Episode 179: A Fateful Encounter (1)
The Master Class was a league of monsters, no doubt about it.
These true transcendents could level mountains with a mere gesture or split lakes with a flick of their fingers.
But not all Master Class warriors were created equal. Just as there were tiers within the High Class, some among them stood out even more.
One such individual was Valentino Michele, known as the Iron Spider.
As a dark knight, his weapon of choice was chains. Whenever he unleashed his skills, chains imbued with aura blades rained down like a torrential storm.
The sight was reminiscent of a spider’s web, earning him the moniker Iron Spider.
During his time as a Death Knight, Damian had crossed paths with Valentino Michele a few times.
Though they had never fought directly, being on the same side, Damian knew well enough that Valentino was a formidable force.
“You’re on guard already? How curious~ I was hiding my presence completely. How did you notice~?”
Valentino’s mouth formed an oval as he expressed his admiration.
“Is it intuition~? Or perhaps your senses are just that sharp~? Either way, you’re a promising young one~.”
His lips curled into a thin, eerie smile, stretching from ear to ear as if his face had been sliced open.
“I like capable young folks~ So maybe I’ll let you live~ if you hand over the person you’re carrying~.”
Damian let out a dry laugh at that.
He knew full well that Valentino had no intention of letting him live.
The villains of Pandemonium were all unhinged, each a depraved soul beyond redemption.
Valentino Michele was no different. His hobby was to give his victims false hope with sweet words, only to ensnare them with chains and hang them from trees as they tried to escape.
He took great pleasure in giving hope and then crushing it.
“Why the sudden laughter~?”
“I can’t hand over the Mercenary King. If you want him, you’ll have to take him yourself.”
Damian’s voice was firm, and Valentino’s head tilted to the side.
“I like smart kids~ but I can’t stand rude ones~.”
“Threats won’t work on me.”
“Threats~? I haven’t threatened you yet~. This is what a threat looks like~.”
Valentino unleashed his aura.
In an instant, the ground shattered, and the surrounding trees were torn apart like paper.
The lush forest vanished, leaving nothing but ruins. Only Valentino Michele stood tall amidst the devastation.
“Incredible.”
Damian couldn’t help but be impressed.
Valentino hadn’t used any special technique. He had merely released his aura.
Yet that alone had obliterated the forest, matching the destructive power of a High Class warrior’s ultimate move.
Damian glanced at the Mercenary King on his back.
Even with a Master Class warrior exuding such a menacing aura right in front of him, the Mercenary King remained asleep.
It seemed this level of threat wasn’t enough to disturb his slumber.
Preparing for battle, Damian gently laid the Mercenary King on the ground.
“Young man.”
Valentino spoke, though he stood before Damian, his voice seemed to echo from all directions.
“I’m giving you one last chance.”
With each word, Damian felt his bones vibrate, his insides quiver, and his blood seem to flow backward.
“Bring the Mercenary King to me.”
A wave of murderous intent surged from Valentino. The moment it touched him, Damian envisioned his body being pierced by chains.
The vision was so vivid it felt real, even down to the pain.
The aura of a Master Class warrior was a haunting presence in itself.
For anyone not of the same rank, enduring such killing intent was a struggle, even for a High Class warrior.
But Damian was no ordinary High Class.
“Haah.”
He took a deep breath, then exhaled, dispersing Valentino’s murderous aura with his own magic.
The vision and pain vanished in an instant. Damian bounced lightly on his feet, loosening his tense muscles.
“You withstood that?”
Valentino’s disbelief was evident. Damian met his gaze and spoke again.
“My answer remains the same.”
Valentino’s face twisted at the repeated refusal, his skin wrinkling like old leather.
“Then I have no choice. I’ll kill you and take the Mercenary King myself.”
Valentino spread his hands, and the chains coiled around his arms unraveled.
Just then—
“Valentino, would you pause for a moment?”
A gentle voice called from behind.
Instantly, Valentino withdrew his murderous aura and dark magic, stepping aside and bowing his head.
When had she arrived?
Behind Valentino stood a woman.
Despite wearing a thick cotton outfit, her figure was unmistakably defined.
A wide-brimmed hat obscured much of her face, revealing only her jawline and crimson lips.
Even with just that, her beauty was enough to make one’s heart race, almost too overwhelming to gaze upon.
It was an unnatural allure, as if witnessing a surreal phenomenon.
And it was only natural to feel that way. The woman before him was no ordinary beauty.
She was Sla, the Great Evil.
The woman known as the Swamp of Pandemonium stood before him.
“Quite impressive.”
Sla smiled, her tone akin to a proud mother admiring her child.
“To withstand Valentino’s killing intent at the High Class level.”
Her gaze softened as she asked, “Child, what is your name?”
Damian remained silent, simply staring at Sla.
“A shy one, aren’t you?”
Sla chuckled, her smile brimming with a charm that could stir anyone’s heart. Even Valentino, standing beside her, blushed.
”…….”
But Damian showed no reaction. In truth, he couldn’t.
The moment he saw Sla’s face, memories he had buried deep within resurfaced.
—Lord Dorgo, what do you plan to do with those souls?
Dark mages dealt in souls.
Thus, those who died at the hands of dark mages found no peace, even in death.
Their souls were trapped, tormented by the dark mages.
—Sir Damian’s family, you say? Such exquisite souls are rare indeed.
During his time as a Death Knight, Damian had killed his own family under Dorgo’s orders.
So what became of their souls?
Did they find peace?
—Might I have just one? It would be the honor of a lifetime.
No, they did not.
Countless dark mages begged Dorgo for the souls of Damian’s family.
After all, they were Damian’s family.
The kin of the strongest undead Dorgo had ever created.
Such rare souls were treasures no dark mage would let slip away.
—Will you really give it to me? Then I’ll take this soul. It’s been a while since I’ve seen one with such beauty.
Dorgo willingly distributed their souls among the dark mages.
The souls of his family were scattered, subjected to all manner of torment at the hands of the dark mages.
—Sir Damian? Can you see this?
The memory was still vivid.
Sla had appeared before Damian, who was standing by under Dorgo’s orders, and waved something in front of him.
—It’s your sister. I pondered long on what to do with this soul.
A small glass vial.
Inside was the soul of Louise.
—I decided to preserve it like this, for display. Isn’t it more entertaining than you’d think?
And it wasn’t just Louise. She was surrounded by the souls of over ten men.
Louise’s soul was trapped, subjected to unspeakable horrors by the male souls around her.
—It’s a pity you lack the will to act.
Damian, trapped within his own body, could do nothing but watch as his sister’s dignity was dragged through the depths of hell.
“Sla.”
Damian spoke softly, and a smile spread across Sla’s face.
“I’m glad you recognize me. But I asked for your name.”
Sla’s voice was gentle as she repeated her question. Damian responded once more.
“Sla.”
Sla’s expression turned curious.
“Child, I asked for your name.”
“Hah.”
Suddenly, laughter burst from Damian’s lips.
“Haha.”
The laughter grew louder, and Damian threw his head back, laughing heartily.
“Hahahaha!”
A manic laughter erupted, and the killing intent he had buried deep within surged forth.
Magic and murderous intent intertwined, spreading in all directions, engulfing Sla and Valentino.
In that moment, the two felt it.
The illusion of their bodies being torn apart.
The excruciating pain that accompanied it.
Sla’s body flinched, and even Valentino looked at Damian with a startled expression.
By all logic, the killing intent of a High Class warrior should have had no effect on them.
Yet here they were, witnessing an extraordinary phenomenon unfold before their eyes.
“To think I’d find you here!”
Sla, being hunted by the Empire, rarely showed herself.
Thus, even though Damian had crossed paths with Rubia, he never expected to encounter Sla.
But who would have thought Sla would show up here?
“I’m so thrilled I could lose my mind!”
Damian shouted with excitement, the intensity of his aura growing even stronger.
In that moment, only one thought consumed Damian’s mind.
Kill.
No matter what it takes, he would kill her here and now. He would repay his sister’s suffering many times over.
Damian clenched his bracelet, ready to unleash his dark magic.
”…I have no idea what’s going on here.”
A familiar voice made Damian pause.
The figure lying next to Damian sat up, clutching his head with a weary expression.
“I woke up with a chilling feeling…”
The figure glanced around the room before turning to Damian.
“Damian Haxen, what on earth is happening?”
It was Karl Hopper, the Mercenary King.
The transcendent among transcendent beings had awakened.