Capítulo 28: Unleased Fury.

Kae reacted instinctively, grabbing Anna and pulling her into a protective hold as the mysterious figure's sword sliced through the air with lethal precision.

"Just who the fuck are you!" Kae shouted, his voice echoing fiercely through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls.

The figure in black hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes locking onto Kae's. Then, without another word, he then lunged again, sword aimed directly at him, making it abundantly clear that he had come for Kae, and no one else.

Anna struggled violently against Kae's grip, her eyes blazing with an unrestrained fury. "Let me go!" she spat, her voice dripping with venom.

But Kae held on tightly, even as his chest wound pulsed with agony. Despite the pain, he managed to evade the assassin's next attack and, with a desperate reach, grabbed his sword from where it hung on the wall. Without wasting a second, Kae engaged the assassin, moving with precision as he fought off his assailant, all while protecting Anna from the chaos around them.

Grunting through clenched teeth, Kae suddenly felt a sharp sting as Anna bit down hard on his hand. He grimaced but didn't release his grip until she finally stopped struggling. As soon as he loosened his hold, Anna lunged at him, her face a mask of rage, her voice shaking with barely contained grief.

"You killed my brother!" she screamed, her dagger flashing as she struck at him with so much hatred burning within her.

Kae parried her attack effortlessly, his sword moving faster than her eyes could track. "Anna, stop!" he pleaded, his voice rough with desperation. "I didn't kill Tharros!"

But Anna wasn't listening. Blinded by her hatred and sorrow, she charged at him again, and in that moment, the assassin took advantage of Kae's distraction, striking with swift and deadly precision.

Kae barely managed to dodge the blade, his body twisting out of the way. But in his attempt to protect both himself and Anna, her dagger caught him across the arm, ripping into his flesh. Blood began to flow freely, the wound deep and painful.

His breath coming in ragged gasps, Kae gritted his teeth against the pain. Though the demon lord's soul resided within him, it was Kae's human side that controlled his body now, leaving him vulnerable to every strike, every cut.

The assassin showed no mercy, launching another flurry of blows aimed directly at Kae's back. Kae, despite the pain and exhaustion setting in, managed to block the attack, striking back with fierce determination.

Their swords clashed violently, sending sparks flying through the air as they fought, the sound of steel ringing through the dark chamber.

Anna, still consumed by her grief, continued to attack Kae with wild, reckless strikes, her eyes blinded by rage. In her fury, she remained unaware of the assassin, who saw her as nothing more than an obstacle in his mission. The assassin shifted his focus, raising his sword to strike her down.

Kae's body moved on instinct once again, knocking Anna to the ground just as the assassin's blade sliced through the air, missing her by mere inches. She nearly hit her head on the hard stone floor, but Kae's action saved her from the worst.

"You're going to get yourself killed!" Kae growled, his voice hoarse with urgency. "Why won't you believe me? I didn't kill your brother! He sacrificed himself so that I could live!"

But Anna was beyond reason. She scrambled to her feet, her dagger raised, her fury unyielding. "Liar!" she screamed, her voice raw, filled with nothing but pure hatred.

The assassin lunged forward once again, forcing Kae into a relentless fight. Their blades met in a deadly rhythm, the clash of metal ringing louder than the storm of emotions raging within him.

Who the hell is he? Kae's thoughts raced as he parried another strike, his body moving with lightning speed despite the pain coursing through him. Whoever this assassin was, they fought with a frightening precision, their strikes fueled by a purpose far deadlier than mere duty.

Ding!

{That's Eirakon.}

Huh? Kae's mind whirled, the name triggering a memory. Eirakon, a palace guard, one who had escorted him to the training grounds on his very first day. "Those damned Elyrians," Kae hissed under his breath, his pupils flaring red as the demon lord's rage stirred within him.

Ding!

{You're stirring up the demon lord's power. Be careful, or you will lose control.}

But Kae wasn't listening. Rage fueled him now, driving him forward. His strikes became more brutal, each blow aimed with lethal intent. Dark smoke began spiraling around him as his eyes glowed a deep crimson. Two sharp horns sprouted from his skull, and his skin became rough, almost scaly.

Even Anna, consumed by her grief, froze in horror at the creature now standing before her. Her dagger slipped from her trembling hand as she backed away, her breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps. The very air around Kae had turned oppressive and suffocating.

Eirakon, the assassin's once confident stance crumbled as he beheld the monster Kae had become. His sword, raised to strike, wavered, and in that moment of hesitation, Kae's instincts now completely overtaken by the demon lord acted.

Time itself seemed to halt as the demon lord's presence fully manifested.

"How dare a lowly Elyrian attack me?" the demon lord's voice echoed through the chamber, sending shivers down the spine of Eirakon and Anna who could hear it as they were not affected by the time freeze.

With terrifying speed, Kae, now the demon lord struck. His clawed hand ripped through Eirakon's stomach with brutal force, his sharp nails piercing through flesh, bone, and sinew. Blood splattered across the floor as he absorbed Eirakon's life force, draining him of his years of cultivated magic.

Eirakon's body began to petrify, his skin turning to stone as he let out a strangled gasp. His eyes, showcasing his pain, were the last thing to turn to stone before his entire form shattered into dust. His black attire and sword clattered to the floor, lifeless, their magic absorbed by the demon lord before they, too, disintegrated into ash.

Kae, now the demon lord then turned his gaze toward Anna. She was lying on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, tears streaming down her pale face. In a moment, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the stone wall. His claws dug into her skin, drawing blood as he pinned her there with ease.

"Please… let me go," Anna whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper, weak and broken. Her hands clawed helplessly at Kae's arm, her fingers slipping over the rough, scaly surface of his skin. Tears streamed down her face, falling onto Kae's arm.

The moment her tears made contact with his skin, a bright red light erupted from where they touched. The demon lord howled in agony, releasing Anna as his hand recoiled in pain. With a furious roar, he threw her through the room window, her body hurtling into the night.

The world then resumed its natural flow as the time freeze was over.

Kae staggered, his body reverting back to its human form as the demon lord's influence subsided. His horns vanished, his eyes lost their crimson glow, and his skin smoothed out. Gasping for breath, he stumbled, dazed and disoriented.

"What… just happened?" he whispered, his mind a haze of confusion. His gaze fell on the pile of dust that had once been Eirakon, his blood still pooling on the floor.

Did I kill Anna? Kae's eyes widened in horror as the thought crossed his mind. His heart raced as he frantically scanned the chamber, but Anna was nowhere to be seen.

The memories of what had just transpired rushed back to him in a painful wave. "The demon lord threw her… out the window!" Kae realized, his voice hoarse with disbelief.

Without wasting another moment, he rushed toward the window and leapt out, landing softly on the ground below. His eyesight sharp as he could see in the dark.

Anna's body laid on the hard palace floor beside a big tree.

Kae's heart sank as his gaze fell on her. He then rushed to her, avoid being noticed by the guards. He soon got to her side and then gently turning her over. Her eyes fluttered open for a brief second before closing again, losing consciousness.

"Anna!" Kae called, his voice trembling as he tapped her cheek lightly, trying to rouse her. "She's not dead… is she?"

Ding!

{She's alive. Don't panic. By killing Tharros, you've saved Anna.}

Kae's breath caught in his throat. "What? But… I was supposed to kill her in three days because of that golden medicine!"

Ding!

{Tharros and Anna share the same blood. By killing Tharros, you've fulfilled the evil system requirement. You are now free to access the Hall of Skills and gain rewards.}

Relief washed over him, though he was still confused. "Why did Eirakon attack me?"

Ding!

{He saw you as a threat to Aethera. He feared you might lead to her downfall and the death of her consorts, which he was part of. Being intimate with the Queen's servants is considered treason in Elyria.}

Kae's brow furrowed. "Eirakon… a consort to Aethera?" He shook his head in disbelief, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips. "I didn't know she had a harem. I feel so good that he died though. Finally felt happy killing one of those monsters."

Ding!

{Host, although Eirakon was killed but you can also still be killed especially when your soul is in control. You're just a man, weak and without magic, until the demon lord's soul dominates.}

Kae scowled. "You said I couldn't be killed. Now you're telling me I can die if my soul is in control?"

Ding!

{That's right. Which is why you need to enslave as many elyrians as possible. Through dual cultivation, you'll gain their centuries of power and rise to godhood. Once their magic is yours, your senses and abilities will reach their peak and only then would you be able to protect yourself from all sort of dangers that lays before you.}

"Oh yeah! I don't have to be calling on the demon lord soul every now and then. Should be able to wield magic and protect myself with it. Besides I'll want to be the one to kill these female monsters myself!" Kae declared with a determined expression.

He then clenched his fists, "And how many elyrians do I have to enslave before I can kill them all?" His voice was low, filled with a simmering anger that threatened to boil over.

Ding!

{All elyria's cultivation levels defers. But once you've reached the numbers of elyria you need to enslave, you'll know. All elyria's processes magic even though some processes little bit that little is still a bonus to you.}

{You really need to level up host, because if you get killed while your soul is in control of this body, you'll also die in your original world and never to be reborn ever again.}