Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: The Apex of Demonic Flow (2)
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Yuri's explanation prompted Johan to ask again.
"Radiant Blood?"
Yuri giggled in response.
"Yeah, it sparkles, right? So I named it Radiant Blood."
Johan's sigh came at Yuri's nonchalant reply, as if it were no big deal.
"Hah... you bastard. Do you even know what you've done and still laugh about it?"
"What did I do?"
"You turned the impossible into possible."
"Then isn't that a good thing?"
"You've probably jumped straight to second on the watchlist for both the Rider Clan and Yoram. Might even become second in line for an execution order if things go south."
"Who's first?"
"Who else? Obviously me."
"Too bad. I like being number one."
"Sadly, I have no intention of giving up my top spot. Heh heh."
"Oh, so if you kick the bucket, old man, I become number one? Pfheheh."
The two stared at each other, chuckling.
Even while discussing being marked by the world's most powerful family, their carefree banter made them look remarkably alike.
Then Johan snapped back to his senses and asked again.
"Anyway, how the hell did you pull that off? Radiant Blood? Judging by the name, it's clearly an imitation of Black Blood."
"Yeah, spot on. I originally tried imitating Supremacy... but that was too hard, way too complicated. So I started with Black Blood."
"You think you can just imitate that?"
"It worked, didn't it? What's not to work?"
Her tone was as casual as if she'd simply plucked an apple from the neighbor's tree.
Johan's temple vein bulged at that.
"Did my last story go in one ear and out the other? That Black Blood and Supremacy are the Rider Clan's bloodline arts!"
"Yeah, I remember. But it still worked."
"...Fuck."
Yuri shrugged at Johan's low mutter and continued.
"The activation structure for Black Blood wasn't that complicated. Just took some time to tweak it for myself."
"I see. So you can just tweak it like that."
"Yeah. It worked."
"...Goddamn it."
"Anyway, old man, as you saw, the structure's similar, but I must've messed with something because the manifestation looks different, and the effects are a bit off too."
"How so?"
Johan already knew how Yuri's Radiant Blood looked different from Black Blood—he'd seen it before.
But the effects being different piqued his curiosity.
"You know Black Blood amplifies physical abilities like strength and stamina, right?"
"Of course. Who knows it better than me?"
Rider bloodline users who activated Black Blood transcended human limits.
Explosive power and speed.
Tough stamina and regeneration too.
The deeper the realm, the more explosively it grew, making Black Blood one pillar of the Sword Lord's inhuman strength.
But Yuri's Radiant Blood was different.
"Mine doesn't amplify physical abilities."
"Then it's a failure, isn't it?"
"Instead, it instantly recovers spent stamina and mental power, and even refills a bit of mana."
"......?!"
"It doesn't expand the vessel like Black Blood, but it fills an empty one."
"Hmm......"
Admiration crossed Johan's face.
Body arts that recovered stamina and mental power weren't common, but they existed.
Mana recovery, though? That was another level.
"No way... does Radiant Blood keep refilling mana while it's active?"
"Of course!"
"R-Really?!"
"...I'd love that, but no, it's not that good. Just a one-time thing."
"......"
"And the mana it refills isn't much—probably less than what it costs to maintain Radiant Blood."
"...Then what's the point?"
Yuri's Radiant Blood was undoubtedly an excellent art.
But compared to Black Blood's transcendent physical boosts, it didn't feel superior.
It had become a completely different art, hard to believe it mimicked Black Blood.
Yet Yuri shrugged as if she didn't see it that way.
"I told you, it recovers stamina and mental power while active. That's plenty. Thanks to it, I took a few more steps in the Hundred Paces Rite!"
"Hah... hahaha."
Faced with Yuri's satisfied expression, Johan could only let out a hearty laugh.
'If the Rider Castle bastards learn this, they'll all faint in unison.'
Their clan's secret art.
No, the pinnacle of secrets—a bloodline inheritance—stolen and turned into a stamina potion.
Part of him wanted to spread it far and wide for the Riders to hear.
As Johan suppressed his leaking chuckles, Yuri stretched languidly and spoke.
"Well, it's just this much for now... but tinkering more should make it even better."
A glint entered Yuri's eyes.
She had a hunch.
'This thing... there's still more to it.'
From using it herself, she sensed Radiant Blood hid some secret she hadn't uncovered yet.
It was worth researching and refining.
"For now, no side effects is good enough."
She spun her body around, looking quite pleased.
"I thought there'd be major backlash after using it, but nope. A little soreness, but for the strain, this is pretty mild."
Yuri even hopped up from her seat and twisted her waist.
Aside from slight mana core stiffness, her condition was fine.
She'd braced for severe aftereffects, but being this fine made her preparation seem pointless.
'Does Radiant Blood have this effect too?'
As Yuri pondered, Johan's tongue-click echoed.
"Tch, after sleeping that long, of course you're fine."
"Huh? How long was I out?"
"Twenty days."
"Huh?"
"You slept nearly twenty days straight."
Yuri thought she'd misheard.
She blinked and asked again.
"...How long?"
"Exactly twenty days today. I was gonna watch a few more days, and if you didn't wake, assume you croaked and give you a funeral. Lucky you woke up."
Yuri's eyes widened round, and she sighed in a daze.
'Guess it does have side effects after all......'
This was practically dying and coming back, like Johan said.
As Yuri blinked, Johan brushed off his butt and stood.
"Well, you're awake, so I should head out."
"Head out? Where to?"
"......"
Johan paused at Yuri's question.
His pride wouldn't let him say it.
'Can't tell you I holed up training because of you...'
So Johan smoothly changed the subject.
"That's none of your business. Instead, I'll give you two assignments again."
"Assignments?"
Like last year around this time, Johan's assignments tied directly to her growth path.
Yuri focused.
Johan smirked and spoke.
"First one—less an assignment, more a commission."
"Commission?"
"Remember what I said? Demonic Flow—Capture... no, now it's Demonic Flow—Seal. Anyway, anything beyond that... the so-called Demonic Flow Fourth Form is just in the planning stage."
"Ah!"
Yuri finally recalled Johan's past words and nodded.
With that, she instantly grasped the commission.
"So... you want me to make it?"
"Exactly!"
"Any specific theory?"
"Nope."
"...None at all?"
"Yeah."
"...Not even a little?"
"Not even an ant's booger worth."
Yuri crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing naturally.
"You're more shameless than I thought, old man. When did you say 'let's research together'? Now it's all on me!"
Johan scratched his ear at her whining.
"Who told you to veer off my plans from Demonic Flow—Capture into Demonic Flow—Seal or whatever? I'm busy catching up to your solo progress."
"......"
"So figure out the rest yourself! You always whip up stuff solo anyway!"
Johan's words had some truth, so Yuri couldn't whine more.
She finally pouted and mumbled.
"So... what was next after Demonic Flow—Capture that you planned?"
Johan answered seriously.
"Demonic Flow First Form senses and detects flows, Second Form deflects them, Third Form temporarily seals them... So far, Demonic Flow has only used generated flows."
"Yeah."
"In other words, using the Sword Lord's power to return it intact to him—ultimately just borrowing the opponent's power."
"...Wasn't that Demonic Flow's purpose from the start?"
"Not purpose. Direction. Demonic Flow's ultimate goal is using the Sword Lord's power to defeat the Sword Lord."
"Isn't that the same?"
"No. Using only the Sword Lord's power against him versus using his power to fight him—how could they be the same?"
Yuri wasn't stupid.
She pinpointed the key from Johan's words.
"So, not just returning the Sword Lord's power with Demonic Flow... but adding something more?"
Johan smiled in affirmation.
Yuri then clearly understood Demonic Flow's ultimate goal.
She murmured what she'd realized.
"Returning the Sword Lord's power is still just his power. If that monster counters with the same force, it cancels out anyway......"
Johan picked up Yuri's murmur.
"Why not add my power to his and send it back? That much should make even that monster flinch."
Johan's original final goal when conceiving Demonic Flow.
Demonic Flow's apex.
Adding one's own power to the opponent's for a stronger force returned against them.
Overwhelming the Sword Lord with power.
That was Demonic Flow's Fourth Form, the final one he'd only planned: Demonic Flow—Merge.
"......"
"......"
Silence hung between Yuri and Johan.
'Add external force to the flow... no, merge it......'
Yuri pondered Demonic Flow's apex and how to realize it.
Johan waited patiently for her to sort her thoughts.
Ten minutes later.
Yuri sighed and spoke.
"Haa... this won't be easy. Isn't this assignment too tough?"
"If it were easy, I'd have done it alone. That's why I dragged you in, but......"
...But you might actually pull it off solo.
Johan didn't voice the rest.
'The moment you complete it... Demonic Flow becomes yours, not mine.'
Yuri had already shifted Demonic Flow's Third Form solo, diverging far from his plans.
If she made the final form too, Demonic Flow would bear her touch more than his.
To the point it'd feel like hers, not his.
A lifetime of research passing to another.
Yet Johan could entrust Demonic Flow's completion to her because his goal wasn't its completion.
The end of his lifelong path.
Defeating the Sword Lord.
'If that can be achieved... what wouldn't I give up?'
A lifetime researching Demonic Flow?
Just a means to defeat the Sword Lord.
If Yuri truly completed the final form and created the trump card to fell him, Johan would shout from the rooftops that she was Demonic Flow's creator.
'And well, at this point, I'm learning Demonic Flow from you......'
Only two years after meeting Yuri, their positions reversed—Johan smiled bitterly inside.
"Alright, fine. Demonic Flow's apex as the first assignment—what's the second?"
His eyes suddenly lit up at Yuri's question.
'Right, Demonic Flow I learn from you, but I still have plenty to teach.'
Johan asked back with a smug face.
"Aren't you curious?"
"About what?"
"If passing through Strong·Refine·Harden·Mana leads to Zone at Certified 7th Dan, what do Certified 8th and 9th Dan achieve?"
Yuri's eyes sparkled.
Curiosity and anticipation burned within.
Catching the heat, Johan grinned and nodded toward the door.
"Follow me. Before I go, I'll broaden your horizons."
With that, Johan strode out.
Yuri scurried after him and, moments later......
"...My god."
Beheld a new world and achieved enlightenment.