Chapter 270
Those who reached the stage of ‘entering’ a realm would eventually reach that realm, it was only a matter of time.
The 9-Star transcendent realm was the same.
Now that he had set foot in it, he would one day ascend to the full realm of a Demon King.
“A new Demon King born from the Dark Demonic House. How many years has it been?”
“…But I heard that Patriarch Nordian becoming a Demon King was also thanks to Grand Duke Christian?”
“What? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“They say it’s true. Not only Patriarch Nordian, but the fact that the magi of the Dark Demonic House grew so rapidly this time was all thanks to Grand Duke Christian.”
“…Insane.”
The assessment of those who heard the news was unanimous.
It was the moment Christian’s nickname was solidified as the ‘Mad Grand Duke’.
Originally, it meant his conduct was crazy, but now it had a completely different meaning.
A mad Grand Duke who transcends whatever you can imagine.
“…But at this rate, aren’t two Demon Kings going to come out of the Dark Demonic House?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’m talking about Grand Duke Christian. Isn’t he not even eighteen yet? And yet he’s already 7-Star?”
People were silent for a moment.
A Demon King.
It wasn’t something to be spoken of lightly, but no one could easily deny the speculation.
If Christian continued at his current pace, the story of him becoming a Demon King was more than possible.
‘If that really happens, the power dynamics of the Magus Empire will be shaken to its very core.’
‘We need to keep an eye on the Dark Demonic House.’
And so, the eyes of the entire Magus Empire were fixed on the Dark Demonic House.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Dark Demonic House, a drinking party was underway.
“All hail Patriarch Nordian!!”
“All hail Grand Duke Christian!!”
“All hail the Dark Demonic House!!”
By winning against the Destruction Demonic House, they had shed their stigma as a weak house, and Patriarch Nordian, who had been hovering between life and death, had been dramatically revived and reached the level of entering 9-Star.
At this joyous occasion, the magi of the Dark Demonic House let loose and drank.
Completely drunk, they shouted the names of the heroes of the day, Nordian and Christian.
However, two people. There were two people at the banquet who had expressions like they’d just chewed on something foul.
Unexpectedly, it was Christian and Nordian.
‘Damn it, ginger ale again today.’
He would soon be eighteen, so the prohibition on underage drinking was lifted, but what good was that?
Jupien, Alros, and the others would just tease him, telling him to have a drink.
Even Teren said with wide eyes, “What, King Emperor Majesty Brother? You can’t drink?”
“…You can’t either.”
“But I can drink just fine?”
“What? How can you drink? You’ve only gotten bigger; you’re still a minor, aren’t you?”
For reference, Teren had turned sixteen and was now bigger in build than Chris, boasting a handsome appearance.
With his relatively small build and the air of a handsome young master, Christian looked less manly and less like a magus than Teren.
“I just tried drinking, and I didn’t get drunk at all. I’m not interested in alcohol; my only goal is to follow your example, Brother!”
Teren spoke in a voice full of respect, but Christian could only sigh.
‘Damn it, we’re of the same bloodline, so why am I the only one who’s a lightweight?’
Even Yulian spoke as if in pity.
“Oh my, you still can’t drink? Should I make you some delicious cocoa instead, little brother?”
‘I don’t need any of it!’
He was in the middle of drinking his ginger ale of fury.
Chris glanced to the side.
“…Grandfather, why do you have that expression?”
Nordian was frowning.
When he frowned with his old man’s face, he overflowed with an intimidating presence, but now that he was doing it with the face of a ten-year-old boy, he just looked sulky.
…In other words, he was cute.
“Aish. It’s good that I’m alive, but why did my body turn out like this.”
“Isn’t it because you’ve undergone Rejuvenation? It looks… good.”
He had been about to say ‘cute’ but quickly changed his words.
It was because his father, Count Khazar, had thoughtlessly said that to Nordian and gotten a huge scolding.
“I mean, it would have been nice to get moderately younger, but why did I have to end up in the body of a little kid! Aish, damn it.”
“…Since you’ve become youn… no, rejuvenated, please think positively and enjoy it a little. You can even drink now, which you couldn’t before because of your health, right?”
But Nordian said something unexpected.
“I can’t drink.”
“Pardon?”
“I have a Non-Alcoholic Constitution by nature. I can’t drink.”
Chris’s mouth fell open.
To think the reason this body couldn’t drink was all inherited from Nordian!
“N-no, but now that you’ve become 9-Star, wouldn’t your constitution have changed?”
“It’s the same. Even with Rejuvenation, one’s alcohol tolerance doesn’t increase.”
It was a despairing story.
He had thought things might change if he became a 9-Star Demon King.
‘No, what kind of curse from the heavens is this? Why is drinking a single glass of alcohol so difficult?!’
He was letting out heavy sighs.
Nordian suddenly asked, “What are you going to do now? With Vessian’s arrogant personality, there’s no way he has truly knelt before us. He’ll be harboring a deep grudge.”
“That’s likely.”
Chris nodded as if in agreement.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not hoping for true loyalty. I just need to make it so I can order them around as I please.”
Yes.
The reason Chris was going to such great lengths to create the Dark Alliance wasn’t because of a desire for conquest.
It was to increase his military power to command during the coming wars.
‘Since it has come to this, the Destruction Demonic House is now in a position where they have to fight under the banner of our Dark Demonic House, whether they like it or not.’
Of course, there was no way they would obey meekly.
It was fine.
There was a way to make them obey.
‘Because the plan to make the Destruction Demonic House submit isn't over yet.’
The real operation hadn’t even begun.
“Soon, the Destruction Demonic House will have no choice but to be on their hands and knees, begging us.”
To be precise, they would be begging ‘Christian’.
The Destruction Demonic House would soon face a great crisis. And only Christian could resolve the catastrophe they were about to face.
“What do you mean? Don’t tell me you're plotting something again?”
Chris just gave a smirk, and Nordian shook his head.
“What will you do about the Demon King of Azure Flow? She won’t just stand by and watch.”
Nordian’s voice grew heavy.
“Even though I have reached the level of entering 9-Star, my power is still lacking compared to the Demon King of Azure Flow’s.”
The Demon King of Azure Flow was a low 9-Star magus. It was known that she had reached the very peak of that low level.
“Please don’t worry. I have a plan for that as well.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, but for now, Grandfather, please focus a little more on your recovery. Your body hasn’t fully healed yet, has it?”
“Understood. I’ll be counting on you.”
Before he left, Nordian opened his mouth as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him.
“Come to think of it, did you say the Demon King of Azure Flow is after the Three Primordial Wells?”
“Yes, but I don’t know why the Demon King of Azure Flow is after the Three Primordial Wells. Do you have any idea why?”
“I don’t know for sure either. However, there is one thing I suspect.”
Nordian said something unexpected.
“…The Demon King of Azure Flow is afraid of something.”
“Afraid, you say?”
Chris looked bewildered.
“Yes. It’s an open secret in the Demon King’s castle that she fears something every night and cannot sleep properly. However, I don’t know what exactly she is afraid of. For some reason, I get the feeling that her aim for the Three Primordial Wells might be related to the fear that torments her.”
It was an unexpected clue.
Chris nodded.
“Yes, I will look into it.”
Chris stepped out of the banquet hall for a moment.
It was because he found it unsightly to watch others happily drinking while he could only sip on ginger ale.
Also, he had things to think about.
‘What could the Demon King of Azure Flow be afraid of?’
Chris had a gut feeling. Just as Nordian said, the identity of her fear was closely related to her goal.
‘I have to find out why the Demon King of Azure Flow is after the Three Primoridal Wells. It could become a crucial clue in figuring out how to defeat her.’
The Demon King of Azure Flow was a formidable enemy.
A low 9-Star at that.
Low-rank was nothing to scoff at.
To put it in perspective, of the Alliance's seven 9-Star superhumans, more than half—four of them—were merely at the level of entering 9-Star. In other words, by Alliance standards, a low 9-Star was a transcendent powerhouse who would rank within the top three.
‘It’s just that the standards of the Magus Empire are exceptionally high.’
For reference, the power of the Magus Empire's Demon Kings was as follows:
The 4th ranked Demon King of Red Heaven was a high 9-Star.
The 5th ranked Demonic Dragon King and the 6th ranked Demon King of Silver Snow were mid 9-Star.
The 7th ranked Demon King of Azure Flow and the 8th ranked Demon King of Lamentation were low 9-Star.
‘The exact power of the 1st to 3rd ranked Demon Kings isn’t even known.’
Chris shook his head.
In any case, although he had a plan, he couldn't let his guard down, given who his opponent was.
‘I have to find another way to break through her defenses.’
If he could find out why the Demon King of Azure Flow desired the Three Primordial Wells, he would be able to exploit her weakness.
As he was lost in thought, Chris flinched.
“……”
He felt something touch his senses.
‘What is it?’
A subtle, yet incomparably chilling sensation.
Gulp. He swallowed unconsciously.
Suddenly, a cold sweat began to run down his back. His body was reacting with instinctive fear.
‘What in the world?’
Chris had a look of incomprehension on his face. There was no visible threat, yet he was overcome with terror.
‘No, it’s not that there isn’t a threat.’
Far away. It felt as if something transcendent was watching him from a distant, unknown place. His soul was feeling an instinctual fear due to the overwhelming difference in their level of power.
‘Who?’
Suddenly, Chris’s vision went dark.
In the blacking-out world, he saw a single eye staring at him, and the moment their gazes met, Chris lost consciousness.
* * *
“!!”
Chris snapped back to his senses.
‘What happened to me?’
He quickly opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings, only to be surprised again.
‘Darkness?’
It was a space of utter, pitch-black darkness.
“The Shadow Dimension?”
It was a place similar to the Shadow Dimension he had once stepped into when he obtained the Sacred Black.
‘No, that’s not it. This endless despair.’
Chris’s eyes trembled at the abyssal, hopeless darkness. It was a horrific darkness, enough to shake even Chris’s mind, which was protected by powerful barriers.
‘What in the world happened?’
Just then, a voice was heard. It was a lighthearted voice that didn't fit the situation at all.
“Ah, sorry, sorry. Was that too sudden? Did I surprise you?”
A figure suddenly popped out of the darkness.
He was a dapper-looking young man in a suit. His black hair and reddish-black eyes looked somehow familiar.
“…Who are you?”
Chris’s face was filled with wariness.
“You don’t have to be so scared. I’m not your enemy. In a way, you could say we’re close, right? Seeing as we're connected by blood.”
“…Connected by blood?”
“Yep. You're my descendant. You see, I'm the founder of the Dark Demonic House.”
The man smiled brightly.