Just as the last zombie fell and the final embers of battle flickered out,
A glowing green panel suddenly appeared before Ben's eyes.
[DING...]
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Task Complete: Eliminate all zombies targeting the King.
Reward Granted: +250 FP, Curse Resistance Skill Acquired]
"____"
Ben blinked, still standing amidst scorched earth and rising smoke, slightly dazed as the numbers flickered before him.
He transformed back to his human form—
He was lost in thought, watching the system panel update with a low hum.
[ Ding... ]
[ FP Bar: 562/500 ] --> [ New Alien: ??? ]
[ Ding... ]
[ FP Bar: 62/500 ] --> [ Jetray]
[ Ding... ]
Ben's lips curled into a small smile.
'Jetray, huh?'
Much better than the chaotic mess he'd unlocked last time—
The Worst.
But the satisfaction was short-lived.
Woosh!
Suddenly, a thin whistle cut through the air—
Almost too quiet to notice.
Out of nowhere,
A dark red needle shot straight toward Ben as fast as lightning.
Caught off guard in his human form,
Ben's eyes widened in realisation—
Too late.
"____"
The needle struck him dead centre on his forehead.
"BEN!!"
Nozel's voice tore through the clearing as he saw it happen.
Standing closest to Ben, Nozel's face contorted in shock and urgency,
Something rarely seen in the stoic captain.
Charlotte and Nebra arrived near in a hurry,
Worry flashed across their faces as they saw Ben staggering slightly,
Hand clutching his forehead.
"Was that… a curse?!"
Nebra gasped.
Charlotte stepped forward, her voice tight.
"Is he hurt?! Ben!"
But Nozel didn't answer immediately.
He was too focused, gaze intense, jaw tight with recognition and alarm.
"That wasn't just any curse…"
He muttered grimly.
"That—that was a devil's curse. I've seen these before… studied their effects…"
Everyone tensed.
"____"
"____"
"____"
But then—
Suddenly—
The needle that had embedded into Ben's skin…
began to dissolve.
Fwoosh!
It turned into a wisp of black smoke, curling and vanishing into the wind, leaving not even a mark.
Ben looked up, blinking, the pressure in his mind vanishing as quickly as it had arrived.
"…It didn't work?"
Charlotte asked, confused.
Nozel's eyes narrowed, still processing.
"He… resisted it. That's the devil's curse? You blocked it."
Ben thought to himself about the recent reward that he had just received.
'System reward,'
He thought.
'Curse Resistance…'
Nozel stepped closer, inspecting Ben like one might examine a dangerous artefact that had just refused to explode.
"You've survived that. Even some captains wouldn't have. That curse… Devil's curse was a very dangerous one."
Nebra shuddered.
Ben stood tall again, his calm returning as he looked toward the forest's edge, voice steady but cold.
"Someone just tried to kill me. And according to Captain Nozel, it's a devil's magic."
Charlotte clenched her fists.
What no one realised—
Not even Ben or Nozel—
Was that the same cursed needle that had also silently shot toward the Wizard King?
But Julius Novachrono… was already gone.
"____"
In the split second before impact,
Julius teleported, reappearing in the part of the forest where the curse had originated.
Where he sensed something dark watching.
There, in the shadows of the treetops, a cloaked figure stood—
The one who launched the cursed attack.
The moment Julius appeared, the shadow figure flinched, its instincts screaming in alarm.
It raised a hand, preparing to teleport using its portal, but then—
It froze.
There was no killing intent.
No pressure. Nothing.
And that's what terrified it most.
Slowly, hesitantly, the shadow turned its head.
"____"
Julius stood still, calm and composed—
But there was a mocking glint in his eyes, like a man who had already solved the puzzle and was now waiting for the final piece to fall.
His hand was extended, fingers glowing faintly with chronostasis magic.
The shadow figure hesitated, just for a moment.
That was all Julius needed.
He moved.
But before contact could be made,
The shadow figure dissolved with a hiss, vanishing like smoke, leaving behind only a rippling afterimage—
An illusion.
Julius's hand dropped slowly.
"A decoy,"
He murmured.
"Even though it didn't want to fight."
His gaze darkened as he looked up at the blackened sky above the forest.
'A devil… in the Clover Kingdom?'
It wasn't fear—
It was a concern. And curiosity.
He stood there in the clearing, still and thoughtful, as time ticked quietly behind him.
After scanning the area thoroughly and confirming that the devil had already fled, Julius narrowed his eyes and whispered under his breath,
"____"
"It's gone."
With a flick of his wrist, time warped—
And he vanished, reappearing moments later beside the others.
The spot where the cursed needle had missed him now lay scorched and deformed—
A tree reduced to a pool of boiling, black sludge, still hissing and bubbling.
Marx stood nearby, carefully analysing the residue with a grim expression.
"____"
As Julius stepped forward, his eyes briefly met Ben's,
Who was still visibly shaken but recovering quickly.
Nozel, standing close, had just muttered in a tense voice,
"That was no ordinary curse... that was a devil's curse."
Julius chimed in, his tone calm yet laced with gravity,
"You're right, Nozel."
He turned to address the entire group, his voice steady and clear.
"It seems this time… our enemy is not just a dark mage or a necromancer. They are working with a devil—or worse, they've already been corrupted by one."
Silence followed, heavy and unnerving.
Charlotte, Yami, Nozel, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.
Even Mereoleona, ever the fearless warrior, frowned.
Frown~
"A devil? Just how deep does this corruption go?"
She muttered.
Julius's expression darkened, his gaze drifting toward the sky.
"If a devil's influence is truly involved… then this is no longer just a matter of undead. It's a threat to the very balance of our kingdom."
Hearing the Wizard King's words—
That the attack just now came from a devil—
A chill ran through everyone present.
A stunned silence fell over the forest clearing. The winds themselves seemed to still.
Even the flickering embers left behind by Heatblast's fury dimmed momentarily,
As if acknowledging the weight of that revelation.
Yami let out a low grunt, his cigarette nearly slipping from his lips.
"Tch... a devil, huh? That's one hell of a step up."
Charlotte's eyes widened in disbelief, while Sol muttered,
"A real devil? Like the kind from the legends?"
Mereoleona, usually unfazed by danger, clenched her fists tightly.
Nozel, ever the composed noble, looked visibly shaken.
"So… that cursed needle… was an assassination attempt."
Ben, still recovering from the shock of the curse attempt, glanced around.
"____"
All eyes were on him—
And on the mark left where the cursed needle had struck, and the black, boiling sludge it had created.
Then came Julius's voice, grave and unwavering:
"You all know the stories. During the era of the First Wizard King, a devil nearly reduced this kingdom to ash. It took his entire might—his life—to seal it away. That victory marked the birth of Clover Kingdom's legacy… and the legend of its greatest protector."
He looked around at the stunned captains and vice-captains.
"Since then, twenty-seven wizard kings have taken the mantle. All have served with pride. But none have faced—and defeated—a full-blown devil."
The weight of that statement sank in like a hammer.
They had all heard the tales.
The first Wizard King, a shining beacon of hope, had given his life to stop the devil's rampage.
His sacrifice was etched in history.
He was revered not just for his power—
But for doing the impossible.
Nozel swallowed hard, his voice softer than usual.
"And now… history threatens to repeat itself."
Julius turned to Ben, his gaze steady.
"Which makes your survival all the more important. And your resistance to that curse… even more significant."
Ben, still silent, gave a small nod.
Nod~
Eberius's New Hideout...
The chamber was dark, lit only by faint, eerie green flames dancing along the cavern walls.
Strange runes pulsed across the ground like living veins, and behind Eberius stood several coffins and ritual stones, hinting at more undead to come.
Suddenly,
The air twisted—
And with a wet, slithering sound, a dark portal opened.
From within,
The shadow figure emerged, panting heavily, his form flickering erratically like smoke fighting to keep shape.
Eberius, who was seated cross-legged near a ritual basin filled with blood-red liquid,
Slowly raised one eyebrow.
"You're late... and you look like you were chased by death itself."
The shadow figure didn't laugh this time.
Huff. Huff.
"____"
Huff. Huff.
Still breathing heavily,
He raised a shaky hand and began his report without waiting for questions.
"The cursed needle… failed."
Eberius's eyes narrowed.
"Failed?"
He repeated coldly.
The shadow figure continued, voice strained.
"I had them both in my sights—the Wizard King and the young king. The curse was meant for both. But the Wizard King... vanished at the final second. As if he knew. And the boy—Ben… he resisted it."
Eberius's silence was deafening.
"____"
"That needle was a curse meant for agonising death,"
The shadow figure went on, frustration leaking through his voice.
"A single scratch is enough to rot a soul. But it didn't even bruise him. The resistance—he had something that nullified it. A trait I've never seen."
Eberius tapped his fingers against the stone.
"Interesting... So the Wizard King saw through your trick. And the boy's... power... is beyond even our curse's reach."
The shadow figure's head dipped.
"I underestimated both."
A long silence passed.
"____"
"____"
Then, a slow smile spread across Eberius's face.
"Good. It means we're getting closer to the truth."
He stood up, his cloak billowing with unnatural weight.
"I wanted to test their limits... and now I know where they stand. The next move won't be a test."
He turned, walking toward a massive black obelisk inscribed with cursed symbols.
"We'll shift from summoning puppets to raising more powerful ones. I need you to start gathering the next set of bodies—nobles, traitors, criminals. The next wave must be smarter. Faster. Magic-resistant."
The shadow figure raised his head, trembling slightly.
"And the kings?"
Eberius didn't turn back.
"They survived a devil's curse. Let's see if they can survive a devil's army."
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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