Episode 325: Grandmaster (3)
Damian frowned instinctively, unable to believe what he had just heard.
“You’re saying I’m your reincarnation?”
“Not exactly a full reincarnation. You didn’t inherit the original soul.”
“What does that even mean?”
Reincarnation is reincarnation, so what did it mean that the soul wasn’t inherited?
“The original being split its existence to create something. The covenant placed upon the world, and the Erebus you possess, were made that way.”
Ruine continued.
“Ruine kept dividing himself for the sake of humans. Eventually, only one part remained, and that’s the talent you possess.”
“So, you’re saying I inherited that talent?”
“Yes, when the original died, I thought it vanished. I never imagined it would remain in the world.”
Ruine paused, contemplating before speaking again.
“Perhaps it was left for humanity. Always true to himself, even to the end.”
Ruine gave a wry smile.
“Damian Haxen, as the original owner, let me tell you clearly. Your talent is extraordinary. So, free yourself. Break the mold.”
“How am I supposed to break free? I’m already free.”
Damian genuinely couldn’t understand Ruine’s words.
He felt boundlessly free, having lived his life without knowing limits. He could do whatever he desired.
“If it were easy, would I be giving you advice? Start by recognizing the mold. It’ll broaden your world.”
Ruine’s form began to blur, and the space around them started to collapse.
“If you’re unsure, just eat well and rest. The stronger your body, the more you can achieve.”
With those final words, Ruine vanished, pulling Damian back to reality.
”…”
Back in the real world, Damian stared at Erebus for a long time.
Meeting Ruine hadn’t resolved his questions. Instead, it had only raised more.
”…The more you die, the clearer your mind becomes, huh.”
If that was the case, then he just needed to die enough to maintain clarity like Ruine.
He was focusing his mind to re-enter Erebus when—
“Damian, we’re ready!”
Valhard called out to him.
Dealing with the demons took precedence over meeting Ruine. Damian stood up and approached Valhard.
“Let’s go back quickly.”
Valhard opened a dimensional gate to the otherworld as Damian commanded.
Together, they stepped through the gate.
As soon as they returned to the otherworld, a multitude of dragons greeted them.
“Valhard, what happened? Did you find the altar?”
“Did you encounter the demons?”
Questions bombarded them from all sides, leaving Valhard flustered.
“Explain it to them.”
Damian gestured to Valhard, not wanting to recount the lengthy tale himself.
“Well, you see…”
Valhard briefly summarized the events for the elders.
The dragons’ expressions turned grave upon hearing the explanation.
“So, the demons discovered the altar’s location?”
“Why did the demons disappear?”
“That’s strange.”
The dragons murmured among themselves.
Damian shouted at them.
“Discuss it later. Right now, you have a task. Find out where the demons have appeared on the surface.”
Normally, Damian’s rudeness would have angered them.
But given the urgency, the elders quickly sprang into action.
Two elders used dragon magic, causing the surrounding energy to stir and water to pool on the ground.
The surface of the water reflected natural landscapes, rapidly shifting from sea to city to sky.
“Found it.”
The ever-changing scenery settled on the imperial capital.
Once grand and splendid, the capital lay in ruins. At its center, the Empire’s greatest swordsman, Blue Flame, and Vahel were locked in battle.
“It’s the Empire. The demons are in the Empire now.”
“Can you tell why they’re heading there?”
“We can’t discern such details.”
“Then we’ll have to see for ourselves.”
Damian turned to Valhard.
“Valhard, open a gate to the Empire.”
“Understood…”
“Stop.”
A cold voice interrupted.
A girl emerged from among the dragons.
It was the ancient dragon, Iris.
“Damian, are you planning to go to the Empire?”
“Of course. We need to stop them.”
“I disagree. While the Empire buys us time, we should seize the altar.”
Damian couldn’t help but frown at the unexpected suggestion.
“The altar’s value is immeasurable. Plus, the demon king’s corpse is there. We could gain the power to oppose the demons.”
“The Empire will be destroyed in the meantime.”
“That’s an unavoidable sacrifice.”
Damian stared at Iris before speaking.
“I don’t like it.”
Iris’s proposal meant sacrificing the Empire.
It was clear that many would die and suffer as a result.
“Are you refusing?”
“Yes. I’ll help the Empire.”
“Then at least leave Erebus behind.”
Damian’s expression changed.
He had never revealed Erebus to Iris.
Yet she knew he possessed it.
“How did you know about Erebus?”
“We dragons have experienced Erebus firsthand. We know its terror and greatness.”
Iris glanced at Damian’s hand.
“Erebus is the greatest treasure Ruine left behind. You must have used that sword to open the altar, right?”
“You’re spot on. As expected of a dragon.”
“If you leave Erebus with us, we’ll open the altar and find a way to expel the demons. Meanwhile, you can support the Empire.”
Iris’s plan was flawless.
But Damian had no intention of entrusting Erebus to her or the dragons.
“I’ll keep Erebus. I don’t trust you.”
“That’s disappointing. I thought you shared our goal.”
“A shared goal? Are you talking about betraying me?”
Iris fell silent at Damian’s accusation.
“Don’t try to dodge. I heard you and Valhard on the first day. You planned to betray me and steal the key from the demons.”
The key Ruine created.
With it, one could fulfill or break the covenant.
The dragons intended to use the key to lift the covenant binding them.
“How can I trust you with Erebus?”
”…I see. You already knew.”
Iris sighed briefly, her eyes sharpening.
“Then we’ll have to take it by force.”
Before she finished speaking, the elders began chanting dragon magic.
With each word, an oppressive force weighed on Damian’s shoulders.
“Your true power only emerges when you use dark magic, right?”
Iris spoke calmly.
“We’ve set up a barrier across the otherworld to suppress and nullify dark magic.”
Damian chuckled. He hadn’t expected them to prepare something like this.
“It’s unfortunate it has to end this way. Now, everyone, take Erebus.”
All the dragons, except those maintaining the magic, moved in.
The dragons, the mightiest of creatures.
Even the elders, powerful enough to be called such, bore hostility toward Damian.
“Well, well.”
Damian glanced around at the dragons surrounding him, chuckling.
“I figured you had something up your sleeve. Didn’t expect it to be this crafty.”
A spell to suppress dark magic.
It was indeed a threat. Even Damian had to admit that.
He reached into the air, and the tattoo on his wrist vanished as Erebus appeared.
“Are you planning to fight us?”
“I can’t just let you take my possession.”
“Foolish. No matter how strong you are, without dark magic, you stand no chance.”
Iris’s voice brimmed with confidence, though her expression remained calm.
“I’m quite strong even without dark magic.”
“We know. But not enough to face all of us.”
Damian let out a dry laugh.
She was right. Without the power of the Death Knight, Damian Haxen was merely a master-class warrior.
He might handle one or two elders, but not all of them.
“You’re disgustingly thorough.”
“Will you hand over Erebus now?”
“I can’t just let you take my possession.”
Damian placed his palm on Erebus’s blade. Iris spoke as if it were futile.
“Are you thinking of using Erebus’s power?”
“And if I am?”
“Foolish. Did you forget what I said? We know Erebus well. We know how to counter it.”
Iris’s voice was confident, though her expression remained calm.
“You may know a lot about Erebus.”
But there was something the dragons didn’t know.
Damian Haxen had traveled through time, carrying memories and experiences from a past life.
“It won’t be as easy as you think.”
Demian infused Erebus with his magic.
Erebus typically required dark magic to awaken, but things were different now with its restoration nearly complete.
“Awaken, Erebus.”
The world trembled in response.
“Everyone, be on alert! Erebus has awakened!” Iris shouted the moment Demian activated Erebus.
Waves of energy radiated from Demian, erasing everything they touched without a trace. The waves soon reached the dragons standing nearby.
“Use dragon speech to repel Erebus’s power! Once you’re used to it, attack immediately…”
Suddenly, the waves halted and began to contract. Iris and the dragons exchanged bewildered glances at the unexpected phenomenon.
The waves started to compress around the blade of Erebus.
“Never seen anything like this, have you?” Demian said, addressing Iris, who stood there in stunned silence.
“This is how it’s done.”
With a swift motion, Demian ran his fingers along Erebus. A thin line shot out from the concentrated waves.
The line struck the ground, splitting it open in an instant.
A shiver ran down Iris’s spine.
The compression had amplified the power, and the speed was unmatched. It was beyond what dragon speech could counter.
Demian raised Erebus high, and Iris’s sense of foreboding intensified.
“Everyone, get out of the way…”
Demian drove Erebus into the ground.
From the blade, hundreds of lines erupted, piercing through the dragons’ bodies.