**Chapter 27: Rebellion④**
—
The first impression that the Third-Class Knight Del felt when crossing blades with the Demon King, Lionel, was that he was completely outmatched.
While it was true that their compatibility was poor and the conditions were the worst, the overwhelming presence of the Demon King—Lionel, the Lion Dragon—was on an entirely different level as a living entity. Even with a boost to his physical abilities from his Blessing, Del couldn’t even land a scratch. The durability of his opponent was terrifying.
Originally, the Endgame Knights were meant to win by any means necessary. They prepared diligently, acted as a group, and exploited weaknesses. However, the Lion Dragon before him would be a formidable opponent even if Del’s conditions were perfect; winning one-on-one was a daunting task.
Del braced himself against the world-shaking roar, enduring it with the armor granted by his Blessing. He could withstand it. The Endgame Knights were trained to learn defensive techniques, knowing how to combat those stronger than themselves. Yet, that alone wouldn’t change the dire situation he found himself in.
A Vampire fell through a hole in the wall. Lionel did not pursue it, instead glaring at Del, who had intervened. The intent behind that gaze was not one of malice.
“Why do you let the Vampire escape? The Endgame Knights should be enemies of the dark Familiars.”
With a suspicious tone, Del tightened his grip on his steel sword, focusing to manifest his Blessing upon his body. While magical beasts could not be purified, the abundant energy of life served as a barrier against physical attacks. If he could channel it rapidly enough, he might deflect Lionel’s strikes. How effective it would be against someone of Lionel’s strength, however, was uncertain.
He needed a weapon. The sword he was accustomed to wielding. A holy silver weapon would not only deal significant damage to dark Familiars but was also exceptionally suited for transmitting Blessing. With that, perhaps he could inflict a wound upon the Lion Dragon’s hide.
Del narrowed his eyes, glaring at the Demon King.
“The Endgame Knight will do his utmost.”
He hadn’t allied with anyone. If it were another Endgame Knight with a grudge against Ardeanor instead of Del, they might have prioritized eliminating that Vampire before confronting Lionel. However, for Del, the priority was to defeat Lionel. He would do everything in his power to achieve that.
That Vampire—the young man known as End—was a “True Vampire.” He was a uniquely rare entity who had evolved from a Corpse Eater through repeated mutations into a Vampire. Vampires possessing the power of the Person Outside often carried a sense of arrogance, but the “True Vampire,” having slipped through the eyes of the Endgame Knights and undergone countless mutations, was exceptionally resilient, making him far more troublesome than those turned into Vampires by others. Even in his moment of desperation, that Vampire still had the will to fight.
Del had only assisted him slightly because he believed it was the best path to victory. Lionel was strong. However, the “Sharp Claw” of the Vampire had indeed left a mark on Lionel’s flesh, albeit a minor one. In that case, it would be better for Del to fully embrace the role of a decoy.
But surely, Lionel was not oblivious to Del’s intentions. Lionel shifted his stance toward Del, and from somewhere, he produced a holy silver claw that glimmered ominously, scraping against the floor and producing a strange sound.
“Very well… Endgame Knight, show me the power you hear in that sound.”
The aura of malice was palpable. Understanding everything yet still confronting an adversary with such overwhelming life force was a stark reminder of how different he was from mere humans. The immense pressure that threatened to crush him made Del realize that the King before him had not been fighting seriously until now.
Gathering strength in his core, Del manipulated the dwindling Blessing within him, igniting it.
It was a technique crafted by the First-Class Knight he trained under.
His mentor specialized in defense, and naturally, Del’s abilities leaned toward that as well. Yet, as inexperienced as he was, Del could not execute the technique perfectly. Still, it was sufficient.
**”Extreme Light Armor”**
The overflowing life energy filled every cell, lightening his body. He felt a burning heat coursing through him. The steel sword in his hand became infused with energy, radiating a brilliant white light. Though it would only last a short time, Del was now as close to immortality as he could be.
The Demon King charged at him. Utilizing his massive frame, Lionel’s claws could easily slice through steel. Del met the descending claws with his sword, receiving the blow from the front. A dull sound echoed as Lionel’s claws sliced through the air just beside Del.
“What a strange technique—”
Lionel let out a low growl, twisting his body. His golden form surged forward with incredible speed, sending Del flying.
Del’s body soared through the air. However, there was no sense of despair. The essence of “Extreme Light Armor” lay in the constant flow of energy across his body. The power released, surpassing the original limit, became an absolute shield against all forces.
As he fell, Del aimed his sword at the exposed body of Lionel. However, before the tip could pierce, Lionel regained his footing and twisted away. The sweeping front paw struck him, and Del’s body crashed against the wall. Though he suffered no serious injuries, his Blessing was significantly diminished. The blade had struck, but he felt no resistance; the supple yet hard hide had completely absorbed the impact.
That was fine. That was enough. Del’s role was to buy time. He rose from the rubble. There was no despair. He had trained as an Endgame Knight for this moment. Roaring, Del leaped toward the Demon King, the absolute powerhouse.
—
Del fell several meters, a strong shock coursing through his body. He struck his head hard against the ground. Yet, all that filled his mind was the intent to kill. He could think only of how to slay Lionel.
He had been saved. Saved by Del. He had incurred a debt. Now he had a reason to return.
Lionel did not pursue him. He could hear the sounds of battle. Was Del holding them off?
Rising, he quickly checked his condition. He felt no injuries. He was not fatigued. The power of blood still lingered within him. Yet, he still could not match Lionel.
He could not think of a way to kill Lionel.
Should he gather allies? Perhaps take Oliver with him? No… that wouldn’t do. He would be of no help. He might betray him.
Searching for a weapon…? No good. The sharp claws had been easily severed by the holy silver claws, but a steel sword lacked the necessary hardness. Furthermore, he had not seen any weapons stronger than steel in the treasure vault. There was no point in wielding a weapon that could not inflict wounds on Lionel.
His offensive power was insufficient. Indeed… the key lay in the “Cursed Flame” he had stolen from the Corpse Eater. According to the information he had extracted from Monica, the “Cursed Flame” had inflicted damage on Lionel. It seemed it hadn’t been enough to defeat him, but it must have been a significant wound, considering the Corpse Eater had secured the unshakeable second position.
What he lacked was… momentum. The strength of the flame was too weak. The embers that had incinerated the Seirzador had failed to scorch even a single hair on Lionel’s body. He had heard that dragon scales were the ultimate material for armor, possessing high resistance to magic, blades, shocks, and curses. Heroes from fairy tales often donned armor crafted from dragon scales.
Channeling the power of blood, he attempted to use the “Cursed Flame” once more, but only embers emerged. The amount of embers seemed slightly greater, but that was all. Yet, despite this, he felt hunger creeping in.
Could it be… that he couldn’t summon his power because he hadn’t consumed any humans?
There was a possibility… he thought. The price of the curse had been to devour a significant number of humans. In his case, he was already dead, so he wouldn’t perish from not consuming people, but if he couldn’t substitute his energy source with the power of blood, it made sense that he couldn’t use his abilities effectively.
He understood, yet… there was nothing he could do. He could not consume humans. While he might be able to suck blood without killing the target, devouring a person would make him a complete enemy of humanity. He could not complain if he were killed for it.
Crap… what a useless curse.
The commotion in the castle must have reached others, yet there was no sign of reinforcements. The noise below was growing louder. What could be happening down there? No, he needed to think of a way to defeat Lionel.
His opponent was powerful, but being large did not mean he was without weaknesses. It was akin to a more powerful Albatross… a troublesome one.
The sounds of battle intensified. The overwhelming presence of life energy flickered, but it was gradually weakening. It seemed Senri could no longer use “Annihilation.”
Time was running out. He could not abandon them. He had not helped Del to let him escape. He had helped him to win.
He could not match Lionel in strength. The sharp claws could barely inflict any damage. Neither magic nor curses were effective. It seemed hopeless, but…
No… wait a moment?
At that moment, he conceived a strange strategy.
Dragon scales repel all objects. Lionel’s hide should be better than that, but the magic he could use was only suitable for daily life, and the “Cursed Flame” was too weak to be effective.
But—what if he avoided the hide?
For instance, consider the inside of the mouth. There is no fur within. If it were the Cursed Flame, it wouldn’t be extinguished by saliva.
It would burn from within.
Rainer’s jaw is lined with sharp fangs, yet I, in this moment, can survive with just my neck. Rainer is large enough to swallow me whole, but if I play my cards right, I might be able to slip inside. As long as I avoid those holy silver claws, I believe I can regenerate quickly. Even a battle-hardened demon king like Rainer has likely never faced an A/N/A DeN/ADoro that willingly leaps into his mouth.
Even if I were to be swallowed, I should be able to regenerate within. I’m uncertain what would happen if my head were crushed, though…
“…”
I furrow my brow, gazing up at the hole in the fallen wall. In the sky, a half-moon, far from being full, rises above.