Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Power of the Past (1)
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If mana was like pure water, black mana was like blood.
Far thicker and stickier, it created a sense of foreignness as it flowed through the body.
Demian hated that feeling.
No matter how much time passed, he never got used to it. In fact, the higher his realm grew, the more vividly he felt it.
Eventually, Demian began to sense something beyond mere foreignness in the black mana.
-Home... there's a kid waiting at home! He'll starve to death without me!
-Mother...! Please, spare my mother at least! I beg you!
-You demonic bastards! You're not human! God won't let you get away with this!
He could feel the lingering thoughts of those sacrificed because of the black mana.
That was why Demian hated black mana. He wanted to avoid absorbing this power into his body as much as possible.
But this was no time to be stubborn. To defeat a formidable foe, he needed the very power he so despised.
Thus, Demian did not stop the Nameless Technique. He did not block the flow of black mana.
As he circulated the Nameless Technique, his flesh-toned skin turned ashen like ash. His blue eyes glowed red.
Soon, darkness spread out from Demian at the center.
The darkness expanded in all directions, covering the entire ground. Then it began to burn like fire.
Ziiiiiing...
At that moment, the sword blade let out a resonant hum. Demian glanced downward to see Dawn weeping feebly.
To the holy sword Dawn, black mana was like poison. Demian stored Dawn away in his sub-space.
He extended his hand into the air and spoke.
-Erebos, come forth.
Erebos, dormant within the rune, burst into reality. Demian gripped the hilt of Erebos.
"......"
Hela Fallen stared at Demian with a rigid expression.
She had been trembling ever since she sensed his aura.
......Dorgo, we should leave this place.
Hela Fallen hoisted Dorgo onto her back and retreated. She fled the scene at the speed of light.
Demian moved to pursue Hela Fallen at once.
-Stop right there!
At that instant, a massive shadow enveloped Demian and the ground.
Before he knew it, a giant as huge as a mountain loomed behind him.
The giant's body was composed of every kind of metal imaginable.
-As long as I'm here, you won't touch a single hair on Mother's head!
The giant.
No, Epsilon bellowed loudly.
Demian wasn't particularly surprised by Epsilon's transformation. He already knew his true nature.
In the ancient continent, there had existed giants capable of creating metal.
Epsilon had been made using the body of one such giant. Naturally, he had inherited its abilities in full.
Epsilon's main body had been crafted from one of those now-extinct giants.
-I'll smash you to pieces right now!
Metal began to grow from Epsilon's hands. The metals fused together, forming a massive hammer.
Epsilon swung the hammer down at Demian. It was so enormous it felt like swinging a mountain peak.
Yet Demian did not dodge. He made no attempt to block.
The hammer struck Demian squarely. The impact triggered an explosion. An invisible blast obliterated everything around them.
But Demian was unscathed. No, more than unscathed—he hadn't budged an inch from where he stood.
Instead, it was the hammer that shattered. It lay in ruins on the ground like a dropped glass bowl.
-......Why are you fine?
Epsilon muttered in confusion.
Epsilon could not know what kind of life Demian had lived in his previous incarnation.
During his time as a Death Knight, Demian had gained a mighty physique through Dorgo's modifications.
But there was always a price to power.
Demian's modified body was far too heavy. Thus, he had no choice but to fight with defense over evasion.
Demian focused on methods to protect his body with mana.
The result was a body-protecting aura so sturdy it earned the moniker "invincible."
-Then... I'll keep swinging until you're smashed!
Epsilon forged another hammer. This one was incomparably larger than the last.
Just before Epsilon could swing, Demian reached out.
The darkness blanketing the ground responded to his will. It spread, coiling around Epsilon's limbs.
-Kraaaah!
Epsilon thrashed and roared. But no matter how hard he strained, he couldn't shake off the darkness.
Demian spread his palm. Black mana gathered above it.
The black mana coalesced into a dark orb. Demian hurled the orb he had created at Epsilon.
The orb flew swiftly and struck Epsilon's torso.
In the next moment, his abdomen vanished.
-......!
A hole had been punched through Epsilon's torso.
The hole was enormous, completely erasing his abdomen and lower chest.
The metals encasing his body offered no help whatsoever.
Epsilon's body began to collapse. He couldn't even scream.
-Demian Haksen!
A shout exploded from above.
Demian looked up. A black dragon blotting out the sky came into view.
Demian knew this dragon's identity as well.
Iota.
His body had been made using the corpse of Bahamut, the evil dragon said to have once ruled part of the continent.
That was why Iota could wield draconic mana.
-How dare you to Epsilon! You, I will kill no matter what!
Iota's jaws gaped wide. Blue flames erupted from its throat.
The blue flames completely engulfed the ground where Demian stood.
Everything touched by the flames burned away without a trace. But Demian was the exception.
The darkness beneath his feet blocked the flames. They couldn't pierce it.
-......!
Disbelief crossed Iota's face. But soon its eyes sharpened.
-Too lukewarm, eh? I'll crank up the heat until you can't endure!
Iota drew even more draconic mana. The blue flames intensified.
Demian casually lifted Erebos. The darkness on the ground gathered toward Erebos.
The gathering darkness easily pushed back the flames. It was the moment when the evil dragon's fire—said to have scorched half the continent—looked pathetic.
Iota cried out in horrified shock at the sight.
-You monstrous bastard...!
Demian swung Erebos. The slash expanded, cleaving the sky.
The elongated Aurablade sliced through Iota's body. It didn't stop, shooting even higher.
It looked as if a black wall had barred the heavens.
-Guh...!
Iota's body split from its left shoulder to its right flank.
Iota plummeted to the ground without even a dying gasp.
Confirming Iota's fall, Demian sheathed Erebos.
That was when it happened.
Suddenly, the ground where Demian stood began to glow red.
A crimson circle etched itself across the entire floor. It spat red lightning, emitting an ominous hum.
Demian turned his head. Far off, a massive jellyfish floated in the air.
-Demian Haksen. Dangerous. Must kill.
Lambda.
His body had been made using the flesh of a marquis-class demon.
That marquis-class demon was renowned among demons for its exceptional intellect.
Thus, the black magic Lambda manifested existed in a realm far superior in speed and power to other black mages.
-Annihilation Black Magic Circle. Demian Haksen. I will decompose your body.
The magic circle glowed brighter. The red lightning surged in volume.
At that moment, Demian pointed a finger at the circle.
His black mana seeped into the magic circle. Seeing this, Lambda spoke mockingly.
-Thinking of dispelling the circle? Foolish. My black magic is perfect. No way to infiltr—
Before it could finish, the magic circle shattered. Demian's infiltrated black mana had caused an overload.
-......
Though it had no face in its true form, Lambda's confusion was palpable.
Demian pointed at Lambda next. In that instant, countless black spikes erupted from within Lambda's body.
-Guh!
Lambda's body crashed to the ground. Purple blood leaked from the holes as it muttered.
-Curse...? How...? A curse on my body...? Impossible......
To finish it off, Demian raised Erebos.
But he couldn't bring it down. A translucent orb had suddenly blocked his path.
Demian looked around. Hundreds of orbs encircled him.
-......No more harming my brothers.
Sita appeared amid the orbs.
Her lower body was serpentine. Her upper body seemed a mix of human and reptile.
Like Epsilon, she had been made using an ancient race.
Elder Naga.
The race that once ruled the seas.
They stirred storms by agitating the ocean with sound.
-I know I can't beat you. But......
Sita clapped her hands.
The orbs exploded in unison. The imprisoned sounds burst free, pulverizing everything around.
But they too failed to pierce Demian's body-protecting aura.
Demian pierced the sonic storm and stood before Sita. She wore a resigned expression.
-Demian Haksen, I......
Demian swung Erebos to sever Sita's head.
That was when it happened.
A flash erupted from afar. A beam of light struck Demian.
Demian blocked it with Erebos. With a deafening crash, his body was pushed back.
"Sita, sorry I'm late."
Hela Fallen retracted her swung sword and spoke.
"I took Dorgo to safety. But......"
Hela Fallen gazed incredulously at the Four Great Demon Kings.
......I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I never imagined you'd take them all down in that short time.
Hela Fallen said bitterly.
"But now it's fine. I'm here......"
"Pathetic."
An emotionless voice cut off Hela Fallen.
"I don't know where you get the confidence to return. You should've just run."
"Kid, I know you're strong, but...... you shouldn't underestimate me."
Hela Fallen summoned black mana. A tremendous aura spread in all directions. It was on par with Demian's.
"I'm the leader of all evil beneath the heavens. A knight who reached Grand Master. A swordsman who wields the light."
Hela Fallen's sword was dyed in Aurablade.
"You might lose your head if you're careless."
Hela Fallen kicked off the ground. She aimed a light-speed slash at Demian's neck.
In that instant, a longsword cleaved through the air toward her.
Hela Fallen blocked in panic. An immense force sent her body flying backward.
The retreating Hela Fallen glared ahead in disbelief.
Demian Haksen now stood where she had been. The slash just now had come from him.
"You......"
Hela Fallen said in a trembling voice.
"How... the light sword...... Are you using my realm?!"