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Chapter 450: Declaration of War (1)

In a damp underground space.

The only sound that occasionally breaks the silence is the drip of water falling from the ceiling and shattering against the stone floor.

Then, suddenly, the quiet is shattered by loud footsteps.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

A young man, with a contorted expression, was running down a hallway.

He was naked, with large cuffs and shackles around his thin arms and legs.

This was Juskin de Reviadon, the eldest son of the Poisonous Reviadon clan.

He hid himself tightly against the corner at the bottom of the underground stairs.

Soon, he saw a few soldiers carrying spears patrolling the stairs.

“…How did it come to this?”

Juskin lamented, clutching his head.

As the young head of the Reviadon clan, he was suddenly captured and imprisoned in an underground facility within the clan without any explanation.

Juskin, being the future head of the Poisonous clan, knew well what this facility was.

It was a prison for the clan’s most dangerous dissidents and political enemies, people who shared Reviadon blood but were uncontrollable. It also served as a lab for horrific human experiments.

“It’s because I investigated Thomas’s involvement in the demon incident and the rampage of Principal Winston at the academy. It’s clearly related to our clan.”

The principal of the Colosseo Academy, Winston, went berserk, causing a demonic tree to grow, and Thomas, who attended as the escort of the Night Hound, turned into a demon.

Seeing these incidents quietly covered up by the First Prince, Juskin continuously pointed out the absurdity of the situation.

He believed it was common sense that the Reviadon clan shouldn’t side with the First Prince in this state of affairs.

…However, the price of that common sense was heavy.

Before he could even open his eyes in bed, Juskin was overpowered and thrown into this underground prison. There, he met many members of the clan.

They were all people who opposed the civil war.

Only then did Juskin understand the situation clearly.

Something terrifying and unknown had completely taken over the Reviadon clan, and there was no going back to the past.

…Clack!

Taking advantage of the patrol soldiers’ disappearance, Juskin ran through the darkness.

He had endured countless brutal experiments in prison because he possessed a strong mind and body.

Though Juskin was an arrogant man, filled with a sense of superiority and privilege, he never neglected his training.

Eventually, he climbed the underground stairs and found a secret door hidden in a secluded spot.

Only the head and the young head of the clan knew about this place.

Hanging on to a thread of hope, Juskin pushed the door.

Creak-

Heavy bricks moved, revealing a passageway leading deeper underground.

Sensing the approaching footsteps of the patrol behind him, Juskin hastily closed the door and descended into the dark underground space.

‘There’s no separate exit here, but at least there’s a space to rest for a while. I’ll heal my body damaged by the experiments and then escape.’

With these thoughts, Juskin descended the secret stairs.

But soon, he witnessed a horrifying sight.

A pitch-dark underground room.

The floor was covered with countless jars.

And from the jars emanated an unsettling aura that gave him goosebumps just by looking at them.

Jars exuding an aura like a red spirit dancing.

Juskin immediately recognized what they were.

“…The Red Death!”

How could he not know?

A few years ago, the entire clan was consumed with developing a horrific plague.

Initially, it simply caused a fever and spread through contact, but it eventually made people violent and ultimately led them to attack others indiscriminately.

“This can’t be! Wasn’t the Red Death scrapped after that maniac Sakkuth caused an incident?”

Juskin looked at the jars with disbelief.

Each large jar contained a person.

Men and women, pickled in a red liquid, curled up like fetuses inside the jars, blinking up at him, presenting a truly eerie sight.

Their gazes towards Juskin were all the same.

‘Kill… me…’

There was the maid who cleaned his room daily, the old man who tended the garden, the chef who made delicious desserts, the always strict butler, the instructor who taught him martial arts in his youth, the cousin he met only during holidays, and the distant elder from the maternal side of the clan whom he often greeted.

All were familiar faces inside the jars.

Juskin walked through the jars on trembling legs.

Then, he saw the largest jar at the very end.

Hiss- Hiss-

Inside the half-buried jar were the sounds of two beings breathing.

When Juskin looked down into the jar, he saw two large snakes entwined together.

Every time they exhaled, red spirits danced into the air.

“…So, these are the source of the Red Death.”

Juskin broke out in a cold sweat.

Then.

Hiss-

The two snakes looked up at Juskin and began breathing heavily.

Just as Juskin was about to step back in shock,

[Isn’t that a delightful smell?]

A sinister voice came from behind him.

Juskin turned his head in shock and saw a man in a black robe standing there.

He immediately recognized the man.

“…Father.”

Hopps de Reviadon, head of the Poisonous Reviadon clan.

He smiled faintly at his eldest son, Juskin.

[I am not your father, Juskin. I’m merely a demon that devoured your father and took his shell.]

Juskin’s face turned pale at the rare, honest admission.

He had suspected as much, but to have it confirmed so plainly was shocking.

Gritting his teeth, Juskin asked,

“What did you do to our youngest?”

[He has already become like your brother Thomas.]

“Don’t be ridiculous! Thomas was corrupt to the core, but our youngest is different! He’s so kind and innocent, unlike any of us. He would never become a demon…!”

But Juskin’s words were cut short.

Swish!

The two snakes from the jar lunged at Juskin, biting his neck and waist, dragging him into the jar.

Juskin disappeared into the jar without even having a chance to scream.

[Ah, ah— I had spared that body to transfer into.]

Hopps sighed as he confirmed Juskin’s body was twisted in abnormal directions inside the jar.

[It’s a shame to turn him into a Poison Human, but there’s no choice. After all, there’s still one more body left to transfer into…]

The red spirits drifting inside the jar began to dance and crawl into Juskin’s body.

Juskin’s eyes, which had been rolling in different directions, started to turn a bright red, and red spots began to appear all over his body.

At that moment.

[Is it going well, Two?]

Another voice came from the top of the underground stairs.

A man cloaked in a black robe was looking down at Hopps.

Hopps smiled and replied.

[Ah, One. What brings you here?]

[I came to discuss the civil war. It’s also time to start talking about the succession to the throne.]

[There are still many eyes watching. If you have something to discuss, send an owl.]

[Sometimes, it’s nice. It’s been a while since we talked face-to-face like this.]

[Now, it’s just you and me left.]

[Yes, because of those damned demon hunters.]

Hopps, or rather the Second Corpse, and the man with the black robe covering his face, 1st Corpse, began to converse.

[It seems like Andrealphus was taken out. There are faint traces in my magic circuit that suggest he was trying to forcibly open the “Gate of Destruction” before he died.]

[He should have just opened it if he was going to die anyway. What a pathetic fool.]

[This is no laughing matter. Even though we’re solitary beings without a sense of camaraderie, this is a big problem.]

[True. Our purpose for opening the gate is the same.]

[Exactly. All ten of our comrades are dead, and now it’s just you and me. It’s time to make a final decision.]

Hopps nodded.

[Don’t worry about the civil war. The mass production of Poison Humans is almost complete. Once they’re ready, the war will be a piece of cake.]

[Wasn’t the first Poison Human that creature called Skitt?]

[Hmph! That one was a failure. Although it succeeded in enhancing physical strength and inducing violent behavior, it lacked the most crucial element: transmissibility. The ones currently being matured in the jars are improved versions. These are the real deal.]

Hopps turned his head.

It was in the direction of the two snakes that had poisoned Juskin.

[I’ve materialized the essence of my magic in the form of a beast. The poison cauldron ‘Ouroboros’—an artifact that endlessly produces poison as the snakes bite each other’s tails. As long as I have this, I can create as many Poison Humans as I want.]

[That’s reassuring. It’ll be a great asset in the war.]

[Of course. They’re a lunatic assault squad that spreads the plague with their bodies. They have immense tactical value.]

The man, who had been quietly listening to Hopps, spoke up.

[Then why not test them out on the Night Walkers at the Tochka Fortress?]

[Hmm? What’s that?]

[Recently, the demon hunters who killed the 3rd and 4th corpses have taken up residence there. For some reason, many refugees are heading there as well.]

[Hmm… That place is high and sturdy, but it’s not suitable as a base because there’s no water source. Moreover, taking in refugees would make it even worse.]

[But they’re doing it. It seems they’re stockpiling large quantities of food and water, preparing for a siege.]

[Hahahaha! Foolishness! There’s no water source there. Once I release the Poison Humans, they’ll die of thirst while trying to hold out.]

Hopps laughed, baring his teeth.

When he made a gesture in the air, behind him, a regiment of venomous creatures appeared, their bodies covered with crimson spots.

[While other comrades fell victim to the demon hunters’ ambush, I won’t be one of them. If we know their positions, shouldn’t we strike first?]

[Be cautious. There are many refugees there. Demon hunters are ruthless men; they might use them as shields.]

[The human shield strategy doesn’t work for me. The more pathetic humans there are, the better. I’ll Infect them all and turn them into nasty creatures.]

Upon hearing this, the man in the black robe finally smiled contentedly.

[Indeed, for demon hunters burdened with so many duties, someone like you is akin to a natural enemy.]

[So be it.]

Hopps smiled faintly and spoke.

[Take all the poison humans. Depart exactly at this hour one month from now. Go and bring back the neck of some night hound or whatever it is. … No, would it be

better to turn them all into poison humans?]

[Reliable indeed. But may I ask a favor?]

[A favor? From you to me? What is it?]

[… It’s about killing a man.]

The man laid down a paper with a face drawn on it in front of Hopps.

[If he’s alive, he would look like this by now.]

[…? What is this? He seems insignificant.]

[I think so too. Just in case, I’m asking you.]

Though hesitant, Hopps could only nod in agreement.

The First Corpse, also called the “Aftermath of Discord.”

This was the first time in his life that he encountered such a lofty and arrogant being making such a request in such a humble manner.