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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 121
Attacks poured in from all four directions, making it impossible to dodge.
However—
"You're unrefined."
Chris extended his sword.
He didn’t clash head-on.
He deflected the first black spear rushing toward him at a slanted angle, brushing past it—and at the same time, something astonishing occurred.
Paat!
The black spear formed from aura lost its solid shape and scattered to the side!
"W-What?!"
Everyone widened their eyes in shock once more.
This happened because Chris had pulled off another insane feat.
‘I interfered with the core of the aura pillar using the dominating nature of my dark demonic energy and dismantled it.’
Ashid had reached Lower 5-Star rank.
It was still a realm where one couldn’t form aura with willpower alone.
To manifest aura, technique was required.
But Ashid had only just reached 5-Star, so his technique was still crude. Needless to say, the will infused in his aura was utterly lacking.
Yet despite that, he had unleashed a chained aura attack in that immature state. That only made each pillar of aura even more fragile—Chris had targeted that weakness.
Of course, even so, it was only possible for Chris to recognize and dismantle the aura’s weak point in that split second.
"!!"
Ashid took a step back.
He instinctively realized it.
That he couldn’t win.
But he couldn’t admit he felt fear, and scowled instead.
“Y-You...! I won’t let you go!”
“Shut it. Now, it’s my turn.”
Chris stepped forward.
And once again, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
Chained Black Spears.
Long dark spears rose around Chris.
It was the secret magic technique Ashid had just used.
“How can you use this secret technique? You haven’t even learned it yet!”
Ashid asked with a disbelieving look.
“You just showed me how.”
“!!”
“If a dimwit like you can do it, why wouldn’t I be able to copy it after seeing it once?”
The black spears flew toward Ashid.
However, there was a difference—a delay, a slight lag in timing.
As if daring him to block them.
‘It shouldn’t end just with this.’
Ashid desperately blocked the black spears.
He blocked four out of five, but the strain on his core made him swallow blood—and in the end, the final black spear slashed his thigh.
Blood surged up.
It hadn’t pierced through, but it wasn’t a light wound either.
Now Ashid wouldn’t be able to move properly.
Exactly as Chris had intended.
‘It’s over now.’
Chris charged toward Ashid.
Ashid quickly formed a hand seal with a panicked expression.
Layers of cursed veils blocked Chris’s path, but it was useless.
Chris’s dark magic was on a level that Ashid couldn’t even dream of reaching.
In terms of spellcraft alone, not even a black magician from the Curse Demonic House could compare to Chris.
Crash!
The dark magic Ashid unleashed was dismantled in an instant.
Ashid hastily followed up with a defensive transformation—Dark Shield.
A shield made of demonic energy blocked the front, but this time Chris cut through it with sheer force.
Gritting his teeth, Ashid launched one final counterattack.
He thrust a black aura spear filled with power through the gap left by Chris slashing through the demonic shield.
Unaware that this was exactly what Chris intended.
Chris’s left hand formed a hand seal.
In a flash—
Flames flickered before Ashid’s eyes.
It was the destructive dark magic, Dark Flash—a dark flame spell that temporarily blinds the vision.
With the spell erupting right before his eyes, the result was obvious.
His blinded sword tip wavered, narrowly missing Chris’s shoulder.
A completely exposed opening.
Ashid panicked and hurled himself backward.
He was trying to escape from Chris’s range somehow, but the injury to his thigh slowed him down, and Chris wasn’t one to miss such a chance.
Chris’s hand moved.
And then—
Slice!
Ashid’s right wrist flew through the air with a fountain of blood.
“!!!”
Everyone in the arena widened their eyes.
At that moment, a desperate shout rang out.
“Stop!! The duel is over!!”
It was the voice of Marquis Langham.
But Chris didn’t stop.
‘No way I’m ending it with just that.’
Even if He cut off his arm, it could be reattached with healing magic.
He had to kill him—or deal a blow so severe even healing magic couldn’t recover him.
The problem was, the duel had been officially declared over.
He had to find a way to end Ashid completely—without making it obvious.
‘Simple enough.’
Chris stared at Ashid’s blood scattering through the air.
He used Hemomancy to perfectly analyze the blood’s properties, then immediately triggered a large-scale resonance phenomenon.
It was a terrifying infiltration technique that destroyed the inside of the opponent’s body by resonating with their blood.
He was copying the method Sherad had used before, but because it utilized the opponent’s actual blood, its power was far more lethal.
Especially since a great amount of blood had been spilled, the resonance effect was maximized. The fact that Chris’s dark demonic energy was of purest quality—at a full ten parts—further amplified the effect.
“!!”
Ashid desperately summoned his demonic energy to resist Chris’s Hemomancy.
Chris delivered the final blow.
He used the domination aspect of his dark demonic energy to interfere with Ashid’s demonic energy.
Normally, even if Chris’s pure dark demonic energy held a dominating nature, it would still be impossible to directly interfere with the opponent’s energy like this. But Ashid’s demonic flow was already unstable from the shock of losing his arm.
Just like throwing a ball into cracked glass, Chris’s dark demonic energy shattered Ashid’s demonic energy completely.
Ashid was rendered totally defenseless—exposed to the full effect of the massive resonance triggered by Chris’s Hemomancy.
The result—
“Gaaah!!!”
He collapsed, vomiting blood.
Dead blood trickled from all seven orifices of his limp face.
The inside of his body had been utterly destroyed.
He would either die soon, or even if he survived by some miracle, he’d be crippled for life, unable even to walk properly.
“……”
A deathly silence fell over the arena.
No one had expected this outcome. Everyone was left speechless.
But soon they regained their senses, and a thunderous cheer erupted.
“Wooooah!!!”
“Glory to Lord Christian!!!”
Chris raised his hand to quiet the cheers and bowed toward Marquis Langham.
“My apologies. I was already deep into casting the Hemomancy technique when Your Excellency declared the match over, and I couldn’t stop in time.”
Marquis Langham fell silent for a moment.
A lie no one would believe.
But what could he do now?
From the start, events that occurred during a duel weren’t to be questioned. It was an unspoken rule among the demons.
“…Move Ashid for treatment. The victor of this duel is Christian.”
“Wooooooaah!!”
The cheers exploded again.
The demons were rejoicing over Christian’s victory as if it were their own.
It was clear evidence that Christian had won the hearts of the demonkin.
Marquis Langham’s face stiffened where no one could see.
Then, from below, Nordion, who had remained silent until now, spoke.
“Marquis, it seems the conclusion is still insufficient.”
“……”
“Why was this duel held in the first place? Was it not a judgment duel to reveal the truth behind the sacrificial offering incident?”
“…That is correct.”
Since Chris won, Ashid’s guilt was acknowledged.
Well, not that it mattered much now, given the state Ashid was in.
Nordion let out a low chuckle.
“Then we can say that young Christian has resolved the sacrificial offering case. Am I wrong?”
“…You are correct.”
“Then it’s only right to grant him a proper reward, no?”
“……”
Marquis Langham fell silent.
An unwelcome development.
But he couldn’t defy Nordion’s will.
“…What kind of reward would be appropriate?”
“Why ask me? I only came to observe.”
“……”
“I trust the Marquis will decide on a fitting reward.”
Marquis Langham remained silent for a long while.
What did he have to gain by choosing a reward?
He had no particular father-son bond with Ashid, but Ashid being completely eliminated from the succession race like this was not favorable to Langham’s future plans.
More precisely, the problem was Christian’s unexpected rise.
Even so, he couldn’t withhold the reward.
This sacrificial offering case had shaken the entire Dark Demonic House, and above all, this was Nordion’s will.
‘…No, there’s no need to see this in a purely negative light. This could work.’
A calculating gleam appeared in Marquis Langham’s eyes.
He had thought of a clever scheme.
To grant a reward—one that would, in fact, be poison to Christian.
“Come to think of it, that child’s armament is pathetic. Not even a single decent magic sword. Tsk.”
Marquis Langham nodded as if he understood.
“I will open the family’s relic vault for him.”
“Hmm, a fine decision.”
“But may I bestow one additional reward?”
Nordion tilted his head.
That was unexpected.
“What reward do you intend to give?”
“Considering the merit he’s achieved, simply opening the family vault seems insufficient. I intend to use the authority granted to me by the Lord of the House to give him the highest reward befitting him merit.”
Nordion furrowed his brow.
An uncharacteristic statement from the snake-like Marquis Langham.
It felt off.
But since it was about granting a reward, there was no real reason to object.
“As you wish. This old man has already entrusted you with full authority, so there’s no need to ask for permission for each matter.”
“Thank you.”
Marquis Langham looked toward Christian.
“Christian, I shall grant you a reward for resolving the sacrificial offering case. Come forward.”
“……??”
Everyone wore puzzled expressions.
No one could guess what kind of reward was about to be given.
Except for a few.
Some of the elder council members of the family realized the nature of the reward Marquis Langham intended to bestow—and their faces turned pale with shock.
‘It couldn’t be…?’
‘But that’s…! It’s far too soon for Lord Christian!’
Eventually—
Christian stood before Marquis Langham.
“Kneel.”
Only then—
Did the other demons realize what reward Marquis Langham was about to give, and their eyes widened in shock.
Marquis Langham drew the sword at his waist.
It was the Dark Sword, the greatest treasure of the Dark Demonic House, symbolizing the authority of the head of the family.
The blade, as if it could swallow even the sun itself, cloaked in pitch-black darkness, rested upon Christian’s shoulder.
“I, Langham de Barren, acting with the authority of the family head, hereby bestow upon you, Christian von Barren Khazar, the title of Honorary Baron.”
“!!”
A wave of astonishment swept through the hall.
Some might wonder what was so great about the mere rank of baron—especially an honorary title without any fief.
But that was not the case here.
For the successors, the granting of a noble title carried tremendous weight.
Titles were not handed out to just any young lord or lady.
Only those who had performed great deeds and had their abilities recognized were granted titles.
No—more accurately put—
Only those effectively chosen as the next Grand Duke were granted titles.
In other words, Christian had, at this moment, been officially acknowledged as a candidate for the Grand Duke’s heir!
But this was no cause for joy.
This reward was a poisoned chalice—one that was deadly.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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