The clash of two Evils Part 9

Things were not going as well as I had hoped. No matter how many monsters I cut down, more always seemed to take their place. It felt like an endless tide. Every time I got close to attacking Duke Vanth, another wave of his beasts would come between us, shielding him. He had me cornered, relentlessly bombarded by creatures from every direction. I couldn't afford even a moment's distraction—each of these monsters was strong enough to end me in an instant if I let my guard down. It was clear now. Vanth hadn't just gathered any monsters; he had chosen each one with precision, building an army where every single monster was deadly in its own right.

As if the relentless waves of monsters weren't enough, my body was beginning to wear out. Even with [Harmonic Drain] keeping me in the fight, I could feel the strain building. Worse still, my demonic energy was becoming harder to control. I'd been pushing it—using it alongside my adventurer skills, which were divine in origin. I had trained endlessly to master the simultaneous use of both these opposing powers, but now I was past my limit. The clash of energies inside me was growing more unstable with every passing second. I only had one option left if I wanted to defeat Duke Vanth and make it out of this alive. I would have to stop holding back my demonic energy. But I knew what that meant. Unleashing it without restraint could cause me to lose control of my body—just like when I fought Kase and Oblivion. I don't think there is an alternative. I just hope Sunshine realizes this and takes Namy away from here as far as possible.

The enormous monster that had just appeared and that Duke Vanth seemed confident would attack me dropped his massive hand on me, ready to crush me where I stood.

"Fine... if that's what you want," I muttered to myself. My pulse quickened as I let go of the restraint.

The demonic energy surged through my veins like fire. It burned hotter than anything I'd felt before, but I embraced it, knowing I needed every ounce of its power to survive. My vision flickered, a red haze creeping into the edges as my skin darkened with the taint of demonic power. My body felt lighter, stronger—and faster with so much demonic energy inside me, but simultaneously, it began to be challenging to keep my conscience under control. I felt like I could lose consciousness at any moment.

There is no going back.

The surge of demonic energy was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before—an uncontrollable flood of power that coursed through my veins, burning with raw, chaotic **** even more powerful than the one I experienced in my fight against Oblivion. It was as if the very core of my being had been lit on fire, and with every pulse, I could feel my humanity slipping away. My breathing became labored, the air thick and suffocating. I tried to steady myself, but my grip on reality was fading fast.

The monster's hand was moments from crushing me, but now, I didn't care. I wasn't afraid. A part of me welcomed the destruction—hungered for it.

And then, everything shifted.

I felt the pressure deep in my skull, followed by a sharp pain, and suddenly, the world around me warped. My senses were sharper—too sharp—like my brain couldn't keep up with all the information being processed at once. It was maddening. Then, I could feel a horn growing from my head, twisting out from the side of my head.

The ground beneath me began to tremble violently, a deep rumble echoing through the air. The sky darkened, clouds swirling in a violent spiral above us. It felt as if the entire world was being crushed under the weight of my energy. Birds scattered from the trees in frantic flocks, their panicked cries piercing the chaos. For a moment, everything seemed to pause. Even the monsters froze, their attacks halted mid-strike. The massive hand of the giant beast loomed inches from me, suspended in the air as if the world itself had taken a breath. It wasn't just the earth. There was something else, a heavy pressure, building from deep within me. My demonic energy was breaking free, and even the creatures could feel it. I could sense their hesitation, their instincts telling them to stay back.

The transformation was violent, every inch of my body feeling like it was being torn apart and remade by the dark energy. My muscles tensed, the raw power making them feel as if they were about to burst out of my skin. My teeth clenched so hard I thought they might shatter. My gaze drifted upward to the sky in my final moments of consciousness. Through the blur of chaos, I spotted Usofra, her wings cutting through the air as she darted away. She understood what was happening and used the momentary paralysis of the monsters to escape. Relief flickered within me. If Usofra had gotten away, it meant Namy and Sunshine were likely doing the same. I could let go of the fear of harming them. They will be safe now. I no longer had to hold back. With that thought, I surrendered fully to the surge of demonic energy, the world spinning as everything around me faded into darkness.

Duke Vanth stood in stunned silence, his mocking grin faltering as he beheld the transformation. His monstrous army, which moments ago had surrounded Darx with relentless aggression, now hesitated. Even they felt the dread emanating from the young adventurer-turned-demon. Vanth's brows furrowed in disbelief as he muttered under his breath, "What... what is this power?"

Duke Vanth stood in the distance, utterly still, observing Darx. Darx, now fully enveloped in demonic energy and with one horn, looked strangely serene. Darx's expression was unsettlingly calm. The whites of his eyes had turned black, while his gaze was cold and unblinking. Hundreds of monsters were around him, yet Darx seemed unfazed—almost as if he were waiting for something.

For a moment, fear flashed across Vanth's face. Darx's demonic energy resembled something far beyond the capabilities of any normal demon. It was an energy that could rival—no, exceed by a large marge that of the generals. His hand, still raised to command the onslaught, began to tremble.

"Impossible..." Vanth whispered, eyes wide, "No demon has this much energy. Only the Demon King himself could..." He trailed off, realizing the depth of what was unfolding before him.

A cold sweat formed on his brow. Duke Vanth, one of the Demon King's generals, known for commanding hordes of deadly creatures with ease, felt his grip on the situation slipping. His pride flared, anger bubbling up to mask the fear creeping through him. He tightened his fist, forcing the tremble to stop, "I am not afraid of anyone!" He bellowed, his voice filled with fury, "I am a general of the Demon King! Fear is beneath me!"

But Vanth's bravado couldn't erase the dread gnawing at his core. His eyes darted toward his monsters, the twisted creatures under his control. They, too, were frozen, their primal instincts telling them to stay away from Darx. Their hesitation was palpable, starkly contrasting to the vicious obedience they had shown moments earlier.

"Move, damn you!" Vanth roared, using more demonic energy to strengthen his control over his army of monsters, compelling them to act against their instincts. Slowly, the monsters stirred, though their movements were ****, burdened by an invisible fear.

"Attack him!" Vanth shouted, voice cracking with rage, "I said attack!"

The monsters moved as one, launching themselves toward Darx. Vanth's forceful influence had bent their will, overriding their fear, but even so, there was hesitation in their strikes, a wariness in their approach.

Darx stood in the center of the onslaught. The first of the enormous monsters finally lunged at him, but before its claws could connect, it was torn apart by an invisible ****—a shockwave of energy exploding from Darx's body, obliterating everything in its path.

The monsters faltered, their confidence wavering once more. But under Vanth's orders, they pressed on, wave after wave, throwing themselves at Darx. Each one was met with the same fate—reduced to dust by the same shockwave Darx unleashed without moving a single muscle.

Duke Vanth's shock deepened. His army—his carefully selected, deadly army—was being annihilated by a single person.

"This can't be real," Vanth muttered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to comprehend what was happening, "No one should be capable of this…"

Duke Vanth, growing increasingly frustrated, unleashed a torrent of monsters with a wave of his hand, sending them cascading toward Darx. The grotesque monsters rushed forward, their snarls mingling with Vanth's fury. Simultaneously, Vanth called upon his own demonic energy to launch a Dark Beams aimed directly at Darx.

Darx's reflexes, now heightened by the chaotic surge within him, kicked in. He weaved and dodged through the onslaught, his movements fluid and almost ethereal. In one fluid motion, he drew forth a dark sword forged from the very demonic energy coursing through him—the same dark sword with which he managed to cut off Kase's arm and **** Agnes. Darx swung it, slicing through the monsters that surrounded him like paper, before turning his attention back to Vanth.

Darx charged at the Duke. He closed the distance in an instant, and before Vanth could react, Darx's sword found its mark. It pierced through Vanth's defenses, leaving a deep, gaping wound in the general's side. Vanth gasped, pain flashing across his features, a mix of shock and rage igniting within him.

"You…!" He spat, staggering backward, desperately trying to distance himself. In a panic, Duke Vanth called his massive worm from the depths of the earth, its gaping maw yawning wide, ready to swallow him whole. He propelled himself toward the creature, intending to take refuge inside its worm body.

But Darx wasn't done. As the worm began to retreat underground, Darx touched its massive form, freezing it solid in an instant. The beast's body turned into a massive ice statue, suspended in time and space. With a flick of his wrist, Darx unleashed a dark beam that tore through the frozen monstrosity, shattering it into countless shards that rained down around them.

"S-Shit!" Duke Vanth, now exposed once more in mid-air, saw how Darx pointed the palm of his hand against him and how demonic energy began forming in his hand, indicating that another dark beam was coming. In a **** movement, Vanth called the other worm that was underground to act as a shield against Darx's onslaught. The worm emerged from the ground just in time to intercept a dark beam aimed straight at Vanth, the blast slamming into the creature with a deafening roar.

The ground shook, the impact sending ripples through the air. The worm was split in two but held on long enough for Vanth to fall to the ground. As Duke Vanth glanced around, however, dread gripped his heart. A large number of his monsters were now encased in ice statues, frozen solid by Darx's ice summons. His eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed the female-like ice summons, their forms now looking like they were made of black ice, unlike before, which was bluer ice. They moved gracefully, freezing everything in their path, including the remaining monsters and the terrain itself, leaving a chilling landscape behind.

It resembled a scene pulled straight from a nightmare. The once vibrant green forest now lay encased in frost, the ground, grass, and trees transformed into dark, glistening ice. The echoes of the remaining monsters roared through the air, their fierce cries intertwining with the eerie laughter of the female-like ice summons, creating a haunting symphony that resonated through the frozen landscape. The air was so cold that the breath coming from Vanth's mouth was visible. The ice summons, now embodiments of cold darkness, stood ready to defend Darx, their cold eyes locked onto the Duke's trembling form.

"This can't be happening!" Vanth shouted, panic rising. He tried to regain control, rallying his forces to counterattack. However, it was a massacre that was happening.

Darx, now standing tall amidst the frozen battleground, glared at the trembling Duke.

For the first time since the beginning of the fight, the arrogant Duke Vanth felt a flicker of doubt—perhaps he couldn't win. Initially, when Duke Vanth was informed by the staff of the brothel that a red-eyed person was in the city, he was in the company of three other generals who went to his castle to coordinate the Demon King's orders for the ongoing war against the humans. Yet, Vanth kept this information to himself, confident that if he captured the red-eyed person, all the glory would be his. He knew the Demon King, along with his right-hand man, Jaron, had a particular interest in finding this individual. Though Vanth was unaware of the reasons behind their obsession, he was certain it would earn him favor if he succeeded.

"You wanted to play with demons?" Suddenly, Darx, who had remained silent since the abrupt change occurred, called out, voice steady and cold, "Now, let's see how well you fare against one."

I-I managed to do it...I regain control...

I took a deep breath, feeling the surge of demonic energy coursing through my veins like fire. It was overwhelming, chaotic, and yet… I had regained control. Somehow, against all odds, I was still standing—still myself. The dark power, that had threatened to consume me when I stopped containing it, was now mine to command, at least for the moment. But I knew it wouldn't last. I could feel the strain in my body, the pull of the energy tearing at my limits. I had to finish this soon.

"Bastard...! I see you regained control..." Vanth said with surprise.

Across from me, Duke Vanth staggered, his breathing ragged, his once-formidable army of monsters now crumbling under the **** of my ice summons. The battlefield had become a frozen wasteland, littered with the shattered remains of Vanth's monsters.

I walked toward him, slow and deliberate, feeling the weight of each step as the cold air whipped around me, "You're finished, Vanth," I said, my voice cutting through the cold wind, "But before this ends, there's something you're going to tell me."

He glared at me, exhaustion etched into his features, "You think you've won, boy? You think this changes anything?" His voice was hoarse, but the defiance in it was unmistakable.

I stopped a few paces away from him, ice cracking beneath my feet, "You're going to answer my questions," I said coldly, "And if you do, I might consider letting you live."

Vanth let out a bitter laugh, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, "Let me live? I don't need mercy from a pathetic whelp like you. Besides, the one who will die will be you."

I ignored the insult, keeping my gaze locked on his, "Who is Jaron? And how does he know about my father or me? What does he want with me—what's his obsession with my red eyes?"

At the mention of Jaron, something dark flickered in Vanth's eyes. For a moment, it seemed like he might give in, but then he sneered, his lips curling in contempt, "You think I'll tell you anything? Once I capture you and drag your worthless body to Jaron and the Demon King, they'll tell you all you need to know—if you're still breathing by then."

So that's how it is. He wasn't going to answer. I should have expected that. But his arrogance still grated on my nerves. I clenched my fist, feeling the power pulse in my hand, "You won't get that chance."

Vanth's expression twisted in anger, but I cut him off before he could speak, "You see, Vanth… I'm not some random adventurer who crossed your path. I'm from one of the villages your monsters destroyed. Maybe you know it, maybe you don't, but I've been learning a lot about you lately. I've spent the past few days figuring out how to face you alone, and you were stupid enough to give me the perfect opportunity. So, for that, I thank you. You've just handed me the chance to avenge the people of my village. And now…" I raised my hand, the dark energy swirling around me as the temperature dropped even further, "Now, I'm going to make you pay."

Vanth's face contorted with fury, "You think you can stop me? You're nothing but a child playing with powers beyond your understanding! You can't even comprehend what's coming—"

I smirked, feeling the energy coiling tighter around me, "You're right," I said, my tone dripping with condescension. "I am young. But you? You're a failure. Oh, and if you don't want to answer my questions, that's fine. I'll just steal your power and your relic. Once I strip you of everything—your power, your relic, and your life—I'll continue my journey to rescue Zaine. She'll be the one to answer all my questions."

His eyes widened, and the veins on his forehead stood out because of his anger, "W-What did you say…?"

"I said, you're a failure. Look around, Vanth." I gestured to the battlefield, to the frozen wasteland that had once been his army, "Your monsters are dead. Your power is fading. And you're not walking away from this."

He let out a snarl, teeth bared in a savage grin. "You insolent—" His face was twisting in anger, "You really think you can do that? And Zaine? Are you stupid or what? Zaine is dead just like you will be soon!"

Duke Vanth is not aware that Zaine is alive?

"You want to serve Jaron and the Demon King so badly? You want to hand me over to them?" I leaned in, my voice cold as the ice around us, "Too bad. You'll be dead long before you get the chance."

Vanth's face twisted in rage, his composure finally shattering. "I'll kill you, kid! I'll rip you apart and drag your corpse to them!"

I smiled, feeling the storm inside me rising, ready to unleash, "Go ahead," I said, my voice low, "Try."