DKFTI 133

“Where the hell is he?”

Aizen pushed his way through the crowd. He’d been scouring the palace all night, but Sibel had vanished without a trace. Now he was searching outside the palace.

Of all days, it had to be the day of the blessing ceremony. The city’s people had gathered in the plaza, leaving the streets crowded shoulder to shoulder. His head throbbed. Everything was chaos already.

‘Something’s definitely happened.’

He had a bad feeling about this.

Then it began. A majestic sound began to resonate through the plaza. As the sky darkened, Aizen was overcome with a subtle sense of unease.

Buuuuuuu

The people’s cheers turned into screams in an instant. A terrible demonic energy mixed with the trumpet’s sound burrowed into their brains.

“Ahhhh!”

“My head, my head’s going to split!”

People clutched their ears and collapsed, rolling on the ground as blood poured from their noses and mouths. The peaceful festival turned into hell in a heartbeat.

“What is this…”

Aizen quickly scanned the area, surrounded by those coughing blood and writhing in agony. His instincts screamed the source was ahead. He looked up toward the terrace.

The Holy King stood there. Under the pitch-black sky, his figure glowed eerily bright. He looked down upon the carnage below without emotion.

‘That’s…’

Aizen’s eyes widened. He couldn’t mistake the black haze swirling around the Holy King, it was demonic energy. And not just any kind. It was darker, heavier, more immense than any he’d ever faced.

Rage burned through Aizen when he realized the man before him was not the Holy King he knew.

Who dared to wear the Holy King’s face and unleash this horror?

Suddenly, a man’s face flashed through his mind. Leviathan…Yes, it was definitely related to that madman.

All the puzzles pieces fell into place. The Holy King’s strange behavior. Sibel’s sudden disappearance.

‘It was you.’

Fury surged to the top of his head. Aizen drew his sword. Reason vanished from his eyes. He sensed the moment had come to carry out Brivan’s request.

Aizen started running.

***

Getting behind the Holy King wasn’t difficult. The guards and holy knights had already lost their minds to the horn’s power.

Tap, tap, tap!

Aizen charged with all his strength. While Leviathan was still absorbed the chaos, Aizen’s blade pierced through him.

“You filthy bastard!”

Aizen’s sword flashed like lightning. The sound of flesh tearing split the air as Leviathan’s abdomen burst open. The two bodies collided, smashing through the terrace railing.

Crash!

Their bodies lifted into the air. Even as they fell, Aizen refused to release his sword.

When they hit the ground, he grabbed the impostor’s collar and slammed him down. He couldn’t hold himself back.

“What are you? How dare you wear his face…”

Aizen’s face was distorted like a demon’s as he pinned Leviathan down. The Holy King’s expression didn’t change. He only looked up at Aizen without saying a word.

Screams still filled the air around them, but the shock of the impact had disrupted Leviathan’s power for a moment.

The Holy King, or what wore his body, reached out. His rough fingers brushed Aizen’s cheek.

“Your eyes… they remind me of the man I once was. That’s why I really…want to kill you.”

Leviathan’s hand grabbed Aizen’s throat. At that moment, the Holy King’s holy shell burst apart in a swirl of black smoke, revealing Leviathan’s true form beneath.

His appearance has changed. His once vibrant body was now ashen, and his golden hair had dulled to gray.

“Kh…”

Leviathan hurled Aizen aside, then slowly rose to his feet. His gaze turned to his pierced stomach.

Dark blood spilled from the wound where the sword had been, but his mangled flesh mended in seconds.

He sighed as he looked at Aizen, who was already struggling back to his feet.

“Did you kill the Holy King?”

Aizen’s voice trembled.

“All humans will die today,” Leviathan said calmly. “Whether he died sooner or later makes no difference.”

The flat, almost gentle tone sent a chill down Aizen’s spine. His fists clenched tight. He wanted nothing more than to ruin that smug face right then.

But the more his anger flared, the more he forced himself to think. He needed a plan.

He needed to figure out how to end this.

Whatever Leviathan was doing, his sorcery was aimed at humanity. Not just ordinary people, but holy knights and priests as well. It was a curse that divine power could not block.

That meant there was only one way to end it, he had to kill Leviathan.

“Did you take Sibel?”

Aizen rubbed his aching wrist as he glared at Leviathan.

“You are smarter than I thought.”

Aizen’s face twisted in fury. Leviathan didn’t like the transparent, blind emotion he displayed. Feelings like that always created variables. He knew it better than anyone. The answer lay in the path he had walked.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’m removing a threat. I have a cause, and power enough that I no longer need to rely on heaven’s will.”

“You’re insane.”

Aizen let out a hollow laugh. He knew a long time ago that he was a crazy bastard.

As soon as the answer fell, Aizen’s sword sliced through the air. This was no [stolen content]ordinary swordsmanship. A concentrated, murderous strike aimed at Leviathan, and Leviathan, the target of Aizen’s attack, didn’t dodge but instead parried the blade.

Clang!

A clear sound, like metal clashing with metal, rang out. It was blocked by Leviathan’s arm. Leviathan’s body had hardened, as if it were made of rock or metal.

“Your sword can’t touch me.”

“Fuck, I have to try it to know.”

Aizen applied more force to his sword, but it failed to pierce even a single inch of Leviathan’s flesh.

“Ugh!”

Leviathan swung his arm, and Aizen was hurled backward. He rolled across the ground, barely managing to get back on his feet, adjusting his grip on the sword again. His eyes still burned with determination.

If once wasn’t enough, he would do it again twice, three times, or a hundred.

“You still don’t realize how meaningless your struggle is.”

Aizen ignored the taunt, focusing on his next move. The taste of blood filled his mouth; he must have internal injuries.

“I’m tired of playing with you now.”

Leviathan shook his hand in annoyance. The demonic energy around him thickened, his a[Read on]shen skin turning to stone.

“This time, it’s my turn.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Leviathan vanished. With a speed close to teleportation, Aizen instinctively leaped to the side.

Boom!

Leviathan’s fist slammed into the spot where he had been standing. The impact caused the stones on the plaza tloor to explode, creating a massive crater. Even though it only grazed him, blood flowed from Aizen’s side.

Aizen bit his lip. Could he find a weakness? Think. Quickly.

A murmur could be heard from around them. Leviathan’s power had suddenly faltered, weakening the curse and causing people to regain their senses.

Aizen suddenly realized that Leviathan might be too strong for him, but right now, his massive power was spread thin, fueling the ritual meant to annihilate all humans.

‘There is definitely a gap.’

“It’s disgusting how you act like a god who condemns humans.”

Aizen said, wiping the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

“You won’t be able to see the new world coming. It’s a shame I’ll kill you without being able to fully witness your despair.”

Clang!

The blade, drawn from its scabbard, glowed blue like dawn. A holy aura enveloped Aizen’s body. Leviathan’s brow furrowed slightly.

“You have a fun toy.”

Aizen slowly infused his power into the sword. The relic, unaffected by distinctions of light or dark energy, greedily absorbed everything he gave it.

“Who dies first, we’ll just have to see.”

At that moment, the spell Ruru had placed on Aizen shattered, revealing his true appearance. People around him began to recognize him.

“It’s the hero…!”

“Apostle Aizen is here to save us!”

Although Aizen was no longer a holy knight with divine powers, he was still a warrior to the people. This was a natural consequence of his unwavering justice.