novelraw Chapter 498: Sin Amplifier
Chapter 498: Sin Amplifier
Squelch....
Thud x2....
Two heads simultaneously dropped to the ground. The Duchess stared in disbelief, her brain unable to register that both of her precious sons had died just like that. But the most twisted expression perhaps appeared on the face of the Duke, he roared like a wounded Lion, "YOU DAREEEEE?????"
But a monstrous killing intent filled with a trace of demonic energy landed on the Duke, coming from Gareth himself. Under the threat of that primal killing intent, all rage inside the duke vanished, replaced by the purest form of dread.
Zena, without giving a fuck about any of that, went closer to the Duchess, dragging her away. Meanwhile, the duke was unable to do anything. Seeing the cold, inhumane eyes of the unknown and monstrously powerful guard of the Crown Prince.
The prince clapped his hands, almost in bright joy and a sweet laughter. He announced condescendingly, "Now then, since your two official heirs are nothing but dead bodies. I appoint Zen as the only and official heir of the Karmann Duchy."
He sprinkled in a bit more info, just to see the Duke seethe in rage, "Though your older daughter Zena is clearly the stronger one. Unfortunately, she doesn’t want to be the heir."
Conner looked towards Zen, and the latter nodded, making a respectful stance. He gave a slight bow to his father, but his face held only a mocking smile. He stated, "Zen Karmann pays his respects to the Duke. Thank you for appointing me as the heir, Father."
Every word spoken by the bastard boy was like a dagger being pierced straight into the heart of the Duke. The noble and powerful man clenched his fists so hard that his hands began to bleed. His eyes blazed with murderous hatred of the boy.
But suddenly, Gareth appeared right in front of the Duke once more in a flash, his large hands grabbing the arrogant Duke’s head. It looked like an adult was grabbing the head of a child. Gareth spoke for the first time, his voice deep and threatening, "You touch these two, or scheme against them in any way. I will find you, and I will kill you, make no mistake of it. Do not let your arrogance blind you."
Gareth stood back beside Prince Conner once more. This time, the smile on the face of the Raven Prince vanished. He asked the Duke one last time, his voice cold, "Do you understand, Duke of Karmann?"
The Duke gritted his teeth and bowed his head; the words said by that man were every bit true. There was no doubt about it, that monster would kill him, and he was able to glimpse the power of that man for a mere instant; it was the same as his, a 4th phase being.
But the difference in their foundation and battle prowess was so despairingly huge that he might as well be a toddler flailing his weapon against a seasoned killer, letting go of every ounce of his pride and ego, his voice obedient, "I understand, your highness, the Crown Prince of Ravenspire."
His voice trembled as he spoke the next words, "I accept your arrangement and officially appoint my son, Zen Karmann, as the one and only heir of the Karmann Duchy."
Thus, by the Will of Osiris...
The Heir of the most influential Ducal family within Ravenspire, Zen Karmann,
The Heir’s sister, Zena Karmann,
The Crown Prince of Ravenspire, Conner.
The Crown Prince of Ironhold,
The Crown Princess of Whitehelm,
The Crown Prince of Stormmere,
The Crown Prince of Dawnridge,
The Crown Princess of Frostglen,
All the personnel of these important positions that were key seats of political power within the minor kingdoms, especially in such a time of war, were all controlled by the one and only Demon of Despair. Still, no one could ever think of the truth, not even in their wildest dreams, that the unassuming, handsome, and talented runecaster was behind the deepest of schemes.
Within this war between humanity’s divided sides and the Ghost race. The biggest player was none other than Axel Freaking Nomrad.
***
The eyes of Duchess Nerma snapped open; she gasped for breath. Her eyes were hazy, and she couldn’t see properly. She could only witness the darkness all around her. She barely managed to wipe the grease from her face.
She felt like she had lived through the worst of her nightmares. Her mind portrayed the things that just happened a while back, the death of her dear sons, as just a bad dream, so that her psyche would not simply shatter at the sudden, overwhelming loss.
But as she came to her senses and realized that she had been locked in a dark room, the only thing she could see was a barely imperceptible trace of light coming through the gap of the door at the far end of the dark room.
But before she could go far, she felt something hit her head. Metal bars blocked her. She began to question whether she was locked in some prison room of sorts. But why would the noble Duchess Nerma be locked in such a dirty place?
What sort of blasphemy was this?
Before her anger could rise, the door opened with a creak; the light hit her like a blinding flare, the shadow of a mysterious woman cast over her, her eyes blazing in an almost bloody light, looking strangely demonic.
It was only when the female figure was close enough that the face, covered in shadows, was clear to the Duchess; it was none other than Zena.
Nerma stepped back in fear, "How? No, why? WHY? Why are you here?"
"Why am I locked in here?"
"Where the fuck is the Duke?"
"My guards, how dare they let me be captured by this bitch?"
The Duchess continued to spout nonsense one after another, to which Zena only chuckled, "You’re not asking the most important question?"
"You fucking prostitutes bitch daughter, how dare you talk to me like this??? HOW DARE YOU??" Nerma screamed.
But Zena only laughed, throwing the cut-off heads of her own son in front, watching the Duchess slowly crawl back to the brutal reality, and watching her in delight as she loses her mind all over again. The vindictive dark joy in her heart at that moment was boundless.
However, it was only about to become better, she spoke, "Knight, I know you’re fucking awake...."
It was only then, behind the bars, from the corner, out of the darkness, a figure came out, becoming visible to the Duchess, "My loyal knight? why? why? why? Why are you here?"
Zena looked at the bastard, who was the first one sent by the Duchess to kill her, Nerma’s most loyal knight. If not for Golgoth, she would have been raped and killed by this wretched bastard. She did not do anything to him, because the guy had his use.
She ordered, "If you want to live, go on, fuck her, the one you once served, the woman you are most loyal to. Break her spirit."
The man gritted his teeth; his expression was one of utter helplessness. No matter how much he hated it, he had no other choice; to live, he had to do what he was ordered.
He stepped closer towards the quivering, scared women. Nerma had already lost her mind due to the death of her two sons.
The Duchess noticed that her knight was coming closer, and with no positive intentions either, but her mind was too far broken to work properly anymore, to form any coherent thoughts.
Zena watched on with a beautiful smile. The Duchess, who wanted to bestow this wretched fate upon her, was now experiencing the very one herself. Being violated by her most loyal knight, on the orders of a little girl she once kicked out of the ducal house. Ordered powerful men to hunt down Zena and her brother, then kill them.
She was unfathomably delighted; the seed of despair appeared on her forehead automatically, pulsing with power, absorbing all her vindictive joy and the rich negative emotions until its pulse reached a crescendo.
Multiple messages, one after another, were whispered into her ears by Prime Nexus.
[The ’Seed of Despair’ within you has reached a critical point of evolution]
[Evolving.... evolving.... evolving]
[The ’Seed of Despair’ has generated a trace of the true demon bloodline within your veins]
[The trace of true demon bloodline is devouring the ’Seed of Despair’]
[Congratulations, Zena Karmann, your race has evolved from Human Demonkin to Partial Demon]
[You have gained a unique stat ’Demonic Energy’]
[You have awakened the bloodline ability, Sin Amplification]
***
Heinz alone remained, the last one on the battlefield, at least the last one still standing. After almost a week of day and night nonstop battle, every last one of the enemies was killed. Just like he promised. The unified army, under his leadership, achieved an overwhelming win.
He stood there, bloodied from head to toe, every single bone in his body screamed in pain, the extent of injuries he had inside his body was mind-boggling, and it wasn’t easy to accomplish this.
Not even remotely close.