Chapter 91

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 91

Chapter Title: The Skeleton Knows No Fear

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Arcbon knew no fear. But that wasn't entirely advantageous. Not knowing fear inevitably carried a massive drawback.

Without fear, he rarely felt tension or vigilance. And a lack of those meant he was far more likely to fail at making the optimal choice. Proper tension could dramatically enhance physical performance, after all.

Arcbon was well aware of his own nature. That's why, more than ever, he wanted to change right now.

'Death is no obstacle to me. But restraint? That could very well be. He's trying to bind me and drag me to the demon realm.'

Death held no appeal. But being kidnapped to some alien world without his subordinates or father? That was unacceptable.

His subordinates couldn't follow him there. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Even Father's summoning might not work. If so, he'd be helplessly adrift in that strange place.

'So, Arcbon. Tense up. Stay vigilant.'

He repeated it to himself. Self-hypnosis wouldn't conjure tension from nothing. But recognizing it versus ignoring it made all the difference.

'Avoid meaningless death. Dodge what you can. No telling how he'll try to bind me.'

Yet his body was brutally honest. Euphoria dominated every bone. His reason barely suppressed the rising excitement.

'Calm down. I'm not invincible just because I don't die.'

Without that self-reminder, he'd have lost all reason and charged blindly.

"Pretty nimble, aren't you!"

Kaboom!

A barely dodged strike. The blast erupted with a deafening roar.

Debris flew amid clouds of dust, blinding him. Then, piercing the haze, the enemy charged. Arcbon raised his rib sword to block. Aura surged, halting the enemy's fist.

The rib sword trembled violently against the fist. The enemy's, though? Rock steady. His face matched that eerie calm—a faint smile was all.

"The more I see, the more I like you. How's a mere skeleton this strong?"

-…….

"Guess that's why you're a mutant."

The enemy muttered on with that smiling face. Arcbon didn't respond.

'Watch him closely. Read his attacks. Just like with Karl Dratz.'

He deflected the blow and retreated two steps. The enemy charged again.

In that split second, Arcbon focused harder than ever. His hollow eye sockets obsessively tracked the foe. His battle with Karl Dratz elevated him once more.

Focus stirred his mana naturally. It thickened in his empty sockets. Then, for the first time, Arcbon felt something uncanny.

His senses sharpened. Ambient mana and demonic energy stood out vividly. That sensation awakened him.

'I can see his attack path.'

Arcbon nodded faintly. The enemy's fist just grazed where his head once was.

Strikes poured in relentlessly. Arcbon evaded them all. For the first time, a furrow creased the enemy's brow. Clear irritation.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Why keep dodging? You shatter even if you take a hit."

No reply. He hadn't even heard it. One thought filled his mind.

'This is Aura Sense.'

Enlightenment bred more. Aura Sense opened a new world, revealing mana techniques he'd never known.

'Concentrated mana heightens senses. Low demonic energy density marks his weak points.'

Mana flooded his eyes. The enemy's attacks sharpened into focus. Arcbon ducked the fist and lunged inside, thrusting his sword.

Whoosh!

It missed. The enemy had twisted away in that instant. Arcbon saw it all. It looked like teleportation at a glance—but it wasn't.

'Gathered force in his toes, compressed it instantly, then exploded outward. The recoil launched him back.'

New lessons always thrilled. Indescribable excitement gripped his consciousness.

"That's not it. You're wasting your immortality. You need to shatter. Stun the enemy with your deaths!"

The enemy roared as he charged, rage twisting his face.

Arcbon couldn't fathom why the fury. Nor did he care. He was utterly immersed.

Excitement, euphoria, tension, vigilance—all forgotten.

'Maybe I can adapt his footwork.'

The enemy's attacks were straightforward but blindingly fast. Over ten meters away, yet he'd close it in one second. Arcbon moved at once.

Gather force in the toes. Compress rapidly. Explode it all at once. Arcbon shot forward like a cannonball.

No—leaped. So fast it looked like flight.

"Hup!"

Pfshk!

He thrust true. Hit the mark. The enemy’s eyes bulged, heart pierced.

"Guh—ack! H-how…?!"

Blood gushed from his left chest. Arcbon yanked the sword free to swing—

"Sp-spare me!"

Clutching his chest, face contorted in agony, the enemy begged, hand outstretched.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"P-please. Y-you're sentient, right?"

-…….

"I-if you spare me, I'll give you immense power. Enough to make anyone in the mortal realm kneel. Y-yeah! Power and authority! What do you say?!"

His right hand stretched pleadingly, trembling. Terror gleamed in those bulging eyes. Arcbon recoiled in disgust at the pathetic sight.

"P-please, have mercy."

-Shut your yapping.

"Please…"

-No chance. Die quietly…

Arcbon's words cut off. An odd sensation hit him.

The world spun. Dizziness—like vertigo. Or heat haze shimmering before his eyes.

Skeletons didn't get dizzy. So it was mental.

'His trick.'

Arcbon leaped back. A sticky sensation clung to his feet.

He erupted mana explosively. Crack! Like shattering glass, the scene fractured, illusion dispelled.

"Impressive! How'd you see through my illusion array? Even my direct vassals fall for it!"

The enemy's voice—from behind. Arcbon rolled and landed. The foe stood unharmed. Not a scratch.

"Heh heh heh heh! I love it! Such an adorable skull!"

He laughed, covering his mouth. His eyes sparkled—with potent mana dwelling within.

'Those eyes.'

Eyes and vast mana. The key to this powerful illusion.

'As long as those eyes remain, he'll keep trying to deceive me.'

Maybe. Just a hunch.

'Gouge them out to stop it?'

No. Inefficient. Better to end him outright.

'What a tiresome foe.'

Superhuman physique and top-tier mental attacks. A true demon.

'Could Ddol Ddoli beat this guy?'

Why that thought popped up, Arcbon couldn't say. Ddol Ddoli just crossed his mind.

Father had told tales. Ddol Ddoli had slain many demons. Maybe ones as strong as this.

'I can't lose.'

Arcbon touched his chest. His hard ribs burned hot with fierce rivalry. A strange competitive urge filled him.

'I'm the strongest of Father's children.'

"Come here! I'll make you my son—no, daughter? Doesn't matter!"

The enemy spread his arms. Arcbon charged.

Still observing mid-run. What was the enemy's weakness?

Thinnest demonic energy. But...

'None.'

Instinct drew his gaze to the eyes. They sparkled. Sensing it, Arcbon veered full-force, loosening his grip on the rib sword and hurling it with all his might. It sliced the air, embedding in empty space.

Pfshk!

"…?!"

The world shattered again. Truth revealed. The rib sword pierced the enemy's heart.

Got him. For real this time. Life force draining away.

"Heh heh heh. You've got me. Good boy—ack."

Blood bubbled from the wound. His already pale face went ghostly white.

"My child, Mommy's so proud."

-I'm not your child.

"Keh heh heh, you are. I just decided."

He grinned, baring teeth. Arcbon seethed with revulsion. Who was this fool to claim fatherhood?

Wait—motherhood?

'Why mother, though?'

A fleeting curiosity. He was male-bodied, yet called himself mother?

Whatever. Not his concern.

"Asmodeus will come for you, so wait until—"

Slash!

The head flew skyward. No more words.

Victory. He killed him. Euphoria and pleasure surged. Arcbon stood still, savoring it fully.

'Getting stronger without dying feels like this.'

More joy than triumph: he'd won without near-death. Pure skill. Like the living fought and grew.

Living beings must thrive this way. Risking life amplified victory's thrill.

Realizing that thrilled him. Like entering a new world.

-Arcbon! You win?

Father's voice. He must know.

Of course. Father was unparalleled. Seeing through everything from afar. Catching one demon? Child's play.

-Won.

-Good job! Knew you could do it!

-Really?

-Absolutely!

-Heh heh heh.

Pride swelled; Arcbon chuckled. He had no clue Ian had been agonizing, debating summoning Ddol Ddoli and Lara.

-Arcbon, can you dominate that death?

-I'll try.

Arcbon invoked Death Dominion at once. Then shook his head.

-No. Won't submit.

-Oh, okay?

-Domination too weak, seems.

-Makes sense. That's a Demon Lord's avatar. King of the demon realm. Well, not the Demon King—just a demon realm overlord?

-Demon Realm Overlord? What's that?

-Exists. Explain later. Can't let him slip... Wait. I'll come there.

Two minutes of silence. Light swirled; Ian appeared beside him via warp magic.

-Father.

"My Arcbon! You did great! Best ever!"

Ian hugged him instantly. Rock-hard, blood-soaked—didn't matter. Pure joy.

A Demon Lord downed! Miraculous.

-Father. Suffocating. Let go.

"So proud I could burst. Want anything? I'll get it."

-Nothing.

"Okay. Tell me if you do."

-Got it. Now let go.

"Ah, yeah."

Calm now, Ian eyed the headless corpse. Placing the head beside: pale-skinned man. Human looks.

That was the issue. Ian knew Demon Lord Asmodeus was female.

This? Male. Flat chest, bulging groin.

'Settings didn't change mid-game, and no sudden sex change...'

One answer left. Not even an avatar.

'Not his real body.'

Someone else's, hijacked remotely. Like puppetry.

'No wonder ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it felt off. A Demon Lord wouldn't descend so soon.'

Arcbon's win made sense. Not a true avatar—just a possessed shell. Far weaker.

Still mighty, mind you.

'Can't tell Arcbon. He'd be crushed.'

Take it to the grave. Just say avatar. Close enough.

"Step back? Might be risky."

-Okay.

Arcbon retreated. Ian extended his hand.

'Oh, it works!'

Ian shivered. It actually worked!

But faster than expected.

A true Demon Lord's soul wouldn't extract this quick.

"...?"

Dark Knight soulstone? Why?

'Ah, the original body's soul.'

The host's soul must've lingered. That's what extracted.

"Aw, bummer."

Ian grumbled. Could've scored a Demon Lord's soulstone easy.

'Figures. Too OP otherwise.'

Still, potential existed. Possession implied a soul link.

Linked? Maybe extractable...

"Done. Clean up and head back."

-Okay.

As they turned to leave, Ian froze. Extraction hadn't finished.

Sandglass effect still spinning.

'Huh? Got the soulstone already...'

Ian stiffened.

Seeing things?

Husk?

'What the hell?'

No clue.

Ian had never seen it before.

'Like chicken skin?'