The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

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Chapter 38: Followers of the Mist (2)

Desire.

It’s a societal construct that humans can never fully satisfy, no matter how much they fulfill it.

Yet, desire can be the greatest or the worst power a person can possess, depending on the circumstances.

At first glance, what do you think is the most dangerous among the double-edged swords of human motivation?

The greed for material possessions?

The lust for sexual gratification?

Honestly, it’s hard to determine superiority between the two, but personally, I’d like to add another one here.

The desire for combat, or as they call it, combat lust.

It might sound unfamiliar to some, wondering how many people could have such a desire.

But ironically, I’ve been on the brink of death due to a person consumed by this combat lust in a past life.

The longing for strength and the exhilaration of battle.

At first, it might seem very manly and exciting to hear, but those who have experienced it would never say such things.

“Weren’t you planning to test gradually? I haven’t even faced those assassins yet.”

“It doesn’t matter! You already have the potential to surpass those executives!”

I asked with a hint of confusion, but she was already so immersed in her combat lust that it was impossible to dissuade her.

Silica Nigriti, the leader of the Mist.

By day, a respected academic instructor at the academy, and by night, a formidable leader commanding assassins.

Truly, she was a highly skilled individual acknowledged by all.

People often wonder when they see such skilled individuals.

What drives that person? What do they possess to exhibit such remarkable skills?

It’s simple.

She possessed the desire for combat, combat lust.

The fervor that boils up every time she encounters a strong opponent, the desire to become stronger to face such opponents.

Driven by this relentless desire, she accumulated strength and skill, ultimately reigning as the supreme leader of the ruthless assassins.

However, as mentioned earlier, desire is a double-edged sword.

It can be the greatest power, but conversely, it can also be the worst.

More than yourself, it’s surprising to others…

“Amazing! Even though you’re the successor, I never expected you to show such capability! Cyan Vert! Weren’t you approaching me because you wanted this in the end?”

Let’s cut to the chase, leader.

While I acknowledge you were my greatest mentor in my past life, I didn’t intend to learn that irrational aspect from you, did I?

I released the power of mana, passed down through the sword along with the mist, to push her away.

-Whirr

The strands of hair tousled by the shockwave highlighted her fanatical appearance even more.

And there, with a satisfied expression, she looked at me.

“Do you acknowledge that I’m the successor?”

“Until I saw the cursed sword, I had my doubts, but from the moment I felt the waves of life force, I was certain! To be more certain, I should check if you have the Mist Stone in your body, but it’s unnecessary! I must fight you right now! Cyan Vert!”

Before I knew it, all the other members of the Mist had gathered around me and Silica.

Judging by their inability to hide their confusion, I could tell that the current situation was unexpected for them too.

“This place is a divine space created by Lord Aeru! Any consequences from our battle will be contained within! So, even if we go all out here, there will be no repercussions outside!”

Truly, our leader is incredibly kind.

As she said, this place is the Mist’s secret hideout located in the heart of Luwen, but it doesn’t actually exist within the city.

A divine space.

In other words, it’s an unreal space created by the power of the gods, one that doesn’t exist on the surface of the earth.

It’s truly a perfect hiding place that can’t even be detected by magic.

So, that’s why she can move around here so freely.

But honestly, I felt a twinge of regret myself, you know?

I’ve also shed and tasted countless blood in both my past and present lives.

I don’t entertain such commonplace thoughts like ‘the best way to win a fight is to avoid it’.

After coming off the battlefield, shouldn’t I indulge the cravings of my restless body as well?

Anyway, this is Aeru’s domain.

No matter what I do, I can handle the aftermath neatly.

Thinking like that, I could feel my inherent combat lust rising naturally.

-Sizzle

“…?”

Along with the boiling combat lust, another energy rose from my body.

“Kaeram?”

A woman of stature, her flowing black hair swirling around her.

“….”

Kaeram, who hadn’t shown herself for a while since entering the academy, finally revealed herself.

[I knew it would come to this.]

She looked down at me with her usual arrogant and sharp gaze.

But there’s something different about her vibe this time.

The two feet firmly planted on the ground and the shadow cast by the torch.

A completely different atmosphere from the usual corporeal manifestation she displayed.

She was no longer existing in a spiritual state.

“This, this is…?”

The attention of everyone around, including Silica, turned to her.

The mist that enveloped her feet, the rippling afterimage, all gone, leaving behind the perfect form of a person.

Yet, there lingered the cruel aura emanating from the cursed sword.

Kaeram said nothing, simply surveying them all in silence.

A martial deity inheriting the power of the gods.

A noble being beyond the reach of ordinary humans.

Moreover, she is not just any deity, but a sword that inherits the power of the god Aeru, whom the Mist worships.

In other words, to them, she is an idol synonymous with Aeru.

-Thunk

All the assassins who faced the divine martial spirit knelt before her.

Despite receiving the adoration of her followers, she seemed somewhat reluctant.

“I thought you were dead, you’ve been so quiet.”

[I didn’t want to appear much because the air here is so suffocating.]

Come to think of it, this was the first time she had been brought to the academy.

In the war zone, where the vigor and malice of monsters were rampant, it would have been an ideal area for her to spread her wings.

But this place, filled with various magical energies, was different.

It wasn’t unreasonable for her to avoid revealing herself here.

“…..!”

For a moment, dizziness struck due to sudden anemia.

As mentioned earlier, Kaeram is not in a spiritual state right now but fully manifested as an individual personality.

For the soul of the sword to possess a physical form, the wielder’s power is absolutely necessary.

Therefore, what currently comprises her body is solely my vitality.

As prolonged usage could potentially affect the lifespan of the wielder, in her past life, she rarely revealed herself unless absolutely necessary.

For her to reveal herself to all the assassins present here, not just to me…

It sounded like she didn’t particularly want me to fight Silica.

“I am Silica Nigriti, the leader of the Mist. It’s an honor to meet the divine sword, and the successor of Lord Aeru!”

Moments ago, she seemed to have lost her composure, but now she calmly greeted Kaeram.

[You seem to know me?]

“I’ve heard of you from Lord Aeru. That someone inheriting his power, the divine martial spirit, exists on this continent… I never imagined that the successor would already possess the demonic sword.”

Kaeram seemed uneasy and gave Silica a sharp look.

[I don’t usually make appearances for just anyone, you know? But for you to specially summon me, this situation must not be to your liking.]

“What didn’t you like about it?”

[Didn’t you see me in the room earlier?]

…!

For a moment, a glimmer of vitality flashed in Kaeram’s eyes.

[There’s no way that you wouldn’t recognize me and moreover, this one clearly said he’s the successor. And then you brought him all the way here…]

“Yes…”

[But what’s the situation here? You lot, who worship Aeru, are you really going to provoke my master in front of me?]

A wave of red light shimmered beneath her feet.

[Could this be considered a challenge against me?]

As the whirlwind of vitality surged, fierce winds swept through the area.

Without hesitation, Silica responded with a resolute gaze.

“It was merely a verification process. It was necessary to confirm whether he is indeed the true successor, and as the leader, I needed to ascertain his level of skill…”

[So why did you need to verify it? You could have just summoned your god, right? Am I wrong?]

What’s going on?

Why is she angry right now?

This isn’t like her usual self.

I thought she’d be more proactive, especially with her combat lust, but…

“If you felt discomfort, I apologize. You truly are a terrifying demonic sword who deeply cares for the safety of your master.”

Although she’s apologizing, it doesn’t seem sincere.

Rather, it seemed mocking…

Whether Kaeram realized it or not, her gaze was becoming sharper by the moment.

“But it seems that the one harming the successor right now is not me, but the demonic sword…”

Silica, with her head held high, had a cold smile on her face.

[What?]

“Isn’t the cursed sword currently fully manifesting its form in order to reveal itself? But that’s an inefficient method that drains the wielder’s vitality. In reality, isn’t your master suffering greatly right now?”

Kaeram’s gaze suddenly turned towards me.

Well, it’s true that you’re being sustained through my vitality, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m suffering…

-Drip

“…!”

In an instant, a trickle of blood flowed down my nose.

Seeing this, Kaeram grabbed me by the collar with a furious expression.

[Hey! You’re bleeding just from this little exertion? Did you waste the blood of monsters you’ve been drinking? Why would you show up and then act like you’re struggling…!]

“No! It’s just that my body isn’t used to it after not doing this for a while…!”

Indeed, the blood of demonic monsters is quite effective.

I wondered if someone else was manifesting through my vitality, as the shaking grip on my neck felt like the force of a superior monster.

Yet, even with her anger seemingly unyielding, Kaeram’s gaze turned back to Silica.

[If you love fighting so much, how about you take me on?]

Silica rose to her feet as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Silica Nigriti, leader of the Mist! I never turn down a fight! And if it’s you, I definitely can’t refuse!”

Just when it seemed like things were calming down, the flames of combat reignited within her.

In response, a surge of energy erupted from Kaeram’s body as well.

As the intense aura of the two women clashed within the divine space, those around, including myself, could only watch in awe.

(To that extent…)

A majestic voice spread throughout the divine space.

All eyes were fixed on one point.

(…!)

“Lord Aeru!?”

The moment the voices were heard, the relentless energies of the two women ceased to exist.

(Send the successor to the altar.)

At the end of the passage, in a dark space with flickering black light, my absolute owner, unforgettable and indelible, called out to me once again.

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