harleyscars Page 92
Page 92
"May you find rest in the darkness, agent of the burial agency."
The moment the blazing demon sword pierced the brain that controlled the magic circuits, a white figure flew at supersonic speed toward Stuart, who stood on the scorched earth.
With a kick inspired by a special effects film, Arcueid slammed the unprepared Stuart into a deep pit. The sonic boom sent loose soil flying into the air, and Stuart's body was embedded in the scorching hot rock with a loud thud due to the sudden, monstrous force.
"Super True Ancestor Flying Kick—!!"
Arcueid, who caused all of this, flipped and landed steadily. The belated move name finally arrived on the battlefield. The cool pose combined with the silly move name made Kenneth look away with some regret, seeing Arcueid's 'praise me' expression.
"Ahem! Ahem! It's been a long time, Your Highness Arcueid."
Just as Arcueid puffed out his cheeks, Stuart, clutching his visibly sunken chest, struggled to his feet from the rubble and gave the silly Arcueid a knightly salute.
Stuart does serve Arcueid, but unless things escalate beyond control, he will not interfere in the feud between the two royal families. Furthermore, in matters not involving Arcueid, as a knight serving royalty, Stuart always maintains the proper respect for Arcueid.
"Ugh, it really is you. So that guy's here too. Ugh! What a hassle!"
Arcueid, who had already fought with Altruic countless times, casually waved his hand at Stuart's bow. He glanced at Noel, who was squatting not far away observing her unconscious state, and realizing that he was about to encounter Altruic again, Arcueid childishly kicked at the pebbles under his feet.
"Yes, Your Highness. His Highness has arrived in the Far East. We are merely cleaning the courtyard for His Highness. May we handle the matter of the proxy?"
Looking back at the fallen Hierle, and then at Stuart standing in front of her, Arcueid stepped forward to make her stance clear to Stuart. There was no other reason than to annoy Arcueid; she was determined to protect Hierle today.
Faced with Arcueid's choice, Stuart was caught in a long-lost dilemma. Just as Stuart was torn between the two, the White Beast made a few small leaps and landed steadily on the ground.
"Step down, Lord Stulut. You have done well. I will handle the rest myself."
"We understand, Your Highness."
With a light touch of her toes on the ground, Altrouge, exuding composure in every gesture, stood gracefully opposite Arcueid. Similarly, having received Altrouge's approval, Stuart, finally free from the choice, gave Brad, who had just arrived, a glance before closing his eyes and standing behind Altrouge.
As Altrouge appeared, the two princesses, one in black and one in white, stared at each other from several meters away. At that moment, even Kenneth, whose mind was not on the battlefield, could smell the gunpowder in the air.
"My foolish sister, it's been so long since I last saw you, yet you remain as naive as ever. Leaving aside the snake's conspiracy for now, haven't you realized the overstepping of those traitors?"
As for the relationship between Arceus and Arcueid, traditional lunar sisters don't get along. Although they communicate more physically than verbally, these two sisters with an awkward relationship still care about each other.
"Ugh! This weird way of speaking is just as annoying as before. Can't you just speak properly?!"
Arcueid refused to admit that she didn't understand what Arcruci was trying to say. Staring at Arcruci, who had a faint smile on her lips, Arcueid always felt that the other person was looking down on her.
Just as the two princesses who inherited the name Brunsstad were exchanging glances, Kenneth finally figured out what the karmic fire hovering in the sky was. He withdrew his hand from Noelle's forehead and stood beside Arcueid under the gaze of the black and white knights and a primate killer.
Even before she appeared, Altrud had noticed Kenneth at the edge of the battlefield. His boundless life force was as vast as the sea, like flowing magic that stirred Altrud's nerves. If Arcueid hadn't been right in front of her, Altrud would definitely have given Kenneth a good whack.
"I never imagined that in just a century, Arcueid, you would also learn to domesticate humans? Well, with your empty brain, it's not surprising that you would do something so stupid again."
Perhaps she can't match Arcueid in terms of raw strength, but when it comes to verbal sparring, even ten Arcueids combined couldn't compare to Arcurugi. As a Dead Apostle, Arcurugi naturally discerned that Kenneth hadn't been drained of his blood by Arcueid, but given the sisters' mutual dislike, Arcurugi precisely targeted Arcueid's trigger points.
However, before Arcueid could try to reason with him, Kenneth, who had been unjustly attacked, spoke up.
"Altruchi, making unfounded assumptions is not a good habit. It seems that the Moon King didn't teach you these things!"
When Altrouge compared him to Roja, Kenneth retaliated by mentioning that Altrouge had been abandoned by Zhu Yue. Kenneth's words were loaded with hidden meaning, and he managed to break Altrouge's defenses.
"You bastard! How dare you..."
"It's alright, Lord Stulut, Lord Brad, I won't lose my composure over such a trivial matter."
It has to be said that Arcueid is indeed worthy of being able to lead the Dead Apostles. Her composure alone is enough to make Kenneth look at her with new respect. In terms of the way of being a king, Arcueid has already surpassed Arcueid by several levels.
"I must say, human, you have piqued my interest. As a favor for your presumptuous words, would you be willing to serve under my command?"
With the magnanimity of the King of the Dead Apostles, Eltrauge extended an olive branch to Kenneth, who looked like a formidable fighter and easy to please.
"No way! He's my partner! Do you want to fight?!"
As Kenneth expected, regardless of Altruic's motives, the first to lose her temper was undoubtedly the outspoken Arcueid. With her arms outstretched to block Altruic's view, Arcueid, sleeves rolled up, was ready to have a heart-to-heart talk with Altruic.
"You are as foolish as ever, Arcueid. Can you please be patient until I receive an answer?"
As usual, after giving Arcueid a look of disdain, Arcurugi then turned her gaze to Kenneth. Seeing Arcurugi's domineering CEO persona, practically screaming "Man, you've piqued my interest," Kenneth casually replied:
"Unfortunately, I will not submit to anyone, and I am more interested in your body than in serving you."
This world is a treasure trove for Kenneth: the karma of humanity, the blood ring of the Ancestor, the blessing of the True Ancestor, and the True Ancestor and Dead Apostle hybrid Altrud in front of him. If he weren't so unsure, Kenneth would really like to study what the ORT in South America is actually made of.
Gemstone Elder: You said you wouldn't cause trouble? I don't believe you! You Third Law is really wicked.
"Outrageous! How dare you be so rebellious! Your Highness, we will make this madman wash away his presumption with blood!"
Faced with the two knights who volunteered for the battle, Altrouge, whose red eyes were sparkling, did not answer. Instead, she looked at Kenneth, who had a calm expression, with increasing interest.
"Interesting, very interesting. This is the first time I've encountered a human like you. Do you want to possess me? Whether it's foolishness or arrogance is another matter, but your courage alone is enough to warrant my attention. So, I will mercifully grant you the opportunity to become my husband, provided, of course, that you have the power to control me!"
As Altrouge made her stance clear, the Black and White Knights, who had long been unable to tolerate it, immediately locked their pressure on Kenneth, who was full of openings. Realizing that Altrouge had misunderstood his thoughts, Kenneth was too lazy to explain anything. As a scholar, Kenneth said: research is fine anywhere, he doesn't care about the time or place.
The already tense atmosphere reached a freezing point after Kenneth's few words. Watching Kenneth walk into the open space to argue with the Black and White Knights, Arcueid, who had no idea about the current situation, felt an unbearable itch on his head, as if something was about to grow out.
Arcueid: Who am I? Where am I? Why are these two about to fight one second and then talking about marriage the next? Why can she recognize each word individually but not understand them when they're put together?
Watching the two knights walk towards Kenneth, Altrouge, whose true thoughts were hard to fathom, still wore her usual faint smile. She patted the primate killer on the back, signaling him to be on guard. Only then did Altrouge turn her gaze to Arcueid, who was about to grow a brain.
“My foolish sister, it’s been hundreds of years since I last saw you. I think you must have a lot to say to me. So come on, I also want to get some exercise.”
Her subjects had already risen up to fight for her, and as her lord, Arcueid naturally could not stand idly by. Since she could not personally deal with Kenneth, Arcueid naturally became Arcueid's target.
"Ugh! Whatever! You're trying to steal my partner anyway, and this time, I'm going to beat you to a pulp!"
The single-core brain indicated that there was too much data to process. Among countless options, Arcueid, as always, chose the simplest and most direct one. Rolling up his sleeves, Arcueid, who had long since given up on thinking, charged straight at Arcueid, who had reverted to her adult form.
Tonight is destined to be sleepless. As the battle is about to break out, on the other side of Misaki City, watching the images transmitted back by his familiar, Nero Chaos immediately destroyed the familiar that had leaked his aura remotely.
"Ancient Red and Black Knights, White Winged Lord, you are as ruthless as ever."
Glancing at Flöf, who was gradually regaining his senses under the influence of blood, Nero Chaos became increasingly confident in seizing Kenneth's power, now that he had the support of a third party, Eltrüge.
"Your Highness, please don't disappoint me!"
The scene reappeared, and Nero Chaos continued to spy on the tense battlefield, watching Altrouge dressed in a black gown.
Chapter 240 The Pleasant Eltrauge
Regarding the rivalry between Arcueid and Arceus, Kenneth agreed with Lu Xiaobu's statement that he loved watching women fight. In short-term combat, Arceus and Arcueid were evenly matched, but once the battle reached a stalemate, Arcueid's advantage as a True Ancestor would be amplified infinitely.
Knowing this, Altrouge had no intention of continuing the fight with Arcueid tonight. She would stop once the Black and White Knights dealt with the arrogant human. As for whether the Black and White Knights could defeat Kenneth, Altrouge had no doubt. For a human with no reputation, dying at the hands of the Black and White Knights would be an honor for him.
As for giving Kenneth the chance to become her husband, Altrouge wasn't entirely joking. If Kenneth truly possessed even the slightest value, Altrouge might consider having the Black and White Knights spare his life—as a pet (a blood pack), of course. To become the Dead Apostle King's husband, one must first demonstrate the corresponding abilities. If even survival is mere rhetoric, then Kenneth will only pay the price for his arrogance.
“You are as rude as ever, Arcueid. You have no royal manners whatsoever. You’re just like a gorilla.”
A young girl next door had grown up, possessing immense strength and an aura that could move mountains. She pulled a boulder tens of meters in size from the ground, and Arcueid, with a single burst of strength, hurled this massive rock at near-sonic speed toward Altruchi. With a composed stride, Altruchi merely raised her hand, and the wind she controlled deflected the boulder, comparable to a tactical missile, back at her.
"Say what you want! Why are you being so particular about fighting? You're so annoying!"
Arcueid shattered the blocked rock with a loud thud, leaving not even a scratch on his fist. He took a step and appeared above Arcueid. His raised right leg landed with another loud thud, and the rubble below instantly collapsed, creating a deep pit.
"As always, all you do is use brute force. You've completely disgraced Brunsstadt. Arcueid, let me teach you how to fight!"
As the smoke cleared, Arcturus, raising her right arm, caught Arcueid's falling ankle. With a powerful flick of her wrist, Arcueid transformed into a streak of white light and crashed into the ruins.
"You're so annoying! What do you care?"
Pushing aside the rubble that had buried her, Arcueid rose from the ground and charged even faster towards Arcturus, who had landed with her hands clasped in front of the god. Immediately afterward, a series of booming sounds filled the air as the ground trembled. The two princesses destroyed everything beneath their feet with the most primal and violent means. The Moon Spirit Essence automatically defended itself, deflecting the demonic sword that Stuart had slashed down. Kenneth, who had stopped, turned his head to look at the battlefield where Arcueid's body was constantly exploding with smoke.
"This is the physical strength of the True Ancestor and the Dead Apostle. They really are two walking female tyrants."
Based solely on the physical strength these two displayed, Kenneth felt that even if Uncle B came, he would have to endure two beatings before he could leave.
Uncle B: Are you being polite?
"You dare to be distracted in front of us? Aren't you being far too arrogant!"
With a clang, the Moon Spirit Essence Fluid trembled and suddenly caved inward. As Stuart broke through the outer defense, Brad's long-prepared sword pierced through the Moon Spirit Essence Fluid's seal and slashed towards the unsuspecting Kenneth.
"What a pity. Although your blood is irresistible to me, since you have disobeyed the Queen, I have no choice but to execute you, human."
His tone was extremely strained, but the sword in Brad's hand, carrying a chilling aura, fell towards Kenneth without hesitation. Turning back to look at Brad, and noticing the heartbroken look on the other's face, Kenneth, feeling incredibly awkward, kicked Brad away with a speed that was completely out of character for his leisurely demeanor.
Once he made his move, Kenneth displayed superhuman physical abilities. Looking at the Moon Spirit Essence hovering autonomously in front of Kenneth, Stuart swore he had never encountered a magician as peculiar as Kenneth in his life.
"Cough cough! Cough cough cough! Boy, I didn't expect you to be so strong. Although you're not a pretty boy, I like you very much."
"Shut up, Brad! Don't embarrass Her Highness any further!"
Unlike the unreliable Brad, the incredibly calm and collected Stewart, after realizing that something was wrong with Kenneth, carefully sensed Kenneth's aura while remaining on guard. In terms of scent, the man in front of him was undoubtedly human, but to be honest, apart from that anomaly, Loreleia, Stewart had never heard of a magician as unknown as Kenneth.
“My name is Rezovor Stuart, a knight who serves the Ancient Red. To possess such power with only a human body, you must be no ordinary magician!”
"I'm just an unknown nobody, my meager strength is nothing to brag about. Are you not going to continue?"
Kenneth casually answered Stuart's probing question, and even waved provocatively at the Black and White Knight. Staring at Kenneth, who always seemed calm and collected, Stuart instinctively tightened his grip on the magic sword.
Based on what Kenneth has shown so far, Stuart is certain that Kenneth is a magician of the same caliber as Loreleia. As for which specific enemies he can fight, Stuart cannot be sure. Looking at the ball of shimmering white liquid swirling in Kenneth's hand, if it weren't for the fact that its strength and characteristics were completely different from El-Melloi's Supreme Mystic Code, Stuart would really think that Kenneth was a magician who came out of El-Melloi.
Kenneth wasn't serious, and neither was the Black and White Knights. Realizing that Kenneth was no ordinary person, Stuart, not wanting to delay any longer, immediately displayed the power to erode the world with his magic sword. Similarly, after understanding Stuart's thoughts, Brad, who had always seemed unreliable, also solemnly activated his own unique barrier.
The white mist spread, and the scorching heat in the air was replaced by a faint salty smell. A gust of wind blew by, the sea fog dissipated, and Kenneth gradually saw a series of ancient sailboats appearing before his eyes. Standing on the sea, Stuart, who was directly opposite him, had already released the magic sword in his hand. Burning karmic fire filled the sea surface, and the dead souls that crawled up from the seabed became more and more restless under the blessing of sin.
“Specialized undead, karmic fire formed from human sins, and this level of inherent barrier—this is what the Twenty-Seven Ancestors should possess.”
There aren't many inherent barriers that can drag Kenneth into. With just this one move, Kenneth could see some of the true strength of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors. Looking at the karmic fire spreading towards him on the sea, and then at the demonic sword representing sin in Stuart's hand, the sixth beast within Kenneth immediately began to stir.
Outside, the moment Kenneth's aura disappeared, Arcueid, who was struggling with Arceus, was stunned for a moment before Arceus seized the opportunity and forced her back. Seeing the fleeting panic on Arcueid's face, Arceus felt inexplicably pleased.
"Are you worried about that human? Don't worry, I won't kill him. I'll turn him into a pet loyal to me. Are you at ease now, Arcueid?"
The more exciting the expression on Arcueid's face, the more satisfied Arcueid felt. Calmly dealing with Arcueid's offensive, Arcueid made up her mind: she would spare Kenneth's life and then wantonly toy with the man in front of Arcueid.
"Hmph! Don't even think about it! You wicked woman, I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
Arcueid, his fists flailing wildly and his temper growing increasingly volatile, conjured all sorts of weapons and hurled them at Arcueid. Realizing that the idiot in front of her was serious, Arcueid decided to stretch her body and, after controlling the thrown weapons, flew towards Arcueid at an even faster speed.
"My foolish little sister, let me teach you a lesson today!"
Invisible rules covered the ground. At this moment, Altruic, who had entered a serious state, directly modified the rules of the earth. Her five fingers reached out to Arcueid, who was far away from her. The power of domination was activated, and Arcueid's body immediately lost control.
Chapter 241 The Black Blood Moon
As consciousness separated from body, Arcueid's body flew uncontrollably into the sky as Altrucci raised her arm. After being thoroughly slapped in the face by the weapon she had conjured, Altrucci appeared before Arcueid.
The smile remained on her lips, and Arcueid's similar face was reflected in her crystal-clear red eyes. Her outstretched five fingers extended forward, and the faint blue veins beneath her fair skin became increasingly clear in Arcueid's eyes.
“My sisters, please remind me of the pain from a thousand years ago.”
With a soft splatter, blood splattered as Altrucci's hand plunged directly into Arcueid's body. As she spoke from the bottom of her heart, the red light in Altrucci's eyes shone with an alluring intensity under the cold moonlight.
"You rascal, don't get too cocky!"
Breaking free from Altruic's control, Arcueid's five fingers dug into Altruic's arm, which was embedded in his chest cavity, like razors. The long-lost pain awakened the ferocity hidden in Arcueid's blood. With his free right hand, he swept upwards, and wherever the cold light passed, blood, flesh, and broken bones instantly filled the night sky.
"Overconfident? You're the one who's overconfident! You've completely disgraced Brunsstadt's name!"
With blood-red eyes and a glint in her eyes, Altrucci ignored Arcueid's claws embedded in flesh and pulled her arm out. With a hiss, blood stained the exposed skin of both of them. Altrucci caught the claws that attacked again and slammed Arcueid, who was trying to resist, to the ground.
The rising smoke obscured the view, and the instant Arcueid touched the ground, Arcueid, who was falling from the sky, swung her arm, and the controlled airflow transformed into a visible gale that cleaved the ground in two within a radius of several hundred meters.
The ravine, tens of meters deep, swallowed the moonlight. The restless air currents, carrying dust, swept everything like waves on the sea. Before Altruchi could land, the solid ground instantly collapsed, and a bright golden light broke through the steel-blade-like vortex and directly collided with Altruchi, who was mobilizing the power of the contract.
"Mind your own business! You always have so many reasons!"
She opened her palm to catch Arcueid's upward thrust, leaned back slightly, and the cold light from her five fingers flashed before Arcueid's eyes. She reached out and locked Arcueid's swinging wrist. Looking at Arcueid's angry face, the faint smile on Arcueid's face was replaced by anger.
"You are as foolish as ever. Let me teach you the proper manners of a Brunsstadt royal!"
The full moon, which looked like flowing blood in the night sky, froze. The dried-up black blood moon merged completely with the starry sky at this moment, its light completely disappearing. The streetlights that were flashing in the distance also went out at this moment. The world, stripped of all light, was now only left with the red light in the eyes of the two people looking at each other.
"The Black Blood Moon has risen; my sisters, are you ready to embrace my throne?"
With a whoosh, the world trembled violently. The eclipsed moon, flowing with black and red light, emerged from the darkness where no light could be seen. The black and red moonlight that shone down spread flames like burning blood, deconstructing the planet. The moonlight covering the sky reversed the rules and transformed this area into the royal court of Eltruchi.
Her still-healing body briefly returned to its original state. Empowered by the Black Blood Moon, Altruchi seemed to have a slight tendency to suppress Arcueid. With a swift, downward slam, Arcueid's body crashed to the ground once more. Before the sound of the impact had even subsided, countless materialized weapons burst through the dust and smoke, flying towards Altruchi as she descended from the sky.
With a gentle wave of his hand, moonlight transformed into a barrier, shattering Arcueid's attacks. The fragmented golden light particles painted the space a dreamlike scene. Yet, within this fantastical landscape, black and red flames, flowing like blood, burned everything they touched with chilling killing intent.
The instant Arcueid landed, *crack!* Arcueid burst forth from the dust and shattered the moonlight that had been blocking and sealing him with a single punch. The flames of life-giving light were blocked outside his body, and Arcueid's five fingers, which had formed claws, pierced through Arcueid's body, creating five continuous trenches in the ruins behind him.
Blood splattered on the gravel. Grasping the claws that nearly tore her apart, Altrouge instantly snapped her wrist, which was piercing her body, right before her eyes. Primal and violent, the two Brunstuds, who were given the title of princess by the mystical side, communicated with their long-separated sisters in the simplest and most effective way.
As for Arcueid, the injuries she sustained a thousand years ago have not yet healed. Using her authority to fight Arcueid would be too taxing, so relying on her immortality to duel Arcueid is the best option. Similarly, Arcueid, a brute who has always relied on close combat, has long been accustomed to this style of fighting. In an instant, blood and bits of flesh were scattered all over the ground as the two princesses clashed with each other, both displaying their exceptional immortality.
Just as the two princesses, one in black and one in white, were physically and emotionally aroused, within the inherent barrier, the raging fire of sin stained the sea surface, and the dense flames of sin surged into waves tens of meters high, rushing towards Kenneth.
As the swirling mercury morphed into a whip, Kenneth swung his arm through the air, and the shimmering white particles of light, like a tsunami, engulfed the sea of souls rushing towards them. The aura of law spread, and the souls remaining in the world were wiped away like stains on a canvas upon touching the particles of the third law. From appearance to record, all traces of the existence of these ghosts controlled by Brad were erased from the world.
"Hey, what are you? This kind of trick can't be done by magic!"
The sword strike severed the sea surface, freezing the surging waves in mid-air as if time had stopped. The sword light, radiating a chilling ghostly aura, instantly reached the sea where Kenneth was. The surging sea suddenly collapsed, and the displaced water transformed into towering waves that capsized the ghost ship tossed about in the storm. The wind and waves that could not return in time were frozen the moment they touched the deathly aura, and rapidly spreading ice crystals instantly covered the sea surface.