Chapter 204 — Words of Power (言靈) or Word Command (言令)
Shrrrk—!
The battle began with Chains of Frost.
From behind Elric, several ice-forged chains condensed from thin air, weaving through blind spots with serpentine precision, striking toward the Demon King’s flank.
“Trying something amusing, are you?”
Reda smirked, pulling back the clusters of black mana that had been lashing out like tendrils.
Whirr—! Clang-clang-clang!
The swirling orbs of miasma coiled together, forming a turbulent vortex that deflected every incoming chain.
In that instant—
Flash!
Elric invoked Haste once more, closing the distance in a blink. He lunged, spear-first, as the shadow writhing beneath his feet chuckled darkly.
『Shall I lend a hand?』
‘Cut the chatter and move.’
『Tch. Can’t even take a joke. Still… it’s a Demon King, hmm? Devouring one of those should yield plenty of scraps for me, don’t you think?』
The will of Hyul whined greedily, demanding a share of whatever essence remained after the kill — not wanting Mephisto to claim everything again. Elric ignored him. He could only decide what to give after they’d survived.
Fwoooosh!
Shadows poured into the tip of the spear. The once-blue, crystalline weapon darkened — its blade now gleaming like polished obsidian.
Charging with that shadow-clad spear, Elric looked every bit the mounted knight delivering a lance charge on foot.
The Mark of Calamity. Hyul’s will was amplifying its destructive power to the extreme.
BOOM!
The spear struck Reda square in the chest— —or so it seemed.
Elric felt the recoil vibrate through his arms. But the spear didn’t pierce. Its tip hovered inches from Reda’s chest — caught effortlessly in the Demon King’s grip.
He’s… strong!
Even beasts of legend would have been impaled by such force — yet Reda held the weapon still with one hand.
He studied the shifting shadow along the blade, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Similar to our kind… and yet, different. Born of the inhuman, yes — but not of mystery or terror. Desire, perhaps? No… hunger. Longing.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “So you ripped that essence out and forced it into shape?”
With his free hand, Reda stroked his chin.
“The nature of the inhuman,” he mused, “is fear born from the unknown. But this—this is nothing but primal yearning. How vulgar.”
Vulgar.
The Mark of Calamity trembled, seething with fury.
Reda didn’t seem to care. His crimson eyes locked onto Elric — the same eyes Elric had seen through the Eyes of the Dead. Calm, yet brimming with madness just beneath the surface.
“So this is all the great Melvinger has to offer? Once, you vowed to exterminate us, the demons — but after your fall, you summon this pathetic imitation?” He smirked. “Disappointing. Utterly.”
Crackle—!
『I hate him. Absolutely.』
Hyul’s will shuddered, grinding his phantom teeth. His voice quaked with murderous rage.
『Tear him apart. Piece by piece. Feed him to me. You’re not letting this insult stand, are you?』
“As if I would.”
BOOM!
The spear exploded. Hundreds of icy fragments scattered, raining down on Reda.
“【Whirl.】”
At Elric’s command, the shards twisted into a howling cyclone.
Authority — ‘Winter’s Dominion.’ A blizzard raged into being, engulfing Reda in white fury. It wasn’t meant to defeat him — just to buy time. Condensing power into a smaller area, Elric intensified the storm’s bite.
Even Judas fell to this once.
“Ah… so this is the Winter’s Power the High Priest sang of,” Reda mused. “Charming… but futile.”
Black mana spread from him like a web, splitting into hundreds of strands that cut through the storm. Not only did they deflect the blizzard — they sliced through it, tearing the air apart.
CRAAASH!
The winter storm shattered like paper ripped in two.
Through the flurry, Elric lunged again — twin ice spears flashing in his hands.
Slash! Slash! Boom!
Guided by Nachtlam’s sight, his strikes were razor precise — weaving through openings, striking to cleave the Demon King in half. Every motion spawned miniature tempests and volleys of ice arrows, Chains of Frost snapping from every angle.
If I can land just one hit… inject the frost venom… I can tip the scales.
But Reda showed no openings. He parried, deflected, and countered with terrifying ease — his grin widening.
Magic? Physical arts? Nothing touched him.
And when he laughed, it was wild — a manic joy echoing through the cavern.
“I had planned to hunt you after the dragon,” he said. “How delightful that you came to me instead. Two prizes in one day — how lucky I am.”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
He spread both arms. The air warped — and from the distortion appeared two scimitars, their curved blades glinting like wings of death.
Each swing unleashed a storm of slicing wind, carving gouges into the ground and walls alike.
Clang! Crack!
Elric’s spear strikes were deflected again and again, the twin blades driving him back.
Each blow carried monstrous force — his spears shattered within moments of contact. Even with his eyes fully open, even guided by intuition, he saw only darkness — movement too fast to track.
Overwhelming. Elric was being crushed by sheer power.
『This is intolerable.』
Hyul’s voice rumbled in fury — echoed by the pounding of Elric’s heart.
Even Nachtlam, normally silent, stirred restlessly within him.
For Hyul — who once terrorized the Eastern Continent — and Nachtlam — who marched under Otto Han’s banner to spread the Melvinger standard — to be pushed back like this… it was an insult beyond endurance.
By a mere Demon King!
BOOOOM!
“Kuh—!”
The twin scimitars met his spears with an explosion of force. Both weapons shattered — the impact sent Elric flying across the cavern, slamming hard into the stone floor.
Pain seared through his spine. Reda descended upon him immediately, blades gleaming.
Thud!
Elric barely rolled aside. One scimitar slammed into the wall where his head had been, cracking stone. But the other blade remained — poised above him.
The Sense screamed — not words, just a howl of warning, deafening in its intensity. But no whisper guided him. No direction to dodge. No command.
“That was entertaining.” Reda’s tone was calm — almost gentle.
“Now die.”
Shkk—!
He brought the scimitar down toward Elric’s forehead—
FWOOOSH!
A surge of heat filled the air. The temperature spiked violently — nothing like Elric’s winter storms. It was fire. A massive inferno — the Hellfire Breath of a dragon.
Reda twisted his strike mid-swing, barely deflecting the attack.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The fireball shattered, scattering embers across the ice. Flames flickered, steam rising into the cavern air.
Beyond the smoke — the dragon glared at him.
Its body was mangled, scales shredded, blood pouring freely from its open neck. Through torn flesh, bone and the faint glow of the Dragon Heart were visible.
“You’re still alive?” Reda sneered. “Persistent creature.”
【F… fall… back…】
The dragon’s voice trembled, every word forced through agony. Its strength was almost gone.
【By… our… Creator’s… side…】
Even so, its eyes burned with resolve — to protect Elric.
“Creator, is it?” Reda scoffed. “Then protect him. If you can.”
Rumble—! Crack!
He slashed upward — dark lightning falling from the ceiling like a guillotine. It struck the dragon’s wounded neck, deepening the wound.
SPURT! Blood erupted. The dragon’s roar shook the cavern walls — long, sorrowful, defiant.
At this rate… both he and the dragon would die here.
『Looks like we’re about to perish together,』 Mephisto drawled at last, arms crossed as he watched from within Elric’s mind. 『Well then… shall I help, my dear host?』
The Talent-Swallowing Magician.