Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: The Power of Darkness
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Just before the Flash struck Collepton's head!
His pupils flashed vertically as pitch-black aura billowed upward.
The Flash collided with the aura.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the aura repelled the Flash.
Damian landed on the ground and stared at the scene in stunned disbelief, frozen in place.
Suddenly, darkness enveloped the surroundings, filling him with an ominous premonition.
"Kukuku, parlor tricks like that won't work."
Artisan—no, Collepton—flashed a sinister grin as he exhaled dark, black breath.
He clenched his fist tightly, black aura swirling around it.
Crack.
"Watch closely. Behold the power of darkness."
He threw a plain punch.
"……!"
Boom!
"Pfhaak!"
Damian flew backward and crashed into the ground.
He had only managed to track the punch with his eyes; everything after was too fast to follow.
His side had taken the hit, and the shock temporarily paralyzed his entire body, leaving him unable to move.
"Damn it."
Step by step.
He shouted up at Artisan, who loomed over him, looking down.
"Who the hell... are you...?"
"Oh? You figured out right away that I'm not him? Or did your father tell you? That's why he's sending you to request aid from the Julius Kingdom. How's that for spot-on reasoning? Kukuku."
"Now that Father knows... you're done for. You'll be obliterated."
"What nonsense."
Collepton extended his hand toward Damian.
Black aura flowed from his fingertips, wrapping around Damian like restraints and lifting him into the air.
He then leveled their gazes and spoke.
"When you open your eyes again, you'll see hell."
Thwack.
Collepton knocked Damian out cold and turned to Hubey.
Hubey stared back with a rigidly tense face.
"Y-Your Majesty...?"
"Doesn't the atmosphere feel more splendid now?"
Collepton glanced at the black aura coiling around his fist before continuing.
"I've gained new power."
Hubey instinctively took a step back, summoning wind spirits above both shoulders and assuming a defensive stance.
He also secretly instructed another summoned wind spirit to relay the fact that Artisan was wielding the power of darkness.
"What are you doing?"
"You must tell me. Where did that power come from?"
"I already told you. I gained new power. That's all there is to it. What more do you want to hear?"
"Your Majesty, I have devoted my life to the Namshar Empire. Tell me the truth, and I'll find a solution."
"Kukukuku."
Collepton smirked wickedly as he set Damian down on the ground.
Then he slowly approached Hubey.
"You want to know the truth?"
"D-Don't come any closer."
"Don't be scared. I am your king."
Collepton's eyes, now like those of a beast, flashed brightly.
At the same moment, black aura swiftly enveloped and subdued Hubey's body.
"Gasp!"
Hubey's breath caught in his throat.
He struggled with all his might, but he couldn't break free from the pressure of the black aura wrapped around him like chains.
"Ugh......"
The pressure intensified.
"You pulled off an amusing trick, but..."
Collepton, who had glanced behind Hubey, flicked his hand.
The gently rustling wind suddenly fell still.
"It's just a shallow ploy."
Collepton grabbed Hubey's head with his massive hand and locked eyes with him.
"I'll show you who I really am. Look closely."
Artisan's face morphed into Collepton's true monstrous visage.
Hubey's eyes widened in shock.
Intense energy poured from Collepton's eyes, where black aura seeped out.
It stabbed into Hubey's eyes like a dagger.
"……!"
For a moment, Hubey's mind went blank.
-Welcome me.
Collepton's voice echoed as the monster appeared.
It was Collepton in his true form.
With massive wingbeats, it continued madly.
-Serve the great Demon King. Do so, and this power shall be yours.
The blankness instantly turned to pitch darkness.
Terror surged into his chest like an ambush.
As his body trembled uncontrollably, a pitch-black energy appeared before him.
It blazed like flames, seducing him.
-With this power, you need fear nothing.
Suddenly, he felt an impulse to possess that power.
"P-Power......"
The whisper slipped from Hubey's lips.
Despite being crushed by the dark power and unable to act on his own will, his deep craving for strength made him speak unconsciously.
"That's why it's so easy to brainwash spiritists, who lag behind mages and knights mentally and physically."
Collepton decided to seal his domination over Hubey's mind by imprinting himself as his master one final time.
Black mist-like breath poured from his mouth and entered Hubey's.
After it all entered.
Hubey's unfocused pupils shifted vertically like Collepton's and flashed.
Collepton released the pressure and curled his lips.
"You are mine now."
Hubey dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"It is an honor to serve you, Lord Collepton."
An eerie aura emanated from him as black-tinged spirits appeared on both shoulders.
They were Krasena, subordinates of Nightmare.
Dark spirits were of the natural realm yet could command lesser material spirits like their counterparts.
She flashed a seductive smile and bowed her head.
-Long time no see.
"Save the greetings. Deal with the spirits first."
-Understood.
Krasena vanished.
With power rivaling the highest material spirits, she could corrupt mid-tier spirits with dark power and bend them to her will.
This gave them forces capable of opposing the Tomoya Kingdom's mage corps.
"Now we can have a proper fight."
Killing intent flared in Collepton's eyes, then faded.
Just then, as the vanished light returned to normal.
He sensed a presence behind him.
He spun around swiftly, swinging his arm.
Swoosh.
An aura fist sharp as a blade shot out like lightning.
Boom!
The rock in front exploded into pieces.
"Who's there?"
Collepton scowled as he asked. Altros emerged from behind the shattered rock.
He bowed politely.
"Greetings, Lord Collepton."
"What brings you here?"
"I bear a message from His Majesty."
Altros swept his hand through the air, and an image of Ruan seated on his throne appeared.
Collepton quickly knelt on one knee and bowed to Ruan.
"Greetings, Lord Ruan."
Ruan smirked coldly and assigned Collepton the reconnaissance mission over the Druxia continent.
As a final instruction, he added this.
-Bring Valtre Marquis before me.
***
"Things are getting interesting."
Ruan smiled as he received Altros's report after meeting Collepton.
The Tomoya Kingdom, which he thought would crumble easily, was putting up unexpected resistance.
Natarsian's abilities, in particular, intrigued him enough to witness firsthand.
Moreover, brainwashing the spiritist to summon Nightmare's subordinate was worthy of applause.
"Come out."
Ruan's shadow stretched forward, and Nightmare emerged.
-What is it?
"Did you have a subordinate too?"
"You're talking about Krasena. Yes, she handled all my remnants."
"You knew she was summoned?"
"Of course. She can't be summoned without my permission."
"Any more subordinates?"
"That's all of them."
"How strong?"
"On par with the highest material spirits. She has the ability to corrupt and subvert weaker spirits."
"Oh? Impressive ability."
As Ruan smiled, Nightmare spoke in an ominous tone.
-Nigras has moved.
"Who's that?"
"A light spirit. He's started searching for my contractor."
"Is that so?"
Ruan narrowed his eyes in doubt.
Once summoned, finding the contractor was pointless anyway.
What did he plan to do, find him?
Ruan eyed Nightmare.
"Are you hiding something from me? Now's the time to confess—it's not too late."
-He plans to find you and eliminate you.
"I knew that much. But why the sudden rush? There must be another reason."
Ruan glared at Nightmare with sharp eyes.
Nightmare, cloaked in pitch-black shadow, smirked.
-Unlike other spirits, I can choose my contractor.
"Didn't you choose me?"
-I did. But I can also switch to another.
"……!"
An unexpected answer.
Not bound to him—he could choose someone else...
Meaning he could choose the Demon King too.
Now he understood why this Nigras was already searching for him.
To eliminate him before the Demon King revived and extinguish Nightmare.
He had confirmed the reason for the haste, but it felt like he'd been used by Nightmare.
"You... why hide this? Were you waiting for the Demon King to revive?"
-Jealousy... how amusing.
"Answer the question."
Killing intent flashed in Ruan's eyes as terrifying pressure poured out.
But his opponent was Nightmare.
To the dark spirit, Ruan's pressure was laughable.
A foolish attempt to stand above his authority.
Yet it didn't displease him.
Above all, the mad declaration at their first meeting had shocked him.
He liked the audacity of aiming to make the Demon King a subordinate.
He had approved back then, but humans and the Demon King were on different levels.
To unleash his full power, he needed the Demon King.
-Can you surpass the Demon King?
"I will stand above all. Not even gods will tower over me, let alone the Demon King."
-Insanely arrogant. But I like it immensely.
"Choose: me or the Demon King?"
-I'll give you a chance. If you want my choice, claim it and seize it. Then I'll choose you.
"What is it?"
-Decaragrow. The Demon King's sword.
"……!"
Ruan's eyes widened.
-First, earn that one's choice. I don't know where it sleeps. Only its owner, the Demon King, knows.
"The Demon King's sword..."
Ruan glanced at Rumakas's Sword standing beside the throne.
Ever since contracting with Nightmare, the sword's power had halved.
Rumakas must have been the Demon King's nemesis, making it antithetical to dark power.
It had become useless scrap metal to him.
Just when he needed a new sword, one perfect for him was introduced.
"This is getting very interesting."
***
"All preparations are complete."
Natarsian nodded at the Kingdom Knight Order's report.
Moments later.
Natarsian rode out the castle gates on his black horse.
Ten thousand troops stood ready.
The Kingdom Knight Order formed the core, flanked by the Bursta Knight Order and Hoan's Mage Corps.
Heric's Mage Corps led the front, followed by thousands of soldiers in formation.
A sense of grim determination and tension emanated from them.
Natarsian gazed at them, drew his sword with full force, and thrust it skyward.
Crimson aura blazed from the blade like flames.
The flames grew massive as immense pressure poured from the sword.
All were swept up in its intensity, their morale soaring.
At the same time, Heric and the mages cast wide-area buffs to boost the knights' combat prowess.
Confidence overflowed on the knights' faces.
From the walls, soldiers beat drums vigorously to rally spirits.
Boom— boom— boom— boom—.
Hearts pounded with the drums, battle fervor rising.
As morale peaked.
Natarsian bellowed.
"For justice—!"
For justice—!
The knights roared in unison.
Natarsian charged forward, thrusting his sword ahead.
"Follow me—!"