DBOFS 82

Chapter 82

Above Godwin’s estate, now turned into a scene of utter chaos, dark smoke curled up in patches across the sky.

The enemy’s attack, bolstered by summoned mages, set fires everywhere, burning the stones, earth, and trees surrounding the East Pavilion.

It was a complete mess.

Due to the siege against Godwin and Layerga, there was no trace left of the usual dignity and order within Godwin’s estate.

The faces of knights and soldiers both inside and outside the estate were smeared with blood and dust. Many were injured, collapsing or needing support from others.

Yet their pallor wasn’t due solely to exhaustion.

Grraaargh—

A strange sound resonated from the ground. Something black and unidentifiable seemed to fill the floor.

Under the darkening sky, as the blood-red sunset faded, it looked at first like waves rippling across a night sea.

But upon closer inspection, it appeared more like writhing tentacles of a grotesque beast…

“…Ugh!”

Lenor covered his mouth.

As Layerga’s heir, this wasn’t his first battle. He wasn’t unfamiliar with killing.

He had never faced so many enemies at once, but he believed his mind was strong enough not to vomit at every corpse and scene of death.

Yet…

“Disgusting…!”

He felt nausea. He could hardly suppress his instinctive revulsion.

He wanted to run.

Lenor’s instincts screamed a warning: flee from that ominous, horrifying presence—!

With his heightened intuition, capable of piercing the essence of things without realizing it, Lenor trembled as he backed away.

From Harris, the master of it all.

“Harris, get a grip—!”

The former duke shouted several times, but Harris stood motionless in the heart of hell as if he heard nothing.

He was black.

On this night, around Harris and his feet, even the moon and starlight seemed unable to penetrate, and from that darkness poured all manner of shadows and malevolent energy.

Though his black garments weren’t stained with blood, one cheek bore a dark crimson smear.

Harris moved his power mechanically, without emotion, yet with utter ruthlessness.

“Kraaah!”

To slaughter the enemies forced through the skyward magic circles to attack Godwin and Layerga.

Of course, the enemies weren’t simply standing idly by.

“Die! Die!”

“Use the scrolls!”

“Where are the mages?!”

Bang! Bang-bang-bang!

Fireballs that could burn flesh to ash rained down, along with bullets and blades.

But…

“What… what is this!”

The black, tentacle-like power healed almost immediately after being cut by swords and dispersed like smoke when struck by magic, only to gather again.

“P-please! Spare me…!”

Those who realized they could not win eventually fell to their knees in surrender, but the black force swallowed them like a tidal wave.

“This monster—!”

Even those who resisted until the end met no other fate. Horrifying screams rang endlessly in the ears.

Even allies were struck with terror at the scene. Princess Irene, who had been aided, felt shock and fear rather than gratitude.

‘No matter how powerful an S-class ability user is, this…!’

To protect Dimuiard, Princess Irene had tested many ability users in Layerga.

The most powerful and ruthless among them was the Mercenary King, Alucas.

He destroyed the maze and tight security she had prepared with his overwhelming flames and brought Layerga’s long-time rival back.

His results had been chilling but within expectations.

Even an S-class like him had limits—strong, yet predictable.

But Harris, the nephew who had awakened the ancient beast ability “Void,”

“…isn’t human.”

He didn’t even seem like the same species.

Someone muttered with a pale face,

“Monster…!”

“B-Baron Lian—”

Lenor recounted every detail of Jade’s actions.

Dimuiard, kidnapped by a flying monster, and Jade, who immediately leaped onto the creature upon seeing Dimuiard.

‘No matter what happens, I told you to stay safe! Why…!’

Harris twisted his face in disbelief.

He couldn’t imagine such reckless madness.

‘People were falling from the flying monster, and even Jade and Dimuiard nearly fell! Somehow, they managed to cling on…’

Yet the flying monster had flown into that cursed forest.

Harris gritted his teeth.

‘Damn it.’

He had already strained himself covering the distance from the dungeon to the estate.

Void abilities weren’t exactly teleportation.

But Harris had already “territorialized” part of Godwin’s estate with his Void power.

He plunged himself into the Void and performed the insane act of “jumping” through his domain.

All because Jade could not be sensed in the territory, which alone was ominous.

“…Cough.”

Harris paid the price for his madness.

He swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his mouth and struggled to maintain consciousness.

He still couldn’t fully control his Void ability.

Unlike exerting full power inside the dungeon, entering and exiting the Void caused immense strain.

Before Harris even left to search for Jade in the cursed forest behind the North Pavilion,

“Die! I said die!”

Raw hatred and malice crashed upon him.

Thud—!

The weapon hurled at Harris was consumed by the black, viscous force before he could even notice.

Technically, he had intruded into the battlefield at will, but the Void ability, which prioritized the master’s survival, ran rampant amid the chaos.

“Ugh…ugh…”

He had to deal with this first to safely find Jade.

Harris, swept along the battlefield, gripped the reins of his out-of-control power to eliminate enemies.

[Kieeeeeee…!]

From afar came the roar of the flying monster.

Boom—!!

Followed by the trembling earth.

“Jade!”

Harris’s normally pale face lost all color.

He didn’t know where or how Jade had fallen while clinging to the monster.

‘No, I can’t even be sure she’s safe.’

His rationality, the only thing restraining him, slowly began to fail. Dark red veins spread across his white neck and face.

At that moment, the Void power ran unchecked, terrifying everyone.

“…Harris-sama?”

Jade had emerged from the forest.

Jade.

Harris lifted his head at the sound of her voice. Her red eyes were clouded, seeming unstable.

But when her silhouette appeared, his dull eyes brightened.

He hastily withdrew his power but still hadn’t realized how wrecked he was. His semi-out-of-control senses had long dulled.

“M-Monster…”

“Not human.”

“How—!”

Harris, extremely sensitive to negative emotions, only now registered her voice and gaze.

It didn’t matter. He was used to it. He didn’t care if someone found him disgusting or feared him.

That is, it wouldn’t have mattered—if it weren’t Jade.

‘Monster!’

His father’s voice echoed in his mind.

This time, Jade might truly distance herself. Driven by instinctive fear, Harris immediately hid his bloodied hands behind his back.

If even you, Jade, see me like that…

[No one loves you.]

The wicked voice, dormant while he had control, reverberated in his mind.

[You have no value.]

[You’re unnecessary. No reason to exist.]

[No one will ever love you!]

A primal, irrational curse that stirred deep desires.

[You’re vile.]

[Disgusting, filthy, evil, and despicable.]

[Who could ever cherish a creature like you, who would ever love a monster like you—!]

The voice echoed endlessly.

Harris didn’t even notice his body stiffening.

Because in front of him, Jade faced him with a distorted expression.

“H-Harris-sama…?”

Her voice trembled.

It was the same expression people at Godwin Manor often showed when he was young and foolish.

‘Why?’

Harris felt the blood drain from his body.

Jade had rarely looked at him with that face or spoken in that tone.

Yet now…

‘…Blood.’

Realizing there was dirty blood on his face, Harris hurriedly tried to wipe the stains.

‘She’s scared because of the blood.’

But even his trembling hands were stained, and the blood only smeared worse.

What should I do?

His breath stopped. His heart felt like it would burst.

‘If even you see me like this…’

If you don’t love me, if you despise me as worthless and meaningless…

Then I…

His bloodied hands trembled violently. His oxygen-starved brain shut down.

Frozen like a child, helpless, Harris…

“Uwaaah—! Why did you only show up now?!”

“…?!”

Jade suddenly rushed at him, almost like a body slam.

But before he could fall, her arms wrapped him tightly,

“I was scared…!”

She buried her face in his chest, sobbing. Despite the fact that the real monster was Harris, it seemed she relied on him entirely.

“…”

Harris stared blankly at her, unable to blink his red eyes.