Chapter 24: The Ants You Stomp On
"Do you remember the names of the ants you stomp on?" The Shadow Killer asked, agony vivid in his tone. "Of course not! That's because you don't care enough to find out."
No one could relate to the Shadow Killer's words more than Alex himself, who had murdered thousands, maybe even millions of people. However, the former was unbeknownst to that, which is why such words emerged from his mouth.
"Now, why should I care about the death of a single person, even if it matters to someone?" The Shadow Killer asked rhetorically. "Death is imminent to everyone except those up there."
The man shrouded in darkness pointed upwards towards the sky. Not towards the giant, but towards those who resided above, the ones who controlled the Heavens. The deities were ageless, but Alex knew that even they weren't immortal. But the Shadow Killer's words were correct. Death was imminent to all except deities.
Death would eventually envelop all, but it wasn't looming over those who were not subject to the aging of the physical body.
So, why did the Shadow Killer deserve to die? Alex had also killed many and had never wondered if their families would be affected. So, why did he have the right to wish for revenge? What differentiated him from the Shadow Killer?
The truth was, he didn't know.
"You don't need to care," Alex whispered as he stared at the ground beneath. He stood with a blank expression on his face.
"What did you say?" The Shadow Killer asked as he chuckled, finding the situation amusing. "Louder, boy!"
"You don't need to care!" Alex roared, gritting his teeth. "But, I do."
A tidal wave of mana emerged from Alex's body as he squeezed the last of its energy to formulate a single attack. He clutched his Durendal in his right arm as he charged at his enemy, rage visible on his face.
His emotions invigorated his attack as he swung Durendal with all his strength, scraping the last of his strength and energy as he clashed with the Shadow Killer. Several colors burst from their clash as the Shadow Killer let out a boisterous laugh.
"Yes! Just like that! Attack me with all you have!" He laughed like a psychopath, a deranged expression clouding his face. The ground cracked as veins popped from Alex's forehead. He suffered several muscle tears as well as severe destruction of his bones.
Convulsions rocked his body as he pushed his limits. A scream of pain exited his mouth but was drowned out by the noise of the Shadow Killer's mana and Durendal's clash.
Despite Alex's body having suffered fatal wounds, the Shadow Killer was unscathed, as if he were taking a stroll in the park. His eyes were battle-hungry, while his expression seemed to be demented beyond recognition. His lips contorted to an inhumane length as he laughed at the thrill of battle.
"Release all your strength, boy!" He yelled. "It's truly a wonder that you managed to gather this much strength in the first tutorial! I would have loved to see your true potential, but alas, you met me too early."
"S–Shut… up!" Alex whispered. "E–Even the Primordial Darkness wasn't able to kill me."
It was a surprise that the boy had heard of the Primordial Darkness, but to the Shadow Killer, it seemed he had gone mad.
"Not even the deities could touch the apex," he mocked. "What makes you think you can? Hahah!"
Alex's body began weakening, succumbing to the countless wounds that had appeared on his body. In reality, the Shadow Killer hadn't even made a move. Alex had suffered such wounds purely through the attack he displayed. The conjured power was too much for his fragile body to handle, resulting in the destruction of many of his muscles and bones.
"I–I can," Alex whispered. "I am the ruler… of…"
Alex's eyes closed as he collapsed to his knees. Blood encompassed his body as the Shadow Killer clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Since you mentioned the Primordial Darkness, I thought you had a little strength left in you. I guess you just went crazy."
Alex's body lay on the ground as a pool of blood surrounded it. 'Is this the end?'
Was he going to die once more? Would he fail in his goal? Would he not be able to avenge his father? Would he not be able to avenge Isabella, or meet her in this lifetime? Would he die alone?
"Sadly, it's time to kill you," The Shadow Killer said as his arm extended, forming a knife out of mana. He smiled as he swung the knife, expecting it to pierce the boy's soft flesh. Yet, an expression of perplexion appeared on his face when the knife instead pierced the soil below.
"What the f–" The Shadow Killer began, but before he could finish the phrase, a fist collided with his face, sending him flying backwards. "H–How?"
As he gazed at the figure that stood a few meters away from him, fear was instilled into his body. Confusion and fear coincided, creating an expression a human was incapable of expressing.
What stood before him was a man whose body was dead. Yet, the veins on his left arm that now glowed crimson controlled his body. The arm that seemed darker than the color black seemed to be in command of the entire body, as if it were a separate entity.
As Alex clutched Durendal in his left arm, it shone crimson instead of its regular, silver glow. Yet, it seemed as if it was only natural.
"D–Demon? No, you're more malevolent than a demon!" The Shadow Killer screamed. Even demons didn't radiate such evil intent. The energy that floated alongside Alex was overwhelming to the point where breathing was strenuous.
Alex disappeared from the Shadow Killer's view as he appeared behind him, swinging the crimson blade at him. When the latter managed to avoid the swing, Alex's attacks only became quicker and stronger.
It was as if he were possessed by an unknown entity. The Shadow Killer finally considered the possibility of his words about the Primordial Darkness to be true. 'No, his power isn't even close to that of the deities. He can't even match up to my main body. However, he cannot continue to grow…'
Alex had displayed tremendous power even before he was possessed by a terrifying-looking arm, to the point where the Shadow Killer wondered if he truly was experiencing the first tutorial. Such power was unprecedented and should be unrivaled in the first tutorial, which is why he felt pity for having run into him.
However, after the arm had offered such combative power to Alex, the Shadow Killer decided it would be best not to let Alex grow. It was too dangerous to the balance of Telos Dou Dromou.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Shadow Killer narrowly avoided every blow Alex offered to him solely using his instincts. If not for his centuries of combat experience, the former would have already perished from such evil intent and power.
The Shadow Killer unleashed a barrage of spells containing shadow mana. Floating spears, swords, flames, and much more were launched towards Alex, who, despite having exhausted most of his power, avoided easily.
'Just who is possessing him?' The Shadow Killer wondered as he cast a glimpse at Alex's arm. 'Is that some sort of inheritance? Or has he been corroded by demonic mana?'
The Shadow Killer kept his gaze on Alex, yet within the span of a blink, the latter disappeared from view. The former, perplexed by the sudden disappearance, didn't even have the time to voice his confusion as a fist collided with his spine.
Crack!
His spine cracked as he fell on the ground beneath, growling in pain. Alex emotionlessly walked forward, lifting the Shadow Killer by gripping his hair before smashing his face into the soil.
Finally, to finish his opponent off, Alex raised Durendal, who now had a crimson glow, in the air. He swung down, piercing the Shadow Killer's neck with immense strength, ending his life instantly.
That was when Alex collapsed, pools of blood emerging from his body immediately afterwards. The exhaustion was incomparable to his previous battles, to the point where death could grasp his heart in minutes.
The last words that emerged from his mouth were…
"Dad."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone