Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Chapter 28: Dangerous Invitation (4)
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Raymond's mana sword was not on the level of an advanced knight. That vividly glowing blade of mana clearly belonged to a high-ranking knight.
'Something's wrong.'
But by the time the Mountain Duke realized it, the Dangerous Invitation had already begun. This was a duel space from which neither could escape until one of them died.
"Damn it..."
The Mountain Duke spat out a curse that didn't suit him, but nothing changed. Before his eyes still stood a swordsman who had reached a lofty realm, and he was alone.
He had assumed Raymond would stop at the advanced swordmaster level at most, so this situation left the Mountain Duke flustered.
'Was he hiding his power?'
If it had been advanced level, he was confident he could win. Though he'd never faced a swordmaster before, a high knight's mana sword could even cleave magic. That was why he'd boldly invited him into the duel space, only for Raymond to have been concealing his true strength.
"Mountain Duke, are you afraid?"
Raymond posed the question in a quiet voice. At the same time, he raised his sword. The vivid mana blade flashed sharply.
The Mountain Duke didn't answer. He simply channeled energy into his sword to forge his mana sword. But it wasn't hard to guess his feelings.
Deep within those calm eyes, the emotion of fear burned clearly. Raymond aimed his Soul Sword at the Mountain Duke and grinned.
"Even if you're afraid, it won't help. The fact that you're going to die hasn't changed."
The Dangerous Invitation was a unique magic artifact that pulled the user and their target into a private duel space. Knowing that only one of the two trapped here could return alive, Raymond spoke in a cold voice.
He hadn't anticipated the Mountain Duke possessing a 'Dangerous Invitation,' but it wasn't a serious problem. He was confident he could kill him and escape.
"Don't get cocky, you cowardly emperor. I was a bit surprised, that's all. I too stand in a lofty realm, so I won't fall easily."
"A high knight of the realm with a silver tongue, eh? Shut up and come at me. Mountain Duke, I'll cut your throat myself."
As the insults flew, the eyes of the two warriors in lofty realms gleamed sharply. Their piercing gazes quickly scanned each other.
Neither moved rashly. They both knew too well that the moment a gap was exposed, death would be declared.
'To think the emperor's realm is this high...'
Unable to overcome his tension, the Mountain Duke swallowed dryly. The aggressive aura flowing from the swordmaster's characteristic stance was razor-sharp. Though he maintained a defense as solid as a mountain, it felt like Raymond's sharp momentum would pierce through it at any moment.
'Not much time.'
Raymond decided to strike first. With that, he kicked off the ground and charged at the Mountain Duke like a bullet.
"Kuh!"
A rough groan escaped someone. Swords clashed, dozens of beams of light pouring toward each other. Amid the flurry of sword flashes, Raymond drew a magic circle with one hand to summon flame-attribute supporters.
Whoosh! Flames erupted, forming a single orb with a will of its own. The five generated supporters flew erratically, targeting the Mountain Duke's gaps.
The Mountain Duke focused on defense but, true to a seasoned high knight, sought openings for counterattacks. Each time he swung his sword with gleaming eyes, a supporter shattered and scattered into the air.
"Kuh!"
A short scream rang out as a red stream of blood spurted from Raymond's shoulder. He furrowed his brow but didn't falter.
Was the Mountain Duke's sword another cursed magic artifact? Agonizing pain surged, but Raymond circulated mana to drive out the curse's energy.
"Oh? You're used to pain?"
The sword the Mountain Duke wielded was a rare-grade magic artifact, Flower of Pain.
Infused with a curse of pain equivalent to advanced magic, it would twist any ordinary person in agony from even the slightest wound. Seeing Raymond calmly parry follow-up strikes despite his injury, the Mountain Duke looked somewhat surprised.
In truth, he'd exploited the swordmaster's mana surge as a cheat to expel the curse, but the Mountain Duke had no way of knowing that, nor was there any need to explain.
"You're pulling back! Afraid of me?!"
As Raymond dodged the onslaught of sword beams and fired off spells while retreating, the Mountain Duke shouted triumphantly. He thought Raymond couldn't handle the continuous strikes and was fleeing, but that wasn't the case.
The gap widened to about 10 meters. But for two at the high level, it was a distance that could close in an instant.
"Now it's certain."
Raymond said in a calm voice. The Mountain Duke twisted his lips in a sneer.
"Certain of what?"
"That I can't 'overwhelm' you with pure swordsmanship alone."
His cold voice scattered chillingly. At the same time, tremendous mana erupted from Raymond's entire body, enough to overwhelm all existence.
"Kuh!"
Even the Mountain Duke groaned under the heavy pressure. The moment Raymond's icy gaze reached him, his body vanished.
"Blink?"
The supreme teleportation spell closed the 10-meter gap in the blink of an eye. By the time the Mountain Duke sensed his presence, Raymond was already behind him.
When he hurriedly turned, dozens of supporters lit up the space before his eyes.
"From now on, I'll overwhelm you with my full power."
It was a promise foretelling victory and a cold declaration of his enemy's doom.
Having pronounced his end, before his voice even faded, the supporters turned into dozens of beams hurtling toward the Mountain Duke.
Screeeeech!
The supporters' movements were different from before. With the mana surge starting, they gained even more power. The sound of tearing air mingled with beams lighting up the dark space, chaining with the flashes from the Mountain Duke's swinging sword to illuminate the darkness.
"Gaaaargh!"
Sword flashes gleamed in resistance, but only disastrous results followed. A sharp scream split the air as the Mountain Duke staggered weakly.
Raymond drew a magic circle to summon wind blades. At the same time, he plunged toward the Mountain Duke.
Even using mana surge, casting high magic during intense close-quarters swordplay was limited. So he mainly used mid-to-high spells for checks, but even those the Mountain Duke couldn't fully block, driving him mad.
"Cough!"
A barrage of wind blades from the magic circle.
They scattered amid dazzling sword dance, but not all were defended. Blood sprayed from his side, and something red poured from the Mountain Duke's mouth. He swung his sword to steady his defense and hastily retreated.
Red blood dripped onto the pitch-black ground.
'Break his defense with magic firepower, close in, and sever his neck.'
Raymond's eyes gleamed sharply. The Mountain Duke's guard was already in shambles.
He kicked off the ground, closing the gap in an instant while swinging the Soul Sword. The Mountain Duke raised his sword to block, but unable to withstand the combined assault with supporters, he crumbled pathetically.
"Gah!"
The sharp mana sword pierced the Mountain Duke's abdomen. His heart area was perfectly defended, so it was the next best option.
The Mountain Duke retreated, dripping red blood, just as Raymond recovered his Soul Sword to pursue.
"Kuh, gaaaaargh!"
A sharp scream rang out as dark mana exploded from the Mountain Duke's body. Instinct warning of danger, Raymond hastily pulled back.
'What is it?'
To assess, he widened the distance, narrowing his eyes and casting a cold gaze.
The Mountain Duke's body was twisting grotesquely. But that wasn't the issue.
'What is that dark mana?'
It was mana steeped in deep darkness.
'Has something from the Deep Abyss intervened?'
According to the author's notes, dark mana was handled by beings of the 'Deep Abyss.' These 'Deep Abyss' entities were the demon race common in fantasy novels.
'No, demons couldn't have intervened.'
During the three volumes of [Empire of the Dead], mentions of Deep Abyss demons were almost nonexistent. They were close to mere setting elements with no foreshadowing for future appearances.
'I've read up to volume three more than five times, so I'm sure.'
A variable had taken effect.
'The Association?'
It started with possessing Raymond, the 5th Prince's body, and stealing all of protagonist Richard's opportunities, but he hadn't thought that small flap would brew such a massive storm. There was clearly a greater variable at play, and Raymond suspected it was the End Association from the unfinished settings.
-Grrrrrr.
While he sorted his thoughts, the Mountain Duke's form was no longer that of an ordinary human.
His skin had darkened, twisted muscles bulged on his arms and legs, and his eyes glowed red like a madman's. Even his vocal cords seemed torn, as mana-laden growls rumbled low.
He still recognized Raymond as an enemy, so he retained his own will, but whether his reason remained was unclear.
"Mountain Duke, are you still alive?"
It was a question probing for reason, but the pitiful fallen being gave no reply.
His frantically darting eyes stopped. The mad Mountain Duke's gaze fixed on Raymond.
-Graaaah!
A shout loaded with dark mana burst out. Raymond's skin prickled. The dark mana, hostile to living beings, triggered a rejection reaction upon contact.
-Grrrrr.
The Mountain Duke slowly approached with a sharp growl.
Raymond kept his Soul Sword aimed at him in a defensive stance. The distance closed gradually, and at 5 meters, the mad figure kicked off the ground and leaped.
-Graaaah!
A beast-like roar escaped the Mountain Duke's mouth. Soaring high above Raymond, he swung his sword arm down in a cleaving strike. Dazzling flashes erupted, sharp momentum slicing space.
Raymond's eyes moved busily. Reading the cleave's path, he swung his mana-infused Soul Sword. Hostile clash in midair scattered blue sword-flash fragments everywhere.
At the same time, five flame-infused supporters targeted the mad Mountain Duke.
'He's not dodging?'
Raymond's eyes widened. The Mountain Duke didn't dodge. Instead, black energy erupting from his body met the flame supporters.
Collision birthed flames trying to engulf him, but they couldn't breach the dark mana's barrier.
-Graaaah!
Realizing the swordmaster's tricks didn't work on him, the Mountain Duke gained more confidence and plummeted toward Raymond at ferocious speed.
Boom!
The monstrous flesh in mad form crashed into the ground, forming a crater. The earth shook like an earthquake, and a shockwave infused with dark mana exploded.
Unable to withstand the shock's torrent, Raymond staggered momentarily, his defense wavering.
The mad Mountain Duke didn't miss the gap, pouncing like a beast.
"Urgh!"
-Grrr!
Red blood sprayed. Even in madness, he hadn't forgotten a high knight's experience—his swordsmanship was sharp.
As the sword piercing his thigh twisted, excruciating pain made Raymond scream. Seeing it, the Mountain Duke grinned creepily and let out an eerie growl.
"Damn it!"
Cursing with furrowed brows. He tried circulating mana to neutralize the pain curse, but the dark mana interfered.
'First, pull out the sword.'
Grinding his teeth, Raymond tried yanking the sword from his thigh, but regrettably, the half-beast Mountain Duke's raw physical prowess was superior.
The sword wouldn't budge and dug deeper instead. The Mountain Duke didn't idle his empty left hand, swinging it. Beast-like sharp claws rent Raymond's armor and tore skin. As he raised dark mana, the claws elongated further.
Sharp as a master smith's famed blade, they shredded iron plate like paper. Once long enough, their tips aimed for Raymond's heart.
But one regrettable fact for the Mountain Duke was that Raymond still had an ace up his sleeve.
"Come forth, Chains of Eternal Torment."
Black chains pierced through dimensions and revealed themselves.