Chapter 270
Those who have reached the realm of Advancement will inevitably attain that level—it’s only a matter of time.
The same goes for transcending the 9-star rank.
Once you’ve stepped into it, sooner or later, you’ll reach the full status of a Demon Lord.
“A new Demon Lord born in the Dark Demon Clan? How many years has it been since that happened?”
“…I heard that the head of the Nordian family became a Demon Lord thanks to Archduke Christian.”
“What? What nonsense is that?”
“It’s true. Not only the Nordian head, but all the Dark Demon Clan’s fiends have grown rapidly this time, all thanks to Archduke Christian.”
“…That’s insane.”
The consensus among those who heard the news was unanimous.
It was the moment Christian’s nickname, “The Mad Archduke,” became cemented.
Originally, it meant his behavior was crazy, but now it had taken on a whole new meaning.
No matter what you imagined, he surpassed it—he was truly the Mad Archduke.
“…But could it be that the Dark Demon Clan will have two Demon Lords now?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Archduke Christian. He’s not even eighteen yet, and he’s already at 7-star rank, isn’t he?”
A hush fell over the crowd.
Demon Lord—that wasn’t something to be taken lightly, but no one could easily deny the possibility.
With Christian’s current momentum, becoming a Demon Lord was entirely within reach.
“If that really happens, the entire balance of power in the Magic Empire will be shaken to its core.”
“We’ll have to keep a close eye on the Dark Demon Clan.”
And so, all eyes in the Magic Empire turned toward the Dark Demon Clan.
Meanwhile, a drinking party was underway in the Dark Demon Clan.
“Long live Head Nordian!!”
“Long live Archduke Christian!!”
“Long live the Dark Demon Clan!!”
By defeating the Destruction Clan, they had shed the stigma of being a weak family. The Nordian head, who had been on the brink of death, had miraculously revived and reached the 9-star Advancement.
In celebration of this great joy, the Dark Demon fiends let loose and drank freely.
Drunk and loud, they shouted the names of the day’s heroes: Nordian and Christian.
Yet, there were two people in the banquet hall wearing sour expressions.
Surprisingly, they were Christian and Nordian themselves.
“Damn it, ginger ale again today.”
Though Christian was about to turn eighteen and the underage drinking ban was lifted, what good was that?
Jupien, Alos, and others teased him to have a drink.
Even Tern widened his eyes and said,
“Wait, King Emperor Majesty, you can’t drink?”
“…You’re no different.”
“I’m good at drinking!”
“What? How can you drink? You’re still underage, just bigger now.”
For reference, Tern had just turned sixteen, now bigger and more handsome than Christian, who had a relatively small frame and a refined, noble look.
Tern looked more manly and fiend-like.
“I just tried it, but I don’t get drunk at all. I’m not interested in alcohol—I just want to be like you, big brother!”
Tern spoke with admiration, but Christian could only sigh.
“Damn it, we’re family, so why am I the only one who’s weak to alcohol?”
Even Yulian said with pity,
“Oh dear, you still can’t drink? Here, let me make you some delicious cocoa instead.”
“None of that matters!”
Christian was downing his ginger ale in frustration.
He glanced sideways.
“…Grandfather, why do you have that expression?”
Nordian was frowning.
Usually, when the old man frowned, it was intimidating, but now, with the face of a ten-year-old boy, he just looked pouty.
…In other words, cute.
“Eh. It’s good to be alive, but why did I end up with this body?”
“Did you undergo Rejuvenation? You look… good.”
Christian almost said “cute” but quickly changed his words.
His father, Count Kazar, had once carelessly said something similar to Nordian and was severely reprimanded.
“I mean, it’d be better if you were just a bit younger, but why did you have to become such a little kid? Ugh, damn it.”
“…Since you’re young now, or rather, rejuvenated, you should think positively and enjoy it. You can even drink now, which you couldn’t before because of your health.”
But Nordian said something unexpected.
“I can’t drink.”
“Huh?”
“I’m naturally intolerant to alcohol. I can’t drink.”
Christian’s mouth dropped open.
So that’s why he couldn’t drink—it was inherited from Nordian!
“Ah, but now that you’re 9-star, shouldn’t your constitution have changed?”
“It’s the same. Even with Rejuvenation, my tolerance hasn’t improved.”
A hopeless story.
Christian had hoped things would change once he became a 9-star Demon Lord.
“No, what kind of curse is this? Why is drinking alcohol so difficult?!”
Just as he sighed deeply, Nordian suddenly asked,
“What will you do now? That arrogant bastard Besen wouldn’t have truly knelt before us. He must be harboring a grudge.”
“Probably.”
Christian nodded in agreement.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not asking for genuine loyalty. I just need to make sure I can control him as I please.”
That was it.
Christian wasn’t building the Dark Alliance out of a desire for conquest.
He was preparing for the upcoming war, to increase the forces he could command.
“Now that it’s come to this, whether they like it or not, the Destruction Clan will have to fight under our Dark Demon Clan’s banner.”
Of course, they wouldn’t obey willingly.
That was fine.
There was a way to make them obey.
“The plan to subjugate the Destruction Clan isn’t over yet.”
The real operation hadn’t even begun.
“Soon, the Destruction Clan will have no choice but to beg us for mercy.”
More precisely, beg Christian.
The Destruction Clan was about to face a great crisis.
Only Christian could resolve the catastrophe that awaited them.
“What? Are you scheming something again?”
Christian just smiled slyly, and Nordian shook his head.
“What about the Azure Demon Lord? She won’t just stand by.”
Nordian’s voice grew heavy.
“Though I’ve reached 9-star Advancement, my power still falls short compared to the Azure Demon Lord.”
The Azure Demon Lord was at 9-star Lower rank.
And reportedly, at the very edge of that rank.
To put it in perspective, among the seven 9-star transcendent elites of the Union, more than half—four—were at 9-star Advancement.
So 9-star Lower was among the top three transcendent powers by Union standards.
“The Magic Empire’s standards are just that high.”
For reference, the Magic Empire’s Demon Lords’ power levels were as follows:
4th-ranked Red Sky Demon Lord was 9-star Upper.
5th-ranked Dragon King and 6th-ranked Silver Snow Demon Lord were 9-star Middle.
7th-ranked Azure Demon Lord and 8th-ranked Sorrow Demon Lord were 9-star Lower.
“As for the top three, no one really knows their exact strength.”
Christian shook his head.
He had a plan, but given the opponent, he couldn’t be complacent.
“I have to find a way to exploit her weaknesses.”
If he could discover why the Azure Demon Lord coveted Samwonjeong, it might reveal a critical vulnerability.
While pondering this, Christian suddenly paused.
“…….”
He felt something brush against his senses.
‘What is that?’
A faint, yet chilling sensation.
He swallowed hard without realizing it.
Cold sweat began to break out.
His body instinctively sensed fear.
‘What on earth?’
Christian’s face showed confusion.
There was no visible threat, yet he felt terror.
‘No, it’s not that there’s no threat.’
Far away.
From a distant place, it felt as if something transcendent was watching him.
His soul instinctively recoiled from the overwhelming difference in power.
‘Who is it?’
Suddenly, Christian’s vision darkened.
In the pitch-black world, a single eye locked onto him, and the moment Chris met that gaze, he lost consciousness.
“!!”
Chris snapped awake.
‘What just happened to me?’
He hurriedly opened his eyes and looked around, only to be startled once again.
‘Darkness?’
He was surrounded by utter blackness.
“Shadow dimension?”
It resembled the shadow dimension he had stepped into before when he obtained the Holy Black.
‘No, it’s not that. This endless void…’
Chris’s eyes wavered in the overwhelming darkness, a bleakness like an abyss.
It was a darkness so dreadful that even Chris’s strong mental defenses trembled.
‘What on earth is going on?’
Then, a voice spoke.
A lighthearted tone that didn’t fit the situation.
“Oh, sorry, sorry. That was sudden, wasn’t it? Did I scare you?”
Suddenly, a figure appeared out of the darkness.
A young man in a neat suit, with a sharp, refined look.
His black hair and dark red eyes felt strangely familiar.
“…Who are you?”
Chris asked cautiously.
“No need to be so afraid. I’m not your enemy. In fact, you could say we’re close. We share the same blood.”
“…We share the same blood?”
“Yeah, you’re my descendant. I’m the progenitor of the Dark Magic.”
The man smiled slyly.