“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, lowlife?”
I knew that tone all too well—the condescension, the effortless arrogance. And those crimson eyes peering down at me... I remembered them more than I ever cared to.
“Are you... Verdict...?”
The moment the name left my lips, Klaus’s—no, Verdict’s—fist exploded against my cheek. The impact sent me spinning across the floor.
“Did I not tell you? Do not speak my name so freely.”
Damn, that hurt...
There was no mistake. The speech patterns, the poise, the utter lack of mercy. This was Verdict.
I clutched my bruised cheek and somehow managed to stagger to my feet.
“...Why are you in Klaus’s body? What the hell happened?”
“It is simple, lowlife. Because you formed a Blood Covenant, I was able to hijack this man’s body and manifest in this world. That is all.”
“—!?”
I had no idea the ritual came with such a lethal catch.
“This is the essence of the Blood Covenant. Any vessel would have sufficed, though I had no desire for a female form. I was waiting for you to make a man your kin—but you chose nothing but women. Your philandering made me quite impatient.”
Verdict let out a low, mocking chuckle.
“You’re telling me you stole my kin’s body...?”
“Rest assured, I only require one. Since I have settled on this one, I will not lay a hand on the others.”
I couldn't tell if he was lying, but the magic of the Blood Covenant ingrained in my mind instinctively confirmed his words.
It was so sudden, so shocking, that it still didn't feel real.
Calm down, Albert. Think. I needed to assess the situation first. I had to figure out what Verdict was planning. For all I knew, maybe he just wanted to manifest in the Present World because he had a craving for real sushi. A man could dream of a peaceful motive.
“Why did you take his body? What do you want...?”
“Why? Hahahaha! Isn’t it obvious? Have you already forgotten what Shiunin told you? We are the remnants of those who challenged the world to master magic, destroyed it, and fulfilled our primal desires! There is only one thing we, the wills of Ancient Magic, truly want!”
Verdict paused for a beat before continuing.
“The creation of new Ancient Magic! I shall be the first existence in history to produce two distinct forms of Ancient Magic! And once that is achieved, I think I shall destroy the world once more.”
This guy...!
I slammed my fist against the floor in frustration. What kind of monster had I brought back?
“Dammit... I actually thought I could trust you, in a weird way...”
“And that is why you are a lowlife.”
Dismissing my sentiment with a sneer, Verdict ran a hand through his hair.
“You should have known by observing Shiunin and myself. We care for nothing but ourselves. We act solely for our own gain. Did you truly think beings such as us would faithfully assist in your training out of the goodness of our hearts? There is always an ulterior motive; you should have seen that coming.”
...Good grief, this was the absolute worst-case scenario.
It wasn't about sushi. He wanted to reach the pinnacle of magic. If it were just a personal hobby, I wouldn't care, but his process involved the end of the world.
Dammit, does this mean I have to fix this?
“I can’t exactly just stand by and watch. I have responsibilities.”
I stood up and glared at him.
“I’m going to stop you, Verdict.”
I activated Frenzy and Thunder Beast Shroud simultaneously. It was a desperate move, but I had to know—could I still use Frenzy...?
“Are you surprised that you can still use Frenzy, lowlife? Ancient Magic is ‘mere power’—it is no different from the laws of physics. It is no longer something I can consciously control. Use it to your heart’s content and try to challenge me.”
A blade forged from his own blood manifested in Verdict’s right hand. I followed suit, conjuring my own Blood Sword.
If I said I wasn't afraid, I’d be lying. These entities were the wills of Ancient Magic; they were overwhelming, and they were former Demon Kings. To make matters worse, this was the Present World. There was no "Return by Death" here.
No do-overs. If I lost, I died.
But backing down wasn't an option. If I didn't take down the old Demon King I had accidentally resurrected, things were going to get ugly fast. Especially with a modern Demon King already on the verge of revival!
“I’ll take you down!”
Steeling my resolve, I lunged at Verdict at full speed.
I unleashed a barrage of high-speed slashes, but Verdict parried every single one with a bored expression. Even with the massive speed boost from Thunder Beast Shroud, he was reacting perfectly.
“To think you could defeat me with such mediocre effort. It's laughable.”
He batted my sword aside and, catching me in the opening, punched me back with bone-breaking force. I went flying across the room and tumbled over the stone floor, my Blood Sword dissolving back into a puddle.
“Ugh... cough...”
“You look exhausted, lowlife. Your movements lack their usual edge.”
He wasn't wrong. Klaus had been a nightmare to fight after taking that secret medicine, and I’d poured every ounce of my strength into defeating him. On top of that, maintaining a Thunder Beast Shroud that had absorbed and doubled my lightning was draining my mana reserves at an alarming rate.
I had to face facts: I was running on fumes.
“Aren’t you... a little weak yourself, Blood Star King?”
“Hmm, a keen observation. It is true that I do not possess the same power I displayed in that mental realm. After all, the vessel is what it is—there is a limit to the output a mere human body can withstand.”
...I see. That was good to know, at least.
It seemed he wasn't quite the invincible force that had mercilessly slaughtered me over and over again. But that was a relative comfort. He was weaker than before, sure, but he was still leagues above anyone else. Even if I were at my peak, I wasn't sure I could win.
Verdict approached me, grabbed my throat, and hoisted me into the air. My feet dangled off the ground. I tried to struggle, but my body wouldn't listen. I was completely out of gas. Game Over.
“You truly are a disappointment. Using nothing but borrowed magic. And here I was, hoping you had the talent to reach the Demon King's Domain. Do you have no desire to reach the ultimate heights through your own strength?”
“Never crossed my mind... but if it helps me kill you... it might be worth a shot...”
“Good grief, what a pathetic lack of ambition.”
Looking thoroughly disgusted, Verdict spat on the floor and turned his gaze back to me.
“Now then, what to do with you? I could kill you here and end it, but keeping you alive might prove more entertaining.”
“...For a former Demon King... you’re pretty soft, aren’t you...?”
“You have your uses. I suppose I can let you live a little longer. This is my second life, after all. I intend to enjoy it to the fullest. Having your pathetic, miserable face around will surely add to the amusement.”
He tossed me aside like a piece of trash.
“By all means, keep trying to crush me. I might even give you the chance to land a single blow someday.”
Verdict covered the upper half of his face with his hand. When he pulled it away, Klaus’s blue eyes were shining again.
“Rest easy. I intend to savor this world for a while. While I am observing from the sidelines, you would do well to polish your skills. Hahahaha!”
I listened to Verdict’s mocking laughter echo through the halls as he walked away, and my heart sank. How the hell did it come to this?
But deep inside, a spark remained. My mind was racing, analyzing how to beat this trash game scenario. A true gamer only gets fired up when the situation seems impossible to clear.
“I’ll definitely take you down... Mark my words, Verdict...!”
———————Afterword———————
The "Final Chapter" begins with the next update. Daily updates will end here for a short time. I’ll be taking a break for a while and then:
- Resuming updates around the beginning of February
- Aiming for 2–3 updates per week
That is the current plan.