Chapter 545: A Month Later

For the next month, a systematic purge of the Kitsune, Nagen, and Succubus clans began. It started within the imperial capital, where members connected to the three clans were arrested almost immediately, their crimes exposed and their positions stripped before executions were carried out without hesitation.

From there, the purge spread into the four provinces surrounding the capital. With Fulgur and Loyd personally overseeing the investigations, every hidden crime committed by members of the three families since Lin Qui’s reign was dragged into the light.

Officials who had abused their authority, nobles who had protected criminals, soldiers who had participated in the persecution of rival clans, and family members who had used their influence to bury evidence were all dealt with according to their crimes.

There was no room for old connections or noble status to save them. One by one, the foundations of the three clans were torn apart, leaving their remaining members terrified of what the next investigation would uncover.

At the same time, new clans began pouring into Velmora. Several Baron ranked clans, including the Lycan, Strawman, and Baxia clans, formally pledged themselves to Damian’s realm, while the Murloc clan entered Velmora under the Viscount rank. Even the Earl ranked Elcor clan did not hesitate to throw its support behind the most famous name in the Underworld.

Their arrival changed the political landscape almost overnight. Coupled with the presence of high bloodline cland like the Damika, Amon, Draconic, and Ifrit clans, Velmora had rapidly become a realm possessing enough military strength, noble bloodlines, and political influence to stand alongside the established powers of the Underworld.

Yet, there was one problem. These new comments has never seen the face if their Prince.

Bam!

Damian’s bedroom doors swung open for the first time in a month, and a thick wave of pink fumes immediately poured into the corridor, spreading across the floor and curling around the nearby pillars. The mist was so dense that visibility inside the room was almost nonexistent.

The only things escaping through it were feminine giggles, soft chuckles, and occasional laughter.

The royal guards stationed nearby immediately straightened, though none dared look toward the open doorway for too long. They had spent the past month hearing strange sounds from within those walls while knowing better than to ask what their Prince was doing.

Then, without warning, a terrifying presence exploded from the room, causing everyone in the corridor to feel as though their bodies had suddenly become three times heavier.

Several guards nearly dropped to their knees under the pressure, while William remained at the doorway with his head lowered, refusing to move despite the overwhelming force pressing against him.

Within the pink mist, a pair of purple eyes as bright as the twin suns of Velmora suddenly appeared, staring directly at him.

"You better have a good reason to interrupt my cultivation, or even you William, will not escape death." Damian’s voice was cold and empty, completely stripped of emotion.

William swallowed quietly before lowering his head even further. "Sire, Malachi, son of Olaf, the old man who fed you but died to the Order, has reached the capital and is currently at the royal court!"

The moment those words left his mouth, heavy footsteps echoed from within the mist.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The floor trembled beneath every step, yet William remained exactly where he was, knowing that turning his back on Damian at a moment like this would be far more dangerous than enduring the pressure.

Within seconds, a lone fifteen foot figure emerged from the pink mist and towered over him. Damian’s white hair had grown considerably longer during his month of seclusion, falling all the way to his knees, with several unnatural pink stripes running through it.

Yet the most noticeable change was the black tattoo covering almost every visible part of his skin. The markings crawled across his arms, chest, neck, and parts of his face, giving his already otherworldly appearance an even more ominous quality. He wore nothing more than loosely fitted bedroom robes, which barely concealed his enormous frame.

Damian’s purple eyes settled on William for a moment before he simply said, "Lead the way...."

William raised his head in surprise. He had expected Damian to at least change his clothes before appearing before the court, especially after remaining inside the palace for an entire month.

"My lord... Won’t you dress...." His voice slowly trailed off when Damian’s empty gaze shifted toward him.

"Lead... The way..." Damian repeated calmly, and William immediately bowed alongside the royal guards standing throughout the corridor.

"Yes, your highness!" he said hastily before turning around and beginning to walk.

Several guards quickly followed, their expressions carefully controlled as they tried not to stare at their unusually dressed Prince.

Behind Damian, the pink mist shifted as Rah’s voice emerged from within it. "Awwwn, are you really leaving? I only broke into the demigod realm a few days ago. I need more of you if I’m going to solidify my position in this realm."

Loth’s voice followed shortly afterward, carrying obvious reluctance. "Me too... I became a greater demon two weeks ago and I feel like I may become a demon noble in another week. Can’t you just stay?"

Alice then spoke from somewhere deeper within the mist, her tone more concerned than playful. "You just barely recovered function of your right hand but the wounds are still there... You don’t have time to do anything except train since your coronation is only a month away."

Mary immediately added, "Come on dear... Get in bed and we will help you forget about all your responsibilities."

A small smile finally broke through Damian’s otherwise empty expression as he glanced over his shoulder toward the pink mist. "Don’t worry ladies, this won’t last long. I’ll be back before you notice."

With that, Damian turned away and continued following William toward the palace entrance.

When they finally reached the front doors, Damian stopped. Shin was standing directly in his path with his scimitar already drawn, his eyes still covered by the piece of cloth he used as a blindfold. The guards immediately recognized the young man’s position within the palace and quickly moved aside, creating a wide space between the two.

Shin’s posture was tense, his grip tight around the scimitar as he faced Damian. "You scoundrel Master, you have taught me nothing since I came here. Today I will cut you down and regain my freedom!"

Shin roared before charging forward without hesitation. His scimitar thrust toward Damian’s chest, and the instant the blade moved, it unleashed a soul piercing scream as nearly a thousand afterimages appeared behind the strike. The sound immediately caused the surrounding guards to grimace and cover their ears, but Damian and William remained completely unfazed.

"Flying Swallow!" Shin roared as the countless afterimages converged upon Damian’s body.

Krash!

The scimitar shattered the instant it struck Damian’s thick abdomen. The blade failed to leave even the smallest scratch on his skin, while the force of the impact sent Shin staggering backward until he landed heavily on his butt.

Damian did not react immediately. Instead, he calmly looked down at his abdomen, as though inspecting the exact place where the blade had struck. Despite the attack failing to penetrate his flesh, he had felt the sensation of nearly a thousand strikes across his body, with the blow against his abdomen feeling like the final impact.

After taking his time to examine the area, Damian slowly shifted his gaze toward Shin. The young man sat on the floor with a deep frown on his face, staring at the shattered remains of his weapon before looking back at his master. Damian’s fifteen foot figure cast a long shadow over him, while his overwhelming presence seemed to fill the entire palace.

"As you must know, I have had my fair share of problems... lately, and these problems will persist for another month. Only then can I truly play my role as your master. However, there is one thing I can do for you... I can give you a new blade capable of cutting me. The question is, are you bold enough to accept this gift?" Damian asked calmly.

Shin’s frown tightened as determination replaced his earlier frustration.

"I dared to strike you, I am afraid of nothing!" Shin screamed.

Damian’s empty expression broke once more, replaced by a small smile. "Good... Good boy... That is what I expect from my disciple."

Damian opened his palm, and a powerful suction force suddenly erupted from his ring. The surrounding air twisted violently as wind spiraled toward his hand, carrying the faint pressure of a powerful cursed presence.

A moment later, a Japanese style katana with a fox shaped hilt was spat from the ring and dropped directly into Shin’s lap. The system immediately displayed its information before them.

[Name: Kaiku]

[Type: Cursed Weapon]

[Grade: Demi-god Grade]

[Abilities:]

[Haunting Wail: Unleashes the Wail of tens of thousands of the dead, bursting the eardrums of those who hear it and, if they are weak enough, causing them to pass out instantly. The user is unaffected by this.]

[Tainted Samsara: The blade has been forged in the Samsara white flames and the blood of demons, creating an unusual divine flame fueled by demon blood.]

Gasps escaped the surrounding guards as they instinctively stepped backward, their faces twisting with horror. Even while sheathed, the sword carried the faint cries of countless men, the sound leaking through its scabbard like the whispers of the dead.

Shin, however, did not hesitate. Damian’s multiplied irises stared down at him as he asked calmly, "So tell me Shin... Do you possess the courage to wield that cursed sword or were you just spitting empty words at me?"

Shin immediately grabbed the weapon, and Kaiku trembled faintly beneath his palm as though it recognized the presence of its new wielder. Rather than hesitate, Shin tightened his grip around the hilt and unsheathed Kaiku.

Immense white flames erupted from the blade, their edges traced with an intense crimson aura that completely consumed the weapon. The temperature in the corridor changed instantly, and several guards instinctively stepped farther away as they sensed the strange divinity contained within the flames.

Shin stared at the fire in uncertainty.

"Samsara fire?" he muttered, recognizing the white flames almost immediately, but something about them felt fundamentally wrong. They carried the purity of Samsara while simultaneously being stained by something darker.

"Tainted?" William asked, clearly taken aback by the revelation. Damian nodded slightly as he watched Shin examine the weapon.

"It’s tainted Samsara... A fire capable of cutting down light and evil. Perfect your control over this weapon and maybe, just maybe, you will be able to pierce my heart someday."

A small smile bloomed across Damian’s face as he looked at his disciple.

Shin slowly sheathed Kaiku before lowering himself into a deep bow. "Thank you, Master!"

Damian smiled and stepped closer, his delicate fingers reaching down and digging gently into Shin’s hair while the boy remained bowed. "Come with me, there is someone I want to introduce you to."

Shin immediately raised his head, surprise spreading across his face as he realized that whatever Damian had planned next was far more important than another lesson in swordsmanship.