Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Past Power (2)
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A little while ago, when Hela had hoisted Dorgo onto her shoulder and moved.
With her speed rivaling that of light, she reached the end of the island in the blink of an eye.
"Dorgo, where the hell did that monster come from?"
Hela set Dorgo down on the ground and asked in a flustered voice.
Dorgo clutched his severed shoulder and said,
"...It's the greatest and strongest among the undead I created. Thanks to that guy, I was able to wipe out all of humanity."
"What nonsense is that? I can't make heads or tails of it."
Hela shot back with a look of disbelief.
Demian Haksen had used black magic, but he was unmistakably human, not undead.
Moreover, with the Empire and kingdoms still standing strong, what did he mean by wiping out humanity?
"You stay here and patch yourself up. I need to go block Demian Haksen."
She had been startled by Demian Haksen's presence, but Hela was one of the three Grandmasters on the continent. Her pride wouldn't allow her to back down like this.
Grandmasters were those who had established an unrivaled realm that no one could easily trespass.
No matter how strong Demian Haksen was, she couldn't predict the outcome until they actually clashed.
"Hela, take me with you."
Hela looked at Dorgo with a puzzled expression.
"Take you? What are you talking about?"
"Demian Haksen is in a human body right now. He's not a Death Knight. He's much weaker than in his previous life. This is our chance."
"Explain it so I can understand."
"It means now's the chance! There's no other time! While Demian Haksen is still weak! We have to capture him alive now! That's the only way my grand plan can succeed!"
Dorgo's eyes flashed as he shouted.
"Even so, taking you along is too dangerous."
"Quit yapping and take me! Right now!"
Dorgo bellowed. An inexplicable obsession and madness emanated from him.
Hela let out a sigh.
She couldn't fathom Dorgo's behavior at all.
But the Dorgo she knew wasn't one to spout hopeless nonsense.
"...If I take you, can we really subdue Demian Haksen?"
"Yes! Trust me!"
"Alright. Then I'll take you."
Hela picked up Dorgo and returned to the scene.
And there, she crossed swords with Demian Haksen.
* * *
"Reenactment Sword."
Demian said toward Hela Fallen, who was staring at him in shock.
"Your realm is embodying your mental image with your body."
It was similar to the Empire's Greatest Sword's realm.
However, while the Empire's Greatest Sword manifested slashes from within their mental image, Hela Fallen manifested her mental image with her own body.
In other words, she could move as fast as she imagined.
"How do you know my realm in such detail...?"
"Because I stole it."
During his Death Knight days, Demian's talent had grown steeply with each battle.
At first, it was just spotting enemies' weaknesses.
But at some point, he could discern their techniques.
Eventually, he reached a realm where he could steal techniques and realms just by watching.
Thus, any knight who showcased their skills even once in front of Demian had everything robbed from them.
And the Pandemonium's Dark Knights were no exception.
During the War of Ruin, Demian had fought alongside countless Dark Knights. He had watched them fight with his own eyes.
Among the Dark Knights Demian had observed was Hela Fallen.
As befitting a Grandmaster, her technique wasn't easy for even Demian to analyze.
But it was only a matter of time. Demian was developing in real-time, and opportunities to observe Hela Fallen were plentiful.
In the end, Demian succeeded in stealing even her realm.
"...What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that?"
Anger slowly crept onto Hela Fallen's face.
"You stole my realm? Don't spout such drivel. Does this look like some street performer's cheap trick to you?"
A realm was the crystallization of a knight's lifelong honing of their skills.
It was their pride, their everything.
To call it 'stolen' was beyond absurd to Hela Fallen.
No, it ignited her fury.
"Kid, I don't know what trick you pulled, but don't get cocky just because you clumsily mimicked it once."
A chilling light gleamed in Hela Fallen's eyes.
"Sita, fall back far away. If you get caught in our fight, even you won't come out unscathed."
Sita immediately withdrew. Only then did Hela Fallen assume her stance.
"Demian, stay sharp. Or your head will already be separated from your body."
Hela Fallen's body vanished. Immediately after, slashes poured down.
Neck, heart, forearms, knees.
A total of six slashes targeted Demian's vital points.
Though swung in sequence, there were no openings. It felt as if she had swung simultaneously.
Even for Demian, it was a dangerous situation. No matter how sturdy his protective aura, he couldn't block a Grandmaster's Aurablade.
He knew this well from his previous life.
Thus, Demian visualized his mental image. How his body should move. How to deflect the slashes.
The moment his mental image solidified, Erebos moved.
The light-speed slashes were repelled at the same speed. Only after they bounced off did the sound explode.
"You...!"
So shocked was she that Hela's form of address changed.
"You deflected my slashes?"
"I told you."
Demian said nonchalantly.
"I stole it."
Flames sparked in Hela's eyes. She immediately scraped the ground and charged at Demian.
Light-speed slashes targeted every part of Demian Haksen's body.
But not a single one reached him.
They were all blocked by slashes coming at the same speed.
"This... This can't be! How could you block my sword... my realm...!"
The more her attacks were blocked, the greater her rage grew.
But nothing changed. Her attacks couldn't even graze Demian's hair.
"Aaaah!"
Hela screamed in frenzy. At that moment, Demian spoke.
"Being too fast is a problem too. You swung that many times, yet you're still moving."
"What other nonsense are you...?"
Suddenly, blood erupted from all over Hela Fallen's body.
"...Huh?"
Hela Fallen looked down at her body in disbelief.
Her entire body was covered in cuts. Blood flowed from sharply split wounds.
All her tendons were severed. Forget lifting her arms, even standing was a struggle.
When?
She hadn't noticed her condition at all during all those slashes.
"Dorgo... How is this... weaker...?"
Hela Fallen arduously turned her head. She gazed at the Empire's Greatest Sword, standing far away.
The Empire's Greatest Sword always wore an emotionless, doll-like expression.
But now, it was different.
It was looking at her with eyes filled with sorrow.
"You fool... I was trying to kill you..."
Before she could finish, Hela's neck split open. Her head rolled to the ground.
Demian shook the blood off Erebos and turned his head.
"Dorgo, did you think you could escape my grasp?"
Demian expanded his senses. Soon, a feral smile curled on his lips.
"You're closer than I thought."
* * *
Returning to the battlefield, Dorgo immediately approached the Demon Kings.
"Kids! I'm here! Are you okay...?"
He froze on the spot upon seeing their conditions. They were far more wrecked than he had anticipated.
-Mother!
A voice came from behind. Sita was rushing toward Dorgo.
-Why did you come back? You should have run!
"Not the time to quibble. Help me quick! We need to repair these guys!"
Dorgo rushed to Epsilon first. Epsilon lay collapsed with a massive hole in her body.
-Mother...
"Yes, Epsilon! I'm here!"
-I... remember now.
Epsilon murmured with a deathly pale face.
"Remember what?"
-This isn't... the first time you made us...
At those words, Dorgo's hand paused momentarily.
"No way... You remember too?"
It wasn't impossible.
The Four Great Demon Kings were made using Dorgo's soul. Thus, they were deeply connected to him.
-Reuniting again... makes me happy...
"Me too. So let's focus on healing."
-I never imagined... I'd fight Demian Haksen... that person...
Epsilon stared blankly at the sky.
-When we fought together... it felt like being with a god... nothing to fear... But as enemies... nothing more terrifying... His foes must have felt... like this...
"I get it. Just stay focused. I'll fix you all up right now."
Dorgo's hands moved busily. He needed the Four Great Demon Kings to fight Demian.
While Hela bought time, he had to repair them quickly...
"Dorgo."
His body went ice-cold at the voice from behind.
Dorgo slowly turned around. There stood Demian Haksen, shrouded in darkness.
"Hela...? What happened to her?"
"Dead."
Demian said curtly, as if asking something obvious.
"No way... Hela was a Grandmaster... There's no way a mere human like you, not even a Death Knight, could win..."
"I'm not here to explain Hela's death."
Killing intent emanated from Demian's body. Dorgo's face stiffened at the eerie aura.
-Mother, run! I'll handle this...!
Sita blocked Dorgo's path. But it was futile.
Demian, closing in, kicked Sita in the stomach. She spat blood and flew sideways.
"Si, Sita... Gah!"
Demian thrust Erebos as he drew near Dorgo.
Erebos's blade tip shattered Dorgo's breastplate and burst out his back.