Chapter 125
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Andrill, the Star-Killing Sword
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‘Let’s see, what kinds of artifacts are there?’
The number itself wasn't large.
But each and every one was far from ordinary.
‘Isn’t that Thor’s Fury? I thought it was the heirloom of the Ghost Sword House, so why is it here? Ha, and the Spear of the Abyss, too? How many Alliance knights died to that spear?’
All sorts of famous artifacts were lined up.
There were also artifacts he'd never heard of, but they looked just as extraordinary.
“This ring expands the scope of one's Will-Thought. To put it simply, it maximizes the power of your Will by several degrees, while cutting Magi consumption in half.”
Merian explained them one by one.
Each possessed incredible utility.
Yet, the more Christian looked around at the artifacts, the more ambiguous his expression became.
‘This… it's all great stuff, but there's almost nothing I can use at my level.’
Being high-grade artifacts, most of them required the user to be at least a 6-Star Master.
‘No. There must be something suitable for me. Nordian wouldn't have opened the vault without knowing my level.’
Indeed, Chris soon found an item that suited him.
It was a blood-red demonic sword.
Nordian chuckled as he explained.
[It's a demonic sword named Predator. When it drinks an enemy's blood, it restores the owner's stamina and enhances various physical abilities. It should be of some help.]
It was more than "some help."
No matter how exhausted he was, the more enemies he cut down, the more strength he could recover.
He didn't know what kind of numerically disadvantageous battles he would face at Gold Cross, so it would be an immense source of power.
On top of that, it could even augment the basic physical abilities Chris lacked, making it a perfect item.
“…May I look at the other items a little longer?”
[Hmm? Considering your current level, there shouldn't be a more suitable item than this.]
His tone suggested he wanted Chris to choose this demonic sword.
But Chris shook his head.
“I’ll just look around one more time.”
‘For some reason, I'm not drawn to it.’ It was something like intuition.
He felt like something else was calling to him.
And then.
“…What is this item?”
Chris froze, his eyes fixed on an object lying discarded in a corner like a piece of junk.
It was an ordinary sword that one could never imagine being an artifact.
It emanated no aura whatsoever.
[It's a demonic sword His Majesty the Demon Emperor bestowed upon the Main House 200 years ago. We keep it as a treasure because it was a gift from His Majesty, but it's nothing special. It has no particular utility, so Predator is far better than that piece of junk.]
Nordian said dismissively.
But Chris couldn't take his eyes off the sword.
His pupils, unnoticed by anyone, trembled faintly.
‘No way. Why is this sword here?’
Chris knew the true identity of this sword.
He couldn't possibly not know.
During the Age of Ruin, it was the most famous sword alongside the Hero's holy sword, ‘Revangel.’
The Star-Killing Sword.
Andrill, the Demonic Sword of the Abyss.
It was the sword used by Idrinne, the Demon King of Bloodletting.
‘I wondered where she got this demonic sword, but to think it was in the Dark Magic House all along.’
His heart pounded.
He recalled the sight of the Demon King of Bloodletting wielding Andrill, the Sword of the Abyss.
Andrill in her hands was truly the advent of disaster.
With this sword, she had even cut down a Celestial who had descended upon the earth.
‘Of course, I can't unleash that kind of power right now.’
To undo Andrill's seal and fully reveal its true form, one needed to reach at least the 9-Star level.
This was why the members of the Dark Magic House had never recognized the sword's true value.
It was a realm far beyond the current Chris's reach.
“I’ll take this sword.”
‘It’s not like this sword is useless to me now.’ No, depending on how it was used, it could display more power than any other demonic sword.
‘Even in its sealed state, the Immortality inherent in Andrill should remain. Immortality alone makes it as useful as any other demonic sword.’
And that wasn't all.
As he grew stronger, he would be able to interfere with the seal and manifest the various other additional properties inherent in Andrill.
If he could manifest even a part of ‘Completeness,’ one of Andrill's many abilities, he could unleash fraudulent power.
If he unlocked ‘Infinity,’ he could bring about endless transformations.
He had obtained the ultimate weapon, but Nordian and Merian showed skeptical reactions.
[You'll take that piece of scrap metal? Why, of all things?]
“…If I use an item bestowed by His Majesty the Demon Emperor to punish those detestable Alliance scum, wouldn't that be deeply meaningful? His Majesty would surely be pleased to hear the news.”
[That's a distasteful thing to say, just like you, but Predator would be better than that junk.]
“…I’m sorry. I choose this sword.”
As Chris insisted, Nordian narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased.
Just as Merian grew anxious, worried that Nordian might burst into anger.
[Such an unruly brat. Fine, take Predator with you as well.]
“My Lord?”
Merian, beside him, looked startled.
“According to the law, the maximum number of artifacts that can be taken from the family vault is one…”
[What does it matter? I've given my permission. I, the Head, am the law.]
Nordian scowled and continued.
[However, Predator is a loan limited to this one occasion. Do you understand?]
Even a one-time loan was a big deal.
Above all, Chris was a genius.
While using Predator, he might be able to copy and learn some of the formulas embedded within the demonic sword.
It was a consideration that would be of great help to Chris.
“Thank you. I will be sure to follow your will and give those Gold Cross bastards a proper blow.”
Nordian spoke, his voice still laced with displeasure.
[Enough. You may leave now.]
The moment Nordian waved his hand, his vision shifted, and *whoosh*, Chris’s figure vanished from the vault.
Once the two were alone, Merian looked at Nordian for a moment with an ambiguous gaze.
[Why are you looking at me like that?]
“…It’s nothing. It was just unexpected.”
It was an uncharacteristic act for the usual Nordian.
Nordian himself seemed to have similar thoughts as he closed his mouth in displeasure.
Then, he brought up an unexpected topic.
[Merian, do you know why I blocked that child, Langham, from succeeding me as Head?]
“Isn’t it because my brother couldn't overcome the 8-Star wall?”
There was an unwritten rule among the twelve noble families of the demonic path.
The Head must be a Demonic Lord who has reached 8-Star.
Until now, except in very special circumstances, no one who had not reached 8-Star had become the head of one of the twelve noble families.
“So, you decided to make a talented descendant from the next generation the Head…”
[In what lifetime?]
“!!”
The Old Lord scoffed.
[I don't have much time left to live. My natural lifespan ran out long ago, and even by holding on with heaven-defying arts, I have less than two years.]
Even two years was a generous estimate.
The actual time he had left was likely much shorter.
It was, of course, impossible for the next generation to reach 8-Star within that time.
“Then why?”
[I deliberately drove that child, Langham, into a corner.]
“!!”
[I wanted him to resent and hate me for making him despair, so that he would overcome his limits. So that in the end, he could surpass and kill me, seizing the position of Head with his own hands.]
That’s right.
This was Nordian's true intention.
There was no other way for the Dark Magic House to survive the terrifying storm to come.
[But lately, I've been having other thoughts.]
Nordian slowly, as if swallowing his words, continued.
[Christian.]
“!!”
[I find myself wanting to place my hopes in that child.]
It was a thought that even Nordian himself couldn't understand.
No matter how much of a genius Christian was, there was a heaven-and-earth gap between him and Marquis Langham.
It was absurd to think that Christian could surpass Marquis Langham in the short time before Nordian’s life ended.
[Still, I wish for Christian to surpass Langham.]
Nordian’s gaze was fixed on the distant void.
As if fumbling for a future that had not yet arrived.
[And so, I want to see that child, Christian, become the master of this Dark Magic House.]
Without a doubt.
He would become a greater Head than any in history.
The Dark Magic House would shine within a brilliant darkness.
* * *
Returning to his quarters, Chris enjoyed a long-awaited sweet rest… not.
As soon as he returned, Nordian summoned him to the detached villa again for instruction.
‘Damn it, if he was going to do this, why did he tell me to go back? He should've just taught me there.’
But he couldn't say anything.
Because what Nordian taught him were the ‘secret arts’ of the Dark Magic.
Secret arts.
Hidden techniques passed down only to the direct line, capable of maximizing the power of the Dark Magic.
“Did you hear all that? There's no time, so I will only convey the oral formulas for now. Even for you, it will be difficult to understand immediately, so for now, memorize it and ponder its meaning whenever you have time…”
‘Hmm, I think I get most of it.’ Chris scratched his head.
Even if they were secret arts, if he couldn't understand them when the best teacher was kindly explaining and interpreting them, he wouldn't be a genius.
When he asked a few questions to confirm some ambiguous points, they turned out to be questions that pierced the fundamental core, earning him looks of astonishment from Nordian and Merian.
Well, he was used to such looks.
In any case, after finishing the short, intensive tutoring session, he returned to his quarters.
He was about to laze around for the little time he had left.
‘Damn it, I have to choose the members of the delegation to go with me.’
For reference, there was an unspoken rule between the Magitech Empire and the Alliance.
It was customary for the delegation to not exceed three members, and to exclude high-ranking individuals of 5-Star or higher.
The reasons for this restriction were slightly different for each side. The Alliance was fed up with high-ranking Majin envoys constantly attempting suicide bombings on their kings and ministers, so they put a stop to it.
‘On the other hand, the Alliance stopped sending high-ranking officials of 5-Star or above on their own because our Magitech Empire kept chopping off the heads of their envoys.’
In any case, three people below 5-Star.
It would have been a perfect situation to go with his subordinates, Melin and Allos, but there was a problem.
‘It looks like Melin is about to break through the 5-Star wall.’
Chris narrowed his eyes.
They had sparred often while together, and it seemed she had gained some enlightenment from it.
An important stage.
“Melin, you’re sitting this one out.”
“But?”
“I know this is an important time for you. You will enter secluded training and organize the achievements you've gained so far.”
“I can’t do that!”
Melin shook her head as if it were out of the question, but Chris was also firm.
“It’s an order. You becoming stronger is a help to me.”
With Melin out, he had to find another person.
‘First, one spot is locked in for Allos.’
Allos, his face pale, was saying, “C-could I possibly sit this one out? *Hic, hic.*”
He didn't inspire an ounce of confidence, but even a guy like him had his uses, so he planned to take him.
‘Among the 4-Star elite Majin, who would be worth taking…’
As he was pondering, the door to his quarters suddenly slid open. *Drreuk.*
And a sullen voice came through.
“I'll go.”
“…You?”
Chris asked back, his voice somewhat dazed.
It was Jupien.