The mont Gale unleashed his power, the entire battlefield shifted. Darkness surged outward like a tidal wave, enveloping the desert in an oppressive shroud. The air grew thick with decay, a stench so potent it made the earth itself shudder.
Black vines, grotesque and pulsating with malevolence, erupted from the ground. They snaked toward Herald, their movents unnervingly alive. The noble demon barely had ti to react before the vines coiled around him, tearing through his skin with vicious precision. Blood sprayed in dark rivulets, staining the cracked earth.
Herald let out a guttural scream that pierced the heavy silence. The vines didn't stop—they burrowed deeper, spiraling around his limbs, torso, and neck. Even his eyes weren't spared; a sharp tendril pierced through one with cruel finality.
The scene was horrifying, a macabre dance of tornt. Herald's tentacle-like hands, which had monts earlier been a weapon of destruction, now hung limply in the air, their assault halted as agony overtook him.
"Don't kill him," Jack ordered sharply, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
Gale hesitated, his gaze lingering on the writhing demon. But Jack's tone carried an undeniable authority, one that even Gale couldn't defy. With visible effort, the dark power around him began to recede.
'His command over … it's absolute,' Gale thought bitterly. 'To think I, a high being, would beco a slave to a re human. Is this the sa tornt Haraus feels? what's disturbing him? Just what happened when Haraus passed through the Second Gate?'
As Gale reined in his power, Jack began walking toward the immobilized Herald. His movents were unhurried, each step deliberate. The desert wind carried the sound of his boots crunching against the sand, a chilling reminder of his calm amidst the chaos.
Herald, his remaining eye wide with terror, watched Jack's approach. His body trembled involuntarily, and a deep, primal fear settled in his chest. There was sothing about Jack's eyes—sothing far more unnerving than Gale's overwhelming darkness. It wasn't power alone. It was cold, calculating intent, a predator's gaze honed to perfection.
"Who… who are you? What are you?" Herald's voice cracked as he spoke, desperation lacing his words.
Jack didn't answer imdiately. Instead, he stopped re inches from the demon, his expression unreadable.
"Not just you," Herald continued, his eye darting wildly to the rest of the group. "All of you! What *are* you?!"
For the first ti since the confrontation began, the noble demon's arrogance had crumbled entirely. He'd believed himself invincible, a force to be reckoned with. But now, shackled by vines and bleeding profusely, he understood just how wrong he'd been. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
"You know," Jack said, his tone conversational, "for a mont, I considered sparing you. A servant could be useful. But then I thought—why bother?"
Herald's eye widened in alarm as Jack's blade materialized in his hand. The weapon glead wickedly under the faint moonlight, its edge sharp enough to cut through steel.
"I don't need an extra servant," Jack continued, his voice growing colder.
Without hesitation, he drove the blade into Herald's chest. The demon's body jerked violently as the steel pierced flesh and bone, black blood gushing from the wound.
Herald gasped, his gaze locking onto Jack's with defiance. "You… you think this is over?" he rasped. "Kill now, but I'll return. No one can stop the cycle. I'll—"
Jack interrupted him with a smirk, his grip on the hilt tightening. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. Your soul isn't going anywhere. Transmigration can't save you from ."
The demon's defiance faltered as Jack's words sank in.
"I'll be adding your soul to my collection," Jack said, his grin widening unnaturally. It was a chilling sight, more demonic than any expression Herald had ever seen. Jack's eyes glead with a ruthless hunger, as if peering directly into the depths of Herald's soul.
The system notification in Jack's mind confird his claim:
[Bu'han Demon Race]
[Class: Double-Horned]
[Soul Essence: 10,000]
Herald opened his mouth to protest, but Jack didn't give him the chance. With a sharp twist, he drove the blade deeper. The demon's body convulsed, his remaining eye rolling back as his life ebbed away.
A pale wisp of light erged from Herald's chest, struggling to break free. But the mont it appeared, Jack's body reacted. The wisp, a fragnt of Herald's soul, was drawn toward him with an irresistible pull.
"No! No!" Herald's voice echoed faintly as the wisp disappeared into Jack's chest.
The effect was instantaneous. A rush of energy coursed through Jack, invigorating him in a way nothing else could. It was pure ecstasy, a sensation far superior to the re absorption of mana. His aura flared briefly, growing stronger and more nacing.
'This… this is power,' Jack thought, his heart racing. The addictive thrill of soul absorption left him craving more.
His companions watched in silence, their expressions a mix of awe and unease.
'He's stronger now,' Alisha realized, her sharp eyes studying Jack closely. 'His aura… it's different. This is why he stole that kill from during the beast hunt. He grows stronger by killing and absorbing power.'
The realization sent a chill down her spine. 'If he continues like this… he could beco unstoppable. And if he turns against us, what then?'
Alisha clenched her fists tightly, her mind racing. A mory flashed before her eyes—a promise she'd made long ago, one that now felt more urgent than ever.
'I can't let him grow too strong. I have to stop him before it's too late.' A single tear rolled down her cheek as her resolve hardened.
Gale glanced at Alisha, noting her clenched fists and distant gaze. He sighed softly. 'She still hasn't let it go, even after all these years. But I can't bla her. If Jack really can unite these demons, humanity doesn't stand a chance.'
Jack, oblivious to their thoughts, turned to address the group. "We should keep moving," he said, his voice steady. "The sooner we find the Chapters of Ti, the better."
He adjusted the map in his hands, his brow furrowing as the sands around them began to shift. Slowly, they ford a distinct shape—a skull-like symbol etched into the ground.
Jack stared at the ominous mark, unease prickling at the edges of his mind. He'd seen sothing like this before, but where? The mory eluded him, teasing the edges of his consciousness.
For a mont, the world seed to hold its breath. Then, with a determined exhale, Jack tucked the map away and began walking.
"Let's go,"
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