The king roared with laughter, his bloodied blade pointed at Elias.
And then—
SCHLICK!
A dagger pierced Elias's back.
The duke stiffened, his sword clattering to the ground.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Angela stood behind him, trembling, her hands slick with her father's blood.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I'm sorry, father... I had no choice. It's the only way... to save my son."
Elias's eyes widened, the realization crashing over him.
"You..." His voice cracked with betrayal. "You bitch... I'm your father—and you stab me for him?"
He staggered, coughing blood onto the ground.
"I see it now... It was all a setup."
His voice was hoarse, but full of bitter clarity.
"You—suddenly showing up at my house, playing the worried daughter... bringing Daemon straight to me... luring me into leaking everything. You were never with us."
Angela dropped the dagger, sobbing.
"I'm sorry, Father... I'm sorry... but my son... my marriage—"
"You chose yourself." Elias spat blood at her feet. "Not your people. Not your blood."
Around them, the remaining dukes and soldiers cried out, rushing to his side—but it was too late.
The king's smile grew cruel.
"Well done, Angela," he said, arms outstretched.
"Come here, my queen."
Angela turned to run into his embrace—
WHOOSH!
In a blink, Nyxtriel's sword form flashed past her, faster than thought.
THWACK.
Angela's head hit the ground and rolled to the king's feet.
The king's eyes went wide in horror.
His outstretched hands shook.
"No..." he whispered. "NO—!"
BOOM!
Daemon blurred forward and smashed his fist into the king's chest, sending velrick crashing through the air like a broken doll, slamming into the castle walls.
Without a word, Daemon dropped to one knee beside Duke Elias.
The old warrior's blood soaked into the earth, his breathing ragged.
"I can't believe... my own daughter..." Elias wheezed, pain etched into every line of his face.
"But I guess... there's no time for regret."
Daemon reached out and pressed his hand over Elias's wound.
A soft, eerie glow pulsed as he activated Inverse Divinity.
Elias gasped.
"You—you can heal?"
"Don't die yet, old man," Daemon muttered. "I still need you."
The healing closed the wound, but Elias's face remained pale.
"You're not even fighting for the kingdom," the duke chuckled bitterly. "You just want your damn fragment, don't you?"
Daemon stood slowly, shadows curling around his fists.
"Correct."
He turned, walking toward the ruined castle.
Each step was deliberate. Heavy.
The bloodstains led a trail up the shattered stairs.
Daemon's crimson eyes narrowed.
The king was running.
Running to the last floor.
Running to protect what he had stolen.
Daemon gripped Nyxtriel tighter and ran inside.
From the moment he entered the castle, the scent of blood and smoke choked the air. Two soldiers lunged at him.
"Eclipse Claw."
CRACK!
His shadow peeled off the floor, snapping forward like a serpent. SHUNK! SHUNK! Five soldiers were skewered through their armor, lifted screaming, and tossed aside like broken puppets.
More boots pounded from above.
"Protect the king!"
"Tsk." Daemon dashed forward, Nyxtriel slicing through the next wave in a blur of steel and gore. SHING! SHING! Armor split. Limbs flew.
He looked up.
The king was already halfway up the grand staircase, his cloak flaring as he reached the upper corridor.
Daemon sprinted.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
As Daemon hit the corner—CLANG!—a flash of obsidian steel came down. King Aleric ambushed him with a brutal overhead slash.
"Raaagh!"
BAM!
Daemon blocked just in time, but the force rattled his bones. He dropped his weight, used the impact, twisted low—
CRACK!
A punch to the king's ribs. Then another to his jaw. The king stumbled back, crashing into a stone wall with a grunt.
"Still faster," Daemon growled.
Aleric gritted his teeth, then bolted up the next flight.
"Coward," Daemon hissed.
But the king wasn't running—he was slowing him.
As Daemon gave chase, Aleric began hurling furniture—bookshelves, chairs, full tables. CRASH! THUNK!
WHRRRR!
Nyxtriel's blade cleaved everything in his path. Wood split. Upholstery exploded. He reached the second floor—only to be met with another flash of golden light.
"Aura Skill: Solar Rend!"
FWOOOOOSH!
A wave of burning aura burst from the king's blade. The heat singed the walls. It roared like a dragon's breath.
BOOM!
Daemon was blown back, skidding on the marble, cloak in flames.
"Ggh—!"
The king didn't stop. He was on him.
CLANG! CLANG!
Steel slammed into steel, blow after blow. Daemon barely parried each strike. The hallway trembled with every hit.
"You think you've won?" Velrick growled, eyes burning.
"Nyxtriel—expand!"
The sword's form surged, lengthening mid-swing—WHAM! It struck velrick 's shoulder, drawing blood and sending him staggering.
"Eclipse Claw!"
Daemon's shadow lashed out again—this time twisting upward like a serpent.
Velrick snarled and countered—"Solar Cage!"
A golden prison of spinning aura chains burst out from his feet—CHINK-CHINK-CHINK!—trapping the tendrils mid-air, freezing them in place.
"Not this time, boy!"
Daemon clicked his tongue. "Then I'll just break through it!"
He clenched his fist—
"Inverse Divinity."
A glow surged from within—red against gold. His wounds sealed. His speed jumped.
He dashed forward again, breaking through the aura wall with a scream—KRA-KOOM!
Steel collided again.
Their fight was just beginning—on the second floor now, and three more levels to go.
Blood stained the floor.
And neither of them intended to stop.