The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

The hand holding the Bible trembled.

It exuded a lethal aura that stimulated the fear instinct in all living beings—something only natural for humans to react to.

Not just Boris, but other assassins also felt this aura, slowly departing from the vicinity, their faces displaying an anticipation of imminent catastrophe.

“So, this is the magic of the gods?”

Silica, gathering her mana, chuckled.

“Even if it surpasses the realm of humans, in the end, you also rely on that power. No matter the source of the power, its true meaning lies in making it your own, doesn’t it, Instructor Boris?”

Boris’s eyes chilled at her words.

“You’re right. The power of the gods is too much for us humans to wield. But once we start truly embracing that power as our own, the path ahead becomes limitless.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It means you still have a long way to go.”

Soon, behind Silica, a black mist imbued with divine power began to rise.

It was the power of black mist, a force unattainable for ordinary humans.

It was an absolute power only the followers of Aeru could possess.

However, what Silica was manifesting was not just the power of the mist; it was something more.

‘The fusion of mist… with mana?’

Boris was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected phenomenon.

The mist emanating from Silica’s body soon merged with the mana she had manifested earlier, creating a new combination that hadn’t existed before.

It was a fusion of the divine power bestowed by the transcendents and the unique power of mana she had achieved—a new realm that truly transcended human limitations.

“Summon: Black Mist of Greed!”

With a seductive smile, she raised the merged mana above her head, and from it, condensed mists spread out explosively.

The mist gradually took shape, soon morphing into the form of a creature imbued with vitality.

The Black Mist of Greed—a new transcendent being born from the amalgamation of the darkness’ essence and the divine power of the mist, unique to her and impossible for anyone else to replicate.

“Why the surprised expression? It’s just another form of magic,” she said truthfully.

No matter how absurd the origin of this summoned creature was, it still stemmed from mana.

The core of this unbelievable summoning creature was ultimately mana.

By transforming the power of mist drawn from within, it was essentially a form of summoning magic.

“Even if you inherited the power of the god of black mist… I suppose I must applaud. It’s truly a remarkable achievement, Silica.”

“It’s not much of a compliment, so I’m not particularly pleased.”

For a moment, Boris praised her achievement, then he smiled again and unfolded the Bible.

“No matter how dark the darkness, it’s bound to be dispelled by even the smallest light,”

Boris remarked, unfolding the Bible once again.

Light emanated from the Bible, concentrating the mana within.

“Your darkness can never overshadow my light.”

“Shall we see if you can still say that in a minute? Let’s test it out, shall we?”

An imminent clash where the incompatible forces of mist and light prepared to annihilate each other.

Observing this, Silica thought to herself, estimating the situation.

Thirty to forty percent.

That was the probability of her summoned Black Mist of Greed devouring his mana.

However, with more mana continuing to gather due to the Bible, that probability was steadily decreasing.

‘Ten percent… Isn’t that a slim chance?’

Is this the power of the Bible?’

The probability she had roughly estimated didn’t greatly surprise her.

Hadn’t she already decided what to do when she first revealed her face?

Boris Ruchelheim, the one attempting to approach the successor, must be killed, and that threat eliminated.

This was her duty as the head of the Black Mist, and as his leader.

There was no other path.

With a resolute heart, Silica gave the command, and the obedient Black Mist of Greed began to rush towards the light of the Bible.

“….?!”

However, they witnessed something unexpected.

Just as the mist of greed and the light of the Bible were about to collide, another unknown force surged above them.

*Swoosh!*

With the sound of space being torn apart, both the mist and the light dispersed in opposite directions.

Silica and Boris were both unable to hide their astonishment.

But unlike Boris, who was clueless, Silica wore a faint smile, as if she had a slight inkling of what was happening.

“W-What’s going on?”

Boris expressed his confusion, but soon, over the dispersed mist, crimson eyes holding the truth glowed brightly.

The darkness of truth capable of confronting the radiant light of the Bible—a darkness harboring another aspect of divine power.

Boris finally realized.

The owner of those sinister crimson eyes, more dreadful than the messenger of death, was none other than the possessor of the Demonic Sword he had been seeking.

* * *

As the Demonic Sword and the divine light clashed, an interdimensional space was created, with two individuals standing facing each other above it—a man and a woman.

While the woman with black hair seemed relaxed to the point of smiling, the man with white hair wore a deeply displeased expression.

They were the absolute embodiments of the divine power directly bestowed upon them—Kaeram, the wielder of the Demonic Sword, and Hishkrea, the bearer of the Bible.

[PR/N: Random info time! Hishkrea is a holy scripture that was written by a group of monks. It is said that the scripture contains the power of the gods, and that it can be used to protect the innocent and defeat evil. The scripture is said to be incredibly powerful, but it can only be used by someone with a pure heart.]

“You’ve broken our agreement, Kaeram,” Hishkrea spoke first.

“Hmm? Why are you suddenly saying that? What agreement did I break?”

“Didn’t we agree not to interfere in each other’s affairs? If I remember correctly, it was you who entrusted me with that divine mandate, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, right! That’s it! So what’s the problem?”

Continuing to play dumb, Kaeram’s attitude only fueled Hishkrea’s growing irritation.

“Why are you and your master here together? Just a few hours ago, you were nowhere near this place!”

“Ah, our master has a keen intuition. What can I do about it? Should the sword not follow its master’s command?”

Kaeram denied any involvement, claiming it was none of her concern.

This caused Hishkrea’s snow-white face to flush red with anger.

“How long have you been awake, yet you seek to return to slumber? If you intend to deny it to the end, fine. But know that I won’t take responsibility for the consequences.”

“What are you talking about?”

Despite the thinly veiled threat, Kaeram chuckled as if unfazed.

“You’re mistaken, aren’t you?”

With a smirk and eyes full of murderous intent, colder than ice and darker than the night sky, Kaeram’s sinister smile bore into Hishkrea’s very being, leaving no one unaffected.

“Do you still not understand why my master and I are here?”

Details were irrelevant.

If they mattered, they wouldn’t have come here in the first place.

There was only one absolute reason why the Demonic Sword and its wielder had appeared in this place.

“Just to wipe you all out.”

That was the sole purpose of their arrival.

“Our master, especially, is eager… for it.”

Anger, hatred, bloodlust—the negative emotions that the wielder of the Demonic Sword loved and craved.

As Kaeram savored those emotions coursing through him, she couldn’t help but smile.

* * *

I didn’t entirely anticipate this, but I never imagined it would happen so blatantly.

Where did it all start?

If I had to guess, it probably didn’t begin with the Leader.

I don’t blame anyone.

In a way, it could also be my fault for taking the situation too lightly.

I turned my head slightly towards the Leader.

The fog of greed that seemed to engulf everything, which previously focused on Boris, now scrutinized me with questioning eyes.

Below that, the Leader’s face, whether smiling or serious, pierced me with a subtle gaze.

I could roughly imagine what had happened, but it seemed like a reckless move, not considering the consequences.

“…”

The Leader didn’t speak, but her half-lowered eyes said it all.

‘I’m not at fault.’

Can you believe it?

But judging by her condition, things weren’t going well.

Strange wounds dotted her body.

While she likely hadn’t been attacked with a sword, the scattered marionettes around hinted at what might have happened.

It must have been a doll curse.

Even though she was skilled in magic, she hadn’t encountered such a curse before, so she couldn’t have avoided it.

Amidst all this, summoning the ‘Black Fog of Greed’ was quite impressive.

I finally turned my head to gaze at the instigator of this situation.

“…”

If he seemed unaffected, it would be a lie.

Although my anger and resentment towards him had lessened since our first meeting, they hadn’t disappeared entirely.

As I gripped Kaeram, a natural force surged into my hand.

“This feels different from before, student Cyan…”

Though his welcoming demeanor caught me off guard, my gaze was drawn to the pristine white book he held.

Let me tell you upfront, I don’t know what that is.

One thing’s for sure, though – it’s not something I’m fond of.

“What’s that?”

[…Huh? Are you asking me?]

“Is there anyone else here to answer besides you?”

Kaeram raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Surprised? Didn’t you know he’s also my nemesis from a past life? It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

If I knew everything, I wouldn’t have been caught off guard and killed like that.

I’ve never seen a book so dazzling in my entire life.

But why does it feel so familiar?

[Hishkrea’s Scriptures… Ever heard of it? Need me to explain more?]

“No, that’s all there is to it.”

The magical tome said to be bestowed by the divine light Lumendel for humanity.

It was supposed to be another relic alongside the holy sword Durandal, bringing salvation to the continent.

But hell no.

It emitted a light eerily similar to the holy sword’s, which made me sick to my stomach.

How could I possibly look favorably upon that piece of paper?

And even less so towards its owner…

“The fact that the youngest son of the continent’s guardian, Duke Vert, was actually a follower of the Black Mist… It’s quite intriguing.”

It’s been a while.

That nauseating grin that almost makes you want to vomit.

“If you leave it like this, who knows what might happen…”

Was he trying to warn me?

He unleashed his magic while holding up the Bible.

Compared to our previous meeting, the atmosphere felt completely reversed.

Back then, not knowing what he was thinking and having to hide myself, I had no choice but to be cautious.

But isn’t it different now?

Considering the situation where everything has been laid bare, there’s no point in pretending otherwise.

Although there’s a slightly uneasy feeling about being pushed forward prematurely, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“Shadow 9th Form: Manifestation of the Demonic Sword…”