1474: Moving On To The Last Challenge

Moving On To The Last Challenge

-----2

As I collapsed on the ground, I felt completely exhausted, until I felt a warm light coursing through my body, cleansing me from the toxic demonic energy filling my veins.

"Benladra, thanks…" I caressed my little girl's head.

"Daddy that was dangerous! What did you do?!" She asked all worried.

"I was trying to harness a power within me… I think most of you know already, right? That I possess a Demon King Seed." I explained.

"A Demon King Seed?" Asked Miranda. "I-I think I remember something like that… Maybe."

"I do remember." Benladann nodded. "But I also remember you said you would never use it because it was evil…"

"I changed my mind… It is a useful power, something I must master and conquer, so I can become stronger…" I sighed, sitting down after resting. "Sorry for not keeping my word…"

"It's fine, really." Benladann smiled. "But wasn't that too painful? It doesn't feel like you were able to harness that power that well…"

"Believe me, it was much better than before." I sighed in relief. "With this, from the ten seconds I could bear with it, I can last at least… forty seconds, give or take." 

"Wait, what? That long?" Benladann was surprised.

"Yeah…" I nodded. "I can also do this…"

I quickly concentrated my mind again, my Aura of Gluttony surged for a split of a second and then disappeared, but its residual energy remained in my body.

I moved it into the palms of my hands, and then generated a large sphere of pure Demonic Energy, or well, its higher quality version, which I'll call Infernal Energy.

"This is what I can do now…!" I smiled.

"You're manipulating Demonic Energy!" Benladann said in surprise. "Awesome! With this you'll-"

POOF!

"Though it disappears right away…" I sighed.

"Huh, that's still pretty good." Miranda said, crossing her arms. "I might have turned into something like a Demon Spirit, but I can't really do much aside from my own special magic! But to think you can control it…"

Suddenly, Emerald and Tyrannus and his warriors walked to our side.

"By Demon King… you mean those evil beings that appear sometimes, which can cause calamities across the world?" Wondered Tyrannus, afraid to hear an answer.

"Yeah, the very same." I nodded without hesitation. "I am a Dragon King, but at the same time, I am becoming a Demon King too…"

"T-That's… even possible?" Asked Emerald, without being able to believe it. "But aren't they evil beings? And didn't one of them cursed my wings?"

"It was a hypothesis, but I believe it was one." I nodded. "However… the Title itself is simply a curse given to beings that have grown too strong and killed too many. Although I do not kill innocents… I've taken the lives of thousands of people."

Emerald stepped back in surprise, thinking I was just a good-natured person that would never hurt other people. "T-Thousands…?"

"We've fought armies of evil-doers." Benladann answered. "We slaughtered an entire Evil Sect, killed all the corrupt Vampires, and have hunted down hundreds or maybe thousands of bandits."

"We did it all back in Jotunheim." I answered. "It is… a story for another time. Are you afraid of me now, Emerald? Now that you know what I've done?"

"…" Emerald remained in silence. "I-I… no, I'm not. I am just surprised, but if what you said it's the truth, then there is no reason for me to doubt your words, Uncle Drake… I know that I'm the only one here that is weird, thinking of such things as bad… I should get used to them, this world is harsh and unforgiving. I lived… a life too carefree back home."

"No, there is virtue in your words." I smiled back at him. "Don't change that way of yours. You have values, hold them within your heart. Its not normal to think it is bad, but it is normal to pity those souls, even if they were evil. You simply have empathy and compassion, you're a good kid. Don't force yourself to do things you don't want to just because other people tell you that's how the world is. Surviving is important, but there are things you can choose not to do and continue surviving, walk your own path."

I told those words to him, so he wouldn't let other people manipulate him into becoming a psychotic. I am extreme in my own methods, but that doesn't mean I want everyone to be like me…

If possible, I would prefer that wasn't the case. Maybe… this feeling of me of wanting to carry these sins made me a Demon King at the end.

"I-I see…" Emerald smiled a bit, feeling blessed by my words of wisdom. "Thank you… I understand how it is. I won't let others manipulate me… I'll walk my own path and make my own opinions."

"Good." I smiled, nodding. "Now, we've rested enough. Benladra, Kate, also make sure to keep what I told to Emerald in mind. You might be younger, but I know you're smarter than him."

"O-Okay…" Benladra nodded. "I know, papa… I'll also walk my own path; it might be different than yours too… But it is what I want to do!"

"I don't really mind the path I walk, as long as I can protect my family…" Kate said with a rather profound voice. 

Both were just baby girls… but they had surely been growing a lot. I can't say I miss when they were even younger and innocent, but it is also nice to see them grow and develop slowly, becoming their own individuals.

I know these two girls will change the world in the future and improve it. And their strength too, is incredible. 

"You're saying a lot of deep words right now." Benladann giggled teasingly. "But it's about time, no? We can't let them wait any longer… It is now or never."

"Yeah, let's end this damn thing." Miranda agreed. 

"Right…" I nodded, looking into the gates in front of us. "Tyrannus, and your soldiers, are you all ready? Your people are at the other side of this room. Do you think you have what it takes to save them?"

"We do." Tyrannus nodded. "And even if we don't, we'll die trying."

"Hah, well said."

I opened the gates in that moment.

-----

pqdm.com