166. Mana, Magical Energy, and the Piece of s.p.a.ce and Time
Separating from Min-Cheol, Jong Ho and Karin, as well as Belkoseu, were settled far away from the Demon King and Ladin’s residence.
Only Min-Cheol received guidance from Karin, which he then moved to the final battle with the Demon King.
Right now, everyone else would only serve as a hindrance.
It would be painful for them to hear that, but it was the truth.
Thankfully, the three he had left behind knew this very well.
They knew that if they partook in the battle, they would only serve as a hindrance to Min-Cheol.
There was the possibility that they’d be captured and held as hostages, ruining the whole thing.
Belkoseu used his Authority to hide the magical energy signatures of the three securely.
Unless those pursuing them had the search capabilities on par with the Chimera, they would never be able to find them.
I did not know with Belkoseu, but the faces of Karin and Jong Ho were as per usual, without a trace of worry in their expressions.
That was because they believed in what Min-Cheol had accomplished had so far and the speedy growth that allowed him to obtain great power.
Their thought process was of sound decision making.
After all, with the current strength Min-Cheol possessed, there was no way that he would lose to the Demon King.
Using Ma.s.s Stealth Jutsu and laying flat on the ground, Jong Ho spoke to Karin.
“Karin. If either the Demon King’s or Ladin’s magical energy signature disappears, you need to let me know immediately, okay?”
“Keruru. Do not worry. I won’t allow my thoughts to drift off even for a minute, staying focused the entire time.”
“I’m sure that Sir Min-Cheol will defeat them both and come back. I’m positive! Steak…. I mean. He will become the Demon King, so that is a given.”
“Keruk! It has begun! Ladin’s magical signature is on the map.”
“Ladin isn’t anything worth worrying about…..”
“Kehel?”
“Why!”
“Dis.. Disappeared.”
“What? Did he hide his magical energy signature and flee once more in that short amount of time?”
“No….. He has been completely obliterated. Ladin’s magical energy does not exist in the demonic realm anymore. All of it has been absorbed by Min-Cheol. Keh heh el……”
“Not even a minute has pa.s.sed! Are you positive?”
“Kehrururu….. Kelkel! Jong Ho, Min-Cheol is strong. He’s so strong that we can enjoy observing him with a peace of mind. Kel kel.”
“Still, don’t let your guard down and stay observant!”
“Kel kel. I understand.”
Growing ma.s.sive in size in an instant, Ladin charged.
He was the size of an apartment.
The mace in his hand was far greater in size.
I could tell that it wasn’t made from bloodstones.
Rather, it was a weapon made of compressed magical energy.
I threw in a King’s Marble in my mouth.
I was sure that Ladin dealt far more damage than I could I respond with recovery skills like Status Denial.
I needed to stay focused on the fight like I was in during the 3 tests from G.o.d I pa.s.sed.
My offensive capabilities grew at an impossible rate, but my defensive capabilities stayed the same.
Despite using all sorts of skills wildy without restraint, I needed to pay attention to the King’s Marble’s immortal effect that only lasted a minute.
“Kuwuhhhhh!”
A deep voice that seemed to split apart the air was followed by the swing of the mace.
The speed at which it came down was insanely fast.
Even with how much I stronger I’ve gotten physically, it would’ve taken everything I had to avoid it, I guess?
As Ladin’s attack started, I swallowed one of the King’s Marbles.
Giving off a visual effect of my body burning black into what seemed like a lump of charcoal, the one minute countdown began.
“Is this simple attack all you’ve got?”
“Kuuhhhhh!”
I did not even consider avoiding Ladin’s attack.
There was no need for me to even flinch at the falling mace.
Of course, it was a powerful attack.
When his attack reached me, a sound similar to a smithy hammering an anvil filled the air around us.
If I had allowed this attack to hit me while I didn’t have the effect of the marble…..
I would’ve had to hear my bones and organs scream out in agony for awhile.
“Kuwahhh!”
I could not find any hints of rationale in his eyes.
He appeared as though he had sold his soul to the devil.
As he grew bigger, the horn on his head seemed rather small in comparison.
His body seemed to be covered in obsidian, which looked impossible to penetrate.
His appearance seemed similar to the radical faction Dark Lady’s ability.
However, I had obtained a power that allowed my attacks to have a 100% success rate and ignored all resistances.
On top of that, my attacks would be twice as strong right now.
In order to save up as many King’s Marbles as possible, I used my strongest attacks.
As anyone knowing me would be familiar with, 9 fiery orbs of death appeared in the air.
I didn’t even need to use my Mana Shield.
After all, no attacks would affect me at this time.
That was why I used even the 3rd spell slot granted to me by the Dual Casting pa.s.sive to cast Meteor.
This was a fight where I would only focus on attacking.
I was positive that they didn’t realize that my Meteor Call became stronger beyond comparison to what it was before.
Due to it being my main skill that I’ve been using for so long, I could tell just from looking at it.
Darkish black flames covered the orb after the skill’s Transcendence.
Now, if that wasn’t enough before, magical energy and condensed mana was added, letting out a mysterious light as it searched for its target to obliterate.
Even I was surprised that I could even use an attack like this.
It looked as though a planet of purple and bluish hue only found in s.p.a.ce had been compressed and now floated in the air.
Without missing a beat, I landed the Meteor directly at him.
“KUWECKKKK!”
“Holy s.h.i.t…..”
It was definitely me who had made the command.
The one who to command it to land ruthlessly on him was definitely me.
However, even I, who had sent it down on my will, couldn’t keep up with the Meteor’s movement.
In a blink of an eye, almost as teleporting, I only realized that the attack landed after I saw the flames sticking to his body.
Now, even I found myself frightening.
Being at a loss of words at this spectacle didn’t last long.
Only then did a heavy gust of wind from the explosion blow outward in all directions.
The shockwave was so powerful that the castle that was in the field was destroyed without a trace, like paper before the wind.
The soundwave followed.
It was such a loud noise, making it hard for me to believe that this was my attack.
‘To think that it’d be this strong….’ I couldn’t help but mutter to myself.
Naturally, I looked towards Ladin.
“Ku… Kueh…..”
“…….”
His situation was quite gruesome.
Almost as if a building had been under sh.e.l.ling, there were holes all over his body.
Recover? That was impossible.
Not a drop of blood spilled from the holes in his body.
The flames did not subside yet.
The intense angry flames continued to eat away at Ladin’s body.
A body that I had thought to be impervious was melting away as if boiling metal had been poured down on styrofoam.
“45 seconds left.”
“What…. What! Ladin, what are you doing! Your horn!”
“Ah, that’s right. Berdan also had broken his horn to try to change the situation, right?”
“Ku… KUWUUUHHHH!”
A shocked Demon King yelled at Ladin and commanded him.
All the demon tribe leaders had horns on their foreheads.
Previously, Berdan had broken his horn when his life was in danger, obtaining a ma.s.sive amount of power.
He was trying to flip the tables in a last ditch attempt with that injured body?
Don’t even try!
“Kwuhhhh!”
“Don’t bark.”
He was laboring to move his arm that been tattered like a rag towards his face.
Without a will of his own, he must be moving on reflex at the command of his Demon King.
“Breaking your horn? Isn’t that something that you can do if only the stronger one in the fight allows it?”
I poured cold water on the flickering flame that was Ladin’s life.
I wondered if the saying that a lightning strike comes down during a clear sky was made to be used here.
Guess the lightning wasn’t enough, as hail with shards of ice large enough to be cla.s.sified as something beyond a hail poured down.
I had cast In Storm and Blizzard at the same time.
Both these skills absorbed lots of mana and magical energy and boasted high amounts of damage.
In Storm poured down lightning in a certain range.
Far outgrowing its previous destructive capabilities, the lightning bolts that struck the ground dug out parts of the ground, with the remaining power still being enough to cause an explosion and scatter outwards.
It was the same with Blizzard.
They dug into Ladin’s body, dealing initial damage, then exploded inside of him, causing ma.s.sive internal damage that was hard to even imagine.
The range and the destructive force. Both could not be even compared to the previous state.
It was enough to make me wonder, ‘Could I use these two skills back on Earth?’
The answer to the question I asked myself was an easy ‘No!’ Unless it was a dire situation, I would have to make sure to never do so until I’ve gained a greater control over my magical energy and mana.
With the monsters and the Gate gone from Earth, I needed to make sure that I wasn’t a new disaster to come.
Just like that, Ladin’s body froze over and was shattered into pieces, with his innards being burnt to ash.
After that, I could see that his magical energy was being absorbed by me.
Ladin had been obliterated into nothingness, followed by his magical energy rising up into the air like smoke, halting as if trying to find the owner, and then being absorbed into my body.
It was a strange feeling that I haven’t felt before.
Was it because Ladin had a vast amount of magical energies?
“Whew….. This is quite amazing, isn’t it?”
I could feel it for sure.
The increase in magical energy. Not only that, I could sense that the power I was exuding had risen up to a new level.
I had now defeated 3 of the four demonic leaders.
However, I was surprised once more due to the fact that I hadn’t risen to the t.i.tle of the Demonic King with this.
This meant that Jamon was carrying at least 50% of the demonic realm’s magical energy.
Jamon’s body was soft looking, as if he was a pottery that had been shaped.
Despite having expressed a great amount of hatred towards me before, his face remained calm then, but now there was clear surprise on his face.
That was because I had far surpa.s.sed what he had thought and previously experienced as my strength.
Even Ladin, who was the last remaining demonic tribe leader, had fallen so pathetically.
Now he was the only one left in the demonic realm.
Staring him down, I spoke.
“30 seconds left.”
“What? Why are you this powerful….. This incomprehensible power….. And within a couple days!”
I had defeated Ladin in only 30 seconds.
With 3 King’s Marbles in each side of my mouth, I spoke with an inaccurate annunciation.
“I guess it’ll end in about 30 seconds? Eh. Since you’re a Demon King and all, I’ll eat one more for you.”
“I am the Demon King! All life in the demonic realm bow before me….. Not only that, but I am the strongest lifeform in the demonic realm!”
“So 1 minute and 30 seconds. Don’t ask for more. I’m not sure when, but I’ll have to leave some for my descendants so they won’t get bored, you know?”
“You’re just a weak pathetic human! As I said, I won’t let you die so easily! I’ll let you live in the most agonizing pain you could imagine! Kuaaaa!”
“Pfft. Sure, come at me.”