Chapter 293
Chapter 293. Prince and Demon King, vessel (2)
Watching Kaldrach apologize, I tilted my head in confusion.
"Your horn got taken away?"
In the midst of my thoughts, I sensed the demonic energy from above growing stronger.
"Come to think of it."
The power of the demons I encountered on my way to the audience chamber was not the kind that should have been possible from one or two 'Demon God's horns'.
Thinking this far, I mulled over Kaldrach's words spoken earlier.
"Could it be—this bastard!?"
As I pondered the worst-case scenario that suddenly dawned on me, I looked over at Kaldrach, who wore a dumbfounded smile.
As if he'd read my mind.
― Kyahhh...!
From the hole in the ceiling of the audience chamber, an eye started gleaming brightly.
"Eulsis."
It wasn't hard to recognize that this was Eulsis, who had absorbed the 'Demon God's horn'.
Though his face wasn't clearly visible, the two eyes slithering in the dark were unmistakeable.
He'd seemingly lost his humanity, eyes darting back and forth.
"Come on down."
After dismissing the "Angelica" covering my sword, I pointed at Eulsis and spoke.
The soft light of the Moonstone Sword might have seemed daunting, as fear began to gleam in the eyes of the 'Demon King'.
"Didn't I promise to kill you myself?"
But, it seemed the Demon King understood my words as a provocation, as he let out a low groan.
"Um?"
Simultaneously, multiple eyes began to open on the ceiling.
Eulsis wasn't the only one hanging from the ceiling. It was filled with dozens of demons.
Such was the overwhelming demonic energy of the "Demon King" that I hadn't noticed them before.
― Kraaaaah!
Screaming, the other demons charged at me.
"Damn it."
Not you guys, I want Eulsis to attack alone.
***
"Krrr..."
As the blade grazed his shoulder, Schvalt frowned.
Watching Schvalt's face, Kikubad only smiled.
"How about stopping this and getting out of the way? Shouldn't the Azure Lion Knights focus on purging the demons and cleansing the palace first?"
With ease, Kikubad swung his sword in the air, wiping the blood away.
Seeing such confidence, Schvalt thought,
'His aura is rough.'
Schvalt quickly discerned the true nature of Kikubad's aura—Blade of Hypocrisy (僞善刀劍).
Forming an invisible blade by using aura meticulously—this was the essence of Kikubad's aura.
'His proficiency is quite high.'
Though it lacked eye-catching elements compared to his own aura that froze everything around, there was depth in Kikubad's aura.
One of which was the range.
'The indeterminate length makes it difficult to counter.'
If it were simply long, it would be manageable as long as he assumed its range, but Kikubad's "invisible blade" could also be formed short.
It was likely why he preferred a short sword to freely utilize it in this scenario.
"If only you hadn't killed my knight, I might've let you go."
"For a fellow knight, you're quite attached. Aren't they simply expendables?"
"Expendables?"
Schvalt tightened his grip on the sword at Kikubad's words.
"How can you, as an Imperial Knight, say such things?"
"I'm just a simple swordsman. Swinging my blade to prove my strength."
Kikubad shrugged.
"My position is just a marker for the path I've walked. To dwell on it would be... rather uncouth, wouldn't it?"
"Kuk."
This time, it was Schvalt who chuckled. As a smile dawned on his usually expressionless face, Kikubad wore an intrigued expression.
"What's so funny?"
"It's funny. I can't help but find it funny."
"Um?"
"A guy who says such things being blinded by the title of Sword Saint and causing such havoc."
Kikubad's face slightly crumpled.
"There's an old saying—those who claim to not care about money are often obsessed with it. Those who claim not to care about fame are often obsessed with that too."
Schvalt's face brimmed with confidence as he spoke. The more his face brightened with laughter, the darker Kikubad's face became.
"A position. To say you're not interested in fame, yet you're wreaking havoc because you're obsessed with that very name."
Clang──!
As their swords clashed, sparks flew.
"Proving yourself is nonsense. Were you so desperate for the title of Sword Saint?"
"Heh heh heh."
With Kikubad's laughter, the tension reached its peak. At that moment, Schvalt was the first to move. He raised his frost-bound sword high and attempted a powerful downward slash.
As his sword descended, a cold aura spread, and snowflakes scattered.
Kikubad foresaw the movement. Smiling lightly, he twisted to the side, avoiding it, and simultaneously targeted Schvalt's side with his invisible sword.
"Hup!"
Out of nowhere, the invisible sword appeared, quickly and sharply aiming for Schvalt's waist.
However, as if expecting the distance, Schvalt subtly rotated his body and evaded it.
"Oh ho, using frost to see the trajectory?"
Ignoring Kikubad's words, Schvalt attempted a horizontal slash.
"Urgh...!?"
During this, a sharp pain shot through his side. At some unknown point, the invisible sword had slashed his side.
"What?"
He was sure he'd gauged the trajectory with the scattered frost, but now?
As doubt arose, Kikubad advanced a step, closing the distance with Schvalt.
"Theory alone isn't enough, Schvalt."
As Schvalt, unable to maintain a proper stance due to the wound on his side, Kikubad's final blow came down on him.
As Kikubad's sword flew in like a dagger, Schvalt thought it was the end. But then, suddenly, a chilling wind blew in from somewhere.
"Ugh!?"
It happened in an instant.
The gust of wind began to converge and suddenly pierced through Kikubad's shoulder.
Dismayed by the sudden phenomenon, Kikubad groaned, retreating backward. Then, a whirlwind began to rise where he had stood.
"You're finally here, Uruhar."
Watching the whirlwind, Kikubad murmured as if recognizing a familiar face.
Shortly after, the whirlwind ceased, and Uruhar emerged from within.
***
Shoosh!
Cutting down the falling demons, my gaze remained locked onto the 'Demon King'.
The demon keenly ready to pounce and bite my throat if I showed any sign of a gap.
It would surely be a moment if I let it out of sight and receive a fatal blow.
"Is that what you want?"
I knew why it was sending such a murderous glare to kill me.
"The last remaining horn."
Currently, Eulsis possessed three 'Demon God's horns'.
Of the original four, Eulsis had taken two, and Kaldrach and I each held one.
Having taken one horn from Kaldrach, it would instinctively seek to reclaim the remaining one.
"It must naturally want to instinctively seize the horn, but it seems to know."
That I'm waiting for the "Demon King" as well.
With the trait, 「New Sword Saint」 manifested, all my abilities are heightened when confronting 'demons'.
― Kyaaaak!
As such, I could easily slay a uni-horned demon in an instant.
"Ugh...!"
However, there were quite a number of them. Among them, the bi-horned ones took some time to dispatch.
Stir.
While lost in those thoughts, the "Demon King" began to move.
As it moved rapidly through the darkness, descending upon me, I infused the Moonstone Sword with aura after swiftly slashing down a bi-horned demon that charged at me.
Clang──!
"Ugh...!"
Sparks flew as the Moonstone Sword and the Demon King's claw collided in the air. Through that gap, its face came into view.
"Your face remains the same, Eulsis."
Even though he became the "Demon King" by using the 'Demon God's horn', Eulsis's face remained unchanged.
His physique hadn't grown significantly as might be expected from 'demonification'.
"There were such types of Demon Kings too, huh."
Having played 〈Kill the Demon King〉 multiple times and encountering various Demon Kings, this was the first time encountering such a composed form.
"Not a physical type—it seems specialized in controlling other demons."
I suspected that.
My ability to control the uni-horned demons hadn't been functioning properly since the "Demon King" appeared.
"But."
This has become possible.
Quickly extending my non-dominant hand, I reached out and touched the Demon King.
As soon as my hand made contact, its eyes began to tremble violently.
― Kiiiiii!
With its bizarre screech, the creature became disoriented. Just as I was about to swing the 'Moonstone Sword', another demon intervened to obstruct me.
"Tch."
I clicked my tongue once. However, with this attack, the startled "Demon King" wouldn't attack easily, I supposed.
"The wound I inflicted seems to have its merits?"
Kaldrach, who was sprawled in the throne, murmured. Indeed, the "Demon King" had been wounded, as he said.
"That's not enough."
Stop babbling.
― Grrrk?
The Demon King, with a look of utter shock, fixed its gaze upon me.
Not knowing what caused the sudden mysterious affliction to its body, it appeared bewildered.
"You seem unaware of something as the vessel of the Demon King."
I spun the Moonstone Sword once before shifting my gaze to the Demon King.
As I took a step forward, Eulsis's face twitched anxiously. While it wasn't painted in the "Color of Fear," the tension was unmistakable.
"Being addressed as Demon King simply means you hold potential to revive the 'Demon God'."
Thus, players seek to prevent Demon Kings. If the 'Demon God' revived, the world would meet its doom.
"But, Demon King is merely a title. It's not synonymous with being the vessel sought by the 'Demon God's horn'."
"What are you talking about?"
Kaldrach groaned in pain, questioning. Mind your own business—I'm not talking to you.
"The Demon God's horn doesn't follow the Demon King, but follows the depth of the 'vessel'."
The deeper one is as a 'vessel'.
The stronger the power they possess.
Moreover, the more times one had descended into a Demon King role in 〈Kill the Demon King〉.
'Yulian has become the Demon King countless times, wrecking the game with every fall.'
In popularity polls, he ranks both as a beloved character and as a hated one—a paradoxical figure.
Such was Yulian Cryphart Frason.
"In other words, you never had a chance for victory the moment you absorbed the Demon God's horn, prince Eulsis."
As I reached towards Eulsis, the Demon King's body started convulsing.
Clacky's Corner:
7 chapters left.