As the strategy council concluded its discussion on counterasures against Nosef Vermoryth, I took a breath and transitioned to the next and even more sensitive topic — the second-ranked Demon Overlord.
"We now move to the next Demon Overlord... Lucius Velzareth, the Sovereign of Light and Darkness," I said, and a heavy silence swept through the chamber.
The mont I uttered his na, I noticed a visible change in the atmosphere — especially from the Starlight delegation.
Raius-sama, Julius, and Luna all lowered their eyes. A shadow of sorrow lood over them, their expressions weighed with grief. Of course — this was a matter deeply personal to them. Lucius Velzareth, once a proud Hero of the Starlight bloodline... had fallen into darkness. Betrayer. Traitor. Now a Demon Overlord.
I projected the compiled records of Lucius onto the [Akashic Record] for all present to see.
King Aslan was the first to speak, his voice firm and cold.
"Raius... I understand your concern for your son. But the reality remains — Lucius betrayed us. He nearly killed Aria, his own fiancée—my daughter. I cannot forgive that," he declared.
"I understand... but please, allow to explain what happened before he fell," Raius-sama said, casting a aningful glance toward Julius, who gave a silent nod. Clearly, they had prepared for this mont.
Raius stood and began to speak, his voice calm but heavy.
"Over the past year, Lucius began to change. I don’t know the exact mont it started, but the difference was clear. He who once was warm, gentle, and selfless... grew withdrawn, short-tempered, and distant."
He paused, eyes clouded with mory.
"The change worsened after he was dispatched to the front lines. He eventually stopped using the Starlight heirloom—our sacred relic, the Sword of Justice. As many of you know, that sword amplifies Light Magic twofold and houses the Starlight family’s ancient familiar—Astreus, the Heavenly Pegasus."
"At first, Lucius could summon and wield Astreus with ease," he continued. "But as his deanor changed, he began losing control of the familiar. Six months ago, he stopped using the sword altogether."
"Damn that idiot..." Cain muttered with frustration. "That might explain why he lost to Nosef. Lucius should’ve been able to crush him—he was absurdly strong!"
Serena added, her brows furrowed, "That’s true. Lucius was hailed as the strongest hero in Braveheart... even I haven’t matched his strength. It doesn’t make sense for soone like him to lose so easily—unless sothing else was at play."
King Aslan frowned deeply. "If that was the case, then why didn’t you report this earlier, Raius? We could’ve investigated his condition and possibly prevented all of this!"
Raius looked down, ashad. "Because... Lucius asked not to. He didn’t want anyone to worry. He insisted that he could overco it on his own."
Julius, sitting beside him, spoke up. "That’s right, Your Majesty. My brother always carried the weight of being the ’strongest’... he believed showing weakness would shatter the faith people had in him. He was always like that..."
Julius’s hands clenched into fists. "But I still can’t believe he beca a demon... soone must have corrupted him! It had to be the work of the Demon Overlords!"
The room fell silent. No one dared to speak.
I stepped forward, hoping to ease the tension.
"King Aslan... based on my own experiences, there’s a strong possibility Lucius was indeed manipulated. The Demon Overlords have that capability—especially those of the higher ranks. My own brother, Mark von Blackmore, and Nyssa of Solara were both briefly controlled by the Rank 5 Demon Overlord."
Salvador the Archmage nodded. "That much is true. The upper-ranking Demon Overlords possess abilities beyond normal corruption."
"I see..." King Aslan sighed, his voice softening. "So, there’s still a chance Lucius wasn’t fully himself... That does bring so relief. But it still breaks my heart to see my daughter betrayed and left comatose by the man she once loved."
His daughters, Alia and Arsene, both gently placed their hands on his shoulders. Their quiet presence brought calm to his sorrow.
I continued, shifting the topic to Lucius’s powers.
"Lucius wields sothing far beyond ordinary comprehension. While he fell to darkness, he retained his mastery of Light Magic. He rged both—Light and Dark—two forces that should be mutually exclusive. That alone makes him extraordinarily dangerous."
King Aslan looked toward . "Isn’t that similar to you? A wielder of Dark Magic who can still harness Divine power?"
I nodded slightly. "There’s a difference. I cannot generate Divine or elental magic on my own. I can only absorb and redirect magic from others, or channel it through specific equipnt. My power is derivative. Lucius, on the other hand, produces both Light and Dark magic from within himself. That distinction makes him vastly more formidable."
Murmurs swept the room. Even Salvador and Xerion leaned forward with piqued interest.
"So that’s your secret," Salvador said with a grin. "Fascinating. I would love to study your magical core soday."
I chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe another ti. That power only awakened after I nearly died last year. I don’t fully understand it myself. Perhaps... it’s a blessing from the gods."
Of course, I couldn’t reveal the truth—that it ca from the Goddess of Benevolence, or that I was a reincarnator. Envi had warned that the penalties for breaking that secret would be severe.
Thankfully, the explanation satisfied them.
King Aslan laughed heartily. "Well, divine blessing or not, you’re certainly worthy of the title ’Strongest Hero of Braveheart.’"
I offered him a modest nod, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Then, I began to recount my own battle with Lucius during the last war.
"In our previous clash... Lucius hadn’t fully mastered his fusion magic. I could see it—he was holding back. At the end of our fight, he could have finished , but chose to retreat instead. Not because of hesitation... but because his body couldn’t endure it. He hasn’t fully unlocked the potential of combining Light and Dark."
This revelation caused everyone to go quiet, thoughtful.
"There’s still ti," I said firmly. "Ti before he masters that power. Ti for us to prepare."
Everyone nodded, understanding the weight of what was at stake.
And now... it was ti to reveal what I had discovered about Lucius Velzareth’s weakness
...
I cleared my throat and spoke firmly.
"According to the Akashic Record, the core weakness of Lucius Velzareth is high-purity Light Magic. However, this information cos from older data—before his possession. Even Lilith herself didn’t realize that Velzareth had taken control of Lucius. That secrecy was likely intentional—to hide his vulnerability to Light Magic."
Murmurs began to stir in the chamber as I continued.
"Lilith said that in the past, this demon held the title Velzareth the Darkness Sovereign. But now, possessing Lucius, he has beco Lucius Velzareth, the Sovereign of Light and Darkness. This shift in identity has changed everything—even Lilith’s knowledge offers little guidance now."
The room went silent in disbelief. Eyes widened. No one spoke.
Then, a voice cut through the heavy atmosphere. It was the Saintess.
"What about Divine Magic?" she asked. "Isn’t that a weakness for all demons?"
I nodded. "Yes. Divine Magic is still the greatest counterasure against demonic beings. But unfortunately, we’re severely lacking in Divine Magic users here. If we all charge in recklessly, we’ll be overwheld before we even touch him."
So of the commanders lowered their eyes in frustration. I could sense the pressure weighing on them.
"That’s why," I continued, "we need an alternative."
I closed my eyes for a mont and ntally reached out to Envi, the spirit within ."Envi... what do you think?"
"I agree," he replied. "You’re the only one here who stands a chance in a direct fight with him. Go say it idiot. They need to hear it from you."
Opening my eyes, I faced the council.
"We need soone who can withstand both Dark and Light Magic. And for that reason, I will be the one to face Lucius."
There were gasps of surprise, followed by silence.
"I may not be able to use Light Magic on my own, but I can absorb it—at least partially. I’ve also trained in Dark Magic for most of my life. This battle will be brutal... but I believe I’m the only one who can truly match him."
King Yunho of the rcenaries and Archmage Salvador both nodded solemnly. They understood what this ant. But King Aslan looked tense, his jaw tight. Serena and Alia, standing beside him, exchanged worried glances.
Then suddenly, Julius rose from his seat.
"Naoki... let fight beside you. Not just as your ally—but as soone who must take responsibility for my brother’s sins. I’m not asking to face Lucius alone—but let stand with you. Let protect the legacy of my family."
His voice was firm, unwavering. His eyes burned with resolve.
Raius-sama stood and added, "Everyone here... I, Raius von Starlight, formally declare that Julius von Starlight will succeed Lucius von Starlight as the new Hero of the Starlight family. This is our burden, and we must bear it with honor."
The room exploded in whispers and gasps. It was an official declaration—a new Starlight Hero had been chosen.
King Aslan slowly stood, then nodded.
"Very well... then Julius shall undergo the Hero’s Trial to receive the blessing of the Goddess of Light. Are you prepared for that, Julius?"
Julius looked straight at the king and declared without hesitation, "I am ready—no matter when."
King Aslan chuckled heartily. "Now that’s the spirit I want to see from a true hero. Then it’s settled. One week from now, Julius will take the trial."
Julius clenched his fists and smiled. His determination lit up the entire room.
I smiled too. He’s co so far... I’ll make sure to help him prepare. I’ll guide him with everything I know.
With that, the discussion surrounding Lucius ca to an end.
But there was still one final subject to address — the most terrifying enemy of all.
The Rank 1 Demon Overlord.
A being so shrouded in mystery that even the Akashic Record yielded almost nothing about him.
And now, the council braced itself... for the unknown.
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