I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-235

Ch-235. **I Want to Kill You (3)**

—

…Something was wrong.

The longer the battle dragged on, the more the Heavenly Demon felt a sense of strangeness.

The Sunken Emperor.

The countless insects he used.

At first, the Heavenly Demon assumed they were some kind of mana insects.

*‘They devour mana and turn it into his own.’*

The insects endlessly replicated themselves, replenishing their master’s spent mana.

A concept similar to the Realm of Life and Death—absorbing surrounding mana and turning it into one’s own.

But there was a decisive difference from that realm.

*‘They’re absorbing **my** internal energy too.’*

Wherever the insects touched him, his internal energy scattered and was stolen away.

It felt like being hit with a toxin that drained energy.

He could not freely wield his surging internal power.

Worse—his internal energy was being taken.

That should have been impossible.

He had long surpassed the realms of *indestructible diamond body* and *immunity to all poisons*.

No external force should be able to infiltrate his body or disrupt his internal energy.

*‘…Utterly incomprehensible.’*

It *should* have been impossible.

These insects were so minuscule that even the Heavenly Demon had to concentrate to see them.

Yet they weren’t mere insects.

He sensed no trace of life from them.

They were tools that obeyed commands.

Machines that carried out preset instructions.

One thing was clear: the longer this continued, the worse the situation became for him.

Without the Heavenly Demon Blade, he could not break through the endless encirclement of insects.

And without piercing through them, he could not reach the Sunken Emperor.

*‘I’m at a disadvantage? Me?’*

Ever since abandoning his humanity and stepping into the Abyss, this was a first.

Even if he lacked his blade, he had to acknowledge the truth.

The Sunken Emperor—

Was stronger.

Stronger than any monster he had met in the Abyss.

But being at a disadvantage did not mean defeat.

He had met stronger existences before.

In the end, they all fell before him.

*‘But now—I’ve figured it out.’*

His expression calmed.

It looked like he had been firing Aura Rings at random, but it was all to analyze the insects.

And finally—he found the answer.

The secret behind the Sunken Emperor’s power.

*‘The insects follow specific behavioral patterns and send signals to one another.’*

He perceived sounds that should have been impossible to detect—

Sounds only their master should hear.

It wasn’t exactly sound—more like waves.

A vibration.

A wavelength from the upper dantian.

*‘He has opened his upper dantian.’*

Those who opened the upper dantian gained mysterious abilities.

Powers bordering on clairvoyance.

The ability to see further, think deeper, and influence phenomena.

Thus, they were often mistaken for gods.

But all who opened the upper dantian lived short lives.

Because the ability consumed the very source of one’s life.

Even in the Abyss, that truth did not change.

To maintain control over so many insects, the Sunken Emperor must have sacrificed his life force—or something even more precious.

What had he offered to the Gate of Truth?

“I acknowledge it. You are strong.”

The Heavenly Demon admitted.

Such words had only ever escaped him a handful of times in his entire existence.

Yet a relaxed smile formed on his face.

Because he was not the only one who had opened the upper dantian.

“But I am stronger.”

He smiled.

His talent lay in thinking deepest when danger peaked—

In instantly grasping an enemy’s weakness and devising a method to break through it.

And now he had devised one.

What would happen if he disrupted the insects’ signals?

*Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step.*

He activated the same wavelength.

He stepped onto the ground.

**Kruuung—!**

A short tremor rang out.

The black veil surrounding him wavered—

And then—

**Saaaaaah!**

**Swaaaaaaaah!**

Like smoke scattering, the insects dispersed in all directions.

And the Sunken Emperor stood plainly exposed.

The invincible shield had shattered.

Only a spear remained—to pierce his heart.

*‘Wild Dragon Shakes the World.’*

**Crackle! Crack-crackle!**

Lightning danced across his body, forming the shape of an azure dragon.

Ten Aura Rings merged into a single colossal force.

It was a technique that consumed so much internal power that it left one momentarily hollow—

But a direct hit meant certain death.

It had slain gods.
What chance did the Sunken Emperor have?

**Guoooooooo—!**

The dragon roared and lunged.

**Kwarang!**

**Kwaaaaaaaaaang!**

A massive explosion erupted, mushrooming into the sky.

An overwhelming sight.

…But the Heavenly Demon’s brow furrowed.

It *should* have pierced straight through. Why an explosion?

Without his shield, the Sunken Emperor could *not* have blocked it.

In that instant, the Heavenly Demon saw a silhouette at the explosion’s center.

Someone had protected the Sunken Emperor.

Even at the cost of their life.

“…You?”

—

—

 

Damn it.

Damn it all.

**“Kh…!”**

His body moved instinctively, before he had time to think.

To shield the Sunken Emperor—the man wearing the Emperor’s face.

His entire body was ruined.

If he hadn’t released all five seals of his body, he would have disintegrated at a cellular level.

He supposed he should be grateful to be alive at all.

“Are… you unharmed, Your Majesty?”

“…”

The Sunken Emperor did not answer.

His eyes were sunken, his expression unreadable.

But Raiga could not possibly be mistaken.

Up close, it was certain.

It was the Emperor.

The First Emperor of the Holy Arhon Empire.

Raiga could never mistake that face.

Even if the situation made no sense.

The Emperor was supposed to be asleep in the Empire.
Why was he awake—and in the Abyss?

“I will protect you, Your Majesty.”

**Hoo—**

Raiga took a breath.

Of course, he could be wrong.

It could be a misunderstanding.

But Raiga trusted his instincts.

This man—the Sunken Emperor—was the same as the Emperor.

And as the Grandmaster of the Fang Knights, Raiga was the Emperor’s sword.

The Fang existed to protect the Emperor, not the Empire.

The Emperor *was* the Empire.

Protecting him was protecting the Empire.

*‘This works out nicely.’*

Every one of these monsters threatened the Empire.

So Raiga would hunt every Shard-holder present—except the Emperor.

He had already opened all five gates.

He was barely alive anyway.

If he died, he would drag all the Shard-holders with him.

*“Open.”*

Raiga opened all divine blessings.

Golden light surged, rapidly mending his wounds.

Once fully recovered, Raiga pointed his sword at the Heavenly Demon.

“Monsters—I am your nemesis. Your hunter.”

—

—

 

 

Isabella swallowed hard.

All eyes were fixed on Raiga and the Heavenly Demon.

Participants and Night Wraiths alike.

They watched, forgetting their roles for one simple reason:

*‘To win, you must understand your opponent to their very core.’*

Even if a Night Wraith caught someone at night, all they earned was one day’s imprisonment in the Star Prison.

To win in the end, both Night Wraiths and participants had to deeply analyze their opponents’ strengths.

…Though the real reason was probably that the fight was simply thrilling.

**Kwarang!**

**Boom! Bang!**

Attacks flew nonstop.

Barely visible.

One thing was clear:

*‘Raiga is winning.’*

The Heavenly Demon was being pushed back.

Even after exhausting his internal energy, Raiga’s power was overwhelming.

With all five gates open, he was invincible.

“Ahhh, so that’s the one they call ‘him’?”

“The human Fragment-hunter?”

Even Abyssal beings recognized him.

Participants watched him with interest as well.

“How fascinating. Why would a Fragment-hunter protect the Sunken Emperor?”

The Storm Multiplier found the irony delightful.

A human protecting an Abyssal ruler.

But at this rate, Raiga would kill the Heavenly Demon.

Once the Heavenly Demon was gone, only one threat remained—

The Master of the Tomb.

Isabella alone could handle him.

*‘Never thought I’d root for Raiga.’*

Truly unbelievable.

That infuriating man—being cheered by her.

But it did not last long.

**Puuk!**

“Y-Your Majesty… why…?”

A hand pierced Raiga’s chest.

The Sunken Emperor’s hand.

He attacked Raiga—who had broken taboos to protect him.

The Sunken Emperor spoke without a flicker of emotion:

“You’re in the way.”

In the way.

A nuisance blocking his path.

“Guh—!”

Raiga vomited black blood.

The golden radiance enveloping his body faded rapidly.

His life force was nearly gone.

The backlash of opening the five gates and all blessings.

**Thud.**

Raiga collapsed unconscious.

He would die soon.

“No pity. No hesitation. You kill the one who protected you.”

The Heavenly Demon scoffed.

This man had fully abandoned his humanity.

But mockery aside, the Heavenly Demon’s own condition was terrible.

He had exhausted even his origin power fighting Raiga.

Meanwhile, the Sunken Emperor was already gathering insects again.

His invincible shield had returned.

*‘If this continues, I lose.’*

There was no escape.

No strength left.

If only he had his blade.

Just the blade alone would change the battle completely.

**“Hup!”**

The Heavenly Demon steadied his energy and dashed—

To escape?

So everyone thought—

Until Isabella’s eyes widened.

He wasn’t running from the Sunken Emperor.

He was running toward the cave—toward her.

No—he didn’t even see her.

He aimed for what lay *inside.*

He wanted to reclaim the precious thing taken from him by Randolph.

【The Night Wraith begins an Expedition Duel against the Heavenly Demon.】

【The Night Wraith has won.】

【You have stolen the Heavenly Demon’s second-most precious possession.】

【Anything stolen by a Night Wraith can never be reclaimed.】

【The Heavenly Demon is sent to the Star Prison.】

【The victorious Night Wraith cannot initiate another Expedition Duel until tomorrow evening.】

Isabella acted in panic, triggering the duel.

The Heavenly Demon vanished in an instant.

But she clearly saw—

The smile on his lips.

He had lost something precious, but he had survived.

**Goooooo…**

It wasn’t over.

The Master of the Tomb began to advance.

“….”

The Sunken Emperor also turned a cold gaze toward her.

Isabella bit her lip.

*‘Can’t duel?’*

Winning a duel meant she couldn’t duel again that day.

She only now realized this rule.

But she didn’t move.

Neither did the Master of the Tomb nor the Sunken Emperor.

They were waiting—

For her to perish.

*‘Even if I die—!’*

The night sky brightened.

Dawn approached.

She stood firm at the mouth of the cave.

They did not know she could not duel again.

**Cchaaaaa—!**

As the sun crept up, her entire body began to burn.

When transformation struck, they would learn her identity.

She would be erased.

Isabella stared at the rising sun.

*“I want to kill you.”*

It felt like fate’s cruel joke.

She turned her gaze toward the cave.

Even if the memories she had seen were true—

…It was fine.

It was fine.

She knew Randolph.

She knew what kind of person he was better than anyone.

He was no villain.

He would never destroy others by manipulating them.

There must have been circumstances he could not speak of.

If there was a god orchestrating this misery—

Then that god—

She wanted to kill.

*‘Lord Randolph. My star. My king.’*

She closed her eyes.

At that moment—

“…Move.”

From within the cave—

Randolph’s voice rang out.

 

 

 

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