In the domain of my magic, [Eternal Nightfall], I faced off against Norx and Morgan. The oppressive aura of my magic weighed heavily on them, slowing their movents and disrupting their control over Dark Magic. After all, within this space, I was the master of all things dark.
The endless night created by my magic also activated my Shadow Conqueror trait, granting a significant buff—a 50% increase to both STR and AGI. My body felt lighter, stronger. Even the pain from my earlier injuries seed easier to ignore.
"Ugh... I’m sorry, Nao. I lost control when I saw Milly getting hurt."
That was Envi, my system, speaking directly into my mind. His voice carried a mix of guilt and simring anger.
"You’ve done well, Envi," I reassured him, sensing the turmoil in his tone. "I was furious too, seeing Milly treated like that. She’s my little sister, and I’m sure you feel the sa—an overwhelming need to protect her."
Envi paused briefly before replying, his voice regaining its usual confidence.
"Alright! Let’s focus on taking these two down. Leave the analysis to the great Envi!"
Now, back to the battlefield. Norx, a demon warlord, and Morgan, a unique demon, stood before . Morgan, though heavily wounded by Envi’s earlier assault, was still capable of fighting. The odds weren’t exactly in my favor, but this was my domain. Here, I had the advantage.
I decided to prioritize Norx—she was the biggest threat.
Without hesitation, I dashed toward her with incredible speed, activating [Blackmore Katana Style: Inazuma, Dark Magic Version]. My blade struck true, slicing through her right arm.
I was stunned. The sheer speed of my movents was on an entirely new level. It felt as if I was one with the shadows in this domain.
Norx scread in pain, summoning her massive black scythe to retaliate. I dodged her attack instinctively, knowing that even a glancing blow from that weapon could destabilize my ntal state and drag into despair.
Her severed arm began to regenerate, but the process was slow. Growling, she unleashed [High Dark Magic: Dreamslaughter], the sa magic she used to harm Milly. Waves of nightmarish energy emanated from her scythe, making montarily lose focus.
I countered by activating [Dark Magic: Veil of the Phantom], summoning a black cloak of shadow around that reduced the impact of her Dark Magic.
Norx’s eyes widened in shock as I shrugged off her attack. I seized the opportunity, unleashing [Blackmore Katana Style: Tenshō Kōsen, Dark Magic Version], a long-range slash infused with dark energy. The wave of power tore through the battlefield, aiming to cut her down.
Norx countered with [High Dark Magic: Voidstorm], a spell that had overwheld Envi in the past.
Our attacks clashed in a violent explosion of energy. I pushed more of my Dark Magic into the strike, despite the searing pain in my head from its side effects. Finally, my attack overpowered hers, breaking through her defenses.
Just as my blade was about to land, Morgan intervened, activating [Demonic Swordsmanship: Demon’s Bastion]. His sword pierced the ground, conjuring a shield of infernal shadows that protected both of them.
While the barrier weakened the impact of my strike, it wasn’t enough to completely nullify it. My attack broke through, hitting them both.
For a mont, I thought I had won. But then, Norx erged from the smoke, unscathed, while Morgan lay on the ground, gravely injured. She had used him as a shield.
Without hesitation, Norx stabbed Morgan in the chest, extracting a demonic elixir crystal embedded within him. She devoured it whole.
Morgan’s body reverted to a human form, frail and dying. Norx tossed him toward as if discarding a broken toy. I caught him instinctively, horrified.
Before my eyes, Norx began to transform. Her magic surged, overwhelming the influence of [Eternal Nightfall]. Her skin turned blue, and dark armor enveloping her. Her scythe split into two. Her dark magic grows stronger and the killing intent on its peak.
A chill ran down my spine. For the first ti in this battle, I felt a sliver of fear.
I gently laid Morgan down, but as I did, [Power of Incarnation] activated, dragging into his mories.
...
I found myself in a dimly lit room, stepping into Morgan’s past. The scene unfolded in a quiet village nestled between the Braveheart Kingdom and the Grand Kingdom of Solara. A younger Morgan was there, desperately tending to a small girl on a bed.
The child, Nyssa, was covered in ominous black marks that seed to sap the life from her with each passing mont. Morgan looked distraught—his wife had been executed days prior, accused of being a demon worshiper. The villagers had turned on them, blaming Nyssa’s mysterious illness.
Driven into hiding, Morgan searched relentlessly for a cure, but to no avail.
When the nobles’ soldiers finally found them, they destroyed his refuge and captured Nyssa, planning to publicly execute her. Beaten and left for dead, Morgan heard a voice in the darkness.
A demon offered him a deal: his strength in exchange for servitude. If he agreed, Nyssa would be saved. Desperate and broken, Morgan accepted.
With newfound demonic power, he slaughtered the villagers and fled with Nyssa. Entrusting her to a friend in the Solara Kingdom, Morgan noticed the black marks on her body fading. But her eyes began to turn red, and small horns sprouted from her head.
The demon assured him it was temporary and would vanish once his mission was complete: to collect mana from talented humans and weaken the seal on the Demon King.
...
I returned to reality, horrified. So that’s why the demons were targeting students from the Braveheart Knight Academy and the Solara Magic Academy. The mana they harvested was part of a sche to revive the Demon King.
Gehenna Gate... The massive amount of mana it summoned earlier—it all made sense now.
I clenched my fists tightly, anger welling up inside . The thought that the Gehenna Gate had contributed to unsealing the Demon King’s prison infuriated . If only I had known earlier, I would have destroyed it before it could serve its purpose!
Strengthening my resolve, I turned my focus back to defeating Norx.
Snapping out of the flashback of Morgan’s mories, I returned to the battlefield, fully aware of the weight of his story.
I understood now what had driven Morgan and Nyssa to their current fate. My fists trembled with frustration, and I could feel Envi’s shared anger echoing within .
Leaving Morgan lying on the ground, clinging to life, I faced Norx.
She taunted Morgan cruelly, her voice dripping with mockery. "You’re the one who made Nyssa suffer in the first place. You’re nothing but a pawn, a tool for the Demon King’s grand design." Her laughter was manic, deranged, as though relishing his despair.
Morgan’s face twisted with fury and sorrow. His voice was shaky and filled with regret.
"I... I just wanted to save my little girl. But I let the darkness consu ... I did so many terrible things..." His tears stread down his face. "Naoki... I’ll accept any punishnt for what I’ve done. But please... save Nyssa. Save my daughter."
I gritted my teeth, emotions swirling inside . "Morgan... I can’t forgive what you’ve done—to others, to Milly, and even to your own daughter. But Norx and the demons who manipulated you... they’re the ones I can’t forgive the most!"
I steadied my breathing, my determination hardening. "I will save Nyssa. Rest easy."
Summoning all my strength, I began charging [Power of Incarnation], letting it build up for the right mont.
I dashed toward Norx, engaging her in fierce combat. Our blades clashed—her twin scythes weaving deadly arcs, while my katana countered each strike with precision. My trait and the katana’s Kagegiri effect enabled to keep up with her relentless attacks.
"Multiple casting detected! Be careful, Nao!" Envi’s voice rang urgently in my mind.
Norx unleashed [High Dark Magic: Void Eruption], the spell that had once overwheld Julius. I countered with [Dark Magic: Nightmare Tempest, Hundred Shadows], creating dozens of shadow clones to attack her with high-speed slashes. Norx was caught off guard, sustaining multiple injuries, though she continued her onslaught undeterred.
Her scythes struck with terrifying force, but I dodged and parried, refusing to falter.
Finally, the mont I had been waiting for arrived. Releasing the full power of my [Power of Incarnation], I charged straight toward her, weaving through her spells with blinding speed.
In an instant, I was right in front of her. Her expression froze in shock.
"Take this, you damned demon! [Power of Incarnation Release!] [Blackmore Katana Style: Yami Kiri no Seikatsu!!!]"
My katana glowed with both dark and white auras, embodying duality—light and shadow in perfect harmony. I slashed diagonally, a strike imbued with the power to sever demonic souls without harming the host’s body.
The blade cut through her effortlessly.
Norx scread, her body writhing in agony as if on the brink of exploding. But instead, her form dissolved into a massive black mass, which eventually spat out the unconscious body of Nyssa.
Nyssa was naked and fragile, but otherwise unhard. I quickly wrapped her in my cloak, carrying her over to Morgan.
Laying her beside him, I watched as Morgan, with trembling hands, reached out to his daughter. His touch was gentle, filled with love.
"Nyssa..." he whispered. His voice broke as tears stread down his face.
Nyssa stirred and opened her eyes. Her horns were gone, her eyes no longer red. The demonic influence had been completely purged.
Realizing this, Morgan gripped my hand firmly, gratitude pouring from his every word. "Thank you, Naoki. Thank you... for saving her."
Nyssa clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably as she realized her father’s life was slipping away.
In his final monts, Morgan’s body glowed faintly. A surge of power flowed from him into .
A notification flashed before my eyes:
[Congratulations! You have acquired a Unique Skill!]
[Skill Acquired: Eclipse Eye]
A skill that grants vision into alternate dinsions, allowing the user to perceive supernatural beings and energy flows while enhancing combat aura manipulation.
The battlefield grew silent, save for the faint cries of a daughter mourning her father. I stood, gripping my katana, feeling the weight of what had just transpired.
...
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