160 Chapter 160: A Heaven of Hell

"Such lovely eyes! The way they tremble in fear…" he let out an eerie chuckle. "I truly wish to gauge them out."

He spoke in a carefree manner as if his words were mere jokes. A casual everyday conversation about the weather. However, what Usui brought was not laughter but fear, descending upon the crown and his generals as their faces blanched. Julian subconsciously took a step back. 

Usui laughed at his puny action. Suddenly, he flashed to Julian's side and patted his shoulder. "Now, now. My King, don't be scared. This humble subject was clearly just joking."

His heart leaped to his throat when Julian felt the cold touch. He slapped Usui's hand away and eluded his presence immediately. Usui narrowed his eyes.

"Is that so? That's quite a joke you have there, youngster." Julian knew it wasn't just a witty remark. At the very least, the playful tone was infused with the devil's true desire for blood.

Usui let out a mirthless laugh, making the hairs on Julian's arm stood up. And then in the next moment, everything happened so suddenly. Usui had disappeared from his position and at the same time, General Kim had crashed against a pile of boulders. 

General Kim slid down to the ground and coughed out a mouthful of blood. The blow had delivered an impact to his internal organs. Additionally, his shoulder had been slashed by a piece of cobble and the deep gash was bleeding profusely. Holding his arm, he shot a piercing glare at Usui.

He gritted his teeth. 'Damn it! The boy is too fast.'

However, General Alarick immediately launched a counterattack. In a flash, he appeared behind Usui. His eyes carried a sharp glint as he raised his sword to cut down the demon. For a moment, it felt like his advance was going well. But, Julian's eyes widened when he caught the slow curl on Usui's lips.

BOOM!

A loud explosion ensued as two forces clashed against each other. A blast of dust kicked up from the ground engulfing the scene. Everyone was shocked at the chaos unfolding before them. They didn't expect such a massive power to erupt all of the sudden and throw them a few steps back.

Slowly, the covering smoke died down, unveiling the two people who were still holding their stance. But, there was now a dark menacing aura swirling around Usui and squeezed between his two fingers was General Alarick's sword. The boy had simply stopped the momentum of the attack with a slight pinch of his fingers.

"Hehehe…." Usui cackled in amusement. He could smell the strong metallic scent of blood that aroused his bloodthirstiness into excitement from where he was. Nevertheless, the measly ant remained impassive.

Usui couldn't help but clap his hands in mockery. "Such a strong endurance, General Alarick."

His jeering tone bruised the general's pride and out of anger, Alarick once again shot towards Usui. He was planning to snatch the sword first and used the force of his lightning speed to drive Usui back. Alarick was very close from getting his sword when suddenly, the demon robbed him out of his hope.

Usui pulled his hand back, avoiding Alarick's advance and single-handedly grabbed him by the neck. His eyes widened upon feeling Usui's strong grip. A smile blossomed on the demon's lips.

"My...impatient, are we?" He tightened his hold on Alarick's nape.

This sight alarmed everyone and Julian was so agitated that he was about to make a move but, the black aura suddenly shot at the king and bound his feet to a stop.

"Please be on your best behavior, Your Majesty," Usui scoffed. "It's not yet your turn."

"Brother, wake up! Don't do it! This isn't you!" Zelal exclaimed through his gritted teeth.

Usui stared impassively at Zelal. He let out a disappointed sigh. "Why can't you see it, Brother? I've never been more awake than I am right now."

"Ugh…" Alarick groaned as he struggled to get away. He tried to push Usui's hand but the boy didn't even flinch. It was as though his hand was made of steel.

Usui turned his attention back to the general. He raised the sword in his right hand and said, "They say a sword chooses its master. That's why it is half of a knight's soul. Do you believe that phrase as well?"

Alarick glared at Usui without being able to respond. He was running out of air. Usui laughed boisterously with his head thrown back. Then, when he looked back once again, Alarick was stumped by Usui's glowing red eyes. 

"It sounds like a load of bullshit to me," he said apathetically and at the same time, he crushed the sword to pieces with his bare hand.

Ba-thump!

Alarick's heart came to a stop. His entire being froze and his relentless struggle ceased. It wasn't the sword. When Usui shattered it as if it was nothing, it was as though he was stomping on Alarick's dignity as a knight, his vow, and his status as general of his squad.

The corner of Usui's lips curled maliciously. His voice whispered in utter damnation. "How does it feel, General?"

Alarick's face blanched and his lips trembled. For a few seconds, his mind drew a blank. Usui giggled merrily as he brought the man to his eye level.

"Does it feel like half of your soul has been crushed?"

"A-Alarick…" General Kim tried to speak but what came out was another mouthful of blood and his voice was just a lifeless whisper, like a dry brittle twig in winter.

He wanted to make his colleague snap out of it. He knew what the demon was doing. Usui was tempting them, enticing their soul to combust in a fraire of anger and the moment they succumbed to the madness, it would be easy to lead their soul astray. What a fun game he would have then!

Truly a sad fate to realize that it was all in vain. There was nothing they could do but watch how the demon enslaved every single one of them!

And Alarick was the first to fall. He grabbed Usui's wrist as he tried to twist it to no avail. He thrashed and growled frantically. All he saw was red.

"You fucking bastard!" He shouted with all his might. "I will kill you! I will make sure to send you back to Hell!! I will watch you burn and rot 'till not a speck of your soul is left!!"

Towards the general threat, Usui burst out laughing. Black tears streamed down his cheeks. His jovial laughter led on for a while and the second it stopped, his lips stretched widely in a wicked manner.

"Don't you know?" His voice reverberated in two voices. "I'm already burning."

In that instance, the black aura floating around him erupted into a raging black fire enveloping Usui's body. Then, a dark grisly spirit emerged, looming over Usui's figure. The shape of the darkness was enormous and boundless in its cry of death. With long pointy hands, the demon hovered above them, staring down with its glowing red eyes.

A lightning streak thundered across the eldritch sky as the clouds slowly corroded into the shade of crimson red. Then, a haunting cry of death echoed across the horizon. Thousands of lost souls emerged from behind the clouds. Their hands reached out towards the ground as if they were trying to crawl out of the burning flame. That was when the demon smiled.

"Do you see it now?" He sniggered. "We're already in Hell. I generously bring them to you."

It wasn't just Alarick but everyone was struck dumb by the disturbing sight. Their eyes widened in terror. It was indeed a small peek of Hell.

"Y-Your M-Majesty," Alarick turned to Julian who stood rooted to the ground. "R-Run…"

The king looked at Julian whose face had long lost its color. The general let out a bitter smile. He knew by this point, they were all doomed. All he hoped now was for the king whom he had pledged to protect would somehow manage to escape.

"RUN!!!" Alarick screamed with everything he got.

"What a noisy insect."

In that instance, a dozen of black stalagmites rose from the ground stabbing through Alarick's body from all directions. Blood spurted out like a small waterfall from every part of his body. It was but a brief annihilation and one of the strongest generals submitted to death.