The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Chapter 162

Thud, roll.

The severed head of the Warlock officer, Somora of Delight, rolled across the floor.

Soon after, his body collapsed with a thud.

Compared to his previously arrogant and overconfident demeanor, his end was miserable and hollow.

However, Aden’s expression did not soften at all.

Instead, he furrowed his brows as he looked at Somora of Delight’s corpse.

If Somora had been merely this much of a threat, Aden wouldn’t have bothered to concern himself with him.

“Stop the ridiculous act and get up already. I know you’re not dead.”

At that moment, something strange happened.

-Crack, crackle…

The severed head of the officer.

Laughter began to spill from that head.

-I really got hit hard… I didn’t expect you to split the barrier.

The head floated up into the air.

The body that had collapsed without a head also rose to its feet.

The body and the floating head came together to their original positions.

At the point where the head had been severed from the body, black smoke started to seep out.

Sssss.

Then, the severed neck reattached itself in an instant.

As if nothing had happened, Somora casually touched his neck and laughed as if he found it amusing.

“Did you know about my body as well? This is too interesting to dismiss as a mere hindrance.”

Somora of Delight, a handsome man with a tattoo of three black stars beneath his right eye.

Aden didn’t even flinch as Somora resurrected like a high troll.

“Judging by your gaze, you must have seen a Lich before. Hm, that shouldn’t be possible though?”

Somora was not a living being.

‘His true identity is a Lich.’

A being that had mastered black magic, learned the curse of immortality, and turned himself into an undead, a Lich.

Aden had faced a dungeon boss Lich when he entered the hidden dungeon, arranged by his master, to obtain the Banshee’s Spirit Shield.

However, Somora of Delight was a ‘complete’ Lich, on a completely different level from those half-baked Liches.

Somora spoke.

“Among humans, there are foolish ones who merely curse themselves with immortality and live as skeletons, yet they call themselves Liches. But those aren’t true Liches.”

Somora grinned as his eyes gleamed with a violet light.

“To truly seek eternal life, one must possess everything. A tongue to savor delicious food, skin to crave a woman’s touch, a sense of smell to savor the scent of blood spreading around. All of it! That is true immortality and eternal delight!”

Raising both hands, Somora continued with mad fervor.

“I am the undead who pursues true immortality, the true immortal, the Arch Lich!”

Arch Lich.

Aden recognized him as a genuine Lich.

An immortal being that maintained the flesh and skin of a human with dark magic and life force.

‘Only a Warlock of at least 7-star rank can become an Arch Lich.’

Furthermore, magicians or Warlocks of the 7-star rank were considered to be on par with superhumans.

In other words, Somora of Delight was a definite ‘master-level Warlock.’

An Arch Lich was on a completely different level from ordinary Liches.

The basic requirement to become an Arch Lich was to be a high-ranking Warlock or magician of at least 7-star rank.

In other words, someone who was already quite powerful in life.

Moreover, unlike ordinary Liches who needed to carry a Life Vessel within their body, Arch Liches were different.

From several meters to tens of kilometers.

An Arch Lich could separate their Life Vessel from their body and hide it up to tens of kilometers away.

‘And it’s not just one.’

An Arch Lich could divide its Life Vessel into at least three, sometimes over ten pieces, and hide them separately.

Their bodies were composed entirely of dark magic and life force.

Even if their head was cut off, their body torn apart at the flesh level, or burned, they would still regenerate.

As long as even one Life Vessel remained, they wouldn’t die.

They were literally perfect ‘immortals.’

Despite having his head cut off, Somora of Delight seemed completely unconcerned.

Instead, he focused on something else.

“Aden Remes, how did you do it?”

Somora of Delight asked as he looked at Aden.

“It wasn’t simply that your sword aura was stronger than my barrier. It was enough to block it, but the barrier was shattered.”

He was a 7-star Warlock.

He had the ability to create a barrier strong enough to easily block Aden’s level of attack.

Yet the barrier was cut in one strike.

Somora analyzed how that could have happened just by observing.

“Yes, your aura struck the weakest part of the barrier with a precise frequency. It was a strike meticulously designed to counter black magic.”

However, he could only guess at the basic principle; he couldn’t figure out how it was possible.

What Aden had just done was akin to a swordsman who couldn’t use mana slicing an incoming arrow in half.

Or like finding a tiny broken cog among hundreds or thousands of interlocking gears and wheels.

“…How could something like this be possible? Explain it to me.”

“Do you really think I’ll tell you, you bastard?”

In truth, Aden didn’t know either.

It was just a ‘trick’ he had learned after fighting countless Warlocks in his past life.

He cut because he could cut.

A deep curiosity appeared on Somora’s face.

“Interesting… Yes, interesting. Fine, I originally planned to eliminate you here, but I’ve changed my mind.”

It was a curiosity bordering on madness.

And being an object of curiosity for a Lich was often a fate worse than death.

To the undead, the living were nothing more than materials or livestock.

“I will capture you, dissect you thoroughly, and research you. Through this, I might be able to advance my black magic even further.”

From his body, an ominous dark magic began to rise, so intense that it was revolting just to look at.

The mist of dark magic manifested into faces that seemed to scream and wail, appearing and disappearing repeatedly.

Those were likely the faces of those who had fallen victim to Somora.

Liches were beings that stole the life force of others and converted it into dark magic.

A bone-chilling, deathly sound echoed, as if shaking one’s very soul.

Somora was using the power only a Warlock who had reached the master level could wield, ‘Necromancy.’

-Rise again, ye souls that have reached death, given false life to walk this earth once more!

The hundred corpses of the Warlocks.

Into their bodies, the dark magic created by Somora of Delight seeped.

The dark magic flowed like blood, seizing the remnants of their drained souls and manipulating them.

-Urgh…

-Guoohhh!

In an instant, a hundred corpses were resurrected as undead.

The resurrected Warlocks had no eyes and only harbored hatred for the living and loyalty to the Lich who created them.

With a mere gesture, Somora controlled the numerous undead Warlocks.

An Arch Lich, capable of creating and commanding a multitude of undead at once, was also known by another name.

Corpse King, the Undead King.

The king of corpses smiled eerily.

“I wonder how long you’ll last against us, who cannot die. Amuse me.”

The full-scale battle between Aden and Somora of Delight, the officer of Chaos, had begun.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the central temple of the Ternian Holy Kingdom.

The place was descending into chaos.

“Everyone, hurry!”

“It’s an attack! We’re under attack!”

“Who dares to assault this place!”

Without any prior warning, a large group had appeared and attacked the central temple by force.

“Advance! Now is our only chance!”

“Waaaah!”

“Corrupted heretics! Die!”

The attackers were the elite forces of the ‘Nameless,’ led by Princess Lilianas, and the forces of loyal priests who had sworn allegiance to her, including Cardinal Salvaros.

The central Holy Knights, who were guarding and protecting the temple, were caught off guard by the sudden and fierce battle.

With cries of “Ugh” and “Ack” spreading from place to place, the balance of the battle remained tense.

Clang!

The head of the central temple’s Holy Knights, Sir Polterdo, swung a sword imbued with holy power.

He had now reached the level of a Saint Master, making him the strongest among the Holy Knights in the Holy Kingdom.

“This can’t be happening!”

As such, he couldn’t believe the situation he was currently facing.

Clang! The intense sword aura infused with holy power that he had swung was blocked with shocking ease.

It was stopped by the sword of a masked person standing before him.

The aura that enveloped the person’s sword was also the white light that symbolized a Saint Master.

This meant the person was also a Saint Master, like himself.

As their swords clashed, a fierce exchange of blows ensued.

‘Strong!’

After decades of honing his skills with the sword and holy magic, Polterdo had finally reached the level of a master.

However, despite the mask, Polterdo could tell from the person’s physique and movements that she was a woman, likely just past twenty.

Yet, this young woman was showing the same power he had only reached after turning forty.

In fact, in terms of the amount of holy power and swordsmanship, she was even overwhelming him.

He shouted in anger.

“To possess such power and yet oppose the Church, you are foolish and ignorant! For daring to draw your

sword against the Lawful God Church, the God of Justice and Law will punish you!”

At his shout, the masked woman deflected Polterdo’s sword and let out a sneering laugh.

“Ha, do you really believe that, Sir Polterdo?”

“How dare a traitor speak my name…!”

“In my view, it is you who should fall to hell.”

“What nonsense…! Ugh?”

Polterdo was about to yell in anger.

However, when the mysterious woman removed her mask, he gasped.

Her silver-gray eyes, which indicated the sacred bloodline of the Holy Royal Family, were staring back at him.

The woman before him was someone he was well acquainted with.

But she was a Saint Master. There was no way the ‘foolish woman’ he knew could wield such power.

The contradictions led him to experience cognitive dissonance.

“Princess Lilianas?”

The daughter of the Holy King and the legitimate heir.

Yet, she was known for being incompetent and useless, Princess Lilianas.

Now, holy sword aura was blazing from the hands of that very princess.

Clang! Clang! Her formidable attacks quickly thrust toward him.

The astonished knight commander was caught off guard and hurriedly blocked the incoming strikes.

“How… How could you…!”

“Sir Polterdo, I am well aware that you’ve allied with the corrupt cardinals. Were you so desperate for power and wealth?”

The princess asked coldly as she swung her sword.

Polterdo had no time to respond.

He couldn’t accept the reality that the person he had always ignored and ridiculed was now his equal, or even superior.

This turmoil led to mistakes, and as he was pushed back by the princess’s sword, he finally exposed a gap.

The princess exploited that gap in an instant.

Slash! Polterdo’s right arm was severed.

“Arghhh!”

He screamed in agony from the pain of losing his arm.

Clutching his bleeding shoulder, his knees buckled.

Thud, the princess’s sword was pointed at his neck.

“You also contributed to making my father, His Majesty, end up like that. You also stood by and laughed at me, forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines. And you speak of divine punishment from the God of Law? How laughable.”

“Your… Your Highness… This is a misunderstanding! I-I was just…”

“You’ve done enough. Central temple guardian, Sir Polterdo. Now, rest.”

“P-Please…!”

Slash! The princess’s sword, radiating white light, severed Polterdo’s neck.

Blood splattered across her beautiful, yet cold, face.

She skewered his head on her sword and lifted it high!

“Everyone, look here!”

At her cry, all the Holy Knights in the central temple turned to look and were horrified.

“The, the commander!”

“Sir Polterdo is dead, it can’t be!”

“Wait, that person… could it be…?”

“It’s Princess Lilianas! Princess Lilianas is here!”

They were already shocked by the death of their Saint Master commander, but the sight of the princess holding his head aloft struck even greater fear into them.

Their morale plummeted.

The princess’s cold gaze swept over them.

All the Holy Knights present had already betrayed the Holy Royal Family for their own gain.

They were not worth keeping alive.

“Kill them all! Leave no one alive!”

“For the God of Justice and Law!”

“Death to the betrayers of the Holy Royal Family!”

“Waaaah!”

The morale of the princess’s forces soared as they pushed the Holy Knights back.

Having lost their commander, the knights quickly crumbled, and only a grim fate awaited them.

Elsewhere, the ‘Nameless’ forces loyal to the princess were simultaneously attacking the temples of the corrupt cardinals.

Thus, the occupation of the central temple, led by the princess, was nearing its successful conclusion.

‘I wonder how he’s doing right now.’

Aden Remes, the man who had gone to confront the de facto ruler of the Holy Kingdom, the casino owner.

Lilianas thought of him.

The casino owner was strong.

For this coup to succeed, Aden Remes needed to defeat the casino owner safely.

And beyond these calculated reasons, she was genuinely worried that the man who was personally getting involved in the affairs of the Holy Kingdom might be injured.

But she shook her head.

‘Lord Remes assured me that he could handle it. I should trust him more.’

She recalled the image of the handsome man with jet-black eyes and hair, and his unwavering, strong gaze.

There was a mysterious power in those eyes that drew people in and made them believe in him, once they set aside their prejudices about the darkness he carried.

She decided to trust those eyes.

As she steeled herself and began to regroup her victorious forces, a distant rumble faintly reached her ears.

‘Boom!’

Lilianas turned her head, her eyes widening.

“What in the world…?”

In the distance, she saw flames and rising smoke, and the faint sounds of people screaming in panic.

It was coming from the direction where the casino was located.

“…What on earth is happening?”

Her expression hardened.