Chapter 574: SECOND SIN
Axel eventually turned his demonic gaze away from the Dusker mansion in the distance, and he addressed his doppelganger, "Is everything ready?"
Both Axion and Lebron nodded; Axion spoke, "They should be here in any minute now."
Then, suddenly, from the southern corner, hundreds of dark-cloaked figures arrived atop the mountain they were standing on; they were all third-phase seekers from the assassin sect known as the Hand of Umbra.
But there was a look of harrowing fear when they gazed towards Osiris; in fact, that heart-pounding fear towards the demon was in everyone’s hearts.
As for the reason why the Assassins of Umbra had appeared here, it was because Osiris had long ago made a deal with the 6th Umbra regarding this matter: that they would help him both times when he would attack the Vex family and the Dusker family.
On that cue, the doppelganger instantly activated a rune artefact on his hand; the moment he did so, an area of more than 20 kilometres radius centring the Dusker mansion was enshrouded in a mighty anti-detection-type complete isolation barrier.
Nothing could come in or out of that barrier, locking down the place completely, and no teleportation could pierce it either.
Axion and Lebron led 20 of the 100 third-phase assassins to monitor and maintain the ginormous isolation barrier constantly.
Osiris and his 8 demonic thralls, Daniel Nomrad and his three trusted subordinates, as well as his 10 other secret third-phase helpers.
Alongside the 80 third-phase assassins. All of their stances changed as they looked coldly toward the Dusker mansion.
The divine rune armour worn by Daniel let out a buzzing hum.
As if it was being activated, a magnificent burst of positive power erupted from it; even Axel, in his demonic state, was deeply shocked; the power emanating from his father was definitely equivalent to that of a 5th-phase existence.
Of course, his old man did not suddenly advance to the 5th phase; rather, it was the power of the rune armour.
Axel’s admiration for the Runic Sage’s divine craft increased even further, witnessing that sight; he truly could not fathom the depth of expertise that would be required to create such a thing. No wonder his father was so confident back when both of them had gone to meet Allen Dusker.
It was because Daniel had such a card in hand.
The Demon smiled beneath his mask and said mentally, ’Prime, distribute all 4000 of my unallocated stats to the eight primary stats.’
[500 stats have been distributed to all eight of the primary stats categories]
Then he grinned and said aloud in an inhumane voice that seemed to echo from the very depths of a carnivorous hell,
"Ancestral Demonic Transformation, Second Form - Demon of Eternal Despair."
[Initiating transformation of Axel Nomrad to the state of Demon of Eternal Despair]
[Applying 30% boost to your bloodline aspect, attributes, stats, techniques, abilities, and skills]
BOOOM!!!!!
A harrowing storm of black demonic energy exploded from Axel’s figure, shooting towards the heavens like a piercing black pillar that seemed eerily similar to the three Nexus Black Pillars that existed within humanity.
Axel’s figure changed, but not too much, as if it was unnecessary; rather, only his demonic features became more defined. The black depth of his demonic eyes deepened.
His black horns grew longer, and the white stripes increased. The bones on his bat-like demonic long wings protruded out like sharp teeth,
On his chest, the symbol of despair (Desparatio) appeared in a shining white hue; from that symbol, jagged white lines spread, meeting on his back and again creating the symbol of (Desparatio).
A few of the white lines also spread to his wings; his entire figure glowed in a darkish hue, and amid that darkness, those white lines spread all over his body seemed to greatly highlight his indisputable features.
The already near-boundless power of his felt even more defined in a way that Axel could not describe with any amount of words.
He whispered, "Nexus Panel..."
[Recalibrating all data of Axel Nomrad, recreating the correct parameters.]
[Processing... processing.... processing.]
[Process has been completed]
***
[Nexus Panel]
~
Name: Axel Nomrad
Age: 20
Species: Demon Baron
Primary Aspect: Runecaster
Secondary Aspect: Chaosblood (Active)
Seeker’s Path: late-3rd Phase
Core Saturation: 70%
Bloodline: Ancestral Demon of Eternal Sin
~
Primary Stats -
Strength: 7900(10270)
Agility: 7900(10270)
Vitality: 7900(10270)
Stamina: 7900(10270)
Endurance: 7900(10270)
Mind: 7900(10270)
Mana Reserves: 7900(10270)
Demonic Energy: 8500(11,050)
Unallocated stats: 0
~
Titles>>
Demon of Despair: Your very blood and Demonic Energy are attributed with the Sin of Despair.
(1) Your ’Despair’ attributed Demonic Energy automatically encroaches upon the minds of all living beings.
(2) It has the capacity to make the wills of others slowly crumble.
(4) You can use your endless ’Despair’ as a temporary offering and activate the transformation of ’Demon of Eternal Despair’
The Cursed One(non-aspectual) (Locked): As the one who has defeated the blessed one of this world, and as the one destined to oppose all the favoured ones of this world, you have earned this title from the world’s will.
Absolute Runecaster: The Runic symbols themselves are innately subservient to your existence.
(1) Understanding of runes increased by 200%
(2) Proficiency in Rune Engraving increased by 200%
(3) Apollyon Ashborn: 200% comprehension and 200% efficiency on all rune-related abilities and effects.
~
Abilities and Skills >>
Sin of Despair: You have the authority to drastically decrease the very effectiveness of almost all abilities, skills, attributes and bloodline powers.
Circle of Dread: An ability that allows the user to impose a metaphysical conduit in the shape of a circle, which cannot be sensed or destroyed.
Effects -
[1] It can absorb and store all types of negative emotions and vengeful souls within a 3-kilometre radius.
[2] All the absorbed negative emotions and souls can be used as a fuel to manipulate the minds of other living beings to a limited extent.
[3] The location of the circle cannot be moved.
[4] Only one Circle of Dread can be used at a time.
[5] This ability does not have a cooldown time or a duration limit.
[6] Its activation requires a one-time consumption of 90% of the user’s demonic energy reserves.
Demonic Roar (Active): Those who hear the demonic roar will be paralysed in fear for a duration of time. The duration is dependent on how many people of what power level are being affected by it, as well as how much demonic energy has been used in this ability.
Emotional Sense (passive): Upon the activation of your second aspect, you have a vague surface-level emotional Sense of others.
Energy Sense(non-aspectual) (passive): You can innately sense all the energy of the world and connect to it, utilising it as an external medium for sensing everything within a 200-meter radius.
Runic Swordmaster (passive): You are highly adept and skilled with runic sword artefacts.
(1) 30% increase in attack power
(2) Sword Sense = you have an innate understanding of your own created Runic Swords.
Mutated Runic Eyes (passive): Your runic eyes have slightly mutated from their initial purpose.
(1) Increases your comprehension of rune-related activity by 300%.
(2) Increases your general comprehension by 200%.
(3) It can remain active even when using your second aspect, with less effectiveness.
***
While Axel was busy examining his Nexus Panel, the others all around him had created a considerable gap in order not to be affected by the Demon’s burst of malevolent power.
The dread in their eyes had increased even further.
Of course, Axel’s demonic Thralls did not show the same reaction; rather, they only benefited in the presence of Axel’s despair-attributed Demonic Energy.
Apart from the Demon thralls, the only individual standing near Osiris’s bursting demonic power was, of course, the Rune-armoured endowed Daniel Nomrad.
His expression beneath the armour was filled with a mix of disgust, fear, and hate, and more, as he gazed at the monstrous skull-masked demon; in fact, just the thought of needing to join hands with this monster nauseated Daniel to the core.
After all, this was the very insidious monster who almost killed the 2.7 billion people of humanity, almost.
But in the end, he gritted his teeth and looked away in a self-deprecating gesture, brushing those feelings aside; it was just like what his son had said once: his righteous fortitude had given him nothing but sorrow and humiliation till now.
So, this time, to avenge his wife, he had joined hands with the demon.
Eventually, Axel finished scanning all the details, looked towards his father, and chuckled, "Now then, Daniel Nomrad, shall we?"
Axel spread his monstrous demonic wings wide, and with a single flap, his figure shot forward, his speed incomparable to any flight methods of any 3rd or 4th phase seekers.
Daniel did not dally, as silver metallic wings also manifested from his Rune Armour, and he caught up to the Demon.
Right behind them followed the forces of the Nomrad family, the Thralls of Osiris, and the Fighter Assassins of Umbra.
The shooting figures of Axel and Daniel stopped right atop the sky above the Dusker mansion; both their gazes went towards the lone Black-suited figure standing on the tallest roof.
The father and son could not see the suited figure’s face because the man was wearing a hat, but they did not need to, as both already knew who it was.
Eventually, the black eyes of the suited figure looked up at the enemies who appeared in the skies, unsurprised; after all, Allen had been alerted the moment the 20-kilometre-wide barrier took effect.
The Duke said, his voice laced with disappointment, directed at his old friend,
"So, in the end, you choose to join hands with the very Demon who sought to destroy our very race."
"Is this how low have you fallen, Daniel?"