Chapter 1434: Lucifer's Vessel
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Suddenly, a massive magic circle appeared above the skies, surprising everyone within Stronghold City. The magic circle wasn't normal either, but a pentagram used by Demons and their Cultists, not something normal at all.
The pentagram was powered by several Demonic Cores through the entire city, which imbued immense quantities of power into the magic circle, where Lucifer himself was able to communicate through.
His voice, resembling the voice of a young man, reverberated through the entire city, as people started to panic and scream, running away, even though the pentagram covered the entire skies anyway.
"YOUR TORTURE BEGINS TODAY, ASMODEUS! I SHALL BEGIN BY BURNING YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE ACADEMY TO THE GROUND!"
The people didn't even know what this voice was talking about, and even less knew who he was, but they knew he was most likely a Demon Cultist or worse, a Demon General of some sort, although Archdemons had never gone so far as to communicate with humans in such a way before, so they couldn't really think he was one to begin with.
"A-Asmodeus?"
"Who is that person?"
"Are we supposed to know him?"
"W-What's going on?!"
"Someone help me!"
"What is that pentagram?!"
"Oi! Where are the soldiers?! Can't they take that away?!"
"T-This is bad, they're Demon Cultists! Demon Cultists are coming for us! Run! RUUUN!"
"No way, but this is Stronghold City! It's the safest city in the entire country! How could we fall into such a thing?!"
"T-This can't be happening!"
The people of Stronghold panicked, even the soldiers and other capable people were afraid, nobody could have ever expected a Demon Invasion at all, even less one that emerged out of literally nowhere…
However, Blake and his Vampire Spirits, and friends, knew of all of this, Blake had already guessed this would happen after his Vampire Spirits did a quick surveyance of the city, finding several suspicious people.
But why didn't he stop them before things could escalate out of proportion?
Well, because if he did, he wouldn't have the opportunity to expose them, and the traitor that has brought them here.
That traitor that was now right in front of him.
The Hero that everyone loved and saw as the strongest was humiliated by Blake's immense strength, and what did he do after his defeat?
Did he take things maturely and nod, giving a speech about how people had to trust the future generations and how proud he was that there was someone stronger than him, so they could both go against the demons and build a new future for humanity?
No…
Dylan, despite what people believed, wasn't that time of man. There was another man, deep within his mask, the once poor, frail young farmer boy whose entire family was slaughtered by bandits at the tender age of four.
Someone that lived in poverty and misery for over a decade before he awakened his Talent and everything changed, his hatred and resentment against a society that never helped him or welcomed him until he had something that benefited them… always remained within his heart.
His monstrous form was unleashed, looking completely different than how he was before, a majestic green-haired, golden armored hero of justice.
Indeed, this new form, this was what he thought was "his true self"!
"Honestly, I was looking forward to this! We're finally doing it, all thanks to you disrupting everything, Blake! Aren't you happy?!"
The red jewel Dylan held fused into his forehead, spreading red and black veins through his head and down to the rest of his body, as his green hair gained red and white colors, growing several times longer.
Suddenly, the hero's body became muscular, and he regained a new black and red armor, overflowing with corrupted power… The spirits that had died temporarily were revived, twisted, demonic in form and power.
He was several times stronger than before, overflowing with the immense strength Dylan could never attain on his own.
"So you've decided to walk this path…" Blake glanced at him in calm silence before speaking a few words, realizing that Dylan had indeed decided to embrace this path and nothing else.
His face didn't show anger, or a smile, he didn't seem to be mocking Dylan either… If anything, Blake seemed disappointed and looked at Dylan with pity.
This only made the hero even more furious, so that Blake wasn't even shocked by this twist!
He simply could never figure what was going on inside his head.
Nobody in the Demon Cultists could, which made them hate him even more as a result.
And yet, Dylan had tried to recruit Blake, although it didn't seem to work.
"Can you see this power? CAN YOU FEEL IT?"
Dylan laughed, smiling viciously as his eyes glowed bright red, the people screamed as his Aura burned everything with demonic flames, his Demonic Transformation held immense power and generated a shockwave, setting ablaze his surroundings.
"W-What's going on?!"
"Dylan?!"
"T-The Hero…"
"No! This must… this must be a joke right?!"
"What is going on?!"
"Why did he transform into… a demon…?"
"Eh? No… this can't be happening…"
"W-Why is…?! Dylan-sama!"
"What… what am I seeing right now?"
Soldiers, students, and professors were all reacting similarly, the audience of this arena were shocked beyond belief, incapable of even realizing what they were witnessing yet.
"This is the power I could never attain on my own! The corruption that Lucifer's Crystals bring is the finest, and highest quality! He told me that I had to kill you, I didn't want to do that! I pitied you when you were weaker! But now I see why you're such a big threat to us all, Blake… I must eliminate you now! At all costs! You chose this path, so don't blame me!"
RUMBLE!
Dylan gave a single leap, destroying the floor beneath him and reaching Blake within in an instant with his gigantic hands, aiming to grab him with them and swing him around like a ragdoll, but of course, that wasn't going to work against Blake.
BOOOM!
His massive blazing fists reached Blake, and yet he was immediately stopped by Blake's… no, not even his hands.
He stopped him with his Aura alone!
"Ugh?!"
Dylan's eyes widened, as he felt an invisible pressure that simply didn't even let him move a single inch forward, Blake looked at him with pity.
"I also choose to walk this path, so don't blame me for what I will do to you, Dylan…"
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