Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Memories (1)
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The moment he absorbed Everis's memories, the scenery reflected in Demian’s eyes changed.
The Colosseum vanished, replaced by a dark space.
It was a space carved from stone. Incredibly vast, with a high ceiling.
Everis was bound here.
Her limbs were shackled to an X-shaped cross.
Her body was covered in surgical scars everywhere. Needles connected to tubes were stabbed into her all over.
“Ugh…… Urgh…….”
Everis let out a groan. Demian examined her body.
‘She’s dying.’
The black magic knowledge Demian possessed told him so.
The modifications inflicted on her had failed, and she was dying from the aftermath.
‘Where is this place?’
In his previous life, Dorgo had hidden lairs scattered across the continent and moved between them periodically to conceal his existence.
He looked around, wondering if it was one of the lairs he knew, but disappointingly, it was a place unfamiliar to Demian.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from the entrance. A small-statured man was approaching with quick steps.
“Is Lord Dorgo still in his room?”
-Yes, he is.
The attendant walking with the man replied. His skin had an ashen hue, like a corpse. Black magic power leaked from his body with every step.
This attendant was not a living being. He was an undead created by Dorgo.
In his previous life, Dorgo used only undead he created himself as attendants, to eliminate any risk of betrayal.
“It’s not like a new research subject appeared, but he suddenly cut off contact. How many months has it been? I’m worried something might have happened to Lord Dorgo.”
-I feel the same.
The two continued their conversation and stopped in front of Everis.
The attendant stabbed a needle into Everis’s body and injected the contents.
“Why inject something so precious into a failed product like this?”
-Lord Dorgo has not yet decided on the disposal of this test subject. Until then, it needs to be kept alive.
After the liquid was injected, Everis’s complexion improved dramatically. Her life force had been restored.
But that didn’t mean her pain vanished.
“Ugh…… Urgh…… Eugh…….”
Her groans grew a bit louder.
Right now, Everis’s entire body was rotting due to the failed modifications.
The pain and disgust from that were entirely hers to bear.
“Ki…… Kill…… Kill me…….”
Everis pleaded.
But the two didn’t even respond to her words.
To them, Everis was nothing but a failed product, destined to be discarded the moment Dorgo returned.
They felt no reason to pay her any attention.
It was then.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor. The moment they turned toward the sound, their eyes widened.
“Lord Dorgo!”
-Master!
A robed skeleton was approaching them.
The skeleton spotted the two and clacked its jaw as it spoke.
“Oh…… So you were both here. I’ve been looking everywhere.”
“To trouble the great one! We deserve death!”
-This worthless servant left your side, Master! Kill me!
The two hurriedly knelt on the floor.
Their faces showed unhidden awe and reverence.
Unlike them, the moment Demian saw Dorgo, murderous intent boiled within him.
‘Damn it…… To have to just watch like this.’
The Dorgo before his eyes was just a figure from the memory, so venting his anger would be pointless.
Getting too agitated might even disrupt the black magic. Right now, he had to hold back his rage.
“Are you alright?”
-We were worried when you suddenly stopped coming out!
“Sorry about that. My head suddenly hurt too much.”
Dorgo rubbed his temple with a finger. The sound of bone scraping against bone rang out vividly.
“It hurt…… So much. My head felt so full it was about to burst. So I holed up in my room sorting out my thoughts for a while.”
“Your headache was that severe……?”
-Is something wrong……?
“Hahaha, no need to worry. I’m fine now.”
Dorgo answered with cheerful laughter.
“I must have caused confusion by being away so long.”
“Fortunately, no major issues arose. However…….”
“However?”
“A knight showing dangerous tendencies has recently appeared.”
“Oh?”
Dorgo’s expression showed interest. The bones of his face shifted, forming what could be called an expression.
“Dangerous tendencies?”
“It’s a bit of a long story.”
The man began explaining about Demian Haksen. The more Dorgo heard, the more amused he seemed.
“What’s that knight’s name?”
“Demian Haksen.”
“Demian Haksen…… From what you’ve told me, he’s clearly no ordinary knight. That one might be able to fulfill my wish…….”
Suddenly, Dorgo’s expression changed. He muttered gravely.
“……Demian Haksen?”
“Do you know him?”
“No, it’s a name I’ve never heard before. But…… it feels strangely familiar.”
After pondering briefly, Dorgo asked with a puzzled face.
“More importantly, why were you all here?”
“We came to manage the test subject.”
“The test subject?”
-Yes, Master. This one.
The attendant pointed to Everis. Dorgo approached her closely.
“Ah…… Now I remember. This was the one I was experimenting on to restore the Demonic Eyes of the Blue Night. It failed in the end, though.”
Dorgo muttered as he examined Everis.
“I even got a Master Class from Sla just for this experiment. What a waste that it failed.”
Even for Dorgo, a Master Class was no easily obtained experimental material.
-Since you hadn’t issued a disposal order, Master, we kept it alive.
“Why do something so wasteful? Just throw it away. It’s a failure anyway, and there’s no way to save it…… No, wait.”
A strange expression appeared on Dorgo’s face.
“I thought it was a complete failure…… But looking closely, it seems salvageable! No, more than that—I can perfect it!”
Dorgo’s eyes gleamed with ecstasy. He raised both arms high toward the sky in joy.
“To think this is happening! Ideas are flooding my mind!”
Dorgo grabbed Everis by the hair. Everis looked up at him weakly.
“Don’t worry, girl. I’ll perfect you! Once you’ve passed through my hands, you’ll gain tremendous power! Power to disregard most things!”
Dorgo’s laughter grew louder and louder.
And the moment it reached its peak, Demian was expelled from the memory and returned to reality.
* * *
Demian returned to reality.
Lowering his gaze, he saw Everis still clutched in his hand.
‘As expected, no great information.’
Her memories before becoming a test subject had been completely erased. Even the memories after weren’t all that extensive.
‘Then there was no point in taking the risk.’
Using black magic in an open place like the Helian Tournament was no different from suicide.
That was why Demian had manipulated the black magic power in Everis’s body to shatter her soul, fooling the eyes of the crowd.
There was no risk of discovery, but it was still a dangerous act.
“Ugh…… Ueurgh…… Eurgh…….”
Fragments of words leaked from Everis’s mouth. Right now, with her soul destroyed, she was little more than a half-corpse.
Demian released her head and stepped far back.
Suddenly, Everis’s body swelled up and exploded. Red flames and smoke filled the arena.
“Kyaaak!”
“Uwaaak!”
The spectators screamed at the sudden explosion. Fortunately, the barrier blocked it, so no one was hurt.
‘Dorgo, you mad bastard.’
Watching the explosion from afar, Demian clicked his tongue inwardly.
Dorgo had planted bombs in all his test subjects’ bodies to prevent any information about himself from leaking.
Demian could have disarmed the bomb if he wanted.
But he didn’t. If the Empire investigated Everis’s corpse, there was a chance they’d discover he’d used black magic.
The flames and smoke cleared. People’s gazes gradually turned to Demian.
“He’s…… alive.”
“And not even singed by the explosion?”
The people were astonished to see Demian standing unscathed. The explosion had been massive.
At that moment, the crowd’s murmurs died down in an instant.
Because the Emperor had risen from his seat.
* * *
“……He’s alive.”
The Emperor stared at the unscathed Demian in shock.
Not only had he subdued the monstrous Master Class Everis in one go, but he’d survived that massive explosion.
“That knight’s name was Demian Haksen, correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Demian Haksen…….”
The Emperor furrowed his brow. It was definitely a name he’d never heard before, yet it felt oddly familiar. He couldn’t explain why.
“Shall we evacuate the spectators?”
“Wait a moment.”
The Emperor stopped his Imperial Guard Knight.
The safety of the citizens was important, but there was something to do first.
“Such a feat deserves an equal reward.”
Everis’s intrusion had cost the Empire two precious Master Classes. Thanks to Demian Haksen stepping up, the damage had been minimized.
One must reward those who perform merits accordingly.
With that thought, the Emperor stood. Even in the chaos, all eyes focused on him.
“Demian Haksen. I saw your exploits well. You splendidly eliminated Pandemonium’s fiend.”
At the Emperor’s words, Demian Haksen immediately dropped to one knee. The Emperor inwardly approved of his courteous demeanor.
“I’d praise you immediately, but the situation isn’t ideal. I shall invite you to the palace soon. Do not refuse my personal invitation.”
With that, the Emperor added briefly.
“There, I will grant you a reward befitting your deeds.”