The clash of two Evils Part 8

The suffocating presence of Duke Vanth pressed down on me, making my blood run cold. His eyes—those unsettling, completely black voids—locked onto mine. The tremors beneath the ground ceased, and the manticores, gargoyles, as well as hundreds of other monsters that I could sense in the surroundings were frozen in place, awaiting his command.

"Well, well, well," Duke Vanth's voice slithered through the air, "What do we have here? Could it be... him?"

I tightened my grip on my swords, fighting to keep my composure. Why is he here? Duke Vanth's mere presence was suffocating, his aura heavy and oppressive. I discreetly scanned my surroundings, noticing hundreds more monsters pouring in. These weren't ordinary creatures—they radiated a terrifyingly strong presence. Each one of them was undoubtedly powerful, and their numbers seemed endless.

"What do you want?" I demanded, stepping forward despite the crushing pressure he emitted.

Vanth's lips twisted into a smile—no, more like a leer, his rotten teeth in plain sight. Duke Vanth's voice dripped with amusement as if my question was the punchline to some joke only he understood, "Oh, the insolence!" He cackled, "But I like that. It's been far too long since someone asked me anything directly. Usually, they're too afraid or busy screaming for mercy." He continued without erasing his creepy smile, completely ignoring my question, "But you… you're different."

Duke Vanth's gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl, "The red eyes… yes, yes… my pets at the brothel weren't lying after all. They spoke of a man who made a mess in my brothel that had such intriguing eyes.

I froze. It must have been Lilith. She was the only one who managed to see my eyes when my hood revealed them for a single second by accident. So, she must have passed the information on to him.

Duke Vanth's grin widened, his expression bordering on madness, "Oh, but it gets even better!" His voice rose, wild and almost ecstatic, "Ziges—oh, Ziges, that clever old snake—he told me someone like you would appear someday. Someone with those eyes. And look!" He gestured wildly at me as though presenting some grand revelation, "Here you are, right in front of me, sooner than I ever expected!"

What that fuck is he talking about?

"Ziges?" I muttered, confusion twisting my thoughts, "Who's Ziges? Why are you waiting for someone with red eyes?"

Vanth's eyes glimmered with amusement as if my ignorance was just more fuel for his delight, "Oh, you poor, clueless thing," He said, feigning pity, "You don't even know, do you? You don't understand the role you've been playing all along. How… delicious. After all, neither Zaine nor Azriel ever had the chance to tell you."

I was in total shock. How come he...? W-Why does Duke Vanth know my father's name?

"W-What are you talking about?" I managed to say, still in a state of shock, "Why do you know my father's name?"

"AHH?" Duke Vanth began making the huge worm circle me while he was still in the worm's mouth, the worm's movements slow and deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey, "I already told you that Ziges told me everything. Ziges and the Demon King will be so grateful to me when I capture you! Hahahahaha!"

"STOP PLAYING AND TELL ME WHO ZIGES IS AND HOW YOU KNOW ABOUT MY FATHER!" I screamed.

Vanth chuckled, the sound low and menacing, "Ah, the questions, the questions… How I adore the curiosity of a cornered animal!" He stopped just in front of me, "But why spoil the fun by telling you now? No, no, that's for you to discover in time. Besides, the truth… well, it might just break you," He grinned, eyes gleaming with a madness that made my stomach churn, "Although if I know the reason why you are in demonic territory, maybe I will tell you."

This bastard is playing with me. He doesn't plan to tell me what he knows.

I clenched my jaw, frustration boiling in my chest, "You betrayed Zaine, didn't you?" I spat, forcing the words through gritted teeth, "You used to serve her, and now you're working for the new Demon King. Why?"

Vanth's expression darkened, his twisted smile faltering for a moment, "Zaine…Is she related to your visit here?" He said her name like a bitter aftertaste, rolling it off his tongue with disdain, "That weak, pathetic excuse for a Queen. She thought herself untouchable, righteous even. But she didn't see the bigger picture. Zaine didn't understand what power truly is," He straightened up, his voice dripping with contempt, "And now, she's nothing more than a memory—dethroned and forgotten, as she deserves."

A surge of anger rose within me at his words. I need to find a way for him to tell me what he knows. My original plan before leaving the city had been to steal Duke Vanth's ability—the power to control monsters—but I abandoned that idea, knowing it would be impossible to strike in the heart of his territory. Yet now, here he is, standing right in front of me. I couldn't sense any of the other powerful presences I had felt at his castle. No doubt, he is alone with just his hundreds of monsters. Duke Vanth must be confident he can defeat me by himself. And if it's true he plans to capture me, he probably came alone to claim all the credit. This is my chance to take his skill—and make him answer my questions.

Vanth must have sensed my irritation because he laughed again, that same mocking, maddened sound, "Oh, don't look at me like that," He cooed, "You haven't even seen what I'm capable of yet. But don't worry…" His grin returned wider, more manic than before, "You'll get your chance."

I smiled slightly, "It was stupid of you to come alone. I'll be the one to capture you and make you talk."

Vanth's laughter rang out, a low, mocking sound that sent chills down my spine, "Ah, the bravado of youth! But let's see how long that courage lasts against the true might of a general demon," His eyes glimmered with wicked delight, and as he raised his hand, a dark pulse emanated from him. The ground trembled, and from the forest's shadows, hundreds of monsters started to emerge—an army of grotesque creatures, each one more terrifying than the last.

I recognize some of those monsters from books I read. A hulking beast with thick, matted fur and razor-sharp claws emerged first—a Fell Beast. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth as it growled low, eyeing me with predatory intent. Behind it followed Nightmare Hounds, their dark forms flickering like shadows, with glowing red eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness.

"[Hellbound Legion!]" Vanth shouted, making the monsters surge forward.

"Bring it on!" I pivoted on my heel and unleashed a [Triple Slash] with each hand, the motion a blur as I struck with both swords. Three slashes from each sword sliced through the air, and I could see the impact—three of the nearest monsters fell, their bodies crumpled to the ground. But there were too many. The Fell Beast lunged, its massive frame barreling toward me, while the Nightmare Hounds flanked me, their eyes glowing with a vicious hunger. "[Water Barrier]" I created a barrier of rapidly spinning water. The water formed a protective shield that deflected the onslaught of monstrous jaws and claws.

"Impressive," Vanth sneered, watching with dark amusement, "But it won't last forever. My army will drown you."

I thrust my hand out, summoning jagged pillars of ice from the ground. They erupted like spears, impaling several creatures that dared to approach. The satisfying sound of ice shattering and flesh tearing filled the air, and I couldn't help but smile at the chaos I was creating.

Vanth's expression darkened, "You think you're clever?" He extended his hand, and the air around him shimmered. A massive creature—a Shadow Drake, its scales black as night and eyes burning with a sinister glow—took flight, its wings casting an ominous shadow over the battlefield, "Let's see how you handle this!"

With a flick of his wrist, Duke Vanth commanded the creature to dive toward me. To my surprise, the monster managed to break through my water barrier. I leaped aside, narrowly avoiding its talons as it crashed into the ground where I had just stood. The impact sent debris flying, forcing me to shield my face. The beast roared, a chilling, loud sound that resonated in my ears. However, I couldn't stay still for even a second since attacks from different monsters came at me from all sides.

"[Summon]"

I focused on my summoning, conjuring seven female figures made of ice, each capable of wielding ice magic and as powerful as A-Rank adventurers. My summons could clear the area around me, creating the space I desperately needed. Ideally, I wanted to unleash the Owl as soon as possible since the Owl could kill all the monsters in one go, but I have to ensure Namy is out of its attack range; if she were seriously injured, the Owl's mana absorption could prove fatal. Sunshine should be with her, and I trusted that she is strong enough to defend Namy from the monsters. Looking up, I spotted Usofra still engaged in an aerial battle with flying monsters. I couldn't tell if the Owl's mana absorption could reach her, too. I need to find a way to tell her to stay away.

The Shadow Drake lunged at me again, and once more, I dodged its attack by leaping aside. But as I landed, a giant worm erupted from the ground beneath me. At the last possible moment, I twisted away just enough to avoid being swallowed whole. However, I found myself precariously perched atop its enormous mouth, dragged upwards as the worm continued its ascent. Distracted by so many attacks from different sides, I lost sight of Duke Vant; however, to my surprise, I detected him behind me, emerging from the worm's mouth a few seconds later.

Shit!

I spun around quickly, ready to strike him with my sword, but he executed a move I hadn't anticipated. He opened his mouth unnaturally wide, unleashing a greenish liquid that sprayed toward me. Whatever that substance was, I knew I had to avoid it at all costs. I leaped off the worm's back, narrowly avoiding most of the gooey attack, though some of it splattered onto my leg. The pain was immediate and intense, as if acid had burned through my flesh.

"Aggg!!!!"

Still in mid-air, I tried to hold my leg because of the pain, but Duke Vant didn't give me time. From his hands, a sphere of demonic energy began to form, which seems familiar to me since it looks the same when I concentrate demonic energy into my hands to use my dark beam.

"In mid-air, how will you dodge this?" Vath said mockingly with a huge smile.

He was right; there was no way I could dodge that attack. The only option I had was to unleash my own dark beam to counter his. I quickly gathered demonic energy in my hands and hurled my beam at him just as he released his. The collision of our darkness created a massive shockwave that obliterated everything in its path. Duke Vanth leaped inside the worm, which bore the brunt of the attack, the worm's body disintegrating under the ****. I, however, was launched backward, crashing through trees marred by the dark energy until my body slammed against the rocky mountainside. My body felt shattered from the collision of the dark beams and the brutal impact against the trees and the mountainside. I teetered on the brink of unconsciousness but fought to keep myself awake.

F-Fuck...

Of course, the monsters didn't take long to come after me to give me the final blow, but that turned out to be in my favor. Despite my battered body, I unleashed [Triple Slash] with each hand against the approaching foes, all while channeling [Harmonic Drain]. The moment their energy surged through me, I felt the wounds heal almost completely.

"Clever boy," Duke Vanth said, approaching me and walking without any injury, "But you're still playing in a league far beyond your comprehension!"

"We will see about that," I replied.

My body still ached from the dark energy collision, but [Harmonic Drain] had healed most of the damage, though the acidic burn on my leg still throbbed painfully.

With a flick of his fingers, he summoned another monster. These creatures took me by surprise, their presence masked by invisibility. I only became aware of them when I felt slimy ropes encircling my limbs, waist, and neck, rendering me immobile.

"Did you finally notice them?" Duke Vanth taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. As he snapped his fingers, the invisible creatures materialized—reptilian beasts with massive tongues, which were now the very appendages restraining me. "Oh, and they have another trick," he continued, snapping his fingers once more. Instantly, a searing pain erupted through my body as if the creatures' tongues were burning my skin.

In response, I unleashed my ice magic, causing the creatures' tongues to freeze solid. The icy grip spread rapidly, encasing the monsters in a layer of frost until they became ice statues. The sudden transformation seemed to take Duke Vanth by surprise. With a bit of ****, I broke the frozen tongues that were holding me, freeing myself.

"Is that the best you got?" I said mockingly this time, which seemed to enrage Vanth.

"Tss, don't get cocky, boy-" Duke Vanth tried to speak, but I didn't give him a chance.

"Shut up!" I said mockingly again.

At that exact moment, I activated [Thunderstride]—the skill I stole from the Oblivion member. Lightning surged through my body, cloaking me in crackling energy and boosting my speed to a blinding level. Before Vanth had a chance to react, I shot toward him, my sword slicing through the air. My blade connected, cutting across his chest from side to side. The impact wasn't as deep as I'd hoped—his skin felt unnaturally hard, like stone—but still, I had finally landed a blow.

Duke Vanth's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, his black blood oozing from the cut across his chest. The sight of his own blood seemed to enrage him further. His twisted grin twisted into a scowl, his body trembling with fury. He raised his hand, and the dark air around him shimmered again as another pulse of demonic energy rippled through the battlefield.

"Y-You dare...!" His voice, usually laced with mockery, now crackled with rage. "You wretched child!"

I focused on the remaining monsters that circled me like vultures waiting for their moment and were being contained by my summons, although I don't know how much longer they could hold out. Duke Vanth was stronger than I anticipated, and his endurance was far beyond any expected. Even though I'd drawn blood, I felt the fight was far from over.

Vanth's enraged expression contorted into something more sinister, and before I could react, he roared, his voice echoing like thunder. The ground trembled again, and from the shadows emerged more of his monstrosities—creatures even more grotesque than before. Some were half-demon, half-monsters, their flesh twisted and malformed, their eyes filled with mindless hunger. Others were large winged monsters with reptilian features, scales gleaming in the moonlight.

"Tear him apart!" Vanth's voice boomed as he pointed at me, his chest heaving from the rage that now consumed him.

The twisted creatures surged toward me, and I swung my swords in a flurry of strikes. My [Thunderstride] was still active, allowing me to move at lightning speed, cutting down anything that came close with [Triple Slash]. However, there were too many attacks from many sides, causing me to receive wounds that I could not dodge, but thanks to [Harmonic Drain], I could continue healing and continue in the fight. Despite the relentless slaughter, I knew I couldn't keep this up forever. My body was growing more exhausted with every swing. I'm also using a lot of demonic energy with dark beams to eliminate large numbers of monsters, making the demonic energy inside me start to stir more violently, making it harder to control.

A sharp claw scraped against my arm, slicing through my clothes. I hissed in pain but retaliated with an ice spike that shot up from the ground, impaling the creature. But it didn't stop. I could feel the growing weight of the dark energy in the air—it was Duke Vanth. Somehow, he is using his enormous demonic energy to strengthen his monsters.

"Enough!" he growled, his voice resonating like a dark chorus as he raised both arms, "Come here, my pet!"

While fighting with the other monsters, I began to see something approaching in the forest's shadows. I could see something massive stirring within it—another monster? As the monster got closer, the twisted form of a giant monster began to emerge, its hollow eyes glowing with a deathly light.

Damn it…

I gripped my swords tighter, knowing that my time was running out. The demonic energy within me was starting to slip from my control, threatening to consume me if I didn't unleash it soon. My mind raced. I needed a plan—a way to end this quickly before I lost myself.

"Let's see how long you last now!" Vanth roared with a manic grin as the spectral monster was now in front of me. It towered over the battlefield, its presence alone making the air feel thick with despair.

The creature's enormous hand descended, ready to crush me where I stood. I had ****.

"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.