Chapter 251
L2gZVQ3It wasn’t the first time Aint had fought a demon.vMsim
g0A2ZoHe had already battled Andromalius and Andrealphus.lhhUg
frigCSAnd he knew that, in the future, it would happen countless more times.0c5Vv
7b4Even so, it was always the same.beyi
PMVoHis heart pounded violently.CYkR3Cp
hmXb8His fingertips trembled.kTn
21TdWHe was afraid.pLC
AXxRzBut even with fear, he had to move forward.tmxTD4k
rdYEwOnly that way could he win.OnteH
s0aBCNBecause if he ran or only dodged, he would never defeat a demon.eqAE30w
9rCHowever, this time, he didn’t feel as much fear as curiosity.d1kH
F3gcAnd a far greater sense of urgency.4Ml
am7The demon didn’t feel like an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, but rather an annoying obstacle he wanted to remove as soon as possible.aih
V71uKWhy did he feel that?NZKOkD
HNgThe answer was simple.8iOn
aUbLN‘Senior Fernan’s energy.’jVU
0MGzeAn energy similar to Armian’s, but that didn’t come from the secret art of the Armian sword.1BY8W
COWEThat doubt kept tormenting Aint’s mind.nVh
hR7fYgWhen? Where? How?4QYj0
Mv5KLRnAnd why?QgWWyV
v7SEven in the midst of the most frenzied battle, the questions kept surfacing one after another.7cZ
RaiGardner had said his priority should be to kill the demon, but Aint didn’t see it that way.fgOkPC
aCuHe was an “enemy of the demons.”vaJTi9
Nu5The only trait that distinguished him.Jm8fK
5rlSGTpIf not even Armian—a family already in ruins—retained that advantage, how could they keep up with the other elector houses?8Ekh
FMjYb4It was impossible.9tyVLkn
A8X8H6kIf both Armian and Pellenberg possessed the power of the “enemies,” whom would the world choose?QIIYq
KZMThe fallen Armian family, or Pellenberg, the most powerful house on the continent?qB3m
C3Pa97Who would rise higher?eNM
JyipThe fact that Fernan possessed the power of the rival meant just that—a wall that closed off Armian’s future and his own.ObUI
WYUFor humanity, it was a hope.EU3LIW
33ymBut for Aint, it was utter despair.nN6xJ
OpxOnAIAn enemy far more terrifying than any demon in his eyes.0ePTo
AEa4‘If senior Fernan even takes the title of enemy of demons… what’s left for me?’n7CTfDm
XWlNothing.ivpcjId
C5qovThat’s why Aint didn’t reject the rector’s proposal.EdgSM
R3TrHe had to create something new, no matter what.pEVIK
KuOyHe ran without paying attention to defense.DxugeWv
OHx5QwEven when the demonic energy grazed his cheeks, even when the flames tried to melt his aura, he kept advancing, focused only on his target.hJHapBR
pZAibbAll his strength and concentration were focused at the tip of his sword.AY79Yj
E9lgDHe activated all his aura.Mqcjq
24PcSy7He could see the enemy.4j5
VNsThe head of an owl, the body of a man, and a pair of wings spread on his back.0GnbQA
hkFXbqTThe demon moved its wings, scattering demonic energy that nullified the rector’s lightning.IHi9qqK
HwzxocTFrom its beak flowed a constant stream of black magic, and its yellow eyes stared straight at Aint.IK7n1Jl
Y8pU1It extended its sword.JhG
wHQtoCovered in black fire, it burned with unbearable heat, with deadly sharpness.tDWmffb
xyef5Its tip pointed directly at him.nmivP
Dh6XtwAint didn’t disperse Armian’s power to weaken the demonic energy, nor did he try to dodge or create a distraction.70PukH1
yLASXOHe simply condensed his aura with more weight and sharpened it further.Id4p5
UKRuNoHe poured everything he had into a single strike.85rTZs
TRoOf the five supreme arts of Armian’s secret sword technique, he used the only one he could execute at that moment.bivD
9ew0vm0The secret sword art of Armian.0d94cYI
Axjl4yaFrom his aura, a luminous bird was born and soared into the air.4mBIz
dIw7WrpThe demon roared, covered in black flames.fR3lLu
acoThe white bird drew a path of light in the sky.kw8W
UuiWhere the black flames passed, nothing remained.5JI
ducl──────!O0AoIqM
6GOyJjLight and darkness clashed.Y65k
xyCvWFiEveryone’s vision disappeared; day and night alternated dozens of times in just an instant.QuWxBBs
uq54The magnificent legacies of the capital disintegrated without a trace.neCT
cM2OHaThe ground sank.XWzu
MGMgTThe sky cracked.jDlc
L9D4The unleashed forces swept everything, and the monsters wandering aimlessly were erased from existence.Mknlf9l
3CfbpQThe trajectories of white and black left countless scars, and in the end, the wing of the Vijo shattered.ewI
jmJC— Aint! Focus!ETTHqun
VDdJjUFGardner shouted.7EMK
orxXQODarkness devoured the light.KpFiiIb
u8rXbThe Vijo, struggling to resist, vanished completely.7jpGN
p3SAint stepped back.3qtZpiL
3p9RUAndras advanced.Q3Fkp2d
IrbNo matter how much he saw him as an obstacle, no matter how much he had grown, a demon was still a demon.jKL
0txCAnd a demon was strong.mLR8
gHmAint still didn’t have the power to face one alone.VGWA
nGFs──!MKYO
ucrKIf not for the lightning that fell at just the right moment, separating Aint from the demon, he would have suffered a mortal wound.X4cs
FUy“Cough!”9nO0z
U1jUThe backlash of having bet everything on a single strike was devastating.T9AuYi
6JsTiAAint coughed up blood.FAkr4Jz
DF3A“Recover!”hWMAQ5
MyuNc7dA large-scale magic circle surrounded him, protecting him.m0G
xzlThe demonic flames clung to the barrier, melting it little by little.NBQhr
ildcYydTaking advantage of that moment, Aint drank a potion and steadied his breathing.u3Zkv
hBy1yV‘…Right, the enemy is a demon.’qmELxc
LE8CE50He regained composure.r4a
n09zsIXAn obstacle? No, no. He was an adversary.Gtdm
cW5H1qxAn enemy he couldn’t defeat alone, no matter how hard he tried.Bjs5Bm
QX6fHe hadn’t been objective.WvNf8
SWV1nqhThe idea that Fernan possessed the power of a rival had confused him; the excitement had clouded his judgment.I5fd
CAQPtgEven though his internal injuries were severe, against a demon, that price was almost cheap.t8K74SQ
rCsH8jHe drank another mana potion.IYIpZ
oPVnMEmHe wasn’t fully recovered, but he could keep fighting.8F9
fBHkzam“……!”bwIQ
SrfnHis figure disappeared.09MulIQ
lCOaee2The demonic energy that struck where he had been shattered the ground.DzkX7GS
vEkxHIf not for the rector’s barrier, he would’ve died.ZUbLL
18w0ZcBut now recovered, Aint realized that his mistake hadn’t been mere recklessness.2SefmD
L6PkSi0The previous clash had almost killed him, yes, but Andras hadn’t come out unscathed either.4TewhLq
FKxA long wound stretched across his chest.LQg
Q6Xn6cAnd due to the rival’s power, demonic regeneration wasn’t working as it should.XU8H
mVJr7The owl’s eyes twisted in pain.KiTuS
OLSAnd that wound was deeper, more severe than the ones Aint had inflicted on Andromalius or Andrealphus.WDir3Mc
aAWHis sword had become sharper.4qV3z
XimHis aura, purer and more powerful.0qJJ
ncQIViHe had grown.mMir
xg8And if he kept advancing like this, someday he could hunt a demon alone.zvEf
1QKFAnd so it would be.vpd
Hhzxu80‘But if senior Fernan…’KTiaqsO
qyLSK— Focus, Aint! Your thoughts are mine, but now look at the demon!mJOvzRK
TZwWith Gardner’s warning, Aint restrained his mind, which was starting to drift again.PE8t02
pqjJvwHe folded space and lunged at the demon.GgWv
euUClang!Yck8sj
pvuraTThe swords clashed. The blazing black flames and the white divine aura devoured each other.SVb
x6MbohAndras’s sword was fast and heavy, and his precision at targeting the flow of energy was razor-sharp.wcnhZYu
angIt felt just like fighting Luina.NUhe7n
CaMpkjOnly faster, denser, more overwhelming than her.FwlYWI9
ttRmbOIAint was pushed back again and again.uJNrzZA
TLpW4If not for Armian’s power or the rector’s timely help, the result would already be decided.Bwf
N7HZ4BSAnd undoubtedly, it would’ve been his defeat.usi
gjjhBut even so.s7q
aPx‘I can’t lose.’QoYX
QoNZFEven though his initial tactic had failed and he had already come close to death several times, Aint clung on more fiercely.2knGE
pTMKBecause if he gave up even here, he would truly lose all value.RONklu
D1KBecause if he lost, the name of Armian would lose all meaning.Ktn
MMbJA7A‘I have to win.’pgxr17C
DgnIf Armian no longer meant anything, then at the very least, he had to keep the title of hero.czleBj
okGjHe had to defeat the demon and become one.IYQfR
NGxFRNot a boy who depended on inherited power, but a true hero.Dl8
t4L‘I must… win…’X1tt5In
uQBClang!3uUK
TshgDxThey exchanged more than fifty blows in the blink of an eye.QmV6m
8j9He clenched his teeth and endured.hr1h
r3Tc6RHis armor was crushed. Wounds opened. Blood began to flow.YPS
BVrZ0fwHis muscles ached, his bones burned.C5TzY
QqXEach blow took his breath away, and his hands trembled from exhaustion.kgZJzY
Bw9taHis aura core had long since run dry, squeezed to the last drop.2zj87
97jDpD‘Keep going…’fN0
rzFyAnd yet.FgI4ft
g9wbEven after another fifty exchanges, and fifty more after that, Aint did not fall.dYfSI
V0SysHis sword kept slashing, deflecting the enemy blade that sought to tear into him.g12Vq
huO‘If I lose the meaning of being the sole enemy of demons, the only thing I’ll have left will be…’Sn60EUB
NxALvZSince his strength wasn’t enough, he focused all his attention on instinct, on the raw feeling of battle.9AyUlKk
PET‘The feats I achieve by hunting a real demon.’ZzJHw
731VCHHis nearly depleted aura was refined with pinpoint precision, utilizing every last fragment.xcVet6
Ncrf2ue“You’re still standing, you damned stubborn brat!”3LN6B
fP4RcCUThe demon’s scream didn’t even reach him.qdJ5G
V2anOnly the pressure of not losing completely enveloped him.8Kl
GAHNwThe very act of still fighting was already a near miracle.XIiB
54MTYAnd then, the sky responded to his will.B8bgKPy
JmvnV‘What…? My energy…!’72fZ
zd8GIDVSomehow, his drained aura began to fill again, little by little.IbWE5W
ndkodtCHe didn’t know where it came from. Nor did he have time to think about it.r73zZ
SUsKk2He could only endure, and endure more, pushing himself to the limit.V2JobM
4GooClang!T1r
qU53uThere was no refinement left in his technique.gLZua
K2g3It simply unfolded, by sheer inertia, everything he had engraved into his body over the years.jlFKDH
lYFh7Aint didn’t realize it, but his movements followed the perfect trajectory—no excess, no waste, with just the right amount of force.wja
rYtXwwOHe was in a state of trance.iIux0r
SCepu***oSk6Pe
cIfo4“…Well now.”qF6lq
wFY1From the start of the battle, Rector Michael Montella had been relentlessly attacking with magic, helping Aint while striking at the demon.vYs6eO
X71NFFzAt first, yes.jJp
Mn5OoTBut as both increased their speed and power, and their movements became impossible to follow with human eyes, he was forced to stop.urhe1Xo
E5WV1ANot even an Archmage could aim at Andras with precision without endangering Aint, not at that speed.B5IN
Q0bgSo all he could do was observe the situation, preparing a high-level spell capable of mortally wounding the demon at any moment.e348qDW
XoCv“So he’s still an Armian…” he muttered.xxrtjK
UqWZRIAt the beginning, he had noticed Aint’s anxiety.9UPibi
xlMDMProbably because he had seen the power of Fernan Pellenberg, the very same power of Armian.rXxj
MwkIt was the symbol of his family, but now it no longer belonged to them alone.VzE
sZuWHoHHe couldn’t imagine the impact that must have had on Aint.hXPcBQ
LiiIB“Come to think of it… how the hell did Fernan get that power? Not Armian’s, but the power of the enemy of demons.”uIgEy6v
5Ory6FFor a thousand years, only the Armians had possessed it, from the first emperor until their fall.CJpr
1WBZ9ClIt was their sacred heritage.1Aqes
p3hr8IHow had it ended up in Fernan’s hands?gfBOh
l5zA7Gm‘No, that doesn’t matter now.’DDay
lMbUalXMichael looked back at Aint.Jdt5
xoat1His demeanor had completely changed.aJi5
1PdiUVCThe young man who earlier showed anxiety and confusion was now centered, focused only on his sword and his enemy.gGaycqw
JrNRI0TWhether he had calmed his mind or the situation had forced him to, it didn’t matter.SOlCF
7feqMWhat mattered was that warriors or mages who reached that state always broke through their own limits.FAmBF
VXoVnKMichael couldn’t help but feel excited to see how much Aint would grow after this battle.2soKRa
1BxAnd that was when he felt it.o1ob
Vae2u2m‘Hm?’t6u
FW28Aint’s energy flow, which he thought was nearly depleted, suddenly erupted as if overflowing.Kg76UIm
b8cBut its origin wasn’t his aura core.f4jq3BN
HJLA‘The sword?’eYR
tWbAn energy coming from the sword flowed into Aint, permeating him.sAo
4ZBtFf‘What… is that sword?’kBDE
zCETWWas it perhaps a magical sword inherited from Armian?0Or
d0SfsHe hadn’t sensed anything before, but now it radiated immense power.gEqI1j
kKAMichael examined Aint’s sword closely, but couldn’t keep watching.Mgwy96
RWPcunq‘……!’qSyA
d02Z5BCBecause the battle between Aint and Andras, which had reached its limit, finally came to its climax.T8eWlb
T2TRbX7“Aint!”dxDKE
gqxBOOOOM!─ovrT
jbqIThe rector immediately cast his ultimate spell.9uOQOqZ
YVXA white lightning bolt, divine punishment, pierced the entire world.6klLir
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!