1061-1070

Chapter 1061: Who's Your Daddy Now?

Shouts of anger and despair reverberated in the surroundings as a one-sided slaughter ensued.

The Black Knights had all stepped into the ranks of peak Millennial Beasts, making them a menace to anyone that faced them. What made things worse was that they were immune to any kind of magic.

Even if physical attacks work on them, they would just rise up from the ground after a few seconds and resume their rampage. It was truly a helpless scene, and Felix gritted his teeth in anger as he watched his army slowly, but surely, get pushed back and massacred helplessly.

"Adam, stop this!" Felix shouted after he could no longer take the helpless situation. "We are on the same side! You don't need to do this. We can talk things out!"

Adam arched an eyebrow after hearing Felix's words. He rubbed his chin as he pondered whether he should listen to the Demon Lord's Crown Prince or not.

"Very well" Adam raised his hand and the Black Knights immediately stopped their assault and stood where they were. "Since you want to negotiate, I'll give you a chance to do it. However, before we have our discussion, I have a condition first."

"State your condition," Felix replied. He knew that he was the one at a disadvantage, but he really couldn't do anything except accept whatever condition Adam was planning to ask of him.

"Do you see those two people over there?" Adam asked as he pointed at William and Chloee who had separated themselves from the Demon Army.

Felix glanced in their direction and frowned. He had noticed the two individuals just as the Black Knights attacked, but since they weren't hostile, he completely ignored them.

"What about them?" Felix asked back.

"I want you to kill them. If you succeed, I promise that I will leave you guys alone. Do we have a deal?"

"That's it? If I kill them, will you spare all of us?"

Adam nodded. "Of course. You have my word."

Felix wasn't a fool. He knew that the two individuals that Adam wanted to kill were not pushovers. However, if he were to choose between the Black Knights, or the two people in the distance, he would definitely choose the latter because he believed that he had a higher chance of killing them.

The Demon Army felt the same, so they shifted their gaze towards William and Chloee as if they were their last lifeline to leave this place alive.

"Oh? They want to kill us?" Chloee smiled sweetly. "This will be fun."

"Sixth Master, they are looking down on the two of us," William said softly. "I think it's about time we make them realize who really is the hunter, and who is the hunted."

"Sounds like a plan. Shall we?"

"Sure. Let's rumble."

Chloee and William stomped their right foot forward at the same time before disappearing from where they stood.

A second later, both of them reappeared in front of Adam who was still looking in the direction that they had been a mere moment earlier.

Chloee gave a powerful shout as she smashed her fist towards the young man's face. However, a barrier appeared to block her punch.

As soon as Chloee's fist collided with the barrier, a resounding cracking sound filled their surroundings. The barrier shattered like a crystal glass, taking Adam by surprise.

Just as he was about to use his Dark Magic to protect himself, William's foot stomped on his face, sending his whole body flying off the raised platform.

Everything happened so fast, that nobody was able to react in time. The only thing they heard was the shattering of the barrier, and Adam's pained scream as his body flew several meters away from the platform before crashing into the ground, creating a crater around his body.

"Y-You!" Adam hatefully glared at William as he spat out a mouthful of dark blood.

"Me, what?" William asked back with a sneer. "You've been looking down on us from the very beginning. How does it feel to eat the dirt under my feet?"

Chloee crossed her arms over her chest as she raised her chin in arrogance. "Who's your daddy now, huh?"

Adam could feel his cheeks burning due to anger and humiliation. He was confident that nothing could break past the barrier that protected the platform, and kept all the candidates of the Dark Arts safe from the final phase of the selection.

He didn't expect the young girl's punch to be strong enough to shatter it completely, which made him unable to react in time.

"I'll kill you!" Adam shouted. "I'll kill you, William Von Ainsworth!"

Adam's hateful shout was like the sound of thunder that reached everyone's ears. All of them gazed at the black-haired teenager who had stomped on Adam's face and was now standing on top of the platform.

"I guess there's no need for me to hold back then," William replied as the color of his hair and eyes changed.

"I-It's really him," Felix said with a solemn expression on his face. "The son of the Dungeon Conqueror and the Saintess of the World Tree."

As someone that belonged to the current ruling clan of the Demon Realm, there was a family name that they hated the most. There is no Demon Clan in the Demonic Continent who hadn't heard of them, especially since it was the name of the family that was responsible for denying them of their ultimate goal of world conquest.

"Ainsworth," Felix muttered. "William Von Ainsworth."

All the Demons looked at William with bloodshot eyes. If earlier, their hatred had directed at Adam, now it was all locked onto the red-headed teenager who was arrogantly looking down on all of them.

"To those who want my autograph, please line up," William said in a teasing tone. "There's no need to be shy, I won't be going anywhere."

"Kill him!" Adam ordered and the Black Knights who had remained stationary in the distance all flew towards the raised platform like wraiths, with a black mist trailing behind them.

"Kill him!" Felix ordered.

The Mages in the Demon Army hatefully fired their spells at the Half-Elf who had now gathered the aggro of everyone on the battlefield. Even the candidates of the Dark Arts unleashed their Dark Spells in order to end his life.

"You sure are popular," Chloee said as she flashed William a mischievous grin.

"They're just jealous of my good looks, Sixth Master," William replied as he grabbed her waist. "Being handsome is a sin."

As soon as he finished his words, he immediately disappeared from where he stood as he transformed into a lightning bolt that streaked across the sky, flying in the direction of the red dot in the distance that Adam had pointed out earlier.

Although he didn't know what he would find in that place, he still went because he still needed to look for Celine.

Unknown to him, the Dark Wraith watched his every move from a corner of the Holy Land.

"Things are… getting interesting…," the Dark Wraith said. "Still… no matter where everyone runs… no matter where everyone hides… their fate was already sealed… the moment they entered our Holy Land."

The Dark Wraith then glanced at the beautiful Elf, who was now standing on top of the altar waiting for her destined partner to arrive.

Dark mists oozed out of Celine's body as she stared into the distance. After Wiliam and Chloee had disappeared, she found herself standing on top of what seemed to be an altar.

There were no chains that bound her, and yet, she couldn't move her body. All she could do was stare at the battle that was happening in the distance, like a spectator that was watching a stage play.

"Will…," Celine said softly as she felt the power of Darkness inside her body start to go out of control. "Please, leave this place. They are out to get you."

Chapter 1062: The Demon of Demons

"Why are we running away?" Chloee asked. "If we work together, we can beat the crap out of them!"

"I know, Sixth Master," William replied. "However, something doesn't feel right."

"Something doesn't feel right?"

"Mmm. It's like, someone is purposely trying to reduce the number of people inside this Domain. I noticed that every time a Demon died, the power of Darkness in the surroundings became more profound."

As someone who had attained a high level of proficiency in the Dark Arts, William was able to notice the subtle changes in the surroundings during the battle.

Chloee frowned because she didn't understand such things. She was confident that no matter how powerful their enemies became, she was confident that she could send them all to kingdom come.

Even so, she trusted William, so she no longer argued about his intention to escape.

"We're almost there," William said as he saw the red portal that was hovering above a black pyramid.

According to Adam, this was the place that they needed to go. However, he didn't specify whether they should enter the portal or not.

"What do you think, Sixth Master?" William inquired. "Should we enter the red portal or not?"

"Let's enter," Chloee answered. "Don't worry. Whatever is inside it, I promise that I'll protect you."

William smiled. Chloee's words were quite reassuring, so he no longer hesitated and flew into the red portal.

—--

Adam clenched his fist as he tried to reign in his anger. After overcoming so many trials inside the Holy Land, the Dark Wraith had finally recognized the eighteen survivors and deemed them worthy of challenging the final trial.

However, for the final trial to open, they needed to sacrifice as many lives as possible as a tribute to the God of Darkness. The souls of the previous candidates, who had died during the trials, had all been absorbed by the artifact that was inside the red portal.

But, it was still not enough for it to awaken the power inside it. More lives needed to be sacrificed in order to activate its powers. Because of this, the Dark Wraith had activated the Seal of the Holy Land and allowed the power of darkness to manifest in the outside world.

'Dammit!' Adam cursed internally when he saw William enter the red portal before them. The only reason why he was still able to hold back his frustration at the moment was due to the artifact not having enough power to activate.

"I'm going," one of the candidates declared as he flew towards the sky and headed towards the red portal.

Although the remaining candidates understood that entering the portal right now would not yield the desired results, the mere thought of someone getting ahead of them made them anxious.

One by one, the candidates flew towards the portal, leaving Adam behind.

The young Demon looked at them with a calm expression on his face, as he quickly thought of a way to take advantage of the situation he was in right now.

After staying inside the Holy Land of Darkness for a long time, all the candidates' hair had turned completely black. They also grew two, short, crimson horns on their heads. These changes had made them more powerful, and their Dark Arts more pure.

Even so, they still underestimated the Half-Elf, as well as the young lady that was accompanying him. They thought that as long as they stayed on the platform, they would not be harmed in any way. But, their belief was shattered when William stomped his foot on Adam's face, trampling on his pride and dignity.

"Felix, do you want to live?" Adam asked as he stared at the first born of the Demon Lord.

"Yes," Felix replied.

Adam nodded "Very well. Your goal will remain the same. Kill that Half-Elf, and I will allow you and your army to leave this place alive."

Felix knew that he had no choice in the matter, so he simply nodded his head. However, deep inside, he was already thinking of ways to make Adam pay for treating him in this manner after he had given him his trust.

—---

"What in the world?" William muttered as he gazed at a gigantic black throne that was right in front of him.

Seated on it was a giant Demon with long black hair, and two crimson horns protruding on the top of its head. On its back was a pair of red-wings that were lightly spread out, showing his magnificence.

The giant demon had his eyes closed, but even then, the overwhelming power that was radiating on his body was enough for William to understand that he was in the presence of a very powerful God.

"Will… is that thing alive or not?" Chloee asked as he stared at the giant Demon in front of her with a guarded expression. As someone that pursued strength, she had fought many adversaries, as well as helped William fight against Apophis in the Void.

However, compared to the Giant Serpent, who had regressed its rank to a Pseudo-God, the being in front of them was a bonafide God. Apophis was nothing more than a little worm, compared to the being in front of them.

"I don't know," William said in a volume that was only loud enough for Chloee to hear. It was as if he was afraid that his voice would awaken the God in front of them and make it pinch them to oblivion.

"Don't worry, he is currently in a very deep sleep. He won't wake up no matter what you do to him."

A voice spoke behind William, which almost made the Half-Elf as well as Chloee jump up in fright.

They hastily looked behind them only to see two beautiful ladies, who were looking at the giant demon in front of them with reverence.

"Who are the two of you?" William asked. For some reason, he could sense a similar power coming from the two ladies that resembled the divinity of his wives.

"It's an honor to meet you, Son of the Dungeon Conqueror and Saintess of the World Tree," one of the ladies with long dark-green hair and eyes, replied. "I've heard that my sisters have become your wives. Ah. Before I forget, you may refer to me as Invidia for now."

The young beauty with dark-green hair appraised William from head to foot as a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Well, I can tell why they are smitten with you," Invidia said with a smile. "Your face is not half bad." ꜰʀᴇᴇwᴇʙɴovᴇʟ.coᴍ

Suddenly, Invidia spun around. When she once again met William's gaze, the Half-Elf was surprised because Invidia had taken on his appearance.

"I wonder if my sisters will be able to tell the difference when I stand next to you," Invidia chuckled using William's voice, which made Chloee frown.

"Oi. Ugly. It will be best if you return to your original appearance before I smack your face," Chloee declared as she raised her fist.

"How barbaric," Invidia shook her head. However, she still spun around and returned to her original appearance. After doing so, she winked at William which made the Half-Elf arch his eyebrows.

William then shifted his attention to the other beauty that was standing next to Invidia who was standing as straight as a sword. She had long purple hair, which was similar to Princess Aila. however, her eyes were golden in color, which made anyone that looked at her feel her overpowering presence.

"You must be Superbia," William commented after taking a good look at the purple-haired beauty, whose prideful demeanor didn't escape his eyes.

The purple-haired beauty didn't affirm or deny William's words. She continued to stare at the Giant Demon, who seemed to be fast asleep. A minute later, she opened her lips and a confident voice who seemed to ridicule the entire world reached William's ears.

"His name is Ahriman," Superbia stated. "He is the Demon of Demons, and dwells in an abyss of endless darkness in the North, the traditional home of those who wield Dark Magic. Ignorance, harmfulness, and disorder are the characteristics of Ahriman.

He can change his outward form and appear as a lizard, a snake, or a youth. His aim has always been to cover the world in Darkness, and make all of creation submit to his will."

"Ahriman creates death; for health, he produces disease; for beauty, ugliness. All man's ills are due entirely to Ahriman. He is also the reason why the Era of Darkness began, as the Gods fought against each other in order to decide which race would sit on the top of this world, and rule everyone."

Superbia then pointed at Ahriman's right hand that was resting on his lap. Hovering above the palm of his hand was a Crimson Crown. William felt the dark magic inside his body fluctuate the moment his eyes laid on the Divine Artifact that belonged to one of the strongest Gods in creation.

"According to the prophecy of the Demon Race, he who wears the Crown of Darkness will become Ahriman's heir," Invidia commented. "Go on. Take it. If you wear that on your head, you will gain his power. Isn't that why you came to this place?"

"No," William replied as he shook his head. "I have no intention of putting that Crown on my head."

"Is that so?" Invidia smirked. "Well, if you don't wear it then I guess that you will just have to die."

William frowned as he turned his head to look at the green-haired lady who was looking at him with a teasing smile.

"What do you mean by that?" William inquired.

"Do you really don't know? Or are you pretending not to know?" Invidia answered with a gaze of ridicule. "Since you don't want to wear it then one of the Demons here will do. When that happens they would definitely kill you. Did you forget? All Demons hate your father. Well, I suppose not all Demons. I for one don't hate your father. How about you, Superbia?"

Superbia gave William a side-long glance before turning her attention back to the Giant Demon in front of her.

"Although Demons hate his father, it will not change the fact that they also respect and fear him," Superbia replied. "As a race that worships the strong, I have no ill will towards the person that defeated the Demon Lord. Also, I was not even born back then. I am not concerned about what happened in the past. All I care about is the present."

Invidia nodded her head. "Well then. We're just here to watch the show. Whether you wear that Crown or not, I'm sure that we will see something interesting once everyone gets here."

As if waiting for that cue, several Demons appeared in the sky after passing through the red portal.

They were the Candidates of Darkness who were vying for the Crown who would make them Ahriman's successor.

All of them glanced in William's direction and breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that the Crown was still there. If the Half-Elf really took the Crown before them, they would do everything in their power to take it back for it was the legacy that belonged to them.

"He's here," Superbia said as she shifted his attention to the sky. "The one that has the highest chance of becoming Ahriman's successor."

Adam appeared in the crimson world, with the Demon Army behind him. His gaze locked on William's body as he gritted his teeth in hatred.

"I swear that you will not leave this place alive, William Von Ainsworth," Adam declared. "I will make you regret that you were ever born in this world."

William shook his head after hearing Adam's word as he shifted his gaze back at Superbia.

"Is there really no other way aside from taking that Crown?" William asked. "Does the prophecy mention anything else?"

"No," Superbia replied. "You should decide while you still can. Once the conditions are met, it will be too late for regrets."

William glanced at the floating Crown in the distance. He could feel a subtle attraction coming from it, and the Dark Powers in his body were urging him to wear it.

Although he was left with a difficult choice, the Half-Elf had no intention of wearing the Crown of Darkness. Something was telling him that the moment he wore that Crown, he would lose something very important to him.

Chapter 1063: Desperate Struggle [Part 1]

"Sh*t," William muttered.

In front of him, a God which held the crown that could potentially bring the entire world to its knees slumbered.

Behind him, the disciples of the Dark Arts, as well as the Demon Army stood at the ready. William had faced many dangerous situations before, but right now, he had to admit, he was in a pinch.

"Sixth Master, no matter what happens, don't leave my side," William said as he gazed at the Giant Demon in front of him.

Chloee nodded, but she had already raised up her guard, ready to react to whatever was going to happen next. Celeste's Familiar also understood that they were in a very tricky situation. However, if she were to pick between the two evils, she would rather attack the Demon Army behind her, than face the wrath of the sleeping God in front of her.

Taking a deep breath, William narrowed his gaze as he resolved himself to execute the plan he had in mind.

"Let's go, Sixth Master!" William stated as he charged towards the sleeping Demon, while wielding Ruyi Jingu Bang.

After pondering for quite a bit, William realized that the Demon Army wasn't his true enemy but the Crown in front of him. As long as he could destroy it, the so-called prophecy would cease to exist.

"Break all the walls that stand before me!" William gritted his teeth as he swung the staff in his hand with the intention to obliterate the Crimson Crown who was the source of everyone's struggle. "Ruyi Jingu Bang!'

The red-headed teenager had activated his Heroic Avatar and decisively swung his weapon towards the sleeping Demon's hand. However, just before the golden staff smashed unto the Crimson Crown, a word of ridicule reached his ears.

"Fool."

That was the last thing that William heard before he found himself crashing towards the ground, and spitting blood.

"Hyaaah!" Chloee's shout that was filled with anger reverberated in the surroundings as she appeared right in front of the Crown, and punched it with everything she had.

However, just like what happened to William, she found herself slamming towards the ground as if she had been swatted away like a fly.

"Sh*t." William wiped the blood from his lips as he stared at the Giant Demon, whose eyes remained close. However, on its forehead, a third eye slowly opened up and focused its attention on the Half-Elf who was gritting his teeth on the ground.

"Thousands of years have passed since I saw a mortal dare to raise their weapons against me," a voice filled with ridicule and contempt was heard inside everyone's head. "It seems that everyone has forgotten about me."

"My Lord, Ahriman, we have not forgotten!" Adam shouted as he knelt to show his reverence to the God that had sired the Demon Race into existence. "We still take to heart the sacrifices you have made for the Demon Race!"

Ahriman's third eye, that was looking at William, shifted its gaze to Adam, who had prostrated himself in front of him.

"I see. You are one of my people," Ahriman said via telepathy. "Good. The power of your Darkness is very pure. You are worthy to become one of the candidates whom I will choose as my heir."

Adam bowed his head in reverence. "I thank you, My Lord, for your benevolence!"

"As for you…" the Giant Eye once again focused on William who was gathering his power for one full-powered attack. "Well, you also have the qualifications. If you kneel and worship me as your Lord, I will turn a blind eye to your transgression and allow you to compete fairly to become my heir."

William ignored Ahriman's words as he thrust his golden staff forward for the second time.

"Sweep away all adversaries!" William roared. "Ruyi Jingu Bang!"

The staff extended, and increased its size becoming as big as a castle. For some reason, William had a nagging feeling that Ahriman wasn't in the capacity to fully use his powers, due to the chains that bound his body to the throne.

At first, William didn't notice it, but after activating his Heroic Avatar, the invisible chains that held the Giant Demon in place became visible. They were unable to escape his fiery-golden-eyes, which could see through all falsehoods.

"Insolent mongrel!" Ahriman's disdainful voice was like a thunderclap that descended on everyone's head. "Know your place!"

Ahriman's third eye glowed, and a barrier enveloped the Crown that was resting on his hand. He had waited thousands of years for this Fated Day, and he would not allow anyone to disrupt his plans no matter what.

A metallic ring spread across the domain as Ruyi Jingu Bang collided with the barrier that Ahriman had summoned to protect the Crown in his hand. A few seconds later, cracks started to appear on the barrier as William willed his staff to shatter the barrier.

Just as William was about to succeed, he felt something dangerous coming from behind him. At first, he thought of stopping his attack to dodge, but decided against it.

He had complete faith in his partner, so he continued to push the golden staff forward to destroy the Crown, and end all the madness.

A powerful shockwave erupted behind him, as Chloee clashed against the Dark Wraith who had tried to sneak attack William from behind.

Both held their ground as the barrier shattered into a hundred pieces.

"Break!" William shouted as his weapon headed towards the Crimson Crown that was on Ahriman's upturned palm.

Just as the red-headed teenager was about to succeed, the Crimson Crown glowed and disappeared from the Giant Demon's hand. A few seconds later, it reappeared in front of Adam who stared at it in shock, and disbelief.

The Half-Elf knew that things had gone South, so the next thing he did was turn around in order to help Chloee deal with the Dark Wraith that she was facing. However, just as he was about to do that, he felt the Fairy's body slam against his back, sending both of them flying several meters away from where they originally stood.

"Hah…" Chloee propped herself after rolling on the ground for a few seconds and stared hatefully at the Dark Wraith that had overpowered her in their clash.

'A Pseudo-God,' Chloee thought as she fully realized that she and William were in a hopeless situation. 'Celeste, I might not see you again after this.'

Chloee knew that If she really wanted to escape this place with William, she had no choice but to use 100% of her powers. However, if she did that, she would only be able to live for a day, before her body crumbled into pieces.

Chapter 1064: Desperate Struggle [Part 2]

"Will, I have a plan," Chloee said as she clenched her fist tighter. "But, I don't know if it will work."

"No." William shook his head as he rested her hand on Chloee's shoulder. "I know what you're thinking, Sixth Master. However, even if you unseal your powers it will be useless if we don't find the method of leaving this place.

"Also, don't worry. We're not out of options just yet. We can still overcome this obstacle as long as we work together."

Chloee didn't agree or disagree with William's words. Deep inside, she understood that as long as they didn't find the exit of this Domain, everything they tried to do would be for naught.

Fighting against a Demon Army, a Pseudo-God, as well as a chained God, was too much for the two of them to handle.

'What do you suggest that we do?" Chloee asked.

"Our objective still hadn't changed," William replied. "No matter what, we need to destroy that Crown."

William's gaze was locked on the Crown that was currently in Adam's hands. The young Demon sneered at the Half-Elf whose dire circumstances almost made him laugh out loud.

"Felix, order your army to kill him," Adam ordered. "That is the only way for you to survive this place alive."

Felix nodded as he raised his hand to command the Demon Army.

"Everyone, it is time for us to end the grievances that we've felt all these years," Felix shouted as he pointed at William. "Kill him, so that we can display his corpse for all of Demonkind to see! Kill the son of the man that denied us victory!"

""Kill!""

The Demon Army charged en masse towards the Half-Elf who was doing his best to think of his next move.

The Dark Wraith chuckled before reappearing beside Adam, who was currently holding the Crown of Darkness. It was born to protect the crown and help Ahriman filter through which candidates would be worthy to wear it upon their heads.

Since the crown was now safe, It no longer needed to attack the Half-Elf and the young lady beside him. Although things might have not gone according to plan, the fact still remained that the trial was still ongoing. Amongst the thousands of Demons within this Domain, one of them would be wearing the Crown of Darkness before the day was over.

"Sixth Master, please, conserve your strength as much as possible," William said as he twirled the staff in his hand. "This battle might take a while."

Chloee nodded. She could feel a powerful suppression descending upon her and William that was coming from the Giant Demon whose eyes were locked unto their bodies.

"I will handle them for now," William stated. "When the duration of my Heroic Avatar is over, it's all on you, Sixth Master."

"Understood," Chloee replied. "Be careful."

William briefly nodded his head before stomping his feet on the ground. He then flew high up in the air as he aimed his golden staff at the Demon Army whose spells were now flying in his direction.

"Quick Shot War Art Fourth Form!" William increased the size of his staff to several meters as he braced himself for the recoil of his attack. "Grand Bazooka!"

A powerful explosion shook the Domain as William's attack descended upon the Demon Army. Before any of them could react, a raging inferno engulfed their bodies, instantly incinerating those who stepped into the point of impact.

The other Demons didn't fare either because the fire quickly spread out, immolating everything in its path. Blood curdling screams and cries of desperation resounded across the battlefield, as William bombarded all of them without mercy.

Adam, and the Dark Wraith smiled when they saw this scene because it was the goal that they were trying to achieve.

The souls of the Demons that died turned into dark mists that flew towards the crown in Adam's hands. It was an artifact that could only be activated by devouring the souls of thousands.

Originally, their plan was to have the Black Knights decimate the Demon Army in order to activate the Crown of Darkness. However, since William got in the way of their plans, the fastest way to achieve their goal was to have the Half-Elf and her comrade, Chloee, kill the demons so that their souls would be sucked up by the Crown, so they could activate its powers.

Ahriman's eyes never left William's body as the Half-Elf unleashed a one-sided slaughter against the Demon Army. As a God that started the Era of Darkness, he had seen his fair share of battles that surpassed the standards of mortals.

For him, William's performance was solely for entertainment. If he really wanted to, he could have easily ended the Half-Elf's life by using the Divinity that he had stored over the years, but he had no intention of doing that.

In order to hasten his recovery, he needed someone to inherit the power of Darkness, and make all of creation submit to him. Only when the Power of Faith was tilted in his favor would he be able to break free from the shackles that bound his body.

'This is bad,' William thought when he noticed the hundreds of dark mists that were congregating inside the Crown in Adam's hands.

"Quick Shot War Art First Form!" William roared as he pointed his staff in Adam's direction. "Destroy everything in your path!"

"Railgun!"

The Dark Wraith who was hovering beside Adam felt the threat of William's attack, so he immediately teleported Adam away from where he stood.

A second later, a powerful shockwave blasted everything away within a hundred meters from where Adam once stood, which sent the other Dark Practitioners flying in different directions.

William's strong senses scanned the entire battlefield. After feeling a disturbance in the surroundings, he decisively aimed his golden staff in the direction of the Giant Demon's body.

"Railgun!"

Adam, who reappeared on the Giant Demon's palm, didn't know that William had already predicted his location.

William sneered because he knew that he had succeeded, however, the sneer in his face disappeared when he saw a beautiful Elf appear in front of the young Demon who he had targeted.

"Disperse!" William ordered and the railgun that he shot disappeared mere inches away from Celine's chest.

The Dark Wraith chuckled when it saw that its plan had worked. It knew that William cared for the Bride of Destiny, and would never hurt her no matter what. Since that was the case, it was more than happy to use her as a shield to achieve his means.

"You bastard!" William cursed loudly at the Dark Wraith, which made him almost kill his lover.

Celine, who couldn't move her body, shouted at William with all of her might.

"Don't mind me, Will!" Celine shouted. "Destroy the Crown! Otherwise, you will not be able to leave this place alive!"

Adam, who stood behind the beautiful Elf, panted for breath. If the Dark Wraith hadn't used Celine as a shield to stop Wiliam's attack, he might be dead already. Anger burned in his chest as he glared at the Half-Elf who was looking at him with killing intent.

Feeling that he needed to return the favor, Adam planned to molest Celine in front of William in order to get back at him. Reaching out towards Celine's chest, the young Demon wanted to see the despair on William's face.

However, before he could even do that, his hand was repelled by a barrier that sent a sharp pain in his body.

"Only my chosen heir can touch the Bride of Darkness," Ahriman's voice echoed in Adam's consciousness which made his body uncontrollably shudder. "You still don't have the qualifications to have your way with her."

"I-I'm sorry, My Lord, I was wrong," Adam stuttered as he kneeled and looked up at the Giant Demon's face. "Please, forgive my transgressions!"

"Just this once," Ahriman replied. "Never again."

"Thank you for your mercy!" Adam bowed his head fervently. He knew that he narrowly dodged a death sentence for his attempt to rile up the Half-Elf who almost took his life.

With Celine being used as a shield to prevent William from attacking the crown in Adam's hand, the Half-Elf was running out of ideas.

His Heroic Avatar wouldn't hold out for long and when it disappeared, he would lose an edge against the powerful enemies that he was facing against.

Chloee, who was watching him from the ground, was clenching and unclenching her fists in frustration. Right now, they were at a great disadvantage, and she had no idea how they could turn the situation around.

Chapter 1065 Desperate Struggle [Part 3]

'If only Celeste were here, then maybe we'd stand a chance against him,' Chloee thought with a grim expression on her face.

She could feel William's frustration as he stared at Celine who was now being used as a hostage against him.

To make matters worse, the Demon Army was still bombarding him with spells, forcing him to dodge their attacks while thinking of a way to overcome his current situation. The practitioners of Dark Magic also started to move, and unleashed their Dark Art attacks in William's direction.

'What do I do?' William thought as he desperately evaded all the attacks that were aimed in his direction. 'What can I do?!'

Although William hated to admit it, fighting against a Pseudo-God, and a God at the same time was pure suicide. Although both seemed to not wish to take his life, their presence was enough of a deterrent force to force the Half-Elf to rethink his strategy.

The red-headed teenager felt that attacking the Demon Army would only hasten the activation of the Crown of Darkness, which would make things extremely difficult for him when the requirements for its activation were met.

'I need to do something, and I need to do it fast!' William firmly held the golden staff in his hand as he eyed Adam, who stood behind Celine.

Right now, he was in desperate need for a solution to his problem. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he thought, no answers came to him.

Standing on Ahrimans' palm, Celine felt her heart ache as he saw the helplessness in William's eyes. If she could end her life to make him go all out to destroy the Crown of Darkness, she would have done it already.

Unfortunately, her life was no longer in her hands. Ahriman had made sure that she wouldn't be able to do anything that would harm herself. This made Celine very anxious because slowly, but surely, she could feel a mark appearing on her chest.

The more the crown absorbed the souls of the demons in the surroundings, the clearer the emblem on Celine's chest became. It was the mark of Darkness, which proved that she was the destined Bride of Ahriman's successor.

'Let her wear the crown,' Ahriman ordered Adam. 'Do it now!'

Wanting to please the God of Darkness, Adam immediately placed the Golden Crown on top of Celine's head.

The moment the crown touched her head, Celine's thoughts scattered like dried leaves blown away by a gust of wind.

Her eyes lost their luster as she stood in a daze. A second later, four pairs of black angel wings sprouted from behind her back.

She then flew towards the sky and stared at the Demon Army under her feet with an indifferent expression on her face.

Celine then raised her hand and a giant Black Fireball appeared above her head.

"Die," Celine said in a cold and unfeeling voice before hurtling the Fireball towards the ground.

The Demons immediately scattered to evade Celine's attack, but to their surprise, the Black Fireball split into dozens of smaller Fireballs, which incinerated those who were unlucky enough to get hit by her unholy attack.

"Master! Stop it!" William said as he flew towards Celine with the intention of taking the Crown off her head.

Unfortunately, the beautiful Elf paid no heed to his words. In fact, she just casually took a step forward and reappeared hundreds of meters from where she originally stood.

"Die." Celine stated as she unleashed several devastating Dark Art attacks that killed the Demons in the dozens.

Dark mists flew towards the Crown on her head, which made one of the three jewels embedded on it glow crimson red.

"The first seal… has been unlocked." The Dark Wraith nodded its head in satisfaction after seeing the gem on the crown light up. "Two more… to go."

Fading away from its location, the Dark Wraith reappeared in front of William and used its Deathscythe to stop the Half-Elf from interfering with Celine's one-sided massacre.

"You are… one of the candidates… why are you… getting in our way?" the Dark Wraith asked as it blocked William's desperate attempts to stop Celine's onslaught.

"Damn you! What did you do to my Master?!" William shouted in anger as he smashed Ruyi Jingu Bang on the Dark Wraith's head, but the latter easily parried it with the weapon on its hand.

"She is merely… fulfilling her role," the Dark Wraith answered. "If you become… the chosen one… she will belong… to you."

"She already belongs to me!"

"Hahaha… in your dreams."

William and the Dark Wraith zigzagged across the sky as they fought for what they believed in.

Suddenly, a scream of pain reached William's ears, and his blood turned cold when he realized who the owner of the voice was.

In order to sneak up behind Celine, Chloee reverted to her small fairy form and flew high in the sky. Due to the chaos that was happening around them, everyone had completely forgotten about her, so she was free to do what she wanted.

Her plan worked perfectly. No one was able to see her descend from the sky and grab hold of the Crown on Celine's head.

However, something unexpected happened after the little fairy took the Crown off Celeste's head.

The Crown of Darkness disappeared from Chloee's grip, and reappeared on top of her head.

Celine's body fell from the sky, but the Dark Wraith waved its hand and made her reappear on Ahriman's palm.

"Sixth Master!" William cried out in alarm after seeing the little Fairy squirm in the sky.

A few seconds later, Chloee floated completely still. Her body then glowed briefly before transforming into her fourteen-year old form.

"Die." Chloee said indifferently as she descended towards the Demon Army like a meteor.

Fountains of blood rose up in the air as she cut through the Demon Army like a railgun, annihilating everyone in her path.

William stared in horror when he saw his happy go lucky Master kill the Demons in front of her with a coldness that didn't match her usual personality.

"Dammit!" William cursed as he flew in her direction.

The Dark Wraith didn't bother to stop him because it was also interested in how things would turn out. Although this was something unexpected, it didn't care as long as the end result remained the same.

—--

Hestia Academy… ꜰʀᴇᴇ ᴡᴇʙ ɴoᴠᴇʟ. coᴍ

Celeste clutched her chest, as a pained expression appeared on her face. It was a pain that came through her very soul, and it made her nearly faint due to how intense it was.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked as she looked at her Master with concern.

"It's Chloee," Celeste replied as she took deep breaths as she tried to endure the painful feeling in her chest. "Something happened to Chloee."

Claire's eyes widened in shock before a resolute expression appeared on her face.

"I think it's time," Claire said in a serious tone. "We need to make our move."

Celeste closed her eyes before resolutely nodding her head. Now that it had come to this, there was only one thing they could do, and that was to play their part in order to give their side a small chance at victory.

Chapter 1066 I Am The Chosen OneÂ

"Sixth Master, snap out of it!" William shouted as he flew towards Chloee, who was currently under the influence of the Crown of Darkness.

Although she was strong, the demons weren't push overs either. They fought her with everything they had, which injured the young lady, who didn't have full control of her senses.

Her clothes were now stained with her own, as well as her enemies', blood as she fought like a robot that was devoid of feelings. Two glowing gems shone in the Crimson Crown on her head, signifying that its second seal was now unlocked.

"Sixth Master, stop it!" William appeared in front of Chloee and attempted to swat the crown off her head, but the young lady blocked the golden staff with her hand, before unleashing a quick kick in William's direction.

The Half-Elf managed to use the staff to block her attack, but it still sent him flying several meters away away from her, but towards the demons.

'I forgot that the more injury she sustains, the stronger she becomes,' William thought as he tried to regain his footing by skidding on the ground.

However, before he could try again to stop Chloee from her one-sided slaughter, the Demons around William shifted their attention to him and attacked him without a care for their lives.

Seeing this scene, Adam wasn't able to stop himself from laughing. It was quite ironic to see William desperately try to stop Chloee from killing the Demon Army, but the Demon Army wished to kill him as well.

The Half-Elf gritted his teeth as he blocked and dodged Chloee's attacks, as well as the spells that the Demon Army fired at him.

It was truly a helpless situation and William was being attacked on all sides.

"Sixth Master! Please stop this!" William pleaded. "Don't you recognize me?! It's me, William! Your Disciple."

Chloee's fist, that had managed to get past through William's defenses after he dodged a sneak attack from one of the Demons behind him, stopped mere inches away from his face.

"Why?," Chloee asked. "Is it because I am not Human that you don't think much of me?"

"Sixth Master?" William was shocked to see tears streaming down the side of Chloee's face as she looked at him with dazed eyes.

"Is it because I am not Human that you don't look at me the way that you look at your lovers?" Chloee asked once more as the two gems embedded on the golden crown on her head glowed brightly. "Unforgivable. I won't forgive you for not treating my love seriously!"

William instinctively felt that his life was in danger, so he immediately somersaulted upwards as he tried to create as much distance between himself and Chloee as possible. However, just as he was about to leave her attack range, a cold and chilling voice reached his ears.

"Duel [EX]!" Chloee declared as she took a pose to unleash her ultimate combo.

'Sh*t!' William cursed internally as his body was pulled back in Chloee's direction by an invisible force.

He watched as Chloee's right fist shone radiantly as she prepared to unleash one of her most powerful moves, which was the Overwhelming Strike. This was an attack that William was quite familiar with and, to be perfectly honest, he was very afraid to face it head-on, even if he was in his Heroic Avatar form.

"Sweep away all adversaries!" William roared as he steeled himself to meet Chloee's strongest attack with everything he had.

"Ruyi Jingu Bang!"

"Overwhelming Strike!"

A loud explosion made the entire domain tremble as the golden staff collided with Chloee's fist. William shot backwards like a cannonball due to the incredible power that Chloee's punch possessed.

He flew for hundreds of meters before crashing on the ground and rolling for dozens of meters before he came to a complete stop.

Chloee didn't fare any better since she also was pushed back by the destructive power of their collision.

The young lady's arm was bent in a weird angle as she rolled on the ground for dozens of meters.

Her clothes were already in tatters, due to the demon's attacks, but due to the explosion, her clothes could no longer be called clothes, but a rag that was torn to pieces.

The Crimson Crown that was on her head, lay harmlessly a few meters away from her. Clearly, it had been forced off her head after her powerful clash with William.

A few seconds later, a dark whip coiled itself around the Crown, and held it in a firm grip. One of the candidates to become the Heir of Darkness took this opportunity to steal the Crown, to the surprise of everyone.

"I will be the Lord Ahriman's Heir!" the candidate who was in his mid-twenties shouted as he flew towards the sky holding the golden crown in his hand. "All of you will submit to me!"

As everyone's gazes locked unto his body, the candidate placed the crown on his head without batting an eye. Although he had seen how the golden crown had controlled Celine and Chloee earlier, he thought that since he was once of the Chosen Ones, he wouldn't be affected by the corruption of Darkness.

A minute passed then two, but the candidate wearing the crown didn't lose his senses.

"I did it!" the candidate shouted. "I am the Chosen One!'

Adam clenched his fist in frustration as he gazed up at one of his acquaintances whom he didn't think of much in the past.

"Impossible!" Adam couldn't believe what he was seeing. "This is impossible!"

The candidate gazed down on Adam who was currently standing on the palm of Ahriman's hand with a sneer. Truth be told, he had long wanted to put Adam in his place because he acted as their leader, even though all of them were candidates to become Ahriman's Heir.

"Impossible?" the candidate said with disdain. "The only thing that is impossible is your delusion. Did you really think that you alone can become the Heir of Darkness? I'm sure that you already thought that you got this in the bag, but jokes on you! Time for you to die!"

The candidate decisively flew towards Adam with the intention of taking his life.

The Dark Wraith chuckled as he watched this scene with great interest. Anyone with the power of Darkness inside their body could wear the golden crown without being corrupted. This meant that everyone had a fair chance to become Ahriman's Heir, as long as the right conditions were met.

While all of this was happening, William had forced himself to go to Chloee's location. Although he wasn't seriously injured, he did receive significant damage from the little fairy's "Law Breaker" ability, which passed through his defenses.

"Sixth Master," William said as he gazed at Chloee's disheveled form. He immediately took out several advance potions from his storage ring and poured it over her body. For some reason, he couldn't use his Job Class, Life Wizard, to help cure her injuries.

As the potions started to take effect, Chloee slowly opened her eyes and looked at William in a daze. The Half-Elf then took out a blanket from her storage ring and used it to cover Chloee's body, whose clothes were already in tatters.

Chloee couldn't muster any strength on her body, because the crown had drained most of her power when it took control of her. Even so, she still gazed at William as she felt her cheeks burn due to shame and embarrassment.

"About what I said earlier…," Chloee said softly. "You can for–"

William pressed his finger over Chloee's lips before shaking his head.

"Let's talk about that later, Sixth Master," William replied. "For the time being, wear these clothes first, and drink these rejuvenation potions. Our situation is not too optimistic at the moment."

Chloee knew that William didn't want to talk about her earlier outburst, so she decided to drop the topic for the time being. After drinking the potions that the Half-Elf had given her, she then wore the tight training clothes that Wililam had bought from the God Shop a long time ago.

They were the clothes he wore whenever he sparred with Celine, and since they had the auto-fit function, Chloee was able to wear them without any problems.

"I'm sorry," Chloee stated. "Even though I drank the potions, I can feel that it will take some time before my strength returns. I'm sorry for being a useless Master."

"You're not useless, Sixth Master," William replied as he gazed at the battle that was currently happening around him. "My Heroic Avatar is also about to end. For the time being, let us leave this place until you fully recover your strength. Since they are hell-bent on killing each other, let them kill each other as much as they want."

William carried Chloee like a princess and flew in the opposite direction of the battle. Right now, he still wasn't sure about what action he should take. All he knew was that whoever wore the crown in the end, would definitely massacre everyone else inside the Domain.

'Celine, wait for me.' William gritted his teeth as he glanced at the direction of his lover. 'I will come back for you.'

Now that the Dark Wraith had confirmed that Celine was indeed the Bride of Darkness, William would do everything in his power to take her away from this place.

What William didn't know was that there were four individuals that were paying extra close attention to his actions.

Invidia, Superbia, the Dark Wraith, as well as Ahriman were paying attention to every action he made. Although none of them made any move when William escaped carrying Chloee in his arms, all four of them knew that he wasn't the type to leave someone important to him behind.

'Do you think he will return?' Invidia asked Superbia through telepathy.

'I don't know,' Superbia answered. 'In front of overwhelming odds, my Pride won't allow me to back down and lower my head. Such is the Sin I carry. How about you?'

'Me? The moment things don't go in my favor, I will immediately leave. What's the point in dying a martyr's death when you can live to fight another day? At least, I am not delusional enough to think that I can win against a God.'

Superbia lightly nodded her head in acknowledgement of Invidia's words. She could understand that if anyone were in William's position, they would have done the same thing he did.

After all, how could they possibly fight against a God, a Pseudo-God, and an Army of Demons all alone?

'Still, if he really doesn't save Celine, I will look down on him for the rest of my life,' Superbia declared. 'I will never acknowledge such a man.'

'Mmm, I guess you have a point. I also feel the same.'

The two beautiful ladies who bore two of the Seven Deadly Sins of the world, shifted their gaze to the Demon Candidate who was currently fighting against Adam with everything he had.

The two of them were merely spectators in this battle that would decide the fate of the world. They just wanted to see who among the younger generation would become the Heir of Darkness, and make their wishes a reality.

Chapter 1067 I Will Struggle Until The End

When William felt that they were no longer in danger, he landed on the ground while carrying Chloee in her arms.

"Sixth Master, can you stand?"

"Un. But, I still need to lean on you for the time being."

"Okay."

Chloee sighed as she weakly rested her head on William's chest, while the latter held her waist to help support her body, so that she could lean on him properly.

Both of them stared in the distance where Ahriman's Giant Body was located. Although they were quite far away, they could still feel the fluctuations of magical energy as the battle between the candidates intensified.

"I hope that they kill each other," Chloee said as she narrowed her eyes. "Wouldn't that be wonderful if it really happened?"

"Well, we can dream," William replied with a wry smile on his face. He knew that even if Adam and the crown bearer were both to die in battle, there were many other possible candidates that could take their place.

Right now, the battle had become a free-for-all, with the Demon Army, as well as the Demon Candidates fighting each other for the possession of the Crown.

The Demon Army wasn't stupid. They knew that they were being used as living sacrifices in order to unlock the seals that were placed on the Crown of Darkness. Since that was the case, they would join the battle for the possession of the Crown, and kill everyone that stopped them from doing so.

A three-way battle for the Crown of Darkness started.

One faction supported the crown bearer, while the second supported Adam. The last one was the Demon Army being commanded by Felix.

All of them knew that if a good opportunity presented itself, they would not hesitate to grab the Crown that would decide their destiny with their own two hands.

From a good distance away, the Half-Elf and the Fairy who was weakly leaning on his body looked at the battle with solemn expressions on their faces.

'Is there really nothing that I can do?' William sighed internally as the power of the Heroic Avatar slowly left his body. Right now, his strength was at the peak of the Myriad Rank with his Vampire Progenitor Job Class.

However, having that kind of strength was not enough to win the battle that was right in front of him.

'Should I use my last resort?' William frowned as he weighed the pros and cons of what he was about to do. In the end, he knew that this was the only way in order to turn the tide of battle in his favor. However, for that to happen, he would need to wait for the right opportunity to strike.

'I only have one shot at this, I better make it count,' William thought as he clenched his right fist tightly.

Since Celine was part of his Familia, he could tell that she was currently safe. He already tried to recall her using the power of their bond, but something was preventing her from appearing by his side.

'It must be some kind of law, similar to the chains that bind Ahriman to this place.' William's frown deepened as he once again activated his Familia Fusion with Celine, who was currently on the palm of the Giant Demon's hand.

It was at this moment when he remembered the conversation he had with Baba Yaga several days ago.

—--

"Master is my woman," William replied. "I will take full responsibility and ensure that I make her happy."

"Bold words, but can you really do it?"

"I will."

Baba Yaga's witchy chuckle reached William's ears as she stared down at him.

"I will, doesn't mean that you can back it up," Baba Yaga stated. "Words are merely words, after all. When the sky truly falls, and this world is shrouded in Darkness, the words 'I will', may not be enough to ensure her safety."

William faced Baba Yaga's stare head-on. "I will do everything in my power to keep her away from harm. I have the ability to do that."

"Do you?" A contemptuous chuckle escaped Baba Yaga's lips. "Believe me boy, fighting against a Demigod will be the least of your worries. You will be fighting against a Prophecy that is already set in stone. Even with all of your trump cards combined, I'm afraid that it won't be enough, once the Heir of Darkness is born."

—--

The Half-Elf bit his lip in frustration. Back then, he was confident that he could overcome whatever obstacles came his way.

He didn't fear the Demon Lord, or his army. He believed that even if two Demigods of the Demon Realm banded together, he would still be able to do something about it.

Unfortunately, he wasn't facing Demigods, but a Pseudo-God, as well as a bonafide God of Darkness, who had created the Demon Race.

The more he thought about it, the more Baba Yaga's words hit him, and the more he understood that he really was being delusional when he thought that he could single-handedly protect the person that was important to him.

"Even if this Prophecy is already set in stone, what of it? As long as I draw breath, I will protect the people that are important to me even if…"

William felt his cheeks burn as he remembered the words that he said in order to reassure Celine's Master that he will be able to protect her. The reply that the old witch gave him then resonated inside his head.

—--

"How noble of you, but what if it's still not enough?" Baba Yaga asked. "What if after you have sacrificed everything? Your memories, your love, and those who loved you. What if after sacrificing them all, you still fail to protect those that are important to you? What then?"

"If… if after sacrificing everything, and I still fail to protect those that are important to me then I will struggle until the bitter end," William said with his eyes closed.

—----

That was the promise he had made back then, and it was now time to prove that he wasn't all talk.

'Yes. I will struggle until the end.' William took a deep breath as he calmed his senses. 'There's no use worrying about these things. I can only do what I need to do and that is to save Master and escape this place.'

William then gazed down on Chloee, who to his surprise was also gazing up at him.

"Sixth Master, lend me your power," William said as he looked at her with a serious expression on his face.

Chloee nodded her head in understanding. Even though William didn't specifically say what she needed to do, she had once lent her power to him when facing off against Apophis in the Deadlands.

—---

Fortaare Desert…

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go," Elliot said as he patted Conan's shoulder. "William needs us."

"Kekeke." Conan chuckled as he gazed at Princess Aila who had a worried look on her face. "Don't worry. We will be back before dinner time. Make sure to leave some food to us."

Princess Aila nodded her head. "Be careful, both of you."

Shannon gave the two familiars a side-long glance before nodding her head at the two of them. She was currently in the middle of painting William's struggles in the Holy Land of Darkness, which allowed everyone in the room to see what the Half-Elf was currently going through.

Elliot and Conan exchanged a glance before firmly nodding their heads in unison.

"Familiar Fusion!"

Chapter 1068 Dawn Of A New Era

"You don't deserve that crown!" Adam roared as he shot several Dark Lances at the candidate who was currently wearing the Crown of Darkness on his head.

"Futile." The Crowned Demon waved his hand and a barrier of Darkness blocked the Dark Lances, making them dissipate instantly. "You should have worn the crown when you had the chance, but you didn't. Since you tossed the opportunity away, don't regret your stupidity!"

The Crowned Demon lashed out at Adam using a Dark Whip that extended hundreds of meters. It was like a black snake that relentlessly destroyed everything in its path, before heading towards Adam who dodged it by blinking away.

"You're only good at running away!" The Crowned Demon spat before a devilish grin appeared on his face. "Since you're so scared to fight me then I will no longer play with you."

The Crowned Demon knew that he needed to unlock the final seal on the Crown in order to become the true Heir of Darkness. Because of this, he shifted his attention to the Demon Army that was desperately trying to break through the Dark Barrier that protected his body.

"Your souls are mine!" The Crowned Demon then lashed his gigantic whip at the Demon Army, reaping lives in the hundreds.

Adam, who saw this, felt his blood turn cold because he noticed a small radiance in the center of the last gem that was embedded in the Crown.

"Everyone, let's work together and stop him from taking any more lives!" Adam shouted. "The last gem is slowly being filled up with Dark Energy. If he succeeds, all of us will die!"

"Hahaha! Your cries of desperation are music to my ears, Adam," the Crowned Demon crooned with a sneer. "Do not worry. Those who wish to become my subordinates will be spared, and will all become part of the new empire that I will build. Everything you've ever wanted, be it power, women, or riches, I will give it to you without fail. So, stand by me and witness the dawn of a new era. My Era!"

The Demon Candidates who had already sided with the Crowned Demon, encircled him in a protective formation.

In the beginning, they thought that they could steal the Crown from him, but as the battle progressed, they understood that doing that was almost impossible.

A powerful barrier was protecting the crown bearer, and any form of magic, be it Dark Magic or other Elemental Magic, were unable to shatter its defenses.

Although they were not willing to admit it, they realized that if they didn't side with the Crowned Demon now, they would face his reckoning once the third and final seal on the Crown was unlocked.

"Die for my empire!" the Crowned Demon shouted as he raised his right hand.

A giant ball of Darkness slowly expanded over his right hand, which made everyone who saw it feel the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

"Judgment of Darkness!"

The Crowned Demon hurled the giant ball of Darkness towards the ground with a look of contempt on his face.

Ever since the second seal had been unlocked, he could feel a limitless amount of Dark Magic in his body. The Crown also directly implanted information about all the powerful spells that it was capable of doing inside the Demon's Head, allowing him to wield them as he pleased.

Invidia and Superbia immediately turned into green and purple beams of light as they shot towards the sky to evade the incoming attack.

The two of them were merely spectators in this struggle, so they had no intention of becoming part of the sacrifices that were needed to restore the Crown of Darkness to its former glory.

The moment the giant ball of Darkness hit the ground, no explosions were heard. A pin-drop silence descended unto the battlefield as the entire domain was covered in darkness.

"Commander! Where are you?!" one of Felix's subordinates shouted in fright as he looked around him. He could see nothing but pitch-black darkness, and it filled him with dread. He couldn't even see his hands, or any part of his body.

The only thing that remained persistent was the silence in the maddening world that was bereft of light.

Soon, the sound of laughter reached his ears. At first it was only a slow chuckle, but as the seconds passed by, it grew into crazy laughter which drove the Demon into a panic attack. Soon, he felt hands touching his body, but he couldn't see any of them.

Soon, the number of hands that were grabbing hold of his body multiplied. No matter what he did, he couldn't budge from their grip, and the maddening laughter that was getting stronger and stronger broke whatever resolve he had left.

"Nooooooooooooooo! Don't kill me!" the demon shouted. "I don't want to die! Save me, Commander! Save me!"

The crazy laughter that was laughing at his suffering once again intensified, which made him feel as if his head was going to burst from its intensity. After struggling for an unknown period of time, the demon went limp as his entire body slowly turned into a dark mist.

The same thing was happening to the rest of the Demon Army, and slowly, but surely, the last gem embedded in the Crimson Crown was slowly gaining its radiance.

The Crowned Demon who was at the center of the World of Darkness couldn't contain the excitement that he was feeling. He could feel his power getting stronger with each minute that passed.

"Just a little more," the Crowned Demon muttered. "Just a little more and I will be the King of this World! Hahaha--ahh!"

The Crowned Demon felt a sharp object pierce through his back, all the way to the front of his chest.

"N-No!" the crowned demon gasped in pain and shock. "T-This can't be happening. I am the Chosen One. I will be the one to rule this world!"

The Crowned Demon turned around to see the face of his killer. As if wishing to grant his dying wish, his killer pulled back the blade that pierced the Demon's chest, to allow him to see the one responsible for his death.

"Y-You…" the Crowned Demon spat a mouthful of blood as he gazed at the Demon who killed him. "I can't die… I am the Chosen One. This is not happening."

"Thank you for your effort," a cold and indifferent voice said as its owner took the Crown off the Demon's head. "You can die in peace knowing that you paved the way for my ascension."

The Demon looked at his killer with an unwilling gaze as he took his last breath. His eyes remained open even after he died as if trying to understand why his grand destiny was snatched away from his grasp.

A teenage demon with green hair and red eyes placed the Crown on his head as the final seal of the Crown of Darkness was unlocked.

He immediately felt the overwhelming Power of Darkness wash over his body, which made him sigh in absolute pleasure.

"Yes. This is the power that I've wanted all my life," the green-haired demon said as he bathed in the afterglow of the euphoric sensation that was filling every pore of his body.

—--

Celine, who had just regained consciousness a few minutes ago, struggled to stand up on the palm of the Giant Demon's hand. In front of her, a pitch-black Dome of Darkness enveloped the Domain.

Suddenly, she felt a stinging pain on her chest, as the Mark of Darkness finished forming. It was also at that moment when she felt a very strong connection from somewhere inside the Dome of Darkness.

"No," Celine muttered as her hand subconsciously pressed over the mark on her right breast.

She knew with every fiber of her being, that the Heir of Darkness had finally appeared. Tears streamed down the side of her face, as the person who was destined to become her Master, beckoned for her to come to him.

"Will…," Celine muttered as she did everything in her power to stop herself from answering the Call of Darkness, but it was of no use. Her body took a step forward, regardless of her will, towards the black dome in the distance.

As the tears streamed down the side of her beautiful face, Celine felt that all hope was lost. She was like a marionette that was moving according to the puppeteer's wishes.

A puppet that no longer had any control over the Destiny that she could call her own.

Chapter 1069 Over My Dead Body

"How?!" Adam roared in anger. "You are not one of the candidates! Why are you able to wear that crown without going crazy?!"

The green-haired boy with red eyes smirked as he looked at the black-haired Demon who was looking at him with shock and disbelief.

"Why? The answer is really simple," the green-haired boy replied in a teasing tone. "It's because I also wield Dark Magic."

"Impossible! If you really practice the Dark Arts then you should have entered the Ancient Ruins long ago!"

"And who told you that I didn't?"

The green-haired boy wagged his finger at Adam who was looking at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Did you forget? The ones that first managed the ruins when it was discovered was me," the green-haired boy stated. "Naturally, the first to enter was also me. You guys were summoned after I finished my exploration."

Adam couldn't believe what he was hearing.

No.

He decided to not believe what he was hearing. After all, if that was really the case then all of them were fooled from the very beginning.

"Are you saying that everything that happened was according to your plan?" Adam clenched his fist as he glared at the person in front of him. "Did you orchestrate everything from the very beginning?"

"You think too highly of me," the green-haired boy replied. "When I first entered the ruins, I barely escaped with my life. Because of that, I used an artifact to seal the Dark Magic inside my body, so I wouldn't be affected by the call of the ruins. It just so happened that an opportunity was presented to me to seize the crown. Everything else was just a series of coincidences. No… There's no coincidence. This was the act of Destiny."

Felix, the crown prince of the Demon Race sneered at Adam. The Crimson Crown was firmly planted on his head, and the Power of Darkness radiated from his body. Clearly, he wasn't lying when he said that he also wielded Dark Magic, for only those who had it could wear the crown without losing their sense of reason.

"What a shame, Adam," Felix said as he lightly rubbed his chin. "I was serious when I asked you to become my subordinate. Unfortunately, your ego was too big and you thought that you were the one and only one who was destined to wear this Crown on your head."

Felix words that were filled with ridicule made Adam wince. He couldn't refute that he had thought of it that way. For him, he was the one and sole Heir of Darkness, and everyone else was just a stepping stone that would take him to greatness.

"I'll give you one last opportunity, Adam," Felix stated as he gazed at the Demon that had betrayed him. "Submit to me, and I will turn a blind eye to your transgressions."

"Never!"

"Fine. Don't regret it."

Felix raised his hand as a devilish smile appeared on his face. A moment later, Adam's body trembled uncontrollably as black mists oozed out of his body.

"W-What are you doing?!" Adam asked as he endured the excruciating pain inside his body. "What are you doing to me?!"

Felix sneered as he looked at Adam with contempt. "I am just taking your power away. Since you wish to defy me then I will take your Dark Arts and make it mine. Don't worry, I will not take your life. I want you to see and regret the choices you made as I conquer this world and build my empire!"

Adam cried out in pain because he felt as if his very soul was being stripped from his body. A few minutes later, he collapsed on the ground, panting for breath as blood flowed out of every orifices of his body.

Felix chuckled as he gazed at his surroundings. The other candidates were also looking at him from inside the pitch-black world. Only those who wielded the Power of Darkness could navigate in this world bereft of light.

They had all witnessed what had transpired between the two, and the aftermath made them shudder internally.

"So, what will it be?" Felix asked as he arched an eyebrow. "Are all of you with me, or against me? Make your choice now."

The Candidates exchanged a glance at each other, before kneeling one by one in front of Felix.

"I hereby pledge my undying loyalty to you, Your Highness!"

"Command me as you will, My Prince!"

"My allegiance is yours, Your Highness!"

One by one, the candidates pledged their undying loyalty to Felix, which made the latter nod his head in satisfaction.

After receiving everyone's pledge, he then shifted his attention to look at the beautiful Elf, who was slowly, but surely, making her way towards him.

"You're finally here, My Bride," Felix said as he gazed at Celine with the eyes of a conqueror.

His gaze landed on her beautiful face, her womanly curves, as well as the black mark that was shining over her right breast, proving that she belonged only to him. Immediately, he could feel his body heat up, as he lustily looked at her body.

"As expected of my destined woman," Felix muttered. "You're perfect."

Felix really felt that Celine was perfect. He had already seen many beauties in the Demon Continent, but the Elf's beauty, which had been baptized with the Power of Darkness had become more profound, surpassing all the ladies that he had seen and bedded in the past.

"You will be my Queen, and I will be your King," Felix declared as he walked towards the beautiful Elf, whom he would force to bear his children.

Celine bit her lips, as she fought the command that was given to her. However, just like her earlier attempt, it was futile.

Slowly but surely, she knelt down on the ground to obey her new Master. However, before her knees could even touch the ground, a pair of strong arms wrapped itself around her body and pulled her up, preventing her from kneeling.

"My woman will not kneel to anyone."

William said with a cold expression on his face as he glared at Felix, who had stopped his advance.

"She is my Queen," William declared. "Always will be. Isn't that right, Celine?"

"Yes," Celien replied, as she endured the stinging pain on her chest. "I am yours, Will."

Felix chuckled as he looked at the beautiful Elf and the handsome Half-Elf in front of him.

"So, you like each other?" Felix asked with a mischievous expression on his face. "This is good. I will let you witness how I conquer your woman in front of you. I'm sure that it will be a very memorable experience for you, Ainsworth."

"Over my dead body," William replied.

"That can easily be arranged, but where is the fun in that?" Felix shook his head. "I will make you feel despair and helplessness for being weak and powerless. Consider this my family's revenge for what your father did to our entire race. Do you really think that I'll let you die easily? Perish the thought. Now, give her to me."

Felix made a beckoning gesture, and the mark on Celine's body glowed crimson red. The beautiful Elf bit her lips in order to prevent her pained cries from leaking out, but the tears in her eyes showed how much he was suffering.

"The only thing you'll get, is a smack on your head," William declared as he threw the golden staff in his hand towards the heavens."

A moment later, a powerful and fearless voice reverberated in the heavens, as the dome of darkness dispersed under his brilliant aura.

"Reject Humanity!" Sun Wukong roared. "Return to Monke!"

Chapter 1070 Who Do You Think Will Win?

A dazzling light descended from the heavens and dispersed the darkness that blocked his way.

A moment later, a proud, and arrogant Monkey King stood between Felix, and William with a smile on his face.

"Will, I'll leave this boy to you," Sun Wukong said as he shifted his attention to the Dark Wraith, who was the biggest threat inside the domain. "You can handle him, right?"

"Of course," William replied with confidence. "I'll deal with him."

"Good. I don't really want to fight children. I'll just smash this Pseudo-God first."

"Understood."

Without another word, Sun Wukong somersaulted in the air. His powerful presence was strong enough to deter any opposition because, in his eyes, the only opponent was the Dark Wraith that was manipulating things from behind the scenes.

Now that he was here, Will no longer needed to worry about someone sneak attacking him from behind as he dealt with the so-called Heir of Darkness, who thought that he had already won the battle.

"Master, I'll handle him," William said as he handed Celine over to Chloee, who had appeared beside him. "Chloee, take her to a safe place. Leave the rest to me."

"Okay." Chloee nodded her head as she flew away, carrying Celine with her. Although she still hadn't fully recovered her strength, her strength was enough to deal with anyone who tried to take Celine from her.

This was the only thing that she could do so William could fight with everything he had, without worrying about their safety.

Felix crossed his arms over his chest, as he allowed Celine to be taken away from him. Right now, they were inside the Ancient Ruins. No matter where she ran off to, she couldn't escape his grasp.

Also, he was very curious to see what the red-headed teenager was capable of. His father had lost to William's father in the past, and now, he felt that it was time to reverse their roles, so that a new page of history would be written.

A history with his name on it, and how he triumphed over everything that stood in his way.

"Your father won against mine," Felix said. "This time, I will correct that mistake."

"No. It will be the same," William replied. "History will repeat itself, with you losing just like your father did."

"I see. You still don't understand who you are dealing with."

"No. it is you who does not understand who you are dealing with."

The moment William finished his words, both combatants disappeared from where they stood and clashed head-on.

William was wielding Soleil in his hands, while Felix held a Dark Spear in his. Although the green-haired Demon was proficient in using a sword, he was more of a threat when using a spear.

The two clashed several times as they both gauged each other's strength. Right now, William's strength was at the peak of the Myriad Rank, while Felix was the same. After gaining the acknowledgement of the Crown of Darkness, his powers had steadily increased until he had reached the peak of the Myriad Realm.

The only difference was that Felix's strength was still growing. Once the Crown of Darkness bestowed all of its power to its current owner, Felix's strength would reach the peak of the Demigod Realm.

This process would take a few days at the very least, but for now, letting its owner have the strength of someone at the peak of the Mortal Realm was enough.

"Well, I guess you're not all talk," Felix said after he distanced himself from William after finally realizing his current rank.

"You're all talk," William replied as shifted his Job Class to Champion of the Sun.

"Solar Flare!"

A miniature sun appeared above William before he smashed it towards Felix who had also summoned a giant orb of Darkness.

"Dark Void!"

The two powers clashed, creating a powerful shockwave in the air. Everyone within a thousand meter radius of both fighters were blown away helplessly due to the overwhelming power of their attacks.

William and Felix roared as they tried to push their attack against each other. After half a minute of struggle, a powerful explosion made the Domain tremble as both fighters were blown away from the aftermath.

Felix was able to recover right away as he hovered arrogantly in the air. A defiant smile was on his face as he clenched his fist tightly.

"Yes. This is it," Felix said with excitement. "This is how things are supposed to be. It will be boring if I beat you too easily!"

William, who was on his opposite side, took a fighting stance as he absorbed the power of the Solar Flare that remained in the surroundings.

Soleil turned dark red, as the power of the sun powered it up, but Wiliam knew that the spear was only half-way charged.

The Half-Elf changed his Job Class to Thunder Emperor. Although the Prestige Class' strength was only at the early stages of the Myriad Rank, lightning was a Demon's worst adversary.

"Stormcaller, let's go," William stated as the Ainsworth Family's heirloom floated by his side.

Tendrils of lightning snaked around its body as the crisp sounds of electrical currents reached William's ears. It was as if the weapon was assuring him that it would perform to the best of its abilities in the Half-Elf's fight against his enemy.

Dark clouds covered the sky as the rumbling of thunder resonated in the heavens. The pupils in William's eyes glowed brightly as streaks of lightning streaked in its depths.

Felix frowned because he didn't expect Wiliam to be able to wield the power of lightning. Although he now had the Power of Darkness protecting his body, he had to admit that his race's inherent weakness was something etched deep in their bones.

"Armor of Darkness!" Feflix declared and his body was immediately coated with Dark Armor. This was the only defensive move he could think of in order to ensure that he wouldn't be caught by surprise by William's unearthly display of power.

Felix was like a Dark Knight, but with a Crimson Crown on his head. The Dark Spear in his hand blazed with unholy flames as he prepared to launch an attack at William.

However, before he could even make his move, William appeared in front of him without warning and thrust Soleil to his chest. The blow forced Felix's body to bend over as he was propelled backwards.

But William's attack didn't end there. As if waiting for its Master's attack to connect, Stormcaller unleashed a giant bolt of lightning, which sent Felix crashing towards the ground, creating a crater where he fell.

This extraordinary display of power didn't escape the two ladies who were watching the battle from a safe distance.

"If he wasn't wearing that crown, Felix might have died from that attack," Invidia said with a smile on her face.

"But, he is wearing the Crown of Darkness, so he should be fine," Superbia replied.

"Who do you think will win?"

"The stronger one."

The corner of Invidia's lips curled up with a smile. Her friend was right. Only the strong would be the last one standing between the two teenage warriors. Initially, she thought that it would be a one-sided beating, with Felix overpowering William from the get go.

However, she didn't expect the Half-Elf to not be as simple as he seemed, which surprised her greatly.

"It's hard to not be envious of her right now," Invidia said as she gazed in Celine's direction. "I mean, two handsome boys are fighting for her right now. If I was in her place, I would be thrilled. How about you, Superbia?"

"I don't feel envy or jealousy towards her," Superbia replied. "Only pity. Our sister is quite pitiful, isn't she?"

Invidia nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. but, she's still Our sister. I'm sure that when she is pushed into a corner, she will throw all caution to the wind, and fight back."

Superbia smiled. Unlike her sisters, she prided herself for being one of the chosen ladies that bore a Sin in her body. She believed that no matter what circumstances they found themselves in, they would always fight tooth and nail against the fate that was presented to them.

For that was also the sin that they carried. The Sins that were always present in everyone's heart.