Count’s Youngest Son is a Warlock Chapter 282 - It's Snowing (2)

 

Shaela continued growing another tree, swiftly stepping onto its branches as she advanced toward the mages.

 

“This…”

 

Veronia ground his teeth.

 

“These lowly creatures!”

 

His charred skin trembled as he unleashed a surge of darkness toward Shaela.

 

The swirling mass of darkness hurtled toward the mages, ready to consume them—until a burst of violet darkness erupted, forming a protective barrier.

 

Sizzle!

 

Veronia’s attack crumbled before the violet barrier.

 

“You…”

 

Bleeding black blood, Veronia glared at Lucion.

 

“You just won’t let go of me until the very end!”

 

The violet darkness, so loathsome in his eyes, coiled around Veronia, forming a barrier around him.

 

A desperate attempt to corner him.

 

“Do you really think this is enough to stop me?”

 

Veronia scoffed, brushing back his disheveled hair.

 

He was the king of darkness.

 

What did it matter if that vessel had somehow managed to manifest the former King’s violet darkness?

 

He let out a low chuckle.

 

“Looks like you’re running out of time.”

 

His remaining eye flicked from side to side.

 

Behind the violet barrier, the gazes of those trapped within were filled with fear.

 

Of course.

 

To them, he was an unknown entity.

 

A night darker than anything ever revealed to the world.

 

“This barrier looks flimsy, like a bridge ready to collapse with just a little more pressure.”

 

A smirk curled across Veronia’s lips.

 

From the beginning, they had bombarded him with spells, trying to mask the instability of the barrier.

 

A rushed effort.

 

A sign of their desperation.

 

Veronia let out a short burst of laughter and clenched his fists.

 

Even if the undying were fewer in number than before, the difference remained the same—one side lived, and the other was dead.

 

It was obvious which side would bleed first.

 

The moment Lucion sensed Veronia’s darkness moving, he sent his own violet darkness surging skyward.

 

“Everyone, now!”

 

He spoke into the communication device, giving the signal.

 

“Vessel, no matter how much you struggle…”

 

In an instant, the violet barrier flickered—then vanished.

 

Veronia’s eyes trembled.

 

‘The most effective way to overcome darkness is light.’

 

Lucion didn’t look away from Veronia for even a second.

 

Thud.

 

All at once, hidden items imbued with light were revealed.

 

Priests, who had remained undetected under the protection of divine beasts, stepped forward, disguised in soldiers’ uniforms.

 

-Don’t worry.

 

Troy, now in the form of a small white tiger, appeared in front of Lucion and Russell, ready to shield them.

 

Bang!

 

A beam of light shot into the sky.

 

The attack signal—given by Heint.

 

Since it hadn’t been Lucion’s cue, Troy said nothing to Brillin and Aedin.

 

“Attack!”

 

Novio’s commanding voice rang out.

 

At the commander’s signal, beams of light burst from everyone’s hands, all converging on Veronia.

 

Kwarrrrrr.

 

Brillin and Aedin let out resounding howls, unleashing thousands of radiant beams from their heads.

 

For a brief moment, Veronia’s eyes flickered at the overwhelming radiance.

 

Then, he squeezed them shut.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

The blinding light threatened to burn away his last remaining eye.

 

In a rush, Veronia drew up his thick darkness.

 

But it wasn’t enough.

 

He couldn’t block the light.

 

In an instant, Novio and Carson dashed in from both sides, closing in on Veronia.

 

Their eyes met.

 

For a split second, Novio wanted to ask Carson something.

 

Why was Lucion there?

 

Schwing—

 

The sound of swords slicing through the air rang out as the two crossed paths, landing almost simultaneously.

 

The darkness Veronia had conjured was cleaved apart—shattered like smoke dissolving into the air.

 

Auras blazed from the swords of Novio and Carson.

 

Before the cascading light could reach them, they swiftly retreated to safety.

 

Pop! Pop! Pop!

 

The light crashed down upon Veronia, bursting like fireworks as it struck the ground.

 

—Wooow! So pretty!

 

Ratta’s eyes sparkled in wonder.

 

“This is insane,” Russell muttered, suppressing the churn in his stomach.

 

[I will never… No, I will never witness such light again in my lifetime.]

 

Bethel’s unease was palpable.

 

Lucion, too, was astonished.

 

The sheer intensity of the light was undeniable—no one could possibly survive it.

 

“Are you all right?” Hume asked cautiously.

 

“I’m fine. Troy blocked it…”

 

Lucion’s words trailed off.

 

The scent of blood hung thick in the air, sending a chill down his spine.

 

A mistake.

 

For even a moment, he had made the grave error of looking away from Veronia.

 

A sharp, ominous premonition struck him. Sensing it too, Bethel didn’t hesitate—her sword flashed as she swung.

 

Swoosh!

 

Veronia’s outstretched fingers, reaching for Hume, were severed in an instant.

 

Clutching his severed fingers, he grinned eerily as the violet flames consumed even his black blood.

 

“What a shame. I thought you’d be too drunk on victory to notice.”

 

Slice!

 

A razor-sharp shard of ice shot forward, cutting across Veronia’s face.

 

“Get lost!”

 

Hume swung his great sword without hesitation, his voice ringing with fury.

 

With only a hair’s breadth between them, Veronia’s hair fluttered backward as he hastily retreated.

 

His eyes flickered with shock as he met Hume’s gaze, while Lucion quickly instructed Hume to drive Veronia toward the barrier behind him.

 

“Have you forgotten… me? Me?”

 

Veronia’s expression wavered as his half-melted body struggled against the light’s effects.

 

Troy narrowed his eyes at Veronia, his gaze piercing.

 

-Step ba—

 

Before Troy could finish speaking, Russell swiftly seized Veronia with darkness and flung him back to his original position.

 

If Troy unleashed a burst of light now, both Lucion and he would be at risk. They needed to separate Hume from Veronia first.

 

“Troy, adjust the direction of the light,” Lucion commanded.

 

At his words, Troy lifted his head, directing his gaze toward the sky.

 

-Don’t worry. I already know.

 

Looking up, Lucion saw the two divine beasts descending, redirecting the light toward Veronia.

 

‘Now, all that’s left is for Heint to strike with the holy sword at the crucial moment.’

 

Lucion reached for the communication device in Hume’s hand but hesitated.

 

‘Something feels off.’

 

Everything was progressing smoothly, aside from the brief unexpected moment earlier. Yet, the gradually darkening sky unsettled him.

 

If the sky symbolized Veronia, did that mean his power was growing?

 

‘But his darkness is supposed to be weakening.’

 

Veronia remained motionless where he had been thrown.

 

A sense of unease creeping in, Lucion unleashed his darkness upward.

 

Amidst the overwhelming radiance, his darkness became visible once more.

 

The barrier was quickly reformed.

 

The priests might be affected, but there was no other choice.

 

[Calm down, Lord Lucion.]

 

Even as Bethel tried to reassure him, Lucion kept his hand on his sword, his eyes fixed on the fading light.

 

The undying figures within the barrier, created by the divine beasts, seemed to indicate that they, too, had some resistance to the light.

 

Yet something didn’t add up.

 

Just moments ago, Veronia had been half-melted. If he had resistance, he wouldn’t have been in such a state.

 

And even now, despite the immense light that should have destroyed him, his darkness remained.

 

‘What is this? Why isn’t it disappearing?’

 

Lucion blinked, his confusion deepening.

 

[Perhaps… as unbelievable as it sounds, he might have regenerative abilities.]

 

“Right. Just like Bethel said, he seems to be regenerating.”

 

Russell glanced briefly at his own hand.

 

“When I grasped him with darkness earlier, I felt his corrupted energy concentrating on his wounds.”

 

‘Regeneration…’

 

Lucion tightened his grip on the communication device, uncertainty gnawing at him.

 

—Lucion.

 

Ratta’s voice suddenly called out to him.

 

Her eyes were filled with unease.

 

—The shadows… the shadows of the people… they’re trembling strangely. Something feels off to me.

 

‘…’

 

Lucion immediately reached out and touched Russell’s shadow.

 

A faint tremor.

 

‘…!’

 

Among mana, light, and darkness, the most silent force was darkness.

 

Unnoticed. Unseen.

 

Veronia had revealed his talons, like an owl preparing to strike.

 

“It’s the shadows!”

 

If Lucion could manipulate them, then surely Veronia, who wielded the same power, could as well.

 

Without hesitation, Lucion sliced deep into his arm, letting his blood spill freely.

 

He couldn’t interfere with the barrier directly.

 

If Veronia truly had regenerative abilities, then what was he sacrificing in return?

 

He had to personally block everyone’s shadows.

 

“Ratta!”

 

—Yes!

 

Violet darkness flared in Ratta’s eyes as Lucion, using his own dripping blood, rapidly sought out each shadow.

 

Hundreds.

 

Thousands.

 

Tens of thousands.

 

As more shadows were identified, a splitting pain tore through his head. His entire body trembled violently, making it difficult to stand, but he refused to stop.

 

—Lu… Lucion! Stop!

 

Ratta pleaded, but Lucion continued, wrapping each shadow in violet darkness.

 

He had to burn away Veronia’s corruption.

 

‘Reach!’

 

“Oh? You noticed already?”

 

Half-melted, Veronia lifted his head, his drooping jaw twisting into a grotesque grin as he looked at Lucion.

 

‘Reach!’

 

Lucion poured all his strength into stopping the corruption that was about to come.

 

[Lord Lucion! That’s enough!]

 

Bethel, unable to bear watching any longer, shouted as Lucion’s mind teetered on the brink of collapse.

 

“Damn it…”

 

Russell gritted his teeth and forcibly disrupted Lucion’s darkness, making it falter and waver.

 

“…Gah!”

 

Lucion coughed up blood.

 

The darkness, now unstable from the strain, pulsed wildly. A searing pain, as if struck by pure light, tore through him.

 

—A-are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?

 

Ratta’s eyes wavered with worry as she watched Lucion’s darkness, which had begun moving again.

 

[Stop! Lord Lucion, if you continue, your brain might burn out completely!]

 

Bethel shouted, her voice filled with urgency.

 

She understood Lucion’s intent, but the burden was far too great for the power he possessed.

 

“It’s too much for you, isn’t it? No matter how much a mere vessel struggles, this is your limit. Watch closely. Witness the power of a king.”

 

Veronia’s mocking voice slithered into Lucion’s ears.

 

“Are you alright? Can you move…?”

 

As Hume bent down to support Lucion, a horrifying crunching sound echoed all around them.

 

Crunch!

 

From the shadows, corruption surged forth, twisting into enormous, gaping maws that devoured people whole.

 

“…!”

 

Lucion’s breath caught in his throat.

 

Beyond the carnage, he could see those who had lost their bodies, their fading presence lingering just beyond his reach. The thick stench of blood quickly filled the air.

 

In the chilling silence, the sound of flesh being torn apart rang loud and clear.

 

Haha.

 

At that moment, Veronia’s laughter echoed, deep and triumphant, as despair took hold of everyone.

 

“…And now, despair.”

 

Lucion’s hands trembled as his thoughts raced to Shaela and Carson.

 

[Lord Lucion!]

 

Had they been among those he managed to shield with his darkness?

 

[Lord Lucion, calm yourself! You saved more people than you lost!]

 

But Bethel’s voice didn’t reach him.

 

The sheer weight of so many deaths crashed into his senses, rendering his mind blank—numb with shock.

 

—Lucion! Ratta is sad too, but you mustn’t be swallowed by sorrow!

 

Unable to bear it any longer, Ratta leaped from the shadows, grabbed Lucion’s arm, and shook him desperately.

 

Snap!

 

At the sharp sound of fingers snapping, Lucion finally stopped trembling and slowly turned his head toward Russell.

 

“Lucion.”

 

Russell waved his fingers in front of Lucion’s eyes.

 

“How many do you see?”

 

“…Three.”

 

“Good. At least your vision is still clear.”

 

Russell gave a faint smile, his darkness surging as his hair swayed with its force. Turning his gaze to Veronia, he spoke firmly.

 

“I told you, didn’t I? No matter what happens, do not waver.”

 

“…Yes. I understand.”

 

Lucion’s voice was unsteady.

 

“I know. I understand how cruel these words may sound, and how difficult it is to endure.”

 

Lucion steadied his breath as he listened to Russell’s words.

 

“It’s true that we place many expectations on you. But remember, you are not the one commanding this war. Stay focused. Observe.”

 

Russell was showing Lucion the reality unfolding before him—reminding him that he wasn’t shouldering this battle alone.

 

The commander was Novio, and even without Lucion’s orders, he was more than capable of handling the situation.

 

Lucion lifted his gaze.

 

From a distance, their eyes met.

 

Despite the chaos, Novio stood unwavering, calmly issuing orders to the knights.

 

‘There’s still… a red thread.’

 

A sense of relief washed over Lucion as he reassessed the battlefield.

 

Carson was safe.

 

But what about Shaela?

 

The towering tree at the frontier still stood.

 

Bzzz.

 

A familiar voice echoed through the communication device.

 

<Hamel-nim, are you all right? I saw that you cut your arm…>

 

At Kran’s concerned words, Lucion finally became aware of the throbbing pain in his arm.

 

<We’ve identified the areas of corruption, and the warlocks have begun purification. You don’t need to worry.>

 

“See?”

 

Russell smirked, lifting the corners of his lips.

 

“You led them. In the end, you protected them, Lucion.”

 

Crackle!

 

Russell’s darkness sparked like lightning.

 

“Watch closely—this is an emergency lesson.”

 

As his teacher, Russell wouldn’t let this opportunity for Lucion’s growth slip away.

 

After all, growth always emerged from despair.

 

Most importantly, while his darkness couldn’t reach Veronia, Lucion’s could.

 

—I’ll watch carefully too and help Lucion!

 

“Good. Listen carefully. If you refine darkness into a thread as thin as a hair, its speed can rival light. Can you see it?”

 

Lucion’s eyes focused.

 

He could clearly see it.

 

A sliver of darkness, fine as a strand of hair, advanced boldly toward Veronia.

 

“I’ve marked the position. I’ve guided the darkness there. Now, the darkness that follows won’t need to deliberately slow itself.”

 

Russell clenched his fist.

 

Silently, his darkness surged and expanded in an instant. Like a bolt of lightning, it struck down upon Veronia.

 

“It’s similar to how you use shadow movement.”

 

Despite the fierce attack, there was no sound.

 

Only Russell’s calm voice remained.

 

Then came the aftermath—a violent gust tearing through the air, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.

 

“Strange, isn’t it? Even when exposed to light, I don’t die.”

 

As the dust settled, Veronia stood there, seemingly unscathed.

 

“Do you feel true despair now?”

 

A bright smile stretched across Veronia’s face. 

 

It felt as though he had restored his body at the cost of those he had corrupted and consumed.

 

Except for the eye Lucion had taken.

 

And the part burned away by violet darkness moments ago.

 

‘The areas touched by my darkness… haven’t regenerated.’

 

At that moment, Lucion understood why Veronia wasn’t attacking the barrier.

 

[I see it too.]

 

Bethel’s voice confirmed his thoughts.

 

“Well, it makes sense. You are corruption itself. And corruption is tenacious by nature.”

 

Russell smirked.

 

“That’s right. Isn’t it reassuring to know that no matter what you attack me with, I won’t die?”

 

Veronia grinned back.

 

‘Think.’

 

Lucion knew Russell was deliberately prolonging the confrontation—buying him time to devise a plan.

 

The morale of their forces had plummeted at the sight of Veronia’s recovery.

 

They were back to square one.

 

The heavy air, thick with corruption, carried an oppressive sense of despair.

 

‘Magic and light can harm him… but his regeneration is too fast. Engaging in close combat is definitely a mistake.’

 

Now that it was clear Veronia could restore his body by consuming the lives of others, every soldier on the battlefield was nothing more than fuel for his recovery.

 

Perhaps a burst of light strong enough to overwhelm his regeneration could work.

 

But that would risk breaking the priests’ final defensive line, which was crucial in restraining Veronia.

 

‘But my darkness is different.’

 

A usurper who could never be king.

 

A monster with absurd regenerative abilities.

 

A plan began to form in Lucion’s mind.