Nera darted across the battlefield, spitting Holy Beams while dodging the black spears that the newly sprouted head continued spitting at her, while Lucian clashed with Zgar, who created a six-meter-long blade and slashed at him relentlessly.
Lucian parried the attacks with his shimmering claws as he dodged and countered with precise strikes, tearing flesh that disintegrated as the void claimed it.
Corvin dashed forward and summoned Blitz, activating Wind’s Blessing and releasing the stored lightning within the blade while also channeling Holy Lightning, which merged with the weapon’s own lightning, creating a twisting flow of black and golden energy that coiled around the blade.
Mid-dash, Corvin spun and lowered his body enough to slash the demon across the knees, making him tumble and scream as divine lightning surged through his body, allowing Lucian to use Shattered Space to collapse the space around him and force him into a hole of broken, glass-like shards of space before it closed behind him.
“We have a little bit of time. Prepare now!” Lucian shouted as his form shrank and he turned invisible.
Nera rejoined the group and started charging her breath attack while Baku grew serious and began chanting as well.
“Everyone, as soon as they are back, we need to strike with one massive attack. I have no more hidden tricks left,” Corvin said honestly.
“Don’t worry, boss, we got this!” Kram shouted as his green fur ignited in a thick, almost floral aura.
His horns shone as the aura surged into his twin battleaxe.
The more energy the axe absorbed, the larger it became and the heavier Kram’s body grew.
“It’s called Beastline Force. Pretty amazing, right?” Kram laughed as he waited for the target.
“Very cool!” Corvin smiled as he activated Balefire Gauntlet and used his Advanced Mana Control to force the flames to envelop the blade, which was already creaking under the strain of the divine lightning.
He received a notification about a new skill, but there was no time to check it as the space before them started cracking.
“Master, I’m here!” Brael shouted as he flew in his large crimson bat form and charged energy within his chest.
“I’ll help as well, honey.” Vex chuckled, and a large black rose spun to life above her head as a black spear grew from its center and fell into her arms.
“I haven’t shown you this one yet. It’s delightful.” She winked as the demon finally emerged, bloody and mangled, divine lightning still arcing around his frame.
As he emerged, Nera was the first to strike as a massive torrent of holy flame erupted as if a dragon had descended, engulfing the twin-headed demon in cleansing light.
Brael followed, spitting a globe of condensed blood that his rapier absorbed before it stabbed into the twin demon’s chest and released the concentrated orb inwardly, making him bleed from every orifice as he screamed and vomited torrents of blood.
The rapier, unable to withstand the divine flames, flew back just as Kram cleaved off the demon’s right arm and half his ribs in a single strike, leaving a wound that suddenly sprouted vines that started crushing the flesh around them.
Vex drove her floral black spear forward, separating Kar’s merged soul with a precise slash from the body, as Vanta enveloped it and prevented it from escaping.
Baku summoned flaming chains and bound the demon while each chain multiplied into even more chains that sank into flesh and soul alike, burning both.
Finally, Corvin exploded into the sky and spun three times, using his father’s technique to finish off the suffering fiend.
The lightning and his enhancements condensed around the side of the blade as he descended.
Blitz bisected the massive demon effortlessly, ending its life swiftly.
[Critical Hit!]
** Skill Leveled Up: Valtieri Greatsword Arts Lv. 6 **
** Skill Leveled Up: Advanced Swordsmanship Lv. 2 **
“Demon Buffet,” he whispered and sucked in both souls of the twin brothers just as what remained of the body imploded.
Corvin moved backward and sighed. “Both bodies are ruined, huh? Let’s store the souls for now. I might find another way to use them,” he said, disappointed.
“Master, here for you.” Vanta bowed as he summoned the still-intact heart of the other twin from his shadowy body.
Corvin smiled and stored it. “Thank you, Vanta. I’ll need this very much,” he nodded, making Vanta shiver with joy.
Corvin ignored the notifications for now and asked Omega, Is there a way to stop the Abyssal Eye from detonating?
[Let it absorb the remaining demonic energy and then store it. You can use it to unlock your own slumbering demonic power once you reach level 200.]
Omega replied.
Great, how long do I need to leave it absorbing the energy before it explodes?
[From my scans, five hours should be enough.]
Omega replied.
Not like we can leave yet. Alright. Thanks.
He turned to the demons.
“Thank you all for helping me. I couldn’t have done it without you. Brael, what about the others?” Corvin asked, worried. After all, they had been good to him.
“Half survived, though to save one, I had to convert her into a Vampyr. Not a Thrall, but a proper one. Lesser, sure, but she should be able to live,” Brael explained.
“Alright, what’s done is done. Guys, please go back so you don’t scare the humans. Brael, you come with me. You look the most human,” Corvin ordered.
“Call us again to slaughter!” Kram waved as he passed through the portal.
Meanwhile, Vex blew him a kiss and disappeared behind the rest.
***
Corvin and the rest rushed toward Graves, who knelt crying beside the bodies of his fallen men.
As Corvin arrived, he found Graves, Mina, a female healer, and Ortho with his missing arm all kneeling beside a pale Iris, whose wounds visibly healed even as she remained unconscious.
“Corvin, can you save any of the others, please?” Graves screamed as he noticed Corvin arrive.
“Here, drink these.” He tossed each of them a Greater Healing Potion while he went to check on the others.
A few moments later, Corvin returned.
“I’m sorry, they are gone. Their souls had already left their bodies,” Corvin said heavily.
“I see. Forgive me, men. I have led you to your deaths,” Graves bellowed.
“What about Iris?” Mina asked, concerned.
“She will live, but she won’t be human any longer,” Corvin said with a sigh.
“I don’t care! As long as she lives,” Graves shouted.
“Mister, can you fix my arm? I cannot fight like this any longer.” Ortho stood up as he bowed to Brael.
“I could, but you would cease to be what you are, and I smell the stench of the divine on you. I don’t know what that would do to you,” Brael said coldly.
“I don’t care as long as I can bring death in my lord’s name. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” Ortho begged.
“Ortho, you worship a divine being. What I can offer you is demonic power. It’s not something you should accept lightly,” Corvin warned.
“I don’t care. Just let me fight again,” Ortho begged.
“Graves? I won’t do anything without your consent. You are, after all, the Guildmaster and the grandson of a Red Knight,” Corvin reminded him.
“Corvin. I promised you many things, and it seems I won’t be able to fulfill any of them. Please lend us the power to have our vengeance. Please.” Graves bowed deeply.
“I don’t want to be a part of this.” Liara, the healer, said as she moved farther away from the group.
“Graves, calm down. This is ludicrous,” Mina begged.
“Mina! I lost someone again. Again, I failed you all. How can I live with this burden? Please tell me. How?” Graves screamed.
“You are selling your soul to a demon, Graves. What the fuck?” Mina shouted.
“I’m not a demon. I’m just Corvin, and I wouldn’t ever force you to do anything,” Corvin said simply.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Mina barked.
“Graves, welcome aboard.” Corvin smiled and helped him up.
As he accepted him, Crow’s Seal emerged on its own and sank into Graves’ being, and as it did, the surge of Sovereign’s Authority poured power into him, making him stronger than ever before.
“I feel good. I feel stronger. How is this possible?” Graves gasped.
“Now me. Now me,” Ortho shouted.
“Brael, turn him and then let me try something,” Corvin said coldly.
Brael nodded and sent a drop of his blood into Ortho’s mouth.
As the blood sank into his being and started changing him, the divine power of his Icon began fighting it, making Ortho scream in pain and fall to his knees.
Corvin rushed over and laid his left hand on him, pouring a sliver of his divinity into Ortho to contain the Icon’s rage while the body adapted to the vampiric power.
As he continued screaming, his right arm regrew, bone and skin and all, but it was crimson red instead of the light black that covered the rest of his body.
As the transformation neared its end, Corvin slowly guided the Icon’s divinity back into Ortho’s being while expelling the demonic energy and pouring in his own divinity to cleanse it completely.
Like that, Ortho opened his eyes, now tinged with red, and smiled as he bowed, the Crow’s Seal binding him to Corvin.
“Thank you, Corvin. I feel good, and even my Icon feels closer to me than ever,” Ortho said, astonished and somewhat calmer than before.
It actually worked. I managed to stop the full demonification and even enhance his power slightly. Though now he is closer to me than to a pure Velestridian. Well, it should be fine, I think. I’ll have to watch over him for now.
“What about Iris?” Graves asked.
“She will awaken on her own. Leave her be,” Corvin said calmly. “Go bury the dead. You two help him; they were your comrades as well.”
Corvin sat down on the ground next to Iris.
“Lucian, Nera. I have to go through countless notifications. Watch over me,” he explained.
The two were already aware of what that meant.
Meanwhile, Brael stood beside him like a silent guardian, asking no questions.
***
First, let’s see how many levels I’ve earned.
He scrolled through his status and almost burst into laughter.
Twenty-four levels and seventy-two stat points. Holy shit! This was worth it even more than expected.
Twenty-two Luck, twenty Intelligence, thirty Magicka. That should do it.
He nodded, satisfied.
[Progress: 1760 / 10000 Points]
Well, better than before...
He sighed, instantly ruining his mood, before checking the boons he had received for killing so many Runefiends.
** Skill Upgraded: Fire Enchantment Lv. 4 > Overlord’s Balefire Enchantment Lv. 5 **
Coat your weapons with balefire to deal increased fire, corruption, and decay damage with each strike. If the weapon has a similar enchantment, the fire damage dealt will be doubled.
Demonic Flame Bonus: Each time you kill anyone with a weapon enchanted by this skill, recover 500 Health.
Cooldown: 1 Minute
Duration: 25 Minutes
Mana Cost: 600 Mana + 9 Mana per second while active
** Skill Leveled Up: Dash Lv. Max (Active) **
When used, instantly move a short distance in a chosen direction.
Cooldown: 30 Seconds
Mana Cost: 50 Mana
My old friend, you have also reached the peak. I should be more agile now with Dash maxed out, and Sprint is also close to max. Good! Good!
Corvin smiled.
[Last Crow, Malphas, has devoured six Greater Runefiends. The secondary effect of the General Vanquisher title has activated.]
** Skill Unlocked: Runic Armory Lv. 1 (Active) **
Allows you to create any weapon or armor using your demonic energy. The quality will depend on the quality of your demonic energy.
Currently unusable due to a lack of demonic energy.
** Skill Unlocked: Runic Domain Lv. 1 (Active) **
A twenty-meter radius around your being is your domain. Any ally within your domain will have their overall power increased by 35%.
Anything killed within the domain will be counted as killed by the user.
Cooldown: None
Demonic Energy Cost: 50% of your total demonic energy. Cannot be less than 1500
[Due to the overwhelming bloodshed of the Runefiends' kin, the Last Crow can feast on the souls of the two demons you have stored to produce an interesting effect and upgrade the acquired skills.]
[Accept?] [Yes] [No]
Who am I to say no to a surprise?
He accepted.
[Two souls of Demon Generals have been acquired.]
[Activating the special ability of the Runefiends' kin: Inkbound Spawn.]
** Skill Upgraded: Runic Domain Lv. 1 > Runic Inkworld Lv. 1 **
[Runic Inkworld Lv. 1 (Active)]
Inscribe a runic mark on all your subordinates, increasing their power by 30%, no matter how far they are from you.
Anything killed by marked beings or within the range of the domain will be counted as killed by the user.
Once a day, you can activate the innate ability of Inkworld and empower all allies within a ten-meter radius around you, doubling the power bonus.
Cooldown: None
Runic Mark Cost: None
Inkworld Cost: 60% of Demonic Energy. Cannot be less than 2000.
[Due to inheriting the intrinsic ability of the Runefiends, you can now spawn your own fiends.]
** Skill Unlocked: Spawn Runefiends Lv. 1 (Active) **
Summon five Runefiends who will fight for you and detonate upon death.
Due to the possession of two high-level souls of the Runefiend kin, you can create two Greater Runefiends on your first cast.
They will remain loyal only to you and can be reborn even after self-destruction due to your link to their souls.
I really am destined to raise an army, huh? Well, so be it.
“Spawn Runefiends!” he muttered.
Violet liquid poured from thin air until two black, human-sized eggs appeared, thick violet veins pulsing across their transparent shells.
Within the shells, he could see two demonic forms slowly growing.
Then Demon Buffet opened a small portal, and two violet sludge-like spheres were spat out and merged into the eggs.
Now we wait, I guess. He nodded.
“What the fuck is that?” Mina shouted from farther away.
“None of your business!” Corvin replied coldly. He had had enough of the rude woman, and the time to play games was long over.
“Everyone, rest and prepare for the next battle!” Corvin ordered.
“What do you mean, next?!” the healer Liara cried out.
“Well, whoever trapped us here will probably send more forces now that their plan failed,” Corvin replied coldly.
“It’s the damn Empire. I know it!” Graves muttered as he dragged the warrior’s corpse away, tears flowing down his face.
“Whoever it is will pay for this.” Corvin’s expression darkened.