Episode 159: Failing to Become the Shadow Ruler

“Heh… Say whatever you like.”

The ground around Umbra writhed, and bony arms burst through the earth.

“After all, you’re no match for me. I mean, I’m the one who surpasses even Zefard and Ignas—the true ‘strongest in the kingdom’…”

If they fought head-on, Zefard or Ignas might be stronger. But Umbra was a creature of the dark. In no-holds-barred real combat, he had unshakable confidence that he was second to none.

“Let me show you… My power that exceeds even that legendary assassin, the ‘Master Shifu’…”

“Sigh… Is that so? Impressive, impressive. But I don’t know anything about this Zefard or Magnus or Shifu or whoever. It’s kind of awkward when you get all hyped up about it.”

“Heh heh…”

Umbra’s body melted into the black darkness. The magic released from him turned into a mist of shadow, enveloping and concealing his form.

(Now… Spill your blood! Celestina van Volfenstein!)

Umbra, blended into the darkness, silently circled behind Celestina. Then, his jet-black dagger sliced through the shadows toward her. Sensing it, Celestina reflexively swung her blood sword to intercept.

However, the next threat—bony arms crawling up from the ground—closed in.

“…This is really annoying.”

A massive blood scythe manifested from her back, sweeping away the bony hands. But in that instant, Umbra had already begun his chant.

“Darkness, summon the shadows. Mist, dye everything. Envelop and burst forth. —‘Dark Miasma Explosion Dusk Blast’.”

The black mist surrounded Celestina and exploded with a deafening roar.

“Heh…”

Umbra’s laughter dissolved into the darkness. But—when the smoke cleared, Celestina stood there as if nothing had happened.

She had probably deployed a blood barrier in an instant. However, perhaps due to the blast’s force—a large scorch mark had appeared on the hem of her skirt.

“This is the worst…”

Celestina muttered.

“I really liked this outfit…”

“Heh… Heh heh… You’re worried about your clothes right now?”

Bony arms crawled out from the ground once more. Umbra’s body melted into the darkness, and the same back-and-forth battle as before unfolded.

Surprise attacks with the dagger, torrents of magic, and hordes of bones bursting through the earth—a variety of assaults hammered Celestina without pause.

This was the essence of Umbra’s fighting style.

In pure swordsmanship, he fell short of Zefard; in magic alone, he couldn’t match Ignas. But his strength lay in combining sword and sorcery, wielding them freely.

Moreover—Zefard and the others had only used Lugdura’s power for mere magical enhancement or bodily regeneration.

But Umbra was different. He had mastered the ability to control bones—‘Osteomancy’—and turned it into a weapon for battle.

“Even if you’re one of the Seven Great Calamities, you’re only ranked seventh. The weakest calamity of all.”

In the darkness, Umbra’s mocking voice echoed.

“Today, right here, I’ll slaughter you—and claim the name of Calamity for myself…”

 

◇

 

On the first floor of the von Kreving earl’s mansion, in the grand hall, the household servants had gathered, whispering to each other in hushed tones.

“I heard enemies are coming… Do you think we’ll be okay?”

“From what I can tell, it’s an assassin sent personally by King Luverios. No ordinary foe…”

Maids, butlers, gardeners, and cooks exchanged uneasy words. Amid them, one maid spoke in a calm voice.

Soft golden hair and a gentle face. But her eyes held a quiet strength. It was the head maid of the von Kreving household, Fine.

“—There’s no need to worry. I’m sure Celestina and the others will drive the enemy back.”

Her voice naturally carried a soothing quality that eased the atmosphere.

Of course, she understood that nothing was absolute in battle. Last time, Evan had fended them off, but this time Celestina herself was on the front lines. That spoke volumes about the enemy’s strength.

But—that was precisely why they needed to stay calm now.

If they panicked and fled, it would only hinder Celestina.

Their role was to believe in Celestina and wait here. That’s what Fine believed they should do.

 

◇

 

In the darkness—the fierce battle between Umbra and Celestina continued.

Against the combined assaults of swordsmanship, magic, and osteomancy—Celestina was purely on the defensive.

“Heh… What’s wrong? What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to attack?”

“—I’m not good at this sort of thing.”

“Heh… Heh heh heh… Not good at it, huh? Yeah, I bet. In terms of raw magical power, you might have the edge… But in combat experience, I’m superior. That makes me the worst possible matchup for you…”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“Heh… Then what did you mean? Just making excuses?”

Umbra’s voice reverberated through the darkness.

This conversation was also part of his tactics. By infusing magic into his voice and scattering it, he concealed his position—even turning his voice into a weapon to bewilder the enemy.

“No matter what you say, I’m the winner of this fight. —Ah, I can’t wait… Thinking about hearing the screams of the von Kreving mansion’s servants, and yours—it makes my heart race.”

There was a hint of ecstatic fervor in his voice.

“You’re exceptionally beautiful even among those I’ve killed. And I’ve heard the von Kreving maids include some real beauties… It’s when I destroy people like that that I truly feel alive in this world…”

Destroying beauty, rendering it powerless.

No matter how noble, no matter how radiant—before him, everything shattered.

For Umbra, that was pleasure, proof of life.

That’s why he held the position of leader of the Dunkelritter, the Knights of Ignorance.

Unlike the Grandmaster of the Kingdom Knight Order or the Royal Aegis of the Royal Guard, he had no connection to the honors of the public stage.

The tasks assigned to him were always covert missions, dirty work.

But that also meant he was permitted to commit slaughter in the king’s name.

(And if I slay Celestina… I’ll stand alongside the ‘Seven Great Calamities.’ Even King Luverios and Prime Minister Joachim will have to watch their step around me. Yes, I’ll become—the one who controls the kingdom from the shadows…!)

“Ah… It’s irresistible. After I kill you, I’ll become the shadow ruler. And there, even greater freedom awaits. Unstoppable, endless slaughter will fulfill me. By always walking beside death, I can savor the essence of life…! Do you get it? This aesthetic of death. From now on, I’ll take a thousand, two thousand… no, tens of thousands of lives…”

“—You’re getting awfully carried away.”

A voice like icy chill suddenly cut through the darkness.

“In the past… I’ve killed over a million people. But I never once found it enjoyable.”

In that moment, a crimson wind whipped up around Celestina.

It was a storm woven from blood—a red tornado that devoured the space around it.

“—I can’t stand listening to your disgusting ramblings any longer. …Let’s end this.”

“Wha…!”

Umbra’s eyes widened in shock.

Hiding, deceiving—none of it mattered. Merciless destruction swallowed the entire area.

The conclusion came in an instant. No time for evasion or defense.

“Gah… Gaaaaah!”

With a scream, Umbra’s body was caught in the blood tornado, torn apart mercilessly.

It happened in mere seconds. But when the storm subsided—nothing remained in the surroundings.

Trees, grass, even rocks had been blown away…

Only the silver-haired beauty stood there quietly.

No, one more thing—.

“…Oh, you’re still not dead?”

At the end of Celestina’s gaze was Umbra’s remains.

He had probably survived by regenerating his body with Lugdura’s power.

But his flesh, torn and crushed repeatedly in such a short time, was already approaching the limits of its regenerative ability.

His body was crumbling like a tattered rag.

“Y-You… why…”

Umbra groaned in agony.

“Why… didn’t you use that technique from the start…?”

If Celestina had unleashed this blood storm right from the beginning—the fight would have ended in an instant.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m… not good at this sort of thing.”

“Wh-What…?”

“My master likes things like ‘drawing out the evil and then scattering it’… or whatever. Since I’m technically his subordinate… I thought I’d try to act the part. But… I’m just not good at it. That kind of performance.”

Celestina’s amethyst-like eyes gleamed with cold cruelty.

In that moment, Umbra finally understood. —The ‘Seven Great Calamities.’ Just how absolute their existence was.

In the millennia-spanning history of humanity, only seven had been given the name ‘Calamity.’

They were on a different level from words like ‘strongest in the kingdom’—chosen beings.

True powerhouses that transcended nations—and eras.

“When I get a little serious, my opponents break right away. —It’s hard, holding back.”

Behind Celestina, blood swords appeared. One, two… The crimson blades multiplied, swelling until they filled the night sky.

“But I’ll do my best in my own way. For a mere pleasure killer like you to lecture me on the aesthetic of death. —And for trying to kill my precious companions. I’ll make you taste the consequences.”

With those words, one of the floating swords plummeted straight down, piercing Umbra’s rag-like body.

“Guh…!”

At the same time, Celestina’s blood power regenerated his body—but.

Immediately, another blade stabbed into him.

“Gah…!”

And without cease, new swords formed from behind her, raining down one after another.

“Ga… Guga…!”

Arms, torso, legs, head—pierced, revived, pierced again.

Umbra’s body was continually impaled by the blood swords, and each time, regenerated by Celestina’s power.

“Ga… Gaaaaah!”

“I’ll prolong your suffering as much as possible—and kill you. Aren’t you lucky? Can you feel it?”

“Ga… Aga…………?”

“That ‘essence of life’ you were talking about. As long as you feel the pain, it means you’re still alive. Go ahead, savor that essence of life until you die.”