“Leo, I’m so sorry! You just popped out of nowhere…!”
“No, I should apologize. I’m sorry it took me so long.” Leonis hopped off Blackas’s back. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine…”
Riselia sank to the floor, overcome with relief after seeing Leonis. The True Ancestor’s Dress broke into light particles and vanished, and her academy uniform returned. Leonis looked around cautiously. He and Blackas had emerged into a dome-shaped structure. Dozens upon dozens of broken Machina Soldiers decorated the floor.
This has to be a Machina Soldier storage room. Looks like she fought hard…
“Uh, Leo…” Riselia’s attention had gone to the black wolf sitting beside Leonis. “Isn’t that the dog Sakuya’s been looking after?”
Blackas let out a low growl.
“Don’t worry about it for the time being.”
“Um…” Riselia cocked her head a little and then glanced around. “Where are Regina and Sakuya?”
“They’re both okay, but Miss Regina got hurt, so I hid her in my shadow.”
“Huh? I-is that safe?!”
“Don’t worry, she’s resting comfortably.”
“That’s good.”
“Miss Sakuya, though…” Leonis paused for thought. “We split up on the way here. I trust she’ll be fine, though.”
Riselia was devoted to her friends, and telling her the truth would just make her rush to Sakuya’s aid. Leonis had the feeling Sakuya wished to face that blue-haired woman alone.
“What about you, Miss Selia? Are you hurt?” Leonis questioned.
Who had snatched her away, and why?
“O-oh, right! This orb of light came out and started calling me its master…”
Riselia hurriedly recounted the odd events that had transpired after the teleportation circle took her away. The story left Leonis overcome with shock.
It can’t be. Schwertleite?!
Schwertleite Terminate, the Deus Machina, was one of the eight Dark Lords who’d served the goddess. Schwertleite had commanded the soulless Machina Soldiers as a collective, and its force had consumed entire cities. Schwertleite lacked military strongholds like Necrozoa or the Azure Hold and never attended any of the Dark Lords’ high councils. Leonis had seen the Deus Machina’s central unit only once, when Roselia summoned it. It had resembled what Riselia described, a two-melte-circumference sphere of light.
If I recall, Gisark, the Divine Dragon of the Six Heroes, destroyed the Deus Machina.
Of course, there were several instances of Dark Lords returning after supposed deaths. The Dragon Lord, the Lord of the Seas, and even Leonis himself were such examples. But the most baffling part was that Schwertleite decided to abduct Riselia and called her its master.
As far as I know, Roselia was the Deus Machina’s sole master…
Leonis eyed the broken Machina Soldiers on the floor and asked, “What was this guardian trying to protect?”
“Erm, well…” Riselia trailed off.
“…?” Leonis eyed her dubiously, confused by her reaction.
“It took me to a place with a large crystal…”
“A crystal?”
“Yeah. And then I…” Riselia took a moment to gather her courage. “I had a dream about yo—”
“Lord Magnus, something’s coming!” Blackas warned, cutting Riselia off.
The next moment…
Crash!
…the hall’s ceiling caved in, and rubble rained down.
“Wh-what?!” Leonis looked around for the source of the attack while Riselia hugged his head to shield him.
Only seconds after the dust settled, a figure descended from the newly formed opening.
“My oh my. I wondered who could’ve beaten me here. To think it was you…” A calm voice filled the chamber. It belonged to a young white-haired priest wearing robes from the Human Church.
“Nefakess Reizaad.” Leonis spoke the man’s name with evident displeasure.
What was a former staff officer of the Dark Lords’ Armies doing in Ur-Shukar? And why was Schwertleite obeying his orders? The shining orb hovered behind some kind of angel. It was like…
A commander in the Dark Lords’ Armies is conducting himself like the Luminous Powers did.
“Were you among the sacrifices gathered by the Queen of Shadows?” Nefakess questioned contemptuously from above. “No, I doubt this could be such a ludicrous coincidence. Hmm. Perhaps you’re the Devil of the Underworld’s pawns?”
He dares call me Azra-Ael’s servant?!
Although angered by the remark, Leonis still noticed that Nefakess had implied he was at odds with Azra-Ael.
“I suppose it’s of little consequence. If you are his pawns, you’re of little value. I’ll admit I’m a little curious about that vampire girl, though.”
Nefakess shot a hungry look at Riselia, who shuddered under his gaze and hugged her shoulders in disgust.
I see. That man wishes for a painful death. Daring to fix his filthy eyes on my minion deserves nothing less!
Leonis stood before Riselia to shield her from Nefakess’s gaze and glared at the man.
“Sadly, I haven’t the time to toy with you right now. I must hurry along.”
“…What?” Leonis hardly had a moment to be surprised before the orb floating beside Nefakess fired a destructive ray down into the chamber. A deafening roar sounded as the attack blasted through the floor.
“Schwertleite, the Deus Machina, I entrust you with cleaning up the trash. Come, Seraphim.” Nefakess laughed loudly as he floated down into the dark, with the angel following close after.
“Stop!” Leonis held up the Staff of Sealed Sins, preparing to chant.
Whoosh!
The orb swooped down, standing in his way.
“Master’s order acknowledged. Eliminating intruders—”
Glowing letters rapidly streamed across the Deus Machina’s body.
He really did seize control of it. Leonis bemoaned his poor luck.
That angel, Seraphim, was an Artificial Elemental with the power to take over machines. Still, no matter how developed humanity’s technology became, taking over a Dark Lord couldn’t have been easy.
Spell circles appeared all over the hall, and Machina Soldiers emerged from them.
“Leo…” Riselia held up her Holy Sword and stood beside him.
Leonis felt cold sweat run down his forehead. He was up against a Dark Lord, someone who’d stood as his equal when he was at his apex. This was a being greater than the Spirit King, and Leonis had needed Dáinsleif to defeat him. Leonis had conserved his mana in preparation for a fight, but this was too much.
I didn’t think I’d be up against a Dark Lord.
Leonis fought using spells, and the Deus Machina possessed high spell resistance. It was the worst possible matchup. Worse yet, he couldn’t use Dáinsleif against a fellow Dark Lord. Even if the pact didn’t bind the weapon, the Demon Sword would drain the little mana Leonis had left the moment he drew it.
And my Holy Sword is still sealed. Leonis looked down on his left hand and shook his head.
If Shary were here, he could have taken the risk and released Rakshasa Nightmare.
The odds look grim.
Retreat seemed the only viable option. Unlike his fellow Dark Lords, the Undead King never saw foolhardy recklessness as something to be proud of. When faced with battles he couldn’t win, he knew that falling back was best. That intellect made Leonis Death Magnus the strongest of the Dark Lords.
He had to run. For his own sake, yes, but more so for Riselia’s.
“Miss Selia…,” he began, intending to tell her to run.
However, he couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Deploying Absolute Field,” the Deus Machina stated lifelessly.
“…?!”
Black waves emanated from the orb, covering the entire hall.
This is the goddess’s barrier! Leonis gritted his teeth in frustration.
Leonis had employed this field on the Sixth Assault Garden, when the Dragon Lord went berserk. It was a unique spell developed by the goddess for when two Dark Lords had to duel. When this field was invoked, the dueling Dark Lords were not allowed to leave it unless the battle was decided or both agreed to cease fighting.
Does this mean Schwertleite acknowledges me as a fellow Dark Lord?
Leonis looked like a child, but perhaps the Deus Machina detected his soul. He wished he could let Riselia escape, but since she was his minion, she was also recognized as part of a Dark Lord’s power and trapped in the barrier.
The situation was turning more dismal by the second.
At this point, my only option is to fight.
Leonis stepped forward with the Staff of Sealed Sins in hand.
“I have to drag it into the kingdom, Blackas. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No. We have no choice.” Blackas nodded. “Do you really think you can manage it? You’ll probably only get one chance to strike.”
“You’re right. I’ll have to wait for an opening…” Leonis mounted Blackas. “Miss Selia, I’m counting on you to clear away the foot soldiers!”
“Okay!” Riselia charged ahead, brandishing the Bloody Sword. Her stroke sent a surge of blood across the floor. “Blood of the great dragons, become my blade! Dragon Blood!”
A blade of blood shone with ominous crimson light and took the form of a dragon.
“Graaaaaaaah!”
The blood dragon howled and charged the Machina Soldiers.
She’s mastered the Dragon Blood already?! Leonis looked on in disbelief as Blackas ran parallel to the blood dragon.
High-ranking vampires were capable of manipulating the blood of different monsters, but the only one capable of controlling that of dragons was a True Ancestor called the Drakuel, the Duke of Dragon Blood. What’s more, manipulating the blood of the Dragon Lord was unheard of. Riselia’s potential alone couldn’t explain this.
Veira must have really taken a liking to her…
“Hyaaaah!” Riselia kicked off the ground, racing forward.
She donned the True Ancestor’s Dress in Scarlet Tyrant mode and cut through the Machina Soldiers. The glint of her strike flashed through the air, and several of the spider constructs collapsed.
Meanwhile, Leonis raced ahead atop Blackas’s back, weaving between the blades of blood. While holding on to the black fur, he started chanting a spell. Normal magic wouldn’t work on a Dark Lord, and this was the Deus Machina, with its high spell resistance. Third-order sorcery wouldn’t so much as scratch it.
Blackas leaped into the air, and Leonis swung the Staff of Sealed Sins down on the orb.
“Eighth-order spell—Al Gu Belzelga!”
Boom!
An intense blast swallowed the Deus Machina and its soldiers. A pillar of fire shot up from the ground, but the Deus Machina hadn’t been caught in it.
“Lord Magnus, up there!” Blackas shouted.
The orb sped over Leonis’s head.
“Tsk!”
“Erase—Ragva Leite.”
A destructive beam of light swept through the hall, eradicating everything in its path, the Machina Soldiers included.
“Blackas!”
The great wolf dived into the shadows at the last second, evading the attack. He emerged a moment later, sprinting vertically up the wall. Schwertleite’s attack would have normally been enough to destroy the floor, but the goddess’s barrier kept the place intact.
“Leo!” Riselia jumped into the air and spread her mana wings.
She leaped from wall to wall, hopping above the Deus Machina.
Clanggg!
She swung her Holy Sword down on the Deus Machina, but it deployed a mana barrier that shielded it from the blade. However, Riselia didn’t give up the attack and continued unleashing mana.
“Drag Fang!”
The tip of her blade became the blood dragon’s head, which closed its jaws on the Deus Machina. With the sphere trapped, Riselia slammed it down on the ground with a heavy thud. A plume of dust shot up like a mushroom.
Not a moment later, countless flashes erupted, shooting through and destroying the blood dragon’s head. Riselia managed to keep from being hit, though. The Deus Machina floated back up, beckoning many smaller orbs around it. It really was like Elfiné’s Eye of the Witch.
The luminous orbs shone in concert and fired beams aimed at Riselia.
“Miss Selia!” Leonis called to warn her.
Riselia twisted in mid-leap, narrowly evading the incoming deadly attacks.
What?
Leonis couldn’t help but feel like something was off as he watched from atop Blackas. It was almost like the Deus Machina had missed intentionally.
It did call her its master.
Perhaps that designation hadn’t been overwritten. That would explain it. The Deus Machina’s volleys seemed much too weak and merciful for a Dark Lord. Compared to this, Veira had been more fearsome after she’d been roused from her slumber.
Schwertleite wasn’t exhibiting its full power as a Dark Lord. And if so, then Leonis needed to seize upon the opportunity.
“Gouge and destroy! Evil-Rending Sword—Zolgstar Mezekis!”
Leonis raised his hand, summoning seven blades from thin air. They were weak imitations forged from fragments of one of the Arc Seven. Yet while they were inferior copies, they still retained their ability to smite and destroy Dark Lords.
Leonis swung his hand down, unleashing the Dark Lord–slaying blades on the Deus Machina. They pierced and destroyed the surrounding smaller orbs of light, and then…
“Break!”
Boooooom!
…all the Zolgstar Mezekis blades ruptured simultaneously. They’d been inlaid with an Al Gu Belzelga spell ahead of time.
I’d prepared them for a possible battle with Shardark, though. Such a waste.
The blast occupied the Deus Machina long enough for Riselia to move in again.
“Hyaaaah!”
The blood dragon around her blade absorbed the flickering flames produced by Leonis’s spell, creating a burning vortex.
“Burn in the hellfire of dragon’s blood—Flaming Howl!” Riselia thrust down her Holy Sword, empowered by the flaming dragon.
Bwoosh!
The raging incandescent blaze swallowed up the Deus Machina.
“Master’s soul, confirmed—denied—confirmed—denied—”
The Deus Machina froze in midair. The glowing symbols running across its surface flickered back and forth in apparent confusion.
“Now! We have to take it down!”
Leonis landed on the ground and held up the Staff of Sealed Sins. Multiple shadows in the chamber spread like ink blots on paper. Leonis hadn’t been simply running around on Blackas throughout the fight. He’d been preparing a gate to the Realm of Shadows.
“Open, doors to my kingdom!”
All the shadows across the chamber merged into one and consumed the entire room. The Machina Soldiers were submerged in darkness, as was the inert Deus Machina.
It was a place devoid of color. All that was visible was a desolate wasteland of black and gray. The Queen of Shadows, the former ruler of this place, had cast a curse on the land that still lingered, stripping it of hue.
Leonis stood upon a hill that overlooked the wasteland.
“Leo, what is this place?” Riselia asked from beside him. Her eyes anxiously scanned the scenery.
“There’s no cause for worry. This is the Realm of Shadows. I summoned this place,” Leonis explained as he walked to the edge of the slope. Below, an orb of light hovered in place. The Deus Machina had been pulled into the Realm of Shadows, along with the entire Absolute Field.
“I welcome you to my kingdom, Dark Lord Schwertleite,” Leonis declared grandly, spreading his arms.
With these words, the desolate soil swelled, and countless bones emerged from the sand. Tens, hundreds, thousands—an army of skeleton warriors rose up, weapons glowing with magic.
And it didn’t stop there. Skeleton generals, shadow demons, soul collectors, elder liches, death clouds, evil elementals, hell lords, greater shadows, a skull colossus, and a skull dragon. A vast army of undead appeared on this land.
Heh-heh-heh. What say you, Deus Machina? This is my trump card.
Summoning the undead required mana, but if Leonis pulled his opponent into the Realm of Shadows, where his undead legion slumbered, he could beckon his troops without any.
Still, dragging a Dark Lord into the Realm of Shadows came at a significant risk. Undead could be resummoned later, but any destroyed within this kingdom would have their souls released and become ordinary jumbles of bones. Facing a Dark Lord here could mean a crippling loss. However, Leonis’s mana was nearly spent. This was his only chance at victory.
“Strike my enemy down with all your might, my legion!”
The undead came to life one by one and rushed the Deus Machina with overwhelming numbers.
In response, the Deus Machina floated up into the air.
“Target…designated as…maximum threat…”
“…?”
Countless letters and numbers swirled around the orb of light.
“In the name of my master, Roselia Ishtaris, the seal shall be undone.”
As soon as Schwertleite invoked these words, the orb of light shattered.
“What?!”
A beautiful warrior princess with azure hair emerged from within, a mana blade in her hands.
The eighth Dark Lord had awakened, with steel wings spread and cold, lifeless eyes. She regarded the Undead King atop the hill with a frigid gaze.
“Ah, so that’s what you meant, my goddess…”
On the lowest level of the Great Arakael Library, Nefakess Reizaad gazed at the pitch-black crystal and cackled with delight. He’d finally discovered whom the goddess had sealed under the protection of the Deus Machina.
Nefakess reverently offered up the fragment of the goddess in his hands and bowed his head to the crystal.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding, Leonis Death Magnus—the Undead King.”
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