----
Sszzzt!
An intense and audible sizzling noise reminiscent of fresh meat being placed into bubbling oil was heard once Apollo's finger contacted Valac's skin. Due to the intense heat of his Ira, Apollo's finger punctured between Valac's ribs with ease, similar to how a hot knife cut through butter.
In front of Apollo, Valac was no better than a defenseless lamb for slaughter, except slaughter wasn't Apollo's goal, making Valac's life unharmed. Be that as it may, perhaps certain types of torture were oftentimes ordeals that made one beg for death.
Although Sapphyr had once witnessed Apollo's ruthlessness, it wasn't to this extent. While she was unfamiliar with Valac, looking at Apollo's action made her torso her in that same spot.
'Didn't he call them his followers? Why is he torturing that one like this? Will that happen to me as well if I disobey? What have I done...accepting this power might have been a curse, but…' Sapphyr paused her chaotic thoughts, however, as she was caught in a daze, she didn't realize her next words weren't said in her mind, "It was so tempting!"
Everyone turned towards her because of her sudden outburst, but unlike the rest, Furcas, Fuhrer, and Destrys monitored her closely. Compared to Furcas and Fuhrer, Destrys' analysis was lacking.
"It seems like the remnants of her Sin are still afflicting her mind. I wonder if it's due to her special state prior to evolution. Nevertheless, it's nothing harmful. It might just morph her mind," Fuhrer remarked once he had ample time to observe her.
On the other hand, Furcas saw something much different. His six pupils spun in an unchanging formation, allowing him to perceive something much more interesting. "Adoration, fear, gratitude, and thirst. There are a plethora of emotions circling her mind right now and a sin fragment is attaching to each one!"
"Precisely. That's why I said she'll only end up with a morphed mind," Fuhrer commented whilst sparing Furcas a quick glance.
"No. It'll do more than that. It'll give her the foundation to becoming like him," Furcas said while pointing towards Typhir. Different from the rest of the demons acquired through his own efforts, Typhir was the only one who possessed an affinity towards Apollo before the transformation.
This matter gave birth to his qualifications to be Apollo's right-hand man. However, the framework of Sapphyr's current framework possessed an identical possibility. However, how can there be two right-hand personages?
"You jest. How can that be possible? You seem to be forgetting a needed aspect of a Monarch. A ruler only complete with an empress by his side," Fuhrer answered. He also shook his head while adamantly denouncing Furcas' claims.
Although it was possible, Fuhrer felt the future held a different possibility. After all, with his current demeanor and the training received from Fuhrer, Typhir possessed everything he needed to evolve to that lauded supplemental position.
"Hah?! Do you really think that woman is enough to become the Monarch's companion? Now you are the foolish one, Fuhrer. While her potential is greater than our own, surely there is someone even stronger out there," Fuhrer returned.
However, contrary to what Furcas expected, Fuhrer didn't retort with an attitude. His response was simple. "When at the peak, any decision becomes one with monumental waves. Whether the mate is the strongest or the weakest, a Monarch holds the means to create what he sees fit."
After hearing his words, Furcas was left at an impasse because he had no way to retort this! Every word was correct. Even they were created by the Old Monarch, so what's to say that this young boy couldn't do the same and designed his ideal mate and force?
'It would seem my words were unwarranted. I should be more trusting in Fuhrer's words and the dark stars. Although sometimes incoherently, they all detail the young lord's movements,' Furcas thought.
Once their small chat was finished, their gaze fell back upon Apollo dealing with Valac.
"Do you submit?" Apollo asked calmly. There was no screaming, no rage, only an insurmountable pride in his eyes, along with the intention to continue if his desires weren't met.
Regrettably, Valac was as foolish as he was a demon. "Submit?! Hahaha, I'll admit you had me for a moment, but you've made a mistake! A true dominator never asks for submission-"
Boom!
Again, before Valac could conclude his sentence, Apollo smashed his body into the ground. But, something shocking took place afterward. The Ira and Superbia covering his left and right arms advanced, covering even more of his body.
This matter caused a shock in everyone! According to his current actions, it appeared Apollo was attempting to merge two Sin. But, if he did that at his stage, the outcome was unpredictable. Could it be entering the Suprana Form led to insufficient judgment?!
"Young Lord, don't. You're not ready to attempt this! Your trait of domination is insufficient!" Fuhrer warned. Subsequently, Fuhrer's sword-wielding hard subconsciously landed upon his hilt. If Apollo's judgment was truly obscured, then it'd be up to Fuhrer to take matters into his own hands.
Yet, a low chuckle was heard. "Lower your hand. I am more than aware of my own limits. Your reminder is extraneous. I just need to become more extreme for this miscreant to oblige naturally."
Afterward, the coat of Ira and Superbia stopped in an odd place. A divider of sorts occurred, with Apollo manipulating his Domination Intent as a makeshift barrier to prohibit either Sin from leaking into each other.
As a result, half of Apollo's body was submerged in blackened gold light, whereas the other was a blackened crimson. If it was before his transformation, this wouldn't result in any change. But, because of his complete change, Apollo's body possessed an innate thirst for Sin.
Thus, a bizarre change, which even Fuhrer had never laid eyes upon, occurred.
〈System Alert: Two sources of Sins stimulated with a restriction set in place.〉
〈System Alert: An unusual situation has appeared because of your actions.〉
〈System Alert: Unknown stabilizing agent found.〉
〈System Alert: «Dual Partial Transformation» is occurring.〉
The right half of Apollo's body where the Superbia deluged remained untouched by change, but the same couldn't be said about his left side. It reverted to the state of his Iraym Form!
In short, half of Apollo's skin was a mixture of crimson-bronze whereas the right side remained a grayish-white color with slight accents of black. Witnessing this scene left everyone in awe.
Speechless, no one could find the words to describe this situation as Apollo jumped and disappeared into the crater holding Valac's body.
At first, Valac's eyes widening with trepidation once the unfamiliar figure appeared before him. But, as his eyes focused he came to realize that this figure was in fact, Apollo!
"W-what the fuck? What is this form?"
"No idea," Apollo replied. It was the truth, even his knowledge of this form was limited as all this was done on a whim. In fact, part of him expected this to fail, but according to the system messages, there was an unknown stabilizing agent within him, which made this situation possible.
Nevertheless, after landing, Apollo didn't spare any more words.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A relentless barrage of thundering noises sounded as the edges of the crater continued to crumble. After 10 blows, a horrifying volcanic eruption spilled from the crater. Although it seemed to be formed from fire, this volcanic eruption was formed purely from Sin Energy.
"My god. He just keeps growing! His control is increasing while he fights. That's the Young Lord's Sin. It's even touching upon the Purgatory's Blood boundary!" Furcas exclaimed in horror.
Purgatory Blood, while an unfamiliar term to Apollo seeing as he had only heard of it once before, wasn't a mystery to others. It simply meant one's Ira was condensed enough to create the magma residing in the depths of Ashiraem. After all, the core of Ashiraem was akin to a prison, somewhere the most uncontrollable yet too valuable to kill demons were sent to.
Not only was the heat destructive to their powers, any usage of Sin down there only fed its strength It was a strange magma, feeding of all sources of infernal power. Hence, why outside of those banished demons, no one else even ventured to that space.
Yet, Apollo's own Ira was gradually growing closer to that state. In a sense, if he could wield that power, then he'd become the bane of any demon who traveled the path of wrath, so long as his purity trumped their own.
But, to truly wield such power took an unprecedented vessel. Both Fuhrer and Furcas refused to believe he possessed that vessel right now.
Suddenly, a singed body was ejected from the crater before smashing heavily into the ground. Unsurprisingly, it was Valac, who at this very moment struggled to even more. Just stretching his arm produced a world of pain.
"M-madman. I concede…
Whoosh! Boom! Crccccccck!
Apollo's body burst from the crater before landing with his heavy foot pressed into Valac's spine. A string of crackings sounds echoed from his ribs and spine as his body formed an indent in the ground.
"I submit!" Valac struggled to exclaim in a wheezing voice. Yet, Apollo didn't let up and even increased the pressure on his back, causing the ground to splinter further.
"Now, tell me Valac, just why don't I believe? I'll need some definitive proof. Because I wouldn't like for this to happen again. Contest me severely like this, and I will kill you," Apollo threatened in a cool tone.
Uttering such threatening words in a calm voice made the others understand one thing. Apollo was serious!
〈System Alert: Your follower Valac the Terrible's soul is willing to enter «Adamantine Servitude». Because another prerequisite has been fulfilled, another seal has been lifted.〉
With the appearance of this information, Apollo smiled because this was the definitive proof he needed.
"Excellent. After all, it's never good when a Household has internal strife."
"W-WHAT?!" Fuhrer blurted while stupefied by Apollo's words.
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