Chapter 191 - Demon King 6 (1/2)

Chapter 191 - Demon King (6)

“What the hell is that······?”

In a flash, Artpe became dumbfounded.He mumbled to himself.He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, so he rubbed his eyes before he looked at the Demon King again.However, he could still see the shackles around the Demon King’s neck.It was the Absolute Control, which had allowed the Demon King to subjugate his underlings.

[An already completed spell can once again change its shape….You got me this time.I admit it.]

The Demon King mumbled to himself as he rubbed at his neck.An amazing amount of Demonic energy made the collar turn faint.In the end, the collar was gone.However, Artpe possessed the Read All Creation ability, and he could clearly see the trace left behind by the collar.The collar wasn’t completely gone.It just spoke to the reality that the Demon King was resisting against the shackles placed on him.

As expected, monsters over level 400 were able to resist against the power of Absolute Control.However, it wasn’t the time to have such idle thoughts.

[There are constraints to using Absolute Control.I’m right, aren’t I?]

[······.]

Even the Read All Creation ability had a tough time seeing through to the true nature of an Innate ability.However, clues had been presented in front of his eyes.If he couldn’t figure this out, Artpe deserved to die.

[If you are able to win against your opponent, you are able to control them.However, if you lose, the opposite happens.You will become subjugated to the winner.You lost to the previous Demon King, so you are subjugated to him.]

[You were able to discern everything in such a short amount of time.However, this is my Innate ability.As you can see, it is merely an ability that I can control.]

The Demon King was lying.The Absolute Control was a peerless skill, but as a price, its owner couldn't control it.It was a dangerous ability.In short, itwas a powerful magic, but it was like a nasty curse that can turn on its user if it wasn’t successfully used against one’s enemy.

The Demon King was using his massive reservoir of Demonic energy to resist against the Innate ability.However, he could only loosen the shackles.He couldn’t escape it.Of course, a huge portion of his power was tied up right now in order to resist against his shackles.The fact that he still had this much Demonic energy left was frightening, but….

‘Did he make this stage to orchestrate his own death?’

Artpe met eyes with the Demon King.Artpe wanted to read the Demon King’s intent, but he once again realized that it was useless.He decided there was no reason to pussyfoot around this.The Read All Creation ability could’t read thoughts.Artpe just had to push a bit harder, and he was sure he’ll be able to find out the Demon King’s intent.

“He is in a weakened state right now.We have to defeat him right now!”

“Ok!”

“Understood!”

He didn’t bother giving an explanation.He just delivered a correct assessment of an enemy that had to be defeated!The flustered Demon King once again poured out a fierce wave of Demonic energy.However, Maetel and Sienna just shrugged off the Demonic energy.They charged towards the Demon King!Maetel ran through the storm of Demonic energy, and she raised her long sword high into the air.

“Bash!”

It was a simple Bash skill, but there was a light encasing her sword.It was the advanced spell form of the Hero’s Aura called the Hero Flash.All of the power within her spell was infused into a normal, yet high quality bastard sword.It became akin to a holy word.The Demon King glared at her as he faced her.

[It seems level isn’t the only thing you’ve improved on!]

“The fight with you······ I can finish it now!”

The light and the Demonic energy ran amok as they covered the nearby premise.Sienna used this opportunity to bring down her hammer.The Demon King quickly teleported, and the Demon King’s chair was destroyed instead.

“The fight will start for real now.I can hear his heartbeat quicken.”

“I remember it······ Hoo-ooooh.”

The only one that had an inherent advantage over the Demon King in terms of attribute was Etna.Aside from ice, her flame could burn everything.

The Demon King’s heart quickened, because it was the source of his existence.A fatally poisonous Demonic energy was pumped out of his heart, and it dispersed from his back.It was as if he had wings made out of poisonous vapor.

[You think too much, my lovely puppet.It seems your magic is no longer as sharp when aiming for my neck.It seems your heart is moving before your hands.]

[What a load of bullshit.If that is true, does your mouth move before your Demonic energy?]

The Reclamation magic was already on the rise.Part of the Demon King’s Demonic energy had already been purified.Artpe’s party just had to push him.

“I’ll block all of his Demonic energy, so you guys should hurry up and just rush him!”

“Hoo-ahhhhhhhhhp!”

[You can’t defeat me just by rushing me!]

Artpe had slightly slowed down the use of his spell.He was worried about an unexpected situation.

‘What if I purify him?What will happen if I change him back into a human?’

Artpe already had experience of reverting a Demon into a human.

He had done it with the lovely woman, who was using her fire, next to him.Etna was born with a power that was incompatible with her identity as a Demon.It had been akin to her suffering from a disease.However, she was barely able to find her true self, and she had awakened to her Innate ability.

If that was true….

What if he accidentally purified the Demon King?Would the Demon King’s Innate ability evolve in the worst possible direction?

Artpe had this thought when he saw the collar around the Demon King’s neck.He never heard of an ability that gave penalty to its user.That meant the Demon King’s Innate ability wasn’t whole.Basically, the Demon King was in a similar situation as Etna.

It seemed the Demon King had also realized this fact.He probably found out this defect in his ability when he lost to the previous Demon King.Since there was no way he would submit to the previous Demon King, he had to find a different method.

According to Artpe’s bank of knowledge, the only method that could accomplish this was the Reclamation magic.

Of course, the Demon King was currently weakened since he was resisting against his shackles.However, Artpe wonder if the Demon King was purposefully suffering under Artpe’s magic.What if he was trying to escape the body of a Demon?

‘If it is him, it is possible.I have to weigh that possibility.Maybe, he is trying to create something here that’ll allow him to advance to the next stage.’