Chapter 403

Chapter 403
## Chapter 403

The Demon World Revolution (4)

‘…What is the meaning of this?’

The Dragon Marquis, right on the verge of eliminating his target, witnessed his six eyes twitch involuntarily.

His perception, which stood far above that of ordinary entities due to its sharpness and accuracy, had detected an… anomaly.

‘The currents… ‘

In that precise moment,

…the surrounding environment underwent a shift, the atmospheric pressure altering entirely within a fraction of a second.

The trajectory of the magical currents, which he had been guiding with absolute precision, suddenly… snapped away, breaking from his command and rushing toward an unidentified location.

[“Ha! A desperate final gamble! But it alters nothing!”]

Even so, he did not hesitate. He maintained his forward momentum, his focus remaining absolute.

His adversary had already been struck by his fatal ‘Instant Death’ strike, a devastating and hidden trump card, and had sustained catastrophic injuries.

Regardless of how much her formidable level mitigated the trauma, there was absolutely no scenario where she could survive his subsequent strike.

Goooo—

An obsidian, swirling vortex of force, resembling a miniature gravitational singularity, began manifesting within his open jaws.

Simultaneously, an innumerable array of arcane formations, blanketing multiple kilometers of the sky overhead, materialized around his form.

His signature art, intrinsically tied to his destructive breath.

A tactical-grade manifestation, engineered to rain down a catastrophic barrage across a massive territory.

‘This concludes our match! Let us see if you can withstand this onslaught!’

The surrounding ambient mana surged violently, pulled into his center like a massive maelstrom.

The demonic entities stationed on the battlefield below, recognizing the terrifying fluctuations of energy, instinctively directed their gazes toward the heavens.

A wave of absolute ruination, impossible to evade or deflect, its strike zone completely blanketing any conceivable route of retreat.

And Hella, her physical form heavily damaged and broken, with dark crimson fluid escaping the edge of her mouth…

“Pfft! I must admit, you put on quite a show.”

…let out a scoff, her tone dripping with dark amusement, her posture remaining entirely unbothered and serene.

It was as though she stood nowhere near the precipice of obliteration, completely unconcerned that her existence was about to be obliterated by a tide of unmitigated ruin.

Wooong—

The colossal arcane array in the upper atmosphere, its complex mechanisms locking into place, expanded further, steadily marching toward its final activation phase.

Halting its progression at this stage was completely out of the question.

Even if a segment of the construct sustained damage, it possessed the capacity to… recalibrate and regenerate on its own, functioning like a biological entity.

“Hehehe, but I am still vastly superior to you, trapped in this space and throwing a tantrum. How unfortunate.”

Naturally, even the most intricate magical structures possessed fundamental flaws.

The issue was that… identifying and exploiting them under these specific circumstances was an almost impossible feat.

“I appreciate the… bounty. Now, if you will grant me a moment—”

Hella’s deep red irises began to ignite with illumination, their coloration fluctuating and twisting rapidly.

Crimson, azure, amber, alabaster…

…and then, ultimately, obsidian.

Her pupils, completely merging with the surrounding void until they resembled two bottomless spheres, locked directly onto a precise target.

The dead center of the magic array, its foundational nexus, its most fatal flaw.

[“Would it trouble you to… perish?”]

Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis.

[“What?! Ugh! Cough! Gah! This cannot… be…!”]

Dark fluids erupted violently from the colossal frame of the Dragon Marquis.

Whoosh—!

The conceptual force of ‘Instant Death’ was now carving its way through his physical vessel and consciousness.

The concentrated malevolent forces he had been channeling for his breath weapon dissolved into nothingness.

As the unguided energy violently rebounded within his own system, the massive arcane array dominating the sky, its complex components no longer operating in unison, began to fracture and disintegrate.

‘…By what means…!’

A retaliation of equal measure, a strike returned in kind.

No, in this particular scenario, it felt more like… exchanging a minor blow for a total annihilation.

The Dragon Marquis, his six ocular organs stretched wide in absolute bewilderment and shock, fluids cascading down his visage, fixed a hateful gaze upon his opponent.

‘…An ocular trait of Instant Death? Her gaze… transformed? First Domination, and now Instant Death?’

His thoughts whirled at an erratic pace, his intellect descending into absolute disorder.

A member of the Eye Clan was fundamentally limited to inheriting a singular Eye of Domination at birth, reflecting their specific genetic trait.

Triggering the awakening of an entirely separate Eye of Domination later in life was… a historical impossibility.

Furthermore, there was no plausible scenario where she could have extracted it from another living member of the Eye Clan.

Because, when it came down to it,

…he personally made sure none of them survived!

‘…But… through what method…!’

The historical truth, which he believed he had buried deep beneath the earth, clawed its way back to the surface like a restless spirit.

—

Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis.

He stood as the undisputed pinnacle of power within the modern boundaries of the Demon World… yet his ascendancy had not been an instantaneous affair.

He had navigated through countless life-threatening crises, with each trial carving him into the terrifying entity he embodied today.

Just as Hella had mockingly pointed out, he was an exile—a draconic entity who had shattered the ancient covenants and sought asylum within the Demon World.

An immense length of time ago, during his Juvenile development period,

…he had come to a highly… disturbing realization.

‘…For what reason must we, the draconic race, the supreme entities of creation, exist in perpetual concealment? Even those pathetic vermin, the humans, have established their own grand empires and receive veneration from lesser lifeforms, existing exactly as they please. Yet we, who stand infinitely above them, remain restricted by these… absurd doctrines!’

Draconic beings were inherently superior to every alternative species.

They came into the world wielding catastrophic power, fully capable of obliterating the majority of adversaries through their birthright alone, while their sorcery and physical durability expanded continuously with the passage of centuries.

Even the state of transcendence, a monumental hurdle that other species spent lifetimes failing to achieve, was nothing more than an inevitable milestone for their kind.

Yet, an immense obstacle constrained them.

Their overwhelming potential was shackled by universal laws, restricting them from deploying it at their own discretion.

Krushaior despised those ancient boundaries, just as he held nothing but contempt for his kin, who submissively adhered to them.

‘…We, or rather I, am the legitimate master of this domain! And yet…!’

…Naturally, the underlying rationale was known to him.

To preserve the fundamental stability of existence, shielding reality from descending into absolute oblivion.

Every single one of their gifts, their entire purpose for being, was dedicated to that singular mandate. It was the absolute path of the draconic race, their inherent duty.

He had understood this truth instinctively from the moment of his awakening.

‘A dragon’s mandate? A scripted path of destiny? What absolute nonsense!’

Unlike the rest of his species, however, he refused to submit to it.

It was not a question of cognitive capability.

He had simply been generated with this nature. He could not alter his fundamental code.

He could not fathom tolerating this constrained… restricted… draconic existence for millennia to come.

He buried his hatred, his irritation, his insubordinate nature deep within…

…until he finally crossed into the threshold of adulthood, securing his personal sovereignty.

The moment he transitioned beyond the surveillance of the ancient clan leaders, he initiated his grand… undertaking.

[“To shatter the bindings that restrict our kind, to advance past our evolutionary limits. Standard methodologies will yield nothing.”]

He possessed unparalleled expertise in the arcane arts, mastering its diverse manifestations, and he envisioned the ultimate methodology.

Vile sorcery, a manipulation of force that violated natural systems, an energy capable of warping and reshaping destiny itself.

‘…Time is on my side. I shall not act out of impulse. I will advance with extreme caution, taking deliberate steps… and in due time, I shall attain my ultimate objective.’

In stark contrast to the passive dragons around him, he was propelled by a burning ambition that mirrored humanity’s drive, his precise calculations and execution serving as a monument to his resolve.

He obliterated entire populations and settlements, orchestrated massive conflicts across the human territories to harvest negative emotional energy, and went so far as to found a clandestine network to direct global events from the background.

Yet he consistently maintained his anonymity, remaining insulated from direct exposure, preventing any overt ties to his person.

Following the passage of roughly ten centuries,

[“…Identify yourself. By what means did you uncover this sanctuary?”]

-”Calm your hostility. I have arrived to offer assistance. Or, to put it more accurately… our objectives happen to converge.”

[“Ha! Such hubris originating from a pathetic parasite. So be it. I shall simply… tear the data directly from your consciousness.”]

-”It appears a proper self-introduction will have to wait for a later occasion.”

Their initial interaction had been far from… harmonious, but the divine agent who had unexpectedly materialized went on to become an indispensable asset, an… accomplice in his grand designs.

With that entity’s guidance, he successfully targeted and liquidated multiple members of his own draconic lineage, rendering their physical husks and spiritual essences as offerings to the forbidden energies he sought to master.

‘…You oblivious simpletons! You should express gratitude that your existence could at least provide some measure of utility to my cause.’

However, a lengthy trail is inevitably exposed to tracking.

Regardless of his meticulous nature, absolute secrecy could not be sustained indefinitely.

After an additional millennium had elapsed, his operations were finally laid bare, triggering a massive hunting campaign organized by the remaining dragons.

[“Krushaior! You have desecrated the primordial covenants!”]

[“You have violated an uncountable number of decrees. For how long have you been fracturing the universal balance… You shall pay for your transgressions with your ultimate demise!”]

Utilizing his forbidden sorcery and the life essences he had accumulated, his personal capability vastly eclipsed that of any standard dragon of comparable age… yet when the entirety of the draconic species coalesced to wipe him from existence, flight remained his only viable option.

‘…You mindless sheep! You have transformed into thralls for the deities, abandoning your autonomy! I shall stage a return! And I shall consume every last one of you while you draw breath!’

He managed an escape into the territories of the Demon World with the aid of the divine agent, immediately commencing the restructuring of his biology to align with the alien territory.

Given his extensive background in research and his continuous efforts to surpass the boundaries of his lineage, the adaptation proved to be an uncomplicated endeavor.

He internalized the ambient miasma of the Demon World, rewriting his physical structure, utilizing the demonic prey he harvested as biological components, progressively converting his identity into that of a demon.

‘…This stands as… an unprecedented opening! I can transcend the inherent restrictions of the draconic race within this very realm! I am no longer confined to the path of an Ancient Dragon… or even a Dragon Lord…!’

His focus narrowed to a singular point.

To claim the mantle of the Demon King, the sovereign of the entire Demon World.

Following that achievement, he would cross back into Auterica, the domain from which he had been driven out, and force the totality of civilization to bow before his majesty!

He waged relentless campaigns against the high-ranking demon nobility and their legions, enduring an endless cycle of warfare, his focus remaining absolute, his gaze locked solely on the throne of the Demon King.

Through this unyielding crusade and his infinite conflicts, his personal might expanded exponentially.

He claimed the power, the memories, and the absolute essence of those he brought down.

And yet—.

‘…For what reason…!’

…the ultimate prize remained just out of his grasp.

He had harbored no illusions of securing victory during the grand tournament for the 12th Demon King.

At that specific juncture, his strength was insufficient, prompting him to align his forces with the faction of the most capable contender, quietly amassing resources under that individual’s dominion.

However, once the 12th Demon King returned from his campaign against Auterica bearing mortal injuries…

…he initiated his covert maneuvers, his influence expanding at an accelerated rate.

Ultimately, having ascended to the rank of Duke, Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis, stepped into the arena for the selection of the 13th Demon King with absolute self-assurance…

‘…Accursed reality, the throne was virtually within my palms! I failed to calculate that he commanded such a vast legion of zealots bound by his Eyes of Domination! Everything has deviated from my designs!’

He had completely controlled the theater of competition, the crown of the Demon King practically within arm’s reach…

…only to suffer defeat at the absolute precipice of victory, falling by a razor-thin margin to a scion of the Eye Clan.

‘…Huu… Haa… It cannot be altered. It is of no consequence. My triumph during the subsequent cycle is absolute.’

Though bitterness had gripped him, he rapidly restored his emotional equilibrium and initiated strategic arrangements for the upcoming tournament.

He had mastered centuries of psychological discipline. He would not allow a solitary failure to break his spirit.

Yet,

During the grand assembly for the 14th Demon King…

[“Kyaaa! L’rei’e! You absolute mutt!”]

…he tasted defeat once more, by an even more agonizingly small differential.

On this occasion, his conqueror was none other than the offspring of his previous nemesis, the 13th Demon King—a adolescent female who had existed for scarcely a few centuries.

It stood as a deeply degrading loss, a devastating strike to his internal pride.

Granted, there were… mitigating dynamics at play.

His personalized faction, meticulously assembled and reinforced over the centuries, possessed immense capability… yet it lacked the sheer numbers to overcome the combined alliance of the previous sovereign’s loyalists, the entire Eye Clan, and the Dream Walkers, the collective backing the Succubus Queen.

Furthermore, L’rei’e, leveraging the hypnotic allure inherited directly from her sire, the 13th Demon King, had successfully manipulated the unaligned factions and even compromised a segment of his own internal alliance.

‘…The Eyes of Domination! Once more!’

The Eye Clan existed as a marginal population within the broader ecosystem of the Demon World, their collective numbers steadily decaying… yet their hereditary gift, the Eyes of Domination, carried immense weight, with the specific ‘Domination’ variant universally acknowledged as the apex trait among them.

[“…”]

A poisonous and corrupted sentiment, a burning malice, began to take root within the core of his consciousness, slowly dominating his entire psyche.

He made no effort to contain the corruption.

Then, on a particular day,

“Hehehe, greetings. Your reputation preceded you through… my predecessor. I look forward to our shared endeavors.”

An agent representing a deity materialized out of the ether, his countenance defined by a perpetual smirk, his chuckling carrying a distinctly… abnormal quality.

“…You appear to be burdened by a particular dilemma. Hehehe! It is possible that I might… offer a resolution?”

He experienced no hesitation. He embraced the partnership.

The agent possessed extraordinary competence, his unique gifts proving highly… advantageous.

He appeared to be the precise instrument needed to shatter his current tactical deadlock.

Consequently, backed by the agent’s unique support, he began engineering a grand insurrection—a calculated coup designed to dismantle the established hierarchy of the Demon World.

He drafted a multitude of operational blueprints and executed them with flawless precision.

He capitalized on the deep-seated apprehensions of the alternative Dukes regarding the impending assault on Auterica, transforming their anxiety into hostility against L’rei’e.

He engineered subtle shifts in the flow of events, guaranteeing the catastrophic breakdown of the military campaign, and subsequently pivoted his focus toward wiping out the surviving remnants of the returning military forces.

‘…The remaining Dukes pushed back, preventing me from orchestrating the absolute annihilation of the Dream Walkers… ‘

They had caught wind of his escalating dominance and were attempting to restrict his movements.

Fortunately, however, he had succeeded in liquidating the Eye Clan, his premier operational objective.

They were by no means a fragile force, but they had sustained devastating casualties during the Auterica campaign, rendering them entirely exposed to a concentrated strike.

‘…And the harvest I reaped was quite substantial.’

Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis, carried out an endless series of anatomical extractions and procedures upon the survivors he detained.

He mapped out the biological mechanisms governing the Eyes of Domination and successfully integrated six distinct specimens into his own physical form, selecting the precise traits he deemed most… valuable.

The moment his gaze landed upon the young youth harboring the ‘Instant Death’ variation, a revelation struck him.

Had he refrained from launching this campaign, had he chosen to passively await the subsequent selection process for the mantle of Demon King…

…he would have stood absolutely no chance of success.

His decision to ignite this revolution was vindicated.

‘…And yet.’

The adolescent’s Instant Death capability had failed to register any effect upon his draconic physiology.

The conceited youth, staring back at him with absolute defiance even as his kin were slaughtered around him, had been plunged into utter hopelessness, his ultimate gift completely ineffective against his frame, before… meeting a pathetic demise.

“Hmm, is this the sensation it provides? It appears a period of calibration will be required to master it completely.”

Yet in this exact moment,

…a mixed-blood demon, her internal pressure bearing an uncanny resemblance to the departed L’rei’e,

…was actively deploying the exact conceptual force he believed he had entirely wiped out and claimed for his own.

Precisely like that youth from his memories.

Her vision remained locked entirely upon him.

“Well, proficiency comes through application. Perhaps we should test the remaining traits as well?”

It was highly probable that his calculations had been flawed.

There was absolutely no path where that youth, even granting a scenario where he survived and accumulated greater power, could have manifested an aura surpassing… this reality.

‘…It is not restricted to Instant Death. She wields the entirety of the traits…!’

Hella’s ocular organs ignited with brilliant illumination, their color spectrum continuously shifting and rewriting itself.