Chapter 275 : Chapter 275

Chapter 275

‘Killian ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Eurasia.’

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍man who had inflicted the first defeat upon Isaac Heinrich, who was born with everything.

If ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his opponent had been Krusty Heinrich, to whom he had been compared as a rival since birth, or Simon Eurasia or Escardo Schtenberg, whose names resounded across the Continent, he might have been able to accept his defeat.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he could not tolerate losing to Killian Eurasia.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Isaac, the chosen one, had undergone countless experiments to cross the wall. He did not want to acknowledge that some prince of a weak kingdom, younger than him, had completely surpassed it.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first, he had been furious with himself for failing to crush Eurasia completely when it was still merely a Family.

He raged that his idiotic subordinates had allowed the matter to grow by failing to handle it properly.

What he could once have covered with his palm had grown into a mountain he could no longer conceal.

Then he calmed himself and rationally reviewed his defeat.

That had not been the problem.

Killian Eurasia had simply been stronger than him.

And so, he pressured the Black Duke into creating a body capable of accepting even greater power. Using the Magic God Stone, which could be called the product of the Black Magic Tower’s research, he gained power akin to a transcendent.

And still, he lost the war against Eurasia.

In the process, Simon Eurasia brought about the end of the Black Duke, whom Isaac had firmly believed immortal, while the Black Dragon, practically the Magic God Stone’s ultimate technique, was destroyed by the Mixed Dragon that abruptly intervened.

That marked the end of the struggle for the throne to which he had devoted his life.

Trusting in the Presence he had attained, he plotted a rebellion, only to be subdued before he could even attempt it.

His wealth was confiscated in the name of the Empire’s development, and his private soldiers were taken in the name of demonstrating loyalty to the Emperor.

All he was left with was a private estate on the outskirts of the Empire, including a small castle.

He thought everything had ended that way.

“Become the Moon of the Empire.”

Then the man who had supported his rival came to him with a sweet offer.

He had failed to become the Sun and lost everything. Now they told him to live in the shadows, cleaning up after others.

He found it humiliating and wanted to refuse.

“It is His Majesty the Emperor’s will.”

He was not even permitted to refuse.

Of course, the offer was not entirely without benefit.

“There are times when the Moon comes to serve as the Sun.”

He was given another opportunity to challenge for the throne.

The White Duke, acting as the Emperor’s representative, proposed an experiment with enigmatic words.

He offered to elevate Isaac’s Presence and make him the Emperor’s equal.

Isaac expected the experiment to be difficult.

But he had not imagined it would be so intense that even he, a near-immortal, would scream.

It was an experiment that implanted a ‘Fragment of a God’ and a ‘Fragment of the Anomaly.’

It could never have been attempted on anyone who had not already become a near-immortal like the Black Duke.

His mind broke dozens of times each day.

The White Duke seemed to have grown concerned about him.

“Killian Eurasia has cultivated a Hollyheart.”

Judging by the pointless words he spoke to motivate Isaac.

It was a clumsy provocation.

But unquestionably effective.

“If the experiment succeeds, Your Highness will become a being capable of sealing even the power of the Gods.”

To seal the Gods’ Authorities, he needed a vessel capable of containing such power.

Under the White Duke’s hand, Isaac’s Mind Image World collapsed and was created anew.

And then.

“Is this the power of a God?”

“Congratulations, complete Moon of the Empire.”

The White Duke informed him that he now stood on the same plane as the current Emperor.

It was joyous news indeed.

It meant he had surpassed 8-Star.

“It seems a fair measure of trust has grown between us.”

“I merely work for the Empire.”

“A lie. Do you not realize that while you peered into me, I also peered into you?”

“…….”

“If my role is needed, I will fulfill it. But before that, I will decide how to use this power.”

“Killian Eurasia, then. I will prepare the information.”

Before long, a Walker visited him.

Tial Salamander.

“I want Killian Eurasia.”

“He is a clever man.”

“That is not the answer I summoned you to give.”

“…….”

“If you wish to lure him in, you must cast bait worthy of him.”

So Isaac gave it to him.

Information about the Empire’s most secret experiment.

To catch prey, one needed enticing bait and the patience to wait.

At last, several insects crept into his private estate.

He could tell they had been lured by Tial Salamander’s bait.

They appeared to have come not for Isaac himself, but for the place where he and the White Duke were conducting their experiment.

But the insects were far nimbler than he had expected.

Had he been even slightly later, the information he had so carefully leaked would have gone to waste, and he would have failed to capture even one of them alive.

“The Second Sword of the Extermination Squad.”

He forced the Mana Heart of the knight who traded quips with him without knowing his place into backflow.

With his other hand, he seized the knight’s beating heart.

He poured the Magic God Stone’s Evil Energy into the Mana Heart wracked by backflow.

He inscribed an immortality Formula and burst the bastard’s heart at the same time.

It was the process of turning a Human into high-ranking Undead.

Day and night, he poured Evil Energy into him.

“Yulian. No, I suppose I should call you a Death Knight now.”

Isaac gazed with satisfaction at the monster whose former cheerfulness was gone, leaving only a crimson glow in its eyes.

A Death Knight was a monster generally evaluated at 5-Star or 6-Star.

When a Human became Undead, the Human was reborn as an immortal being, but it was normal for their original Presence to diminish.

That would have happened if Isaac’s skill with immortality Formulas had not rivaled the Black Duke’s.

“For now, you are an incomplete Superhuman.”

It was probably because Isaac had taken him in haste before he had fully mastered 6-Star.

Given time to absorb Isaac’s Evil Energy in abundance, he would surely become the equivalent of a complete 7-Star knight. But Isaac wanted far more than that.

Yulian would be the bait that drew Killian Eurasia in.

He needed to be different from the other creatures Isaac had made.

With that thought, Isaac modified him again and again until Tial Salamander made contact.

And that had brought them to this moment.

“The Authority of Barrier.”

It was presumably the Divine Power Killian had obtained during his expedition to the northern Frontier.

The corners of Isaac’s lips rose.

To face Killian Eurasia, he had to seal both Mana and Divine Power.

Killian had seized the initiative with Mana and finally brought out his Divine Power.

“To you, it must feel as though you achieved that result through your own efforts.”

But Isaac had obtained the power to suppress Divine Power.

Before the experiment began, the White Duke told him the true power of the Magic God Stone.

“The present Magic God Stone might as well have been made from the Gods themselves.”

There was an old legend that an unnamed God had once gathered fragments of other Gods’ Authorities and sealed them inside a single sword.

The Black Duke and the Black Magic Tower researched an object capable of containing both the Curse of the Anomaly and the Gods’ Authorities.

The White Duke and the White Magic Tower researched how to dissolve and incorporate the pieces and fragments of transcendents.

In the modern age, the research of the two Magic Tower Masters had been merged into one.

‘And Krusty and I must have become the subjects of that experiment.’

The reason the priests of the Holy Nation had lost their connection to the Gods was likely related to this as well.

But none of that mattered now.

“The Magic God Stone is the power that will give birth to a new God.”

He focused on the prey before him.

On devouring Killian Eurasia.

Just as Killian Eurasia had done.

Clench.

At a gesture from Isaac, the Divine Power wrapped around the moon darkened and became corrupted.

Whoooooosh.

When the Divine Power flowing from his body touched the Barriers.

CRUMBLE.

The Barriers collapsed helplessly.

“Carpe Illusion.”

In that opening, Killian deployed three domains.

Total Solar Eclipse and Luna Maria.

The Violet Magic Tower and the Black Magic Tower.

Elvenheim and The Sinner’s Guillotine.

The three pairs of Mind Images collided and canceled each other out.

“You deployed your domains, but you can no longer use Divine Power.”

The outcome of a contest through Divine Power was uncertain.

By contrast, the outcome of a contest through Mana could be predicted.

“At last, I can show them to you.”

At a gesture from Isaac, a gate opened before the Black Magic Tower.

Five Death Knights walked through it.

They were monsters equivalent to 7-Star knights, perfected through his countless experiments.

Among them, the Death Knight at the very front radiated a presence that overwhelmed the other four.

“Grand Death Knight.”

Isaac’s face flushed as though he were unveiling a work of art.

“How does it feel to meet the subordinate you searched for so desperately?”

“…….”

With an impassive expression, Killian examined the Death Knights walking toward him.

Their armor and helmets were of imperial make, but each wielded a different sword.

Their former weapons had been used as mediums to preserve the Presence they possessed in life.

Killian stared at the foremost Death Knight, who was holding Aether.

“Yulian.”

The moment he called the name.

SLASH.

One stroke cut through all five Death Knights.

Whoooooosh.

Evil Energy covered the deep wounds, and they rapidly healed.

“Your hand is merciless even against a former subordinate.”

There was a strange fervor in Isaac’s voice.

Eurasia Style.

“Thunder Flash.”

CRACK—!

Mana flowed like an electric current after piercing the sturdy armor.

Thump.

This sword stroke tore all four limbs apart.

Whoooooosh.

Once again, Evil Energy restored him.

Yulian appeared to regenerate twice as fast as the others.

“It is useless. Did you think the word ‘Grand’ was meaningless?”

Each was the result of experiments conducted on an exceptional subject.

“This is not some Mind Image World. They truly exist.”

“You said you would erase me from existence, yet you cannot even deal with my creations.”

Isaac’s voice grew louder, confident in his victory.

“They say magic cannot realize what one cannot imagine.”

Sssssss.

Another gate formed before the Black Magic Tower.

Something black shot out from within, beating its wings.

A Dark Dragon.

It was easily twice the size of the Black Dragon used in the previous war.

“Violet!”

Ding.

[Summoning magic activated at the Guardian’s request.]

[Target confirmed.]

[Summoning magic initiated.]

Shimmer.

The pendant around his neck synchronized with the violet Mana.

[ROOOAR!!]

Hazard, who had been waiting eagerly for an opportunity, appeared.

Hazard released Polymorph and revealed his true body, then opened his maw toward the Dark Dragon.

[ROOOOOOAR!!!]

Just as he was about to unleash his breath.

[……!!]

CRASH—!!

The Dark Dragon moved with astonishing speed and rammed Hazard from behind.

“Fool.”

[SCREECH!!]

[ROAR!!]

In the distance, Hazard and the Dark Dragon tangled together and clawed at each other.

Their hard draconic scales tore loose, spraying blood.

Hazard screamed.

“Did you truly think I would make no preparations against the dragons?”

Yulian and the other Death Knights regenerated.

“With your power, it seems you cannot erase me from existence. All you can do is buy time.”

Isaac mocked him, claiming that he had already reached 9-Star and that Killian ought to display power worthy of cutting down a 9-Star.

“This is my estate—the Empire’s land. You do not truly believe you can cause this much destruction and escape unscathed, do you?”

SLASH.

“…….”

Without a word, Killian cut through all five Death Knights again.

He watched them regenerate with Evil Energy, then spoke.

“True. Even if I defeat you here, I won’t be able to escape with the imperial forces encamped outside.”

Whoooooosh.

Killian shifted his gaze from Yulian, who was regenerating through Evil Energy.

To Isaac.

“She should be making her move by now.”

“She?”

“You said it yourself. The Magic God Stone uses the Gods as its material.”

“…….”

“The Holy Nation is on the move.”