Chapter 266

The Deep Realm was always filled with gossip, but lately, the hottest topic was none other than the death of Agares.

As the official second-ranked demon of the Deep Realm was erased from the ranking board, the residents couldn’t stop talking about it. There were other noteworthy events, like the long battle between the Eastern Savage King and Ashtaros of the Scorching Flames finally reaching a conclusion, or the discovery of a new trial in the “Canyon Ruled by Shadows.” However, none of these could compare to the shock of Agares’ death, and so his name remained the talk of the town.

A lively conversation was taking place in the front yard of Wei Zhongqi’s house. The demons were sitting on wooden benches under a pavilion, indulging in delicious food as they spun their tales and spread their gossip.

“I heard the Demon Sword ended up in Illeina’s hands.”

“No way... Are you saying she killed the very king she served just to claim the sword?”

“That’s the most plausible theory. Not to mention, she probably absorbed his entire demon army as well.”

“But can just anyone wield that sword?”

“Man, you really don’t know anything. If she couldn’t handle it, do you think Illeina would have dared to kill Agares? Of course, anyone can wield that sword!”

Rain poured from the sky as if a hole had been punched through the clouds. Watching the northern region with his arms crossed, Wei Zhongqi let out a small click of his tongue before turning toward the kitchen.

***

The rain drizzled steadily.

A pair of demon horns protruded from a head of short, slightly wavy hair. Beneath them, Illeina’s crimson eyes burned with fury.

The vast demon castle, once ruled by her king, lay eerily silent. Agares remained seated on his throne, but his body had been split apart. The Demon Sword lay on the floor beside his throne.

“Oh, my Lord Agares...” she moaned, her teeth clenching with a grinding noise. “How...? Who could have done this?”

Agares had been murdered despite the castle’s formidable defenses and the ten thousand demon soldiers patrolling its halls. Whoever the culprit was, even she, his most trusted commander, had been kept completely in the dark. There were no signs of a fight, and the surroundings were pristine. Not a single wall or structure was damaged.

Though her heart boiled with rage, Illeina forced herself to think rationally. No matter how hard she tried to make sense of it, it remained incomprehensible. Knowing Agares’ power only deepened the mystery.

Fine. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Agares lost in battle. But to be killed this easily and cleanly, without even putting up a fight? That was simply impossible.

She slowly turned her gaze toward the Demon Sword. Apophis was a Hidden Piece that was known to possess a will of its own. The blade’s surface shimmered with a faint, eerie glow. Inside it, a pair of sinister eyes flickered to life, locking onto Illeina’s. As their gazes met, Illeina took a slow step forward.

A thick, slithering voice echoed in her mind, sending a chill down her spine.

—You have a good look in your eyes.

Suddenly, a dark purple aura seeped from the sword, lifting it into the air. It floated up until it reached her eye level.

—Do you want to know who killed your master?

The voice dripped with amusement.

As Illeina glared at the grotesquely distorted reflection of her face in the blade, a thought came to her. Her lips trembled as she murmured, “Was it you...?”

That night, when Agares breathed his last, there was no sign of intrusion or any trace of a battle near the throne. The demon castle had been silent. And when she reflected on it, there was something—or rather, someone—who had been closest to Agares.

—You’ve come up with quite the theory, but you’re mistaken. I wasn’t the one who killed him. I had no reason to do so in the first place. If anything, I was planning to use his body as a vessel for myself, so why would I kill him?

Illeina was skeptical but decided to listen. After all, without the sword’s testimony, it would be nearly impossible to piece together what had happened.

“Then who killed Lord Agares?”

—I don’t know.

“What?”

For all its cryptic rambling, the response was completely useless. Grinding her teeth, Illeina shot a murderous glare at the sword.

Apophis chuckled, amused by the audacity of the “child” staring it down. It briefly considered teaching her a lesson for her arrogance, but ultimately decided against it.

—There’s only one thing I can say for certain: whoever did it used a sword qi unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

“A sword qi unlike any other...? What exactly does that mean? Are you saying it was simply a high-level skill? Or do you mean it was from another dimension?”

—Both.

“Both...?”

—Yes. It was both beyond comprehension and not of this world. This idiot Agares didn’t even get the chance to lift a finger. Pitiful, really.

Illeina’s brow twitched at the insult hurled toward her master. A dark mist of demonic energy began swirling around her. Black, thorny vines formed from raw magical power shot forth from her hands, aiming for the sword.

Seeing that, the eerie eyes on the blade disappeared. A surge of sword qi erupted, slicing through the vines instantly before moving forward and severing Illeina’s right arm.

“

Keugh!

”

—You’re just as foolish as he was.

Apophis’ voice was filled with contempt.

“You... you bastard!”

—Careful. Unless you want to lose your other arm as well.

A wave of pain spread from the stump of her severed limb, forcing Illeina to her knees. She had heard how powerful the Demon Sword was, but she never expected the difference in their strengths to be this vast. She clenched her teeth, pressing down on the wound to stop the bleeding. Her rage had all but vanished, replaced by the cold realization of her own powerlessness. Tears welled in her eyes before she even realized it. She felt utterly, hopelessly pathetic.

—You’re quite sentimental for a demon. Such a troublesome personality. Well, that’s okay. You want revenge, don’t you? If so, I can offer you some assistance.

“Assistance?”

—Yes. I’ll grant you the honor of becoming my vessel. But there’s a condition.

The Demon Sword didn’t choose a master; it was the one who used its wielder, not the other way around. It only allowed Agares to wield it because he was useful enough. The woman standing in front of it was clearly less capable than Agares, but that didn’t matter.

“A condition?” Illeina asked.

—Find the one who killed Agares as soon as possible and take me to them. If you want revenge for Agares, my condition aligns perfectly with your desire.

Illeina blinked in confusion. This was essentially a deal with no real demands. She asked, “For me, sure, but why do you—”

—I want to go against their sword. I want to see who’s stronger, who’s superior. I’ve never faced a blade as seasoned as that one. I want to see with my own eyes which sword is greater.

The Demon Sword was brimming with excitement. It was a battle between two swords, and with one that had taken down Agares instantly. The Demon Sword took pride in being the most powerful weapon in the Core. From the moment it saw the strike that felled Agares, it couldn’t contain its excitement at having found a worthy rival.

“Is that all?” Illeina asked.

—Yes. That’s the sole reason I’ve chosen you as my vessel.

“Then I see no reason to refuse.”

—

Keke

.

Illeina gripped the Demon Sword with her remaining arm. The instant she did, its overwhelming dark energy began to envelop her body. Instantly, her severed left arm started regenerating. She then read the sword’s stats.

There was a special effect attached to the Demon Sword. It indicated the possibility of unlocking the “Gray” Status Window.

“Gray...?” she said, surprised. She had never heard of that color before. She thought the purple Status Window was the final tier.

Illeina activated the “Gray” status window. The Status Window Snake on her right arm let out a roar as its color changed from purple to gray.

[Status Window (Gray)]

Mastery: 0%

She felt oddly light on her feet. Uncontrollable dark energy surged throughout her entire body. Illeina was taken aback.

The Demon Sword cackled madly at her reaction.

—This is my power. It’s a tier above the purple you’re used to. This right here is the pinnacle.

What Illeina was witnessing and experiencing was information that had yet to be revealed within the Core.

Illeina swallowed hard. “The pinnacle?”

—Correct. When one reaches a hundred percent in their purple mastery, the door to the final stage, gray, opens. You’re now in a different class compared to others.

***

Illeina opened the ranking board. On the day the moon waned, the Deep Realm’s rankings were updated.

[Deep Realm Rankings]

1st (Tie): Baal & Imfelheim (-)

2nd: Illeina (▲2)

3rd: Murmu (-)

Since acquiring the Demon Sword, her rank had jumped two places. From being in the top ten, she was now listed as second within just a year. While Baal and Imfelheim still sat above her, it was a remarkable achievement.

Illeina stood on top of the Demon Castle, looking down below. She had spent her entire life looking upward, and now she could finally breathe the same air at the height Agares had once occupied.

“This isn’t bad at all,” she remarked.

Although Agares was dead, she had obtained the Demon Sword and ascended the throne. Until just a few days ago, she was consumed by anger, but now she felt utterly calm. No, she actually felt good.

“With the Demon Sword...”

She felt like she could become the strongest.

Indeed, the Demon Sword was the king among swords. It held the highest position among all the swords in the Core.

Illeina looked at the ten thousand demon soldiers lined up, a smirk on her lips. She raised the Demon Sword high into the air. With a loud rumble, dark clouds gathered overhead. Rain started to fall, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Although the Deep Realm was always dim, the area beneath the storm clouds grew even darker.

The demon soldiers all knelt on one knee simultaneously. Their disciplined movements signaled that they had accepted a new king.

***

A few days later, the front yard of Wei Zhongqi’s house was bustling as always. For reasons unknown, he now felt as though he was genuinely running a restaurant, with himself as the owner and chef. Gone were the quiet days, replaced by daily chaos.

“Boss!” someone called out to him.

“Oh, long time no see,” Wei Zhongqi returned the greeting.

“Right?”

She was a Dark Elf from the northern region, known as the Forest of Death. She had a particular fondness for salads. Though she hadn’t visited recently, she was back after some time.

“Could I please get a—”

“Salad to-go, right?” Wei Zhongqi interrupted her with a smile.

“Yes!” the Dark Elf replied with a bright smile. “Oh, did you hear? Illeina became the owner of the Demon Sword!”

“Yes, I heard the news as well.”

“I was completely shocked when I heard that.”

Wei Zhongqi nodded politely and pulled out a cabbage, washing it under the water. He placed it on the chopping board and started slicing. The Dark Elf watched from the side, scratching her lips, perhaps feeling a bit uncomfortable about his indifferent response.

Then, a dimensional gate opened with a crackle, and someone stepped through. It was Kiriel.

The Dark Elf waved enthusiastically when she saw him. “Oh, hey, Kiriel! Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“About the Demon Sword!”

“What about it?”

“Illeina got it.”

Kiriel scratched his head before asking, “Is she headed for Earth?”

“No such rumors yet.”

“Then it’s whatever.”