The dark velvet of the midnight sky was violently illuminated by the residual sparks of crackling blue magic.
In the center of the completely shattered stone crater, Grand Duke Killian Von Rosenberg stood towering and statuesque, his unyielding right hand firmly catching and stopping the armored demon Alis’s colossal black sword mid-air.
Killian did not flinch for a single fraction of a second.
With a fluid, powerful motion, he forcefully raised his left hand, the brilliant blue light erupting from his palms shifting into a precise, gravity-defying spell.
Instantly, a soft blue aura enveloped Sebastian’s bleeding frame, gently lifting the heavy head butler out from the broken earth and floating him safely through the air, placing him carefully onto the grand marble stairs of the mansion’s main entrance.
Evelyn, who had been watching in breathless terror, rushed out onto the stairs, throwing herself down flat on the stone beside Sebastian.
Her heart hammered against her ribs in pure ghabrahat as she witnessed the dark, thick blood rapidly pouring out from the gruesome impalement wound in the center of his chest, staining his tailcoat.
Killian turned his sharp profile toward the stairs, his glowing midnight-blue eyes locking onto her panicking face as his voice boomed with absolute, commanding authority.
“Evelyn!
Move immediately!
Heal Sebastian exactly the way you healed my person before!”
Evelyn’s hands trembled violently as she pulled out the fresh medical linen, her voice cracking in pure panic.
“Y-Yes…!
I am doing it right now, Killian!”
Without wasting a single second, Evelyn extended both of her palms directly over Sebastian’s bleeding chest.
Instantly, a magnificent, vibrant explosion of emerald-green light burst frantically from her skin, cloaking the head butler’s gruesome wound in a pulsing wave of pure, rejuvenating life-force.
Sebastian coughed violently, a trail of dark blood escaping his lips as his eyelids fluttered open.
He looked up at his master, his deadpan voice cracking with deep, sorrowful emotion.
“My Lord…
p-please extend your forgiveness to me.
I was entirely unable to halt his advance.”
Killian kept his right hand locked around Alis’s massive blade, his fingers tightening with such immense, absolute force that the sharp metal began to slice into his bare palm, fresh crimson blood rapidly oozing down his wrist.
Alis bared his sharp fangs, growling as he violently pulled and twisted the hilt, attempting to wrench his sword free, but Killian’s grip remained a rock-solid, unbreakable anchor.
Suddenly, Killian violently raised his heavy boot, delivering a devastating, crushing kick straight into the center of Alis’s armored abdomen.
BOOM!
The sheer weight of the impact sent the colossal demon flying backward across the courtyard, his armored frame crashing heavily against the far stone blocks.
The absolute second Alis was thrown clear, a monumental explosion of brilliant blue aura violently erupted from Killian’s body.
The immense pressure caused the entire courtyard to shake, the earth quaking frantically as his tailored clothes billowed in the sudden gale.
Killian stood between the beast and the stairs, his back turned protectively toward Sebastian and Evelyn.
He slowly turned his head, his icy glance pinning his butler as he spoke in a low, resonant rumble.
“Sebastian…
what you have executed for my sake today was more than enough.
From this moment forward…
I shall personally handle the absolute protection and defense of you both.”
He snapped his gaze back toward the front, his command absolute.
“Evelyn!
Maintain your focus and continue to heal Sebastian continuously!”
Evelyn’s hands were glowing brilliantly with green aura, sweat pouring down her brow as she cried out in anxiety,”Yes, Killian!
I am channeling every ounce of my strength, but his injury is remarkably deep and dangerous!”
Across the courtyard, the thick cloud of dust and debris slowly cleared away.
Alis staggered to his feet, wiping the dark demonic blood from his slavering jaws as his red eyes flared with psychotic fury.
Killian glared at the rising beast, his voice dropping into a freezing, dangerous register that echoed through the valley.
“Do not even dare to take a single step toward my family again.”
Alis spat a mouthful of black blood onto the cobblestones, letting out a loud, mocking laugh.
“Huh!
And here I thought I had stepped into the domain of formidable warriors…
only to find a house occupied strictly by pathetic, weak children!”
Killian adjusted his grip on his own silver sword, an arrogant, attitude-filled smirk touching his handsome lips.
“You have committed a monumental error by labeling me as weak.”
Alis violently raised his black blade, his features contorted into a murderous mask.
“It is no error, brat!
Tonight, I shall personally sever your head and deliver it to my Master…
and I shall drag that worthless girl along with it!
Die!”
SWISH!
Before the final syllable could even pass the demon’s lips, Killian’s physical form completely vanished from the courtyard like a fluid gust of wind.
Alis froze, his red eyes widening in absolute shock as he looked at the empty air.
“What?!
Where on earth did he disappear to?!”
BAM!
Without a single fraction of a warning, a colossal, devastating punch violently struck Alis directly across his face.
The sheer force broke his slavering fangs, dark blood spraying as the demon staggered back in pure shock.
“What?!
Such incredible speed…!”
Before the demon could recover his balance, Killian materialized directly in his immediate proximity.
Moving with absolute, crushing force, he violently drove his silver sword straight through the center of Alis’s chest, pinning the beast before him as he leaned close, his glowing blue eyes radiating pure death.
“I possess absolutely zero desire to exchange extensive words with you,” Killian whispered in a low, gravelly tone.
“But allow one reality to lock firmly inside your brain…
as long as I am breathing, you shall never lay a single finger upon Evelyn.”
Moving with a frantic reflex, he violently swung his black sword around, launching a blindside strike straight toward Killian’s neck.
Killian did not retreat; he raised his bare left hand, firmly catching the incoming blade with his palm, keeping his silver sword deeply embedded inside the demon’s chest with his right.
With a sharp, fluid movement, Killian forcefully ripped his silver sword out from the demon’s torso, stepping back in a swift blur.
The absolute second they created distance, both figures surged forward once more at maximum speed, their figures transforming into streaks of blue and black lightning as they violently clashed in the center of the square.
CRASH!
CLANG!
SHATTER!
Their swords collided nonstop, creating a relentless, deafening rhythm that shook the trees.
With every single impact, a spectacular shower of bright sparks and magical light exploded outward, illuminating the night.
The sheer velocity of their movements created a massive vortex of howling winds and thick dust that fully enclosed the battlefield.
On the marble stairs, Evelyn completely tuned out the chaotic storm, placing her absolute concentration and focus upon her glowing green palms, meticulously knitting Sebastian’s shattered chest bones back together.
Back in the storm, Killian caught a sudden opening.
Moving with razor-sharp precision, he violently swung his silver blade down.
SLASH!
Alis’s entire left arm was cleanly severed from his shoulder, spinning through the air before crashing into the dust.
Killian instantly sidestepped, moving backward to reset his stance.
But before he could even advance, the demon let out a mocking laugh, dark magic coursing through his flesh as a brand-new, fully formed arm completely regenerated from the stump within a split second.
Killian quietly watched the transformation, his midnight-blue eyes narrowing as he muttered flatly, “I see…
so you are capable of regenerating your limbs with remarkable speed.
Very well then.”
Killian slowly raised his silver sword.
With a deliberate, chilling precision, he dragged the bare palm of his left hand straight across the length of the metal, coating the entire pristine silver blade in a thick layer of his own potent, glowing royal blood.
Alis stood a long distance away, his features locked in an arrogant smirk as he scoffed, “Hahaha!
Do you honestly believe a pathetic display of that magnitude will alter your fate?!
You will absolutely never be able to cut through my immortal flesh again!”
Killian raised the blood-coated blade, his tone remaining an iron wall of absolute pride.
“Let us observe the reality then.”
BOOM!
Killian surged forward with god-like speed, transforming into a blinding flash of blue lightning.
Alis frantically shifted his torso, attempting to take a defensive bacchav position to block the incoming strike.
But before his black sword could even cross his chest, Killian’s blade cleaved through the air with absolute velocity.
SLASH!
Alis’s newly grown arm was violently hacked away into nothingness, spinning into the dirt.
Killian brought his movement to an elegant halt, standing perfectly tall beside him.
The demon burst into another hysterical laugh.
“Huh!
Have you lost your mind, boy?!
I explicitly told you that your efforts are completely useless!
No matter how many times you slice—”
Alis violently channeled his dark magic, attempting to regenerate the limb once more.
But suddenly, his voice cut off completely, his red eyes widening in pure, unadulterated shock and horror.
The stump remained raw and bleeding, absolutely zero new flesh emerging from the wound.
The demon staggered back, his voice trembling in frantic panic.
“What…
what on earth have you executed?!
Why…
why am I completely unable to regenerate my arm?!”
Killian turned his head slowly, his glowing blue eyes locking onto the panicking beast as he spoke in a low, merciless rumble.
“Through the unique properties of my own royal blood…
I have completely stripped away your absolute power to regenerate your limbs.”
“No…!
This is completely impossible!” Alis screamed, his pride shattering entirely.
Killian didn’t offer him another second.
Moving with invisible, breathtaking speed, he unleashed a fluid sequence of devastating strikes.
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
Within a single heartbeat, Alis’s remaining arm and both of his colossal legs were cleanly and violently severed from his torso.
The demon’s heavy, limbless body crashed violently onto the hard cobblestones, completely incapacitated as dark blood poured rapidly across the stone.
Killian walked forward with slow, heavy steps.
He raised his boot, forcefully planting it directly onto the center of the writhing demon’s chest, pinning him down into the crater.
He looked down at the defeated beast, his voice dripping with freezing authority.
“I explicitly told you…
you committed a monumental error by arriving at this estate.”
Alis, despite his absolute ruin, glared up with a psychotic, twitching insanity, his slavering jaws snapping as he hissed, “I…
I shall still find a way to have you slaughtered!
I will never let you go!
I shall slaughter you!
Slaughter you—!”
SWISH!
Before the final breath of his threat could even clear his throat, Killian swung his silver sword downward in a brutal, horizontal arc.
With a clean stroke, Alis’s head was completely severed from his torso.
Instantly, a massive fountain of dark demonic blood erupted violently from the neck, spraying into the air before the entire physical frame of the soldier demon convulsed and dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, completely vanishing from existence.
The quietness of the night officially returned to the courtyard.
Killian adjusted his tunic, his blue aura slowly fading away as his eyes returned to their natural, deep midnight shade.
Without losing a single second, he walked swiftly across the courtyard, approaching the marble stairs where Evelyn and Sebastian were waiting.
Killian dropped heavily onto his knees right beside them, his eyes scanning their forms as he asked softly, “Are you both functioning properly?”
Evelyn raised her tear-stained face, her amethyst eyes filled with immense relief and concern as she gripped his shoulder.
“Killian…!
Are you truly alright?!
Did you sustain any severe injuries?!”
Killian offered a gentle, reassuring look, his voice smooth.
“Yes.
Absolutely nothing has occurred to my person.”
He shifted his gaze down toward the head butler.
Under the intense, concentrated power of Evelyn’s emerald magic, the massive impalement wound in Sebastian’s chest had completely closed up, the flesh healed perfectly with absolute zero scars remaining.
Evelyn looked at Killian’s bleeding left palm and extended her hands eagerly.
“Killian…
please extend your hands forward immediately.”
Killian complied smoothly, stretching his palms out before her.
Evelyn placed her gentle fingers over his cuts, unleashing a soft wave of green magic that instantly knitted the sliced skin back together, healing his hands perfectly within seconds.
Killian looked down at his butler, his voice dropping into a warm rumble.
“Sebastian…
are you feeling restored now?”
Sebastian slowly, grovilly forced his torso up, sitting upright against the stone step as he adjusted his spectacles.
He lowered his head in deep humility, his deadpan voice carrying a trace of sincere regret.
“My Lord…
I offer you my humblest apologies.
I failed to remain of true use to you today.”
Killian placed his large hand firmly onto Sebastian’s shoulder, a genuine, soft smile gracing his handsome features as he spoke with absolute sincerity.
“Think nothing of apologies, Sebastian.
You occupy the position of my most cherished companion—the one who has continuously stood by my side through every single adversity.
And the most magnificent reality is that, completely disregarding your own survival, you stood tall against a formidable demon strictly to protect Evelyn and myself.
You fought bravely.”
Sebastian raised his head, staring into his master’s face with profound emotion filling his eyes.
“My Lord…
I am remarkably blessed and fortunate to have you as my Master.”
Killian’s smile widened by a fraction of an inch, his voice carrying an unyielding warmth.
“I am absolutely not your Master, Sebastian.
I am your childhood friend.”
Hearing the profound declaration of their bond, the strict, deadpan head butler completely lost his composure.
Tears of intense gratitude and joy welled up rapidly in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks as a soft sob escaped his lips.
Evelyn looked at the two lifelong friends, a sweet, radiant smile breaking across her face as she wiped her own tears.
She rose gracefully, looking at the silver-haired Duke.
“Killian…
come along now, let us all proceed inside the mansion.
The hour has turned remarkably late.”
“Yes, you speak with perfect accuracy,”
Killian responded smoothly.
He rose from the stone, extending his strong arm to provide a firm, supportive grip to lift Sebastian to his feet.
Standing tightly together as a unit, the three turned around, walking through the grand iron main doors and entering the peaceful sanctuary of the mansion as the heavy oak doors closed securely behind them.
Meanwhile, miles away across the mist-shrouded capital, a completely violent crisis was violently erupting inside the Imperial Palace.
Deep within the hidden, subterranean ritual chamber, the ancient black magic sorcerer was pacing the stone floor like a demonic entity, his features contorted into a terrifying mask of pure, unadulterated fury.
The news of Alis’s absolute destruction had just reached his scrying sphere.
BOOM!
With a sudden roar of pure rage, the sorcerer violently slammed his withered fist directly against the solid stone wall of the chamber.
The immense dark force caused the heavy structure to violently shatter and crack, stone blocks tumbling to the floor.
“Rosenberg…!” the sorcerer hissed hysterically, his yellow eyes flashing with a lethal, venomous insanity within the dark void of his hood.
“Do you honestly believe that by merely slaughtering a single one of my high-level soldier demons…
you have completely won this entire war?!
You have barely scratched the surface!
This is strictly the absolute beginning!
Do not dare to celebrate your pathetic joy so early!”
Standing a long distance away in the corner of the vibrating room, the Empress and the young Prince stood completely rigid, their entire bodies paralyzed with pure, suffocating terror as the dark master’s wrath shook the palace walls.