Chapter 372

“…She is quite amazing.”

Idrinne exclaimed in admiration from the side.

Idrinne, too, was a genius. It seemed she was gaining great help just by observing.

It would surely become great nourishment for her future growth.

“…Of course, that’s not to say I trust her.”

Her cold gaze toward the Demon King of Silver Snow remained unchanged.

Strangely, Idrinne had been hostile from the moment the Demon King of Silver Snow first appeared.

In any case, it wasn’t an important matter, so he paid it no mind and focused on the Demon King of Silver Snow’s sword.

‘This time, it’s the Devil Storm Sword.’

Just like its childish name, it was a flashy but insubstantial sword, but when unfolded in the hands of the Demon King of Silver Snow, it became a completely different sword.

It was as if a storm, like the advent of a true devil, was raging.

Idrinne, watching the scene beside him, was inspired by the Demon King of Silver Snow’s ultimate sword form (劍形) and sword will (劍意).

Chris was somewhat different.

He, too, gained help by glimpsing the sword will contained in the Demon King of Silver Snow’s sword, but that was not his main focus.

‘I have to grasp the trajectory of life contained in that sword.’

A sword contains the life of the one who wields it.

The way the boastful, third-rate sword art was reborn into such a sublime sword symbolically showed the sword path (劍路) the Demon King of Silver Snow had walked until now.

Within that gap, Chris had to obtain a clue to her authority, the King of Combat (鬪王).

‘The Demon King of Silver Snow said she simply got stronger by fighting, but no. The King of Combat is in the realm of an authority.’

The Demon King of Silver Snow was not the only battle-hardened veteran who had fought their entire life. There were many.

But no one had become as strong as the Demon King of Silver Snow.

‘It’s true that you can get stronger through actual combat, but there’s a limit to that alone.’

If you were to ask if the Demon King of Silver Snow’s talent was exceptional, that wasn’t it either.

Of course, she naturally had outstanding talent, but it was not as exceptional as Evan or Idrinne.

And yet, the Demon King of Silver Snow reached a supreme state.

It was thanks to the King of Combat.

‘I have to see it as something that evolved into an authority thanks to her struggle to survive.’

If you don’t get stronger, you die.

The result of her desperate struggle to survive somehow in the face of death’s threshold was the birth of the authority of the King of Combat.

‘Since it’s of that kind, it’s also true that it can’t be learned artificially, but.’

But he had to obtain it, no matter what.

It wasn’t simply to defeat Drenne.

‘In truth, I don’t necessarily need to use this method to bring down Drenne.’

He knew it was unreasonable in the first place, so there was no need to participate in the one-on-one duel for the position of Vice-Lord.

As Idrinne had said, it might have been better to come up with a scheme and create an advantageous board to eliminate her.

And yet, Chris insisted on this duel where he had to risk his life.

It was because he had a purpose.

‘I have to reach the 9-Star realm with this duel.’

A story that would make one doubt their ears.

To set foot into 9-Star already?

During a duel, at that?

‘Even for me, it’s impossible to set foot into 9-Star already.’

For even Chris to rise to 9-Star would take at least a year.

This, too, was an absurd speed, but it couldn’t be that way.

‘The moment the Four Kings' Castle falls, the movements of the Mystic Demonic House will also begin. To stand against them, I must reach at least the 9-Star realm.’

There was only one way.

The plan was to obtain the authority of the King of Combat and use the duel with Drenne as an opportunity to reach the 9-Star realm.

He knew.

That it was a reckless thought.

First of all, it was questionable whether he could even obtain the authority of the King of Combat.

Because, unlike other authorities, the King of Combat was born as a result of the Demon King of Silver Snow’s desperate struggle.

To artificially follow and learn it might be a nonsensical story.

‘Even if I miraculously learn the King of Combat, I have to survive the duel with Drenne.’

It was something only possible by continuously succeeding in a gamble with a slim probability.

Still.

‘I can do it. No, I will definitely do it.’

Chris’s gaze sank.

The sword the Demon King of Silver Snow unfolded, its sword will, its trajectory, its sword path, the life she had built up, were steadily piled up in his mind’s eye.

Time passed.

***

The day of the duel approached.

There was still some time left, but a chilly aura had already settled over the dueling ground.

The majority of those gathered in advance were the demonic beings of the Necromancy Demonic House.

Since the Curse Demonic House was in a state of near-annihilation.

“Today will finally be the end of that arrogant bastard.”

“Yes, I want to see the sight of the Vice-Head turning him into a living undead soon.”

Everyone spoke with a menacing air.

No one doubted Drenne’s victory.

It was only natural.

“No matter how great he is, it’s useless. Since the Vice-Head has obtained an achievement.”

“To think the Vice-Head would set foot into the state of a Lesser Demon King.”

“Didn’t they say she hasn’t become a 9-Star realm yet?”

“Still, now that she’s set foot in it, it’s all over. There’s no hope for him.”

The thing Chris’s party had been worried about had happened.

Although she hadn’t completely become a Lesser Demon King, Chris had no chance of victory.

“They say the Lord of the Castle will also soon ascend to the state of a complete Demon King. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Once the Lord of the Castle comes out of seclusion, it will be time to wipe out the Dark Alliance bastards again.”

The Lord of the Four Kings' Castle had yet to finish his achievement, so he had not shown himself.

Although they had suffered great damage recently, if even the Lord of the Four Kings' Castle were to be reborn as a Demon King, the Four Kings' Castle would come to wield a power that surpassed its former prosperity.

“Is he not here yet?”

The arena grew quiet.

Drenne had appeared in the dueling ground.

Everyone swallowed their saliva with a gulp.

As if to prove the rumors that she had obtained an achievement, her presence was completely different from before.

It was as if a storm on the verge of bursting was coiling.

“He is late.”

At Drenne’s murmur, the demonic beings began to stir.

The time had come, yet Christian showed no sign of appearing.

“How dare he commit such a discourtesy!!”

“We must drag him here at once!!”

“That’s enough.”

Drenne raised her hand.

“Whether he is late or early, the fate of his death will not change. Let us wait.”

A calm voice, without a hint of wavering.

The Drenne of the past would have been more than just provoked, but as her state deepened, her mind, too, had become more disciplined.

‘This is not good.’

Idrinne, who had secretly come to the dueling ground in advance in case the Necromancy Demonic House tried to pull any tricks, hardened her expression.

Drenne’s achievement was far beyond her expectations.

Even worse,

‘Christian did not obtain his achievement.’

Unexpected news.

It wasn’t that he had wasted the week.

He had gained much help by glimpsing the Demon King of Silver Snow’s achievement.

But he had failed to obtain the authority of the King of Combat, which he had most importantly sought to acquire.

‘No, to be precise, it’s not a failure.’

In the midst of learning the authority of the King of Combat, Christian had said something crazy.

-This authority, it seems to be constitutionally incompatible with me.

-…What?

-In the first place, I have never felt the crisis of death. It is too much of a hungry method, so I am not very fond of it.

Then, he had spouted this.

-I have gained the inspiration, so I will try to improve it.

The problem was that this was a story from just two days ago.

Until Idrinne had departed for this place, Chris had not obtained what he wanted.

‘What if Christian loses the duel?’

Idrinne’s gaze grew cold.

‘I will ambush Drenne and take her head.’

A sacred duel?

For the sake of her most precious friend, she couldn’t care less about such a thing. Even if she were to die as a consequence.

Just then, the outskirts grew noisy.

“It’s the Demonic Radiance bastard!!”

Christian was revealing himself.

At the face that showed not a single trace of fear, Idrinne let out a sigh of relief and sent a message magic.

-It seems you were successful in your achievement, thankfully!

-No, I wasn’t. I haven’t succeeded yet.

-…What did you just say?

-It seems time was a bit short.

Idrinne’s jaw dropped.

But what was with that composure?

An even more absurd story came back.

-It’s fine. I just have to apply it appropriately.

Christian gave a wide grin and looked at Drenne, who was standing on the dueling ground.

-Since there’s a perfect sacrifice right here.

It was time to use Drenne to rise to the 9-Star realm.

***

At last, the two stood facing each other.

“You’ve grown stronger in the meantime. It hasn’t even been a week.”

Drenne uttered a sound of admiration as she looked at Christian.

However, it was not a face of vigilance.

The leisure of the strong looking down on the weak could be felt.

“What, compared to you? How does it feel to have set foot into 9-Star?”

“I have not yet fully set foot in it. I have only faintly touched it.”

Drenne drew her corrupted holy sword.

An aura more turbid than evil energy shimmered.

“Still, it seems it will be more than enough to cut you down.”

Flash!

Drenne swung her sword.

It seemed to be a light swing, but a chilly eeriness descended.

‘The authority of death!’

It was an attack that transcended law and forcibly brought down death.

It was a similar authority to the domain skill the Death Knight Lord had used before, the ‘Veil of Life and Death,’ but there was a difference.

The Death Knight Lord could only use the authority of death after unfolding his domain of dominion and using all his strength, but Drenne had manifested it with just a light swing of her sword.

‘The caliber of the authority is also much higher.’

Usually, for this type of death authority, the effect only appeared when the attack hit, but Drenne’s authority had no such limitation.

Even if one blocked or dodged the sword, they would be exposed to death.

‘What a cheat.’

Chris clicked his tongue and unfolded his domain of dominion.

Under the protection of the domain that ruled over the entire world, he was barely able to block the shadow of death.

But Drenne’s attack was just the beginning.

Paat!

Drenne’s form disappeared, then reappeared in front of Chris.

“They say you defeated the Ghost Sword King with the sword. Try taking my sword as well.”

Drenne was a necromantic knight who mainly used the sword, which was a non-mainstream weapon in the Necromancy Demonic House.

As such, her skill in handling the sword had also reached the state of a great master (大家).

‘No, at this rate, she might not be inferior to the Ghost Sword King. Is it because of the achievement she obtained this time?’

An insidious sword whose true form was difficult to grasp, as if a vengeful spirit had become a sword and was attacking, stormed in from all directions.

Furthermore, each and every one of them contained the authority of death.

Chris unfolded his domain of dominion and barely managed to drive back the shadow of death as he faced the sword.

Drenne had not even brought out her domain of dominion yet, yet he was being pushed back.

‘She’s not letting her guard down either.’

The reason Drenne did not unfold her domain of dominion was not because she was looking down on him.

On the contrary.

She was wary of Christian and was trying not to rashly manifest an unreasonable power.

To surely cut off his breath.

As an enemy, she was the worst kind of opponent.

What was even worse was that Drenne’s specialty was not just swordsmanship.

Drenne was also skilled in both necromancy magic and necromancy arts.

Killing Field.

Requiem.

Scythe of the Vengeful Spirit.

In a single breath, three necromancy spells were cast.

All were miracle-class spells; the ground around where Chris was standing turned into a land of death, and a terrible, cursed requiem could be heard.

In the moment his mind was dizzily shaken, a figure shedding tears of blood floated in the air and swung a large scythe.

Fwoooong!

It was an absolute spell that would bring death the moment it touched.

At the same time, Drenne’s sword, too, showed a splendid dance.