed to meet with my master¡¯s envoy in the neighboring country.¡±
¡°He hasn¡¯t gone very far.¡±
¡°There are some reasons for that. It wasn¡¯t easy to put the Mercenary King to sleep.¡±
At those words, Damien could guess how Rubia had subdued the Mercenary King.
¡®She must have stimted his sleep desire.¡¯
One of the weaknesses of dragons was their strong desire to sleep.
Dragons were creatures that lived for thousands of years. The way they chose to spend that long time was through sleep.
¡°But why are you so curious about the Mercenary King?¡±
¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t tell you that. Actually, Dorugo is very interested in the Mercenary King. That¡¯s why he sent me here.¡±
¡°Oh¡ I didn¡¯t know that even he would be coveting the Mercenary King.¡±
Damien spoke to the curious Rubia.
¡°My mission was to obtain a part of the Mercenary King¡¯s body. Something like hair or nails. But now that you have already secured the Mercenary King, that changes things. Hand over the Mercenary King to me.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Rubia fell into thought for a moment.
¡°I have a task from my master, but¡ His will is more important. I will do as you say. Instead, I have a condition.¡±
¡°You want me to tell Dorugo your name, right?¡±
¡°Oh, you remember. That¡¯s right. That¡¯s all it takes. Of course¡ you have to add a little spice to it.¡±
Rubia continued in a slightly excited voice.
¡°So that He will be interested in me.¡±
¡°I will do as you say.¡±
¡°Good. Then the deal is done. I can¡¯t leave my post. I still have work to do with the Papnir Mercenary Corps. Instead, I¡¯ll send Kardak with you.¡±
At those words, Kardak looked up in surprise.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Kardak, you take Sir Damien to the Mercenary King.¡±
¡°W-why should I do that?!¡±
Kardak protested loudly. Rubia bowed her head slightly and spoke pleadingly.
¡°¡Can¡¯t you do it?¡±
¡°Of course I can! Just trust me! I¡¯ll take this man¡ no, Sir Damien to the Mercenary King ande back!¡±
Kardak shouted with a bright smile.
Damien looked at Kardak and tsked.
Damien looked at Kardak and shook his head with a clucking sound.
***
¡°This way.¡±
Kardak, who hade out earlier, brought the horses he had hidden in the forest. The two men got on their horses and started to ride.
They didn¡¯t rest on the way because the journey was long. It wasn¡¯t until after sunset that they stopped their horses.
Kardak gathered firewood and built a fire. The two men sat down together by the campfire.
Silence stretched between them despite the deepening night. Neither Damien nor Kardak had any interest in the other.
¡®I wonder how Athena is doing.¡¯
Damien worried about Athena silently.
Just like in the conference hall, Athena currently had no allies within the mercenary corps.
No, worse than having no allies, it was filled with people who harbored hatred for her.
¡®In her previous life, Athena broke things off with the Mercenary King and wandered the outside world.¡¯
But reality seemed to be different from what Damien knew.
¡®It seems the rumors are heavily distorted.¡¯
Regardless of the truth, Damien¡¯s mission remained unchanged.
It was to free the Mercenary King and prevent the Fafnir Mercenary Company from sumbing to internal strife.
¡°Drink this.¡±
Kardak suddenly offered Damien a steaming soup from an iron pot he¡¯d been using moments before.
¡°Thank you.¡±
Damien replied, epting it.
¡°Rubia asked me to bring it.¡±
Kardak said, his tone implying an alternate reality.
¡°What happened with Rubia today?¡±
Damien asked while sipping the soup.
Kardak¡¯s voice was dry as he replied.
¡°Nothing happened.¡±
¡°Really? As you know, the person she¡¯s interested in is not me. It¡¯s Dorugo.¡±
¡°¡¡That¡¯s true.¡±
The conversation died down for a moment. Kardak tossed a few more logs onto the fire before speaking again.
¡°But it¡¯s strange. Why do you call him by his name?¡±
¡°Why? Is it offensive?¡±
¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ve never seen anyone address the great one so casually.¡±
Kardak said in a sharp tone. Damien shrugged.
¡°The person in question doesn¡¯t seem to mind.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t try to measure everything by yourmon sense.¡±
¡°¡Are you truly going to tell Dorugo about Rubia?¡±
Kardak asked, unable to argue further. He changed the subject.
¡°A promise is a promise.¡±
Kardak stared into the bubbling soup pot before speaking.
¡°¡On the journey here, I kept thinking. If things stay this way, Rubia¡¯s attention will surely be stolen by someone else.¡±
¡°That¡¯s inevitable¡¡±
Cough.
Damien coughed without realizing it. Blood came out of his mouth.
¡°What¡¡happened¡¡¡±
Damien coughed repeatedly. Blood dripped to the ground.
¡°You should have known that you shouldn¡¯t eat food carelessly if you knew I was from the Venom Sect.¡±
Kardak said with a calm face. Damien¡¯s body fell to the ground.
¡°You¡ you bastard¡¡± Damien rasped weakly.
Kardak¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Rubia belongs only to me. I can¡¯t give her to anyone.¡±
A momentter, Damien¡¯s head lolled to the side, lifeless.
Kardak did not pay attention to Damien¡¯s body. He just stared at the soup he had boiled.
¡°I need to think of an excuse to tell Rubia on the way back.¡±
¡°Surprise suprise motherfucker.¡±
Kardak could not help but be startled by the voice that came out of nowhere.
Damien, who he thought was dead, was getting up without any trouble.
¡°You¡ how¡!¡±
¡°As you said, it¡¯s only a fool who would eat food given by the Venom sect.¡±
Damien spat out ck saliva. It was the poison that had been contained in the food that he had drawn out and spat out.
¡°¡That¡¯s nonsense.¡±
Kardak looked at him with an incredulous face.
Once you reach the high ss level, you can use mana to expel poison that has entered your body.
However, that was only referring to ordinary poisons.
The poison created by a grand dark mage like Kardak could not be expelled so easily.
¡°¡You idiot.¡±
Kardak quickly regained hisposure. The poison he had put in the food was not very potent by his standards.
If he revealed his true strength, he could turn even someone like Damien into pool of blood in an instant.
¡°I thought I would kill you painlessly, but you¡¯re resisting.¡±
Kardak spread his hands. Green energy began to gather in his palms.
¡°Do you know why I pretended to be poisoned?¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden¡¡±
¡°To put you at ease.¡±
Kardak frowned at the sudden words.
¡°Be careful.¡±
No sooner had Damien¡¯s words ended than a sword pierced through Kardak¡¯s abdomen and came out from the other side.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 174
Chapter 174
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 174: Untitled
***
Kardak looked at the de protruding from his abdomen in disbelief.
¡°When¡when did you¡ce the assassin¡?¡±
Kardak thought that Damien had hired an assassin. And a very high-level assassin at that.
As a Grand Dark Mage, there were few people who could ambush him and stab him in the stomach.
However, when he looked back, he realized that he had been wrong.
All he could see was the hilt of the sword. There was no one holding it.
¡°H, how is this possible¡¡±
Did someone throw the sword from a distance? He had heard that there were Master ss individuals with that ability.
Kardak was trying to understand the situation by searching through his knowledge when the sword that pierced his abdomen suddenly became heavier and the de pointed down.
¡°Kugh, kugh-aaark!¡±
He knelt down in excruciating pain as his flesh was torn. Only then did Kardak realize.
The sword was not thrown.
The sword was moving on its own.
¡°D, Damien! What kind of¡trick are you using?!¡±
He had heard rumors of a figure among the Master ss who could fight by freely flying their weapons.
However, that was thanks to the realm they had reached by ascending to the Master ss.
It was not a technique that a High ss like Damien could imitate.
¡°It¡¯s useful after all.¡±
Damien said with a satisfied expression.
A while ago, Damien had fought Gasdal in the Almond Country.
There, he had been able to get his hands on a very precious relic sword.
A masterpiece created by an ancient craftsman to protect the prince.
A relic sword with the ability to fly and attack enemies.
Damien named the relic sword Ethereon.
Since then, Damien had taken out Ethereon whenever he had time to test its performance.
How fast was its flying speed? What was its cutting power? How many functions did it have?
Ethereon had not only the ability to fly, but also stealth functions such as invisibility and silent flight.
While moving with Kardak, Damien had secretly taken out Ethereon and made it follow him.
However, even with its stealth function, it was impossible to surprise Kardak with just Ethereon.
This was because Grand Dark Mages were extremely sensitive to the flow of mana.
That¡¯s why Damien ate some of the soup even though he knew it was poisoned. He even acted like he was poisoned.
It was all in order to lure Kardak into letting his guard down and stab him in the abdomen with Ethereon.
¡°You¡hid something like this¡and your story about being His servant¡was also a lie¡!¡±
¡°Well, yes.¡±
Since he had already been surprised, Damien admitted it honestly.
¡°Then how¡did you know his name? Are you an imperial spy?¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be asking questions like that.¡±
Damien said, gripping the hilt of the sword. Seeing this, Kardak gritted his teeth and said.
¡°B, but without me, you won¡¯t be able to find the location of the Mercenary King.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll take care of it. Just sit still and wait for your neck to be cut off.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
This threat would not work on Damien, unlike other knights.
After killing Kardak, he could just ask his soul directly.
¡°¡Do you think a High ss can kill me?¡±
Anger rose on Kardak¡¯s face. It was understandable that he, a Grand Dark Mage, was being ignored by a High ss.
Damien pointed his finger down. Ethereon moved down, and the entrails were cut a little longer.
Kardak¡¯s expression twisted. However, he did not scream.
¡°You have a lot of courage to talk like that. And have you forgotten? Garrot, a Grand Dark Mage like you, also died at my hands.¡±
¡°It will be difficult if you think of me and that guy as the same.¡±
A deep sneer appeared on Kardak¡¯s lips. He did not look like a person whose life was in danger at all.
¡°The level of a Grand Dark Mage depends on the degree ofpletion of their dark magic. Garrot was a far inferior guypared to me.¡±
Kardak said, wiping the blood from his lips.
¡°Let me show you how big the gap is¡ from now on.¡±
A thick liquid oozed out from between the bandages wrapped around Kardak¡¯s body.
As soon as he saw the liquid, Damien immediately pulled Ethereon out of Kardak¡¯s body.
As soon as Ethereon was pulled out, the liquids fell to the ground. Then, the gravel and soil on the ground began to melt away in an instant.
¡°You have good reflexes. If I had left it alone, that relic sword would have disappeared.¡±
Corrosive poison ¡®Flowing Rust¡¯.
It was one of the poisons that Kardak liked to use. It was a poison that melted all ¡®solid objects¡¯, regardless of metal or stone.
During the War of Destruction, Kardak had once used this poison to copse the Imperial fortress known as the Iron Fortress.
The bandages stretched on their own and sealed Kardak¡¯s wounds.
As the wounds disappeared, Kardak slowly raised himself and said.
¡°Look forward to it. I will give you the most horrible death.¡±
Kardak¡¯s eyes glowed darkly.
***
Venom sect
Those who handle poison are known as a particrly dangerous sect among other dark mages sects.
Even Master ss individuals who can fly, run, and jump have died from a single drop of their poison.
However, there was one fatal w with the Venom sect.
It was ultimately ineffective if it didn¡¯te in touch with the target.
No matter how terrible the poison was, it was useless if it didn¡¯t touch its target.
However, that disadvantage was not a problem for Kardak.
Grand Dark Mage.
A transcendent being who can activate high-level dark magic with a single finger.
To such a Kardak, poisoning the target was no problem at all. Even more so against a High ss like Damien.
¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±
Kardak shook his hands. At that, a new poison oozed out of his body.
The poison immediately turned into snakes. Dozens of snakes slithered towards Damien.
Their speed was extraordinary. In the blink of an eye, they gathered at Damien¡¯s feet.
Kardak reached out his hand towards Damien. At that, the snakes all exploded, releasing yellow smoke that covered the area.
He had instantly vaporized the poison to create a poisonous gas.
¡°This poison burns the nerves and brain. Even a little inhtion will make you taste hell.¡±
He said with a triumphant expression.
¡°It¡¯s a waste of expensive poison, but there¡¯s no poison as painful as this¡¡±
That¡¯s when it happened.
Damien emerged through the smoke. He was unharmed despite being covered in the poison gas.
¡°¡What?¡±
Kardak couldn¡¯t help but be confused. It was a poison gas that could prate the skin even if you held your breath. It didn¡¯t make sense that he was unharmed.
¡°¡You really are an iprehensible guy! I can¡¯t let you live long!¡±
Kardak spread his arms. Arge amount of poison poured out of his forearms.
The poison seeped into the ground. The next moment, a made of poison sprang up in front of Damien.
The moment he saw the, Damien changed direction. But it was already toote.
Posions sprang up from all sides, blocking Damien¡¯s escape route.
Damien immediately swung his sword and released an aura.
A barrage of aura shes rained down on the. However, the aura was unable to cut through the and dissipated.
Seeing this, Kardak sneered and said.
¡°It¡¯s a poison that disrupts the flow of mana and you won¡¯t be able to cut through it at your High ss level.¡±
The began to shrink. The spiked was about to envelop Damien.
¡°First Ring.¡±
At that moment, Damien muttered softly. At the same time, a resonant sound began to emanate from his body.
Kardak couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled by the sound he had never heard before.
Can that sounde from a human body?
At that moment, Damien¡¯s body disappeared. At the same time, the of poison was torn apart.
¡°¡What?¡±
Kardak couldn¡¯t help but be confused by the unexpected situation.
That¡¯s when he heard footsteps. Kardak hurriedly looked to his left. Damien was standing there.
¡°Hmph!¡±
Kardak again tried to block Damien¡¯s path by spreading a of poison.
At that moment, something fell from the sky.
The sword that had pierced his abdomen now pierced Kardak¡¯s wrist. His wrist was severed, and the dark magic was nullified.
¡°Kuaark!¡±
Kardak screamed in sudden pain.
But apart from the pain, he quickly prepared dark magic with his other hand. If he didn¡¯t stop Damien now¡
¡°Second Ring.¡±
Damien, who had been far away, appeared in front of him in an instant.
Kardak couldn¡¯t help but be greatly surprised by the speed that exceededmon sense.
¡°¡A High ss like you is making me use this method!¡±
Dark mana exploded from Kardak¡¯s body. At the same time, thin needles rained down on Damien.
They were as thin as animal hair, but they were all needles made of poison. Even a single prick would melt the entire body with extreme poison.
The hair-thin needles rained down on Damien, invisible to the eye.
¡°As expected, you¡¯re using this.¡±
Kardak heard Damien¡¯s muttering in his ear.
As expected? What does that mean? As if he had expected it¡
Countless questions arose in Kardak¡¯s mind.
At that moment, Kardak could see it.
The poison needles that hit Damien¡¯s body were bouncing off.
Aura armor.
Anyone at the High ss level could protect their body by wrapping their mana around their body.
He knew that. But the trump card that Kardak had prepared was something he had specially designed.
The needles were thin, but they were designed to pierce even aura. There was no way to block them with an aura armor.
¡°What the hell is this¡!¡±
The moment Kardak screamed, Damien swung his sword.
A blue aura cut through Kardak¡¯s neck.
Kardak¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and fear. He tried to raise his hand to defend himself, but it was toote.
His head fell to the ground, and his body twitched for a moment before bing still.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 175
Chapter 175
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 175
***
Kardak was an incredibly formidable opponent.
The fact that he was a Grand Dark Mage was impressive, but he was a genius among geniuses was truly terrifying.
The hope of the Venom sect.
A prodigy who was on the verge of bing the future leader of the Venom sect.
This evaluation was not exaggerated.
Kardak¡¯s poison-making skills were unparalleled among the dark mages of the Venom sect.
When Kardak poured his talent into dark magic, he would create a new poison every other day.
Several knights died before they could swing their swords at Kardak.
¡®Thank goodness my opponent is Kardak.¡¯
Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to Damien.
Damien didn¡¯t consider Kardak to be the least bit dangerous.
¡®Poison is useless after all if you don¡¯te in contact with it.¡¯
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien had never once used poison.
However, Damien¡¯s head was filled with all the knowledge rted to the Venom sect.
He had acquired it from Dorugo.
As a result, he could immediately identify the nature of a poison just by looking at it, and he knew exactly how to detoxify it.
¡°It¡¯s a poison that burns up the nerves and brain.
¡°Even a small amount will send you to hell.¡±
When Kardak vaporized the poison and created a poisonous mist, Damien not only stopped breathing but also covered his body with aura armor.
This was because he knew that this poison could poison their enemy not only through the respiratory system but also from the skin.
¡°It¡¯s a corrosive poison that disrupts the flow of mana.
¡°A high-ss knight will never be able to withstand it.¡±
When Kardak created a with his poisonous liquid, Damien used the Combined Infinity Cycle to increase the output of mana andpress it to its limits.
This was because he knew that corrosive poison only dposes the surface of the aura.
He was able to cut through the poisonous because of his tightlypressed aura.
¡°¡A mere High ss like you is making me use this method!¡±
Damien wasn¡¯t even surprised when Kardak used poisonous needles in close range.
This was because he knew that the dark mages of the Venom sect always prepared traps in case a knight approached at close range.
So Damien had already reinforced his aura armor. And he did it using the Master ss technique.
Seamless Sword Art.
In his previous life, this technique was created by a person named Skybreaker who reached Master ss and created it as his symbol of reaching it.
Skybreaker could weave his aurade like cloth by using Seamless Sword Art.
The aurade created by Seamless Sword Art was much stronger and sharper than an ordinary aurade. Above all, it could change its shape ording to the user¡¯s will.
Skybreaker freely changed aurade¡¯s shape to cut down and crush his enemies. Or he wrapped it around his body to block enemy attacks.
Thanks to Seamless Sword Art, Skybreaker could use a fighting style thatbined offense and defense.
Damien was not yet a Master ss, so he couldn¡¯t use Seamless Sword Art as freely as Skybreaker.
However, he could at least weave aura and wrap it around his body. Damien used this to deflect all the needles that Kardak fired.
¡°What the hell¡!¡±
Damien immediately swung Dawn and cut off Kardak¡¯s neck. His head flew through the air andnded on the ground.
Damien shook off the blood that was smeared on Dawn.
As the blood droplets fell to the ground, the earth turned ck and charred.
It was no exaggeration to say that Kardak¡¯s entire body was made of poison. That¡¯s why he tried not to spill blood as much as possible in this battle.
¡°¡¡Kuaak!¡±
Just then, Kardak, who was rolling around on the floor, let out a scream.
¡°You, you turned me into this! Yo. Unforgivable!¡±
Even though he was only left with his head, Kardak was still alive. And what¡¯s more, he was spitting out words.
Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. It wasn¡¯t strange for Grand Dark Mages to have several ways to save their life.
¡°Gr-Grand Dark Mage like me defeated by a high-ss like you¡ If Rubia learned about this incident, she would be greatly disappointed¡!¡±
Even in this situation, Kardak was only worried about losing Rubia¡¯s favor.
¡°Ru, Rubia will chase me away¡ Uh, maybe she¡¯ll even ki, kill me¡.¡±
Kardak trembled. The fear of being abandoned by Rubia was mixed with the pure terror of being killed by her.
¡°At, at least you¡ you only¡ I¡¯ll ki, kill you here¡!¡±
Kardak¡¯s corpse swelled like a balloon while lying on the floor.
As the swollen corpse burst, ck smoke spread out in all directions. In the ck smoke, Damien had no way to escape.
¡°Ha, haha¡ Keuheuheuheh.¡±
Kardak let out a gaspingugh.
¡°Do, done. I ki, killed you. Now Rubia will forgive me too!¡±
Wooowong!!
Just then, a sound began to be heard from within the smoke.
As soon as he heard that sound, Kardak couldn¡¯t help but make a face. It was the same sound that he had heard from Damien¡¯s body during the battle.
¡°Why this sound again¡¡±
The sound became even rougher. Immediately afterward, the ck smoke disappeared in an instant.
No, it didn¡¯t disappear. It was being sucked in. It was disappearing somewhere.
As the ck smoke disappearedpletely, Damien¡¯s figure reappeared.
He had one hand outstretched. A ring made of mana was floating above his palm.
¡°¡¡What is that?¡±
Kardak looked at the ring with nk eyes.
It was something that he couldn¡¯t understand at all with his knowledge.
He didn¡¯t understand what that ring was or how it could suck in poisonous mist.
Combined Infinity Cycle.
An ancestor or ancestor¡¯s ancestor of the Imperial Supreme Sword created this technique for cultivating mana.
Damien had not only perfectly mastered this mana cultivation technique, but he had also taken it one step further.
He had developed a way to create a ring outside and imbued them with other mana cultivation techniques.
The ring Damien had created now contained the principles of Supreme Absorption Technique.
Supreme Absorption Technique had an excellent ability to suck in external mana.
The ring that Damien had created was sucking in the poisonous mist that had been released by Kardak¡¯s corpse.
There was nothing left of Kardak¡¯s body, which had been reduced to ash.
¡°You¡ You bastard¡!¡±
There was an echo of hatred and despair in Kardak¡¯s voice as it echoed through the empty room.
But Damien paid no attention to him. He turned and walked away, leaving Kardak¡¯s ashes behind.
Damien had sucked up all the poisonous mist by applying his technique to the ring.
¡°Sneaky bastard. If you¡¯re going to die, die quietly. What do you mean by doing this kind of trick?¡±
The Venom sect had a trick up their sleeve for when they died.
In the early days of the War of Destruction, countless knights lost their lives to the techniques of the Venom sect.
Knowing this, Damien was able to prepare for Kardak¡¯s tricks in advance.
Damien approached Kardak. Kardak¡¯s expression grew harder as he approached.
¡°¡¡Damn it. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe just because you killed me. Rubia will avenge me!¡±
Damien grabbed Kardak by the hair and lifted him up. Kardak¡¯s head dangled in the air.
¡°Rubia is not just a beautiful woman! She¡¯s a dark mage several times more powerful than me! You¡¯re nothing to Rubia¡.¡±
Damien reached out his other hand. He pulled Kardak¡¯s soul out of his head.
-What, what, what?
He cried out in fear as his soul was all that he had left.
-Ho, how can a knight manipte souls? No, no way! You, you are¡
Damien did not answer Kardak¡¯s question. He didn¡¯t feel the need to.
Instead, he used dark magic to start soul-searching on Kardak¡¯s soul. He rummaged through his memories and pulled out all his memories of the Mercenary King.
-Keu, keuueok¡ Keueueo¡
Every time the dark magic soul searched his soul, Kardak had to feel terrible pain.
After rummaging through Kardak¡¯s memories for a while, Damien finally got his hands on the memory he wanted.
¡°Found it. It was here.¡±
As soon as he got what he wanted, Damien destroyed Kardak¡¯s soul.
-Kuaak! Aaaak!
The Venom sect tested the poisons they made on humans themselves.
It was clear as day how many people Kardak had sacrificed to get to where he was now.
To at least a littlefort their grudge, Damienpletely destroyed Kardak¡¯s soul.
He tore it to shreds and then infused it with dark mana to copse it.
Damien pped his hands together. Kardak¡¯s soul turned to dust and scattered.
¡°I want to go quickly, but¡ I guess I have to clean up first.¡±
As Kardak¡¯s body exploded, flesh and blood sttered everywhere.
They were all highly poisonous, so they couldn¡¯t just be left alone.
Damien found them all and burned them, and then he found something.
It was a belt full of bottles of poison.
Even though they were tightly sealed to prevent poison from leaking out, they still felt ominous. It meant that they contained terrible poison.
These were too dangerous to leave behind as well. Damien was about to burn all the bottles.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Then, suddenly, he had another thought.
They were too dangerous and unpleasant to carry around. But he would use them just once.
Damien packed the bottles of poison and put them in his subspace.
After that, Damien focused on cleaning up. Only after he finished cleaning up was he able to go ahead.
Damien headed towards the ce he had seen in Kardak¡¯s memories.
ording to the information he had obtained from Kardak, the Mercenary King was currently in a hideout near the border.
Kardak nned to leave the Mercenary King there temporarily and hand him over when ¡¯s messenger arrived.
The person who had moved the Mercenary King to the hideout was none other than a Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight was at the High-ss level, but Damien was not too worried.
Unless he was a Grand Dark Mage, a High ss was no match for Damien.
He nned to kill the Dark Knight in one breath and free the Mercenary King.
However, when he finally arrived at the hideout, the being Damien encountered was not the Dark Knight.
¡°It¡¯s a good thing you arrived on time.¡±
Rubia.
A disciple of the Giant evil .
¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly for killing Kardak. You filthy fraud.¡±
She blocked Damien¡¯s path.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 176
Chapter 176
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 176: Rubia (1)
***
¡°Ugh¡ Ah¡¡±
A night with a full moon hanging high in the sky.
While everyone else slept, Athena writhed in pain and clutched her ankles.
Both of her ankles were wrapped in cloth. The fabric which was originally white, had now been dyed red.
It happened the evening she was imprisoned. ire returned to the prison with a few mercenaries.
¡°There¡¯s a risk of escape. Cut her Achilles tendons.¡±
The mercenaries were taken aback by ire Fowler¡¯s order. Even though she was a suspect in a case, Athena was a pureblood.
¡°Lady ire¡ This prison is built with rare metals that absorb mana and cannot be easily broken. Moreover, Lady Athena is currently wearing a mana-sealing¡¡±
¡°Considering that child¡¯s abilities, we can¡¯t be careless.¡±
¡°But¡¡±
As the mercenaries continued to hesitate, ire pped one across the face.
A sharp sound filled the prison. With a rattled expression, ire spoke hysterically to the mercenary.
¡°If you heard an order, shouldn¡¯t you follow it quietly? Why are you babbling on?¡±
¡°Y-Yes, Lady ire¡ It¡¯s not that¡¡±
¡°Who do you think is in charge of the mercenary corps now? Should I call Ulric and have him torture you all to understand the situation?¡±
At those words, Athena understood who had taken over her father¡¯s position as the leader.
It was Ulric Hopper, ire¡¯s son.
Honestly, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. Ulric Hopper was a Master ss fighter and an unparalleled pureblood within the mercenary corps.
¡°Do you understand? Do it as I say, quickly!¡±
At ire¡¯s scream, the mercenaries reluctantly surrounded Athena. However, they couldn¡¯t readily carry out ire¡¯s orders.
¡°I¡ I¡¯m alright.¡±
Athena knew who Ulric Hopper was. He was an honest and reliable man, but someone who could never disobey his mother¡¯smands.
If ire truly called upon Ulric Hopper, the mercenaries would have no choice but to be tortured.
The Fafnir Mercenary Company wasn¡¯t known for strict discipline, but their punishments were harsh, sometimes even fatal.
¡°So please, do as shemands.¡±
The mercenaries bit their lips. In the end, they drew their swords and shed at Athena¡¯s ankles.
The tendon guards on her heels were very thick. When they were severed, the pain was unimaginable.
However, Athena only shivered violently and didn¡¯t scream.
¡°Stubborn girl.¡±
ire left the cell in a huff. The mercenaries followed suit.
Only then could Athena release a groan. Barely managing any strength, she clutched her ankles.
¡°¡It hurts.¡±
Even after several hours, the pain hadn¡¯t subsided a bit.
Athena closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, hoping for even a slight lessening of the agony.
Some time passed, but it was hard to tell how much.
The iron door of the prison nged open, and someone entered. Athena opened her eyes to identify the visitor.
ire Fowler stood before her.
¡°Looking good.¡±
ire remarked, looking down at Athena. Because of her severed Achilles tendons, Athena could only look up at her.
¡°You resort to childish tricks.¡±
There was no way Athena could lower herself to ire. She spoke to her in her usual manner.
¡°Childish? What can I do about that? Every time you do those childish tricks, it makes my insides churn with satisfaction.¡±
ire said with a bright smile. Athena shivered slightly at the errie emotions she felt radiating from ire.
¡°¡¡Why are you doing this to me?¡±
Athena asked what she had been curious about all along.
Even though not everyone from the factions disliked Athena, ire¡¯s animosity was on a whole other level.
¡°That¡¯s a good question. Actually, I wanted to vent to someone as well.¡±
ire lowered herself onto her knees, meeting Athena¡¯s gaze.
¡°What do you think of your father?¡±
Athena couldn¡¯t answer this question with unknown intentions.
¡°Your father, Karl¡ he was a real lecher, the worst kind. He¡¯d change women like it was nothing, and if there was a woman he liked, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to force himself on her¡ A truly awful human being.¡±
Athena already knew it. How dissolute her father was.
¡°But none of the women Karl slept with were ever dissatisfied. There was no room for dissatisfaction. Where else would you find a man as handsome, strong, and high-ranking as Karl in this world?¡±
Mercenary King Karl Hopper was a man who had everything in his grasp.
Wealth, fame, personal strength, and even striking good looks.
¡°What¡¯s more, Karl never aged. I¡¯m not a knight so I wouldn¡¯t know for sure, but they say he was so strong he even overcame aging. So there was no reason for anyone to dislike Karl. But that was also the problem.¡±
Karl Hopper wouldn¡¯t age. He was always a handsome and charming man.
But women were different. They aged with time. Their skin lost its sticity, and their eyes drooped. Their beauty as women withered with each passing day.
¡°Do you know how those old women are treated? They¡¯repletely ignored by Karl. Not even a single visit, as if his affection towards them was a lie.¡±
ire¡¯s voice rose slightly in agitation.
¡°The women who bore him children are at least fortunate. Women who couldn¡¯t even have children were kicked out of the mercenary corps. They dedicated their youth to Karl, yet they received not even a crumbs ofpensation in return.¡±
The situation wasn¡¯t much better for the women who bore the King¡¯s children. They just weren¡¯t kicked out of the mercenary corps, that¡¯s all.
¡°Can you even begin to imagine the feelings of a woman who loses the man she once loved dearly to other younger women?¡±
ire¡¯s eyes darkened. Athena swallowed dryly and asked.
¡°¡¡What does that have to do with me?¡±
¡°Ah, right. That¡¯s what I need to tell you. You might not know this, but¡ your mother was a woman Karl had been searching for for a long time.¡±
It was something she had heard directly from her father himself, a long time ago.
¡°It was your mother who saved your father from a mortal wound he received fighting a powerful enemy when he was young. Thanks to your mother¡¯s care, he was able to cling to life.¡±
¡°After that, your father kept searching for your mother, but apparently wasn¡¯t very sessful.¡±
¡°Eventually, Karl did find your mother. But by then, she was already old, sick¡ a truly sorry sight. That¡¯s why I never paid any attention to her. There was no way Karl would still be interested in such a woman.¡±
ire gritted her teeth with a grimace.
¡°But reality was different from what I expected. Karl not only came back with your mother but also clung to that woman until her veryst breath. Why? He wouldn¡¯t even look at me once, calling me old and never visiting me again. He just ignored me! Why only your mother? Why only that woman!¡±
ire mmed her fist against the bars of the cell. Her skin tore apart and blood trickled down her arm. However, she kept ring at Athena.
¡°¡¡I would love to kill you, but everyone is stopping me from doing that.¡±
ire sighed, sounding genuinely frustrated.
¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m expelling you from the mercenarypany. Never return to the Fafnir Mercenary Company again.¡±
ire turned around to leave the cell. Before exiting, she seemed to remember something and spoke again.
¡°Oh, and by the way, they say a man named Damien is dead.¡±
Athena¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden news.
¡°What are you talking about? Why is Damien dead?!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. A guard went in to deliver his evening meal and found him dead from a heart attack.¡±
Athena dragged herself on her arms towards the bars and grabbed them, shouting.
¡°You¡¯re lying! You expect me to believe that?¡±
¡°Believe it or not, I don¡¯t care. Why would I lie to you?¡±
With that, ire left the prison cell.
***
¡°How did you know I was lying?¡±
Damien readily admitted to Rubia¡¯s usation.
After all, it was just a lie he told to find out the location of the Mercenary King.
Now that he had achieved his goal, there was no point in lying.
¡°A message came from Master. She heard about your n and said she didn¡¯t believe you. If He sent you to get the Mercenary king¡¯s body part there wouldn¡¯t have been a need to send his direct attendants.¡±
Damien let out a smallugh. He didn¡¯t expect that Rubia could contact that fast. His luck was terrible.
¡°Come to think of it, there were more than a few strange things.¡±
Rubia continued while staring at Damien.
¡°Dark mages never refer to ¡®Him¡¯ by name. He is a far too great a being for that, and there¡¯s always the risk that the Empire might discover his identity.¡±
There wasn¡¯t a particr reason why Damien had addressed him as ¡°He.¡± He simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to use honorifics for someone like Dorugo.
¡°And it was also strange that He would order you to kill Garrot. There¡¯s no way He, who cares for us and loves us so much would never tell us to kill each other.¡±
Damien nearlyughed out loud at that.
Dorugo cared about the dark mages because they were valuable tools that he could deploy in theing war of destruction.
¡°Not only did you trick me, but you even killed Kardak! Do you know how useful he was? It¡¯ll be incredibly difficult to find another dark mage of that caliber who specializes in poisons!¡±
Rubia wasn¡¯t angry about Kardak¡¯s death but rather the loss of a useful ¡°tool.¡±
She was exactly like the Rubia that Damien had seen in his previous life. She never cared much for men. She saw them as tools to be used and discarded. Her attitude was theplete opposite of her master, .
¡°You¡¯re awfully confident. Have you forgotten that two of your kind have already fallen to me?¡±
Damien¡¯s remark caused Rubia to burst into a chillingugh.
¡°Are youparing those two to me? That¡¯s a little insulting to my pride.¡±
Grand Mages were ssified by their proficiency in dark magic. Naturally, a Grand Mage who had studied and honed their magic skills for a long time would overpower a newly Grand mage.
Rubia wasn¡¯t just a Grand Mage; she was a disciple of the Giant evil . The dark magic she wielded was far superior to anything those two could muster.
¡°Honestly, what would a knight with a hollow head know? Very well, then. Let me show you firsthand in a way you can easily understand.¡±
Dark mana erupted from Rubia, a dense and vtile energy.
Crack.
One of Rubia¡¯s shoulders jutted upwards unnaturally.
Crack.
Then, her neck twisted sharply to the side.
Groan.
Her entire body began to contort grotesquely. Bones lengthened, tearing through her skin. Hundreds of muscle fibers writhed over the exposed bone.
A towering figure reaching three meters tall.
An inted mass of muscles that resembles a tumor in appearance.
A hideous form devoid of any discernible gender.
The beautiful woman was no more. In her ce stood a horrifying monster that inspired pure dread.
¨C Ah, refreshing.
In stark contrast to her monstrous form, Rubia¡¯s voice remained hauntingly beautiful. It only made the sight more eerie.
-This sense of liberation, it never gets old.
There was only dark mage sect in this world who fought by transforming their own bodies:
The Berserker Sect.
Specializing in close-quartersbat, they boasted the highestbat prowess among all dark mages.
Just like the Giant evil , Rubia was also from the Berserker sect. The pheromones she exuded were a product of her body-altering magic.
¨C Resist with all your might. I want to savor this feeling for as long as possible.
Rubia raised her leg which was as thick as a tree trunk. The ground turned into a crater as she mmed her leg down with all her power.
Rubia¡¯s body shot forward in a straight line. Appearing right before Damien, she swung her arm in a wide arc.
Her arm suddenly grew very long and became a weapon the size of a whip.
***
As Rubia¡¯s attack was about to hit him, Damien also swung his sword in counter-attack. The unleashed aura cleanly sliced off Rubia¡¯s elongated forearm.
¨C ¡¡Huh?
Rubia¡¯s surprise was momentary. Damien seized the opportunity and swung the sword upwards, unleashing a burst of aura.
The explosive energy ripped through Rubia¡¯s body, leaving a gaping wound that stretched towards her head
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 177
Chapter 177
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 177: Rubia (2)
***
Rubia was sliced open by Damien¡¯s de. From her hips to her belly, chest, face, and all to the top of her head.
Rubia¡¯s body was split precisely in half. The cross-section was eerily smooth.
No living creature in this world could be cut in half and still survive.
But Damien did not put away his sword and kept his guard up and kept ring at Rubia.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Suddenly, Rubia¡¯s hand moved to attack Damien on the head.
Damien leaned back as if he had expected it. Rubia¡¯s attack sliced through the air.
Then, thorns sprouted from the cross-section of her severed forearm and attacked Damien.
Damien kicked off the ground and jumped back far away. The thorns were embedded in the ground and Damien narrowly escaped from them. The ground was turned upside down with a loud bang.
¡°Oh?¡±
Rubia looked at Damien like she was surprised and said.
¡°You¡¯re still alive? I thought any ordinary person would let their guard down seeing this.¡±
Even though her body was split in half, Rubia was alive. And to top it off, she was talking casually.
¡°I was surprised too. I didn¡¯t know you could react to my attack, let alone counterattack.¡±
¡°It was something really different from having my forearm cut off.¡±
¡°I can tolerate somewhat getting my forearm cut off but you shouldn¡¯t have done this to my body.¡±
Even the two halves of her body were speaking different words.
¡°I was wondering how a high-ss like you could kill Garrot and Cardack.¡±
¡°There was a reason. You¡¯re no ordinary high-ss, are you?¡±
The severed halves began to stick together. Soon, Rubia¡¯s body returned to its original state.
¡°You¡¯re not surprised even after I showed you this? That¡¯s boring.¡±
Damien had no reason to be surprised because he had already seen Rubia¡¯s abilities in his previous life.
¡®She¡¯s already developed her skills to a considerable level.¡¯
The Berserker sect used their own bodies as mediums to use dark magic.
To them, their bodies were no different from y, so they could mold them into any shape.
So, even a serious wound was not a big threat to them.
It was like cutting y in half and then sticking it back together.
¡°I apologize for underestimating you. So, let¡¯s get serious from now on.¡±
Her muscles began to swell up all over her body. Tearing through her skin, her muscles bulged out and her size doubled in an instant.
The change was not the only one.
Dark magic crystallized and covered Rubia¡¯s arms like a crystal. It was as if she was wearing ck iron gauntlets.
Seeing this, Damien said with an expression of interest.
¡°Mana Sword?¡±
Mana Sword was a magic that mages had independently interpreted and imitated the aura of knights.
It was iparably stronger and sharper than an ordinary weapon.
¡°Compared to a true aura, this is nothing more than a defective imitation,cking in many aspects.¡±
¡°You¡¯re going to fight a real aura with a fake aura?¡±
¡°The Mana Sword may be inferior to the aura, but that¡¯s only if they¡¯re on the same level.¡±
Rubia was a Grand Dark Mage.
The Mana Swords she created were bound to be on a different level.
¡°Then let¡¯s do it again.¡±
Rubia raised five fingers and waved them grandly towards Damien.
Compressed dark mana was released, scraping against the ground. Damien swung Dawn to sh down the Mana Sword.
But the Mana Sword did not shatter; instead, it deflected Dawn.
Damien stuck out his tongue at the heavy impact that traveled up his forearm.
¡®What brute force.¡¯
The Mana Sword was inherently weaker than the aura.
And yet, it deflected the aura, not just any aura, but Damien¡¯s aura.
It was a testament to the vastness of Rubia¡¯s dark magic skills.
¡°How about that? It¡¯s pretty solid, right?¡±
A voice came from nearby. Damien quickly turned around. Rubia was already behind him.
¡°From now on, keep your senses high. Otherwise, you might end up with your head crushed.¡±
Rubia swung her fist at Damien. Damien leaped into the air to dodge the attack.
The fist mmed into the ground. The ground was destroyed, and dust rose into the air.
Rubia burst out of the dust, tearing it apart. She closed the distance in an instant and threw a flurry of punches at Damien.
Her speed was so fast that her forearm would be bent before she even struck. With each swing of her fist, the sound of air bursting echoed through the area.
But Rubia¡¯s attacks hit nothing but air. Damien dodged them all.
¡°Are you really a high-ss?¡±
Rubia bit her lips in disbelief.
The path the Berserker sect had chosen to counter knights was to enhance their physical abilities.
In fact, Rubia¡¯s speed was now far surpassing that of a high-ss.
And yet, she was not gaining any advantage against Damien.
This was because Damien was reading all of Rubia¡¯s movements.
¡°Oh, this is annoying!¡±
Rubia angrily charged toward Damien. Before Damien could make any distance, tentacles sprung up out of the ground and tied down his legs.
¡°Got you!¡±
The tentacles that had sprouted from Rubia¡¯s ankles were now digging into the ground.
She had moved the tentacles underground to bind Damien¡¯s legs.
¡°You can¡¯t escape now, can you?¡±
Rubia swung her fist at Damien with full power.
In a swift maneuver, Damien swung Dawn, not to block Rubia¡¯s oing fist but to deflect its trajectory.
The fist missed its target and struck the ground instead of Damien¡¯s face. The sudden change in direction threw Rubia off bnce.
¡°What the¡?¡±
Seizing the opportunity, Damien brought Dawn down in a powerful downward sh.
Crushing waves.
Damien used the technique of Master ¡®Wall Breaker¡¯, and the strike descended upon Rubia¡¯s head.
As Dawn struck Rubia¡¯s head, ¡®Crushing waves¡¯ amplified the impact severalfold.
Rubia¡¯s head crumbled under the blow and her body was sent crashing to the ground.
***¡¯
The Berserker sect boasted physical abilities far surpassing those of knights. This was an undeniable truth.
Unlike knights who had to solely rely on physical training, the Berserker sect could manipte their bodies at will through dark magic.
Yet, despite this advantage, people still perceived knights as superior to the Berserker sect. In reality, it was a daunting task for the Berserker sect to face knights in battle.
There was only one aspect where the Berserker sect could never surpass knights:
Techniques.
Knights were not merely strong and fast; they were formidable due to their lifelong dedication to honing their techniques.
¡°Ah, hahaha¡¡±
Rubia forced augh as she rose from the ground. Her shattered head began to rapidly regenerate.
¡°This is strange? This can¡¯t be happening? I can¡¯t lose to a mere high-ss like this?¡±
Despite her perfectly restored head, Rubia¡¯s eyes darted around frantically.
¡°I¡¯m a Grand Dark Mage! I trained under my master, risking my life! I¡¯ve even killed over ten high-sses!¡±
A Grand Dark Mage wasparable to a Master ss. The pride Rubia held was immense. And now, that pride was being crushed before her very eyes.
¡°This¡ this is impossible. It shouldn¡¯t be happening.¡±
Rubia¡¯s arm split open, and her two arms multiplied into six.
¡°Now, for real¡ I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m truly capable of!¡±
Her six arms extended like whips, each moving like a separate entity as they attacked Damien.
The sheer number and speed of the attacks made evasion nearly impossible.
But Damien did not attempt to dodge. Instead, he unleashed the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His body temperature soared rapidly. His muscles activated with explosive power. All his senses heightened to an extreme degree.
The six arms Rubia swung seemed to slow down drastically, eventuallying to a standstill in mid-air.
Of course, they hadn¡¯t actually stopped. It was simply an illusion caused by Damien¡¯s heightened perception.
¡°First Ring.¡±
¡°Second Ring.¡±
¡°Third Ring.¡±
The three rings he had formed within himself began to spin ferociously.
The high-output magical energy was transferred to his body, amplified by the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
With a single step forward, Damien swung Dawn towards Rubia¡¯s closest arm.
The Mana Sword covering her forearm shed against Damien¡¯s aura.
Just moments ago, the Mana Sword had deflected the aura. But with the rings activated, the oue was different.
Both the Mana Sword and the forearm split simultaneously. They were cleanly severed without any resistance.
Damien closed in on Rubia and shed off her forearm with repeated blows.
He didn¡¯t stop at one; he struck again and again. The elongated forearm was quickly reduced to dozens of pieces.
And so, Damien stood face to face with Rubia.
Gripping the hilt with both hands, he pointed the de at Rubia.
Damien deactivated the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
His boiling body temperature instantly cooled down. His physical abilities and senses returned to normal.
The world that had been frozen in time began to move again. Rubia, who had been standing like a stone statue, noticed Damien.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
A look of bewilderment crossed Rubia¡¯s face.
From her perspective, Damien, who had been standing far away, had suddenly appeared right in front of her.
¡°W-when did you get in front of me¡!?¡±
Rubia tried to raise her arms to block Damien, but her six arms had already been reduced to dozens of pieces.
¡°N-no way¡¡±
As Rubia attempted to regenerate her forearm, Damien thrust his de forward.
¡®Annihtion¡¯
The technique was created by Cheongyeum, one of the Five Great Elders of the Church.
A single blow that shattered everything struck Rubia¡¯s heart.
Starting from the chest, Rubia¡¯s muscles tore apart. The bones hidden within were pulverized like dust.
¡°¡!¡±
Before she could even scream, Rubia¡¯s body crumbled into pieces.
¡°Phew.¡±
Damien exhaled deeply and deactivated the Combined Infinity Cycle.
The sudden exertion had left him feeling a surge of fatigue. His body felt heavy and sluggish.
¡°It¡¯s a great technique, but it¡¯s incredibly draining.¡±
As Damien sat on the ground catching his breath, the scattered fragments of Rubia¡¯s flesh began to reassemble.
The flesh coalesced into a fist-sized lump, which then split open, revealing a distorted face.
¡°Kyaaaaaah!¡±
A piercing scream erupted from the gaping maw.
¡°How dare you do this to me? A mere high-ss like you! How dare you! Reduce me to this¡ this hideous form!¡±
Despite her body being torn apart, Rubia was not dead. She was somehow clinging to life, albeit barely, and slowly regenerating her body.
¡°Do not run! Right now! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±
The speed at which the flesh was reassembling elerated. Rubia¡¯s form grewrger andrger.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I will! Even if it means sacrificing my own life, I¡¯ll make sure you¡ glug.¡±
Suddenly, ck liquid spewed from Rubia¡¯s mouth.
¡°W-what is this¡ Ughhh!¡±
The regenerating flesh began to rot and decay, turning ck. Rubia¡¯s form could no longer hold itself together and copsed to the ground.
¡°W-what have you done to me¡ What have you done to me?!¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±
Damien replied nonchntly to Rubia¡¯s screams.
¡°I just coated my sword with Kardak¡¯s poison.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 178
Chapter 178
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 178: Rubia (3)
***
¡°Kardak¡¯s¡ poison?¡± Rubia uttered in disbelief.
¡°Impossible¡ This can¡¯t be¡ Kardak¡¯s poison isn¡¯t something just anyone can handle¡!¡±
The poisons of the Venom sect were notoriouslyplex, requiring specialized knowledge and techniques to handle them effectively.
Using them carelessly could render the poison ineffective or even lead to unintentional self-infliction.
¡°Apparently, I¡¯m not just anyone.¡±
Damien replied nonchntly.
Damien¡¯s mind was like an extensive repository of knowledge, including plenty of information on poisons.
¡°But¡ if it¡¯s Kardak¡¯s poison¡ why¡ why is it only showing symptoms now?¡±
¡°Because I modified it to do so.¡±
Damien did not use Kardak¡¯s poison in its original form. He used his knowledge to alter itsposition, dying the onset of symptoms until after the battle.
¡°If I used it without modifying it, you would have detected it immediately and neutralized it.¡±
The Berserker sect adeptly manipted their bodies, making them nearly invincible against poisons. If necessary, they could simply cut off the poisoned body part.
Damien thus dyed the poison¡¯s effects until Rubia was at her most vulnerable and unable to resist it.
¡°Honestly, you were quite a formidable opponent.¡±
Rubia was a powerful opponent. During the War of Destruction, Both male and female disciples of were feared as the nemesis of knights.
They certainly had a powerful ability to release pheromones that captivated people regardless of gender but it wasn¡¯t their main strength.
The true power of ¡¯s disciples hadin in their exceptionalbat prowess.
Despite the belief that Berserker sect¡¯s dark mages were inferior to knights, ¡¯s disciples consistently outmatched them.
Among them, Rubia stood out as particrly skilled, one of the few disciples capable of facing off against Master ss knights.
Naturally, Rubia was far from posing a threat to the Master ss at this point.
Despite her formidable abilities, Rubia¡¯s regeneration power posed a significant challenge for Damien.
¡°Your regeneration ability was the most troublesome. While the aura could inflict fatal wounds but it was not sufficient to kill you.¡±
Damien¡¯s primary concern in his battle against Rubia was her regenerative prowess.
Physical attributes like strength, agility, and stamina could be overpowered by Damien¡¯s superior skills. However, countering regeneration was a very difficult task.
That¡¯s when Kardak¡¯s poison came into y, a gruesome yet effective tool to eliminate Rubia.
¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve gained a lot.¡±
Damien had never fully unleashed his potential as a knight. It was difficult for him to determine his actual strength because most of his opponents in the past were weaker than him.
But the battle against Rubia provided him with a clear assessment of his capabilities.
¡°With my current strength, I can at least hold my own against a Master ss.¡±
Rubia didn¡¯t hear Damien¡¯sst words because the poison had already taken hold of her body and was quickly killing her.
¡°Impossible¡ this can¡¯t be¡¡±
With a final murmur, Rubia¡¯s life came to an end. Her soul seemed to be released from the restrictions of this world as it rose from her rotting corpse.
¡°Ahhhhh¡¡±
Rubia¡¯s soul appeared to be filled with a sense of liberation now that she was free of her physical form. She turned to the sky and flew towards it with full of joy.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
Naturally, Damien was not going to allow her to flee. He extended his hand and grasped Rubia¡¯s soul.
¡°Huh? What the?¡±
Rubia¡¯s face filled with confusion as she struggled to break free from Damien¡¯s grip. But no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to escape his grasp.
¡°This is impossible¡ You¡¯re¡ you¡¯re a knight! How can you¡ my soul¡!¡±
Damien felt no need to exin and proceeded to crush Rubia¡¯s soul.
¡°Kyaaaaaah!¡±
With Rubia¡¯s soul extinguished Damien made his way to the Mercenary king.
***
¡°Damn it! Why won¡¯t it pierce?!¡±
Inside the vast cavern, a man roared in frustration.
¡°This awl is made of rare metal! It¡¯s even coated with aura, so why is it bouncing off?!¡±
Fabio scowled as a pile of bent awlsy at his feet.
¡°Even for the Mercenary King, this is ridiculous!¡±
Fabio yelled at the figure lying on the stone b.
A youthful appearance with startlingly white hair ¨C a boyish figure entirely out of ce in this harsh environment.
Anyone witnessing this scene would be astonished. After all, the young man on the b was none other than the Mercenary King.
¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s see if you can deflect this one too!¡±
Fabio pulled out a new awl. This one pulsed with a dark aura.
Without hesitation, Fabio thrust the awl towards the Mercenary King¡¯s palm. But the moment it touched his skin, the awl shattered with a sharp ng.
¡°Dammit!¡±
Fabio cursed again. The Mercenary King was a Transcendent, a being far beyond the realm of even Master ss warriors. His body was so incredibly tough that even High ss aura couldn¡¯t scratch him.
¡°I have to get some of his blood before he arrives¡¡±
His face was etched with worry as he gnawed on his nails. Just then, the Mercenary King shifted on the b. Fabio¡¯s face turned pale in an instant.
Fabio¡¯s face filled with terror as he stared at the Mercenary King. Time seemed to crawl by. When the Mercenary King showed no further signs of waking, Fabio finally exhaled a shaky breath of relief.
¡°Phew¡ Whew, that was close. I thought he was waking up.¡±
The young man nced at themp resting beside the b. The child-sizedmp was intricately crafted in the shape of a dragon¡¯s head.
There was a continuous flow of pink smoke from themp, curling into the Mercenary King¡¯s nostrils like a living creature.
¡°There you go.¡± the young man chuckled. ¡°Still working perfectly. How could he possibly wake up now?¡±
His amusement was short-lived. A grating screech echoed as the stone door of the cave entrance began to grind open.
The young man turned towards the sound, a smirk ying on his lips. Few knew of this hidden location.
¡°Surely it¡¯s Rubia. A solo visit at such an hour would be quite inconvenient.¡±
Fabio¡¯s grin morphed into something sinister. But his expression quickly contorted into a frown.
The figure emerging from the shadows wasn¡¯t Rubia. It was a tall, well-built young man.
¡°Sorry, not Rubia.¡± the neer said with a shrug.
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°No idea. Where¡¯s the Mercenary King? Ah, there he is.¡±
The young man took a tentative step forward. Fabio reacted instantly, drawing his sword and pointing it menacingly.
¡°Don¡¯t take another step or I¡¯ll cleave your head in two.¡±
The young man remained unfazed, continuing his slow advance.
Fabio unleashed his dark mana, and a dark aura covered the de of his sword.
¡°Foolish boy! Do you dare defy my warning?¡±
With his dark magic and Dark Knight abilities, Fabio stood at the pinnacle of the High ss. Dark Knights had a significant advantage over ordinary knights due to their dark magic and raw strength.
¡°Do you even know who I am? I¡¯m Fabio, they call me¡¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
The young man interrupted, casually slinging his sword over his shoulder.
Fabio¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say?¡±
The young man shrugged dismissively.
¡°I said I don¡¯t care who you are. You¡¯re nothing to me.¡±
Fabio stared, bewildered.
¡°When did you¡¡±
His sentence died in his throat as a de shed. Blood erupted from a gaping wound in his neck.
Fabio grasped at his throat, the life draining from his eyes.
¡°Impossible¡¡±
He choked out before his eyes rolled back and his body crumpled to the ground.
¡°You¡¯re being a pain in the ass.¡±
After putting away the dawn, Damien approached the Mercenary King.
The Mercenary King was fast asleep, so soundly that anyone could pick him up and carry him away.
¡°Someone suffered a lot because of you, and you¡¯re sleeping sofortably.¡±
He thought about hitting him, but he held back. It would only hurt Damien¡¯s fist.
¡°What the hell happened? How did this monster not even budge?¡±
While observing the surroundings, Damien discovered argemp ced next to the bed.
It was amp shaped like a dragon¡¯s head.
Damien¡¯s eyes widened as soon as he saw it.
¡°¡Isn¡¯t that a Dragon yer¡¯s relic?¡±
In modern times, dragons were creatures that only appeared in legends.
However, it was different in the distant past. Dragons could be seen from time to time, though not often.
Therefore, among ancient relics, there were those that were created to hunt dragons.
Thismp was one of them.
It was a relic that induced a dragon¡¯s sleep and rendered it powerless.
It was a great item, but it wasn¡¯t very useful. It was too difficult to use.
First, the dragon had to be exposed to the fragrance emitted by thismp for a long time.
¡°Even if you put it to sleep with great difficulty, it will wake up as soon as it feels its life is in danger.¡±
The reason Damien knew so much about this relic was because he had watched Dorugo, study it during his time as a Death Knight.
¡°I think I know why you were so easily defeated by Rubia.¡±
Since Rubia was the Mercenary King¡¯s favorite woman, she would have had plenty of opportunities toe into contact with him.
Rubia could have gathered the fragrance of themp and filled the room with it whenever the Mercenary King came to visit her.
Damien turned off themp¡¯s light. As a result, no more smoke was emitted from themp.
Even so, the Mercenary King did not wake up. He was still sound asleep.
¡°It must take some time to get out of the relic¡¯s influence.¡±
Thinking that it might be useful someday, Damien put themp into his subspace.
Then, he picked up the sleeping Mercenary King and walked out of the cave.
And then he couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks. Someone was standing outside.
It was a man with a withered body.
His skin was stretched tightly over his facial bones. His bare upper body revealed his ribs clearly.
Thick iron chains were wrapped around his emaciated arms and legs.
¡°Where are you going in such a hurry~?¡±
The man asked Damien. Looking at the man, Damien clicked his tongue.
¡°I must have bad luck.¡±
Damien could tell who the man was.
A lunatic affiliated with Pandemonium.
A criminal being pursued by the Imperial Archduke.
One of the lovers of the great evil .
A dark knight who had ascended to Master ss.
The Iron Spider, Valentino Michele, was standing before him.
***
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Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Chapter 179: Bad Blood (1)
***
Beings who reached the Master ss were undoubtedly monsters among monsters.
They were capable of effortlessly obliterating mountains or splittingkes with a gesture.
However, not everyone in the Masterss was on the same level. Just as there were various tiers in the High ss, likewise in the master ss these gaps were ever wider.
The higher one ascends in the master ss realm more powerful they be.
One of them was the Iron Spider, Valentino Michele.
He was a Dark Knight, and his primary weapon was chains. Every time he used one of his techniques, chains densely infused with Aura de poured like rain.
Valentino Michele earned the nickname ¡®the Iron Spider¡¯ for his skills, which resembled the image of a spider web.
During the Death Knight era, Damien had seen Valentino a few times.
Although they were on the same side and hadn¡¯t fought directly, it was clear he was a formidable force.
¡°You¡¯re very cautious right~? How intriguing~? How did you sense it when I was hiding all my mana~?¡± Valentino eximed with his oval-shaped mouth wide open.
¡°Do you have a keen sense~? Or is it exceptional intuition~? Whichever it is, I¡¯m looking forward to the future with you, my young friend~.¡±
Valentino¡¯s mouth curved into a thin and menacing smile, the corners dangling over his ears.
It was a thin, eerie smile, like leather that had been cut.
¡°This old man likes capable friends~ So I¡¯m thinking of letting you live~ But only if you bring the person you¡¯re carrying on your back to me~.¡±
At that, Damien chuckled.
He knew well that Valentino had no intention of sparing him anyway.
The members of Pandemonium were all out of their minds. They were nothing more than crazy individuals even worse than trash.
Valentino Michele was no different. His hobby was to give his victims false hope with all sorts of sweet talk, then lure them into a trap and hang them from trees with chains when they tried to escape.
It seemed he loved to give people hope and then crushed it.
¡°Why suddenly smile~?¡±
¡°I cannot hand over the Mercenary King. If you want him,e and take him yourself.¡±
Damien said firmly. Valentino¡¯s head tilted in the opposite direction at his words.
¡°I like smart friends~ But I really hate friends with bad habits~.¡±
¡°Threatening me is useless.¡±
¡°Threatening~? I haven¡¯t threatened anyone~? This is what you call a threat~.¡±
Valentino released his momentum.
In that instant, the ground shattered. The surrounding trees were torn apart like sheets of paper.
The lush forest disappeared in an instant. There was nothing left but aplete ruin.
Only Valentino Michele stood tall.
¡®Unbelievable.¡¯
Damien couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue.
Valentino hadn¡¯t used any particrly great technique. He had simply released his aura.
That alone was enough topletely demolish the forest. It was a destructive powerparable to the limits that a High ss could unleash with all their might.
Damien looked at the Mercenary King he was carrying on his back.
Even though a Master ss was emitting a menacing aura right in front of him, the Mercenary King was fast asleep.
It seemed that this level of threat was not enough to make him feel his life was in danger.
To prepare for the battle, Damien put the Mercenary King down on the ground.
¡°Young friend.¡±
At that moment, Valentino opened his mouth.
Valentino was clearly in front of him, yet his voice could be heard from all directions.
¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance.¡±
Every time Valentino spoke, the bones in Damien¡¯s body resonated. His internal organs vibrated. It felt like his blood was flowing back.
¡°Bring the Mercenary King before me.¡±
A tremendous killing intent surged from Valentino. The moment the killing intent touched him, Damien had the illusion that his whole body was being pierced by iron chains.
It was too vivid to be called an illusion. It was so painful that he could feel it.
Master ss.
The killing intent emitted by a transcendent was nothing short of a curse in itself.
If they were not of the same level, it was difficult to even withstand the killing intent. Even a High ss would struggle.
But Damien was no ordinary High ss.
¡°Hoo.¡±
Damien took a deep breath and exhaled. He spread his mana to push back Valentino¡¯s killing intent.
The illusion and pain disappeared in an instant. Damien jumped lightly in ce and stretched his stiff muscles.
¡°¡.You endured that?¡±
Valentino looked incredulous at the sight. Damien spoke to Valentino again.
¡°My answer is the same.¡±
Valentino¡¯s face contorted at the repeated rejection. Wrinkles formed on his face, which was left with only skin.
¡°Then I have no choice. I¡¯ll kill you and take the Mercenary King myself.¡±
Valentino spread his hands. The iron chains that were wrapped around his forearms unfurled long.
That was when it happened.
¡°Valentino, can you stop for a moment?¡±
A gentle voice came from behind.
In that instant, Valentino immediately retracted his killing intent and dark mana. Then, he quickly stepped aside and bowed his head.
When did she get there?
Behind Valentino stood a woman.
Even though she was wearing a thick cotton robe, the curves of her body were clearly visible.
She was wearing a wide-brimmed hat that half-obscured her face. As a result, only her chin and red lips were visible.
She was so beautiful that it made his heart flutter. It was hard to keep looking at her.
It wasn¡¯t the kind of allure that a person could possess. It was strange no matter how he looked at it. It was as if he was witnessing a strange phenomenon.
It was a natural reaction. The woman in front of him was no ordinary beauty.
The Great Evil .
The woman known as the Subus of Pandemonium was standing before him.
***
¡°What a remarkable boy you are.¡±
said with a smile, her tone like that of a mother looking at her proud child.
¡°To endure Valentino¡¯s killing intent even though you¡¯re only a High ss.¡±
asked, her gaze filled with tenderness.
¡°My dear boy, what is your name?¡±
Damien remained silent. He simply stared at with his lips sealed shut.
¡°Such a shy boy.¡±
chuckled with amusement. It was a smile that was full of charm, capable of stirring one¡¯s heart. Valentino who stood beside her, had a flushed face.
¡°¡¡±
However, Damien showed no reaction. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t.
The memories he had been desperately trying to suppress resurfaced the moment heid eyes on ¡¯s face.
¨C Lord Dorugo, what do you n to do with those souls?
Dark mages could control the souls.
Therefore, those who were killed by dark mages could not find peace even in death.
This was because their souls were trapped and tormented.
¨C The family of Sir Damien¡ Could there be any more attractive souls than these?
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien had killed his own family under Dorugo¡¯s orders.
What about his deceased family then?
Were his family¡¯s souls able to find peace?
¨C Please, could you give me just one? I would be eternally grateful.
No, he couldn¡¯t.
Countless dark mages begged Dorugo for his family¡¯s souls.
Because they were Damien¡¯s family after all.
They were the bloodline of the strongest undead Dorugo had ever created.
Dark mages would never let go of such rare souls.
¨C Are you really going to give them to me? Then give me this soul. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a soul with such beautiful looks.
Dorugo willingly gave Damien¡¯s family¡¯s souls to the dark mages.
His family¡¯s souls were scattered. They suffered all sorts of torment at the hands of the dark mages.
¨C Sir Damien? Can you see it?
The memories were still vivid.
appeared and shook something in front of Damien, who was standing waiting per Dorugo¡¯s orders.
¨C It¡¯s your older sister. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about what to do with her soul.
It was a tiny ss bottle that contained Louise¡¯s Soul.
¨C I decided to keep it like this. Isn¡¯t it fun?
No, Louise wasn¡¯t the only person inside. The souls of more than ten naked men surrounded her.
Louise¡¯s soul was surrounded by the souls of men and subjected to horrific acts.
¨C It¡¯s such a shame that she¡¯s not good at this.
Damien couldn¡¯t do anything but watch his sister¡¯s dignity be trampled on as he was trapped in his own body.
¡°.¡±
Damien said softly. At his words, a smile spread across ¡¯s face.
¡°I¡¯m d you recognize me. But I¡¯m asking your name.¡±
replied in a gentle tone. Then Damien spoke again.
¡°.¡±
looked puzzled.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking your name.¡±
¡°Ha.¡±
Suddenly,ughter burst from Damien¡¯s mouth.
¡°Ha ha ha.
Theughter grew louder and louder. Damien threw his head back andughed to his heart¡¯s content.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
A roar erupted. The killing intent buried deep within his chest exploded.
Mana and killing intent intertwined. As his killing intent exploded sky seemed to dye in red. It spread out in all directions. It engulfed and Valentino.
In that moment, the two could feel it.
The illusion of their entire bodies being shed, torn apart and turn into mincemeat.
The horrific pain they felt as a result.
¡¯s body trembled. Even Valentino looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
ording tomon sense, a High ss¡¯s killing intent should not have any effect on the two of them.
A supernatural phenomenon that defiedmon sense was unfolding before their very eyes.
¡°How could you be here!¡±
had been avoiding showing herself since she was being pursued by the Empire.
Therefore, Damien, even though he was involved with Rubia, had no expectation of meeting .
But how could be here?
¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you!¡±
Damien cheered. The killing intent emanating from his body grew even stronger.
The world seemed to shrink around him, consumed by the immensity of his killing intent.
In that moment, there was only one thought in Damien¡¯s mind.
To kill.
He would kill the woman right here, no matter what. He would repay her several times over for the pain his sister had suffered.
Damien grabbed his bracelet. He was about to unleash the dark mana by undoing the bracelet when¡
¡°¡I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but freeze at the familiar voice.
The person who had been lying next to Damien rose to his feet. He held his head and opened his mouth with a tired expression.
¡°I woke up because I felt something dangerous and creepy¡¡±
He looked around. Then he asked Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen, what¡¯s going on here?¡±
Mercenary King, Karl Hopper.
The master among masters had opened his eyes.
***
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Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Chapter 180: Bad Blood (2)
***
There are moments when we know we¡¯re dreaming yet dread waking. For Karl Hopper, this was precisely the case.
Karl¡¯s father pointed skyward, his voiceced with excitement.
¡°Karl! Look at that cloud! It looks just like a wolf!¡±
With his heart pounding, Karl followed his father¡¯s gaze.
¡°You¡¯re right! It¡¯s a truly magnificent wolf.¡±
His father marveled at the formation of clouds while firmly holding Karl¡¯s legs to ensure his safety.
¡°You¡¯ve lived a long life, Father. You must have seen many incredible clouds.¡±
¡°Indeed, I have.¡±
His father replied with a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
¡°I even recall seeing a cloud that resembled a lion.¡±
¡°Wow!¡±
Karl eximed, his eyes wide with wonder.
Watching the sky with his father as the sun dipped below the horizon was Karl¡¯s favorite pastime.
¡°Karl.¡± his father¡¯s voice suddenly turned serious, breaking the tranquil atmosphere. Karl couldn¡¯t help but tense up at the shift in tone.
¡°You are my son and thus, you are destined to live a long life.¡±
Karl¡¯s father was a dragon, a creature of immense power, only found in ancient history books and fairytales.
Initially, Karl dismissed his father¡¯s ims. Who in this world would believe that their parent was a dragon?
However, all doubt vanished when his father transformed one arm into a mighty dragon¡¯s limb.
¡°A long life can wear down emotions and cloud judgment. You will have to ovee your oblivion in the years toe.¡±
Karl was young, but he listened carefully to what his father had to say.
He understood that his father¡¯s presence was solely for the purpose of imparting this crucial knowledge.
¡°Expressing your desires is the most effective way to ovee the oblivion. So, acknowledge your desires and strive to fulfill them.¡±
Karl nodded in agreement. Then, with a yful grin, he asked.
¡°Since I understand now, can¡¯t you show me your true form just once? I long to see you as a dragon!¡±
¡°You rascal! Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s impossible due to an ancient vow.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you show me for just a moment? Just a glimpse?¡±
Karl pleaded, his body swaying as he tugged at his father¡¯s arm.
Suddenly, a chill crept up his spine, starting from his toes and spreading upwards. A sense of dread washed over him.
Life-threatening danger!
It felt as if someone was holding a knife to his throat.
The instinct to defend himself surged through him. Karl tensed his muscles, scanning his surroundings with a wary gaze.
¡°Son? Why are you doing this¡?¡±
His father¡¯s voice faded into the distance in an instant. The fiery sunset that had painted the sky and the field where his father stood moments ago had vanished without a trace.
¡°Father! Father!¡±
Karl called out desperately, not wanting to wake from this dream just yet.
But to no avail.
The sense of impending danger jolted Karl¡¯s consciousness back from his dreamlike state. In an instant, he was yanked back to reality.
As he opened his eyes, Karl couldn¡¯t help but be disoriented.
Instead of his familiar tent, he was met with an unfamiliarndscape.
¡°¡ I have no idea how this happened.¡±
Karl Hopper.
The Mercenary King muttered to himself as he rose to his feet and surveyed his surroundings.
¡°I woke up with an eerie feeling¡.¡±
Before him stood a ruined world, with Damien Hexen and two unfamiliar figures, a man and a woman.
¡°Damien Haksen, what the hell is going on here?¡±
***
¡°Why did you have to wake up now?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be flustered at the sight of the Mercenary King.
Under the influence of the artifact¡¯s power, he needed something life-threatening to jolt Karl out of his slumber. There weren¡¯t many beings in this world who could pose a threat to the Mercenary King. Even the killing intent of Valentino, a masterss, failed to awaken him.
So why did the Mercenary King wake up now?
¡°¡It must be because of me.¡±
Damien quickly realized the cause. Karl must have awakened because of killing intent he had unleashed.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Damien cursed under his breath and released his grip on the bracelet.
Now that the Mercenary King was awake, unleashing the dark mana was out of the question. Damien had to hide the fact that he could use dark magic.
¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡±
Damien¡¯s voice grew rough with frustration at having his revenge interrupted.
¡°That woman schemed to kidnap you.¡±
He pointed at as he spoke. The Mercenary King¡¯s eyebrows raised at the sight of .
¡°. I didn¡¯t expect to see your face again.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you in the empire, hasn¡¯t it?¡±
spoke in a friendly tone. It seemed they were both familiar with each other.
¡°Is this friend of mine telling the truth?¡±
¡°Uh¡ that was the n, but things got a bit twisted.¡±
still maintained his smile, but his lips were slightly pursed.
Giant evil .
Subus of Pandemonium.
These titles meant nothing in the presence of the Mercenary King.
¡°To dare covet this body. You¡¯re quite bold. Aren¡¯t you afraid of the consequences?¡±
¡°If I worried about such things, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hone my skills.¡±
¡°So, you intended to use this body as a mere experiment for your dark magic?¡±
The atmosphere turned icy at these words. awkwardly smiled and tried to gauge the Mercenary King¡¯s mood.
¡°You whore of Pandemonium seemed to overstep her boundaries. Now you¡¯ll pay the price.¡±
The Mercenary King stepped forward. Valentino, in turn, stepped in front of to protect her.
¡°Get out of my way, you little brat.¡±
¡°Little brat? Those days are long gone.¡±
Valentino scoffed at the Mercenary King¡¯s insult.
¡°You¡¯ve just shed your fur and you think you¡¯re the king of the hill? Do you need me to rip off an arm to get your senses back?¡±
¡°Oh, scary~ I was just thinking the same thing~ Perfect timing~.¡±
Valentino spread his arms wide. The chains wrapped around his forearms loosened and nged to the ground.
¡°How about you give this junior a chance?¡±
¡°Do whatever you want. You¡¯re going to die soon anyway, so why not fulfill one of your little wishes?¡±
Valentino chuckled at the Mercenary King¡¯s words.
¡°Oh, this is so heartwarming~? Well, I¡¯ll graciously ept it~.¡±
In that instant, Valentino vanished.
There were no warning signs, no sound. It was as if he had never been there in the first ce.
Even with Damien¡¯s enhanced senses, he couldn¡¯t detect Valentino¡¯s movement. That¡¯s how stealthy and swift it was.
But the Mercenary King was different. He was looking up at the sky, his head tilted back.
Damien followed the Mercenary King¡¯s gaze. High above, Valentino was hovering.
Valentino extended his hand towards the Mercenary King.
And then, the chains split. Hundreds of chains rained down towards the Mercenary King¡¯s location, like a torrential downpour.
¡®He¡¯s really gone off the rails.¡¯
Damien eximed inwardly.
These were not actual chains that were dropping out of the sky. A single chain would not have divided in this way if they were.
Those were Valentino¡¯s Aura des, not chains.
He was conjuring chains that were indistinguishable from real ones using Aura des and then unleashing them.
This was the result ofbining his immense dark mana with his advanced techniques.
Despite the hundreds of Aura des plummeting down, the Mercenary King didn¡¯t seem fazed.
He even took a nce towards Damien and said.
¡°I thought you¡¯d be terrified¡ but you¡¯re holding up well.¡±
The Mercenary King added with a satisfied expression.
¡°Yes, a man should have that much spirit.¡±
With those words, the Mercenary King waved his hand towards the sky.
It was a casual gesture, as if he was swatting away a fly. Immediately, a blinding light erupted from the sky.
Lightning illuminated the sky, obliterating every chain Valentino had created.
¡°¡¡±
Damien¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight.
The Mercenary King assumed that Damien was unfazed by Valentino¡¯s technique because of his courage, but it was actually something else.
Damien trusted the Mercenary King.
Although he was an idiot who almost got himself kidnapped by a woman, his skills were undeniable.
The lightning that had painted the sky faded. And then, something fell from the sky.
It was Valentino, charred to a crisp.
Valentinoy nearly burnt and his life hanging by a thread. It was difficult to determine if he was still alive.
Just then, appeared beside Valentino.
¡°It seems you¡¯re still no match for Karl.¡±
observed with a hint of disappointment.
¡°But at least you¡¯re not dead. Don¡¯t worry, Valentino. I¡¯ll create a stronger body for you.¡±
reached out to Valentino. Her hand transformed into a gaping maw, engulfing Valentino in one gulp.
possessed the ability to create a subspace within her body to store objects. Apparently, she intended to take Valentino away and heal him.
¡°Karl, I think it¡¯s not the right time for us to fight yet. Let¡¯s meet again when the opportunity arises.¡±
¡°Who said I¡¯d let you run away?¡±
The Mercenary King spoke in a menacing tone.
chuckled, standing beside him.
¡°Karl, you may be strong, but if I decide to escape, it won¡¯t be easy to catch me.¡±
¡°You impudent wretch. I¡¯ll sever your legs right now.¡±
In a blink of an eye, the Mercenary King vanished and reappeared right in front of , reaching out to grab her.
At that instant, ¡¯s body ballooned in size.
She exploded like a balloon, her flesh scattering in all directions.
The Mercenary King swiftly unleashed a torrent of lightning, incinerating every piece of her flesh. However, some fragments managed to escape the fiery st.
¡°I won¡¯t let you get away!¡±
The Mercenary King unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts, striking the flesh fragments repeatedly, reducing them to ashes.
-Whew, that was close. I almost died for real.
¡¯s voice suddenly echoed from the air.
-See you next time, Karl. Next time will be very different from today.
Despite her body being shattered into countless pieces, ¡¯s disciple, Rubia, had managed to regenerate herself by reassembling the fragments.
Simrly, must have gathered the pieces that the Mercenary King had missed and reconstructed her own body.
-Oh, and you¡¯re Damien Haksen, right?
didn¡¯t forget to address Damien as well.
-It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve met a man who made my heart race like you. I¡¯ll arrange a meeting soon, so let¡¯s have a proper conversation then.
Damien¡¯s face broke into a smile at her words.
He was frustrated because he couldn¡¯t kill her himself, Damien¡¯s insides were already churning with anger. On top of that, she wasing to find him? He couldn¡¯t be happier.
¡®Next time we meet, I¡¯ll truly kill her.¡¯
Damien¡¯s head was full of knowledge about the trick of the Breserker sect. Unlike the Mercenary King, he was confident he could permanently kill .
¡°Damn it, I missed her.¡±
The Mercenary King grumbled in a tone that reeked of humiliation.
¡°Looks like you¡¯re out of luck. You just had to catch ¡¯s eye.¡±
The Mercenary King scowled but spoke.
¡°Well, at least I owe you one. Thanks to you, I avoided getting captured by that bitch.¡±
Despite his usual arrogance, the Mercenary King readily thanked Damien.
¡°But why are you alone? Where¡¯s Athena? What happened to the others?¡±
It wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Mercenary King to be curious. The Fafnir Mercenary Company was nowhere in sight, and Damien was all by himself.
¡°This isn¡¯t the time. You need to get back as soon as possible.¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on? This is odd. My kids wouldn¡¯t get into trouble easily.¡±
Damien addressed the puzzled Mercenary King.
¡°The mercenarypany is on the verge of copse, and Athena is imprisoned.¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.
***
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Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Chapter 181: Bad Blood (3)
***
As the sun reached its zenith, the mercenaries dragged Athena out of the cell.
The mercenaries hauled her to the entrance of the mercenary camp and threw her to the ground.
Lying face down on the dirt floor, she lifted her head and gazed straight ahead.
ire stood before her, her face twisted into a cruel smirk as she looked upon Athena. Surrounding her were the other purebloods and their expressions a mix of indifference and amusement.
¡°Athena.¡±
ire addressed her, her voice dripping with venom.
¡°I¡¯ve spent a long time thinking about your fate. And I¡¯ve decided on the only punishment befitting you.¡±
Athena couldn¡¯t help but scoff. Punishment? From the very woman who had imprisoned her without cause?
¡°You are exiled from the mercenarypany.¡±
¡°From this day forward, you will never step a foot inside the Fafnir Mercenary Company.¡±
Having heard this from ire the day before, Athena wasn¡¯t entirely shocked.
Or so she thought.
The Fafnir Mercenary Company never stayed in the same ce. They always roamed around the vast continent.
For Athena, there was no true ce to call home, no familiar ce to return to.
The Fafnir Mercenary Company was her only home and her only family.
To be cast out from her home was a devastating blow.
Her heart ached with the thought of returning to the ce where her mother lived. a ce she never wanted to visit, now forced to revisit.
With a glimmer of hope, Athena¡¯s gaze fell upon the other pureblood. Surely, one of her fellowrades would stand up for her, and offer her some semnce of support.
But the pureblood met her gaze with cold indifference, some even sneering at her misfortune.
A wave of emotions surged through Athena, but she forced them down, refusing to let ire witness her vulnerability.
¡°Your armor, your weapons, and all other possessions will be confiscated.¡±
ire continued, her voice devoid of empathy.
With a flick of her wrist, ire pointed towards the horizon, adding.
¡°You will leave this ce with nothing.¡±
With her confidence damaged, Athena attempted to stand up but her ankle¡¯s severed tendons prevented her from moving.
Athena was left with no choice and began to crawl. She was dragging herself forward with her arms.
¡°This is the most fitting end for a traitor.¡±
ire¡¯s mockingughter echoed behind her, followed by the scattered chuckles of the other pureblood.
Just then, a towering shadow fell upon Athena. She looked up to see a familiar face staring down at her.
It was Ulric Hopper¡¯s shadow. He was ire¡¯s son and acting head in the ce of the Mercenary king.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
Athena asked sharply, her voice tinged with thorns. Given the situation she was in, there was little chance of a pleasant response.
¡°Just give me a moment.¡±
Ulric Hopper replied as he lifted one of Athena¡¯s feet. He poured antiseptic on the wound and applied ointment.
¡°Ulrich! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±
ire eximed upon seeing his actions. Despite her mother¡¯s anger, Ulric Hopper didn¡¯t even flinch.
¡°Mother, surely you can let me do this much mercy.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Can¡¯t you stop this right now?¡±
Despite ire¡¯s temper, Ulric Hopper silently continued treating Athena. The medication proved effective, swiftly alleviating the pain and even allowing movement in the ankle.
¡°I¡¯d love to heal the other one, but I don¡¯t know how my mother would react if I did. Forgive me for stopping here.¡±
With that, Ulric handed Athena a crutch.
¡°You think ¡¡ will make me forgive you?¡±
¡°You won¡¯t. I know that.¡±
Athena couldn¡¯t understand Ulric¡¯s behavior.
If her mother and other siblings hated her, why should Ulric be any different?
But now was not the time for questions.
Athena stood up on crutches. Her movements were unsteady, as only one ankle was healed.
Athena limped across the field. She had left her home behind.
When she turned her back on everyone, when no one could see her face.
Only then was Athena able to release her pent-up emotions. She could let the tears flow.
All this time, Athena had thought she could do anything. She had thought she was capable of anything.
But it was all an illusion.
Without her father, she was nothing. She was nothing more than an insignificant human being.
Athena wiped her tears away with her sleeve. When she pulled her sleeve down, she was no longer crying.
¡°¡¡I wille back someday.¡±
Athena murmured softly.
¡°I wille back and¡¡get my revenge.¡±
She would repay the humiliation she had suffered today many times over. Especially ire Fowler, she would personally punish her with her own hands.
At that moment, the young dragon vowed revenge¡¡
¡°Athena!¡±
¡¡at the very moment she was about to do so, a familiar voice was heard from afar.
Athena raised her head and looked straight ahead. At that moment, her eyes widened.
Her father was running towards her. Damien was with him.
¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why are you here!¡±
Her father hugged Athena tightly. He then examined her condition.
¡°You! What¡¯s going on here? Why are your feet like this?¡±
Athena looked at the two of them with a dazed expression.
Is this real? Am I not seeing an illusion?
Then, Athena sank to the ground and burst into tears.
¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. Didn¡¯t Ie here on time?¡±
Mercenary king patted Athena¡¯s back repeatedly and consoled her.
¡°Damien, please take care of Athena.¡±
Afterforting Athena for a while, the Mercenary King stood up.
And he walked towards the mercenarypany.
***
¡°No, no, that¡¯s ridiculous!¡±
ire shouted like she was having a heart attack, looking at the approaching Mercenary King.
¡°H, how did youe back¡¡ Ah, no¡¡ There¡¯s no way that¡¯s real¡¡ What are you guys doing? Why don¡¯t you kill him right away? He¡¯s a fake! He¡¯s obviously a monster in disguise!¡±
ire shouted at the purebloods.
A look of bewilderment appeared on the faces of the purebloods. This aura, this power, it was definitely the real Mercenary King.
But why was the Mercenary King, who had been passed out in the tent, here?
The purebloods hesitated, unable to decide what to do.
At the sight of this, the Mercenary King¡¯s face turned grim.
In an instant, the Mercenary King disappeared. At the same time, every pureblood present here was hit and sent flying.
Bam!
Crack!
As soon as the purebloods hit the ground, they spat out blood from their mouths. It was no ordinary internal injury.
¡°You little bastards! Can¡¯t you tell if I¡¯m real or fake!¡±
The Mercenary King, who had reappeared in his original position, growled in anger.
¡°ire Fowler! How dare you pull such a stunt in my mercenarypany!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted as he walked towards ire. ire¡¯s face turned pale as she met his anger head-on.
Then, someone blocked ire¡¯s path. It was her son, Ulric Hopper.
¡°Get out of the way! Or I won¡¯t spare you either!¡±
The Mercenary King said with an angry face. Ulric Hopper just looked at his father silently.
¡°So you¡¯re going to protect your mother just because you¡¯re her son? Well, I¡¯ll make you pay for it too!¡±
The Mercenary King raised his mana. Then, suddenly, Ulrich knelt down in front of the Mercenary King.
¡°Father, please forgive me. It¡¯s all my fault for not stopping my mother.¡±
Ulrich¡¯s apology only fueled the Mercenary King¡¯s anger.
The Mercenary King kicked Ulrich in the stomach with the tip of his foot and shouted,
¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s your fault! It¡¯s your fault for not stopping her! Do you see the result of leaving your mother alone? Do you see what happened to Athena, that little girl!¡±
The Mercenary King began to beat Ulrich. It wasn¡¯t just a simple venting of anger. He was really trying to kill Ulrich.
Ulrich spat out blood, but he silently endured the Mercenary King¡¯s beating.
¡°Stop¡¡ Stop it!¡±
ire, unable to bear it anymore, stood in front of the Mercenary King. The Mercenary King stopped punching and red at her.
¡°What did I do to make you so angry?¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?¡±
¡°You¡¯re the one who discriminated against the children first! You were always protecting that little Athena!¡±
¡°Discrimination? Yes, I did favor Athena. But let me ask the other bastards.¡±
The Mercenary King shouted, looking around at the other purebloods.
¡°You guys tell me too! Were you so upset that I favored Athena? Spit it out!¡±
The purebloods were speechless.
The Mercenary King was a man of great discrimination. But his criteria for discrimination were very clear.
¡°No one is talking, huh?¡±
The Mercenary King growled at ire with contempt. ire¡¯s face was filled with confusion.
¡°Is that¡ Is that all? Oh, only Athena¡¯s mother¡ that woman¡ I¡ I¡¯m looking for¡¡±
¡°You bitch. Did you harass Athena just for that?¡±
The Mercenary King red at ire with disdain.
¡°From the first moment we met, I told you. I only wanted your body, and I promised to pay you enough if you satisfied me.¡±
Embarrassment flooded ire¡¯s face. But the Mercenary King had no intention of considering such a ire.
¡°But still you¡¯ve harbored such ridiculous thoughts throughout your life? This incident will not be overlooked!¡±
¡°K-Karl¡!¡±
ire desperately grabbed the Mercenary King. But he immediately brushed off her hand.
¡°Listen up, you scoundrels!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted at the mercenaries.
¡°I was a fool to entrust the mercenarypany to fools like you! Thanks to you, I¡¯m convinced!¡±
Turning to Athena, the Mercenary King spoke.
¡°From today, Athena is my sessor!¡±
Mercenaries could only be deeply shaken when the sessor position, which had been vacant for a significant period of time, was finally filled.
¡°Father! Even if that¡¯s the case, just a high-ss¡ child¡¡±
One of the mercenaries unconsciously spoke out. At that moment, the Mercenary King picked up a stone lying on the ground and threw it.
The stone mmed into the mercenary¡¯s temple, sending him flying back in a spewing blood.
¡°Is there anyone else who doesn¡¯t like my decision?¡±
The Mercenary King looked around. The mercenaries remained silent.
¡°Ulrich.¡±
¡°Yes, Father.¡±
Ulrich forced himself to stand up and replied.
¡°How do you n to pay for what happened this time?¡±
¡°¡Please hit me.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t rece your punishment with such an easy method. From today, assist Athena. Protect Athena at all costs, even if it means risking your life.¡±
¡°I will obey.¡±
Ulrich immediately bowed his head and replied.
With the situation settled, the Mercenary King shouted at those around him.
¡°What are you looking at, you assholes! Get out of my sight now!¡±
***
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Chapter 182
Chapter 182
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 182: Bad Blood (4)
***
The return of the Mercenary King sent shockwaves through the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
¡°How dare they mistake this lump of flesh for me!¡±
The first thing the returned Mercenary King did was burn the fake body to ashes.
¡°You¡¯re all like blind men with eyes open! You¡¯d be better off plucking out your own eyes! At least then you¡¯d have an excuse for your stupidity!¡±
His fury knew no bounds as he learned that all of his mercenaries had been fooled by a mere doll created by a dark mage.
Among those deceived were the purebloods, whom the Mercenary King held in such high esteem.
There was no greater humiliation in the Mercenary King¡¯s life.
¡°Bring me your mothers! Every single one of them!¡±
Next, the Mercenary King gathered all the women who were the backbone of the factions in one ce.
¡°As soon as I fell, you scrambled for power? How dare you engage in such insolent behavior! I suppose I¡¯ve been too lenient with you all this time!¡±
The Mercenary King ordered that all the support they had been receiving be cut off.
Not only were their luxuries taken away, but their maidservants were also taken back. He forced them to live solely on their own strength.
¡°You should all be ashamed of yourselves! How could you be swayed by your mothers¡¯ words? You¡¯re all a bunch of weaklings!¡±
The purebloods could not escape the Mercenary King¡¯s wrath either. They were all assigned harsh tasks under the guise of punishment.
Only after he had vented his anger to his heart¡¯s content did the Mercenary King summon Damien.
***
¡°Thank you so much.¡±
The Mercenary King said and his voice filled with sincerity.
And it wasn¡¯t just empty words. He even held Damien¡¯s hand tightly and bowed his head.
¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you¡ I don¡¯t know what would have happened to me in ¡¯s clutches.¡±
Would he have been rendered powerless and turned into an experiment for the dark mages?
The thought sent a shiver down the Mercenary King¡¯s spine, given their notorious reputation.
¡°Thanks to you saving me, thanks to you I was also able to prevent the mercenarypany from splitting apart.¡±
If Damien hadn¡¯t rescued the Mercenary King in time, the Fafnir Mercenary Company would have been torn apart by power struggles, leading to civil war.
¡°And that¡¯s not all¡ I was also able to prevent Athena from falling.¡±
The Mercenary King squeezed Damien¡¯s hand tightly, conveying the depth of his gratitude.
¡°I only did what I had to do.¡±
¡°No, you¡ you did something extraordinary. From your perspective, it was ultimately someone else¡¯s business¡ and yet you put your life on the line for it.¡±
But that wasn¡¯t true.
Damien¡¯s reason for helping the Fafnir Mercenary Company was to fulfill his goals.
Kill Dorugo and prevent the War of Destruction.
Gather forces in case he failed to prevent the War of Destruction.
It was for these two reasons alone that he had saved the Mercenary King and Athena.
And so, Damien didn¡¯t believe he deserved the Mercenary King¡¯s gratitude.
¡°What do you n to do with those who were involved in this?¡±
Damien asked the Mercenary King to change the subject.
¡°I¡¯d like to kick them all out, but¡ what can I do? They¡¯re my family, like it or not.¡±
The Mercenary King said with aplicated expression.
¡°Instead, I¡¯ll keep a close eye on them to make sure something like this never happens again.¡±
From what Damien had heard in his previous life, the Fafnir Mercenary Company¡¯s split was due to the Mercenary King¡¯s perverted nature.
However, what Damien had actually witnessed was a bit different. The direct cause of the mercenarypany¡¯s split was the conflict between the factions.
Perhaps in his previous life, the Mercenary King had chosen to take the me himself.
Perhaps he had taken upon himself the me that should have been directed at his family.
Of course, that future no longer existed, so it was all just spection.
¡°Surely you¡¯re not nning to let them off with just a p on the wrist?¡±
Damien said in a yful tone. While Damien meant it as a joke, the Mercenary King¡¯s expression turned serious.
¡°Of course not. I¡¯ve been thinking about how to repay you.¡±
The Mercenary King held out something in front of Damien. It was an badge made of red metal.
¡°This is a badge that symbolizes the Fafnir Mercenary Company. If you take this to the Mercenary Office, you can hire any mercenary for free.¡±
For Damien, it was a somewhat disappointing gift.
Damien was a powerhouse about to enter the Master ss. He had no need to hire mercenaries.
¡°By the way, that ¡®any¡¯ includes me and the Fafnir Mercenary Company.¡±
With those words, Damien realized he had underestimated the gift.
The Fafnir Mercenaries were the best and strongest mercenary force on the continent. Not only were they difficult to hire, they were astronomically expensive.
To be able to hire a mercenary king, let alone a Fafnir mercenary?
¡°There¡¯s no limit to the number of times. Use it whenever you feel like. Of course, if you use them too often, I¡¯ll get angry.¡±
The Mercenary King added yfully.
Damien thanked him and took the mercenary king¡¯s token.
¡°Are you ready to leave now?¡±
¡°Yes, I am. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve seen the faces of my family.¡±
The thought of family brought back memories of what had done to his sister.
Louise wasn¡¯t the only one. Other family members¡¯ souls had been subjected to unspeakable horrors by the dark mages.
Just thinking about it made his blood boil. Damien gritted his teeth and somehow managed to suppress his emotions.
¡°See Athena before you go. She¡¯s been dying to see you.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
Damien replied briefly, then left the tent.
When Damien was gone, the Mercenary King gave him a wistful look.
¡°He¡¯s too good to let go just like this¡¡.¡±
He wanted to keep him in the mercenary camp, but he didn¡¯t have a good reason.
¡°Just in case, I sent him on a mission alone with Athena, but didn¡¯t seem to make much progress¡¡ and¡¡.¡±
The Mercenary King scratched his head and threw himself onto his bed.
He rolled around on the wide bed andmented.
¡°Such a waste~ such a waste~.¡±
***
Damien sought out Athena, finding her in the infirmary within the mercenarypany.
She was recovering from a broken ankle ligament and the general weakness that had befallen her.
¡°Athena, how is your body?¡±
Damien inquired upon entering the room. Athena who was lying on the bed was startled and sat up abruptly.
¡°Damien! You came to see me.¡±
¡°I came to see if you¡¯re feeling alright.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Athena blushed and giggled, seemingly overjoyed by his visit. Observing her, Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unfamiliarity.
The Athena of the past was not like this. She was like a venomous viper, filled with bitterness and hostility.
Her words and actions were always harsh and sharp.
Thinking about what Athena had endured in his previous life, Damien could understand to some extent.
Her father had disappeared and she had been expelled from the mercenarypany. It was only natural that her personality would be hardened.
¡°¡¡Thank you.¡±
Athena suddenly spoke a simple phrase that nheless caused Damien¡¯s eyes to widen as if struck by a revtion.
In his previous life, Athena had be the second Mercenary King in order to avenge her father and fought against Damien.
Ultimately, Athena failed to achieve her revenge. After her defeat at Damien¡¯s hands, she fell victim to the dark mages and lost her life.
That incident had left a heavy burden of guilt on Damien¡¯s heart.
It wasn¡¯t just Athena. Damien felt the same way about everyone he had inadvertently brought misfortune upon.
¡°Thanks to you, I was able to save my father too. If it weren¡¯t for you, something terrible would have happened.¡±
Could it be because he had saved Athena in this life? Her gratitude seemed to ease the guilt he had been carrying.
¡°I¡¯m leaving the mercenarypany now.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Athena looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
¡°C, can¡¯t you stay a little longer?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been away from my family for too long. It¡¯s time for me to return.¡±
Damien spoke in a firm tone.
Athena¡¯s face reflected a multitude of conflicting emotions. Then, she opened her mouth.
¡°C, can I visit youter?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Damien was not cold-hearted enough to turn away a guest.
Studying Damien¡¯s expression, Athena asked again.
¡°C, can I greet your parents?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
After all, it was proper etiquette to greet the head of the household when visiting their home.
Damien¡¯s words were taken in a different light by Athena.
¡°Really? Really?¡±
Athena gripped Damien¡¯s forearm tightly, her strength far exceeding what one would expect.
¡°¡.Yes, really.¡±
Damien replied with a slightly flustered expression. Athena then let out a cheer.
¡°You must never forget those words!¡±
***
¡°Ugh, so you¡¯re leaving after all.¡±
The Mercenary Kingmented, watching Damien¡¯s receding figure. Athena stood by his side, also watching Damien depart.
¡°Still, I¡¯m d you decided to stay here. I thought for sure you¡¯d follow that guy.¡±
¡°I wanted to follow him too.¡±
The Mercenary King looked at Athena with a puzzled expression.
¡°But then I realized that I¡¯d just be a burden to Damien right now.¡±
Without Damien, Athena would have been expelled from the mercenarypany and faced a life of hardship.
On the other hand, Damien had ovee all adversity on his own and even saved the Mercenary King.
¡°I want to be someone that Damien needs.¡±
Athena silently looked at Damien. A moment of silence passed between the father and daughter.
¡°Speaking of which, I sent you on a mission with that guy to get close with him, but what did you even do?¡±
¡°You sent me for that purpose? How could you do that as my father!¡±
¡°You like that guy, don¡¯t you!¡±
The father and daughter bickered for a while.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father. I did as you wished.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°I asked Damien for permission. I¡¯ll greet your parents when I go to Count Haksen¡¯s territory next time.¡±
At those words, the Mercenary King¡¯s eyes widened.
What did it mean to greet his parents?
Didn¡¯t it mean that they had be that close?
¡°T, this girl! I knew you¡¯d do it!¡±
The Mercenary King hugged Athena with joy. Athena was beaming with pride.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 183
Chapter 183
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 183: Family Vacation (1)
***
The journey home was long and arduous. As Damien rode his horse, the sun began to set. He decided to make camp for the night by the roadside.
He spread out his nket and built a campfire. The fire seemed weak, so he threw in a few more logs. As he watched the mes dance, Damien lost himself in thought.
¡®I can¡¯t seem to catch Dorugo¡¯s tail.¡¯
Damien had only one goal, both in the past and now: to kill Dorugo. Only by killing Dorugo could he avenge his grudge and prevent the War of Destruction.
The problem was that he couldn¡¯t find Dorugo¡¯s whereabouts.
¡®No matter how cautious Dorugo is¡ I didn¡¯t know he would be this thorough.¡¯
He thought that once he caught a few of the dark mages associated with Dorugo and delved into their souls, he would be able to find his location quickly. However, things didn¡¯t work out so easily.
Since regressing, Damien had hunted many dark mages, but he couldn¡¯t find even the slightest trace of Dorugo.
¡®At this point, I have no choice but to be more aggressive.¡¯
There was no point in going after just any dark mage. He had to catch a big fish to find out Dorugo¡¯s location.
¡®The Great Evils might know Dorugo¡¯s whereabouts.¡¯
The Great Evils were the backbone of Pandemonium and Dorugo¡¯s strongest supporters.
This meant that the Great Evils had maintained a close rtionship with Dorugo for a long time. The Great Evils might know how to find Dorugo.
¡®I was going to find them and kill them anyway.¡¯
The damage humanity suffered at the hands of the Great Evils during the War of Destruction was immeasurable.
They were killing machines who had to be killed along with Dorugo. Not a single one could be spared.
More than anything, Damien had a bigger reason to kill the Great Evils.
¡®Those bastards¡ I can never forgive those damn bastards who took my family¡¯s souls.¡¯
The dark mages who had taken the souls of his family.
They were all Great Evils. They had each, in their own way, tricked, tormented, and plunged his family into an ocean of pain.
Clench.
The thought of them made his teeth clench involuntarily. His anger was like a de, ready to pierce his chest and burst forth.
¡®To kill them¡ I need to reach to Master ss first.¡¯
The Great Evils were formidable beings. They were Transcendentalists, dark mages who surpassed the Master ss. To fight them, Damien had to reach the level of a Transcendent himself.
¡®I have all the conditions met.¡¯
During his visit to the Fafnir Mercenary Company, Damien had managed to get his hands on the legendary elixirs, the Mithra Holy Water and the Flower of Fire.
By fully absorbing these, Damien was finally able to reach the Master ss he had so desired.
However, he could not take the elixirs right away. Damien¡¯s current body was too weak to absorb them.
This was all because of Damien¡¯s rapid growth in strength.
Less than a year had passed since Damien¡¯s regression. Due to his rapid growth in strength over a short period of time, Damien¡¯s body had many imperfections.
¡®I guess I need to focus on physical training for now.¡¯
Improving his own skills.
In addition to that, there was one more condition that Damien needed to meet in order to confront the Great Evils.
¡®I need my own forces.¡¯
The Great Evils mostly had their own forces.
These were beings who would do their bidding and fight alongside them when needed.
Therefore, Damien needed his own forces to confront the Great Evils.
¡®I¡¯ve alreadyid the groundwork.¡¯
Damien already had amander knight, a number of skeletons, and two more undeads.
Right now,pared to the forces of the Great Evils, they were small in size and weak in power.
However, their potential was greater than any other force.
Dominico had the potential to reach Master ss, and Miya grew stronger whenever she absorbed the blood of living beings. Munchi was a monster who was called the Beast of Destruction in the past life.
¡®Just wait. I¡¯ll send every single one of them to the bottom of hell without leaving a single one behind.¡¯
Damien¡¯s eyes burned silently in the darkness.
***
After several more days of travel, Damien finally reached his home. However, upon his arrival, he was met with an unfamiliar sight.
The servants were all bustling about, packing their belongings.
¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±
Damien entered the castle with a bewildered expression. He wanted to grab someone and ask, but everyone seemed preupied.
Then he spotted Victor chopping firewood in the backyard.
¡°Heave-ho! Heave-ho!¡±
Victor was splitting logs with his ax, exerting all his might.
¡°Goodness.¡±
¡°Whoa! You scared me, Master! Please make some noise when you enter!¡±
Victor eximed in surprise and protested. Damien chuckled.
¡°More importantly, what¡¯s going on here? Everyone seems so busy.¡±
¡°Ah, we¡¯re preparing for a trip.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be dumbfounded by the out-of-the-blue statement.
¡°A trip? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details either. It was decided just a few days ago.¡±
It seemed like he had to find his family to get the full story.
As Damien headed upstairs, he couldn¡¯t help but ask Victor,
¡°Why aren¡¯t you helping with the travel preparations and chopping firewood instead?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going along as the Count¡¯s attendant on this trip.¡± Victor replied.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
Not just anyone could apany a noble on their travels. Only those with exceptional abilities or recognition were allowed.
¡°Then why is someone going on the trip chopping firewood here?¡±
¡°Well, if I leave the castle, won¡¯t the firewood run out quickly? I¡¯m preparing a few days¡¯ worth of firewood in advance to prevent such a mishap!¡±
Damien looked at Victor with a dumbfounded expression.
Couldn¡¯t they just ask someone else if the firewood ran out?
That thought crossed his mind, but Victor¡¯s face was so serious that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to point it out.
¡°Alright, then. Work hard.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Damien headed to upstairs.
¡°Have you packed enough clothes? Check again just in case.¡±
He heard his mother giving instructions to the maids.
Damien approached his mother and spoke loudly,
¡°Mother!¡±
¡°Oh, Damien!¡±
His mother immediately ran over and hugged him tightly. Damien hugged her back with both arms.
¡°Are you done with everything? It seems like you took especially long this time.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s all finished.¡±
Damien mumbled vaguely. He couldn¡¯t tell her about what happened at the mercenarypany. It would only worry her.
¡°Anyway, a trip? What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡±
¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t know since you were away. Father is in his study, so go ask him yourself. I¡¯m too busy to exin right now.¡±
She pushed him on the back and said. In the end, Damien had no choice but to head to his father¡¯s study to seek answers.
¡°Father, I¡¯m here.¡±
Damien said as he entered the room. Count Haksen stopped writing on his papers and looked up at Damien.
¡°There you are. So you¡¯re back.¡±
¡°Your reaction is so dry. Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡±
¡°I¡¯m only going to be happy if you stop disappearing and reappearing all the time.¡±
Count Haksen said bluntly. Damien felt a pang of guilt.
¡°I heard you¡¯re preparing for a trip? What¡¯s this sudden trip?¡±
¡°Duke sent an invitation. He said he secured the best spot for watching the Starlight Fairies¡¯ spawning season, which starts around this time every year.¡±
At his father¡¯s words, Damien recalled a memory he had buried deep within him.
Starlight Fairies were not actually fairies, despite their name. They were creatures far removed from fairies.
Their bodies were transparent, they floated in the air, and their bodies glowed at night.
They were incredibly rare creatures, so rare that it was difficult to find even a single one most of the time.
However, once a year, during their mating season, hundreds of them would soar into the sky simultaneously.
It was a spectacle that could only be seen in the Apple Kingdom, making it a unique sight.
As a result, tens of thousands of people from other kingdoms flocked to see the Starlight Fairies every year.
Therefore, even for the nobles of the Apple Kingdom, it was difficult to obtain a prime spot to view the Starlight Fairies up close.
The fact that Duke was willing to give them such a spot was enough reason to prepare for the trip.
¡°What about a family trip without me? What were you going to do if I hadn¡¯te back today?¡±
¡°We were just going to go without you.¡±
Damien¡¯s face fell. Count Haksen then added with a sly smile,
¡°But I¡¯m d you¡¯re back.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a good thing you came back just in time. We can all go together. I was actually worried about leaving you behind.¡±
Count said as he put down his fan.
¡°I can¡¯t remember thest time we went on a family trip. Let¡¯s enjoy this rare opportunity.¡±
As his father said, Damien¡¯s memories of family vacations were hazy.
In his case, having experienced a previous life, they felt even more distant.
¡°I¡¯ll leave the escorting to you.¡±
His father spoke to Damien, who was lost in thought.
Damien made an effort to shake off his gloomy mood and replied,
¡°Leave it to me. If there are any troublemakers who dare interfere, I¡¯ll be the first to step up and silence them.¡±
Count Haksen nodded at Damien¡¯s words and said,
¡°¡But wouldn¡¯t silencing them first be considered a crime?¡±
***
¡°Starlight Fairy Festival?¡±
In a lodge nestled within a rural vige, a woman seated at a table spoke with a disgruntled expression.
¡°I got my hopes up when they said a new target was set¡ and this is all we get? What¡¯s the fun in ruining a measly festival? Don¡¯t you all agree?¡±
She nced around the table, and the others seated there nodded in agreement.
¡°This pathetic ce¡ there are plenty of other interesting targets. We could raid a noble¡¯s estate, gather everyone up, and then blow them all to smithereens in one go.¡±
The woman spoke, looking directly at the man across from her. He sat with his chair turned, gazing out the window.
¡°Sucr¨¦, my sweet little kitten, don¡¯t use such harshnguage.¡±
The man said.
¡°Cut the crap and exin yourself already.¡±
The woman retorted in a shrill voice.
The man raised both arms in apparent surrender.
¡°The Starlight Fairy Festival isn¡¯t just any festival. It¡¯s so popr that nobles flock in from other kingdoms.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to the cityter and check it out yourself. You¡¯ll quickly learn just how famous the festival is and how many people attend.¡±
Intrigued by the man¡¯s words, the woman fell silent.
¡°Imagine it. Thousands of nobles who journeyed all this way from distantnds just to see the festival. And you, with your magic, could blow them all sky high.¡±
The man sped his hands together and then spread them wide open, mimicking an explosion.
¡°Can you imagine the spectacle? Wouldn¡¯t it be magnificent?¡±
The woman pondered for a moment at the man¡¯s words. Then, a smile bloomed on her face.
¡°Let¡¯s get started. Right now.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 184
Chapter 184
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 184: Family Vacation (2)
***
¡°My small and cute kitten, Sucr¨¦. There¡¯s no one else who understands my intentions as quickly as you do¡¡±
¡°Enough with the dog noises? What about you guys? Do you all agree?¡±
Sucr¨¦ asked as she looked around at the other party members. The party members looked at each other¡¯s faces and nodded.
¡°You¡¯re like adorable baby ducklings. Watching you makes me feel so happy¡¡±
¡°Everyone has agreed. Then let¡¯s leave right away.¡±
Sucr¨¦ jumped up from her seat and walked out of the inn. The other party members followed Sucr¨¦ out as well.
When the man realized he was alone, the man shrugged and stood to approach the inn¡¯s counter.
¡°Chef? The food was delicious.¡±
¡°Th, that¡¯s, that¡¯s good.¡±
The innkeeper who was standing at the counter, stammered. His face was as pale as a corpse.
¡°It¡¯smendable that you have a wide variety of dishes, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t taste good. The bean dish was the worst.¡±
¡°So, so-sor-sorry. Ah, I will, I will work on polishing my cooking skills in the future.¡±
¡°I really appreciate your proactive attitude. In that sense, I guess I should pay you what you¡¯re due.¡±
The man took out a gold coin from his pocket and ced it on the counter.
The bright gold coin shone brightly. However, the innkeeper was not at all happy.
¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
¡°Wa, wa, wait a minute!¡±
The innkeeper¡¯s cry made the man look at him with a puzzled expression.
¡°Pl, please¡ could you please, please undo this?¡±
The innkeeper said, rolling up his sleeves. A magic circle was twinkling on the innkeeper¡¯s wrist.
¡°Pl, please beg, beg you! Sa, save my life¡ please just spare my life!¡±
The innkeeper fell to his knees and put his hands together.
The man looked at the innkeeper¡¯s attitude with a pitiful expression and said.
¡°Well¡ when you plead like that, my heart softens.¡±
At those words, a hopeful expression appeared on the innkeeper¡¯s face.
¡°But that magic can only be undone by our adorable Sucr¨¦. I have no choice.¡±
With that, the man turned and grabbed the inn door.
¡°Wa, wait a minute! Pl, please! Please!¡±
Before the innkeeper could even grab him, the man walked out of the inn.
The moment the open door mmed shut, the magic circle suddenly began to emit light.
¡°Ah, no! Please! Stop! Aaagh!¡±
The innkeeper¡¯s body turned bright red and was engulfed in mes. The innkeeper screamed and rolled around on the floor.
¡°Aack! Aaagh! Kwaaak!¡±
But the mes on his body did not disappear. The mes simply spread to the inn. Soon, the red mespletely engulfed the entire inn.
¡°Well¡ the magic has been activated.¡±
The man who hade out of the inn muttered as he watched the scene.
¡°Sucr¨¦¡¯s work is always excellent, no matter when I see it.¡±
With that, the man turned and walked down the road.
The road the man was walking on was filled with the bodies of people.
Corpses were burnt and their bodies were barely recognizable amidst the charred remains.
All were the bodies of the vigers.
¡°Why are you sote?¡±
Sucr¨¦ snapped as they emerged from the vige. The man raised his hands in a gesture of apology.
¡°Shhh, don¡¯t get angry. Don¡¯t ruin that cute face of yours.¡±
¡°Stop barking and tell me why. What took you so long?¡±
¡°I had to pay for the food. Didn¡¯t I?¡±
The man shrugged at Sucr¨¦¡¯s nagging.
¡°Our little kitten. What was our first principle?¡±
¡°To do whatever we please.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s the meaning of our Hedoniac.¡±
The man added, straightening his clothes.
¡°I don¡¯t know about anything else, but I think we should always pay our dues.¡±
¡°Oh, if you can¡¯t talk¡ fine. Get on the horse already.¡±
The man, Sucr¨¦ and their party mounted their horses.
After they left the vige, a group of knights arrived.
¡°Search for survivors!¡±
The knights scattered and searched the vige.
But all they found were charred bodies and a burning inn.
¡°¡Horrible.¡±
One of the knights muttered softly.
They say that people suffer the most pain when they are burned to death.
As if to prove that true, the faces of the vigers were filled with agony.
Even though they were burned ck, they were recognizable at a nce.
¡°Hedoniac¡ those maniacs.¡±
Hedoniac.
Unlike other criminal organizations, they did not covet wealth. They did not seek power.
Their interest was in one thing only.
Murder, massacre, pain.
They attacked viges and cities, killing people. Their methods were always different as if they were always wondering how to kill them.
Despite such atrocities, Hedoniac was still atrge.
The reason was quite simple.
¡°The Masterss and the Dark Mage are working together¡ why does the God leave such a disaster alone?¡±
Because the leaders of Hedoniac were the Transcendents.
¡°¡Contact the headquarters and tell them we¡¯ve found Hedoniac¡¯s trail.¡±
The knight said in a grim voice.
***
For this trip, there was nothing special to prepare at House Haksen.
¡°My name is Sandler, and I have been sent by His Excellency the Duke to apany you.¡±
This was because the Duke Goldpixie had sent a carriage and escorts for the trip.
¡°His Excellency is so kind to us¡ I don¡¯t know how to repay this kindness.¡±
Count said with an embarrassed expression.
He didn¡¯t know that in addition to securing a seat at the top table of the popr festival, they would also send a carriage and escorts.
¡°His Excellency has said that you are worthy of enjoying this, as you have a wonderful son.¡±
At those words, a look of deep pride appeared on Count¡¯s face.
The reason Duke Goldpixie was offering so many gifts was to maintain his rtionship with Damien.
Unlike in the past, Damien had be a figure who could not controlled by the power of the Goldpixie alone.
So he was trying to maintain his rtionship with Damien in this way.
It was not a bad thing for Damien either. As long as his family was in the Apple Kingdom, it was not a bad thing to be close to Duke Goldpixie.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
With Sandler¡¯s words, the carriage carrying the people of House Haksen set off.
The carriage ran and ran and arrived at the city where the festival was being held.
¡°Oh my.¡±
¡°Wow,¡±
The family members who got out of the carriage couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
The city was full of people. The streets were overflowing with vendors selling souvenirs.
¡°With so many people, it must be difficult to find amodation.¡±
Count Haksen said with a worried expression. Then, Sandler spoke as if he had been waiting for this moment.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. His Excellency has already prepared amodation for you.¡±
¡°Really? That¡¯s so kind of him.¡±
Sandler guided the family to a hotel in the center of the city.
The five-story hotel was the tallest andrgest building in the surrounding area.
¡°This is a hotel owned by our Dukedom.¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s huge. Which room are we going to use?¡±
¡°You can use all of them.¡±
¡°¡What do you mean?¡±
¡°I said you can use all of them.¡±
Count Haksen and the other family members did not understand Sandler¡¯s words at first.
¡°This is the best view in the city. His Excellency has told us not to ept other guests in order to amodate you.¡±
Sandler¡¯s words further shocked the family.
During the high season of the festival, the city was flooded with visitors, and the amodation costs would have skyrocketed.
They couldn¡¯t even calcte how much ie the Duke had given up.
¡°Why don¡¯t you go up to the rooftop and see for yourself? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡±
The family went up to the rooftop of the hotel.
There was a table set up in a spacious area so that they could enjoy the scenery while eating.
All the other buildings were lower than the hotel, so they could see the sky without any obstruction.
¡°To think I can see the swarm of Starlight Fairies from here¡¡±
Count Haksen muttered in disbelief. Then, he looked at Damien and said.
¡°Damien, thank you.¡±
Damien was speechless at the unexpected words.
¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m able to enjoy such luxury. You are truly my pride.¡±
In that moment, memories of the past came flooding back.
¡°This idiot! You got kicked out of the bar for causing a ruckus?¡±
¡°How are you ever going to fix that temper of yours?¡±
¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to our family!¡±
In his troublemaking days, Damien had never received praise from his father.
Cast out from the family and living as a mercenary, Damien reflected on his actions. He had achieved great sess as a mercenary and intended to return to the family to seek forgiveness.
But Damien¡¯s wish was never fulfilled.
Damien was transformed into a Death Knight, killed his family, and brought about the world¡¯s destruction.
He spent his life filled with regret and suffering.
He wanted to apologize, but he couldn¡¯t. His father and the rest of his family were already dead.
But today, he heard his father say thank you.
It felt like the guilt that had been weighing on his heart had lessened, even if just a little.
¡°¡I just hope you¡¯ll treat me better in the future.¡±
Damien said yfully, trying to hide his awkwardness.
¡°I understand. I¡¯ll treat you better from now on.¡±
Fatherughed heartily. Damien found himself smiling as well.
¡®I guess this isn¡¯t so bad sometimes.¡¯
Damien thought, looking around at his family.
He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had spent time with his family like this.
He was determined to enjoy this leisurely time to the fullest.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Damien¡¯s senses detected a familiar aura.
The joy and happiness that had just filled his heart were gone in an instant.
His entire body turned cold and a sense of unease surged through him.
Damien looked down with a cold gaze. In the distance, he saw two figures walking.
Their faces were hidden by robes pulled up over their heads.
But Damien could feel it clearly.
The dark mana they were emitting.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 185
Chapter 185
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 185: Family Vacation (3)
***
They were carefully concealing their dark mana but it was not enough to evade Damien¡¯s senses.
The two individuals strolling down the street were undoubtedly dark mages.
¡®Those motherfuckers have appeared again.¡¯
Damien sighed, a wave of weariness washing over him.
He had finally gotten a chance to enjoy a family vacation, and why did these vermin have to show up now?
He¡¯d rather ignore them if he could. After all, Damien was enjoying a rare moment of happiness.
But he couldn¡¯t. These weren¡¯t just any dark mages.
¡®Two high-level dark mages.¡¯
High-level dark mages were not to be taken lightly, even though theycked power inparison with Grand Dark Mage.
Even a single one could easily turn an entire city into a hellishndscape.
He couldn¡¯t allow such dangerous beings to roam free. If he wasn¡¯t careful, his family could be in grave danger.
¡°Victor.¡±
Damien called out to Victor, who was nearby. Victor had apanied them on this trip to assist the family.
¡°Yes?¡±
Victor responded.
¡°I need to step away for a bit. If Father or Mother asks about my whereabouts, tell them I¡¯m sightseeing around the city. Understand?¡±
¡°Another errand¡ I understand, sir.¡±
After rying his instructions to Victor, Damien leaped off the building¡¯s edge and soared towards the ground.
Gentlynding on the pavement, he set off in pursuit of the two figures.
***
The Grim Brothers, Laks and Akas, vanished down the tiny alley. Not a soul stirred within its depths, only trash and stray cats catching their eyes.
¡°This looks good.¡± Akas, the elder brother muttered. He dug a fist-sized ck stone from his robes. Laks, the younger brother mirrored his action.
Both began engraving magic circles onto the building¡¯s exterior using ck stones. The intricate patterns materialized swiftly, revealing the practiced ease of their movements.
¡°Be careful, brother. This magic circle is highly unstable. The slightest mistake and it won¡¯t activate.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I practiced all night like you asked.¡±
The task wasn¡¯t lengthy. Within minutes, over ten magic circles adorned the building¡¯s wall.
¡°Perfect,¡± Akas smirked, his gaze lingering on thepleted circles. ¡°wless.¡±
¡°Sucr¨¦ truly is a genius. How did she even create such dark magic?¡±
¡°They say it burns people alive.¡±
Akas exined, a hint of morbid excitement in his voice.
¡°Not just burns them. It cooks them slowly over an hour. Keeps them alive while they suffer.¡±
Burning a person was easy. But slowing down the process to an agonizing hour? That was dark magic of a caliber beyond their imagination.
¡°Impressive, sure but why such a drawn-out method? Wouldn¡¯t a quick explosion be more efficient?¡±
¡°I want to watch them burn while I eat.¡±
Akas replied, his eyes zed over with a disturbing fantasy.
¡°But if they die too fast, the fun ends. They need to stay alive at least until I finish my meal.¡±
Akas¡¯s gaze returned to the magic circles, his expression a chilling mix of hunger and sadistic anticipation.
¡°Such beauty and genius, Sucr¨¦ is abination of beauty with brain. No wonder I can¡¯t resist her.¡±
¡°Brother, enough of that talk,¡± Laks countered, a hint of worry in his voice.
¡°Remember what Winston did to youst time?¡±
¡°So what if he beat me? He didn¡¯t kill me, did he?¡± Akas chuckled darkly.
Laks could only grimace at his brother¡¯s words.
¡°And brother.¡±
Akas continued, his voice turning serious.
¡°What¡¯s the first rule of Hedoniac? Do whatever your heart desires. I won¡¯t give up on Sucr¨¦, no matter what.¡±
Laks sighed, the weight of Akas¡¯s impossible dream settling on his shoulders.
¡°And who are we anyway?¡±
Akas pressed, his voiceced with a hint of pride.
¡°Right now we¡¯re Sucr¨¦¡¯s assistants, but weren¡¯t we once the fearsome Grim Brothers?¡±
Before Sucr¨¦¡¯s intervention, the brothers were notorious dark mages, the Grim Brothers.
They took on jobs like building demolition and assassination, their skills highly sought after in the criminal underworld.
Then, Sucr¨¦ appeared out of nowhere, kidnapping them both.
She saw potential in them and offered them a position as her assistants, promising them ess to powerful dark magic in exchange for their service.
Despite the forceful recruitment, they couldn¡¯tin much.
Working for Sucr¨¦ gave them ess to powerful magic, a steady flow of funds, and ample resources.
¡°There was nothing I couldn¡¯t have before. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t give up on Sucr¨¦ either.¡±
¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s move. We have another location to hit.¡±
As Laks started walking, Akas grumbled from behind.
¡°Why do you have to rush off? You knew I wouldn¡¯t stop talking otherwise.¡±
The brothers continued down the alley, their ck robes billowing behind them, their faces hidden in the shadows, a chilling reminder of the dark magic they wielded.
¡°So much for a famous festival¡¯ Seems there were quite a few skilled knights around.¡±
¡°They say it¡¯s packed with tourists from other kingdoms. Even high-ss knights? How sad,ing to a festival out of sheer loneliness.¡±
¡°Even more pathetic. Not a single one of them noticed us.¡±
Laks said with a cruel chuckle escaping his lips.
The brothers shared a darkugh.
There was a reason they were called the Grim Brothers.
Their years of experiencebined with their expertly in dark magic made this look easy.
Hiding their dark mana from mere knights was a breeze.
¡°Indeed. We are Hedonists.¡±
An unfamiliar and chilling presence sliced through the air from behind them. Both brothers outstretched their hands and were ready to unleash a torrent of dark magic at a moment¡¯s notice.
Standing in the center of the narrow alley was a young man.
Dark brown hair framed a face that held a hint of defiance.
He was taller than average, and even beneath the loose clothing, the taut lines of a well-trained body were evident.
The brothers stared, a flicker of confusion crossing their features.
They had just passed from the very spot where the young man now stood. There had been nothing, absolutely nothing, just seconds ago. Now, he was there, seemingly materialized out of thin air.
¡°Who are you?¡±
Akas asked with his voiceced with suspicion.
¡°Following us, perhaps?¡±
Laks added, his tone equally wary.
¡°Hedoniac.¡±
The young man replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
¡°Never seen you before, but the name rings a bell. A criminal organization active during¡ those times, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
He offered no further exnation, leaving the brothers filled in confusion.
¡°Even a nobody like me knows your reputation.¡±
the young man continued, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.
¡°Seems the Church wasn¡¯t exaggerating when they chased you down with such fervor.¡±
The brothers exchanged nces, a peculiar mix of pride and amusement ying on their faces.
¡°You are well-informed, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Akas said, a hint of a smirk ying on his lips.
¡°Yes, we were Hedoniac. But it seems your reasons for confronting us go beyond mere recognition. Who are you really?¡±
Again, the young man remained silent, his gaze fixed on them with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines.
¡°I figured you were dangerous, but nning a city-wide terrorist attack? That¡¯s a very serious issue.¡±
He didn¡¯t yell or threaten. He simply stood there, his expression a twisted mask of barely contained rage.
¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let you people live. You disrupt everything. My happiness, my peace. You shatter it all.¡±
A suffocating aura, heavy with violence and death, emanated from the young man.
The Grim Brothers, notorious for their cruelty, had never encountered such a potent presence before.
¡°Well, that¡¯s a stroke of luck. At least you showed up before things got messy.¡±
Akas said, trying to sound nonchnt despite the tremor in his voice.
The young man began to close the distance, a predator stalking its prey.
The Grim Brothers¡¯ hands were overflowing with dark mana as they summoned their dark magic after the sensing impending danger.
¡°Don¡¯te any closer.¡±
Akas warned, his voiceced with a newfound urgency.
But the young man ignored the warning, his steps purposeful and unwavering.
With a flick of their wrists, the Grim Brothers unleashed a torrent of dark magic, the signature destructive power of the Doom sect unleashed from their fingertips.
The dark magic zed enough to engulf the target in mes and reduce it to ashes in a blink.
It was one of the fastest and most difficult spells to dodge that they could use.
Yet, nothing happened. The young man didn¡¯t burst into mes. Not even a single ember can touch his body.
¡°Slow.¡±
The young man remarked, casually slinging his longsword over his shoulder.
The bewildered brothers could only stare.
¡°When did you even draw that sword?¡±
It was only then that the horrifying truth dawned on them. Their wrists were severed, their spellcasting hands lying useless on the ground.
¡°Ah, ah¡¡±
A strangled gasp escaped their lips as agonizing pain erupted.
Their mouths gaped open, a scream threatening to tear from their throats.
But before their cries could reach the outside world, the young man mmed his hands over their mouths.
It felt like iron tongs were crushing their lips, squeezing the flesh and shattering bones.
Ugh¡ Ugh!
Their screams were muffled, trapped within their own bodies.
The brothers¡¯ eyes welled up with bloodshot fury, their bodies thrashing wildly in a desperate attempt to break free. But the real torment had just begun.
Mana turned into sharp needles came out from the young man¡¯s hands into theirs, spreading like wildfire throughout their bodies. The excruciating pain brought tears streaming down their faces.
When the young man finally released them, their bodies crumpled to the ground in a heap.
Free, yet utterly helpless. Their dark mana was stagnant, their bodies immobilized and unresponsive.
¡°I¡¯m going to ask you two some questions.¡± the young man said while rolling up his sleeves.
There was a strange, undefined fear in the air, despite the fact that he had no weapons in his hands.
¡°You can stay silent if you want to, Of course, that¡¯s only if you can handle whates next.¡±
The deserted alleyway echoed with the muffled screams of the once-feared Grim Brothers.
***
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Chapter 186
Chapter 186
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 186: Family Vacation (4)
***
¡°A-ahhhh, there are¡ a total of five of us.¡±
Damien used the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle to twist a few joints and tore some muscles, and the Grim brothers quickly began to answer Damien¡¯s questions.
¡°Tell me the total strength of your group.¡±
¡°Uh, one is a High-level dark mage like my brother¡ the other two are Master ss and Grand Dark Mage.¡±
¡°What are their names?¡±
¡°The Grand Dark Mage is named Sucr¨¦. The Master ss is Winston¡¡±
Damienpared the answers he had heard from the two brothers to his own memories.
Both belonged to Hedoniac, a notorious criminal organization even in his previous lives.
There were two main reasons why Hedoniac was able to gain such notoriety.
First of all, they had no proper motive for their crimes.
Unlike other criminal organizations, they didn¡¯tmit crimes for money, power, or even to gather dark magic materials.
So, the Church couldn¡¯t predict Hedoniac¡¯s movements at all.
The second reason was the strength of the two persons who were the backbone of Hedoniac.
A Master ss and a Grand Dark Mage.
Two transcendents that ordinary people would be lucky to see once in their lifetime were among them.
Because of this overwhelming force, the Church had no choice but to miss Hedoniac every time.
¡°Where are the other three? Are they in the city too?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
They seemed to hesitate. Damien immediately dug his five fingers into their shoulder.
The injected mana flowed through the two brothers¡¯ veins. In that instant, the muscles in their shoulders began to squirm as if they were alive.
The muscles constricted their bones and nerves. Their eyes were bloodshot.
¡°P-please stop¡!¡±
¡°T-this much is¡ Agh!¡±
Damien immediately covered the mouths of the two brothers. It was impossible for the brothers to even scream, as they waited for the pain to subside.
After a while, Damien took his hands off. The two brothers gasped for breath.
¡°Where are the other three?¡±
¡°They¡¯re not¡ in the city yet¡ They¡¯reing now¡¡±
The brothers answered Damien¡¯s questions obediently. They now seemed to havepletely lost their will to resist.
¡°They¡¯reing now? Why?¡±
¡°Sucr¨¦¡ Lady Sucr¨¦ and Mr. Winston¡ want to ruin everything¡ when the festival is going on¡ So they¡¯reing¡ a littlete¡¡±
¡°Then why did youe to the city first?¡±
¡°We¡ preparatory work¡ to follow Lady Sucr¨¦¡¯s orders¡¡±
Preparatory work probably meant drawing magic circles all over the city.
Send the two men first to draw magic circles all over the city.
The rest will arrive while people are enjoying the Starlight Festival and activate the magic circles.
¡°Why go through all this trouble?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Lady Sucr¨¦¡¯s taste¡ she enjoys¡ crushing the moment¡ when people are happiest¡¡±
¡°Disgusting bitch.¡±
Thanks to his previous life experience, Damien knew how flithy dark mages were.
But there weren¡¯t many dark mages who wouldmit genocide purely for their own pleasure.
¡®A Master ss and a Grand Dark Mage¡¡¯
It couldn¡¯t be a worsebination.
Even an average knight and mage would see a significant increase in power when paired together.
This is because the knight takes the vanguard, allowing the mage to cast spells without worry.
¡®And it¡¯s clear that neither of them are ordinary in terms of skill.¡¯
Damien had never seen Sucr¨¦ and Winston in person.
But from the information he had gathered in the past, it was clear that the two were formidable powerhouses.
After all, Hedoniac had wiped out several Church pursuit teams.
As a result, the Church had suffered greatly before finally eradicating Hedoniac.
¡®Even Pandemonium had made recruitment offers several times.¡¯
The Death Knights had mentioned this a few times after he became a Death Knight.
They said that Pandemonium had heard of Hedoniac¡¯s notoriety and had tried to recruit them several times, but were always rejected.
The reason was fascinating. They wanted to use their power only for themselves.
¡®They¡¯re a tough opponent for me to face alone.¡¯
A Grand Dark Mage alone would be formidable, but with a Master ss included as well.
No matter how skilled Damien was, he couldn¡¯t fight a Master ss at this point in time.
¡®Damn, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter a Master ss so soon.¡¯
That¡¯s why he was trying to ascend to Master ss as quickly as possible.
He never knew when, where, or what kind of enemy he might encounter.
¡®Should I evacuate my family?¡¯
Logically, that¡¯s what he should do. The moment those two arrived in the city, hell would break loose.
¡®But I still have time. Those two aren¡¯t scheduled to arrive until after the festival is over.¡¯
He still had time to prepare.
So instead of evacuating his family, Damien was contemting how to stop Hedoniac.
There was a reason Damien was so stubborn about this.
¡®It¡¯s a rare family trip.¡¯
Everyone in the family was looking forward to this trip.
Was it because the Starlight Festival was famous? Because the Duke had made all the arrangements?
Those were factors, but the biggest reason was Damien himself.
This was the first family trip that Damien went with his family after getting himself back on track.
So everyone was looking forward to it and genuinely happy.
¡®¡¡Decades. It¡¯s been decades.¡¯
For Damien, it meant even more.
In his previous life, Damien had killed his family with his own hands. Since then, he had spent over a decade living in regret.
And so, he regressed. He was reunited with his family, whom he could never see again.
He made amends for his mistakes, apologized to his family, and went on a trip together.
That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want to be interrupted. He wanted to finish this trip safely.
¡®I¡¯ll kill them before they get to the city.¡¯
In that moment, Damien made up his mind.
¡®They¡¯re a tough force, but there¡¯s always a way.¡¯
If Damien couldn¡¯t take them on alone, he could always ask for help from outside.
After all, wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a group in this world that would firste forth whenever there were dark mages?
¡®If ites to that, I¡¯ll have to step in.¡¯
Damien still had onest resort.
He didn¡¯t use it if he could help it because it made him feel even dirtier than when he used dark magic.
¡®Alright, let¡¯s get moving.¡¯
After gathering his thoughts, Damien looked back at the two brothers.
The two brothers were looking at Damien with faces full of fear.
¡°P-please spare our lives¡ we¡¯ve answered all your questions.¡±
Instead of answering, Damien loosened his bracelet slightly. Dark mana oozed out of the bracelet.
¡°Wh-what¡?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s¡¡±
The brothers¡¯ eyes widened. They were about to shout in disbelief.
¡°D-Dark¡¡±
Damien activated his darj magic. mes shot up from the two men¡¯s bodies.
Before they could even scream, their bodies turned to ash.
Damien used another dark magic spell to cleanly erase the traces left by the two men.
¡°I can¡¯t let any dark mage live.¡±
Finally, Damien erased the magic circle drawn in the alleyway and disappeared.
***
¡°Damien! What are you doing sote?¡±
When he returned to the rooftop, his family was enjoying their meal.
The table where his family was gathered was filled with freshly prepared food. People who looked like hotel staff were attending to them.
¡°Why are you suddenly sightseeing in the city?¡±
¡°I went out to check if there were any dangerous guys.¡±
Damien said as he sat down next to his father. His father burst intoughter.
¡°Hahahaha, what danger? Do you know how safe this city is? They say they¡¯re even more careful about security during the festival.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly at his father¡¯s words.
His father was right. That was the natural way of thinking in this world.
Who would think that a Master ss and a Grand Dark Mage would burn down a city just for fun?
There were too many crazy people in this world with great power.
¡°You must be hungry. Hurry up and eat. The chef is very good.¡±
At his father¡¯s praise, one of the staff bowed slightly. He seemed to be the chef who made the food.
¡°Brother, try this. It¡¯s a dish where they wrap the suckling pig in cabbage and roast it.¡±
¡°Damien, try this too. It¡¯s a drink made from fruits imported from abroad.¡±
His familypeted to offer Damien food. Damien said okay and put all the food in his mouth.
After the meal, Sandler said to the family.
¡°ording to the mages¡¯ predictions, the Starlight Fairies will fly in two days from now. They say it willst for about three days.¡±
The Starlight Fairies would fly into the sky every night and look for their mates.
So the flight of the Starlight Fairies didn¡¯t end in a day. It continued for several days.
¡°Duke has said that he will offer all the events in the city for free until then so that you don¡¯t get bored. We would appreciate it if you would enjoy the ys and concerts that are scheduled.¡±
At Sandler¡¯s words, his older sister Louise was especially pleased. She loved ys and concerts.
¡°Victor. I have something for you to do.¡±
While his family was enjoying Sandler¡¯s exnation, Damien called out to Victor.
¡°Why are you doing that?¡±
¡°There¡¯s something you need to do.¡±
Damien took something out and handed it to Victor.
It was none other than the sliver pendant given by the holy empress. Victor looked at the pendant with a surprised expression.
¡°Why are you giving me this precious thing?¡±
¡°Go to the Church branch in the city right now and deliver my message.¡±
Victor couldn¡¯t help but feel tense at Damien¡¯s serious face.
¡°Tell them that Hedoniac is aiming for the city, so send a Master ss right away.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 187
Chapter 187
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 187: Starlight Fairies (1)
***
¡°My lord, I have returned.¡±
¡°What did they say?¡±
¡°As you instructed, I told them to send a messenger to the headquarters and requested the dispatch of a master ss.¡±
¡°Well done.¡±
Victor beamed with pride at Damien¡¯s praise.
¡°At first, I thought you had lost your mind when you told me to convey such a message without any evidence. But I was surprised that the Church readily believed your words.¡±
It was a testament to the strong bond between Damien and the Church.
¡°So they didn¡¯t even question your absurd im that Hedoniac is targeting the city.¡±
¡°When will the master ss arrive?¡±
¡°They said they weren¡¯t sure either. It will take some time for the messenger to reach headquarters and for headquarters to dispatch the master ss.¡±
The answer was somewhat expected.
Even for the Church, it would be difficult to dispatch a master ss so urgently.
¡®At least there¡¯s a lot of time left before Hedoniac arrives.¡¯
Hedoniac¡¯s two Transcendent Beings aimed to shatter the happiness of the festival.
¡®So I should have plenty of time before they reach the city.¡¯
But Damien knew.
¡®Things don¡¯t always go as nned, and you need to be prepared for the unexpected.¡¯
¡®Maybe I need to buy some time.¡¯
If Hedoniac arrived before the Church, Damien would have no choice but to step in.
¡®It would be a pain to deal with the master ss and the Grand dark mage at the same time, but I can at least stall for time.¡¯
¡°You¡¯ve done well. Rest well.¡±
Victor bowed and left the room.
As soon as Victor was gone, Damien pulled out a travel bag from the subspace and summoned Munchi.
¨C Woof!
As soon as he came out, Munchi licked Damien¡¯s face relentlessly.
¡°Come on, I get it. I get it.¡±
Damien pushed Munchi¡¯s head away. It was a bit of a burden to have a wolf the size of a calf clinging to him.
¨C y with me Woofl!
¡°Not now.¡±
¨C OKKkkkk! Wimper!
Munchi sat down on the floor and waited for Damien¡¯s orders.
¡°Keep an eye on the city¡¯s surroundings from today on. If you see any danger, report to me immediately.¡±
Munchi was perfect for this job.
Damien didn¡¯t know exactly where Hedoniac wasing from.
¡®And Hedoniac¡¯s two Transcendent Beings will surely be hiding their powers.¡¯
Utilizing his unique ability, ¡®Shadow Tales,¡¯ he could create clones to monitor a wide area and, with his animalistic instincts, track down the two Transcendents.
¡°I¡¯ll do as you say, Woof!¡±
With those words, he melded into the encroaching darkness.
¡°I need to make my own preparations as well.¡±
Facing the two Transcendents, Damien too needed his own form of preparation.
***
After that day, Damien had a busy schedule.
During the day, he spent time strolling the city with his family. In the evenings, preparations for the Hedoniac¡¯s arrival consumed his nights.
¡°Mom, look at this! A brochure made by the city¡¯s artisans.¡±
¡°Oh my, it is truly beautiful.¡±
On their first morning in the city, they followed the women on a shopping spree.
His mother, sister, and sister-inw, browsed through various shops, venturing into different corners of the city.
Damien followed behind, carrying their bags.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t youdies get tired of walking around the city together? I happen to know a great restaurant¡¡±
¡°Enough with that, we don¡¯t need.¡±
¡°What are you doing again¡ Ugh, ow!¡±
He also took on the duty of chasing away bothersome men who approached the three women.
Initially, there were many persistent annoyances, but after dealing with a few, not a single one dared to appear again.
¡°Oh, Damien, you¡¯re back. Want to y a game of chess?¡±
Returning from shopping, he found the men engrossed in a game of chess.
¡°y against Bard once. You¡¯ll learn a lot.¡±
¡°Brother-inw! Your skills are no joke! You could even be mayor of the city with that level!¡±
¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not that good¡¡±
When Louise¡¯s fianc¨¦ Bard heard Abel¡¯s praise, he blushed slightly.
¡°How about you two settle it on the board? It would bring honor to the Haksen name.¡±
¡°Look at this guy? Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±
¡°It won¡¯t be easy against my brother either.¡±
Throughout the evening, Damien yed chess and conversed with the three men.
His days continued to be filled with various activities alongside his family. They attended ys held in the city and enjoyed watching festive parades that snaked through the streets.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, he would patrol the city, preparing for the Hedoniac¡¯s arrival.
Time flowed, and the night arrived, adorned by the flight of the Starlight Fairies. Food and drinks were enjoyed on the rooftop by the family while they awaited the ethereal spectacle.
¡°Damien, remember when you were young? You used to throw tantrums, saying you¡¯d marry Mom.¡±
¡°Mom, why are you still bringing that up?¡±
¡°Look at him? Seems embarrassed.¡±
As the liquor loosened their inhibitions, lighthearted banter andughter filled the air.
¡°So, Damien, when are you going to find someone?¡±
The conversation then steered towards a sensitive topic.
His mother¡¯s question drew the entire family¡¯s attention towards him. Damien pretended to focus on his food while subtly gauging their reactions.
Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, all fixated on him.
¡°Well, I guess it¡¯ll happen when the time is right.¡±
¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t be so nonchnt about it!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Abel¡¯s married, and I¡¯m nning my wedding with Bard soon. You¡¯re the only one left alone.¡±
Damien continued to feign eating, observing their gazes.
Their expectant stares remained unwavering. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to easily deflect the question.
Just as he was pondering his response, a sudden burst of awestruck gasps erupted from all corners of the city.
¡°Wo!¡±
¡°Oooooh!¡±
Confused by the unexpected sounds, everyone turned their attention upwards.
Something was ascending into the dark night sky.
It resembled an inverted flower bud, floating serenely across the vast canvas. The buds drifted slowly through the air, scattering light as they moved.
The Starlight Fairies were taking flight in a magnificent disy, swirling and searching for their mates.
The entire family stood speechless, mesmerized by the sight.
Damien was no different. He had never witnessed such a breathtaking spectacle, even in his previous life.
The mesmerizing dance of the Starlight Fairies left him momentarily speechless.
¡°Beautiful.¡±
Count, who had silently approached him, simply uttered that one word.
Count couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from the Starlight Fairies.
¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m getting to see such a wonderful sight. I¡¯m really grateful.¡±
Damien let out a bitterugh at his words. Count tilted his head in confusion.
¡°Why are youughing? Is there something bothering you?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Tell me what¡¯s on your mind. Your face has been full of worry for the past few days.¡±
At those words, Damien touched his face.
The truth was, Damien was always on guard, constantly watching his surroundings for any sign of the Hedoniac.
He thought he had been doing a good job of hiding his anxiety, but apparently, his father had seen right through him.
¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s bothering you, but why don¡¯t you tell your old man about it?¡±
Damien¡¯s mouth opened slightly at his father¡¯s words, then closed again.
He couldn¡¯t tell him the truth about his preparations for the Hedoniac. He had toe up with another reason.
¡°¡ I¡¯ve been having a lot of nightmarestely.¡±
Maybe it was because the trip had helped him rx.
Before he could stop himself, Damien found himself confiding in his father about his real worries.
Without giving him a chance to exin himself, his father asked with a concerned expression.
¡°What kind of nightmares are you having?¡±
¡°Everyone¡ everyone but me dies in my nightmares.¡±
It was a lie, actually. That wasn¡¯t Damien¡¯s real nightmare. His real nightmare was killing his family with his own hands.
He couldn¡¯t even call it a nightmare.
Everything had actually happened. It wasn¡¯t a dream, but a memory. He wasn¡¯t dreaming; he was reliving the past.
Damien¡¯s father burst into loudughter at his words.
¡°You¡¯re worrying too much. Why would we all die and leave you behind? That¡¯s not going to happen.¡±
It had happened.
Or rather, it would happen.
That¡¯s why Damien couldn¡¯t escape his nightmares.
He never knew when it would happen again.
The dark mages who had ruined him and his family were still spreading their filth all over the world.
¡°Damien, focus on this moment right now.¡±
Count said, looking at the family. The family was watching the Starlight Fairies, constantly eximing in admiration.
¡°Damien, I¡¯m happy. What about you?¡±
Of course, he was happy. This time with his family was too precious. He cherished every moment, afraid that time would slip away too quickly.
But Damien couldn¡¯t just let himself be happy.
He was anxious.
There was too much evil in the world. He was terrified that it would destroy their happiness at any moment.
That¡¯s why Damien couldn¡¯t easily bring himself to say that he was happy.
Just then,
Something tugged at Damien¡¯s cor. He looked down to see Munchi¡¯s head emerging from the shadows.
¡°Master, there¡¯s big trouble!¡±
Munchi said, grabbing Damien¡¯s cor.
¡°Two humans with a very dangerous aura have appeared.¡±
In the midst of his happiest moment in life, the most unwee guests had arrived.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 188
Chapter 188
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 188: Starlight Fairies (2)
***
Damien¡¯s heart sank when he received the report.
The Hedoniac, whom he had been dreading, had arrived earlier than expected.
The information he obtained from torturing dark mages in the past indicated that their arrival was supposed to be a dayter.
Despite the uncertainty of the situation, Damien knew he had to act quickly. There was no time for deliberation.
¡®There¡¯s no other way. I have to take matters into my own hands.¡¯
If his assumptions had been correct, the Master ss dispatched by the Church would also have been nearby. His n had been to stall the time until the Church¡¯s Master ss arrived.
¡®But what if the Church¡¯s Master ss doesn¡¯t arrive in time?¡¯
Faced with no other option, Damien reluctantly employed a hidden method, one he never liked.
Having gathered his thoughts, Damien rose from his seat. While his family remained engrossed in the Starlight Fairies, he descended to the hotel lobby.
¡®Ah, yes. I need to conceal my identity first.¡¯
Damien intended to confront the Hedoniac outside the city.
To stop them, he would need to use dark magic.
Even outside the city, there could be passersby. He needed to hide his identity.
¡°Ahem, my lord, where are you off to?¡±
Damien encountered Victor on his way out. Victor was clutching an oddly shaped mask.
It was made of wood and painted with ck dyed. It wasrge enough to cover his entire face.
¡°And what are you doing with that? What¡¯s that mask for?¡±
¡°Oh, this? I bought it from a merchant. Apparently, it¡¯s an old tradition to wear masks and watch festivals.¡±
Damien scans the crowd on the street. Not a single person is wearing a mask. It seems obvious to him that Victor was duped into buying the mask by a merchant.
¡°Well, this is perfect. Can I borrow it for a moment?¡± Damien asked as he pointed his finger towards the mask.
Victor stepped back and clutched the mask behind his back.
¡°Oh, no, you can¡¯t! This is a very expensive item!¡±
Instead of snatching the mask, Damien had pulled out a gold coin from his pocket and extended it. Victor¡¯s eyes had widened to twice their size at the sight of its gleaming brilliance.
¡°Please, take it! Use it as you wish!¡± Victor exims, handing over the mask without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
Damien took the mask and ced the gold coin in Victor¡¯s palm.
¡°Here, take a few more.¡±
He then added a few more coins, cing them on Victor¡¯s palm with a clink.
Victor looked at him in bewilderment and asked.
¡°Why are you giving me more?¡±
¡°It¡¯s for your future trouble.¡±
Damien replied
Victor¡¯s confusion only grew. Damien had left Victor to his bewilderment and exited the hotel.
***
A ce far away from the city where the celebration was taking ce.
¡°That¡¯s the city, isn¡¯t it?¡±
The three people appeared on a dark hill.
¡°Those twinkling lights seem to be Starlight Fairies, don¡¯t they?¡±
Sucr¨¦ had pointed towards the sky where hundreds of Starlight Fairies hovered above the city, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
Man walked closer to Sucr¨¦ and wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a subtle manner.
¡°Sucr¨¦, my sweet kitten. Isn¡¯t it magnificent? I wanted to show you this¡ But where are those brats? At least they should wee me upon my arrival, shouldn¡¯t they?¡±
Sucr¨¦ pped the man¡¯s hand away and scanned her surroundings. However, no matter how much she looked around, there were only the three of them present.
¡°I¡¯ve been letting you do whatever you want for a while now, and you¡¯ve lost all of your mind¡± Sucr¨¦ snorted and clenched her fist.
The man tried to calm her down and said
¡°Sucr¨¦, my little kitten. It¡¯s not appropriate to use such harshnguage. You¡¯re always so beautiful and lovely¡¡±
¡°Winston, if you don¡¯t want to get hurt too, shut up. I¡¯m already in a bad mood, and you keep yapping like a dog.¡±
Winston¡¯s shoulder slumped at Sucr¨¦¡¯s irritable response.
¡°Those assholes¡ I hope they¡¯ve drawn the magic circle around the city as I instructed, right? If they haven¡¯t finished it properly, I won¡¯t let them off easy. I¡¯ll at least burn off one of their arms.¡±
Sucr¨¦ said with a chilling re.
Winston nodded in agreement.
¡°Sucr¨¦, you¡¯re so adorable even when you¡¯re angry. You can do whatever you want¡¡±
¡°Everyone in the city must be having a great time by now, right?¡±
Sucr¨¦ asked, her voiceced with anticipation.
¡°With such a beautiful sight, everyone is bound to have fun, right?¡±
¡°You clever little kitten. Who wouldn¡¯t have fun at such a wonderful festival?¡±
¡°Hee-hee, isn¡¯t that right?¡±
A dark smile formed on Sucr¨¦e¡¯s lips.
¡°Let¡¯s blow up the city. Let¡¯s knock down buildings. Let¡¯s burn people.¡±
Each time she spoke, Sucr¨¦ folded her fingers together.
¡°Let¡¯s show their families¡¯ bodies burning ck, let¡¯s make screamse out of everyone¡¯s mouths.¡±
A ze crept into Sucr¨¦¡¯s eyes
¡°Let¡¯s take the best moments of their lives and turn them to dust. Let¡¯s turn everyone¡¯s happiness into misery.¡±
Sucr¨¦e shuddered violently. Winstone quietly nuzzled her neck.
¡°Do as you please, my kitten. Do as you please. Everything in this world is for you.¡±
¡°Ha, you really only say my favorite things when you¡¯re like this.¡±
The corners of Sucr¨¦¡¯s mouth split open.
¡°Then let¡¯s activate the magic circle.¡±
Sucr¨¦e¡¯s body oozed a thick dark mana. It was like looking at thick oil.
The dark mana dripped to the ground and began to form a circle.
Sucr¨¦ stood in the center of it, her index finger and thumb touching.
¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to begin.¡±
Snap!
The sound of snapping fingers echoed through the air.
In that instant, Sucr¨¦¡¯s anticipation reached its peak. Her mouth was agape as she stared at the city.
But nothing happened. There was no explosion, no towering mes.
¡°What the hell?¡±
Sucr¨¦ scowled and flicked her fingers a few more times. But the result was the same.
¡°Fuck it!¡±
Sucr¨¦¡¯s face contorted in anger as she spat out a curse.
¡°What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t the magic circle activating?¡±
Sucr¨¦ stomped her feet and jumped around.
¡°Those bastards! What the hell were they doing in the city instead ofpleting the task I gave them!¡±
Unlike Sucr¨¦, Winston was watching the city with a cold gaze.
¡°This is strange¡ There¡¯s no way those guys would disobey orders.¡±
The Grim brothers had served as Sucr¨¦¡¯s assistants for many missions.
They had never failed a task before. Something was amiss.
¡°Piggler.¡±
Winston flicked his fingers. A middle-aged man rushed towards them.
¡°Yes, yes! What, what is it?¡±
¡°Something seems to be going awry. Get to the city immediately and find the Grim brothers.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Piggler dashed towards the city. With each step, he leaped several meters forward.
That¡¯s when it happened.
A sh of light had erupted from the darkness. In that same instant, Piggler¡¯s throat was slit.
His head fell limply to the ground and his body copsed beside it.
Sucr¨¦ and Winston¡¯s faces hardened in shock at the sudden turn of events.
A figure emerged from the shadows. In appearance, the person appeared tall and straight-backed, but it was impossible to be certain if he was a man.
A strangely shaped mask covered his face.
¡°Who are you?¡±
Sucr¨¦ asked in a voiceced with menace. The masked figure opened their mouth.
¡°Victor.¡±
A deep voice.
¡°I am Victor, the Woodcutter.¡±
The masked figure spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
***
¡°Victor¡?¡±
Sucr¨¦ closed his eyes and began tapping her forehead with her index finger.
¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before. Isn¡¯t he that dark mage who helped the Church in killing some Pandemonium¡¯s dark mages ?¡±
¡°Our clever cat. What are you talking about?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you remember? The Church¡ There was a time when all their branches were wiped out in a certain kingdom. The dark mage who killed the perpetrators and disappeared was named Victor.¡±
Sucr¨¦ looked at Damien with an intrigued expression.
¡°I was wondering who dared to side with those hypocrites¡ but I never expected to see the man himself here?¡±
Sucr¨¦ said, pointing to Piggler¡¯s corpse.
¡°So why did you kill one of our own? Did you also kill my assistants I sent to the city?¡±
¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Grim brothers, they¡¯ve been dead at my hands for a while now.¡±
Sucr¨¦ burst intoughter at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°This guy is really crazy.¡±
¡°It was you who invaded my territory first.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I was the first one to set my sights on that city. So get out of here.¡±
Sucr¨¦ scoffed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You killed three of my men and you want me to leave? That¡¯s not going to happen. Besides, I¡¯m quite interested in that city myself.¡±
Killer intent oozed from Sucr¨¦.
¡°I¡¯m curious about who you are and why you¡¯re doing this¡ but I¡¯m a bit angry right now.¡±
Sucr¨¦ unleashed her dark mana. Dark mana rose high into the sky.
¡°Winston.¡±
¡°Why are you like this? My angry kitten.¡±
¡°You stay out of this! I¡¯ll take care of this guy myself!¡±
At Sucr¨¦¡¯s shout, Winston shrugged his shoulders.
¡°If our brave kitten says so, then I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
Sucr¨¦ stepped forward. Winston, on the other hand, stepped back.
¡°You want a solo fight with me. That was a foolish decision.¡±
Sucr¨¦ sneered at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Foolish? I guess you¡¯re wearing those two eyes as decoration?¡±
Sucr¨¦ spread her arms wide.
The dark mana she had unleashed drew a magic circle in the air. Soon, mes erupted around her.
¡°I¡¯m more than enough for the likes of you.¡±
The mes gathered in one ce and began to take shape.
A giant.
It was over 3 meters tall from head to toe. Its head had horns protruding from it.
Its teeth were sharp like sawdes. Itsrge, shield-like palms had gruesome ws protruding from them.
Damien¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of it.
¡°An Anti-Spirit?¡±
Spirits were beings with immense power.
That¡¯s why many sought the power of spirits. However, spirits only formed contracts with elves and lent them their power.
However, there were asional cases of dark mages forming contracts with spirits.
In fact, it should be more urate to say that they subdue them, not form contracts.
This is because they used dark magic to corrupt spirits and force them into contracts.
¡°So you¡¯re handling an intermediate spirit¡ You¡¯re more dangerous than I thought.¡±
Spirits were incredibly pure beings. That¡¯s why corrupting them was almost impossible.
Yet, Sucr¨¦ had subdued not a lower-level spirit, but an intermediate spirit.
This was a testament to the power of the Sucr¨¦.
¡°Have you perhapspleted the vision?¡±
Vision.
It was a term referring to the magic that Grand Dark Mages sought as their lifelong goal.
A dark mage who hadpleted the vision gained immense power that rivaled even the Master ss.
¡°Well, don¡¯t try to delve too deeply into that.¡±
Sucr¨¦ raised her hand with a smirk. The intermediate spirit opened its mouth wide.
¡°Glemy, burn that bastard to ashes.¡±
Immediately, the fire spirit spewed mes.
A giant wall of fire engulfed Damien. Not just Damien, but the entire in as well.
Everything that touched the mes vanished in an instant. Not even burning, butpletely vaporized.
The earth and rocks around the mes melted away in an instant, andva began to flow.
The fire spirit continued to spew mes. Sucr¨¦ watched the spectacle andughed gleefully.
¡°Ahahat! Glemy! You¡¯re the best! Such magnificent mes, no one else¡¡±
At that moment, Sucr¨¦ noticed something strange.
The mes were being pushed back from the center, as if blocked by an obstacle.
At first, she thought she was seeing things. But soon, she realized.
¡°Wait, that¡¯s¡¡±
Through the mes, the figure of Damien could be seen. A protective barrier resembling a ck crystal surrounded Damien Haksen.
¡°Impossible!¡±
Even though it was corrupted, Glemy was an intermediate spirit.
mes that spewed by an intermediate spirit were easily blocked. It was something that Sucr¨¦¡¯s knowledge could notprehend.
Inside the barrier, Damien slowly open his bracelet. Dark mana surged from the bracelet.
¡°ckness.¡±
An ancient dark magic that crushes and shatters everything it touches.
There was no need to form an incantation or draw a magic circle. He simply manipted the dark mana toplete the spell.
The sky turned ck. Even the starlight and moonlight were erased.
¡°Crush.¡±
Damien pointed his index finger down.
The mes vanished in an instant. Simultaneously, the entire field crumpled.
***
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Chapter 189
Chapter 189
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 189: Death Knight (1)
***
An invisible pressure crushed the entire field.
The surface was shattered and the ground sank. The entire field was sunken as if it had been hit with a hammer.
It was a horrible and eerie scene that was hard to believe it was the result of just one dark magic spell.
¡°Hoo.¡±
A whistle was heard.
Winston stood on the crushed field. Winston said with an admiring expression.
¡°That¡¯s incredible. You¡¯re no ordinary dark mage, are you?¡±
Winston did not dodge or block the ¡®ckness¡¯.
He simply stood still and endured it. He withstood the pressure that could crush the entire field with his bare body.
Yet, he had not suffered any injuries. He stood there, just as he was before.
¡®He¡¯s no pushover, after all.¡¯
Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised.
He knew what kind of monsters the Master ss were.
A mere ¡®ckness¡¯ would not be enough to kill a Master ss.
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that the Grand Dark Mages were constantly searching for ways to surpass the Master ss.
¡°Sucr¨¦, my fragile kitten. Are you okay?¡±
Winston turned his gaze. There, arge ball of fire had taken its ce.
The fire moved and turned back into the form of a spirit. And then Sucr¨¦ appeared.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡ This, this bastard¡¡±
Sucr¨¦ was kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath.
¡°Trash like that¡ daring to¡ ugh¡¡±
Then Sucr¨¦ spat out blood from her mouth. The blood was mixed with bits of internal organs.
¡®She must have suffered internal injuries.¡¯
Sucr¨¦ used the spirit to block the ¡®ckness¡¯.
However, she was unable topletely block the pressure of the ¡®ckness¡¯ and suffered internal injuries.
¡°Gl-Glemy¡!¡±
Sucr¨¦ shouted with difficulty. Then, the fire spirit ced its hand on Sucr¨¦¡¯s back.
A faint me enveloped Sucr¨¦¡¯s body. Sucr¨¦¡¯s expression instantly eased.
¡®That¡¯s why spirits are annoying.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue internally.
Spirits could not only attack but also defend and heal.
They were omnipotent assistants who could do anything. From the opponent¡¯s perspective, there was no more annoying existence.
¡°I thought youpleted the vision because you had a spirit¡ but you don¡¯t seem to have that kind of skill.¡±
A Grand Dark Mage who haspleted the vision gainsbat powerparable to a Master ss.
However, unlike Winston, Sucr¨¦ was unable topletely block the ¡®ckness¡¯.
She even suffered internal injuries severe enough to crush her internal organs. This meant that she was not a Grand Dark Mage of a very high level.
If she had notpleted the vision that meant the spirit she had was not subdued by her. This meant that the spirit of fire that Sucr¨¦ possessed was given to her by someone else.
¡°Who did you get that spirit from? Did you get it from the Ruler of the mes?¡±
The Ruler of the mes.
One of the Great Evils of Pandemonium.
He was a Grand Dark Mage of the Doom sect who had subdued countless spirits of fire.
In his previous life, he had even seeded in subduing the Fire Spirit King.
¡°Ugh¡ I¡¯m going crazy¡ How dare you¡ You bastard¡¡±
However, Sucr¨¦ was not in a position to answer Damien¡¯s question.
¡°Our fragile little kitten. Shall I help you?¡±
¡°Get away! Just try to stand up! I¡¯ll kill you too!¡±
Sucr¨¦ refused Winston¡¯s help again this time.
She was so angry that she seemed to be blind.
¡°Glemy!¡±
Sucr¨¦ shouted loudly. Then Glemy transformed into a blue me and enveloped Sucr¨¦.
¡®I guess she has ns to unite with the spirit to maximize the power of dark magic.¡¯
If Sucr¨¦ was indeed connected to the Ruler of the mes, there was only one school she could belong to.
The Doom sect.
Perhaps she specialized in fire-based ck magic even within the Doom sect.
The Doom sect was the most destructive school of ck magic.
What would happen if a dark mage from the Doom sect united with an intermediate spirit?
It was hard to imagine how much the power of dark magic would be amplified.
¡°Be prepared. I¡¯m not going to let you die easily.¡±
Sucr¨¦ pointed at Damien with her index finger. She didn¡¯t release any dark mana or draw a magic circle.
However, at that moment, an explosion urred under Damien¡¯s feet.
A crimson me erupted with a roar. The ce where Damien was was instantly engulfed in mes.
¡°Die! Die!¡±
Sucr¨¦ screamed and continued to wave her hands.
With each wave of her hand, a new explosion urred. The explosions followed one another.
The ground where Damien was standing waspletely blown away. A huge me engulfed the whole world. The mes soared and pierced the sky.
¡°¡¡±
Despite being overwhelmed the Damien, Sucr¨¦¡¯s expression did not brighten.
She simply stared at the mes with a wary look.
Sure enough, as the mes subsided, Damien appeared unscathed from within.
The shadow that had risen from his feet had formed a curtain to protect Damien.
¡°Tsk.¡±
Sucr¨¦ clicked her tongue. She thought there was no way he could die from these type of attacks, but she never thought he would block it so easily.
¡°No matter what, you block my dark magic so easily.¡±
Sucr¨¦¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Her whole body trembled because her pride was deeply wounded.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can withstand this too.¡±
The mes that had been burning around Damien gathered in one ce.
The ball of fire soon took the form of a giant. It was Glemy, the intermediate spirit that Sucr¨¦ had taken out.
¡°Glemy! Finish him off!¡±
The fire spirit swung its fist at Damien. The ball of fire itself struck Damien hard.
***
Then, the shadow that had been lying at Damien¡¯s feet began to stir.
Something burst out from within. It opened itsrge beak wide and devoured Glemy¡¯s upper body.
¡°Glemy!¡±
Sucr¨¦ shouted urgently.
Glemy, whose upper body had been torn off, staggered and then turned back into mes. And then it returned to Sucr¨¦¡¯s side.
¡°Glemy! Are you okay?¡±
Glemy returned to its original form. It was unharmed, even though it was torn open.
Spirits were not physical beings, so they would not die to this extent.
However, Sucr¨¦ could feel it. The fact that Glemy¡¯s power had been greatly weakened.
Just now, when it was bitten by the wolf, Wolf had been robbed of a great deal of its power.
Sucr¨¦ looked up again at Damien.
Beside Damien stood a gigantic wolf. It was as if a piece of darkness had been torn off and shaped.
Every time the wolf exhaled, a terrible heat was felt.
¡°You¡¡±
Sucr¨¦ asked with a wary expression.
¡°Where did you get such a monster¡!¡±
She could feel it just by looking.
How much dark mana that wolf was emitting.
¡°Munchi, good job.¡±
Damien reached out and stroked Munchi¡¯s fur. Munchie wagged his tail and rejoiced.
¡°Lend me a little more strength. It¡¯s time to finish this.¡±
The wolf melted back into the shadows. Immediately after, darkness fell over the entire field.
The darkness began to tremble. It was like watching a stormy sea.
At the sight of this overwhelming spectacle, Sucr¨¦ felt goosebumps all over his body.
Instinct warned her. It was dangerous to stay here.
¡°¡Ugh!¡±
Sucr¨¦ immediately drew out all his dark mana.
All the released darm mana turned into mes. mes soared behind Sucr¨¦¡¯s back.
The mes were tall and thick. It was like looking at a wall.
¡°Glemy! Devour him!¡±
At Sucr¨¦¡¯smand, the fire spirit opened its mouth. All the mes Sucr¨¦ had created were sucked into the spirit¡¯s mouth.
Then, the spirit¡¯s body grewrger in an instant.
It surpassed the size of a house and grew to the point where it surpassed the size of mansion.
The gigantic Glemy brought its hands together in front of chest. mes began topress between its palms.
Thepressed mes emitted a dazzling light. The dark world was instantly lit up like day. It was like looking at the sun.
¡°Burn everything!¡±
Sucr¨¦ shouted loudly.
The fire giant lifted the sun above its head. And it was about to throw the sun at Damien.
But at this moment, Sucr¨¦ did not realize.
The fact that the shadow at his feet had not disappeared.
The wolf jumped out of the shadow.
It was several timesrger than before. It devoured Glemy, who had turned into a giant, in one gulp.
Even the sun that Glemy had created was swallowed into the wolf¡¯s throat.
The world that had been as bright as day was once again dark.
¡°Wh¡?¡±
Sucr¨¦ looked up at the sky with a bewildered expression.
Just a moment ago, the sun that Glemy had created was the most powerful dark magic that Sucr¨¦ could wield.
It was powerful enough to turn the entire area into a sea of fire if it was properly activated.
And yet¡ it was devoured so easily?
¡°N-no way¡¡±
The moment Sucr¨¦ denied reality, the wolf lowered its head.
And it swallowed Sucr¨¦ and the ground she was standing on whole.
***
¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±
Suddenly, the body of the ck wolf exploded. It disappeared without a trace.
Before Sucr¨¦ stood a man with his fist clenched. It was none other than Winston.
¡°Whew, whew¡¡±
Sucr¨¦ gasped and copsed to the ground.
¡°Our little kitten, are you okay?¡±
Sucr¨¦ remained silent in response to Winston¡¯s question.
She simply trembled with a look of sheer terror.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you would push our cute kitten this far.¡±
Winston turned to Damien. A ck wolf had appeared by Damien¡¯s side.
However, unlike when it attacked Sucr¨¦, its size was noticeably smaller. And it looked very weak.
It had suffered significant damage from Winston¡¯s punch.
¡°Your name was Victor, right? You¡¯vemitted a great sin by persecuting our little kitten.¡±
Winston said, slowly drawing his sword.
¡°So, you¡¯ll have to pay the price now.¡±
***
From the moment Winston appeared, the entire area was filled with killing intent.
It was as if sand was floating in the air instead of oxygen. With each breath, sand infiltrated the trachea, scratching the airways and lungs.
¡®This is incredible.¡¯
Even Damien, a High-ss, found it difficult to endure the Master-ss¡¯s killing intent.
Such was the stark difference between Master-ss and High-ss.
¡®When will the Church arrive?¡¯
No matter how much he expanded his senses, he couldn¡¯t detect anything. It meant they hadn¡¯t even arrived nearby.
¡®This is gettingplicated.¡¯
As a High-ss, Damien couldn¡¯t confront a Master-ss.
The result would be the same even if he used dark magic. No matter how skilled Damien was, he needed extensive preparation to face a Master-ss as a dark mage.
¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
Damien opened his mouth. Winston responded to his words.
¡°What do you mean, ¡®there¡¯s nothing you can do¡¯?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t bother to answer. Instead, he suppressed all the mana flowing through his body.
And then, he absorbed the dark mana floating in the air.
As the normal mana suppressed, the dark mana began to fill the void.
¡°What are you doing?¡±
Winston immediately noticed Damien¡¯s transformation.
¡°Why is a dark mage imitating a dark knight?¡±
Winston was right.
Damien wasn¡¯t trying to use dark mana now. He was manipting dark mana in the way of a dark knight.
Mana and dark mana were fundamentally different powers.
Therefore, the sensation felt when they flowed through the body was also different.
Mana was like clean water. It was effortless unless it flowed roughly.
But dark mana was theplete opposite.
It was as if thousands of insects were crawling inside his body. It felt like they were crawling up his organs.
It wasn¡¯t just unpleasant. It was disgusting and nauseating.
¡®That¡¯s why I try not to use this method if possible.¡¯
There was no need to absorb dark mana when using dark magic. But it was different for dark knights. They had to absorb dark mana and manipte it.
¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you¡¯re doing.¡±
Winston tilted his head and said.
That was the natural reaction, considering that a Grand Dark Mage was suddenly using dark mana like a dark knight.
But it was different for Damien.
Damien had lived as a dark knight.
He had a past where he had reached the pinnacle as a Death Knight.
¡°Phew.¡±
He took a deep breath to shake off the unpleasantness. But it didn¡¯t make him feel any better.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Damien activated the dark mana he had absorbed.
Immediately after, an overwhelming aura erupted from Damien.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 190
Chapter 190
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 190: Death Knight (2)
***
Mana and dark mana are fundamentally different powers.
Therefore, there was bound to be a big difference in all aspects, from their nature to their usage.
Just because one was proficient in using dark mana did not mean that they could also handle mana well.
This was exactly why Damien had started from a low-ss knight in the first ce.
He had reached the peak only as a Death Knight. He knew nothing about how to handle mana.
That is why, after regressing, Damien had umted new knowledge, conducted research, and honed his skills.
It was all in order to reach the peak as an ordinary knight, not a Dark Knight.
He could have be strong quickly by choosing dark mana, but he did not. It was to forget the past. It was because he hated the evil power of dark mana.
But at this moment, Damien chose dark mana again.
He chose this disgusting and repulsive power again, which he had missed. He threw off the shackles he had filled himself with, even if only for a moment.
With each surge of dark mana, power surged from the depths of his body. His senses expanded and spread widely.
Master ss.
A realm of transcendence that all knights aspire to.
However, a realm that only a handful of geniuses blessed by heaven can barely reach.
Damien ascended to that realm all too easily. No, to say he ascended was an understatement.
He reimed it.
In exchange for using dark mana, he had briefly regained his past strength.
¡°This feeling is also a long timeing.¡±
Strictly speaking, Damien was not a true Master ss right now.
Technically, he was a Master ss, but his physique was still at the High ss level.
But what did that matter?
The opponent Damien had to trample on now was a bug no better than an ant crawling on the ground.
¡°Winston.¡±
Damien turned his gaze to Winston.
Unlike a moment ago, Winston¡¯s face was pale as if he was about to die.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this off now.¡±
With these words, Damien slowly raised his hand.
***
Winston didn¡¯t think much of Damien.
Even though Damien was a Grand Dark Mage, Winston was a Master ss.
He had no reason to fear a Grand Dark Mage who couldn¡¯tplete his vision. To Winston, this wasn¡¯t a battle, but an execution to appease Sucr¨¦¡¯s heart.
However, the moment Damien absorbed the dark mans and spread it throughout his body, everything changed.
Something erupted from Damien.
Was it his aura? His spirit? Killing intent? Oppressive power?
It was hard to tell exactly what it was. A massive something exploded and filled the entire world.
¡°You, you are¡ what is this¡¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s gaze fell upon Winston.
There was no emotion in Damien¡¯s eyes. They were simply empty.
But the moment Winston met his gaze, his whole body began to tremble uncontrobly.
He tried to stop it, but his body wouldn¡¯t listen. No matter how much hemanded it, it refused.
Not only was his body trembling, but his head was slowly bowing down.
He was afraid to even look up, wanting to keep Damien out of his field of vision as much as possible.
¡°Ha, haah¡ haah¡¡±
He gradually began to gasp for breath, and with each breath, he could feel his insides trembling. Bitter bile rose in his throat from the intense fear.
¨C You think reaching Master ss makes you the strongest? How could that be? The world is vast and there are many strong people.
At that moment, Winston recalled the words he had heard from his master in the past.
¨C The higher the level of a knight, the wider the gap between them. The difference between the weakest and strongest of Low ss is much smaller than the difference between the weakest and strongest of High ss.
When Winston was a child, his master had told him about Master ss.
¨C By the time you reach Master ss, the gap bes enormous. Even among Master sses, a person in the middle ranks can easily kill a strong person in the lower ranks.
His master was not only a Master ss himself, but also a very experienced person. He was well-traveled and knew many things that Winston did not.
¨C Reaching Master ss is not the end. There are higher levels. Are you surprised to hear that? It¡¯s only natural.
Winston didn¡¯t take his master¡¯s words seriously.
¨C Only a handful of people have ever reached Master ss, and of those, only one person in a hundred years might reach the next level.
Master ss was already an incredible level. There was another level above it?
¨C How can I recognize such a strong person? You¡¯re wasting my time.
Even as an adult, Winston still didn¡¯t take his master¡¯s words too seriously.
¨C You¡¯ll know when you meet one. Even if you don¡¯t know it, your body and soul will recognize it.
At that moment, Winston could fully understand his master¡¯s words.
Even without crossing swords, Winston¡¯s body and soul hadpletely sumbed to Damien.
At that moment, Damien slowly raised his hand.
He was not holding anything. He wasn¡¯t even clenching his fist.
But the fear Winston felt grew exponentially. The hairs on his body stood on end.
Damien slowly straightened his index finger. And then he slowly began to lower his finger.
He¡¯s going to die.
Winston had a gut feeling that the moment that finger touched him, he would lose his life.
It was as if the Grim Reaper was holding a scythe under his chin. He didn¡¯t even think about running away.
¡°Ah¡¡±
Winston opened his mouth nkly and awaited the imminent death.
Just then, Damien¡¯s finger stopped abruptly in mid-air. He licked his lips while staring into the void.
¡°Just had to arrive now, did you?¡±
No sooner had Damien finished speaking than a strong gust of wind swept in.
It was too sudden to be just a natural wind. And it was so strong that the clouds in the sky could be seen being blown away by the wind.
The wind gathered over the deste ins. And the gathered wind turned into a typhoon and swept in.
¡°Phew, looks like I¡¯m not toote.¡±
And then, as the wind dispersed, the figure of someone appeared. Winston looked at the man with a bewildered expression.
A massive build like a bear.
A thick cloth robe covering his entire body.
And tworge swords strapped to his back.
¡°¡A Pdin?¡±
Winston muttered without realizing it. Then, the pdin shouted loudly as if satisfied.
¡°You¡¯ve got it right! This body is the sole disciple of the One of the Five Great Elders, Green Wind, and the member of the Bound Winds sect!¡±
The pdin shouted, puffing out his chest.
¡°The Steel Saint Perpetuo!¡±
***
Damien couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue inwardly at the appearance of the pdin.
¡®If he was going toe, he should havee sooner.¡¯
Then he wouldn¡¯t have had to absorb the dark mana for the situation to be resolved.
¡®But more importantly¡ Perpetuo?¡¯
He had been wondering who the Church would send, but an unexpectedly formidable figure had appeared.
Perpetuo was one of the Master sses who represented the Church during the War of Destruction.
He was one of the first to be dispatched by the Church whenever Dorugo¡¯s side sent out their strong warriors.
¡®He¡¯s not at that level yet, but he¡¯s still strong.¡¯
Damien was currently in a state where he had briefly regained the strength of a Master ss.
That¡¯s why he could urately assess Perpetuo¡¯s strength.
¡°Hmm, hmm, hmm.¡±
Perpetuo narrowed his eyes sharply and looked at the two of them.
¡°Which one of you is the Master of Hedoniac?¡±
In response to Perpetuo¡¯s question, Damien immediately pointed to Winston.
¡°That guy. Don¡¯t you see the woman next to him? She¡¯s part of the same group too.¡±
¡°Hmm, hmm? Now that I look closely, there really is a woman. A Master ss for the man is master ss and the woman is Grand Dark Mage¡ Hedoniac for sure!¡±
Perpetuo nodded repeatedly.
¡°But who are you? I haven¡¯t heard of another Master ss.¡±
Perpetuo tilted his head as he looked at Damien.
Damien didn¡¯t panic even though an unexpected situation had arisen.
¡°I am Victor.¡±
He had prepared a mask for this kind of situation.
¡°Victor? I feel like I¡¯ve heard that name before¡ hmm, hmm¡¡±
Perpetuo pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers.
¡°Ah, yes! I remember now! The Dark Mage who defeated the Dark Mages who attacked the Church¡¯s branch in the Mandarin Kingdom and then disappeared! Victor the Woodcutter!¡±
Perpetuo then made a bewildered expression again.
¡°But you¡¯re a Master ss, not a Grand Dark Mage.¡±
To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Damien spread his palm and manifested dark magic.
A ck me burned on Damien¡¯s hand. Perpetuo nodded as he saw this.
¡°I was mistaken. You are a Dark Mage. But wait¡ why were you fighting Hedoniac?¡±
¡°I just happened to be here.¡±
Damien¡¯s original n was to stall for time and then run away when the Church arrived.
So he hadn¡¯te up with an excuse beforehand. And he didn¡¯t need to make an excuse anyway.
¡°Perpetuo, as you can see from the situation, I¡¯m fighting Hedoniac.¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it looks.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I have no intention of antagonizing the Church.¡±
¡°Hmm, I guess that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t feel any killing intent from you.¡±
¡°So I¡¯m going to step back. The Church can handle Hedoniac.¡±
With that, Damien prepared to leave.
Perpetuo shook his head as if it was absurd that Damien was about to leave.
¡°That won¡¯t do.¡±
Perpetuo swung his greatsword at Damien.
The de of wind raced along the ground and struck Damien.
Damien flicked his wrist and shattered the wind. Then he red at Perpetuo and asked.
¡°What is this?¡±
Perpetuo raised his double swords and shouted.
¡°Come at me, you filthy bastards! I¡¯ll cut off the heads of both of you right here!¡±
***
[PR/N- Poor Victor, His bounty gonna increase again.]
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 191
Chapter 191
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 191: Death Knight (3)
***
Perpetuo shouted cheerfully.
But Damien just looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
¡®What a pain in the ass.¡¯
Now he remembered. It was the same in his previous life. Perpetuo was a pdin who was so old-fashioned that he seemed to becking in some way.
¡®Come to think of it, all ¡®Bound winds¡¯ I saw in my previous life all behave like that.¡¯
In fact, it wasn¡¯t that bad.
Because of this old-fashioned nature, the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ were trusted by the Church.
That¡¯s why the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ were always assigned to important missions.
¡®How am I going to deal with this guy?¡¯
He was annoyed, but he couldn¡¯t kill him.
It would be a waste of Perpetuo¡¯s talents and he couldn¡¯t kill a pdin of the Church because of such a misunderstanding.
¡®My original n was to stall for time until the Church arrived and then run away.¡¯
But Perpetuo arrivedte, which derailed the n, and Damien had no choice but to open up his past.
¡®Since it¡¯se to this, I might as well finish it myself.¡¯
He¡¯ll take Hedoniac¡¯s life. Perpetuo¡
¡®I guess I¡¯ll just beat him up a bit as a way to vent my anger and then send him away.¡¯
He didn¡¯t like the idea of just knocking him out.
Damien clenched his fist and looked at Perpetuo.
At that, Perpetuo startedughing out loud.
¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re brave! You dare to fight me!¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you attack me first?¡±
¡°You¡¯re an enemy, but I can¡¯t help but admire your courage!¡±
Perpetuo didn¡¯t seem to be listening to Damien.
¡°Brave heretic! In return, I will show you everything I have!¡±
Perpetuo raised his greatsword high into the air. Then, a wind began to blow from somewhere.
At first, it was a faint wind. It was only enough to ruffle his hair.
But it gradually grew stronger, until it was strong enough to sway the trees in the distance.
¡®That¡¯s impressive.¡¯
This was not a natural wind. It was the wind that Perpetuo was creating.
The pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ sect had the power to turn their divine power into wind.
Perpetuo, the Master ss of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯, was creating a storm just by releasing his aura.
¡°Alright then¡ Let¡¯s see if you can take this!¡±
Perpetuo swung his two greatswords simultaneously.
In that instant, a whirlwind erupted where the greatsword had swung.
The whirlwind stretched out like a snake. The ground was torn up and it covered Damien.
Damien raised his foot and mmed it down with all his might. The ground flipped over and turned into a barrier.
The whirlwind collided with the barrier. The barrier cracked and the whirlwind scattered.
In that instant, Perpetuo appeared behind Damien.
There was no sign or movement to be read. Perpetuo appeared as if he had teleported.
¡®So he can use that tricky technique freely.¡¯
Damien wasn¡¯t too surprised by Perpetuo¡¯s appearance.
The pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ had the power to turn their divine power into wind.
They could use the wind to blow away their enemies, as well as imbue their weapons and armor with the properties of wind.
Furthermore, they could even move by turning their bodies into wind, just like Perpetuo.
It was a very effective technique, but it was also very difficult to master.
Only 1st-grade or above pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ could use it.
Even then, they could only charge in a straight line.
On the other hand, Perpetuo, a Master ss, was using it so skillfully that he was able to move behind Damien.
¡°Hryaaah!¡±
Perpetuo swung both hands at Damien. The two greatswords were about to cut Damien down.
Damien twisted his body to dodge the greatswords. Perpetuo immediately followed up with another attack.
Despite being greatswords, Perpetuo¡¯s attacks were not at all powerful.
On the contrary, they were soft. All his movements were as flexible and light as flowing water.
That¡¯s why they were even more difficult.
Because all his attacks were soft and flexible, he could change their trajectory freely.
He could swing the greatswords down and then cut sideways. He could sh down diagonally and then sh up.
¡®Truly worthy of the Bound winds.¡¯
All the pdins of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ wielded swords.
From the beginning of the sect to the present, they had never used any other weapon than a sword.
That¡¯s why the swordsmanship of the ¡®Bound winds¡¯ was so outstanding that it was recognized even beyond the Church, in the empire.
But now Perpetuo¡¯s opponent was Damien.
Damien could make any technique he saw his own. And he could improve it even further if he wanted to.
What¡¯s more, Damien had already met Perpetuo in his previous life.
He had already understood Perpetuo¡¯s swordsmanship to the bone.
Damien stepped back a little. Perpetuo¡¯s attacks grazed the tips of Damien¡¯s hair and missed.
At that, anger appeared on Perpetuo¡¯s face.
¡°You heretic, you dare to dodge this holy judgment!¡±
Perpetuo¡¯s attacks became even faster. The number of attacks increased. shings rained down from all directions, pressuring Damien.
But the result was the same. None of the attacks reached Damien.
¡°You¡¯re even dodging this¡?¡±
Amazement appeared on Perpetuo¡¯s face.
¡°So you¡¯re not a Grand Dark Mage, but a Master ss!¡±
If Damien had been in High ss, he would not have been able to dodge Perpetuo¡¯s swordsmanship, even if he knew it.
Master sses were beings like that.
They had transcended humanity, so they could see and feel more than High sses ever could.
But now Damien had regained the realm of a Master ss by wielding dark mana.
Of course, it was not permanent. Once the dark mana was dispelled, he would return to High ss.
But even temporarily, a Master ss was a Master ss.
In the same position, Damien had never been defeated by any other knight.
¡°Are you all surprised? Then it¡¯s my turn now.¡±
¡°You dare deceive me! This price is¡ Ugh!¡±
A scream erupted from Perpetuo¡¯s mouth. Damien¡¯s fist hadnded in Perpetuo¡¯s side in an instant.
¡°You bastard!¡±
Perpetuo swung his greatsword down at Damien¡¯s head.
Damien backhanded the side of the greatsword. The greatsword flew off weakly.
In the process, Perpetuo¡¯s torso was pierced wide open. Damien immediately kicked the ground and lunged forward.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Damien¡¯s outstretched fist struck Perpetuo in the jaw.
Struggling to breathe, Perpetuo doubled over and twisted his body. Just as Damien was about to punch him in the jaw to finish him off.
A wave of dark mana erupted from somewhere. Then, a massive amount of dark mana surged forth.
Damien looked in surprise at the direction from which the dark mana was pouring.
Even Perpetuo was so surprised that he forgot his pain and looked in the same direction.
Dark mana was erupting like a geyser. It was so dense that it looked like ck oil rather than dark magic.
-Euahahahat!
There, a strangely shaped human wasughing.
He had a simr shape to a human, but his entire body was covered in fur.
He had thick horns like a bull on his head, and a smooth tail like a snake swayed around his buttocks.
In the monster¡¯s hands were familiar faces.
Sucr¨¦ and Winston.
They both died with their necks broken.
The monster threw the two bodies to the side. And he opened his mouth wide and rejoiced.
-I have finally descended into the present world!
***
¡°Ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
While Damien and Perpetuo were fighting, Winston was barely able to regain his senses.
Until just now, he had been frozen stiff, overwhelmed by the killing aura that Damien was emitting.
¡°Ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
Winston exhaled deeply. Even as a Master ss, he had been overwhelmed by the killing aura alone.
¡°M-monster¡ monster¡ We have to run away¡ we have to run away¡¡±
But his legs wouldn¡¯t move.
He instinctively realized that it was no use to run away.
It was like an ant trying to run out of a human¡¯s sight.
He couldn¡¯t escape. But he couldn¡¯t just give up his life either.
Winston still had a lot he wanted to do. There were many desires he wanted to fulfill.
¡°Su, Sucr¨¦¡ Sucr¨¦!¡±
Winston looked for Sucr¨¦. She was still out of her mind.
¡°My little kitten¡ this isn¡¯t the time to be fooling around¡!
Winston took out arge needle from his pocket.
It was an object made by solidifying a stimnt. The drug would take effect as soon as it was inserted into a person¡¯s body.
¡°My little kitten, forgive me for this.¡±
Winston immediately plunged the needle into Sucr¨¦¡¯s neck.
As soon as the needle was inserted, Sucr¨¦¡¯s body shook like a fish out of water.
¡°Ah, ahhhhaaaak!¡±
Sucr¨¦ let out a long scream. Her trembling eyes darted around.
¡°W-who¡¯s that wolf? That monster? I, I¡
¡°Sucr¨¦, wake up. You¡¯re fine. For now, that is.¡±
¡°Ah, for now¡?¡±
Winston held Sucr¨¦¡¯s head and turned her to look at Damien.
¡°My little kitten, do you see that? If we stay here, that monster will kill us both.¡±
Sucr¨¦¡¯s eyes trembled. She had indeed almost been killed by Damien just now.
¡°Th-then let¡¯s run away? We can just run away.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that easy. We¡¯ll be caught in no time.¡±
¡°Th-then what¡?¡±
¡°Now is the time to use that thing.¡±
Sucr¨¦¡¯s face hardened instantly. She shook her head.
N-no¡ I can¡¯t¡ That¡¯s something I took without my master¡¯s permission¡ If I use it recklessly, it might even kill me!¡±
¡°Oh, you silly little kitten¡ If we don¡¯t use it, we¡¯ll die right now. Do you think that monster will spare us?¡±
A myriad of conflicts shed across Sucr¨¦¡¯s face. And then, out of the blue, Sucr¨¦ opened a subspace.
The object Sucr¨¦ retrieved from the subspace was a leather-bound book.
It was extremely thin and so old that it looked like it would crumble at any moment.
¡°I-if I break the seal, w-we have to run away right away. A-ah, otherwise we¡¯ll be killed by the demon too¡¡±
Winston nodded with a tense face.
Sucr¨¦ took out a dagger and cut her finger. Then, she dripped a few drops of blood onto the page of the book.
Immediately,plex symbols appeared on the surface of the page. The symbols were slowly erased from the outside.
¡°Let¡¯s run!¡±
Sucr¨¦ said to Winston. He immediately grabbed Sucr¨¦ and started to run away from the scene.
¨C Where are you going?
At that moment, a voice in his head said.
Winston¡¯s body stood still. So did Sucr¨¦.
The only parts of their bodies that could move were their eyes. They stared at the bookcase in horror.
¨C Opening a demonic book without following proper procedures?
The bookcase swung open. Two hands shot out of it.
The hands stretched out as if they were made of rubber and grabbed the two by the throat.
-I finally needed the ingredients for my alter ego. Thank you. You idiots.
Woof.
Their necks snapped at a grotesque angle.
Their souls, dark mana, and life force were sucked out of their arms.
Then something popped out of the bookcase.
***
-Sssssss.
The demon took a deep breath.
¨C It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve breathed the air of the present world.
The demon looked around at Damien and Perpetuo. Its eyes were slit vertically like a snake¡¯s.
¨C I don¡¯t need you. You smell disgusting.
In an instant, the demon disappeared.
The next moment, a fist mmed into Perpetuo¡¯s face. He was thrown to the ground.
With a roar, the ground shattered. Perpetuo was buried deep in the ground.
¨C You smell like me.
The demon said, looking at Damien.
¨C You have a good face and you seem to be quite skilled¡ Good. I needed an errand boy.
Heehee.
The corners of the demon¡¯s mouth stretched out long.
¨C Be my ve. Then I¡¯ll spare your life.
Damien just stared at the demon nkly.
The demon, perhaps judging that Damien was scared, spoke in a soft voice.
¨C You don¡¯t have to be afraid. I¡¯m very generous to my ves. But if you refuse my request, I¡¯ll show you hell¡
¡°I was wondering what kind of demon had descended.¡±
Damien said in a voice that sounded incredulous.
¡°It was just a useless leftover.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 192
Chapter 192
Chapter 192: Death Knight (4)
***
Demon.
That was the word used to describe the race that thrived in another dimension, a realm known as the Inferno.
Demons were not simply brutish or wicked creatures.
Their intellect rivaled the greatest minds of humanity, and their civilization far surpassed any human achievement.
But that wasn¡¯t all. Demons were born inherently powerful.
They wielded near-infinite dark mana and possessed bodies of incredible strength.
Their abilities extended even further, epassing a vast array of supernatural powers.
¡°A leftover?¡±
Taken aback by Damien¡¯s words, the demon struggled toprehend.
¡°How dare you speak to me in such a manner! Do you have an excess of courage, or perhaps a deficiency of intelligence that hinders your judgment?¡±
Demons are the source of dark magic. It was through studying and mimicking demonic abilities that humans fumbled their way into wielding dark magic themselves.
In the early days human dark magked proper form. It was considered crude and barbaric.
It was Dorugo who rectified and significantly advanced this fledgling dark magic.
¡°Even a simpleton like you should be able to sense the immense dark magic coursing through my body. It speaks volumes of who I am, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±
Dark mages and dark knights instinctively feel fear when confronted by demons.
The dark magic wielded by demons was on a whole other levelpared to their own.
¡°More annoying than a frightened dog¡¯s incessant barking.¡±
Of course, this only applied to the weaker dark mages and dark knights. While demons were undeniably powerful, they weren¡¯t necessarily stronger than every single human.
¡°And you spout such arrogant nonsense again. Do you have no regard for your own life?¡±
Damien sneered in response to the demon¡¯s threat.
The demon wouldn¡¯t know. It wouldn¡¯t know that Damien had encountered countless demons in his previous life.
During the War of Destruction, Dorugo utilized demonic power tounch his attacks on the empire. As a result, Damien had acquired a rather extensive knowledge of demons.
Their names, their characteristics, the nature of their dark magic ¨C he knew it all.
That¡¯s why he could confidently dere that the demon before him was nothing more than a weak leftover.
¡°¡¡I was considering keeping you alive as a ve, seeing that you possess some potential with that dark magic of yours.¡±
An immense surge of dark mana erupted from the demon. It was on apletely different level from what dark mage could wield ¨C far denser and more potent.
This wasn¡¯t surprising. Dark mages could only extract dark magic by inflicting excruciating pain on human souls. Demons, on the other hand, were different. They could innately generate their own dark mana.
This self-produced, high-output dark mana was the true source of demonic power.
¡°The price for rejecting my mercy will be very steep.¡±
Unfazed by the murderous threat, Damien simply smirked.
Here was a fragment of a true demon, barely clinging to existence through a flimsy corporeal form, and yet it spouted such nonsense.
Dealing with the clone was child¡¯s y. All he had to do was locate and crush the core that held it together.
¡®But where¡¯s the fun in letting him off so easily?¡¯
The audacity of this mere fragment of a demon, barely clinging to existence through a flimsy corporeal form, to attempt to enve him after daring to descend upon the mortal realm demanded retribution.
Damien summoned his dark mana, extending his hand and clenching it into a fist in mid-air.
A surge of darkness erupted from his hands.
***
¡°How impudent, you insignificant human!¡±
Galdor, the crimson demon, thought to himself as he gazed down at the human standing before him.
The human showed no respect, not even a speck, towards the being far superior in existence.
However, Galdor could somewhat understand this bottomless pride. The man before him was a Master ss, a realm that only a select few among the so-called geniuses could reach.
The power of a Master ss was such that even demons were wary. The Aurade they wielded could sever even a demon¡¯s life force.
But that was just talk among the weaklings. A count-ss demon like Galdor feared not even Masterss. He one-shotted the master ss pdin was proof enough.
¡°Human, the price for exhausting my mercy will be very steep.¡±
Galdor spoke with sincerity. At that, the human before him sneered.
Scoffed? A mere human dared to scoff at him? At this body?
Raging fury filled Galdor¡¯s mind. He swung his fist, intending to crush the human¡¯s skull.
Just then.
The human summoned his dark mana and extended his hand. ck light erupted from his empty palm.
The light formed a hilt. From it, a de emerged, extending straight.
The Aurade.
The ultimate weapon, only wielded by humans who had reached the pinnacle of their skills.
Even Galdor couldn¡¯t underestimate the Aurade. But it wasn¡¯t a major issue.
It was like a viper with fangs. There were countless ways to kill a snake without getting bitten.
¡°First, I¡¯ll cripple your legs to prevent you from escaping.¡±
As soon as he thought it, his body moved on its own. In an instant, he appeared behind the human.
He swung his de down to sever the human¡¯s knees.
At that moment, Galdor saw it. The human¡¯s eyes were staring back at him.
How could a mere human read his movements?
Another masterss pdin couldn¡¯t even react to Galdor¡¯s attacks. Yet, this human was looking at him as if anticipating his every move.
As Galdor faltered, the human raised the Aurade.
In that instant, a chilling dread surged through him. Fear took root in his entire being.
Instinctively, Galdor kicked off the ground with all his might, leaping backward. He retreated far enough that the human appeared as small as a pea.
¡°What the?¡±
The human looked at Galdor with a puzzled expression.
¡°A demon fleeing?¡±
Galdor was just as perplexed.
Fleeing? To a mere human?
It was humiliating. Disgraceful. But Galdor had no time to wallow in self-pity.
His instincts were still warning him of the man before him.
It must be a mistake.
He must have been mistaken. There was no way he could feel fear towards a mere human.
As Galdor questioned his judgment, the human raised the Aurade, uttering an enigmatic phrase.
The distance between them was vast. The human appeared as small as a fingernail.
Yet, somehow, Galdor felt a chilling sensation, as if the de of the Aurade was pressed against his throat.
¡°Damn it¡!¡±
Galdor cursed and summoned every ounce of his dark mana. Simultaneously, he activated his demonic powers.
¡°I¡ to be frightened by a mere human¡! ¡±
He was transformed into a monstrous inferno by the green mes that spread from Galdor¡¯s body.
Galdor grew in size, towering over the clouds.
¡°Human! I don¡¯t know who the hell you are!¡±
Galdor¡¯s roar echoed through the world, the green mes intensifying.
¡°Even if it means using everyst bit of my power, I will kill you here!¡±
Galdor hurled himself towards the human, intending to incinerate him whole with his own fiery form.
The human swung the Aurade down at the approaching inferno.
Compared to Galdor¡¯s immense power, the human¡¯s attack was seemingly insignificant.
But as the de¡¯s trajectory sliced through the air.
The world was split in half.
***
A ck sh split the world.
The halved world shifted slightly. Galdor initially thought he was hallucinating.
Then, he realized.
It wasn¡¯t just the world that was split in half.
His own body was severed as well.
¡°Kaaak! Quaaaak!¡±
The moment he grasped reality, a searing pain erupted in his head. An indescribable agony tormented Galdor.
¡°Kaaaak! Quaaak!¡±
His fiery form began to rapidly shrink.
¡°Not possible¡ not possible¡ Kaaak!¡±
Since fire had no form, Galdor¡¯s fiery form was immune to any physical damage.
However, the recent attack was different.
With a single blow, his body was split in two. He had suffered a fatal wound. In other words, Galdor was now dying.
If the mes were topletely dissipate, his clone body would also be destroyed. Then, Galdor¡¯s soul would have to return to his physical body in the Inferno.
He hated the thought of that.
He didn¡¯t want to leave the mortal realm and return to that dreary Inferno. He desperately wanted to maintain his clone body.
¡°I¡ I have to recover¡ I have to somehow seal the wound¡¡±
But no matter how hard he tried, the wounds on his clone body refused to heal.
And so, the mes vanished entirely. Simultaneously, Galdor¡¯s consciousness flickered out.
***
¡°Haaahk!¡±
Regaining consciousness, Galdor found himself back in his physical body in the Inferno.
¡°Impossible¡ this can¡¯t be¡ how could a mere human¡ so easily¡ sever my power¡! ¡±
In two halves.
With a single blow, Galdor¡¯s clone body was obliterated, and his soul was sent back to the Inferno.
¡°What in the world¡ what kind of monster was that¡ what in the world¡?¡±
Just then.
Something trickled down his face.
Galdor wiped his face with his palm. Crimson blood smeared his hand.
¡°How did this¡ happen¡¡±
Galdor turned his head towards a mirror. His reflection was cast in the tall, wide mirror.
A line.
A line ran from his head to his crotch. Seeing this, Galdor mumbled with a dazed expression.
¡°A catastrophe¡ even my main body¡ was affected¡?¡±
Blood gushed from the line. No, it erupted. Like a dam with a hole punched in it.
His abdomen split open, and his entrails spilled out. An overwhelming sense of fatigue washed over him. Galdor sensed his impending death.
¡°A catastrophe¡ transcending dimensions¡ how is this¡ possible¡?¡±
This swordsmanship was beyond the realm of even Modeus, the so-called Great Demon Lord.
¡°I¡ messed with¡ a monster like that¡ such a thing¡ shouldn¡¯t exist¡¡±
His torso split from head to toe, separating into two halves.
Simultaneously, Galdor¡¯s breath ceased entirely.
Chapter 193
Chapter 193
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 193: Death Knight (5)
***
Damien released the sword he was gripping in his hand.
The longsword, made of Orichalcum, instantly disintegrated and disappeared.
Damien raised his head and looked up at the empty sky.
A crack was etched into the nothingness. It was the mark left by the devastating blow Damien had swung.
Cough!
Suddenly, blood burst from his mouth.
Despite only swinging the sword once, his stamina and dark magic werepletely drained. To make matters worse, he had also suffered severe internal injuries.
¡°It seems this body is still too weak for it.¡±
What Damien had just disyed was no ordinary devastating blow.
It was a partial recreation of the realm he had achieved during his days as a Death Knight.
¡®Divine realm¡¯
A realm created bybining all the realms Damien had absorbed.
With the Divine realm, he could unleash any technique and cut through anything.
It was also thanks to the power of the Divine realm that Damien was able to cut through space and dimension.
Cough! Cough!
Damien coughed up more blood.
The Divine realm was an absolute realm, but there was a major problem. It was tailored to the physique of a Death Knight.
Dorugo had poured all the resources he had collected over thousands of years and his own knowledge into Damien to turn him into a Death Knight.
As a result, Damien¡¯s physical abilities at that time wereparable to those of a dragon.
With such a powerful physique as a foundation, the realm created would not be without its toll on the human body.
¡°I need to reach the Master ss as soon as possible.¡±
That was why Damien was trying to discard what he had learned as a Death Knight and build anew.
He wanted to reach the Master¡¯s realm with a human body, not with dark magic but with normal means.
That was currently Damien¡¯s biggest goal.
¡°This is going to be tough.¡±
As Damien was muttering to himself and taking a break, the cracked gap began to repair itself. It was slowly being filled in from both ends.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Just then, crimson smoke began to leak out from the gap. Damien knew immediately what it was as soon as he saw it.
¡°It¡¯s the power of the demon, isn¡¯t it?¡±
When a demon dies, the power it holds is released outward. This was called the demonic power.
Demonic power was a different kind of power from dark mana. It could be said to be the very essence of a demon¡¯s existence.
Demonic power was no different from an elixir for demons and dark mages. Anyone could be much stronger by absorbing it.
However, from Damien¡¯s point of view, it was nothing more than inconvenient trash to deal with.
¡®If I absorb this, it¡¯ll bring me closer to bing a demon.¡¯
Power had the side effect of corrupting any living being into a demon.
While this would be a wee side effect for a dark mage, it was not for Damien.
¡°I should just destroy it.¡±
Just as Damien was about to use dark magic to disperse the demonic power, his hand suddenly glowed and absorbed all of it. Damien was startled and looked at his hand.
Two symbols were glowing on his hand.
Damien stared at the symbols and eximed in surprise.
¡°An authority has been unlocked?¡±
In his previous life, Damien had been granted seven authorities by Dorugo.
These authorities had remained in Damien¡¯s body even after his regression for some reason.
Up until now, he had only been able to use the Authority of Gluttony. However, now the second power had been unlocked: the Authority of Wrath.
[TL/N- Changing name from Authority of Greed to Authority of Gluttony.]
The Authority of Gluttony allowed him to dpose and absorb things like mana, dark mana, and miracles.
However, the Authority of Wrath could amplify anything.
It could amplify physical abilities like strength and agility, as well as the power of swordsmanship and mana, and even pain.
The most useful way to use it, however, was to amplify dark mana and magic.
In his previous life, Damien had used the Authority of Wrath to amplify a handful of dark magic to cast a series of super dark magic spells above the 10th tier.
¡°Unlocking authority with the power of a demon¡ is that what Dorugo did in my previous life?¡±
He couldn¡¯t be sure. When Damien had received the powers from Dorugo, all of the powers had been unlocked from the start.
¡°Well, this isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±
Damien¡¯s mind was filled with countless dark magic spells.
He knew everything from the 1st-tier introductory dark magic spells to the 13th-tier spells that no one else but Dorugo had ever reached.
However, he could not use all of these dark magic spells. This was because he could not meet the conditions for each of them.
He didn¡¯t have enough dark mana, he needed arge number of souls, or he had to make a sacrifice.
In order to meet the conditions, he would have tomit disgusting acts like other dark mages. That was why Damien had sealed all of the high-tier dark magic spells.
However, with the Authority of Wrath, he could at least partially ovee these limitations, even if notpletely.
A feeling of joy, or emptiness, or something else, blossomed in Damien.
¡°I should probably get back. They¡¯ll be worried.¡±
Damien stood all by himself and started to walk back to the city.
¡°Uh¡¡ uh¡¡.¡±
He turned toward the source of the muffled moan and saw Perpetuo.
Divine power specialized in protecting its wielder and healing wounds.
That was why Perpetuo had survived the demon¡¯s attack.
¡°Ughhhhh¡¡±
However, the wounds were too severe. Blood was streaming down his forehead. He felt like he would die if he left it like this.
¡°He¡¯s an annoying bastard, but¡ I can¡¯t just leave him to die.¡±
Thinking about Perpetuo¡¯s achievements in his previous life, it was much more advantageous to keep him alive.
That way, he could eliminate more dark mages.
Damien drew out Dawn. As soon as Damien¡¯s hand touched it, Dawn let out a sword cry as if it was feeling good.
Ziiiiing.
¡°Can you stop with that creepy noise?¡±
Ziiiiing!
Dawn protested as if it was displeased. Damien clicked his tongue inwardly. It had unparalleled performance, but this was one thing that was a pain in the ass.
¡°Heal this guy.¡±
Ziiiiing!
¡°I know you don¡¯t like being touched by other people, but what can I do? I can¡¯t just leave him to die.¡±
Damien forcefully shoved the hilt of Dawn into Perpetuo¡¯s hand.
Ziiiiiiinggggggg¡
Dawn trembled violently as if it was really displeased. But even so, it exerted its divine power to heal Perpetuo.
A tremendous amount of divine power seeped into Perpetuo.
Perpetuo¡¯s wounds were healed in an instant. Hisplexion also returned to normal. It was an incredible healing power.
That was when a problem arose.
It was because Dawn¡¯s healing power was so great that Perpetuo regained consciousness.
¡°Wh-what, I¡¯m alive¡? How did this even¡ Whack!¡±
Damien immediately punched Perpetuo in the jaw.
Perpetuo¡¯s head twisted strangely, and he passed out again.
Ziiiiing?
¡°I can¡¯t let him see you.¡±
Perpetuo knew Damien as the alias Victor the Woodcutter. He couldn¡¯t show Dawn to him under any circumstances.
¡°This should be enough.¡±
Damien sheathed Dawn and headed towards the city.
***
The people in the city were filled with utter terror.
While they were admiring the Starlight Fairies Festival, mes suddenly erupted outside.
At first, everyone was bewildered. But when a series of massive explosions went off outside, everyone finally realized the situation.
¡°T-this is an attack!¡±
¡°H-hey, the guards! Where are the guards?!¡±
In contrast to the panicked townspeople, the knights in the city seemed rtively calm.
¡°They¡¯re attacking the castle? Who the hell are these guys?¡±
¡°They should know where they are. Let¡¯s show them what we¡¯re made of.¡±
The knights in the city were all individuals who had made their mark in foreignnds. Some of them were even high-ss.
That¡¯s why they had nothing to fear. In fact, they were burning with fighting spirit.
That was until another explosion urred outside before they could charge out.
The explosion caused an earthquake, shaking the buildings to their foundations. The sound of the explosion deafened their ears.
These massive explosions didn¡¯t happen just once but repeatedly one after another. The knights felt chills running down their spines.
¡°H-how can they cast suchrge-scale magic spells in session¡?¡±
¡°What kind of monsters are out there?¡±
But there was still more to be shocked about.
Next, a giant made up of fire appeared. As the giant gathered fire in its hands, the whole world turned bright.
But the next moment, a ck wolf appeared and devoured the giant and the fireball all at once. The world, which had been as bright as day, turned dark again.
Thanks to these phenomena, the knights realized something bone-chilling:
¡°¡¡Monsters.¡±
The battle that was unfolding outside was not something they could afford to get involved in.
¡°W-where did such monsterse from¡¡¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to die¡¡ We¡¯re all going to die¡¡¡±
¡°D-damn it¡¡ W-we shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡±
Not only the knights, but also the travelers and the residents of the city were all trembling in fear of death.
¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡¡¡±
Damien¡¯s family was no exception.
All of them were staring nkly at the direction where the battle was taking ce.
¡°Honey¡¡¡±
Countess unconsciously grabbed her husband¡¯s hand. Count also squeezed his wife¡¯s hand tightly.
¡°Don¡¯t panic, everyone. The more this happens, the calmer we need to be.¡±
Count Haksen said, looking around at his family. Louise and Bad, Abel and Olivier nodded with determined faces.
Suddenly, Count Haksen said.
¡°¡¡Where is Damien?¡±
At his words, the family looked around, and soon their faces turned pale.
Nothing.
Damien was nowhere to be seen.
¡°My dear, where has he gone?¡±
¡°Brother, where are you!¡±
The family called Damien¡¯s name. They even went inside the building to look for him. But he was nowhere to be found.
The family gathered back on the roof. Everyone¡¯s faces were grim.
¡°Someone seen Damien?¡±
Count Haksen asked the hotel staff. They all shook their heads.
¡°Me, me¡¡.¡±
Just then, someone raised his hand. It was Victor.
¡°Victor! Have you seen Damien?¡±
¡°Yes¡¡ Oh, he took the mask from me earlier and disappeared.¡±
¡°Where did he go? We need to get him back now!¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t know that.¡±
At that, the Count frowned.
¡°What do you mean by that!¡±
¡°I, I really don¡¯t know, I only saw him go out¡¡.¡±
At Victor¡¯s words, the Count felt his legs give out and he fell to the floor.
¡°My dear!¡±
¡°Father!¡±
His family rushed to his aid. Still, Count Haksen struggled to his feet.
¡°Da-Damien¡¡ I must find Damien, where has he gone at this perilous moment¡¡.¡±
Suddenly, an ominous premonition shed through Count Haksen¡¯s mind.
He looked in the direction of the explosion and muttered to himself.
¡°It can¡¯t be¡¡ but¡¡ he¡¯s never been quiet before¡¡?¡±
Then it was.
In the distance, mes leapt up. The mes soon formed the shape of a demon.
No matter how big it was, its head seemed to reach for the stars. It looked like it could easily trample a castle.
The family was terrified by this overwhelming sight.
¡°Is world going¡¡ destory?¡±
Count Haksen muttered to himself.
A ck sh of light shed. At the same time, the fire demon split in half and disappeared.
Even as the demon vanished, the crack remained. It was like a scar on the world.
The family was stunned by the spectacle. They stood speechless, staring at the crack.
Over time, the crack slowly healed. The world returned to normal as if it had never happened.
But the family still couldn¡¯t get over the shock.
¡°This is no time for this! We need to find Damien!¡±
Just then, Countess shouted. At her words, the family all came to their senses.
¡°I¡¯ll go to the central square!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll check the north side of town!¡±
¡°Where are you all going in the middle of the night?¡±
Startled by the familiar voice, everyone turned their heads. Damien was standing at the door leading to the rooftop.
¡°Damien!¡±
¡°Big brother!¡±
The family rushed towards Damien without a word of who would go first.
¡°Damien! You rascal!¡±
Count Haksen embraced Damien. The other family members also hugged him tightly. Damien wrinkled his nose and said,
¡°I can¡¯t breathe.¡±
Despite Damien¡¯s grumbling, the family didn¡¯t let go. They just held him there in silence.
¡°Where the hell have you been!¡±
His father shouted, still hugging Damien. Damien held up a paper bag he was holding and said,
¡°I heard there¡¯s a specialty food you have to eat on festival day, so I went out to buy it.¡±
A silence fell upon Damien¡¯s words.
¡°¡You went out to buy a specialty food?¡±
¡°Yes, but then suddenly there was amotion and I got caught up in the crowd of people running away.¡±
Damien rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand as if he was in trouble.
¡°It took me a while to get out.¡±
The family looked at each other at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Did you¡ go outside the city?¡±
Count Haksen asked with a suspicious look on his face. Damien replied incredulously,
¡°Father, haven¡¯t you seen what¡¯s happening outside? Even I don¡¯t have the ability to get involved in a ce like that.¡±
¡°R-right? Right? Really?¡±
At his father¡¯s question, Damien said bluntly,
¡°Of course.¡±
***
Perpetuo woke up to find that the other knights had already arrived.
¡°¡Am I alive?¡±
Perpetuo murmured with a dazed expression.
The demon¡¯s attack had been incredibly fast and powerful. Perpetuo had felt death approaching.
But here he was, alive. Even his wounds had been neatly healed. It waspletely iprehensible.
¡°Sir Perpetuo, what exactly happened? Who on earth did this to you?¡±
Perpetuo forced his dazed head to move and tried to recall his memories.
After listening to Perpetuo¡¯s exnation, the pdin asked with an expression of disbelief,
¡°A demon¡ overpowered you in one blow?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°ording to the testimonies of the townspeople, the demon transformed into a giant but was split in half and disappeared. Who on earth could defeat such a powerful demon?¡±
The Church also knew about demons.
No, they didn¡¯t just know about them. They hadpiled a list and recorded them in detail.
As such, they had a thorough understanding of the demons¡¯ strength.
Demons were very powerful entities but lesser demons such as barons and viscounts were no match for Masterss.
But to defeat Masterss in a single blow, Perpetou was recognized by both Church and the Empire.
It had to be at least a Count-level demon.
A Count-level demon was an enormous monster. They might not be as powerful as marquises and dukes, but they could take on a masterss or two.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡ I don¡¯t know.¡±
Perpetuo said with a sheepish face. He¡¯d been too stunned to see anything.
¡°But there is one person I recognize.¡±
¡°Who is that?¡±
¡°Victor.¡±
The pdin looked surprised at Perpetuo¡¯s words.
¡°Victor can¡¯t possibly be¡¡.¡±
¡°A dark mage who disappeared from the Mandarin Kingdom after dealing with some of the dirtiest and most horrible dark mages.¡±
¡°But how could a dark mage have killed a demon¡¡.¡±
¡°You must be mistaken in your reporting. The Victor I faced was a dark knight.¡±
The pdin¡¯s eyes widened at Perpetuo¡¯s words.
¡°An unidentified dark mage who was also master ss death knight who might have defeated a Count-ss demon¡ This is no ordinary matter.¡±
¡°Indeed, we must definitely identify him.¡±
The pdin nodded in agreement with Perpetuo¡¯s words.
¡°I will contact the Church immediately and dispatch an investigation team.¡±
¡°We already conducted a investigation before, but we couldn¡¯t find a single trace.¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But this time it¡¯s different. He¡¯s left so much evidence behind, there¡¯s no way we can miss him.¡±
The knight said, his eyes gleaming.
¡°This time, we will uncover the true identity of Victor, the Woodcutter.¡±
***
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Chapter 194
Chapter 194
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 194: A Favor (1)
***
A few dayster, Damien and his family were able to leave the city and return to Spring Castle.
¡°We¡¯re finally back!¡±
¡°There¡¯s no ce like home.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
As soon as they arrived, everyone in the family breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing the famous Starlight Fairies Festival in person had been a wonderful experience, but it got marred by a strange incident.
¡°We almost had caught up in a big disaster¡¡±
¡°I almost got a heart attack.¡±
There was so much going on.
Suddenly there was a huge explosion outside the city, and a giant made up of fire appeared.
Just when it seemed like themotion had died down, this time the Church showed up and started investigating people under the name of interrogation.
What shocked the family the most was the truth behind themotion outside.
¡°They were fighting with a Grand Dark Mage, a Master ss, and even a demon¡¡±
The family, and all the people in the city, could have been caught up in it and killed.
¡°It¡¯s a good thing it ended without a hitch.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. No one was hurt, and everyone¡¯s lives were spared.¡±
¡°We had fun at the festival too.¡±
The family looked at each other and startedughing.
Damien stepped back and watched his family like that.
While he didn¡¯t say anything, Damien felt the same way as his family.
It was a relief that everyone was unharmed and safe.
Then, Damien noticed Victor with a strange expression on his face.
What¡¯s up with your face again? Aren¡¯t you happy to be home?¡±
¡°Of course not. I was just thinking about what happened to me at the Church.¡±
Damien let out a short sigh at Victor¡¯s words. He could imagine that Victor would still be angry about what happened to him at the Church.
It happened during themotion, and the day after.
Church¡¯s soldiers started walking around the city looking for someone.
¡°Does anyone know this man with the mask?¡±
¡°Has anyone heard the name Victor?¡±
The soldiers started asking people about the mask picture and the name Victor.
¡°Oh? Did you say Victor?¡±
The problem was that Victor reacted to what the soldiers said.
¡°My name is Victor.¡±
¡°¡ Your name is Victor?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°He looks like a country bumpkin. There¡¯s no way this guy could be Victor.¡±
¡°It¡¯s just that their names are simr. The name Victor is kind ofmon.¡±
¡°Damn it, where did Victor the Woodcutter disappear to?¡±
¡°Oh? How did you know my nickname is the Victor the Woodcutter?¡±
The soldiers¡¯ eyes turned to Victor.
¡°Your nickname is Victor the Woodcutter?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Arrest him.¡±
¡°Oh, oh? W-why are you doing this all of a sudden!¡±
¡°You¡¯re suspicious. Take him to the Church immediately.¡±
Victor¡¯s face turned pale at the mention of the Inquisitor.
¡°N-now wait a minute! M-my lord! P-please spare my life!¡±
Fortunately, Damien stepped in and exined, and Victor was quickly released.
¡°S-sorry, Sir Damien!¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t even know this man was your servant¡ I deserve to die!¡±
The soldiers were terrified as soon as they heard Damien¡¯s name.
Damien said it was fine and tried to leave. But things didn¡¯t go that smoothly.
¡°Wait a minute!¡±
¡°The pdins said they wanted to say hello to Lord Damien!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll bring the pdins right away!¡±
As soon as the soldier ran off, the pdins came rushing in. Among them was Perpetuo.
¡°Sir Damien! Thank you so much for your help!¡±
¡°Thanks to you, we were able to find Hedoniac¡¯s location!¡±
Damien had to listen to the pdins¡¯ gratitude and praise for over half a day before he could finally get away.
¡°To mistake a kind person like me for such a heinous viin¡¡±
Victor muttered as if he hated Damien. Damien felt a pang of guilt inside.
¡°Well, at least you¡¯re safe and sound.¡±
¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for my lord, I would have suffered terribly.¡±
It was true, and Damien nodded involuntarily.
¡°Victor the Woodcutter¡ I¡¯ll never forget that name!¡±
¡°Y-yeah.¡±
Victor quietly burned with hatred. Damien patted Victor¡¯s shoulder a few times.
***
Damien wandered off while his family was resting.
Unlike his family, Damien could not rest. There was still work to be done.
Damien headed towards the forest near Spring Castle. There, he sat down and gathered his thoughts.
¡®What I feared has be a reality.¡¯
On the surface, the recent battle was a sess.
Not only did he subdue Hedoniac, but he also defeated a demon.
However, Damien was not satisfied with what he had experienced this time.
¡®A demon¡ It was unexpected.¡¯
Since his regression, Damien had always been worried about one thing: losing his family to unforeseen circumstances.
The reason for Damien¡¯s concern was his past life experience.
In a past life, Damien met Dorugo by chance, went through a transformation into a Death Knight, killed his family, and unleashed apocalyptic destruction upon the world.
That¡¯s why Damien always tried to be prepared for everything. He feared that his family could be in danger due to unforeseen events, just like in his previous life.
¡®I really need to be a Master ss as soon as possible.¡¯
Everything that happened was because Damien was weak.
The more he experienced these things, the more Damien felt a thirst. He waspelled to be stronger and more thorough than ever before.
On top of that, he couldn¡¯t keep relying on dark magic. Not only was it a burden on his body, but he also had to be careful not to be discovered by others.
¡®The problem is that it will take more than a few months at this rate.¡¯
The human body was incredibly honest.
To train it, one had to invest a significant amount of time and effort. Unlike mana, there was no shortcut such as elixirs.
At best, thanks to the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, Damien could train his body faster and stronger than others.
Even so, it would still take several months ording to Damien¡¯s calctions.
¡®If I push the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to the limit¡ No, it¡¯s too dangerous a gamble.¡¯
As a Middle ss, Damien had consumed an elixir and fought a High ss.
In the midst of the battle, he absorbed the elixir¡¯s energy with the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation and ascended to the High ss.
Theoretically, it was possible to reach Master ss using the same method.
However, to reach Master ss, one had to consume legendary elixirs.
Consume such elixirs during a battle? It was no different from suicide.
It was a problem that no amount of thinking could solve. Damien stopped thinking and started training.
***
From then on, Damien devoted himself to his training every day.
With the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, static training was rather ineffective.
Therefore, the method Damien chose was to summon undead and train against them.
¡°Alright, everyone, raise your weapons. If you even touch me, it¡¯s your victory.¡±
As expected, the skeletons couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on Damien¡¯s head and were all shattered.
¡°What are you doing? Get back in formation.¡±
Damien kept reviving the skeletons as they were shattered.
As a result, the skeletons had their bodies shattered several times a day.
A few skeletons suggested other training methods, but it was no use.
¡°I¡¯m happy I can train, and you¡¯re happy to gain experience. Isn¡¯t that a win-win?¡±
The skeletons were still better offpared to Dominico and Miya.
¡°Hey, at least you two aren¡¯t dead.¡±
Damien said as he mercilessly beat two of them with his wooden sword.
Arms and legs flying off weremonce. Even heads were lost.
Since they were already dead bodies, it didn¡¯t hurt. The problem was that they had to endure this more than ten times a day.
Eventually, Dominico, unable to bear it any longer, spoke to Damien.
¡°M-my lord¡ c-can¡¯t you give us a break?¡±
¡°A break? An undead talking about luxury? Shut up and get your swords ready.¡±
Of course, Damien was not swayed.
Damien had his own reasons for this. The potential of the two was outstanding.
He was pushing them to their limits in order to fully unlock their potential.
¡°Kyaaaa! Kgaa! Kyuuu!¡±
One day, Miya protested vehemently, asking why she was the only one being beaten and leaving Munchi alone.
¡°He¡¯s a big boy, I¡¯m letting him grow on his own.¡±
Usually, Munchi was just a yful wolf, but in the future, it would be called the Beast of Destruction, a monster that would bring about the end of the world.
In fact, even now, the Munchi was the strongest among the undead that Damien possessed.
In the recent battle, he had overwhelmingly defeated an Intermediate Fire spirit.
What the Munchi needed was not experience or training. He was naturally destined to be stronger over time.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s start again.¡±
¡°Kyaaaaaa¡¡±
One day, as Damien was engrossed in his training, a guest arrived at the Spring Castle.
¡°Sir Damien, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
Liam Bluegreen.
One of only three High ss in the Kingdom of Apple, Liam Bluegreen hade to visit Damien.
¡°Sir Liam, what brings you here?¡±
Damien greeted him with a surprised expression.
Although Damien was far superior in terms of strength but Liam Bluegreen was a Marquess of the Kingdom of Apple.
Moreover, he was the only High ss in the Kingdom of Apple who was loyal to the royal family.
From the standpoint of the Count¡¯s residence, he was a guest they could never neglect.
Therefore, Damien also treated Liam Bluegreen with respect.
¡°I have a favor to ask.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Well¡¡±
After hesitating for a while, Liam Bluegreen spoke to Damien.
¡°Have you ever considered going to the Empire?¡±
***
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Chapter 195
Chapter 195
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 195: A Favor (2)
***
The official name of the empire was the Helios Empire. However, most people simply referred to it as ¡°the Empire,¡± yet not a single person got confused.
The Helios Empire was the first and only empire to emerge since humanity began recording history.
It was the first empire in human history and possessed the most extensive territory.
If it so desired, it could easily unify all nations and bring the entire continent under one rule.
Even the Church, a powerful entity in its own right, paled inparison to the empire in many respects.
¡°Even Dorugo feared the empire.¡±
Dorugo, known as the Archlich and the master of all dark mages, had hidden his existence for thousands of years, primarily because of the empire. Even he was like a candle in the storm when facing the empire.
¡°What¡¯s with the sudden talk about the empire?¡±
Damien asked.
Liam Bluegreen scratched his forehead before responding.
¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? The Helian Tournament ising up soon.¡±
¡°Is it that time already?¡±
The Helian Tournament was a knightlypetition held every four years in the empire to honor the first emperor.
Not only imperial knights could participate; knights from other kingdoms could also enter the tournament. Even non-human races couldpete, making the Helian Tournament a significant event that transcended national and racial boundaries.
¡°You know that the Helian Tournament is a matter of national pride.¡±
Liam continued.
Even if a nation didn¡¯t win, how far its knights advanced in the tournament reflected on its reputation. Many kingdoms ced great importance on the event.
¡°Our Apple Kingdom has never achieved notable results at the Helian Tournament. It has been a source of regret for many of our kings.¡±
Liam said looking visibly dejected. In an era where knights symbolized a kingdom¡¯s strength, poor performance at such a significant tournament likely led to subtle derision from other kingdoms.
¡°So, His Majesty would like you to attend the Helian Tournament to bring honor to the Apple Kingdom.¡±
Damien hesitated. The journey from the Apple Kingdom to the empire was long and would be a significant burden. He also had his own goals to achieve: strengthening his body to reach the Master ss level. Yet¡
¡°But the winning knight at the Helian Tournament receives a title from the emperor himself.¡±
Damien had not yet earned a title. While he had gained some fame quickly but he had no titles. Titles were significant, as they reflected who bestowed them and why. Receiving a title directly from the emperor at a continental event like the Helian Tournament intrigued Damien.
¡®Well, I can train when I get to the empire.¡¯ he thought. With his mind made up, he turned to Liam Bluegreen.
¡°I¡¯ll participate.¡±
¡°Really? Ahahaha! Thank you! You¡¯ve saved me from quite a bit of trouble with His Majesty!¡±
Lian Bluegreen grasps Damien¡¯s hand ecstatically.
¡°Is there anyone elsepeting besides me?¡± Damien asked.
The Helian Tournament was divided into different sses for knights: Apprentice or squire, Low ss, Middle ss, High ss, and Master ss. Naturally, knights from one ss couldn¡¯tpete in another.
¡°Michael Ryanbloom will bepeting in the Middle ss category.¡±
Liam replied. Damien nodded, knowing that Michael had the talent to perform well in that division.
¡°Anyone else?¡±
¡°No, no one else has been confirmed.¡±
Liam said with a hint of regret.
¡°To be honest, there aren¡¯t enough qualified candidates. Many want to participate, but we can¡¯t risk sending someone who might embarrass the kingdom.¡±
¡°Good point.¡±
Damien agreed, just as a shadow crossed the window.
Suddenly, the window shattered, and someone burst into the room. It was a woman with wild red hair, dressed in tattered clothing. The smelling from her suggested she hadn¡¯t bathed in a long time.
Both Damien and Liam were taken aback by this abrupt intrusion. The woman shouted at Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
¡°If you changed your living ce, you should¡¯ve told me! I¡¯ve been searching all over for you!¡±
She pulled out her twin swords from her belt, and a chilling aura filled the room.
¡°I¡¯m here to kill you, as promised!¡±
She said with a wide grin.
It was Veronica S¨¢nchez, a woman known in her past life as the ¡°Killer Ghost.¡±
* * *
¡°¡¡¡±
Damien stared at the broken window. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his mother, who had poured her heart into decorating the castle.
¡°Why are you staring off into space?¡±
Veronica yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts. Damien, trying to suppress a growing headache and said.
¡°What are you going to do about that?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll pay for it!¡±
Veronica opened the leather satchel she was carrying on her back, revealing it to be filled with gems and gold coins.
¡°I collected this while traveling! Take it all!¡±
she said with tossing the satchel to Damien. He caught it with a frown; it was more than enough to cover the cost of a broken window.
¡°Now that I¡¯ve paid, we can get on with it, right?¡±
Her voice was excited. She activated her aura, and the twin swords she wielded were enveloped in a blood-red glow.
The room felt like it was filled with a sharp, menacing presence, as if a razor de was slicing through the air.
¡®That¡¯s one sharp aura.¡¯
Damien thought
Aura strength varied depending on a knight¡¯s skill level. Despite having a Middle-ss knight¡¯s strength, her aura¡¯s sharpness wasparable to a High-ss knight¡¯s.
¡®But there¡¯s no scent of blood.¡¯
The first time he met Veronica, her aura carried a distinct smell of blood. But now, there was none. It seemed she had kept her promise not to kill anyone during her travels.
¡®I¡¯m d I let her live.¡¯
Veronica S¨¢nchez, in her previous life, was a notorious killer who had eventually ascended to the Master ss. She wasn¡¯t aligned with the dark mages, but she wasn¡¯t on humanity¡¯s side either. She was just a dangerous force of chaos.
When Damien first met her, he had considered whether to end her life, given her propensity for violence.
But her talent had made him hesitate. At the time, she hadn¡¯t yet killed any innocent people, so he decided to give her a chance at redemption.
And it seemed his efforts weren¡¯t in vain; Veronica¡¯s aura no longer reeked of death.
¡°Good. You shoulde with me.¡±
Damien said. Despite her quirks, Veronica was a remarkably talented swordswoman, only slightly behind Michael Ryanbloom, whom Damien considered a genius among geniuses.
It would be good for Veronica topete in the Helian Tournament. It would be a valuable experience for her and would keep her on the right path.
¡°Eh? Where are we going?¡±
Veronica inquired, her face changing from confused to curious.
¡°Have you heard of the Helian Tournament?¡±
Damien replied.
¡°Nope.¡±
Veronica said without hesitation, her boldness catching Damien off guard for a moment.
¡°The Helian Tournament is¡¡±
Damien started to exin, but Veronica cut him off with a frown.
¡°You¡¯re saying we¡¯re going to the Empire? No way! Why would I go there?¡±
Unsurprisingly, Veronica rejected Damien¡¯s proposal outright. He was prepared for this response, though, and quickly moved on to n B. He opened a subspace and pulled out arge club.
The sight of the club made Veronica flinch and step back in rm.
¡°Hey, hey! Why are you bringing that out?¡±
She asked, her voice suddenly wary.
¡°To ¡®convince¡¯ you.¡±
Damien said nonchntly.
¡°You¡¯re going to hit me again, aren¡¯t you!¡±
She eximed, backing away further.
¡°Oh,e on, ¡®hit¡¯ is such a strong word. I prefer ¡®convince,''¡±
Damien replied, tapping the club against his palm.
¡°That¡¯s not convincing! That¡¯s just violence!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t understand. You¡¯ll ¡®get it¡¯ soon enough.¡±
Damien said, lifting the club higher.
¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to take this lying down? No way! I¡¯ll cut you down this time!¡±
Veronica shouted, drawing her twin des.
Her aura red, filling the room with a menacing pressure. She lunged at Damien, swinging her swords with deadly intent.
But her strikes never reached him. Each attack seemed to veer off course at thest second, leaving Damien untouched.
¡°¡Huh?¡± Veronica stared in confusion as her own aura missed its mark. Damien raised the club and swung it down hard on her head.
¡°First, the head.¡±
The club struck her on the chead, then moved to her side, her shins, and her shoulder, each hitnding with precision.
Veronica tried to resist, but the continuous barrage left her with no chance to fight back.
¡°Will you go, or not?¡±
Damien asked as he readied the club for another strike.
¡°I¡¯ll go¡¡±
she muttered weakly.
¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡±
¡°I said I¡¯ll go!¡±
She shouted, finally conceding.
Only then did Damien put the club back into the pocket dimension.
¡°Just so you know, if you try to run, I will really kill you.¡±
Damien warned, causing Veronica to flinch. She might have been thinking of running, but that thought quickly vanished after his words.
¡°Sir Liam, I¡¯ve recruited one more participant.¡±
Damien said, turning to Liam Bluegreen.
¡°O-okay¡ Good job, I guess.¡±
Liam replied, his face full of mixed feelings.
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Chapter 196
Chapter 196
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 196: Strange Encounter (1)
***
Afterward, Damien apanied Liam Bluegreen to visit his parents.
¡°You¡¯re going to the Empire?¡±
His father¡¯s reaction was far from pleasant. His mother was the same.
¡°I have no choice since His Majesty requested it, but¡¡±
¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since that chaos at the festival. Do you really have to go?¡±
Count and Countess Haksen seemed to wish that Damien would rest at home for a while.
This was because it had only been a few days since he had almost been killed after being caught up in the battle between the Transcendents.
¡°Father, Mother. It¡¯s not just anything, it¡¯s the Helian Tournament. If not now, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to participate again.¡±
There was an age limit of 25 years old to participate in the Helian Tournament.
However, the Master ss was open to those up to 40 years old. This was because it was such a difficult level to reach.
¡°I understand your feelings, but¡¡±
The Helian Tournament was thergest knightlypetition on the continent, so every man dreamed of winning the tournament in his youth and gaining poprity and fame.
Count Haksen also had such memories when he was young, so he couldn¡¯t hold Damien back firmly.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll allow it.¡±
After much deliberation, he allowed Damien to participate in the Helian Tournament.
¡°But I have one request.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°This time, please¡ please don¡¯t get into any trouble and go ande back safely.¡±
Damien replied to his father¡¯s earnest request as if he didn¡¯t understand what he was talking about.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. ¡®This time¡¯? I¡¯ve always been quiet.¡±
Count Haksen sighed.
***
With his father¡¯s permission secured, there was no longer any reason to dy.
Damien headed to Marquis Ryanbloom¡¯s estate with Liam Bluegreen.
¡°Brother!¡±
Michael, having received prior notice, came out of the castle to greet Damien.
¡°I apologize for not visiting you often!¡±
¡°No need to apologize. We¡¯re both busy.¡±
¡°I heard you ascended to High ss¡ The rumors were true! That¡¯s amazing! As expected of you, brother!¡±
¡°It seems like it won¡¯t be long for you either.¡±
Thest time Damien saw Michael, he had just ascended to Middle ss.
It seemed he had been dedicated to his training since then. He was now on the verge of the peak of Middle ss.
¡°I still have a long way to go.¡±
Michael scratched the back of his head shyly at Damien¡¯s praise.
¡°What do you mean a long way? You just need to take one more step.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
A bright expression appeared on Michael¡¯s face. But then he immediately frowned again.
He had noticed Veronica standing behind Damien.
¡°Why are you here?¡±
¡°What? I didn¡¯t want toe either. He dragged me here and I had no choice.¡±
Veronica pointed at Damien and yelled angrily.
Michael then turned to Damien, as if asking if that was true.
¡°That¡¯s true. Sir Liam said he was short on participants, so I brought her.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t know there were such circumstances. Veronica! If brother brought you here, you should ept it with gratitude. What¡¯s with that insolent attitude!¡±
Veronica looked dumbfounded at Michael¡¯s reprimand.
¡°If you keep this up, you¡¯ll die by my hand.¡±
¡°Do as you please. I haven¡¯t trained so poorly that I would lose to a lowlife like you.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re so great. Then shall we check that?¡±
Veronica gripped her twin swords. Michael also grabbed the sword that had been hanging on his back.
The murderous auras they emitted shed in the air. A tense atmosphere hung around them.
¡°If you fight, you¡¯ll both die by my hand.¡±
But at Damien¡¯s words, the two of them quickly dropped their sword hilts.
¡°Michael, what are you doing, a knight, getting carried away by such provocation?¡±
¡°I apologize.¡±
¡°And Veronica, you said that if I killed someone, you would die by my hand.¡±
¡°Ah, no¡ I didn¡¯t mean to kill you for real¡¡±
Both of them were flustered as Damien stepped forward.
¡°That¡¯s incredible. You¡¯re able to control those troublemakers so firmly.¡±
Liam Bluegreen watched in admiration.
Michael Ryanbloom was a lone general who even his father, the Marquis, couldn¡¯t do anything about, and Veronica was not a person who would listen to reason.
And yet, these two were at a loss for what to do at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Sir Liam, let¡¯s depart now.¡±
¡°I understand. Let¡¯s get going.¡±
Damien boarded the carriage with the four of them.
The carriage departed for the Empire, escorted by troops sent by the kingdom.
***
The journey was extremelyfortable.
Until now, Damien had always traveled alone, so he had to camp out frequently.
However, this time there were many people in the party, and they were traveling under the name of the Apple Kingdom.
¡°Aren¡¯t you Lord Liam? You¡¯re looking for a ce to rest on your way to the Empire? Pleasee to our castle!¡±
¡°The Helian Tournament¡! You were going to bring glory to the kingdom! I will dly open up my territory!¡±
Thanks to this, they were able to stay at the estates of nobles instead of camping out.
And so, after a few days, the party was able to cross the border of the Apple Kingdom and arrive in the neighboring country of the Dophlin Kingdom.
¡°Stop.¡±
Soldiers of the Dophlin Kingdom stopped the party as they were crossing the border.
¡°Where are youing from?¡±
The soldiers spoke with faces full of wariness. There were over ten soldiers to only three knights escorting the carriage.
It was natural to be wary when carrying such arge force.
¡°We are from the Apple Kingdom. We are on our way to the Empire to participate in the Helian Tournament.¡±
The soldiers¡¯ eyes widened at the knight¡¯s words.
They looked at each other¡¯s faces and even murmured in small voices.
¡®Why are they reacting so strangely?¡¯
The Apple Kingdom and the Dophlin Kingdom shared a border and had frequent interactions, so they were one of the familiar kingdoms.
Even so, the soldiers seemed to be overly surprised by the words ¡°Apple Kingdom.¡±
¡°¡ Please wait a moment.¡±
One of the soldiers went inside the city gate. After a while, the captain of the guard who was in charge of the gate appeared.
¡°Do you have pass?¡±
In response to the captain¡¯s question, the escorting knight handed over the pass. It was a document that the King of the Apple Kingdom had sent to the Dophlin Kingdom in advance.
The captain took out a monocle and inspected the document. It seemed to be a magic tool for checking if the seal on the pass was genuine.
¡°I have verified it. You may enter.¡±
At the captain¡¯s words, the soldiers opened the gate wide. The party passed through the gate.
It was as they were passing through the gate.
Damien overheard the captain¡¯s words to the soldiers.
¨C Knights have arrived from the Apple Kingdom. Contact him immediately.
There was a series of suspicious things happening, from the soldiers¡¯ reaction at first to the captain¡¯s words.
Damien spoke to Liam Bluegreen, who was sitting across from him.
¡°Sir Liam, the atmosphere is strange.¡±
¡°Do you think so too?¡±
Unsurprisingly, Liam Bluegreen was thinking the same thing as Damien.
¡°That¡¯s strange. The Apple Kingdom and the Dophlin Kingdom are supposed to be on friendly terms.¡±
Liam Bluegreen stroked his chin and fell into thought.
¡°We might as well be cautious just in case.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Despite Damien¡¯s worries, the party did not encounter any further incidents after that.
Far from encountering any incidents, they only received help.
Like the Apple Kingdom, they were able to use the estates of nobles in the Dophlin Kingdom.
They were about to leave the Dophlin Kingdom when it happened.
As it waste at night, the party decided to visit a nearby noble and stay for the night.
¡°You¡¯re from the Apple Kingdom! Wee!¡±
This time too, the noble readily agreed. The party was able to unpack their belongings in the noble¡¯s castle.
¡°You must be tired from your long journey. I¡¯ll have to catch a wild boar today.¡±
The lord was a very hospitable man.
Not only did he not mind their sudden visit, but he also prepared avish banquet.
They had never received such hospitality even in the Apple Kingdom. The party enjoyed the food and drinks with gratitude.
¡°Brother, try this too.¡±
Michael was busy taking care of Damien even during the meal. He would bring food to Damien as soon as the te in front of him was empty.
¡°He¡¯s pathetic.¡±
Veronica muttered to herself like that and focused on her meal.
She cut the meat on her te and put it in her mouth. The whole sequence of movements was so neat that it even had an air of elegance.
Unlike her usual rough behavior, she had perfect table manners.
¡®Could she be from a noble family?¡¯
Come to think of it, Veronica was handling her mana very delicately. This meant that her mana cultivation was of a high level.
I wondered if she might be from a knightly family.
Damien was thinking about that when.
¡°My lord, just a moment¡¡±
The steward approached the lord and whispered something. The noble¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
¡°Oh my¡ for him to visit my territory.¡±
The lord got up from his seat in a hurry and addressed the party.
¡°Excuse me in the middle of the meal. I would like to invite one more guest to this table.¡±
Everyone in the party looked at the noble. Then, Liam Bluegreen asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±
¡°I know it¡¯s impolite, but such a precious guest hase to visit¡¡±
Liam Bluegreen looked as if he had no idea what was going on.
¡°I¡¯ll take you inside and exin.¡±
The lord gestured. The steward then opened the banquet hall door.
Two men entered the banquet hall.
A middle-aged man and a young man.
They looked alike, as if they were father and son. Both of them had ck hair and blue eyes. They had wide noses and thin lips.
The lord approached the two men. The middle-aged man then opened his mouth.
¡°I¡¯m sorry toe without notice.¡±
¡°No! You don¡¯t have to think like that! It¡¯s a great honor for me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±
Contrary to his words, the man¡¯s expression was extremely arrogant. It seemed that the conversation just before was just a formality.
¡°Are those the guests from the Apple Kingdom?¡±
The middle-aged man asked, looking at Damien and his party seated in the banquet hall. The lord nodded.
¡°Would you like me to introduce you?¡±
¡°Of course!¡±
The lord nodded with a broad smile as if it was the greatest honor.
¡°Everyone, please say hello! This gentleman is the pir of the Dophlin Kingdom, the greatest idol of the knights, and the brightest shining sword¡¡±
After all sorts of flowerypliments, the man¡¯s name was revealed.
¡°Master ss Javier Silva!¡±
***
Damien didn¡¯t know all the masters.
He only remembered the ones he had met in person and who had made an impression on him.
Javier Silva was different, though: he remembered him even though he had never met him in person.
¡®I never thought I¡¯d see a traitor to humanity here.¡¯
During the War of Destruction, several Masters had abandoned their duty to defend their country and sided with Dorugo.
As a result, the Empire and the Human Alliance suffered great damage, and some kingdoms even fell.
One of those traitors was Javier Silva.
No, Javier Silva was not simply one of the traitors.
He¡¯s the reason the Eastern Alliance fell.
During the War of Destruction, the kingdoms of the eastern part of the continent formed a coalition to fight alongside the Empire. This included the Apple Kingdom.
The Empire sent a number of Knights and Master ss to support them.
However, Javier Silva¡¯s betrayal caused the Eastern Alliance to copse before it had a chance to fight.
¡°Sir Javier, it is an honor to meet you.¡±
Liam Bluegreen stood up and offered Javier Silva a handshake.
But Javier Silva didn¡¯t shake his hand. He just looked down at Liam with disdain.
¡°Speaking of putting the cart before the horse¡¡ I didn¡¯t think you deserved it.¡±
Liam Bluegreen¡¯s face flushed red at the words.
Liam Bluegreen was a marquis of the Apple Kingdom. He was in no position to speak highly of another country¡¯s nobility.
What Javier Silva was pointing out was Liam Bluegreen¡¯s ss.
He didn¡¯t think high ss could match his master ss.
¡°¡¡Excuse me.¡±
¡°Be careful what you wish for.¡±
Liam Bluegreen blushed even harder.
But he couldn¡¯t protest. What he had in front of him was a master ss.
¡°I got the call that you wereing, and I¡¯m here in a hurry.¡±
Javier Silva put a hand on the shoulder of the young man standing next to him.
¡°That¡¯s my son. He¡¯s a high-ss participant in this Helian Tournament.¡±
Javier Silva gave him a haughty look.
¡°We are on our way to the Empire as well, so I will apany you on your way.¡±
***
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Chapter 197
Chapter 197
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 197: Strange Encounter (2)
***
Liam Bluegreen couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed.
¡®Travel together? What on earth is his ulterior motive?¡¯
Even in the Apple Kingdom, Javier Silva was a well-known figure.
A figure of authority who rose to the rank of Master ss from a humble knightly family.
A power that stood higher than the king in the Dophlin Kingdom.
Are they supposed to believe that such a figure came to visit them just to apany them?
¡®Could it be that he¡¯s trying to gather information about Damien?¡¯
Damien¡¯s fame had already spread widely to other kingdoms. He was known as a rare genius and a formidable powerhouse.
From Javier Silva¡¯s point of view, he would have no choice but to be wary of Damien.
After all, his son was also a High ss, so there was a high probability that he would face Damien in the Helian Tournament.
So, could it be that he offered to apany them in order to find a way to defeat Damien?
After all, with the eyes of a Master ss, he should be able to figure out all of Damien¡¯s weaknesses.
¡®If that¡¯s really what he¡¯s thinking¡ I have to refuse.¡¯
The honor and pride of the kingdom were at stake in the Helian Tournament.
That¡¯s why the king of the Apple Kingdom was looking forward to Damien¡¯s victory.
So, he couldn¡¯t allow Damien to be put at a disadvantage from the start.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think that would be difficult.¡±
After making up his mind, Liam Bluegreen spoke.
¡°Since we are both participating in the tournament, I don¡¯t think there would be any benefit to either of us if we traveled together.¡±
Hearing this, Javier silently stroked his chin.
¡°My son, Joshua is a very talented child from a young age.¡±
Liam Bluegreen¡¯s eyebrows narrowed slightly at the out-of-the-blue remark.
¡°He was so talented that he didn¡¯t make friends easily with other children. Geniuses don¡¯t understand mediocrity, do they?¡±
¡°Oh, yes¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s inevitable, but I worry about him as a father. I wanted Joshua¡¯s rtionships to be a little broader. That¡¯s why I came to you.¡±
Javier continued, stroking Joshua¡¯s head.
¡°So, I thought that knights good enough to participate in the tournament might be able to have a good rtionship with this child.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
¡°So, I humbly asked you, a mere High ss, for a favor¡ and you¡¯re refusing?¡±
Javier¡¯s expression turned grim. In that moment, the atmosphere froze.
¡°You¡¯re refusing my request. You¡¯re brave, aren¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you afraid of what might happen?¡±
Javier didn¡¯t raise his voice. He simply expressed his displeasure with his tone.
Even so, Liam Bluegreen felt a constricting pressure in his chest.
He realized anew that the being before him was a true Transcendent, a being known as a Master ss.
¡°Sir Silva, we are traveling to the Empire as representatives of the Apple Kingdom.¡±
However, Liam Bluegreen also had a sense of pride.
He was a knight representing the Apple Kingdom and had a duty to safely deliver the contestants to the Empire.
He couldn¡¯t just cower in fear and back down just because a Master ss was ¡®a little¡¯ angry.
¡°Are you trying to intimidate us, Sir Silva, who are from a foreign kingdom?¡±
Liam Bluegreen and his party were representing the Apple Kingdom.
It was a serious diplomatic faux pas for Javier Silva to threaten them, especially as they were from a foreign country.
¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±
However, Javier didn¡¯t even seem to hear Liam Bluegreen¡¯s words.
Liam Bluegreen was at a loss for words at Javier¡¯s arrogant and haughty attitude.
¡°What¡¯s the big deal if I intimidate a foreign noble? Are you going to dere war? That would be interesting.¡±
Liam Bluegreen couldn¡¯t say anything in the face of Javier¡¯s strong words.
In reality, if a war broke out between the two countries, the Apple Kingdom would have no choice but to lose.
After all, there was Javier Silva in the Dophlin Kingdom.
There was a true Transcendent, the pinnacle of power, known as a Master ss.
Of course, a war would not actually happen. The Empire would not stand by and watch.
However, the Empire would only prevent the outbreak of war. They would not interfere in anything else.
This meant that the Dophlin Kingdom could oppress the Apple Kingdom with Javier Silva at the forefront.
Just as Liam Bluegreen was caught between a rock and a hard ce,
¡°Sir Liam, why are you hesitating?¡±
Someone spoke up at that moment. Two pairs of eyes turned to the same spot.
¡°Let¡¯s ept it gratefully.¡±
Damien spoke, receiving the attention of both of them.
***
Liam Bluegreen was surprised by Damien¡¯s words and eximed.
¡°Sir Damien? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°How many times in a lifetime do you have the opportunity to travel with a Master ss? We can¡¯t miss such a good opportunity.¡±
Hearing this, Liam Bluegreen could only feel even more embarrassed.
On the other hand, Javier burst intoughter.
¡°Hahaha, young friend, you are very clever! Yes, it is notmon to have the opportunity to travel with a Master ss!¡±
Damien scoffed inwardly as he watched Javier rejoice.
The reason Damien was epting Javier¡¯s offer was not as it seemed.
It was to figure out what he was up to.
No matter how Damien thought about it, there was no benefit for Javier to travel with them.
Yet, he hade all the way to ask them to travel with him.
He had responded to Liam Bluegreen¡¯s refusal with threats.
It was very suspicious. So suspicious that he had to wonder about his intentions.
¡®I don¡¯t know about the other guy, but you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to hold hands with the dark mages, so I can¡¯t help but be suspicious.¡¯
Maybe the dark mage was involved in this.
Dark mages were like cockroaches, popping up out of nowhere and ruining everything.
¡®I was curious anyway. I wondered when you started getting involved with those filths.¡¯
He was going to kill Javier Silva anyway.
Was it because he betrayed humanity? And because of that, the Eastern Alliance fell apart?
¡®My family died because of you.¡¯
The Apple Kingdom was also part of the Eastern Alliance. So when the alliance fell apart, the Apple Kingdom was in the same situation.
That was when Damien killed his family under Dorugo¡¯s orders.
In other words, Javier Silva had indirectly influenced the deaths of his family.
That¡¯s why Damien had no intention of letting Javier live.
¡®If you really approached us because of the dark mage¡ .¡¯
He was determined to kill Javier somehow during their journey together.
¡°Sir Damien, are you serious?¡±
Liam Bluegreen asked cautiously. Damien nodded.
Damien was a High ss and had close ties to the kingdom. Moreover, Liam Bluegreen had once owed his life to Damien.
With Damien speaking up like this, Liam Bluegreen had no choice but to back down.
¡°¡¡I¡¯ll do as Sir Damien says.¡±
And so, it was decided that they would travel with the Silvas.
***
In the Dophlin Kingdom, Javier Silva was famous as a figure who held even more power than the king.
This was understandable. While a king could be reced at any time, there was only one Master ss.
True to his reputation, the group Javier Silva brought with him was on a massive scale.
Including soldiers and attendants, there were over 100 people, and there were dozens of knights.
It was no exaggeration to say that an entire army was on the move.
Inparison, the Apple Kingdom¡¯s procession was a mere handful.
¡°So, do you know what I did? I just crushed them!¡±
Javier had an incredibly talkative personality.
He would chatter endlessly about his exploits, even when no one was particrly interested.
¡°Yes, sir. You are truly remarkable.¡±
Liam Bluegreen stood beside Javier and pped along. His face was clearly showing his displeasure.
¡°Sir Liam, he must be having a hard time.¡±
Michael whispered to Damien in a small voice. Damien nodded in agreement.
¡°But brother, why did you agree to ept Javier¡¯s offer?¡±
Michael asked with a face that showed he couldn¡¯t understand. After all, he couldn¡¯t think of any reason why it would be good to travel with them.
¡°If I¡¯m next to the Master, I might be able to get something to learn.¡±
Damien lied instead of answering. Michael tilted his head at this. As if he didn¡¯t believe Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Drurung~.¡±
Just then, a snoring sound was heard. They turned their eyes to see Veronica asleep on her horse.
She was leaning her head and back as far back as possible, but she was somehow managing not to fall off.
¡°She certainly doesn¡¯t have an ounce of grace.¡±
Michael muttered with a pitiful expression, just as
¡°Sir Damien Hasken?¡±
Javier called out Damien¡¯s name.
¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You¡¯re so famous that your name has even reached the Dophlin Kingdom.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
Damien remained indifferent even in the face of the Master ss¡¯s praise. To be honest, he didn¡¯t care much about being famous in other kingdoms.
¡°They say you defeated the Marquis¡¯s knight in one breath and even subdued the dark mage who is being pursued by the Church?¡±
Michael cleared his throat at the mention of the Marquis.
¡°And you¡¯ve reached the rank of High ss at such a young age! It¡¯s like seeing myself in my younger days. Of course, you¡¯re a little less skilled than I was, but that¡¯s beside the point.¡±
With that, Javier burst intoughter.
¡°I became a High ss at a much younger age than you. Everyone was so excited, calling me the return of the hero Krael.¡±
Even though no one asked, Javier started to exin his past.
¡®What a show-off.¡¯
Damien thought to himself about Javier.
He seemed to be praising others, but he was ultimately just trying to boost his own ego.
It had been a while since Damien had encountered someone so full of himself.
¡°I¡¯ve also heard a lot about you, Sir Damien.¡±
Just then, Joshua Silva interjected as if he had been waiting for his cue.
¡°You¡¯re such a famous person that I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you. It¡¯s an honor to meet you like this.¡±
Damien looked at Joshua.
Perhaps because he was his son, he was the spitting image of his father. He had a wide nose bridge and frown lines that were exactly the same.
¡°Hahaha, Joshua. It¡¯s rude to be too humble. You too reached the rank of High ss at a younger age than Damien Haksen, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ I¡¯ve never seen a genius who can bepared to me, so I couldn¡¯t hide my curiosity.¡±
¡°Yes, I guess so. Your father was just like you when he was your age.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. It was true, like father, like son.
They were pretending to praise Damien while subtly bragging about their own abilities.
It was a way of speaking that made the listener feel very ufortable.
¡°That man¡¡±
Michael, who was standing next to him, was about to explode. Damien stopped him.
¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±
¡°But, brother¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m staying quiet, too. If you step in, you¡¯ll just beughed at.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Michael bit his lip.
¡°I understand. I¡¯ll hold it in¡¡±
¡°What? Did you say you became a High ss at a younger age than Damien?¡±
Just then,
Veronica spoke to Joshua after she woke up from her sleep.
Joshua couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by the unexpected question.
¡°Are you deaf? I¡¯m asking you. Did you really be a High ss before Damien?¡±
Joshua¡¯s embarrassment grew.
¡°Ahem, yes.¡±
¡°Hmm¡ so you say?¡±
Veronica squinted her eyes and scrutinized Joshua.
¡°Speaking of which, who is this person?¡±
Perhaps having ovee his embarrassment, Joshua asked with a gentle smile.
¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen someone as beautiful as her. She¡¯s charming even without any makeup, but if you just polish her up a bit¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange. You look weaker than Damien.¡±
At these words, Joshua¡¯s expression hardened in an instant.
¡°What are you talking about¡¡±
¡°If you became a High ss at a younger age than Damien, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re more talented? But you look weaker.¡±
¡°Hahaha, it seems that you have misunderstood something. The gap between knights is not something that can be known until they actually fight¡¡±
¡°Wait a minute, it¡¯s not the age you reached High ss that matters. It¡¯s the duration, isn¡¯t it? When did you start learning swordsmanship?¡±
Veronica was not listening to Joshua at all.
¡°¡It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that I¡¯ve been training since I was born. I¡¯ve been watching my father¡¯s swordsmanship since I was a baby.¡±
Even in the face of Veronica¡¯s attitude, Joshua did not lose his smile. He even answered her.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but scoff inwardly. What kind of swordsmanship did a newborn baby have?
He was really acting like a fool.
¡°You¡¯re acting like a fool.¡±
At that moment, everyone, including Damien, looked at Veronica with stunned faces.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 198
Chapter 198
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 198: Duel (1)
***
¡°You¡¯re being a bit too harsh.¡±
Joshua said, trying to maintain hisposure. However, Veronica¡¯s tirade continued towards Joshua.
¡°What kind of swordsmanship does a newborn baby have? You must have just been staring at something moving in front of you because it was new.¡±
¡°Ah, no¡ that¡¯s not it, I really¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just say you started learning around the age of 8. That means you¡¯ve been training with a sword for at least 15 years, right? So it took you at least 15 years to be a High ss?¡±
¡°You could say that¡¡±
¡°But Damien didn¡¯t even take a year?¡±
At that moment, Joshua¡¯s face contorted.
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡¡±
¡°Damien became a High ss in less than a year.¡±
Joshua¡¯s face began to crumple gradually.
¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about that, but¡ I didn¡¯t believe it.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it too absurd? It¡¯s hard to believe that he became a Middle ss in a year, let alone a High ss? Rumors are always exaggerated, so it¡¯s foolish to ept them blindly¡¡±
¡°But it¡¯s true?¡±
Veronica said bluntly.
¡°I know it well because I saw it myself. When I first fought with him a few months ago, he was a Middle ss, right? But when I met him again, he was a High ss.¡±
¡°If you keep saying such nonsense¡¡±
¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you. But don¡¯t act strong when you¡¯re weaker than Damien. It¡¯s annoying to watch.¡±
There were gasps from all around. It was clearly a line that had been crossed.
The problem was that Veronica¡¯s words were not over yet.
¡°Damien is my target. How would you feel if someone like you looked down on my once-in-a-lifetime prey?¡±
¡°¡Someone like me?¡±
Joshua¡¯s face gradually began to turn red with anger.
¡°You insolent woman¡ I gave you a little respect, and now you¡¯re talking nonsense without even knowing what you¡¯re talking about!¡±
Killing intent emanated from Joshua.
The killing intent of a High ss was a weapon in itself. The horses were all startled and prancing around because of the spreading killing intent. Some soldiers even spat out blood from their mouths.
¡°Draw your sword now. I¡¯ll show you myself whether I¡¯m weak or strong!¡±
¡°Why should I?¡±
Veronica said without hesitation. Joshua¡¯s expression was momentarily nk as if the answer was unexpected.
¡°I¡¯m a Middle ss and you¡¯re a High ss, so why should I fight? Am I crazy? Are you an idiot?¡±
¡°You dare to mock me when you¡¯re just a Middle ss! Do you really want to die!¡±
Unable to contain his rage, Joshua grabbed the hilt of his sword.
However, he couldn¡¯t draw the sword. Something was preventing him from drawing the weapon.
A Sword.
To be precise, a sword covered in a scabbard was now pressing down on Joshua¡¯s hilt.
Joshua looked along the scabbard with a bewildered expression.
At the end of it, Damien was gripping the hilt.
¡°Let¡¯s stop there,¡±
Damien said in a calm voice.
***
Joshua looked back and forth at Damien and the sword in surprise.
He hadn¡¯t noticed.
He hadn¡¯t noticed Damien picking up the sword or extending it to block his wrist.
He hadn¡¯t even noticed the moment the sword was drawn.
Was this really the same High ss? Joshua felt goosebumps all over his body.
¡°Mypanion may have spoken harshly, but it¡¯s still inappropriate for a High ss to draw a weapon against a Middle ss.¡±
Damien spoke as he sheathed the sword he had extended.
¡°I will apologize for mypanion¡¯s outburst. But you were the one who tried to swing your sword first, so how about we both back down at this point?¡±
Joshua almost nodded.
This was because the move Damien had shown was beyond his level.
¡°That can¡¯t be.¡±
However, his father, Javier Silva spoke before him.
¡°That young woman insulted my son. Honor is as important as life to a knight. How can we just let this pass?¡±
¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t look good for a High ss to draw a weapon against a Middle ss.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡±
Damien initially thought that Javier was being unreasonable.
However, looking at Javier¡¯s expression, he seemed to genuinely believe that.
¡°Didn¡¯t my son get ¡®insulted¡¯? What¡¯s the problem with paying him back for that?¡±
Damien clicked his tongue inwardly at the arrogant attitude. He had no idea that Javier would act so brazenly.
The problem was that this shameless person was a Master ss.
¡°Then what do you want to do?¡±
¡°I must getpensation from that woman. If she cuts off even one finger, I¡¯ll be satisfied and let it go.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t allow that.¡±
Damien said without hesitation.
Veronica¡¯s remarks may have crossed the line a bit, but that didn¡¯t mean she could have her finger cut off.
¡°I was trying to be generous¡ you won¡¯t ept my offer?¡±
Javier¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.
At that moment, an overwhelming aura surged towards Damien.
A sense of oppression like being trapped in the deep sea weighed down on Damien¡¯s entire body.
¡®I can still endure this.¡¯
However, Javier¡¯s aura had no effect on Damien.
When Damien didn¡¯t react at all, Javier¡¯s expression changed.
Javier looked at Damien with an intrigued expression.
¡°¡I¡¯ve changed my mind. Let¡¯s just let this go.¡±
Damien almost burst outughing at the attitude that seemed to say he was doing a great favor.
¡°Instead, we need to see if what that insolent woman said is true.¡±
¡°Verify?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s decide who is stronger between Joshua and you through a duel.¡±
Liam Bluegreen shouted in surprise at these words.
¡°A duel before the tournament? That¡¯s out of the question. Can¡¯t we just solve this situation in another way? What if something dangerous happens¡¡±
¡°Dangerous? What¡¯s dangerous with me here?¡±
Javier scowled as if he was displeased. Liam Bluegreen couldn¡¯t argue any further.
¡°Sir Damien.¡±
Liam Bluegreen looked at Damien with hisst hope.
¡°That sounds interesting.¡±
However, Damien betrayed Liam Bluegreen¡¯s expectations.
He felt sorry for Liam Bluegreen but Damien had a reason to do this duel.
¡®When that bastard tried to draw his sword¡ I felt something.¡¯
When Joshua couldn¡¯t contain his anger and tried to draw his sword, Damien felt a strange aura.
It was too faint to know anything from it alone, so he epted the duel to find out more.
¡°Joshua, what will you do?¡±
Javier asked his son, looking back at him. Joshua thought for a moment and said.
¡°I ept.¡±
¡°Hahaha, good. That¡¯s like my son.¡±
Javierughed out loud and shouted at the soldiers.
¡°What are you all doing? Hurry up and prepare the dueling ground!¡±
***
The soldiers began to turn over the field. They tamped down the ground to make it t and firm.
After an hour of this, the dueling ground was finallypleted.
¡®What a waste.¡¯
Damien thought to himself, tapping the ground that the soldiers had tamped down with the tip of his foot.
Is a duel such a big deal that they have to turn the ground over like this?
That was when Damien was thinking that.
¡°What the hell are you thinking?!¡±
¡°What did I do?¡±
¡°You caused my brother to be in a difficult situation!¡±
¡°So I should just listen to that?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s not it, but¡¡±
He heard Michael and Veronica arguing. Damien looked back at them and said.
¡°Both of you, stop.¡±
Michael immediately shut up at Damien¡¯s words. But Veronica did not.
¡°Damien! He¡¯s ming me for everything! Say something! Don¡¯t You feel offended too!¡±
¡°Well, I was offended.¡±
Damien nodded.
Damien was also annoyed by the way Javier and Joshua talked.
¡°See? I did well, right? I knew you would think that too¡ why are you taking out that club?¡±
As soon as Damien took out his club, Veronica hid behind Michael¡¯s back.
Damien tapped his palm with the club and said.
¡°Just in case, I¡¯m warning you in advance. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself from now on¡ If something like this happens again, I¡¯ll really ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ you.¡±
¡°You said you were offended too. You could have just said what you wanted to say, right?¡±
Veronica¡¯s eyes were full of innocence as she spoke. She seemed to genuinely think that way.
Suddenly, a headache hit him. Damien was pressing his temples with his hand.
¡°Sir Damien, thank you for making a difficult decision.¡±
Joshua, who was approaching the dueling ground, thanked Damien.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It wasn¡¯t that difficult a decision.¡±
Joshua¡¯s expression hardened slightly at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°¡It¡¯s okay to use real swords, right?¡±
¡°Do whatever you want.¡±
Joshua ominously drew the sword from his waist.
Strangely enough, the de was glowing red. It was clearly not an ordinary weapon.
¡°It¡¯s a sword made of rare metals, I see.¡±
¡°You¡¯re perceptive, as always. It¡¯s a sword made of a rare metal alloy, to be precise.¡±
Joshua swung the de in a circle. The de sliced through the air smoothly, bending softly.
¡°It¡¯s not just any alloy either. It¡¯s made of dwarven alloy. It¡¯s a perfect sword for me, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Show-off.
Damien clicked his tongue briefly and gripped the hilt of the Dawn. Then, a sudden thought crossed his mind.
¡®Judging by his personality¡ he¡¯s going to act like high and mighty all the way to the empire with his father.¡¯
Just imagining it made him feel nauseous. He needed to make sure Joshua¡¯s arrogance was properly subdued for afortable journey.
¡°Michael.¡±
¡°Yes, brother.¡±
¡°Bring me a branch. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s thin.¡±
Everyone was bewildered by the out-of-the-blue request, except for Michael.
Michael silently looked around for a branch.
However, since they were in the middle of a field, there were no branches readily in sight.
Then, a tree caught Michael¡¯s eye.
Michael immediately swung his sword towards the tree.
A sharp aura grazed the branch at the very top of the tree and passed by.
Even though it was cut by the aura, the branch didn¡¯t fall off right away. It slid down slowly as if coated with sticky liquid, before finally falling.
¡°¡Wow.¡±
The eyes of all the knights around widened at the move Michael had shown.
It was because his swordsmanship was so clean and sharp, even for a Middle ss.
¡°You could have just broken it with your hand¡¡±
Only Veronica clicked her tongue as if she wasn¡¯t satisfied.
¡°Brother, I brought it.¡±
Michael handed the branch to Damien. He took the branch and swung it a few times.
It was about the thickness of an index finger and about two spans long.
[TL/N- Avg span is 18-20 cm.]
It was a perfect branch to hold and swing with your hand.
¡°¡Why did you ask him to bring that?¡±
Joshua asked Damien with a trembling face. To that question, Damien stretched out the branch and said.
¡°We can¡¯t fight barehanded, can we?¡±
In that moment, Joshua¡¯s expression froze.
¡°Wow. You¡¯re going to fight me with this?¡±
Immediately after, Joshua¡¯s face twisted into a grin.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 199
Chapter 199
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 199: Duel (2)
***
¡®I don¡¯t know who will win.¡¯
Liam Bluegreen thought to himself as he watched the two men standing on the dueling ground.
He didn¡¯t doubt Damien¡¯s skills, but his opponent was simply too strong.
Joshua Silva.
A prodigy who had inherited all the talent of his Master ss father.
In fact, Joshua was considered a durd in his childhood. He was slower to learn than others.
However, his talent began to blossom after he passed his 10th birthday.
He rose through the sses at an amazing pace and reached the High-ss level at the young age of 20.
Considering that Liam Bluegreen became a High ss in his 40s, he was a tremendous genius.
¡®A genius like that has been intensively trained by a Master ss¡ . ¡®
A few years ago, a group of wyverns had taken up residence in the mountainous region of the Dophlin Kingdom.
Wyverns were dangerous monsters that could be called lesser dragons.
They had tough skin that could withstand auras, teeth and ws that could easily pierce steel, and the ability to fly through the air and breathe fire.
Even Middle ss knights had difficulty dealing with a single wyvern.
The wyverns that had taken up residence in the Dophlin Kingdom were not even ordinary ones.
They were a subspecies called Red Wing Wyverns that inhabited the wastnd of Alista, known as the Land of Hell.
Alista Wastnd was a barren and dangerousnd. As a result, the monsters that inhabited it were bound to be much stronger than their original species.
Even Liam Bluegreen shook his head when he heard the story. Even for a High ss like him, a group of Red Wing Wyverns was very tough.
Joshua Silva had exterminated those Red Wing Wyverns in less than a day.
¡°Michael, bring me a branch.¡±
Liam Bluegreen, who had been worried for a long time, heard Damien¡¯s voice.
Like the others, Liam Bluegreen looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
After a while, Michael cut off a branch and brought it over. Damien, who took the branch and said.
¡°Come on. I¡¯ll fight you with this.¡±
Liam Bluegreen almost fainted on the spot.
***
As soon as he heard that, Joshua¡¯s face turned red.
¡°¡Sir Damien?¡±
However, Joshua managed to hold back his anger. He tried to remain calm and said.
¡°Unnecessary provocation in a friendly duel is against etiquette. I will let it pass this time. Bring a proper sword¡ . ¡±
¡°Who¡¯s provoking who?¡±
Damien said, shaking the branch lightly.
¡°You need to bring a chicken knife to catch a chicken. Don¡¯t you?¡±
At that moment, sparks flew from Joshua¡¯s eyes.
¡°Alright, do whatever you want! But don¡¯t regret itter!¡±
Joshua spat out his anger and rushed forward. At the same time, he swung his sword down at Damien in a straight line.
To prove his High ss level, Joshua¡¯s sword was imbued with a sharp aura.
Just then, Damien¡¯s eyes quickly read Joshua¡¯s movements.
Damien twisted his waist slightly. The de that was drawing a straight line passed by the side of his head and face.
At the same time, Damien hit Joshua¡¯s shoulder with the branch.
¡°One point.¡±
At those words, Joshua¡¯s expression momentarily froze. Then, anger red up again.
¡°What are you kidding me with!¡±
Joshua spat out his anger and swung his sword again.
Damien leaned back. The de swung horizontally passed the tip of his nose.
At the same time, Damien hit Joshua¡¯s forearm with the branch.
¡°Two points.¡±
Joshua¡¯s expression became even more ferocious.
He swung his sword at Damien one after another. The trajectory of the sword instantly engulfed Damien.
But the result was the same. Damien dodged all the attacks with ease.
¡®Still haven¡¯t realized the gap?¡¯
While dodging the attacks, Damien felt a sense of doubt.
Joshua wasunching a fierce attack, but he couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of Damien¡¯s clothes.
Any decent knight would have realized the difference in level by now.
¡®He¡¯s a genius, but he has no sense of timing.¡¯
Michael, although he hadn¡¯t fought Damien, realized the gap and surrendered ordingly.
Compared to Michael, Joshua was like a blockhead.
¡®Then I¡¯ll crush him in a more understandable way.¡¯
Damien moved the branch. For the first time, he blocked Joshua¡¯s attack with the branch.
¡°You made a foolish judgment!¡±
Joshua shouted as if he found it ridiculous.
Joshua¡¯s weapon was not only made of rare metal alloy but it was also imbued with an aura.
How could he block it with just a branch? It was nothing butughable.
But reality betrayed Joshua¡¯s expectations beautifully.
Damien twisted the branch slightly. Then, the trajectory of the sword changed.
The sword that was falling in a straight line turned sideways. It passed by Damien and shed through the air.
¡°¡What?¡±
Shock appeared on Joshua¡¯s face.
He wasn¡¯t the only one. All the knights around him reacted the same way. Even Javier was no exception.
¡°W-what the hell did you just do¡!?¡±
Joshua was flustered, but he didn¡¯t stop attacking. He swung his sword in a circle, aiming for Damien¡¯s neck.
Damien swung the branch again to block the de. The sword that was horizontally suddenly shot up into the sky.
Joshua¡¯s torso was exposed due to the force. Damien stabbed Joshua¡¯s chest with the end of the branch.
¡°Heart. You¡¯re dead once.¡±
Joshua gritted his teeth and swung his sword again.
Damien easily deflected the trajectory of the sword again this time. And he hit Joshua¡¯s neck with the branch.
¡°Neck. You¡¯re dead twice.¡±
Joshua¡¯s face turned pale. Even if he was oblivious, he could tell by now.
The fact that Damien was toying with him.
¡°¡Joshua!¡±
Javier, who couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, shouted out loud.
¡°How long are you going to y around? Can¡¯t you do it properly!¡±
A look of embarrassment appeared on Joshua¡¯s face.
Do it properly? What more could he do here?
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±
Damien said that with a smirk.
¡°Do it properly. Stop messing around like this.¡±
Those words made Joshua lose his mind.
¡°Damn it! This bastard! Let¡¯s see if you can block this too!¡±
Joshua poured his mana into his sword. The aura imbued in the sword began to shake violently.
It was as if something was about to burst through the aura.
¡°What is that¡?¡±
Liam Bluegreen immediately realized what Joshua was preparing.
¡°S-Sir Damien! Dodge! You have to dodge!¡±
Liam Bluegreen shouted urgently. In that moment, Joshua swung his sword into the air.
At that moment, something flew towards Damien. Damien pushed off the ground with both feet and stepped back.
Dozens of holes were drilled in session in the ground where Damien had been standing.
¡°Oh my God!¡±
Liam Bluegreen raised his voice without realizing it.
What Joshua had just used was a hidden sword.
A hidden sword was a swordsmanship technique that fought by firing auras. It was powerful and unorthodox, but it required a lot of mana and concentration.
Liam Bluegreen was also a knight who used a hidden sword, so he could tell.
Just how powerful andplete was the technique Joshua had just shown.
Hepressed the aura and turned it into a spike, and then fired it.
The speed was so fast that ordinary knights wouldn¡¯t even have been able to see the spike flying.
¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±
Damien tilted his head and asked.
¡°Is it okay to use such a dangerous technique in a friendly duel?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If it really gets dangerous, my father will stop me.¡±
At those words, Damien burst intoughter.
¡°That¡¯s a very convenient rule.¡±
Joshua didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he swung his sword at Damien again.
Aura spikes rained down on Damien, aiming for him. Just before the spikes pierced his body, Damien swung the branch.
The spikes were erased whenever the branch moved. It was as if he was painting the air with a brush.
In a blink of an eye, all the spikes were gone. Joshua found himself opening his mouth without realizing it.
¡°You made it look like you were going to show me something great, but it was nothing. If you have nothing more to show, let¡¯s end this now.¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s atmosphere changed.
A sharp aura poured towards Joshua. The moment he was exposed to the aura, Joshua felt a chill.
I¡¯ll be done if I stay here.
An ominous premonition dominated his mind. Instinct moved Joshua.
He kicked off the ground and soared high into the air. As he passed over Damien¡¯s head, he fired an aura downward.
The released aura turned into spikes and rained down on Damien.
Damien swung the branch again this time and erased all the spikes.
As soon as hended on the ground, Joshua moved again. He ran around Damien, releasing auras. Aura spikes rained down from all directions.
Damien moved the branch. A sword curtain unfolded around him, erasing all the spikes.
That¡¯s when it happened.
He felt an overwhelming amount of manaing from the front. Damien turned his gaze in the direction of the mana.
He saw Joshua condensing aura on his sword.
¡°Oh ho.¡±
Damien saw that and twisted the corner of his mouth.
¡°That looks pretty useful.¡±
Useful?
Joshua cursed inwardly.
The technique Joshua was preparing now was a secret technique. It was a secret technique that he only used when he had to kill his enemy.
His father had modified the technique that had been passed down through his family. It was made more powerful and more destructive.
In other words, the technique Joshua was preparing now was a Master ss secret technique.
Joshua swung the tip of his sword. At that moment, thepressed aura was released.
Secret Technique ¨C Amber Beam
A beam of light pierced towards Damien.
Just then, Damien raised the branch. A blue aura burst out from the branch.
Damien swung the branch with all his might. At that moment, a huge aura sh was emitted.
The aura sh and the beam collided with a roar. Then, the beam split in two.
¡°¡What?¡±
A look of bewilderment appeared on Joshua¡¯s face.
It shouldn¡¯t be so easy to split like that, even if it¡¯s just a water jet¡
While Joshua was confused, the aura sh reached his nose.
With no time to escape, the aura sh engulfed Joshua¡¯s body.
***
Just before that, Javier jumped in front of Joshua.
Javier swung his hand and repelled the aura sh. The huge sh was shattered.
¡°Have you satisfied your curiosity now?¡±
¡°¡Yes, I have.¡±
To Damien¡¯s mocking question, Javier spoke with a face as if he had ate dogshit.
Damien threw the branch to the ground. And he looked down at Joshua, who was lying on his back behind Javier.
Joshua was unconscious. It seemed that he had lost consciousness due to extreme fear just before he was hit by the sh.
¡®Strange guy.¡¯
Judging by his skill in handling aura, he was a very skilled person.
However, he was not able to fully utilize his abilities. He almost thought he was a blockhead.
¡®And what¡¯s that ck thing?¡¯
The reason Damien epted the duel was to find out the true identity of the sword Joshua was using.
During the duel, the strange aura that the sword possessed repeatedly grew stronger and weaker.
However, no matter how hard Damien tried, he couldn¡¯t figure out the true nature of the aura.
¡°Sir Damien.¡±
At Javier¡¯s voice, Damien turned his gaze.
¡°You are truly a man of great talent. The rumors were true.¡±
¡°You tter me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not ttery. It¡¯s really¡ really amazing. It¡¯s so amazing that I¡¯m tempted.¡±
At that moment, Damien saw it.
He saw Javier¡¯s eyes filled with greed.
But something was strange.
It wasn¡¯t the look of someone coveting a talented person. It was a much more materialistic look.
It was like looking at a thief who coveted someone else¡¯s wealth.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 200
Chapter 200
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 200: Hidden Motives (1)
***
That night, there was a heavy silence in the Silva¡¯s campsite.
The soldiers and knights stood still, barely breathing, watching the two Silvas.
It was a stark contrast to the lively chattering from the Apple Kingdom¡¯s campsite a short distance away.
¡°¡¡±
Javier Silva and Joshua Silva sat facing each other with a campfire between them.
Both of them had been staring at the campfire in silence for some time.
¡°We lost.¡±
Javier finally broke the silence. His voice was heavy and gloomy.
¡°It was shocking. He was so powerful that I can¡¯t believe you both are High ss.¡±
Joshua simply nodded without saying a word. Javier continued speaking.
¡°The more I think about it, the more I can¡¯t believe it. I thought he was a madman when he grabbed that branch¡ but he actually beat you with it.¡±
A long silence followed his words.
The knights on guard watched Javier with tense faces. They were afraid that Javier wouldsh out at Joshua at any moment.
Suddenly, Javier broke into a wide grin.
¡°It seems you¡¯ve finally found a talent that suits you.¡±
¡°I see that you think so too, Father.¡±
Joshua nodded in agreement.
¡°I thought it was an exaggeration when I only heard rumors¡ but when I fought him myself, it was all true. It was worthing all this way to meet him.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. But no matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t understand it. How did he take me down with a branch? And he can also parry aura with just a mere branch. I don¡¯t know how he did it.¡±
¡°Surely you can do it too, Father?¡±
Javier¡¯s expression darkened slightly as Joshua asked him.
¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t do it, but it¡¯s just not a good fit for me. Didn¡¯t I tell youst time? The Master ss all have different specialized techniques.¡±
¡°Yes, I remember.¡±
¡°Damien is able to do it because he has a great talent for swordsmanship. But again, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s just not a good fit for me.¡±
Joshua nodded as if he understood.
¡°Speaking of which, I remember hearing that the Imperial Supreme Sword uses a simr swordsmanship style.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying Damien has¡ Imperial Supreme Sword-level talent?¡±
Joshua¡¯s eyes lit up with anticipation.
The Imperial Supreme Sword was one of the Swordmasters who symbolized the Empire and stood at the peak of the humanity.
¡°Maybe even more so. Didn¡¯t that cheeky little bitch say that he reached the High-ss level in less than a year? Even the Imperial Supreme Sword couldn¡¯t do that.¡±
Joshua¡¯s expression twisted as he thought of Veronica.
She was a rude woman who had paid no attention to him even though he had been quite interested in her.
¡°As it should be, treasures should be held by those who are worthy of them. No matter how much I think about it, that talent is too precious for someone like Damien Haksen to have.¡±
¡°So¡ you¡¯re thinking of stealing it?¡±
Javier nodded in response to Joshua¡¯s question.
¡°The Gormark mountain range is just a little further ahead. It¡¯s a shortcut to the Empire, but it¡¯s such a dangerous ce that even the most people don¡¯t go through it.¡±
¡°It sounds like the perfect ce to solve a difficult problem.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take care of those bastards there. I¡¯ll subdue Damien and you¡¡±
¡°I know what you mean without you even having to say it.¡±
Joshua said as he ced his sword on hisp.
¡°You want me to pierce his heart with this demonic sword.¡±
The sword that Joshua used in the duel was, on the surface, nothing more than a shy weapon.
However, this sword had a secret: it was a demonic sword.
Killing someone with this demonic sword would allow the wielder to absorb their soul.
The owner of the demonic sword could use all the abilities of the souls they absorbed as if they were their own, even their talents.
¡°I¡¯m always grateful to you, Father. My life has changed for the better since you gave me this demonic sword.¡±
Joshua looked at the demonic sword with a loving gaze.
Originally, Joshua had little more than no talent.
So everyone doubted whether he was really Javier Silva¡¯s child.
[Tl;DR- Javier was cucked.]
It was during this time of humiliation that Javier Silva acquired this demonic sword and gave it to Joshua.
Joshua began to kill knights who had achieved great feats with this demonic sword, absorbing their souls and talents one by one.
After that, Joshua was no longer called trash but a genius.
¡°It¡¯s fortunate that I found a soul to replenish just before the souls absorbed by the demonic sword were worn out.¡±
A secret that only those who have used the demonic sword know.
The souls absorbed by the demonic sword gradually wear out and eventually disappear.
Since the talent can no longer be borrowed if the soul disappears, it was necessary to rece the soul at an appropriate time.
¡°Your life has changed? What nonsense is that?¡±
At that moment, Javier¡¯s expression turned grim.
¡°You are the son of Javier Silva. You are a chosen one.¡±
Javier Silva was originally an unnoticed knight.
Born as a bastard into a weak lineage.
He was treated as an unwanted child by his father, and scorned by his siblings.
But Javier Silva had talent. Talent surpassing genius.
When Javier Silva ascended to the Master ss, everyone took notice. His father, his siblings, even the king himself.
At that moment, Javier Silva realized. He was a chosen one by the gods.
So when Joshua had no talent, Javier denied reality.
There was no way his son, a chosen one, could be so inept.
Therefore, he didn¡¯t doubt that it was the world at fault.
¡°You¡¯ve just reimed what was rightfully yours. So, never speak of such things again.¡±
¡°¡I understand.¡±
Joshua nodded solemnly. Only then did Javier smile contentedly.
¡°Egg, are you listening?¡±
¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±
A nearby knight answered promptly.
His cheeks are etched with deep scars that furrow his brow.
Even from a distance, it¡¯s clear this is no ordinary knight. An aura of undeniable charisma seems to emanate from him.
¡°Tell the knights to take a break for now. We might be facing giants soon.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Knight replied bowing his head respectfully.
¡°If you can absorb Damien Haksen¡¯s talent, even winning the Helian Tournament will be a breeze.¡±
Joshua¡¯s eyes light up.
¡°The glory of victory¡ the thought alone fills me with anticipation!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. It¡¯s only what you deserve, after all.¡±
¡°By the way, please let me kill that bitch; I¡¯d love to rip her spoiled tongue out with my own hands.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s what you desire, then so be it.¡±
Father and son erupt in heartyughter, lost in their conversation.
Javier Silva didn¡¯t notice, perhaps because he was so engrossed in conversation with his son.
He doesn¡¯t realize someone is eavesdropping on their every word, hidden behind a nearby wagon.
¡°So that¡¯s their n,¡±
A low voice murmurs. It¡¯s Damien Hansen.
***
As the night deepened, Damien stealthily infiltrated the campsite of the Silva family. His objective was to uncover the duo¡¯s true intentions.
The campsite was bustling with knights and the Master ss Javier Silva himself, but they posed no obstacle to Damien.
During his days as a Death Knight, he was constantly under the threat of assassination. Not only the Empire but also the Holy Order dispatched assassins to eliminate him.
Among those who sought his life were numerous Master ss assassins. One of them stood out in particr ¨C a man known only as Phantom.
Even Master ss assassins were no match for Phantom, and such was his notoriety that the Empire had designated him as an Extreme-Danger Individual.
Damien never learned why Phantom had targeted him.
However, Phantom lived up to his reputation and he had managed to infiltrate Dorugo¡¯s legion, getting dangerously close to Damien.
But right before he could shatter Damien¡¯s core, Damien¡¯s keen senses detected his presence, and he awoke to end Phantom¡¯s life.
Phantom had achieved the Master ss level known as ¡®Ghost Shadow¡¯. Ghost Shadow allowed one to manipte their body like a phantom, masking their presence and slipping through narrow gaps.
Damien had yet to reach the Master ss, so he couldn¡¯t fully transform his body into a phantom like Phantom. However, it was enough to deceive Javier Silva¡¯s senses.
¡®So, he nned to kill me with a demonic sword and steal my talent.¡¯
Stealing something as vague as talent? It sounded absurd.
But Damien knew better. It was possible if the demonic sword was created by a Marquis-rank demon.
Moreover, Damien was already aware of the existence of a talent-absorbing demonic sword.
¡®I heard it was one of the Weapon Master¡¯s most prized swords. How did it end up in Javier¡¯s hands?¡¯
He was the Giant Evil of Pandemonium. The man who could control ¡®all¡¯ weapons in existence. The Weapon Master could even control demonic swords. A demonic sword that would normally lead its wielder to ruin turned into a docilemb in the Weapon Master¡¯s hands.
¡®Did he receive it directly? If so, it means he¡¯s been in contact with the dark mages since then.¡¯
As Damien suspected, it was clear that Javier Silva was currently involved with the dark mages.
¡®Motherfucker! He betrayed the Eastern Alliance for a sword like that?¡¯
Damien suppressed his anger. If his emotions ran high, his Ghost Shadow would falter, and he risked being discovered by Javier.
¡®So, he nned to kill me in the Gormark Mountains.¡¯
No matter how powerful a Master ss was, they couldn¡¯t simply kill a foreign noble on a whim.
If they did, they might lose their lives at the hands of the Empire, which imed to be an impartial mediator.
¡®The other knights can be handled by Michael and Veronica.¡¯
There were a few strong-looking knights, but they were ultimately just Middle ss.
The two of them should be able to handle them. After all, those two were geniuses even Damien acknowledged.
¡®The problem is Javier.¡¯
Damien still felt it was a burden to fight a Master ss. But he couldn¡¯t let the man who indirectly caused his family¡¯s death go unpunished.
¡®And above all, that bastard is after me.¡¯
Damien still remembered.
Damien still remembered Javier Silva¡¯s ravenous gaze upon him after their duel.
Back then, he couldn¡¯t quite decipher the meaning behind that look. But now, he understood.
From Javier¡¯s perspective, Damien was nothing more than a treasure chest overflowing with riches.
He would go to any lengths to eliminate Damien and plunder his talent.
¡®But it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have a chance.¡¯
Damien touched his wrist. The faintly glowing powers of Gluttony and Wrath etched into his skin pulsated with power.
¡®You betrayed humanity¡ so I¡¯ll carry out my vow and put you to death.¡¯
Damien¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly in the darkness.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 201
Chapter 201
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 201: Hidden Motives (2)
***
The next day, the group set off for the empire again.
¡°What do you think a sword is? I say life itself. Without the will to stand tall, even the sharpest de bes a dull weight.¡±
¡°¡Yes, I guess so.¡±
Despite what happened yesterday, Javier was chatting nonchntly to Liam. Liam¡¯s face was full of fatigue.
¡®What a two-faced bastard.¡¯
Damien was speechless inside.
No matter how shameless a person is, they can¡¯t have that attitude after nning to hit someone in the back of the head.
At least Joshua was keeping his mouth shut, which was a relief.
¡®I¡¯m d I killed his spirit yesterday.¡¯
If Joshua had kept talking to him like that, he would have found it hard to contain his anger.
They traveled like that for a while.
In the distance, a mountain range shrouded in fog gradually came into view.
Even at a nce, it was clear that the mountains were incredibly dangerous.
¡°It¡¯s the Gormark Mountains.¡±
Javier said, pointing at the mountains.
¡°It¡¯s a shortcut from the Kingdom of Dophlin to the empire. It¡¯s a bit dangerous, but if you follow us closely, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±
Javier led the way. The others followed behind Javier.
The group followed the ridge and moved deep into the mountains. As befitting a dangerous ce, there was no sign of life.
asionally, dangerous predators like snakes or bears were spotted, but it was no problem.
On this side, there were knights who could kill predators like that with their bare hands.
¡®This is the perfect ce to kill people.¡¯
Damien thought, looking around the mountains.
Then, suddenly, Damien¡¯s senses detected a killing intent.
It wasn¡¯t the killing intent of a predator. It was much heavier, more secretive.
Damien looked at the knights of the Kingdom of Dophlin. As Damien had expected, it was the killing intent emanating from them.
¡°Michael, Veronica.¡±
¡°Yes, brother.¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
The two turned their heads at Damien¡¯s words. Damien spoke with an emotionless face.
¡°Be prepared.¡±
It was a sudden remark, but the two did not ask why.
Their eyes shed and they began to watch their surroundings.
¡°Oh, by the way, have you ever heard of the Gormark Mountains?¡±
Javier Silva suddenly stopped walking. Then he turned to the knights of the Apple Kingdom and asked.
¡°There¡¯s a legend that this mountain range was created by a giant snake that lived in ancient times and caused chaos underground. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true, but¡¡±
¡°I thought it was a beautiful ce. I didn¡¯t know there was such a legend.¡±
Liam replied in a voice devoid of emotion. Javier then burst intoughter.
¡°I¡¯m d you like the view. It¡¯s thest scenery you¡¯ll ever see, so make sure to enjoy it.¡±
¡°What the¡¡±
Suddenly, the knights of the Kingdom of Dophlin drew their swords all at once.
¡°Sir Javier! What is the meaning of this!¡±
Liam shouted in a voice filled with confusion. Javier shrugged.
¡°I don¡¯t seem to have any obligation to tell you that.¡±
¡°Sir Javier!¡±
Javier ignored Liam¡¯s shouts. Instead, he turned to Damien and said.
¡°I think we should catch the most important guy first.¡±
Javier dismounted from his horse. The moment his feet touched the ground, Javier¡¯s body disappeared.
Then, he appeared right in front of Damien¡¯s nose. Javier reached out to grab Damien by the throat.
That¡¯s when it happened.
Just before he was caught, Damien jerked his head back. Javier¡¯s hand ended up grasping only empty air.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
A look of bewilderment appeared on Javier¡¯s face.
No matter how careless he was, how could a High ss like him¡ dodge my hand?
¡°Look at this guy!¡±
Javier tried to grab Damien again. But before he could, Damien jumped off his horse.
And without looking back, he started running away.
Javier could only stare in bewilderment as Damien disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.
Leaving hisrades behind and running away?
Javier burst into a longugh. It had been a long time since he¡¯d met such an interesting guy.
¡°Joshua, I¡¯m going to chase after Damien. You take care of Liam Bluegreen. Don¡¯t leave a single one alive. Kill them all.¡±
¡°Yes, I understand.¡±
After giving orders to Joshua, Javier chased after Damien.
¡°Stop!¡±
Liam Bluegreen tried to block Javier¡¯s path, but it was no use.
There was no way a High ss like him could keep up with the movements of a Master ss.
Javier brushed past Liam Bluegreen. In the distance, he could see Damien running desperately.
¡°Go ahead and run as far as you can! I¡¯ll catch up to you in no time!¡±
Javierughed heartily and chased after Damien.
But something was strange. No matter how much he ran, the distance between them didn¡¯t close.
Every time Damien kicked off the ground, he moved dozens of meters away. As a result, whenever Javier got close, Damien would move away again.
It was as if he was running with his ¡®momentum¡¯ ¡®amplified¡¯.
¡°This bastard?¡±
From the perspective of a Master ss, a High ss was little more than a bug.
His pride was wounded as he failed to catch up to the bug he had been so dismissive of.
In the end, Javier decided to show a little bit of his true power.
He put all his strength into his legs. As a result, Javier¡¯s speed instantly increased. In the blink of an eye, he reached the back of Damien.
¡°I got you!¡±
Javier reached out to grab Damien by the nape of the neck.
At that moment, Damien spun around. At the same time, he drew his sword and swung it at Javier.
¡°Futile!¡±
Once you reach Master ss, you can protect your body with mana.
A High ss¡¯s aura was not enough to hurt a Master ss.
The tip of the long sword that Damien swung pierced Javier¡¯s torso.
¡°¡?¡±
At that moment, a heavy shock hit Javier. It was as if he had been hit by a rock, not a sword.
Of course, this kind of shock was nothing to Javier.
But the sudden shock sent him flying backward. The problem was that this was a ridge.
¡°Oh no.¡±
Javier¡¯s body fell down the mountain.
Javier flipped his body in the air and pointed his feet down.
His body hit the ground. The ground shattered with a loud noise. But Javier was unharmed.
¡°¡What an interesting guy you are.¡±
Javier looked up with an intrigued expression on his face.
A High ss, to make him eat his words like this several times.
This couldn¡¯t be exined simply by saying that he was talented.
It was clear that Damien had some huge secret.
¡°I¡¯ll make you spill your secrets right now.¡±
It didn¡¯t matter that he fell down the mountain.
Once he, a Master ss, unleashed his full power, he could easily catch a High ss like that¡
¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±
With a voice out of nowhere, Damien fell from above.
At the sight of Damien, Javier tilted his head.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you run away?¡±
Damien was able to make fun of Javier because he was letting his guard down.
Otherwise, there was no way a High ss could stand up to a Master ss.
He must have known that, but Damien didn¡¯t run away. Instead, he came down to meet Javier.
¡°There¡¯s no better ce than this to kill you.¡±
¡°Kill me?¡±
Javierughed as if he had lost his mind.
A bug that would burst all over if he pressed it with his finger was trying to kill him, so he couldn¡¯t help butugh.
¡°Really¡ You¡¯re a young man with a lot of spirit.¡±
Javier looked at Damien,ughing softly.
¡°You¡¯ve made me happy, so I guess I should repay you. I¡¯ll give you 3 minutes. Attack me with all your might during that time.¡±
No human would feel pain if an ant bites them.
[PR/N- Lie.]
Even if he gave Damien 30 minutes instead of 3, Damien couldn¡¯t do anything to him.
¡°You¡¯re really unlucky.¡±
Damien said that to Javier as if he didn¡¯t like him.
¡°But since you¡¯re offering, I guess I¡¯ll take you up on it.¡±
Damien started to touch his wrist. Slowly, he unbuckled the bracelet that was wrapped around his wrist.
Immediately after, dark mana burst out.
***
¡°Dark mana?¡±
Javier Silva eximed in astonishment.
Dark mana spread throughout the surrounding area.
¡°What the¡ This is ridiculous¡¡±
To the world, Damien was known as a genius and honorary pdin.
So it was no wonder that even the experienced Javier was taken aback by Damien¡¯s possession of dark mana.
¡°¡Interesting. Really interesting.¡±
However, Javier¡¯s bewilderment was short-lived.
¡°I was going to capture you alive and then have Joshua kill you, but¡ I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯ll torture you until you tell me every secret you have.¡±
Javier¡¯s aura changed.
The lightheartedness waspletely gone. An eerie aura like that of a predator with its fangs bared spread out in all directions.
Damien¡¯s secret had piqued Javier¡¯s interest.
But Damien didn¡¯t seem to care much about Javier¡¯s situation.
Damien looked down at his wrist. Two patterns were faintly glowing on his wrist.
The test was over.
The Authority of Wrath could amplify anything. However, it could only amplify it for a split second.
So he needed his own sense of timing and intuition.
Damien used the Authority of Wrath to outrun Javier.
By amplifying his reaction speed, he was able to dodge the movements of a Master ss.
By amplifying his strength, he was able to get away from the Master ss.
By amplifying his blows, he was able to knock the Master ss down the mountain.
It was all perfect. He had gained the confidence that he could use the Authority of Wrath inbat without any problems.
¡°Three minutes. You said you would give me a handicap?¡±
Damien used his dark mana to form a dark spell.
Soon, aplex spell waspleted. It was so borate that it was hard to believe it had been created in such a short time.
However, he couldn¡¯t activate it yet. This was because the amount of dark mana was far from enough.
Other dark mages would have killed countless people and used their souls to solve this problem.
But Damien had a way to replenish his dark mana without resorting to such disgusting acts.
Damien gathered dark mana on his palm and used the Authority of Wrath.
The dark mana, which had been the size of a small ember, began to burn brightly as if oil had been poured on it.
He poured the amplified dark mana into the dark magic. The spell was filled to the brim and was activated.
ck droplets began to gather in front of Damien¡¯s eyes. Soon, they turned into a huge mass.
¡°What the hell are you¡?¡±
Javier¡¯s expression hardened instantly.
He felt an ominous power from the dark mana. It was so powerful that even a Master ss like Javier couldn¡¯t ignore it.
Damien aimed the huge droplet at Javier.
Eternal Darkness.
One of the ancient dark magics that Dorugo had kept as a personal secret.
The huge mass of water began topress. It shrank from the size of a house to the size of a fist.
Then, thepressed mass of water was released with a bang. The droplets were sprayed out like buckshot.
The droplets pierced through everything in front of Damien.
Trees, rocks, and even the cliff in front of him were no exception.
Countless holes were punched into the distant cliff. And then the cliff crumbled down.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 202
Chapter 202
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 202: Duel (1)
***
Thousands?
No, it must have been tens of thousands of droplets flying in.
They were moving so fast that their shapes seemed to elongate. It was as if arrows were being shot, not droplets.
¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±
Javier sneered inwardly as he watched the scene.
Once one reached High ss, one could protect one¡¯s body with mana.
And when one reached Master ss, this technique became even stronger.
People called it the aura armor.
Aura, magic spells, monsters, etc.
Nothing could prate the aura armor. It was enough to call it an invincible shield.
But the moment the droplets hit his body, Javier had a gut feeling that something was wrong.
It felt like iron balls were mming into him, not droplets. The shock made his body stagger.
With thousands of them pouring down, Javier¡¯s body was gradually pushed back.
¡®What the hell kind of magic is this¡!¡¯
Javier covered his face with both arms. He dug his feet into the ground.
Only then did his torso stop being pushed back. The sound of the droplets hitting his body continued incessantly.
After a while, the attack ended.
Javier lowered his arms that had been covering his face. Then he heard the sound of something copsing behind him.
He turned around and saw the shattered cliff and the trees that had disappeared from the top.
A single dark magic spell had turned everything to ashes.
¡°That was a bit dangerous.¡±
Javier said, looking back at Damien.
He was a little taken aback by the power that exceeded his expectations, but that didn¡¯t change anything.
After all, this dark magic didn¡¯t prate his aura armor.
¡°What the hell are you? How can a High-ss knight use dark magic at the level of a Grand Dark Mage?¡±
Javier had met and fought many mages so far.
So he could tell. Only a Grand Dark Mage could wield dark magic of this scale.
No, even an ordinary Grand Dark Mage couldn¡¯t exert this much power.
Vision.
Damien must have reached a higher level bypleting the dark mages¡¯ long-cherished dream.
There was no other way he could havepleted such arge-scale dark magic in one breath.
¡°I don¡¯t know what your identity is, but¡ it¡¯s a truly coveted talent.¡±
Not only did he have talentparable to the Sword Saint or Imperial Supreme Sword, but he was also a Grand Dark Mage?
¡°I promised to wait three minutes, but¡ I changed my mind.¡±
There was so much he wanted to ask. He wanted to take that talent to his son as soon as possible.
It was too dangerous above all else.
A dark mage who hadpleted Vision was someone even a Master ss couldn¡¯t take lightly.
Javier tore off the ne and held it in his hand.
With a sh of light, a longsword was in Javier¡¯s hand.
It was a sword with a slightly longer de than a longsword and a concave shape in the middle.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡±
Javier infused mana in the de.
A green aura burst out and thenpressed around the de. Soon, a de with a deep green hue was created.
Aurade.
Javier lowered the de. The pebbles that touched the Aurade crumbled and turned to dust.
¡°But I¡¯ll have to cut off your arms and legs so you can¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡±
¡°That¡¯s quite scary.¡±
Damien shrugged. He didn¡¯t look scared at all.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to face you with all my might.¡±
A pattern glowed on the back of Damien¡¯s hand. Then, a magic circle appeared at his feet.
¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡±
Javier lunged at Damien.
He kicked the ground and released mana from the soles of his feet.
In that instant, Javier¡¯s body disappeared. He leaped over the distance and appeared right in front of Damien¡¯s nose.
¡°Let¡¯s start with your right arm!¡±
Javier swung the de down at Damien¡¯s shoulder.
The Aurade traced a green trajectory and shed Damien¡¯s shoulder.
But just before the de could cut through his muscles, Damien¡¯s figure disappeared.
¡°¡Hmm?¡±
He raised his head to see Damien standing a short distance away.
¡°eleration?¡±
eleration was a magic that allowed one to move a short distance in the blink of an eye.
It was one of the magics that mages had created to fight knights, and its speed was so fast that even Master ss knights had a hard time keeping up.
It was a great magic, but most mages didn¡¯t use eleration.
This was because the difficulty level was too high.
eleration was a 10th-tier magic. To use such a difficult magic in the middle of a battle?
And against a knight who moved much faster than mages?
¡°That¡¯s impressive. But how many times do you think you can dodge my attacks?¡±
Javier moved again.
He seemed to vanish and then was suddenly behind Damien.
Javier swung the de at Damien¡¯s forearm.
But Damien used eleration again to dodge the attack.
Just as Damien was about to vanish, Javier immediately spread his senses and pinpointed Damien¡¯s location.
¡°There you are!¡±
Javier immediately stomped on the ground.
The moment Damien appeared, Javier brought down his de.
Just as the Aura de was about to slice off Damien¡¯s shoulder, Damien¡¯s body disappeared again.
¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can keep dodging!¡±
Javier chased after Damien again.
The afterimages of the two men multiplied and soon filled the area.
Even in the midst of the fierce chase, Damien activated dark magic and attacked Javier.
ck mes engulfed Javier¡¯s body. Shadows turned into sharp des and attacked Javier.
¡°It¡¯s useless!¡±
However, no amount of dark mana could prate Javier¡¯s aura armor.
Javier broke through the dark magic and chased after Damien. Then, at one point, Javier couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.
¡®¡¡How is he continuing to dodge?¡¯
eleration was a very difficult magic to activate.
The magic itself was also of high difficulty. It was even more difficult to use it in the middle of a battle.
No matter how high a Grand Dark Mage¡¯s concentration was, there was no way he could use it this often without making a mistake.
However, Damien was using eleration without a single error.
¡®No, how is he even reacting to my attacks?¡¯
At first, Javier thought that Damien had dodged the first one or two times as luck. However, as the number of times exceeded a few dozen, Javier¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t help but change.
It was then.
Because he was lost in thought, he missed Damien¡¯s movement.
Javier quickly spread his senses. And then, he felt something above his head. He looked up and saw Damien standing in the air.
Around Damien, countless ck droplets were floating. It was the same dark magic that had attacked Javier earlier.
¡®He has good battle senses too.¡¯
Javier twisted the corners of his mouth. Not only did he dodge his attack, but he was also prepared with dark magic.
However, there was one thing that was a bit disappointing.
¡°Do you think you¡¯re going to use that dark magic again, even though you know it won¡¯t work on me?¡±
As soon as he finished speaking, the second dark magic manifested.
Red lightning began to spark between the ck droplets.
The lighting grew stronger and stronger. In an instant, the smile that had been on Javier¡¯s lips disappeared.
¡°Bring it down.¡±
Lighting and sound filled the air.
When the world finally fell silent, the ground was charred ck.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Javier emerged from the wreckage, his body covered in crimson marks.
¡°A vision spell indeed.¡±
Damien¡¯s dark magic had failed to prate Javier¡¯s aura armor, but it couldn¡¯t shield him from the sheer impact.
Javier had felt like his entire body was being pummeled just moments ago.
¡°Dangerous¡ far too dangerous¡¡±
Javier¡¯s eyes darkened. He had lost all sense ofposure. In that instant, he recognized Damien as an enemy.
¡°You¡¯ve surprised me as well¡ so it¡¯s only fair that I return the favor.¡±
Javier took a deep breath.
He retracted the aura that had been radiating from him, calming his surging mana.
Javier no longer exuded an intimidating presence; instead, an air of tranquility enveloped him.
¡°I warn you, few have ever escaped this.¡±
Javier took his stance.
¡°So don¡¯t bother struggling.¡±
More than fifty meters separated Javier and Damien.
Yet, Javier swung his sword. The longsword sliced through the air.
In that instant, blood erupted from Damien¡¯s shoulder.
***
Just before his shoulder was about to bepletely cut in half, Damien used eleration.
He was pulled backward. Instead of Damien, the ground was cut open for a long distance.
¡°¡You dodged that?¡±
Javier looked at Damien with a surprised expression.
Damien touched his shoulder. Fortunately, the wound was not deep. It was thanks to his quick use of eleration.
¡°That was close.¡±
Damien was able to avoid Javier¡¯s attack thanks to the amplification of his eyesight and reaction speed by the Authority of Wrath.
But something was different about the attack just now. His shoulder was cut as soon as Javier swung his sword.
¡°Cutting things regardless of distance¡ no, is it cutting things regardless of distance?¡±
Javier made a round mouth and eximed at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°You¡¯ve got it exactly right. My realm, ¡®Formless Sword,¡¯ has the ability to cut things that are far away.¡±
[PR/N- When a knight reaches the Master ss, they create a ¡®unique and signature¡¯ swordsmanship technique bybining their existing techniques. They then continually refine and develop it. To them, their swordsmanship technique is akin to their realm, which they have mastery over. They must constantly expand it to wield even greater power.
This is just my theory to solve your doubts. (I could bepletely wrong so take everything said here with a pinch of salt.)
Also If you guys have any theories or opinions regarding this, tell me in thements section or you can feel free to contact me on Discord.]
Swordsmanship that cut enemies by flying sword energy was called intangible swordsmanship.
Then what is the true intangible sword?
When Javier was young he always had such questions in his mind. Then he reached Master ss and got the answer.
¡°You were lucky to dodge it just now¡ but you won¡¯t be this time.¡±
Javier prepared his swordsmanship again. Damien looked at Javier and fell into thought.
¡°¡I see. It¡¯s also possible to cut multiple things at the same time.¡±
Javier stopped at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°¡What are you talking about now?¡±
¡°Your realm. I think you can cut multiple things at the same time with one swing of your sword.¡±
Damien was right.
Formless Sword had no limits in terms of distance, let alone number.
Javier could cut all the leaves on a tree at the same time with just one swing of his sword.
¡°Not only that, but you should be able to freely change the direction as well.¡±
That was also true.
Javier could swing his sword horizontally and cut it vertically.
That¡¯s not all. He could also create afterimages by drawing various shapes with one swing of his sword.
¡°Perhaps you were nning to cut this entire area in half with one swing of that sword? So that you could cut me down no matter where I ran.¡±
That was the answer too.
Javier looked at Damien with trembling eyes.
Realm was the culmination of the skills that a knight had honed throughout his life.
He figured it all out in such a short time?
¡°How¡¡±
¡°Just.¡±
Damien said indifferently.
¡°I can just tell by looking.¡±
At that moment, Javier felt a chill.
The being before his eyes did not look human.
¡°¡It doesn¡¯t matter if you noticed.¡±
The Formless Sword was better hidden, but it didn¡¯t matter if it was discovered. It was a realm that could not be dealt with even if one knew about it.
Javier took his stance.
In that instant, the way the world appeared in Javier¡¯s eyes changed.
The whole world was filled with the trajectory of the sword. It was a sight that only Javier, who had mastered the Formless Sword, could see.
¡°Try to dodge it if you can.¡±
Javier swung his de.
And in that instant, the whole world was painted in crimson.
***
The surrounding trees were all scattered into tiny pieces. Countless sword strikes were etched into the ground.
The clouds floating in the sky were torn apart, and the birds that were flying in the sky fell to the ground as pieces of meat.
It cut everything around it to the extreme by maximizing the characteristics of the Formless Sword.
This was Javier¡¯s ultimate technique.
¡°You bastard¡¡±
Javier slowly opened his mouth. His voice was trembling violently.
Damien stood before Javier¡¯s nose. And he was unharmed.
¡°How did you know?¡±
The Formless Sword could cut things regardless of distance and number.
It was a very powerful realm, but it had one major disadvantage.
That was that it couldn¡¯t cut things that were too close.
To be precise, the Formless Sword could not cut things within the range of the sword.
Damien was able to escape the ultimate technique by using eleration to cling to Javier.
¡°Just I know.¡±
Damien said indifferently. Javier felt an indescribable anger at his words.
¡°You bastard!¡±
In fact, this could not be considered a disadvantage. The opponent in range of the sword meant that he/she was within Javier¡¯s reach.
Damien had now voluntarily entered the danger zone.
¡°I¡¯ll break your neck like this!¡±
Javier grabbed Damien by the nape of the neck. But before he could do anything, Damien reached out and ced his hand on Javier¡¯s chest.
¡°The dark magic I used at first wasn¡¯t actually an offensive dark magic.¡±
Javier stopped at the unexpected words.
¡°Those weren¡¯t only droplets. They were a lumps of condensed curses.¡±
A curse would not do anything to a Master ss. With the mana and vitality of a Master ss, they could ignore any amount of curses¡
A pattern glowed on the back of Damien¡¯s hand.
Then, ckthorns sprouted from Javier¡¯s entire body.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 203
Chapter 203
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 203: Duel (2)
***
Those who saw ¡®Eternal Darkness¡¯ for the first time often mistook it for destructive dark magic.
However, contrary to appearances, Eternal Darkness was a curse-based dark magic.
What seemed like droplets were actually high-density curses.
The curse from Eternal Darkness could seep into the body upon contact, but even if it didn¡¯t, it hardly mattered.
The moment it struck, it dispersed into the air and was absorbed through the respiratory system.
Once a certain amount of the curse umted, it would absorbrge quantities of vitality and mana of a person, then transform into spikes that burst outwards.
The reason Eternal Darkness had such aplex structure was to kill high-level knights.
High-ss knights have a technique called ¡®Aura armor¡¯ which uses mana to protect their bodies.
This aura armor was incredibly tough, most dark magics failed to prate it.
But Eternal Darkness was different; it infiltrated the body and wreaked havoc from within, bypassing the Aura armor entirely.
Eternal Darkness pretended to be a destructive spell to deceive knights intocency, allowing the curse to prate as quickly as possible.
However, even Eternal Darkness didn¡¯t work on Master-ss knights.
Even if the curse umted within their bodies, the sheer force of a Master-ss¡¯s aura suppressed its effects, rendering it nearly useless.
That¡¯s why Damien decided to amplify the Eternal Darkness with the Authority of Wrath.
However, The Authority of Wrath could only amplify things it came in contact with.
So Damien sought a chance to get close to Javier, aiming to amplify the curse with the Authority of Wrath.
¡°Cough¡ urgh!¡±
For the first time, Javier let out a groan full of pain.
The vitality and mana that had filled his body evaporated in an instant, and spikes erupted from deep within.
His insides, muscles, and bones were all pierced by these spikes. His entire body was impaled. His body was full of holes.
¡°Aaaaah!¡±
They were wounds that could easily have caused instant death. But the vitality of a Master-ss refused to let him die.
However, even that was just a matter of time. Now, Javier¡¯s innards were all torn apart, with dozens of holes piercing through him.
It was a fatal wound that even a Master-ss knight couldn¡¯t survive.
¡°You¡ you¡ damn you¡!¡±
Javier¡¯s eyes were filled with bloodshot rage.
Had he ever been humiliated like this since reaching the level of Master-ss?
Rage boiled within Javier. He wanted to kill Damien immediately, but his body wouldn¡¯t cooperate.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t have let your guard down.¡±
Damien said, pulling out a sword from a spatial ring.
The de of Dawn glistened with a menacing blue aura.
¡°What¡ what are you nning to do?¡±
Javier shouted.
Javier had no chance of survival. But Damien knew he had to finish him off for good; Javier was a Master-ss knight, after all.
¡°P-please, spare me.¡±
Javier pleaded in a desperate voice.
¡°I¡¯ll give you anything! My swordsmanship, my secrets, my wealth, my title¡ªwhatever you want!¡±
Damien didn¡¯t even respond. He stood beside Javier and raised his Dawn.
¡°¡Hah, hahahaha,¡± a grotesqueugh escaped Javier¡¯s lips.
¡°Go ahead, kill me. But you won¡¯t be bored for long. Yourpanions will being into hell with me.¡±
Damien¡¯s hand stopped for a moment at those words.
¡°By now, my men have probably killed all yourpanions. We¡¯ll all meet in the underworld together.¡±
Javier said with a twisted grin, his eyes filled with wicked glee.
¡°Dead?¡± Damien replied with a perplexed look.
¡°The knights of the Dophlin Kingdom are all Middle-ss except for Joshua. Your friends can¡¯t handle my men.¡±
Javier taunted.
But Damien trusted Michael and Veronica. No knight at their level could defeat those two.
¡°Sure, they¡¯re Middle-ss, but my subordinates aren¡¯t just ordinary knights.¡±
Javier said, pride spreading across his face.
¡°They¡¯ve been trained and handpicked by me personally.¡±
Damien looked at him quizzically.
¡°It still won¡¯t make a difference.¡±
He said, confused by Javier¡¯s confidence.
Had he not noticed how gifted Michael and Veronica were?
¡°I know who you¡¯re counting on¡ªthe boy and that woman, right? Sure, they¡¯re not ordinary.¡±
Javier scoffed.
¡°But even a genius has limits. It¡¯s hard to fight dozens of skilled Middle-ss knights at once.¡±
The knights from the Apple Kingdom numbered fewer than ten, while those from the Dophlin Kingdom numbered over thirty.
¡°You¡¯re all going to die! Not just those twockeys you¡¯re so proud of, but even the servants!¡± Javier shouted with confidence.
That¡¯s when Damien realized what Javier was counting on the strength in numbers.
¡°Seriously?¡± Damien let out a smallugh. How could he think numbers would be enough to beat those two?
¡°Seems like you¡¯re just a blind fool.¡±
He said with a smirk.
It wasn¡¯t entirely Javier¡¯s fault. He¡¯d been basing his judgments on his own experience.
Back when he was Middle-ss, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle over thirty other Middle-ss knights, so he assumed those two couldn¡¯t either.
But Michael and Veronica were among the top ten most talented knights Damien had ever seen, in both his past and present lives.
In terms of sheer talent, they far surpassed Javier.
Trying to judge them with such a limited perspective wasughable.
Damien clicked his tongue with a look of disdain.
* * *
¡®Piece of cake.¡¯
Egg thought as he prepared for battle.
As Javier Silva¡¯s right-hand man, he was confident.
The Dophlin Kingdom had over thirty knights on their side, while the other group had fewer than ten.
¡®While Sir Joshua holds off Liam Bluegreen, we¡¯ll clean up here.¡¯
But as soon as the battle started, everything changed.
The Dophlin Kingdom¡¯s knights had their heads chopped off in an instant. Within the blink of an eye, more than a dozen bodiesy strewn across the ground.
And it was all because of just one knight.
¡°Kyaa-hah! This feeling! I¡¯ve been waiting for this!¡±
A crazy woman shouted with hands filled with blood. With each swing of her twin swords, blood sprayed and limbs were severed.
¡°Argh! Aaahhh!¡±
¡°R-run! The witch¡ the witch ising!¡±
The swordsmanship of the woman sent the knights from the Dophlin Kingdom into a panic.
¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going? Get back here! I¡¯ll let you live if you let me cut off an arm!¡±
As a result of being outmatched in skill, the morale of the Dophlin knights plummeted, leaving them at the mercy of the ruthless woman.
¡°Who is that woman¡?¡±
¡°No time for chit-chat!¡±
A greatsword came down from above, and Egg barely parried it with his longsword.
A blond young man wielding the greatsword stood in front of him. Egg frowned and shouted.
¡°Kid! Get out of my way!¡±
Egg lunged at the young man. The greatsword and the longsword shed in the air several times.
¡°You¡¯re not bad for a rookie!¡±
Despite his words, Egg was getting desperate. He needed to deal with this youngster quickly and then help his fellow knights.
¡°This is annoying.¡±
The young man¡¯s expression shifted.
¡°Who are you calling a rookie, old man?¡±
He said with disdain.
The greatsword¡¯s movements changed.
It became much faster and much rougher, yet remarkably precise.
Egg quickly found himself on the back foot, retreating without even realizing it.
¡°Th-this rookie¡¡±
¡°I told you not to call me that.¡±
The greatsword shed, and in an instant, the arm holding Egg¡¯s longsword was severed.
¡°Argh! Aaaaahhh!¡±
Egg clutched his shoulder and staggered backward.
¡°A monster like Damien Haksen¡ there¡¯s another one?¡±
He eximed in pain.
¡°Another one?¡± Michael scoffed.
¡°Don¡¯tpare my brother to someone like me.¡±
Without hesitation, Michael swung his greatsword.
Egg¡¯s head flew off into the distance.
* * *
¡°Even if what you say is true¡ there¡¯s still Joshua. Even Liam Bluegreen can¡¯t do anything to him.¡±
Javier said with a smirk.
Damien nodded, which made Javier frown. It was strange how easily Damien agreed.
¡°Your son may not be particrly skilled, but he has an absurd amount of mana. Did you pump him full of potions?¡±
Damien asked nonchntly.
¡®Flying sword¡¯ technique consumed an enormous amount of mana.
When two swordsmen faced off using the ¡®Flying Sword¡¯ technique, the one with the greater reserves of mana would often have held the advantage.
¡°That¡¯s why I need to lend a hand.¡±
Damien said, drawing a magic circle in the air with his dark mana.
¡°What are you doing now?¡± J
Javier asked, his voice tense.
¡°Putting a curse on him.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You can¡¯t curse a High-ss from this far away!¡±
¡°No, I can¡¯t do anything too dangerous.¡±
Damien admitted.
Even he couldn¡¯t ce a high-level curse on a High-ss without proper preparation.
But he didn¡¯t need anything too borate. Just a minor curse would suffice.
A minor misstep was all it took to tip the bnce in a battle between High-sses.
¡°Done.¡±
Damien said as light burst from the dark magic circle.
* * *
Spikes made of aura fell from the sky.
Liam Bluegreen swung his sword twice toward the sky, creating two giant shes in the air that formed ¡®X¡¯ and the spikes vanished.
Huff! Huff!
Liam panted heavily after expending arge amount of mana with that move.
¡°You¡¯vested longer than I expected.¡±
Joshua said while touching down on the ground. His casual demeanor elicited a grimace from Liam.
A kid barely out of diapers showing such disrespect. Compared to him, even Damien Haksen had more manners¡ but Liam shook his head. That wasn¡¯t quite right.
¡°Sir Liam, it¡¯s best you give up now. There¡¯s no point in fighting any longer.¡±
Joshua said.
Both of them were using ¡®Flying sword¡¯ technique.
In a battle between such swordsmen, the amount of mana one had was crucial.
However much he tried to reduce the wastage of his mana, Joshua had nearly twice the mana of Liam.
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
Liam said, knowing he was responsible for everyone on this journey. He had an obligation to protect the other knights, and he couldn¡¯t shirk his duty just because his life was at risk.
¡°If you really want to die, then I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
Joshua said, raising his sword as mana swirled around the de.
The amount of mana was overwhelming, almost unbelievable.
Even the overgrown weeds on the ground were ttened by the sheer force of it.
Joshua stepped forward and swung his sword down.
But at that moment, Joshua¡¯s ankle twisted.
¡°Huh¡?¡±
¡°Eh¡?¡±
He had stepped into a slight dip in the ground, causing him to stumble and lose his bnce.
Unable to swing his sword, the gathered mana dispersed into the air.
Liam didn¡¯t miss that moment.
¡°Wait, wait!¡±
Joshua cried in desperation, but it was toote.
Liam¡¯s sword sliced through Joshua¡¯s neck.
* * *
¡°We¡¯ve been talking too long.¡±
Damien gathered his remaining dark mana from the air.
All that was left was a mere handful; the rest had been used up during the fight with Javier.
With the remaining dark mana, Damien dug a deep hole in the ground.
Javier frowned at the sight of it.
¡°What¡¯s that for?¡±
¡°I have my reasons to keep my power hidden.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I never defeated you. You disappeared while chasing me, and I never saw your body.¡±
Javier¡¯s eyes widened as he understood Damien¡¯s intention. He was nning to bury him and act like he was never there.
Dawn swung through the air, and Javier¡¯s head fell into the hole. His body soon followed.
Damien filled the hole with the remaining dark mana.
¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to make up a story.¡±
Just then, a massive explosion erupted from where hispanions were.
A loud roar shook the ground, and a towering ck pir rose into the sky.
No, it wasn¡¯t a pir; it was a mass of dark mana that only looked like one.
Not many people could control that much dark mana.
Damien¡¯s expression hardened.
* * *
Damien rushed back to the scene.
It was a horrific sight. All the knights from the Apple Kingdomy on the ground, mortally wounded. Among them were Veronica and Michael.
Their bodies continued to bleed heavily, but Damien couldn¡¯t rush to help them.
A presence standing before him prevented him from moving.
The face was identical to Joshua Silva, but something was off.
A third eye protruded from his forehead, and his hair had turned stark white, like an old man¡¯s.
Most unsettling was his right arm, merged with a demonic sword.
¡°I came here because my host was in danger¡¡ and I see an unexpected guest?¡±
The golden eyes twisted like an upside-down crescent moon.
It wasn¡¯t Joshua¡¯s voice. It sounded much older, far more ancient.
¡°Damien Haksen! The man who messed up the n of ! I never thought I¡¯d see someone like you here!¡±
Damien felt the same way. He never expected to encounter this person, and definitely not like this.
The giant evil of Pandemonium.
The master of demonic swords.
The lord of all weapons.
The one who took his father¡¯s soul in a past life.
The Weapon Master had possessed Joshua Silva¡¯s body and descended upon this ce.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 204
Chapter 204
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 204: Duel (3)
***
Liam Bluegreen¡¯s sword severed Joshua¡¯s neck.
Joshua¡¯s head fell to the ground, followed by his headless body.
Liam copsed to the floor. He was exhausted from the fierce battle. His breath came in ragged gasps. His mouth was filled with the taste of blood. blood.
¡°¡I was lucky. Very lucky.¡±
If Joshua hadn¡¯t stumbled at thest moment, the oue could have been different.
Liam surveyed the other knights.
Most of the knights of the Dophlin Kingdom were either dead or subdued, all thanks to Michael and Veronica.
¡°Both of them are truly geniuses.¡±
Liam had already known that Michael was a genius, but he hadn¡¯t realized Veronica was as well.
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Damien had rmended her as a participant. A genius like her was hard to find anywhere.
¡°My past self looks pathetic.¡±
Liam was lost in thought when he heard a voice call out to him.
¡°Sir Liam! You fought well!¡±
Michael rushed towards Liam, his armor stained with blood, but thankfully not his own.
¡°You fought well too, Sir Michael.¡±
¡°It was nothing. But we need to help my brother quickly¡¡±
Michael¡¯s steps slowed, and his eyes began to tremble violently.
¡°¡Sir Liam, what is that?¡±
Liam reflexively turned around.
Joshua was rising to his feet, despite clearly having no head.
The crossguard of the longsword Joshua was holding swung open, revealing teeth and gums.
-What is this? The host is dead?
A strange voice came from within.
Liam and the other knights were frozen in shock by the sudden apparition.
-This is strange. Javier is here, but the host is dead? What on earth happened?
The headless body of Joshua bent down, picked up its head, and attached it to its neck.
Plop!
Muscles and skin began to knit together. The junction was a mess, like a hastily welded seam.
Joshua¡¯s hair began to bleach white, and a third eye appeared on his forehead.
-I have to move myself to find that bastard. This is rather unpleasant.
Something spread out from Joshua, or rather, from the unrecognizable entity that had taken his ce.
In that moment, Liam had an illusion of being swallowed by darkness.
No sky, no ground. Empty, devoid of even a speck of light.
He felt an overwhelming psychic pressure. A biting chill and fear gripped him. He felt like he would go mad if he stayed in this state any longer.
Liam desperately resisted. Then, the hallucination faded, and the real world came back into view.
¡°Phew, wheeze!¡±
Liam exhaled heavily. His heart pounded as if it would burst.
-What is this?
The ¡®something¡¯ before his eyes showed no interest in Liam at all. It muttered, rolling its third eye around.
-You¡¯re dead? How did this happen? Did the guy next to you kill you? Just a High-ss? That can¡¯t be right?
¡®Something¡¯ seemed to be greatly confused, though it was unclear what was going on.
This was a stroke of luck for Liam. While ¡®something¡¯ was distracted, Liam looked around at the other knights.
As expected, all the knights were unconscious, foaming at the mouth.
However, not all of them were. Michael and Veronica were barely hanging on.
¡°Ughh¡ .¡±
¡°Uhhh¡ .¡±
But they were still unable to escape the hallucination. Liam clenched his teeth and shouted.
¡°Michael! Veronica!¡±
The two came to their senses at the shout that was infused with mana.
Liam drew all his remaining mana and converted it into an aura.
¡°I¡¯ll hold them off here! Escape, just the two of you!¡±
Liam unleashed the aura towards the something. A massive beam of light flew towards it.
It was dangerous to exert himself so much from the start. But Liam had no choice.
He couldn¡¯t just leave that dangerous being and think about what to do next¡
-Why are you getting so excited?
The aura was split in half. The longsword was also shattered. At the same time, blood spurted from Liam¡¯s torso.
When? How?
With questions, Liam¡¯s body copsed to the ground.
¡°Sir Liam!¡±
Michael rushed over in a panic, but before he could take a few steps, blood also spurted from Michael¡¯s body.
It wasn¡¯t just Michael. Veronica¡¯s body was also wounded. The two copsed to the ground, bleeding profusely.
The moment he saw that, Liam realized what technique he had been hit with.
He had heard of it before. It was said that those who were among the strongest of the Master ss could inflict wounds on people with just their killing intent.
In that case, the identity of that thing must be¡
¡°Ma, Master¡ .¡±
All hope vanished from Liam¡¯s face.
-I won¡¯t kill you if you stay still. You¡¯re valuable bait, you see.
Bait?
The moment Liam questioned that word, something fell from the sky.
-Oh?
An exmation of surprise burst from the something¡¯s mouth.
-Damien Haksen! The man who messed up the n of ! I never thought I¡¯d see someone like you here!¡±
***
Damien stared silently at the Weapon Master.
The giant evil of Pandemonium, the ruler of the demonic swords. And the man who had tortured his father¡¯s soul.
The reason why the Weapon Master had tortured his father¡¯s soul was because of Damien.
The Weapon Master had the ability to control any demonic sword.
However, there was one exception.
Erebos was the only one that the Weapon Master could not control. On the contrary, whenever the Weapon Master tried to touch it, Erebos resisted and even inflicted fatal wounds on him.
In the end, the Weapon Master was forced to give up Erebos, his pride severely wounded.
After that, when Erebos chose Damien, the Weapon Master went berserk with anger.
-All demonic swords are mine! I¡¯m not going to hand them over to a mindless fool like you!
He had even gone so far as to disobey Dorugo¡¯s orders and attack Damien.
However, at that time, Damien was not someone that the Weapon Master could handle.
The Weapon Master was driven to the brink of death by Damien¡¯s self-defense function.
If Dorugo hadn¡¯t stopped him, the Weapon Master would have lost his life right there.
-This¡ this damn bastard¡ how dare¡ how dare he¡ to my body¡!
And not long after that, the Weapon Master came to see Damien again.
He brought with him a rotting undead dog.
-See? This is your father.
The Weapon Master had forcibly stuffed Damien¡¯s father¡¯s soul into the body of a dog.
Inside, his father was tormented by the horrific pain of his body rotting and maggots eating his flesh.
Crack!
Just thinking about it made his teeth grind together. Damien suppressed the rising killing intent.
It was no use to be angry. What was before him was not real.
It was just Joshua¡¯s body being controlled through the demonic sword.
-I should have seen that bastard¡¯s face myself! Not being able to do that is the regret of my life!
Unlike the angry Damien, the Weapon Master spoke in an excited voice.
-It¡¯s such a waste to leave a guy like you alone! Come under me! I¡¯ll make you have all the power in the world!
The Weapon Master stretched out his hand. Damien stared at the hand nkly and said.
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen.¡±
-What? Why? Are you not a dark knight? Don¡¯t worry. There are many ordinary knights and mages in Pandemonium who have joined us to destroy the empire.
¡°How on earth can a supposed ¡®man¡¯ stoop to the level of associating with lowly dog like you? I refuse to degrade myself by even considering such a ludicrous proposition!¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s face contorted slightly at Damien¡¯s refusal.
-Oh, I see. You were a servant of the church, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯m rescinding my recruitment offer.
The Weapon Master calmly retracted his offer.
-Instead, I will rip your head and spine ripped out. There are plenty of dark mages who covet you. You¡¯ll be a very expensivemodity.
Dark mana was supplied from the demonic sword. As he absorbed the dark magic, the Weapon Master¡¯s aura grew even stronger.
¡°Brother¡ .¡±
Michael, who was lying on the ground, raised his head with difficulty.
¡°You must¡ escape¡ .¡±
Michael was right. The situation was too bad right now.
He had used up all his dark mana fighting Javier. Damien had no dark mana or way to use his past peak state.
Right now, Damien had no way to fight the Weapon Master.
¡°I feel it every time, but you guys are really like cockroaches.¡±
Even so, Damien didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry.
¡°You¡¯re invisible when I¡¯m looking for you on purpose. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not there. You¡¯re just hiding in dirty ces like sewers and garbage cans, hatching your eggs.¡±
He just continued speaking with a tired expression.
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m always prepared for the worst. I never know when, where, or how I¡¯ll meet you guys.¡±
Damien muttered as he stretched his hand into the air.
¡°Erebos.¡±
A long pole appeared. Erebos was tied to the end of the pole with wire.
-¡¡.
The moment Erebos appeared, the Weapon Master¡¯s body froze.
-¡¡What is that?
Damien pulled out Erebos, which was attached to the end of the pole.
The de was very short because he hadn¡¯t been able to collect many pieces.
-I¡¯ve never seen a demonic sword like that¡ What¡ What is that?
The Weapon Master couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Erebos.
As an expert in weapons, he quickly realized what Erebos was worth.
-Give it to me¡ Give it to me¡ Give it to me¡
¡°Shut up.¡±
Damien opened a subspace. He took out two objects from it.
The moment he did, the temperature fluctuated. It rose rapidly like he had entered ava field and then dropped to winter levels.
-Mithra Holy Water and Flower of Fire?
The Weapon Master¡¯s eyes widened as he saw it.
He couldn¡¯t help but react, even though he waspletely focused on Erebos.
The two elixirs were that precious.
-You have some extravagant things? Are you seriously thinking of offering those to me and begging for your life?
Damien had knowledge and experience beyond that of a Master ss. But even so, Damien still couldn¡¯t reach Master ss.
This was because of his physical abilities and mana he had not reached that level.
Less than a year had passed since his regression. He had be too strong in too short a time, and he couldn¡¯t help butck those two things.
¡°I was originally nning to reach Master ss in a safe way.¡±
Thanks to the Mithra Holy Water and Flower of Fire, his mana problem was solved.
All that remained was to train his body and consume the two elixirs.
Then Damien would finally be able to reach the Master ss he had so desired.
¡°I guess there¡¯s no other way now.¡±
He had no choice but to forcibly raise his peak state, even if it meant taking some risks.
Damien put the two elixirs in his mouth. Elixirs with different auras went down his throat.
-What the hell is this crazy bastard doing!
The Weapon Master said with a bewildered expression.
-Swallowing elixirs with opposing auras at the same time? If you want to kill yourself, you should just hang yourself or something!
The elixirs reached his stomach.
The two elixirs dissolved instantly. It turned into pure mana.
Then the two mana collided and exploded.
A huge mana shock shook his whole body. It was as if his whole body was being torn apart.
No, it wasn¡¯t ¡®as if¡¯.
Damien¡¯s body was actually copsing. Cracks spread throughout his bones. His muscles swelled to the point of bursting.
Endless pain struck him, and the fear of death enveloped his entire body.
Damien suppressed all of that. At the same time, he used three mana cultivation techniques.
Supreme Absorption Technique, Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle, Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
He absorbed all the aura with the Supreme Absorption Technique and made the flow of mana smoother in his blood vessels with Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.
And he used the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to grow his muscles. His muscles, which were about to burst, instead absorbed magic power and grew rapidly.
His body, which was about to burst, instantly stabilized.
But he couldn¡¯t rx yet. If he left it like this, his body would eventually burst from the expanding magic power.
To reach Master ss, he had to use the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to its limits.
He needed a life-or-death battle. Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation was a mana cultivation technique that grew stronger in battle.
Damien looked at the Weapon Master. The Weapon Master was staring at Damien with a hardened expression.
-What the hell is this crazy bastard doing now¡
¡°Third Ring.¡±
Damien used his fourth mana cultivation technique.
Combined Infinity Cycle.
Three rings were activated simultaneously. The resonance sound shook the whole world.
Damien pushed off the ground with both feet.
The rapid increase in his physical abilities thanks to the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation and the increase in power of his mana due to the Combined Infinity Cycle werebined.
Damien¡¯s body stretched out. He broke through the wall of air. A series of sonic booms echoed.
Damien appeared in front of the Weapon Master¡¯s nose. In that moment, a look of bewilderment passed over the Weapon Master¡¯s face.
-¡¡Did I miss my move?
Damien immediately swung Erebos. Erebos sliced through the air and tried to cut off the Weapon Master¡¯s body.
-A High ss dares¡
The Weapon Master gathered dark mana into the demonic sword. A ck and purple aurade covered the demonic sword.
-To charge straight at this body!
No weapon was any different from a piece of paper in front of the aurade.
So Damien¡¯s choice to approach the Weapon Master was the worst possible choice.
-I¡¯ll cut your waist in half!
The Weapon Master swung his demonic sword at Damien.
The aurade drew a ck and purple trajectory and collided with Erebos.
And then, in the next instant, Erebos pushed the aurade back.
-What?
The demonic sword was knocked up. At the same time, Damien twisted his waist and swung a second sh.
Erebos cut through the Weapon Master¡¯s torso.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 205
Chapter 205
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 205: Master ss (1)
***
As the de sliced into his flesh, the Weapon Master was flung backward. The wooden pir shattered when he hit it, and hended heavily on the ground.
Weapon Master thought as he buried beneath the rubble.
¡°What just happened?¡±
¡°He ingested both Mithra Holy Water and the Flower of Fire and survived, not to mention amplifying his physical abilities to this extent?¡±
¡°And even surpassed my Master ss Dynamic Vision?¡±
¡°But what was most surprising was the demonic sword he was wielding.¡±
¡°An unmarked sword deflected my Aura de? That¡¯s an impossible feat, even for a demonic sword crafted by a Duke-ss demon.¡±
A series of inexplicable events unfolded. But the emotion that now colored the Weapon Master¡¯s mind was not curiosity or wonder.
¡°This impudent bastard.¡±
Rage surged from his chest, and his jaw clenched.
¡°Even though it wasn¡¯t my full power¡ a mere High ss dares toy a hand on this body?¡±
The Weapon Master was currently in a state of possession, using the demonic sword as a medium to inhabit Joshua Silva¡¯s body.
Compared to his true form, he could only unleash about 30% of his power.
However, even in this state, the Weapon Master was confident that he was stronger than any ordinary Master ss.
So, the fact that he had barely taken a blow from a mere High ss was hard to ept.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I felt this feeling.¡±
The Weapon Master got to his feet, his body unscathed despite the cut.
Apparently, that demonic sword could withstand the Aura de, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to pierce his aura armor.
¡°You¡¯ve reminded me of a long-forgotten emotion¡ I suppose I should return the favor!¡±
The Weapon Master lunged forward and swung his demonic sword. The ck-purple Aura de aimed for Damien¡¯s head.
Damien immediately blocked the sh with Erebos.
In that instant, the muscles in his sword-wielding arm exploded, and blood gushed forth. The force was too powerful for his body to withstand.
¡°Is that all you can do? You dared to challenge me with that level of strength!¡±
The Weapon Master swung his sword repeatedly, aiming for Damien¡¯s vital points.
Damien relentlessly blocked the attacks. Each time he received an Aura de, the shock caused the muscles all over his body to tear.
¡°That¡¯s right! This is how it should be! This is the right way!¡±
Even though he had amplified his physical abilities with elixirs, he was still just a High ss.
Compared to a Master ss like himself, he was bound to fall short.
¡°I will never let you die a painless death! I will sell your soul to the most insane dark mage!¡±
With each swing of his sword, his anger seemed to dissipate. The Weapon Master let out a loud cheer and pressed his attack on Damien.
Then, he suddenly realized something strange.
Given the gap in power between him and Damien, the battle should have been over already.
However, Damien showed no signs of falling, enduring every attack with unwavering determination.
¡°Your expression isn¡¯t very pleasant. Why? Are things not going your way?¡±
Damien opened his mouth, his voice filled with mockery.
At these words, veins bulged on the Weapon Master¡¯s forehead.
¡°I was just going easy on you! Don¡¯t get cocky!¡±
Just then, Damien bent his waist forward. Dodging the sh, he swung Erebos at the same time.
The Erebos swung in a diagonal line from bottom to top. It sliced across the Weapon Master¡¯s face.
¡°This bastard!¡±
Thanks to his aura armor, he wasn¡¯t cut. But the Weapon Master couldn¡¯t help but feel enraged.
¡°A mere High ss dares to touch my body again!¡±
The Weapon Master let out a roar of anger. He pressed his attack on Damien even more ferociously.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll tear you to shreds right now¡!¡±
A flurry of shes rained down. Both the Weapon Master and Damien moved with frantic urgency.
But something was strange. Even though he was pressing the attack harder than before, Damien was not being pushed back.
He was not only effortlessly blocking the Weapon Master¡¯s attacks, but he was even dodging them. He even took a few hits on purpose.
¡°No way¡¡±
He¡¯s getting stronger.
With each passing sh, Damien¡¯s physical abilities were soaring. The fact that he was keeping up with the Weapon Master¡¯s movements was proof of that.
¡°How is this possible¡?¡±
Right now, Damien¡¯s insides werepletely mangled from ingesting the supreme elixirs.
And yet, with that body, he was not only fighting against a Master ss like himself, but he was also growing his physical strength?
¡°This, this monstrous bastard¡!¡±
Goosebumps rose all over his body. It was enough to make him feel terrified.
It was absurd. He, the giant evil of Pandemonium, was actually feeling fear from a mere High ss.
¡°That can¡¯t be!¡±
The Weapon Master screamed. He put more strength into his arm without realizing it.
As a result, he swung his sword with great force. Damien did not miss the opportunity.
Dodging the attack, he plunged into the Weapon Master¡¯s chest at the same time. He stabbed his erebos into the Weapon Master¡¯s throat and detonated his mana.
With a deafening roar, the Weapon Master¡¯s body was sent flying and mmed into a cliff.
***
¡®Useless after all.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue as he observed the Weapon Master¡¯s state.
He had used all his might to attack the Weapon Master¡¯s vital point, but not a single scratch appeared.
This was because Erebos alone was insufficient to break through the aura armor of the master ss.
¡®If I use my authority, I might be able to break through¡¡¯
The current power of Erebos was still too low. It wasn¡¯t at the level to confront a Master ss.
Moreover, there were other people lying unconscious around him. They might lose their lives if they were caught up in the authority.
Just then.
A fierce killing intent emanated from the Weapon Master, who was stuck in the cliff.
Dark mana erupted from the Weapon Master¡¯s body. The dark energy shot up towards the sky like it would pierce the heavens.
¡°This insolent bastard¡¡±
The Weapon Master roared, his voice filled with rage.
¡°How dare¡ this body the being known as the Great Evil¡ unforgivable¡ absolutely unforgivable¡!¡±
The Weapon Master raised his head. His eyes gleamed with madness.
The sword that had been lying at Damien¡¯s feet began to tremble violently. It was a weapon originally used by soldier.
The sword rose into the sky. And it wasn¡¯t alone. All the weapons lying on the ground soared high into the air.
Swords, spears, axes, and so on.
The number of weapons exceeded several dozen. Dark energy gathered around the weapons, and aurades covered their surfaces.
¡°I never thought I¡¯d have to use my trump card on a High-ss like you.¡±
The Weapon Master spoke, his voice dripping with hatred.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll definitely kill you.¡±
The dozens of weapons fell simultaneously.
A dark rain of weapons poured down, covering the entire ground.¡±
***
The weapons imbued with aurade fell towards Damien¡¯s head.
The Weapon Master eagerly awaited the scene that would unfold next.
The rain of weapons pierced Damien¡¯s body, and he was about to be torn apart.
Huu¡!
Demian took a deep breath, preparing for the next attack.
A long sword falling from the sky aimed to prate Damien¡¯s neck. Damien swung Erebos and deflected the sword.
However, the force contained in the weapon was too overwhelming. All he could manage was to slightly alter the sword¡¯s trajectory.
The sword scratched Damien¡¯s cheek, and blood flowed out. But he didn¡¯t have time to tend to his wound. A second weapon fell.
Damien blocked the spear. But this time too, he couldn¡¯t fully deflect it. All he could manage was to slightly alter its trajectory.
The spear grazed Damien¡¯s side and pierced the ground and the blood gushed out.
Third, fourth, fifth.
The weapons continued to fall relentlessly. Damien gritted his teeth and deflected the weapons, but he couldn¡¯t stop the wounds from multiplying.
Finally, when the rain subsided, Damien¡¯s body was riddled with wounds, and the blood that had flowed out formed a pool on the ground.
¡
The Weapon Master felt speechless.
The Ultimate Technique was a technique meant to kill the enemy for sure. Yet, a mere High ss had withstood such a technique?
Even though he had witnessed it with his own eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but doubt his own vision. His mind was refusing toprehend what had happened.
¡®This can¡¯t be.¡¯
Damien opened his mouth, one corner of his lips twisted into a sneer.
¡°What¡¯s the point of using the Ultimate Technique? You weren¡¯t even aiming properly. If you¡¯re going to use a technique halfheartedly like that, I can¡¯t even die if I want to.¡±
The Weapon Master had nothing to say in response to Damien¡¯s mockery.
As Damien had said, the Weapon Master had used the Ultimate Technique ¡®halfheartedly¡¯. However, that wasn¡¯t the Weapon Master¡¯s fault.
To a Master ss, a High ss was no different from an insect. They could be crushed to death with a flick of the finger if they wanted to.
In this world, what Master ss would seriously use their Ultimate Technique on a High ss?
¡°¡Well, thanks for the advice.¡±
The Weapon Master raised his hand. The weapons that had been embedded in the ground were pulled out again.
Once again, aurades formed on the surfaces of the weapons. The weapons turned ck.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll use it properly.¡±
Damien was now in a state of exhaustion. Not only that, but his entire body was covered in wounds.
¡°This time, you¡¯ll die for sure.¡±
The Weapon Master lowered his raised hand, and a dark rain of weapons poured down.
The first spear shot out, aiming for Damien¡¯s heart. Damien deflected the spear with Erebos.
In that instant, the spear bounced away. It spun a few times in mid-air before crashing to the ground.
At that moment, the Weapon Master felt a sense of doubt.
Why did it bounce back? Clearly, it was only supposed to slightly alter its trajectory¡
Second, a longsword fell. Damien brought down his raised Erebos.
Erebos and the longsword shed. The longsword eventually mmed into the ground.
¡°Wait a minute¡¡±
Third, an axe came flying. Damien swung Erebos. The aurade and the axe shattered into pieces.
¡°How can this be¡¡±
The fourth, a spear pierced through the air. Damien shed Erebos diagonally.
The aurade and the spearhead were split in half. They fell to the ground powerless.
¡°You bastard, don¡¯t tell me¡¡±
Only then did the Weapon Master notice it. Something that was clinging to the surface of the magic sword.
Blue?
The Weapon Master immediately denied his own thoughts. It wasn¡¯t blue.
Stardust.
A radiant glow akin to the North Star shining at dawn faintly covered the surface of the Erebos.
¡°Impossible¡!¡±
A rain of weapons poured down, obscuring his vision. Amidst it, Damien swung Erebos repeatedly.
Every time he swung his sword, a blue shockwave cut through the air, and the fragmented weapons fell to the ground.
As the number of times he swung his sword increased, the blue glow grew stronger.
Finally, when he unleashed thest beam of light, a burst of blue light exploded forth.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 206
Chapter 206
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 206: Master ss (2)
***
The battle with the Weapon Master was extremely difficult.
Despite he temporarily increased his physical abilities by consuming elixirs, Damien was still far from being a match for a Master ss.
He could block the aurade with Erebos, but he couldn¡¯t pierce the Weapon Master¡¯s defense.
Every attack was fierce and sharp. If he let his guard down for even a moment, he would be dead. In the process, he came close to having his neck sliced ??off several times.
He endured, endured, and endured again. But even that had reached its limit.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll use it properly.¡±
The Weapon Master unleashed his second phase. The aurades wielding weapons poured down to cut off Damien¡¯s breath.
In that moment, Damien forgot everything. He simply swung Erebos to block the attacks.
First, second, third¡
As he repeated his attacks, Damien noticed that the hand holding Erebos was growing lighter.
It wasn¡¯t his imagination. The speed of his shes was also getting faster and faster, and it was no longer a burden to deflect the weapons.
He felt it instinctively.
One step. Only one step was left. And that one step waspleted when he cut through the Weapon Master¡¯s final weapon.
The mana that had been surging through his body, threatening to burst him at any moment, suddenly subsided and then spread throughout his body.
His exhausted body, which had been pushed to the limit, absorbed the mana. Soon, a transformation began.
The wounds that had been deeply entrenched began to regenerate.
His muscles, organs, and everything else began to be even stronger.
[TL/N- ¡®That¡¯ thing too?]
[PR/N- Bonk!]
His stamina, which had been drained to the bottom was fully replenished. A vast amount of mana was stored in his body.
Damien gripped Erebos with both hands. A blue light spread out in all directions.
The broken de was used as a wick, and a blue light extended. The blue light eventually took shape.
A sword.
An intangible de of light stretched straight up towards the sky.
Aurade.
The symbol of the Master ss had materialized in Damien¡¯s hands.
The aurade made from dark mana was dark and ominous. Just looking at it made one feel uneasy.
But the aurade forged from mana was different. It was beautiful and pure.
¡°Finally, I¡¯ve reached it.¡±
Master ss.
He had seeded in setting foot in that realm of transcendence.
¡°¡¡±
The Weapon Master watched Damien in a daze.
¡°Who the hell are you¡?¡±
It was a voice that he had barely managed to squeeze out, as if it was incredibly difficult.
¡°A High ss¡ who fought against a Master ss and survived¡ and even¡ reached a Master ss in middle of fight¡ I¡¯ve never seen¡ anyone like you¡¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s voice was filled with sheer dread.
¡°No¡ no, that¡¯s not important right now.¡±
A spark of life returned to the Weapon Master¡¯s clouded eyes. His will to fight surged back.
¡°If I let you live, you¡¯ll surely be a great threat in the future. So I must kill you here.¡±
He raised his demonic sword, Mergher, as he spoke.
¡°This sword¡¯s name is Mergher. It has the ability to absorb the souls of those it kills and connect them to its wielder.¡±
Damien knew. Thanks to that sword, Joshua Silva was able to act like a genius.
¡°I was also able to possess Joshua¡¯s body because this sword connected this body to my soul. But the abilities I can manifest through Mergher are very weak.¡±
The Weapon Master slowly drew out the sword.
¡°My realm, ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯ can draw out the potential of weapons. Using this realm, I can also increase the abilities I can manifest through Mergher.¡±
A thin, thread-like tendril emerged from the hilt of Mergher. The tendril pierced the Weapon Master¡¯s wrist and dug into his body.
The Weapon Master¡¯s entire body began to pulsate, and his veins bulged out.
¡°Originally, I could only summon about 30% of my abilities through Mergher, but¡¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s body began to shrink rapidly. His muscles withered, and his skin clung to his bones.
¡°But now it¡¯s different.¡±
A vast amount of dark mana brust forth. An enormous dark mana exploded, iparable to what had happened just before.
¡°Now it¡¯s 50%.¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s body disappeared.
There was no sound or presence. Damien was stunned.
¡°Behind you!¡±
The Weapon Master, who had appeared behind Damien, swung his aurade. A ck and purple shot forth to cleave through Damien¡¯s body.
***
However, the Weapon Master¡¯s sh didn¡¯t reach Damien.
Damien had blocked the attack by flipping Erebos behind his back.
¡°You¡¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s face was filled with surprise.
Damien was currently not even turned his body, only swinging his arm back to block the attack.
Was it even possible to block his attack in such an awkward position?
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
Damien said, turning his head back.
¡°Why is it so light?¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s face distorted in anger at Damien¡¯s provocation.
¡°I haven¡¯t even started yet!¡±
The Weapon Master put strength into his arm and pushed Damian back. Damien flew back and quickly regained his stance.
At that moment, the Weapon Master charged forward from the front.
He swung his sword repeatedly to kill Damien. Damien responded immediately.
The two aurade des shed in mid-air several times. Every time they collided a terrifying sound echoed through the air.
However, as they continued to sh, the Weapon Master grew increasingly frustrated.
It wasn¡¯t working.
Damien was standing in the same spot, blocking all of the Weapon Master¡¯s attacks.
¡°This is ridiculous¡ impossible¡¡±
Damien had just reached Master ss, and yet he was able to hold his own against the Weapon Master¡¯s 50% power?
¡°Then¡ I can¡¯t let you live!¡±
The Weapon Master put all his strength into his sword and swung it down. Damien did not dodge and blocked it head-on.
A loud crash and shockwave urred. The Weapon Master¡¯s body was pushed back.
¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡±
The Weapon Master tried to charge forward again, but then suddenly realized that his aurade was broken.
A crack had formed in the part of the de that had shed with Demian¡¯s aurade.
¡°¡¡±
The aurade became stronger the more it was tempered. In other words, it would be weak when it first reached Master ss.
But¡ how could this be?
How did my aurade get broken?
¡°Did you lose focus?¡±
A voice came from right in front of him. Damien was charging towards him.
Damien swung his aurade, drawing a blue sh parallel to the ground.
The Weapon Master quickly raised his sword to block the attack, but his body was pushed back in the process.
¡°Don¡¯t you have a stance?¡±
Damien continued to press the Weapon Master.
Blue shes rained down relentlessly. The Weapon Master swung his sword mindlessly to block the attacks.
¡°Left Side.¡±
Damien passed by the Weapon Master¡¯s side. At the same time, his side was shed and blood burst out.
¡°Thigh. Block it.¡±
As soon as the words were finished, his thigh was split open. The wound was deep.
¡°This, this motherfucker¡!
The Weapon Master gritted his teeth and resisted. He tried to regain the upper hand.
¡°Neck. I¡¯ll spare you just once.¡±
But it was a futile effort. There was no chance of counterattacking.
It wasn¡¯t a matter of speed. His swordsmanship was being read perfectly.
He had wielding his sword for decades, and yet he was being ¡®technically¡¯ outdone by a brat who had just reached Master ss?
¡°No way!¡±
The Weapon Master desperately tried to read Damien¡¯s movements. But it was no use.
¡°Shoulder. I¡¯ll spare you from being cut off.¡±
¡°Fingers. One was about to be cut off just now.¡±
The wounds on his body just kept increasing. He couldn¡¯t keep up.
¡°Ugh, huff¡¡±
The Weapon Master breathed heavily.
His entire body was covered in wounds, and blood was pouring out. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t his real body, so he didn¡¯t feel much pain.
¡°Have you already shown your bottom line?¡±
Damien said from a short distance away. His emotionless eyes were fixed on him.
ck.
Weapon Master clenched his teeth. But it was useless.
He couldn¡¯t kill Damien like this. Facing the harsh truth, the Weapon Master decided to abandon his pride.
¡°Mergher.¡±
The reason the Weapon Master was able to ascend to great evil because he could control the demonic swords and use them without any cost.
In other words, it was when he wielded the demonic swords that the Weapon Master¡¯s true power was revealed.
¡°I¡¯ll have to sacrifice you.¡±
The Weapon Master brought out Mergher¡¯s full potential.
Cracks began to appear on the surface of the demonic sword. And then it shattered and crumbled. And darkness burst out from within.
-%$#@^%
A terrifying cry echoed, and the darkness covered the sky, taking the shape of a massive monster.
¡°This is the power of the demon that Mergher possessed.¡±
The demon was a powerful being that humans couldn¡¯t fathom. Even Damien would have a hard time resisting the demon¡¯s power.
Damien silently looked up at the monster. The monster was taking deep breaths as if it was about to devour Damien at any moment.
¡°¡Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never used Erebos like this before.¡±
What did he mean?
As the Weapon Master wondered, Damien released the aurade. And he stroked Erebos.
¡°Erebos, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±
In the next moment, a scream echoed through the air.
A strange sound reverberated throughout the world. The heavens and the earth shook. It was as if they were trembling with fear.
The Weapon Master stared at it like a ghost, mesmerized.
¡°¡A demonic sword?¡±
At first, he thought it was that. But seeing that sight, his mind changed.
¡°No, this is¡ what in the world?¡±
At that moment, ck waves spread out from Erebos.
Everything that touched the waves evaporated instantly. Not even dust remained.
-@#%@#$@!
The monster cried out in great pain as it was touched by the waves. It writhed and shrank, screaming.
¡°No, this can¡¯t be. Other people will get caught up in it.¡±
Damien raised Erebos high. The waves subsided.
A gray storm raged around Erebos. In that moment, the Weapon Master¡¯s instincts warned him.
¡°¡Mergher! Attack!¡±
The monster charged towards Damien. Damien swung Erebos.
The monster and the gray storm collided. Immediately afterward, the gray storm engulfed the monster. The monster¡¯s body waspletely annihted.
¡°Ah¡¡±
The Weapon Master let out a short sigh at the spectacle.
Immediately after, the gray storm engulfed the Weapon Master as well.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 207
Chapter 207
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 207: Shocked (1)
***
Damien surveyed the scene Erebos had wrought, his tongue clicking in amazement.
The gray storm had swept through, leaving nothing behind. The ground was carved out in the shape of the storm¡¯s trajectory, and the objects that had been there were nowhere to be seen.
The devastation wrought by the gray storm did not end there. The mountain peaks visible in the distance were torn apart as if carved by a sword.
The technique Damien had just used was topress the power of corrosion and then release it.
Thanks topressing the power, the corrosion¡¯s strength had increased, and as a result, it was able to eliminate even the demon¡¯s power.
¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be this powerful.¡±
In fact, current Erebos¡¯s power was not enough to destroy the demon¡¯s power.
No matter how much it waspressed, the power of the ability was too weak because the recovery rate was low.
It was possible because the potential of Erebos was drawn out by ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯, the realm of the Weapon Master.
¡°About a quarter¡ no, about a third of the power.¡±
As Damien muttered to himself, the Erebos he was holding in his hand dispersed and to its tattoo form.
Damien looked at the tattoo on his wrist. He couldn¡¯t feel Erebos¡¯s power at all. It meant that Erebos hadpletely fallen asleep.
It seemed to be an aftereffect of drawing out his potential with All Weapons Beloved.
¡°It¡¯s going to be hard to use for a while.¡±
Damien approached the scene of destruction created by Erebus. There, he saw the Weapon Master, only his upper body remaining.
It seemed that he had tried to escape from Erebos¡¯s power but had not been able to escape in time and only his upper body was left.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s really amazing.¡±
As he approached, the Weapon Master opened his mouth. He was alive even though only his chest and head were left.
No, to be precise, he wasn¡¯t alive. It was just that his connection to his body hadn¡¯t been severed.
¡°That sword¡ it was really amazing. It didn¡¯t just destroy things, it evaporated them¡ I¡¯ve never seen a weapon with that kind of power.¡±
Even in this situation, the Weapon Master¡¯s eyes were filled with greed.
¡°Damien Haksen¡ don¡¯t you really want to join Pandemonium? With you and that sword¡ you could easily be the king of Pandemonium.¡±
¡°You¡¯re barking too loud.¡±
It was a sound that was not worth listening to. For Damien, Pandemonium was something that had to be removed.
¡°Think about it seriously. It¡¯s not a bad offer for you.¡±
It was getting hard to listen to him anymore.
Just as Damien was about to draw Dawn from subspace and cut off the Weapon Master¡¯s head,
¡°What if you don¡¯t ept my offer, your family will be in danger?¡±
Damien¡¯s hand, which was about to draw Dawn, stopped abruptly.
¡°No one in Pandemonium doesn¡¯t know you. Not only you, but also your family. Damien Haksen, born in the Kingdom of Apple, your parents are alive, and you have an older sister and a younger brother, right?¡±
Information about his family poured out of the Weapon Master¡¯s mouth.
¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t intend to touch your family. I¡¯m not interested in that kind of petty stuff. But what about the other bastards?¡±
A vile smile appeared on the Weapon Master¡¯s lips.
¡°You¡¯re not going to leave a fascinating guy like you alone. I¡¯ll try to secure you by any means necessary. And the easiest way to capture a strong guy like you is to use your family.¡±
The Weapon Master continued to speak.
¡°Can you imagine what kind of suffering your family will go through because of you? If you don¡¯t like that,e to Pandemonium. If you belong to Pandemonium, no one will be able to touch your family. Then¡¡±
Suddenly, the Weapon Master¡¯s mouth shut.
¡°¡¡?¡±
It wasn¡¯t that someone had forcibly closed the Weapon Master¡¯s mouth. It closed on its own as his muscles contracted.
The Weapon Master moved only his eyes to look at Damien.
A dark and eerie feeling was emanating from Damien. It was enough to overwhelm even the Weapon Master.
¡°This scum¡ who are you threatening now?¡±
Damien raised his foot and trampled on the Weapon Master¡¯s head.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my family. Before you can touch the single hair strand of my family, I¡¯ll kill you all and send you to hell.¡±
Damien¡¯s killing intent intensified. The intermittent chirping of birds and insects ceasedpletely.
The whole world fell silent. It was as if it was watching Damien¡¯s every move.
¡°Wait. I¡¯lle find you soon. I¡¯ll pay you back for your nonsense.¡±
Even without that, he had nned to eliminate all the giant evils.
The only question was who to go after first. It was just decided.
He would kill the Weapon Master first.
¡°This cheeky bastard¡ he¡¯s going toe find me?¡±
It wasn¡¯t just Damien who was enraged.
¡°You think you¡¯ve won because you beat me, not my main body? Don¡¯t get cocky! My true power is not just this!¡±
The Weapon Master was iplete right now.
As he was possessing someone else¡¯s body, he couldn¡¯t use his full strength.
Above all, he didn¡¯t have his demonic swords.
The Weapon Master¡¯s true power was revealed when he wielded his demonic swords. His strategy was to overwhelm his enemies by using dozens of demonic swords simultaneously.
In other words, the Weapon Master without his demonic swords was weak. It was no exaggeration to say that he was the weakest among the giant evils.
¡°Without your demonic sword, you¡¯re nothing more than a useless bbering fool, incapable of anything beyond running your filthy mouth.¡±
Those words touched the Weapon Master¡¯s reverse scale. The Weapon Master¡¯s face twisted.
¡°You son of bitch¡±
At that moment, Damien swung Dawn at the Weapon Master¡¯s forehead.
The de of Dawn pierced the third eye. The Weapon Master¡¯s body copsed.
The connection between soul and body waspletely severed.
Damien pulled out Dawn. He wiped the blood off the de and thought.
¡®I may have revealed too much information to him, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯
Thinking about what kind of person the Weapon Master was, there was nothing to worry about.
¡®That greedy bastard isn¡¯t going to tell anyone else about Erebos.¡¯
The Weapon Master¡¯s greed for demonic swords was beyond measure.
No wonder he attacked Damien in his previous life because he was chosen by Erebos.
On top of that, the Weapon Master was now deeply wounded in his pride because of Damien. He would definitely want to kill Damien with his own hands.
So there was no need to worry about the information about himself and Erebos being leaked. The Weapon Master would definitely keep it under wraps.
¡°Well, now then¡¡±
Damien looked around. He saw people lying unconscious with wounds.
Damien sighed deeply and muttered.
¡°¡¡When am I going to heal all this?¡±
***
¡°Ugh, aaaaah!¡±
Liam Bluegreen screamed and jumped up from his spot.
¡°E, everyone run away! It¡¯s dangerous if you stay here!¡±
He looked around frantically and shouted. In his vision, he saw knights and soldiers lying down wrapped in bandages.
¡°What, what happened¡¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re the first to wake up.¡±
A familiar voice was heard. He turned his head to see Damien.
Unlike others, Damien was unharmed. Liam Bluegreen was extremely surprised by this fact.
¡°Sir Da-Damien¡ what happened? J-Joshua Silva? That master ss?¡±
¡°I killed him.¡±
¡°Phew¡ that¡¯s a relief. Thanks to you, I¡¯m alive.¡±
Liam Bluegreen sighed in relief andy back down again.
But then he opened his eyes wide and jumped up abruptly.
¡°What? You killed him? How? That monster was a master ss, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, or your wounds will open up again.¡±
¡°B, but my wound isn¡¯t important now!¡±
¡®I saved his life, but he¡¯sining like this.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue and muttered.
¡°Look carefully.¡±
Damien drew Dawn. Aurade emerged from the de of Dawn.
As soon as he saw the aurade, Liam froze.
¡°I ascended to master ss in the middle of the fight and took care of everything. I couldn¡¯t find out what the hell he was. I didn¡¯t have time for that.¡±
Liam couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the aurade.
¡°Sir Damien, how old are you now?¡±
¡°I entered my twenties a few years ago.¡±
Master ss was a level that even a handful of geniuses among geniuses would only barely reach in middle age after a lifetime of effort.
And he reached it at this young age? Such a case was rare in history.
No, it wasn¡¯t just about age.
Damien had been holding the sword for less than a year. And he became a master ss in such a short period?
Liam Bluegreen looked at Damien with a face full of reverence.
¡°¡You¡¯ve always been helping me.¡±
Liam Bluegreen said with an embarrassed face.
¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I would already be dead.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I had to kill him to save myself anyway.¡±
¡°Even so, I can¡¯t help but be grateful. Thank you¡ thank you very much.¡±
Liam let out a long sigh. Then a question suddenly popped into his head.
¡°Speaking of which, since you¡¯ve be a master ss¡ I guess I¡¯ll have to change your tournament category. The imperial officials will be shocked if they see it.¡±
Liamughed wryly.
¡°It¡¯s inevitable that everyone will be surprised when someone who was going to participate in the High-ss tournament bes a master ss.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a shame that a high-ss participant seat has be vacant, but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±
Liam Bluegreen couldn¡¯t participate in the tournament due to his age, so it seemed like he had to give up on the High-ss side.
¡°Do we need a participant?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not necessarily required, but it¡¯s a crucial position second only to master ss, so it¡¯s a shame.¡±
High-ss knights were second to only Master ss knights but they were also crucial in determining a kingdom¡¯s power, so they received a lot of attention and interest in the Helian tournament.
¡°If there¡¯s a vacancy, we can just fill it again.¡±
¡°Hmm? Is there a way?¡±
Damien turned his gaze. There, Michael and Veronica were lying down.
¡°We can just make one of them a High-ss knight, can¡¯t we?¡±
Liam Bluegreen burst intoughter. But Damien¡¯s expression was dead serious.
¡°¡You weren¡¯t joking, were you?¡±
¡°I waspletely serious.¡±
¡°Oh, no¡ those two may be geniuses, but making them High-ss in such a short time¡ that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°We can just beat them up.¡±
Liam Bluegreen momentarily doubted his ears.
¡°What, what did you say?¡±
¡°We can just beat them up, and one of them will be a High-ss knight.¡±
¡°¡¡Are you kidding?¡±
¡°I¡¯mpletely serious.¡±
Damien opened a subspace and took out a club. He tapped his palm with it and added.
[PR/N- Many problems one solution, Club.]
¡°With proper guidance and discipline, anyone can be stronger.¡±
Liam Bluegreen looked at Damien with a bbergasted face.
¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ve done it a few times before.¡±
¡°Ah, no¡ I¡¯m not worried about that¡¡±
But on second thought, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea.
If the n seeded, the Apple Kingdom could participate in the tournament with both a Master ss and a High-ss knight.
Even if they failed, the two people¡¯s skills would increase, so it was a good thing.
¡°Ahem¡ I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±
¡°Leave it to me.¡±
Without knowing what kind of conversation was going on between the two, Michael and Veronica were fast asleep.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 208
Chapter 208
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 208: Shocked (2)
***
The next day, the injured people began to wake up one by one.
Thanks to Damien¡¯s generous use of medicines and the addition of his divine power by dawn, the party¡¯s wounds were all neatly healed.
¡°Wow¡¡±
¡°Whoa¡¡±
Michael and Veronica couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the aurade that Damien had created.
When Damien tilted the aurade to the left, the two of them followed. When he tilted it to the right, they moved in the same way again.
¡°Do you believe me now?¡±
With that, Damien deactivated the aurade. A look of longing appeared on the two people¡¯s faces.
¡°Brother¡! You¡¯ve really be a Master ss! You¡¯re truly amazing!¡±
Michael¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration.
When they first met, both of them were Low-ss, but now Damien had be a Master ss in less than a year.
So Michael¡¯s sense of awe was greater than anyone else¡¯s.
¡°¡¡Master ss? You¡¯re already too strong, and now you¡¯re even farther ahead.¡±
Veronica, on the other hand, grumbled as if she didn¡¯t like it.
Then, her eyes suddenly lit up and she asked Damien,
¡°But Master ss¡¯ defenses are supposed to be incredibly tough because of their protective aura armor? Can I test it out just once?¡±
¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡±
¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to wear out. So, just once, okay?¡±
Damien hit Veronica on the forehead with an exasperated expression.
¡°Ouch! Why are you hitting me!¡±
¡°You need another hit if you don¡¯t know why.¡±
¡°Ow!¡±
After he hit her a few more times, Veronica finally shut up.
¡°Brother, so you¡¯re going to participate in the Helian tournament as a Master ss?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Wow, wow, wow¡¡.¡±
Michael eximed again.
The Master ss category was so important that it was called the flower of the Helian tournament.
To think that Damien would be participating in such a prestigious event. As a fellow knight, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
¡°So I have something to ask you two.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Michael and Veronica tilted their heads.
¡°Now that I¡¯ve be a Master ss, the High-ss spot is empty. So one of you will have to be a High-ss and fill the vacancy.¡±
The moment they heard the request, a look of dismay appeared on the two people¡¯s faces.
¡°Brother¡ Is it¡ that easy to be a high-ss?¡±
¡°Of course not.¡±
¡°Then how exactly are we supposed to be high-ss¡.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you.¡±
Damien opened a subspace and took out the club again. As soon as Veronica saw the club, she recoiled in fear and hid behind Michael.
Michael looked back at Veronica with an annoyed expression.
¡°From today until the day we arrive in the empire, I n to personally train you two.¡±
In reality, even if Damien was extremely talented, it was impossible to turn a Middle-ss into a High-ss in such a short time.
However, these two were different. Michael and Veronica were talented enough to make it happen.
¡°Brother¡ even so, bing a high-ss by the time we arrive in the empire¡¡±
¡°Why do I have to be a high-ss even if it means getting beaten by you?¡±
Michael seemed insecure, and Veronica seemed to dislike the decision itself.
Damien added another condition to boost their motivation.
¡°Michael, if you be a high-ss, I¡¯ll grant you one wish.¡±
At those words, Michael¡¯s eyes lit up.
¡°A w-wish?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Ho, by any chance, the range is¡¡±
¡°Anything.¡±
Michael¡¯s eyes grew even wider.
¡°Veronica.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°If you be a high-ss, I¡¯ll let you stab me with your sword.¡±
At those words, Veronica¡¯s face turned nk.
¡°Anywhere?¡±
¡°Yes, anywhere.¡±
Damien nodded easily. He was nning to protect himself with his aura armor anyway.
¡°However, I will only grant the wish of the first person to reach high-ss.¡±
Michael and Veronica red at each other, their eyes burning with determination.
¡°Get out of here.¡±
¡°Heh, who asked you to step aside? You get out of here.¡±
¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you? You¡¯re weaker than me.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you talking about? In a real fight, you¡¯d already be dead by my hand.¡±
The two of them red at each other, seething with anger. Damien watched them with a relieved expression.
¡®I was worried about them, but¡ they¡¯re both fine.¡¯
Michael and Veronica, as Middle-ss knights, had almost been killed by the monster known as a Master ss.
An ordinary knight would have had their spirit broken, but these two were even more enthusiastic and motivated.
¡®These two definitely have talent.¡¯
Damien valued mental strength just as much as swordsmanship. That was because he had seen many talented individuals who had been ruined by weak mental strength.
¡°Let¡¯s start now while we¡¯re at it.¡±
Damien said, tapping his palm with the club.
¡°Yes, brother! I will work hard!¡±
¡°Can I use a real sword? Please?¡±
Damien nodded.
¡°Alright, then both of you attack at the same time. Today, let¡¯s just get a general idea of your skills.¡±
Michael and Veronica immediately charged at Damien.
And they got their asses handed to them.
¡°Eugh¡¡±
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Michael and Veronica copsed to the ground, beaten to a pulp by Damien.
¡°Michael, your senses are dull. Sharpen them a bit more. Veronica, your field of vision is too narrow. Widen it a bit more.¡±
Damien pointed out the problems of the two people one by one.
¡°I¡¯ll give you until tomorrow to fix them. Make sure you get it right.¡±
From that day on, Damien trained them rigorously all the way to the empire.
¡°Michael, I told you to step back there. Veronica, why aren¡¯t you blocking?¡±
He helped them fill in their technical gaps.
¡°You¡¯re out of your mind. I told you to open your eyes wide.¡±
He helped them gain more experience through sparring.
As a result, the two of them had to be beaten up by Damien every day.
¡°Brother! Please take care of us today too!¡±
¡°Today¡ today I¡¯ll definitely cut you!¡±
Their attitudes were pr opposites. Michael cheerfully epted any harsh training Damien threw at him.
In contrast, Veronica attacked Damien with a vengeance.
¡®She¡¯s kind of annoying.¡¯
Damien secretly put more force into his club when sparring with Veronica.
¡°You¡ honestly tell me. Are you only hitting me hard?
¡°Of course not.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡±
¡°I said I didn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Ack! Stop hitting me!¡±
Veronica asionally rebelled, but it didn¡¯t be a big problem. That¡¯s because Damien would ¡®refresh¡¯ her each time.
And after a few weeks, the party arrived in the imperial capital.
***
Damien sat on his horse, gazing out at the distant view.
A massive wall stood tall over a vast grasnd. It was on such a scale that the royal castle of the Apple Kingdom would look like a rural vige.
¡®It¡¯s still incredible to see it again.¡¯
Even though he had seen it once in his previous life, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve seen this ce.¡±
Liam Bluegreen murmured with a nostalgic expression.
¡°Have you been here before?¡±
¡°I came here at a simr age to you to participate in the Helian tournament.¡±
Liam Bluegreen stared at the capital city for a moment, his face lost in memories.
¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡±
There were only twelve gates leading into the capital. People were crowded at every gate, all of them trying to enter the city.
Damien¡¯s group was able to enter rtively quickly because they were flying the g of the Apple Kingdom.
¡°We should split up for now. You guys go find some amodations. We¡¯ll go to the Colosseum and change the registration list.¡±
The Helian tournament was an event on such a scale that all the kingdoms of the continent participated.
There were so many participants that they couldn¡¯t expect any help from the empire. They even had to find their own amodations.
Liam Bluegreen divided the group.
The soldiers and knights went off to find amodations.
Liam took Damien, Michael, and Veronica to the Colosseum, where the tournament was held.
The inside of the Colosseum was filled with knights who were eager to participate in the tournament.
¡°Brother, look over there. They¡¯re wearing strange armor.¡±
Michael looked around with a curious expression.
Meanwhile, the group arrived at the imperial official who was taking applications. The official, wearingrge sses, spoke.
¡°Where are you from?¡±
¡°Wee from the Apple Kingdom.¡±
At Liam Bluegreen¡¯s words, the official began to rummage through the paperwork.
¡°Ah, here it is. Michael Ryanbloom, Veronica Sanchez for middle ss, and Damien Haksen for high ss. Is that correct?¡±
The attention of the surrounding knights was drawn to the name Damien Haksen.
Damien Haksen? Is it that guy from the Apple Kingdom?
I heard he became a high ss even though he hasn¡¯t been holding a sword for very long.
People began to murmur as they looked at Damien.
-Hey, idiots. You don¡¯t believe that nonsense about him bing a high ss in less than a year, do you?
-There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible. That guy must have been spreading rumors.
-We need to expose that guy¡¯s true colors at this tournament.
The majority of them were not friendly towards Damien. Some even seemed hostile.
¡°We want to change the registration list a bit.¡±
¡°Change it, you say?¡±
¡°We had some changes along the way.¡±
Liam Bluegreen said with a sly smile.
¡°We want to have Michael Ryanbloom participate in the high ss instead of the middle ss.¡±
Veronica clicked her tongue. Michael looked down at her with a smug expression.
¡°It seems you have gained a stroke of luck along the way.¡±
The official said with a curious expression.
¡°Congrattions. Then the Apple Kingdom will have two participants in the high ss.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s not quite true. Damien Haksen will be participating in a different event.¡±
¡°A different event?¡±
¡°He will be participating in the tournament as a Master ss.¡±
At that moment, the official froze. He looked up at Liam Bluegreen and blinked.
¡°M-May I speak frankly, sir?¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°Deception of rank is strictly prohibited in the Helian tournament. If discovered, not only the knight in question but the entire kingdom will be punished¡¡±
¡°It seems you don¡¯t believe me.¡±
A wry smile appeared on Liam Bluegreen¡¯s face.
¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need you to do me a favor, Sir Damien.¡±
Damien raised Dawn high into the air.
A blue light burst forth. The aurade enveloped the de of Dawn.
-¡¡.
In that instant, the entire Colosseum fell silent.
¨C Oh, oh¡ the aurade!
¨C H-he¡¯s really a Master ss?
Then, in a matter of seconds, the entire Colosseum was shaken by the screams of the crowd.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 209
Chapter 209
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 209: Shocked (3)
***
The Colosseum¡¯s interior erupted into a frenzy in an instant.
¡°An aurade?¡±
¡°Woah, is it a fake?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How could there be a fake aurade?¡±
The knights stared at the aurade Damien had created, their faces filled with shock.
¡°A Masterss has been born in the Apple Kingdom.¡±
¡°The bnce of power on the continent will shift.¡±
¡°We must report this to our homnd immediately.¡±
Unlike the Empire or the Church, in other kingdoms, Master ss knights were rare beings, appearing perhaps once a century.
As such, the influence a Master ss had on surrounding kingdoms was immense once one was born.
¡°But how old is that guy?¡±
¡°Even if he¡¯s stretching the truth, he can¡¯t be older than mid-20s.¡±
¡°A Masterss at such a young age¡ I can¡¯t believe my eyes even though I¡¯m seeing it.¡±
It was Damien¡¯s age that made the wandering knights interested in him, as they were not affiliated with any kingdom.
There weren¡¯t many instances throughout history where someone ascended to Masterss in their 20s.
¡°Even the Empire would have a hard time finding someone this talented.¡±
¡°Only someone like the Imperial Supreme Sword or the Sword Saint could do it.¡±
¡°I did hear rumors that a new monstrous talent had appeared in the Empire recently.¡±
¡°Perhaps the winner of the tournament has already been decided.¡±
The antagonistic gazes changed in an instant.
The people looked at Damien with eyes filled with shock, awe, and reverence.
¡°It seems the proof isplete, so we¡¯ll be taking our leave now.¡±
Liam led his group out of the Colosseum.
Even after they left, the Colosseum buzzed with talk about Damien.
***
Damien and others exited the Colosseum without a word.
¡°Brother! Did you see that? They were all so stunned by your aurade that they couldn¡¯t even make a peep!¡±
As soon as they stepped outside, Michael rejoiced as if it were his own achievement.
It seemed he was in a good mood after giving those who had initially ignored Damien a taste of his power.
¡°Why don¡¯t we go in and rest quickly instead? I¡¯m getting tired now.¡±
Veronica said, yawning. Michael red at her and scolded her.
¡°Everything is decided by brother and Sir Liam. Middle-ss people like you should just stay quiet.¡±
¡°What, what? Are you done talking?¡±
¡°No, there¡¯s more. Don¡¯tin about being Middle-ss.¡±
Veronica¡¯s face turned beet red at Michael¡¯s teasing. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to argue with him.
Ignoring the two of them, Damien asked Liam.
¡°Sir Liam, where should we go now?¡±
¡°Just wait a moment. I told them to send someone here once we got a room.¡±
As if on cue, a soldier wearing the armor of the Apple Kingdom came running from a distance.
¡°I apologize for the dy. It took us a long time to find a room¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. Did you find a room?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
The soldier¡¯s expression hardened.
¡°All the high-ss inns, and even the decent ones, are fully booked.¡±
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°Yes, there are some inns left¡ but they are all of low quality¡¡±
Liam¡¯s expression turned troubled at the soldier¡¯s words.
He hade to the Empire as an envoy of the Apple Kingdom, so he couldn¡¯t just choose any inn.
What¡¯s more, if they stayed in a bad inn, they wouldn¡¯t be able to recover from their fatigue properly. It could have a negative impact on the Helian tournament.
¡°What should we do¡¡±
Liam fell into deep thought. While observing Liam¡¯s troubled expression, Damien recalled something he had forgotten.
¡°Sir Liam, I heard that there are many mansions in the imperial capital that have been prepared by nobles from other regions.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. There are many mansions that the nobles use when they are on business in the capital¡ Surely you¡¯re not suggesting we rent one of those mansions? I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s not possible.¡±
Liam shook his head.
¡°The nobles will only rent out their mansions to kingdoms they have close ties with. For a weak kingdom like our Apple Kingdom, it¡¯s a pipe dream.¡±
The Empire was the most powerful on the continent, and its nobles held powerparable to that of kingdoms.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±
Damien opened his subspace and took out an old silver ring.
¡°What¡¯s that ring?¡±
Liam asked with a curious expression.
¡°This is a ring that symbolizes the sessor of Duke Lichteawer.¡±
¡°Ah, I see. It¡¯s quite valuable for something so old¡¡±
In the next instant, Liam¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head.
Duke Lichteawer was one of the seven great families that symbolized the Empire.
They were one of the few families who could speak out against the Emperor, who held absolute power.
¡°Why do you have something so precious?¡±
¡°I received it directly from the sessor of Duke Lichteawer.¡±
It was a few months ago when Damien had embarked on a journey to the headquarters of the Church.
On his way there, Damien had happened to meet the sessor of Duke Lichteawer.
Her name was Rachel Lichteawer, and she was the person who would one day be known as the Sword Empress.
At that time, Damien had won a duel against Rachel, and in return, he had received this ring.
¡°She said she would repay me if I took this ring¡ I think I need to use it now.¡±
Damien tossed the ring into the air, caught it and said.
¡°Let¡¯s go to Duke Lichteawer¡¯s mansion.¡±
As Damien was about to leave with his group to Duke Lichteawer¡¯s mansion, the door of the tavern burst open and a man was thrown out.
His hair was disheveled and his clothes were in rags. He smelled of sweat and grime as if he hadn¡¯t washed in a long time.
¡°No money, no booze! If youe to my ce again, you¡¯ll be dead for sure!¡±
The woman who appeared to be the tavern owner spat out a string of insults and mmed the door shut.
¡°Water¡ someone give me water¡¡±
The middle-aged many on the floor, mumbling drunkenly.
Of course, no one offered him any water. They all just passed him by with disgusted looks on their faces.
¡°What a pathetic human being.¡±
Liam Bluegrin muttered, clicking his tongue.
¡°Sir Damien, then let¡¯s get going¡ where are we going?¡±
Damien approached the middle-aged man. He bent down and looked into his face.
¡°Haah¡¡±
Damien let out a long sigh. It was because he recognized the face.
Damien took out a water bottle from his subspace and handed it to the man.
¡°Water! Water!¡±
The man opened the bottle and gulped down the water. Then hey back down on the floor and fell asleep again.
Sigh!
Damien sighed again and called over a soldier.
¡°Carry this man.¡±
¡°Huh? This beggar?¡±
The soldier asked in surprise. Damien nodded.
¡°Yes, carry him. Treat him with respect, don¡¯t just throw him around.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, the soldier reluctantly picked the man up on his back.
¡°Sir Damien, why are you picking up this beggar?¡±
Liam asked with a puzzled expression. Damien answered casually.
¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±
***
¡®Bored.¡¯
The future Sword Empress.
Rachel Lichteawer was currently battling intense boredom.
¡°I-It¡¯s an honor to meet you, L-Lady¡¡±
It was because of the man sitting in front of her.
Arge build like a bear, overly developed arms, and a face full of beard.
Despite his bandit-like appearance, the man was blushing in front of Rachel.
¡°Y-You¡¯re even more beautiful than I heard you were!¡±
¡°You¡¯re ttering me.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not! I¡¯ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you, Lady Rachel! N-Not that I¡¯ve seen many women, though¡¡±
Rachel suppressed the urge to jump up and leave immediately.
Rachel was not originally a very patient person. However, she needed to be patient with this man.
Bradley Heath.
The second son of Marquis Heath, a genius who had ascended to Master ss at a young age in histe 20s.
Even Duke Lichteawer¡¯s family could not ignore such a person.
¡°L-Lady Rachel¡ H-Have you been seeing anyely¡¡±
¡°No.¡±
Bradley¡¯s face brightened considerably. Rachel couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at his expression.
It was all too clear what this man wanted.
Most of the men who met Rachel had the same reaction. So it was impossible not to know.
However, Rachel had no intention of reciprocating Bradley¡¯s feelings.
It wasn¡¯t just that Bradley wasn¡¯t her type, but she also had no ns to get married at all.
¡®I¡¯m so busy training my sword, what kind of marriage is this?¡¯
She wondered how she could naturally get rid of Bradley. As she was thinking,
¡°Lady, I¡¯m here.¡±
The door to the reception room opened and a man entered. It was David, Rachel¡¯s attendant.
¡°David, don¡¯t you see that we have a guest?¡±
Rachel said with a feigned stern expression. But her true feelings werepletely different.
¡®David. Thank you foring in when the time is right.¡¯
¡®You¡¯re wee.¡¯
Rachel and David quickly exchanged nces.
Having been together for so long, this level ofmunication was easy.
¡°I apologize. I thought it was a very important guest¡¡±
¡°An important guest?¡±
¡°A knight from the Apple Kingdom has brought a ring with Duke Lichteawer¡¯s crest on it.¡±
A knight from the Apple Kingdom, a ring with the Duke Lichteawer¡¯s crest.
The moment the two wordsbined, one person came to mind.
¡°Surely¡?¡±
¡°Yes, Sir Damien Haksen is here.¡±
Rachel¡¯s face broke into a bright smile. Rachel rose from her seat without realizing it.
Bradley looked at Rachel with a surprised expression.
¡°Lady Rachel?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I have a very important guest.¡±
Rachel said something vague and ran out of the reception room.
How could she forget the name Damien Haksen?
The man who had defeated her, the greatest talent in the history of the Lichteawer family, in one fell swoop.
Since then, Rachel had devoted herself to training. With the sole determination to defeat that man, she had risen to the ranks of High ss.
¡®Finally, I can get my revenge!¡¯
Rachel almost flew down to the first floor. As soon as she saw Damien¡¯s face, she shouted loudly.
¡°Damien! You haven¡¯t forgotten our promise, have you? Duel me right now¡¡±
However, the moment she saw Damien¡¯s face, Rachel lost her words.
It was because of the atmosphere she felt from Damien.
Just approaching him made her feel like her body was getting heavy. Her instincts kept sending her warnings.
She had felt a simr feeling several times from her father and other knights when she was at the main house.
¡°¡Master ss?¡±
Shock appeared on Rachel¡¯s face.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 210
Chapter 210
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 210: The Young Genius (1)
***
Damien was slightly impressed.
While he hadn¡¯t exactly been hiding his strength, he hadn¡¯t expected Rachel to recognize him as a Master ss at a nce.
Indeed, her senses were as sharp as befitting the future Sword Empress.
¡°Ah, you¡ are you really Sir Damien?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think there was another person in the world who looked like this.¡±
Damien said, mixing a bit of a joke into his words. At this, Rachel¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°This arrogant tone¡ you must be Sir Damien!¡±
¡°Who¡¯s being arrogant to whom here?¡±
¡°How long has it been since we met up and you became a Master ss¡ this is ridiculous! I worked my ass off to be a High-ss!¡±
Rachel eximed, her voice filled with disbelief.
In truth, for her age, bing a High ss was already an incredible feat of growth.
The problem was that she wasparing herself to Damien.
¡°I thought I could finally avenge myst defeat this time! But you have grown even further in the meantime! Does heaven really have no eyes?¡±
Rachel showed no signs of calming down easily. Damien decided to leave her alone for a while.
¡°Throughout history, the youngest Master ever was the Sword Saint, who became Master before the age of 18, and the Imperial Supreme Sword, who became Master at the age of 20¡¡±
Youngest Master ss.
Damien had also coveted that title, but it was already toote.
After all, he had already been over 20 when he regressed.
¡°There are only a handful of people who have be Masters in their early twenties¡ and you¡¡±
Before she knew it, Rachel was lost in her own world. It seemed that the shock was great.
¡°¡It¡¯s fantastic.¡±
Rachel suddenly looked up at Damien. Her eyes were gleaming ominously.
¡°It¡¯s really the best that I can challenge a genius like you to a duel.¡±
Rachel gripped the hilt of her sword. In that instant, a fierce aura emanated from her.
It was simr to killing intent, but different. It was simr to hostility but distinctly different.
This was fighting spirit.
The emotion Rachel harbored was fighting spirit. In short, she was itching to fight Damien.
¡°You¡¯ve seen what I¡¯m capable of, and you still want to fight me?¡±
¡°Just fighting a strong person like you will broaden my horizons. I can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡±
Only now did Damien get a sense of what kind of person the Sword Empress was.
Despite her appearance as a typical nobledy, she was a ferocious battle maniac.
¡°¡Brother, who is that woman?¡±
Just then, Michael asked from the side. Michael had a very tense expression on his face.
Even though they were both High ss, Michael was overwhelmed by the fighting spirit that Rachel exuded.
It was understandable that Michael was so overwhelmed.
¡®In terms of talent, she¡¯s more outstanding.¡¯
In his previous life, Michael was also very talented in swordsmanship that he lost his motivation for life and lived a dissolute life.
After being defeated miserably by Rachel, he began to train again.
However, even after reaching Master ss, Michael had never won against the Sword Empress.
The Sword Empress was that much of a genius. She was so great that she would evenpete for the title of Imperial Supreme Sword and Strongest Human in the distant future.
¡°You¡¯re the sessor of Duke Lichteawer.¡±
¡°Are you saying that that crazy¡ no, that dangerous-looking woman is the sessor of Duke Lichteawer?¡±
It was no wonder that Michael was shocked.
The fighting spirit that the Sword Empress possessed had many strange aspects, even to Damien¡¯s eyes.
¡®Well, it¡¯s only natural for a genius to be that way.¡¯
Of the geniuses Damien had seen, none were normal humans. Except for Damien, that is.
¡°Damien, why are you standing still? Are you saying I¡¯m not worthy of your time?¡±
Rachel said with an impatient face. It seemed that she was that much looking forward to a duel with Damien.
As it happened, Damien was also a little curious about how much stronger the Sword Empress had be.
Just as Damien was about to step forward to ept the duel,
¡°Lady Rachel yahhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±
Someone burst out from behind with a thunderous roar.
He was a man of immense size with a thick beard on his face.
He was dressed in luxurious clothes, but they didn¡¯t seem to suit him at all. It was like a bandit trying to imitate a nobleman.
¡°Sir Bradley? Why did youe out of the reception room instead of waiting¡¡±
¡°Ah, how can you deceive me!¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Rachel made a bewildered expression.
¡°You said you weren¡¯t seeing any men! Then who is that guy!¡±
He pointed at Damien and shouted. Rachel and Damien both made dumbfounded expressions.
¡°N-no, what kind of misunderstanding is this¡ I¡¯m not like that with that man!¡±
¡°You were looking at that man with a burning gaze just a moment ago, and you expect me to believe that?¡±
Tears fell from the man¡¯s face.
¡°The reason you haven¡¯t responded to my heart until now is all because of that man!¡±
¡°Absolutely not. So please don¡¯t misunderstand¡¡±
The man wiped the corners of his eyes with his thick forearms. Then, he strode towards Damien.
¡°My name is Bradley Heath! I would like to hear your name!¡±
¡°¡My name is Damien Haksen.¡±
For a moment, Damien¡¯s eyes widened. He remembered where he had heard the name Bradley Heath.
¡®That¡¯s the Fist King?¡¯
During the War of Destruction, there were Master sses in the empire who were called the New Generation and feared by the dark mages.
While rtively youngpared to the other Master sses, the new generation was already far more knowledgeable than their seniors.
This was because they were far more talented and skilled than the other Master sses.
Among this new generation, one particrly powerful figure was Fist King Bradley Heath.
Having ascended to the realm of Masterss as a swordsman, he was a man whose entire body was a weapon. Once he stepped onto the battlefield, no one could stop him.
At the same time, he was known to the world as a paragon of purity. This was because he had courted the Sword Empress for his entire life.
He had even gone so far as to change his title for her sake.
Originally called the ¡®Indomitable Punching Bear¡¯ he suddenly one day called himself the ¡®Fist King¡¯.
¨C Wouldn¡¯t a man worthy of the Sword Empress be called the Fist King?
However, not everyone was pleased with this.
First of all, Fist King was not skilled enough to be the Sword Empress¡¯s match.
While he had risen to prominence, he could not bepared to the Sword Empress, who was considered a candidate for the strongest human.
Most importantly, he was too old.
The age difference between the two was over 12 years. With the Sword Empress now an adult, Bradley was already in his 30s.
Other than that, Damien had no information about Fist King.
This was because Fist King had been killed by Pandemonium before he met Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen? I¡¯ve heard of you. I¡¯ve heard that you are a representative High-ss of the Apple Kingdom¡.¡±
Bradley Heath stared at Damien intently.
¡°Master ss? Surely you¡¯ve been hiding your true strength?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it. On my way to the Empire¡.¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s not important. I have a favor to ask of you.¡±
At that moment, Damien felt a foreboding sense that he was about to be embroiled in something troublesome.
¡°I would like you to duel me here.¡±
¡°¡Why me?¡±
Damien looked at Bradley with a dumbfounded expression.
¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? To impress Lady Rachel, of course!¡±
¡°Impress?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Bradley pounded his chest as he spoke.
¡°Women are attracted to strong men, you know!¡±
Damien nced at Rachel. He asked her with his eyes if she agreed with this statement.
Of course, Rachel shook her head from side to side.
Now he understood why the Sword Empress had avoided the Fist King in his previous life.
The man was ridiculous, but on the other hand, Damien was also curious.
He wondered just how strong the man who had called himself the Fist King in his previous life really was.
¡°Fine.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°They say that even dead people grant requests, so how can you refuse a request from a living person?¡±
Damien took a step.
Just then, the air around them grew heavy. It pressed down on the Fist King like a lump of coal.
¡°¡!¡±
The Fist King¡¯s eyes widened. But that was only for a moment.
¡°¡Hoo!¡±
The Fist King took a deep breath and gathered his strength.
The auras of Damien and the Fist King shed in the air. The air was pushed away, creating a wind.
¡°Impressive. There aren¡¯t many Master sses who can match this body of mine.¡±
¡°The world is a big ce, after all. So, where do you n to do it?¡±
¡°Follow me. There¡¯s a training ground prepared outside.¡±
That¡¯s when Bradley said,
¡°Kreeeaaaah¡¡±
The man who had been carried on the soldier¡¯s back groaned strangely and stretched.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡ My stomach is churning¡ I think I¡¯m going to puke¡¡±
The man got off the soldier¡¯s back and fell to the ground. He fell to the ground and dry heaved.
¡°Ugh¡ Where am I now?¡±
The man looked around. Then he spotted Damien and Bradley Heath.
¡°Oh ho?¡±
Suddenly, the man approached the two. He examined their bodies and eximed repeatedly.
¡°Oh ho, oh ho, oh hoho.¡±
¡°Who are you¡ Hey, Don¡¯t touch me!¡±
The strange man began to run his hands up and down Bradley¡¯s body. Bradley freaked out and shook the man off.
But the man dodged Bradley¡¯s gestures and touched all parts of his body.
¡°Excellent. You¡¯re thoroughly trained. I can see how much excruciating effort you¡¯ve put in.¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to find an opponent based on physical ability alone! It¡¯s the most ideal fighter¡¯s body!¡±
¡°It seems like it¡¯s been a while since you reached Master ss. You¡¯ve grown so much in that time. I have high hopes for the future.¡±
The man nodded and eximed.
Only then did Bradley realize that the man was no ordinary person.
¡°¡Who are you, sir?¡±
¡°Me? I gave up my name in the old days. But everyone seems to understand when I say this.¡±
The man replied to Bradley¡¯s question, pushing back his bangs that covered his face.
¡°They call me the Sword Saint.¡±
***
The surroundings fell silent at the man¡¯s introduction.
¡°That sounds like a lie.¡±
¡°I think, he is lying.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡±
No one believed the man¡¯s words. The man was shocked by the reactions around him.
¡°Ah, no, I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m the Sword Saint¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen Sword Saint from afar once.¡±
Bradley said, ring at the man with a fierce look.
¡°Even at the age of over 80, he looked as young as a young man. But you look like you¡¯re in your middle age.¡±
¡°Ah¡ so that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t recognize me.¡±
The man chuckled bitterly.
¡°Just wait a moment.¡±
Suddenly, the man gathered his mana. In an instant, a huge wave of energy erupted.
Even though it was just a wave, people felt as if their whole bodies were shaking. They could see frightened birds flying out of the windows.
Steam rose from the man¡¯s body. At the same time, his face changed.
Wrinkles disappeared and his skin tone brightened. His cloudy eyes became clear.
In the blink of an eye, the middle-aged man had transformed into a young man.
¡°Uh¡?¡±
¡°Oh¡?¡±
Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with astonishment.
Except for Damien, who was the only one.
¡®He¡¯s an amazing man, as expected.¡¯
The Sword Saint.
The only transcended who symbolized the empire along with the Imperial Supreme Sword.
His realm was so high that he could even control the age of his physical body at will.
Damien had realized that the man was the Sword Saint early on.
That¡¯s why he deliberately gave him water and brought him here. There weren¡¯t many opportunities to do a favor to a great man like the Sword Saint.
The reason the Sword Saint was wandering the streets was none other than this.
The Sword Saint had long since surpassed the level of training where he wielded a sword.
What the Sword Saint needed to reach the next level was to refine his mental state.
For that, the Sword Saint was wandering the streets and living like a beggar.
¡°It seems you finally believe me.¡±
The Sword Saint said with a grin. Everyone¡¯s heads nodded slowly.
¡°Well, I haven¡¯t examined your body yet.¡±
The Sword Saint turned to Damien.
Since he was not a man who could be stopped anyway, Damien obediently spread his arms wide.
¡°Do as you please.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a quick learner.¡±
The Sword Saint immediately attached himself to Damien and began to examine his body.
¡°Oh ho? Oh hoho?¡±
He eximed in admiration repeatedly. But that didn¡¯tst long either.
All of a sudden, the Sword Saint¡¯s expression hardened. Then he said with a dumbfounded look on his face.
¡°What the hell, is this guy crazy?¡±
***
The Sword Saint continued speaking with an incredulous expression.
¡°Judging by your unstable mana, it seems you haven¡¯t been a Master ss for long. How did you manage to train your body to this level?¡±
¡°The Master ss¡¯s bodies are strong, but¡ this guy is beyond the limit. I almost mistook him for a humanoid monster.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t just about having superior physical abilities. All of his bodily functions are optimized forbat. It¡¯s like looking at a razor-sharp sword that¡¯s been honed to perfection.¡±
¡°I feel sorry for anyone who has to face this guy as an enemy. It¡¯s really chilling.¡±
After a long rant, the Sword Saint turned to Bradley and asked.
¡°Are you nning to fight this guy?¡±
¡°Yes, I am!¡±
¡°Give it up.¡±
The Sword Saint said bluntly.
¡°You can¡¯t beat him.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 211
Chapter 211
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 211: The Young Genius (2)
***
¡°Sir! What are you saying?¡±
Bradley¡¯s face turned red with anger at the Sword Saint¡¯s words.
¡°You just said that Damien became a Master ss not long ago, didn¡¯t you!¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already been a Master ss for several years! Are you saying I¡¯m weaker than him?¡±
No matter how important talent was in this world, the difference in time couldn¡¯t be ignored.
Bradley had reached Master ss before Damien.
He had trained for a longer period and umted more experience.
¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s natural that you wouldn¡¯t ept it. I¡¯d feel the same way.¡±
The Sword Saint scratched his temple.
¡°But what can I do? Everything I said is true. Damien¡¯s physical abilities have already surpassed yours. If the gap is this wide, there¡¯s no way to win no matter what you do.¡±
Bradley looked at Damien with an incredulous expression. Damien shrugged his shoulders.
¡®It¡¯s probably because of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.¡¯
The mana cultivation technique Damien was practicing, the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, had the ability to strengthen the body.
The techniques¡¯s effectiveness increased as the battle intensity increased.
During the battle with the Weapon Master, Damien had used it to its limits. And on top of that, he had also consumed legendary elixirs.
As a result, Damien had acquired a physical body that was different from other Master ss individuals.
¡°¡¡I suppose it¡¯s true, Sword Saint.¡±
Despite his words, Bradley¡¯s face was filled with discontent.
¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll ept defeat without a fight.¡±
¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll duel with him after listening to me?¡±
Bradley nodded his head.
¡°Foolish guy¡¡ But you¡¯re right. As a knight, how can I ept defeat without even fighting? It¡¯s unthinkable.¡±
The Sword Saint turned to Damien and asked.
¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to ept this foolish guy¡¯s duel request?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ept it.¡±
Damien, being a natural-born knight, often felt a sense ofpetitiveness when facing a famous knight.
Moreover, the man in front of him was a future figure known as the Fist King.
He was curious about how strong he was at this point, what techniques he used, and what kind of realm he had reached.
¡°Thank you, Sir Damien, for granting my request.¡±
Bradley clenched his fists, and a heavy sound echoed.
¡°Then let¡¯s go outside. Let¡¯spete with each other at the training grounds¡¡.¡±
¡°Who gave you permission?¡±
Rachel spoke up with a stern voice at that moment.
¡°Do you think I¡¯d let you fight with Master ss individuals in my family¡¯s estate, knowing it would destroy everything around? Do you think I¡¯d permit that?¡±
¡°Haha, Lady Rachel, don¡¯t worry about it. Even if the estate gets destroyed, my family willpensate for all the damages.¡±
¡°Oh, so you¡¯re nning to fight anyway?¡±
Rachel¡¯s lips curled up in annoyance. Bradley¡¯s face stiffened at the instinctive anger.
¡°Sir Bradley, please leave for today.¡±
¡°No, Lady Rachel. We¡¯re men who are going to fight for our honor and pride¡¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll tell Father about it.¡±
As soon as Father, the Duke Lichteawer, was mentioned, Bradley¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°¡I suppose the duel will have to be postponed, Sir Damien.¡±
Bradley looked disappointed.
¡°Will you be participating in the Helian tournament?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Great! Then let¡¯spete at the Helian tournament!¡±
Bradley puffed out his chest confidently.
¡°The Sword Saint said I¡¯m weaker than you, but I won¡¯t ept that. From today on, I¡¯ll prepare fully and meet you at the Helian tournament. I¡¯ll definitely win¡¡.¡±
¡°Are you not leaving? Do you want me toin to Father about the you?¡±
¡°¡Let¡¯s just see each other at the Helian tournament then!¡±
Bradley left, almost as if he was being chased away.
¡°¡Why aren¡¯t you leaving, Sword Saint?¡±
After Bradley left, Rachel red at the Sword Saint.
The Sword Saint coughed awkwardly.
¡°This kid has be so arrogant. She used to call me uncle and follow me around like a puppy, but now it¡¯s like she¡¯s a different person.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I¡¯ll tell Grandfather about it.¡±
¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s a bit of a problem¡¡.¡±
¡°Then please leave as well, Sword Saint.¡±
Rachel pointed to the door, her tone very firm.
¡°Alright, calm down. Before you leave, I¡¯ll just wrap up my business with Damien.¡±
¡°Yes, please do.¡±
¡°Thank you. Then, Damien.¡±
The Sword Saint turned to Damien and asked.
***
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
Damien rejected him outright, without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
¡°You¡¯re rejecting me even after hearing who I am?¡±
¡°It¡¯s you, old man, who¡¯s being strange. By the time a person reaches the level of a Master ss, you should know that he doesn¡¯t need a teacher.¡±
The Master ss was already walking his own path. He was not in a position to listen to someone else¡¯s advice.
¡°That¡¯s exactly why I want to be your teacher.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll be a big shot even without my help. So when you be famous, my name will be famous too, right?¡±
Everyone looked at Sword Saint with a dumbfounded expression at his unimaginably materialistic reasoning. It was as if they were looking at trash.
¡®Ah, that¡¯s right. He was always this brazen kind of person.¡¯
Even in his previous life, Sword Saint was known as an entric. Since he was impossible to pin down, even the Dark Mage Alliance had a lot of trouble dealing with him.
¡°I¡¯m kidding. As you say, the Master ss doesn¡¯t need to learn from anyone else. But even so, there¡¯s a lot I can teach you.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±
¡°Do you know? Maybe you¡¯ll find the clue to bing a Grandmaster in one of the pieces of advice I give you.¡±
At the mention of the Grandmaster, a look of doubt appeared on everyone else¡¯s face.
It couldn¡¯t be helped. It was because very few people even knew the word Grandmaster.
¡°You¡¯re really confident. Talking about a Grandmaster.¡±
¡°Oh, what is it? Do you know about Grandmasters? The more I look at you, the more interesting you are.¡±
Grandmaster meant the next level above Master ss.
However, it couldn¡¯t be defined in such simple terms. It was a level that could only be reached after jumping over several high walls as a Master ss.
There were very few knights who had reached the level of Grandmaster.
Even knights who were called heroes or legends had not reached the level of Grandmaster and remained at the level of master ss.
This was precisely why so few people knew about Grandmasters. It was because it was not well-known since there were very few people who had reached it.
¡®But for some reason, this generation has produced several grandmasters.¡¯
The Imperial Supreme Sword, the Sword Empress of the distant future, and finally the man Sword Saint standing before him were all Grandmasters.
In addition to them, there were also Grandmasters in the Church and Pandemonium.
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
However, Damien did not need Sword Saint¡¯s advice.
Damien had already reached the level of grandmaster in his previous life.
No, he had even surpassed that level and was looking ahead to the next stage.
¡°And old man, you don¡¯t have to test me in such a way.¡±
¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±
¡°You¡¯re just trying to see if you can trust me with the title of disciple.¡±
At that moment, Sword Saint¡¯s expression changed dramatically.
His expression, which had been continuously feigning ignorance, suddenly turned fierce.
Damien approached Sword Saint. He whispered in a small voice.
¡°You don¡¯t have to be so suspicious.The very name Pandemonium makes my blood boil! Please feel free to call upon whenever the Extermination Squad is on the move.¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s eyes widened. It was as if he was asking how Damien knew that name.
¡®I can¡¯t forget.¡¯
The Extermination Squad was a secret armed force operated by the Empire.
Their goal was to annihte Pandemonium.
Sword Saint had been the leader of the Extermination Squad for a long time.
¡°¡¡I heard you were an honorary pdin of the Church. Surely you can¡¯t know about the Extermination Squad.¡±
¡°I heard it myself when I went to the Church.¡±
It was a lie. But he had to make a connection with the Extermination Squad, even if it meant telling such a lie.
Damien could deal with Pandemonium himself.
The problem was information.
Where they were now. What schemes they were plotting.
There was so much information that he didn¡¯t know even with his memories from his previous life. That¡¯s why Damien needed the Extermination Squad¡¯s help.
¡°It¡¯s intriguing, but¡¡ I can¡¯t trust you so easily. After all, dark mages are always to be suspected.¡±
Sword Saint said, crossing his arms.
¡°But it¡¯s also true that your abilities are too precious to just cast aside. Would you like me to take some time to think about it?¡±
¡°Do as you please.¡±
Sword Saint turned and walked out of the mansion.
¡°Oh, right.¡±
Beforepletely going outside, he turned to Damien and said.
¡°Thank you for the water. I will never forget what happened today.¡±
***
¡°My excitement has died down¡.¡±
Rachel muttered, exhaling a sigh.
¡°Damien, why did youe here?¡±
¡°I came to participate in the Helian tournament, but I don¡¯t have a decent ce to stay. I would be grateful if I could stay here for a while.¡±
¡°Alright. That¡¯s not too difficult.¡±
Rachel readily agreed.
Compared to the ring engraved with the family crest, it was nothing.
¡°But you have to train me whenever I want.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not difficult either.¡±
Rachel¡¯s expression brightened immediately upon hearing the answer.
¡°Really? You promise?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll call some servants to guide you.¡±
Rachel hummed and went inside the mansion.
¡°Haaah.¡±
Michael let out the breath he had been holding as Rachel disappeared.
¡°Brother, is the Empire really this great?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°I thought there was no one my age who was stronger than me except for you, brother.¡±
Michael looked at the direction where Rachel had disappeared with aplicated expression.
¡°And that woman too¡¡ and that man named Bradley Heath just a while ago, didn¡¯t they be master ss when they were young?¡±
Among the knights, there were many who lost their confidence when they came to the Empire.
Even knights like Michael, who were called geniuses were no exception.
This was because the Empire was so vast and there were so many powerful people who were difficult to approach.
The number of Master ss knights was toorge to simply ept that there were many geniuses because there were many people.
Damien didn¡¯t know exactly about this either.
However, he had heard Dorugo¡¯s story that it was because of the oath ced on the Empire.
¡°You¡¯re thinking about all sorts of useless things. You¡¯re a genius no less than them.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Trust me. I¡¯m good at seeing people.¡±
Damien said, patting Michael on the back.
¡°In a few years, you and Veronica will be very powerful. By then, you won¡¯t envy the knights of the Empire.¡±
Michael¡¯s face brightened with confidence.
¡°Veronica, did you hear that? You and I¡¡¡±
Michael turned his head. And he saw Veronica sound asleep standing up.
She was standing still, her head tilted back, snoring.
¡°¡¡That¡¯s my equal?¡±
A look of great displeasure appeared on Michael¡¯s face.
***
After that, Damien and others stayed at the vi of Duke Lichteawer and prepared for the Helian tournament.
Damien spent his time sparring with the Sword Empress, Michael, and Veronica in turns.
And so, time passed and the day of the tournament arrived.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 212
Chapter 212
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 212: Helian Tournament (1)
***
As the day of the tournament arrived, all the citizens of the capital gathered at the Colosseum.
The tens of thousands of seats were filled in an instant. Vendors selling food and drinks were hawking their wares everywhere.
¡°Surely the strongest contender is Archbold, right?¡±
The spectators engaged in heated discussions, anticipating the uing tournament.
The hottest topic was who would win the Master ss event.
¡°Archbold made it to the finalsst tournament. He lost, but it was a close call.¡±
The winner cannot participate in the same event again.
So he had a high chance of winning this time since he came in second in thest tournament.
¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Bradley Heath wasn¡¯t there that time.¡±
The man sitting next to him raised an objection.
The Helian tournament was held every four years. In thest tournament, Bradley Heath was still in the High ss, so he couldn¡¯t participate in the Master ss event.
After the tournament, Bradley Heath was promoted to Master ss. It was much earlier than Archbold.
There was no doubt that Bradley Heath¡¯s talent was superior to Archbold¡¯s. So the man thought Bradley Heath was the more likely winner.
¡°Well, Bradley Heath is a genius, but Archbold has much more experience as a Master ss.¡±
¡°Have you only watched the tournament once or twice? How many times has a talented knight surpassed their seniors?¡±
The two men continued to argue heatedly. Then, the man sitting in front of them turned around and said to them.
¡°It seems you two are behind on the news.¡±
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°Does it matter who I am? You were talking about Archbold and Bradley as winners. I think differently. There¡¯s a knight who¡¯s been absolutely amazingtely.¡±
The two men listened intently to the man¡¯s words.
¡°Another person?¡±
¡°This knight is said to have reached Master ss at the age of just over 20.¡±
¡°What? Early 20s?¡±
The two men looked incredulous.
Bradley Heath, whom the two men had just been discussing, had reached Master ss in histe 20s.
And yet, Bradley Heath was being hailed as a prodigy who had appeared in the empire after decades.
So there was someone who had reached Master ss at an even younger age than Bradley Heath?
¡°I heard it¡¯s a knight named Damien Haksen from the Apple Kingdom.¡±
However, the two men¡¯s expressions turned grim at the mention of the Apple Kingdom.
¡°The Apple Kingdom? He¡¯s not an imperial knight.¡±
¡°A knight from another kingdom as a contender for the tournament? That¡¯s the most ridiculous thing I¡¯ve ever heard!¡±
In the Helian Tournament, regardless of the event, most of the winners were imperial knights.
This was because imperial knights were simply better than knights from other kingdoms.
This was also a source of pride for the imperial citizens. It meant that the imperial knights were the strongest on the continent.
¡°Anyway, Archbold is going to win!¡±
¡°What are you talking about! It¡¯s Bradley Heath!¡±
The two men started arguing again, raising their voices. The man clicked his tongue and turned his attention back to the front.
¡°Hey, you there! Bet on the winner and test your judgment and luck!¡±
Then, a boy was seen walking around with a makeshift stand around his neck.
¡°Hey,e here?¡±
¡°Yes! Are you taking bets?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The man took out a gold coin and ced it on the stand.
¡°Five gold coins on Damien Haksen.¡±
It was a considerable amount of money, but there was no hesitation on the man¡¯s face.
[PR/N- Sword saint?]
***
Inside the Colosseum¡¯s waiting room.
Michael looked around at the other knights and said.
¡°They sure are different from the knights of the kingdom.¡±
¡°Even if they¡¯re wearing the same armor, I think you can tell the difference. The knights of the empire have a lot more presence.¡±
The waiting room was filled with knights who were participating in the tournament.
Of course, not all of the knights were there. Some of the knights from the empire, tJose from powerful families, were given private rooms.
¡°There are a lot of old families in the empire.¡± Damien said nonchntly.
It wasn¡¯t really surprising that the knights of the empire were better.
The old families had ess to more advanced mana cultivation techniques and swordsmanship.
Moreover, since the empire had gathered all the wealth and riches from the continent, it was very easy to obtain highly effective elixirs.
¡°And don¡¯t act like you¡¯re weak. Don¡¯t you think I can¡¯t tell, everyone is looking down on you?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Michael scratched the back of his head.
Michael was originally a very arrogant knight. He was so confident that he believed there was no genius under the heavens who could surpass him.
Although he had changed since meeting Damien, his character couldn¡¯tpletely disappear.
¡°To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for Lady Rachel, I think I could win against anyone.¡±
During his stay at the estate, Michael often sparred with Rachel.
The result was Michael¡¯s defeat. He didn¡¯t even get to fight properly and lost.
Considering Rachel¡¯s skills, it was only natural. In his past life, Michael had never beaten Rachel even once.
¡°So, are you going to give up easily?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no way I would. I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge.¡±
Michael¡¯s eyes turned sharp.
Damien smiled wryly. ording to his expectations, Michael would likely lose again this time.
However, one never knew what would happen in life. Moreover, Michael¡¯s abilities couldn¡¯t be underestimated.
¡°But how is the tournament going to proceed?¡±
¡°It will be held six times a day, divided by category.¡±
With many participants, the number of matches held per day was also high.
¡°I¡¯m not worried about the Middle-ss group. There¡¯s no one who seems stronger than her.¡±
Michael said, looking at Veronica.
In the empire, and among the knights of other kingdoms, there was no one who seemed stronger than Veronica.
However, it wasn¡¯t a situation where one could let their guard downpletely.
¡°Ha¡ I¡¯m bored.¡±
Veronica mumbled, leaning against the window.
¡°I want to cut off his ears and nose and make them round¡ I want to insert a de under his skin and peel it off slowly¡¡±
A few days without killing someone had brought Veronica¡¯s mental state to a dangerous level.
The idea that she needed to kill someone to be in a stable mental state was a testament to her twisted nature.
¡°If you sent her to the tournament, but what if she killed someone and caused trouble?¡±
Most of the knights participating in the tournament were from empires or kingdoms. There were some wandering knights, but they were a very small minority.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have everything nned out.¡±
¡°As expected of my brother.¡±
¡°Veronica,e here for a moment.¡±
Hearing the call, Veronica walked over to Damien with heavy steps.
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t kill anyone in this tournament. Don¡¯t even wound them with your sword.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ll try.¡±
Her attitude was extremely nonchnt. It seemed that she had no intention of taking Damien¡¯s advice seriously.
Michael put on an expectant expression, hoping that Damien would stir up some more trouble.
¡°Didn¡¯t I promise you that I would grant you a wish if you reach High-ss faster than himst time?¡±
¡°Yes, you did. But I failed.¡±
¡°If I win the tournament without breaking the rules I mentioned,
I will let you stab me wherever you want.¡±
But her eyes lit up at the words that followed.
¡°¡¡Really?¡±
¡°Yes, really.¡±
¡°Are you serious? I¡¯ll get mad if you break your promise?¡±
¡°No, No, I will break the promise.¡±
Veronica¡¯s eyes began to burn with determination.
Then Michael whispered with a worried expression.
¡°¡¡Brother, are you really going to grant her wish?¡±
¡°Well, I said I would let her stab me, not that I would be doing nothing.¡±
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t dodge, did I?¡±
Michael¡¯s expression became nk for a moment at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°The Middle-ss event is about to begin! Lady Veronica Sanchez, please enter the arena!¡±
The imperial official shouted loudly. Veronica ran out cheerfully.
And as soon as it started, she imed victory.
She dodged the opponent¡¯s attack and held a sword to their throat.
¡°Wow, wow! What was that just now? How did you do that?¡±
¡°Wait, where did that womane from?¡±
¡°I heard it was the Apple Kingdom.¡±
The spectators apuded with shocked faces at her neat trick.
However, Veronica was not very interested in the attention of the spectators.
¡°Damien Haksen! You have to keep your promise!¡±
That was all she shouted towards the waiting room.
***
Several more middle-ss matches followed. Cheers erupted from the stands every time the match ended.
¡°Brother, it¡¯s my turn next.¡±
¡°Alright, do your best.¡±
Damien offered no advice, as he was well aware of Michael¡¯s abilities.
Just as Damien had expected, Michael returned after easily defeating his opponent.
He had broken his opponent¡¯s weapon with a broadsword, crushing their fighting spirit.
¡°Wow, can weapons be broken so easily?¡±
¡°No way. That must be an incredibly strong sword.¡±
¡°I heard that knight is also from the Apple Kingdom.¡±
¡°The Apple Kingdom? Didn¡¯t they never make a mark in the tournament before?¡±
The spectators cheered while also gossiping about Michael.
¨C The next event will begin in 30 minutes!
Soldiers standing around the Colosseum shouted to the spectators.
¨C The next event is the Master ss!
¨C The match between Bradley Heath and Ulysses Hoplite will be held!
Finally, the match that everyone had been waiting for was about to begin.
***
Bradley climbed up to the arena.
¡°Bradley Heath!¡±
¡°The glory of the Empire!¡±
¡°Win for sure!¡±
The cheers of the spectators poured down, but Bradley was indifferent.
This was because all his attention was focused elsewhere.
Bradley looked at the waiting room. To be precise, he red at Damien, who was standing by the window of the waiting room.
¨C You can¡¯t beat this guy.
Since that day, Bradley had intensified his training. He pushed himself to the limit every day.
To defeat Damien?
No way. Bradley Heath thought he was stronger than Damien.
Even so, the reason Bradley Heath was so devoted to training was because of the Sword Saint.
No matter how much the Sword Saint was called the hero of the Empire, he couldn¡¯t bear to hear such words.
He nned to show the Sword Saint by winning the tournament with overwhelming power.
You¡¯re wrong.
I¡¯m this strong, you see.
¡°Nice to meet you.¡±
A voice came from across the way. His opponent, Ulysses Hoplite, was staring at him intently.
Ulysses was holding an axe in each hand. The two axes were Ulysses¡¯s main weapons.
¡°It¡¯s strange that a young man who asked me for pointers just a while ago is now a Master ss and fighting me.¡±
When he was in High ss, Bradley had asked Ulysses for training. It was to gain enlightenment to reach Master ss.
¡°I would like to teach you again this time, but¡ I¡¯m in a hurry too.¡±
Ulysses was 40 years old this year. If he was eliminated from this tournament, there would be no more chances.
¡°I understand. I just hope you do your best.¡±
¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±
Ulysses chuckled.
¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±
¡°Please do your best.¡±
As soon as the words were over, the two knights charged at each other.
The double-edged axe and the fist collided several times in the air. With each collision, a faint aura burst out.
Surprisingly, Bradley was blocking all the axes with his bare fists. This was thanks to the aurade wrapped around his fist and forearm.
¡°Amazing! You¡¯ve trained the aurade to this level in such a short time!¡±
The aurade bes stronger with training.
Bradley¡¯s aurade was as strong as Ulysses¡¯s.
¡°It seems like it won¡¯t be easy to end it quickly.¡±
The Helian tournament was long, so stamina management was also very important.
Ulysses had no intention of dragging out this duel.
¡°Bradley. Let me show you something interesting.¡±
Suddenly, Ulysses¡¯s arms began to stretch.
They increased in number from two to four, eight, and sixteen.
Unlike his rough appearance, Ulysses was a user of illusionary swords.
His main technique was to exploit openings by using illusions to deceive his opponent¡¯s eyes and senses.
¡°Last time, I had to teach you, so I didn¡¯t use this technique. I wonder if you can block this.¡±
Dozens of arms released aurades simultaneously.
A huge number of Aurades rained down on Bradley.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Bradley¡¯s eyes wavered. He seemed to be trying to figure out what was real and what was an illusion.
Ulysses smirked at the sight.
It looked like a mixture of fake and real, but in fact, they were all real.
Master ss knights could infuse illusions with mana. In other words, the illusions could be physical.
Just then, Bradley crouched down. His whole body¡¯s muscles contracted.
Ulysses felt a sense of foreboding at the sight.
Before he could even find the source of the foreboding, Bradley lunged forward.
Bradley threw himself into the barrage of Aurades. And in an instant, he enveloped his entire body with aurades.
All of the aurades Ulysses had emitted were shattered.
¡°¡¡You blocked it like that?¡±
Even for a knight, it was incredibly difficult to surround his entire body with aurades.
That¡¯s why Bradley only jumped between the aurades for a split second.
It was actually a crazy thing to do. If he made even the slightest mistake, his body would be torn apart.
But somehow, Bradley seeded. And the reward for his reckless challenge was sweet.
Bradley reached Ulysses in an instant. At the same time, he threw a punch at Ulysses.
Surprised, Ulysses didn¡¯t have time to react. He was unable to dodge and was punched in the chest.
¡°Cough!¡±
Ulysses spat out blood and was pushed back. Bradley pursued Ulysses.
Bradley¡¯s punches rained down relentlessly. Ulysses tried to defend himself by swinging his axes, but it was no use.
Because he had been punched in the chest just a moment ago, his hands were gradually slowing down. He was struggling to block the punches.
¡°¡¡I, I lose.¡±
Ulysses finally dered his surrender. Immediately, the judges dered Bradley¡¯s victory.
¨C Victory goes to Bradley Heath!
As soon as the oue was decided, the spectators erupted in cheers.
¡°I told you! Bradley Heath is the winner!¡±
¡°Wow! Bradley Heath! The glory of the Empire!¡±
The crowd¡¯s reaction was overwhelming. Everyone was cheering his name.
Bradley Heath spread his arms wide and basked in the cheers of the crowd.
¡°¡¡So they call you the glory of the Empire. Impressive indeed.¡±
Ulysses watched the scene with a bitter expression and then left the arena.
***
The cheers of the spectators showed no sign of ending.
¨C Let¡¯s proceed to the next match.
In the end, the referee had toe out and calm them down. This was because they had to proceed to the next match ording to the schedule.
¨C Pleasee up to the arena, Mr. Jose Brendan and Mr. Damien Haksen.
At the referee¡¯s words, Damien climbed up to the arena.
Looking around, he saw the densely packed spectators.
He shifted his gaze a little further and saw the special seats.
In the best position in the Colosseum, a table and chairs were luxuriously prepared.
There, a blond man was sitting with a tired face.
¡®Howard Adrd.¡¯
Damien muttered the man¡¯s name to himself.
The emperor of the empire, the man blessed with gold.
Damien had only seen the man once in his previous life.
He was the man who was standing next to him when he killed Dourgo.
¡°You¡¯re much younger than I thought.¡±
A stranger¡¯s voice came from behind him. He turned his head to see a portly man standing there. It was Jose Brendan, Damien¡¯s opponent.
¡°You just became a Master ss, huh? ¡ And you have to face this body.¡±
Jose Brendan shook his head from side to side. It was a strangely irritating gesture.
¡°My name is Jose Brendan. I¡¯m people called me the Iron Wall.¡±
Jose Brendan raised his weapon.
He showed arge shield that was big enough to cover his body and a short sword.
¡°This is my specialty.¡±
Jose Brendan raised his shield and mmed it down to the ground.
A gray aurade covered the shield.
¡®Wow?¡¯
Damien had never met a Master ss named Jose Brendan in his previous life.
However, that didn¡¯t mean Jose Brendan¡¯s skills were nothing.
Just by looking at the way he covered such a wide area with the aurade, he could tell that he was quite skilled.
¡°Can you break through my shield?¡±
Jose said in a provocative tone. Damien chuckled.
¡°It might be hard to pierce, but I think I can break it.¡±
¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re an interesting guy.¡±
Joseughed out loud. It seemed that he was taking Damien¡¯s words as a joke.
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll have to show you.¡±
Damien took a deep breath. He spread his mana throughout his body with his breath.
The body strengthened by the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation reacted even more sensitively to mana than before.
Unprecedented power surged through his entire body. Damien slightly bent his knees, and the power that had surged through his body began to boil over.
As he straightened his knees and pushed against the ground, the ground cracked apart due to the enormous power.
Damien¡¯s body glowed with a brilliant light and shot forward. He reached Jose¡¯s nose before he could even blink.
¡°What?¡±
Jose¡¯s face filled with shock and astonishment. Without hesitation, Damien swung his sword.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Jose hastily poured strength into his arm, holding up a shield covered with the aurade.
Damien¡¯s sword shed with the shield, producing a deafening sound that seemed like it would shatter one¡¯s eardrums. The shield was smashed to pieces.
The impact sent Jose¡¯s body flying backward. It wasn¡¯t just a stumble, but a full-blown flight.
¡°Kuuh!¡±
Jose quickly regained hisposure and turned to face forward. When he did, his eyes widened to twice their size.
Damien was right in front of him.
Jose had been sent flying, and Damien had immediately pursued him.
It was a speed that defiedmon sense.
¡°¡Is this guy crazy?¡±
Jose was taken aback, and at that moment, Damien swung his sword again.
Jose hastily raised his sword to block the attack.
Two swords, two aurades, shed with each other.
Damien¡¯s sword dug into Jose¡¯s sword, and it was broke it in an instant.
Damien¡¯s sword continued to target Jose¡¯s neck. Just before it reached its target, Damien stopped his sword.
Jose¡¯s skin bled when the aurade touched it.
¡°Do you admit defeat? Do you?¡±
Jose nodded his head with a dazed expression. Only then did Damien sheathe his sword.
There was no apuse. Only silence fell over the Colosseum.
-¡Uh.
Even the judges, who were supposed to dere the winner, were stunned.
-D-Damien Haksen wins!
One of the judges finally managed to scream out the result. Only then did the audience erupt in cheers.
The match had started, and in under a minute, Damien¡¯s victory was decided.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 213
Chapter 213
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 213: Helian Tournament (2)
***
¡°The Knight of the Iron Wall was defeated?¡±
¡°His shield waspletely shattered? That¡¯s the shield that even withstood the blow of an ancient golem!¡±
The audience could only be in awe.
Sir Jose Brendan, the Knight of the Iron Wall, was a fairly famous knight within the empire.
While there might be stronger knights than Jose Brendan, there was no knight who could pierce his shield.
True to that evaluation, Jose Brendan¡¯s shield had never been broken once.
Even among the knights who had defeated Jose, there was no one who had pierced his shield. They had all won by exploiting his weaknesses or using trickery.
But Damien had shattered Jose¡¯s shield in one blow.
¡°Perhaps a new legend is about to be born¡¡±
The majority of the spectators looked at Damien with awe-filled eyes.
However, not everyone was like that.
¡°So what? He still can¡¯t beat Archbold and Bradley, right?¡±
Some spectators were busy belittling Damien.
¡°No matter how great he is, he¡¯s just a knight from the kingdom! He can¡¯t possibly defeat a knight from our empire!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. And Archbold and Bradley are such great knights!¡±
But their arguments were quickly buried.
¡°Those two don¡¯t seem to be as good as Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Damien Haksen shattered the Iron Wall¡¯s shield in one blow and even cut him with his long sword.¡±
¡°It was all over in the blink of an eye, literally.¡±
This was because the battle Damien had shown was so impressive.
He had crushed Jose Brendan head-on without any trickery or strategy.
¡°¡Ugh.¡±
In the end, the spectators who had been trying to belittle Damien had to shut their mouths.
¡°It seems like the winner of the Master ss event has been decided after all?¡±
Everyone agreed at someone¡¯s words.
***
¡°Truly astonishing.¡±
The Emperor of the Empire, Howard Adrd, was genuinely impressed.
As the Emperor, he had met many knights, but he had never seen a knight like Damien.
¡°Did that young man just be a Master ss?¡±
¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It¡¯s undeniable, as it was said by the Sword Saint himself.¡±
The Imperial Guard standing beside the Emperor replied.
¡°Did the Imperial Supreme Sword and the Sword Saint show such a performance in the tournament too?¡±
The Imperial Guard, who stood by the Emperor¡¯s side, was also a Master ss. Despite appearing young, he was actually quite old.
Unlike the Emperor, the Imperial Guard had personally seen the Imperial Supreme Sword and the Sword Saint participate in the tournament.
¡°If I may evaluate the two, they also showed an amazing performance in the tournament, but they couldn¡¯t win as quickly as Damien Haksen did.¡±
The Imperial Guard¡¯s words made the Emperor exim in wonder once more.
The two knights had an immense reputation. The number of legendary feats they had umted was like the grains of sand on the beach.
¡°Take a good look. Perhaps the world will revolve around that man in the future.¡±
The Emperor spoke to his children sitting on either side of him.
The prince and princess stared at Damien with varying emotions in their eyes.
¡°Damien Haksen¡ Damien Haksen¡¡±
The Emperor seemed to be trying to remember the name.
Suddenly, the Emperor¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
***
Damien entered the waiting room, leaving behind the cheers of the crowd.
¡°Brother! You are amazing! You won the fastest out of all the matches that took ce today!¡±
¡°What the heck? How did you do that just now? How did you break his shield?¡±
As soon as he returned to the waiting room, Michael and Veronica rushed over to him.
Michael, needless to say, and even Veronica, who was only interested in killing people, were bombarding him with questions.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Then, another voice was heard. Rachel was running towards him.
¡°What¡¯s up, I thought you were watching from the stands.¡±
Rachel hade as a spectator since she was notpeting today. It was said that she had been assigned the best VIP seat, befitting the sessor of Duke Lichteawer.
¡°How could you just sit there after seeing something like that!¡±
Rachel pushed her way through Michael and Veronica and stood in front of Damien.
¡°More than that, what was that just now? How did you do it? Why didn¡¯t you show me when we were sparring?¡±
¡°¡If I did that to a High-ss knight, you would be dead.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care? If I could die from such a tremendous blow, it would be a blessing!¡±
¡°This is crazy.¡±
Damien looked at Rachel with a dumbfounded expression.
Despite her appearance which suggested she was raised in luxury, her words and actions were not much different from Veronica¡¯s.
He couldn¡¯t help but think that she might be the same type of person as Veronica.
¡°Ah, by the way, Damien. Are you interested in making more connections on the empire¡¯s side?¡±
¡°Why are you asking that all of a sudden?¡±
Before Rachel could answer, there was a suddenmotion outside.
¨C Is it certain that Damien Haksen is here?
Get out of the way! That man has already been marked by our family!
A letter! I just need to deliver one letter!
The footsteps were not of two or three persons. At least several dozen people were approaching this ce.
¡°This is the perfect time to make connections. What do you want to do?¡±
¡°I¡¯m toozy to do it.¡±
Damien answered immediately.
One connection with Rachel was enough. Besides, he didn¡¯t like politics or making more connections, and it would only be a hassle.
¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll have to help you. Did you hear that, David?¡±
¡°Yes, mydy.¡±
A man answered coolly. He was Rachel¡¯s attendant, he always followed Rachel like a shadow.
¡°Everyone, please follow me.¡±
David said, leading the way. The group followed Damien into the depths of the Colosseum.
David guided the group through a secret passage inside the Colosseum.
The secret passage was connected to a civilian house outside the Colosseum.
Thanks to this, Damien was able to return to mansion without encountering any other nobles.
However, the nobles¡¯ obsession was persistent. In a short while, they all gathered at the mansion.
¡°We came after hearing that Sir Damien Haksen is here!¡±
¡°Just give us a little of your time! It won¡¯t be a bad conversation for either of us!¡±
¡°A letter! A letter! Just one letter!¡±
However, the nobles were blocked by Lichteawer¡¯s soldiers and could not enter.
Thanks to this, Damien was able to rxfortably.
***
The next day, the group entered the Colosseum through the secret passage, just like yesterday.
The area around the Colosseum was teeming with nobles looking for Damien.
Today, none of Damien, Michael, or Veronica had matches. So they headed for the stands instead of the waiting room.
¡°You can use this one.¡±
Rachel guided the three to the VIP seat she had been assigned.
The VIP seats were divided into sections, befitting a ce only for high-ranking nobles.
¡°Damien, I have a match today, so please watch me carefully. If you see any problems, please let me know!¡±
¡°Okay, I got it.¡±
Rachel was the only one of the three who had a match today.
¡°Absolutely! Absolutely!¡±
After giving her instructions, Rachel went down to the waiting room.
Damien sat in the VIP seat and watched the matches. The middle-ss matches ended, and the high-ss matches began.
¡°Brother, it¡¯s Lady Rachel.¡±
Rachel¡¯s match began.
Michael watched Rachel¡¯s every move without missing a beat. It seemed that his words about getting revenge for Rachel in thepetition were sincere.
As expected, the match ended with Rachel¡¯s victory.
Rachel dodged her opponent¡¯s attacks with ease and pierced their shoulder with her rapier to im victory.
¡°Rachel! Rachel!¡±
¡°Lichteawer!¡±
The crowd erupted in cheers. Rachel put her hand on her chest and bowed to the crowd in response to their cheers.
Then, her eyes met Damien¡¯s. Rachel gave him a smug look.
¡°Well, well.¡±
Damien chuckled.
¡°Brother, are you going to be out for a while?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to go get something to drink.¡±
Michael and Veronica took advantage of the break between matches to leave their seats to get food.
Then, someone sat in their seats. Damien instinctively looked over.
A man he had never seen before was sitting in their seats.
He looked to be in histe 30s. He had a thick mustache trimmed like a bull¡¯s horn.
¡°Truly worthy of being the sessor to the Duke Lichteawer. She have great talent.¡±
The man said, crossing his legs.
¡°Damien Haksen, please excuse my rudeness. I took the liberty of intruding because I wanted to talk to you directly.¡±
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°My name is Archbold Geller.¡±
It was a name he had heard before.
He was the man Rachel had said was the most promising candidate for the win.
As a Master ss swordsman who wielded a sabre, he was known for his exceptional skills.
¡°Do you have business with me?¡±
¡°Not particrly. I just came to see the most dangerouspetitor.¡±
Archbold Geller¡¯s eyes darkened.
¡°I didn¡¯t think there was anyone to be wary of besides Bardley Heath, but¡ a monster like you suddenly appeared.¡±
As the runner-up of the previous tournament, Archbold Geller exuded an immense pressure.
¡°I¡¯m 39 years old this year. This is myst Helian tournament.¡±
The Helian Tournament had different age limits for each category. While other categories allowed participation up to 25 years old, Master ss was open to those up to 40 years old, due to its extreme difficulty.
The number of matches was also fewerpared to other categories. While other categories had six matches per day, Master ss had only two.
¡°You, as a knight of the kingdom, wouldn¡¯t know. The Helian tournament is an extremely important event for the Empire¡¯s knights.¡±
The tournament was held inmemoration of the Empire¡¯s first emperor, and the winner would have an audience with the emperor and receive a title directly from them.
For the Empire¡¯s knights, the Helian tournament held an immense reputation.
¡°I will definitely win this tournament. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡±
A faint hint of malice was detectable in Archbold¡¯s voice, revealing how obsessed he was with the Helian tournament.
¡°Are you here to threaten me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m here to give you advice. This tournament is very dangerous, so it¡¯s better to give up beforehand if you can.¡±
Archbold turned his gaze to Damien.
¡°You never know. You might unwittingly drink poison or¡ such an ident might happen.¡±
Damienughed at the veiled threat.
-Let¡¯s start the next match! Archbold Geller and Malenka Hibikers, pleasee up to the stage!
At that moment, the judge¡¯s shout was heard. Archbold stood up from his chair.
¡°It¡¯s my turn. I ask that you don¡¯t ignore my warning.¡±
Archbold lightly tapped his foot on the ground and jumped over the audience seats tond on the stage.
¡°Woah!¡±
The audience erupted in amazement at the sight.
¡°Archbold Geller!¡±
¡°Win this time!¡±
Archbold Geller spread his arms wide, enjoying the audience¡¯s cheers.
Meanwhile, another knight came up to the stage. He was the man the judge had called Malenka Hibikers.
¡°You should make a less shy entrance.¡±
Malenka said with a sulky face.
¡°Your attention-seeking nature never gets better.¡±
¡°I think I¡¯m a hundred times better than a stiff man like you.¡±
¡°Just shut up and get ready.¡±
Malenka grasped his sword, taking his stance.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll crush you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be tough, though.¡±
Archbold Geller slowly drew his sabre and smiled.
¡°Don¡¯t get careless likest time. You almost lost your wrist.¡±
¡°Or have you forgotten how you almost lost an eye to my sword?¡±
The two men red at each other, their tension palpable.
Thud! thud!
A strange sound echoed from afar.
Thud! thud!
It sounded like someone was hitting the ground with a cane-like object. The two men turned their attention to the direction of the sound.
A young woman was approaching the stage from a distance.
It was strange, as only participants were allowed to enter the stage, and outsiders were strictly prohibited.
She had arge, cross-like object on her back, covered in ck cloth, making it impossible to identify.
However, what caught the attention of the two men wasn¡¯t the object she was carrying.
The woman had bandages over her eyes. And with a wooden cane, she was tapping the ground, taking slow steps.
¡°Blind?¡±
Archbold asked in a puzzled tone.
The woman stopped in her tracks at his voice, bowed her head, and said.
¡°Ah, hello! I¡¯m Everis! H-h-ha, I¡¯m so nervous!¡±
Everis had covered her mouth with both hands, her face contorted in pain.
Archbold¡¯s expression was incredulous.
¡°What are the guards doing? Why did they let an outsider onto the stage?¡±
¡°Oh, please don¡¯t scold them. I-I-I couldn¡¯t be stopped anyway¡¡±
¡°What nonsense¡¡±
¡°I came from Pandemonium.¡±
Everis¡¯s words made Archbold¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief. He stared at her with an ¡®I-can¡¯t-believe-this¡¯ face.
¡°You, you¡¯re saying¡ your Master ordered you to participate in the Helian Tournament and die¡?¡±
Everis put down the object on her back, and a heavy thud echoed. When she removed the ck cloth, a Two-Handed Sword was revealed.
The de was rtively thin, but its length was an astonishing 2 meters, twice Everis¡¯s height.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. If you kill me here, it¡¯s a win for the Empire.¡±
Everis grasped the Two-Handed Sword with both hands, but the de was so long and heavy that she couldn¡¯t lift it.
¡°I-I-I won¡¯t resent you even if you kill me, s-so please don¡¯t¡¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 214
Chapter 214
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 214: Helian Tournament (3)
***
The faces of the spectators turned pale upon hearing Everis¡¯s words.
No one among the imperial citizens could have not heard of the atrocities of Pandemonium, and so they couldn¡¯t help but feel a great deal of fear.
The sworn enemy of the Empire.
Those who wanted to overthrow the Empire.
A group of the most dangerous dark mages.
To the extent that Pandemonium was involved in most of the major crimes that urred in the Empire.
¡°¡¡How did the scum of Pandemonium get in?¡±
Right now, the Helian tournament, one of the Empire¡¯s biggest events, was being held in this colosseum.
And since even the Emperor was present, security had to be tight.
¡°Did a traitor appear?¡±
The dark mages were like cockroaches, and you never knew when or where they would spread if you left them alone.
After all, dark mages are masters at stimting human desires.
¡°As expected, they¡¯re not the kind of people you should leave alone.¡±
It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Pandemonium was called the sworn enemy of the Empire.
While they were no match for the Empire in terms of power or size, there were many times when the Empire had to backtrack or change its national policy due to their interference.
The Empire had continuously dispatched elite pursuit teams to eradicate Pandemonium root and branch but had not achieved satisfactory results.
And even while hiding from the Empire¡¯s pursuit, Pandemonium was not only constantly plotting evil schemes, but also taking advantage of any opportunity to inflict damage.
¡°Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. I will guard your side.¡±
The guard knight whispered in a small voice.
Right now, the Imperial Knights were surrounding the Emperor. Even if the main force of Pandemonium came, they could not threaten the Emperor.
Moreover, the colosseum was thoroughly separated into the arena and the spectator seats.
In preparation for any unforeseen events, protective magic spells were cast around the arena in multipleyers.
¡°I will give the order to the Knights to subdue the dark knight.¡±
¡°No, stop them.¡±
A look of doubt appeared on the guard knight¡¯s face.
¡°It won¡¯t be difficult to capture a dark knight of that level if we mobilize the Knights. But won¡¯t that shame to us?¡±
They dared to ruin the Helian tournament and only sent one filthy scum. This was a provocation from Pandemonium.
¨C One man here is enough for the Empire.
The corners of the Emperor¡¯s mouth twitched. It had been a long time since he had seen such a tant provocation.
If that¡¯s the way they wanted to y it, I have no choice but to respond in the same way.
The dark knight you sent was nothing.
¡°For now, let¡¯s trust and wait for the participants of the tournament.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The guard knight bowed his head and said.
***
¡°How dare the scum of Pandemonium even mention the Empire in their mouths!¡±
Archbold said with a furious face.
¡°Malenka, step back. I¡¯ll subdue this woman first and then proceed with the match.¡±
¡°Look here? Where are you trying to hog the spotlight? I¡¯ll take this woman on, so you just step back.¡±
The two knights growled at each other.
¡°Excuse me¡¡±
Everis cautiously suggested to the two men.
¡°It would be fine if you both came at the same time¡¡±
¡°What¡¯s this bitch spouting!¡±
¡°Hi, hiick!¡±
¡°If that¡¯s what you prefer, then so be it! Don¡¯t regret it!¡±
¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s no need to be courteous to the likes of Pandemonium.¡±
The two knights lunged at Everis. They swung their weapons simultaneously from the left and right.
¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±
Everis screamed. And then, in the next instant, the position of the two-handed sword had changed.
The Two-Handed Sword, which had been lying on the ground, was suddenly soaring into the air. Moreover, its position had changed to the opposite side.
¡°¡¡?¡±
The faces of the two knights wore a look of bewilderment. When had she moved the weapon? Why hadn¡¯t they seen it?
It was as if two different pictures had been swapped.
The scene was so unnatural and iprehensible.
¡°I-I can¡¯t¡!¡±
Everis couldn¡¯t bear the weight and dropped the Two-Handed Sword to the ground.
At the same time, blood spurted out from the necks of the two knights.
Malenka¡¯s head and body were separated, and Archbold clutched his neck wound and stumbled backwards.
¡°No, no¡?¡±
Those were Archbold¡¯sst words. His eyes rolled back, and his body fell backwards.
He was dead.
Not just any knights, but two Master ss knights had died in the blink of an eye.
The unbelievable spectacle was met with a heavy silence that fell over the entire Colosseum.
¡°What? Is, is it quiet now? Did, did both of them die?¡±
Everis looked around, still unaware of the two knights¡¯ death due to her blindness.
¡°Is, is it true? H-h-heh¡ it¡¯s nothing, really.¡±
Everis scratched the back of her head, looking carefree, when¡
¡°Ahhhh!¡±
A scream erupted from the audience seats. People tried to flee in panic.
As tens of thousands of people moved simultaneously, the colosseum fell into chaos.
¡°Everyone, calm down!¡±
At that moment, a thunderous roar erupted. The people were so surprised that they couldn¡¯t help but freeze in their tracks.
A gigantic knight leaped down from the VIP box. His movements were light for his size.
¡°B, Bradley Heath!¡±
The audience erupted into cheers again at Bradley¡¯s appearance.
¡°The Fist King!¡±
¡°The glory of the Empire!¡±
¡°Bradley Heath!¡±
The imperial citizens cheered, chanting Bradley¡¯s name.
¡°Scum of Pandemonium.¡±
¡°Yes, yes? Me, me?¡±
Everis said, looking ahead. Bradley said with a displeased expression.
¡°Over there, on the left.¡±
¡°Ah, th, thank you.¡±
¡°Enough of that nonsense.¡±
Bradley banged his fist. A heavy wave spread out.
¡°Not only did you dare to ruin the Empire¡¯s event, but you also hurt a knight?¡±
Killing intent radiated from Bradley¡¯s eyes.
¡°I¡¯ll execute you right here on the spot.¡±
***
Despite the fierce killing intent, Bradley didn¡¯t immediately rush towards Everis.
He merely moved in a circle around Everis.
¡®It¡¯s dangerous to confront her head-on.¡¯
To his shame, even Bradley Heath had failed to catch the quick sword that Everis had just disyed.
It was shockingly fast and terrifyingly sharp.
Archbold was killed by her, even though he was a master of the quick sword.
Facing such a quick sword head-on was a fool¡¯s errand.
¡®I need to find an opening.¡¯
Bradley concentrated his mana on his fist. The aurade became even more intense.
¡°Haaat!¡±
He extended his fist towards the air. The aurade was released and flew towards Everis.
¡°Kyaak!¡±
Everis screamed and twisted her body. The aurade grazed past her in the air.
¡°Tch, what are you going to do attacking from so far away!¡±
Bradley ignored Everis¡¯s protest.
His opponent was a dark knight of Pandemonium. There was no need to show her mercy.
More importantly, it was more important to analyze Everis now.
¡®How did she dodge the attack even though she¡¯s blind? Is she pretending to be blind? Or has another sense developed?¡¯
Such cases often ur.
For example, when one of the five senses is lost, the other senses be extremely developed.
Just as blind artists are incredibly sensitive to sound despite not being able to see.
It wouldn¡¯t be strange if such a phenomenon had manifested in Everis.
¡®I need to find out more.¡¯
Bradley circled around Everis and relentlessly unleashed aurades.
¡°Kya! Kyaak!¡±
Every time, Everis narrowly dodged the attacks. Holes were punched in the ground where Everis had been standing.
¡®She¡¯s not seeing. She¡¯s dodging purely by instinct.¡¯
Even when he released the aurade from behind, Everis managed to dodge it. Her reaction speed was the same.
The blindness is certain. Instead, other senses must be developed.
¡®It will be difficult to find an opening. Then I have no choice but to take a risk.¡¯
Bradley crouched down. The muscles in his entire body contracted.
¡®The quick sword is dangerous, but that¡¯s okay. I can block it by surrounding it with the aurade.¡¯
He nned to reuse the method he had used to block a barrage of aurades in yesterday¡¯s match.
Bradley put strength in his legs. If I charge straight ahead¡
At that moment, Everis¡¯s arm tensed up. The next instant, the position of the two-handed sword changed.
What had been on the ground was now soaring into the sky. The moment he realized this, Bradley¡¯s stomach burned.
His abdomen burst open, and blood spurted out. His internal organs spilled out.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Bradley¡¯s face contorted in pain and bewilderment.
What had just happened?
Why the hell did I cut myself?
¡°Bar, you fool, my strikes, Burr, have a lot of range, but do you know why I let you go, go, go?¡±
Everis let out a strange and eerieugh.
¡°Da, it was because it was oo, funny to watch you make a fool of yourself.¡±
Bradley¡¯s body crumpled to the ground like a broken doll.
¡°I, I must¡ escape¡¡±
Although he knew he had to flee, his body wouldn¡¯t move.
¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll cut your th-throat this time.¡±
Everis grasped the Two-Handed Sword again.
Perhaps due to being on the brink of death, Bradley was able to observe Everis¡¯s technique in detail.
The moment Everis twisted her waist, her entire body¡¯s muscles expanded. The massive Two-Handed Sword suddenly sliced through the air.
At the same time, the aurade attached to the Two-Handed Sword extended.
The extended aurade sliced through Bradley¡¯s neck.
***
Just before that, something grabbed Bradley by the back of his neck.
His body was pulled back and the aurade grazed past his nose. Bradley felt his bones cracking.
¡°Wh, who¡¡±
He looked up and saw Damien¡¯s face.
¡°Th, thank you¡¡±
¡°Michael, take this woman and heal her.¡±
Damien wasn¡¯t even listening to Bradley.
All of Damien¡¯s attention was now focused on Everis.
¡°Ah, ah!¡±
Everis¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Damien.
¡°D-Damien Hansen! Ah, I know! You¡¯re the man who fucked the ns Mrs. ! You¡¯re really famous¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±
Damien cut Everis off abruptly. His voice was full of displeasure.
¡°Who the hell are you?¡±
¡°Ah, I introduced myself earlier¡ I¡¯m Everis.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name before.¡±
¡°Of course, you haven¡¯t. I¡¯ve only been by my master¡¯s side until now. I haven¡¯t had a chance to introduce myself¡¡±
¡°Could it be an alias? No, even so, I can¡¯t not remember a Master ss of this level.¡±
Just because he¡¯s Damien doesn¡¯t mean he knows all the Master sses in the world. The world is a big ce, and there are many hidden masters.
However, it was no exaggeration to say that he knew most of the Master sses on Dorugo¡¯s side.
In particr, this woman, Everis¡¯s quick swordsmanship, was so impressive that even Damien was amazed.
Damien couldn¡¯t have forgotten a Master ss that wielded such a high level of quick swordsmanship.
¡°Could it be that you died in the Helian tournament and didn¡¯t know? No, that¡¯s not it either.¡±
From what Damien knew, Bradley Heath won the Helian tournament when it was held in his previous life. The next time it was held, the Sword Empress won.
He had never heard a single story about a dark knight of Pandemonium ruining the Helian tournament.
In other words, this person named Everis was causing events that had never happened in the future, even in topics that were not in Damien¡¯s memory.
¡°Who is this master you speak of? On whose orders did you do this?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t tell you that much¡¡±
¡°Oh? Well, that can¡¯t be helped.¡±
Damien drew Dawn. A fierce killing intent engulfed the entire colosseum.
¡°I will twist your heart out and make you spill everything.¡±
***
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Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Chapter 215: Helian Tournament (4)
***
¡°You think your threat will work? Not a chance! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡±
Everis trembled as she brandished his sword.
At that moment, Everis felt a surge of power in her arm. Damien had quickly read Everis¡¯s movements and the flow of her mana.
¡®The neck.¡¯
As soon as he raised the Dawn to block Two-Handed Sword. Damien¡¯s body was pushed back slightly.
¡°¡H-how did you block it?¡±
Everis asked with a surprised expression.
Damien caressed the hilt of the Dawn. A tingling sensation lingered on his palm.
¡®The speed and power are incredible.¡¯
Damien hadn¡¯t even seen the sword. He had been able to block the attack because he had read and predicted Everis¡¯s movements.
¡®Is it because of the level of the realm? No, that alone can¡¯t exin this speed.¡¯
Realm was not omnipotent. It needed to be backed up by physical strength and mana to truly show its power.
This meant that Everis, despite pretending to be weak, had a physical body that far surpassed even some Master sses.
¡®If she had trained that much, it wouldn¡¯t be hidden.¡¯
However, Everis¡¯s arms and legs were too thin. Her body was untrained and had never exercised.
There was a technique to transform muscles and bones, but that was a stealth technique. It wasn¡¯t something to be used in the midst of battle.
¡®I need more information.¡¯
Damien lunged forward.
He didn¡¯t run in a straight line. He zig-zagged, kicking off the ground left and right.
¡°This time, you won¡¯t be able to escape!¡±
Everis swung her sword again. Damien blocked the sword with the Dawn.
At that moment, the back of his neck felt cold. Damien bent his knee slightly.
The second sword strike grazed the spot where Damien¡¯s head had been.
¡°¡H-how did you dodge that too?¡±
Damien was just as surprised.
He had no idea that Everis could use a sword of this speed in such session.
What was even more surprising was the uracy.
Damien had moved erratically to prevent Everis from pinpointing his location.
But Everis had urately tracked Damien¡¯s movements and swung her sword.
¡®She¡¯s too urate to be blind.¡¯
Damien had met a blind Master ss in his previous life.
He hadpensated for hisck of sight by enhancing his other senses.
However, even with these methods, he couldn¡¯tpletely make up for hisck of vision. There was a clear difference in his uracypared to other knights.
¡®Can she actually see? No, that can¡¯t be it. But from my perspective, there are no blind spots on that woman.¡¯
The blind Master ss that Damien had seen had other senses that were extremely sharp topensate for theirck of sight.
Therefore, they had no blind spots. No assassin could hide from them.
¡®A Master ss with high uracy and no blind spots¡¡¯
A hypothesis came to mind.
¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡±
His deliberation was over.
Without hesitation, Damien kicked off the ground.
***
¡®Who is that guy?¡¯
Everis thought to herself.
¡®My Master said that there¡¯s no one in this world who can block my quick sword. But that guy not only blocked it but also dodged it.¡¯
Everis erased the doubts that had risen in her mind and only remembered her Master¡¯s words.
¡®My Master¡¯s words are the truth, so failure is impossible.¡¯
But if that guy was right, her Master¡¯s words would be a lie.
There was only one way to make her Master¡¯s words true again.
¡®I¡¯ll kill him this time.¡¯
Everis gripped her sword hilt more tightly. Dark mana began to emanate from deep within her body.
At the same time, the scenery Everis saw became even clearer.
In the world filled with darkness, colorful lights flickered to life.
Some were white, and some were blue.
Everis was blind, but not really blind, because she could see people¡¯s mana.
If she could see mana, she could read people¡¯s movements and predict their next actions.
Thanks to that, Everis could wield her sword with uracy surpassing that of sighted people.
¡®Let¡¯s confirm it once.¡¯
Just then, Damien ran forward.
Everis didn¡¯t immediately strike with her sword.
Her sword¡¯s uracy and speed dropped with distance.
About 10 meters.
The moment Damien entered the optimal range, Everis swung her sword.
No, she had already cut him down by the time she thought she had swung it. Everis¡¯s quick sword was too fast for even her to see.
¡®¡¡Did he dodge again?¡¯
There was no feeling of impact. Moreover, Damien¡¯s mana was still visible.
¡®I¡¯ll strike him with everything I have.¡¯
Everis decided to strike Damien again.
36 times.
Her countless quick sword strikes colored the world. She swung her sword too quickly to feel any impact.
But Everis could see. She saw Damien¡¯s mana was dispersing.
¡®Heh, heh¡ My Master¡¯s words are indeed the truth¡¡¯
At that moment, a chilling sound of cutting through the air was heard.
***
Aghhhhhh!
The bandage that had been covering her face, split open as it was cut.
Everis screamed and covered her face with her palm. Blood trickled down between her fingers.
¡°Wh-what is that?¡±
¡°Blood, blood is¡the color of the blood¡¡±
The citizens in the stands shouted in astonishment.
¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s purple!¡±
Human blood is usually reddish-ck. In the case of dead blood, it sometimes turns ck.
However, there was no one in the world with purple blood.
¡°My, my face¡h-how dare you attack the face that my master created for me¡!
Everis removed her hand from her face and spat out her anger. At that moment, the audience could not help but be shocked once more.
¡°Wh-what are those eyes¡¡±
¡°T-those aren¡¯t eyes, are they?¡±
Everis¡¯s eyes were different from those of ordinary people. There were several small pupils attached. It was like looking at thepound eyes of an insect.
Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. After all, he had already expected it.
¡®So you were wearing the Eye of the Night.¡¯
The Eye of the Night.
The Eye of the Night had the ability to sense and visualize mana.
Being able to see the opponent¡¯s mana was a tremendous advantage.
Whether it was a knight or a mage, they had no choice but to use mana to use their skills.
In other words, the Eye of the Night was an eye that allowed the user to fully grasp the opponent¡¯s movements.
Damien had noticed the Eye of the Night early on and manipted the flow of mana. As a result, Everis was unable to properly cut Damien.
¡®I never thought I¡¯d see that thing here.¡¯
The reason why Damien was able to recognize the eye was simple.
In this world, only Dorugo could create that eye.
The monster that possessed the Eye of the Night had be extinct in ancient times for some reason. As a result, the Eye of the Night could only be confirmed to exist through records.
Dorugo had thoroughly researched the cause of the extinction and, after a long time, seeded in restoring the Eye of the Night.
¡®And there¡¯s the purple blood.¡¯
Humans cannot have purple blood. That meant that Everis had been modified by Dorugo.
Only now could Damien understand how Everis could use such a fine sword with that body.
It was possible if she had been modified by Dorugo. After all, Dorugo had unparalleled skills in undead creation that no one could surpass.
Of course, no matter how great Dorugo was, he couldn¡¯t create a monster like this from scratch.
He probably captured a Master ss somewhere and then modified it.
A Master ss knight received a modification from Dorugo and even had an eye transnted?
No wonder the Master sses who participated in thepetition were defeated so easily.
¡°DAMIEN HAKSEN!!!!¡±
Everis gritted her teeth and shouted.
¡°You dodged my sword again! And you even wounded the body my master gave me!¡±
Everis no longer pretended to be weak.
She raised the Two-Handed Sword that she had been dragging just a moment ago with one hand.
¡°I¡¯m going to kill you right now! I¡¯m going to tear your whole body into hundreds of pieces!¡±
¡°You run your mouth so much, it¡¯s as if your lips have hemorrhoids.¡±
Unlike the excited Everis, Damien was somewhat deted.
The thought of Dorugo made his blood boil. He wanted to rip Everis¡¯s limbs off right now and then interrogate her about Dorugo.
But it was pointless. Dorugo was a person who was very good at hiding himself.
He would have put all sorts of taboos in ce to prevent Everis from divulging anything about him during the modification process.
In addition, Dorugo never revealed his precious undead until the War of Annihtion.
Everis was probably just a failed test subject.
In other words, Damien would gain nothing from interrogating Everis.
¡®But there¡¯s always a chance¡ let¡¯s try it once.¡¯
¡°What are you talking about, you fucking bastard!¡±
Everis spat out insults. The murderous aura she exuded grew even stronger.
¡°I¡¯m going to kill you right now!¡±
Everis swung her sword. The speed was even faster as her body had grownrger.
¡°Die! Die!¡±
Everis swung her sword relentlessly. Countless sword strikespletely covered the arena.
¡°Why, why aren¡¯t you dying!¡±
However, Everis¡¯s sword strikes couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of Damien¡¯s clothes.
The Eye of the Night was a fearsome thing, but it also had a ring weakness.
It could be easily deceived by simply manipting the mana in one¡¯s body.
He put the Dawn into the scabbard while dodging Everis¡¯s sword strikes. And he grabbed both the scabbard and the hilt at the same time.
¡°I know everything I need to know. There¡¯s no need to stretch this fight anymore.¡±
Damien drew the Dawn and swung it.
In that instant, a sh of light erupted. The released Aurade cut the arena in half.
At the same time, Everis¡¯s shoulder was sliced off. The arm that had been holding the sword fell to the ground whole.
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
Everis muttered nkly and looked at her shoulder.
The dark mana was cut off from her shoulder. She could no longer feel the weight of the two-handed sword.
¡°H-how¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien, who had approached unnoticed ruthlessly grabbed Everis¡¯s face.
At the same time, he manipted the dark mana within Everis¡¯s body.
Everis¡¯s dark mana broke free from her control. Moving under Damien¡¯s orders, it captured her soul.
¡°Ha, don¡¯t do it¡!¡±
Without hesitation, Damien tore Everis¡¯s soul apart and searched through it for memories, absorbing them.
***
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Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Chapter 216: Memory (1)
***
The moment Damien absorbed Everis¡¯s memories, the scenery before his eyes changed. The sight of the Colosseum vanished. It was reced by a dark and confined space.
The stone chamber was vast and possessed a high ceiling. Everis was bound here.
Her limbs were secured to an X-shaped cross by shackles. Surgical scars covered various parts of her body. To make matters worse, needles connected to tubes were embedded all over her.
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh¡¡±
Everis whimpered as Damien examined her body.
¡®She¡¯s dying.¡¯
Damien knew because of the vast knowledge of dark magic inside his head. The failed modifications inflicted upon Everis were leading to her demise.
¡®But where am I?¡¯
In his previous life, Dorugo had created hideouts across the continent to change his position constantly. This was all to conceal his existence.
He scanned his surroundings and wondered if this might be one of Dorugo¡¯s hideouts that he knew about. However, it appeared to be an unfamiliar location to Damien.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the entrance. A small man with a stooped gait shuffled closer.
¡°Is Lord Dorugo still in his chamber?¡±
¡°Yes, he is.¡±
The reply came from the attendant walking beside the man. His ashen skin resembled that of a corpse. Dark mana emanated from his body with each step.
This attendant wasn¡¯t a living being. He was an undead creature created by Dorugo.
In his previous life, Dorugo only used undead servants he himself had created. The reasoning behind this was the elimination of any potential betrayal.
¡°Suddenly cutting offmunication without any ongoing research project¡ How many months has it been now? I¡¯m starting to worry if something might have happened to Lord Dorugo.¡±
¡°I share your concern.¡± the attendant responded.
The two stopped in front of Everis after their conversation. The attendant plunged a needle into Everis¡¯s body and injected its contents.
¡°Why waste that precious concoction on a failed experiment?¡±
¡°Lord Dorugo hasn¡¯t yet decided how to dispose of the test subject. Until then, we need to keep her alive.¡±
Everis¡¯splexion improved significantly after the injection. It was due to the restoration of her vitality.
However, this didn¡¯t alleviate her suffering.
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh¡ Aaargh¡¡± Her screams intensified.
Due to the failed modifications, Everis¡¯s entire body was now rotting away. The excruciating pain and repugnance that came with it were hers to bear alone.
¡°P¡ Please kill me¡ Kill me¡¡±
Everis pleaded desperately.
However, the two men didn¡¯t even respond to her pleas.
To them, Everis was nothing more than a failed experiment. She was destined for immediate disposal upon Dorugo¡¯s return. They saw no reason to pay her any attention.
That¡¯s when it happened. Footsteps resonated from the hallway.
The two men instantly turned their eyes towards the source of the sound and their pupils dting in shock.
¡°Lord Dorugo!¡±
¡°Master!¡±
A robed skeleton approached them. Upon spotting the two, the skeleton gnashed its teeth and spoke.
¡°Oh¡ So you both were here. I¡¯ve been searching for quite some time, you know.¡±
¡°We apologize for inconveniencing Your Greatness! We deserve death!¡±
¡°This ipetent servant allowed himself to be separated from your side, Master! Please, grant me death!¡±
The two men hurriedly knelt on the floor. Their expressions were a mixture of awe and reverence. They were impossible to conceal.
In stark contrast, Damien was consumed by murderous rage the moment heid eyes on Dorugo.
¡®Damn it¡ I have to watch all this unfold.¡¯
The Dorugo standing before him was merely a figure from his memories. Giving in to anger wouldn¡¯t achieve anything. In fact, excessive agitation could disrupt his control over Dark Magic. Now was the time to swallow his anger and endure.
¡°Are you alright?¡±
¡°I apologize for the worry! You suddenly stoppeding out, so I was concerned.¡±
¡°Sorry about that. I suddenly got a terrible headache, you see.¡±
Dorugo rubbed his temples with his bony fingers. The sound of bone scraping against bone was distinctly audible.
¡°It was so¡ so painful. My head felt like it was going to explode. That¡¯s why I holed myself up in my room for a while to clear my head.¡±
¡°Was the headache that bad¡? Perhaps there¡¯s something wrong¡¡±
¡°Hahaha, no need to worry. I¡¯m all right now.¡±
Dorugo replied with a heartyugh.
¡°I bet everyone was confused with me being away for so long.¡±
¡°Fortunately, there haven¡¯t been any major problems. However¡¡±
¡°However?¡±
¡°A knight has recently been showing dangerous signs of activity.¡±
¡°Oh ho?¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression shifted to one of interest. The skeletal structure of his face somehow managed to convey an emotion.
¡°Dangerous activity?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡±
The servant began exining about Damien¡¯s deeds. The more the servant spoke, the more intrigued Dorugo seemed.
¡°What is this knight¡¯s name?¡±
¡°He¡¯s called Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen, huh¡ From your story, it seems he¡¯s no ordinary knight. Perhaps he could be the one to fulfill my long-held desire¡¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He muttered with a serious look.
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Do you recognize him?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard the name. But somehow¡ it sounds familiar.¡±
In a puzzled tone, Dorugo asked after contemting for a moment.
¡°More importantly, why are you all here?¡±
¡°We came to check on the test subject.¡±
¡°Test subject?¡±
¡°Yes, master. This test subject.¡±
The servant pointed at Everis. Dorugo approached Everis.
¡°Ah¡ Now that I see her, I remember. She¡¯s the one we were experimenting on to restore the power of the Eye of Night. It ended up being a failure, though.¡±
Dorugo muttered as he examined Everis.
¡°For this experiment, I even managed to get a Master ss from . It¡¯s a shame it failed.¡±
Even for Dorugo, Master sses weren¡¯t readily avable test subjects.
¡°We kept her alive since you hadn¡¯t yet issued a disposal order, master.¡±
¡°Why did you do such a foolish thing? Just discard her. She¡¯s a failed experiment anyway, and there¡¯s no way to save her¡ or wait.¡±
A strange expression crossed Dorugo¡¯s face.
¡°I thought she was aplete failure, but now that I take a closer look, it seems like she can be saved! No, not just saved. I can strengthen her powers!¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes zed with excitement. He raised his bony arms high in the air.
¡°This is incredible! Ideas are starting to flood my mind!¡±
Dorugo grabbed Everis by the hair. Everis stared back at Dorugo with no strength left to resist.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, child. I¡¯ll perfect you! Once I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll possess immense power! Power that will allow you to disregard anything that stands in your way!¡±
Dorugo¡¯sughter grew louder and louder.
And the moment hisughter reached its peak, Damien was yanked out of the memory and back to reality.
***
Damien snapped back to reality. Lowering his gaze, he saw Everis still held captive in his hand.
¡®No vital information, as expected.¡¯
All memories from before she became a test subject were erased, and even her time as an experiment was erased a little.
¡®I guess risking myself wasn¡¯t worth it after all.¡¯
Using dark magic in such an open space as the Helian Tournament was practically suicidal.
Therefore, Damien manipted the dark mana within Everis to shatter her soul, creating an illusion for the crowd. There was no risk of exposure, but his actions were undeniably dangerous.
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh¡ Ahh¡¡±
Fragments of words tumbled from Everis¡¯s lips. With her soul destroyed, she was nothing more than a hollow shell.
Damien released her head and retreated a safe distance.
Suddenly, Everis¡¯s body bloated rapidly before exploding in a violent burst. Crimson mes and smoke filled the arena.
¡°Aaaaakk!¡± ¡°Eeeek!¡±
The unexpected explosion sent screams rippling through the audience. Thankfully, the protective barrier was held and prevented them from any injuries.
¡®This crazy bastard, Dorugo.¡¯
Damien swore under his breath as he watched the explosion from afar. Dorugo had imnted explosives within all his test subjects to ensure there was no information leaked about him.
Damien could have deactivated the explosives beforehand, but he didn¡¯t. If the Empire ever investigated Everis¡¯s remains, they might discover his use of dark magic.
The mes and smoke cleared, and the crowd¡¯s attention slowly turned towards Damien.
¡°H-He¡¯s alive!¡±
¡°He¡¯s not even the slightest injured from the st?¡±
The spectators were stunned to see Damien standing unharmed after the massive explosion.
Just then, the murmur of the crowd died down instantly. The Emperor himself had risen from his seat.
***
The Emperor stared nkly at Damien as he stood there unharmed.
He had not only defeated the dangerous Master ss Everis in one fell swoop, but he had also emerged from that explosion unscathed.
¡°Was that knight¡¯s name Damien Haksen?¡±
The Emperor inquired and his voiceced with astonishment.
¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen¡¡±
The Emperor furrowed his brow. The name was undeniably new to him, yet it felt strangely familiar for some reason he couldn¡¯t grasp.
¡°Should we evacuate the audience?¡±
A nearby Captain of the Guard suggested with his voice filled with tension.
¡°Hold on a moment.¡±
The Emperormanded the guards to halt their actions with a wave of his hand.
While the safety of his citizens was a top priority, something else seemed to take precedence in his mind at that very moment.
¡°Such a feat deserves a worthy reward.¡±
His voice boomed through the Colosseum as he dered¡
The Empire had suffered a significant loss with the demise of not just one, but two valuable Master sses thanks to Everis¡¯s rampage. Thankfully, Damien¡¯s intervention had mitigated the damage considerably.
It was an unwritten rule ¨C those who served the Empire with such distinction deserved to be acknowledged and rewarded ordingly.
With that thought solidifying in his mind, the Emperor rose to his feet. Despite the chaos, all eyes instinctively turned towards him.
¡°Damien Haksen. I have seen what you have done. You have valiantly eliminated the threat posed by that filth from Pandemonium.¡±
At the Emperor¡¯s words, Damien Haksen immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head respectfully.
The Emperor couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction at the young knight¡¯s courteous demeanor.
¡°I wish I could reward you now, but the circumstances are not favorable. I will invite you to the imperial pce sooner orter. Please do not refuse my invitation.¡±
With that, the emperor added briefly
¡°There, I will reward you as you deserve.¡±
***
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Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Chapter 217: Memory (2)
***
Damien returned to the mansion with hispanions.
The group was silent until they arrived at the mansion. But as soon as they entered, it became chaotic.
¡°Brother! What on earth was that technique you used earlier?¡±
¡°Whoosh! Her arm flew off when you swung your sword! What was that? How did you do it?¡±
¡°Please, teach me too! How did you dodge those quick swords?¡±
The three of them grabbed Damien and showered him with questions. Damien put on a tired expression.
After all, he knew that exining it to these guys, who weren¡¯t even in a masterss, would be pointless.
¡°Oh,e on! Think about it. This isn¡¯t the time to be asking such questions.¡±
Fortunately, Rachel regained herposure quickly. As expected of the future Sword Empress, her judgment was quick¡
¡°You were invited by His Majesty! What are you going to wear? Do you know all the imperial etiquette?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, brother! It¡¯s an invitation from the emperor, so we can¡¯t prepare hastily!¡±
¡°Emperor? Is that that important?¡±
Everyone¡¯s attention focused on Veronica¡¯s question. Veronica looked flustered.
¡°Why? What? Did I say something strange?¡±
¡°Of course! It¡¯s an invitation from the emperor!¡±
¡°¡¡Even if you¡¯re a knight of the Apple Kingdom, it¡¯s really shocking to ask such a question.¡±
Rachel sighed and shook her head.
¡°Many people are invited to the imperial pce. But Sir Damien was invited ¡®directly¡¯ by His Majesty. In this case, there is an unwritten rule.¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°You can receive one gift from His Majesty.¡±
Rachel¡¯s expression was dreamy and hazy.
¡°And it¡¯s not just any ordinary gift. You can receive one of the empire¡¯s treasures. Of course, It will return to empire after your death.¡±
The empire was not only the oldest but also the most powerful force on the continent.
The empire¡¯s treasures were of incalcble value.
¡°Sir Damien has done a great service, so he may be able to ask His Majesty for a gift. What are you thinking of getting? An elixir? A weapon?¡±
Rachel asked with sparkling eyes. Her eyes were filled with anticipation.
¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡±
¡°Then that¡¯s not good! It¡¯s an opportunity that may onlye once in a lifetime! Start thinking about it now!¡±
Rachel didn¡¯t let Damien go easily. Damien put on an annoyed expression.
¡®A gift¡¡¯
After a long thought, something came to Damien¡¯s mind.
¡®Come to think of it, I heard there¡¯s a demonic armor in the imperial warehouse.¡¯
Demonic armor was like a demonic sword made into armor.
It was made by demons and had unique abilities.
If it were an ordinary demonic armor, Damien would not have been particrly interested.
However, the demonic armor in the imperial warehouse was a little different.
Hemaera.
It was the armor that Damien used during his time as a Death Knight.
***
Inside a vast cave, Dorugo was dissecting the corpse of a monster. The sound of his knife cutting through flesh echoed incessantly.
¡°Hmph hmph.¡±
He was humming a tune, seemingly in high spirits.
¡°Yes, yes. Now I understand. This is how it was structured. Why didn¡¯t I realize something so simple?¡±
Lately, Dorugo had been enjoying a period of immense happiness.
His research, which had been stagnant for so long, had finally begun to progress smoothly.
It was as if a god had taken up residence in his head, constantly inspiring him.
¡°Ah, this is life.¡±
Just as Dorugo was reveling in his joy, a man entered the cave. The man spoke to Dorugo with an urgent expression.
¡°Lord Dorugo, the death of Everis has been confirmed.¡±
At those words, Dorugo¡¯s body froze. He put down his knife and forceps and turned to the man.
¡°That girl? She died so quickly?¡±
Everis was an experimental subject he had created with great effort. The Eye of Night she possessed was a testament to that.
An eye that allowed her to see mana.
With this alone, there were not many knights who could match Everis. No matter what technique they used, Everis would be able to read it.
And that wasn¡¯t all.
She had artificial muscle imnts and her nerves had been greatly enhanced with special drugs.
Thanks to this, Everis had gained a body optimized for quick swordsmanship. Her speed and power with the quick sword must have doubledpared to before.
¡°I thought she wouldst at least a few days. I guess the new talent that appeared in the empire is much stronger than I expected?¡±
Despite the experimental subject¡¯s untimely demise, Dorugo didn¡¯t seem particrly sorry.
Everis wouldn¡¯t have lived long anyway due to the side effects of the excessive modifications.
He had sent her to the empire to gather as much real-world data as possible before she died.
¡°As expected of the empire. Monsters appear whenever they get bored, I hear.¡±
¡°She wasn¡¯t killed by a talent of the empire. She was killed by Damien Haksen, the one I mentioned before.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression turned nk for a moment at the man¡¯s words.
¡°¡Damien Haksen? Didn¡¯t that guy just be a Master ss? How on earth did he kill Everis?¡±
¡°ording to those who were nted at the scene¡ Everis swung her quick sword dozens of times, but she couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of his clothes.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s mouth fell open at the man¡¯s report.
¡°¡She couldn¡¯t even touch him?¡±
¡°Yes¡ And then, after her arm was cut off by him and she was attacked in the head and died.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression remained nk for a moment.
¡°¡That¡¯s interesting.¡±
A smile soon spread across Dorugo¡¯s lips.
¡°I had a feeling when I heard about him a few days ago, but he¡¯s a really interesting guy.¡±
Having lived for a long time, Dorugo had met countless geniuses.
Among the geniuses he had seen in the past 100 years, the best was the Imperial Supreme Sword.
That madman had risen to the top of the power with his overwhelming talent and was currently considered the strongest human being.
However, even the anecdotes of the Imperial Supreme Sword were nothingpared to Damien Haksen.
¡°This won¡¯t do. I can¡¯t contain my excitement. I have to see this guy named Damien Haksen for myself.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously.
¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve found someone who can fulfill my long-cherished desire.¡±
The destruction of the empire.
Dorugo had been clinging to this goal for over a thousand years.
However, the empire was so powerful that even after a thousand years of preparation, he could not see any way to bring it down.
If Damien was the genius Dorugo desired, a genius who had transcended limits.
Perhaps he could finally achieve his long-cherished goal of destroying the empire.
¡°Go and convey my words to the giant evils.¡±
The man fell to his knees at Dorugo¡¯smand.
¡°Capture Damien Haksen and bring him before me. If you seed, I will grant you anything you desire.¡±
[PR/N- Bro wants death to be delivered to his doorstep.]
***
Dorugo¡¯smand was swiftly ryed to the giant evils. Upon hearing it, they couldn¡¯t help but grow wildly excited.
Dorugo was a figure revered as the master of all dark mages.
He possessed a vast amount of knowledge. Moreover, Dorugo¡¯s secret vault was filled with all sorts of treasures.
However, not all giant evils were inclined to offer Damien to Dorugo.
¡°Oh, this is going to be troublesome.¡±
mented as she listened to her subordinate¡¯s report.
¡°If this is the case, all the giant evils will try to get their hands on Damien Haksen.¡±
Unlike the other giant evils, had seen Damien with her own two eyes.
That¡¯s why she knew all too well how extraordinary a genius Damien was.
¡°It¡¯s been barely a while since we parted ways, and yet he¡¯s already in a Master ss¡ Even breaking his experimental subjects¡¡±
let out a sigh and fell into deep thought.
Dorugo¡¯s orders took precedence over anything else. If he demanded their lives, they would willingly offer them.
But this was a different story.
Throughout her existence, had never once let go of a man she desired.
It didn¡¯t matter if he had a lover, a family, or was even the beloved of another Giant evil.
None of that mattered. If she wanted him, she had to have him. That desire was precisely the driving force that had allowed to reach her current position.
After much deliberation, came to a conclusion.
¡°His orders are important too, but¡ I can¡¯t hand that boy over to someone else.¡±
decided something and ordered her subordinates.
¡°Go and inform the other giant evils. Tell them that I intend to offer Damien Haksen to ¡®him¡¯, so no one is to touch him.¡±
Of course, had no intention of actually bringing Damien to Dorugo.
It was simply a pretext to suppress her rivals.
¡°And if anyone dares to ignore my words and approach Damien Haksen¡¡±
¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.
¡°Tell them they¡¯ll have to risk their lives.¡±
***
¡°What nonsense is this!¡±
Weapon Master mmed his fist against the wall.
¡°He wants Damien Haksen? And the other giant evils are all going to make a move?¡±
¡°S, Sir¡ Please calm down¡¡±
¡°Would you be calm if you were me? The humiliation I suffered at that bastard¡¯s hands!¡±
Weapon Master gritted his teeth fiercely.
He was a figure that was feared by all, and he had just lost to a rookie who barely reached Master ss.
Of course, he wasn¡¯t in his prime condition. He could only unleash 50% of his true power.
But that didn¡¯t diminish the humiliation Weapon Master had endured.
¡°That can¡¯t be¡ He¡¯s mine. Only I can kill him.¡±
Weapon Master growled.
He thought of the demonic sword that Damien possessed.
The durability that withstood a blow from the aurade without a scratch, and the power to erase things from existence.
Just imagining it made his blood boil. He had to get his hands on that sword.
¡°¡Inform the other giant evils. Tell them that Damien Haksen is mine to offer to ¡®him¡¯, so they shouldn¡¯t eveny a finger on him.¡±
Of course, Weapon Master had no intention of actually giving Damien to Dorugo.
Not only would that prevent him from avenging his humiliation, but it would also expose the existence of the demonic sword.
¡°And if they ignore my warning¡ Tell them I¡¯ll kill that bastard myself first!¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 218
Chapter 218
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 218: Famous (1)
***
From the next day on, people began flocking to the mansion.
The number of visitors was far greater than when Damien won a single match in the Helian Tournament.
And it wasn¡¯t just the quantity that was different. The quality of the visitors also took a significant leap.
¡°I am from the House of Willoughby. I have a letter to deliver to Sir Damien¡¡±
¡°I am a knight of the House of Corsaka. I would like to see Sir Damien in person.¡±
Even the influential families of the empire came to visit Damien.
These were families with a solid foundation, having long been loyal to the empire.
Even in the name of Duke Lichteawer, it was difficult to drive them out.
As a result, Damien had no choice but toe out and greet the guests.
Among the guests who came to see Damien, there was a familiar face.
¡°Sir Damien, thank you for your time¡¡±
It was Bradley Heath.
Unlike their first meeting, Bradley Heath lookedpletely deted.
It was as if arge bear had ttened its fur and was huddled up as tightly as possible.
Damien nced at Bradley¡¯s abdomen. It was thickly wrapped in bandages.
¡°Your injury must be severe. Are you already able to move around?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t just lie down after all, when I haven¡¯t even thanked you properly.¡±
Bradley bowed his head immediately.
¡°Thank you for saving me. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would be meeting my ancestors in the afterlife by now.¡±
Bradley¡¯s voice trembled faintly.
¡°To help me, someone I was rude to from the very beginning¡ Sir Damien, you are truly a model of a knight. I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life!¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.
The reason Damien saved Bradley was simply because he felt sorry for him.
It was true that his first impression wasn¡¯t good, and he was annoying. But that didn¡¯t mean he could just let him die.
¡®I wish I could have saved the other two as well.¡¯
Before encountering them, you couldn¡¯t know what kind of abilities the death knights had.
Because of that, Damien couldn¡¯t clearly assess the danger of Everis.
And he didn¡¯t expect a Master ss of the empire to die so easily from a single sword.
For those reasons, he couldn¡¯t stop the two from dying.
¡°I sincerely hope you will visit Marquisate of Heath. I will wee you at any time.¡±
¡°I will try to visit when I have the time.¡±
¡°Please, please do.¡±
Bradley gripped Damien¡¯s hand tightly and urged him several times.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now. And Lady Rachel.¡±
Bradley looked at Rachel, who was sitting next to him.
Rachel had been sitting quietly beside him the whole time, not joining in the conversation. After all, she was the mistress of this mansion.
¡°Why are you doing this?¡±
Rachel asked in a puzzled tone. Bradley looked at her without saying a word.
¡°If you say anything else strange, I¡¯ll kick you out.¡±
Rachel spoke in a wary voice as the atmosphere became strangely awkward.
Suddenly, Bradley burst into tears. Pearly tears trickled down from hisrge eyes.
¡°Ah, I will cheer you on from afar for your beautiful love!¡±
Bradley shouted loudly and ran out of the reception room.
Damien and Rachel exchanged bewildered looks at the unexpected visit.
***
The visits finally ended around dusk.
¡°It seems like all the famous families havee and gone now.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±
Damien said it sincerely. He was exhausted from doing something that didn¡¯t suit his nature.
¡°Then from tomorrow on, you can handle it on your own.¡±
Rachel asked with a puzzled expression at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°But Damien, don¡¯t you like to build connections? Knights from other kingdoms get restless when they visit the capital and can¡¯t meet other nobles.¡±
There were quite a few knights from other kingdoms who wished to be affiliated with the empire. They would try everything they could to get in line with the empire¡¯s nobles.
¡°What¡¯s the point of caring about that when I¡¯m not even going to live in the empire?¡±
Damien said as if he didn¡¯t care.
Damien didn¡¯t have any particr romanticism about the empire. It was enough if they could help each other when fighting against Pandemonium.
Moreover, since his family was all in the Apple Kingdom, he couldn¡¯t settle in another ce.
¡°Ah¡ you don¡¯t have any ns to stay in the empire?¡±
Rachel said with a shocked expression.
¡°When did I ever say I was going to live in the empire?¡±
¡°You never did. But still, most knights want that¡ so I thought you would naturally do the same.¡±
Rachel said with a regretful look.
¡°I think I¡¯ll miss you a lot if you go back to the Apple Kingdom.¡±
A faint smile appeared on Rachel¡¯s lips. Damien looked at her silently.
¡°Because you can¡¯t steal my skills anymore?¡±
¡°Oh, how did you know?¡±
¡°You keep grabbing people and asking them questions, so how could I not know?¡±
While staying at the mansion, Damien had been wholeheartedly training Rachel.
It was in preparation for the possible war of destruction that was toe.
¡°Even the House of Lichteawer should have plenty of Master sses affiliated with them. Learn from them.¡±
¡°I¡¯d rather learn from you than what they would teach me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s just because you¡¯re not learning well.¡±
Just then, someone opened the door to the reception room and entered. It was David, Rachel¡¯s personal butler.
¡°Lady, a guest has arrived.¡±
¡°A guest at this hour? Just turn them away.¡±
It was almost dinner time. There was no time to receive guests. Even if the guest was a high-ranking noble.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
David made a troubled expression.
¡°Who is it?¡±
¡°The First Prince has arrived.¡±
At those words, both Damien and Rachel¡¯s eyes widened simultaneously.
¡°What should we do?¡±
¡°¡Let him in.¡±
A momentter, a young man entered the reception room with a knight in tow.
¡°Thank you both for allowing me to meet you!¡±
The young man said with a heartyugh.
The First Prince, Kael Adrd, was a man who could charm anyone with his robust physique, good looks, and cheerfulugh.
¡°This is my knight attendant. Greet each other.¡±
The knight simply nodded with a sullen expression.
¡°I am truly honored to meet you like this. I was also at the Colosseum the day you were fighting, Sir Damien. I watched your performance from my father¡¯s side.¡±
The First Prince showered Damien with praise as soon as he saw him.
¡°That refined swordsmanship! The swift movements! It was all so amazing that I can¡¯t forget it!¡±
¡°You¡¯re overpraising me.¡±
Damien¡¯s response was lukewarm.
At this, the knight who apanied the First Prince frowned. It seemed that Damien¡¯s behavior was not to his liking.
¡°So I see you¡¯re a man of few words.¡±
However, unlike the knight, the First Prince showed no signs of displeasure.
¡°Then let¡¯s get to the point. I have a very important request to make of you.¡±
The First Prince said with a very serious expression.
¡°How about you join me in climbing to the top of the empire?¡±
***
Upon hearing the First Prince¡¯s words, Damien fell into thought for a moment.
¡®Rachel was right. The session war is not yet finalized.¡¯
Before the First Prince entered, Rachel had strongly advised Damien.
¨C The First Prince will definitely try to pull you under his wing.
¨C The empire is currently in a fierce battle for the throne between the First Prince and the Second Prince.
¨C Neither side has the upper hand, so they¡¯re desperate to increase their allies.
¨C You¡¯re practically a hero of the empire right now. You¡¯ve saved the empire¡¯s prestige by single-handedly defeating the Pandemonium who disrupted the tournament.
¨C Be sure to refuse. There¡¯s nothing good that wille from getting involved in thisplicated fight.
When he first heard that, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
This was because in his previous life, the First Prince had already been appointed Crown Prince a long time ago.
¡®So I was half and half, but¡ it was true.¡¯
It was wee news for Damien. This was because the First Prince was an extremely ipetent person.
During the War of Destruction, his recklessmands resulted in the deaths of countless soldiers and knights.
And in the end, he even sold out the empire¡¯s important secrets in order to save his own life.
He had revealed information about the Extermination Squad¡¯s next operation area.
As a result, the Extermination Squad, including Sword Saint was caught in Dorugo¡¯s trap.
On that day, Damien annihted the Extermination Squad and killed Sword Saint.
¡®But why has the future changed?¡¯
Damien was puzzled by that. Was there anything he had done that could have affected the imperial session?
¡°Sir Damien, why do you look so unhappy?¡±
The First Prince asked, staring at Damien intently.
¡°It¡¯s nothing. So, you want me to support you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. With you on my side, I have nothing to fear. My disgusting younger brother¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to get involved in the empire¡¯s affairs.¡±
All Damien wanted was the annihtion of Pandemonium. He had no intention of getting involved in the empire¡¯s power struggles.
Above all, he didn¡¯t like the idea of supporting a scumbag like the First Prince.
¡°¡I¡¯m a bit embarrassed because I didn¡¯t think this would happen.¡±
The First Prince asked with an apologetic expression.
¡°Is it because the conditions are uncertain? If you support me, I promise you my right-hand man position.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I just don¡¯t want to get involved in your fight.¡±
Damien¡¯s cold refusal hardened the First Prince¡¯s expression slightly.
¡°¡Sir Damien, I am a prince of the empire.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
¡°You can gain all the power if you join me.¡±
¡°I suppose so.¡±
¡°But if you refuse my request¡ you may face misfortune ordingly.¡±
Rachel was furious at what was essentially a threat.
¡°Your Highness! Sir Damien is a guest of Duke Lichteawer! Watch your words!¡±
¡°My apologies. But I think we need to make this clear.¡±
The First Prince looked at Damien intently and asked.
¡°Sir Damien, are you prepared to be my enemy?¡±
Whether he would be an ally or an enemy.
Damien chuckled at the demand to decide on the spot.
¡°You should save that threat for when you ascend the throne, Your Highness.¡±
***
The First Prince¡¯s expression hardened instantly.
Just moments ago, Damien had openly mocked the First Prince. It was meant to convey that he had no fear of the words of a mere prince who was not even an emperor.
¡°How dare you make such insolent remarks to His Highness!¡±
The knight erupted in anger on behalf of the First Prince.
¡°A knight from a small, insignificant country dares to be so arrogant! I¡¯ll make you kneel before His Highness right now¡¡±
¡°Enough.¡±
The First Prince raised his hand. The knight had no choice but to shut his mouth.
¡°I see there¡¯s no point in trying to persuade you to join me. Let¡¯s just end this here.¡±
The First Prince said as he rose from his seat.
¡°But remember this one thing. From today on, you and I are enemies.¡±
The First Prince left the reception room without looking back.
The knight red at Damien as if he was going to kill him, and then followed the prince out.
¡°Whew¡¡±
As soon as the two left, Rachel let out a deep sigh.
¡°You¡ did you really have to say that?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t help but get annoyed by things like that.¡±
Damien justughed at Rachel¡¯s concern.
In this world, there was only one absolute truth. The strong were treated with respect.
Even the emperor couldn¡¯t mess with the Imperial Supreme Sword and Sword Saint. That was how strong they were.
And Damien was confident that he would soon be in the same level as those two.
¡®Let¡¯s see if he can still act the same wayter.¡¯
***
¡°That damn country bumpkin!¡±
The First Prince exploded in anger as soon as he returned to the pce.
¡°What? Don¡¯t be rude! Who does he think he is, lecturing me?¡±
The First Prince stomped around, throwing things. The knight waited until the First Prince¡¯s anger subsided.
¡°If you wish, I can deliver that man¡¯s head to you, Your Highness.¡±
The knight said with a confident face. However, the First Prince shook his head.
¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll punish him myself. I¡¯ll make sure he understands what it means to anger a member of the imperial family!¡±
At that moment, the First Prince made a vow to use all his power to destroy the knight named Damien Haksen.
However, the First Prince¡¯s n waspletely shattered in less than a week.
It was the day Damien Haksen was invited to the pce by the emperor.
The emperor knelt before Damien.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
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Chapter 219: Famous (2)
***
A few dayster, an invitation from the emperor arrived at the mansion.
¡°Hey, brother! It¡¯s here! It¡¯s here!¡±
¡°Da, Damien! Clothes! You have the clothes I prepared ready, right?¡±
¡°Wow, this is a letter from the pce? It¡¯s nothing special.¡±
The people around Damien were more excited than Damien himself. It was only natural, as it was an invitation from the emperor.
¡®Finally, I can get Hemaera.¡¯
Hemaera.
The armor that Damien used during his time as a Death Knight.
As far as Damien knew, there was no armor on the continent that was superior to Hemaera.
Even if you listed all the weapons and armor ever made, it would be so great that it would fit in the palm of your hand.
However, no one knew about Hemaera¡¯s existence right now. This is because it was sealed as soon as it was created.
Even in a sealed state, Hemaera was strong enough to repel the aura and as light as a feather.
It was a far superior itempared to the armor made by others. It was so great that it was kept in the imperial treasury.
¡®I wonder how Dorugo got Hemaera¡ I heard that Pandemonium got it after killing a knight.¡¯
The empire gave the sealed Hemaera to a knight. Then, the knight was killed by Pandemonium while carrying out a mission.
Pandemonium investigated the fact that the armor the knight was wearing was unusual and eventually broke the seal.
After that, Hemaera was presented to Dorugo and worn by Damien.
¡®Actually, I¡¯d rather have a piece of Erebos.¡¯
The empire had not only Hemaera but also a piece of Erebos.
However, Damien could not get it just because he wanted it.
This is because it was hidden inside the sword that the emperor had inherited from generation to generation.
¡®I wonder how Dorugo got it in my previous life¡ Ah, I got it from the First Prince.¡¯
I heard that when the First Prince went to the battlefield instead of the emperor, he received the sword as a symbol of authority.
The problem was that the First Prince made a series of mistakes and was eventually captured by Dorugo.
As a result, the piece of Erebos hidden inside the sword also fell into Dorugo¡¯s hands.
¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
Damien prepared to go out and headed for the pce.
¡®I¡¯ll be back here again.¡¯
Damien thought as he stood in front of the gate and looked up at the pce.
At the end of the War of Destruction.
After the death of the Imperial Supreme Sword, Damien and Dorugo marched into the capital.
And after ughtering all the citizens of the capital, he captured the emperor.
It was on that day that Damien regained control of his body and took revenge on Dorugo.
¡°This is Damien Haksen. I have been invited by His Majesty.¡±
Damien said to the knights guarding the gate. The knights opened the gate without a word.
¡®It¡¯s still amazing toe back.¡¯
Damien couldn¡¯t help but gasp when he came in.
The imperial pce was protected by countless magic circles, as befitting the heart of the empire.
There were so many different kinds that even Damien had a hard time keeping track of them all.
¡®Even Dorugo, who had attacked the capital, couldn¡¯t break through the magic circles surrounding the pce.¡¯
In the end, Dorugo had no choice but to use Damien to break through the pce¡¯s magic circles.
¡°Wee, Sir Damien.¡±
A middle-aged man greeted Damien as he went a little further inside.
¡°I am Chambein Balzak Jansen. I will guide you inside.¡±
Damien followed the chambein¡¯s instructions and walked deeper into the pce.
¡°His Majesty is awaiting you inside.¡±
Damien walked down the corridor with the chambein. And he passed through arge door and arrived at the audience chamber.
The imperial audience chamber was sorge that the word ¡®magnificent¡¯ was an understatement.
The ceilings were high and the space was wide. It was so vast that the word ¡®sprawling¡¯ came to mind.
The walls were decorated with tapestries of gold. The floor was paved with expensive amber.
A red carpet stretched from the entrance to the opposite side, and at the end of it sat the emperor on his throne.
The audience chamber was not empty. There were many nobles present.
¡°Summon Damien Haksen to the front.¡±
The emperor spoke. It was a low voice, but it echoed through the entire audience chamber. It seemed that the magical artifact was at work.
Damien walked along the long carpet on the floor and approached the emperor.
As he walked, he looked at the faces of the nobles in the audience chamber one by one.
Among them was the First Prince, Kael Adrd. Kael was staring at Damien with hostile graze.
¡®I was told to stop where the knights are standing, right?¡¯
Damien stopped where the knights were standing, following the etiquette Rachel had taught him. It was a ce about 8 meters from where the emperor was.
Damien knelt on one knee and waited for the next word.
¡°¡¡.¡±
But the emperor¡¯s voice was not heard.
¡°¡e closer.¡±
And then, suddenly, he gave an order.
Damien stood up hesitantly and walked forward. He stopped about 7 meters away.
¡°¡¡closer.¡±
The emperor made the same demand. Damien had no choice but to get closer.
He stopped 5 meters away.
¡°¡¡no, no. Come all the way to the front.¡±
A man who appeared to be a guard knight spoke to the emperor.
¡°Your Majesty, I do not doubt Sir Damien, but¡.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen,e to the front.¡±
Damien stood before the emperor. He was puzzled but obedient.
The emperor was a man of considerable stature. He probably would have been a great knight if he had trained with a sword.
Damien was observing the emperor when he suddenly rose from his throne. And he approached Damien.
¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡±
The guard knight eximed in surprise. But the emperor did not stop his movement. And he stopped at a distance where his breath could be heard.
¡®What the heck, why is he doing this?¡¯
Damien looked at the emperor with a bewildered expression.
The emperor slowly reached out his hand towards Damien. His fingertips were trembling, as if he was ovee with emotion.
Thump.
The emperor took Damien¡¯s hand in his. Suddenly, tears streamed down his cheeks without warning.
¡°Your Majesty!¡±
¡°This insolent fellow! What has he done to Your Majesty?!¡±
The nobles shouted in rm. Damien feltpletely wronged. What had I done?
¡°Everyone¡ be quiet¡¡±
As soon as the emperor uttered a word, the audience chamber fell silent again.
¡°No¡ nothing¡¯s wrong¡ Sir Damien¡ has done nothing wrong¡¡±
Even as he spoke, the emperor continued to weep.
¡°I too¡ I don¡¯t know why tears are flowing¡ I don¡¯t know¡ why¡ when I look at you¡ tears flow like this¡¡±
In the next instant, everyone in the audience chamber was stunned.
The emperor had knelt before Damien.
¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡±
¡°H-how can he do such a thing¡?¡±
For the emperor of the empire to kneel before another? It was an unthinkable, impossible thing.
But the emperor¡¯s eyes were fixed solely on Damien.
¡°I¡ I hereby dere you the winner of the Helian Tournament and bestow upon you the title of ¡®Heavenly Sword¡¯.¡±
Heavenly Sword.
No matter how much of a Helian Tournament winner he was, it was an excessively extravagant title for Damien, who had just be a Master ss.
¡°Ah, yes¡¡±
But Damien had no time to spare for the title. The emperor was kneeling before him.
¡°It is a principle to reward those who have been invited by me¡ tell me what you desire. I will have anything given to you.¡±
¡°Your Majesty!¡±
The guard knight cried out in rm.
This was because, while Damien¡¯s contributions were great, it was too much to not have any limits.
But the emperor didn¡¯t even respond to the guard knight¡¯s words. He only looked at Damien.
¡°Mmm¡ I¡¯d like to receive a suit of armor.¡±
¡°Armor? I see. I will have the best one given to you.¡±
¡°I¡¯d like to be able to go and choose it myself.¡±
¡°I see. I will make arrangements for that.¡±
The emperor granted Damien¡¯s request without a second thought. Damien¡¯s absurdity could only grow.
¡°You seem to be asking for something rather trivial. This does not make me feel at ease. Tell me if you need anything else.¡±
¡°Mmm, then¡¡±
At this moment, Damien was conflicted.
He would like Hemaera, but he would rather have a piece of Erebos.
The problem was that the piece of Erebos was hidden inside the emperor¡¯s sword.
So he tried not to be hasty and think of another way, but the situation was turning strange. Maybe? Just maybe?
¡°I would like to receive Your Majesty¡¯s sword.¡±
Damien said it with a scream. As expected, the audience chamber turned upside down.
¡°Have you ever seen such a crazy man!¡±
The reaction of the First Prince, Kael Adrd, was particrly intense. The First Prince stood up abruptly and shouted.
¡°He¡¯s gone mad! Your Majesty! You must not let this man live! Behead him immediately¡¡±
¡°First Prince, be quiet.¡±
¡°I cannot! The sword is a symbol of the emperor¡¯s authority! That man is mocking Your Majesty right now!¡±
The emperor looked back at the First Prince. His eyes were zing with anger.
¡°It seems you don¡¯t listen to my words! Do I have to cut off your tongue for you toe to your senses?!¡±
First Prince was startled by the emperor¡¯s roar and shut his mouth.
¡°The sword¡ I don¡¯t know why you would want such a thing¡¡±
The emperor stood up. He drew the sword from his waist and held it out to Damien.
¡°It¡¯s nothing special. Take it.¡±
At that moment, the audience chamber turned upside down once again.
***
After that, Damien went to the treasury and chose an armor before returning to the mansion.
¡°Brother!¡±
¡°Damien!¡±
As soon as he entered, Michael and Rachel rushed in, looking urgent. The two of them asked with anxious faces.
¡°Is it true that His Majesty kneeled to you?¡±
¡°Is it a lie?¡±
Damien replied, scratching his cheek, to their questions.
¡°It¡¯s true.¡±
Damien¡¯s answer left the two of them frozen in ce.
¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry to ask, but¡ is it true that you¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s illegitimate child?¡±
¡°What the fuck?¡±
Damien furrowed his brow at the mention of the rumor. What was this nonsense about him being the Emperor¡¯s child when his parents were alive and well?
¡°What kind of ridiculous rumor is that?¡±
¡°No¡ right now, there¡¯s a rumor going around that you¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s illegitimate child, and that¡¯s why the Emperor was so moved to tears.¡±
Damien looked at Michael with a disbelieving face.
¡°Don¡¯t believe such an absurd rumor.¡±
¡°Then why did the Emperor¡ kneel to you?¡±
Damien felt his words getting stuck. He himself had no idea what was going on.
¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡±
Damien chose his words carefully.
¡°There¡¯s someone you need to meet, Damien. I left them waiting because you have to meet him yourself.¡±
Damien headed to the reception room with Rachel.
¡°Oh¡ Damien Hasson! The Knight of the Heavenly Sword!¡±
A drunk Sword Saint was waiting for Damien.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
The Sword Saint downed a drink before answering Damien¡¯s question.
¡°I saw you looking interested in joining Extermination Squadst time.¡±
The Sword Saint¡¯s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
¡°I¡¯m going to go kill giant evil. Want toe with me?¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 220: Famous (3)
***
Amidst the pandemonium where only the strong could belong, there existed the ¡®Giant evils¡¯ who had established their own power.
The power that a single giant evil possessed wasparable to that of a king of an entire kingdom.
¡°They have recently confirmed the location of the giant evil we¡¯ve been tracking for a while now. All that¡¯s left is to kill them, and just in time, this unfortunate incident has urred, hasn¡¯t it?¡±
He must be referring to the incident that took ce during the Helian tournament.
¡°I cannot fathom how enraged His Majesty must have been. He dered that this humiliation must be avenged without fail.¡±
And so, it seemed that the Empire was nning to kill the giant evil this time.
Damien fell into a brief moment of contemtion.
The Extermination Squad was a top-secret military force made by the Empire. If they were going to be involved, it meant that this was a top-secret operation.
For them to so easily reveal such a mission to an outsider like himself¡
¡°Do you trust me?¡±
¡°Half-half.¡±
Sword Saint said as he took a sip of his drink.
¡°Killing the scourge of Pandemonium was impressive, but that alone is not enough for me to trust you. It¡¯s possible that they sacrificed the Dark Knight to nt a spy on our side.¡±
Considering the underhanded tactics of the dark mages, it wasn¡¯t an unreasonable assumption. There were even cases where they had sacrificed their own families to infiltrate the Imperial Pce.
¡°So, I want to use this opportunity to confirm the other half. And to assess your skills as well.¡±
¡°What is the name of the giant evil?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Vanexia of the Deadlock.¡±
Damien had never heard of this giant evil before. It seemed like a giant evil that had killed before the War of Destruction.
¡®So, she must be one of the weaker giant evils.¡¯
Not all giant evils were equal. They were divided into tiers based on their own strength and influence.
In the case of and Weapon Master, they were one of the strongest giant evils among the rest.
¡°I will participate.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear. But why don¡¯t you think about it a little more? This time, we¡¯re dealing with a giant evil. You might lose your life.¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s voice turned serious. It was hard to believe that he was drunk.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t die anyway.¡±
¡°Hahahaha, what a cocky reply.¡±
A smile spread across Sword Saint¡¯s face when he heard the answer.
¡°Alright. Come to the northern gate before sunrise tomorrow.¡±
¡°Yes, I understand¡ at dawn?¡±
¡°The operation is tomorrow. So, we need to depart as early as possible.¡±
Damien looked at Sword Saint with a somewhat dumbfounded expression.
¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too rushed?¡±
¡°That¡¯s how things work in this world, isn¡¯t it? Well, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±
With that, Sword Saint left the room.
Even after Sword Saint had left, Damien continued to stare at the door with a bewildered expression.
***
Damien exined the situation to the people in the mansion.
When he said they had to leave immediately the next day, the people in the mansion were greatly shocked.
The activities of the Extermination Squad were top-secret, so they couldn¡¯t tell them the whole truth. They had to mix in some lies.
After that, Damien headed to his room and took out the Emperor¡¯s sword and armor he had brought from the pce.
He first examined the Emperor¡¯s sword.
It was about 1.2 meters long and had a pointed shape towards the end.
The surface of the sword had a pattern made of rare metal. Small gems were embedded in the crossguard and hilt.
It was more of an art piece than a weapon. In reality, this sword wasn¡¯t made for battle.
This Emperor¡¯s sword symbolized the Emperor¡¯s authority.
Originally, it was only for the Emperor¡¯s use. asionally, it was lent to those who acted on the Emperor¡¯s behalf.
¡°Why did they give me such an item? What¡¯s the reason?¡±
If Damien were to abuse this sword, it could cause great chaos in the Empire.
And yet, the Emperor handed it over to Damien without hesitation.
¡°And why did you kneel to me? Why did you cry?¡±
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand.
Damien didn¡¯t know much about the Emperor. He had only seen him twice, including in his past life.
¡°I saw him when Dorugo attacked the pce.¡±
After winning the War of Destruction, Dorugo attacked the pce and captured the Emperor. It was then that Damien first saw the Emperor.
At the time, Damien was busy taking back control of his body and exacting revenge on Dorugo, so he didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the Emperor.
After exacting his revenge, he immediatelymitted suicide and regressed, so he couldn¡¯t remember the Emperor¡¯s existence.
¡°Was it that grateful to have my help during the Helian tournament? Even so, it¡¯s ridiculous to give me the Emperor¡¯s sword.¡±
He thought about it for a while, but he couldn¡¯t find an answer. Damien decided to put his thoughts aside and focus on what he had to do now.
Damien summoned Erebos and brought it close to the Emperor¡¯s sword.
¡°Erebos, absorb it.¡±
ck droplets began to seep out of the sword¡¯s surface. It was reacting to the fragments of Erebos hidden inside the sword.
The droplets stuck to Erebos like mas.
The more it absorbed, the longer Erebos¡¯s de grew. It was now a little longer than the axe¡¯s de.
Damien swung it through the air. The shing sensation had improved considerably.
¡°I guess I can use it as a weapon now.¡±
The length was a little disappointing, but it would work well enough as a sword.
Damien changed the Erebos back into a tattoo. Then he examined the Emperor¡¯s sword.
¡°Weakened, indeed.¡±
The sword was much weaker than it had been before, thanks to the shards of Erebos it had spit out.
¡°Still, from the looks of it, no one can tell.¡±
Damien slid the sword back into subspace.
He might need to borrow the Emperor¡¯s authority in the future, and he decided to save it for then.
Next, he examined his armor.
The sealed Hemaera was a breastte in the form that could only cover the torso.
¡°First, I need to break the seal.¡±
Damien scraped out all the dark mana that remained inside the bracelet.
He hadn¡¯t recharged his dark mana since thest time he used it. As a result, the amount of dark mana left on the bracelet was very small.
Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take a massive amount of dark mana to wake Hemaera. It was enough to just stimte it.
Damien infused Hemaera with dark mana. At first, nothing happened. But after a while, Hemaera turned red.
-Ah¡ ah¡
A voice came from Hemaera.
-Soul¡ offer¡
Unlike other demonic swords and armors, Hemaera couldn¡¯t speak properly. This was due to Hemaera¡¯s past.
The demon who created Hemaera was no less than a Duke-ss demon. Excluding the ¡®King¡¯, it was the most powerful demon in hell.
However, the Duke-ss demon was killed as soon as he created Hemaera.
Right before he died, the demon poured all of his power and soul into Hemaera.
In other words, Hemaera was the Duke-ss demon itself.
-You¡ soul¡ offer¡
The problem was that its soul was severely damaged when it was killed. As a result, Hemaera¡¯s intelligence was no better than that of a beast.
The problem arose there.
Like demonic swords, demonic armors were also avatars created by demons to exert their influence on the continent.
That was why demonic swords and demonic armors didn¡¯t destroy their users immediately and tried to keep them alive for as long as possible.
However, Hemaeracked the intelligence to make such judgments.
In order to be the owner of Hemaera, one had to offer their soul. However, Hemaera, who had lost its intelligence, couldn¡¯t exercise restraint.
Unlike other demonic armors, it didn¡¯t spare its followers and absorbed all of their souls.
That was why Dorugo couldn¡¯t properly utilize Hemaera even after acquiring it. He who wore it would lose his life on the spot.
¡°First, I need to subdue it.¡±
The method to subdue Hemaera was very simple.
Damien spread his mana to cover the room. This was to hide the uproar that was about to happen.
¡°Hemaera, I will be your master from now on.¡±
-Soul¡ offer¡
Damien raised his fist. After gathering all his mana, he mmed down on the armor.
With a loud bang, Hemaera crumpled. The mana that Damien had spread beforehand absorbed all the noise.
-¡Ugh.
Unable to withstand the shock, Hemaera groaned in pain. Damien clenched his fist again and said.
¡°I will be your master from now on.¡±
-Ah¡ it¡ hurts¡
Damien mmed Hemaera again. With the second bang, the armor crumpled again.
¡°I am your master.¡±
-Ye, soul¡ soul has¡
Damien mmed his fist down again. This time, he didn¡¯t stop at one.
He kept pounding until Hemaera became scrap metal.
-Ma¡ master! Master!
In the end, Hemaera surrendered first. Even its awkward pronunciation waspletely corrected.
-Master! I acknowledge! Master!
The moment it was recognized as the master, Hemaera¡¯s appearance changed. It turned into a ne and fell to the ground.
Damien put the ne around his neck and said with a satisfied face.
¡°As expected, you have to beat humans and demons when they don¡¯t listen.¡±
***
The Emperor stood before the window, gazing up at the night sky.
There was no better way to calm his troubled mind.
¡®What on earth made me do such a thing?¡¯
The one who was currently troubling the Emperor¡¯s mind was none other than Damien Haksen.
Today, the Emperor had knelt down before a knight from another kingdom named Damien Haksen. Not only that, he had even shed tears.
He didn¡¯t know why he had done it.
Unlike when he had seen him at the Colosseum, the moment he came face to face with him, a flood of emotions surged through his chest.
Unable to withstand the torrent of emotions, he ended up kneeling down. Tears streamed down his face uncontrobly.
When Damien stepped back, the Emperor could only be shocked by his own actions.
It wasn¡¯t just the Emperor who was shocked.
The imperial doctors, mages, and priests all swarmed around the Emperor to examine him.
They were worried that Damien might have cast some sort of mental magic on the Emperor.
The conclusion was that there was nothing wrong. That¡¯s why the Emperor was even more confused.
¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡±
The knight asked with a worried expression. The Emperor slowly nodded his head.
¡°It¡¯s not toote. Why don¡¯t you send someone to retrieve the sword?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°But Your Majesty, that sword is a symbol of your authority. If Damien were to misuse that sword¡¡±
The value of the sword was immense.
Even if Damien were to kill a high-ranking noble with that sword, he would not be punished. That was how powerful the sword was.
¡°Alright. Just leave it.¡±
Despite knowing this, the Emperor didn¡¯t feel like taking the sword back from Damien.
It was because he didn¡¯t care.
He didn¡¯t care if Damien misused the sword.
In fact, the Emperor wanted to give Damien even more.
He wanted to give him anything. He wanted to take out the most precious things from the imperial treasury and give them to him in a heap.
No, even beyond that, he had a desire to give up the empire itself.
¡®I¡¯m crazy. I¡¯m crazy.¡¯
To feel this way towards a knight he had never seen before in his life. It must be because he was going senile.
¡®All the more reason to clear my head.¡¯
The Emperor was in a position to lead the empire. He couldn¡¯t be swayed by such unknown emotions.
¡°Your Majesty, there are ominous rumors circting in the streets right now.¡±
¡°Rumors?¡±
¡°That Damien Haksen may be¡ Your Majesty¡¯s illegitimate child¡¡±
At those words, the Emperor burst into loudughter. No matter how absurd it was, an illegitimate child?
He swore to the heavens that he had never had an illegitimate child. He had only had one empress.
¡°¡Wait a minute.¡±
The rumor of an illegitimate child was ridiculous.
However¡ there was a possibility that their blood was somehow connected.
Could it be that the blood of one of the previous emperors or of the coteral imperial family had been passed down to Damien Haksen?
If that were the case¡ if that were really the case¡
¡°Let¡¯s have it investigated.¡±
At those words, the knight guard¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°N-no way¡ C-could it be true¡ that he¡¯s really an illegitimate child¡¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
Emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed in response and said.
¡°I¡¯m telling you to investigate whether or not Count Haksen has imperial blood.¡±
¡°Oh, I understand.¡±
The Emperor looked back up at the night sky.
What if Damien really did have imperial blood? Then what?
¡°¡Maybe I should adopt him.¡±
He was startled by his own careless muttering.
***
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Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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Chapter 221: The Extermination Squad (1)
***
The next day, Damien left the mansion at the appointed time by Sword Saint.
It was dawn, and the streets were deserted. All that could be seen were soldiers patrolling.
As he arrived at the North Gate, he saw three people gathered together.
Two men and one woman. All three were dressed simply and wore swords.
They were an unremarkable group. But Damien couldn¡¯t ignore them.
Each of them was exuding an enormous aura. It was so strong that he could feel it even from a distance.
All three were undoubtedly Master ss.
¡°Oh, there he is. This way! This way!¡±
One of the three waved at Damien. It was a woman with her hair tied up in a ponytail.
Damien headed towards the three of them. As he got closer, he could see their faces clearly.
Judging by their faces, all three were quite young.
However, that alone was not enough to determine their age. The aging process slowed down once one reached the Master ss.
¡°You¡¯re Damien Haksen, right? I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. No, I mean, a lot is not enough. It¡¯s all about you these days.¡±
The woman seemed to be quite talkative. She started talking as soon as she saw Damien, without a moment¡¯s pause.
¡°They say His Majesty knelt before you? I couldn¡¯t believe my ears when I heard it. I wondered what kind of person you were¡ I never thought I¡¯d meet you as a member of the Extermination Squad.¡±
As Damien had expected, the three were members of the Extermination Squad.
The Extermination Squad.
Their full name was the Extermination Knights Squad. However, since not only knights but mages and alchemists were also part of it, it was more often called the Extermination Squad.
¡°My name is Rayne Bell. This is Wilhelm Wilson. That sullen guy over there is Roger Crimson.¡±
Damien tried to recall the three names but he could not remember them.
They were names he had never heard in his previous life. He had never seen their faces either.
If they were members of the Extermination Squad, Damien would have known them. After all, he had killed them himself in his previous life.
It seemed that they had probably died before the War of Destruction, so he hadn¡¯t seen them.
¡°I am Damien Haksen.¡±
Wilhelm greeted him with a wide smile. Roger, on the other hand, simply spat on the ground.
¡°Wilhelm can¡¯t talk. He had a bit of a bad experience when he was young. Roger is just a grouch, so don¡¯t mind him.¡±
¡°Sister, do you really have to talk like that?¡±
Roger said sullenly. Rayne clicked her tongue.
¡°Excuse me. Master¡ Ah, Sword Saint has been talking about you a lottely, so he¡¯s been getting on my nerves. I can¡¯t believe how old he is and still acts like such a child.¡±
¡°Wh, wh, who, who said I was getting on your nerves!¡±
Roger protested loudly. But Rayne just pretended not to hear him.
¡®So they were Sword Saint¡¯s disciples after all.¡¯
He had guessed as much from the mana they possessed, which was simr to Sword Saint¡¯s.
It wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, the Extermination Squad was a group the Sword Saint had formed by gathering his disciples.
¡°I have so many questions for you, but we¡¯re on a tight schedule, so let¡¯s get going quickly. If we dawdle, the giant evil might escape.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Ok.¡±
Rayne Bell tilted her head in curiosity at Damien¡¯s response.
¡°The Sword Saint hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Are we really supposed to leave without him?¡±
Rayne smiled mischievously as she spoke.
Indeed, there were only four people present. The Sword Saint was nowhere to be seen.
It didn¡¯t make sense to go fight a giant evil without the Sword Saint.
Even so, Damien nodded and said.
¡°I don¡¯t think the Sword Saint will be joining us.¡±
¡°Huh? Why?¡±
¡°Because the two of you are more than enough.¡±
At his words, the three of them widened their eyes slightly, looking a bit shocked.
¡°How did you know?¡±
¡°I have a very keen eye for people.¡±
Among the three, Rayne and Wilhelm were no ordinary Master ss.
They were strong enough to take down a giant evil that had died before the War of Destruction.
¡°Impressive¡ You¡¯re right. The Sword Saint isn¡¯ting. Wilhelm and I can handle Vanexia by ourselves.¡±
¡°Why am I always left out of these conversations?¡±
¡°Hey, where do you think you¡¯re fitting in? I¡¯m ranked 4th in the Extermination Squad, and Wilhelm is 3rd, but you¡ sigh.¡±
Rayne sighed and shook her head, making Roger¡¯s face flush red.
¡°Just wait! I¡¯ll be in the single digits within a year!¡±
¡°Sure, keep at it.¡±
Listening to their conversation, Damien was impressed.
¡®No wonder they¡¯re so strong. They¡¯re the 3rd and 4th ranked in the Extermination Squad.¡¯
Among the three, Rayne Bell and Wilhelm Wilson had already surpassed the Master ss level.
The next stage after Master ss was Grandmaster. However, the journey from Master ss to Grandmaster was incredibly difficult.
It was said to be a hundred or even a thousand times harder than the path to Master ss.
That¡¯s why the process of reaching Grandmaster was often referred to as a wall.
Rayne Bell and Wilhelm Wilson were in the first stage of bing Grandmasters.
It was no wonder they were confident about taking down the giant evil with just the two of them.
¡°So, Damien, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±
Rayne said confidently.
With that, the four of them passed through the north gate and headed to where giant evil Vanexia was hiding.
***
A man with sapphire blue hair erupted in anger.
Before him stood arge mirror, but instead of reflecting his own image, it showed a woman.
-Vanexia. Don¡¯t get too angry.
¡°How can I not be angry, you¡¯re tantly ignoring me!¡±
When contacted her, Vanexia was secretly excited.
Men are drawn to beauty, and was the most beautiful woman in Pandemonium.
However, the conversation with didn¡¯t go as Vanexia had expected.
¡°When did I ever ignore you?¡±
The woman in the mirror sighed, her red eyes and lips exuding an otherworldly allure.
Her words momentarily distracted Vanexia from his anger, causing him to swallow involuntarily.
¡°I simply asked you not to interfere with Damien Haksen, as he is someone I intend to offer to ¡®him¡¯.¡±
But her following words brought Vanexia back to his senses.
¡°Damn it! That¡¯s the same as ignoring me!¡±
A few days ago, ¡®he¡¯ had issued an order to the giant evils.
He promised to grant any wish to the one who captured a man named Damien Haksen and brought him before him.
Considering the knowledge and treasures ¡®he¡¯ possessed, it was an order they could never ignore.
Vanexia happened to have a dungeon near the capital where Damien was said to be.
So he was nning to capture Damien.
It was then that he received ¡¯s threat disguised as a request.
¡°Vanexia. So, you¡¯re not going to grant my request after all?¡±
narrowed her eyes in displeasure.
While both were giant evils, and Vanexia were not on equal footing.
was one of the most powerful figures in Pandemonium.
¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do whatever I please!¡±
However, Vanexia was also prideful as a giant evil. He couldn¡¯t back down here.
¡°Sigh¡ then I have no choice. I¡¯ll just have to exert my power directly.¡±
¡°Ha! Go ahead and do whatever you want!¡±
¡°I figured as much, so I¡¯ve already sent someone. They¡¯ll be there soon¡¡±
Vanexia cut off themunication. He couldn¡¯t bear to listen to her any longer.
¡°Damn it.¡±
After venting his anger, his head cooled down a bit. Then, a sense of unease crept in.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t stand up to with his own strength. That¡¯s how powerful ¡¯s forces were.
¡°Who the hell is he nning to send?¡±
¡¯s lovers were all incredibly powerful beings.
Vanexia was particrly worried about ¡¯s ¡°concubines,¡± who were known to be monsters on par with giant evils.
If a concubine came, even Vanexia couldn¡¯t guarantee his victory.
As Vanexia was pondering over this, the surface of the mirror suddenly changed and the figure of a man appeared.
¡°Weapon Master? Why are you contacting me?¡±
Vanexia asked in an irritated voice.
He was already having a headache because of , and now he was getting a call from someone he wasn¡¯t even close to.
¡°Vanexia. I heard you¡¯re nning to capture Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Damn it, now even the dogs and cats know. So what do you want to say?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already imed Damien Haksen. So don¡¯t touch him. If you ignore my warning¡¡±
At that moment, Vanexia¡¯s temper red.
¡°You damn bastards are both pissing me off! Get out of here and don¡¯t make me look bad!¡±
Weapon Master blinked at Vanexia¡¯s shout.
¡°You seem to have be a bit more hot-temperedtely.¡±
Weapon Master was a giant evil with powerparable to ¡¯s.
However, that fact didn¡¯t matter at all to Vanexia, who was filled with rage.
¡°Screw your temper! Get out of here right now!¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t have to hesitate anymore. Be prepared. My disciple wille to collect his payment today.¡±
¡°Oh yeah? Do whatever you want!¡±
With that, Vanexia cut off themunication again. He couldn¡¯t suppress his anger for a while and grumbled.
¡°Lord Vanexia!¡±
At that moment, a dark mage entered theboratory. Vanexia screamed.
¡°Why!¡±
¡°Tch, there¡¯s an intruder! An intruder has entered the dungeon!¡±
¡°What? Who is it? or Weapon Master?¡±
Vanexia shouted in surprise. Then, his subordinate replied with a flustered face.
¡°U-uh, it¡¯s neither of them.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°The Imperial Knights have appeared!¡±
At those words, Vanexia¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 222
Chapter 222
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Chapter 222: The Extermination Squad (2)
***
¡°Vanexia is a Dark Mage from the Annihtion sect.¡±
As they were moving towards the dungeon of the giant evil, Rayne exined to Damien what kind of giant evil Vanexia was.
¡°Do you know where the Annihtion sect is? It¡¯s a sect that branched out from the Doom sect. While the Doom sect deals with dark magic rted to mes and destruction, the Annihtion sect deals with dark magic rted to ice and wind.¡±
The Annihtion sect was a sect that created ice to tear apart their enemies or summoned storms to blow them away.
Of course, Damien¡¯s mind was filled with knowledge about the Annihtion sect¡¯s dark magic.
¡°The reason Vanexia is called ¡®Deadlock¡¯ is because he specialized in ice magic within the Annihtion sect. The ice created by Vanexia is as sharp and hard as the aurade, so it can even prate the Holy Shield.¡±
Rayne¡¯s exnation continued, showing that she had thoroughly researched Vanexia.
It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering the Extermination Squad was receiving support from the Empire.
¡°A Dark Mage who has mastered all kinds of ice-rted magic.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re smart? Hard ice is good for both offense and defense, but the real problem is something else.¡±
Rayne clicked her tongue.
¡°Vanexia can create ice anywhere. On walls, on the ground, even in mid-air. And their speed is so fast that even knights can¡¯t react in time.¡±
If that was true, then from the moment they entered Vanexia¡¯s dungeon, they couldn¡¯t afford to let their guard down.
Otherwise, they would be bisected by suddenly appearing ice.
¡°Ah, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Rayne pulled on the reins.
The ce she stopped at was a vast, barren in with nothing in sight.
¡°Roger, don¡¯t just stand there, hurry up!¡±
¡°Ugh, do I always have to do the annoying tasks¡¡.¡±
Roger grumbled as he got off his horse.
Roger drew his sword and he held the hilt with both hands and focused his mana.
¡°Hump!¡±
Roger swung his sword to cut through the air, and the air rippled like a wave, revealing arge iron door.
¡°Surprised? He used a technique that distorted space.¡±
Rayne exined to Damien, but Damien had already figured out what technique Roger had used.
¡®He read the flow of mana and cut it off.¡¯
The specialty of a sword saint was reading the flow of mana.
They could read the flow of attacks, the flow of air, and even the flow of mana.
As the three of them were disciples of a sword saint, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they had simr abilities.
After all, disciples were supposed to have simr techniques.
¡°That door leads to Vanexia¡¯s dungeon. I¡¯ll warn you in advance, but it¡¯s going to be extremely dangerous. If you want to back out, now¡¯s the time.¡±
Rayne said with an unusually serious face. Damien chuckled and said.
¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen? We¡¯ll go in first.¡±
¡°Wow, you¡¯re really fearless, just like our master said. You¡¯ll regret itter?¡±
The four of them opened the iron door and went down.
***
As they opened the iron door and stepped inside, arge space appeared.
It wasn¡¯t simply a cave that had been dug out. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of evenly cut stone.
¡°This is the dungeon? Why is it so well-made?¡±
Just as Rayne stepped forward, the iron door mmed shut. At the same time, a magic circle appeared on the ceiling.
The temperature seemed to drop rapidly, and ice spikes began to grow from the ceiling.
Hundreds of ice spikes were trying to pierce the entire floor. Even in this urgent situation, Rayne and Wilhelm remained unfazed.
Instead, Roger moved.
Roger¡¯s body disappeared. In the next instant, afterimages of Roger surrounded the entire hall.
The shing aurade sliced through the ice spikes effortlessly. It also hacked away at the magic circles that were etched on the walls.
Roger returned to the spot where he stood after destroying the traps.
¡°How about that? Let us see our youngest member¡¯s skills¡±
Rayne asked Damien with a proud expression. Roger looked at Damien with an arrogant expression, as if asking, ¡®Can¡¯t you do this?¡¯
¡®He¡¯s been annoying me since earlier.¡¯
Ignoring him would have been enough, but Damien¡¯s personality made that impossible.
He had to trample on this guy who kept picking on him.
¡°Hey¡ I can feel a dangerous enemy ahead of us. They must be well prepared.¡±
Rayne said as she pointed to the corridor that led inside.
¡°Roger, you should be nervous too. You know how strong a dark mage bes in their own dungeon, right?¡±
¡°I will handle it this time.¡±
Damien said as he drew out the Dawn. Rayne tilted her head in surprise.
¡°Don¡¯t make rash decisions. Just leave the dangerous stuff to Roger.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t the reason I came on this hunt to gain the trust of the Extermination Squad? I need to work hard and prove that I¡¯m reliable.¡±
¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you were thinking like that. Then let¡¯s see your skills this time.¡±
Rayne stepped aside and said. As if apetitive spirit had been ignited, Roger intervened.
¡°Lady, just leave it to me. I¡¯ll take care of everything¡¡±
Before Roger could finish speaking, Damien leaped forward.
¡°Hey, hey!¡±
Roger panicked and chased after Damien.
But no matter how fast Roger ran, he couldn¡¯t catch up to Damien.
Instead, the distance grew even farther. Damien had instantly turned into a blur and sped through the corridor.
¡°He¡¯s in!¡±
¡°Attack!¡±
As soon as they stepped inside, they saw dark mages. Each of them possessed immense magical power.
¡®Three are Grand Dark Mages. The rest are High-Level dark mages.¡¯
Even though they were Grand Dark Mages, they were not dark mages who hadpleted the Vision. They were far from being a match for a Master ss.
However, this was a dark mage¡¯s dungeon.
And in their own domain, they had the advantage. This ce was filled with dark magic that they had prepared in advance.
Magic circles appeared all over the floor. At the same time, Damien felt his body bing increasingly heavy.
It was as if his entire body had turned to stone. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, it felt like boulders were pressing down on his shoulders.
Then, a piercing cold seeped into his body, and his muscles stiffened.
¡°Alright! He¡¯s caught in the trap!¡±
¡°Now¡¯s our chance! Attack him!¡±
¡°Focus your magic on his lower body!¡±
The dark mages raised their staffs. Then, dark mana flowed from somewhere and gathered into their staffs.
Dark magic from the Annihtion sect was unleashed simultaneously.
Ice des rained down from the front. Spikes shot up from the floor. A piercing cold emanated from behind.
¡®All of them are 9th-grade dark magic.¡¯
These were dark magic that were cumbersome for the dark mages here to use.
The reason they were able to activate them was probably because this was their dungeon.
They had used magic circles and catalysts that they had prepared in advance to unleash high-grade dark magic in one go.
¡®As expected.¡¯
This level of trap was not enough to hold Damien. He could break through it with sheer force alone.
The same was true of the magic that was pouring down. With Damien¡¯s level of skill, he could block it all by strengthening his aura armor.
However, he needed to show the Extermination Squad behind him his strength and shut them up.
Damien raised the Dawn.
The Sword Saint could read the flow of mana. And Damien knew how to use all of the Sword Saint¡¯s techniques and realm.
In other words, Damien could read the flow of mana just as well.
Damien swung the Dawn and shed out the magic circle on the ground.
He didn¡¯t need to hack at it like Roger did. He efficiently cut off only the most important circuit.
That alone was enough to render the magic circle inoperable.
Next, he sliced through all the iing magic with his sword. The forms that formed the dark magic were cut off and scattered into dark magic.
¡°What?¡±
¡°What the?¡±
Damien infused the Dawn with mana and swung his sword repeatedly at the dark mages.
The unleashed aurade sliced off the necks of the dark mages. The dark mages died without even screaming.
¡°Hey! What about me¡¡±
Roger, who had followed behind, saw the inside and shut his mouth.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s already over?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Rayne and Wilhelm also had surprised expressions.
¡°Since the cleanup is done, let¡¯s go inside.¡±
Damien said to the three of them as he sheathed the Dawn.
***
¡°Wow, amazing.¡±
As they walked down the corridor, Rayne whispered to Wilhelm in a low voice.
¡°I knew he was great, but not this great.¡±
The dark mages who had just attacked Damien weren¡¯t that impressive.
Without Vision, they couldn¡¯t stand against a Master ss, after all.
What Rayne was paying attention to was time.
Although they hadn¡¯tpleted the Vision, this was a dark mage¡¯s dungeon.
The traps set by the dark mages were at an amazing level, even a Master ss would struggle with them.
But Damien had taken down all the dark mages before Roger even arrived.
And when they examined the remaining traces on the scene, it was clear that Damien hadn¡¯t wasted any unnecessary energy.
He had disabled the magic circle with one strike and taken down the dark mages with one strike.
Rayne had never seen a knight with such clean and precise skills.
¡°Our master will be impressed.¡±
Wilhelm nodded in agreement with Rayne¡¯s words.
¡°Thanks to that, Roger ispletely in control now.¡±
Roger was quietly following behind Damien, his expression clearly showing that he was overwhelmed by Damien¡¯s abilities.
Just then, the corridor came to an end, revealing a massive underground chamber.
¡°What the¡!¡±
An angry blue-haired man was grinding his teeth there and his anger was palpable.
¡°You Empire pigs have crossed the line! How dare you attack my researchb!¡±
Even though he was just standing there, an enormous amount of dark mana could be felt emanating from him. The air itself seemed to be tainted by his dark mana.
It was clear, without needing to be told, who this man was.
Vanexia, the Deadlock.
The archenemy from Pandemonium was right in front of them.
In that moment, the atmosphere around Rayne and Wilhelm changed.
The friendliness they had disyed until now instantly disappeared.
Only a fierce killing intent remained, like smoke swirling around them.
The Extermination Squad.
A group formed by the disciples of a sword saint.
The sword saint had taken in those who had lost their families to dark mages as his disciples.
The name ¡°Extermination Squad¡± was a manifestation of their hatred.
¡°Wow, the trash is talking?¡±
¡°Shut up, bitch!¡±
¡°It seems you still don¡¯t understand the situation, considering how carelessly you¡¯re talking.¡±
Rayne nced at Damien and Roger as she said this.
¡°Step back, both of you.¡±
Rayne and Wilhelm gripped their weapons and stepped forward, unleashing their aura simultaneously.
Two Master ss swordsmen who had transcended their limits.
Their powerful energy pushed back against the dark mana and filled the space.
Vanexia¡¯s expression stiffened at the sight.
¡°¡¡The Sword Saint, that fucker, sent monsters after me.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t speak disrespectfully of my master, or I¡¯ll rip your tongue out.¡±
¡°Your arrogance knows no bounds. I was already in a bad mood, and now it¡¯s even better. Killing all four of you will clear my head.¡±
The giant evil used his magic. In that instant, the entire chamber was covered in ice.
And to make matters worse, snow began to fall. The wind was like a sharp de, relentless in its attack.
It was like being caught outside on a cold winter day.
¡®He¡¯s indeed a great evil.¡¯
Grand Dark Mage who hadpleted the Vision could be strong enough to rival a Master ss.
And if they went one step further, they would gain a special ability.
Domination of space.
They could perfectly control a certain range of space, making it their own.
¡°Ugh, I wish I had worn thicker clothing.¡±
Even seeing this, Rayne and Wilhelm didn¡¯t lose theirposure.
¡°It¡¯s cold, so let¡¯s quickly finish this and go back.¡±
Rayne and Wilhelm charged towards Vanexia.
***
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Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 223: The Extermination Squad (3)
Numerically, the Extermination Squad had the advantage, but still, Vanexia had the upper hand.
¡°Come on! You pigs of the empire!¡±
As Vanexia chanted a spell, more than ten dark magic spells were simultaneously activated.
A fierce cold rushed in like a storm, and ice des poured down incessantly. Sharp spikes erupted from the ground.
Damien recognized all the dark magic spells that Vanexia had used.
¡®They¡¯re all 10th-tier dark magic spells.¡¯
A single cast of any of these high-tier dark magic spells could kill thousands.
Moreover, with the help of the magic circle pre-installed in the dungeon, Vanexia¡¯s dark magic had be even more powerful.
However, Rayne and Wilhelm were no pushovers either. As their hands blurred and the countless shes were unleashed.
All the dark magic spells were sliced apart by these shes. Vanexia¡¯s brow furrowed as he watched this scene.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Roger watched the two with a nervous expression. On the other hand, Damien observed the battle with a calm face.
¡®Both of them are incredibly skilled.¡¯
Even in a battle against a giant evil, Damien hadn¡¯t stepped in because he wanted to assess their abilities.
These two were raised by the Sword Saint and were strong enough to be ranked 3rd and 4th in the Extermination Squad.
It was impossible not to be curious.
¡®To think they died before the War of Destruction with such skills?¡¯
No matter how strong one is, if they¡¯re unlucky, they can die suddenly¡ªthat¡¯s the way of the world.
In Damien¡¯s view, these two were too talented to die so early.
¡°You¡¯re fighting well for a bunch of piglets!¡±
Vanexia shouted and struck the ground with his staff. Then, with a heavy snowfall, a blizzard began to rage.
A single snowke brushed Rayne¡¯s cheek and her cheek split open and caused blood to spill out.
¡°What¡?¡±
Rayne looked up at the ceiling in shock. The snow falling from the sky wasn¡¯t just ordinary ice crystals.
Each ke was a lethal weapon sharp enough to cut through aura armor.
¡°You seem surprised? This is my ¡®Vision¡¯. I make it snow with extreme sharpness.¡±
Vanexia raised his staff high into the sky. The storm gathered all the snowkes.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you without leaving your bodies intact.¡±
Vanexia pointed his staff at the two. The white blizzard surged towards them.
¡°Brother! Sister!¡±
Roger shouted in panic. A single snowke had already cut through their aura armor.
Such a blizzard was about to engulf the two of them.
¡°Wilhelm, it seems we need to put in some effort.¡±
At Rayne¡¯s words, Wilhelm nodded.
At that moment, their eyes changed. They stared at the blizzard without even blinking.
Just before the blizzard reached them, they both swung their swords simultaneously. An unusual phenomenon urred.
The storm split to the left and right, avoiding them and flying in other directions.
¡®Impressive. To alter the flow of the wind with the Sword Saint¡¯s realm.¡¯
The realm of the Sword Saint, Ten Thousand Flow Perception, was a realm that could read and change the flow.
The two of them used Ten Thousand Flow Perception to change the flow of the storm and escape the dark magic.
¡°The Sword Saint, that drunkard, truly raised a monster!¡±
Even Vanexia couldn¡¯t help but be shocked at how easily his vision was blocked.
This became the deciding factor of the fight.
Rayne seized the opening and swung her sword. An aurade flew towards Vanexia.
¡°Kraaah!¡±
The aurade shed at Vanexia¡¯s shoulder. The same one that held the staff.
Blood sttered as his arm was severed. Vanexia grabbed his shoulder in agony.
¡°Wilhelm!¡±
Rayne and Wilhelm rushed towards Vanexia to finish him off.
Rayne immediately tried to stab Vanexia¡¯s heart with her sword.
At that moment, Damien noticed something.
An immense amount of dark mana started emanating from the blood Vanexia had shed on the ground.
¡°Watch your feet, both of you!¡±
Damien shouted instantly. In the next moment, ice spikes erupted from the bloodstains.
The ice des shed through both of them, reaching up to the ceiling.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Blood spurted from various parts of their bodies. The bleeding was severe, indicating deep cuts.
However, thanks to Damien¡¯s warning, they managed to avoid fatal injuries.
¡°¡!¡±
With a bit more leeway, Wilhelm endured the pain and swung his sword at Vanexia.
A sky-blue aura de severed Vanexia¡¯s neck. But Wilhelm¡¯s attack didn¡¯t stop there.
He sliced through his face, splitting his body into multiple pieces. Only then did he stop his attack.
Vanexia the Deadlock.
The giant evil of Pandemonium died without even leaving a dying scream.
¡°Hah¡ Huff¡¡±
As soon as they cut down Vanexia, both of them copsed to the floor, clutching their wounds in pain.
¡°Sister! Brother!¡±
***
¡°Sister! Brother!¡±
Roger ran towards them and he opened his bag and took out potions to treat their wounds.
¡°Here, drink this quickly! I didn¡¯t expect your injuries to be this severe¡!¡±
In the meantime, their wounds were freezing over. The cold had prated to their organs, making the potions ineffective.
¡°Da-Damien Haksen¡¡±
Rayne spoke to Damien as she suppressed her pain.
¡°Tha-thanks for earlier. If it weren¡¯t for you, we would both be dead.¡±
Victory was within sight, and their vision had narrowed momentarily.
Vanexia hadid a trap during thatpse. The two almost fell for it.
¡°I owed you at least that much for the great show you put on.¡±
¡°Haha, I guess we¡¯ve already paid the price with our lives. Today, we¡¯re lucky.¡±
Rayne burst intoughter, but she was sweating from the pain.
Suddenly, Wilhelm grabbed Damien¡¯s cor.
Damien turned to look at him, puzzled. Wilhelm quietly gave him a thumbs-up.
Since he couldn¡¯t speak, it seemed this was his way of expressing gratitude.
¡°Sister! Brother! We don¡¯t have time for this! We need to find a priest quickly! Potions can¡¯t heal these wounds!¡±
Roger cried out. Rayne patted his back and said it was alright.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from the entrance where the four hade in. Roger and Rayne fell silent instinctively.
As time passed, the footsteps grew louder, increasing the group¡¯s sense of foreboding.
Eventually, someone appeared in the corridor.
It was a burly woman. But the group couldn¡¯t be sure at first if she was a woman.
Judging by her beautiful face, she was indeed a woman. However, she was incrediblyrge and muscr.
Her muscles were so massive that they looked like they had been carved out of stone.
¡°Hmm? What¡¯s going on here?¡±
Seeing the scene inside, the woman tilted her head in confusion.
¡°I was asked to teach Vanexia a lesson¡ but she¡¯s already dead? And there are Imperial knights here? What is this situation?¡±
The woman kept tilting her head in bewilderment.
Rayne scrutinized the woman¡¯s face. Suddenly, her expression hardened.
¡°¡Salik the Fallen.¡±
¡°Hmm? You know me?¡±
¡°A dark knight who was bewitched by the Subus and abandoned her position of giant evil¡ Why are you here?¡±
Rayne¡¯s voice was filled with shock and fear simultaneously.
¡° asked me to. She told me to teach Vanexia a lesson for being arrogant. But since he¡¯s already dead, what should I do?¡±
Salik scratched her head as she spoke.
Unlike her rxed demeanor, the group was far from calm.
Their strongest members, Rayne and Wilhelm, were already in tatters from the battle with Vanexia.
In this condition, they couldn¡¯t possibly fight Salik.
¡°Ah¡ I won¡¯t get my reward from now¡ I had the chance to spend a night with her¡¡±
Salik sighed deeply in disappointment.
¡°But I can¡¯t lie. Instead, I¡¯ll take your heads as proof.¡±
At her words, the group¡¯s faces stiffened.
However, there was one exception: Damien Haksen. From the moment Salik entered, Damien had been staring at her intently.
His gaze irritated Salik.
¡°Why are you so calm? It¡¯s annoying, so I¡¯ll kill you first¡¡±
At that moment, Salik¡¯s expression went nk.
¡°You¡¯re¡ Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve recognized me correctly.¡±
¡°Ha¡ Damien Haksen¡ I didn¡¯t expect such a fortuitous encounter.¡±
[PR/N- Fortuitous encounter with Death.]
Salik pped her forehead in delight.
¡°You¡¯ll have toe with me. desperately wants you. She¡¯ll be thrilled if I bring you to her.¡±
Salik¡¯s presence surged. Just that caused the ground beneath her to shatter. The entire cavern shook violently.
Her presence alone wasparable to that of Rayne and Wilhelmbined. This meant that Salik alone was equivalent to two master-ss warriors.
¡°You¡¯d bettere quietly. Otherwise, you¡¯ll face some rough treatment¡¡±
At that moment, a powerful presence was felt from the ceiling. Everyone looked up.
The stone ceiling rippled like waves. Soon, a boy¡¯s head popped out.
¡°Ah, I finally found it.¡±
The boy shook his head vigorously, causing dirt to fall.
When he looked down, his face went nk.
¡°¡Eh? What? What¡¯s going on?¡±
The boy descended from the ceiling and spoke with a bewildered expression.
¡°Vanexia is dead¡ Imperial knights? And Salik? What on earth is going on?¡±
¡°Barche? What are you doing here, kid?¡±
¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a kid. I¡¯m older than you¡ Ugh, never mind. I¡¯m here on my master¡¯s orders.¡±
The boy sighed and continued speaking.
¡°My master told me to put Vanexia in his ce¡ but it seems that won¡¯t be necessary?¡±
Rayne, who had been staring at the boy, shouted in shock once more.
¡°Barche of the Crimson de¡ Even the first disciple of the Weapon Master shows up?¡±
¡°You seem to know me?¡±
¡°Of course I do. You¡¯ve killed numerous Imperial knights.¡±
Rayne spoke with a voice full of murderous intent. Barcheughed awkwardly and replied.
¡°The Imperial knights can¡¯t help but dislike me. But showing such tant hostility¡ is quite unpleasant.¡±
Barche clenched his fist, and iron armor extended from his shoulders to cover it.
¡°You¡¯ll have to pay the price for looking at me like that.¡±
A terrifying killing intent emanated from Barche. At that moment, Salik shouted.
¡°Barche. Are you nning to act on your own in front of me?¡±
¡°Why should I care about you?¡±
¡°It seems like you¡¯re ignoring me.¡±
¡°You still have a habit of talking nonsense.¡±
The two red at each other and growled. It was clear they had a bad rtionship.
¡°¡Wait.¡±
Then Barche noticed Damien.
¡°Is that Damien Haksen? What¡¯s he doing here?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°Wow, what luck! If I take him, my master might reward me with another set of armor!¡±
Barche started to run towards Damien. At that moment, Salik swung her hand.
A line was drawn at Barche¡¯s feet with a sound of slicing air. Barche¡¯s expression turned fierce.
¡°Salik, what are you doing?¡±
¡°Damien Haxen is mine. You back off.¡±
¡°That¡¯s nonsense. I¡¯m taking him.¡±
¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t back down easily.¡±
The two red at each other and emitted killing intent.
¡°¡Damien.¡±
Meanwhile, Rayne whispered to Damien.
¡°We¡¯ll hold them off. You take the opportunity to escape.¡±
Damien was puzzled by the unexpected words.
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°We¡¯re prepared to give our lives to kill the giant evils of Pandemonium as members of the Extermination Squad. But you¡¯re not a member yet, right? You don¡¯t need to die here.¡±
Rayne looked at Wilhelm and Roger.
¡°So it¡¯s right for us to sacrifice ourselves. Don¡¯t you both agree?¡±
Without hesitation, they nodded.
¡°You heard sister. We¡¯ll hold them off, so you escape and seek refuge with the master.¡±
At this moment, Damien was overwhelmed with indescribable emotions.
The Extermination Squad.
The Extermination Squad wasposed of those who had lost their families to Pandemonium.
Thus, their ideology was simple.
To ensure no one else suffers because of Pandemonium.
In his past life, it was the same. The Extermination Squad never hesitated to sacrifice their lives. They willingly gave their lives for the fleeing refugees.
Damien had ughtered these noble and beautiful people with his own hands.
Even then, the Extermination Squad tried their best to hold Damien back to save as many retreating soldiers as possible.
¡°¡It should be the other way around.¡±
Damien spoke in a deeply subdued voice as he struggled to suppress his emotions.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll deal with those two. You guys find a way to escape.¡±
At his words, the three burst intoughter simultaneously. Damien¡¯s words were so absurd that theyughed even in this dire situation.
¡°Damien, those two are as strong as the giant evils. You can¡¯t face them alone¡¡±
Damien scratched his head. It seemed they wouldn¡¯t listen to reason.
¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. Just take a deep breath and sleep.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Damien¡¯s body disappeared. He reappeared behind the three and tapped their necks. They let out short cries before losing consciousness.
¡°Hmm? What are you doing?¡±
¡°Are you nning to betray them?¡±
Even Salik and Barche asked in surprise.
¡°I figured talking wouldn¡¯t work.¡±
Damien stretched his neck from side to side as he approached the two. Their expressions showed disbelief.
¡°Are you seriously thinking about fighting us both?¡±
¡°Why not just surrender quietly?¡±
Suddenly, Salik looked at Damien with a puzzled expression.
¡°Why¡ are you smiling?¡±
As Damien stood before them, a clear smile was etched on his face.
¡°How could I not be happy?¡±
had tortured his sister¡¯s soul in the most horrific way imaginable.
The Weapon Master had desecrated his father¡¯s soul by cing it in a decaying animal carcass.
They had taken pleasure in showing these atrocities to Damien. Being trapped within his own body, he could only watch helplessly.
No one could understand the depth of Damien¡¯s rage and guilt at that time.
¡°Meeting ¡¯s lover and the Weapon Master¡¯s top disciple¡ªhow could I not be thrilled?¡±
Even if the Extermination Squad hadn¡¯t been willing to sacrifice themselves, Damien had nned to kill these two with his own hands. As ¡¯s lover and the Weapon Master¡¯s top disciple, they surely held a special ce in their masters¡¯ hearts.
¡°Killing you two will make and the Weapon Master suffer, even if just a little.¡±
The thought filled him with joy. He could barely contain hisughter.
¡°This guy¡¯s seriously crazy.¡±
¡°I really hate being disrespected like this.¡±
Salik grasped the air and created a massive greatsword with her aura de.
Barche clenched his fist and iron armor enveloped his entire body from the void.
In that instant, Damien¡¯s body vanished. He reappeared between the two.
¡°What¡?¡±
¡°Huh¡?¡±
Damien extended his arms and struck them both. Simultaneously, he unleashed his aura.
Two were sent flying into the walls and embedded deeply with explosive force with a deafening crash.
¡°It seems you still don¡¯t understand the situation.¡±
Damien muttered quietly.
¡°Come at me with everything you¡¯ve got. Only then will it be satisfying to crush you.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Chapter 224: The Realm (1)
Salik and Barche stepped out from the shattered wall. Both of them had surprised expressions on their faces.
¡°Even if we were caught off guard¡ to think we¡¯d get blown away like this.¡±
¡°I heard it hasn¡¯t been long since he became a Master ss. Is that information wrong?¡±
Originally, Damien had intended to hide his true strength for the time being.
There wasn¡¯t a particrly grand reason for it. He just didn¡¯t want to attract unnecessary suspicion.
However, he couldn¡¯t just stand by when there was an opportunity to torment both and the Weapon Master even if it was a little.
¡°By the way, this is really starting to piss me off.¡±
¡°Salik, I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be on the same page.¡±
The two of them narrowed their eyes sharply. It seemed like they were about to pounce on Damien at any moment.
¡°Wait.¡±
¡°Hold on a moment.¡±
Suddenly, they red at each other.
¡°I¡¯ll take care of that asshole first, so wait your turn.¡±
¡°Where does a kid like you get off giving orders? You back off.¡±
Instead of focusing on Damien, Salik and Barche growled at each other.
¡°If you keep acting high and mighty, I¡¯ll kill you first.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I want to say to you.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight of the two about to explode.
¡°Maybe I hit both of you too softly.¡±
It seemed neither of them grasped the situation.
This was not a pleasant development for Damien. No one likes being underestimated by trash.
¡°I guess I need to make them snap out of it.¡±
Damien drew out the Dawn. A blue glow enveloped the de.
As a killing intent emanated from Damien, both Salik and Barche briefly turned towards him.
¡°Damien Haksen, stay put. I¡¯ll deal with this guy first¡¡±
Damien¡¯s body vanished. In the next moment, he appeared right in front of Salik.
¡°¡What?¡±
Damien brought Dawn down on Salik¡¯s head.
A blue sh split Salik in two.
* * *
Salik hurriedly blocked the attack with her greatsword.
The greatsword made of aurade exerted physical force despite itsck of form.
When the two weapons collided, a sharp sound echoed as Salik¡¯s body was pushed back.
¡°Are you out of your mind!¡±
The sudden attack ignited Salik¡¯s anger. But before she could unleash her fury, Damien¡¯s attack began.
His sword strikes were terrifyingly precise, aiming for Salik¡¯s vital points. She frantically blocked the attacks.
¡°This¡ this bastard¡!¡±
Salik¡¯s face was filled with panic. Damien¡¯s swordsmanship was far more refined than expected.
There was no room for counterattack. Salik was struggling just to block. No, she wasn¡¯t even blocking properly.
Damien¡¯s attacks asionally grazed Salik¡¯s body. Her clothes and skin were shed, and blood flowed out.
¡°Barche!¡±
Eventually, Salik had to swallow her pride and call for help.
¡°Are you just going to stand there and watch!¡±
At that shout, Barche snapped out of his daze. In fact, he had been in a stupor until just now.
Salik.
A madwomen who gave up her position as a giant evil to be ¡¯s lover.
Her skills were on par with any giant evil.
Such a person was being overpowered without being able to put up a proper fight. It was unbelievable even when seen with his own eyes.
¡°What the hell is going on here!¡±
Barche shouted as he rushed towards Damien.
¡°Hah!¡±
Barche swung a huge punch at Damien. Damien dodged by leaning back.
At the same time, he swung his sword, aiming to cut Barche. But there was only a scraping sound. Barche¡¯s body wasn¡¯t cut.
¡°Do you think such a lukewarm attack can pierce my ¡®Carcass¡¯?¡±
The disciples of the Weapon Master were all given demonic weapons and armors.
In Barche¡¯s case, he was given demonic armor instead of a weapon. Although no armor could withstand an aurade, it was a different story when the armor was imbued with aura.
With the armor¡¯s capabilities enhanced by aura, Barche was almost invincible.
¡°Haaat!¡±
Barche continued his assault by swinging his fists and feet at Damien.
Damien had no choice but to retreat to avoid Barche¡¯s attacks. It gave Salik a moment to catch her breath.
¡°Damn it! To think I¡¯d be pushed back by such a brat¡¡±
As she regained herposure, Salik¡¯s rage red up again.
She clenched her other hand. Aurade gathered and took the form of a long axe.
¡°I will¡ I will kill you!¡±
Salik charged at Damien and swung both her greatsword and axe.
Weapons made of aurades had no weight so it made Salik¡¯s attacks light and fast.
Barche stuck close to Damien and continued to throw punches. Every time his fists moved, the sonic booms were created.
The two attacked in unison. Damien¡¯s eyes moved rapidly.
***
Damien blocked all their attacks with a single sword.
A fierce battle continued, neither side gaining the upper hand.
¡°Damn it!¡±
¡°This is impossible!¡±
From their perspective, it was a humiliating experience.
They weren¡¯t just ordinary Master sses. They were powerful enough to rival the giant evils.
and the Weapon Master had sent them to punish Vanexia for a reason.
It was already a blow to their pride to work together, and they couldn¡¯t even gain the upper hand.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can withstand this!¡±
Salik threw the weapons in her hands. The greatsword and axe flew towards Damien like boomerangs.
Even while fighting Barche, Damien easily dodged the attacks. But Salik¡¯s throws didn¡¯t stop with just one attempt.
Salik continuously threw weapons made of aurades.
Weapons rained down on Damien, causing explosions every time they hit the ground.
¡°Salik! Be careful where you throw! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m here?¡±
¡°You¡¯re wearing demonic armor, so you¡¯re fine!¡±
Thanks to this, Salik could attack Damien without worrying about Barche getting hurt.
¡°This is getting annoying.¡±
Damien muttered softly, but Salik heard it clearly.
¡°Annoying? Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll still say that when my axe cleaves your skull open.!¡±
Salik shouted confidently as she threw her weapons. Two axes flew straight at him.
Damien bent backward to dodge Barche¡¯s attack and swung his sword at the iing axes simultaneously.
At that moment, something strange happened.
The axes, which had been flying straight, suddenly veered off course and shot into the air.
¡°¡What?¡±
Salik¡¯s face filled with confusion.
Throwing weapons was Salik¡¯s specialty. She had honed this skill all her life.
As a result, Salik had reached a level where she could split a cliff with a thrown weapon.
The title ¡®Fallen¡¯ was given to her by those who were awed by her overwhelming power.
And yet, Damien had deflected her thrown weapon so easily?
It was an extraordinary feat that couldn¡¯t be aplished with ordinary skills. Salik knew of only one person capable of such a feat.
¡°Are you a disciple of the Sword Saint?¡±
Salik shouted, but Damien didn¡¯t answer and continued fighting Barche.
¡°Damn it! That brat can counter my technique¡¡±
Having her signature technique so easily countered was a blow to Salik¡¯s pride.
Salik gathered dark mana into both hands. She thenbined her hands.
The dark mana transformed into an aurabade, creating a massive axe.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you can deflect this with the Sword Saint¡¯s technique!¡±
Salik twisted her waist and threw the axe with all her strength.
The axe flew at a terrifying speed creating sonic booms in the air.
¡°You won¡¯t be able to block this one!¡±
Just as the Empire investigated Pandemonium, Pandemonium also investigated the Empire.
The Sword Saint¡¯s technique to twist the flow of attacks was undoubtedly powerful, but it had its limits.
It couldn¡¯t deflect attacks that were too powerful.
The axe reached Damien¡¯s face. Damien tilted his sword to parry the axe.
As the axe and sword shed, Damien swung his sword. The axe followed the trajectory of the sword.
¡°What?¡±
Damien swung his sword towards Barche. The axe flew towards Barche.
The axe struck Barche¡¯s back. The aura surrounding his armor prevented his body from being cut.
¡°Ugh!¡±
But it couldn¡¯t block the impact. Barche spat blood and crashed to the ground.
¡°Damn it!¡±
Salik shouted in panic. Damien didn¡¯t miss the opening she showed.
Damien swung his sword. A blue sh streaked as the aurade was released.
There was no time to dodge or block. The aurade severed Salik¡¯s neck and embedded itself in the wall.
¡°Guh¡¡±
Blood sprayed out and drowned out Salik¡¯s scream.
As Salik¡¯s neck was severed, Barche, who had been sprawled on the ground, let out a scream.
¡°Salik! I told you! Be careful when you throw¡¡±
Damien swung his sword. The sword and the demonic armor shed.
¡°It¡¯s useless¡¡±
As Barche shouted, Damien¡¯s sword pierced the armor. Simultaneously, he severed Barche¡¯s neck.
Blood spurted from the cracks in the armor.
* * *
No matter how strong a Master ss is, they can¡¯t survive with their necks severed. The victor was decided at this point.
If they were ordinary Master sses, that is.
¡°Guh¡ gah¡¡±
Salik pressed her head with her hand. Moving despite having her neck severed was not normal.
But the real bizarre event was yet toe. Suddenly, the wound area began to swell as if it were rotting.
Soon, the flesh began to stick together. The wound healed instantly.
¡°Carcass!¡±
Barche struggled to utter a name. Suddenly, the armor around his neck started to flow like liquid.
The liquid armor covered the wound.
The armor, which had turned to liquid, sealed his wounds.
¡°Ha, we almost died there.¡±
¡°Haha¡ Carcass, you truly are the best.¡±
The two sighed in great relief.
Despite the bizarre sight, Damien didn¡¯t look particrly surprised. It was as if he had known they wouldn¡¯t die from such wounds.
¡°Damn it, this is insane¡ Where did such a monstere from¡¡±
¡°Our master¡ made a mistake¡ That thing¡ is not normal¡¡±
Even after escaping death, they couldn¡¯t shake off the shock.
In the recent exchange of attacks and defenses, they had clearly realized something.
They finally understood what kind of being stood before them and the true nature of the hierarchy among the three of them.
¡°Damn it, I¡ how could I suffer such humiliation¡ I won¡¯t ept this!¡±
With intense anger, dark mana erupted from Salik¡¯s body. It was far more massive than before.
¡°I¡¯ll show you¡ my true power!¡±
The dark mana transformed into aurades. Soon, nine swords formed from the aurades.
The nine swords hovered freely in the air as if they were alive.
¡®She finally used it.¡¯
Barche looked at the nine swords with a face full of reverence.
He had heard of it. It was said that Salik had reached the rare realm and could produce nine swords.
Back when Salik was a giant evil, no one could stand against the nine swords she created.
At that time, Salik was a figure of fear not only in Pandemonium but also in the Empire.
¡°I can¡¯t just stand by either.¡±
Barche also drew out his mana. He used the realm that he had learned from his master.
All Weapons Beloved.
It was a realm where the potential of weapons was drawn out, and it was applied to his demonic armor.
The armor, Carcass, began to pulsate like a living creature. Spikes sprouted all over, and it emitted immense dark mana.
¡°Impressive.¡±
Salik briefly admired the sight.
The All Weapons Beloved realm itself was not extraordinary, but its effects whenbined with demonic weapons and armor were terrifying.
Confidence surged back into Salik and Barche¡¯s hearts.
¡°What is it called?¡±
Suddenly, Damien asked the two. The unexpected question brought puzzled expressions to Salik and Barche¡¯s faces.
¡°What do you mean, suddenly¡?¡±
¡°I asked for the name of that realm you used.¡±
Damien looked at Salik and asked. Salik was bewildered and replied.
¡°¡It¡¯s called Azure Sky¡¯s Flight.¡±
¡°Thank you for telling me. Otherwise, I would have had toe up with a name for it myself.¡±
Damien flicked his finger. At that moment, swords made of aurades were created in the air.
Salik¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to burst.
¡°It seems this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a realm rted to the Nine-Swords. You¡¯ve acquired a useful realm.¡±
Damien dered with a satisfied expression.
¡°Then shall we start again?¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter: 225 The Realm (2)
Salik stared at the nine swords created by Damien with trembling eyes.
While her own swords emitted a dark gray hue, Damien¡¯s swords radiated a blinding blue light.
Despite this, Salik could recognize it. Those were swords produced through the same realm she possessed.
Impossible.
Despite knowing this, Salik struggled to deny it. She desperately tried to reject the idea that Damien had used the same realm as her.
It was clear that Damien was using the same realm as a Sword Saint.
No Master ss possessed more than one realm. That wasn¡¯t justmon knowledge; it was an unquestionable truth.
This had to be a trick.
She didn¡¯t know how Damien did it, but it had to be a vile deception, a ruse to break her will to fight.
¡°I can see exactly what you¡¯re struggling with.¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s voice reached her. She looked at Damien with a dazed expression.
¡°Don¡¯t bother denying it. What you¡¯re thinking is correct.¡±
Salik stared at Damien with a face full of disbelief.
¡°What¡ that¡¯s nonsense¡¡±
¡°I have a special talent. Any technique or realm I see with my own eyes, I can mimic it.¡±
Salik tried toprehend Damien¡¯s words. Then anger began to boil within her.
¡°Are you trying to deceive me with such obvious lies?¡±
There was no need to ponder. Such a person couldn¡¯t exist.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you right now so you can¡¯t spout any more nonsense!¡±
Salik reached out toward Damien. Her nine swords shot towards Damien.
Nine ck lines instantly converged on Damien.
At that very moment, the swords created by Damien moved.
Blue light blocked the ck light. The swords from both sides shed repeatedly.
With a thunderous crash, the swords shattered. The fragments of the aurades fell to the ground and then evaporated.
¡°¡¡¡±
After witnessing this, there was no longer any way to deny it.
Damien was using the same realm as her. And at the same level as herself.
At that moment, immense loss overwhelmed Salik¡¯s heart. Despair was evident on her face.
¡°This¡ this can¡¯t be¡ did you¡ did you steal my realm?¡±
To a knight, their realm was a source of pride.
It was the culmination of a lifetime¡¯s worth of training and skill.
To have such a precious treasure stolen right before her eyes.
¡°That can¡¯t¡ that can¡¯t be possible!¡±
Salik¡¯s face twisted like a ghost. Deep despair filled her eyes.
¡°That¡¯s a familiar expression.¡±
Damien remarked as he looked at Salik.
Back when he was a Death Knight, the knights who fought and lost their realms to Damien all had that same expression.
The problem back then was that Damien¡¯s enemies were knights fighting for humanity.
Seeing those noble individuals fall into despair because of him filled Damien with guilt.
Now, he felt immense joy at being able to return that despair to the scum of Pandemonium.
¡°How long do you n to stay in shock?¡±
Damien charged at Salik. It was only then that she snapped back to reality.
¡°How dare you¡ use my realm against me!¡±
Damien and Salik shed their weapons. They swung their swords to kill each other.
¡°Die!¡±
Damien and Salik hurled their nine swords at each other. The swords collided in midair.
The two people and their nine swords entangled in aplex melee. In a blink of an eye, thousands of strikes were exchanged.
¡°¡!¡±
With each sh, the shock Salik received grew.
The Azure Sky¡¯s Flight was not an easy realm to master. Even as the original owner, it took Salik considerable time to handle it skillfully.
Just controlling the nine swords was challenging enough, but fighting simultaneously? That was a task of significantly increased difficulty.
Yet Damien was executing it all too effortlessly.
As if he originally possessed the Azure Sky¡¯s Flight realm.
¡°Don¡¯t mess with me!¡±
That fact fueled Salik¡¯s fury. This caused apse in her control over the nine swords.
Damien didn¡¯t miss that opening. He immediatelymanded his nine swords.
Salik¡¯s nine swords shatteredpletely. A look of dismay crossed her face.
¡°W-wait¡!¡±
Salik hastily tried to recreate the nine swords. But before she could, Damien swung Dawn towards Salik¡¯s neck.
At that moment, someone rushed at Damien.
¡°Don¡¯t forget about me!¡±
Barche intervened. He was aiming a punch at Damien¡¯s face.
Damien withdrew his sword and stepped back. Barche¡¯s punch missed its target.
¡°Damn it! He dodged again!¡±
Barche shouted as he began pressing his attack on Damien.
Thanks to All Weapons Beloved pushing the potential of his armor to its limits, Barche¡¯s movements were extraordinary.
Every time Barche attacked, a loud explosion erupted, and ck lightning shed.
But Damien dodged Barche¡¯s attacks as if it were natural, almost as if he could foresee the future.
¡°Thebination of demonic armor and All Weapons Beloved. More troublesome than I thought.¡±
¡°All Weapons Beloved? How do you know my master¡¯s realm¡?¡±
Damien pointed his finger downward. At that moment, nine swords fell from the sky.
The falling nine swords struck Barche¡¯s body.
¡°Argh!¡±
They didn¡¯t pierce him, but the impact was unavoidable. Barche had no choice but to dodge to escape the nine swords.
However, the nine swords were relentless. They pursued Barche and continued to deliver shes.
¡°Salik!¡±
Barche shouted loudly. Salik immediately created andunched nine swords.
Salik¡¯s nine swords blocked Damien¡¯s. Only then did Barche catch his breath.
¡°Damn it! How is this happening! Why is Damien using nine swords!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know, so don¡¯t ask, damn it!¡±
The two hurled curses at each other. Yet, despite their words, they were obviously cooperating seamlessly.
¡°Enough, let¡¯s go! We have to kill that bastard here and now!¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
The two charged at Damien.
Salik¡¯s nine swords held back those created by Damien.
In that case, they had the advantage with their greater numbers.
¡®This isn¡¯t going to work. I¡¯ll have to make a few more.¡¯
Seven more swords appeared around Damien.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Salik and Barche¡¯s faces filled with astonishment at the sight.
Damien pointed his finger at Barche. Immediately, the seven swords enveloped Barche.
¡°W-wait¡!¡±
The seven swords falling from the sky struck Barche. Explosions and loud bangs followed. Barche was driven deep into the ground.
The seven swords pierced through the dust and soared back into the sky.
Damien pointed at Salik. The tips of the seven swords turned toward Salik.
¡°¡Damn.¡±
Salik sensed her fate and cursed briefly.
Seven shes of light pierced Salik¡¯s body.
* * *
¡°Ugh.¡±
Blood spurted from her mouth.
Salik looked down at her body with a pale face.
Seven swords had pierced her body.
They had prated not only her limbs but also all her vital organs.
The dark magic preemptively cast by was useless. Aurades can destroy everything.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡¡±
Even as she continuously coughed up blood, Salik red at Damien.
¡°H-how¡?¡±
Just a moment ago, Damien had created more swords.
Even though Salik, the original owner of the realm, could only manage nine swords, Damien had created sixteen.
¡°You ask useless questions.¡±
Damien said nonchntly in response.
¡°I just use it better than you.¡±
At those words, Salik let out a bitterugh. She didn¡¯t even have the energy to get angry. She was in too dire a situation to be enraged by such a statement.
¡°Ha¡ If I¡¯d known someone like you existed¡ I wouldn¡¯t havee here¡¡±
As Salikughed self-deprecatingly, immense dark mana burst out from above. Both Damien and Salik looked up.
Barche, who they thought was dead, was standing in a mangled state. The areas directly hit by the nine swords had turned his armor and flesh into a mess.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Nevertheless, Barche was still alive. Not only that, he was gathering an enormous amount of dark mana.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t let your guard down!¡±
Barche kicked off the ceiling, dropping straight toward Damien.
At the same time, heunched his fist at Damien. At that moment, the aurade expanded gigantically.
¡°This is my victory!¡±
Barche¡¯s ultimate technique struck Damien¡¯s body.
Damien¡¯s clothes werepletely torn apart. Whaty beneath was revealed.
A pitch-ck armor, dark as the abyss had covered Damien¡¯s body.
The armor was so thin that it was unnoticeable beneath his clothes.
For a moment, Barche was captivated by the sight of the armor.
As disciples of a Weapon Master, they all had a deep knowledge of all demonic weapons and armors. Thus, he could recognize it.
He could see how extraordinary the armor Damien wore was.
¡°I was curious about what you were nning, so I left you alone, but it turns out to be nothing.¡±
Damien had long been aware that Barche was alive.
Even so, he left Barche alone, a luxury afforded by having Hemaera.
One of Hemaera¡¯s main functions was the ability to absorb all external impacts.
Even the technique Barche had used with all his might was fully absorbed by Hemaera.
Of course, Hemaera¡¯s functions weren¡¯t limited to impact absorption.
Damien ced his hand on Barche¡¯s chest. Enchanted by the armor, Barche didn¡¯t notice.
¡°Hemaera, release it.¡±
Hemaera trembled. In the next moment, Barche¡¯s body, armor and all was shattered.
***
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Chapter 226
Chapter 226
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Chapter: 226 The Realm (3)
The moment Hemaera released the damage, Barche¡¯s body vanished without a sound.
In the ce where Barche had stood, there was only a long trail of blood and shattered pieces of his armor.
Damien looked at the scene with an indifferent expression.
There was nothing to be surprised about. After all, Hemaera had absorbed Barche¡¯s attack and then released it back at him. The result was inevitable.
¡°Hmm?¡±
ck smoke began to seep from the shards of the armor.
¡®Is this demonic essence?¡¯
When demons painstakingly crafted armor, it sometimes contained their essence.
Damien reached out towards the essence. The demonic essence waspletely absorbed into the symbol engraved on the back of his hand.
One of the symbols lit up. Damien looked at it.
¡®This time, the Authority of Envy has been unlocked.¡¯
The Authority of Gluttony can absorb the mana from techniques and spells.
The Authority of Wrath can amplify anything. And the Authority of Envy can change properties.
For example, by using the Authority of Envy, one could transform mana into dark mana or divine power.
Additionally, it was possible to imbue mana with attributes like fire or ice properties.
However, there was a downside. The Authority of Envy was not very efficient. The amount of mana consumed during transformation was significant.
¡®I need to increase my mana.¡¯
Despite its drawbacks, the authority was extremely versatile and could not be ignored.
Moreover, there were special techniques that Damien knew of that required the Authority of Envy.
Techniques like moving across the sky like lightning or using swordsmanship that could freeze the sea.
The Authority of Envy was essential to using such techniques.
¨C I¡¯m¡hungry¡ ¨C
At that moment, Hemaera spoke up. It seemed to be hungry due to the energy it had expended.
Damien reached out towards the shards of the armor. The shards floated into the air and attached themselves to Damien¡¯s palm.
¡°Eat.¡±
Damien brought the shards close to Hemaera. Hemaera¡¯s surface became gtinous and absorbed all the shards.
It was another function Hemaera had. It could absorb any metal to strengthen itself.
Rare metals were more effective than ordinary metals, and the remnants of demonic armor were even better.
¨C Delicious¡ ¨C
Hemaera spoke contentedly after absorbing all the shards.
After Hemaera finished its meal, Damien looked back at Salik.
Salik stared at Damien with wide eyes.
¡°What¡what did you just do? How did you kill Barche? And what did you just absorb¡?¡±
¡°No need for you to know.¡±
Damien replied coldly and raised Dawn high. The blue aurade stretched across Dawn.
Salik looked at Dawn with trembling eyes. But then, as if epting her death, her expression became calmer.
¡°¡I have a final request. Just listen to it.¡±
¡°No.¡±
Damien tly refused. He had no intention of wasting time listening to thest words of such trash.
¡°Please¡tell ¡ I have something to say to her¡¡±
Salik pleaded desperately. It seemed she had a close bond with , enough to beg her enemy.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send that bitch to join you soon.¡±
Damien said in a dispassionate voice. Salik¡¯s face hardened.
¡°Send¡her? Are you nning to kill ?¡±
Salik¡¯s dying eyes began to burn with anger.
¡°Someone like you kill ? Impossible! Do you know how strong she is? And who is by her side? There are people far stronger than me around her! And you think you can kill them?¡±
A sneer appeared on her lips.
¡°Stop dreaming. You¡¯ll never kill ¡¡±
Damien snapped his fingers. The aurades piercing Salik¡¯s body disappeared.
She slumped to the ground after her body was freed. She looked up at Damien with a confused expression.
¡°Cough!¡±
The next moment, Damien kicked her in the abdomen.
It was an attack imbued with mana. Blood was coughed up by Salik as shey on the ground.
Already critically injured by the aurades, the kick to the abdomen doubled the pain.
¡°Sorry. I have a personality that can¡¯t tolerate listening to nonsense from trash.¡±
Despite his apology, Damien lifted his foot and stepped on Salik¡¯s head.
¡°You said I can¡¯t kill ? I don¡¯t understand why you think that.¡±
Damien removed his foot from Salik¡¯s head and grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up.
¡°You bastard¡¡±
Salik tried to curse, but when she met Damien¡¯s eyes, she couldn¡¯t continue.
From Damien¡¯s eyes, a chilling and horrifying killing intent was emanating.
Even Salik, who once was an evil giant, had never felt such a killing intent.
¡°Go to the afterlife and watch closely. See how I kill in the most wretched and pitiful way possible. Watch how she dies in utter disgrace.¡±
Salik swallowed hard.
She needed to deny those words for ¡¯s sake. She needed to shout that it was nonsense.
But Salik couldn¡¯t. She was too terrified of the man in front of her.
¡°Not just . The Weapon Master, the Lord of Ten mes, the other scum in Pandemonium, the insects, and even the bastard hiding behind them all, I¡¯ll kill them all.¡±
Damien gathered the dark mana scattered around.
This space was filled with the dark mana released upon the deaths of Vanexia and Barche. Thus, Damien could quickly amass a vast amount of dark mana.
¡°You, you¡¡±
Seeing dark mana gather in Damien¡¯s hand, Salik was too shocked to speak.
Of all the abilities Damien had shown, this was the most shocking.
¡°H-how can a knight¡ a normal knight use dark mana¡?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t answer Salik¡¯s question. Instead, he used the dark mana to shatter her soul.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The moment her soul was destroyed, Salik experienced the most excruciating pain in the world.
Damien had no interest in Salik¡¯s suffering. After shattering her soul, he absorbed her memories.
¡°Ah, there were two more left.¡±
Damien used the dark mana to capture the souls of Vanexia and Barche.
Both had died not long ago, so their souls still lingered in this space.
-Aaaaagh!
-Aaaagh!
Damien shattered their souls as well. Then he found and absorbed the memories within the remnants of their souls.
Damien closed his eyes for a moment and read through the three people¡¯s memories.
How much time had passed?
¡°Damn it.¡±
A curse escaped Damien¡¯s lips. Despite searching through the three¡¯s memories, he could not find Dorugo¡¯s location.
¡°I had high hopes for Vanexia since he was a giant evil.¡±
Even Vanexia had no idea where Dorugo was. It seemed he was not qualified to approach Dorugo, being a low-level giant evil.
¡°At least I found out where the other two are.¡±
Instead, Damien seeded in finding and the Weapon Master¡¯s locations.
The two were inpletely opposite ces.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be there¡!¡±
A look of joy appeared on Damien¡¯s face. An uncontroble smile crept across his lips.
Now that he knew their locations, all that remained was to find them and kill them.
Finally, he could avenge his sister and father. He could bury the bastards who had cruelly humiliated them.
Moreover, through this incident, Damien had gained the trust of the Extermination Squad. He could now borrow the power of the force who had the most knowledge about Pandemonium within the empire.
¡°Just wait a little longer. I will find you soon.¡±
A dryugh echoed in the dark space.
* * *
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh!¡±
Rayne Bell groaned and then suddenly sat up.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she looked around. She saw Wilhelm and Roger lying next to her.
Fortunately, both were safe. Rayne sighed in relief as she looked at them.
¡°How are you feeling?¡±
But her peace was broken by the voice she heard next.
Damien was standing right in front of her.
As soon as she saw Damien¡¯s face, she remembered what he had done just before she passed out.
He had definitely struck their necks and caused them to lose consciousness.
¡°You! Why did you attack¡ Argh!¡±
Rayne tried to get up but clutched her abdomen. The wound from her fight with Vanexia caused her severe pain.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t get up so recklessly. Your wounds haven¡¯t healed yet.¡±
¡°Never mind that, exin yourself.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin. You didn¡¯t believe me, so I had no choice.¡±
¡°How could we believe you! Our opponents were not ordinary masters! You weren¡¯t supposed to be able to handle them!¡±
At that moment, Rayne felt a sense of incongruity.
Just before losing consciousness, ¡¯s lover and the Weapon Master¡¯s top disciple were here.
So how were they still alive?
Rayne looked at Damien with a face full of questions. Damien silently pointed to one side.
There were three corpses.
One was Vanexia the Deadlock. His shattered body had been haphazardly gathered like trash.
And the other two¡
¡°¡Salik the Fallen and Barche the Crimson de?¡±
Two powerful figures, on par with the giant evils,y dead.
Rayne pinched her cheek, wondering if she was dreaming. No matter how hard she pinched, she didn¡¯t wake up.
¡°How¡ how are they dead¡?¡±
¡°I killed them.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a lie. If not me, who else could have killed them?¡±
Rayne was at a loss for words. Damien was right. Of the four people here, he was the only one who hadn¡¯t been knocked out.
If it wasn¡¯t Damien, no one else could have killed them.
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I could do it?¡±
Unlike the astonished Rayne, Damien spoke as if it was no big deal. As if killing those two was not a significant matter.
¡°How¡ how did you kill them?¡±
¡°How else? I killed them because I¡¯m strong.¡±
¡°Strong? How did you be stronger than them?¡±
Rayne couldn¡¯t help but babble as she struggled to ept the reality.
Damien responded to the confused Rayne without hesitation.
¡°Because I¡¯m a genius.¡±
At that moment, Rayne¡¯s mood turned cold.
She looked at Damien and thought,
He¡¯s a rather annoying fellow.
But despite how annoying he was, she had to say it.
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°You still don¡¯t believe me?¡±
¡°Thank you for saving us.¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s body twitched. He looked at Rayne in silence for a while.
¡°¡I was just repaying a debt.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes were filled with numerous emotions as he said that.
***
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Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Chapter: 227 Temporary instructor (1)
***
Afterwards, Damien headed to the nearby territory of Count Alpen, along with the three others.
Count Alpen, who could be considered the lord of this region, was actually one of the families secretly supporting the Extermination Squad.
¡°¡The injuries of the two are quite severe. Come in quickly.¡±
Count Alpen generously provided healing potions to Rayne and Wilhelm.
This was because, given the nature of the Extermination Squad, they had to keep their existence hidden, and could not recklessly call for priests or doctors.
Fortunately, the healing potions provided by Count Alpen¡¯s family were all expensive and highly effective. Rayne and Wilhelm¡¯s condition quickly improved.
While Roger was nursing the two, Damien met with the Count.
¡°¡To fight against giant evil and not have anyone die¡ All four of you are truly remarkable.¡±
When Damien briefly exined what had happened today, Count Alpen gasped in astonishment.
¡°As requested, I contacted the Sword Saint. He is on his way now.¡±
True to his word, the Sword Saint arrived at the Count Alpen¡¯s territory before sunset.
¡°What the hell is going on? Why Rayne and Wilhelm are seriously injured?¡±
Sword Saint must have rushed here because hot steam was rising from his body along with sweat.
Damien recounted everything that had happened in the dungeon to Sword Saint.
The more Damien exined, the more bewilderment appeared on Sword Saint¡¯s face.
¡°¡You fought Salik and Barche alone?¡±
Sword Saint asked in disbelief, which was a natural reaction. After all, those two were bigshots whose names even Sword Saint knew.
Salik was one of the lovers of the Subus . ¡¯s lovers were all known to have strength that rivaled the giant evils.
Salik, in particr, was a figure who had once risen to the position of giant evil. She was one of the top three strongest lovers had.
Barche was also a formidable figure. He was the elite disciple of the Weapon Master.
¡®The elite disciple¡¯ referred to the disciples who received the favor of the Weapon Master and were taught all his skills. Although Barche was not the Weapon Master¡¯s most powerful disciple, he was one of the most powerful figures among the elite disciples.
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go and check for yourself. The bodies of those three are still in the dungeon.¡±
After listening to Damien, Sword Saint contemted for a while before saying.
¡°¡Well,e to think of it, there¡¯s no reason for you to lie to me.¡±
Perhaps because it was such a preposterous statement, Sword Saint quickly believed Damien¡¯s words.
¡°But¡ how did you fight and win against those two at the same time? Salik and Barche are on a whole different level from the Dark Knight who attacked the tournament. They¡¯re on par with the giant evil.¡±
This was why Damien had tried to hide his strength as much as possible.
Damien was too young for his level of skill. So, it was easy for others to suspect him.
But since he had already been caught, there was nothing he could do. Damien decided to suppress Sword Saint¡¯s suspicions even with a bit of stubbornness.
¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m just that good.¡±
Sword Saint gave Damien a dumbfounded look. He even looked at Damien as if he was joking.
¡°Haven¡¯t you heard simr things from the Imperial Supreme Sword or Sword Saint in your younger days?¡±
At those words, Sword Saint made an ¡°Oops¡± expression.
Although they weren¡¯t as good as Damien, they were also geniuses that could be ranked among the greatest in human history.
It was obvious that they were constantly met with people¡¯s astonishment, admiration, and suspicion.
¡°¡So this is how those guys felt. I thought they were paranoid, but I guess I need to change my mind.¡±
Sword Saint scratched his forehead with his finger and muttered.
¡°Come to think of it, I got the order of events wrong.¡±
Sword Saint put his forearm on his chest and knelt on one knee. Then, he said to the embarrassed Damien.
¡°Thank you for saving my disciples.¡±
It was a simple but sincere expression of gratitude.
Damien was once again overwhelmed byplex emotions.
In his previous life, Damien had killed Sword Saint and annihted the Extermination Squad under Dorugo¡¯s orders.
It was not Damien¡¯s will. When he was turned into a Death Knight, he had lost all control over his own body.
Trapped inside his own body, he had no choice but to move as Dorugomanded. But the fact that Damien had killed them in the end remained unchanged.
¡°I wish I could spread the word about your achievements, but all of the Extermination Squad¡¯s activities must be kept secret.¡±
The Extermination Squad was a group created by the empire to counter Pandemonium. The most frightening thing about Pandemonium was that they operated in the shadows. That¡¯s why the Extermination Squad also had to keep their identities hidden.
¡°Besides, it¡¯s not good for you to have this known either. You might be a target for other giant evils.¡±
That didn¡¯t scare him much. Damien was actually hoping that the giant evils woulde looking for him. Then he could kill them without having to go looking for them.
However, Damien was not a glory-seeker, so he did not resent Sword Saint¡¯s decision.
¡°Instead, if there¡¯s anything you want, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes. I want to make up for the fact that I have to cover up your achievements, and I also want to repay you for saving my disciples.¡±
Sword Saint was a figure known as one of the pirs of the empire, along with the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The opportunity to ask for something from someone with such immense power and authority was notmon.
¡®What should I ask for?¡¯
Damien pondered for a moment at Sword Saint¡¯s words.
Having reached Master ss, he now had to aim for the Grandmaster.
Of course, bing a Grandmaster was never easy.
He had to ovee multiple walls of enlightenment. Physical strength and quantity of mana were also important.
¡®I have enough enlightenment. All I need is physical strength and mana.¡¯
Damien¡¯s current physical body was already at a level that was unique even among Master ss. This was thanks to his extreme use of the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation when he ascended to Master ss.
However, he felt it was still insufficient to reach Grandmaster. He needed a stronger body and more mana.
¡°I would like to obtain an elixir. If possible, I would like something that can strengthen both my body and mana at the same time.¡±
¡°Oh¡ Are you thinking of aiming for Grandmaster?¡±
Damien nodded. Sword Saint looked at Damien with an amused expression.
¡°That¡¯s good. I happen to have an elixir that¡¯s perfect for you.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Dragon Heart.¡±
Damien stopped and looked at Sword Saint. Sword Saint added yfully.
¡°¡I have one of the fragments. It¡¯s something I received from the previous emperor.¡±
Even as a fragment, it was still a great elixir.
¡°But I don¡¯t have it on me right now. It¡¯s such a precious item that I keep it stored separately. I¡¯ll have someone send it to youter.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Damien could wait for a fragment of the Dragon Heart.
There was no elixir in the world that surpassed it.
¡°And I have one more request.¡±
¡°Speak.¡±
¡°Please help me enter the Imperial Academy.¡±
A look of bewilderment appeared on Sword Saint¡¯s face as he heard Damien¡¯s request.
¡°You want to enter the Academy? Do you mean to be a student?¡±
¡°Of course not. How could I be a student at the Academy at this age?¡±
The students who entered the Academy were all teenage boys. Damien was too old.
¡°A staff member, a guard, a watchman. The position doesn¡¯t matter. I just need to be able to stay at the Academy for a long time.¡±
¡°Is there a special reason for that?¡±
¡° is there.¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s eyes widened likenterns.
¡°¡The subus is there? Where did you get that information?¡±
Damien was able to find ¡¯s location because he had seen Salik¡¯s memories.
However, he couldn¡¯t just say that. So, Damien mixed in a lie.
¡°Salik dropped some information while fighting me. She talked a lot about the Academy in particr.¡±
¡°So, you think might be at the Academy.¡±
Sword Saint fell into thought again.
¡°To be honest, it¡¯s still just spection. There is no concrete evidence.¡±
Just when Damien thought he was going to be rejected, Sword Saint added.
¡°But those of Pandemonium never show their faces. We can¡¯t miss even a clue like this. I¡¯ll grant your request.¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s eyes changed. They were no longer the eyes of a drunkard or a master moved by the survival of his disciple.
It was the gaze of a hunter about to capture his prey.
¡°But why are you going to such lengths? Why are you, who is not a citizen of the empire, trying to catch ?¡±
¡°I saved the Mercenary King once before. At that time, I encountered .¡±
¡°I know about that.¡±
¡°At that time, showed great interest in me. At that time, looking at that woman, I felt this. I told myself that if I don¡¯t kill her first, I¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±
Sword Saint nodded at Damien¡¯s words.
was a woman who never let go of a man she had set her eyes on.
She was a maniac who would not be satisfied unless she made him her ve by any means necessary.
¡°Moreover, is the Grand Dark Mage of the Berserk Sect. She can transform into a monster, and conversely, she can disguise herself as a very ordinary human. That¡¯s why the empire hasn¡¯t been able to find , right?¡±
It was the same in his previous life.
The other giant evils had been caught by the empire once or twice, but had never been caught.
¡°As you know now, I¡¯m much more skilled than ismonly known. It¡¯s a good way to make let her guard down. And besides, is very interested in me.¡±
It was Damien who had foiled ¡¯s n to kidnap the Mercenary King.
¡° will approach me in some way or another. And then I¡¯ll catch .¡±
With those words, Sword Saint had no choice but to agree.
¡°Will you help me?¡±
¡°Of course. But the problem is in what position to put you in¡¡±
He is too old to be a student. However, it is not appropriate to put him in as a worker. There were many obstacles to putting him in as a guard knight.
¡°¡How about an instructor?¡±
¡°An instructor?¡±
¡°Yes, for subjects like swordsmanship or practical training, we often hire temporary instructors from outside.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind. I just need to get into the Academy.¡±
¡°But there¡¯s a problem. I¡¯ll write a letter of rmendation, but I don¡¯t know if it will be epted.¡±
Damien looked puzzled at Sword Saint¡¯s words. Even with a letter of rmendation from someone like Sword Saint, it might be impossible?
¡°The Imperial Academy has a very long history. It was created by the first emperor of the empire to nurture future talents. In fact, the academy has produced a great many talented individuals.¡±
Sword Saint continued.
¡°That¡¯s why the people of the empire are very proud of the Academy. Do you think they will let a knight from another kingdom like you be a teacher there? To be honest, I¡¯m not sure myself.¡±
In short, it meant that many people would be displeased with Damien, a native of the Apple Kingdom, teaching imperial nobles.
¡°It would be possible if His Majesty the Emperor gave his permission, but¡ His Majesty is a man who strictly adheres to principles and rules. There is no way he would allow such a thing.¡±
Even for the Extermination Squad, there were things that could not be crossed.
In particr, this was something that would break the tradition and order of the Academy.
¡°I guess I should think of other ways just in case.¡±
¡°That seems to be the wise thing to do.¡±
Damien nodded at Sword Saint¡¯s words.
***
¡°I shall grant permission.¡±
In a secret meeting held within the imperial pce, the Emperor spoke with a small but firm voice.
¡°Excuse me?¡±
¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
The high-ranking officials and nobles attending the secret meeting were greatly perplexed.
The Emperor spoke to them once more.
¡°I mean that I will allow Damien Haksen to be hired as an instructor at the Academy.¡±
***
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Chapter 228
Chapter 228
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Chapter: 228 Temporary instructor (2)
***
When the Emperor received the letter from the Sword Saint, he couldn¡¯t help but be moved.
It was already a great feat to have defeated Vanexia, the giant evil of the Pandemonium, but it was natural to react this way when he had defeated two other powerful figures equal to her.
What particrly moved the Emperor was the fact that the person who had defeated these two was none other than Damien Haksen.
¡®Indeed, it is Damien. He is a person I have kept an eye on!¡¯
Does it make sense for a knight who has just entered the Master ss to fight and defeat two powerful beings?
Such a doubt arose for a moment, but he decided to ignore it. After all, there have been geniuses born in the world who sometimes breakmon sense.
Moreover, it was none other than the Sword Saint¡¯s guarantee. There was no room for doubt.
¡®There¡¯s no doubt that Damien has imperial blood flowing in his veins. If not, he couldn¡¯t have such talent.¡¯
At the end of the letter was the Sword Saint¡¯s special request.
¡°Your Majesty, it is presumed that the giant evil is hiding in the academy. Please allow Damien Haksen to be hired as a temporary instructor to find her. This is also Damien Haksen¡¯s request.¡±
Before he even finished reading the sentence, the Emperor had firmly decided to grant this request.
Was it because it was the Sword Saint¡¯s request? No, it wasn¡¯t. It was because it was Damien¡¯s request.
The Emperor immediately held a secret meeting. A small number of courtiers who knew about the Extermination Squad gathered.
There, the Emperor revealed the letter the Sword Saint had sent and dered.
¡°I will allow Damien Haksen to be hired as an instructor at the academy.¡±
As expected, the courtiers protested vehemently.
¡°In the long history of the academy, there has never been a time when a person from another kingdom was hired as an instructor!¡±
¡°This is undermining the tradition of the academy!¡±
The courtiers eximed, startled by the Emperor¡¯s deration.
Normally, he would have listened to their words. After all, that is the virtue of a true monarch. However, the Emperor had no intention of upholding that virtue now.
Moreover, the Emperor now had a very good excuse to ignore the dissatisfaction of his courtiers.
¡°This is a request from the Sword Saint, the leader of the Extermination Squad. Do you mean to let the giant evil go because of the academy¡¯s outdated tradition?¡±
The courtiers were all forced to shut up at the Emperor¡¯s roar.
The giant evil was a particrly dangerous figure among the giant evils of Pandemonium.
More than three hundred nobles and talented knights had been deceived by and turned against the empire, and more than fifty thousand citizens of the empire had been sacrificed to ¡¯s experiments.
¡°Your Majesty, if you hire a knight from another kingdom as an instructor, the dissatisfaction of the nobles who are currently attending the academy will reach the heavens.¡±
However, the courtiers did not give up easily. This is because the academy had such a high status.
¡°Then do you mean to leave alone?¡±
The Emperor was now in a position to hold the perfect justification. He could be as stubborn as he wanted.
¡°But Damien Haksen is from the Apple Kingdom¡.¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t want to hear anymore!¡±
When the Emperor could no longer take it, he spat out his anger.
So what if he¡¯s a knight of the Apple Kingdom? He might even be of imperial blood.
¡°Damien has not hesitated to do dangerous things for the empire! He has even defeated two powerful figures who are notorious in Pandemonium! How can you refuse his request when we didn¡¯t reward him for his contributions.¡±
While speaking, the Emperor thought for a moment.
Yes, for such a great aplishment, he should be rewarded.
Thinking about what kind of reward to give, the Emperor continued,
¡°Above all, it is not permanent, but only temporary. Didn¡¯t Damien ask to stay at the academy only until he catches ?¡±
The courtiers exchanged nces. There was nothing they could do to oppose the Emperor¡¯s will when it was so firm.
However, there was one courtier who still did not budge.
¡°Your Majesty, Chancellor Altman will not be happy with this decision either.¡±
At the name Altman, the Emperor paused.
Altman Bedepullity.
The current chancellor of the academy, the former master of the White Tower, and a transcendent with the status of a grand mage.
In fact, even with these positions, he could not defy the Emperor¡¯s will.
The Emperor was an absolute being in the empire, and all imperial citizens had to bow their heads to the Emperor¡¯s authority.
However, Altman was a bit of an exception. He was the teacher who had taught the Emperor since he was a child.
The Emperor groaned for a moment.
No matter how high his position was, he could not arbitrarily treat the benefactor who had helped him in his youth.
Damien Haksen or the teacher who had taught him for many years?
The deliberation was short and the decision was easy.
¡°Still, my intention remains unchanged.¡±
The Emperor did not change his mind.
¡°I will have Damien Haksen hired as an instructor at the academy.¡±
And so Damien¡¯s trip to the academy was decided.
***
¡°Your request was granted.¡±
Early in the morning.
Damien looked dumbfounded when Sword Saint said this to him.
¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m eating.¡±
¡°His Majesty has granted you permission to enter the academy as an instructor.¡±
At those words, Damien felt more doubt than joy.
The Emperor himself gave his permission? Didn¡¯t Sword Saint say it would be difficult to get the Emperor¡¯s approval?
¡°Huh¡ well¡ His Majesty is not originally like this¡ Pandemonium is important, but he is someone who values ??thew of the empire a little more¡.¡±
Sword Saint was also showing a simr reaction to Damien.
¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing. Now all we have to do is find .¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s eyes sharpened. Damien also nodded with a serious face.
¡°Since this is happening quickly, we need to arrive at the academy by tomorrow or the day after.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll also have a few Extermination Squad members infiltrate. If there¡¯s anything you need, just tell them to do it.¡±
With that, Sword Saint left the mansion.
After Sword Saint left, Damien gathered the people in the mansion.
Michael, Veronica, Liam Bluegreen, and even Rachel gathered in front of Damien.
¡°I¡¯ve been hired as a swordsmanship instructor at the Imperial Academy for the time being.¡±
Damien said to his group.
A heavy silence fell among the group at his words.
¡°Um¡ Sir Damien? I think I heard something wrong.¡±
Liam asked Damien.
¡°Hired as a swordsmanship instructor at the academy? How on earth? No, but why? What¡¯s the reason?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I win the Helian Tournament this time? So they asked me toe and give a special lecture.¡±
Unable to tell the truth, Damien had no choice but to deceive his group.
¡°Wait a minute. So you¡¯re saying the academy invited you for that reason?¡±
Rachel asked with a bewildered face. As an imperial citizen, she seemed to have immediately grasped how absurd Damien¡¯s words were.
¡°The academy wouldn¡¯t do that, would they? Is it really true?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, see for yourself.¡±
Damien handed Rachel his employment certificate from the academy. Rachel¡¯s eyes widened three times at the sight of it.
¡°Wow, brother! That¡¯s amazing!¡±
Michael reacted btedly. Respect and admiration were overflowing from his face.
¡°Pooh, poo-hahahaha!¡±
However, Veronica was different. She was holding her belly andughing.
¡°Y-you, instructor! Damien Haksen is an instructor. N-no way. Poo-poo-hahahaha! A-ack! Aaaack!¡±
Damien grabbed Veronica¡¯s head with his fist and squeezed it. Not satisfied with hitting her once, he hit her twice more.
¡°Sir Liam, I have some business to take care of in the empire, so please take Michael and Veronica back to the kingdom first. I will finish my work and follow you.¡±
¡°I understand. I will do as you say.¡±
¡°Michael, when you arrive in the kingdom, go to the Count Haksen¡¯s House and deliver my letter.¡±
Damien handed Michael a letter. He thought he would send a letter since he might bete.
¡°Veronica, you¡ just figure it out yourself.¡±
¡°Ah, why are you only asking me to do things!¡±
Veronica immediately shut her mouth as Damien raised his fist again.
¡°Well, I¡¯m going out now. I have to arrive at the academy by tomorrow or the day after.¡±
With that, Damien went out first.
¡°Sir Damien is being called to be an instructor at the academy¡ That¡¯s really a great achievement.¡±
As soon as Damien left, Liam Bluegreen eximed in admiration.
Liam Bluegreen also knew how great the Imperial Academy was.
It was a great achievement for a knight of the Apple Kingdom to be invited as an instructor at that ce, which was a symbol of the empire.
¡°But will it be okay?¡±
Then, as Rachel muttered softly, the eyes of the three men turned to her.
¡°Damien as a swordsmanship instructor¡ Well, his skills are certainly solid¡ and he teaches well¡ but¡¡±
Three of the four, except for Liam Bluegreen, had experience being trained directly by Damien.
Damien¡¯s guidance itself was very high-level and profound.
However, the problem was his teaching style.
If they even showed a littleziness orck of achievement, he would mercilessly pick up a club.
-I guess I need to ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ yourziness.
-Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ your bad habits for you.
Every time he hit them with the club, their whole body ached.
What was even more amazing was that no matter how much he hit, there were no signs of injuries.
Since there were no injuries no matter how much he hit them, Damien Haksen beat them with the club without hesitation.
Thanks to that, they improved their skills by leaps and bounds, but it was just as painful and horrible.
¡°And there are a lot of children of high-ranking nobles in the academy¡¡±
The four of them looked at the door Damien Haksen had gone out of.
All four of them had amon question.
Was it really okay to send Damien off like this?
***
[PR/N- Legends of Bonking is about to begin.]
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Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Chapter:229 Temporary instructor (3)
***
The Academy¡¯s Chancellor, Altman Bedepullity, had been feeling uneasy since morning.
¡°Ho, Howard¡ What do you mean by that now¡!¡±
Altman asked, looking at therge mirror hanging on the wall.
This mirror was a magic tool created for long-distancemunication. The mirror reflected the Emperor¡¯s face, not Altman¡¯s.
For the Chancellor of the Academy to be so informal with the Emperor.
It was something that would not have been possible under normal circumstances. However, Altman Bedepullity had been the Emperor¡¯s personal tutor in his youth.
Thanks to that connection, he had the privilege of being able to speak freely when they were alone like this.
¡°I would like to hire Damien Haksen as an instructor at the Academy.¡±
The Emperor said in a calm voice. Altman felt a strong wave of dizziness.
¡°Sir, why are you not saying anything? Do you perhaps not know who Damien Haksen is?¡±
¡°How could that be? I know¡ I know very well¡¡±
How could he not know?
He was talking about the winner of the Helian Tournament, held in honor of the founding Emperor.
These days, the Empire was abuzz with talk about Damien Haksen.
All of the past winners of the Helian Tournament had been knights of the Empire. All the citizens of the Empire took great pride in this fact.
However, the appearance of Damien had shattered the pride of the Empire¡¯s people.
¡°Howard, Damien Haksen is a knight of the Apple Kingdom. Bringing such a man in as an instructor at the Academy is against tradition¡¡±
¡°Sir.¡±
The Emperor looked at Altman with a deep gaze. At that expression, Altman felt a sense of foreboding.
The Emperor had been a stubborn boy. He knew that once he made up his mind, he had to do it to get his way.
When the Emperor decided something, he always made that expression.
¡°Those words have already been tiresomely repeated by my subjects.¡±
¡°¡Then I suppose no matter what I say, you won¡¯t change your mind?¡±
¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±
Altman let out a deep sigh.
Altman was a benefactor of the Emperor, but he could not refuse an order.
¡°I understand. I will do as you wish.¡±
¡°Thank you very much for understanding my intentions.¡±
The Emperor nodded his head with satisfaction. However, Altman had no intention of simply following the Emperor¡¯s wishes.
¡°Instead, I have a request.¡±
¡°Speak.¡±
¡°The Academy is a ce of education. The founding Emperor established the Academy to provide an excellent education program for both nobles andmoners.¡±
The Emperor¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. He had an intuition that Altman was about to bring up an ufortable topic.
¡°If Damien Haksen is found tock the qualifications of an educator, I intend to dismiss him in ordance with the Academy¡¯s rules.¡±
The Emperor looked at Altman without saying a word.
Through past experience, Altman could sense that the Emperor was now in conflict.
Altman decided to fan the mes of the Emperor¡¯s conflict a little more.
¡°Howard. This is a request from your teacher. Please, do not forget the ideals of the Academy.¡±
¡°¡Very well. I will not interfere with that.¡±
The Emperor replied reluctantly. Altman smiled.
¡°Then I will leave the rest to you, sir.¡±
With that, themunication through the magic tool ended. Altman called his secretary.
¡°We need to call a special meeting. Please gather all the professors in the conference room.¡±
The secretary replied ¡°Understood¡± and left the study.
One hourter, the Chancellor met with the professors in the conference room.
¡°What¡¯s going on, Chancellor?¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the sudden meeting?¡±
The professors all had perplexed faces as they looked at Altman. Altman exined his conversation with the Emperor to the professors.
¡°What are you talking about? The Emperor wants to hire the knight of the Apple Kingdom as an instructor at our academy?¡±
¡°That¡¯s absurd, even if it¡¯s an imperial decree!¡±
As expected, the professors were outraged.
They were all proud of being professors at the academy and had lived their whole lives with that pride.
So, they couldn¡¯t easily ept the Emperor¡¯s order.
¡°Unfortunately, it seems the Emperor has no intention of backing down.¡±
Altman¡¯s words caused the professors to sigh.
¡°On the other hand, I did get a promise that if Damien Haksen¡¯s qualifications as an instructor arecking, we can expel him from the academy.¡±
The professors¡¯ faces brightened at his words.
¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±
¡°That young man doesn¡¯t know the meaning of education, after all.¡±
¡°His skills may be exceptional, butbat and education arepletely different.¡±
The professors were greatly relieved.
¡°Then, Chancellor, how do you n to test his qualifications?¡±
One of the professors asked. Since he had be an instructor by imperial decree, they couldn¡¯t pick a fight. They needed a clear reason.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I already have a n in mind.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
The professors asked, and Altman smiled meaningfully.
¡°I n to put him in charge of ss 13.¡±
The professors¡¯ bodies trembled at his words.
¡°Oh, even so, ss 13 is¡¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s¡ isn¡¯t that too harsh?¡±
The professors expressed their concerns, but some of them were very satisfied.
¡°Yes. If he¡¯s received the Emperor¡¯s special rmendation, he should be able to handle ss 13.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. He needs to have that kind of ability to convince everyone.¡±
Altman pped his hands and said,
¡°Then, let¡¯s consider it agreed upon. There¡¯s no need to continue the meeting.¡±
And so, the special meeting that the Chancellor had hastily convened came to an end.
Two dayster, Damien arrived at the academy.
***
¡°It¡¯s enormous.¡±
That was Damien¡¯s impression when he first arrived at the academy.
High walls surrounded the academy, which was the size of a city.
And around the academy, shops and inns had been built, forming a massive residential area.
It seemed they had gathered to do business with the students and staff.
¡°I heard it was a great ce, but I didn¡¯t think it would be this big.¡±
In his past life, Damien had never visited the academy. This was one of the Four Great Demon Kings cities created by Dorugo.
The Four Great Demon Kings were the greatest and most powerful undead created by Dorugo. Of course, that was excluding Damien.
These were the undead that would have been the core of the Empire¡¯s invasion if it hadn¡¯t been for Damien Haksen.
Their importance had diminished significantly since Dorugo turned Damien into death knight.
¡°I should hurry.¡±
Damien passed by the buildings and arrived at the center. He showed the imperial seal he had received from the Emperor to the soldiers guarding the castle gate.
The soldiers immediately opened the gate. Damien entered through the gate and went inside.
The appearance of the Academy was quite different from that of other cities.
One could see ancient-looking buildings here and there, and there wererge ygrounds and training grounds where students could run around.
¡°Who is that?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±
Naturally, the students¡¯ attention was drawn to him. They began to show great interest in Damien Haksen.
¡°¡Wait a minute, isn¡¯t that Damien Haksen?¡±
Then someone recognized Damien Haksen.
¡°Damien Haksen? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the guy who won the Helian Tournament?¡±
¡°I was there at the stadium that day, so I know him well! It¡¯s Damien Haksen!¡±
The students all gathered around to see Damien Haksen. However, they did not approach him closely and watched from a distance.
¡°Ugh¡ What is that human doing here?¡±
¡°A knight from a small country like the Apple Kingdom bes the winner of the Helian Tournament.¡±
Some students showed hostility towards Damien Haksen.
It seemed that they didn¡¯t like the fact that a knight from another country had won the Helian Tournament.
Anyway, Damien headed to the Chancellor¡¯s office in the center of the Academy.
¡°I am Damien Haksen. I am here to see Chancellor Altman Bedepullity.¡±
He told the staff on the first floor his business. The staff immediately guided Damien to the Chancellor¡¯s office.
When he opened the door and went in, an old man with a long white beard greeted him.
¡°So you are Damien Haksen. I heard from His Majesty. I wee you to the Academy.¡±
His eyes, expression, and tone of voice were all stiff. It was clear that he did not like him.
¡®I never thought he would be so tantly hostile.¡¯
Damien was a figure who, in many ways, undermined the traditions of the Academy.
So he had expected that the Academy¡¯s professors would not look kindly on him.
However, he had no idea that the Chancellor, a figure of authority, would openly show such hostility.
¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±
Damien said with a grin. His unexpected response made the Chancellor¡¯s expression flicker slightly.
Damien didn¡¯t care if the Chancellor liked him or not.
All he wanted was to stay at the Academy long enough to find that damn woman.
.
As long as he could stay at the Academy while searching for that bitch, that was all that mattered.
¡°Why do you want to work as a swordsmanship instructor at the Academy? With your skills, there are many ces you could find a job.¡±
In fact, working at the Academy was far from a path to advancement.
The Empire strictly guarded against the corruption of the Academy¡¯s professors and teachers. They didn¡¯t even allow them to take small bribes.
There was even a saying that if you only wanted money and power, you should not go to the Academy, and if you only wanted honor, then the Academy was the best ce.
¡°I have long admired the Academy. I wanted to learn swordsmanship here. I would like to fulfill that dream, even if it¡¯s just a little, as an instructor.¡±
Damien lied without even blinking. The Chancellor was not a member of the Extermination Squad. He couldn¡¯t be honest and tell him he was there to find .
¡°¡There are many who admire our Academy.¡±
A look of pride appeared on Chancellor Altman¡¯s face. It seemed that Damien¡¯s praise had pleased him.
However, that was only for a moment. The Chancellor then looked at Damien again with a cold gaze.
¡°It is customary for instructors invited from outside to teach special sses. However, I do not trust you yet.¡±
¡°Are you doubting my skills?¡±
¡°How could I doubt the winner of the Helian Tournament? What I am concerned about is your teaching ability.¡±
There was an old saying.
It said that learning and teaching werepletely different things.
It said that in order to teach 1, you need to know 10.
¡°In addition, the students currently enrolled in the Academy all have a sense of pride in being citizens of the Empire. There will be no one who wants to learn from you, a citizen of the Apple Kingdom.¡±
The Chancellor¡¯s words also made sense. When he entered this ce, didn¡¯t many students show hostility?
¡®They¡¯re just being a pain in the ass.¡¯
In fact, Damien didn¡¯t really care.
This was because he wasn¡¯t really trying to join the Academy, he just wanted to find and that was it.
However, he needed to cooperate with the Chancellor in order to buy time to find .
¡°How can I prove it to you?¡±
¡°There is one ss that doesn¡¯t have a teacher right now. If you prove your teaching ability there, I and the other students will trust you.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±
Damien nodded readily. At that, Chancellor Altman¡¯s eyes took on a strange glint.
¡°I¡¯m warning you in advance, you might regret it. The ss you¡¯ll be assigned to, ss 13, is notorious for being a problematic ss. Many teachers before you have given up on teaching them.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be a bit different.¡±
Damien said, thinking of the club he had stored in his subspace.
¡°Hmm? That¡¯s strange¡ What¡¯s with the sudden chill¡¡±
The Chancellor shivered.
¡°There¡¯s a midterm exam in a week. If the students in ss 13 get good grades in swordsmanship on that exam, I¡¯ll trust you.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Then suddenly, Damien asked the Chancellor.
¡°What if the students in ss 13 don¡¯t do well on the midterm exam?¡±
At that question, Chancellor Altman¡¯s eyes turned sharp.
¡°An ipetent teacher is not needed at the Academy. I think that should be enough of an answer.¡±
***
After that, Damien went to the faculty dormitory and unpacked his belongings.
¡®Well, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard. I even rehabilitate Veronica.¡¯
Damien had a lot of experience in this field. So he thought this would be easy too.
However, the moment he arrived at ss 13 the next day, Damien realized that he had underestimated them.
¡°¡No one is here?¡±
Not a single student from ss 13 was present.
***
[PR/N- They are about to get bonk treatment.]
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Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Chapter:230 Academy (1)
***
Damien looked around the empty ssroom with a dumbfounded expression.
¡°I heard it was a problematic ss, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad¡¡±
The Academy was recognized as the best educational institution not only in the Empire but also on the continent.
It was unbelievable that students who attended such a ce were so beyond saving.
What was even more absurd was that the students belonging to ss 13 were all from high-ranking noble families.
The higher the status of a family, the stricter the discipline was supposed to be.
However, the appearance of the students in ss 13 was far from that.
¡°Did I read it wrong?¡±
Damien flipped through the student roster he had received from the staff yesterday again.
The student roster included photos of the students as well as their detailed profiles.
¡°Countess Portina, Count Sand¡ all of them are from high-ranking families¡¡±
As Damien was looking at the student roster, someone opened the ssroom door and entered.
He looked towards the door, thinking it was a student. However, Damien¡¯s expectations were betrayed beautifully.
The person who entered the ssroom was a female knight dressed in full uniform. The red pike she was carrying on her back stood out particrly prominently.
¡®She must be quite skilled.¡¯
Damien couldn¡¯t help but admire her as soon as he saw the female knight.
The female knight was perfectly controlling her aura from leaking out.
¡®She must be stronger than Salik, whom I fought against that day.¡¯
The fact that such skilled individuals were popping up as if it were natural was what made the Empire so fearsome.
¡°Still, no one came out?¡±
The female knight looked around the ssroom and muttered in disappointment.
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I should have introduced myself first.¡±
The female knight apologized to Damien. Judging by her old-fashioned way of speaking, she seemed to be from a high-ranking noble family.
¡°My name is nca Roche. I am themander of the White Blood Knights, who are in charge of protecting the Academy, despite my humble abilities.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes changed at the name of the White Blood Knights.
Before leaving for this ce, he had heard an exnation from Rachel.
She said that the Academy had its own knight order that the Empire had painstakingly raised in preparation for any unforeseen incidents.
The name of that knight order was the White Blood Knights.
He had thought that their skills must be quite extraordinary. It made sense now that she was themander of the knight order.
¡°My name is Damien Haksen.¡±
Damien extended his hand for a handshake to nca. She dly took his hand.
¡°I already know who you are. I came here to see you.¡±
nca scanned Damien and let out a short exmation.
¡°Indeed, you are a remarkable young man, just as I¡¯ve heard. It¡¯s truly amazing that you have such incredible energy at such a young age.¡±
nca released his hand and said.
¡°I also came to see you and to offer my assistance, if possible. I couldn¡¯t stay still when I heard that you were in charge of ss 13.¡±
¡°Do you know about ss 13?¡±
¡°Of course, I do. Anyone in the Academy knows about it. It¡¯s the ss where all the troublemakers of the Academy are gathered.¡±
A bitter smile appeared on nca¡¯s face.
¡°Students who have no interest in academics. Students who have gotten into violent incidents with other students. In short, this is the ss where they put all the students that even the Academy has a hard time controlling.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at nca¡¯s words.
In short, it meant that ss 13 was a ce where all the troublemakers of the Academy were gathered.
¡°Why is the Academy leaving such students alone?¡±
¡°It¡¯s because of their families. All the students in ss 13e from prestigious families.¡±
Damien felt a sense of doubt at that.
No matter how powerful a family was, this was the Academy.
Considering the prestige of the Academy, no matter how much protection the families received, there was no way they couldn¡¯t control the students.
¡°And there¡¯s one more reason¡ but I don¡¯t think I should be the one to say it. Let me just say that the families want it that way.¡±
It was a statement that made no sense.
He wanted to ask more, but Damien had something more urgent to do.
¡°Do you know where the students are?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know that either. But I¡¯ve seen them a few times while patrolling the Academy. They all seemed very busy.¡±
¡°How many times do the students in ss 13 attend ss in a month?¡±
¡°Well, if they attend, it bes a topic of conversation at the Academy that day. I haven¡¯t heard anythingtely. The other students bet on it.¡±
Damien sighed at that. In other words, it meant they almost never showed up.
¡®This is going to be a headache.¡¯
If ss 13 doesn¡¯t perform well in the swordsmanship subject of the evaluation exam that will be held in a week, Damien will be kicked out of the Academy.
Being kicked out doesn¡¯t matter. Damien just needs to find .
The problem was that it was difficult to find within a week.
was a dark mage of the Berserk Sect. There was no one in Pandemonium who handled the human body better than her.
could use the dark magic of the Berserk Sect to disguise herself as anyone.
It didn¡¯t matter if the target was a knight or a mage. If turned into a knight, she could use the aura, and if she turned into a mage, she could use all kinds of magic.
It was a possible trick because she could perfectly mimic the target¡¯s body with the dark magic of the Berserk Sect.
That¡¯s why it wasn¡¯t easy for Damien to find , who was hiding in the Academy.
In addition, the Academy was veryrge. It would be impossible to search the entire ce in a week.
Damien was deep in thought when nca spoke to him.
¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go now. I still have ces to patrol.¡±
nca said goodbye and left the ssroom. Damien stared at the ssroom door for a moment.
¡®Could it be ?¡¯
could also disguise herself as a Master ss.
Of course, even with ¡¯s abilities, she couldn¡¯t perfectly mimic a masterss. If they actually fought, it was clear that she was a fake.
However, when they were just standing still, it was hard to tell the difference from a real Master ss.
¡®I¡¯ll have to watch a little more.¡¯
could turn into anyone. That¡¯s why Damien was going to suspect everyone he met at the Academy.
Damien was leaning on the desk, lost in thought when suddenly the door to the ssroom opened and someone came in.
At first, Damien thought it was ncaing back. But that was Damien¡¯s mistake.
The person who came into the ssroom was a male student wearing the Academy uniform.
The boy, with his front teeth sticking out like a mouse, looked at Damien and cheered.
¡°Wow, it¡¯s true what I heard? Is it really Damien Haksen who is the new teacher in charge of our ss 13?¡±
Damien made a dumbfounded expression.
Anyone would have reacted the same way as Damien if they were suddenly called informal by a very young child.
But the boy didn¡¯t care how Damien felt at all.
¡°This is crazy! I have to go tell the guys right away.¡±
The boy was about to leave the ssroom again. Damien immediately called out to the boy.
¡°Hey.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
The boy stopped as he was about to leave the ssroom. He turned to Damien.
¡°Are you a student in ss 13?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Damien chuckled at the boy¡¯s disrespectful attitude.
¡°You¡¯re quite short with your words.¡±
¡°So what?¡±
Damien almost thought he had made a mistake himself at the boy¡¯s arrogant attitude.
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re in a bad mood because I just talked to you? That¡¯s funny.¡±
The boyughed as if Damien was amusing.
¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Oliver Fortina, the fourth son of Marquis Fortina! You, a meremoner from the Apple Kingdom, are not someone you can mess with!¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but let out a sarcasticugh.
Now he understood why this guy was acting so arrogant.
A marquis of the Empire had a different level of prestige than a marquis of another kingdom.
There were knights, a standing army of elite troops, and even a number of Master sses at their disposal.
With the prestige of a marquis behind him, Oliver seemed to think that Damien wouldn¡¯t dare to touch him.
And that was probably even more true considering that the other teachers would have been careful with this student.
¡°Well, that¡¯s good then.¡±
Damien strode towards Oliver. He reacted with a flustered expression as Damien suddenly closed the distance.
¡°What, why are youing closer?¡±
¡°You just said you were going to tell the other kids about me, right? Do you know where the other students are? If so, take me to them right now.¡±
Oliver¡¯s expression turned slightly stern at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Why should I? Why should I tell you that?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then I can¡¯t help it.¡±
Damien opened his subspace and pulled out something. As soon as Oliver saw what Damien had pulled out, he was shocked.
¡°What, what is that?¡±
What Damien had pulled out of his subspace was a wooden club and polished to a high shine due to being well-oiled.
¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where are the other students?¡±
¡°What nonsense¡¡±
Damien immediately struck Oliver Fortina¡¯s head with the club.
Bonk!
With a loud, resounding sound, Oliver Fortina¡¯s head hit the ground.
¡°Ahh! Ohh! Uggghhh!¡±
Oliver rolled around on the ground, clutching his head.
¡°You, you crazy bastard! How dare you hit me? You¡¯re dead! I¡¯ll tell my father about this!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What did I do wrong?¡±
¡°This is ridiculous! You just¡ you just hit my head¡¡±
Oliver touched the back of his head.
¡°Huh¡? Wait a minute¡?¡±
There was no injury, not even a bump. This bizarre phenomenon left Oliver greatly perplexed.
¡°You, how did you¡?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where are the other students?¡±
¡°Get lost! Do you think I¡¯d sell out my friends?¡±
Damien was impressed by Oliver¡¯s attitude. Normally, one hit would be enough to knock someone out, but this guy didn¡¯t back down easily.
¡°You got a rebellious spirit, indeed.¡±
Damien showed his respect for that fact and struck Oliver¡¯s head once more.
Bonk!
With an even clearer sound, Oliver rolled around on the ground again.
¡°Ugh! Ahhh! You, you¡¯re dead! My father will never let this go¡¡¡±
Damien raised his bat. Oliver covered his head with both arms and screamed.
¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk! But, but they¡¯re all scattered around, so I don¡¯t know exactly where they are! B-but by now¡¡¡±
¡°No, you don¡¯t need to tell me now.¡±
Oliver looked up at Damien with a dumbfounded expression at the sudden change in his tone.
¡°What, what?¡±
¡°I can tell you¡¯re not just some ordinary delinquent judging by the fact that you can¡¯t even get the word respect out of your mouth under these circumstances. Before I find the other students, I need to first ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ your disrespectful attitude.¡±
Damien tapped his palm with the club. Oliver looked at the club with a terrified face.
¡°So, let¡¯s start with some sparring.¡±
A quiet, empty ssroom.
The only sound that echoed was the dull thud of something being hit.
***
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Chapter 231
Chapter 231
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Chapter:231 Academy (2)
***
The rehabilitation ended quickly.
¡°Teacher! This foolish disciple did not know your greatness and was disrespectful! I will apologize for my wrongdoing, so please forgive me!¡±
Oliver bowed several times to the floor and shouted. Damien looked at such Oliver with a satisfied face.
¡°Alright. It seems my persuasion worked well.¡±
¡°Yes? Sir, persuasion¡?¡±
Oliver looked up at Damien as if to ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just beat me up?¡±
Instead of exining, Damien stroked the club with his finger. The friction between the skin of his finger and the surface of the club made an eerie sound.
¡°Yes! Sir, you persuaded me! This Oliver Fortina! I was deeply moved by your eloquence and decided to change my attitude!¡±
¡°Good attitude. You¡¯ve rehabilitated admirably.¡±
Damien nodded with an even more satisfied expression.
¡°Then let¡¯s go find the other students now.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Oliver immediately took the lead. Damien moved with Oliver to find the students.
***
Damien followed Oliver¡¯s guidance and crossed the academy.
¡°Isn¡¯t that Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Where is he going?¡±
Damien¡¯s actions caught the attention of all the students.
Damien was the winner of the Helian Tournament and the figure who shattered the pride of the Imperials.
Whether in a good or bad way, the students¡¯ attention was bound to be drawn to him.
¡°Who¡¯s that behind him?¡±
¡°That¡¯s him. Oliver Fortina.¡±
¡°Oh, isn¡¯t he the Marquis¡¯s bastard?¡±
The students¡¯ attention also turned to Oliver.
Oliver¡¯s face turned red whenever he heard the students¡¯ grumbling.
Damien silently observed such Oliver. Suddenly, the words of nca came to mind.
-The family wants it too.
Damien was still pondering nca¡¯s words when¡
¡°Here we are.¡±
They arrived at the ce where the students were.
The ce Oliver brought Damien to was an old schoolhouse on the outskirts of the academy.
The building was covered in vines, suggesting that it hadn¡¯t been used in a long time. All the windows were broken.
¡°Are the students from ss 13 here?¡±
¡°Yes! Ah, but not all of them are here. There are only three.¡±
¡°You know too much?¡±
¡°They are friends I often hang out with¡¡±
Oliver said with an embarrassed face.
¡°So, these guys were the ones who skipped sses knowing I¡¯m going to take their sses today?!
They had time to gather here but no time to attend ss?
Damien felt anger rising within him.
¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±
Damien suppressed his anger and entered the old schoolhouse.
When they entered the lecture hall inside, they saw three boys huddled together.
¡°Who is it?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°What? What is Damien Haksen doing here?¡±
The three boys jumped up from their seats and red at Damien.
Damien felt his hand itching in response to their defiant attitude.
¡°Oliver, did you really bring Damien Haksen into this?¡±
¡°You fucking little rat. No wonder you¡¯re always getting in trouble.¡±
¡°See you in the dormter. We won¡¯t let this slide.¡±
The three of them red at Oliver with menacing eyes. Oliver quickly hid behind Damien.
¡°Aren¡¯t they your friends?¡±
¡°Y-yes, they are! I-I share my allowance with them, buy them snacks, and even carry their heavy stuff!¡±
Are they really friends?
Damien was deeply contemting when he was interrupted.
¡°Hey, Damien Haksen. Why are you here? What¡¯s your purpose?¡±
¡°There¡¯s only one reason instructor woulde looking for students who haven¡¯t shown up to ss, isn¡¯t there?¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the three students looked at each other andughed.
¡°So it¡¯s true that Damien Haksen became the instructor for ss 13.¡±
¡°Hey, don¡¯t waste your time and just leave. Do you think we¡¯ll attend your ss?¡±
¡°Exactly. We have no intention of learning from a knight of some insignificant little kingdom.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue. As expected, not a single one of them could be reasoned with.
¡°Oliver.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
¡°Go outside and keep watch.¡±
¡°¡Excuse me?¡±
¡°Even though this is an isted ce, someone mighte by.¡±
¡°Ah, understood!¡±
Oliver hurriedly went outside the lecture hall.
Once Oliver was gone, Damien pped his palm with the club he was holding.
The three students looked amused.
¡°Are you going to threaten us with that?¡±
¡°It¡¯s useless. Do you know who my father is? He¡¯s the Count of¡¡±
¡°Shh.¡±
Damien put a finger to his lips.
¡°I don¡¯t care about your families. It doesn¡¯t change what I have to do anyway.¡±
Damien said as he caressed the grain of the club.
¡°First, I¡¯ll ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ your rude attitudes.¡±
***
Oliver closed the auditorium door and stepped outside.
Soon after, the sound of something being beaten with a club echoed.
¡°Argh! Has this bastard gone mad?!¡±
¡°How dare a knight of the Apple Kingdom touch the nobility of the Empire?¡±
¡°You¡¯re dead! I¡¯ll tell my father about this¡¡±
Listening to the boys, Oliver admired Damien inwardly. They were repeating the exact same lines he had said.
There was no way Damien would tolerate that. Sure enough, rehabilitation began immediately.
¡°S-stop! Stop hitting me!¡±
¡°I-I was wrong! Aaargh!¡±
¡°I-I won¡¯t tell my father! I swear!¡±
Oliver sighed inwardly. They weren¡¯t using formal speech. They hadn¡¯t fullye to their senses yet.
The sound of the beating resumed, louder and more frequent than before.
¡°T-teacher! I-I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me!¡±
¡°T-teacher! I¡¯ll follow you for the rest of my life!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll serve you like my own father!¡±
Thud.
The auditorium door opened. Damien walked out with the club slung over his shoulder.
¡°Come out, all of you.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, the three boys lined up and shuffled out.
Their bodies were unscathed, but their faces were etched with the fear of death.
¡°Oliver.¡±
¡°Y-yes?¡±
¡°Where to next?¡±
¡°I-I¡¯ll guide you.¡±
Damien followed Oliver as he led the way.
The three students followed behind Damien like war prisoners.
***
Damien and Oliver continued their tour of the academy, subduing one by one the students of ss 13.
¡°Who are you? How dare you treat me like this!¡±
¡°I¡¯m the instructor in charge of ss 13. Behave yourself, or I¡¯ll give you a little beating.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Do you know who I am? You¡¯ll regret this!¡±
As expected, all the students of ss 13 rebelled against Damien.
Each time, Damien swung his club without hesitation.
¡°Teacher¡ I was truly foolish. Meeting you has given me a new light in life. So please¡ stop¡ stop hitting me!¡±
¡°Now you¡¯re starting to look like a student. Follow me quietly and I won¡¯t hit you anymore.¡±
Under Damien¡¯s merciless beating, the students had no choice but to join the line obediently.
¡°Sir, teacher! This guy isn¡¯t from ss 13! You shouldn¡¯t hit him!¡±
¡°Oh, really? My bad.¡±
¡°Do you think you can get away with hitting someone on the head with a club and just apologize? This will never be over¡ Ah, I get it! I¡¯ll just let it go! I¡¯ll let it go, so please don¡¯t hit me!¡±
¡°As expected of an academy student, you know how to talk. ss 13, take a good look and learn.¡±
Despite a few minor mistakes, fortunately, nothing major happened.
After all, Damien had in his hands the perfect tool formunication: his club.
¡°There¡¯s one more left here.¡±
And so, Damien arrived at the final location.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be dumbfounded at the ce Oliver had guided him to.
¡°This is where thest of ss 13 is?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
The ce Oliver had guided him to was, surprisingly, the outdoor training ground.
¡°Isn¡¯t this a ce that doesn¡¯t fit in with the trashes of ss 13 at all¡?¡±
The students of ss 13 all used derelict and grimy ces as their hideouts, such as old school buildings, caves in the woods, and off-limits rooftops.
Given that, even Damien couldn¡¯t help but be confused by the sudden appearance of an outdoor training ground.
¡°Teacher, the other kids are listening too.¡±
Oliver said as he nced at the ss 13 students gathered behind him. Of course, Damien pretended not to hear.
¡°Teacher, you should be careful with the person inside.¡±
¡°Careful?¡±
¡°She¡¯s the most famous idiot among the ss 13 students.¡±
At that, Damien¡¯s face lit up with interest.
All the ss 13 students he had seen were beyond redemption. So, what kind of student could be called an idiot even among such a group?
He was so curious that he couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued.
¡°Let¡¯s go in and see.¡±
Damien stepped into the training ground. The sound of sword swings echoed through the air.
A girl in sportswear was wielding a wooden sword.
¡°Hah! Haah!¡±
She had been at it for so long that the floor was already drenched with sweat.
¡°Sir, that¡¯s her.¡±
Oliver pointed at the girl, and Damien tilted his head.
¡°That girl is the troublemaker?¡±
No matter how he looked at her, she seemed like an exemry student, not a troublemaker.
¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±
Sensing their presence, the girl turned to Damien and shouted.
¡°Spying on someone¡¯s training? Who do you think you are?¡±
It was clear she didn¡¯t know who Damien was.
¡°Penelope, this is Sir Damien Haksen. You¡¯ve heard of him, right?¡±
¡°Damien Haksen¡? The knight from the Apple Kingdom who won the Helian Tournament? Why is he here?¡±
¡°He¡¯s been hired as the academy¡¯s swordsmanship instructor and will be in charge of our ss 13 for a while.¡±
Penelope¡¯s face showed a look of surprise at Oliver¡¯s words.
It was surprising enough that the winner of the Helian Tournament had suddenly be an academy instructor, let alone been assigned to ss 13.
¡°So you¡¯re Sir Damien Haksen. I apologize for not being aware due to my ignorance of external affairs.¡±
Damien was shocked by the girl¡¯s use of formal speech.
ss 13 using formal speech? Perhaps there had been some paperwork mistake that forced her to be assigned to ss 13.
¡°Your name is Penelope, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Penelope Borja.¡±
The surname ¡°Borja¡± surprised Damien.
The Borja family was one of only three ducal families in the Empire.
¡®Diligent, polite, and from a ducal family¡ Why is she in ss 13?¡¯
Based on what he had seen so far, Damien held Penelope in high regard.
¡°Penelope, your passion for the sword is impressive. Come back to ss 13 with me. With my guidance, you¡¯ll be even better¡¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±
Penelope¡¯s response was immediate and firm, so much so that Damien wondered if he had misheard.
¡°If you¡¯ve heard my name, you must know my skills too.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t intend to ept anyone¡¯s help, especially not from teachers or instructors.¡±
Her eyes gleamed with intense hostility, as if she despised the very concept of a teacher.
¡°And the reason I train with the sword is not out of passion. I have someone I must avenge.¡±
Penelope pointed to the exit of the training ground.
¡°So leave immediately. I¡¯m busy training.¡±
Damien turned to look at Oliver. Oliver wore a smug expression as if to say, ¡°See, I told you so.¡±
Indeed, it seemed there wasn¡¯t a single normal person in ss 13. Damien felt a bit disheartened.
¡°It seems you have your reasons. Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±
¡°You understand?¡±
¡°Of course. I also have someone I need to avenge, so I somewhat understand your feelings.¡±
Penelope¡¯s expression shifted slightly at this unexpected statement.
¡°But you see, I also have my circumstances.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
¡°My situation is more urgent, so I¡¯ll be taking you with me.¡±
Before he even finished speaking, Damien struck Penelope on the head with his club.
Bonk!
¡°Eek!¡±
With a strange scream, Penelope fainted.
¡°I don¡¯t have time for this nonsense. Oliver, carry her. We¡¯re taking her to ss 13.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Oliver stared at Damien in disbelief. Damien frowned and asked,
¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±
¡°N-nothing.¡±
Oliver hastily hoisted Penelope onto his back.
***
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Chapter:232 Academy (3)
***
Penelope¡¯s eyes snapped open.
¡°Wh-where am I¡?¡±
The familiar scenery of the training ground was gone, reced by a strange ssroom. Penelope was not alone; other students, specifically those from ss 13, were also seated.
¡°Why am I here¡?¡±
Penelope was confused.
She understood that she had passed out and then regained consciousness, but she had no memory of what had happened before she fainted.
Trying to recall, she could only remember the excruciating pain as if her head was about to explode.
¡°She¡¯s awake now, so we can start the ss.¡±
A voice that was unfamiliar yet recognizable reached her ears. Penelope looked up to see who was speaking.
A man stood at the teacher¡¯s desk in front of the ckboard. Seeing his face, Penelope suddenly remembered what had happened.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
Penelope sprang to her feet and shouted.
¡°What is the meaning of this! How dare you hit someone on the head with a club! Do you think such an action will be tolerated¡?¡±
Damien struck the floor with the end of his club.
With a resounding noise, the entire building shook, and dust fell from the ceiling.
Penelope swallowed dryly at the overwhelming disy of power.
She was reminded once again that the man before her was a Master ss.
¡°Be quiet. I am speaking.¡±
Penelope immediately sat back down. Any rebelliousness she had felt disappeared in an instant.
Anyone who had witnessed that would have reacted the same way.
¡°Let me introduce myself. As you already know, my name is Damien Haksen. I am a knight from the Apple Kingdom.¡±
The nobles of the Empire often looked down on knights from other kingdoms, considering them insignificantpared to the Empire.
However, there was not a single student in the room who dared to mock Damien Haksen. They had all been rehabilitated by him.
¡°Due to personal circumstances, I have be the academy¡¯s swordsmanship instructor. I won¡¯t be here long; I¡¯m only on a temporary contract.¡±
The faces of the ss 13 students brightened at this news. Some even silently cheered, clenching their fists in joy.
¡°However, to resolve my personal matters, I need some time. The Chancellor gave me a condition. If ss 13 does not achieve excellent results in the uing exam in one week, I will be immediately dismissed.¡±
The students¡¯ faces brightened even more. They might be freed from Damien Haksen sooner than expected.
But their expressions darkened with his next words.
¡°So, I need your cooperation. What I require of you is very simple. Train diligently under my instruction for a week and achieve good results in the test. Understood?¡±
At the mention of training, the students¡¯ faces twisted.
Until now, the students of ss 13 had lived as they pleased. Naturally, the idea of training was met with resistance.
¡°Wait, if we do terribly on the test, he¡¯ll be kicked out in a week, right?¡±
¡°Exactly. Why should we go along with his training and take the test?¡±
Two boys sitting next to Penelope whispered to each other.
Penelope was overhearing them and couldn¡¯t help but agree.
Why should they obediently follow Damien¡¯s orders?
¡°So, if we refuse his orders, he can be kicked out of the academy in a week¡¡±
¡°Some of you might think that refusing my training will get me dismissed immediately.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice cut through Penelope¡¯s thoughts, making her look at him with a startled expression.
¡°And you might also be wondering why you should follow my orders.¡±
A few students nodded their heads. Damien immediately red at them, causing them to lower their heads.
¡°The reason is simple: you are students, and I am your teacher.¡±
Penelope felt a wave of disappointment. This sounded like the usual preamble to a lecture about how training was for their future, or some other clich¨¦d teacherly duty¡
¡°Students must obey their teacher¡¯smands.¡±
¡except something felt off.
¡°Your opinions do not matter. I will make sure you all achieve excellent results in the exam, no matter what.¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s eyes zed with intensity. He looked around at the students, his gaze saying he would kill them if they disobeyed.
¡°So, just follow my orders.¡±
The students looked at Damien with uncertain expressions, questioning if this was really happening.
Thud.
Damien struck the floor again with the end of his club, causing the building to shake.
¡°Answer me.¡±
¡°Y-Yes, sir! Students must obey the teacher¡¯s orders!¡±
¡°Give us any order! We¡¯ll follow like dogs!¡±
The students¡¯ fear of Damien was already deeply ingrained. None of them voiced any objections.
¡°Um, teacher?¡±
At that moment, a boy sitting in the front raised his hand. It was Oliver, who had been with Damien all day.
¡°What happens if we don¡¯t achieve excellent results in the exam?¡±
¡°You¡¯re asking the obvious.¡±
Damien grabbed the corner of the table and applied a little pressure.
Crack.
The wooden corner crumbled with a chilling sound.
As Damien rubbed his fingers together, finely ground dust fell from his hand.
¡°You¡¯ll be begging me to kill you instead. And remember, that is not a metaphor.¡±
The students¡¯ faces went pale. They instinctively realized he wasn¡¯t lying.
¡°You have 10 minutes. Go to the dormitory and change into your gym clothes.¡±
Ten minutes was barely enough time to reach the dormitory.
But none of the studentsined. They just bolted out of the ssroom.
***
Exactly ten minutester, the students who had hurried back were gathered in the training ground, catching their breath.
But not everyone was present. The number of students had decreased slightly.
Damien was also nowhere to be seen.
¡°What¡¯s going on? Where did he go?¡±
¡°Did he call us here and not show up himself?¡±
As the students whispered among themselves, terrible screams came from outside the training ground.
¡°Argh! Ahh!¡±
¡°Ugh! Ahhhh!¡±
A group of about half a dozen students was being driven into the training ground by Damien, who was beating them with his club.
¡°S- Sir! W-We were wrong!¡±
¡°We¡¯re terribly sorry!¡±
Even as they entered the training ground, Damien didn¡¯t stop his assault. He continued to beat them all over with his club.
The merciless beating was so severe that the students watching could no longer bear it.
The strange thing was that despite being struck so harshly, not a single scratch appeared on the students¡¯ bodies.
¡°These fuckers dared to skip training and try to run away.¡±
Damien finally stopped after a long while and said.
¡°How dare you try to escape from Master ss? Listen up everyone. There is no way you can escape from my hands. It is in your best interest to train diligently.¡±
Damien spoke to the students who were lying on the ground.
¡°I will count to three. Get up.¡±
At that chilling warning, the students scrambled to their feet. And they ran towards where the other students were.
¡°It seems everyone has gathered. Then let¡¯s start the training,¡± Damien, the instructor, said, tapping his palm with his club.
¡°Let¡¯s start with running first?¡±
Later that evening
More than twenty students were running along the wall of the training ground.
¡°Haa¡ haa¡ haa¡¡±
¡°I¡ I¡¯m dying¡¡±
The students all looked like they were about to die. Their faces were all pale.
¡°What are you doing? Can¡¯t you run faster? You there! I told you to run twice as fast if you¡¯re practicing Mana Cultivation technique!¡±
Damien stood in the center of the training ground and shouted at the students.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡ I can¡¯t run anymore¡¡±
¡°I told you to run until you copse.¡±
Bonk!
¡°Ack! Agh!¡±
He sometimes swung his club at students who made weak sounds.
Damien thought to himself as he watched the students run.
¡®If I keep them like this for a week, I should be able to pass the physical training part.¡¯
ording to Damien¡¯s research, the exam was held in a total of three categories.
They were physical fitness, Imperial swordsmanship, and finally, sparring.
Of these, physical fitness and Imperial swordsmanship each ounted for 25% of the score. And sparring ounted for a whopping 50%.
The reason for dividing the items like this was because the students in the academy were all at different levels.
Not all the students in the academy were aspiring knights. There were schrs, mages, and so on.
It was natural that students who aspired to be knights would get higher scores in exams than other students.
¡®If you¡¯re not confident in your skills, focus on physical fitness and Imperial swordsmanship, or else focus on sparring.¡¯
Of course, it was easier said than done. So Damien was determined to drill the students like dogs for a week.
¡°You¡¯re too slow there. Can¡¯t you move faster?¡±
At Damien¡¯s shout, the students scurried around.
***
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Chapter 233
Chapter 233
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Chapter:233 The Unbreakable (1)
***
The grueling training ended only after the sun had set.
¡°Ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
¡°Pant¡ pant¡¡±
The students all copsed onto the ground. They were utterly exhausted.
Their heads and clothes were drenched with sweat as if they had just been caught in a downpour.
¡°Pathetic! You copse after just this much running?¡±
Damien clicked his tongue as he looked at the students.
An expression of resentment rose on the students¡¯ faces. It seemed that their hard work was being met with disdain, and this was fueling their discontent.
¡°What? Do you have a problem with what I said?¡±
Of course, as soon as Damien red at them, they all put on their best poker faces.
¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll double the intensity of the training.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Dou-double it?¡±
The students eximed in surprise, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Even the training they had received today was so intense that they thought they might die.
No, this wasn¡¯t training. It was torture.
¡°Did you think it would be easy forzy ckers like you to get good grades in just a week?¡± Damien¡¯s outburst once again brought a sense of injustice to the students¡¯ faces.
They had never once expressed a desire to get good grades in exams. Everything was due to Damien¡¯s coercion.
¡°But it seems like it¡¯ll be difficult for you to train tomorrow in this state.¡±
Suddenly, Damien drew his sword, startling the students as they recoiled.
¡°T-Teacher! P-Please spare us!¡±
¡°P-Please don¡¯t kill us!¡±
The students pleaded, banging their heads on the ground. Their desperation was so palpable that it even seemed to surprise Damien.
¡°Who ever said I was going to kill you? Just watch and learn.¡±
Damien thrust the sword into the ground, then used the Authority of Envy.
The third authority Damien unlocked, ¡®Envy¡¯, allowed him to convert mana into a different form of power.
After converting mana into divine power, Damien infused it into Dawn.
Zing!
Dawn resonated as it absorbed the divine power, amplifying the miracles it could perform.
Originally, Dawn could generate its own divine power and perform miracles. Now, with Damien¡¯s divine power added to it, its miracles became even more potent.
Dawn emitted light, enveloping the students¡¯ bodies.
¡°Huh? What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
Surprise filled the students¡¯ faces as the pain they had felt all over their bodies suddenly vanished.
The students¡¯ faces lit up with surprise. The pain they felt all over their bodies seemed to have washed away.
The students got up from their positions and moved their bodies to and fro. To their surprise, their bodies werepletely recovered.
¡°Even the highest healing potion doesn¡¯t heal this quickly¡¡±
¡°What the heck is that?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. It must be the Legendary holy sword that the teacher received when he went to the Church.¡±
¡°Legendary holy sword? How did he manage to get such a precious thing?¡±
The students murmured in awe.
Once all the students had recovered, Damien put Dawn away. Then all the light disappeared.
¡°Are you all okay?¡±
The students nodded in unison. Then a smile appeared on Damien¡¯s face.
¡°Then I guess you¡¯ll be able to train tomorrow too.¡±
At these words, the students¡¯ expressions twisted.
It was not something to be happy about that their bodies had recovered. As long as that holy sword was there, Damien would torture them every day.
¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. But let me tell you this in advance, if anyone skips ss and runs away, I¡¯ll kill them.¡±
¡°Yes¡¡±
The students replied weakly. Damien turned away.
¡°Oh, right.¡±
Then he looked back at the students.
¡°Give me some of your hair.¡±
A strong question arose on the students¡¯ faces at this out-of-the-blue request.
¡°Come on, put your heads here.¡±
But Damien didn¡¯t exin why. He walked around the students, cutting off small pieces of hair with his dagger and putting them in a small pocket.
¡°Well, I¡¯m really going now.¡±
This time, he really walked out of the training ground.
As soon as Damien disappeared, the students sank to the ground.
¡°Damn¡¡±
¡°How did such a person be our teacher¡¡±
The students all let out deep sighs and spat out curses.
¡°Hey! Oliver! You sold us to that man, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°You bastard! How could you do such a thing without any loyalty!¡±
The students¡¯ anger was directed at Oliver. Oliver protested with an expression of injustice.
¡°I-I was ckmailed into doing that!¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying that now?¡±
¡°You should have kept your mouth shut even if you died!¡±
However, Oliver¡¯s protest was not epted by the students who were full of anger from the harsh training.
¡°Now is not the time to fight among ourselves.¡±
Then someone spoke up. The students turned their heads in the direction of the voice.
Penelope was staring at them with a hard face.
¡°If we stay like this, we¡¯ll keep getting trained by Damien. None of you want that, right?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t nag me!¡±
¡°Damn it, who wants to be trained by that kind of person!¡±
The students raised their voices in protest. Penelope nodded in agreement.
¡°I share the same sentiment. We should be honing our swordsmanship, not wasting time on this pointless training.¡±
¡°But how do we stop it?¡± a gruff-looking male student asked Penelope.
Penelope shook her head.
¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your opinions.¡±
¡°I have a good idea,¡± another male student spoke up, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°This kind of barbaric training is uneptable! If we tell the others instructors, they¡¯ll surely discipline Damien Haksen!¡±.
However, the other students¡¯ reactions were lukewarm.
¡°Which instructor are you going to tell?¡±
¡°Is there any instructor who will listen to us, the students of ss 13?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s¡¡±
The student was unable to answer the questions.
The students gathered here had been constantly shing with the academy¡¯s instructors and were eventually abandoned in ss 13. Most, if not all, of the instructors at the academy despised and disliked ss 13.
¡°I agree with the others. Telling instructors won¡¯t help us.¡±
Penelope said, her voiceced with displeasure. She, too, didn¡¯t trust the instructors.
¡°Then let¡¯s inform our families. That way, we can make this issue public!¡±
Another student suggested with voice brimming with enthusiasm. He was seemingly pleased with his own idea.
But Penelope once again responded negatively.
¡°Our families? Do you think they¡¯ll take our side if we tell them?¡±
No one could answer Penelope¡¯s question. They had threatened to tell their fathers when Damien Hassen beat them, but it was just an empty threat.
Even if they did tell them, their families wouldn¡¯t help ss 13. They were practically abandoned by their families.
¡°¡I have a good idea.¡±
Oliver spoke up, causing everyone to frown.
¡°The guy who sold us out to Damien Haksen has an idea?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to rat us out to Damien again?¡±
¡°Oh, that was unavoidable!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hear him out.¡±
Penelope told the students, and they quieted down. They sensed a strange aura of authority from her.
¡°The bottom line is that we just need to avoid the training, right? We run away before Damien catches us.¡±
Oliver said, and the students¡¯ expressions contorted in frustration.
¡°Are you serious right now?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you see the guys who tried to run away and got caught earlier?¡±
¡°How are we supposed to escape from a Master ss instructor?!¡±
The detection range of a Master ss instructor was incredibly vast. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t escape from Damien earlier and were caught.
If Damien waited near the dormitory from the morning, there was no way for the students to escape.
¡°Ah, I¡¯m not finished yet!¡±
¡°What other stupid thing are you going to say?!¡±
¡°Everyone knows thatthe academy has a long history, right? With such a long history, the academy¡¯s buildings have been continuously expanded. That¡¯s why there are several secret passages hidden in each building. Our dormitory is no exception.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I know a few secret passages.¡±
Oliver¡¯s words caused students¡¯ faces instantly brighten.
¡°We escape through the secret passages at dawn and return a weekter. By then, Damien will have been kicked out of the academy, right?¡±
The students¡¯ faces lit up with joy.
¡°Oliver, you rascal! You had such a great n all along!¡±
¡°You¡¯re the best!¡±
The students flocked to Oliver as they cheered and shouted.
***
But students had no idea what wasing.
¡°All they coulde up with was a secret passage?¡±
The truth was that Damien had been listening to their entire conversation from outside the training ground.
With his Master ss-level senses, he could even hear their conversation from this distance.
¡°Pathetic.¡±
Damien clicked his tongue. It was ridiculous that they thought they could escape him this way.
¡°I knew they would try this, so I¡¯ve already made preparations.¡±
Damien pulled out a leather pouch from his pocket. It was the pouch he had just put the students¡¯ hair in.
There was only one reason why Damien had collected the students¡¯ hair.
It was because he could use tracking magic if he had a part of their body.
¡°Well, I could find them without this too.¡±
The so-called secret passage would eventually lead back inside the academy.
Damien¡¯s detection range covered not only the academy but also the entire city.
It was difficult to detect them if they were underground, but he could sense them as soon as they showed their heads.
Still, there was a reason why Damien was determined to use dark magic.
He needed to find .
He was already busy looking for , and he couldn¡¯t waste any time on the students. So he was looking for a convenient way, and dark magic came to mind.
¡°I¡¯ve got to get them for sure tomorrow.¡±
Damien mumbled in a small voice and clenched his fist. There was a cracking sound from his knuckles.
***
The sun had set, but Damien¡¯s work was not yet over.
Damien headed not to his dorm but to the library building. It waste, so there were no students using the building.
Damien went inside the building. And he headed to thest ssroom on the third floor.
There was a man standing there.
He had a in face and worerge sses. He didn¡¯t seem aggressive at all.
¡°Damien, you¡¯re right on time.¡±
The man said with a smile. Damien approached the man and asked.
¡°The Extermination Squad. Right?¡±
¡°Yes, my name is Jake. Please call me by my first name, as I am amoner.¡±
This man was the Extermination Squad member that had infiltrated in advance. He was amoner by birth, but he was a true member of the Extermination Squad.
¡°May I confirm something for a moment?¡±
Damien took out a small monocle from his pocket and put it on. Then he saw the mark on Jake¡¯s forehead.
could disguise himself as another person. There was a chance that the Extermination Squad member who had infiltrated might have been reced by .
Therefore, as a minimum safety measure, Sword Saint had ced a magic mark on the foreheads of the Extermination Squad members.
The Extermination Squad members themselves did not know what shape the mark was. Only Damien had learned it in advance through Sword Saint.
¡°You¡¯re the right person. Have you investigated ?¡±
¡°I tried my best, but I couldn¡¯t find any decent clues.¡±
Jake shook his head from side to side.
Jake had infiltrated the academy as a staff member around the same time as Damien. It was a short time, so there was only so much information he could have found out.
¡°However, I have heard some strange things from the staff.¡±
¡°Strange things?¡±
¡°They say that the number of students disappearing has increased noticeablytely.¡±
Damien narrowed his eyes at these words.
¡°Students are disappearing, but why is the academy quiet?¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. The students say they didn¡¯t disappear from inside the academy.¡±
Jake said, scratching the back of his head.
¡°They say they disappeared outside the academy.¡±
***
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Chapter:234 The Unbreakable (2)
***
¡°They disappeared from outside?¡±
Jake nodded in confirmation.
¡°Yes, and it¡¯s not just near the academy. Students who returned to their homes for vacation or family reasons have also disappeared.¡±
This exined why the academy was so quiet. It wasn¡¯t something that happened at the academy.
¡°Do you think it¡¯s ¡¯s doing?¡±
Jake asked Damien. Damien fell into thought for a moment.
In Salik¡¯s memory, was inside the academy.
Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t have kidnapped the students who went to their homes. She could have just ordered her subordinates to do it.
But it couldn¡¯t be determined for sure that it was ¡¯s doing. The students could have disappeared for different reasons.
¡°How many students are missing in total? Do you know who¡¯s missing?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t been able to investigate everything. I¡¯ll just tell you about the students I heard about¡ there were eight in total.¡±
It was more than he had thought.
¡°They were all of noble birth. Count Philip, Viscount der, Viscount Wools, and¡¡±
Jake mentioned the students¡¯ families one by one.
Damien tilted his head at each family name. He had heard them somewhere before. But the memory didn¡¯te back to him right away.
¡°Ah, the families I mentioned are all famous families in the empire. They are all families with special bloodlines.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes shed at the word ¡®special bloodlines¡¯.
There are cases where mysterious abilities are passed down through generations.
For example, the ability to convert mana into a special attribute, or the ability to move faster by absorbing mana into the body.
Such families were said to have ¡®special bloodlines¡¯.
¡®I see why ites to mind. I heard that was once devoted to research on special bloodlines.¡¯
The reason was one of the strongest giant evils was thanks to the countless researches she had conducted.
And one of the researches had done was on special bloodlines.
She studied families with special bloodlines and tried to make their power her own.
¡®I wondered why was hiding in the academy. It was to study bloodlines.¡¯
All the nobles of the empire gathered at the academy. Nobles from families with special bloodlines were no exception.
The academy was the perfect ce for to study special bloodlines.
¡®Even people from the same family have different levels of bloodline. She probably found students with strong bloodlines and had her subordinates kidnap them.¡¯
In that case, there was a high probability that was disguised as someone who could meet the students directly.
¡®Then I have to exclude all the staff.¡¯
The staff had no asion to meet the students as they carried out their academy duties.
¡®Instructors should also be excluded.¡¯
Different instructors taught different grades for the same subject. It didn¡¯t fit ¡¯s purpose.
¡°I would like you to investigate the missing students in more detail.¡±
¡°What kind of things should I focus on investigating?¡±
¡°Who they met before they disappeared. Who they were close to on a regr basis. Investigate their rtionships.¡±
¡°I understand!¡±
Jake nodded and said.
***
Just before dawn, the students of ss 13 gathered in the lobby of the dormitory.
All the students of the academy used the same building. So it was not difficult for ss 13 to gather in one ce.
¡°Everyone, follow me.¡±
¡°Oliver, are you sure about this?¡±
¡°Just trust me.¡±
Oliver led the students with a confident expression.
Oliver then led the students to a wall in a corner of the lobby.
¡°Just wait a minute.¡±
Oliver took out an old piece of paper from his pocket.
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I found this in the library? If you tap the wall ording to what¡¯s written on this paper¡¡±
¡°I get it, so hurry up and open the door!¡±
¡°Who are you trying to act cool for?¡±
The students¡¯ protests rained down. Oliver immediately became discouraged.
¡°Okay¡ I¡¯ll be quiet¡¡±
Oliver tapped a few bricks with his fingers. Then, with a scraping sound of stones, the wall rose up.
¡°Wow, wow¡¡±
¡°There was really a passageway?¡±
The students all reacted with wonder. Oliver became cocky again.
¡°But¡ is this all open?¡±
¡°The door size is¡ a bit small, isn¡¯t it?¡±
The hole that appeared as the wall rose was very small. It seemed like they would barely be able to pass through by crawling.
¡°Do we really have to go through here?¡±
A male student asked with a trembling face. Penelope then spoke to the male student.
¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can stay here and train.¡±
¡°Th, that¡¯s a bit¡¡±
¡°Anyone else have aint?¡±
The entire ss 13 shook their heads vigorously.
¡°Then let¡¯s go in. Oliver, since you¡¯re the experienced one, go first.¡±
Oliver crawled into the passageway first. The other students followed behind him. Penelope went inst.
As soon as Penelope went in, the wall came down again and the door closed. The students were suddenly startled as the passageway became dark.
¡°Wh, what? The door closed?¡±
¡°Is, is this okay?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. I went through thisst time. There was no problem.¡±
It was only then that the students were able to regain theirposure thanks to Oliver¡¯s words.
¡°Then let¡¯s move out.¡±
Oliver crawled slowly through the passageway. The other students followed Oliver.
After crawling for quite a while, the students of ss 13 were finally able to reach the exit.
Oliver took out the paper again. And he tapped the bricks as written on the paper.
The wall rose up and a bright light poured in. Oliver and the students¡¯ faces brightened.
¡°Finally out!¡±
¡°Liberation!¡±
¡°Damien Haksen! You fucking bastard! We¡¯re leaving!¡±
Oliver poked his head out of the passageway and giggled.
Then, he saw Damien standing blocking the exit.
¡°¡¡±
Oliver froze immediately. Since Oliver was not moving, the students behind him could not go out either.
¡°Hey! Oliver! Why aren¡¯t youing out!¡±
¡°Move! I¡¯m suffocating!¡±
Oliver broke out in a cold sweat. Damien pointed to the side with his finger at Oliver. It meant to move out of the way.
Oliver stood coldly at the ce Damien had pointed to. As soon as he did, the student behind him poked his head out as if he had been waiting.
¡°Damn it, what are you doing standing there¡¡±
As soon as the second student saw Damien, he froze stiff. The second student trembled all over.
¡°Da, dada, dadadadam¡¡±
Damien mercilessly struck the second student¡¯s head with his club.
Bonk!
¡°Kweeek!¡±
With a strange scream, the male student copsed limply. Then the male student right behind himined.
¡°Why are you standing still? Hurry up and get him out!¡±
Damien gave Oliver a wink. Oliver then coldly dragged the unconscious male student out of the passageway andid him on the floor.
As the students came out, Damien swung his club and Oliver diligently pushed the students aside.
¡°Phew, I thought I was going to suffocate.¡±
Finally, Penelope came out. And she met eyes with Damien.
¡°¡¡±
Too surprised, Penelope couldn¡¯t get the words out properly.
Damien ignored Penelope and asked Oliver.
¡°Is she thest one?¡±
¡°Y, yes, she is.¡±
As soon as he got the answer, Damien swung his club down.
Bonk!
Penelope lost consciousness with a pain that felt like her head was splitting open.
***
After a while, the students all regained consciousness.
¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in you all.¡±
Damien gathered the students in one ce and started lecturing them.
¡°I clearly told you yesterday that if you ran away from training, I would show you hell¡ but you can¡¯t evenst a day and you¡¯re doing this?¡±
Damien clicked his tongue and shook his head vigorously.
¡°I wonder why this happened. I thought about it seriously for a while. The only conclusion I coulde to was¡¡±
Damien held out his club in front of the students. The students backed away in fear. But he didn¡¯t hit the students with the club.
¡°This was the problem.¡±
The students all looked bewildered at the meaningless words.
¡°If you try to rule people with violence, there¡¯s bound to be bacsh.¡±
The students couldn¡¯t help but be confused by his words. He had beaten them up like that, and now he was ming violence?
¡°The more you bury a seed, the more determined its roots be to find the sun. That¡¯s the human heart. I didn¡¯t understand your hearts. I apologize.¡±
But the students¡¯ hearts changed with the next words. A sincere apology moved the students¡¯ hearts.
¡°Um¡ teacher¡ that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°We¡ that¡¡±
The students opened their mouths hesitantly. They didn¡¯t know what to say to apologize.
¡°No, don¡¯t say anything. I already realized it. What you need is¡¡±
Damien raised his club high as the morning sun began to rise in the sky, creating an ovep between the sun and the club.
¡°I needed more violence.¡±
In an instant, the students doubted their ears.
¡°Half-hearted violence will achieve nothing. It will neither subdue you nor save me from looking foolish.¡±
[PR/N- If violence doesn¡¯t solve all your problems, you¡¯re not using enough of it.]
A chilling gleam shone from Damien¡¯s eyes. The students swallowed dryly.
¡°T-Teacher¡? We, we never looked down on you, n-never.¡±
¡°If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t have tried to escape like this. I clearly warned you yesterday that I wouldn¡¯t let you go if you skipped training and ran away.¡±
Damien tapped his club on his hand as he spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s start by hitting you a bit to make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±
The students¡¯ faces turned pale.
The time when the darkness that covered the sky receded.
Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!
On one side of the academy, the sound of clubs being swung could be heard incessantly.
***
After beating the students for a while, Damien dragged them to the training ground.
¡°Start running.¡±
As soon as they arrived at the training ground, Damien made the students of ss 13 run just like yesterday.
¡°The ten who fall behind will die by my hand.¡±
However, the only difference from yesterday was that the punishment was more severe. The students of ss 13 had no choice but to run for their lives to avoid Damien¡¯s club.
¡°T, teacher! M, master! I think I¡¯m going to die! No, I think I¡¯m already half dead!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and get up.¡±
It was no use copsing even if they couldn¡¯t take it anymore. This is because Damien was constantly injecting his divine power into the Dawn that he had ced in the training ground.
Thanks to this, the students¡¯ injuries and stamina were recovered in real time.
In this way, the students were forced to work themselves to the bone until lunchtime.
¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch. Let¡¯s stop the morning training here.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the students all copsed to the floor. The floor was soaked with sweat, showing how much they had sweated.
¡°Pathetic! You¡¯re copsing after just running this much.¡±
Just as Damien was watching the students, there was amotion at the entrance of the training ground.
¡°Oh my¡¡±
nca was sticking out her tongue as she looked at the training ground.
¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±
¡°I heard that the students of ss 13 were training, so I came to check it out. I thought it was a ridiculous rumor when I first heard it, but¡ it¡¯s true.¡±
nca looked at the students with a curious expression.
¡°What kind of magic are you using? How are these little frogs listening to your orders?¡±
¡°I persuaded them sincerely, and they all understood.¡±
At that, the students all red at Damien. They looked as if they were going to kill him with their eyes.
¡°You¡¯re really amazing¡ No one at the academy has ever been able to handle these kids. If you keep this up, They¡¯re sure to get good grades in the exam.¡±
¡°It¡¯s still a long way off. I don¡¯t know what will happen even if I try my best to train them like this.¡±
¡°By any chance, do you need any training equipment? We recently purchased new training equipment, so we¡¯re going to get rid of the old stuff.¡±
¡°I would be grateful.¡±
As the two of them talked, the students couldn¡¯t help but feel terrified. They were already dying from the hard work, and if they were also included in the knight training equipment, they might really die.
***
While conversing, Damien slyly observed nca.
¡®It¡¯s highly likely that is someone who can freely interact with students.¡¯
The White Blood Knights Order was in charge of the academy¡¯s security. However, that didn¡¯t mean they only stayed within the academy.
They would often go outside to deal with external threats such as thieves or monsters, and sometimes even escort students to distant regions.
¡®Moreover, she¡¯s approaching me a bit too frequently.¡¯
Sinceing to the academy, no one hade to visit Damien. Everyone disliked him, after all.
Only nca had been visiting Damien. In many ways, it was suspicious.
¡°Sir Damien, it¡¯s mealtime. Shall we go together? I know a good restaurant.¡±
nca said to Damien. Since Damien was already suspicious of nca so he readily nodded.
¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Before leaving the training grounds, Damien said to the students,
¡°Everyone, finish your meals and return here. We¡¯ll have sword training in the afternoon.¡±
***
After that, Damien went to the restaurant nca had rmended and had a meal.
During the meal, he continued to observe nca, but couldn¡¯t find anything suspicious.
¡®I suppose I have no choice but to use a crude method.¡¯
The best way to uncover ¡¯s disguise was to actually fight her.
No matter how perfect ¡¯s disguise was, she couldn¡¯t imitate the movements of a Master ss.
However, it wasn¡¯t a method that could be used carelessly. If person wasn¡¯t who he thought, Damien might end up getting bacsh in his ns.
¡°I¡¯ll wait for an opportunity to challenge nca to a duel.¡±
Thinking that, Damien returned to the training grounds, only to witness a bizarre scene.
¡°Even pathetic guys like you know how to make an effort, huh?¡±
¡°Why is everyone so quiet? Why don¡¯t you say something?¡±
Two students were mocking ss 13.
***
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Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Chapter:235 The Unbreakable (3)
***
Even after Damien disappeared, the students of ss 13 remained motionless.
They were too exhausted to move. Rest felt as sweet as honey. Some students even copsed to the ground.
How much time had passed like that?
¡°Hey, Oliver.¡±
One of the students called out to Oliver. He raised his head without getting up.
¡°Why are you calling me?¡±
¡°You clearly told us it was a secret passage, didn¡¯t you? But how was Damien waiting at the exit?¡±
At that question, the other students also got up and stared at Oliver. As everyone¡¯s eyes focused on him, Oliver¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment.
It was a clear misunderstanding, but there was no way to exin it. Even when he thought about it, it was a situation that was just perfect for being suspected.
¡°Did you sell us out to Damien?¡±
¡°Somehow, the only person who didn¡¯t get beatings was you.¡±
¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s not like that¡¡±
Oliver was so wronged.
The reason he hadn¡¯t been beaten by Damien because he had been assigned the task of getting the unconscious students out of the hole.
And he didn¡¯t have anything to be happy about either. His own shoulder felt like it was going to dislocate from dragging the unconscious students out of the hole.
¡°Look, you can¡¯t say anything! You were in cahoots with Damien, weren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not going to let you get away with this, you little punk! Just stand there and don¡¯t move!¡±
Just as the angry students were about to surround Oliver.
¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? All the trash is gathered in one ce?¡±
A strange voice was heard. The students of ss 13 reflexively looked towards the entrance of the training ground.
Two male students were walking into the training ground. The moment they saw the faces of those two people, the expressions of the students of ss 13 hardened.
¡°So the rumors were true that the trash of ss 13 is training here? Was the sun rose in the west today?¡±
One of the male students said mockingly.
But none of the students of ss 13 got angry. Or rather, they couldn¡¯t get angry.
The two people standing before them were the top student and the second top student of the first grade, respectively.
Even the students of ss 13 couldn¡¯t mess with these two.
¡°But where is that Oliver kid?¡±
¡°H-here.¡±
Oliver emerged from among the students. As soon as he saw Oliver¡¯s face, the male student scowled.
¡°You should havee out as soon as your older brother arrived. What are you mumbling about?¡±
¡°B-big brother G-Gelliver, that¡¯s, that¡¯s¡¡±
Oliver, who had talked back to Damien earlier, couldn¡¯t even make a peep in front of the male student.
Gelliver Fortina.
He was the third son of the Marquis Fortina, a famous noble family of the Empire, and Oliver¡¯s older brother.
¡°What are you going to do if a dimwit like you can¡¯t even read the room? Huh?¡±
If it had been just that, Oliver wouldn¡¯t have been so flustered.
Unlike Gelliver, who was born to the first wife, Oliver was born to the second wife.
Their positions and status within the family were bound to be different.
¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m so sorry¡¡±
¡°Alright, why do you think I came looking for you?¡±
¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡±
Standing in front of Gelliver, Oliver couldn¡¯t even finish his sentences. Even at a nce, his nervousness was evident.
¡°I came here because I was afraid that a blockhead like you would tarnish the family name again.¡±
As he said that, Gelliver flicked Oliver¡¯s forehead with his index finger.
¡°You Fucking stupid little brother. Have you already forgotten? What happened when someone like you, who has no talent or intelligence, stepped up?¡±
¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry¡¡±
¡°And on top of that, you¡¯re taking training from a knight like Damien who has no foundation? Do you think Father will stay still if he hears about this?¡±
Oliver¡¯s eyes widened as his father¡¯s name was mentioned.
¡°B-brother¡ Ah, please, please don¡¯t tell Father¡ P-please¡¡±
¡°Oh, you trashy little bastard.¡±
Gelliver clicked his tongue and shook his head from side to side.
¡°You guys are the same. You blockheads. Even if you don¡¯t have any sense, you¡¯re taking Damien¡¯s ss?¡±
Gelliver said, looking around the students of ss 13. The students of ss 13 bowed their heads deeply.
Gelliver sneered at this.
¡°Pathetic brats. That¡¯s why you¡¯re called the scum of the family.¡±
¡°Gelliver, stop it.¡±
At that time, the other male student who hade with Gelliver said.
¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll understand even if you tell them. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t have been dumped in ss 13.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±
The male student walked forward. He walked through ss 13 and stopped in front of Penelope Borja.
¡°Penelope.¡±
Penelope didn¡¯t answer. She just stared at the male student.
¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you? I told you not to do anything useless.¡±
¡°I would have said the same thing. I told you not to butt in where you don¡¯t belong.¡±
Penelope said in a sharp tone. But the male student didn¡¯t bat an eye.
¡°Useless meddling? You¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯m Emilio Borja. As the sessor to the duchy, I have a duty to watch over you so that you don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡±
Emilio Borja.
He was the eldest son and next heir to the Duke of Borja.
Despite being the eldest son, Emilio was almost the same age as Penelope. There was one reason for this.
¡°Penelope, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re so important. Don¡¯t unt the fact that you¡¯re the daughter of a maid.¡±
Penelope was the illegitimate daughter of the duke.
Her mother, a maid with whom the Duke of Borja had fooled around, was her mother.
Unlike Oliver, whose mother was recognized as the second wife, Penelope¡¯s mother remained a maid.
¡°I told you this before I entered the academy, didn¡¯t I? I told you to learn etiquette and study instead of swinging a sword. The only devotion you can show to the family is to marry well.¡±
Penelope bit her lip and red at Emilio.
Emilio did not recognize Penelope as a member of the family. He only saw her as a target for a political marriage.
¡°If you keep ignoring me like this¡ you¡¯ll regret it someday.¡±
¡°Regret? Do you think you can beat me and make Father reconsider the session?¡±
Emilio chuckled.
¡°You¡¯re dreaming. You can¡¯t beat me. Even if you did, there¡¯s no way Father would make someone like you his sessor.¡±
At Emilio¡¯s mockery, Penelope clenched her fists.
¡°I¡¯m going to leave now. Penelope, make sure you take my warning to heart.¡±
Emilio Borja turned around. Gelliver also moved to follow Emilio.
But the two had no choice but to stop. Someone was standing at the entrance to the training ground.
¡°Who are you guys?¡±
Damien asked them.
***
¡°Who are you guys?¡±
Damien, who had arrived at the training ground, said to the two with a dumbfounded expression.
It was absurd that these strangers were spewing insults at ss 13.
The two men exchanged nces. Then they both bowed their heads.
¡°It is an honor to meet you. My name is Emilio Borja.¡±
¡°I am Gelliver Fortina.¡±
Damien felt a sense of freshness at their polite demeanor. It was a stark contrast to ss 13, who had been chattering in informal speech from the very beginning.
¡°I apologize for noting to greet you first.¡±
¡°We came to see our younger siblings.¡±
¡°Younger siblings?¡±
Come to think of it, the surnames of the two men sounded familiar. Damien pointed to Penelope Borja and Oliver Fortina.
¡°Surely you¡¯re not talking about these guys?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
Damien looked at both with a curious expression.
Unlike their siblings, the aura they exuded was no ordinary one.
It meant that they were both talented and had the full support of their family.
¡°We have heard of your achievements.¡±
¡°I heard that you are from the Apple Kingdom and won the Helian Tournament.¡±
The two men heaped praise on Damien with respectful expressions.
¡°I wonder if our clumsy younger siblings have caused you any trouble, Mr. Damien.¡±
¡°ss 13 itself is known to be a bunch of trashes, so I imagine you¡¯ve had a lot of trouble.¡±
Damien nodded at their words.
¡°The students in ss 13 are pretty hopeless.¡±
The two men made apologetic expressions at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°It is a great loss to the academy for a capable man like Mr. Damien to be in charge of ss 13. If you wish, we would be happy to help you transfer to another ss.¡±
¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡±
At Damien¡¯s refusal, Emilio said with a smile.
¡°There¡¯s no need to feel burdened. It¡¯s just a small gesture of goodwill from us.¡±
¡°We have enough influence with the family to make that much happen.¡±
Damien was about to refuse again. Then, the sight of ss 13 caught his eye.
The ss 13 students who had been talking back to Damien earlier were all wearing dejected expressions. It was as if they had been abandoned by their master.
Damien fell into thought for a moment.
He couldn¡¯t transfer sses anyway. There was a condition set by the Chancellor.
Like it or not, Damien had no choice but to stay with ss 13.
Then, he needed to not just ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ them, but also give them a proper boost.
¡°No, really, there¡¯s no need.¡±
¡°Sir Damien, you don¡¯t have to feel burdened.¡±
¡°Please ept our goodwill.¡±
And he didn¡¯t like the attitude of these two men for some strange reason.
The fact that they called him ¡®Mr.¡¯ even though he was a instructor, and the way they kept talking about ¡®goodwill¡¯ was grating.
But what annoyed him most was the look in their eyes. It was as if they were looking down on him.
¡°You¡¯re being a real pain in the ass.¡±
Damien said this and expressed his displeasure outright. At that, Emilio and Gelliver¡¯s eyebrows narrowed.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll get the hint and leave soon enough, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re talking so much.¡±
At his continued words, their eyebrows narrowed even more.
¡°Now get lost, both of you, because I have to start training. We¡¯re running out of time, and I don¡¯t know what all the fuss is about.¡±
Damien waved his hand in the air.
¡°Mr. Damien, are you¡ refusing our goodwill?¡±
¡°Goodwill? Goodwill¡¡±
Damien let out augh.
The two men were only at the level of apprentice knights. Considering their age, it was a great achievement, butpared to Damien, they were nothing but dust on the floor.
It was ridiculous that apprentice knights were talking about goodwill to him, a Master ss knight.
¡°Don¡¯t you know who we are? It¡¯s not going to be good for you to act like this¡¡±
Emilio¡¯s words were cut off.
It was because Damien was holding his index finger under his chin.
¡°What the fuck¡¡.¡±
Emilio¡¯s face began to turn pale.
Somehow, the finger felt like a de. It seemed like if Damien raised his finger, his chin and brain would be pierced through.
¡°Goodwill¡ It¡¯s a very good word.¡±
Damien said with a face devoid ofughter.
¡°Then I guess you could say that it¡¯s also goodwill on my part to spare you two here?¡±
***
¡°The students in ss 13 are pretty hopeless.¡±
When those words came out of Damien¡¯s mouth, the students of ss 13 were greatly disappointed.
They didn¡¯t understand it themselves. Why were they disappointed? Because Damien didn¡¯t take their side?
It was funny. They were disappointed that Damien, who they hated so much, agreed with those two.
¡°It¡¯s a great loss to the academy for a capable man like Mr.Damien to be in charge of ss 13. If you wish, we would be happy to help you transfer to another ss.¡±
When they heard that, some of the students chuckled bitterly.
This had happened before, many times. All of the instructors who had been in charge of them had given up on ss 13 and left without exception.
Damien would too, of course¡
¡°You¡¯re being a real pain in the ass.¡±
But the next words were far from what ss 13 had expected.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll get the hint and leave soon enough, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re talking so much.¡±
The students of ss 13 looked at each other with surprised faces.
What was Damien saying now? Was he saying he wasn¡¯t going to leave ss 13?
¡°Now get lost, both of you, because I have to start training. We¡¯re running out of time, and I don¡¯t know what all the fuss is about.¡±
The faces of the students of ss 13 all turned nk.
They hadn¡¯t heard wrong. Damien was saying he was staying in ss 13.
It didn¡¯t make sense, but he was on their side.
¡°Then I guess you could say that it¡¯s also goodwill on my part to spare you two here?¡±
When Damien said that to Emilio, the students of ss 13 felt a sense of relief.
That was when it happened.
¡°What are you doing now!¡±
A roar erupted. A strong aura surged in from a distance.
A middle-aged man was walking towards the training ground. With each step he took, a huge aura swirled around him.
¡°Do you know who those two children are? They are the first and second ce in the first grade! Are you telling me that an instructor is threatening such brilliant students?¡±
The students of ss 13 all looked at the middle-aged man with surprised faces.
Delong Muller.
He was the person in charge of first-grade swordsmanship sses at the academy.
He was once a Master ss knight who was called a hero of the empire.
***
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Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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Chapter:236 The Unbreakable (4)
***
Damien stared intently at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. Delong Muller did the same.
The students swallowed their dry saliva and looked at the two men. Both of them were Master ss. They didn¡¯t know what would happen if a sh broke out here.
Then, all of a sudden, Damien gestured towards the direction where the students were standing.
¡°Oliver,e over here.¡±
Oliver looked puzzled and walked over to Damien. Damien whispered in Oliver¡¯s ear.
¡°Who the hell is he?¡±
His voice was low, but everyone could hear Damien¡¯s question because they were so close.
Oliver, as well as the other students, and even Delong Muller, all had incredulous expressions on their faces.
¡°You really don¡¯t know who¡that man is?¡±
Damien asked again, marveling at Oliver¡¯s audacity to call the instructor ¡®that man¡¯ right in front of him.
¡°I¡¯m not here to make friends. So, who is he?¡±
¡°His name is Delong Muller. He is the head instructor who oversees all of the first-year swordsmanship sses¡ or rather, all of the first-year sses at the Academy.¡±
In fact, this alone was not enough to exin what kind of person Delong Muller was. So Oliver quickly added.
¡°Before he came to the Academy as an instructor, he was called a hero of the Empire.¡±
¡°A hero?¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t aplish great feats, but he was a very famous consultant.¡±
Damien focused a little more on Oliver¡¯s words.
¡°I heard that he was in charge of going around knight houses, finding problems with their swordsmanship techniques, and helping them improve them. They say he was very skilled. I heard that there are even houses that produced Master ss knights thanks to his guidance.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°I heard that he was invited to be an instructor at the Academy because of his achievements.¡±
Damien looked at Delong Muller with an intrigued expression.
Even for someone who had reached the Master ss level, it was not easy to help other houses with their techniques.
However, unlike his great past, Delong Muller¡¯s own swordsmanship was not that great.
He was a Master ss, but he had not broken through any walls.
¡®There are people like that sometimes.¡¯
The talent to urately identify and analyze the problems of others, even though their own abilities are not that great.
People with that kind of talent were naturally gifted at teaching others.
¡°An instructor of the Academy doesn¡¯t know me! This is ridiculous!¡±
Delong Muller said, his face flushed with anger. Damien asked Delong Muller, who was like that.
¡°So, what brings you here?¡±
¡°What brings me here? That¡¯s a very good question! I came to question your misconduct!¡±
¡°Misconduct?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to pretend you don¡¯t know what happened yesterday? You¡¯ve been causing amotion all over the Academy!¡±
¡°Oh, is that what you¡¯re talking about?¡±
Damien said nonchntly. Delong Muller became even more enraged.
¡°That¡¯s all you have to say after doing such a thing? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a vulgar man! That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t bring in a knight from outside the Empire as an instructor!¡±
Damien looked at Delong Muller with a somewhat bored expression. Since he had entered the Academy, everyone had been making an issue of Damien¡¯s origins.
¡°That¡¯s not all! A man who is a Master ss is bullying the students! I was lucky to see this happen! Otherwise, something big could have happened!¡±
¡°I was only disciplining these two as an instructor because they were behaving inappropriately.¡±
¡°Discipline? What did these two do to deserve that?¡±
¡°If you knew how harshly these two spoke to ss 13, you would understand my actions.¡±
Since Damien arrivedte, he couldn¡¯t hear everything the two said to ss 13.
However, even from thest part, he could tell how much these two were openly looking down on and ignoring ss 13.
¡°You¡¯re making a false usation.¡±
However, Delong Muller did not believe Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Emilio and Gelliver are children who are so skilled that they can represent the first grade! Not only that, they are from a prestigious family that represents the Empire! You¡¯re saying that those children are talking shit to ss 13?¡±
¡°Well¡¡±
Damien opened his mouth to defend ss 13, then closed it again.
In fact, it was understandable that Delong Muller didn¡¯t believe Damien¡¯s words. After all, ss 13 was a notorious ss.
If the situation were reversed, Damien wouldn¡¯t have believed it either.
¡°And even if that¡¯s true, what¡¯s the problem?¡±
A deep frown creased Damien¡¯s face as he heard the following words.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°If there is trash lying on the street, it is inevitable that you will be offended, and if you are offended, it is natural that harsh words wille out. You¡¯re bullying those two for that!¡±
It¡¯s not that Damien likes ss 13. He was only in charge of them because of the conditions of the headmaster.
But anyway, Damien was in charge of ss 13 now. And now Damien had a duty to take responsibility for ss 13.
And even though the students of ss 13 were not good students, they were not responsible for this incident.
¡°Not only are you not from the Empire, but you can¡¯t even judge right from wrong as an instructor! Someone as unqualified as you can¡¯t be in the Academy any longer! Know that I will call a meeting tomorrow to raise the issue!¡±
Damien stared at Delong Muller silently.
¡®He¡¯s really getting on my nerves.¡¯
Everything about him was annoying, from the way he popped up out of nowhere and made a fuss to his words and actions.
Of course, Delong Muller wouldn¡¯t be able to kick Damien out with his power. Damien had been hired to the Academy by the Emperor¡¯s decree.
But it was sure to be a hassle. Damien already didn¡¯t have time to educate the ss 13. So he couldn¡¯t waste his time on that.
¡°Well, why bother calling a council?¡±
I had to make this go away somehow.
He wanted to smash that asshole¡¯s face.
¡°Just test my qualifications right here.¡±
¡°Test you? How?¡±
¡°I came to the Academy as a swordsmanship instructor. So there¡¯s only one way to prove my qualifications, isn¡¯t there?¡±
¡°¡Are you suggesting a duel?¡±
A moment of hesitation crossed Delong Muller¡¯s face.
Delong Muller was not only excellent at teaching others, but also not very skilled himself.
Moreover, Damien was the winner of the Helian Tournament. The gap between the two was clear.
¡°Only then can you say that you have proven your qualifications.¡±
It would be easy to defeat Delong Muller. But winning a fight where the oue was obvious would not give Delong Muller the proper humiliation.
¡°How about we spar only with the Imperial Swordsmanship?¡±
At those words, Delong Muller¡¯s eyes lit up.
¡°¡Only with the Imperial Swordsmanship?¡±
¡°As far as I know, all swordsmanship sses at the Academy are based on the Imperial Swordsmanship. So wouldn¡¯t it mean that you are qualified if you prove how well you understand it?¡±
Delong Muller¡¯s expression changed strangely at Damien¡¯s suggestion.
¡°Can you promise that you will leave the Academy without a word if I win?¡±
¡°I promise. But in return, Mr. Muller, you must acknowledge my right to be an instructor if I win.¡±
Delong Muller thought for a moment and then said with a confident face.
¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s start right now.¡±
***
And so, Damien and Delong Muller¡¯s duel was decided.
The two stood opposite each other and prepared for the duel. Damien began flipping through the Imperial Swordsmanship book he had brought with him.
¡°instructor, why don¡¯t we change the rules now¡??¡±
Oliver said cautiously from beside Damien.
¡°Oliver is right. To duel Delong Muller with the Imperial Swordsmanship¡ It¡¯s too reckless.¡±
Penelope also stuck close to Damien¡¯s side.
¡°instructor, that man is a man with an extraordinary mind, enough to touch the visions of other houses swordsmanship.¡±
¡°Not only that, but he has been an instructor at the Academy for a long time, so his understanding of the Imperial Swordsmanship must be beyond imagination.¡±
Oliver and Penelope talked incessantly.
Damien looked at them with a dumbfounded expression.
¡°Why are you suddenly pretending to be worried about me?¡±
At those words, both of them turned their eyes away with embarrassed expressions.
¡°Uh, anyway, no matter how great you are, it¡¯s going to be¡ difficult to beat that man in the field of Imperial Swordsmanship.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m disrespecting you.¡±
¡°Well, that man knows more about it than I do, I just learned it yesterday.¡±
At those words, their expressions turned nk.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°I said I just learned the Imperial Swordsmanship yesterday.¡±
¡°And yet you challenged that man to a duel?¡±
¡°Are you in your right mind?¡±
Oliver and Penelope shouted without realizing it. But when Damien stared at them silently, they immediately buried their heads in the ground.
¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I made a slip of the tongue!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll let it slide just this once.¡±
¡°T-thank you!¡±
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
¡°Watch carefully from behind. This is also part of the lesson.¡±
Just then, as Delong Muller walked out to the center of the training ground, Damien also took a step forward.
¡°Are you really that confident, Damien?¡±
Delong Muller said with a confident face. Damien chuckled.
¡°I think I know what you¡¯re thinking. You think the Imperial Swordsmanship is just a basic swordsmanship, so you¡¯re underestimating it.¡±
As Delong Muller said, the Imperial Swordsmanship was considered a basic swordsmanship in the Empire.
Many knights in the Empire considered the Imperial Swordsmanship to be a stepping stone to be ovee.
¡°But that¡¯s a big misconception. The Imperial Swordsmanship is a swordsmanship technique that was personally created by His Majesty the Founding Emperor. The more you learn it, the deeper it bes.¡±
Delong Muller drew his training sword. As he twisted his wrist, the sword gracefully sliced through the air.
¡°Now I will show you that¡ Wait! What are you holding? Where is your sword?¡±
Delong Muller asked, pointing to Damien¡¯s hand. The weapon Damien was holding was none other than a club.
¡°It¡¯s not a duel, so weapons don¡¯t matter, do they?¡±
¡°Well¡ that¡¯s true, but¡¡±
Delong Muller looked at Damien with a skeptical expression.
¡°Let¡¯s see how well an Apple Kingdom native handles the Empire¡¯s swordsmanship!¡±
With those words, Delong Muller closed the distance in an instant.
***
Imperial Swordsmanship.
Despite its simple name, it was a swordsmanship technique with a formidable history, having been created by the Founding Emperor of the Empire himself.
Today, it was considered a basic swordsmanship in the Empire, but in reality it was quite deep.
There are five movements in the Imperial Swordsmanship.
The movements themselves are simple, but all the movements are interconnected.
Therefore, the number of possible attacks is endless. The power of the technique varies depending on how it isbined.
¡®How dare you challenge me to a duel with the Imperial Swordsmanship!¡¯
The Imperial Swordsmanship was exactly what Delong Muller emphasized whenever he taught knights. This swordsmanship contained all the basics that a knight should have.
So a knight from another country challenged him to a duel with the Imperial Swordsmanship?
¡°Let¡¯s see how well an Apple Kingdom native handles the Empire¡¯s swordsmanship!¡±
Delong Muller swung his sword with a burst of anger.
The first form of the Imperial Swordsmanship.
A one-hit kill technique designed for closebat, the sharp sword shed through the air.
At that moment, Damien struck down with his club. Seeing this, Delong Muller sneered.
¡®A trajectory like drawing a circle¡ Are you nning to counter my attack with the fourth form? How dare you try to defeat me with such a textbook method!¡¯
The moment Damien blocked his attack, Delong Muller intended to continue with the third form.
The third form was a technique to parry the enemy¡¯s attack and stab the vital point. If he tried to dodge this, then this time he would use the fifth form¡
At that moment, the club and the sword collided. In that moment, Delong Muller managed to deflect Damien¡¯s attack.
At the same time, he twisted his waist. Rotating his body, he thrust the tip of his sword towards Damien¡¯s vital point¡
At that moment, Delong Muller saw it. Damien was staring at him with emotionless eyes.
¡°You¡¯re full of tricks.¡±
Damien struck down the sword that was aiming for his vital point with the handle of his club. The sword bounced down.
¡°What?¡±
A look of bewilderment appeared on Delong Muller¡¯s face. He had never calcted that his third form would be blocked in this way.
¡°M-my th-third form¡! In this way¡!?¡±
The moment Delong Muller was shocked, Damien Haksen struck his head with his club.
Bonk!
With the intense pain, Delong Muller¡¯s vision turned ck.
***
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Damien said, looking down at the unconscious Delong Muller.
¡°The two of you over there.¡±
Damien spoke to Emilio and Gelliver. The two of them looked at Damien in surprise.
¡°Take him away. Understand?¡±
But the two of them looked at Damien with trembling eyes. Then Emilio asked in a questioning tone.
¡°T-this is invalid!¡±
¡°Invalid?¡±
¡°H-hitting an attack with the handle is a form not found in the Imperial Swordsmanship! You broke the promise of the duel!¡±
Damien clicked his tongue at Emilio¡¯s protest.
¡°When that man wakes up, ask him. Whether or not what I used was the Imperial Swordsmanship.¡±
¡°O-of course it¡¯s not¡¡±
¡°It seems that you won¡¯t be able to reach a high level by sticking to formalities.¡±
Damien tsked. Then he suddenly distorted his expression.
¡°But did you just talk back to me?¡±
Emilio and Gelliver¡¯s faces turned pale. The two of them hurriedly picked up Delong Muller and disappeared.
As the three of them left, the training ground was filled with silence.
¡°Oh my¡¡±
¡°A Master ss like that so easily¡¡±
ss 13 muttered in astonishment. Damien looked around at ss 13 and said.
¡°Now that the troublemakers are gone, shall we start training again?¡±
The faces of all the students in ss 13 contorted. There were even those who looked like they were going to die.
But there were also those who didn¡¯t.
Oliver and Penelope.
The two of them looked at Damien with determined expressions.
***
That night, Damien found himself receiving unexpected visitors.
¡°What brings you here?¡±
Damien asked Oliver and Penelope, who were standing in front of the faculty dormitory.
With determined expressions, the two shouted at Damien.
¡°I want to beat my brother Gelliver in this year¡¯s exam!¡±
¡°And I want to get revenge on that damn Emilio!¡±
The two simultaneously knelt on the ground. Then, with earnest faces, they shouted.
¡°We¡¯ll endure any training! Just let us win!¡±
Damien bent his knees. He leveled his eyes with the two.
¡°Does that mean¡¡ you want to give up physical fitness and swordsmanship and focus on dueling?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
¡°Alright, alright. I understand your intentions perfectly.¡±
Damien said as he patting their shoulders.
Oliver and Penelope smiled brightly and looked at each other¡¯s faces.
¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±
However, at the following words, the smiles that had appeared on their faces couldn¡¯t help but disappear.
¡°Are your minds gone crazy? There¡¯s not much time left for the exams, and do you want to change the exam¡¯s subject in the meantime? And the reason is to beat the top and second-ce students of the first grade?¡±
Damien said, taking out his club from the subspace.
¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had a chance to ¡®convince¡¯ you.¡±
***
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Chapter 237
Chapter 237
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Chapter:237 Reason (1)
***
It was evening.
The sky, which had been blue throughout the day, was now bathed in the hues of sunset.
The students of the academy, having finished their arduous studies and training, were returning to their dormitories, chatting amongst themselves.
A somewhat noisy but peaceful time.
Bonk! Bonk!
¡°Aghhh!¡±
¡°Ughhhh!¡±
In front of the faculty dormitory, two students were being beaten by a club.
Oliver and Penelope.
The two students from ss 13, where only problematic students gathered, were unable toe to their senses under the hail of club strikes.
¡°What, you want to beat the first ss 1st and 2nd ranked students? You want to win the duel? Get out of here, you brats!¡±
Damien¡¯s clubbing only stopped when the sky grew dark.
¡°Ughh¡¡±
¡°Ow¡¡±
Even though the clubbing had stopped, the two were unable to get up for a while. Their bodies trembled all over as theyy face down on the floor.
Damien ced the club on his shoulder and spoke to the two.
¡°Now you two are in your right mind, right? Go in and get some rest.¡±
Damien turned to leave, but then something suddenly caught his ankle.
Oliver and Penelope had crawled up and were grabbing Damien¡¯s ankle.
¡°I-instructor! We b-beg you!¡±
¡°Please¡ please help us¡ win the duel¡ train us¡¡±
Damien looked down at the two with a dumbfounded expression.
Even after going to such lengths to ¡®persuade¡¯ them, the two were still not ¡®convinced¡¯. It was the first time for Damien.
¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡±
The two¡¯s unyielding determination piqued Damien¡¯s interest.
¡°The story may be a bit long¡¡±
¡°But we would be grateful if you would listen.¡±
Oliver and Penelope told Damien their story.
As Oliver had mentioned beforehand, the two¡¯s story was very long.
But it was quite an interesting story, so it wasn¡¯t boring. Damien listened to the two¡¯s story silently from beginning to end.
And he summarized it in his own way.
¡®So, Oliver is the child of the second wife, and because of that he was bullied by the first wife and her children.¡¯
In the empire, polygamy was allowed. And so, a lot of conflicts arose because of this.
¡®The problem is that Oliver¡¯s mother is from a minor noble family and Oliver has no talent.¡¯
Oliver¡¯s mother¡¯s family was too weak to protect him and his mother.
In addition, Oliver had no talent, so he couldn¡¯t even win his father¡¯s favor.
In other words, Oliver and his mother had no means of resisting the bullying.
¡®And the one who especially bullied Oliver was Gelliver.¡¯
The other children of the first wife were all much older than Oliver. As they were each in charge of their family¡¯s affairs, they didn¡¯t have much asion to sh with Oliver and his mother.
However, Gelliver was close in age to Oliver. They couldn¡¯t help but spend a lot of time together.
So, Oliver was bullied by Gelliver throughout his childhood.
¡®Penelope, that girl, was a bastard, wasn¡¯t she?¡¯
Unlike Oliver, who was recognized as the second wife¡¯s son, Penelope¡¯s situation was even worse.
She was a bastard born to a maid who was taken advantage of by the Duke on a whim.
Her mother was not even recognized as a wife. The position of the mother and daughter in the family was no different from being trash.
¡®The more prestigious the family, the more obsessed they are with honor. Penelope, a bastard, was despised by the other wife and her children¡¡¯
Penelope grew up being treated as a good-for-nothing.
¡®And she said that if she became of age, she would be sold to a family that could be of help to the Duke family. To prevent that, she had to win against Emilio in the academy.¡¯
Damien stroked his hair back.
He couldn¡¯t just ignore them after hearing about their circumstances.
¡°I understand why you made that request to me.¡±
The two of them focused their attention on Damien. Damien felt a strange sense of burden and asked.
¡°But why are you asking me of all people? There must be other instructors.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because you defeated Delong Muller.¡±
Penelope opened her mouth.
¡°Delong Muller is known to have a bad personality, but he is also said to have a better understanding of swordsmanship than anyone else. You defeated such a man with only Imperial Swordsmanship. I think it means that your understanding of swordsmanship is far superior to him.¡±
Damien admired her audacity for calling Delong Muller ¡®such a man¡¯.
¡°So you think I can make you strong enough to get revenge?¡±
Penelope nodded. Damien let out a chuckle.
¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t trust instructors yesterday?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s¡¡±
Penelope¡¯s face turned red in an instant. She looked down and mumbled.
¡°Th-that¡¯s because¡ well¡ the academy instructors¡ they all hate us¡ so¡¡±
Damien got a general idea of the situation.
Judging by Delong Muller¡¯s attitude yesterday, it seemed that most of the academy instructors despised ss 13.
After being treated like that by the instructors, it was natural that they would be hostile to the instructors.
¡®The circumstances are tough, and¡ they¡¯re making an unreasonable request.¡¯
Honestly, it was a request he couldn¡¯t refuse.
There wasn¡¯t much time left before the exams. Even if they focused on physical training and Imperial Swordsmanship subjects as nned, they would be short on time.
And yet, he had to make them win the duel? And that too against the first and second-ce students in the first grade?
But he hesitated to actually refuse. It was because he remembered his own wandering days.
In his rebellious youth, Damien¡¯s family could no longer tolerate his misdeeds and eventually cast him out.
At that time, the usations and anger that his family spat at him pierced his heart like sharp arrows.
It was Damien¡¯s fault, and it was something he had brought upon himself. Nevertheless, it was a very burdensome thing to bear the usations and anger of his family.
However, these two people were being ostracized by their families through no fault of their own.
The pain they must have felt was surely much greater and more agonizing than Damien¡¯s.
¡°¡Alright. I¡¯ll ept your request.¡±
Damien said to the two after careful consideration. At that, bright smiles appeared on their faces.
¡°First of all, let me make one thing clear. It¡¯s actually impossible for you to beat those guys.¡±
As expected of the first and second-ranked students in the first grade, Emilio and Gelliver had reached the level of junior knights.
Junior-knight was the level where one could manifest an aura and strengthen his the body with mana.
Even by the standards of ordinary people, they could be called superhumans.
¡°To beat those guys, you¡¯ll have to work several times harder than the other guys. Even so, promise me that you won¡¯t have anyints.¡±
¡°W-we will!¡±
¡°We will follow all the orders you give us!¡±
Oliver and Penelope replied immediately. Damien nodded with a satisfied look on his face.
¡°There¡¯s one more condition. Actually, this is the most important one.¡±
¡°Yes! Please tell us!¡±
¡°If you lose, you die by my hand.¡±
In an instant, the two doubted their ears.
¡°It¡¯s not about begging you to kill me, but about just dying by your hand.¡±
¡°Hey, instructor, are you joking¡?¡±
¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking right now?¡±
mes burned in Damien¡¯s eyes. A chilling gaze was shot towards the two.
At that chilling gaze, the two gulped down their saliva.
***
After sending the two away, Damien then made contact with a member of the Extermination Squad.
¡°Sir Damien, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±
Jake, a member of the Extermination Squad, said with a weing face. Damien, as before, checked the tattoo on Jake¡¯s forehead with his monocle.
¡°Did you find out what I asked you to do?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t get much information because I didn¡¯t have much time.¡±
Damien was not disappointed. It had only been a day. It was an absurdly short time to gather information.
¡°However, I heard something interesting.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°I heard that the knights of the White Blood Knights Order have been going out frequently this year.¡±
The White Blood Knights Order was an order of knights created to protect the academy.
The fact that the knights of the White Blood Knights Order were going out frequently was suspicious.
¡®There¡¯s no way can scout and kidnap students all by herself. Could it be that ¡¯s subordinates have infiltrated the White Blood Knights Order?¡¯
Damien thought of nca. It seemed that he needed to investigate a little more thoroughly.
***
The next day, it was time for training. Unlike the previous day, no one ran away today and everyone gathered in the training ground. It seemed that they had realized that running away was no longer an option.
¡°Penelope,e forward.¡±
At Damien¡¯smand, Penelope stepped forward. Damien handed her a wooden sword and said,
¡°Today you will be in charge of the morning ss.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Penelope was greatly embarrassed by the sudden order.
¡°I have something to do for a short while in the morning. Don¡¯t worry, just do what I used to do. Make them run without rest for the entire morning session.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Penelope was puzzled but she followed Damien¡¯s orders.
Damien left ss 13 behind and walked out of the training ground.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡ where did they say the first-grade swordsmanship ss was held.¡±
Damien¡¯s work was none other than to watch Emilio and Gelliver¡¯s training.
There was no ordinary way he could fulfill Oliver and Penelope¡¯s request.
So Damien¡¯s n was to grasp all of Emilio and Gelliver¡¯s techniques and habits, and then adapt them to Penelope and Oliver.
¡®They may be junior-knights, but there¡¯s no way there¡¯s no way to win at all.¡¯
Junior-knights were still immature, so even when they strengthened their bodies with mana, the increase in power was not that great. Additionally, the use of aura was prohibited because it was a sparring match.
In other words, it meant that if they could gain a technical advantage, they could win.
¡®There are only 5 days left. I wonder if it¡¯s possible.¡¯
As Damien was walking with these thoughts in mind,
¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Sir Damien?¡±
nca was running towards him from the other side. However, unlike usual, she was not empty-handed. She was carrying arge wooden crate on her shoulder.
¡°Well, I¡¯m d I ran into you. I have something for you.¡±
nca put the wooden crate down on the ground. It was filled with various training equipment.
¡°This is the training equipment I told you aboutst time. It¡¯s old, but it¡¯s still usable. I haven¡¯t skipped maintenance work every day.¡±
nca said proudly.
¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to bring it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Hmm? What are you looking at me for? I¡¯m nca Roche. I never make empty promises.¡±
nca said while patting her chest armor with her hand.
Looking at her, Damien recalled what he had heard from Jake yesterday.
¡°Thank you, but¡ frankly, I¡¯m a little embarrassed. Why are you being so kind to me?¡±
Damien asked bluntly. At Damien¡¯s question, nca made a shy expression.
¡°Well, if you don¡¯t know the circumstances, it might seem a bit strange.¡±
nca thought for a while and said to Damien,
¡°Can you spare a moment?¡±
Damien looked at the clock tower in the distance. It was still some time before the start of the first-grade swordsmanship ss.
¡°I guess I can spare a moment.¡±
¡°Thank you so much. Then follow me.¡±
With that, nca started walking.
***
¡°There¡¯s one absence in ss 13¡¯s attendance book, isn¡¯t there?¡±
nca said to Damien as they walked.
True to her words, there was exactly one student in ss 13 who was on leave, a student who was on hiatus.
¡°How do you know that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not all. I also know his name. It¡¯s Gael Rondo, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to see that boy now.¡±
nca stopped walking. Damien raised his head and looked at the que hanging on the door.
The que read ¡°Infirmary¡±.
¡°This is where students who are seriously injured or sick while training at the academye to recuperate for a while.¡±
¡°Is Gael Rondo in here?¡±
nca nodded and opened the door to the infirmary. Inside, there were over ten beds.
A boy was sitting on one of the beds.
His skin was pale, and his cheeks were sunken. Hisplexion was as dark as a dead person. Even from this distance, a strong smell of medicine wafted over.
¡°¡Ah!¡±
As soon as he saw nca, the boy smiled brightly and shouted.
¡°Mother!¡±
***
[PR/N- Hello everyone! I have an exam tomorrow, so there won¡¯t be a new chapter. See you guys after the exam.]
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Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Chapter 238: Reason (2)
***
A smile bloomed on nca¡¯s face at the boy¡¯s words. She rushed over in one stride and pulled him into an embrace.
¡°Gael, weren¡¯t you bored lying in bed all day?¡±
¡°Not at all. I was busy watching the other kids train outside.¡±
The boy replied with a bashful smile. In contrast to his innocent smile, the boy¡¯splexion was ashen, like someone who might die at any moment.
¡°But who is that man?¡±
¡°Oh, I forgot. They say his name is Damien Haksen. Mom told me before, right? He¡¯s the winner of the Helian Tournament.¡±
The boy¡¯s eyes widened likenterns. He was so surprised that he even covered his mouth with both hands.
¡°Damien Haksen! I never thought I¡¯d get to see that famous man in person!¡±
The boy reached for the bed with his hand to stand up. However, his frail arms couldn¡¯t lift his body properly.
Instead, they went limp and buckled. The boy couldn¡¯t even perform the simple act of standing up.
¡°Gael, don¡¯t push yourself. I¡¯m sure Sir Damien will understand your situation.¡±
¡°Oh, I understand.¡±
In the end, Gael had no choice but to give up on standing up at nca¡¯s words.
¡°Sir Damien, would it be alright if you epted my son¡¯s greetings?¡±
The atmosphere was such that he couldn¡¯t dare refuse. Damien approached the boy.
¡°Wow¡ you¡¯re really as handsome as they say!¡±
¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±
¡°You won the Helian Tournament even though you¡¯re not from the Empire? How are you so strong?¡±
Gael grabbed Damien and started pouring out questions. Then, nca slipped in quietly.
¡°Gael, I¡¯m sorry. Sir Damien has something to do. He has to leave soon.¡±
¡°Oh, then I guess I can¡¯t help it. If it¡¯s okay, would you please tell me more storiester?¡±
Gael said shyly. Damien said he understood and then left the ward.
¡°What happened?¡±
As soon as they were outside, Damien asked nca. She replied with a bitter smile.
¡°It¡¯s as you see. Gael Rondo is my son. Rondo is my husband¡¯s surname.¡±
¡°Where is your husband?¡±
¡°He died fighting the dark mage of Pandemonium.¡±
nca said it as if it were nothing.
¡°That child¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s got a disease. It¡¯s an incurable disease called ¡®Ten Days Thirst¡¯.¡±
nca continued calmly.
¡°They say that your whole body¡¯s muscles wither away, and in the end, you even die of dehydration. The cause of the disease and the cure are both unknown.¡±
Divine power had the ability to heal wounds. Depending on how it was used, it could even remove deadly poisons.
However, diseases were an exception.
Divine power could only heal wounds caused by external factors, not diseases.
¡°The reason he was assigned to ss 13 is because he can¡¯t attend sses properly. He¡¯s basically just enrolled in ss 13 for the sake of it.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand. If he has a disease like that, shouldn¡¯t he be going to the White Tower or the Alchemy sect instead of the Academy?¡±
It was hard to find a ce as knowledgeable about diseases as those two ces.
¡°I¡¯ve seen them. But there¡¯s no one at the White Tower or the Alchemy sect who can properly treat Ten Days Thirst.¡±
nca¡¯s lips twisted. Helplessness seeped from the corners of her mouth.
¡°I heard a rumor that someone who can cure this disease has been found. They¡¯re closer than I thought.¡±
¡°Who is that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
At that moment, footsteps echoed from the corridor. A woman dressed in white approached the two of them.
¡°Oh my goodness?¡±
The woman looked at the two of them and eximed in surprise. Then she quickened her pace and approached nca.
¡°nca! You should have told me if you wereing!¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It was an unnned¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m just a little disappointed, that¡¯s all.¡±
The woman had long, ck hair. Her hair was sleek and shiny as if she had taken great care of it.
¡°Who is this?¡±
¡°This is Damien Haksen. You know him, right?¡±
¡°Ah! He¡¯s the winner of the Helian Tournament! Oh my! Oh my!¡±
The woman flustered and grabbed Damien¡¯s hand.
¡°I¡¯m Miriam! I¡¯m the academy¡¯s health teacher! I used to be an alchemist.¡±
¡°Sir Damien. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s our first time meeting, but you feel so familiar! Is it because you¡¯re a celebrity? But you don¡¯t seem like one? All I hear about is you everywhere!¡±
Despite her calm appearance, the woman was quite talkative.
¡°Ahem.¡±
Just then, nca cleared her throat and intervened between the two.
¡°Sir Damien, you asked me earlier, right? Why I¡¯m keeping my son at the academy? Miriam is the answer. She is the only alchemist in the empire who can cure Ten Days Thirst.¡±
Damien looked at the woman with a curious expression.
He had expected that someone who had been invited to be the academy¡¯s health teacher would not be an ordinary person.
But he never thought she would be an alchemist who could cure an incurable disease that even the White Tower and the Alchemy sect had given up on.
¡°nca, if you say that, Sir Damien will misunderstand. I¡¯m still under research, so I can¡¯t cure itpletely yet. All I can do is slow down the progression of the disease.¡±
Even that was a great thing. It meant that she was getting closer to the answer to curing the incurable disease.
¡°I¡¯m at the academy with my son because of Miriam. If it weren¡¯t for her, my son would have already lost his life.¡±
¡°No-no! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s getting a lot of help from you. I can¡¯t tell you how much easier it is to research because the White Blood Knights gets me a lot of rare medicinal herbs.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s more grateful.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m more¡¡±
The two of them praised each other without giving an inch. Then theyughed, each with an embarrassed expression.
***
After exchanging greetings, Damien parted ways with the two.
¡®I never thought she would approach me because of her son.¡¯
Even though he was only listed in name, Damien was considered his son¡¯s mentor. That¡¯s why nca couldn¡¯t just leave him alone.
¡®She said the White Blood Knights get her rare medicinal herbs¡ Was that why they were going out so often?¡¯
It seemed very suspicious, but it turned out that all of his actions had a reason.
Above all, the existence of his son had dispelled Damien¡¯s suspicions.
¡®Now I need to focus on what I have to do.¡¯
Damien¡¯s steps led him to the outdoor training ground where swordsmanship sses for other grades were taking ce.
Damien hid his presence. It would not be a good idea to be caught snooping on another ss¡¯s lesson.
¡®Delong Muller, I see.¡¯
The person leading the ss was Delong Muller.
Unlike ss 13, which was practicing Imperial Swordsmanship, the other sses were conducting lessons tailored to each student¡¯s swordsmanship.
¡®I guess that¡¯s more efficient.¡¯
The sword styles that each family practiced were all different. There was no need to force them to learn the same swordsmanship.
¡®Hmm¡ I heard that the Duke of Borja and the Marquis of Fortina use that sword style.¡¯
Damien watched Gelliver and Emilio¡¯s swordsmanship from the tree.
He observed everything in detail, including their swordsmanship, posture, habits, and the techniques they mainly used.
After finishing his analysis, Damien headed back to ss 13.
And when he arrived at ss 13, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
¡°Haaah!¡±
¡°Just a little more! Just a little more!¡±
All the students in ss 13 were running like they were going to die.
It waspletely different from yesterday when they were forced to run away from the club. They were much more active and enthusiastic.
¡°What¡¯s gotten into you all? Did you eat something wrong?¡±
Damien was dumbfounded when he walked in. And then he shouted at ss 13.
¡°Stop! That¡¯s enough, so you can rest now.¡±
As soon as Damien¡¯s permission was given, the students of ss 13 all stopped running and copsed to the floor. They were all panting like crazy.
¡°Penelope.¡±
Damien called Penelope. Penelope, who had been lying on the floor resting, immediately ran over.
¡°Hey, hey, did you hit the kids?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Then did you threaten them or something? Why are they all so obedient?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±
Damien¡¯s grew more puzzled at her unexpected answer.
¡°Did you all eat something wrong together?¡±
The strange behavior of ss 13 didn¡¯t end there. The same thing happened during afternoon training.
¡°Connect the three, four, five, one, and two forms of the Imperial Swordsmanship in order. Swing it 500 times from start to finish.¡±
After giving the instructions, Damien touched the club.
That¡¯s because he was sure that ss 13 would rebel like yesterday. But Damien¡¯s expectations werepletely off.
¡°Haaah! Hot!¡±
¡°Haaah!¡±
All the students of ss 13 followed the instructions without a word. They all took their ces and started practicing the Imperial Swordsmanship as Damien had instructed.
¡°Why are you really acting like this?¡±
Damien looked at the students with a strange expression, surprised by theirpletely different behavior from yesterday. Then, Penelope carefully said to Damien,
¡°Could it be for the same reason as Oliver and I?¡±
¡°The same reason?¡±
¡°You took our side yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡±
Damien frowned at her words.
¡°No way.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure. No one has ever taken our side before.¡±
Penelope said with strong conviction. Oliver, who was standing next to her nodded in confirmation.
¡°So that¡¯s it¡¡±
Damien looked at ss 13 with a strange expression. After a while, he spoke.
¡°Nonsense.¡±
¡°¡Huh?¡±
¡°If they were going to change because of something like that, they would have changed already.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t believe Penelope¡¯s words at all. It was because he knew what kind of kids ss 13 were.
¡°Alright, pick up your swords.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°You said you had an opponent you wanted to beat? If you want to beat them, you can¡¯t train like the other kids.¡±
Damien said as he took out the club from the subspace.
¡°I¡¯m going to duel each of you one on one. Don¡¯t expect me to stop even if you beg for mercy.¡±
At Damien¡¯s chilling warning, the two students¡¯ faces hardened.
But it was only for a moment, and then they responded to Damien.
¡°Please do your best!¡±
***
Since then, Damien has poured all his time into training ss 13.
He trained the students during the day and tracked down ¡¯s traces at night. Five days have passed in this way.
It was the day of the examination.
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Chapter 239
Chapter 239
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 239: The Exam (1)
***
On the day of the annual exam, Damien found himself face-to-face with an unpleasant group of people as he walked through the academy.
Chancellor Altman Bedepullity and others were gathered together and moving somewhere.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Altman noticed Damien and raised an eyebrow.
¡°Mr. Damien, the annual exam is about to start, what are you doing here?¡±
¡°I was on my way to a ce to stop by for a while.¡±
The instructors around the Chancellor burst intoughter at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°Mr. Damien, you seem very rxed.¡±
¡°Or have you already given up?¡±
¡°Even though it¡¯s temporary, it¡¯s not right for an instructor to do that.¡±
Despite the instructors¡¯ taunts, Damien¡¯s eyes turned cold for a moment.
¡°Mr. Damien, you haven¡¯t forgotten our promise, have you?¡±
¡°How could I forget? You said I would leave the academy on my own if ss 13 didn¡¯t do well in the exam.¡±
¡°I¡¯m d you remember. I was worried you might pretend you didn¡¯t know.¡±
A strange smile appeared on the Chancellor¡¯s face.
¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what kind of grades ss 13 will get.¡±
The Chancellor and instructors passed by Damien. As Damien walked away, the instructors spoke to Altman.
¡°Chancellor, the day has finallye to get rid of that bastard.¡±
¡°I was so angry that I was on fire watching that rootless bastard stir up trouble in the academy.¡±
The instructors were happy as if they had finally gotten rid of a thorn in their side. The Chancellor also smiled.
However, there was one person among the instructors who was not smiling.
It was Delong Muller.
The Chancellor nced at Delong Muller and said,
¡°Mr. Muller, why do you look so gloomy?¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°Are you still holding a grudge against your defeat by Mr. Damien? Shake it off. He may havee from a puny kingdom, but he is the winner of the Helian Tournament. He must have some talent.¡±
Even at the Chancellor¡¯s words, Delong Muller¡¯s expression did not change.
¡°Chancellor, if ss 13 really does well on the exam¡¡±
¡°Hahaha!¡±
The Chancellor burst outughing without realizing it.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. What kind of ce is ss 13? How could that happen?¡±
¡°But since Mr. Damien came, ss 13¡¡±
¡°They¡¯ve been trained thoroughly. But even so, how much can they change in just a week?¡±
The Chancellor said mockingly.
¡°And besides, wasn¡¯t all that training forced on them by Mr. Damien? So it¡¯s hard to see the real effect.¡±
The Chancellor spoke firmly, without a trace of concern.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about useless things and get ready to see Mr. Damien off.¡±
***
¡°I guess I¡¯ll get a taste of some gossip.¡±
Damien muttered to himself as he watched the backs of the Chancellor and the instructors.
Although they were far away, Damien¡¯s developed senses had picked up all of their conversation.
¡°If it weren¡¯t for , I¡¯d turn this whole thing upside down.¡±
He couldn¡¯t cause such amotion when he was supposed to be looking for . Damien gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.
As the Chancellor said, the annual exam was about to start. He had to finish his preparations before then.
Damien kicked open the door of the training ground and shouted.
¡°I¡¯m here. Are you all training hard?¡±
As he went inside, he saw students lying copsed on the floor.
¡°Ughhhhh¡¡±
¡°Groan¡¡±
It wasn¡¯t the first or second time that students had copsed during training. But today, their condition was much more serious.
They were all exhausted, and their faces were pale as if they were about to faint at any moment.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
nca greeted Damien with a weing face from among the students.
¡°Weren¡¯t you up all night watching the training?¡±
¡°What do you think of me? One night is nothing.¡±
Damien had been training ss 13 all night without sleep for the two days before the exam. This was to bring the entire ss up to the target level.
¡°Ugh, ughhhh¡¡±
Oliver made a strange noise at Damien¡¯s feet. With dark circles under his eyes, he looked like a zombie.
¡°You¡¯re overreacting after only two days of hardship.¡±
Of course, Damien didn¡¯t take the students¡¯ suffering seriously.
¡°You¡¯re going too far! We¡¯ve been through so much.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
Other ss 13 students who couldn¡¯t bear it anymore started to protest to Damien.
Damien silenced everyone with a stern look.
¡°The exam is about to start. Get ready, everyone.¡±
The entire ss 13 looked up in surprise. Were they going to take the exam in this state, where they felt like they were going to die from exhaustion?
¡°I guess I need to help you recover first.¡±
He grabbed the hilt of Dawn, which was stuck in the center of the training ground.
He used the Authority of Envy to convert his mana into divine power and then poured it into Dawn.
Ziiiiiiing.
Dawn let out a satisfied roar as more divine power was infused than usual.
Dawn, who had absorbed the divine power emitted a dazzling light. As the light spread and fell on the students¡¯ bodies, their staminas were restored in an instant.
¡°Hoo.¡±
nca eximed briefly at the sight.
¡°It¡¯s amazing no matter how many times I see it. It¡¯s a truly great holy sword.¡±
This was not the first time nca had helped with training.
Thanks to nca overseeing and supervising the training, Damien was able to go out and search for ¡¯s trail.
¡°This should be enough to recover the students before the exam.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡±
¡°What else is there?¡±
Damien shouted at the students.
¡°Come one by one in front of me from now on.¡±
The students approached Damien hesitantly.
Damien tapped his fingers all over the body of the student who stood before him.
¡°Smack!¡±
¡°Endure it.¡±
Immediately, the muscles of his whole body began to twist. There was a gruesome, chilling sound.
¡°Ugh, ughhh! W-why is my body doing that!¡±
¡°S-save me!¡±
¡°Mom!¡±
The ss 13 students screamed in terror at the horrifying sight.
However, the expression of the person in question was rxed. In fact, he even looked refreshed.
¡°These cowards.¡±
Just then, Damien had used the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle to inject mana into the student¡¯s body.
The injected mana neatly loosened the muscles that had be clumped and hardened due to training.
¡°Now, next.¡±
Damien touched the bodies of all the ss 13 students. And when the treatment was over, all the ss 13 students had a glow on their skin, as if they had just woken up from a good sleep.
¡°Now you¡¯re all ready for the exam.¡±
Damien said with satisfaction to the students.
¡°You all worked hard.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the students made tearful expressions. This was because all the hardships they had been through shed before their eyes like a movie.
¡°Thank you for following my training well.¡±
The ss 13 students couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered by this praise, which they had never heard before. Some even thought Damien was crazy.
¡°The training you¡¯ve received for a week could be called torture. You deserve to be praised for oveing that.¡±
The students were all overwhelmed with emotion. They all held back their tears.
¡°I don¡¯t have much to say to you.¡±
Damien said as he looked at each of the ss 13 students.
¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t make it into the top 60 overall will die by my hand.¡±
The ss 13 students all had nk expressions. Why was it different from what we expected?
The students didn¡¯t know, but Damien had just been quite heated after encountering the Chancellor.
What if ss 13¡¯s grades were not good enough and he was expelled from the academy? Just imagining it made his blood boil.
¡°I repeat, 60th ce¡ If you¡¯re not in the top 60, you¡¯re all dead. Understand?¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes shed with killing intent. Cold sweat dripped from their heads as ss 13 only nodded.
***
After that, ss 13 headed to the testing grounds.
Physical endurance, imperial swordsmanship, and duel.
Among the three test categories for the swordsmanship exam, the physical endurance test was the first to be held.
The physical endurance test itself had several tests. The first test that the students faced was the long-distance running test.
It was a simple test where they had to run around the central athletic field ten times. The students who finished faster would receive higher scores.
Although the central athletic field wasrge, all the first-year students at the academy couldn¡¯t run at the same time.
So, the test was divided into sections. Five students from each ss woulde out and stand on the track.
Five students from ss 13 stood at the starting line, with students from other sses on either side.
¡°Hey, ss 13.¡±
At that moment, a male student from ss 3, who was standing nearby, sneered and said.
¡°You guys didn¡¯t even show up for the testst year. Do you think you¡¯ve got what it takes this time?¡±
¡°Was Damien Haksen your instructor? Did you like that ignorant man¡¯s training.?¡±
¡°Weren¡¯t you just running around wildly without any strategy?¡±
The ss 3 students¡¯ jeers enraged the ss 13 students.
¡°Ignorant? Watch your mouth.¡±
¡°Oh, so you¡¯re defending him just because he¡¯s an instructor your ss?¡±
¡°That guy isn¡¯t ignorant, he¡¯s just crazy!¡±
As a ss 13 student shouted back, the ss 3 students looked at them with incredulous expressions.
¡°That guy is crazy!¡±
¡°If you even slightly irritate him, he¡¯ll beat you out with his club!¡±
¡°He¡¯s the kind of person who¡¯ll push you to the brink of death!¡±
The ss 13 students finally expressed their pent-up frustrations. The ss 3 students looked at them with gloomy faces.
¡°Everyone, get to the starting line!¡±
At that moment, the instructor shouted to the students. The students stopped talking and got ready to run.
¡°Start!¡±
As the instructor shouted, the students all started running at once.
The ss 13 students overtook other students and ran ahead. It meant that the training they had received wasn¡¯t in vain.
However, the ss 13 students couldn¡¯t take the lead. There were students who were running faster than them.
¡°Damn it.¡±
The ss 13 students¡¯ faces darkened.
The condition that Damien had set was to rank within the top 60 overall.
If they couldn¡¯t secure a top spot in this group, they wouldn¡¯t be able to rank within the top 60.
¡°I guess one week wasn¡¯t enough time after all.¡±
At that moment, the ss 13 students caught sight of Damien. He was standing outside the track, looking at them.
Damien slowly raised his thumb.
The ss 13 students were all impressed by Damien¡¯s action.
¡°I guess that means we¡¯re the best.¡±
¡°Yeah, we worked hard.¡±
¡°Even if the result isn¡¯t good, the fact that we tried¡¡±
He then made a throat-cutting gesture with his thumb. The meaning was clear.
-You¡¯re going to die.
In that moment, the ss 13 students felt their hearts sink.
In the midst of their fear of death, they clung to their desire to live. The ss 13 students gritted their teeth.
¡°Aaaah!¡±
¡°Koaaah!¡±
The ss 13 students gritted their teeth and started running. They stretched out their bodies and overtook the students who were running in the lead.
¡°What, what are these kids?¡±
¡°Why are they suddenly like this?¡±
The students who were running in the lead shouted in surprise, but the ss 13 students didn¡¯t have the luxury to pay attention to them.
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
¡°We can¡¯t die like this!¡±
The ss 13 students ran with all their might, foaming at the mouth.
As a result, all five of them crossed the finish line in the top ranks.
***
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Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 240: The Exam (2)
***
The onlookers were utterly shocked by the unexpected performance of ss 13.
¡°Can this really be ss 13?¡±
¡°No way! Those weirdos are capable of anything.¡±
¡°Well, there are still many more exams to go.¡±
However, contrary to the students¡¯ expectations, ss 13¡¯s impressive performance continued.
In the subsequent long-distance running test, all the students of ss 13 crossed the finish line in the top ranks.
¡°Ugh, no! I don¡¯t want to die!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t die without seeing my mother¡¯s face!¡±
These were apanied by rather strange and inexplicable cries.
Moreover, they excelled in all the following exams, including the long jump and push-up test.
¡°Damn it, our ss is ranked lower than ss 13?¡±
¡°This can¡¯t be happening. Something¡¯s wrong.¡±
The other students were in denial, but the records didn¡¯t lie.
¡°Okay, they may be physically strong, but they won¡¯t do well in the next exam.¡±
¡°Those idiots couldn¡¯t have possibly mastered Imperial Swordsmanship.¡±
Nevertheless, ss 13¡¯s dominance continued in the Imperial Swordsmanship exam.
The Imperial Swordsmanship exam was divided into three parts: form, cutting and questioning.
The assessment was based on how urately the students could execute Imperial Swordsmanship techniques, how cleanly they could cut through a wooden pir, and their overall understanding of Imperial Swordsmanship.
ss 13 students scored high in all three areas.
¡°Cut, cut it! I¡¯ll have my neck cut off if I don¡¯t cut the wood!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t meet myte mother this soon!¡±
They were muttering strange things, just like in the physical exams.
¡°Didn¡¯t ss 13 finishst in everythingst year?¡±
¡°No, they didn¡¯t even participate, so they got zero points.¡±
¡°Something¡¯s definitely not right.¡±
The entire academy was in shock over the exam results.
The most shocked of all was the Chancellor. He couldn¡¯t evenprehend the results unfolding before his eyes.
¡°Oh, no¡ no, this can¡¯t be¡ what is this¡¡±
Despite numerous instructors having taught ss 13 in the past, none had ever been able to control them.
Therefore, he was confident that Damien, the homeroom instructor of ss 13, would surely be ousted.
However, the oue was the exact opposite. Somehow, Damien had managed topletely control ss 13.
¡°This is¡ unbelievable¡¡±
As Chancellor was in a state of confusion, Damien entered his view.
Damien was looking at Chancellor from a distance. When their eyes met, he curled the corners of his lips into a sneer.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡¡±
Chancellor couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist in frustration at the tant mockery.
¡°Chancellor! Are you alright?¡±
¡°Come to your senses!¡±
The surrounding instructors rushed to Chancellor¡¯s aid, but his condition showed no signs of improvement.
¡°I can¡¯t believe we have to watch helplessly when the knight of the Apple Kingdom¡¡ will run amok in our academy.¡±
Chancellor muttered in despair.
¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡±
Just then, someone spoke up. Delong Muller was looking at Chancellor with a determined expression.
¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not over? The results have already been determined!¡±
¡°There are still two students who haven¡¯t taken the exam.¡±
Delong Muller was in charge of the entire first grade. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but know the situation in ss 13 well.
¡°Oliver Fortina and Penelope Borja. These two students chose dueling as their exam subject.¡±
¡°What? Is that really true?¡±
¡°They even nominated Gelliver and Emilio as their dueling opponents.¡±
Chancellor¡¯s expression changed strangely at those words.
He knew the names of Gelliver Fortina and Emilio Borja, as they were the first-grade top students.
¡°The oue is obvious, of course. ss 13 can¡¯t possibly beat the first-grade top student and second-ce student.¡±
¡°So what do we do?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll use this to question Damien Haksen¡¯s qualifications.¡±
Chancellor¡¯s eyes lit up at those words.
The two students mentioned by Delong Muller had chosen different subjects from the other ss 13 students. And yet, they were going to fail the exam?
They could nitpick that Damien had abandoned these two students.
¡°That¡¯s an excellent idea!¡±
Chancellor was instantly back in a good mood. The other instructors¡¯ faces also brightened.
However, Chancellor and other instructors were unaware.
Damien was listening in on their conversation from a distance.
¡®They¡¯re still nagging until the end, huh.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue at the instructors¡¯ scheming.
In other words, they were so desperate to get rid of him that they were blinded by their desire.
¡®To keep things quiet, I need to make sure those two win.¡¯
He needed to focus on searching for as soon as possible, and he didn¡¯t want to create any more trouble.
¡°Sir Damien. Are you here?¡±
Just then, nca approached Damien.
¡°Lady nca? I thought you went to see about the Knight Order¡¯s business?¡±
¡°I did, but I couldn¡¯t help but stop by when I saw ss 13.¡±
nca said with an embarrassed expression.
¡°I¡¯ve also trained those kids in my own way, so I want to see them through to the end.¡±
Damien headed to the dueling exam hall with nca.
***
The duel test was held at the outdoor training ground right next to the central athletic field.
All the students who were taking the duel test had already gathered at the training ground.
Among them were Oliver and Penelope.
¡°Hu, huaaaah¡.¡±
Oliver was making a strange noise with his shoulders hunched up, his face pale with tension.
¡°Oliver, don¡¯t just stand there and rx your body. The duel is about to start soon.¡±
Penelope couldn¡¯t stand to watch, so she said to Oliver. Oliver replied with a tearful face.
¡°How can you be so calm? We¡¯re about to fight those, those people.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you feel the same way?¡±
¡°Yes, but¡¡±
But as they were about to fight, the fear that had overwhelmed them since childhood.
¡°And, and¡ we haven¡¯t even learned anything properly¡ every day, we just get beaten up by the instructor.¡±
¡°Mm.¡±
Penelope couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement with Oliver¡¯s words.
All they had received from Damien Schenk was training that was actually just beating.
¡°But Oliver, didn¡¯t he say that we can win?¡±
¡°How can you believe that?¡±
¡°These kids are about to have a duel and they¡¯re still talking nonsense.¡±
Just then, Damien¡¯s voice was heard. Oliver and Penelope turned to look at Damien.
¡°Sir, you¡¯ve arrived. And you¡¯ve brought Mam nca with you.¡±
Penelope bowed her head in greeting. Oliver hastily followed suit.
¡°Oliver, you¡¯re quite brave. You¡¯re questioning my words.¡±
Oliver¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Damien¡¯s gaze.
¡°Don¡¯t have any strange thoughts and just rx. You two will definitely be able to win.¡±
Damien said confidently, but the two of them didn¡¯t look very convinced.
¡°Emilio Borja, Penelope Borja,e on up.¡±
Just then, the referee called out Penelope.
¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±
Penelope grasped her training sword and headed up to the training ground.
¡°These two kids are the ones who were directly trained by you, so I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡±
nca looked at Penelope¡¯s back and said.
¡°I wonder how Sir Damien trained those kids.¡±
nca gazed at the training ground with a face full of anticipation.
***
Emilio was already standing on the training ground.
¡°You¡¯re crazy. How dare you challenge me to a duel?¡±
Emilio said in a displeased tone. It seemed that he was not happy with the situation at all.
At the academy, high-ranking students could not refuse a challenge from a lower-ranking student.
There was no specific rule for this. It was a tradition of the academy that had been passed down since ancient times.
It was a tradition that arose from the belief that a true swordsman should not refuse a challenge.
On the contrary, if a high-ranking student challenged a lower-ranking student to a duel, they would be ridiculed as a coward.
¡°Didn¡¯t I warn youst time? I told you to just go quietly to etiquette ss.¡±
Emilio¡¯s killing intent could be felt clearly.
Penelope couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva.
Amidst the rising fear, Penelope recalled Damien¡¯s advice.
¨C Your opponent is a junior knight. If things were normal, you wouldn¡¯t have a chance of winning.
It was true.
Junior knights could manifest auras, and they also had the physical strength to defeat even beasts barehanded.
If they had met on the battlefield, she would have lost her life without even being able to put up a proper fight.
¨C But this is a duel. Emilio can¡¯t use his aura. So, he¡¯s just a knight with slightly better physical abilities.
Penelope had also learned the Mana Cultivation technique. She couldn¡¯t strengthen her body as much as Emilio, but she could still use mana to enhance her physical abilities.
¨C And besides, he¡¯s underestimating you. Comcency is your worst enemy. You need to make the most of that.
The Damien that Penelope had seen was a violent and seemingly crazy man, but his knowledge of swordsmanship was remarkable.
¨C First, provoke him. Get him angry. Narrow his thinking and his field of vision.
Penelope took a deep breath. And then she said to Emilio.
¡°It¡¯s disappointing. Is that what your father taught you? To talk before fighting? I¡¯ve never received my father¡¯s teachings, but I don¡¯t need such teachings.¡±
In that moment, veins bulged on Emilio¡¯s face.
¡°You dare talk back, you daughter of a ve!¡±
Emilio swung his wooden sword down at Penelope. The wooden sword plummeted in a straight line, targeting Penelope¡¯s forearm.
It was a speed that far surpassed that of a mere trainee. It was an attack that she would not have been able to dodge normally.
However, Penelope reflexively blocked Emilio¡¯s sword. With a dull thud, Emilio¡¯s sword was deflected.
¡°You blocked it¡?¡±
Emilio said in disbelief.
Penelope was also surprised. But the reason for Penelope¡¯s surprise was a little different.
It was the same.
Before the exam started, Penelope had been subjected to beatings disguised as training by Damien.
At that time, the movements that Damien had taken and Emilio¡¯s attack were exactly the same.
¡°You were lucky. But how many times will you be able to block it!¡±
Emilio¡¯s attacks continued. The swordsmanship of the House of Borja was unleashed one after another.
Before her head could evenprehend, her body moved first. Penelope blocked all of Emilio¡¯s attacks.
¡°Huh? What am I seeing?¡±
¡°She blocked them all?¡±
The students in the training ground all doubted their eyes.
Emilio was a formidable swordsman who had earned the top spot in the first grade.
Even average students would not be able to block even one of Emilio¡¯s attacks and would be defeated.
¡°He¡¯s being blocked by Penelope, a student from ss 13?¡±
¡°Idiot. Since they¡¯re from the same house, they probably learned the same swordsmanship. That¡¯s why she can block him.¡±
¡°Even so¡ isn¡¯t she blocking a little too well?¡±
The sh of swords continued relentlessly, yet Emilio¡¯s sword couldn¡¯t touch Penelope at all.
¡°Unbelievable.¡±
Throughout the entire defense, Penelope was utterly astonished. Emilio¡¯s movements right now were exactly like Damien¡¯s.
Not only the swordsmanship itself but even the habits before swinging the sword, the movement of his eyes¡
The moment she realized that Penelope felt goosebumps erupt all over her body.
¡°This is¡ this is ridiculous!¡±
Emilio¡¯s face flushed red. Due to his bewilderment, his movements became riddled with openings.
Even his frown was exactly like Damien¡¯s. In that instant, Penelope¡¯s movements changed.
She bent her waist to dodge the wooden sword. Simultaneously, she burrowed into Emilio¡¯s chest and held the wooden sword to his throat.
At that moment, a heavy silence descended upon the training ground.
¡°¡¡±
Even the teacher in charge of the match couldn¡¯t readily believe what unfolded before his eyes.
¡°¡Pe, Penelope Borja! Victory!¡±
***
Penelope retrieved the wooden sword and turned her body.
Even while she did that, Emilio remained stiff as a board, not even twitching a muscle. That signified just how great the shock of defeat was.
Imprinting Emilio¡¯s bbergasted expression into her memory, Penelope returned to where Damien stood.
¡°S-Sir, I¡¯ve won.¡±
Penelope spoke with a face full ofplex emotions. Damien responded with a disgruntled expression.
¡°What did I say? I told you you could win.¡±
¡°I apologize for doubting you.¡±
¡°I understand. You did well too.¡±
Although it was a shortpliment, Penelope felt immense satisfaction.
¡°Penelope! You were amazing! Truly incredible!¡±
nca, who was standing next to them, also praised Penelope. Penelope smiled.
¡°Ugh, ugh¡ ughhh¡¡±
Suddenly, an odd sound came from right beside them. Oliver was trembling violently.
Penelope, with a look of pity, asked Damien,
¡°Is that kid still like that?¡±
¡°Yeah, he¡¯ll probably calm down a bit soon.¡±
Just as the two were whispering,
¡°Oliver Fortina, prepare for duel.¡±
The referee¡¯s voice boomed. Upon hearing that, Oliver¡¯s face turned even paler.
¡°S-Sir¡! I, if I forfeit now¡¡±
¡°What? Do you want to die by my hand right now? Stop talking nonsense and get out there quickly.¡±
Damien kicked Oliver and sent him flying onto the training ground. Oliver screamed and was flung onto the training ground.
¡°Hey, wasn¡¯t that a little too harsh?¡±
nca spoke with a worried face.
¡°How can he fight when he¡¯s that nervous? On top of that, his opponent is the first-year top student.¡±
¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±
Damien spoke nonchntly. nca tilted her head in confusion.
¡°How can you not worry when he¡¯s that nervous?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t know this, but that kid¡ he¡¯s a genius.¡±
¡°Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden¡¡±
Just then, a booming sound echoed, like a drum exploding.
nca turned around in shock. There, she saw an unbelievable sight. Gelliver was lying unconscious at Oliver¡¯s feet.
***
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Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Chapter 241: The Exam (3)
***
Gelliver was not only knocked down but alsopletely fainted.
Just one blow.
A first-year top student was defeated with a single attack.
¡°H-how did that¡¡±
nca looked back at Damien in bewilderment. Damien shrugged and said.
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you he was a genius?¡±
¡°Then why did the Marquis of Fortina keep ignoring him¡¡?¡±
Oliver Fortina was a student who had been cast aside from the Marquis for hisck of talent.
¡°He was learning a swordsmanship style that didn¡¯t suit him.¡±
The Marquis Fortina¡¯s swordsmanship style was an illusionary swordsmanship that deceived the opponent through shy movements.
However, Oliver Fortina had no talent for illusionary swordsmanship. Instead, he had an uncanny talent for swift swordsmanship.
Even Oliver¡¯s physical structure was suited for swift swordsmanship. Once Damien recognized this and taught him a few swift swordsmanship techniques, his skills improved rapidly.
So much so that a mere trainee was now standing before a junior knight.
¡°Then why were you so scared just now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s because¡¡±
Damien clicked his tongue briefly and said.
¡°He¡¯s a coward. No matter what, that personality never changes.¡±
¡°Heh¡ that¡¯s a shame.¡±
While the two were talking, Oliver came down from the training ground. Oliver had a mixed expression of relief and exhration.
¡°See, I told you so. You could win¡¡±
¡°Sir! I won! I won!¡±
Oliver shouted loudly as soon as he saw Damien.
¡°I defeated that damn brother of mine¡ that bastard of a human! I¡ I won¡!¡±
Soon, tears welled up in Oliver¡¯s eyes. Oliver wiped away his tears with his sleeve and then again burst into tears.
Damien, who had been about to give him a brief scolding, had no choice but to change his mind. He patted Oliver on the back and said.
¡°Yes, you won.¡±
Oliver wiped away his tears for a long time in front of Damien.
***
After all the exams were over, Damien faced ss 13 in the ssroom.
¡°You all worked hard.¡±
At Damien¡¯s first words, the entire ss 13 looked bewildered. They had never been praised by Damien during their training.
All they had received was insults, beatings, and death threats.
¡°The exams are over today. The results are not yet out, but it is certain that our ss will be in the top ranks.¡±
In fact, Damien himself had been unsure of himself when he first took charge of ss 13.
However, the students of ss 13 had their own unique determination.
Thanks to this, they did much better than Damien had expected.
¡°You have kept your promise to me wonderfully. I will no longer interfere with you from now on.¡±
Even at Damien¡¯s deration of liberation, the students only watched him warily. It seemed they didn¡¯t trust his words easily.
¡°I¡¯m not kidding. You can do whatever you want from tomorrow on.¡±
As Damien said it again, the eyes of the ss 13 students widened. Soon, the students hugged each other and cheered.
¡°Oh yeah! Finally free! We¡¯re free!¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have to do that hellish training anymore!¡±
¡°We¡¯re free from that demonic human!¡±
Damien narrowed his eyes at the students¡¯ cheers. These kids, they¡¯re not afraid to say anything.
But Damien just chuckled and didn¡¯t say anything to the students.
He thought it was his duty as an instructor to allow ss 13 that much freedom.
¡°I can¡¯t stay here any longer!¡±
¡°I¡¯m going out first!¡±
¡°Me too!¡±
ss 13 was about to run out of the ssroom. Then, Damien raised his voice.
¡°Where are you all going?¡±
The ss 13 students looked back at Damien with surprised faces.
¡°That¡ you just said you wouldn¡¯t interfere¡¡±
¡°I said from tomorrow. Not today.¡±
The students¡¯ expressions turned grim at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°So, we¡¯re still training today?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡±
¡°Do we have to wield the Imperial Imperial Swordsmanship again?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it either.¡±
Damien smiled and said.
¡°I rented out an entire restaurant in town. I¡¯m going to treat you guys today. The money is on me, so eat as much as you like.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, the entire ss 13 cheered.
¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll buy you drinks too.¡±
ss 13¡¯s cheers grew even louder.
***
nca was walking down a deserted corridor.
Usually, it was a ce full of students, but today it was quiet. Everyone had gone out to y after the exams.
nca stopped in front of the hospital room. She gently knocked on the door and went in.
Inside, her son Gael was with the school nurse Miriam.
¡°Mother!¡±
Gael called out happily. However, he couldn¡¯t get up from his seat.
This was because of the needles that were stuck all over Gael¡¯s body.
Semi-transparent tubes were attached to the needles. Through the tubes, an unknown drug was being injected into Gael.
¡°Just wait a moment! When the treatment is over¡ ugh¡¡±
Gael¡¯s face contorted in pain.
It was inevitable that he would be in pain, as he was injecting a strong drug into his body.
¡°Ugh¡ ugh¡¡±
As Gael¡¯s groans grew longer, nca¡¯s expression also contorted.
nca clenched her fists without realizing it. Her nails dug into her skin, but she had no time to spare.
¡°Gael, I¡¯m going to take out the needles now.¡±
Miriam removed the needles that were stuck in Gael¡¯s body one by one. Then, Gael¡¯s expression gradually rxed.
¡°Ah¡ ah¡ I feel a little better now.¡±
Gael said with a strained smile. His body was covered in cold sweat.
nca approached Gael. She stroked his hair and said.
¡°Gael, you did well today too.¡±
¡°It was nothing.¡±
nca smiled and looked at Gael for a long time.
¡°Cough.¡±
Suddenly, a cough erupted from Gael¡¯s mouth.
¡°Cough, cough.¡±
Blood came out of his mouth with each cough. nca looked at Miriam with a bewildered face.
¡°Miriam! Gael is¡!¡±
¡°Just a moment.¡±
Miriam rushed over and examined Gael.
Miriam took out medicine from her pocket and gave it to Gael. Then, Gael fell asleep as if he had fainted.
¡°Phew¡ that¡¯s a relief.¡±
Miriam sighed in relief. nca was holding Gael¡¯s hand with a pale face.
¡°nca, Gael¡¯s drug rejection reaction is getting more and more serious.¡±
The ten-day thirst that Gael was suffering from was an incurable disease that would kill him by drying up all his muscles and fluids.
Gael¡¯s illness was already in its terminal stage. He would be in danger of his life if he did not receive medication even for one day.
¡°Then what should we do¡?¡±
nca looked at Miriam with a desperate face. Miriam shook her head.
¡°nca, you know. There¡¯s only one thing you can do.¡±
¡°But¡ that¡¯s¡ that much¡.¡±
¡°It¡¯s time to prepare mentally.¡±
Deep despair clouded nca¡¯s face. nca covered her face with both hands.
¡°¡I¡¯ll decide by tomorrow.¡±
In that short time, nca¡¯s voice waspletely hoarse.
***
The next day, Damien started receiving strange packages from the morning.
¡°What is this?¡±
Damien checked the package over and over again. The sender was stamped with the two letters ¡°Sword Saint¡±.
¡°What did they send?¡±
Damien opened the package. A box appeared, densely engraved with magic circles.
Damien opened the box, revealing a shimmering red gemstone fragment. A note beneath the fragment read:
¨CDragon Heart Fragment¨C
¡°Cough.¡±
Upon seeing it, Damien let out a cough.
¡°This man is crazy.¡±
He never dreamed that someone would send a precious item like a Dragon Heart fragment in a package.
¡°So this is a Dragon Heart fragment?¡±
The surface was so beautiful that one might mistake it for a jewel instead of a heart if they didn¡¯t know any better.
What was even more remarkable was that it didn¡¯t emit any noticeable magical aura, at least not from a cursory nce.
¡°Is it specially treated?¡±
Damien picked up the fragment and held it in his hand. In that instant, a tremendous heartbeat echoed throughout his body.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Astonishingly, the Dragon Heart fragment was still alive and pulsating even in this state.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be awestruck by its life force that transcended imagination.
¡°Incredible.¡±
He wanted to consume it right away, but he still had things to do. Damien put aside the Dragon Heart fragment into his subspace and suppressed his longing.
He then prepared to go out and stepped outside.
Having fulfilled his promise to the Chancellor, he nned to start searching for in earnest from today.
¡°¡¡Are any of them here?¡±
Then, ss 13 suddenly came to mind.
Last night, ss 13 had spent the whole night partying, eating, and drinking at the restaurant Damien had rented for them before returning to the dormitory.
With a glimmer of hope that maybe one of the students had shown up, Damien headed towards ss 13.
¡°No one¡¯s here.¡±
However, contrary to Damien¡¯s expectations, not a single student was present.
¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t interfere, and not a single one of them showed up.¡± Damien muttered incredulously.
He had no words. After all, he had treated the students like demons for the past week.
¡°Even if the others don¡¯t show up, I didn¡¯t expect Oliver and Penelope to be absent.¡±
Those two had taken a step forward as knights thanks to Damien.
He had hoped that they might be different from the other students since they had realized the joy of learning.
¡°Well, they¡¯re all the same, inside and out.¡±
In truth, he could grab ss 13 right now if he wanted to.
Damien still had strands of their hair in his possession. With this hair, he could easily locate them using dark magic.
Of course, he had no intention of doing that. ss 13 had admirably fulfilled their pact with Damien.
¡°I guess I should go about my business with peace of mind.¡±
Just as he was about to leave the ssroom, the door swung open and nca entered. nca¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing Damien.
¡°Sir Damien, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here.¡±
¡°What brings you here?¡±
¡°I came to speak with you.¡±
nca said to the puzzled Damien.
¡°It¡¯s a message from .¡±
nca spoke softly.
¨C I have Oliver and Penelope with me. If you want to save them, follow my instructions from now on.
***
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Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Chapter 242: nca Roche (1)
***
¡°You¡¯re not surprised.¡±
nca said with a wry smile. True to her words, Damien¡¯s expression remained unchanged.
¡°Did you think I was joking? What I said is true. has been at the Academy for a long time. She¡¯s been watching you all along¡¡±
¡°I know.¡±
Damien said in a hard voice.
¡°In the first ce, the reason I came to the Academy was to kill .¡±
could turn into anyone, and she could make anyone her ally. This was why Damien couldn¡¯t able to find .
¡°You came here to kill that monster? That¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s an unrealistic goal.¡±
¡°I was looking for who was. I didn¡¯t realize you had joined forces with her.¡±
¡°Unlike my words, you don¡¯t look that shocked. Were you suspicious of me?¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I suspected, I just didn¡¯t trust anyone.¡±
From the moment he entered the Academy, Damien didn¡¯t trust anyone he met. This was because he didn¡¯t know who was.
¡°Since when have you been on ¡¯s side?¡±
¡°Long before I met you.¡±
¡°Then you must have approached me on ¡¯s orders too.¡±
nca nodded slowly.
¡°It was my role to find out about your situation, actions, and goals.¡±
¡°Was it also your idea to kidnap Oliver and Penelope?¡±
nca nodded with a bitter smile. The veins in Damien¡¯s head bulged.
¡°I could see that you had a special affection for those two children.¡±
¡°What did you do to those two?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re both safe. For now.¡±
Damien suppressed the anger that was boiling up inside him.
It wasn¡¯t difficult to let his anger out. But he still had a lot to ask nca.
¡°Why are you listening to ?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that. It¡¯s for personal reasons¡¡±
¡°Is it because of your son?¡±
Whether he guessed right or was stung, nca kept her mouth shut.
¡°Did promised you that she will save your son if you do her bidding? is Grand Dark Mage, so she can easily cure an incurable disease like that.¡±
No, she could even create a whole new body.
It was a very easy task for a dark mage like .
The problem was the number of people who would have to die for that act.
¡°Do you know how many people will die for to use dark magic? You¡¯re going to sacrifice others to save your son.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±
nca said without hesitation.
¡°I can bear the burden of that sin if it means saving Gael.¡±
¡°Bullshit.¡±
Damien said it with contempt.
¡°Bear the burden of sin? How? How will you take responsibility for the suffering of those sacrificed to ?¡±
nca¡¯s expression hardened at Damien¡¯s usation.
¡°Don¡¯t speak so rashly. You wouldn¡¯t understand. You have no idea what it¡¯s like to watch a child suffer like that every day¡¡±
¡°The one speaking rashly is you!¡±
¡°Do you even know what happens to the souls of those who are controlled by dark mages?¡±
Dark mana was only created when a human soul withered in agony.
That¡¯s why dark mages ughtered countless people in order to obtain vast amounts of dark mana.
Those who were killed by dark mages found no peace even in death. They were doomed to spew out dark mana while being tortured by the dark mages until their souls were extinguished.
¡°The one you¡¯ve been cooperating with is ! The gain evil of Pandemonium! Do you even know how many people have died or suffered because of that woman!¡±
Back in his days as a Death Knight, Damien was in a position where he couldn¡¯t disobey Dorugo¡¯s orders.
For Dorugo¡¯s amusement, he forced Damien to kill his own family with his own hands.
The sight of Damien as a Death Knight shocked his family.
But Damien¡¯s family didn¡¯t find peace even in death.
The uniqueness of Damien¡¯s family had attracted the greed of countless dark mages.
The dark mages demanded the souls of Damien¡¯s family from Dorugo. And was among them.
¨C Damien? Can you see this?
took the soul of his sister, Louise. And then one day, she suddenly appeared and showed Louise to Damien.
¡°This is your older sister. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about what to do with this soul.¡±
A small ss bottle.
Inside it was Louise¡¯s soul.
¡°I decided to keep her preserved like this. Isn¡¯t it interesting? More interesting than I thought it would be.¡±
There wasn¡¯t just Louise in the bottle. It was full of naked men.
Louise¡¯s soul was surrounded by them, subjected to all sorts of horrific humiliations.
¨C It¡¯s such a shame that you don¡¯t have your will.
Louise¡¯s dignity was being trampled on in the ss bottle.
The pride she had as a woman was being crushed.
She would have gone insane from the pain andmitted suicide if she had been alive.
But a soul couldn¡¯tmit suicide. Not unless it was extinguished by being tormented by a dark mage.
¡°You stupid woman. You just made the worst choice! To save your child? You¡¯re going to lose your child because of this! Dark mages are all scum anyway!¡±
Damien shouted in anger.
But Damien¡¯s anger didn¡¯t reach nca at all.
¡°¡It¡¯s just going to hurt my mouth to talk to someone who isn¡¯t even a parent.¡±
nca had her own reasons.
¡°Now decide. Will you follow ¡¯s demands? If you refuse, I cannot guarantee the lives of the two students.¡±
Damien responded by drawing his Dawn.
¡°¡You don¡¯t care about the safety of those children?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t waste my time on trash topics.¡±
Killing intent erupted from Damien¡¯s entire body. It was on a different level from the killing intent he had emitted when threatening the students of ss 13.
¡°I can just kill you here and then go rescue the children.¡±
¡°You¡¯re quite full of yourself. But even if you kill me, you won¡¯t be able to find out where the children are.¡±
¡°Have you said everything? Then shut up. I can¡¯t stand to listen to you anymore.¡±
Damien gathered his mana. The ground Damien was standing on cracked like a spider¡¯s web.
¡°You¡¯re too arrogant.¡±
nca opened a subspace and took out a spear from it.
The spearhead and shaft were both made of a single metal. The overall blue hue indicated that it was no ordinary spear.
¡°I nca Roche the Commander of the White Blood Knights, and once known as the Crimson Light.¡±
nca said as she took her stance.
¡°It is unfortunate that I have to face you like this.¡±
¡°Enough with your bbering.¡±
With that, the two knights simultaneously stomped on the ground.
***
Their bodies seemed to vanish, and then they collided in mid-air. The sword and spearhead shed.
With a sharp sound, the bodies of the two persons were flung backward. But only for a moment, then they shed again.
The Dawn and the crimson spear shed repeatedly in mid-air. With an earsplitting sound, sparks flew into the air.
¡®This body doesn¡¯t budge an inch. He¡¯s quite skilled.¡¯
nca couldn¡¯t help but admire Damien every time their weapons shed.
Reaction speed, agility, technique.
¡®He was wless in every aspect. He was fighting on an equal footing with me.¡¯
¡®Is this really the skill of a rookie?¡¯
The fact that he was the winner of the Helian Tournament was certainly impressive.
However, the difference in experience could not be ignored. nca was a master ss knight who was already looking over the second wall.
Even if he was the winner of the Helian Tournament, he was no match of nca.
¡®What a shame. If it weren¡¯t for this situation, I could have had a deep exchange as a knight¡¡¯
That¡¯s what nca was thinking when.
¡°It seems you¡¯re having vain and ill-fitting thoughts.¡±
Damien suddenly spoke up. His eyes were filled with strong contempt.
¡°Don¡¯t look at me with that kind of look, you trash who sold your children to a dark mage. I¡¯m going to puke.¡±
Damien¡¯s angry words brought nca¡¯s mood down to rock bottom.
He was right. nca had now abandoned both her pride as a knight and her duty as an adult in order to save her son.
¡°¡You¡¯re right. From now on, I will only think about defeating you.¡±
¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ve read it all now.¡±
¡°Read? What?¡±
The moment she questioned it, Damien¡¯s movements changed.
He spun his body and dodged the spear nca had thrust. Then, he closed the distance in one breath.
¡°What?¡±
nca quickly retrieved her spear to counterattack. But before she could, Damien kicked her in the stomach.
A heavy blow hit her lower abdomen. nca spat out blood and flew backward.
Her back hit the wall. The wall shattered, and nca¡¯s body was thrown out of the building.
nca rolled on the ground and quickly stood up. At that moment, she saw Damien standing right in front of her.
¡®When did he catch up¡?¡¯
Damien swung his sword at nca. nca hurriedly raised her spearhead to block the sword.
The trajectory of the sword twisted slightly. The sword was pushed aside and grazed nca¡¯s neck, and passed by.
¡°Haa!¡±
nca groaned in sharp pain. But she didn¡¯t have the luxury of tending to her wound.
That¡¯s because Damien started attacking again.
Numerous shes came in at strange angles. nca barely managed to block them with her spear.
But she couldn¡¯t block them all. asionally, attacks that found an opening cut through nca¡¯s body.
The more the attack and defense continued, the more wounds umted on nca¡¯s body. Her clothes were soon soaked red with blood.
¡®Is this really the skill of a rookie¡?¡¯
The surprise nca felt at first had long since turned into astonishment.
Damien waspletely overwhelming her. There was no room for a counterattack.
¡®I¡¯m going to lose at this rate¡!¡¯
As she thought that far, a sense of dread surged up.
If she lost to Damien, she would simply be executed as a traitor to the Empire.
No, that didn¡¯t matter. What nca couldn¡¯t bear more than anything else was the fact that she wouldn¡¯t be able to save her son.
nca clenched her teeth. She couldn¡¯t tolerate that. It was time to use all her power.
nca scraped the ground with her spearhead. Sparks flew as the spearhead scraped the floor.
The sparks soon turned into mes. The mes spread and formed a mass.
Damien stepped back to avoid the mes. And he looked at nca with a surprised face.
¡°¡Special Lineage?¡±
¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on.¡±
The mes nca had raised grew in size. The ground nca was standing on waspletely covered in mes.
¡°My family has been born with fire-based magic for generations.¡±
As nca moved her spear, the mes rippled as if they were alive.
¡°I¡¯ve been holding back so that I could take you in as intact as possible, but¡ it seems this isn¡¯t a situation to worry about that.¡±
nca took her stance and said.
¡°Be careful. The Crimson me of the Roche family is very fierce.¡±
nca swung her spear at Damien.
The Crimson me that had been enveloping nca transformed into a huge beast and pounced on Damien.
***
Crimson ze
The mes conjured by the Roche family were far from ordinary.
Their innate pyrokic abilities, stemming from their special lineage, were amplified by their mana cultivation techniques.
This potentbination gave rise to Crimson ze, a fire so intense it could evaporate an entireke in an instant.
Most foes were no match for Crimson ze. Their weapons would melt, and they would be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.
That¡¯s why nca hesitated to unleash Crimson ze in fear of killing Damien.
But her apprehension was misced.
¡°First Ring¡±
Damien murmured softly.
A resonant hum emanated from his body, and he turned into multiple afterimages, each wielding a sword.
The flurry of dozens of strikes tore Crimson ze to shreds and obliterating it without a trace.
¡°¡.¡±
nca¡¯s eyes widened. She had witnessed knights deflecting or cutting through Crimson ze¡¯s mes, but never had she seen itpletely extinguished.
¡°Indeed, I can see why wants you¡!¡±
nca eximed in admiration and struck the ground with her spear once more. Crimson ze roared back to life.
Just then,
¡°Second Ring.¡±
The resonance intensified, and Damien¡¯s body vanished.
In the same instant, nca was stabbed and blood gushed from the wound.
***
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Chapter 243
Chapter 243
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Chapter 243: nca Roche (2)
***
A searing pain erupted from nca¡¯s shoulder, coursing through her chest, upper abdomen, and nk.
The excruciating agony felt as if her muscles were being torn apart as if her very bones were being shattered.
She could vividly feel her ribcage, the protective shield of her torso, being sliced open.
All strength drained from her body. Her legs could no longer support her weight.
Without even a moment to gather herposure, her knees buckled and she copsed to the ground.
Blood gushed forth from her gaping wound, an rming crimson torrent staining the once pristine academy grounds.
The severity of the hemorrhage was undeniable. If this had not been Master ss, she would have been dead by now.
When Would It End?
nca¡¯s mind was consumed by a whirlwind of questions. She had barely read Damien¡¯s movements, let alone seen him swing his sword.
¡°A shallow cut.¡±
Damien remarked casually as he wiped the blood from his sword.
nca stared up at him, her eyes filled with the dread of impending death.
¡°This time, I¡¯ll make sure to finish you off.¡±
Damien said and raised his sword. Though dawn was a holy sword but in nca¡¯s eyes it took the shape of a reaper¡¯s scythe
As she stood on the precipice of death, a myriad of thoughts flooded her mind.
What would happen to her if she died? How would people speak of her? What kind of scorn would the Roche family face?
And most importantly, what would be of her son, Gael?
Would he be able to ovee his illness? Would continue his treatment? Would he evere looking for her?
Would he be able to cope with the absence of his mother? Would he be able to navigate this world alone?
The moment she thought of her son, a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins, rekindling a flicker of life within her dying body.
She couldn¡¯t die now. She couldn¡¯t leave that precious child alone.
But as it stood, nca had no means of escaping Damien¡¯s clutches.
Just then, a booming voice pierced the air and shattered the silence of the academy grounds.
¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡±
nca¡¯s eyes darted towards the source of the voice. The academy chancellor and several instructors were sprinting towards them.
¡°Engaging in a duel within the academy grounds! Have you both lost your minds?!¡±
The chancellor bellowed in fury, unleashing a torrent of mana.
As befitting Grand Mage, his power was formidable. The sheer force of his mana st sent shivers down nca¡¯s spine.
The sight of the chancellor sparked an idea in nca¡¯s mind.
¡°Help me!¡±
nca cried out and she pointed towards Damien.
¡°This man suddenly attacked me! If you hadn¡¯t arrived, I would have been killed!¡±
A wave of bewilderment washed over the chancellor and the instructors.
Their eyes flitted nervously between nca, a figure as solid and familiar as the academy itself, and Damien, the unsettling stranger who had inexplicably appeared in their midst.
It was clear as day who the chancellor and the instructors would believe.
¡°You insolent wretch! You daremit such an act!¡±
¡°Step away from Lady Roche immediately!¡±
The chancellor and the instructors shouted at Damien. Damien calmly addressed them with an unfazed expression.
¡°Please, everyone, calm down and listen to my exnation¡¡±
¡°No more excuses!¡±
The chancellor unleashed the spell. A beam of light materialized in mid-air and hurtled towards Damien.
Damien raised his sword and deflected the beam with its sword.
The impact sent him reeling backward, creating an opening for nca to escape his grasp.
¡°Apprehend Damien Haksen immediately!¡±
The chancellor¡¯smand prompted the instructors to swarm around Damien. They surrounded him from all sides.
nca seized the opportunity and got up to her feet and hastily retreated from the scene.
***
Damien sighed as he looked at the instructors who surrounded him.
¡°Chancellor, you will regret thister.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the one who will regret it! What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you all subduing him!¡±
The instructors¡¯ eyes sharpened. It seemed as if they were waiting for an opportunity to pounce on Damien.
Most of the instructors were masters in their own right.
Compared to Damien, they were far from being his match, so it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to defeat them.
The problem was their position.
The academy instructors were held in high esteem by the imperial citizens.
They hade to the academy, abandoning their personal advancement to nurture the empire¡¯s talents.
If he were to kill or injure them, Damien would be on the receiving end of all the me.
At that moment, Damien remembered the object he had stored in his subspace.
Damien immediately opened the subspace. He took out a sword from within.
As Damien raised the sword high, the instructors who had been charging in all recoiled in fear and stepped back.
¡°Th-that¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s sword, isn¡¯t it!¡±
¡°How did Damien get his hands on that¡!?¡±
Damien raised his sword and shouted at the instructors.
¡°I am here under His Majesty¡¯s orders to capture the dark mage hiding in the academy! Anyone who stands in my way will be cut down with this sword!¡±
The instructors looked at the chancellor with their faces.
¡°Oh, no¡¡±
Even the chancellor was so flustered that he couldn¡¯t finish his sentence properly.
If Damien¡¯s words were true, then the chancellor had disobeyed the emperor¡¯s orders. This was something that could not be ignored.
¡°If you don¡¯t get out of my way, I¡¯ll cut your throats with this sword!¡±
As Damien threatened, the instructors hesitated and stepped back.
At that moment, an explosion urred in the distance. A deafening sound erupted, and red mes soared high into the sky.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Damien turned his body towards the direction of the explosion.
The remaining chancellor and instructors could only stare at Damien¡¯s back like dogs chasing a chicken.
¡°¡What should we do now?¡±
One of the instructors asked the chancellor. The chancellor covered his face with both hands.
***
After leaving the scene, nca hastily retrieved and drank potions from her subspace.
Some of these potions were dangerous and could shorten her lifespan, but she had no time to worry about side effects.
She didn¡¯t know when Damien mighte after her. She needed to heal her wounds and recover her strength as quickly as possible.
Right after recovering, the first ce nca rushed to was the hospital room where her son was.
Since she hadn¡¯t managed to capture Damien, things were bound to get worse. She needed to escape with her son before that happened.
¡°Gael!¡±
nca urgently shouted as she opened the door to the hospital room.
¡°Oh~ why are you here~?¡±
¡°nca, there¡¯smotion outside. Did you fight Damien Haksen?¡±
But her son was not alone. He was with two men.
The two men were wearing the armor of the White Blood Knights. However, there was no respect for nca in their demeanor.
¡°Why are you here¡?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what we should be asking~ Did you fulfill ¡¯s orders~?¡±
¡°Did you lose to Damien?¡±
At that moment, nca saw Gael being held by the two men.
Gael¡¯s eyes were rolled back, and his head was tilted back.
¡°What did you do to my son?!¡±
nca saw this and erupted in anger. One of the men spoke with a tired expression.
¡°You stupid woman. Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s the opposite?¡±
¡°nca, we¡¯re saving your son.¡±
nca had no choice but to hesitate at their words.
¡°More precisely, we¡¯re reactivating him~.¡±
¡°Watch closely.¡±
One of the men injected a substance into Gael¡¯s arm with a syringe.
Gael¡¯s rolled-back eyes returned to their normal position, and strength returned to his drooping head.
¡°¡Huh, huh?¡±
Gael spoke with a bewildered expression.
¡°Mother? Why are you here at this hour? Huh? Who are these gentlemen?¡±
nca felt a wave of relief as her son regained his senses.
The two men then spoke to nca.
¡°Do you know? This is a fake~.¡±
¡°Your real son died a long time ago.¡±
nca felt an indescribable disgust at their words. Seeing her son alive and well, how could they say such things¡?
¡°Your son wasn¡¯t actually suffering from an incurable disease. His special lineage manifested too strongly.¡±
¡° approached you to study that lineage. Your son died during the research.¡±
nca¡¯s anger grew stronger. She red at the two men, as if ready to kill them.
¡°Stop talking nonsense. My son is dead? He¡¯s right there, alive and well¡¡±
Suddenly, one of the men next to her ripped Gael¡¯s head from his body.
¡°No!!¡±
nca screamed and threw herself towards Gael¡¯s head, catching it before it hit the ground.
¡°No, no¡ Quickly¡ If I attach it quickly¡¡±
¡°Mom¡?¡±
nca¡¯s body froze. She slowly lowered her head.
¡°Mom, are you okay? Why are you crying?¡±
There¡¯s no one who can live with their head torn off.
¡°M-mother¡ Mother¡¡±
Gael started to repeat the same words over and over. Gradually, he began to melt, revealing white bones amidst the dissolving flesh.
¡°M-mother¡ Mother¡¡±
His head slowly stopped speaking. The light faded from his eyes.
nca stood frozen like a statue. Not even a breath was heard.
¡°Now do you believe us~?¡±
¡°That was a puppet created by . They mixed in your son¡¯s memories.¡±
¡°Doing it this way~ no one could tell it was a fake~ Isn¡¯t it amazing~?¡±
nca slowly turned her head. In that brief moment, her eyes had be hollow, like a dried-up well.
¡°A¡¡±
nca cradled her son¡¯s head in her arms.
¡°Aaah¡¡±
She buried her head in the ground and screamed.
¡°Aaah¡ Aaah¡¡±
At that moment, the air heated up. mes erupted.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
nca unleashed a torrent of red mes, blowing the entire building apart in an explosion.
¡°! ! aa!¡±
nca screamed in the endless ze.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you! Right now! I¡¯ll kill you with nothing left of your flesh!¡±
But nca couldn¡¯t bring herself to let go of her son¡¯s head.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak her name so carelessly~.¡±
nca froze at the man¡¯s voice.
Right after, a ck chain pierced through the mes and impaled nca¡¯s chest.
¡°Ugh.¡±
nca coughed up blood but continued to stare at the mes. She saw the two men standing there, unharmed.
¡°How¡ How is this possible¡?¡±
No one can withstand the mes of the Roche family. Moreover, nca had strained her mana to the point of injuring herself out of sheer rage.
¡°It¡¯s thanks to your son~.¡±
¡°Why do you think studied your son? Because of your family¡¯s special lineage.¡±
Blood kept pouring from her mouth. In a weak voice, nca asked.
¡°Then¡ the reason for kidnapping the children was¡¡±
¡°Ah, thanks to you, we were able to secure quite a few special lineages.¡±
¡° also asked me to convey his thanks.¡±
The man grinned and yanked the chain. As it was pulled out, her heart and lungs were shredded.
nca died on the spot. Her lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
The head of Gael, which she had been holding, also fell on the floor.
Due to the impact, the head, which seemed to have stopped, began to move again.
¡°Huh¡ huh¡¡±
Gael¡¯s damaged eyes looked at nca.
¡°Mother¡ Mother¡¡±
With those words, the head finally ceased functioningpletely.
***
¡°Shall we return to now?¡±
Valentino asked the man beside him. Then Aktur spoke up.
¡°Before that, it seems we have one more guest to wee.¡±
¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden¡?¡±
Valentino heard the sound of the wind by his ear. Soon, someonended in front of the two of them.
The moment he saw the face, a smile of delight spread across Valentino¡¯s lips.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
However, Damien wasn¡¯t looking at Valentino at all. His gaze was fixed solely on nca, whose bodyy on the ground devoid of life.
¡°¡So it was a fake after all.¡±
After muttering that, Damien finally looked at Valentino and Aktur.
¡°Damien Haksen, long time no see? Do you remember this old man?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never seen such an ugly face in my life.¡±
¡°Puhuhu, you¡¯re still amusing.¡±
Valentino grabbed his head with both hands and twisted it.
Crack.
With a grotesque sound, Valentino¡¯s head turned 180 degrees.
A normal person would have died at that angle, but Valentino did not.
Instead, he casually returned his head to its original position. Soon, his face began to change.
A face so gaunt that it looked like only skin was stretched over bones appeared.
¡°The Iron Spider, Valentino Michele.¡±
Damien muttered softly.
¡°I thought you¡¯d been turned to ashes after challenging the Mercenary King. Looks like saved you just in time.¡±
¡°You still remember this old man~ I¡¯m embarrassed~.¡±
¡°Then the guy next to you must be ¡¯sckey too.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Aktur. I was once known as the Knight of the High Wall.¡±
¡°Oh, I remember now. You were a knight who protected the Imperial Pce. Then you betrayed them and joined .¡±
¡°A shameful past.¡±
Aktur spoke politely.
¡°Sir Damien, pleasee with us. is waiting for you.¡±
¡°Shut the fuck up.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t understand my words at all. is waiting for you. Do you not realize what an honor that is?¡±
As if just the thought made him happy, a smile slowly spread across Aktur¡¯s face.
¡°You will be embraced by the most beautiful woman in this world. Imagine how wonderful that would be¡¡±
Aktur spoke in ecstasy. Damien responded disinterestedly.
¡°Beautiful? I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so beautiful about a chunk of meat.¡±
Aktur¡¯s body stiffened at those words. He turned his gaze to Damien and asked,
¡°What did you just say?¡±
¡°I called her a chunk of meat. It¡¯s not wrong, is it? lost her original body long ago. What remains is just a big piece of flesh vaguely holding a shape. How can that be beautiful?¡±
Crunch!
Aktur ground his teeth so hard it seemed they might break.
¡°You¡ There are things you can say and things you can¡¯t¡ To call ¡ To call her beauty a chunk of meat? How dare you spew such¡ such nonsense¡!¡±
¡°Aktur~? Maybe you should calm down a bit¡¡±
Even Valentino, who was usually calm, tried to stop Aktur. But Aktur¡¯s rage had already crossed the line.
¡°You¡ you disrespectful bastard¡! Right now, I¡¯ll¡ I¡¯ll kill you and present you to ¡!¡±
Aktur was on the verge of losing his mind with rage. In his fury, he failed to notice one crucial detail.
Damien had drawn his sword and lowered his stance slightly.
¡°Third Ring.¡±
Damien¡¯s body disappeared. In the next instant, he reappeared between Valentino and Aktur.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Damien swung his sword.
Once to the left and once to the right.
The sword, shing like a ray of light, severed the necks of both men.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 244
Chapter 244
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 244: nca Roche (3)
***
Damien swung his sword, and two heads were cleanly sliced off.
But something was strange. The severed necks should have been gushing blood, but there was none. The wounds were a gooey mess, like half-melted jelly.
¡°What the-? This is crazy!¡±
¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡¡±
Despite having their necks severed, the two men were talking as if nothing was wrong.
The wound twitched and squirmed, and then the two halves fused together. The wounds healed in an instant.
¡®They¡¯ve perfected immortality already.¡¯
Damien watched them, his tongue lolling out in disbelief.
Immortals were special bodies created by through research on special lineages.
By studying special lineages and concentrating their characteristics, they had created bodies that could withstand any attack and survive even fatal wounds.
And so, they were called Immortals.
¡°Valentino, who is this guy? He won the Helian Tournament, but how can he be so skilled at such a young age?¡±
Despite his palpable excitement, Aktur returned to his usual manner of speaking.
¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Don¡¯t let your guard down. That guy is¡ a real oddball.¡±
¡°I see. We need to take this seriously from now on.¡±
The atmosphere between the two men grew heavy. The faint gap that had been there before hadpletely disappeared.
Damien made a disgusted expression. He had tried to kill them in one blow while they were off guard, but he had failed because of the Immortals.
¡°Damien Haksen? I was going to take you back peacefully, but you attacked first, so I guess I can give you a little beating, right?¡±
¡°We just need to keep him breathing until he submits. will save him anyway.¡±
Valentino Michele spread his arms wide. Dark mana swirled around him, and he created dozens of iron chains.
Aktur pulled out a massive two-handed mace from his subspace.
¡®The Iron Spider Valentino Michele and the Knight of the High Wall, Aktur.¡¯
Thanks to his past life memories, Damien knew exactly who these two knights were.
¡¯s most favorite lovers.
Master ss knights who had surpassed two walls.
The bounty on these two men¡¯s heads was far higher than that of any ordinary demon. That meant they were that dangerous.
And now, these monsters had even gained Immortality through ¡¯s experiments.
¡°This is going to be a tough nut to crack.¡±
Damien scratched the back of his head and said. Valentino chuckled in response.
¡°It¡¯s toote to regret it now. I have my pride, you know? If I lose, I¡¯ll have to get back at you twice as hard!¡±
Valentino reached out towards Damien. The iron chains that were wrapped around his forearms swarmed towards Damien.
Damien leaped upwards, dodging the chains. The chains mmed into the ground where he had been standing. The ground shattered like a rock had been thrown at it.
¡®Creepy as always.¡¯
Valentino¡¯s chains were made by condensing Orichalcum. It would take considerable skill to even withstand the chains.
Valentino could scatter hundreds of chains with such incredible power.
Just then, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see Aktur hovering high in the sky.
Aktur swung his mace down at Damien. Damien blocked the mace with Dawn.
Damien¡¯s body fell to the ground. As his body collided with the earth, a cloud of dust rose up.
Valentino peered into the dust cloud. Then he shouted,
¡°Found him!¡±
Valentino swung his arms. Dozens of chains pierced the dust cloud.
Damien burst out of the dust cloud. Immediately afterward, Aktur followed after him.
¡°Heh!¡±
Aktur swung his mace at Damien.
The mace which wasrger than an adult man¡¯s torso, shed through the air relentlessly.
¡°This is indeed troublesome.¡±
Damien muttered as he blocked Aktur¡¯s attacks. Aktur let out a roar.
¡°Only ¡®troubled¡¯ while facing the two of us simultaneously! How humiliating! Is this truly someone worthy of ¡¯s attention¡?¡±
In that instant, Damien swung Dawn and sliced off the lower half of Aktur¡¯s face. It also tore through Aktur¡¯s body.
But the wounds healed quickly. Aktur didn¡¯t even pay attention as he said,
¡°It seems you have no intention of engaging in conversation. Then we have no choice. Valentino!¡±
A surge of dark mana emanated from behind Aktur. While the two were fighting, Valentino had been preparing something.
¡°This should make things difficult for you too.¡±
Damien said with a dumbfounded expression. Aktur sneered and replied,
¡°I will not die anyway.¡±
Hundreds of chains rained down from behind Aktur.
The chains engulfed the two men. The earth was destroyed, and dust covered the entire world.
***
While Aktur¡¯s attention was diverted, Valentino rained down chains.
It was a simple but effective tactic. The problem was that Aktur couldn¡¯t escape the range of the chains either.
The chains that flew in from behind pierced Aktur¡¯s body as well. But Aktur didn¡¯t show any pain.
The Immortals not only regenerated any wounds quickly but also eliminated pain. As a result, Aktur only felt the unpleasant sensation of the chains piercing his body.
¡°Aktur¡? Are you okay¡?¡±
¡°What do you think? Who made this body?¡±
Aktur said dismissively.
¡°What happened to Damien?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t see him yet because of the dust. But he¡¯s on the verge of dying since he¡¯s so quiet.¡±
There was no way he could have survived an attack of this magnitude. Aktur spoke with a rxed expression.
¡°Please take out a potion or something in advance. It would be a big problem if Damien dies on the way there.¡±
Even couldn¡¯t save someone who was already dead. The only thing the two men could do was somehow keep Damien breathing and take him back.
As the dust settled, Damien¡¯s figure emerged.
The moment he saw Damien, Aktur¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head.
Not a single chain had pierced Damien¡¯s body. They had all missed him and were embedded in the ground.
¡°Fuck, you guys just make my clothes dirty.¡±
Damien spoke softly from among the chains.
¡°Since you guys with , I can never let you die peacefully.¡±
Damien¡¯s words continued slowly.
¡°The problem is that you Immortals don¡¯t feel pain. So even if I tear your bodies apart or burn them, it¡¯s no use. You won¡¯t feel any pain anyway.¡±
Damien sighed with a look of pity.
¡°That¡¯s why Immortals are troublesome. They make thingsplicated. So I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while¡¡±
Damien rose to his feet from among the chains. He looked at Aktur and said.
¡°But I found the way, I¡¯ve decided to personally inflict pain on your brains.¡±
Killing intent radiated from Damien. It was on apletely different level than before.
Aktur felt a chill run down his spine. He shouted at Valentino immediately.
¡°Valentino! Bind Damien Haksen!¡±
At that, Valentino frantically waved his arms. The chains slithered like snakes and wrapped around Damien¡¯s body.
Damien lowered his index finger. In that instant, something fell from the sky.
Swords made of aurades mmed down on the chains. The chains were cut effortlessly.
¡°What?¡±
Shock appeared on Aktur¡¯s face. He immediately recognized the technique Damien had used.
¡°Azure Sky¡¯s Flight¡?
[PR/N- Realm of Salik the Fallen, one of ¡¯s lovers. It was copied by Damien in the fight.]
Damien pointed at Valentino. The longswords shot out like arrows.
Before Valentino could even dodge, the longswords pierced his body. They then tore Valentino¡¯s body into pieces.
¡°Valentino!¡±
Aktur cried out in dismay. In that moment, Damien moved.
Damien lunged forward and kicked Aktur in the face with his knee.
Aktur¡¯s nose was crushed and one of his eyes popped out.
However, the Immortal felt no pain. The area where he had been kicked returned to normal in an instant.
¡°Now just sit still and be captured!¡±
Aktur reached out with both hands to grab Damien. In that moment, Damien muttered.
¡°Third Ring.¡±
Damien¡¯s body disappeared before his eyes. Aktur looked around in confusion.
¡°Where did he¡?¡±
A shadow fell over his face. Damien had leaped into the air and stomped on Aktur¡¯s head. Aktur¡¯s head was immediately mmed into the ground.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Aktur screamed and raised his head.
¡°You¡ you dare to step on my face¡ with your foot¡!¡±
Aktur roared and rose to his feet. In that instant, Damien reached out towards Aktur¡¯s chest.
Damien¡¯s hand pierced Aktur¡¯s chest. He then injected his mana. The mana spread throughout Aktur¡¯s body like needles.
¡°What the hell¡?
Aktur looked at Damien with a bewildered expression.
Suddenly, the muscles throughout his body began to contract.
Unable to withstand the muscle tension, his bones crushed. Every joint in his body was bent backwards.
¡°W-what is this¡?¡±
Aktur tried to resist with his dark magic, but it was futile.
¡°D-Damien Haksen! What have you done to my body?!¡±
Damien¡¯s mana that had infiltrated his body began to move actively again.
After a while, it found something hidden within Aktur¡¯s body.
A Nerve.
The nerves that had been severed were reconnected by the mana. The dead nerves came back to life. This was the secret of immortality.
Then something struck Aktur¡¯s brain. A sensation he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time, but didn¡¯t miss.
¡°Kuaaaaak!¡±
Aktur screamed in excruciating pain. His eyes rolled back and foam dripped from his mouth.
¡°Aak! Ugh! Aak!¡±
Even as he writhed in pain, Aktur was puzzled. How could this be? Immortals are supposed to be immune to pain.
¡°Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.¡±
Then, Damien¡¯s voice came to him.
¡°It¡¯s a technique that allows you to manipte the body¡¯s blood vessels using mana. If you use it well, you can stimte nerves too.¡±
Damien injected his mana again. Aktur¡¯s body twisted even more. The pain intensified.
¡°Stop it! Stop it!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe how lucky I am to have learned this beforehand.¡±
¡°Please¡! Please stop¡! It¡¯s over now¡!
¡°You¡¯re just a dog of that whore. How many people have you killed and how many souls have you tormented just by being by that bitch¡¯s side, I don¡¯t even need to see to know.¡±
Damien¡¯s lips curled into a sneer.
¡°Die like the vermin you are.¡±
Aktur¡¯s arms and legs began to curl inward. His whole body shrank.
When Damien removed his hand from his chest, Aktur was turned into a ball.
Damien left Aktur alone and approached Valentino.
Valentino was trying to attach his body back together.
Even as an Immortal, he couldn¡¯t regenerate a severed body. He had no choice but to reattach the severed parts.
¡°You¡ what did you do to Aktur¡ that bastard¡!
Valentino spoke with a frightened expression as Damien approached.
¡°Shut up.¡±
Damien stomped on Valentino¡¯s head. Trampled under Damien¡¯s foot, Valentino spat out his anger.
¡°This foot¡ this foot¡ remove it!¡±
¡°Now that I think about it, there was one more way to kill an Immortal. Wouldn¡¯t the body eventually copse if I kept breaking it until it couldn¡¯t regenerate anymore?¡±
At that, Valentino¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Wait¡ you¡ you don¡¯t mean¡?¡±
Damien stomped on Valentino¡¯s head repeatedly.
¡°Shut up! Stop it now! Kuaak!¡±
The ground shook incessantly.
A momentter, when Damien stopped his foot, there was something spread out on the ground, a mess of flesh and blood.
¡°I wasted too much time on these useless bastards.¡±
Damien took out a small pocket from the sub-space. It was a pocket where he had collected the hair of the ss 13 students.
He released a small amount of dark mana from the bracelet and manifested dark magic.
Damien closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, a ferocious smile hung on his lips.
¡°, I finally found you.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 245
Chapter 245
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 245: The Subus (1)
***
Penelope groaned as she opened her eyes. Despite a long night¡¯s sleep, she still felt a lingering weariness in her body.
¡°Ugh, I must have overdone it yesterday.¡±
She muttered and yawned softly.
The previous night, she had joined her ssmates from ss 13 for a boisterous feast and revelry at a restaurant sponsored by Damien, their entric homeroom tinstructor.
The lingering fatigue refused to dissipate despite her long slumber, a testament to their excessive partying.
As she tried to shake off the grogginess, Penelope realized something startling.
¡°Wait¡ where am I?¡±
She asked aloud, finally noticing that she wasn¡¯t in her dorm room.
The floor was covered in pristine white tiles, and the walls were bare of any decoration.
Unfamiliar tools and objects were scattered about, some draped in white cloths. As Penelope scanned her surroundings, she spotted Oliver was slumbering on the floor.
¡°Oliver! Oliver!¡±
She called out and tried to wake him. Oliver stirred groggily, his eyes fluttering open.
¡°Penelope? What are you doing in my room?¡±
He mumbled.
¡°Wake up! This isn¡¯t the dorm!¡±
¡°What are you talking about¡?¡±
Oliver was still disoriented.
He looked around the room, his confusion evident on his face.
¡°Oh, wait. This isn¡¯t my room. Where are we?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know either. But we need to find out.¡±
Penelope replied, her voiceced with seriousness. Oliver, however, didn¡¯t seem too concerned.
¡°I see. This must be another one of Sir Damien¡¯s tricks. He must have kidnapped us in the middle of the night.¡±
Oliver said nonchntly, getting up from the floor. He wandered around the white room, inspecting the unfamiliar objects.
¡°Oliver, don¡¯t be so reckless, Why are these things covered in cloth? What¡¯s he hiding?¡±
Oliver tugged at one of the white cloths, pulling it off abruptly. A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air as he recoiled in horror.
¡°Ugh, eek! Aaaack!¡±
Beneath the clothy a dissected human body, its organs, brain, and limbs syed open in a gruesome disy.
¡°W-what is this¡?¡±
Penelope gasped, her eyes wide with shock.
What further horrified them was the fact that the body appeared to be that of a young person, not much older than themselves.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
They stood there, frozen in silence, the gravity of their situation finally sinking in. They were no longer in a yful prank; they were in real danger.
¡°P-Penelope¡ W-we have to escape¡ We can¡¯t stay here¡!.¡±
Oliver stammered and his voice trembling with fear.
¡°I know, calm down. But first, we need to find something to defend ourselves with.¡±
Penelope replied. She was trying to maintain a semnce ofposure.
Just then, the door creaked open, the sound of a metal lock was released.
Both Penelope and Oliver turned towards the entrance, their faces grim and determined.
Someone walked through the door and entered. Upon seeing the two people, she spoke with a surprised look.
¡°Oh my? You¡¯re already awake. I was worried because I used a strong anesthetic, but it looks like you both woke up quickly because you¡¯re healthy.¡±
As soon as they saw the woman who entered, deep confusion appeared on their faces.
Both of them knew who she was.
¡°¡Miss Miriam?¡±
The person who came in was Miriam, one of the academy¡¯s staff.
Although they didn¡¯t get along well with most of the staff, they knew about Miriam.
Miriam was the person who was voted the most popr at the academy every year.
¡°Did you kidnap us, Miss Miriam?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t do it myself, but I gave the order, so I guess you could say that.¡±
Penelope was bewildered by Miriam¡¯s response.
¡°Why¡ Was it on Damien Haksen¡¯s orders?¡±
¡°What? Did Damien Haksen ordered?¡±
Miriam burst outughing. Afterughing in a charming voice for a while, she spoke.
¡°Of course not. Ah, but he is rted to this.¡±
¡°What do you mean¡?¡±
¡°I brought you here to draw in Damien Haksen.¡±
Penelope and Oliver couldn¡¯t understand Miriam¡¯s words at all.
¡°You see, I¡¯ve been coveting Damien for a long time. But that man has an exceptionally nasty personality, doesn¡¯t he? I knew he wouldn¡¯t just let himself be captured, so I had to think it over. Then, you two showed up.¡±
Even as Miriam continued to exin, they couldn¡¯t grasp the situation.
¡°Among the students in ss 13, Damien has taken a special interest in you two, hasn¡¯t he? I thought you¡¯d make suitable hostages. That¡¯s why I brought you here.¡±
¡°Why do you covet Damien Haksen¡±
¡°Hmm? Because he¡¯s handsome.¡±
Miriam said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
¡°And he¡¯s strong, too. How could I not desire someone like that?¡±
It was the first time they experienced such iprehension in a conversation.
¡°So, you¡¯re in love with Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°In love? Not quite.¡±
Miriam¡¯s lips curved into a smile. Her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
With just that, Miriam¡¯s atmosphere changed. Her innocent face now seemed as seductive as a seasoned courtesan¡¯s.
¡°I want to own everything about him. His body, his mind, and his abilities.¡±
For some reason, Penelope felt deeply uneasy about Miriam. An instinctive revulsion crawled up her limbs like ants.
¡°¡What do you intend to do with us?¡±
¡°Who knows? Honestly, as long as I can have Damien, I don¡¯t need you.¡±
Penelope felt a slight sense of relief. Perhaps they could return safely.
¡°I spent a lot of money bringing Damien here. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to return to the academy anymore.¡±
Miriam said with a regretful expression.
¡°It¡¯s very difficult to get high-quality experimental materials like the students of the academy. So it¡¯s a shame to just let you go.¡±
Miriam added with a sly smile.
¡°So you¡¯ll have to help me with my experiments.¡±
Penelope felt a chill run down her spine. She immediately turned to Oliver and shouted,
¡°Oliver! Find a weapon!¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
But there was no answer. Penelope looked at Oliver in confusion.
Oliver was staring at Miriam, lost in thought. He was so engrossed that he didn¡¯t even realize that saliva was dripping from his mouth.
¡°Oliver!¡±
Penelope grabbed Oliver¡¯s shoulder and shook him vigorously. But Oliver still couldn¡¯te to his senses.
¡°Don¡¯t say anything too harsh. It¡¯s a normal reaction for a man.¡±
¡°W-what are you doing¡¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t done anything dangerous. I just sprayed this fragrance.¡±
Miriam swept her long hair back. Then, a fragrance like flowers wafted through the air.
The moment they smelled the fragrance, Penelope¡¯s heart started racing.
She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Miriam. No, she didn¡¯t want to take her eyes off her. She wanted to run up to her and hug her right now. She wanted to give Miriam everything she had.
¡°Ah¡ ah¡ ugh¡¡±
Resistance? She didn¡¯t even think about it. At this moment, they only craved Miriam¡¯s attention.
¡°Your names were Penelope and Oliver, right?¡±
Just being called by her name made her heart beat even faster.
¡°There¡¯s an emptyb bench over there. Can you go up there?¡±
Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t, Penelope and Oliver followed Miriam¡¯s instructions and headed towards theb bench.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. There¡¯s a scalpel next to you. Use it to cut the tendons in your arms and legs. A lot of people wriggle around in pain during the experiment. If it¡¯s too hard, help each other out, okay?¡±
Penelope and Oliver grabbed the scalpel. And they brought it to their wrists.
As they applied pressure, the scalpel cut through their skin. They felt a sharp pain, but neither of them cared.
All that mattered now was to follow Miriam¡¯s orders¡
Just then.
The ceiling copsed with a loud crash. Penelope and Oliver were startled by the sound.
¡°Uh, uh? Why am I doing this?¡±
¡°Eek! What is this!¡±
Thanks to that, the two of them were able to escape Miriam¡¯s orders. They threw down the scalpel. And they looked at the copsed ceiling with surprised faces.
Someone jumped down from the hole in the ceiling. Andnded on the debris piled up on the floor.
The moment they saw the man¡¯s face, tears welled up in Penelope and Oliver¡¯s eyes.
¡°Sir Damien¡!¡±
A huge sense of relief filled their bodies. Penelope and Oliver ran to Damien and started crying.
But the moment they saw Damien¡¯s face, the two of them couldn¡¯t help but stop in their tracks.
Damien wasn¡¯t looking at them. He was only staring at Miriam.
¡°I found you.¡±
A smile spread across Damien¡¯s lips.
It was a ferocious smile, like a predator who had found its prey. His wide-ripped lips and dted pupils gave him an air of madness.
In that moment, the two of them realized the truth.
Damien hadn¡¯te to save them. He hade to kill Miriam.
¡°Penelope, Oliver.¡±
Damien spoke softly. His voice was thick with barely concealed excitement.
¡°Escape through the hole I made. Tell everyone at the academy to run away. They¡¯re in danger.¡±
They needed to say something, anything. But their lips were frozen, and they couldn¡¯t utter a word.
In the end, they couldn¡¯t respond. They just jumped up the hole Damien had made and fled.
¡°Damien, you¡¯ve finallye!¡±
As the two students disappeared, Miriam called out to Damien.
¡°Didn¡¯t the otherse with you? It seems they¡¯ve all met their end at your hands.¡±
Miriam said with a regretful expression.
¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but it can¡¯t be helped. At least you¡¯re here. After all, to get what you want, you have to make some sacrifices¡¡±
¡°Enough.¡±
Damien cut off Miriam, or rather, ¡¯s words.
¡°You have no idea how happy I am right now.¡±
Damien drew Dawn. In that moment, an infinite amount of killing intent burst forth from him.
It filled the basement like a flood breaking through a dam.
¡°I¡¯m going to tear your flesh into a thousand pieces and trample on it all right now.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 246
Chapter 246
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 246: The Subus (2)
***
Within the confines of the academy, numerous antiquated structuresy abandoned and unused.
Among these weathered structures, had established her dungeon.
¡°Heavens¡¡±
Sensing Damien¡¯s killing intent, exhaled a heated sigh. A faint blush tinted her cheeks.
¡°Such killing intent¡ You are truly magnificent.¡±
said and she spread her arms wide and baring her chest to Damien.
¡°Damien, why don¡¯t you join me? I¡¯ll do anything for you. I can offer you pleasures beyond your wildest dreams¡¡±
In that instant, Damien¡¯s figure vanished.
He materialized directly in front of . ¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
¡°Oh?¡±
Without hesitation, Damien swung Dawn, and Dawn sliced through ¡¯s face.
However, ¡¯s head remained intact. The moment the sword made contact, it adhered to her skin.
Her regeneration speed was far superior to that of Valentino or Aktur.
¡°You deranged creature. You¡¯vepletely abandoned your humanity.¡±
¡°On the contrary, this body is a result of my extensive research on humans.¡±
¡°Nonsense.¡±
Damien continued to wield Dawn and continued to sever ¡¯s limbs cleaving through her torso.
Yet, the oue remained unchanged. The wounds healed as quickly as they were inflicted, leaving no trace of scars.
¡°It¡¯s futile.¡±
Then, Damien extended his other hand. Sawn pierced ¡¯s chest.
¡°Oh? That¡¯s much faster than before.¡±
Ignoring ¡¯sment, Damien infused mana in the Dawn.
A surge of immense mana coursed through ¡¯s body, causing her muscles to contort and writhe.
¡°¡¡±
¡¯s expression hardened in response to this spectacle. She abruptly spun her head around.
With a sickening crack, her muscles returned to their normal state.
¡®She¡¯s controlling her body to suppress the Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle.¡¯
was a master of dark magic, having reached the pinnacle of the Berserk Sect. Her mastery over her body was unparalleled.
Damien withdrew his arm from ¡¯s chest and stepped back.
¡°Damien, how could you do such a thing to a woman¡¯s body? Even for you, such an act is inexcusable. Never again should you employ such heinous techniques. Do you understand?¡±
reprimanded Damien in a tone reminiscent of a scolding parent. Her words betrayed ack of fear towards Damien.
Damien¡¯s lips twisted involuntarily. He wanted to wipe thatcent smile off her face immediately.
¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve been releasing my scent all this time, yet you¡¯re perfectly fine.¡±
¡¯s most terrifying weapon was her ability to emit pheromones. Anyone exposed to her pheromones became her ve in essence.
But this didn¡¯t apply to Damien. A knight who had reached a certain level could use their mana to protect themselves from external influences¡ªlike expelling poison or resisting illusions.
Damien had once been a knight at a far higher level than he was now. Although he hadn¡¯t regained his full power, he was not susceptible to ¡¯s scent.
¡°This means I¡¯ll have to use a slightly rougher method.¡±
took off her outer garment, revealing her body. She wasn¡¯t naked, but she was only covered in white cloth over her vital areas, leaving little to the imagination.
She struck a pose that emphasized her chest. Damien frowned as if witnessing something grotesque.
¡°You treat me like I¡¯m some street girl. It¡¯s quite insulting to my pride.¡±
dropped her pose, clenched her tiny fist, and pointed it at Damien.
¡°This will hurt a bit.¡±
kicked off the ground. In that instant, the floor shattered.
Simultaneously, ¡¯s body disappeared. Damien¡¯s eyes widened. He hadpletely lost track of her movement.
The next moment, a fist drove into Damien¡¯s abdomen.
His body flew backward and mmed into the wall, which crumbled, bringing the ceiling down as well.
¡°Oh dear, was that too strong?¡±
stuck her tongue out yfully.
¡°It¡¯s alright. As long as you¡¯re breathing, I can keep you alive.¡±
***
Damien walked out from under the rubble, clearing the debris from his path.
He had protected his body with an aura armor just before the punchnded, but he couldn¡¯t fully absorb the impact.
Spit!
Damien spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth.
[PR/N- This is the first time Damien coughs up the blood in a fight.]
¡°Oh my? I thought your insides would bepletely pulverized. You look far too intact.¡±
remarked with fascination.
¡°What kind of training did you undergo to toughen your body so much? Did you learn some special technique?¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me? Then I¡¯ll have to subdue you and find outter.¡±
clenched her fist again.
¡°This time, I can hit a bit harder, right?¡±
¡¯s stance was incredibly sloppy, like someone who had never fought before.
But Damien knew better than to underestimate her.
The speed and destructive power disyed by far surpassed anything Damien had ever encountered. Even those initial strikes seemed effortless.
¡°Indeed, you are no ordinary opponent.¡±
The Giant Evil of Pandemonium, the sworn enemy of the Empire was standing before him.
Within the ranks of the giant evils, held a position of immense power, second only to the King himself.
In all his time since his regression, Damien had never faced an adversary of such formidable caliber. It was time for him to unleash his full potential.
¡°Hemaera, protect me.¡±
Damien muttered under his breath.
As if in response to hismand, metal tes materialized from thin air and began to encase Damien¡¯s body.
¡°Demonic Armor? And at such level? Where did you acquire such armor?¡±
inquired with her voiceced with curiosity.
Damien remained silent, instead lowering his stance and murmuring.
¡°Third Ring.¡±
The three rings embedded within his body began to rotate, generating a deafening resonance that threatened to shatter eardrums.
¡°Wow¡?¡±
A sly grin spread across ¡¯s lips.
¡°This is going to be interesting.¡±
The moment ¡¯s words left her mouth, Damien lunged forward. He mimicked her movement.
They shed, each unleashing a flurry of attacks. Damien wielded his de, while relied on her formidable fists.
Damien¡¯s sword sliced through ¡¯s body with relentless precision, the speed of his strikes resembling that of multiple swordsmen moving in unison.
made no attempt to block or evade Damien¡¯s attacks, her focus solely on delivering her own blows. Her incredible regenerative abilities allowed her to disregard any damage inflicted.
¡°Aha! This is exhrating!¡±
eximed as she ripped away a portion of Damien¡¯s Hemaera armor.
¡®A truly monstrous body.¡¯
Damien thought to himself.
Even with all three rings activated, he struggled to match ¡¯s blistering speed.
Despite this disparity, Damien¡¯s technical prowess kept him in the fight. He meticulously analyzed ¡¯s movements, anticipating her every move.
As Damien refused to yield, expressed a hint of disappointment.
¡°This is quite entertaining, but I¡¯m afraid I must cut our duel short. The arrival of reinforcements would prove troublesome.¡±
Steam began to emanate from ¡¯s body, her slender limbs bulging with newfound power.
Damien immediately recognized the transformation. She was activating her special powers to further enhance her physical abilities.
¡°I despise using this technique due to its after-effects, but I need to use it.¡±
She surged forward, unleashing a barrage of punches.
The predictability of her movements was evident, yet their speed rendered them almost impossible to dodge.
Damien raised Dawn to deflect her blows, but the sheer force behind her fists proved overwhelming.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Damien¡¯s body was sent hurtling backward, once again mming into the wall.
¡°I won¡¯t wait for you to recover this time!¡±
said as she relentlessly pursued Damien and her fists were raining down upon him.
A barrage of punches rained down upon the spot where Damien had been struck, pulverizing the wall and ground with a deafening roar.
The shattered debris crumbled into dust and vanished into thin air.
¡°Aha! Damien Haksen! Why are you just standing there? Show me something again!¡±
bellowed, her face flushed with exhration.
¡°You¡¯re not someone who would die like this! You have more to offer, don¡¯t you? Show me! Show me what you¡¯re hiding! What are you concealing!¡±
Suddenly, ceased her relentless assault. The area where Damien had stoody inplete ruins, shrouded in a thick cloud of dust.
¡°Oh, I got a little too carried away. I could have turned you into a meatpaste.¡±
remarked with a sheepish grin.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! I¡¯ll fix you up! I¡¯ll make you even more magnificent than before¡!¡±
As the dust gradually settled, Damien¡¯s figure emerged from the debris.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
A look of bewilderment spread across ¡¯s face. Damien, who should have been pulverized, stood before her unscathed.
¡°Oh, dear? This is impossible¡?¡±
¡°Just because you¡¯re immortal doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re all-powerful.¡± Damien retorted as he rose to his feet.
¡°Youck pain receptors, which dulls your senses. That¡¯s why you was unaware of the attacks I¡¯ve inflicted upon you.¡±
With both hands, Damien deflected all of ¡¯s blows, sending them harmlessly into the surrounding earth.
¡°Ha.¡±
burst intoughter, her initial embarrassment reced by a surge of delight.
¡°You¡¯re truly remarkable. I¡¯ve never met anyone so captivating in my entire life.¡±
¡°Spare me the ttery. And don¡¯t assume I¡¯m attracted to you just because you¡¯re a woman.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer! I must im you as mine, now!¡±
lunged towards Damien, her incredible speed generating a powerful gust of wind and a deafening sonic boom.
She extended one hand, reaching out to seize Damien.
With a swift twist of his body, Damien evaded ¡¯s grasp and simultaneously swung Dawn and severed her arm.
was sent hurtling past Damien, mming into the wall with a resounding thud. As she bounced off the wall, she eximed,
¡°How long do you intend to keep this up? You must realize by now that no matter how many times you cut me, it¡¯s futile¡¡±
Thump.
¡¯s arm fell limply to her side, her forearm dangling lifelessly.
¡°¡¡±
stared at her severed arm in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t muster any strength in it, and the wound showed no signs of healing.
¡°How is this possible¡?¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t wasting my time. While I was slicing through your flesh, I was also studying the flow of your mana, searching for a way to disrupt it.¡±
To maintain her regenerative form, required a constant supply of dark mana. In other words, once the flow of dark mana was severed, her regenerative abilities became useless.
Against an ordinary regenerative being, disrupting the flow of dark mana would have been a simple task.
However, was no ordinary being. The intricate web of dark mana coursing through her body was proving to be a formidable challenge.
¡°It took me thousands of shes to finally find it. You hid it well.¡±
Damien remarked, his tone devoid of any sense of triumph.
¡¯s expression hardened, her carefree demeanor reced by a palpable urgency.
¡°¡You will kill you.¡±
Her voice wasced with chilling resolve.
The steam billowing from ¡¯s body intensified, her muscles bulging even further beneath her skin.
¡°You¡¯ve forced me into this transformation. The price you pay for this will be far from light.¡±
¡°Before we talk about that, you have a debt to settle with me first.¡±
Damien surged with mana, his entire body enveloped in a radiant glow.
¡°Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation¡±
His body temperature skyrocketed, his senses heightened to an almost unbearable degree.
¡°Fourth Ring.¡±
The fourth ring was activated. It unleashed a deafening resonance that reverberated through the air.
¡°Didn¡¯t I promise to tear your body to shreds?¡±
Damien¡¯s voice boomed with an overwhelming power that effortlessly eclipsed ¡¯s own.
¡°I¡¯ll fulfill that promise now.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 247
Chapter 247
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 247: The Subus (3)
***
As the momentum surged, ¡¯s face hardened in an instant.
For a brief moment, she was overwhelmed by the aura emanating from Damien.
None other than herself, , the one of the strongest ¡®Giant Evil¡¯ felt threatened by a mere boy who hadn¡¯t even lived for 30 years.
Thump.
Unconsciously, her grip tightened on her fist. Her pride as a giant evil was shaken.
¡°Surprising, isn¡¯t it?¡±
focused her dark mana on the wounded area. The wound bubbled and thenpletely regenerated.
With renewed strength in her elongated arm, clenched and unclenched her fist and said.
¡°If the connection is severed, then simply reconnect it.¡±
It was the first time the immortal body had been destroyed. It was shocking, but nothing had changed.
The mana circuits of the immortal body were incrediblyplex. Even Damien would have to concentrate to sever them.
In other words, it was not a technique that could be easily employed.
¡°I¡¯ll make you regretying a hand on a woman¡¯s body.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t even think of you as a woman.¡±
couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. She then lunged at Damien.
In the blink of an eye, she reached him. She raised her fist to smash his jaw, the blow tearing through the air with force.
At that moment, Damien ducked his head and simultaneously swung his sword. He sliced off ¡¯s forearm.
Dawn severed ¡¯s forearm, along with the mana circuit which prevented regeneration.
stared at her limp forearm in disbelief.
¡°How¡!¡±
Severing the mana circuit so easily? It was absurd. How could he do what even she couldn¡¯t¡?
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I found a way?¡±
With those words, Damien began to move.
There was no time to reattach her severed forearm. focused her vitality on her arm, and a new arm grew from the severed portion.
¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡±
threw a punch. Damien twisted his body to evade the attack.
Fist sliced through the air and created an explosion of air that sent shockwaves in all directions.
once again attacked Damien.
With each swing of her fist, a thunderous roar erupted. The buildings and the ground shook.
Yet, none of her attacks could reach Damien.
¡¯s attacks were dodged by Damien easily. He simultaneously swung Dawn and sliced her body.
Her forearms were severed multiple times. Once, even her entire shoulder was sliced off.
With the slightestpse in concentration, her knee was severed. There were even moments when she narrowly avoided having her waist severed.
¡°Impossible, this can¡¯t be happening!¡±
The parts of ¡¯s body severed by Damien did not regenerate automatically. Because of this, she had to regenerate her flesh every time by expanding her vitality.
¡¯s vitality wasn¡¯t infinite. Each time Damien shed her body, it consumed vitality to regenerate her body.
If this situation continued, she would inevitably be at a disadvantage. had to resort to herst measure.
¡°Damien! This is your final warning!¡±
shouted while attacking him.
¡°From now on, I will be incredibly unsightly. I never let anyone who sees this form live! So, drop your weapon and surrender!¡±
Damien responded to her warning with a mockingugh.
¡°You¡¯re full of it.¡±
¡°¡I figured you would say that.¡±
sounded regretful.
Soon, she released her final seal. The dark mana within her surged uncontrobly.
***
Dark mages of the Berserk Sect could manipte the human body like y.
Thus, all dark mages of the Berserk Sect had monstrous appearances.
But insisted on maintaining a human form. She believed it was the path to ultimate strength.
¡°Humans ruled the world, with the strongest among them known as the Master ss.¡±
Naturally, to be stronger, one should study and emte humans and the Master ss.
¡¯s body was crafted by researching over a hundred Master-ss individuals and more than a thousand with special lineages.
How to move swiftly, how to unleash crushing power.
Her body was the result of decades of painstaking refinement.
Yet, had been restraining her carefully crafted body.
The reason was simple. It was too unsightly.
Under the heavens, many values exist, but the highest among them is beauty.
Everyone desired a beautiful partner. People with outstanding appearances were respected just for their looks.
Thus, even as a dark mage, pursued beauty.
Now, she abandoned it. To kill Damien, she restructured her body.
¡¯s body began to swell, with monstrous muscles forming on her limbs.
Her spine protruded, and spiky protrusions emerged from her back.
¨C I really didn¡¯t want to show this form.
It wasn¡¯t just her appearance that changed. Even her voice turned deep and masculine.
¡°¡¡±
Whether in shock or otherwise, Damien said nothing.
Seeing this, exploded in fury.
¨C Stop staring at me! It makes me want to kill you right now!
¡¯s shout reverberated through the entire building.
Suddenly, Damien acted strangely.
He gathered all his mana. And then, in an instant, the resonance sound disappeared. The aurades that had surrounded Dawn also vanished entirely.
¨C What is this now?
spoke with a frown.
¨C Even so, it¡¯s no use. I will never let you live.
Seeing this appearance, had no intention of letting Damien live. That¡¯s why he gave him a final warning.
¡°I see now.¡±
Saying that, Damien lowered his sword.
¡°I can cut it now.¡±
¡°What on earth are you going to cut¡¡±
Suddenly, a strange sense of oppression began to emanate from Damien.
At first, she thought she was mistaken. But the pressure grew stronger and stronger over time.
An unarmed body.
An unarmed stance.
But found herself taking a step back without realizing it. It was a primal fear she felt.
Bam!
But ignored her own instinct. There was only one reason.
She couldn¡¯t let anyone who saw this ugly form live, so she had to kill him and erase him from this ce somehow.
clenched her fist. Her forearm bulged and swelled and doubled in size.
¡°Damien, I¡¯m sorry it has to end like this.¡±
¡°You talk a lot. Just attack me already.¡±
threw her swollen fist. The air was pushed aside in an instant, ruffling Damien¡¯s hair and hem.
Damien swung Dawn. Dawn and the fist collided.
A smile spread across ¡¯s lips. She punched Damien with all her might and Damien swung Dawn without covering it with aurade.
It was clear who would win. Damien would soon be crushed, sword and all¡
In the next instant, ¡¯s fist split open. Damien¡¯s sword sliced through her fist and forearm, advancing further.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The moment was taken aback.
Damien¡¯s sword sliced through her torso as well.
***
To ascend to the Master ss, one had to attain a ¡®realm¡¯.
However, in his days as a Death Knight, Damien did not have his own unique realm even though he had ascended to the master ss.
Was it because he could imitate the realms of other Master sses?
Or was it because he was a ve to Dorugo? Damien himself didn¡¯t know the exact reason.
What was certain was that Damien ascended to the Master ss without having his own unique realm, and only muchter did he acquire his own realm.
Sword God.
[TL/N- Author changed Divine realm to Sword God.]
It was Damien¡¯s realm which was created by unifying the realms he had imitated so far.
The reason Damien created the Sword God realm was because there was someone he had to kill without fail.
Dorugo.
Liches hid their souls in objects called Life Vessels. As long as a Life Vessel remained intact, the lich could not die. Even if their bodies were utterly destroyed, they would resurrect.
The problem was that Damien was under Dorugo¡¯s control and he had no way of finding the life vessel.
Thus, Damien created the Sword God realm. A method to kill Dorugo without needing to find the life vessel.
Cut.
Whatever it is. Whatever form it takes. No matter where it is.
The realm Damien created with the sole intent of severing Dorugo¡¯s soul was the Sword God.
However, the Sword God realm was something Damien developed as a Death Knight. He couldn¡¯t fully utilize it with mana instead of dark mana.
Therefore, Damien continuously whittled away at .
He stripped away theyers covering to ensure he could cut through her soul.
This was the result.
Damien delivered the finishing blow. Although was still alive, it was only a matter of time.
¡°A-ah¡¡±
Dark mana began to pour out from her severed body. As her soul was severed, it began to release dark mana.
¡°This¡ this can¡¯t be¡ this can¡¯t¡¡±
Along with the dark mana, her life force spewed out. ¡¯s body shriveled rapidly.
Not only did her body shrink quickly, but her skin also began to wrinkle. In mere seconds, transformed into an old woman.
¡°Stop¡ stop¡! I can¡¯t bear being this hideous¡ I can¡¯t allow this!¡±
screamed and began to clutch her body.
¡°Please¡ please kill me. So no one can see me like this¡ please¡¡±
tried to move towards Damien, but with her soul destroyed, she couldn¡¯t control her body properly.
¡°Please¡¡±
She crawled along the ground using her arms, dragging herself to Damien¡¯s feet.
¡°Kill me¡¡±
Damien opened a subspace and pulled out a spear.
It was the spear nca Roche used. Beforeing here, Damien had taken it along.
Not to use in battle, but for another purpose.
Damien thrust the spear into the ground in front of . Her face was reflected in the smooth surface of the spearhead.
¡°Aaah! Aaaah!¡±
screamed and started tearing her face.
¡°This isn¡¯t me! This isn¡¯t my face! Aaaah! Aaaah!¡±
screamed to the heavens.
With that final scream, her soul was utterly destroyed. The life faded from her eyes.
¡¯s body turned to stone and frozen in ce.
***
[PR/N- Still not satisfying death. I want Damien to torture her more.]
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Chapter 248
Chapter 248
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 248: Aftermath (1)
***
Damien stared at ¡¯s lifeless body.
Thanks to his knowledge of dark magic, he could see how ¡¯s soul had been extinguished with a horrific scream.
No matter how strong a body¡¯s regenerative abilities were, once the soul was destroyed, it was over.
All that was left before him was an empty husk.
¡°It¡¯s over.¡±
As the tension eased, a wave of pain washed over him. The aftereffects of the battle were finally catching up with him.
He struggled to stand and copsed to the floor.
Damien squeezed his eyes shut tightly. In the darkness, he mumbled softly.
¡°Sister¡¡±
In his past life, Louise was the only one in his family who had taken care of him to the end.
She had worried about him when he was exiled from his family, even giving him the money she had been saving up and wishing him happiness.
But Damien was not able toplete his sister¡¯sst request.
By bing a Death Knight, he had brought misfortune upon himself and everyone else. He had even killed his family and allowed his sister¡¯s soul to fall into ¡¯s hands.
His sister had suffered for a long time in ¡¯s grasp.
¡°Finally¡ I¡¯ve killed her.¡±
Of course, this was all just a story from his past life.
His sister in this reality was living a happy married life.
Even if he killed , his past life sister would not be saved. Only Damien would find satisfaction in it.
But he had no intention of stopping.
He would kill everyone who had tortured his family¡¯s souls in his past life, the wretches who had sided with Dorugo and brought destruction to the world.
If there was even a 1% chance that the same future awaited him as in his past life¡
He couldn¡¯t let a single one of them live. He would kill them all and extinguish their very souls.
¡°You did well too.¡±
Damien looked down at Dawn. Then he suddenly noticed something. There was a chip on the de of the sword.
It seemed that he hadn¡¯t been able to fully withstand ¡¯sst blow and the de had been chipped.
¡°You pushed yourself too hard. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
Ziiing.
Dawn hummed as if to say it was fine. But of course, it couldn¡¯t possibly be fine.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to visit the Church again soon.¡±
He had been thinking about doing it anyway. Holy swords of Dawn¡¯s caliber grew stronger with each battle. And each time they grew, they needed to be reforged to maintain their full power.
¡°Just rest for now.¡±
Damien sheathed Dawn. Then he sensed a presence above him.
Arge number of people poured down from a hole in the ceiling. One of them cried out.
¡°Mr.Damien! You¡¯re alive? Mr.Damien!¡±
It was the academy Chancellor, Altman Bedepullity.
Altman rushed towards Damien with the instructors, but then he stopped in shock when he saw ¡¯s corpse.
¡°W-what is this¡?¡±
¡¯s body was shriveled like a mummy. It was consequences of her soul being destroyed.
However, since the main body was so huge, even the mummy was enormous.
It was so overwhelming that even knowing it was a corpse, one couldn¡¯t help but be overwhelmed.
¡°It¡¯s .¡±
Damien said tly. Altman replied with a surprised face.
¡°I-Is this really ?¡±
¡°If you find it hard to believe, call in the investigators. You should already have a good understanding of the nature of ¡¯s dark magic.¡±
At these words, the eyes of the Chancellor and the other instructors wavered.
With Damien acting so confidently, they couldn¡¯t help but believe it, even if they didn¡¯t want to.
The fact that this was the corpse of , the Subus of Pandemonium.
¡°¡To have dealt with alone.¡±
¡°How many such skilled people can there be in the empire?¡±
¡°There can¡¯t be more than ten. That¡¯s incredible.¡±
The instructors all looked at Damien in awe.
Damien didn¡¯t care much about the instructors¡¯ reactions.
¡°I¡¯m going to leave now.¡±
¡°Well, wait a minute, where are you going?¡±
The Chancellor asked in surprise. Damien looked at the Chancellor with a cold gaze and said.
¡°Why? Do you think you¡¯re going to stop me again like before?¡±
Damien was still holding a grudge against the Chancellor for interfering with him.
Damien¡¯s re made the Chancellor unable to look up.
¡°N-No, of course not.¡±
¡°I¡¯m tired and I want to rest. I¡¯ll be in my room, so please call me if the investigators are dispatched.¡±
Damien leaped over the ceiling. As he went outside, he saw the faces of other instructors.
Two students were sandwiched between them.
They were Oliver and Penelope.
¡°Are you both okay?¡±
Damien said this and approached the two, but they flinched and took a step back.
¡°W-Well¡¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s¡¡±
The two were clearly afraid of Damien.
Damien didn¡¯t take it personally. When he found , Damien couldn¡¯t control his emotions.
They felt his killing intent the first time so it was natural that the two would be scared.
¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re both safe. Get checked out and rest, just in case.¡±
Damien turned and headed for his room.
Oliver and Penelope watched Damien¡¯s back with mixed expressions.
***
Within a day, investigators were dispatched to the academy.
The investigators extracted dark magic from ¡¯s corpse and examined it.
¡°¡The pattern of the dark magic matches. It¡¯s definitely .¡±
¡°Is this really ? One of the strongest giant evils dies so easily?¡±
¡°What can we do? There¡¯s a dead body right in front of us. We have to believe it.¡±
The investigators immediately wrote a report and submitted it to the imperial court.
As soon as the report was received, the imperial court was turned upside down.
¡°It¡¯s confirmed that died at the academy.¡±
¡°What? Does that mean was really hiding at the academy?¡±
¡°It¡¯s absurd¡ What kind of ce is the academy that a giant evil would¡¡±
¡°I think other organizations should be needed to investigate. Who knows if Pandemonium¡¯s influence has reached them?¡±
The imperial officials took this incident very seriously.
The academy was the cradle that nurtured the future of the empire. Such a ce had been defiled by Pandemonium.
There was no guarantee that other organizations were safe. They had tounch a full-scale investigation, even if it meant turning the empire upside down.
¡°What about that knight, Damien Haksen? Did he really fight alone?¡±
¡°The testimonies of the students and instructors are the same. It¡¯s certain.¡±
¡°It¡¯s absurd. Wasn¡¯t one of the most powerful beings in Pandemonium?¡±
¡°How many knights died to ? Damien Haksen did that all alone¡?¡±
The officials originally had a very negative view of Damien.
How could they like a person who broke the tradition of the academy?
But if that knight had killed , that was a different story.
¡°I feel relieved when I think about all the crap that bitch did.¡±
¡°Over hundreds of thousands of imperial citizens were sacrificed to that Subus.¡±
¡°How many knights died? How many talented people were taken away?¡±
The harm had inflicted on the empire was immeasurable.
There was no one among the empire¡¯s nobles who did not have a grudge against .
¡°I heard he went to the academy to find .¡±
¡°So we were wrong to insult Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Oh, well¡ I don¡¯t know what to apologize for.¡±
While the officials were busy discussing Damien and , the emperor was deep in thought.
¡®To have defeated ¡¡¯
The emperor couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
The empire had been chasing for decades without even catching a glimpse of her.
Not only had he found this monster on his own, but he had also defeated her alone.
¡®He has achieved an extraordinary feat¡¡¯
Such a feat was unheard of in the history of the empire.
¡®Wait a minute.¡¯
The emperor suddenly realized something.
¡®Now I can support him wholeheartedly now, can¡¯t I?¡¯
***
While the investigation was ongoing, Damien rested in his room.
¡®I need a week to recover.¡¯
He had to push the Combined Infinity Cycle and Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation to the limit to keep up with ¡¯s speed.
Using these two mana cultivation techniques multiplied his physical abilities and mana output several times over, but they also put a great strain on his body.
¡®I¡¯m still not strong enough to face an opponent like .¡¯
Damien didn¡¯t take this victory too optimistically.
was still considered ¡®rtively¡¯ easy to defeat. This was because Damien had an advantage in terms ofpatibility.
¡¯s most powerful weapon was her ability to emit pheromones.
Most knights were enved by ¡¯s pheromones. Even those who managed to resist were often hindered by the pheromones during battle.
However, Damien waspletely unaffected by the pheromones. This was because Damien¡¯s ability to control his body was so advanced.
¡®Her physical abilities were overwhelming, but her movements were simple.¡¯
¡¯s speed and destructive power were unparalleled, but she couldn¡¯t use a wide variety of attacks because she hadn¡¯t learned any martial arts.
As a result, Damien was able to read all of ¡¯s movements and counter them in advance.
¡®A Weapon Master won¡¯t be that easy.¡¯
A Weapon Master was a Master ss knight who had already ovee numerous walls.
He was also technically skilled and could use his demonic swords to create all sorts of variables.
¡®I need to get stronger to face a Weapon Master.¡¯
Damien thought about the Dragon Heart in the subspace.
It was a bit disappointing to rely on it alone. Damien needed an elixir that would further enhance his abilities.
¡®If possible, I¡¯d like to get another fragment of Erebos.¡¯
If the power of Erebos became stronger than it was now, he might be able to turn the tide of the battle against a Weapon Master.
¡®Where else could I get another fragment¡¡¯
Damien was lost in thought when he heard someone knocking at the door.
Damien got up and opened the door. He was surprised to see who was there.
It was Sword Saint standing at the door.
Sword Saint immediately pulled Damien into a hug andughed out loud.
¡°Haha! You crazy bastard! I never thought you¡¯d kill !¡±
Sword Saint hugged Damien tightly and then let him go after a while.
¡°What brings you here, Sir?¡±
¡°When I heard that was dead, how could I sit still? I ran right away! There are so many things I want to ask you. No, I¡¯m dying to ask you!¡±
Sword Saint patted Damien¡¯s back.
¡°But who¡¯s the man behind you?¡±
Damien asked as he looked at the man standing behind Sword Saint. The man was hiding his head and face with a ck robe.
¡°Oh, this guy¡¡±
A look of embarrassment crossed Sword Saint¡¯s face for a moment.
¡°Let me introduce myself.¡±
The man said as he removed the robe that had been hiding his head.
The first thing that caught Damien¡¯s eye was his silver hair, which seemed to have been plucked from the moonlight itself.
But it wasn¡¯t just his hair that was unusual. The man¡¯s skin was white, with no hint of color.
¡°My name is Eos.¡±
The man said and continued to stare at Damien with his blood-red eyes.
¡°I am also known as the Imperial Supreme Sword.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
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Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 249: Aftermath (2)
***
Damien momentarily forgot his thoughts. This was because an entirely unexpected figure stood before him.
The Imperial Supreme Sword.
The knight who reigned supreme in the empire, where master sses were piled up like mountains.
People wondered who was the strongest among the Imperial Supreme Sword, Sword Saint, Church¡¯s Cheongyeum, and the future Sword Empress, who would one day rise to power.
Damien knew the answer, as he had fought all of them.
No matter what anyone said, the strongest human was the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Among those whom people mentioned as candidates for the strongest human, the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s skills were the most outstanding. To the point of being unparalleled.
Even Damien in his days as a Death Knight had almost been defeated.
At this point in time, the only existence who could rival the Imperial Supreme Sword was the leader of Pandemonium. Even he was far inferior to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The Imperial Supreme Sword nced at Damien and said.
¡°Do you have an umbre?¡±
Damien¡¯s expression crumbled slightly at the out-of-the-blue question.
¡°This guy. Is that what you¡¯re suddenly going to say?¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to rain tomorrow. I feel that fate strongly. So I rmend you prepare in advance.¡±
Damien looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword with an incredulous expression.
¡®No,e to think of it, this was the kind of person he was.¡¯
To put it nicely, the Imperial Supreme Sword was always lost in his own world, or, to put it another way, he was crazy.
Those were the words he had said when he first met Damien in his previous life.
¨C Isn¡¯t it hot?
¨C He rememberedughing awkwardly because he was so dumbfounded.
Of course, at that time, Damien was trapped inside his body, so he couldn¡¯t show it with his actions.
¡°What brings you to me?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword rarely left the capital. He was confined to the imperial pce and did not do anything.
So whenever he showed up, the whole empire would be in an uproar.
¡®It¡¯s not strange since I killed .¡¯
was one of the most powerful figures among the forces of Pandemonium.
It was only natural that the Imperial Supreme Sword would take an interest in Damien after such a bigwig was killed.
¡°¡ yeah, ¡¯s dead. It¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t feel any fate for to die.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword said in a dreamy tone. The Sword Saint standing beside him chuckled and said.
¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much. That¡¯s just the kind of guy he is. He talks nonsense all the time.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword was also known by the nickname of ¡®Prophet¡¯.
He often talked out of his hat, but sometimes it turned out to be true.
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
At that moment, the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s eyes gradually gained strength. His blood-red eyes stared at Damien as if they were going to pierce through him.
¡®That look is exactly the same as in my previous life.¡¯
The Imperial Supreme Sword had a naturalck of pigmentation in his body. As a result, his skin and hair were white, and his eyes were blood-red.
Many people found the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s gaze unsettling.
Was it because his eyes were blood-red? No, it wasn¡¯t. It was because when they were looked at by the Imperial Supreme Sword, they felt as if they were stripped naked.
That¡¯s when it happened.
He closed his eyes and opened them again, and the world had changed.
Damien found himself standing under a starry night sky instead of in his room. The ground beneath his feet was covered in bright yellow flowers.
There was nothing else around them. It was just Damien and the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Suddenly, the Imperial Supreme Sword swung his sword. A breathtakingly beautiful trajectory shed towards Damien¡¯s neck.
Immediately afterward, the world changed again. Instead of the night sky and flower field, he saw the familiar scenery of his room.
Damien touched his neck. There was not even a scratch, let alone a cut. The Imperial Supreme Sword was also no longer holding his sword.
¡®¡What a tiresome prank.¡¯
A moment ago, Damien had been in the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s mental realm.
The Imperial Supreme Sword possessed strange abilities that no one else had.
One of them was the ability to pull people into his own mental world.
Damien had heard that the Imperial Supreme Sword trained his swordsmanship there and sometimes brought people in to test something.
¡°Your prank is a bit too much.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Sword Saint turned to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°Did you do that again? You scared everyone after doing it, so I told you to stop.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop yourself?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword ignored Sword Saint¡¯s reprimand. Sword Saint sighed as if he had expected this.
¡°All restrictions disappear there. You can purely test your skills. So why didn¡¯t you stop?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t stop myself. It¡¯s that I couldn¡¯t. How can I stop the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s sword?¡±
¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword immediately denied Damien¡¯s words.
¡°I can feel it. Your skills are not at this level. So don¡¯t hide it. Don¡¯t deceive me.¡±
His blood-red eyes stared intently at Damien as he spoke.
¡°I came here today to see your true form.¡±
Damien let out a sigh he had been holding back at the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s words.
This was what Damien had been most worried about when the Imperial Supreme Sword appeared before him.
As far as Damien knew, the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s insight was far beyond human level.
It was the same in his Death Knight days. While fighting him, the Imperial Supreme Sword had said this:
¨C How long have you been like this? You¡¯re lucky you haven¡¯t gone mad.
¨C It would have been easier if you had gone mad. Then you could have epted your changed self.
¨C Did you want to remain human until the end? It¡¯s foolish but noble.
He had a bad feeling that the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s insight might notice that he was hiding his true strength.
And as expected, his premonition came true.
Damien thought for a moment. It was impossible to deceive the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Then it might be better to show him everything.
Moreover, Damien himself wanted to fight the Imperial Supreme Sword properly.
After all, the man before him was a person who had threatened him even in his previous life.
¡°If you wish, I will show you.¡±
As soon as he finished speaking, the world changed again. The starry sky and flower field spread out before his eyes.
Before he could even admire the breathtaking scenery, a sword attack struck.
Damien raised his sword and blocked it. The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s sword attack was blocked just below his neck.
Then, a smile finally appeared on the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s lips.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Show me your trueself.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword put away his sword. And then he swung it towards Damien again. Damien immediately responded.
Dozens of shes of swordsmanship that were too fast to be seen collided.
The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s swordsmanship was not shy. It was not fast. It was not even powerful.
It was ordinary, quiet. It was even monotonous.
But it was strangely difficult to block. If he lost focus for even a moment, the sword would be at his throat before he knew it.
Suddenly, the Imperial Supreme Sword disappeared. At the same time, the night sky began to be stained with the trajectory of swords.
Thousands? Tens of thousands?
Countless swordsmanship attacks poured in. It was not just about tearing Damien apart, but about turning him into dust.
Despite the horrific sight, Damien was not surprised.
If he had been Damien in reality, he would not have been able to deal with this technique.
However, in the mental realm, the limitations of the physical body and mana were lifted. Damien could fully disy his full strength.
Damien¡¯s sword moved.
He deflected the iing swordsmanship. He smashed it. He cut it off.
The storm of swordsmanship that was trying to engulf Damien came to a halt. It couldn¡¯t get close to Damien and started to be pushed back.
The moment some space was created, Damien¡¯s body spun. He swung his sword wide.
Darkness exploded.
Dark swordsmanship cut through the storm. The trajectory of the swords was instantly erased.
Thanks to this, a path was created. He could see the figure of the Imperial Supreme Sword standing far away.
The Imperial Supreme Sword was staring at Damien with a surprised expression.
¡°This can¡¯t be¡¡±
Damien immediately kicked the ground. At the same time, he swung his sword.
A long line of swordsmanship slit the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s throat.
***
As soon as he slit the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s throat, Damien returned to reality.
¡°I lost.¡±
Sword Saint¡¯s mouth dropped open at the words of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
It was true that the Imperial Supreme Sword had once been Damien¡¯s most difficult opponent.
However, Damien had already surpassed the Imperial Supreme Sword. He had absorbed his techniques and realm and risen to a higher level.
So now, the Imperial Supreme Sword was no match for Damien.
¡°It¡¯s amazing. Your swordsmanship mixes various techniques. It¡¯s like fighting hundreds of people at the same time.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword said with a dreamy expression.
¡°But the foundation was one. You created the techniques based on that.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword stared at Damien and asked.
¡°Damien Haksen, you were a Dark Knight.¡±
At those words, Sword Saint¡¯s eyes widened. Sword Saint scolded the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°That¡¯s nonsense¡ How can Damien be a Dark Knight?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword did not respond to Sword Saint¡¯s words this time either. Sword Saint looked like he was going to explode.
¡°But there is no malice. He is full of hatred and anger, but it is not directed at us. In the first ce, his destiny is not directed at us.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword closed his eyes for a moment. As if he was thinking about something.
¡°¡I¡¯m d I came to see you. Thanks to that, everything is clear.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword continued speaking with his eyes closed.
¡°Damien Haksen, I can feel destiny. But at some point, the fate of the world took a big turn. I don¡¯t know the cause or the reason. I can only know that it has twisted.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword opened his eyes again. His blood-red eyes were directed at Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen, your action of killing was also a departure from the predetermined fate. But paradoxically, thanks to you killing , the twist was somewhat resolved. Thanks to that, I was able to read the flow for a while.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword stopped talking for a moment. And then he said in an unshakeable tone.
¡°Damien Haksen, I will die soon.¡±
***
¡°What do you mean?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but ask back. The Imperial Supreme Sword was not a man who would die so quickly.
Even during the War of Destruction, he had survived to the end and led the imperial army. It wasn¡¯t until muchter that he lost his life to Damien.
¡°Yes, I was not meant to die. But fate twisted. Everything changed. I will die soon.¡±
It was a nonsensical statement. But he couldn¡¯t just ignore it.
The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s prophecies were eerily urate.
¡°I am not afraid of death. But I am afraid of the world that has changed because of it. The future that will be ruined by my death makes me so anxious that I can¡¯t bear it. That¡¯s why I came to you.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword continued speaking at length.
¡°Damien Haksen, soon your nemesis will regain his former self. However, that¡¯s not a big problem. That much of a twist won¡¯t be able to do anything to you. The problem is whates next.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s voice darkened slightly.
¡°A bigger twist ising. It¡¯s so big that I can¡¯t see anything. With my abilities, it¡¯s impossible to even fathom what that twist is.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke firmly.
¡°So be prepared. Be stronger than you are now. Prepare for the new disaster that is about toe.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword reached into his pocket. And he took something out.
What the Imperial Supreme Sword took out was a shard of sword.
It was quiterge and had a broken edge. des were attached to both sides.
The moment he saw it, Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Originally, I was looking for a way to get rid of this. But this time, I could feel it. Its destiny is linked to yours.¡±
A fragment of Erebos.
The Imperial Supreme Sword held it out and said.
¡°I hope this will help you on your way.¡±
[PR/N- Author is really cooking something very big.]
***
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Chapter 250
Chapter 250
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[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 250: Aftermath (3)
***
Damien hesitated to reach out for the fragment of Erebos thaty before him.
¡°You know what this is, and yet you¡¯re offering it to me?¡±
Erebos was a weapon of unknown origin.
All that was known about it was that it could never be destroyed and that even a small fragment contained immense power.
¡°I know it¡¯s a dangerous object if used wrong.¡±
¡°And yet you want to give it to me?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword raised his head slightly, his gaze fixed on a distant point.
¡°Because the destiny of this is linked to you.¡±
For that reason alone, giving away a fragment of Erebos seemed like the act of a madman.
But he couldn¡¯t refuse it. The fragment that the Imperial Supreme Sword had brought was quiterge.
Absorbing it into Erebos would undoubtedly greatly increase its power. Perhaps even new powers would be unlocked.
It was a gift too precious to miss, considering the uing battle with the Weapon Master.
¡°I ept it gratefully.¡±
Damien grasped the fragment of Erebos. He could feel the Erebos tattooed on his wrist reacting to the fragment.
¡°Damien Haksen, do you still have the sword you received from the Emperor?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword asked a strange question as Damien epted the fragment.
Damien had already grown ustomed to the presence of the Imperial Supreme Sword, so he spoke calmly.
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°You used that to impersonate the Emperor¡¯s authority.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take the punishment dly.¡±
¡°No, continue to do so from now on.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Damien¡¯s face was incredulous as he looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°The conversation with His Majesty has already ended. You can borrow His Majesty¡¯s authority to achieve your goals freely.¡±
Not only Damien but also the Sword Saint was stunned.
The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s words meant that the Emperor would be Damien¡¯s guarantor, which was a privilege that transcended the imperial family.
¡°Additionally, even if it bes known to others that you¡¯re the Dark Knight, I¡¯ll permit you to use the Emperor¡¯s sword. At that time, not only His Majesty but also I will protect you.¡±
¡°¡Is that okay?¡±
¡°Correcting the distortion is more important.¡±
Using dark magic was a taboo among taboos. That¡¯s why Damien had only used it when others weren¡¯t watching.
But if the Emperor and the Imperial Supreme Sword were to vouch for Damien, the situation would change.
Of course, he didn¡¯t n to recklessly use dark magic in front of others. It was too dangerous and would only lead to unnecessary trouble.
¡®But if an unavoidable situation arises, I can use it without worrying about others.¡¯
He had gained the right to use dark magic without worrying about others¡¯ opinions. There woulde a day when it would be useful.
¡°Oh, and His Majesty said to convey that you muste to the pce.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go right away after the investigation is over.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s better not to go.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°If you go to the pce, you¡¯ll get caught up in His Majesty¡¯s and the officials¡¯ affairs. But you have a lot of things to take care of, don¡¯t you?¡±
Leaving those words behind, the Imperial Supreme Sword turned around and left the room without even saying goodbye.
¡°¡¡¡±
Damien gazed at the door with a stunned expression. He had thought he was familiar with the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s personality, but it seemed he had been mistaken.
¡°That guy just left without saying a word.¡±
Sword Saint clicked his tongue as if he had expected it.
¡°More importantly, is what that he said true? Are you really a Dark Knight?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°¡Are you joking?¡±
Since he had already been caught, there was no need to hide it. Damien took off his bracelet and released a little dark mana.
And he showed Sword Saint how he could move the dark mana around with his fingers.
¡°¡Oh my God.¡±
Sword Saint wrung his hands together. His face was full of shock.
¡°You can use dark magic too?¡±
¡°What? You¡¯re really going to turn me in?¡±
Sword Saint let out a deep sigh.
¡°Will you execute me?¡±
¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±
Sword Saint said in a firm tone.
¡°That guy is a bit strange, but he neverpromises on dark mages and Dark Knights. He killed them as soon as he saw them. But the fact that he spared you¡ there must be a reason.¡±
Sword Saint seemed to trust the Imperial Supreme Sword more than Damien had thought.
¡°It¡¯s true that I know how to use dark magic, but I¡¯ve never killed anyone to gain dark mana.¡±
¡°Then what about this?¡±
¡°I killed the dark mages and extracted dark mana inside them.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s why that guy let you be.¡±
Sword Saint scratched the back of his head.
¡°I should go too. I¡¯m worried about leaving that guy alone.¡±
Before leaving the room, Sword Saint said.
¡°Oh, and I also rmend that you don¡¯t go to the Imperial Pce. It seems like he was right, and His Majesty won¡¯t let you go anywhere.¡±
With that, Sword Saint left the room as well.
But not long after the two men left, there was another knock on the door.
Damien thought that the two men hade back. But the person outside the door was neither the Imperial Supreme Sword nor Sword Saint.
¡°Thank you for opening the door, Sir Damien.¡±
It was Altman Bedepullity, the chancellor of the academy.
***
Upon their first meeting, Altman Bedepullity had taken an immediate dislike to Damien. No, it went beyond that, to the point of openly disying his hostality.
¡°May I enter?¡±
But now, things were different. He looked at Damien with a defeated air.
¡°Pleasee in.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Damien guided Altman into the room. The two of them sat down across from each other at a table.
¡°I have decided to step down from my position as chancellor.¡±
As soon as he sat down, Altman said this. Damien blinked several times.
¡°That¡¯s sudden.¡±
¡°It¡¯s only natural. Not only did infiltrate the academy, but I also allowed several students to be sacrificed.¡±
had kidnapped academy students with special lineages and used them as research material.
All of these facts came to light during the investigation into the remaining traces of at the academy.
¡°So it¡¯s right for me, the chancellor, to take responsibility and step down. It¡¯s not just me; there will be a major shakeup in the faculty as well.¡±
There was no hint of regret or resentment in Altman¡¯s voice.
¡°On the contrary, I feel like it¡¯s not enough. This is all my fault.¡±
If anything, he was filled with guilt.
¡°Stepping down as chancellor is no ordinary matter, and I¡¯ll be busy starting tomorrow. That¡¯s why I came to see you before then.¡±
Altman rose from his chair. Then he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.
¡°Thank you,¡±
Altman said in a small voice.
¡°Thanks to you, we were able to stop . Otherwise, more students would have been sacrificed.¡±
Altman¡¯s gratitude didn¡¯t end there.
¡°And thank you for saving the kidnapped students from ss 13.¡±
¡°I thought you hated ss 13.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like them, but no instructor wants their students to die.¡±
Altman slowly rose from his seat. Then he took a small vial from his pocket and held it out to Damien.
¡°Please take this.¡±
The vial contained a golden liquid. Damien asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°What is this?¡±
To Damien¡¯s question, Altman replied softly.
¡°Elysian Elixir.¡±
***
The moment he heard that, Damien almost dropped the vial.
Elysian Elixir.
A legendary elixir said to be able to revive the dead.
Of course, it didn¡¯t actually have the power to revive the truly dead. But it was undoubtedly a mythical elixir, enough to spawn such a legend.
Even if one¡¯s heart was ripped out or their lower body waspletely severed, if they consumed it ¡®just before theirst breath¡¯ everything would be regenerated.
¡°I heard that only the Alchemist sect has seeded in restoring the elixir,¡± Damien said.
¡°I have a personal connection with the head of the Alchemist sect. It was an item even I had a hard time in obtaining it.¡±
Altman held out the elixir to Damien and added.
¡°The Elysian Elixir is such a great elixir that it is called a spare life. But it has other effects as well. If a healthy person consumes the elixir, their body will be reconstructed.¡±
Body reconstruction.
Damien¡¯s eyes lit up at those words.
¡°You mean metamorphism.¡±
Metamorphism referred to the extremely rare awakening of the body that urred during the process of Master ss knights breaking through their limits.
It was not about the growth or mutation of the body. It was about reaching a higher level bypletely reconstructing it from the root.
That was called metamorphism.
¡°However, it¡¯s not like you can experience metamorphism unconditionally just by drinking it. I¡¯ve heard that it varies depending on the individual¡¯s ability.¡±
That was fine. Just the possibility of metamorphism was an incredible opportunity.
¡°May I take this?¡±
Damien asked.
¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m the one who should be asking you to take it. I think it will lighten the burden on my heart a little.¡±
Damien nodded and put the elixir into his subspace. The chancellor¡¯s face rxed slightly.
***
It took a few more days for the investigation to bepleted.
Once the investigation was over, Damien prepared to leave the academy.
He packed his bags and left his dorm room. But instead of heading to the main gate, Damien went to a different ce.
The ce Damien arrived at was the scene of nca¡¯s death.
The building waspletely burned down. All that was left was a pile of ck ash and debris.
¡°Stupid woman.¡±
Damien muttered to himself.
He told the investigators everything about nca Roche. He didn¡¯t hide a single thing.
He didn¡¯t care if nca Roche¡¯s reputation was tarnished and she was forever branded a traitor.
She had coborated with to save her child and sacrificed countless students.
She couldn¡¯t atone for her sins with just death.
¡°What did I tell you? You would lose everything.¡±
Damien said to himself.
He opened his subspace and took out a spear. He then thrust it into the ground.
¡°I have avenged my enemy.¡±
The reason Damien kept nca¡¯s spear was to use it to finish off .
It wasn¡¯t because he pitied her.
Her actions were unforgivable, and Damien had no intention of forgiving her.
But he saw his past self in her. How she was manipted and killed by a dark mage.
That¡¯s why he showed her hisst kindness.
¡°Rest in peace.¡±
He turned and walked towards the main gate to leave the academy.
But he saw familiar faces gathered at the gate.
¡°What are you guys doing here?¡±
Oliver, Penelope, and the students of ss 13 exchanged nces. Then one of them shouted.
¡°T-thank you for everything!¡±
This was followed by shouts from one or two others.
¡°W-we got our first good grades because of you, instructor!¡±
¡°M-my family contacted me! They asked if it was really me!¡±
¡°I-it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been praised like this!¡±
Damien looked at ss 13 with a surprised expression.
He never thought these brats would wait for him to thank him.
It seemed like they had finally matured a bit during that short time.
¡°¡Instructor.¡±
Oliver and Penelope walked out from the group of students. They couldn¡¯t raise their heads as if they had done something wrong.
¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you do something wrong again?¡±
¡°W-we know you saved us, but¡ we¡¡±
It seemed that they were still haunted by the fear they felt when they saw Damien.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m fine.¡±
Damien said sincerely. But their expressions remained grim.
¡°Come here.¡±
Damien gestured them toe close.
The two approached hesitantly. Damien hugged them and said.
¡°Oliver, you have a talent for swift swordsmanship. Keep practicing hard.¡±
¡°Yes, yes!¡±
¡°Penelope, to be honest, you¡¯re average. You¡¯ll only be able to reach great heights if you work to the bones.¡±
¡°I-I will¡¡±
Damien released them from his embrace.
A bright smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips before he knew it.
***
¡°I don¡¯t know why you insist on walking.¡± Sword Saint grumbled as he walked down the road.
¡°You were running in a hurry when you came here. But why are you so slow when you¡¯re returning?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword didn¡¯t respond at all. No, it didn¡¯t seem like he could even hear Sword Saint¡¯s words.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Then, the Imperial Supreme Sword stopped walking. Sword Saint spoke bluntly.
¡°Why? Did you see another fate?¡±
¡°Yeah, I did.¡±
¡°What? Really? What did you see?¡±
¡°It¡¯s strange. New fates have appeared. The distortion has been slightly relieved. What¡¯s going on here? Did Damien Haksen do something again?¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword muttered and started walking again.
¡°At least pretend to listen when someone is talking to you.¡±
Sword Saint grumbled and followed behind the Imperial Supreme Sword.
***
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Chapter 251
Chapter 251
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Chapter 251: Destination (1)
***
After leaving the Academy, Damien turned towards the Church.
He had decided to heed the advice of the Imperial Supreme Sword and the Sword Saint.
Damien had a lot to do now. He couldn¡¯t stay entangled with the Empire.
¡®Since I killed , Pandemonium will react in some way.¡¯
was no ordinary giant evil. She was one of the strongest in Pandemonium.
With such a figure dead, Pandemonium couldn¡¯t just sit still.
¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if theye after me. I¡¯ll just kill them all. But my family won¡¯t able to defend itself.¡¯
Damien¡¯s only weakness was his family. What if Pandemonium went after his family? Just imagining it made his insides churn.
¡®It¡¯s cowardly to stay by my family¡¯s side and wait for Pandemonium to strike.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t just stand by and protect his family while Pandemonium plotted who knows what. That was no different from handing Pandemonium the initiative.
Damien was determined to be more proactive.
¡®I¡¯ll shake up Pandemonium one more time.¡¯
He nned to upset the board once more so that Pandemonium wouldn¡¯t have the time to worry about Damien and his family.
¡®To do that, I need to kill the Weapon Master as quickly as possible.¡¯
The Weapon Master was a Giant Evil with powerparable to ¡¯s.
If the Weapon Master followed in death? Pandemonium would be thrown into great shock and its external activities would have to be curtailed.
However, there was one big problem with this n.
¡®The problem is how to get to that ce.¡¯
Damien had previously killed the Weapon Master¡¯s disciple and learned his location.
However, the ce where the Weapon Master was located was not easily essible to humans.
¡®Maybe I can find a way at the Church.¡¯
With that thought in mind, Damien quickened his pace.
***
Not having much time, Damien traveled day and night.
Thanks to that, he was able to reach the main body of the Church sooner than expected.
¡°It¡¯s still the same here.¡±
Damien said as he looked up at the high walls surrounding the main body of the Church.
A moat as wide as a river surrounded the walls.
Damien crossed the bridge over the moat. When he reached the end, he saw two giant statues guarding the gate.
¨C Stop there. The Church does not wee visits from strangers.
The two statues said as they looked down at Damien. Damien took out the insignia of the Honorary pdin from his subspace.
The gaze of the two statues focused on the insignia. After a while, the statues cleared the path and said.
¨C It¡¯s Sir Damien Haksen, the Honorary pdin.
¨C Your identity has been verified. You may enter.
These two statues were no ordinary golems. Not only were they powerful weapons with great fighting power, but they were also connected to the Church with the Divine Power, so they could handle any task quickly.
¨C Come on in.
The statues urged Damien, who was standing still. Damien said to the statues.
¡°If there¡¯s a knight named Agnes, please let her know I¡¯m here.¡±
Agnes.
The disciple of One of the Great Five Elders Cheongyeum.
And he was the first elder Damien had met since his regression.
He couldn¡¯t just wander around a ce as big as the Church alone. He needed help.
¨C Wait a minute.
The eyes of the statues glowed again. Then the statues said to Damien.
¨C We have confirmed that there is a pdin named Agnes.
¨C She is on her way here, so please go in and wait.
Damien went inside the gate and waited for a while. Then, he saw a female knight running from far away.
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
Agnes ran at an incredible speed and stopped in front of Damien.
On her face, usually expressionless to the point of coldness, surprise was now visible.
¡°Ah, no¡ How on earth did you get here¡?¡±
¡°You¡¯re being kind of rude. It sounds like you¡¯re not happy I¡¯m here.¡±
Damien replied yfully. Agnes was very flustered.
¡°Oh, no! I¡¯ve always been waiting for Sir Damien¡ No, no, that¡¯s not it! The Church always wees Sir Damien! However, I thought Sir Damien had be a knight of the Empire¡¡±
¡°Me? A knight of the Empire?¡±
It was new news to Damien.
¡°You won the Helian Tournament, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Knights from other kingdoms can also participate in the Helian Tournament, right? So I just participated and won.¡±
¡°I heard you received a sword from the Emperor.¡±
¡°I just received it, but I never pledged allegiance.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you be a teacher at the Imperial Academy?¡±
¡°I only went in to catch .¡±
Agnes sighed in relief.
¡°Ah¡ that¡¯s a relief. I thought you had joined the Empire, Sir Damien.¡±
¡°How could that be? My heart is always turned towards God.¡±
Damien spoke with a shameless face.
The connection to the Church was very useful, so he needed to maintain it, even if it meant lying.
¡°Of course you did! Other people were saying that you had abandoned your faith, but I didn¡¯t believe them. I was sure that you were still deeply religious, Sir Damien.¡±
¡°As expected, Lady Agnes, you understand my heart well.¡±
¡°N-n-not that well.¡±
Agnes blushed and said.
¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡±
Suddenly, Agnes knelt before Damien.
Damien was surprised and tried to get her up.
¡°Why are you doing this?¡±
¡°I heard that you killed the subus , Sir Damien. Thank you for punishing the most wicked of the heretics and setting God¡¯s will right.¡±
Agnes bowed her head deeply and said.
¡°Not only me, but the others also feel the same way about you, Sir Damien.¡±
After all, it seemed that ¡¯s death had shaken not only the Empire but also the Church.
It was natural, considering that the group that hated dark mages the most in the world was the Church.
Agnes got up and asked.
¡°But what is the matter with the Church? Ho, or did youe here because of me¡?¡±
¡°I came to fix this.¡±
Damien said as he pointed to the Dawn at his waist.
Agnes¡¯s expression darkened immediately.
¡°¡You came to fix the holy sword.¡±
¡°Are you upset?¡±
¡°¡No.¡±
Agnes replied in a prickly tone.
Damien looked at her with a puzzled expression.
¡°It¡¯s a good thing you came at this time.¡±
¡°Good thing?¡±
¡°The master has gone out on a mission. If the master had seen you, Sir Damien, he would have challenged you to a duel without hesitation.¡±
At that, Damien felt a shiver run down his spine.
Considering Cheongyeum¡¯s personality, that was definitely the case.
He had even attacked Damien out of the blue when he first visited the Church. He said that he was curious about his skills.
At that time, Damien was only a middle ss, and Cheongyeum was a Master ss.
¡°If you came to fix the holy sword, you should go see Sir Malta.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t I have to greet Her Holiness first?¡±
¡°Her Holiness went into silent prayer a week ago. It ends tonight.¡±
Holy Empress periodically went into seclusion something called silent prayer.
For a week, she would pray without saying a word or eating anything.
¡°Follow me.¡±
Agnes guided Damien to a workshop inside the main body of the Church.
The armaments of the Church were so outstanding that they were recognized throughout the continent. True to its reputation, the scale of the workshop was enormous.
Even more surprising was the sight of the cksmiths who were walking around the workshop.
They were as small as children. On the other hand, their entire bodies were covered in boulder-like muscles.
The cksmiths in the workshop were not humans but dwarves.
The Church¡¯s religion spread not only among humans but also among other races.
These were the descendants of the dwarves who had sacrificed themselves when the Church was founded.
¡°Young pdin. What is it?¡±
A dwarf approached the two. Agnes greeted him briefly and said.
¡°I came to see Sir Malta.¡±
¡°Did you make an appointment? Those who have not made an appointment will not be admitted.¡±
¡°This person is qualified to see Sir Malta even without an appointment.¡±
The dwarf looked at Damien with a crooked gaze. It was as if he was saying ¡®What nonsense is this?¡¯
¡°He¡¯s Sir Damien Haksen. He is the master of the holy sword, Dawn.¡±
¡°¡What? Damien Haksen?¡±
But when Agnes revealed Damien¡¯s identity, dwarf eyes widened.
¡°If you are the master of Dawn, you are qualified to see Sir Malta. Wait a moment.¡±
The dwarf went inside the workshop. After a while, something dark and hairy emerged from inside.
¡°Dawnnnnnnnnnnnn!¡±
A dwarf with hairs all over his face and head was running towards them, about to burst into tears.
¡°You bastard Damien Haksen! Hurry up and show me Dawn!¡±
Damien grimaced and held out Dawn. Malta hugged Dawn with both arms.
¡°Dawn! How long has it been! Do you know how lonely I¡¯ve been without you?¡±
Ziiiiing! Ziiiiing!
Dawn also seemed to be happy and hummed. Then Malta cried out even louder.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡ Let¡¯s make sure you¡¯ve been well and haven¡¯t been hurt.¡±
Malta drew Dawn from its scabbard. And as soon as he saw the notch in Dawn¡¯s de, he froze stiff.
¡°¡Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°¡What is this?¡±
¡°The de is notched.¡±
Damien said indifferently. Then Malta¡¯s eyebrows shot up.
¡°Who do you think I can¡¯t see? I¡¯m asking why Dawn is in this condition?¡±
¡°It happened when I fought .¡±
¡°What? ?¡±
Malta¡¯s eyes widened at the name . And Malta muttered and hugged Dawn.
¡°Subus ¡ If it¡¯s a monster like that, this much damage is¡ It¡¯s rather fortunate that it ended like this¡ The weapon I made was used to cut off ¡¯s breath¡¡±
After a while of pondering, Malta looked at Damien and said.
¡°¡I¡¯ll forgive you just time once.¡±
¡°Yes, Thank you, thank you so much.¡±
Damien replied with an annoyed expression. Then Malta turned on his temper again.
¡°No! Dawn! Come back to my arms! I can¡¯t leave you with that bastard!¡±
Ziiiiing¡
¡°What? You don¡¯t like it? You ungrateful bastard! That¡¯s why they say there¡¯s no point in raising a daughter!¡±
Damien looked at Malta with a tired expression.
¡°And this bastard! A holy sword has to be tempered every time it grows, so why did you only bring Dawn now!¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been very busytely.¡±
¡°Anyway, you brought it well! You did a great job!¡±
Malta stroked the de of Dawn andughed strangely.
¡°Dawn¡ You¡¯ve grown so wonderfully in the time I haven¡¯t seen you¡ Just a touch of my hand will make you several times stronger than this¡ ughhhhh.¡±
Damien nced at Malta with a disgusted expression. Then he asked Agnes.
¡°Is he always like that, that dwarf?¡±
¡°Well¡ he usually exercises self-restraint¡¡±
Agnes said while avoiding Damien¡¯s gaze.
¡°Sir Malta, I have a question.¡±
¡°What is it? If you¡¯re going to ask me how to polish Dawn, wait a minute.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m not going to ask that. Sir Malta, you lead all the dwarves who have sacrificed themselves to the Church, right?¡±
¡°So what?¡±
¡°Then do you also have contact with dwarves in other regions?¡±
Malta thought for a moment at Damien¡¯s question and then replied.
¡°There are a few cities with which we have contact.¡±
Dwarves were a race that lived in cities rather than kingdoms.
They were very different from what humans thought of as cities. They lived hidden in mountains or deep in caves, and they were muchrger.
¡°Then do you also have contact with Hammerfell City?¡±
¡°Hammerfell? Why there?¡±
¡°I heard the name on my travels and thought I¡¯d ask.¡±
It was a lie, in fact. Damien had never heard of a city called Hammerfell.
However, there was another reason why Damien asked about Hammerfell City.
Weapon Master.
His next goal was there.
***
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Chapter 252
Chapter 252
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Chapter 252: Destination (2)
***
Damien had no idea why the Weapon Master was in Hammerfell City. He only came to know when he had extracted the information from the Weapon Master¡¯s disciple.
However, he could guess. He had seen something in his previous life.
¡®He¡¯s probably trying to make that Demonic sword.¡¯
The Demonic sword was an avatar created by the demons to exert influence on the continent. Therefore, it contained all the power and authority of the demons.
However, the Demonic sword that the Weapon Master was trying to make was not just a ¡®demon¡¯s avatar¡¯.
He nned to make a Demonic sword using the body of a high-ranking demon. In other words, the Demonic sword that the Weapon Master would make was the demon itself.
¡®He used the body of a Duke-ss demon who had descended on the continent in the distant past and was defeated.¡¯
Because of that, the power of Duke-ss demon was fully contained in the Demonic sword.
The Weapon Master used the power contained in the Demonic sword to massacre countless knights.
Even the Master sses, who were considered strong in their own right, couldn¡¯t even put up a proper resistance before losing their lives to the Demonic sword.
¡°Hammerfell City¡¡±
Damien was thinking about the Weapon Master when Malta stroked his beard and asked.
¡°Why are you suddenly curious about those jerks?¡±
¡°Considering that you, Sir Malta, are calling them jerks, it speaks volumes about just how assholes they must be.¡±
¡°Not normal assholes, but they¡¯re the ones who arepletely blocked off and ostracized even among their own kind. I don¡¯t even like them.¡±
Malta waved his hands as if he was disgusted.
¡°Our dwarves are a bit closed-minded, but those guys are really bad! They never let anyone into the city. Even their own kind!¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Once, there was no contact from the Hammerfell City for decades. Later, I found out that a gue had swept through the city and the whole ce was in ruins. But even then, they didn¡¯t ask for help from the outside.¡±
If Malta¡¯s words were true, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary closed-off ce.
¡°I hear that the knowledge and mysteries of ancestors are preserved in the Hammerfell City. Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re so closed off.¡±
Then, Malta suddenly said something strange.
¡°But you got a weird way with words. To call them assholes, it sounds like you¡¯re implying that I¡¯m an asshole.¡±
¡°How could that be? It¡¯s just a slip of the tongue.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Malta made a slightly suspicious expression. Damien turned the conversation around coldly.
¡°Then you don¡¯t know how to get into Hammerfell City?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, and neither do the others. I have a vague idea of where it is. Why, do you want me to tell you that?¡±
¡°I would be grateful if you did.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s not a difficult request, so I¡¯ll do it for you. But first, I need to fix this thing.¡±
Malta said and stroked the hilt of Dawn.
¡°How long do you think it will take for Dawn to be repaired?¡±
¡°Give me three days. I¡¯ll make this thing even more magnificent in that time.¡±
Malta said in a confident voice.
¡°Well, if you understand, get out of here now. I need to start working on this thing.¡±
Malta said this and began to focus on Dawn again.
¡°Oh, Dawn, you¡¯re so cute! How can I make you even more beautiful? Simply polishing it won¡¯t be enough¡¡±
Malta was instantly lost in his own world.
It was as if he hadpletely forgotten that Damien and Agnes were there.
¡°Sir Damien, I would be grateful if you could understand. He is very skilled, but he is not very good at reading other people¡¯s moods¡¡±
Agnes said apologetically. From Damien¡¯s point of view, as long as Dawn was fixed, he didn¡¯t care.
¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired. I¡¯ll take you to our amodations. There are plenty of empty rooms in our sect¡¯s building, so please choose whichever one you like¡¡±
Suddenly, the door of the workshop burst open. And a small woman walked in briskly.
Unusually, the woman had her eyes tightly closed. Yet, she walked over to Malta without tripping over any obstacles.
¡°Sir Malta.¡±
¡°¡I need to add more materials. Dawn is made of¡, so I need to add some rare metals that go well with it.¡±
¡°Sir Malta?¡±
¡°¡How much rare metal is left in the warehouse? I think there¡¯s not much left. It would be better to mix in some divine iron instead. I wonder if Her Holiness would give it to me.¡±
¡°SIR MALTA!¡±
The woman shouted. Only then did Malta turn his head.
¡°Who is making all this noise¡ What are you doing here? What¡¯s the matter again?¡±
¡°Since this morning, Highborn has been sounding quite dull. I came to ask Sir Molta to take a look at it.¡±
The woman held out the sword she had been clutching in her arms. Malta took the sword and flicked the de with his finger.
The sword rang out loudly. Malta put his ear to the de.
¡°Hmm? Ugh, ugh? Highborn¡¯s de is really dull.¡±
¡°Then you¡¯re the only one I can trust, Master Malta. Please take good care of it.¡±
¡°No, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have time to deal with this right now.¡±
The woman tilted her head at Malta¡¯s firm refusal.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you could joke, Master Malta.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±
¡°Have you perhaps gone blind? This is Highborn. It¡¯s a legendary holy sword that you personally made and you gave me a threatening request toe to you at the first sign of trouble.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. But right now, there¡¯s a child I need to see more urgently than this.¡±
Malta said as he held out his sword and added.
¡°So go ask someone else to look at it instead of me.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? Do you want me to take our Highborn to another dwarf? I¡¯ll be anxious all day and won¡¯t be able to sleep!¡±
The woman shouted in horror. It seemed that this woman was not a normal human being either.
¡°Fix Highborn right now!¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Why are you doing this! What sword do you need to see that you¡¯re neglecting Highborn!¡±
When the woman got angry, Malta held out Dawn, which he had left aside.
¡°I need to turn this thing into something beautiful.¡±
As soon as she saw Dawn, the woman¡¯s expression changed instantly.
She took Dawn in both hands. And she admired it, touching it here and there.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s a really wonderful sword. I¡¯ve never seen such a straight and smooth sword before.¡±
¡°Right? It¡¯s my greatest masterpiece.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just the appearance that¡¯s great. It has tremendous power. It looks like a legendary holy sword, but who is the owner?¡±
¡°This guy.¡±
Malta pointed to Damien. The woman looked back at Damien and was greatly surprised.
¡°Oh, there was a man. I¡¯m sorry. I get narrow-minded when I get impatient.¡±
The woman approached Damien briskly.
¡°Oh my? You¡¯re not a pdin? Judging by the mana I sense, you¡¯re just a knight? Oh my, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve felt such pure and tremendous mana.¡±
The woman kept eximing in admiration.
¡°I didn¡¯t know such a great person was visiting the Church. What is your name? I think¡ it would be easier for you to understand if I spoke by title rather than name.¡±
The woman said politely, raising her hand to her chest.
¡°My name is Green Wind.¡±
The person who leads the Bound Winds in the Church.
And one of the five absolutes who symbolize the Church.
The Great Elder Green Wind was standing before him.
¡®It¡¯s been a long time.¡¯
Damien had already figured out her identity when she came in. Because he had fought Green Wind in his previous life.
Green Wind was the youngest of the Great Elders. That meant she was the least skilled.
But that was only inparison to the other Great Elders.
Green Wind was a formidable powerhouse worthy of the title of Great Elder.
¡®We fought for over two days.¡¯
Damien relentlessly pressed Green Wind day and night, eventually stealing all of her skills and realm.
And he crushed her heart and killed her.
¡®¡It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve felt this terrible feeling.¡¯
Meeting an opponent he had killed in his previous life was not a pleasant experience. It was like confronting his own sins.
¡°It is an honor to meet one of the renowned Great Elders.¡±
¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s nothing special.¡±
Green Wind replied with a gentle smile.
¡°My name is Damien Haksen.¡±
However, the moment Damien revealed his name, Green Wind¡¯s expression changedpletely.
¡°¡Damien Haksen?¡±
Green Wind said with a face that clearly showed her displeasure.
¡°¡What is a traitor doing here?¡±
***
Green Wind¡¯s words made the atmosphere freeze coldly.
The one who was most angry was Agnes. She hurriedly stepped in between the two.
¡°Lady Green Wind, that is too harsh. Sir Damien is an honorary pdin recognized by Her Holiness and the devotee of the God.¡±
¡°I know, I know. But he abandoned the Church and joined the Empire. To that arrogant group that doesn¡¯t believe in God.¡±
Green Wind said in a sharp voice.
As she said, the Empire did not believe in God. This was because the first emperor of the Empire was considered a god. As a result, the Empire and the Church often had friction.
¡°There is a misunderstanding. Sir Damien has never pledged allegiance to the Empire.¡±
¡°He received a sword from the Emperor of the Empire, became an instructor at the academy, and even developed a close friendship with the Sword Saint. How can I believe that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
Agnes was speechless. To be honest, it was a situation that could easily be misunderstood.
¡°I never thought the person entrusted with this sword would be you. A traitor wants to use the Church¡¯s skills and manpower? I cannot tolerate it.¡±
Damien recalled his past memories. As he did, he realized that Green Wind was the most conservative of the Great Elders.
¡°Get out of the Church immediately.¡±
Green Wind said in a firm voice. Damien sighed inwardly.
¡°Lady Green Wind, I have never betrayed anyone.¡±
¡°I told you I don¡¯t believe that.¡±
Green Wind didn¡¯t seem to believe anything Damien said.
¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have no choice but to call someone. If you don¡¯t want to be treated harshly, leave on your own¡¡±
¡°Call them.¡±
¡°¡What did you say?¡±
Damien took out the honorary pdin¡¯s badge he had kept in his pocket and showed it to her.
¡°My position has been directly recognized by Her Holiness. Even Lady Green Wind, no matter how great you are, does not have the authority to call me a traitor and kick me out on your own whim.¡±
Within the Church, Green Wind was far above him in rank.
However, Damien had a close rtionship with the Holy Empress and Cheongyeum, so he could protest to this extent.
¡°¡If you rebel like this, I may have to deal with you myself.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not bad either.¡±
Damien said indifferently.
Green Wind was indeed one of the Great Elders. However, Damien¡¯s skills were now on par with hers.
¡®If I were to analyze it, she would have the upper hand over me.¡¯
However, the difference was not so great that he would sumb to her intimidation.
¡°If you want to expel me from the Church, please ask Her Holiness for official permission.¡±
Therefore, Damien was able to stand his ground against Green Wind¡¯s orders.
¡°¡¡±
Green Wind stood silently for a long time.
Suddenly, killing intent began to emanate from her. Damien was ready to deal with it at any moment.
Just then, the door to the workshop burst open. And someone shouted.
¡°Both of you, stop it.¡±
It was a beautiful woman who could be described as a beauty.
As soon as the woman appeared, Green Wind asked with a puzzled face.
¡°Radiant Light? Why are you here¡?¡±
¡°I came to see Sir Damien. I heard he was here¡¡±
The Great Elder and the leader of the sect ¡®Blinding Agony¡¯.
Radiant Light looked at the two of them in turn and said.
¡°The atmosphere is incredibly tense. Green Wind, you need to exin what happened here.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin. I¡¯m just stopping this traitor from entrusting the repair of the holy sword to Sir Malta.¡±
As she said this, Green Wind red at Damien again. Radiant Light sighed deeply.
¡°Green Wind, I told you not to do that. What are you going to do if you jump in without even finding out properly?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to find out properly¡¡±
¡°And it¡¯s up to Her Holiness to decide whether Sir Damien has betrayed us or not. It¡¯s not your ce to judge arbitrarily.¡±
The smile disappeared from Radiant Light¡¯s face. She red at Green Wind and said.
¡°Green Wind, didn¡¯t I tell you? I hate it most when you go off on tangents.¡±
Green Wind¡¯s face turned pale. Green Wind broke out in a cold sweat.
¡°Ah, sister¡ that, that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have time now, so let¡¯s talk about itter. Sir Damien? Would you like to follow me? We need to get to the Her Holiness quickly before it¡¯s toote.¡±
At Radiant Light¡¯s words, Damien asked with a puzzled face.
¡°Toote?¡±
¡°Oh, surely you didn¡¯t know about the situation outside?¡±
Radiant Light threw open the door. And then Damien could see it.
The pdins and priests who were densely packed outside.
¡°That man is Sir Damien!¡±
¡°It¡¯s Sir Damien! The knight who killed the !¡±
¡°It¡¯s really Sir Damien!¡±
As soon as they saw Damien¡¯s face, the pdins and priests reacted violently.
¡°Sir Damien! Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you for killing !¡±
¡°You killed that damn heretic! You¡¯re the best!¡±
¡°Pandemonium! Those disgusting bastards must all have fallen over in shock! It¡¯s all thanks to Sir Damien!¡±
The voices came in waves. It was loud enough to make his ears ring.
Radiant Light closed the door. And then the sound was greatly reduced.
¡°You see? People are still flocking to see you.¡±
Radiant Light said, pointing outside.
¡°You won¡¯t be able to take a single step out of here if you don¡¯t run away right now.¡±
***
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Chapter 253
Chapter 253
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Chapter 253: Destination (3)
***
Damien looked at the door with a dumbfounded expression.
He had expected that killing would have significant repercussions, but he had no idea they would be this severe.
¡°All the people from the main building are gathering here now.¡±
The sounds from outside were growing louder in real-time.
This meant that the number of people outside was increasing steadily, just as Radiant Light had said.
¡°Sir Damien! Show us your face!¡±
¡° is dead! is dead! Sir Damien killed him!¡±
¡°Ugh! I knew that witch would die!¡±
The voices of the people grew clearer and clearer. But despite their cheers, Damien only felt fatigued.
¡®I tried to avoid trouble by not even going to the imperial pce¡.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t help but think that he might havee to a ce even more troublesome than the Imperial pce.
¡°Oh, it seems it¡¯s toote to run away. People gathered faster than expected.¡±
Radiant Light said, looking back at Green Wind.
¡°Green Wind, I have a favor to ask. Please take me and Sir Damien to the Her Holiness.¡±
¡°Sister¡¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that it was the Emperor¡¯s order?¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s voice turned cold again. Green Wind swallowed dryly.
¡°Everyone, gather around me.¡±
Damien and Radiant Light approached Green Wind. Agnes asked Radiant Light.
But Agnes remained still. Instead, she spoke with a regretful expression.
¡°Sir Damien, pleasee back.¡±
It was a ce where the five Great Elders gathered. Agnes was too low-ranking to apany them.
¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±
Green Wind raised her divine power. Then, Malta came running in a hurry.
¡°Me too! I want toe too!¡±
¡°Why are youing, Sir Malta?¡±
¡°I have a favor to ask the Her Holiness.¡±
Green Wind made a bewildered expression. But she didn¡¯t ask any more questions.
¡°Let¡¯s really go.¡±
A wind began to swirl around the four people. The storm obscured their vision.
A momentter, when the wind died down, the four people were no longer in the workshop.
They had arrived at the heart of the main building.
¡®It¡¯s still amazing to see it again.¡¯
The sect ¡®Bound Winds¡¯, to which Green Wind belonged, was a group of pdins who could transform their divine power into the wind.
The pdins of Bound Winds could transform their bodies into wind and were famous for their peculiar movement technique.
However, only Green Wind was able to move others along with him in this way.
¡°Shall we go in then?¡±
Radiant Light took the lead and walked. The three of them followed Radiant Light.
As they entered, they saw the throne ced on top of a flight of stairs.
An old woman with a wrinkled face was sitting on the throne.
¡°Damien Haksen, wee.¡±
Holy Empress greeted Damien.
***
Holy Empress, whom he had not seen in a long time, had be very thin.
It seemed that her health had suffered greatly from a week of silent prayer.
¡®There¡¯s one more person.¡¯
There was someone else besides the Holy Empress. There was another man who looked middle-aged.
There were dark circles under the man¡¯s eyes. It made him look very tired.
ck Snow.
The leader of the Mixed Blizzard and one of the Five Great Elders.
He was a famous figure known as the second-inmand among the Five Great Elders, following Cheongyeum.
¡®It seems Silent Night is not here.¡¯
Thinking of another Five Great Elder, Damien bowed his head to the Holy Empress.
¡°Your Holiness, it has been a long time.¡±
¡°It may be a long time, but it seems like it hasn¡¯t been long since west saw each other. Hasn¡¯t it been less than a year?¡±
The Holy Empress continued with a smile.
¡°I¡¯ve heard so many rumors about you, Sir Damien, during that time. I heard you went to the Mercenary King, won the Helian Tournament, and even killed .¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busy.¡±
Damien¡¯s joke made the Holy Empress burst intoughter.
¡°Reaching Master ss and killing in less than a year¡ I¡¯m sorry, but I thought the Empire was spreading false rumors. But seeing you like this in person¡¡±
Surprise gradually dawned on the Holy Empress¡¯s face. She spoke in a tone of disbelief.
¡°You¡¯ve really¡ be incredibly strong.¡±
The Holy Empress was not a knight. She had never even held a weapon in her life.
However, Damien knew. He knew that the Holy Empress had a strange insight like the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°ck Snow, how strong is Sir Damien now?¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s question, ck Snow bowed his head and said.
¡°He is at a level that is not much different from us Five Great Elders.¡±
The Holy Empress was even more astonished.
¡°To have the ability to subdue at such a young age¡ It¡¯s hard to believe even as I see it with my own eyes.¡±
¡°I share Your Holiness¡¯s thoughts. Until a moment ago, I thought it was an outrageous lie.¡±
ck Snow turned his gaze to Damien. His dark eyes bore into him.
¡°But the world is vast, and there are many who have received divine grace. The Imperial Supreme Sword also left many unbelievable stories. Although not as many as Damien Haksen.¡±
The Holy Empress nodded at ck Snow¡¯s words.
¡°It¡¯s a pity Cheongyeum isn¡¯t here. He would have been thrilled to see how splendidly Sir Damien has grown.¡±
The Holy Empress spoke with a hint of regret, but Damien was actually relieved.
If that old man had seen Damien, he would have insisted on testing his skills and started throwing punches immediately.
¡° was one of the pirs of Pandemonium. Not only the Empire but the Church lost many talents to .¡±
The Holy Empress¡¯s expression darkened slightly.
¡°Among the previous Five Great Elders, there was one who lost their life to . Shemitted unspeakable atrocities to his remains.¡±
was not an ordinary Giant Evil.
She had lived for over a hundred years and killed countless people.
Among them were many renowned warriors whose names everyone would recognize.
¡°Church has been chasing for a long time but to no avail. To think I would witness her demise before my death¡¡±
The Holy Empress rose from her seat. She slowly descended the stairs.
¡°Y-Your Holiness!¡±
Green Wind tried to stop the Holy Empress, but she gently brushed his hand aside.
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
The Holy Empress descended the stairspletely and stood before Damien. She grasped Damien¡¯s hand and spoke.
¡° was an abomination, an affront to the divine, and a disgrace to our Church. Thanks to you, we could eliminate that dreadful heretic.¡±
The Holy Empress bowed her head slowly. All the Five Great Elders around them were taken aback.
¡°Thank you. Truly, thank you.¡±
She repeated her gratitude several times before raising her head.
¡°How can we repay this deed?¡±
¡°I did not do this seeking a reward.¡±
The Holy Empress shook her head.
¡°Sir Damien, you acted on behalf of God and killed . Therefore, it is only right that we, who follow the divine will, provide a fitting rpense. Moreover, you are Church¡¯s honorary pdin.¡±
Damien was internally very pleased with the Holy Empress¡¯s words.
¡®As expected, she is truly magnanimous.¡¯
In truth, his previous response was merely a polite formality.
Damien had no intention of refusing any rewards from the Church.
¡°In that case¡¡±
Just as Damien was about to speak, Malta stepped forward abruptly and shouted.
¡°Your Holiness! I have something to say!¡±
¡°Malta, could it wait untilter? We are currently discussing Sir Damien¡¯s merits.¡±
¡°It¡¯s rted to that!¡±
Malta knelt down and cried out.
¡°The reason Damien came to the Church is to repair the Holy sword! The previous Holy sword he received was damaged in his battle with !¡±
¡°Is that true?¡±
The Holy Empress looked at Damien with a surprised expression. Damien gave a wry smile and nodded.
¡°Repairing it isn¡¯t difficult, but there¡¯s another problem! As Your Holiness knows, a Holy sword of the legendary grade needs to be reforged as it grows. The one given to Sir Damien has grown significantly.¡±
¡°You can breathe while you speak.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s words, Malta took a deep breath.
¡°To reforge this sword, we¡¯ll need significant resources, and we¡¯re running low on rare metals in the warehouse. Since Your Holiness is discussing Sir Damien¡¯s merits, I would like to request support!¡±
¡°Support¡ Would that be enough to repay him?¡±
¡°Your Holiness! The Church¡¯s metallurgy is the best on the continent! Even the Empire cannotpare to us! We should reward him in the field where we excel the most!¡±
¡°What do you think, Sir Damien?¡±
The Holy Empress asked Damien.
Damien nced at Malta. Malta looked at him with a pleading expression.
¡®I was originally going to ask for a legendary elixir¡¡¯
Damien pondered for a moment.
While having more elixirs is always beneficial, the situation was a bit different this time.
Currently, Damien possessed a fragment of a Dragonheart and Elysian elixir.
There were very few elixirs on the continent that couldpare to these two.
¡®It will take some time to fully absorb these two¡¡¯
Even if he received new elixirs, he couldn¡¯t consume them immediately. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to ask for something else as a reward.
Furthermore, Damien understood the immense value of an exceptional weapon.
¡°I agree with the proposal.¡±
¡°Since Sir Damien agrees, Malta, your request is granted. Go to the warehouse and take the rare metals you need.¡±
The Holy Empress readily agreed. However, Malta shook his head.
¡°Your Holiness, I am not asking for rare metals!¡±
¡°Then what do you need?¡±
¡°I request the divine metal, Shintel!¡±
As soon as Malta mentioned its name, the Holy Empress¡¯s expression hardened.
It wasn¡¯t just the Holy Empress. The other Five Great Elders reacted the same way.
¡°Malta! Don¡¯t be ridiculous! How could you ask for Shintel, knowing what it is?¡±
¡°I know. It was a gift from the First Holy Emperor.¡±
The First Holy Emperor, Bartholomeo.
He was the first to awaken divine power and was a legendary figure who smashed a dragon¡¯s skull with a single mace.
The mace he used was the divine artifact known as ¡®Morpe¡¯ said to be a direct gift from God.
But after the First Holy Emperor¡¯s death, Morpe melted away like water.
The melted Morpe was what Malta referred to as ¡®Shintel¡¯.
¡°Your Holiness, the legendary-grade Holy sword ¡®Dawn¡¯ given to Damien Haksen is my life¡¯s masterpiece! It was made using meteoric iron from the heavens! Such a magnificent sword has grown immensely through numerous battles!¡±
Malta spoke excitedly.
¡°Among the opponents Dawn has faced was ! It withstood the battle against that monster without breaking! I have never seen a Holy sword grow as much as Dawn!¡±
Malta prostrated himself on the ground and shouted.
¡°Your Holiness! I¡¯m not asking for all the Shintel! Just a small amount, the size of a goblet!¡±
The Holy Empress fell into deep contemtion at Malta¡¯s plea.
¡°Your Holiness, this cannot be allowed.¡±
Green Wind objected again.
¡°Damien Haksen is not formally affiliated with the Church. Granting him a legendary-grade Holy Sword was already an extraordinary favor. To provide him with Shintel is unthinkable.¡±
¡°Green Wind¡¯s argument has a point.¡±
The Holy Empress nodded. Malta¡¯s face twisted in frustration.
¡°But¡ Damien Haksen did kill . Such a merit might justify giving him a small amount of Shintel.¡±
¡°That¡ that is¡¡±
The Holy Empress¡¯s words, which were almost like a half-permission, left Green Wind speechless.
¡°Sister! I mean, Radiant Light, what do you think?¡±
Green Wind urgently looked at Radiant Light, seeking the help of another of the Five Great Elders.
¡°Hmm¡ I think it¡¯s a bit excessive too. Asking for divine metal, Shintel is a bit much.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
¡°But since he did kill ¡ it might be justified.¡±
Green Wind¡¯s eyes wavered wildly.
¡°Well, ck Snow, what do you think?¡±
Green Wind turned to ck Snow. ck Snow yawned as he spoke.
¡°Shintel is too much.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
¡°But since was defeated¡ I don¡¯t mind.¡±
Despair settled on Green Wind¡¯s face.
¡°Since the other Elders have agreed¡¡±
The Holy Empress cleared her throat before continuing.
¡°We will provide Shintel for the reforging of Damien Haksen¡¯s Holy sword.¡±
***
After the Holy Empress gave the order, the Five Great Elders left the Holy Empress¡¯s pce.
Green Wind was greatly shocked and left with her shoulders slumped.
¡°Please don¡¯t hold it against her.¡±
The Holy Empress suddenly spoke to Damien.
¡°She may seem inflexible, but it¡¯s because she loves the Church dearly.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s words, Damien recalled the time he had killed Green Wind.
Even with her heart pierced and she was dying, Green Wind had called out the Holy Empress¡¯s name.
¡°How could I harbor ill will against one of the Five Great Elders? That would be asking for trouble.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a relief to hear you don¡¯t.¡±
The Holy Empressughed at Damien¡¯s joke.
¡°Why did you ask me to stay?¡±
Unlike the other Great Elders, Damien had remained at the Holy Empress¡¯s request.
¡°There is one more thing I need to ask.¡±
Damien looked puzzled.
The Holy Empress paused before asking him.
¡°Did this recent event bring you any relief?¡±
Damien closed his mouth at the question. After a long moment of contemtion, he spoke.
¡°Not at all.¡±
When he had just killed , he felt a momentary sense of relief. But it was very brief.
In the end, killing did not save his sister from his past life. What Damien had done was merely self-satisfaction.
¡°Killing someone like doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±
Moreover, there were still many more he needed to kill. Too many scum still breathed, those who had tormented his family.
The Weapon Master took his father¡¯s soul and ced it in the carcass of a dog.
He screamed and writhed in agony as his flesh rotted and maggots ate at his flesh.
The reason?
Because he was not chosen by Erebos. Because Damien had taken Erebos.
Out of mere petty jealousy, the Weapon Master had desecrated his father and plunged him into a pit of suffering.
¡°Your Holiness, it¡¯s far from over. There are still plenty of vermin left. Until I kill all those bastards¡¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
¡°I will never stop.¡±
***
¡°¡¡¡±
The Holy Empress silently gazed at Damien.
The Holy Empress possessed the power to see through a person.
When she had previously looked at Damien, she had seen blood-soakednd and a dark knight.
The dark knight was shedding tears of blood while cutting his own body.
And now, the Damien that the Holy Empress saw¡
¡°¡Nothing has changed at all.¡±
At the Holy Empress¡¯s murmur, Damien asked back.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Nothing at all.¡±
In truth, the Holy Empress had been hesitating to provide divine metal to Damien.
However, this conversation cleared her hesitation.
If this woundedmb could be saved, what harm was there in giving him some divine metal?
¡°Do you have any other requests? Please, tell me anything.¡±
Perhaps it was because her heart had softened, the Holy Empress couldn¡¯t help but ask Damien, knowing it was excessive.
¡°Ah, then may I make one more request?¡±
¡°As many as you like.¡±
Damien stated his need to the Holy Empress. Upon hearing his request, the Holy Empress blinked in surprise.
¡°Is that really all you need?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°That¡¯s such an easy request¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s essential to me.¡±
The Holy Empress couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit deted.
She had been prepared to grant any request, but she hadn¡¯t expected such a simple one.
¡°Follow me. I will guide you right away.¡±
***
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Chapter 254
Chapter 254
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Chapter 254: Intimidation (1)
***
Damien followed the Holy Empress to a ce that was none other than the underground of the Church.
In the underground, there was a massive door made of thick iron.
The Holy Empress ced her palm on the door. As she injected a bit of divine power, the door slowly began to open.
¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±
Damien followed the Holy Empress inside the door. A wide space appeared before him.
It was a barren room with no decorations. Instead, various murals were painted on the walls.
What was most peculiar was that the entire room was filled with light, even though there was no source of light.
¡°This is the sanctuary you requested.¡±
Damien looked around the room with a curious expression.
ording to legend, the first Holy Emperor was the first to awaken divine power in a cave.
The headquarters of the Church was built on top of that cave. And this room was the one that was endlessly expanded and renovated from that cave.
¡°I didn¡¯t know you would ask to use the sanctuary.¡±
The sanctuary was not just a symbolic ce.
For some reason, divine power was constantly pouring out of the sanctuary.
That is why it was also a popr training ground for high-ranking pdins.
This was because the divine power pouring out of the sanctuary not only allowed their bodies to recover more quickly but also increased the effectiveness of their training.
¡°It¡¯s because I was badly injured in the battle against .¡±
In fact, there was another reason why Damien had borrowed the sanctuary.
He was thinking of trying to metamorphism in the sanctuary.
No matter how much Damien knew, there was not much he knew about metamorphism. That¡¯s how mysterious and secretive metamorphism was.
The fortunate thing was that he had a general idea of what to do.
¡®Divine power has the effect of healing the human body. If I take the elixir and then use the divine power of the sanctuary¡¡¯
Damien might seed in metamorphism as he wished.
That¡¯s why Damien asked to use the sanctuary.
¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m asking too much.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay. The sanctuary is an important ce, but it¡¯s not something you can steal outright¡ There won¡¯t be anyone in the Church who will object right now.¡±
After thanking the Holy Empress, Damien carefully examined the murals painted on the walls of the sanctuary.
The murals depicted seven men and women fighting all sorts of monsters.
Damien soon realized the identities of the seven men and women.
¡°These murals are all about the Salvation Squad, aren¡¯t they?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve got a good eye.¡±
Before the Empire and the Church were founded, the continent was and teeming with monsters and demons.
At that time, humans were such insignificant beings that they were barely able to survive by hiding in caves and forests, hunted by monsters.
There were seven heroes who united these humans and fought the monsters.
The Salvation Squad.
They killed the monsters and demons and reimed the continent. Only then did the history of mankind begin.
The leader of the Salvation Squad at that time was none other than the First Emperor of the Empire.
¡°I understand that these murals were painted when the Church was built.¡±
¡°Then they must be very old murals.¡±
The Church was built around the same time as the Empire. These paintings were artifacts of immense value.
¡°Hmm¡?¡±
Then, suddenly, Damien noticed something strange. There were scratches on the wall under the mural of the Salvation Squad, as if someone had scratched them with a knife.
Damien bent down and examined the scratches. Surprisingly, this was not just graffiti. It was a picture of two men and women.
¡°Who carved this graffiti?¡±
¡°Oh, you mean that. Nobody knows.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±
The Holy Empress said with a wry smile.
¡°It¡¯s graffiti that¡¯s been around for ages, so no one knows who drew it.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the graffiti.
¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead and take a look. I¡¯lle back to see you tomorrow morning.¡±
The Holy Empress said so and left the sanctuary. The door closed again.
Left alone, Damien looked at the graffiti again. To be precise, he looked at the greatsword that the man among the two men and women was holding.
¡°Erebos.¡±
Damien extended his hand into the air. The tattoo on his wrist disappeared and Erebos appeared.
Thanks to absorbing the fragment given by the Imperial Supreme Sword, Erebos was much longer than before.
Damien looked back and forth between Erebos and the mural.
¡°¡¡Somehow it looks like Erebos.¡±
The workmanship was rough, so it was hard to tell, but the characteristics of Erebos were evident here and there.
Damien raised his head and looked at the mural of the Salvation Squad.
There were seven people in the picture.
The two men and women were carved below.
¡°Somehow I feel like there are two more.¡±
Damien turned back Erebos into a tattoo.
It was interesting, but it was just graffiti. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time.
Damien took out a fragment of Dragonheart and Elysian elixir from the subspace.
Damien first took the Elysian elixir. The Elysian elixir flowed down his throat sticky.
When it was in the bottle, it felt cold, but when he drank it directly, it was hot like a fireball.
¡®It¡¯s like drinking molten gold.¡¯
As soon as the Elysian elixir touched his stomach, it was converted into vitality. In that moment, Damien felt like his body was expanding and about to explode.
¡®What an incredible amount of vitality.¡¯
Damien calmly suppressed the energy of the Elysian elixir. And he put a fragment of Dragonheart in his mouth.
Just a 1/20th piece.
But as soon as he consumed Dragonheart, a vast amount of mana burst out. It was as if he had fallen into an ocean of mana.
The vitality of the Elysian elixir and the mana of Dragonheart.
The two were rampaging inside him. It was like putting a whole living beast inside his body.
Damien desperately held onto his sanity. This was the real deal from now on.
Damien started absorbing the divine power around him.
As Damien suppressed the two energies, he absorbed the divine power that filled the sanctuary.
The two energies had now increased to three. The burden Damien felt also grew heavier.
He opened all the mana channels with Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle andpletely pushed his body to its limits with the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation.
The reason Damien could attempt metamorphism was thanks to the two mana cultivation techniques.
Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle could manipte the mana channels, and the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation had the function of increasing the limits of the body.
Damien constantly used the two mana cultivation techniques.
Woosh.
A strange sound came from Damien¡¯s body. At the same time, several huge sts of energy erupted.
A long time had passed like that. Damien slowly opened his eyes.
¡°Phew¡¡±
Damien got up. Then something fell off from all over his body.
As if eggshells were piled up neatly on the floor. Damien looked down at them and smiled with satisfaction.
¡°It was easier than I thought.¡±
***
Damien remained in the Church for some time afterward. This was because it took time for the Dawn to bepleted.
¡°Sir Damien! He¡¯s going there!¡±
¡°Sir Damien! I¡¯ve admired you for a long time! Please give me just one thing tomemorate you!¡±
¡°Sir Damien! Please give us just one word at today¡¯s prayer meeting!¡±
¡°Oh! Hero! Our hero!¡±
Staying at the Church was much more difficult than he thought. This was because he was pestered by countless pdins and priests.
So Damien had to hide all day while staying at the Church.
Even on the day he left the Church, he came out before dawn to avoid people¡¯s eyes.
¡°You don¡¯t have toe out and see me off¡¡±
Damien looked at the Holy Empress. The Holy Empress smiled and said.
¡°To see off an honored guest. How can I not see you off as the host?¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Other people wanted toe out too, but the circumstances worked out in a way.¡±
Radiant Light and ck Snow were not at the Church because they had taken on a new mission.
Green Wind remained, but she did note out to this ce because she disliked Damien.
¡°Sir Damien¡¡±
Agnes stood beside the Holy Empress with a regretful expression.
¡°Where do you n to go when you leave the Church?¡±
¡°There are ces I want to look around for a while. I may not be able to hear from me for a long time.¡±
¡°Are you going to a dangerous ce?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t everywhere in the world dangerous?¡±
Damien prevaricated because he couldn¡¯t say he was going to catch the Weapon Master.
¡°Sir Damien, may I ask you a favor?¡±
¡°Please speak.¡±
¡°If you happen to get information about Victor the Woodcutter during your travels, please contact the Church. I would be grateful.¡±
¡°Victor the Woodcutter?¡±
¡°Yes, he is a dark mage that the Church has been paying attention to recently¡ We are having difficulty tracking him because we have no information at all.¡±
Damien had a strange expression on his face.
No wonder, since the real identity of Victor the Woodcutter was Damien.
When he sometimes had to use dark magic in front of people, Damien used the name Victor to hide his identity.
¡®I didn¡¯t realize the Church is after my hidden identity all this time.¡¯
It was the first time he had been asked to investigate on his own.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of irony.
¡°It¡¯s not a difficult request.¡±
¡°Thank you. If you get the information, you can just go to a local branch of the Church. All local branches have a way to contact the headquarters.¡±
Damien nodded to indicate that he understood.
¡°In return, may I ask you a favor as well?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°I would be grateful if you could let my family in the Apple Kingdom know that I am safe.¡±
To protect his family, he had to kill the Weapon Master as soon as possible. He didn¡¯t have time to stop by the Apple Kingdom.
However, he hadn¡¯t been in contact with his family for a long time, so he wanted to send them a message in this way.
¡°Trust me.¡±
Agnes said with a confident face. Damien gave a brief thank you.
¡°Sir Malta.¡±
Damien turned his gaze to the side. Malta was standing there with a sullen expression.
¡°Let¡¯s give it to me since I need to leave soon.¡±
Damien held out his hand to Malta. Malta grumbled with a displeased expression.
¡°Damn it, I have to send Dawn off like this again¡¡±
¡°Hurry up.¡±
Malta closed his eyes tightly. And he handed Dawn over to Damien.
Dawn was different from before in every way, even the hilt and scabbard.
¡°Draw it out.¡±
Damien took the hilt and slowly drew it. The moment the de emerged, a dazzling light burst forth.
When Damien pulled out Dawn, itpletely lit up the surroundings. Damien looked at Dawn with a surprised expression.
Originally, Dawn was a sword made of meteorite iron.
Because of that, it didn¡¯t melt properly before, so the surface was rough. But now Dawn was different.
The surface was smooth as if looking at a mirror. Wave-like patterns filled the entire de.
¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±
Malta said with an excited face.
¡°I mixed Dawn with an alloy made of divine metal and rare metals. Cutting power, strength, sticity, all aspects have been greatly enhancedpared to before.¡±
Malta enthusiastically exined about Dawn.
¡°Without exception, all Holy swords that contain divine metal have left their names in history. I guarantee that Dawn will be the same. No, it won¡¯t just leave its name. It will be recorded as the most outstanding Holy sword.¡±
Malta exined diligently, but it didn¡¯t reach Damien¡¯s ears properly.
It was because all his senses were focused on Dawn.
¡°¡¡You¡¯re really amazing.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
¡°I thought you were just weird, but you¡¯re also very skilled.¡±
¡°Ehehe, who am I, of course¡ What? What did you just say?¡±
Damien put Dawn back in the scabbard.
After saying goodbye to the three of them, he left the Church.
***
After leaving the Church, Damien headed west.
I don¡¯t know exactly where the city of Hammerfell was.
But he knew what region it was in.
He heard it was in the Hukmak mountain range.
The Hukmak Mountains were known for their rugged terrain.
A vastnd the size of a small kingdom was made up entirely of mountains.
On top of that, there were many dangerous monsters that inhabited the area, so few people approached it.
Damien headed towards the Hukmak Mountains.
Before he knew it, the sun was high in the sky. The bluish air of dawn hadpletely disappeared. The Church was out of sight.
Suddenly, Damien stopped walking. And he shouted into the air.
¡°Come out now.¡±
Damien said into the air. But there was no answer.
¡°I told you toe out.¡±
Only then did a man walk out of the bushes nearby.
¡°What is it? Have you already noticed me? It¡¯s not fun this way.¡±
The man grumbled briefly. Damien stared at the man with an expressionless face and asked.
¡°What does the Weapon Master¡¯s disciple want with me?¡±
The man tilted his head.
¡°What? How did you know that? That¡¯s amazing?¡±
¡°You can¡¯t help but know when you¡¯re carrying a Demonic sword like that.¡±
Damien looked at the greatsword the man was carrying on his back.
¡°Heh¡ You can tell a sleeping Demonic sword? You¡¯re a real deal. No wonder you¡¯re the one who killed .¡±
The man stuck out his tongue and eximed in admiration.
¡°Since I¡¯ve been caught, I¡¯ll introduce myself formally. My name is Jeremy Demag. I studied swordsmanship under the Weapon Master. I¡¯m recognized as one of his disciples¡¡±
¡°Who asked you who you were? Answer me why you were following me.¡±
Damien cut him off sharply. At that, Jeremy¡¯s facial muscles twitched slightly.
¡°You¡¯re a bit quick-tempered. I came to find you to deliver a message from my master. It wasn¡¯t hard to track you down since you¡¯re such a famous person¡¡±
¡°Answer.¡±
Jeremy¡¯s expression twitched even more.
¡°My master wants to see you. Come with me.¡±
At that, Damien fell into thought for a moment.
Offers from Giant Evils in Pandemonium were usually high chances of being traps.
Even if it was a trap, it was an advantage if he could meet the Weapon Master.
¡°I¡¯ll take that offer¡¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re not refusing.¡±
Jeremy said bluntly.
¡°You¡¯re from the Apple Kingdom, right? Your family is there too?¡±
Damien¡¯s expression hardened. On the contrary, a smile appeared on Jeremy¡¯s face.
¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I haven¡¯t sent anyone to your family yet. But if you don¡¯te with me, I don¡¯t know what will happen then¡¡±
At that moment, a wave erupted from Damien¡¯s entire body.
An immense amount of killing intent poured out towards Jeremy. At that sight, Jeremy¡¯s expression hardened.
Then Jeremy twisted his lips into a smile.
¡°It seems like this is your reverse scale. If you want your family to be safe, you¡¯d bettere with me¡¡±
At that moment, Damien stomped on the ground. His body shot forward. And without hesitation, he kicked Jeremy in the stomach.
Jeremy¡¯s body flew backward. He crashed into the ground, smashing trees one after another.
¡°Sorry, I lost my temper for a moment and didn¡¯t hear what you were saying.¡±
Damien stared in the direction Jeremy had flown off.
¡°So what were you babbling about just now? Can you say it again?¡±
Killing intent overflowed from his eyes.
***
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Chapter 255
Chapter 255
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Chapter 255: Intimidation (2)
Jeremy held onto his stomach and spat out blood
¡°Ugh! Waaaugh!¡±
No, it was more than just spitting. His insides had all been ruptured by a single blow just moments before.
¡°Damien Haksen¡ you bastard¡!¡±
He couldn¡¯t see him.
Damien¡¯s movements werepletely invisible. There wasn¡¯t a slightest hint of him closing the distance, extending his leg, or evennding a blow to the abdomen.
All Jeremy could perceive was the impact on his stomach.
¡°I¡¯ll kill him¡ I¡¯ll kill him¡¡±
Jeremy tried to stand up, but his legs wouldn¡¯t cooperate. He staggered.
Jeremy¡¯s eyes darted around wildly.
He was a disciple of the Weapon Master. A powerful swordsman who could rival any other Giant Evil.
So how could he be rendered incapable of fighting with a single blow, even if Damien had killed ?
¡°This much¡ this much of a difference¡¡±
¡°You can¡¯t even stand up.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice reached Jeremy¡¯s ears.
¡°So you dared to speak of my family in such a way with such insignificant skills? It¡¯s so ridiculous that it makes me angry.¡±
Jeremy gritted his teeth at Damien¡¯s mockery.
¡®Insignificant? Me? I was personally taught swordsmanship by the Weapon Master and even given a Demonic sword.¡¯
¡°Mocking me is¡ mocking my master¡ No matter how much you were invited by my master¡ there is a limit to how much I can tolerate!¡±
Jeremy gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand up. But his legs were still trembling.
And he grabbed the greatsword that was strapped to his back.
-Ugh?
As soon as he grabbed the greatsword, a voice spoke up. It was a neutral voice, half male and half female.
-I was sleeping well, why did you wake me up?
¡°Shut up and get up. We have to fight now.¡±
-What are you talking about all of a sudden? Oh? That¡¯s Damien Haksen. Didn¡¯t the Weapon Master tell you to bring him?
The Demonic sword spoke worriedly. Jeremy then exploded in anger.
¡°Shut up and heal my body! I need to kill that bastard right here!¡±
-Oh, why are you getting so angry?
Dark mana emitted by the Demonic sword flowed into Jeremy¡¯s forearm. Jeremy¡¯splexion instantly recovered.
¡°Phew, now I can live.¡±
Jeremy said as he stretched his neck from side to side. As he said, his pale face had regained its original color.
¡°That bastard¡ I¡¯ll make him regret what he just said.¡±
-You¡¯re really going to fight Damien Haksen? What about the Weapon Master¡¯s orders?
The Demonic sword asked him.
-And Damien Haksen killed , you know. How can you possibly beat that monster?
¡°Can¡¯t you shut up?¡±
The vast difference in power between Damien Haksen and himself had been painfully etched into his bones by the previous blow.
But that didn¡¯t mean he could just meekly roll over and y dead. That bastard had dared to insult his master.
¡°Just listen to me quietly. I think I¡¯ll feel better if I just tear off one of that bastard¡¯s arms.¡±
-Oh, dear.
Jeremy raised his greatsword with both hands. And then a tremendous amount of dark mana surged out from the Demonic sword.
As the dark mana touched the surrounding bushes and trees, they started to wither and twist. This was a testament to the concentration of the dark mana.
At the same time, a change urred in Jeremy¡¯s body.
Part of the Demonic sword melted and flowed into Jeremy. His skin turned gray. At the same time, his aura became even more ferocious.
Synchronization.
It was a technique that enhanced his dark mana and physical abilities by merging the Demonic sword with his body.
¡°You¡¯re struggling like a beggar.¡±
Damien drew Dawn from his waist.
As soon as Dawn was drawn, Jeremy¡¯s attention was immediately captured.
As a disciple of the Weapon Master, he could immediately tell that the sword Damien Haksen was holding was no ordinary one.
¡°What the hell is that sword¡?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t answer, instead, he gripped Dawn.
A sharp, honed killing intent radiated from him.
Jeremy also raised his Demonic sword. The massive greatsword rose high into the air.
¡°I¡¯ll give you one piece of advice. You¡¯d better put that sword away. If you don¡¯t want to cry tears of blood.¡±
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The Demonic sword that Jeremy had received from the Weapon Master was named Gurontha.
Gurontha had the power of debilitation.
No matter what object it was, Gurontha had the power to destroy its molecr structure as soon as it touched it.
Rocks turned to sandcastles, trees to sawdust piles, and iron to lumps of y.
He didn¡¯t know what kind of sword Damien Haksen had drawn, but there was no way it could survive contact with Gurontha.
¡°Since you¡¯re not answering, it seems you don¡¯t intend to take my advice. Then I have no choice!¡±
Jeremy stomped on the ground. Damien charged as well. The Demonic sword and the Holy sword shed in the air.
The two men locked swords in a stalemate.
Jeremy shouted at Damien Haksen, who was holding Dawn.
¡°Ha! Is that all you¡¯ve got? I was expecting more after you killed . You¡¯re nothing special.¡±
Jeremy said, twisting his lips. Damien then opened his mouth.
¡°You¡¯re tougher than I thought.¡±
Damien put more force into his hands. And then, in the next instant, the Holy sword dug into the de of the Demonic sword.
¡°¡What?¡±
It was as if a sharp knife was cutting into a block of hardened cheese. The Demonic sword resisted a little at first, but then it was easily cut through.
¡°Now, wait a minute¡¡±
In the next instant, the Demonic sword was cut in half.
***
The Demonic sword¡¯s reaction was a beat toote.
The halved de fell to the ground. And from the cut surface, ck smoke began to pour out.
-Ah¡??
Only then did the Demonic sword realize what had happened to it.
-Aak! Euaaaak! Aaaaaak!
The Demonic sword let out a scream. The sharp, earsplitting sound shook the whole world.
¡°Gu-Gurontha!¡±
Jeremy shouted with a bewildered face.
¡°Wh-What is this¡? M- Madness¡! Gu-Gurontha¡! So easily¡! What is this¡!?¡±
As Jeremy was in a state of shock, Damien swung Dawn.
Dawn sliced off Jeremy¡¯s forearm. Jeremy¡¯s forearm flew off into the distance, still clutching the Demonic sword.
Jeremy grabbed his severed forearm and screamed.
¡°My, my arm! My arm! You crazy bastard! What the hell is this!¡±
Damien swung Dawn again and cut off Jeremy¡¯s other forearm.
¡°Kuaak! Aaaaaak!¡±
Jeremy screamed. Only then did fear appear on Jeremy¡¯s face.
¡°Hu, huak¡ huak!¡±
Jeremy tried to run away from Damien. But before he could take a step, his body tilted.
Jeremy fell to the ground weakly. Jeremy hurriedly looked back.
Only then did he realize that both of his knees had been cut off.
¡°Ah, aa¡ aaaaaak!¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
Damien raised his foot and trampled on Jeremy¡¯s face. Jeremy¡¯s face was smashed into the ground.
¡°If I leave you like this, you¡¯ll die from excessive bleeding soon.¡±
Damien used the Authority of Envy. He imbued the mana with the nature of fire.
Then, Dawn began to heat up quickly. Damien brought Dawn to the wound.
¡°Kuaak! Aaaaaak! Euaaaak!¡±
Jeremy was foaming at the mouth and trembling all over. But Damien continued his work without batting an eye.
¡°Wh¡ what a demonic bastard¡ Why are you doing this to me¡? To me¡?.¡±
Jeremy asked pleadingly. Damien swung Dawn and cut open his abdomen instead of answering.
¡°Kak!¡±
¡°Why? Why did you ask that now? You¡¯re the one who threatened first, so how can you say such a thing?¡±
Damien¡¯s voice was extremely cold. But his eyes were boiling likeva.
¡°That¡¯s why I hate you guys. You¡¯re just filthy scums, and you touch other people¡¯s weaknesses without a care in the world.¡±
Damien raised Dawn. At this, Jeremy shouted urgently.
¡°I, I have to contact Master regrly! If I don¡¯t contact him, Master will know I¡¯m dead right away! And then not only you, but your family will be in danger too!¡±
Damien¡¯s hand stopped. At this, Jeremy sighed in relief.
¡°I-I¡¯ll spare your life if you let me go! Hey, I promise!¡±
Suddenly, Damien startedughing. Jeremy asked with a worried face.
¡°Wh, why are youughing¡?.¡±
¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±
Damien brought Dawn close to Jeremy¡¯s neck. And he grabbed Jeremy by the hair.
Damien yanked Jeremy¡¯s hair, causing Dawn to press against his throat. The deeper Damien pulled on the hair, the deeper Dawn sank in. Blood gushed out from the wound.
¡°Kku, kkuaaak!¡±
Jeremy screamed, but Damien didn¡¯t stop.
¡°I-I¡¯m not lying! If I die, Master will really¡¡±
Damien tightened his grip on his arm. Jeremy¡¯s head waspletely severed.
¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about.¡±
Damien said coldly and threw Jeremy¡¯s head to the ground.
A momentter, a pale, smoky substance rose from Jeremy¡¯s corpse.
-Ahhh¡
Jeremy¡¯s soul was unable to escape the shock of death.
Damien immediately used the Authority of Envy and converted his mana into dark mana.
He used dark magic to capture Jeremy¡¯s soul.
¡°Obey.¡±
The dark mana dug into Jeremy¡¯s soul. He resisted, but it was futile.
-Kkuaak! Aaaaaak!
Damien inflicted pain directly on the soul, and Jeremy quickly sumbed.
Damien shoved Jeremy¡¯s soul back into the corpse. And he used the necromancy spell.
¡°Rise.¡±
The headless corpse rose to its feet.
The corpse groped around the floor and found its head, cing it back on its neck. The dark mana connected the neck and head.
¡°You said the Weapon Master would find out if you died? Then just pretend you¡¯re alive.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t like using dark magic on people.
But it was a different story if the opponent was a piece of trash.
-Eat¡ it¡ up.
At that moment, a voice reached Damien¡¯s ears.
Hemaera was craving the remnants of the Demonic sword that had just been destroyed.
¡°Go ahead.¡±
Hemaera, who had been nestled inside Damien¡¯s clothes, burst out.
It took on a slime-like appearance and began to gnaw away at a piece of the Demonic sword.
Damien looked up. The demonic energy that the sword had spat out was hovering in the air.
Damien held out the back of his hand toward it. The energy was absorbed into the mark on the back of his hand.
¡°Sooner orter, I¡¯ll be able to awaken another authority.¡±
Damien looked at the mark on the back of his hand and thought.
¡°Uh¡¡ uh¡¡.¡±
Jeremy said to Damien as he turned undead.
¡°I¡¡ submit¡¡ to you¡¡ no¡¡ to my master¡¡ I submit¡¡ to my master¡¡.¡±
Undead Jeremy was still stuttering. But it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Given time, he¡¯d act just like he did when he was alive.
That didn¡¯t mean he was alive. It was impossible to bring the dead back to life.
All Damien had done was resurrect Jeremy¡¯s body as the undead, and put his soul into it.
That way, he could fool the Weapon Master.
¡°Should I call my master¡¡ uh, how should I call you¡¡ Damien, Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°No, don¡¯t call me by that name.¡±
¡°Oh, well, how then?¡±
He thought about it while in the Church.
Damien¡¯s purpose was to distract Pandemonium¡¯s attention and power by killing the Weapon Master.
That way, Pandemonium wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his family.
However, simply killing the Weapon Master was somewhat unsettling. They needed to shock Pandemonium even more.
So Damien modified his n slightly.
¡°Victor.¡±
Damien opened a subspace and pulled out a wooden mask.
It was the same mask he had used to impersonate Victor at the Starlight Fairies Festival.
¡°From this day forward, I am Victor the Woodcutter.¡±
The mysterious dark mage Victor the Woodcutter is responsible for the downfall of the Weapon Master, one of the members of the Pandemonium.
That was Damien¡¯s new n.
***
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Chapter 256
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¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 256: Hammerfell (1)
***
A cart pulled by a donkey was traveling along a dirt road.
¡°That¡¯s the Hukmak Mountain Range over there.¡±
The old man leading the cart pointed straight ahead as he spoke. A young man lying in the cart lifted his head.
Massive mountains loomed ahead and blocked the view like fortress walls. The sight was so grand it was almost intimidating.
¡°Isn¡¯t it magnificent? It even has a pretty fancy nickname. The Wall of the World, they say.¡±
¡°Indeed, it deserves such a nickname.¡±
The old manughed loudly at the young man¡¯s words.
¡°But you¡¯ve been wearing that mask all this time? It must be ufortable.¡±
The young man wore a wooden mask on his face. He hadn¡¯t taken it off once since the old man first met him.
¡°I find it quitefortable.¡±
¡°These young folks today are hard to understand.¡±
The old man muttered, shaking his head.
¡°But what¡¯s your business over there? It¡¯s such a dangerous ce that no one dares to go.¡±
¡°You agreed not to ask about that.¡±
The young man reminded him.
The old man chuckled and said.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m getting old and forgetful all the time.¡±
The young man got off the cart and handed a few silver coins to the old man. The old man epted them with a gleeful smile.
¡°You¡¯re a generous young man. Well then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±
The old man turned the cart around. Suddenly, as if remembering something he had forgotten, he asked.
¡°What was your name again?¡±
¡°Victor.¡± The young man replied sinctly.
¡°Just call me Victor the Woodcutter.¡±
***
The old man turned the cart around and left.
Damien stood still, watching the old man depart.
Originally, Damien had no need to use the cart. Traveling alone would have been faster.
However, he used the cart to leave a clear trace of Victor the Woodcutter.
This way, when the Weapon Master was killed, Pandemonium would quickly identify ¡®Victor the Woodcutter.¡¯
¡°It looks like a really dangerous ce.¡±
Damien muttered as he looked around at the mountains.
He had been through many mountains before, but this ce seemed the most dangerous.
Damien opened a subspace and took out a leather travel bag.
When he opened it, an abyss of darkness appeared.
At that moment, something sprang out from the darkness.
A wolf made of ck shadows pounced on Damien. Damien pushed backward with the impact.
¨C Master! Master!
The wolf eagerly licked Damien¡¯s cheeks. Damien frowned and pushed away.
¡°Get off.¡±
¨C Master¡ so cold¡
The wolf retreated resentfully. Damien stood up and brushed off his clothes.
Then, something else emerged from the darkness. This time, it was a girl with an androgynous appearance.
¡°Kyaa! Kyaaaaaaaaa!¡±
As soon as Miya came out, she let out a sharp cry at Damien, as if scolding him for not letting her out earlier.
¡°Why are you being so grumpy?¡±
But when Damien red at her, she immediately averted her gaze and hid behind the wolf.
¨C Master! It¡¯s scary when you¡¯re angry!
¡°Kyaa! Kyaa!¡±
With the wolf joining in, Miya¡¯s cries grew louder.
Unable to stand it, Damien raised his fist, and the two quickly ran off.
¡°When did those two get so close?¡±
Damian was muttering to himself like that when the darkness stirred again.
This time, a knight d in ck armor emerged.
As soon as he stepped out, the knight knelt before Damien.
¡°Master, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±
¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a while. Has anything happened during this time?¡±
¡°There have been no issues. As per your orders, I have focused solely on training.¡±
The leather travel bag Damien had taken out was a item designed to store undead beings.
So, the interior consisted of a vast subspace.
Inside it were not only these three but also several skeletons.
These were originally soldiers under Dominico, who were affiliated with the Almond Country.
¡°But you¡¯re wearing a mask. I¡¯ve never seen you like this before.¡±
¡°I had my reasons. By the way, from now on, call me Victor, not Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
Dominico¡¯s face showed confusion at the sudden order.
¡°Well, you see¡¡±
Damien briefly exined to Dominico what had happened so far.
After hearing the exnation, Dominico looked around in surprise.
¡°So you¡¯re saying the Weapon Master is here?¡±
¡°Yes, though I don¡¯t know the exact location.¡±
Dominico¡¯s expression grew serious.
¡°Finding the Dwarf city¡ that¡¯s a tough one. I¡¯ve heard that very few humans have ever found the Dwarf City on their own.¡±
Due to their habit of living in caves, Dwarves had built their city in an extremely secretive location.
Combined with their advanced technology, it was nearly impossible to find the city.
¡°And to search such a vast area¡¡±
Dominico looked troubled as he surveyed the mountain range.
¡°It¡¯ll be difficult, but it has to be done.¡±
¡°I understand. Sometimes, you have to put in some effort to clean up the trash.¡±
Dominico glittered with killing intent.
The reason Dominico and the soldiers had sworn allegiance to Damien was simple: to repay their debt to Damien and to kill the dark mages.
¡°First, we need to find a clue. It would be nice if a Dwarf just fell out of the sky.¡±
¡°Well, that would be nice, but life isn¡¯t that easy.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
As the two exchanged words, Miya suddenly approached and tugged on Damien¡¯s clothes.
¡°Kya! Kyaaaaa!¡±
¡°I¡¯m busy right now.¡±
¡°Kyaaa! Kyaaa!¡±
Miya protested vehemently. Damien frowned and turned his head.
¡°Why are you being so annoying all of a sudden¡¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
Munchi was holding something in his mouth.
Thick cloth, short stature, and limbs packed with muscles.
Damien muttered in a daze with astonished face.
¡°A¡ Dwarf?¡±
***
¡°Let go of me! Can¡¯t you let me go?¡±
The dwarf iled his limbs wildly in resistance, but being so small, he couldn¡¯t break free from Munchi¡¯s grip.
¡°Damn it! What kind of weird beast is this? How did you even find me?¡±
¡°Munchi, let him go.¡±
With a loud yelp, Munchi opened his mouth. The dwarf iled and fell to the ground.
¡°Ouch, my jaw! You stupid beast! If you¡¯re going to let go, do it gently!¡±
The dwarf jumped up and shouted, while Munchi just tilted his head in confusion.
¡°Are you from the city of Hammerfell?¡±
Damien asked the dwarf. The dwarf replied with a sullen face.
¡°Hmph! Why ask when you already know?¡±
¡°Good. Tell me how to get into your city.¡±
¡°You puny human¡ are you trying to mock me? You should know that method better than anyone!¡±
The dwarf shouted. Damien felt a sense of unease at his words.
¡°What do you mean, ¡®you should know¡¯?¡±
¡°Seeing you here with undead, you must be one of the Weapon Master¡¯sckeys! If you don¡¯t know how to get into the city, who would?¡±
Damien frowned.
¡°Exin yourself more clearly. What do you mean by that¡¡±
Just then.
Damien stopped interrogating the dwarf and raised his head.
From deep within the mountain range, waves of mana and dark mana were erupting one after another.
It was faint because of the distance, but it was unmistakable. Someone was fighting inside there.
¡°Dominico, grab him.¡±
Dominico immediately grabbed the dwarf¡¯s limbs.
Damian kept his gaze fixed on the direction where the energy surges wereing from and said.
¡°Everyone, follow me.¡±
***
Inside the Hukmak Mountain Range.
A fierce battle was raging.
¡°Kill all the humans!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t back down! We can win if we stick together!¡±
Dwarves d in armor swung their weapons and shouted.
Surprisingly, they were fighting humans.
¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t know you worm-like creatures would confront us here!¡±
A man on the human side shouted with augh.
The sword in the man¡¯s hand was enveloped in a pitch-ck aura de.
A dark knight.
And the fact that he was a Master ss was evident in his skill.
¡°These fools dare to defy master¡¯s orders. Kill them all!¡±
At his order, his subordinates charged at the dwarves.
At first nce, it seemed the dwarves had the upper hand. There were dozens of them, and they were better armed.
In contrast, there were only about ten humans, armed with nothing more than single weapons.
However, the oue waspletely different. The humans began a one-sided ughter.
¡°My arm! My arm!¡±
¡°Ugh! Ughhh!¡±
The man¡¯s subordinates were all knights skilled in handling aura.
Weapons imbued with aura easily sliced through the dwarves¡¯ armor.
¡°You¡ demons¡¡±
¡°Our ancestors will never forgive you!¡±
The dwarves cursed and fought back desperately, but it was futile. They were helpless against the humans.
¡°Aah¡ Aaaah¡¡±
Far from the battlefield,
Dwarf Kilo watched the scene with a face full of despair.
¡°In the short time I was gone¡ This can¡¯t be happening¡ Aah¡ Aaaah¡¡±
Kilo should have been among the group.
But while he was away for a brief scouting mission, this had happened.
He wanted to rush in and help his kin right away, but he was currently being held captive and couldn¡¯t move.
Killo looked at the people who had captured him.
A human man with a creepy wooden mask, a Death Knight, a human girl, and a wolf made of shadows.
It was a bizarrebination, but Kilo couldn¡¯tugh at them. The overwhelming dark mana emanating from them was terrifying.
Even without them, the situation was hopeless, and if these people joined in, it would truly be the end.
¡®I have to do something¡ At the very least, I need to keep these guys away¡¡¯
Just as Kilo steeled his resolve,
¡°Dominico.¡±
The masked human man said. The Death Knight responded.
¡°Yes, my lord.¡±
¡°You said you dedicated yourself to training. It¡¯s time to show the results.¡±
A smile crept onto the Death Knight¡¯s lips.
Or perhaps it was more urate to call it a snarl, like a beast baring its fangs before sinking them into its prey¡¯s throat.
¡°As youmand, my lord. Anytime.¡±
The masked man retrieved a bag from the subspace.
¡°Everyone,e out. It¡¯s time to clean up the trash.¡±
The travel bag opened wide. From within, more than a dozen skeletons poured out.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 257
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 257: Hammerfell (2)
***
Suddenly, skeletons burst forth from the underbrush.
¡°Kiieeek!¡±
¡°Kyaaah!¡±
The skeletons that emerged screamed triumphantly and charged forward.
The battlefield froze for a moment at the horrifying sound. Humans and dwarves stared at the skeletons with shocked expressions.
¡°Skeletons? Who summoned them?¡±
Vos, one of the Weapon Master¡¯s apprentices, shouted in rm.
¡°Wait, why are theying towards us?¡±
Dozens of skeletons charged at the human camp. Watching the scene, Vos spoke with a cold expression.
¡°I don¡¯t know what they are, but they¡¯re not allies. You three! Go smash those things!¡±
Three knights who had been fighting dwarves turned around and blocked the skeletons¡¯ path.
¡°Whoever summoned them¡ do they really think they can attack us with mere skeletons?¡±
Vos smirked.
It was a natural reaction. His subordinates were mostly powerful warriors of the Middle ss.
There was no way a bunch of skeletons with rusty swords are no match for them.
Considering the vast difference in skill and power between the two sides, Vos figured that sending three men was overkill. One should have been enough. However, he decided to send three just to be safe and ensure a quick end to the skirmish.
The subordinates swung their swords at the skeletons. The skeletons tried to block the attacks with their weapons.
¡°What a cute attempt.¡±
Dark aura emanated from the subordinates¡¯ weapons. Those old weapons couldn¡¯t possibly block the aura.
Both the weapons and the skeletons would be cut down entirely.
At least, that¡¯s what Vos thought.
Suddenly, crimson-ck aura erupted from the skeletons¡¯ weapons.
The two auras shed. The subordinates¡¯ strikes were blocked by the skeletons.
¡°¡What?¡±
Vos¡¯s eyes widened at the unbelievable sight.
¡°Skeletons with aura?¡±
But the real surprise was just beginning.
Every skeleton¡¯s weapon was now imbued with aura. Dozens of weapons simultaneously glowed with a dark crimson hue.
Vos¡¯s eyes widened as if they would pop out.
¡°This, this is¡ this is impossible¡!¡±
The aura emanating from the skeletons was incredibly dense.
Only knights of at least the Middle ss or higher could produce such an aura.
¡°¡¡Are all those skeletons Middle ss?¡±
As the weapons imbued with aura struck, the three subordinates were turned into chunks of meat in the blink of an eye.
¡°Kiieeek!¡±
¡°Kraaah!¡±
The skeletons didn¡¯t stop. They began to attack the other nearby humans.
¡°What the hell are these things?¡±
¡°Skeletons with aura? This is impossible¡¡±
The remaining knights panicked, their morale shattered by the sight of theirrades being mercilessly ughtered. They desperately tried to fight back, but their attacks were futile against the skeletons¡¯ superior strength and aura.
The battle quickly turned into a one-sided massacre. Limbs were severed, and blood sttered everywhere. The skeletons relentlessly pursued the humans, cutting them down like wheat in a field.
But the humans were not easily defeated.
Suddenly, a massive aura sh swept through the skeletons. More than ten skeletons were instantly shattered.
¡°Who do these bone bastards think they are messing with!¡±
A knight wielding an axe shouted, his ferocious energy radiating in all directions.
¡°Well done, Korpski!¡±
Vos shouted to the man.
Unlike the other knights, Korpski was a high-ss knight.
¡°You don¡¯t expect me to deal with these things, do you?¡±
¡°Of course not! Leave it to me!¡±
Korpski shouted confidently.
Meanwhile, the shattered skeletonspletely regenerated, returning to their original numbers.
¡°Regenerate as many times as you want. I¡¯ll just smash you again.¡±
Korpski snorted.
No matter how many Middle ss opponents there were, they couldn¡¯t handle a High ss knight.
Confidence was written all over Korpski¡¯s face.
At that moment, something flew from the sky. Korpski was surprised and looked up.
¡°A¡ child?¡±
A small girl lunged at Korpski, swinging her tiny fist.
¡°Kyaa!¡±
Sensing a danger, Korpski blocked her fist with the handle of his axe.
At that moment, an immense force struck him. Korpski was pushed back.
¡°This strength¡! Now I see, you¡¯re undead!¡±
Korpski roared, charging at the girl.
Maybe because he was focused on her,
Korpski didn¡¯t notice the shadow at his feet rippling like water.
From within the shadow, a wolf leaped out. The wolf sank its teeth into Korpski¡¯s neck in an instant.
Crunch!
With a chilling sound, Korpski¡¯s head was torn off. His headless body copsed to the ground.
¡°¡¡¡±
Vos stared at the scene in shock. Then, veins began to bulge on his forehead.
¡°How dare you¡ how dare you kill my subordinate¡!¡±
Vos¡¯s power surged. A vast amount of dark mana surged forth, blowing away everything on the ground.
¡°I will crush you all right now!¡±
At that moment, someone caught Vos¡¯s eye. A man was standing behind the undead.
He was wearing a wooden mask that made his face unrecognizable.
Vos instinctively realized that this man was the necromancer leading the undead.
¡°So it was you!¡±
Vos immediately changed his target and charged at the masked man.
¡°Kyaa!¡±
¡°Kiieek!¡±
The undead and skeletons tried to block him, but it was useless. They couldn¡¯t even slow down a Master ss.
¡°I¡¯ll cut off all your limbs and drag you back!¡±
Vos swung his sword at the masked man. At that moment, the man spoke softly.
¡°Dominico.¡±
A greatsword appeared out of nowhere, blocking Vos¡¯s strike.
With a deafening crash, Vos was thrown backward. He looked up and stared ahead.
A man wielding the greatsword stood in his path.
¡°A Death Knight? How can a mere Death Knight block an aurade¡?¡±
Vos stared at the greatsword held by the Death Knight.
Amazingly, a ck aurade surrounded the greatsword.
¡°A Master ss Death Knight?¡±
Dozens of skeletons with Middle ss strength.
Two undead who instantly killed a High ss knight.
And now a Master ss Death Knight.
¡°Who¡ who are you? Why is a necromancer of your caliber attacking me?¡±
Vos red at the masked man and asked.
¡°This is the territory of the Weapon Master. Attacking me is tantamount to opposing my master.¡±
Vos warned the masked man. But the masked man paid no attention.
¡°Dominico, what are you waiting for?¡±
He spoke briefly instead.
¡°Make him kneel before me.¡±
At that moment, a killing intent radiated from the Death Knight. Vos¡¯s face hardened.
¡°Are you really going to do this? You will regret it!¡±
Vos charged at the Death Knight.
Two master-ss warriors swung their weapons, aiming to kill each other.
Invisible shes collided in midair, each sh producing a thunderous boom.
The ground beneath them shattered from the sheer impact of their blows.
It was a duel of superhumans. Neither gave an inch as they swung their swords.
¡°¡Damn it!¡±
Vos¡¯s expression grew more distorted with each exchange.
¡°A mere Death Knight blocking the master¡¯s swordsmanship? Do you have any idea how insolent you are?¡±
While Vos raged, the Death Knight remained calm.
Suddenly, the Death Knight¡¯s movements changed. His forearm swelled as he swung his greatsword upward.
With a dull sound, Vos¡¯s sword was knocked away.
Gritting his teeth, Vos gripped the hilt tightly.
He barely managed to keep hold of his sword, but his defense was wide open.
Seizing the opportunity, the Death Knight sprang forward and brought his greatsword down.
The Death Knight¡¯s greatsword severed Vos¡¯s forearm. The hand holding the sword fell to the ground.
The Death Knight¡¯s attack didn¡¯t stop there. He shed diagonally across Vos¡¯s torso.
The greatsword cut through Vos¡¯s body, blood spurting from the wound.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Vos copsed to the ground. The Death Knight hooked his greatsword onto his back.
¨C Master, it is finished.
The masked man approached Vos. Vos stared at him with a pale face.
¡°Apprentice of the Weapon Master. I have some questions for you.¡±
¡°Go to the fucking hell.¡±
Vos swore. But the masked man remained unfazed.
¡°Answer me willingly, and I¡¯ll grant you a quick death.¡±
¡°You idiot¡ you¡¯ll kill me anyway¡ why pretend to be merciful¡¡±
The masked man opened a subspace and pulled out a travel bag.
¡°Watch closely. If you don¡¯t answer properly, this will be your fate.¡±
An undead emerged from the travel bag.
Vos¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he saw it.
¡°¡Jeremy?¡±
He couldn¡¯t fail to recognize his fellow apprentice.
¡°H-how¡ how is this possible¡¡±
Vos was horrified as he examined Jeremy.
¡°You¡ you resurrected Jeremy as an undead?¡±
¡°Exactly.¡±
The masked man said, gripping Jeremy¡¯s head and shaking it.
¡°This guy, being an apprentice of the Weapon Master, seemed like he might know something. But since he mainly operated outside, he didn¡¯t know much. But you should be different.¡±
Unlike Vos, Jeremy was the favored apprentice, receiving the Weapon Master¡¯s full affection.
Seeing someone he had always envied turned into an undead right before his eyes, Vos was in shock beyond words.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like this, you¡¯d better spill the information willingly.¡±
¡°¡You¡¯re wasting your time. I will never speak about my master.¡±
¡°You¡¯d better not hold out too long. If ites to that, I¡¯ll kill you and extract the memories from your soul.¡±
At the masked man¡¯s words, Vos burst intoughter.
¡°Do as you wish. You won¡¯t get any information from me! My soul is bound by a restriction that prevents me from speaking anything against my master!¡±
For the first time, the masked man reacted to Vos¡¯s shout.
The masked man ced his hand on Vos¡¯s head and closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them.
¡°¡It¡¯s true. There is a restriction.¡±
¡°See? You won¡¯t get anything from me, you fool!¡±
¡°Considering he is using the corpse of a Duke-level Demon to create a Demonic sword, he had to impose this level of security.¡±
At these words, Vos was struck with a shocking realization.
¡°What? How¡ how do you know that¡¡±
¡°If the restriction is in ce, there¡¯s no point in keeping you alive. Time to die.¡±
The masked man stepped back, and the Death Knight raised his greatsword again.
Even with death looming, Vos couldn¡¯t focus on it.
¡°Tell me! How do you¡ how do you know about that!¡±
Finding out how this person knew about his master was more important than his impending death.
¡°I said, tell me¡ª!¡±
The Death Knight¡¯s greatsword came down.
Vos¡¯s head hit the ground.
***
¡°Master, it is done.¡±
Dominico wiped the blood off his greatsword as he spoke.
The skeletons, Miya, and Munchi had finished dealing with the remaining enemies and were awaiting Damian¡¯s orders.
¡°You¡¯ve all grown incredibly strong since Ist saw you. Dominico, your progress is especially remarkable.¡±
¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±
When Damian first met Dominico, he was only High ss.
But he had the exceptional talent that made it no surprise he would reach Master ss soon.
¡°Now that everything seems to be sorted¡¡±
Damian turned to the dwarves and asked,
¡°I¡¯m going to ask you some questions. It¡¯s in your best interest to answer honestly.¡±
At Damian¡¯s warning, the dwarves¡¯ faces filled with fear.
¡°¡Who, who are you?¡±
One of the dwarves asked in a trembling voice.
Normally, he would have ignored such a question. There was no need to reveal his identity.
But now, Damian needed to spread his false identity widely.
¡°My name is Victor.¡±
Damian said, staring at the dwarves.
¡°There¡¯s a debt owed, a life to be taken. The Weapon Master¡¯s the one paying.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 258
Chapter 258: Hammerfell (3)
¡°Ha! Do you think we¡¯ll just follow you willingly?¡±
One of the dwarves shouted. It was the same dwarf who had first been captured by Damien.
¡°We despise dark mages like you! We¡¯d rather die than cooperate with you!¡±
The other dwarves nodded in agreement at his words.
Despite the fact that a single word from Damien could mean their deaths, the dwarves¡¯ stubbornness remained unyielding.
Among schrs, some praised this dwarven trait as noble.
¡®These annoying bastards.¡¯
Of course, from Damien¡¯s perspective, it was just irritating.
He was pondering how to get these stubborn dwarves to obey.
¡°You¡¯re all misunderstanding us.¡±
Dominico, who was standing next to him, spoke to the dwarves.
¡°We are not like the dark mages you know. We are¡¡±
¡°Dominico, be quiet.¡±
¡°What? But, my lord¡¡±
Damien whispered in Dominico¡¯s ear.
¡°If you were them, would you believe we¡¯re righteous even though we¡¯re dark mages?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s¡¡±
Dominico¡¯s eyes wavered. Seeing it from the other side, he realized how absurd it sounded.
¡°But my lord, there¡¯s no way to persuade them.¡±
Damien fell into deep thought. Suddenly, his face lit up.
¡°Yes. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll do it.¡±
¡°Have you thought of something good?¡±
¡°Yeah, I was overthinking it. There¡¯s a very simple way.¡±
Currently, Damien was ying the role of the infamous dark mage, Victor the Woodcutter.
This meant he had no need for hesitation. He could do anything.
No, he had to act that way. That was the only way to spread the fearsome reputation of Victor the Woodcutter even further.
¡°Watch closely.¡±
Damien approached the dwarf. The dwarf looked at Damien with a tense expression.
¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°¡I am Kilo, the leader of these people!¡±
¡°Leader? Quite a high rank for someone so weak.¡±
¡°What, what? You dare to boast after capturing me just once! Next time will be different! You won¡¯t even know I¡¯m there¡¡±
¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t cooperate with me?¡±
Damien cut off Kilo¡¯s words. Kilo spoke with determined eyes.
¡°That¡¯s right! No matter what you do, I¡¡±
¡°You might think so. But do you think the others will feel the same?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Damien looked at the other dwarves and spoke.
¡°If you won¡¯t cooperate with me, I¡¯ll start torturing your kin. And don¡¯t even think you can withstand it.¡±
He summoned dark mana into his palm.
A thick, ck liquid dripped to the ground, burning the soil with a foul stench.
¡°Ah! No!¡±
¡°Ugh! What is that?¡±
The dwarves recoiled in horror. Damien had a sinister smile on his face and continued.
¡°I¡¯ve developed over a hundred different torture methods specifically for dealing with creatures like you. By the time I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll forget even your own names.¡±
The dwarves¡¯ faces turned pale. Some were trembling all over.
¡°My lord!¡±
Dominico urgently called out to Damien. Damien turned back towards him.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°No matter what, torture is too much¡¡±
Dominico looked horrified. Damien rolled his eyes.
¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯m not actually going to torture them.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a threat. I have no intention of actually torturing them, so rx.¡±
Despite Damien¡¯s exnation, Dominico still looked doubtful.
¡°¡Are you sure?¡±
¡°Are you questioning your lord?¡±
¡°Then the talk of a hundred torture methods¡¡±
¡°Of course, it was a lie.¡±
Dominico let out a sigh of relief, which oddly annoyed Damien.
¡°If you understand, stay quiet.¡±
¡°Yes, my lord.¡±
Damien turned back to the dwarves.
¡°So, what will it be? Will you cooperate?¡±
Kilo looked around at his kin. They were all terrified.
But slowly, their expressions hardened. With determined faces, they all nodded.
¡°¡You foolish human! Do you think we¡¯ll surrender? Never! Absolutely never!¡±
Kilo yelled at Damien. Damien clicked his tongue in annoyance.
¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped. Dominico, bring that dwarf here.¡±
Damien pointed at one of the dwarves. Kilo¡¯s face showed panic.
¡°W-Wait! Not him! He¡¯s just a boy, barely an adult!¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I chose him.¡±
Damien said coldly.
¡°Dominico, what are you doing? Bring him over.¡±
Dominico looked at Damien with a reluctant expression, as if to ask, ¡®Are you serious?¡¯
Damien¡¯s re was fierce, as if to say, ¡®Of course I¡¯m serious.¡¯
Dominico sighed and walked over to the dwarf. He grabbed the young dwarf by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up.
¡°Ah! Father! Help me!¡±
¡°Bamda! Bamda!¡±
¡°Let him go, you fiend!¡±
The dwarves tried to grab Dominico, but no matter how strong they were, they couldn¡¯t overpower a Master ss.
Dominico pushed the dwarves aside and returned to Damien.
¡°I¡¯ll show you exactly what happens if you don¡¯t cooperate with me.¡±
Damien ced his hand on Bamda¡¯s head. Bamda looked as if he might faint from fear.
With his hand still on Bamda, Damien nced at the dwarves. Hesitation was clear on their faces.
¡®It¡¯ll be troublesome if they don¡¯t give in now.¡¯
Though he was acting as Victor the Woodcutter, Damien had no intention of actually torturing the dwarf.
If they had been dark mages or dark knights, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to torture them.
But the dwarf in front of him was innocent.
¡®Come on, just give in.¡¯
As if his wish had reached them, Kilo shouted with his eyes tightly shut.
¡°We¡¯ll cooperate! Just stop!¡±
Damien signaled to Dominico with a nce. Dominico released his grip on Bamda.
Bamda quickly ran back to the other dwarves.
¡°Bamda! Are you alright?¡±
¡°I was so scared!¡±
¡°You¡¯re safe now. It¡¯s over.¡±
The dwarves gathered around Bamda,forting him.
¡°Phew¡ Trying to do something that doesn¡¯t suit me is exhausting.¡±
Damien wiped the sweat from his forehead.
¡°Not only is it hard to pretend to be a dark mage, but having to make threats as well¡ªthis is the worst.¡±
Dominico looked at Damien in disbelief.
¡°¡¡±
¡°What? Do you have a problem?¡±
¡°No, my lord.¡±
Damien approached the dwarves. They stoppedforting Bamda and looked at him.
¡°Now, answer my questions honestly from here on out.¡±
The first thing Damien asked about was the current situation in the city.
¡°The city was taken by a Weapon Master?¡±
Damien asked again, his face reflecting disbelief.
Dwarven cities were renowned for being impregnable, a testament to their superior craftsmanship and defenses.
He had heard of cities being destroyed by dragons or natural disasters, but never conquered.
¡°¡It¡¯s true.¡±
¡°What trick did the Weapon Master use?¡±
¡°There was a traitor among our kin. He revealed all the secret passages of the city.¡±
¡°A traitor? I thought your kind was above such things.¡±
Dwarves were known for their stubbornness and integrity.
Hadn¡¯t they just resisted Damien to the end?
¡°Ha! Do you think we¡¯d tell you every detail?¡±
¡°Dominico, bring him back.¡±
¡°The traitor is the child of the exiled former chieftain! He held a grudge against us!¡±
¡°The former chieftain?¡±
¡°Years ago, a gue swept through the city. The former chieftain failed to manage it properly, making the outbreak worse. He was exiled for his ipetence!¡±
Damien recalled a story he¡¯d heard from Malta. He never imagined it would lead to this.
¡°The Weapon Master used the traitor¡¯s information to attack the city. We had no choice but to flee to avoid the Weapon Master.¡±
Kilo¡¯s voice was filled with anger as he recounted the events.
¡°Many of our kin who couldn¡¯t escape remain in the city. We formed a resistance to reim it.¡±
¡°Really? How many are in the resistance?¡±
Kilo pointed to the dwarves behind him. Damien couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head in confusion.
¡°Surely, these aren¡¯t all of them?¡±
¡°They are.¡±
Damien felt a slight headacheing on.
These dwarves, who nearly got wiped out by the Weapon Master¡¯s disciple, were the resistance?
¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask for outside help? The City Alliance would have dly aided you.¡±
The City Alliance referred to a coalition of dwarf cities. They intervened when a single city¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t enough.
¡°Ha, what nonsense! The Weapon Master defiled our fortress and killed our families! Do you think we¡¯d let someone else take him down?¡±
Kilo burst out in anger, and the other dwarves nodded in agreement.
Damien inwardly clicked his tongue.
They wanted to take down a monster like the Weapon Master with their own hands? He had never encountered such fools.
¡®This is bing troublesome.¡¯
The Weapon Master was now hiding in the dwarf fortress.
Even the Weapon Master had used a traitor to take the fortress, not direct assault.
It would be difficult for Damien to capture the fortress by force.
¡®It might be possible if I use all my resources¡¡¯
The problem was the Weapon Master waiting inside the fortress.
Facing the Weapon Master after exhausting his strength would be risky.
¡°How do you n to reim the city?¡±
Damien asked Kilo.
He figured that those who had lived in the fortress might have a solution.
¡°Are you nning to use the secret passages as well?¡±
¡°We already tried that, but failed. They¡¯re all blocked. They must have forced our kin left in the city to seal them.¡±
Kilo trembled with anger.
¡°So, you don¡¯t have a solid n either.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us! We¡¯ve already devised a new n!¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°We¡¯re building a siege engine to break through the gates! With it, we can reim the fortress!¡±
Kilo said confidently.
Damien was impressed.
If a dwarf, known for their craftsmanship, spoke with such confidence, it must be an extraordinary device.
¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Go where?¡±
¡°You said you¡¯re building a siege engine? I want to see it with my own eyes.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Kilo broke into a cold sweat.
¡°N-No! I can¡¯t show you!¡±
¡°Dominico, bring him.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like that! We haven¡¯t even finished the framework yet!¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
Kilo began to exin. After listening to the entire exnation, Damien looked incredulous.
¡°¡So, the emergency storage and production facilities outside the city were also taken by the Weapon Master, and you can¡¯t build the siege engine?¡±
Kilo nodded, looking humiliated.
¡°How did you lose those? They should¡¯ve been well hidden.¡±
¡°¡The traitor revealed those too.¡±
Damien pped his forehead.
¡°What have you been doing all this time instead of reiming them?¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t been idle! It¡¯s just that the facilities are guarded by the Weapon Master¡¯s disciples¡ so we failed.¡±
Kilo said in a gloomy voice.
¡°But we haven¡¯t given up! We gathered here today to reim the storage!¡±
¡°If you reim the storage and facilities, can you really build the siege engine?¡±
¡°Yes! With the materials and facilities, we can build it quickly!¡±
¡°Lead the way.¡±
Damien stood up. Kilo looked up at him with puzzled face.
¡°We¡¯re going to reim what you¡¯ve lost.¡±
Chapter 259
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 259: Recapture (1)
***
¡°You really came here to kill the Weapon Master?¡±
Kilo asked with his trembling voice. His eyes were filled with disbelief.
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Do you have any idea what kind of monster the Weapon Master is? He¡¯s one of the titans known as the Pir of Pandemonium. And you think you can kill such a monster?¡±
¡°Well, he is a bit of a headache.¡±
Damien replied in a nonchnt tone. Kilo¡¯s jaw dropped at Damien¡¯s dismissive attitude toward the Weapon Master.
¡°Even if you had the ability to do so, we have no intention of cooperating with you!¡±
¡°And after you kill the Weapon Master? Wouldn¡¯t you then try to dominate us?¡±
Damien felt annoyed. Nothing ever went smoothly.
¡°Seems like you have quite a high opinion of yourselves.¡±
Damien didn¡¯t bother trying to persuade the dwarves. The atmosphere wasn¡¯t right for it, plus Damien was currently ying the role of the ¡®dreadful dark mage Victor.¡¯
¡°I have no interest in smelly dwarves like you. The only one I¡¯m interested in is the Weapon Master.¡±
He mocked as he looked down on the dwarves.
¡°What, what did you say?¡±
¡°I¡¯m telling you because your delusions are nauseating.¡±
¡°You said you won¡¯t cooperate? You¡¯d better reconsider your answer. I¡¯ll make you cooperate with me one way or another.¡±
The undead surrounded the dwarves.
Faced with the menacing aura, Kilo and the dwarves all gulped nervously.
¡°Decide now. Will you cooperate willingly, or shall I force you to cooperate?¡±
***
¡°That¡¯s the emergency storage.¡±
Kilo and the dwarves led Damien deep into the valley. After pushing through trees and bushes, a square building came into view.
Without the guidance of the dwarves, it would have been impossible to find.
¡°It¡¯s a warehouse where we store metals for rebuilding in case of an emergency in the city.¡±
¡°What about security measures?¡±
¡°There are none. Instead, it¡¯s incredibly sturdy. Once the door is locked, no one can get in.¡±
It seemed the square building¡¯s appearance was not just for show.
While Damien was inspecting the warehouse, Kilo asked with a skeptical look on his face.
¡°¡Was what you said to us true?¡±
¡°Hmm? Oh, you mean about not being interested in you? Don¡¯t worry. Once the Weapon Master is dead, you can do whatever you want among yourselves.¡±
Damien replied in a dismissive tone. His irritating attitude somehow reassured the dwarves.
¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±
At that moment, something caught Damien¡¯s eye. The warehouse door opened, and a horde of dark knights emerged.
¡°Stop dawdling and get out here!¡±
¡°Hurry up and get out!¡±
Next, dwarves chained together poured out of the warehouse. Their bodies were covered in wounds, clearly showing they had been through a lot.
¡°Th-Those are¡!¡±
Kilo was visibly shocked at the sight of the captured dwarves.
¡°Do you know them?¡±
¡°¡They¡¯re survivors from the city. They went missing when our hideout was attacked recently. I never thought they¡¯d been captured by them.¡±
Meanwhile, the dark knights drove stakes into the ground, securing the chains that bound the dwarves. The dwarves watched in terror.
¡°Hello there.¡±
One of the dark knights, a woman, addressed the dwarves.
¡°Were you startled being dragged out here so suddenly?¡±
Her voice was beautiful enough to be soothing, but the dwarves only trembled in fear.
¡°I was going to do this inside, but cleaning up would have been a hassle.¡±
she said while shing the daggers in her hands together.
A bizarre phenomenon urred. The handles of the daggers fused with her hands. The transformation didn¡¯t stop there. The des grewrger, sprouting eyes and splitting open to reveal teeth.
¨C Screech!
¨C Screech!
The daggers, now resembling monstrous heads, screamed hideously. The dwarves shrieked in horror at the sight.
¡°Let¡¯s start with you.¡±
The woman swung her dagger at the nearest dwarf.
Thud!
With a chilling sound, the dwarf¡¯s leg was severed. He copsed to the ground.
¡°Honey!¡±
¡°Father!¡±
His family members screamed. The legless dwarf shouted in pain.
¡°Run! Don¡¯t worry about me, just run¡.¡±
The woman swung her hand again, this time decapitating the dwarf.
Blood gushed from the severed neck, and the woman looked ecstatic.
¡°Ah¡ Delkoi¡ I can feel you enjoying this¡ Yes¡ It¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll feed you more.¡±
Kilo, watching this horrific scene, screamed in panic.
¡°Wh-What on earth¡!¡±
¡°She¡¯s using the dwarves as sacrifices for her Demonic sword.¡±
¡°What¡ What do you mean?¡±
¡°To wield a Demonic sword, you need to constantly provide it with food. Otherwise, the owner gets devoured.¡±
As Damien exined, the woman¡¯s gaze shifted to the remaining dwarves.
¡°A monster! She¡¯s a monster!¡±
¡°We need to escape!¡±
The dwarves screamed and tried to flee, but the chains secured to the stakes prevented their movement.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
The woman approached the dwarves with her arms outstretched.
¡°I must stop this.¡±
Damien rose to his feet, but Kilo grabbed his hand.
¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m going to kill those bastards and take back the warehouse.¡±
¡°You¡¯re just going to charge in like this?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you want to save your kin?¡±
Kilo bit his lip and shouted in frustration.
¡°The one you killed earlier was nothingpared to her! You can¡¯t just rush in without a n¡.¡±
¡°Quiet.¡±
¡°W-What?¡±
Damien shook off Kilo¡¯s hand.
¡°Just stay there and watch.¡±
Damienunched himself forward,nding right in front of the woman.
¡°Hmm?¡±
The woman stopped mid-swing, looking curiously at Damien.
¡°And who might you be?¡±
¡°What¡¯s your purpose here?¡±
The other dark knights reacted aggressively, ready to kill Damien on the spot.
The woman raised her hand, and the knights fell silent.
¡°A dark mage? I¡¯ve never seen you before. Do you know this is the Weapon Master¡¯s territory?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Damien spoke calmly. A spark of interest lit up in the woman¡¯s eyes.
¡°So you know and still came? Doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re here to swear loyalty to my master¡ Could it be what I think it is?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly what you think.¡±
¡°Wow, I¡¯ve seen a lot in my life, but this is a first. Do you n to go against my master? Are you insane?¡±
Despite her smile, the woman exuded a chilling murderous intent.
¡°So, who are you? Let¡¯s hear your name.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Victor the Woodcutter.¡±
¡°Victor? That sounds familiar¡.¡±
The woman pondered for a moment, then shook her head.
¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter. My name is Cherrybell. Just so you know, I¡¯m a Master ss.¡±
In terms ofbat, knights generally held the upper hand over dark mages.
In terms of power, there was a very big gap between a Master ss knight and Grand Dark Mage.
It didn¡¯t matter if one became a Grand Dark Mage, to a Master ss knight they were just a mere bug.
To stand a chance against a Master ss, Grand Dark Mage needed special preparations or had to perfect their unique vision.
Damien was no exception.
No matter how vast his knowledge was, confronting a Master ss with dark magic alone was extremely difficult.
¡°How kind of you.¡±
But now, things were different. Damien had awakened three authorities.
Damien summoned his mana.
Thanks to consuming a Dragon Heart, Damien¡¯s mana reserves had nearly doubled.
He imbued this immense magical power with the Authority of Envy.
The Authority of Envy had the ability to transform the nature of anything.
It could freely convert mana into dark mana, or dark mana into divine power without any limits.
Damien converted his mana into dark mana.
And it was the purest, most intense dark mana.
The transformed dark mana began to whirl around him. Damien applied another authority.
The Authority of Wrath.
Authority that could amplify anything.
The converted dark mana was amplified. It turned into a storm of dark mana. A ck storm enveloped Damien.
Damien constructed a spell. He expended all the dark mana to manifest his dark spell.
¡°¡What is this?¡±
Cherrybell¡¯s face instantly hardened.
Her instincts as a knight warned her. Something extraordinary was happening right now.
¡°What kind of dark magic is this¡.¡±
It was then.
Something started seeping out of the ground.
Water? No, the color was strange. It was as if darkness had melted into it, turning it pitch ck.
ck droplets seeped out from the entire ground and floated into the air.
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°Water droplets?¡±
Cherrybell¡¯s subordinates looked at the droplets with curiosity.
At that moment, Damien pped his hands together.
Suddenly, the droplets turned into vapor and scattered in all directions.
¡°Huh? What?¡±
¡°What is this?¡±
In that instant, Cherrybell¡¯s instincts screamed fiercely. She shouted at her subordinates.
¡°You fools! Hold your breath! Get out of here right now¡.¡±
Before Cherrybell could finish her sentence, Damien snapped his fingers.
In the next moment, spikes erupted from the bodies of her subordinates.
***
Spikes erupted from their bodies.
Their chests, abdomens, sides, necks, and heads were all impaled. The spikes tearing from within shredded their organs. Muscles and skin were all pierced.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Ahhh!¡±
The subordinates screamed and copsed. Thanks to their knightly resilience, none were dead yet.
¡°Ahhh! It hurts¡ I¡¯m going crazy¡!¡±
¡°Someone¡ please kill me!¡±
This only made it worse. The pain was excruciating, driving them to the brink of madness.
Eternal Darkness.
One of the ancient dark spells kept as a secret by Dorugo.
Eternal Darkness was a curse-based dark spell.
Contact with the ck droplets umted the curse within one¡¯s body. Once a certain threshold was reached, the curse activated.
It not only exhausted both physical and mana but also transformed into spikes that burst outward.
¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡±
Damien looked at the dying dark knights and spoke.
The power was less than half of what Eternal Darkness had been used in his previous life.
Naturally, it was. In his previous life, Damien not only possessed an immense amount of dark mana but had also embedded countless rare magical artifacts within his body.
¡°You¡ you¡¡±
At that moment, one of the knights stood up.
Amazingly, Cherrybell was still alive. She didn¡¯t even have spikes protruding from her body.
¡°What have you done to us¡ Ugh!¡±
Instead, Cherrybell vomited ck water.
Eternal Darkness had drained her physical and dark mana but had failed to form spikes, expelling it as ck vomit instead.
¡°You managed to survive. As expected of a Master ss.¡±
¡°How dare you¡ my master¡¯s subordinates¡ I¡¯ll kill you!¡±
Cherrybell immediately charged, swinging her dagger at Damien.
Damien used the Authority of Envy to instantly convert his mana into dark mana.
Pointing his index finger downward, he murmured softly.
¡°Crush.¡±
In that moment, the sky turned ck. It no longer radiated blue light but was filled with pitch darkness.
ckness.
An ancient dark spell that crushed everything within its range.
The immense pressure bore down on Cherrybell. The overwhelming force slowed her down instantly.
¡°Another strange dark magic¡!¡±
But she was a master ss. ckness alone wasn¡¯t enough to stop her.
So Damien unleashed the Authority of Wrath.
The Authority of Wrath amplified ckness. Unable to withstand the pressure, Cherrybell was forced to the ground.
¡°Ugh¡ Grrr¡¡±
Cherrybell gritted her teeth, trying to stand but she couldn¡¯t move a finger.
¡°A Master ss who has exhausted all their physical and mana is no threat at all.¡±
Even though she had the Demonic sword, it was not fearsome if it didn¡¯t make contact.
¡°Come forth.¡±
Skeletons emerged from Damien¡¯s shadow. They surrounded Cherrybell.
Despair filled Cherrybell¡¯s face as she urgently shouted.
¡°Wait, please¡!¡±
The skeletons drove their weapons into Cherrybell¡¯s body.
Her scream of agony echoed long and loud.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 260
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 260: Recapture (2)
***
The screams that had been going on for a long time suddenly stopped. It was the end of Cherrybell¡¯s life.
Damien mercilessly grabbed Cherrybell¡¯s soul. He crushed it and absorbed her memories.
¡°As expected, there¡¯s a restriction in ce.¡±
Just like the disciple he killed before, Cherrybell also had a restriction on her.
This meant that the Weapon Master was putting a lot of effort into creating the Demonic sword.
¡°That Demonic sword is valuable enough for this.¡±
Even Damien couldn¡¯t help but be cautious. The reason he was so eager to quickly capture the Dwarven fortress was to prevent thepletion of that Demonic sword.
Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. Kilo and the Dwarves were looking at Damien with disbelief.
It was understandable. A dark mage had just instantly defeated a Master ss knight.
¡°What are you standing around for? Go and bring the materials.¡±
Damien said gruffly. Only then did the Dwarves snap out of their daze.
¡°Oh, got it. We¡¯ll take care of it from here.¡±
The Dwarves hurriedly headed towards the storage.
Damien sat down on a nearby rock. He then ordered a skeleton to bring him the Demonic sword that Cherrybell had used.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡¡±
Damien examined the two daggers closely.
¡°These are Demonic swords made by a Count-level demon. The demon seems to have the power to devour and absorb anything.¡±
The swords had no intelligence, but they were imbued with strong demonic powers.
They were fascinating, but not something Damien was interested in.
¡°Dominico.¡±
Damien called for Dominico. A ck knight emerged from the shadows.
¡°Yes, my lord. You called?¡±
¡°Destroy this.¡±
Dominico immediately swung his greatsword. The aurade shattered the Demonic swords into several pieces.
-Kyaaah!
-Keueeek!
As the Demonic swords were destroyed, demonic energy flowed out. Damien absorbed all of it.
Then, the fourth mark began to shine. Damien looked at the mark.
¡°It¡¯s the Authority of Lust.¡±
The Authority of Lust could make any creature blindly follow him.
Insects, beasts, monsters, even humans.
In simple terms, it was a power that could brainwash anything.
¡°It¡¯s a troublesome authority to awaken.¡±
The Authority of Lust was an incredibly tricky authority to handle.
It was easy to brainwash creatures with low intelligence, like animals and monsters, but it was difficult to brainwash highly intelligent beings, such as humans.
Nevertheless, it was undoubtedly a terrifying authority.
In his previous life, Damien had used this authority under the orders of Dorugo to brainwash captured high-ranking nobles, causing discord among humans and disbanding their armies.
While Damien was awakening his authority, the Dwarves had also finished their tasks.
¡°Victor! We¡¯ve gathered everything!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±
Damien looked at the Dwarves with a puzzled expression.
They had looted such arge warehouse, but the Dwarves weren¡¯t carrying anything.
¡°It¡¯s all in there.¡±
Kilo pointed to some Dwarves who were carryingrge leather bags over their shoulders.
¡°They¡¯re bags made with the wisdom of our ancestors. They look small, but the inside is incredibly spacious.¡±
¡°A magical artifact with spatial expansion?¡±
¡°Hmph, don¡¯tpare it to something like that! These are made with the mysteries of our ancestors!¡±
Kilo said in a displeased voice.
¡°Well, if you¡¯ve got everything, we need to move again. Next, we need to reim the emergency forge, right?¡±
Damien said as he stood up. Kilo grabbed him.
¡°Wait! I have something to say first!¡±
Damien frowned, his displeasure radiating as a killing intent.
As the killing intent emanated from Damien, Kilo and the other Dwarves were terrified.
¡°Why are you getting angry again!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you n to back out of our cooperation now that you¡¯ve got the materials?¡±
¡°What do you take us for!¡±
Kilo shouted in anger. Damien immediately retracted his killing intent.
¡°Is that so? My apologies.¡±
¡°Do you think just saying sorry is enough!¡±
¡°And what if it isn¡¯t?¡±
Damien¡¯s killing intent surged again. Kilo quickly closed his mouth.
¡°Then why did you call me?¡±
¡°¡I wanted to say thank you.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything worth thanking for.¡±
¡°You saved our kin.¡±
Kilo turned his gaze. There, Dwarves who had nearly be sacrifices to the Demonic sword were gathered.
¡°¡Thank you, truly.¡±
Dwarves were known for their stubbornness. The Dwarves from the city of Hammerfell, where Kilo was from, were particrly so.
Here was a Dwarf from Hammerfell thanking Damien.
Damien felt a strange emotion.
¡°You¡¯re saying unnecessary things.¡±
¡°What? A Dwarf bows his head in thanks and you¡¡±
¡°Just tell me the location. Where is the next facility?¡±
¡°Leading you to the forge isn¡¯t difficult. But¡¡±
Kilo trailed off.
¡°You still don¡¯t trust my abilities?¡±
¡°How could I not! I know you¡¯re ridiculously strong! But the emergency forge is filled with security devices we created!¡±
Damien¡¯s face lit up with interest.
¡°Security devices, you say?¡±
¡°Yes, the forge is filled with the equipment of our Hammerfell Dwarves! If an outsider gets in, our technology might be leaked.¡±
¡°Tell me more.¡±
Kilo proceeded to exin the emergency forge in detail.
The more Damien listened, the more he fell into deep thought. It was practically a small fortress.
¡°Indeed, it won¡¯t be easy to breach.¡±
As Damien was pondering how to capture the forge, he heard a faint groan.
¡°¡Ugh, ugh¡¡±
One of Cherrybell¡¯s subordinates, who was lying on the ground, made a sound. Despite having spikes protruding from his body, he had somehow survived. It was a testament to a knight¡¯s resilience.
¡°My lord, I will take care of him.¡±
Dominico raised his greatsword. At that moment, an idea shed in Damien¡¯s mind.
¡°Wait, stop.¡±
Dominico immediately lowered his greatsword. Damien examined Cherrybell¡¯s remaining subordinates.
Most of them were dead, but a few were still alive. Seeing them, Damien¡¯s n became clear.
¡°We can use these guys as the key.¡±
***
¡°I¡¯m bored to death.¡±
Akio muttered as he watched the sunset.
Triang stood guard beside him, he clicked his tongue in disapproval.
¡°It¡¯s your business if you¡¯re bored, but don¡¯t ck off likest time. You don¡¯t want to get in trouble with Lord Salvador again.¡±
Akio paid no attention to Triang¡¯s nagging.
¡°Lord Salvador is too much. Who would attack a castle this remote, making us guard it like this?¡±
The ce they were guarding was deep within the Hukmak mountains, a location difficult to find.
Despite being built in such an isted ce, the castle was impressivelyrge.
Most notably, it was constructed with the mysterious craftsmanship of the Dwarves, filled with all kinds of bizarre security devices.
Take the castle wall, for instance. Attempting to climb it would instantly cause it to burst into mes, without having to use any magic.
Even the Weapon Master¡¯s forces would find it challenging to capture the castle without an insider¡¯s help.
¡°This ce is that important. I heard it¡¯s full of Dwarven technology.¡±
¡°I know that. But who woulde all the way here to steal it?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. There¡¯s information that the Dwarves have formed a resistance.¡±
¡°Even if they form a resistance, it¡¯s not a big deal. Ugh, I¡¯m so bored.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re that bored, why don¡¯t you y with those?¡±
Triang pointed to the spears set up against the castle wall. Something was tied to them.
Short stature. Muscr build. Faces covered with beards.
They were Dwarves.
They weren¡¯t in a normal state. Their bodies were covered in wounds, looking like tattered rags.
¡°I¡¯m tired of ying with them. I interrogated them too much.¡±
Akio shook his head.
Those Dwarves originally defended the castle.
When the castle fell, they were captured and served as toys to alleviate boredom under the guise of ¡°interrogation.¡±
¡°And they¡¯re too broken now. Look.¡±
Akio pulled out a knife and stabbed a Dwarf in the thigh. The Dwarf didn¡¯t even flinch.
¡°They¡¯ve been tormented so much, they¡¯re as good as dead. They¡¯ll probably actually die by tomorrow.¡±
Akio clicked his tongue in disappointment. Just then, he saw something in his line of sight.
Three men were approaching the castle wall.
¡°Hey, Akio! Are you keeping watch properly?¡±
One of them called out to Akio. Akio was delighted as he recognized the face and shouted back.
¡°Valentin! Franco! What are you guys doing here instead of being with Lady Cherrybell?¡±
¡°We came to see you.¡±
A smile spread across Akio¡¯s face.
Valentin and Franco were Akio¡¯s peers. They hade under the Weapon Master at the same time and learned swordsmanship together.
¡°Who¡¯s the guy behind you?¡±
Behind Valentin and Franco was a man wearing a hooded robe. He looked suspicious, so Akio couldn¡¯t help but be wary.
¡°This guy? I don¡¯t know either.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°We caught him lurking around on our way here.¡±
¡°Then we should interrogate him right away.¡±
It had been a while since they had an interrogation.
A wicked smile appeared on Akio¡¯s lips.
The guy Valentin brought looked very healthy. It was going to be fun for a while.
¡°Now let us in! How long do you n to keep us standing out here?¡±
¡°Impatient, aren¡¯t you? Just wait a bit!¡±
Akio operated a mechanism on top of the castle wall, and the gate began to lift.
¡°Triang, let¡¯s go down.¡±
Akio descended to the gate with Triang.
Valentin and the other two walked inside.
¡°Looks like you guys had a tough time under Lady Cherrybell. Not that your ugly faces could get any worse¡¡±
Valentin and Franco drew their longswords and stabbed Akio and Triang in the abdomen.
The two fell without a chance to scream. Valentin and Franco bowed to the man in the robe.
¡°It¡¯s done, Lord Victor.¡±
The robed man, Damien Haksen, threw off his robe and spoke to Valentin and Franco.
¡°Well done. Now, both of you, kill yourselves.¡±
¡°Oh¡ you honor us with anothermand¡!¡±
¡°We shall obey immediately!¡±
Valentin and Franco slit their own throats. Even as they died, their faces were filled with ecstasy.
This was the terrifying power of the Authority of Lust.
The Authority of Lust wasn¡¯t just simple mind control. It made them follow anymand with joyful hearts.
¡°You¡ you¡!¡±
Akio was lying on the ground and shouted at Damien.
¡°What have you done to them?!¡±
¡°I just yed with their minds a bit.¡±
Akio¡¯s expression twisted with rage.
¡°You beast! Using such horrible methods!¡±
Damien walked over to Akio and kicked him in the stomach.
¡°Gah!¡±
Already pierced by a sword, Akio¡¯s abdomen was already pierced by a sword and further damaged by the kick. He coughed up blood in agony.
¡°A beast? Of course. I came here to kill scum worse than beasts. Why should I act like a human?¡±
Damien turned away. Akio was dying anyway, so there was no need to pay him any more attention.
Damien walked further inside. Many dark knights still upied the forge.
¡°Everyone,e out.¡±
Damien¡¯s shadow began to ripple, and undeads emerged from within.
¡°Leave no one alive.¡±
Undeads spread out, letting out ghastly howls that sounded almost like cheers.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 261
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 261: Recapture (3)
***
¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡±
¡°What is happening?¡±
Dark Knights were drawn by the terrifying screams of the skeletons and gathered at the castle gate.
¡°What is this? S-skeletons?¡±
¡°Where did theye from¡ Wait a minute, the skeletons are using aura!¡±
Skeletons flooded into the castle.
The Dark Knights caught in the onught were literally torn to pieces.
¡°Skeletons using aura¡?¡±
¡°Come to your senses and swing your sword!¡±
¡°Damn it, no matter how many we break¡ Gaaaah!¡±
Dark Knights were caught off guard so they couldn¡¯t even defend properly.
Some quickly regained their senses and fought back, but it was futile.
The skeletons regenerated almost immediately after being destroyed and resumed their attack on the Dark Knights.
While the skeletons were fighting the Dark Knights, Damien moved further inside. The Dark Knights spotted him.
¡°It¡¯s the Necromancer! He must be controlling the skeletons!¡±
¡°Kill him first! Then it will all be over!¡±
Determined to end it, the Dark Knights charged at Damien.
But they couldn¡¯t get close to him.
Suddenly, a Death Knight appeared and swung a great sword.
The long aurade it released cut down the charging Dark Knights. Their bodies split in half and fell to the ground.
¡°Unbelievable¡ An aurade¡ He¡¯smanding a Master ss¡¡±
Even as they were dying, the Dark Knights couldn¡¯t ept the reality.
¡°Dominico.¡±
-Yes, my lord.
¡°I¡¯ll leave the skeletons to you. Clean up this ce.¡±
-What are your ns, my lord?
In response to Dominico¡¯s question, Damien pointed to the forge building.
¡°I¡¯m going to take those fuckers head.¡±
***
¡°Ugh, what¡¯s that noise?¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s elite disciple, Alexander, rubbed his be and sat up.
He had a terrible hangover fromst night¡¯s heavy drinking. It felt like a swarm of bees was buzzing in his skull.
¡°Why is it so loud? What are those guys outside doing?¡±
He was already suffering from a headache, but the noise outside made it worse.
¡°Damn it. Fucking hell.¡±
Alexander was known as a heavy drinker. But he usually didn¡¯t drink this much.
His drinking had increased ever since he started guarding this forge.
¡°How long do I have to be stuck in this boring ce?¡±
He was very dissatisfied with the task his master had assigned him.
He wanted to roam around like the other disciples, enjoy good drinks, and meet beautiful women.
Since he couldn¡¯t do that, he drowned his boredom in alcohol.
¡°I don¡¯t get why Master is so wary of the dwarves.¡±
It wasn¡¯t entirely iprehensible.
The dwarves in this city of Hammerfell preserved ancient knowledge and techniques.
If they decided to, who knows what kind of weapon they could create.
But that was only if they had the proper facilities and materials.
Unarmed dwarves were not scary at all.
¡°Ugh, my head hurts. I need another drink.¡±
Alexander reached for the bottle under his bed and took a big swig.
¡°Ah, that¡¯s good. Really good.¡±
As Alexander wiped his mouth with his sleeve in satisfaction, the door suddenly burst open. One of his subordinates stumbled in.
¡°Master Alexander! We¡¯re in big trouble!¡±
¡°Hey, you¡¯re bleeding from your head.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not important right now! We¡¯re under attack!¡±
Alexander dropped the bottle he was holding.
The precious liquor spilled on the floor, but he didn¡¯t have time to care.
¡°Attack?¡±
¡°Yes! We¡¯re trying to hold them off, but we¡¯re outmatched! Many of our knights have already been killed¡¡±
Suddenly, the door was smashed to pieces. A giant wolf leaped in and crushed the subordinate¡¯s head under its paw.
There was a sickening crunch, and blood and flesh sttered.
¡°Wh-what?¡±
The suddenness of it left Alexander¡¯s mind nk for a moment.
-Grrr.
The ck wolf growled, staring at Alexander.
Then, a stranger¡¯s voice was heard.
¡°Good job, Munchi.¡±
A man walked in through the gaping hole. He was wearing a strange mask.
¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Victor the Woodcutter.¡±
Victor the Woodcutter.
Alexander had never heard of him before, but he knew not to underestimate him.
The ominous feeling emanating from that man was overwhelming.
¡°Why are you attacking this ce?¡±
¡°I have business with the Weapon Master. To enter the city, I need the facilities here.¡±
¡°So, you¡¯ve teamed up with those dwarves.¡±
¡°Something like that.¡±
¡°You fool. Do you think you can stand against my master?¡±
Alexander reached out, and arge axe flew from the wall into his hand.
¡°Do you think I¡¯ll allow that? You¡¯re going to die here. Then my dead subordinates¡¯ souls have some relief.¡±
Alexander¡¯s killing intent filled the room.
Even though he considered himself a poor leader, he felt it was his duty to avenge his subordinates.
It was then that Victor suddenly focused on Alexander¡¯s axe and asked.
¡°You¡¯ve killed a lot with that axe, haven¡¯t you?¡±
¡°What? Are you reading the remnants of the souls left in it?¡±
The Demonic Axe Cecilia.
It had the ability to absorb the souls of those it killed and grow stronger with each killing.
Highly skilled dark mages could read the traces of souls Cecilia had absorbed.
¡°You didn¡¯t just kill your enemies. There are children, the elderly, and women among them. What were you thinking while killing all those people?¡±
¡°Who knows? I just fed everyone I saw to Cecilia, never really thought about it.¡±
The number of people Alexander had killed with Cecilia was in the thousands.
Thanks to that, Alexander had never experienced defeat since obtaining Cecilia.
At that moment, a chilling aura emanated from Victor.
¡°You should give up the idea of dying easily.¡±
¡°That¡¯s my line.¡±
With a twisted grin, Alexander pushed off the ground, and Victor immediately unleashed his dark magic.
Explosions resounded repeatedly within the forge.
***
While Damien and the undead fought the Dark Knights, the dwarves were rescuing their kin.
¡°Careful, lower it gently! Gently!¡± Kilo shouted urgently. The dwarves followed his instructions and slowly lowered the pole.
¡°Hurry up and free them! Quickly!¡±
The dwarves cut all the wires binding their kin.
Even after being freed from the poles, their kin showed no reaction.
They were barely breathing, their spirits too shattered to respond to external stimuli.
¡°Medicine¡ they need medicine¡¡± Kilo hastily pulled out a pre-made salve from his leather pouch.
Dwarves were not only skilled in metallurgy but also had profound knowledge of alchemy.
To apply the salve, Kilo removed their clothes. The sight of the wounds hidden beneath brought tears to his eyes.
¡°Damn it¡ these bastards¡¡±
They were skinned alive.
Their bodies were shredded like old, heavily used rags.
Even with the dwarves¡¯ salve, it was impossible to heal these woundspletely. They would be left with permanent disabilities.
¡°Damn it¡ damn it¡ damn it.¡±
Kilo cursed continuously as he applied the salve.
¡°Kilo¡ is that you, brother?¡±
At that moment, Kilo was treating slowly opened his mouth.
Hearing his voice, Kilo eximed with joy.
¡°Todal! I never thought it would be you!¡±
The wounds were so severe that he couldn¡¯t even recognize his face.
Kilo felt his heart swell at the sound of his foster brother¡¯s voice.
¡°Brother¡ you¡¯re as loud as ever¡ some things never change¡¡±
¡°Is that all you have to say after all we¡¯ve been through to find you?¡±
¡°Heh, heh¡ what about the enemies? What happened to them?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re being dealt with.¡±
¡°Is that so? That¡¯s¡ impressive¡ must have been tough.¡±
Todal was exhausted and paused to catch his breath before asking Kilo again.
¡°The city¡ is it safe?¡±
Kilo froze at those words.
How could he tell the truth?
How could he tell his dying foster brother that the city had fallen to the enemy and they needed to reim it?
Kilo¡¯s face showed a whirlwind of conflict in that short moment.
¡°You fool! Of course, the city is safe. If there was any trouble, how could I havee to rescue you?¡±
In the end, Kilo had to lie.
¡°Ha ha¡ that¡¯s a relief.¡±
A smile spread across Todal¡¯s lips. In contrast, Kilo¡¯s face twisted even more.
¡°What about my wife? Is she alive too?¡±
¡°¡Yes, she¡¯s alive.¡±
¡°And mother? Is she still alive?¡±
¡°Of course!¡±
¡°What about that idiot Galleon?¡±
¡°Naturally, he escaped safely too!¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was really¡ really worried¡¡±
A satisfied smile appeared on his lips. But the next words never came.
¡°¡Todal.¡±
Kilo shook Todal¡¯s body.
¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±
He kept shaking his body, but the smiling lips remained closed.
¡°Todal¡ you idiot¡ say something¡¡±
Kilo continued to shake Todal¡¯s body. Finally, one of his subordinates had to stop him.
¡°Captain¡ please stop now. You know it¡¯s over.¡±
One subordinate pleaded making Kilo halt.
¡°Ah¡ Ahhh¡¡±
Kilo surveyed the forge.
The battle raged on. Skeletons were killing the Dark Knights.
Rage boiled within him.
He wanted to rush out and kill the enemies.
To avenge Todal¡¯s death, to help his soul rest in peace.
But the reality was harsh.
If they intervened, they¡¯d only be a hindrance.
With their skills, they couldn¡¯t even handle a single Dark Knight properly.
¡°Please¡ I beg you¡¡±
From a young age, he learned to uphold the pride of the dwarves of Hammerfell. He was taught that the tribe should handle their own matters.
¡°Please¡ kill these bastards¡¡±
Kilo never forgot these teachings. He lived by them.
As thest tribe carrying the ancestors¡¯ legacy and skills, he maintained his pride.
¡°Everyone¡ all of them¡ not a single one left¡¡±
But at this moment, Kilo cast aside his pride and dignity. He epted shame and humiliation.
He buried his head into the ground, scraping the earth with his fingers, and shouted.
¡°Kill all these scum!¡±
At that moment, an explosion erupted.
The entrance to the forge shattered. Someone appeared through the gaping hole.
A man in a mask.
Victor was dragging something along.
The moment Kilo saw the man¡¯s face, he recognized him.
How could he forget? This was the apprentice who had apanied the Weapon Master on the day the city fell.
On that day, Kilo saw him as a demon crawling out of hell.
¡°Urgh¡ urgh¡¡±
That terrifying man was now groaning in pain.
¡°You¡ you damn¡ bastard¡¡±
That once fearsome man was now struggling to curse.
But the Weapon Master¡¯s apprentice could do nothing more than speak.
His limbs had rotted away, exposing his bones.
Victor threw Alexander to the ground, and he rolled helplessly.
¡°Alexander.¡±
Victor said as he stepped on Alexander¡¯s head.
¡°I have a few questions. Answer sincerely, and I¡¯ll leave your soul intact.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 262
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 262: Recapture (4)
***
¡°How dare you¡ treat me like this¡ only you¡ never¡!¡±
Alexander couldn¡¯t hear Damien¡¯s words.
He was just hating Damien and burying his head in the dirt.
Damien gathered dark magic at the tip of his finger and cast a dark spell.
A ck snake appeared from the void and wrapped around Alexander¡¯s body. Then Alexander¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Ack! Kaaak! Kaaaak!¡±
Alexander iled about like a fish caught on a hook.
Corpse Snake.
It was a necromancy dark spell that dposed the flesh of living beings. It was this dark spell that made Alexander¡¯s limbs rot.
It wasn¡¯t a dark spell suitable forbat, but Damien still used it to fight Alexander.
There was only one reason.
¡°How do you like the pain of your body decaying? I wonder if it¡¯s to your taste.¡±
It is said that humans feel the most pain when they are burned by fire.
But in fact, there was something more painful. It was the pain of your body decaying at a rapid pace.
The pain of your whole body rotting at the same time was iparable to being burned.
Damien learned this fact from his father.
¡°Stop it! Stop it! Stooooop!¡±
¡°Then you should listen to what people say. I¡¯m going to ask you a few questions from now on. Got it?¡±
Alexander nodded. He was quite agile even with his face buried in the dirt.
¡°Are you under a restriction too?¡±
Damien pressed his foot that had been on Alexander¡¯s head.
¡°H, how did you know that¡?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already met other guys.¡±
¡°What? N, no way¡ You¡¯veid a hand on the other too? I¡¯ll tear you apart¡!¡±
Damien gave orders to the Corpse Snake. The Corpse Snake tightened its grip on Alexander¡¯s body even more.
¡°Kaaaak!¡±
¡°I never gave you permission to ask questions. Open your mouth only when I ask you something from now on.¡±
¡°This¡ damn it¡!¡±
Alexander trembled and swore. Damien simply ignored him.
If this guy was also under a restriction, there wasn¡¯t much information to be gained by tearing his soul apart and absorbing his memories.
In such cases, it was better to induce him to spit out the answers himself.
¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next question. How close is the ¡®Sword of Annihtion¡¯ topletion?¡±
¡°You, bastard¡ H, how do you know that name¡ N, not many of disciples even know about it¡¡±
¡°Answer.¡±
¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡±
Damien raised his finger. Alexander shouted in terror.
¡°I-I really don¡¯t know! As soon as we captured the city, Master sent us out! He told us to exterminate the dwarves! I haven¡¯t been back to the city since then!¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying that the Weapon Master is alone in the city?¡±
¡°N, no! There¡¯s one dwarf¡ a dwarf named Achilles!¡±
¡°Achilles? Are you talking about the Ghost Smith?¡±
Ghost Smith Achilles.
[TL/N- The same name also appeared in Chapter 112. He was the person who crafted golems for the Church. Therefore, it may or may not be the same person.]
He was a cksmith who was famous for creating all the weapons used by the Giant Evils of Pandemonium.
Damien had seen him a few times in his previous life. He was a terrifying dwarf, a cksmith whose whole body smelled of blood.
¡°Could it be that Achilles, the dwarf who betrayed the Hammerfall City, was the one who created the Sword of Annihtion?¡±
¡°Y, yes.¡±
¡°Achilles is in the city¡ I didn¡¯t know that the person who created the Sword of Annihtion was him.¡±
Damien asked Alexander another question.
¡°You said you couldn¡¯t go back to the city. Were you not summoned by your master? Or were the city gates closed?¡±
¡°T, they¡¯re closed. Master will never open the city gates for any of us, no matter who goes to him.¡±
¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±
It seemed that the n to pass through the city by casting the Authority of Lust on Alexander would have to be abandoned.
¡®Why is the security so tight? Could it be because he¡¯s afraid that his disciples will covet the Sword of Annihtion?¡¯
In his previous life, many knights had coveted the Sword of Annihtion.
Not just the dark knights, but even the knights of the empire.
That¡¯s how beautiful and fearsome its power was.
¡°I think I¡¯ve asked you everything I wanted to know.¡±
Damien converted his mana into dark mana using the Authority of Envy.
Alexander¡¯s face was filled with extreme fear at the sight.
¡°P-please spare me.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±
¡°P-please, I¡¯m begging you! After all, you¡¯re a dark mage too! Why are you our enemy?¡±
Alexander cried out, coughing up blood from his mouth. Damien contorted his face as if he found it disgusting.
¡°That¡¯s enough. Go away.¡±
The dark mana in Damien¡¯s hands grew even denser.
Just then, someone spoke to Damien.
¡°¡¡Victor, wait a moment.¡±
Damien turned his gaze. Killo and the dwarves were walking towards him.
In their hands were the corpses of their fellow dwarves.
¡°Why do you want me to wait?¡±
¡°I thought these guys deserved to witness this bastard¡¯s death too.¡±
The dwarvesid the corpses down in front of Alexander.
The dwarves¡¯ faces were all expressionless. They were so emotionless that it was creepy.
¡°Now execute him.¡±
But there was hatred boiling in their eyes.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Damien silently cast dark magic. He superimposed the Corpse Snake.
¡°Wait, wait a minute!¡±
Alexander shouted urgently, but Damien did not cancel the dark magic.
¡°P-please spare me! I¡¯m begging you to spare me! Aaaak! Aaaaak!¡±
Alexander¡¯s body quickly decayed. The bones of his face were exposed. His ribs were showing.
¡°E, euk¡ kuaaaak!¡±
Even the lungs and heart inside his body were decaying.
The dwarves watched the scene from beginning to end. They didn¡¯t blink once.
It was as if they were trying to store this moment in their heads.
Damien reached out into the void and grabbed Alexander¡¯s soul.
-Why, why!
Alexander¡¯s soul screamed. His resentment was transmitted, asking why Damien was not keeping up the promise.
¡°I don¡¯t keep promises with those who are worse even than scums.¡±
Damien crushed Alexander¡¯s soul in front of the dwarves.
-Aaaak! Kuaaaaak!
Alexander¡¯s soul disappeared with a horrible scream.
***
After that, the dwarves began to go through the cksmith¡¯s facilities.
This was because they had recaptured the cksmith¡¯s forge, but they didn¡¯t know when the Weapon Master would send his subordinates again.
¡®It¡¯s time for them to notice from that side too.¡¯
It took less than a few hours for Damien to rescue the dwarves and recapture the warehouse and forge.
It was so short that the Weapon Master¡¯s side would have trouble noticing.
¡®I never thought he would lock the city gates and stay inside.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue.
It was unfortunate that he couldn¡¯t use the Authority of Lust, but it didn¡¯t change anything.
All he had to do was have the dwarves make weapons to break through the city.
¡°Victor.¡±
Just when Damien was lost in thought on top of the wall, Killo approached him.
Killo¡¯s face had been dark as if he was going to die soon ever since the forge was recaptured.
¡°What is it? Is there another facility that needs to be reimed?¡±
¡°No, there isn¡¯t. We have enough materials, and we¡¯ve retaken the forge. All that¡¯s left is to make weapons.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been wondering since before. What kind of weapon are you trying to make?¡±
¡°What? You were curious about that?¡±
Suddenly, Killo¡¯s face lit up.
¡°The weapon we¡¯re trying to make is called ¡®Ancient Sun¡¯. It¡¯s about the size of a pot. It¡¯s something that causes a huge explosion when thrown. The power of the explosion is so great¡¡±
It seemed like I didn¡¯t ask for that much detail. But Killo babbled on and on.
¡®He¡¯s really a dwarf.¡¯
Damien thought of Malta from the Church. Malta was also very proud of the things he made.
¡°Apparently, it has a tremendous explosive power. Is it okay to use something like that?¡±
¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s going to cause a lot of damage to the city. It will be hard to recoverter, and there will be a lot of casualties, won¡¯t there?¡±
Killo¡¯s expression darkened again at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°That¡¯s¡ fine.¡±
¡°Fine?¡±
¡°The city can be rebuilt bigger¡ and my fellow dwarves¡ will not be harmed.¡±
Damien had a sliver of doubt.
But he didn¡¯t ask for more details. Dwarves were stubborn, but they weren¡¯t a foolish race.
¡°Instead, I have a proposal for you.¡±
¡°A proposal?¡±
¡°The undead you control. It seems to me that they¡¯re using shabby weapons.¡±
The skeletons were using old weapons that looked like they would fall apart at any moment.
Strictly speaking, they weren¡¯t real weapons. They were just temporary creations made by Damien using dark magic.
¡°Are you trying to make fun of me?¡±
¡°What do you think of me! Of course, they¡¯re poorly bnced, the des are all dull, and they¡¯re so ugly they give me goosebumps, but I¡¯m not trying to make fun of you at all!¡±
Damien¡¯s eyebrows narrowed slightly. He was starting to get annoyed.
¡°So what do you have to propose.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll make them.¡±
Damien blinked in surprise at the sudden suggestion.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I¡¯m saying that we¡¯ll make weapons for the undead under yourmand.¡±
Damien felt more doubt than joy at those words.
¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange. It¡¯s our way of repaying you for helping us get revenge.¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I didn¡¯t move for you guys. I just killed those bastards for my own purposes.¡±
¡°Even so, the fact that you helped us get revenge doesn¡¯t change.¡±
Killo looked up at the sky and added.
¡°¡We wouldn¡¯t have gotten our revenge without you. Not even revenge. We would have been captured by those bastards.¡±
Killo looked at Damien again.
¡°So we want to repay you a little. This isn¡¯t just my idea, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s.¡±
Kilo¡¯s face was filled with determination.
¡°Please, let us make weapons for your soldiers to use.¡±
Dwarf-made weapons were traded at a price higher than jewels of the same weight.
Even Killo and his subordinates were dwarves from Hammerfall City who possessed the secrets of the ancient dwarves.
It was inevitable that Damien would be tempted by weapons made by such dwarves.
But Damien didn¡¯t ept the offer right away.
¡°Such weapons would just be a hindrance to the undead.¡±
The undead¡¯s greatest strength was that they could transcend the boundaries of reality and illusion.
Their tactic of hiding in the shadows and attacking by surprise was so threatening that even Damien used it frequently.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Among the alloys developed by our ancestors, there are some that were made with the undead in mind.¡±
¡°Such alloys exist¡?¡±
Damien was surprised, and Killo¡¯s nose went up.
¡°Then there¡¯s no problem at all. But we need to make siege weapons to break through the city walls. Do you have time to make weapons as well?¡±
¡°Think about our numbers. That¡¯s a piece of cake.¡±
Killo boasted. Damien hesitated for a moment at his words.
If Killo¡¯s words were all true, it was a chance to greatly strengthen the undead¡¯s fighting power. It was too good to miss.
¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡±
Killo said with a grin.
***
After that, Killo and the dwarves focused on making siege weapons to recapture the city and weapons for the undead to use.
Damien raised his guard against a possible attack by the Weapon Master.
But the attack never came. Thanks to that, the dwarves were able to concentrate on their work without any interference.
And on the day the siege weapons and weapons for the undead werepleted as promised.
The dwarves disappeared without Damien¡¯s knowledge. The siege weapons that were supposed to have beenpleted disappeared with them.
-Sorry.
Instead, there was only a note and weapons for the undead left.
-We¡¯ll finish this.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 263
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 263: Stubbornness (1)
***
Damien crumpled the note he was holding in his hand and looked around the forge.
¡®Ancient Suns¡¯ that the dwarves had proudly shown him the night before, were all gone.
¡°How the hell did they disappear?¡±
The forge was surrounded by Damien and his undead servants.
It was impossible for the dwarves to have escaped the forge without being caught.
¡°My lord, please take a look at this.¡±
Dominico called out to Damien. As they moved the crates that were blocking one wall, a tunnel dug with pickaxes was revealed.
Damien took a quick look at the tunnel and it seemed very deep at first nce.
¡°There wasn¡¯t a tunnel like this before¡ Did they really dig this new one in such a short time?¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.
Even though they had avoided his senses, they had dug this deep tunnel so easily.
Indeed, they were dwarves. They had seeded in doing something that was beyond humanprehension.
¡°They¡¯re going to finish it themselves? Are they really going to be stubborn to the end?¡±
The dwarves were a race known for their immense pride and selfishness.
However, the Hammerfell dwarves had received help from Damien on several asions. Their chief, Kilo, had even bowed his head.
So, Damien thought they had humbled their pride, but he was greatly mistaken.
¡°And they even finished this in the meantime.¡±
Damien picked up one of the weapons in the corner of the forge.
It was a weapon made using the special alloy that Kilo had told Damien about.
For something that had been made in such a short time, it was a weapon of incredible craftsmanship.
In addition to the weapons for the skeletons to use, there were also special weapons and armor for Dominico, Miya, and the skeletons.
¡°My lord, this too.¡±
Dominico brought a staff.
It was about 1 meter long and made of metal. The handle was finished with a mineral that resembled silver.
A note was tied to the staff. Damien untied the note and read it.
¨C For my first andst Dark mage friend. ¨C
Damien gripped the staff. He could feel his mana circting through his body.
Only then did Damien realize the true identity of this staff.
It was a magic staff that Kilo had made for Damien.
It seemed to be made by mixing rare metals specialized in mana cirction in a certain ratio.
¡°This is ridiculous.¡±
Damien let out a dryugh.
Damien was grateful, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed.
¡°Dominico, arm the skeletons. We¡¯re going after the dwarves.¡±
¡°But my lord, don¡¯t you know where the city is located?¡±
The dwarves had refused to tell them the location of the city, saying that they would guide them there themselves.
Come to think of it, it seemed that they had been nning to be doing this from the very beginning.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. If my guess is correct, they¡¯ll let us know from over there.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Dominico looked puzzled.
Just then, a deafening roar erupted in the distance. It was so loud that it could easily drown out the sound of thunder.
At the same time, the whole world shook. A small earthquake shook the ground and buildings.
¡°This is¡¡±
¡°The dwarves have detonated the ¡®Ancient Suns¡¯.¡±
Damien said, shifting his gaze in the direction of the sound.
¡°The dwarves are there. Let¡¯s go after them right now.¡±
***
Kilo and the dwarves emerged from the tunnel and headed for the city.
Their steps were quick. They covered a great distance in one breath. They arrived at the point where they could see the city in one breath.
However, the dwarves did not approach any further.
This was because of the Weapon Master¡¯s subordinates who were guarding the city.
¡°Ugh, what a pain in the ass.¡±
¡°How long is the Weapon Master going to keep us out?¡±
¡°I want to go into the city and lie down on a fluffy bed.¡±
The subordinates constantly patrolled the perimeter of the city. Kilo hid in the bushes and watched the subordinates.
¡°Chief, do you think it was a good idea to leave Victor behind?¡±
One of the subordinates then spoke to Kilo. Kilo immediately gave him a good smack on the forehead.
¡°You idiot! Since when did we Hammerfall dwarves be so spineless! Our ancestors woulde out from their graves to beat us!¡±
Kilo shouted.
¡°And didn¡¯t we agree beforehand? Let¡¯s not drag that guy in without consulting him. Even if he¡¯s a necromancer, we¡¯re indebted to him. We can¡¯t put him in danger.¡±
At that, the subordinates could only nod their heads.
As Kilo had said, it was something they had already agreed on.
¡°If you have time to worry about that, move quickly. We have to give those bastards a good beating.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
The subordinates stepped forward. And they lowered therge cylinder they had been carrying on their backs to the ground.
¡°Load it up.¡±
The other dwarves behind them took out iron pellets the size of a fist from the leather pouches they had been carrying on their backs.
When the dwarves put the pellets into the cylinder, they rolled inside with a rumble.
And the moment they hit the bottom of the cylinder, they were ejected at an incredible speed with a loud roar.
The iron pellets that shot out soared in an arc andnded in front of the subordinates of the Weapon Master.
¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Huh? It¡¯s an iron pellet?¡±
Subordinates of the Weapon Master discovered the iron pellet while patrolling the area.
Their reaction was slow because it was something they had never seen before. The iron pellet fell right at their feet.
And then it exploded.
With a deafening sound, the surrounding area was reduced to ashes. As a result of the explosion, they were thrown to all directions.
¡°Ughh, ughhh¡!¡±
¡°Cough, cough.¡±
Some who were directly hit by the explosion were reduced to ashes. And somehow able to avoid most of the explosions had their limbs torn off or their bodies were covered in burns.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
Kilo immediately gave the order. The dwarves ran towards the city gates all at once.
The walls surrounding the city were incredibly high and curved inward. It was as if an inverted bowl was covering the city.
They took something out of their pockets.
It was simr to y but had a sticky consistency. The dwarves smeared it thickly on the gate.
This was the gunpowder used to make the Ancient Suns.
The basic way to use it was to put it in a jar and throw it, but when destroyingrge objects, it was much more effective to clump the gunpowder together and detonate it like this.
¡°I¡¯ll blow it up!¡±
A subordinate shouted and lit the fuse. The me burning along the fuse reached the gunpowder.
Immediately afterward, a massive explosion urred.
The city gates were shattered in an instant. It wasn¡¯t just the gates. Many of the city¡¯s buildings were also blown away. It was a truly terrifying power.
¡°Let¡¯s go in!¡±
Kilo took the lead. The dwarves followed behind him.
Not everyone did, however. More than half of the dwarves stopped at the city gates.
¡°Then, Chief, we¡¯ll block the entrance as nned.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll make sure not a single one of those bastards outside gets in!¡±
There were still many Weapon Master¡¯s subordinates left outside.
They had given them a good beating, but that wasn¡¯t enough. They knew that they would soon be swarming in.
¡°¡I¡¯ll trust you.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll trust you too, Chief.¡±
¡°Please avenge our fallenrades.¡±
The dwarves said with smiles. Kilo bit his lip and turned around.
¡°Everyone, follow me!¡±
Kilo led the remaining dwarves into the city.
The inside of the city was as quiet as a graveyard.
Not a single dwarf was wandering the streets. They weren¡¯t inside the buildings either.
All the buildings had their lights off. There were no chimneys with smokeing out either.
Originally, over tens of thousands of dwarves lived in Hammerfall City. It was a lively and bustling ce.
That city waspletely dead. Kilo¡¯s heart ached.
But Kilo decided to push those emotions aside for the moment. This was not the time to indulge in such feelings.
Passing through the buildings, they emerged into the square. And there, Kilo and the dwarves could see it.
Something that upied the entire square.
It was rectangr in shape and had a thick, elongated chimney rising from its top.
Inside,va was bubbling. ck smoke rose from it endlessly into the sky.
At first nce, it resembled a hearth. But there was one crucial difference.
It was squirming as if it were alive.
Originally, hearths were made by piling up earth. But this was different.
Something like muscles formed its body. Those muscles were constantly pulsating. And with each pulsation, the mes within churned.
It was a horrifying sight enough to make one¡¯s stomach churn, even just looking at it.
Someone was standing in front of that hearth.
Judging by his short stature and muscr build, he was definitely a dwarf.
However, unlike the other dwarves, he had his beard neatly trimmed. And instead of a work uniform, he was wearing a smart uniform.
Kilo shouted at that dwarf, his voice filled with hatred.
¡°Achilles!¡±
Achilles turned his head. Strangely enough, there was no white in his eyes. There were no irises either.
They were all ck. As if his eyes had been gouged out and reced with darkness.
¡°I thought I heard amotion outside. So it was you.¡±
Kilo¡¯s jaw clenched at Achilles¡¯ leisurely attitude.
¡°You filthy traitor¡¡±
¡°Traitor? I told youst time, didn¡¯t I? It was you who drove me out first. The word traitor doesn¡¯t fit.¡±
¡°Have you forgotten why you were exiled? It was because you and your father broke the taboo!¡±
Kilo said that Achilles and his father were exiled because of the gue.
But that was only half the story.
Achilles and his father were the ones who brought about that gue. It was a side effect of them breaking the taboo.
¡°Our ancestors told us to work only with metal! They implored us not to work with living things! And yet, not only did you and your father break the taboo, but you also kidnapped our own kind to experiment with the taboo!¡±
The ancient dwarves did not use only metal when creating artifacts.
They also used living things. The flesh, muscles, bones, nerves, and souls of living things ¨C they used all of that to create artifacts.
Artifacts created in this way were not only much stronger, but they also incorporated the characteristics of the living thing.
However, it was such a horrifying technique that it was eventually banned.
Achilles and his father were the ones who delved back into this forbidden technique.
¡°Taboo¡ I don¡¯t understand how artisans can have such a rigid mindset.¡±
¡°Shut up! Your nonsense ends here today!¡±
Achilles clicked his tongue.
¡°If you got such a beatingst time, you should have run far away. Why did youe back to the city?¡±
¡°I came to smash that thing behind you!¡±
¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡±
Achilles turned around. And he looked at the pulsating hearth with an affectionate face.
¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would you want to smash such a magnificent hearth? And yet you call yourself a cksmith.¡±
¡°Where are you getting that nonsense from! What did you do to create that thing!¡±
Kilo¡¯s eyes appeared bloodshot.
The thought of what Achilles had done to create that hearth made him so angry he felt like he could die.
¡°Your leisurely attitude ends here.¡±
Kilo and the dwarves took iron pellets out of their pockets. As soon as Achilles saw the Ancient Suns, his eyes lit up.
¡°To mass-produce Ancient Suns in such a short time. I must admit, you have skill. But¡ surely you didn¡¯te here relying on that alone?¡±
Achilles tilted his head.
¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten who¡¯s here, have you?¡±
Someone jumped down from the hearth.
It was a man with weapons strapped to his back, chest, waist, and all over his body.
The moment Kilo saw the man, he muttered with a face filled with terror.
¡°¡Weapon Master.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 264
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 264: Stubbornness (2)
***
The moment the Weapon Master appeared, the air seemed to freeze.
A look of extreme fear washed over the dwarves¡¯ faces, making their anger and determination from moments ago seem like a lie.
¡°Achilles.¡±
Weapon Master spoke. Despite his slightly below-average build, his voice was incredibly deep and heavy.
¡°Why are you causing trouble?¡±
¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? The more materials I have, the more perfect this hearth will be.¡±
¡°Then why did you let them into the city when you could have had my subordinates subdue them?¡±
¡°They worked so hard to prepare, so I wanted to see it.¡±
¡°Are you telling me you let them cause all this chaos for such a trivial reason?¡±
¡°An artisan¡¯s aesthetic is aplex thing. Please try to understand.¡±
Achilles said with a smile. Weapon Master clicked his tongue in disapproval.
¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me not to kill them?¡±
¡°Yep! Just bring them to me alive.¡±
The Weapon Master looked around at the dwarves.
His emerald eyes scanned them. They trembled like aspen leaves.
¡°You¡¯re outnumbered.¡±
Weapon Master spoke directly to the dwarves.
¡°I heard you have a necromancer working with you. Victor the Woodcutter, was it? Where is he?¡±
¡°H-he¡¯s not here!¡±
Kilo barely managed to muster the courage to speak. But as soon as the Weapon Master stared at him, his forced courage evaporated in an instant.
¡°Not here? Are you telling me you came alone? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Well, if he¡¯s not here, I have no business with you.¡±
Weapon Master spoke to the dwarves.
¡°Those who surrender, kneel on the ground. Otherwise, I¡¯ll cut off your limbs and drag you away.¡±
Killing intent emanated from the Weapon Master.
He was one of the closest to the pinnacle of Master ss.
The killing intent emitted by such a powerful being was a weapon in itself.
It was impossible to ovee the dwarves¡¯ fear that caused them to froth at the mouth.
¡°¡Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±
¡°Surrender? Fuck you!¡±
¡°I will surely kill you here!¡±
However, not a single dwarf bowed to the Weapon Master.
Instead, they red at him with determined eyes, as if they would rather die right there.
¡°This is getting annoying. It¡¯s a thousand times harder to keep vermin alive than to kill them.¡±
The Weapon Master muttered, shaking his head from side to side.
Then, one dwarf raised an Ancient Sun and shouted.
¡°Weapon Master! My son died because of you! At least you¡ I will surely kill you with my own hands!¡±
The dwarf threw the Ancient Sun at the Weapon Master.
The Ancient Sun rocketed through the air.
It mmed into the Weapon Master, erupting in a deafening roar of crimson me.
A dwarf contorted his face in a triumphant grin. But his victory dance was short-lived.
The mes danced around the Weapon Master, harmless as flickering candlelight.
He stepped out, brushing embers from his clothes with a nonchnt flick.
¡°Is this the ¡®Ancient Sun¡¯ you Hammerfell dwarves brag about? It packs a punch, I¡¯ll give you that. But against me? Not even close.¡±
The dwarf¡¯s grin evaporated, reced by a look of sheer terror.
He fumbled for another Ancient Sun with shaking hands. Before he could throw it, a red streak sliced through the air.
Blood spurted ¨C the dwarf¡¯s wristy limp on the ground, still clutching the ¡®Ancient Sun¡¯. A guttural scream ripped from his throat as he clutched the bloody stump.
The Weapon Master shook his head, a hint of pity in his voice.
¡°You wouldn¡¯t think I¡¯d fall for the same trick twice, would you? Achilles, you just need them to be alive, right? Not like you need their limbs too¡¡±
¡°Do as you wish, but do not kill them.¡±
Then another sh, another scream. The other knee of the now one-armed dwarf gave way, spraying blood across the dusty ground. He crumpled to the ground, writhing in agony.
Confusion and fear rippled among the dwarves. How? Why hadn¡¯t the Weapon Master even moved?
¡°One down.¡±
Weapon Master muttered, striding towards the whimpering dwarf.
He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, a cruel curiosity shing in his eyes.
As he reached under the dwarf¡¯s tattered clothes, his hand brushed against something strange ¨C a vest woven from what seemed like hundreds of tiny iron pellets.
The dwarf, through gasps of pain, let out a chillingugh. ¡°Weapon Master.! To think I¡¯d be the first dwarf to fuck you¡ what an honor!¡±
With a final burst of strength, he yanked on a hidden string beneath his vest.
A massive explosion urred. Buildings crumbled, fire erupted skyward.
The force of the st was unlike anything they¡¯d seen ¨C a hundred Ancient Suns detonating at once. Even the Weapon Master was thrown back, his sleeve smoldering.
¡°Now!¡±
A roar echoed through the dust.
¡°For our ancestors! For Hammerfell!¡±
With grim faces and a terrifying kind of resolve, the remaining dwarves charged forward.
Each one wore a simr vest, each one clutching a hidden string. They were ready to die, and take the Weapon Master with them.
Achilles who was witnessing the scene unfold, could only stare, speechless.
¡°Suicide? Are they insane?¡±
¡°Crazy?¡±
¡°Kill him.¡±
Kilo¡¯s bellow echoed through the ravaged city. His remaining dwarven warriors, driven by a desperate loyalty, flung themselves at the Weapon Master.
The only resistance left here was Kilo.
¡°To confront a monster like the Weapon Master, we have to make this much sacrifice!¡±
Kilo knew it was a suicide mission.
These were dwarves, hardy and skilled but facing a Master ss warrior was a death sentence, especially one like the Weapon Master who had crossed many walls in Master ss.
Their only hope was a surprise attack.
That¡¯s why they chose ¡®suicide¡¯.
¡°You idiot! The Weapon Master won¡¯t die from an Ancient Sun! You¡¯re just throwing your lives away!¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! That was just a way to tie up the Weapon Master¡¯s feet!¡±
He ripped off his outer garment, revealing a chilling sight. It was a vest woven from interlocking Ancient Suns. The dwarves¡¯ n wasn¡¯t just stalling the Weapon Master; it was a diversion.
¡°Our real goal is to destroy that hearth! If we can only get rid of that, our lives are not worth anything!¡±
Kilo ran towards the hearth. A flicker of fear crossed Achilles¡¯s face for the first time.
¡°Ah, no! Not the hearth!¡±
Achilles had no fighting ability.
There was no way for him to stop Kilo¡¯s self-destruction.
Just as Killo reached for the string to detonate his vest, a sh of crimson ripped across the sky.
A swift and silent sword pierced into his abdomen.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Kilo copsed to the ground in pain, his intestines bursting.
Kilo raised his head, clutching the hole in his stomach. He saw a sword floating in the air.
It was no ordinary sword.
He could tell by the blood-red de and the eyeballs that stood out on the hilt.
¡°Demonic sword.¡±
-Kihihihet! It¡¯s nice to know you!
The Demonic sword flew through the air, making a strangeughing sound.
-Master! I stopped it as you ordered! I stopped it, didn¡¯t I? I did! I, Bendal, saved the day!¡±
¡°Indeed, you did well.,¡±
A voice came from the explosion site. The Weapon Master walked out through the mes.
The Weapon Master¡¯s clothes were all burned. But the Weapon Master himself was unharmed.
Despite the fact that all the dwarves except Kilo had lost their lives, they had not been able to inflict any damage on the Weapon Master.
¡°The destructive power is considerable. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Demonic swords, I would have been badly injured.¡±
Several Demonic swords were floating around the Weapon Master. It seemed that they had protected the Weapon Master from the explosion.
¡°Damn¡ this quickly¡¡±
Kilo desperately tried to get up.
With all of his subordinates dead, he was the only dwarf who could destroy the hearth.
However, he couldn¡¯t muster any strength in his body because the Demonic sword had pierced him in a bad spot.
He kept ordering his legs to get up, but they wouldn¡¯t listen.
¡°Kilo, my foolish friend. This ce is guarded by the Weapon Master. Did you seriously think such a method would work against such a monster?¡±
Kilo bit his lip.
He realized that even his earlier panic had been an act.
It was all just an act to satisfy Achilles¡¯s lowbrow pleasure.
¡®There must be¡ there must be some way. If I can just get close to the hearth¡ Maybe the dwarves at the gate¡ if they could just-¡®
Even though he knew it was impossible, Kilo pinned his hopes on his remaining subordinates.
He heard footsteps from behind. The Weapon Master¡¯s subordinates who were guarding the outside wereing into the city.
¡°My lord, we have captured the remaining enemy forces.¡±
Killo¡¯s heart sank. His own men were in the hands of the Weapon Master.
¡°Well done. Hand them all over to Achilles.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
The subordinates dragged the dwarves and threw them at Achilles¡¯s feet.
¡°The offerings have arrived again.¡±
Achilles looked at the dwarves with a loving expression.
¡°Ac¡ Achilles¡ you traitor¡¡±
¡°To remain conscious despite these injuries, you¡¯re quite tough. I choose you.¡±
Achilles grabbed a dwarf and muttered a strange chant.
Suddenly, multiple tentacles emerged from the hearth, wrapping around the dwarf and digging into his flesh.
¡°Argh!¡±
¡°This is just the beginning. The real pain is yet toe.¡±
The tentacles pulsed red as they ripped the dwarf¡¯s body to shreds.
Every muscle in his body was ripped along the grain. All the nerves hidden inside were exposed. The dwarf¡¯s bones were exposed to the air.
¡°Aaah!¡±
Another scream tore from the dwarf¡¯s throat.
Even in such a state, the dwarf remained alive and continued to scream in agony.
The tentacles dragged the dismembered dwarf towards the hearth. The dwarf¡¯s muscles and nerves began to connect to the hearth.
¡°Ugh! Aaah!¡±
The dwarf¡¯s screams turned into a horrifying gurgle as the fusion took ce.
It was a more horrible, painful scream than when his body was being torn apart.
¡°Achilles! Stop it! I said stop!¡±
Unable to bear it any longer, Kilo screamed in despair. But Achilles ignored himpletely.
¡°Wait patiently. You¡¯re next.¡±
Everyone was frozen, horrified by the spectacle. Even the Weapon Master and his subordinates were speechless.
Thus, no one saw¡
That the darkness in the city was stirring.
The shadows of the city were rippling like waves.
¡°Huh?¡±
One of the Dark knights finally noticed.
¡°Wait, is this¡?¡±
Green spears erupted from the darkness, impaling the Dark knights with deadly uracy. Their armor offered no protection against the aura imbued des.
¡°Argh!¡±
¡°Aaah!¡±
Screams ripped through the air as the Dark knights fell.
Dozens of Dark knights turned into pieces of meat in an instant.
¡°Skeletons?¡±
The Weapon Master shouted in astonishment as he looked at the skeletons emerging from the shadows.
Kilo¡¯s initial surprise morphed into relief. A grin spread across the Weapon Master¡¯s face.
¡°Could it be¡ has that cocky brat who dared to challenge me finally shown up?¡±
Darkness swirled around Kilo, solidifying into a figure.
When Kilo saw the figure, he shouted in shock.
¡°Victor¡?¡±
A man wearing a mask stood before him.
Damien looked down at Kilo with an indifferent gaze that now felt oddly weing.
¡°Are you¡ here to help me?¡±
Damien slowly extended his hand to help Kilo up. Kilo hesitated but reached out to grasp Damien¡¯s hand.
But just before their hands touched, Damien clenched his fist and punched Kilo in the face.
¡°You stubborn dwarf! What do you think you¡¯re doing, messing up my n like that?¡±
¡°W-wait¡! Let¡¯s talk this out!¡±
¡°Talk? Sure, but let me beat you first!¡±
Damien then began to mercilessly stomp on Kilo.
¡°Phew, now I feel a bit better.¡±
After a while, Damien finally looked at the Weapon Master.
The Weapon Master watched Damien with great interest.
¡°Weapon Master. It¡¯s disgustingly nice to see you again.¡±
¡°Again? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you. Where exactly did we meet?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t strain yourself. I¡¯ll make sure you soon remember me.¡±
The Weapon Master burst intoughter.
¡°Interesting. Very interesting. I never thought a Dark mage would dare challenge me at this point¡¡±
Damien, however, had already lost interest in the Weapon Master. His gaze fixated on the massive hearth in the square.
¡°¡¡±
Damien¡¯s expression hardened as he stared at the hearth.
¡°¡Did you construct that monstrosity?¡±
¡°Oh, you recognized it right away. As expected from a Grand Dark mage, it¡¯s something you can¡¯t miss.¡±
The Weapon Master stroked the hearth like it was a treasure.
¡°This marvel is a testament to our ancestors¡¯ wisdom. Crafted with very special materials: the flesh, bones, organs, nerves, and souls of living dwarves, all woven together.¡±
¡°You¡¯re insane!¡±
At Damien¡¯s condemnation, Achilles wagged his finger back and forth.
¡°It¡¯s unfair to hear that from a Dark mage. Don¡¯t you also use souls and corpses?¡±
¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t torture them while they¡¯re still alive.¡±
With his expertise in dark magic, he immediately understood the structure of the hearth.
Tens of thousands of living dwarves had been woven together while still alive.
Their muscles and nerves were all connected to function as a single entity.
The dwarves used to create that hearth were still alive and suffering in agony.
There were forcible connections between the bodies of the dwarves, so it was impossible for them to live normally.
¡°Why did you create something like that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s a somewhat short-sighted question. By using this method, we canbine the talents of the dwarves used as materials. Imagine how extraordinary the weapons would be if we merged tens of thousands of dwarves into one.¡±
Damien¡¯s lips contorted in disgust. As if he wanted to ask if that was the only reason for such cruelty.
¡°Kilo, did you know about this?¡±
Damien asked the dwarf at his feet.
¡°¡I knew. I saw it while observing them outside the city. I saw the residents of the city turning into those forms.¡±
Kilo buried his face in the ground, suppressing his sobs as he continued to speak.
¡°Victor¡ I, no, we lied to you. We didn¡¯t gather to reim the city! What¡¯s the point of taking it back? Our families¡ our loved ones¡ tens of thousands of our kin are already gone!¡±
The dwarves weren¡¯t trying to reim the city to survive.
¡°From the beginning, our only goal was to destroy that hearth and end our lives!¡±
Their goal wasn¡¯t to retake the city but to find a ce to die with some dignity.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 265
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 265: Stubbornness (3)
***
Kilo¡¯s shoulders shook intermittently. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears.
Damien¡¯s voice cut through the despair.
¡°Do you hate them? Do you want revenge?¡±
¡°I initially nned to knock you all out until the job was done. But I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±
His tear-streaked face was filled with confusion as he looked up.
He seemed to want to ask why Damien intended to knock them out.
¡°If you swear a vow of silence, to keep everything you witness here a secret until your dying breath, I¡¯ll let you stay. You¡¯ll get to see those two pieces of trash die.¡±
Damien pointed to Weaponmaster and Achilles. Weaponmaster burst outughing.
¡°Kill me? That¡¯s hrious! I actually had a bit of a misunderstanding about you. I thought you were some newbie Dark mage trying to impress me¡±
Hisughter gradually subsided, but a gleeful smile remained stered on his face.
¡°But now that I¡¯ve met you in person, I understand. You¡¯vee to really kill me.¡±
¡°It took you this long to realize? You¡¯re slower than I thought.¡±
¡°Everyone who challenged me before followed Pandemonium¡¯s proper procedures for a duel. You¡¯re the first to act so recklessly.¡±
¡°Procedures? Preposterous! Why should scum like you deserve such formalities?¡±
¡°Haha, you¡¯re a Dark mage yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡±
At this, Damien twisted one corner of his mouth in silence.
¡°Come out, all of you.¡±
Damien spoke quietly. Shadows at his feet rippled, and the remaining undead emerged.
Weaponmaster briefly marveled at the armor the undead were wearing.
¡°Green Void Steel? How did you convince the Hammerfell dwarves to part with such a treasure?¡±
The undead d in the Green Void Steel armor radiated an intimidating aura, yet the Weapon Master remained unfazed. In fact, he seemed increasingly exhrated.
¡°This is interesting. Very interesting. But disappointing. Do you really think you can kill me with just this level of force?¡±
Damien didn¡¯t answer Weaponmaster¡¯s question. Instead, he gave an order to the undead.
¡°Dominico.¡±
-Yes, my lord.
¡°Seal off the city. No one enters, no one leaves.¡±
Dominico bowed again and vanished into the shadows, taking the rest of the undead with him.
¡°What? You¡¯re dismissing all your soldiers? nning to fight me alone?¡±
¡°You¡¯re slow to grasp the situation. If you understand, prepare to fight.¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯sughter roared through the air.
¡°Reckless indeed¡ perhaps overconfident? But interesting nheless!¡±
Weaponmaster reached behind him and grabbed a spear from among the dozens of weapons on his back.
As soon as he grasped the spear, a red current surged, enveloping the entire weapon in crimson lightning.
Then, a crimson light engulfed the entire city, as if holding lightning in one¡¯s hand.
¡°Vi-Victor! That¡¯s dangerous! Run away from here right now!¡±
Seeing this, Kilo shouted urgently.
Weaponmaster possessed a staggering number of Demonic weapons.
Not all of his weapons were famous, but a select few were widely renowned.
The spear he gripped now belonged to that special category.
¡°The Demon Spear Jenewer! Its destructive power is so immense it can change the terrain with a single throw! Even a graze would make your entire body evaporate!¡±
Despite Kilo¡¯s desperate cries, Damien stood still, showing no intention of dodging.
¡°Victor!¡±
Kilo shouted again. Damien remained silent as Weaponmaster prepared to throw the spear.
¡°If you can block this, I¡¯ll acknowledge you.¡±
With a casual flick of his wrist, the Weapon Masterunched the Demon Spear like tossing toy. The spear tore through the air, a crimson thunderbolt in its wake.
¡°Aaah¡!¡±
Just as Kilo was about to close his eyes, Damien did something strange.
He opened a subspace and reached inside.
Just before the lightning could reach him, Damien pulled his hand.
A sword came out with Damien¡¯s hand. The sword and the lightning shed.
Kilo thought the energy would explode at that moment.
But the situation unfolded differently.
The course of the lightning shifted, deflected by the precise movement of the sword.
Then, with a shocking twist, the lightning reversed its path and rocketed back towards the Weapon Master.
The lightning retraced its path and struck Weaponmaster.
¡°What?¡±
Weaponmaster was so shocked that he didn¡¯t even think to draw another weapon. He blocked the lightning with his bare hands.
The ground was obliterated by crimson lightning¡¯s thunderous explosion.
¡°Ah¡ Aaaah!¡±
Weaponmaster screamed in the midst of it. The arm he used to block the lightning waspletely burned.
¡°Victor¡! You little..! What in the world was that?! How can a Dark mage¡! A Dark mage!¡±
Weaponmaster yelled at Damien in rage.
¡°A disciple of the Sword Saint? No! That technique! I¡¯ve seen it before! You are¡!¡±
Damien grabbed his mask. He took off the mask he had been wearing all along.
The Weapon Master¡¯s eyes bulged with bloodshot fury as he recognized the face beneath.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
***
¡°Feels good to take that off.¡±
Taking a deep breath, Damien tossed the mask aside. The cool air felt invigorating against his exposed skin.
Damien looked up at the hearth.
His mastery of dark magic allowed him to perceive the suffering souls trapped within ¨C the dwarves bound to the hearth.
¨C Ahhh!
¨C Please kill me! I beg you!
¨C It hurts! It hurts!
The dwarves were crying out in agony, shedding tears of blood.
But they could never be free. That hearth was their body.
A soul detached from its body weakens with pain and eventually vanishes.
But the hearth was made from the forcibly connected muscles, nerves, and organs of tens of thousands of dwarves.
Such a forced amalgamation could never be without problems.
The forcibly connected nerves delivered constant pain to them in real-time.
Kilo, his voice trembling, broke the silence.
¡°You¡ you¡¯re not Victor, are you?¡±
A soft chuckle escaped Damien¡¯s lips.
¡°We can discuss thatter. First, there¡¯s garbage to take out.¡±
Damien stepped forward, holding his sword, Dawn.
Meanwhile, Weaponmaster drew a dagger from his belt.
Darkness flowed from the dagger, and his arm, which had been burned by the lightning, was fully healed.
¡°Damien Haksen, how are you here? And more importantly, how are you wielding dark magic?!¡±
Weaponmaster¡¯s face was full of confusion.
The undead under Damien¡¯smand were unlike any he¡¯d ever encountered.
Their prowess far surpassed the typical creations of even Grand Dark mages.
But Damien was a knight. Not just any knight, but a rising star revered across the continent.
A knight wielding dark magic, and with a skillset surpassing even esteemed Grand Dark mages?
¡°I guess I¡¯m a bit of a genius.¡±
¡°Stop spouting nonsense and answer me! How are you using dark magic?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t feel like exining, so just deal with it.¡±
Weaponmaster gnashed his teeth at Damien¡¯s words.
He was already seething with anger from being countered by his own lightning.
With his temper ring, even minor taunts were unbearable.
¡°¡Fine, you don¡¯t want to answer, huh?¡±
Weaponmaster grabbed a warhammer from his back. Strangely, the head of the hammer was shaped like a skull.
The warhammer exuded a menacing aura, brimming with dark mana. It was undoubtedly another Demonic weapon.
¡°Let¡¯s see how cocky you remain after I shatter your bones!¡±
The Weapon Master unleashed his dark energy, a crushing pressure descending upon the entire city.
¡°Ugh¡ Aah¡¡±
Kilo looked as if he was about to pass out any second.
In contrast, Damien not only seemed unaffected but even wore a mocking smile.
¡°Quite a pressure worthy of your reputation.¡±
Weaponmaster moved, charging with his warhammer in hand.
¡°First, I¡¯ll wipe that smile off your face!¡±
Weaponmaster swung his warhammer down. Damien countered it effortlessly with Dawn.
¡°You idiot!¡±
Weaponmaster shouted.
Logically, when a sword and a hammer collide, the sword should break.
The amount of metal used to forge each weapon differed, resulting in a significant difference in strength. Moreover, the warhammer Weaponmaster wielded was a Demonic weapon.
Additionally, while Weaponmaster held his warhammer with both hands, Damien wielded Dawn with just one hand.
By all appearances, Dawn should have shattered, and the warhammer should have crushed Damien.
But when the two weapons shed, Weaponmaster¡¯s expectations were shattered.
Dawn not only withstood the warhammer¡¯s blow, it started to dug into it. Weaponmaster could only watch in astonishment as his Demonic weapon was sliced apart.
¡°This is impossible¡¡±
At that moment, Damien put more strength into his arm.
After taking Dragonheart and Elysian elixir, Damien¡¯s physique hadpletely changed.
Damien¡¯s body was now several times stronger than when he had fought .
Damien swung Dawn with enough force to send Weaponmaster back flying across the ruined city.
Disbelief clouded the Weapon Master¡¯s face.
Weaponmaster had lived for nearly a century, making him an extraordinary warrior.
Yet, this formidable warrior was being overpowered by Damien. A sense of unbearable humiliation washed over him.
¡°You¡¯re much lighter than your reputation suggests.¡±
Damien taunted as he ced Dawn on his shoulder.
Weaponmaster¡¯s expression twisted in rage.
¡°You are courting death!¡±
Weaponmaster lunged again, aiming to crush Damien¡¯s skull with his warhammer.
Damien parried each of Weaponmaster¡¯s attacks with Dawn.
With every sh, deep marks appeared on the surface of the warhammer.
¡°Where did you get such a monstrous weapon¡!¡±
Weaponmaster put the warhammer away and instead grabbed he grasped a spear in one hand and a longsword in the other.
¡°Witness the true meaning of Weapon Master!¡±
Weaponmaster swung both weapons simultaneously, the trajectories of the spear and the sword converging on Damien.
However, Damien blocked all of Weaponmaster¡¯s attacks. Weaponmaster¡¯s mouth twisted into a grimace.
¡°This is just the beginning.¡±
Weaponmaster put away the two weapons and drew a scythe and a whip.
¡°I am Weaponmaster. There isn¡¯t a weapon in this world that I can¡¯t wield.¡±
It wasn¡¯t an empty boast. Weaponmaster truly knew how to handle every weapon at a Master ss level.
The multitude of weapons on Weaponmaster¡¯s back was no mere show.
Weaponmaster¡¯s primary tactic was to relentlessly switch between dozens of weapons, overwhelming his opponent.
¡°Let¡¯s see how many weapons you can withstand!¡±
Weaponmaster¡¯s hands moved rapidly.
Swords, spears, whips, daggers, gauntlets, crossbows, and more.
A barrage of weapons rained down. It wasn¡¯t just the weapons that changed; Weaponmaster¡¯s techniques varied as well.
It was as if Damien was fighting dozens of master-ss warriors simultaneously.
¡°I¡¯ve always thought.¡±
Damien said while parrying Weaponmaster¡¯s ferocious assault.
¡°You go on about being Weaponmaster¡ Isn¡¯t that a fancy way of admitting youck true mastery in any single weapon?¡±
Weaponmaster¡¯s expression twisted into a ghastly snarl.
¡°You son of bitch, what nonsense are you spouting¡!¡±
Suddenly, Damien seized an opportunity.
He pushed down on Weaponmaster¡¯s spear with Dawn.
The spear that was about to be thrust was driven into the ground.
With a swift maneuver, he lunged forward, delivering a devastating kick that sent the Weapon Master flying through the air with his chest caved in from the impact.
¡°I told you.¡±
Damien lowered his leg, his voiceced with cold indifference.
¡°You¡¯re just mediocre, at best.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 266
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 266: The Weapon Master (1)
***
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh¡¡±
A violent tremor filled the Weapon Master¡¯s body as he struggled to get up.
It was no wonder. Just moments ago, his chest had caved in, and his heart had burst from an attack.
Thanks to the immense vitality of the Master ss warrior, he was barely holding on, but it was only a matter of time before death imed him.
¡°I¡ I can¡¯t believe this¡ This is¡ impossible¡¡±
The Weapon Master had broken through countless walls of the Master ss. He was likely on the verge of bing Grandmaster.
He possessed a body of incredible strength and vast dark mana.
Yet, such a formidable figure had his heart burst from a single kick.
This was proof that Damien¡¯s physical abilities overwhelmed the Weapon Master.
¡°Ugh¡ Ah¡¡±
The Weapon Master managed to pull out something from his waist. Dark magic emanated from the de.
The concave chest returned to its original shape, and the Weapon Master¡¯splexion also returned to normal.
The Immortal de, D¡¯Artagnan.
Damien immediately recognized the Demonic sword. It was one of the swords that symbolized the Weapon Master.
A Demonic sword that used absorbed souls as fuel to heal its master¡¯s wounds.
ording to rumors, it could regenerate a body in an instant even if only the head remained.
¡°Phew¡¡±
The Weapon Master slowly stood up, his face covered in cold sweat.
¨C Hehe, you look like you¡¯re struggling. How about using us instead? We¡¯ll kill that brat for you right away!
Demonic swords floating in the air spoke to the Weapon Master, who ground his teeth.
¡°Shut up, all of you. I¡¯ll cut him to pieces myself.¡±
¨C Hahaha, he¡¯s mad! So mad!
¨C Alright, we¡¯ll cheer for you from behind!
Demonic swords flew high into the sky. Their unsettlingughter continued for a while and then abruptly stopped.
¡°Damien¡ You fucking brat¡ How dare you humiliate me like this¡¡±
The veins on the Weapon Master¡¯s forehead bulged as his body responded to his intense anger.
¡°Come forth, Barbaria!¡±
Gray armor emerged from the air and enveloped the Weapon Master¡¯s entire body.
The ursed Armor, Barbaria.
A Demonic armor augmented the wearer¡¯s movements, granting explosive bursts of speed.
Like the Immortal de, D¡¯Artagnan, it was one of the pieces of equipment that represented the Weapon Master.
As soon as he donned the armor, the Weapon Master¡¯s aura grew even more intense.
¨C Isn¡¯t it a bit much for someone of your caliber, the Weapon Master, to take him so seriously?
¡°Shut up!¡±
The Weapon Master charged forward. By the time his foot hit the ground, he was already in front of Damien.
Damien¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Thanks to his recent metamorphism, his senses were much sharper than before.
Yet, he couldn¡¯t track the Weapon Master¡¯s movements. The Demonic armor was aiding the Weapon Master¡¯s speed.
¡°Bastard! I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡±
The Weapon Master swung his greatsword with both hands. Damien blocked it with Dawn.
¡®It¡¯s heavy.¡¯
He realized the moment their weapons shed. This wasn¡¯t an attack to be blocked head-on.
Instantly, Damien deflected the greatsword¡¯s strike. The greatsword missed Damien and struck the ground with a loud crash.
In that moment, the entire city split in half.
¡°You must have learned well from that coward, the Sword Saint!¡±
The Weapon Master immediately drew another weapon. This time, he wielded two weapons, one in each hand.
¡®This is going to be tough. With that Demonic armor, I can¡¯t just counterattack.¡¯
Damien murmured softly, having made his decision.
¡°Second Ring.¡±
A resonant sound erupted from Damien¡¯s body. At the same time, the Weapon Master began his assault.
The Weapon Master not only wielded dozens of weapons but also moved his arms freely, mastering variousbat techniques.
It was a strategy that no one could easily replicate. Truly deserving of the title, Weapon Master.
Moreover, the Weapon Master was currently supported by the Demonic armor. With each swing of his weapons, the air tore, and the ground shattered.
¡®Impressive, but¡¡¯
It was unpredictable butcked depth. Besides, Damien was now using the Combined Infinity Cycle technique.
Damien quickly grasped the essence of each technique. He used Dawn to block all of the Weapon Master¡¯s attacks.
Seeing this, the Weapon Master¡¯s eyes widened as if they would pop out.
¡°I will kill you!¡±
The Weapon Master shouted, pressing Damien even harder. His strikes came like a raging storm.
However, despite the overwhelming disy, none of the Weapon Master¡¯s attacksnded on Damien.
Damien blocked or deflected every single one.
¡°¡¡±
Kilo watched the scene and he was utterly stunned.
He had only ever handled axes and pickaxes, yet even he could see how incredible Damien was.
He effortlessly countered overwhelming attacks that could shatter the heavens.
It was like a small, sharp stone standing firm against a raging current.
¡°¡Weapon Master!¡±
Then, Achilles¡¯s voice rang out.
¡°What are you doing! You are the Weapon Master and you can even kill that brat!¡±
Achilles¡¯s face was full of a mix of frustration and anger.
¡°Have you forgotten what we¡¯re creating right now? At this crucial moment, you taking too much time to deal with him! Kill him immediately!¡±
Achilles¡¯s shout made the Weapon Master grind his teeth.
¡°That little dwarf¡!¡±
The Weapon Master¡¯s focus wavered for a tiny bit.
Damien didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. Taking a deep breath, he said,
¡°Third Ring.¡±
The resonant sound amplified. At the same time, Damien¡¯s movements became even faster.
His sword strikes gained momentum. The two weapons the Weapon Master was holding were instantly cut in half.
From the destroyed Demonic swords, demonic energy erupted. Amidst the energy, the Weapon Master¡¯s startled face was visible.
¡°How can you move like this¡?¡±
Without hesitation, Damien thrust Dawn forward.
A sh resembling starlight burst forth. Dawn pierced the Weapon Master¡¯s shoulder. It prated even the Demonic armor with ease.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
The Weapon Master screamed in pain. He pulled the sword out of his shoulder as he retreated.
¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡±
The Weapon Master tried to press Damien again, but the momentum had already shifted to Damien¡¯s side.
Damien swung Dawn. His sword strikes came at strange angles.
¡°Ugh! Damn it!¡±
The Weapon Master couldn¡¯t respond properly. The strikes he couldn¡¯t block started wounding him all over.
As the wounds increased, horror began to fill the Weapon Master¡¯s face.
¡°This can¡¯t be¡ This can¡¯t be happening¡! This is impossible¡!¡±
How many knights had fallen under the name of the Weapon Master?
Among them were knights representing the Empire. There were also heirs groomed by the Empire¡¯s great nobles.
All of them had boldly challenged him but lost their lives without leaving a scratch on the Weapon Master.
Yet here he was, this Weapon Master, being overwhelmed by a mere fledgling.
And purely through skill, at that.
¡°What are you so shocked about?¡±
Damien said with a mocking smile.
¡°I told you, you¡¯re mediocre at best.¡±
Those words made the veins on the Weapon Master¡¯s forehead bulge. It was from extreme anger.
¡°What are you waiting for? Help me now!¡±
The Weapon Master shouted. In that moment, ten lights shed in the sky.
Ten swords descended vertically, aiming to pierce Damien.
Damien stopped attacking the Weapon Master and retreated. As soon as Damien moved back, the swords embedded themselves in the ground.
¨C Hehe, you ended up calling us after all.
¨C So, what did I say? I told you to borrow our power.
¨C Don¡¯t say too much, kid. If you make him angry, what will you do?
The swords spoke.
These were the best of the Weapon Master¡¯s arsenal, each imbued with sentience and the ability to fly freely.
The real ones had appeared.
¡°Shut up, you assholes.¡±
The Weapon Master said with annoyance. The swords chattered excitedly.
¨C We just have to kill that guy, right?
¨C Me! Leave it to me!
¨C We have to work together.
The swords kept chattering endlessly. The Weapon Master picked up one of them.
It was a strange sword with the de curved inwards. It was a weapon that seemed tobine a scythe and a long sword.
-He¡¯s a tough one. Let¡¯s kill him together.
¨C Wow, I heard that. Together.
¨C He seems to be really scared.
¨C Well, he¡¯s not an ordinary swordsman.
The Weapon Master infused the sword with dark mans. In the next instant, his body disappeared into the darkness.
In the next moment, he felt a murderous intent from behind. Damien immediately turned around.
The Weapon Master was swinging his sword at Damien. Damien blocked the attack with his Dawn.
¡°You have good instincts. To notice that.¡±
The Weapon Master said with a sneer.
In fact, Damien already knew the identity of that weapon.
The Demonic sword ¡®Palchetia¡¯
It was a weapon that could move into the enemy¡¯s blind spot in an extremely short moment.
The activation time was short, and there was no cooldown. It could also be used consecutively.
¡°I¡¯ll praise you for blocking my attack¡ but your back is open!¡±
As soon as the Weapon Master finished speaking, swords came flying at him from behind.
¨C Kehehet! It¡¯s empty! Your back is empty!
¨C The heart is mine! The heart is mine!
Just before the swords arrived, the Weapon Master¡¯s body disappeared again.
Damien immediately twisted his waist. He blocked all the flying swords.
¨C Well, that¡¯s something! You blocked all of our teamwork!
¨C Strong! The stronger you are, the more exhrating it will be to kill you!
¨C Heart! Give me your heart!
The swords moved mindlessly and attacked Damien. Damien calmly blocked the attacks.
Then, he felt a murderous intent from the side. Damien turned his head.
The Weapon Master, who had emerged from the darkness, swung his weapon. Damien reflexively blocked his attack.
But the weapon the Weapon Master was holding was a little different.
Instead of a Demonic sword, he was holding an old wooden sword.
¡°Surely not¡¡±
¡°Do you know this? Then you must also know that it¡¯s toote!¡±
Out of nowhere, a wooden vine that had sprung out of the ground wrapped around Damien¡¯s two legs.
It was so strong that it felt like it was made of iron instead of wood.
The Binding Sword Kitan.
It was a Demonic sword that had the power to bind everything it touched.
¡°Kill him!¡±
The Weapon Master immediately gave the order to the swords. The swords immediately flew towards Damien.
It was impossible to block the swords flying from all directions with both legs tied.
The Weapon Master was sure of victory.
¡°Confuse me with the Demonic swords and bind my legs with the Binding Sword¡ What a pathetic tactic.¡±
Damien said with clicking his tongue. Only then did the Weapon Master realize that Damien¡¯s face was too expressionless for someone in danger.
¡°It¡¯s so-so. It¡¯s too so-so.¡±
Damien lowered his index finger. Then something fell from the sky.
Swords made of the aurades blocked the Demonic swords. The Demonic swords panicked and shouted.
¨C W-what is this!
¨C Get out of the way! We have to kill him!
The Weapon Master was as shocked as the swords.
¡°Azure Sky¡¯s Flight¡?¡±
The Weapon Master muttered in disbelief.
¡°How¡? You didn¡¯t say you had mastered the Sword Saint realm?¡±
Master ss could only master one realm.
It was only natural. After all, the realm was the culmination of the skills that a knight had honed throughout his life.
Damien was using two realms that defied logic.
¡°You¡ you¡¡±
Damien did not answer the Weapon Master¡¯s question. Instead, he put Dawn back in its scabbard.
¨C Dawn has be iparably stronger than before! ¨C
Malta¡¯s words came to mind.
¨C Of course, it¡¯s strong! There is no weapon in this world that can match Dawn! Anything that dares to stand against it will be cut down like a twig! ¨C
Before leaving the Church, Malta had talked at length about how Dawn had changed.
¨C The most impressive feature is its new power! Dawn can store an almost infinite amount of any force! And the duration for which it can store this power is nearly infinite too! ¨C
At first nce, it seemed like a trivial ability. But Malta spoke with a very confident face.
¨C And it can release all of it! It releases all the mana it has umted to infinity! Can you imagine how powerful that is? ¨C
While preparing to fight the Weapon Master, Damien had been secretly charging Dawn with his mana. In this way, about three days¡¯ worth of mana had umted.
Now, Dawn was sheathed. Damian grasped the hilt and scabbard simultaneously.
He released the stored mana in Dawn. The energy trapped within the scabbard surged out.
The force pushed Dawn out of its scabbard. As Dawn emerged, a blinding light bust forth.
Now Dawn was in its scabbard. He grabbed the hilt of Dawn and the scabbard at the same time.
The immense power overloaded Dawn.
The Weapon Master¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden surge of immense power.
¡°Oh no¡¡±
The moment Dawn fully emerged a blinding light exploded and engulfed the Weapon Masterpletely.
***
As the blinding light struck him, the Weapon Master instinctively realized that he would die if he didn¡¯t block it.
He had to exert all his strength to survive.
First, he took out the shield he had been carrying on his back. He concentrated all his dark mana into the shield.
The thick aurade covered the shield. The Weapon Master prepared to receive the attack.
The light and the shield collided. The Weapon Master gritted his teeth and held on.
But despite the Weapon Master¡¯s efforts, the shield shattered in an instant.
With no time to escape, the light engulfed the Weapon Master.
The armor he was wearing was being shredded in real time. When the armor disappeared, it was the Weapon Master¡¯s turn next.
The light burned the Weapon Master¡¯s entire body. The Weapon Master was swept away by the light and flew far away.
¡°Ugh¡ ouch¡ ugh¡¡±
The Weapon Master groaned as he fell to the ground.
¡°What¡ how did this happen¡¡±
The Weapon Master struggled to open his eyes. Only then did he notice the state of his body.
The skin on his entire body waspletely burned, and his arms and legs werepletely gone.
¡°Ugh, ugh! Aaaaaaaaaa!¡±
The Weapon Master let out a scream. But there was nothing that could be done.
¡°Immortal Sword! I need the Immortal Sword! Can¡¯t anyone hear me! Put the Immortal Sword in me right now! Right now!¡±
The Immortal Sword was not a sentient sword. So, in order to use it, you had to hold it yourself and give it orders.
But now the Weapon Master had no arms or legs.
¡°Immortal Sword! Bring me the Immortal Sword!¡±
So he could only thrash around, unable to grasp the Immortal Sword. Even though it was right there in his belt.
¡°¡Weapon Master.¡±
Then, a familiar voice rang out. He turned his head and saw Achilles¡¯ face.
It seemed that he had been swept away by the light and flown to where Achilles was.
¡°What is this? Did you think I cooperated with you to see you in this state?¡±
Achilles sighed deeply and mocked the Weapon Master.
¡°A¡ Achilles¡ help me¡ there are still swords left¡ a chance for a counterattack¡¡±
¡°Yes, I will help you. There is no one else who can defeat that monster.¡±
Achilles picked up the Weapon Master¡¯s body. It was incredibly light, as his arms and legs were all gone.
¡°Yes¡ hurry¡ put the Immortal Sword¡ in my heart¡¡±
But Achilles did not do as the Weapon Master said. Instead, he approached the hearth.
¡°You¡ what are you doing now¡¡±
¡°Weapon Master. Do you remember when I said I needed thest ingredient?¡±
Only then did the Weapon Master realize it. The cruel aura that appeared in Achilles¡¯ two eyes.
¡°There was no way to save you, so I didn¡¯t tell you¡ but the truth is, the ingredient was you.¡±
¡°You¡ what are you going to do¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. You will now be a sword itself.¡±
Achilles threw the Weapon Master into the hearth.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 267
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 267: The Weapon Master (2)
***
Damien sheathed Dawn.
In the distance, he saw the Weapon Master lying on the ground. His limbs were all gone, and the skin was peeled off his entire body.
The light emitted by Dawn had literally shredded the Weapon Master.
¡°You barely escaped death.¡±
It wasn¡¯t that the Weapon Master was that resilient, but rather that Damien¡¯s skills were still immature.
This was the first time he had used Dawn¡¯s power.
Damien approached the Weapon Master, intending to make sure he was dead.
Just then.
¨C Kyaaaah! You stop!
¨C Don¡¯t you dare harass our master!
The Demonic swords flew towards Damien.
With all his attention focused on Dawn, his control over the aurades had weakened.
Seizing this opportunity, the Demonic swords shattered the aurades and flew towards Damien.
¡°You¡¯re getting in the way.¡±
¨C Human! Don¡¯t act so cocky!
¨C You¡¯ll get a hole in your gut!
Damien dodged the Demonic swords¡¯ attacks and infused Dawn with mana.
Dawn emitted an even brighter light.
¡°I¡¯ll smash all of you right here.¡±
Just as Damien was about to swing Dawn at the Demonic swords.
Achilles suddenly did something strange. He had picked up the Weapon Master.
Damien had no idea what Achilles was up to.
At best, he thought Achilles was trying to run away or heal the Weapon Master.
However, Achilles did somethingpletely unexpected.
He threw the Weapon Master into the hearth.
¡°¡¡What?¡±
The hearth that had swallowed the Weapon Master began to burn even more fiercely.
¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s it! That¡¯s it!¡±
Achillesughed out loud and cheered the change in the hearth.
¡°I was worried that the Sword of Annihtion would be iplete. I never dreamed that I would get thest ingredient this way!¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered by Achilles¡¯s words.
Thest ingredient toplete the Sword of Annihtion was the Weapon Master?
It was an obvious statement, but it was something he had never heard of in his previous life.
After all, in his previous life, the Weapon Master had never been used as a material for a Demonic sword.
¡®I changed the future.¡¯
In his previous life, the Weapon Master had forged the Sword of Annihtion without any interference.
Therefore, Achilles was unable to use the Weapon Master as a material.
However, in this life, things were different.
Damien had reduced the Weapon Master to a mere shell of his former self. This allowed Achilles to toss the Weapon Master into the hearth.
¡°A hearth made with the corpse of a Duke ss demon and tens of thousands of dwarves, and the body of a knight close to a Grand Master! Thispletes it! The true Sword of Annihtion!¡±
The red mes that the hearth had been holding turned purple. A strong wind began to swirl around the hearth.
Damien felt a sense of foreboding at this sight.
He felt like something terrible would happen if he left it alone. He should have destroyed it before.
But the moment Damien was about to put his thoughts into action, something leaped out of the hearth.
Its entire body was glowing red-hot likeva, making it impossible to clearly discern its form.
-Kreeeuuh¡¡.
It rose to its feet with a strange sound, stretching its back and raising its head.
Then, the red-hot flesh cooled rapidly. Only then was Damien able to see what it looked like.
Its appearance was simr to that of a human. It had two arms and two legs. But upon closer inspection, it waspletely different.
For one thing, its body was made of metal. Not just its skin, but even the muscles underneath.
It had no eyes or mouth on its face. Instead, there was only a sheet of iron engraved with wave patterns.
¨C What happened to my body?
It looked down at its own body. Its jerky movements stopped as soon as it saw its changed flesh.
¨C This can¡¯t be¡¡ This can¡¯t be¡¡ This is¡¡ my body?
Its voice trembled wildly, as if in shock.
¨C But¡¡ Strange¡¡ I feel good¡¡ I feel strangely good¡¡.
However, his voice gradually began to take on a tone of excitement.
¨C I feel power¡¡ I feel the immense power this body holds¡¡ I feel like I can do anything¡¡ What is this? This feeling of omnipotence?
¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡±
Achilles, who was standing next to him, spoke to the Weapon Master. The Weapon Master turned to Achilles sharply.
¨C Achilles! What did you do to my body!
¡°I gave you the body of a Demonic sword instead of your weak human flesh. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡±
¨C I want to kill you right now!
¡°Don¡¯t say things you don¡¯t mean. Be honest. Aren¡¯t you very satisfied?¡±
The Weapon Master remained silent. As if that statement were true.
¨C Why didn¡¯t you tell me I was thest ingredient?
¡°Because you didn¡¯t trust me. If I had told you the truth, you would have killed me, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±
The Weapon Master was unable to deny it and clicked his tongue briefly.
Who would believe that he had to step into a hearth that melted iron in an instant?
¨C I¡¯ll postpone your punishment for a while. I have someone to kill right now.
The Weapon Master turned to Damien. Even without an expression, Damien could feel it.
¨C Damien Haksen. Well then, get ready for the second round.
Weapon Master¡¯s voice was filled with confidence and excitement.
***
Damien twisted his lips and said.
¡°You¡¯ve be a nuisance.¡±
The Sword of Annihtion.
A masterpiece Demonic sword created using the corpse of a Duke ss demon.
It was a masterpiece that perfectly contained the power of a duke ss demon.
Even without that, the Sword of Annihtion, which was already a fearsome weapon, became even stronger by fusing with the Weapon Master.
It was not a pleasant situation for Damien.
-You think it¡¯s a nuisance?
Weapon Master said in disbelief.
-It seems you still don¡¯t understand the situation.
Weapon Master¡¯s hand melted away and turned into a long sword.
-I¡¯ll show you exactly what kind of power I have.
Dark mana began topress on the sword.
Thepressed dark mana sucked in the surrounding air. A storm raged around the Weapon Master.
Weapon Master swung the sword. In that instant, a ck sh stretched out towards Damien.
Just as he was about to swing his sword, the sh was already at his nose.
It was toote to dodge. Damien blocked the sh with Dawn.
¡°Ugh.¡±
An overwhelming force tried to crush Damien and Dawn whole.
Even with the Third Ring activated, it was difficult to withstand. In the end, Damien could only let the ck sh pass.
The ck sh that missed Damien struck the empty ground. And half of the city was gone.
The devastation didn¡¯t end there. Mountains were shattered one after another beyond the city.
It was as if someone had erased the mountains in a straight line.
-Hahaha! Ehehehe!
The Weapon Masterughed heartily.
-Just a light swing and this happens! I¡¯m overflowing with power! I¡¯m overflowing with power! No one can stop me now!
Just by releasing an aura, mountains were blown away.
What was truly terrifying was that the Weapon Master had not yet used the power of the Sword of Annihtion.
-Even if I only release the aurade, I can kill you without a trace! But that¡¯s too boring! I¡¯ll cut your body down with my own hands!
Weapon Master¡¯s body disappeared. Before he could blink, he appeared in front of Damien.
Weapon Master swung his sword down at Damien. Damien reflexively raised Dawn to block the sh.
In that instant, Damien¡¯s body was cut in half.
***
The power of the Sword of Annihtion was Distortion.
The Sword of Annihtion had the ability to distort anything.
Just now, the Weapon Master had twisted space and cut Damien¡¯s body.
-Hahaha! You shouldn¡¯t fight a Demonic sword you don¡¯t understand!
The Weapon Masterughed with satisfaction.
However, even though he had been cut by the sh, no blood flowed from Damien¡¯s body.
-¡¡Huh?
Through the torn clothes of Damien, ck armor could be seen.
It was the Demonic armor Hemaera that Damien had used in his previous life.
-Demonic armor? It¡¯s not even an ordinary! Where did you get your hands on such a precious thing!
Damien threw off his torn shirt.
¡°You¡¯ve really be a nuisance.¡±
Damien already knew about the power of the Sword of Annihtion.
To be safe, he wore Hemaera under his clothes.
¡°That¡¯s why I tried to kill you before the Sword of Annihtion was created.¡±
Damien stretched his neck from side to side. The Weapon Masterughed at this action.
-Are you still going to fight? Good! Don¡¯t give up! Fight me! That¡¯s the only way for me to test my new powers!
As the Weapon Master flicked his fingers, the Demonic swords flew towards them.
-Master! What¡¯s happening!
-We look even cooler!
-Our connection to you is even stronger! Feel it!
Demonic swords chattered excitedly. The Weapon Master spoke as if they were annoying.
¡°Shut up. Get ready to fight that bastard quickly.¡±
-But Master! That bastard is too strong!
-We can¡¯t kill him with our own strength!
-Master, you have to use us!
Originally, Demonic swords could only exert their power when held in hand.
Now the Demonic swords were nothing more than flying leeches.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. Things are going to change from now on.¡±
The Weapon Master raised dark mana.
The dark magic that flowed from the Weapon Master flowed into all the Demonic swords.
-Oh¡¡ Ohhh¡¡ Ohhhh!
-I feel it¡¡ I feel it¡¡!
-I feel power¡¡ I feel power!
Even though the Weapon Master was not holding them, the Demonic swords began to exert their power. Lightning, mes, and darkness swirled in the air.
Looking at the sight before him, Damien clicked his tongue.
The Weapon Master fused with the Sword of Annihtion was already annoying. Now there were ten more Demonic swords that could manifest their power without a master.
¡°It¡¯s pointless to deal with all of this one by one.¡±
Damien said, stretching his hand into the air.
¡°Come forth, Erebos.¡±
Erebos appeared as the tattoo on his wrist faded.
The Weapon Master¡¯s eyes lit up at the appearance of Erebos.
-That Demonic sword! You were carrying it with you after all! I have to kill you and take that Demonic sword! It will be the ultimate prize!
Ignoring the excited Weapon Master, Damien activated the Authority of Envy.
He used the Authority of Envy to convert all of his magic into dark mana. He infused all of it into Erebos.
¡°Erebos, it¡¯s time to rise.¡±
Erebos let out a roar.
It was not the sound of a human or a beast. No, it was not the sound of a living creature at all.
At the same time, the whole world shook. The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck. All the buildings in the city began to copse.
-¡¡Incredible.
The Weapon Master eximed in awe.
-It¡¯s truly incredible! It¡¯s an incredible Demonic sword! I¡¯ve never seen a Demonic sword like this in my life¡¡.
Then, the Weapon Master¡¯s reaction suddenly changed.
-Demonic sword¡¡? No¡¡ This isn¡¯t a Demonic sword¡¡ This is¡¡ This is something else¡¡!
Demonic swords can recognize each other.
The Weapon Master is now a Demonic sword, so he can feel it.
That Erebos is fundamentally different from a Demonic sword.
-What the hell is that! What are you carrying¡¡.
Damien didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he gave Erebos an order.
¡°Erebos, devour them.¡±
A wave emanated from Erebos.
Anything that touched the wave was immediately turned gray. Rocks, metal, and flowers blooming on the ground were no exception.
The things that turned gray were immediately annihted. As the wave spread, the city began to be erased.
Eventually, the wave swallowed the Demonic swords.
The gray world was very quiet. It seemed as if the concept of sound hadpletely disappeared.
-Huh?
-What?
At first, the Demonic swords were confused.
However, when their bodies began to turn gray, their reaction changed.
-Oh¡¡ Oh no¡¡.
-Uh uh¡¡ Uh uh uh¡¡.
The voices that had sounded flustered began to contain pain.
Eventually, the Demonic swords shouted in unison.
-Aaaaah! It hurts! It hurts!
-My body! My body is disappearing!
-Kyaaah! Who! Who will save me!
The silent gray space was filled with only the screams of the Demonic swords.
-What are you all doing! Get a grip!
The Weapon Master shouted at the Demonic swords. But the Demonic swords were in no condition to follow the Weapon Master¡¯s orders.
-Kyaaah!
-Aaaaah!
The Demonic swords fell to the ground. They rolled around the floor like trash.
Then, they began to disappear bit by bit from the edges.
As if being eaten by a mouse, the area shrank until it waspletely gone.
-This¡¡ This is ridiculous¡¡!
As the wave reached the Weapon Master, his body instantly turned gray.
The Weapon Master¡¯s entire body began to disappear.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 268
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 268: The Weapon Master (3)
***
As soon as his body turned gray, the Weapon Master felt his whole body be heavy.
It was as if a giant snake was wrapping itself around his body. An unpleasant feeling of restraint squeezed his entire body.
Then, the Weapon Master¡¯s whole body began to disappear. The mass of his body was rapidly decreasing.
-¡¡!
At the same time, intense pain surged like a tidal wave.
It was like swimming through moltenva in a mountain range. Indescribable pain exploded in his head.
-Kyaaah!
The Weapon Master tried to protect himself by wrapping his body in dark mana.
But it was useless. No matter how much dark mana he drew up, he could not resist Erebos¡¯s power.
-Aaaaah! Kyaaah!
I can¡¯t die like this!
The Weapon Master desperately clung to his sanity and used his realm.
All Weapons Beloved.
The power to draw out the hidden power and potential of weapons.
Now the Weapon Master was both a human and Demonic sword. That¡¯s why he could use ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯ to draw out his full potential.
The center of the Weapon Master¡¯s chest began to glow red.
The red aura spread throughout the Weapon Master¡¯s body.
He could feel his body bing stronger. The output of his dark mana increased even further.
The speed at which his body was disappearing also slowed dramatically. The excruciating pain also disappeared.
-That¡¯s it¡¡ That¡¯s it!
But there was no time to rx. He had to kill Damien as soon as possible and cancel Erebos¡¯s power.
The Weapon Master brought his hands together in front of his chest. And he manifested the power ¡®Distortion¡¯ that he possessed as the Sword of Annihtion.
The Weapon Master distorted the space. Darkness began to appear between his hands.
It began to absorb the air, even its surrounding light, as the darkness deepened.
This was the secret technique ¡®Abyss Mouth¡¯ of the Sword of Annihtion.
Even though no one had told or teach him, the Weapon Master had instinctively mastered this technique.
-I¡¯ll erase you from this world right now!
Just as the Weapon Master was about to swing the Abyss Mouth, Damien opened said something
¡°I guess I need to increase the output.¡±
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a second wave erupted.
The second wave hit the Weapon Master¡¯s body. Immediately after, the Weapon Master¡¯s ¡®surface¡¯ began to disappear again.
It was even faster than before. His whole body began to shrink rapidly.
-¡¡!
The Weapon Master felt even more intense pain than before.
He couldn¡¯t hold back his screams.
-Kyaaah!
It wasn¡¯t just the Weapon Master. The Abyss Mouth that he had worked so hard to create also disappeared in an instant.
His ten fingers crumbled from the tips. His thin legs broke under the weight of his body.
The Weapon Master¡¯s body fell to the ground. He fell face first on the floor and shouted.
-Stop! Stop! Please!
It didn¡¯t matter how he pleaded. The Weapon Master¡¯s body was shrinking in real time.
Damien approached the Weapon Master, holding Erebos in his hand.
-Keuk¡¡ Heo-eok¡¡.
The Weapon Master gasped for breath, with only his head and upper body remaining.
-Damien¡¡ Haksen¡¡!
The Weapon Master gritted his teeth. He shouted with hatred.
-To a bastard like you¡¡! To suffer such humiliation¡¡! I will never forgive you! I will never forgive you even in death!
Damien simply looked down at Weapon Master with a nk expression.
This touched the Weapon Master¡¯s pride.
-What are you looking at me with those arrogant eyes! You don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won, do you? That sword! That sword! Without that sword, you would have died at my hands!
The Weapon Master shouted like a madman.
-Without that sword, you are nothing!
¡°Then why don¡¯t you try it yourself?¡±
-¡¡What?
The Weapon Master forgot about his pain for a moment, so absurd was the statement.
As if to prove that he wasn¡¯t lying, Damien ced Erebos in front of the Weapon Master.
-Ugh, ugh-ak!
The Weapon Master hastily reached out for Erebos.
He tried to grab Erebos with his crumbling fingers that were barely left.
-You, you idiot! You really are giving this to me!
As long as he had ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯, there was no sword that the Weapon Master could not control.
-Now, it¡¯s your turn! You too will suffer the same pain as me¡¡.
The Weapon Master tried to control Erebos using ¡®All Weapons Beloved¡¯.
A red aura emanated from his hand and was poured into Erebos.
At that moment, the Weapon Master¡¯s expression changed. But the red aura did not control Erebos and simply dissipated.
-This¡¡ Why, why are you doing this¡¡? Why, why are you rejecting¡¡ rejecting me¡¡ This, this can¡¯t be¡¡.
Suddenly, Erebos¡¯s roar grew louder. The earsplitting roar shook the heavens and earth.
-Kaaah!
At the same time, the Weapon Master¡¯s body was disappearing even faster.
Both of his arms werepletely gone. His torso was shrinking rapidly. Only half of his face remained.
-S-save me¡¡ Please¡¡ I don¡¯t want to die like this¡¡!
The Weapon Master pleaded desperately to Damien.
-I¡¯ll do anything! If you want, I can be your servant! I¡¯ll give you all the power I have!
Damien simply watched the Weapon Master like that.
-P-please¡¡!
The remaining fragments of the Weapon Masterpletely disappeared.
As his physical body disappeared, only the Weapon Master¡¯s soul remained.
However, the Weapon Master¡¯s soul did not have a chance to escape and quickly dissipated.
-Kyaaah!
The power of Erebos had devoured even the Weapon Master¡¯s soul.
Only after seeing that did Damien pick up Erebos.
As soon as it was caught in Damien¡¯s hand, Erebos transformed into a docilemb.
It was apletely different appearance from how it had so vehemently rejected the Weapon Master.
Damien controlled the power of Erebos.
The world that had been dyed gray returned to normal. The constant screams were no longer heard.
Damien transformed Erebos back into a tattoo.
Damien stared silently at the spot where the Weapon Master had died.
¡°¡¡Father.¡±
After a while, he muttered, looking up at the sky.
¡°You unworthy son has finally avenged you, albeit btedly.¡±
His voice sounded very sad.
***
Damien returned to Kilo.
Kilo asked with a shocked expression.
¡°D-Damien¡¡ What was that ck thing just now? What kind of power is this¡¡ Everything has disappeared, but why am I still fine?¡±
¡°I adjusted the target. I can control that much.¡±
Damien¡¯s power and control on the Erebos grew as he collected more fragments of Erebos.
Now Damien could not only control the range of power but also select the target.
Kilo was not the only one Damien had excluded from Erebos¡¯s power.
¡°This is ridiculous!
Achilles was screaming from the spot where the Weapon Master had died.
¡°The Sword of Annihtion! There¡¯s no way my greatest masterpiece could be destroyed so futilely!¡±
Achilles mmed his fist on the floor and screamed.
Kilo pointed at Achilles and asked.
¡°Why did you save that trash?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you also want revenge? Go ahead.¡±
Kilo shut his mouth at Damien¡¯s words. His eyes shook wildly.
¡°¡¡Thank you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±
¡°While I¡¯m at it, can I ask for one more favor? Can you just break that hearth? I can¡¯t do it in my current condition.¡±
Kilo¡¯s abdomen waspletely soaked in blood. It was because of he was pierced by the Demonic sword.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Damien took out Dawn and swung it towards the hearth.
The aurade split the hearth in half. The moltenva inside poured onto the floor.
Blood flowed from the cut surface. The pulsating hearth stopped instantly.
¡°Ahhhhh! No! My hearth!¡±
Achilles clutched his head with both hands. Achilles red at Damien and shouted.
¡°You moron! Do you know how stupid you¡¯ve just done!¡±
Achilles frothed at the mouth and rushed towards Damien.
At that moment, Kilo blocked Achilles¡¯s path.
¡°Get out of my way¡¡.¡±
Kilo swung his fist at Achilles.
The boulder-like fist smashed Achilles¡¯s face and knocked him to the ground.
The moment he hit the ground, Achilles¡¯s neck broke. He died like that.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Kilo spat on Achilles¡¯s corpse.
At that moment, ck smoke billowed out of the destroyed hearth.
On closer inspection, it was not smoke. The dwarves¡¯ souls were being liberated.
-Ah¡¡ Finally free!
-Ancestors! We areing!
Unlike when they were bound to the hearth, the dwarves¡¯ souls looked very happy.
Kilo watched them silently. Then he sank to the floor.
¡°Phew¡¡ Whoof¡¡.¡±
Kilo broke out in a cold sweat. Hisplexion looked pale like that of a sick person.
Damien opened a subspace and took out a potion. But Kilo shook his head from side to side.
¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡±
Kilo raised his head and looked at his brethren. It was as if he wanted to see them as soon as possible.
¡°Damien, thank you. We, the Hammerfell dwarves, owe you a great debt of gratitude. If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have avenged ourselves, let alone been used by Achilles.¡±
Kilo was right.
In his previous life, Achilles had a terrible reputation as a Lich.
The driving force behind this must have been the hearth he created using the Hammerfell dwarves.
¡°Can you feel it? They¡¯re all telling you thank you. They¡¡ all of them¡¡.¡±
Kilo¡¯s head bowed slowly.
After a while, Kilo¡¯s soul flowed out of his body. Kilo¡¯s soul flew towards his brethren without hesitation.
Even as a spirit, he could feel Damien. That¡¯s how happy Kilo was.
Of course, not all the dwarves were happy.
-Euaaaaak! Leave me alone! Leave me alone I said!
The Achilles¡¯s soul was surrounded by other dwarves and screaming.
The dwarves would never forgive the traitor. They swarmed around Achilles and destroyed his soul.
-Aaaaaaak!
Achilles¡¯s scream echoed for a long time before it abruptly stopped.
Only then did the souls of the Hammerfell dwarves rise high into the sky.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 269
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 269: The Nephew (1)
***
After that, Damien had to clean up the aftermath.
The souls of the dead left thoughts at the site of their deaths. Dark mages could read various information through these thoughts left behind by dead souls.
It was highly likely that the thoughts would be a key to the investigation when investigators were sent from Pandemonium.
The thoughts in which ¡®Victor the Woodcutter¡¯ appeared were no problem. In fact, it was something to be weed. Damien hade here to cause confusion in Pandemonium.
However, the thought left behind in which Damien appeared was a problem.
That¡¯s why Damien erased all the thoughts left behind by the Weapon Master and Achilles when they died.
Only then did he prepare to leave Hammerfell City.
¡°So, You are thinking of leaving now¡¡±
Then, Damien asked with a bewildered look.
¡°Why are you here?¡±
-You! How dare you react like that when you should be happy to see us!
Kilo yelled. Behind him were ten more dwarves.
Of course, all eleven were dead. They weremunicating with Damien in their soul state.
¡°Didn¡¯t you leave with the other dwarves?¡±
-I was going to, but I changed my mind. I owe you too much debt to leave just like that.
Kilo said, pounding his chest with his fist.
-We Hammerfell dwarves can¡¯t live with debt, no matter what! I¡¯ll stay by your side and repay my debt!
¡°I don¡¯t need it. Get out of here.¡±
Damien immediately refused. Kilo¡¯s expression momentarily nked, as if he couldn¡¯t believe the reaction.
-T-think about it again! Aren¡¯t you tempted by our knowledge and skills?
¡°You guys should be the ones thinking again. Do you know what it means to follow me? It means bing undead.¡±
Damien¡¯s voice sharpened slightly.
¡°Being undead means bing a ve to a dark mage. And yet you want to follow me? Are you in your right mind¡¡.¡±
-We¡¯re all in our right minds.
Kilo said firmly.
-As I said before, we Hammerfell dwarves can¡¯t live with debt. We owe you a debt.
Kilo clenched his fists.
-Pandemonium. Our tribe and city were destroyed by that bastards. We can¡¯t go back without seeing their destruction.
The dwarves behind Kilo nodded in agreement.
-Damien, you killed the Weapon Master. You must be nning to keep fighting Pandemonium. We want to join in the revenge too.
Damien was at a loss for words.
He knew he should send them back.
But he couldn¡¯t help but empathize with their anger. He felt the same way.
¡°Even so, you want to rely on me, a Dark mage?¡±
-You¡¯re different from the other Dark mages.
¡°Different?¡±
-If you were just any Dark mage, you wouldn¡¯t have just freed our tribe¡¯s souls.
That was true.
The souls of the dwarves who had been bound to the hearth numbered in the tens of thousands.
If he had collected them all, he would have been able to gain an enormous amount of dark mana in one fell swoop.
Even if it wasn¡¯t dark mana, the souls of the dwarves were rare and could be used for a variety of purposes.
But Damien had freed the dwarves without a second thought.
-We can trust you. Please take us in.
Kilo looked at Damien with a firm gaze. It wasn¡¯t just Kilo. The ten dwarves behind him were the same.
Damien took a deep breath.
To be honest, it was a difficult request to refuse. The Hammerfell dwarves was one of the most outstanding among the dwarves.
If they were to join forces with Damien, they would be a tremendous force.
¡°¡¡Damn it. It¡¯s your own fault. Don¡¯t regret itter.¡±
Damien extended his hand. Kilo grinned and shook it.
-Master, I¡¯ll be in your care from now on.
***
In the dark space.
Something was moving under the only litmp.
¡°Heh, heh-hee-hee hahaha! That¡¯s it! It¡¯sing back up! Knowledge is pouring out again!¡±
Someone who seemed small even though he was wearing a wide-brimmed robe was dissecting a corpse with a knife.
¡°I¡¯m going crazy! I¡¯m going crazy! It feels like someone is pouring knowledge into my head! Hahahaha! Eugh-hahahahahaha!¡±
The entity didn¡¯t flinch even though his face and clothes were sttered with blood every time he cut the corpse open, as if every second and minute was precious.
¡°I finally understand! This is it! With this knowledge, I can create it again!¡±
He raised his blood-stained hands high in the air and cheered.
Then, he felt a presence behind him. A small man was walking towards the monster with a slow gait.
¡°I apologize for interrupting your research, Lord Dorugo.¡±
His voice was so polite that it was almost respectful.
Dorugo took off the robe that had been covering his head. A skull was revealed.
¡°Genak, what¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°There is no response from the Weapon Master.¡±
¡°Again?¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression distorted. The skull moved and made an expression.
¡°How many times is this?¡±
¡°This is the third time. We haven¡¯t been able to contact him for a week.¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange. There¡¯s no way that guy would have other thoughts.¡±
¡°I agree. Could something have happened¡¡.¡±
¡°Trouble? Hehehehehe! You¡¯re talking funny.¡±
Dorugoughed out loud. Heughed so hard that he rubbed the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. But no tears flowed.
¡°There are very few beings in this world who could harm that guy. I¡¯ve got all of those few guys under my thumb.¡±
¡°Y-yes, you are truly amazing!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not asking forpliments. Anyway, I¡¯m saying that there¡¯s no way something could have happened to that guy.¡±
¡°Then why¡¡.¡±
Dorugo stroked his chin and fell into thought.
¡°¡¡Is he really trying to betray me?¡±
¡°N-nonsense! How could there be someone with such a wicked thought¡¡.¡±
¡°You never know what¡¯s going on in people¡¯s hearts. I need to check it out in advance.¡±
Dorugo raised his head. Something was hanging from the high ceiling.
¡°Iota. It¡¯s your turn.¡±
Dorugo said to it. Then, the thing moved.
It spread its wings that had been wrapped around its body andnded on the ground.
Monster was nearly 3 meters tall with unusually long arms and legs and had two bat-like wings.
¡°Gulp.¡±
Genak swallowed hard at the appearance of Iota. It wasn¡¯t because of Iota¡¯s appearance. It was because of the immense pressure he felt from Iota.
He had felt a simr feeling before in his life.
The pressure from the Weapon Master, , and the Ruler of the mes.
It was when he met the Evils of Pandemonium.
-Khe-khe, Mother called me?
Iota asked with a strangeugh. Dorugo frowned at his words.
¡°I told you to call me Lord.¡±
-Don¡¯t be so stiff. I was born from Mother¡¯s soul, right? So you could say we¡¯re like parent and child.
[PR/N- Anyone who is confused, Iota is made up from Dorugo¡¯s soul.]
¡°Tsk! I¡¯ve made you too spoiled.¡±
-Understand me. I can¡¯t help the way I was born.
Genak couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe as he watched Iota converse casually with Dorugo.
Iota was one of the secret weapons that Dorugo had spent hundreds of years creating.
Despite all the effort he had put in, Iota had always been lying in theboratory without a soul.
This was because Dorugo had seeded in creating Iota¡¯s body, but had failed to create a soul that matched it.
Dorugo had been frustrated, thinking that he would have to spend another few decades working on it.
However, just a few days ago, Dorugo had seeded inpleting Iota.
This was thanks to the ¡®strange inspiration¡¯ that hade down to him out of nowhere.
-So what do you need me to do?
¡°Go to the Hukmak Mountains and find the Weapon Master. Deliver my message to him ande back.¡±
-Do I have to kill him?
Dorugo immediately shook his head at that.
¡°No, the Weapon Master is a force we absolutely need for the War of Destruction.¡±
-Ugh, that¡¯s boring. What if he attack me first?
¡°Still no. Subdue him and bring him to me.¡±
-Eeeeeeeeeeei.
Iota trailed off his words in dissatisfaction.
¡°You must never kill him. Not only the Weapon Master, but Achilles who is with him as well.¡±
-That dwarf? Why him?
¡°I absolutely need Achilles¡¯s knowledge and skills. There¡¯s no one else who can rece him.¡±
-Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.
Iota spread his wings. At the same time, dark mana surged around him.
At the same time, the ceiling warped and a colorful door opened.
-Then I¡¯ll go ande back!
Iota flew towards the door. The door swallowed Iota and disappeared as soon as it closed.
¡°Whew¡¡.¡±
As Iota disappeared, the pressure that felt like it was going to crush his heart disappeared as well. Genak wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed in relief.
¡°Lord, Iota is always amazing.¡±
Dorugo smiled proudly at Genak¡¯s admiration.
¡°Of course. He¡¯s an undead I created.¡±
¡°I know it¡¯s off-topic, Lord Dorugo, but¡¡ don¡¯t you think we no longer need to hesitate to go to war with the Empire?¡±
Iota wasn¡¯t the only secret weapon that Dorugo had spent hundreds of years creating.
There were three other undead as well. They, too, had been unable to have the souls until recently and had only just beenpleted.
¡°With the Four Great Demon Kings you have created, Lord Dorugo, I think we can easily destroy the Empire.¡±
Genak spoke sincerely.
As he saw it, the power of the Four Great Demon Kings was equal to the Empire¡¯s. And with Pandemonium added to that, it was not impossible to destroy the Empire.
¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s still not enough. It¡¯s barely enough.¡±
However, Dorugo tly denied Genak¡¯s words without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
¡°Don¡¯t judge the Empire by what you can see. Those bastards are much bigger monsters than you think.¡±
The smile had disappeared from Dorugo¡¯s face.
¡°Do you think you¡¯re going to be able to defeat them if you just fight them? We¡¯ll have to fight the Church, the Fafnir Mercenary Company, and other kingdoms as well. Our forces are barely enough.¡±
¡°I see¡¡.¡±
Genak trailed off his words with a sigh of disappointment.
There was nothing he could do but ept his master¡¯s words. After all, his master was a thousand times wiser than he was, a fool.
¡°So¡¡ not enough¡¡ something¡¡ something else is needed¡¡ something¡¡.¡±
Dorugo began to mutter something over and over again, biting his fingertips.
¡°I know something¡¯s missing, but I don¡¯t know what it is. What is it? What do I need to¡¡ to destroy the Empire¡¡ to destroy humanity¡¡?¡±
After muttering for a while, Dorugo turned to Genak and asked.
¡°That¡¯s right. What happened to my n to capture that guy?¡±
¡°That guy? You mean Damien Haksen?¡±
¡°Yes, that guy. I want to see him with my own eyes.¡±
¡°One of the Giant Evils is about to move. They¡¯ve identified that he has family in the Apple Kingdom, so they¡¯ll be taking action soon¡¡.¡±
Then, another hole opened up in the ceiling. Iota popped out of it.
-Mother! Something terrible has happened! Something terrible!
¡°I told you to call me Lord.¡±
-That¡¯s not important now!
Iota said with a horrified expression.
-He¡¯s dead!
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
-I¡¯m telling you he¡¯s dead! The Weapon Master too! His disciples too! Achilles too! They¡¯re all dead!
Dorugo frowned at that and said.
¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for jokes.¡±
-It¡¯s not a joke! It¡¯s true! I brought you their thoughts, so check for yourself!
Iota held out his finger to Dorugo. The thoughts were concentrated on the tip of Iota¡¯s finger.
Dorugo absorbed the thoughts that Iota handed him.
After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said.
¡°Genak, cancel the n to kidnap Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Is something wrong?¡±
¡°Yes, there is. Some bastard is interfering with my ns!¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes shed. mes erupted from within the skull.
¡°Victor the Woodcutter! Bring this bastard to me immediately! I want him to kneel before me!¡±
***
After leaving the Hukmak Mountains, Damien returned to his family home in the Apple Kingdom.
¡°They¡¯re probably going to be really mad at me¡¡.¡±
Before entering, Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel scared.
This time, he had been away from home for an especially long time. And he hadn¡¯t even sent a single letter.
It was obvious that his family, especially his father, would be furious.
¡°Hahaha! Damien, you¡¯re back! I¡¯m so d to see you after such a long time!¡±
However, contrary to Damien¡¯s expectations, his father was not angry at all.
Damien asked his mother with a confused expression.
¡°Mother, why is he acting like that?¡±
¡°Oh, well, you see. He is going to be a grandfather now.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t understand his mother¡¯s words for a moment.
¡°G-Grandfather? You mean¡¡?¡±
¡°Your older sister is pregnant.¡±
At that, Damien¡¯s face was filled with shock.
His mother said with a yful expression.
¡°What¡¯s the big deal? You¡¯re an uncle now.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 270
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 270: The Nephew (2)
***
The word ¡®uncle¡¯ echoed in his head and rang out.
Damien was so embarrassed that he couldn¡¯t think of anything.
¡°Hahaha! Damien, you don¡¯t believe it either, do you? I was like that at first too.¡±
His father said with a loudugh.
¡°Speaking of which, I should go see Louise. I wonder if she needs anything!¡±
With that, his father shot out of the living room like a bullet.
¡°You should also go see Louise quickly.¡±
His mother grabbed Damien¡¯s hand and led him away. Damien shouted in embarrassment.
¡°Uh, Mom, wait a minute. I need some time to think¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet your sister?¡±
His mother¡¯s grip was surprisingly strong. Damien was led by his mother into Louise¡¯s room.
As he entered the room, he saw Louise lying on the bed. His brother-inw, Bad, was sitting on a chair next to her.
¡°Oh, Damien! You¡¯re back!¡±
Louise got up from the bed as soon as she saw Damien. Damien was surprised and stopped her.
¡°Why are you lying down? Is there something wrong with you¡?¡±
¡°The doctor said she needed to take it easy because it¡¯s early in her pregnancy. So she is just lying down for a while. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±
Bad exined to Damien and he was relieved to hear that.
¡°Damien, wasn¡¯t the trip hard? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±
Louise took Damien¡¯s hand and asked.
¡°Sister¡ um¡ I heard¡ so¡ congrattions.¡±
Damien said with difficulty. Louise smiled shyly.
¡°Thank you for the congrattions.¡±
Damien felt his throat constrict.
His sister would never know. That he didn¡¯t deserve to hear those words of thanks.
In his previous life, Damien had killed his entire family with his own hands. He had robbed his family of their happiness and trampled on their future.
All of this was what his family deserved. Damien had only given it back to them. So he didn¡¯t deserve to be thanked.
But why?
His eyes grew hot. His throat tightened and he couldn¡¯t say anything.
¡°Damien? Why are you crying?¡±
Louise asked with a surprised face. Damien covered his eyes with his hand and said.
¡°It¡¯s nothing¡ It¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°Are you that happy to be an uncle? Well, stop it. What will people think if a man cries so easily?¡±
Louise said, wiping away Damien¡¯s tears with her thumb.
But the tears that had once started couldn¡¯t be stopped easily.
¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s the point of crying over something like this?¡±
A familiar voice rang out then. Damien turned his head to the side.
He saw a young woman sitting in the corner of the room, tearing apart jerky.
It was Veronica, the Killer Ghost.
The moment he saw Veronica, his tears abruptly stopped. It was because it was too ridiculous.
¡°Why are you here?¡±
¡°Your mother caught me.¡±
¡°Mo¡ mother?¡±
Damien made a bewildered expression. How long had she been here to use such a title?
¡°You really stayed because she caught you?¡±
¡°And the food was delicious.¡±
¡°What nonsense¡¡±
¡°Benny! Was it that delicious?¡±
Then, his mother chimed in with a delighted expression. Damien was even more dumbfounded at her words.
Benny? Benny?
They had be so close that she would use such a pet name?
¡°I¡¯m not telling lies. Every dish you make is delicious.¡±
¡°I¡¯m so d you said that. Is there anything else you want to eat? Tell me anything.¡±
¡°I¡¯d like to have the pumpkin pie I hadst time again.¡±
¡°Okay, let¡¯s have that for dessert today.¡±
Veronica smiled brightly and rejoiced at her words.
¡°Mother, when did you be so close to that girl?¡±
¡°That girl. You can¡¯t address our Benny like that.¡±
Damien felt goosebumps rise on his body whenever he heard the word Benny.
¡°I always wished I had another daughter. I never thought my wish woulde true like this.¡±
Damien was at a loss for words.
No matter what, that Veronica Sanchez? Taking a Killer Ghost as her daughter?
¡°Oh, by the way, I drove away the wolves in the forest as you asked, Mother.¡±
¡°Oh, thank you. The townspeople were getting anxious because of those wolves anyway.¡±
What was even more absurd was Veronica, who had been tamed by his mother.
¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know.¡±
Damien decided to take it easy.
***
In the Evening, Damien enjoyed a meal with his family.
¡°Brother! It was too much to just send one letter while you were away for so long!¡±
Abel, his younger brother who had returned from his inspection tour, grumbled at Damien.
¡°He was too busy, you know.¡±
Olivier took Damien¡¯s side. But Abel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.
¡°Yeah, yeah, he is a busy man. But at least he came back safely.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just Olivier. His father also took Damien¡¯s side.
¡°It would have been nice if you had sent letters more often, though¡¡±
Damien listened to Abel¡¯s grumbling and enjoyed his mother¡¯s food.
Now that he was a high-ranking nobleman, he could leave the cooking to the servants without any problem.
However, the Countess always made the food herself.
She said it was her pleasure, so Damien didn¡¯t stop her anymore.
¡°Damien,e with me for a moment.¡±
After the meal, his father called Damien.
Damien finished the pumpkin pie he was holding in his hand and followed his father.
¡°The night air is cool tonight, isn¡¯t it?¡±
His father said, looking up at the night sky. As his father said, the cool breeze felt very good.
¡°Your mother did a great job. I had a full stomach.¡±
His father patted his stomach and said with satisfaction.
¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what I¡¯ve been up to?¡±
¡°I want to ask.¡±
His father said tly.
¡°But you¡¯re not going to tell me, are you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. When you¡¯re your age, you¡¯re bound to have a few secrets from your family. I was the same way.¡±
His father¡¯s voice was cool and refreshing, as if he was sincere.
¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not worried.¡±
His father looked back at Damien.
¡°Damien, promise me one thing. Promise me that you will never do anything dangerous and that you will alwayse back safely.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment. His father urged him on.
¡°This guy, looks like he doesn¡¯t want to promise because he¡¯s not sure.¡±
¡°No¡ I will promise you. I will definitely¡e back safely.¡±
¡°You must keep your promise.¡±
His father patted Damien¡¯s shoulder and returned to the castle.
Damien was left alone and looked up at the sky without a word.
¡°¡Nephew.¡±
It was something that had never happened before. The future had been changed by Damien¡¯s actions.
Perhaps that was why. No matter how much time passed, he couldn¡¯t believe it.
¡°My sister¡¯s child must be smart and cute.¡±
The thought of his nephew filled his heart with warmth.
Happy. Excited. Words couldn¡¯t express the emotions that welled up from the depths of his heart.
He wanted these days to go on forever.
But Damien knew. It was too early to dream of happiness.
¡°Dorugo.¡±
Just saying the name made his blood boil. His chest felt like it was going to copse.
Damien clenched his fist. Hard enough to draw blood.
He couldn¡¯t suppress his anger any other way.
¡°I haven¡¯t killed him yet¡¡±
As long as Dorugo and Pandemonium were still out there, Damien couldn¡¯t dream of happiness.
He was anxious. He was scared and afraid.
Because if he made a mistake, all this happiness he had gained would be gone.
His family would all die again, just like in his previous life, and he would be mocked by the Dark mages.
Even his unborn nephew would lose his life and suffer a terrible fate.
¡°Kilo.¡±
Damien said softly. Kilo and the dwarves emerged from Damien¡¯s shadow.
-You called?
¡°There¡¯s something you need to do.¡±
-Just tell me. I¡¯ll make sure to follow any order.
¡°Start remodeling this castle today.¡±
Kilo¡¯s eyes lit up at the word remodel.
-Ooh, remodel¡ What level are you looking for?
¡°I want the best. Make it an impregnable fortress that can repel any enemy.¡±
-That¡¯s an interesting request. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll use all the skills to remodel it.
Kilo clenched his fists. He was clearly raring to go.
¡°And one more thing, you have to do the work without the people in the castle knowing.¡±
-Huh? Why are you attaching such a troublesome condition?
¡°My family will be anxious.¡±
If they suddenly strengthened the castle¡¯s defenses, there was a high chance his family would be anxious.
It was also difficult to convince his family about the dwarves¡¯ souls.
¡°This is just in case. I don¡¯t intend to let the enemy set foot in the castle.¡±
-If the master orders it, I must obey. I¡¯m thinking of starting work today, so can you hand that over?
At Kilo¡¯s request, Damien took out two objects from the subspace.
They were models that looked like miniature buildings.
However, these were not models, but real buildings.
They were miniaturized versions of the dwarves¡¯ facilities and warehouses. This was another dwarf technology.
They had been made portable in case they ever had to leave the city long ago.
-Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve scavenged all the materials left in the city. I¡¯ll turn it into a ce so magnificent that even the Master ss won¡¯t be able to set foot in it.
Kilo said as he received the objects.
-Kids! It¡¯s time to work! Since we¡¯re all dead anyway, let¡¯s work like crazy!
At Kilo¡¯s words, the dwarves all cheered.
Even after the death, they were still dwarves. They could not abandon their craftsmanship.
The dwarves left Damien behind and disappeared.
Left alone again, Damien looked up at the night sky.
¡°Maybe I should think about a gift for my nephew.¡±
The thought suddenly crossed his mind. His heart swelled with warmth.
But Damien¡¯s wish was not to be.
¡°Master Damien, I apologize foring so suddenly.¡±
Agnes, the disciple of the Cheongyeum.
Agnes hade to see Damien.
Damien had no choice but to greet Agnes while ying cards with Abel.
¡°Pandemonium has performed arge-scale demon summoning ritual in the Tartarus Kingdom.¡±
At those words, Damien felt the blood in his veins turn cold.
This was something that had not happened in his previous life. The future had changed again.
But there was one more thing to be surprised about.
¡°Master left to suppress this incident and has gone missing.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 271
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 271: The Nephew (3)
***
¡°Lady Agnes, what do you mean by arge-scale demon summoning ritual?¡±
Damien asked, adjusting his posture. Agnes bit her lip and said,
¡°The Church has not yet fully grasped the details of the incident. All we know is that Pandemonium took the lead, and the scale is unprecedented in history.¡±
Even as she spoke, Agnes¡¯s face remained grim.
¡°More than a third of the Tartarus Kingdom¡¯s citizens were sacrificed to the ritual. Additionally, the southern part of the Tartarus Kingdom has already been overrun by demons.¡±
Damien felt his blood boil.
If Agnes¡¯s words were true, the southern part of the Tartarus Kingdom would now be a hellishndscape.
Demons were monsters who enjoyed human suffering as much as if not more than, dark mages.
¡°Is it true that Sir Cheongyeum has gone missing?¡±
¡°He is not alone. As soon as the incident urred, the Church dispatched Master and the top pdins. However, contact was lost as soon as they arrived at the scene.¡±
Cheongyeum was no ordinary Grandmaster.
He was widely regarded as the strongest among the Grandmasters and was considered a candidate for the title of Strongest Human alongside the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Such a figure had lost contact as soon as he arrived. That meant only one thing.
¡°¡A high-ranking demon has been summoned.¡±
Demons, like humans, expressed their hierarchy in a five-tier system.
There were theories that humans had imitated demons in this regard, and vice versa.
What was certain was that demons were strict hierarchists, and their dangerousness increased dramatically with each tier.
¡°Yes, the Church is currently judging that at least a Marquis ss demon has been summoned.¡±
Even a Count ss demon could easily overwhelm a Master ss knight.
And a Marquis ss demon was even more dangerous than a Count ss demon.
There had once been an incident where a Marquis ss demon had been summoned. Historians ofter generations had all judged it to be a crisis for the continent.
¡°The Church has decided to dispatch Lord Radiant Light and Lord Green Wind as well.¡±
¡°You¡¯re sending only two people to deal with a Marquis ss demon?¡±
¡°It is the Church¡¯s principle to have two Great Elders on standby at all times. If all the Great Five Elders leave their posts, Pandemonium mayunch a counterattack¡¡±
It was not unreasonable.
Damien had killed the and the Weapon Master, but there were still plenty of monsters left in Pandemonium.
If all the Great Five Elders left their posts, the Church could suffer heavy losses if they were attacked.
¡°However, the Church is concerned that Lord Radiant Light and Lord Green Wind alone will not be enough.¡±
¡°So you came to me?¡±
¡°¡I am ashamed to say so, but yes. Your presence would be a great asset, Sir Damien.¡±
Damien had single-handedly defeated .
Damien was no longer just a rising star Master ss knight.
He had be a formidable figure worthy of formal assistance from a powerful organization like the Church.
Damien was lost in thought.
It wasn¡¯t that he was burdened by the Church¡¯s request. It was because this demon summoning incident had never happened in his previous life.
¡®Dorugo must have been busy hiding around this time¡¡¯
At this time, Dorugo was too weak to stand against the Empire. That¡¯s why he was desperately trying to hide himself.
But with this much trouble, his tail was bound to be exposed.
It wasn¡¯t just Dorugo. The entire Pandemonium had risen to the surface.
¡®Even then, they performed a demon summoning ritual. Why? What are they after?¡¯
The future had changed too much to even make inferences.
Further deliberation was pointless. There was only one thing to do.
¡°I will ept the offer.¡±
¡°Sir Damien¡! Thank you so much! The Church will never forget this kindness¡¡±
¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡±
At that moment, a shout erupted from one side of the reception room.
Before anyone knew it, his family was standing in front of the reception room door.
¡°A demon summoning ritual? We can¡¯t send you to such a dangerous ce!¡±
His father strode into the reception room and spoke, his face flushed with anger.
Agnes hurriedly rose from her seat and bowed.
¡°Your Excellency, I greet you. I am Agnes, a pdin of the Church.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need for introductions! We can¡¯t entertain guests any longer, so I ask that you leave my territory immediately!¡±
Agnes looked troubled. At that, Count Haksen¡¯s face turned red again.
¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±
¡°Your Excellency, if Sir Damien agrees to help with this matter, the Church will appropriatelypensate¡¡±
¡°Compensation? Are you saying you¡¯re going to sell my son for that?¡±
Count Haksen raised his voice.
¡°I may be a fool, but I know very well how dangerous the demons are! They wield powers beyond humanprehension!¡±
Demons were dangerous not just because they were stronger than humans.
It was because of the powers they possessed.
Even a Count ss demon could influence the world with its powers.
And a Marquis ss demon could change the world itself.
¡°Leave immediately! Or is the Church so ipetent that it can¡¯t even handle this kind of thing?¡±
Agnes knelt on the floor. It was as if she was saying she would never back down.
Count Haksen¡¯s eyebrows shot up at Agnes¡¯s attitude.
¡°Father, please let me go.¡±
At that moment, Damien spoke to Count Haksen. Count Haksen was taken aback and shouted.
¡°Damien! What are you talking about! Are you afraid of the Church¡¯s pressure? Don¡¯t worry about that! I¡¯m here!¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±
¡°Then why on earth would you get involved in this dangerous business!¡±
At that, Damien paused for a moment.
He knew his father¡¯s heart. What parent wouldn¡¯t stop their child from going to a dangerous ce?
In truth, Damien didn¡¯t want to go either.
It wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of demons. He had finally been able to spend some happy time with his family. He didn¡¯t want to let go of this happiness.
¡°Father, dark mages are like a gue.¡±
Even so, Damien had to go.
¡°You can¡¯t rx just because they¡¯re far away. If you take your eyes off them for a moment, they¡¯ll spread in all directions and eventuallye here.¡±
gues had to be stopped early. Otherwise, they would spread in the blink of an eye and cause immense damage.
¡°Besides, this situation is not ordinary. I don¡¯t know what might happen if we just leave it alone.¡±
Even in his previous life, there had never been a demon summoning ritual on this scale.
Damien couldn¡¯t ignore this situation either. He had to find out their intentions and punish them.
¡°So I¡¯m going. I don¡¯t know what the dark mages are thinking, but we¡¯ll all be safe if we deal with them first.¡±
¡°Damien¡!
¡°So please let me go.¡±
Count Haksen looked at Damien with a face that was about to cry. But Damien didn¡¯t change his mind.
¡°¡Do you remember the promise you made me yesterday?¡±
¡°Yes, I will return safely.¡±
¡°You rascal.¡±
Count Haksen turned away as if he couldn¡¯t stand to look at him. Damien gave a bitter smile.
And he stood in front of his family. He spoke to his mother first.
¡°Mother, I¡¯ll be back.¡±
¡°Damien¡.¡±
Tears were already welling up in his mother¡¯s eyes.
Damien tried to ignore it and approached Abel.
¡°Abel, take care of the family.¡±
¡°Brother, do you really have to go? Just stay with us¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
Damien finally approached Louise.
¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry to leave you without seeing you for a while.¡±
At Damien¡¯s words, Louise just smiled bitterly.
¡°Promise me you won¡¯t get hurt.¡±
¡°I promise.¡±
After greeting each of his family members, Damien left with Agnes.
When he went outside, he saw familiar faces. Radiant Light and Green Wind were waiting for the two of them.
¡°Sir Damien, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Unlike Radiant Light, who greeted him warmly, Green Wind looked surprised.
¡°Green Wind, I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Sir Damien is not one to turn away from such a thing.¡±
¡°¡You were right, sister. I was too narrow-minded.¡±
Green Wind approached Damien. She put one hand on her chest and said.
¡°Thank you for your help. Bound Windss and the Church will never forget this.¡±
Damien couldn¡¯t help but look surprised.
When he visited the Churchst time, Green Wind had been nitpicking Damien¡¯s every move.
¡°I¡¯d love to chat more, but the situation is urgent. Would it be okay to leave immediately?¡±
¡°On the contrary, I have a favor to ask.¡±
¡°Oh, did you hear that, Green Wind? That¡¯s why I like Sir Damien. He¡¯s straightforward.¡±
Radiant Light nudged Green Wind¡¯s shoulder with her elbow. Green Wind nced at Radiant Light and shrugged.
¡°¡Sister, please be careful with your words. I¡¯m afraid someone might misunderstand.¡±
As she spoke, Green Wind raised her divine power. A strong wind blew from somewhere and enveloped the four of them.
The pdins of the Bound Winds could transform their bodies into wind and travel.
Green Wind could transform not only her own body but also the bodies of others into wind.
¡°Sister, please.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
Radiant Light raised her divine power. A dazzling light seeped into Green Wind¡¯s body.
Radiant Light¡¯s divine power of ¡®Amplification¡¯ could amplify anything, such as cutting power, gravity, and so on.
[TL/N- Last time I tranted Radiant Light¡¯s power to strengthen anything. Now I changed it to ¡®amplify anything¡¯ for better understanding.]
It seemed that Radiant Light intended to amplify Green Wind¡¯s power to allow them to travel faster.
¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±
The strong wind that enveloped the four of them grew even stronger. Soon, their bodies disappeared.
In their ce, a storm soared high into the sky.
As soon as the four of them disappeared, a window in Spring Castle opened.
¡°¡Damien.¡±
Count Haksen looked up at the sky with a worried expression.
***
Under the bright sky, a heaven-breaking earth-shattering roar echoed through the air.
The source of the sound was an old man. Every time the old man swung his fist at the translucent barrier, a tremendous sound was emitted.
But no matter how much the old man punched, the translucent barrier did not shatter.
¡°Lord Cheongyeum, please take a break.¡±
The young men who were sitting behind the old man spoke. They were all dressed in white armor.
On the chest of the armor was an emblem symbolizing the Church.
The old man, Cheongyeum, stopped swinging his fist. He red at the barrier with fierce eyes and said.
¡°¡How can I stop? We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡±
This translucent barrier covered the ground like a pot lid.
Cheongyeum and the pdins were trapped inside this barrier and unable to get out.
¡°Damn it, I never thought they would hide something like this.¡±
Cheongyeum spat out curses.
Cheongyeum and the pdins had headed to the Tartarus Kingdom to resolve the demon summoning incident.
And as soon as they arrived at the kingdom, they were trapped in this barrier.
No matter how much Cheongyeum attacked, the barrier did not budge, no matter how he attacked.
¡°I understand your frustration, but¡ it might be a good idea to conserve your strength in case of an emergency.¡±
Cheongyeum simply shook his head at the pdin¡¯s advice.
¡°No, I can¡¯t stay still. I have to break this thing somehow and get out to inform the Church.¡±
Cheongyeum said, gritting his teeth.
¡°No one shoulde here. Whoeveres will be dead!¡±
***
[PR/N- Can we see Damien again in Sword God realm? What do you guys think?]
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 272
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 272: The Demonic Followers (1)
***
The Tartarus Kingdom was located on the edge of the continent.
Its territory was quiterge, but its national power was not very strong. It was famous for its abundant seafood, as it was bordered by the sea.
It was a kingdom located very far from the Apple Kingdom. It would take over a month to get to the Tartarus Kingdom.
However, if you were with the Five Great Elders, it was a different story.
Damien was moving at an incredible speed, riding on the wind. It was as if he was sitting on a carpet made of wind.
Damien sat on the wind and looked out at the scenery outside.
Even with his dynamic vision, he couldn¡¯t see passing scenery quickly.
This was the result of Green Wind¡¯s wind being amplified by Radiant Light¡¯s amplification.
¡°At this speed, we¡¯ll be in the Tartarus Kingdom in a few minutes.¡±
Green Wind said to the group.
She didn¡¯t look even a little tired, even though she was handling wind on this scale.
It was the power befitting a figure who was one of the Five Great Elders.
¡°Then I should exin it to Sir Damien in advance while we¡¯re on the way. If I exin it after we arrive, there won¡¯t be enough time.¡±
Radiant Light continued, turning to Damien.
¡°Sir Damien, our top priority is to destroy the summoning circle. We need to destroy it to¡¡±
¡°To reverse summon the demon.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes widened at Damien¡¯s answer.
¡°Oh, how did you know that?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve read books about demons.¡±
It was a lie, actually. The reason Damien knew about demons was because of his past life memories.
Perhaps the only other existence in this world who knew more about demons than Damien was Dorugo.
¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no need to exin it separately.¡±
Demons were creatures that lived in Inferno, not on the continent.
Since they were creatures that existed in apletely different dimension, they were subject to various constraints when summoned to the continent. That¡¯s why demons were very weak right after they were summoned.
The only way to break the constraints was to feed the demon a human soul.
That¡¯s why dark mages kidnapped humans and offered them as sacrifices even after summoning demons.
The biggest constraint that demons summoned to the continent faced was being bound to the summoning circle.
If the summoning circle was even slightly damaged, the demon was reversed summoned back to the Inferno.
¡°It sounds simple when you hear it, but it won¡¯t be easy. This demon summoning incident is not ordinary.¡±
Cheongyeum, who was known as the strongest among the Five Great Elders, had disappeared.
It was an event that was impossible to understand considering Cheongyeum¡¯s strength and status.
¡°I heard from the Church that they¡¯re judging that a Marquis ss demon was summoned.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. A demon of that level would be the only one who could put Sir Cheongyeum in danger.¡±
Damien agreed with Radiant Light¡¯s words.
With Cheongyeum¡¯s strength, he could easily bring down even the main body of a Count ss demon.
¡°But what I don¡¯t understand is how Pandemonium was able to prepare a summoning circle of this scale without the Church¡¯s knowledge.¡±
Damien naturally thought of Dorugo.
Dorugo had been preparing for a long time to destroy humanity.
Such a Dorugo would have been able to prepare a summoning ritual of this scale in a short period of time.
¡®But why?¡¯
The problem was that he couldn¡¯t understand why Dorugo had made such a choice.
In his previous life, Dorugo had not relied on demons. This was because he was arrogant and overconfident in his own abilities.
Moreover, Dorugo was not very interested in demons. He was not at all attached to the graces or powers that demons bestowed.
¡®Could it be that he made this choice because I killed the Weapon Master?¡¯
The greatest advantage of the Weapon Master was that he could use dozens of Demonic sword.
Demonic swords were no different from avatars of demons. In other words, the Weapon Master could use the power of demons without limit.
Even during the War of Destruction, the Weapon Master was used as a kind of demon.
¡®The Weapon Master is dead. All the Demonic swords have been destroyed as well. There is no one in Pandemonium who can freely wield the power of demons now. So if he summoned a demon, then¡?.¡¯
Damien was lost in thought when Green Wind spoke to Radiant Light.
¡°Sister, we¡¯ve entered the airspace of the Tartarus Kingdom. This is where Pandemonium¡¯s territory begins.¡±
As soon as Green Wind finished speaking, the smell of burning and blood rushed in from all directions.
Damien¡¯s expression hardened involuntarily. There was only one meaning to these smells.
¡®The dark mages are raiding the viges to gather sacrifices.¡¯
Damien clenched his fists involuntarily. But now was not the time to let his anger out.
He had to destroy the summoning circle as quickly as possible and reverse summon the demon.
¡°We¡¯ll be at the summoning circle in just a bit. Get ready now.¡±
Just then, something caught Damien¡¯s senses. Damien reflexively got up from his spot.
¡°Why?¡±
Green Wind asked with a puzzled expression. At that moment, a light shed in the distance.
A red beam of light shot straight towards them. Damien swung his Dawn to cut the beam down.
But the moment Dawn collided with the beam, he couldn¡¯t help but change his mind.
¡®It¡¯s going to be tough to cut it down.¡¯
Damien was standing on the wind right now. The fact that his footing was unstable made it difficult to swing Dawn properly.
Damien twisted Dawn to deflect the beam¡¯s trajectory. The beam shot up into the sky.
The group looked up at where the beam had disappeared with surprised faces. Agnes, who was the first toe to her senses, asked Damien.
¡°Sir Damien! What was that just now¡?¡±
¡°It seems like the demon isn¡¯t happy about using.¡±
As he spoke, a light shed again ominously. Another red beam of light shot towards them.
¡°Sir Damien, step back.¡±
This time, Radiant Light stepped forward. She raised her divine power and created a shield made of light.
The shield blocked the red beam. But the red beam pierced the shield all too easily.
The beam that had pierced the shield was about to engulf Radiant Light.
Damien quickly jumped in between and deflected the beam. The beam crashed into the ground.
¡°What the¡ I reinforced it a hundredfold?¡±
Radiant Light muttered in disbelief as she watched the scene unfold.
Without a moment¡¯s rest, another sh of light appeared. This time, not one but several lights shed simultaneously.
Red beams of light rained down without a break. Damien deflected them with his Dawn and said.
¡°Mam Green Wind, let¡¯snd here.¡±
¡°We¡¯re still quite a ways from the summoning circle. You¡¯re blocking them well, so if we just keep going¡¡±
¡°I can only deflect them because I can see them from above. If the number of beams increases any more, I won¡¯t be able to hold on.¡±
On the ground, Damien might have been able to exert his full power. But on the wind, he couldn¡¯t.
¡°¡I see.¡±
Green Wind changed the direction of the wind. The wind, which had been flying in a straight line, headed downward.
The four peoplended in the middle of a forest. And then, no more beams of light came flying.
Damien muttered, looking in the direction the beams hade from.
¡°Stopped? You¡¯re going to watch?¡±
It didn¡¯t feel good.
The demon was treating Damien like aplete toy right now.
¡°Wait till I meet you in person.¡±
***
¡°Hoo¡ so you can block all my beams.¡±
A man muttered, looking out from the top of the tower.
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to kill you, but it wasn¡¯t exactly easy either¡ Humans these days are pretty good, aren¡¯t they? Don¡¯t you think so, Dorugo?¡±
The man asked, looking back. Dorugo red at him with a displeased expression.
¡°¡Why were you summoned?¡±
¡°Hmm? How about I honestly say that I¡¯m happy because you are here? It¡¯s like digging for silver and finding gold.¡±
¡°Bullshit. You demons would never do anyone any good.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s words brought a sly smile to the man¡¯s face.
¡°Dorugo, you sound like a human. Weren¡¯t you also one of our kind? There¡¯s just a little problem called betrayal¡¡±
¡°Enough. Did I go through all the trouble of drawing a summoning circle just to talk about that old nonsense?¡±
¡°You¡¯re so grumpy. Can¡¯t we chat a bit after all this time?¡±
¡°Pathetic.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously.
¡°Pathetic? You didn¡¯t even earn a title when I was active.¡±
¡°It¡¯s true that you¡¯re older than me, but¡ you should look at your current position. A demon who has fallen from grace.¡±
Killing intent oozed from the man.
The two men stared each other down. Then the man shrugged and stepped back.
¡°If that¡¯s what the summoner wants, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. So, tell me what you want. Why did you summon me?¡±
¡°I want the demonic power of a Marquis ss demon.¡±
The man¡¯s eyes widened at those words.
Demonic power was the strength that demons possessed. It was a higher concept than dark magic.
¡°Demonic power is like an elixir to dark mages, but I doubt a being of your stature would call on me to consume such power, especially in such numbers.¡±
The man spread his arms wide. At that, the magic circle drawn across the entire meadow revealed itself.
The scale of the magic circle was staggering, but even more surprising were the materials.
The magic circle was drawn entirely with magic stones and gemstone powder. And in the center, there were over a thousand hearts piled up.
¡°You don¡¯t need to know that?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t help but be curious¡¡±
¡°Just answer me. Will you agree to the contract?¡±
The man pped his hands and said.
¡°Since you¡¯ve kindly shown me the world, I guess I can fulfill that request.¡±
He said with a chuckle.
***
¡°Is everyone alright?¡±
Radiant Light looked around at the group and asked. Everyone nodded their heads in affirmation.
¡°Well, I don¡¯t know where this is. Green Wind, where was the summoning circle?¡±
¡°Just keep going southwest.¡±
¡°Did everyone hear that? Let¡¯s move on.¡±
¡°Where are you going?¡±
At that moment, a stranger¡¯s voice was heard.
They turned in the direction of the voice and saw a group of ragged men.
They weren¡¯t dressed like this because they were beggars. Their clothes were ruined because of their grotesquely twisted arms and legs.
The men¡¯s arms and legs were ck as if they had been dipped in ink. And they were all strangely deformed.
Some men had only two giant arms. Others had the heads of beasts in ce of their arms.
¡°¡Demonic followers.¡±
Agnes muttered in disgust.
Dark mages did not follow or worship demons. They saw them only as trading partners.
But the demonic followers were different. They were a race that had gained immense power in exchange for bing servants of demons.
¡°Just when we were running out of sacrifices, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d fall from the sky like this.¡±
The man who seemed to be the leaderughed, baring his teeth. His left arm, which had turned into a hyena, made a clicking sound.
¡°You idiots, don¡¯t just stand there watching. Get in there and catch them.¡±
The men surrounded the four of them. Then Radiant Light smiled and said.
¡°Oh my, you¡¯re brave ones. You think you can block our way?¡±
¡°Sister, it¡¯s not that. I think they just don¡¯t know who we are.¡±
¡°Oh, really?¡±
¡°It¡¯s definitely possible. What chance do these insignificant lowlifes have to see our faces?¡±
¡°Hmm¡ that makes sense.¡±
Damien drew his Dawn. But Radiant Light reached out and stopped him.
¡°Sir Damien worked hardst time, so please rest this time.¡±
As Radiant Light stepped forward, the men were all taken aback. It was because of her appearance.
¡°Th-this is a face that¡¯s too precious to offer as a sacrifice.¡±
¡°Brother, let¡¯s just take this woman. Wouldn¡¯t the other three be enough?¡±
Radiant Light pointed down and said.
¡°Do you know that? They say the earth has a force that pulls things down.¡±
At those words, the demon followers looked at each other.
¡°Is she maybe a pretty girl who¡¯s gone a little crazy?¡±
¡°We¡¯re out of luck. There¡¯s no fun in ying with a woman like this¡¡±
Radiant Light raised her divine power. A dazzling light burst forth from her.
¡°Shall we try a hundredfold gravity?¡±
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the demonic followers¡¯ bodies sank into the ground below.
Khaaaa!
The legs and lower bodies of the demonic followers were crushed.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 273
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 273: The Demonic Followers (2)
***
Half of the demonic followers crumbled.
However, something was strange. The bleeding, ruptured muscles, and shattered bones that one would expect to see in humans were not visible.
It was as if he was looking at a viscous liquid. Radiant Light spoke as if she was surprised by the sight.
¡°Oh, I thought I was going to kill you all at once. You must have sacrificed a lot to the demon, haven¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Ugh! You damn bitch!¡±
¡°Wh-what did you do to us!¡±
The upper bodies of the demonic followers were glued to the floor. Their bodies were crushed little by little as if being crushed by an invisible lump.
¡°Th-this monstrous bitch!¡±
The leader of the demonic followers stretched out his arm that had turned into a hyena.
The hyena chattered its jaws and reached out to Radiant Light. However, it couldn¡¯t go far and was stuck to the ground.
¡°You¡¯re tougher than I thought. Are you getting bored? Do you want to die quickly?¡±
Radiant Light pointed to the ground with her index finger again. Then, the gravity became even stronger, and the bodies of the demonic followers werepletely crushed.
Only ck liquid spread out wide where the demonic followers had been.
¡°It was nothing.¡±
It was then that Radiant Light said that.
The ck liquid flowed along the ground and began to gather in one ce.
And then the ck liquid turned into a giant and raised its body.
-Ugh, ugh, ahhh.
The giant let out a strange cry. It seemed that its intelligence had been drastically reduced.
¡°Ipletely smashed it, but it¡¯s fusion¡ It doesn¡¯t seem like they are serving an ordinary demon¡¡±
At that moment, the giant swung its arm. The arm stretched out like a whip and covered Radiant Light and her party.
Radiant Light and Green Wind immediately kicked the ground. Damien also hugged Agnes and moved away.
The giant¡¯s arm hit the ground where the four had been. The surrounding ground turned to dust and scattered.
Radiant Light lowered her index finger again. Gravity became even stronger.
However, the giant was neither crushed nor crushed. It stood there unscathed.
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes widened at the sight.
¡°What do you think, Green Wind?¡±
¡°They say they fused, but it¡¯s absurd for demonic followers to resist my sister¡¯s power.¡±
The demonic followers were like disposable pieces that the demon used for a while.
The fact that just a few of thembined were resisting the power of the Five Great Elders was absurd, even if Radiant Light hadn¡¯t shown her true power.
¡°It seems that the demon summoned here is not an ordinary one. As we guessed at headquarters, it must be a Marquis ss demon, and one of the top ranks¡¡±
¡°Green Wind, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡±
Maybe it was because of her mood.
Radiant Light¡¯s voice turned sharp. It seemed like the temperature around them had dropped considerably.
¡°How dare you, bastards who have clung to the demon, resist the power that God have bestowed upon me! Until now, such sphemous sight¡.¡±
Radiant Light took out a model axe from her bosom. As she infused it with divine power, it grew in size.
The model became a real weapon. Radiant Light lifted the halberd lightly and said.
¡°Oh, God. Oh, great father. I will send one of them up right now.¡±
Radiant Light immediately charged at the giant. Soon, a roar erupted.
As Radiant Light swung her halberd, the giant¡¯s arm and shoulder were torn off in one piece.
The giant screeched and swung its other arm. Radiant Light grabbed it with her bare hands and swung it around. The giant¡¯s arm was torn off.
¡°Ugh¡ She is really pissed off. No one can stop her.¡±
Green Wind put her fingers to her forehead as if she had a headache.
¡°Damien, can you keep an eye on the surroundings? I¡¯m going to go calm my sister down.¡±
Green Wind turned her body into wind and flew towards Radiant Light.
Damien felt sorry for the giant who had to face two of the Five Great Elders all of a sudden.
¡°They are both quite hot-tempered.¡±
¡°This is the proper attitude to take towards these scums.¡±
Agnes, who was standing next to him, said in a pious tone. Damien looked at Agnes with a bored expression.
Sometimes he forgot, but Agnes was also a pdin.
It was then.
Something was detected by Damien¡¯s senses.
He turned his head in the direction of the detection. But all he could see were trees.
¡°Sir Damien?¡±
The moment Agnes asked, Damien swung the Dawn.
The aurade sliced through the ground. The forest was split in half.
A shadow emerged from the split ground. The shadow transformed into a person in mid-air.
¡°Oh ho, so you can see through my hiding.¡±
The monster looked at Damien and asked.
Leisureliness was evident in his expression and demeanor. This meant that he was confident in his abilities.
¡°I came here after the lower ones sent me a distress signal¡ I never thought I¡¯d find pdins hiding here. Tell me your names. Then I¡¯ll kill you gently.¡±
¡°No thanks.¡±
Damien said as if he was annoyed. The monster¡¯s eyes twitched.
¡°No? No? You stupid and foolish bastard. You can¡¯t even recognize what¡¯s in front of you and you¡¯re being cheeky.¡±
Agnes whispered softly in Damien¡¯s ear.
¡°It seems that he doesn¡¯t know you, Sir Damien.¡±
¡°Or maybe he¡¯s just an idiot.¡±
¡°What are you two whispering about!¡±
The monster shouted and unleashed his dark mana.
Damien looked at the man with an intrigued expression. This was because the amount of dark mana was enormous, but its purity was also extremely high.
¡°You fool! I¡¯ll only tell you this once, so listen carefully. And be afraid. I am the nameless one! I am the apostle chosen by the demon!¡±
¡°Apostle?¡±
As Damien asked back, the apostle¡¯s face became arrogant.
¡°You¡¯re stupid, but you seem to know about apostles!¡±
¡°Of course I do. They¡¯re just a bunch of dogs who are more closely attached to the demon.¡±
The apostle blinked twice. His face then turned bright red.
¡°How dare you¡ this body¡ my master¡ insult them in such a way!¡±
The amount of dark mana emanating from the apostle increased even more. In terms of the amount of dark mana alone, it wasparable to a Giant Evils.
¡°I¡¯ll pull out your tongue right now and offer it to my master!¡±
The apostle rushed at Damien. He gathered his dark mana and transformed his hands into monster hands.
The apostle swung his monster hands around, trying to tear Damien apart. Damien and Agnes stepped back together.
The monster hand mmed into the ground. Then, something strange happened.
Not only was the ground shattered, but it was also instantly dyed green.
It wasn¡¯t the fresh green that could be seen in nature.
It was much darker and more slimy. The whole ground was rotting.
¡°Heh, do you see? This is the power I have gained as an apostle. Anything that touches this hand rots. Living things decay, and inanimate objects corrode!¡±
Apostles were those who were granted not only power but also authority by the demon.
They could not freely wield power like the demon, but they were certainly a formidable presence.
¡°You¡¯d better be careful. Just a graze will cause your whole body to rot and fall apart.¡±
The apostle transformed his monster hand once more. Sharp des protruded from all over the hand.
However, Damien was not the least bit interested in the power the apostle had shown.
¡°I needed information, so this is perfect. An apostle like you must know a lot, right?¡±
¡°Arrogant bastard!¡±
The apostle reached out towards Damien. Monster hands poured out like arrows.
Damien swung the Dawn to cut down the apostle. At the sight, the apostleughed at Damien.
¡°You¡¯re much more ignorant than I thought! That sword is useless in front of the power bestowed upon me by my master¡¡±
The Dawn and the monster hand collided. But contrary to the apostle¡¯s expectations, the Dawn did not corrode.
Instead, it cut off the monster hand. It was like melting arge piece of cheese with a hot knife.
¡°Kuaaaak!¡±
The apostle grabbed his half-cut hand and stepped back.
The wound inflicted by the Dawn continued to burn incessantly. The divine power contained in the Dawn was annihting the demon¡¯s power.
¡°I wondered why the church sent out such a young kid¡ but he¡¯s been given an absurdly powerful Holy sword!¡±
The apostle began to wrap his body in his power. His entire body except for his face was stained with demonic power.
¡°Stupid fool! You should have cut my throat just now!¡±
The apostle flew towards Damien. It seemed as if he was trying to ram him with his demonic power-d body.
At that moment, Damien swung the Dawn.
The apostle¡¯s form disappeared as he moved his hand. Then, shes of light cut through the air several times.
The apostle¡¯s arms and legs were cut off. The severed limbs were instantly corrupted and disappeared. Losing his center of gravity, the demonic power also dissipated.
The apostle fell to the ground with his limbs missing. His eyes shook wildly as if in disbelief.
¡°Wh-what just happened¡ Ugh!¡±
Damien raised his foot and stepped on the apostle¡¯s chest.
¡°Don¡¯t even think about regenerating your limbs. If you don¡¯t want to be left with just your head.¡±
Even with the apostle¡¯s level of vitality, he would survive for a few hours if only his head was left.
That would be enough time to extract information.
¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a few questions from now on. It would be in your best interest to answer honestly.¡±
¡°You¡ don¡¯t talk to me like that¡! Do you think I¡¯ll betray my master!¡±
Despite being outnumbered, the apostle was not at all discouraged. Instead, he became even more agitated.
¡°You fool! Do whatever you want! I will never give in!¡±
¡°Ah, I see I misunderstood. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to interrogate you. There¡¯s a much more skilled specialist than me.¡±
At the word ¡°specialist,¡± a question mark briefly appeared on the apostle¡¯s face.
¡°Sir Damien? What¡¯s going on here?¡±
Then, Radiant Light and Green Wind approached from behind. Despite moving so violently, there was not a speck of dust on Radiant Light¡¯s clothes.
¡°Who¡¯s that man over there?¡±
¡°He¡¯s an apostle of the demon. He attacked us two just now.¡±
¡°Oh, my.¡±
A smile appeared on Radiant Light¡¯s lips.
The moment the apostle saw that smile, he felt a chill down his spine.
¡°Mam Radiant Light, you once worked as an interrogator, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Ah¡ so you know. It was a very meaningful time for me to be able to carry out the will of God.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s smile grew wider and wider. The more she did so, the more the apostle¡¯s sense of fear grew.
¡°Would you mind showing off your skills for a while?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Damien took his foot off and stepped back. Then Radiant Light approached.
¡°I¡¯ll answer honestly! So please¡¡±
¡°Shhh.¡±
Radiant Light raised her index finger to her lips. Her face was incredibly beautiful, but the apostle had no time to appreciate Radiant Light¡¯s beauty.
¡°In my experience, scums like you always lie at first. So I have them have a time of repentance first.¡±
Radiant Light stepped on the apostle¡¯s head. And she gathered divine power in her soles.
¡°Kuaaaaak!¡±
Divine power began to burn the apostle¡¯s flesh. The apostle screamed and shouted.
¡°Now let¡¯s have a time to repent to God.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s face looked incredibly pious as she spoke.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 274
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 274: The Demonic Followers (3)
***
Radiant Light tortured the apostle in various ways.
Even Damien, who had watched the dark mages every day during his time as a Death Knight, was impressed by her creative methods of torture.
¡°Hmph, as expected of a dog who sided with demons, you have a tight mouth.¡±
Radiant Light said while wiping the ck blood off her face.
In that short time, the apostle had been reduced to a wretched state.
¡°Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t find out the identity of the demon.¡±
It seemed the demon had taken preemptive measures, as that information waspletely erased.
However, there were still some gains.
¡°ording to them, the summoning circle is structured like this.¡±
Radiant Light drew a diagram on the ground with a twig.
Four auxiliary summoning circles surrounded the main summoning circle.
¡°The auxiliary summoning circles not only sustain the main circle but also serve as entrances for the sacrifices.¡±
The followers captured humans and sacrificed them at the auxiliary summoning circles.
The souls of the sacrificed humans flowed into the main summoning circle.
¡°Sir Damien, I think it¡¯s best to destroy the auxiliary summoning circles first.¡±
¡°To weaken the demon?¡±
The demon summoned this time was no ordinary being. It had withstood Radiant Light¡¯s power merely by merging with a few demonic followers.
Even though there were two of the Five Great Elders and Damien present, they could not afford to be careless.
¡°That too, but¡ I want to save the people.¡±
The auxiliary summoning circles held citizens of the Tartarus Kingdom, captured by the demonic followers to be sacrificed.
These people were trembling in fear, waiting to be offered as sacrifices.
Damien looked at Radiant Light with a face that said he found this surprising.
The Radiant Light he remembered was a zealot who would burn her entire body to kill dark mages.
Hearing her say she wanted to save people felt somewhat strange.
¡°It seems you¡¯re thinking something disrespectful.¡±
¡°Not at all.¡±
Damien feigned innocence. Radiant Light looked at him suspiciously.
¡°I agree with you, but if we¡¯re not careful, we might just end up giving the demon more time.¡±
¡°So, we need to split our forces.¡±
Radiant Light pointed to the farthest auxiliary summoning circle.
¡°Green Wind, who has the best mobility, will take care of two. The rest will be divided between Sir Damien and me.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to split our forces with the demon already summoned?¡±
¡°A newly summoned demon cannot leave the summoning circle. We won¡¯t be individually defeated just because we split up.¡±
¡°Pandemonium might send reinforcements.¡±
¡°Let theme. What¡¯s there to fear?¡±
Radiant Light said nonchntly.
It was a natural confidence. There were two of the Five Great Elders and Damien here.
¡°So, what should I do?¡±
Agnes asked Radiant Light.
Since parting ways with Damien, Agnes had put in a lot of effort and had reached the level of a High-ss.
However, the High-ss level was not enough to stop the demons.
¡°You assist Sir Damien. If it seems dangerous, evacuate in advance.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Sir Damien, any questions?¡±
At Radiant Light¡¯s question, Damien shook his head, indicating there were none.
¡°Good. Then let¡¯s move. Let¡¯s go and kill these filthy heretics.¡±
***
¡°Hoo, I didn¡¯t expect that they would be able to take down a fusion and an apostle this quickly.¡±
A man spoke with a hint of amusement from the top of the tower.
¡°I don¡¯t know about anything else, but their vitality should be close to immortality¡It¡¯s really amazing. Don¡¯t you think so, Dorugo?¡±
The man asked as he looked back. There, a skeleton stood with a disgruntled expression.
¡°Of course. There are two of the Five Great Elders over there. Mere followers wouldn¡¯t be able to even tie their shoces.¡±
¡°The Five Great Elders? They were the Five Great Elders? That¡¯s impressive. But one of them didn¡¯t use divine power. That guy¡¡±
¡°I wish you¡¯d focus on the work instead of paying attention to such things.¡±
Dorugo said and pointed towards the sky.
A ck sphere was floating above the man¡¯s head.
The ck sphere was absorbing the surrounding mana in real-time. It was a sight that was dangerous to anyone who saw it.
¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty. Do you think it¡¯s easy to generate mana on the ground? And it¡¯s not just ordinary mana, but mana imbued with demonic power.¡±
Demonic power is the power that demons wield.
¡or so it is known, but in reality it was something much greater. Demonic power could be said to be the substance that makes up demons.
When demonic power was imbued into mana, it turned it into demonic mana and anyone could use demonic mana to use demonic power.
That wasn¡¯t all. Depending on how the demonic mana was processed, demonic power could be used in a variety of ways.
It could be made into potions and consumed, or it could be refined into weapons.
In other words, what Dorugo wanted was not demonic mana, but demonic power that he could freely use.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you keep a closer eye on the Weapon Master? If he were here, we wouldn¡¯t have to be circling around like this.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re angry. Then I suppose I should shut my mouth obediently.¡±
The man shrugged. Dorugo¡¯s expression crumpled as if he were out of luck.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Then, suddenly, the man¡¯s expression changed.
The man lowered his hands. The darkness stopped growing and settled.
¡°Why are you stopping the work?¡±
¡°The intruders are moving towards the auxiliary summoning circle.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression turned serious at the man¡¯s words.
¡°Damn it, they¡¯re aiming for there after all.¡±
¡°If this keeps up, they¡¯ll reach the auxiliary summoning circle soon. What are you going to do?¡±
The man asked with a cheerful grin. Dorugo couldn¡¯t help but scowl.
¡°What¡¯s so funny? If we leave them be, I will be summoned back to Inferno.¡±
¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±
The man¡¯s attitude was endlessly lighthearted. There was no sign of any sense of responsibility for the contract.
However, it was Dorugo who was feeling sorry for himself. Dorugo spoke into the air.
¡°Iota.¡±
¡°-Oh, did you call me?¡±
A monster with bat wings descended from the sky.
The man looked at Iota with a face full of interest.
¡°Splitting your own soul to create artificial souls¡ interesting. That¡¯s very amusing.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to hearpliments from you.¡±
Dorugo replied curtly and gave Iota an order.
¡°Iota, open the door.¡±
Iota grabbed the air with both hands. As he pulled his hands up and down, the air ripped open.
The space that opened up was shining in a variety of colors. Three men and women walked out of it.
As soon as they appeared, an eerie dark mana engulfed the surroundings.
It meant that all three were incredibly powerful beings.
¡°Lord Dorugo, did you call us?¡±
The three knelt before Dorugo.
¡°The pdins of the Church are trying to ruin the ceremony. Go and stop those hypocrites.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The three said loudly and then stood up. At that time, the man asked the three.
¡°You¡¯re going to stop those three with such insignificant guys?¡±
At those words, the faces of the three contorted.
The vast majority of dark mages and dark knights did not particrly like demons.
Moreover, they were loyalists who served only Dorugo. So, naturally, they were not happy to be ridiculed out of the blue.
¡°I¡¯m not sending you to stop them. I¡¯m sending you to buy time.¡±
¡°Even buying time seems difficult.¡±
¡°You seem to be quite dissatisfied with my instructions?¡±
¡°Well, it would be a lie to say no. So, please help us out a bit.¡±
The man gestured to the three.
¡°Come here, you three.¡±
The three approached the man. The man pped his hands with a satisfied look on his face.
¡°You¡¯ve weakened, but you¡¯re just right to use as pawns.¡±
A question arose on the faces of the three. The next moment, blood welled up from their chests.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Uh?¡±
The three looked down at their chests in bewilderment. The ce where their hearts should have been was empty.
The life faded from the eyes of the three. They copsed to the floor.
¡°Well then, shall we show our kin the surface of the world?¡±
The man took a key out of his pocket. Unusually, the key was split exactly in half.
The man turned the key in the air. A small hole opened up in the air.
Crimson energy began to pour out of the hole. The crimson energy flowed into the bodies of the three people.
The hearts where the hole had been began to fill with flesh. Soon, life returned to the eyes of the three.
¡°Wo! It¡¯s really the surface world!¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never been here before!¡±
¡°Your Excellency! Your Excellency! You really kept your promise!¡±
The three people jumped around and rejoiced.
¡°How¡ how did you¡¡±
In order to summon or possess a demon on the continent, a sacrifice was required.
However, the man was nowpletely ignoring thisw.
The secret was the half-key that the man possessed.
¡°How did you get that key¡!¡±
¡°Restored it, you ask? I put in some effort. I went through a lot of trouble.¡±
The man smiled cheerfully and spoke to the demons.
¡°Go and stop those guys. You can kill them if you want. But bring the man over there to me.¡±
***
¡°It looks like the auxiliary summoning circle is drawn inside there.¡±
Agnes said, pointing to the castle that stood against the forest.
The castle, which was originally used by the nobles, was upied by the demonic followers.
¡°Mom! Mommyyyy!¡±
¡°Please, please spare my daughter! Please!¡±
Screams could be heard from inside.
The destruction of half of the castle walls allowed everyone to see the horrific acts beingmitted inside.
Arge summoning circle was drawn in the center of the castle. The demonic followers were constantly throwing people into the summoning circle.
¡°S-S-Save me¡ ughhhhh!¡±
The human thrown into the summoning circle waspressed alive.
The summoning circle absorbed the humans who had turned into bugs imprinted on the palm of their hands. It seemed to be sending them to the main summoning circle.
¡°¡How terrible.¡±
Agnes said softly. Damien nodded silently.
Just watching it made him feel ufortable. In particr, Damien was reminded of his past, which made him feel even worse.
¡°Lady Agnes, please stay here. I¡¯ll go¡¡±
¡°What are you going to do by yourself?¡±
At the sudden unfamiliar voice, Damien immediately looked up.
A middle-aged man was sticking out his upper body from the split space.
¡°Ho¡ As he said, you¡¯re not an ordinary friend.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the man.
¡°Demon?¡±
At those words, the corners of the man¡¯s mouth were torn all the way to the sides.
¡°Correct.¡±
The man jumped out of the gap in the space and swung his hand down at the same time.
The forest flew away as a whole along with the shockwave.
¡°Kyahahahahahat!¡±
The manughed loudly from the ruins.
¡°To be able to smash everything I want as soon as Ie to the surface! It feels great! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve had this much fun in hundreds of years¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±
The demon¡¯sughter stopped abruptly at the voice that suddenly came out.
A little further away, Damien stood unharmed.
¡°Human? How are you alive? I was going to kill you.¡±
The demon asked with a hint of amusement. But the one who should really be curious was Damien.
¡°How can a demon possess a human body so easily?¡±
He knew a lot about demons, so he knew how difficult it was for demons to possess humans.
¡°A demon summoned by Dorugo¡ there¡¯s no way. He wouldn¡¯t have caused this much trouble just to summon a mere demon.¡±
Damien said as he drew out Dawn.
¡°Looks like I have a lot to ask you.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 275
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 275: The Demon (1)
***
¡°Human, what kind of attitude is that?¡±
The demon tilted his head to one side, staring intently at Damien.
Despite having a human face, there was something unnatural and ominous about it.
¡°Not only are you unafraid of me, but you dare to ask questions? How insolent. I don¡¯t like it. But I shall forgive you.¡±
The demon raised his chin and spread his arms wide, speaking with great arrogance.
¡°It¡¯s been centuries since Ist emerged to the surface to feast on a human. It¡¯s true that fresh and lively prey tastes better than those driven mad with fear.¡±
Hunger and joy shone simultaneously in the demon¡¯s eyes.
Damien could only let out a hollowugh at the demon¡¯s attitude.
¡°This is one amusing bastard.¡±
The demon clearly saw Damien as nothing more than food, meaning it didn¡¯t consider him a threat at all.
In truth, this wasn¡¯t Damien¡¯s first encounter with a demon.
He had fought a demon during a trip with his family to see the Starlight Fairies.
A dark mage had identally summoned a demon while attacking the city.
That battle had ended in Damien¡¯s victory. But that didn¡¯t mean he could underestimate the demon before him.
The demon summoned back then had been just an avatar, unable to fully manifest the true power of its main body.
In contrast, the demon now before him was not an avatar but had possessed a human body.
As a result, it could harness much more of its true power than the avatar could.
¡®He¡¯s stronger than that one to begin with.¡¯
They oth were Count ss demons, but the power they wielded was different.
This demon was likely among the stronger of the Count ss demons.
¡°Human, my name is Resorve. What is your name?¡±
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
¡°Damien Haksen, I¡¯ve remembered it. When I devour your soul, I¡¯ll recall your name.¡±
Resorve¡¯s limbs began to transform.
His muscles swelled, and his fingers lengthened and sharpened.
¡°Kahahaha!¡±
Resorveughed loudly and closed the distance in an instant, swinging his hand.
Damien blocked Resorve¡¯s attack with his weapon, Dawn, but the force pushed him back.
¡°Human! Resist! Resist more! So I can enjoy this!¡±
Resorve continued his assault on Damien.
Each time Resorve swung his hand, the ground split into five fissures, tearing the surface apart in an instant.
¡°Kaha! Kaha! Kahahaha!¡±
The more he pressed Damien, the louder Resorve¡¯sughter grew.
¡°Human! Why are you silent? Are you too scared to speak?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just say that.¡±
¡°Kahahaha! Trying to hide your fear with bravado?¡±
The demon seemed greatly amused, while Damien¡¯s gaze remained cold andposed.
¡°Are you the only demon in this area?¡±
¡°Ha! Of course not! By now, yourrades are each dealing with one! They¡¯re not as strong as me, but they¡¯re quite formidable in their own right!¡±
¡°Thanks for answering. That¡¯s what I wanted to hear.¡±
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s movements changed. He no longer blocked Resorve¡¯s attacks but let them pass.
Resorve¡¯s hands mmed into the ground instead of Damien.
¡°Kaha¡ huh?¡±
Resorve¡¯sughter abruptly stopped, surprised by the unexpected turn of events.
¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±
Damien switched to offense, aiming Dawn at Resorve¡¯s openings.
His swift strikes cut into Resorve¡¯s body in several ces. However, Resorve¡¯s flesh was strangely tough, even repelling the aurade.
¡°Human! How insolent!¡±
Though Damien¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t prate deeply, Resorve¡¯s pride seemed wounded.
With a roar, Resorve lunged at Damien, his beast-like hands trying to tear him apart.
But once again, Damien deflected the attacks with twists of Dawn, redirecting them and striking back at the same spots on Resorve¡¯s body.
Resorve¡¯s skin split and blood flowed, though the wounds were superficial. Nevertheless, Resorve was shocked.
¡°Th-this can¡¯t be!¡±
Disbelief turned into rage on Resorve¡¯s face.
¡°Human! Don¡¯t get cocky!¡±
An enormous energy burst from Resorve. His muscles bulged and rippled.
¡°Kahahaha!
Resorve¡¯s speed increased dramatically, creating multiple afterimages that surrounded Damien.
The assault pattern changed again. Resorve attacked while Damien defended.
¡°Human! This has been entertaining! But it ends now¡!¡±
¡°Second Ring.¡±
Damien murmured softly. In that moment, a resonant sound emanated from his body.
Damien vanished, and a barrage of blue shes enveloped Resorve.
¡°Urk?¡±
The blue strikes relentlessly cut into Resorve¡¯s body and sparking on contact.
¡°Kaaargh! Gyaaah!¡±
Resorve iled his arms in a panic, trying to shake off Damien.
But his hands grasped at nothing. Meanwhile, the blue shes continued to rain down, increasing the number of wounds on Resorve¡¯s body.
¡°Graaargh!¡±
Resorve raised his fists high into the sky, gathering a tremendous amount of demonic power in them.
¡°Get away from me, you pesky insect!¡±
He mmed his fists into the ground.
With a thunderous crash, the surrounding ground shattered. Damien halted his attack and stepped back.
¡°Your strength is impressive. Truly demonic.¡±
Damien looked at the shattered ground as he spoke.
It sounded like praise, but it was actually a taunt, implying that strength was all Resorve had.
¡°Human! How dare you, mere prey¡!¡±
Resorve¡¯s face turned red with anger.
¡°I was just toying with you, but you¡¯re losing your mind!¡±
¡°Toying with me? It doesn¡¯t seem that way.¡±
¡°Graaaah! I¡¯ll rip you to shreds right now!¡±
Suddenly, a crack appeared beneath Resorve¡¯s feet.
It wasn¡¯t the ground that split but the very fabric of space. Through the tear, a kaleidoscope of colors could be seen.
Resorve threw himself into the rift. As soon as he was swallowed, the space closed.
An onlooker might think he had fled, but Damien knew better.
Demons were a proud and arrogant race. They wouldn¡¯t run away so easily.
Sure enough, a killing intent emanated from the side. Resorve¡¯s hand aimed for Damien¡¯s head, but Damien blocked the attack with Dawn.
With a dull thud, Damien was pushed back. He steadied himself and looked up.
In the distance, Resorve was visible, with one arm protruding from a spatial rift.
¡°Human, you got lucky this time. But the second time won¡¯t be so easy.¡±
Before he finished speaking, Resorve¡¯s hand burst from the ground.
Damien leapt to avoid the attack. Then a hand shot out from the sky.
Hands emerged from all directions. Damien had to keep moving to dodge Resorve¡¯s relentless attacks.
¡®So, he can manipte space. This is going to be troublesome.¡¯
There were few demons, even among the most powerful that could manipte space.
The ability to control space was rare and immensely powerful.
¡®I can¡¯t attack him like this.¡¯
Resorve was hiding in the spatial rifts. To strike him, Damien would need to pierce through space itself.
¡°Kahahaha! Are you realizing the situation now?¡±
Resorve shouted triumphantly, confident that Damien couldn¡¯t harm him.
¡°Still such an annoying bastard.¡±
Despite being on the defensive, Damien¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.
In the past, Damien would have needed to use the power of the Death Knight to cut through space.
But now, things were different. Though he hadn¡¯t yet reached the pinnacle of his past life, he could cut through spatial rifts.
¡°I¡¯ll make sure you realize it.¡±
Damien narrowed his focus.
With his focus narrowed, Damien¡¯s senses became even sharper.
He dodged attacks while trying to sense Resorve¡¯s presence.
Eventually, he found the spot where Resorve¡¯s aura was the strongest.
¡°There you are.¡±
Damien thrust Dawn forward. Dawn suddenly vanished, embedded in the rift of space.
Damien gripped Dawn tightly and shed widely, tearing open the space.
As the space split apart, Resorve¡¯s hidden form was revealed.
¡°What, what is this?¡±
Resorve shouted, his face filled with shock. In that moment, Damien grabbed Resorve by the cor.
He yanked Resorve out of the spatial rift and mmed him into the ground.
¡°Urgh!¡±
Due to his tough body, Resorve wasn¡¯t significantly harmed.
Resorve quickly pushed off the ground and stood up and attempted to open another rift.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
Damien swiftly moved forward and kicked Resorve in the abdomen.
¡°Gah!¡±
For the first time, a groan escaped Resorve¡¯s lips.
Unable to escape into the rift, Resorve was thrown back.
¡°You human! How dare you kick me?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have time to act so leisurely.¡±
A voice sounded right in front of him. Resorve then realized Damien was chasing him.
Damien shed Dawn downward, the blue de severing one of Resorve¡¯s arms.
¡°Graaah!¡±
Resorve screamed in pain and tried to retreat, but Damien didn¡¯t let him go.
He thrust Dawn into Resorve¡¯s chest, pinning him to the ground.
¡°Graaah! Gyaaah!¡±
Resorve tried to pull out Dawn with his remaining hand. Damien immediately activated the Authority of Envy and converted his mana into divine power.
The divine power flowed through Dawn and into Resorve¡¯s body.
¡°Graaah!¡±
Resorve¡¯s screams grew louder.
The divine power started burning Resorve from within.
¡°How does it feel to be looked down upon by the humans you so despised?¡±
Resorve gritted his teeth at Damien¡¯s taunt but couldn¡¯t muster any resistance.
Damien drove Dawn deeper into Resorve. Resorve¡¯s eyes bulged as if they would pop out.
¡°I¡¯ll burn you to death right here.¡±
The amount of divine power being infused increased and intensified Resorve¡¯s agony.
¡°No, no!¡±
For the first time, fear crossed Resorve¡¯s face.
¡°I can¡¯t go back to Inferno like this! I don¡¯t want to return to that boring ce!¡±
Resorve mustered all his strength. The ground beneath them split open and created a rift.
¡°This is¡¡±
If Damien stayed put, he¡¯d be dragged into the rift as well.
The rift wasn¡¯t fully open yet, so he could escape. But Damien didn¡¯t move.
This was his chance to strike Resorve¡¯s head. It was worth the risk.
Damien stood his ground. Soon, the rift swallowed both him and Resorve.
¡ª
Inside the rift, everything was chaotic and disorienting.
Damien closed his eyes and waited. Eventually, the unsettling sensations disappeared.
He opened his eyes and saw a partially copsed fortress.
¡°What the¡?¡±
A man stood before him.
¡°I did say to bring a man, but¡ I didn¡¯t mean in this way.¡±
The man tilted his head curiously. Then Resorve spoke to him.
¡°M-My Lord! That¡¯s not important! This human! There¡¯s something strange about him! You must help¡¡±
Suddenly, Resorve¡¯s head exploded, sttering blood onto Damien¡¯s face.
The headless body twitched and then fell still.
¡°¡¡±
Damien was too shocked to even wipe the blood off his face. He just stared at the man in disbelief.
¡°What? Surprised that I killed him without lifting a finger?¡±
The man chuckled. But that wasn¡¯t why Damien was shocked.
It was this ominous aura.
He had felt it once before in his previous life.
¡°Vahel.¡±
A Duke ss demon.
The king of Inferno stood before him.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 276
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 276: The Demon (2)
***
¡°Oh, this is remarkable.¡±
Vahel paused in generating demonic mana to express his admiration.
Dorugo was irritated and asked.
¡°What nonsense are you going to spout this time to halt the work?¡±
¡°One of the demons sent to them is on the verge of returning to Inferno.¡±
Dorugo couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by those words.
There was only one reason a demon sent to the enemy would be re-summoned: suffering serious damage in battle.
¡°Impossible. Even though the Five Great Elders are powerful, they can¡¯t take down a Count ss demon this quickly.¡±
Despite the demon being possessed and unable to exert full strength, a Count ss demon wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Dorugo believed even the Five Great Elders would struggle significantly.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re mistaken. It¡¯s not the Five Great Elders, it¡¯s¡¡±
A smile suddenly appeared on Vahel¡¯s face.
¡°Oh¡ he mighte here after all.¡±
¡°What? How could things get so out of hand¡¡±
Vahel flicked his fingers, and a ck sphere floating in the air flew into his hand.
As he held it, the demonic power emanating from Vahel was absorbed into the sphere.
¡°It¡¯splete. Take it.¡±
Vahel tossed the sphere to Dorugo. The moment Dorugo caught it, he was furious.
¡°If you could finish this so quickly, why drag it out until now!¡±
¡°I wanted to enjoy the surface air for a while.¡±
Vahel winked with one eye. Dorugo looked disgusted.
¡°Now that I¡¯ve received what I wanted, will you leave? I¡¯d like to wee our guest alone.¡±
Vahel stretched, but Dorugo remained skeptical.
¡°You expect me to leave someone as dangerous as you here alone?¡±
¡°Haha, despite setting up a trap in the summoning circle to limit me, you¡¯re still worried?¡±
Dorugo¡¯s expression hardened slightly.
As Vahel said, Dorugo had arranged for the summoning circle to self-destruct after a certain period. It was a precautionary measure, as demons could never be trusted.
¡°Moreover, rampaging around in a host body isn¡¯t limitless. You know that well, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°So please, indulge me. Since I¡¯vee to the surface, I¡¯d like to make at least one fond memory.¡±
After contemting for a while, Dorugo called out to Iota.
¡°Iota, open the gate. We¡¯re leaving.¡±
-Understood!
Following Dorugo¡¯smand, Iota opened the dimensional gate.
As Dorugo and Iota were about to step inside, Vahel spoke up.
¡°Oh, take this with you too.¡±
Vahel tossed a half-key towards Dorugo. It was the same object used earlier to possess the Count ss demons.
¡°¡Are you insane? You¡¯re giving this to me?¡±
Dorugo asked and he was utterly bewildered.
To demons, the value of this key was immense. Vahel, despite being a Duke ss demon, could be summoned to the surface thanks to this key.
¡°I think you¡¯ll make better use of it than I will.¡±
¡°Me?¡±
¡°You have the other half, don¡¯t you?¡±
Dorugo¡¯s body stiffened at those words.
¡°What nonsense are you talking about¡¡±
¡°There¡¯s no use pretending. I know everything.¡±
Vahel said while shaking his head.
¡°When we escaped to Inferno, the King guarded the gate until the end. In the end, the King was killed by the Salvation squad, and the gate was destroyed. At that time, the key was split in two, with one half remaining in Inferno and the other on the surface. Who else could have taken it? I can¡¯t think of anyone but you.¡±
Dorugo remained silent as if confirming Vahel¡¯s suspicion.
¡°I have no intention of using this key.¡±
¡°Haha, that¡¯s something we can¡¯t be sure of. Things rarely go as nned.¡±
Dorugo squinted his eyes.
¡°¡What do you know?¡±
¡°Who knows.¡±
Dorugo silently red at Vahel, then picked up the key from the ground. He judged it was better for him to keep it rather than letting someone as dangerous as Vahel have it.
¡°See youter then.¡±
¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡±
Dorugo stepped into the dimensional gate with Iota. As the gate closed, Vahel muttered softly.
¡°Dorugo, since you¡¯ve shed your physical form, you can¡¯t see it. The fact that fate has been greatly distorted.¡±
Demons possessed numerous powers. As a Duke ss demon, Vahel could somewhat read the flow of fate.
¡°From now on, no one knows what will happen. But it¡¯s certain that the fate of the key is now tied to you.¡±
Vahel stretched and turned around.
¡°Now, let¡¯s prepare to wee our guest.¡±
As soon as he finished speaking, the air was torn apart. From the rift emerged a human man and a battered Resorve.
¡°I did ask you to bring the man, but I didn¡¯t mean for you to bring him like this.¡±
Vahel said in a carefree tone.
***
¡°Vahel.¡±
Even though he was witnessing it with his own eyes, Damien couldn¡¯t believe it.
There was no king in Inferno. Because of that, a Duke ss demon was effectively ruling Inferno.
In other words, a Duke ss demon was essentially the king of Inferno.
The power that a Duke ss demon possessed was immense. Once summoned, it was enough to bring about the destruction of the world.
To summon a Duke ss demon, the scale needed to be more than three timesrger than it was now.
¡°How is there a Duke ss demon here?¡±
¡°Oh, you recognized me right away? Impressive.¡±
Vahelughed. It was clear that he was enjoying it.
¡°I knew from the moment you blocked my beam that you weren¡¯t an ordinary human. This is really interesting.¡±
Vahel¡¯s eyes sparkled like a child¡¯s. He seemed intent on toying with Damien.
¡°Huh.¡±
Damien let out a hollowugh.
From the moment he was attacked with the beam, he had felt it. That demon was tantly underestimating him.
Obviously, he wasn¡¯t happy about it. It was utterly revolting.
¡°I don¡¯t know why a Duke ss demon is here, but¡¡±
Damien drew his mana.
¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for looking down on me.¡±
Damien¡¯s body vanished. The next moment, he appeared at Vahel¡¯s side.
Damien swung Dawn. But Dawn didn¡¯t cut Vahel¡¯s neck.
It was blocked by an invisible wall that appeared in mid-air.
Dawn struck the wall. The wall shook violently but didn¡¯t break or shatter.
¡°Isn¡¯t it fascinating? This is my power, Istion.¡±
Vahel kindly exined his ability.
¡°It¡¯s nothing special. It¡¯s just a box that traps a certain area. Are you curious if it can be broken? Maybe it can, but I¡¯ve never seen it happen.¡±
Damien¡¯s mouth twisted involuntarily. This was the first time he had been so thoroughly underestimated.
¡°And do you see that?¡±
Vahel pointed behind him. There was a cubic box.
It was opaque, so he couldn¡¯t see inside.
¡°Inside there are the pdins sent by the Church. They¡¯re very strong humans, so I trapped them for a while.¡±
¡°You talk too much.¡±
¡°Try to understand. I¡¯ve been bored just working here¡¡±
Damien kicked off the ground. He appeared behind Vahel, avoiding the wall.
But again, he was blocked by the wall Vahel created. Vahel smiled and said,
¡°You¡¯re pretty fast. Can you dodge this too?¡±
Vahel raised his hand. Then countless rectangr pirs formed in the air. They were as thick as if they had been pulled from buildings.
¡°You won¡¯t be able to block this, so you¡¯d better avoid it if you can.¡±
Vahel lowered his hand, and the pirs shot towards Damien.
The pirs, which had seemed small suddenly grew rapidly. They flew at incredible speed, aiming to pierce Damien.
Damien moved swiftly to dodge the pirs.
Every time a pir hit the ground, it created arge hole with a heavy thud.
He could feel it. Just a graze would be enough to tear his body apart.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re dodging well.¡±
Vahel created even more pirs. Dozens of them poured out in rapid session.
Damien read the trajectory of the pirs and moved ordingly. The pirs all missed him.
¡°As expected, you¡¯re amazing! The more I watch, the more interesting you be! Just what I¡¯d expect from a human I¡¯ve taken an interest in!¡±
Vahel was delighted by Damien¡¯s performance.
¡°Then how about this?¡±
Vahel raised his other hand. In an instant, pirs appeared around Damien.
Not just on all sides, but blocking the sky as well. A look of intense curiosity appeared on Vahel¡¯s face.
¡°Can you dodge this too?¡±
The pirs came down simultaneously, leaving no room to escape.
¡°Third Ring.¡±
Damien murmured softly. The resonance sound amplified.
He swung Dawn towards the iing pirs.
As Dawn brushed against the pirs, their trajectories shifted. The pirs flew towards the sky or the ground instead of Damien.
¡°Oh?¡±
Vahel¡¯s mouth formed a round shape in surprise. At that moment, Damien kicked off the ground.
Damien was charging in a straight line and reached right in front of Vahel. He swung Dawn towards Vahel.
¡°You got faster? Impressive.¡±
A wall formed in front of Vahel. At that moment, Damien¡¯s body vanished once more.
¡°¡What?¡±
Vahel¡¯s face briefly went nk. He lost track of Damien¡¯s movements. The next moment, Damien appeared behind Vahel.
Vahel sensed Damien¡¯s presence and turned around in a panic. He tried to create a wall, but it was already toote.
Dawn already reached Vahel¡¯s neck.
The aurade on Dawn tried to slice through Vahel¡¯s neck, but only a chilling sound of metal grinding was heard. The neck wasn¡¯t cut.
Vahel¡¯s body was that sturdy.
¡°Oh¡ truly impressive. To think you¡¯d bring a de to my body¡¡±
Damien withdrew Dawn. He spun his body around and adjusted Dawn.
Grasping the hilt with both hands, he pointed the de¡¯s tip at Vahel.
He stepped forward and thrust the de. At the same time, he used the realm of Cheongyeum.
Annihtion.
A strike that can destroy everything hitted Vahel¡¯s chest.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 277
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¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 277: The Demon (3)
***
Annihtion was the realm that concentrated power into a single point to utterly destroy anything.
There were no limits to what could be destroyed with Annihtion. It could shatter objects, living beings, and even magic.
In his previous life, Cheongyeum had once used Annihtion to instantly obliterate arge magic circle that Dorugo had spent months preparing.
Such a deadly strike hit Vahel squarely in the chest.
Vahel¡¯s previously imprable body, which hadn¡¯t been scratched even by aurades was now pierced and the light shone through.
Spiderweb-like cracks spread out from that point. As his body shattered and fragments scattered like shards of ss.
¡°Guh¡!¡±
Vahel¡¯s face twisted in pain. The impact sent his body reeling backward.
¡°Ugh¡ Ugh!¡±
Vahel fell to his knees. He could barely support himself. He was pressing both arms against the ground.
From his shattered body there was something ck started to pour out. It was as if darkness itself was spilling forth.
¡°Ha¡¡±
Vahel straightened his back with difficulty. He looked up at the sky.
A smile had appeared on his pain-contorted face. Vahelughed loudly with his eyes wide open.
¡°Ha ha ha! Even though it¡¯s just an avatar, to think you could destroy me! Amazing! Truly amazing!¡±
From a demon¡¯s perspective, humans were less than insects.
Yet, even though he had allowed himself to be attacked and his body destroyed by such an insect, Vahel felt no anger.
¡°In all the fates I¡¯ve seen, there was no one like you! There¡¯s no way I could have missed someone with such incredible skill!¡±
Vahel was babbling nonsensically and stood up.
¡°I understand! It¡¯s you! You are the one who has twisted all fates! Thanks to you, we were able to break free from our predetermined destinies!¡±
The darkness that had been flowing from his cracks like a waterfall suddenly stopped. But the cracks themselves remained unhealed.
¡°Human! What is your name? I must know!¡±
¡°Damien Haksen.¡±
Damien answered briefly. Vahel was overjoyed.
¡°Yes! Damien Haksen! From now on, let¡¯s enjoy this to the fullest! Let¡¯s share this joy together!¡±
The aura emanating from Vahel intensified.
Seeing this, Damien clicked his tongue. A wounded beast was dangerous, but there were limits.
The pressure Vahel was now exuding was far stronger than before. It seemed he had quite a bit of hidden power left.
¡®I¡¯ve provoked his fighting spirit. This just got annoying.¡¯
Damien nced outside the castle. A massive summoning circle was etched into the field.
If he could just destroy that summoning circle, Vahel would be forced to return to Inferno¡
¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re nning to destroy the summoning circle, right?¡±
Vahel spoke as if he was able to read Damien¡¯s thoughts.
¡°I can¡¯t let that happen! It¡¯s too much fun to be interrupted!¡±
Vahel extended his hand towards the summoning circle. A hemispherical barrier formed, covering the center of the circle.
Damien furrowed his brow.
The main functions of the summoning circle were concentrated in the center. Without destroying that part, there was no way to send Vahel back to Inferno.
¡°Damien Haksen! Erase those trivial thoughts! Focus on me from now on!¡±
Vahel extended his hand towards Damien. In that moment, Damien instinctively leaped high into the air.
Rectangr pirs erupted from the ground. Vahel had created structures with his power, ¡°Istion¡± attempting to impale Damien.
Damien stepped on the pirs, retreating. This time, he sensed danger above him.
He rolled to the side. A rectangr pir extending from the sky mmed into the ground.
¡®The creation speed is so fast, and there¡¯s no range limit. This is insane.¡¯
Even with Damien¡¯s skills, it was dangerous if he didn¡¯t stay on high alert.
¡°Ha ha! You¡¯re dodging well!¡±
Vahel continuously created rectangr pirs to attack Damien.
Damien moved swiftly and continuously evading the pirs. At the same time, he issued amand.
¡°Hemaera, cover me.¡±
A full-body armor emerged from somewhere and encased Damien. As soon as Vahel saw this, he spoke with surprise.
¡°Oh? Could it be? I thought it was destroyed, but it survived and escaped to the surface!¡±
Inside Hemaera was the soul of a murdered Duke ss demon.
It seemed that Vahel was the one who had killed that Duke ss demon.
-Va¡ hel¡! Traitor¡!
Perhaps that¡¯s why Hemaera reacted violently as soon as it emerged.
¡°Shut up. You¡¯re too noisy.¡±
Of course, Damien had no intention of considering Hemaera¡¯s circumstances.
There was no room for that with a monster like Vahel in front of him.
¡°Hemaera, assist my movements.¡±
After the battle with the Weapon Master, Damien had fed many Demonic swords to Hemaera.
Thanks to that, Hemaera¡¯s new power had been unlocked. Now, when wearing Hemaera, Damien¡¯s physical abilities and mana significantly increased.
¡°Fourth Ring.¡±
The resonance sound was again amplified. Damien stomped the ground. Hemaera added its strength.
Damien¡¯s body shot forward. A wall of air blocked him. Damien easily broke through the wall.
¡°Impressive! To think you could control that prideful one so freely! Truly impressive!¡±
Vahel surrounded himself with five barriers. It seemed he was preparing in case Damien aimed for a blind spot again.
However, Damien had no intention of avoiding the barriers. He struck them with Dawn as he maintained his weight and speed.
The second Annihtion exploded forth.
The barriers Vahel had created shattered effortlessly. Vahel¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
Damien aimed to plunge Dawn into the cracks on Vahel¡¯s torso once more.
At that moment, Vahel clenched his hand. An opaque sword extended from his grip.
The sword Vahel created blocked Dawn. As the two weapons shed, a series of shockwaves erupted.
¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a sword made with Istion. It¡¯s much sturdier due to its smaller size.¡±
Vahel boasted. Of course, Damien didn¡¯t think much of it.
¡°You¡¯re being a nuisance.¡±
Damien put more strength into his arms. Hemaera assisted his movements.
Damien pushed Vahel back andunched another attack.
¡°Ha ha ha! This is fun!¡±
Vahel swung his semi-transparent sword. Damien countered with Dawn.
Their attacks shed in mid-air multiple times. Each collision sent shockwaves that scattered nearby objects.
¡°Damien Haksen! You have quite the skill!¡±
Vahel shouted joyfully. In contrast, Damien was quite surprised.
Normally, demons relied on their powers and rarely learned swordsmanship.
But Vahel was different. He possessed swordsmanship skills that surpassed even the Master ss.
¡°You¡¯re indeed a Duke ss demon.¡±
¡°Are youplimenting me? Thank you!¡±
Damien sneered.
In other fields, maybe, but swordsmanship was Damien¡¯s domain.
There had been many powerful opponents with more mana or physical strength than Damien.
But no one had ever surpassed him in swordsmanship.
Damien¡¯s eyes moved quickly, reading all of Vahel¡¯s movements. Once he gathered enough information, he made his move.
The trajectory of Dawn extended. Each stroke deflected Vahel¡¯s sword and pierced his weak points.
¡°Huh?¡±
Vahel was instantly driven into a defensive stance. He struggled to fend off Damien¡¯s attacks.
¡°Me, who has trained for hundreds of years¡ being pushed back by a human who hasn¡¯t even lived for a few decades? Something¡¯s wrong here¡¡±
At that moment, Damien brought Dawn down hard. He pinned Vahel¡¯s sword to the ground.
This opened a path straight to Vahel¡¯s chest.
Dawn climbed up Vahel¡¯s de. Damien swung Dawn wide.
From bottom to top.
A blue arc split Vahel¡¯s torso.
It was different from when he targeted the neck. Vahel¡¯s body was already damaged by Annihtion.
Dawn pierced Vahel¡¯s body and continued to cut diagonally through his abdomen and chest.
¡°Argh!¡±
Vahel screamed and staggered backward. He was clutching the wound on his body with his hand.
Sticky darkness oozed from the long sh. Vahel stared at it for a moment.
¡°¡I underestimated you.¡±
Theughter had disappeared from his voice. His yful face had turned stern.
¡°I thought you were an amusing human¡ but no, you¡¯re a dangerous one.¡±
Vahel¡¯s demeanor shifted dramatically. The air around them grew cold.
¡°If I let you live, you¡¯ll be a threat. I should kill you here and now.¡±
A massive killing intent flooded towards Damien. Damien twisted his lips.
¡°For a mere avatar crawling up to the surface, you sure have a lot of hidden tricks.¡±
Damien coldly assessed Vahel¡¯s level.
¡®If I use Fifth Ring and the Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, it will still be tough.¡¯
A ruler of Inferno.
He had never faced a Duke ss demon, even in his previous life. It was time for Damien to reveal his hidden move.
¡°If I can¡¯t win as a human¡ I¡¯ll bring out something else.¡±
Damien manifested the Authority of Envy. He converted his mana into dark mana and absorbed it.
¡°¡What?¡±
Vahel¡¯s eyes widened as he witnessed the scene.
¡°Wait¡ how do you have that authority? No, more importantly, how are you using it?¡±
Damien was equally surprised by Vahel¡¯s reaction.
No one had ever recognized Damien¡¯s authority until now.
¡°Damien Haksen¡! Exin immediately! How do you possess that authority¡?¡±
At that moment.
A powerful holy presence was felt from afar. Both Damien and Vahel turned their gaze simultaneously.
A sh of light descended from the sky,nding between them.
With a tremendous explosion, the ground was deeply gouged. The fortress was blown away, leaving arge crater.
¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t expect Sir Damien to arrive first.¡±
A familiar voice echoed from the crater. Sure enough, Radiant Light walked out of it.
¡°I¡¯m d I made it before Sir Damien got hurt.¡±
Vahel¡¯s eyes lit up as he saw Radiant Light.
¡°Quite a beautiful human.¡±
¡°Oh, thank you for thepliment. You seem to be a demon summoned by Pandemonium¡¡±
Radiant Light scrutinized Vahel from head to toe. Her expression hardened.
¡°¡Damien Haksen, what is that? It doesn¡¯t seem to be a Marquis ss demon.¡±
¡°You are correct. This is Vahel, a Duke ss demon.¡±
Radiant Light looked at Damien in disbelief. But only for a moment.
¡°¡This is great. Really great.¡±
Even Vahel tilted his head in confusion at her unexpected reaction.
¡°Human woman, what¡¯s so great?¡±
¡°Killing a Duke ss demon, the chief of those filthy and vile demons would greatly glorify the name of the God in heaven.¡±
Vahel looked at her in astonishment.
¡°Human woman, shouldn¡¯t you be thinking about how to survive first?¡±
¡°How can I think of my own safety when faced with evil? Even if I die, God will embrace me, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
Vahel stared at Radiant Light with a look of disgust.
¡°Turns out you¡¯re apletely crazy human.¡±
Despite being called crazy by a demon, Radiant Light was unfazed.
¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need to shake off the debris on your head?¡±
She pointed at Vahel. As she said, many small stones had clung to Vahel¡¯s head when the crater formed.
¡°I don¡¯t care about such trivial things.¡±
¡°You should care.¡±
Radiant Light drew upon her divine power.
It was directed at the stones on Vahel¡¯s head.
¡°They¡¯ll be quite heavy.¡±
The stones glowed brightly.
At the same time, Vahel¡¯s head was forced to the ground.
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 278
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 278: The Demon (4)
***
Just as his face was about to hit the ground, Vahel tensed his waist. It made his falling head abruptly stopped in midair.
Not only that, Vahel even lifted his head. He was withstanding the power of the Five Great Elders with mere physical strength.
¡°Oh, this is interesting! So this is the power of the Five Great Elders representing the Church?¡±
Saying this, Vahel casually brushed off the pieces of stone stuck to his head.
¡°It seems to work on a different principle than our powers. How exactly does it work? This is fun. Very interesting!¡±
Vahel¡¯s eyes sparkled. Radiant Light smiled and said.
¡°There¡¯s still more to be surprised about. It would be a problem if you¡¯re already satisfied.¡±
¡°Oh, there¡¯s more to show? Let me see it! Show me the power of you Five Great Elders¡¡±
At that moment, a strong wind blew from behind Radiant Light. Radiant Light¡¯s clothes fluttered wildly.
¡°Huh? This wind¡¡±
Just as Vahel sensed something, someone appeared above his head.
A small body with a cute appearance.
Green Wind, one of the Five Great Elders, had returned to her original form after being transformed into wind.
¡°You dirty demon, DIE!¡±
With a harsh word, Green Wind swung their sword downward. A storm raged.
The storm engulfed Vahel. Then, mes began to spark from Vahel¡¯s entire body.
The wind Green Wind was creating was not ordinary wind. Each one was a sword strike.
Right now, Vahel was not trapped in a storm but was having his body cut to pieces while caught in a barrage of sword strikes.
¡°Hahaha! This is amazing!¡±
Vahelughed loudly amidst the storm. Even though he was being attacked by the Five Great Elders, he didn¡¯t look panicked at all.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect another Great Elder to appear! This is incredible! Amazing!¡±
Suddenly, rectangr pirs emerged from the storm. The storm was torn apart.
Vahel¡¯s figure, which had been hidden by the storm, appeared again. Surprisingly, there wasn¡¯t a single scratch on his body.
¡°Damn. What a monstrous physique.¡±
Green Wind cursed andnded beside Radiant Light.
¡°Your courage is admirable, for a mortal. But like all things mortal, it is fleeting. Now, let me show you the true meaning of power.¡±
¡°Sister, did you hear that? Isn¡¯t he incredibly annoying?¡±
¡°I agree.¡±
Radiant Light agreed with Green Wind. Then she asked Damien.
¡°Damien, what is that demon¡¯s ability?¡±
¡°ording to him, it¡¯s called istion. It seems to be a power that istes anything within the central area. That barrier is probably made by using that power.¡±
¡°You told the enemy about that? He¡¯s really arrogant and asshole.¡±
¡°I feel the same.¡±
Damien pointed to the huge hemispherical barrier behind Vahel and said.
¡°And Cheongyeum is trapped there.¡±
¡°To free Elder Cheongyeum, we have to send that demon back to hell.¡±
Radiant Light grasped the halberd she had been carrying on her back.
¡°Hahaha, so you want to fight me. Good. Very good.¡±
Vahel said, spreading his arms wide. It was a very arrogant posture.
¡°Before that, let me just ask one thing. What happened to the demons who attacked you two? I was too busy fighting Damien to pay attention.¡±
¡°I tore him to shreds.¡±
¡°I crushed himpletely.¡±
Vahel¡¯s mouth fell open at their words.
¡°It couldn¡¯t have been easy, but you won. That¡¯s really impressive.¡±
¡°Sister, how long are you going to listen to him?¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t going to put up with it anymore. Damien, would you please help me?¡±
Radiant Light pointed to the ground where Vahel was standing. At that moment, an amplified gravity pressed down on Vahel.
¡°Huh?¡±
However, Vahel effortlessly repelled the power. He only had a slightly surprised look on his face.
¡°You¡¯re really versatile. In terms of utility, you might even be superior to demons¡.¡±
Radiant Light strengthened and amplified the power of every muscle in her body with her divine power.
There are over 600 muscles in the human body. Strengthening and amplifying the power of all of them was aplex task, even just imagining it.
But Radiant Lightpleted thisplex task in the blink of an eye.
Radiant Light pushed off the ground with her feet. The ground shattered.
And the next moment, Radiant Light was in front of Vahel¡¯s nose.
¡°In the name of God¡¯s grace¡ die.¡±
Radiant Light swung her halberd.
She amplified the momentum of the halberd, the speed at which the halberd moved, the weight of the halberd, and finally, the sharpness of the halberd.
As a result, the simple act of swinging the halberd was transformed into a deadly blow. A powerful blow struck Vahel¡¯s body.
However, Radiant Light¡¯s attack was blocked by the barrier Vahel had created. The halberd couldn¡¯t even pierce the barrier a little bit.
¡°If I had been hit properly, It would have been dangerous.¡±
Vahel raised his thumb. Radiant Light smiled.
¡°You¡¯re too careless.¡±
Damien appeared behind Vahel. As Damien moved, Vahel¡¯s face lost itsposure.
¡°You¡ you¡¯re too dangerous.¡±
Vahel reached out to Damien. Then, countless rectangr pirs sprang out from under Damien¡¯s feet.
Damien moved to avoid the pirs. Vahel continued to manifest his power without stopping. It seemed like he was trying to prevent Damien from approaching.
¡°Haah!¡±
At that moment, Green Wind¡¯s voice came from the side. Green Wind was running towards Vahel.
¡°Are you going to use that wind again? It¡¯s not going to work.¡±
Green Wind swung his sword. Vahel immediately put up a barrier. However, she didn¡¯t use the wind surrounding her.
Instead, the air under Vahel¡¯s feet began to move.
¡°Huh?¡±
It was toote to be surprised. A storm rose from below. The des of the storm wrapped around Vahel¡¯s body.
¡°Hahaha! I didn¡¯t know you could freely change the direction of your attack! That¡¯s amazing!¡±
But even this time, the des of the wind couldn¡¯t properly slice into Vahel¡¯s body.
¡°You seem to have forgotten.¡±
Radiant Light, who was at close range, opened her mouth. Vahel shrugged.
¡°Vile demon, I¡¯ll let you taste the full power of us, The Great Elders.¡±
Radiant Light, standing across the barrier, raised her divine power.
¡°My power is more effective the closer I am.¡±
Radiant Light amplified Green Wind¡¯s attack. At that moment, the power of the storm amplified.
Vahel¡¯s body was torn apart all over. Thick, viscous darkness flowed out like blood.
¡°AHHhh!¡±
The pain of having his entire body torn apart was more horrific than he could have imagined. A scream erupted from Vahel¡¯s mouth.
Because of the wind, Vahel stopped restraining Damien.
¡°Damien!¡±
Radiant Light shouted. Damien immediately charged towards Vahel.
¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, but¡ use that attack again that crushed this demon¡¯s chest!¡±
Radiant Light manifested her power towards Damien. Damien¡¯s body and mana were amplified.
Damien prepared Annihtion. This time, he was determined topletely shatter Vahel¡¯s body.
It was when he reached close range to Vahel. Damien¡¯s instincts warned him.
¡°¡¡Everyone back away!¡±
Damien shouted to Radiant Light and Green Wind. At that moment, something shot out from the storm.
It was the rectangr pirs that Vahel had been using so boringly. But this time it was different.
The ends of the pirs split. They branched out like tree branches.
Over a dozen pirs rained down on Damien. Damien kicked off the ground and retreated.
Even though he retreated with all his might, he was still grazed all over his body. Fortunately, he was able to avoid getting injured thanks to Hemaera.
¡°Are you two alright?¡±
Damien shouted, raising his head.
The two were also under attack in the same way as Damien.
Fortunately, Radiant Light managed to block the attack using the de of her halberd as a shield, and Green Wind escaped by turning his body into wind.
¡°Whew, whew¡ I really can¡¯t let my guard down even for a moment.¡±
¡°Sister! Are you okay?¡±
Radiant Light muttered, catching her breath. It seemed she had consumed a significant amount of stamina due to using amplification multiple times in a short period of time.
¡°Hahahaha!¡±
At that moment, Vahel wasughing. His entire body was covered in ck fluid.
¡°There¡¯s nothing more terrifying than a swarm of bees thate together and sting at the same time! I think I¡¯m starting to understand why today..!¡±
Suddenly, Vahel¡¯sughter stopped abruptly.
¡°That¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s a shame. I¡¯d like to enjoy this more, but too many of my clones have been destroyed. If I drag this out any longer, I¡¯ll be the one who goes back to hell first. Then I won¡¯t be able to kill you.¡±
Vahel¡¯s gaze turned to Damien. Damien felt a chill run down his spine at that expressionless stare.
¡°Damien, I told you. I will kill you¡.¡±
Thump.
A heavy sound cut off Vahel¡¯s words. Radiant Light nted her halberd in the ground and said.
¡°Hey there, Duke. Stop your pointless fantasies. Do you think we¡¯re going to let you do that?¡±
¡°Sister, you said it perfectly. We can¡¯t let that happen.¡±
The two Great Elders ignited their fighting spirit. Then Vahel pped his hands.
¡°That¡¯s great¡ that¡¯s really great¡ I¡¯d like to keep fighting you, but¡ as I said, I¡¯m running out of time.¡±
Vahel raised one hand over his head. Darkness gathered in the sky.
¡°My power is istion. And that doesn¡¯t just mean physical istion.¡±
Vahel clenched his fist. The darkness scattered in all directions.
¡°I will show you true darkness.¡±
At that moment, Damien¡¯s vision went ck.
A look of bewilderment appeared on Radiant Light and Green Wind¡¯s faces. The three of them iled their arms.
¡°Ah, I can¡¯t see anything¡ what¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°Uh, Sister! Where are you? Sister!¡±
The two of them didn¡¯t know what to do.
Of course, they didn¡¯t. Right now, their vision and hearing were ¡®isted¡¯.
¡°I was going to save this because it¡¯s too tiring to use in this form.¡±
Vahel said with a hint of regret.
This technique of isting senses was so powerful that it was difficult to use carelessly.
At least for now, it was only his clones, so he could only iste two senses.
If it was his main body, he could iste all five senses, including the opponent¡¯s heart, and take their life in a single breath.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to finish this up now.¡±
Vahel reached out to Damien. He was going to drop a rectangr pir from above his head and kill him.
¡°It¡¯s a shame. I really enjoyed this.¡±
Vahel was about to manifest his power when he saw something.
A calm face, unlike the two Great Elders.
Damien stood there with his eyes closed as if waiting for something.
For example, Vahel¡¯s attack.
¡°¡¡No way.¡±
Vahel tried to ignore the ominous feeling and manifested his power. A huge rectangr pir was created above Damien¡¯s head.
¡°I¡¯ll crush you with this¡.¡±
That¡¯s when Damien moved. He dodged the rectangr pir and ran away.
¡°¡.What?¡±
Vahel, taken aback, manifested his power again. Rectangr pirs sprang up one after another from under Damien¡¯s feet.
But Damien managed to dodge all of those attacks.
¡°No way¡ are you dodging my attacks with just your remaining senses?¡±
At that moment, Vahel felt goosebumps all over his body.
Even humans, let alone demons, would panic if their sight and hearing were sealed.
But instead of panicking, Damien was calmlying up with ways to counter it.
¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a crazy bastard, not even in hell!¡±
What was even more surprising was that he was really dodging Vahel¡¯s attacks with just his remaining senses.
The thought of killing Damien became even stronger.
¡°I must kill you!¡±
Vahel used ¡®Istion¡¯ to create arge broadsword. And he charged directly at Damien.
He swung the broadsword down to cut off Damien¡¯s neck. But Damien blocked the broadsword with Dawn again this time.
However, he couldn¡¯t fully deflect the shock. Damien¡¯s body was sent flying far back.
¡°Of course, you can¡¯t be unharmed when you can¡¯t see anything! I¡¯ll finish you off with this¡.¡±
Just as he was about to jump in again, Vahel stopped.
The direction Damien was sent flying was the problem. This was because Damien was sent flying to the ce where the Cheongyeum was sealed.
¡°Phew, luckily the angle was just right.¡±
Damien said, as if he had been waiting, and put his hand on the barrier. Then, the pattern engraved on the back of his hand began to glow.
¡°¡.The Authority of Gluttony?¡±
Vahel muttered in disbelief.
The barrier began to disappear, centered on the spot where Damien had touched it.
As the barrier receded, an old man and dozens of knights came into view.
¡°What the? Why did it suddenly disappear?¡±
The old man said with a surprised face.
¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but¡ it¡¯s very good.¡±
The 1st Great Elder.
The strongest being of the Church.
Cheongyeon clenched his fists andughed ferociously.
¡°You damn demon bastard. I warned you. I told you I¡¯d smash your head in if I got out of here.¡±
***
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
Chapter 279
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 279: The Demon (5)
***
Vahel watched with trembling eyes as the barrier crumbled.
It was a barrier that imprisoned the most powerful of the Five Great Elders, Cheongyeum. It had been forged by sacrificing half the power of a clone. And now, it was crumbling like a sandcastle.
¡°A demon cannot defy a being of higher rank¡¡± Vahel muttered, his face nk. ¡°For power of a lower order cannot oppose power of a higher order¡¡±
It was thanks to this principle that Vahel could enjoy absolute power in Inferno. There was no power that could stand against a Duke ss demon like him.
In other words, the power that Damien was wielding was far superior to Vahel¡¯s.
¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong! The power you possess is real! It¡¯s the true power of the kings! How could a mere human¡¡±
¡°What are you babbling about?¡±
Cheongyeum took a deep breath, drawing in divine power. Blue mes enveloped his body.
¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses, have you? Let me wake you up.¡±
An explosion erupted behind Cheongyeum. The next instant, his fist connected with Vahel¡¯s face.
¡°!¡±
With a sound like a bursting eardrum, Vahel¡¯s body was sent flying. He bounced off the ground several times like a skipping stone.
Vahel quickly got back to his feet. One side of his face was cracked.
¡°Hahaha! As expected, you¡¯re amazing! It was a wise decision to imprison you!¡±
Vahelughed loudly. Cheongyeum dusted off his fists and said.
¡°I was aiming for a one-hit knockout. You¡¯re tougher than I thought.¡±
¡°Your fist is pretty tough too.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll beat you until you break.¡±
Another explosion urred. Vahel immediately manifested his power. Multipleyers of barriers blocked his front.
¡°You¡¯re incredibly fast, but you can only move in a straight line, right?¡±
Vahel shouted, as if he had already figured it out.
As he said, Cheongyeum was known for his fast attacks, but he could only move in a straight line.
Then, another explosion urred.
Cheongyeum disappeared. He had changed direction in the middle of his straight-line dash.
Vahel quickly shifted his gaze to follow Cheongyeum. Cheongyeum then elerated with another explosion.
Explosions urred all around. Afterimages of Cheongyeum filled Vahel¡¯s surroundings.
¡°This speed¡¡±
The smile disappeared from Vahel¡¯s face. He finally realized it.
That the simplicity of his direction was not a problem for Cheongyeum at all.
¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to focus on attacking instead of defending, won¡¯t I?¡±
¡°Countless thin, rectangr pirs shot up from the ground where Vahel stood. They looked like spears meant to block a cavalry charge.¡±
¡®If I¡¯m not careful, I could be pierced all over and die¡¡¯
In that instant, Cheongyeum¡¯s afterimage abruptly ended.
Simultaneously, the rectangr pirs that Vahel had created were all shattered.
Cheongyeum burst through the pirs and swung his fist. His fist connected with Vahel¡¯s face once more.
With a sound like shattering pottery, half of Vahel¡¯s face was blown away. His left eye and part of his head scattered into fragments.
¡°Kuaaak!¡±
Vahel let out a scream. As if unable to bear it, he covered the wound with his hand.
But Cheongyeum¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t stop there.
Blue explosions urred in rapid session. Each time, Cheongyeum, appearing from all directions, pummeled Vahel¡¯s body.
He struck Vahel¡¯s side with his fist, jabbed his sr plexus with his elbow, and even pierced his chest with his knee.
Hundreds of attacks were delivered in the blink of an eye.
¡°Ak! Uhg! Ahh!¡±
With each attack, more and more of Vahel¡¯s body was chipped away.
¡°What an incredible sight.¡±
Damien observed from afar as Vahel was helplessly beaten.
The moment Cheongyeum had intervened, there was nothing left for him to do. All he could do was watch from a distance.
¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±
He asked Radiant Light.
Having been freed from istion, she was also looking straight ahead.
¡°Even though we¡¯re both Five Great Elders, when I look at him, I feel like there¡¯s an unsurpassable gap between us.¡±
It was unavoidable.
No matter how strong the Four of the Five Great Elders were, they were merely Master ss.
But Cheongyeum had reached the Grandmaster Realm.
As far as Damien knew, there were only four individuals who had reached the Grandmaster Realm at this point in time: the Imperial Supreme Sword, the Mercenary King, Cheongyeum, and the head of Pandemonium.
[PR/N- Wait! Didn¡¯t the author mention the Sword Saint also being grandmaster somewhere?]
A Grandmaster was a being who could even contend with a fully summoned Marquis ss demon.
Even a clone of Duke ss demon couldn¡¯t do anything about a Grandmaster.
That was why Vahel had resorted to imprisoning Cheongyeum using his power.
¡°Ahahha!¡±
Then, Vahel burst outughing loudly. More than half of his body was gone, but the smile on his face didn¡¯t disappear.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to change my tactics too?¡±
Darkness flowed out of Vahel¡¯s body.
Damien could immediately tell what Vahel was trying to do.
He was nning to ¡®iste¡¯ Cheongyeum¡¯s senses, just like he had done to Damien.
¡®A wrong judgment.¡¯
Everything unfolded just as he had predicted.
Cheongyeum smashed Vahel¡¯s darkness with his ¡®Annihtion¡¯. The darkness scattered and the power dissipated.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
A question mark appeared on Vahel¡¯s face. At that moment, Cheongyeum raised his fist and aurade appeared around it.
¡°This is the end.¡±
Just as Radiant Light spoke those words, Cheongyeum¡¯s aurade pierced through Vahel¡¯s torso.
Vahel looked down at the aurade embedded in his chest with a surprised expression.
Cheongyeum pulled out his de. Vahel stumbled back a few steps.
¡°Wow¡ you¡¯re incredibly strong. Even though I¡¯m here as a clone, I never thought I¡¯d be so helpless against you.¡±
Even in this situation, Vahel never lost his smile.
¡°But I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re strong, butcking. How could our ancestors have lost to such humans?¡±
¡°What are you babbling about?¡±
¡°Hahaha, I guess I talked too much.¡±
Vahel¡¯s body slowly began to crumble. It was because the clone waspletely destroyed and starting to return to Inferno.
¡°Get the fuck out and never again dirty the humannds.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not possible, is it? After all, our demons have a long-cherished desire to reim the surface world.¡±
¡°Nonsense. This ce was ournd.¡±
At Cheongyeum¡¯s rebuke, Vahelughed silently. It was a reaction like he had heard a humorless joke.
¡°It¡¯s a bit of a shame. There was something I wanted to confirm.¡±
Vahel¡¯s gaze turned towards Damien. In that instant, he heard Vahel¡¯s voice in his head.
¨C Damien, how did you acquire those Authorities?
Right now, Vahel was speaking through his soul. Because of that, the Five Great Elders couldn¡¯t hear what Vahel was saying.
¨C Those are the Authorities of the Demon Kings. How can a mere human possess not one, but two of them in his body?
At those words, Damien couldn¡¯t help but frown.
When Dorugo had imnted these Authorities into Damien, he had called it the powers of an Ancient God.
But the powers of the Demon Kings?
¨C You seem clueless. Keep it safe. I¡¯lle back someday to reim it.
After a while, Vahel¡¯s bodypletely crumbled, and his voice was no longer heard.
***
¡°He was unsummoned?¡±
Dorugo muttered in a small voice as soon as he arrived in theboratory.
Iota, who seemed to have supernatural hearing, asked with a puzzled expression.
¡°Mother, what are you talking about? The unsummoning time is still a long way off. Did someone destroy that monster?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know the exact details. But one thing¡¯s for sure, he was unsummoned.¡±
As the summoner, he could sense the summon¡¯s condition to some extent.
However, there was one thing he couldn¡¯t understand.
¡°How could two of the Five Great Elders defeat Vahel?¡±
Since Cheongyeum was trapped, it meant that two of the Five Great Elders had faced Vahel.
But based on the abilities of the Five Great Elders that Dorugo knew, it was impossible for them to defeat Vahel so quickly.
¡°Didn¡¯t he say that there was another man? Maybe the three of them did something.¡±
Iota said casually.
But Dorugo still had an unsatisfied expression.
¡°Mother, why are you like that? Is there something bothering you?¡±
¡°No, no¡¡±
There was no reason for him to be bothered.
He had obtained the demonic mana containing the demonic power, just as he had originally intended.
¡°I just feel a strong sense of regret, as if I should have stayed there¡¡±
At that moment, a headache hit him. Iota grabbed Dorugo¡¯s head with both hands.
¡°Ugh.¡±
He had been getting headaches more frequentlytely.
Whenever he got a headache, Dorugo gained new inspiration and knowledge.
But his thirst also grew. A sense of foreboding that he was forgetting something tormented Dorugo.
¡°Mother, does your head hurt again?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine now.¡±
Dorugo said so and ced a sphere on the table. It was filled with the demonic mana.
¡°I¡¯ll be very busy to meet the schedule.¡±
Saying so, Dorugo looked at therge paper spread out on the table.
On the paper was written, ¡®n to Assassinate the Imperial Supreme Sword.¡¯
Staring at the sphere, Dorugo suddenly remembered another item he had received from Vahel.
Dorugo took out the half-key he had received from Vahel.
The old key was shining under the light of themp in theboratory.
¡°What a fool. To give this to me?¡±
Dorugo opened a subspace. From within, he took out the other half of the key.
The two keys clung together as if they were mas. And they turned into aplete key.
¡°You said something about unexpected things happening? What nonsense.¡±
Dorugo had clung to this miserable life for a long time for one reason- revenge.
Revenge against the Empire that had betrayed him and his lover.
To the humans who have forgotten who the true heroes are.
In order to get revenge, I fell to the filthiest ce and crawled my way back up here.
But what if I summon demons for my revenge?
It would mean taking away my target for revenge. That was something I couldn¡¯t tolerate.
¡°I will never use this key,¡± he muttered and shoved the key deep into the furthest corner of the subspace.
***
[PR/N- You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself be the viin¡
¨C Harvey Dent ]
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Chapter 280
[Trantor ¨C Kie]
[Proofreader ¨C Kawaii]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 280: The Secret (1)
***
After theplete annihtion of Vahel, Cheongyeum extinguished the blue mes surrounding him.
¡°Phew.¡±
He let out a sigh and turned to Damien. A wide smile spread across Cheongyeum¡¯s face as his expression softened from killing intent into a smile of delight.
¡°Sir Damien! Thank you so much for your help!¡±
Cheongyeum rushed towards Damien. Despite his seemingly light movements, he was standing right in front of Damien¡¯s nose in an instant.
¡°I was trapped in a barrier and almost died in frustration, but thanks to you, I was able to smash that bastard to pieces! It feels like a decade of pent-up frustration is melting away!¡±
Cheongyeum grabbed Damien¡¯s hand and shook it vigorously up and down. His grip was so strong that even Damien was forced to stagger.
¡°Elder, can¡¯t you see us?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. We came to rescue you as well.¡±
Radiant Light and Green Wind spoke with a hint of disappointment.
¡°Of course I¡¯m grateful to you too! Two of the Five Great Elders came to my rescue! No one else could experience such an honor!¡±
Cheongyeum burst into heartyughter. Only then did Radiant Light¡¯s disappointed expression fade.
¡°Come to think of it, even before I fought him, that bastard was already battered and bruised! I feel bad for getting involved for no reason. You two could have handled him yourselves.¡±
¡°Ah¡ If you¡¯re talking about the wounds on his body, we didn¡¯t inflict them.¡±
¡°Then who the hell half-crushed that filthy tough bastard?¡±
Radiant Light shifted her gaze to Damien.
¡°Sir Damien did it.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
A look of astonishment crossed Cheongyeum¡¯s face.
¡°Did he do it alone? How on earth?¡±
¡°I just swung my sword here and there¡¡±
Damien offered a vague exnation. He couldn¡¯t possibly reveal that he had used ¡®Annihtion¡¯ in front of Cheongyeum.
However, Cheongyeum was not convinced so easily. He still wore an expression of disbelief.
¡°But the traces left on that bastard¡¯s body¡¡±
¡°Elder, you heard it when you were at the Church, didn¡¯t you? Sir Damien found alone and killed her. He must have had some hidden tricks up his sleeve.¡±
At Radiant Light¡¯s exnation, Cheongyeum¡¯s expression turned flustered. But he didn¡¯t ask any more questions.
¡°Then, Sir Damien, how did you get rid of the barrier? Even with this old man¡¯s skills, I couldn¡¯t even scratch it.¡±
At Cheongyeum¡¯s question, Radiant Light and Green Wind¡¯s gazes also focused on Damien. It seemed they were curious as well.
¡°I used a treasure I received from the Empire.¡±
Damien lied without even a hint of shame on his face.
¡°As soon as His Majesty learned that I held a grudge against Pandemonium, he gave it to me just in case.¡±
¡°Such a precious thing to you? May I see it?¡±
¡°It was disposable, so it disappeared without a trace after I used it.¡±
Damien said with a regretful expression.
¡°Oh¡ to use such a precious thing for me! Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll speak to Her Holiness and have her give you something of equal value!¡±
¡°Thanks for showing kindness, Sir Cheongyeum.¡±
While Damien hadn¡¯t suffered any losses, he decided to graciously ept Cheongyeum¡¯s consideration.
¡°But more importantly, Sir Damien, you were truly magnificent. To put up such a good fight against a Duke ss demon.¡±
¡°In that instant, a chill ran down Damien¡¯s spine as Cheongyeum¡¯s demeanor shifted. It felt as if his blood turned to ice, his body reacting to an unseen, powerful foe.¡±
¡°Your growth as a swordsman is evident, Damien. ¡¯s death came as a surprise. I¡¯d always wondered how you would fare against her.¡±
At first, he thought it was a mistake. But upon seeing the glint in Cheongyeum¡¯s eyes, he realized he was not mistaken.
¡°It¡¯s truly inspiring. So, what do you say? Shall we spar?¡±
Fighting spirit radiated from Cheongyeum¡¯s entire body.
It was evident from his expression alone. Right now, Cheongyeum was itching to fight Damien. His whole body trembling with anticipation.
However, Damien¡¯s mind was still reeling from Vahel¡¯s words.
Moreover, he knew from his past life just how tenacious and annoying Cheongyeum could be when he was filled with fighting spirit.
¡°I¡¯d love to, Senior, but¡¡±
¡°I knew you¡¯d say that! Then quickly, grab your sword!¡±
¡°I¡¯m quite exhausted from the battle with the demons. It seems I don¡¯t have the strength to fight any longer.¡±
¡°Hahaha, Sir Damien, our enemies won¡¯t wait for us. We can¡¯t always be in top condition. If you¡¯re tired, then let¡¯s fight tired. Show me your resolve and draw your weapon.¡±
But you¡¯re an ally, not an enemy.
¡Those words were on the tip of his tongue, but he held them back.
¡°I¡¯m severely injured internally due to the battle with the demons¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. You¡¯re perfectly fine.¡±
¡°Only on the surface.¡±
¡°Come on, just for a moment, just a quick exchange of blows.¡±
Cheongyeum wasn¡¯t giving up easily. Damien put on a weary expression.
¡°Very well, Sir Cheongyeum.¡±
Just then, Radiant Light extended a helping hand.
¡°Her Holiness was concerned.¡±
¡°Her Holiness? It¡¯s all my fault. As soon as I return to the Church, I¡¯ll immediately go to see her and¡¡±
¡°And she was incredibly angry.¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s face hardened at those words.
¡°She told me to make sure to convey this message to you. You said you would follow her advice and go out with the other Five Great Elders but you didn¡¯t, and look what happened when you ran off on your own.¡±
¡°Ah, no¡ it¡¯s just that¡ the situation was urgent¡¡±
¡°She said you should be prepared when you return. She¡¯s going to assign you paperwork for three months, so don¡¯t even think about going outside.¡±
¡°Whoa, wait there! I¡¯m willing to put up with that much¡ but the paperwork!¡±
¡°It¡¯s no use talking to me. You need to beg Her Holiness.¡±
¡°Ugh.¡±
Cheongyeum mmed his fists on the ground in frustration. It seemed he really hated paperwork.
¡°¡Speaking of which, didn¡¯t you see the other person?¡±
Everyone was taken aback by Cheongyeum¡¯s question.
Having an idea, Damien asked Cheongyeum,
¡°What other guy are you talking about?¡±
¡°When I arrived here, there was a lich in the form of a skeleton standing next to the demon. I was immediately trapped in the barrier, so I couldn¡¯t get a good look at him.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
A lich in the form of a skeleton.
Dorugo.
It was clear. There was no other lich who could have looked like that.
Damien felt his blood boiling.
¡°I couldn¡¯t gauge his strength because he was hiding himself. But something about him felt ominous. Just as much as the demon next to him.¡±
This was the moment he had been chasing after Dorugo for so long.
Damien felt more regret than joy.
If he had onlye a little sooner, he might have been able to kill Dorugo, but he had missed his chance.
¡°Oh,e to think of it, there wasn¡¯t just the lich.¡±
Cheongyeum said as if he had just remembered something.
¡°There was also an entity with bat wings on its back. Its limbs were grotesquely long, and skin color was strange too. No matter how I looked, it didn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary being, but a chimera.¡±
An entity with bat wings.
Damien could think of one person who fits that description perfectly.
But he immediately denied the possibility. That thing wasn¡¯t the type to show up now.
Iota.
One of The Four Great Demon Kings created by Dorugo, an undead with a specialty in aerialbat.
The Four Great Demon Kings were masterpieces, hailed as the greatest and strongest among the undead Dorugo had created.
All four were incredibly powerful, and they yed a significant role in the War of Destruction.
Of course, these evaluations and praises were all received with the exception of Damien.
At that time, Damien was ssified as a being of a different ne of existence even among Dorugo¡¯s subordinates.
In the first ce, The Four Great Demon Kings could only be born because of Damien.
¡®The Four Great Demon Kings were created with the knowledge he gained by analyzing my soul.¡¯
Dorugo hadpleted the bodies of The Four Great Demon Kings early on, but he had been unable to create souls that matched them.
Then, by analyzing Damien¡¯s soul, he was able to get his hands on the necessary knowledge.
Thus, Dorugo split his own soul to create the souls of The Four Great Demon Kings.
Even so, The Four Great Demon Kings ultimately could not hold a candle to Damien.
¡®Dorugo still hasn¡¯t caught me. So The Four Great Demon Kings can¡¯t bepleted. Then what on earth is the guy you saw, old man?¡¯
Damien was deep in thought when Cheongyeum spoke up.
¡°Sir Damien, let¡¯s return to the Church now. When we return, I will tell Her Holiness of your great deeds in detail.¡±
Cheongyeum got up from the ground.
Just then, a forgotten face came to Damien¡¯s mind.
¡°Wait!¡±
As Damien raised his voice, the other three were startled and gathered around him.
¡°Sir Damien, what¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°Is there a problem?¡±
Damien said with a regretful expression.
¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡ I left her behind.¡±
¡°Who on earth did you leave behind?¡±
Cheongyeum¡¯s confusion was evident in their eyes. Damien let out a weary sigh and said.
¡°¡I left Lady Agnes behind.¡±
***
The group hurriedly headed to the ce where Damien had left Agnes.
Fortunately, Agnes was found unharmed. No, she was far from unharmed.
¡°You filthy heretics! The time hase to pay the price for tormenting the innocent and weak!¡±
Agnes was effortlessly ughtering the demonic followers who were upying the area.
As she had reached the level of 1st-grade pdin, there was no one among the demonic followers who could stop Agnes.
¡°Master! You¡¯re back safely!¡±
As soon as she saw Cheongyeum, she was overjoyed.
¡°Lady Agnes, I¡¯m so sorry. I left you alone in enemy territory and¡¡±
¡°No, it wasn¡¯t your fault. You were caught up in the demon¡¯s technique and couldn¡¯t help it. It¡¯s a blessing that you¡¯re back safe.¡±
Agnes didn¡¯t me Damien for his mistake at all.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty about Agnes¡¯s attitude.
In fact, Damien had deliberately gotten caught up in the demon¡¯s technique in order to meet Vahel.
¡°Sir Damien, you two go back first. Radiant Light and I will stay here with the pdins and clean up the remaining trash in this area.¡±
Cheongyeum, Radiant Light, and the pdins that Cheongyeum had brought decided to stay here and eliminate the demonic followers.
Thus, Damien, Agnes, and Green Wind headed back to the Church.
***
¡°What do you think, old man?¡±
After the three left, Radiant Light asked Cheongyeum.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°I¡¯m wondering if you believe Damien¡¯s words. He says he lifted the barrier with a treasure given by the empire, but¡ I honestly don¡¯t believe it.¡±
There was no way the empire would have so easily handed over an item that could lift the power of a Duke ss demon.
And even if they did, it was strange. As far as Radiant Light knew, there was no item that could lift the power of a Duke ss demon by ¡®simply touching it.¡¯
¡°Damien is hiding something from us.¡±
¡°So what do we do?¡±
¡°We need to find out. No matter what.¡±
Radiant Light¡¯s eyes shone brightly.
She looked ready to torture even someone who had just been an ally.
Cheongyeum didn¡¯t seem particrly surprised or amused. He had already anticipated that Radiant Light would act like this.
¡°I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±
¡°Old man.¡±
¡°It¡¯s true that Damien is hiding something from us, but he has never done anything harmful. In fact, he has helped us. On the contrary.¡±
Cheongyeum spoke firmly.
¡°If Damien hadn¡¯t used that ¡®secret,¡¯ we would all be dead by that demon.¡±
Cheongyeum was isted by the demon¡¯s power, and Radiant Light and Green Wind were on the verge of death from the demon¡¯s power.
Only Damien was able to confront the demon, and he reversed the situation by liberating Cheongyeum.
¡°If we try to force the ¡®secret¡¯ out of him and he turns against us¡ let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡±
¡°¡If that is your will, old man, I will remain silent as well.¡±
Radiant Light reluctantly agreed. And then she left to eliminate the demonic followers.
Left alone, Cheongyeum gazed at the distant sky and muttered.
¡°¡Radiant Light, Her Holiness said that she believes in Damien.¡±
Holy Empress had a strange supernatural power that allowed her to see through the true nature of people.
Holy Empress saw Damien as a terrible and monstrous being. But Holy Empress did not consider Damien to be dangerous.
He simply said that it was a pity.
Cheongyeum believed in her judgment. She was far wiser than anyone he couldpare to.
¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to ask her about that next time.¡±
Cheongyeum thought of the wound that had been carved into Vahel¡¯s torso.
When he first saw it, he doubted his own eyes. He thought he must have seen it wrong.
But the more he punched Vahel¡¯s body, the more convinced he became.
The blow that had crushed Vahel¡¯s body.
It was clearly ¡®Annihtion¡¯.
How on earth was Damien using others¡¯ realm?
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t find an answer. Cheongyeum forcibly stuffed his maddening curiosity into a box.
¡°Damien, next time I see you, I will definitely find out that secret.¡±
A smile appeared on Cheongyeum¡¯s lips.
It was like looking at a predator who had met its rival.
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Chapter 281
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¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C
Chapter 281: The Secret (2)
***
Damien and two others departed the Tartarus Kingdom and went straight for Church.
Upon reaching Church, the trio submitted a written report detailing their circumstances.
The report sent shockwaves through the Church.
¡°A Duke ss demon? How could such a monstrous creature be summoned to the mortal realm?¡±
A Duke ss demon was the kingpin of demons, the ruler of Inferno. In the past, when a Duke ss demon was summoned to the continent, humanity faced the grim prospect of annihtion.
¡°What about the sacrifice? What happened to the sacrifice?¡±
¡°The entire Tartarus Kingdom, let alone just the southern region, would be insufficient to summon a Duke ss demon.¡±
To refer to the victims as ¡®just¡¯ was an outrageous statement. Yet, the pdins and priests of the Church had no time for such considerations.
¡°Perhaps it was an avatar?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be absurd! Even an avatar of a Duke ss demon is in a league of its own!¡±
Summoning a demon to the mortal realm demanded amensurate price. Countless examples attested to this fact.
But this absolute truth had been shattered without mercy.
¡°Can lightning strike twice in the same ce? We must uncover the cause of this.¡±
¡°I agree. If a Duke ss demon is summoned again¡if it¡¯s the main body this time¡!¡±
The high-ranking members shuddered involuntarily.
¡°I was just d to see gone, and now this happens¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s a blessing in disguise. The Five Great Elders are unharmed, and so are the pdins.¡±
Considering the appearance of a Duke ss demon, the damage was surprisingly minimal. Or rather, nonexistent.
¡°Elder Green Wind said Sir Damien yed a very important role in this victory.¡±
¡°Not only did he confront a Duke ss demon alone, but he also freed Elder Cheongyeum.¡±
¡°His skills are terrifying. No wonder the Empire is desperate to recruit him.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just the Empire. I heard the Mercenary King is also trying to marry his daughter with Sir Damien.¡±
The moment Damien¡¯s name was mentioned, people¡¯s expressions softened noticeably.
Stories about a young genius were always entertaining. Damien was like a flower blooming in a swamp.
¡°But doesn¡¯t something seem off?¡±
Suddenly, someone poured cold water on the warm atmosphere.
¡°Sir Damien is undoubtedly a formidable warrior, but¡he faced a Duke ss demon. Even if it was an avatar, defeating such a monster alone is unusual.¡±
¡°Ah, you¡¯ve forgotten. Sir Damien was the one who killed single-handedly.¡±
¡° was a terrifying monster, but it¡¯s no match for a Duke ss demon.¡±
¡°What are you trying to say?¡±
¡°I have my doubts.¡±
The person looked utterly serious as he expressed his suspicions.
¡°They might be setting him up for a mission in enemy territory to build his reputation. It¡¯s amon tactic among heretics. And the fact that he hasn¡¯t be a pdin is also suspicious.¡±
The other pdins exchanged nces. It wasn¡¯t agreement with his words; it was something else.
¡°Aren¡¯t geniuses supposed to defymon sense?¡±
¡°Indeed. We need not look far. Our own founder was such a being.¡±
¡°Sir Damien¡¯s aplishments have been recognized by the Five Great Elders themselves¡¡±
¡°Considering that, it¡¯s rather suspicious to be doubting Sir Damien.¡±
All the pdins and priests cast suspicious nces.
The priest who had raised the question was taken aback.
¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m not a heretic!¡±
¡°That¡¯s what all heretics say.¡±
¡°In these bad times, wicked forces might have infiltrated our Church.¡±
¡°Drag him away!¡±
¡°Ugh, no! Not me!¡±
***
As the priest was being dragged to the interrogation room during the meeting¡
¡°Sigh¡¡±
The Holy Empress let out a deep breath. The reason for her deep contemtion was Damien.
¡°Green Wind, is it true? Cheongyeum proposed to bestow a fitting reward upon Sir Damien?¡±
In response to the Holy Empress¡¯s question, Green Wind knelt on one knee and replied.
¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±
¡°And he didn¡¯t specify the nature of the reward?¡±
¡°I was only told to follow Your Holiness¡¯s wishes.¡±
¡°And you and Radiant Light have no objections to this?¡±
¡°I do not. As for sister¡ I think she had some doubts, but she didn¡¯t voice them.¡±
Pinching her brow, the Holy Empress appeared troubled.
It was only natural to reward Damien. He had earned it with his remarkable deeds.
The problem was that his contributions were too great.
If it weren¡¯t for Damien, the Church might have lost Cheongyeum, Radiant Light, and Green Wind.
The Five Great Elders were the Church¡¯s most powerful assets.
Losing three of them would have been a devastating blow, threatening the very existence of the Church.
And the man who had prevented that was none other than Damien Haksen. The Church was now in his debt.
To entrust her with the task of repaying this immense debt? It was truly a challenging task.
¡°¡I suppose I should extend the paperwork deadline by five months.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Oh, nothing. Never mind.¡±
The Holy Empress rxed her stern expression.
After all, there was no solution to a problem that couldn¡¯t be solved by thinking about it. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t just leave the hero who had saved the Church unattended.
¡°Green Wind, you may dismiss now. Thank you for your hard work.¡±
¡°No, Your Holiness. It was my duty to serve the Church.¡±
¡°Oh, and on your way out, could you please tell Damien toe in?¡±
Green Wind left the Holy Empress¡¯s chambers.
A momentter, Damien entered the Holy Empress¡¯s office.
¡°Your Holiness, you summoned me?¡±
The Holy Empress couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by Damien¡¯s appearance.
The Holy Empress possessed the divine power to see through the true nature of people.
With this power, she could also gauge a person¡¯s strength and abilities.
Damien had grown even more formidable during the short time since theirst encounter.
A chill ran down the Holy Empress¡¯s spine.
As the Holy Empress, she had observed countless geniuses, including the Five Great Elders.
But none of them had grown as rapidly as Damien.
No, could this even be called growth? Was he even human?
The Holy Empress shook her head from side to side. Now was not the time for such contemtion.
¡°Sir Damien, you have done a great service this time. I am truly grateful.¡±
Damien offered a wry smile.
For someone of his caliber, the title of Honorary Pdin was far too meager.
She wondered if she should elevate him to the rank of Honorary Elder.
¡°Cheongyeum, Radiant Light, and Green Wind unanimously suggested that you deserve a fitting reward. I concur.¡±
¡°I did not act with the expectation of reward.¡±
Damien spoke with a serious expression.
Yet, for some reason, the Holy Empress had a strong feeling that this was not entirely true.
¡°¡However, I have no idea how to adequately repay you. So, I decided to make a proposal.¡±
The Holy Empress stared into Damien¡¯s eyes and said,
¡°Sir Damien, name your request. I will ensure that you are granted whatever you desire, even if it means emptying the Church¡¯s coffers.¡±
This was no empty promise.
The Holy Empress was genuinely prepared to empty the treasury if it meant satisfying Damien¡¯s request.
After all, the Church¡¯s very existence was thanks to Damien.
So, wasn¡¯t it only fitting to strip the treasury bare to repay him?
¡°Then I shall humbly ask a favor of Your Holiness.¡±
But the reward Damien requested was surprisingly modest.
¡°Please grant me ess to all the grimoires in the Church¡¯s possession.¡±
***
¡°¡Is that all you ask?¡±
The Holy Empress asked with a bewildered expression. Damien nodded.
¡°Yes, that is all I require.¡±
In truth, Damien¡¯s request was far from ¡®all he asked.¡¯
This was because the grimoires held by the Church were all Master ss grimoires.
They included the grimoires of Master sses produced by the Church, Master sses defeated by the Church, and even those of the Five Great Elders from various eras.
Damien was asking for ess to the grimoires left behind by these legendary figures.
¡°You are free to request anything else.¡±
¡°I need those most of all right now.¡±
Damien¡¯s reason for seeking these as his reward was to ascend to the Grandmaster level.
Witnessing the sh between Cheongyeum and Vahel, Damien felt pressure that he need to elevate himself to the Grandmaster level.
He was always prepared for the worst.
Yet, even Damien had not anticipated the emergence of a Duke ss demon.
The future Damien knew had vanished, leaving him uncertain of whaty ahead.
This realization fueled Damien¡¯s determination to ascend to Grandmaster as soon as possible.
¡®I already know what Ick.¡¯
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien had once reached the Grandmaster level.
Therefore, he was well-versed in the requirements for achieving this pinnacle.
He needed neither elixirs nor leaps of faith; rather, he sought knowledge to fill the gaps in his technical prowess.
¡°If that is your desire, then I shall not object. However¡I fear that may not be enough.¡±
The Holy Empress pondered for a moment before addressing Damien.
¡°Sir Damien, are you familiar with the First Holy Emperor?¡±
Damien nodded in confirmation.
Bartholomeo, the First Holy Emperor.
The first person to awaken divine power.
A transcendent who crushed a dragon¡¯s head with a single mace blow.
A hero who saved humanity as a member of the Salvation Squad.
Countless heroes emerged after the Salvation Squad saved humanity, but none could match their achievements.
As a result, the Salvation Squad was regarded as a group of transcendents who surpassed the Grandmaster level.
¡°I will grant you ess to the profound insights left behind by him.¡±
***
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Chapter 282
HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 282: The Secret (3)
***
Holy Empress led Damien deeper into the Church.
"The First Holy Emperor gained a significant enlightenment in hister years."
Holy Empress mentioned as they walked down the corridor.
"I don''t know the specifics, but it wasn''t a simple epiphany. Through that enlightenment, he split his soul and left a part of it behind for the Church."
Damien felt a surge of curiosity. Splitting one''s soul and maintaining it for such a long time? He had never encountered such a phenomenon, not even in his past life.
Even the Imperial Supreme Sword, the Sword Saint, and Cheongyeum couldn''t achieve something like that.
Perhaps the spection that the Salvation Squad was a group of beings surpassing even the Grandmaster was true.
"The fragment of the First Holy Emperor''s soul remains here. It offers guidance and teachings to those who seek it. Thanks to this, many pdins have been able to ovee their barriers."
"Amazing."
Damien responded earnestly. From the perspective of a dark mage, what the First Holy Emperor left behind resembled a ''thoughtform''. However, thoughtforms were typically created moments before death, whereas the First Holy Emperor had divided his soul while still alive.
Moreover, thoughtforms could not maintain rationality because of they were tainted by the fear of death.
But the fragment left by the First Holy Emperor possessed enough rity to teach others. Alone this was a truly remarkable feat.
"Why has this been kept hidden? The fragment of the First Holy Emperor... in a way, it''s like the First Holy Emperor himself."
During his previous life, when he attacked the Church under Dorugo''smand, he had not seen the First Holy Emperor''s thoughtform. Dorugo hadn''t found it either.
"The fragment''s power diminishes each time it interacts with someone. That''s why the Church keeps it sealed and only awakens it when absolutely necessary."
A thoughtform with clear rationality couldn''tst forever, not even one created by the First Holy Emperor.
''Maybe the fragment was entirely gone before the War of Destruction began, which is why Dorugo couldn''t find it.''
As the Holy Empress exined, they reached the end of the corridor.
"Please wait a moment."
Holy Empress said while approaching a door at the end. She touched the rosary hanging around her neck to the lock and it opened.
"Only one person can enter from here."
She stepped aside. Damien approached the door, feeling a slight thrill at the prospect of meeting a legendary hero. The individual might even surpass a Grandmaster in strength. He might receive invaluable advice.
"I''ll go in."
Damien entered the room.
Instantly, his vision darkened. When the darkness lifted, Damien found himself on a battlefield.
On a vast in, humanoid lizards and humans were engaged inbat. The battle was one-sided; the massive lizards were overwhelming the humans, thanks to their size and superior equipment.
"Don''t retreat! We must hold this position!"
"If we lose ground here, we''re finished!"
Despite being at a disadvantage, the humans didn''t lose their fighting spirit. They charged with even more fervor.
"Hold the line! ''He'' will bring us victory!"
A man shouted who also seemed to be the leader. The lizards let out eerie cries, seemingly mocking them.
Just then, a shadow swept across the battlefield. Both sides were so startled that the fighting paused.
Everyone looked up and saw a dragon with ck wings, erratically flying through the sky.
The cause was a human man clinging to the dragon''s body. The man was not onlyrge but also incredibly muscr.
The man clung to the dragon''s back and swung his mace. Each time he struck, the dragon''s scales shattered, its muscles burst forth and blood rained down from the sky.
The dragon roared in agony. Slowly, the man climbed towards the dragon''s head.
When he reached the nape, he locked his legs around the dragon''s neck to position himself and raised the mace high.
A blinding light enveloped the mace, causing it to grow to many times its original size.
The man brought the massive mace down with all his strength. The dragon''s head shattered like a ripe watermelon.
The headless body plummeted, skidding along the ground until it stopped.
For a moment, silence fell over the battlefield. Then, the humans raised their weapons in triumphant cheers.
"We won! We really won!"
"Long live Bartholomeo! Long live the Order of Salvation!"
The humans cheered in unison, while the lizardmen''s faces showed clear signs of panic.
"What are you all doing? Drive out those lizard bastards!"
"You beasts! Your master is dead; why aren''t you running?"
The humans charged at the lizardmen and ughtered them mercilessly. Damien quietly watched the scene unfold. Just then, he heard a voice beside him.
"Isn''t this a magnificent sight?"
Damien turned to see an exceptionallyrge man, at least half a head taller than himself and heavily muscr.
The astonishing part was that such arge frame was hidden under a simple priest''s robe.
As Damien observed the man, he quickly realized who he was. The First Holy Emperor, Bartholomeo, the very warrior who had just crushed the dragon''s skull with a single strike.
"I pay my respect to the First Holy Emperor."
Damien said, bowing his head. Bartholomeo responded with a wry smile.
"Please, don''t call me that. I''m just a fragment left behind by the original, not the real thing."
"Then what should I call you?"
"Just call me ''the Fragment.''"
The Fragment turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
"This is a reenactment of a past battle. Thanks to this victory, humanity was able to fully secure the southern continent."
"I''ve often heard the story of how the First Holy Emperor crushed an evil dragon''s head with a single mace."
"Haha, yes, everyone who visits me brings up that story."
The Fragmentughed heartily as he looked at Damien.
"I''ve had many visitors over the years, but you''re the first of your kind."
"I''m not a pdin, but I was granted permission to enter."
"That''s not what I''m pointing out."
The Fragment stroked his chin with a massive hand and asked.
"Why has someone who doesn''t need my teachingse here?"
***
Damien felt puzzled by the Fragment''s words.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said. I don''t see any deficiencies in you. Though I can''t be sure, at least to my eyes, it doesn''t seem like there''s anything I can teach you."
The Fragment continued as he scrutinized Damien.
"Your body is evenly developed, your mana control is exceptional, and your skills... while I haven''t seen them firsthand, I can sense it. You possess an unrivaled talent."
While it was pleasing to be highly regarded by a hero of the past, Damien felt a sense of dissatisfaction. He hade here hoping to gain something.
"I''m sorry, but I can''t offer you any guidance. If I were to give advice, it might end up doing you more harm than good... hmm?"
Suddenly, the Fragment''s gaze fixated on Damien''s wrist. He stared at it with astonishment and asked.
"Who are you, exactly? How did youe to possess Erebos? It''s an artifact that no one should possess."
Damien was as shocked as the Fragment. There was no information about Erebos anywhere in the world; even the Church knew only that it was dangerous without understanding what it truly was. Yet, the Fragment seemed to know about Erebos in detail.
"Do you know about Erebos?" Damien asked.
"No, I don''t."
The Fragment immediately denied. Damien pressed further.
"Please, don''t hide it. Tell me."
"I''m not hiding anything. I truly don''t know."
"Then how do you recognize it?"
"Because the original knew."
It felt like a riddle being exchanged. As Damien''s expression grew stern, the Fragment quickly rified.
"The original created me to advise the pdins of future generations. I don''t possess memories beyondbat techniques."
In the end, a fragment was just a fragment. Damien couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of disappointment.
"However, if I examine it closely, something mighte to mind. Would you mind showing me Erebos?"
Damien manifested Erebos and handed it to the Fragment, who carefully examined it.
"It''s different from the Erebos I know."
"What do you mean?"
"I only have fragmented memories, so it''s hard to exin in detail. But while it looks the same on the outside, the power within is entirely different."
The Fragment ran his hand along Erebos''s de, then suddenly paused.
"...You''ve already met my original self."
With that, Damien recalled a memory from his past.
The first time he visited the Church, he found a mummified body with a fragment of Erebos embedded in it. It seemed that the Fragment was referring to this.
"Do you hold a grudge?"
"I don''t have such emotions. I''m just a fragment."
The Fragment returned Erebos to Damien.
"I''m sorry I couldn''t be of more help. Please, you should go now."
Faced with the Fragment''s words, Damien was caught in contemtion. Leaving without gaining anything felt too disappointing.
Damien suddenly recalled the scene of Bartholomeo smashing the dragon''s head. It was an incredible strike, far beyond his current level.
Damien was determined to learn something so he pulled out Dawn from his subspace. The Fragment seemed surprised by this action.
"What are you doing?"
"You said you remember yourbat skills clearly."
Damien had the ability to absorb and replicate the techniques and skill levels of opponents he fought against.
However, there was no guarantee he could replicate the abilities of someone as strong as Bartholomeo. Nevertheless, it was worth a try.
"I''ll learn what I can by fighting you. Let''s have a bout."
The Fragmentughed at the bold challenge.
"This is the first time I''ve had a guest like you."
The Fragment said as a spark of fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. He conjured a mace with his divine power and said.
"Let''s see what you''ve got."
***
The battlested a full day. After the fight, Damien stayed at the Church to review the battle.
''So much for saying there was nothing for me to learn... that was aplete lie.''
The duel with the Fragment had provided him with immense learning opportunities.
He absorbed the lessons from the fight and delved into the Church''s library to study grimoires. Damien focused entirely on training to continue improving his skills, filling in any gaps in his knowledge.
Ten days passed just like that.
Finally, Damien prepared to leave the Church. However, he wasn''t alone.
"Lady Agnes, are you really okay with this?" Damien asked with a worried expression.
Two days prior, the Holy Empress had issued an order to send Agnes to the Apple Kingdom. Consequently, Agnes was to apany Damien. Given that being sent away from the headquarters of the Church was akin to a demotion, Damien couldn''t help but worry.
"It''s fine. It''s all part of the God''s will." Agnes replied calmly. His tongue clicked in sympathy, as he found the situation unfortunate.
In truth, Agnes wasn''t disappointed at all. It wasn''t a demotion.
"Agnes, Damien Haksen is an invaluable asset to our Church."
Holy Empress had said to Agnes a few days earlier.
"However, many others desire his skills. We can''t just let him go."
"So, I am assigning you to the Apple Kingdom specifically near the Haksen territory. Your task is to maintain a close rtionship with Damien."
For a promising pdin like Agnes, it was a seemingly trivial assignment. However, she gratefully epted the Holy Empress''s order because it aligned with her own desires.
"Agnes, and this is only for you, if you manage to establish a close rtionship with Damien, I''ll appoint you as a secr pdin." Holy Empress added.
In the Church, pdins were not allowed to marry freely.
However, secr pdins had the freedom to marry.
In other words, what the Holy Empress meant was that Agnes and Damien¡
Agnes cheeks reddened and then suddenly.
Thud!
Agnes didn¡¯t see the tree in front of her and ended up bumping her face into it.
Agnes quickly pulled her face away from the tree and tried to y it off as if nothing had happened.
¡°Are you alright? That noise was quite loud.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Agnes replied, quickly adjusting her hair.
And so, the two of them headed towards the Apple Kingdom.
The journey went smoothly. They arrived in the Apple Kingdom sooner than expected.
Upon reaching the kingdom¡¯s border, they saw the scene before them.
A fortress that was both destroyed and burning.
Hahaha!
A monstrous creature with bat wingsughed loudly from atop the burning fortress.
***
HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 283
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Chapter 283: The Four Great Demon Kings (1)
***
"Sir Damien! We''re under attack!"
Agnes shouted urgently upon discovering the fort.
"Judging by the creature''s appearance, it must be an undead! I''ll quickly contact the Church, and Sir Damien, you should..."
Suddenly, Agnes realized something.
Damien wasn''t listening to her at all. He stood motionless, like a statue, staring intently at the creature.
"...Sir Damien?"
She asked cautiously. As expected, there was no response from Damien.
Right now, all of Damien''s attention was focused on the creature.
And it was no wonder. That creature was a monster that shouldn''t exist here.
Iota.
One of the Four Great Demon Kings created by Dorugo.
The most powerful undead, specializing in aerialbat.
ording to the original timeline, it wasn''t supposed to bepleted for another ten years. Yet, there it was, standing before them.
"...Lady Agnes, please tend to the wounded."
"Sir Damien? Sir Damien!"
Ignoring Agnes, Damien dashed toward the border fort.
With one powerful leap, he crossed the forest. With the second, he reached the fort.
And on the third,
Damien soared high into the sky, bringing his sword down toward Iota.
***
"This is way too easy."
Iota sighed heavily from above.
Below him, the border forty shattered and aze.
"Aaah! My leg! My leg!"
"Jason! Get a grip, you idiot!"
Corpses and wounded soldiers were strewn about.
More than half of the knights and soldiers defending the fort had perished in Iota''s attack.
The survivors were left with fatal wounds and were slowly dying.
"Just too easy."
Iota flew around the sky, expressing his disappointment.
He was destroying the border fort under Dorugo''s orders to cause chaos in the kingdoms.
When asked why, Dorugo had exined it was necessary to kill the Empire''s greatest swordsman.
"I can attack any other kingdom, but not the Empire? How boring."
While the Empire had an abundance of Master ss warriors, many other kingdoms didn''t even have one.
The Kingdom of Apple was no exception,cking any Master ss fighters.
In such a situation, the border fort stood no chance against Iota''s onught.
"I''m feeling a bit peckish."
Iota looked down and spotted a soldier pinned under the copsed wall.
"Ugh, ugh... Ugh..."
The soldier was bleeding from the head, barely clinging to life.
Iota immediately descended after noticing the still-living soldier.
He reached out with a long hand, grabbed the soldier, and brought him to his mouth.
"W-what... Aaaaagh!"
The soldier who was somehow able to regain consciousness started to scream in terror. He was struggling but he couldn''t escape Iota''s grip.
Ignoring the soldier''s resistance, Iota bit into his head in one swift motion.
"Mmm, the brain has a nice texture. I like that I can eat fresh prey right away."
Iota tossed aside the soldier''s lifeless body and continued walking, smacking his lips.
Then, he noticed two humans hiding in a partially copsed house.
"M-mom... I''m scared..."
"Shh, stay quiet."
A wall separated them, but Iota could hear the mother and child''s voices clearly, thanks to his keen sense of hearing.
It wasn''t just their voices. Iota could also see the emotions radiating from the mother and child with his sharp eyes.
Fear, dread, foreboding.
The source of dark mana was the suffering of the human soul.
The mother and daughter generated dark mana as they were surrounded by all kinds of negative emotions.
To Iota, who thrived on souls and dark mana, the pair seemed like a feast seasoned with rich spices.
But he had no intention of devouring them right away. He knew how to "cook" them to perfection.
Iota grasped the wall and tore it away, revealing the terrified mother and daughter.
"Ahhh!"
"Eek!"
They screamed as soon as they saw Iota.
"Rita! Run! Quickly!"
The mother shoved her daughter away. The daughter screamed and tried to flee in the opposite direction.
"Such an unfilial child."
Iota muttered.
He quickly reached out and grabbed the daughter. She dangled in the air, held by one arm.
"Mom! Mom!"
"Rita! No! Not Rita!"
The mother frantically stabbed Iota''s leg with a kitchen knife.
But there was no way a kitchen knife could pierce Iota''s body, which couldn''t be harmed even by aurade.
The knife broke quickly, and the mother''s face filled with despair.
"Mom! Mom!"
"R-Rita...! Please, let Rita go! Eat me instead!"
The mother clung to Iota''s leg, crying out in desperation.
Pushed to the extreme, the souls of the mother and daughter emitted even more intense dark mana.
Ah, how delightful.
Drool dripped from Iota''s mouth. He could hardly contain himself.
He opened his mouth wide, intending to devour the daughter first.
"No! No! Noooo!"
The mother screamed and blood spilled from her mouth.
At that moment, a tremendous surge of mana came from a distance. The sky changed color and the winds began to blow too fast.
Iota immediately closed his gaping mouth. The presence was too overwhelming to ignore.
"A Master ss warrior? No, this is..."
Someone soared high into the sky and descended toward Iota, shing at him with a sword.
Iota quickly blocked the sword with his forearm. The unexpected weight of the strike made him instinctively release the child and get pushed back.
"Wow, impressive."
Iota said, staring ahead.
He saw a man holding the child in his arms.
"Not only did yound a hit on me, but you also saved the child? Impressive."
The man didn''t respond to Iota''s words.
The man gently set the child down on the ground and spoke to the mother.
"Run as far as you can. Don''t stop until the fort is out of sight."
The mother hastily grabbed her child and fled. Iota watched them with a look of regret.
"Ah... they were ripening so nicely. Isn''t it cruel? They say not even dogs are disturbed while eating."
Iotained, but the man just stared at him silently.
"Well, I''ll let it slide. The soul of a powerful human like you is tastier than that of ordinary folks."
Iota licked his lips, then suddenly recognized the man''s face.
"Wait a minute, you''re Damien Haksen! What a coincidence! I didn''t expect to find you here!"
Damien was the human Dorugo had recently shown the most interest in. Consequently, Iota knew all about Damien''s history and even his face.
"Mother has been wanting to study you. So why don''t youe with me? I promise you''ll be treated well."
"How were youpleted?"
Damien suddenly asked.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"You shouldn''t beplete right now. It''s impossible. So why are you here in front of me?"
"What nonsense are you..."
"Are you the only onepleted? Or are the other three finished too?"
At that moment, Iota froze.
Dorugo had created four Great Demon Kings, and only Dorugo''s closest aides knew this.
Yet Damien, an outsider, had just mentioned the Four Great Demon Kings.
"...Is there a traitor? This matter can''t be ignored."
Iota''s expression grew serious.
Whatever else, he couldn''t tolerate anyone endangering Mother''s ns.
"Damien, you''d better exin how you know about us, and in as much detail as possible."
Iota swung both hands, and twelve aurades shot out from his nails.
The twelve aura des rushed towards Damien, but he deflected them all with his sword.
"Wow, I didn''t think you''d deflect them so easily. The rumors weren''t exaggerated."
Without a word, Damienunched himself off the ground. Iotaughed loudly.
"Wow, scary! Then I''ll increase my power too!"
Iota drew upon more dark mana, his presence doubling as if the previous attack had been a mere jest.
He swung his hands wildly, moving so fast that it seemed his arms multiplied.
Dozens of aura des poured down, aiming to tear Damien apart.
Yet, Damien took no defensive action; he just kept running forward.
"Huh? What kind of reckless..."
As the cluster of aurades struck, Damien''s body dissipated like smoke.
The buildings and fort behind him crumbled, but Damien remained unharmed.
"...What?"
Confusion spread across Iota''s face. It was an unbelievable sight.
''Ghost Shadow.''
Realm of the Phantom, who was known as the pinnacle of assassins.
In his time as a Death Knight, Phantom had attempted to assassinate Damien but ended up being killed instead.
During that process, Damien absorbed all of Phantom''s techniques and skills.
Originally, Ghost Shadow was used to blend the body and mana to erase one''s presence or slip through tight spaces.
However, Damien used Ghost Shadow more aggressively.
Just like now.
Each time the aurades rained down, Damien evaded them using Ghost Shadow.
"Ha! You have quite a few tricks, don''t you?"
Despite not even grazing the hem of Damien''s clothes, Iota did not seem impatient.
He observed Damien''s movements with cold and calcting eyes.
"But, looking closely, it''s quite predictable, isn''t it?"
Damien dissolved into smoke again. As he reappeared, Iota shouted.
"Gotcha!"
Iota''s arm stretched out, aiming to pierce Damien''s face.
He had already realized that Ghost Shadow couldn''t be used consecutively. So, this attack...
At that moment, Damien raised his foot and stepped on Iota''s hand.
Iota''s hand was pinned to the ground, causing a massive impact that shattered the earth.
"Huh?"
While Iota was momentarily startled, Damien muttered softly.
"Third Ring."
With a resonant sound, Damien''s figure vanished.
Before Iota could fullyprehend this, Damien reappeared in front of him and swung his sword.
A blue sh sliced toward Iota''s neck.
***
However, the Dawn did not sever Iota''s neck.
As soon as it touched, numerous scales sprouted from Iota''s neck.
Despite being cloaked in aurade, the Dawn couldn''t cut through the scales.
With a dull thud, Iota was pushed back, clutching his neck with a horrified expression.
¡®As expected, it''s tough.¡¯
Damien wasn''t particrly surprised. He knew what Iota was.
Iota was an undead created by Dorugo using a dragon''s corpse.
The elongated limbs were infused with dragon muscles and bones.
Not just that. The bat-like wings and internal organs were also made from a dragon.
A whole dragon had beenpressed into Iota''s body.
"Unbelievable. A mere human dares to sh my neck?"
Iota removed his hand from his neck, where the dragon scales had alreadyin t again.
"What should I do? My pride can''t let this slide."
Thump.
A heavy sound resonated from within Iota''s body.
"I am the ultimate creation of Mother. I can''t be outdone by a human."
No, it wasn''t a drumbeat.
It was the sound of the dragon heart inside Iota''s body pounding.
"Be ready, I''ll fight you seriously from now on."
Iota spread his wings wide.
Dark mana and dragon power erupted simultaneously.
***
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Chapter 284
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Chapter 284: The Four Great Demon Kings (2)
***
The power emanating from the dragon heart spread throughout Iota''s entire body.
Crack.
With the sound of bones twisting, Iota''s physique began to change.
His previously narrow shoulders broadened, and his chest muscles expanded. His once-skinny limbs became unbelievably thick.
What had looked like a fragile body that might break with a strong wind now appeared muscr enough to withstand a hurricane.
"Ahhh, it''s been a while since I''ve turned into this form."
Even his voice changed.
The previously childish, impish tone transformed into a deep and serious one.
It wasn''t just his appearance that had altered.
Now, Iota radiated an immense vitality. It was like watching a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Normally, undead couldn''t possess vitality. What was happening before Damien was unbelievable.
"Damien Haksen, from now on, I''ll crush you."
Iota slowly raised both hands. He lifted them to his face and curled his fingers, starting with his pinky.
A fist.
As soon as the fist was formed, Iota pushed off the ground with both feet.
Iota shot forward in a straight line and threw a punch at Damien.
Damien twisted his waist to dodge the strike. The debris behind him was sted away.
Even without the punchnding, it happened. It was a phenomenon caused by the air pressure of the fist.
Iota withdrew his outstretched fist and stepped toward Damien.
The attacks continued.
Every time Iota threw a punch, the pressure of his fists destroyed nearby buildings.
These were not mindless, instinct-driven attacks like a monster. They were disciplined and refined.
Amazingly, Iota was using a martial art.
"Surprised? People always think I''m just a dumb brute!"
Iota spoke in an excited voice.
"I''m not just some fool relying on raw strength! I''ve mastered techniques that no one else can follow, ones even Master ss warriors would fear!"
At Iota''s words, Damien recalled memories from his past.
- Damien, my knight, do you see? These are my greatest creations.
During his time as a Death Knight, Dorugo had summoned Damien and introduced the Four Great Demon Kings.
- Of course, they palepared to you! But still, these four are worthy of being called the strongest.
As he said, the Four Great Demon Kings had achieved incredible feats.
In every battle, they ughtered tens of thousands of knights. They piled their corpses into mountains and feasted on their souls with glee.
The sheer brutality of the scene was nauseating, almost unbearable for Damien, who had to suppress his urge to retch.
- Over the past few centuries, I''ve struggled to perfect these creatures but failed. I couldn''t create a soul worthy of their body. But recently, I seeded. Do you know the secret?
Damien had no interest in knowing. However, at that time, his will was sealed by Dorugo, leaving him trapped in his own body, forced to listen to Dorugo''s chatter.
- It''s thanks to you.
- These beings were created by imitating your soul. Thanks to you, they inherited a fraction of your genius, even if just a crumb.
How could Damien possibly describe the disgust he felt upon hearing that?
He had already been a ve to Dorugo, forced to massacre innocent people, kill noble knights, and desecrate their corpses.
To think that those monstrous creatures were born because of him.
- In other words, you could say these beings are our children.
As that memory surfaced, a surge of intense emotion welled up from deep within Damien.
Being overtaken by emotions during a fight was something only amateurs did.
But this time, he couldn''t hold back. Damien''s eyes turned blood-red.
"How long do you n to keep running away?
Iota shouted while throwing a punch aimed at Damien''s face.
In that instant, the scenery blurred, and Iota''s head was mmed into the ground.
"Wha¡?"
Iota looked bewildered.
It was understandable. He had been the one throwing the punch, so why?
Iota lifted his head. Soil was falling from his face and he saw Damien was holding his fist.
"It''s truly fascinating"
Damien said as he put Dawn back into the subspace.
"Every time I see you, I feel filthy. And each time, it sets a new record."
A swordsman letting go of his sword in the middle of battle?
Perplexed by this inexplicable act, Iota tilted his head.
"Damien Haksen, are you insane?"
Damien ignored Iota''s words. Instead, he began to weave the mana within his body.
He had studied countless secret techniques from the Church''s archives, leading him to a minor achievement.
He seeded inbining various mana cultivation techniques he had learned, creating a unified system.
These included techniques like Supreme Absorption Technique, Cotton-Lined Forbidden Needle, Art of Sacrificial Raging Demon Manifestation, and Combined Infinity Cycle.
Alongside the myriad secret techniques he had studied from the Church, he synthesized them into a single mana cultivation method.
Five Wheel Harmonious Art.
Damien spun the gathered mana, forming a cirction within his body.
"First Wheel".
This was not merely an illusion; it was a true manifestation.
Unlike the ''Combined Infinity Cycle'', there was no resonance sound this time.
Instead, all the surrounding mana converged towards Damien.
An exchange urred between the external and internal.
Body and mana cycled together.
Finally, everything united in a single cirction.
"For bringing back such vile memories, I''ll beat you to death."
Blue mes ignited in Damien''s eyes.
"It''s pointless, no matter what..."
Iota''s face was smashed and sent flying backward. Damien had somehow darted forward and struck him with a punch.
"Kraaaagh!"
Thanks to the dragon scales, the damage wasn''t severe.
Iota quickly regained hisposure and tried to punch Damien.
Or rather, he would have if Damien had been there.
"Where... where are you...?"
Suddenly, an elbow mmed into his sr plexus, doubling him over from the impact.
"I told you, it''s useless!"
In an attempt to crush Damien, Iota grasped him with the intention of mming him against the ground.
At that moment, Damienunched another punch, striking Iota''s sr plexus again.
A loud noise erupted from inside Iota''s body. He coughed up blood and staggered back.
Damien immediately lunged forward, striking Iota''s eye with his knee.
The bone around the eye shattered, and the eyeball burst, spraying blood everywhere.
"Kyaaaah!"
A scream tore from Iota''s mouth. He covered his ruined eye with his hand ans cried out in disbelief.
"This can''t be happening... How can I... be losing to a mere human?"
Five Wheel Harmonious Art.
The new mana cultivation technique Damien developed granted him explosive speed and power.
So much so that it overwhelmed even Iota, who had awakened the dragon''s physical strength.
"Don''t get cocky! I can still be stronger!"
Iota pumped his heart to draw more dragon mana.
His movements became even faster. As he moved, afterimages formed.
Countless afterimages surrounded Damien. They all threw punches simultaneously.
In a situation where it was impossible to distinguish between illusion and reality.
As the punchesnded, Iota felt the world turn upside down.
Before he could grasp what was happening, the sky and the earth were turned upside down. At the same time, he was mmed into the ground.
Iota¡¯s body was harder than the ground, so the impact wasn''t severe. But the subsequent attack was the real issue.
Damien lifted his foot. The energy emanating from the sole was anything but ordinary.
"Damien Haksen...!"
The moment Iota shouted with hatred, Damien mmed his foot down with full force.
Crushing Waves.
Realm that can intensified the impact manifold.
With a thunderous roar, the ground shattered in a chain reaction. A deep pit formed in the center of the fortress.
Dust erupted from the depths of the pit. From within, someone began to emerge.
"Hoo, I¡¯m finally calming down."
Damien brushed the dirt off his clothes and said.
"I¡¯m not usually this irritable. But whenever I get entangled with Dorugo, I just get angrier."
As Damien grumbled briefly, a powerful surge of mana erupted from the pit. The immense mana pierced the sky like a pir.
Simultaneously, a colossal roar reverberated through the air. The clouds in the sky were shredded and vanished.
From the pit, something enormous began to rise.
It was as massive as a giant¡¯s arm, but unlike a real giant¡¯s arm, this one was covered in scales from wrist to elbow.
It resembled a dragon from legend.
"Damiennnn!"
The voice that emerged from the pit boomed across the world.
"Stay right there and wait! I¡¯ll devour you immediately!"
Something began to rise from the pit, shaking the surrounding ground with its movement.
"Well, you''re not the type to die easily."
Damien opened a subspace and retrieved Dawn.
The ytime was over. Now it was time to kill for real.
At that moment,
The sky split open and stretched apart to the left and right.
The gap revealed not the fortress but andscape full of forests.
From within, three figures appeared.
They were all exceptionally handsome and beautiful, but there was something off about them. Most of all, they exuded an unsettling sense of disgust.
Damien muttered softly as he saw them.
"Epsilon, Lambda, Theta."
Few people in the current age would know these names.
After all, they did not originally exist in this era.
The Four Great Demon Lords.
The nightmares of the War of Destruction had came.
***
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Chapter 285
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Chapter 285: The Four Great Demon Kings (3)
***
"Iota."
A man with an imposing square jaw who was also the tallest of the tree neers spoke up.
"We came because you didn''t return on time... I didn''t expect to find you in such a pitiful state."
At this, Iota protested from within the pit.
"Epsilon! Watch your mouth! Pitiful state? Just watch, things are about to change!"
"You sure talk big for someone who resorted to draconic transformation against a mere human."
"Shut up and watch! I''m going to crush that human right now!"
"Mother is furious. He says you''re dying the n at a critical time."
...
Iota fell silent and he was clearly taken aback.
"Mother has ordered us to bring you back immediately... but we can''t just leave the human who humiliated our brother."
Epsilon turned to look at Damien.
It wasn''t just Epsilon. Other Great Demon Kings also fixed their gaze on Damien.
An indescribable pressure emanated from the three of them as if standing before a violent natural disaster.
"Hah."
However, Damien shook off the pressure with ease.
"I thought it was not possible, but all four of you are reallyplete."
In truth, Damien had held a small hope.
He hoped that for some reason, Dorugo had focused all his efforts on Iota, and that was why only Iota waspleted ahead of schedule.
But the reality was harsh. All three of the others had appeared. It shattered Damien''s hopes.
"Let me ask you something. My name is Damien Haksen. Have you heard my name from Dorugo?"
"...How do you know our mother''s name?"
"I asked the question. Answer it. Have you heard my name?"
"Yes."
It wasn''t Epsilon who answered.
The only female among the Four Great Demon Kings, Theta, spoke up.
"Mother often mentioned wanting to capture and study a genius named Damien Haksen."
Theta''s words left Damien confused.
He spected that perhaps Dorugo had regained some memories from their previous lives.
Otherwise, it wouldn''t make sense for Dorugo to havepleted the Four Great Demon Kings.
But from the way the Four Great Demon Kings spoke, it seemed Dorugo knew nothing about Damien.
Was it a lie?
No, his instincts told him they were telling the truth.
"I''m not sure what''s going on."
Damien ran his hands over his face, deep in thought.
"Maybe it''s best to keep things simple."
Damien tightly grabbed Dawn once more then he spoke decisively.
"The best thing to do would be to kill all four of you here."
***
A brief silence fell.
All Four Great Demon Kings stared at Damien with bewildered expressions.
"Humans often confuse ignorance with bravery."
Epsilon broke the silence.
"Damien Haksen, you''ve never seen us before. That''s why you can act so boldly..."
"The one stuck in that pit is Iota, you''re Epsilon, and the other two are Lambda and Theta, correct?"
Damien named them one by one. Epsilon blinked rapidly as if to ask how Damien knew about Lambda and Theta without them mentioning it.
"From what I can guess, you''ve only beenplete for less than a year."
Epsilon''s eyes widened further, indicating Damien''s guess was urate.
"And yet, you babies have the gall to call anyone ignorant. You''re the fools here. You don''t know who I am, so you dare spout such nonsense."
The anger Damien had barely managed to suppress after beating Iota began to resurface.
The Four Great Demon Kings were a sore point for him. They were monsters created imitating him and they had caused significant harm to the world.
"That... anomaly."
Lambda pointed at Damien, speaking with a voice brimming with killing intent.
"He knows Mother''s name. He knows all our names. Clearly abnormal."
Lambda''s voice grew more dangerous.
"He''s a threat. Rmend eliminating him here and now."
"Lambda, don''t make hasty decisions. Mother desires this man. Capturing him alive is preferable to..."
Epsilon abruptly stopped speaking, reacting to a sudden surge of killing intent that made his body tense up.
Epsilon and the other three Demon Lords slowly turned to face Damien.
"You still don''t understand. The one holding the upper hand here is not you, but me."
Damien took a step forward, increasing the intensity of the murderous aura and pressure the Demon Kings felt.
"I''ll make the decision for you. You will all die here. Not a single one of you will leave alive."
Damien began to weave the mana within his body, forming two Wheels.
"Second Wheel."
He began to feel immense power spreading throughout his body as two wheels began to rotate within his body.
His presence grew exponentially, and the sudden transformation made all Four Great Demon Kings tense.
"Epsilon, I''ll start by ripping off that jaw of yours."
Damien prepared to unleash the attack.
"Well, this is troublesome."
At that moment, a gentle voice apanied someone stepping through the dimensional gate. A woman with ck hair tied back in a ponytail descended in front of the Four Great Demon Kings.
The woman was strikingly beautiful and had eyes devoid of life that gave her the appearance of a corpse.
"My dear, you seem quite agitated. Could you calm down a bit?"
Despite her gentle request, Damien''s wariness only increased.
"Could it be that you recognize me, dear?"
Woman asked with a faint smile. Damien furrowed his brow.
There were many names for this woman in the world.
Garbage.
Human trash.
The Crimson Butcher.
Demoness mistakenly born as a human.
But she was mostmonly known by one title.
"Why is the leader of Pandemonium doing here?"
Damien asked with caution. H gestured to the Four Great Demon Kings.
"I was asked to y nanny to these little ones. I epted since I had nothing better to do for the time being."
"Doesn''t suit you."
"I think so too."
Even though the worst criminal in history stood before him, Damien conversed with her as if it were nothing¡ªa sight that would have left any onlooker dumbfounded.
"My dear, you just said you were going to kill those children."
"And if I did?"
"As I said, I''m their caretaker. I can''t just stand by and let that happen."
Suddenly, H''s demeanor changedpletely.
Damien felt as if the whole world had turned against him.
Even someone as formidable as Damien felt overwhelmed, simply by the presence of her killing intent.
It was only natural, given that H was a Grandmaster.
"My dear, you might end up dying by my hand. Do you still intend to fight these children?"
Damien hesitated for a moment.
On one side were the Four Great Demon Kings and the leader of Pandemonium.
On his side, only Damien himself.
The disparity in power was clear. Retreating would be a wise choice.
"It can''t be helped."
"Are you thinking of quietly backing down?"
"I''m going to kill you all, including you."
At his words, H''s eyes twitched slightly.
"Dear, have you lost your mind in fear?"
"My mind is perfectly clear."
"Then do you really think you can win against me and these children?"
"It''s possible."
As a human, Damien could not defeat H. Even as skilled as he was, he couldn''t face a Grandmaster at the Master level.
However, as a Death Knight, Damien was different. He was confident he could kill H Fallen and the Four Great Demon Kings right here.
The problem was that there were too many eyes watching.
If he used dark magic in this situation, someone would inevitably witness it.
If the fact that Damien was using dark magic became known, it would cause a massive uproar across the continent. He could even be branded a heretic.
But if he could kill the leader of Pandemonium and the Four Great Demon Kings here and now, he was willing to bear that stigma.
"Come at me. I''ll take all five of your heads,"
Damien said and his killing intent reached the heavens.
H looked at him calmly and remarked.
"As the rumors say, you''re a foolish child."
"Shut up and draw your sword."
"That''s not going to happen. I need to leave quickly."
"You think I''ll let you go just like that?"
"My dear, how about this."
H said, pointing somewhere.
"There''s a city over there, isn''t there? If the battle starts, I''ll send these children to kill every human in that city."
Damien frowned.
"Even if you''re confident in your skills, you can''t keep an eye on these children while fighting me, can you?"
"What are you talking about...?"
"And there''s anotherrge vige over there. The people there won''t be safe either."
H waspletely serious.
She was someone who regarded human lives as mere insects.
"Are you still not going to let us go?"
Damien ground his teeth.
He wanted nothing more than to kill them all right then and there.
But he couldn''t involve innocent people in his revenge.
"You filthy dog of Pandemonium."
"Thank you for thepliment. So, what will you do?"
"Get out of here. Now."
"Thank you for epting my proposal."
H Fallen said, turning to the Four Great Demon Kings.
"Let''s go back, everyone."
"H, what is the meaning of this...?"
"Just ask me when we get back."
Reluctantly, the three of them stepped through the dimensional portal at her urging.
"Iota, you too."
Iota retracted his giant arm and climbed out of the pit.
"Damn it, Damien Haksen! I''ll kill you next time..."
"Don''t ruin the hard work it took to convince them. Just get in."
H said, kicking Iota through the portal. With thest two through, the portal closed immediately.
The forest scenery disappeared, revealing the fort once more.
"Damn it."
Damien cursed. He couldn''t shake the feeling that he''d been yed by H.
¡°Dorugo, what is this piece of trash up to?¡±
The future had changed, and there were ominous developments surrounding Dorugo.
¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be rxed. We have to chase after him immediately.¡±
The only constion was that they had a lead on Dorugo¡¯s whereabouts.
The scenery shown by the dimensional portal.
If Damien¡¯s memory was correct, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary forest.
Alfheim.
The home of the elves and where the World Tree had taken root.
That¡¯s where Dorugo was.
***
¡°H, why did you let him go?¡±
As soon as H stepped through the dimensional portal, Epsilon shouted angrily.
¡°My dear, what are you talking about? You think I let him go?¡±
¡°Then what else would you call it!¡±
H was a Grandmaster. If she wanted, she could have easily killed a hundred of Damien Haksen.
Yet, she didn¡¯t deal with him and withdrew. To Epsilon, it looked like she had let him go.
¡°Let him go... Yes, I suppose it could be seen that way.¡±
H recalled Damien''s face.
He was impressive, just as the rumors said. Even H had to admire his skill in controlling his mana.
But he was still only at the Master ss level. If she wanted, she could have crushed him like an insect.
Yet, H couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Her instincts had warned her.
They told her to be cautious of him, that approaching recklessly would be fatal.
A Grandmaster being wary of a Master ss?
It was absurd, but H trusted her instincts.
¡°Forget about the trivial things.¡±
¡°How can you call that trivial...?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the important thing right now, is it? We need to assist Dorugo¡¯s n.¡±
Unlike other members of Pandemonium, H referred to Dorugo by name.
From the start, H considered herself equal to Dorugo.
She wasn¡¯t cooperating with Dorugo¡¯s n because of orders. It was because it would help her get what she wanted.
The head of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
H was working with Dorugo to achieve that.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 286
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 286: More Secrets (1)
***
Afterward, Damien and Agnes focused on rescuing people.
Unfortunately, there weren''t many survivors. The two of them managed to save only a dozen or so people from this enormous fortress. Most of those were on the verge of death after suffering from fatal injuries.
Damien used the Authority of Envy to convert his mana into divine power. He then used that divine power to heal the wounded.
"Sir Damien, you''re very skilled with divine power, aren''t you?"
Agnes asked in awe as she was treating another person.
Mana and divine power were entirely different forces, each requiring a distinct method of use. Yet, Damien was using divine power efficiently without wasting any of it.
"It''s thanks to the Dawn."
Damien replied, somewhat evasively, as he focused on healing.
After half a day of hard work, the two seeded in saving all the injured. However, they were notpletely healed, only barely pulled back from the brink of death. They would need several months of care.
Next, Damien opened the subspace and brought out nkets and food. He distributed them to the people.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Not only did you heal us, but you also provided food..."
"We will never forget this kindness!"
The survivors expressed their overwhelming gratitude. Among them was a mother and daughter whom Damien had saved.
"Rita, thank the man who saved us."
"Th-thank... thank you!"
The mother and daughter had been tasked with delivering supplies to the fortress. They hade with a donkey and cart and caught up in a terrible attack.
They had nearly fallen victim to Iota''s clutches but were saved thanks to Damien. Damien reassured them and sent them off, as they clearly needed rest.
For the next two days, Damien and Agnes continued to care for the injured and search for any remaining survivors.
Around that time, a rescue team from the royal family arrived.
"Sir Damien! How long has it been!"
Surprisingly, the person leading the rescue team was Oliver Apple, Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom.
"Your Highness, it''s been a while."
"Please, let''s not be so formal between us."
Oliver smiled warmly.
There was a time when Damien had served as Oliver''s tutor. During that time, he had once disciplined Oliver harshly, and since then, they had maintained a close rtionship.
"But what on earth happened here? This level of destruction?"
Oliver looked around at the shattered fortress with a troubled expression.
"There were two Middle ss knights stationed here. The fact that they were killed without putting up a proper fight means..."
"The enemy was a creature having battle powers beyond Master ss."
"...I see. Do you have any idea what the enemy''s objective might have been?"
Damien shook his head.
Damien was nearly driven mad with curiosity, but he still had no clue.
"This is bing a real headache... Did you know? The Kingdom of Apple wasn''t the only one attacked. Other kingdoms were assaulted by undead as well."
Damien wasn''t particrly surprised. He had already anticipated this to some extent after speaking with the Four Great Demon Kings.
"They say unidentified undead attacked. In some ces, just a single undead destroyed entire fortresses. In the worst cases, entire kingdoms were devastated."
Just one.
But if it was one of the Four Great Demon Kings, it was a different story. They were the strongest undead created by Dorugo.
"The Empire and the Church are already tracking them down."
Other kingdomscked the ability to pursue and eliminate these undead. It was only natural for the Empire and the Church to take the lead.
''Why on earth did they attack the kingdoms?'' Damien couldn''t help but wonder.
In his previous life, the reason Dorugo could bring about the downfall of humanity was because of Damien.
In other words, without Damien, he couldn''t challenge humanity, even if he hadpleted the Four Great Demon Kings earlier than nned.
''Dorugo may be a nasty guy, but he''s no fool. He must have a specific target.''
Damien reflected on what he knew about Dorugo.
''Dorugo''s specialty is causing chaos and achieving his goals amidst it.''
When Damien first became a Death Knight, his skills were only in the Middle ss. After numerous battles, his abilities rapidly improved, eventually allowing him to kill the Imperial Supreme Sword.
It was Dorugo who bought Damien the time he needed to grow. By causing various incidents, Dorugo diverted the attention of the Empire and the Church, allowing Damien to develop safely.
Thus, Damien was certain. The attack on the kingdoms was merely a distraction, and Dorugo had another objective.
''Dorugo ns to do something in Alfheim.''
Alfheim was far more secretive than the city of the dwarves. It was so secretive that it was half-believed to be a myth. Some even imed that Alfheim didn''t exist and that the elves had gone extinct long ago.
But Damien knew the truth. Alfheim existed and the elves were very much alive.
They had even made a defense pact with the Empire, though only the emperor and his closest advisors knew about this ancient agreement.
''Now I understand. The attacks on the other kingdoms were to divert attention, preventing the Empire from aiding Alfheim.''
Getting to Alfheim and stopping Dorugo''s n was the only thing Damien had to do.
Finally, kill Dorugo, the leader of the Four Great Demon Kings and uproot whole Pandemonium.
Damien''s eyes filled with murderous intent.
***
Thanks to the arrival of the rescue team, Damien and Agnes were relieved of caring for the injured. Damien entrusted the wounded to the prince and prepared to return to his territory with Agnes.
"Sir Damien, could you stay at the royal pce for a while?" Oliver asked cautiously.
With a monster stronger than a Master ss on the loose, it was natural for him to be concerned about the safety of the pce. However, Damien shook his head.
"My family is waiting for me."
"If that''s your decision, there''s nothing I can do¡." Oliver responded reluctantly.
"And based on my estimation, those creatures won''t attack the Apple Kingdom again."
This wasn''t just a guess; it was almost a certainty. In his previous life, Dorugo had focused solely on destroying the Empire and the Church because the other kingdomscked significant power.
Once the Empire and the Church fell, the weaker kingdoms would naturally submit. There was no value in mobilizing forces to conquer them separately.
"Your Highness, we''ll be on our way."
Damien said and he and Agnes headed to the Haksen estate.
On the way, they stopped by a branch of the Church near the territory.
"Sir Damien, I''ll visit you again soon."
After parting ways with Agnes, Damien went directly to the Count''s estate.
"Father, I''m back..."
As soon as he entered the drawing room, his father rushed out and embraced him with open arms. He stood silently as he continued holding Damien close.
Just as Damien felt a bit bewildered, the rest of his family arrived.
"Damien! You''re safe!"
"Brother! I''m so d!"
His mother, sister, and even Abel ran up to hug him.
Damien felt a warm sensation in his chest. It was an unfamiliar but not unpleasant feeling.
After some time, Damien finally managed to extricate himself from their embraces.
"Damien! I heard everything! The demon summoned in the Tartarus Kingdom was a Duke ss demon! If I had known it was such a dangerous demon, I never would have sent you!" His father scolded. Damien responded with a confident smile.
"What do you think of me? Those demons are no match for me."
"You... always boasting..." His father''s eyes started to well up again.
Damien found this side of his father somewhat unfamiliar. In his rebellious days, he had always thought of him as a stern and boring man. Now, he realized he was someone who cried a lot.
"Father, I''m really okay. I''m not hurt, and it wasn''t that difficult."
As Damien wasforting his father, a not-so-wee voice chimed in.
"Oh? You''re still alive."
He looked up to see Veronica passing by, munching on a slice of pumpkin pie.
"You''re still here?" Damien was surprised.
"Does it matter to you?" She replied nonchntly.
Damien felt his blood pressure rise at her tone. Judging by her rude manner of speaking, it seemed like she was overdue for another ''rehabilitation'' session.
While Damien was silently fuming, his mother hurried over to scold Veronica.
"Veronica, I told you to eat inside!"
"The pumpkin pie you made was so delicious, I couldn''t resist."
Veronica said, taking another bite and savoring it with a blissful expression. Countess chuckled softly at the sight.
"Just remember to maintain some decorum. It''s for your own good."
"Yes, Mother. I''ll make sure to do that from now on."
Damien watched them, astonished at how close they''d be. They weren''t just friendly; they acted like actual mother and daughter.
"Veronica."
"What?" she responded while munching on the pie.
"Are you nning to stay here for good?"
"And if I am?"
She replied showing that she was uninterested.
"Is that so?"
Damien''s eyes had a meaningful look in them. Veronica looked at him with a hint of unease.
"¡What are you plotting?"
"Nothing at all."
"Don''t lie! Every time you make that face, you end up giving me work!"
"I said it''s nothing."
"You think I''ll fall for that? Tell me right n¡ª"
Damien pulled a club out of his subspace, causing Veronica to quickly hide behind Countess.
***
That night, Damien sneaked into the backyard, making sure no one saw him. Infusing his voice with dark mana, he spoke.
"Kilo,e forth."
ck smoke gathered in the air, and soon, a group of dwarves appeared before him.
"Damien! Wee back! We almost grew old waiting for you!"
Kilo eximed excitedly as soon as he appeared.
"You won''t believe how we''ve remodeled Spring Castle! I swear, it''ll be the best fortress our Hammerfell dwarves have ever built!"
"Yeah." Damien replied nonchntly.
"Let me start with the main feature: a mana reservoir located in the underground of the castle! From there, circuits branch out to supply mana to each facility¡"
Damien listened with a tired expression as Kilo rambled on.
"It''s impossible to withstand a Master ss attack, so we changed our approach: recovery after destruction! Instead of defense, we focused on offense! I guarantee even a Master ss would struggle to survive if they enter the castle..."
"I have another order for you."
"An order?" Kilo was intrigued.
Damien pulled a travel bag from his subspace and summoned all the undead within it.
"My lord, what is it?"
Dominico asked with a serious tone. Damien gathered the undead together and addressed them.
"Dominico, Kilo, you two will cooperate to protect the castle from now on."
Both Kilo and Dominico looked puzzled by the suddenmand.
"The movements of Pandemonium are unusual. We don''t know how things will turn out."
Although Damien had had Kilo remodel the castle as a precaution, it didn''tpletely alleviate his concerns. Therefore, he decided to station the undead he had with him here as well.
"My lord, if it''s Pandemonium we''re up against... We might not be enough."
Damien''s undead forces were formidable. Dominico was a Master ss and the forces under him were even stronger. Miya was also a significant threat, and the skeletons were all Middle ss. But facing Pandemonium, even such power couldn''t guarantee safety.
"I have something in mind regarding that."
"What is it?" Dominico inquired.
Damien gave a cryptic smile. "You''ll find out soon enough."
At that moment, a presence was felt at the garden entrance. Damien waved his hand through the air.
"Hide for now. Wait until I call for you."
The undead hid without understanding the reason.
Shortly after, Veronica appeared before Damien.
"If you have something to say, say it during the day. Why call me at such ate hour? I''m about to fall asleep."
Veronica yawned as she spoke.
"Veronica, I need to talk to you about an urgent matter."
"What is it? Make it quick. I have ns with mother to visit the city tomorrow."
"The Haksen estate might be in danger."
Veronica froze at those words.
"You heard, right? The undead attacked the border fortress. It was a terrifying monster. Even Master ss wouldn''t be able to secure victory."
"So?"
"That monster was probably sent by Pandemonium. As you know, I am an enemy of Pandemonium. They won''t just let me be."
Thus, Damien proposed to Veronica.
"Veronica, I need your help. Protect my family while I''m away."
Veronica hesitated for a moment before responding.
"I''m still just a High ss. I doubt someone like me would be much help."
While Damien was absent, Veronica had reached the High ss level.
However, even being High ss was insufficient to fight against Pandemonium.
Pandemonium was filled with Grand Dark Mages and Master ss beings.
"Don''t worry about that. I''ll train you myself."
"Training?"
Damien wasn''t nning to train her personally, as he needed to leave for Alfheim soon. Instead, he intended to have Dominico train Veronica. Dominico had already trained skeletons and Miya, so he was perfect for the job.
The problem was that this n required him to reveal some secrets to Veronica.
Could he trust Veronica?
That question had already been resolved. The Veronica Damien had known in his past life was indifferent to dark magic or heresy. She was selfish, thinking only of her own gain, which made her more reliable in this situation.
"Veronica, I know how to use dark magic."
At that moment, Veronica''s mouth was wide open.
"Starting today, I''ll be ordering my undead to train you. With your talent, you should be able to..."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Suddenly, Veronica burst intoughter.
"What? What did you say? Ha ha ha! Dark magic? Ha ha ha! What nonsense are you spouting now?"
Veronicaughed as if she had gone mad.
"Do you think I''d fall for such a lie? Do you think I''m that foolish?"
"Seems like you don''t believe me. Let me show you proof..."
"Ha ha ha! It''s still funny. I could have epted if you just said you knew dark magic. But undead? Youmand undead? Ha ha ha ha!"
But Veronica''sughter did not subside easily.
"No wonder you''re so gloomy and unpleasant. So it''s because you''re a dark mage. I guess being around corpses makes anyone''s personality worse."
"Is this some kind of joke? No way, it can''t be. Who would make such a boring joke? Even if you''re strange, I''d believe it if you were just entric, but this is beyond that."
Veronicaughed so hard that tears formed in her eyes.
"Just so you know, don''t talk about this in front of others. You''d be reported immediately. Got it? ... What are you doing now?"
Veronica''s face turned to one of fear and tension as she noticed Damien holding a club.
"Why do you always carry that thing?"
"Don''te near me with that!"
"I saw you the other day, and you''re out of shape. You''re like a naughty child. Now it''s time for some beatings."
Damien tapped the club on his palm.
"Let''s start with ten strikes, then we''ll begin your training."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 287
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 287: More Secrets (2)
***
After the time for the rehabilitation session ended, Damien summoned the undead in front of Veronica.
"Well, are you convinced now?"
"...You could have just shown me the undead from the beginning instead of hitting me!"
Veronica angrily rubbed the top of her head, her tone and expression filled with frustration. However, when Damien raised his club again, she quickly fell silent.
"...Since when were you a necromancer?"
"It''s a long story. There''s no need for you to know."
Veronica red at Damien. She was clearly displeased with his answer.
"Does your family know?"
"No, they don''t. So don''t tell them."
Even if this secret were toe out, Damien''s family wouldn''t report him to the Church. But they would definitely be troubled by it, and Damien didn''t want that.
"But if you''re a necromancer, doesn''t that mean you don''t have to fight Pandemonium?"
"I only use dark magic; I''m not a necromancer."
Veronica frowned instantly.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"I''ve never killed anyone to use dark magic."
"But you still use dark magic, don''t you? Doesn''t that make you a necromancer?"
"If I were a necromancer, why would I have killed the members of Pandemonium?"
"Well, that''s true, but..."
Veronica furrowed her brows, looking somewhat convinced but still uneasy.
"Anyway, that''s not the important thing right now."
Veronica brushed off the fact that Damien practiced dark magic as if it were no big deal.
Damien was inwardly impressed by her straightforward attitude. He hadn''t expected her to take it so lightly.
''Well, even in her past life, her thinking was quite different from others.''
In her past life, Veronica was a madwoman who rose to the Master ss because she loved killing so much. Despite the notoriety that spread across the continent, she had immediately rejected Dorugo''s offer to join forces.
Was it because Dorugo was a necromancer? Because he was fighting against humanity? No, she hadn''t refused for any noble reason.
- What? Destroy humanity? Then there won''t be any humans left for me to kill!
She had refused Dorugo''s proposal for that single reason. And then, she lost her life at Damien''s hands.
"But it''s kind of strange. Why should I fight against Pandemonium?"
Suddenly, Veronica''s expression turned serious.
"I''m well aware of Pandemonium. It''s the ce where the most dangerous dark mages and dark knights in the world gather. And you want me to fight such dangerous force?"
She shook her head as if it were an absurd idea.
"Do you think I''m a fool? I''m not doing it, so find someone else."
Damien stared silently at Veronica, but this time she seemed determined not to change her stance.
"As I said, I have nothing to gain from this, so I have no intention of getting involved."
"...."
"But we''ve known each other for a long time, and... I''ve grown somewhat attached. If you meet one condition, I''ll ept your offer."
Veronica pointed to the ground with her finger.
"Kneel and ask politely. Oh, and don''t forget to call me ''Lady Veronica.''"
Damien looked down briefly before raising his gaze to meet hers. Veronica wore a smug expression.
"Ha..."
Damien sighed, covering his face with both hands. In contrast, Veronica''s smile grew even wider.
"So, what will it be? If kneeling is too much, you can show respect in another way¡ª"
"Are you out of your mind?"
Damien removed his hands from his face, revealing an expression twisted in anger.
"Why should I help you when you''ve been freeloading and wasting my family''s food while I was away?"
The ground beneath Damien cracked ominously with a burst of killing intent. Veronica involuntarily huped at the terrifying sight.
"W-wait... It was a joke! It was just a joke! I-I was going to help, of course!"
Veronica pleaded desperately, but the damage was done. Damien adjusted his grip on the club, making it easier to swing.
"W-what are you doing?! Put the club down! Don''te closer! I said don''te any closer!"
Damien raised the club high.
The sound of something breaking echoed until the full moon reached its highest point.
* * *
"I-I''ll protect it! Even if it costs me my life, I''ll protect your family!"
Only after Veronica said those words did Damien stop hitting her.
"I... I think I''m dying... ugh."
Veronica passed out immediately after being beaten. Damien pointed at her and looked over at Dominico.
"Dominico, did you hear that? From now on, she''s on our side."
-....
Dominico stared at Damien with a bewildered expression. When no response came, Damien scowled.
"Do you have a problem with that?"
-Of course not.
"Good. Take this."
Damien tossed a small notebook to Dominico, who caught it with a confused expression.
-What''s this?
"I made it for you. From now on, practice the techniques written in it."
Unlike normal dark knights, death knights didn''t need to umte dark mana as they generated it naturally. However, they still needed to learn how to use it effectively.
Dominico nced through a few pages of the notebook, his eyes widening in shock.
"...Did you really create this yourself, my lord?"
"Why? Is there a problem with it?"
"N-no, it''s just that..."
Dominico couldn''t finish his sentence.
Damien had taken the mana cultivation method Dominico practiced during his lifetime and refined it into a new one.
He had amplified its strengths and filled in all the gaps. What was even more astonishing was thetter part of the technique.
Damien had reinterpreted the principles of the cultivation method and developed new techniques that Dominico could never have imagined.
"...You''re truly incredible, my lord."
Even though Dominico already knew Damien was a genius, he couldn''t help but feel awe every time it hit him anew.
"ttery won''t get you anywhere... And this one is for the skeletons. This is a training schedule for Munchi and Miya."
Dominico carefully took all the notebooks Damien handed him. He knew he couldn''t treat them lightly, understanding just how valuable the knowledge contained within them was.
"And give this one to her when she wakes up."
Damien handed over thest notebook, which contained advice and techniques for Veronica.
Dominico looked at the notebook with hesitation and he was internally conflicted. Could he really give such valuable information to her?
"My lord, may I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Do you really intend to trust that woman?"
Dominico spoke with a face full of unease. Unlike Dominico, Veronica wasn''t bound by any master-servant rtionship, and she had no reason to fight against Pandemonium.
"I trust her." Damien replied without hesitation.
"Don''t misunderstand. I''m not trusting her because of her words."
He knew that a promise extracted through force wouldn''tst long. Damien had another reason for trusting Veronica.
"She has really 2 brain cells, but she''s not one to break a promise. And..."
Damien thought of his mother and Veronica, recalling a face akin to that of a pouting child. Today was the first time he had seen Veronica make such an expression.
"What other reason is there?"
"It''s nothing." Damien said, shaking his head.
"I''ll leave a potion here. Push her to the brink of death if you have to. By the time I return, make sure she''s reached the Master ss."
Damien believed in Veronica''s potential. She had be a Master because she enjoyed killing people a lot. If given the right trigger in this life, she could reach the Master ss again.
"My lord, you don''t mean to say you''re leaving, do you?"
"Yes, I''m leaving right away."
In the current situation, where he couldn''t predict Dorugo''s next move, he couldn''t afford to waste any time.
Damien needed to head to Alfheim as quickly as possible to thwart Dorugo''s ns.
"Leaving now? Shouldn''t you at least say goodbye to your family?"
Dominico suggested cautiously. Having spent considerable time with Damien, he knew how much his lord cherished his family.
"...No, it''s better this way. If I do, I''ll just want to stay longer."
Damien replied, shaking his head. There was no time for sentimentality; he could indulge in such moments after Dorugo was dealt with.
"Dominico, I trust you. Coordinate with Kilo and protect the castle."
With those words, Damien left Spring castle.
* * *
Damien headed straight for Alfheim. When people think of elves, they often picture forests, and indeed, Alfheim was located within a forest surrounded by ancient trees over a thousand years old.
However, instead of heading towards a mountainous forest, Damien made his way to a port.
''Alfheim is situated on arge ind.''
The reason people had been unable to find Alfheim for so long was simple: it was a nation built on a massive ind.
In fact, it was questionable whether ''ind'' was an appropriate term, as its area was farrger than that of the Apple Kingdom.
''The problem is locating the ind...''
During his time as a death knight, Damien had invaded Alfheim under Dorugo''s orders, so he knew its approximate location. However, he didn''t have the exact coordinates.
''I might have to search the entire surrounding sea...''
As Damien stood by the dock, deep in thought, a voice interrupted him.
"You''re quite an intriguing person."
He turned to see a small woman with long and pointed ears. Damien was visibly taken aback.
"An elf?"
The existence of elves was a closely guarded secret. Seeing one standing openly at the harbor was shocking.
"How did an elf end up here...?"
"I''m just as surprised as you."
Elf replied, ncing at the back of Damien''s hand.
"I never thought I''d actually meet someone who has traveled back in time."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 288
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 288: More Secrets (3)
***
Damien immediately grabbed the hilt of the Dawn''s de.
Since his regression, no one had recognized that he had returned from a previous life. It was a situation that naturally put him on guard.
"Please, calm down. "I harbor no ill will towards you, nor possess the means to harm."
Demonstrating her point, the elf attempted to grasp a pebble but her fingers passed through it.
"...An illusion."
"Yes, that''s right. This form was created solely to meet you. My true self is in Alfheim."
Damien''s mind raced. A voyage to Alfheim would consume several days by sea. To perceive him from such a distance and manifest such a lifelike illusion was extraordinary.
"Who exactly are you?"
"My name is Milene."
The name sent a shockwave through Damien.
"... Surely you are not the Milene of the Dreaming me, are you?"
"Apparently, I am known to you."
She said while resting one hand on her heart.
"Yes, I am Milene of the Dreaming me, a former member of the Salvation Squad."
* * *
Long ago, humans lived lives less significant than insects. The continent was dominated by demons and fearsome monsters. The Salvation Squad was formed to alter this grim reality.
Initially, it consisted only of humans, but over time, superhumans from other races joined the Order. Milene of the Dreaming me was one such member.
"...You im to be Milene?"
Damien''s skepticism was evident. The Salvation Squad had been established a thousand years ago. Even for an elf, such longevity seemed impossible.
"It''s understandable that you don''t believe me.."
Milene continued as she was able to read Damien''s mind.
"A unique burden has extended my life far beyond that of ordinary elves."
Possessing the ability to conjure intricate illusions from distant Alfheim. With such powers, it wasn''t entirely out of the question for her to have lived for a thousand years.
"...How did you know I traveled back in time?" Damien asked.
"Your hand revealed it. "Residual traces of the Seven authorities are evident."
Milene pointed to the back of Damien''s hand.
"If you use all the authorities of the Ancient God, you can reverse time... I never thought her hypothesis would be correct."
"That''s nonsense... I only awakened four of the authorities."
"Then it must be a mark from a previous life. I couldn''t have seen it wrong. The traces left by the authorities are very unique. They only appear when an attempt to reverse time is made."
"No, that''s impossible. I''ve never used the method you''re talking about."
After killing Dorugo, Damienmitted suicide and then found himself back in the past. He had never used the method Milene was describing; he didn''t even know about it.
"Then someone else might have used it."
"That''s ridiculous..."
"Think carefully. Who was with you when you died?"
Just as Damien was about to insist it was impossible, Milene began to fade.
"We''re out of time."
"Wait! I still have questions!"
"I''m sorry. Things aren''t going well on our side either. We''re busy fending off the Pandemonium invasion."
Damien''s eyes widened. It confirmed his suspicion¡ªDorugo was definitely in Alfheim.
"If you want to see me,e to Alfheim. The Pandemonium is resupplying through this port. If you find a ship owned by a dark mage, then..."
With those final words, Milene''s image vanishedpletely.
* * *
As soon as Milene disappeared, Damien clenched his fist.
Dorugo was in Alfheim, and there was an elf who knew the secret of his return. He couldn''t afford to miss this opportunity; he had to get to Alfheim as quickly as possible.
"Find a ship owned by a dark mage."
He repeated to himself.
The Pandemonium was using the port for resupply. Finding the supply ship would be his ticket to Alfheim.
It wasn''t a difficult task. With his detection abilities, Damien could easily locate a dark mage.
As he was thinking this, he heard a cry.
"Please, help! Is anyone there?"
The boy was panting, but not stopping as he ran towards him.
"That little brat! If I catch you, you''re dead!"
"Get him! Don''t let him reach the crowded area!"
Two men who were presumably sailors based on their attire were chasing the boy.
"Someone, please help! Is anyone there?"
The boy was shouting desperately. But it was an isted area, and the only person who heard him was Damien.
"Mister! Please, help me! Please... Aah!"
As the boy shouted towards Damien he tripped and fell. The two sailors quickly caught up with him.
"You little bastard, you always have the knack of causing trouble!"
"I told you you''d be dead if you ran away!"
The two sailors kicked the boy repeatedly as he curled up to endure the blows.
"M-Mister... Mister..."
The boy looked desperately at Damien. It was a situation he couldn''t ignore. Damien spoke to the sailors.
"Stop."
The sailors turned their attention to Damien as if they were irritated.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Mind your own business, go and fuck yourself!"
Judging from their tone, it seemed they were in not the mood to listen. Just as Damien was about to subdue the two sailors, he sensed dark mana emanating from them. He focused on the daggers at their waists.
He wasn''t mistaken. The daggers were emitting a faint dark aura.
Damien pointed at daggers and asked.
"What''s your connection with a dark mage?"
The sailors froze after listening the words. Their faces showed surprise.
"It would be best if you didn''t try to y dumb..."
The sailors immediately drew their daggers, the dark mana from the des intensifying.
''A curse of Incineration is ced on them. Not an ordinary piece of work.''
Even a mere scratch from those des could turn someone to ashes.
It wasn''tmon for dark mages to create such powerful artifacts. They must have been crafted by a dark mage from Pandemonium.
"Is this guy... from the Church?"
"Let''s kill him right here!"
The sailors charged at Damien with their daggers. But before they could get close, Damien released his aura. The pressureing from him was overwhelming for any ordinary person to withstand.
"Ku... urgh..."
"Ga... aaah..."
The two men trembled violently before copsing, frothing at the mouth. Their hearts had stopped beating by the time they hit the ground.
"W-What...?"
Their bodies racked with violent tremors, the two men copsed to the ground, their mouths agape as white foam spilled over their lips. By the time they hit the ground, their hearts were still.
"You seem to need some help."
Damien said while smiling gently.
The boy nodded slowly and he was still in shock. Damien pressed on.
"Good. I need your help as well. Can you show me where you escaped from?"
***
"This is the ce."
The boy said as he led Damien to arge warehouse located in a secluded part of the harbor.
The warehouse door was secured with thick iron chains, clearly indicating that no one was allowed entry without permission.
"Everyone, my family and others, are locked up inside..."
The boy exined in a trembling voice.
"The ce is tightly sealed. How did you manage to escape?"
"There was a small hole... I''m the smallest, so they sent me to get help."
"You were lucky."
Tears started streaming down the boy''s face.
"We were all kidnapped... We never did anything wrong... These strange people... They just kidnapped us... and brought us here..."
Damien realized what Milene had meant by ''supplies.'' For dark mages, food and weapons were of little significance. What they needed most were human souls¡ªsources of dark mana.
They could have used the elves of Alfheim, but elves were not only few in number, but also individually powerful. It was much easier to bring humans from the maind.
"Disgusting scum."
He strode towards the door, gripping the chains with both hands. With a powerful twist, the chains snapped like brittle y. Damien flung the door open wide.
Inside, over a hundred people were crammed together. Their eyes were dark and filled with the kind of despair only those who have tasted profound hopelessness could show.
"Who are you?" One of the captives asked Damien.
"I''m here to save you." Damien replied calmly.
His words brought a glimmer of hope to their faces.
"Everyone,e out. You are now safe..."
"Who said anything about being safe?"
A strange voice interrupted, causing the crowd''s faces to freeze in fear. Damien turned to see a group of ten approaching. They were not ordinary people; all of them radiated a strong dark mana.
''Nine High ss dark knights. And that one...''
Damien''s eyes focused on the man at the back. He had arge build, but his head was disproportionately big, making his shoulders look narrow.
''This one''s not ordinary.''
Damien thought, feeling a tingling sensation. The man was undoubtedly a powerful dark mage, possibly even beyond that level.
"Hmm."
The man with therge head muttered, ncing at the broken chains.
"Impressive strength. What knightly order do you belong to?"
"That''s none of your concern."
"Did you leave your manners behind in your mother''s womb when you were born? What''s with that mouth of yours?"
Damien''s eye twitched. Insulting him was one thing, but insulting his mother?
"You must be quite confident in your abilities. Unfortunately, you''ve picked the wrong opponent."
Damien said with his low and menacing voice.
Therge-headed man spread his arms, causing dark magic circles to materialize around him.
"My name is Alterio. People fear me as Alterio the Arsonist."
As soon as therge-headed man revealed his name, the people inside the warehouse screamed in terror.
"Al-Alterio the Arsonist? This can''t be real!"
"We''re all dead... Aah... Nooo!"
Damien looked around, surprised at the people''s reactions. Even the boy he had saved was trembling in fear.
"S-Sir Knight, this is really bad... I''m so sorry... It''s all my fault... I''m sorry..."
"Who is this guy, anyway?"
Damien finally broke his silence. Alterio''s face twisted with anger.
"Do you seriously not know who I am?"
"Should I?"
Alterio let out a bitterugh.
"You''re an ignorant knight, huh? Allow me to reintroduce myself. I''m Alterio the Arsonist, a Giant Evil of Pandemonium."
He spoke with confidence. He was clearly expecting Damien to be terrified by his reputation.
"Pandemonium''s Giant Evil?"
Damien repeated giving a puzzled look.
"Strange, I''ve never heard of an Alterio among the Giant Evils I know of."
Damien had knowledge of all the notorious murderers from the War of Destruction. If he didn''t know Alterio, it meant the man had likely died before the war.
"If I don''t know you, you must not be very powerful."
Damien said dismissively.
Alterio''s face contorted in rage.
"Let''s see if you can still talk like that when your legs are reduced to ashes!"
Alterio unleashed his dark magic and mes erupted from the ground beneath Damien. But Damien simply lifted his foot and stomped down, snuffing out the fire with sheer force.
"What...?" Alterio was taken aback.
Had the mes conjured by one of Pandemonium''s Giant Evils been extinguished so easily?
"So, that''s why you''re so confident!"
Alterio shouted and attempted to cast another spell. But before he could, Damien''s hands moved in a blur.
The dark knights around Alterio were mmed into the ground, their heads crushed as if struck by an enormous hammer.
Alterio''s jaw dropped in astonishment.
Clearly, the enemies had been standing still. But in the blink of an eye, they were all dead, their heads smashed into the ground.
Alterio couldn''tprehend what had just happened.
"What... what did you just do...?"
Alterio''s angry shouts trailed off as a look of confusion crossed his face.
"Wait a minute, when did you draw your sword?"
Just a moment ago, Damien hadn''t been holding anything. Suddenly, he held arge sword in the time it took him to blink.
Naturally, Alterio had seen neither the drawing nor the unsheathing of the sword.
"What kind of trick did you use... ugh!"
Blood suddenly burst from Alterio''s neck. His throat was slit, and blood poured out from the gaping wound.
Alterio tried to clutch his neck with his hands, but his arms wouldn''t move properly.
"¡!"
A closer look revealed that his forearms had been cleanly severed at the joints. The stumps were not just missing their hands but had also been sliced through with such precision that the severed ligaments and tendons wereid bare.
To make matters worse, his legs were giving out. His knees also had been severed.
Alterioy on the ground and continued to scream in agony.
"This... this can''t be happening... I am a Giant Evil... Alterio the Arsonist... Ugh!"
Damien approached and drove the Dawn into Alterio''s chest.
"I''m going to ask you a few things now. I hope you''ll cooperate."
Damien said to Alterio.
Alterio gritted his teeth and spat out.
"Go to hell!"
Damien chose not to respond to the insult. Instead, he released the divine power contained in the Dawn.
"Arrgh! Aaaah!"
The divine power radiating from the Dawn began to burn Alterio''s body.
"You bastard...! Do your worst! I''ll never surrender!"
"You''re quite a formidable opponent. But there are ways to deal with you."
Damien rolled up his sleeve and grabbed Alterio''s head.
"I was hoping to try brainwashing a Giant Evil one day... I didn¡¯t expect the opportunity toe like this."
The ''Authority of Lust'' on Damien''s hand glowed ominously.
"What... what are you doing... Stop... Stop it! I said stop! Aaaaah!"
An unknown force invaded Alterio''s mind, unleashing an agonizing torrent of pain as if his brain were being mercilessly scrambled.
His consciousness was assaulted by a relentless, searing agony that tore through his thoughts. The excruciating torment drove him to scream continuously, each cries a raw, visceral sound of unending suffering as he grappled with the relentless invasion.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 289
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 289: Alfheim (1)
***
It was unfortunate that Damien''s attempt had failed.
No matter how many times Damien used the Authority of Lust and tortured him, he could not weaken his mental fortitude. Damien couldn''t brainwash Alterio. His spirit was too strong.
''The Authority of Lust is far too weakpared to other powers.''
Sometimes, he even doubted whether this was truly the power of a Demon King.
"Ugh, uugh... hoo..."
Then, a strange sound came from beneath his feet. Damien stopped his thoughts and turned his gaze.
Alterio had a vacant expression on his face and drooling from his mouth. Due to the continuous torture and brainwashing attempts, his sanity had beenpletely destroyed.
Damien didn''t feel particrly sorry about him. Alterio must havemitted countless sins to be one of the Giant Evils. Compared to those sins, this was nothing.
"I hope you rot in hell."
Damien swung Dawn and beheaded Alterio. The Giant Evil of Pandemonium thus lost his life so anticlimactically.
Damien returned to the warehouse after killing Alterrio. The people were looking at him with tense faces.
"There''s no need to be afraid. As I said earlier, I came to save you."
Only after Damien exined again did people begin to rx their guard one by one.
"Sir K-Knight... T-Thank you."
"If it weren''t for you, we would have been... what would have happened to us now?!"
Perhaps because they were relieved, people grabbed Damien and poured out all sorts of emotions.
Damien pped his hands. At the sound, people came to their senses.
"It''s too early topletely rx. There are still many of the Giant Evil''s subordinates left in the harbor."
Thousands of people were kidnapped and smuggled through the harbor by Pandemonium and regrly sent to Alfheim.
It was strange that no one noticed such arge-scale crime. Perhaps even the harbor governor was involved with Pandemonium.
"T-Then will you help us?"
People looked at Damien with expectant faces. But Damien could only shake his head.
"I have something I need to do."
"T-Then what about us¡ "
"Don''t worry. There are people who are perfect for this kind of work right nearby."
People looked puzzled. They didn''t seem to understand who Damien was talking about.
"Go straight to the Church''s branch in the harbor right now. The pdins there will protect you."
Damien trusted the Church above all others, as dark mages were incapable of wielding divine power.
"Hey,e here for a moment."
Damien beckoned to the boy he had first rescued. The boy quickly stood in front of Damien.
"Give this to them when you go to the Church. They will do everything they can to help you."
Damien handed over the badge of the honorary pdin he had been carrying. The boy hugged the badge tightly.
"T-Thank you, sir... really."
The boy bowed his head and spoke. Damien smiled warmly and patted the boy''s head.
"But, kid. You''ve been saying something really annoying since earlier."
"Yes?"
Damien pressed down on the child''s head and said.
"Why do you keep calling me sir?"
"B-But you are a s-sir..."
"Shut up. Call me brother from now on. If you call me sir one more time, I''ll give you good beating."
"..."
"Answer."
Damien showed his fist and spoke. The boy nodded vigorously.
***
"W-Who the hell are you! Kill him!"
"Intruder! Sound the rm!"
As soon as Damien attacked the ship, the sailors rushed out to defend. They all had dark magic artifacts in their hands.
But they were no match for Damien. He cut down all the sailors in the blink of an eye.
A group radiating a sinister aura appeared as he was cleaning up the sailors.
"You brat, do you have an inkling whose ship this is for pulling off a stunt like this?
"You''ve awakened a sleeping lion, and I''ll make sure that you will pay dearly for your insolence."
The group manifested their dark magic and red mes erupted suddenly.
It was a very high level of dark magic. They all seemed to be Alterio''s close aides.
Damien swung Dawn and split the mes in half. When the dark magic scattered at a single blow, Alterio''s subordinates were all shocked.
"H-How did you... our dark magic... Kyaaak!"
"Lord Alterio... we have to call Lord Alterio...!"
Damien subdued them all without killing them.
This was because he needed the sailors to take him to Alfheim right now.
"I have a request for you. I need you to take me to Alfheim."
At Damien''s words, Alterio''s subordinates all spat out curses.
"Don''t talk nonsense and just kill me!"
"Lord Alterio will burn you all to ashes!"
"If you don''t want to, there''s nothing I can do. I''ll just have to force you."
Damien grabbed one of the subordinates by the head.
"Y-You bastard... What are you trying to do... Kyaaa!"
Damien used the Authority of Lust.
Authority''s power prated the man''s mind and shook his brain back and forth.
"A... Aa... Aaaa..."
Soon, the man''s emotions gradually changed from pain to ecstasy.
When the whole process was over, the man fell at Damien''s feet without a moment''s hesitation.
"M-My... My lord... P-Please give me an order...! I will do as youmand, even if I have to give up my body and soul to you!"
At that sight, all of Alterio''s subordinates were terrified. Damien also made a simr expression.
''It''s kind of creepy that these wordsing from man.''
It was disgusting, but he couldn''t give up here. Damien grabbed another person''s head.
"W-Wait a minute...! S-Save... Aghhh!"
It took quite a long time to brainwash them all.
"O-Oh... Lord... Please give us an order...!"
"Please...! Please! Treat me like a ve!"
All the brainwashed subordinates pledged blind loyalty to Damien.
Damien made a disgusted expression and gave an order.
"We''re leaving for Alfheim right now. Do whatever it takes to shorten the voyage. Understand?"
"Just leave it to us!"
The subordinates moved immediately.
A short timeter, the ship carrying Damien set sail for Alfheim.
***
The ship carrying Damien continued to sail southeast.
But day after day, all they could see was the endless ocean.
However, Damien was not impatient. He knew the secret of Alfheim.
"My Lord, I will open the illusionary barrier."
One of Alterio''s subordinates spoke to Damien in a respectful tone.
Among the people aboard, he was the most skilled dark mage of cause without counting Damien.
Alterio''s subordinate took out arge stone tablet and split it in half. The dark mana poured out from the tablet and seeped into the void.
Soon, a ck mark began to spread in the void.
The mark continued to grow until it wasrge enough for the ship to enter.
"Everyone, row! We''re going in!"
The oars of the ship moved simultaneously. The ship advanced powerfully and passed through the ck mark.
Only then could Damien see it.
A vast ind instead of the endless ocean.
In this way, Alfheim was protected by an illusionary barrier.
That was why most ships could not reach Alfheim.
But Dorugo knew how to open the illusion.
Even in his past life, the illusionary barrier of Alfheim had not been able to prevent Pandemonium''s invasion.
"Bring the ship close to shore."
"Yes, sir."
The sailors moved the ship towards the shoreline. Fortunately, the sea was deep enough to get as close as possible.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, a peculiar sight caught Damien''s eye.
A battle was taking ce in the forest adjacent to the sandy beach.
"Haha! They''re valuable! Don''t let a single one escape!"
"They''re already exhausted! Just push a little harder!"
On the one side, there were dark mages and dark knights.
And the beings fighting them were...
"They''re elves?"
The elves were fighting the humans with spirits and bows.
But they were being pushed back because the dark mages and dark knights were too strong.
If Damien didn''t help them, they would be dead bodies soon.
Just as Damien was about to go out to help the elves.
"What are you guys doing?"
Damien turned to the sailors and asked. The sailors were already standing on the deck with their weapons drawn.
"We''ve been waiting to help you!"
"You guys?"
"Yes!"
Damien paused for a moment.
Originally, Damien had nned to kill them all as soon as he arrived in Alfheim.
But it didn''t seem like a bad idea to use them to fight against Pandemonium.
After all, he could also have them do all the annoying work.
"Okay then. All of you, charge! Save the elves!"
At Damien''smand, the sailors immediately rushed out of the deck.
***
"Jackpot. We hit the jackpot."
Dark knight Bantadi grinned as he looked at the resisting elves.
Elves were creatures with nothing to waste.
Flesh, blood, bones, and even souls.
There was no creature more useful to a dark mage.
And to be able to capture more than twenty of them, not just one...
"You''re all mine! I''ll catch you all and offer you to Him!"
That was when.
"C-Captain!"
One of his subordinates suddenly shouted. Bantadi asked in an irritated voice.
"What is it?"
"Oh, it''s our allies! I think our allies have appeared!"
Bantadi looked in the direction his subordinate was pointing. Sure enough, a group of humans was running towards them.
The only humans in Alfheim belonged to Pandemonium.
"Why are those bastards sticking their noses into other people''s business?"
The expression on Bantadi''s face was not good even when allies appeared.
In a situation like this, they were not allies. They were nothing more than parasites trying to steal his achievements.
"Hey, you guys! Can''t you just get fuck off?!"
Bantadi shouted at them. But they didn''t stop walking.
"These guys are really crazy... W-what are they doing?"
Those who he thought were allies simultaneously manifested dark magic.
Immediately after, red mes engulfed Bantadi''s unit.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 290
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Chapter 290: Alfheim (2)
***
A crimson inferno engulfed Bantadi''s subordinates. Although most of his subordinates were dark knights and possessed strong resistance to dark magic.
Still, they were caught off guard by the sudden attack. The dark mages who carried out the surprise attack were skilled enough to be considered direct subordinates of a Giant Evil.
"Aaargh! Someone, please put out the fire!"
"My arm...! My arm! Aaaaraa!"
More than half of Bantadi''s subordinates were reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye and the remaining survivors were severely wounded and slipped into an unconscious state.
"These... these b-bastards...!"
Bantadi was trembling violently from rage as he saw all his subordinates dying one by one. He had been backstabbed by those he had considered allies. His eye turned bloodshot.
"What have you done to my men!"
Bantadi roared with fury.
Dark mages were startled by the thunderous shout led them to halt their attack and re at Bantadi.
"What have we done? We havee to execute you by order of the noble and beautiful one."
"Wait-what? Noble? Beautiful?"
Bantadi was so stunned by the bizarre epithets that he momentarily forgot his anger.
"Could you possibly be referring to lord Dorugo?"
All the dark mages and knights in Alfheim served Dorugo. So Bantadi''s deduction was quite reasonable.
"Silence, you foolish creature!"
"How dare you mistake our lord for such a mere skull!"
"Should we not cut your filthy tongue to make youe to your senses!"
However, the dark mages reacted differently. They became furious as if they had been subjected to terrible sphemy.
Bantadi was dumbfounded by their anger.
"Are you traitors finally gone insane...? Do you think this is the time for you to be angry!"
"Can''t you shut up!"
"Damn it, I don''t know what''s going on, but..."
Bantadi gripped his greatsword. An aura de was created as dark mana gathered on the de.
"First, I will make you pay for what you''ve done to my subordinates!"
Dark mages immediately unleashed their dark magic to stop Bantadi. A massive explosion soon engulfed him as a torrent of magic spells unleashed.
"Is that all you''ve got?"
But such an explosion could not stop Bantadi.
Bantadi came out from the explosion unharmed and swung his sword at the dark mages.
With a single sweep, the heads of five men flew off causing the smell of blood to fill the air.
"You dared to attack me with such lowly skills? I will kill everyst one of you here!"
As Bantadi was about to unleash another attack, a strange voice cut through the air and interrupted him.
¡°I think I have to step up.¡±
A young man stepped into his view.
The dark mages immediately bowed their heads upon seeing him.
¡°My Lord! Why have you left your rest and ventured into such danger?¡±
¡°With your skills, you couldn¡¯t defeat him.¡±
¡°Ah... Master, to think you would worry about us... We shall cherish this honor in our hearts... no, in our very souls!¡±
The dark mages wore expressions of ecstasy.
The young man nced at the dark mages with disgust.
¡°...Your devotion is almost too much. It makes me want to vomit.¡±
¡°How dare insignificant beings like us upset our lord! We shall atone with our deaths!¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s enough. Instead of killing yourselves, kill one more enemy before you die.¡±
¡°As youmand!¡±
LBantadi felt his head spin as he continued to listen to the conversation.
Bantadi turned to the young man.
¡°Were you the one who turned those bastards into that state?¡±
¡°And if I were?¡±
Bantadi channeled more dark mana in response. Powerful dark energy coursed through his body.
¡°If I kill you, will those guys return to normal?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll have to find out myself!¡±
Bantadi thrust his greatsword towards the young man. The greatsword was directly aimed to pierce the young man¡¯s face.
Just before the greatsword could pierce him, the young man pped it away with his palm.
The greatsword shattered with a loud sound.
¡°...Huh?¡±
With his bare hand, he shattered the greatsword covered by an aurade? And so easily?
Before Bantadi could recover from his surprise, the young man closed the distance.
¡°You... you bastard!¡±
Bantadi swung the broken greatsword at the young man.
But the young man was faster. He tapped Bantadi''s body in several ces with two fingers.
¡°Cough! Cough!¡±
With each tap, Bantadi felt pain as if he were being pierced by a red-hot needle.
Yet, there were no wounds on his body. Bantadi scoffed.
¡°A technique that can¡¯t kill? What a useless thing to learn!¡±
Bantadi immediately tried to counterattack. But suddenly, his supply of dark mana was cut off.
Not only that, but all the strength in his body drained away. Bantadi copsed to the ground.
No matter how hard he focused, his dark mana would not respond. His limbs refused to obey hismands.
¡°I-It can¡¯t be... What... what did you do to me...?¡±
Suddenly, the young man grabbed Bantadi by the back of his head.
¡°I hope this works this time.¡±
A symbol embedded on the back of the young man¡¯s hand glowed.
At the same time, an unknown energy surged into Bantadi¡¯s mind.
¡°Kaaghhh!¡±
Bantadi screamed in agony as if his brain were being torn apart.
***
Damien removed his hand from Bantadi¡¯s head.
Bantadi stared at Damien with a vacant expression.
¡°Did it work?¡±
Damien waved his hand in front of Bantadi¡¯s face. Bantadi reacted.
¡°Oh...¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
¡°Ooo...¡±
¡°Ooo?¡±
¡°Ooo... My lord...¡±
Tears streamed down Bantadi¡¯s face. He eventually prostrated himself on the ground.
¡°To think I¡¯ve only just realized my lord¡¯s beautiful form! I, Bantadi have wasted his entire life! Please punish this foolish sinner!¡±
¡°It worked this time.¡±
¡°Sess! Yes! My life isplete simply by meeting my lord! This joy! This ecstasy! I cannot express it!¡±
Bantadi showered Damien with praise.
Damien looked down at Bantadi with disgust.
¡°Ah, now¡¯s not the time for this.¡±
Damien ignored Bantadi and approached the elves.
The elves who had been fighting Bantadi were frozen in ce. They were unable toprehend the sudden turn of events.
¡°I¡¯d like to have a little chat. Who¡¯s in charge here?¡±
Damien needed to know what was happening in Alfheim.
He had to get as much information as possible from these elves.
¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±
Despite Damien¡¯s repeated question, the elves remained silent.
¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±
¡°They¡¯re probably too awestruck by lord¡¯s noble form to speak! What a bunch of heathens!¡±
Bantadi eximed loudly. Damien red at him.
¡°Shut up and stop talking nonsense.¡±
¡°My lord has finally given me an order! This is the most glorious moment of my life!¡±
¡°I told you to shut the fuck up.¡±
As Damien rubbed his temple, one of the elves spoke up.
¡°...Human, why did you save us?¡±
An elf woman with strong limbs and dark hair asked Damien.
A spirit resembling an eagle was perched on her shoulder.
The eagle spirit exuded a powerful presence.
It was clear that the elf woman was a skilled spirit user.
¡°Are you their leader?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Good. My name is Damien Haksen. I need information about Alfheim. I¡¯m asking for your cooperation.¡±
¡°...Why should we trust you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. In fact, you could say I¡¯m an ally. I¡¯m here to help you.¡±
¡°...I don¡¯t believe you.¡±
The elf woman¡¯s voice was filled with hostility.
¡°The elders told us that humans are deceitful creatures.¡±
It was a reaction anyone familiar with elf history could understand.
In the past, there had been a time when elves and humans had interacted. From the human perspective, the elves were not only incredibly beautiful but also mysterious creatures.
Because of this, humans would often capture elves and sell them into very. Eventually, the elves severed all ties with humans and retreated to Alfheim.
"I know how you feel about humans. But I saved you. You could at least trust me a little."
"Saved us...? Or did you just kill your own kind to monopolize us?"
"That''s a ridiculous usation."
The elf woman pointed at the dark mages Damien had brought with him.
"...Aren''t those dark mages also human?"
"Ahem."
Damien was speechless.
"It just looks like an internal human conflict to me."
The elf woman said firmly.
"If you really are an ally, then please just let us go."
Damien had a feeling the elf wouldn''t listen to anything he said.
This was a headache.
Damien hade to this ind to kill Dorugo.
To kill Dorugo, he needed information. Only then could he find out where Dorugo was.
Should I try to find another elf? No, other elves would probably be no different.
Judging from the elf woman''s attitude, it was clear that the other elves would also be hostile towards Damien simply because he was human.
"If that''s what you want, then so be it."
"Thank you for understanding our situation..."
"I''m going to have to capture you all."
Damien gestured to Bantadi and the dark mages. They surrounded the elves.
The elf woman looked at Damien in shock.
"Human! What are you doing?! Didn''t you say you were an ally?"
"I am an ally. But right now, I need information more urgently."
Damien pointed at the elves and gave an order.
"Subdue them all but don''t kill them."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 291
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 291: Alfheim (3)
***
The elves were captured almost immediately.
The elf woman answered Damien¡¯s question with a face full of shame.
¡°Alfheim is on the losing side of the war.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know how they did it, but Pandemonium managed to break through the barrier andunch a surprise attack. Because of that, Alfheim suffered massive casualties from the very beginning.¡±
Alfheim had relied heavily on its protective barrier, a magical shield created by the World Tree, a powerful and ancient entity.
No one had expected the barrier to be breached, and they werepletely caught off guard.
¡®It¡¯s all unfolding just like in my past life.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t entirely the elves¡¯ fault. The protective barrier around Alfheim was created by the World Tree, a being as old as time itself.
Because of this, the barrier was incredibly strong. That was why humans had been unable to find Alfheim for hundreds of years.
¡°Half the ind is already in Pandemonium¡¯s hands. We¡¯re holding on by a thread right now.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand. Can¡¯t you just summon the Spirit Kings and drive them out?¡±
Elven warriors gain power by forming contracts with spirits.
Even the weakest of spirits could easily level a mountain. The most powerful of these spirits were the Spirit Kings.
They were beings so powerful that they were often considered to be heavenly forces themselves. Alfheim had three such Spirit Kings under contract.
¡°Since Pandemonium¡¯s invasion, the World Tree has been greatly weakened. Fire Spirit King, as well as other Spirit Kings, have been affected. What¡¯s more, the Fire Spirit King has been captured.¡±
¡°Captured?¡±
Damien looked at her in disbelief.
To force a contract on a spirit, you first had to subdue it. And subduing a being as powerful as a Spirit King was practically impossible.
The elf woman gave Damien a strange look.
¡°Are you pretending not to know? Or do you really not know?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already told you I¡¯m not on Pandemonium¡¯s side.¡±
¡°...The Fire Spirit King, one of the pirs of our world, has been captured by the Lord of Eternal me, the Giant Evil of Pandemonium.¡±
[TL/N- The Ruler of the mes changed to ¡ª> ¡®The Lord of Eternal me¡¯ for trantion uracy.]
Damien was stunned.
¡®The future has changed again.¡¯
The Lord of Eternal me was a being on par with and the Weapon Master, a true pir of Pandemonium.
"The Lord of Eternal me forced the fire spirits to serve him like ves."
In his past life, the Lord of Eternal me had coveted the Fire Spirit King. But he had ultimately failed to subjugate him.
"It''s not just the Lord of Eternal me. Pandemonium also has four incredibly powerful undead creatures in its ranks. Even two of them could rival a Spirit King. They''re monstrous beings."
It seemed she was referring to the Four Great Demon Kings. Aside from them, there were no other undead creatures capable of challenging a Spirit King.
"If the Imperial Supreme Sword of the Empire hadn''te to our aid, Alfheim would have already fallen."
"Wait, the Imperial Supreme Sword is here?"
Damien was startled. It was an unexpected name.
"...Your ignorance confirms that you''re not truly allied with Pandemonium."
"Just answer the question. Why is the Imperial Supreme Sword here?"
"That''s something that..."
The elf woman trailed off.
"...I''m not going to tell you."
Damien stared at the elf woman intently. She shrieked.
"No matter what you do, I can''t tell you that!"
"..."
"Even if you torture me for an answer!"
"Then I have no choice."
Damien took a step back which caused the elf woman to sigh in relief.
There was no point in asking her now. He could simply ask the Imperial Supreme Sword himself.
"Do you know someone named Dorugo?"
It was time to get to the heart of the matter.
The elf woman blinked.
"Dor...ugo?"
"I see. Bantadi, you must know him."
Damien turned to Bantadi.
Bantadi was affiliated with Pandemonium and knew Dorugo''s name. So, he was likely to know something about him.
"I''m sorry! I have no idea where he is!"
"You''re attacking Alfheim on his orders."
"That''s true, but as a lowly soldier, I only receive orders!"
Damien was stumped again.
He hadn''t expected to have to search for Dorugo again, especially aftering all this way to Alfheim.
"...Are you really not on Pandemonium''s side?"
The elf woman asked cautiously. Damien sighed.
"How many times do I have to tell you... What are you doing?"
The elf woman had knelt before him.
"...I''m begging you. Please help us rescue my people."
"Your people have been captured?"
"Pandemonium has razed the forests in the upied territories and built fortresses. Our people are being held captive there."
The elf woman bit her lip and continued.
"The elven warriors are fully engaged in holding off Pandemonium''s main forces. I wanted to rescue them myself, but I''m simply not strong enough. Please, I beg you."
She banged her head against the ground.
"If we do nothing, my people will all be sacrificed in the dark mages'' experiments. Please help us!"
Damien stroked his chin.
In his past life, he had led Dorugo''s vanguard in attacking Alfheim.
He had killed countless elves, annihted countless spirits, and ultimately destroyed the World Tree. With the World Tree gone, the elves had all be subjects of dark magic experiments and met gruesome ends.
He couldn''t ignore this plea, even if finding Dorugo was his priority.
"...Wait, a fortress?"
Suddenly, a n came to mind.
If he couldn''t find Dorugo, why not make Dorugoe to him?
By wreaking havoc on Pandemonium''s forces, he could force Dorugo to react.
''But the prisoners are a problem.''
Ideally, he wanted to charge into the fortress and destroy it immediately.
However, that might provoke Pandemonium into using the elves as hostages.
Then he remembered what he had done to help the dwarves.
''Ah, I know what to do.''
Damien turned to Bantadi.
"Bantadi, are you good at acting?"
***
A short whileter, Damien and Bantadi had arrived at the Pandemonium fortress.
''They call this a fortress... it''s enormous.''
A towering wall had been erected on a vast in cleared of all trees. On the walls stood dark knights exuding a sinister aura.
As Damien was examining the fortress, the elf woman asked in a trembling voice.
"...Are you sure there''s no other way?"
There wasn''t. A chain bound the elf woman, along with the other elves.
Damien was also wearing a robe to disguise himself as one of Bantadi''s subordinates.
If he revealed his identity, someone might recognize him.
"I''m going to use you as an excuse to gain ess to the prison. Please bear with me."
The elf woman looked at Damien with a mixture of hope and fear.
Meanwhile, the group arrived at the fortress gates. Damien whispered to Bantadi at the front.
"Bantadi, do your thing."
"Yes, lord! Just leave it to me!"
Bantadi cleared his throat and shouted towards the wall.
"Hey, you guys! It''s me! Open the gate!"
"Who- Wait is it you Bantadi? Did you have a good hunt?"
"Can''t you see? I''ve brought back a bunch of elven bastards!"
"Excellent work. Wait a minute, Gates are opening."
nk! nk!
The massive gate began to swing open.
"Come in."
Damien followed Bantadi into the fortress.
The first thing they saw were busy soldiers moving weapons and materials for dark magic.
''What''s that?''
Damien''s gaze was drawn to a structure in the center of the fortress.
A giant pulley system was erected over a deep and wide pit.
"Bantadi, what''s that?"
"I''m afraid I don''t know, your highness. All I''ve heard is that it''s a very important facility."
The more Damien looked at it, the more suspicious it became. He couldn''t take his eyes off the pulley.
"My lord, this way to the prison."
Bantadi''s words pulled Damien back to reality. As curious as he was about the pulley, rescuing the elven prisoners was the priority.
Just as Bantadi took a step forward, the sky above the fortress split open. A crack formed, and a woman stepped through.
She was undeniably beautiful, but there was something unsettling about her. It was the kind of difort one feels when confronted with something too perfect.
''Theta.''
She was Theta, one of the Four Great Demon Kings.
As soon as Theta appeared, dark mages and knights from the fortress gathered around her.
One of them asked politely.
"Your Highness Theta, what brings you here?"
"I''vee to inspect the progress, as ordered. How far has ''it'' prated?"
"Thest batch we received has beenpletely absorbed into the underground."
"I''ll have to verify that myself."
Theta walked towards the pit. The dark mages and knights followed her.
Suddenly, Theta stopped. She turned to look at Damien and Bantadi.
"...Come here, both of you."
Bantadi nced at Damien.
There was no chance that one of the Four Great Demon Kings would fail to recognize Damien.
After all, he hadpletely concealed his aura.
Bantadi led the group towards Theta.
"What were you doing?"
"I was about to move the captured elven prisoners to the prison."
Bantadi pointed to the bound elves. However, Theta didn''t even nce in their direction.
"Is the man beside you your subordinate?"
She pointed at Damien. Bantadi quickly replied.
"Yes. He''s not very skilled, but he''s quick-witted, so I keep him close."
"I see. You may pass."
Bantadi bowed and started to walk away. Damien followed.
As Damien passed by Theta, she suddenly swung her hand. A wave of dark magic washed over him.
Damien swung his sword, deflecting the magic.
He was unharmed, but his robe was torn, revealing his face. Theta stared at him and said.
"So it was you."
"How did you know? I thought I''d concealed my aura perfectly."
Theta pointed to her ear.
"I have excellent hearing. I remember the sound your body made when west met."
Damien chuckled.
Every person''s organs produce a unique sound. Theta had identified him by this sound.
Most people would have dismissed such a im as nonsense.
But Damien knew better. Theta possessed such abilities. He just hadn''t expected her to remember his sound so clearly.
"I''ve been looking forward to seeing you again."
Theta extended her hand. A cloud of smoke formed, condensing into a longsword.
Damien raised an eyebrow at the weapon Theta had summoned.
''Last time she used a greatsword.''
In their previous encounter, Theta had wielded a greatsword, simr in size to Damien''s.
"As fellow swordsmen, would you like to show me what you can do?"
Damien sneered.
"An undead creature pretending to be a knight? Howughable."
Even though it was clearly a provocation, Damien couldn''t resist.
"Very well, undead."
Damien channeled his mana. Theta responded by gathering her dark mana.
In an instant, both disappeared in a blur of motion.
Their swords shed in midair.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 292
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 292: Theta (1)
***
At the moment their swords shed, Damien felt his entire body vibrate.
It wasn''t an ordinary vibration. His organs would be torn apart if these vibrations were left unchecked.
Damien pushed Theta''s sword away and took a step back. But the vibration that had seeped into his body didn''t subside. It lingered like poison and was trying to destroy Damien''s body.
Damien stomped hard on the ground. The vibration within his body traveled through him and into the ground.
The soil piled up on the ground vibrated finely and crumbled into a fine powder.
If he had retreated even a momentter, his organs would have been damaged by the vibration.
"I didn''t expect you to have already mastered the Dark Sword."
The Dark Sword referred to a swordsmanship technique that used sound and vibration.
This type of swordsmanship was not only was it fast, but it could also attack a wide area.
Although it had the disadvantage ofcking destructive power, it was not a swordsmanship technique to be taken lightly.
"You''re really amazing. Most knights couldn''t withstand the vibration and died a very ugly death. I didn''t expect you to react so quickly."
Theta added with a faint smile on her lips.
"I''ve been looking forward to meeting with you. I wanted to cross swords with you as a fellow swordsman. Please show me your swordsmanship..."
"You are daydreaming."
Damien said bluntly.
"How long are you going to pretend to be a knight when you are filthy undead? Stop imitating swordsmanship with your Dark Sword or whatever and fight as an undead. Wouldn''t that be much stronger?"
Theta''s expression hardened. She red at Damien with anger.
"My true form is not something that can be seen easily. Even by you."
"Then I''ll have to force it out."
"That will be impossible."
Without a signal, the two of them jumped towards each other simultaneously.
The two swords shed, creating sparks and quakes throughout the area.
Every time he blocked Theta''s sword, Damien felt the vibration seep into his body.
Damien stepped and simultaneously transferred the vibration to the ground.
"Are you really going to keep using that method? I think you should find another way to deal with it."
Theta said mockingly.
As she said, Damien''s current countermeasure couldn''t be said to be very good.
This was because there was a limit to the amount of vibration that could be eliminated by stomping on the ground.
If he continued like this, the vibration would continue to build up and his body would copse.
"Can''t you hear me? Or is this the extent of your skill...?"
Damien struck Theta''s sword with Dawn.
At the same time, he released all the vibrations that had built up in his body.
The released vibration concentrated on Theta''s body. Theta was pushed back by the shock.
"Cough."
Theta spat out a mouthful of blood. She had suffered internal injuries from the vibrations concentrated in her body.
A swordsman wielding the Dark Sword had been injured by their own technique.
Theta looked at Damien with an unbelievable expression.
"Hahaha! What happened? Are you hurt for 1st time?" Damien said with a displeased expression.
The reason Damien had continued to block Theta''s sword was to get used to the vibration. That way, he could use it against her.
When the time was right, Damien returned all the umted vibrations to Theta.
"...You''re more surprising the more I see you."
Theta was no longer spitting blood. As an undead, she could recover from such an injury instantly.
"But don''t think you''ve won just because of this. I still have more to show you."
Theta ran her palm along the de. The de howled and emitted a sword energy.
Each time Theta touched the de with her finger, the sword energy grewrger.
And when the sword energy reached its peak, Theta swung her sword at Damien.
A tearing sound exploded like a bomb. Damien immediately got out of the way.
At the same time, countless sword marks were engraved on the ground where Damien had been standing.
Ground was shed by sword shes carried by the sound.
''So she''s already perfected the Dark Sword to this extent.''
Theta had used the Dark Sword in her previous life as well. But in her current life, Theta''s growth rate was much faster. Even Damien couldn''t understand the reason.
"Don''t be careless. There''s more toe!"
Theta swung her sword again. Sword shes poured out along the sword energy.
Just before that, Damien tapped Dawn with his finger.
Wooooong.
Dawn trembled and emitted a sword energy. A clear sound spread in all directions.
"Dawn, cry as much as you want."
Damien pressed down on Dawn''s de with his thumb.
Dawn''s sword energy amplified in an instant. At the same time, all the sword shes that Theta had sent out shattered.
Theta''s eyes widened at the sight.
"The Dark Sword? That can''t be. I''ve never heard that you use the Dark Sword..."
"You wouldn''t know because I haven''t used it often."
In his previous life, Damien had fought against a swordsman called a Sword Musician.
The Sword Musician wasn''t a very powerful Master. But he was a man who understood the characteristics of the Dark Sword better than anyone else.
Damien had won the fight against the Sword Musician and had absorbed all of his skills and realm.
Damien tapped Dawn with his finger. Dawn vibrated and emitted a sword energy.
"I don''t suppose you''re thinking of fighting me with the Dark Sword?"
"It''s not impossible."
Even without using the Dark Sword, Damien was confident he could kill Theta. In fact, it was easier without it.
The reason Damien had resorted to using the Dark Sword was because of Theta''s provocation.
The Four Great Demon Kings were born by imitating Damien''s soul.
All the talents they possessed originated from Damien. Of course,pared to Damien, they were nothing more than crumbs.
The problem was that such a crude imitation dared to provoke Damien. It was an insult that Damien couldn''t bear.
"...No matter who you are, you can''t beat me with the Dark Sword."
"You''ll only know when we try."
Under Damien''s provocation, Theta unleashed her dark mana.
An overwhelming amount of dark magic spread out in all directions and overwhelmed Damien.
"Alright, let''s see how it goes!"
***
The biggest advantage of the Dark Sword was its overwhelming quantity.
With just one swing of the sword, dozens of des could be created.
Most enemies lost their lives overwhelmed by the quantity of the Dark Sword.
''But... it should be...!''
As Theta swung her long sword, sound des spread out. It looked like a had been scattered.
Damien also swung Dawn in the same way. And just as many sound des poured out.
This led to the collision of sound des, resulting in a canction of each other''s effects.
''He is really strong but not to the extent that he could kill me.''
The power granted to Theta by Dorugo was ''sound''.
Thanks to this, Theta was able to master the Dark Sword faster than anyone else and reach the level of a Master ss.
Theta was confident. She said to herself that no one in this world could wield the Dark Sword better than she could.
...Until today.
"You''re not very good at using the sound."
Damien mocked Theta.
Theta bit her lip involuntarily. She couldn''t deny those words.
''I''ll win! I''ll definitely beat him with my sword!''
The day she first saw Damien Haxen.
Theta was overwhelmed by one emotion.
She didn''t know exactly what that emotion was. However, a strong desire to fight Damien consumed her heart.
"I''ll definitely win!"
Theta ran her palm along her long sword. The long sword vibrated like a tong.
It wasn''t just her long sword that started to vibrate.
All the surrounding air began to vibrate. She could feel the air shaking on her skin.
This was the realm she had mastered. ''Resonance''.
It vibrates everything around it simultaneously, causing destruction, breakage, and copse.
"Oh?"
Looking at the vibrating world, Damien said with interest.
"This is kind of fun."
Theta felt anger at Damien''s attitude of considering her own realm as "kind of fun."
First, she would erase that smile.
Theta swung her Dark Sword. The whole world vibrated even more violently.
The ground cracked, and trees shattered. The vibration eventually reached Damien.
''I won!''
Even Damien couldn''t withstand the resonance.
Just as Theta was certain of her victory.
Damien lightly tapped the ground with his sword. A wave spread out from that spot.
As the wave swallowed the world, all the vibrations created by Theta were erased.
"What?"
Damien''s wave swallowed Theta in the moment she was startled.
At that moment, the world became silent.
''What kind of technique is this?''
Theta opened her mouth. But no sound came out.
''Huh? Huh?''
She spoke again, but the result was the same. Only then did Theta realize. This space was inplete silence.
''I''ll just tear this thing apart!''
Theta ran her de. But the de only vibrated unable to produce any sound.
"You look surprised."
Theta looked around at Damien in shock.
In this silent space, Damien''s voice was heard so clearly.
"It''s called the White Realm. It''s a realm used by a Master who used the Dark Sword just like you."
Theta gaped. As usual, no sound came out.
"This space can absorb all sound. Or something like this is also possible."
As Damien pointed at Theta, a noise sounded in thepletely silent space as if by magic.
A noise so loud it hurt her head poured down on Theta.
''It''s so noisy! I''m going crazy from the noise...!''
But Theta''s voice was still inaudible.
Damien snapped his fingers. And the noise pouring down on Theta amplified.
And the moment it crossed the threshold, Theta''s whole body was torn to shreds.
***
Damien deactivated the White Realm and approached Theta.
"Gasp... Gasp... Gasp..."
Thetay on the ground. Her body was covered in blood. She looked as if her entire body had been torn apart.
"Why are you just lying there?"
But Damien wasn''t fooled by that appearance. The woman in front of him was not human but an undead.
"Bring out your true body. Use the true power you possess."
The Four Great Demon Kings could only exert their true power when they brought out their true bodies.
"I... today... as a swordsman... I stood before you..."
"So you''re saying you''re going to die like this?"
Theta nodded weakly. Damien looked at her with an incredulous expression.
"Are you trying to get my sympathy? It''s useless. I have no intention of sparing you."
Damien raised Dawn high. Dawn reflected the sunlight and emitted a blinding light.
Theta looked at Damien with a dazed expression. Soon, Theta closed her eyes quietly.
Damien couldn''t help but be surprised by the look on her face, as if she was epting death.
At that moment, a fireball fell from the sky.
Damien stepped back. The fireball that fell from the skypletely melted the ground with an explosion.
"Theta!"
A man with bat wings descended from the sky.
It was Iota, one of the Four Great Demon Kings.
"hat, what on earth happened? Why, why are you so badly injured?"
"Iota? How did you get here...?"
Iota helped Theta up and spoke urgently.
"Don''t, don''t worry! I, I''m here! Let''s kill Damien Haksen together! Mother also said so! He said not to capture Damien Haksen alive but to kill him immediately!"
"I didn''t expect an ambush."
Damien said with a smile on his face. At those words, Theta raised her head.
"No, it''s not... I..."
"Was the reason you didn''t bring out your true body to make me careless? You''ve got quite a head for it."
At that moment, a violent emotion red in Theta''s eyes.
"Theta! There''s no need to listen anymore! Let''s kill that guy right away..."
Suddenly, blood spurted out.
Iota looked down at his abdomen with a surprised expression.
Theta''s de had pierced through Iota''s back and protruded from his abdomen.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 293
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 293: Theta (2)
***
A hand that had pierced Iota¡¯s body was abruptly withdrawn.
Iota pressed a hand to the wound on his abdomen. Despite this, crimson blood gushed out between his fingers.
¡°Theta¡ what the Inferno are you doing¡?¡± Iota''s face was filled with disbelief. Theta¡¯s expression twisted in anger.
¡°Why did you interfere with my battle? I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for so long! You¡¯ve ruined everything!¡±
Her once wless beauty was now taken over by a nightmarish visage.
¡°Theta! I saved you! Why are you angry with me? The one you need to be angry at is Damien Haksen, not me! ¡±
Iota¡¯s eyes turned red with rage. But Theta ignored his words.
¡°Who asked you to save me? I don¡¯t want to hear it anymore, so get lost! Or I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡±
¡°Theta! We are siblings bound by our souls! How can you say such things to me!¡±
Their dark mana and killing intent rose as their emotions intensified.
¡°Ugh, Uaaa! The Demon Kings are shing!¡±
¡°R-run away! Or we¡¯ll be caught in the crossfire!¡±
The dark mages and dark knights inside the fortress recoiled in terror.
Then, a massive pressure surged from a different ce.
This sudden pressure obliterated the killing intent and dark mana of the two undead.
Theta and Iota were caught off guard and hurriedly turned their gazes towards the source. There, they saw Damien emanating immense power.
¡°You dare look away from me? You worthless creatures have truly lost your minds.¡±
Damien''s displeasure was evident.
His killing intent grew stronger, so intense that nearby dark mages and dark knights fainted.
Iota red at Damien and furrowed his brows.
¡°Damien Haksen, I¡¯ve been waiting to see you again. The ce where you hit me has been aching ever since.¡±
Iota drew upon the power of the dragon. Muscles bulged beneath his thin frame.
¡°This is my chance for revenge! I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡±
Iota lunged towards Damien.
Suddenly, Iota was thrown backward by something.
He crashed into the ground with a force that tore through the air.
¡°Cough!¡±
The impact had been severe causing Iota to cough up blood.
¡°Iota, I told you not to interfere.¡±
Theta said coldly.
A massive tail swayed behind her,rge enough to wrap around the fortress.
The thing that had just struck Iota was that tail.
"Theta! Are you crazy? Or do you really want to fight me?"
"Why not? But not now. There''s something more urgent. Shut up."
Theta turned to Damien and knelt on one knee.
"Theta! What are you doing? Kneeling to a human other than Mother!"
Iota was bewildered but Theta didn''t even answer.
"Damien Haksen, I apologize. But please understand this. I truly wanted to die by your hand."
"Good. Then give me your head now."
"Originally, that was my intention. But an interruption ruined everything. Ending it like this isn''t what I want."
"What, did you change your mind? You have no principles."
Damien mocked Theta leading her to quietly bite her lip.
Theta looked up at Damien. Her eyes didn''t show eptance of death.
"Let''s settle our fateter."
"Who says? I have no intention of letting you two go."
"Damien Haksen, I understand your power is immense."
Theta lowered her eyes slightly and added.
"But if the two of us bring out our ''main bodies'', you''ll be in trouble. So please retreat for now..."
"Hahaha."
Suddenly, Damien burst outughing.
Damien''sughter cut off Theta''s words. Theta looked at Damien with a questioning expression.
Then suddenly, theughter stopped. Damien stared at Theta with burning eyes.
"Now I see you were looking down on me."
"That wasn''t my intention..."
"What do you mean? Your words mean that if you bring out your main bodies, you can easily kill someone like me, right?"
To be pitied by a mere imitation.
I never imagined I would hear such a boring joke in my life.
"So, you were nning to die peacefully when you brought out your main bodies and could kill me? I didn''t know you had such a noble heart."
"No, that''s not what I meant..."
Suddenly, Damien swung the Dawn. A sh of light appeared and a single sh cut Theta''s ear.
Blood flowed from her slightly split ear. Theta stared at her ear in surprise.
She couldn''t see.
She couldn''t see Damien swinging his sword or the flying sh.
What if the sh had aimed for her neck? Or her eyes?
"So there are still people in this world who look down on me."
Damien''s lips twisted in mockery. Soon chilling killing intent started to emanate from his body.
The moment they were exposed to the killing intent, Theta and Iota instinctively took a fighting stance.
Their bodies moved before their minds could react.
"I''ll cut off your heads right now and correct your delusional selfs."
Just as Damien was about to rush at the two undead,
A tremendous roar erupted from the central pit of the fortress.
At the same moment, a surge of dark energy erupted from the pit. It was as if a colossal waterfall were flowing in reverse.
Damien and Theta, along with Iota quilcky turned to look at the pit in astonishment.
¡°No way. The magic circle is malfunctioning. Mother¡¯s magic circle was supposed to be perfect.¡±
Theta muttered in disbelief. Damien frowned at her words.
Just as he was about to demand an exnation.
¡°Cough...!¡±
¡°Ahh...!¡±
Screams erupted from behind them.
The elves Damien had brought with him were clutching their throats in agony.
While the dark mages and dark knights were unharmed only the elves were suffering.
¡°I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t breathe...!¡±
¡°The spirits... the spirits are leaving...!¡±
The elves copsed to the ground and their cries filled the air.
Damien hesitated at the sight of the suffering elves.
If he continued fighting Theta and Iota, the elves would die. But if he saved the elves, he would lose Theta and Iota.
Theta quickly read Damien''s hesitation.
"Iota, open the door."
"Theta! Why are you trying to escape? We should finish him with our own hands..."
Theta pointed her longsword at Iota''s neck and repeated.
"Open it."
Iota immediately shut his mouth and did as Theta said and opened the dimensional portal.
Even seeing the portal, Damien couldn''t pursue them. It was because of the elves.
"Damien Haksen, I¡¯ll be going now."
Before the portal closed, Theta spoke to Damien.
"I look forward to seeing you again."
With those words, the portal closed. Damien sighed and rushed to the elves.
"Hold on a little longer, everyone!"
To save the elves, he had to seal the energy pouring out of the pit.
Damien jumped into the pit. No matter how deep he fell, he couldn¡¯t see the bottom.
As he descended deeper, the energy grew stronger. Finally, Damiennded on the bottom.
Uponnding, Damien looked around. Despite theck of light, it wasn¡¯t a problem.
Master ss¡¯s heightened senses allowed him to see even in the dark.
"A magic circle?"
Arge magic circle was drawn on the floor. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary one. It was made by drawing lines and pouring molten metal over them.
Severalrge ss tubes were ced around the perimeter of the magic circle. Unfortunately, they were empty, so he couldn¡¯t tell what had been inside.
"That''s..."
Damien looked at the center of the magic circle. There was a giant root.
The root had already burst through the wall and was embedded deep into the floor. The magic circle was drawn around it as its epicenter.
Damien instantly recognized the root.
It was a root of the World Tree, the central life force of Alfheim.
"What were they trying to do to the World Tree''s root?"
Damien examined the magic circle more closely and finally understood its purpose.
"...They were trying to infuse something into the root."
What were they trying to infuse? And why the World Tree''s root of all things?
Questions flooded his mind but he had no time to ponder.
Dark energy was still pouring out of the magic circle.
To save the elves, he had to stop this.
"I have to destroy the magic circle."
Damien raised the Dawn high. In that moment, his hand glowed.
"Huh?"
The energy emitted by the magic circle was being absorbed by the symbol on his hand.
He felt the authorities'' powers grow stronger as he absorbed the energy and even new authority started to show signs of awakening.
There was only one kind of energy that could strengthen the authorities and could awaken them.
"...Demonic power? Where did they get so much of it?"
It was nearly impossible to obtain such a vast amount of Demonic power anywhere but Inferno.
"Dorugo, what in the world are you up to?"
As Damien muttered with a hardened expression, a new symbol on his hand began to glow.
A new authority had been awakened after absorbing a great deal of Demonic power.
Pride.
It was the authority to manipte space.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 294
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 294: Theta (3)
***
The dimensional portal led Theta and Iota to a vast cavern.
Theta started to walk deeper into the cave, but Iota quickly grabbed her wrist.
"Theta! Where do you think you''re going? I need an exnation!"
"An exnation? For what?"
"Mothermanded us to capture or kill Damien Haksen at all costs! Yet, you just let him go! If Mother finds out, you''ll face a terrible punishment!"
Theta shook off Iota''s hand and said.
"Then say it."
"What?"
"I don''t care if you tell Mother or not."
"Are you counting on Mother''s mercy? Even Mother won''t be able to turn a blind eye to this..."
"Do whatever you want. Now, stop bothering me. I need to review the battle with Damien Haksen."
Theta continued walking into the cave. Iota watched her back silently.
"...Damn it, it''s not like I would report you to the others. Not you."
Iota sighed and a troubled expression on his face.
"Theta, why are you so obsessed with that guy? You''ve never shown me..."
Crackle!!
Iota gnashed his teeth unconsciously.
"Damien Haksen, this is all your fault. You''re seducing Theta."
He touched one side of his face.
Whenever he thought of Damien Haksen, the pain he''d endured that day returned.
"...Damien Haksen, I''ll kill you."
Iota muttered in a murderous tone and disappeared into the darkness.
***
If Damien had been asked to name the most useful authority he''d possessed in his previous life, he would have answered without hesitation that it was the Authority of Pride.
The Authority of Pride allowed him to manipte space. He could distort space to deflect attacks or leap great distances.
In his past life, Damien had traveled across the continent using this power.
Of course, it wasn''t his own decision. At that time, Damien was Dorugo''s ve.
Whenever Dorugo needed to travel, he would always give Damien an order.
"What an unusual authority has awoken."
Damien couldn''t be happy about the awakening of his Authority of Pride but it was too tough to use.
"Unless you have the correct coordinates of ce, you can''t use it."
In his previous life, Damien had only manifested the Authority of Pride when Dorugo had prepared everything. So, he didn''t know how to use the Authority of Pride yet.
"I need to practice a bit."
Damien examined the magic circle. Fortunately, the Demonic power was no longer flowing back from the magic circle.
"Oh my most handsome, elegant and powerful lord! We were so worried about you!"
Bantadi rushed over immediately. Damien ignored him and turned to check on the elves.
It was fortunate that the elves were lying on the ground, looking much more rxed.
"Where did the dark mages and dark knights guarding the fortress go?"
"They all fled! They must have been terrified after seeing the battle between you and the Demon Kings!"
"They should have been swept away as coteral damage. What a shame."
Damien said regretfully. Suddenly, Bantadi tried to slit his own throat with his longsword.
"What are you doing?"
"I failed to anticipate your deep intentions and let them go! I will atone for this sin with death!"
"Stop acting and go rescue the elves trapped in the prison."
"You are so kind to forgive me for being such a worthless person. As expected, my tall, mighty, handsome, confident, smart, brave, extraordinary, unparalleled, unique, surpasses all those behind and after, wise, bold, aplished, elegant, handsome, loved by all, talented, great schr, heaven-shaking swordsman and amiable master is not only noble but also kind-hearted!"
"Just shut up and get going, will you?"
Bantadi immediately led his subordinates to the prison.
Damien looked at Bantadi with a disgusted expression.
''I should just kill him right after using the Authority of Lust next time.''
Just as Damien was making up his mind,
"Ugh... Huff... Huff..."
One of the elves struggled to get up. It was the elf woman who had asked Damien to save herpanions.
"You look exhausted. Why don''t you rest a little more?"
"Resting... I can do that anytime, even after death..."
Damien tilted his head at the elf woman''s words. It was a line he had heard somewhere before.
"But... there''s something I need to do first..."
The elf woman forced herself to stand up. Then, she knelt on one knee with her fist to her chest.
"Thank you for saving us... and our people."
"Do you believe I''m on your side now?"
Damien asked with a smirk. But the elf woman shook her head.
"Not entirely."
"...Are you joking with me?"
"I can''tpletely trust you. But... I will believe that you are an enemy of Pandemonium."
Damien had not only attacked the fortress of Pandemonium but had also drawn his sword against their greatest forces, the Four Great Demon Kings.
No matter how racist the elves were, they had no choice but to respect Damien in this situation.
"Damien Haksen, I would like to invite you to Alfheim. My great-grandmother would wee you too."
"...Great-grandmother?"
Damien doubted his ears for a moment.
A great-grandmother would be a grandmother''s grandmother. No matter how long elves lived, it didn''t make sense for a great-grandmother to still be alive.
"You doubt my words. But if you hear the name of my great-grandmother, you will understand."
"Who is it that you''re so hesitant to tell me?"
"You humans call my great-grandmother Milene."
Hearing those words, Damien was left inplete shock.
Milene of the Dreaming me.
A member of the Salvation Squad and a hero of the past.
Damien had met an avatar of Milene at the harbor and had been told how to reach Alfheim.
"Wait, you''re saying you''re Milene''s great-granddaughter...?"
Damien knew that there was only one person alive who could be a descendant of Milene.
"What''s your name?"
"You ask quickly. My name is Sincia."
The name Sincia left Damien speechless.
There was only one elf who was Milene''s great-granddaughter and named Sincia.
The queen of Alfheim, who had fought against Dorugo to the bitter end in her past life and died a horrible death.
She was standing right in front of him.
***
Sincia was the first elf in history to contract with two spirit kings.
The power that a single spirit king could wield far surpassed natural disasters.
Sincia could summon two such spirit kings. It goes without saying how powerful she was.
She was the biggest obstacle when Dorugo invaded Alfheim.
The undead that Dorugo had prepared were all destroyed by the spirit kings. The dark mages and dark knights were also unable to perform properly.
-Damien! Kill her! I told you to kill that damn bitch!
As the battle dragged on, the damage increased. Dorugo''s hatred grew ordingly.
After a long battle, Damien managed to annihte the spirit kings and subdue Sincia.
-I won''t let you die easily!
Dorugon ordered Damien to cut off all of Sincia''s limbs.
Then, in front of all the elves, he pulled out her heart and killed her.
Her body was covered in blood as she died a horrible death.
"...You''re Sincia?"
Damien looked at Sincia suspiciously.
In fact, Damien didn''t remember Sincia''s face clearly. The Sincia he had seen in his past life had severe burns on her face.
But the Sincia that Damien knew could easily conquer a fortress like this.
However, he didn''t feel any such power from this elf woman.
"I guess you don''t believe me. Well, my great-grandmother was such an amazing person, so I understand."
Sincia took Damien''s doubt in a different direction.
"You don''t have to believe me right now. When you go to Alfheim, your misunderstanding will be cleared up."
"That''s right. Then guide me there right away."
Although he didn''t show it, Damien was in a hurry.
He had a lot to ask Milene. He had to meet the Imperial Supreme Sword, he had to protect the elves from Pandemonium, and above all, he had to kill Dorugo.
"I would like to, but... there''s actually one problem."
"Problem?"
Damien could only look puzzled.
If she was Milene''s great-granddaughter, she should be able to bring Damien to Alfheim. What kind of problem could there be?
As Damien and Sincia traveled together, he learned the reason behind her problem.
"Kill them! There are elves inside!"
"Undead ogres, where are they? Ram the gate immediately!"
Alfheim''s royal pce was under siege by an undead army.
The undead army raised by Pandemonium was enormous.
Tens of thousands of undead densely surrounded the royal castle.
Damien looked at Sincia. She avoided his gaze.
"So this is the problem you were talking about?"
"...Yes. To enter Alfheim, we must break through Pandemonium''s army."
Only then did Damien understand why Sincia had tried to rescue the elves alone.
Alfheim was unable to send reinforcements because it was busy fending off Pandemonium''s invasion.
"You''re a descendant of Milene, yet why were you here instead of in the royal pce?"
"Well, it''s a long story to exin here."
Damien red at Sincia with dissatisfaction. It was ridiculous, but it wasn''t the time to listen to her story.
"It''s a bit troublesome, but... it''s not a big problem. There a way to get into pce without going through that army."
"Avoiding it? What are you saying?"
Damien pointed to the main gate with his sword.
"I''m an invited guest. So, I should enter the gate properly."
Sincia turned her gaze to the main gate.
To get to the gate from here, they would have to break through the undead army that filled the field.
"...Are you serious?"
Sincia asked with a stiff face. Instead of answering her, Damien ordered Bantadi.
"Bantadi. From now on, you protect the elves and follow me."
"Yes, I will protect them with my life!"
"Good, make sure you do. Your lives don''t matter, but the lives of the elves are..."
"Oh... Thank you for your advice, My lord ...! I will definitely carry out this order..."
Damien ignored him again and charged towards the undead army.
***
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Chapter 295
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[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 295: Obstacles (1)
***
The first to notice the uninvited guests was Narita, the Giant Evill of Pandemonium.
As a necromancer of the Necromancy Sect, she possessed an exceptional ability to control the undeads.
Her skill was so recognized that she was givenmand of the undead army by Dorugo.
"Don''t just attack the walls! Shell the top of the wall! Kill all the archers!"
She spotted a group of people emerging from the forest as she flew through the sky controlling the undead with dark magic.
"Where did those guyse from?"
A rather handsome man was leading the way, followed by elves and humans.
Strangely, the humans were surrounding the elves, as if they were protecting them.
"Humans? Why are there humans here?"
Narita stared at them with a dumbfounded expression.
The only humans in Alfheim were the dark mages and knights belonging to Pandemonium.
If they belonged to Pandemonium, they should be capturing the elves. Yet, they were protecting them.
"I have to capture them and interrogate them."
Narita gave an order to the undead at the back of her troops. The undead turned around.
"Capture them. It''s okay if half of them die."
The undead, towering like houses, roared in response to Narita''smand.
Their roars were as massive as their bodies. The entire field resounded from their roars.
"Judging by their movements, they must be confident in their abilities."
Narita muttered, looking at the man at the front.
"But what a pity, my darlings are no ordinary creatures."
As she said, the undeads that filled the field were no ordinary beings.
They were created from the corpses of monsters that Dorugo, the master of all dark mages, had collected over nearly a thousand years.
They were of various kinds, from extinct species to mutants. What they had inmon was that they were all terrifying monsters when they were alive.
He had resurrected them as undead and enhanced them with dark magic.
With such a force, even a Master ss...
"...Light?"
Light emanated from the sword that the man was holding.
The moment she saw the light, Narita felt an instinctive aversion.
It wasn''t ordinary light. It was light made of divine power.
"A pdin? No, it feels different from those hypocrites."
While Narita was confused, the man swung his sword.
With a sh of light, a giant aurade cut across the entire field.
The densely packed undead were all cut in half.
"..."
Narita opened her mouth unconsciously.
Tens of thousands of undead had been annihted by that single attack.
Even though Narita had lived for over a century, she had never witnessed anything like this before.
"Follow me, everyone."
The manmanded the elves and humans behind him. He walked towards the gate, stepping over the corpses of the undeads.
The moment Narita saw this, she instinctively felt the need to stop them.
If a knight as powerful as him joined the elves, the tide of the battle might turn in an unpredictable way.
"...Stop them! Kill them all!"
The field was still overflowing with undeads. They began to fill the empty space. Over ten thousand undeads tried to attack the intruders.
"He must be exhausted after using such a powerful attack. If we all attack him together..."
Just as Narita said that the man moved again.
Every time he swung his sword, the undead were cut to pieces.
Narita''s once-proud army was utterly destroyed, failing to even approach the man.
"What are you doing! Stop them! Hold them back!"
No matter how much Narita shouted, it was useless. The man and his group were getting closer and closer to the gate.
-What''s going on here?
Suddenly, a voice echoed in Narita''s ear. Someone had cast a telepathic spell.
Narita reflexively looked up at the sky. And there she saw a jellyfish-like undead floating in the air.
Six men stood on it, all exuding an overwhelming aura.
"Metrom..."
Metrom, the Head Splitter.
He was one of the most hated figures among the Giant Evils of Pandemonium. His personality was as nasty as his reputation.
Despite his personality, he was still alive because he was so skilled.
-You should have contacted me right away if something unusual happened. Why were you standing still?
"...I thought I could handle it myself."
Metrom sneered at her causing her to bite her lip unconsciously.
-Since I know how ipetent you are, retreat. I''ll deal with that guy.
Metrom and his subordinates jumped off the undead jellyfish. And they blocked the man''s path.
"Stop. You shall go no further."
Metrom spoke in a murderous tone.
"You seem confident in your abilities... but your confidence is misced. To think you would try to break through here alone."
Metrom held an axe in his hand.
"Right now, I will..."
"First Wheel."
As if pouring oil on a fire, the man''s aura intensified in an instant. Simultaneously, the man disappeared.
In an instant, Narita could only helplessly watch as the scene unfolded before her.
The head of the foremost subordinate was severed an an instant.
The upper and lower bodies of the subordinates behind him were separated.
The subordinate next to him was split diagonally in half.
The subordinates died faster than she could blink. They probably didn''t even realize they were dead.
"This..."
Only Metrom was able to respond to the man''s speed by swinging his axe horizontally in an attempt to sever the man''s waist.
The man swung his sword down to split Metrom''s body. The sword and the axe collided.
And the axe was cut in half.
The axe was cut smoothly as if a hot knife were cutting through tofu.
"This, this can''t be..."
The sword that had cut the axe also cut Metrom''s head and body in half.
Metrom, the Head Splitter, was killed by being split in half.
"..."
Narita could only tremble in fear.
Although Metrom''s personality was nasty, she couldn''t underestimate his skills. He was a man who had earned the position of Giant Evil with only an axe and had no teacher to guide him.
Yet, such a man had died without even being able tond a proper hit.
Moreover, he wasn''t defeated by skill. He was overwhelmed by the sheer power.
"I-I have to run. If I stay here, I..."
At that moment, Narita met the man''s eyes. She felt her heart harden in fear of death.
"Ah, ah... Ughh..."
The man swung his sword. A sh of light released from the sword and severed the Narita''s neck.
Her head and body separated and fell to the ground.
***
With the death of the dark mage in the sky, the undead began to rampage out of control.
Thanks to this, Damien no longer needed to waste his strength.
"Why are you all just standing there? Move."
Elves, who had been staring nkly at his performance, hurriedly followed him.
However, Damien had to stop before he could go far.
A sudden burst of mes erupted right in front of him.
The rising mes formed a wall, blocking Damien and hispanions.
It wasn''t ordinary fire. The mes were so intense that they could melt iron instantly.
It was a type of me he had seen in his past life.
One of the pirs of Pandemonium.
, the Weapons Master, and the other pirs of Pandemonium.
It was the me used by the Lord of Eternal me.
"A big shot appeared at thest minute."
Damien said as if he was bored.
Then, someone descended gracefully from the sky.
The moment Damien saw the man''s face, he couldn''t believe his eyes.
In his past life, the Lord of Eternal me had always worn a mask. A smooth mask without any patterns.
But now, the Lord of Eternal me was not wearing any mask.
What was even more shocking was his face.
The face of the Lord of Eternal me, which Damien was seeing for the first time in both his past and present lives, was exactly the same as the face he knew.
"...The Imperial Supreme Sword?"
The Lord of Eternal me''s face was exactly the same as the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The only difference was his ears. Unlike the Imperial Supreme Sword, his ears were pointed and long like an elf''s.
"Damien, that man is not the Imperial Supreme Sword."
Sincia said urgently. She red at the Lord of Eternal me with a face full of hatred.
"That man is the Lord of Eternal me, a dark mage of Pandemonium!"
At Sincia''s shout, the Lord of Eternal me looked around and said,
"I came here because I felt something strange in the eastern army... and something incredible was happening."
The Lord of Eternal me snapped his fingers. A peacock made of fire appeared behind him.
As soon as the peacock appeared, all the moisture around it dried up. The weeds in the field turned yellow and crumbled.
It wasn''t an ordinary spirit. It was a high-level fire spirit.
"Sheshe, turn them into ashes."
The peacock''s tail spread out like a fan. mes erupted from the eye-like patterns.
A zing inferno engulfed Damien and hispanions. The field waspletely engulfed in mes.
The Lord of Eternal me stared at the mes with cold eyes. Soon, he frowned slightly.
"...What?"
The mes were gathering towards the center.
The speed increased, and all the mes emitted by the fire spirit were sucked in.
Then, he could clearly see it.
The elves and humans were standing unharmed.
And there was Damien, holding a ball of fire.
"...What did you do?"
The Lord of Eternal me asked with a hardened face.
Damien shook his hands and said,
"You wouldn''t understand even if I exined."
In his past life, there was a knight named the Knight of Red Lotus among the knights Damien had fought.
He was one of the Empire''s heroes during the War of Destruction and, as his nickname implies he was very proficient in wielding fire.
Damien had encountered him on a battlefield and had won after a two-day battle.
Damien could manipte fire thanks to the realm he had copied from the Knight of Red Lotus.
"Looks like you don''t like talking. Well, neither do I."
The Lord of Eternal me spread his arms. A giant magic circle appeared beneath his feet.
"You seem quite familiar with fire... but I wonder if you can get along with this me."
A massive me soared up from the magic circle.
Strangely, the me was pitch ck. And mixed with it was a blood-red color.
The dark red mes merged, forming a muscr male figure.
Nail-shaped gray stakes were embedded in various parts of the male''s body. The liquid was constantly flowing from the ces where the nails were embedded.
Sincia eximed in shock after witnessing such scene.
"Karma! You devil! What have you done to him!"
Karma.
It was a name Damien knew. It was one of the two Spirit Kings Sincia had contracted with in his past life.
The fire Spirit King.
He was a transcendent being known for his ability to burn the entire world.
"Karma, destroy them all."
The Lord of Eternal me pointed at Damien and the elves. But Karma just stood there.
"You''re not listening again."
The Lord of Eternal me stroked his bracelet. The nails embedded in Karma''s body burrowed into his flesh more deeply.
-Uwaaaaaaaaaa!
The fire Spirit King let out a painful scream. The Lord of Eternal me gave another order.
"I won''t say it twice. Kill them."
The fire Spirit King opened his mouth so wide that his skin tore, and mes erupted from it.
The pitch-ck mes that could burn the heavens descended upon them.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 296
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 296: Obstacles (2)
***
The Fire Spirit King''s mes swept through the area like a river of fire, generating such intense heat that birds in the sky were reduced to ash and fell to the ground.
Damien extended his hands and started to control the mes using the realm he had copied from the Knight of Red Lotus.
The mes that were racing across the field split apart. He made them flow to the left and right, avoiding Damien and hispanions.
Next, he absorbed the mes into his body.
He inhaled and exhaled, drawing the mes into every pore of his body. Damien continued to absorb the mes without stopping.
"Fire Hell Well."
It was the name of the realm that the Knight of Red Lotus had mastered.
He stored mes in his body and used them in battle.
Because of this realm, the Knight of Red Lotus was like a walking volcano. The battlefields where he appeared would instantly bends filled withva.
"...Not only can you control the Spirit King''s mes, but you can also absorb them?"
The Lord of Eternal me looked at Damien with an incredulous expression.
"You''re a dangerous fellow. I can''t let you live."
The Lord of Eternal me raised his fist. The Fire Spirit King closed its mouth. The mes that had been burning the field stopped.
"Karma. Increase the density of the fire. Prevent him from controlling or absorbing the mes."
Karma raised his hands. And mes erupted from the void.
Fire serpents emerged from within, intertwining with each other and soaring high into the sky.
"Let''s see how you deal with this."
The fire serpents that had soared high into the sky fell towards Damien. It was as if dozens of pirs of fire were falling.
Damien looked back and forth between the fire serpents and the elves.
''This is going to be a troublesome battle.''
He had to fight the Lord of Eternal me while protecting the elves.
Even for Damien, it was a difficult situation.
But there was no other choice. He couldn''t let the elves die.
The moment Damien made up his mind, the fire serpents attacked him.
As the Lord of Eternal me had said, he couldn''t control them like before. Damien immediately cut the fire serpent with Dawn.
The serpent''s long body split open and mes poured out. Because it had lost its center of gravity, Damien could control these mes.
Damien immediately absorbed the mes using Fire Hell Well. It was to prevent the elves from getting hurt.
The fire serpents continued to attack Damien. Damien cut them down with Dawn as they approached.
"It seems you can''t move properly because you''re busy protecting the elves. How about this?"
The Lord of Eternal me gestured. And fire serpents appeared behind the elves.
"The so-called pir of Pandemonium is resorting to such a cowardly tactic."
Damien scoffed and the Lord of Eternal me chuckled in response.
"I can show such cruelty as a pir of Pandemonium, can''t I?"
The Lord of Eternal me dismissed Damien''s taunt casually andmanded.
"Karma, burn them."
The fire serpents lunged towards the elves, causing the elves to scream and shield their faces with their arms.
Damien took a deep breath and drew on his internal mana.
"Second Wheel."
Two wheels formed within Damien''s body. At that moment, a piercing blue light emanated from both of his eyes.
He gripped the hilt of Dawn with both hands, twisted his waist, and swung it with all his might.
The aurade spread out like ripples in water. The fire serpents that were about to engulf the elves were all cut down. Massive mes erupted from them and burnt the entire field.
"..."
The Lord of Eternal me stared at Damien with a dumbfounded expression.
A Spirit King was the pinnacle of spirits, a transcendent being whose very existence was akin to a disaster.
How could such a transcendent being''s technique be so easily countered?
He couldn''t believe what he was seeing, even though he was witnessing it with his own eyes.
"Hey."
At that moment, Damien spoke. The Lord of Eternal me finally snapped out of his shock.
"Even a piece of trash like you should have some manners. Targeting those people was too cowardly."
Though his tone was calm, the Lord of Eternal me could sense it.
The man in front of him was quite angry.
"I''ll end your life right now so you can''t pull any more tricks."
The mes that had been burning the field began to be absorbed into Damien''s body.
But the range and speed were unusual. All the mes in the entire field were instantly sucked in.
The Lord of Eternal me doubted his own eyes for a moment.
The range and speed at which he was controlling the mes had increased significantlypared to before.
"...Are you telling me you were hiding your strength?"
"I have to do some practice."
At those words, the Lord of Eternal me frowned.
Practice? What does that mean? Does that mean he''s grown stronger in the middle of battle?
"You''re quite a talker. To think you could confuse me like this. You¡¯re courting death"
"Think whatever you want."
With those words, Damien released the absorbed mes.
The mes he had absorbed using Fire Hell Well could be used in various ways besides simply being released.
The mes and mana intertwined, making the fire more fierce and even stronger. The aura emanating from Damien intensified.
"So you haven''t shown your full potential yet?"
The Lord of Eternal me chuckled briefly.
¡°Excellent. I was looking for someone to push Karma to his limits.¡±
The Lord of Eternal me gave another order. Karma immediately conjured mes.
Crimson mes engulfed the ground where the Lord of Eternal me stood.
"Let''s see who is more beloved by the mes, you or I!"
The Lord of Eternal me shouted with excitement.
"Well, Well, Well, What do we have here?"
At that moment, a strange voice echoed.
Both the Lord of Eternal me and Damien looked at the center of the field in surprise.
There, a man was already standing.
Pale skin, blood-red eyes.
The moment he saw the man''s face, the Lord of Eternal me shouted in rage.
"...Eos!"
The Imperial Supreme Sword.
Humanity''s strongest warrior waved to the Lord of Eternal me.
"Leo, you''ve got a pretty cool hairstyle."
***
"...You still have that habit of spouting nonsense."
The Lord of Eternal me''s voice was filled with hatred.
Damien looked back and forth between the Lord of Eternal me and the Imperial Supreme Sword.
When he looked at them like this, he could clearly see it. Their faces were identical, as if they were carved out from the same stone.
"The color of your hair is different. Did you dye it?"
"Shut up."
The Imperial Supreme Sword shrugged and turned to Damien.
"Damien, I didn''t expect to see you here.
"...It''s been a long time."
"By the way, you don''t need an umbre today. It''s going to be sunny for a while. I just have a feeling."
He continued to spout nonsense.
Damien looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword with an incredulous expression.
He knew this guy was like this, but he still couldn''t get used to it.
"You found Alfheim. Did you get seasick?"
"We can talk about thatter. Deal with that guy over there first. He looks like he''s about to attack."
Damien pointed at the Lord of Eternal me. As Damien had said, a murderous aura was constantly emanating from the Lord of Eternal me.
"Leo, let''s retreat for now. It''s almost dinner time, isn''t it?"
The Lord of Eternal me nearly coughed a mouthful of blood after hearing that but somehow managed to control his temper and said.
¡°You talking about retreat? Are you scared?¡±
The Lord of Eternal me said with a smug expression. The Imperial Supreme Sword stared at the Fire Spirit King and asked.
"That must hurt, having those stakes in you."
"Answer my question!"
"Oh, right. Did you ask if I was scared? Not really."
The Imperial Supreme Sword pointed somewhere. Damien looked in that direction.
Then, a familiar energy was sensed. He could see the leader of Pandemonium standing far away.
She was exuding a fierce aura, as if she was about to pounce. The Imperial Supreme Sword waved at her.
"Leo, if you don''t retreat, you and I will have to fight."
"So what? We''re confident."
"You wouldn''t want that."
The Lord of Eternal me hesitated at those words.
"I have a feeling about this. You don''t want to fight me now. And I don''t want to fight you either. There are too many people here that I need to protect."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nced at the elves behind Damien.
"Decide. Will you retreat here? Or will we settle this?"
The Lord of Eternal me pondered for a moment. Then, he gritted his teeth and dispelled the summoning of the Spirit King.
"...Next time I see you, I''ll be sure to kill you."
"I understand. Oh, onest thing."
"What is it?"
"Eat less for dinner. That way, you''ll digest quickly and sleep well."
"I told you to stop talking nonsense!"
The Lord of Eternal me shouted angrily and turned into mes and disappeared.
The Imperial Supreme Sword stared at the spot where the Lord of Eternal me had disappeared for a long time.
Then he turned back to Damien.
"Damien, wee to Alfheim. You came at a tough times."
"You''re not going to ask how I found it?"
"Lady Milene already told me. She said you would visit."
That was probably why the Imperial Supreme Sword wasn''t surprised to see Damien.
"I have one question. Can you exin to me why your faces and the Lord of Eternal me''s are identical?"
"Were you curious? It''s nothing special."
The Imperial Supreme Sword said as if it were nothing.
"The Lord of Eternal me is my brother."
Damien doubted his ears.
"Your brother? But the Lord of Eternal me has pointed ears, while yours are round."
"We are both half-elves."
Damien was speechless.
"I inherited the human characteristics more strongly, while my brother inherited the elven characteristics."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 297
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 297: Obstacles (3)
***
"So, you''re going to retreat, are you?"
H muttered under her breath, eavesdropping on the conversation between the Imperial Supreme Sword and the Lord of Eternal me.
Despite the vast distance between them, she could hear their words with perfect rity. That was one of the benefits of being Grandmaster.
"With a hostage by his side, he will not fight. Eos still have a weak heart."
"Unfathomable. Why the weak heart? It''s not the behavior of the strong."
The man standing beside H spoke. His head was as round as a balloon. It was as if he were carrying a solid mass of muscle on his shoulders.
"Lambda, it''s no wonder you don''t understand. You were born perfect."
"Then what about that man? Imperfect?"
"Yes, Imperfect. He was born strong but has the heart of a weakling. But don''t underestimate him. Even I couldn''t surpass his skills."
Though H appeared youthful, she was much older than the Imperial Supreme Sword.
However, he quickly caught up to her skills and was now much stronger than her. Truly befitting the title of heavenly genius.
That was why H envied the Imperial Supreme Sword. At the same time, she felt a possessive desire.
She wanted to get her hands on his head and toy with it.
¡°I can''t wait to get my hands on that head.¡±
H muttered as she gazed at the Imperial Supreme Sword. Her eyes gleamed with greed.
Suddenly, a me erupted from the void, and a man emerged from it.
¡°You''re back, sweetheart.¡±
H greeted him warmly, but the Lord of Eternal me responded with displeasure.
"I told you to stop calling me that. I respect you as the head of Pandemonium, but I won''t tolerate that."
"My dear, were you upset? I''m sorry."
The Lord of Eternal me red at H with a terrifying expression. Then, he sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough. Dealing with you only gives me a headache."
"My Dear, you''re so wise. You did well to hold back earlier. If you had fought there, our ns would have been severely disrupted."
"ns, ns, ns! I''m sick of hearing it. Why are you so afraid of my elder brother? You''re both Grandmasters!"
At The Lord of Eternal me¡¯s question, H smiled and replied.
¡°My dear, the Imperial Supreme Sword is very powerful. Even I can''t fathom it. To capture such a monster, one must n thoroughly.¡±
¡°Are you intimidated by my brother?¡±
The Lord of Eternal mes said with a hint of sarcasm.
But H wasn''t particrly angry. She was too old to be offended by such childish provocations.
"My Dear, have you forgotten? This is Alfheim. If we fight the Imperial Supreme Sword here, the World Tree will do everything in its power to help him. Are you confident that you can defeat the World Tree''s blessing?¡±
At H''s question, the Lord of Eternal me fell silent.
As his head cooled, he realized how ridiculous he sounded.
"Let''s go back for now. That guy is calling for us."
"Don''t call him so casually."
"That''s up to me. Lambda, could you open the door?"
Lambda formed a triangle with both hands. A light emanating from the triangle created a rift in the dimension.
Among the Four Great Demon Kings created by Dorugo, only Lambda and Iota could move between dimensions.
Because of that, Lambda always had to be with H.
After all, H was Dorugo''s most powerful ally.
"Then let''s go in."
As the three of them passed through the dimensional portal, a vast and enormous cave appeared.
Inside the cave, countless dark mages were bustling.
They were carving magic circles into the stone floor with hammers and chisels.
The three of them headed towards the center of the magic circle. There, arge altar was ced.
On top of the altar, someone covered in a ck robe was overseeing the work.
"Dorugo, I''m here."
At H''s greeting, the person in the robe turned their gaze. Then, a skull-like head appeared.
"H, Leo... Where have you two been?"
"There was a small conflict. I almost ended up fighting the Imperial Supreme Sword."
At those words, Dorugo''s eyes flickered.
"The Imperial Supreme Sword? I''ve emphasized several times that it''s not the right time yet?"
"Don''t worry. We didn''t fight. Your n won''t be disrupted."
"H! Are you going to brush that off again? All I asked of you was to prevent any variables until the appointed day! And you couldn''t even keep that small condition?"
"Dorugo, you should think before you speak."
The smile disappeared from H''s face. The atmosphere changedpletely.
"Didn''t I tell you? I''m not yourckey. I''m only cooperating because I want something."
Her gentleness disappeared and a chilling killing intent swept through the air. The Lord of Eternal me standing beside her trembled in fear.
"You insolent woman! How dare you be so presumptuous!"
However, Dorugo was undeterred by H''s killing intent and spat out his anger.
"You''re the one who keeps breaking your promises! If you continue like this, I might have to cancel our contract!"
At Dorugo''s threat, H''s eyes narrowed. An ufortable silence followed.
"...I''ll be more careful from now on."
Surprisingly, it was H who backed down first. H withdrew her killing intent and suppressed her aura.
"I hope you keep that promise this time!"
"I''ll keep it in mind. So, is the n progressing well?"
In response to H''s question, Dorugo looked at the magic circle being drawn on the floor and said.
"Don''t worry needlessly. Everything is going smoothly. The demonic power has been absorbed into the roots of the World Tree in sufficient quantities. Once the magic circle to activate the power isplete, everything will be over."
H stood beside Dorugo and looked at the magic circle.
As a dark knight, she only had a basic understanding of dark magic.
Therefore, even looking at the magic circle, she couldn''t understand what it was or how it worked.
"But there was one thing she knew for certain.
That this magic circle would fulfill her long-held desire.
"The Imperial Supreme Sword... Finally, his head will be in my hands."
Just imagining it made her heart race. A smile crept up her face.
H stretched her lips wide. When Dorugo saw her, he made a disgusted face.
"You''re such a pervert. Don''t smile like that."
"Actually, I''ve always been curious about something."
"What is it?"
"While I''ve wanted the Imperial Supreme Sword''s head for a long time... why are you so obsessed with him?"
Dorugo summoned the demons, invaded Alfheim, and created thisrge-scale facility underground... it was all to kill the Imperial Supreme Sword.
H couldn''t understand why. Even though the Imperial Supreme Sword was the Empire''s most powerful force, why go to such lengths?
"...I don''t know."
"What do you mean?"
"You won''t understand even if I tell you. You won''t understand how I''ve been feelingtely."
Dorugo tapped his temple with his bony finger.
"Someone inside me is shouting. Saying that if we stay like this, it will be dangerous, that everything will go wrong. But I don''t know what to do."
H looked at Dorugo with an expression of iprehension.
Sometimes, dark mages suffered from nightmares and hallucinations.
But that usually happened when novice dark mages couldn''t withstand the resentment of their victims.
It was hard to believe that a dark mage of Dorugo''s level would be afflicted by such a trivial curse.
"...Anyway, I see that your desire to kill the Imperial Supreme Sword is genuine."
H stared at the magic circle for a while. Then, she suddenly remembered something she had forgotten.
"Damien Haksen is on this ind."
At those words, Dorugo reflexively turned his head.
"...Damien Haksen is here? How?"
"I don''t know about that either. I think he was bought by the Imperial Supreme Sword?"
Dorugo fell into thought. He rested his chin on his hand and repeated Damien''s name.
"Damien... Damien... Why does my heart race every time I hear that name? What is that guy¡¯s name... ugh."
Dorugo groaned and grabbed his head with both hands.
"My head... My head hurts... It hurts so much I''m going crazy... Damien... Damien Haksen... Who is that guy anyway..."
¡°You''re not mad because he keeps interrupting you?¡±
Dorugo paused and looked at H.
"Is¡?"
"You''ve been interrupted by him countless times, haven''t you? That unpleasant feeling doesn''t disappear easily."
¡°You have a point, that''s why his name is giving me headache so much.¡±
Dorugo removed his hands from his head. His expression was much more rxed as if his headache had disappeared.
"It seems your problem has been solved. Well then I shall be off.."
H said that and left.
"Your Highness, I will take my leave as well."
The Lord of Eternal me bowed to Dorugo and spoke. Dorugo asked him casually.
"Is the stake I gave you working well?"
"Perfectly. Thanks to it, I can now control the Spirit King like my own limbs."
The Lord of Eternal me smiled brightly and said. Dorugo smiled contentedly as well.
The stake embedded in the Spirit King''s body was made by Dorugo.
It was originally just a roughly conceived object, but he was able toplete it thanks to the asional inspiration.
"There are more of those stakes, we subjugate the other Spirit Kings."
"Leave it to me!"
"Good attitude. I''ll be counting on you."
The Lord of Eternal me thanked him repeatedly before leaving.
"Damien, Damien Haksen... Damien..."
Dorugo kept muttering Damien Haksen''s name even after the Lord of Eternal me left.
Mother, I''m back!
At that moment, a noisy voice was heard. Iota and Theta were approaching where Dorugo was.
"Why are you two away from your posts until now? I told you to always be on standby."
Dorugo said with an angry face. But Iota grinned and began to massage Dorugo''s shoulders.
"Mother, why are you so angry? We just went to look around the ind. And we also found some elves and had a snack."
Dorugo''s expression softened slightly at Iota''s massage. Dorugo said helplessly.
"...Next time, be sure to tell me where you''re going."
"I''ll keep that in mind!"
The Four Great Demon Kings were created using fragments of Dorugo''s soul.
In a way, the Four Great Demon Kings were like children to Dorugo.
Therefore, Dorugo could only be weak to the Four Great Demon Kings, unlike his other subordinates.
"Theta, you should also keep that in mind... Your clothes are different from this morning?"
Theta flinched at Dorugo''s question.
"...I changed because my clothes were torn during swordsmanship training."
"Is that so? Don''t obsess over it too much. That''s not your real strength."
"..."
"Why aren''t you answering?"
"No, I will follow your words, Mother."
Theta replied briefly.
Her two eyes were filled with a rebellious light.
***
"¡Did you just say ''half-elf''?"
Damien was so shocked that he instinctively asked for confirmation.
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien had frequently shed with the Imperial Supreme Sword. Because of this, he knew a lot about him.
But hearing that the Imperial Supreme Sword was a half-elf waspletely new to him. It was something he had never heard before.
"It''s understandable that you wouldn''t believe it. I didn¡¯t inherit many of the traits typical of an elf. At best, my vision is a bit sharper, my senses are a little keener, and I recover quickly in the forest."
"Those seem like pretty important traits to have inherited."
When knights talk about elves, those three traits are the ones they envy the most.
Compared to human swordsmen, elves have superior vision, sharper senses, and are practically invincible in the forest.
"You could see it that way. But I didn¡¯t inherit the most important trait."
"Are you talking about spirit magic?"
"You''ve guessed correctly."
For elves, spirits are an inseparable part of their lives.
They¡¯repanions in life, the most trustworthy friends and the most powerful weapons.
The ways in which spirits can be utilized are countless, even outside of battle.
"And that¡¯s true for my younger brother as well."
Now that he thought about it, the Lord of Eternal me had always been particrly obsessed with spirits.
In his past life, he even suffered a severe injury and lost half of his body while trying to forcibly subdue a spirit king.
It was likely that he was tormented by a sense of inferiority, unable to control spirits as a half-elf.
"Is that why, as a half-elf, you came to help Alfheim? And why is your brother in Pandemonium? Why does he harbor such hostility toward you?"
"That¡¯s¡"
He began to speak but then looked over at Alfheim.
"It¡¯s about time we head back."
"What? But before that, could you answer¡ª"
"We should hurry back. I have a bad feeling that something terrible will happen if we don¡¯t."
The Imperial Supreme Sword strode toward Alfheim without another word. Damien clicked his tongue briefly.
"Let¡¯s follow him."
Damien spoke to the elves. Then, Sincia turned to Damien and asked.
"What do you n to do with those humans?"
She gestured toward the dark Knights and dark mages, including Bantadi.
Damien pointed a finger at Bantadi.
¡°Bantadi.¡±
¡°Oh... Lord called my name! Now I can die without regrets!¡±
¡°Shut up. I¡¯m giving you an order. Stay around here and wait for further instructions.¡±
Even though he had arrived at the royal castle, his work wasn¡¯t finished.
He still needed to kill Dorugo and drive out Pandemonium.
These people would be quite useful in the fight against Pandemonium. It would be a waste to kill them now.
¡°We will follow your orders!¡±
Bantadi responded loudly. After hearing his response, Damien entered the royal castle of Alfheim with the elves.
¡°Damien Haksen, this way.¡±
Following the Imperial Supreme Sword, Damien headed toward the most important ce in Alfheim, the heart of the World Tree.
When they arrived, he saw a familiar face.
¡°Damien Haksen, we meet again.¡±
It was the elf he had met at the harbor.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 298
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 298: Attack n (1)
***
Milene''s condition didn''t look good.
She was a wrinkled old woman instead of the youthful apparition she had once been.
There was no vitality in her skin or eyes. She looked like a corpse that had been forcibly revived.
"Please forgive me for greeting you in such a state."
Milene was lying on a small bed and branches of the World Tree surrounded it.
Damien observed the tree''s trunk. Life force was flowing from the trunk and being absorbed by Milene.
"You''re connected to the World Tree. Were you perhaps a Guardian?"
"Yes, that''s right. I''ve been with this tree for a long time."
Milene replied and looked towards the World Tree with affection.
A Guardian was someone who connected the World Tree and the elves.
They conveyed the will of the World Tree to the elves and, in return, received a portion of the tree''s power.
Therefore, the throne of the elven kingdom was not passed down through bloodlines. The Guardian was recognized as the leader.
In other words, Milene was both the Guardian of the World Tree and the Queen of Alfheim.
"So that''s why you''ve been able to live so long."
"There was no suitable candidate, so I had no choice but to continue. But my time is almost up."
Milene said with a weak smile. Damien realized that her life was nearing its end.
''That''s why I didn''t see Milene in my previous life.''
Milene had probably passed away before the War of Destruction began.
The person who had seeded her as Guardian was probably Sincia.
In his previous life, Sincia had fought against Dorugo as the elven queen.
"I''d like to continue the conversation we started at the harbor."
Damien said, revealing the symbols on the back of his hand.
"You said these authorities could take me back in time. How is that possible? Do you know how? And who was the person who first discovered this fact?"
"You have many questions. I''m sorry, but I don''t know much. I haven''t studied the authorities you possess."
Milene looked at Damien''s hand and said.
"But what I can tell you is... the seven authorities you possess were originally one."
"One?"
"When used individually, they were less effective than when all seven werebined. ¡®She¡¯ demonstrated quite a few things."
After speaking for a while, Milene stopped to catch her breath.
After taking a few deep breaths, she continued.
"Opening long-distance dimensional gates or instantly. What was most astonishing was ''Restoration''."
"Restoration?"
"Yes, whether it was a human who had lost a limb, a destroyed object, a copsed building, or a spell that had started to scatter... She used her power to return everything to its original state."
"So, you mean she fixed them?"
"No, fixing implies adding something to what''s already there. She actually turned broken things back to how they were before they were damaged."
"But what if the damaged parts werepletely lost...?"
"That didn''t matter. Even the missing parts were recreated."
Damien stared at Milene with a face full of disbelief.
If what she said was true, it was far beyond human capabilities.
"Now that I think about it, it wasn''t like restoration. It was like... yes, she was rewinding time." Milene muttered to herself as if struck by a revtion.
"That''s why I mentioned it. With those authorities, we might be able to turn back time. It could be insurance in case we failed."
"...What was her name? Who was she exactly?"
"You wouldn''t know her. It''s a name you''ve never heard before."
Milene said, looking up at the sky.
"Her name was Dorugo."
She added as Damien rubbed his ears in disbelief.
"The one who led Pandemonium and attacked Alfheim."
***
When the name "Dorugo" escaped Milene''s lips, Damien had to question his own hearing.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence, a case of mistaken identity. The name Dorugo wasn''tmon, but the world is full of strange things and coincidences.
- The one who led Pandemonium and attacked Alfheim.
But when he heard the following words, he couldn''t deny it anymore.
¡®Dorugo¡¯ Milene was talking about was the same Dorugo he was searching for.
"Dorugo was one of the Salvation Squad like you? But why hasn''t the name Dorugo been known until now?"
The legend of the Salvation Squad was widely known throughout the continent.
Yet, Damien had never heard that Dorugo was one of them.
"Well..."
A look of reluctance crossed Milene''s face. She seemed hesitant to speak.
"Tell me. Why hasn''t the name Dorugo been known?"
Damien had no time to consider Milene''s feelings.
Then, it happened.
Milene''s head suddenly slumped forward. She quickly lifted it, only to let it fall again.
"I''m... sorry... I can''t... today... I''m at my limit..."
Extreme fatigue was evident in her voice and face.
"The rest...ter... I''ll... leave the rest... to you..."
With those words, Milene fell into a deep sleep.
***
"Damien, was your audience satisfactory?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword greeted Damien as soon as he stepped outside.
"Not at all."
Damien was clearly displeased.
"That''s unfortunate. But I''m sure another opportunity will arise, so don''t be too disheartened."
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke with an impassive expression, hardly sounding like someone offering constion.
"...Were you waiting for me?"
"Yes, I had something to ask you. That''s why I waited."
The Imperial Supreme Sword turned to Damien.
"Damien, Alfheim is currently under attack by Pandemonium. Can you lend us your strength?"
"As long as it doesn''t interfere with my goals, I''m willing to help."
"Good. Then follow me."
The Imperial Supreme Sword turned abruptly and began walking down the corridor. Damien followed after him.
"Alfheim is in a dire situation. The ind is on the verge of falling to Pandemonium''s attack."
"I''ve heard about it. They suffered heavy losses from Pandemonium''s surprise attack. And their overall forces are far weaker."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded.
"You''re exactly right. I joined the fight quickly, but it was not enough to turn the tide. Defending this ce is very tiresome work."
If the Imperial Supreme Sword left, the royal pce would soon fall to Pandemonium. And then the World Tree would be in danger.
That was why the Imperial Supreme Sword was forced to stay in the pce.
Now that you''re here, the situation has changed. It''s time to put into action the n I''ve been putting off."
"Do you have a way to turn the tide?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded to Damien''s question.
"We''ve found the enemy''s main base where their leader is. If we destroy it, the war will be ours."
Damien''s eyes widened at the mention of the leader.
"...By leader, do you mean Dorugo?"
"It seems you''ve heard from Milene. Yes, we''ve found Dorugo. It''s thanks to the sacrifice of many elves."
Damien involuntarily clutched his chest.
His heart began to race. As his pulse quickened, so did his emotions.
''Finally.''
He could finally meet Dorugo.
He could finally destroy that damned skeleton.
He could finally achieve the peace that he had longed for.
"...Woh Woh, Control your killing intent."
The Imperial Supreme Sword said with a yful expression. Damien covered his face with his hands.
"I absolutely must participate in this."
"That''s a good attitude. But that''s not up to me to decide."
"What?"
"You need themander-in-chief''s permission."
Damien looked bewildered.
"There''s anothermander-in-chief?"
Damien had assumed that the Imperial Supreme Sword would bemanding the elves.
There couldn''t possibly be a warrior who surpassed the Imperial Supreme Sword in terms of skill or experience.
Damien found it hard to believe.
Could it be that even someone as powerful as the Imperial Supreme Sword had so little authority?
"Alfheim is a kingdom too. They have their own ranks, rules, and systems."
"So we''re going to themander-in-chief now?"
"That''s right. Be prepared, though."
"What do you mean...?"
"The elves aren''t very fond of us."
"Us?"
Damien was human, and the Imperial Supreme Sword was a half-elf. Strictly speaking, they were of different races, yet the Imperial Supreme Sword had used the word "us." Damien found this odd.
"This is it."
The council chamber was located within the World Tree.
As they entered, Damien saw elves sitting around arge wooden table.
They all appeared to be young and it was impossible to guess their ages based on their appearance alone.
"Eos, is this the human you were talking about?"
A white-haired elf asked. The Imperial Supreme Sword immediately replied.
"Yes, that is Damien Haksen."
Damien stared at the Imperial Supreme Sword in surprise. The Imperial Supreme Sword was using formalnguage?
"Damn it, bringing a human into Alfheim. This is going to stir things up."
"This man is not an enemy of elves."
"You never know. Humans are unpredictable creatures!"
"You can trust Damien Haksen. I guarantee it..."
"Eos, don''t overstep your bounds."
The white-haired elf''s voice turned cold.
"We''ve only epted you because of the urgent situation... but Alfheim is not a ce for half-elves like you."
Even Damien, who was just listening from the side, felt offended. But the Imperial Supreme Sword''s expression remained impassive.
"Human,e closer."
The white-haired elf beckoned to Damien. Damien approached the elf.
"I am Srynder, themander-in-chief of Alfheim. I will allow you to join our ns."
As he spoke, Srynder gave Damien a hostile look. It was clear that he didn''t like Damien at all.
''For someone asking for help, he''s awfully arrogant.''
Alfheim''s counterattack depended on Damien''s participation.
Given the circumstances, Damien found Srynder''s obstruction highly irritating.
"We n to attack the enemy''s main base. While Eos and I assault the base, you''ll stay here and guard the pce."
But when Damien heard the following words, he immediately dismissed his concerns.
"I can''t agree to that."
"...What?"
"There''s someone I need to kill. Please include me in the assault team."
Srynder''s eyebrows shot up.
"If I include you, Eos will have to stay here. What makes you think I can trust you enough to take you in an assault team?"
Damien turned to the Imperial Supreme Sword and asked.
"Are you willing to stay here in my ce?"
"That wouldn''t be a bad idea."
The Imperial Supreme Sword replied without hesitation.
He knew Damien''s true abilities and could easily make such a decision.
But Srynder was not so easily convinced. He mmed his fist on the table and shouted.
"Eos! Are you crazy?"
"I guarantee Damien Haksen''s abilities."
The Imperial Supreme Sword replied.
"Don''t be ridiculous!"
"Damien Haksen! Stop being stubborn and guard the pce! If you dare to argue with me again, I''ll kick you out of this n!"
"You''re a real pain in the ass."
Damien said in an irritated voice. Srynder''s expression momentarily froze.
"What did you say?"
"If you deny my request, I will leave the pce and attack their base alone."
A look of shock crossed Srynder''s face.
"Don''t say things you don''t mean..."
His voice had suddenly dropped as if his previous outburst had been a lie.
Damien couldn''t help but chuckle.
"What''s so funny?"
"It''s just funny that you¡¯re trying to pick a fight with me, a human when your kingdom is in danger."
As a human, Damien was unwee in Alfheim.
But the elves desperately needed the help of that very ''human''.
That''s why they had resorted to bullying Damien to save face.
But it was Damien, not the elves, who held the upper hand.
"I have only one request. Include me in the assault team. If you don''t, I''ll leave the pce."
"Go ahead and try! The enemy''s main base is hidden underground! Only we elves here know its location..."
Srynder said with his expression sour.
Damien was carefully examining the elves in the council chamber.
"What are you looking at?"
"I was thinking about who to kidnap."
"What? What did you say?"
"Even elves be talkative if you break their limbs."
Srynder''s jaw dropped at Damien¡¯s words.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 299
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 299: Attack n (2)
***
"Hey, Eos... Are you just going to stand there and watch? Stop him right now!"
Srynder urgently shouted at the Imperial Supreme Sword.
However, the Imperial Supreme Sword responded with indifference.
"Commander, you''re asking an impossible thing."
"What did you say?"
"Damien Haksen is not my subordinate. He isn¡¯t even a knight of the Empire. I¡¯m not in a position to give him orders."
"Still, stop him! Didn¡¯t you hear him say he¡¯s going to kidnap elves to find the location of Pandemonium base?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword then asked back as if he couldn¡¯t understand.
"Damien Haksen is as skilled as I am. Are you saying we should turn such a strong warrior into an enemy when we¡¯re already at war?"
"Didn''t you hear him just now? Damien Haksen is going to..."
"Damien, kidnapping is a bit much, don¡¯t you think? That¡¯s something I can¡¯t overlook."
Damien shrugged and replied.
"I¡¯ll let it slide this time because I respect you but please don¡¯t stop me from leaving the pce."
"That¡¯s your choice to make."
At their conversation, Srynder mmed his fist on the table and shouted.
"Eos! Are you mocking me right now?"
"Commander, I came here to repay a debt my mother owed. I¡¯m not your subordinate either."
The tone of the Imperial Supreme Sword turned cold, causing Srynder to shudder.
"So, decide. Will you agree to Damien''s demands or just let him leave?"
At the threat from the Imperial Supreme Sword, beads of cold sweat formed on Srynder''s forehead.
* * *
A momentter, Damien and the Imperial Supreme Sword stepped out of the meeting room.
"Damien, congrattions on joining the assault team."
As soon as they were outside, the Imperial Supreme Sword spoke to Damien.
In the end, the Commander had decided to give in to Damien''s demands.
It was the inevitable oue. Without Damien, it was Alfheim that would be in trouble.
"By the way, you really went all out. Honestly, I was shocked."
Despite saying that, his expression hardly changed.
"Why are you so determined to help Alfheim, even with the way they treat you?"
Damien couldn¡¯t understand.
The Imperial Supreme Sword was a person with both skill and status. There was no need for him to be tied to Alfheim.
"They epted my mother¡¯s remains."
At that, Damien tilted his head in confusion. How could that be a reason?
"Elves despise humans. They see us as inferior species. That''s why any type of rtionship between elves and humans is seen as a felony in elves."
Damien already knew this much.
Elves had many abilities that humanscked. They were beautiful, strong, and knew how to control spirits.
For that reason, the elves considered humans inferior and racist towards them.
But in reality, they were just defeated losers who had fled to an ind because they couldn''tpete with humans.
"If such a thing happens... that elf would be banished from the ind. And they would never be able to return."
The Imperial Supreme Sword turned his gaze out the window as he spoke.
"My mother left the ind to broaden her horizons, and that¡¯s when she met my father. She became pregnant with me and my sibling."
"She must have been very determined."
At Damien''s words, the Imperial Supreme Sword gave a bitter smile.
Damien couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. It was the first time he had seen the Imperial Supreme Sword smile so sadly.
"I think it was just a youthful mistake. After being banished from Alfheim for the sin of carrying us, she longed for her home every day. She passed away the year we became adults."
For an elf, a race known for their long lifespans, living such a short life implied she had faced significant emotional turmoil.
It was likely abination of an unfamiliar environment and the longing for her homnd.
"My father wanted to bury her on our family¡¯snd, but my sibling and I felt differently. We wanted to fulfill our mother¡¯s final wish. So, we went to Alfheim."
He spoke calmly, but it must have been incredibly difficult.
Alfheim was protected by the World Tree.
"Alfheim stated that they could never ept my mother''s remains because of theirws. However, Lady Milene was kind to us."
"So, the debt you mentioned is..."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded.
"Thanks to Lady Milene, my sibling and I were able to bury our mother''s remains in Alfheim. I consider it a debt, but... my sibling sees it differently."
The Imperial Supreme Sword paused and looked up at the sky but Damien could see his eyes bing moist.
"I¡¯ve rambled on with this boring story for too long. Come, follow me. There are some elves I need to introduce to you."
"Are there more elves I need to meet?"
"They¡¯re the ones who will attack Pandemonium''s main base with you. The operation starts tomorrow, so it¡¯s best you get acquainted with them now... What are you doing?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword asked, as Damien suddenly started loosening up his body.
"Those elves are not going to trust me, so I¡¯ll need to prove my skills, won¡¯t I?"
"Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. These ones are different."
Damien looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword with a puzzled expression.
"For now, just follow me."
The Imperial Supreme Sword led Damien to the royal training grounds.
About ten elves were sparring, shing their weapons against each other.
As soon as the two entered the training grounds, the elves'' attention shifted to them.
"Oh? It''s Lord Eos!"
"Is that really Lord Eos?"
The elves threw down their weapons and rushed towards the two.
Their reaction was quite different from themanders'', and Damien couldn¡¯t help but blink in surprise.
"Eos! Why are you onlying now?"
"We¡¯ve been waiting for you this whole time!"
There were two female elves clinging to the Imperial Supreme Sword with joyous faces.
"I heard earlier! We are counterattacking Pandemonium base tomorrow, right?"
"We''re counting on you, Eos!"
Despite being closely nked by two beautiful women, the expression of the Imperial Supreme Sword remained unchanged.
"Mata, Hata. How many times have I told you not to do this?"
"Oh,e on. It''s not like we''re doing anything wrong."
"Give us a break, especially with such a big mission ahead!"
"No."
The Imperial Supreme Sword firmly shook them off, leaving Mata and Hata with disappointed expressions.
"You''re more popr than I expected."
Damien whispered in the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s ear. The Imperial Supreme Sword responded nonchntly.
"They see me as their mentor, probably because I taught them a few weapon techniques."
Damien tilted his head with a puzzled expression. It wasn¡¯t just trust or respect; Mata and Hata¡¯s reactions seemed to go beyond that.
"Hey, Eos, who¡¯s this human?"
"Are you stupid? How could another human be in Alfheim?"
"Then could it be... is this man Damien Haksen?"
"Yes, your guess is correct. This is the very Damien Haksen who rescued Sincia and fought against the Lord of Eternal me."
Mata, Hata, and the other elves present all looked at Damien with curiosity and amazement.
"Damien, let me introduce you. These are Mata and Hata, the only two in Alfheim currently able to summon a Spirit King."
"There used to be three of us, but that bastard, the Lord of Eternal me, killed our sister and stole her Spirit King."
A bitter smile spread across Mata''s face.
"And these elves here... they are spirit summoners capable of calling forth the highest-ranking spirits. All of them have joined the assault team."
Damien looked at the elves with astonishment.
It was no exaggeration to say that a spirit summoner capable of summoning a Spirit King was far more powerful than most Master ss warriors.
Two spirit summoners who could call forth a Spirit King.
Eight spirit summoners who could summon high-ranking spirits.
This was essentially the fullbat strength of Alfheim gathered in one ce.
"For tomorrow¡¯s operation, Damien will lead you instead of me."
"Huh? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to stay behind?"
"He requested to join the assault team, so we decided to switch."
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke as if it were no big deal, but the elves'' reactions were less than enthusiastic.
"Eos isn¡¯t going?"
"I know that human is strong, but even so, with Eos not going..."
As the elves murmured among themselves, the Imperial Supreme Sword shouted.
"I can vouch for Damien Haksen''s skills. This man is my equal in strength."
It was simr to what he had told the Commander, but this time the reaction was different.
"If Eos guarantees it, then... I suppose we can trust him."
"Yeah, I heard he didn¡¯t back down an inch against the Lord of Eternal me."
"And not a single hostage was harmed."
Just as the Imperial Supreme Sword had assured, the elves here trusted his word.
"Didn¡¯t I tell you? These ones are different."
"They really are."
Damien replied with a wry smile. He hadn''t expected the young elves to be so level-headed.
"The operation will take ce tomorrow. I¡¯ll head outside the fortress to cause a disturbance and draw Pandemonium¡¯s main forces away. Meanwhile, you¡¯ll lead the elves in an assault on their headquarters."
"Are you sure you can handle this on your own?"
Damien asked, his voiceced with concern.
Pandemonium currently had the Lord of Eternal me, who controlled the Spirit King, the Four Great Demon Kings, and even the leader of Pandemonium herself. It was possible that the Imperial Supreme Sword would have to face all of them alone.
In response, the Imperial Supreme Sword tilted his head slightly and asked.
"Are you joking right now? If so, I apologize for notughing."
* * *
That night, Damien left his chamber and ascended to the top of the fortress wall.
No matter how long hey with his eyes closed, he couldn¡¯t sleep.
Just thinking about Dorugo made his entire body heat up. The blood boiling in his veins made it impossible to find rest.
"¡Finally, tomorrow, it all ends."
Since his return, Damien had only one goal.
To kill Dorugo.
As long as Dorugo lived, Damien could never find true peace. He couldn¡¯t shake the fear that Dorugo might appear at any moment to drag him and his family back into hellish moments
"¡Damn bastard."
Damien clutched the stone tightly and crushed it to powder.
Memories of what Dorugo had done to him slowly crept up from the depths of his mind.
The despair he felt when Dorugo massacred the mercenary group during their first encounter.
The excruciating pain he endured when Dorugo transformed him into a Death Knight.
The feel of the de in his hands as he slit his family¡¯s throats and drove the sword into their bellies.
The screams, curses, and resentful cries of those he killed as a Death Knight.
"I will¡ kill you¡ with my own hands¡."
Damien tried to calm himself but his body continued to tremble uncontrobly.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 300
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 300: Diversion Tactic (1)
***
As dawn broke, the Imperial Supreme Sword donned his armor and went to the city walls.
"Hmm."
The Imperial Supreme Sword rested his chin on his hands and gazed down at the scene below the walls.
Undead monsters reeking of decay wed at the walls, letting out horrible howls.
"¡Eos, switch roles with Damien Haksen. We still have time."
Srynder said with frustration. The Imperial Supreme Sword asked him a question in response.
"Doesn''t it look like it''s going to rain?"
Srynder¡¯s face became red with anger and he houted back.
"What are you talking about? The sky is totally clear¡ªwhat rain could you possibly mean?"
"It looks like a torrential downpour ising today, so we should hurry with the operation."
The Imperial Supreme Sword pulled out a plum-sized fruit from his pocket. Fruit was shimmering with a silver glow.
This silver fruit was a rare treasure because this fruit was from the branches of the World Tree.
Although incredibly precious, it had been given to him by Milene specifically for this day.
"Commander, the undeads might attack the castle while I¡¯m gone. Please hold them off."
"You don''t pay attention to anything I say, do you?"
Srynder let out a deep sigh but quicklyposed himself.
"There''s no choice since things have already unfolded this way. Leave this to me and do as you please."
The Imperial Supreme Sword gave a slight nod before taking a bite of the World Tree''s fruit.
It wasn¡¯t sweet but had a refreshing taste. He chewed it thoroughly and swallowed it.
Soon after, he expanded his senses. Then he looked eastward and murmured quietly.
"Leo, So you''re there."
The Imperial Supreme Sword leaped from the city wall,nding in the midst of the undead horde.
-Kieeeek!
-Kraaak!
The moment the Imperial Supreme Sword appeared, the undeads immediately charged at him.
Even though they had rotting bodies, they couldn''t be underestimated¡ªthey were all resurrected corpses the monsters who once dominated the continent.
Despite the undeads rushing towards him, the Imperial Supreme Sword did not draw his sword. He simply closed his eyes.
Even with his eyes closed, thendscape around him vividly appeared in his mind.
The royal castle of Alfheim was behind him.
The clear, blue sky.
And the undeads charging toward him.
The Imperial Supreme Sword added a touch of imagination to this scene.
He pictured the undeads rushing at him being sliced into pieces.
As his mental image became crystal clear, lines appeared across the bodies of the undeads.
The pieces of the undeads crumbled away, creating a wide clearing around the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Heart Sword.
This was the name of the realm the Imperial Supreme Sword had attained.
Since mastering the Heart Sword, the Imperial Supreme Sword had gained the ability to manifest his mental images into reality.
"Well then, shall I go see my brother?"
With a strong push off the ground, the Imperial Supreme Sword moved along the newly cleared path.
The remaining undeads tried to block his way, but it was futile. They all turned into mere chunks of meat.
After a long walk, the Imperial Supreme Sword came to a stop. He spoke with a weing expression.
"Leo, did you have a good dreamst night?"
The Lord of Eternal me was standing midst of several tents and frowned fiercely at the Imperial Supreme Sword.
"¡So, you''ve finally decided to kill me."
"No, No, How could an elder brother kill his younger sibling?"
Imperial Supreme Sword said as he raised his fist.
"I just n to give you a good beating. Then I''ll make sure you serve your sentence in the Empire''s prison."
"Enough of your nonsense!"
The Lord of Eternal me said loudly, his eyes bulging with rage.
"I can''t understand you, brother! How can you side with those damned elves? Do you remember what they did to our mother? How they insulted us both?"
The Lord of Eternal me couldn''t calm himself. Instead, his rage only grew louder.
"They called us filthy bastards born from a beast! They treated us like disgusting freaks! So why? Why are you protecting those elves?"
"¡."
"Say something!"
"Our mother loved Alfheim."
The Imperial Supreme Sword''s tightly closed lips finally opened.
"That''s why I''m trying to protect Alfheim. Because that¡¯s what Mother would have wanted."
"¡I see there''s no reasoning with you."
From beneath the Lord of Eternal me''s feet, dark red mes erupted.
The mes soon took the form of a giant. The massive figure impaled with stakes all over its body, looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword with half-dead eyes.
"Even though you are my brother, I will not forgive you if you stand in my way."
"It''s a pity. I was nning to forgive you."
"Ridiculous. This isn''t the time for you to be so smug."
The Lord of Eternal me pointed upward. Something dropped from the clouds drifting above.
A beautiful woman with long, jet-ck hair descended from the sky.
She was H, the leader of Pandemonium.
"Eos, it¡¯s been a while."
"H, you look just as you always have."
"Oh my, do you think I¡¯m pleased by suchpliments?"
Despite her words, H couldn''t hide her delight.
"Seeing you face to face like this brings back memories of that night."
"You were stunning that night too."
"Oh my, oh my, if you keep saying things like that, you¡¯ll make me blush. You were quite dashing as well."
H spoke with a flushed face, and the Imperial Supreme Sword also averted his gaze slightly, as if he was embarrassed.
[PR/N- Lord of Eternal mes internal thoughts - Am I the only sane person here?]
Only the Lord of Eternal me watched the two with a displeased expression.
"If someone saw this, they might think you are a couple not an enemy."
"My, it seems the little one is quite upset."
H said with a displeased expression.
"We should have been more considerate of my brother. Apologies."
Added the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The two of them nodded in understanding, while the Lord of Eternal me scowled deeply.
"¡H, you haven¡¯t changed your mind at this point, have you?"
"As if I would. The more I reminisce, the stronger my desire grows to have Eos''s head."
H gazed at the Imperial Supreme Sword with eyes full of longing.
"Eos, do you think you can take on both of us?"
She asked with a smile. The Imperial Supreme Sword drew his sword and responded.
"Of course. That''s been my n from the start."
A green light glimmered on the Imperial Supreme Sword''s forehead, and a gust of wind suddenly enveloped his body.
"Beforeing here, I ate the fruit of the World Tree."
Consuming the fruit of the World Tree granted immense mana and enhanced physical abilities.
But that wasn''t why the Imperial Supreme Sword had consumed the fruit.
"Let me ask you instead¡ªdo you really think the two of you can take on someone empowered by the World Tree?"
* * *
As soon as the Imperial Supreme Sword moved, Damien advanced with the elves.
Thanks to the undead army being drawn to the Imperial Supreme Sword, they were able to reach Pandemonium''s hideout with rtively little trouble.
"This is where Pandemonium''s main camp is hidden."
Mata said, pointing toward the forest. To the naked eye, it appeared to be just a dense, green forest.
"Wait here."
Hata then pulled out arge leaf from his pocket. The leaf had an unusual silver hue.
Though no one exined, Damien recognized it immediately.
A leaf of the World Tree.
It had the power to dispel magic spells by restoring the natural flow of mana.
Hata rubbed the leaf between her hands, causing it to crumble into silver dust and scattered it into the air.
As the silver dust dispersed, the illusion magic concealing the forest began to dissolve.
The lush forest scenery vanishedpletely. Instead of it, there was a barren in.
All the trees had been uprooted and left strewn.
An enormous crater covered the empty in, its sizeparable to ake.
The hole was so deep, it seemed as if the ground itself had been carved out entirely.
"¡How dare they do this to our ind."
Mata trembled with rage. The other elves stared at the crater with eyes filled with resentment.
At that moment,
-Kieeeek!
-Kraaak!
The undeads sensed that something was amiss and began charging toward the group.
At a nce, it was clear these were no ordinary undead. They were flesh golems and many grotesque creations were stitched together from various monsters.
Damien drew his sword to deal with them, but the elves stopped him.
"Damien, we don¡¯t know what might be lurking down there. Save your strength for it."
"We''ll handle these creatures. Summon the spirits, everyone!" Mata and Hatamanded the rest of the group.
The elves immediately called forth their spirits. Various spirits, each unique in size and form appeared, ranging from fiery bears to nimble rabbits. Despite their differences, they all shared one thing inmon¡ªthey were all highest-ranking spirits.
-Kieeek!
-Kreeeek!
The flesh golems charged at the elves, but the spirit mages quickly ordered their spirits into action.
The undeads were burnt by zing mes, water droplets transformed into bullets that pierced their bodies, and razor-sharp winds shredded them to shreds.
In the blink of an eye, the flesh golems were utterly destroyed.
No matter how many times I see it, it is still impressive.¡¯
Damien was once again amazed by the power of the spirits.
Spirits were inherently powerful beings, oftenpared to natural disasters in their destructive potential.
Whenbined with the guidance of a spirit mage, they were nearly unstoppable.
"It¡¯s over. Let¡¯s move on."
Mata said brushing off ash from her shoulder.
-Where do you think you¡¯re going?
A chilling voice echoed from somewhere.
In that instant, a ck projectile shot toward Hata.
It moved so fast that Hata didn¡¯t even have time to react. The projectile was aimed directly at her head.
Damien caught it with his hand just before it struck. There was a dull sound as something exploded in his palm.
¡°Th-thank you! What¡ what was that?¡±
Hata said with a trembling voice because she realized just how close she hade to death.
¡°Damien! Are you alright?¡±
Mata asked with a concerning voice.
Damien casually dusted off his hand, showing that he was unharmed.
The ck projectile he had blocked was a chunk of aurade. If Damien hadn¡¯t intervened, Hata would have been killed instantly.
-You blocked that? Your reflexes are impressive.
A man emerged from behind one of the tents near the crater.
There was something strange about his appearance.
Where his arm should have been, there was instead a cylindrical weapon of some kind.
And that wasn¡¯t all. One of his eyes was abnormallyrge, like a ss orb imnted into his face.
-Come on out, everyone. I thought this would be boring with just elves, but it seems we have an interesting guest.
As the man raised his voice, others began to emerge from various spots. They too had grotesque appearances.
Some had four arms, others had six eyes, and some even had the limbs of beasts.
Each of them had a horrifying appearance.
"Human? Why is there a human here?"
"You fool, that''s him! Damien Haksen! Haven¡¯t you heard? Damien Haksen hase to the Alfheim!"
"The human that ¡®he¡¯ wanted so badly? Damien Haksen?"
[TL/N- Others still don''t know that Dorugo is female, so they continue to refer to her as ¡®He/Him¡¯.]
"Keheh, that one''s mine! I¡¯m going to present his corpse to ¡®him¡¯!"
A figure screamed, cried and then raged, looking like a madman.
Despite their absurd behavior, the elves weren¡¯tughing. Instead, their faces grew tense.
¡°...Damien, those creatures are called ¡®Covenanters.¡¯ They may look strange but don¡¯t underestimate them. They¡¯re monsters among monsters.¡±
Mata warned him.
¡°They¡¯re said to be modified Master ss warriors. Many renowned spirit mages have died at their hands.¡±
Hata also added with worrisome face.
Seeing no way out, The two sisters summoned their Spirit Kings without any hesitation.
A serpent made of water and a sparrow wreathed in lightning appeared before them.
"A Spirit King? It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen one."
"Yeah, not since we killed that spirit mage who wielded the Fire Spirit King, right?"
Even in the presence of the Spirit Kings, the Covenanters showed no fear. They seemed to regard them as minor obstacles.
"The Spirit King is a bit troublesome."
"Don¡¯t overthink it. In the end, all we need to do is kill the spirit mage."
"Just like we did with that Fire Spirit King user. We just need to distract them and let the fastest one of us get close enough to slit their throat."
When a spirit mage dies, their spirits lose their power and be weak. Thus, the fundamental strategy when fighting a spirit mage is to target the mage themselves.
Not long ago, Hata hadn¡¯t even been able to react to a Covenanter¡¯s attack boosting their confidence to the utmost level.
"A mere monster dares to look down on us?"
"I¡¯ll turn you all to ash before you can even approach us!"
Mata and Hata shouted with burning resolve.
Just then, Damien stepped forward, pushing past the sisters. They looked at him in surprise.
¡°Damien, we told you to conserve your strength¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯ve found it.¡±
Damien¡¯s eyes locked onto the Covenanters.
"The traces left on your bodies¡ it¡¯s definitely Dorugo¡¯s work."
There was no mistaking it. Damien had experienced it firsthand when he was transformed into a Death Knight. And after that, he had seen Dorugo modify countless others. He had grown sick of that sight.
"So, this is it. This is where Dorugo, that fucking bastard! That piece of trash is here!"
His emotions surged¡ªjoy and exhration vied for dominance within him.
A monster held out one arm toward Damien.
The cylindrical weapon where his hand should have been began to gather mana and fired a ck bullet.
The bullet grazed Damien¡¯s cheek, then mmed into the ground and caused a massive explosion.
Scarlet mes shot up to the sky, and the elves looked with terror in their eyes.
"How dare you insult Lord Dorugo."
The man said with displeased expression.
"Lord Dorugo is a being far beyond yourprehension. Even in his absence, you should show respect. Otherwise¡"
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s body vanished.
"...What?"
The man¡¯s face filled with confusion, and the other Covenanters frantically searched their surroundings.
At that moment, a shadow loomed over the man''s face.
Descending from the sky, Damien stomped down on the man¡¯s face with all his might.
The impact immediately crushed the man''s head into the ground, shattering thend around him.
The man¡¯s body trembled violently with his head buried in the ground, then went still like a puppet with its strings cut.
¡°What was that about showing respect¡ to Dorugo?¡±
Damien asked as he turned to the other grotesque figures.
His voice was calm, but his eyes were full of killing intent.
"I''m asking you right now. What did you just tell me to do?"
There was no response.
Only a heavy silence hung in the air.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 301
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 301: Diversion Tactic (2)
***
The Covenanters stared at Damien with trembling eyes.
They already knew Damien was powerful. After all, he had single-handedly in , one of the Pirs of Pandemonium.
Because of this, they believed they had been cautious enough of him. But¡
The power Damien possessed far exceeded their expectations.
"Why is no one answering?"
Damien asked again. The Covenanters shuddered involuntarily.
"If you won''t answer, then there''s no need to keep you alive."
Damien slowly drew his sword. The chilling sound of the de scraping against the scabbard echoed in the air.
The Covenanters onlye to their senses after that. They immediately summoned all their dark mana.
"Damien Haksen! Do you dare look down on us?"
"For Lord Dorugo, we will kill you here and now!"
They knew that half-hearted effort would only lead to their deaths. They had to give it their all from the start.
Almost simultaneously, all the Covenantersunched their attacks at Damien.
Various deadly assaults erupted from the altered bodies that Dorugo had reshaped. Every single attack was full-packed with tremendous destructive power.
Just before the attacks reached him, Damien murmured quietly.
"Second Wheel."
Damien''s presence surged in an instant, overwhelming the force of the Covenanters.
The sword in Damien''s grip elerated. It moved so quickly that it seemed to multiply into dozens of des.
The sword sliced through the Covenanters'' bodies in various ces.
A vicious shaking began to ur throughout the Covenanters'' bodies as they froze mid-attack.
Click!
Damien Haksen sheathed his sword. Only then did blood burst forth from every part of the Covenanters'' bodies.
Their joints and tendons were all severed and their vital organs were torn apart. Most importantly, their necks werepletely severed from the rest of their bodies.
The heads of the Covenanters fell to the ground one after another. And then, their bodies copsed lifelessly.
Not a single Covenanter remained alive. They had all been turned into corpses.
"¡¡"
"¡¡"
The elves standing behind watching Damien with shocked expressions.
It is said that the Covenanters were so feared that they were called the nightmares of spirit mages because they were such terrifying monsters.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, they had lost their lives. They hadn¡¯t even had time to resist, let alone react.
In this moment, the elves realized why the Imperial Supreme Sword had said they could trust Damien.
"Now, let''s move."
Damien turned to the elves and spoke. The elves silently nodded in agreement.
***
"Ugh... Ugh..."
In a dark room.
Dorugo sat at her throne, clutching her head.
"It hurts... It feels like my head is going to explode..."
Recently, Dorugo had been suffering from relentless headaches that came at any time. Neither medicine nor dark magic could help. The headaches followed her like a curse.
-What are you doing? Why are you just sitting there? Kill him! I said kill him! If he''s around, everything will fail!
A strange voice kept echoing in her head, and with every second that went by, her headache grew more intense.
-You fool! How can you not remember the most important thing? What good are eyes if you can''t see the greatest danger?
Dorugo grabbed her head with both hands.
"Aaah... Aaaargh! Gahhh!"
Today, the pain was worse than ever. Dorugo banged her head against the wall, unable to endure the unbearable pain.
At that point, someone knocked, and a colossal figure entered. It was Epsilon, the oldest of the Four Great Demon Kings.
"Mother, we have an intruder."
Dorugo looked at Epsilon.
"An intruder? Has the Imperial Supreme Sword finally found this ce?"
Dorugo showed none of the signs of worry despite the news of an intruder.
"All that tedious effort to leak information has paid off! I''ve finally lured him out of the castle! Now it''s alling together! Now it¡¯s done!"
Epsilon shook his head and said.
"No, it''s Damien Haksen."
"Damien Haksen? What about the Imperial Supreme Sword?"
"I was just about to exin that."
Epsilon approached arge mirror on one side of the room.
As he infused dark mana into the mirror, it reflected a scene from somewhere else.
In the scene, the Imperial Supreme Sword was fighting H and the Lord of Eternal me.
Dorugo stared at the Imperial Supreme Sword for a moment before murmuring.
"A diversion tactic, huh? The Imperial Supreme Sword is the bait, and meanwhile, Damien Haksen was sent to attack this ce."
Dorugoughed so hard her whole body started shaking.
"Fools. They still haven''t figured out my true goal."
The fall of Alfheim was only a secondary objective. The true goal of Dorugo was to kill the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Dorugo thought the Imperial Supreme Sword was the threat that a mysterious voice had warned her about.
After all, there was no knight on the continent superior to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
In other words, once the Imperial Supreme Sword was dead, she could finally be free of these unbearable headaches.
"Those preparations have be useless... but it doesn¡¯t matter. That monstrous man hase out of hiding, and that''s the main thing."
The thought of killing the Imperial Supreme Sword filled Dorugo with excitement. A bright smile spread across her face.
"Then, let''s go take the life of the Imperial Supreme Sword."
She rose from her chair and grabbed her staff, then began walking.
"Oh, but before that, we need to deal with Damien Haksen. Inform the others to take care of him."
But there was no response.
Dorugo couldn''t help but feel puzzled.
"What''s the matter?"
"We have a problem. Damien is approaching this ce far too quickly."
"What do you mean? The Covenanters are guarding the way, aren¡¯t they?"
The Covenanters were warriors that Dorugo had carefully selected.
Recognizing their talents early on, Dorugo had invested heavily in them since their youth.
After they grew strong, he modified them, making them even more powerful.
Two Covenanters could kill an ordinary Giant Evil, and five could take on the Pirs of Pandemonium.
In fact, they had proven their worth by killing a spirit mage whomanded the Fire Spirit King.
"The Covenanters were all killed withoutsting a single exchange."
Dorugo stared at Epsilon with a bewildered expression.
"...The Covenanters couldn¡¯t hold out for even a moment?"
"That''s correct."
If it had been anyone other than Epsilon reporting this, Dorugo would have scolded them for spouting nonsense.
But Epsilon wasn¡¯t the type to lie, unlike the other Demon Kings.
"At present, Damien Haksen''s strength is beyond measure. While it''s true that if we unleash our true forms, we could kill him without much trouble..."
The issue was time.
"If Damien is stronger than we anticipated, the battle could drag on. We might miss the chance to confront the Imperial Supreme Sword."
Crackle.
Dorugo clenched her teeth without realizing it. The headache began to worsen again.
"Damien Haksen... That fucking brat... constantly getting in my way?"
Dorugo''s face was filled with fierce anger.
Damien had always been like that, disrupting and ruining Dorugo''s ns.
At first, Dorugo had been interested in him, thinking he might make a useful undead, but now, all she felt was endless hatred.
"Mother, what do you wish to do?"
Epsilon asked calmly.
In deep thought, Dorugo bit the bone on the tip of her thumb before making a decision.
"...We¡¯ll avoid confronting Damien Haksen. Activate the dimensional portal and head to where the Imperial Supreme Sword is."
"Understood. I''ll have preparations made immediately."
"But it would be a shame to just let Damien Haksen go."
A strange smile formed on Dorugo''s lips.
"Prepare to activate that trap. It was designed for the Imperial Supreme Sword, so it should work on him too."
Elves made a mistake.
Although they had discovered Pandemonium''s stronghold, they were missing a critical detail.
But what awaited them here wasn¡¯t victory¡ªonly a gruesome death.
"Damien Haksen, I¡¯ll show you true despair."
Dorugo muttered with a twisted smile as she stepped out of herboratory.
* * *
Damien descended into the hole with the elves.
The cave spread out from therge central pit like an anthill.
"Kieeeek!"
"Kreeeek!"
Undead creatures leaped out, trying to stop the group, but it was pointless.
"Annoying pests."
With a single swing of Damien''s sword, they all reverted to lifeless corpses.
"Aren''t we the ones who should be fighting? Damien needs to conserve his strength, right?"
Mata asked Hata. Hata looked troubled.
"You''re right... but it''s not the right time to say anything."
Though Damien''s face was expressionless, the elves instinctively sensed it.
Damien was deeply enraged.
Even though he was their ally, Damien exuded such a murderous aura that no one dared to speak to him.
"Besides, it doesn''t look like he''s wasting any strength."
To the two elves, Damien''s movements appeared exceptionally precise and controlled.
Yet they were powerful. No matter how many undead there were, he cut them down with a single strike.
"Huh?"
Just then, Damien muttered something under his breath.
"We¡¯ve reached the bottom. Prepare yourselves."
At those words, Mata and Hata stopped talking. The other elves also became serious.
When Damien emerged from the cave, a vast space appeared before them.
There was no ceiling¡ªonly the sky above. They had finally reached the bottom of the pit.
A giant magic circle was etched into the ground. It was identical to the one they had seen before at the Pandemonium fortress.
But Damien didn¡¯t have time to focus on the magic circle.
A dimensional portal was open in the distance.
Through the gate, the Four Great Demon Kings were visible. However, Damien¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on them.
Instead, he fixated on a smaller figure d in a gray robe.
The moment Damien saw that gray robe, he shouted.
"Dorugo!"
The gray-robed figure turned its gaze toward Damien.
Two red lights glowed from inside the skull and locked onto Damien.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 302
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 302: Diversion Tactic (3)
***
Damien Haksen lived a pitiful life.
- ¡°Have youpletely lost your mind? Causing trouble in a tavern and getting thrown out? Do you have any idea how much disgrace you''ve brought upon our family because of you?¡±
He squandered the family''s wealth and wounded those closest to him. In the end, even his family cast him aside.
- ¡°Leave. Nevere back. If you dare to return, I''ll kill you with my own hands!¡±
Wandering the back alleys, the only ce that epted Damien Haksen was Juan¡¯s mercenary group.
- "Hey, young man, let''s see what you''ve got."
- "Well, you have as sharp a skill as a knight, despite how you look."
- "Wee to our mercenary group."
Juan wasn¡¯t particrly strong, but he was a good person. The other members were the same.
- "Damien! You rascal! I never thought you''d actually beat a knight!"
- "Brother! I''ll follow you wherever you go. I trust only in you!"
Those were truly happy days. For the first time in his life, Damien felt a sense of belonging.
That was until he met Dorugo.
- "Fresh corpses have walked right into my domain!"
It was supposed to be a simple task: hunt down monsters terrorizing a vige.
But in the forest where they went toplete that task, Juan''s mercenary group encountered the lich, Dorugo.
- "Aaargh! My arm! My arm is rotting away!"
- "Brother! Run! We can¡¯t defeat that monster!"
- "Damien! Go! You have to escape!"
Dorugo ughtered the entire mercenary group. She left only one person alive¡ªDamien.
- "A human, with such immense talent? Even my ''Evil Eye'' cannot fullyprehend it."
Damien''s talent piqued Dorugo''s interest.
- "But your talent is tragically underdeveloped. Your naturalziness has stunted it."
- "Don''t worry. From now on, I''ll make sure your talent fully blossoms."
His nightmarish life began at that moment.
Dorugo dissected Damien alive and injected strange concoctions into him.
Each time the drugs were injected, Damien felt an overwhelming sense of foreignness and excruciating pain.
- "Please¡ stop¡ Please¡ I¡¯m begging you¡"
Unable to endure it any longer, Damien desperately pleaded with Dorugo.
But Dorugo ignored Damien¡¯s words entirely.
- "Your bones are too weak. Should I rece them with alloy?"
- "Are¡ are you even listening to me?"
- "What about your muscles? Should I enhance them naturally or rece them with artificial ones?"
- "It¡ it hurts so much¡ Please¡ I¡¯m begging you¡"
- "Let''s start by recing your organs. You''ll need them to survive the uing experiments."
- "Aaaah! Stop! Stop it, you fucking monster!"
Contrary to his pleas, the horrific torment continued.
How much time had passed? Damien eventually became the undead creation Dorugo desired.
- "Finally, it''splete!"
Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved, thinking that it was over.
But the real hell was just about to begin.
- "¡Where am I?"
Before he realized it, Damien found himself trapped in a dark space.
- "What is this? Why can''t I move?"
His arms and legs were bound to a chair, making it impossible to move even an inch.
Even his head was fixed in ce. He couldn¡¯t turn it or move it up and down.
- "Is anyone¡ Is anyone there? Please help me!"
After shouting for what seemed like ages, a window appeared in front of Damien.
To his shock, Dorugo¡¯s face appeared on the other side. She examined Damien through the window and spoke.
- "Hmm¡ Just as I hoped, your consciousness has beenpletely eradicated."
- "You were getting quite noisy, but now I¡¯m pleased."
- "From now on, you are my knight. Death Knight Damien Haksen."
During the process of turning him into a Death Knight, Dorugo had wiped away Damien¡¯s consciousness.
However, Damien hadn¡¯t truly disappeared. Instead, he found himself trapped in this dark space.
With his entire body immobilized, there was nothing Damien could do.
The only freedom he had left was to stare through the small window in front of him.
- "Damien! My knight! Now, let¡¯s show the world your true power!"
Dorugo soon began her War of Destruction. While the Giant Evils of Pandemonium wreaked havoc across thends, she led Damien to the neighboring territories.
- "Go. Kill everything you see!"
Damien¡¯s body faithfully carried out Dorugo¡¯s orders.
He cleaved a farmer in half as he was plowing the field. He tore the head off a passing shepherd. He crushed a fleeing mother and daughter underfoot.
- "Stop¡ Please¡ stop¡!"
Damien was still bound to the chair and could only watch helplessly as these horrors unfolded before him.
He wanted to look away, but he couldn¡¯t. His head was fixed, and he couldn¡¯t turn his gaze.
- "Aaaah! Mama! Maaaamaaa!"
- "God will never forgive such atrocities!"
Even when he closed his eyes, the screams echoed in his ears. But it wasn¡¯t just the screams.
He could hear the sound of flesh being sliced, torn, and crushed.
All kinds of horrible noises assaulted his eardrums and burrowed into his mind.
- "What are you doing to my people? Cease this madness at once!"
Before long, a knight appeared, leading a group of soldiers.
- "I am Augus, a High ss Knight!"
- "Death Knight! Despite your size, your skills are nothing special."
- "Wait¡ no? How¡ How did you see through my technique¡?"
At first, Damien was overwhelmed by the knight. He was barely able to defend against the attacks.
But soon, the tide turned. Damien perfectly anticipated the knight¡¯s moves and drove a sword through his chest.
After killing the knight, Damien ughtered the remaining soldiers. Over a thousand men were reduced to corpses in an instant.
Blood flowed like rivers. The field was covered with bodies. In the middle of it all, Damien stood, drenched in blood.
- "Ugh¡ Uuuurgh¡"
Unable to bear it, Damien dry-heaved over and over again.
From that point on, Damien continued to kill under Dorugo''smand. Before long, the number of people Damien had killed surpassed millions.
- "Stop¡ Stop it! This is my body! Stop! I said stop!"
Damien desperately tried to regain control of his body, but all efforts were in vain.
- "Someone¡ someone please kill me¡ Please¡ stop me¡"
Eventually, Damien gave up trying to regain control. Instead, he wished for someone to kill him. But that hope was futile.
When he met opponents of equal strength, he always won.
When he faced stronger enemies, he still emerged victorious.
With each battle, Damien grew even stronger.
By the time he reached the point where he could perfectly mimic a technique after seeing it just once, there was no one left who could stand against him.
- "¡"
Around that time, Damien gave up on everything. He sat in the chair, spending his days in despair.
That is, until the moment he drove a sword into his father¡¯s heart.
- "What¡ Why is my father¡ No¡ Stop¡ Please stop¡"
Damien realized toote what had happened and screamed in agony, but it was pointless.
- "Brother! Why are you doing this? Please stop! I¡¯m begging you, stop!"
The same was true when he severed his younger brother''s head.
- "You¡¯re still alive? But in that form¡"
He couldn¡¯t stop himself from killing his mother either.
- "Damien¡ You must have been unhappy."
In the end, Damien could only watch helplessly as his elder sister died.
- "Aaaah! Dorugo! Dorugooooo!"
In the darkness, Damien wept tears of blood and screamed. Dorugo wasughing gleefully and spoke to him.
- "How did it feel to kill the family that cast you out? I prepared that just for you."
Dorugo didn¡¯t have any grand reason for making Damien kill his own family.
It was purely for her amusement.
Simple entertainment.
She gave those horrificmands just for her own pleasure.
- "Haha! Of course, you probably didn¡¯t feel anything. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Watching you killing your family was truly a good spectacle."
On that day, Damien made a vow.
He would kill that damned skeleton with his own hands.
He would avenge his family, even if it cost him everything.
"Dorugo!"
In the present moment, Damien screamed and his voice filled with fury. The voice echoed through the entire cavern.
"Stay right where you are! I''m going to kill you right now!"
The pent-up rage exploded with an enormous amount of killing intent.
"Aaaah!"
"Ugh!"
Even the elves were affected by his killing intent. Cuts appeared on their bodies, as if they''d been grazed by invisible des.
"D-Damien Haksen! Calm down!"
Mata shouted but it was no use. All of Damien''s focus was on Dorugo.
At that moment, the dimensional portal began to slowly close.
The thought that Dorugo might escape caused Damien''s eyes to burn with fury.
"Where do you think you''re going? Stop right there!"
Damien sprinted toward the closing gate, channeling his mana into Dawn.
From the moment he''d learned that the Four Great Demon Kings could open dimensional portals, Damien had been preparing for this.
He knew exactly how to prevent their escape.
Damien''s swordsmanship had reached a level where he could cut through the very fabric of dimensions.
So reopening the closing gate with a sh was easy.
"I told you to stop!"
Just a few more steps.
If he could just reach it, he could sh the gate and stop Dorugo. He could finally kill her.
His heart raced with anticipation. His mind burned with feverish excitement.
But then it happened.
Suddenly, the magic circle on the ground lit up, and demonic energy surged from it.
At the same time, an earthquake shook the ind.
It wasn¡¯t a normal tremor. The entire ind was trembling.
And that wasn¡¯t the only anomaly.
"Guh¡ Gahk!"
"Aaahhh!"
Elves screamed as they copsed. Their cries made Damien hesitate for a moment.
"I¡ I can''t breathe¡!"
"Cough¡ Cough¡"
Their once vibrant skin was rapidly withering. Their hair became brittle and dry.
But what shocked Damien the most was the waning power of the spirits within the elves.
Damien found himself torn between the elves and Dorugo.
In his heart, he wanted nothing more than to chase after Dorugo and kill her. But doing so would surely mean the elves'' deaths.
He had no personal connection to them. Damien didn¡¯t even know their names.
But the cries and curses of the elves he had ughtered in his past life held him back.
"Damn it!"
Damien clenched his eyes shut and turned away, running toward the elves.
In the meantime, the dimensional gate fully closed, and Dorugo¡¯s presence vanishedpletely.
"D-Damien¡ Haksen¡"
"Yes, I''m here."
Damien quickly opened his subspace and pulled out potions for the elves. He also used the divine power of Dawn to try and heal them.
"Guh¡"
"Cough!"
However, the elves showed no signs of improvement.
They were still dying, moment by moment.
"What¡ is this¡?"
Damien channeled his mana into their bodies to assess their condition.
"¡The connection to the World Tree is severed?"
Elves derive their life force and spirit energy from the World Tree. That connection had suddenly been severed, and now the elves were dying as a result.
"¡No way."
Damien extended his senses further. It was only then that he realized it¡ªthe energy of the World Tree, which had once surrounded the entire ind, had vanished. Something catastrophic had urred.
He examined the magic circle on the ground.
Earlier, in his rage, he hadn''t noticed.
This magic circle was simr to the one he had seen in the fortress, but not totally identical.
The magic circle in the fortress was designed to inject the demon''s energy into the roots of the World Tree.
But this magic circle¡
"This one is activating a demonic energy inside it."
Finally, Damien understood what Dorugo had done to the ind.
She had injected demonic energy into the roots of the World Tree and then activated a powerful demonic ability.
"If it''s a power strong enough to affect the World Tree¡"
It would require at least the power of a Marquess ss demon.
And recently, Damien had encountered a demon even stronger than that.
Vahel.
A Duke ss demon who wielded the power of ¡®Istion¡¯.
"So that¡¯s why she summoned the demon¡ To kill the World Tree¡!"
At that moment, an explosion suddenly erupted from the walls.
The explosions happened all at once, causing the entire cavern to copse.
Tons of dirt and rubble buried Damien and the elves underneath.
***
"Why did you close the dimensional portal so quickly?" Dorugo asked in a displeased tone. Lambda calmly exined.
"Damien Haksen. Capable of crossing the portal. Risk of gate intrusion."
"You could have just stopped him."
"There is always the possibility."
Despite the exnation, Dorugo''s mood didn¡¯t improve. The mention of Damien somehow continued to bother her.
"I didn¡¯t even get a good look at his face."
Dorugo sighed with a hint of regret and turned around.
"Imperial Supreme Sword, how are you?"
Dorugo¡¯s gaze now focused on the scene where the Imperial Supreme Sword was locked in battle with H and the Lord of Eternal me.
Surprisingly, the battle seemed totally one-sided. H and the Lord of Eternal me bore numerous injuries, while the Imperial Supreme Sword remained unscathed.
"¡"
There was no expression on the Imperial Supreme Sword''s face. He was staring nkly at something far in the distance.
"¡The World Tree is dying."
At the center of the ind, the World Tree was darkening, falling to dust as its branches crumbled.
"What have you done?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword''s face red with anger for a moment, but then it returned to its calm demeanor.
"Answer me! I¡¯m asking you what you''ve¡ª"
"Why are you so calm? I can''t understand it at all."
Dorugo spread her arms, and the Four Great Demon Kings stepped forward.
"You no longer have the support of the World Tree. Meanwhile, I¡¯ve arrived with reinforcements."
The leader of Pandemonium, the Lord of Eternal me, and now the Four Great Demon Kings stood against him.
"Was that supposed to be a joke?"
Even in the face of such odds, the Imperial Supreme Sword didn¡¯t falter.
"Sorry I realized it toote. I couldn¡¯tugh with you."
On the contrary, his aura grew even stronger. The Imperial Supreme Sword still hadn¡¯t shown his true power.
"So¡ it¡¯s you. You¡¯re the one. The greatest threat that must be eliminated. If I kill you, I¡¯ll finally be free."
Dorugo spoke to the Lord of Eternal me.
"Leo, use it."
Leo immediately pulled something from his cloak¡ªa pitch ck dagger.
The sight of it made the Imperial Supreme Sword furrow his brow.
"¡A dagger infused with demonic energy? Leo, why do you have that?"
Leo didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he smiled and stabbed the dagger into his own heart.
"Leo?"
In that moment, the Imperial Supreme Sword felt a violent shock.
"Guh¡!"
His mana flow stilled. His blood stopped circting. Even as he breathed, no air filled his lungs.
It wasn¡¯t poison. It wasn¡¯t a curse. This was¡
"He used blood as a medium, manifested the power of a Duke ss demon into your body."
Dorugoughed as she exined.
"No matter how hard you try, you are unable to deal with this."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 303
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 303: Memory (1)
***
The mention of a Duke ss demon made the Imperial Supreme Sword recall the demon that had recently fought against the Church¡ªVahel.
Duke ss demon with the power of ''Istion''.
His favorite tactic was to attack his enemies with a solid square pir that he created by ''isting'' a certain area of space.
His abilities also allowed him to iste the five senses of his targets.
As the Imperial Supreme Sword pieced it all together, he realized what had happened to his body.
"You''ve isted every flow within my body¡"
"Smart. Nothing changes even though you are aware of the nature of the curse."
Dorugo sneered."
"The powers of demons are on a different level than mere curses. A human body like yours can''t possibly undo it."
Dorugo nced over at the Lord of Eternal me and added.
"Leo, you did well. Without you, we couldn¡¯t have cornered the Imperial Supreme Sword."
The Lord of Eternal me said nothing and silently endured his own suffering from the demonic power. His eyes were filled with nothing but hatred for the Imperial Supreme Sword.
"Leo¡ You must have resented me so much¡ But¡ I can''t grant your wish¡"
The Imperial Supreme Sword calmly assessed his own condition. Although the flow within him was ¡®isted¡¯ he could still breathe, even if just slightly. While his blood flowed weakly, he could still move a faint amount of mana.
Vahel''s power of ¡®Istion¡¯ wasn¡¯t perfect. The fact that the Imperial Supreme Sword was still alive was proof of that.
He began to resist the power, pushing it back and attempting to regain control over his own body.
"I can hardly believe it, even though I¡¯m seeing it with my own eyes."
H remarked with surprise. She had already noticed the changes happening in the Imperial Supreme Sword''s body.
"Resisting a demon''s power with sheer will¡ I guess I can''t afford to hold back anymore."
She channeled a vast amount of dark mana into her legs, lowering her body like a sprinter about to take off.
With a deafening boom, H kicked off the ground and moved at lightning speed. A streak of light shot toward the Imperial Supreme Sword.
H was a master of quick sword. Her movements and sword techniques had already reached the speed of light.
As she became a sh of light, she swung her sword, intending to decapitate the Imperial Supreme Sword in a single sh.
In that moment, the Imperial Supreme Sword envisioned a single image in his mind¡ªa sword that could strike down light.
As that image solidified, a sharp sound echoed through the air, and H¡¯s sword was deflected.
But the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s vision didn¡¯t end there. He envisioned a counterattack, a strike chasing after H as she retreated.
Invisible shes rained down on her, and she was forced to parry each one as she backed away.
"Eos! You monster!"
H shouted whileughing gleefully.
Despite her attacks being neutralized, she seemed thrilled.
"Your heart sword still stands strong, does it? Just as I expected from the man I acknowledge!"
Even though he was dying from the demon''s power, the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s heart sword remained formidable.
"But how many times can you use your heart sword with that body of yours?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword was dying from the effects of ¡®Istion.¡¯ No matter how strong he was, it was impossible for him to keep using his heart Sword in his current state.
"And I¡¯m not alone."
The Four Great Demon Kings had by now assembled behind H.
"¡"
Though the Lord of Eternal me was out of the fight, four even stronger beings had taken his ce.
The Imperial Supreme Sword, on the other hand, had lost the support of the World Tree and was slowly being killed by the demonic energy.
The Imperial Supreme weapon raised his sword, ready to take on H and the Four Great Demon Kings despite the grave circumstances.
"Eos, just give up. At least die peacefully."
"I can¡¯t do that."
"Why are you so stubborn? Those elves never recognize you as their own."
At H¡¯s question, the Imperial Supreme Sword forced a bitter smile.
A young elf who had ventured outside the ind to broaden her horizons had fallen in love with an imperial noble.
On the surface, it seemed like a beautiful romance straight out of a melodramatic novel. But the reality was far from that.
His mother was expelled from Alfheim after bing pregnant. She couldn¡¯t receive the World Tree''s vitality and grew emaciated with each passing day.
His father no longer loved her, having lost interest in her once beautiful appearance.
From the beginning, he had another wife and an heir to continue his lineage. He disregarded his two half-elf sons as well as the elf, giving them no attention at all.
Not only was she abandoned by her hometown, but she was betrayed by the man she loved.
How much suffering and pain must she have endured?
Even the young Imperial Supreme Sword felt pity for his mother. He felt she was unjustly pitied and was deeply sorry for the pain brought upon her life because of them.
- "Eos, what would you like to eat for dinner tonight?"
Yet the mother held no resentment towards her sons.
- "Leo, you¡¯ve grown up now."
- "Eos! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to fight with your brother?"
- "Just wait a little longer. I¡¯ll make you a beautiful garment from this yarn."
In fact, she gave him all the love his father never gave him. Thanks to her, Eos felt the absence of his father less keenly.
But the mother did not live long. She copsed the year her sons came of age.
- "Alfheim¡ I want to run through its forests¡"
Until her death, the mother longed for Alfheim, unable to forget her homnd even after being cast out.
That¡¯s why the Imperial Supreme Sword hade here¡ªto repay his mother¡¯s love and to protect the homnd she cherished until the end.
"H, your rambling is unnecessary. Or are you afraid of me?"
At the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s provocation, H snickered andunched herself forward.
A sh of light came hurtling towards him. Following that, the Four Great Demon Kings charged.
* * *
With an explosion, chunks of debris began to rain down.
Damien could have easily escaped through the debris on his own.
But the problem was the elves. He had no time to save them and escape simultaneously.
"Dorugo, you bastard!"
It was clearly a trap. Damien roared in anger and swung his sword.
The aurade released from Dawn pierced through the falling debris.
For a moment, the ceiling was cleared. But it was only for an instant.
The gap was quickly filled as the falling debris continued to pour in.
Damien desperately tried to think, searching for a way to save the elves and escape.
"Damien¡ Haksen¡"
At that moment, Hata, who had copsed on the ground, managed to speak with great effort.
"Leave us¡ and escape¡ at least you¡ should run¡"
Damien''s body stiffened at those words. Unpleasant memories resurfaced.
- "Brother! Run away! You can''t defeat them!"
His teeth clenched. His head felt like it was going to burst from the intense fury.
He was deeply disturbed.
The thought of being toyed with by Dorugo.
Of having to sacrifice something because of Dorugo.
The irritation and frustration were overwhelming, almost unbearable.
"¡Ugh!"
At that moment, a crushing headache overwhelmed him. It wasn¡¯t ordinary pain; it felt like his head was going to explode.
Damien clutched his head with both hands, struggling to endure the pain.
"Ugh¡"
Suddenly, Damien¡¯s vision went dark, and a familiar scene appeared before him.
A burning and destroyed castle.
Undead creatures massacring people.
Damien stood atop a high tower, overlooking the scene.
"Could this be¡?"
Damien recognized the ce from both his past and present lives. It was the Imperial Pce.
As this realization hit him, a familiar voice came from behind.
- "S-save me¡ Please¡!"
The headless body of Dorugo was pleading desperately.
In front of Dorugo stood a knight in ck armor. Damien¡¯s eyes widened at the sight.
That knight was his past self¡ªa Damien Haksen who transformed into a Death Knight.
At that moment, Damien understood what the memory he was witnessing was about.
He was seeing the moments right before his regression.
- "Go to hell."
The past Damien ruthlessly crushed Dorugo¡¯s head until it turned to dust.
- "W-who are you¡?"
A middle-aged man standing a little further away asked in confusion. It was Emperor Howard Adrd of the Empire.
But the past Damien didn¡¯t even nce at the Emperor.
- "There is still¡ work to be done."
The past Damien held Erebos upside down and brought the sword''s tip to his chest.
- "I apologize, I''m sorry, I''m sorry."
Without hesitation, the past Damien drove Erebos into his chest.
Erebos pierced through his chest and protruded out the back, leading to the past Damien¡¯s death.
This much was familiar to Damien. But the memory didn¡¯t end there.
Suddenly, a strange power began to flow from the wound in his chest.
It wasn¡¯t mana, dark mana, divine power, or even the demonic energy.
- "Why was this power stored in my body¡?"
The past Damien looked down at his chest in bewilderment.
Then, a magic circle suddenly appeared on Damien¡¯s skin.
The circle was densely engraved all over his body.
The past Damien examined the circle, and anger filled his eyes.
- "Dorugo! Was this your doing? What were you nning to do with my body!"
The past Damien tried to erase the magic circle, but it was futile. The circle only glowed brighter.
Eventually, even the seven symbols embedded on the back of his hand began to shine.
The power erupting from Damien¡¯s body flowed into the seven symbols, causing all seven authorities to manifest simultaneously.
- "Ugh!"
Unable to endure the manifestation of all authorities, Damien¡¯s body began to copse.
Soon, a ck hole formed in the air.
The ck hole sucked in Damien then continued to pull in Dorugo¡¯s lifeless body, and finally Emperor Howard Adrd.
The ck hole closed after absorbing them.
"...Hah!"
At that moment, Damien came to his senses, returning from the memory to reality.
If Damien wasn¡¯t mistaken, what he had seen was a memory from the past.
A memory he had even forgotten, unaware of its existence.
Milene was right. The reason Damien could reverse time was due to these authorities.
It was simply that he had failed to realize it because the memory had been erased.
"...Dorugo, you intended to offer me as a sacrifice."
Damien¡¯s body was destroyed by the activation of the ritual.
Clearly, Dorugo had nned to destroy the Empire and then sacrifice Damien to return to the past.
¡°Even tearing you to shreds a thousand times wouldn¡¯t be enough for you, you fucking bitch!¡±
The thought of being used by Dorugo until the very end fueled Damien¡¯s rage.
However, he had to set aside his emotions for now.
Debris from the ceiling began to pile up on the floor. At this rate, the elves would be buried under the rubble and die.
Suddenly, Damien recalled Milene¡¯s words.
Dorugo hadbined authorities to ¡®restore¡¯ things.
The way the missing parts were perfectly restored seemed like rewinding time.
And Damien had seen how Dorugo had tried to rewind time in his past memories.
¡°¡If I¡¯ve seen it, I should be able to do it. That¡¯s the kind of person I am.¡±
But there weren¡¯t enough authorities. Damien had only unlocked five authorities.
He needed the demonic energy to unlock more authorities.
Damien knelt and ced his hands on the magic circle on the floor.
If it was Dorugo¡¯s magic circle, Damien could handle it too.
As he infused it with dark mana, the magic circle on the floor began to glow.
¡°If I can activate the magic circle, I can also stop it.¡±
Damien first halted the demonic energy seeping into the World Tree.
¡°Hah¡!¡±
¡°B-breath¡ I can breathe!¡±
The elves gasped for breath, their connection to the World Tree restored.
Next, Damien extracted the demonic energy through the magic circle.
Demonic energy was released from the magic circle, and Damien absorbed all of it.
Then, one of the dormant authorities awakened.
The Authority of Sloth.
It was the power to manipte time.
In his past life, Damien had used this power to elerate or slow down an enemy''s movements.
Or at least, that was all he had been able to do. But now it was different.
Damien used the Authority of Envy on his own mana. He transformed it using the mysterious energy he had seen in his memories.
He amplified the energy with the Authority of Wrath. With this amplified energy, he activated both the Authority of Pride and Sloth simultaneously.
The authorities connected and unleashed a new ability.
The falling debris gradually slowed down until itpletely stopped in mid-air.
¡°M-moved¡?¡±
¡°W-what¡¯s happening¡?¡±
The elves looked up in astonishment at the suspended debris.
Damien intensified the ability. The debris began to rise back up into the sky.
The destroyed space began to revert to its original state. It returned to exactly how it had been before.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The elves stared at Damien in dazed silence.
The power Damien disyed was something even magic and spirits couldn¡¯t achieve.
The elves looked at him as if they were facing a deity.
¡°Haah, haah¡¡±
Damien exhaled heavily.
Despite just a brief use of this power, both his stamina and mana werepletely depleted.
¡°Is everyone alright?¡±
Damien asked the elves. They nodded slowly.
¡°That¡¯s good. You all stay here and recover your strength.¡±
Though it felt like he was going to copse from the strain of using many authorities, there was still more to be done.
Damien headed toward the spot where the dimensional portal had opened.
The dimensional portal was already closed, leaving nothing behind.
But with the Authority of Pride, Damien could still see it.
He could see the traces left by the opening and closing of the dimensional gate.
The Authority of Pride dealt with space. Thus, reopening a closed dimensional portal was possible.
Damien squeezed out the remaining mana and activated the Authority of Pride. The closed dimensional portal was reopened again.
Without hesitation, Damien threw himself through the dimensional portal.
***
It was as if a storm had swept through.
The entire field was utterly destroyed. It looked as if an earthquake had struck. The ground was split open and exposing its depths.
¡°Cough.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword was at the center of the devastation.
His body was covered in wounds. He was bleeding from his mouth, possibly from internal injuries.
¡°...How can you still be alive?¡±
He asked in disbelief.
The head of Pandemonium and the Four Great Demon Kings had coordinated their attack. Despite that, the Imperial Supreme Sword had held his ground.
Though the Four Great Demon Kings hadn¡¯t revealed their true forms, it was clearly an extraordinary situation.
¡°...I¡¯m curious too. Why haven¡¯t you managed to kill me yet?¡±
He wryly smiled at those words.
¡°Impressive, Eos, Impressive. But do you think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve truly reached your limit?¡±
To prove He¡¯s words true, the Imperial Supreme Sword knelt on the ground.
He approached him closely. Despite the enemy being right in front of him, the Imperial Supreme Sword couldn¡¯t lift his sword.
¡°Hah¡¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword looked up at the sky.
He had been able to read the flow of fate since his birth. Even now, he was peering into his destiny.
The tumultuous flow of fate was illuminating a single path.
Death.
The fate that had been foretold long ago wasing for him.
¡°Eos, your head will be my greatest treasure.¡±
¡°...I hope you¡¯ll clean it daily.¡±
He raised his sword high.
The Imperial Supreme Sword did not close his eyes. He kept them open to witness his destiny until the very end.
But something strange appeared in Eos¡¯s eyes.
¡°...What?¡±
The flow of fate had be chaotic again. The inevitable death that had approached was beginning to scatter.
¡°Could it be¡?¡±
A dimensional portal opened above the Imperial Supreme Sword. From it, Damien Haxen emerged.
As soon as Damien appeared, he swung his sword at He.
He Fallen dodged the attack, retreating and staring at Damien with disbelief.
¡°How... How did you get here...?¡±
¡°Daddy¡¯s home! You motherfuckers.¡±
Having said that Damien ignored He and turned his attention towards a nearby standing skeleton and yelled again.
¡°Dorugo!¡±
He focused solely on the one person.
Shouting with all the hatred he had.
¡°Stay right there! I¡¯m going to send you straight to hell right now!¡±
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 304
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 304: Memory (2)
***
"You reopened a dimensional portal¡?"
Dorugo murmured in shock at Damien''s sudden appearance.
"How did a knight open a dimensional portal? Did he have helpers? Or did he use an artifact? Either way, it¡¯s amazing."
It was unexpected that Damien had followed them here.
But it wasn¡¯t a major problem. Even with the Imperial Supreme Sword in a near-death state, Damien Haksen alone wouldn¡¯t be able to change the oue of the battle.
"You should have stayed buried there and died quietly. Toe after me¡ You¡¯ll regret this."
Suddenly, an intense headache struck Dorugo. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced.
"Ugh, grr... Aaaagh!"
Dorugo grabbed her head with both hands, desperately hoping for the pain to pass.
With the headache, strange memories began to surface. Dorugo began to read the memories in a daze.
"What... what are these memories...?"
The memories gradually increased. Eventually, Dorugo recalled everything from her previous life.
"Damien Haksen... Death Knight... The Seven Authorities... I remember now. Finally, I remember. Why on earth did I forget such crucial things until now?"
Slowly, Dorugo fixed her gaze on Damien.
"Damien Haksen, my loyal knight. I never imagined we¡¯d meet again like this."
"...Did you regain your memories?"
Damien asked suspiciously. Dorugo nodded.
"Yes, I remember everything now. Who we were¡ what we did together."
Dorugo''s eyes began to change as she looked at Damien.
Her once calm eyes started to tremble, rising like a fire caught in the wind.
"How dare an undead like you kill your master?"
Dorugo screamed in anger.
"Do you know what you¡¯ve done? The grand n that I painstakingly prepared for over a thousand years, was all destroyed because of you!"
Dorugo¡¯s eyes red red as she raged uncontrobly.
"That ritual! The time-reversal was never meant to be used now! Someone like you shouldn¡¯t have used it! Argh! Aaaagh!"
After a while of raging, Dorugo forced herself to calm down.
"...No, the ritual can be prepared again. As long as I take control of this world, preparing the ritual again will be easy!"
Dorugo red at Damien once more.
"Damien Haksen, this time I¡¯ll turn you into the perfect ve. I¡¯ll break you so thoroughly that you¡¯ll never even think of defying me..."
"Hahahah."
Dorugo¡¯s words were suddenly interrupted byughter.
Dorugo looked at Damien with a face full of confusion.
"Don¡¯t tell me... you''reughing?"
"Haha, hahaha!"
Damien threw his head back and burst intoughter.
"Dorugo... Dorugo remembers! She has also regressed like me!"
Dorugo couldn¡¯t understand why Damien wasughing so joyfully.
"Ha... haha..."
Meanwhile, Damien''sughter gradually died down.
As he lowered his head and stared at Dorugo, his eyes overflowed with both delight and bloodlust.
"I¡¯ve been regretting it all this time. I killed you far too easily."
Killing intent radiated from Damien. The sinister aura sent a chill down Dorugo''s spine.
"Epsilon!"
Unable to withstand the murderous aura, Dorugo instinctively cried out.
"S-Stop Damien Haksen! Don¡¯t let him get close to me!"
The Four Great Demon Kings immediately stood in front of Dorugo and formed a barrier to protect her.
When Damien saw what they were doing, his lips curled into a sneer.
"You think you cheap knock-offs can stop me? Good. I''ve been wanting to crush you all for a while now."
Damien took a stance as if he was about to lunge forward and muttered.
"Third Wheel."
In an instant, Damien¡¯s body vanished.
A blue sh engulfed the Four Great Demon Kings.
* * *
"Damien Haksen!"
The first to react was Iota.
Iota stood in Damien''s way as he unleashed his dragon form.
"This time, I will have my revenge!"
His dragon-scaled fist tore through the air toward Damien.
But Damien didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he threw his own punch.
The two fists collided.
Iota''s fist was like a boulder, while Damien''s seemed as small and fragile as an egg.
But the result was different. The egg shattered the boulder.
Iota''s fist crumbled. The muscles in his arm burst apart, and ck blood sttered everywhere.
"Arrrgh!"
Iota screamed in agony, but Damien showed no mercy.
He kicked the ground and flew into the air. He stomped on Iota''s head.
Iota''s head mmed into the ground. The ground was crushed under the impact.
"Damien Haksen!"
Next came Epsilon. He swung a massive iron ball down at Damien.
Damien swung his sword upwards. The rising sword met the descending iron ball.
With a thunderous crash, the iron ball shattered. Shards of metal embedded themselves into Epsilon¡¯s skin.
"Impossible..."
Damien swung his sword again, cleanly severing Epsilon''s head, causing blood to rush out.
Damien prepared to charge at Dorugo again when suddenly a massive magic circle appeared in the sky above.
¡°Danger! Damien Haksen. Must kill here.¡±
Lambda cast dark magic. Red lightning poured from the circle like a torrential downpour.
Damien read the flow of the lightningpletely, dodging the downpour with the precision of a hair¡¯s breadth as he pushed forward.
"...Is he even human?"
He shed at the panicked Lambda. Lambda''s body was sliced in a straight line from head to groin.
With three down, there was only one Great Demon King was left.
¡°No matter who you are, I can¡¯t stand by and let you harm my mother.¡±
Theta swung her sword with great force. The sound waves expanded, trying to engulf Damien.
In response, Damien raised his foot and stomped the ground hard.
The shockwave and his aura dispersed the sound waves effortlessly.
"You blocked it... so easily?"
Theta was greatly rmed, and Damien didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and charged at her.
A long gash was left in Theta''s abdomen after Damien brushed past her at lightning speed.
A massive amount of blood gushed out from the wound, causing her to knelt on the ground.
In the blink of an eye, all Four Great Demon Kings were defeated.
Dorugo was speechless and murmured in disbelief.
"Defeated? They''re stronger than they were in the past. I invested all the resources meant for you into them..."
Damien began walking toward Dorugo. She regained her senses after realizing the danger.
"How... how dare you... once again raise your sword against me?"
Fury spread across Dorugo''s face as she clenched her teeth and screamed.
"You''re an undead that I created! Without me, you could never have be this strong! And yet you¡¯re so ungrateful...!"
With one swift motion, Damien appeared in front of Dorugo and swung his sword, cutting her shoulder.
The skeletal shoulder was cut off easily, revealing the marrow inside.
"...Huh?"
Dorugo didn''t immediately realize her shoulder had been cut off.
"Aaagh!"
She screamed in agony while clutching the severed area.
"Why... why does it hurt? This body shouldn¡¯t feel pain!"
Her skeletal form had no nerves, so she shouldn¡¯t have been able to feel any pain.
But Damien''s swordsmanship was special.
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien created a new style of swordsmanship specifically to kill Dorugo.
A technique that could sever the soul along with the physical body.
The reason Dorugo was feeling pain now was because her soul had been severed.
"It seems you''re in quite a lot of pain." Damien said calmly.
Now that he was standing before Dorugo, his mind felt cold and clear.
"You¡¯d better get used to it quickly. You''ll die slowly and painfully as I torture you."
Damien raised his sword once more. As Dorugo saw her death sh before her eyes, she screamed for help.
"Do you think you¡¯ll be safe after this? In the end, you¡¯ll submit to me! And when that timees, you and your family will all be dead¡ª"
Intense killing intent exploded in Damien''s eyes.
The n to kill her slowly and meticulously vanished from his mind.
Damien swung Dawn at Dorugo''s neck, but his de couldn¡¯t cut through her.
Suddenly, a longsword appeared and blocked Dawn''s strike.
Damien followed the de with his eyes, and there stood H.
¡°My dear, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t particrly like this creature either, but I can¡¯t just let her die.¡±
H said calmly.
¡°When I saw youst time, I should have killed you then. That was my mistake.¡±
Damien''s voice rumbled low, like a ferocious beast.
H smiled and replied.
¡°You wish to kill me, don¡¯t you, Dear? But before that, there¡¯s something that needs to be finished. Those ones aren¡¯t dead yet.¡±
As soon as she finished speaking, an enormous pressure erupted from somewhere.
The Four Great Demon Kings rose to their feet.
Their bodies started growingrger. Their human forms quickly vanished and were reced by monstrous figures. They had finally revealed their true selves.
Behind Damien were the Four Great Demon Kings, and in front of him, the leader of Pandemonium.
Even though he was surrounded by such powerful enemies, Damien chuckled.
¡°So, I can¡¯t kill Dorugo until I¡¯ve dealt with all of you, is that it?¡±
¡°Exactly, My dear. But I wonder if you can face us in your current condition.¡±
She wasn¡¯t wrong. Damien had nearly depleted his stamina and mana from overusing the authorities. The small amount of mana he had left had been consumed when he used third wheel.
¡°What a horrible feeling to be pitied by a trash like you!¡±
Damien said with a sharp tone.
¡°But don¡¯t worry. I have plenty of ways to kill you.¡±
With that, Damien removed the bracelet from his wrist.
The dark mana sealed within it was unleashed.
¡°...Dark mana?¡±
H murmured in confusion.
¡°Why would a knight possess dark mana? When you can¡¯t use it, can you?¡±
¡°Stop him!¡±
Dorugo suddenly screamed in panic.
H tilted her head in confusion.
¡°Stop him? From what?¡±
¡°Stop Damien Haksen from absorbing that dark man!¡±
Dorugo shouted desperately. But it was already toote.
Damien gathered all the dark mana dispersed in the air and absorbed it into his body.
He stopped using the Five Wheel Harmonious Art.
Dark mana and regr mana were different forces. To control dark mana, he needed to use a different mana cultivation technique.
It was a technique Damien hadn¡¯t used in a long time, but one that was all too familiar to him.
A technique not born of his desires but created during his time as Dorugo''s ve, ughtering countless people.
Nameless mana art.
The power that once wiped humanity from existence, the power of the Death Knight now reawakened.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 305
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 305: The Power Of The Past (1)
***
If pure mana was like clear water, then dark mana was like blood.
It was much thicker and stickier, so whenever dark mana coursed through his body, Damien felt a sense of unease.
He despised that feeling.
No matter how much time passed, he couldn¡¯t get used to it. In fact, the higher his power grew, the more intensely he felt it.
Eventually, Damien began to sense something else in the dark mana¡ªsomething more than just difort.
¡ª "My child is waiting at home! Without me, they''ll starve to death!"
¡ª "Mother...! Please spare my mother! I beg you!"
¡ª "You demon-like fiends! You''re not human! God will never let you get away with this!"
He could now feel the lingering resentments of those who had been sacrificed to gain dark mana.
That was why Damien hated it. He didn¡¯t want to absorb this power into his body unless absolutely necessary.
But now was not the time for stubbornness. To defeat a formidable enemy, he needed to rely on the power he so loathed.
So, Damien didn¡¯t stop cultivating his nameless mana art. He didn¡¯t block the flow of dark mana.
As he continued, his once flesh-colored skin began to turn gray, like ash. The blue glow in his eyes shifted to a deep red.
Soon, darkness rushed out from Damien and engulfed the surrounding ground. And then it began to burn like fire.
Ziiiiiing...
At that moment, he heard Dawn''s faint sound when Damien looked down and saw Dawn weeping weakly.
Dawn was the holy sword so dark mana was like poison for it. Damien quickly stored it back into his subspace.
Then he spoke, stretching his hand into the air.
"Erebos,e forth."
Dormant Erebos materialized from the tattoo. Damien grasped Erebos''s handle firmly.
"......"
H looked at Damien with a hardened expression.
She had been shivering for a while, sensing his ominous presence.
"Dorugo, it''s best if we leave this ce now."
H fled the scene at lightning speed, carrying Dorugo on her back.
Damien immediately attempted to pursue her.
¡°Stop right there!¡±
Just then, a massive shadow loomed over Damien and the ground.
A giant, asrge as a mountain, had appeared behind him.
The giant¡¯s body wasposed of all sorts of metals.
¡°As long as I¡¯m here, you won¡¯ty a finger on my mother!¡±
The giant, no, Epsilon roared with a thunderous voice.
Even seeing Epsilon''s transformation, Damien wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. He already knew her true nature.
Long ago, there were giants on the continent who could create metal from their bodies.
Epsilon had been created using the body of one such giant. Naturally, he had inherited the giant¡¯s abilities.
Epsilon¡¯s true form was created from the body of an extinct race of giants.
¡°I¡¯ll crush you right here and now!¡±
Metal began to sprout from Epsilon¡¯s hands. The metal fused together, forming a colossal hammer.
Epsilon swung the hammer down toward Damien. Its size was so immense that it was like a mountain peak crashing down.
However, Damien did not dodge. He didn¡¯t even try to block.
The hammer struck Damien with full force, causing a massive explosion. The invisible shockwave blew everything around it away.
But Damien remained unscathed. In fact, he hadn¡¯t even budged from his original position.
It wasn¡¯t Damien who had been destroyed¡ªit was the hammer. Ity in bits on the ground, fractured beyond recognition, like shattered ss.
¡°...Why is he unharmed?¡±
Epsilon muttered in disbelief. His face showed clear confusion.
He had no idea what kind of life Damien had lived in his previous life.
During Damien''s time as a Death Knight, Dorugo altered his body to make it nearly indestructible.
But with every gain, there is always a loss.
Damien¡¯s modified body became exceedingly heavy. As a result, he had no choice but to fight with defense in mind rather than evasion.
Damien focused on a technique to protect his body with an aura.
The result was an invincible defense so solid that it earned him the title of ¡®The Imprable Shield.¡¯
¡°If that¡¯s the case¡ I¡¯ll keep swinging until I break you!¡±
Epsilon made another hammer, this time evenrger than the one before.
Just before he could swing the hammer, Damien extended his hand.
The darkness that had spread across the ground responded to his will. It surged up and wrapped around Epsilon¡¯s limbs.
¡°Kyaaaah!¡±
Epsilon screamed as he struggled, but no matter how much strength he used, he couldn¡¯t shake off the darkness.
Damien opened his palm and gathered dark mana into it.
The dark mana coalesced and formed a ck sphere. Damienunched the sphere straight at Epsilon.
The sphere flew through the air and struck his torso.
His stomach evaporated in an instant.
"¡¡!"
A gaping hole appeared in Epsilon¡¯s body.
The size of the hole was massive,pletely obliterating his abdomen and part of his chest.
The metal that encased his body offered no protection at all.
Epsilon''s body copsed shortly thereafter. He couldn¡¯t even scream.
¡°Damien Haksen!¡±
A thunderous voice erupted from above.
Damien looked up and saw a ck dragon, its massive form blocking out the sky.
He recognized the dragon''s identity immediately.
It was Iota.
His body had been created using the corpse of Bahamut, the evil dragon who once ruled part of the continent.
This was why Iota could wield the power of a dragon.
¡°You dare harm Epsilon! I will see to it that you die here and now!¡±
Iota opened his massive jaws, and a blue me began to gather in his throat.
The blue mes engulfed the ground where Damien stood.
Anything the mes touched was reduced to ashes without a trace. But Damien was the exception.
The darkness beneath Damien¡¯s feet blocked the mes, preventing them from reaching him. The mes were stopped cold by the dark barrier.
"......!"
A look of shock shed across Iota¡¯s face. But soon his gaze sharpened.
¡°Too lukewarm for you? Let me turn up the heat until you can''t withstand it!¡±
Iota drew on even more of his draconic power. The blue mes intensified and continually grew fiercer.
Damien calmly raised Erebos. The darkness on the ground began to converge around Erebos.
As the darkness gathered, it easily pushed back the mes.
The disastrous dragon''s mes, which reputedly had burned half the continent, seemed weak during this time.
Iota witnessed this and shouted in horror.
¡°You monster¡!¡±
Damien swung Erebos, and the sh cleaved the sky.
With a swift motion, the aurade pierced Iota''s body and rose upward. It was as if a ck wall had sliced through the heavens.
¡°Guh¡!¡±
Iota¡¯s body was split from his left shoulder down to his right side. He couldn¡¯t even let out a final cry as he plummeted to the ground.
Damien watched Iota fall and picked up Erebos.
Then, suddenly, the ground beneath him began to glow red.
There it was¡ªa red circle carved into the ground, apanied by red lightning and a terrifying sound.
Damien turned his head and saw a giant jellyfish-like creature floating in the distance.
¡°Damien Haksen. Dangerous. Must kill.¡±
It was Lambda.
His body had been created using the flesh of a Marquis ss demon.
This particr demon was known for possessing exceptional intelligence, even among demons.
Thus, the dark magic Lambda wielded was in a league far superior to that of ordinary dark mages¡ªboth in speed and power.
¡°This is the annihtion spell circle. Damien Haksen, I will disintegrate your body.¡±
The magic circle glowed even brighter, and the amount of crimson lightning surging from it increased dramatically.
At that moment, Damien pointed his finger at the magic circle.
His dark mana began seeping into the circle. Lambda saw this and sneered.
¡°Trying to dispel the circle? Foolish. My dark magic is wless. There''s no way you can prate it¡ª¡±
Before Lambda could finish his sentence, the magic circle shattered. Damien''s dark mana had caused an overload within it.
¡°¡¡¡±
Although Lambda¡¯s face had shifted into a more amorphous form, Damien could still sense his shock.
Damien then pointed at Lambda. In that instant, countless ck spikes burst through Lambda¡¯s body.
¡°Gah!¡±
Lambda¡¯s form crumpled to the ground, violet blood oozing from the holes in his body as he muttered to himself.
¡°A curse...? How...? How did he curse my body...? Impossible¡¡±
Damien raised Erebos to finish him off.
But before he could strike, a translucent sphere suddenly appeared and blocked his path.
Damien looked around and saw that he was now surrounded by hundreds of simr spheres.
¡°...Please, don¡¯t harm my brothers any further.¡±
Damien spotted Theta among the spheres.
Her lower half had transformed into that of a serpent, while her upper body resembled a blend of human and reptilian features.
Like Epsilon, Theta had been created using an ancient race.
Elder Naga¡ªa species that once ruled the seas.
They were known for stirring the ocean into violent storms with their voices.
¡°I know I can¡¯t defeat you. But¡¡±
Theta pped her hands.
The spheres exploded simultaneously, releasing trapped sound waves that pulverized everything in their vicinity.
Yet, these attacks could not prate Damien¡¯s defensive aura.
Damien cut through the storm of sound and stood before Theta. She looked at him with a resigned expression.
¡°Damien Haksen, I¡ I¡¡±
Damien swung Erebos, aiming to sever her neck.
But at that moment...
A sh of light flickered in the distance, and a beam struck Damien.
He blocked it with Erebos, but the force of the impact sent him sliding back with a deafening sound.
"Theta, I¡¯m sorry for beingte."
H spoke as she lowered the sword she had just swung.
"I had to get Dorugo to safety first. But¡"
H nced at the fallen Four Great Demon Kings with disbelief on her face.
"¡I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy, but I never imagined you would defeat them all in such a short time."
She spoke with a bitter tone.
"But it''s fine now. I¡¯m here, and¡ª"
"Pathetic."
A cold and emotionless voice cut her off.
"I don''t know where your confidencees from, but you should have fled instead."
"Dear, I know you¡¯re strong¡ but you shouldn¡¯t underestimate me."
H unleashed her dark mana. A powerful aura that rivaled Damien''s emanated in every direction.
"I am the ruler of all Giant Evils under the heavens, a knight who has reached the rank of Grandmaster. I am a swordmaster who has mastered the light."
Her sword became engulfed in an aurade.
"If you let your guard down, you might just lose your head."
With that, Hunched herself forward, aiming a lightning-fast sh at Damien''s neck.
A longsword intercepted her attack at that moment.
H was startled as her strike was blocked and also pushed back by its immense force.
As she was forced backward, she looked ahead in disbelief.
Standing where she had been was none other than Damien Haksen. It was he who had just unleashed that powerful sh.
"You¡"
H''s voice trembled as she spoke.
"How¡ How can you wield a sword of light¡? Have you¡ mastered the same realm as mine?"
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 306
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 306: The Power Of The Past (2)
***
A moment ago, H had carried Dorugo over her shoulder.
Her lightning speed allowed her to reach the edge of the ind in the blink of an eye.
¡°Dorugo, where did that monstere from?¡±
H asked in a panicked voice as she set Dorugo down on the ground.
Dorugo clutched her severed shoulder.
¡°He is ...... the best and strongest of the undead I''ve ever created. Thanks to him, I was able to wipe out all the humans.¡±
¡°I don''t understand what you''re talking about.
H said with an incredulous look.
Damien Haksen may have used dark magic, but he was human, not undead.
Besides, what was the point of destroying humans when the Empire and all kingdoms were still standing?
¡°You stay here and recover, and I will go and stop Damien Haksen.¡±
Though surprised by Damien Haksen''s strength, H was one of only a handful of Grandmasters on the continent, and her pride wouldn''t allow her to back down.
No matter how strong Damien Haksen was, he didn''t know how he would fare in a real battle.
¡°H, take me with you.¡±
H stared at Dorugo in bewilderment.
¡°What do you mean, take you with me?¡±
¡°Right now, Damien Haksen is in a human body. He''s not a Death Knight, and he''s much weaker than he was in his previous life, so this is your chance.¡±
¡°Exin that to me so I can understand.¡±
¡°I mean now is the only chance, while Damien Haksen is still weak, and I must capture him alive so I can fulfill my Great n!¡±
Dorugo shouted with a bright gleam in her eyes.
¡°No matter what, it''s too dangerous to take you with me.¡±
¡°Don''t argue with me, take me, now!¡±
Dorugo shouted with a look of obsession and madness in her eyes.
H sighed.
Her behavior made no sense to her.
But the Dorugo she knew was not the kind of person who would make such an unrealistic im.
¡°...... Are you sure you can defeat Damien Haksen if I take you with me?¡±
¡°Yes! Trust me!¡±
¡°Good, then I''ll take you.¡±
H picked up Dorugo and returned to the scene.
And she and Damien Haksen shed swords.
***
¡°Projection Sword.¡±
Damien spoke to the shocked H.
¡°Your realm allows you to manifest your mental image into your physical body, doesn''t it?¡±
It was a realm simr to that of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
However, while the Imperial Supreme Sword could project their mental image into a sword strike, H could project her mental image directly into her body.
In other words, she could move as fast as she could imagine.
¡°How do you know my realm in such detail¡?¡±
¡°I copied your trifling realm.¡±
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien¡¯s talents had rapidly evolved with each battle.
At first, he could only spot the weaknesses of his enemies.
But then, he began to decipher their techniques.
Eventually, he reached a point where he could copy their techniques and realms just by observing them.
Any knight who disyed their skills in front of Damien even once would have everything they possessed taken from them.
And this was no exception for the dark knights of Pandemonium.
During the War of Destruction, Damien had fought alongside numerous dark knights. He observed closely how they fought.
Among the dark knights he had seen was H.
As a Grandmaster, her techniques were not easy for even Damien to analyze.
But it was only a matter of time. Damien was progressing in real-time, and he had plenty of opportunities to observe H.
In the end, Damien sessfully copied even her realm.
¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±
Anger slowly began to surface on H¡¯s face.
¡°You im to have copied my realm? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Do you think this is some street performer¡¯s trick?¡±
Realm is the culmination of a knight¡¯s lifelong dedication to honing their skills.
It is a knight''s pride and everything they stand for.
To say it was ¡®copied¡¯ left H baffled.
No, it was beyond that. She was infuriated.
¡°My dear, I don''t know what kind of trick you pulled, but don¡¯t get cocky just because you¡¯ve clumsily imitated me once.¡±
H¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.
¡°Theta, stand back. If you get caught up in our fight, I¡¯m afraid you might even die.¡±
Theta immediately stepped away. Only after she disappeared did H ready herself.
¡°Damien, you¡¯d better stay sharp. If not, your head and body will already be separated.¡±
H¡¯s body vanished. Instantly, a flurry of shes poured down.
Neck, heart, forearm, hamstring.
A total of six strikes targeted Damien¡¯s vital points.
Even though they were consecutive strikes, there was no gap between them. It was as if she had swung her sword all at once.
Even for Damien, this was a dangerous situation. No matter how solid his defensive aura was, it couldn¡¯t fully block a Grandmaster¡¯s aurade.
He knew this well from his past life experiences.
That¡¯s why Damien conjured a mental image. Visualizing how his body should move, and how he should deflect the shes.
The moment Damien''s mental image took form, Erebos moved at the same time.
The shes that had flown at him at the speed of light were deflected at the same speed. The sound of the strikes being repelled only echoed afterward.
¡°You¡!¡±
H was so startled that her tone changed.
¡°You deflected my shes?¡±
¡°I told you.¡±
Damien replied nonchntly.
¡°I copied it.¡±
H¡¯s eyes red with rage. She immediately scraped the ground and charged toward Damien.
Her lightning-fast cuts went after every inch of Damien''s body.
But not a single strike reached him.
Each one was blocked by an identical shing at the same speed.
¡°This... this can¡¯t be! How are you able to¡ how could you¡ copy my swordsmanship¡ my realm?¡±
The more her attacks were blocked, the more H¡¯s fury grew.
But nothing changed. Her attacks didn¡¯t even graze Damien.
¡°Aaaah!¡±
H screamed in frustration. Just then, Damien spoke.
¡°Moving too fast is also a problem. You¡¯ve been shed by me so many times¡ yet you¡¯re still moving.¡±
¡°What¡ nonsense are you talking about¡?¡±
Suddenly, blood spurted from various parts of H¡¯s body.
¡°¡What?¡±
H looked down at her body in disbelief.
Her entire body was covered in wounds. Blood flowed from the deep, razor-sharp cuts.
All the tendons in her body had been severed. She could barely stand, let alone lift her arms.
When did this happen?
H hadn¡¯t noticed her condition at all, despite the numerous shes she had endured.
¡°Dorugo¡ how could¡ you call this¡ weaker¡?¡±
H struggled to turn her head, looking at the Imperial Supreme Sword, who stood some distance away.
The Imperial Supreme Sword always had a cold, emotionless expression like a puppet.
But now, it was different.
He was looking at her with eyes filled with sorrow.
¡°Fool¡ I was¡ trying to kill you¡¡±
Before she could finish her sentence, H¡¯s neck was split open and her head rolled to the ground.
Damien brushed the blood off his Erebos and turned his head.
¡°Dorugo, did you think you could escape my grasp?¡±
Damien expended his senses. A feral grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
¡°You were closer than I thought.¡±
***
Dorugo returned to the battlefield and immediately approached the Four Great Demon Kings.
"Kids! I¡¯m back! Are you all okay¡?"
But as she saw their condition, she froze on the spot. They were far more devastated than she had anticipated.
-Mother!
A voice called out from behind. It was Theta and she was rushing toward Dorugo.
-Why did youe back? You should have fled!
"Is this the time to argue? Hurry, help me! We need to restore them!"
Dorugo hurried over to Epsilon first. Epsilony on the ground, with a massive hole in his body.
-Mother¡
"Yes, Epsilon! I¡¯m here!"
-I remember now¡
Epsilon muttered weakly, looking like he was dying.
"What do you mean?"
-It wasn¡¯t the first time¡ you created us¡
Dorugo¡¯s hand hesitated for a moment.
"Could it be¡ you remember too?"
It wasn¡¯t impossible.
The Four Great Demon Kings were created using Dorugo¡¯s soul. As a result, they were closely linked to her.
-I¡¯m d¡ we¡¯ve met again¡
"So am I. Now, focus on healing."
-I never imagined¡ I¡¯d end up fighting Damien Haksen¡ and him¡
Epsilon stared nkly up at the sky.
-When we fought together¡ it was like being with a god¡ there was nothing to fear¡ but as an enemy¡ there¡¯s no one more terrifying¡ Now I understand¡ what his enemies must have felt¡
"I get it. But stay focused. I¡¯ll heal you all right away."
Dorugo¡¯s hands moved swiftly. She needed the Four Great Demon Kings if they had any chance of facing Damien.
While H was buying time, she had to restore them quickly¡
"Dorugo."
The voice from behind froze her in ce.
Then Dorugo turned around slowly, and Damien was standing there menacingly, cloaked in darkness.
"H¡? What happened to her?"
"She¡¯s dead."
Damien¡¯s reply was short, as if questioning why she¡¯d even asked something so obvious.
"That can¡¯t be¡ H was a Grandmaster¡ There¡¯s no way a human like you¡ªnot even a Death Knight¡ªcould defeat her¡"
"I didn¡¯te here to exin H¡¯s death."
Heaven-shaking killing intent radiated from Damien. This caused Dorugo¡¯s face to go rigid.
-Mother, run! I¡¯ll handle this!
Theta stepped in front of Dorugo, trying to shield her, but it was futile.
Damien closed the distance in a blink of an eye and kicked Theta in the abdomen. She spat blood and was flung aside.
"T-Theta¡! Ugh!"
Damien advanced toward Dorugo and thrust Erebos forward.
The tip of Erebos pierced through Dorugo¡¯s armor, bursting out through her back.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 307
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 307: The Power Of The Past (3)
***
Dorugo let out a blood-curdling scream, her voice echoing through the battlefield. Damien coldly sneered at her agony.
"Does it hurt? This is just the beginning."
Damien infused dark mana into Dorugo''s body via Erebos. She was consumedpletely as the dark mana burst into mes.
"Aaagh! Aaaahhh!"
Dorugo tried desperately to pull Erebos out, but her strength was no match of Damien.
-Damien! No, Lord Damien¡!
Epsilon cried out urgently, her expression pleading, but his body was too broken to move.
-Please, spare our mother! I beg you!
Damien frowned at the plea.
"Why are you addressing me so formally?"
-I¡¯ve remembered everything! I remember who you were in your past life!
For a brief moment, surprise flickered across Damien''s face. But only for a moment.
"You remember¡ and yet you¡¯re asking me to stop?"
His voice trembled with rising anger.
-I know what she did to you! But¡ but¡
"Shut up."
Damien red at Epsilon with killing intent in his eyes. The sheer terror of his gaze silenced him.
"Stop spouting nonsense and watch from over there. After I finish killing this one, you¡¯re next!"
Damien had no intention of leaving anything tied to Dorugo alive.
Whether it was undead, human, or even knowledge, he didn¡¯t care.
"Anything connected to Dorugo will be wiped from this world! I¡¯ll leave nothing behind!"
With fury in his voice, Damien shoved Erebos even deeper into Dorugo''s body.
"Arrgghhh!"
The pain distorted Dorugo''s body, causing her head and vertebrae to arch backward in anguish.
* * *
Lichs used to be dark mages who turned their own mortal body into an undead form.
The undead body could withstand even the most severe wounds and was nearly immortal.
But that wasn¡¯t the full extent of their power.
A lich could hide their soul in a magical object called a life vessel.
The lich wouldn''t die even if their body were totally destroyed as long as the life vessel was still there.
For this reason, Dorugo had lived for hundreds of years, free of death and dread.
She couldn''t even remember feeling pain because it had been so long since she hadst felt it.
"Aaahhh!"
But right now, Dorugo felt the excruciating pain she thought she had forgotten
Yet it wasn¡¯t the pain itself that was the true danger. The true danger was the utter copse of her soul, which had been kept in the life vessel.
This was dangerous. If her soul were to bepletely annihted, Dorugo would face true death.
Maybe because death was so close, memories from her life began to go backwards and forwards in her mind like a reel of film.
Dorugo''s mind was overwhelmed by memories, her past and present colliding in a whirlwind of emotions.
The sound of a waterfall filled the air in the clear memory of a bright forest. A man with beautiful blue eyes stood in front of her, his expression filled with sadness and gratitude.
"Dorugo, thank you for choosing me" He said.
His voice trembled as he continued.
"And I''m sorry. Because of me, you became a traitor to your own kind."
He knelt before her and took her hands in his hand. Back then, Dorugo wasn¡¯t the skeletal figure she was now¡ªshe had been human, alive, and full of life.
"I swear, from this moment on, I''ll do everything to make you happy."
As a memento of his promise, he put a wooden ring with carvings on her finger.
But the memory shattered as reality came crashing back, dragging Dorugo into the unbearable agony of the present.
"Ruin!"
Dorugo screamed through the pain and her eyes regained their fierce determination.
"I can''t¡ die like this¡!"
She clenched her teeth and grabbed Erebos with both hands, attempting to draw it out.
"I haven¡¯t avenged Ruin yet¡ I haven¡¯t even seen him again¡!"
"Feeling wronged, are you?" Damien''s voice dripped with cold satisfaction. "Good. Now you understand a fraction of the pain I endured."
He twisted Erebos deeper into Dorugo¡¯s body, causing her bones to crack and the pain to intensify.
"Aaaargh!"
Dorugo''s entire body convulsed, and her eyes, which had been filled with resolve, began to cloud with despair.
Then, she heard something.
- What an awfully dangerous situation you¡¯ve found yourself in!
An unwee voice whispered in her ear causing her eyes to wide open with surprise.
''Vahel, how¡?''
-Don¡¯t be so shocked. It¡¯s nothing special. I¡¯m just speaking to your soul.
''Impossible! You¡¯re trapped in the Inferno! How could you¡?!''
-Sending a voice through isn¡¯t that hard. How else do you think we gather followers?
Vahel¡¯s voice was as smooth and smug as ever.
-But this isn¡¯t the time for idle chatter, is it? You might actually die if we don¡¯t act soon.
He chuckled mockingly before continuing.
-Dorugo, use the key. Break the oath that binds us. I¡¯ll help you and your children.
''Shut up! Do you know how much we sacrificed to banish you?! And now you¡¯re asking me to free you?!''
-Hahaha, ¡®we¡¯ you say?
Vahel¡¯sugh was dripping with condescension.
-After being betrayed by the Salvation Squad, you still talk like that?
''That¡¯s¡!''
-Because of them, you lost your lover. And not only that, you were grievously wounded as well.
''Stop¡ talking¡!''
-So, you abandoned your body and became a lich. Why? To take revenge on the Salvation Squad, wasn¡¯t it?
Vahel¡¯s words stirred emotions Dorugo had long buried.
The day she was betrayed by herrades and lost her lover¡ªRuin.
The despair and rage she felt in that moment surged back to the surface, as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
-Dorugo, if you die here, who will avenge Ruin? No one will even remember you. Your name, your sacrifice¡ªit will all be forgotten.
The demon''s whisper was insidious, seeping into the cracks of her weakening resolve.
-Humans will continue to praise the Salvation Squad, forever ignorant of the true heroes who died in vain.
People will continue to praise the Salvation Squad, unaware of the true hero who lost his life.
Dorugo hadpletely forgotten about the pain because of Vahel''s words.
-So, break the oath. Set us free. You know how to do it.
And yet, she hesitated.
Breaking the oath would be easy, just as Vahel said. But doing so would unleash unimaginable horrors upon the continent once again.
Vahel sensed her hesitation and continued to press on and deliver the final blow.
-Ruin, forgive us.
It wasn''t Vahel¡¯s own voice; he was acting now.
-We don''t want to be buried in your halo. We want to go down in history as the heroes.
He repeated that moment.
The moment when Ruin was betrayed by his own people.
The moment when the Ruin lost his life.
-So disappear already.
Ruin''s death reyed in Dorugo''s mind, a nightmare that had haunted her for centuries.
Her eyes red with anger as she unknowingly opened subspace and grasped the key within it.
Click.
The key entered something unseen and Dorugo twisted the key.
In that moment, everything changed.
***
Damien instinctively looked up at the sky.
"...What?"
Something had happened just now. Something that had covered the world had vanished.
"Heh...hahahah!"
Suddenly, Dorugo burst intoughter. Damien frowned and stared down at her.
"It''s over... It''s all over now! You, me, the humans¡ªeveryone''s finished!"
His instincts screamed of danger. Damien moved quickly to destroy Dorugo''s soulpletely with Erebos.
But before he could, something shot up from beneath Dorugo.
Damien quickly channeled his mana and formed a barrier to block the attack. Despite his defenses, the impact sent him reeling backward, and Erebos was pulled from Dorugo''s body.
Damien stared in shock at what had struck him¡ªa transparent, rectangr pir.
His mind raced toprehend what he was seeing when, suddenly, a dimensional portal opened beside Dorugo. A man stepped out of it.
He looked human, except for the horn protruding from his forehead.
The moment Damien saw the man''s face, he cried out in horror.
"Vahel...!"
As he stepped outside, the first thing he saw was Dorugo. Shey on the ground, gasping heavily.
"Dorugo, you''ve suffered greatly. But fear not, you can rest easy now. I¡¯vee."
Vahel smiled warmly at her, but Dorugo red at him and asked.
"You''ll keep your promise, right?"
"My promise? Ah, yes, I''ll keep it. But it''s a bit unpleasant."
Bam!
Vahel stomped on Dorugo¡¯s head without any prior warning. Dorugo¡¯s head mmed into the ground.
"Learn your ce, will you? Now that the oath is broken, and I don''t need you anymore.¡±
Vahel''s smile disappeared, reced by the cold, ruthless demonic nature he had always been.
"Because of you, we were trapped in Inferno. Consider it a mercy that I''m not killing you right here, you traitor."
Dorugo''s expression twisted with humiliation as Vahel finally lifted his foot off her head.
"Damien, it''s been a while, hasn''t it?"
Vahel turned to Damien, his tone as if he were greeting an old friend he hadn¡¯t seen in years.
"I¡¯ve missed you more than you know. I''ve never met anyone quite as entertaining as you."
While Vahel seemed delighted, Damien was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion.
Summoning a Duke ss demon like Vahel should have required an immense sacrifice.
Yet, Vahel had descended to the mortal realm as casually as if he were out for a leisurely stroll.
And this wasn¡¯t just an avatar¡ªit was Vahel¡¯s true form.
The overwhelming pressure radiating from him was proof of that, and it was enough to make even Damien feel cautious.
But the real shock was yet toe.
¡°Oh, I almost forgot. I should introduce my subordinates as well.¡±
With a p of his hands, Vahel opened a massive dimensional portal. From it, a horde of demons poured out, each one radiating an overwhelming aura.
"My Lord, as per your orders, I have gathered all the demons from the rank of Earl to Marquess."
A demon with a bull''s head knelt before Vahel and spoke. Vahel looked pleased.
"Asthar, you''ve done well."
"I am honored to have been of service, my Lord."
Asthar rose to his feet. As he did, he noticed Damien standing nearby.
"How dare a mere human direct killing intent at our Lord? Such arrogance!"
"Asthar, it''s best if you don''t provoke him." Vahel advised Asthar.
"No, my Lord. I will bring that insolent human before you at once."
Asthar stepped toward Damien. The difference in their sizes was so vast that it looked like an adult facing a child.
Asthar opened his palm, and a massive, long-handled mace materialized.
"Damien~."
Vahel called out with a teasing tone.
"That one''s a Marquess ss demon, so don''t underestimate him."
Asthar lifted the mace high above his head and then swung it down with tremendous force.
The mace hurtled toward Damien''s head and a loud voice rang out like someone mmed onto the ground
"Oh, impressive."
Vahel remarked in admiration as he observed the scene.
"Asthar, I told you not to let your guard down, didn''t I?"
The figure embedded in the ground was not Damien.
It was Asthar who had been mmed into the earth.
Just moments before, Damien had not only deflected the mace but also leaped over Asthar''s head and struck him down with Erebos.
"Why are there so many nuisances getting in my way?"
Damien walked past the fallen Asthar and faced Vahel directly.
"I have no business with you. Get lost."
"You want to kill Dorugo? That won¡¯t do."
Vahel replied calmly.
"Then I''ll just have to deal with you first."
Damien began channeling his Nameless mana art.
The darkness that had been lying dormant on the ground began to ignite once more.
***
[PR/N- And this isn¡¯t even bro¡¯s full strength. ]
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 308
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 308: The Power Of The Past (4)
***
"You dare say you''ll get rid of me first?"
Vahel suppressed a surge ofughter.
How dare a mere human speak to a demon like him with such arrogance? What was more amusing was that this didn''t feel like empty bravado.
The aura emanating from Damien was so formidable that even a Duke ss demon like himself found it difficult to dismiss.
That was why his subordinates were silent. They were all wary of Damien Haksen, even if they didn''t show it.
"You''re quite an interesting fellow."
Over the long years, Vahel had ruled Inferno and spied on the mortal realm. He had encountered countless demons and humans. But never had he met someone as intriguing as Damien.
"Asthar, I told you not to underestimate him."
Vahel shook his head.
"Now, be a good boy ande back."
But there was no reply. Asthar was still face down on the ground.
"...Asthar?"
Even when called again, Asthar did not respond. It was only then that Vahel realized Asthar had fainted.
A Marquis ss demon knocked out in a single blow? Vahel felt a chill run through his entire body.
He, a Duke ss demon, had underestimated Damien Haksen''s abilities.
"I had no idea you were this strong."
The smile faded from Vahel''s face. But his eyes were twinkling like a child''s.
What would happen if he fought Damien Haksen now? Vahel weighed the odds in his mind.
Qualitatively and quantitatively, Vahel was in a superior position. But the unexpectedness of Damien''s actions gave Vahel pause.
Moreover, the demons needed time to adapt to the mortal realm. The oath had been broken, but Inferno and the mortal realm were vastly different worlds.
"Damien, I concede this round."
Vahel shrugged.
"So let''s call it a day. We''ll meet again someday. You all, take care of those lying here."
As Vahel was about to leave with his subordinates.
"That won''t do."
Damien said firmly.
"Leave Dorugo here and get lost."
"Don''t be so stubborn. You''re exhausted too, aren''t you? So let''s just part ways for today..."
Damien''s killing intent exploded.
The ground was crisscrossed with deep sword marks as if a tangible killing intent had sliced through solid objects.
"I won''t say it again. Hand over Dorugo."
Damien spoke as he was trying to suppress his rage.
Vahel was annoyed by Damien''s attitude. Demons weren''t the kind to listen to others in the first ce.
"Or what?"
"Then I''ll take Dorugo by force."
"Hmm, I don''t want to fight. What a dilemma..."
A mischievous smile crept across Vahel''s lips.
"Migmag! Open a dimensional portal! We''re getting out of here!"
The demon beside Vahel mmed his iron staff into the ground.
A dimensional portal opened up where Asthar and the Four Great Demon Kingsy.
Damien instinctively swung Erebos down, aiming to behead Asthar.
But Asthar had already been sucked into the dimensional portal.
And it wasn''t just Asthar. The Four Great Demon Kings were gone too.
A dimensional portal opened behind Vahel as well. His subordinates rushed into it.
"Well then, Dorugo, shall we go?"
Grabbing Dorugo by the scruff of the neck, Vahel stepped through the dimensional portal.
"I told you to leave her!"
Damien roared in fury and lunged towards the gate. At that moment, Vahel flicked his fingers.
An invisible wall created by the power of ''istion'' blocked Damien''s path.
"Vahel!"
Damien swung Erebos to shatter the wall, but he had wasted a few seconds. By then, the dimensional portal was almost closed.
"See youter then."
Vahel waved through the remaining gap in the gate. With those words, the gate closedpletely.
"Whew, that was a close one. Wasn''t it?"
Vahel turned to his demons.
"Migmag, you did a great job just now. That was incredibly fast!"
¡°Thanks, my lord. You are the one who stopped him."
The hunched-over demon replied in a frail voice.
"Aw, don''t be so modest. At that speed..."
At that moment, his instincts warned him. Vahel reflexively turned around.
In that instant, a sword strike cleaved through the air.
Vahel instinctively raised his forearm to block the attack, but his forearm did nothing to stop the de.
After cutting through Vahel''s forearm, the sword proceeded to slice his neck.
Blood gushed out as his neck was split open.
***
Damien ran his hands over the spot where the dimensional portal had been. He was trying to reopen it by using the Authority of Pride.
Unlike the gate created by the Four Great Demon Kings, he couldn¡¯t find the coordinates.
The demon must have scattered the coordinates as soon as he closed the gate. It was proof that the demon''s skills were far superior to the Four Great Demon Kings.
¡°Vahel! You son of a bitch!¡±
His vision turned bloodshot from extreme anger. Veins bulged all over his body.
He had been interrupted again. And he had failed to kill Dorugo once more. He felt like he was going insane from the intensity of his emotions.
But Damien suppressed all those emotions. Now was not the time to give in to them.
¡°You think you can just get away with this¡!¡±
Damien concentrated his dark mana into Erebos. A pitch-ck aurade coated the de of Erebos.
At the end of the War of Destruction, Damien had created a new realm with the sole purpose of killing Dorugo.
Since Dorugo was a lich, he had ced his soul in a sphere called a life vessel and stored it elsewhere.
However, Damien, who was controlled by Dorugo, had no way of finding that sphere.
So, Damien hadbined all the realms he had copied and created a new one.
Sword God.
The ability of the Sword God was quite simplepared to other realms.
To cut.
No matter what it was. Even if it had no form, even if it wasn''t there, he would cut it.
The Sword God was a realm created solely with the intention of killing Dorugo.
Damien gripped the hilt of Erebos with both hands. The aurade on Erebos vibrated menacingly.
He swung Erebos towards the void.
The de of Erebos dug into the fabric of the dimension.
***
Blood gushed out as his neck was deeply cut. Despite the clearly fatal injury, Vahel didn''t cover his wound.
It was because of Damien, whose face was visible through the widening gap.
Damien was ring at him with a look that seemed like he was about to go insane.
The gap closed immediately, but Vahel couldn''t take his eyes off the empty space.
"Lord Vahel! Your wound is deep!"
"I''ll treat it right away!"
His subordinates rushed over, but Vahel raised his hand to stop them.
"Hahaha!"
Heughed loudly as he touched his wound.
"I can''t remember thest time I was injured!"
Damien had severed his forearm and nearly beheaded him. If the wound had been a little deeper, he would have certainly died. It had been a truly threatening attack.
"This is fun. It''s really fun."
Vahel lifted Dorugo up to eye level.
"Dorugo, what is he? What is it that amuses me so much?"
"¡I don''t know."
"Oh, you won''t tell me willingly? Then I''ll have to use harsher methods."
Vahel gestured. A demon with a long, mosquito-like proboscis approached.
Dorugo''s eyes widened at the sight of the demon.
"Vahel, you madman!"
"Laria, extract all of Dorugo''s memories. It doesn''t matter if she bes a crippled."
"Understood."
"Oh, but don''t kill her. We''ll need her as bait to lure Damien Haksen out."
Vahel threw Dorugo to the demon. The demon grabbed Dorugo with its four arms.
"No, no! Stop it! Not him!"
Dorugo screamed in terror. But Vahel turned away coldly.
"Vahel! I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you everything... Kack!"
The demon plunged its proboscis into Dorugo''s head.
A long, agonizing scream echoed through the air.
***
Bang.
Damien mmed his fist into the ground.
One punch wasn¡¯t enough to vent his anger. He continued to pound the ground with his fists.
¡°Damn it!¡±
In thest second his grip went sloppy on Erebos. Because of it hepletely failed to sever Vahel¡¯s neck.
His eyes were bloodshot as he thought about losing Dorugo. That fact enraged Damien.
¡°Damien¡¡±
A low voice reached his ears. He turned his head and saw the Imperial Supreme Sword lying on the ground.
Due to his severe injuries, the Imperial Supreme Sword looked as if he could die at any moment.
Damien suppressed his anger. He couldn¡¯t let his emotions get the better of him, even when looking at someone who was dying.
¡°I¡¯ll treat your wounds right away.¡±
Damien pulled a potion and Dawn from his subspace. But the Imperial Supreme Sword shook his head.
¡°No, there¡¯s something more important.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword pointed his finger towards the sky. Damien looked up.
The branches of the World Tree that covered the sky were turning gray.
It wasn¡¯t just the branches. The trunk, which could be seen far away, was also turning ck.
The energy of the World Tree that filled the ind was rapidly weakening.
Damien stared at the sight in shock. The World Tree was dying.
¡°Why? I thought I had stopped the demonic energy.¡±
¡°As expected, it was you who stopped the demonic energy.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword looked at the World Tree with a sorrowful expression.
¡°It¡¯s not your fault. When the demonic energy was first activated, the World Tree suffered too much damage. That¡¯s why it¡¯s dying without being able to recover.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword struggled to get up and said.
¡°Damien, please. Take me to the World Tree.¡±
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 309
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 309: The World Tree (1)
***
¡°Are you going to leave your brother alone?¡±
Damien asked, turning his gaze to where the Lord of Eternal mey dead.
He had been killed in the battle between Damien and the Four Great Demon Kings. It was like a shrimpntern in a whale fight.
A shabby death, unworthy of a pir of Pandemonium. Perhaps it was the dagger in his chest.
The dagger was imbued with the demon¡¯s power. By plunging it into his chest, the Lord of Eternal me may have used its power to both himself and his brother.
With his knowledge as a dark Mage, Damien was quickly able to recognize the cause of death.
¡°A fitting end for him.¡±
Despite his words, the Imperial Supreme Sword looked at his brother with bitterness in his eyes.
¡°We can take care of his bodyter. Right now, we need to focus on the World Tree.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword rose to his feet. However, he stumbled, not able to stand up straight.
Damien picked him up onto his back and headed towards the royal pce.
* * *
Damien returned to Alfheim''s royal pce with the Imperial Supreme Sword
¡°The World Tree is copsing!¡±
¡°Ughh, what are we going to do about it?¡±
¡°Everyone''s going to die! Argh!¡±
Inside the castle was chaos. The elves could do nothing but watch as the World Tree crumbled.
¡°......Go to the royal pce.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword urged Damien. Damien followed her into the pce.
¡°You''vee.¡±
Milene greeted them. But she didn''t look too well either.
Like the World Tree, her body was slowly turning to dust.
Like the World Tree, she was also dying.
¡°I watched you two fight through magic. It was so hard.¡±
Milene praised the two of them in a soft voice. On the other hand, the Imperial Supreme Sword asked in a concerned voice.
¡°Is there no way to save the World Tree?¡±
Milene only smiled bitterly. This behavior made the Imperial Supreme Sword sigh.
¡°It''s impossible.¡±
It is impossible to bring back the dead. It was a truth that no one could change.
Many mages and dark mages had tried to ovee this truth, but all had failed.
¡°You are a good man, for you despise the elves and yet you genuinely wish for Alfheim to survive.¡±
¡°I am only following my mother''s will.¡±
¡°That''s goo,,.¡±
Milene suddenly paused, finding it hard to speak.
¡°You asked if there was a way to save the World Tree, and there is only one.¡±
¡°And what is that?¡±
¡°If Damien Haksen can help us.¡±
Milene looked back at Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen, I watched you with my magic. I saw you in the hole, using those authorities.¡±
Damien realized immediately what she was talking about.
¡°You knew how to reverse time, didn''t you? You could use it to save the World Tree.¡±
¡°No, it''s impossible.¡±
Damien shook his head.
¡°I''d have to use all my mana and stamina to reverse the hole that was dug.¡±
He couldn''t even begin to imagine how much mana it would take to revive the World Tree.
¡°No, you can do it.¡±
Milene pointed to Damien''s wrist.
¡°You have Erebos.¡±
¡°......You knew about Erebos?¡±
Damien was surprised.
The Erebos was an object about which there was no information left in the world.
Even the demons didn''t really know what it was.
¡°Yes, I do, and I know who made it.¡±
¡°Who?¡±
¡°It was created by a man named Ruin.¡±
Ruin.
I''d heard the name before. It was the name Dorugo had shouted.
¡°Dorugo said the name, too. Who is this human named Ruin?¡±
Milene''s eyes flickered for a moment. She hesitated, then turned to Damien.
¡°He''s a real hero who drove demons and monsters from the continent.¡±
¡°You mean he''s part of the Salvation Squad, but I''ve never heard that name before.¡±
¡°Of course you have because we killed them and erased his name from history.¡±
Milene told the shocking story nonchntly.
¡°Most of the feats the Salvation Squad are said to have done were done by Ruin, we just passed them off as our own.¡±
Damien couldn''t help but be shocked.
Damien had grown up hearing stories about the Salvation Squad from a young age.
People extolled the virtues and power of the Salvation Squad in fairy tales, ys, and songs.
But was it all a lie?
¡°Why did you guys do that?¡±
¡°Some did it for honor, some out of jealousy, and I did it for the future of the ...... race.¡±
¡°The future?¡±
¡°Because if a being like Ruin continues to be around humans, he will be a danger to the elves.¡±
At this point, Damien was curious about Ruin.
What kind of human could he be that he created Erebos, and yet Milene was so wary of him?
¡°What kind of human was Ruin, and how did he create Erebos?¡±
¡°Ruin was.......¡±
Milene''s eyes suddenly widened. She bent over and coughed.
¡°Kolok, Kolok.¡±
She coughed the dust from her mouth. It meant her organs were crumbling.
¡°......Damien, I''d love to exin everything, but we really don''t have time now.¡±
Milene clutched her chest and spoke with difficulty.
¡°Erebos was a weapon that could transform everything into a mysterious power and absorb it. Dorugo''s n was to use that mysterious power stored in Erebos to travel back in time.¡±
Damien looked puzzled. He''d been using Erebos for a long time, but he''d never felt the power stored within.
¡°After we killed Ruin, we all wanted to be the master of Erebos, but Erebos chose no one. It chose to destroy itself.¡±
As Milene made the hand gesture and opened a subspace. Arge de protruded from it.
¡°This is the piece I took with me then. Damien, I trust you with it.¡±
With those words, Milene''s body turned to dust and copsed.
***
Damien stared at the dust that Milene had left behind when she died for a long time.
So much information was flooding into his head that he felt very confused.
But he didn''t have long to dwell on it. From the moment she died, the copse of the World Tree began to elerate.
The branches began to crumble, and even the trunk started to fall apart.
¡°Damien, I beg you.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword said in a pleading tone. Damien relented and pulled out the Erebos.
The piece that Milene had pulled out was veryrge.
In his previous life, Dorugo had found this shard and fused it with Erebos after the destruction of Alfheim.
''I was unable toplete Erebos then. But now.......''
This time, Damien even found a fragment that even Dorugo hadn''t found and absorbed it into Erebos.
¡°Erebos, absorb.¡±
The shard turned to liquid and clung to Erebos.
Erebos''s deficiencies began to fill in. The broken parts began to fill in.
Unfortunately, this time, Erebos was notplete. Erebos was still broken.
But there was a significant change.
¡°Longer than before.
Erebos''s restoration rate exceeded the Erebos of his previous lifetime. And judging by the state of the sword, it was nearingpletion.
Damien grabbed Erebos. He could feel the power building inside, perhaps because it had been restored more than in his previous life.
¡°Is this power......?
It was the power Damien had unleashed when he''d driven the Erebos into his body to kill himself.
''So it''s not my body, but the power stored in Erebos.
Damien drew the power from Erebos and infused it into the authorities.
The six authorities began to glow. Damien ced his glowing hand on the World Tree.
¡°......Nothing''s happening.¡±
Damian tried everything as Milene had instructed.
He used the authorities to channel energy into the World Tree, but no matter how much he infused, he couldn''t reverse its time.
¡°What? What''s wrong?¡±
Damien searched his memories and did everything the same.
The only difference was that there was a authority he hadn''t yet awakened.
¡°But that authority wasn¡¯t used back then, was it?¡±
Greed.
The seventh authority was the ability to detect over a wide range.
An authority Damien hadn¡¯t needed to use in his previous life when the other authorities were activated.
¡°Is that necessary?¡±
Damien infused the seventh symbol with mysterious power, and the Authority of Greed was awakened.
Seven authorities became one. In an instant, the world before Damien''s eyes turned dark.
¡°Where am I?¡±
Damien was floating in the darkness. He tried to move his limbs, but he couldn''t move forward.
Then, something unfolded before his eyes.
Arge seed had fallen into the ocean, where it sprouted and grew tall.
It was the life of a World Tree.
The life of the World Tree, from its first sprout to the present, wasid out like a map.
¡°These are coordinates.¡±
Damien realized instinctively that these were the coordinates to return to the past.
¡°The farther you go, the more power you need.¡±
The World Tree was several millenniums old.
Needless to say, it would take all of Erebos''s power to travel back that much time.
¡°A day ago, ...... should be enough.
Damien set the coordinates and was about tounch.
Another map appeared in front of him. He couldn''t help but be surprised.
¡°That''s me?¡±
Damien''s life unfolded before him.
It was Damian¡¯s own life, from his days as a reckless young noble to his boyhood, and even his infancy.
But the map was split in two in the middle.
The moment he saw the other side, he felt goosebumps rise.
¡°Death Knight.¡±
Damien''s life was split in two.
This life and his past life.
The person he was now and the person he was as Death Knight.
Staring at the map, Damien had an eerie thought.
¡°Could it be possible that...... can recreate my time as a Death Knight?
Just thinking about it made him feel sick. It made him feel nauseous.
But despite his feelings, Damien couldn''t take his eyes off the map.
His time as a Death Knight was the ugliest time of his life.
But that didn''t change the fact that he was the strongest he''d ever been.
''......No, but that''s not going to happen.¡¯
Damien cleared his mind and turned his attention back to the map.
¡°I rewind the World Tree to one day ago.
The power he had drawn from Erebos dissipated quickly.
And then a tremendous change urred.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 310
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 310: The World Tree (2)
***
The World Tree was dying. Its once-mighty branches were falling like rain, and its trunk was crumbling like a sandcastle.
"Oh, World Tree..."
The elves watched in despair as their beloved tree withered away.
For the elves, the World Tree was life itself. Its demise was equivalent to the end of the world.
As their connection to the tree severed, the elves'' mana began to fade. The effects were immediate.
"I can''t breathe!"
"I can''t feel the spirits!"
The elves clutched their throats and chests in agony. They wept and tried to hold onto the fading mana.
But there was nothing they could do. All they could do was wait for death.
One by one, the elves gave up hope. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, something extraordinary happened.
A brilliant light erupted from the top of the World Tree, where the guardian resided.
The light spread out like ripples, washing over the tree. And then, something incredible happened.
The branches that had fallen to the ground began to rise back into the sky. They reconnected, and new leaves unfurled, vibrant and green.
But that was not all.
A crumbling trunk began to mend itself.
Gaps asrge as those made by a gnawing mouse were now seamlessly closed. Life flowed through the tree once more.
The elves'' connection to the tree was restored. They could feel the mana coursing through them.
"I can breathe again!"
"I can feel the spirits!"
The elves were overjoyed but also bewildered.
The World Tree was dead, there was no doubt about that. Everyone had felt it.
So how could it havee back to life? Even a being as powerful as the World Tree should not be able to ovee death.
"We have to find out what happened!"
"I''ll go with you!"
The elves rushed to the guardian''s chamber. When they arrived, they were met with an even more astonishing sight.
The chamber was filled with flowers. But these were no ordinary flowers. They were the World Tree''s flowers, said to bloom only once every hundred years.
"What in the world..."
Elves were confused and saw Damien surrounded by the flowers.
Flowers bloomed around Damien as if to honor him. It was then that the elves realized it was Damien who had revived the World Tree.
The World Tree''s gift didn''t end there.
A branch extended towards Damien, and something opened at its tip.
About the size of a walnut, it was far smaller than the World Tree''s usual fruits.
Yet, when the seed opened, the elves felt a far more intense presence.
"Damien... take this."
Imperial Supreme Sword said in an encouraging voice. Damien pointed at it and asked.
"What is this?"
"It''s a seed from the World Tree."
Imperial Supreme Sword replied with awe filled voice.
"I''ve only heard tales of it, but I''m certain. That is undoubtedly a seed from the World Tree."
As the empire''s leading figure, the Imperial Supreme Sword had handled countless treasures. But this time he was astonished by this sight
"The World Tree can produce the seed from its vitality. If you ept it, a sapling of the World Tree will take root within you. You''ll then be able to wield its power."
Damien reached out and took the seed. Instantly, it was absorbed into his body. In that moment, Damien could feel the World Tree''s seed taking root in his soul.
Damienmuned with the sapling. It whispered to him about the things he could do. As a test, Damien manifested one of the sapling''s powers.
His senses expanded dramatically and enveloped the entire ind.
His heightened senses revealed everything about the ind.
Damien was overwhelmed by such a marvel and said.
"I can even feel ants crawling on the ground."
While Damien could already perform wide-area scans, he had never been able to sense things in such detail.
Now, he felt like an omnipotent god looking down upon the world.
But the World Tree''s power didn''t end there.
"Answer my call."
Fire ignited, wind gathered, and water condensed. Soon, animal shapes appeared. Rabbits, cats, and dogs looked up at him.
Spirits. Beings forbidden to humans had answered Damien''s call. Or rather, they had been drawn by the sapling. But it didn''t matter the sapling was his power.
"Congrattions, Damien."
Imperial Supreme Sword said sincerely.
"Even if it''s just a sapling, the World Tree is the World Tree. You now possess its power."
The elves exchanged nces. Their emotions and expressions varied, but their meaning was clear.
The elves knelt and bowed their heads to Damien.
It was an unbelievable sight to see because of the elves, who were known for their disdain for humans.
¡°We give thanks to the Savior of Alfheim.¡±
Someone shouted, and the elves all joined in.
¡°We thank the Savior of Alfheim!¡±
***
"So, you''re leaving."
Imperial Supreme Sword said as if he had expected it. Damien was preparing to leave Alfheim.
"You¡¯re right. You probably figured I would leave now that Dorugo is gone. There''s no reason for me to stay in Alfheim."
Imperial Supreme Sword nodded. And Damien added.
"There is still plenty force of Pandemonium left. Do you need my help?"
"Are you joking?"
Imperial Supreme Sword tilted his head, questioning whether Damien was joking.
The remaining forces of Pandemonium were mere remnants.
With the elves and the Imperial Supreme Sword here, eliminating them would be a piece of cake.
"I was just being polite. What are your ns now?"
"I''m going to hunt them down and kill them."
Damien''s voice turned cold.
"I''ll pursue the demons and kill them all, including Dorugo and the others who have wronged me."
A chilling aura emanated from Damien''s voice and eyes.
"You''ve grown stronger."
Imperial Supreme Sword murmured. Unlike other knights, the Imperial Supreme Sword could clearly sense Damien''s transformation.
"Yes, I''ve made a little progress."
Damien replied. When he had drawn upon the power of the Death Knight, he had gained a profound understanding. It was ironic that he had gained something from the very power he despised.
"A little progress? You''re on the verge of bing a Grandmaster."
Imperial Supreme Sword stared at Damien with astonishment in his eyes.
When he had first met Damien, thetter had merely been a Master ss.
Yet, in such a short time, he was on the cusp of bing a Grandmaster.
A genius? Could such a term even begin to describe him? A shiver ran down the Imperial Supreme Sword''s spine.
"Damien, I owe you a great debt for this. If you ever need anything, don''t hesitate to ask."
"Then may I make a request now?"
"Of course."
"When you return to the Empire, please send some knights to protect my family."
The Imperial Supreme Sword quickly understood why Damien had made such a request.
"It''s because of the demons." He said. Demons were unpredictable creatures.
If such a dangerous being had taken an interest in Damien, it was only natural that he would worry most about his family.
"I''ll send you some of my best knights,¡± Imperial Supreme Sword promised.
"Thank you."
Damien replied briefly, boarding a small boat.
Despite its small size, the boat was made from a branch of the World Tree and could travel across continents.
"I''ll be off then."
Damien raised the sail. Suddenly, a tempest raged above them. A fierce wind swept over the spot where they stood, and soon, a dark shadow covered the ground.
Damien and the Imperial Supreme Sword looked up.
It was a dragon.
A red dragon was descending towards them. The sudden storm had been caused by the dragon''s pping wings.
"A dragon?"
Damien muttered in surprise. Dragons were a species thought to have vanished from the continent long ago. Even in his past life, Damien had never seen a living dragon.
The red dragonnded and roared at them.
"Which one of you is Damien Haksen?"
Though it didn''t seem to be shouting, its voice echoed thunderously.
"I''m asking you! Which one of you is Damien Haksen!"
Damien and the Imperial Supreme Sword exchanged bewildered nces.
"I am Damien Haksen."
"Good. The Elder Council wants to speak with you about recent events!"
The red dragon red at Damien.
"You''d bettere quietly. Or you''ll regret it!"
The red dragon spread its wings. A scorching hot wind swept through the area. Its imposing figure was like a natural disaster.
"...Oh?" Damien muttered.
The problem was that Damien wasn''t the kind of person who would be intimidated by such threats. In fact, he was starting to feel anger.
"What if I refuse to go with you?"
"That''s a foolish question! I''ll simply carry you there. You wouldn''t want to be digested alive by my stomach acid before we reach the Elder Council, would you?"
Damien opened a subspace and pulled out a wooden club.
Damien pulled out his club, and the red dragon narrowed its eyes.
"Human, what do you think you''re doing? Are you daring to defy me...?"
Before the dragon could finish its sentence, Damien leaped into the air and brought his club down on the dragon''s head with a thunderous crash. The dragon''s head mmed into the ground.
"Gah!"
The dragon roared in pain as its skull throbbed.
"You brainless lizard."
Damien sneered, resting his mace on his shoulder.
"Do you think I''m crazy enough to follow a suspicious creature like you?"
Damien stood over the dragon and tapped his mace against its head.
"You''re going to answer my questions first. Tell me everything about why dragons have reappeared and why the Elder Council wants to see me."
"How dare a mere humany a hand on a member of noble race!"
The dragon roared and reared its head.
Damien rushed forward, swinging his mace and striking the dragon''s underbelly.
"Hufff!"
"The massive body of the Red Dragon soared into the sky and then fell.
At this point, even the Red Dragon realized that something was wrong.
¡°Just when I was already in a bad mood, this happens.¡±
Damien said, tapping his mace against his palm.
At that sound, the Red Dragon''s face turned pale and froze.
"Wait a moment..."
Damian swung the club at the Red Dragon''s snout.
The Dragon''s teeth shattered with a loud crash.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 311
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 311: The Dargon (1)
***
Dragon was literally beaten ck and blue, so much so that dust flew up even on a rainy day.
The Imperial Supreme Sword watched the scene with a peculiar look in his eyes.
It was already amazing to see a living dragon but to see that dragon being beaten...
Every time Damien swung his club, the massive creature flew through the air, and broken scales and teeth scattered.
Dragons vanished a long time ago, yet weapons and armors made from their body parts are still considered the most powerful of all.
As far as the Imperial Supreme Sword knew, a single dagger made from a dragon''s scale was as expensive as an entire castle.
The Imperial Supreme Sword looked at the piles of teeth and scales on the ground and calcted in his mind.
¡®How much is all this worth?¡¯
¡°Sir Damien!¡±
The Red Dragon, who had been beaten for a long time andid t on the ground.
Damien stopped the club he was about to swing at the pitiful sight.
¡°This foolish creature became arrogant and cocky, unable to understand its position! I am truly sorry!¡±
The Red Dragon even buried its head in the ground.
"It seems you''ve finally learned some manners."
"Yes, it''s all thanks to Sir Damien!"
"Good. Very good."
Damien finally lowered his club with a satisfied expression.
"Your beating skills are extraordinary."
"It''s just that there are too many arrogant ones, so my skills have naturally improved."
The Imperial Supreme Sword recalled the scene where Damien threatened the elfmander-in-chief.
He wondered if he was also in that category, but he didn''t ask.
"Although I hear that your clubbing skills are so amazing that when you hit anyone, you leave no signs of hitting."
"That usually happens when you hit with controlled strength, but this time I was in a foul mood, so I didn''t hold back."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded involuntarily.
There was something about the dragon''s attitude that made him seethe with more anger.
"Hey."
"Yes, yes!"
The Red Dragon answered quickly. And he looked at the club Damien was holding with fear in his eyes.
A dragon wary of a wooden club? The Imperial Supreme Sword couldn''t help but chuckle.
"Why are the dragons looking for me?"
"To hear the details of why the Oath was broken. The council wants to meet for you because of this.¡±
"Oath? What''s that?"
"What? You don''t know? Then how did you break the Oath?"
Oath was a new word for Damien. But the Red Dragon asked back as if it were strange.
"Isn''t it because the Oath was broken that the demons crossed over to the surface inrge numbers?"
Damien''s eyes widened at those words.
Even then, he couldn''t understand how the demons had crossed over to the surface so easily.
"What is a Oath? What was it that kept the demons out?"
"A Oath is... a very important and absolute rule. We dragons were also bound by that Oath and couldn''te to the surface."
The Red Dragon''s expression grew serious. Damien''s expression grew serious as well.
Damien waited for the Red Dragon''s next words. But the Red Dragon said nothing.
"So?"
"Yes?"
"Surely that''s not all. Tell me more about this Oath."
"I don''t know any more than that!"
The Red Dragon said with an innocent face.
"I''m still young, so the elders of the council didn''t tell me anything else! That''s all I know... Wait, wait! Club! Don''t raise your club! Don''t hit me! I''m sorry!"
The Red Dragon cowered and ran away. Damien lowered the club he had raised.
"Where were you going to take me?"
"We dragons live in a ce called the otherworld. It''s another dimension modeled after the surface world. I was going to take you there."
"I see. Then go and tell those old farts in the council toe themselves if they want an exnation."
It was still unclear whether the dragon was friend or foe.
Judging from the dragon''s coercive attitude, it was more likely to be atter case.
There was no way he was going to go to another dimension like the otherworld.
There was also the slight reason that he didn''t like being ordered around.
"Sir Damien..."
The Red Dragon cautiously looked at Damien.
"C-could you pleasee with me..."
"Are you crazy?"
Damien frowned and raised his club. The Red Dragon screamed again.
"B-But if I failed to bring you, the elders will kill me!"
"Have you ever thought that you might die by my hand first?"
Damien red at the Red Dragon with killing intent. The Red Dragon''s face turned pale instantly.
"No, no... We need your mighty strength to drive away the demons..."
The Red Dragon muttered while cowering. At that moment, Damien hurriedly asked the Red Dragon.
"Is there a way to track the demons?"
That was exactly what Damien had been worrying about.
Damien had no way to find the demons. He could only wait for them to appear.
"Yes, there is. But I heard that elders have way to track them..."
"Let''s go."
At Damien''s words, the Red Dragon looked bewildered.
"Really?"
"Does it sound like I''m joking?"
When Damien asked again with a scary face, the Red Dragon hupped.
"O-okay! I''ll open the dimensional portal right away."
While the Red Dragon was preparing the dimensional portal, Damien said to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
"Ok, I''m going now."
"Are you sure? It looks dangerous."
The dragons has be a legend over the past thousand years due to their immense size and strength.
"That otherworld would be teeming with such dragons."
No matter how great Damien''s skills were, it was hard not to worry.
"Don''t worry, I can take care of myself."
"I know you wouldn''t lie."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded.
"I''m ready!"
The Red Dragon called out to Damien.
A giant dimensional portal had already opened in mid-air.
Damien greeted the Imperial Supreme Sword and then climbed onto the Red Dragon''s head.
"Let''s go."
Damien gave the order, but the Red Dragon didn''t move.
Damien asked with a puzzled look.
"What''s wrong?"
"Well, that''s¡ I wanted to know if you were really going to ride me like this...."
"Where else am I supposed to sit?"
"How about on my hand?"
The Red Dragon smiled ingratiatingly.
"For a dragon to carry another species on its head... it''s a huge insult... If this is seen, my position will be... hehe."
Damien began to take his club out of his subspace.
"L-let''s go!"
The Red Dragon took off towards the dimensional portal in terror.
***
What kind of being is a dragon?
When asked this question, most people would think of a huge body, wings, and fireing out of its mouth.
But those who knew something about dragons thought of something else.
The ancestor of magic.
In fact, the first magic was created by imitating the dragon''snguage, called Dragon Tongue.
Dragons could cause various supernatural phenomena through a specialnguage called Dragon Tongue.
The dimension called the otherworld was also created using Dragon Tongue.
The otherworld was created by a group of powerful ancient dragons who sacrificed themselves.
"So, has Balhard returned?"
A dragon spoke from the inside of giant temple in the otherworld.
Moss had grown between its scales, showing how long it had lived.
"Chairman, there''s still no news."
"Perhaps Damien Haksen is putting up more resistance than expected."
The other dragons gathered in the temple, each offering their thoughts.
"I''m more worried about sending Balhard. I hear this human, Damien Haksen is incredibly vicious."
A dragon with white scales spoke with concern. The other dragons burst outughing.
Given their size, theirughter echoed loudly even outside the temple.
"No matter how vicious, he''s just a human. How much can he really do?"
"Although Balhard is a bit foolish... but he''s a good boy. He''s one of the most skilled among the young ones."
"Instead of worrying about Balhard, we should worry about whether we can bring the human back safely."
"As long as his mouth is intact, isn''t that all that matters?"
Just as the dragons wereughing and joking,
"Grandma! Grandpa!"
A hatchling came in. It was so small it could barely reach the feet of the other dragons gathered in the temple.
"The dimensional portal has opened! Balhard is probablying back!"
"Oh, that''s good. Let''s all go see Balhard."
All the dragons in the temple went outside. Their sheer size caused the ground to shake and dust to fly up with each movement.
As they came outside, they could see the dimensional portal open in the sky.
A momentter, Red Dragon appeared from it.
"Balhard! You''re finally back..."
The dragons who were about to wee Balhard back could only pause.
Balhard looked strange.
"Th-that guy... why is all his scales missing?"
"It''s not missing, it''s like it''s been shattered! It''s like he''s been beaten to a pulp."
"All his teeth are broken too?"
The noble Red Dragon was nowhere to be seen. He looked as miserable as a plucked chicken.
Balhard slowly descended to the ground. The dragons rushed to Balhard.
"Balhard! What happened?"
"Da, no, Sir Damien. W-We have arrived."
Balhard lowered his head and spoke. Then, a human descended from his head.
The eyes of the elder dragons gathered on the human.
Compared to the dragons, the human was as small as a pebble. But the human didn''t feel intimidated at all and shouted.
"Nice to meet you. I''m Damien Haksen."
The human looked around at the dragons and added.
"Your lizardling told me you were looking for me, so I came here myself. You should be grateful.¡±
The dragons all looked at Damien with dumbfounded expressions.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 312
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 312: The Dargon (2)
***
"What did that human just say? A L-Lizard?"
"A lizard? To us, beings with noble blood?"
The dragons reacted in disbelief to this unheard-of sphemy.
Despite being trapped in the otherworld for a long time, the dragons weren''t ignorant of humans.
As for elders who lived on the surface prior to their confinement to the otherworld, they had seen firsthand what kind of species humans are.
The humans they had encountered were all insignificant creatures. They trembled at the mere mention of the word ¡®Dragon.¡¯
Of course, not all humans were like that. Some had charged at them with hostility.
"You heard me right, you lizards."
But they had never seen a human-like Damien Haksen, who openly insulted dragons by calling them lizards.
"How dare you be so arrogant!"
"Human! Do you know what you''re doing?"
"Are you trying to make us all your enemies?"
The dragons reacted violently.
In truth, the dragons had underestimated Damien somewhat.
No matter how renowned a knight he was in the human world, they thought he would be dwarfed by the dragon''s achievements.
But the Damien they actually faced was apletely different person from what they had expected.
"Enemies? Did you say enemies?"
Damien pointed at the Red Dragon Balhard and shouted.
"You''ve already dered war on me when you sent that little bastard to take me by force.."
Damien red at the elders one by one.
"Don''t get me wrong! I didn''te here to y house-house with you! I''m just here to find out the location of the demons!"
"What an arrogant human."
At that moment, a solemn voice came from the sky.
At the same time, a shadow spread across the entire field. A giant dragon descended with a huge storm. It was a Red Dragon with dull red scales.
Damien''s eyes changed slightly.
The dragon in front of him had a much stronger aura than the other elder dragons.
The Elders'' faces began to tense as the Red Dragon appeared.
"Human, I''ll ask you this. Were you the one who made him like that?"
The Red Dragon pointed at Balhard and asked.
Damien replied casually.
"So what?"
At Damien''s answer, the elders began to murmur.
"I didn''t expect it, but that human really did make Balhard look like that..."
"It''s absurd. How could a mere human..."
Although they were confined to the otherworld, the dragons were not ignorant of the surface world. They had their own ways of gathering information.
Therefore, the dragons knew very well what kind of existence Damien Haksen was.
A genius who had reached the Master ss at a young age. But even the Master ss wasn''t enough to deal with a dragon.
And Balhard was the strongest dragon among the young ones.
"How dare a being as insignificant as a human...y a finger on my son?"
Rage contorted the dragon''s face. Damien responded with a curious expression.
"That idiot is your son? No wonder you two look alike."
In that instant, the Red Dragon flew into a rage.
The mana in the enviroment resonated with his emotions, engulfing the entire world in mes.
The mes engulfed Damien as well. Yet, they couldn''t even touch a hair on his head.
As soon as they neared Damien, they lost their heat and dissipated.
This was thanks to the sapling of the World Tree rooted in Damien''s soul.
The World Tree held such immense natural power that spirits gathered around it.
No matter how powerful the Red Dragon was, it was impossible for him to harm Damien with fire.
"A mere human can withstand my magic?"
The Red Dragon looked even more displeased.
"Human, my name is Typhon. You''ve probably heard of the Storm Dragon Typhon."
Damien''s eyes widened slightly.
Typhon was one of the dragons said to have ruled the part of the continent in the past.
He was a legendary monster with power on par with the evil dragon who was said to have had his head crushed by the Church''s First Holy Emperor.
"It''s an honor to meet a legendary lizard in person."
Damien said mockingly. Typhon''s eyes turned bloodshot.
"To act that way after hearing my name! It seems you won''t listen unless I speak to you in a differentnguage!"
Typhon''s body was engulfed in mes.
Soon, the mes subsided, and a giant man appeared.
He had a broad upper body and was full of muscles. It seemed like he could kill a person just by brushing past them.
Polymorph. It was a legendary magic that allowed one to transform into any creature.
No other mage could replicate it, as it was a magic that only dragons could use.
"Human, consider yourself honored. I''ll personally educate you."
"You seriously think you can fight me in that form?"
Typhonughed mockingly at Damien''s question.
"Isn''t this form more than enough?"
Typhon punched towards Damien. The speed was so fast that the punch moved first, followed by the sound.
Since he wasn''t using his nameless mana art, Damien didn''t have the invincible protective aura that he was known for.
Even so, Damien didn''t dodge Typhon''s punch. Instead, he drew power from the sapling.
The energy of the World Tree took root throughout Damien''s body. Damien felt his physical strength greatly enhanced.
He caught the fist flying towards his face with his palm. A shock that could crush even metal ran through his palm.
As Typhon''s fist stopped moving, he said with a shocked expression.
"...How can a mere human be blessed by the World Tree?"
"What difference does it make?"
Damien replied bluntly. Typhon''s brow furrowed.
"Fine, you don''t want to answer! I''m going to smash your head right now!"
Typhon immediately swung his other fist. The fist tore through the air and was about to strike Damien''s jaw.
But Damien moved first. He closed the distance and punched out.
Damien''s fist struck Typhon squarely in the chest.
Combined with his physical abilities enhanced by the World Tree sapling, his attack sent Typhon flying back with a tremendous roar.
Typhon crashed into the ground and created a deep crater. The impact was so great that the whole ground was shattered.
"What was that? Did Typhon just get pushed back?"
"No way! How could a human, even in physical form, beat Typhon...?"
The elders murmured in astonishment.
A transformed physical body naturally drew power from its original form. The stronger the original body was, the stronger the transformed body became.
Typhon had once ruled the western part of the continent. Naturally, his physical form was also incredibly powerful.
Then, a massive burst of pressure erupted from the crater where Typhon was buried.
Soon, a gigantic dragon emerged with an earthquake. Typhon had undone his polymorph and returned to his original form.
"Oh, I see now! You''re no ordinary human! I''ll deal with you properly now!"
Damien felt the tremendous pressureing from Typhon and twisted the corner of his mouth.
"That''s good. I just happened to have a technique I wanted to try out."
In the past, Damien had fought against the thoughtform of the First Holy Emperor, Bartholomeo, in the Church.
In that battle, Damien had copied Bartholomeo''s techniques and realm.
Bartholomeo was well known as the First Holy Emperor of the Church and the first person to awaken divine power.
But before that, he had known for another thing.
Dragon yer.
That''s how optimized Bartholomeo''s techniques and realm were for killing dragons.
It wasn''t for nothing that Bartholomeo could shatter an evil dragon''s head with a single blow.
Damien extended his hand. Mana began to gather, and the aurade took the shape of a giant hammer.
The shape of the hammer was a bit peculiar. Instead of a t head, it had a sharp point, like a stake.
"Human, You¡¯re courting death!"
Typhon charged towards Damien. The ground shook with every step he took.
Just as Damien was about to charge towards Typhon,
"Typhon, stop!"
A young voice called out from the sky.
Damien looked up and saw something pping its wings and descending.
At first, Damien couldn''t figure out what creature it was.
Since it was in the otherworld, it was likely a dragon. But he couldn''t help but doubt it. It looked very different from a dragon.
First of all, it was covered in soft fur. Its wings were feathered like a bird, unlike a dragon''s. Its head was small, and its snout was short.
"Iris! Why are you out here?"
Typhon shouted in a panic. Then, the mysterious creature said in a cold voice.
"How can I stay inside when you''re causing such amotion, Uncle Typhon? Stop fighting immediately!"
"B-but this human..."
The strange creature red at Typhon and said firmly.
"Stop it."
And so, Typhon immediately retracted his mana and pressure.
Damien couldn''t help but be surprised. He never thought this foul-tempered Dragon would obey so readily.
"Damien Haksen, I told the elders to bring you here, but I didn''t expect a fight to break out. I''m sorry I couldn''t stop it sooner."
The strange creature stood in front of Damien and spoke.
Though not asrge as a dragon, the creature was still quite big.
"What kind of creature are you?"
Damien couldn''t help but ask. The creature replied calmly,
"I''m Iris, a hatchling."
"...You''re a hatchling?"
Damien looked at him with a very suspicious expression. Iris replied indignantly.
"It''s true, so please don''t doubt me. It''s just that I''m an Ancient Dragon, so I look different from other hatchlings."
Ancient Dragon.
Damien''s expression turned to one of surprise.
Damien had been taught a variety of knowledge by Dorugo.
In addition to dark magic, he had also learned about general magic, alchemy, and dragons.
Just as elves originated from the World Tree, there were also beings called the progenitors of dragons.
These were the five Ancient Dragons.
They were said to be closer to gods than dragons, and they had taken root in the continent, creating countless dragons.
"...You''re an Ancient Dragon?"
Damien looked at Iris with a very doubtful expression.
Compared to the legends of Ancient Dragons that Damien had heard, Iris was too small and had a much weaker aura.
"...I''m still a hatchling, but I''m definitely an Ancient Dragon."
Iris said in an annoyed voice.
"Besides, I didn''t call you here for this pointless conversation."
Iris looked down at Damien and said.
"Tell me everything about why the Oath was broken. Then I''ll answer your questions as well."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 313
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 313: The Dargon (3)
***
The scale of the ce was truly befitting of a dragon''s dwelling. Damien almost felt like he''d been transported to a giant''snd.
"It''s rare to have a guest. There doesn''t seem to be a proper ce for you to sit."
While there were beds and tables, they were all of immense size.
"Please wait a moment."
Iris said and closed his eyes and began to chant in an iprehensiblenguage.
In response to his words, the surrounding mana began to stir.
And a chair and table perfectly sized for a human rose from the ground.
Damien watched with interest. This was the first time he''d seen a dragon use Dragon Tongue.
Shortly after, Iris transformed into the form of a young girl using polymorph magic.
"Let me introduce myself again. I''m Iris, an ancient dragon."
Iris sat down in front of Damien.
Damien was dumbfounded since he thought Iris was a male dragon.
Iris seemed to notice Damien''s thoughts and giggled.
"I have so many questions for you. That''s why I''ve taken the liberty of inviting you here."
"Before that, I have a question. How did you find me?"
Damien stopped his train of thoughts and asked.
When he thought about it, there were too many suspicious points.
Alfheim was hidden by the World Tree. Yet, the dragons had found Damien''s location far too easily, as if they had been watching him.
On the other hand, they seemedpletely unaware of what had happened in Alfheim.
"It''s thanks to my ability."
"Ability?"
"Do you know how the Otherworld was created?"
Damien shook his head. He knew nothing about that.
"It was created through the sacrifice of ancient dragons. They sacrificed themselves to create the Otherworld. But before they perished, they gathered their powers and left me behind."
"So, you''re saying you''re thest ancient dragon?"
Iris nodded.
"As thest ancient dragon, I inherited their memories and abilities. Thanks to that, I can read destinies."
Iris continued.
"When I learned that demons had been freed, I was able to see your image through destiny."
That must be why she could find Damien in Alfheim.
"However, this ability isn''t perfect. I can only tell that you''re involved, not the specific details. That''s why I want to hear your exnation directly."
Suddenly, a thought urred to Damien.
"You mean you can find the demons'' location...?"
"Yes, with my ability, it''s possible. However, to read the demons'' destiny, I need a creature or object deeply connected to them."
In other words, Damien was necessary.
"Now it''s my turn to ask. What exactly happened in Alfheim? How were the demons summoned?"
Damien had heard their part, so he had to answer.
Damien exined everything he had experienced to Iris.
As Iris continued her exnation, her expression darkened.
"A key... So the Oath has really been broken."
"What kind of Oath is it? Even that young Red Dragon didn''t know about it."
Damien finally voiced a question he''d had for a long time.
"A Oath is an absolute rule, a promise. Because of the Oath, demons couldn''t appear to the surface, and dragons lived in the Otherworld."
Iris exined in a calm voice.
"There are other things as well. The reason Master sses keep appearing in the Empire is also thanks to the Oath."
"Who made this Oath?"
"Ruin."
Damien''s expression turned to surprise at the name.
"You probably don''t know him. He''s a forgotten figure now."
"I heard he was the true hero who was betrayed by the Salvation Squad."
Iris was surprised that Damien knew.
"How could a mere human make a Oath?"
"Ruin wasn''t a mere human."
"Then what was he?"
To Damien''s question, Iris paused for a moment. After much thought, she said.
"¡ I don''t know exactly what kind of existence Ruin was. I haven''t fully absorbed the memories left by the previous ancient dragons. But I can tell you this much."
"What is it?"
"He was a being capable of anything."
A sense of awe that Iris couldn''t hide was evident in her voice and eyes.
"Ruin defeated the seven Demon Lords who ruled the continent at the time and even killed the Dragonlord. He also defeated countless other powerful enemies."
Iris''s praise continued.
"And he ced an Oath on the world, expelling other races and creating a paradise for humans. The key you mentioned is the tool used to make the Oath. Ruin also created it."
Even though he was hearing it directly, he couldn''t believe it. Could such a being exist? Even if he did, he couldn''t be considered human.
"It''s like seeing a God."
"I think so too."
"Damien, the Oath hasn''t beenpletely broken yet. The demons'' goal is topletely undo the remaining Oath."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because they can''t bring all the demons to the surface as long as the Oath remains."
Iris said with a serious expression.
"If the Oath ispletely broken and demons flood in, then everything will truly be over. I want to prevent that."
Iris sighed deeply.
"But we dragons are also bound by the Oath, so we can''t go outside. That''s why I want to borrow your power."
Iris extended her hand, but Damien hesitated.
"Why do you dragons want to stop the demons?"
"So, dragons are also bound by the Oath, just like demons?"
Damien asked with a suspicious voice.
It was strange that such a race like dragons wanted to help humans.
"In the past, dragons fought against humans. But eventually, we cooperated with them inst."
It was true. Dragons had once been enemies of the Salvation Squad butter became allies.
"We aren''t trapped in the Otherworld; we came here of our own ord for the harmony of the surface world. But the demons are trying to corrupt the surface."
Iris''s eyes shone with determination.
"Many of our ancestors sacrificed themselves to drive out the demons. How can we let their sacrifices be in vain? We dragons want to help you and drive the demons back."
Iris extended her hand again.
"So, Damien Haksen, please help us."
After much deliberation, Damien took her hand.
"Alright. I''ll cooperate with you."
***
After further conversation, Damien left the building. As soon as he was gone, a dragon entered.
"Iris, did the talk go well?" it was the thunder dragon, Typhon.
"More or less."
Iris replied as she sat down. Her face and attitude were filled with annoyance. The polite andposed girl was nowhere to be found.
"Thanks to your acting, Typhon, it was easy to gain Damien Haksen''s favor."
In a fit of rage, Typhon attacked at Damien and Iris intervenes.
It was such a simple way to open someone''s heart.
"I''m sorry. I actually wanted to kill him."
Iris was startled.
"Really?"
"Seeing my son''s state made me lose control..."
"You really tried to kill him and failed?"
Iris asked and recalled Damien''s appearance. She had thought he was strong, but she hadn''t expected him to be this strong.
"I still want to rip him to shreds right now."
Typhon said, his eyes glowing fiercely.
Iris chuckled and said
"Endure it. We need him to recover the ''key'' from the demons."
Iris had lied to Damien. It was true that the dragons had fought alongside Ruin, but they hadn''t done so willingly.
They had bowed their heads in misery. If they don¡¯t Ruin just simply annihte their whole race.
Thanks to that, the dragons had saved their lives, but they were trapped in the Otherworld.
"The Otherworld is truly a dreadful ce. The sky is low, thend is cramped. We can''t even unleash our full power."
Iris said with strange voice emotions.
The dragons'' true goal was not to protect the surface world, but to escape the miserable Otherworld.
To break the Oath, they needed the key that the demons possessed.
The problem was that the dragons were bound by the Oath and couldn''t cross over to the surface. So, after much deliberation, Iris decided to use Damien.
"Tell Balhard to faithfully assist Damien Haksen."
She instructed. Damien Haksen would now be their pawn in the fight against the demons.
"And when the opportunity arises... tell him to steal the key."
With the key, they wouldn''t have to be trapped in this cramped Otherworld.
"I will follow your orders, mydy."
Typhon bowed was left.
***
"What? So they were nning to use me all along."
Damien was lying in the dragon-made lodging a short distance from Iris''s home.
Thanks to the sapling of the World Tree, Damien could easily eavesdrop on the dragons'' conversation.
The sapling''s detection ability was both extensive and discreet. The two dragons had no idea that Damien was eavesdropping on their whole conversation.
"Bunch of old sly lizards."
Damien mused and stroked his chin.
A part of him wants to get out and beat the shit out of these lizards but he knew he couldn''t.
If he did, he would lose the only method to track the demons.
"I''ll y along until I find the demons."
Damien thought to himself. But after that, he wouldn''t let this slide. His eyes gleamed ominously.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 314
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 314: The Highest Mountain (1)
***
Vahel was in a particrly good mood today. The task he''d assigned to his subordinate Laria was finallypleted.
He made his way down the corridor humming a tune as he opened a door.
"Laria! Are you finished?"
A demon turned around at the sound of Vahel''s voice. Uniquely, this demon had a mosquito-like proboscis instead of a mouth.
"It''s done."
"Really? I really have high hopes for you. Your efficiency is truly impressive."
Vahel gave a thumbs-up, but Laria''s expression remained unchanged.
"Here."
Laria handed Vahel a golden orb.
Vahel took it and said.
"This is all of Dorugo''s memories?"
"Yes. Her mental barriers were strong, so it took some time."
"Ha! Of course, it would. She once was a Duke ss demon."
He chuckled and looked down at Dorugo on the floor.
As a demon, Vahel could see how badly Dorugo''s soul had been damaged despite her outward appearance.
Laria belonged to a species of demon called Moskikiki.
They had the ability to suck out memories by inserting their proboscis into a soul.
While they could extract all memories vividly, the process was excruciatingly painful for the victim.
"Stop... please stop... I''ll tell you everything... I''ll tell you..."
Dorugo was still writhing in agony as she was unable to escape the pain.
Even though Dorugo had offered to tell everything, Vahel insisted that Laria continue the extraction.
It was simple because he couldn''t trust Dorugo¡¯s words.
"Laria, just give her some basic first aid and then get some rest yourself."
Vahel couldn''t let Dorugo die. She was the perfect bait to lure out Damien Haksen.
"I''ll be going then."
With Dorugo''s memories in hand, Vahel stepped outside.
He tossed the orb from hand to hand like a ything.
Even if he dropped it and lost all the memories, it wouldn''t matter. He could just have Laria extract them again.
"Where did you put my mother?! Give her back!"
A loudmotion could be heard nearby. Vahel turned his head.
"Who are these insolent creatures?"
Four undead creatures were seen struggling with his subordinates.
"So, these are the four undeads that Dorugo created?"
Vahel approached them with a curious expression on his face.
"My lord! It''s nothing important. These creatures were causing a disturbance, so we subdued them."
Vahel looked at the Four Great Demon Kings who were ring at him with murderous intent.
"Vahel! Where have you imprisoned my mother!"
"Return my mother!"
The Four Great Demon Kings roared. But Vahel merely smirked.
"Oh, your mother? She''s alive.. Barely¡."
The Four Great Demon Kings'' eyes widened in shock.
"You! I''ll kill you!"
One of them lunged at Vahel, but his subordinates held him back.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
"I''ll kill you!"
The Four Great Demon Kings struggled, but the demons'' strength was too great.
"Oh, what a hassle. I healed you and restored you, and this is how you repay me?"
Vahel said wearily.
"You should be thanking me. If it weren¡¯t for me stepping up, your mother would have been torn to pieces long ago."
The demons'' hatred for Dorugo was deep. Some of his subordinates still wanted to kill her.
"And yet, I''ve kept you alive, these lowly undead."
Despite their grandiose title, the Four Great Demon Kings were nothing more than undead in the eyes of the demons. They could be destroyed at any moment.
"Let me warn you onest time. Behave. Or I''ll tear your limbs off and leave you to rot in a warehouse. And I''ll do the same to your precious mother."
A chilling aura emanated from Vahel. The Four Great Demon Kings'' faces hardened.
"Understood?"
Vahel said, taking a step forward. He then put the golden orb containing Dorugo''s memories in his mouth.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm."
Dorugo''s memories and knowledge flooded into Vahel''s mind.
"Reverse time? That''s possible?"
"Tobine authorities like this... Dorugo was truly a genius."
"To betray his own kind with such talent. What a fool."
"Ah, so she was betrayed by Damien Haksen. She should have taken better care of him."
Vahel paused his muttering. He reyed the recent memory in his mind. His expression grew serious.
"Ah." A slow smile spread across Vahel''s face. "So Damien Haksen has a family, huh?"
Vahel stood there, smiling for a long time.
"Ah, I want to y with Damien right now, but... I still have so much to do."
Vahel recalled a memory of Dorugo, one from the distant past.
In this scene, Dorugo is seen in human form, assisting a man. It was Ruin, the nightmarish human who had in all seven Demon Lords.
The scene was set on a mountain, so high that the entirend could be seen.
"Mount Carion. That''s where the Oath was made."
Vahel mused. The key alone wouldn''t be enough to break all the Oaths. They needed to go to a specific ce and perform a special ritual.
Vahel shouted loud enough for his entire castle to hear.
"Everyone! Prepare for departure! We''re going to Mount Carion!"
***
"Mount Carion, you say?"
Iris said and looked at Damien.
"Destiny showed me that ce. The demons are undoubtedly heading there."
"Why Mount Carion?"
Damien asked.
Iris pondered for a moment before replying.
"I''m not entirely sure, but... I believe that topletely break the Oath, they need to go to a special ce. Mount Carion is likely that ce."
"Then we need to hurry."
Damien immediately stood up.
Iris grabbed him.
"Damien, take Balhard with you."
"Balhard?"
Iris nodded.
"Compared to you, he''s much weaker, but he''s the strongest among the young dragons. He''ll definitely be helpful."
Damien pondered this for a moment before nodding.
"I''m sorry I can''t offer more help."
Iris said with a somber expression.
"I''d like to send more of my kind, but... only one dragon can use loophole and leave."
Through extensive research, the dragons had discovered a way to bypass the Oath using Dragon Tongue.
For a long time, they had been sending dragons to the surface to gather information. That was how they knew so much about Damien.
"I''ve already told Typhon. You can use Balhard however you like."
"Then I''ll make the most of him."
Damien replied with a serious expression, though his words were said lightly. Iris chuckled.
***
Damien exited Iris''s home to find a young man with a sullen expression.
The man had bright red hair and a rather rough appearance.
Damien looked at the young man and said tly.
"Lower your eyes."
The young man immediately looked down and broke out in a cold sweat.
It was as if fear were ingrained in his instincts. This was Balhard in human form.
"Balhard, Iris mentioned Carion Mountain. We''re going there now."
"As youmand."
Balhard replied, immediately opening a dimensional portal using Dragon Tongue.
They stepped through the portal and arrived at Mount Carion.
"The air is definitely different here."
Damien took a deep breath.
He began to understand why the dragons were so desperate to leave the Otherworld.
"What should we do now?"
Balhard asked.
"We need to find the demons. They must be here..."
Just then, a loud noise and a surge of demonic energy erupted in the distance. Damien and Balhard exchanged nces.
"Balhard, let''s go that way."
"As youmand."
They headed towards the source of the noise and found a group of demons wreaking havoc.
"Damn it! Where is the altar?"
"His Lordship said it was here! Search everywhere!"
Several demons were causing chaos, tearing down mountain peaks and destroying the surroundingndscape.
"Huh?"
One of the demons spotted Damien and Balhard.
"Damien Haksen! Damien Haksen has appeared!"
At the demon''s shout, the others gathered. Damien surveyed the group. There were two Count ss demons and several Baron ss ones too.
"Quite a number of them."
"Indeed."
"Balhard, deal with them."
"Excuse me?"
Balhard looked at Damien incredulously.
"You don''t want to fight them?"
"Why should I fight such small fries? You deal with them."
A look of humiliation crossed Balhard''s face. It was humiliating for a dragon to take orders from a human.
"I told you to lower your eyes."
Damien reminded him. Balhard immediately bowed his head.
"What? Can''t you do it?"
"No, no."
"If you''re scared, don''t do it. It''s not like you''ll die."
"No! I can do it!"
Balhard roared, his eyes zing with anger as he rejected Damien''smand. He immediately reverted to his dragon form.
"A dragon? How did a dragon get here?"
"Aren''t all dragons trapped in the Otherworld?"
The demons were all taken aback by the dragon''s appearance.
Normally, even if a dragon used Dragon Tongue to escape the Otherworld, they couldn''t use their full powers.
But now that the Oath was weakening, these restrictions were lifted, allowing Balhard to use his strength freely.
"You infernal scum! I''ll burn you all to ashes!"
Balhard unleashed a torrent of me, forcing the demons to scatter.
One demon, caught off guard, was engulfed in mes and reduced to ashes in an instant.
"Be careful! It''s not an ordinary dragon!"
"The fastest one of you, distract it!"
Demons charged at Balhard.
"Dare to challenge me!"
Balhard roared, engaging the demons in battle.
A fierce sh between dragon and demons ensued.
***
"Oh, he''s quite good."
Damien observed from a distance as he watched Balhard fight. "I don''t think I need to help him after all. Don''t you think?"
As he turned around, he saw a cloaked figure.
"Indeed. Where did he find such a dragon? A couple of Count ss demons won''t be enough."
The figure was woman and replied nonchntly. Damien nodded and asked.
"So, what kind of demon are you?"
The woman shook off her cloak and revealing countless daggers hidden beneath.
"I''m Laetitia. In Inferno, they call me the Marquis of des."
The daggers flew into the air. There were at least thirty of them. She grabbed two and infused them with mana.
"Damien Haksen, let me show you what a real fight is like. Consider it an honor."
Damien chuckled.
"That''s quite an honor." And he drew Dawn.
The two magical des shed, marking the beginning of a new battle.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 315
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 315: The Highest Mountain (2)
***
Two aurades extended from a pair of daggers and flew towards Damien''s neck.
Damien parried the attack with Dawn. In that instant, a tremendous shockwave hit him.
It felt as if he had blocked a heavy boulder instead of an aurade. Dawn trembled as if it was going to break.
Damien twisted Dawn and deflected the attack. Immediately, a second strike came flying.
It was a sharp, consecutive attack, befitting the title of the ''Sword Demon''.
[TL/N- Mariqus of Sword ¡ú Sword Demon.]
Damien blocked the second attack and retreated. Laetitia didn''t immediately attack. She maintained distance and spoke regretfully.
"Huh? You''repletely different from thest time I saw you. Back then, you were strong enough to knock Asthar out in one hit, but now you''re not so good."
Unlikest time, Damien was now facing Laetitia as a ''human'' rather than a ''Death Knight''.
''Human Damien Haksen'' had yet to catch up to ''Death Knight Damien Haksen''.
So, it was natural for Laetitia to perceive Damien as weakened.
"Lord Vahel told me to be careful not to provoke you too much... but at this rate, I can handle this on my own, can''t I?"
"You''re incredibly arrogant for someone who''s only shed swords with me once."
Damien twisted one corner of his mouth and said. Laetitiaughed and replied.
"You seem very angry. But if you''re a swordsman, you should show it with your skills. What''s the point of just talking?"
"If you want to see it so much, I''ll show you."
Just as Damien was about to conjure mana, he suddenly pointed at the daggers floating around Laetitia and asked.
"Aren''t you going to use those?"
Dozens of daggers were floating around Laetitia.
Even with so many weapons, Laetitia was only using two.
"Are you that curious? But unfortunately, I only use this against strong opponents. I don''t think you''ll be able to see it."
Damien couldn''t help but chuckle at the repeated provocations.
"If you''re eager to meet your end, I''ll be happy to introduce you."
Damien awakened the magic that had been quietly dormant.
"First Wheel."
The mana began to rotate inside Damien¡¯s body. At the same time, the sapling of the World Tree rooted in his soul lent its strength.
Mana and spirit power merged as one. It fused with his body as one.
One Wheel. One unity.
The moment it waspleted, a blue light emanated from Damien''s eyes.
The next moment, Damien disappeared. Immediately afterward, a strikended on Laetitia''s neck.
Laetitia''s eyes widened. She quickly retreated and crossed her daggers.
Dawn struck the X-shaped aurades causing Laetitia''s body to be pushed back.
"...Kuk?"
A look of shock appeared on Laetitia''s face. Damien didn''t miss the opportunity.
Damien closed the distance in the blink of an eye and swung Dawn. Laetitia raised her daggers to block the iing attack.
However, Laetitia''s strength was insufficient to deflect Dawn. The sword cleaved through her daggers and grazed her cheek.
Her cheek split open, and blood gushed out. Rage red on Laetitia''s face.
"A mere human who won''t live a hundred years dares to injure me? You are courting death!"
Laetitia''s eyes turned red. Vast amounts of demonic energy erupted from her entire body.
Her body also changed. Her eyes turned purple, two horns grew from her forehead, and tiger-like patterns appeared all over her body.
"I''ll let you feel the difference in our power!"
Laetitia charged towards Damien. The ground shook with each step she took.
Staring at the approaching Laetitia, Damien muttered again.
"Second Wheel."
The blue light emanating from Damien''s eyes grew even deeper.
Damien blocked Laetitia''s strike head-on. The shockwave pushed the surrounding air away, creating a strong wind.
The two of them stared at each other with their swords locked at the ready. Laetitia gritted her teeth and muttered.
"...You withstood my attack?"
"It''s just too light to dodge."
Laetitia''s eyes shed with anger at Damien''s mockery.
"Who do you think you are, getting so cocky!"
Laetitia put strength into both arms. She pushed Damien back and swung her twin swords.
The two daggers drew different arcs. The aurades extending from the daggers aimed for Damien''s vital points.
However, Laetitia''s consecutive attacks were easily deflected. It took Damien only a few swings of his sword to parry all of her attacks.
"Given your boasts about your experiences, I expected fireworks. Instead, I got a damp squib."
Laetitia''s face twisted at Damien''s mockery.
"I haven''t even shown you half of my abilities yet!"
Laetitia screamed and unleashed her swordsmanship.
Countless techniques poured out. None of them were anything to scoff at.
But none of the techniques could reach Damien. As if he could read her mind, Damien easily blocked all of her attacks.
There was no way Laetitia could have missed that fact. Her face hardened rapidly.
"Is that all you''ve got?"
Damien asked Laetitia.
"Then I''ll set up your appointment with the death."
Damien used Dawn to deflect Laetitia''s attack.
The trajectory changed sharply, and the two daggers flew in different directions.
"Huh?"
At the moment Laetitia was taken aback, Damien took arge step forward.
Damien instantly closed the distance and swung Dawn. Dawn sliced through Laetitia''s neck.
"...Ughhhh!"
Blood gushed out as her neck was half-severed. Laetitia grabbed her neck and retreated.
"You''re tougher than I thought."
Damien swung his sword with the intent to deliver a perfect strike this time. Fear of death appeared in Laetitia''s eyes.
"...Ahh, Aghhhhh!"
Laetitia coughed up blood and cried out.
At that moment, the daggers floating in the air all flew towards Damien.
Damien tried to parry all the daggers. Although there were many, he could handle them now that he was in the state of Second Wheel.
However, the moment Dawn collided with the daggers, Damien had to immediately revise his n.
The power contained in the daggers was much heavier than he had expected. They were far stronger than when Laetitia wielded them herself.
Damien had to stop and parry the daggers where he stood.
With each collision between Dawn and the daggers, there was a loud explosion. Damien''s body was pushed back slightly.
''These are demonic swords that I parried moments before?''
Even Damien was astonished by the terrifying power of the demonic swords. It truly felt like fighting the Sword Demon.
Meanwhile, Laetitia was focused on healing the wound on her neck.
If Laetitia fully recovered, the battle would undoubtedly be prolonged.
Damien had to go all out to finish it.
"Third Wheel."
Third Wheel waspleted within his body. The pressure emanating from Damien amplified in an instant.
The next moment, lines were drawn in the air.
Dozens of lines extended outward from Damien. All the daggers that touched the lines were cut in half.
"...What?"
Laetitia eximed with a startled expression.
The next instant, Damien kicked off the ground. He dashed forward in a straight line and shed at Laetitia''s neck.
Purple blood sttered as Laetitia''s head fell to the ground.
Even at that moment, Laetitia didn''t realize what had happened to her.
"For something so insignificant...You, you..."
Even though her head was severed, Laetitia was still alive. It was thanks to the powerful vitality unique to demons.
She could have survived if she quickly reattached her head, but Damien had no intention of letting that happen.
"I want to ask what your ns are, but... you won''t tell me, will you?"
Damien reached out towards Laetitia''s head. He used dark magic to extract her soul.
-Kyaaaaak!
As expected of a demon, Laetitia''s soul was enormous. Damien tore her soul apart and absorbed her memories.
"...Nothing special."
Unfortunately, there was no great information.
All he learned was that they had to find the altar to break the Oath.
And that even the demons didn''t know the location of the altar.
"I''ll have to find the altar before the demons."
Saying so, Damien turned his gaze toward the roaring Red Dragon who was standing on the corpses of the demons.
***
"What? You''re saying Damien came with a dragon?"
Vahel couldn''t hide his surprise upon receiving the report.
"Asthar, isn''t that amazing? A dragon! Damien Haksen brought a dragon with him!"
Vahel turned around and spoke. Behind him stood a demon with the head of a bull.
-If you just give the order, I''ll go and tear them both apart right now.
Asthar said with a murderous look.
He seemed to hold a grudge against Damien for knocking him out.
"What if you end up dead at Damien''s hands?"
-This time it will be different!
"Even Laetitia, a Marquis like you, died at the hands of Damien Haksen?"
-I''m not like that fool who just ys around!
Asthar raised his voice. Vahelughed, holding his stomach.
"Yeah, yeah, you''re different from Laetitia."
The title ''Sword Demon'' was both an honor and a burden for Laetitia.
Although Laetitia was a demon, she was not born with power. Therefore, she had trained with a sword for over a thousand years, and thanks to that, she was able to be a Marquis ss demon.
However, a demon without power was not a demon. Despite being a Marquis ss demon, Laetitia was as weak as a Count ss demon.
"Just hold on a little longer. There''s something more important right now."
Vahel turned his gaze. There, Dorugo was tied to a tree with iron chains.
"Dorugo, quickly recall your memories. Try to recall the feeling of how you entered the altar."
The altar.
The ce where Ruin made the Oath was also absent from Dorugo''s memories.
Only Ruin knew how to enter that ce.
"..."
Dorugo hung limply without responding. A look of annoyance briefly appeared on Vahel''s face.
"Hey, wake her up."
A demon with a mosquito''s snout.
Laria stuck her snout into the back of Dorugo''s head.
At that moment, Dorugo''s eyes burned.
"Aaargh!"
"If you had just listened to me, this wouldn''t have happened."
"Kuaaak!"
Dorugo''s screams continued.
***
"Kyaaak!"
Hearing the distant scream, the Four Great Demon Kings bit their lips.
"...Mother''s screams are weaker than yesterday. She must be running out of energy."
Epsilon looked around at his siblings and spoke.
"We can''t watch this anymore. We must absolutely rescue Mother from this ce. Even if it costs us our lives."
The three siblings nodded. Epsilon continued with a heavy face.
"We absolutely need Damien Haksen for our n."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 316
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 316: The Highest Mountain (3)
***
Red Dragon Balhard was barely able to hold back his rage.
"The demons are currently searching for the altar."
The cause of his anger was the human standing before him.
Like most dragons, Balhard held humans in extreme contempt. It was only natural.
Compared to dragons, humans were a weak race with frail bodies, mediocre magic skills, and feeble intelligence.
Although his race had been defeated by the humans he so despised and forced to flee to the Otherworld, it was all because of a person named Ruin.
"The mountain isn''t that big. The fact that the demons haven''t found it yet means it must be in a rather unusual ce."
Yet now, Balhard found himself having to ''listen'' to the words of the very human he despised. His insides were churning.
"Hey, are you listening to me?"
The human, Damien Haksen, asked Balhard. Balhard suppressed his anger and replied.
"...Yes, I''ve heard everything from beginning to end."
"Then make some kind of noise. I thought I was the only one talking."
Damien sneered and looked at Balhard as if he were useless. Balhard felt his anger rising to another degree.
"Anyway, do you know anything about the altar? Given you lizards have a long lifespan."
"I only know the basics. I know that Ruin used a key to create an Oath there."
"Tsk tsk."
Damien looked at Balhard with the eyes of someone looking at something absolute trash.
Even Balhard couldn''t help but grit his teeth in anger.
"I have one question for you as well!"
"Who do you think you are raising your voice to? Do you want to die?"
"B-But, I-I really want to ask."
"Alright."
Damien nodded, permitting him to ask. Balhard felt a deep sense of humiliation at being treated like a subordinate.
"Why am I the only one preparing the food?"
Balhard had not simply been listening to Damien''s words quietly until now.
He was roasting a whole boar over a magic-fueled bonfire.
On top of that, Balhard had also hunted the boar himself.
"Your ancient dragon said I could do whatever I wanted with you."
"That doesn''t mean I should be doing menial tasks like this!"
"If you have a problem with it, go andin to her."
Balhard couldn''t help but stand up in anger at Damien''s brazen attitude.
"Damien Haksen! Draw your sword! Right here, right now..."
...I''ll crush you!
But before he could say it, Balhard found himself unable to speak.
He had just remembered the battle between Damien and the Marquis ss demon.
While Balhard was fighting with the misceneous demons, Damien was fighting the Marquis ss demon.
The sh between the two was so intense that even Balhard, who was far away, could feel it vividly.
What was even more surprising was that Damien had killed the Marquis ss demon in the blink of an eye.
Of course, Balhard was confident that he could defeat a Marquis ss demon in a fight. He had inherited the powers of the mad dragon Typhon and the thunder dragon Ruak.
But he wasn''t sure he could defeat a Marquis ss demon as quickly and without a single scratch as Damien did.
If he were to fight a Marquis-ss demon, he would struggle greatly to defeat it.
"Why the sword? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
Damien said as he got up. Balhard quickly added.
"I meant that the meat is almost cooked, soe and get your sword ready to cut it."
"Oh, is that so? I thought you wanted to fight again. If you really did, I would have peeled off all your scales this time."
Damien''s eyes gleamed with killing intent as he said that.
Balhard swallowed hard involuntarily. He thought to himself that he was d he had held back.
"So, can I eat now?"
"Just a moment."
Balhard opened a subspace and took out a small bag.
When he opened the bag, all sorts of spices appeared.
Balhard made an incision in the roasted boar and began to evenly apply the spices.
"You''re pretty skilled at this."
Damien asked curiously.
Balhard''s skill was extraordinary enough to pique Damien''s interest.
"I learned when I was raising a child."
"A child? Your child? A dragon?"
"No, it was a human. Or rather, a half-human, half-dragon."
Damien looked at Balhard with a strange expression.
"You despise humans so much, yet you had a child with one?"
Balhard was at a loss for words at Damien''s remark.
It was true that he looked down on humans.
"...It''s moremon than you think among dragons who are sent on missions to the surface."
Dragons couldn''t go to the surface due to the Oath.
But they used Dragon Tongue to create loopholes and send dragons to the surface.
Only one dragon could be sent, and even then, most of its power was sealed.
Nevertheless, the reason they were sent to the surface was to gather various information.
"I wonder how your child is doing."
Damien opened his mouth.
The casual remark sent ripples through Balhard''s heart.
Balhard silently stared at the zing fire.
[PR/N- Mercenary King?]
***
After finishing his meal, Damien took out Erebos. It was to review his battle with Laetitia.
"I need to get used to Erebos."
The reason he took out Erebos instead of Dawn was because he still felt an unfamiliar sensation in his hand.
Although he had used Erebos endlessly in his past life as a Death Knight, his body was different then.
He wasrger, and his fingers were longer. So, using Erebos with his human body felt strange.
Damien swung Erebos and recalled his battle with Laetitia.
"I''ve grown much stronger than before. And my Five Wheel Harmonious Art bes even more perfect."
While fighting Laetitia, Damien could feel how much stronger he had be.
"I defeated a Marquis ss demon without using the power of a Death Knight."
Normally, it is said that only Grandmasters can face Marquis ss demons in battle.
In that sense, Damien could be said to have acquired the strength of a Grandmaster.
"But she was weak for a Marquis ss demon."
Compared to the Marquis ss demons Damien had encountered so far, Laetitia was too weak.
That''s why Damien couldn''t be satisfied. If a Marquis ss demon stronger than Laetitia appeared, he couldn''t be sure of victory.
"I need to reach the level of a Grandmaster. I need to have my own power. I can''t rely on the power of a Death Knight forever."
Right now, Damien was one step away from bing a Grandmaster.
He could reach the realm of a Grandmaster with just one more step.
The problem was that half-step.
He had no idea how to take that step. It was like wandering around in the depths of the sea.
The reasony within Damien himself. He had too much information in his head.
¡°The only good thing that happened is I found a clue to reach the Grandmaster.¡±
It happened when he used the nameless mana art. Damien realized one thing when he was using dark mana.
"Dark mana originates from the suffering of the human soul. And normal mana originates from nature."
The two energies seemed simr but werepletely different.
However, Damien saw a clue tobining the two energies.
No, that wasn''t all.
"Divine power stems from human faith. So, maybe I canbine this too."
He thought he might be able tobine energies that he thought werepletely separate.
Coincidentally, the Five Wheel Harmonious Art, the mana cultivation method that Damian had recently created, was also centered around unification.
"I was already on this path and I didn¡¯t even know about it."
Damienughed bitterly.
It wasn''t entirely bad. A knight''s strength was determined by how high a wall they could ovee.
If he solved this problem and became a Grandmaster, Damien would gain immense power.
"But there''s something else I need to solve first."
Damien''s worries extended beyond reaching a higher realm to the altar.
"The demons'' goal is to find the altar. My goal is to kill Dorugo and Vahel."
But Damien currently had no way to find Vahel''s location.
Ultimately, Damien needed to find the altar. After all, that''s where he would encounter the demons.
"Where is the altar?"
It was certainly hidden somewhere so that no one could find it. Otherwise, the demons wouldn''t have failed to find it until now.
"Let''s change my perspective. My goal isn''t to find the altar. It''s to kill Vahel and Dorugo."
Damien''s real goal was to deliver them their deaths. The altar was merely a means to achieve his goal.
"I¡¯ll hinder the demons and prevent them from finding the altar. Then, Vahel will eventually reveal himself."
That was when it happened.
Erebos collided with something.
"Huh?"
Damien looked at Erebos with a puzzled expression.
That was because there was nothing in front of Erebos.
"What''s going on here?"
Damien grabbed Erebos and pushed. But Erebos didn''t budge. It felt like it was stuck in something hard.
Damien pondered for a moment, then grasped Erebos with both hands.
And he pressed down on Erebos with his weight. He could feel Erebos cutting through something invisible.
The ce where Erebos had cut open widened. At the same time, a strong wind began to swirl.
It was as if the air was being sucked into a gap. His vision was obscured by his flying hair.
Damien blocked the wind with his forearm and carefully peered into the gap.
And then he saw apletely differentndscape.
Seven statues were erected on a high peak.
In the center of themy a human-sized stone coffin.
"...What is that?"
Damien squeezed his body through the crack and slowly approached the stone coffin.
The lid of the stone coffin was not closed but open. He looked inside the stone coffin and saw a human male lying quietly.
It was a face he had never seen before. Fortunately, the coffin had a name engraved on it.
Due to the passage of time, the name engraved on the coffin was worn and faded.
Damien traced the letters with his fingers and slowly read.
"...Ruin?"
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 317
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 317: The Altar (1)
***
The Ruin he saw in person was so handsome that anyone would think he was a heartthrob.
But more than his appearance, Damien was drawn to Ruin''s physique.
It was stronger than any knight he had ever fought against. Even the Imperial Supreme Sword, the Sword Saint, and the Cheongyeum seemed ordinarypared to Ruin.
As Damien examined Ruin''s body, he realized one thing.
''He was killed by a joint attack.''
When he lifted the thin cloth slightly causing numerous wounds to be revealed.
They were wounds from being pierced and cut by various weapons such as swords, spears, and arrows.
''He was first pierced in the back with a longsword. Then arrows were shot into his limbs. Soon after, a spear tore open his abdomen.''
Damien retraced how Ruin died through the wounds.
''Amazing. Despite such injuries, he didn''t die immediately. He must have been alive for quite some time.''
Damien recalled what Milene had told him.
Milene had said that the Salvation Squad had killed Ruin. If so, then these wounds must have been inflicted by the heroes of the Salvation Squad.
''To withstand a joint attack by the Salvation Squad.''
Having fought against the thoughtform of the first Holy Emperor, he knew very well how strong the heroes of the Salvation Squad were.
Ruin had endured being hacked and shed by such monsters.
''It''s said that the stronger a knight bes, the stronger their body bes, but...this is beyondmonsense.''
At that moment, something caught Damien''s eye.
Ruin''s two hands were tightly clutching something. Surprisingly, it was a shard of Erebos.
"Shard of Erebos?"
Damien was surprised that he spoke without realizing it.
It wasn''t strange that Ruin had a shard of Erebos, as he was the one who created Erebos.
The problem was that it felt very artificial. It was obvious that someone had ced the shard there after Ruin''s death.
"What am I going to do with this..."
Damien continued to ponder and look down at the shard of Erebos.
He wanted to take it, but he felt ufortable taking the belongings of the dead.
Moreover, Ruin had held it so preciously.
"Come to think of it, there''s no use for the dead."
Damien pointed Erebos towards the shard. The shard turned into a liquid and was absorbed into Erebos.
Crackle!
As the shard disappeared, a strange sound came from Ruin''s body.
It was as if seashells were being crushed one after another.
Soon, Ruin''s body crumbled and disappeared.
Even Damien could not help but be surprised. Damien made an awkward expression.
"The shard was maintaining his corpse."
Without knowing it, Damien had destroyed the corpse of perhaps the greatest hero in history.
Suddenly, Damien felt dizzy.
It was as if there was an earthquake. He couldn''t stand. The world spun around.
"Ugh."
Damien clutched his head with both hands and groaned.
And when the dizziness stopped, Damien was in a strange ce.
It was hazy as if there was fog everywhere, and there was a shallowyer of water on the ground.
"This isn''t reality. A hallucination? But it feels too real."
Damien looked around cautiously.
Then, he heard footsteps nearby.
Damien reflexively turned in the direction of the sound. And then he saw a man.
"Ruin...?"
Surprisingly, Ruin was alive and moving. He was even holding a sword.
"You must be angry because I coveted your things."
Damien chuckled and asked. But there was no answer.
"Hey?"
Even when Damien asked again, it was the same. Ruin just stared at Damien with hazy eyes.
Then he suddenly raised his sword.
"You want to try it?"
Damien gripped Erebos. And he prepared for the iing attack.
"It''s an honor to fight a legend."
Ruin took a stance. Damien analyzed Ruin''s movements with calm eyes.
''He''s stepped forward with his left foot but his center of gravity is back. He''s keeping his sword arm as close to his body as possible.''
In a split second.
Damien could read countless pieces of information.
''He''s aiming for my torso.''
The moment Damien reached that conclusion, Ruin moved. He jumped forward and swung his sword at Damien.
Damien reacted immediately. He tried to deflect Ruin''s attack with Erebos and counterattack.
But Ruin''s strike didn''te at the angle Damien had expected.
Neck.
The sharp attack severed Damien''s neck.
***
"Ack...!"
Damien startled awake. He was back in reality.
Damien touched his neck. It waspletely fine despite feeling like it had been cut.
"...I couldn''t even block a single strike?"
Damien was utterly shocked.
While he had sometimes been outmatched in physical abilities or mana reserves, he had never been outmatched in terms of skills before.
"...This guy is really a monster among monsters."
A smile crept onto Damien''s lips.
This was the first time since his regression that he had been sopletely defeated. Damien felt a surge ofpetitiveness.
"How can I meet him again?"
As he pondered, Damien''s gaze fell on Erebos.
With a glimmer of hope, he focused his mind on Erebos.
"...Ugh!"
A momentter, Damien let out a scream. He touched his face and muttered.
"My face is cut in half."
Again, Damien had failed to read Ruin''s attack.
Damien focused his mind on Erebos again. The third time, he was killed just as helplessly.
But Damien didn''t give up and continued to challenge.
A strong opponent meant there was much for Damien to learn.
Especially since his regression, Damien hadn''t met many opponents worth learning from.
That''s why he was so excited about the battle with Ruin.
"Huff, huff..."
After fighting countless times.
Even though he wasn''t physically fighting, Damien felt his stamina greatly depleted.
"...I understand now why Milene was so wary of Ruin."
Damien muttered as he looked at Erebos.
As much as he wanted to continue fighting, he had other things to do now.
Damien put away Erebos and exited the crack.
And headed towards where Balhard was.
***
Balhard was jolted awake from his deep sleep by a sudden kick.
"Who is it? Who dares to disturb the sleep of Lord Balhard!"
He was furious when someone woke him up from his sleep.
Balhard suddenly got up and looked around angrily.
"It''s me."
"S-Sir D-Da-Damien."
As soon as he realized it was Damien, he bowed his head.
"But why did you wake me up? Weren''t we supposed to rest until tomorrow morning?"
"I found something interesting. I want you to see it."
"Yes?"
Balhard followed Damien with a puzzled expression.
And as soon as he saw the crack, his eyes widened in shock.
"W-what is this?"
"That''s why I brought you here."
Balhard entered with Damien. And he couldn''t help but be shocked once more.
"This is an artificial dimension!"
"Artificial dimension? Is it simr to the Otherworld?"
"No, It''spletely different. The Otherworld is just a space borrowed from the mortal dimension! But this ce...it''s apletely new ce!"
Balhard looked around with trembling eyes. Then his gaze stopped at the seven statues.
"..."
There was a dumbfounded look on Balhard''s face as he stared at the statues. Damien approached Balhard and asked.
"Why are you so surprised by that?"
"T-those...are the remains of the Demon Lords!"
Balhard was so surprised that he forgot to be respectful.
"Ah, during the time when demons ruled the earth! The remains of the Lords that the demons worshiped! I never thought these would still exist in the world..."
Balhard was too young to know much about that era.
But he knew a lot about the stories of the Demon Lords from hearing them endlessly from the adults.
Monsters that even powerful dragons feared.
Beings so powerful that they were revered as ancient gods by humans.
"Damien! This is the Altar! I''m sure of it! We found the Altar before the demons!"
"That''s good."
"Of course it is! The Altar itself is a very useful ce! And besides, there are the remains of the Demon Lords here!"
Balhard couldn''t contain his excitement.
It was already a great feat to find the Altar but to have the remains of the Demon Lords as well.
"Are those remains really that great?"
"Of course they are! By absorbing these remains, you can obtain the power of the Demon Lords! The demons will do anything to get their hands on them!"
Of course, it was also of immense value to the dragons.
¡®The remains of such a transcendent being as a Demon Lord could be used to create something incredible if processed a bit.¡¯
¡®I need to take these remains to the Otherworld immediately! The elders will know how to use them!¡¯
Balhard''s mind was filled with thoughts of using the Demon Lords''s remains.
¡®With just these, I won''t need to continue working for Damien Haksen!¡¯
Balhard was more excited about not having to work with Damien than about the aplishment.
¡®I''ve suffered too much at his hands to just let him have it! I''ll make the human pay for treating a dragon like a ve!¡¯
Just as Balhard was full of anticipation, Damien spoke in a bored tone.
"It''s a good thing the demons covet them. I was going to use them as bait anyway."
Balhard''s body stiffened at those words.
"...What are you talking about?"
"Why are you asking stupid questions? I''m going to use this Altar as bait to lure out the demons."
"Why would you do something so stupid? Surely you don''t understand the value of this Altar?"
Damien replied to Balhard''s question with a pathetic look.
"Because that''s how I''ll lure out Vahel and Dorugo."
"Why would you do something so foolish... You don''t care what happens to this Altar, do you?"
¡°My purpose is to kill Vahel and Dorugo. I don''t care what happens to the Altar.¡±
Damien said firmly. Realizing that those words were sincere, Balhard''s face turned pale.
If he couldn''t take the Demon Lords''s remains to the Otherworld, Balhard would have no choice but to continue to be harassed by Damien.
Not only that, but if they stayed like this, they would have to fight the demons together. He absolutely did not want that.
"I won''t allow it!"
"Oh? I didn''t ask for your permission."
Damien took out Erebos. Seeing that Balhard shuddered and asked.
"W-what are you trying to do?"
"Something like this."
Damien swung Erebos towards the crack.
The aurade released from Erebos cut through the crack and flew out.
As the crack was cut, the wall hiding the artificial dimensionpletely disappeared.
Thanks to that, Balhard could see.
He could see the aurade that Damien had released flying high into the sky and causing a magnificent explosion.
"D-Damien! You, you crazy bastard! Do you know what you''ve done?"
Balhard grabbed Damien by the cor and shouted. Damien looked outside and opened his mouth.
"Ah, here theye."
Damien said as he looked outside. Countless dimensional portals were opening in the night sky.
"Balhard, I''ll forgive you for speaking rudely to me for this time."
Damien said straightening his cors.
"So get ready to fight now."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 318
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 318: The Altar (2)
***
As the sun began to set, Vahel visited the room where Dorugo was imprisoned.
Laria, who was guarding the entrance, immediately recognized Vahel and stood up.
"Oh, it''s alright, you can sit. I just wanted to see that person''s face."
Vahel gestured for Laria to sit back down and enter the prison.
Inside, Dorugo was lying unconscious and bound in chains. She really looked like a real skeleton.
"Hmm."
Vahel crouched in front of Dorugo. He pulled a small ss vial from his pocket.
A ck liquid was swirling inside the vial. It was fresh, newly extracted dark mana.
Vahel poured the dark mana over Dorugo''s head. As soon as it touched her, the dark mana began to be immediately absorbed.
A faint light flickered within her skull and Dorugo started to regain consciousness.
"Dorugo, I have something different to ask you today. Is that alright?"
Dorugo''s head moved slowly. She lifted her head with difficulty and looked up at Vahel.
"Well, it''s nothing big, but there''s a question that I can''t solve no matter how much I delve into your memories."
Vahel stared into Dorugo''s eyes and asked.
"What kind of demon were you, exactly?"
The name Dorugo was quite famous among demons.
After all, it was Dorugo''s betrayal that had led to the demons being trapped in Inferno.
But no one knew what kind of demon Dorugo actually was.
"It''s strange. I clearly saw you when I was young. Not just me, but other demons as well."
Demons didn''t age or die. Unless they died from external factors. In short, they lived for eternity.
Therefore, there were quite a few demons who had met Dorugo in person.
"But I don''t remember what species you were or what powers you had."
Vahel had felt this sense of unease for not very long.
Aftering to the surface world, he captured Dorugo and read her memories.
During that moment, he suddenly had a realization. The fact that he didn''t know exactly what kind of demon Dorugo was.
And it wasn''t just Vahel. It was the same for the other demons.
"The only thing I know is that you were a Duke ss demon...but that''s strange too. It doesn''t make sense that the entire demon race would be thrown into Inferno because a Duke ss demon betrayed them."
While there is now only one Duke-ss demon, Vahel, that wasn''t the case in the past.
There were seven Demon Lords, and under them were countless Duke ss demons.
"What''s even stranger is that no one has ever found this strange before. It''s as if someone had hypnotized us."
Vahel grabbed Dorugo''s head and lifted it. Dorugo was lifted helplessly by his hand.
"Dorugo, tell me. Who are you really?"
Dorugo''s lips moved. Just as something was about toe out of his mouth.
- Your Highness!"
Asthar a bull''s head demon entered the prison in a hurry.
"What''s wrong?"
- We found the altar!
Vahel''s eyes widened at those words.
"If what he said is true, then this isn''t the time to worry about Dorugo."
Vahel put down Dorugo''s head and stood up abruptly.
"This is excellent news. Let''s move immediately. We need to break the Oath and free our kin."
A creepy smile crept across Vahel''s lips.
The time had finallye to fulfill the long-held desire of the demons. Even Vahel couldn''t help but feel excited.
"Your Highness, there''s something else we need to address before that."
"Something?"
Asthar hesitated before answering Vahel''s question.
"I think you should see it for yourself."
***
"This is insane."
Balhard was filled with despair as he watched the endless stream of demons.
Despite theirrge numbers, not a single one was a weak.
All of them were Count ss demons, and several were even Marquis ss.
They were more than enough to wipe out the entire surface world. Facing such a powerful force was madness.
"Damien Haksen! If you''re going to die, why drag me into this?"
"Why are dragons so cowardly? In a situation like this, you should be rushing out alone, boldly iming you''ll handle everything."
"Is this the time for your stupid jokes?!"
Balhard shouted angrily. Damien''s eyes turned sharp.
"You''re getting too noisy. Should I kill you first?"
Balhard flinched as he felt overwhelming killing intent emanating from Damien. He cautiously changed his tone.
"Y-you''re not wrong. How can we two possibly face so many monsters?"
"Yes, there are a lot of them."
Damien said and looked at the demons flying towards them.
Balhard wanted to punch him.
"Then let''s reduce their numbers"
"Do you have a n?"
"Of course. First, lend me your mana."
"...What?"
Balhard stared at Damien in confusion. Your mana? He wanted to give him his manar?
"You''re a dragon, so you must have an abundance of mana, right? Give all to me."
"You seem to have forgotten... I''m a dragon."
"Who doesn''t know that?"
Damien said condescendingly. Balhard was infuriated.
"A dragon''s mana is dense and rough, and humans can''t handle it!"
Unless they spent a long time continuously absorbing it.
It was impossible for a human to handle the raw mana of a dragon.
"I understand, so just give it to me. We need to finish this before those bastards get any closer."
"You don''t seem to understand me."
Damien pulled a club from his subspace. Seeing it, Balhard screamed in horror.
"I''ll give it to you! I''ll give it to you!"
Balhard immediately canceled his polymorph and transformed back into his dragon form. It was much easier to manipte mana in his original body.
Balhard activated his dragon heart and drew out his mana. The surrounding temperature rose sharply.
"I''ll send it to you now."
"Alright."
Balhard felt angry again at Damien''s consistently careless attitude.
''Don''t me me if you end up crippled!''
Balhard drew out as much mana as he could and sent it to Damien.
The magic that erupted from Balhard''s body flowed into Damien.
***
¡®As expected of a dragon.¡¯
While absorbing mana from Balhard, Damien couldn''t help but marvel at its quantity and quality.
Despite being treated like a two-legged lizard by Damien, dragons were undeniably the most powerful creatures.
"Let''sbine this mana."
Damien activated the Five Wheel Harmonious Art.
As Balhard had said, the dragon''s mana resisted fiercely, as if it resented being subjugated by a mere human.
But Damien''s control was stronger than the dragon mana''s resistance.
Damien''s mana, the spirit energy emitted by the World Tree sapling, and the dragon''s mana created a single wheel.
Unification.
The three energies merged into one. Damien raised his club high into the sky.
The unified mana gathered above Damien''s head. Soon, it began to take shape.
- A human is manipting dragon mana so skillfully?
Balhard muttered in astonishment, watching from the side.
Being a dragon, he could tell. Damien was not wasting a bit of the mana he had given him.
- What is he trying to create?
Soon, the mana formed aplete shape. Balhard''s face went nk when he saw it.
- A club...?
A club asrge as a mountain peak floated above Damien''s head.
Bartholomeo, the First Holy Emperor.
Damien had once fought against his thoughtform and had acquired his skills and realm.
Bartholomeo''s realm as a Grandmaster was ¡®Gigantification¡¯.
The ability to gigantify was simple.
Therger the thing is, the stronger and harder it bes.
[PR/N- ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã), Here we talking about aurade.]
"Now, let''s give it a try."
Damien swung the towering club downwards.
The club wasrge enough to block out the sky and fell towards the ground.
- Hey, hey, what''s falling?
At first, the demons didn''t understand the situation.
- What is that? I feel an immense amount of mana.
- Isn''t it just a mass of mana?
- Then just ignore it and break through!
Even after understanding the situation, they didn''t take it seriously.
Originally, mana became stronger when its density was increased.
Simply increasing the size like that was useless.
- Kill Damien Haksen!
- Kill the dragon too!
More than anything, the demons were excited at the moment.
- The speed is unusual¡
- Something feels ominous...
But a few of them noticed that something was wrong.
- I think we should avoid it...
But it was toote.
The giant club struck the horde of demons.
Ultimate Bonk!
Whether they were flying in the sky or running on the ground, all the demons were struck by the club.
Dozens of demons were crushed at once.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 319
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 319: The Altar (3)
***
Within a matter of seconds, all of the demons that had upied the sky had vanished.
All that remained were the cracked earth from the impact of the club and the scattered body parts of demons.
Balhard stared in utter disbelief, his jaw hanging open as if frozen in shock.
He knew.
He knew that Damien could unleash such power thanks to his mana.
It was because he had consumed a massive amount of dragon magna that he could produce such output.
But in the end, mana was just fuel.
How that fuel was used and how efficiently it was used depended on the user.
Even Balhard, the original owner of that mana, wasn''t sure if he could produce such power by consuming the same amount of mana.
"How long are you going to gawk?"
At that moment, Damien chided Balhard.
"Snap out of it. We''re going to have a bloody fight now."
"Fight? Sir, Aren''t all the demons dead?"
The honorifics slipped out involuntarily. Balhard asked as politely as possible.
"There are some who survived."
No sooner had Damien spoken than demons descended from the sky.
There were only three.
But as soon as Balhard faced the demons, he felt a chill run down his spine.
They were strong.
They exuded aura so menacing that even a dragon like him couldn''t help but have a serious expression.
Moreover, they werepletely unharmed despite the devastating blow they had just received. There were no visible wounds anywhere.
"Damien Haksen! I''ve been waiting for this day! I''ll repay you for the humiliation you inflicted on me!"
The bull-headed demon roared. Damien tilted his head and asked.
"I''ve never seen you before. Have we met somewhere?"
"Y-You don¡¯t remember me!"
The bull-headed demon raged. A fierce aura swept through the area.
"I am Asthar, and I''vee to reim my honor after the disgrace you brought upon me!"
"Disgrace? Oh, now I remember. You''re the one who was knocked out in one hit, aren''t you?"
Damien sneered.
"So why are you showing your face again? Or do you have no sense of shame?"
Killing intent erupted from Asthar. Balhard asked with a pale face.
"Sir Damien! Isn''t it dangerous to fight now?"
Balhard shouted in rm.
Damien was in a state of greatly depleted mana and stamina after delivering that previous blow.
"It''s suicidal to fight a demon like Asthar in my current state."
Before he could finish, a shockwave hit his head. A demon asrge as Balhard had swung its fist.
"Haha! Let''s y!"
Balhard steadied his swaying body. He immediately raised his fist towards the demon''s abdomen and punched.
The demon''s body swayed, but instead of showing pain, he wore a sinister grin.
"It''s been a while since I''ve tasted dragon."
Balhard swallowed hard.
This demonic energy, this durability.
He was undoubtedly a Marquis ss demon. Marquis ss demons were so dangerous that even an adult dragon like Balhard would have to risk his life to defeat them.
"I''m Bas. What''s your name?"
"Balhard. A Red Dragon."
Balhard had shown no intentions of retreating.
The arrogance that came with being born a dragon drove Balhard forward.
His dragon heart pumped wilding to produce mana. The mana he had just consumed was replenished in an instant.
"Haha! Today, I''m going to savor some dragon meat."
"You''re getting too cocky, you little worm from hell."
Balhard lunged at the demon.
The two behemoths collided.
***
"Shall we begin?"
Damien said and looked at the two demons.
Both of them were far stronger than the demon Laetitia he had fought before.
Unless he used the Nameless mana art to summon the power of a death knight, he couldn''t afford to underestimate either of them with his human body.
"You insolent brat! I''ll split your head open!"
Asthar who had an axe in his one arm tried to attack Damien. But the demon next to him stopped him.
"Asthar, calm down. What if you rush in recklessly again and get knocked out likest time?"
"What? How dare you say that! Alter, shall I kill you first?"
"Calm down, you bullhead."
The demon with wings on its back raised both hands to stop Asthar.
"Your Highness also ordered us to work together, didn''t he?"
"I can handle him alone!"
"Are you going to disobey His Highness''s order?"
Asthar mped his mouth shut at Alter''s rebuke.
"And if you win, it''s still a problem. If I let you fight alone, I''ll be the one scolded by His Highness."
"Damn it, do as you please! But if you hold me back, I''ll kill you first!"
"I''ll have to be careful not to die then."
After their discussion, the two demons turned to Damien.
Feeling the menacing aura emanating from the demons, Damien responded with a sneer.
"How long are you going to just chatter? Come on."
Damien showed his middle finger to Asthar causing his face to turn red with anger.
"Alright! I''ll crush that insolent mouth of yours right now!"
Asthar swung his massive axe at Damien. As a Marquis ss demon, the speed and power behind the axe was extraordinary.
Damien focused on dodging Asthar''s attacks. At the same time, he analyzed Asthar''s movements.
"Damien Haksen! What''s wrong with you? You''re much slower than before!"
Asthar taunted Damien with a sneer.
"Killing you in such a weakling state would just be a waste of time! Hurry up and use your dark magic!"
"I''m not stupid enough to use a battle axe to kill a chicken."
But as soon as Damien mocked him, Asthar''s face turned beet red.
At that moment, Damien''s eyes changed.
He had sensed the brief opening created by the emotional disturbance.
Damien immediately swung Dawn towards Asthar''s neck.
The aurade emitted from Dawn created a giant de.
Gigantification.
The realm of the First Holy Emperor Bartholomeo unfolded. A swordrge enough to split a mountain struck Asthar''s neck.
The giant sword mmed Asthar into the ground. The impact cracked the ground.
But Asthar''s neck was still intact. No, it was more than that; it waspletely unharmed.
Fragments of light were protecting Asthar''s neck.
"Damn it..."
Asthar rose and the giant sword was pushed back. It hadn''t even managed to cut through the armor.
"Is that all you''ve got?"
Asthar grasped the giant sword with both hands. Fragments of light gathered on Asthar''s hands as well.
Asthar exerted force, and the giant sword shattered. Despite being condensed from an aurade, it couldn''t withstand it.
"My power is ''invulnerability''. Nothing in this world can harm my body."
The armor covering his neck began to expand. Soon, it enveloped Asthar''s entire body.
"Damien Haksen, your sword won''t even scratch me."
Asthar discarded his axe and charged towards Damien. He swung his empowered fist.
It was too dangerous to block. Damien retreated to avoid the attack.
Asthar''s fist plunged into the ground. The ground turned to dust with a loud crash.
"Where do you think you''re going?"
Asthar shouted and continued to chase after Damien. Damien twisted his lips and said.
"Don''t worry. I have no intention of running."
He had already anticipated Asthar''s movements.
Damien narrowly dodged Asthar''s attacks and swung Dawn.
Numerous shes rained down, targeting Asthar''s joints. But only the sound of metal scraping could be heard; Asthar''s body was unharmed.
"I told you it was useless!"
Astharughed loudly and became more aggressive.
''This is troublesome.''
Asthar was totally an abomination with unbreakable armor and tremendous speed and also solely focused on attacking.
''But his movements are monotonous. I can easily avoid attacks like these...''
At that moment, Damien''s vision changed. Suddenly, the sky and the ground were flipped.
Damien was taken aback. He couldn''t avoid Asthar''s attack in time.
"I''ll shatter every bone in your body!"
Asthar''s empowered fist struck towards Damien.
It was toote to dodge. Damien tried to deflect Asthar''s attack.
But his body moved contrary to his intention. Instead of his right hand holding Dawn, his left arm moved.
Asthar''s fist struck Damien''s abdomen. Damien was sent flying backward.
"You''re still alive."
Asthar said regretfully.
Unbeknownst to Asthar, armor had already covered Damien''s body.
Hemaera.
The demonic armor that Damien had obtained earlier had moved on its own to protect its master.
"Ugh."
Damien spat out blood. Thanks to Hemaera, his body wasn''t crushed, but his internal injuries were in a bad state.
''What''s going on?''
Damien moved his body around.
"When I try to move my head, my eyes close. When I try to move my arm, my waist bends."
Damien''s senses and body were movingpletely differently.
"Surprised? Strange, isn''t it?"
Damien managed to lift his head with difficulty. Far away, the demon with bird wings was grinning grotesquely.
"That''s my power ''Distortion''. All your senses are messed up now. You won''t be able to move, let alone fight."
Only then did Damien realize what had happened to him.
"By the way, I can also do this with my power."
Alter, the bird-winged demon reached out into the void. Then, the demon''s hand disappeared.
Immediately afterward, the demon''s de hand emerged from beneath Damien''s neck.
Damien turned his head to avoid the demon''s attack.
"I distorted space. It''s fun... wait."
Alter looked puzzled and asked.
"How did you just dodge that?"
Damien stood up. He rxed his shoulders and stretched leisurely.
Alter was once again taken aback by the sight.
"You couldn''t have possibly undone my power..."
"Thanks to you talking, I''ve pretty much figured it out."
Alter''s power was still acting on Damien''s body.
That was why Damien was moving his body despite his messed-up senses.
"What nonsense are you spouting? That''s impossible!"
Alter shouted.
To understand theplexly twisted senses in such a short time and move his body skillfully?
Even after using the ''Distortion'' power for many years, he had never seen such a case.
"I''m just a bit of a genius."
Damien said casually. Alter looked dumbfounded.
"Alter! How long are you going to chatter?"
Asthar shouted, charging towards Damien. He swung both fists at once.
Damien immediately gave his body an order. He jumped off the ground to avoid Asthar''s attack.
"It''s impossible, impossible..."
Alter was even more shocked when Damien not only stood up but also dodged the attack.
"Alter! Don''t just stand there! Attack him!"
Asthar shouted. Alter finally came to his senses.
"Alright, alright. Let''s kill him first."
Alter spread his wings, and feathers shot out in all directions.
Alter immediately distorted the space. The feathers disappeared and then poured down on Damien.
Damien swung Dawn to cut the feathers. The feathers exploded immediately.
"Damien Haksen!"
Asthar emerged from the explosion. Damien narrowly dodged Asthar''s fist, barely avoiding it by a hair¡¯s breadth.
''I can''t hold on much longer.''
In truth, Damien''s situation wasn''t that good. With his messed-up senses, he could only barely dodge attacks.
''As expected, there''s a limit to my current abilities.''
A Marquis ss demon was a powerful beingparable to a grandmaster.
Damien hadn''t yet reached the realm of a grandmaster.
''It can''t be helped. I''ll use it one more time.''
Damien manifested the Authority of Envy.
The mana flowing through his body was transformed into a dark mana. Damien immediately activated the Nameless mana art.
Damien''s eyes turned blood red. At the same time, darkness began to ignite beneath his feet.
"Ha! So you''re finally going to use that!"
Asthar was overjoyed when Damien activated the Nameless mana art.
"Good! Now I''ll give it to you good! I''ll crush you right..."
At that moment, darkness spread out from Damien. The darkness covered the feet of Asthar and Alter.
Damien stepped into the darkness. Immediately, spears shot up from the darkness.
Countless spears pierced Asthar and Alter.
"Aahhhhh!"
Alter screamed. His head drooped as his entire body was impaled by spears.
"Alter!"
On the other hand, Asthar was unharmed. It was thanks to the power of invulnerability that had blocked the spears.
"Damien Haksen! I''ll kill you!"
Asthar broke the spears and charged towards Damien.
When he broke all the spears, Damien''s figure appeared.
Damien held a sword made of an aurade and attacked Asthar.
"I told you it was useless!"
However, Asthar didn''t dodge. He trusted in the power of invulnerability.
But Damien wasn''t just swinging his sword blindly.
Sword God.
Damien swung his sword down. The ck aurade fell on Asthar''s head.
The strike that cut through everything severed Asthar''s body.
"..."
Asthar couldn''t even scream. By the time he realized his fate, his body had already been split in two.
Despite defeating two powerful enemies, Damien didn''t seem happy at all.
It was because the real threat was yet toe.
"Vahel."
Damien stared at the dimensional portal floating in the sky and said.,
"Now it''s your turn. Come out."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 320
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 320: Another Round with Duke ss Demon (1)
***
"Ahahaha!"
Watching Damien from beyond the dimensional portal, Vahel burst into loudughter.
"Migmag, did you see that? Damien Haksen just crushed Asthar and Alter! And he did it using dark magic!"
Among demons, dark magic was considered as worthless as trash.
Compared to the true power that demons wielded, dark magic was inferior in every way¡ªoutput, purity, and endurance.
Yet Damien Haksen had used that inferior power to instantly deal with two demon marquises.
"And it wasn¡¯t just any demon¡ªhe cut through Asthar''s power! Can you believe that?"
What was even more astonishing was the sword strike that Damien had just used to slice Asthar in half.
Asthar¡¯s power of ¡®Invulnerability¡¯ was a well-known even in Inferno. Simple, not very versatile, but immensely strong.
Only Vahel had been able to restrain Asthar, who rampaged while d in the power of Invulnerability.
"Your Excellency."
Migmag who was holding staff in one hand spoke cautiously.
"I understand you''re pleased, but it seems there''s something that needs to be dealt with right now."
"Ah, yes. Now¡¯s not the time for this."
Vahel finally calmed down and asked Migmag.
"How bad is the situation of Asthar and Alter?"
"Alter is barely breathing, and Asthar can be saved if treated immediately."
Demons¡¯ vitality was so immense that it could almost be mistaken for immortality. Despite being impaled and sliced in half, they were still breathing.
"Is that so? Then hurry and save them. Treat them while I deal with Damien Haksen."
Marquis ss demons were valuable assets to Inferno. Losing several Counts ss demons had already been a heavy blow, and Vahel couldn¡¯t afford to let the Marquis ss demons die as well.
"What about Bas?"
Migmag pointed his finger toward therge demon battling a red dragon.
"Let him enjoy himself."
Vahel replied yfully.
At that moment, Damien, who had been waiting outside the dimensional portal, called out loudly.
"Are you noting? Then I''lle to you myself."
"Wait! That would be troublesome! I''ll be right there, so just hold on."
The ce where Vahel was currently standing was no ordinary location.
It was a fortress created using one of Inferno¡¯s treasured relics, the Phantasmal Realm.
Simply put, the Phantasmal Realm allowed its owner to create their own personal space.
If Damien fought him here, the relic would inevitably suffer great damage¡ªpotentially even be destroyed in the worst-case scenario.
Vahel lightly kicked off the ground and effortlessly passed through the dimensional portal,nding before Damien.
There was only a short distance between them as they faced each other.
While Vahel was grinning from ear to ear, Damien was radiating killing intent from his entire body.
"Where is Dorugo?"
¡°We¡¯ve reunited after all this time, and the first thing you ask about is that bitch? That hurts my feelings a bit.¡±
¡°Cut the crap and answer. Is Dorugo alive?¡±
At Damien¡¯s threatening words, Vahel chuckled and pointed toward the dimensional portal.
¡°Of course. She¡¯s safely kept inside. But before you get to Dorugo, you¡¯ll have to deal with me first.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I wasn¡¯t nning on letting you live either.¡±
Vahelughed, his shoulders shaking with amusement.
He was the Duke of Inferno and was being threatened by a mere human. Vahel found the situation utterly delightful and entertaining.
¡°Your resolve is admirable, but you''d better watch your surroundings first.¡±
At that moment, something formed right in front of Damien. It looked like a translucent salt crystal, with irregr protrusions jutting out in all directions.
¡°That¡¯s going to hurt quite a bit.¡±
Vahel remarked.
Before he could finish speaking, the crystal expanded rapidly. Its jagged spikes stretched out in all directions as they tried to envelop Damien.
* * *
Just before the spikes could impale him, Damien activated his protective aura. Darkness from the ground surged up and enveloped his body, colliding with the crystal spikes.
The result was a defeat for the darkness. The expanding crystal spikes shattered the darkness instantly.
In the end, Damien had no choice but to retreat to avoid being impaled by the crystals.
¡®He¡¯s far stronger than when I faced his clone.¡¯
Damien had fought Vahel before. Back then, Vahel used the power of Istion to create various structures and attack Damien.
These crystals must have been created with the same power of Istion. But they were far stronger than when he had faced Vahel¡¯s clone.
¡®This is not something I can block. I need to dodge.¡¯
During his days as a Death Knight, Damien had focused on abat style centered around defense rather than evasion. As a result, his protective aura had be so sturdy that it was often called invincible.
But now, even that energy field was woefully inadequate to stop the crystals.
¡°Oh? You dodged? Well, if you went down that easily, it wouldn¡¯t be any fun!¡±
Vahel eximed as he reached out toward Damien.
Crystals sprouted from the ground where Damien stood, but he dodged them all by the narrowest of margins. At the same time, he summoned Erebos. Dawn couldn¡¯t withstand Damien¡¯s dark mana.
Damien swung Erebos without hesitation and released aurade. The aurade split into dozens of smaller des, each aimed at Vahel.
However, the crystals emerging from beneath Vahel¡¯s feet blocked the aurades. Aurades didn¡¯t able to put a single scratch on the surfaces of the crystals.
¡°No good. Half-hearted attacks like that won¡¯t work on me.¡±
Vahel was smiling broadly.
Vahel''s yful and rxed attitude was incredibly irritating from Damien''s perspective.
''Hepletely thinks he''s above me.''
What infuriated Damien even more was the fact that Vahel was right¡ªthese kinds of attacks wouldn¡¯t work on him.
The crystals Vahel created were not only incredibly durable but also formed at an rming speed.
¡®I need a decisive strike, something that can take his head off in one blow.¡¯
Dragging out a fight against a formidable opponent like Vahel was never a good idea.
At that moment, Damien recalled his battle with Ruin.
That fight had been a priceless experience for Damien.
In short, it was like strolling through a treasure-filled warehouse. Ruin¡¯s eyes, movements, the positioning of his feet, the way he gripped his sword¡ªeverything about him was superior to Damien.
As he died over and over, Damien desperately tried to learn from him.
In the end, Damien seeded in stealing one of Ruin¡¯s techniques¡ªthe very movement that had once taken his head in a single strike.
It couldn¡¯t be described as merely fast. It was a technique that read the opponent¡¯s breath and movements, striking at the gap in their awareness.
Since the moment he had encountered Vahel, Damien had been gathering as much information as possible, using all of his senses.
As a result, he began to perceive the subtle movements and breathing patterns of Vahel.
¡°Suddenly deep in thought, are you?¡±
Vahel noticed Damien¡¯s shift in focus with uncanny precision.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t let your guard down like that. Shall I snap you out of it?¡±
Vahel¡¯s demonic energy stirred. His breathing slowed slightly, and the focus in his eyes blurred for a moment.
¡®Now.¡¯
Damien moved. He kicked off the ground just as a crystal spike was about to emerge.
Even when Damien was right in front of him, Vahel didn¡¯t notice. Damien had struck at the gap in Vahel¡¯s awareness.
Damien replicated Ruin¡¯s movement perfectly and swung Erebos toward Vahel¡¯s neck.
Sword God.
The sh that cuts through everything cleaved Vahel¡¯s neck. Erebos tore through Vahel¡¯s skin and muscles, reaching the bone.
But with a sharp sound, Erebos''s advance stopped. It had failed to cut through Vahel¡¯s bone.
¡°Huh?¡±
Vahel looked bewildered with his neck partially severed.
Despite the blood gushing from the wound, he didn¡¯t seem rmed at all.
¡°When did you swing your sword? I didn¡¯t see it at all.¡±
Damien instinctively realized that if he didn¡¯t act now, he would lose his chance.
Gripping the hilt of Erebos with both hands, he channeled his Nameless mana art and pressed down harder.
Erebos pushed against Vahel¡¯s neck, but Vahel stood his ground without a care in the world.
¡°Ahahaha!¡±
Instead, he burst outughing.
¡°You¡¯re as entertaining as ever. You never fail to meet my expectations!¡±
As Vahel''sughter grew louder, his body began to transform.
His eyes turned pitch ck, and his frame expanded rapidly, with muscles bulging out prominently. Three horns sprouted from his forehead.
"Damien Haksen, I apologize for underestimating you."
Vahel said with red eyes gleaming.
"But now, I will unleash all my power."
With a single swing of Vahel''s hand toward Damien, the ground and nearby mountain peaks were shattered into pieces.
* * *
While Damien and Vahel shed, the Four Great Demon Kings also began to move.
Security had loosened because they were searching for the Altar. Now was the perfect time to free Dorugo.
Thanks to prior nning, they reached the prison without encountering any demons along the way. However, avoiding all conflict was impossible.
A lone demon was guarding the entrance to the prison.
"Why are you here?"
Demon with a mosquito head asked them.
Laria red at the four of them.
They swallowed nervously. Laria was one of Vahel¡¯s trusted aids, a Marquis ss demon with extraordinary strength that rivals even Asthar.
Even if all four of them attacked together, victory was far from guaranteed.
"We¡¯re here to free our mother."
One of them said.
Despite the overwhelming odds, they prepared to release their full power. They would have to kill Laria to free Dorugo.
"Fools have gone mad."
Laria sneered, her muscles swelling even further as she activated her true power.
* * *
Vahel¡¯s fighting style was simple.
When Damien was close, he swung his fists. When Damien was at a distance, he summoned crystals to attack.
Damien dodged the crystals and aimed for openings as he continued to sh Vahel¡¯s body.
Vahel neither dodged nor used crystals to defend himself. He took several deep wounds from Damien¡¯s strikes.
"Hahaha! Your movements are impressive!"
Vahelughed as he was totally unfazed. If anything, his excitement only grew stronger.
¡®What a monstrous creature.¡¯
Damien thought and bit his lip in frustration.
¡®To think I¡¯m being pushed back, even with my Nameless mana art in use.¡¯
Despite using the power of the Death Knight, Damien had yet to turn the tide against Vahel.
Vahel was superior to Damien in every way¡ªspeed, power, and overall strength.
It was an unavoidable truth. Damien was currently in a human body.
The Nameless mana art Damien had created was based on the powerful physique of the Death Knight. Using it effectively with a human body was a near-impossible feat.
¡®I need to increase the output.¡¯
Vahel¡¯s strength was leagues beyond that of a Marquis ss demon. The gap between them was sorge that even with all of Damien¡¯s skill, it was hard to close the distance.
At that moment, the concept of the Five Wheel Harmonious Art shed in Damien¡¯s mind. If he couldbine it with his Nameless mana art, the stability and output would significantly improve.
However, both techniques were so intricate and refined that merging them wasn''t a simple task¡ªnot even for Damien.
"Ha ha ha! Even in Inferno, there was no one who could fight me like this! Damien Haksen! Only you can fight me on equal ground!"
Vahel roared. He was clearly exhrated by the battle.
What was even more terrifying was that Damien had yet to see Vahel¡¯s limits.
¡®I must end this here.¡¯
Damien thought resolutely.
But to kill Vahel, he would have to make a choice he didn¡¯t want to make.
¡®I didn¡¯t expect to have to use this so soon.¡¯
Seven symbols began to glow on the back of Damien¡¯s hand.
The mysterious power was manifesting. At that moment, a crossroads of fate appeared before Damien¡¯s eyes.
His fate diverged into two distinct paths.
The present life and the previous life.
Humanity and the Death Knight.
''Damn it. I can¡¯t believe I have to choose this with my own hands.''
Damien cursed and reached out toward the fate of the Death Knight.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 321
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 321: Another Round with Duke ss Demon (2)
***
When the sevenbinedbined, they could reverse the time.
Damien had no idea how such a thing was possible. He only knew how to use it.
"I can''t believe I have to choose this with my own hands."
Damien muttered. His expression began to twist as he grasped the fate of the Death Knight.
During his time as a Death Knight, Damien was the ve of Dorugo. He alsomitted unspeakable atrocities.
He had killed his own family with his hands and massacred countless soldiers, causing the whole world to plunge into despair and screams.
Now, Damien was about to return to that time.
It was something unavoidable, yet utterly distasteful. It felt like diving headfirst into a decaying pit of filth.
No, it was even worse than that. The revulsion swelled within him.
But he had no choice. Vahel was a foe of that caliber.
"I¡¯ll make sure you pay tenfold for how disgusted I feel."
Damien swore and activated all the authorities.
The seven authorities connected and became one.
---
"Damien, why are you just standing there? That''s no fun."
Vahel said, clearly expressing his disappointment at Damien¡¯s sudden silence.
"I don¡¯t know what''s going on, but one punch should snap you out of it."
Vahel was eager to resume their exhrating battle, certain that a good hit would bring Damien back to his senses. He took a step forward.
In that instant, a sense of foreboding brushed the back of Vahel¡¯s neck.
It was fleeting but intense¡ªenough to erase the smile from Vahel¡¯s face.
He suddenly stopped and his eyes were fixed on Damien.
Nothing seemed to have changed. Yet Vahel''s instincts screamed a warning: don¡¯t act recklessly.
It could have been a mere illusion, but Vahel never ignored his instincts.
"I need to check this out."
Suddenly, Vahel¡¯s eyes shifted.
The red pupils split apart, transforming intopound eyes like those of a dragonfly.
Vahel¡¯s view of the world changed in his new vision.
He no longer saw reality but something else. A ck background illuminated by countless orbs of light, as beautiful as the Milky Way.
But Vahel wasn¡¯t captivated by that beauty. Instead, he red at it with the ferocity of encountering a sworn enemy.
"Come on, show me what you¡¯ve got."
As a Duke ss demon, Vahel possessed the power to glimpse fate.
But fate¡¯s flow had long since be tangled, reaching a point where no one could see it clearly anymore.
That wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.
The fact that fate had be entangled meant that no one knew what might happen.
Thanks to this, Vahel had been able to deceive Dorugo and emerge into the human world.
Originally, this was never a destiny permitted to Vahel.
After peering into fate for a long while, Vahel muttered in a stiff tone.
"...I can''t see my own fate."
Usually, Vahel could clearly observe his destiny.
Though fate''s flow had been tangled, his own fate had always stood out and continuously shone brightly.
No matter what urred in the future, Vahel knew he would remain alive. That certainty was why he had always lived with confidence.
But now, it was different. Even his own fate was invisible.
That could only mean one thing. Vahel might die.
All types of expressions vanished from Vahel''s face. There was no trace of a smile.
The excitement of battle that had heated his heart moments ago hadpletely cooled. Vahel no longer found being here enjoyable.
"This is dangerous."
Just because fate couldn''t be seen didn¡¯t mean death was certain. His actions could still change the oue.
Especially since Vahel was a Duke ss demon. In both Inferno and the mortal realm, there were few who could challenge him.
But Vahel had no intention of gambling with his life.
Not even if the odds of winning were extremely high.
His eyes reverted to normal. He caught the sight of Damien.
"I don¡¯t know how a mere human could affect my destiny..."
Vahel reached out towards Damien.
With his life on the line, the game was over. Vahel intended to crush Damien''s throat immediately.
But as he prepared to unleash his power, a sudden sense of dread intensified.
Vahel couldn¡¯t bring himself to activate his abilities. He wasn¡¯t sure what effect this choice would have on his fate.
At that moment, something transmitted itself into Vahel''s mind.
"Your Excellency, we have a problem."
It was Laria, who had been left behind in the Phantasmal Realm. She was speaking to him from afar.
"What is it?"
"Dorugo has escaped."
Vahel''s expression twisted into a scowl at those words.
"How did that happen? Dorugo shouldn''t have the power to escape."
"Her offspring helped her break free."
Vahel ground his teeth in frustration.
Dorugo was no trivial opponent. They had only been fortunate enough to capture her with ease.
"Laria, didn¡¯t I tell you to guard her properly?"
"I¡¯m sorry."
"Don¡¯t be sorry, you¡¯d better fix it! I told you not to let Dorugo escape under any circumstances!"
"I have no excuse."
"Damn it. I¡¯ming right now."
Vahel cut off themunication with Laria and stared at Damien with conflicted expressions.
Considering the danger Damien posed, he couldn¡¯t just leave him alone. But there were too many unsettling uncertainties about engaging him.
Moreover, Dorugo was the more pressing concern right now. Leaving her unchecked could lead to unimaginable consequences.
"...There¡¯s no need to touch something so dangerous with my own hands."
Vahel activated his power. A barrier formed around Damien, creating a rectangr enclosure.
It was a secluded space Vahel had crafted with all his strength. No demon would be able to break through it.
"Damien, I¡¯ll deal with you next time."
With that, Vahel turned his back and ran toward the Phantasmal Realm.
* * *
Damien could only stare in bewilderment as Vahel fled into the distance.
"Did you really think I¡¯d let you go?"
Damien had already finished preparing to activate time reversal. He unleashed all seven authorities simultaneously.
Immediately, wounds opened all over Damien¡¯s body.
His torso, arms, legs, and face¡ªno part was spared. His flesh split open, and blood gushed from the wounds.
"¡!"
The pain was so excruciating that he couldn¡¯t even scream. Damien copsed to his knees.
But the agony didn¡¯t stop.
The wounds kept increasing, and the existing ones deepened. They even reached his internal organs.
Damien quickly ceased the activation of time reversal. Only then did the wounds stop multiplying.
"Cough, cough."
Damien was on his knees and spat out blood.
Fragments of internal organs came out with the blood, a sign that the injuries had prated deep inside.
Damien opened a subspace and pulled out the Dawn and some healing potions.
Dawn sensed his critical condition and immediately began to channel divine power. But the wounds were so severe that they weren¡¯t healing easily.
Damien gulped down the healing potions one after another. He also used a sapling of the World Tree to boost his recovery.
"...I see."
As his wounds began to heal, Damien realized something. The meaning behind these injuries became clear.
"These are the ces where Dorugo performed the surgeries."
Dorugo had subjected Damien to countless procedures to transform him into a Death Knight.
She had carved out his muscles and reced them with others, removed his organs and substituted them with different ones, imnted various magical artifacts, and injected bizarre concoctions into his body.
"Just activating the time reversal isn¡¯t enough."
To recreate the Death Knight¡¯s body¡
Damien would have to endure the same surgeries he had once undergone.
In other words, he had to withstand the same agony and despair he had experienced back then.
"This is one hell of a price to pay."
Damien let out a bitterugh.
But despite the smile on his lips, his eyes were filled with deep darkness.
***
In the blink of an eye, Vahel returned to the Phantasmal Realm.
The first thing he noticed upon entering was the ruined fortress. At its center stood Laria.
"Laria, you''ve really made a mess here."
"Apologies my lord."
Anger red within him. Vahel instinctively kicked Laria.
Her massive frame crashed into the wall. Vahel spoke.
"Back to your position."
Laria immediately returned to where she had originally been standing. Vahel clenched his teeth as he questioned her.
"Did Dorugo¡¯s offspring cause this chaos?"
"Yes."
"What exactly were you doing? Don¡¯t tell me you lost to those pathetic undeads!"
"I have no excuse."
Just as Vahel was about to strike Laria again, a dimensional gate that had been wide open and Migmag emerged from it.
Behind Migmag floated the unconscious Alter and Asthar.
"Your Excellency, what happened?"
"Dorugo escaped. Track down where She has gone, immediately."
Migmag¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
Migmag was clearly dumbfounded but he quickly obeyed Vahel¡¯smand.
He tapped the ground with the tip of his iron staff, sending an invisible wave rippling outwards.
"Your Excellency, I¡¯ve found them."
"Where did they go?"
Vahel asked with a sharp tone. Migmag promptly answered.
"They¡¯ve headed for the Imperial Capital."
Vahel couldn¡¯t help but scoff at Migmag¡¯s words.
"The Empire? The Empire, really?"
It was a choice he couldn¡¯t begin toprehend.
That only made Vahel more wary.
The Dorugo he knew would never make such a careless decision.
"Could they be nning to pit us against the Empire?"
"Your Excellency, what are your orders?"
A deep thought filled Vahel''s mind, which caused him to be silent.
Originally, Vahel had no intention of revealing himself just yet. He wasn¡¯t afraid of humans, but unexpected things could always happen.
Who knew what might ur if he ended up fighting all of humanity? To ensure caution, he had stayed hidden for as long as possible.
"We¡¯ll head to the Empire."
But Dorugo was too dangerous. He couldn¡¯t allow her to roam freely.
"Migmag, open a dimensional portal. We¡¯re going to the Empire."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 322
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 322: Another Round with Duke ss Demon (3)
***
At the moment when Damien was fighting with Vahel, Balhard was locked in a brutal exchange of blows with Bas.
Both Balhard and Bas had many techniques beyond just throwing punches.
However, as if they had made an unspoken agreement, the two shed using only their bare hands.
As a result, Balhard was now barely able to stand.
¡®This disgusting bastard.¡¯
With his half-swollen eyes, Balhard red at his opponent.
Compared to his own weakened state, Bas looked perfectly fine.
¡°Hahaha! As expected of a dragon! To take this many hits from me and still be standing!¡±
Bas was even more fired up, seemingly ready to charge at any moment.
¡°You¡¯re quite impressive for a demon. Still holding on, I see.¡±
Balhard tried to bluff, but his situation was far from good.
In his heart, he wanted to flee the scene immediately. But as a dragon, he couldn¡¯t afford to show such disgrace.
¡°Hahaha, I''m d to see you''re enjoying this as much as I am! Shall we continue our fun?¡±
As Bas mmed his fists together causing a heavy shockwave rippled outward.
Balhard¡¯s expression stiffened slightly.
The two monsters red at each other, and as if they shared the same thought, they both crouched, ready to leap.
Just as they were about to spring into action, Bas suddenly scowled and shouted.
¡°What? Dorugo escaped?!¡±
Balhard looked at Bas in confusion. Bas seemingly ignored Balhard''s gaze and continued shouting into the air.
¡°What do you mean she escaped...? You want me toe back immediately?¡±
Balhard immediately understood that Bas wasn¡¯t talking to him.
¡°Can¡¯t you wait just a bit longer? We haven''t finished yet... It''s the Lord¡¯s order? Damn it, fine. I¡¯ll return right now.¡±
With a displeased expression, Bas withdrew his fighting spirit. The world grew silent in an instant.
¡°Dragon, we''ll settle this next time.¡±
Balhard¡¯s face showed even more bewilderment.
The enemy, who had been overflowing with fighting spirit just moments ago, was now suddenly leaving. Balhard couldn¡¯t believe the sudden turn of events.
¡°Hahaha! You look disappointed too.¡±
Basughed loudly. It seemed he had misinterpreted Balhard¡¯s expression.
¡°Sorry about this. See you next time.¡±
With that, Bas leaped toward a dimensional portal.
Due to his massive size, it only took a few steps before he reached the portal.
As soon as Bas entered, the portal closed behind him, and the night sky returned to normal.
¡°Sigh¡¡±
A wave of relief washed over Balhard after Bas was gone. He copsed to the ground and let out a deep and relieved breath.
¡°Damn it, I¡¯d heard that Marquis ss demons were strong, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be this powerful.¡±
Balhard recalled his battle with Bas.
No matter how hard he hit, swung his tail, or even bit down, nothing worked.
Bas didn¡¯t even bother to dodge. He took every attack head-on and then counterattacked Balhard.
¡°When we meet again, it¡¯ll be different.¡±
During the slugfest, Balhard hadn¡¯t used his Dragon Tongue or breath.
Of course, Bas hadn¡¯t used his full power either, but Balhard didn¡¯t feel the need to remind himself of that.
¡°Right. What happened to Damien Haksen?¡±
Balhard headed toward the spot where Damien had been fighting. Damien was inside the massive square barrier.
¡°This is Vahel¡¯s power, isn¡¯t it? Could Damien be trapped inside?¡±
Balhard swung his fist to break the barrier, but it only trembled slightly and didn¡¯t break.
¡°What!!!¡±
He was already frustrated from his fight with Bas, and Vahel¡¯s barrier caused his temper to re even more.
Balhard opened his mouth and gathered his mana. Then, he unleashed a fiery st.
The dragon¡¯s breath was the dragon¡¯s most powerful weapon. They unleashed it by gathering all of their mana and expelling it in a devastating torrent.
But even with his breath attack, he couldn¡¯t destroy the barrier.
¡°...¡±
Balhard stared at the barrier in disbelief. At this point, he wasn¡¯t angry anymore¡ªhe was deeply unsettled.
He had heard that the powers of a Duke ss demon were formidable, but he hadn¡¯t expected this.
¡°How do I deal with this?¡±
As Balhard was pondering, the center of the barrier suddenly split open.
The barrier shattered like a rock hitting ss. Damien came out from the crumbing barrier and stood with his sword drawn.
¡°D-Damien? Don¡¯t tell me... you cut through Vahel¡¯s power?¡±
Balhard shouted in shock.
He couldn¡¯t believe it. The same power that hadpletely withstood his efforts was cut down so easily by Damien. Even though he had seen it happen with his own eyes, it felt impossible.
¡°Your tone is a bit too unformal, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Damien¡¯s voice was dark and cold.
At that moment, Balhard realized instinctively that he had to tread carefully with Damien¡ªor things would go very badly for him.
¡°I-I was just so overjoyed to see that you were unharmed, I made a mistake!¡±
¡°Watch yourself from now on.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Balhard shouted loudly. Damien red at him for a moment before turning his head away.
¡°What about the demons?¡±
¡°They suddenly retreated through a dimensional portal and disappeared.¡±
¡°Can you pursue them?¡±
¡°With my current abilities, I¡¯m afraid I...¡±
Balhard¡¯s voice trailed off, showing that hecked confidence. Damien clicked his tongue in annoyance.
¡°But if we go to the Otherworld, we might be able to find a way.¡±
¡°The Otherworld?¡±
¡°I overheard the demon I was fighting. He said that Dorugo had escaped.¡±
At the mention of ¡®Dorugo¡¯ Damien''s eyes widened.
¡°Dorugo escaped?¡±
¡°Yes, I believe the demons are nning to pursue her. And the only ce Dorugo could possibly flee to is the surface. The demons will surely appear there as well.¡±
Damien listened closely to Balhard''s exnation.
¡°The Elders know how to monitor the entire surface. So, it would be best to return to the Otherworld for now.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s head out immediately.¡±
At Damien''smand, Balhard quickly began preparing to open a dimensional portal.
But soon after, a look of difort spread across Balhard¡¯s face.
¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±
¡°Well... there¡¯s a thick residue of demonic energy lingering around here. It¡¯ll take some time to open the portal.¡±
Opening a dimensional portal was no easy task.
If the flow of mana in the surroundings was even slightly off, the portal might not open at all¡ªor worse, it could lead to an entirely wrong location.
¡°...Time?¡±
That might be true for humans.
But for higher beings like demons or dragons, controlling dimensional portals was a much more advanced skill.
¡°Aren¡¯t you a dragon?¡±
¡°I¡¯m good at fighting, but not so much at this sort of thing...¡±
Damien stared at Balhard with a look of utter disappointment.
¡°Open it as quickly as you can.¡±
¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡±
As Balhard struggled to open the portal, Damien sat down and lifted Erebos.
¡®I need to consolidate what I¡¯ve just learn.¡¯
Damien recalled the single sword strike he had unleashed during his fight with Vahel.
Though he hadn¡¯t managed to sever Vahel¡¯s neck, the technique itself had been wless.
¡®With my current strength¡ I might actually win.¡¯
Focusing his mind, Damien found himself drawn into the Erebos. When he looked up, Ruin was standing before him.
¡°...¡±
Ruin still gazed at him with those vacant eyes.
¡°Good to see you again.¡±
Damien waved his hand casually as he spoke, but Ruin didn¡¯t respond. He assumed abat stance.
¡°Seems I¡¯m the only one happy to see you. That¡¯s a little disappointing.¡±
With a shrug, Damien also took his stance.
Both stood silently, gripping their swords and ring at each other.
Ruin was the first to move. Just as Damien had seen many times before, Ruin charged at him and aimed for his neck.
Last time, Damien couldn¡¯t even see the strike before losing his life.
But this time was different. His battle with Vahel had sharpened his understanding of the technique.
Damien bent forward and dodged the sh while simultaneously cutting across Ruin¡¯s waist.
Ruin¡¯s body split in two and copsed to the ground.
¡°Hah!¡±
Damien took a deep breath. Even though it had been just a short moment, the sheer focus it required had drained his energy.
¡°This time, I won.¡±
The opponent who had given him so much trouble was now defeated with ease.
Damien realized just how much stronger he had be. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
Ruin¡¯s body dissipated into smoke and vanishedpletely. In the distance, a new Ruin appeared.
¡°What are you nning to show me this time?¡±
Damien asked yfully even though he received no response.
Ruin raised his sword high. Light, darkness, and a swirling blue mist began to converge around the de.
Damien could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Ruin was merging normal mana, dark mana, and divine power into one.
It was a technique that even Damien had only imagined but never dared to attempt, and yet Ruin was doing it effortlessly.
A shiver ran down Damien¡¯s spine. His whole body trembled.
Then, Ruin brought his sword down. The three energiesbined and rushed toward Damien in a powerful strike.
Damien swung his sword, releasing his own aurade to counter.
The two attacks collided. However, Damien¡¯s strike didn¡¯t hold up for even a second before it vanished.
It wasn¡¯t cut down or destroyed¡ªit simply evaporated, as if it had never existed.
Ruin¡¯s attack cleaved through Damien, and his bodypletely disintegrated.
***
¡°...!¡±
Damien was jolted awake.
He patted himself down with both hands. Thankfully, his body was intact.
¡°Ha... that was a truly absurd monster.¡±
He recalled the aurade Ruin had unleashed.
To think that Ruin could so easily perform a technique that Damien himself couldn¡¯t yet manage.
¡°Is he still that much stronger than me?¡±
A bitter smile crossed Damien¡¯s lips as he focused his mind once more.
¡°I¡¯ll steal that technique too.¡±
Damien¡¯s consciousness was once again pulled into Erebos.
***
¡°My lord, I¡¯ve returned.¡±
The moment Bas stepped through the dimensional portal, he knelt before Vahel.
¡°Well done. I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your fun.¡±
¡°Not at all, my lord. I am but your servant.¡±
Bas said as he bowed his head down. Vahel grinned, apparently pleased with Bas¡¯s loyal demeanor.
¡°Take a good rest. We¡¯ll soon be heading to the Empire, and we¡¯ll be causing chaos the moment we arrive.¡±
¡°Humans are nothing to fear.¡±
Bas replied confidently. He wasn¡¯t boasting for Vahel¡¯s sake¡ªhe truly believed it.
¡°You¡¯re always so reliable.¡±
¡°Thank you, my lord. But how did Dorugo manage to escape?¡±
Bas asked with a curious expression.
Dorugo had been guarded by Laria, a Marquis ss demon.
No matter how hard Bas thought about it, he couldn¡¯t imagine how Dorugo could have escaped from Laria¡¯s grasp.
¡°Dorugo¡¯s undead minions attacked Laria and helped her to escape.¡±
Vahel said casually. However, Bas''s doubts only grew stronger.
¡°Laria¡ lost to them?¡±
Bas was totally stunned.
Laria was a powerful demon, standing on equal footing with Asthar. Even Bas himself wasn¡¯t confident he could defeat her.
And now, undead creatures had supposedly helped Dorugo escape from someone as formidable as Laria?
¡°Bas, it seems like you don¡¯t believe me.¡±
¡°No, my lord, that¡¯s not it.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t believe it at first either. But after seeing this, I had no choice.¡±
With a flick of Vahel¡¯s finger, a Count ss demon dragged something toward them.
It was Theta.
Theta had once been incredibly beautiful that she was also admired by many demons. But now, her face was so battered and bloody that she was nearly unrecognizable.
¡°They sacrificed her to help Dorugo escape. Those undead must¡¯ve been desperate. That¡¯s why Laria couldn¡¯t stop Dorugo from getting away.¡±
Bas finally epted the exnation. There was nothing more dangerous than a cornered beast.
¡°Now that your curiosity¡¯s settled, shall we get moving? Migmag, open the way.¡±
Migmag waved his iron staff.
A massive dimensional portal opened in the center of the ruined fortress and revealed the imperial capital on the other side.
¡°Let¡¯s go capture Dorugo again.¡±
Vahel said as he leaped through the portal. The other demons followed closely behind him.
***
¡°Mom, what¡¯s that?¡±
The first person in the capital to notice their arrival was a young boy.
¡°What are you talking about, dear?¡± His mother asked.
¡°That, over there.¡± He said, pointing to the sky.
His mother looked up casually, but her face quickly turned pale.
¡°What¡ what is that?¡±
Monstrous figures were pouring down from the sky.
Although she had lived her entire life in the capital, she instantly recognized how terrifying and dangerous those creatures were.
¡°M-Mom¡¡±
The boy stammered as he clung to her. She pulled him close and tried tofort him.
¡°It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s okay. The capital is protected by the barrier!¡±
Just then, the transparent barrier surrounding the capital collided with the demons. The barrier shattered in an instant.
The demonsnded on the ground and chaos erupted in the city.
¡°S-Somebody help! What are these monsters?¡±
¡°Where¡¯s the guard? Where¡¯s the city guard?¡±
The citizens of the capital frantically tried to flee.
Vahel smiled as he watched the fleeing citizens of the Empire.
"Likembs fattened for the ughter."
"My lord, may I enjoy a little snack?"
Bas asked eagerly.
"Hmm? Go ahead. You deserve a little fun."
Vahel replied casually.
A grin spread across Bas¡¯s face, and in an instant, his body began to grow.
In the blink of an eye, Bas towered over the Empire¡¯s walls, farrger than before.
"Where do you think you''re going? Leave your souls behind, even if your bodies escape."
With a sweep of his massive hand, the fleeing citizens¡¯ souls were pulled into his grasp.
¡°Gah!¡±
¡°Ugh!¡±
The souls of Imperial citizens were ripped from their bodies, rendering them lifeless on the ground. Bas gleefully gazed at the souls in his hand andughed wickedly.
"Let¡¯s see how they taste¡"
Just as Bas was about to lick his hand, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky, piercing his skull in an instant.
"RAAAAH!"
Bas roared in pain. His face twisted with fury as he screamed.
"Who dares!? Show yourself!"
"Up here, you overgrown chicken."
A voice mocked him.
Bas quickly turned his head to his shoulder, where a boy was standing.
"...Who are you?"
Bas asked with a serious tone. The pressure radiating from the boy was unlike anything he had encountered before.
"Me? Even if I told you, I doubt you¡¯d know."
The boy replied nonchntly.
The boy raised his hand, and a ring on his finger transformed into a spear.
"Listen carefully. I¡¯m the one they call the Mercenary King, and I¡¯vee here on behalf of the Empire to smash your ugly heads."
***
"Wow, I didn¡¯t know there was another human this strong."
Vahel muttered in admiration as he watched the Mercenary King standing on Bas¡¯s shoulder.
"Not quite on the level of Damian Haksen, but impressive nheless. Could he be a Grandmaster?"
As Vahel observed the Mercenary King, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Two men appeared.
"Hmm? And who might you be?"
Vahel asked, but the two men ignored him and spoke amongst themselves.
"Eos, is that the one you mentioned?" One man asked.
"Yes. He¡¯s a Duke ss demon, so don¡¯t let your guard down." Imperial Supreme Sword replied.
"Just when I was happy to hear that Pandemonium¡¯s forces were weakened¡ now this? What a nightmare."
"Still, I¡¯m here, and the Church¡¯s forces will arrive soon. We have chance." Imperial Supreme Sword reassured him.
"Yeah, that makes me feel a lot better."
The man scoffed.
Both men gripped their swords tightly.
Now the Imperial Supreme Sword and the Sword Saint stood between the demons and the Empire.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 323
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 323: The Grandmaster (1)
***
After Damien¡¯s departure, the Imperial Supreme Sword focused on dealing with the remnants of Pandemonium.
It wasn''t a particrly difficult task. With its core forces gone, Pandemonium wasn''t even a match for the elves, let alone the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Just as everything seemed to be going smoothly, the Imperial Supreme Sword sensed an ominous shift in fate.
Fate whispered to the Imperial Supreme Sword¡ªa great upheaval was soon to strike the Empire.
With Pandemonium''s power greatly diminished, the only beings capable of causing such chaos were the demons.
The Imperial Supreme Sword immediately used a relic to contact the Empire.
He told them to prepare knights in case the demons might attack.
The Imperial Supreme Sword also quickly returned to the Empire by borrowing the power of the World Tree.
And now, he found himself face-to-face with the demons.
The number of demons was much smaller than what had been seen in Alfheim.
But there was no room forcency. The aura emanating from the remaining demons was anything but ordinary.
"Oh? It''s that human from the ind, isn¡¯t it?"
A voice came from the one standing at the center of the demon forces.
He looked like an ordinary human male, but the Imperial Supreme Sword couldn''t help but feel a chill.
That man''s name was Vahel.
He was a Duke ss demon.
"We didn''t get to exchange any wordsst time, did we? That was a real shame. But it''s good to see you again like this."
Despite Vahel''s greeting, the Imperial Supreme Sword remained silent. Vahel noticed this and asked with a puzzled expression.
"Hey, don''t tell me you don''t remember me?"
"I remember you."
"Then why aren''t you responding?"
"I''m not one to chat with enemies in front of me."
Vahel''s eyes widened in surprise, and then he burst intoughter, clutching his belly.
"Yeah, you''re right. An enemy is an enemy, not a friend."
With a flick of Vahel''s hand, a demon with a mosquito-like snout stepped forward.
"Laria, don''t hold back. We need to find Dorugo quickly."
- Understood.
Before the words had even finished, Laria''s body vanished. At the same moment, she appeared behind the Imperial Supreme Sword.
She was fast, but what was even more shocking was her stealth.
Not even the faintest sound had been heard when Laria moved behind the Imperial Supreme Sword.
She swung both fists, aiming to crush the Imperial Supreme Sword''s head.
But then, something strange happened.
The two hands, which had been flying toward the Imperial Supreme Sword''s head from both sides, suddenly mmed into Laria''s own chest.
Laria''s body was flung backward with a sound like the air being split open.
She stared at the Imperial Supreme Sword with a bewildered expression.
"Huh, are demons usually this fast?"
The one who spoke wasn''t the Imperial Supreme Sword. It was the Sword Saint standing beside them.
"I almost ended up watching my friend die right in front of me."
- Was that your doing?
Laria asked, ring at the Sword Saint. The Sword Saint responded with a wry smile.
"And what if it was?"
Laria''s eyes narrowed as she red at the Sword Saint.
In the next moment, Laria vanished. She reappeared right in front of the Sword Saint and swung her de.
But just like before, Laria''s hand struck the ground instead of the Sword Saint.
Laria wore a surprised expression and saw the Sword Saint''s sword sh towards her head.
The tip of the Sword Saint''s de struck Laria''s forehead, causing her head to snap back as her body was pushed backward.
"Disgusting, for something that looks like a mosquito, you''re tough."
The Sword Saint remarked with a grimace. As he said, only a small trickle of blood flowed from Laria''s forehead, leaving her otherwise unharmed.
"¡How did you twist the angle of my attack?"
Laria was equally shocked.
Just moments ago, she had put all her strength into her strike, but it had veered off course, as if swept away by a powerful current, striking the ground instead of the Sword Saint.
"That¡¯s just my realm."
The Sword Saint replied nonchntly.
The level he had reached as a realm was called ¡®Ten Thousand Flow Perception.¡¯
Ten Thousand Flow Perception was a state of perceiving all flows in the world and being able to alter them.
Normally, using Ten Thousand Flow Perception required direct contact with a de.
But after reaching the level of a Grandmaster, even that limitation had vanished.
"¡Now I understand why my seniors warned me to be cautious of Grandmasters."
Laria''s entire body twitched.
Her muscr limbs began to shrink rapidly, and wing-like structures emerged from her back.
"So, you weren''t just mosquito-like, you''re an actual mosquito."
The Sword Saint muttered as Laria pped her wings once, releasing pinkish powder in all directions.
Seeing this, the Sword Saint instinctively moved back, but the moment his feet touched the ground, a wave of intense dizziness and a throbbing headache struck him.
"Did you really think simply moving away would save you? How foolish."
Laria¡¯s voice echoed from above.
"My power is ''Contamination.'' Any living creature near me will be tainted and rot away."
The Sword Saint looked down at the ground beneath him.
Weeds that were once sparsely growing onnd had turned yellow and were melting into a liquid state.
"It doesn''t matter if physical attacks don''t work. I''ll kill you like this."
Laria pped her wings powerfully, sending a gust of wind imbued with the power of contamination toward the Sword Saint.
* * *
"Looks like they''re already fighting over there."
Vahel nced at the battle between the Sword Saint and Laria.
"Guess it¡¯s about time we start too, huh?"
As Vahel spoke, the Imperial Supreme Sword raised his sword. Migmag, who stood behind Vahel, spoke.
"Your Excellency, allow me to handle this."
"You''re not exactly good at fighting, are you? Stay back and watch."
"But¡"
"Besides, I¡¯d be bored just standing around."
Vahel stretched his arms and began walking toward the Imperial Supreme Sword.
"Alright then, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got¡"
Before he could finish his sentence, an invisible sh cut toward Vahel''s neck.
The Imperial Supreme Sword had used his ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ to materialize a sh.
But the strike didn''t even graze Vahel''s skin. It was blocked by a translucent barrier covering Vahel''s body.
"Oh, I almost got cut there."
The Imperial Supreme Sword showed no disappointment. Considering Vahel was a Duke ss demon, even if the sh had seeded, it was unlikely it would have killed him.
The Imperial Supreme Sword pushed off the ground, dashing toward Vahel while unleashing more Heart Sword attacks.
The manifested shes cut across Vahel''s body in the Imperial Supreme Sword''s mind. But Vahel immediately used his power of Istion to shield himself.
"Such light attacks won''t work on me."
As soon as the distance closed, the Imperial Supreme Sword swung his sword. Yet again, it was deflected by Vahel''s power without making a dent.
"I told you, it won''t work."
Despite Vahel''s mocking, the Imperial Supreme Sword didn¡¯t stop and continued his relentless attacks.
He shed with his Heart Sword and struck directly with his sword. Vahel¡¯s body was assaulted from every angle by the Imperial Supreme Sword''s strikes.
"You¡¯re more stubborn than I thought."
Vahel stood in ce. He was not lifting even a finger and effortlessly deflecting the Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s relentless barrage.
No matter how much the Imperial Supreme Sword attacked, Vahel didn¡¯t even lose a strand of hair. The gap between their powers was that significant.
Even so, the Imperial Supreme Sword did not cease his assault.
He wasn¡¯t attacking mindlessly. He was gauging the strength of Vahel¡¯s power.
¡®There¡¯s no difference in intensity. Every part of his defense is equally strong.¡¯
His n to target a weak spot had failed.
Now, only one option remained to overwhelm him with brute force.
The Imperial Supreme Sword conjured a single image in his mind. He imagined countless des raining down on Vahel.
"...Hmm?"
Vahel''s expression shifted as he noticed something was off.
"What are you trying to do¡?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword materialized his vision. A torrent of countless shes poured down on Vahel.
The number of strikes was infinite.
So numerous that they couldn¡¯t be counted or even tracked, the shes surged forward like a tidal wave.
"Urgh!"
Even Vahel couldn¡¯t hide his shock. The relentless barrage of shes struck his entire body.
"Stop it already!"
Vahel shouted, summoning crystals of istion around him.
The crystals expanded, their spikes shooting out in every direction. They destroyed buildings and shattered the ground.
"Kraah!"
And yet, the shes did not stop. As long as the Imperial Supreme Sword maintained his mental image, the Heart Sword would continue to strike.
Then, suddenly, the barrage of shes came to an abrupt halt. Vahel looked around in shock.
"What? Why did it suddenly stop¡?"
At that moment, he saw the Imperial Supreme Sword standing directly in front of him, gathering an immense amount of mana.
The Imperial Supreme Sword¡¯s de was now enveloped in a massive aura, the condensed mana forming a devastating aurade.
The Imperial Supreme Sword envisioned a new image.
He visualized the most powerful strike his body could muster. A single blow that would cut Vahel¡¯s body in half.
As soon as that image took shape, the Imperial Supreme Sword swung his sword.
In that instant, the entire capital shook.
***
¡°Fucking hell.¡±
Damien cursed and sprinted. His face was full of urgency.
Suddenly, an aurade shot towards him from a distance.
Damien threw himself on the ground and rolled just in time as the sh swept through the space where he had been running moments before.
The ground was split open, revealing smooth and polished surfaces that didn¡¯t resemble earth at all.
"Huuh... huuh..."
Damien stood still for a moment to catch his breath. From experience, he knew Ruin would pause briefly after swinging his sword. He had to recover his stamina in that short window.
"How is he still so strong, despite being past his prime?"
Damien had already died thirty times in this ce.
Thankfully, it was a mental space, so not much real time had passed.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Ruin lifted his sword again. Damien stopped resting and started moving again.
"How on earth did hebine all those different energies?"
Mana, dark mana, and even divine power.
Ruin had effortlessly fused what were known to be ipatible energies and woven them into one.
The resulting aurade''s power was beyond imagination. It was capable of cutting through Damien''s aurade like a hot knife through tofu.
¡°Shit..¡±
Another sh flew towards him. Damien ducked low as he felt the crescent-shaped aurade graze his hair as it whizzed past.
Of course, Damien wasn¡¯t just running away the entire time.
His eyes never left Ruin, watching his every move. He was analyzing the aurades Ruin was creating.
¡°I''m starting to understand it.¡±
Damien called upon his dark mana and mana.
Blue energy shed violently with ck energy. Damien forcibly suppressed the resulting bacsh.
Gray smoke coiled around his de. Unfortunately, unlike Ruin¡¯s, it wasn¡¯t colorless.
That was expected. While Ruin had used divine power, Damien had only managed tobine mana and dark mana.
"Still, this should be enough!"
Damien gripped his aurade and charged at Ruin.
Ruin responded immediately with a sh. Despite his vacant expression, his movements were razor-sharp.
Damien swung his sword to counter the strike. The two aurades collided.
But Damien¡¯s aurade only held for a brief moment.
Ruin''s de pierced through Damien''s aurade, cutting it apart.
¡°Hah!¡±
At that moment, Damien let out augh as he twisted his longsword. He used the realm of Sword Saint ¡®Ten Thousand Flow Perception¡¯.
He redirected Ruin''s aurade in a different direction.
¡°This is the end!¡±
Damien shed at Ruin¡¯s neck with his longsword. Ruin¡¯s head separated from his body and both fell to the ground.
¡°Phew, that was exhausting.¡±
Damien wiped the sweat from his forehead. This battle had been even more grueling than the fight against Vahel.
Then, Ruin''s corpse vanished.
Momentster, a new Ruin appeared in the distance. Damien turned to him and spoke.
"What are you nning to show me this time...?"
¡°Wow, you¡¯re really something. You¡¯ve managed to kill me twice now.¡±
Ruin¡¯s voice rang out.
Damien was too shocked to respond.
¡°Haha, it looks like what I said really surprised you.¡±
Ruinughed cheerfully as he spoke.
¡°By the way, my name is Ruin. Since fate has brought us together, how about I teach you some swordsmanship?¡±
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 324
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 324: The Grandmaster (2)
***
A meteor is falling.
At the moment the Imperial Supreme Sword brought his sword down, Vahel thought this.
Of course, it was a ridiculous notion. That wasn¡¯t a star¡ªit was just a sword wielded by a person.
Yet, even with that understanding, Vahel couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed.
A wless, graceful sh struck Vahel right of his head.
The shockwave alone shattered nearby buildings. The ground split in half. A whirlwind raged.
But.
Even after unleashing such an incredible technique, Vahel remained unscathed. No matter how strong the attack of the Imperial Supreme Sword, it couldn¡¯t pierce through Vahel''s power.
¡°Wow, that was pretty dangerous.¡±
Vahel pointed at his own head as he spoke, his tone and expression as rxed as ever.
¡°So, even this isn¡¯t enough.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword said.
Despite his powerful attack having failed, his expression remained unchanged.
His opponent was a Duke ss demon, one often called the actual king of Inferno.
He had already known it wouldn¡¯t be easy to defeat him.
¡°You don''t seem too surprised. Do you have more to show?¡±
¡°You guessed correctly. You have yet to witness the Empire''s full strength.¡±
¡°Full strength?¡±
Vahel let out a mockingugh.
¡°Other than you three, nothing else seems impressive. Full strength?¡±
Right now, countless knights were standing by in the imperial pce.
However, they couldn''t intervene in the battle unfolding before them. In fact, they would only hinder the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°Whatever that full strength is, you¡¯d better show it quickly. Your friends don¡¯t seem to be doing so well.¡±
As soon as Vahel finished speaking, a sh of lightning erupted in the distance. The Mercenary King had summoned a thunderstorm to attack Bass.
- Hah! That tickles!
But Bass was seemed to unaffected as he shrugged off the Mercenary King''s technique with his bare body.
¡°You...!¡±
The Mercenary King¡¯s face hardened as he continuously fired off bolts of lightning. Yet, he couldn¡¯t evennd a critical blow, let alone prevent Bass from advancing.
¡°Your friend doesn''t seem toofortable either.¡±
Vahel pointed behind the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Every time Laria pped her wings, a pink-tinged whirlwind swept through the air. The Sword Saint couldn¡¯t even get close, as he was too busy dodging the winds.
¡°In this situation, what kind of ¡®full strength¡¯ are you nning to show me?¡±
Vahel¡¯s tone was mocking. The Imperial Supreme Sword stared at Vahel for a moment before speaking.
¡°Now, I can show you.¡±
¡°Now?¡±
Vahel was confused. Just as he finished speaking, a dimensional portal opened in the sky above the capital.
As the dimensional portal opened, a group of mages emerged. An elderly wizard with a full head of white hair called out to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
"Eos! You rascal! How dare you work this old man to the bone like this!"
One of the five great Magic Towers of the Empire.
The most powerful among them was the White Magic Tower.
Tower Master, Gerg Axel, raised his staff high into the air.
"But I still brought what you asked for safely!"
The dimensional portal expanded, and a group of people poured out from it.
They were all dressed in pure white robes, so bright that the sunlight reflecting off them was almost blinding.
The Church.
A colossal organization that rivaled the Empire in military strength across the continent.
They had crossed through the dimensional portal and arrived in the capital.
"My, My, what a disgusting horde of sinful creatures."
A beautiful woman covered her mouth as she spoke.
She was Radiant Light, one of the Five Great Elders.
"Everyone looks busy, so let''s get started."
Radiant Light raised her hand, and the priests who followed her simultaneously unleashed their divine power.
A dazzling light engulfed the entire capital. Vahel looked on with astonishment.
"This is..."
Vahel nced down at his own arm. The power that had surrounded his body was evaporating.
"A barrier that weakens the power of demons?"
Vahel murmured.
A barrier strong enough to affect even a Duke ss demon?
Vahel stared at the priests with a look of disbelief.
"You have yet to see everything."
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke in a low voice.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a golden pir erupted from the imperial pce.
The golden light enveloped the entire capital, and Vahel''s body staggered.
"...!"
For the first time, theposure on Vahel''s face wavered. He looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword with a face full of disbelief.
"ording to legend, when the first Emperor of the Empire built the capital, he forged a certain pact."
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke as he looked at Vahel.
"To bring a terrible cmity upon those who invade the Empire and to bestow blessings upon those who protect it."
The golden light surrounded the Imperial Supreme Sword, amplifying the pressure radiating from him.
"You¡¯ve prepared something quite entertaining, haven¡¯t you¡?"
Vahel''s lips twisted into a grin.
"Then I suppose I should show you something in return."
And at that moment...
A distant explosion echoed. Immediately, a fist collided with Vahel¡¯s face.
Vahel¡¯s body was hurled backward. As soon as he mmed into the ground, he lifted his head.
Thanks to his power, his face remained unscathed, but the shock was evident in his expression.
¡°What the... What just hit me?¡±
¡°It was I, you wretched filth of Hell.¡±
Suddenly, an old man stood in front of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The old man wore an expression so fierce, it resembled that of a vengeful spirit.
¡°You wretch, crawling out from the underworld without knowing your ce. I will personally stomp you to death.¡±
He was the strongest of the Five Great Elders.
Cheongyeum, who was covered in blue mes.
¡°Cheongyeum, thank you for the support.¡±
¡°Think nothing of it. As someone who follows the words of God, I am merely doing what is expected of me.¡±
Even as he conversed with the Imperial Supreme Sword, Cheongyeum¡¯s gaze was fixed solely on Vahel.
¡°Ah, and the other saints have joined the rest as well. They may not be as powerful as I am, but they¡¯re all capable, so don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°Then we can focus solely on him.¡±
The Imperial Supreme Sword stood side by side with Cheongyeum. Looking at the two Grandmasters, Vahel let out a dryugh.
¡°This won¡¯t be easy, will it?¡±
* * *
¡°How¡ how are you able to speak?¡±
Damien asked with cautiousness.
¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were pretending to be mindless this whole time?¡±
¡°Oh, no, not at all. So, don¡¯t make that scary face.¡±
Ruin shook his head with a sigh.
¡°I¡¯m just a lingering thought left behind after my main body died. But the shock of my death was so overwhelming that my emotions became mixed up. That¡¯s why my mind became tainted.¡±
When a person dies, they always leave behind a remnant of their thoughts. The stronger the power they held in life, the stronger the remnant bes.
The stronger the remnant, the clearer the memories and sense of self. Some remnants are even identical to the original person.
¡°So, why have you regained your mind all of a sudden?¡±
¡°It¡¯s because you killed me. Each time you killed me, the impact scattered my emotions. Thanks to that, my mind became clearer.¡±
Ruin brushed off his clothes with both hands as he spoke.
¡°In other words, the fact that we¡¯re able to talk like this is all thanks to you. I¡¯m grateful. Oh, do you know who killed me? You¡¯ll be surprised when you hear.¡±
¡°The Salvation Squad, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°You even knew that? Are you perhaps one of my followers or something?¡±
Ruin smiled broadly as he spoke.
He was much more talkative than Damien had expected.
Damien found it hard to adjust to this side of Ruin.
¡°So, I suppose you hold a grudge against the Salvation Squad.¡±
Considering that a hero like Ruin had left behind thoughtform that couldn¡¯t even maintain its sanity...
¡°Well¡¡±
Ruin¡¯s expression grewplicated as his words trailed off.
¡°I remember everything from the moment my main body died. The shock of being betrayed by my trustedrades, the pain I felt right before I died¡ªI remember it all vividly.¡±
Damien recalled the sight of Ruin¡¯s corpse and the wounds left on it.
The wounds were far too numerous and deep for any one person to bear.
"But strangely enough, while the original might have felt sadness, it never resented them."
"I can''t understand that."
"Really? I can. After all, I¡¯m just a remnant of the original''s thoughts."
Damien paused as he thought carefully before speaking.
"You might not know this, but the world knows nothing about your existence. All of your aplishments are credited to the Salvation Squad. And yet, you don¡¯t hold any resentment?"
"Not at all."
Ruin answered without the slightest hesitation.
"The original me¡ªI didn¡¯t help humanity for the sake of glory."
"Then why did you fight?"
"Hmm? I fought for humanity, of course."
Ruin answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Damien was slightly taken aback. He had never encountered someone so pure in his life.
"I have a question. What exactly are you? What¡¯s your connection to Dorugo? And Dorugo...?"
Damien began asking the questions that had been on his mind for some time, but Ruin shook his head.
"Sorry, but I don''t have much time left."
"What?"
"I can feel the emotions taking over again."
Damien looked into Ruin¡¯s eyes.
The once-clear eyes were bing clouded again.
"Just two deaths weren''t enough to fully regain my sanity, I suppose."
"Then at least tell me who Dorugo really is..."
"More important than that, I have something to tell you. It¡¯s crucial advice, so listen carefully."
Ruin pointed to the sword in Damien¡¯s hand.
"You¡¯re far too trapped within the mold."
"The mold?"
Damien almost let out augh in disbelief.
The mold? It was a term he''d never heard used to describe him before, not after all the battles he¡¯d fought.
"You probably haven¡¯t met anyone more extraordinary than yourself in your entire life. You can learn any technique just by watching, and even reach levels that others spend their whole lives mastering."
But what followed left Damien in shock.
Ruin had seen right through Damien''s talent.
"How do you know that...?"
"But that¡¯s not all." Ruin continued. "Your talent is far greater than you realize. Yet, you remain unaware of it."
Ruin spread his arms wide as he spoke.
"Damien, don¡¯t set limits for yourself. Imagine. You were born with the ability to do anything."
Then he added,
"Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean you can literally do everything. Your body can only handle so much. No matter how much of a genius you are, a child can¡¯t wield a sword properly, right?"
"..."
"It¡¯s like how a weak bow can¡¯t fire a powerful arrow."
Ruin gently tapped Damien''s shoulder with his fist, giving him advice.
"So first, focus on strengthening your body. umte more mana as well. The stronger your foundation, the more you¡¯ll be able to achieve."
"How do you know so much about me?"
Damien asked.
Ruin responded nonchntly,
"Because, naturally, I would know."
He then revealed something shocking.
"You¡¯re my reincarnation."
***
[PR/N- Dorugo was his girlfriend in a past life LoL.]
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 325
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 325: The Grandmaster (3)
***
Damien unknowingly frowned. He had just heard something absurd.
"I''m your reincarnation?"
"Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not aplete reincarnation. You didn¡¯t inherit the original soul."
"What do you mean by that?"
If it''s reincarnation, it''s reincarnation. What did he mean by not inheriting the soul?
"The original self split himself to create something. The Oath ced on the world and the Erebos you possess were created in that way."
"Ruin split himself for the sake of humans. In the end, only one part remained. That¡¯s the talent you possess."
"Are you saying I inherited that talent?"
"Yes, when he died, I thought ¡®talent¡¯ had disappeared. I didn¡¯t expect it to remain in the world."
Ruin paused, then spoke again.
"It was probably left behind for humans. That¡¯s just the kind of being Ruin was, even to the end."
With that, Ruin gave a bitter smile.
"Damien Haksen, let me make this clear as the original owner of that talent. Your talent is greater than you realize. So set yourself free. Break out of your constraints."
"How am I supposed to break free? I¡¯m already free."
Damien genuinely couldn¡¯t understand Ruin¡¯s words.
Right now, Damien felt boundlessly free. He had lived his life without ever knowing limits. He could do anything he desired.
"If it were easy, do you think I¡¯d be advising you? Start by recognizing the constraints. That¡¯s what will broaden your vision."
Ruin''s figure began to blur. Damien felt the space around them copsing.
"If you don''t understand yet, just eat well and sleep well. The stronger your body, the more you¡¯ll be able to achieve."
Ruin disappeared with those final words. Damien was pulled back into the real world.
"......"
Back in reality, Damien stared at Erebos for a long while.
Even after meeting Ruin, his questions remained unanswered. If anything, he had even more questions now.
"......So the more you die, the clearer your mind bes."
If that¡¯s the case, he would just have to kill Ruin enough times for him to stay lucid.
Just as Damien was about to focus his mind to re-enter Erebos, he was interrupted.
¡ªSir Damien, we¡¯re ready!
Balhard shouted to Damien.
More urgent than meeting Ruin was dealing with the demons. Damien stood up and approached Balhard.
"Let¡¯s go quickly."
Following Damien''s order, Balhard opened a dimensional portal leading to the Otherworld.
Damien entered the gate alongside Balhard.
***
As soon as they returned to the Otherworld, countless dragons greeted the two.
¡ªBalhard, what¡¯s the situation? Did you find the Altar?
¡ªDid you encounter the demons?
Questions bombarded them from all sides, and Balhard was visibly flustered.
"Exin."
Damien ordered, gesturing to Balhard with his chin. It was going to be a long exnation, and he was too bothered to speak himself.
¡ªWell, about that¡
Balhard briefly summarized what had happened to the elders.
The moment they heard Balhard¡¯s exnation, the expressions of the dragons grew grim.
¡ªSo the demons have discovered the location of the Altar?
¡ªWhy did the demons disappear?
¡ªThat is indeed strange.
The dragons began murmuring among themselves, exchanging worried nces.
Damien shouted at the dragons.
"Save the discussions forter. There¡¯s something you need to do right now. Find out where the demons have appeared on the surface."
Normally, such a rudemand from Damien would have sparked outrage.
But given the urgency of the situation, the elders acted quickly.
Two elders began chanting in the ancient Dragon Tongue. The surrounding mana began to shift, and water started pooling on the ground.
Reflections of naturalndscapes began to appear on the surface of the water. The images shifted rapidly¡ªfrom the sea to cities, to the sky¡ªwithout pause.
¡ª Found them.
The scene froze in ce, revealing the capital of the empire.
Once grand and magnificent, the capital nowy in ruins. At its center, the Imperial Supreme Sword, Cheongyeum, and Vahel were engaged in battle.
¡ªIt¡¯s the Empire. The demons are in the Empire right now.
"Can you tell why they went there?"
¡ªWe can¡¯t gather that level of detail.
"Then I suppose I¡¯ll have to confirm it myself."
Damien turned to Balhard.
"Balhard, open a dimensional portal to the Empire."
¡ªUnderstood¡
¡ªStop.
A cold voice interrupted them.
A young girl emerged from among the dragons.
It was the ancient dragon, Iris.
"Damien, are you nning to go to the Empire?"
"You¡¯re stating the obvious. I need to stop them, don¡¯t I?"
"I disagree. While the Empire buys us time, we should take control of the Altar."
Damien couldn¡¯t help but frown at the unexpected suggestion.
"The value of the Altar is immeasurable. Furthermore, the Demon Lords¡¯ corpses are there. If we use it, we could gain the power to fight against the demons."
"And in the meantime, the Empire will be destroyed."
"That would be an unavoidable sacrifice."
Damien stared silently at Iris before speaking.
"I don¡¯t like it."
Iris¡¯s proposal essentially meant sacrificing the Empire.
Despite knowing full well that countless people would die and be sacrificed because of it.
¡°Are you refusing my proposal?¡±
¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to help the Empire.¡±
¡°In that case, at least leave Erebos behind.¡±
Damien¡¯s expression changed.
He had never revealed Erebos in front of Iris.
Yet, Iris knew that Damien possessed Erebos.
¡°How did you recognize Erebos?¡±
¡°We dragons have experienced Erebos firsthand. We know how terrifying it is. How extraordinary it is. All of us are aware of its power.¡±
Iris nced briefly at Damien¡¯s hand.
¡°Erebos is considered the greatest treasure Ruin left behind. Surely, you must have used that sword to open the Altar, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got it right. As expected of an ancient dragon.¡±
¡°If you leave Erebos behind, we¡¯ll use it to open the Altar and find a way to expel the demons. In the meantime, you can support the Empire, can¡¯t you?¡±
Iris¡¯s n was hard to fault.
But Damien had no intention of handing over Erebos to her or the dragons.
¡°I¡¯ll keep Erebos. I don¡¯t trust you.¡±
¡°That¡¯s disappointing. I thought you shared the same goal as us, don¡¯t you?.¡±
¡°The same goal? Are you referring to your n to betray me?¡±
At Damien¡¯s usation, Iris involuntarily fell silent.
¡°Don¡¯t try to dodge it. I overheard you and others on the first day. You were nning to betray me and steal the key from the demons.¡±
The key Ruin had created.
With it, one could either fulfill or break the Oath.
The dragons intended to use the key to lift the Oath binding them.
¡°How could I trust you with Erebos after that?¡±
¡°¡I see. You were already aware.¡±
Iris sighed briefly, and then her eyes sharpened.
¡°In that case, we¡¯ll have no choice but to take it by force.¡±
Before Iris even finished her sentence, the elders began chanting in the Dragon Tongue.
With each word of Dragon Tongue, an overwhelming pressure weighed down on Damien¡¯s shoulders.
¡°Your true strength only emerges when you use dark mana, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
Iris spoke in a calm voice.
¡°We¡¯ve cast a barrier over the entire Otherworld that suppresses and eradicates dark mana.¡±
Damien let out a hollowugh. He hadn¡¯t expected them to prepare something like this.
¡°To think things would end this way. Very well then, take Erebos from him.¡±
The remaining dragons, excluding those maintaining the Dragon Tongue, began to move.
Dragons were the mightiest of all creatures.
And among them, the elders, those of immense strength, now harbored hostile intent toward Damien.
¡°Well, well.¡±
Damien nced at the dragons surrounding him and chuckled dryly.
¡°I figured you had something up your sleeve, but I didn¡¯t expect something this crafty.¡±
A barrier that suppressed dark mana¡ªit was certainly a clever move.
It was certainly a threat, one even Damien had to acknowledge.
He reached into the air, and as the tattoo on his wrist vanished, Erebos appeared.
"Are you really nning to fight us?"
"I¡¯m not about to just let you take my weapon while I stand here watching."
"Foolish. No matter how strong you are, without dark mana, you stand no chance."
Iris¡¯s expression remained calm, but her voice brimmed with confidence.
"I¡¯m still pretty strong even without dark mana."
"We know that. But you can¡¯t handle all of us at once."
Damien chuckled.
She was right. Without using the power of the Death Knight, Damien was still a Master ss knight.
One or two elders might be manageable, but all of them together? It was impossible without dark mana.
"So you guys have chosen death."
"Are you going to hand over Erebos now?"
"I¡¯m not about to let you take it from me so easily."
Damien ced his palm against Erebos¡¯s de. Iris watched him and spoke with clear disdain.
"Are you nning to use Erebos¡¯s power?"
"What if I am?"
"Foolish. Have you already forgotten what I told you? We know Erebos very well. We¡¯ve already prepared countermeasures."
Though her face remained expressionless, Iris¡¯s voice radiated confidence.
"You might think you know Erebos well."
But there was something the dragons didn¡¯t know.
Damien Haksen had traveled through time, carrying the memories and experiences of his past life.
"You¡¯ll find this more difficult than you expect."
Damien began channeling his magic into Erebos.
Normally, Erebos would only awaken with the infusion of dark mana. But now, with its restoration nearlyplete, things were different.
"Roar, Erebos."
In that moment, the entire world trembled.
***
"Everyone, be careful! Erebos has awakened!"
Iris shouted as soon as Damien unleashed the power of Erebos.
Waves of energy radiated from Damien, spreading outward. Anything that came into contact with the waves vanished without a trace, and the wave soon reached the spot where the dragons stood.
"Use Dragon Tongue to push back Erebos¡¯s power! Once you get used to it, counterattack immediately..."
But just then, the waves abruptly stopped. And instead of continuing to spread, they started to retract.
The unexpected phenomenon left Iris and the dragons bewildered.
The energy began topress around Erebos¡¯s de.
"You¡¯ve never seen anything like this before, have you?"
Damien said, looking at Iris¡¯s stunned expression.
"This is how you really use it."
Damien ran his fingers along Erebos¡¯s de, and from the condensed wave, a thin line of energy shot forth.
The line hit the ground, and at that moment, the earth split open in a jagged tear.
Iris felt a shiver run down her spine.
Bypressing the wave, its power had multiplied, and its speed had be far too fast. No Dragon Tongue could stop it now.
As Damien raised Erebos high into the air, the sense of dread Iris felt intensified.
"Everyone, get out of the way...!"
Damien drove Erebos into the ground.
From the point where the de struck, hundreds of lines shot outward in every direction.
The unleashed lines pierced through the dragons'' bodies, leaving no room for escape.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 326
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 326: The Grandmaster (4)
***
All dragons in the Otherworld move ording to the will of the Elder Council.
This is not simply because the elder dragons are old.
It is because they are all living legends who have experienced the surface world.
In the past, the elder dragons ruled the surface and were regarded as walking disasters.
Intelligent races gave them titles like Evil Dragon, Mad Dragon, and Celestial Dragon, fearing and avoiding them.
In a continent once filled with monsters, the only race capable of opposing dragons were demons.
¡ª Ugh!
¡ª Gah!
But now, these once mighty elder dragons could do nothing but scream in agony.
Their entire bodies had been pierced by lines extending from Erebos.
It was an unbelievable sight.
A dragon¡¯s scales were the strongest armor and capable of deflecting any attack. Their muscles were tough as woven rare metal. Their bones were so solid that even an aurade had difficulty cutting through them.
Yet, the lines effortlessly prated their scales, piercing through the muscles and bones beneath.
¡ª Gah!
¡ª Grrr!
What was even stranger was the elder dragons'' reaction that followed.
Compared to their size, the lines seemed so thin. It looked like they could shake them off with a simple movement.
Yet, like fish speared on a harpoon, the elder dragons trembled violently in agony.
Erebos''s power had the power of annihtion.
The pain they felt as they were being annihted wasn¡¯t just physical but something their very souls experienced.
And the pain of the soul is iparably greater than any physical suffering.
¡ª Ugh¡
¡ª Grrr¡
That¡¯s why the dragons couldn¡¯t even flinch. They were paralyzed.
Moreover, these lines were Erebos¡¯s power itself. Since their bodies had been pierced by them, they couldn''t move carelessly.
¡°E-Everyone¡¡±
Iris murmured in shock.
Among the dragons present, Iris was the only one unharmed.
It wasn¡¯t because Damien had spared her. It was simply that, in targeting massive dragon bodies, the human-shaped Iris had been overlooked.
¡°This¡ this technique¡ I don¡¯t remember anything like it¡¡±
And of course, she wouldn¡¯t.
This was a technique Damien had learned in his previous life, during a battle against the Imperial Supreme Sword.
In his previous life, the Empire¡¯s Imperial Supreme Sword had fought Damien, wielding the divine sword, El De.
The divine sword had fallen from the heavens during the War of Destruction.
The sword¡¯s origin and source were unknown, but it possessed a power just as formidable as Erebos.
In order to defeat the Imperial Supreme Sword, who wielded the divine sword, Damien had no choice but to push Erebos¡¯s power to its absolute limits.
The technique ofpressing his power into thin lines andunching them like threads was something he mastered at that time.
¡°Iris.¡±
Damien called her name. Iris flinched and turned to face him.
¡°You know a lot about Erebos, don¡¯t you? Then you must also know that I¡¯m sparing you all right now.¡±
Erebos¡¯s power could annihte anything.
If Damien released the threads, thepressed power would expand, and the dragons would vanish entirely.
However, Damien had only pierced and immobilized the dragons with the threads.
Killing them would be easy. But there was still something he needed the dragons to do.
¡°You want something from us, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Before we get to that, there¡¯s something you need to do first.¡±
¡°Tell me.¡±
¡°You must swear, in Dragon¡¯s Tongue, that all the dragons of the Otherworld will obey me.¡±
Iris¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, then rxed.
¡°Not possible! Swearing the oath of obedience in Dragon¡¯s Tongue? That¡¯s impossible¡¡±
Damien moved the threads, causing those embedded in the elders¡¯ bodies to vibrate.
¡ª Gah!
¡ª Argh!
The dragons screamed in unison, and Iris mped her mouth shut.
¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I know it¡¯s possible.¡±
Among the knowledge Dorugo had imparted to Damien was information about dragons and Dragon¡¯s Tongue.
Dragon¡¯s Tongue was so powerful that even the dragons themselves couldn¡¯t escape it.
If they swore obedience in Dragon¡¯s Tongue, they would be bound as ves for the rest of their lives.
¡°Decide right now. Will you submit to me, or will you lose your entire race here and now?¡±
Damien¡¯s tone was firm. A deep look of conflict crossed Iris¡¯s face.
¡°¡Fine. We will do as you say.¡±
¡ª L-Lady Iris! No, you can¡¯t!
One of the elder dragons shouted at Iris. It was a blue dragon with azure scales.
Damien immediately released the thread piercing the blue dragon¡¯s shoulder.
As soon as the thread was released, Erebos¡¯s power spread, and the blue dragon¡¯s entire shoulder was blown away.
¡ª Gaaah!
The blue dragon¡¯s agonized wail echoed through the sky. Damien looked at the dragon coldly and said.
¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll take your head next.¡±
At Damien¡¯s threat, the blue dragon clenched its mouth shut.
¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t intend to obey me can stay silent. But they¡¯ll have to give up their lives.¡±
Damien nced at the remaining dragons and spoke.
¡°The choice is yours. So, what will you do?¡±
A deep hesitation spread across the dragons'' faces.
***
In the end, all the elder dragons swore obedience to Damien.
Damien could feel a connection to their souls forming with each oath they made in Dragon¡¯s Tongue.
"...So, are you satisfied now?"
Iris was thest to swear and spoke with a face full of hostility.
"No, this is just the beginning. Open a dimensional portal to the Empire immediately."
The reason Damien had spared the dragons was to use the dimensional portal.
Opening a dimensional portal required immense knowledge and experience, something even Damien couldn¡¯t do himself.
While he possessed the knowledge obtained from Dorugo and could probably open one with time, he didn''t have that luxury at the moment.
"Are you really nning to go to the Empire?"
"Don¡¯t make me repeat myself."
Damien said, ring at Iris.
His killing intent made Iris¡¯s expression harden.
Without further hesitation, Iris used Dragon¡¯s Tongue to open a dimensional portal to the Empire.
Arge portal appeared in the sky of the Otherworld. Damien immediately stepped in front of it.
"Balhard!"
However, he didn¡¯t enter right away.
Upon hearing Damien¡¯s call, Balhard cautiously stepped out from among the elders.
¡ªW-Why are you calling for me¡ Ah, I assume you¡¯re expecting me to wish you a safe journey?
¡°What nonsense are you spouting? You¡¯reing with me.¡±
¡ªW-What? Me, too?
"Of course. You¡¯re the one who can open the gate whenever I need it, aren¡¯t you?"
The entire reason for keeping a dragon alive was to use the dimensional portal, so there was no way he could leave Balhard behind.
Moreover, Balhard was a reliable asset, especially when fighting demons. He would be a valuable ally.
Balhard looked around, his eyes nervously shifting. Damien furrowed his brow and added.
"If you don¡¯t want to die, hurry up and follow me."
¡ªUnderstood!
With Balhard in tow, Damien passed through the dimensional portal.
In an instant, the scenery of the Otherworld transformed into the capital of the Empire.
However, the Empire looked drastically different from what Damien remembered.
The buildings were all destroyed, leaving a deste wastnd. Even the once-mighty city walls were partially copsed.
In the middle of it all stood demons.
Alongside Vahel, there were demons Damien hadn¡¯t seen before, as well as Asthar and Alter, whom he had defeated before.
"Hey, isn¡¯t that Damien?"
Vahel waved at him.
Instead of acknowledging the greeting, Damien¡¯s gaze moved to Vahel¡¯s feet.
There, the Imperial Supreme Sword and Cheongyeumy copsed, covered in blood.
***
A few minutes before Damien''s arrival.
The Imperial Supreme Sword and Cheongyeum relentlessly pressed their assault on Vahel.
This was the first time the two of them had teamed up, but they moved as if they were one.
Cheongyeum unleashed bursts of blue mes, pounding Vahel¡¯s entire body with unrelenting blows. True to his title as the fastest martial artist, his movements were so swift that they left afterimages.
The Imperial Supreme Sword precisely targeted the openings Cheongyeum couldn¡¯t cover. His Heart Sword rained down on Vahel from every direction.
Thebined attack of the two Grandmasters was overwhelmingly violent and relentless.
¡°Haha! This is quite the spectacle!¡±
Yet Vahel effortlessly withstood every single attack.
With his arms reinforced by the power of Istion, he blocked Cheongyeum¡¯s punches and took the Heart Sword strikes from the Imperial Supreme Sword on his bare body.
Despite the barrage, Vahel¡¯s body didn¡¯t suffer so much as a scratch.
¡°For a piece of hellish trash, you¡¯re pretty strong!¡±
Cheongyeum was totally frustrated and yelled. Veins bulged on his forehead.
¡°Thanks for thepliment. You¡¯re pretty strong yourself.¡±
Vahel replied, casting a brief nce away.
In the distance, he noticed Laria and Bas were also fighting.
They, too, were being overwhelmed in a two-on-one battle.
¡°Those two¡ªweren¡¯t they supposed to be among the Five Great Elders?¡±
Vahel said and pointed to the people attacking Laria and Bas.
¡°They''re not Grandmasters, yet they¡¯re fighting impressively.¡±
Even considering that the demons had been weakened by the miracles invoked by the priests and the Empire¡¯s covenant, the Five Great Elders were demonstrating remarkablebat prowess.
So much so that Laria and Bas were barely holding their ground.
¡°But something¡¯s strange. There are four of you, right? So why are you called the Five Great Elders?¡±
¡°You sure talk a lot for someone in a fight!¡±
Cheongyeum shouted, showing he was clearly irritated.
¡°Well, I¡¯m just curious.¡±
Vahel replied with a sheepish grin.
¡°Then rejoice.¡±
Cheongyeum said with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
¡°What for?¡±
¡°You¡¯re about to find out, firsthand, why we¡¯re called the Five Great Elders!¡±
Before Vahel could even respond, someone appeared behind him.
Even with his sharp senses, Vahel hadn¡¯t felt the presence. He was shocked and turned to see an elderly man standing there.
The man looked as old as Cheongyeum, with a frail, thin body and skin lined with deep wrinkles.
But Vahel couldn¡¯t shake the ominous feeling that radiated from this man.
¡°Oh, dear brother, I¡¯m not the type to step directly onto a battlefield.¡± The old man groaned.
¡°Silent Night! This is no time for jokes!¡±
Cheongyeum barked.
¡°Don¡¯t rush. I¡¯m ready.¡±
Silent Night replied calmly.
As he reached out, he grabbed the air and suddenly pulled. In an instant, thin threads wrapped around Vahel¡¯s entire body.
¡°What¡ is this?¡±
No, these weren¡¯t threads. It was darkness, drawn out and woven into strands.
Silent Night, one of the Five Great Elders, and the head of the sect known as the ¡®Raucous Shadow¡¯ had joined the fray.
Silent Night¡¯s power was nullification.
The priest and pdins of the ¡®Raucous Shadow¡¯ sect could erase mana, powers, and everything else using their divine energy.
The darkness wrapped around Vahel''s body began to consume his power. The Istion that had been protecting him was erased.
"Haah!"
With perfect timing, Cheongyeum and the Imperial Supreme Swordunched their attacks. Their strongest techniques struck Vahel''s body with full force.
Vahel spat blood as he was sent flying, skidding across the ground and mming into the dirt.
"Huff¡ huff¡"
Cheongyeum and the Imperial Supreme Sword both gasped for breath.
"Is it over?"
Silent Night muttered, staring at the spot where Vahel had crashed.
But then, Vahel began to rise.
His appearance had changed. His body was muchrger, and three horns had sprouted from his forehead.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
Vahel let out a loudugh. His face was full of delight.
¡°I can''t believe those guys made me pull out my real body! This is so much fun! I¡¯ve never had this much fun!¡±
His glowing red eyes turned toward the trio.
¡°As a reward, I¡¯ll get a little serious now.¡±
Vahel extended his hand. At that moment, a rectangr pir shot up from the ground beneath Cheongyeum¡¯s feet.
Cheongyeum quickly crossed his arms to block, but it wasn¡¯t enough.
Both of his arms snapped, and the pir struck him squarely in the sr plexus.
"Urgh!"
Cheongyeum¡¯s body was sent soaring into the sky before crashing down. Silent Night was bbergasted and shouted in rm.
¡°Brother!¡±
Just then, something strange appeared in front of Silent Night¡¯s eyes.
It was a bumpy pebble like a salt crystal materialized in front of him.
¡°What is this¡?¡±
The pebble grewrger, radiating ominous energy. Before Silent Night could react, the spikes crushed him.
¡°You two should¡¯ve at least been able to dodge that.¡±
Vahel said with a smirk.
Finally, Vahel turned his gaze to the Imperial Supreme Sword.
¡°You¡ I hope you''re a bit different.¡±
Without a word, the Imperial Supreme Sword lifted sword.
But the result was no different from the others. He, too, fell at Vahel''s hands, overwhelmed by his monstrous power.
***
¡°Are you worried about them?¡±
Vahel nudged the Imperial Supreme Sword with the tip of his boot, a smirk ying on his lips.
"Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re still alive."
"That¡¯s a relief."
Damien activated the ¡®Authority of Envy¡¯ without hesitation. The mana in his body rapidly transformed into dark mana. As he used Nameless mana art, his eyes glowed a fierce with crimson light.
"Of course, you''re the most fun."
Vahel muttered with a short sigh of admiration as he watched Damien prepare.
"I¡¯ve got someone I need to find soon¡ but leaving when someone as entertaining as you is right in front of me? That¡¯s impossible."
In the blink of an eye, Damien moved. Vahel alsounched himself forward as well.
Both of their figures vanished from sight, only to reappear with an explosive collision in midair.
A shockwave of power rippled outward, the intensity of their sh reverberating through the ground and sky.
The sheer speed and force of their attacks caused the air around them to warp, and the ground beneath them cracked under the pressure.
Vahel grinned widely. He was clearly thrilled by the fight.
He blocked Damien''s attack with his forearm, feeling the surge of dark mana course through his body.
"That¡¯s it! Show me more!"
Damien¡¯s expression remained cold. He was solely focusing on the battle. His hands moved swiftly, forming dark streaks of energy that sought to envelop Vahel.
The sh of powers had only just begun, and neither of them showed signs of holding back.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 327
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 327: Awakening (1)
Vahel charged at Damien as he enveloped both his hands with the power of istion.
An opaque gauntlet formed over Vahel¡¯s hands.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
Vahel threw a punch at Damien. Damien didn¡¯t dodge and instead swung his sword.
The gauntlet and Erebos collided. The impact pushed both of them back.
Immediately, they bothunched off the ground, closing the distance and attacking each other again.
Vahel¡¯s fists and Damien¡¯s sword shed repeatedly, neither side yielding an inch.
¡°Why the sudden switch to barehanded fighting?¡±
Damien asked in the midst of the fight while blocking and attacking simultaneously. Vahelughed joyfully as he responded.
¡°I¡¯m just so happy to meet you! If I don¡¯t fight like this, I feel like my heart will explode!¡±
¡°Disgusting.¡±
Damien muttered.
¡°Ahaha! Don¡¯t be so cold! You¡¯re hurting my feelings!¡±
Suddenly, Vahel leaped into the air, swinging his leg in a wide arc.
Energy surged, creating a massive sh. Damien blocked it with his Erebos.
Damien twisted Erebos and deflected the sh''s angle, sending it soaring into the sky.
¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite the technique.¡±
Vahel was impressed. He hadn''t expected Damien to handle his attack so effortlessly.
¡°Think you can dodge this too?¡±
Before he finished his words, crystals of istion began forming around Damien.
The crystals rapidly grew, enveloping Damien with their sharp edges, breaking the ground around him.
But Damien had already moved. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Vahel.
¡°Oh?¡± Vahel''s expression changed.
¡°As expected, you¡¯re impressive. Looks like I can''t go easy on you anymore.¡±
Vahel swung his fists repeatedly, aiming to break Damien.
Thanks to his overwhelming physical strength, every punch tore through the air and cracked the ground.
But that wasn¡¯t all.
Simultaneously, Vahel used the power of istion.
Pirs shot up from the ground, and crystals of istion formed in the empty space around them.
Vahel¡¯s fists came from the front, while the crystals attacked Damien from all sides without pause.
There were no openings. Every movement and attack worked like gears in perfect sync.
But the truly amazing one was Damien.
He parried or dodged every attacking from all directions, not allowing even a graze. It was as if he could read Vahel¡¯s mind.
¡®This is absurd.¡¯
Vahel thought, clicking his tongue internally at how effortlessly Damien was handling his offensive.
Vahel hadn¡¯t always been a strong demon. In fact, he was considered among the weakest.
He was treated as trash, no better than filth.
But Vahel had a natural talent and a more warlike nature than any other demon.
He travelled from battlefield to battlefield to hone his skills.
Luckily, Inferno was full of demons with terrible temperaments, and wars were never-ending there.
Through countless battles, Vahel developed his own unique fighting style.
He developed a unique hand-to-handbat style and added power of istion to it.
Vahel refined his skills on the battlefield, and the more perfect his techniques became, the stronger he grew.
Once Vahel perfected hisbat style, he found no worthy challengers left.
In other words, the techniques Vahel was disying were honed over nearly a thousand years of relentless warfare.
Yet Damien was effortlessly seeing through them.
¡®He was always a monster¡ but not to this extent.¡¯
Vahel recalled his previous encounters with Damien.
Though Damien had disyed impressive moves back then, it wasn¡¯t to this degree.
¡®Has he grown stronger since then?¡¯
The thought sent a chill down Vahel¡¯s spine.
Vahel was renowned for bing a Duke among demons in record time. Yet, even he couldn¡¯t match Damien¡¯s rapid growth.
¡°Damien! You¡¯re not easy after all!¡±
Vahel shouted, his voice brimming with joy.
¡°That¡¯s why I like you! You¡¯re the first one who can fight me like this¡¡±
At that moment, Damien vanished. In an instant, his sword shed at Vahel¡¯s neck from the side.
Thanks to the power of istion, Vahel¡¯s neck wasn¡¯t severed, but he was shocked nheless.
Despite his light tone, Vahel had focused all his senses on Damien.
And yet, he couldn¡¯t keep up with Damien¡¯s movements. Even though he experienced it firsthand, it was hard to believe.
Vahel conjured square pirs beneath his feet and Damien was forced to retreat
¡°You used a simr techniquest time, didn¡¯t you? Seems like you¡¯ve mastered it even more now.¡±
Vahel rubbed his neck.
Damien rested his Erebos on his shoulder and responded.
¡°You sure talk a lot.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just having too much fun.¡±
Vahel replied with sincerity.
Vahel had reached the pinnacle of Inferno too early. He was so overwhelmingly strong that no one dared challenge his authority.
As a result, Vahel spent centuries bored, with nothing to do.
Then, he finally found someone who could fight on equal terms with him.
How could he not be thrilled?
Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely equal. Vahel, after all, was holding back his powers.
Otherwise, his newly found ything would break too quickly.
¡®Considering how much stronger he¡¯s gotten in such a short time, this could get even more fun.¡¯
Vahel wanted to draw out Damien¡¯s full strength, not for any grand reason¡ªjust because it would be more entertaining.
¡°Oh, right.¡±
Vahel suddenly remembered the information he had received from soul-searching Dorugo.
¡°You have a family, don¡¯t you?¡±
In that instant, Damien¡¯s eyes widened.
Seeing Damien¡¯s visible agitation, Vahel inwardly celebrated.
¡°Your father and mother are both alive, and you have an older sister and a younger brother. Your family is all in the western region of the Kingdom of Apple, aren¡¯t they?¡±
The more Vahel spoke, the more Damien¡¯s anxiety grew.
¡°Damien, you¡¯d better stop me here. Otherwise, I n to kill your family.¡±
Vahel was deliberately taunting him.
¡°Are your siblings married by any chance? If so, I¡¯ll find their families too and kill them all. And I won¡¯t let them die peacefully. I¡¯ll make sure they die in excruciating pain¡ªpain no human can endure.¡±
Despite the provocation, Damien remained silent.
Vahel felt a bit deted.
¡°Are you thinking I¡¯m just saying this to provoke you, that I¡¯m not serious¡ª¡±
Suddenly, Vahel¡¯s mouth mped shut.
It wasn''t by his own will. His mouth closed on its own.
Soon, cold sweat began to run down Vahel¡¯s face. It felt like a de was pressed against his heart.
What¡¯s happening?
Vahel asked himself but couldn¡¯t find an answer. Though, there was no need to.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
Vahel turned his gaze toward Damien. In that moment, a chilling terror washed over him.
An intense, murderous aura was pouring out of Damien.
It manifested around his body, so thick that Vahel could barely make out Damien¡¯s face or form.
But his eyes¡ªthose were clear.
They were cold, emotionless, and unnerving, as if they were ss marbles.
¡°I asked you a question.¡±
Damien spoke again, and Vahel felt as though a de was pressing harder against his heart.
¡°What did you say you¡¯d do to my family?¡±
***
¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯ Damien thought.
Exchanging blows with Vahel, Damien keenly felt the strength of a Duke ss demon.
Attacks came from every direction, so precise and fast that it was almost impossible to dodge without intense focus.
The unfair part was that Damien¡¯s own attacks didn¡¯t seem to work on Vahel at all.
The power of istion surrounding Vahel¡¯s body was imprable, no matter how sharply Damien honed his aura de.
¡®I need that technique.¡¯
He thought of the aurade that Ruin had once created.
Ruin¡¯s aurade was formed from abination of mana, dark mana, and divine power. It was terrifyingly sharp.
If Damien could replicate that aurade, he¡¯d be able to cut through Vahel¡¯s defences, even severing bone with ease.
But even with Damien¡¯s extraordinary talent, replicating that technique was no simple task.
Though he had briefly used it when battling Ruin¡¯s mental projection, it had only been for a fleeting moment.
¡®I need to remember that feeling.¡¯
Damien thought and tried to recall the sensations from his fight with Ruin. But even that was proving difficult.
- Damien, your talent is far greater.
Ruin¡¯s words suddenly echoed in his mind.
- Free yourself. Break the mold.
It was easy to say, but Damien couldn¡¯t put it into practice.
He didn¡¯t even understand what ¡®mold¡¯ Ruin was referring to.
¡°Oh, right.¡±
Vahel¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Damien initially tried to ignore it, but the next words made that impossible.
¡°You have a family, don¡¯t you?¡±
Damien¡¯s body, which had been heated from the intense battle, instantly cooled.
¡°Your father and mother are still alive, along with your older sister and younger brother. They¡¯re all in the western region of the Kingdom of Apple, aren¡¯t they?¡±
Every sense Damien had became focused on Vahel. He even forgot to breathe.
¡°Damien, you¡¯d better stop me here. Otherwise, I n to kill your family.¡±
Those words triggered memories from his past life.
When he had stabbed his father¡¯s abdomen, the sensation of it, the sight of his mother cursing him, the corpse of his headless brother, and his sister being torn apart by the undead...
¡°Have your siblings gotten married? If they have, I¡¯ll hunt down their families as well. I won¡¯t let them die easily. I¡¯ll make sure they suffer unimaginable pain¡ªpain so excruciating that no human could withstand it.¡±
His thoughts shed to a nephew he had yet to meet. The child hadn¡¯t even been named.
¡°Maybe you think I¡¯m just saying this to provoke you?¡±
His mind brought forth the image of his pregnant sister, the joy-filled faces of his family one after another.
¡°What did you just say?¡±
Dark emotions consumed Damien¡¯s entire being.
¡°I asked you a question.¡±
His mind was drowning in shadows, and any lingering distractions vanishedpletely.
¡°What did you say you would do to my family?¡±
In his pitch-ck thoughts, only one idea surfaced.
KILL HIM. KILL HIM. KILLLLL HIM.
By any means necessary, kill that demon. He would start by ripping off his legs so he couldn¡¯t escape. Next, he¡¯d crush his arms so he couldn¡¯t fight back.
He¡¯d grind his face into the dirt so that the demon would regret everything he¡¯d ever done. He would make him crawl on the ground, overwhelmed with the guilt of his crimes.
Damien opened a subspace and brought out all the potions stored within and smashed them on the ground.
As the potions shattered, their essence flowed freely, and Damien absorbed every drop of it.
Next, he seized the divine power enveloping the entire capital and began to absorb it. The massive amount of divine power surged into Damien¡¯s body.
Mana, dark mana, and divine power.
The three forces fought against each other, attempting to destroy one another in their sh.
But Damien operated both Five Wheel Harmonious Art and Nameless mana art simultaneously.
The two mana techniques fused together, activating a new,bined form of power.
Soon, the three forces Damien absorbed merged and blended into one. They harmonised, transforming into an iprehensible and immense power.
At that moment, a colourless aurade enveloped ¡®Erebos¡¯. Erebos roared as if it would tear the world apart.
In this instant, Damien had reached the level he had long sought.
Grandmaster.
The human Damien Haksen had finally caught up to the Death Knight Damien Haksen.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 328
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 328: Awakening (2)
Vahel¡¯s face lost all trace of its earlier amusement as he locked eyes with Damien Haksen.
The moment he had mentioned Damien¡¯s family, the atmosphere around him shifted drastically.
No, it wasn¡¯t just the atmosphere that changed. The ominous presence Damien now radiated had intensified.
Instinct sounded an rm. His rational mind sent out a warning, urging him not to recklessly challenge the enemy before him.
"...Hahahah!"
But Vahel didn¡¯t heed his instincts or reason. He chose a different emotion:
Pleasure.
His already intriguing ything had be even more entertaining. That realization brought him immense joy, almost too much to bear.
¡°You seem to care a lot about your family. Well then, I should show some consideration too. I¡¯ll make sure to kill them right in front of you. I¡¯ll let you witness every moment of their deaths from start to finish.¡±
Suddenly, Damien moved his arm and swung the Erebos in a wide arc.
"Hm?"
Vahel¡¯s expression turned puzzled. The two of them were still far apart, so there was no way the sword could hit anything but empty air.
¡°Why would you waste your energy on something so pointless...?¡±
Without warning, the world split diagonally. Half of Vahel¡¯s vision was engulfed in darkness.
¡°...!¡±
A sharp pain surged from one of his eyes, as if it had been scorched by a burning iron.
Vahel stepped back while clutching his eye. His eyeball had been cut in half.
When? How?
His mind swirled with questions. But the most perplexing one was how Damien had managed to cut through his ''Power of Istion''.
Vahel¡¯s entire body was protected by this ''Power'', and his eyes were no exception. In fact, his eyes were among his most vulnerable spots, so the power of the ''Power of Istion'' was concentrated there.
Yet Damien¡¯s strike had sliced through the ''Power'' as if it were paper and cut his eye in two.
Through his confusion, Vahel saw Damien lower his stance.
It was clear he was about to charge. As soon as Vahel realized Damien¡¯s intent, a shiver ran down his spine.
Instinctively, Vahel unleashed his ''Power of Istion'' with all his might, pouring every ounce of his strength and focus into it.
Up until now, the crystals Vahel had created using his ''Power'' always took the form of angr shapes. It was a method that allowed him to draw out fights and savor them longer.
But this time was different. The image Vahel summoned in his mind was that of des.
des are sharper and deadlier the thinner they are. But to maintain durability, des are usually made thicker.
Vahel was different though. The des he forged from his ''Power of Istion'' were impossibly thin, yet they would never break or dull, no matter how fragile they seemed.
des erupted from the ground beneath Damien¡¯s feet. They were as thin as a dragonfly¡¯s wing, razor-sharp, and harder than any metal known to this world.
And it wasn¡¯t just one or two des. Thousands upon thousands of des shot upward in the blink of an eye.
The endless surge of des formed a mountain, and Vahel stared at the peak of that de mountain with his one remaining eye.
Damien was standing atop the razor-sharp summit and lightly perched as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
¡°...¡±
Vahel¡¯s eye trembled violently.
The moment he had unleashed his ''Power'', Damien had already effortlessly ascended atop the des.
Not a single one of the ¡®Power of Istion''s¡¯ des had even grazed the hem of Damien¡¯s clothes.
¡°Ha, this is seriously getting interesting.¡±
Just as Vahel¡¯s lips twisted into a grin, Damien leaned slightly forward.
"Is he really going to charge at me with such an unstable stance?"
Vahel''s ominous premonition quickly became reality as Damienunched himself off one of the des.
The istion des bent significantly before snapping back into ce and sending Damien flying forward.
Vahel erected walls of istion around himself in haste. He encased his entire body within thousands of protective barriers.
"Second Wheel."
Damien quietly muttered, simultaneously kicking off the air once more.
As his body elerated, the istion walls Vahel created shattered like ss.
The instant Damien closed the distance, he brought his sword down in a vertical sh.
Vahel instinctively concentrated his ''Power of Istion'' into his forearms, crossing them to block the strike.
However, Damien''s de met Vahel¡¯s forearms and sliced through them effortlessly.
There was no booming sound, no ng of steel¡ªjust the smooth, soundless severing of flesh, as if cutting through cream with a sharp knife. Vahel''s arms were neatly sliced off.
"Aaaaaa!"
For the first time, a scream burst from Vahel¡¯s mouth.
Ever since his ''Power of Istion'' had fully matured, Vahel had never sustained a serious injury.
In the hundreds of years he¡¯d lived, not a single demon had managed to leave a mark on him.
Yet now, both his arms had been severed. The sudden and overwhelming pain made his head feel like it was about to explode.
But there was no time to dwell on the agony, as Damien¡¯s next sword strike was alreadying at him.
"Grrr!"
Vahel quickly invoked his ''Power of Istion'' once again.
A flower bloomed between two. It was not a real flower, but a mass of shattered fragments forged from istion power.
The ¡®flower¡¯ exploded, sending off sharp shards that shot toward Damien at terrifying speed.
In that instant, countless lines were drawn through the air, slicing through the iing shards as if they were nothing.
"You insane bastard!"
Vahel couldn¡¯t stop himself from shouting.
The number of shards he had unleashed was easily in the tens of thousands.
And Damien had cut down every single one of them? How was that even possible?
"Fine! I¡¯ll admit it! You¡¯re no ordinary opponent! You¡¯re a true adversary, worthy of my full power!"
Vahel gathered all his remaining strength. His body began to mutate once more.
His frame grewrger, his muscles bulged, and his teeth sharpened into those of a wild beast.
Rough fur sprouted all over his body, and his legs bent backward like a mountain goat¡¯s.
In no time, his severed arms and his injured eye hadpletely regenerated.
With his newly grown arm, Vahel reached for a rusty key. It was a key forged by Ruin to break his pact.
"I will free myself from this ursed oath."
Vahel turned the key in the air, and suddenly, the binding oath with the first emperor¡ªone that had haunted Vahel for so long¡ªwas broken.
His weakened powers surged back, and his presence became even more terrifying.
"I¡¯ll crush you!"
Vahel stretched his arms toward Damien. Enormous des start to descend toward Damien¡¯s head.
Not just one or two, but several massive des. They wererge enough to split mountains and seas.
What was truly shocking was their speed. Despite their immense size, they moved faster than the wind. Birds flying in the sky were instantly sliced in half before they could escape.
At that moment, Damien spoke once more.
"Third Wheel."
Damien gripped his Erebos with both hands. A colorless aurade began to spin.
He swung the spinning aurade wide. It unleashed a storm of force that collided with the istion des.
One by one, Vahel¡¯s des start to shatter and their fragments scatter to the ground.
"..."
For a moment, Vahel was left in a daze. How could someone destroy his ''Power'' that he unleashed at full strength, so effortlessly?
"Fourth Wheel."
Damien disappeared from sight. In the next instant, he reappeared behind Vahel.
Before Vahel could even react, Damien swung his sword. The aurade shot out and sliced through Vahel¡¯s forearm.
"Graaaah!"
Vahel screamed again and stumbled back, trying to use the ''Power of Istion'' to block Damien''s advance.
But before he could fully activate it, Damienunched himself forward once more, kicking Vahel square in the stomach.
The protective barrier created by the ''Power of Istion'' shattered into pieces, and Damien¡¯s foot tore through Vahel¡¯s insides.
"Kghaaaaa!"
Vahel screamed and his body flung backward. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to steady his stance.
This was a battle¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus just because of the pain...
The moment he lifted his head, Damien was already in front of him. This scene left Vahel stunned.
"When did you¡ª aaah!"
Damien swung Erebos again, slicing off Vahel¡¯s other arm.
Vahel tried to regenerate both of his arms immediately, but Damien was faster and punched into Vahel¡¯s face.
The bones in Vahel¡¯s skull shattered, sending him flying backward. He fought through the pain, attempting to use his ''Power'' again.
But this time, no des or barriers of istion formed.
Instead, the ''Power'' began affecting Damien internally.
"I''ll iste your vision first!"
Damien¡¯s eyes turnedpletely ck, and his movements came to a sudden stop.
The true weapon of the ''Power of Istion'' was not just in creating objects¡ªit was the ability to stop and sever anything. That was the real power of istion.
"I¡¯ll iste your hearing and smell!"
"I¡¯ll iste your heartbeat!"
"I¡¯ll iste your blood flow!"
"I¡¯ll iste your mana!"
Vahel systematically paralyzed Damien¡¯s senses and bodily functions, one by one.
"And finally, I¡¯ll iste your arms and legs."
Just as Vahel was about to unleash the final part of his power, Damien suddenly swung his sword into the air. A sharp sound rang out as if the de had struck something.
"...What?"
Vahel immediately realized what Damien had done.
He had cut through the ''Power'' itself.
But that was impossible. How could someone cut through the very power of istion, not just the objects it created, but the ''Power'' itself?
"What kind of nonsense is this...?"
Damien swung his sword a few more times, and each time, the sharp sound echoed again.
With every swing of Damien¡¯s sword, Vahel¡¯s expression grew paler.
The powers he had ced on Damien were vanishing, one by one.
Vahel couldn¡¯t have imagined in his wildest dreams...
That the realm Damien had mastered in his past life ¡®Sword God¡¯ granted him the ability to cut through anything no matter what it was.
Until now, Damien hadn¡¯t reached the level of a Grandmaster and couldn¡¯t fully utilize that ability.
But things were different now.
As both a human and a Death Knight, Damien had reached the level of a Grandmaster. He had regained his full realm from his previous life.
After slicing through the final ''Power'', Damien turned his gaze to Vahel. The killing intent radiating from his darkened eyes froze Vahel¡¯s face.
This time, he knew he was truly going to die.
Vahel had exhausted all his tricks, and his techniques had been shattered. He could sense death approaching.
Damien kicked off the ground, closing the distance between them in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Damien was right in front of him and his de was shing forward.
At the moment of death, Vahel''s senses sharpened to an extreme. He could suddenly see the precise movements of Damien¡ªmovements he hadn¡¯t noticed before.
But even though he could see it, he couldn¡¯t dodge. His body was far too slow.
"Damn it."
Vahel cursed under his breath.
"To think that I¡ªthe ruler of the Inferno¡ªwould be forced to use ¡®this¡¯!"
His eyes took on a resolute gleam as he lowered his voice.
"Stop."
In that instant, the entire world came to a halt.
Damien froze mid-motion. The clouds in the sky, the falling leaves in the wind¡ªeverything stopped.
"Ku... Kuaaaah!"
In the frozen world, Vahel let out a pained groan.
Suddenly, the horns on his forehead began to ignite with mes.
"Fuck it... I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m wasting a thousand years¡¯ worth of power like this."
The three horns growing from Vahel¡¯s forehead were not ordinary. They were reservoirs of the power he had gathered and condensed over millennia.
To iste time flow itself, Vahel was forced to use everyst drop of his umted power.
"The cost for this is enormous."
He grumbled in dissatisfaction as he approached Damien.
"I¡¯ll take it out on your family for this."
Just as Vahel prepared to tear out Damien¡¯s head¡ª
Thump.
A sound echoed.
Thump.
At first, Vahel thought he had misheard it.
Thump.
But the sound didn¡¯t stop; it grew louder and faster. The intervals shortened.
And then, Vahel realized with horror¡ªit was Damien¡¯s heartbeat.
"This... this is impossible¡."
As Vahel muttered in disbelief, Damien¡¯s body moved.
The de of Erebos pierced Vahel¡¯s heart.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 329
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 329: Awakening (3)
The ruined capital of the Empire.
There, a giant and two knights were engaged in battle.
White lightning continuously struck the giant. A green storm shed the giant''s entire body.
But the giant did not fall. Instead, he shouted joyfully.
"Ha ha! Both of you are beyond my expectations! To think you could push me this far!"
Suddenly, the lightning and storm stopped. Soon, a boy and a woman appeared atop a building.
"Don''t tell me you''re already exhausted?"
The gigantic demon Bas looked down at the two and said.
The boy and the woman were too out of breath to respond immediately.
Bas then spoke with a regretful expression.
"Oh dear, it seems I pushed you too hard. I should have given you a break. As expected, I''m such a fool."
Bas tapped his head lightly with hisrge fist.
Seeing this, the boy frowned and asked the woman.
"Hey, Green Wind. Are all demons just fools like him?"
"Yes, filthy scum from Inferno are like that. Don¡¯t expect much from idiots who defy the God."
At the pair''s harsh remarks, Basughed loudly.
Due to hisrge stature, hisughter was also loud enough to cause an earthquake.
"That''s harsh. I was fairly praising you."
"Receiving praise from you doesn''t make me happy."
"I agree. Unless you offer your neck nicely, maybe I¡¯d reconsider."
"I can''t do that. I want to live for a long time. To conquer the surface and devour many humans."
The two had no choice but to scowl at Bas¡¯s words.
"Indeed, a being we can''t associate with."
"Mercenary King, if you create an opening, I will cut off his head."
"Oh, have you rested enough? Fine by me."
A grotesque smile emerged on Bas''s face. He was excited by the prospect of resuming the fight.
"Bas."
At that moment, a familiar voice was heard. Bas lowered his head.
He saw the bull-headed demon Asthar looking up at him.
"Asthar? Are you already healed?"
"Don''t worry about me. When do you n to stop ying with those guys?"
Asthar said with a displeased expression.
"Wouldn''t it be nice to enjoy this much fun?"
"Shut up. We''re not here to y. We came to follow His Excellency''s orders."
Bas scratched the back of his head, realizing Asthar wasn''t wrong.
"Laria hasn''t finished her job yet. What if you show a pathetic sight as well?"
"Got it. I''ll finish it soon."
"If you can''t finish, I''ll handle it."
"Oh no, that''s a problem. Those guys are my toys."
Bas¡¯s voice dropped slightly.
Although Asthar was technically his superior, Bas couldn''t tolerate having his toys taken away.
"If you¡¯re so concerned, go assist His Excellency."
"Assist? Don''t be ridiculous. His Excellency doesn¡¯t need help."
Asthar''s voice was filled with displeasure.
"Crushing someone like Damien Haksen is a simple task for His Excellency..."
At that moment.
A colossal force spread across the entire world. The two demons looked at each other''s faces.
Although it was only for a brief moment, there was a significant change in the world. It was clear that Vahel had done something, as his presence reverberated throughout.
Soon, a shockwave erupted from a distance.
Bas and Asthar looked in the direction from which the shockwave hade, their faces filled with astonishment.
And they saw it.
The sight of Vahel, being pierced by Damien''s de.
***
The tip of Erebos touched Vahel¡¯s body.
First, the Power of Istion tried to stop Erebos. But it shattered instantly.
Next, the thick muscles gripped Erebos. However, the muscles that were strong enough to deflect most attacks, were ineffective this time.
Erebos cut through the muscles and continued to advance. The final barrier was the bones. They attempted to block Erebos.
Previously, Vahel had suffered a critical injury from Damien''s sh. But back then, Damien couldn''t cut through Vahel''s bones.
Now Vahel had revealed his true form. The strength of his bones was iparable to before.
But they couldn''t stop it.
His ribs shattered. Eventually, Erebos pierced the heart hidden within the body.
The heart of a demon was quite different from that of other beings. It was more of an organ that produced and drove vitality than a simple heart.
Themonality was that it was just as important and critical as a heart. And it was utterly destroyed.
"Urgh."
Vahel coughed up blood. The blood didn''t juste out once but continued to pour out.
To be a Duke ss demon, he had to go through numerous battles.
He had sustained many injuries. Losing limbs was routine, and there were times when half of his head was blown off.
But no injury had ever killed Vahel. He always recovered and overcame any formidable enemy.
But this time was different. Vahel realized that death hade for him.
"How did you escape the stopped time...?"
Even as he experienced his dying moments, he couldn''t help but ask.
Vahel had isted time flow. Everything in the world had stopped.
Yet Damien moved and managed to pierce Vahel''s heart with his de.
"I shed through it."
The answer was brief. But Vahel immediately understood what Damien meant.
"You used the realm that shed through my power once again."
Mediocre fighters merely swing their swords.
Second-rate fighters use their bodies as well.
And top-tier fighters move with their minds.
Damien Haksen was a Grandmaster. He could manifest his realm without even having to swing his sword.
That''s why Vahel couldn''tpletely stop Damien.
"Truly... incredible. To a reverential degree."
Vahel spoke sincerely.
Since bing a Duke ss demon, it had been difficult for him to find rivals for hundreds of years.
Even demons who had lived longer than him couldn''tpete with Vahel.
To think that he would be defeated by a mere human, who had lived for less than a century.
"The more I think about it, the more absurd it feels... To be so strong so quickly..."
Suddenly, Vahel thought of Ruin.
The hero who drove out demons and monsters from the surface and built the world of humans.
All demons hated Ruin. They had documented him in great detail as a result.
A human who appeared suddenly one day.
In just one year, he had united all the wandering humans, and within three years, he had built a formidable force capable of standing against demons.
The demons of that time recorded Ruin like this:
A human who lives a day as if it were a hundred years.
A mysterious being who bes a monster with each encounter.
From Vahel''s perspective, Damien''s talent was no less than that of Ruin.
¡®Haha, so this is how they all felt¡ No wonder they were so afraid¡¡¯
Vahel''s head slowly drooped. He was about to faceplete death.
-Lord!
-Your Excellency!
His subordinates were running toward him, calling out.
-I¡¯ll save you!
-Just hold on a bit longer!
Vahel looked at his subordinates with a puzzled expression.
Even though he hadn''t treated them poorly, he didn''t expect them to act like this.
¡°Indeed, there are still some pests to deal with.¡±
Damien tried to pull the sword out of Vahel''s chest. Vahel quickly grabbed Damien''s wrist with his remaining arm.
¡°What are you doing?¡±
Damien red at Vahel and asked. Vahel smiled and then shouted.
¡°Do note any closer!¡±
At Vahel''s shout, his subordinates halted in their tracks, their faces reflecting their confusion at themand.
¡°If youe here, you will only meet a futile death! Think of the future and retreat!¡±
The pain made it extremely hard for him to shout. Yet Vahel suppressed the pain and roared.
¡°Return to Inferno! Deliver my message! Tell them there is a monster on the surface! As long as this monster lives, they should never dream of reiming the surface!¡±
His subordinates'' faces were filled with hesitation.
Vahel sighed inwardly. He never thought their loyalty would be this frustrating.
¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let them go?¡±
Damien said in a cold voice. Vahel gave a bitter smile.
¡°Of course not.¡±
Vahel squeezed out all the remaining vitality. He unleashed his final power.
The arm holding Damien''s wrist began to turn into metal.
Damien quickly tried to pull his sword out of Vahel''s body, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.
Damien raised his foot and stomped on Vahel''s torso, trying to break the body and free his arm.
However, Vahel''s torso had already transformed into metal. It withstood Damien''s stomping.
¡°I will use my body as coteral to iste you here. Even you won''t be able to break through this easily.¡±
As Vahel''s neck and face slowly turned into metal, his entire face soon transformedpletely.
It was the moment when Duke ss demon Vahel vanished from the world.
-Your Excellency!
The bull-headed demon Asthar shed tears from his eyes.
-You cannot go like this!
Asthar charged at Damien. Damien extended his free hand towards Asthar.
At that moment, an invisible sh cut Asthar. Asthar''s torso split open.
-Argh!
Asthar screamed and rolled on the ground. But he got back up again.
-Your Excellency!
Asthar tried to rush in again. But before he could, Laria held him back.
-Migmag! Open a dimensional portal!
-Don''t stop me! We must save His Excellency!
-Migmag! Open the gate immediately!-
As Migmag struck the ground with his iron staff, a massive dimensional portal opened.
All the demons leaped into the gate.
-Your Excellency!
With Asthar''s final cry, the demons disappeared into the dimensional portal."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 330
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 330: Father and Child (1)
Just before the demons all entered the dimensional portal, Damien manifested his mental sword.
The sh from his imagination materialized in reality. The formless sword attempted to cut both the demons and the dimensional portal simultaneously.
However, the mental sword Damien created was suddenly blocked by a wall that appeared.
A rectangr wall formed around Damien.
¡°He persists in hindering me until the end.¡±
Damien said, looking down at Vahel.
Although Vahel was already dead, his power still lingered in the world.
Unless Vahel''s body was destroyed, his power would not disappear, and it was clear it would continue to bind Damien.
Damien concentrated mana into the hilt of Erebos. Colorless aura spread out from Erebos.
Simultaneously, Vahel''s body began to disintegrate. Only then did the walls confining Damien vanish.
However, by that time, the demons had already escaped. Damien clicked his tongue briefly.
¡°I must return to the Otherworld immediately.¡±
Opening a dimensional portal to Inferno wouldn¡¯t be easy.
Surely, the demons had moved somewhere on the surface. By returning to the Otherworld, he could locate and capture them.
Damien tried to summon Balhard to open the gate to the Otherworld.
At that moment, blood spurted from his mouth.
¡°Cough, cough.¡±
Doubling over, Damien continuously coughed up blood. It wasn¡¯t just from his mouth. Blood also flowed from his eyes, nose, and ears.
Damien inspected his body.
His muscles, internal organs, and even his veins were gravely damaged. He felt like a cracked pottery piece on the verge of shattering.
Every breath brought overwhelming pain. Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Damien muttered.
¡°¡So that¡¯s why Ruin told me to strengthen my body.¡±
When Damien reached the Grandmaster level, hebined the Five Wheel Harmonious Art and the Nameless mana art into one.
Thanks to this, Damien could wield greater power than he had during his Death Knight days.
The problem was his physical body.
Unlike his time as a Death Knight, the human body was extremely fragile.
Despite being strengthened with numerous elixirs and sapling from the World Tree.
Operating both techniques simultaneously with such a body naturally led to its destruction.
¡°I was too absorbed to realize.¡±
Damien copsed to the ground. The pain made it difficult to maintain hisposure.
¡°Balhard!¡±
Damien shouted loudly. Then, Balhard appeared as the air distorted.
- You called for me.
Immediately upon arriving in the capital through a dimensional portal, Damien ordered Balhard to conceal himself.
This was in case demons attempted to interfere with Damien and Vahel''s battle, so Balhard couldunch a surprise attack.
However, the battle ended swiftly, and Balhard didn¡¯t get a chance to participate.
¡°I¡¯m going to lose consciousness now.¡±
- Excuse me?
¡°You must protect me with your life. Understood?¡±
Balhard¡¯s eyes showed a rebellious glint. It seemed that following Damien''s order was quite humiliating for him.
The problem was that Balhard had sworn an oath of obedience to Damien.
¡°I will follow your orders.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got quite the expression there. Be prepared when I wake up.¡±
¡°Pardon? No, it¡¯s just how I look naturally...¡±
¡°Silence.¡±
Damien opened a subspace and consumed a healing potion. Then, he activated the World Tree sapling before closing his eyes.
Damien fell asleep immediately. Balhard silently watched over him.
He was an extremely dangerous human to let live.
Not just because of his inherent strength, but also because of his unpredictable nature.
If he had to kill him, now would be the time.
But Balhard couldn¡¯t make any threatening moves against Damien.
Once he had made an oath, Balhard had no choice but to obey Damien''smands.
Throwing away his life to break the oath was also not an option. An oath made with Dragon Tongue was not so easily broken.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Balhard muttered a curse under his breath.
Suddenly, he sensed people approaching. Turning his head, he saw humans ring at him.
¡°Am I seeing things? It looks like a dragon.¡±
The Sword Saint remarked, holding a half-broken sword.
His body was stained ck in various ces, evidence of the corruption from Laria¡¯s power.
¡°Dragons have long been extinct.¡±
¡°Sword Saint, stop with the nonsense. Focus on rescuing that child.¡±
Cheongyeum said irritably as he stepped forward.
Both of Cheongyeum¡¯s arms werepletely ruined, a result of blocking Vahel¡¯s power.
¡°Dragon, I don¡¯t know where you came from, but it''d be best if you handed him over quietly.¡±
At Cheongyeum''s threat, Balhard responded with a sneer.
¡°Human, you¡¯re straining yourself despite your dying body.¡±
¡°Dying?¡±
A fierce killing intent emanated from Cheongyeum¡¯s eyes.
¡°Would you like to see what it feels like to be beaten by someone who¡¯s dying?¡±
For a human, his fighting spirit was considerable. Balhard sensed that this opponent wouldn¡¯t be easy.
¡°Even so, I cannot hand over Damien Haksen.¡±
Balhard activated his dragon heart to draw out his mana. A tremendous aura spread out in all directions.
Cheongyeum and the Sword Saint¡¯s faces hardened slightly.
They realized that fighting this opponent with their injured bodies would be difficult.
In fact, even if they were in perfect condition, victory wouldn¡¯t be assured.
Despite this, Cheongyeum and the Sword Saint did not retreat.
Cheongyeum forced his damaged arms to clench into fists. The Sword Saint forcibly drew out his depleted mana.
¡°Mind if I join in?¡±
At that moment, another voice called out.
A young boy and a woman were approaching. It was the Mercenary King and Green Wind.
¡°Mercenary King? You¡¯re still alive?¡±
¡°You senile old man, spouting senseless words again.¡±
The Mercenary King frowned in response to Cheongyeum¡¯s remark.
¡°Are you really going to help us?¡±
¡°Of course. I owe that guy a lot.¡±
The Mercenary King said, pointing at Damien.
¡°Never thought I''d see a dragon again in my lifetime...¡±
There was a moment of nostalgia in the Mercenary King''s eyes. But it was only brief.
¡°Hey! Lizard head!¡±
The Mercenary King shouted at Balhard.
¡°I have a lot of questions for you, but there''s just one thing I need to say right now!¡±
The Mercenary King drew upon his lightning power. The dazzling lightning enveloped him.
¡°Give me Damien Haksen! Otherwise, I¡¯ll roast you and eat you...¡±
- Karl?
The Mercenary King frowned. The dragon had suddenly called out his name.
¡°How do you know my name...¡±
Suddenly, his expression became nk, and he asked in a doubtful voice.
¡°Father..?¡±
* * *
A dimensional portal opened up in the empty air.
Several demons poured out from it.
They were varied in appearance. A demon with a bull''s head, one with a mosquito-like proboscis, and another in the form of an old man.
¡°Arghhh!¡±
The bull-headed demon screamed towards the sky.
Despite therge sword wound on its torso, the demon seemed obliviously angered rather than in pain.
¡°Laria! You fucking bitch!¡±
Asthar pushed Laria to the ground, pinning her while venting his fury.
¡°Why did you abandon His Excellency!¡±
¡°I was just following orders.¡±
¡°No! You abandoned His Excellency!¡±
Asthar punched Laria in the face. Laria took the hits silently.
¡°Asthar! Stop!¡±
¡°What are you doing!¡±
Bas and Alter grabbed Asthar, trying to hold him back. Asthar struggled to free himself.
¡°Let go! I said let go!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t misdirect your anger!¡±
Bas¡¯s sharp reprimand made Asthar freeze. He hung his head.
¡°¡You¡¯re right. I lost in anger.¡±
Asthar extended his hand to Laria.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand.¡±
Laria said inly, taking Asthar¡¯s hand and getting up.
As his anger subsided, Asthar¡¯s perspective widened. He looked around.
¡°Where are we?¡±
¡°We¡¯re at Carion Mountain.¡±
Laria¡¯s answer made Asthar scowl.
¡°Why did wee here?¡±
Carion Mountain was known as the highest mountain on the surface.
It was the ce demons had scoured for an altar.
¡°No, that¡¯s not what matters now.¡±
The escape location was irrelevant. What mattered was what to do next.
¡°ording to His Excellency''s orders, we will return to Inferno first.¡±
Asthar wanted to go and kill Damien immediately.
But he had seen firsthand how formidable Damien was.
He had watched as the Duke ss demon was killed as easily as a bug by Damien''s strength, a power far beyond Asthar¡¯s capacity to challenge.
¡°We¡¯ll return to Inferno and wait. For the moment Damien Haksen dies.¡±
However, Asthar had one advantage over Damien: longevity.
Demons lived almost infinite lives. Asthar nned to wait until Damien aged and died.
¡°Fate is on our side anyway.¡±
Asthar held up his hand in front of the demons.
In his palmy a rusty key.
¡°What is that?¡±
¡°How do you have it?¡±
The demons eximed in surprise.
This key was the tool for making Oaths and originally belonged to Vahel.
¡°His Excellency transferred it to me just before he sacrificed himself.¡±
The technique to transfer objects was not as advanced as dimensional portals, but it was still a highly sophisticated skill.
However, Vahel, being a Duke ss demon, could use transfer techniques freely.
¡°I will never forget today''s grudge. I will definitely kill Damien Haksen.¡±
Asthar gripped the key tightly, his body trembling, when Laria patted him on the shoulder.
¡°We are fortunate that Lord Vahel entrusted you with the key.¡±
¡°Worrying about us until his final moments. Truly a decision worthy of His Excellency...¡±
As Asthar turned to look at Laria, a dull sound echoed, and something pierced Asthar¡¯s chest.
With a look of disbelief, Asthar looked down. Laria¡¯s hand had prated his chest.
¡°What... have you done...¡±
Laria gripped Asthar¡¯s heart and crushed it. Asthar copsed immediately.
¡°Asthar!¡±
¡°Laria! Have you gone mad!¡±
Bas and Alter tried to attack Laria, but before they could,rge holes appeared in their chests.
Migmag.
The demon with the iron staff had used the dimensional portal to pierce their bodies.
Both demons copsed without even being able to scream.
Laria and Migmag looked down at the fallen demons.
Despite the gaping holes in their chests, the three demons were still alive, but barely clinging to life.
¡°It¡¯s over.¡±
A voice came from the forest.
Laria and Migmag immediately knelt down on the ground.
From the direction in which the two demons knelt, someone appeared.
A robed skeleton.
It was Dorugo.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 331
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 331: Father and Child (2)
***
¡°Laria, bring the key.¡±
At Dorugo¡¯smand, Laria immediately picked up the key from Asthar¡¯s grasp and handed it to Dorugo.
Dorugo extended her bony hand and took the key, exhaling a sigh of relief.
¡°I have finally retrieved it.¡±
- Congrattions, My Lord.
¡°I didn¡¯t say that I don¡¯t want praise from the likes of you.¡±
- I apologize.
Laria immediately bowed her head to the ground. Dorugo didn¡¯t even spare her a nce.
- Guh¡ Urgh¡
At that moment, Asthar, who had been lying on the ground, regained consciousness.
- La¡ Laria¡! Why¡ did you betray¡ us¡!
Even as he was dying, Asthar voiced his resentment. Suppressing the pain, he forced himself up.
- Was it because you coveted the Duke''s title? That¡¯s why you tried to kill us, your potential rivals, in advance¡
When Asthar raised his head, he saw Dorugo. A look of confusion crossed Asthar¡¯s face.
- Dorugo¡? Why are you here? Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to the Empire¡? And why are you kneeling to Dorugo¡ Laria¡?
It was hard to believe, given Laria¡¯s pride and skills as a demon.
Even Vahel had to put in a significant effort to make Laria his subordinate.
- Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve allied with Dorugo? Why would a demon of your level do that? Why?
Laria did not answer Asthar¡¯s question. She remained kneeling like a stone statue.
¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on her. She didn¡¯t do it of her own will.¡±
It was Dorugo who spoke instead. Asthar red at Dorugo with bloodshot eyes.
- What do you mean by that?
¡°Allow me to exin.¡±
Dorugo directed his words at Laria.
¡°Laria, harm yourself.¡±
As soon as Dorugomanded, Laria immediately tore off one of her arms.
Blood gushed from the severed stump, yet Laria showed no sign of pain.
The grotesque scene left Asthar speechless.
- Wh-what is happening¡?
¡°Laria¡¯s mind is under my control. Migmag over there is also the same.¡±
- Under control¡?
Asthar couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing.
Since Dorugo had once been a demon, she might still possess some power.
But Dorugo was now nothing more than a lowly undead. She shouldn¡¯t have much power to wield.
And yet, he imed to control a Marquis ss demon with such meager power? It was absurd.
¡°It wasn¡¯t an easy task. The power I have left is very little. However, thanks to Vahel assigning her as my watcher, I had plenty of time. That¡¯s why I seeded.¡±
- Nonsense¡ An undead like you controlling a demon is impossible!
¡°If I were an ordinary undead, it indeed would be.¡±
Dorugo looked up. By now, the sky was painted with the hues of sunset.
¡°Do you know what kind of demon I am?¡±
The sudden question made Asthar furrow his brow.
- What rubbish¡
¡°Calm down and tell me. What kind of demon am I?¡±
- You are¡
Asthar hesitated.
He knew Dorugo was a demon who had betrayed her kind, but he couldn''t remember exactly what type of demon she was.
¡°You can¡¯t recall anything, can you? Naturally, since I erased all your memories.¡±
- Erased all our memories? That¡¯s absurd! What kind of demon could do that?
A demon''s soul is strong. Even manipting the soul of a lower-ranked demon isn''t easy.
And erasing the memories of not just one or two, but all demons?
There wasn''t a single demon known to be capable of that.
Maybe if it was one of the Demon Lords from the distant past, but even then, only one might have been able.
A Demon Lord who could control and enve countless sentient beings only with a single gaze¡ª the Demon Lord of lust.
- No way...
An unsettling hypothesis flitted across Asthar¡¯s mind.
But Asthar found himself having to dismiss his gut feeling. It was too imusible.
¡°That ''no way'' is correct.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes changed. Their color shifted from red to purple.
¡°My real name is Lillivai. I was once called the Demon Lord.¡±
* * *
During the era when demons ruled the surface, there were seven lords among them.
Being called ''Lord'' highlighted their remarkable powers.
Even if all demonsbined their efforts, they couldn¡¯t surpass the power of a single Demon Lord.
Duke ss demons, considered the true rulers of the Inferno, were mere childrenpared to the Demon Lords.
- That¡¯s... impossible... All the Demon Lords are dead...!
But those were tales of the distant past.
The Demon Lords had lost their lives in battles against Ruin and humans.
- Even if what you say is true, why would you do such a thing?
The Demon Lords were the rulers of the world.
If they desired, they could have all the pleasures and treasures the world had to offer.
But Dorugo had erased her past. That is, she had forgone her position as a Demon Lord.
¡°To be with Ruin.¡±
Dorugo said quietly.
¡°He was a hero to humanity. How could a Demon Lord stand by his side? So, I decided to erase my past.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes changed slightly as if reminiscing longingly about something.
¡°But no matter how great my power, it was impossible to manipte the memories of all sentient beings who knew me. So, I decided to give up my physical body.¡±
She sacrificed her body to increase the power of authority.
Dorugo abandoned the body of the Demon Lord to live alongside Ruin.
¡°Thus, I discarded my demon body and became human. Though I lost all my powers and authority, I didn¡¯t regret it because I could be beside Ruin.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes deepened slightly as if recalling a happy time.
- Even if what you say is true... that¡¯s impossible... Damien Haksen already holds all the authorities of the Demon Lords!
Asthar had heard it directly from Vahel.
Vahel said that Damien possessed all the authorities of the Demon Lords and used them to reverse time.
¡°Then why could you guys still be able to flee from Damien Haksen?¡±
Dorugo¡¯s question made Asthar pause. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Damien possessed not just one, but all seven authorities of the Demon Lords.
Considering the stature of the Demon Lords, it was natural for all demons, including Vahel, to be unable to resist and be killed by Damien.
¡°The authorities Damien Haksen holds are nothing but a fraction of them. I didn¡¯t pass them all to him.¡±
- A fraction? Don¡¯t lie! Then how did he reverse time?
Asthar shouted. Dorugo looked down at him silently.
¡°That¡¯s because Damien Haksen is the core.¡±
- What are you talking about¡?
¡°Enough with the idle chatter. We have plenty of work ahead.¡±
Dorugo turned around. Asthar tried to lunge at her.
- Where do you think you¡¯re going? Answer my question¡ Ugh!
But before Asthar could even take a step, Migmag subdued him.
Migmag, who had approached silently, thrust his staff against Asthar¡¯s back.
- Migmag! You too? When did you fall under Dorugo¡¯s control!
Despite Asthar¡¯s questions, Migmag did not respond. He simply focused on restraining Asthar.
Meanwhile, Dorugo took out the key and turned it in the air.
The empty space split open. Through the gap, apletely different scene appeared.
Seven statues.
An altar beneath them.
It was the altar where pacts were made.
¡°Come out, children.¡±
At Dorugo¡¯s gesture, the Four Great Demon Kings emerged from the forest.
¡°Take care of the demons. Heal them sufficiently so they don¡¯t die. It would be troublesome if they died before the ritual.¡±
- Ritual? What are you nning to do to us!
Asthar shouted. But subdued by Migmag, all he could do was yell.
- Are you nning to create a new oath with the altar and the key?
Suddenly, Dorugo burst intoughter. Her unexpected reaction made Asthar involuntarily close his mouth.
¡°You really know nothing, do you? Even with the key and the altar, creating an oath is impossible. That¡¯s something only Ruin can do.¡±
- Then what kind of ritual are you talking about!
¡°It¡¯s preparation to capture Damien Haksen.¡±
- How do you n to capture that monster, whom even His Excellency couldn¡¯t defeat?
Asthar scoffed. But despite his mocking tone, Dorugo remained unfazed.
¡°That¡¯s why I brought you. To face a monster, I too must be a monster.¡±
Dorugo raised her head and looked at the seven statues.
In reality, they were not statues but the petrified bodies of the Demon Lords.
¡°If only I could return to those days¡ I could do anything.¡±
Dorugo¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously as she stared at the Demon Lords'' bodies.
* * *
¡°Father?¡±
The Mercenary King asked in disbelief. Balhard nodded slowly.
- Yes, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s been a long time.
Thud.
The spear dropped from the Mercenary King¡¯s hand, and tears welled up in his eyes.
¡°Daddy!¡±
The Mercenary King ran towards Balhard, who polymorphed into a human form.
¡°Karl!¡±
¡°Daddy!¡±
The father and son embraced each other, shedding tears.
¡°Karl, you¡¯ve grown up so well. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±
Balhard wiped the Mercenary King¡¯s tears with his thumb. However, the tears continued to flow.
¡°I, I missed you so much! Ev-every day¡ I only thought about you!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s okay! Y-you couldn¡¯t help it!¡±
¡°Karl...¡±
The Mercenary King hugged his father again. Balhard held Karl tightly with a pained expression.
It was truly a heartwarming reunion between father and son.
¡°......¡±
¡°......¡±
However, Cheongyeum and the Sword Saint watched with displeased expressions.
¡°To think I¡¯d hear that lustful old man use the word ¡®daddy¡¯ with my own ears... I want to disinfect immediately.¡±
¡°I feel the same. Can someone get me some holy water? My stomach feels uneasy.¡±
The Sword Saint approached the pair with a disapproving look.
¡°Mister Karl Hopper¡¯s father?¡±
¡°Just call me Balhard.¡±
¡°Yes, Balhard. I have many questions, but first, something must be done.¡±
The Sword Saint pointed to Damien.
¡°Please hand over Damien. His injuries are severe. He needs immediate treatment.¡±
Hesitation appeared on Balhard¡¯s face. The Mercenary King then spoke.
¡°Dad, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯re on Damien Haksen¡¯s side.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll trust you. But I muste along too.¡±
The Sword Saint nodded as if to say Balhard could do as he pleased. He then took out a magicalmunication device and spoke into it.
¡°We¡¯re bringing Damien Haksen back now. Do we have His Majesty¡¯s permission?¡±
A voice came from the device''s other side.
- Yes, His Majesty has granted permission to wield the Divine Sword.
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 332
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
-----------------
Chapter 332: Father and Child (3)
***
When Damien opened his eyes, he found himself in a strange space.
¡°Where am I?¡±
Looking around, he saw a bright red pce, as red as blood.
¡°What kind of ce is this?¡±
The most peculiar thing was the size of the pce.
The ceiling was so high it resembled a cliff. It didn''t seem like a ce where humans could live.
¡°Hey, what are you looking at?¡±
An all-too-familiar voice echoed. Damien turned to face the source.
It was Vahel.
Despite having sacrificed his body, Vahel before him seemed perfectly intact.
Damien stared at Vahel before speaking.
¡°You¡¯re Vahel¡¯s residual thoughtform.¡±
Powerful beings always leave behind residual thoughts.
When Damien killed Vahel, part of his residual thoughts must have flowed into him.
Vahel¡¯s residual thought form shrugged with a hint of disappointment.
¡°Not much fun when you figure it out so quickly.¡±
¡°What kind of trick are you trying to pull as a mere leftover?¡±
Damien¡¯s voice wasced with killing intent. Vahel waved his hands defensively.
¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up. After all, I¡¯m just a remnant that can disappear at your whim.¡±
No matter how powerful Vahel¡¯s residual thought form was, it couldn¡¯t affect Damien¡¯s Grandmaster-level mind.
As he said, Damien could get rid of him at any time if he wished.
¡°And I arranged this ce for you.¡±
¡°What nonsense is that?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat first?¡±
With a snap of Vahel''s fingers, a table and chairs appeared between them.
Vahel sat down naturally. Damien, after ring at him, took a seat opposite.
¡°This could take a while. Want something to eat?¡±
Vahel snapped his fingers again. This time, food appeared on the once-empty table.
Damien frowned immediately as he saw the food.
Squirming entrails, a fish with seven eyes, and even fruits shaped like animal heads.
The mere sight of the food was enough to kill his appetite.
Unlike Damien, Vahel began eating without hesitation. Each bite elicited a horrifying scream.
¡°Not hungry?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the issue. How am I supposed to eat this?¡±
Damien tapped a te with his cutlery as he spoke. Vahel, chewing on arge eyeball, replied.
¡°''This¡¯? This is a gourmet dish from Inferno you won¡¯t find anywhere else.¡±
¡°Just say what you have to say, or I¡¯ll leave.¡±
¡°Impatient, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Vahel wiped his mouth with a napkin, quickly erasing the blood that had been around his lips.
¡°Damien, beware of Dorugo.¡±
***
A moment of silence passed between them. Damien red at Vahel and asked.
¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±
¡°When I returned suddenly during our fight at Carion, it was because I received a report that Dorugo had escaped.¡±
Vahel continued speaking quietly.
¡°I had my subordinates investigate the traces of the dimensional portal, and they said it led to the Empire. So I went to the Empire... but once I arrived, there was no sign of her.¡±
If Dorugo had gone to the Empire, there should have been traces.
But Vahel¡¯s senses didn¡¯t pick up any sign of her.
¡°She couldn¡¯t have concealed his tracks in such a short time. That means she never went to the Empire. Which raises a question: why did my subordinates conclude that Dorugo went to the Empire?¡±
As Vahel spoke, he roughly mixed the food on his te with his cutlery. The food became unrecognizable.
¡°It¡¯s strange when you think about it. How did Dorugo escape? My subordinates imed they were caught off guard, but that doesn¡¯t add up.¡±
Vahel¡¯s hands stopped. He slowly fixed his gaze on Damien.
¡°Damien, Dorugo is plotting something. You must be fully prepared to face her.¡±
Damien silently regarded Vahel before slowly speaking.
¡°It seems you¡¯re confused about a word.¡±
¡°Confused about a word?¡±
¡°You should refer to him as ¡®him¡¯ not ¡®her¡¯.¡±
Vahel tilted his head in confusion at Damien¡¯s words.
¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±
¡°We¡¯re talking about Dorugo, so why use the word ¡®her¡¯?¡±
Vahel hesitated, then asked with an incredulous expression.
¡°...You didn¡¯t know Dorugo is a woman?¡±
Damien¡¯s brows furrowed deeply.
¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Why would he be a woman?¡±
¡°She is a woman. She was Ruin¡¯s lover.¡±
¡°...She was Ruin¡¯s lover?¡±
Damien felt his mind go nk.
[TL/N- I''m not sure what the author is up to, but the Author started using ''she'' for Dorugo from the moment Damian met Milene. Milene referred to Dorugo as ''she'' in her first meeting with Damian, and Damian also referred to Dorugo as ''she'' in their conversations.]
Was that skeleton actually a woman? And Ruin¡¯s lover, no less?
¡°...You seriously didn¡¯t know until now?¡±
Vahel asked in disbelief. Damien felt a strange sense of injustice.
Dorugo¡¯s skeletal form made it hard to determine her gender. She always wore a gloomy robe and had a voice that sounded like grinding stones.
¡°...I¡¯ll think about thister.¡±
Damien decided to put aside his confusion for the moment. He needed to stay focused.
¡°Right now, Dorugo doesn''t seem like a threat to me.¡±
Currently, Damien possessed greater power than in his previous life. He didn¡¯t consider Dorugo a threat.
¡°She was originally a demon.¡±
Vahel spoke in a short, firm tone.
¡°But I can¡¯t remember what kind of demon she was. I tried to uncover her secret but found nothing. She definitely has a huge secret.¡±
Damien recalled his past life.
As a Death Knight, he had always been by Dorugo¡¯s side.
Even so, he didn¡¯t know what kind of person Dorugo was or what past she had.
¡°Moreover, Dorugo is obsessed with you. She¡¯s willing to pay any price to get you.¡±
Vahel''s voice turned eerie.
¡°A being like her will not leave you alone. She will undoubtedly do something unimaginably horrific.¡±
Vahel¡¯s body began to burn from the fingertips.
He couldn''t maintain his residual thought form any longer and started to copse.
¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±
¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s a matter of pride.¡±
Vahel said with augh.
¡°I can¡¯t stand to see the guy who killed me fall to someone like Dorugo.¡±
With those final words, Vahel¡¯s thoughtformpletely vanished.
***
Right after Vahel¡¯s thoughtform disappeared, Damien slowly opened his eyes.
¡°Over a week has passed, and why hasn¡¯t he woken up yet!¡±
The first thing Damien saw upon waking was the Emperor, angrily shouting at a mage standing in front of him.
¡°I-I don¡¯t know the reason, Your Majesty...¡±
¡°Always saying you don¡¯t know! Is that all you can say?¡±
¡°My apologies!¡±
¡°Silence! Go fetch the Heart of the Mountain and the Tears of the Sea!¡±
¡°B-But didn¡¯t we use two just yesterday? There¡¯s barely any left. Squandering such precious treasures that the Empire has only acquired in small quantities over its entire history is...¡±
¡°Does it matter that such treasures are important when the hero of the Empire has not awakened? Bring them at once if you don¡¯t want to lose your head!¡±
¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty!¡±
Damien rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He seriously wondered if he had misheard.
¡°Your Majesty?¡±
Damien cautiously called out to the Emperor. The moment he heard the voice, the Emperor hastily turned to Damien.
¡°Damien Haksen! You¡¯ve awakened!¡±
A broad smile spread across the Emperor''s face.
¡°We were so worried because you didn¡¯t wake up! Thank goodness! Truly, thank goodness!¡±
The Emperor¡¯s eyes even welled up with tears.
Damien looked at the Emperor with a sour expression. He always felt overwhelmed by this man.
¡°Where are we?¡±
¡°This is a secret part of the imperial pce. Only a select few are allowed to enter.¡±
That exined why only the Emperor and one mage were present.
Damien nced around the space. For a secret area, it was quite spacious.
Then, something caught Damien¡¯s eye.
In the center of the secret room stood a sword, stabbed into the ground.
The de was smooth, but the hilt appeared rough, seemingly carved out of any random piece of wood.
It looked like an unimpressive sword. Yet, upon seeing it, Damien felt a shiver run through him as if struck by lightning.
The Divine Sword.
The legendary weapon wielded by the Imperial Supreme Sword during the War of Destruction was right before his eyes.
Yet it made no sense. The Divine Sword was known to have mysteriously fallen from the sky at the end of the War of Destruction.
Why would such an artifact be in the imperial pce¡¯s secret chamber?
¡°...Your Majesty, what is that?¡±
At Damien¡¯s question, the Emperor looked troubled.
It was astonishing. The Emperor had never shown such an expression when dealing with Damien.
¡°I¡¯m not sure how to exin... That is the most closely guarded secret of the Empire.¡±
¡°A secret?¡±
¡°That sword was used by the First Emperor .¡±
The First Emperor.
He was a member of the Salvation Squad and aplished many feats.
However, Damien knew the truth about the First Emperor. He was a traitor who had betrayed Ruin and stolen his achievements.
¡°The First Emperor instructed that this sword must never be shown to the outside world. So, it has been stored here through the generations.¡±
¡°...Why did you bring me to such a ce?¡±
¡°This sword has the ability to nullify harmful effects.¡±
The Emperor continued his exnation.
¡°Those who battled demons may carry unknown curses on their bodies. That¡¯s why everyone who participated in the recent battle was brought here for treatment.¡±
A nullifying ability.
Damien had experienced it in his previous life. In other words, this was indeed the Divine Sword he knew.
¡°May I take a closer look?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Despite it being a treasure of the Empire, the Emperor readily granted permission.
Damien approached the Divine Sword. He reached out and stroked the hilt.
-Why are you hesitating?
In that moment, Damien could read the residual thought contained within the hilt.
-You feel like a burden? What are you talking about? You¡¯re doing great.
-Last time, we won the battle because you covered the nk.
-You will be even stronger. I guarantee it.
-Here, I made this for you. This will be your sword from now on.
Within the residual thought, Damien could hear Ruin¡¯s voice.
Damien looked at the sword with a shocked expression.
The Divine Sword was a weapon Ruin had created by splitting his own essence. It was almost like Erebos¡¯s sibling.
The next moment, the memory shown by the residual thought changed.
The smiling Ruin disappeared, reced by a blood-soaked crying Ruin.
-Why...?
-Please... Just say something.
-Why did you do this to me...?
Damien slowly withdrew his hand from the hilt. His voice trembled as he muttered.
¡°...So this is the disgrace the First Emperor tried to hide.¡±
When the Salvation Squad betrayed Ruin, the first sword to pierce his heart was this one.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 333
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 333: The Past (1)
Damien couldn''t take his eyes off the Divine Sword.
It was a sword he''d grown tired of seeing in his past life, but now that he knew the truth, it felt different.
The Ruin Damien had met in person was an unstoppable force.
Thinking that this magnificent being had been driven to death by a weapon gave Damien chills.
''Why did the Salvation Squad betray Ruin?''
Damien pondered this question.
Based on everything he''d observed about Ruin¡¯s character so far, he didn''t seem like someone who would earn such deep resentment.
Despite that, Ruin was betrayed by the Salvation Squad andpletely forgotten.
''The answer must be here.''
Damien gripped the hilt of the Divine Sword again and the memories flowed into him.
The scenery changed. Before he knew it, Damien was standing on a beach.
He could feel the salty scent of the sea and the cool ocean breeze. It was far too vivid to just be a memory.
In the distance, he saw Ruin who was drenched in blood.
Ruin¡¯s condition was dire. His entire body was covered in wounds. Multiple daggers lodged in his thigh and back.
It was a pitiful sight.
Cough.
Ruin slumped on the sand and coughed up blood. The hot, crimson liquid spilled onto the ground.
Silently, a dozen men and women looked down at Ruin.
"Ruin, I won¡¯t say I¡¯m sorry."
One of them finally spoke.
He was of average build but strikingly handsome, with bright golden hair that shone like a brilliant pumpkin.
No one had to exin it, Damien understood instantly.
That man was the First Emperor of the Empire.
"You are too great. If you remain, the people will only revere you. All the glory and power of the world will be drawn to you."
Even though he was the first to stab a knife into Ruin¡¯s back, there wasn¡¯t the slightest trace of guilt in the Emperor¡¯s voice.
"I, no, ¡®we¡¯ cannot allow that. We don¡¯t want to just stand by and watch."
Ruin didn¡¯t respond.
It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to speak but he physically couldn¡¯t. He was barely clinging to life.
Instead, Ruin¡¯s eyes moved and scanned the members of the Salvation Squad.
None of them could meet Ruin¡¯s gaze. They all avoided eye contact.
Only the First Emperor held his gaze. He faced Ruin boldly and without hesitation.
"If you want to resent us, then do so. I will ept any reproach or insult."
The First Emperor raised the Divine Sword. Its de glowed in piercing blue light.
The Emperor didn¡¯t strike immediately. He stood still and looked down at Ruin.
Their gazes met. Damien who was standing beside the Emperor, also looked into Ruin¡¯s eyes.
He was stunned by what he saw.
There was no resentment or anger in Ruin¡¯s eyes. Only a profound sadness.
Ruin seemed to pity the one trying to kill him.
Damien couldn¡¯t understand it. Neither could the Emperor.
- What is that look in your eyes?
The Emperor¡¯s voice grew slightly louder and his previously emotionless tone now trembling.
- Do you not understand your situation? I betrayed you! I¡¯m the one who brought these people here! I¡¯m the one who ruined everything for you!
The First Emperor shouted with a face filled with frustration. By his tone, it almost sounded like their roles were reversed.
- You were always like this! Acting like you were some god! Always so noble! So pure! That¡¯s how you behaved!
The Emperor grabbed Ruin by the cor, snarling at him from just inches away.
- Say it! Say you hate me! Say you want to kill me!
But Ruin only looked at him with bitter and sorrowful eyes.
In the end, it was the Emperor who broke first. He let out a beastly roar and swung the Divine Sword.
With a chilling sound, blood sprayed. Ruin¡¯s head fell to the ground.
Even after killing him, the Emperor¡¯s rage didn¡¯t subside. He screamed at Ruin¡¯s lifeless body.
It took a long time before the Emperor finally quieted down. He was exhausted and copsed to the ground.
- "delheit, well done.
One of the members of the Salvation Squad spoke up. It was Bartholomeo, the First Holy Emperor.
- Now, even that weapon has lost its master.
The First Holy Emperor picked up the weapon Ruin had been holding.
¡®That¡¯s...¡¯
Damien¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the weapon.
Its color was different, but he recognized it. It was Erebos.
As Bartholomeo lifted Erebos, all eyes turned toward him.
Everyone wore a greedy expression.
- Adelheit, as promised, we will take care of Ruin¡¯s belongings. You don¡¯t have any objections, right?
- ¡Do as you please.
The First Emperor¡¯s voice was weak. Bartholomeo smiled with satisfaction.
- Then, we should first decide who will im Erebos. This weapon¡
Suddenly, Erebos let out a heaven-shaking roar. It was as if tens of thousands of souls were wailing in unison.
Even the members of the Salvation Squad couldn¡¯t withstand the terrible sound. They all covered their ears in pain.
During that moment, the surface of Erebos began to crack. The fractures spread across the de and the hilt.
Then, Erebos exploded and shards scattered in every direction.
- W-What?
- Erebos is disappearing!
The members of the Salvation Squad scrambled to grab the pieces. Only a few shards ended up in their hands.
But most of the fragments flew far away. The members could only watch in shock as they scattered.
In the midst of chaos, no one noticed.
No one, except for Damien, who saw some of the shards being absorbed into the Divine Sword.
Damien watched as the Divine Sword absorbed Erebos.
¡®So that¡¯s why, in my previous life, Dorugo was never able toplete Erebos.¡¯
In his past life, Dorugo had scoured the entire continent but had never managed to gather all the pieces of Erebos.
One of the reasons this had gone unnoticed was because the Divine Sword had absorbed some of the shattered fragments of Erebos.
It made sense that no one would realize this.
¡®To think that they had been hidden within the Divine Sword all along.¡¯
In his previous life, Damien had defeated the Imperial Supreme Sword and imed the Divine Sword.
But at the time, nothing had happened.
That¡¯s why neither Damien nor Dorugo ever suspected that fragments of Erebos were concealed within the Divine Sword.
¡®It must be because the Divine Sword¡¯s energypletely masked the presence of Erebos¡¯s shards.¡¯
Just as he reached this conclusion, the First Holy Emperor suddenly shouted in a panicked voice.
- Erebos¡ it¡¯s been destroyed¡? This can¡¯t be¡ how could this happen¡?"
The First Holy Emperor trembled as he stared at his now empty hands.
- R-Ruin¡¯s curse¡ It must be Ruin¡¯s hatred that affected Erebos¡!
His fear quickly spread to the rest of the members of the Salvation Squad.
They looked down at the pieces of Erebos they had managed to grab causing terror etched on their faces.
- R-Ruin must have destroyed Erebos¡ as part of a n to exact revenge on us¡ We have to find the pieces¡ find them all and destroy thempletely!
The members of the Salvation Squad all agreed with the First Holy Emperor¡¯s frantic words.
It was a pathetic sight. Truely unbefitting their lofty reputation.
¡®Fools.¡¯
Damien clicked his tongue as he watched them.
The reason Erebos was destroyed was because of Ruin¡¯s death.
Erebos was a weapon deeply and intimately connected to Ruin.
Naturally, it would have been devastated by the death of its master.
¡®They betrayed Ruin, yet it seems they couldn¡¯tpletely kill their fear of him.¡¯
The members of the Salvation Squad had witnessed Ruin¡¯s feats firsthand.
Because of that, their fear of Ruin must have been immense.
¡®In a way, the Emperor is impressive too. Leading these terrified people to betray Ruin¡ that takes nerve.¡¯
Damien turned his gaze toward the First Emperor.
The Emperor was oblivious to themotion around him and continued staring at Ruin¡¯s lifeless body.
His face looked strangely sorrowful.
Just as Damien was about to observe the Emperor more closely, everything froze.
At the same time, everything in his sight began to blur.
¡®It¡¯s time to return.¡¯
A sensation of floating, like being suspended in the air, swept over him.
At that moment, Damien was pulled back into reality.
¡°Damien, are you alright?¡±
As he returned to reality, he was met by the concerned face of the current Emperor.
Damien stared at the Emperor¡¯s face.
It was the spitting image of the First Emperor¡¯s face, which he had seen through the memory.
¡°You suddenly went quiet. You startled me.¡±
¡°I was just gathering my thoughts for a moment.¡±
Damien replied and lowered his gaze back to the Divine Sword.
Fragments of Erebos were hidden inside the Divine Sword. There was a possibility he could fully restore Erebos.
¡°Come forth, Erebos.¡±
Damien summoned Erebos from the mark on his wrist. He brought it close to the Divine Sword.
As expected, there was no immediate reaction. But it wasn¡¯t time to give up yet.
¡®I need to draw out the fragments sleeping within the Divine Sword.¡¯
Damien had grown stronger than he had been as a Death Knight.
His both physical and spiritual senses were far sharper than they had been in his previous life.
Because of this, he could detect the energy of the fragments absorbed by the Divine Sword.
Damien infused the Divine Sword with his mana and pulled the fragments out. Darkness began to flow from the Divine Sword.
The darkness moved as if seeking its rightful ce and flowed into Erebos. Soon, the broken parts of Erebos began to mend.
A new metal surface emerged at the tip of the de where it had snapped. The metal wove together and formed aplete de.
Damien looked at Erebos with deep satisfaction.
Erebos had remained broken since Damien''s previous life now finally returned to itsplete form.
¡°...Ha.¡±
Laughter involuntarily escaped his lips.
Damien hold the hilt of Erebos. He could feel the terrifying power sleeping within the weapon.
In truth, Erebos had been nearpletion already.
The fragment it absorbed from the Divine Sword wasn¡¯t particrlyrge.
However, that small difference brought about an enormous change.
Thepleted Erebos held a power iparable to its previous state.
Now Damien fully understood why the members of the Salvation Squad had coveted Erebos so much.
For the first time in a long while, Damien felt a childlike excitement bubbling up inside him.
He was eager to wield the fully restored Erebos.
¡°Damien, what was that just now...?¡±
The Emperor couldn¡¯t help but ask Damien. Damien responded with a brief nod.
¡°I extracted a fragment that had been dormant within the Divine Sword and used it toplete my weapon. It has not harmed the Divine Sword in any way, so I hope you can overlook it.¡±
¡°What an odd thing to say. How could I ever be angry with you?¡±
The Emperor spoke with a firm voice.
¡°If you needed it, I¡¯d give you half of the Empire!¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s quite generous.¡±
Damien replied with a slightly awkward expression.
While he was relieved that the Emperor was letting it go, the response was a bit... excessive.
¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking? I¡¯ll prove how serious I am at once... Wait, what¡¯s happening over there?¡±
The Emperor pointed behind Damien. Damien turned around to look.
Divine Sword was floating in the air.
Despite Damien not using his ability tomand it, the Divine Sword hovered in midair. Not only that, it was circling around him.
¡°What the...? Why is it doing that?¡±
Damien was baffled by the situation. The Emperor cautiously spoke up.
¡°It seems... it has taken a liking to you.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
Damien looked at the Divine Sword in disbelief.
Suddenly, the Divine Sword halted abruptly in midair and began shaking its hilt wildly, almost as if it was nodding.
For Damien, this was a rather awkward predicament.
It was certainly a wee thing for a powerful weapon like the Divine Sword to acknowledge him as its master.
However, the Divine Sword was the weapon of the First Emperor ¡ªa treasured artifact of the Empire.
For such a weapon to choose Damien, who wasn¡¯t even a citizen of the Empire but a knight from anothernd?
That could easily offend the Emperor.
¡°Well, that¡¯s fortunate. Take it with you.¡±
But the Emperor¡¯s reaction was the exact opposite of what Damien had expected.
¡°...What? Take it with me?¡±
¡°They say a legendary sword chooses its master. Since the Divine Sword has chosen you, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it the Empire¡¯s treasure?¡±
¡°Indeed. But if it¡¯s rted to you, I don¡¯t mind one bit.¡±
Damien carefully studied the Emperor''s expression. He wondered if he was perhaps being tested.
To his surprise, the Emperor''s gaze and face showed nothing but sincerity.
"Um... so I just take it?"
The Emperor nodded firmly. Damien was somewhat skeptical but he decided to take the Divine Sword.
"I¡¯d love to give you a break, but I¡¯m afraid I need your help."
"Is it Pandemonium causing trouble again?"
Damien asked sharply.
Though he had dealt with Vahel, Dorugo was still on the loose.
For all Damien knew, Dorugo might have been plotting something while he was unconscious.
"It¡¯s not that but I do need your opinion on something."
"And what might that be?"
Damien asked curiously. The emperor gestured for him to follow.
"First,e with me."
Without knowing what was going on, Damien followed the Emperor. They headed towards the prison within the pce.
¡®Quite well-guarded.¡¯
Upon reaching the prison, Damien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.
From the entrance, a series of barriers blocked all forms of magic, dark magic, and divine power. The entire interior was constructed from rare metals.
In addition, numerous enchantments were in ce to prevent escape.
As Damien observed the formidable defenses, they walked deeper into the prison.
Eventually, instead of iron bars, they arrived at arge ss window.
But it wasn¡¯t ordinary ss¡ªit was also made of rare metal.
"This is why I called for you."
Emperor pointed at the ss.
Beyond the window was a deep pit-like space. At the very bottom, a woman was shackled in chains.
She had a slender frame.
Her beauty was such that even the phrase ¡®country toppling beauty¡¯ seemed fitting.
The moment Damien saw her face, his eyes widened slightly.
Theta.
One of the Four Great Demon Kings created by Dorugo.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 334
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 334: The Past (2)
"Why is that here?"
Damien turned to look at the Emperor.
Currently, not only Dorugo but all Four Great Demon Kings were missing.
In such a situation, finding only Theta captured waspletely unexpected.
"I think I should exin that."
A familiar voice came from somewhere.
Damien turned his head.
The Sword Saint was walking out from an entrance to another room.
"Sword Saint, you were here."
"I heard she''s an extremely dangerous one. Eos asked me to take on the watchman role, that¡¯s why..!"
Slurp!
The Sword Saint spoke while holding up a steaming cup of tea.
"I heard from Eos. There was someone called Dorugo behind Pandemonium, right? This woman is an undead created by that Dorugo."
The Sword Saint took a sip of his hot tea as he spoke.
"That''s correct. But how did you manage to capture her?"
"It''s a bit of a long story... After you copsed, I checked Vahel''s corpse. That''s when I discovered a nice thing."
"A nice thing?"
"ording to the mages who examined it, it''s an item that creates an artificial dimension. I believe they called it ''Phantasmal Realm.''"
Damien recalled the dimensional gate from which demons had poured out at Mount Carion.
He had wondered where all those demons had been hiding. It seemed this Phantasmal Realm was the answer.
"When we entered Phantasmal Realm, we found a ruined castle. We discovered her while searching the ce."
"Was that when the battle took ce?"
Theta''s body was currently covered in wounds, suggesting an intense fight.
But the Sword Saint shook his head.
"She was already injured when we found her. Her wounds were so severe that we even had to treat her."
"Why was she injured?"
"I''m not sure of the details. She''s been keeping her mouth shut."
Damien examined Theta.
He suspected the wounds might have been from when she helped Dorugo escape. The demons wouldn''t have let Dorugo go easily.
Just then, Theta raised her head and looked at Damien. Damien whispered to the Sword Saint:
"I think she''s looking this way."
"Huh? That''s impossible. This isn''t ss, it''s rare metal. She can''t see inside from the out-"
-Damien, you''re there, aren''t you?
The Sword Saint couldn''t help but be startled when Theta urately addressed Damien.
"What? How did she guess that?"
-I have good hearing. I''ve been listening to your conversation.
The Sword Saint frowned in disbelief.
"She''s probably telling the truth."
"That''s impossible. There''s no way she could hear our conversation from in there."
"Considering her abilities, it''s entirely possible."
Theta was an undead who utilized sound.
In Alfheim, she had even detected Damien''s disguise by the sound of his heartbeat.
-Damien, I want to speak with you directly.
At those words, Damien and the Sword Saint looked at each other.
"What do you think?"
"For now, I n to grant her wish. She might know Dorugo''s location."
"Just in case, I''ll apany you."
Damien and the Sword Saint opened the door and descended to the bottom of the prison.
-Ah, to think I''d see you again...
A smile spread across Theta''s face as soon as she saw Damien''s face.
"Where is Dorugo?"
In contrast, Damien only questioned Theta with a cold expression.
"As expected, you ask that first."
"Just answer."
"I''m sorry. I don''t know anything."
Damien''s eyes turned fierce. Then Theta spoke as if to soothe Damien.
"It''s not that I won''t answer, it''s that I can''t. I really don''t know where Mother went."
"Do you think that makes sense?"
"I was tasked with being the decoy for Mother''s escape."
Despite Damien''s criticism, Theta spoke in a calm voice.
"Demons have the ability to search souls and scrape out memories. So what good would it do for me to know Mother''s destination?"
Damien had to ept Theta''s exnation.
Considering the demons'' cruelty, they would have done anything to make Theta talk.
"If you don''t know anything, there''s no need to keep you alive."
"Then I''d like you to kill me yourself. I''ll consider it a lifelong honor."
Damien looked down at Theta with a disgusted face.
He had felt it since theirst encounter, but she was a very ufortable person.
"I think it''s better to keep her alive for now."
At that moment, the Sword Saint, who had been watching the two, suggested to Damien.
"She says she doesn''t know anything, but this undead is the only clue rted to Dorugo. I think it''s better to keep her alive."
Damien nodded.
From the beginning, Damien didn''t really intend to kill her. He was just trying to pressure Theta once more, just in case.
"You''d better stay quiet."
After warning Theta, Damien tried to leave with the Sword Saint.
"Damien, you don''t know how long I''ve waited for the day I could speak with you."
Theta''s voice was heard from behind.
At first, Damien tried to ignore Theta''s words. But he couldn''t help but pause at what he heard next.
"You were my idol. I can still see it clearly when I close my eyes. Your overwhelming figure ughtering enemies."
Damien turned to look at Theta.
He thought she might be trying to provoke him, but she wasn''t. Theta was looking at him with pure eyes.
"On the battlefield, you were an absolute being. All who challenged you lost their lives. Even renowned knights couldn''t survive."
"Stop."
Damien could not bear it anymore and tried to stop her but Theta didn''t stop.
"Wherever you passed, there were only corpses. You didn''t leave a single enemy alive."
"I told you to stop."
Damien''s voice rose. But Theta didn''tply.
"Do you remember? There was a time when the Empire''s knights united to stop you. You massacred all those foolish ones."
The memories he had barely buried came back to life.
The rushing knights, the feeling of cutting them down, the scent of blood that invaded his nostrils with every breath.
"And you attacked the castle they were trying to protect. Foolishly, the humans inside chose to resist rather than flee."
The castle gate that crumbled like a porcin bowl with one kick from Damien.
The humans visible beyond it. Wooden spears carved from trees and eyes full of fear.
"Everyone in the castle took up arms, saying they would avenge the dead knights. You trampled them all."
There was no need to even draw his sword. Stomping and punching was enough.
Dozens of humans instantly turned into pieces of meat.
"There were women and children among them. You didn''t spare them either. You exacted punishment for resisting Mother."
The children screamed and ran away.
Damien hunted down each of those children and ended their lives.
Because that was the order.
Because it was Dorugo''s will that not a single one should be left alive.
So that everyone would tremble in fear at the name Damien Haksen.
"Damien."
A gentle voice was heard. Damien broke free from the nightmare of the past and red at Theta.
"You were my idol."
The moment he heard those words, something snapped in his mind. Before he could make a judgment, his body moved first.
When he came to his senses, he was already holding Erebos.
"Damien...!"
The Sword Saint cried out urgently. But Damien didn''t stop.
A sh full of anger beheaded Theta.
***
"Oh, my back."
In the ruined capital.
A soldier moving debris from buildings sat down on a shattered wall.
A nearbyrade chided him with a disapproving face.
"Hey, don''t ck off. Keep moving."
"Let''s rest a bit. My back''s been acting uptely."
The soldier said, patting his back with his fist. Therade clicked his tongue and moved elsewhere.
With the nuisance gone, the soldier could rest easy.
"When will we ever clean all this up?"
The soldier muttered, looking around at the ruins.
A few days ago, demons opened a dimensional gate and invaded the capital.
The city that boasted a thousand years of history was destroyed overnight. Many people died.
"It''ll take more than a generation to clean this up and rebuild."
The fortunate thing was that the Empire wouldn''t fall just from this.
The power that the Empire had built up over more than a thousand years was truly formidable.
"Should I get moving again?"
Just as the soldier was about to get up, suddenly the air split open and two men walked out of the gap.
The soldier stared at the two with a dumbfounded expression.
"It''spletely demolished."
"Damien Haksen and a Duke ss demon shed. It''s a stroke of luck that the damage ended at this level."
The two men began to converse while looking around the ruins.
"Iota, ording to Mother, Theta is imprisoned underground. You''ll have to find the exact location yourself."
"Can''t we switch roles? I want to kill that bastard Damien Haksen with my own hands."
"Don''t be stubborn. We didn''te here today to kill Damien."
The soldier stared at the two with a nk expression.
He couldn''t properly understand what they were talking about. But there was one thing he could understand.
"A-ambush!"
The soldier turned and ran away. He shouted loudly so everyone could hear.
"Enemies have appeared! It''s an ambush! An ambush!"
Epsilon just watched the soldier silently. Iota asked with a puzzled face.
"We don''t have to kill him?"
"Why bother killing such a small fry? And it doesn''t matter if our arrival bes known."
"That''s true."
Iota stretched his arms high towards the sky.
"But it''s a bit annoying. What ambush? Have you ever seen such a brazen ambush?"
"Stop the nonsense and find Theta."
"Alright."
Wings sprouted from Iota''s back. He pped them and soared high into the sky.
"I should get to my task as well."
ck energy billowed out from Epsilon''s body.
Though it looked simr to dark magic on the surface, it was apletely different power. It was the true power that was said to be wielded only by demons.
Epsilon opened his palm. A symbol appeared on it. It was identical to the one on Damien''s hand.
Gluttony.
The authority to absorb everything.
All the debris of buildings scattered on the ground was sucked into Epsilon''s palm. The ruins instantly turned into a barren field.
Epsilon turned his gaze towards the imperial pce.
Unlike thepletely destroyed capital, the imperial pce maintained its form.
Epsilon held out his palm towards the pce. All the absorbed debris was released at once.
The released debris struck the imperial pce.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 335
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 335: The Demon Lord (1)
***
"Damien, calm down!"
Just before Erebos could behead Theta, the Sword Saint grabbed Damien''s arm.
Thanks to the Sword Saint using all his strength to stop him, Erebos didn''t reach Theta''s neck.
Damien then exerted force on the restrained arm.
The Sword Saint''s body began to be pushed back little by little. As this happened, the distance between the de and Theta grew closer.
He couldn''t stop it with his own strength. Realizing this fact, the Sword Saint shouted urgently.
"If you kill this undead, we''ll lose our only clue to finding Dorugo! Is that really what you want?"
The moment he heard those words, the strength left Damien''s arm. Damien pulled back his sword while cursing.
Damien copsed to the floor. He covered his face with both hands and took deep breaths.
"Are you not going to kill me?"
Theta spoke to Damien in this state. Damien gritted his teeth and shouted.
"Shut your mouth and stop talking nonsense."
Theta obediently closed her mouth. Damien stood up and growled again.
"I''m warning you. Never mention my past life again."
After saying this, Damien came out of the prison. The Sword Saint hurriedly followed behind Damien.
"Are you alright?"
"I''m fine. I''m sorry for causing you concern."
Contrary to his words, Damien''splexion was pale. The Sword Saint observed Damien''s expression and asked.
"By the way, what did you mean by past life just now..."
That''s when it happened.
Suddenly, the entire prison began to shake. Damien and the Sword Saint looked around with surprised faces.
"This is..."
It wasn''t a natural earthquake. It was due to an external impact.
Something ominous was happening to cause an impact that could affect the depths of the imperial pce.
"Reporting!"
As if on cue, the prison door flew open and a knight entered. The knight shouted towards the two.
"Unknown enemies are attacking the imperial pce!"
The debris released by Epsilon struck the imperial pce. It was like a tsunami made of garbage rushing in.
First, the protective barrier surrounding the imperial pce blocked the debris. But it was instantly shattered by the overwhelming mass of the debris.
Next, the castle walls crumbled. Soon after, the debris tried to demolish the imperial pce.
Just before that, a light shed. The released aurade annihted all the debris.
"Oh?"
Epsilon looked at the knight who had blocked the debris with a short exmation of admiration.
The Imperial Supreme Sword.
The Grandmaster of the Empire was blocking Epsilon''s path.
"This isn''t an unfamiliar face."
The Imperial Supreme Sword asked as he sheathed the sword he had swung.
"You seem to be one of the undead created by Dorugo... but something''s odd?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword tilted his head to one side. It was a reaction that seemed quite uncertain.
"I''m not interested in you. Hand over Damien Haksen."
"What nonsense. Why should I listen to you?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword drew his sword again. A chilling killing intent was conveyed to Epsilon.
"If you want to meet Damien Haksen, you''ll have to deal with me first."
"Hmm, I don''t have a hobby of bullying the weak... but I guess I have no choice."
Epsilon drew out his true power. Soon after, his body began to change.
His entire body started turning silver. Then it became muscr.
"......"
The Imperial Supreme Sword couldn''t help but be surprised at this sight.
Epsilon''s true form that he had seen in Alfheim was a giant made of metal and rock.
But now it was different. Although his size increased, it wasn''t enough to call him a giant.
The biggest change was the presence felt from Epsilon.
From the moment his body turned silver, an overwhelming pressure could be felt.
The Imperial Supreme Sword swallowed hard.
It felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on his body.
It wasn''t this intense even when he faced Vahel.
At that moment, Epsilon''s body disappeared. And before he could realize this fact, Epsilon appeared in front of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
The Imperial Supreme Sword felt a chill run down his spine.
"I can''t waste time on the likes of you."
Epsilon swung his fist towards the Imperial Supreme Sword.
Although he recognized the iing attack, he couldn''t avoid it. It was too fast.
An intense premonition of death enveloped the Imperial Supreme Sword. His life shed before his eyes.
Just before the fist made contact, the Imperial Supreme Sword''s body vanished. Epsilon''s fist hit the ground instead of the Imperial Supreme Sword.
With a loud boom, the ground shattered. Epsilon pulled his fist out of the ground and turned his gaze.
He saw the Imperial Supreme Sword and a young man standing a short distance away.
"Finally, we meet."
Epsilon spoke to the young man with formality.
"Lord Damien, it''s been a long time."
Epsilon bowed to Damien.
***
"Don''t imitate humans, you mere undead."
Damien spoke as if disgusted. Nevertheless, Epsilon showed no sign of disappointment.
"I apologize if I offended you."
"Attacking the Empire while I''m here. What a daring act."
"It was unavoidable to meet you, Lord Damien."
Damien observed Epsilon for a moment.
Unlike when he saw him in Alfheim, Epsilon was now wielding demonic energy instead of dark mana.
Not only that. He was exuding an ominousness no less than, perhaps even greater than Vahel''s.
"You''vepletely changed."
"Thanks to Mother''s grace, I was able to obtain new power."
Damien looked more closely at the demonic energy Epsilon was emitting.
He had definitely felt it somewhere before. As Damien searched his memory, he asked casually:
"Don''t tell me... you absorbed the body of a Demon Lord?"
Epsilon''s eyes widened slightly.
"As expected, your insight is remarkable. As you said, Lord Damien, I absorbed a Demon Lord. It was all thanks to Mother''s grace."
Demon Lord.
Transcendent beings said to have ruled the continent in ancient times.
Despite this legend standing before his eyes, Damien focused on a different fact.
"Then... that means Dorugo is now at Mount Carion."
At that moment, the atmosphere around them changed.
The overwhelming pressure Epsilon had been emitting suddenly vanished. The temperature plummeted as if winter had arrived in an instant.
Epsilon''s eyes trembled slightly.
"...Truly impressive. You''re not overwhelmed by me, even though I''ve absorbed the Demon Lord."
"Just answer the question. I asked if Dorugo is there."
"Yes, Mother is there."
At that moment, Damien''s killing intent intensified. Cold sweat trickled down Epsilon''s forehead.
"Lord Damien, I''m sorry to say this, but you won''t be able to reach Mother."
"Are you thinking of trying to stop me?"
Epsilon spread his palms. Iron filings gathered in the air and formed arge two-handed axe.
Damien let out augh at Epsilon''s response.
Damien opened a subspace and drew out Dawn. As if happy to be out after a long time, Dawn trembled slightly.
"Don''t worry. I was nning to kill you first anyway..."
In that instant, Epsilon moved.
His body seemed to vanish, and suddenly he appeared right in front of Damien.
Epsilon swung the axe with both hands. The axe tore through the air, bearing down on Damien.
"...!"
Damien could only be shocked at the speed that surpassed his expectations.
He blocked the axe with Dawn. His body was pushed back, carving two long furrows in the ground.
Damien looked at Epsilon with a surprised face. Epsilon spoke with aposed expression:
"I''ve absorbed all the demonic energy and authority of the Demon Lord. Even you will find it difficult to deal with me."
At those words, Damien''s lips twisted.
"You''re talking nonsense."
Damien struck the ground again. Epsilon likewise charged forward.
The axe and Dawn collided in mid-air. Both weapons were simultaneously thrown back.
Damien and Epsilon quickly regained control of their weapons. Then they swung again, aiming for each other''s vital points.
The speed was so fast that the weapons seemed to disappear. Instead, sparks flew incessantly in the air.
While exchanging blows, Damien recalled what the Emperor had told him.
Just before he rushed out upon hearing the report of the Imperial Pce being attacked, the Emperor had held Damien back and said:
"What I''m about to say is not to boast.
We poured countless treasures of the Imperial Pce into healing you.
Your body has be much stronger than before. It should be able to handle your techniques sufficiently."
In the battle with Vahel, Damien had simultaneously used the Nameless mana art and the Five Wheel Harmonious Art. It devastated his body to a miserable state.
The Emperor must have known this fact and advised Damien ordingly.
But there was one thing the Emperor didn''t know.
In the battle with Vahel, Damien gained many things. Using these, he created a new mana cultivation technique.
If others heard this, they might say he was crazy.
Creating a new mana cultivation method in such a short time was impossible.
Even if he had created one, its stability hadn''t been confirmed. Using it would be suicidal.
But Damien could do it. He had that kind of ability.
"Huu."
Taking a breath, he simultaneously utilized mana and dark mana. He also mixed in the divine power absorbed through Dawn.
Soulflower of tranquility.
An enormous power welled up. His body cried out in pain, but Damien ignored it and murmured:
"First Flower."
A haze enveloped Damien''s entire body.
The haze was initially colorless but quickly turned pink at the ends and scattered. It was as if flower petals were being sprinkled.
Damien stomped the ground. His body vanished like an illusion.
"...What?"
A look of bewilderment appeared on Epsilon''s face. The next moment, flower petals scattered before his eyes.
For a split second, Epsilon''s gaze was drawn to the flower petals.
Cutting through the petals, a sh attack came crashing in. Epsilon''s body was split in half.
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 336
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 336: The Demon Lord (2)
***
The body was shed.
A diagonal cut ran from the left shoulder de to the right hip. Hot blood spurted out as if cheering.
Epsilon stared in shock at the blood scattering through the air.
He didn''t even see Damien approach, let alone swing his sword.
In fact, he only realized he''d been cut after the wound was already inflicted.
There was no time to tend to the injury. Damien was preparing for a second strike.
"Kuk!"
Epsilon hastily swung his axe towards Damien.
The horizontally swung axe aimed to chop at Damien''s neck.
Just before being hit by the axe, Damien''s afterimage stretched out and brushed past Epsilon''s side.
Immediately after, blood burst forth. A deep gash had suddenly appeared on his nk.
"Urgh!"
Epsilon groaned and chased after Damien. But Damien had already vanished.
Epsilon couldn''t help but be astonished.
Currently, Epsilon has not only obtained the Demon Lord''s powers but also his physical body.
Of course, he hadn''t gained the power of the Demon Lord in his prime. He had only absorbed the corpse, after all.
Even so, the Demon Lord was still the Demon Lord.
Long ago, the Demon Lord hadmanded Duke ss demons as his subordinates and was an absolute being without equal.
Despite obtaining the body of such a transcendent being, Epsilon was being overwhelmed by Damien.
"Indeed...!"
This was no easy opponent. He would have to go all out. Epsilon drew out all the power he had been hiding.
Demonic energy coursed through his blood vessels, spreading throughout his body. Immense power welled up. He could feel all his senses being honed to razor sharpness.
Thanks to his heightened senses, more information flooded in. He could distinctly feel the air touching his skin and even the vibrations of sound.
Side.
Epsilon turned his head. He saw Damien charging towards him.
Damien swung his sword at Epsilon. The horizontal sh was clearly visible.
Epsilon''s limbs tensed. Demonic energy spread throughout his body and exploded.
Epsilon swung his axe down at Damien. The elerated axe deflected Damien''s sh.
Damien swung his sword again. This time too, Epsilon parried the sh with his axe.
"I''ve caught up!"
Epsilon rejoiced greatly as he raised his axe high.
This time, he would split the head open for sure.
Epsilon drew out even more Demonic energy. The muscles in his arms and legs withered.
He poured all that power into swinging down the axe.
The overwhelming force pushed away all the surrounding air. A strong gust blew away nearby objects.
The axe, falling like lightning, was about to crush Damien''s head.
At that moment, Damien muttered briefly.
"Two Flowers."
The heat haze enveloping Damien''s body grew even thicker.
The next moment, one of Epsilon''s arms vanished.
It had been severed from the left shoulder. The severed left arm was flying high into the sky along with the axe.
"...?"
At first, Epsilon couldn''t grasp the situation.
It took him a while to realize that Damien had cut off his arm at a speed far beyond what he could perceive.
"This... this is impossible..."
Epsilon stared at Damien with an incredulous expression.
Damien had already retrieved his swung sword and was poised in a stance.
He lowered his sword, bending at the waist. His heel was raised as if ready to spring forward at any moment.
An ominous premonition struck Epsilon''s mind. Sure enough, that premonition became reality.
Once again, Damien''s body disappeared. Immediately after, shes rained down from all directions.
Parts of his body were being cut off. His body shook violently like a reed in a storm. Blood sttered incessantly on the ground.
Even amidst the pain, Epsilon desperately tried to capture Damien''s movements.
But all Epsilon could see was a heat haze resembling flower petals.
He couldn''t even keep up with the afterimages. As time passed, the wounds on his body only increased.
If this continues, he''ll die.
The fear of death began to rise from the tips of his toes. Epsilon instinctively used the Authority of Gluttony.
As Epsilon spread out his remaining right arm, the symbol of Gluttony appeared on his palm. The symbol began to suck in the surrounding air.
The suction was so powerful that even clouds in the sky were being drawn in.
As soon as he judged that he had absorbed enough air, Epsilon released it again.
At that moment, a deafening explosion erupted.
As the air was expelled, it blew away everything in the vicinity. A huge crater formed as if a meteor had fallen.
"Huff, huff."
Epsilon breathed heavily. It was because he had consumed a lot of energy by hastily invoking Authority.
However, Epsilon couldn''t rest easy. He looked around, searching for Damien.
Then he saw Damien standing unscathed in the distance.
"...How did you dodge that?"
He couldn''t help but ask.
It had taken an extremely short time to absorb the air and explode it. There shouldn''t have been enough time to dodge.
"I just put some distance between us and then came back."
As Damien spoke as if it were nothing, Epsilon couldn''t help but let out a bitterugh.
"More importantly, how are you able to use the Authority of Gluttony?"
Damien asked in an unpleasant tone.
It was an understandable situation. Originally, the Authority of Gluttony belonged to Damien.
"Didn''t I tell you? I''ve absorbed all the Authority and abilities of this Demon Lord."
"Don''t spout nonsense. I possess all Demon Lords'' authorities."
"The authorities Mother imnted in you are only in fractions. Most of them remained in the Demon Lords'' corpses."
Epsilon had inherited more part of authority than Damien.
When it came to abilities, Epsilon was far superior to Damien.
This applied to both the output of the authority and their versatility.
"So it''s best not to expect that you can do everything I show you."
"You''re talking pretty big for someone who''s about to die."
Damien spoke mockingly.
Right now, Epsilon was in tatters. Not only was his entire body shed up, but he had also lost an arm.
"I can heal injuries of this level quickly."
Epsilon ced his remaining arm on the ground. He once again manifested the Authority of Gluttony and began to absorb the soil.
Suddenly, the ground level lowered.
It wasn''t an illusion. The entire field where the capital stood was gradually sinking.
Soon after, Epsilon''s body began to regenerate instantly, and even his severed arm grew back quickly. In the blink of an eye, he returned to his unscathed state.
Watching this scene, Damien spoke with interest.
"So you can use not only the Demon Lord''s authority but also your original abilities?"
Originally, Epsilon was created using the corpse of a giant that had gone extinct long ago.
That giant had the ability to freely manipte minerals.
Just now, Epsilon had absorbed arge amount of soil, converted it into metal, and used it to repair his body.
"As long as there''s earth, I''m practically immortal."
Epsilon said with a voice full of confidence. It was an attempt to put even a little pressure on Damien.
"Oh really? Then this time I''ll cut off your head in one stroke. So you won''t be able to regenerate."
But Damien wasn''t intimidated by this fact at all. Instead, he revealed an even more intense killing intent.
"..."
Instead, it was Epsilon who felt intimidated.
Even after absorbing the Demon Lord¡¯s corpse, he wasn''t confident he could win against Damien.
Suddenly, he remembered his mother''s advice:
- Try to avoidbat if possible. Your goal is to rescue Theta, nothing more.
Dorugo had earnestly urged Epsilon and Iota to avoid engagement.
"That monster gets stronger with each battle. If we don''t finish him off for sure, we''ll be the ones dying next time."
Mother was right.
Damien wasn''t someone to be trifled with. They should only fight him when fully prepared and certain of a killing blow.
"Thinking of other things right in front of me. You''ve got some nerve."
Damien''s killing intent grew even sharper. Epsilon felt chills run down his spine.
"Kahahahaha! I''ve detected it! I''ve found it!"
At that moment.
Iota''sughter erupted from the sky above.
Simultaneously, Iota fell from the sky. He dove towards the imperial pce.
With a thunderous sound, the pce was smashed to pieces. The sound of the groundyers shattering followed in session.
Soon after, Iota shot high into the sky again. In Iota''s arms was Theta.
"Epsilon! I''ve rescued Theta!"
Iota shouted with an excited voice.
"Shall we go back now? But isn''t that too much of a waste?"
Iota looked down at Damien from the sky. Damien red back at Iota.
"Let''s just capture Damien right here! That would solve mother''s worries too!"
Epsilon''s heart stirred slightly at those words.
He hadn''t revealed all his cards yet. If Iota joined in, they might have a chance.
Just as Epsilon was calcting in his mind...
"So there was indeed one more."
Damien muttered in a low voice. Hearing this, Epsilon felt a chill.
Epsilon had spread his demonic energy all around to hide Iota''s presence.
However, Damien had already noticed Iota''s existence.
The fact that he still engaged in battle with Epsilon meant he was confident he could win against both of them.
"...Iota! Retreat right now!"
Epsilon pulled out a fist-sized crystal from his pocket.
He threw the crystal to the ground with all his might. As the crystal shattered, a purple beam of light shot high into the sky.
Soon after, the sky began to distort.
The distortion quickly turned into a vortex. The center of the vortex turned ck.
Someone walked out from within it.
The person waspletely covered in a robe, making it impossible to identify. Even hands were hidden by long sleeves.
Darkness pooled inside the robe. Within that darkness, two glowing eyes burned.
As soon as he saw the mysterious figure, Damien''s lips twisted.
"This saves me the trouble of having to go look for you."
Damien muttered with a sneer.
"Dorugo, it''s disgustingly good to see you again."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 337
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
***
Chapter 337: The Demon Lord (3)
Damien felt his blood boiling at Dorugo''s appearance. His blood was so hot it felt like it might scorch. An enormous amount of killing intent erupted from his eyes.
"..."
Dorugo silently observed Damien. Then she slowly raised both hands.
As her hands rose, the sleeves naturally fell. At that moment, Damien couldn''t help but take another look.
The exposed hands were covered with skin.
"...Those aren''t bones?"
Damien muttered in a low voice.
Soon after, Dorugo grabbed her hood with both hands and pushed it back. The moment her face was revealed, Damien''s eyes widened as if they might pop out.
As soon as she removed her robe, silver-colored long hair flowed down like waves. Underneath, blue skin and prominently visible blood vessels could be seen.
It wasn''t a skull. There was flesh, and blood was flowing in veins.
Damien was speechless at this shocking sight. Seeming quite pleased with Damien''s reaction, Dorugo wore a mocking smile.
"Quite a sight, isn''t it? Was my regaining of flesh so shocking?"
Only when he heard the familiar voice could Damien break free from his shock.
"...You regained your flesh?"
"Notpletely, but yes."
Dorugo grabbed the cor of her robe with both hands and tore it. This revealed herplete body.
The skeletal body Damien remembered was nowhere to be seen. It was covered with adequate muscles and blue skin.
"Ah, and it''s not just my appearance that''s changed."
Dorugo raised her head.
In that moment, Damien felt as if his entire body was being crushed.
An enormous pressure with no visible limit pressed down on Damien.
Damien looked at Dorugo with an astonished face.
"Damien Haksen, do you understand now? What kind of being I am."
Not even Vahel could emit such pressure. The same went for Epsilon, who had allegedly absorbed the body of Demon Lord
An ominous premonition arose in Damien''s mind. Damien asked in doubt.
"...Don''t tell me you''ve acquired the full power of a Demon Lord?"
"A bit different. I didn''t acquire it. I regained it."
Damien couldn''t fully understand Dorugo''s words. Regained? What did that mean?
"As much as I''d like to settle things with you here... that''s not why I came."
Dorugo withdrew her pressure. With that, the pressure crushing Damien also disappeared.
"I''ve rescued Theta, so I''ll be leaving for today."
"Mother! What are you saying! If Epsilon and I join forces, we can..."
Dorugo made a gesture. With that, Iota''s body disappeared.
Damien couldn''t help but be surprised again.
What Dorugo had just used was the Authority of Pride.
Using the Authority of Pride allowed one to manipte space. However, to handle space requires a great deal of knowledge.
That''s why even Damien couldn''t properly use the Authority of Pride.
Yet Dorugo had used the Authority of Pride to move Iota to another location so easily.
"...Have you absorbed the Demon Lord of Pride?"
"Not just that one."
A question appeared on Damien''s face again.
In the meantime, Dorugo made another gesture. This time, Epsilon disappeared.
"Damien Haksen, if you want to kill me,e to Mount Carion. I''ll be waiting for you there."
Saying this, Dorugo raised both hands. It seemed she intended to disappear using the Authority of Pride.
"Why should I follow your words?"
At that moment, Damien spoke with a sneer. At those words, Dorugo tilted her head.
"You don''t intend toe to Mount Carion? Surely you''re not scared of me?"
"Scared of you?"
Damien raised his mana. At the same time, an intense killing intent burst forth.
This was enough to cause even Dorugo to flinch even after regaining the power of Demon Lord.
"I''m saying I''ll just kill you right here."
Damien employed the Soulflower of Tranquility. An immense energy began to build up inside Damien.
"Third Flower."
Damien''s energy raged even more fiercely. Damien channeled all his mana into Dawn.
The power contained in Dawn was so enormous that it distorted the surrounding space.
Damien grasped Dawn with both hands and lowered it. The tip of Dawn nearly touched the ground.
"I''ll kill you."
He swung Dawn with the determination to deal a fatal blow. The sword''s tip drew a diagonal line from bottom to top.
The immense power contained in Dawn was released all at once.
A straight line began to appear in the empty air.
The line advanced relentlessly, splitting the sky. And it tried to cut down Dorugo as well.
"..."
Even in this situation, Dorugo showed no particr reaction.
Instead, she raised one index finger. At that moment, the line being drawn in the air collided with something.
With a sound like a mountain copsing, the whole world shook.
"No matter what you do, you can''t harm me."
Dorugo said and lowered her index finger.
Just now, Dorugo had blocked Damien''s sh by sealing off space.
This was a technique only possible for Dorugo, who had fully absorbed the Authority of Pride.
"So cool your head and withdraw..."
"So that''s how you block it."
Damien took his stance again. Once more, powerful energy gathered in Dawn.
Seeing Damien like this, Dorugo frowned.
"I told you it won''t work..."
Ignoring Dorugo''s words, Damien swung Dawn down.
"Foolish one."
Dorugo again used the Authority of Pride to seal off space.
An invisible wall blocked Damien''s sh. But this time, the result was different.
If the first sh contained the will for a fatal blow, this time was different.
Sword God.
A realm that could cut anything, everything, sliced through space.
And what the sh cut wasn''t just space.
"...!"
A line appeared on Dorugo''s neck. Soon after, her head fell down.
***
Dorugo''s head fell down with blood. A long stream of blood trailed behind.
Dorugo had been killed.
However, Damien felt no sense of victory. Instead, he only had an ominous premonition.
Damien didn''t withdraw his killing intent and remained vignt of his surroundings.
That''s when it happened.
Dorugo''s falling head rose back up into the sky.
The blood streams did the same. They shot upwards and were sucked back into the wound.
As soon as all the blood streams were absorbed into the body, the head reattached itself.
"...You crazy bastard."
Dorugo was totally dumbfounded.
"Cutting through space? And against the Authority of a Demon Lord at that? Even with Ruin''s talent..."
"The Authority of Sloth? You had that too?"
Damien said briefly.
Just now, Dorugo hadn''t healed her wound. She had reversed time.
In other words, the Demon Lord Authorities Dorugo possessed weren''t just one.
At least two. Perhaps even more.
"I was wondering what you''ve been up to all this time. Seems you''ve been busy devouring rotten corpses."
Even knowing that Dorugo possessed two Demon Lord Authorities, Damien wasn''t particrly intimidated.
"I was curious how you could be so brazen in front of me, but now I understand."
He had decided to kill her, so he would kill her here.
That was the only thought in Damien''s mind.
"..."
On the contrary, it was Dorugo who seemed tense. She heaved a big sigh.
"It''s still not the time, after all."
Damien instinctively realized that Dorugo was trying to escape.
He pushed the Soulflower of Tranquility to its limit to kill Dorugo.
If the enemy had the Authority of Sloth, he just needed to kill her before she could use it.
Just as Damien was about to leap towards Dorugo,
Dorugo manifested the Authority of Sloth. A strange wave spread throughout the world.
And in the next moment, Dorugo''s figure disappeared. Damien quickly scanned his surroundings.
But not only was Dorugo''s figure gone, he couldn''t even sense her energy.
There was no way she could escape so cleanly against Damien.
She must have stopped time, and in that interval, opened a dimensional gate to escape.
"Damn it."
Damien cursed as he sheathed Dawn.
Hatred for Dorugo and anger at letting the enemy escape mixed together. Damien gritted his teeth.
"Mount Carion, was it? Next time we meet, I''ll definitely kill you."
Damien stared in the direction of Mount Carion.
His face was contorted like that of an evil spirit.
* * *
"It''s still not the time, after all."
As soon as Dorugo said this, she immediately manifested the Authority of Sloth.
She stopped the world and used the Authority of Pride to escape to Mount Carion.
Although it was an extremely short time, Dorugo''s back was drenched in cold sweat.
She had been worried that Damien might stop her.
"Mother!"
As soon as she arrived at Mount Carion, her children came running. Dorugo looked at the Four Great Demon Kings with eyes full of affection.
"Theta, are you alright?"
"I''m fine."
"Don''t lie. I can see exactly what state you''re in."
Theta flinched at Dorugo¡¯s words.
"...Actually, all my internal organs are damaged."
"I shouldn''t have left you in Phantasmal Realm after all. I''m sorry."
"No, I''m d I could be of help to you, Mother."
Dorugo looked satisfied with Theta''s answer.
"Don''t worry. I''ve already prepared the procedure for you. You''ll gain the same power as your siblings."
"Thank you. But Mother... why did you leave Damien Haksen behind?"
At Theta''s question, Dorugo gave a bitter smile.
"It''s not time yet."
Dorugo had absorbed three Demon Lord bodies.
The Demon Lord of Pride, the Demon Lord of Sloth, and her original body, the Demon Lord of Lust.
Dorugo hadn''t yet fully absorbed all the Demon Lord bodies. She needed more time to stabilize them.
In fact, her original body had been reduced to almost nothing.
This was because in the past, when Dorugo performedrge-scale memory maniption, she had sacrificed her body as the price.
The problem was with Pride and Sloth.
These two were unparalleled powerhouses even among the Demon Lords. It couldn''t be easy to absorb the power of such Demon Lords simultaneously.
"Theta, don''t worry. Everything is going ording to my n."
Dorugo said with a smile.
Theta looked at Dorugo with a worried face.
Whether that worry was for Dorugo or for someone else, only Theta herself could know.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 338
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 338: Mount Carion (1)
As soon as Dorugo vanished, Damien coughed up blood.
He had overexerted himself by continuously using Soulflower of Tranquility.
"Damien! Are you injured?"
The Imperial Supreme Sword rushed over to support Damien. Damien wiped his mouth, insisting he was fine.
At that moment, a dimensional portal opened in the sky. An elderly man with snow-white hair emerged from it.
The old man slowly descended,nding before the two.
"Gerg, is His Majesty safe?"
Imperial Supreme Sword asked. Gerg nodded.
"Fortunately, he''s unharmed. The Sword Saint evacuated him in time."
Imperial Supreme Sword sighed in relief at Gerg''s words.
"Are you the master of the White Tower?"
Damien asked Gerg.
During the War of Destruction, Damien had shed with Gerg a few times.
He was the master of the White Tower and the highest-ranking mage in the Empire.
He was also the Empire''s foremost expert on dimensional portals.
"Indeed I am. It''s an honor to meet the Empire''s hero like this."
Gerg extended his hand to Damien. Damien shook it and said.
"We don''t have time for this. We must pursue Dorugo immediately. Please open a dimensional portal to Mount Carion."
"Mount Carion...?"
Gerg said with a troubled expression.
"I''m sorry, but I can''t grant your request right away."
"May I ask why?"
"Mount Carion is at the edge of the continent. Opening a gate to travel that far requires considerable preparation."
This was terrible news from Damien''s perspective.
There was nothing to gain by giving Dorugo more time.
In fact, during his brief disappearance, Dorugo had already used the Demon Lords'' corpse to strengthen herself and the Four Great Demon Kings.
Who knew what schemes Dorugo might be plotting now. He needed to pursue her as quickly as possible.
"Isn''t there any way?"
"It''s no use rushing. The cost of dimensional portals increases with mass and distance. If we ignore that and force it open, your body will disintegrate while passing through."
There was no mage in the Empire more skilled than Gerg.
If he said it couldn''t be done, there truly was no way.
''Balhard was really something else.''
Balhard used to open dimensional portals effortlessly without any preparation.
Moreover, ording to Balhard, dimensional magic wasn''t even his specialty.
As expected of a dragon. Damien was again impressed by Balhard''s capabilities.
"I''ll have to ask someone else then. Where''s Balhard?"
Damien asked Imperial Supreme Sword.
"Balhard? Ah, you mean that red dragon. He went out for a bit, and said he had somewhere to go."
"...He went out at a time like this?"
Damien reacted with disbelief.
Going for a walk when the world was in danger because of Dorugo?
No matter how he thought about it, it was uneptable. When he returns, I should rip off his wings...
"Ease up on that expression. Someone might have a heart attack if they see you."
"...Was it that bad?"
"It was indeed."
The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded and added.
"I tried not to let him go, but... there were circumstances. You''d understand if you heard them."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you see... Ah, there hees now."
The Imperial Supreme Sword pointed at the sky. A dragon with red scales was flying towards them.
Balhardnded roughly in front of Damien.
Damien was about to reprimand Balhard as soon as he saw him.
However, he couldn''t help but pause when he saw the boy sitting on Balhard''s head.
The boy was none other than Karl Hopper, the Mercenary King.
As Balhard touched down, the Mercenary King nimbly climbed off his head.
He then spread his arms towards Balhard and said.
"That was an incredible experience! Flying through the sky is truly amazing!"
-I''m d you enjoyed it.
"I had a wonderful time, but I hope it wasn''t too tiring for you."
-Don''t say such things! What wouldn''t I do for you!
Damien turned to the Imperial Supreme Sword with an incredulous expression.
"Since when did those two be so close?"
"Ah, about that. They''ve always been this close."
"I heard they''re father and son."
"Well, that would exin their closeness."
Damien nodded as he replied.
Suddenly, Damien''s eyes widened. He whirled around to face the Imperial Supreme Sword and asked again.
"...Did you say they''re father and son?"
"That''s right."
"Is that really true?"
"It is. The reason for his outing was to spend time with his son."
The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke with an utterly serious face. Even so, Damien found it hard to believe.
-Oh, Damien Haksen. You''re awake.
At that moment, Balhard approached Damien and spoke.
He had already shifted from his dragon form to his human form.
-We were quite startled when you suddenly fainted. I''m d to see you''re alright.
"Never mind the greetings... So you¡¯re Mercenary king¡¯s father?"
-Ah, I see the Imperial Supreme Sword told you. Yes, Karl is indeed my child. I never imagined he''d grow up to be so splendid.
Balhard said with a satisfied expression. Damien asked again, his face still showing disbelief.
"But you''re a red dragon. The Mercenary King uses lightning, not mes?"
-It''smon for offspring to inherit different traits.
At this point, Damien had no choice but to believe it.
After epting this shocking fact, he suddenly realized something. Damien red at Balhard and asked.
"By the way, why are you speaking informally to me?"
Balhard''s shoulders flinched at Damien''s pointed question.
-Well, you see...
"Oh? Are you going to keep this up? Should I teach you another lesson?"
-L-Lord Damien! Please, calm down!
Balhard whispered in a tiny voice, ncing nervously at the Mercenary King.
-B-but in front of my son... Please, spare my dignity.
"You little... How dare you spout such nonsense..."
-I-I beg you!
Damien''s expression turned fierce. Balhard gulped nervously.
"...Only when the Mercenary King is present."
Despite his expression, Damien readily agreed to Balhard''s request.
-I-is that really true?
"What? Should I take it back?"
-N-no, not at all!
There wasn''t any grand reason for it.
Balhard''s appearance ovepped with that of a father figure. Damien couldn''t bring himself to refuse someone who wanted to act like a father.
"Father, what are you discussing so seriously?"
-Ha-ha, it''s nothing.
The Mercenary King approached and asked. Balhard replied with an awkward expression.
"Damien! I heard my father helped you a lot!"
"Yes, well, I suppose he did."
"They say he saved you when you were under attack by demons?"
Damien red at Balhard with a ¡®what''s this about¡¯ expression. Balhard averted his gaze.
"I... did... receive... help..."
Damien spat out each word as if chewing them. Beads of cold sweat formed on Balhard''s forehead.
"Incredible! Father, you''re amazing!"
The Mercenary King looked at Balhard with admiration upon hearing Damien''s response. Balhard lowered his head even further.
"Balhard, I''m sorry to interrupt your father-son time, but we need to move right now. Please open a dimensional portal to Mount Carion."
-Ah, understood. I''ll do that.
Balhard hurriedly prepared to open a dimensional portal.
He moved to a spacious area and began chanting in Dragon Tongue. As the iprehensible words continued, the surrounding mana could be felt fluctuating.
But something was off.
No matter how much time passed, no matter how long the chant became, the dimensional portal wouldn''t open.
Damien looked at Balhard with a puzzled expression. Balhard stopped chanting and turned to Damien.
-Well... you see...
"Is there a problem?"
Balhard said with an embarrassed expression.
-The dimensional portal cannot be opened...
* * *
Balhard continued to fail at opening the dimensional portal.
Eventually, tired of waiting, Damien had Balhard return them to the Otherworld. They needed to request help from other dragons.
After hearing Damien''s exnation, Iris briefly surveyed the surface world before speaking to Damien.
"The coordinates around Mount Carion arepletely distorted."
"The coordinates are distorted?"
Damien asked, his face showing iprehension at Iris''s exnation.
"Yes, it''s a method used to protect specific locations. Otherwise, one could easilye and go using dimensional portals."
"So it wasn''t Balhard''s fault."
-Didn''t I tell you so...
Balhard said in a sulky voice.
Damien beat Balhard for being ipetent as soon as they entered the Otherworld.
From Balhard''s perspective, it was an unfair situation.
"Then we''ll just have to open a gate near Mount Carion."
Damien ignored Balhard and asked Iris.
"That should work, but... we''ll have to travel quite far, I''m afraid."
"What do you mean?"
Iris used magical particles to draw a map of the continent in mid-air.
"Not just Mount Carion, but the coordinates of the entire surrounding area are distorted."
Damien examined the map. It covered an area almost asrge as the Empire.
"Can coordinates be distorted so easily?"
"No, it''s impossible. It takes an enormous amount of mana and effort to distort the coordinates of even a single room. To interfere on this scale..."
Iris said with a tense expression.
"It''s an act no different from the power of a god."
Damien pondered as he stared at the map.
It was truly befitting of the Demon Lord''s power. He could understand why the ancients had revered them as gods.
"Then we have no choice but to open a portal as close as we can and travel there directly."
"Do you have a suitable means of transportation?"
"I do. A very useful one at that."
Saying this, Damien turned to look at Balhard. Balhard was greatly flustered.
-M-Me?
"Yes, you. Stop dawdling and let''s get going."
Damien leaped onto Balhard''s head. Balhard heaved a deep sigh and spread his wings.
-Yes... we''re departing.
Balhard used Dragon Tongue to open a dimensional portal. Then he flew into it.
As Balhard passed through the gate, they emerged not in the Otherworld, but in a field on the surface.
-Hold on tight. I''ll fly with every ounce of strength I have.
"Don''t worry about me, just hurry up."
Balhard pped his wings.
His massive body shot forward like an arrow. He pierced through the wall of air like cleaving the sky.
* * *
On top of Balhard''s head.
Damien opened a subspace and took out potions.
These were provided by the Emperor before he left for the Otherworld. They were all potions to restore his body.
Damien drank all the potions. He could feel the internal injuries caused by using Soulflower of Tranquility rapidly healing.
''My body still can''t keep up with my skills.''
It was a problem arising from the overwhelming strength of the enemies Damien had to face.
To confront them, Damien had no choice but to push himself beyond his limits.
''There''s not enough time.''
If he had time, he could have developed a body strong enough to withstand Soulflower of Tranquility.
But his enemies wouldn''t give him that time. Damien couldn''t help but regret this.
''To find a solution... I''ll have to meet him again.''
Damien drew Erebos. He held it with both hands and concentrated.
When he opened his eyes, Damien was face to face with Ruin''s thoughtform.
"..."
Ruin''s thought form red at Damien with lifeless eyes.
"As expected, you''re not in a state for conversation."
Damien raised his sword. Ruin mirrored his action.
"How many times must I kill you before you regain your senses?"
Ruin kicked off the ground. Damien moved as well.
In the mental space, the sound of shing swords rang out incessantly.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 339
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 339: Mount Carion (2)
***
As Ruin moved, a torrent of shes rained down.
The entire field of view was covered in shing attacks. There was nowhere to dodge no matter where Damien looked.
Damien desperately deflected Ruin''s shes. Even so, he couldn''t block them all, and cuts were carved into various parts of his body.
''He''s so strong it makes me want to fight more.''
Ruin''s skills had increased dramaticallypared to when they first fought.
No, to be precise, it wasn''t that his skills had improved, but that his true abilities were now being revealed.
''Does he get closer to his original strength as he regains his senses?''
It was just as that thought urred to Damien.
A sh that flew in from outside his field of vision slit Damien''s throat.
The first death.
Damien immediately woke up again. He rubbed his neck with an unpleasant expression.
Damien spat on the ground as he got up. In response, Ruin charged again.
The battle resumed.
Ruin''s shes poured down like a storm. But this time, Damien wasn''t so easily ovee.
Unlike before, he was now familiar with Ruin''s movements. Damien evaded Ruin''s attacks by a paper-thin margin.
Perhaps not expecting Damien to be able to dodge, a slight hesitation could be sensed in Ruin''s movements.
Damien didn''t miss that opening. He kicked off the ground and closed the distance.
Dashing like lightning, Damien sliced through Ruin''s neck. As his head was severed, Ruin vanished on the spot.
"Huff, huff."
Damien exhaled heavily. But his face was very bright.
When he first met Ruin, he had died thousands of times.
But now he had achieved victory after dying only once. It was truly remarkable progress.
Just then, Ruin''s thought form materialized again. Damien fired up his fighting spirit to battle Ruin once more.
"Wow."
But Ruin didn''t immediately pounce on Damien. Instead, he shouted with a broad smile.
"Damien! I didn''t expect you to kill me so quickly!"
Ruin had regained his senses after being killed just once.
Damien lowered his sword with a deted expression.
"Why did youe to your senses so soon?"
"What? Did you want to kill me more? I''m hurt."
Ruin said in a cheerful voice.
"Thanks to my thoughtform getting stronger, I can now resist the emotions."
Ruin plopped down on the ground. He patted the spot next to him, gesturing for Damien to sit as well.
Damien trudged over and sat down in front of Ruin. Ruin spoke with a pleased expression.
"You must have had a hard time killing me since I''ve gotten stronger. You''ve really improved a lot."
"Even so, I''m still far behindpared to you."
"Well, that can''t be helped. I''ve been training longer than you after all."
After saying that, Ruin looked Damien over and asked:
"You don''t look so good. Don''t tell me you met Dorugo?"
"Yeah, it was a shitty encounter."
Damien briefly exined what had happened with Dorugo. Ruin''s expression turned serious as he listened.
"So she ended upying hands on the Demon Lords'' bodies after all."
"It was nothing. I can kill her next time we meet."
Damien said in a voice full of conviction.
It wasn''t arrogance or overconfidence. After all, Damien had managed to behead Dorugo.
Even though he couldn''tpletely kill Dorugo due to the Authority of Sloth.
However, Ruin shook his head and denied Damien''s words.
"It''s not something to think of so lightly. The Four Great Demon Kings couldn''t properly absorb the bodies of the Demon Lords, but Dorugo is different. She was a Demon Lord himself after all."
"If she was a Demon Lord, then she''d be able to make all that immense power her own. It certainly would be dangerous... Wait, Dorugo was a Demon Lord?"
Damien asked Ruin back in shock. Ruin replied with wide eyes.
"Huh? You didn''t know?"
"You never told me!"
"Ah, that''s right."
Ruin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Dorugo was the Demon Lord of Lust. Then she abandoned her demon body because of me. To be precise, she burned it."
"Burned it?"
"Dorugo''s power was brainwashing. She used that power to carry out widespread memory maniption so that no one would know about her past."
Ruin continued speaking with his arms crossed.
"But no matter how great a Demon Lord is, there had to be a price for that level of memory maniption. So Dorugo paid with her own body. That''s why only dregs remained of Dorugo''s main body."
Damien listened to Ruin''s words with a shocked expression.
"She discarded even that cleanly in order to be with me. That''s how Dorugo abandoned her demon body and became human."
Ruin stared into space with aplicated expression.
After pondering for a moment, Damien asked Ruin.
"Why did Dorugo go that far?"
The Dorugo that Damien knew was an extremely selfish and cruel individual.
But the Dorugo he was hearing about from Ruin was different. She seemed devoted to the point of foolishness.
"We were engaged to be married."
"Ah, engaged... What?"
Damien''s eyes grew even wider. Ruin tilted his head and said.
"Huh? I didn''t mention that either?"
"No... You two were... like that?"
Ruin lowered his face as if embarrassed. His cheeks were tinged slightly red.
"Anyway Damien, you shouldn''t take Dorugo lightly."
Ruin deliberately changed the subject. Damien decided to let it slide.
In truth, Damien hadn''t fully recovered from the shock either.
"You said Dorugo handled space and time, right? Dorugo would have absorbed her main body and the bodies of other Demon Lords. That means she has at least three Demon Lord powers."
Of course, Dorugo''s main body was just dregs. The problem was the other two Demon Lords.
"Time and space... Pride and Sloth were the strongest among the Demon Lords. Even I had a hard time killing them. Since they''re corpses, she won''t have their full power, but if she absorbs both, she could surpass Pride or Sloth at their peak."
Right now, Dorugo was an even more powerful being than a Demon Lords in their prime.
Considering the legends of the Demon Lords, even Damien found it hard to guarantee victory.
"I don''t care if she''s a Demon Lord or whatever. I''ll stop Dorugo even if it costs me my life."
Damien said firmly. But Ruin shook his head.
"Even that won''t be enough."
"We won''t know until we try."
"You feel it too, don''t you? That you can''t use your full abilities with that body."
Ruin said, pointing at Damien''s body.
"Your body is too weakpared to your skills. Even if you fight prepared to throw away your life, you''ll die before your opponent."
Damien could only close his mouth at the cold assessment.
In reality, Damien had suffered serious internal injuries just from briefly using the Soulflower of Tranquility.
Even now, methods to make the Soulflower of Tranquility even stronger were constantly urring to him.
But he couldn''t use them because his body couldn''t keep up.
"I have no choice but to do it anyway."
Damien said without hesitation. Ruin let out a deep sigh.
"If that''s your decision, then there''s nothing I can do. But don''t try to die. If you die... it would be too pitiful for those left behind."
Ruin''s words pierced Damien''s heart like an arrow.
The faces of those left behind, his family, came to mind.
What if Damien used the Soulflower of Tranquility to maximum power and died together with Dorugo?
The world would be peaceful. But his family would not.
"...Why are you giving me advice? I intend to kill your lover."
It was something Damien had been curious about all along.
Even knowing that Damien nned to kill Dorugo, Ruin had not held back his advice.
"Because you''re going down the wrong path."
Ruin said without hesitation.
Damien was at a loss for words. He was newly struck by what kind of being Ruin truly was.
Just then, Ruin suddenly spoke with a mischievous expression.
"But it seems you''re aware that you''re receiving help from me? How admirable."
"..."
"Hm? Why so quiet? Don''t tell me you''re embarrassed?"
"...I am aware."
When Damien reluctantly answered, Ruin''s smile deepened.
"Then will you grant me one request? If you do actually manage to defeat Dorugo..."
Ruin''s words trailed off.
After hearing Ruin''s full request, Damien couldn''t help but frown.
"...Are you out of your mind? Asking me to grant such a request?"
"If you really don''t like it, you can ignore it."
Damien fell into thought for a moment. Then he spoke with a displeased expression.
"...Fine. I''ll grant your request."
"Really?"
"But only that far. Don''t ask for anything more."
"Of course not."
Just then, one of Ruin''s eyebrows trembled slightly. His eyes had already begun to turn ck.
"Time''s up. Shall we fight again?"
At Ruin''s words, Damien gripped his sword and said.
"Alright. I''ll learn a thing or two."
Ruin''s eyes turnedpletely ck.
Soon after, the battle began again.
* * *
Damien opened his eyes in reality.
Balhard was still flying through the sky. Strong winds whipped at Damien''s hair and clothes.
Damien looked up at the sky to gauge the time. Only a few hours had passed since Balhard began flying.
Despite fighting Ruin endlessly in the mental realm, not much time had passed in reality.
''Ugh, he gets noticeably stronger with each death.''
Damienined as he touched the ces where Ruin had cut him.
He thought the gap had narrowed, but it was just an illusion. There was still an immense gap between them.
''Is it really true that we have the same talent?''
It was just as Damien was thinking that.
The smell of blood wafted through the air. Damien spoke to Balhard.
"Hold on, let''s go over there."
-Huh?
TBalhard was puzzled by the sudden order but still changed direction.
Damien lowered his head to look down at the ground. He could then see the source of the bloody smell.
"Kyaaah!"
"Aaaagh!"
A vige was being plundered.
Men with sturdy builds were beating women and children to death with farming tools.
"Why, why are you doing this?!"
"At least spare this child... Aagh...!"
Though the women begged while holding their children, the men were merciless.
Going to Mount Carion was urgent, but he couldn''t just pass by after seeing this.
Damien leapt down from atop Balhard''s head. As hended on the ground, all eyes focused on him.
Damien looked back and forth between the men and women.
Unlike the terrified, crying women, the men''s expressions were extremely vicious.
"Stop and get out of here. Or I''ll kill you all."
The men reacted to Damien''s words.
"Who the hell are you?"
"If anyone''s going to leave, it should be you!"
"Or do you want to die too?"
The men threatened Damien while holding their farming tools. Damien clicked his tongue and said.
"If that''s how you want it, I have no choice."
In that instant, the men''s torsos split open as if sliced by a de.
"Guh!"
"Gaaah!"
The men all copsed, spitting blood. Looking down at them, Damien spoke in a cold voice:
"A bit shallow."
He could wound ordinary people just by raising his killing intent.
As Damien watched the scene unfold, he realized he could havepletely torn the men apart, but held back to avoid traumatizing the vigers too severely.
However, he couldn''t just let them live either. Just as Damien was about to finish them off...
"K-Knight, sir! Please, please stop!"
A woman who had nearly been killed by the men ran over and begged. Damien asked with a perplexed expression:
"These men tried to kill you. If I don''t finish them now, they might seek revenge on youter."
"This man is my father!"
Damien couldn''t help but pause.
"What are you saying..."
"It''s true! That man over there is my husband!"
"That one is my brother!"
The women''s pleas only increased Damien''s bewilderment.
"If they''re family, why were they trying to kill you?"
"W-We don''t know! Since this morning, they suddenly started saying strange things..."
"They suddenly tried to kill us! No matter how much we begged, they wouldn''t listen!"
"Ugh..."
Just then, one of the men lying on the ground muttered painfully:
"Must... gather sacrifices quickly... to offer to..."
Damien frowned and grabbed the man by the cor. The man coughed up blood.
"Sacrifices? Who are you trying to offer sacrifices to?"
"To Her... the most beautiful... to Her..."
"I''m asking who ''Her'' is!"
Damien shouted angrily. The man spoke with difficulty:
"Dorugo... must offer to Lord Dorugo..."
The moment he heard the familiar name, Damien had to bite his lip.
He instantly understood what had happened.
Dorugo had brainwashed people to gather souls and corpses.
The reason she only brainwashed the men to kill their families was simple.
That way, the souls of those murdered would suffer and emit dark magic.
"Need... sacrifices..."
"Must... kill..."
"Will offer... to Him... to Him...!"
Even as they were dying, the men cried out Dorugo''s name.
These men who had been fathers, husbands, and brothers unhesitatingly tried to kill their families due to Dorugo''s maniption.
Disgust welled up inside Damien. At the same time, memories of the past surfaced.
He recalled that day when he killed his own family because of Dorugo''s schemes.
"...That fucking bitch."
Damien muttered a curse under his breath.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 340
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 340: Mount Carion (3)
Damien first treated the men, then tied their limbs with ropes.
"Untie us! I said untie us!"
"I''ll offer your entrails to Her!"
"Gaaah! Graaah!"
Despite nearly being killed by Damien, the men weren''t intimidated at all. If anything, they became even more aggressive.
Damien ced his hand on one man''s head. The man violently shook his head.
"What are you trying to do, you piece of trash!"
Damien used his Authority of Lust to peer into the man''s mind.
There, he discovered a familiar energy.
It was the exact same Authority of Lust that Damien used.
This confirmed that the men had been brainwashed by Dorugo.
''How exactly were they brainwashed?''
As far as Damien knew, the Authority of Lust only worked through direct contact.
That''s why Damien had to face people one by one to use his brainwashing power, regardless of who they were.
But there''s no way Dorugo would have gone through such trouble for these ruralmoners.
Above all, there wasn''t enough time for that.
Giving Four Great Demon Kings the body of Demon Lord, absorbing the Demon Lords herself, and on top of that, meeting ordinary people one by one to use the Authority of Lust?
''That''s nonsense.''
Suddenly, a hypothesis popped into Damien''s mind.
Damien shook his head. No matter that Dorugo was the Demon Lord of Lust, such a thing couldn''t be possible.
"Graaah! Gyaaah!"
The man opened his mouth wide as if to bite Damien''s hand.
Damien pped the man''s cheek. The man fainted without even screaming.
"Darling!"
A woman behind them cried out in shock. Damien dusted off his hands and said.
"He was trying to bite me."
"T-That''s... but still...!"
Damien grabbed the unconscious man''s head again.
He used his brainwashing power to undo the man''s brainwashing.
While at it, he also brought him back to consciousness.
"Ugh... ugh..."
The man regained consciousness with a groan. As he lifted his head and saw his hands tied with rope, he shouted in surprise.
"W-What is this! W-Why am I tied up?"
"D-Darling! Do you recognize me?"
"What are you talking about? Why wouldn''t I recognize you?"
The wife burst into tears and hugged her husband. The husband could only look confused.
"I should wake up the rest."
Damien rolled up his sleeves and looked at the other men. The men bared their teeth and growled as if to say he didn''t stand a chance.
"Don''t you daree near me!"
"How dare you erase Her blessing! What are you doing!"
"Her divine punishment will fall upon you!"
"What are you on about."
Damien knocked each man unconscious with a single blow.
He could have undone the brainwashing without knocking them out. However, he deliberately made them faint because he didn''t want to hear them praising Dorugo.
Damien grabbed each man''s head one by one and undid their brainwashing.
"Huh? Why am I here?"
"Dad! Are you back to your senses?"
"Oh, my head... Why does my head hurt so much?"
"Ivan! You''re back to normal!"
The women hugged the confused men, overjoyed.
But some weren''t so fortunate.
"What... what are you saying... I... I killed my mother?"
"...Derek? My son? Where is he?"
By the time Damien had arrived, many people had already died.
The men who realized they had killed their own family members with their own hands wore nk expressions.
Damien looked at them with a troubled face.
"Don''t talk nonsense! Why would I kill my mother with my own hands!"
"You bastards! You''re all lying to me, right? That''s it, right?"
Some couldn''t ept reality and started to act violently.
Unable to stand by any longer, Damien lifted his foot and stomped on the ground.
With a heavy sound, the whole world shook. Everyone present froze in ce.
"Everyone, calm down."
Dissatisfaction appeared on the men''s faces. But no one dared to shout at Damien.
"I have something to ask you all. Do you have any idea why your families changed like this?"
It was clear that Dorugo was the cause, but he couldn''t figure out how she had brainwashed people. First, he needed to know her method.
At Damien''s question, the vigers looked at each other''s faces before speaking.
"N-Nothing happened."
"So you''re saying they suddenly changed like this?"
All the vigers nodded. Damien''s expression became even more serious.
"Oh,e to think of it, when I went to the city, I heard some strange rumors."
A young man spoke up in a loud voice. Damien turned his gaze to the youth.
"Strange rumors?"
"Yes, they said all the nobles had changed strangely and told us never to go towards the inner part of the kingdom."
This vige was on the edge of the Zdo Kingdom.
Going towards the inner part of the kingdom would bring one closer to Mount Carion.
But the strange phenomenon had spread from there to this vige.
''Suspicious.''
After pondering for a while, Damien said to the vigers.
"You all need to leave the vige immediately."
"Huh? W-Why are you saying that..."
"If you stay here, strange things will keep happening. So get as far away from the kingdom as possible."
Damien opened his subspace and took out a handful of gold coins.
"This should be enough for expenses. Go and prepare for your journey. Hurry!"
At Damien''s shout, the vigers started moving in a fluster.
Shortly after, the vigers received the gold coins Damien offered and left the vige.
Once all the vigers had left, Balhard descended from the sky.
-Lord Damien, I''ve returned.
Worried that the vigers might be cower at the sight od Balhard, Damien had separately ordered Balhard to patrol the surroundings instead ofing down.
"Good work. Did you find anything?"
At Damien''s question, Balhard made a strange expression and said,
-I think you should see it for yourself.
***
Balhard carried Damien towards the inner part of the kingdom.
Seeing the events unfolding there, Damien was left speechless.
"Kill them! Kill!"
"Don''t leave a single one alive!"
"This war is blessed by Lady Dorugo!"
A war was raging in the fields.
The problem was that there were no distinct sides.
Over a thousand people were swinging weapons indiscriminately, friend or foe.
As if murder, not victory, was their goal.
"Hee... heehee! S-Sacrifices...! Offer sacrifices...! Lady Dorugo desires it...!"
Elsewhere, human sacrifices were taking ce. The troubling part was that this was happening at a branch of the Church.
The once-devout priests and pdins were now praising Dorugo while extracting people''s hearts.
As they got closer to the capital, people''s behavior became even more extreme.
"Ugh, ughh... N-Need blood...! Not enough blood to offer to Lady Dorugo...!"
Upon reaching the royal pce, they saw the king swimming in a pond made of blood. Around him were countless beheaded corpses.
-...I can''t bear to watch anymore.
Even as a dragon Balhard found the sight too horrific.
But Damien was rtively calm.
He had already experienced this in his past life.
During the War of Destruction, such acts weremonce innds ruled by dark mages.
"My thoughts were correct."
Damien looked up at the sky.
While others couldn''t see it, Damien could. The Authority of Lust covering the sky.
The reason for people''s madness was simple. Dorugo had manifested her Authority of Lust on a massive scale.
"This is absurd."
The Zdo Kingdom was quite far from Mount Carion.
To think she could brainwash people so far away was hard to believe, even seeing it with his own eyes.
Even more frightening was that Dorugo had lost most of her physical body.
He couldn''t even imagine how strong she must have been when alive.
-Lord Damien, what will you do?
At Balhard''s question, Damien fell into contemtion.
Damien had a way to undo their brainwashing. But there were too many people to save.
He couldn''t spare time for them when he needed to face Dorugo.
Then there was only one solution. To defeat Dorugo as quickly as possible.
Then her authority would disappear, and people would return to their senses.
"Let''s go to Mount Carion."
At Damien''smand, Balhard flew towards Mount Carion. The surrounding scenery rushed by.
"Balhard, let me ask you something."
Suddenly, Damien spoke to Balhard.
-Please do.
"If someone brainwashed you and ordered you to kill me, what would happen to the dragon''s oath contract?"
The deeper they went, the stronger the Authority of Lust became.
Even though Balhard was a dragon, there was no guarantee he could withstand a Demon Lord''s power.
-Even so, the dragon''s oath contract would not be broken.
Balhard answered without hesitation. Damien asked again.
"What if the brainwashing was so powerful it surpassed the oath?"
-I''m not sure such a case exists... but if it did, I would probably lose my life.
"Really?"
-The dragon''s oath is absolute. It must be kept even at that cost. But why are you asking this?
Damien seemed to be satisfied by Balhard''s answer and said.
"Then there''s nothing to worry about. Let''s keep going deeper."
-...No, why did you ask?
"Just watch where you''re going. We''ll crash into the mountain."
As Damien ignored Balhard''sint, dark clouds began to gather in the sky.
It wasn''t a natural phenomenon. The clouds were forming too quickly for that.
The dark clouds clumped together like cotton candy. Soon, the surface of the clouds split.
As the gap widened, an eyeball appeared.
Unlike the clouds, it looked vivid, like that of a living being.
An ominous energy emanated from the eyeball. Even Damien couldn''t help but feel tense.
-Damien Haksen. You really came. I''m lucky.
It was a short and clipped speech but each word felt like heaven weighting down.
Lambda.
One of the Four Great Demon Kings.
He had suddenly appeared in font of Damien.
-I''ll kill you. That''s Mother''s order. And my revenge too.
Magic circles began to form in the sky.
But the number was rming. Not just one or two, but thousands, tens of thousands were created.
-You, die.
Red beams of light shot out from the magic circles.
The beams engulfed Damien and Balhard. At the same time, theypletely annihted the ins below.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
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Chapter 341
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 341: Mount Carion (4)
Just before the beam fired, Balhard activated his Dragon Tongue.
The three sybles he uttered meant "straight line" "eleration" and "explosion."
The air exploded, propelling Balhard forward. He swiftly crossed the sky, barely escaping the beam''s range.
Immediately after, the red beam struck the earth.
The ground disintegrated, leaving a massive and deep crater. Balhard looked down into it, seeing only an abyss where the bottom should have been.
"G-good heavens..."
Balhard felt cold sweat forming at the sight of such terrifying destructive power.
Even his father couldn''t have unleashed such devastation.
"Another one''sing. Dodge it.¡±
Damien perched atop Balhard''s head. Suddenly, magic circles appeared around Balhard.
Countless dark spells poured out from the circles. Balhard quickly maneuvered to avoid them.
"How is it possible to use so much dark magic so casually? This defies logic!"
Balhard shouted incredulously.
Even dragons considered the origin of magic, couldn''t cast this many spells at such speed.
"It''s not just dark magic."
Damien replied.
"What?"
"Regr magic and miracles are mixed in too."
Damien observed the iing spells from all directions. Balhard couldn''t help but object.
"That''s impossible! Mana, dark mana, and divine power conflict with each other! How can one person wield all of that?"
"That one can do it. He has the same authority as me."
Damien said, looking at Lambda.
The Authority of Envy had the ability to change the nature of specific energies.
Lambda was currently using the Authority of Envy in real-time to simultaneously wield magic, dark magic, and miracles.
But that wasn''t all.
Lambda had even created doppelgangers using the Authority of Envy.
He created energies optimized for himself and then imbued them with souls.
"To think he could utilize the Authority of Envy like that... This is quite impressive."
Even Damien was amazed by such an ingenious application. However, he also found it strange.
"Going to such lengths to prevent my arrival? It seems Dorugo needs to buy time."
The corner of Damien''s mouth twisted.
He couldn''t bear to y along with Dorugo''s intentions any longer.
"Lord Damien! I can''t dodge anymore!"
Balhard cried out urgently. Magic circles had suddenly surrounded them on all sides.
The circles began to glow simultaneously. Just before the magic activated, Damien extended his hand.
The mark on his wrist disappeared, and a sword materialized. It wasn''t Erebos.
It was the divine sword.
The sword that Ruin had created for the first emperor.
This was the first time Damien had drawn the divine sword in actualbat. But it posed no problem.
After all, he had seen the Imperial Supreme Sword use it countless times in his previous life.
Damien raised the divine sword high as if to pierce the sky. The sword emitted a dazzling light.
In that instant, all the surrounding magic circles were erased.
They weren''t destroyed or annihted. They all reverted to demonic energy.
"Damien Haksen. What is this? I don''t understand."
Lambda said in a bewildered voice. But Damien had no intention of exining anything to Lambda right now.
"Is this your way of rebelling? Then I''ll have to use my full power."
Magic circles appeared before Lambda. Circr magic formations stacked upon each other.
The circles started small but grewrger towards the back.
"Pration. Amplification. Increased destructive power."
Red beams gathered in the first magic circle.
"Fire."
The red beam wasunched. It amplified as it passed through each circle.
"Lord Damien! It''sing! Watch out!"
Balhard shouted dramatically. Damien punched Balhard on the head.
"Be quiet. I can''t concentrate."
Damien red at Lambda with cold eyes.
The reason Damien was flying through the sky with Balhard was because he couldn''t open a dimensional gate.
The Lambda before them was just a doppelganger. The real body was on Mount Carion.
In other words, this doppelganger was connected to the main body on Mount Carion.
"Found it."
At that moment, the red beam passed through thest magic circle. The entire view turned red.
In response, Damien swung the divine sword. The de emitted a dazzling light.
The light collided with the red beam. Instantly, the red beam dispersed into energy.
Lambda''s eyes filled with dismay. But the real surprise was yet toe.
The sh of light cut through Lambda as well. The ck cloudposing Lambda''s doppelganger, along with its eyes, was cleaved in half.
"Ah, aaaaah... Argh!"
With a scream, Lambda''s doppelganger vanished.
Only a dimensional rift remained where it had been. Damien had forcibly cut through the connection between the main body and the doppelganger.
The rift was very small and closing rapidly. Damien immediately ordered Balhard:
"Let''s go quickly!"
Balhard swiftly flew towards the rift. Just before entering, Damien said to Balhard.
"From here, return to the Empire. Go tell the Imperial Supreme Sword that I''m entrusting my family to him."
"Surely you''re not nning to go alone, Lord Damien?"
Damien nodded.
Aheady Dorugo and the Four Great Demon Kings. He couldn''t guarantee Balhard''s survival...
"That''s a relief!"
Balhard eximed with a bright expression. Damien looked at Balhard with disbelief.
"You bastard. We''ll settle this when I return."
"Huh? No, I just misspoke earlier..."
Ignoring Balhard''s words, Damien threw himself into the rift.
***
As soon as Damien passed through, the rift closedpletely.
Arriving on the other side, Damien looked around.
"...Did Ie to the right ce?"
Damien had expected to arrive at Mount Carion through the rift.
But the ce he actually arrived at was a battlefield.
Soldiers wearing imperial armory dead. Their spilled blood hadpletely stained the field.
Damien walked among the soldiers and examined them. Then he suddenly noticed something.
There was a figure standing atop a mountain of corpses.
The knight had a massive build that seemed inhuman. d in thick armor, he looked like a giant.
Damien stared at the knight. His eyes trembled slightly.
He couldn''t help it. That was himself.
"...Now I remember."
This was the battlefield where Damien had first been deployed. It was where he had first received orders from Dorugo as a Death Knight. It was Damien''s first massacre.
His stomach churned. He felt nauseous.
Suddenly, the scenery changed.
It was another battlefield. Again, countless soldiersy dead.
But the armor the soldiers wore was different.
Not the Empire, but the Apple Kingdom.
They were soldiers from his homnd.
"Damien!"
A familiar voice called from behind.
Turning around, he saw his father. A much older, frailer version of his father stood there.
"Why are you with that monster!"
His father was wailing, his face distraught.
"What''s happened to you! What''s with that appearance!"
His father was shouting at the ck knight. But his cries didn''t reach the knight.
"Damien... Ugh!"
A greatsword pierced his father''s chest. It broke through his ribs and protruded from his back.
Blood vessels burst in his father''s eyes. In extreme agony, his father coughed up blood and cried out:
"I''m... sorry..."
The ck knight swung the greatsword sideways. It was a casual motion as if sweeping away the trash.
His father''s corpse slid off the de from the momentum. He rolled on the ground.
"..."
Damien''s fingertips twitched. Veins bulged on his neck and forehead.
Silently, Damien gripped the divine sword in reverse. He thrust the tip of the sword into the ground.
The surrounding scenery shattered like ss. His father, the ck knight, the battlefield¡ªall vanished.
Instead, thendscape of Mount Carion appeared. Suppressing his rage, Damien spoke.
"You''re still up to your disgusting tricks, just like in the old days."
Dorugo stood a short distance away. She smiled faintly and said.
"I prepared this in a hurry when I heard you wereing. Didn''t you like it?"
"Stop spewing nonsense."
"Don''t you think this level of payback is justified, considering what you did to me?"
One of Damien''s eyebrows twitched.
"Justified? Have you finally lost your mind?"
"My mind is perfectly sane. I can''t go mad until I''ve had my revenge on you."
Damien was dumbfounded. Dorugo was saying the very words he should be saying.
"Do you know what my goal was?"
Dorugo suddenly blurted out something unexpected.
"Your goal was to travel back in time to reunite with Ruin, wasn''t it?"
"So you did know. Did you hear it from Milene? That damned traitor would remember everything. I shouldn''t have epted an elf into the Salvation Squad."
Dorugo''s voice turned hostile. But she quickly regained herposure.
"Yes, my goal was to meet Ruin again. For that, I researched the authorities of the Demon Lords. With their authorities, I could reverse time."
Dorugo spoke in a bitter tone.
"It wasn''t easy research. I failed countless times. There was so much to study, but a human lifespan was too short. In the end, I had no choice but to abandon my body."
Dorugo had abandoned her Demon Lord body to be human. Then she abandoned her human body to be a lich.
"As a lich, I threw myself back into research. Centuries and years passed, but there were no significant results. All I realized through my research was the reality that time reversal couldn''t seed."
Dorugo''s voice was heavy with fatigue.
Even for a Demon Lord, dedicating over hundreds of years to fruitless research was exhausting.
"Do you know why? There was no soul powerful enough to wield all the Demon Lords'' authorities simultaneously. I managed to obtain the souls of dragons and Marquise ss demon beings to try, but they all failed. They were all destroyed, unable to withstand the Demon Kings'' powers."
The light faded from Dorugo''s eyes.
"In the end, I had no choice but to give up. I didn''t want to, but I had no other option. So I changed my goal. I decided to destroy the Empire that killed him instead."
Dorugo''s voice regained its strength. Her hatred for the Empire seeped through heavily.
"That wasn''t an easy path either. The Empire was too strong, and I had no power. The Demon Lords'' bodies was in Mount Carion, but I had no way to open it. The key was destroyed when Ruin was attacked."
Damien recalled the key that Vahel had possessed.
It must have been destroyed when Ruin''s body was mutted.
"To take revenge on the Empire, I spread dark magic, trained dark mages, and created Pandemonium. But it was far from enough. I thought I''d never be able to topple the Empire. Then one day... you appeared."
In his previous life, Damien had joined a mercenary group after being exiled from his family.
And during one of the mercenary group''s missions, he encountered Dorugo.
"When I first saw you, I saw hope to destroy the Empire. Your talent was truly extraordinary. I knew that if I modified you into a Death Knight and trained you, you''d be the dagger to bring down the Empire."
After that, Damien was modified into a Death Knight by Dorugo''s hand.
During that time, Dorugo realized something.
"While modifying you, I btedly realized. That you had inherited Ruin''s talent. At first, I couldn''t believe it. I didn''t know Ruin''s talent could be passed down."
Dorugo''s voice gradually brightened. It even became passionate.
"You can''t imagine how happy I was when I realized that. The final piece needed for time reversal had fallen into my hands! I could meet the real Ruin again!"
Dorugo lowered her gaze to look at Damien. Madness swirled in her eyes.
"I stored all the powers I had gathered in your body! On the day I wouldplete my revenge by destroying the Empire! To use all that power to turn back time!"
Dorugo''s voice rose. A broad smile spread across her face.
"My n was perfect! I killed the Imperial Supreme Sword and toppled the Empire! I made the people of this era who had forgotten Ruin pay the price by killing them all! All that was left was to return to the past! All I had to do was meet Ruin again!"
Anger gradually filled Dorugo''s voice.
"But who ruined that n? My waiting! The reward for my hatred! Who ruined it, I ask you!"
"So you''re saying it''s my fault?"
"Of course it is!"
Dorugo shouted in a burst of anger.
"You used the immense power I gathered over hundreds of years to turn back time by mere decades! Because of you, all my ns were ruined! How can you say that''s not your fault!"
Dorugo screamed as if throwing a tantrum. Damien wore a cold sneer.
"You stupid whore. I can''t stand to listen anymore."
Damien raised the divine sword. Dorugo''s eyes becamenguid.
"Right, I''ve talked too much. I should subdue you quickly and go meet Ruin."
Suddenly, Dorugo seemed to move far away.
It wasn''t that Dorugo had moved. The space between them had suddenly expanded.
Damien tried to chase after Dorugo. At that moment, powerful energies exploded.
"Lord Damien, we can''t let you go any further."
"Cannot pass. Face us first."
"Kahahah! I finally get to have my revenge on you!"
"......"
The Four Great Demon Kings.
Dorugo''s children were blocking Damien''s path.
"Right, I had forgotten about you a lot."
ck armor appeared from thin air and covered Damien''s body.
Then he drew Erebos. Holding the divine sword and Erebos in each hand, he said.
"No matter how urgent it is, I can''t ignore filth like you."
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 342
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 342: The Final Battle (1)
As Damien drew out Erebos, the Four Great Demon Kings immediately unleashed their true forms.
Their bodies began to rapidly expand, transforming into massive figures the size of several humansbined.
It wasn''t just their size that changed. One turned into metal, another was covered in scales, and someone sprouted tentacle-like appendages resembling jellyfish.
Originally, the true forms of the Four Great Demon Kings were monsters, not humans. This was because their base bodies were demons and dragons or extinct giant race.
However, the true forms of the Four Great Demon Kings that Damien now saw before him were different. Though still monstrous, their appearances were closer to that of humans.
This change was undoubtedly due to their absorption of the Demon Lords'' flesh.
"Why is everyone hesitating? We need to offer him to Mother quickly!"
Among the Four Great Demon Kings, Iota was the first to move.
Iota''s original form had been that of a massive dragon. But not anymore.
Now, he had a huge body that looked like three humansbined, with dragon scales and ws protruding from it.
The term ''dragonoid'' perfectly described his appearance.
"I''ll pay you back for everything you''ve done to me right here!"
Iota opened his mouth wide. Crimson mes gathered in his throat.
At that moment, a symbol appeared on Iota''s forehead. It was none other than the Authority of Wrath.
The Authority of Wrath had the ability to amplify anything. It was a simple but powerful authority.
As soon as the authority manifested, the mes gathering in Iota''s mouth grew exponentially. Then, they were released towards Damien.
It was like a dam bursting all at once. A massive tidal wave of fire engulfed everything in its path.
Even Damien had no choice but to exert himself to block a breath attack of such magnitude.
Damien concentrated his mana into Erebos. A jet-ck aura de enveloped Erebos.
He swung Erebos towards the oing tidal wave of me. In that instant, a sh rose from the ground and cleaved the tidal wave.
It was as if a ck wall had blocked the tidal wave. The red tidal wave was split in two.
Damien retrieved Erebos, which had been raised towards the sky. At that moment, blue lightning struck from above.
This was no natural lightning. It carried an ominous power.
Damien leaped away as he pushed off the ground. The lightning struck where he had been standing.
The lightning exploded and a storm of electrical current blew away everything in the vicinity.
Damien looked up at the sky. A human with an enormous head like a light bulb was looking down at him.
When Lambda pointed his index finger at Damien, the demonic energy he emitted transformed into an electrical current.
Blue lightning filled the sky. It gathered at a single point and then struck down towards Damien.
This time, it wasn''t just a single bolt. It fired repeatedly. Damien dodged the lightning by moving here and there.
''As expected, they''re troublesome opponents.''
Both were formidable adversaries. If the battle continued like this, it wouldn''t be good for Damien.
"Damien Haksen! Why are you only running away!"
Iota began gathering mes again. In the sky, Lambda was raising his lightning power.
''This is annoying.''
Dealing with the Four Great Demon Kings wasn''t difficult. The problem was Dorugo.
Right now, Damien''s body couldn''t properly withstand the Soulflower of Tranquility.
He couldn''t use the Soulflower of Tranquility against the Four Great Demon Kings in this situation.
If he did, his body would copse when it came time to fight Dorugo.
But now wasn''t the time to conserve his strength.
''I''ll use up to the First Flower.''
Damien activated the Soulflower of Tranquility. As the mana throughout his body ignited, an immense power welled up.
"First Flower."
Damien''s figure disappeared.
He closed the distance in an instant and appeared in front of Iota. Iota was greatly surprised by his sudden appearance.
"W-what? How is he so fas¡ª"
Damien''s hands moved. The divine sword and Erebos moved simultaneously.
The two des drew countless shes. So many shes that they were hard to count cut into various parts of Iota''s body.
However...
No blood flowed. Not even a wound appeared.
It was because of the symbol that appeared on Iota''s body.
The Authority of Gluttony.
The authority that could absorb anything hadpletely sucked in Damien''s shes.
"You''re being annoying."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the symbol shed.
The Authority of Gluttony released the shes it had absorbed. Damien leaped back to avoid the shes.
"Iota, how many times have I warned you that we need to work together?"
Epsilon stood next to Iota and scolded him. Iota dusted off his body as he replied.
"I was counting on you."
"What a sweet talker."
Iota ced his hand on Epsilon''s shoulder. As he did, the symbol of Wrath appeared on Epsilon''s forehead.
"This time, let''s crush him for real."
"We can''t kill him. Mother wants Damien Haksen captured alive."
Iota and Epsilon moved simultaneously.
The Authority of Wrath amplified their speed. The movement of the two suddenly became much faster.
Iota moved frantically, swinging both fists. Damien used his dual swords to parry the force of the blows.
Suddenly, Iota ttened himself against the ground. In sync with his movement, Epsilon swung his axe widely.
Damien crossed his dual swords to deflect the axe. At the same time, he shed at Epsilon''s side.
But no wound appeared on Epsilon''s body. Once again, the Authority of Gluttony had absorbed the sh.
"I didn''t know that would be such an annoying authority."
"I''ll take that as apliment."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Iota closed in.
Damien avoided all of Iota''s attacks while shing at various parts of his body. But this time too, they were sucked into the Authority of Gluttony.
At that moment, a sharp sound struck Damien''s eardrums.
No, not just his eardrums. Damien''s entire body was vibrating.
''Theta...!''
Damien instinctively realized. It was the sound waves that Theta had sent that were causing this.
But it was strange. Damien''s body was protected by the Soulflower of Tranquility. Even if Theta was skilled with sound, she shouldn''t have been able to shake Damien like this.
''The Authority of Greed... you obtained Insight!''
With Insight, one can analyze and see through anything. It would have been easy to figure out how to shake Damien''s body.
Iota and Epsilon didn''t miss the opening Damien showed.
"Lord Damien! We''ll end it with this!"
The Authorities of Gluttony and Wrath appeared simultaneously on Iota''s axe.
Iota swung his axe towards Damien. The Authority of Gluttony spewed out all the shes it had been absorbing until now.
The released shes were further strengthened by the Authority of Wrath.
A storm of shes engulfed Damien.
***
Countless gashes were carved into the ground where the storm had passed.
In the midst of it all, Damieny fallen and covered in blood.
"As expected, I knew you would withstand it."
Epsilon looked down at Damien with admiration.
Damien red at Epsilon with eyes full of killing intent.
Normally, it would have been frightening, but not now. Who would fear a dying enemy?
"Kyahaha! You fool! This is what happens when you challenge us with such pathetic skills!"
Iota raised his foot and pressed it firmly on Damien''s chest.
"Cough."
Damien coughed up blood. Iota''s expression grew even more satisfied.
"Iota, step back."
It was Theta.
Iota looked puzzled at Theta''s words.
"Why are you being so prickly? After everything this damn bastard has done to us, we should at least be able to vent a little!"
"I told you to step back... didn''t I?"
Theta''s voice lowered. Iota reluctantly removed his foot.
"Damn... why are you only picking on me?"
"Lambda, let''s move Damien Haksen. We need to present him to Mother."
"Understood. I''ll do that."
Lambda, who had been floating in the sky, descended. He used magic to levitate Damien''s body.
At that moment, Lambda hesitated and looked at Damien with a puzzled expression.
He examined him from various angles.
"This is... impossible... it can''t be... it can''t be..."
"Lambda, what''s wrong with you now? Stop acting like an idiot and bring him here quickly."
Iota spoke in an unpleasant voice. It seemed he intended to take out his frustrations from Theta''s rebuke on Lambda.
"This is... not him! This isn''t... Damien Haksen!"
"What nonsense are you... Guh!"
Suddenly, a de protruded from Iota''s chest.
"Guh! Gaaah!"
Iota coughed up blood and looked behind him. He saw Damien, who had stabbed him in the back.
"That''s one down."
Damien swung his other sword. He sliced off Iota''s head.
"Iota!"
Epsilon was startled and rushed towards Damien.
Damien spread his palm towards Epsilon. A symbol appeared on his palm.
The Authority of Gluttony that Damien manifested spewed out shes. Countless shes flew towards Epsilon.
"T-This is...! What I released earlier...!"
Epsilon immediately manifested the Authority of Gluttony. He reabsorbed the shes that Damien had released.
"As expected, you can only use it in one direction."
At that moment, Damien''s voice came from behind. Epsilon turned his head in surprise.
Before he could react, Damien''s sword sliced through Epsilon''s neck. Epsilon''s head fell to the ground.
"H-How...!"
Epsilon''s fallen head cried out with a shocked expression.
Epsilon survived despite having his neck severed. It was thanks to the Demon Lord''s robust vitality.
"How did you... copy the Authority of Gluttony so perfectly!"
"I learned by watching."
Damien said nonchntly. Epsilon''s face went nk at those words.
"D-Don''t talk nonsense! The authority you inherited is only a small fraction! You can''t possibly imitate me with that..."
"Oh really? It seemed to work when I tried it."
Damien spoke casually. Epsilon was at a loss for words.
"The same goes for that doppelganger. I made it by copying what that fat one was doing."
Damien pointed at his own corpse lying at Lambda''s feet as he spoke.
It was a doppelganger created by using the Authority of Envy to alter energies.
He had adapted it after seeing Lambda create doppelgangers.
"Impossible... It''s not... that easy..."
Lambda spoke with an unbelieving expression. Damien replied with an annoyed tone.
"Maybe for you lot."
As they said, the Demon Lord''s authority that Damien had obtained wasn''t all that impressive.
But Damien''s talent transcendedmon sense. He could utilize even that meager authority to perfection.
"More importantly, aren''t you curious why I''m rambling on like this?"
"What do you... Guh!"
After suddenly appearing in front of Lambda, Damien kicked him in the stomach.
Then he held swords to both Lambda''s and Theta''s throats simultaneously.
"Don''t move. Or I''ll slice through your very souls."
Theta and Lambda''s bodies stiffened at Damien''s fierce warning.
"Dorugo! Are you going to just watch these ones die?"
Damien shouted towards the sky.
Suddenly, the air rippled and Dorugo appeared. She red at Damien with a sour expression.
"...It would have been better if you had just quietly let yourself be captured."
"I can''t do anything that would please you."
Damien swung both swords simultaneously, cutting off Theta''s and Lambda''s legs. They copsed to the ground.
"Don''t think about running away. If you do, I''ll kill everyone here."
"Don''t worry. I have no intention of running."
Dorugo raised her demonic energy. Her entire body writhed.
"I intend to capture you with my own hands."
"How honored I am."
Damien''s lips twisted.
Despite his expression, Damien calmly assessed his physical condition internally.
''I used the First Flower, but my internal injuries aren''t too severe yet.''
The reason Damien had resorted to trickery against the Four Great Demon Kings was because of Dorugo.
If he pushed the Soulflower of Tranquility to its limit, he could kill the Four Great Demon Kings in an instant.
But then he wouldn''t be able to fight Dorugo. Damien''s body was too weak to withstand the Soulflower of Tranquility now.
That''s why Damien had no choice but to conserve the Soulflower of Tranquility against the Four Great Demon Kings.
"It truly has been an irritatingly persistent connection."
Damien activated the Soulflower of Tranquility.
He seized control of all the surrounding demonic energy emitted by the Four Great Demon Kings.
He absorbed it all. He transformed it with the Authority of Envy. Dark mana and divine power surged within Damien''s body.
"Let''s settle this here."
Damien channeled all that energy into one. He pushed the Soulflower of Tranquility to its limit.
The energy exploded. His body burned. His soul shook.
Flowers began to bloom inside Damien''s body. Not one, not two. Too many to count.
"Flowers in Full Bloom, Spring in Its Glory."
Flowers blossomed throughout the entire world.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 343
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 343: The Final Battle (2)
***
As the sun was setting, the sky turned red, and darkness slowly began to creep over thend.
However, the encroaching darkness was suddenly obliterated.
A burst of light had erased all the shadows in an instant.
The light wasn''ting from the sky, but emanating from Damien.
"..."
Dorugo felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu from the overwhelming aura Damien Haksen was radiating.
It reminded her of the distant past, on a continent filled with monsters.
This was exactly how Ruin had appeared out of nowhere back then, exuding an aura that could shake the entire world as he faced his enemies.
"How dare you...!"
Dorugo shouted and gritted her teeth.
"You, who just happened to inherit Ruin''s talents!"
Dorugo''s eyes zed with fury, feeling as if something precious had been defiled.
Darkness exploded from her body and spread in all directions like a viscous swamp.
From within the darkness, a terrifying massive creature arose.
It had two legs with reverse joints and four arms.
Unlike its lower body, which was covered in fur, its upper body was smooth.
On its chest and abdomen were two shriveled heads, like mummies.
The face on its neck had melted like candle wax, making its features indistinguishable.
"Grooooah!"
"Urrrrrgh!"
The heads on the torso emitted horrifying sounds. As if annoyed by the noise, Dorugo shouted.
"Shut up!"
At Dorugo''smand, the two heads closed their mouths but continued to grumble inaudibly.
Dorugo shifted her gaze back to Damien.
"You''re not the only one who''s grown!"
While Damien was making his way to Mount Carion, Dorugo focused on absorbing the bodies of the Demon Lords.
"I won''t kill you! You''re still too useful!"
As her reverse-jointed legs kicked off the ground, the solid earth shattered like thin ice. In an instant, Dorugo soared high into the sky like an eagle.
She raised her four arms high.
Suddenly, the sky turned ck.
It wasn''t the sudden arrival of night. The sky was filled with Dorugo''s demonic energy.
The demonic energy nketing the sky gathered at a single point. A ck sun appeared in the sky.
Dorugo grasped it and plummeted downward. The massive concentration of demonic energy fell towards Damien.
Just before impact, a sh of light appeared. A red sh rising from the ground split the ck sun in half.
The ck sun lost its core and dispersed. The red sh transformed into flower petals and scattered.
"..."
Dorugo stared at the scene with a bewildered expression.
She had absorbed the demonic energy of three Demon Lords despite the fact that they were corpses.
It was on apletely different level in both quality and quantity.
She had condensed it into a single point to maximize its destructive power.
How could he cut through it so easily? She felt the same insurmountable wall as when she first met Ruin...
"This can¡¯t be real!"
Shouting at no one in particr, Dorugo extended her four arms towards Damien.
Darkness seeped out of the ground where Damien stood. The darkness soon swelled like eyelids.
Dorugo raised her arms upward. The darkness covering the ground rose like a tidal wave.
Dorugo brought her raised arms down. The risen darkness came crashing down and crushed Damien beneath it.
At that moment, the sound of air being sliced was heard.
It was a crisp sound that made one''s ears tingle.
Soon after, lines appeared in the darkness covering the prairie.
Countless lines oveid the darkness, which then shattered into pieces and dissipated.
Damien emergedpletely unscathed from the attack.
"..."
Despite unleashing such immense demonic energy, Dorugo couldn''t even touch a hair on Damien''s head.
She trembled at this terrifying reality.
"It seems you have nothing more to show."
Damien''s knees bent slightly. His head lowered.
He''sing.
By the time she thought this, it had already begun.
I must block it.
By the time she made this judgment, it was already toote.
Red petals filled her vision. In the next instant, one of Dorugo''s arms vanished.
Dorugo reflexively turned around. Damien was already standing behind her.
He was holding a blood-stained sword.
"Gaaaah!"
Dorugo created swords out of her demonic energy.
She grasped them with her three remaining arms and swung them at Damien.
The three swords plunged into the ground. But Damien was already gone.
With a sharp pain, another arm flew off.
Dorugo suppressed the pain and turned her body.
But Damien was nowhere to be seen. That''s not to say he had vanished.
The third arm flying high into the sky proved Damien''s presence.
"Damien... Damien Haksen!"
Dorugo frantically moved her eyes, trying to locate Damien.
But she couldn''t even catch a glimpse of him, let alone track his afterimages.
"Gah!"
Soon after, herst arm was severed.
Dorugo had lost all means to defend herself.
"In that case...!"
Dorugo summoned her demonic energy.
Using her mighty demonic energy as fuel, she manifested the Authority of Sloth.
There was no need to choose a specific target. Everything in this world was the target.
"Stop!"
With Dorugo''s cry, the entire world came to a halt.
Birds froze in mid-air, and leaves being swept by the wind became fixed in ce.
"Hah, huff, hah."
Dorugo panted heavily and slowly turned around. She saw a de pressed against her neck.
Following the de with her eyes, she saw Damien.
Dorugo felt chills run down her spine.
If she had been even a moment slower in manifesting the authority, her head would have been severed.
"You... monster¡¡±
Dorugo concentrated her demonic energy on her wounds. Her severed arms instantly regenerated.
"Urrrgh..."
At that moment, one of the heads on her torso groaned.
Dorugo looked down at the head and said coldly.
"I told you to shut up."
As she spoke, Dorugo once again used her demonic energy to create weapons.
She grasped them one by one and held them against Damien''s limbs.
"Even you are powerless before the Authority of Sloth."
Dorugo intended to cut off Damien''s limbs. Even Damien would be helpless if only his torso remained...
Suddenly, Dorugo saw it. Damien''s eyes were staring directly at her.
"What is this..."
Instinctively, Dorugo leaped backward.
In that moment, the frozen Damien moved. He swung his sword towards Dorugo.
Thanks to her preemptive retreat, Dorugo narrowly avoided the sh.
Having put some distance between them, Dorugo looked at Damien and cold sweat breaking out on her skin.
Time had clearly stopped. The world remained frozen in ce.
Yet Damien was moving as if nothing had happened.
"H-How..."
"Well."
With that short word, Damien prepared to charge again.
Dorugo once more manifested the Authority of Sloth. She tried to stop Damien.
In response, Damien shed the air with the swords in both hands. The authority Dorugo had manifested instantly vanished.
Dorugo''s eyes widened in disbelief.
"You cut through a Demon Lord''s authority..."
Dorugo couldn''t finish her sentence. Damien charged at her again.
Sloth doesn''t work. Lust would likely be the same. In that case...
Dorugo manifested the Authority of Pride. Shepletely distorted the surrounding space.
Due to the distortion of space, Damien appeared in an unexpected location as he charged towards Dorugo.
Having barely bought some time, Dorugo gathered her demonic energy once more.
She twisted the space around Damien.
No matter where Damien ran, he would return to his original position.
He would be unable to escape from his current location.
She had trapped Damien in a prison made of space.
"I didn''t want to use this!"
Dorugo''s goal wasn''t to kill Damien. It was to capture him alive.
But now wasn''t the time to be sparing with her methods. At this rate, she might be the one to die first.
"Please, just stay alive!"
Space began topress around Damien.
Thepressed space was soplex that not even light could escape.
Pitch-ck darkness pressed in on Damien from all sides.
* * *
The abyss created by thepressed space tried to crush Damien.
But the abyss didn''t dare encroach upon Damien''s domain.
It was because of the white sword Damien Haksen held in his hand.
The Divine Sword was pushing back the abyss.
Thanks to this, only the area around Damien remained brightly lit.
But it was uncertain how long the divine sword could hold out. So Damien raised the sword in his other hand.
"Erebos."
Erebos let out a cry.
However, Erebos''s cry had no effect on the abyss. The twisted space was blocking Erebos''s power.
Damienpressed Erebos''s power. He wrapped it around the de.
He would cut through it all.
Strength flowed into Damien''s arms. The divine sword and Erebos shed.
In that moment, the abyss was torn apart and an explosion urred. The view that had been blocked by darkness became clear again.
In the distance, he could see Dorugo with a shocked expression on her face. Damien immediately kicked off the ground.
"Damn it!"
Dorugo once again used the Authority of Pride to twist space.
But Damien wasn''t naive enough to fall for the same trick twice.
"Erebos, cry out."
The powerpressed in the de was released. It engulfed the entire world and swallowed Dorugo in the process as well.
The authorities of Pride and Erebos collided. They canceled each other out and disappeared.
There was no longer any shield to protect Dorugo. Damien focused on Dorugo''s chest.
That was Dorugo''s core. That''s where her soul resided.
Damien put strength into his legs.
Red petals scattered. Damien charged forward almost bing a red sh.
The tip of Erebos pierced through Dorugo''s core.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 344
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 344: The Final Battle (3)
***
Erebos pierced through Dorugo''s chest and emerged from her back.
Dorugo''s eyes widened in shock.
She stared at Damien with eyes full of pain.
Damien didn''t avoid her gaze.
Their eyes met.
In that brief moment, numerous emotions welled up in Damien''s heart.
But Damien suppressed them all. The thrill of revenge could be savored after Dorugo was truly dead.
"Farewell."
Damien manifested Erebos''s power. Erebos began to burn Dorugo''s soul.
"...!"
Dorugo''s hung wide open, but no scream came out.
The pain was too intense.
She grasped Erebos with her four arms and desperately tried to pull it out.
Damien mocked her efforts and thrust Erebos even deeper.
"Aaaaagh!"
Finally, a scream erupted. But Damien didn''t stop.
"Aaagh! Aaaaaaagh!"
Atst, Erebospletely annihted Dorugo''s soul.
As her soul vanished, Dorugo''s head dropped.
Her four arms went limp.
Her massive body slowly crumbled. Her reverse-jointed legs folded almost touching the ground.
And so, Dorugo was finally dead.
"..."
Damien silently looked at Dorugo''s corpse.
He had finally severed their long and bitter connection.
Atst, he had obtained the peace he desired.
And yet, why?
He felt no joy. No sense of relief.
Instead, he only felt a pressure constricting his heart. It was truly strange.
"...This ispletely different from what I expected."
Perhaps it was because Dorugo''s death didn''t feel real yet.
Damien tried to pull Erebos out of Dorugo''s body.
In that moment, a chill ran down his spine.
Suddenly, it felt as if he''d fallen into a winterke.
His muscles tensed all at once.
Damien quickly pulled Erebos out and moved as far away from Dorugo''s corpse as possible.
Damien red at Dorugo''s body.
"...Kahah."
Just then,ughter came from Dorugo''s mouth.
"Hahaha... haha..."
Along with theughter, Dorugo slowly raised her head. Her eyes overflowed with ecstasy.
"Finally... they''re finally gone."
The two heads attached to Dorugo''s torso began to crumble into dust.
"Their thought forms... those insufferable things have fallen away!"
As herughter grew louder, Dorugo''s presence began to grow stronger.
"Now I can feel it! Their power! Their authority!"
Her massive body melted away. But it didn''t flow to the ground. Instead, it gathered towards her center.
From within the viscous liquid, a naked form emerged.
Muscr limbs.
Taller than a Human.
A woman with a body attractive enough to stimte every human desire appeared.
"As I expected. I knew it would be possible with Erebos."
Dorugo said with a chilling smile.
"Damien, thank you for your cooperation."
***
Damien couldn''t help but be shocked by Dorugo''spletely changed appearance.
He seemed to understand why he wasn''t happy despite having killed Dorugo.
He had instinctively felt it. The fact that Dorugo was not yet dead.
He had been fooled.
What Dorugo had revealed was not her own soul but thoughtforms left behind by the Demon Lords.
Pride and Sloth were known to be the strongest among the Demon Lords.
The thoughtforms they left behind couldn''t be ordinary.
They must have been preventing Dorugo from taking their powers and authority.
"You''ve suddenly be very silent."
Dorugo said to Damien. Her red lips shone seductively.
"But you shouldn''t do that in front of me. Besides, I have a lot of debts to collect from you, don''t I?"
The darkness transformed into cloth and wrapped around Dorugo''s body.
Her sensual figure was fully revealed.
"Time stop didn''t work, did it? Then I''ll have to use this on you."
Damien''s vision began to shake violently. He couldn''t distinguish up from down, let alone sky from ground.
When he came to his senses, Damien was floating high in the sky.
"...Cough!"
Before he could grasp the situation, a sharp pain surged through his abdomen. Blood burst from his mouth.
Only then did Damien realize.
Dorugo had kicked him. At a speed so fast that Damien couldn''t even notice.
But this much was okay. The Soulflower of Tranquility had withstood the shock...
"Didn''t I tell you that you''re still in shock?"
Damien looked up. Dorugo was floating in the air.
"Looks like I''ll have to hit you a few more times to bring you to your senses."
As soon as she finished speaking, Dorugo''s figure split. It was as if numerous mirrors were reflecting Dorugo''s image.
This wasn''t a doppelganger technique. They were all real bodies. She had merely extended her form by distorting space.
"Grit your teeth."
Countless Dorugos moved simultaneously. Fists and kicks came flying from all directions.
Innumerable strikes were delivered simultaneously. Damien''s body iled about in midair.
The attack that had continued for a long time suddenly stopped. Damien''s battered body fell to the ground.
"Ahaha."
Dorugoughed, throwing her head back.
She didn''t mind at all that her beautiful face was distorted grotesquely.
"Did you see? This is my power! Now you''re nothing! It means you''re less than an insect!"
Damien who had been lying on the ground suddenly got up. Dorugo saw this and asked iprehensibly.
"How are you still alive?"
The simultaneous attacks delivered by distorting space were not something Damien should have been able to withstand.
All the bones in his body should have been shattered, and his internal organs should have all burst and spilled out.
Yet Damien was not only conscious but even getting up.
Dorugo red at Damien with narrowed eyes. Then, as if she had realized something, she eximed.
"I see. You absorbed my attacks with the Authority of Gluttony. I didn''t expect you to havepletely mastered Epsilon''s technique in such a short time."
That was correct. Damien had absorbed Dorugo''s attacks with Gluttony and then repelled them by releasing them again.
"But you couldn''t block them all, could you?"
That was also correct. It was impossible to block all the attacks.
The attacks that he failed to block had destroyed various parts of Damien''s body, making it difficult for him to even stand.
"Tch."
Damien spat and spread both hands.
Erebos and the divine sword, which he had dropped on the ground flew into his hands.
"Don''t tell me you still intend to fight?"
Dorugo asked with an incredulous look.
The technique Dorugo had just shown was nothing.
It was just simple punching and kicking.
If Dorugo wanted, she could turn someone like Damien into dust.
"Don''t resist futilely and surrender quietly. I probably don''t need to tell you this, but suicide is useless. It''s very easy to keep your soul trapped in your body."
"You''re... annoyingly noisy."
Damien opened his mouth for the first time. His pronunciation was unclear due to the blood filling his mouth.
"Stop talking nonsense ande at me. This time, I''ll really kill you."
"You don''t want to show weakness even in this situation? You''re irritatingly arrogant."
Dorugo clicked her tongue. Then Damien spoke again.
"I won''t say it twice. Come at me."
A fierce light burst from his eyes on a face covered in blood and dust.
Seeing that look, Dorugo couldn''t help but hesitate.
Damien''s words were neither bluff nor provocation. He truly intended to kill Dorugo.
From Dorugo''s perspective, it was an absurd attitude.
However, Dorugo couldn''tugh at Damien.
Because the only person she had ever loved had acted exactly like Damien.
Because he had never fled from any irrational battle. Because he had ultimately achieved victory.
"T-This can¡¯t be."
Dorugo dismissed her sentiments.
"You are not Ruin. You''re just an ordinary person who inherited Ruin''s talent."
However, there was a reality that didn''t change no matter how much she denied it.
It was clear that Damien had no intention of backing down from this battle.
Despite being shown an overwhelming difference, he didn''t back down. He was even trying to fight her seriously.
From Dorugo''s perspective, it was an attitude that was hard to forgive for its insolence.
"If that''s how you want to be... I''ll thoroughly break you. Your pride, your dignity, everything."
As Dorugo waved her hand in the air, the Four Great Demon Kings lying on the ground all disappeared. She had used the Authority of Pride to send them to another ce.
Next, Dorugo created arge dimensional portal behind her.
It was toorge for just one Dorugo to pass through. It was as if she was showing it to Damien.
As the dimensional portal opened, it revealed scenery. The moment he saw it, Damien couldn''t help but be shaken.
The world beyond the dimensional portal was Spring Castle.
Spring Castle where his family resided and the busy servants could be seen.
He could also see his father and mother taking a walk in the garden.
"I''m going there now."
Dorugo said with a sneer.
"I''ll go and torture your family. In a way that will make what happened in your past life feel like child''s y."
"Stop..."
"When everything is over, I''ll open the dimensional portal then. So you can watch your family''s demise with your own eyes."
"I said... stop...!"
Damien said in a trembling voice. But Damien''s words didn''t reach Dorugo.
"Until then, you stay here and wait."
"I told you to stop!"
Damien pushed the Soulflower of Tranquility technique to its limit. He rushed to kill Dorugo.
But Damien couldn''t get close to Dorugo. Dorugo had stretched the space between them like taffy.
No matter how much he ran, he couldn''t reach Dorugo. Damien''s eyes turned red.
Meanwhile, Dorugo moved towards the dimensional portal. As soon as Dorugo passed through, the gate closed immediately.
When Dorugo disappeared, the space returned to normal. But by then, the dimensional portal hadpletely vanished.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 345
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 345: The Haksen Family (1)
***
Damien stared vacantly at the spot where Dorugo had disappeared.
The words Dorugo had said just before leaving kept echoing in his mind.
"No..."
His family was in danger. It wasn''t just a matter of their lives being at risk.
In Damien''s mind, the torture methods Dorugo frequently used kept shing incessantly.
And now Dorugo was full of thoughts of ruining his family. She would inflict tortures even more horrific than what Damien could imagine.
"No... not my family..."
But Damien had no way to stop it now.
Damien couldn''t open dimensional portals by himself. Even if he had the technique, it was impossible because the dimensional flow around Mount Carion waspletely distorted.
Forcibly opening a dimensional portal by cutting through dimensions was also impossible.
Dorugo had cleanly erased her traces to prevent Damien from following.
As Dorugo said, Damien had no choice but to stay here and wait.
Until Dorugo returned aftermitting horrible acts against his family.
"Ah..."
Damien copsed right there. He knelt on the ground and covered his face with both hands.
"This can''t be happening... This can''t be..."
He had lived a trash-like life.
In his youth, he had lived like a ruffian, sucking the flesh and blood of his family.
After bing a Death Knight, he killed his family with his own hands.
Even after being killed, his family couldn''t find peace. They were captured by dark mages and had to endure painful days.
"How... how could this happen when I finally got them back..."
He had been given a chance to atone by a stroke of fortune, so he had vowed to live for his family in this life. He had sworn to make everyone happy.
But what was this?
In the end, he couldn''t protect his family. His family would be experiencing hell where he wasn''t.
The faces of his family members came to mind one by one.
In his past life, the family Damien remembered always had sad expressions.
But the family members Damien was recalling now were all smiling brightly.
Soon those smiles would be broken. They would be tainted with tears and screams. All because Damien couldn''t stop it.
It wasn''t just his family.
His sister''s child was not yet born into this world.
Damien''s nephew would be toyed with by Dorugo. That pure soul would be thoroughly defiled.
For the sole reason of being Damien''s nephew.
"...No."
Crunch.
His teeth ground involuntarily. His gums tore and blood flowed.
"Not that child... No."
His voice gained strength. Damien''s eyes came back to life.
Responsibility pushed away despair.
Only then did anger rise.
Blood vessels stood out in Damien''s eyes.
"There must be... a way..."
He was no longer a Death Knight.
He wasn''t the fool who had spent time helplessly trapped in a body.
"Think! Think!"
He had heard that Ruin could do anything. And he had received the same talent as Ruin.
So he should be able to find a way. No, even if he didn''t have talent like Ruin''s, he had to find a way somehow.
Damien went over the techniques he had learned one by one from the beginning. He didn''t miss even the slightest detail.
There was too much information. His head was overloaded. But Damien didn''t stop.
A nosebleed trickled down. But Damien didn''t even mind it.
"...Found it."
Then Damien suddenly muttered.
"I''ve found it."
Damien stared into space with burning eyes.
***
"What nice weather."
A woman was lying on the roof of a tower.
The roof was narrow and quite steep.
Though she would die if she fell from there, the woman looked veryfortable.
-How long are you going to rest?
An eerie voice echoed in the woman''s ear.
But there was no one around the woman.
It was a situation that would startle anyone, but the woman only frowned as if annoyed.
"We did a lot of training yesterday, didn''t we? I moved so much that I even coughed up blood at the end."
-That''s proof that your body is still weak. You need to spend more time on physical training...
"Ah, nagging again. You''re such an old fogy."
-O-old fogy? When I was alive, there wasn''t much age difference between us!
Dominico shouted angrily.
Veronica picked her ear with her pinky finger and said.
"You said there was a 10-year difference. That''s quite a lot."
-Y-you...
"And you''re weaker than me now, old man."
-Weaker? You''ve only just reached a level simr to mine!
"What was yesterday''s record?"
At Veronica''s question, Dominico shut his mouth tightly.
"Why are you suddenly quiet? I asked what the record was."
-10 matches... 6 wins... 4 losses...
"I won 6, you won 4. See? I''m stronger now."
-Battle results can vary depending on the situation! Today will be different!
"Go say that to the dwarves instead of me. You haven''t even checked once if they''re renovating the castle properly!"
-Those rigid fellows wouldn''t do shoddy work! You just need to do your part properly!
"Ah, I don''t know. I''m resting today."
Veronica turned her body to the side. Dominico''s face red with anger but Veronica ignored him.
She had heard so much nagging that she could now ignore Dominico''s shouts without even covering her ears.
"Ah, Miss Veronica! Were you here?"
Just then, a voice calling her name came from below. Veronica poked her head out from under the roof.
There, she saw Victor..
"What''s the matter?"
"Thedy is calling for you. She said she bought some precious snacks while out in the town."
At Victor''s words, Veronica''s eyes lit up.
The Countess often bought delicious food for Veronica.
Tasting it while chatting with her was a great pleasure for Veronica.
"I''ming right now!"
-What about training?
"I said I''m resting today!"
Veronica said this and jumped down.
It was a height that would kill a normal person, but for Veronica, it was no different from walking downstairs.
After all, she was now a Master ss knight.
* * *
"I''m here!"
Veronica burst into the reception room, flinging the door open.
There, she saw the Countess sitting in front of a table.
"Veronica, you came quickly."
"How could I dy when I heard you had arrived, Mother?"
"You always speak so prettily."
At the Countess''s words, Veronica''s cheeks turned slightly red.
She had never heard such words in her life before.
Only the Countess ever praised Veronica''s way of speaking.
"Please, sit down."
On the table were some dark lumps. Veronica looked at them curiously.
"What are these?"
"They''re a food sold by a merchant from a far-off ce. The name was... chocte, I believe."
"May I try it?"
"Of course."
Veronica tried to pick up the chocte with her fingers. Countess lightly pped the back of her hand.
"Veronica, what did I tell you about eating food?"
"...You said to use utensils."
Veronica rubbed the back of her hand and picked up a fork.
For someone who was about to eat with her fingers, Veronica''s etiquette wasn''t bad.
Veronica demurely scooped up some chocte and put it in her mouth.
A bitter and sweet taste spread throughout her mouth. Veronica''s eyes widened.
"Wow, I''ve never tasted anything like this before!"
"Right? I was surprised when I ate it too. I hurried back because I wanted to give it to you quickly."
There was no way a nobledy like the Countess had actually run.
But Veronica liked even such exaggerated words. She smiled broadly and said.
"Thank you."
Veronica hurriedly put more chocte in her mouth. The Countess watched Veronica''s behavior with a pleased expression.
"If only Damien could taste this too..."
At Countess''s murmur, Veronica''s hand paused.
Veronica looked at Countess. The Countess was staring out the window with gloomy eyes.
There was no need to ask. It was clear who the Countess was thinking about now.
"You''re right. That brat... I mean, Damien doesn''t have much luck with food. Always wandering around outside, missing out on things like this."
Veronica said yfully. Countess chuckled in response.
"You''re right about that."
"Next time hees back, I''ll beat him up and make him stay home!"
"Alright, I''m counting on you."
Veronica scooped up the remaining chocte with her fork. Just as she was about to put it in her mouth,
Veronica sensed something.
Veronica put down her fork and ran to the window.
The scenery outside the window was peaceful and quiet. But Veronica could feel it.
An eerie and ominous energy was surrounding the entire Spring Castle.
Despite being Master ss, Veronica felt like she had be an insignificant ant.
Her whole body trembled. She wanted to run away from this ce immediately.
"Veronica? What''s wrong?"
Countess asked with a worried face.
Veronica gritted her teeth. She mustered up courage for Countess''s sake.
"Mother, run away."
"Veronica? What are you saying?"
"There''s no time to exin! You need to leave the castle right now..."
The sky distorted and a ck hole opened. Three people emerged from it.
On the surface, all three looked like ordinary humans.
But Veronica''s instincts and her experience told her that these were monsters wearing human disguises.
One woman among the three quietly looked down at Spring Castle.
She was so beautiful it seemed as if she might have been personally created by a god.
¡®Who should I break first?¡¯
A dark smile appeared on the woman''s face.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 346
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 346: The Hasken Family (2)
***
Dorugo closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"It reminds me of the old days."
Strictly speaking, it wasn''t the old days.
The time of the event Dorugo was recalling was actually the distant future.
"I once ordered Damien to attack this kingdom. I wanted to see him kill his family with his own hands."
There wasn''t any grand reason for it.
Dorugo had lived for nearly a thousand years. To endure such a long time, one needed a bit of spice in life.
The faces of Damien''s family, crying out as they witnessed their deaths, were quite a stimting seasoning.
"By the way, you''ve been much more sessful than in your previous life. To think that unremarkable mansion has transformed into such a massive castle."
Dorugo made this assessment while looking down at Spring Castle.
"Theta, have you located Damien''s family members?"
"......"
"Theta?"
Dorugo turned to Theta and asked again. Theta replied with a somewhat stiff expression.
"...Yes, Mother. They''re on the second and fourth floors of Spring Castle."
"All the family members gathered in the castle. That makes our job easier."
Dorugo''s eyes gleamed with cruelty as if she couldn''t contain her excitement for what was about to unfold.
"Mother, please leave this to me. I''ll make all of Damien''s family kneel before you."
"No, let me do it! I want to!"
Epsilon and Iota eagerly said to Dorugo.
Damien cut their heads off, but Dorugo reattached them on the way here.
Thanks to that, their severed heads were now neatly reattached to their necks.
"No, I''d like to handle this personally."
As Dorugo said this, she turned her palm downward. The ground trembled, and skeletons rose up.
These weren''t ordinary skeletons. Their bones were pitch ck.
The aura emitted by the skeletons caused the weeds and trees to wither. This was a sign that they were no ordinary skeletons.
Usually, such powerful skeletons could only be summoned on battlefields strewn with corpses.
But that was irrelevant to Dorugo now. At present, she could summon even more powerful undead at will.
"Go and capture Damien Haksen''s family members. You can kill the rest."
At Dorugo''smand, the skeletons let out a unified cheer.
It was only natural for the dead to crave the living.
The skeletons, their eye sockets gleaming with greed, swarmed towards Spring Castle.
A ck wave surrounded Spring Castle.
* * *
The castle was surrounded.
Veronica bit her lip.
Although hidden by the castle walls, she could sense it. The undead were closing in from all directions.
Escape was impossible. There was only one option left.
"Hey, are you there? Come out quickly."
"Veronica? What are you talking about...?"
"I was just about toe out anyway."
"Eek!"
Countess shrieked and stepped back.
A short man had suddenly appeared between the two women.
"A... dwarf?"
Countess looked at the dwarf with disbelief.
Although she had never seen one in her life, his distinctive appearance made him instantly recognizable.
"I''ll take care of the madam. However, they know how to use dimensional portals. They might quickly catch up to our prepared escape route. So..."
The dwarf''s voice trailed off. Veronica quickly grasped what he was implying.
"I''ll hold those guys off. You just focus on the madam. If she gets even a scratch, I won''t let you off easy."
"Don''t worry. I''ll evacuate the madam even at the cost of my life."
Veronica approached Countess, who was looking at her with trembling eyes.
"Veronica, what on earth is going on?"
"Mother, please don''t ask anything right now."
There was no time for exnations. Veronica spoke with an earnest voice.
"For now, please follow his instructions. The others should be receiving guidance from dwarves as well."
Dwarves were scattered throughout the mansion, ready to assist family members in case of emergency.
"...I''ll do as you say. But you must stay safe too."
"Don''t worry about me. You know how strong I am."
Veronica said with a smile.
Countess left the mansion with the dwarf.
Veronica kept watching the door until Countess was gone.
"Are you done with your farewells?"
Dominico''s voice came from behind. He was already standing at Veronica''s back.
"Let''s move. They''re breaking through the castle walls."
"Alright."
Veronica picked up the twin swords she had leaned against the wall.
They were weapons made by the dwarf, tailored specifically for Veronica.
Despite holding such extraordinary weapons, she couldn''t feel at ease.
"But where''s Damien, and what is he doing?"
As if trying to forget her fear, Veronicained in a deliberately cheerful tone.
***
"S-skeletons areing!"
The soldiers guarding the castle walls cried out in terror.
There were fewer than 50 soldiers defending Spring Castle.
In contrast, the number of approaching skeletons easily exceeded several thousand.
It wasn''t just their numbers. The ominous aura and intimidating presence emanating from the skeletons were overwhelming.
This was beyond what ordinary soldiers could handle. They were trembling while clutching their weapons.
"D-damn it! Everyone, grab your bows!"
"D-don''t let them get close!"
A few soldiers who managed to maintain theirposure fired arrows at the skeletons.
But a few arrows were not enough to stop the skeletal horde.
"Th-they''re trying to break down the gate!"
The skeletons surrounding Spring Castle began pounding on the walls and gate with their weapons.
The castle shook as if hit by an earthquake. Soldiers screamed and clung to the walls.
"Aaaargh!"
"It''s c-copsing!"
The gate was the first to give way.
It shattered with a pitiful crunch and the skeletons rushed in.
The soldiers'' faces turned pale. The fear of death paralyzed their minds.
That''s when it happened.
Just as the skeletons were about to pass through the gate, an iron door fell.
The weight of the iron door crushed the skeletons. Those behind were baffled by the sudden appearance of this new gate.
"Kieeeek?"
"Krueeeek?"
The skeletons tried to break down the iron door too. But no matter how hard they pounded, it didn''t budge.
"W-what''s going on?"
"Was there a s-second gate?"
The soldiers were equally confused. They stared at the suddenly appeared iron door in bewilderment.
That''s when it happened.
Suddenly, the entire castle wall began to glow red. Then, a shockwave erupted.
The shockwave obliterated all the skeletons. ck bones littered the ground.
The soldiers watched the scene with dazed expressions.
"Uahahahahahaha!"
Suddenly,ughter erupted. The soldiers were startled and looked up.
Short dwarves were now standing among them.
"How do you like that! The arcane magic of our Hammerfell city!"
"We call it the ''Boom Boom Wall''!"
"Chief Kilo... can we please change that name?"
The soldiers stared at the noisy dwarves with nk faces.
"W-who are you guys?"
"Us? We''re your allies!"
"A-allies?"
"Yeah! The eldest son of your count asked for our help."
The leader of the dwarves Kilo said with a heartyugh.
"Ah, this is no time forughter."
Kilo looked up at Dorugo with a very serious expression.
Being undead himself, he could tell. He knew just how absurdly monstrous the being floating in the sky was.
Is this how an ant would feel facing a human?
Kilo unconsciously clenched and unclenched his fists due to the extreme tension.
He wanted to run away.
But he couldn''t. A dwarf had to keep a promise once made. Especially a promise made to a benefactor.
And Kilo had promised Damien. He said he would protect his family.
"Boys!"
Kilo shouted, trying hard to suppress his fear.
"The day has finallye for us to use our inventions to our heart''s content!"
"Yes, Chief!"
His subordinates shouted loudly.
They weren''t unafraid either. But for the same reason as Kilo, they didn''t run away.
"Good! Then activate the devices! Let''s show those bastards all the secrets of our Hammerfell n..."
At that moment, the monster floating in the sky raised its index finger.
A sphere the size of a marble floated above the finger. It looked unremarkable, but Kilo could sense it.
Even a volcano rumbling beneath the earth was but a candle mepared to the power contained in that sphere.
"D-defend... No, run... Run away!"
The marble-sized sphere flew towards Kilo.
The next moment, the gate and walls of Spring Castle werepletely obliterated.
* * *
"Dwarves? You were employing some unusual servants."
Dorugo muttered, looking down at the shattered Spring Castle.
"They''re decent pawns, but such things can''t stop me."
Dorugo descended with the Four Great Demon Kings. She walked in, stepping on the shattered debris.
She could have flown over the walls, but she wanted to enter on her own feet. It was the victor''s right, after all.
Inside, she saw the corpses of soldiers. Of course, there were dwarves too.
"Ugh..."
"Urgh..."
Being undead, they hadn''t died, but they seemed to have taken a severe shock.
Dorugo ignored the dwarves. They weren''t even worth finishing off.
"Come forth."
At Dorugo''smand, skeletons formed again. Dorugo pointed at the castle and said,
"Go and capture Damien''s family."
Dorugo ordered the remaining skeletons. The skeletons rushed towards the inner castle.
That''s when it happened.
A shing attack came out of nowhere, cutting down all the skeletons.
"Hm?"
Dorugo looked with a puzzled expression at those who had cut down the skeletons.
A knight in ck armor and a lightly dressed woman stood holding swords.
"How dare you invade our lord''s castle."
"Why are these skeleton bastards so tough?"
A strange light flickered in Dorugo''s eyes as she looked at the two.
They were no ordinary swordsmen. They were Master ss warriors.
"Hey! You bastard! I don''t know where you came from, but stay right there! I''m going to separate your bones from your flesh!"
Veronica, shouted, pointing at Dorugo.
Dorugo smiled amusedly at Veronica, who wasn''t intimidated despite sensing her aura.
"You''ve brought quite fierce dogs to guard your home."
She had thought Damien would have made separate preparations to protect his family, but she didn''t expect him to prepare two Master ss warriors.
"Let''s see how skilled you are."
Dorugo gave orders to the skeletons. Hundreds of skeletons rushed at the two.
But the skeletons couldn''t get close to them. Suddenly, weapons sprouted from the ground.
"Hm?"
White skeletons popped out. All had auras attached to their weapons.
"...Dozens of Middle ss skeletons?"
It was too early to be surprised.
The shadows of the ck skeletons wavered, and dozens of wolves leapt out.
The wolves tore apart and shattered the ck skeletons. Then they merged into one entity.
Someone jumped from the roof of a building. An androgynous girl burned all the skeletons to ashes.
"Wooooo!"
"Yap!"
Munchi and Miya stood in front of Dominico and Veronica.
"Well, well..."
Dorugo looked at the undead with a surprised expression.
Two Master ss warriors, two undead nearly as powerful.
And dozens of skeletons that had reached Middle-ss.
Even among the Giant Evils of Pandemonium, none had such military strength.
"For someone who hates me, you''ve made good use of Dark magic."
Dorugo said as she twisted her lips.
"Mother! Let me! I''ll destroy them all!"
"I told you to stay put."
Dorugo rejected Iota''s plea with a single word and stepped forward.
"Damien Haksen''s efforts aremendable... but I can''t be held back by such insects."
Dorugo stretched out her hand towards the undead army.
"What''s she doing now?"
Veronica said, looking at Dorugo as if she were an idiot.
Dorugo twisted one corner of her mouth at her mockery.
They couldn''t even imagine.
That the space around them had be des, aiming at them.
"Insects should be swept away in one go."
Dorugo clenched the hand she had stretched out.
Invisible teeth tore the undead army to shreds.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 347
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 347: The Hasken Family (3)
***
The dwarf led Countess to an underground food storage in the inner castle.
"Mydy!"
"Mother!"
Other family members were already gathered in front of the storage. More dwarves stood beside them.
Count Haksen immediately embraced his wife and asked.
"What on earth is happening? Suddenly these dwarves appeared and brought us here."
"I''m not sure either. Some monsters appeared outside... Where are Olivia and Bad?"
"We''re here, Mother."
Countess sighed in relief seeing her daughter-inw and son-inw safe.
"Ahem."
One of the dwarves cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone''s attention.
"I understand your confusion, but we must flee immediately."
"How can we escape from here?"
Count Haksen asked.
This was an enclosed underground space. The dwarf''s words seemed nonsensical.
"Step aside for a moment."
The dwarves moved the Haksen family back and began tearing up the storage room floor.
"W-what? What are you doing?"
As they finished, an underground tunnel was revealed.
The tunnel stretched westward,rge enough for an adult man to walk upright. Peculiarly, two thick iron bars ran along the tunnel floor.
On top of these bars sat an elongated cart, big enough to seat six people.
"What is this?"
Count Haksen asked.
"It''s a transportation method created with our Hammerfell City''s technology. We call it a subway."
"Sub...way?"
"It''s still in the testing phase, so there are some issues... Well, no one''s died riding it. Broken necks, maybe, but no deaths."
Despite the dwarf''s nonchnt tone, the Haksen family''s faces turned pale.
"This subway leads towards the capital''s water supply. Go there and request help."
"If we go... what will happen to you? Do you have another means of escape?"
The dwarf gave a bitter smile at Count Haksen''s question.
"We must remain here."
"Why can''t you escape with us?"
"Those monsters arrived through dimensional portals. There''s nothing stopping them from using those to catch up with the subway. Someone needs to stay behind and hold them off."
Count Haksen''s face hardened.
The dwarf continued with a wry smile.
"Don''t worry about us. We''re not that weak."
"But..."
"We owe a debt to Damien Haksen. Ensuring your safe escape is how we repay that debt."
Hearing this, Count Haksen had no choice but toply. He took a seat in the cart with his family.
"Alright, start it up!"
One of the dwarves pulled a device on the wall.
With a nk, the cart shot forward at lightning speed.
* * *
What just happened?
Veronica questioned herself as shey face-down on the ground.
What transpired in that instant?
The moment the enemy clenched her fist, everything was torn apart. The skeletons, Miya, Munchi, Dominico, and herself.
Ah, I''ve been cut.
Her entire body felt like it was on fire. It was due to the wounds from being sliced all over.
It''s hopeless after all.
In truth, Veronica already knew she couldn''t defeat that monster.
How could she not know? She was now at Master ss.
But why did I choose to fight?
Even beasts knew when to pick their battles. The usual Veronica would have fled without fighting.
Yet, Veronica decided to face that monster. Without a moment''s hesitation.
Right. It was for Countess.
She finally remembered why she chose to fight.
It was to buy time for Countess, no, the entire Haksen family to escape.
It was ironic. She, who once derived pleasure from killing, was now risking her life for others.
Though she thought it foolish, she didn''t regret it.
If anything, she felt more urgent. That monster was far stronger than Veronica had anticipated.
To ensure the Countess''s safe escape from that monster, she needed to buy even more time.
"Urgh..."
Veronica struggled to her feet. Blood trickled from wounds all over her body.
"Oh? You''re still alive?"
Veronica twisted her lips and spoke.
"Why? Does it bother you?"
She had already resigned herself to death. So she intended to go out in a ze of glory.
"If it bothers you so much, try killing me."
Veronica had to muster all her strength just to utter these few words.
"..."
But Dorugo didn''t immediately kill Veronica. She just tilted her head and examined her.
"Your face seems familiar somehow..."
Just as Veronica was about to provoke her again,
"Hm?"
Dorugo began looking around with a puzzled expression.
"Theta, check again where the Haksen family is."
"..."
"Why aren''t you answering?"
"It''s nothing."
Theta said, closing and opening her eyes.
"They''re moving towards the capital."
"Moving? With skeletons surrounding the castle? Let me borrow your senses."
Dorugo grabbed Theta''s hand. Instantly, everything Theta felt and saw was transmitted to Dorugo.
"Ah, I see."
Dorugo said, looking towards the capital of the Apple Kingdom.
"They''re moving underground. Those dwarves must have pulled some tricks."
Dorugo turned to Veronica with a smile.
"I wondered why you were being so reckless... You were trying to buy time for their evacuation. It was all in vain."
Dorugo gestured towards the capital, and suddenly, five or six people appeared in mid-air.
Veronica''s eyes widened in shock when she saw their faces.
The Haksen family.
Those who should have escaped Spring Castle by now with the dwarves'' help had appeared here.
"What''s going on...?"
"We... we were just underground a moment ago."
The Haksen family members were equally confused and at a loss.
At that moment, Countess caught sight of Veronica.
Seeing Veronica covered in blood, Countess screamed and rushed over.
"Veronica!"
Countess eximed as she supported Veronica. Veronica looked at Countess with trembling eyes.
"Veronica?"
Just then, as if suddenly remembering, Dorugo spoke.
"Ah, now I recall. Killer Ghost Veronica Sanchez. The one who rejected my alliance offer."
Dorugo asked with a curious expression.
"Why is a serial killer who gets pleasure from murder protecting the Haksen family?"
Veronica couldn''t understand what Dorugo was saying at all.
Just as she was about to retort, Count Haksen stepped forward and spoke.
"...Who are you to attack our castle?"
Though fear was evident, his voice remained steady.
Dorugo smiled as if surprised.
"I see you''re quite the capable figure. I have no reason to hide it. It''s because of your child."
"Child? Do you mean Damien?"
Dorugo nodded at Count Haksen''s question.
"What do you intend to do to Damien... to my son!"
Count Haksen shouted angrily. Dorugo replied with a cheerfulugh.
"Your son simply won''t listen, you see. I intend to teach him a lesson."
"You piece of trash!"
Unable to contain his anger, Count Haksen lunged at Dorugo.
However, he couldn''t reach her. He hit an invisible wall.
The impact was so strong that his forehead split open and bled. Yet, Count Haksen''s anger didn''t subside.
"You scum! Do you n to use us to threaten Damien? Not a chance!"
"Threaten? Such lukewarm actions won''t make Damien Haksen repent."
Dorugo''s eyes glinted dangerously.
"I''m going to plunge you all into the depths of hell. I''ll make you experience every pain a human body can endure."
Dorugo''s voice dripped with the scent of blood.
"Even after death, you won''t find peace. I''ll hold onto your souls. That''s when the real fun begins. There are countless ways to torment a soul."
Dorugo said with a darkugh. Watching this, Count Haksen swallowed hard.
But his fear was short-lived. Gritting his teeth, he spoke.
"Just try it! It won''t go as you wish!"
"Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I love subjugating people like you."
Dorugo gestured. A ck skeleton emerged from the ground and grabbed the eldest daughter Louise by both arms.
"Louise!"
"Darling!"
Bad rushed towards the skeleton to save Louise.
But the skeleton kicked him away effortlessly.
"In my experience, parents are weak to their children''s suffering. Even the most principled person quickly surrenders when they hear their child''s screams."
Dorugo looked down at Louise''s stomach and grinned.
"And your daughter is even pregnant. It''s been a while since I''ve had such an interesting toy."
At Dorugo''s words, Count Haksen''s face turned deathly pale.
"Y-You trash! Let Louise go!"
Dorugo reached out and caressed Louise''s cheek. Louise squeezed her eyes shut.
At that moment.
Someone grabbed Dorugo''s hand. Dorugo asked with a puzzled face.
"What are you doing?"
The one who had grabbed Dorugo''s hand.
Theta spoke in a respectful tone.
"Mother, how about stopping here?
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 348
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 348: The Hasken Family (4)
***
¡°Step back.¡±
Dorugo spoke with a voice full of murderous intent. However, Theta simply stood still.
"Do you really think I''ll have to beat some sense into you?"
"If that''s what you intend to do, Mother, I have no choice but to ept it."
Upon hearing this response, Dorugo''s face twisted in anger.
Simultaneously, her demonic energy erupted from her body.
An immense energy whipped up a storm.
Theta also revealed her true form. Her body grew muchrger, covered entirely in blue scales. Her ears transformed into fin-like appendages.
The demonic energy of the two collided. A chilling sound reverberated throughout the world.
"Wait!"
At that moment, Iota intervened between the two.
"Theta! What are you doing? Withdraw your energy right now! Mother, please calm down. You know Theta has a unique way of thinking. She''s just having some strange thoughts for a moment!"
Despite Iota''s attempts to stop them, neither of them withdrew their demonic energies.
"Iota, step aside."
Dorugo spoke in a chilling tone.
"It seems the adjustment has failed. I can''t leave something like that alone. I''ll have to readjust her."
"B-but Mother... if you readjust her... Theta will disappear..."
"So what?"
Dorugo replied coldly.
"Creations must obey their creator. Any creation that doesn''t is a failure."
Iota couldn''t help but be shocked by these words that treated them like mere objects.
"M-Mother... even so... p-please, not readjustment..."
"Are you thinking of defying me too?"
Dorugo turned to Iota and asked. Faced with those chilling eyes, Iota involuntarily lowered his head.
"N-no... that''s not it, but..."
"Then stop talking and move aside."
Dorugo tried to push Iota away.
However, Iota didn''t budge easily. He stood his ground.
"What do you think you''re doing?"
As Dorugo questioned Iota, Iota also revealed his true form.
Dragon scales settled over his muscr body that looked ready to burst.
Iota threw a punch at Dorugo. A powerful fist that could easily crumble mountains struck Dorugo''s face.
"Iota!"
"What are you doing?!"
As Epsilon and Lambda watched the situation unfold, they both cried out in shock.
But Iota''s punch didn''t cause Dorugo any harm at all.
"What do you think you''re doing?"
Dorugo asked Iota with an unscathed face. Iota stepped back and said.
"What am I doing? I''m rebelling against you, Mother!"
"Have you gone mad like Theta?"
"I might not know about Theta, but I''m perfectly sane!"
Covering his face with both fists as if ready to throw another punch he said.
"If you readjust her... I''ll never see Theta again! We''ve finally be close, I can''t let that happen!"
Iota turned his head to look at Theta. Unlike usual, Theta was looking at Iota with a surprised expression.
"Kahahaha! So you can make that kind of expression too!"
He had never noticed before because Theta always treated him coldly.
"Iota, you idiot. What are you doing?"
"Is this the time to worry about that? We need to figure out how to survive from Mother¡¯s wrath!"
Iota stood beside Theta. It would be more advantageous to fight Dorugo together rather than separately.
"...If that''s what you two want, I have no choice."
Dorugo spoke in a calm tone. It was as if her anger from earlier had been a lie.
"Mother... we''ll try to persuade them."
"We''ll handle this. Mother, please calm down."
However, Epsilon and Lambda seemed even more terrified than before.
"You two stay put. Unless you want to end up like those two."
Dorugo spoke in a sharp tone. Epsilon and Lambda immediately shut their mouths.
"If you''re going to defy me to the end... I have no choice. I''ll have to disassemble you both and reassemble you."
Theta and Iota involuntarily swallowed.
At that moment, Dorugo''s form disappeared. Theta quickly shouted.
"Mother''sing! From the left!"
Thanks to her power of insight, she was able to predict Dorugo''s movement.
However, predicting and responding were two different matters.
Dorugo appeared from the left and plunged her fist into Iota''s abdomen.
Iota''s abdomen burst open and his spine shattered. Dorugo''s fist protruded from Iota''s back.
"Kuh!"
Even as he screamed, Iota tried to grab Dorugo.
But Dorugo had already shaken off Iota and approached Theta.
Theta swung her sword at Dorugo. Dorugo easily caught the longsword with two fingers.
"You''re still using this thing? I told you to get rid of it."
As Dorugo applied force with her two fingers, the sword shattered. Then she swung her hand towards Theta''s waist.
Theta''s waist was cleanly severed. Theta fell to the ground with her body separated.
"Epsilon, Lambda. Hold these two. I n to disassemble themter."
Saying this, Dorugo turned around.
At that moment, something caught her ankle. She looked down and saw Theta was grabbing her ankle.
"Please... let go... at least... his family..."
Dorugo looked down at Theta with an incredulous expression.
"Why are you going this far?"
Even Theta couldn''t clearly answer that question.
Dorugo was an absolute existence to Theta. No matter how much she admired Damien Haksen, it was unthinkable to disobey her mother''s orders.
Nevertheless, Theta was resisting Dorugo even at the risk of death.
-Damien, you don''t know how long I''ve waited for the day I could talk to you.
Suddenly, she recalled the time when she was captured by the Empire.
All of Theta''s words were sincere. She admired Damien Haksen.
She took up the sword, captivated by Damien''s fighting style. She learned swordsmanship wanting to emte him.
-Even now, when I close my eyes, I can vividly recall it. Your overwhelming presence as you ughtered your enemies.
But Theta could never get close to Damien. Because he was a Death Knight. Because he had long lost his sense of self.
-On the battlefield, you were an absolute existence. All who challenged you lost their lives.
That''s why she rejoiced when she regained her memories in this life. She could finally have a conversation with the Damien she had longed for.
-Damien, you were my idol.
But Damien was different from Theta.
Even when she sincerely expressed her admiration, he didn''t ept it. He showed endless anger. He tried to kill Theta.
Theta could hardly understand this. Perhaps it had hurt her. Because she kept thinking about it.
"...I don''t know."
She didn''t know.
Why had Damien been so angry with her?
"...But I do know this."
If his family dies, Damien will hate her even more.
"That... I think... I wouldn''t like that..."
Theta gripped Dorugo''s ankle even more tightly. It was to hold on for even a moment longer.
"Seeing you still spouting nonsense, it''s clear you really do need readjustment."
But Dorugo coldly shook off Theta''s grip. And then she approached Louise again.
Dorugo spoke with irritation in her voice:
"Why are there so many interfering with me? It''s starting to get annoying."
Veins bulged on Dorugo''s forehead. Her barely contained anger was showing on the surface.
"This is going to be a very bad situation for you."
Dorugo looked down at Louise. Louise was looking up at Dorugo with tears in her eyes.
"Let''s take a look at the child''s face first, shall we?"
As Dorugo reached out towards Louise, she sensed something.
Only Dorugo, who possessed the Authority of Pride, could perceive it.
"This is...?"
Something wasing here.
It was forcibly approaching, twisting and breaking the space surrounding this ce.
"This shouldn''t be possible..."
It was unthinkable. The surrounding space had beenpletely distorted by Dorugo.
It was impossible for anyone to ovee that distortion and open a dimensional portal.
But Dorugo knew one person who had ovee the impossible time and time again.
"Could it be...?"
The moment Dorugo recalled a certain man''s name, a line was drawn in the sky.
The space around the line shattered like ss. Someone leapt out through that gap.
Simultaneously, he swung his sword down at Dorugo.
Dorugo had no choice but to back away when she saw the chilling energy in that sword strike.
"Dorugo!"
The man who had burst through space shouted as he pointed his sword at Dorugo.
"I told you not to touch my family!"
* * *
"...I truly can''t believe this."
Dorugo let out a hollowugh as she looked at Damien standing before her.
"I twisted all the space so you could never escape... yet you break through and appear before me?"
Dorugo spoke as if disgusted. She wondered how many times this man would interfere with her ns before he was satisfied.
"But Damien Haksen... it seems you''ve pushed yourself too hard in your haste."
Damien''s body was not in a normal state right now.
His entire body was torn apart as if it had been ground up. Red blood stained his whole body. He looked like he could barely stand, let alone fight.
It couldn''t be helped.
Damien didn''t have the technique to open dimensional portals on his own.
Moreover, the space around Mount Carion had been twisted by Dorugo, making itpletely impossible to open a dimensional portal.
That''s why Damien had no choice but to pour out all of his techniques.
He imitated Dorugo''s methods of using her authorities, just like when he fought the Four Great Demon Kings.
But that alone wasn''t enough to perfectly open a dimensional portal.
So he mobilized everything he had.
He cut through dimensions with his ''Sword God'' realm. He advanced forward, breaking through the twisted coordinates with Erebos.
Unlike what it sounds, it wasn''t an easy method. Forcing through twisted dimensions was like piercing through a mountain of des.
As a result, Damien''s body couldn''t help but be cut, torn and scraped away.
It wasn''t just surface damage. Due to using the Soulflower of Tranquility, Damien was in a state of severe internal injury.
"Cough."
Damien staggered and coughed up blood. Louise, who was beside him, supported him in panic.
"Damien!"
Louise embraced Damien. Her clothes were instantly stained with blood.
At that sight, Louise''s face turned pale.
"Why... why are you so injured?"
Damien forced a smile and pulled away from his sister. Then he saw his family running from afar.
"Damien!"
His father, who arrived first embraced Damien. He shed tears looking at Damien''s injured body.
"You... you foolish child... I told you repeatedly not to get hurt..."
"Damien! What... what are these wounds? Come to your senses!"
"Brother! What on earth happened to you!"
Damien looked at his family with bitter eyes. They all looked like they were about to cry.
On the day he returned to the past, Damien had made a vow. That he would definitely make his family happy.
But in the end, Damien had failed. Because he had made his family suffer like this.
"This wasn''t in the n... but it''s not bad."
At that moment, Dorugo''s voice was heard. Turning his head, Damien saw Dorugo looking this way with a sneer.
"Since it''se to this, I''ll show you directly. What kind of hell your precious family will go through."
He couldn''t let that happen. Even at the cost of his life, he had to stop Dorugo.
Damien staggered forward. His father grabbed him.
"Damien! What are you thinking! You''re not nning to fight in that condition, are you? You can''t!"
His father shouted firmly.
"Run... Run away! Leave us behind and save yourself!"
"I can''t do that."
Damien shook his head without a moment''s hesitation.
His father''s face turned bright red.
"Just listen to me for once!"
His father shouted angrily. Damien was momentarily speechless.
"Please... I''m telling you to run away. At least you should live!"
Damien chuckled and said.
"Father, don''t say such foolish things."
"W-What?"
"Do you think she''ll let me go? She''ll never let me go."
Damien lifted his head and looked up at the sky. It was this bright on the day he was driven out of the family too.
"Father, do you know something? I''m a terribly bad person."
Count Haksen''s face went nk. There was a look on his face as if he didn''t understand what Damien was saying.
"Because of me, many people died. So many that it''s hard to count... so very many died."
In his past life, Damien alone had toppled kingdoms and trampled the Empire.
In that process, the number of humans he killed directly with his own hands exceeded billions.
And the number of people killed by the dark mages who took over the fallen kingdoms was even greater than that.
"They were truly terrible days."
All the sensations felt by the body were transmitted to Damien as well.
How helplessly human flesh was cut away. How noisily bones shattered. How easily heads burst.
It felt like he would go mad. He wanted to die, but he couldn''t. He wanted to resist, but it was impossible.
Because Damien''s mind was trapped in that body.
"Maybe that''s why I hesitated."
Damien desperately needed a body strong enough to withstand his talents.
But even though he already knew how to obtain that body, he kept hesitating to execute it.
Because returning to that time was so frightening and nauseating to the point of vomiting.
"I''m sorry. Because I hesitated, we''vee to this situation."
Damien rolled up his sleeve. Seven symbols engraved on the back of his hand glowed.
The moment she saw that, Dorugo''s eyes widened.
"It can''t be..."
Cracks appeared in Dorugo''sposure.
"Anything but that!"
Dorugo stomped on the ground. She reached out to stop Damien.
Just before that, the scenery Damien saw changed.
A dark space.
Something like tree roots stretched out before his eyes.
What looked like tree roots was Damien''s life.
The life that started from infancy went through boyhood, and youth and then split into two.
One was the present.
Right now, when his life was being threatened by Dorugo who had returned as a Demon Lord.
And the other one was...
Death Knight.
The fate of the time when he wasmitting sins as Dorugo''s ve.
"So this moment has finallye."
After a briefment, Damien chose the fate of the Death Knight.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 349
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 349: Death Knight (1)
***
Dorugo reacted instinctively as soon as she grasped Damien''s intentions.
She nned to stop him even if it meant breaking his neck.
However, just before her hand could reach his throat, an explosion erupted around Damien.
An immense force pushed Dorugo back.
She was caught off guard by the sudden phenomenon and was sent flying backwards.
Uponnding, Dorugo red at whaty before her.
Gray smoke from the explosion obscured Damien.
"Damien Haksen...! You''re really going to... summon the past?!"
As the gray smoke slowly dissipated, a human silhouette emerged.
The first things to catch the eye were the gray-tinged skin and tall physique. It looked like an ancient tree.
Scars densely covered the steel-like thick muscles.
They were too neat to have been caused by battle, more resembling surgical incisions.
"Damien...?" Count Haksen cautiously called his son''s name.
"What on earth... has happened...?"
Count Haksen stared at Damien''s transformed appearance in disbelief.
Their eyes met, and in that moment, Count Haksen saw it¡ªhis son''s eyes were vastly different from what he remembered.
The once sky-blue eyes now emitted a red glow.
The irises appeared to be constructed of countless tiny gears, resembling some sort of magical device upon closer inspection.
That wasn''t all. Unknown instruments were embedded in Damien''s upper body.
"What... what happened... what happened to you...?"
Count Haksen grabbed his son and asked, but Damien merely turned away.
ck armor began to materialize out of thin air and covered his entire body.
The scars that had covered his body and the magical devices embedded in him were all concealed by the iron tes.
Red light gleamed through the gaps in the helmet that obscured his face.
Death Knight.
The monster that once wiped the life from the surface has appeared again.
***
"You''re out of your mind."
Dorugo clicked her tongue as she looked at the transformed Damien.
"To think you''d return to that body. I''ve never seen someone as stubborn as you in my life."
Dorugo was the one who first conceived the idea of time reversal.
That''s why she knew well. Time reversal wasn''t a convenient technique that solved everything at once like magic.
To achieve results through time reversal, one had to follow a set process.
"But what can you do with that body now?"
Although she was taken aback by this unexpected move but Dorugo soon realized she had no reason to feel threatened.
In this life, Damien had be more skilled than in his past life.
And Dorugo had easily defeated the current Damien.
So why should she fear Damien just because he had returned to the Death Knight''s body?
"Well, fine. It''s good for me. I won''t need to modify you again."
After all, Dorugo had nned to capture Damien and modify him into a Death Knight once more.
To reverse time by thousands of years as Dorugo wished, she needed a body strong enough to withstand time reversal.
"I won''t kill you. I''ll just break your limbs."
Dorugo said in an arrogant tone.
"I won''t make the same mistake as in your past life. This time, I''ll turn you into a loyal ve."
Dorugo manifested the Authority of Pride.
Only Dorugo''s time flowed rapidly, her body elerating dramatically.
Dorugo charged towards Damien. Her movement was so fast that the world seemed to stand still in contrast.
Dorugo thrust her fist towards Damien''s shoulder. She intended to pierce through and sever it.
But just before her fingertips touched the shoulder armor, an impact struck her abdomen.
Her waist bent and her body flew backward. Only then did intense pain pierce her brain.
Dorugonded on the ground and clutched her abdomen. She looked ahead with a surprised face.
There stood Damien with his fist extended.
Huh?
Dorugo stared at Damien in confusion.
More shocking than being hit was the fact that Damien had moved.
"How did you react to my speed... Cough."
Blood spurted from her mouth.
Fortunately, the injury wasn''t severe. Dorugo used her demonic energy to heal her internal wounds.
"Right, even a bee has a sting. I underestimated you."
Dorugo wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and red at Damien.
Though the situation was shocking, she didn''t take it too seriously.
Damien''sbat skills were far superior to Dorugo''s.
So it was possible that he had anticipated her movement and acted preemptively.
"But it won''t happen twice."
Dorugo moved again. She elerated her body even more with the Authority of Sloth.
This time, she didn''t charge in a straight line. Using the Authority of Pride, she appeared behind Damien.
She lifted her leg high and brought it down. Her heel was about to strike Damien''s shoulder.
Just before that, Damien twisted his waist. Simultaneously, he struck Dorugo''s face with his fist.
The iron-d fist pierced through Dorugo''s face. With a sound of something shattering, her head was thrown back.
At the same time, her body flew backward. This time she couldn''t evennd properly. Dorugo rolled on the ground.
"Argh!"
Dorugo groaned in pain as he got up. She touched her face with both hands.
The bones in her face werepletely shattered. Unbearable pain washed over her.
"Damien! How... how did you match my speed...!"
After being hit not once, but twice, it became clear.
Damien hadn''t read her movements and acted in advance. He was moving at the same speed as Dorugo.
"Impossible! This can''t be!"
Dorugo shouted while removing the hands covering her face.
Damien didn¡¯t say a single word.
ck energy began to start to gather around Damien''s fist.
Seeing this sight, Dorugo felt a chill run down her entire body.
Her instincts warned that this was not something to be taken lightly.
She had to choose between dodging or blocking.
"How dare you...!"
Her pride wouldn''t allow her to dodge.
Like Damien, Dorugo clenched her fist and gathered her demonic energy.
An immense energy concentrated in her fist.
Damien threw his punch. Dorugo mirrored his action.
Demonic energy and dark mana were released simultaneously.
They extended towards each other and collided. A massive explosion engulfed them both.
As the explosion subsided, both figures emerged.
Damien Haksen stood with his fist still extended. Dorugo¡¯s situation was different.
The arm she had punched with was gone.
It wasn''t just her arm.
A clean portion of her upper body, including the shoulder had torn apart.
"Guh, gaaaah!"
Dorugo clutched her wound and let out an agonized groan.
This was impossible.
Dorugo had absorbed three Demon Lords, including her own core self.
Thanks to that, she''d obtained an incredibly powerful body and life force that defiedmon sense.
Yet she had been overpowered in a head-on sh. She''d even lost an entire arm.
"How unpleasant."
The red glow from Damien''s eyes flickered with disgust.
"Returning to this body, moving it myself... it''s all so¡ I¡¯m totally disgusting."
Damien Haksen said as he lowered his extended fist.
"But what''s most unpleasant... is howfortable this body feels."
Damien Haksen stared at the fist he had just used.
"Now that I''m back, I can feel it clearly."
The aura Damien Haksen was emitting began to expand rapidly.
"How extraordinary this body was."
Like pouring oil into the fire, Damien''s aura engulfed the entire world in an instant.
"How meticulously you modified me."
It was so intense that it was difficult to look at directly. It was as if the sun had descended to earth.
Dorugo blinked repeatedly, wondering if she was seeing things wrong.
But no matter how many times she looked, nothing changed.
"You... could it be?"
Suddenly, a hypothesis shed through Dorugo''s mind.
In his past life, Damien''s ego had been sealed.
Because of that, his mind and body had to move separately.
But now it was different. His mind and body were in perfect unity.
Not only that, Damien was much stronger than in his past life.
Strong enough to defeat a Duke ss demon and easily handle one of the Four Great Demon Kings who had absorbed a Demon Lord.
"If my thinking is correct... then..."
Originally, the Death Knight''s body was created for time reversal.
To create that body, Dorugo had to use all the best materials she had collected until then.
A soul that had reached the supreme realm had obtained the Death Knight''s body.
Dorugo couldn''t fathom what level Damien, who had perfectly met all conditions would reach.
"With this body, I won''t have to worry about pushing it too hard."
The ground where Damien Haksen stood began to burn.
Crimson mes covered the ground in an instant. The whole world was engulfed in mes.
The mes wavered in a distant wind. Sparks flew high into the sky, like scattering flower petals.
"Dorugo."
Damien Haksen reached out into the air. Erebos materialized in his grasp.
As he gripped Erebos, Damien''s presence became even sharper.
Dorugo felt a chill run down her spine at that eerie aura.
"Let''s settle this."
The red glow flickered within the ck armor.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 350
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 350: Death Knight (2)
***
"Settle this?"
Dorugo used the Authority of Sloth to elerate time around herself.
The parts of her body that had been destroyed by the explosion regenerated in an instant.
"You mere undead I created... How dare you speak to me so insolently?"
Dorugo''s face twisted with rage.
"Before you met me, you were nothing but a third-rate mercenary!"
Dorugo''s words were true.
When Dorugo kidnapped him, Damien belonged to an unknown mercenary group.
"I cultivated your talent! I created that body of yours! It was all me! I practically raised you! And yet you dare... you dare repay my kindness like this?"
-Are you done talking?
The killing intent radiating from Damien through the air grew even stronger.
He was about to move.
Dorugo could read Damien''s intentions within that killing intent.
She wrapped space around her entire body.
Despite being invisible, it was like wearing the world''s strongest armor.
Simultaneously, she manifested her Authority of Sloth and elerated her own time.
How do you n to attack?
In the elerated world, Dorugo focused on Damien''s movements.
At that moment, Damien appeared right in front of her.
What?
Despite being so cautious, she had lost track of his movement. She hadn''t noticed until he was this close.
Damien swung Erebos down. Dorugo had no time to dodge and blocked with both forearms.
The space wrapped around her forearms collided with Erebos. With a heavy impact, Dorugo''s body was pushed back.
"...A mere undead!"
A look of humiliation appeared on Dorugo''s face.
Dorugo tried to counterattack by pushing her body forward again.
But before she could move, Erebos came flying towards her face.
Dorugo blocked Erebos with her forearms again. Once more, a powerful shock shook her entire body but she managed to endure it.
However, no opportunity for a counterattack came. As soon as Dorugo blocked, a third attack wasunched.
"Kuk!"
She couldn''t fully withstand the third attack. Her body was pushed back slightly.
Immediately after, a barrage of shes rained down.
Dorugo frantically blocked the attacks.
She couldn''t even dream of counterattacking. She had to focus all her attention on defense.
The look of humiliation on Dorugo''s face grew deeper and deeper.
Then, Damien spoke in a low voice.
-Tougher than I thought. I''ll need to put more force.
As soon as he finished speaking, Dorugo''s shoulder felt lighter.
She looked towards her shoulder with a dazed expression.
Her arm had been severed without her noticing.
"...!"
A searing pain followed. Dorugo suppressed the pain and manifested her Authority of Sloth.
She elerated her body and retreated. It was to buy time to regenerate the wound.
-Where do you think you''re running?
At that moment, Damien''s voice came from right in front of her.
Surprisingly, he had chased after Dorugo, who had elerated with her Authority of Sloth.
-Let''s finish the other side too.
Damien swung Erebos. But this attack sliced through empty air.
Dorugo had used the Authority of Pride to move her body.
Appearing at a spot some distance away, Dorugo breathed heavily.
"You, you madman...!"
Since earlier, Damien had been effortlessly keeping up with Dorugo''s speed.
"I... I have the power to manipte time!"
It was something utterly iprehensible to Dorugo''smon sense.
But Damien showed no reaction to Dorugo''s outcry.
-I''ll need to move a bit faster.
He simply adjusted his actions in an emotionless voice. Dorugo felt chills at his mechanical demeanor.
"Stop... acting so arrogant!"
Dorugo stretched out her arm, which had finished regenerating.
She opened her palm and manifested the Authority of Pride.
The space around Damien was sharpened. Invisible des surrounded him.
"I''ll tear you limb from limb so you never defy me again!"
Dorugo clenched her outstretched hand.
Like a beast closing its jaws, the space pressed down on Damien. The sharp des tried to crush Damien''s body.
"Be crushed under the weight of the world!"
She felt her words catch in her throat as she shouted excitedly.
Damien was standing there without a single scratch.
Crimson mes surrounded Damien andpletely blocked Dorugo''s attack.
The des Dorugo had created by carving space stopped and were unable to prate the mes.
Damien took a step forward.
As he advanced, he broke through the space that was pressing down on him.
Dorugo could only be astonished at this brute disy.
"...You''re breaking through this?"
Dorugo hastily used the Authority of Pride again. She grasped the space surrounding Damien with both hands.
As Dorugo twisted her hands, the space enveloping Damien began to grind together like millstones.
Even he shouldn''t be able to avoid being crushed by space.
She intended to separate Damien''s upper and lower body like this.
At that moment, Dorugo''s hands suddenly stopped. As if caught on something, they wouldn''t move any further.
Dorugo looked at Damien with a bewildered expression. Only then did she realize.
Damien was withstanding the spatial distortion with just the power of his main body.
"You... monster!"
Dorugo couldn''t help but speak. It was that much of a situation beyondmon sense.
-A bit heavy.
Saying that Damien lifted his foot. The crimson mes spread on the ground and gathered beneath his feet.
With that, he stomped down hard on the ground.
The crimson mes exploded and sted away the Authority of Pride.
The space pressing down on Damien waspletely shattered.
Damien raised Erebos.
mes began gathering around Erebos.
At that moment, Dorugo sensed it. The fact that she could not possibly avoid this attack.
But she couldn''t just give in. Dorugo manifested the Authority of Pride once more.
Suddenly, Dorugo''s body multiplied into hundreds, thousands, and millions.
It was created by distorting space. The millions of Dorugos were all illusions yet real at the same time.
Despite Dorugo''s numbers suddenly increasing, Damien didn''t waver in the slightest.
-Quite a lot of you.
Instead, he simply swung Erebos through the air. It was a careless motion as if swatting away insects.
The next moment, Dorugo''s neck split open.
No, not just her neck. Cuts appeared all over her body.
"Kuk!"
Millions of Dorugo simultaneously bled and writhed in pain.
Though the sword was swung only once, millions of Dorugo were simultaneously shed.
As the Authority of Pride dissipated, Dorugo returned to a single form.
She coughed a mouthful of blood and shouted.
"Realm... it was Realm!"
Master ss demonstrates supernatural abilities without learning magic.
One can cut objects at a distance, or turn their body into smoke.
What Damien did was no different.
He cut millions of Dorugo simultaneously with a single sword strike.
It was the same with keeping up with her speed. He surpassed the Authority of Pride using Realm.
"The wounds... must... regenerate quickly...!"
Dorugo elerated time with her Authority of Sloth. But the wounds carved all over her body barely regenerated.
"What did you do to my body?!"
Dorugo shouted at Damien.
Damien didn''t answer Dorugo''s question. He simply approached with Erebos lowered.
A knight in ck armor walking and wreathed in mes.
Seeing this figure like the Grim Reaper, Dorugo felt the hair all over her body stand on end.
If this continues, she''ll die. Just like in her past life, she''ll lose her life to Damien and be unable to meet Ruin.
"That alone... absolutely... absolutely cannot happen...!"
It was then. Two people appeared behind Damien.
"Mother! Run away!"
"We''ll hold him off here!"
It was Epsilon and Lambda.
The two rushed at Damien, prepared to die.
The moment she saw this, Dorugo thought of a way to survive.
"Epsilon! Lambda!"
"Mother! Don''t worry about us!"
"Both of you, self-destruct!"
At those words, Epsilon and Lambda''s eyes wavered.
But the two had no time to question this heartless order.
Suddenly, the area around their hearts began to heat up intensely.
"Mother...!"
The moment Epsilon cried out desperately and both of their bodies exploded. A massive explosion engulfed Damien.
"As expected... they were useful after all!"
She never expected the function imnted in case the Four Demon Kings rebelled would be used like this.
Dorugo used the Authority of Pride to hide in a spatial rift.
This wouldn''t be enough to kill Damien anyway. This was just to buy time.
"Damn... this hurts like hell."
Dorugo focused her energy on the wounds. Even so, they regenerated slowly.
"Just what did he do to my body?"
Fortunately, this was a ce no one could find.
It didn''t matter how long it took. After recovering here, she would face Damien again...
A chill.
Suddenly, a shiver ran down her spine. Dorugo looked around with a trembling face.
"It can''t be...?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than space was torn apart.
Erebos thrusted through that gap and pierced Dorugo''s heart.
"...!"
As Erebos was pulled back out, Dorugo was dragged along with it.
Having been thrown out from the spatial rift, Dorugo rolled helplessly on the ground.
"Kuk, kuk."
Damien approached Dorugo as she coughed up blood.
-Did you think you could escape from me?
Damien looked down at Dorugo and spoke in a cold tone.
Dorugo looked at her own chest. Blood was pouring from arge wound.
Even so, Dorugo didn''t try to stop the bleeding. She knew well it would be futile.
When her heart was stabbed, her soul was pierced simultaneously.
As her soul was destroyed, her life force was pouring out. This was a wound that could never be healed.
"You... damn bastard..."
Dorugo spat out curses as blood flowed from her mouth.
"To someone like you... a lowly creature... for me to... end up like this..."
She couldn''t contain her resentment. Tears fell from her eyes.
"I just wanted to see Ruin again... and you... you ruined it all!"
Damien remained silent despite Dorugo''s outcry.
That behavior further fueled Dorugo''s anger.
"You ungrateful... savage...!"
Just as Dorugo was about to scream, all life force drained from her soul.
Death arrived when her soul was emptied.
* * *
The moment she faced death, darkness enveloped Dorugo''s vision.
Not a speck of light could be seen. She couldn''t tell left from right, up from down.
Is this what death is like?
As a dark mage and former Demon Lord, she had killed many people, but this was Dorugo''s first time experiencing death herself.
The death Dorugo faced was more peaceful and boring than she had imagined.
Am I going to stay like this forever?
It was then that Dorugo had that thought.
"Lily."
A voice came from somewhere.
It was a familiar voice, but one she hadn''t heard in a long time.
And Lily?
There was only one person in this world who could call Dorugo that.
The lover she had missed every single day...
"Where are you looking? I''m right here."
Dorugo hurriedly turned around.
Under the light pouring from the sky stood Ruin.
"I''ve missed you so much all this time."
Ruin said with a smiling face. Dorugo asked in a trembling voice.
"Is this... a dream? No... you''ve never appeared even in my dreams..."
"I''m truly hurt. Can''t you tell if I''m real or fake anymore?"
Ruin said yfully. Only then did Dorugo realize. That the Ruin before her eyes was real.
"Ruin...!"
Dorugo ran towards Ruin. She spread her arms to embrace him.
-That won''t do.
At that moment, a cold voice was heard.
A de that thrust out from behind pierced through Dorugo''s body.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 351
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 351: Death Knight (3)
***
Cough!
Dorugo coughed up blood and looked down at her chest.
A familiar de had stabbed her in the back.
Dorugo gritted her teeth and turned around and saw Damien''s face.
"Damien Haksen...!"
Dorugo shouted with hatred. But Damien''s eyes weren''t focused on her.
"Ruin, as you requested, I arranged a meeting with Dorugo. But this is as far as it goes."
Damien added in a cold tone.
"I won''t allow any closer approach or further contact beyond this point."
Despair washed over Dorugo''s face. She cried out desperately while grabbing the de.
"No... you can''t...!"
Dorugo gripped the de and tried to push it out, attempting to remove it from her body.
Her fingers were cut and bleeding, but she paid no attention to it.
"Ruin...! I''m right here! Ruin!"
The de began to slowly pull out of her body.
That''s when Damien twisted the de. Blood gushed from Dorugo''s mouth.
"Stop your futile resistance."
Damien growled while grabbing Dorugo''s head.
"I''m going to kill you like this. I won''t allow you to reunite with Ruin or return to the cycle of reincarnation."
Crimson mes began to consume Dorugo''s body. She felt her existence fading away.
"Ah, no!"
But that fact wasn''t important to Dorugo.
"Just give me... give me just a little more time...!"
All that mattered was that her beloved was right before her eyes.
"I finally met Ruin! Even just one minute would be enough! Please let me talk to Ruin..."
"No."
However, Damien tly refused Dorugo''s plea.
"Silently pay for your sins."
The mespletely consumed Dorugo.
No trace remained where Dorugo had been.
* * *
After Dorugo waspletely wiped from existence, Damien nted his sword in the ground. Then he looked at Ruin and asked.
"Was that really you, not just a thoughtform?"
If it had been just a thoughtform, Dorugo wouldn''t have failed to recognize it.
After all, as a dark mage, Dorugo was far superior to Damien.
"Why did you hide that fact from me?"
"It wouldn''t have made much difference."
Ruin said with an awkward expression.
"When I was killed by mypanions, I was shattered into pieces. The fragment containing ¡®Ruin''s¡¯ existence seeped into Erebos, but most pieces were scattered."
Ruin continued speaking calmly.
"Some of those pieces dwelled within humans as what they called divine power. And the remaining pieces slowly merged back together over a long time and were reborn as a human."
There was no need to ask who that reborn human was.
He was standing right in front of Ruin.
"What exactly are you?"
"Well, I''ve never thought deeply about it, so I''m not sure."
Ruin avoided giving a direct answer and quietly stared at where Dorugo had disappeared. He looked on the verge of tears.
"Do you resent me?"
"It would be a lie to say no."
Despite the words, Ruin''s eyes held no emotion.
"Still, thank you. For not forgetting my request and granting it."
To have onest conversation with Dorugo.
That was the request Ruin had made to Damien. To fulfill that request, Damien had deliberately nted Erebos inside Dorugo''s body.
That was the only way Ruin and Dorugo could make contact with each other.
"Why did you take my side instead of Dorugo''s?"
Ruin was Dorugo''s lover. Yet Ruin had never once taken Dorugo''s side.
"Because I understood why you were angry."
Ruin let out a brief sigh.
"Lily created dark magic and killed many humans. Still not satisfied, she tried to exterminate humanity. How could I take Lily''s side?"
Ruin paused briefly before speaking again.
"...Even if it was all done to meet me again."
Hearing this answer, Damien could say nothing. Silence fell between them for a moment.
"Now that Lily''s gone, I should go too."
As soon as the words ended, Ruin''s body burst into mes.
Simultaneously, Ruin''s presence began to diminish. The person known as Ruin was disappearing from this world.
"Aren''t you afraid? If you disappear like this, you won''t be able to reincarnate either."
Dead people are reborn after a long time passes. However, no one knows whether they''ll be human or animal.
But if a soul is destroyed or damaged, it can''t be reincarnated.
That was why dark mages were objects of fear.
"Not at all. My only lingering attachment just disappeared."
Ruin slowly spread both arms. mes engulfed Ruin''s entire body.
"Damien, congrattions onpleting your long journey."
With those final words, Ruinpletely vanished.
Just like his lover Dorugo.
* * *
After parting with Ruin, Damien opened his eyes to reality.
At his feety Dorugo''s body which was nearly reduced to ashes.
While the soul left no trace, the body was different.
¡°Compared to your evil deeds, this is a peaceful end.¡±
Damien trampled Dorugo''s corpse with a disgusted expression. The barely intact body waspletely shattered.
Though Dorugo was dead, there were still matters to settle.
Taking a step forward, Damien walked over to Theta and Iota.
Both had severely damaged bodies.
Thanks to the remarkable vitality unique to Demon Lords, they were still alive but recovery on their own seemed impossible.
One puzzling point was why these two were left in such a destroyed state.
The forces Damien had stationed at Spring Castle shouldn''t have been able to handle even one of them.
"Da-Damien Haksen... you bastard..."
Just then, Iota shouted at Damien as if about to lunge at him.
"How dare you... kill mother...? You... at least you... I''ll definitely... ugh!"
Damien stabbed Erebos into Iota''s body without hesitation and burned him with crimson mes.
The Four Demon Kings had absorbed the power of the mighty Demon Lords.
They would surely be a major threat if left alive. That''s why they had to be killed.
Just taking their lives wasn''t enough. Their bodies had to bepletely destroyed too.
If their bodies fell into the hands of dark mages, it would surely bring great cmity to the world.
Next, Damien approached Theta. Theta looked at Damien with lifeless eyes.
"Lord Damien... you... seeded..."
Theta said with a faint smile.
But Damien had no intention of listening to Theta''s words.
He was about to behead Theta with Erebos when Theta spoke again.
"I''m d... I could... help..."
Those words made Damien pause. He stopped mid-swing and asked Theta.
-Don''t tell me you fought against Dorugo?
Theta slowly nodded. Even Damien couldn''t help but be startled.
-Why did you do that?
"I wanted... to be... helpful..."
Damien looked down at Theta with a puzzled expression.
He couldn''t understand why she, one of the Four Demon Kings would help him.
"Was I... helpful?"
Theta asked carefully. Her eyes were filled with anxiety.
Damien fell into thought. After a moment of internal conflict, he spoke.
-Yes, thank you.
Only after hearing those words did Theta smile brightly.
"That''s... enough then... please... end it..."
Damien swung Erebos and beheaded Theta.
Theta''s headless body copsed. Soon after, crimson mes consumed both head and body.
Damien lowered Erebos and slowly exhaled.
Suddenly, intense fatigue washed over him. But Damien''s tasks weren''t finished yet.
Damien slowly turned around. He saw his family standing some distance away.
"..."
His father, mother, sister, and younger brother.
All were staring at Damien with stiff expressions.
During his time as the Death Knight, humans always looked at Damien with such faces.
Unfamiliarity, dread, terror.
Eyes mixed with other indescribable emotions.
From Damien''s perspective, these were very familiar gazes.
But for some reason, now he wanted to hide somewhere.
Even though he was wearing thick armor.
Then, his father approached Damien. The rest of the family followed.
Damien froze at the sight. He could barely breathe as his father drew near.
His father reached out and removed his helmet.
The gray-tinged skin and eyes reced with magical implements were exposed to the world again.
"..."
His father gently caressed Damien''s cheek. Both hands were trembling.
His father''s touch stopped at Damien''s nape. The nape was covered in dense marks that looked like they were made byrge needles.
These were scars from when Dorugo had injected numerous drugs to rapidly grow Damien''s body.
"Just..."
His father couldn''t continue speaking. Only after swallowing a sob did he manage to speak.
"Just how much pain... did you have to endure."
At those words, Damien felt something welling up inside him.
During his time as the Death Knight, no one had everforted him. No one had understood his pain.
So this was essentially the first time. The first time someone had acknowledged his wounds.
He wanted to cry but couldn''t. His body was modified into a Death Knight so he had long lost most human physiological functions.
-I''m fine.
At those words, his father finally burst into tears. The rest of the family did the same.
-Really, I''m fine.
This wasn''t just said tofort his family, it was sincere.
Right now, Damien wasn''t just fine. He was happy. He was overjoyed.
Because unlike his previous life, he had protected his family.
That alone made Damien feelpensated for all his hardships.
"Damien!"
"Brother!"
All his family members clung to Damien.
Damien embraced his family.
Thanks to hisrge build, he could hold all of them at once.
***
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 352 (End)
[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 352: Epilogue
***
A week had passed since Dorugo, the worst disaster in history had struck the Imperial capital.
During this time, the Emperor focused on rebuilding the ruined capital alongside his officials.
However, no matter how much time they invested, the situation showed no signs of improvement. The damage to the Empire had been that catastrophic.
While they still had a long way to go, another headache-inducing issue emerged for the Emperor.
It concerned Damien Haksen.
"Your Majesty, you must not tolerate Damien Haksen''s existence!"
The Emperor looked at the nobles who had suddenly visited him with a disgruntled expression.
He had nned to visit injured citizens today but these uninvited guests had barged in.
Though it was unpleasant he couldn''t ignore them because they were all high-ranking nobles representing the Empire.
"Lord Aldeir, what do you mean?"
The man leading them was particrly problematic.
Aldeir Bonal.
He was one of the few Dukes in the Empire.
"Your Majesty, ording to our investigation, Damien Haksen has transformed into a Death Knight. While we couldn''t determine how this happened, this information is certain."
Duke Aldeir spoke in a firm tone.
"That''s not all. There are numerous undead actively operating in Spring Castle where Damien Haksen resides! What could this mean?"
Duke Aldeir''s eyes sharpened.
"It means Damien Haksen has betrayed us! How can we leave such a dangerous individual unchecked?"
The other nobles nodded at Duke Aldeir''s words.
The Emperor asked with a somewhat bewildered expression:
"Damien Haksen has helped our Empire eliminate Pandemonium''s dark mages multiple times. He even went as far as helping the elves alongside the Imperial Supreme Sword."
Though going to help Alfheim was the Imperial Supreme Sword''s unteral decision.
The Imperial Supreme Sword hadn''t hidden his actions and reported everything to the Emperor.
This included everything about Damien, of course.
"While it''s truly suspicious that Damien Haksen has transformed into a Death Knight andmands undead, we cannot consider him hostile based on that alone."
"Your Majesty is being deceived!"
What nonsense was this now? The Emperor''s eyes widened.
"Dark mages are cunning people! All of Damien Haksen''s actions were nothing but tricks to deceive the Empire!"
The Emperor felt a headacheing on. He suppressed his emotions and addressed Duke Aldeir.
"Duke Aldeir, those enemies inflicted mortal wounds on Imperial Supreme Sword and devastated our capital. If they had wanted to, they could have destroyed the Empire. Why would they bother with such troublesome schemes?"
Though shameful to admit, the monsters who attacked the capital this time far exceeded the Empire''s military strength.
Many nobles and knights, including the Emperor, had prepared themselves for the Empire''s downfall.
"I don''t know about that!"
"...You don''t know?"
"How could I possibly know what goes on in the minds of dark mages! But surely there must be some horrifying plot we can''t even imagine!"
The Emperor felt his headache intensifying.
"Your Majesty! Lord Aldeir speaks true! If Damien Haksen truly has no connection to the dark mages, then how do you exin someone who was human until recently bing a Death Knight!"
"Having a Death Knight''s body andmanding undead... how can we tolerate such a dangerous element!"
"What guarantee do we have that the Empire won''t be attacked again like this time! We must strike before our capital suffers damage again!"
The nobles who came with Duke Aldeir chimed in one after another.
The Emperor started feeling annoyed at their obstinate attitude. He sighed and asked them.
"Then, how do you n to deal with Damien Haksen?"
At the Emperor''s question, Duke Aldeir replied with a confident expression:
"Please grant memand of the Imperial Supreme Sword, the Sword Saint, and the Imperial Knights."
"Would that be enough?"
"I will send an official request to the Holy Church for cooperation."
The Holy Church was an organization that rivaled the Empire in power.
If the main forces of both powers united, they could exert tremendous strength.
"I will certainly bring Damien Haksen''s head before Your Majesty!"
Duke Aldeir dered with overflowing confidence.
The Emperor nced at him sideways and muttered quietly:
"Has this bastard really lost his mind?"
"P-pardon? Your Majesty, what did you just..."
"Nothing at all. By the way, while you seem well-informed about external matters, you appear quite ignorant of internal affairs."
"What do you mean?"
"The Imperial Supreme Sword and Sword Saint have decided to support Damien Haksen."
At the Emperor''s words, the Duke''s expression went nk.
"W-why would those two..."
"It seems they don''t consider Damien as an enemy of the Empire."
Duke Aldeir was dumbfounded at the Emperor''s response.
"Your Majesty! Those two must be deceived! Please, you must persuade them!"
"The Holy Church has also decided to form an alliance with Damien."
"Th-that''s impossible! The Holy Church neverpromises with heretics... W-when did they make such a decision?"
"I received their letter this morning."
Duke Aldeir staggered at the Emperor''s words. His reaction was as if the sky had fallen.
"...Your Majesty, it''s not toote."
Duke Aldeir regained hisposure surprisingly quickly. He looked at the Emperor with determined eyes and said.
"Please use your authority to persuade the Imperial Supreme Sword and Sword Saint! Then I will change the Holy Church''s decision!"
"Ah, and I forgot to mention the most important thing. I too support Damien Haksen."
"...Pardon?"
Duke Aldeir''s brow furrowed sharply. In contrast, the Emperor said with a bright smile.
"So stop spouting nonsense... and get out now! I''m busy enough as it is, stop wasting my time!"
At the Emperor''s thunderousmand, Duke Aldeir and the nobles hurriedly left the office.
"What pathetic fellows."
The Emperor clicked his tongue and leaned back in his chair. Then, a man emerged from behind the bookshelf and spoke.
"Fear naturally paralyzes reason, doesn''t it? Your Majesty should be understanding."
It was the Sword Saint, known as one of the Empire''s pirs.
They weren''t originally this dim-witted. Rather, they had been quite capable.
However, they couldn''t make proper judgments after experiencing the unprecedented crisis of the capital''s destruction.
"By the way, has the Holy Church already made contact with Damien Haksen?"
"Yes, they sent a pdin who had close ties with Damien Haksen."
"Pdin? Don''t tell me it''s a woman?"
"It is."
The Emperor frowned at the Sword Saint''s answer.
"As expected of those lecherous bastards. There''s nothing they won''t do in the name of God."
Their deration to form an alliance with Damien was proof enough.
They usually went around proiming they would neverpromise with heretics, yet they changed their stance as easily as flipping their palm.
"I heard that due to the Holy Empress and Cheongyeum strongly pushing for the alliance with Damien Haksen, the opposition within the Holy Church couldn''t exert any influence."
At the Sword Saint''s words, the Emperor''s expression grew even more displeased.
"And ording to news just received, the Fafnir Mercenary Company has sent someone to House Haksen."
"What? Why would those barbarians...?"
"The Mercenary King has a daughter. Apparently, she has some connection with Damien Haksen."
At those words, the Emperor pped his forehead with his palm.
"So despite only being interested in women, he doesn''t miss opportunities like this."
"And..."
"...What else is there?"
"House Lichteawer has also sent someone."
"And why them?"
"Rachel, the eldest daughter of House Lichteawer, apparently has deep ties with Damien Haksen. So..."
"Such cunning...! How dare they without even consulting me!"
The Emperor exploded with anger.
While he had been preupied with rebuilding the capital and couldn''t pay attention to Damien Haksen, others had been approaching him like stray cats.
"Ugh... if only I had a daughter...!"
The Emperor clenched his fists. It was the first time he regretted having only sons.
"I must do something too!"
"I hear the daughter of House Haksen is pregnant. Perhaps sending an appropriate gift would be wise?"
"An excellent idea! I''ll open the treasury, so choose something and visit them!"
He wanted to go himself but rebuilding the capital was urgent.
"And when you go to that house..."
The Emperor gestured. The Sword Saint brought his ear closer.
"Find out their family tree in detail."
"...Family tree?"
The Sword Saint asked incredulously at the unexpected request.
"...When I say find out, just do it without asking questions!"
The Emperor suddenly thundered, as if trying to hide something.
* * *
"Oh my!"
Countess blushed and rejoiced.
It was because of the three youngdies sitting before her.
Though they came from different ces, all three possessed outstanding beauty and charm.
"I believe I''ve met you before, what was your name?"
"It''s Agnes."
"Oh my, what a lovely name."
"Y-you''re too kind."
Agnes replied with a slight blush. Countess watched her with a pleased expression.
Countess then asked the girl beside her.
"And where are you from?"
"I''m from the Fafnir Mercenary Company! I''m Athena Hopper!"
Athena shouted and jumped to her feet. Her booming voice momentarily startled Countess.
"Fafnir Mercenary Company... where the Mercenary King is?"
"Yes! The Mercenary King is my father!"
Countess asked the girl with sparkling eyes.
"Do you work as a mercenary normally?"
"Y-yes, I do!"
"You''d suit our Damien well."
"R-really?"
Athena bowed her head shyly. Countess looked at her with an expression that said how cute she was.
At that moment, thest girl stood up. As she stood before the Countess, she bowed politely and said.
"I am Rachel Lichteawer. Please forgive my sudden visit."
"Not at all. Any friend of Damien''s is wee. But Lichteawer... could it be... the Ducal House Lichteawer?"
Rachel nodded. Countess covered her mouth with both hands.
"My goodness, to think my son knew someone from such a prestigious family... Damien never tells me these things."
"Damien can be a bit reserved."
"Indeed. He should at least tell me when he has such beautiful friends."
Countess could barely contain her joy. She whispered to the girl beside her.
"Veronica, what shall we do? You have more rivals now."
Veronica who was in the middle of eating an apple replied with a disgruntled face.
"...Mother, please don''t say such creepy things."
* * *
While Countess was entertaining guests, Louise was spending time in the dressing room.
"Let''s see, it was definitely here..."
Louise searched the back of the dressing room and pulled something out. It was a white dress full of frills.
"Found it! Here it was!"
Louise turned around. Miya was bristling in the corner of the dressing room.
"Kya!"
"Come on, just try it on once."
"KYAA!"
"Just once is all."
Louise approached step by step holding the dress. Despair appeared in Miya''s eyes.
"Got you!"
Louise finally caught Miya and dragged her to the changing room. Shortly after, Miya emerged wearing the clothes as desired.
"Kyaa! I knew I was right! Honey, look! Isn''t she super cute?"
Balhard who had been sitting quietly turned his gaze to Miya.
Indeed, it suited her well as Louise said. Miya''s eyes were sunken and exhausted.
Recently, Miya had been suffering under Louise. That fatigue showed clearly on her face.
"What do you think? How is it?"
Miya looked at Balhard with a desperate expression. Her face inly begged him to make it stop.
But Balhard had to ignore Miya''s gaze.
"I-it suits her well."
"Right? What should we try next?"
Louise started rummaging through the dressing room again. Miya red at Balhard with a resentful face.
But Balhard had his reasons.
Stress was the enemy of pregnant women.
For Louise, who had been strugglingtely, Miya was like rain in a drought.
"Please bear with it a little longer..."
At Balhard''s plea, Miya hung her head dejectedly.
* * *
"Kyaaa!"
Abel paused briefly at the sound of Miya''s cry from the dressing room.
"Sister has started again today."
Abel clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Whoof."
Munchi who was walking beside Abel made a crying sound. It seemed to agree with Abel''s words.
"Looks like you think the same as me."
Abel reached out to pet Munchi.
Though he was an undead made of shadows, his fur was no different from any other animal.
"Where should we go today... maybe have a pic with Olivia?"
"Whooof!"
"You like that? Well, you always did prefer open spaces."
Abel disappeared along with Munchi.
* * *
While the family was spending their personal time, Damien was sitting on the roof of Spring Castle.
"So you were here again."
Count Haksen said as he climbed onto the roof. Damien spoke worriedly.
"Father, it''s dangerous to keeping up here."
"Don''t treat me like an old man. This much is nothing."
Damien looked at his father with an unconvinced expression.
As far as he knew, everyone in House Haksen was poor at physical activities. Damien was the exception.
"The view is quite nice."
Count Haksen sat beside his son and looked at the sky. Then suddenly, he asked Damien.
"Can that body be returned to normal?"
"It will take some more time."
Damien had twisted his fate to manifest a Death Knight''s body.
Currently, Damien''s fate was like a tangled skein of thread. His original body could not be restored until it was unraveled.
"I see..."
The father silently looked at Damien. His eyes were full of concern.
"Damien, I understand how you feel."
Count Haksen carefully began.
"You must be scared to meet people with that body. They''ll all see you as a monster. That''s why you''re always here avoiding people."
A Death Knight''s body was two or three timesrger than a normal human''s.
Moreover, it was embedded with magical implements and covered in scars.
"But you''ve done nothing wrong. Rather, you''ve done things worthy of praise. So don''t be afraid of people''s gazes and act with confidence."
"What are you talking about...?"
Damien asked with an incredulous expression. His question left Count Haksen flustered.
"Eh, eh?"
"Why would I be afraid of others? Other humans should be afraid of me. If anyone dares curse at me, I''ll crush them."
Damien spoke with murderous intent in his eyes.
Being his father, he could tell. That look was genuine.
"Then why are you always here?"
"Because I can see well from here."
Damien said while watching Abel and Olivia heading to the fields.
"I can see everyone''s figures... clearly."
A faint smile appeared on Damien''s lips.
At that warm smile, Count Haksen couldn''t help but smile too.
"As long as you''re satisfied."
(The End of "The Return of Cmity ss Death Knight")
[Tl/n+Pr/n: THE END ??]
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[Trantor - Kie]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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