Chapter 630: Terrifying Power Of A Duke

Shin and Malachi stood side by side, neither willing to lower their guard as they struggled to make sense of what had just happened. Their bodies remembered a battle that had never taken place. Shin could still recall the sensation of Kaiku cutting through Zepar’s neck, while Malachi remembered the blood on the tip of Weeping Tom. Every detail had felt real, yet they were standing exactly where they had been before the supposed battle began.

Shin turned toward Malachi, confusion written across his face. "Didn’t we kill him?"

Malachi glanced at Zepar, who remained beneath his hood, then looked back at Shin. "Was it an illusion?"

Zepar laughed.

"It’s called Dream Manipulation: Revelation." He tilted his head slightly, his crimson eye gleaming beneath the hood. "Every action in battle is premeditated. What my technique does is put all participants in a dream state where all our plans are laid bare to each other and pitted against each other. That way, I can see the outcome and decide whether to change my approach or continue with the plan. In this case, it’s very clear that my initial plan has changed. Especially now that I know about your bloodlines and cursed weapons."

Buzz!

A faint vibration passed through the corridor as the meaning of his words settled over the two disciples.

Malachi and Shin exchanged shocked glances before returning their attention to Zepar. Their expressions twisted with a mixture of anger and apprehension, and for good reason.

The Duke had gained knowledge of their abilities and plans without suffering a single injury.

Shin’s jaw tightened. "Isn’t that a bit too overpowered?"

The question escaped him before he could stop himself.

The technique essentially allowed Zepar to observe possible outcomes before deciding how to act. It was not true omniscience, but against opponents whose abilities and strategies were unfamiliar to him, the advantage was absurd. He could explore different approaches within the dream, discover how his enemies would respond, and enter the actual battle with their secrets already exposed.

Malachi’s fingers curled into fists. His bloodline ability could detect disturbances across a wide area, but it could not help him if the very reality he perceived was fabricated. He had prepared himself to fight a master of deception, only to discover that his opponent could turn his own preparations against him.

Zepar seemed to find their reactions amusing.

"Don’t look so troubled. You should be proud. Not everyone gets to experience my technique."

Swish!

His voice had barely faded when he charged.

The sudden movement caught the disciples off guard, but Shin reacted before the Duke could reach him. Gritting his teeth, he stepped back and raised the funeral lamp, pouring demonic energy into its ancient frame.

"SOUL EATER!"

The bell rang.

A massive mound of flesh exploded from the lamp, its grotesque body surging forward with a deafening cry. Its enormous mouth stretched open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth as it lunged toward Zepar. The creature’s bulk filled most of the corridor, leaving little room to evade its attack.

Zepar did not attempt to retreat.

He lowered his body and spun forward, moving with his back almost parallel to the ground. His boots swept across the floor as he passed beneath the Soul Eater’s gaping jaws. A crimson scythe materialized in his hand.

"REAP!"

Zepar spun and rhe scythe flashed once.

The Soul Eater split into two enormous halves.

Its upper body continued forward for a brief instant before collapsing against the floor, while the lower half twisted violently. A piercing cry filled the corridor, shaking the windows and sending loose fragments of stone tumbling from the ceiling.

Shin’s expression darkened.

Even after witnessing the Duke’s strength in the dream, the speed of the actual attack was difficult to accept. Zepar had not merely replicated the outcome they had seen. He had executed the strike with frightening precision, as though he had already calculated the creature’s movements and knew exactly where to place his blade.

"Bastard!" Malachi roared.

He slammed his palm against the floor.

Crimson magic arrays illuminated the stone beneath his feet, their intricate patterns spreading across the corridor. Demonic energy surged through the markings, and the floor trembled as thick black vines erupted from the ground. Red thorns covered their surfaces, glistening beneath the dim light as the vines twisted toward Zepar from multiple directions.

The Duke’s crimson eye shifted toward the approaching attack. Before the vines could reach him, he sprang toward the nearest window.

KRASH!

Glass shattered as Zepar shot out of the room, disappearing into the night.

Malachi froze for an instant, caught off guard by the sudden retreat. Shin also turned toward the broken window, his grip tightening around Kaiku.

Neither had expected Zepar to abandon the corridor so abruptly.

Then another crash erupted behind them.

KRASH!

Their eyes widened.

Zepar burst through the window behind Malachi, his crimson armor reflecting the moonlight as he descended into the corridor. His scythe was already raised, the curved blade cutting through the air toward Malachi’s back.

Malachi twisted at the waist.

For a fraction of a second, he saw his own reflection in the polished crimson blade descending toward him.

’The bastard is improvising!’ Malachi barely had time to react.

PENG!

A sharp metallic clang rang through the corridor as Kaiku intercepted the scythe.

Shin had crossed the distance in time to block the attack, his blade braced against Zepar’s weapon. The impact sent a tremor through his arms, and his boots scraped backward across the stone as he struggled to hold his ground.

Zepar’s helmet tilted toward him.

A sneer entered the Duke’s voice. "A demon using cursed weapons forged with the lives of your fellow demons! You are a disgrace and must be purged alongside the Prince."

Shin’s expression hardened.

"The word of a dead man is not worth more than the mad ravings of a dog!"

Crimson markings spread along Kaiku’s blade as white flames erupted around it. The fire quickly darkened, becoming tainted with streaks of red blood that twisted through the flames like living veins.

Shin pressed forward.

The tainted Samsara flames surged toward Zepar, licking across the scythe and threatening to engulf the Duke’s arm. The heat filled the corridor, and the surrounding stones began to blacken beneath the unnatural fire.

Zepar held his ground for a moment, resisting the force of Shin’s advance.

That moment was all Malachi needed.

He rushed in from the side, Weeping Tom held low in his right hand. Rather than attacking the Duke’s armored chest, he aimed for the narrow gap beneath his armpit, the same weakness he had exploited in the dream.

His dagger flashed toward the opening.

"Hmph."

A cold snort escaped Zepar as he stomped his foot against the ground. The burst of demonic force erupted before either disciple could complete their attacks.

The shockwave struck Shin and Malachi simultaneously, overwhelming their defenses and hurling them backward. Shin’s tainted Samsara flames scattered, while Malachi’s dagger was knocked off course. Both disciples were sent flying across the corridor, their bodies crashing through the remaining vines before slamming into the opposite wall.

Stone cracked beneath the impact and Shin dropped to one knee, one hand pressed against the floor as he struggled to catch his breath. Kaiku remained in his grasp, but his arms trembled from the force of the collision.

Machi landed several meters away and rolled across the floor before stopping beside a broken pillar. He planted his dagger against the stone and used it to push himself upright, his teeth clenched against the pain.

Neither spoke immediately.

Their hair was disheveled, their clothes covered in dust, and their chests heaved as they drew one breath after another. The brief exchange had lasted only seconds, yet Zepar had dismantled their coordinated attack with a single burst of demonic force.

Shin wiped the dust from his mouth and released a heavy sigh. "This Duke is really terrifying."

Malachi nodded firmly.

Zepar stood several meters away, his scythe resting loosely in one hand. He had not even bothered to pursue them while they recovered. The confidence in his posture suggested that he considered their defeat inevitable.

Malachi glanced toward the staircase leading deeper into the mansion. Their master was somewhere beyond it.

Then he turned toward Shin. "Shouldn’t we inform Master?"

Shin remained on one knee for another moment before slowly standing. His breathing was still uneven, but the uncertainty that had clouded his expression was gone.

He shook his head.

"Master has always been the one fighting to protect us. It’s high time we return the favor and protect Master for once!"