Ch.163The Primordial Demon (1)

The Goddess’s body provides powerful strength to the faithful who have accepted her glory.

“To the one who obtains the severed wrist, the power to guide death.”

It directs lost souls, showing them where to go. Whether that place is peaceful rest that provides solace to the dead or the greedy body of someone else remains unknown.

“The severed ankle helps you transcend time. You can see the memories of the dead.”

An ability that exists to distinguish those who died unjustly or sacrificed themselves to fulfill their mission. Through this, the Goddess separated the good from the evil and bestowed rewards and punishments.

“Durin has already acquired two fragments, hasn’t he? Is the reason his abilities haven’t manifested simply due to lack of training?”

“It’s a matter of adaptation. The Lord Regent is handling divine power for the first time. While he’s accustomed to fighting with battle spirit infused with death, handling death itself is still beyond his reach.”

“Hmm. This is a problem that time will solve.”

Southern Human Realm. The High Sorceress Ludmila delved into the scriptures while reorganizing the Order. This was the role she needed to fulfill while Durin was at war.

She was unearthing forgotten history buried in the southern human realm to concretize the true nature of the Mother Night Goddess.

Because one must face pain to move forward, she continuously studied with the high priests of the Order.

“But what we need to know is about the present.”

Ludmila’s concerns continued to flood in even at this moment.

“I’ve received reports that the hero’s power is not ordinary divine power.”

“If what’s written on the parchment is correct, the hero is currently utilizing the head of the Night Goddess that was buried beneath the Papal Territory.”

“Ordinary humans cannot freely use death, which is a divine power.”

“He’s an individual suddenly selected by the Papal Territory without any precursory signs. Before a remarkable person appears, rumors always circulate. There were none of those, which means one thing.”

The high priest of the Order spoke in a grave voice.

“The hero must be the Saint who stayed at the southern Order previously, and the former Demon King that Your Excellency warned us to be wary of.”

“As if being physically strong wasn’t enough, now he’s obtained a sacred relic.”

Ludmila quickly scanned through the scripture.

“What abilities does the head possess according to the records?”

“The abilities themselves aren’t specifically described.”

“Which means…”

“The head is both the key and the core for manifesting the Goddess’s powers.”

This battle was not simply a localized conflict between demons and celestials over the southern region.

“Whoever wins will obtain all the sacred relics and be reborn as the successor to the Night Goddess.”

Ludmila closed her eyes. The sorceress instinctively sensed it.

“Durin was a demon who couldn’t ascend to the position of Demon King.”

His vessel was aimed at something higher.

“If he’s defeated by the former Demon King, it means the destruction of the demon realm…”

Fate was always extreme.

“If he wins, he becomes the Goddess’s successor.”

A being that could stand against the celestial realm. A transcendent warrior who surpasses the rank of Demon King and can fight against the God of Light.

“It’s always like this.”

One who brings not just the best but the greatest results in situations where failure means death.

That was who Durin was.

“I believe he will win this time too.”

Ludmila gazed at the sky and prayed.

#

“DURIN!”

Lucretia let out a roar bordering on obsession. Her eyes, rolled back white, were already deeply immersed in battle.

Sparks flew ceaselessly, illuminating the world. Despite the approaching night, it was bright. The transcendent spectacle created by the Demon King and the Great Demon was like a scene from mythology. They deflected and repelled sword strikes at speeds too fast for the eye to follow.

“I’ll overcome you and prove myself this time!”

Lucretia, who had completely burned Durin’s red battle spirit with death, closed the gap. She deflected the occasional fragments of demonic energy with her sword.

“Hah!”

The moment she came within range, she thrust forward quickly. The sharp black blade aimed for Durin’s heart.

CLANG!!

Durin twisted the trajectory with a sharpened edge. Lucretia’s attack, pushed by force, headed toward the edge of the shoulder blade instead of the heart.

“As expected, it’s not easy.”

“You still haven’t come to your senses after being defeated so many times.”

The two demons glared at each other at close range, blocked by the cross guard. One side contained both anger and ecstasy, while the other held a sharp intent like a cutting wind.

“Lucretia. I didn’t teach you such swordsmanship.”

“You’re the demon who taught me the joy of fighting!”

“Only a king who fulfills his duty can enjoy pleasure. Foolish demon.”

CHING!!

With a sharp sound, the swords separated.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Durin. You will fight me.”

Lucretia, drawing out her battle spirit, pushed Durin back with force and struck him with her shoulder.

BOOM!!

Durin, clad in black armor, retreated significantly. The death flowing from Lucretia’s body reacted with battle spirit, emitting reddish-brown smoke.

“Let’s spend time together here.”

Lucretia’s eyes curved into a smile.

“Forever.”

“You still haven’t accepted death.”

A deep mark remained on the armor. The Goddess’s power was clearly present, but it was faint. Originally, a single strike should have reached the heart with a life-seeking touch.

“Lucretia. You still don’t understand what fighting is.”

“Shut up. Come on in. Let’s fight!”

Lucretia, starting to rampage like a beast, could no longer hold back and stomped her foot. She flew forward as if pouring herself out, leaving deep scars on the ground. She gripped her black sword firmly, as if determined not to miss this time.

“How can one who handles death reject death itself?”

In a fleeting moment, the world slowed down.

The tip of Lucretia’s sword, concentrating power at a single point to pierce the heart.

Durin clearly saw it. The resolve wavering precariously, swept up in pleasure.

CLANG!!

Durin’s movement was concise. A clean horizontal slash without adding force. Though no rough battle spirit was visible, the power contained within surpassed Lucretia’s madness.

“A king exists to remember forgotten duties.”

The blade broke. The spinning tip passed by Lucretia’s side. Eyes tinged with confusion turned toward Durin.

“You…”

“Today I will remind you again. The pain you should have shouldered.”

BOOM!!

Battle spirit explosively erupted from where the sword had passed. Lucretia was swept away, unable to resist. She rolled on the ground, unable to control her body from the powerful impact.

“GRRRR!”

Lucretia raised herself up with her nails. She firmly gripped her sword, not allowing her posture to falter any further. She replenished the broken blade with the Goddess’s power.

It grew into a long, sharp sword to kill Durin.

“Death is on my side. I am the demon who holds the Goddess!”

With a cry close to a scream, black energy spread like a wave throughout the area. The powerful force emanating from the Goddess’s head took away all life around. The souls that lost their bodies became Lucretia’s power.

“It doesn’t matter how many sacred relics you have. I possess the main body!”

It was an explosive power. It was a strong flow that allowed a glimpse of the fragments of the Celestial-Demon War recorded in the mythical era.

“Struggle all you want! You’re ultimately in my grasp.”

Black wings unfurled. Long horns regrew on Lucretia’s head. She shed her human skin and revealed the red color that the first Demon King had possessed, without restraint.

“I told you. Here, I am death and god.”

The torrent rushed at Durin. She tried to take the other body of the Goddess from him.

Divine power is excessive. It was an object that shouldn’t be in this dueling ground. It was a thorn that needed to be removed for the pleasure born from pure combat.

“Lucretia.”

Durin, covered in death, opened his mouth.

“Mother is not watching over you.”

Red eyes blazed. Battle spirit overcame all restraints. It explosively grew in size, as if there had never been any pressure.

“Death is meant to put an end to duels.”

Durin too was a demon with red horns.

“It is not a power to be used selfishly, driven mad by the illusion of eternity.”

His empty hand drew a line. A light gesture. With that single movement, a small vortex formed.

“Lucretia.”

He called her name once more. The aura of death faded. It moved following the tip of Durin’s hand. A fragile wrist was now accompanying his gauntlet.

“The Night Goddess gifted life to the victor, and prayed for peace for the defeated.”

Durin took a step forward.

And with that, the world turned upside down.

Whoosh…

The black flames disappeared in an instant. The place where they stood was no longer the southern region.

A crevice in space distorted by unknown divine power.

There, countless fallen angels’ corpses could be seen. Demons who couldn’t close their eyes were there too.

“W-what is this?”

In the wasteland filled with death, Lucretia was bewildered. Even she, who had been like a beast, found it difficult to accept the sudden change.

Durin approached his confused kin.

“Lucretia.”

The bloodline of the primordial Demon King, the only successor left in this world, pronounced judgment on the foolish child.

“It seems there is no peace here for me to pray for you.”