Story: I'm a Daemon, so what?
Disclaimer: I do not own the original setting.
Chapter 100: Attack on Ruberious, Finale
We're finally at chapter 100! I just wanted to thank everyone who has actually stayed long enough to get this far. I looked through this fic a bit, and there are some clear ups, but also some clear downs (like some parts in this very arc), but all in all, I am decently happy with it so far, and I'll be doing my best to continue to improve my writing as I continue this fic. The pacing is slower than most fics imo, but pretty sure that's just my style at this point lol.
But I just wanted to reiterate how much I appreciate all you readers. I do have a vision for how I want this story to end up, and you all have helped support that vision, whether through critiques or just supporting me with likes and comments.
Anyways, I love you all, whether you're just here to shit on my writing or here because you're enjoying this fic!
Also, for those who didn't read my message on discord/patreon, I've decided that the next world for this fic is Solo Leveling. It's still a little bit ways off, but I thought it would be a fun world to explore the lore of/just have a bit of fun in.
The solo leveling arc is going to be decently long, mostly because I want to explore the lore and relate it to tensura's own lore.
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- Rimuru Tempest -
Rimuru continued to half-listen to Felix and Luminous' conversation, but his main focus was on the fight occurring below them. He wasn't really sure why Luminous and Felix didn't seem to be bothered about the life and death struggle happening right in front of them.
It was pretty interesting to watch from his point of view. He was picking up new tricks, subtle movements and strategies as Granbell and Hinata expertly used their abilities, pushing each other to the limit.
Hinata was really, really good with a sword, and Granbell was almost just as good. They were better than him, that was for sure, though he hadn't been training much as of recently. His main focus had been Tempest, and so his combat abilities had lagged behind a bit, but that was fine. He had subordinates to cover for him if he messed up. Plus he could rely on Chloe and Veldora, both of them were broken cheats.
'Notice. Beginning reconstruction of Rimuru Tempest's Hazy Style.'
'Eh, why?'
'Raphael will modify the style as well as incorporate other aspects of other swordsmanship styles to better optimize it. Raphael had already begun such a process before but was stuck in the gathering of data phase. Now Raphael has recorded enough data to begin making adjustments.'
'Huh. Thanks then I guess.'
He didn't think Hakurou would be very happy with cheating his way to the top, but what was it that Felix always said? If you weren't cheating you weren't trying. Rimuru was sure that Hakurou would understand.
'Affirmative. It has been detected that the Daemon Felix White has incorporated aspects of other swordsmanship styles into his own. He has likely done something similar.'
'I see. Thanks then Raphael!'
'It is Raphael's duty.'
Raphael was always so hard working!
Felix was even more broken than Chloe! Rimuru still remembered when he ragdolled Chronoa around, though to be fair Chronoa wasn't really thinking straight. Though Chloe seemed to be rather upset at how easily Chronoa was defeated by Felix. If you could call that a defeat though.
Chloe had been bugging him to arrange a fight between her and Felix, Felix had agreed but after this entire mess was sorted out which Rimuru could understand. He was pretty eager to watch a fight between those two himself, maybe he'd learn a thing or two.
He focused back on the fight. He didn't have many chances to watch a real life shonen battle! As if he was going to miss it!
He had known that Hinata had acquired an Ultimate Skill after her evolution into a Divine Human. Felix and Hinata did fight in The Dungeon after all, and he could observe basically everything going on inside of The Dungeon thanks to Ramiris basically giving him admin access over it.
Though he didn't really understand everything Hinata's Ultimate Skill could do. It seemed to have some sort of Spatial Manipulation as well as some predictive abilities but he couldn't pick up much through a recording. He didn't even know its name!
Back when Hinata and Felix were sparring there was a point where his observation failed. Hinata seemed to have created a barrier of some kind that blocked him from perceiving everything going on inside of it.
'Notice. Upon further analysis Raphael believes it is a new type of discovered Skill, a World System Skill. The user can deploy their own world into the surroundings, overwriting the texture of the natural world. The nature of these worlds differs from person to person. One thing they all share is that they can overwrite the natural laws of the world in some way.'
'Woah! Isn't that just a Domain Expansion!?'
Felix never said that was a thing! He wanted a Domain Expansion!
'It is similar, however World System Skills are likely of a higher level.'
Rimuru shifted slightly, his attention still fixed on the battle. Hinata's Ultimate Skill was definitely something he wanted to know more about. The thought of having an ability that could overwrite the natural laws of the world around you was both fascinating and intimidating, not to mention it sounded cool.
He trusted Hinata, but if Hinata could get such an ability, then couldn't others? If something like that was deployed in Tempest he wasn't sure if he could stop it before his people started getting injured. He really just needed more data on them so he could make Tempest more secure.
He had to be prepared for anything, and that meant understanding these World System Skills on a deeper level.
He couldn't help but compare it to Reality Marbles from the Nasuverse. Except World System Skills seemed to be even more bullshit than Reality Marbles.
Maybe Hinata was even stronger than he thought she was?
'Affirmative. Raphael has already developed countermeasures.'
'Good job, Raphael-sensei!'
It wasn't that he doubted Hinata's loyalty. Far from it. But having such a broken power was pretty crazy. What if something or someone managed to take control of her? Rimuru wasn't naive enough to think that mind control, possession, or other foul tricks weren't possibilities. In fact, it was his duty as leader of Tempest to think about these contingencies. Better safe than sorry.
Ah, I sound like Batman!
He'd likely end up just asking Felix about them, his buddy would help him out. Though that would be pretty awkward since Raphael had been trying to make countermeasures for Felix too, though she kept failing from what he had heard. Everytime Raphael had something in the works, Felix would show off something knew that he shouldn't have, which changed all of Raphael's calculations.
'It is recommended to ask the individual Chloe Auburt for more complete information.'
'Got it! I'll do that then, Raphael!'
It wasn't like he was planning to take Felix out behind his back, but he'd feel a lot better if in case someone got the better of Felix, he was prepared.
Hinata also had two Unique Skills from what he understood. One of them even allowed her to break through Felix's Multi-Dimensional Barrier back when they fought in The Dungeon. Though Raphael said it was likely just a fluke due to Felix's distraction. Felix's Multi-Dimensional Barrier was a cut above pretty much every barrier he had data on.
Multi-Dimensional Barrier was something even Raphael was having trouble with! Though Raphael had said they almost had a way to recreate Multi-Dimensional Barrier which was great since it was even more powerful than his Absolute Defense. Raphael also reminded him that the reason for Felix's barrier being incredibly powerful was due to his own power over Space.
Then there was Granbell who also had an Ultimate Skill. This was all spiraling way out of Rimuru's expectations, but Felix and Luminous didn't seem to care so everything would be fine. Probably.
Worst case they can team up like the power rangers to 3v1 some poor fool!
Rimuru chuckled at the thought, his mind briefly wandering to how fun it would be to fight as a squad with Felix and Luminous. The image of them striking silly poses after taking down a big bad was oddly entertaining. Veldora and Milim could join in too!
Ah! Maybe he was taking this too casually too.
- Felix -
We all continued to chat while Hinata and Granbell continued their fight. Even Luminous stopped paying much attention at a certain point. I have yet to understand what Hinata is trying to do but I'm sure she has a plan. Probably.
All of a sudden I felt a shift in the world around us. Going by Rimuru and Luminous' change in posture they felt it too.
My gaze snapped to the fight occurring below us. "It seems the fight will be ending here soon." I murmured.
Luminous nodded. "It seems Hinata will finally be taking things seriously."
- Hinata Sakaguchi -
She narrowed her eyes at Granbell who calmly stalked forwards. Their fight had been going on for some time now, and Granbell had enough time to pick up some of her tricks. Usurper had failed against Granbell, he had found some counter to it which wasn't that surprising. In the end it was only a Unique Skill even if it was one that she could elevate.
But it didn't matter, Usurper used to be the source of her strength that allowed her to quickly cheat her way to the top, but she had recently realized that relying only on Usurper would cripple her in the long run, so she had begun branching out quite some time ago, learning techniques the manual way and whatnot.
Vendetta was also fairly easy to predict, though it had still proved useful in this fight.
But she was getting rather tired of this back and forth. She hadn't gone all out at the start because she wanted to compare her ability against her former teacher's. To prove to herself that she had grown, and she was happy with the results. Her swordsmanship was slightly better than Granbell's. Though Granbell was a Hero from ages ago, she wasn't surprised that his swordsmanship could keep up. His Arts and Battlewill were phenomenal but she could keep up.
All in all, her general ability surpassed Granbell's. He had only managed to last so long against her due to his Ultimate Skill being more combat oriented than her own Fortuna which was more calculation based. Of course Space-Time Manipulation alone was a powerful ability, but she hadn't made much use of it in this fight. She preferred to rely on her blade and Battlewill most of the time.
Granbell smirked as he approached, his sword lowered but ready.
"You've grown." He acknowledged, his voice calm. "Stronger than I ever thought you of all people would be able to become. Your mindset and drive was always holding you back, but now it seems something has changed." Granbell sighed wistfully. "If only you had a Hero's Egg… but perhaps…"
She wasn't quite sure how to take that. Granbell never thought she could go further huh? She supposed she could see his point of view. Before she was rather stuck in her ways, she believed that her way was the right way and refused to compromise when she could have afforded to.
Not to mention her overreliance on Usurper, in the end robbed power could never allow her to fight against those who truly clawed their way up from the bottom and made their power their own. She never bothered to truly make the abilities she stole from others her own, and that was another mistake.
She would learn or steal something, adding it to her arsenal and then never train it, never adapt it to her own way of fighting.
"But you're still holding back." Granbell continued.
She raised a brow. "I'm surprised you could tell." She wasn't holding back much, only her Space-Time Manipulation, and Virtual World had not been used so far. Though to be fair Space-Time Manipulation was an extremely powerful ability, in the hands of someone with enough experience even she would have to take them seriously. Being able to manipulate the fabric of Space was that terrifying if used tactically.
Calculation Domain allowed her to practically read Granbell's moves before he even made them due to her increasing understanding over his own abilities. It wasn't perfect but it was almost there, she just needed a bit more data.
As she tightened her grip on her sword, Granbell suddenly unleashed a torrent of Hero's Haki. The very air seemed to tremble under the weight of it, it was an invisible force pressing down like a tidal wave. His Haki wasn't just power, it was the literal crystallization of centuries of battle-hardened experience, the will of a Hero who had faced the impossible and triumphed countless times, she knew full well the things Granbell had gone through.
His aura darkened the sky above them, warping the battlefield with his sheer presence. Haki wasn't about total energy, it was about your ambition, about your desires, and about your will.
She saw it for what it was, Granbell was testing her resolve, she didn't flinch.
In response, she summoned her own Sacred Haki, letting it surge from her core like a brilliant sun breaking through storm clouds. The ground beneath her feet cracked and trembled as her Haki poured out of her.
She hadn't had much of a chance to experiment with her Sacred Haki, it was a mutation of her old Hero's Haki that allowed her to exert her overwhelming Holy Power in the form of Haki. Felix had called her a reactor of Holy Power and he wasn't wrong on that front, she was practically a living font of it.
Granbell laughed. "Your Holy Power truly is something else." He said as the land beneath them became a holy ground of sorts as it absorbed her energy.
Her Sacred Haki was different from Granbell's. It wasn't the ancient weight of history and things about the past, hers was filled with her dreams of the present.
She hadn't faced unbeatable odds and came out on top like Granbell, even as Chronoa she hadn't faced many challenges due to her overwhelming strength. But what she had was passion to accomplish her dreams. The strength of someone who had climbed the path to power with relentless determination, who refused to be overshadowed, who was chasing after someone's back.
The air between them shimmered with a palpable intensity, it was as if reality itself struggled to contain the clash of their Haki. She didn't get the chance to be proud at how far she'd come as the invisible force of their auras meeting head-on created ripples in the atmosphere, distorting the very space around them.
Where their Haki collided, sparks of energy crackled like miniature lightning bolts, arcing through the space between them. Each spark was a manifestation of their raw power, flashing violently before disappearing into the charged atmosphere.
The ground beneath them could no longer withstand the force. It splintered and cracked, jagged fissures snaked outward from where they stood, growing wider with every second, spider webbing across the battlefield. Dust and debris were kicked up, swirling around their feet.
Without the protective barriers holding the effects of their clash in check, the sheer scale of their Haki would have been catastrophic. Entire structures would have crumbled, over time cities would be leveled.
Granbell's Hero's Haki pressed down on her like a mountain, a weight meant to crush any who dared to oppose him. But her Sacred Haki rose to meet it, burning with unyielding resolve.
As their Haki continued to rage around them, she tilted her head. "This has gone on long enough, Granbell."
Granbell raised a brow. "Oh? Are you finally ready to use your final trump card? None of your ploys have worked so far. Whatever Skill that you are using to weaken my Skill is barely doing anything, I have found counters to the other odd abilities you possess as well."
Granbell was right, without something special this fight would go on for a long time, it would turn into a battle of stamina. Though Virtual World was bound to change that.
After this fight she was determined to begin working on a final finisher, some final powerful attack that she could use to defeat her enemies in one blow.
Luminous already had one of her own, as did Felix with his Hollow Purple. She hadn't ever seen his Hollow Purple in person, but she'd heard of the attack he used to wipe out Clayman and his army in one attack.
Suddenly, Granbell dashed forward, his blade gleaming in a deadly arc aimed straight for her neck. It seems he was trying to not give her time to deploy her trump card. She barely had to think, her body moving on instinct. Her sword met his with a sharp clang, sparks flying. The force of his strike rippled through her arms, but she held firm.
She stepped back and then pivoted, using his momentum against him as she spun, bringing her sword down in a diagonal slash. Granbell parried but staggered slightly, the precision of her strike catching him off guard. He recovered quickly, launching a counterattack with a flurry of precise thrusts and cuts, but she danced between his strikes with fluid grace.
Granbell's eyes flashed, and with a surge of power, his aura flared to new heights as he imbued the life sucking effects of his Skill into it. She felt the pressure intensify as his Ultimate Skill activated in full force. She still didn't know what it's true nature was but it was still a powerful ability.
Granbell swung his blade in a wide arc, eyes fierce, as the blue soul-searing flames exploded outwards. But she was no longer bound by the same rules. Calculation Domain had already mapped out the attack the moment he thought of it. She moved effortlessly, appearing behind him in the blink of an eye.
She appeared behind him in a blink. "You were right. I was holding back." She said. "But not anymore." She had more than enough data to predict Granbell now. This fight was as good as over.
With a subtle surge of energy, she invoked Fortuna in its full glory. It wasn't just a boost to her awareness, it was as if the very fabric of reality unfolded before her eyes. Endless streams of calculations flooded her mind in an instant, processing every variable of the battlefield. Granbell's every movement, the arc of his blade, the tension in his muscles, even the direction of the wind.
She saw the intricate web of possibilities stretch out like threads, each one leading to a different outcome. Angles of attack, weak points in Granbell's defenses, the way his stance might shift, she could see it all. It was as though time itself slowed to accommodate her heightened perception. She was no longer using Fortuna as a passive tool, it was feeding her information faster than her mind could consciously process.
During her spar with Felix she hadn't been capable of this, but she figured out this aspect of Fortuna over time and relentless training. Just because she had reached the peak of her evolution didn't mean she couldn't continue to grow after all.
"Now." She whispered, her eyes glowing faintly with the light of her Ultimate Skill. "Let's end this."
As Granbell launched himself forward, his sword gleaming, her body moved without hesitation, guided by the flood of data from Fortuna.
"Virtual World."
She whispered under her breath, activating her World System Skill. In that instant, the battlefield shifted imperceptibly. The air around them shimmered, bending to her will. Granbell's world subtly altered, distorted under her control.
The rules of reality had become fluid, dictated by her own calculations, just as she demanded.
She rolled her eyes as she felt her domain encompass the observers she didn't know she had. She knew that Felix had probably stuck around, but she hadn't been aware of Luminous, Rimuru, and that pet fox of Felix's appearance. And she wouldn't have been aware without her Virtual World encompassing them. Felix's stealth capabilities were quite extraordinary as well it seems.
Granbell's eyes widened as he paused his charge. "Wh-What is this?" For the first time in this fight he looked genuinely surprised, he had no idea what had just happened. She didn't blame him for that, she didn't even know World System Skills were a thing until she got one herself.
Granbell shook his head. "No matter." He grunted as Fighting Spirit sparked off his blade in waves as he imbued the effect of his Ultimate Skill into his Aura. She could have shut that down, but decided to show Granbell just how out of his league she was now.
His blade passed through her form harmlessly, his expression twisting in confusion as she dissolved into mist and reappeared behind him, completely unscathed.
"This is my domain, Granbell." She declared, her voice cold and absolute. "You will find that gaining the upper hand in this battle will be much harder for you from now on."
Granbell gritted his teeth, frustration etched across his face. His sword crackled with energy as he prepared another charge, but she could see it coming before he even moved.
In her Virtual World, the battlefield became an extension of her mind, every aspect under her control. With a mere thought, she altered the flow of time in the space around Granbell, slowing his movements to a crawl. To him, it would feel like the air itself was pretty much thickening, dragging him down. His blade, once swift and deadly, now likely felt impossibly heavy, the same as if a normal Human were trying to swing it underwater.
She had long since been thinking of ways to creatively use her authority in the Virtual World. When she fought Felix she had used it in a rather brutish way with no finesse, but she had no practice with it. Now she had the time to build up her imagination.
"Is something wrong, Granbell?" She asked, her tone laced with amusement as she watched him struggle against the new reality she'd woven. Each step he took forward became sluggish.
He swung his sword, in a slow desperate arc, but she simply stepped to the side, letting the blade pass by harmlessly.
"This is futile." She said. "In this world, I control everything. Your speed, your strength, they mean nothing here. You're fighting against the laws I've rewritten, and you are no Felix, you cannot fight against my laws like he could."
"Yes! Glaze me more!" Felix's voice echoed out. She rolled her eyes and ignored him as Granbell grit his teeth in frustration.
Granbell growled, pushing harder, his Fighting Spirit flaring violently in defiance. But every burst of energy he unleashed was instantly neutralized, swallowed by the fabric of her Virtual World. She had adjusted the environment so that his Fighting Spirit couldn't fully manifest, its power diluted before it could reach her. Granbell simply lacked the raw power to fight against Virtual World, and despite his willpower it wasn't enough to fight off her Virtual World.
She didn't give him a moment of reprieve. With a flick of her wrist, she altered the terrain beneath him, shifting the ground into a treacherous, uneven surface.
Fissures appeared, then vanished just as quickly, tripping him up as he tried to regain his footing. Granbell stumbled, his balance thrown off by the constantly shifting reality under his feet. He quickly dealt with that by expelling Fighting Spirit from his feet allowing him to float. She could have shut that down too if she wanted. Against an equal foe, Virtual World would practically guarantee her victory.
"How long can you keep this up, Granbell?" She asked, her voice echoing unnaturally through the digital space.
She altered his perception next, bending the light around him, creating illusions of herself in every direction. Ten, twenty, a hundred versions of her appeared, surrounding him from all sides. Each of them moved in perfect synchronization, each one seeming as real as the next.
Granbell slashed at the closest one, only for his blade to pass through nothing but air. He snarled, spinning around to attack another, but it, too, was an illusion.
"You can't win." She said, her voice coming from every illusion at once. "I know every move you're going to make before you even think of it."
She was beginning to feel bad. Was this bullying?
Granbell froze for a moment, his breathing ragged as he tried to gather his thoughts. His eyes darted from one illusion to the next, but it was useless.
Then, with another thought, she let the illusions vanish, leaving only her real self standing before him, her sword at the ready. Granbell panted, his resolve still unwavering despite the dire circumstances he was in.
"You fought well." She said, her voice soft but unyielding. "But this is the end." She said dramatically. She was sure Felix would approve of the gravitas.
Granbell stared at her blankly for a few moments before leaning back. "Bwahahahaha!"
She blinked in confusion as Granbell laughed.
- Granbell -
"Bwahahahaha!" Granbell roared with laughter, his voice echoing through the battlefield without restraint or care. It was the kind of unbridled laughter that came from deep within, as though every restraint that had once bound him was now suddenly irrelevant.
He hadn't expected Hinata to get the upper hand on him so thoroughly, to push him into this final corner. His grip on Truth, his beloved, ever-loyal weapon remained firm, his fingers curled tightly around the familiar hilt, yet he knew, deep in his heart, that he would never swing it again. Not in battle. Not against her. Not in this lifetime, for death itself awaited him, it was an inevitability.
He had done far too much for Luminous to voluntarily spare him, and he wouldn't want that either. If he was alive he would continue fighting for his goals, for his dream no matter what. He would get in the way of the younger generation, for that was just who he was.
His body was bruised and battered, and he struggled to stay upright with the pressure from all directions, but the grin on his face spoke more of his satisfaction than the sense of defeat.
Throughout this fight with his former pupil he had been continuously surprised. Hinata evolving into the legendary Divine Human was something he hadn't expected. The only man he had ever heard of that reached such a stage was his own mentor, Emperor Rudra, and a small few others in the Eastern Empire.
While Hinata was far from his mentor's level, she had still done something he hadn't been capable of. She had reached the peak of the Human race, and that too without even becoming a True Hero.
If she became a True Hero now, at this very moment, then the entire world would tremble at her feet. Her enemies would know nothing but fear and despair, for they would face a force unlike any they had ever encountered. Even he, who once thought of himself as one of the greatest protectors of Humanity, could only stand in awe of what she might become. The multiplicative force one received when awakening as a True Hero or True Demon Lord was simply that immense.
He still didn't believe she would manage to rival Emperor Rudra energy wise, that man was still as vast as the cosmos in Granbell's perception, but Hinata still had tremendous potential.
Of course, he had failed in his own ambitions. He had failed to free Chronoa, the great force that could have given Humanity the Hero it deserved, or, failing that, the fate of being destroyed by their own creation.
Either outcome had been acceptable to him, for both would lead to the same end, the growth and advancement of Humanity, even if it came at a terrible price. But now, perhaps, he didn't need Chronoa anymore. A flicker of hope, distant yet persistent, sparked within him. There was a reason Sariel, Lord of Hope chose him, he simply couldn't stop hoping.
If Hinata truly believed in the ideals she so fervently preached, if she was willing to fight for them, then perhaps… just perhaps, she could become the Hero he had always wanted to be. A Hero who could lead Humanity forward, a beacon to light their way in the darkest of times.
Hinata had already reached the vaunted status of an Ultimate Skill user, a feat that only the most exceptional beings could achieve. More than that, she had somehow altered the very fabric of reality itself, twisting it to her will in ways Granbell could barely comprehend. He wasn't entirely sure how she had done it, but when she had spoken the name of her attack, Virtual World, he had felt the world shift.
Now here he was, helpless and practically defeated. Who knew that Hinata would reach this point? She had far surpassed him at this point, and he couldn't be happier. She was someone he could entrust the future of the Human race to.
His laughter only intensified as he noticed Hinata's confused expression. Her brow furrowed, her eyes sharp and questioning, but her confusion only seemed to amuse him more.
"Ahh, you must be confused?" Granbell asked as he finally managed to regain control over his outburst, though his lips still curled into a crooked grin.
Hinata's eyes narrowed further, her voice icy with suspicion. "Indeed, why are you laughing? You are helpless, Granbell. You will die without your goals being accomplished. Your grand plans will amount to nothing." She said simply. She wasn't trying to be cruel, she was merely stating a fact.
Granbell winced, a fleeting pang of regret surfacing as he recalled the death of his dear friend Razul.
Despite acquiring an Ultimate Skill partially due to Razul's death, Granbell wished it hadn't come to that. And then there was Maria… though Granbell had never truly cared for the undead doll that bore her name. That monstrosity had only been a means to an end, a hollow imitation of the woman he had once loved. His real Maria had passed away long ago, and despite his occasional delusions, Granbell was not so far gone that he believed the undead puppet was truly her.
And Kagali… well, her death had been regrettable, but such were the risks when one chose to attack Ruberious. They all knew what they had signed up for.
His senses were rather scrambled due to the ability Hinata overlaid over reality, but he felt fairly confident that the other aspects of the attack were similarly handled. If the Monsters were still a threat Hinata wouldn't be here speaking with him, she would have finished him off before taking care of the other threats.
He nodded to Hinata. "Perhaps, but who said I have to be the one to accomplish my goals, hmm? All I wish for is for Humans to thrive, for us to no longer have to defend our borders with our very lives for fear of being attacked by Non-Humans."
His mind wandered to Razul again, who had single-handedly protected the Western regions for centuries, tirelessly battling the Daemons of Guy Crimson… non-stop fighting against the Daemons of Guy Crimson was a rather cruel fate.
The Daemons of Guy Crimson had halted their continued attacks for some reason, he wasn't quite sure why but it did make him rather worried. Guy Crimson was the only individual Emperor Rudra recognized as an equal, he didn't think Humanity could survive against the Lord of Darkness without a powerful figure to lead them.
He had once believed that the best way to accomplish his goal of safeguarding Humanity was by uniting the world under Emperor Rudra, but he had lost his way, he had gotten power hungry and by now he had burnt that bridge. Besides, he felt like betting on the underdog.
Hinata raised a brow. "You have a rather odd way of achieving that goal, attacking Ruberious, one of the cornerstones of Humanity in the West. Trying to unleash Chronoa who would end up being a rampaging berserker which you likely knew of."
He scoffed. "Ruberious… Luminous is stifling the potential of Humanity. The people under her are safe, and for what? To have all their potential stripped away? To live as mindless sheep? That is not the Humanity that I love." He said with finality. While Luminous had bought Humanity time, in the end she was slowly killing what made Humanity so wondrous. Breeding the creativeness, the rebellion out of them.
It worked for a time which was why he joined her, as they needed time back then.
"As for Chronoa… would it not be fate if Humanity was wiped out by the very Hero that swore to protect them? It would be the rise of a new era, one where Humanity can truly spread its wings." He said with a grin.
Hinata's lips pursed. "You're mad."
He shrugged. "Sanity is for losers." He found his tongue becoming far looser now that he was facing certain death. The weight of years of planning and scheming seemed to lift from his shoulders. He had nothing left to protect. It was almost freeing to allow his worries to fade into nothingness. Death would be a comfort from this harsh reality.
Hinata's lips quirked up slightly before she regained control over her facial expressions.
"So that was it? This was all one last way for you to get back at Luminous? One last shot for you to see your vision of Humanity come true?" Hinata asked.
He shrugged. "Something like that. I wouldn't mind inconveniencing Luminous or that crappy Demon Lord Felix." He was well aware that Demon Lord Felix was likely behind the death of his beloved Mariabell. Sure she was a little demented in the head but he cared for her nonetheless.
"Hey!" A voice echoed out throughout the surroundings.
Both he and Hinata proceeded to ignore the voice.
Hinata slowly stalked forwards, he sighed as he closed his eyes, recalling every single hopeful and positive memory he had. He had lived a good life, he had no regrets, he walked his path and laid the foundation for others to follow.
He opened his eyes once Hinata was in front of him, her rapier clenched tightly. His gaze wandered to it, the craftsmanship was excellent and its slim, gleaming blade reflecting the light with a soft glow. The guard was elegantly designed, with silver vines curling around the hilt. It was most definitely a God Grade weapon.
Hinata noticed what he was gazing at as she shot him a questioning look.
"What is it called?" He asked.
Hinata's lips parted. "Divine Moonlight."
He nodded, his lips quirked up as his gaze wandered to Truth. He gently stabbed Truth into the ground beneath them. "I am aware that I have no right to ask anything of you, but would you look after Truth?"
Hinata raised a brow as she stared at Truth. She shrugged. "I don't see why not, it would be foolish to reject a God Grade weapon. I will not place the sins of the master on the weapon."
He smirked. "Excellent."
He had been considering what final parting gift to give Hinata, she was his former student, it wouldn't do if he merely died without giving her anything. His smirk widened as just the thing came to mind, though his smirk seemed to cause Hinata to raise her guard once more.
"Oh don't worry. I'm aware that I have lost. I will not be trying anything." He sighed.
Before he could go on with giving Hinata his gift, he blinked as a familiar woman appeared next to her. She had long silver hair that fell gracefully down her back and striking heterochromatic eyes, one a sharp crimson, the other a cool blue. Her pale skin and elegant appearance gave her an otherworldly beauty, but there was a quiet strength in her gaze. She was dressed in the same gothic outfit she normally was.
"Luminous." He greeted.
Luminous' cold eyes met his own. "Granbell. You look pathetic."
He laughed lightly. "I suppose I do." His clothing was tattered, and his wounds had caught up to him. Even his healing couldn't take care of it all since his reserves were dwindling.
"Why?" Luminous asked simply. "I do not believe that you would go through with all this simply for revenge."
He raised a brow. "Were you not listening? I wished to free Chronoa, she would either destroy Humanity and reforge it anew, or she would become the protector I failed to become."
Luminous smirked. "I see. It is a good thing you failed then."
"I had been looking forward to fighting you." He sighed. It had been a long time since he and Luminous had a bout, but he was satisfied with facing Hinata as well. If he didn't he wouldn't have been able to witness her growth.
Luminous raised a brow. "Without that Ultimate Skill of yours you would have lost. I am not like Hinata, I would not have given you time to grow stronger."
Hinata turned to the side nervously hearing Luminous causing him to smirk lightly.
"Indeed, that was a rather foolish mistake that Hinata made." He teased lightheartedly.
"Enough." Hinata said, seemingly embarrassed. "It is time to finish this."
He sighed. He had been waiting for this moment, he wouldn't resist his death.
"Before you go through with it, I have one last thing to give, or rather two last things to give." He said.
Hinata raised a brow. "Oh? You are feeling rather generous."
"What can I say? It is about time I fulfill my duty as your mentor."
He had already tested Hinata and found her worthy of what he was about to give her. Granbell would entrust his beliefs to Hinata.
"It was a pity that you couldn't become a True Hero. Why don't we fix that issue?" He said. As Hinata's eyes widened he called upon his Spirit. He urged his Spirit to inhabit Hinata, to believe in her just as he did.
Before long, the Holy Spirit of Light that guided those to victory, had been handed over to Hinata. Hinata gasped as a new Hero's Egg was formed inside of her, she already had the blessing of the Spirit Queen, all that she was lacking was an Elemental of Light or Darkness to reforge her Hero's Egg. There was no rule saying that you couldn't get another Hero's Egg after somehow losing the first one after all?
"Did you just…" Luminous trailed off.
He smiled. "I am entrusting my Spirit to you, Hinata." He said.
Right after he said that Hinata gasped once more. He raised a brow. "I did expect her to meet the qualifications to hatch a Hero's Egg, but to see it happen just after is rather amusing."
He hadn't managed to meet the high standards of his Holy Spirit of Light, yet Hinata satisfied it almost immediately. Hinata became unsteady, as the world she created around them began to fade, turning the surroundings back into the destroyed Grand Cathedral. Just as she was about to collapse another man appeared and caught her. He had striking white hair and clear blue eyes. Luminous didn't seem surprised by his appearance.
Hinata was sucked in by some spatial distortion, but seeing as Luminous didn't react he assumed it was safe.
"You must be Demon Lord Felix." Granbell said.
The man nodded. "It's nice to meet you face to face Granbell. I've heard lots about you, mostly bad things."
"I don't doubt that."
With Hinata's Virtual World dispelled due to her incapacitated state, Granbell could get back up and fight, but any fight he had left him for the moment. He was content with what he had accomplished, and it was the fate of the weak to hand their dreams over to the strong. It was what he wished to do with Chronoa, and what he had done with Hinata.
"Still, thanks for giving Hinata your old Hero's Egg. I did plan to take her to see Ramiris at some point once she mastered her current power a bit more but this works too." Demon Lord Felix said.
Granbell merely nodded. "I entrusted my dreams to Hinata, the least I can do is help her along the way. As a True Hero the path will be much clearer for her now." He said, burying the rage he felt at the sight of the Demon Lord.
It was pointless to get angry at Demon Lord Felix now. He had made his own bed, now it was time for him to lie in it.
Demon Lord Felix nodded. "That's true. Her EP should rise to be above 10,000,000 at least. She'll definitely be a real monster."
He was somewhat aware of what EP was, it was a method of ranking total energy reserves in Tempest. It was primarily used in The Dungeon as a way for Adventurers to measure themselves against others.
"For what it's worth sorry for getting your granddaughter killed." The Demon Lord said nonchalantly and without a hint of remorse.
Granbell narrowed his eyes. "Do not say what you do not mean."
Demon Lord Felix shrugged. "I just thought it would be polite. Anyways, seeing as how you're about to die there's no use in talking to a dead man. Damrada was far more interesting than you, you're just an old man who's given up hope."
He had faced Damrada? Seeing as he looked rather unscathed, Granbell assumed it was safe to think that Damrada had lost. He would mourn for his old friend, but he would be joining Damrada soon enough.
He smirked. "No, I'm an old man who has too much hope." Granbell said as Demon Lord Felix vanished from his perception leaving just him and Luminous.
He met Luminous' eyes. "In the end you will be the one to kill me, hmm? How convenient." He said.
Luminous gave him a grim smile. "Indeed, this moment has been centuries in the waking. I suppose we were the fools for believing a different outcome was possible." Luminous said without any hate or spite despite the damage he had done.
"Indeed, but I find myself looking forward to it. Perhaps I will see Maria on the other side."
Luminous rolled her eyes. "You are the same love sick man as you were back then."
"Before you finish me off, I didn't get to give Hinata her other gift. Would you pass this on to her, and if she is not compatible, pass it onto someone else you find worthy." He said as he ripped Sariel, Lord of Hope from his soul and passed it onto Luminous. He bore the excruciating pain from tearing apart his soul without blinking. He had been betting that Luminous had an Ultimate Skill involving souls seeing what her old Unique Skill was capable of.
He was not certain if Sariel would find Hinata worthy, it was an Ultimate Skill he awakened himself, whether it could be passed on would entirely depend on the new user's compatibility. Even then the new user would likely not have as easy of a time with his Ultimate Skill as he did, for if there was one thing he understood, it was that borrowed power was always weaker than earned power.
Luminous' eyes widened. "This!?" She sighed. "Very well, I will do this one last thing for you." Luminous extended her hand as her blade appeared. "Goodbye Granbell."
Luminous Night Rose gained a crimson glow as Luminous jabbed her blade forwards. "Memory End Requiem!"
Blood exploded from his mouth as he felt his lifeforce be sucked away.
"A-Ah, just wait for me… Maria." Were the last words he said.
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I am highly motivated by your guys' reviews and likes, so do that! I'll probably keep writing or something.
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Author's Note:
Sup everyone, back with another chapter of Daemon. Finally this arc is over, I felt like I've been writing it for ages! In the end Granbell got cooked and decided to believe in Hinata in a standard shonen style.
His character did change a bit towards the end because he let go of all his worries, he accepted his loss and his death and he was content with that so that's the reason his character changed a bit, or at least that's the reason I'm giving. Basically Granbell went through all stages of despair and insanity before looping back to sanity.
The next bit of chapters will be wrapping up from this mess + a few side plots. Then I'm hoping to initiate the next world jump. The pacing is going to slow down from this point on, as the next major plot point is the Eastern Empire as I'm sure you all can guess. Of course there is still going to be a lot of things to cover between then and now.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Peace!
Thanks to @Salante and @Flowerman for beta'ing this chapter.