Chapter 45
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Demonization
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This was Chris's limit.
It wasn't a matter of talent.
Chris realized the fundamental problem.
'This capacity is beyond what's allowed for a human.'
No matter how outstanding he was, as a human, there was a limit he couldn't cross.
Accepting over ninety percent of the Sacred Black was only possible by transcending human limits.
In that case.
Chris came up with a method.
'I just have to transcend the limits of a human.'
Chris's eyes gleamed.
There was a way to do it artificially.
'I'll temporarily change the nature of my core.'
Chris thought of the race on the continent with the largest vessel for a core.
Dragons.
They weren't invincible beings like in the legends.
Dragons typically possessed power around the 7-Star level.
But it was certain that their vessels were the greatest among all races.
'I'll imitate the structure of a Dragon Heart.'
A Dragon Heart holds a sea of magical power.
It wasn't possible just because of its sturdy material.
Just as a streamlined shape reduces wind resistance, a Dragon Heart was structurally embedded with a magical principle that mitigated resistance to mana.
Christian recalled the corpse of a magic dragon he had seen in the past.
He remembered the principle behind the structure that allowed the Dragon Heart to protect itself.
The core wasn't a physical organ, but a conceptual one.
Using his mental image, he artificially twisted the structure of his core to mimic the principle of a Dragon Heart.
It wasn't easy. No, it was nearly impossible.
Nor was it something he could do for long.
A few minutes at most.
'It's fine. I just need to hold on for a moment.'
Reacting to the Sacred Black, Chris's magi changed.
Little by little, it surpassed ninety percent.
The moment it crossed ninety percent, a whole new world opened up.
Fwaaa!
The nature of Christian's magi grew incomparably stronger.
Magi was essence converted into the energy of darkness.
But the newly converted Dark Magi was different.
It was darkness itself.
Pure, and just as powerful.
Christian used that magi to reinforce his core again.
From now on, it was a war.
The energy of the Sacred Black, having surpassed its limits, tried to shatter his core. Christian's magi desperately defended the fracturing core.
It was like trying to artificially plug the cracks in a collapsing dam.
Naturally, it was a difficult task.
He didn't know when, or at what moment, it might completely collapse.
A single misstep would be the end.
But with his insane control over magi, Chris managed to accomplish the near-impossible.
Finally, the absorption rate of the Sacred Black surpassed ninety-five percent.
A little more, and he would be able to absorb it completely.
But in that moment.
Chris froze.
'I have to stop.'
An instinctive alarm bell rang out.
This was the absolute limit.
Because he was exceptional, he knew it with even more certainty.
Absorbing any more of the Sacred Black was impossible.
If he got any greedier, he wouldn't even be able to save his own life.
'Is it really impossible?'
Chris bit his lip hard.
His mind calculated the impending situation.
But there was no way to prevent the core's collapse.
In truth, absorbing all one hundred percent might have been too greedy.
Didn't even the first ancestor of the Dark Magic House fail to absorb one hundred percent?
And yet, that ancestor became the third-ranked Demon King of the Magitech Empire.
This much might have been enough.
'It might be better not to push myself unnecessarily.'
However.
Chris had a gut feeling.
That he absolutely must not give up.
That he had to obtain the Sacred Black completely, no matter what it took. Otherwise, he would surely regret it.
'But it's impossible...'
It was then.
A voice was heard.
A low whisper.
A whisper that seemed to come from within the void.
[Do you... need help?]
"!!"
Chris's eyes widened.
A chill ran straight down his spine.
'A demon.'
Chris recognized the voice's identity.
Mephina.
The demon he had encountered during the previous Sacred Black Ceremony was speaking to him!
The demon whispered sweetly.
[The power of a demon... resonates with darkness. I will... help you. Without any price.]
"...Without any price?"
From beyond the void, the demon raised the corners of its mouth.
He couldn't see it, but he could feel it.
The smile the demon was directing at him.
It was a smile that was both alluring and ominously chilling.
[Yes... I swear on my name. I will demand... no price from you.]
"...Why?"
There is no demon who helps without a price.
Mephina laughed out loud.
The sound, like a dirge, echoed ominously through the dark space.
[It is merely... a whim of mine. You... have piqued my interest, so I shall grant you my aid.]
Chris was silent for a moment.
Since the demon had sworn on its own name, he likely wouldn't have to pay a price even if he accepted the help.
Perhaps it was an opportunity.
However.
It wasn't even something he had to think about.
"I refuse."
[...Are you going to give up on the Sacred Black? Simply because... you don't want to receive a demon's help?]
Mephina spoke in a somewhat disappointed tone.
[How... foolish. To throw away such an opportunity for such a trivial reason. I'm disappointed.]
Chris let out a dry laugh.
When did I ever ask for its expectations, for it to get disappointed on its own?
It wasn't his business whether the demon was disappointed or not.
"When did I say I was giving up on the Sacred Black?"
Being looked down on didn't sit right with him, so he had to say something.
[You intend to obtain... the Sacred Black by yourself? You should know that anything more... is not permitted to humans.]
Chris nodded.
The demon was right.
A 'human' could not absorb any more of the Sacred Black, no matter what they did.
'It's not a problem with the core. No matter how much I reinforce it, I can't absorb any more. The rejection is too severe.'
This rejection was due to the limits of the human species.
Humans could become beings of darkness, and they could become beings of light.
For that reason, they could become neither perfect darkness nor perfect light. A portion of the opposing attribute would always be mixed in.
To fully accept this Sacred Black, one had to become a being of perfect darkness.
However.
'There is a way.'
Christian's eyes flew open.
In response, the demon, witnessing the change in Christian, let out a voice uncharacteristically flustered for a demon.
[That's...? Impossible?]
The darkness surrounding Christian churned wildly.
At the same time, a miracle that should never have been possible began to unfold.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the annex of the Dark Magic House.
A voice echoed from the Old Lord's residence.
"How much time has passed?"
"A week, my lord."
They were talking about Christian.
The Old Lord, Nordian, slowly furrowed his brow.
"Still no news?"
"No, my lord."
Tap, tap. He tapped his cane.
"It took me four days when I underwent the Sacred Black Ceremony."
Nordian had obtained just under eighty percent of the Sacred Black.
In that case, Christian must be attempting to obtain at least eighty percent.
There was no way he was alive.
Listening from the side, Merian let out a soft sigh.
'Why such reckless greed.'
Simon spoke.
"Acting Head, Marquis Langham, seems to want to close the passage connected to the Holy Land."
The Holy Land is a Shadow Dimension.
The passage opens once every two to three years, after which it is kept open by the power of black magic until all participants of the Sacred Black Ceremony have returned.
They were planning to close the passage, assuming Christian was already dead.
"......"
The Old Lord said nothing.
His face was one of displeasure.
Simon smiled faintly.
"Then I shall let them proceed with closing the passage."
"...You insolent brat. You're trying to sound out this old man."
Simon did not answer.
It was an affirmation.
The Old Lord clicked his tongue.
"You Bloodsucker, do you really think that thunderous brat Christian is still alive?"
Simon answered slyly.
"Well, I don't know. Honestly, the chances of his survival are slim. But if he is alive, I think it would be quite amusing."
Simon's lips curled into a smile.
"Isn't he a very interesting young master? A delight just to watch. I believe it would be a shame for you as well, my lord, to lose such an interesting person due to a misjudgment."
If the passage to the Shadow Dimension closes, Christian will have no way of returning to the original world.
Even if he had miraculously survived until now, he would be unable to return from the Shadow Dimension and would die there.
"That's only if the boy is alive."
"Of course, but..."
"Therefore, it's a meaningless conversation. The boy is dead."
"!!"
A definitive statement.
The faces of Simon and Merian hardened.
"You two don't understand what it means to accept more than eighty percent of the Sacred Black. Even I did not dare to accept eighty percent."
Nordian had stopped just before reaching eighty percent.
Because it was no longer possible.
If he had taken even one more step, his core would have surely collapsed.
But if Christian was still alive, given the time, he would be trying to obtain ninety percent of the Sacred Black.
"It is said that the first ancestor received help from His Majesty the Demon Emperor when he absorbed the Sacred Black. Otherwise, even he would have found ninety percent impossible."
The meaning of his words was clear.
No matter how exceptional Christian's vessel was, it was impossible for him to accept more than ninety percent of the Sacred Black.
"...I see. Then shall we let Marquis Langham close the passage?"
Forcibly keeping the passage to the Shadow Dimension open also requires an immense amount of magi.
If there was no chance of him being alive, closing it was the right thing to do.
The Old Lord, Nordian, clamped his mouth shut.
His expression was still full of displeasure.
"...One day."
The Old Lord turned his back.
"Give him one more day."
A cold voice descended.
"If the boy fails to return, as punishment for his foolish greed, strip him of the right to a family funeral."
* * *
[No... how?]
The surprised voice of the demon, Mephina, echoed through the space of Sacred Black.
A transcendent being like a demon, surprised?
It couldn't be helped.
The very essence of Chris's soul was changing.
From a neutral existence that held both light and darkness.
The light was being driven out, and only darkness began to fill it.
It was a feeling all too familiar to Mephina.
[A demon...?]
No.
It was too insignificant to be called a demon.
The pathetically small and fragile soul was clearly that of a mortal.
Above all, it lacked the inherent evil unique to demons.
But... what was that perfect darkness consuming the soul?
Only pure darkness.
How could a human soul be like that?
Such pristine darkness was not something a mortal could possess.
[Just... how?]
"Because... I'm a genius."
Christian answered with difficulty.
Blood threatened to surge up his throat.
'As I thought, this is still too much for me.'
The nature of Christian's soul had changed because he had used a secret art.
Demonization.
It was a secret technique of the Mystic House, which allowed a mortal to temporarily become like a demon.