Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Subjugation of the Rebel (6)
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The Northern Grand Duke, who had been laughing maniacally—no.
Whoever was wearing the Northern Grand Duke's skin stopped laughing and stared straight at Yujin.
As if searching for something.
"Hmm... You're quite tempting."
"...?"
"It'd be a shame to hand you over to others... How about becoming mine?"
"What do you...?"
The one wearing the Northern Grand Duke's guise licked their lips with their tongue, smacking them appreciatively.
It was a revolting sight to behold with one's own eyes. For starters, the Northern Grand Duke's body was male.
On the surface, no matter how you looked at it, it was no different from a man leering at another man.
...
"Are you a woman?"
Judging by the speech alone, yes, a woman.
The voice was male since it was the Northern Grand Duke's body, but the manner of speaking was unmistakably feminine. If not a woman, then whoever dwelled inside was gay.
That tone had that distinctive flair only gays or women used.
The one in the Northern Grand Duke's form slyly curled up the corner of their mouth.
"You figured it out?"
"Doesn't seem like you're trying to hide it."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Yujin slowly tightened his grip on his sword.
Ready to swing it at any moment.
The opponent noticed and tension began to rise. Staring at Yujin's sword, they flashed a smile with their eyes.
"So, how about it? Becoming mine?"
'...Ugh.'
"...If you tell me who you are and what you want, I might consider it."
Of course, it was empty words.
The foe before him was likely someone from Pandemonium's Seven Deadly Sins who had collaborated with—no, manipulated—the Northern Grand Duke from the shadows.
Definitely not Greed or Wrath from before.
Just a hunch, but the vibe was distinctly different. Above all, the speech pattern differed from Greed's.
That left one of the remaining five Sin Seats...
'...No idea who.'
Unknown abilities, combat style, objectives.
He knew next to nothing about the Sin Seats' genders or capabilities, Greed aside...
"How much do you want? So greedy."
They coldly twisted their lips.
"Then die."
Without hesitation, he swung his sword.
Slash—
Boom—!!!
In an instant, a sword beam tore through the ground. Amid massive craters, countless buildings collapsed.
Thud—
The opponent leaped into the sky to evade, landing lightly with a grin.
"Feisty one. Might be quickest to just kill you and make you mine."
"Amusing. Then why not see who dies first?"
"Fine. I'll bet on myself winning."
Hmm.
"Too bad. The outcome's already decided—I'm winning no matter what."
With that, the two clashed in midair.
Rumble—!!!!!
A massive roar erupted, shockwaves sweeping the land and destroying everything in their path.
Crack, crack—
The clashing swords began to freeze over bit by bit.
'This is...'
The Northern Grand Duke's power. Or rather, the unique mana of the Calderon Grand Duke family.
Not content with just possessing the body, they could wield the mana too.
Bang—!
Yujin repelled the foe and landed. He kicked off the ground again, swinging his sword.
Slash—
The opponent twisted away from the blade and counterattacked.
Clang—
But the assault was easily blocked. Soon, they exchanged dozens of blows per second at invisible speeds.
The more they darted about, the more the grand duchy capital became unrecognizable ruins.
It was a calamity.
An unstoppable disaster descended upon the human world. At least there were no civilians in the capital—a small mercy.
...Or not.
Everyone had turned into mindless demons. Note that once turned, without holy power treatment within a time limit, recovery was impossible.
...In other words, the grand duchy's people were effectively all dead.
Thus, after a fierce exchange of razor-sharp ice and sword beams devastating the surroundings, the power struggle ended with Yujin severing one of the opponent's arms.
Slash—
But.
'...My body...'
Something felt off with his body. Mana draining? Each swing felt like strength was ebbing from him.
Not drastically, but...
The anomaly was clear.
'...The opponent's ability.'
Meanwhile, the foe instantly regenerated the arm and widened the distance. Clicking their tongue softly, they reattached the severed limb.
Then,
Sizzle—
Demonic energy crept up, fusing it back.
Watching, Yujin muttered after a moment's thought.
"You're no swordsman."
Hard to call one who stole another's body a swordsman to begin with.
To make matters worse, each clash drained his vitality. Moreover, up close, it was obvious the opponent had little sword experience.
The Northern Grand Duke's skills hadn't matched his physique either, but this possessor was even worse.
'Like a child swinging a famed blade to look cool.'
A kid stealing daddy's clothes—exactly that impression.
And sure enough—
Slash—
"...!!!!"
They failed to react to this strike too.
A light upward slash from below.
The blade devoured the opponent's body in an instant, carving a massive gash into the sky.
Regardless of power, any trained swordsman would've roughly anticipated the swing's path. Even with skill gaps, the motion was blatant enough to read.
Yet they hadn't noticed...
"As expected, you're no swordsman. Just a parasite in that body."
A vitality-sucking parasite. The identity of this body-snatcher felt like—
"Lust."
Lust, now sporting a massive hole in their body, muttered calmly.
"Hm. Busted?"
"Did you really think you wouldn't get caught?"
A non-swordsman daring to impersonate one before a master.
Odd to think otherwise.
It was blatant theater bound to be seen through. Falling for such a shoddy act would forfeit his hard-earned prowess.
...Above all, he'd survived the battlefield, bidding farewell to precious comrades. Failing to spot this would shame him before the dead.
"Looks like you die here."
Unsure if he could kill them completely, but the Northern Grand Duke's body? That he'd end for sure.
Daring such laughable deception.
"Same thought here—perfect. Even in death, you'll moan under me."
"Whore talks too much."
Second Prince Russel and the Emperor had urged retrieving the Northern Grand Duke's corpse intact for the capital.
To execute the already sumarily judged body again via public burning in the central plaza.
But...
'Forgive me, Your Majesty.'
This once, he'd disobey a bit.
Grip—
Yujin readjusted his sword, aiming at Lust.
A massive black aura infused with his mana surged from the blade.
Crack—!!!!!!!
"Extinction One Flash"
Slash—
The black beam advanced, cleaving the world in two. But amid the shattering realm, Lust's eyes gleamed oddly as they lunged straight at Yujin.
For a moment, Yujin's body stiffened.
"......!"
Bang—!!!!!
Lust's demonic energy-laced strike hurtled toward his face.
He blocked, but his body was rigid. Vitality draining in real-time, he was gradually pushed back.
Wounds began appearing on his body and face, one by one.
"Struggling? Become mine, and it'll ease. Why not surrender? I can give you pleasure too."
"Sorry. Not interested in rolling with a whore."
Crack—
"...I'll make you moan until you beg for mercy in agony. Don't think of an easy death?"
The drain accelerated. Accordingly, the aura from Lust in the Northern Grand Duke's body grew stronger.
'Then—'
He surged his mana further.
If vitality fled, compensate by drawing more to replenish strength.
Black mana blanketed the area instantly. Debris and rubble floated skyward as if gravity inverted.
Yujin mana-infused kicked Lust's abdomen and unleashed a slash.
Slash—
"Urk!"
Lust groaned, retreating.
Simultaneously, black ice spears erupted toward Yujin. As his movement was briefly sealed, Lust discarded the sword for a fist thrust.
Boom—!!!
Injuries accumulated on both. Yujin's were fewer, but Lust's blows landing effectively was the issue.
'Vitality keeps draining.'
The stronger Lust grew. A fitting name indeed.
Stealing essence from others—like a succubus.
'...No problem yet.'
But prolonged exchanges might continue. Empowering Lust further, increasing his own damage.
...
'End it quick.'
Sensing Yujin's shifted aura, Lust tensed and raised demonic energy.
Their powers clashed, ravaging surroundings and eroding the earth.
Amid the clamorously crumbling world, Yujin's mind remained serene.
'Sever it.'
What?
'The Northern Grand Duke's body.'
And Lust beyond.
'In one strike.'
"Hoo..."
Lust intuited the impending attack. Countering by eroding flesh-spirit boundaries with absorbed vitality—
"Heaven's Annihilation Return"
Slash—
Their bodies crossed.
Darkness then swallowed the world.
Crack—!!!!!!!!
When darkness receded and vision returned, the last one standing was,
"......"
Thud—
Yujin.