Ch.322322. Execution (3)

“-Hmm.”

Amid the explosions and gunfire erupting in all directions, with someone’s shouts and screams echoing around, Elnore Erinarise la Tristan wiped away her sweat and exhaled through her nose.

In truth, she had just used all her energy on “reality manipulation,” so she couldn’t help even if she wanted to.

“Are you satisfied, my dear?”

“-“

With those words, she felt “someone” responding from within her heart.

Though she couldn’t properly hear the “voice” yet, she could clearly sense the other party’s satisfaction.

‘…It’s a bit strange, though.’

If one observed other Demonic Vessels, they would quickly realize that communicating with what dwells inside isn’t particularly difficult.

Faynol Leiphec, who had all his fragments gathered, was obvious, and even Yuria Greyhaunter didn’t seem to have much trouble communicating with the White Demon.

Only Elnore herself couldn’t properly speak with what resided in her body.

From the circumstances, it seemed like the demon itself was trying not to reveal itself to her…

‘…What are you trying to hide?’

As Elnore thought this with a sigh, intentions began to flow from within her heart again.

Well done. Darwood would likely solidify his perception of her through this incident.

“-I see.”

The reason she didn’t particularly resent the other party’s attitude was because they shared a purpose in at least one aspect.

“This should be enough for Darwood to understand clearly.”

Coming alone to near the Demonic Spire, monopolizing his “past,” and helping him at the critical moment when he was about to be stabbed—she had gained an overwhelming advantage in the “competition.”

She had come up to the Demonic Spire with him using all sorts of tricks precisely for this purpose, so it was fair to say she had more than achieved her goal.

‘—I suppose I have to make some concessions.’

She already knew there were several women around him, so she had anticipated that monopolizing everything would be difficult.

But at the very least, she needed to be the one occupying the “center” of his attention.

She was the first to break down the “barrier” he had sharply erected around himself.

In fact, the battle before her eyes was already secondary. Once things had progressed this far, Darwood had never failed to overcome such situations. He was a man with a 100% win rate within predetermined scenarios.

Rather than that.

“So, once this situation is resolved—”

Now it was time to place the “restraints” she had been preparing on him.

With that thought, Elnore fingered the small box she always carried inside her chest.

Inside was the ring she had exchanged with Darwood some time ago.

Now was the time to properly use it—

“…?”

As she was about to continue that thought, Elnore’s eyes caught something.

Around Darwood, who had reached Mobius, the world was being tinged with “color.”

If it were just that, she could have dismissed it as Darwood handling someone’s magical energy again.

What made her slightly uncomfortable was something else.

Matching the black magical energy emanating from the seal embedded in his chest, she noticed another person’s “color” strongly mixing in.

It looked as if someone was dwelling in Darwood’s “heart.”

Almost as if the two had “merged.”

“-!”

And she could feel the entity in her heart thrashing violently upon seeing that sight.

Even without being able to communicate properly, one thing was clear.

This being was extremely angry right now.

As if furious that the other party had broken a “promise.”

“-Hmm?”

Elnore’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.

●

Chancellor Sullivan was floating in a remarkably strange sensation.

Instead of her body existing in the material world, she existed merely as “energy” inside Darwood’s body, which gave her a peculiar sense of elation.

Suddenly, the conversations she had with Darwood when they first discussed “merging” flashed through Sullivan’s mind.

-Actually, I had quite a few questions about you, Chancellor.

-…What kind of questions?

-How did you travel back through time? Controlling time is the Grey Demon’s power, not another demon’s ability.

-…

-Even though demons are godlike beings that exist beyond the time axis, they can’t encroach on another demon’s powers. Yet you brought “future memories” intact. As a vessel, not even the demon’s main body?

-…

-Seeing how intensely you showed affection for me from the beginning, you and I must have been quite special to each other in the timeline where you “existed.” Right?

-…Yes.

Undoubtedly, that was true.

Her companion.

Her other half.

The entirety of her remaining life was pledged to him.

To Chancellor Sullivan before the “regression,” Darwood Campbell was such a being.

-So.

She remembers opening her mouth in a murky voice.

-…I made a deal with the Grey Demon.

-Hmm.

-I said I would give up my power, my status, everything… if it would let me meet you again.

The seat of one of the seven demons. She was willing to give up even that.

To go back to the past and meet him.

She offered to give up her demonic powers to do so, and the Grey Demon accepted those terms.

-Well, you could call it eliminating a political rival. Once my power was taken away, the Grey Demon could erase me from existence whenever it wanted.

-…Ah, about that.

She also remembers Darwood awkwardly scratching his head in response.

-I’ll try to prevent that from happening.

-…Pardon?

-You came back to the past with such deep feelings; I should repay that somehow, shouldn’t I?

-…?

Seeing Sullivan’s face full of question marks, Darwood had continued with an awkward smile.

-First of all, if you and I can properly merge, we can do something incredibly awesome.

As she finished that thought.

Suddenly, her consciousness was pulled back to reality.

She perceived Darwood standing before Mobius. Then came his voice.

“Let’s go.”

With Darwood’s voice, the magical energy spreading and writhing around them grew darker.

“Ha!”

Suddenly, she heard Professor Mobius snorting.

“-I admit it, Darwood Campbell. This time, victory is yours! However—”

“I know. You probably won’t die no matter how many times I kill you.”

And then came Darwood’s calm voice layered on top.

“…What?”

“You’re not just any gloomy bastard. You came prepared even for the absolute worst-case scenario where all your confident plans fall apart.”

The easiest thing to imagine would be some safety measure to preserve his life.

From the beginning, with Mobius as the opponent, the more troublesome part wasn’t winning the battle.

Judging by the Demonic Spire’s technology alone, this cunning fellow would have “backed up” his mind somewhere to revive himself.

“In that regard.”

Darwood placed his hand over his heart.

Black magical energy surged.

“I prepared something too. Something that can kill you for certain no matter what you do.”

“What are you—”

“The moment you let me get this close, you were already done for.”

“Mixing” magical energies produces quite distinct effects—he had more than proven its effectiveness throughout the battle so far.

In that sense.

Mixing a power that should have disappeared with a power he could handle.

It could produce rather interesting results.

“-I’ve always wanted to try using this for real.”

The Yellow Demon’s original ability stems from “deception” that fools the opponent.

Hallucinations are just one of its subordinate abilities.

In other words, it’s an ability that deceives the opponent’s “senses.”

And when such an ability…

“Passes the test.”

And when combined with Darwood’s own “power” that can completely overwhelm the opponent.

It takes on a somewhat interesting quality.

—

–!!!!

The magical energy that had been spreading out now concentrated in one place.

It enveloped Professor Mobius, swallowing him whole.

“Ah, so.”

Darwood cleared his throat and uttered the words that would turn his opponent into his “puppet.”

“-Obey.”

If you cannot kill your opponent.

Then break their “mind.”

Hallucination, deception.

Combined with “command.”

He hammered an inescapable “prohibition” into the opponent’s mind.

Even against an opponent with a thousand tricks, if you break their “will to fight” itself.

They are no longer an enemy.

[…So.]

Calivan Chrysanyx, who had been quietly watching, spoke in an uncomfortable voice.

[Anyone who gets hit by this has their mind completely blown away and will follow whatever you say?]

‘…Well, to be precise, I insert a ton of false information to massively amplify their favorability toward me, essentially brainwashing—’

[So basically you’re remodeling their mind to use them as a puppet.]

‘…’

[That’s a seriously perverted ability. Right? Even if the opponent deserves it.]

‘…Just shut up for a bit.’

●

“-“

Looking at Mobius, who had frozen as if dead while standing, he let out a deep sigh.

Yes. He had subdued him for now.

He had done this because he had many uses for this guy.

But right now, there was something more urgent.

“Elnore.”

After sighing, he quickly continued.

“Please listen to me for a moment.”

He had to say something quickly, or she looked ready to split him in two.

●