Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

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Chapter 308: The Power Of The Past (4)

***

"You dare say you'll get rid of me first?"

Vahel suppressed a surge of laughter.

How dare a mere human speak to a demon like him with such arrogance? What was more amusing was that this didn't feel like empty bravado.

The aura emanating from Damien was so formidable that even a Duke class demon like himself found it difficult to dismiss.

That was why his subordinates were silent. They were all wary of Damien Haksen, even if they didn't show it.

"You're quite an interesting fellow."

Over the long years, Vahel had ruled Inferno and spied on the mortal realm. He had encountered countless demons and humans. But never had he met someone as intriguing as Damien.

"Asthar, I told you not to underestimate him."

Vahel shook his head.

"Now, be a good boy and come back."

But there was no reply. Asthar was still face down on the ground.

"...Asthar?"

Even when called again, Asthar did not respond. It was only then that Vahel realized Asthar had fainted.

A Marquis class demon knocked out in a single blow? Vahel felt a chill run through his entire body.

He, a Duke class demon, had underestimated Damien Haksen's abilities.

"I had no idea you were this strong."

The smile faded from Vahel's face. But his eyes were twinkling like a child's.

What would happen if he fought Damien Haksen now? Vahel weighed the odds in his mind.

Qualitatively and quantitatively, Vahel was in a superior position. But the unexpectedness of Damien's actions gave Vahel pause.

Moreover, the demons needed time to adapt to the mortal realm. The oath had been broken, but Inferno and the mortal realm were vastly different worlds.

"Damien, I concede this round."

Vahel shrugged.

"So let's call it a day. We'll meet again someday. You all, take care of those lying here."

As Vahel was about to leave with his subordinates.

"That won't do."

Damien said firmly.

"Leave Dorugo here and get lost."

"Don't be so stubborn. You're exhausted too, aren't you? So let's just part ways for today..."

Damien's killing intent exploded.

The ground was crisscrossed with deep sword marks as if a tangible killing intent had sliced through solid objects.

"I won't say it again. Hand over Dorugo."

Damien spoke as he was trying to suppress his rage.

Vahel was annoyed by Damien's attitude. Demons weren't the kind to listen to others in the first place.

"Or what?"

"Then I'll take Dorugo by force."

"Hmm, I don't want to fight. What a dilemma..."

A mischievous smile crept across Vahel's lips.

"Migmag! Open a dimensional portal! We're getting out of here!"

The demon beside Vahel slammed his iron staff into the ground.

A dimensional portal opened up where Asthar and the Four Great Demon Kings lay.

Damien instinctively swung Erebos down, aiming to behead Asthar.

But Asthar had already been sucked into the dimensional portal.

And it wasn't just Asthar. The Four Great Demon Kings were gone too.

A dimensional portal opened behind Vahel as well. His subordinates rushed into it.

"Well then, Dorugo, shall we go?"

Grabbing Dorugo by the scruff of the neck, Vahel stepped through the dimensional portal.

"I told you to leave her!"

Damien roared in fury and lunged towards the gate. At that moment, Vahel flicked his fingers.

An invisible wall created by the power of 'isolation' blocked Damien's path.

"Vahel!"

Damien swung Erebos to shatter the wall, but he had wasted a few seconds. By then, the dimensional portal was almost closed.

"See you later then."

Vahel waved through the remaining gap in the gate. With those words, the gate closed completely.

"Whew, that was a close one. Wasn't it?"

Vahel turned to his demons.

"Migmag, you did a great job just now. That was incredibly fast!"

“Thanks, my lord. You are the one who stopped him."

The hunched-over demon replied in a frail voice.

"Aw, don't be so modest. At that speed..."

At that moment, his instincts warned him. Vahel reflexively turned around.

In that instant, a sword strike cleaved through the air.

Vahel instinctively raised his forearm to block the attack, but his forearm did nothing to stop the blade.

After cutting through Vahel's forearm, the sword proceeded to slice his neck.

Blood gushed out as his neck was split open.

***

Damien ran his hands over the spot where the dimensional portal had been. He was trying to reopen it by using the Authority of Pride.

Unlike the gate created by the Four Great Demon Kings, he couldn’t find the coordinates.

The demon must have scattered the coordinates as soon as he closed the gate. It was proof that the demon's skills were far superior to the Four Great Demon Kings.

“Vahel! You son of a bitch!”

His vision turned bloodshot from extreme anger. Veins bulged all over his body.

He had been interrupted again. And he had failed to kill Dorugo once more. He felt like he was going insane from the intensity of his emotions.

But Damien suppressed all those emotions. Now was not the time to give in to them.

“You think you can just get away with this…!”

Damien concentrated his dark mana into Erebos. A pitch-black aurablade coated the blade of Erebos.

At the end of the War of Destruction, Damien had created a new realm with the sole purpose of killing Dorugo.

Since Dorugo was a lich, he had placed his soul in a sphere called a life vessel and stored it elsewhere.

However, Damien, who was controlled by Dorugo, had no way of finding that sphere.

So, Damien had combined all the realms he had copied and created a new one.

Sword God.

The ability of the Sword God was quite simple compared to other realms.

To cut.

No matter what it was. Even if it had no form, even if it wasn't there, he would cut it.

The Sword God was a realm created solely with the intention of killing Dorugo.

Damien gripped the hilt of Erebos with both hands. The aurablade on Erebos vibrated menacingly.

He swung Erebos towards the void.

The blade of Erebos dug into the fabric of the dimension.

***

Blood gushed out as his neck was deeply cut. Despite the clearly fatal injury, Vahel didn't cover his wound.

It was because of Damien, whose face was visible through the widening gap.

Damien was glaring at him with a look that seemed like he was about to go insane.

The gap closed immediately, but Vahel couldn't take his eyes off the empty space.

"Lord Vahel! Your wound is deep!"

"I'll treat it right away!"

His subordinates rushed over, but Vahel raised his hand to stop them.

"Hahaha!"

He laughed loudly as he touched his wound.

"I can't remember the last time I was injured!"

Damien had severed his forearm and nearly beheaded him. If the wound had been a little deeper, he would have certainly died. It had been a truly threatening attack.

"This is fun. It's really fun."

Vahel lifted Dorugo up to eye level.

"Dorugo, what is he? What is it that amuses me so much?"

"…I don't know."

"Oh, you won't tell me willingly? Then I'll have to use harsher methods."

Vahel gestured. A demon with a long, mosquito-like proboscis approached.

Dorugo's eyes widened at the sight of the demon.

"Vahel, you madman!"

"Laria, extract all of Dorugo's memories. It doesn't matter if she becomes a crippled."

"Understood."

"Oh, but don't kill her. We'll need her as bait to lure Damien Haksen out."

Vahel threw Dorugo to the demon. The demon grabbed Dorugo with its four arms.

"No, no! Stop it! Not him!"

Dorugo screamed in terror. But Vahel turned away coldly.

"Vahel! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything... Kack!"

The demon plunged its proboscis into Dorugo's head.

A long, agonizing scream echoed through the air.

***

Bang.

Damien slammed his fist into the ground.

One punch wasn’t enough to vent his anger. He continued to pound the ground with his fists.

“Damn it!”

In the last second his grip went sloppy on Erebos. Because of it he completely failed to sever Vahel’s neck.

His eyes were bloodshot as he thought about losing Dorugo. That fact enraged Damien.

“Damien…”

A low voice reached his ears. He turned his head and saw the Imperial Supreme Sword lying on the ground.

Due to his severe injuries, the Imperial Supreme Sword looked as if he could die at any moment.

Damien suppressed his anger. He couldn’t let his emotions get the better of him, even when looking at someone who was dying.

“I’ll treat your wounds right away.”

Damien pulled a potion and Dawn from his subspace. But the Imperial Supreme Sword shook his head.

“No, there’s something more important.”

The Imperial Supreme Sword pointed his finger towards the sky. Damien looked up.

The branches of the World Tree that covered the sky were turning gray.

It wasn’t just the branches. The trunk, which could be seen far away, was also turning black.

The energy of the World Tree that filled the island was rapidly weakening.

Damien stared at the sight in shock. The World Tree was dying.

“Why? I thought I had stopped the demonic energy.”

“As expected, it was you who stopped the demonic energy.”

The Imperial Supreme Sword looked at the World Tree with a sorrowful expression.

“It’s not your fault. When the demonic energy was first activated, the World Tree suffered too much damage. That’s why it’s dying without being able to recover.”

The Imperial Supreme Sword struggled to get up and said.

“Damien, please. Take me to the World Tree.”

***

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]