Chapter 144: Advent of the Great Evil (4)

“K-Ketal!” With a painful groan, Rakuza lifted his head weakly from where he’d collapsed, his eyes filled with both exhaustion and relief at Ketal’s arrival. Ketal reached down, placing a reassuring hand gently on Rakuza’s shoulder. “Sorry, I’m late. Destroying that altar took a bit longer than expected.” “No, it’s okay... I’m just glad you succeeded,” Rakuza replied. “Unfortunately, it seems things haven’t gone very well on your end.” Ketal’s gaze shifted thoughtfully, surveying the devastated battlefield—the signs of desperate combat were evident everywhere. Shadranes and Rakuza lay utterly drained on the ground, while the demon stood unharmed, looking completely at ease. It was painfully clear who had emerged victorious. Overcome with shame, Rakuza lowered his eyes, struggling to speak. “I’m so sorry...” “You have nothing to apologize for,” Ketal replied warmly. “I can tell at a glance that you gave everything you had. That’s enough. My only regret is that I didn’t get to witness your valiant fight personally.” “Thank you,” Rakuza mumbled weakly, assuming Ketal’s words were merely polite consolation. However, Ketal genuinely meant it. He truly regretted missing the chance to witness such a thrilling battle firsthand. It would have been quite entertaining, Ketal thought silently, suppressing a smile. “Well, rest now. Leave everything here to me,” Ketal reassured Rakuza. “Ketal, please be careful. That demon... is incredibly powerful,” Rakuza replied. “Oh?” Ketal’s lips curled into a faint, playful grin. “Is that right?” Turning around, Ketal stepped forward to directly face the demon. Lubitra stood motionless, eyes narrowed, quietly sizing up the newcomer. “Allow me to introduce myself again properly,” Ketal said cheerfully, clearly and enjoying himself. This was the third demon he had encountered; he couldn’t help but wonder what this new opponent might reveal. “My name is Ketal. What’s yours?” “I am Lubitra, the Demon of Twisted Threads.” “Lubitra... It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Lubitra’s gaze remained cautious as he observed Ketal’s carefree smile. After a moment, he spoke quietly, as though finally understanding. “You’re that barbarian Ashetiaar and Butler spoke of. Interesting. Our prophecy didn’t account for someone like you...” Lubitra nodded slowly to himself, as if acknowledging his earlier mistake. “I see now that those two spoke the truth. An anomaly beyond our prophecies... I owe them an apology—I’d assumed they were exaggerating.” “You demons seem to get along quite well,” Ketal remarked casually. “We even hold tea parties occasionally. While there are some troublemakers among us, we’re not all monsters,” Lubitra replied smoothly, his tone deceptively cordial. “Oh?” Ketal chuckled with genuine amusement. This conversation was already proving far more intriguing than he’d anticipated. “You’re quite strong, aren’t you?” This demon had successfully blocked Ketal’s first attack—something no other enemy had done since he’d ventured into this world. The brutal defeat of both Shadranes and Rakuza served as clear evidence of Lubitra’s overwhelming power. “How do you compare to Ashetiaar and Butler, I wonder?” Ketal asked him. “To even compare me with those two is insulting,” Lubitra replied calmly, without arrogance or boasting. His words carried the weight of absolute certainty. “Even if ten like them stood before me, they wouldn’t so much as scratch me.” Ketal’s eyes sparked eagerly, anticipation clear in his voice. “Is that so? Now I’m truly looking forward to this.” Lubitra stared silently at Ketal, his mind rapidly analyzing this strange adversary. I can’t sense anything significant from him, Lubitra thought. At first glance, Ketal seemed utterly unremarkable. Though Lubitra could detect a faint amount of Myst within him, it was negligible—barely enough to register as a Novice individual. If Ashetiaar and Butler were to be believed, this barbarian was exceptionally powerful. After all, he had defeated Ashetiaar’s domain and survived Butler’s authority of severance. Lubitra had initially dismissed such stories as exaggerated misunderstandings. Yet, the attack Ketal had just launched proved otherwise. It was impossible for someone completely devoid of Myst to deliver such a blow. “It matters not,” Lubitra muttered, clearing his mind of doubts. He calmly raised one hand. “Killing you will answer all my questions.” Twisted threads rapidly emerged from his palm, weaving and swirling into deadly tendrils. Ketal’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he watched. “You manipulate dark energy like threads. No wonder you’re called the Demon of Twisted Threads,” Ketal said casually, stepping forward with an intrigued smile. “Well then, I suppose I will make the first move.” As the words left his mouth, Ketal instantly vanished, reappearing directly in front of Lubitra. Lubitra’s eyes widened in surprise—he had momentarily lost track of Ketal’s movements. The barbarian reached out, swiftly attempting to seize Lubitra’s arm. “You...!” Lubitra reacted quickly, leaping backward while simultaneously unleashing a barrage of twisted threads. Countless dark strands shot toward Ketal, each thread moved with graceful ease. “You managed to dodge my attack,” Ketal murmured softly, genuinely impressed. Since venturing outside the White Snowfield, the only opponent who had ever reacted swiftly enough had been Adamant. But even Adamant had relied on automatic reactionary magic—so in truth, Lubitra was the very first to directly evade his attack with pure skill. Lubitra stared back in astonishment, hardly believing his eyes. What speed is this? For a moment, Ketal’s speed had completely eluded him. Lubitra realized he needed to treat this barbarian as a serious threat. His expression grew colder and more focused as he gathered a tremendous wave of dark energy, extending his senses outward. The air became charged, buzzing with an immense supernatural force. Twisted threads surged forward like countless spears, aiming directly at Ketal. The threads slammed into the ground, piercing stone and soil alike, causing the earth itself to quake violently. Yet, missing their target, they swiftly redirected, twisting sharply and attacking from multiple angles simultaneously. Arms, legs, and head—every vital point was targeted simultaneously. With unmatched agility, Ketal twisted his arms, raised his legs, and tilted his head backward, narrowly dodging each lethal strike. He’s fast, Ketal mused, excitement burning in his gaze. Lubitra’s attacks far surpassed anything Ketal had faced thus far. This demon was undeniably the strongest opponent he’d encountered in this world, and that realization sent a thrill coursing through him. However, Lubitra was left utterly astonished. Each thread he wielded carried lethal power—each one was as deadly as a killing blow, moving faster than the eye could follow. Even Shadranes and Rakuza had only managed to dodge by anticipating his attacks through divine intuition rather than sight. And even they had barely survived. Yet, this barbarian—a man supposedly incapable of using Myst—dodged each strike purely with raw physical movement. It defied all logic Lubitra understood. However..., Lubitra thought. He growled coldly. “How long do you think you can keep dodging?” Rumble. Even more threads surged forth, filling every available space. The threads Ketal dodged curved and returned, converging with newly summoned threads until the air itself was thick with dark energy. It was like an endless rain of death, leaving no room for escape. Yet, Ketal still evaded with impossible skill, his movements becoming increasingly extraordinary. But even his seemingly boundless agility had limits. “There’s no end to this,”Ketal muttered, observing with curiosity as dozens upon dozens of threads continuously poured forth from Lubitra’s palm, as inexhaustible as an endless spring. Soon, the threads filled the entire area, consuming all visibility. Ketal’s maneuverability rapidly dwindled, as each evasive move grew more constrained. Eventually, every bit of surrounding space was completely overtaken by Lubitra’s twisted threads, leaving only the small patch of ground where Ketal stood untouched. Lubitra smiled triumphantly. Nowhere remained for the barbarian to escape. “I have you now.” With a confident smile, Lubitra clenched his fist tightly. At once, the countless threads that had overtaken the space surged inward, converging upon Ketal simultaneously. Hundreds of deadly twisting threads crashed directly into him. The force of the impact alone shattered the earth beneath, sending massive shockwaves rippling outward. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the view of the battlefield completely. Watching helplessly from a distance, Rakuza let out a horrified cry. “Ketal!” Slowly, the swirling dust began to settle. Lubitra wore a satisfied grin, already certain of his victory—yet that expression suddenly froze. Shadranes and Rakuza both stared wide-eyed at the unfolding scene. “What...?” Hundreds of dark threads were embedded against Ketal’s entire body, pressing against him from every angle—but not a single thread had pierced his skin. “It’s heavier than I expected,” Ketal murmured softly, mildly impressed by the weight behind each thread. The force was tremendous, far greater than anything Ashetiaar, the Demon of Oppression, had even wielded against him. Isn’t this about as heavy as Nano’s attack? Ketal thought. It was astonishingly similar to the immense power Nano had possessed—an entity capable of wielding the mass of an entire palace. Can such immense weight truly be condensed into these thin threads? Ketal wondered. Perhaps this is the true nature of Myst—truly fascinating. “You really are strong,” Ketal admitted, clearly intrigued. However, Lubitra was utterly speechless, completely baffled by what he was witnessing. “Impossible... This is absurd!” His authority, the very essence of existence, had failed to even scratch the skin of a mortal being. Such a thing was inconceivable, yet the undeniable truth stood before his eyes. “Is this all you have? Then I suppose it’s my turn,” Ketal said. Taking a casual step forward, he flexed his muscles, applying pressure across his entire body. All the twisted threads restraining him instantly shattered into fragments, exploding in every direction. In a blink, Ketal closed the distance, appearing before Lubitra, who barely had time to even register his movements. Ketal’s fist drove powerfully into the demon’s chest. Lubitra flew helplessly backward, violently crashing into the earth and tumbling several times before coming to a stop. Ketal lightly shook off his fist, calmly waiting as Lubitra struggled back to his feet. *** “W-what just happened?” Rakuza’s eyes trembled, utterly bewildered by the scene he had just witnessed. Hundreds of deadly threads—each powerful enough to shatter a barrier reinforced by holy scripture—had directly hit Ketal. By all accounts, his body should have been destroyed, pierced from every angle. Yet, somehow, Ketal stood unscathed. The threads hadn’t even left a scratch. “What in the world...?” Rakuza simply couldn’t understand. And Lubitra shared his disbelief. “You...!” “As expected, you’re still alive,” Ketal noted with slight disappointment. His fist had undeniably landed squarely in Lubitra’s chest, a blow powerful enough to obliterate most foes. Yet, Lubitra remained intact, completely unharmed. Without Myst, it was impossible for Ketal to forcibly return a demon to their realm. He grimaced slightly at the frustrating limitation. “What an annoying restriction,” Ketal muttered. Lubitra stared silently, assessing Ketal carefully. How did he withstand my authority? Lubitra had previously dismissed Butler’s claim—that his authority of severance had failed against Ketal—as a misunderstanding or exaggeration. It was inconceivable for a mere physical body, devoid of Myst, to completely negate a demon’s power. Yet now, his own threads had similarly proven useless. “Ah, I see...” After a moment of thoughtful silence, Lubitra finally nodded in understanding. “Your body itself is Myst.” He wondered how a mortal could endure the authority of severance or his devastating power of twisting threads through sheer physicality alone. The answer was simple yet extraordinary: Ketal’s very body was itself a living Myst. Their authorities were manifestations of the world’s Myst. But if Ketal’s flesh itself was also considered Myst, his immunity suddenly made sense. However, that explanation did little to ease Lubitra’s discomfort. He frowned deeply, confusion lingering in his voice. “Just what have you built? What have you accomplished, to reach such a realm?” What trials has this barbarian undergone to attain such unimaginable physical prowess? How did that body remain intact under such impossible pressure? Lubitra thought. His answer was logical, yet he still found it difficult to accept. “It seems you’ve realized something about me,” Ketal responded casually. “Perhaps you’d like to share that knowledge?” “I see no reason to grant you such courtesy,” Lubitra snapped coldly. “You may be an enigma, but in the end, your rank is still beneath mine.” Lubitra slowly raised his hand again, releasing a fresh wave of dark threads—far denser, darker, and more powerful than before. Now that he recognized Ketal’s body as Myst itself, there was only one clear path forward: unleash a power greater than Ketal’s inherent Myst. “Butler and Ashetiaar may have failed, but their power is nothing compared to mine. Your insignificant body will be torn apart by my threads.” “I’d love to see you try,” Ketal replied with an eager grin. A torrent of dark threads surged forward once more, filling the entire space. Ketal clenched his fists tightly, charging headfirst into the storm of twisted threads without hesitation.