ILDBL 37

Chapter: 37

I’m Not the Demonic Cult Leader, I’m the Baby Clan Head

An empty lodging after everyone had left.

Beside Karina’s bed, a small, round little ball of fur that had been curled up suddenly jerked its head up.

The ash-gray puppy, ears perked, stared out the window for a long while as if it had sensed something.

As though it had felt someone’s presence far away beyond the glass.

After gazing outside for some time, the puppy finally placed its plump front paw on the floor.

Then it shook its body vigorously.

Glancing around for a moment, the puppy began to walk forward, sniffing with its bean-sized nose.

It looked as though it were trying to track down the owner of that presence.

Sniffing as it toddled into the hallway on its short legs, the puppy suddenly scrunched up its nose.

“Grrr…”

Baring its tiny teeth with its cute little snout, it whipped its head around before squeezing its body under a table.

Its fluffy backside didn’t quite fit underneath at first.

But after frantically kicking its hind legs, it managed to hide itself completely beneath the table.

Soon after, footsteps could be heard.

“Are you sure the puppy’s really in this building?”

“The captain said so. What choice do we have but to look?”

They were Ludovico’s knights.

The way they hunched over and moved cautiously made it obvious to anyone that they weren’t acting openly.

The two men walked past the very table where the puppy was hiding.

Only after their presence completely faded did the puppy finally wriggle its way back out from under the table.

Even then, its bottom got stuck again, forcing it to flail its short hind legs for a while. Once it finally freed itself, the puppy looked in the direction the men had gone.

Sniff—

Letting out a proud little huff, the puppy then dashed off in the opposite direction from where the men had entered.

Tap, tap—its cute footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Jack stared blankly at Alberto, who was embedded in the wall.

Largo, who had already gone over to check Alberto’s condition, raised his hand and announced the result.

“Out of bounds! Alberto is disqualified!”

A deeply satisfied smile spread across Largo’s face as he shouted.

Though he was acting as a referee, Largo was undeniably on the Batius side, and he couldn’t fully hide his expression.

Even after hearing Largo’s ruling, Karina’s momentum didn’t diminish in the slightest.

Denian—one of the very few people Karina acknowledged in this world.

He reminded her of her own childhood.

Perhaps because of that, her gaze kept drifting toward him, and she found herself worrying about him.

That was why she had personally taught him the sect’s inner cultivation method, and why she had quietly passed on techniques she’d used back when she served as an assassin in the Black Slaughter Unit.

A child filled with malice and obsession.

Yet one who became endlessly soft toward those he gave his heart to.

Seeing Denian take a spear through the shoulder in Ariel’s place had triggered something buried deep within Karina.

“Aren’t you calling your allies?”

Karina’s low voice was steeped in killing intent.

Sensing danger instinctively, Jack raised his hand without further hesitation.

Seeing that, Karina twisted her lips.

“Good.”

Marienne soon stepped lightly onto the arena floor and glared at Karina.

“So I finally get to fight you.”

As she spoke, Marienne drew a slender rapier from her waist.

Like the others, its tip was capped with blunt rubber for sparring.

Of course, if the children here went all out, a blunted blade hardly mattered.

Karina watched her calmly, then spoke.

“This is annoying. Come at me together.”

There wasn’t even a trace of mercy in Karina’s eyes, burning hot over what had happened to Denian.

The aura she felt from them wasn’t even enough to place them among peak-level experts.

The inner power Karina had accumulated over the past four months was already nearing the realm of mastery.

In the past, it would have taken ten years to build such power—yet she had done it in less than four months.

To her now, anyone besides Ellen posed no real threat.

“You’re awfully full of yourself just because you beat Alberto twice.”

Marienne sneered, then suddenly sent a signal.

“Jack!”

Jack’s figure melted away as if dissolving into the air.

It was the same shadow-concealment technique he’d used when attacking Denian.

Karina’s gaze sank calmly.

Then her eyes flashed wide, and as if she’d anticipated it all along, she grabbed the wrist that shot out from the shadow.

“Ugh?!”

Jack gasped in shock.

Seizing his wrist, Karina infused her grip with inner power and yanked him straight out of the shadows.

Confusion spread across Jack’s face as he was dragged out helplessly.

Using the recoil from her shoulder, Karina slammed him straight into the ground.

Whooom—CRASH!

A thunderous impact rang out, hard to believe it was made by a human body.

“Kuhhk—!”

Jack’s eyes rolled back as his body was embedded deep enough to dent the floor, and he lost consciousness, foaming at the mouth.

Marienne froze at the sight.

Karina, expressionless, jerked her chin toward Largo.

After spacing out for a moment, Largo hurriedly stepped onto the arena to check Jack’s condition.

I don’t know whether to call this lucky or not… but he’s still breathing.

Considering who Karina had once been as the cult leader, this could be called remarkable mercy.

Killing was forbidden in a friendly match, so she was clearly holding herself back.

Swallowing dryly, Largo glanced at Karina’s side profile.

She hadn’t even regained half of her original power, yet killing intent prickled against his skin.

Even though it wasn’t directed at him, his knees felt weak.

“Jack is unable to continue!”

At Largo’s announcement, the sound of people swallowing echoed throughout the stands.

Overwhelming.

There was no other way to describe the difference in strength.

Marienne seemed to think the same—her fist gripping the rapier trembled slightly.

But as if unwilling to accept that sight, she clenched her fist tighter and shouted.

“Gale!”

At her thunderous cry, Gale sprang straight into the air from the waiting area.

She had forced the next fighter into the match.

Having witnessed Karina’s overwhelming power, Gale attacked the moment he entered, leaving her no opening.

Jack hadn’t even been carried off the arena yet.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Largo grabbed Jack by the nape and leapt off the arena, hauling him away like a sack.

At the same time, Gale’s airborne body twisted sharply to the side.

He was using the momentum to pour power into his sword.

Karina looked up at him indifferently and infused her blade with inner energy.

Black Spirit Flying Demon Sword 
First Form: Black Heaven Cherry Blossom—Break

Suddenly, everything went dark.

At least, that was how it felt to Gale.

Purple petals fluttered across a silent night sky.

W-What is this?!

Refusing to be fooled by an illusion, Gale poured even more force into his spinning body.

Purple petals filled the night sky.

Then, slicing through them, a sword surged upward.

Clang—!

Despite attacking at tremendous speed, Gale felt as though he’d struck a massive boulder. He gritted his teeth under the impact.

Worse still, his blade snapped, and his body was flung backward, rolling helplessly across the ground.

Crash, bang, thud—!

“Guh—!”

Sprawled on the floor after bouncing several times, Gale stared up at Karina in disbelief.

She hadn’t even disturbed her breathing.

An indescribable pressure radiated from her as she looked down at him expressionlessly.

He had never seen a sword like this before.

Gale had no choice but to admit it.

With his skill alone, he could not defeat her.

Biting down in frustration, blood dripped from beneath his lips.

But—

If he couldn’t win with the sword, then he’d use another method to claim victory.

Marienne seemed to think the same, reaching out with a vicious expression.

Her outstretched hand wasn’t aimed at Karina—

It was aimed at Ariel.

Realizing Marienne’s intent too late, Karina frowned.

But since Marienne was only extending her hand without swinging a weapon, Karina hesitated—

And Marienne twisted her lips into a grin.

“You’re not the only ones with special abilities.”

In that instant, Karina’s expression hardened as she finally understood.

From Marienne’s fingertips, a jet of water burst forth.

 Like a living serpent, the stream slithered through the air and instantly wrapped itself around Ariel.