Chapter 558: The Battle For Velmora Begins

Damian’s cold laughter rang across the city as his hand slowly ran through his long black hair. The sound carried far beyond the city square, spreading through the surrounding streets and reaching even those standing inside the palace.

Everyone had gone silent.

Soldiers, ministers, nobles and civilians stared upward toward Lazarus, who hovered high above the battlefield and the battered and bloodied Hagrid kneeling on the ground, yet even the ancient God remained unusually still as he looked down at Damian.

Never had any of them seen a demigod laugh in the presence of a God. The concept itself was so absurd that many struggled to understand what they were witnessing. Some assumed Damian had lost his mind, while others simply stared with genuine concern for the young Prince who appeared to have no understanding of the difference in power between himself and the being standing before him.

"What’s funny?" Lazarus’ calm voice boomed across the city like thunder, carrying easily through the thousands of people gathered below.

Damian’s laughter gradually died down as he lifted his head. Unlike the madness everyone expected to see, his expression carried a genuine smile. That smile stunned the people watching through the countless water bubbles suspended across the air. There was no mockery in it this time. Damian simply looked happy.

"All my life has been a struggle since the moment I was born and abandoned by my parents, till the night I took my life and even after I was revived with this inheritance... I have been forced to fight over and over again for things that are easily handed down to people around me... I’m truly pleased, to know that all that struggle will finally come to an end here." Damian said, his voice carrying across the battlefield with surprising clarity.

Within the Violet Palace, Shin and Malachi watched Damian’s genuine smile through the projected water bubble. Neither boy spoke for several seconds. Malachi’s expression slowly changed as he processed the words.

"He committed suicide before he gained his inheritance...." Malachi muttered, his voice barely audible.

Shin’s brows immediately etched into a deep frown. He had always known that his Master possessed an unusual past, but hearing Damian speak about it so casually made him realize how little he actually knew about the man he had chosen to follow. Neither of them looked away from the projection.

Back on the battlefield, Lazarus revealed a mocking smile as he looked down at Damian. To him, the confession sounded like nothing more than the final acceptance of a defeated man.

"Scum... It’s good you have accepted your death... It would be stupid to cling onto hopeless life." Lazarus nodded with a smile, clearly believing Damian had finally understood the difference between them.

"Hahahahaha!" Damian suddenly laughed again, throwing his head back slightly. "Are all elves this stupid or is it just you?"

The smile vanished from Lazarus’ face.

Buzz!

A violent golden radiance erupted around the God as his expression turned vicious. The temperature across the city seemed to rise beneath the pressure of his presence, and countless people instinctively lowered themselves as the overwhelming divine force descended upon them.

Lazarus looked down at Damian from the comfort of the sky, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"What did you say to me brat?!"

"Today, the world will watch me take your life and all the bullying will come to an end. Never again will anyone have the guts to attack me or my realm again... It will all end with your death!" Damian hissed, his voice losing the amusement from moments earlier.

His gaze shifted toward Hagrid, who was still kneeling not too far away from the plaform. The moment their eyes met, a murderous gleam appeared within Damian’s pitch black eyes.

Hagrid’s body instinctively shivered, his memories of his previous exchange with Damian flashing through his mind.

"I’ll first start with you!"

Swoosh!

Damian’s figure vanished.

Hagrid’s pupils contracted as Damian suddenly appeared directly in front of him.

"STAY BACK!" Hagrid screamed, throwing his palm forward.

A torrent of crimson flames exploded from his hand, swallowing Damian completely. The flames roared across the city square, illuminating the surrounding buildings in a violent red glow as Hagrid poured everything he could into the attack. For a moment, Damian disappeared completely inside the inferno.

Then a hand emerged from the flames. Damian’s figure remained completely unmoved.

Not even his robes were scorched, and his expression remained calm as he casually extended his hand and interlocked his fingers with Hagrid’s. Before Hagrid could understand what was happening, Damian twisted his wrist with overwhelming force.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Hagrid screamed as his body lurched forward.

He desperately tried to retreat, but Damian’s grip was unbreakable. The Prince of Lust’s enormous hand locked around his wrist while his other, bandaged hand seized Hagrid’s arm just below the shoulder. Hagrid struggled frantically, his feet digging into the ground as he attempted to escape, but Damian simply tightened his grip.

"Don’t worry, you can leave now." Damian hissed.

He pulled.

The sound of tearing flesh was followed immediately by Hagrid’s scream as Damian ripped his arm from his body. Blood sprayed across the ground and Damian’s robes as Hagrid staggered backward, clutching the ruined shoulder with his remaining hand.

Several civilians turned their faces away, unable to watch the gruesome sight, while others froze in horror as they watched the gruesome scene with twitching eyes.

Lazarus’ expression became murderous.

"YOU DARE!!!!"

BUZZZ!

Golden light erupted from his body.

Lazarus transformed into a streak of blinding radiance and shot downward like a golden comet. The pressure arrived before his body did. Damian’s figure bent slightly under the invisible weight pressing against him, his expression twisting as he felt the overwhelming force bearing down upon his body. It felt as though an entire mountain had been dropped onto his spine despite Lazarus still being several meters away.

"Gods sure are heavy." A gasp escaped Damian’s lips.

Flame jump!

His body suddenly burst into flames and vanished.

The golden comet slammed into the ground where Damian had been standing.

BOOM!

The entire city square collapsed beneath the impact. Stone shattered and was thrown hundreds of meters into the air as a massive crater spread outward from the point of impact. A golden shockwave erupted across the battlefield, tearing through the clearing and scattering debris in every direction.

Damian reappeared dozens of meters away, his gaze narrowing at the sight of the incoming shockwave and he stomped down.

A violent purple shockwave erupted from his body.

BANG!!!

The golden and purple energy waves collided, but the difference in power was immediately obvious. Damian’s purple aura was overwhelmed almost instantly, and the remnants of Lazarus’ golden shockwave tore through him. His body jerked backward violently, his robes whipping around him as the force slammed into his chest.

He staggered several steps before dropping onto one knee.

"Blegh!"

Damian coughed up a mouthful of blood, the crimson liquid splattering against the shattered stone beneath him. His entire body shuddered as his chest heaved, each breath heavier than the last. He lowered his gaze toward the small pool of blood beneath him before letting out a quiet chuckle.

"This... Gods... are really something." Damian chuckled under his breath.

Puff!

Rin suddenly appeared beside him, staring at him with an unimpressed expression. He glanced at the blood beneath his knee before looking back at his face.

"Did you really think you would be able to stop the residual energy from a true God’s attack?" Rin raised a brow.

"I was hoping." Damian shrugged indifferently as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly raised his gaze.

Across the destroyed city square, Lazarus stood protectively before Hagrid, whose remaining body was surrounded by a golden barrier. Hagrid’s his face twisted with pain and humiliation. Beside them stretched a gigantic crater that covered hundreds of kilometers in radius.

Damian stared at the two figures for several seconds before slowly pushing himself upright. His breathing remained heavy, and blood still stained his lips, but the smile had returned to his face.

"Don’t worry, he will lose far more than his hands when I’m done with him." Damian’s voice drew the attention of both Gods.

Lazarus and Hagrid stared at him as Damian straightened his robes and stood fully upright. Their faces twisted with anger as the young Prince continued to stand despite the attack that should have crushed him.

"You have a lot to say for a dead man." Lazarus hissed.

Damian’s pitch black eyes narrowed, and the faint smile disappeared.

"Don’t be foolish... Everything I have done so far was to force you out of the skies.... The real battle starts now!" Damian hissed.

A deep purple light suddenly flashed within his pitch black eyes. The air around him trembled as an ominous pressure began spreading from all corners of the city square, and for the first time since the battle began Lazarus’ face twisted into an ugly frown as he eyes darted around nervously!