Chapter 229
“W-Who's being dramatic now?! I-I was just checking to see if you were still alive, that’s all! Because… we’re precious friends, okay?!”
Marisa quickly turned her gaze away, flustered.
Then she let out a huge sigh of relief.
‘But… why does he look even more handsome than before? Is it because he hasn’t seen sunlight for half a month?’
His features had become even more arrogant.
But it didn’t feel unpleasant,instead, it exuded a strong sense of allure.
It was almost enchanting, and for a moment, Marisa spaced out with a dazed expression before abruptly shaking her head.
“A-Anyway, you really are okay, right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Then we need to hurry!”
“Why?”
Marisa shouted urgently.
“We’re late for the duel! At this rate, that idiot Alros is going to die!!”
* * *
At that time, in the training grounds of the Venomous Demonic House....
A massive crowd of demons had gathered.
“What’s going on? Why hasn’t the duel started yet?”
“I heard the Grand Duke Christian asked them to wait a little longer. He said he’s not ready yet.”
Alros had spent the past half-month diligently playing the role of Christian’s double.
This was thanks to Christian's improved control over the Sigil of the Constellation, which now allowed him to maintain a long-term disguise effect.
Thanks to that, Alros had enjoyed a blissful couple of weeks.
‘Mwahaha! This is the sweet life!’
Since Christian had stolen a poison lecture midway through and acted like a lunatic with Amar, Alros had been able to live in peace for two weeks.
Everyone avoided him like he was a rabid dog, unwilling to even make eye contact with “Christian,” and Alros had spent his days like a fox disguised as a tiger,having the time of his life.
But today, that bliss turned into hell.
‘Aaaagh!! Why isn’t he showing up?! If this keeps up, I’ll have to enter the duel myself!!’
The faction led by Marquis Goras, who had been humiliated by Christian, was grinding their teeth.
And for the record, more than thirty members of Marquis Goras’s faction had signed up for this Holy Grail Duel.
All of them were high-ranking poison experts,at 5-star and 6-star level.
Alros would have to ingest all of their poisons.
There wouldn’t even be a corpse left.
‘That bastard Christian… don’t tell me he ditched me and ran off, leaving me as bait?’
Alros nervously swallowed.
‘You piece of trash! Come back already!! I don’t wanna die!’
But even as time passed, Christian still didn’t show up, and the furious roars of the Venomous Demonic House’s demons echoed across the arena.
“What’s the meaning of this?! Don’t tell me he ran away?!”
“Come out now, Christian!!”
“We’ll turn you into a puddle of blood!!”
Alros clutched his head in despair.
“Aaaaah!! You bastard!! Damn you! Filthy demon!! If I die, I’ll come back as a ghost and get my revenge on you!!”
“…What was that?”
“…Huh?”
Alros blinked.
Before he knew it, Christian had appeared!
“Was that just now… something you said to me?”
“Ghk!! N-No way!! I would never! I respect you more than anything, Your Grace! Long live the Grand Duke, long live, long long live!!”
Christian gave a faint chuckle and patted Alros on the shoulder.
“You did well.”
“!!”
Alros’s eyes trembled.
“B-But… are you really going to take part in the duel? W-Wouldn’t it be better to avoid it?”
Melin, Ghost Mari, and Marisa all nodded in agreement.
“She’s right. It’s far too reckless. Because of the provocation you made back then, over thirty high-ranking poison users are trying to join the duel.”
Melin let out a sigh.
“There’ve been several messages from Lord Nordian of the main family and from your proxy, Count Khazar. They’re urging you to stop this madness and return to the family at once.”
Marisa chimed in from the side.
“Exactly. I don’t know what you’ve been doing for the past half-month, but even if you’ve achieved the legendary Heavenly Poison Body, it’s still too much.”
Even attaining the Heavenly Poison Body didn’t make someone invincible to poison.
‘He can withstand most poisons with ease, but there are still limits against true-core poisons or will-infused toxins. That ability doesn’t protect against poisons that harness intent or willpower.’
However....
“It’s fine. I can handle it.”
“You…!”
Christian smirked as he began walking.
“Look forward to it. You’ll be in for a good show.”
When he stepped outside, the sight of countless demons from the Venomous Demonic House greeted him.
“!!”
Thud. The training ground fell silent.
Just moments ago, the air had been filled with raucous voices mocking and cursing Christian, but now, it was as quiet as death.
The Venomous Demonic House demons swallowed nervously.
‘What is this feeling?’
‘He’s… different from before?’
Christian was deliberately suppressing his presence to hide the fact that he had reached 6-star level in poison arts.
But even without revealing his cultivation, the demons instinctively sensed something was off.
“Hmph.”
Christian’s relaxed gaze turned toward Marquis Goras’s faction.
“Gathered together like a bunch of rats.”
The faces of Goras’s followers stiffened.
“Why so quiet? Are you scared?”
“!!”
“There are so many of you, yet you’re afraid of just one person? Don’t you find that a bit… shameful?”
Goras’s faction flushed with anger.
They were preparing for a ludicrous thirty-against-one duel.
Even if Christian had provoked it first, as demons, it was still disgraceful. But now that he was taunting them this way, their rage flared uncontrollably.
At that moment, an old man with white hair slowly rose from his seat.
“Watch your tongue.”
“And who are you?”
“This old man is Yohen. Though aged, I am an elder of the main family… and the Poison Lord.”
Christian’s eyes lit up slightly with recognition.
He knew this man.
‘A heavyweight has shown up.’
A peak 7-star poison master.
Though old enough to have retired long ago, this fearsome elder still clung to power, serving as the second-in-command of Marquis Goras’s faction.
“I’ve heard what you did in the main house. With your arrogance, you brought considerable insult upon us. Naturally, such actions should be repaid with death. However, as an elder who considers the relationship between the Venomous Demonic House and the Dark Demonic House, I must urge restraint. I advise you to reconsider this duel.”
“Reconsider?”
“Indeed. If you proceed as things are, death will be unavoidable for you.”
Yohen continued.
“Instead, in atonement for your transgressions against the main house, offer one eye, one arm, and one leg. In special mercy, we shall overlook your crimes with only that much.”
Seeing the cruel gleam in Yohen’s eyes, Christian stifled a laugh.
“That’s a bit of a problem.”
“Be mindful. This is an exceptional mercy we are offering.”
“Hey, old man. If you’re going to keep spouting senile nonsense, you might as well head back to the nursing home.”
“!!”
Christian lifted the corner of his lips in a smirk.
“Let me put it this way, if your side kneels and apologizes for what you did to our Dark Demonic House, I might consider showing you mercy.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Your lot released poison in the territory of our Dark Demonic House some time ago, remember?”
Christian twitched his fingers.
“Of course, the ringleader, Marquis Goras, was punished. But don’t pretend you weren’t involved. I know exactly who was connected to what, directly or indirectly. If you apologize right here and now, I’ll graciously forgive you.”
Yes.
The reason Christian was acting so high-handed toward Goras’s people in the first place… was because they had committed a serious offense first.
The old monster Yohen shook his head.
“…It seems reasoning with you is impossible. Don’t regret this. We gave you fair warning. Whatever happens in this duel, we bear no responsibility.”
And finally, the duel began.
The rules were simple.
Each person would pour poison into a cup, and both sides would drink.
“I’ll accept the Grail first. Bring your cups before me.”
Christian sat down in the center of the training ground with a heavy thud.
The demons from Goras’s faction exchanged glances before slowly rising one by one to place their cups before him.
“Viscount Mathias. My will-infused poison is called Resentment of the Hollow Soul.”
“Baron Alfred. My true-core poison is Heart’s Destruction.”
“Baron Max. My will-infused poison is…”
In the blink of an eye, over thirty cups were placed in front of Christian.
Each and every one filled with either 6-star will-infused poison or 5-star true-core poison, every single cup a vessel of death.
The arena fell into a heavy silence.
‘What on earth is that lunatic thinking?’
‘He won’t even last one cup. Why such reckless bravado?’
‘He’ll be reduced to a puddle of blood.’
The demons of the Venomous Demonic House clicked their tongues at Christian’s foolhardy recklessness.
Melin, Mari, and Alros clenched their teeth.
They believed in Chris, but this time, it truly felt like too much.
They couldn't just sit and watch. They were just about to rise from their seats when....
Christian downed the first cup in one go.
‘Ah…’
Marisa’s face went deathly pale.
The poison Christian had just drunk was the will-infused poison of Count Robert, a 6-star, high-level toxin.
And worse, it was one specialized for killing humans.
There was no way he’d survive unscathed.
Everyone in the arena held their breath, waiting for his reaction.
After drinking the poison, Christian stood stock-still, completely motionless.
‘Is he trying to endure it using his demonic energy?’
‘It’s pointless. That poison is deadly even on contact with skin. He drank it straight, it’ll melt his organs.’
Seconds passed like an eternity.
And then finally....
Christian reacted.
“Urgh.”
He twitched, as if suppressing a gag.
Everyone braced themselves, expecting him to vomit blood any second....
“Damn, this is nasty. What kind of awful taste is this?”
He spat out a curse and stuck out his tongue.
Completely unharmed.
Everyone in the arena blinked, unable to believe their eyes, watching him closely.
‘What? He’s… fine?’
‘That can’t be!’
But it was true!
His complexion hadn’t changed at all.
The poison masters of the Venomous Demonic House turned to Count Robert, the one who had provided that poison.
“Did you go easy on him and give him a weaker poison?”
“N-No, absolutely not. I definitely gave him my combat-specialized will-infused poison, Severance Toxin! What’s going on?!”
As the crowd descended into confusion, Christian moved again.
He picked up another cup, and drank.
This time, it was a 5-star true-core poison.
‘Already going for the next one?’
‘There’s no way he can endure this too!’
But again, he was fine.
All he did was grimace in disgust.
“Ugh, what is this, gutter water? Damn it.”
“!!”
Christian kept drinking.
Three cups. Four. Five.
Before long, he was downing two at once.
And no matter how much he drank, he remained perfectly fine.
Faced with this incomprehensible scene, the demons of the Venomous Demonic House were thrown into a state of panic.
‘He’s drinking true-core and will-infused poisons directly and nothing’s happening?! That’s impossible!’
‘This shouldn’t be real!!’
The Holy Grail Duel was deadly because it required direct internal consumption of poisons that were lethal even on skin contact.
It was no different from detonating black-steel energy or will-infused energy inside your own body.
And yet he was completely fine?
‘Don’t tell me… is he the embodiment of the legendary Heavenly Poison Body?’
‘No! Even with that, it’s impossible to ingest true-core or will-infused poisons directly!’
Meanwhile, Christian chuckled internally at the demons’ reactions.
‘There’s a trick to it, of course.’
In truth....
This duel was practically rigged.
It was overwhelmingly favorable to him.
Not just because he’d completed the Heavenly Poison Vessel and attained the Heavenly Poison Body constitution.
Christian had three cheat-level advantages that would guarantee his victory in the Holy Grail Duel.