Chapter 386

[!!]

It was the ability of the Throne.

Within his domain, he could partially imitate the authority unfolded by his opponent.

'The activation condition for the authority of Gluttony is to bind the opponent.'

He deliberately induced carelessness, then created an opening through Evan and Ranya to bind him with the Reigning Throne.

Especially since the bastard had practiced Gluttony his entire life, he himself was vulnerable to it.

'Of course, it's difficult to perfectly replicate a high-level authority like Gluttony.'

But a vague imitation was enough.

He could just modify it in his own way.

'Because I have to get stronger as fast as possible.'

From this day forward, he would begin to seriously confront transcendent powerhouses. He planned to use Sherad as a sacrifice to become one step stronger.

[You bastard...!]

[It's useless. Stay still.]

As Sherad tried to break free, he unfolded the Reigning Throne once more.

Evan and Ranya also joined in to tie the fiend down.

Finally, Chris unleashed Gluttony.

Swaaaaaaaaaa.

Sherad's soul and the energy he held began to flow into Chris.

However, he soon hit a snag.

With an imperfect Gluttony, it was impossible to absorb everything from a fiend who had already become a demon.

[Kekek, even for you, that was a reckless ambition.]

[Not really.]

Chris said in a relaxed tone.

[My goal was never to absorb your energy in the first place.]

Absorbing a demon's energy would only cause problems.

[You will be used as material to temper me.]

Chris unleashed his power again.

[Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!!]

Sherad let out a desperate scream.

It was not a proper Gluttony.

As if he had no intention of absorbing anything, he shattered Sherad's spirit and flesh into pieces, grinding them into dust.

As Chris absorbed those fragments internally, a terrible backlash occurred.

'I must use these fragments to temper my vessel.'

There are two ways to strengthen one's vessel.

One is to train conventionally and expand its size.

The other is to forcibly give it trials to strengthen it.

'The fragments of a demonized soul are more than enough of a trial to strengthen my vessel.'

Here, the vessel does not simply mean the core.

It refers to everything of the spirit and flesh.

Since Sherad was a being who had become a demon as a human, he possessed the properties of both matter and spirit, so he could be used as a tool to simultaneously strengthen both spirit and flesh.

[K-keuk. Do you think I will fall like this?]

Sherad, his face flushed red, struggled to break free from Chris's scheme.

Crack.

A crack formed in the Reigning Throne that was binding Sherad.

However.

[Stay quiet, you pervert.]

Slice.

Evan's sword sent Sherad's head flying.

Ranya also stepped forward.

She manifested several high-level spells at Sherad, who was still alive even with his head cut off.

All were types of magic that neutralized the opponent, and Sherad was rendered completely unable to resist.

[N-no.]

Did he finally feel fear?

Sherad's voice was filled with terror.

[You will pay the price, just as you have sinned until now.]

Kwad득득득득득.

Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!

With a monstrous scream as if he were being ground to pieces, Sherad was completely turned into fragments.

Chris accepted those fragments into himself through the authority of Gluttony.

'Originally, I'm supposed to absorb them.'

But Chris operated the authority in a completely different way.

He drenched his spirit and flesh in those fragments.

His soul, body, and core screamed in rejection.

A terrible pain surged, but he did not stop.

The fragmented soul of a demon is, in itself, like a soul's ordeal by fire.

Like tempering steel in hot flames.

He tempered his spirit and flesh.

Of course, it was a crazy act.

No one in history would have ever tempered their vessel in such a way.

But it was possible.

'I just have to apply the authority of Gluttony.'

The authority of Gluttony is the power to absorb everything from an opponent.

Therefore, if used well, he could precisely control the degree of the backlash.

Just enough to be helpful for tempering.

An act possible only for Chris.

'Little by little, I have to increase the degree of the backlash.'

In a moment that felt like an eternity, Chris's spirit and flesh were repeatedly wounded and overcame it.

Each time, his spirit and flesh grew stronger, and Chris strengthened the backlash to match.

And finally, the last moment.

'It's over.'

Chris's eyes flashed open.

An intense darkness erupted from his spirit and flesh.

Hwaaaaaaaaaaaat!!

Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!

The energy of darkness burned the demon's fragments, and with a terrible scream, the demon's fragments disappeared without a trace.

He had been completely annihilated.

[Christian, you.]

Evan and Ranya swallowed hard as they looked at Chris.

[Yes.]

Chris nodded.

[I succeeded.]

He had finally reached low 9-Star!!

Not a Lesser Demon King, but a perfect Demon King.

It was a historic moment, but there was no time to rejoice.

[We have to close the gate.]

Although they had dealt with Sherad, it was not over.

They had to deal with the gate that fiend had been opening.

[I will go down from here alone.]

Evan and Ranya kept their mouths shut.

They did not seem to want to send Chris alone, but it was impossible for Evan and Ranya, who were still 8-Stars, to go any further down.

[Instead, take my energy.]

Evan took Chris's hand.

He was trying to transfer his remaining energy.

Ranya also sighed and took his other hand.

[I will give you mine, too. The mana of this genius mage is top-grade! It will be a great help.]

Evan looked at Chris.

[You must return safely.]

Chris let out a smirk.

[Who are you worried about?]

[I know you do all sorts of reckless things without taking care of yourself for the sake of the world. This time, too, you're probably thinking of stopping the world's crisis even if it means throwing away your life. You must come back alive.]

[That's right. That habit of yours of shouldering everything by yourself is really annoying.]

[...It's not like that. What kind of misunderstanding is this.... Anyway, I understand.]

Chris, with a look of disgust, shot downwards.

[I'll be back soon, so have some drinks ready.]

He had suffered so much this time that he had to have a drink, no matter how weak he was to alcohol.

...Though he would probably pass out after just one glass.

'Let's hurry.'

45 meters, 50 meters.

As he descended, the pressure crushed his spirit and flesh.

After 55 meters, the pressure became so strong that it was difficult for even Chris's current vessel to withstand.

'I have to endure it. It shouldn't be far from here.'

Finally, 60 meters.

Amidst a pressure that made it difficult to lift a single finger and even breathe, he found his target.

'A magic circle. It's the trace of that bastard Sherad opening the gate!'

This was not the bottom of the lake.

An even deeper abyss stretched below.

However, it seemed Sherad had tried to open the gate from here.

No matter how much of an apostle-class Sherad was, it was impossible for him to go down any further than this.

'I have to dismantle this magic circle. Is it possible?'

Chris swallowed hard.

'This isn't a magic circle Sherad created. Sherad only assisted in its activation; the demons and constellations must have created it themselves.'

It was a magic circle so sturdy that even Chris, who had reached low 9-Star, felt daunted.

At that moment, an eerie fear shot down his spine.

When he looked down, a single eye was staring at him from the deep, deep abyss of the lake, whose end could not be seen.

'Crazy.'

Chris's fingertips trembled.

'It's a Great One.'

It looked to be a Great Demon of the 4th circle.

If he did not dismantle the magic circle, beings like that would descend upon the surface.

'I have to do it, no matter what.'

Chris grit his teeth.

Fwooooooosh!!

He had already used the Vampiric Ring beyond its limit, so he could no longer use it.

He poured all his remaining power into Andrill.

The power of his ultimate skill, the Demonic Radiance, was endlessly amplified within the domain of the Reigning Throne.

'Any more than this is too much.'

He was overloaded.

But he did not stop.

This much was not enough to destroy the magic circle.

Drip. Blood trickled from his mouth.

His mind grew hazy from the forced manifestation of power.

-Don't you always try to save the world, even if it means throwing away your life?

Evan's words flashed past his mind, but this time, it could not be helped.

'The reason I'm doing this is all for the wealth and glory I'll enjoy later!'

And finally.

After manifesting a power that went beyond all that was possible, beyond his limits.

A miracle occurred.

Crack, crackle, crack.

He had succeeded in destroying the magic circle!

But there was a problem.

'...I have no energy left to move.'

Chris blinked.

He could not lift a single fingertip.

'Damn it.'

The pressure began to close in.

At this rate, he would meet his death without being able to do a thing.

'No! My wealth and glory!!'

As he screamed, a single figure miraculously appeared in his vision.

It was Evan!

Ranya was there, too.

'...How are they here? Am I seeing things?'

It was not.

Both of them had complexions like corpses. As if they would collapse at any moment.

Thinking of Chris, they had followed him, prepared for death.

Evan let out a deep sigh and looked at Chris as if he were a troublemaker who had caused an accident.

Ranya's gaze was similar.

[No, I...]

[That's enough. It's not like we didn't know you'd be like this.]

[That's right. You're a real handful.]

Evan held onto Chris.

[Let's go back.]

He tried to argue, but he had no energy.

His consciousness gradually faded.

***

How long had he been unconscious?

Chris had a long, long dream.

It was a dream of the world ending.

He had often dreamed of the end of the world since the beginning of this life.

Because the Ragnarok he had experienced in his previous life was strongly etched in his mind.

The sight of everything in the world perishing with the darkness was vivid in his eyes.

However, this dream was different.

After the destruction, a light descended.

[The end is not the end.]

[The new world will be decided by your choice.]

"!!"

With that voice echoing clearly in his soul, Chris's eyes shot open.

'How much time has passed?'

He turned his gaze and saw a simple room. It was Ruina's royal castle.

"You're awake?!"

It was Ruina.

"Sob. My heart sank, thinking the Grand Prince was going to die!"

...At her usual fuss, Chris frowned.

"Stop with the empty words you don't even mean."

"Empty words! My feelings for the Grand Prince are always sincere! No, you're a Demon King now. Long live Demon King Christian, long live, long live!!"

"...I'm getting angry."

"Yes, sir."

Ruina shut her mouth.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"A week."

"...A week?"

It was much longer than he had thought.

"Anyway, bring me some alcohol. I've worked hard, so I'm going to have some fun this time."

He was worried he would pass out for a few more days if he drank, but he really wanted a drink this time.

"Well... it's not exactly a situation for drinking...."

"Why? Is something wrong? Where's Evan?"

"He went to fight the demons."

"...Demons?"

Chris tilted his head.

"What demons?"

He had closed the gate, so what did she mean by demons?

"Is there still a problem at the Glass Lake?"

"No, the Glass Lake has calmed down again."

"Then?"

Someone else answered.

It was Ranya.

"A problem has occurred elsewhere."

"!!"

Chris flinched.

"What do you mean?"

"Encroachment phenomena have occurred in a total of seven locations across the continent."