Chapter 259: The Demon of the Flower (5)

“Well.” Ketal’s face grew thoughtful as he answered Materia’s question. “I left that place of my own will.”

Ketal had shattered everything that stood in his way and completed the Quests, escaping from that hellish realm by his own strength.

He paused, searching for the right words. “I was the only one who came out. I didn’t drag anything else with me. As for why other things are escaping now, I can’t say for certain.”

Yet, in truth, he had an idea. The timing of the beings from the Demon Realms rushing into the Outside had coincided eerily with his own escape. He recalled the final words spoken by the monster he had defeated at the end of his final Quest. When he considered all of this, the cause was not so difficult to infer.

Still, he could not be sure, and more than anything, he had no intention of sharing such speculations with an enemy. His conversation partner was a demon, after all. She was his enemy.

“I see. So you really don’t know? I wish you did.” Materia said, her face twisting with disappointment. She let out a long sigh, visibly frustrated.

“You answered one of my questions, so I should do the same, shouldn’t I? It’s only fair.” Ketal said calmly, his voice balanced. “If there’s anything you’re curious about, go ahead and ask. If I can answer, I will.”

“Very well. I have a question for you.” Materia’s eyes darkened, her voice growing low. She leaned closer, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Are the broken things inside... still there?”

Ketal frowned, uncertain what she meant.

“What do you mean by broken things? You’ll have to be more specific,” he asked her.

“You know... the things that don’t belong to this world.” Materia’s lips curled into a slight smile. Her voice became chilling. “Are they still trapped in there?”

The meaning behind her words struck Ketal, and he realized what she was asking. He nodded gravely. “They’re still there. Unpleasant things.”

Materia let out a sigh, disappointed. “So, they’re still stuck, then. I had hoped they would destroy each other, but it seems it won’t be resolved so easily.”

“They do fight amongst themselves,” Ketal replied. He himself had clashed with them more times than he could count. Materia’s expression turned pensive, as if the problem weighed heavily on her mind.

“I’ll have to think of a solution for that,” she murmured.

Ketal asked her quietly, “Does that answer satisfy you?”

“Quite enough.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’d feel guilty if I was the only one getting answers here.”

“Hmm.” Materia studied Ketal in silence.

The demon regarded him with a careful, almost scientific eye. He was composed in conversation, spoke with clear logic, and could control his emotions even in tense moments. He knew how to judge situations, and his tone was calm and measured. And above all, he was strong. Materia came to a conclusion.

“You’re a fascinating one,” she said, her smile lighting up her face.

“Would you be willing to give me your seed?”

“My seed?” Ketal tilted his head at the sudden and out-of-place question.

Materia nodded, her gaze unwavering. “If I receive your seed, I believe I could give birth to something truly extraordinary. With that, I could trample this world even more easily.”

“So your goal is to invade the world?” he asked her.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“For you, it would be an incredibly enjoyable time,” she whispered, her voice honeyed and thick, burrowing deep into Ketal’s mind. “I’ll show you pleasures you could never experience anywhere else. I’ll give you ecstasy so overwhelming your mind will burn, and you’ll never find excitement in anything mortal again. And even so, you’ll have no regrets.”

Her words were like a seductive whisper, tempting even the most ascetic monk to beg for the forbidden touch. Materia’s smile was faint and knowing.

“After all, you don’t really belong here, do you? Does it matter to you who rules the world?”

“That might have been true before,” he said, shaking his head, “but now I have ties in this world.”

Perhaps if it had been right after his escape from the White Snowfield, he could have considered it. But now, he had people he cared about. There was no need to hesitate. Demons were his enemies, and that would never change.

Materia clicked her tongue. “What a shame.”

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t given up.” Materia waved her hand lightly, and a web of black demonic energy began to coil around her arm, forming a gauntlet of pure malice. “Truthfully, I don’t need all of you. I only need your lower half.”

Suddenly, an electrifying killing intent swept through the area. If there had been anyone else nearby, the pressure alone would have stopped their heart. Even those who had fled to a safe distance now felt their breath catch. Ketal only laughed, genuinely pleased.

“Fighting demons like this suits me far better,” he said.

Every Hero needed a worthy enemy to battle with all their heart, and for Ketal, the demons filled that role perfectly.

Materia licked her lips, her gaze turning predatory. “I’ll just cut off your lower half and take it with me.”

“If you can, I’ll enjoy it,” Ketal replied, gripping his axe with anticipation.

***

A deafening crash shook the battlefield as Ketal’s axe met Materia’s gauntleted arms. The force of their collision shattered the air, cracking the ground beneath them and making the heavens tremble. This was only the first of many clashes.

Ketal swung his axe again and again, his blows relentless. Materia did not retreat but met each strike with a fist strengthened by demonic energy. Every time they collided, a shockwave thundered out, sending both fighters sliding back several steps.

“Impressive!” Ketal exclaimed.

Even as he gave his all, Materia held her ground. It was not simply a matter of raw strength. The dark energy wrapped around her arms felt like some kind of authority, hard and impossibly heavy, as if it possessed its own will.

Ketal rushed in again, bringing his axe down with a roar. Materia dodged swiftly, and the axe smashed into the ground, shattering the earth with a deep rumble.

Materia responded instantly, her fist aiming for Ketal’s side.

He twisted his body, dodging just in time, then stamped down with his left foot, bringing his right knee crashing toward Materia’s temple. A blow from that knee would have crushed even a dragon’s defense in a single strike.

However, Materia blocked with her arm, meeting the attack head-on without yielding an inch. She countered with her elbow, aiming straight for Ketal’s torso.

He raised his hand and intercepted the blow, absorbing the shock. The force erupted between them once again. Ketal retaliated with a kick, which Materia blocked, immediately responding with a punch of her own. Their duel grew more intense with each exchange.

So strong!

he thought, grinning. Not even Ferderica, the God of Hunger, had possessed such overwhelming strength. Though there were differences among incarnations, the gap in power here was undeniable. This was not even Materia’s true form.

The thrill of facing such a powerful opponent filled Ketal with elation, and he pressed his assault with renewed vigor. Materia, for her part, met every attack head-on. She was just as impressed by Ketal’s strength as he was by hers.

How can he be so strong?

she wondered.

Despite standing against one of the four Lords of Hell, Mother of All Demons, Ketal did not falter or lose ground. The number of gods killed by Materia’s hand was not small, and yet Ketal stood before her as an equal.

Even if she could not use the full power, the fact that Ketal could stand against her at all was nothing short of a miracle.

Moreover, he was incredibly skilled. Their weapons moved in a blur—her fists and his axe trading blows, stamping the earth and shaking the world with every clash. Yet Ketal never backed down or blocked blindly. He slipped forward with smooth movements, letting Materia’s force slide past, then struck her in the chest with his shoulder.

He’s so experienced

, she thought. She slid backward, eyes narrowing.

She had survived countless battles, even against gods, but Ketal seemed to have experienced even more, as if he had lived for ages beyond her own. He fought not just as a warrior, but as one who had wagered his very life in every battle.

What on earth did he do inside that place? How many years had he spent, what had he endured?

Materia thought as she felt a surge of curiosity.

Still, she was not without counters. Ketal’s strength was ultimately just physical power—simple and direct. There were countless ways to deal with such force.

She swung her arm, Ketal raised his axe to block, and their power collided.

At that moment, a dark slime-like energy slid from Materia, oozing along the axe and latching onto Ketal.

His expression changed, sensing the danger. He tried to shake it off, but the energy clung to him like a viscous, living fluid, impossible to remove.

Materia pressed her advantage, spreading the energy further over Ketal until half of him was covered. The weight grew heavier and heavier, and his movements started to slow.

Ketal let out a breath of awe. No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, it would not budge. Even with all his strength, this was a type of attack he could not easily overcome. Soon, his entire body was bogged down in the sticky demonic energy, unable to resist any further.

“Then I’ll be taking what I want,” Materia said, raising her hand into a blade, the demonic energy sharpening like a knife.

Ketal’s senses screamed in warning. That hand could pierce his heart.

Materia lunged, aiming for a killing blow. In that moment, a shrill ring echoed out, and Myst flared around Ketal.

Materia’s eyes widened in shock as the explosive power of Myst erupted, shattering the sticky demonic energy in an instant. The force that had bound him so completely just moments ago disintegrated into nothing.

Freed, Ketal threw his head back and let out a wild laugh. He rushed at Materia again, Myst swirling in his grip. Materia immediately shifted to defense.

Until now, Ketal had been unable to break through Materia’s guard. However, now, with Myst flowing through his weapon, the black energy shattered at the point of impact, sending Materia flying backward.

“Impressive,” Materia said with a hint of pain as she skidded across the ground.

“You are truly strong,” Ketal exclaimed, honestly impressed.

She was a rare opponent who could threaten him even when he fought with all his strength. It felt as if he was standing before a god who had descended to the Mortal Realm. Only by going all out could he face her. But things were different for him now.

He could channel Myst to strengthen his body and attack with greater force than ever before. Ketal grinned with genuine excitement. Even against an opponent of this caliber, Myst proved its worth. He realized that, even without going all out, Myst could compensate for many things. That was valuable information to him.

Materia rose slowly, her eyes fixed on her arm where she had blocked Ketal’s latest strike. She stared in disbelief at the place where the impact had landed. She had taken the blow directly from one of the Oldest Ones, yet her body had not broken. That was unusual.

Why?

she wondered

Fascination crept across Materia’s face. Ketal was an Oldest One capable of using Myst—though his control was still shallow, and his movements were not yet fluid, requiring several seconds to fully manifest. It was far from complete, with plenty of openings.

But if he ever perfected this power... how far can he reach?

she wondered.

What will happen if he faces my true self, instead of my incarnation?

The thought stirred her curiosity, but she suppressed it. After all, she was a demon invading the world, and such thoughts would only distract her from her goal. She needed to destroy him before he could master this ability.

Materia shrouded herself in demonic energy, ending the probing skirmish. Now, the real fight would begin, and it was a battle to the death. Ketal sensed the change in atmosphere, gripped his axe, and smiled.

Just as their power was about to collide once more, Materia suddenly staggered. Her body began to collapse, and she clicked her tongue in frustration.

“Oh dear. It seems I’ve reached my limit,” she said.

She had not descended into this world by normal means. Instead, she had forced her way through the crack created by Ferderica, twisting her form into the world. She could not remain much longer.

“Had I arrived properly, I could have stayed longer. But I’ve already spent too much power,” she said regretfully.

“My apologies,” Ketal replied, a wry smile on his lips.

“Don’t be. I enjoyed myself,” Materia said, her smile returning. “However... I don’t intend to leave quietly.”

Demonic energy oozed and writhed from her, gathering in her hands. She was preparing something terrible.

“If I just return like this, I’ll be scolded for acting on my own. I should do at least one more thing before I go.”

The demonic energy in her hands swelled and pulsed, growing thicker by the moment. Ketal’s face tightened. It was a bomb made of pure evil.

If it detonated, the entire region would be drowned in darkness. Unless a god personally intervened, the land would never recover. Ketal gripped his axe, readying himself.

“Try to stop me if you can. I doubt it’s possible,” she said, as if daring him to stop her.

Ketal’s power was primarily physical. Even now, his use of Myst was limited to enhancing his body. At this moment, Materia was gathering darkness itself into a tangible form, like a balloon filled to bursting. If he struck it with force, it would only pop and spread the darkness everywhere.

Ketal’s only hope was to burst the balloon before it reached its maximum power, but even that would not guarantee safety.

Still, Ketal laughed. His smile did not waver, and his laughter was sincere.

“Why are you laughing?” Materia demanded, her brow furrowed.

“You are strong,” Ketal said, his voice full of respect.

Materia was indeed strong, and even facing her with all his might, he found her a difficult opponent.

“For that, I owe you my gratitude.”

He tightened his grip on his axe and began to draw upon his Myst. Deep within, the beast of Myst that had been clamoring to be released now howled with joy, surging forward as Ketal prepared to unleash it on the world.