186: The Imperial Authority Struggle [3]
Chaeng—! The final strike that should have reached Nox was cleanly deflected. The black petals, unable to fully bloom, slowly withered away. The sight of a flower that bore the arrogant name of death crumbling miserably was enough to bewilder the gathered knights in the desolate village.
“Is that all?”
A voice as cold as frost, piercing to the bone, belonged to his half-younger brother. Along with it came a sharp pain that ran up Garen’s wrist, sending chills down his spine.
This isn’t it. The situation unfolding was far different from what he had anticipated.
He realized it only when Nox’s voice reached him again shortly after.
“You”
Beginning with that preamble, the disgrace of The Reinhaver wore a cold smile.
“That sword, you still don’t know how to wield it properly, do you”
Garen ground his teeth. As if his shameful side had been exposed, he couldn’t suppress the unbearable rage and shouted
“What nonsense! How..... How dare you Nox, Someone like you... dare to climb over me?”
But, naturally, there was no answer from Nox.
His transparent silver hair clung to his blood-soaked clothes. Even the moonlight above his head was absorbed, scattering into a chaotic reflection. Nox’s two pupils were obscured by the strands of fallen hair.
At that moment, why was it? Garen couldn’t help but feel the sensation of goosebumps rising all over his body. His legs wouldn’t move. Cold sweat began to drip, and his body, frozen stiff, kept sending him warnings.
Run. It’s dangerous.
But Garen didn’t run. No, to be precise, he wasn’t even given the luxury to do so.
The moment he closed and opened his eyes, Nox was already right in front of him. Nox’s sword, which had reached close range, glistened pitch-black as if it had absorbed oil.
“What the!”
Light step. First step.
What Nox used was, in truth, nothing more than a simple movement technique.
Without saying a word, Nox raised his mana to its limit. Even for someone like Garen, it was a level of mana hard to fend off. It crawled up to his chin like a living entity.
A light, vertical slash. Ordinarily, one would simply avoid it. It was an attack that didn’t even seem worth blocking.
But.
Shwaat!
Blood splattered. Garen’s pupils shook violently. He couldn’t accept the current situation.
“Don’t make me laugh! You think you can break the sword I’ve honed for years? A ruffian like you....!”
Even as Garen shouted, he was horrified. Hadn’t he just used the third form of Reinhaver’s family? A devastating swordsmanship rivaling even the middle stage in terms of destructive power.
Yet, not only had Nox blocked it entirely, but he had also slashed Garen’s chin purely with the speed of his sword. Garen quickly leaped backward, away from Nox, clenching his fist tightly. A chilling sensation constricted his heart, plunging him into a nightmare.
‘Am I pressed...? Me, Garen von Reinhaver, the eldest son of the Reinhaver family’
But he couldn’t deny it. Nox’s sword was so black it seemed drenched in ink, and the mana within it was overwhelming beyond estimation.
However. What frightened Garen more than anything else lay elsewhere.
It was because..... He felt that Nox seemed to genuinely enjoy this situation.
Even before he could finish his thoughts, Nox’s sword, filled with mana, surged again. As if he couldn’t contain his delight, Nox, wearing an expression almost childlike in its naturalness, unleashed a sword strike.
At that moment, it became clear. Nox von Reinhaver had succeeded in replicating [Black Blade Falling Petals] that he use just by observing it.
The shimmering sword began to break down Garen’s body and mind, bit by bit.
Was there any point in holding on further? Such thoughts arose as the situation became difficult to accept.
As each small wound carved itself into his body, Garen thought. This pain, this torment. Did his youngest brother have endured such an overwhelming disparity?
A disgrace to the Reinhaver family. For years, his younger brother had been called by that name, living a miserable and insignificant life.
And yet, Nox had endured this powerlessness?
“That’s.... impossible!”
Garen’s tightly clenched lips let out a voice mixed with blood, but it did nothing to reverse the situation. Even though numerous vital points on his body had already been slashed, Garen’s face was not one of surrender. But even in that situation, the wounds continued to accumulate. The priests, who had been secretly standing by to assist Garen, continued their healing, but Nox’s [Black Blade Falling Petals] overwhelmed even their speed, stacking damage onto Garen.
Even so, Garen was a man evaluated as one of the vessels worthy of the head of the Reinhaver family. He’s a monster that grows even in such a dire situation. That was the hallmark of those who bore the name Reinhaver Garen burst into wild laughter as he stared at Nox.
Simply enduring such humiliation did not suit his temperament, it was no more than making the other vassals present to waver.
Now was the time to show them.
To prove why he was the one that would surpass even Theo, and had a qualification to claim the position of rightful heir. He, who had desperately longed for it, threw his sword to the ground.
“...I acknowledge you, Nox von Reinhaver. From now on, I will use everything I have to utterly crush you. You have no objections, do you?”
“You’d better make it more entertaining for me. Dying too soon would ruin the fun, wouldn’t it?”
As Garen’s confident expression surfaced, a new and entirely different sensation began to permeate his body. It was the power of a demon. A fragment of power given to Garen by Archduke Amdusias as a contingency plan. Though it could easily corrupt a human’s personality when it didn’t absorb blood, it transformed the user into a state of overwhelming strength.
Chutz! Chutz!
Mana surged. Along with it, the wounds Garen had sustained from Nox’s [Black Blade Falling Petals] began to heal, albeit slightly. It was a shocking sight.
Christopher cried out in alarm.
“Young Master Nox! You must avoid him! Young Master Garen’s condition is not normal!”
When Christopher tried to rush to Nox’s side. Countless knights blocked his path. Among them was a member of the Black Blade Knights who had once fought alongside him. Christopher’s gaze narrowed more than ever.
“So, you’ve become a dog that betrays the head of the family?”
“The fool is the one who supports the petty youngest as the family head, Christopher.”
“When the eldest son fell into ruin by relying on demonic power, what did you do to stop it? You dare speak such nonsense now?”
“Hmph. We don’t care what happens. Come at me, Christopher.”
“...Very well.”
Gripping his sword, Christopher began emanating a chilling frost. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he thought to himself.
‘Please wait a little longer, young master. I will... reach you soon!’
Meanwhile. by then. Garen had already transformed into a monster with pale, purple skin and two horns. His eyes, completely shrouded in darkness, and his blood-red lips gave off an uncanny terror, making him seem no longer human.
“From now on, it will be different.”
“Is that so?”
But Nox’s gaze showed not a hint of fear.
With a smile on his face, the two clashed once again.
Garen von Reinhaver The second phase of the villain boss raid had begun.