Chapter 269
The hall fell silent.
A series of strange events were occurring one after another.
First, the duel between the Grand Dukes.
Who here could have predicted that Christian would win? And so overwhelmingly at that.
Christian had always been famous for being a madman, but this was the moment he was engraved in everyone's minds as a different kind of madman.
And that wasn't all. Things that made them endlessly doubt their own eyes kept happening.
Vice-Patriarch Yesika knelt before Marquis Shupen.
This, too, was something no one had expected.
While everyone was bewildered, unable to understand the results, Marquis Shupen said something that would shock them all.
“It was a good match. If it weren't for the damage you took from Grand Duke Christian, it would have been my defeat.”
Although it was a statement meant to be considerate of Yesika’s pride, people fell into a great confusion upon learning that Christian had even dealt a blow to Yesika during the earlier duel.
‘How on earth?’
‘Is Grand Duke Christian really a madman?’
And the astonishment did not end there.
The duels of the other high-ranking magi followed, and the magi of the Dark Demonic House won one after another.
First was Count Khazar and Marquis Felpes of the Destruction Demonic House.
In terms of mastery alone, Count Khazar, at mid 7-Star, was inferior to Marquis Felpes, who was a high 7-Star.
But surprisingly, the result was Count Khazar’s victory.
If one looked closely at the contents of the duel, it was even more surprising.
It wasn't even a narrow margin. He had won with room to spare.
“H-how?”
“It is not because you were lacking.”
To the disbelieving reaction of Marquis Felpes, Count Khazar casually gave the answer.
“It is simply because I have a good son.”
“!!”
Grand Duke Christian again?
Everyone looked at Christian with such gazes, and Christian shrugged his shoulders.
‘It’s thanks to planning a good strategy.’
It is common sense that a lower level of mastery finds it difficult to defeat a higher level of mastery.
Generally speaking, that is correct.
Especially as the level of mastery gets higher, the gap widens, so upsets don't happen often.
‘But that’s too simplistic a way of thinking.’
The factors that influence the outcome of a battle are more complex.
In particular, there is something that Chris considers important.
Matchups.
‘Even with the same level of achievement, depending on an individual’s characteristics, they can show strong and weak sides against certain people.’
So, Chris used a trick.
He arranged the matchups to be advantageous to the magi of the Dark Demonic House.
‘That’s why I deliberately provoked the pride of the Destruction Demonic House. So that we could designate the duel opponents as we wished.’
Of course, that alone did not secure victory.
‘I put them through special training so they could exploit their opponents’ weaknesses.’
What does it mean exactly to have a favorable matchup?
It means that one’s own strengths work to the disadvantage of the opponent.
In particular, Chris had identified all the weaknesses of the Destruction Demonic House’s magi who would be participating in the duels and had made it so they could be exploited with focus.
‘As for identifying their weaknesses, my pushover Kashmir in the Destruction Demonic House was a great help.’
In the meantime, the duels continued.
The results were astonishing.
Although there were many close calls in between, in the end, they all ended in a complete victory for the Dark Demonic House.
A heavy silence, beyond mere shock, fell at the result that no one could have ever imagined.
‘Impossible.’
‘Then what happens now? Does the Destruction Demonic House really pledge loyalty to the Dark Demonic House?’
‘No, it’s not over yet. The group battle of the regular magi is still left.’
The very last event of the Dark Rite was a 50 vs 50 group battle between the house’s core, executive-level magi.
It was a group duel where they would fight while wearing shield artifacts, and would be eliminated once the artifact’s defensive power was depleted.
The Dark Demonic House, which was scheduled to lose the duel between the Patriarchs—the one with the largest weight—by default due to Nordian’s absence, had to win this group battle to achieve final victory.
‘They’ve managed to create an upset until now, but there’s no way the Dark Demonic House can win the group battle.’
But there was something people had overlooked.
The reason the Dark Demonic House had been looked down upon was due to the absence of high-ranking magi of 7-Star and above.
On the other hand, they were not lacking in high-ranking magi of the 5-Star and 6-Star levels, who served as the backbone of the house.
No, if anything, they were on the more solid side. This was because the 5-Star and 6-Star magi at the bottom had shouldered the burden of the absence of the highest-ranking magi.
‘And they have the advantage in terms of matchups, too.’
In the first place, the Dark Demonic House was strong in group battles.
As a house of magic swordsmen, they were well-balanced, making it advantageous for them to deal with any situation, and they were specialized in group battles.
‘On top of that, the 5-Star and 6-Star magi have also grown stronger under my teachings.’
The morale of the Dark Demonic House’s magi who were entering the group battle was incomparable to before.
Everyone had grown by at least one level, and some by as many as two or three.
Their will to win was also fierce.
This was because of the resentment that had built up from being looked down upon until now.
“Those bastards from the Destruction Demonic House. They must have looked down on us so much. We’ll relieve them of the resentment they’ve built up.”
“The time has come to show them the greatness of our Dark Demonic House.”
On top of that, there was another factor that was the worst possible for the Destruction Demonic House.
It was Christian.
Chris would also be participating in the group battle.
And as the commander, at that.
‘Because the Grand Duke is the one who commands the group battle.’
Although Chris was internally injured, it was not a problem for him to just command.
The difference in capability between him and the commander on the Destruction Demonic House’s side, Schwar, was incomparable. Even with his internal injuries.
“Unfold the battle formation!”
Finally, the group battle began, and the result was a landslide victory for the Dark Demonic House.
The magi of the Dark Demonic House showed a ferocious performance, as if to release all the contempt they had suffered until now.
The performance of Jupien, who had recently become a 5-Star, was also remarkable.
“You’re weaker than I thought. This is no fun.”
And on top of that, there was Chris’s command, which crushed the enemy’s battle lines as if toying with them.
The Destruction Demonic House crumbled with almost futile ease.
‘Of course, if this had been a real war using the full capabilities of our houses, it would have been our defeat.’
The reason the Dark Demonic House won was because of the 50 vs 50 personnel limit rule in this duel.
If it were a matter of the entire house’s military strength, the Destruction Demonic House’s victory would have been overwhelming, and they would not have won.
‘Well, a win is a win. We won.’
As the victory of the Dark Demonic House was confirmed, silence once again fell over the arena.
It was a heavy silence, incomparable to before.
The members of the Dark Demonic House were silent as well.
Even though they had won, the magi of the Dark Demonic House could not easily cheer.
It was because of the reaction the Destruction Demonic House would show.
To be precise, it was because they didn’t know how the Patriarch, Grand Duke Vessian, would react.
‘Will Grand Duke Vessian really concede?’
People carefully observed Grand Duke Vessian’s expression.
Grand Duke Vessian’s face was flushed bright red.
He looked furious, as if he could explode at any moment.
The atmosphere was not at all one of acknowledging defeat.
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“It seems it is our victory. Will you admit defeat?”
“…No, I cannot accept it.”
Grand Duke Vessian rose from his seat.
Ssshhh.
A rough aura flowed out, as if in a threat.
Everyone in the arena held their breath at the intense pressure, as if a giant were crushing their windpipes.
“What meaning does a childish duel like this have?”
“……”
“If anyone from the Dark Demonic House can defeat me, I will admit defeat. If not, it is our Destruction Demonic House’s victory. You vermin from the Dark Demonic House will have to kneel before us.”
An absurd insistence.
But no one could refute him.
Because there was no one in this place who could break Grand Duke Vessian’s will.
‘He’s reacting just as I expected.’
Chris frowned.
‘Well, I never thought I could make the Destruction Demonic House submit with just this duel anyway.’
An expected reaction.
He had a plan.
But then, something Christian had not anticipated happened.
“You impudent brat. What did you say to our house? That we are like vermin?”
A voice that came out of nowhere.
Those who turned their gazes had a puzzled look for a moment.
A young boy was standing there.
Was he perhaps just ten years old?
He had the characteristic black hair and red eyes of the Dark Demonic House’s bloodline.
‘Who?’
‘What’s with the kid?’
But Grand Duke Vessian’s reaction was strange.
He stared wide-eyed at the very young child.
Only then did people tilt their heads.
Then, one by one, people’s eyes began to widen.
It wasn't because they recognized who the child was.
‘What is this energy?’
At a glance, no energy could be felt.
But some.
The highest-ranking magi belatedly recognized the energy the child held.
A deep and distant energy was coiled within him.
Surprisingly, the depth of that energy far surpassed even that of Grand Duke Vessian.
‘Who on earth?’
Finally.
The child’s identity was revealed.
It was thanks to Christian, Count Khazar, and Merian, the only ones in this place who recognized the child’s face, bowing their heads and shouting thus.
“We greet the Patriarch!”
That was right.
The child’s identity was Nordian.
“H-how is he in the body of a child like that?”
“An avatar? No. That’s his real body. Rejuvenation?”
It meant a state beyond mere physical reformation, where the body completely reverts to a young form.
A level that could only be achieved through ultimate enlightenment.
“Don’t tell me?”
A single fact flashed through everyone’s mind, and everyone’s eyes widened.
Nordian had originally reached the peak of 8-Star. What would it mean for him to gain further enlightenment from there?
Just then, Nordian slowly opened his mouth.
“Why is there no answer? Did you not call our Dark Demonic House vermin?”
“……”
Grand Duke Vessian shut his mouth abruptly.
He could not give any answer.
He had no choice.
It was because he had seen the darkness that had begun to spread around Nordian.
It was not a simple manifestation of demonic energy.
A Dominion? It was different from that, too.
It was as if he were looking at another world made of darkness.
Fwoooosh!
The world of darkness covered the magi of the Destruction Demonic House.
The magi of the Destruction Demonic House were unable to move, as if crushed by the darkness, and it was the same for even Grand Duke Vessian.
As if he had been completely overwhelmed, he staggered backward with a pale face.
An unbelievable sight.
Someone uttered, as if in a sigh.
“Genesis Advent.”
It seemed incomplete, but it was certain.
The authority of the 9-Star transcendent realm, which goes beyond simply dominating the surroundings with one’s will and manipulates reality to turn the surroundings into one’s own complete world.
That was right.
Nordian had finally reached the level of entering 9-Star.
It was the moment the birth of a new Demon King-class magus was announced to the Magus Empire.
* * *
Grand Duke Vessian admitted defeat.
He had no choice but to admit it.
The moment he faced Nordian, he realized.
That Nordian had become an extraordinary existence that he could not face.
As Grand Duke Vessian surrendered without even a fight, the defeat of the Destruction Demonic House was confirmed.
The Destruction Demonic House, counted among the top five in the Magus Empire, had knelt before the Dark Demonic House.
It was an incident that was more than enough to overturn the Magus Empire, but people could not pay attention to that fact.
It was because of Nordian.
“Entering 9-Star, you say?”
“It’s the birth of a new Little Demon King.”
Entering 9-Star is classified separately with the title of Little Demon King.
Plitnon, the Ruler of Death, who was the Lord of the Four Kings’ Castle and the Patriarch of the Necromancy Demonic House, was that very Little Demon King.
It was a task as difficult as becoming a Demon King, and now, excluding the eight Demon Kings, Nordian had become the undisputed strongest in the Magus Empire.
“And this isn’t the end. Now that he has become a Little Demon King, will he not one day ascend to the rank of a Demon King?”