Reborn As Noble-Chapter 421: Predator and Prey ( )

King Gurdan stood still for a moment, his hand hovering over the glowing war map. His eyes, once filled with burning rage, now narrowed into sharp, calculating slits.

"Gather all of our strongest fighters," he said firmly, turning to his war advisor.

"Warriors, mages, swordmasters, veterans—anyone who's still standing and has faced death more than once."

He clenched his jaw.

"I want them formed into a single strike force. A team… whose sole purpose is to face the Wicked Hero directly."

The advisor bowed quickly.

"As you command, Your Majesty."

He turned to relay the orders—but Gurdan's eyes lingered on the map… and on the glowing red indicator showing the fallen town.

In the silence that followed, his thoughts churned darkly.

"That man… that thing… Kenjirou…"

A drop of sweat formed on his brow—not from fear, but from the weight of what he knew.

"He is no mere mortal anymore."

He walked slowly to the far end of the chamber and stood by the window, staring out toward the mountains in the distance—where the faint glow of conflict could still be seen on the horizon.

His fingers tapped against the hilt of his own sword.

"A celestial vessel… a divine sword wielder… formerly blessed by the goddess herself…"

But it didn't end there.

No, that would've been manageable. Containable.

"Now… he's something far worse."

He shut his eyes briefly, recalling the report burned into his memory.

Kenjirou, after losing his left arm, now bore an artificial limb—crafted by Queen Zephyra herself.

A forbidden creation, enhanced by twisted Amazarak darkcraft and celestial-tainted mana.

"A war criminal wielding a divine weapon, guided by lust and madness… and equipped with a cursed relic."

"He's a disaster given form."

King Gurdan's hand tightened into a fist.

"If we underestimate him again… the next thing that burns will be this capital."

King Gurdan stood still now, his eyes no longer focused on the immediate threat—but on the bigger game.

A slow smirk curled across his lips.

"Yes… let them clash. Let the Wicked Hero burn his strength."

He turned, hands clasped behind his back, his heavy royal cloak swaying slightly as he walked toward the center of the room once more.

"I'll gather the strongest from our armies—warriors, mages, and those gifted in the old ways. Let them wear him down."

"And once he's bleeding…" He stopped, the smirk widening.

"I'll strike."

His gaze burned, and in that moment, his left eye flickered red—deep, eerie red—brief, but unmistakable. The celestial being sealed within him stirred, whispering like a serpent inside his thoughts.

"Devour him… and we grow stronger…"

Gurdan's breath slowed. A dark glint passed through his pupils. He raised one hand and slowly, deliberately, licked his lips.

"To think… what power he holds. What chaos he's already caused."

"If I can absorb that celestial…" He paused.

"No... when I do…"

"I will become unstoppable."

For a moment, the proud king vanished—replaced by a predator in royal robes. The celestial's voice echoed again.

"Crush him… devour him… and ascend."

He stood at the center of the chamber, staring into the war map—but his thoughts had gone far beyond the battlefield. Far beyond Kenjirou.

"And once I absorb him…"

His voice was low, almost reverent—like he spoke to a god that only he could hear.

"I'll march on the Dwarven Kingdom… and kill Gumarak."

The name alone carried weight—Chieftain Gumarak, the Iron King of the Dwarves… another celestial vessel.

"I'll crush him beneath my feet and absorb his celestial."

He took another slow step forward, his hands trembling not with fear—but excitement.

"And then… yes…"

He raised his hand as if reaching toward a throne that didn't exist yet.

"I'll go after Edmund next. That greedy bastard… already hoarding two celestials inside him…"

His fingers curled into a fist.

"He thinks he's untouchable, hidden behind his noble masks and royal games…"

Gurdan's eyes blazed crimson now, burning with the hunger of the celestial inside him.

"By that time… even Garius—"

He paused. The name alone gave him hesitation. The man who sealed the celestials long ago. The strategist. The unshakable. Even now… Gurdan feared him slightly.

But that flicker of doubt? It was consumed by the celestial's voice.

"Yesssss… Devour them all… Kill Garius… absorb his power… make the whole world kneel!"

Gurdan shuddered. The hunger inside him pulsed violently.

He laughed quietly—low at first, then rising.

"I will become the only vessel… the only celestial… the only king."

His voice echoed across the stone walls, unnoticed by the guards outside.

"And no one—not even Garius—will stop me."

And in the silence that followed his manic declaration, a voice responded.

Low. Twisted.

"Don't worry, Master…"

It echoed softly, from nowhere and everywhere.

"Soon… you'll become the strongest."

"And Garius… his power will be nothing before us."

Gurdan stood still, breathing heavily, the celestial aura beneath his skin pulsing with every word.

He grinned.

"Yes… yes… once I consume that wicked hero's celestial… Once I absorb Kenjirou…"

His voice trembled—not from fear, but from unbearable excitement.

"I'll grow stronger… I'll devour them all."

"Gumarak… Edmund… Garius…"

His pupils shrank into glowing red slits.

And deep inside, the celestial purred like a predator in his soul.

"YES! YESSS!!"

"Consume them! Take their power!"

"You will be the only vessel!"

"We will conquer this world!"

"And I… I shall be the one true king—through you!"

Gurdan raised his hand and clenched his fist toward the war map—toward every kingdom and throne displayed.

"Not Edmund."

"Not Garius."

"Not the elves, not the demons."

"Only me."

"I will rule it all."

And in that moment, a king and a celestial roared together in silent agreement—

not in service of their people,

but in service of a shared hunger.

"All I need to do is go all in…"

The voice chuckled in his mind.

"Yes… go all in, my King. Push everything—force the Wicked Hero into a corner. Surround him. Drown him in numbers."

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Gurdan grinned.

"Yeah? That'll make us win?"

"Yes."

"Let him burn himself out… let him tear through thousands. It doesn't matter. What matters… is that he won't survive all of them."

Gurdan's red-tinged eyes narrowed.

"And what about Gumarak?"

"Don't worry about him. Split your forces. Send your most trusted generals toward the Dwarven Kingdom."

"Let them start the first wave. Disrupt their lines, test their strength… but leave Gumarak alive… for now."

"Focus on the Wicked Hero first."

Gurdan paced slowly, hands behind his back, the war map flickering beneath him.

"Ohhh… now that's a good idea."

He pointed across the table, eyes gleaming.

"Four hundred thousand to crush Kenjirou… while I send the rest to harass Gumarak's defenses."

The celestial laughed again, low and giddy.

"Perfect…"

"That Wicked Hero won't be able to kill four hundred thousand. Not even with Zephyra's tricks. Not even with that cursed arm."

"His troops will fall. He will bleed. And once he's weak…"

"We strike."

Gurdan raised his fist, a feverish grin overtaking his face.

"We kill him… absorb his celestial… and I grow stronger."

The celestial roared inside his mind.

"YES!! And I shall evolve—through you!"

"Then you'll take Gumarak… and then Edmund… and then—"

"Garius himself!"

Gurdan's lips twisted.

"That's right… make me stronger, and the world will belong to us."

"To you, my king."

"And I will reign… through your will."

( End of Chapter )