Chapter 188: The Deceased Seven Sages of Destruction
"So, in reality, the Demon Race is completely unable to mobilize the power of faith within El Light fully?"
"Exactly! At most, they can only apply a buff like Grand Void Profound Ice to themselves, just like this guy, and it even comes with side effects."
"What is Grand Void Profound Ice?" Serie was a bit confused by the strange term Kurtz suddenly blurted out.
"Nothing much, just a magical item that can increase one's strength threefold."
"But his strength wasn't just boosted threefold; it was much more than that."
Serie pointed at Grausam.
In her eyes, this demon was clearly not a magic user particularly skilled in combat. Judging from Fidel, who had been staring blankly the entire time, Grausam was likely a demon with a talent for some form of mental magic.
Yet, such a demon, with the blessing of the power of faith, was able to repel her temporarily.
It was clear how mighty the power of faith was.
"But the consequences are also severe, aren't they? Don't you find it quite amusing? After all that scheming and sacrificing so many of their subordinates, all they gained was a slightly sturdier Holy Sword.
The Demon Race polluted its outer shell, stole its form, and could even utilize the power that overflowed from the pollution.
However, they could never touch its core, nor could they truly mobilize that torrent of faith accumulated over a thousand years."
The threads of light in Kurtz's palm gently swayed, as if confirming his words.
Serie finally understood the confidence Kurtz had in letting the Holy Sword be taken away.
It turned out that what the Demon Race obtained was merely a powerful empty shell, a weapon that required specific conditions to activate, and they were destined to be unable to meet those conditions.
"So, you let it go…" Serie's voice carried a hint of complex emotion.
"I did it on purpose. This is a good opportunity to follow the clues, find their lair, locate the so-called New Demon King, and… clarify some matters."
Their conversation did not avoid Grausam the entire time, and as Kurtz's plan was fully laid out, the other party's expression grew increasingly grim.
In Kurtz's view, there was no need for him to hide from the other party.
Because some people were destined not to see tomorrow's sun.
"Of course, the main reason is that I've already let Schlacht escape from my grasp twice. Third time's the charm; this time, I'd like to see how he runs."
Kurtz finished speaking and walked towards Grausam, each step seemingly treading on the other party's heartbeat.
He squatted down, ignoring the complex gaze in Grausam's eyes, his sight falling upon his tattered body.
"Moreover, I'm very curious," Kurtz's voice carried a probing tone, "I sensed an extremely familiar power during the process of El Light being corrupted. The essence of that power carried a contradictory sense of defilement yet holiness. It reminded me of something… an existence that should have completely dissipated."
"You just said it, didn't you? That you found remnants of the First Demon King's power in the ruins of the First Demon King's City. This power, it couldn't possibly be fragments of the Goddess's residual power, could it?"
Kurtz seemed to be asking Grausam, but in reality, he was also explaining to Serie.
"The Goddess?" Serie furrowed her brow.
Flamme even covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The Goddess!
The residual power of the Goddess, rumored to have been killed by the God Slayer?
Grausam lay on the ground, listening to Kurtz's calm words and looking at the all-knowing gaze in his eyes. A chill deeper than death instantly gripped him.
So… so all of this was within the other party's calculations!?
Letting the Holy Sword go was intentional!
The other party even detected traces of the Goddess's power from it!?
How is this possible!?
This man… who exactly is he!?
"You… who exactly are you!?" Grausam shouted with his last ounce of strength, "How could you possibly know so much!?"
Even though they had spent decades inferring that this power originated from the Goddess.
Yet, this man in front of him recognized it with just a glance.
"Me?" Kurtz looked at the collapse in Grausam's eyes and said calmly, "Just an old friend who is very interested in the new toy you have found."
He changed the subject and continued, "Compared to who I am, I'm more interested in how you withstood the power of faith.
Tell me, Grausam, what method did Schlacht use to allow you to bear that power temporarily?
Was it some kind of magic? Or a special body modification? Or was some kind of item directly implanted?"
Grausam's pupils widened. The other party wanted to know even this!?
This was the core secret of the Demon Race! It was a technique that Lord Schlacht had researched for many years!
"Kill me! I won't tell you anything. His Majesty the Demon King will avenge me! You will all…"
His words were cut short.
Kurtz extended a finger, light condensed at its tip, and countless tiny Light Arrows directly plunged into Grausam's brain.
These Light Arrows instantly pierced into the depths of Grausam's consciousness!
"Ugh ah ah ah ah!!!"
As if directly attacking the soul, Grausam's body convulsed wildly.
That pain surpassed the limits of the physical body, reaching directly to the core of his soul.
"Speak. What method did you use?"
"No! No…" Grausam's consciousness collapsed in agony, but the demon's instinct made him resist desperately.
Kurtz's fingertip pressed down slightly.
Under this soul-targeted attack, Grausam completely broke down, leaving only mechanical replies.
"It's fragments! Lord Schlacht found something in the ruins of the First Demon King's City and, through magic, integrated a small portion of those fragments into my body, thereby granting me the ability to temporarily bear the power of faith."
Kurtz frowned slightly after hearing this.
This method was too dangerous; he had never even considered experimenting with it back then.
But he hadn't expected Schlacht actually to accomplish this. In that case, could he perhaps use this magic to rewrite the formula of life?
"Only this much? Is there a complete magic?" Kurtz pressed, strengthening the power at his fingertip once more.
"No more! It was all… all personally handled by Lord Schlacht… Only Lord Schlacht knows this magic."
Seeing that no more valuable information could be extracted, Kurtz withdrew his finger.
Grausam slumped down like a pile of mud, only faint twitching and instinctive gasping remaining. His already severely injured body, under Kurtz's further attack, was now exhaling more than inhaling.
Kurtz stood up and looked at Serie, nodding slightly.
"Now, you can make your move."
These words were like unlocking the final restraint.
Serie, who could no longer suppress her towering killing intent, immediately acted.
A condensed Light Spear instantly appeared, flying directly towards Grausam.
In Grausam's pupils, the last reflection was this light, representing death.
Pfft!
The Light Spear directly pierced through his head. Grausam's body tilted backward, completely losing all signs of life.
This great demon, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction within the Demon Race, died just like that.
[End of Chapter]