DKFTI 132

“Where did he go?”

Aizen, who was worried that Sibel might cause some kind of accident, didn’t wait for the Holy King any longer and withdrew quickly. Sure enough, Sibel was nowhere to be seen.

“The moment I take my eyes off him, he causes trouble.”

He briefly regretted not just taking Sibel along even though the office was dangerous, but it was already too late. For now, finding Sibel was the top priority. But in this place where he couldn’t use magic, the only way to find him was to rely entirely on instinct.

He followed the lingering scent in the hallway, tracing where Sibel’s gaze might have gone, and tried to guess his path.

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

But this place was full of things that could easily catch Sibel’s curiosity. Maybe he had gotten distracted again by some trinket hanging somewhere that looked pretty.

Aizen suddenly stopped as he walked through the corridor. In that quiet, deserted place, he felt someone watching him. But when he slowly looked around, nothing was visible.

“……”

Something was wrong. A chill climbed from his fingertips, brushing his nerves in an unpleasant way.

“What the hell is this?”

Something here had changed.

***

The plaza was so crowded that there wasn’t even room to set a foot down. People from every corner of the continent had gathered to witness the Holy King’s blessing ceremony with their own eyes.

The sky was clear without a single cloud, and the sunlight pouring down painted the entire Holy Kingdom gold like a divine blessing.

But behind the terrace, in the dark waiting room untouched by that brilliant light, Leviathan wearing the Holy King’s shell looked down below with an expressionless face.

“They look just like a swarm of ants.”

A soft murmur. Unable to hear the contempt in his voice, Calypse, the commander of the Apostles; who was standing behind him, spoke respectfully.

“The preparations are complete, Your Majesty. It’s time for the Holy Kingdom to display its glory to the world.”

Calypse’s eyes burned with the devotion of a fanatic. He firmly believed this grand ritual was a sacred mission that would destroy the demons and turn the Holy Kingdom into an eternal empire of light.

Although the campaign against the demons had met difficulties, he believed that once this ceremony ended, they would receive the blessing and be able to continue their crusade with renewed fervor.

While he was steeling his resolve, the Holy King slowly turned his head to look at him.

“Glory?”

The corners of his lips lifted smoothly.

Sensing something different in the Holy King’s demeanor, Calypse felt a strange strain he couldn’t explain. The Holy King had always been an intimidating presence to him, but especially in recent days, it had become difficult even to meet his gaze.

“It feels almost like a festival.”

“The people see the blessing ceremony as a festival.”

The ceremony was both a sacred ritual and a celebration that everyone looked forward to. That was why Calypse had worked so hard to make today flawless.

“What do you think marks the end of a festival?”

“Well… perhaps joy, or unity… But since this is a blessing ceremony, I think it should leave behind a sense of reverence.”

After some thought, Calypse gave his answer. Hearing that, the Holy King clasped his hands behind his back and looked out the window. He stared at the clear sky for a long while, then turned toward Calypse.

“I think it’ll be screams.”

“Pardon…?”

Startled by the sudden strange remark, Calypse instinctively lifted his head.

A shadow covered the Holy King’s face, backlit by the light. He stepped forward with a gentle smile.

The moment the distance closed, every hair on Calypse’s body stood on end. Instead of the warm holy power he should have felt, a cold aura surged around him. It was damp and chilling, like facing a deep, dark abyss. His armor and his nerves screamed a primal warning.

“Or despair. And you’ll be the one to begin it.”

Calypse’s expression stiffened. Under the Holy King’s golden eyelashes, a crimson light gleamed in his eyes.

Sensing danger, Calypse reflexively reached for the sword at his waist. As the strongest knight of the Holy Kingdom, his reflexes were unmatched, but his opponent was faster.

The Holy King flicked his fingers through the air, and the shadow on the floor jumped up like a living snake, coiling tightly around Calypse’s neck.

“Kh… ghk…!”

His feet lifted off the ground. His throat tightened, and his vision flickered white. Struggling desperately, Calypse glared at the Holy King. Only then did he see the vast darkness hidden beneath the holy shell.

“You… kh, who… who are you!”

The Holy King—no, Leviathan—smiled.

“I’m the one who’ll let you meet the god you worship.”

Crack.

The pressure around his neck grew stronger. But even in that final moment, Calypse refused to give up and swung the holy sword in his hand.

Swoosh–.

The holy power that emanated from the sword grazed the Holy King’s cheek. The shell that should have bled red split for a moment, then healed again.

“…De, demon…”

Calypse’s face turned red. His breathing became shaky, and his vision began to blur. In the darkness that spread before him, he saw the dark energy wrapping around the Holy King’s body.

“Kh, khk…”

Why hadn’t he realized it from the start? That question alone filled Calypse’s mind. His struggle was desperate but short-lived. In an instant, his body went limp, and at the same time, his breath stopped. His lifeless body fell to the floor.

Leviathan looked down at Calypse’s corpse sprawled at his feet as if it were a bothersome piece of trash, then flicked his finger to sweep it away into the depths of the darkness.

He straightened his robes and, once again wearing the merciful mask of the Holy King, unauthorized copywalked toward the terrace flooded with light.

Creak–. The great doors opened, and the Holy King appeared, dressed in his pure white ceremonial robes.

“Whoa!”

“Long live His Holiness! Glory to the Holy Kingdom!”

Tens of thousands gathered in the plaza cheered. The ground trembled with their shouts. People waved their hands with tears streaming down their faces, worshiping the Holy King who they believed would save them.

Leviathan stood at the railing and looked down at the sight with the most benevolent smile.

How fervently they rejoiced for the butcher who would slaughter them. Leviathan slowly raised his right hand. As he did, the wild cheering of the crowd fell silent as if silenced by a spell. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the Holy King’s blessing to fall from his lips.

But what they heard was not a blessing.

Buuuuuuu–.

From somewhere, a heavy horn sounded. It was the Holy Relic, the Horn of Resonance. The sound shook the air, loud enough to tear through eardrums and heavy enough to crush hearts. It was less a blessing than a funeral dirge announcing the end of the world.

“…Huh?”

People began to murmur. Dread spread quickly through the crowd.

Then, like an illusion, the brilliant sun began to darken. As if someone had spilled black ink, darkness devoured the sun in an instant. The blue sky of midday turned into pitch-black night.

“W-what is this…?”

“The sun… the sun’s gone!”

Panic and fear swept through the plaza. People screamed and ran in confusion. It was a perfect total eclipse. Only the black sun hung alone in the sky. In that eerie darkness, the Holy King alone watched calmly.

Then, the blackened sky split apart.

“Ugh!”

“Kyah!”

“My head… it hurts, kuhk!”

“Hey! What’s… ghk, ghk!”

The power infused into the Horn of Resonance was the magic Leviathan had accumulated for thousands of years. He had a mission to fulfill, even if he had to pour his entire being into it, so there was no reason to hesitate.

Some of the people gathered in the plaza coughed blood and collapsed from the sound. Others struggled like madmen, their bodies turning blue one by one. Blood gushed from every hole [visit our site]in their bodies as they transformed into violent, monstrous forms.

The city descended into chaos in an instant. The air was thick with the smell of blood, and screams filled every corner. The holy knights rushed to contain the situation, but they were no different from the others. Even protecting their bodies with holy power couldn’t fully block the resonant sound.

Wonnnng— woonnng.

Leviathan closed his eyes and savored the ecstatic vibration.

“Do you hear it? This is the prelude to your coming. My god, my light, my…”

Before he could finish, his lips curved into a smile.

Everything was unfolding just as he had planned. It wouldn’t take long. Compared to his long, weary life, this was but a fleeting moment.

Tap tap tap!

Just as he was about to savor the triumph of his apocalypse, something struck him hard, accompanied by the sound of rapid footsteps.

Thunk!

Leviathan looked down at the sword blade that had pierced through his abdomen. The impact threw his body off the terrace and sent him plummeting to the ground.

When he turned back, a familiar face greeted him.

“You filthy bastard.”

It was Aizen, consumed with uncontainable fury. The two of them fell side by side from the second-floor terrace to the ground below.