Vol 8. Chapter 3: Fragment of the Demon Sword

Rosvisser’s assertion did not worsen the fear in Leon’s heart. On the contrary, the moment she spoke the word “Void,” he actually calmed down.

He applied a bit more strength, tightening his grip on Rosvisser’s hand, then turned his gaze toward Claudia and Principal Wilson.

“You was right. This fragment truly does come from the Void. In fact...”

Claudia raised her brow. “In fact?”

“In fact, I can almost determine exactly what this fragment came from.”

Just from the aura radiating off the shard, one could tell it belonged to the Void. After all, Claudia herself had been present when the Void Realm invaded. But for Leon to claim he could pinpoint the precise source of the shard?

That did make Claudia feel a trace of surprise. Even the usually steady Principal Wilson hurriedly asked:

“Your Highness, what exactly is this fragment from?”

Leon wetted his dry lips, lowering his eyes to the shard on the table.

Recent memories surged up in his mind—the suffocating despair brought by that immortal Void Sovereign seemed to rise before his eyes once again.

Leon steadied himself, then spoke each word with deliberate weight.

“From the Lord of the Void, Atos. This shard comes from the blade he wielded... the Demon Sword.”

“The Demon Sword.”

When the battle had reached its final stage, our ally from the Void had sacrificed the Jewel of Time, and in return, she gained the great power of Time itself. After that, the Dragon Kings, and the warriors of the Silver Dragon Clan all recovered their peak strength.

“We seized that opportunity and struck together. With the Sacred Spear left behind by Chronos, we forced Atos to retreat. Although we ultimately drove him back into the Void Realm, in the clash of energies with Gungnir, the Demon Sword in his hand shattered into countless fragments. At the time, I thought it was simply that he could not withstand the power of the Sacred Spear. But now...”

Leon clenched his fist silently. The memories remained as vivid as if they had just happened.

“Atos must have shattered the sword on purpose. That way, even if he was driven back to the Void Realm, fragments of Void power would still remain in Samael. And judging by how this mineral has been corroded by a shard of the Demon Sword, the fragments possess a powerful ability to transform. None of us have ever stepped foot into the Void Realm, but no matter how you look at it, these corroded minerals have already been... voidified.”

Finally, Leon let out a slow breath and gave his conclusion.

“Atos intends to use the fragments of the Demon Sword left behind in Samael to transform our world into Void, bit by bit. When that time comes... when he sets foot here again, he will truly and completely become eternal and undying. And we... will no longer have any chance of victory.”

Atos’s existence depended on a complete Void Realm.

As long as the Void existed, he could not be killed. Leon and Kaiser had suffered bitterly for that very reason; no matter how hard they fought, it was impossible to defeat an enemy who could not die. Even Claudia, with the Thunder Sword in her hands, could not kill Atos completely.

And if Atos were to transform Samael into Void as well, then no matter which world he was in, he would be an immortal monster.

After a brief silence, Claudia spoke softly^

“If that is so, then there’s something I still don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

“Atos led the Void Realm in invading our continent because the environment of the Void was no longer fit for survival. They coveted Samael’s lands and resources.”

Claudia spoke slowly:

“If that is the case, then why would Atos use the fragments to assimilate Samael? Even if he succeeded, Samael would merely become a second Void—still uninhabitable.”

“On that point, Senior... I believe we cannot use normal logic to try to guess Atos’s motives.” Leon said: “He is a madman. He slaughtered tens of thousands just to make every Void warrior submit to him. From Kaiser’s elder sister’s experience, it’s clear enough that Atos cares nothing for his own people or history. He only wants to start a war between the two worlds. He only wants to make himself the absolute ruler.”

Claudia was someone who prized logic. That was how she had been able to organize so many ancient magical texts before. She was skilled at it. But this time, she had chosen the wrong subject. If Leon was right, then she shouldn’t be applying ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) normal reasoning to a deranged tyrant like Atos.

If she truly came to understand Atos, then she herself would be one step away from madness.

Leon, on the other hand, handled such things quite well. From the earliest divine retainers, to later Elizabeth and Shadow, even now with Atos—he never bothered trying to probe their motives.

What reason is there to argue with zealots and lunatics?

If you want to achieve your goal, fine. But if the price of achieving it endangers me and those I love, then too bad—don’t waste words, just take my Dragon-Extinguishing Flame.”

Leon had never once regretted any of his choices. No matter what, there were always people and things he had to protect. That was his very reason for existing.

Claudia nodded with thoughtful eyes.

“...I understand.”

“Let us return to the matter at hand, everyone.”

Wilson tapped his finger against the vessel that held the Demon Sword fragment.

“Since His Highness said the Demon Sword shattered into countless pieces back then, and even a fragment this small possesses the power to forcibly alter Samael’s environment, then at this very moment, scattered across Samael, fragments of the sword must be assimilating their surroundings.”

“Our top priority is to locate the remaining shards and stop Samael from being voidified.”

At that, Principal Wilson let out a heavy sigh.

“This will be far more troublesome than the Black Dragon Scales ever were.”

Claudia agreed.

“Indeed. The Black Dragon Scales could greatly enhance the abilities of those transplanted with them, but failure always resulted in massive casualties—or at best, the victims lost their sanity and rampaged. And since our operations back then were no longer kept quiet, it was relatively easy to find the Black Dragon Scales. But the Demon Sword fragments not only increase the abilities of creatures, they also grant them higher levels of spatial attributes. Once such things are swallowed into a voidified environment, it will be next to impossible to detect them. Our only lead is the voidified environment itself. But if we search by that, then we’ll be letting the Void lead us around by the nose. What’s more, the Void’s erosion seeps everywhere. Any substance can be voidified. Under such circumstances, for now we have no way or method to reverse the voidification and restore corroded matter to its original form.”

Rosvisser added at once:

“Even so, better late than never. We can still at least halt the spread of voidification. Leon and I alone know Atos’s terror. That monster must not be allowed to rise again.”

Claudia lifted her eyes and met the Queen’s gaze. She gave a firm nod.

“I understand. Rosvisser, the Academy will join forces with Sky City and the great dragon clans to send people in search of the Demon Sword fragments.”

“The Silver Dragons will mobilize as well,” Rosvisser said with a smile.

“Good. Let us hope we can save our world before the final moment arrives.”

Leon silently stared at the shard of the Demon Sword sealed in the vessel.

He wanted to stop himself from recalling that desperate battle against Atos, but it was impossible.

The despair that eternal, undying tyrant had brought was unlike anything else. If he were to return again... could Leon really defeat him?

...

Leon’s fist clenched tighter. He turned his gaze sideways toward the window.

The night pressed heavy and suffocating, like an abyss with no end in sight.