『To think you pulled off such a feat. Hahaha!』
Mephistopheles burst into laughter as he watched Elric, who had closed his eyes and was meditating.
No doubt, Elric must be feeling utterly exhausted by now.
Not only had he depleted his once-overflowing mana in just five minutes, but he had also pushed his body to its absolute limits.
And yet, without even resting, he had to focus on recovering his mana for the next phase of their plan—how frustrating that must be.
『Well, I suppose that's why I keep watching.』
Mephistopheles had to admit that his perspective on Elric was slowly changing.
At first, Elric had been nothing more than someone he intended to use.
As the descendant of a being steeped in hatred, Mephistopheles had always thought of eventually devouring him.
But, as they spent more time together, it seemed Mephistopheles had grown somewhat attached, to the point where he was beginning to silently cheer for Elric's endeavors.
Of course, that didn't mean he had any intention of actively helping Elric rebuild the Melvinger family.
Rather, it felt more like watching a future adversary grow stronger.
Mephistopheles, who was certain he would one day return to his prime, believed that if someone were to stand against him, they would need at least this level of talent.
And
Lately, Mephistopheles had been feeling more and more like he was gradually stepping back toward his old self, his prime.
After this war with Gregory was over...
Once he captured Azazel's shadow, Mephistopheles was convinced he would regain a significant portion of his strength.
He could reassess his relationship with Elric then.
For now, though, simply watching the chaos Elric created was entertainment enough.
『To think it's been so short since you mastered 'Winter,' and you are already applying its divine powers... a monster, without a doubt.』
The Northern Wind and Winter Blizzard.
Gregory had surely coveted both.
No, it was certain that they had.
The power wielded by the Winter Sage in his time had been so overwhelming that it could only be described as a 'miracle.'
But miracles often bordered on the unknown.
The Northern Wind and Winter Blizzard weren't just spells but rather something beyond mere magic, something that transcended into a realm beyond human capability.
Two sides of the same coin.
Yet Elric handled such powers with ease.
More than that, he twisted and adapted them as needed, even combining them with martial arts to create something versatile and dynamic.
Mephistopheles had been astounded when Elric momentarily interrupted the barrier around Ketrain castle using his divine power.
And when Elric had used the Northern Wind to possess himself with a wraith to make up for his lack of martial skills, unleashing
This boy's rate of growth… was terrifying.
Mephistopheles had thought Elric was dangerous before, but now, after gaining divine powers, the pace of his growth was accelerating even more.
By the time Gregory was defeated…
No, by the time this war was over, who knew what level Elric might reach? That was why Mephistopheles had come to this conclusion.
And with three of the four seasons still remaining, it was possible Elric could awaken the 'old power' of the Melvinger family.
Mephistopheles silently watched Elric.
How far could this monstrous boy go?
And
How long would Mephistopheles be able to witness his growth?
A vague thought lingered in his mind.
***
Elric opened his eyes about an hour later.
His eyes were calm and steady.
Considering that his pupils had been shaking violently just before he began meditating, this was an enormous change.
The eyes are the windows to the soul.
Just by looking at Elric's eyes, Mephistopheles could tell that he had succeeded in dispelling much of his fatigue.
『Are you back to your senses?』
"Oh, crap, you scared me."
Elric jumped back in surprise when Mephistopheles suddenly spoke, making Mephistopheles furrow his brows.
『How rude.』
"Well, wouldn't you be startled if the first thing you saw after opening your eyes was a guy's face staring at you?"
『...That's true. I suppose I should apologize for that.』
Mephistopheles was about to retort, but he couldn't help but nod because he seemed to have a point.
If he were deep in thought and opened his eyes to see Elric staring at him, he might've reacted with a punch to the face.
"Huh?"
『What is it?』
"Something feels off."
『...?』
"Are you really Mephi?"
『...What nonsense are you on about now?』
"I mean, the Mephi I know isn't one to agree so easily. He'd argue tooth and nail to make his point no matter what."
Mephistopheles couldn't help but wonder what kind of image this brat had of him.
If Mephistopheles could meet his earlier self who had just "agreed" with Elric, he'd probably slap himself across the face.
『If you're just going to spout useless nonsense, why don't you go back to sleep!』
"Is 'go back to sleep' something a great Demon King should be saying? There are much more dignified expressions. This just goes to show that rank and manners are totally separate."
『What did you just say, you little—!』
Ignoring the enraged Mephistopheles, Elric got up and stretched his body.
His muscles were sore and filled with exhaustion from pushing himself to the limit during the assassination of Sagnard.
Furthermore, focusing solely on restoring his mana had left his muscles stiff and his body feeling heavy, like it weighed a ton.
Still, as he kept circulating his Spell-power Circuits, he could feel himself waking up bit by bit.
'My senses have become even sharper. My muscles are responding more precisely.'
Elric thought that his current condition wasn't so bad.
Was it because he had experienced an expanded martial art theory?
Or was it because he had forcibly pushed himself to a breakthrough?
The vague understanding he once had of martial arts was now turning into genuine comprehension.
He could now control his physical movements, muscle adjustments, and mana circulation with much greater precision.
Even though the effects of the possession had worn off, leaving him without the surge of power it provided, the lingering impact was profound.
His understanding of his divine powers had deepened significantly.
As a result, despite his body not being in perfect condition, Elric felt confident that he could carry out the next mission.
If he encountered someone on the level of Sagnard again, it would be difficult, but if it were just his subordinates... they wouldn't pose much of a problem.
Elric opened his mind's eye wide, quickly surveying the battlefield.
The gates of Ketrain castle were wide open.
As if they weren't concerned about anyone infiltrating.
'No, it's more accurate to say they don't have the luxury to care about that right now. They must be in complete disarray.'
Elric extended his Preta Sense.
Perhaps because his understanding of martial art theory had deepened, he could now sense things much more widely, more broadly, and with greater detail.
It seemed like a large number of soldiers had left the castle.
They were probably chasing after Isabelle and the Star's Legion.
'Looks like they're doing well.'
Elric wasn't worried about Isabelle.
He had full confidence that she would not only shake off the pursuit but also deal significant damage to the enemy.
Meanwhile, the remaining soldiers were busily moving about inside and around the castle.
The officers, in particular, seemed very preoccupied.
They were likely trying to regain control of the situation—reporting the assassination of their commander to their superiors and rallying the morale of the troops.
They were too occupied with internal matters to worry about external threats.
'Well then.'
Elric smirked coldly as he stood up again.
'Time to pour even more oil on the fire.'
Now, with the main forces having left the castle, this was the perfect moment to plant the Melvinger flag in Ketrain castle.
Elric opened a bundle he had prepared earlier, taking out a flag and pole. Following the instructions from Ate, he assembled it into a three-meter-long family banner.
The banner bore the insignia of the magic royal family, the Melvingers.
Gripping the banner, which fluttered proudly in the wind, Elric released his concealment.
"Guh…!"
A soldier passing by was struck in the throat by Elric's hand blade and collapsed to the ground.
Thud!
The surrounding soldiers, who had been patrolling, immediately turned their attention to the commotion.
In that moment, emerging from the shadows, the figure of a man with golden hair and green eyes, wielding a giant banner, appeared before them.
"N-no way…?"
"It's the magician! It's the magician from earlier!"
"Melvinger has returned!"
The soldiers, who had first thought him to be a straggler from the retreating Star's Legion, quickly realized that the aura Elric exuded was far from ordinary.
One of the soldiers had even seen Elric's face during the assassination of Sagnard. Though the distance had been too great to make out the details of his features, the sight of his golden hair and green eyes was unforgettable.
"Sorry," Elric grinned coldly.
"But you're already too late."
Boom!
Elric deployed his magic armament again, launching himself toward the castle. He moved like a massive arrow fired from a ballista.
The soldiers tried desperately to block his path, but they were blown away by the whirlwind that surrounded Elric before they could even get close.
Elric's target was the front gate of the castle.
The barrier at the top was out of his reach for now since he couldn't activate his divine power. But with the gate wide open, as if inviting him in, it was a different story.
"What's going on? Why is there so much commotion?"
"There seems to be something… Gasp!"
"That banner…!"
"M-Melvinger has returned!"
"What the hell? Didn't the cavalry pursue him? Why is there still one left...?"
"Close the gate! Quickly!"
"Don't let him into the castle! No matter what!"
Through his Preta Sense, Elric could vividly sense the panic inside the castle.
Once they saw Elric—or more specifically, the banner he was waving—they fell into complete chaos.
They couldn't help but recall the nightmare they had just gone through.
"He's alone! And his condition doesn't seem good! We can catch him! Don't let him escape!"
It seemed there was at least one team leader with a good sense of judgment.
Following his orders, the soldiers raised their bows toward Elric, but they couldn't keep up with his speed. Their arrows only struck the empty ground.
Rumble!
At that moment, the drawbridge began to rise. They were trying to shut the gate before Elric could enter, but it moved far too slowly. He could faintly hear shouts urging them to pull the pulleys faster.
Sizzle—
Elric raised the shadows high. The Seal of Maleficence glowed once again, and he felt power surging back into his body, making up for his lack of physical strength.
And then.
Just as the gate was about to close, Elric made his move.
Boom!
It was as if a cannonball had struck. The gate was shattered to pieces, debris flying everywhere as a cloud of dust spread.
Tap!
Elric charged straight through the outer wall and deep into the inner castle. As he lifted his head once more—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The whirlwind he had brought with him roared, and the banner fluttered fiercely in the wind.
As if declaring that this place now belonged to the Melvinger family!
Elric raised his head high.
The gazes of the soldiers, filled with shock and disbelief, were all fixed on him.
He shouted at them with all his might.
"I, Elric Melvinger, Radiant Star Duke and Head of the Magic Royal Family, Melvinger, urge you all to surrender. Those who surrender will be treated respectfully under the Imperial Law of Prisoners, but those who resist will be executed immediately."
Elric's overwhelming presence spread across the entire castle.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]