Chapter 519: Dark Demon Dak Controls Netherfire (6k)
Watching the frenzied flames, Dak narrowed his eyes slightly, gradually sensing a familiar sensation.
It wasn’t until his gaze shifted back to Angus Jeffrey that he suddenly realized how similar this scene was to the “Demon King’s Execution Ritual”!
The Angus Jeffrey surrounded by gray flames resembled a burning “demon king’s corpse.”
The flames dancing around the arena were like the spectators affected by the barrier.
But in another glance, Dak realized that this was a common scene often seen in activities such as “sacrifices” and “speeches.”
It wasn’t actually rare.
The only common point to note was the word “ritual.”
Whether it was Dak’s memory of the “Dark Duel” or the current “Duel Field,” both had the shadow of a ritual.
Now, the ritual was nearing its end, and the final outcome was about to appear.
As the ultimate victor of this duel, he just needed to wait patiently to enjoy the fruits of victory.
What he should really be concerned about was the taste of those fruits—whether they were sour or sweet.
…
He didn’t have to wait long.
The gray flames swirling around Angus Jeffrey’s body rose like a whirlwind, completely separating from his body.
Angus Jeffrey’s cries abruptly ceased at that moment.
But he seemed to collapse entirely, with even his hands holding his head hanging limply.
The gray flames continuously ascended into the sky, seemingly carrying something invisible away.
Only the fire on his forehead continued to burn.
“Is it memories being carried away?”
While Dak pondered this, he saw the gray flame on Angus Jeffrey’s forehead suddenly rise upward, stretching the originally vigorous flame into an extremely thin line.
Then, the flame curled up like a snake, instantly shooting out when it reached its limit!
The tail of the flame connected to Angus Jeffrey’s forehead was pulled out entirely!
The previously listless Angus Jeffrey let out another scream.
His entire body jolted due to the stimulation, and the twisted expression on his face suddenly relaxed, leaving his half-open eyes empty.
Only then did the flames in the “Duel Field” quickly gather towards that single gray flame regaining its original shape.
The gray flame greedily absorbed the flames, devouring them all within seconds.
The color of the flame solidified significantly.
Dak stared intently at the flame, feeling a slight fluctuation in his mana, and instinctively extended his hand.
The flame suddenly vanished and reappeared in his palm!
“This…”
He reflexively wanted to retract his hand, but the flame did not emit heat; instead, a coolness entered his palm, causing him to look surprised.
Following that coolness, information fragmented like extracting data from a magic card suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Dak quickly processed that information, his face gradually revealing understanding.
Then…
He gathered mana in his five fingers, forcefully squeezed, and deformed the gray flame.
But the flame did not extinguish; instead, it slipped through his fingers and reformed.
Dak’s eyebrows twitched, his eyes showing a strange expression.
For some reason, this gray flame did not enter his body like it did with Angus Jeffrey.
This did not align with its nature.
Of course, it might want to, but it couldn’t.
…
With the gray flames taken by Dak, the “Duel Field” that Angus Jeffrey had expanded naturally dissipated.
The eerie aura lingering in the arena quickly vanished.
No one knew that a “Dark Duel” had occurred right under everyone’s watch, nor did anyone know what Angus Jeffrey had experienced before and after this duel.
Dak looked up at the opposite side, where Angus Jeffrey’s eyelids were twitching, and his vacant eyes were being filled with some consciousness.
When he blinked suddenly, it was as if he had been greatly startled, shouting loudly!
Then, he pressed the spellboard, beads of cold sweat appearing.
Dak frowned and cautiously asked, “Senior Jeffrey?”
The friendly greeting transmitted through the amplifier was received normally by Angus Jeffrey.
He seemed to understand that he had lost again in the duel… no, in the second duel.
But his memory clearly lacked anything related to “gray flames.”
“I lost again?”
Angus Jeffrey raised his hand to press his forehead, feeling an immense void inside his heart, endless emptiness overwhelming him.
He interpreted this as disappointment from losing to Dak and gritted his teeth, responding, “This time you won, but you won’t always win!”
After these words, he grabbed a magic card and walked unsteadily toward the tiers.
…
Watching the silhouette of Angus Jeffrey gradually descending from the competitors’ platform, Dak pursed his lips and recalled his golems back into their cards, then turned and descended from the platform.
That gray flame floated beside him, following him all the way down.
When Dak reached the ground, he looked at Olivia, who was smiling and waiting, and whispered, “Let’s go.”
They didn’t wait for Jessica to lead the way and quickly left the arena.
After they exited through the passage of the circular corridor, they encountered a noble who looked somewhat familiar.
But Dak didn’t have the patience to engage with these nobles whose paths might never cross. He casually claimed he was tired and pushed away those nobles spouting grandiose rhetoric, then quickly found Pandora and Aurora.
Next to them, Phelix exclaimed in surprise, “Dak, what exactly was that construct you summoned last? It completely overwhelmed Angus’s fat penguin!”
“It’s an armored one,” Dak replied with a smile.
When Phelix heard “armored,” she couldn’t help covering her mouth and said, “It’s a Valkyrie… I mean, it’s the Duke, isn’t she the one who taught you?”
Dak nodded, “Of course.”
Then, Olivia suddenly stepped forward, leaning close to his ear and whispering something.
Dak looked surprised, then apologetically said, “Sorry, Phelix, I might have to go back. Tonight’s dinner will have to wait for another time.”
Phelix, observing the lady-in-waiting who had already retreated, said with interest, “No problem, but next time when I invite you, don’t refuse.”
“End.”
“Of course not.” Dark smiled slightly.
Then he took Pandora and Aurora with him and quickly left the Enchantment Hall.
…
It wasn’t until all four of them were back in the carriage that Pandora asked curiously, “What’s going on?”
Dark said, “I suddenly remembered that there’s still your farewell party tonight.”
“Isn’t it supposed to be held later?” Pandora’s lips curled up.
Dark smiled and said, “I suddenly feel it’s better to do it earlier.”
Pandora replied, “Alright then, since there’s nothing interesting here anyway.”
The carriage fell silent for a moment.
Aurora curiously observed the two people beside her but didn’t say anything.
The carriage soon drove out of the bustling garden where the Enchantment Hall was located, heading towards the main road leading to the Duke’s Mansion.
As the sun set and twilight fell, the pedestrians on the main road hurried along.
When the sky outside the window was completely engulfed by the orange-red sunset, the pedestrians and carriages on the road became increasingly sparse.
The dragon rider guarding the carriage lit the lamps hanging on both sides of the door and slowed down the pace slightly.
It was only then that Dark extended his hand, closing his fingers, and the gray flame condensed in his palm.
Pandora looked curiously at his action and asked, “In your palm?”
“Yes,” Dark nodded. “A gray flame.”
Pandora shook her head. “Can’t see it.”
Aurora couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly can’t you see?”
Dark took a deep breath and said, “Wait a bit longer.”
…
Before the night turned pitch black, the carriage finally arrived at the Duke’s Mansion.
Once the dragon-horned horse slowly stopped, the four people inside the carriage stepped out one after another. Then, Dark dismissed the maids who came to greet them and quickly entered the mansion.
The Duke’s Mansion was still brightly lit, and the maids from the “White Sheep Palace Maid Team” were still diligently preparing for the farewell party.
Alvaraite and the others, who had eaten a little, chatted and drank tea in the living room.
Seeing the lights in the room, Dark walked upstairs, pushed open the door, and entered.
“Back already?”
Alvaraite saw a treasure she hadn’t seen during the day and naturally showed a delighted expression.
“Did you take Pandora out to have fun properly?” Claire casually teased.
Hephaestus sipped her tea with a smile.
But that smile quickly faded.
All three of them keenly sensed something unusual in the atmosphere.
Dark nodded at them and quickly walked to the center of the living room, sitting in a chair in front of the tea table.
Pandora sat down next to Hephaestus.
Aurora sat next to Alvaraite.
“Click.”
Olivia locked the door and walked over.
Only when everyone gathered did Dark grab that gray flame again, slowly spreading his palm, and said seriously, “Can you see it?”
Among these three people present, one was the legendary “Valkyrie” who stood at the pinnacle ten years ago, another was the famous “Beast Sage,” and the third was a pure-blood White Dragon with the “True Dragon Eye”!
If even they couldn’t see this gray flame, it would mean that even in the Underworld, it was no ordinary thing.
However, the worst-case scenario did not occur.
Except for Claire, Alvaraite and Hephaestus clearly showed signs of having witnessed something.
Thus, Claire complained, “So, what did you all see?”
Alvaraite’s expression eased slightly as she said, “I can only see a blurry shadow.”
Hephaestus glanced at her and immediately smiled, “Then I might have seen more. Wait a moment.”
Clearly, she was very happy about surpassing the Valkyrie in some ability.
Hephaestus looked at the gray flame in Dark’s hand again, slowly widening her eyes.
As mana gathered, white light appeared in her eyes, and her pupils disappeared instantly, causing two beams of white light to shoot out from her eyes.
Dark’s mind moved, and he proactively brought the flame close to Hephaestus’ “gaze.”
After being illuminated by that “gaze,” the gray flame took on a shadow-like form.
But from its external outline, it was still evident that this was a flame.
Claire exclaimed in surprise, “This flame, where did you get it from?”
Dark then began to recount today’s events slowly.
“Hold on, you’re saying this is a trophy from your duel with the son of the Jeffrey family?”
Claire interrupted him and asked, “So, where did the son of the Jeffrey family get this flame?”
Dark took a deep breath and said, “The information I obtained is also limited, but if things go as expected, this should be something that leaked from the Underworld.”
“From the Underworld…” Claire asked curiously, “Could it be Underworld Fire?”
Dark said, “Until we truly understand its origin, we can temporarily call it Underworld Fire.”
“Hold on.”
Alvaraite interrupted their conversation again, solemnly saying, “Is it that Angus Jeffrey initiated the duel against you?”
“Mm-hmm.” Dark nodded. “This is the second time.”
Alvaraite frowned and asked, “Has he targeted you in the Mana Academy?”
Dark smiled slightly and said, “Seems so, but I don’t really remember much.”
“Is that so?” Alvaraite said, “According to what you’ve said, although Angus Jeffrey is possessed by the Underworld Fire, he hasn’t lost his consciousness, just his personality has become more radical, and he has an inexplicable obsession with duels?”
Dark looked at the gray flame, holding it on his fingertip and gently moving it, and said slowly, “In fact, I obtained some fragmented memories from this Underworld Fire. This Underworld Flame may be a manifestation of a fragment of individual consciousness. It’s merely a small part of it.”
“Because that individual consciousness has a strong obsession with dueling, it created the ability to initiate a duel ceremony after possessing Jeffrey.”
“And its ‘duel’ isn’t necessarily a Mana Duel. Its initial consciousness might have been directed toward gladiator duels or knight duels.”
“But in this era, Mana Duels almost monopolize the meaning of ‘duel.'”
“So it adapted to local customs…”
“Mm, actually, it’s just a guess. It could also be because Jeffrey’s concept of a duel is a Mana Duel.”
Dark’s eyes reflected the flames as he continued, “Jeffrey was possessed by the Underworld Fire while watching the Demon King’s execution ritual. There might be many others like him who were possessed. If the possessed person is a warrior, the duel might involve real blades and guns.”
“At present, those possessed by the Underworld Fire exhibit extreme aggression, causing the possessed individuals to develop a strong inclination to attack.”
Driven by the desire for duels. Of course, there are also those with strong wills who can suppress this impulse.
And if one wins in the duel domain, they can not only extract memories related to the Underworld Fire from the loser’s mind but also seize part of the ability associated with the type of duel.
Applied to a Mana Duel, what is taken away is part of the mana and knowledge!
Angus Jeffrey seized much mana and knowledge from several duels in these few days.
If he had enough time to accumulate and digest them, he might become even harder to deal with.
In short, I call this kind of duel a Dark Duel!
…
As Dark explained in detail, the other three finally realized the danger hidden beneath that Mana Duel.
Olivia couldn’t help but clench her fists. She was only one competitor’s platform away from the young master, yet she didn’t detect the unfolding of the “duel domain” at all. If the young master hadn’t been so excellent, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Pandora and Aurora also frowned as they listened.
After a slight regret, Pandora couldn’t help but look into Hephaestus’s eyes.
Originally, she wasn’t too concerned about the “True Dragon Eye,” but now she felt a new sense of longing.
“Perhaps I should seriously explore the mysteries contained within dragon blood?”
While Pandora pondered with a frown, Aurora also became worried about her own lack of ability.
She had always been somewhat confident in her abilities, but since coming to the Duke’s Mansion, that confidence had dwindled.
She gritted her teeth and set a new goal for herself.
…
“Dark Duel?” Alvaraite considered carefully and said with concern.
“If things are truly as you described, the situation will become very complicated. At that time, the crowd gathered around St. Louis Square came from all over the world, including many demi-humans and remnants of demon clans and evil sects. If they gain the ability to initiate a Dark Duel…”
“Don’t be so pessimistic.” Claire shook her head. “The Church has convened a Holy Tribunal on this matter. Perhaps they will even launch a new Holy War.”
Alvaraite couldn’t help rolling her eyes at her: “That would make things even more troublesome.”
After saying this, she turned to Dark with unexpected calmness and asked: “So, after winning the Dark Duel, you also gained some of Jeffery’s mana and knowledge?”
But Dark shook his head: “No. I only got some fragmented memories. Besides Angus Jeffrey’s experiences, there was only a special spell.
Jeffery compiled it with Mana Language and combined it with the power of the Underworld Fire to forge two Mana Cards named ‘Underworld Stele.’ Of course, those Mana Cards are now useless.”
“Why is that?” Claire asked.
Dark rolled his eyes at her and said: “Because I did not accept the possession of the Underworld Fire!”
Claire laughed: “I know that, I just wanted to hear you say it yourself.”
Dark sighed and said: “Actually, I’m more worried about what the Underworld Fire itself can gain from a Dark Duel? It feels like it has grown bigger than when Jeffery first obtained it.”
Claire said: “According to what you said, it could be mana, or something else.”
Dark continued: “Also, have you considered that if two people, both possessed by the Underworld Fire, were to duel…”
Claire decisively said: “Regardless of the outcome, the Underworld Fire of one person would be absorbed by the other. It would continue to grow until…”
Dark worriedly said: “Eventually, it might awaken its own consciousness. And as the Underworld Fire grows larger, the possessed individual may also gain more special abilities.
This way, they would actively seek out others who are possessed. It’s like raising poisonous insects; the ultimate victor would be the king of the insects!”
Claire shrugged: “It sounds quite threatening. But don’t you have a piece of the Underworld Fire yourself? Maybe you’ll be the ultimate king?”
Dark helplessly said: “I repeat, I did not accept the possession of the Underworld Fire!”
Claire smiled: “Then have you ever thought about why you can see it, while we cannot?”
Dark’s tone stuttered, hesitating: “Maybe because I won in the duel. According to the rules of the duel, I gained ownership of this piece of Underworld Fire?”
He drew a circle with his index finger, and the Underworld Fire revolved around his fingertip, looking obedient like a little dog.
Alvaraite frowned: “No matter what, you must be cautious. If the Underworld Fire shows any abnormality, report it to Mother immediately. If it happens in the Academy, go find Principal Altair. We know nothing about this Underworld Fire, so we must be vigilant.”
Dark nodded and added: “Actually, the most troublesome thing about this Underworld Fire is our lack of understanding of it. Apart from the two of you, no one else can perceive it.”
“That’s true.” Alvaraite said, “Otherwise, we could search for all the possessed individuals and conduct systematic experiments on the fusion of Underworld Fire.
However, based on what we’ve seen so far, this is basically impossible. But you don’t need to worry too much, Mom will take care of everything.”
Dark couldn’t help agreeing: “Yes.”
…
The invisibility of the Underworld Fire made it extremely difficult to search for the possessed individuals.
And the essence of the “raising of poisonous insects” made it unsuitable for public disclosure.
Otherwise, it would only accelerate the process of “raising the insects.”
After Alvaraite and Claire learned through Dark’s hands about some characteristics of the Underworld Fire, they temporarily put this matter aside.
They didn’t forget that there was still a farewell banquet for Hephaestus and Pandora that night.
Neither Hephaestus nor Pandora changed their plans to leave because of this sudden incident.
By eight o’clock in the evening, the banquet hall was already filled with various delicacies.
Then, Dark and the others entered together with the Golems.
Unlike Dark’s birthday party, this evening’s banquet was less formal, and only close friends attended.
The Golems ran happily in the hall, adding a lively atmosphere to the farewell banquet.
When everyone was full, they all went up on stage and danced together.
In the middle of the dance, Pandora quietly pulled Dark out of the dance floor.
The young man and woman came to the balcony. The warm summer breeze caressed their cheeks, and the bright moon hung in the night sky, their faces blushing like rosy clouds.
“The moon tonight is so beautiful.”
…
[Three-in-One 6000+]
[137/233]
[From today until July 3rd, I can’t edit the text, so I can’t insert images.]
