**Chapter 25: Rebellion②**
—
Curses are a Miracle born from strong emotions, distinct from magic. The difference between curses and magic is simple: magic has principles, while curses do not.
When one harbors emotions strong enough to alter their physical form, it gains power and transforms into a “curse.” The Deceased fear curses that Mages cannot control. Curses are powerful against the Deceased, lacking significant principles, and thus are chaotic, demanding a heavy toll from the afflicted.
Curses are akin to prayers, differing only in whether the emotions are directed towards the Negative or the Divine.
I first suspected that the devouring curse, the “Cursed Flame,” was a literal product of a curse right after finishing the battle and returning to Monica’s home. After interrogating Monica, I became convinced of it.
The reason I was caught off guard by Hebram’s flames was partly due to underestimating his character, but also because I had never heard of a phantom beast, the “Manticore,” breathing fire.
I was wary of poison needles, aware of his claws and fangs, and knew he could wield magic, but I had never heard of flames. Those flames were not normal. Vampires possess a vast amount of magical power within them; generally, magic has little effect, and ordinary flames are even less effective.
I suspected it was a curse because Hebram’s armament was incomplete. During the battle, the devouring creature had immediately prepared flowing water; there was no way he didn’t know that Vampires have a weakness to silver. And it was impossible for Hebram, a rank two in this Demon King army, not to have a silver weapon. In fact, Demon King Lainel was equipped with silver claws.
The Manticore is a phantom beast. Originally, like Lainel, it should not be weak against silver, so it was only natural to think there was some reason for its lack of a silver weapon.
Perhaps the curse had transformed Hebram. My weakness is silver weapons, but Hebram’s weakness was also silver weapons. Thus, he could not use silver weapons. Surely, the curse changes living beings into Demonic Natures. Both I and Oliver are weak against silver. Moreover, that Albatos, who attacked me with hatred, also did not use silver weapons.
Taking the “Cursed Flame” was easy. The devouring creature was wary of me, but it did not know that I was not a pure “Vampire.” Vampires cannot enter a home uninvited, but I, a lower-ranked Vampire, was different. A strong sense of aversion arose, but that was all. I used “Shadow Veil” to mask my presence, dispatched the lackadaisical guards, and snuck into the cave.
I absolutely did not want to bite a member of the same sex, but since Hebram was not human, it was a non-issue. Even if Hebram were female, I doubt I would have wanted to turn her into a Vampire, so the distinction between male and female beasts was trivial.
The “Cursed Flame” I seized from the devouring creature was incredibly powerful. The lizard creature, Selzer Doro, could not even scream before turning to dust.
The information Monica provided— that only the unique “devouring creature” in this Demon King army could give Demon King Lainel a run for his money—made perfect sense.
With the leader’s death, the surrounding lizard creatures (Lizard Doro) stepped back. I remained vigilant, exhaling forcefully.
The flame mixed with my breath was much weaker than the object Hebram had used. It might be due to my smaller mouth, but if this were a normal flame, it would be questionable whether it could even light a cigarette.
Moreover, this ability— it makes me incredibly hungry.
According to the information I extracted before killing him, the cost of the “Cursed Flame” seems to be the devouring creature itself. There was a reason Hebram hoarded humans to the point of internal disgust. If he did not continuously consume a large number of humans, he would die. That is the price of this “Cursed Flame.” However, since I am already dead, it probably does not concern me much.
The ability of “Curse Absorption” is well thought out. The key to this ability is that I, the wielder of the power, am not just a living being. The cost of Albatos’s power was gradually becoming closer to that of a beast. I have not yet been corroded, but that may be because there is a fundamental difference in power between “Human” and “Vampire.” And while the cost of the “Cursed Flame” is death, I am already dead. Hebram burned with the “Cursed Flame,” but I do not burn.
One of the lizard creatures with a spear shouted.
“Surround him! Do not let him pass!”
“I’m scared; I can smell him!”
Their movements lacked the vigor they had just a moment ago. In a situation where there was already a significant disparity in power, that difference was fatal. To win against a superior foe, absolute will is required. The devouring creature I fought again was weak. If we had fought properly, I could have bought some time, but the outcome was pitifully swift.
Perhaps this is also why Vampires, with their strong killing instincts, are feared.
I took a small breath, suppressing my raging killing instinct, and stepped forward towards the encircling lizard creatures.
—
The skirmish ended without much struggle. Some reinforcements from outside arrived after hearing the commotion, but they were no match for us. I reaffirmed the use of my new power through practical experience.
The “Cursed Flame” is powerful. It lacks reach and momentum, but it is still more than sufficient. The “Cursed Flame” is a flame that does not extinguish until it has burned its target to ashes. The exact performance is unclear, but considering the nature of the devouring creature that produced this curse, the target is likely “life.” Any living being touched by that flame, even if it is as small as a spark, will ignite and turn to dust in an instant.
The problem is that this ability is not invincible.
This ability can likely be resisted. If the curse is a power of Demonic Nature, it would not affect the Order of the Final Knights, who wield the power of the Divine, nor would it be very effective against a creature like me, a product of a stronger curse. And— it probably would not be sufficiently powerful against Lainel either.
I do not think its power is entirely zero, but if Hebram were stronger than Lainel, he would not be content as a rank two. Hebram was a cowardly beast, but he also had a high sense of self-esteem. Dragons are powerful phantom beasts; their bodies are said to possess high resistance to all forms of attack. It is not hard to imagine that Lainel possesses similar strength.
I requested the cooperation of the imprisoned End Knight precisely because I had considered all of this. However, it seemed that I, who could only use the weaker “Cursed Flame,” would face a tough battle. I wanted to increase my power even slightly before challenging him, but I could imagine that sipping the blood pooling around me would not increase my strength. Considering that I gained a fair amount of power from Monica’s blood, it seems that the gender of the target is very important for Vampirism.
If there were enemies whose blood I could drink, I would have attacked them first, but in this Demon King army, there are hardly any cute girls besides Monica…
As I pondered this in a somewhat escapist manner, the castle suddenly shook violently. Amid the sounds of destruction, I faintly heard Del’s roar. It seemed he had charged in without waiting for me. I thought it was an obvious bait, but perhaps the End Knights are simple-minded or should be called pure.
With silver claws as my opponent, I could not rely on my usual regeneration abilities. If Del died, the chances of victory would drop significantly.
I hurried outside the castle.
According to Monica, Lainel usually does not use the front entrance. His large body and lion form would make it inconvenient to use a human castle. Even when I was fighting the devouring creature, Lainel had dropped down from above.
Looking up at the stone castle, I could see an entrance far above meant for Lainel. A normal human would struggle to climb it, but for me now, it was no problem. I kicked the ground hard and leaped several meters in one bound, grabbing onto the ledge with my hands.
The entrance resembled a balcony but had no windows or doors. The sounds came from directly below. Using “Shadow Veil,” I concealed my presence and peered down into the throne room.
There, a battle reminiscent of the past conflict between Senri and the Lord was unfolding.
“HAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Del, filled with a fierce battle spirit, swung his steel sword. His body radiated the power of the Blessing that had once made me shrink back just from its presence. It seemed he had been conserving his strength up to this point. The steel blade glowed with the energy of life, and while his strikes were not as graceful as Senri’s, they possessed the majesty worthy of a true hero.
It was hard to believe he had been imprisoned for so long. The brilliance of his life force made me instinctively step back.
This is bad. That blade was honed to kill me; if I were to receive it unguarded, even I in my current state could be obliterated in a single blow.
However, even after all that—Rainer was the King of Demons.
Rainer did not roar. Or at least, he shouldn’t have, yet an overwhelming pressure filled the air. The golden lion was larger than any Alba-tos, and no matter how well-trained, a Human would seem like nothing more than an insect in the face of such grandeur. The strike unleashed from his silver claws was heavier and sharper than any slash I had ever witnessed, slicing through the castle walls and floor as if they were mere sheets of paper.
The downward swing of his foreleg shattered the floor, likely the primary cause of the castle’s tremors. The throne room already resembled a ruin.
I found myself captivated by the battle. Though I was now a Vampire, it seemed a lingering desire to be a Hero from once upon a time still resided within me.
Narrowing my eyes, I observed the movements closely, searching for an opportunity. Rainer was fast, heavy, and powerful. Every action from his massive body was an attack, and if he so desired, he could easily bring this castle to ruin. He had not changed in any way since becoming a monster. He did not use poison needles or breathe fire, yet with his innate strength alone, Rainer was an absolute powerhouse. It was easy to understand why Hebram had chosen to follow him.
Del was evading all of Rainer’s attacks. He deflected the strikes with his sword and dodged the blows from the claws. Even with the boost from the Blessing, Del’s physical strength was still far beneath Rainer’s. And it seemed that the End Knight understood this very well.
Monsters and Humans. The strength of a Human lies in their agility. Del was utilizing that to its fullest extent.
His movements were an extension of what Senri had shown him during their mock battles. Impressive. Yet, it was clear that one person alone stood no chance of victory.
Del’s sword had struck Rainer numerous times, but the Demon King showed no signs of pain or discomfort. While he might not be able to unleash his full power while evading constant attacks, it was likely that even if he did, it would be exceedingly difficult to kill Rainer. He was simply too resilient.
Was there no weakness? At that moment, a sudden shock hit my body. A tremendous sound followed, shaking me to my core.
Rainer had roared. It felt as if the world itself had exploded. The castle trembled, and cracks appeared in the walls. In front of my bewildered eyes, Rainer swung his foreleg down toward Del.
Del dodged it.
Despite having taken a considerably greater shock than I had, Del’s expression remained remarkably calm. The floor shattered, and the castle quaked. At that moment, Del stepped onto Rainer’s descending foreleg.
With his sword held in both hands, Del charged forward. I could see the power of the Blessing concentrating at his feet. My eyes widened in surprise. Rainer’s weapons were not limited to his claws. His massive jaws could easily crush Hebram, with fangs that were fully grown. To charge forward in front of that was no feat for the faint-hearted.
In three strides, Del leaped up, positioning his blade with both hands, and then he jumped. It was at that moment I finally understood Del’s intention.
His fur was as hard as steel, capable of deflecting blades. The head, protected by bone, was even sturdier.
Del aimed for—his eye. The golden pupils, which seemed to shrink under scrutiny, were his target. If Rainer was a living being, then deep within those eyes lay an untrainable, fatal weakness—the brain.
To Rainer, Del’s sword was nothing more than a twig. Yet, that was precisely why he could aim for the eye. The Demon King’s movements halted. The approaching black iron blade drew near, and Rainer narrowed his eyes.
—And then, Rainer closed his eyes.
“!?”
I couldn’t believe it.
The descending blade slid over his eyelids and was deflected with a powerful rebound. Del lost his balance, thrown back onto the floor, barely managing to land safely. Rainer slowly opened his eyes. Not a single scratch marred his eyelids or eyes. Perhaps he hadn’t been able to exert his full strength since his feet hadn’t been firmly planted on the ground, but it was simply… too resilient.
It was then that the Demon King finally spoke. His voice, carrying a sense of age and authority, echoed throughout the half-destroyed throne room.
“Is that all you have… Human? The End Knight, who is said to be a sound warrior, is only capable of this? To challenge me with such meager strength… foolish…”
This was bad. I was going to be killed. Rainer had yet to unleash his full power. Del was strong, but he was still Human. He was wearing down. There was no choice but to act.
I would ambush him. Using Shadow Veil to conceal my presence, I would stick close to his head and unleash my Curse Flame at point-blank range. I resolved myself in an instant and leaped toward Rainer.