Chapter 210
Count Berkel's sword flashed.
He had manifested his Will Technique.
‘Sword of Twilight’.
It was Count Berkel's famous Will Technique, combining Destruction black magic and Black Steel Energy.
One that most Magi of the Dark Demonic House knew.
But its power was completely different from what everyone knew.
Gooooo.
The twilight engulfed the pack of wolves.
The pack of wolves, as if sensing danger, bared their fangs and fought back, but the twilight remained unscathed.
Afterwards, Paat!
The twilight flickered, and something astonishing happened.
The pack of wolves trapped inside was annihilated in an instant. A sight as if they had been erased with an eraser.
“Kuhk!!”
From the backlash, Viscount Marek suddenly coughed up blood.
“How?”
Everyone wore expressions of shock.
Viscount Marek's ‘Art of the Cursed Wave’ was by no means a Will Technique that could be so easily broken.
But to think it was dismantled as simply as crushing a bug with a finger?
‘The Sword of Twilight didn’t originally have that kind of power!’
It wasn't just that the output of the Will Technique had grown stronger.
Previously, Count Berkel's twilight was like a rampaging bomb.
So its destructive force couldn't be focused and its power was halved, but now it was different.
He looked as if he was in complete control of the twilight, and as his power was focused, it unleashed a much stronger destructive force.
“Kuuuhk…!!! I won’t lose!!”
Viscount Marek didn't give up and fought back with all his might, but it was useless.
The Will Techniques Viscount Marek unleashed were futilely broken time and again by Count Berkel's, and a moment later, he was forced to his knees.
“N-No way.”
Viscount Marek muttered blankly as he stared at the sword aimed at his neck.
Everyone had a look of astonishment.
‘Count Berkel was stronger before, but it wasn't such an overwhelming difference.’
‘Didn't he usually win after a tense duel?’
An extremely small number.
Only the Magi among the 6-star rank who had reached a high realm of Mid-Rank or above noticed the reason.
‘He re-established his microcosm? That’s why his Will Technique is displaying such power!’
‘Impossible? How?!’
It had a tremendous meaning.
It meant that Count Berkel had reached the very threshold of the 7-star rank. Barring any major incident, he would ascend to 7-star in the near future.
‘And that’s because of Grand Duke Christian’s instruction?’
‘No way. I can’t believe it.’
The Magi of Marquis Langham’s faction tried hard to deny it.
But a single statement from Count Berkel overturned everyone's denial.
“H-How?”
When Viscount Marek, still unable to recover from the shock, asked, he replied thusly.
“It is all thanks to the Grand Duke’s instruction.”
“!!”
Count Berkel continued bluntly.
“The Grand Duke is truly a cra… no, an amazing person.”
As everyone in the venue swallowed hard, engulfed in shock, a voice was heard.
“I don’t know why you’re all so surprised by something like that.”
“!!”
It was Christian.
He spoke in a voice that sounded irritating for some reason.
“It’s merely a matter of having him find and wear the clothes that suit him best.”
“……”
Everyone wore a dumbfounded expression.
To compare helping someone re-establish their microcosm to merely changing clothes.
But Christian continued as if it were truly no big deal.
This time, toward Marquis Langham who was beside him.
“Isn’t giving this level of instruction simple for you as well, my lord Marquis?”
“……”
“Ah, perhaps my lord Marquis… cannot do this? My apologies. I hold you in such high esteem, my lord Marquis, that I naturally assumed you could do this much with ease. I was being inconsiderate again.”
Marquis Langham did not give any reply.
But his tightly shut mouth seemed to be suppressing his anger.
‘I can see you’re angry even if you pretend to hold it in.’
Christian smirked and proceeded with the Ranking Duel.
“The next challenger, come up to the stage.”
This time it was Viscount Macfield’s turn.
Marquis Langham’s most trusted subordinate.
Viscount Macfield shouted in a strong voice, as if trying to change the atmosphere.
“I nominate Count Khazar!”
Then he followed up with an unexpected statement.
“I, too, have received special instruction from Lord Marquis Langham this time. I have achieved a great accomplishment, so I will dedicate the glory of victory to Lord Marquis Langham!”
Was he bothered by Christian ignoring his master?
Like a loyal hound, Viscount Macfield showed excessive loyalty and praised Marquis Langham’s name.
At that sight, Christian said, “Ohh,” and spoke to Marquis Langham.
“It seems you have given some great instruction, my lord. I too look forward to seeing what kind of instruction it was.”
Marquis Langham scowled and said curtly.
“Be quiet. Your father won't be leaving here unscathed.”
A voice laced with confidence.
It certainly seemed that Macfield had obtained some kind of achievement.
Macfield confidently shouted again.
“Count Khazar, come up!!”
When Count Khazar appeared, Viscount Macfield raised the corners of his mouth.
“Prepare yourself. With the help of Lord Marquis Langham, I have finally succeeded in laying the foundation of my microcosm…”
Viscount Macfield's voice, which had been chattering excitedly, gradually quieted down.
He sensed that something was off.
‘Why do I have this strange feeling?’
Count Khazar wasn't even raising his magical energy.
But why?
An intense, overwhelming presence could be felt.
‘Overwhelming presence? Why?’
Viscount Macfield wore a confused expression.
An overwhelming presence is what the weak feel from the strong.
Facing Count Khazar, it was as if he had become weak prey standing before a predator.
‘What kind of nonsense is this.’
Viscount Macfield gritted his teeth.
He was not the man he used to be.
Had he not laid the foundation of a microcosm?
He tried to rebuild his confidence and open his mouth.
“The one who wins this time will be me…”
“Shut up.”
Count Khazar finally opened his mouth.
“Macfield, you’re the one who took the lead in slandering my son this time, aren’t you?”
“!!”
“Prepare yourself. I won’t let you leave here unscathed.”
Count Khazar drew his sword, and Viscount Macfield, without realizing it, flinched and stepped back.
As Count Khazar raised his sword, he felt not just an overwhelming presence, but fear.
He wondered if it was a delusion, but it wasn't.
Inexplicably, it was truly ‘fear’.
‘Wh-what? Why?’
Viscount Macfield clenched his fist tightly.
What in the world was this ominous feeling?
It was as if he had been bewitched by some dark art.
Macfield gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
“You’re the one who should prepare yourself! I’ll make you regret that stiff attitude!!”
“I told you to be quiet.”
Count Khazar swung his sword down.
Fwaash!
But inexplicably, he swung it at empty air.
As if he were cutting a shadow in the empty air.
Viscount Macfield scoffed.
‘What is he doing? They said he fell into Heart Demon Syndrome, has he gone mad? I guess that ominous feeling I had earlier was just a baseless delusion.’
It wasn't just Macfield.
Everyone in the venue wore a puzzled expression.
But at that moment.
Macfield's eyes shot open.
“Huh?”
Fwaaaash!
Blood spurted up.
From Macfield's shoulder.
“!!”
Macfield's eyes shot open in bewilderment.
And again, Count Khazar swung his sword at the empty air.
Following that, Fwaat!
Again, blood spurted from Macfield's body.
Only then.
Did everyone in the venue realize what was happening.
A great shock enveloped the venue.
In the dead silence, Christian's smug voice could be heard.
“Could it be… that the foundation of a microcosm is all that Lord Macfield gained? Surely not, right? There's something more, isn't there?”
“……”
“To boast so proudly after gaining merely the foundation of a microcosm. If it were me, I'd have been too embarrassed to even bring it up.”
It was a scathing taunt, but no one could refute it.
Because compared to the realm Count Khazar had just displayed, the foundation of a microcosm that Macfield had obtained was far too shabby.
The authority of the 7-star, Dominant Class.
It was a ‘miracle’.
Count Khazar’s ‘Annihilation’ had split the laws of the world.
It was the moment a new 7-star Magus was born in the Dark Demonic House.
* * *
Viscount Macfield, covered in blood, collapsed and was carried away.
A ruthlessness unlike the usually gentle Count Khazar.
He had a lot of pent-up anger.
Because all this time, whenever Marquis Langham plotted against Christian, it was Viscount Macfield who acted as his hands and feet, carrying out the dirty work.
In any case, people couldn't even spare a thought for the fallen Viscount Macfield.
It was because they had received a shock as if they had been struck on the head with a hammer by the sight Count Khazar had just shown.
‘Count Khazar reached 7-star!’
‘How?’
As if answering the question, Count Khazar left a single remark to everyone before stepping down from the stage.
“It is all thanks to having a capable son.”
“!!”
The same words Count Berkel had said earlier.
Everyone's gaze turned toward Christian, who was sitting in the seat of honor.
That same arrogant and smug expression he always wore, as if something like this was only natural.
‘He really guided them to enlightenment? No way!’
‘It’s impossible!!’
This time, people wore expressions of utter disbelief.
That's because it was just that unbelievable.
However.
As the Ranking Duel continued, disbelief turned into astonishment.
“Viscount Hanegal wins!!”
“Baron Auer wins!!”
“Viscount Milena wins!!”
They were the ones who had received instruction from Christian.
Every single one of them defeated their rivals from Marquis Langham's faction.
And it wasn't just a victory.
It was an overwhelming victory.
What was even more astonishing was that every single one of them had leaped forward from their original realm.
Meaning, Christian's words that he would guide them to enlightenment were true.
Then, a low voice rang out.
“Magnificent.”
“!!”
It was Nordian.
“Every one of you has achieved a great accomplishment. Truly excellent. As the Family Head, I am very pleased.”
Those who were praised knelt before Nordian.
“Not at all!! It is all thanks to the Grand Duke's instruction!”
“That's right. We were able to achieve this because the Grand Duke guided us, who were lacking.”
Nordian nodded as if greatly satisfied with that answer and looked at Christian.
“You have done a truly great thing for the House. I will be sure to commend you for this.”
It wasn't just a matter of giving instruction.
He had drastically raised the House's overall power.
It was an achievement that was not lacking even when compared to the deeds Christian had accomplished before.
And yet.
“Did I not say it? That I would change the Dark Demonic House.”
“!!”
“This is just the beginning.”
At those words, the Magi swallowed hard.
It meant that Christian's instruction would continue in the future.
It was only natural.
Because Christian was the Grand Duke of the Dark Demonic House.
‘Then do I also have a chance to receive the Grand Duke’s instruction?’
‘How can I receive instruction from the Grand Duke?’
Not a small number of Magi began to think such thoughts.
A Magus dedicates their entire life solely to becoming stronger.
So, having seen others grow stronger right before their eyes, there was no way their eyes wouldn't be captivated.
In particular, those who had been stuck at a wall for a long time stared at Christian with even more desperate eyes.
There were even some who looked as if they would kneel before Christian at any moment.
‘This is the reaction I expected.’
Christian shrugged his shoulders.
‘But is this it?’
Christian’s gaze settled.
‘I thought Yulian would cause some trouble during the Ranking Duel. This is strange.’
It was an intuition.