CH 160

The monsters stopped fighting, and without caring that they might die, they bowed down to meet their master.

‘Johann Toulouse’.

The one who inherited the new power of Toulouse.

Johann looked down at the audience with his red pupils; they were like the red moon that rose on a dark night.

“From today on, you will learn to obey and be ruled. Get down on your knees and worship the new emperor.”

No one kneeled before him. Except for the monsters.

Rixus was astounded.

“The words of a dog.”

“…Everyone is spoiled. Especially over there.”

Johann pointed his index finger at Rixus.

“It’s been bothering me since I was young. No matter how much I trampled on you, you kept surviving.”

“…….”

“When I see an insect wriggling even if I keep stepping on it, I want to tear off its wings and legs.”

Johann smiled sweetly.

“My nephew, I always felt that way when I saw you.”

“….…”

“It’s the same for your father.”

At that moment, Rixus gnashed his teeth and rushed to Johann.

Johann smiled brightly and shot out his sharp, black magic. Not to Rixus, but to Berylia.

Instantly, Rixus, who was soaring to attack Johann, threw his whole body toward Berylia, wrapping around her, all without a gap of hesitation.

Pak, pak, pak, pak!

The purple shield created by the sword caused strong sparks. The demon’s black magic touched it and collapsed.

Time and time again, again and again, Johann unleashed powerful attacks.

Bang! Bang!

It seemed that he thought that it would not matter if Berylia was right there.

Either he would resurrect her dead body…

Or whether she stayed alive, where in that case he would poison her with the powers of Toulouse, turning her into an eternal puppet…

He was sure to have Berylia today. He would love and hate her forever, pouring out hellish obsession. That was… In the end, it was the punishment that was given to the companion who did not choose him.

So, how ridiculous would Rixus be, desperately sacrificing himself to protect the woman he loved?

A low laugh broke out.

“It’s disgusting.”

Johann said with a half-distorted, half-smiling face.

It was really weird. The words of Toulouse that humans always ruined things by being caught up in meaningless notions like ‘love’ and ‘justice’ came to mind at this time.

A dreadful low-pitched voice blew out gloomy and terrifying words.

“It seems like I know a little about Toulouse’s feelings…”

Just then, the purple sword grabbed the dragon’s ankle like a whip.

“Ugh!”

Johann, who lost his center of balance, fell to the floor in the blink of an eye.

Bang-!

As soon as his body was mercilessly thrown to the floor, raising dust, Rixus’ sharp blade was at the tip of Johann’s chin.

The blue-purple eyes shining through the black helmet were terrifying, soaked in fighting spirit and anger.

Johann gathered his magic with his bare hands and grabbed Rixus’ sword, but the strong sword pushed forward and he groaned in pain.

“You’ve been a loser all your life, pretending to be good and putting on a mask to cover evil, coveting other people’s things.”

“!”

“Both my father and I… have known you were cunning since a long time ago.”

“Ugh… uh.”

With deep blue eyes that penetrated the essence, Rixus spit out cruel words.

“You don’t have the confidence to get everything you want…”

“…….”

“A coward who wants to destroy.”

Johann’s emotions fluctuated, and his expression was momentarily disturbed.

Just then, a huge monster attacked Rixus.

In the blink of an eye.

Taking advantage of Rixus’s attention, Johann quickly escaped.

Then he rode a monster in the shape of a wolf and ran to the highest point at the foot of the mountain.

A bad, very ominous feeling came over Berylia. It was felt closely in her heart, in every blood vessel in her. The power of Toulouse was on the brink of explosion… It was running dangerously high.

Berylia warned so intensely that her throat ached.

“All troops, guard!”

At the same time, as Johann lightly clapped his hands, a black sphere rose and shot black lights in all directions in an instant.

Wheeeeeeeeeeee–!

Against it, a huge dome-shaped shield was spread out here and there.

Everything that touched the black light burned and crumbled away. The winter trees that stood upright and had lovely vitality shrank and turned to ashes.

“Ahhhh…!”

In the meantime, black light leaked through the broken shields, which were unable to withstand the demon’s magic.

The elite troops fell to death in vain.

Looking at the tragic sight, Johann muttered.

《Follow, the new emperor of Marsephone.》

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The door of Marsephone grew bigger and bigger, and more monsters started pouring out of it.

It was a number that could not be compared with anything that had been blocked so far.

As if a flood overflowed from the collapsed bank, various monsters arrived on the ground with their yellow eyes flashing.

Those black demons, the golden Knights of Valderi, the Ghost Army of the margrave that created waves of white robes, the fierce combat unit of Spinel on their reddish-violet horses, and finally, the elite troops of Aktoum, were all violently mixed, waging a terrifying battle, killing the opponent indiscriminately.

However, the numbers were too many.

There were too many troops that had fallen in the darkness of Johann, so the side with the shield facing the monsters seemed overwhelmingly at a disadvantage.

Berylia, who had been pushing out her powers like crazy, suddenly looked at the battlefield with a trembling gaze.

“…Ah…”

A cold wind ruffled her hair.

Her eyes were as precarious as a ship swaying in the raging waves.

Everywhere she looked, it was a terrifying sight. Demons were constantly pouring out.

‘If this continues, everyone will be killed.’

Her deep frustration took her breath away.

‘No…’

“Berylia, calm down.”

Swhak-hak!

Rixus approached her, blowing away the head of a monster in the shape of a snake slithering over.

Then he took her trembling hand.

“Rixus…”

Her heart, which had been pounding and causing tremors in her hand, improved a little.

But it was for a mere while.

“A message came from the Imperial Palace. There are also demons coming out of it.”

“!”

“They’re little dwarves, but it’s probably not enough for ordinary people to stop them. Go and take a look at them.”

“No, Rixus. I’m not going.”

Berylia retorted and drew closer to him.

It was hundreds and thousands of times more dangerous here.

She didn’t want to leave Rixus in a place like this and go alone.

“I’m in charge of this place… Someone has to be in the Imperial Palace. It’s where the people are.”

In the meantime, the screams heard from the surroundings were terrible, and many people were dying in front of her.

Her heart tightened at the tragic sight. It felt like her heart was about to explode.

At that moment, Rixus wrapped her cheeks and turned her gaze to him.

His blue-purple eyes met hers with her calm gaze.

He whispered, like casting a spell.

“You can do it, Berylia.”

“….…”

Berylia, who was already in tears, bit her lips silently, about to ask something.

That was then.

Bang!

A black shadow appeared in front of them, pushing ahead with the momentum to crush Rixus. 

It was Johann. The rock that Rixus collided with was dented as much as the shape of his body and collapsed.

Johann created a sword with his magical powers, weighing down onto Rixus with the force to truly kill him.

Rixus groaned in pain as long veins of blood flowed from his temples.

“Rixus…!”

Berylia let out a tearful scream, raising her own powers.

At that moment, Rixus exclaimed.

“Berylia, go!”

“….…”

“Have you not forgotten what I said?”

Rixus blocked Johann and smiled at her.

“I’m not dying.”

“I’m confident, never.”

“And as always, I’m sure… it’s you, Berylia.”

Her heart was beating wildly.

Berylia recalled the words of Rixus… and clutching her fists, she turned around vigorously.

In the next moment, Johann gathered even more strength and crushed Rixus.

Then he whispered scornfully.

“Did you enjoy your last goodbye to her?”

The purple aura exploded violently and resisted the magic of the demon god.

“Ugh. Damn it!”

Johann’s eyes flashed against the pain that felt as if it was scratching his intestines.

At that very minute, like a pack of dogs, monsters began to stick to Rixus.

“Your Highness…!”

The knights of Aktoum were confrontational, but the number of monsters was overwhelmingly high.

The claws of the monster servants left deep scars on him as they burrowed into the black armor.

A low groan squeezed through Rixus’ teeth, and eventually he spit blood.

Johann, with the blood on his face, exclaimed with great joy.

“Yes… Die. Just die! You bastard!!”

* * *

Hah. Ugh.

My breaths clung to the underside of my chin. As soon as I arrived at the Imperial Palace, I checked the condition of the place.

“Ahhhhhh!”

It was truly abysmal.

Low-ranking monsters were clinging to people and harming them.

I quickly recited a spell and fired.

“Rosio.”

Then, a dazzling blue light enveloped the entire palace and started to freeze all the demons in it.

The ice spikes that came up from the floor belatedly pierced the monsters.

Rixus’ judgment was correct. I alone would be enough for this place. However… 

‘It won’t happen. I can’t last long.’

For some reason, lower-class monsters continued to appear on this side.

Besides the Illuminati Mountains, the place where Rixus stood, was truly ‘hell’.

‘Heart…! There’s no choice but to find the heart.’

I ran to my room and frantically rummaged through my notes. There was a pattern I had drawn.

The pattern seen on Johann’s chest.

‘That pattern that I’ve seen somewhere…’

‘Knowing this might solve the clue.’

I had such a strong hunch. No… I was almost certain.

‘Please remember, please!’

My heart was pounding like crazy. The roar of a terrible monster was heard from outside again.

There wasn’t much time.

I felt that my abilities were too weak.

Cold sweat started to trickle down my back.

I clasped my hands together in a prayer-pose and bit my lips. But I didn’t pray to God.

I prayed to myself. To my earnestness and my will.

To my strong heart who wanted to protect those I loved.

‘Please, please, just once… Remember.’

‘Where did I see it? I’ve definitely seen it.’

‘Where the hell did I see that?! Remember!’

That was then. I remember the conversation I had with Rixus a while ago.

“When introducing himself, who united the five continents, he changed his last name to ‘Johann Toulouse’.”

“Yes.”

“‘Toulouse’ is the name of a corrupted demon abandoned in Marsephone.”

After hearing the story from Rixus, I read ancient books about monsters all night long. I thought I had to know the enemy so that I could defeat him.

“!”

‘Ah, that book I read.’

‘Surely I’ve seen a similar pattern there?’

I rummaged through the pile of books with trembling hands. And finally, I opened a book about ancient monsters, its parchment was almost tattered and seemed to fall apart.

When I opened a particular page, goosebumps rose from my spine.

The pattern was a code. And at the same time it was a map.

“…….”

I was completely immersed and drew a new pattern with a pen.

As a result…

“I found it…!”

The new pattern was pointing to where the heart was. I immediately slammed the door and ran like crazy.

‘Please, please…’

‘I hope that Rixus will hold out until I find the heart.’