Meanwhile, Duke Yukimarus MacTire strode toward the Wolf Ruler with steady, deliberate steps, ignoring the Sword Saint, Azars Nozaki—who, for his part, kept his gaze fixed upon the Serpent Ruler with intense fury and malice.
An overwhelming, dark-red aura radiated from Yukimarus's body, striking a fleeting moment of fear into the Wolf Ruler before the beast let out a thunderous howl:
"Awoooooooo!"
Baring his fangs, the Wolf Ruler glared at Yukimarus—known as the "Demonic Assassin"—with palpable rage and clear intent to kill.
Yukimarus, however, remained unfazed and continued his advance. Elsewhere, the Orc Ruler was locked in combat with the Magic Emperor, Aster Guilford, and the Magic Master, Belgurd Kethali, while the Serpent Ruler faced off against the Sword Saint, Azars Nozaki.
As for the Goblin Ruler, he found himself surrounded by students from the academy, aided by Kaito Ishikawa, Yusuber, Ekatherine Yoshika, Kyotua, Leo Venessa, Callista, and Julian.
Although the Headmaster had initially opposed the idea of professors assisting the students, he eventually relented.
Yukimarus and the Wolf Ruler locked eyes for several seconds before Yukimarus spoke, his tone cold and defiant:
"Wolf Ruler—it's a pleasure to meet you, isn't it?"
A grin spread across the Wolf Ruler's face, revealing fangs as sharp as sword blades, his expression alight with fierce excitement. "Indeed! The Ice Wolf family—the Duchy of Kethali!"
The atmosphere between them grew so tense that the ground began to shatter under the sheer weight of their overwhelming presence.
Then, both lunged toward each other.
A violent explosion erupted the moment Yukimarus's fist collided with the Wolf Lord's claw.
BOOM!
Within a crater fifteen meters deep and twenty-seven meters across, the two locked eyes, their auras radiating intensely from their bodies.
"Yukimarus MacTire—you are formidable! You truly deserve the title of Duke, but that won't matter much once you're dead!"
The Wolf Lord spoke, circling his opponent while maintaining a distance of twenty-three meters.
He was wary of a surprise attack; after all, Yukimarus was the head of a family of assassins—lowering one's guard in his presence would mean a gruesome death.
Nevertheless, the Wolf Lord decided to strike first.
"Awoooooooo!"
The Wolf Lord unleashed a sonic wave so powerful that reality itself shuddered for several seconds before stabilizing once more.
Yukimarus withstood the sonic assault, though he sustained several injuries; his clothes were shredded, exposing his upper torso. Lowering his arms from his face, he glared at his opponent with clear annoyance.
Had he not fortified his body with his aura, he would have perished on the spot. This made him realize that his opponent was prepared to do anything to win—a sentiment that applied equally to himself.
A chilling smile spread across Yukimaru's face as he looked toward the Wolf Sovereign, whose features betrayed a flicker of confusion.
Suddenly, the Wolf Sovereign felt a sharp, piercing pain in his abdomen.
"What... How...? *Cough! Cough! Cough!*"
The Wolf Sovereign stammered in shock, as crimson blood gushed profusely from his midsection and his mouth.
Noticing traces of shadows lingering around the wound, he realized he had been deceived by Yukimaru. To make matters worse, the strike had landed in a vital area.
Yet, he felt no grave sense of danger; throughout the thousands of years he had spent in battle, he had endured far worse injuries. Compared to what he had suffered in the past, this wound was little more than a minor scratch.
"It seems you haven't lost your touch, even after stepping away from the path of the assassin. Impressive!"
The Wolf Sovereign's tone was laced with genuine admiration as he gazed at Yukimaru.
Without waiting for a reply, he lunged forward once more—neither man was here to exchange pleasantries; each sought only the other's head.
Yukimaru surged toward the Wolf Sovereign in kind. Both unleashed their weapons—the Wolf Sovereign with his claws, and Yukimaru with his blade.
The collision was so violent that it obliterated the surrounding rock and earth, widening the crater even further than it had been before. Both were propelled at the speed of light, each crashing into a side of the crater.
Yet, their auras continued to exert dominance over the space where they stood.
"Wow! Duke Yukimarus MacTire is incredibly strong! He's going toe-to-toe with the Wolf Sovereign!"
"He's the second-strongest human, right after Reinhardt—how could he not hold his own?"
"Even though the battle only just began, so much has already happened. Meanwhile, Yuta's beasts have made things easier for themselves; now, there's only one opponent left—the Sovereigns!"
"Yuta Casiral! He's just a lucky guy. There's no way he could ever reach the level of the Beast Sovereigns or the pillars of the human empire!"
"Alright, alright, stop being so jealous! The fight isn't over yet, and the students haven't even reached the stage of facing the Goblin Sovereign—let's just keep watching. We might actually learn something!"
.........
.........…
.........…
The murmurs of soldiers and mercenaries—currently engaged with the Beast Sovereigns and their minions—echoed about as they waited for the elite to take their turn. Crowds packed the ramparts of the fortresses in the city of Yusbekers.
Inside the crater, both Yukimarus and the Wolf Sovereign emerged from the debris. Yukimarus's dark-red aura and the Wolf Sovereign's chilling, silvery aura spread outward, exerting an intense pressure across the area.
Then, the two leaped out of the crater, their faces twisted into terrifying grins, smeared with the blood that covered their features. Yukimaru spoke with intense fervor, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword with immense force; a wild, unbridled desire for battle burned within his heart. Centuries had passed since he last crossed blades with that particular adversary.
Facing the prospect of death, his will to live only grew stronger—much like a white wolf prowling the frozen wastes, blending seamlessly into the ice before striking its prey in total silence.
Yet, he now found himself pitted against a wolf much like himself, in a clash where mercy and pity had no place. Survival belonged to the strongest, and he had to emerge victorious to see another day.
"He is incredibly powerful—and that only makes me all the more eager to fight him!"These few words described his true nature: he was a calm wolf who kept his thoughts hidden, yet in the heat of battle, he transformed into a demon that would obliterate anyone standing in his path.
Yukimarus MacTire was not dubbed the "Demonic Assassin" without reason; he embodied both the composure and steadiness of an assassin and the ferocity and fervor of a demon.
He possessed an insatiable craving for combat and the slaughter of his adversaries—a desire that had haunted him for centuries. Spending his days confined to an office, year in and year out, had been nothing short of agonizing for him.
Now, however, he felt a surge of excitement, power, and the absolute freedom to act as he pleased—a realization that struck terror into the heart of the Wolf Ruler.
Yukimarus's gaze was that of a bloodthirsty madman; he paid no heed to his own injuries—in fact, every wound only fueled his urge to kill.
As the saying goes: never provoke a quiet man.
The same held true for him; awakening his passion for combat and slaughter was akin to unleashing a dormant catastrophe from deep within his soul.
"What the hell is happening?! How has his power grown to such an extent?! He's awakening the strength that lay dormant within him—right in the middle of the fight! What a demon!"
The Wolf Ruler muttered to himself while narrowly evading one of Yukimarus's strikes, though he still sustained minor wounds to his foot and chest.
Yukimarus came to a halt, fixing his gaze upon the Wolf Ruler with an expression brimming with arrogance. His body was covered in blood—as was his opponent's—yet he remained indifferent to everything around him, focused solely on killing the Wolf Ruler.
But there was something he preferred not to recall at a moment like this: an incident that had fundamentally altered his perspective on the world and on the very nature of power—his battle against the man now known as the "Revered Heaven-Breaker," the founder of the Scorpion Organization.
Yukimarus gazed at his blood-stained hands, a faint smile playing across his face.
It was on this very day—Friday, May 29th, in the year 675—that he had first encountered the most dangerous wanted man in the fantasy world he inhabited.
Within the estate of the MacTire family, the former Duke Zalfdiras MacTire had been staring at the documents on his desk for several minutes.
This left Yukimarus—now thirty-four years old—wondering why he had been summoned.
"What is it, Duke Zalfdiras MacTire? Is there a mission?"
Yukimarus's tone was as calm and respectful as he could manage.
Zalfdiras MacTire let out a cold sigh, set the papers down on his desk, and turned his gaze toward his son—a look so frigid it was enough to strike terror into anyone's heart.
Then, he spoke quietly, his eyes dissecting every facet of Yukimarus's being:
"There is an individual in the province of Zandhabil who must be assassinated. He is involved in the trafficking of various races into slavery—including children over the age of six." Yukimaru's features betrayed a sense of shock and disbelief, yet he promptly turned and headed out of his father's office.
"Very well, I shall head there, Father—Zalfdiras MacTaire."
Zalfdiras paid no mind to his son's behavior—which he deemed disrespectful—and instead shifted his gaze back to the papers and documents scattered around him.
Several hours later, Yukimaru found himself staring at a nearly ruined training ground, built in an archaic architectural style.
He was puzzled; the individual he sought had supposedly been at this location, yet the place was entirely empty. Moreover, it was an open space, offering no cover for stealth or a surprise attack.
As he wandered about, searching for any clue that might lead to a hidden lair, a figure appeared a few meters behind him.
The stranger wore a white robe with light-blue stripes that completely covered his body, and he carried two swords with black blades, each measuring 1.85 meters in length. His face was concealed by a simple, snow-white mask.
Inscribed upon the mask were three phrases:
* "Kill, and you shall be killed."
* "Torment, and you shall be tormented."
* "Show mercy, and you shall be shown mercy."
Each phrase was written in a different color.
The phrase "Kill, and you shall be killed" was rendered in red—symbolizing the blood spilled when a life is taken. As for the phrase "If you inflict suffering, you shall suffer," it was written in purple—a color signifying the fear, terror, and pain that result from torture.
The phrase "If you show mercy, you shall receive mercy" was rendered in gold and white; the gold represents the value of a human life being extinguished, while the white symbolizes peace, a secure existence, purity, and forgiveness. This is why two colors were used for this particular phrase.
The "Revered Heaven-Shatterer" stood gazing at Yukimarus, saying nothing; his mere presence was enough to instill terror and shatter the very roots of Yukimarus's resolve.
Yukimarus drew two pitch-black daggers—each thirty centimeters long and fifteen centimeters wide—with numerous jagged protrusions lining their blades.
He stared coldly at the figure before him, a dark-red aura radiating from his own body.
"Who are you?"
The Revered Heaven-Shatterer remained silent for a fraction of a second before lunging toward Yukimarus with insane speed.
Moments later, Yukimarus stood swaying on his feet, staring at the Revered Heaven-Shatterer, who remained completely unscathed—not even a single scratch marred him.
Though the mask concealed his opponent's thoughts, Yukimarus could sense a gaze filled with intense, searing contempt directed squarely at him.
Yet, he said nothing; he was simply too weak to stand against such an adversary. The venerable Heaven-Shatterer spoke, breaking a silence that had lasted an entire hour:
"Yukimarus MacTire, you are weak because you are ignorant of the true nature of power. When you reach the level of a Sovereign Master, you will realize that you held the key to power in your own hands, yet you were unable to wield it."
Upon hearing the words of the venerable Heaven-Shatterer, Yukimarus—having exhausted a vast amount of his strength—succumbed to his injuries and lost consciousness.
A deep sigh escaped Yukimarus's lips as he returned his sword to his personal dimensional space and summoned his dagger, the "Demonic Assassin"—a weapon forged from an Aetherial Gem and a Mana Gem, both extracted from the remains of the former Demon King.
He then turned his gaze toward the Sovereign of Wolves, who, despite suffering grave injuries, remained standing—his eyes fixed upon Yukimarus with defiance and resolve.
Ultimately, neither had yet revealed all of their trump cards; for them, the battle was still in its early stages, and neither was willing to accept defeat, no matter the cost.
The two charged toward each other at their absolute maximum speed.
The dagger, known as the "Demonic Assassin," collided with the claw of the Sacred Wolf Ruler.
The force of the impact sent both of them flying back several meters.
Both were gasping for air, yet they kept their eyes locked on one another, showing no intention of pausing—not even for a single moment.
"I want to win... I want to win... I want to win... I want to win..."
The Wolf Ruler kept repeating these words as he stared at Yukimarus, until tears began to stream from his right eye alone.
This was a manifestation of his inner conflict: one part of him longed to surrender and flee to save his life, while the other part demanded he fight until his very last breath.
"I don't want to run away! I want to fight... to fight! How could I ever surrender? How could I possibly do that?!"
"I will keep fighting until the end, no matter the cost! I've spent my entire life running away and retreating—both before I became a ruler and ever since!"
"Cowardice, fear, and the urge to give up—they've haunted me my whole life. But today, I will fight—by any means necessary!"
The Wolf Ruler muttered to himself, gritting his teeth.
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside his head, catching him completely off guard.
"Do you desire the power to triumph over your opponent, Yukimarus MacTire? I must say, I admire your determination to fight."
The voice carried a distinct tone of admiration as it addressed the Wolf Ruler.
The Wolf Ruler felt a sense of bewilderment. The figure's features were indistinct, his entire body shrouded in mist—only his mouth remained visible.
Yet, he realized that the voice he heard was not the figure's true voice.
Staring at him, he spoke in a tone laced with disbelief:
"Will you grant me the power to defeat Duke Yukimaros MacTire?"
A faint smile touched the figure's lips before he replied:
"Yes, I can grant you the power to defeat this 'Yukimaros MacTire.' But, in accordance with the law of equivalent exchange, you must give me something in return: your soul."
A look of hesitation crossed the Wolf Ruler's face, causing the figure's smile to widen.
Extending a hand, concealed by the mist, the figure exclaimed:
"Just as I expected! You are nothing but a cowardly, base little pup—prattling on about things you lack the resolve to actually do! How truly pathetic!"
"A moment ago, you claimed you would do anything to win—yet here we are!"
"But that's not what I meant! How could—?"
"How could what?! You remain the same cowardly, whimpering, pathetic little pup! Very well—I'm leaving!"
The Wolf Ruler's expression became unreadable as he stared at the ground. His mind drifted back to his childhood—to the days when he was still just a small pup.
"Run! We have no time to argue!"
The Wolf Ruler's father shouted, even as he and his mate stood their ground against a group of humans. "But... but you'll both die if you keep fighting! I don't want to lose my family! Why don't we just run away? Don't we have a right to live? Humans eat cows, sheep, pigs, and countless other creatures—they call it part of the 'cycle of life'!"
"Yet, the moment *they* become the meal, suddenly *we* are the monsters—vile, wicked creatures! Humans are such hypocrites! Regardless, you must escape!"
His father gritted his teeth, sent the mercenary leader flying several meters back, and then turned toward Yulfin.
"Yulfin, run! We won't last much longer. Sacrificing oneself for a higher purpose—to save others or achieve something truly great—is not a sign of weakness. Now, go—run!"
His father grabbed him by the back of the neck and hurled him toward a forest a short distance from the battlefield.
He was certain his son would survive, confident that he would land in a nearby lake.
As for Yulfin, he struggled to break free from the depths of the lake. It took several minutes before he finally reached the surface, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.
"Father... Mother... they're going to die! Why am I so weak? Why...? I have to fight—I have to face them and save my parents!"
After swimming for fifteen minutes, Yulfin reached the shore, utterly exhausted. Even so, he resolved to head back to the place where he had left his parents.
He spent some time searching for them, only to find them both dead—a deep, gaping wound carved from each of their chests down to their abdomens. He was struck by profound shock, letting out a long, piercing howl as tears streamed copiously from his eyes.
"Awoooooooo!"
He moved straight toward his parents, drew their bodies close together, and lay down between them, whispering in a faint, weak voice:
"I shall take revenge on those humans who turned our lives into a living hell... We are not merely tools for them to amass wealth, fortune, and power."
Yulfin, the Wolf Ruler, cleared these memories from his mind. Gazing at the spot where the mysterious figure had stood, he cried out:
"I accept your terms! Grant me the power to win, and my soul shall be yours—without a doubt!"
Several minutes passed in silence, leaving him feeling dejected. But it did not last long; the figure reappeared, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"An excellent choice!"
With a snap of his fingers, a surge of energy erupted from within Yulfin, elevating his strength until it surpassed even that of Yukimarus.
A look of amusement crossed the figure's face as the Wolf Ruler spoke with deep gratitude:
"Thank you, my lord! My soul is a small price to pay for what you have bestowed upon me."
The figure vanished instantly; his allotted time in this world had come to an end.
He let out a mocking laugh, his gaze fixed on the spot where Yulfin had been standing.
"We shall see soon enough, Wolf Ruler Yulfin. Will your body be able to withstand such power, I wonder? Still, you seem far more determined than Ashurin, the Lion Ruler." On the battlefield, Yulvin stared at Yukimarus in shock at the sudden surge in his power, before an arrogant smirk spread across his features.
Yet, he sensed that Yukimarus had managed to regain his strength.
His intuition was spot on; taking advantage of the Wolf Ruler's momentary distraction, Yukimarus had consumed several legendary-grade potions to restore his power—a fact of which Yulvin, the Wolf Ruler, remained entirely unaware.
"There is someone helping them in the fight; however, his power hasn't reached a level that would render my trump cards incapable of securing a victory."
"Moreover, his body is still suffering from severe injuries—he won't be able to sustain that level of power for long. But who on earth is assisting him?"
Yukimaru mused to himself, his gaze fixed on Yulvin as he remained silent.
Elsewhere, Yuta watched Yukimaru's battlefield, his eyes narrowed and a hand resting on his chin.
"That individual has returned... Could it be that the Venerable 'Last Patch' holder, Ping Tao Xin—following in the footsteps of the illustrious 'Lotus Flower' Venerable, Jihao Yuxuan—is the one behind this?"
Yuta pondered, attempting to uncover the identity of the person disrupting his plans.
Nevertheless, he decided to let things unfold as they were; he had realized that the current situation was more beneficial than harmful to him.
"Let's see who this troublemaker is, playing games with the most powerful figures in this fantasy world. This is going to be quite entertaining!"
A cunning smile spread across Yuta's face as he watched his monsters clash with the minions of the Goblin Ruler.