NOVEL NEXT Chapter 243: Malverna Strikes
"You lowly demon! How dare you cause trouble!?"
Boom!
A ground-shaking explosion erupted right in front of Aston. Dust shot into the air, and the shockwave hurled anyone within ten meters in all directions.
"Argh!" Aston groaned as his body spun through the air and slammed onto the ground.
He raised his left arm to shield his face, peeking forward through the gaps in his defense.
As the wind and dust began to settle, he saw a woman standing where he had just been.
She was tall, with long white hair cascading down her back. Clad in a black dress, her slim and graceful figure was sharply defined.
From Aston's position behind her, her face was mostly hidden. Only two straps over the tops of her ears were visible, revealing that she wore a half-face mask.
Meanwhile, the demon who had nearly killed him lay in shattered pieces, thick black blood soaking the ground where he had stood.
But just as before, his body began to stitch itself together. The broken flesh slowly reformed, returning to his original shape.
The sight made Aston tremble.
"What exactly is that creature? How can it rise again after taking such an attack?"
At first, he had assumed it was an ordinary human. But seeing him rebuild his body despite being struck down by his soldiers, Aston realized the truth—this was no human, but a monster.
Yet what kind of monster he was, Aston had no idea.
Meanwhile, Malverna, who had witnessed the demon's regenerative power, looked on with a mix of surprise and awe.
What an incredible healing ability, she muttered softly. But this clearly proves he is no ordinary demon.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, sharp with caution. As a Demon Empress, she knew the nature and strength of her own kind better than anyone.
Demons were like any other living creatures—they could die and reproduce. While their regenerative powers were impressive, they were nothing compared to the demon before her.
There was only one conclusion—this demon had to be the product of Rovert's experiments.
Somehow, that wretched Rovert had managed it. Malverna couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise.
"Who are you..." the demon rasped, his red eyes locking onto Malverna with a mix of caution and fear. "Why are you interfering with my plans? Why are you taking away my freedom!?"
His voice shrilled, forcing the soldiers nearby to cover their ears in pain.
Malverna waved her left hand, and a barrier instantly formed, covering the area within two meters of the demon. The ear-piercing screech vanished, and the soldiers exhaled in relief.
They looked at Malverna with eyes full of gratitude. They didn't know who she was or what her motives were, but her actions made it clear she was on their side.
Malverna paid them no mind and turned her gaze to Aston at the back.
"Are you Aston Valmire? I come at the behest of Nolan—no, I mean, His Highness Nolan. The enemy you face is a demon, but not a true one. He is the result of an experiment conducted by the Castellan family," she explained nonchalantly.
"A demon? The result of an experiment?" Aston was stunned by her words.
He had never imagined that one day he would confront a problem this strange and sinister.
Don't tell me Rovert is experimenting on humans and turning them into demons...
A cold sweat ran down his back at the thought.
He wanted to deny it, but there was no argument strong enough. As far as he knew, Rovert was a strange and enigmatic man. He had no interest in women—his affections were directed toward men.
That was why he had been exiled by the heads of the other noble families. It wasn't mere rumor; there was plenty of evidence and witnesses to support it.
So, it wasn't impossible that Rovert had truly carried out forbidden human experiments.
Yet… Aston's brows furrowed. Why would he do such a thing? What could his purpose be? And… why is he so bold?
Human experimentation was a forbidden taboo. Anyone who dared break it would face severe consequences.
And yet, here was Rovert, boldly defying the law, leaving Aston both shocked and bewildered.
Meanwhile, the soldiers of the Valmire and Castellan families were equally shocked by Malverna's statement.
They had never imagined that the Castellan family would dare experiment on humans, turning them into demons.
"Nonsense!" bellowed the bald man, leader of the Castellan army. His eyes blazed as he glared at Malverna. "There's no way the head of our family would do such a thing! Stop spreading lies!"
Malverna remained unfazed. She simply gave him a casual glance and asked, "Then how do you explain the people who disappeared after being summoned by him?"
The bald man froze. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened and closed as if trying to speak, but no words came out.
He knew the truth—they had all died. Many of his own soldiers had vanished after being summoned by Rovert to his office.
But he had no concrete evidence. His denial was little more than a reflex, a response expected of the Castellan family's chief guardian.
His silence only deepened the suspicion among the soldiers of both families.
Their faces turned grim, as though they still could not come to terms with the revelation.
"Die… Die… Die!" The demon roared fiercely. "Anyone who dares disturb me must die!"
Whoosh!
In an instant, he vanished and reappeared directly in front of Malverna. He drew his right hand back and launched a punch at her face.
"Be careful!" Aston shouted anxiously—but it was too late.
Boom!
The punch exploded with tremendous force, sending shockwaves rippling in all directions.
Aston gritted his teeth, shielding his face with his left arm. After a moment, he lowered it and stared ahead, eyes wide with disbelief.
"What? She blocked the attack?"
The demon's blow—powerful enough to topple an entire soldier—had been effortlessly stopped by Malverna's right palm.
The demon recoiled in shock. Before his astonishment could deepen, Malverna grinned and taunted, "How dare you, lowly demon, strike me! Even your so-called Demon Emperor wouldn't dare show such insolence!"
Following that, she clenched her left fist and drove it hard into the demon's stomach.
Bang!
The demon's body shot upward, but Malverna didn't relent. She leapt after him with a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.
In an instant, the battlefield fell silent. The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to act.
"My lord!" Five soldiers rushed to Aston's side, helping him to his feet.
"Thank you," Aston said with a weary sigh.
The soldiers nodded slightly. One of them asked, "What should we do? Do we chase after them?"
The others looked to him, waiting for his command.
"No…" Aston shook his head, his gaze fixed on the Gardian city gate. "The most important thing now is to head to the Castellan family mansion and confirm what this mysterious woman claimed."