Chapter 10
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Conqueror of the Verse
By ColdLink Writer
Chapter X — The Night of the Hollow Sigil
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Night covered the Royal Integrated Academy of Aetherion like a silent cloak.
Most students slept.
Wind whispered through the tall stone towers.
WOOOO—
But inside the Spirit Tower, faint footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Three figures descended a hidden staircase.
Black rings glimmered on their left hands.
Members of the Hollow Sigil.
One spoke quietly.
“The ritual is almost complete.”
Another replied.
“The vessel is already inside the academy.”
A third chuckled darkly.
“And he doesn’t even know we are preparing his awakening.”
They continued descending deeper underground.
Torchlight flickered along ancient stone walls.
Below them—
A massive ritual circle glowed crimson.
MMMMMMMM—
Dark energy flowed through carved symbols like veins of blood.
The air itself felt heavy.
One elder stood near the center of the circle.
“The preparations are ready.”
He raised his hand toward a black crystal resting at the center.
“The vessel will awaken soon.”
But suddenly—
A voice echoed from the shadows.
“You should have hidden better.”
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All the elders froze.
Footsteps approached slowly.
TAP.
TAP.
TAP.
Kashihero stepped into the ritual chamber.
Lucas followed calmly behind him.
And behind them—
Arin stood nervously near the entrance.
The Hollow Sigil elders stared in shock.
“You…!”
“The vessel!”
Lucas smiled politely.
“You people are very careless.”
Kashihero examined the ritual circle with quiet interest.
“Primitive.”
One of the elders shouted.
“Kill them!”
---
The First Hollow Sigil Fight
Dark energy erupted instantly.
BOOM.
Three Hollow Sigil members rushed forward.
Their spirit energy twisted unnaturally.
Black blades formed from corrupted power.
WHOOSH!
One attacked Lucas.
CLANG!
Lucas blocked with his bare hand.
The blade shattered instantly.
CRACK.
The Hollow Sigil member staggered backward in horror.
“What—”
Lucas grabbed his throat.
“You shouldn’t use toys against a demon.”
CRACK.
Lucas snapped his neck casually.
The body dropped.
THUD.
Meanwhile—
Two others attacked Kashihero at the same time.
SLASH!
SLASH!
Kashihero stepped forward.
His katana flashed.
SHING.
One strike.
CLANG!
Both enemy weapons shattered instantly.
Before they could react—
Kashihero cut his finger.
A drop of blood fell onto the blade.
“Lightning.”
CRACK.
Blue lightning erupted along the katana.
The chamber exploded with blinding light.
BOOOOOOM!
Both Hollow Sigil members were thrown across the chamber.
Their bodies slammed against the wall.
Yet they still lived.
Kashihero walked toward them calmly.
“You will answer my questions.”
---
Interrogation
Lucas dragged another surviving member across the floor.
Arin stood nearby, watching nervously.
Kashihero looked down at the prisoners.
“Why is the Hollow Sigil inside the academy?”
One of the prisoners laughed weakly.
“You… already know.”
“You are the vessel.”
Arin froze.
“What…?”
The prisoner continued, blood dripping from his mouth.
“Our god will awaken through you.”
Lucas sighed quietly.
“That story again.”
Kashihero’s eyes remained calm.
“Continue.”
The prisoner smiled through broken teeth.
“You were created to become the Demon King’s vessel.”
Arin slowly stepped back.
His gaze moved to Kashihero.
“…Is that true?”
Silence filled the ritual chamber.
Kashihero did not answer immediately.
Instead—
He looked down at the prisoner again.
“You are incorrect.”
The Hollow Sigil member frowned.
“What?”
Kashihero’s voice became colder.
“I am not anyone’s vessel.”
CRACK.
He broke the man’s arm.
The prisoner screamed.
“AAAAAA!”
Lucas crouched beside another captive.
“Tell us where the rest of your organization is.”
The man remained silent.
Lucas smiled.
Then his eyes turned completely black.
Demonic pressure flooded the chamber.
BOOOOOM.
Arin felt his legs tremble.
The prisoner began screaming immediately.
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”
Lucas chuckled softly.
“That was fast.”
For the next hour—
Screams echoed through the underground chamber.
Information poured out.
Locations.
Names.
Hidden agents.
Arin stood quietly watching everything.
He saw Lucas smiling while torturing enemies.
He saw Kashihero calmly breaking bones for answers.
This was not justice.
This was war.
Eventually—
The final prisoner stopped breathing.
Silence returned.
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The Truth Revealed
Arin finally spoke.
“…You’re not human.”
Lucas smiled gently.
“That is correct.”
Arin turned toward Kashihero.
“And you… really are the vessel they mentioned.”
Kashihero wiped the blood from his blade.
“Yes.”
Arin lowered his head.
For a moment—
No one moved.
Then he spoke again.
“I want to join you.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
Arin looked directly at Kashihero.
“If the gods created this world… and allow people like the Hollow Sigil to exist…”
His voice hardened.
“Then I will help you destroy them.”
Silence filled the chamber.
Kashihero stared at him calmly.
“You might die.”
“I know.”
“If you die,” Kashihero said quietly,
“That will not be my responsibility.”
Arin nodded.
“That’s fine.”
Lucas chuckled softly.
“He has courage.”
Kashihero turned away from the corpses.
“Then survive.”
Arin smiled faintly.
“I will.”
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The Completed Ritual
Behind them—
The ritual circle suddenly pulsed violently.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
The black crystal cracked.
Dark energy exploded outward.
BOOOOOOM!
Lucas turned his head.
“…Well.”
“That is inconvenient.”
Something began forming inside the ritual circle.
A shadow.
A creature.
Something the Hollow Sigil had summoned before dying.
Kashihero slowly drew his katana again.
SHING.
His eyes remained calm.
“Good.”
Lightning crawled along the blade.
CRACK.
“I was getting bored.”
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— End of Chapter X —
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