Chapter 415: Did You Know This?!
As soon as 4th Shadow King finished speaking, power exploded outward from his body, pressure so intense the ground beneath his feet shattered in spiderweb patterns that spread for hundreds of meters.
The 12th and 14th Shadow Kings’ transformed bodies turned toward Vash, their demonic forms radiating power that made the air shimmer.
Then they all moved.
BOOM
The 4th Shadow King closed the distance to Gregor in an instant, faster than should be possible.
His clawed hand came around aimed for Gregor’s throat.
Gregor’s Aura flared, dozens of weapons materializing in defensive formation.
CLANG CLANG CLANG
The demon’s claws shattered through them like glass, fragments of golden light scattering.
Gregor’s eyes went wide.
’All of them... in one strike?!’
The demon’s stance shifted mid-attack, movements becoming eerily familiar.
’That’s... that’s my formation...’
WHOOSH
Aura weapons materialized around the demon’s body, identical to Gregor’s own style, mimicking the exact formation.
Gregor’s blood ran cold.
"How did you–"
"The contract with the ruler of the Envy tribe gave me something special..."
The 4th Shadow King’s doubled voice carried sick satisfaction as he launched the copied weapons.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
The weapons struck like artillery, each impact cratering the ground.
Gregor dodged desperately, his mind racing.
’He copied my formation perfectly... In one glance...’
"The Law of Envy itself is beyond my reach..." The demon’s voice carried across the battlefield as he pressed the attack. "The ruler keeps that power for himself... But he gave me fragments of it through our contract!"
His clawed hands gestured, another wave of copied weapons forming.
"The ability to replicate the skills used against me!"
’I need to try something he hasn’t seen yet...’
Gregor’s hands came together, Aura shifting into a different pattern.
"Armament Shift: Celestial Chains!"
Golden chains erupted from the ground around the demon, moved to bind him in place with speed that blurred.
The 4th Shadow King’s eyes tracked the chains, watched them move and analyzed their structure.
Then his hands mimicked Gregor’s gesture.
"Celestial Chains."
The same golden chains erupted from the ground around Gregor, moved with identical speed, wrapped around him before he could dodge.
CLANG
Both of them were bound simultaneously, Gregor by his own skill used against him.
The 4th Shadow King’s doubled laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"DID YOU REALLY THINK USING A DIFFERENT SKILL WOULD HELP? I CAN REPLICATE ANY SKILL YOU USE AGAINST ME! I SPENT YEARS MASTERING THIS!"
He flexed, demonic strength shattering the chains binding him like they were made of paper.
Gregor’s chains held him in place, and couldn’t break free easily without the demonic enhancement.
The 4th Shadow King’s clawed hand came up, aimed for Gregor’s exposed throat.
****
The 12th and 14th Shadow Kings’ demonic forms hit Vash simultaneously from different angles.
BAM BAM
The 12th’s clawed hand tore through his chest, opened new holes that sprayed blood.
The 14th’s kick shattered his already broken knee, brought him down completely.
Vash hit the ground hard, blood pouring from wounds that would have killed anyone else ten times over.
’Can’t... can’t hold them...’
His vision was going dark, body failing despite his will to keep fighting.
The two demons broke past him completely, started moving toward where Damian was fighting Jonathan.
’They’re going past me... And I can’t stop them...’
Then Gregor’s voice cut across the battlefield.
"Vash..."
The word came out calm, steady despite everything, carrying weight that made time itself seem to slow.
"Please."
Vash’s head turned, movement happening in slow motion.
He saw Gregor bound in golden chains, the man who’d fought beside him for decades, the friend who’d led them to this day.
Saw the 4th Shadow King’s claws descending toward Gregor’s exposed throat, moving frame by frame through air.
Saw the two demons moving past him toward where Damian fought, their forms blurring even in this slowed perception.
’Have we really come to this point?’
The thought cut through everything, sharp and clear.
’After everything we’ve survived... After all the years... After all the battles...’
He tried to remember the last time desperation had driven him to the edge.
’When was it? When was the last time I was pushed this far?’
The answer came immediately as the memory surfaced unbidden, crystal clear despite the decades.
****
[Decades Ago]
In a dingy cell, Vash looked up, body destroyed, mind fractured, and spoke through broken teeth.
"Old man... whatever conditions you have just state them... I NEVER want to die..."
The old beggar smiled creepily.
"Be careful what you wish for... The universe has a habit of balancing out everything... And there is always a price for power... Always..."
****
Time snapped back to normal speed.
And Vash understood.
’Old man... you knew it didn’t you?’
His broken hands started to come together despite shattered fingers, despite bones that ground against each other wrong.
’You knew what power I would gain... What Domain I would awaken... The one I never want to use... ’
But his hands kept moving, coming together despite everything.
’But what choice do I have?’
His broken fingers interlaced, Aura flaring from his ruined body.
"UNDYING DOMAIN!"
Reality rippled outward from his position like a stone thrown into still water.
The Domain expanded in a massive translucent sphere, swallowing the 4th, 12th, and 14th Shadow Kings before they could react.
It encompassed Gregor as well, pulling him into the boundary.
The barrier solidified, became opaque and hid everything inside from outside view.
****
In the distance, Yara’s eyes went wide as she watched them transform.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
’DEMONS... THEY’RE DEMONS!’
Her thoughts fragmented, unable to process what she was seeing.
’Did he say contracts?! Demons can form contracts with humans?! Since when?! Why didn’t anyone know?!’
Ashley turned her head toward Admond with eyes mixing horror and betrayal.
"Did you know this?!"
Her voice came out hoarse and damaged.
"DID YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS AND DRAG ME INTO THIS MESS?!"
Fury bled through shock.
"IS THIS THE DAMN METHOD TO POWER YOU PROMISED?! BECOMING A DEMON?!"
"Impossible..."
Admond’s voice came out barely a whisper, face showing genuine confusion beneath horror.
"How can they be demons? They... they didn’t say anything... I... I never knew..."
’Fuck this shit! I need to get out!’
Panic spread across his features.
’The blackout is about to end! I’m already way too injured! Can’t do anything even if I stay here! And who knows what those demons will do to us! Can’t leave anything to chance!’
His eyes met Ashley’s.
’RUN!’
Understanding passed between them without words.
They supported each other, dragging broken bodies across concrete, moving away from the battlefield.
Yara barely registered them leaving, her eyes locked on the demonic forms across the battlefield.
’Three Shadow Council leaders were demons all along... How many more? How deep does this go?’
Then the barrier of Vash’s Domain solidified and her face went pale, paler than it already was.
’No... Vash... ’
Horror mixed with exhaustion in her thoughts.
’He was forced to use that Domain...’
Her hands trembled against the concrete.
’After everything... after he swore he’d never use it again...’
She forced the thoughts away, focused on what she could control.
’I need to get to Castor...’
She pushed herself up on trembling arms, body screaming in protest, every muscle torn from overuse.
Her legs barely worked, as she started walking toward the direction Damian had taken everyone.
