Raghh!
Graa!
Beasts and monsters roared as they collided. The monster's fist landed on the beast, smashing flesh and blood into pieces. The beast's sharp claws and teeth pierced and dug into the monsters, tearing them apart.
Among countless beasts and monsters, some became the target of groups of enemies as they showed extraordinary power. One of those was a wolf moving like the wind—it was truly fast. Mindless monsters that acted only on instinct never saw its sharp teeth digging into their necks.
However, the flowing wolf avoided a specific area where an abnormally large monster ran rampant, destroying every beast in its path to a bloody pulp.
"It will take a while for a winning side to be decided," the mischievous pixie judged after observing for a while.
"Doesn't matter. This just evens the odds and serves as a distraction. The real battle begins now."
Through the ongoing battle, Mordred's eyes landed on Celine on the other side.
Swish!
Clang!
Right at that moment, a sharp object appeared through the air beside Mordred and thrust at him. However, the moment it landed on him, it deflected with the same force it struck.
"Ah!"
The figure holding the sharp object appeared—it was Celine. The figure of Celine on the other side of the battlefield disappeared like a dimming light.
"How ignorant. To think you expact me to stand here unguarded"
Mordred gazed at the newly appeared Celine, who was pushed back a few feet from him as a consequence of striking him.
Venessa moved like a shadow, appearing behind Celine and thrusting her hidden sword at him.
"Uh... Don't be bothered, he's not the one we want."
Despite Mordred's words, her sword went through Celine, but it passed through him like passing through light. Moments later, his figure disappeared like a dimming light.
"Perfect illusion, one of pixie kings sceptre ability. You seem to know more than I thought you should," the mischievous pixie questioned, growing more curious about Mordred's origin.
Among the beasts and monsters, the figure of Celine appeared.
"Well, that was a failure."
"Yes, it seems he's more knowledgeable than we thought. The mischievous pixie... she's doing all she can to turn the tides. Don't use any of the skills I taught you for the time being. Since she's my opposite, the mischievous pixie possesses the ability to counter my skills."
While the benevolent pixie and Celine were talking to each other, Mordred had already located them.
"You continue to hide from me. It's irritating. Let's see how you hide from this."
Mordred lifted his hand, and the ring he wore glowed with a strange red light. Red veins appeared on his arm, flowing downward like blood and ending at his mouth.
Wheee!
Mordred whistled, and it was loud, resonating through the whole village.
Every monster that heard the sound began to twitch, as if injected with new energy and rage into their bodies.
Raghhhhh!
A monster that had been struggling against a beast for a while suddenly rushed at it, tearing it apart.
"Pixie... What's happening?"
"It appears to be some kind of enchantment... No, it's something different. This... This kind of ability does not belong to humans."
As the monsters' rage intensified, the two of them struggled among the beasts, and the pixie gazed at Mordred with fear in her eyes.
"Who is he...?"
—"Who actually are you?" the mischievous pixie asked Mordred.
"This is the power of demons—an unspoken force in this world. How are you able to wield their power?" she continued to question.
"Didn't I say it before? I have an arsenal in which I put my complete trust."
While speaking, Mordred gazed at the ring on his finger.
Item Name: Demonic Seal
Grade: Prestige
Description: As the name suggests, this item contains a sealed demonic being. The user can wield four of its abilities.
Owner: Mordred Vorthian Arclore (Non-Bound)
One of the four abilities is called Devil's Adviser, which is the reason why monsters never attack me or my followers. If it were an ordinary monster, they would never obey the ring's ability. The trick is to establish a connection between the monster and myself.
All I had to do was add a tiny drop of my blood into each vial. The rest is simply science.
The reason for the surge of energy and rage in the monsters is due to the second ability of the ring, called Hour of the Devil. It enhances the strength of those monsters under my influence.
"My dear monsters, show them the hell you yearn for."
Mordred whistled again at the end of his words.
The monsters rampaged madly, brutally slaughtering every beast they encountered.
Ah!
With the assistance of a beast, Celine got away from the monsters and backed away. However, looking back and seeing the lifeless body of the beast that had sacrificed itself to save him, Celine fell into silence.
"No... No more death. Connoisseur, please help!" he screamed.
At that moment, a great roar of a lion resounded from the forest.
"Raghhh!"
With the roar, the beasts that were falling suddenly gained a burst of energy. However, instead of fighting, the beasts fell back, carrying Celine with them.
The monsters continued to pursue the retreating beasts, but as they fell back, they got closer to the forest. From the forest, sharp tree vines rushed out, and even from the ground, they appeared like thorns, piercing the monsters that followed the beasts.
"Guardian Lion of the Forest... So, the benevolent Pixie has already made a contract with him," mischievous Pixie murmured after observing the situation.
"Be careful of Connoisseur. Its ability makes anyone in its domain act in perfect manners," she then warned Mordred.
Mordred was already aware of the lion's presence in the forest. However, since the lion had not stepped out, it prevented him from locating it.
"It's time you did some work. Find the location of Connoisseur for me," he ordered.
After thinking a bit about his words, the mischievous Pixie finally flew away toward the forest.
"Are you okay?"
The benevolent Pixie asked Celine, who was lying on the ground, surrounded by a pack of wolves.
At that moment, close to Celine, was the Connoisseur Lion, exuding a faint, green, flowing, water-like effect that was being absorbed by the surrounding beings.
The green energy swirled around Celine.
"Absorb it. It'll make your condition more perfect," the benevolent Pixie landed on the lion's fur and instructed Celine.
The next moment, the green energy entered Celine's body, and he felt all the tension and stress in his mind disappear. He also started to see new ways of taking down the monsters and the man in the village.
"Where's the staff?"
Getting up, Celine looked around, and the staff, which had been floating around him, came closer.
Grabbing the staff, he took a step forward.
"Let's go, Pixie. I know a way to end this without causing harm to anyone else in my care."
"So this is where you've been hiding."
At that moment, a mischievous voice echoed as the mischievous Pixie appeared close to the Connoisseur Lion.
"Graaa!"
Before anyone could react, the lion roared and bit at the Pixie. However, she disappeared from her original place and reappeared elsewhere.
"It's so amusing to see you struggle like this, my dear opposite," she said before disappearing again.
Then came a huge roar, shaking the whole ground.
Celine and Pixie looked toward the village, where they saw a monster taller than anything they had ever seen rapidly approaching their direction.
Looking at the monster, Celine felt a familiarity with it, but he couldn't quite tell what it was.
"No... Oh, Celine..."
However, Pixie noticed something he didn't, and she showed sympathy for Celine. Then, Celine also saw the remains of clothing on the beast… It was the favorite dress his brother used to wear.
"Brother... What happened to you?"
Celine, now in his perfect condition, quickly calmed his raging thoughts and turned his gaze to Mordred.
He grabbed hold of the staff, lifted it, let it rustle against the air to grow familiar with it, and then pointed it at Mordred.
"Pixie, are you with me?"
"Always and forever," the benevolent Pixie replied, flying close to him and tapping the staff, increasing its shine.
"Thou who was chosen by mischief, yet broke the rules of the world by shedding unnecessary blood to your liking, is deemed unworthy to represent the side of misfortune. Thus, with the authority of the almighty King of Pixies, I hereby banish you to the Realm of Judgment."
At the end of his words, the staff released a beam of light that completely enveloped Mordred. Exposed to the light, Mordred remained calm.
"Pixie, if you may."
"Hehe, this is gonna be a fun night."
The Mischievous Pixie touched the light and bent it according to her will. The light twisted and redirected toward Celine.
In the next second, both Mordred and Celine disappeared from where they stood.
When Mordred could see again, he was in front of a giant waterfall. As he fully looked around, he realized he was standing at the edge of the waterfall. On the other side, he saw Celine, standing with the staff in his hand. The Benevolent Pixie was by his side.
"Something's strange... Where's my opposite?"
Celine also observed Mordred but did not saw the familiar purple glow that always stayed beside him.