Chapter 241: Clan of the Betrayer

Chapter 241: Clan of the Betrayer

The title of Kuro Clan Head felt rather ostentatious, a mouthful to address someone by. Nevertheless, Kazuo doubted that people even knew his real name by how often they called him that.

He never truly saw himself as the villain of his own story. When had he become a man that even his own children seemed to despise?

With a sigh, he gazed down at the shadowy platform supporting him. A multitude of thoughts raced through his mind, many centered around how he had ended up in this situation.

"I only did what needed to be done to survive. How is that evil? What was I supposed to do? Just lay down and die?" He muttered his thoughts out loud.

In his earlier years, he had, indeed, murdered his siblings to secure his place as the prime contender for the clan's leadership. Despite not harboring any animosity towards them, he had terminated the lives of his two brothers. In reality, he even liked his now-dead siblings to a degree.

However, an ability as potent as the Shadow Tower bore significant importance for all parties involved, a fact they all had known. A time might have come when they'd stumble upon a formidable high-ranking demon and die a dogs death. Yet, with the Shadow Tower's protection, such a grim fate would remain at bay.

No, Kazuo bore no remorse for the demise of his siblings. After all, they had harbored intentions of assassinating him, given his status as the youngest and weakest.

Why would someone just roll over and die? The very essence of human nature entailed a struggle against mortality, even when faced with the treachery of a loved one aiming to end your life.

His gaze shifted to the water enveloping him, positioned on a raft woven from shadows. For the initial time, the Kuro Clan Head found himself ruminating: how had his life transmuted into its current state?

However, his musings were abbreviated as he spotted, in the distance, a humanoid elephant with six gorilla arms, each molded into distinct Buddhist hand gestures. This peculiar being soared upon what resembled a translucent, golden surfboard.

Suspended on a cloud, the entity descended gracefully towards them.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Observing the advancing Dream Lord, Kazuo's lips curved into a smile. Despite being encircled by water, he wasnt panicking. Extensive preparation had been invested to confront a specific exorcist on water, should circumstances ever necessitate it. Thus, he faced no disadvantage here, particularly considering the presumption that his opponent lacked an ability like water manipulation.

However, despite the incoming powerful enemy, Kazuo didn't feel fear or hesitation. Instead he felt something he hadn't in decades, and that wasregret.

Gem's words had cut him more deeply than anything else ever could. He had striven to do everything within his power for his children, ensuring each of them had their needs met. Even though some were born under less than ideal circumstances, he had embraced them into his family.

Even if he were to perish in this very moment, his existence itself would fade into obscurity. The realization was stark, a truth that loomed in his thoughts. Despite his efforts, he yearned for his family's support during these trying times. In a sense, he envied the solidarity of the Dark Sword Clan; those two brothers, deemed evil, at least had each other.

With every passing moment, the colossal elephant-like creature drew closer, its presence enveloping Kazuo's senses with undeniable intensity. He winced, sensing the glaring gap in power; these adversaries felt nearly as formidable as Shuten Doji himself!

'Hopefully, their physical strength doesn't rival that of Shuten Doji, or I'm finished. Before him, I had believed my Shadow Tower was unbreakable, but he proved that I must exercise caution, or I could end up destroying the Kuro Clan's legacy,' Kazuo pondered, a bead of cold sweat tracing his cheek.

"To hell with it, I will survive and make amends with my children!" Kazuo proclaimed, infusing his determination into his Ord, amplifying its potency.

However, unlike his past wartime contributions, this time Kazuo was prepared to unleash his full might.

He interlocked his palms, conjuring a colossal shadow giant in less than a second. Kazual stood atop the golem's shoulder, his gaze focused and unwavering, straining to discern the elephantine creature amid the spectacle.

"Ah, so your power relied on those hand seals?" Kazuo asked, aware that no response would come. While he couldn't decipher the creature's expression behind its elephantine visage, he sought to unsettle his opponent nonetheless.

Exposing someone's unique ability often led to panic. After all, it was merely a matter of time until weaknesses were exploited or countermeasures constructed.

The creature bellowed through its trunk, releasing a palpable and monstrous energy. It was evident that it had not exerted its full might against Kazuo.

Realization dawned on Kazuo, and a chuckle escaped him. "Don't tell me you didn't go all out from the beginning? Did you underestimate me? Well, that was a stupid decision."

"Foolish humans!" the creature roared, its anger now irrefutable. "You know naught about the island's machinations"

Kazuo paid no mind to the creature's impending words, encasing himself in a cocoon of shadowsa wise choice. He felt peculiar, slicing attacks battering his cocoon, causing hairline fractures. Yet, they failed to breach his defenses. Perhaps with all its arms intact, the outcome might have differed, but that was not the reality at hand.

Kazuo plunged into the water, dispelling the cocoon of shadows. While facing someone like Kon on water would put him at a clear disadvantage, this wasn't the case with others. In fact, there was no better source of power for a Kuro Clan member than the depths of the sea itself!

He patiently awaited the arrival of the humanoid elephant creature beneath the waves. Whether or not this entity was truly a demon didn't concern Kazuo; he was determined to eliminate it. If that proved impossible, his contingency plan was to escape.

Drawing a talisman, Kazuo tore it open, creating an air bubble around his head. His preparations for underwater combat had been extensive, something that proved valuable.

Descending deeper and deeper, the encompassing darkness prompted him to anticipate the creature's approach. Despite the lack of visual cues, his Blaster abilities allowed him to sense Ord, including that of Ord belonging to Ord. However, he was aware that hiding Ord was possible, akin to the techniques employed by certain Masters.

Kazuo had predicted this scenario and therefore activated another talisman. Instantly, his eyes gleamed with enhanced vision, rendering darkness as bright as day.

Night Vision Talismans were incredibly rare and the last person who could create something like this was The Magician. Obtaining one wasn't easy, but as the Kuro Clan Head, Kazuo had his means of acquiring such things.

"Everything is ready. Now, I shall eliminate an Ultimate Class creature in one-on-one combat," Kazuo affirmed to himself.

Surveying his surroundings, his gaze caught the distant bottom of Avalon Island. Yet, as his eyes fell upon it, an involuntary shiver coursed through him, a visceral reaction to an inexplicable terror.

The island itself was peculiar; rather than being anchored to the sea floor, it floated ominously. Rocks dont float, much less an island!

However, even more unnerving was the colossal eye embedded within the island's core, a grotesque sentinel radiating unspeakable malevolence.

Kazuo's unease transcended mere physical discomfort; it was an existential tremor that shook his core. The eye, an abyssal orb, exuded an aura that clawed at his sanity, each glance into its abyssal depths dragging him further into a pit of dread.

The eye stirred as if inhaling his fear, tendrils of flesh squelching and writhing, propelling the eye to pivot, its gaze now fixated upon Kazuo. Time wavered, his heartbeat an erratic drumbeat, as the colossal eye, brimming with hunger and otherworldly malice, honed in on his quivering form.

In that unsettling moment, Kazuo's revelation struck like a bolt: Avalon Island wasn't an island at allit was a living creature!

His body responded to the terror, blood streaming from his orifices, and his head throbbing with agony. He strained to manipulate the shadows around him, a futile effort as invisible tendrils wrapped around him, their relentless force crushing him inch by inch.