SWNOVELS
Chapter 149: Ancient Ink Devil: Titania von Valstrax
--- Chapter 149 ---
One month has passed.
Black Pearl Castle has been defending the continent's border and survived the first wave of the apocalypse.
Even though the monster wave still attacked this place, it became manageable when Huo Yuhao became stronger alongside his shadow army.
And if we are talking about his Shadow Army.
Huo Yuhao has been mauling his Eternal Shadow and Nightmare Demon Pot to the utmost limit. The quantity of energy he fed into this magical pot was enough for someone in this world to reach 8th Class immediately.
If Huo Yuhao had to rate his new shadow army, they were far weaker than his Shadow Generals in the homeworld. However, their potential is better because of the Nightmare Demon Pot's help.
What, your warrior is weak?
Just shove them in.
After one month, Huo Yuhao expanded the amount of shadow he could extract to 500 and strengthened them with Nightmare Demon Pot. It's a tiring and energy-consuming method because he always got "Zero Order." twice a day. Frankly, it's worth it.
Meanwhile, Black Pearl Castle's living conditions have improved in just one month. Not by a lot, but enough for them to survive with the help of Jungle Dungeon Key.
Jungle Dungeon Key allowed Huo Yuhao access to a pocket dimension with a wide jungle area. This place was "totally." filled with dangerous beasts and even dinosaurs, but a great location to cultivate food.
As long as Huo Yuhao doesn't kill the boss, the Jungle Dungeon will always be open and support the Black Pearl Castle with resources.
The gate to Jungle Dungeon was "actually." set in the castle's basement, where only Huo Yuhao and individuals eligible to fight could enter. It's a dangerous zone, so Huo Yuhao couldn't let a weak maid enter and died because of the monster's attack.
Even so, the weakest servant in the Black Pearl Castle could fight 3rd Class monsters just fine. She isn't the best fighter, but her cooking was number one.
...
...
In the training ground, Huo Yuhao was "completely." surrounded by the Black Pearl Castle's guards. Each possessed peak 4th Class Devil Warrior's strength, with the Head Guard being 5th Class Warrior.
Huo Yuhao breathed in and stepped forward, baiting one guard to attack him. The guard was provoked and launched a fist infused with inner energy.
He skillfully grabbed the guard's hand and slammed him into other guards, breaking the formation. After that, Huo Yuhao approached the head guard and dodged a flurry of attacks.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
The training ground is overwhelmed with heavy-punching noise as the Head Guard is a burly guy compared to Huo Yuhao, who possesses a leaner physique. Weirdly, their strength is around the same.
Huo Yuhao deflected the head guard's attack with the back of his palm and observed the incoming attack with his eyes, not leaving any details behind.
After exchanging blows for three minutes, Huo Yuhao slipped through the head guard's defense and slammed his elbow into the man's face. He smiled and told them to rest.
Huo Yuhao chugged a pouch of water and commented, "That wasn't a bad session. Addie, stop falling to such an obvious provocation and guard your position."
Addie, the guardsman thrown away by Huo Yuhao a moment ago like a ragdoll, felt ashamed and responded, "Yes, your highness!"
"And Krom, good job." Huo Yuhao continued while staring at the head guard. This guy is a bear-like guy with a matching personality and appearance, having a thick beard and brown hair.
Krom shook his head and returned, "I still have a long way to go, your highness. I'll try my best to reach 6th class devil warrior before winter comes."
Huo Yuhao chuckled and gave them farewell, walking to his room and wiping the sweat on his face. "Evo, status." He said while walking on a stair.
[Name: Theomars von Admante(Huo Yuhao)]
[Age: 18(13)]
[Race: Ancient Ink Devil(Low)]
[Cultivation: 5th Class Devil Warrior(High/Recultivated)]
[Battle Power: Sixth Class(Mid)]
[Passive Skill: Healing Factor, Poison Immunity, Devil Force]
[Active Skill: Darkness Manipulation, Death Manipulation, All-Transforming Ink, Eternal Shadow(500+)]
[Description: Seventh Young Master of Admante Family, the Banished Child, Transmigrated Person, Black Pearl Castle's Lord]
The world of Titania is awfully similar to Douluo Dalu but a somewhat lower version of it. The cultivation realms aren't so different.
When the devil race(Kroman) reaches the 5th Stage, they obtain an ability called Devil Force exclusive to themselves. It could be a powerful or useless ability, but still a boost to one's strength. And lineage doesn't affect this at all.
For example, the Head Guard's Krom awakened his "Nether Bear." ability and increased his physical prowess. And Theomars von Admante awakened "Bouncy Air." power, according to Damian( the butler).
When one awakens their Devil Force, a massive change in appearance is normal. Everyone thought Huo Yuhao's Devil Force was related to his undying shadow army, but they were wrong.
"Iris." Huo Yuhao called over his loyal shadow.
A purple shadow immediately appeared out of the darkness and kneeled before Huo Yuhao. It was definitely a female shadow, having a cat-like appearance and a yellow-eyed boar's head on her right shoulder.
"Yes, my liege."
[Name: Iris(Imprinted)]
[Type: Shadow Cat Warrior(Variant)]
[Battle Power: 5th Class(Peak)]
[Description: Shadow Cat Warrior whose name was granted/imprinted by her master's All-Transformation Ink. Iris is a skilled marksman and agile fighter on the battlefield, capable of killing 6th Class Monster with enough preparation]
"Rise, How is the plain?" Huo Yuhao asked, keep walking to his room.
Iris followed him and answered, "Everything is okay, my liege. The monster race(Siluman)'s number has decreased, but I noticed 3rd Class monsters no longer exist in the perimeter."
"We can expect 6th or even 7th Class monsters to come soon."
"7th Class, that's new." Huo Yuhao patted Iris's head, watching her wiggle her shadow cat's tail.
"We still have a long way to go, though."
[Objective: 769.313/100.000.000.001]
"Iris, watch over the tower. I'll be there once I wash my body." Huo Yuhao ordered the shadow. Iris nodded and disappeared from his view, moving through the castle's shadow and appearing above a newly built watchtower.
Huo Yuhao entered his bedroom and went straight into the bath, filling it with rare herbs grown in the Jungle Dungeon. He sat inside comfortably and used Universal Breathing Technique to refine the inner energy inside his body. It's time to reach 6th Class Devil Warrior.
The stronger he becomes, the faster it is for him to return home.
However, he might be a little reckless.
Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth and forced all inner energy to gather in his heart, rotating it continuously. He wanted to replicate Soul Core into Devil Warrior's cultivation because his energy recovery speed was too slow for his liking. Sometimes he drained all his energy in the middle of the battlefield.
Crack!
'Fuck! This body is so fragile.' Huo Yuhao felt a crack in his ribcage. He cursed inside and tried to fix the problem, but his bones shattered into pieces one after another.
Theomars von Adamnate's body tempered intensively for a month, but it couldn't endure Soul Core's forming. Something Huo Yuhao could do at twelve years of age.
"Come on..."
"Come ON!"
Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth in annoyance and forcibly pushed Universal Breathing Technique to an unknown territory. His brown eyes glowed with beautiful blue light, stirring the Gathering of Ten Thousand Waves Art.
THUD!
His heart stopped beating for a moment.
Huo Yuhao's vision turned hazy, but he immediately bit his tongue to keep awake. He refused to bow down and died in this place.
"I don't know what you were thinking, Ink Demon..."
"You dragged me to this place and haven't shown yourself once."
"Fuck you..." He grinned, blood running from his mouth.
Every bone in Huo Yuhao's body shattered into pieces, and he used Armament Haki to keep them in place. Huo Yuhao gradually closed his eyes and reappeared in an unknown space.
"Hmph! How rude..." A huff entered his ears.
"You should be proud to be invited to my palace, but cursing me? It's blasphemy!"
Huo Yuhao blinked and saw an unfamiliar woman with flowing crimson hair and gold eyes. She's a beauty out of this world and could rival Scathach and Qianye Ying'er natural beauty.
But something about her is off.
"You're the Ink Devil?" Huo Yuhao concludes quickly.
The woman smiled and commented, "Not bad, two encounters, and you could already tell my identity? The first one is very brief, and you were unconscious."
"Well, it doesn't matter, I suppose."
"You're correct, young Kroman. I'm the 1st Ancient Ink Devil."
"Titania von Valstrax."
"Hmm, not Admante?" Huo Yuhao countered curiously.
Titania rolled her eyes and stated, "Admante is just one of many devil families that inherited my blood. They become so prideful with just some low-tiered perks."
"Like hell, I felt embarrassed seeing my bloodline become so thin and used incorrectly. Ancient Ink Devil's Bloodline might be the lowest of the lowest rank, but our potential is even higher than Nox Emperor."
"Wait, so you are Theomars von Admante's Ancestor?" Huo Yuhao becomes more curious.
Hearing that, Titania couldn't help but feel insulted.
"How dare you link me to those low born..."
"T-This is Bloodline Harassment!" Titania began to slap the empty air with her slender hand and puffed her cheeks, making her so goddamn adorable.
After throwing her fits at Huo Yuhao in several colorful languages he doesn't understand, Titania crosses her arms and frowns slightly.
She looked at Huo Yuhao and grunted, "You, who obtained my blood out of nowhere, Are irregular. Even though I granted my blood to millions of my followers, none could reach this place."
"Except you."
"Yes, you, Theomars."
"I believed you to be dead but returned alive weirdly. I didn't sense anything weird. As if something is interfering with my senses..." Her gold eyes locked on him.
'Huh?' Huo Yuhao was confused. Is his appearance still Theomars here? That's weird, but give him a clue this place wasn't a soul plane.
Titania sighed and added, "Forget it. If your Ancient Ink Devil's bloodline is one level thicker, I could have activated the fourth locks. What a shame."
"Be stronger next time, lad."
"And don't do reckless things like this without preparation again."
"Or you'll die, for real this time."
"Goodbye, My little Theo~!" She teased while waving her casually.
Huo Yuhao shivered and returned, "Don't call me that-!"
...
...
"Guuh!!"
Huo Yuhao returned to the bathroom and gasped, screaming at the top of his lungs because Titania forcibly fixed his body. This force is similar to the All-Transforming Ink but much thicker and more flexible.
He spewed a gallon of impurities and mumbled, "That was horrible."
[Name: Theomars von Admante(Huo Yuhao)]
[Age: 18(13)]
[Race: Ancient Ink Devil(Mid)]
[Cultivation: 6th Class Devil Warrior(Mid/Recultivated)]
[Battle Power: Seventh Class(Low)]
[Passive Skill: Healing Factor(B+), Poison Immunity(A), Devil Force(S)]
[Active Skill: Darkness Manipulation, Death Manipulation, All-Transforming Ink(D+), Eternal Shadow(500+)]
[Description: Transmigrated Person, Black Pearl Castle's Lord, Titania's Heir, Valstrax's Only Child]
Huo Yuhao walked out of the bathtub and stood before the tall mirror, noticing he was slightly taller and more muscular than before. He's still lean by any means, but something is different.
"My hair... Did they become darker? And my eyes."
"The pupil reddened..."
Huo Yuhao sighed because he looked like an edgy anime protagonist and washed his body quickly, wearing fresh clothes to visit the watchtower.
He hasn't realized this was just the start of a more significant transformation.
Nine months have passed.
He officially has stayed in this world for a whole year.
Huo Yuhao stood on the highest building of Black Pearl Castle and watched the once-green grassland now have turned into a dirty battlefield.
He closed his eyes and commented, "Time flies so quickly."
"I wonder what mom is doing?"
"Shishou too."
"Ying'er as well."
"And the bread muncher, Yuna..."
"Ophis, Fia, Kuroka, Raikou-san, Robin... Everyone..."
"I missed them..." A weak smile cracked on Huo Yuhao's face.
[Objective: 5.069.693/100.000.000.001]
"Your highness! We received a message from the capital!" Damian shouted from the garden.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and jumped, landing beside Damian without causing a speck of dust to fly away. His step is quick yet delicate.
"What did they say?" He questioned calmly.
Damian nodded and replied, "Admante Family will send 9th Class Devil Warrior to escort you out of this place. The reason is unclear until that person arrives here."
He hesitated and continued, "They thought you died under the monster race's siege, but the Spiritualist Emma and I have fixed the enchanted communication device with black crystal we mined under the castle, sharing our lives here with the capital."
"Y-Your highness..."
"Are you mad?" contemporary romance
Huo Yuhao sighed and replied, "No."
"I'm the one who led you to farm the black crystal and create or fix a device to communicate with others. Even though Black Pearl Castle was "Clearly." performed just fine, we need to know everyone's situation."
"Don't be too afraid. I'm not going to kill you or anything."
"Also, who's this 9th Class Devil Warrior?"
"I-It's..." Damian's complexion paled.
"It's your older sister, 2nd Young Lady."
"Mercedes von Admante..."
A slight headache struck Huo Yuhao's head as Theomars' memory flashed suddenly. He rubbed his time and was "actually." dumbfounded this information got buried deep in the matrix.
...
...
Far far away.
A young woman with long braided silver-pink hair and red eyes sat on the flying beast. She wore a red coat and a black skirt with red trim, fashioning white boots and gloves.
Her expression is flat, but inside isn't very much.
'Hehe~!' She smiled while staring at the blue sky.
'Of course, he's still alive~!'
'My little boy toy, Theo~!!"'
Under the young woman's feet are ten million corpses of the 7th Class Monster. Yes, this is Theomars' older sister. Mercedes von Admante, or else known as Angel of Admante.