A searing light burst from the center of the Grand Expedition army and shot into the sky.
It pierced through Vlad’s blood sigil like a spear, shattering it instantly.
Vlad turned his head toward the light.
He didn’t react at first, but a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
The thirty-six Fabled-ranked beings within the Expedition were killed within the first attack.
Even if some had survived, none of them should’ve had the power to destroy the sigil.
Vlad was the Second Great Disaster.
He would go as far as to say he was the strongest among the three.
Nyxtharion was the history’s first Necromancer. Kane was a Sword Saint.
But Vlad was the one who had touched the Blood Sea, and could control it. Even if it was only barely.
He had been the one to flood the worlds with Blood Sea when Tartarus had deemed them evil, then slowly dragged them into the Tartarus’ Nightmare.
So how did someone destroy his spell?
Two figures stepped forward through the settling light.
Vlad recognized one instantly. The man’s energy was the same as the one that destroyed his sigil.
He narrowed his eyes at Nicolas, the human brought here by Kane.
Nicolas looked too weak. He shouldn’t have had the strength for this.
Vlad’s gaze drifted to the sword in Nicolas’ hand. A strange, layered energy surrounded it.
“Is that a Sacred Treasure?” Vlad asked.
Nicolas didn’t answer. Instead, he spoke calmly.
“Why are you doing this?”
Vlad paused, then gave a small nod. “Alright. I’ll answer that. You answer me after.”
Nicolas remained silent.
“I’m what people call the Second Great Disaster. I’ve worn many faces over the years, making sure no one knew my true identity. I’ve been the leader of the Blood Dragon Clan for thousands of years, all to serve Sire Tartarus.”
Nicolas looked down at his sword.
He wasn’t trying to fight Vlad, and instead his goal was to buy time.
So, answering here was the best choice.
“This is one of seven fragments of the sword of Uranus, an Awakener from my world. It’s called the Sword of Justice, Hestia. It’s not a Sacred Treasure.”
Vlad frowned slightly. He repeated the question. Nicolas confirmed again.
He stared deeper into the sword.
Power flooded into his eyes, allowing him to peer into the truth of the sword.
Pain.
Sharp, stabbing pain.
A suffocating pressure burst out from the blade.
Vlad’s Spell canceled itself without warning.
His vision blurred. His eyes stung.
He froze. He knew this feeling.
That power—he’d sensed it before. From Erza Williams. It was the same strange aura.
“A demon,” Vlad muttered. “You called it the Sword of Justice. If that’s true… then that sword is the Demon of Evil, Karma.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your sword can only be used by someone with a vastly high positive karma. It should be enough to earn reincarnation.”
Nicolas flinched. That was exactly what Hestia’s conditions had been.
“You didn’t even know what you were wielding.”
Vlad stopped mid-sentence. His attention shifted to the woman beside Nicolas. Something was off.
She wasn’t real.
She was made from high-level water-elemental magic.
He scanned the battlefield.
Further off, a figure was weaving through the chaos—Olivia.
She carried an orb of dense, glowing water.
She was placing people inside it. One after another, they disappeared.
Teleportation. Either to another Zone or another Layer.
“That’s a Sacred Treasure,” Vlad muttered. “A Demon, a Sacred Treasure. What kind of world do you have to have so many treasures?”
He took a step to intercept her, only to have Nicolas block his way.
Without another word, they clashed.
Nicolas moved fast, his aura layered with light, holy, and spatial energy.
Even when his body was destroyed, he reformed using light itself. His sword hummed with intensity.
In his mind, Karma’s voice echoed.
Heh. Looks like the cat’s out of the bag.
It was a woman’s voice. Smooth and teasing.
Nicolas ignored her, but she kept talking.
Vlad is far too powerful for you. If I had to explain it, Dragon Clan leaders are Stage 3, Grade 4 or 3. Protectors? Grade 2. But Vlad… he’s Grade 1. You can’t beat him.
“I don’t have to beat him,” Nicolas said through gritted teeth. “I just need to buy time.”
You can’t buy *that* much time. You’re weak. Sell me more lives. I’ll give you power.
Nicolas refused.
Vlad swung his clawed hand, cutting through dozens of Grand Expedition members around them.
His aura exploded outward, killing mages, knights, and monsters alike.
His presence alone collapsed barriers and defensive circles.
He drove his fist into Nicolas’ side, sending him flying.
Then a spear of blood impaled a dozen soldiers in one sweep. He didn’t stop moving.
Another wave of red chains lashed out, dragging down groups of evacuees.
Explosions tore through the earth.
Flames ignited as summoned monsters tried to resist, only to be shredded apart.
Vlad moved like a storm.
Even as Nicolas reformed himself again and again, he was pushed back every time.
Eventually, Vlad smashed Nicolas into the ground with a thunderous stomp.
“That’s enough,” Vlad said. “Your demon is strong. I’ll admit that. Looks like you’ve already given it two or three lives. That should be all you had, since no one can gather more karma than that in one life, so stop annoying me now. I will spare your life.
“This place is created to punish Evil. Pure souls like you can be forgiven. So don’t step into my path again if you don’t want to get destroyed.”
Nicolas coughed, barely conscious.
More people escaped behind him.
Vlad could feel it. And it irritated him.
He crushed Nicolas’ chest underfoot and muttered,
“Just stay down. No matter what you do, you can’t win. I am a god, and Gods are invincible.”
He turned to Olivia and moved to kill her.
Behind him, Nicolas lay broken. His vision dimmed. He had expend too much energy. It would take him time before he could stand again.
Then Karma’s voice returned, laughing.
Gods are supreme, so just bow to them. Wasn’t that what ‘The One’ said? How pathetic. You’re hearing the same thing twice before being crushed.
Nicolas took a shaky breath.
“…take all my remaining five lives.”
Karma’s voice echoed through his skull.
Yes, the reply came in a cheerful tone.
Nicolas was a gem.
In this life, which was his first one, he’d gathered karma equal to nine lifetimes.
In all her time as a demon, Karma had never found anyone purer.
She had waited patiently. Tempted him. And now she had succeeded.
Don’t worry. I’ll make you strong enough to kill him.
Light burst from Nicolas’ sword.
His wounds sealed. His broken ribs shifted back into place. Even his destroyed eye healed.
He stood back again.
In the distance, Vlad had caught Olivia by her neck.
Just as Vlad about to crush her throat—
A flash.
A slash of light tore through Vlad’s hand, severing it.
Olivia dropped to the ground, gasping.
Nicolas walked forward.
His clothes were torn, covered in blood and dirt. But he stood tall.
His aura grew with every step he took.
He looked at Vlad.
“God are not invincible,” Nicolas said.
“They are. Have you ever seen a God bleed?” Vlad replied. “And why did you stand up again? Do you really want to die?”
“Have I seen gods bleed?” Nicolas gritted his teeth. “Yes.
“I have even made them bleed.”