FANSiA Originals and KakaoPage
I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan
[Author/Original: Yuin]
[TL: Dekor]
[PR: Spades]
Episode 45
—————————
This was Chris's limit.
Not a matter of talent.
He realized a fundamental issue.
'Beyond human capacity.'
No matter how gifted, humans had insurmountable limits.
Absorbing over 90% of Sacred Darkness required transcending humanity.
So.
Chris devised a solution.
'Transcend human limits.'
His eyes gleamed.
There was an artificial method.
'Temporarily alter the core's nature.'
He recalled the race with the largest core capacity.
Dragons.
Not invincible legends.
Dragons typically wielded 7-star power.
But their vessel was unmatched.
'Mimic the Dragon Heart.'
Dragon Hearts held mana like an ocean.
Not just due to durability.
Like a streamlined shape reduces wind resistance, Dragon Hearts structurally mitigated mana resistance through magical principles.
Christian recalled a wyrm's corpse he'd seen.
The Dragon Heart's protective structure.
The core, not a physical organ, was conceptual.
He mentally reshaped his core to mimic the Dragon Heart's principles.
No easy task. Near impossible.
And unsustainable.
A few minutes at most.
'Fine. Just need to hold on briefly.'
His mana, reacting to Sacred Darkness, transformed.
Past 90%, bit by bit.
Crossing 90% opened a new world.
Flash!
His mana's nature grew incomparably stronger.
Mana converted vitality into dark energy.
But this new Dark Mana Essence was different.
Darkness itself.
Pure, and immensely powerful.
Chris used it to reinforce his core.
Now, a war.
The overwhelming Sacred Darkness tried to shatter his core. His mana desperately held the cracking core together.
Like patching a dam's fractures.
Incredibly difficult.
It could collapse any moment.
A single misstep meant doom.
But with insane mana control, Chris achieved the near-impossible.
Finally, his absorption rate surpassed 95%.
Just a bit more for complete mastery.
But then.
He froze.
'I have to stop.'
Instinct screamed.
This was the absolute limit.
His genius made it clear.
Absorbing more was impossible.
Greed would cost his life.
'Is it truly impossible?'
He bit his lip.
His mind calculated outcomes.
No method could prevent core collapse.
Perhaps aiming for 100% was overambition.
Even the clan's primordial ancestor, who took over 90%, became the third-ranked Demon King.
This might suffice.
'No need to overdo it.'
But.
Instinct roared.
He mustn't give up.
He had to fully claim Sacred Darkness, or regret would follow.
'But it's impossible…'
Then.
A voice.
Low.
A whisper from the void.
[Need… help?]
"!!"
His eyes widened.
A chill spread down his spine.
'Demon.'
He recognized the voice.
Mephina.
The demon from the Ebony Ritual spoke!
She whispered sweetly.
[A demon's power… aligns with darkness. I'll help… no cost.]
"No cost?"
Beyond the void, she smirked.
Unseen, but felt.
A seductive, ominous smile.
[Yes… I swear on my name. No cost… to you.]
"Why?"
No demon helped without a price.
Mephina laughed.
A dirge-like sound echoed ominously.
[My whim. You… intrigue me, so I'll aid you.]
Chris fell silent.
Swearing on her name meant no cost.
Perhaps an opportunity.
But.
No debate needed.
"I refuse."
[Abandoning Sacred Darkness… just to avoid a demon's help?]
Disappointment laced Mephina's tone.
[Foolish… discarding this chance for such a trivial reason. Disappointing.]
Chris scoffed.
Since when did he ask for her expectations? Disappointed on her own whim?
Her feelings didn't matter.
"When did I say I'd abandon it?"
He snapped, irked by being dismissed.
[You'll claim it… alone? You know it's beyond human limits.]
He nodded.
She was right.
'Humans' couldn't absorb more, no matter the method.
'Not the core's issue. Even a fortified core can't handle it. The rejection's too strong.'
This rejection stemmed from human limits.
Humans could embody light or darkness.
Thus, never purely one—always mixed.
To fully take Sacred Darkness, he needed to become pure darkness.
But.
'There's a way.'
His eyes blazed.
Then, Mephina, witnessing his change, spoke in un-demonic shock.
[That's… impossible?]
The darkness around Christian surged wildly.
An impossible miracle began.
---
Meanwhile, at the clan's annex.
Patriarch Nordian's residence echoed with voices.
"How long's it been?"
"A week, my lord."
About Christian.
Nordian frowned.
"Still no word?"
"None."
Tap, tap, he struck his cane.
"When I underwent the ritual, it took four days."
He'd absorbed just under 80%.
Christian was likely aiming for over 80%.
Impossible to survive.
Merian, listening, sighed softly.
'Why such reckless greed?'
Simon spoke.
"Marquis Langham, acting patriarch, seeks to close the sanctum's passage."
The sanctum was the Shadow Dimension.
Opened every 2-3 years, kept open by dark magic until all participants returned.
Assuming Christian dead, they wanted to close it.
"…"
Nordian said nothing.
His face displeased.
Simon smiled.
"Then I'll let them close it."
"…Cheeky bastard. Testing this old man."
Simon didn't reply.
Affirmative.
Nordian clicked his tongue.
"You bloodsucker think that rascal Christian's alive?"
Simon replied slyly.
"Who knows? Unlikely, honestly. But if he is, it'd be… entertaining."
He smirked.
"An intriguing young master, no? Just watching him is fun. Losing such a figure to a misjudgment would be a pity for you, my lord."
Closing the passage would trap Christian in the Shadow Dimension.
Even if miraculously alive, he'd die, unable to return.
"That's if he's alive."
"Of course."
"So, pointless. He's dead."
"!!"
Definitive.
Simon and Merian's faces hardened.
"You don't know what absorbing over 80% means. Even I couldn't."
Nordian stopped just shy of 80%.
Further was impossible.
One step more, and his core would've collapsed.
If Christian was alive, he'd be aiming for 90% by now.
"The First Ancestor had the Demon Emperor's aid to absorb that much. Without it, even he couldn't."
Clear meaning.
No matter Christian's vessel, over 90% was impossible.
"…Then let Marquis Langham close it?"
Forcing the passage open consumed vast mana.
If survival was hopeless, closing it was right.
Nordian shut his mouth.
Displeasure etched his face.
"…One day."
He turned.
"Give him one more day."
A cold voice settled.
"If he doesn't return, strip him of clan funeral rights for his foolish greed."
---
[No… how?]
Mephina's shocked voice echoed in the Sacred Darkness.
A transcendent demon, surprised?
Understandable.
Christian's soul was transforming.
From a neutral being of light and darkness.
Expelling light, filling with pure darkness.
A soul feel familiar to Mephina.
[Demon…?]
No.
Too feeble for a demon.
A small, frail soul, clearly mortal.
Lacking demonic malevolence.
But… that perfect darkness consuming his soul?
Pure darkness.
No mortal could possess such pristine darkness.
[How… is this possible?]
"Because… I'm a genius."
Christian answered, strained.
Blood threatened to surge.
'Still too much for me.'
His soul's shift came from a secret art.
Demonification.
A Mystic Mana Clan technique letting mortals briefly become demon-like.