Galaxy's First Ruler

Evil…

All things had become and felt evil as that laugh came out.

The black greatcoat on Aldrich's body was like iron dust getting pulled by an extremely strong magnet. Countless crests and troughs formed on the greatcoat, with the middle one almost touching the dark space in front of Aldrich.

As all the emotions within this space covered by Mana Field were about to burst out, two black hands ripped the dark opening. Just into the Darkness, Aldrich saw a flash of purple and gold when a sudden boom rang out around him.

Boom!!!

In the next moment, Aldrich was in the air, grabbed by his neck. The entire hand, grabbing and squishing his throat, was like the maw of an alligator. One more push, one more tightening of muscle, and Aldrich's head would snap with a crunch like cheerios.

Aldrich didn't react to this sudden attack. With his eyes slanted downward, he observed the being. It was an entire pitch-black being. But just like Aldrich's greatcoat was attracted to it, so did this being's body attracted towards Aldrich. Hundreds of eyeless, noseless, and gaped mouths of Creatures of Darkness howled seeing the Spawn of Darkness. Aldrich even felt like if he wished, he could snatch away this being's authority over its own body.

The pupils of the 7ft being were dark purple. The purple of evil's extremity. But covering those pupils were two golden rings, emanating a feeling of pure Justice. But the nature of this Justice felt distorted and disoriented.

Roar!!!

The Bull engraving on the Pillar of Footprints let out low growls of defiance and subservience simultaneously. And the two purple rings on Aldrich's shoulders flashed golden, too. A deep and blood-curdling struggle was going on between this being and Aldrich's authority over the Pillar of Footprint.

The evil howling wind made this being's long golden hair flail like countless tentacles. Its mouth kept opening and closing, making Aldrich see the rows of shark-like teeth. And the two horns on his head were like the symbol of all that was evil in the world.

This Being whom Aldrich had called upon was the Devil.

This Being was also the Shadow Homunculus, intertwined in its body.

And this Being was also Aldrich before dying by Mantis' hands.

As the Devil's grip on Aldrich's throat kept tightening, Aldrich's white eyes also kept narrowing. Dozens of meters away from them, Marquess' Nicholas kept taking one step back as if in a state of shock. The Mana fluctuations coming out of the Devil were of Rank Viscount. But these fluctuations were unlike other Dreamers.

The regular Dreamers' Mana Fluctuations were like the waves over a calm ocean, with their intensity only changing with every level. And the Mana Fluctuations coming out of the Devil were like an ocean under a constant state of experiencing tsunamis.

At their lowest, these fluctuations made Marquess Nicholas feel like this horned being was of Common Rank. But at their highest bump, these fluctuations made his heart palpitate in terror, like the one he had never felt before, not even in the Galactic Wars.

Heh Heh Hehe HAHAHAHA

The Devil let out a crazed laugh again, making the Marquess flinch and rooting him at one point. Aldrich had always known that calling upon the undead Devil would be the biggest element of his plan. First, he didn't know the full extent of the Devil's capabilities, as he had only seen what he was capable of through Sha's memories.

Second, even though the Devil was constrained by the Dungeon, he had only shown a Rank of Viscount. Aldrich did not know if the Devil could face a Dreamer of Marquess Rank. But something in him was telling him that the secrets he knew about the Devil were nothing but the tip of the iceberg.

The most worrisome factor was the event playing out now. Aldrich had already checked if the other undead Adrichs could defy him or not. That was also the reason he had called upon himself two times separately. But what would be the result when his own self was to be influenced by a True Devil? He could only guess.

When it seemed the Devil would crush Aldrich's throat, he put Aldrich down and snatched away the Pillar of Footprints out of his hands. The Devil let out an evil grin and howling whispers came out of his mouth.

"I/WE/YOU got a wonderful trick, heh! I will disappear if I kill 'Myself', right? Is that what you are counting on?"

Aldrich looked up and stared into the Devil's eyes. The Devil was right. He indeed had counted on this for the Devil to not betray him. If there was any other choice, he would have never called upon this form of his. It was unpredictable; it was false; it was a risk higher and deadlier than anything in this universe.

If there was one thing Aldrich felt apprehensive about, it was an Aldrich who had lost his patience.

Aldrich's white eyes went beyond the Devil and looked at Marquess Nicholas, who was on the brink of letting himself loose as if seeing a crazed dog.

"Suck away life…

Suck away blood…

Suck away laws…

Sacrifice anything and everything…

Call upon all the NAMES if you have to…

But bring me this person on the brink of death…"

Aldrich's words were like an ultimatum, echoing in the surroundings and reaching the Devil's ears. The Devil slowly turned to face Marquess Nicholas. And as he put the Pillar of Footprints over his shoulder, it elongated and widened more than the thickness of Aldrich's waist.

Aldrich gave the Marquess a last look and called out.

"Let's go, Sha."

The Marquess' shadow, which felt alive sometime ago, stiffened, and Aldrich's shadow rippled in the next moment. Under the frozen gaze of Nicholas, Aldrich's entire body fell into his shadow as if there was a well under his feet.

"You… You can't be a Devil…"

Nicholas incomprehensibly muttered and, waiting no more, used the Lost Steps Skill, disappearing into the folds of the space.

The Devil tilted his head from one side to another and then let out his long tongue before laughing like a maniac.

"So that's how it is! No wonder I/We want you this much. At least I am honest about it…"

Heh Heh HAHAHAHA

"… Law of Space… Interesting!!!"