Supreme Paragon Reborn: Humanity's Rise To Galactic Supremacy-Chapter 293: The First of Its Kind
Devil... formerly known as Devil’s Tongue, was a soul-bound weapon wielded exclusively by Michael. It had already undergone one evolution, advancing from the Epic rank to the Legendary rank, after Michael used its blade to slay numerous aliens.
However, for the weapon to ascend from the Legendary rank to the Mythic rank required a cost that was, quite literally, astronomical. Neither Michael nor the weapon knew the conditions necessary for such an evolution. That uncertainty only magnified the difficulty several times over, especially given that it was a soul-bound weapon.
The condition for its evolution to the Mythic rank was the absorption of blood far more powerful than that of its owner. Through a combination of luck and wit, Michael had earlier dropped the sword into the Titan’s blood, hoping for the best. That had set the weapon on the path toward its next transformation.
Considering that Michael was a Grandmaster and that he had submerged the soul-bound weapon in the blood of a monster many would consider a god, it had been enough.
As a result, Devil became the first... and only, soul-bound weapon in human history to ascend to the Mythic rank and manifest a body through which it could assert its will.
Not just a simple anomaly, but a true anomaly.
Understandably alarmed, Malice took a step backwards, finding the Devil’s gaze overwhelming.
"What... the hell are you?"
Finding the question amusing, Devil tilted his head to the side.
"For you?"
Devil chuckled.
"Death."
"!!!"
In that instant Malice understood, whatever the monster that stood before him was supposed to be, he had to react immediately.
Under no circumstance could the being that called itself a Devil be allowed to strike first!
Allowing Victoria’s body, which he carried, to drop to the ground and forgetting about Michael altogether, the man acted.
Flexing his body to the limit, the bio-augments coursing through his veins ignited, fueling Malice with power unbecoming of a mortal.
His Mythic blade flared outward as he aimed for the being’s neck. As long as the blade even grazed his foe, it was supposed to be enough!
Stab!
Shockingly, Devil didn’t move a muscle, allowing the blade to pierce his neck, drawing liters of black blood.
Yet Devil showed no reaction to the pain. Instead, the smile he wore only grew more menacing.
"Fool."
Devil mocked, taking grasp of Malice’s hand, driving the blade even further in. A Mythic dagger was formidable, but it couldn’t hold a cable to a soul weapon of the same rank.
"You can’t hope to kill what isn’t alive in the first place."
The only advantage Malice possessed was that he had been near the unconscious bodies of Victoria and Michael, easy targets to be picked off. But after his reckless charge, he had no more cards left to play!
Now he stood alone, facing a monster of unimaginable proportions.
"When I am done with you, even your mother will not recognize your corpse." Devil said, as a matter of fact.
Chills run down Malice’s spine.
’I need to run!’ He realized.
Putting aside any sense of honor he still carried in his heart, the man pulled his hood over his head and moved with haste.
The hood was his last remaining treasure.
Even at only the Legendary rank, it completely concealed his physical form. Coupled with his necklace, which obscured him from the spiritual energy, he became utterly undetectable.
After all, he was an assassin by nature. If there was anyone who could be called the best at vanishing, it was him. Not even the Emperor, the strongest human, could hope to trace him...
How unfortunate... That Malice wasn’t running away from a human being this time.
"You happily backstabbed my owner when he wasn’t looking, claiming that no weapon could prosper against you... Yet now you run at the first sign of trouble?"
Devil’s pupil narrowed, locking onto Malice’s trail with deadly precision.
"Such a small man..."
Malice paled.
"How... how is it keeping up with me?!"
Before he could react, Devil’s arm blurred.
Slash!
GAH!
In a single, fluid motion, Devil sliced off Malice’s right arm, forcing him to halt.
"How... how are you still moving?!" Malice bellowed in confusion, his gaze fixed on the gaping wound he had inflicted on Devil’s neck. The injury had been deep, yet there was not a trace of it!
Only spiritual energy could heal a wound that quickly. Yet it should have dispersed long ago after the blade had connected!
"It’s because I don’t use spiritual energy, you moron." Devil exclaimed, pointing toward collapsed Michael.
"I am a soul-bound weapon. So, even you can guess my power comes solely from this brat’s soul..."
Devil chuckled menacingly.
"And, as it turns out, he’s quite the monster. So much so that even I’m taken by surprise by this power flowing through me."
Taking a step forward, the hideous aura Devil exuded intensified. His claws flexed in pure delight.
Sweat broke out on Malice’s forehead. From his point of view, a giant skull seemed to materialize behind Devil, its presence overwhelming him. Every instinct of self-preservation screamed that he was about to die!
"Seeing the expression of despair on your face. I don’t know what this feeling is... but I like it!"
Accelerating, Devil appeared right behind Malice.
"Make sure you scream as loud as you can. I’d take great pleasure in this..."
Fortunately, Malice’s pleas for mercy were drowned out by the buzzing sounds of the Ro’trah, who flew alongside their Titan queen to shield her from the hunting faction leaders.
Eventually, as seconds bled into minutes, Michael’s eyelids slowly crept open.
"Wakey, wakey, motherfucker. I’ve got a gift for you."
Hearing a familiar, ragged voice, Michael slowly rose to his feet, his eyes adjusting to a looming frame, which held the torso of a man with severed limbs and carved skin.
Michael blinked a few times, wondering if he was hallucinating.
"Devil’s Tongue?"
"No."
The monster shook its head.
"Devil."
Wordlessly, Devil threw the still-spasming body toward Michael.
"..."
After a few seconds of silence, Devil spoke once more.
"Don’t look at me like that. Despite how he looks, I kept him alive, you know?"
A wide grin spread across Devil’s face.
"Aren’t I amazing?"
