Reborn As The Villain-Chapter 343 - 25: The Sovereign of Blood

Two figures stood across from each other atop a barren plateau, the air between them charged with unrelenting force. Arnold, his deep blue robes fluttering like a storm-tossed sea, rolled his shoulders, eyes locked onto his opponent. Ko stood firm, crimson robes drenched in the light of the afternoon sun, his fiery red hair swaying with the wind. Neither spoke. Words had no place here.

Then, they moved.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

The moment their fists collided, the world trembled. A deafening shockwave blasted outward, flattening distant hills and splitting the land beneath them. The force of their clash sent jagged cracks racing across the earth, devouring entire mountains in their wake. Dust and debris spiraled into the sky, blotting out the sun like a cataclysmic omen.

Ko was the first to step in, his body a blur of crimson light as he drove his fist toward Arnold's ribs. Arnold caught the strike on his forearm, the impact sending a ripple through the very fabric of reality. The ground beneath them shattered like brittle glass. Yet neither faltered.

Arnold retaliated. He twisted his torso, his muscles coiling like a beast ready to strike, then launched a devastating hook toward Ko's jaw. Ko barely managed to cross his arms in time to block, but the sheer power behind the punch sent him hurtling backward. His body tore through a mountain, splitting it in two before he landed, feet skidding against the crumbling earth.

A moment of stillness.

Then, Ko wiped the blood from his lip and unsheathed his sword—a blade so black that not even light was reflected on its surface.

Arnold stretched out one arm, a powerful white energy coating it like a blade.

They vanished.

The shockwave from a powerful clank tore the ground apart, and each consecutive attack tore away more of the earth.

Even though the two of them were fighting away from any human settlements, about 100km from the nearest one currently, the cities and villages in this region still felt the powerful impacts of their clash.

"Huup!" Ko swung his sword vertically which Arnold blocked with his Aether sword. While he managed to stop the attack, Ko's slash continued behind him, creating a gigantic crevice that seemed almost bottomless from a bird's eye view. Arnold's sleeve also fell off from that attack as if it was ripped off.

"Is one of your lackeys tasked with retrieving the book!?"

"You could say that."

The two continued speaking even as their hands moved in a blur, "Why the need for that when you also know where the book is located!? You could have stolen it quietly and avoided this needless battle!"

A firestorm of black flames erupted from Ko's blade, sent straight towards Arnold, but the flames went through him as if he wasn't there.

"Or are you just an imposter looking to stir conflict!?"

He hit the nail on the head there but Arnold just kept quiet, having the same shit-eating smirk on his face that perfectly displayed Funiji's arrogance and pride.

The sound of their blades colliding was almost deafening, sending concussive shockwaves that carved through the landscape like divine wrath made manifest. Each clash of metal sent massive arcs of energy screaming across the battlefield, obliterating the ground and leaving nothing but charred remnants of what once was.

Arnold twisted his wrist, redirecting Ko's sword mid-swing, and countered with a savage kick to the gut. The sheer force propelled Ko backward, his body carving a trench in the earth before he flipped midair and landed gracefully on a floating slab of rock that had been torn from the battlefield by their previous exchange. Without hesitation, he shot forward with [Speed of Sound], breaking the sound barrier multiple times over, each step generating an explosion of compressed air.

Arnold met him head-on.

The sky darkened as their god-like auras clashed. The heavens themselves seemed to tremble, and the very fabric of reality wavered as they exchanged thousands of blows in a span of mere seconds. Their movements left afterimages that persisted for moments, tricking the eye into believing there were multiple versions of them fighting simultaneously.

Ko feinted a downward slash before instantly shifting the momentum of his strike into a horizontal sweep. Arnold reacted with inhuman precision, bending his upper body backward at an impossible angle to evade before retaliating with an upward slash. Ko barely dodged, but the unleashed force of the swing cleaved through a distant mountain range, reducing it to dust in an instant.

This fight would've been far easier if he had Luxtivin. Burning through this much Aether just to manifest a sword with infinite durability was going to exhaust his internal energy if he continued fighting like this.

Arnold jumped further away and stood the ground with his left foot. That wasn't just physical strength alone.

Pikes of pure Aether erupted from the ground, one catching a nearby deer that was trying to run away. When pierced by the energy pike, the deer disappeared into particles of light.

The world ruptured as hundreds of skyscraper pikes rose to the heavens.

The land also buckled under his raw strength, rising and falling like waves on a storm-tossed ocean. Massive chunks of the earth were flung skyward as gravity momentarily lost its hold over them. The sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the entire continent, toppling structures in the distant cities and sending terrified citizens into a frenzy.

Ko grit his teeth, leaping into the air as the ground beneath him shattered into sprawling chaos. Above him, Arnold had already positioned himself, descending like a meteor with his Aether sword raised high.

The moment his blade made contact with Ko's, an explosion of golden and black energy erupted outward, stretching far beyond the horizon. The sky itself split apart, revealing the raw void of the cosmos beyond because the world's atmosphere just couldn't handle the power of these two demigod-like monsters.

Aether and dark flame mixed together in chaotic spirals, searing through clouds and warping the atmosphere.

Then, silence.

The only sound was the howling wind rushing through the vast, battle-ravaged wasteland that had once been a mountainous region. Entire valleys had been turned into scorched plains, forests incinerated in the wake of their clash. Rivers had been vaporized, leaving only smoking trenches where water had once flowed.

Arnold stood amidst the wreckage, exhaling slowly. His smirk had yet to fade.

Ko, panting slightly, raised his blade once more. Despite the devastation surrounding them, he looked utterly unfazed.

Then finally, the tyrant surrounded his body in Aether, knowing that this battle will end in his death if he held back the power he sacrificed lives for.

-"The Thief and Alchemist have left the palace and are moving towards Old Town." Mian Xi's voice echoed in his head while he was fighting Ko.

She was watching the battle from afar but also watching what was happening in the palace and will tell Arnold when it's time to end this.

He didn't ask her to accompany him, it was just sort of her own choice. When he asked why, she insisted not even a thousand near-death experiences would be enough to repay him for what he gave her.

He didn't expect her to go that far even if he also knew how valuable the Spirit King's name is. As it stands now, he could ask her anything and she would be forced to go through with it.

Of course, there was a little something he wanted her help with once he finally leaves this shadow world.

-"What about Kohana?"

-"I tried to bind myself with her body through spiritual connection and found that her lifeforce is flowing slower than a normal human's lifeforce should. She is most likely on the verge of death."

-"Sounds to me like her uplifting speech failed to reach her people."

-"Indeed... Your body double created quite the mess in the banquet hall."

-"I should've expected this would happen..."

Kohana walked right into enemy lines despite not being a combatant. Maybe he should've ordered the clones to protect her since it's pretty clear that Kohana was already on their side.

Hopefully this teaches her that words are not enough sometimes.

-"I'll handle Ko alone. Go help Rasuke and Soryu take out the inner martials."

-"Okay."

Mian Xi's energy signature instantly teleported to another place after she went silent. Arnold sensed her appearing near the palace.

'How should I end this? Ko is obviously not an easy opponent to just get rid of.'

"Mystic Arts – [Cloud Serpent]!" Ko swung his arm to the heavens, sending a gigantic mass of energy upwards which made the clouds part way.

Suddenly the clouds began moving as if they were alive before descending from the sky like tornadoes about to rampage across the land. Several roars echoed across the destroyed remains of this wasteland. Those twisting clouds turned into four snake-like monsters that shot towards Arnold with inhuman speeds.

"Humph!" Arnold swung his left arm, immediately after thousands upon thousands of golden swords appeared behind him.

Even though the two of them were far away from the empire, the swords even appeared over the entire capital, showing how ridiculous the number of them were. For the citizens, it seemed as if judgment day has come. They believed that this was a form of "Unworthy Cleansing", a prophecy where martial gods send their direct disciples to clean the world of "normal" humans and only keep those with potential to and already using martial arts.

It was a cruel prophecy but one these people would no doubt accept since they revered the martial gods and believe only They can judge who can stay alive for the next century.

'He's never used this technique before but I recognize it! A forbidden art!' Ko's eyes widened, 'You did not seek guidance from demon sects, right old friend...? We said... we would dismantle them together, stop them from corrupting humanity and the moral realms and preventing them from summoning more of their kind to the physical world...'

A deafening boom sounded when their skills clashed in the air. Arnold's golden swords exploded in a beautiful golden radiance. Each explosion sent powerful shockwaves through the air that made the world itself tremble.

The remaining three serpent clouds chased after Arnold but shot his arms forward and opened his hands. Strings of pure Aether shot out of them and subdued the serpent clouds easily. In mere seconds, the sky was covered in these strings that could stop giant manifested serpents.

Arnold closed his fists, which sent a powerful shockwave through the strings that ended up ripping the serpents apart.

'This technique isn't as easy as it looks. I should ask Maylim for some pointers if I ever meet her again.'

Ko clicked his tongue seeing one of his skills get destroyed just like that.

**

A little bit earlier—

Lian and Ruria still haven't found the target yet. Truth be told, they don't know if what they're looking for are maps or a scroll. Without the magic item, they'd probably struggle to find it.

Speaking of the magic item, the humming wasn't climbing higher anymore unlike before, so it meant their target was in this general area or floor. But it was difficult to determine the exact location. The echoes of their footsteps bounced off the jagged cave walls, blending with the rhythmic pulse of the magical hum. Lian traced her fingers along the stone, feeling the faint vibrations beneath her palm.

A shudder went up Ruria's spine when she felt herself lagging behind for a second.

"D-Did it feel like you walked through jelly just now?" Ruria suddenly asked, her voice laced with unease.

"Yes, I believe that was a space pocket. They appear randomly in nature and teleport people to another location. That means we're not in the same part of the cave anymore."

Ruria looked around, her brows furrowed. "So we could be anywhere?"

"Not just anywhere," Lian murmured, scanning the area. "Some space pockets connect places that shouldn't be reachable. This might be one of them."

"When you felt the jelly-like surface just now, did you have a vision of all your regrets and the hardships you faced in your past?" Lian asked that specific question out of nowhere.

"No? Did you?"

Ruria went through mental training to suppress any and all thoughts when she's on high alert. If she saw something that should've brought nostalgia, her will mentally blocks the memory from coming out. Concentration is important for an assassin when in danger.

"I recalled every horrible thing I've done throughout my life," Lian lowered her head, the flame of her torch casting a shadow over her face, "It felt like ten minutes went by in the second it took for me to take a step after passing through the space pocket."

"Oh..."

"I'm quite surprised that you felt nothing back there. Are you even human?" she chuckled softly.

As they delved deeper, the cave walls grew narrower, funneling them into a wider chamber where something cold and unsettling coiled in the air.

"Another mausoleum?" The sight before them was different from the tombs in the front section of the mausoleum. Here, the nameless tombs stretched far beyond what the dim cave's flickering light could reach. The coffins were marked only by simple, unadorned stones. Judging by the state of these coffins, they didn't seem to be older than a decade at least.

Lian kneeled by one, brushing away a layer of dust and dirt. No inscriptions. No identities. Just bones and silence. She silently got up and looked ahead.

"We'll have to go through it." There were no other passages in this vast graveyard so they could only go forward.

Ruria whispered to herself. "This is no ordinary burial ground."

They pressed on, their footsteps disturbing the thick layer of dust coating the floor. As they navigated through the graveyard of forgotten souls, Lian's eyes landed on something peculiar—a series of tablets arranged in a half-circle, almost like a monument. It was right at the end of the seemingly endless graveyard.

Curious, Lian approached them and read through it.

"The five great sects' names...?" she then looked back at Ruria. "I think... these are all the people Ko has killed in the war. These were the only sects who fought against Ko in the war. The tablet says there are 10000 people buried here, matching the number of casualties recorded in the war..."

"He buried them all under the palace...?"

"No... Like I said, this place is connected to the mausoleum through the space pocket."

"Ah, right..." Ruria murmured, still trying to process the sheer scale of what she was seeing. How far do these coffins go in the darkness that they could not see? Did Ko singlehandedly bury all these people? Did he make these graves on his own...?

"Those square-shaped rocks up ahead look like doors. Maybe it's the other door we're looking for...?" Lian and Ruria made eye-contact. Both nodded before walking forward.

A low, drawn-out groan echoed through the chamber as they stepped forward, the humming growing more insistent. A faint breeze slithered through the cracks in the stone, carrying with it a whispered howl. The closer they got to the doors ahead, the more palpable the air became. It wasn't just dense—it was charged, like the moments before a storm.

"Almost there—" The two pushed the heavy doors open with all their strength. Even a trained assassin like Ruria, who went through all kinds of physical training during her youth, couldn't push this heavy door easily.

They managed to open it after struggling for a while, the stone groaning in protest. Upon entering, a bright light flared above their heads, illuminating the room.

The sudden glow revealed towering shelves filled with scrolls and ancient artifacts, their forms barely discernible beneath layers of dust. The air was stale, untouched by time or intruders. And at the center, a raised platform with a single coffin under a golden light. The coffin was shaped quite strangely as if it was built for multiple corpses.

A gust of air whispered through the chamber, rattling the flames in the sconces. Lian stopped in front of the coffin..

"Wha..."

"What's wrong?" noticing Lian's odd reaction, Ruria asked.

"...This tombstone says 'To my daughter, Sing' and that one—" Lian glanced to the tombstone next to this one, "—it... it says 'to my lovely wife, Zhoming Zhurosan'."

"Wait, why are the princess and Empress buried here with what we're after!?" Ruria's head shot in all directions, noticing that this room had no other rooms connected to it at a single glance so their target was right in this room.

"...Let's... just open the coffin." Lian tried her best not to hide her trembling and clenched fist. She bit her lip until it bled.

"...."

"...Help me." With a bloodied mouth, she looked at Ruria.

"O-Okay."

The coffin was soon open.

Lian looked at their rotting corpses blankly.

A pair of cold corpses lay there that didn't even look like they were in the process of decomposing. Around the edges of the large coffin were all sorts of glowing runes that Lian hasn't seen before.

How did Ko manage to not only reverse them back to their original bodies but also kept their bodies, how to put it, "whole"?

Sing didn't look a day over seven and Zhoming was still youthful at the ripe age of 30.

Lian leaned on the coffin since she was getting dizzy from remembering the hundreds upon hundreds of failed experiments that had to die just to create two perfect humanoids.

It was because of her that the two got to live again, but it was also due to her that both of them changed, never knowing what their true selves were like or where their dead bodies lay.

She pressed her lips into a thin line.

Between the two dead bodies was a large scroll with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

The humming, now almost deafening, vibrated through the chamber, urging her to grab the scrolls laying between the two corpses as if they were protecting it.

"Should we just... leave them here? Shouldn't we give them a proper burial aboveground at least?"

Lian shook her head.

"Once Ko is dealt with, I will return here and do it myself. I feel it's my responsibility alone if Ko is no longer in this world."

"Okay..."

Lian looked back at the coffin in silence, at the mother and daughter holding each other's hands.

'If you find out what Ko kept from you, will you hate your husband, Zhoming....? And will you hate your Papa, Sing...?' Her question was not spoken aloud so obviously no one could answer it.

Ruria leaned carefully over the coffin and grabbed the large scroll. It was about half her height and was quite thick. Without hesitation, she unfurled it carefully.

[Oath made in the name of The Sovereign of Blood Pure Martial art] was what was written inside followed by a sketch of a nine-headed dragon drawn in only different saturations of red. As if the painting itself was bleeding, there were trails of red flowing down the sketch.

"It says the book is located in..." Ruria's eyes widened, "—the Dragon God's Lair..."

The grave of the Dragon God and the largest and most dangerous dungeon in existence.

That is where Arnold will find the Pure Martial Art—[Sovereign of Blood]