DSB 139

[Use your power more wisely.]

It played a major role against the overwhelming numbers, but since he just use it without any control over intensity, he quickly burned out.

[Can you still move?]

Norman was unaware that Karon was speaking to Yutis. Yutis glared at Norman and didn’t respond, indicating that he was planning to kill.

[He is conscious of the holy sword. Draw his attention up front. Then I’ll burn those wings. That way, you can show your true strength too.]

Norman was muttering to himself as he stared at something, but Yutis paid him no mind. Too exhausted to move quickly, he instead climbed onto Shati’s back and closed the distance in an instant.

If the sword’s reach couldn’t touch him from the ground, he’d simply jump high enough to strike.

“Ah! Right, I forgot you’re not the type to just stand around.”

Then the sky roared. A thunderous rumble rang out as a massive bolt of lightning struck. He barely dodged it, but the smile on Norman’s lips completely vanished.

“…I never imagined you’d still be holding onto such power.”

[The ultimate strike must be saved for the very last moment. Don’t you know that?]

“But what now? I dodged it…!”

Norman turned his head around. He sensed an overwhelming presence. But since he couldn’t see the source of that power, Norman soared high into the sky. To a place where no demonic beast could reach, no matter how hard it tried, and where no sword aura could touch.

But even after looking around from above, he couldn’t see Yutis. Norman then spotted Yutis and the demonic beast emerging from his own shadow, and he retreated.

[What good is knowing demonic beasts if you don’t know their traits?]

Yutis threw something. Norman saw the blade flying toward his neck, he thought it was the holy sword, and dodged, but it was a dagger.

Norman’s movements faltered, so Karon gathered his power once more.

[And how can you be so sure that’s the last one!]

As the thunder from the sky slammed into the ground, a electric struck Norman’s wings.

Yutis, who had been quietly waiting for an opening, swung the hilt of the holy sword toward Norman, who had been knocked slightly closer to the ground by the impact. Norman barely parried the blade of the holy sword approaching his neck.

“Ha, ha ha…! Of course you’d aim for the neck.”

Norman burst out laughing. He was the one facing the crisis, the reason for his laughter was unknown.

Puk!

In that instant, something pierced through his armor and penetrated Yutis’s chest.

“Guh!”

It was a long, black tail. Norman chuckled in front of him.

“You know, aiming for my neck is fine, but I’m not just going to stand here with my hands folded. Demons have wings, but they also have tails.”

“…I could just cut your neck off before that happens.”

“I can use magic too, you know?”

A large magic circle began to form beneath him. Sensing an unusual aura, Karon tried to help, but something pierced the air before him.

The strange, spear-like object embedded itself around Karon, then a white net unfolded and pinned him down.

“Too late.”

Unlike the northern army, covered in blood and dust, the imperial army appeared, armed in splendid armor. They were not puppets blindly obeying Norman’s commands, but living humans.

The arrival of the new reinforcements darkened Yutis’s expression. Though not a large force, the troops Biakin had brought with him were none other than the imperial knights. Meanwhile, the northern army was exhausted from consecutive battles.

“Seems I’m late. Are you going to die by the young master’s hand?”

[You again… Ugh!]

Karon turned around, then realized Yutis was in more urgent need and started moving. But the net tangled around his feet.

[What is this…!]

Karon panicked, he was unable to move because of the net. It wasn’t an ordinary one.

“ Do you really have time to be distracted?”

Blood trickled from the corner of Yutis’s mouth. He coughed up a small amount of blood while holding the holy sword. Even so, he could only slash Norman’s palm; he couldn’t sever his neck.

“Do you know what the imperial army will think when they see you like this?”

“Huh?”

Norman looked surprised, then laughed. He had folded his wings as he crashed to the ground, and his tail was thin, it was barely visible.

Karon had already defeated all the demonic beasts, and the humans Norman had controlled were nearly all fallen to the northern army’s assault.

The imperial army was furious at being pushed back, seeing their fellow soldiers had died fighting.

“It seems this face was quite trusted among the knights. No one thought me a demon.”

Yutis knew that Norman’s face belonged to another human. He also knew that face belonged to someone he had often fought with.

That man had been a guard knight for Lebel, yet he had never faithfully performed his duties.

“I should have taken you alive.”

“Weren’t you trying to kill me…?”

“I wanted to. But it seems Lord Lebel does care for you.”

“Don’t you dare mention his name.”

“You talk big for someone in that state.”

Yutis strained his eyes, but he had lost too much blood. The accumulated fatigue combined with the blood draining from his body pushed him to his limit.

His vision blurred. He pushed forward with brute force, but the closer he got to Norman, the deeper the tail dug into his chest.

But he couldn’t give up. Yutis strained with all his might, pressing the holy sword closer to Norman’s throat. Norman’s arm, holding the blade, began to tremble. He ignored the cold sweat running down his back.

The thought of what was about to happen filled him with joy. Since Biakin had arrived, it was time to verify what he had tested.

“I’ve always wondered. I know you’re not demon, but you’re still a human possessing demonic energy. What happens when that demonic energy becomes excessive? Could it be called a demon? Some humans dream of becoming demons themselves. Could you become one?”

Yutis ignored Norman’s words. Instead, a loud voice erupted from behind.

[Drop the holy sword and back off immediately!]

“I’m looking forward to this.”

Norman grinned. A magic circle appeared beneath Yutis, and something flowed into his body through Norman’s tail.

It was dense demonic energy. Yutis felt his body convulse. Lebel had given him demonic energy many times. But this feeling was different.

Starting from the hand holding the holy sword, his entire body began to twist. Yutis had no choice but to let go of the holy sword. He kneeled down, feeling as if something was about to burst out of his body.

His blurred vision turned crimson, and the wound on his chest where hot blood had flowed no longer hurt. As it began to heal, every bone in his body twisted.

It was a familiar sensation.

Norman looked at Yutis and kicked the holy sword away. He tried to appear calm, but just looking at the holy sword made his flesh tremble.

“How does it feel? Do you know how many times I’ve experimented? Transferring demonic energy to humans is difficult. I can’t seem to find the right balance. But you’re different. You’re tough.”

Norman laughed as he spoke, but it barely reached Yutis’s ears. The latter tried to suppress the demonic energy, but he couldn’t contain it as it raged within his body and tore at his insides.

It wasn’t the warm energy Lebel had passed on; it was unpleasant demonic energy that twisted his body and made his head spin. Worse still, the holy sword that could have blocked it was no longer in his hand.

“If you thought you’d won, too bad. I was waiting for my chance too.”

There was no way to stop it now.

“Ugh…! Guh!!”

A beastly cry burst from his mouth unbidden, the sound grew higher and higher. His skin writhed as bones tried to push through it.

Only when the transformation finally ceased and he caught his ragged breath did he realize everything was already over.

He looked down and saw the knights who had fought alongside him had shrunk to tiny dots. And he saw the imperial soldiers staring at him in horror.

He absentmindedly raised his hand and saw menacing claws. They were familiar, changing with rut cycle, but the smooth skin was not human. Except for his childhood, his entire body had never changed before, yet now it had.

“This is actually happening. We did well to listen to that demon. The holy sword falls, and this is what happens? With that form, you claim you’re not a demon? Not a monster?”

Yutis stared at Norman. The latter was frightened and backed away, yet he was still smiling.

To anyone who saw it, this monstrous form would undoubtedly be repulsive to humans. He would never be able to wield the holy sword again.

Even from a distance, certain words rang crystal clear in Yutis’s ears.

“That is proof the North has joined hands with demons. You all know demon blood flows through the Hestro family. Can you still call that thing human after seeing it?!”

Biakin shouted defiantly. Voices agreed from all around.

“So that’s what they call being chosen by god.”

“I doubt that’s even a holy sword anymore.”

The holy sword lay fallen, rolling in the dirt. Crimson blood clung to its blade, making it look grotesque. It had absorbed Yutis’s demonic energy directly, leaving it dull and tarnished.