The entire situation was thick with tension, the kind that seemed to suffocate the air around them. Theodore stood his ground, his crimson eyes locked onto Lenny, who suddenly burst into laughter. The sound echoed through the barren wasteland left behind by the slime queen's earlier rampage, every note of it dripping with mockery.
"What's so funny?!" Theodore growled, his tone laced with venom. "You know how I dealt with hundreds of soldiers, don't you? I can do the same to you. So, keep that smug smile while you still can."
Lenny's laughter only grew louder, his body shaking as if Theodore's words were the punchline of a joke only he understood. Wiping tears from his eyes, Lenny pointed at Theodore, his grin twisted with amusement. "You truly… are a child. Do you honestly believe a threat like that would scare me?"
(Damn it!) Theodore cursed inwardly, keeping his face impassive despite the panic clawing at his chest.
(I need time to gather what little mana I have left, but this lunatic won't give me that luxury. I can't let him see I'm running on fumes.)
Lenny's laughter subsided, his grin settling into something more sinister. "My prince," he began, his tone oddly reverent, "you're such a beautiful creature. A being destined to succeed, destined to rise above all. I know it… someday, you'll claim the throne and rule over the entire Kiran continent. You possess an intelligence and cunning far beyond your years. Honestly, it's as if…" He paused, his eyes narrowing as his smile widened, "…you're not even from this world."
Theodore felt an icy chill creep up his spine, but he maintained his stoic facade, refusing to let Lenny see how deeply those words unsettled him.
Lenny continued, stepping closer, his tone growing more unhinged. "The old Theodore… the boy I taught… was weak. Pathetic. A sickly child, cursed with no mana, no talent, no future. He was a slave to Caden, a disaster in every sense of the word. He wasn't even fit to call himself a prince." Lenny ran a hand through his hair, his movements erratic. "But then… something changed. Suddenly, that same boy came back from the dead, defied all expectations, and shattered every limit. You defeated your brother, humiliated an entire class, saved a cursed village that had been doomed for decades… It's as if you aren't Theodore at all, and yet, somehow, you are."
Lenny's gaze sharpened, and his lips twisted into a crooked smile as he scratched his head like a madman. "Tell me, Theodore… who the hell are you? Are you perhaps a…"
Theodore tensed, his mind racing as he waited for Lenny to finish his sentence.(What is he about to say?!)
"…A demigod?"
Theodore blinked, his lips curving into a faint smile of relief. "Think whatever you want, Lenny. If it makes you feel better to call me a god or a demigod, then by all means, go ahead."
But Lenny didn't seem convinced. His smile grew wider, more twisted. "You're so interesting," he said, his tone laced with deranged admiration. "My life was so boring until you came along. I don't know what you really are, but it's a shame I have to kill you… unless, of course…" He tilted his head, his expression darkening. "You'd consider joining me instead."
Theodore raised an eyebrow, his confusion briefly flickering across his face. "Join you? What are you, some kind of gang leader?"
Lenny chuckled, his laughter low and chilling. "A gang? Oh no, Theodore, it's far greater than that. I'm offering you freedom—a place where you can embrace your true self. A place where you'll be accepted."
"Accepted?" Theodore echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. (A place where I'm accepted? Is there really such a thing in this world?)
"I can see the doubt in your eyes," Lenny said, stepping even closer. "You don't belong in this kingdom, Theodore. You don't belong among these people. Come with me, and you won't have to keep pretending. You won't have to hide your dark mana anymore."
Theodore froze. His crimson eyes widened ever so slightly as a cold, sharp dread gripped his chest. (How… how does he know?!)
Lenny's smirk deepened, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Ah, struck a nerve, did I?
Theodore's grip on his sword tightened, his mind racing. "Are you part of one of those red cults?"
"Oh?" Lenny tilted his head, his expression feigning innocence. Then, in a sudden burst of manic glee, he exclaimed, "BINGO!"
Theodore's smirk deepened, his crimson eyes gleaming with unyielding resolve. "I see," he said, his voice calm but sharp, slicing through the thick tension like a blade. "I'm not interested in your little cult, so let's get to the part where I teach you a lesson. All this talk of dark magic… it's the perfect opportunity for me to try something new. You'll be my practice dummy."
Lenny chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Pff, you're as arrogant as you are naive, Theodore. I'll enjoy watching that smug little face of yours crumble when you realize you're nothing more than a fraud. Hiding behind pure magic, pretending it's your own… Do you think that charade will last forever? Soon, you'll see. The truth you're so desperately suppressing will consume you."
The green aura around Lenny began to twist and darken, streaks of black rippling through it like tendrils of corruption. His presence grew heavier, oppressive, as if the very air around him was being drained of life. "Behold my real power, prince."
Behind him, the queen of slimes let out a low, guttural growl that morphed into an ear-piercing screech. Her once green, gelatinous form turned a sickly, pulsating purple, laced with black veins that seemed to pulse in rhythm with Lenny's aura. The suffocating killing intent radiating from her made the ground tremble.
Theodore winced as the queen's scream intensified, the sheer force of it sending shockwaves rippling through the air. His ears began to bleed, crimson streaks running down his neck as he grit his teeth to endure the onslaught. The wind whipped violently around him, threatening to throw him off his feet. He dug the tips of his boots into the ashen ground, anchoring himself, his sword raised to shield his face from the searing gusts.
When the scream subsided, the forest was unrecognizable. What was once a lush, green haven now resembled a barren wasteland. The ground beneath them had turned to dry, lifeless sand, and the trees were reduced to hollowed stumps, their charred remains crumbling to dust.
Theodore's gaze swept across the destruction, his grip on his sword tightening. "So, this… is the power of dark magic?" he muttered, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
His body ached, his mana reserves were running dangerously low, but his resolve burned brighter than ever. This wasn't just a fight—it was a test of his will to endure, to overcome, to prove to himself that no matter what darkness he faced, he could rise above it.
Lenny's eyes narrowed as he watched Theodore's reaction, his expression twisting into a mixture of annoyance and fascination. "You're smiling?" he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Even now, you're pretending to be confident. What a joke. You're exhausted. I can see it in your stance, the way your aura flickers. You're barely standing, aren't you?"
"Maybe," Theodore admitted, his smirk unfaltering. "But even if I am, that's more than enough to deal with you."
Lenny's grin widened, his blackened aura expanding like a storm cloud. "Then let's see how long that bravado lasts."
The queen of slimes raised her massive, gelatinous arms, her body radiating a sickly glow. The air around her seemed to vibrate with dark energy as she let out another deafening roar, her shadowy form looming over Theodore like a living nightmare.
Theodore planted his feet firmly, his sword igniting with purple flames that danced menacingly along its blade. Despite the exhaustion weighing down his body, he held his ground, his gaze locked onto the monstrosity before him.
"I don't care how big you are," he muttered, his voice low but steady. "You'll fall just like the rest."
This wasn't just a battle against an enemy. It was a battle against himself, against his limits, against the fear that Lenny's words had stirred within him.
And Theodore had no intention of losing.