Chapter 126: Reunion (2)

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“Wholesome talk?”

Carl tilted his head sideways and looked at Lucas.

What wholesome talk could they possibly have to share between them.

‘Nothing’s changed from before, has it.’

Carl examined Lucas’ appearance.

From head to toe, he was pure white.

Though the surroundings were pitch-black with deep darkness, it almost felt like the spot where he stood was illuminated by a different light.

The blue eyes staring this way narrowed faintly.

It meant he was smiling behind the mask.

“Now that you’ve taken Lahan, won’t you be moving in earnest to expand your power.

Using Lahan to pull Coxi under you as well.

Ah, I’m curious about one thing, did you perhaps brainwash that fellow Dirsen?”

“Brainwash. He’s a good friend of mine.”

Carl shrugged his shoulders.

There was no need to tell the truth, nor any desire to do so.

Judging by his words, it seemed Lucas had secretly tried contacting Dirsen behind Carl’s back.

‘As if that would ever work.’

He had subdued Dirsen using the Heavenly Demon Divine Art Soul-Seizing Technique along with Godok.

With double and triple layers of safeguards in place, breaking that brainwashing through ordinary means was impossible.

If attempted, Dirsen would become a mindless fool first.

From their standpoint, they needed to use Dirsen to move Lahan, so in the end, undoing the brainwashing was simply impossible.

Srrng.

Carl slowly drew his sword.

From the tip lowered to the ground, black flames began to blaze, exuding a grim aura.

Lucas shook his head in mild disapproval and continued.

“It’s already late tonight.

Aren’t you tired from fighting Besha as well.

You must celebrate swallowing Lahan.

Your subordinates are surely waiting impatiently.”

“Most likely.

But to celebrate, one needs a proper drink.”

“A celebratory drink? Just say the word, I’ll buy you something fitting.”

“Something fitting, you say.”

Carl smirked and looked up at Lucas.

“Your blood should be more than enough.”

Shhk.

Carl’s figure vanished.

Lucas sighed, reaching out into the air while grumbling.

“You’re no vampire, so why crave another’s blood.

And to think a friend I finally made is so demanding.”

Pah-at!

Blue light bloomed in the empty air, stretching into the form of a long sword.

Without hesitation, Lucas grabbed it and swung toward his side.

Kaang!

A sharp metallic cry rang out.

Carl had suddenly sprung from nowhere in the air, ambushing Lucas from his blind spot.

“I truly didn’t come to fight today.

I came simply to congratulate you on taking Lahan.”

“I’ll accept the gift with your head.”

“Ehh.”

Jjeoong.

A slash condensed with demonic energy shattered the building.

As he leapt over the rubble, Lucas frowned at the sight of Carl chasing him with relentless momentum.

‘Shaking him off won’t be easy.’

The first time they met, he had let him go without trouble, yet today he was this persistent.

Lucas clenched the air.

At the same time, blue light gathered in his grip, scattering toward Carl.

Pabababat!

The streaks of light shot like throwing daggers, piercing through everything at tremendous speed.

Several trajectories flew toward Carl as well, but the slanted Demon Sword deflected every strike.

Kwaaaang!

The district trembled.

Even in the underworld, if such commotion continued, the aftereffects would spread outward.

That was not what Lucas desired.

‘Unnecessary attention must be avoided.’

But it was impossible to deal with Carl quietly, so relocation was necessary.

“…There’s a suitable place.”

Lucas grinned.

Conveniently, there was an entrance ahead leading to a Flick.

It belonged to the territory of Lahan that Carl had just seized.

If the chaos spread there, it would not harm Lucas’ side.

Shwiak!

Lucas accelerated and descended underground.

“Wha…!”

The guard at the entrance was cut down in an instant as Lucas burst inside.

“What the hell?!”

“Are we under attack?”

Perhaps because of the recent power struggle, many had been stationed at the entrance.

But no matter how many there were, to Lucas they were nothing more than pebbles on the roadside.

With a light swing of his sword, he cut down those at the front and boldly carved open a path.

“Kraagh!”

“Enemy attack!”

Thud.

Carl followed a beat later.

A black mask engraved with a golden moon.

No one was ignorant of what that symbol meant, and so all faltered at his appearance.

Tuk.

Landing inside the Flick, Carl spoke in a low voice as he gazed at those nearby.

“Everyone, withdraw as far as possible.”

“Ah, understood.”

All of them were his resources.

Now that Lahan had been unified, even in a Flick he had to minimize damage.

Tat!

Carl, who dashed off the ground chasing after Lucas, looked at him with narrowed eyes.

‘He cornered himself.’

Entering a Flick after leaving the city meant there was a reason he couldn’t afford to draw attention.

Moreover, coming into such a closed space probably meant he was confident he could defeat Carl and still escape.

‘Interesting.’

Carl’s eyes grew cold.

Last time, he had let him go to investigate their identity, but now that he knew they were a religious faction, there was no reason to hold back.

Thud.

Following Lucas, Carl leapt onto the roof of a building, spreading ominous demonic energy as he asked.

“What god do you serve?”

“…If I tell you, will you let me go?”

“Depending on the situation.”

“You lie so easily without even wetting your lips. Kill that murderous intent a bit before speaking.”

Even at his rebuke, Carl’s killing intent did not diminish.

Seeing his unwillingness to let him go, Lucas scratched his head roughly.

“Well, not that you’d know even if I said. It’s not a god known to the world. People must have long forgotten.”

“So that means you’re a priest as well.”

“Broadly speaking, yes?”

“Does a priest have the right to stain his hands with blood, doing work in the shadows?”

“Ugh, you strike where it hurts.”

Lucas exaggerated a playful grimace, then shrugged as he replied.

“The god I serve is very generous. The doctrine is that there’s no need to pick and choose the means to achieve a goal.”

“An evil god, then.”

“Oh come now, is it proper to say such things before a priest of a god? And besides…”

Whirr.

Lucas spun his sword in his hand.

“Our circumstances aren’t so good that we can afford to weigh everything and only do good deeds.”

Shaaak!

Suddenly, several pure white streaks burst from the ground.

Carl sidestepped to evade them, but the streaks had another target.

Whirr.

Like long threads, they shot out and wrapped around Carl’s limbs.

Binding his wrists and ankles like shackles for criminals, they tugged with immense force to restrain his movements.

Kaang!

In that moment, Lucas charged forward, swinging his sword at Carl’s face.

Even bound hand and foot, Carl moved his blade and blocked the strike, leaving Lucas slightly surprised.

“Impressive. It must be very hard to move.”

“Want me to show you something more impressive?”

Paaaat!

Demonic energy surged violently.

Like when he fought Besha, the restraints broke as the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art flooded outward, rippling with destructive force.

Chiiiiiik.

The threads binding his limbs reached their limits, giving off white smoke as they snapped apart.

“…Huh.”

Lucas clicked his tongue.

Breaking a sacred binding?

“Are you perhaps a Demon Human who made a contract with a demon? That energy you wield—it’s hard not to suspect it.”

“If I were, I wouldn’t have killed Besha.”

“Well, that is true, but…”

Lucas could not erase the doubtful look from his face.

Anyone seeing demonic energy pour from Carl’s whole body would naturally think of a Demon Human.

“Well, if you are, that’s fine, and if you’re not, that’s fine too.”

If Carl were a Demon Human who had contracted with a demon, he would be Lucas’ natural enemy as a priest.

Though the chances were higher that he was not.

If Carl’s power truly came from a demon, his divine power would surely have reacted.

‘Regardless, it’s truly a strange power.’

Lucas studied Carl’s demonic energy closely.

From the northern continent to the southern, and even the western continent.

Lucas had met countless people, yet he had never seen anyone wield power like Carl’s.

Though refined, how could such power appear so pure.

‘I’d love to capture him and dissect him.’

If he could only figure out the structure, it would be a great boon to the Cult.

“……”

While Lucas entertained such dark thoughts, Carl slowly regulated his breathing.

He had already expended some strength in the fight with Besha.

It wasn’t that Besha himself had been much trouble, but meeting a demon in the world of mental images afterward had been the real problem.

From this, Carl had learned that encounters with such unusual beings drained much mental energy.

‘But there’s still no problem.’

If it came to it, he could use the Primordial Unity Divine Art.

To the outside world, Nox’s Carl had only shown the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, never revealing his other power.

Besides, he still had much information to draw out of Lucas, so he had to maintain a balance, provoking him into talking.

If Lucas realized the scales of power tipped too far, he would immediately feel threatened and fall silent.

Spaat—!

Lucas launched a sudden attack.

A slash of blue light shot along its trajectory like lightning, cutting straight toward Carl.

Carl raised a Protective Device to withstand the attack head-on, then stepped into Dark Flow Footwork, blending into the shadows.

“Haha, do you think you can hide your presence while overflowing with such energy!”

Kaang!

Lucas clenched his fist.

At the same time, from his back, blue flames erupted upward, forming into the long body of a gigantic serpent.

“Basilisk.”

Thud.

The summoned familiar, called forth by its master, crushed the Flick’s street as it spewed torrents of azure flames.

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