Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Chapter 71: My Dear Shadow Chapter 71: My Dear Shadow SLASH—!

Elden’s eyes snapped wide, heart hammering against his ribs. The sheer pressure contained in that slash was maddening.

"Light Barrier!" he shouted, summoning a shimmering shield of pure light to protect his team.

BOOOM—!

The blow collided with his barrier, the impact reverberating through the air. Elden gasped as he watched his shield disintegrate, fading like mist under the assault. Gritting his teeth, he poured more mana into it, pushing himself to the limit.

The barrier held.

Barely.

"Huff... huff... huff..." Elden staggered, breath ragged. The amount of mana he’d expended — just to block one attack — was terrifying.

He lifted his head—and froze.

Noah stood there, calm, emotionless. His gaze held the cold indifference of a god peering at ants.

Behind Elden, Ester, Yuki, Elizabeth, and Eric remained under the protection of a shadow barrier. They could see everything, and their faces mirrored their shock. The destructive force Noah wielded was far beyond anything they’d expected.

"You—!" Elden started.

Noah didn’t let him finish.

"Shut up," he said, voice sharp as a blade. "Wait quietly for your turn."

SNAP—!

With a snap of his fingers, shadows burst from the ground, wrapping around Elden’s limbs, binding him so tightly he couldn’t even twitch.

"W-What?!" Elden cried out, horror twisting his face. "How—?!"

He struggled, but it was useless. A S rank being, rendered helpless by a boy considered an A-rank?

Noah didn’t spare him another glance. His cold eyes shifted to the inquisitors gathered behind Elden.

And then he smiled — an evil, soul-chilling smile.

"Normally, I would have entertained you. Let you strike first," he said, voice low, almost conversational. "But not today."

"For what you’ve done to my team... nothingness would be too merciful."

They didn’t deserve a painless end. No. He wanted them to feel every second of their punishment.

He summoned transparent swords from the void — each blade humming with soul-forged killing intent. The air itself trembled as the swords formed, sharp enough to slice not just flesh, but spirit.

Noah pointed a finger.

The swords shot forward.

None of the inquisitors moved. They didn’t even try to flee. They had seen Elden bound like a toy; they knew escape was impossible.

freewebnσvel.cøm The blades pierced them without resistance.

And then—

"Arghhhhhh!" Their screams ripped through the battlefield.

"NO—! PLEASE—!"

They writhed and thrashed like animals, the soul-forged aura slicing them from within — cutting through their bodies and shredding their very souls.

The torture went on.

For thirty minutes, the air was filled with screams, pleas, and the grotesque sounds of agony.

Ester, Yuki, Elizabeth, and Eric — now healed and rejuvenated — stood silently beside Noah, watching without pity.

Cold.

Merciless.

The inquisitors’ eyes glazed over. Their bodies twitched on the ground, broken beyond repair, their minds fractured from the endless torment.

Finally, Noah stepped forward, his expression unreadable.

"I think that’s enough," he said quietly, almost as if announcing the end of a lecture.

"I hope... in your next life... you’ll be more careful choosing your enemies."

He paused. Smirked.

"I mean... if you get another life."

He clenched his fist.

"Soul Destruction."

The words left his lips like a sentence.

Instantly, the inquisitors’ souls shattered into nothingness. Not even ashes remained.

Noah’s soul manipulation was nothing like before after the event with Shadeva’s soul.

He turned, brushing the matter aside as if swatting away a gnat. His gaze fell on Elden, who was trembling uncontrollably.

Calmly, Noah conjured a table and chairs of glimmering ice. He brewed tea — his mother’s tea — with a soft, almost nostalgic air.

’I’ll send a letter after this,’ he thought, missing her warmth, her presence.

He glanced at the others, smiling faintly.

"Why are you standing there like fools? Sit down. We’re not in a rush," he said, casually conjuring chairs for everyone.

Yuki and Elizabeth immediately moved, almost clinging to him, casting murderous glares at one another across Noah’s shoulders.

Noah sighed, ignoring the tension.

Eric and Ester remained standing, staring at Noah with wide eyes. Especially Ester.

There was something different about him now — something terrifying. He had now shadow affinity and the rank of his affinity was far beyond what they could comprehend. It wasn’t just an element anymore.

It was... something else.

But for Ester?

Ester’s heart sank.

She could sense another presence in Noah’s shadow — a second entity. A second shadow.

Realization struck her like a hammer.

’I’m... not his only shadow anymore...’

The thought tightened painfully around her heart, stealing her breath.

’I understand,’ she thought bitterly. ’I was never good enough.’

A simple Wyvern had nearly defeated her. She had failed him. And now...

Self-loathing bloomed in her chest, dark and suffocating.

She remained standing, frozen, even as the others sat comfortably around Noah.

Inside Noah’s mind, another voice echoed.

’Oh, so she was your shadow?’ Shadeva said, her voice cold and dismissive.

’Is my shadow,’ Noah corrected smoothly.

’You have me now — an Original. A true ruler of shadows. With my realm of shadow in my soul I can command an army of shadows. Why do you still need her?’

Noah rose from his seat, walking toward Ester, speaking silently to Shadeva.

’I don’t care about titles or power. I only care about loyalty and bonds. She’s been with me since childhood. She cared for me, cried for me, bled for me.’

He smiled softly as he reached Ester.

’I will never abandon her.’

’I will make her a Queen. Equal to you.’

Shadeva’s eyes widened slightly in his mind, her calm shaken.

’How would you even do that?’ she asked.

Noah stopped just inches from Ester, looking into her trembling red eyes.

"Why are you thinking so much, my dear shadow?" he said warmly.

Ester blinked, startled. "Ah—Master, I—I—"

Before she could finish, Noah pulled her into a firm embrace.

Ester stiffened, her mind blank with shock.

"You are my shadow," Noah whispered in her ear. "Today. Tomorrow. Until the end of time."

"I will never abandon you."

"You worry if you’re worthy. But even if you’re not, I’ll make you worthy."

He gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her eyes brimmed with tears, overflowing with emotion.

"You heard me," Noah said, voice unwavering. "I’ll make you a queen."

At the same time, he answered Shadeva in his mind:

’I’ll find a way. Whether by taking the current shadow realm, or creating a new one for her.’

’My shadow... will not be just any shadow.’

He smirked.

’You’ll be the Queen of Shadows thanks to the realm in your soul. And so will she.’

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’Balance must be maintained, right?’

Shadeva smiled in his mind, a flicker of approval crossing her ancient soul.

Noah, meanwhile, simply tightened his hold around Ester, anchoring her trembling soul back to him.

Making her feel peace and security.

—End of Chapter 71—