Chapter 184 The Hegemon (1)

I, Sirius Moonreaver, have only been afraid three times in my life.

The first was the day I earned the title of Sirius. The Stardevourer and Sirius were synonymous with the cream of the crop. The best the Moonreaver House could offer. The day I accepted that title, I felt an innate fear of losing everything I'd earned and living up to what was expected of me.

The second was the day I became the Lord of the Moonreaver House. Not many could become a clan Lord at such a young age, and I felt utterly alone. There weren't many in the Moonreaver House that I could trust, and I feared being isolated.

And finally, the third time… was right at this moment.

This fear I had… It wasn't the fear of disappointment or the fear of ending up alone…

No, this was a far more primal fear.

My soul was quaking, and my knees failed to hold my body up. Falling down, I felt an endless void appear in the pits of my heart while my bodily functions were failing one by one. My chest was constrained, and my mind could barely string a coherent thought together. But the most shocking part of it all was…

The Stardevourer was panic-stricken too.

Vibrating wildly like an autumn leaf on a windy day, the Stardevourer was desperately trying to leave my grasp and escape through the dimensions.

The apex weapon of the Moonreaver House, crafted with the blood and souls of all the past Sirius' before it. A weapon that never once felt fear, even when facing monsters like Dracula Bloodborne, the first Vampire or the Demon Lords of the other realm. The reaping glaive was forged to protect the Moonreaver House, even if it meant self-destructing itself.

Even when I pointed the Stardevourer at the mysterious Demon that could spread Death with every swing of its scythe, it stood firm.

But the moment that massive clock appeared above Jin Valter's head… The Stardevourer reacted like it was a baby in front of a tiger.

This… hadn't this happened before?

The first time I fought Jin Valter… The moment I pierced the Stardevourer through his chest in an effort to defeat him… Fear overwhelmed us. There was 'something' special about the boy, and it wasn't his bloodline. Neither was it his power as the Progenitor. There was always 'something' hiding within Jin Valter, 'something' that the Stardevourer was deathly afraid of.

And now, that 'something' was finally baring its fangs.

My soul and body were crushed as I fell completely to my knees. I didn't dare to look up, fearing the further repercussions that may follow. But somehow, my gut was screaming at me to take a peek. It was as if… If I didn't look now, I would regret this moment forever.

Therefore, I stared directly at the Sun against my primal instincts to run and look away.

Blood trickled out from my eye sockets, and my brain was turning heavier by the second. The Stardevourer had already run away, abandoning the Moonreaver House and me as it feared that 'something' of Jin Valter's. Groaning in agony and pain, I resisted the immense pressure I was under and finally raised my head.

And there I saw…

❖❖❖

What's this?

As the Matriarch of the Everwinter House, I'd thought I'd seen everything.

I've seen the rise and fall of nations. The birth of the Vampire race. Fought wars with the Holy Church and lived through the crusades. I was there when the Outer Demons first invaded, and the world put aside their differences to sign a peace treaty. I've killed millions and witnessed the birth of billions. I've lived a thousand lifetimes, and yet…

I'd never felt this emotion before.

Complete terror.

When Jin, the strongest Vampire and Progenitor I'd ever seen, was losing to that mysterious Outer Demon, I thought I'd lost my mind. When I saw the destructive black mist of the Outer Demon that could end all of life and creation, I thought I was hallucinating. And finally, when I saw Jin fall to the Outer Demon, I thought all hope was lost.

But then…

Jin cast a strange spell.

It possessed far more magical energy than I had ever witnessed. It felt like the world's laws were rewritten, and everything was going out of hand. The magic that Jin had cast… wasn't normal. It had surpassed the realms of man and had entered the domain of the Gods.

My entire existence was screaming at me to run away. My soul was overwhelmed as I felt compelled to bend the knee. I was dominated by the overwhelming presence, and my body was shaking like a terrified puppy.

I'd never felt this feeling before… Even Dracula couldn't make me feel this way, feel this… afraid.

It took everything I had to just look straight at Jin, the man who descended. Pure magic power shrouded the man in gold and red while an aura far stronger than the Blood Moon was emitted from his body.

That was it.

I couldn't stare at the man for a second longer. My eyes were burning hot as blood was forced out of my sockets. Falling to my knees, I covered my face in the grass like an ostrich trying to escape its predator. My instincts were screaming out at me… The only way I could survive was to look away and pray that the man didn't notice me.

For if he so chose… He could end me with a thought.

Was it accurate to call that power magic?

It felt like a higher power. A higher existence. It was as if I was witnessing the descent of God himself. Even without looking straight at the man, I felt like I was looking into an abyss larger than all the combined Black Holes in the universe.

The power right before me couldn't be measured by human standards.

It couldn't even be measured by astronomical standards.

There was only one word to describe the man and the power he wielded…

Godly.

❖❖❖

What happened?

I was supposed to kill Jin Valter with ease. My power was specially designed to counter the menace, the monster that plagued Uriel's dreams. And to prove that fact, I'd easily defeated him and inflicted a fatal wound.

He would die within the hour if I didn't attack him anymore.

So what was this power?

What was this emotion that was rooting me to the ground?

Why am I… shaking?

I didn't know what I felt but I knew I couldn't let this continue. If I allowed that monster to finish his spell, my life might be in danger. With every ounce of strength I had, I charged right at the man and the falling magical clock. However, with each step I took, it felt like the weight of the universe was up against me.

My body was breaking from within, and pain of the likes I'd never experienced overwhelmed my senses. If I had a mortal body, my eyes would be bleeding, and my bones would have been crushed. Fortunately, due to the unique state of my physical form, I could somehow resist this mysterious power.

One step…

Two steps…

Three steps…

Bit by bit, I edged closer to the monster with my scythe. I wanted to end him now, end him immediately before he could do any more harm to me. And eventually, I reached him.

I was standing right in front of the monster. With one final swing, I could end it all now. The nightmares of Uriel, the sacrifices of our species, the revenge of Baishe, Cthulhu and Eyghon… They could all be ended with one final swing.

But…

I was powerless to do so.

The spell was completed, and the clock slammed into that monster's soul.

In mere milliseconds, his body transformed. His black hair started to grow, and his features became more defined. A pure energy radiated with red and gold emerged from his body, causing a dread I'd never experienced before.

This is…

Fear?

I'm feeling fear?

Thanatos, the God of Death and the trump card of the Demon Race… I'm feeling fear? Even the Demon Sovereign had never made me feel this way before. My soul was aching, and my entire existence was screaming at me to run away. Looking at the radiant aura, I felt like a firefly against the Sun, a rock in front of a planet, a water droplet amongst the entire ocean.

That power… It is not something that mere mortals could comprehend.

It's not something any living creature can understand, just like how three-dimensional beings couldn't perceive four-dimensional ones. And when he finally opened his golden-red eyes…

Ah… I see…

Uriel, so that's why you wanted me to kill him immediately.

❖❖❖

Brother changed.

The moment he completed that spell and the clock slammed down upon his soul, I felt the world change. The atmosphere changed, the planet changed, and most importantly… Brother changed.

Before Brother had cast the spell, he warned us to run. I didn't know why he said that, but my legs naturally fulfilled Brother's request. However, I couldn't run two steps before my body stopped moving.

Captivated by the warm, golden-red light, my body naturally gravitated towards Brother. That power that he was creating… It felt so familiar.

It felt like I was drowning in his essence. I was embraced by his love. Intoxicated by his feelings.

The other three girls were in the same state. Our souls were being refreshed, and we'd completely forgotten Brother's warning. We were drawn to him like moths to a lamp, and we couldn't keep our eyes away.

Brother's hair started to grow. It was handsome and short before, which I wholeheartedly loved, but this new hairstyle grew on me. It was as if he was an ancient Emperor reincarnated. The glossy and impeccable shimmer of his hair was only overshadowed by his stellar two eyes.

Turning golden-red, two Blood Moons appeared in his sockets as a regent aura pulsated around him. His features had become sharper, and his already perfect body somehow became even more perfect. Brother didn't look weak even with his chest pierced and arm severed.

On the contrary, it felt like he had never been stronger.

And as if he had been awoken from a night of bad sleep, Brother's resonant voice sounded.

"Noisy…"

Flicking his finger, Brother sent the Death Demon flying at hypersonic speeds. Like he was swatting a fly, Brother dispatched the Demon that had been causing him so much trouble with nothing more than a yawn.

Was this Brother?

How could he become this strong this quickly? Did Brother sell his soul to the devil in return for extreme power?

Many questions emerged in my mind before any of them could be answered…

Our eyes met.

Brother's clandestine Blood Moon eyes were reflected in mine. For that brief moment, it felt like time had stopped. Countless emotions emerged from my core, and I was unable to breathe. The man had literally taken my breath away.

What should I do? Was this version of Brother going to harm me? Will he still recognise me? Will Brother still be himself?

I was desperate to seek answers, but luckily, I didn't have to.

"Irina, my love… Why are you wearing your wedding dress? Is it time for our newly-wed cosplay night again? You know I'm always happy to bed you, but I was just in the middle of something. No, you've become younger, haven't you? Did you make yourself look younger tonight? Ah, it reminds me of the night of our wedding. The amount of love-making we had!"

Yeap… Brother is still the same, alright.