Chapter 225
“Ugh!!”
It was one-sided.
No, even that word didn’t quite fit.
This wasn’t a duel. It was a complete mockery.
Fernand’s strength was by no means weak.
Especially skilled in the ‘Energy Conversion’ technique—something only those who reached the upper ranks of the 5-star level could master—he wielded his poison energy as effortlessly as flowing water.
But against Christian, it meant nothing.
Fernand’s poison energy couldn’t pierce Christian’s sword, and Christian crushed Fernand mercilessly, like a cat toying with a mouse.
“How is this possible?”
“Could it be that Christian’s Grand Duke rank isn’t just 5-star?”
Everyone knew Christian was strong.
He had even defeated Count Cesia, a 6-star mid-rank.
But they had chalked that up to luck.
They never imagined he was this powerful.
“Are you saying it wasn’t luck?”
“No, no matter what, it’s impossible to wield such power at just 5-star.”
Confusion was written all over their faces.
Of course, even within the same rank, individual skill varies.
But there are limits.
“Could he be 6-star?”
“No, he’s definitely 5-star.”
Half right, half wrong.
Christian was 5-star, but also 6-star.
Christian smirked inwardly.
“I’ve reached the full 6-star level through Energy Mastery. Thanks to that, my magical power has grown leaps and bounds.”
Upon reaching 6-star, Christian’s capacity expanded greatly.
So even if his magical level was technically 5-star, the influence allowed him to wield far greater power.
“After all, whether it’s Energy Mastery or magic, it all belongs to me, Christian.”
But that wasn’t all.
“This kind of trick is possible too.”
Flash.
Christian’s movements shifted in an instant.
He moved with a speed that seemed to push the limits of the moment.
Smack!!
Fernand was struck in the face and fell disgracefully to the ground.
For someone considered the next heir of the Poison Mage family, rolling around like that was shocking.
But the mages in the hall had no time to worry about Fernand.
They were stunned by the blow Christian had just delivered.
“That punch… could it be Will?”
Will—the 6-star power that pushes physical abilities to the brink through sheer willpower!
“How can he be 5-star?”
“Is he really 6-star? No, I don’t sense any 6-star aura. He’s definitely 5-star.”
The Poison Mage family’s mages stared at Christian with wide eyes.
But no matter how much they looked, he was clearly 5-star.
Not a trace of 6-star energy.
Then how did he use Will?
“Ah, I just tried it, and it worked.”
“!!”
A lie.
A trick.
‘In that instant, he used Energy Mastery. A sleight of hand no one noticed.’
Will, whether from Energy Mastery or magic, looks the same on the surface—it’s just pushing physical limits.
So using it briefly like that could be disguised.
“…That’s impossible.”
Fernand, barely getting to his feet, stammered.
“What’s impossible? You’re just too weak to do it.”
“You…!”
“Your poison technique is pathetic. You know you haven’t even come close to touching my coat’s hem, right? With skills like that, what made you think you could pick a fight with me?”
For the record, it was Christian who started the quarrel today. Fernand had only greeted him politely.
Though Fernand was hiding dark intentions beneath his calm exterior.
‘Is it time yet?’
Christian thought meaningfully.
Yes.
He hadn’t picked a fight without reason.
He planned to strip away the ‘mask’ Fernand was wearing.
To provoke Fernand, he spoke even more cruelly.
“What did you learn from your father to be this pathetic? Ah, well. Your father was a nobody to begin with, so I guess you inherited that too.”
Snap.
Fernand’s reason snapped.
“You bastard!! I will never forgive you!!”
Furious, Fernand gathered his power.
But something was off.
A faint aura, different from poison energy, was felt.
‘Gotcha!’
Christian’s eyes gleamed.
Wrapping his hands in dark magic energy, he reached toward Fernand’s poison.
Using his ‘Dominance’ ability, he stimulated the hidden energy within the poison.
Whoosh!!
Everyone in the hall’s eyes widened.
“No way?! What is that?”
It was the aura of a demon!
Christian had forcibly exposed the demonic energy hidden within Fernand’s poison through the power of dark magic dominance.
“Th-this is…”
Fernand’s face turned pale as his secret of having made a pact with a demon was revealed.
The hall buzzed with whispers.
Of course, the Magic Empire didn’t punish everyone who made a pact with demons outright.
In the Demon King’s Castle, it was easier to find those who hadn’t made such pacts.
But the Poison Mage family, like the Dark Mage family, forbade demon contracts.
And now, the heir apparent was caught having made one?
Christian smirked.
“So all those people you killed… were sacrifices to the demon, right? I bet you’ve killed far more than what’s been uncovered.”
“!!”
It was true.
Fernand gritted his teeth.
“You bastard… I won’t let you live. I’ll kill you.”
Flare!!!
An energy far more intense than before surged from Fernand.
“What do we do now?”
The Poison Mage family’s mages were at a loss, unable to act.
“Grand Duke Christian! Please evade!!”
“Let’s run!”
Merlin and Alos shouted urgently.
“Run? No way.”
Christian twisted his lips.
“A club is the best weapon against scum like that.”
He drew his sword.
“Watch closely. This is the Dark Mage family’s blade.”
Flash!!
Black steel energy gathered.
But that wasn’t all—powerful will infused the blade.
“Some lowlife who made a demon pact out of greed? I can take him down anytime.”
Flash.
The demon-tainted poison clashed with Christian’s black steel.
And then—
“Ughk!!”
Fernand coughed up blood and collapsed.
Smack!
Christian stomped on Fernand’s head, knocking him unconscious.
“Marisa, take him away. If we interrogate him, I’m sure there are many crimes yet to be uncovered.”
“…Y-yes.”
Marisa nodded, stunned.
The hall fell silent in shock.
Fernand’s demon pact was a bombshell, but Christian’s effortless defeat of him was just as staggering.
Everyone stared at Christian in disbelief.
But the situation wasn’t over yet.
Christian was about to cause even more trouble.
‘This can’t end here.’
Christian’s enemy wasn’t just Fernand.
It was the entire faction of Marquis Goras.
‘Strike first. I can’t miss such a good opportunity.’
He sneered at the stiff-faced Goras faction and taunted them.
“Pathetic. Well, Marquis Goras was as ugly as a demon, so it’s no surprise his son is the same.”
“!!”
An insult to Marquis Goras.
“You’re not the only problem. All of you standing there look just as ugly. Full of greed, and clearly incompetent.”
Christian snapped his fingers, pointing at the Goras faction.
He was provoking the entire group.
The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, ready to explode.
Merlin and Alos swallowed hard.
Taking down the demon-pact Fernand was one thing.
But now Christian had crossed a line.
‘Why does the Grand Duke keep making these reckless moves?’
‘Please, Grand Duke, stop already!’
Only Marisa thought this way.
[Ah, so sexy. Wow.]
Marisa gritted her teeth.
‘This madman. I have to stop him. If this keeps up, it’ll spiral out of control.’
The Goras faction wouldn’t stay quiet after hearing that.
But Marisa hesitated.
She remembered what Christian had said.
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
Marisa bit her lip.
Then, a heavy voice echoed.
“That statement is unacceptable.”
The Poison Mage family’s mages looked shocked at the newcomer.
“Master Durn!!”
He was the head of the Poison Mind Division, which studied poisons alongside the Venom Control Bureau.
And a 6-star mage from the Goras faction.
But that wasn’t all.
“That’s right. Apologize immediately.”
This time, it was someone Christian knew.
The leader of the Poison Demon Corps, the elite unit of the Poison Mage family.
One by one, other powerful figures appeared, pressing Christian.
All were high-ranking 5-star or 6-star mages, core members of the Goras faction.
“I don’t think he’s wrong. After all, you’re all just leeches feeding off Marquis Goras’s filth. You probably don’t even realize how pathetic you are.”
“You!!”
“Isn’t it true? You know the crimes Marquis Goras committed, yet you still follow him blindly. Blinded by greed, shameless, and yet you hate being criticized?”
The repeated insults made the Goras faction’s atmosphere deadly.
“Shut up now, or you’ll regret it.”
“Don’t think the Dark Mage family’s shadow will protect you after spouting such nonsense.”
Marisa, Alos, and Merlin all looked at Christian, silently begging him to stop.
Then, Chris suddenly grinned slyly and dropped an unexpected bombshell.
“Want me to prove just how pathetic you all are?”
“…What did you say?”
“It’s simple. You and I will duel using poison. In other words… a ‘Holy Grail Duel.’”
“!!”
It was a rare type of duel unique to the Deadly Poison Mage.
The rules were straightforward: all else is set aside, and only poison techniques are pitted against each other.
Each drinks the other’s poison from a cup.
Because it meant drinking poison from the grail cup, fully prepared to face death, it was called the ‘Holy Grail Duel.’
“What the….”
“Ah, of course, I’m not saying we do it right now. As you know, I’ve never properly trained in poison techniques.”
Chris flicked his fingers.
“We’ll set the duel for a month from now.”
“!!”
“That should be enough time to crush you all. How about it?”
Their faces flushed red with anger and disbelief.
What kind of insane nonsense was this?
But Chris’s absurd proposal didn’t end there.
“One-on-one duels are boring. You all come at me at once. I’ll trample every last one of you.”
It was an arrogant declaration: he would drink all their poisons in one sitting and defeat them all with his own.
No, this wasn’t just arrogance—it was the ravings of a delusional madman.
The leader of the Poison Minders, Dreen, who had stepped forward first, let out a bitter laugh.
“You’re truly insane. Fine. I accept your challenge. But mark my words.”
A chilling threat followed.
“That day, you won’t even leave behind a proper corpse. Better send your will to the Dark Poison Mage in advance.”
After that, the hall was cleared, and Marisa hurriedly pulled Christian aside to a quiet corner.
“Are you out of your mind?! This is suicide!!”