Chapter 295 - 293 : Demonic protection (1)

Chapter 295: Chapter 293 : Demonic protection (1)

The hotel room was quiet.

After everything he had endured—the chaos at the Golden Colosseum, the life-threatening battles, and the countless complications that had nearly cost him his life—Arthur could finally take a moment to himself.

He sat on the edge of his bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

A reinforced glass case lay across his lap.

Inside it rested the severed arm of Ariala, the Demon Lord of Sloth.

Arthur tilted the case toward the light, examining the limb with keen interest. Thin lines of sealing runes shimmered across the glass, forming a protective barrier around its contents. Beneath them, dark demonic energy clung to the severed flesh, shifting so slowly that he might have mistaken it for a shadow had he not known what he was looking at.

Even separated from its owner, the arm radiated an oppressive presence.

Arthur studied it with unmistakable satisfaction.

’A Demon Lord’s arm.’

His fingers brushed the edge of the case.

Outside his window, evening had settled over the city. The streets were quieter than usual, though the aftermath of the tournament’s catastrophic conclusion was still evident everywhere.

Everyone had left the Golden Colosseum.

The students had been escorted back to their accommodations, while the injured had been transported to temporary treatment centers. Tomorrow, the surviving participants would leave for Celestias Academy.

The tournament had been officially canceled.

There would be no awards ceremony, no cheering crowds, and no grand celebration beneath the tournament banners.

Too many people had died.

Arthur glanced toward the window, his expression briefly darkening.

He understood why the tournament had been canceled. After everything that had happened, continuing the competition would have been absurd.

Still, he couldn’t pretend that the disaster had left him empty-handed.

He had survived.

His enemies had been exposed.

The Holy Empire’s schemes had been dragged into the open.

And now, a piece of a Demon Lord rested in his possession.

Other people could decide what to call the day.

For Arthur, it had been costly.

But not without profit.

Just as he settled more comfortably on the bed, a familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

The reward he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

════════════════════════════

[ EX-RANK QUEST COMPLETED! ]

[ CHOICE 2: SUCCESSFULLY FULFILLED! ]

[ REWARD: BLOODLINE CONVERGENCE ]

All bloodlines possessed by the host can converge into a single, unified bloodline, granting the potential for explosive evolutionary growth.

[ NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED! ]

Bloodline Synthesis: The host can initiate the synthesis of his bloodlines at will, whenever he desires.

[ CAUTION! ]

The synthesis process carries unpredictable risks. The host is advised to proceed with extreme caution.

[ SYSTEM RECOMMENDATION ]

The host is strongly advised to perform Bloodline Synthesis in a location saturated with the purest form of natural energy to maximize the chances of a successful transformation.

Recommended Location: Beneath the World Tree.

Its immense concentration of pure natural energy may help stabilize the transformation and reduce the risks associated with the process.

[ REWARD CLAIMED! ]

════════════════════════════

Arthur read the notification once.

Then he read it again, more slowly.

His attention lingered on the words Bloodline Convergence.

Gradually, a smile spread across his face.

’It was a gamble.’

He leaned back slightly, resting his hands on the bed.

’But I pulled it off.’

Escaping alone would have been much easier.

Far easier.

He wouldn’t have needed to account for so many people, take so many risks, or place himself in the path of enemies who could have killed him before he had the chance to make his next move.

But escaping alone wouldn’t have earned him this reward.

Arthur lowered his gaze toward his hands.

Several bloodlines.

Several sources of power.

And now, the possibility of bringing them all together into something entirely new.

Something stronger.

Something that could potentially push his existence to an entirely different level.

His smile sharpened.

’All’s well that ends well.’

However, his attention soon returned to the warning.

Unpredictable risks.

Extreme caution.

Arthur exhaled through his nose.

’Of course. It would have been too convenient if the System had simply handed me overwhelming power without trying to kill me in the process.’

He had no intention of activating the ability immediately.

Not here.

Not without proper preparation.

The System’s recommendation was too specific to ignore.

The World Tree.

Arthur’s expression grew thoughtful.

If the pure natural energy beneath the World Tree could stabilize the synthesis process, then it was undoubtedly the best place to attempt such a dangerous transformation.

He would have to make the necessary preparations before proceeding.

After all, there was no point in obtaining a powerful new bloodline if the process ended up destroying him.

Arthur was still considering the possibilities when his phone vibrated beside him.

The sudden sound pulled him out of his thoughts.

He picked it up.

Yuna’s name glowed on the screen.

For the first time since entering the room, his expression brightened.

He immediately accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear.

"Well, well, Master. Did you miss—"

"Arthur!"

The voice on the other end interrupted him.

It wasn’t Yuna.

The voice was breathless and strained, carrying an urgency that immediately erased the smile from Arthur’s face.

"Things have gotten out of hand here. People are dying every day, and today—"

"Erica?"

Arthur straightened.

His expression turned serious.

"Yes."

He carefully placed the glass case on the bed.

"First, calm down. Take a breath and tell me what happened."

He paused before asking another question.

"And where is Yuna? Why are you calling me from her number?"

A brief silence followed.

It lasted only a moment, but Arthur immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"Miss Yuna was badly injured during the latest attack."

Arthur’s fingers tightened around the phone.

"What?"

The word came out low and cold.

Erica quickly continued, as though afraid he might misunderstand.

"She’s alive. Please, don’t misunderstand. Miss Elizabeth intervened and helped her escape before it was too late."

Arthur stood up.

"How badly injured is she?"

"She’s been treated and is resting now."

"Can she speak?"

"Not yet. She needs time to recover."

Arthur’s expression darkened.

He moved toward the window, his mind already racing through the possibilities.

"Tell me how this happened."

On the other end of the call, Erica drew a shaky breath.

"The Church has been sending forces toward the World Tree."

Arthur remained silent.

"They’ve been trying to claim it."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"The enchanted forest kept them out at first. The creatures living within it attacked their scouts and forced their smaller units to retreat. For a while, we thought the forest’s natural defenses would be enough to keep them away."

Erica hesitated.

"But today, everything changed."

Arthur’s expression grew colder.

"What do you mean?"

"I don’t know."

The admission seemed to cost her considerable effort.

"The paths that should have turned them back no longer did. The creatures that usually attack intruders didn’t stop them either. By the time our watchers realized what was happening, the Church’s forces had already reached the outer defenses."

Arthur began pacing across the room.

Erica continued, her voice growing increasingly tense.

"They sent a much larger force this time. Several S-Rank fighters, along with SS-Rank fighters."

Arthur stopped.

’SS-Rank?’

That was no ordinary expedition.

The Church wasn’t sending scouts anymore. They were deploying forces powerful enough to overwhelm the defenders of the World Tree.

"We couldn’t hold them back on our own," Erica admitted.

Arthur remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"Yuna fought them."

His expression tightened.

"She fought them herself?"

"Yes."

Arthur closed his eyes briefly.

"We only managed to repel the attack because of her," Erica continued. "Many of the people guarding the World Tree died before we could pull them back. If she hadn’t intervened, things would have been much worse."

A faint noise came through the phone.

Hurried footsteps.

Someone speaking in the distance.

Then a door closed, and the background became quieter.

"The Church is also cutting off our means of contacting the outside world," Erica continued. "Little by little. Our messengers are disappearing, and several communication networks have stopped working."

Arthur stared at his reflection in the window.

His crimson eyes looked darker than before.

’They’re trying to isolate them.’

If the Church continued cutting off their communication channels, the defenders would eventually find themselves trapped without a reliable way to request assistance.

It was a calculated move.

And a dangerous one.

"They’re trying to isolate you," Arthur said.

"Yes."

Erica’s voice dropped.

"I’m sorry."

Arthur’s brow furrowed.

"I should have done better. I should have realized what was happening before—"

"Is Yuna safe right now?"

His question interrupted her apology.

Erica answered immediately.

"Yes."

"Are you certain?"

"Miss Elizabeth is with her. She’s safe for now."

Arthur slowly released the breath he had been holding.

"Good."

At least Yuna was alive.

That was what mattered most at the moment.

It was now time for Arthur to leave the academy and go back elvania.