Evolution of the Ruined Heir-Chapter 170: Maniac [GT Bonus - ]

Everyone watching, both in the forest and across the region, wondered the same thing.

However, before the tension could reach a boiling point, a chill gripped Malakai.

His gaze constricted.

'No…'

It was a familiar feeling, one he could never mistake, even in his dreams.

'Darkness creature.'

Many who knew Malakai would have been confused. Why would Malakai, of all people, be wary of a darkness creature?

That was the misconception. It wasn't a darkness creature.

It wasn't singular.

Right now, Malakai felt like every inch of him had been doused with icy water. The chill came from everywhere. From every part of the forest.

It wasn't just one.

'It's an army.'

A quake rumbled beneath them.

The gazes of the Veins and the watching youths dropped to the ground. It was shaking.

"Huh? What's happening?"

"I don't know. The ground is shaking."

"Guys! I think something is approaching here!"

As the words of one of the farther youths reached their ears, the gazes of Maximus and Octavia narrowed.

They shot forward and scaled different tall trees. As they reached the top, their eyes scanned the distance… and froze.

From every corner of the dark forest, a sea of darkness poured in, surging toward their location like a tsunami made of shadows.

Trees were reduced to splinters. Youths were pulled out of the way before they could be swallowed.

It took a moment… but eventually, they saw the nature of the threat approaching.

Darkness creatures.

Numbering in the thousands, they surged from every direction, eyes feral, fangs bared to rip and tear.

"What the hell…" Octavia muttered in disbelief as she saw the scene.

She couldn't believe it. What the hell was happening?

"I-It… D-DARKNESS CREATURES!"

One of the youths who had climbed the tree along with the veins suddenly shouted. And in the next instant, the others echoed it.

"It's an army!"

"They're heading straight towards us!"

"I give up! Take me away from this accursed forest!"

The forest erupted into chaos as numerous youths screamed at the top of their lungs.

Without hesitation, they all started scaling the trees, none of them wanting to stay on the ground for even a second longer.

"Ninth Vein!"

Renlo turned sharply toward Malakai, only to freeze.

'W-What…?'

Malakai's gaze had turned cold. Killing intent radiated out of every inch of him.

The youths above were all panicking, trying to figure out how to survive this crisis, but there was no shred of panic in Malakai's eyes. Only pure, unfiltered battle intent.

"Ninth Ve—"

Renlo couldn't even finish his words. In the next instant, Malakai vanished from his view, and the world began to spin.

'Huh…?'

A sense of weightlessness hit Renlo. He was off the ground. His eyes lowered, and he saw it.

Malakai had suddenly lifted him up.

"W-What—"

Before Renlo could speak, Malakai stomped his foot into the ground, muscles bulging, stance firming, and threw.

Renlo found himself airborne, soaring into the sky with incredible speed.

He looked down. The forest was getting farther and farther away. His eyes picked up something converging from all directions at the exact location he had just left.

He narrowed his eyes, and saw it.

An army of darkness creatures raging towards that very spot. Towards Malakai.

But now, Malakai had thrown him with such force that he was going past the incoming tide.

The realization hit him.

'He threw me away… to protect me.'

Renlo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

'Again and again…'

His eyes blazed as he looked down toward the shrinking figure of Malakai.

"I'LL COME BACK, NINTH VEIN!!!"

His scream thundered across the sky.

Outside, across the region, the people gasped as they saw the horde of darkness creatures marching in unison.

The screens flickered endlessly, showing the youths that were seconds away from getting stomped, only to vanish, saved by the blood guardians.

Back in the Sanguine Hall, expressions narrowed.

Everyone wondered the same thing;

What the hell was happening?

"Should we call it off, Sovereign?"

One of the Highbloods asked, bowing toward the throne. frёewebnoѵēl.com

The hall turned toward him, awaiting the Sovereign's decision.

Everything had clearly turned to chaos, though none of them knew why.

The darkness creatures that had once been scattered across the Dark Forest… had all converged on a single point.

None of the youths would survive that.

There was no longer any point in continuing the competition.

But as the silence stretched, so did the tension.

Finally, the Sovereign gave his answer.

"No one interferes."

The eyes of many in the hall widened.

Not because of the command, but because of something else. Something that sent a chill racing through their veins.

The Sovereign… was smiling.

Suddenly, all the flickering screens in the hall froze, except one. The single screen burst to life, becoming much larger than the rest.

It showed one image: an army of darkness creatures tearing through the forest, surging toward a single figure from every direction.

The footage zoomed in. And the eyes of everyone watching landed on a boy.

He stood tall, gripping his scythe tightly.

Crimson-haired. Crimson-eyed. A stare that looked ready to take on the world.

'Of course…'

Captain Rhett realized it at the same time as the rest of the region.

The other youths, even the Veins, had all ascended the trees to escape the creatures.

But Malakai remained on the ground. His Eyes cold. Unmoving.

'Only a kid of his is crazy enough to do this.' Rhett grinned. The realization struck them all at the same time.

He… was going to face the incoming army.

The darkness converged around him in a relentless tide. The ground beneath him trembled from their march. The chill they brought gripped him from every side.

Despite all of this, Malakai was calm.

He stood tall in the midst of the approaching army, and to Octavia, he looked nothing short of a maniac.

'He's insane.'

Octavia had always thought she was crazy, but Malakai was even more of a nutcase than she was!

There were thousands of darkness creatures coming. Why the hell was he still on the ground!?

'He'll lose everything if he fails.'

That was what made her even more confused.

The penalty of losing to another youth was bad enough, losing forty percent of their points permanently. But the penalty of losing to a darkness creature?

All their points would be forfeited!

'Is he really going to fight?'

Octavia wondered, and so did the other youths watching from the trees.