📖 Chapter 36: The Shattered Throne
The battlefield was silent—too silent. Every sound seemed to have been swallowed by the heavy, suffocating air. The shattered ground still smoked from the last exchange of blows, but none of the three figures moved. Between Arkais, Kaoru, and Sukuna, an invisible line had been drawn.
Sukuna's expression was not his usual smug grin. His crimson eyes, always mocking and arrogant, now trembled with something unfamiliar—doubt. Something deep inside him was stirring… something he had kept buried for far too long.
It wasn't just any cursed presence. It wasn't a stranger's soul.
It was his own truth.
The truth of the body he had stolen.
Lucius.
A low, muffled heartbeat began to echo in Sukuna's mind—slow at first, then pounding louder and louder. Each beat chipped away at his control. A wave of resistance surged from deep within the vessel.
> "No… not now…" Sukuna hissed inside his mind.
But no matter how hard he tried to suppress it, Lucius's soul pushed back—relentless, unstoppable.
A burning light pierced through the crimson haze of Sukuna's vision. His demonic markings flickered, and the overwhelming aura of malice he carried began to fade.
In one last desperate attempt, Sukuna roared, trying to drown out Lucius's will. But it was too late.
With a final surge of strength, Lucius's soul reclaimed his body.
The crimson in his eyes bled away, replaced by their natural deep black. The malicious grin was gone. In its place was a face filled with raw emotion—grief, rage, and clarity.
Lucius stood in control once again.
His gaze fell on Kaoru, and the memories returned like a blade to the chest.
The sound of his master's voice… fading into silence.
The warmth of blood on his hands… turning cold.
And the face of the woman before him—the one who had taken everything from him.
Lucius's voice trembled, but his words were steady.
> Lucius: "You… what's your name?"
Kaoru tilted her head, her lips curling into a cruel smirk.
> Kaoru: "Don't you recognize me, Lucius? My name… is Kaoru."
The name hit him like a strike to the gut. His heart pounded faster, his fists clenched so tight that his nails dug into his palms.
From the side, Arkais—tall, composed, and unreadable—let his gaze shift between the two. Even for him, there was a flicker of curiosity.
> Lucius: "You murdered my master!!"
His voice exploded with fury, and in the same breath, Lucius charged.
The air cracked from the sudden burst of cursed energy. Blades of pure force shot from his strikes, cutting through tHe battlefield. Kaoru met him head-on, their clash ringing out like steel against steel.
Lucius's movements were faster, sharper—each one driven by vengeance. Kaoru countered with precision, but she was on the defensive, each step forcing her back.
A powerful downward strike broke through her guard, sending her tumbling across the ground. She slid to a stop, coughing, her expression twisting into something between anger and fear.
Lucius didn't give her a chance to recover. In one final, devastating blow, he struck with all his might. Kaoru's form burst into cursed smoke, her body disintegrating until nothing remained but fading wisps carried by the wind.
Lucius's chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. The battle was over—yet his rage still burned.
Slowly, he turned toward Arkais. The towering figure met his eyes without a hint of concern.
> Arkais: "So now you want to fight me, boy?"
There was no mockery in his tone. It was calm, almost amused. His mere presence made the air heavier, the ground beneath them humming with dark power.
Lucius took a step forward, his cursed energy flaring.
But before he could speak, the entire space around them trembled. The cursed domain that surrounded the battlefield began to crack—thin lines spreading through the air like fractured glass. The lines spread faster and faster until the world shattered, revealing the real world beneath.
The wind returned. The smell of blood and ash mixed with the cool air of reality.
Then—footsteps.
From the shadows of the broken domain, a figure emerged.
Tall. Armored in black steel. A dark cloak flowing behind him. His presence alone carried the weight of centuries. The air seemed to bow beneath his steps.
He walked past the ruins of the battlefield until he stood before Arkais. His head dipped slightly in respect.
> First Demon Lord: "My lord… why haven't you used your true power? You've been holding back from the start."
Lucius's eyes narrowed. First Demon Lord…?
The newcomer's voice was deep, resonating like a war drum.
> First Demon Lord: "If you allow, I will handle this."
Arkais's lips curled into the faintest smile.
> Arkais: "Do as you wish."
The First Demon Lord turned his gaze to Lucius. His eyes glowed faintly beneath his helm—a dangerous light that promised destruction. The aura around him was suffocating, each step forward making Lucius's skin prickle.
> First Demon Lord: "You've caused enough trouble, boy. But your fight… is with me now."
Lucius felt his fists tighten again. The man before him wasn't just any warrior—he could feel it in his bones. This was one of the twelve Demon Lords, and not just any of them—the first. The strongest under Arkais's command.
The wind stilled. Even the earth seemed to hold its breath.
Lucius shifted his stance, his cursed energy rising like a storm. The First Demon Lord drew a black, jagged blade from his side, the sound of metal scraping against metal ringing in the air.
Their eyes locked.
Neither moved.
Then—both vanished in a blur.
The ground where they had stood exploded from the force of their departure. Two streaks of light and shadow clashed in midair, the sound like a thunderclap.
And thus, the battle between Lucius and the First Demon Lord began…
end chapter 36