Ex rank talent Awakening: 100% Dodge rate
Chapter 260 - CHAPTER 260: INEVITABLE DEFEAT

The Celestial King paused, his attention stolen by the sudden surge of power radiating from his ally. The Demon King's aura ballooned outward like a tidal wave of raw, violent energy. It wasn't just powerful—it was divine in its oppression. Even Rebecca momentarily shifted her gaze toward it.

"Show off," the Celestial King muttered under his breath. But despite the complaint, a faint smile danced on his lips. He wouldn't deny a welcome power-up from an ally, especially now.

Then it happened.

The Eye of Pride turned its malevolent gaze toward Rebecca. What began as a silent stare quickly transformed into a menacing glare, the pupil sharpening like a blade. The Demon King, on the other hand, reveled in the sudden surge of strength coursing through him. He had been preparing to leap into battle, but something made him pause. His power—it was still rising, and not gradually, but exponentially.

The glare intensified. Rebecca remained calm, dismantling the Celestial King's barrage of swords as if she were swatting flies. The Eye of Pride trembled. Blood began to drip from its edges, crimson tears that streamed down the Demon King's face like war paint. And yet, his strength continued to grow.

Ten times… twenty… fifty… a hundred.

And still, the surge did not stop.

The Demon King's grin faded. The deeper his power grew, the deeper his dread burrowed into him. This wasn't natural. This wasn't empowerment—it was escalation born of desperation.

The Eye of Pride, a symbol of supremacy, granted its user strength to always surpass the foe it gazed upon. Pride could not accept inferiority. It would rather destroy itself than bow. If the opponent couldn't be weakened—like in Rebecca's case, who was shielded by her Law of Darkness—then the Eye would forcibly elevate the host's strength until they matched… or until the Eye collapsed under its own weight.

It had done the latter.

Rebecca wasn't just stronger than the Demon King had thought. She was in another dimension entirely. When he challenged the Dragon King, the Eye had only needed to boost him tenfold. Now, even at a hundredfold, it still hadn't reached her.

The Eye bled heavier. Then, it cracked like glass struck by a hammer.

"Urgh!" the Demon King groaned, staggering as he clutched his forehead. A splintering pain pierced his skull—his precious Eye, his pride, shattered.

Though his body retained the amplified strength, his confidence crumbled alongside his ruined eye. It wasn't a gift anymore; it was a reminder of defeat. An overwhelming pressure sank into his chest—not physical, but spiritual, like the taste of inevitability.

He drew in a breath, stabilizing his aura, trying to suppress the tremors in his heart. The pain dulled, but not the shame.

Pushing the incident to the back of his mind, he surged forward in a blur of motion, his new strength cracking the ground beneath each step. But instead of heading toward Rebecca, he made a beeline for the Celestial King, who remained focused on keeping her occupied.

The Celestial King sensed him and nearly faltered when the Demon King landed beside him. "What are you doing?" he asked sharply. "You should be attacking her—"

"We're going to lose," the Demon King interrupted, his voice low and grim.

The Celestial King's expression twisted in surprise. "What?"

"I said, we're going to lose," the Demon King repeated. "You know the Eye of Pride's ability. You understand it better than most. Even with my strength increased a hundredfold, I didn't reach her level. Not even close. The Eye gave everything it had and still shattered. She's not fighting seriously. She's playing with us."

The silence that followed was heavy.

The Celestial King clenched his jaw. His gaze lingered on Rebecca, who gracefully dismantled sword after sword with lazy flicks of her fingers.

"Then… we have no choice," he muttered with a sigh. "We'll use Grey."

The Demon King raised a brow. "You're sure?"

"No. But we've delayed this long enough," the Celestial King admitted bitterly. "He was always a sacrificial piece. I just liked him more than I should have."

"Wise choice," the Demon King said, nodding once. "I'll buy you time."

Without another word, he propelled himself toward Rebecca.

She had heard every word of their exchange.

A knowing grin curled across her lips. So they'd finally figured it out. It was true—she had been toying with them, just as she had with the Dragon King. But unlike the Dragon King, these two were now being careful.

What intrigued her most, however, was the mention of this "Grey." A secret weapon? A backup plan? Her curiosity was piqued.

Suddenly, the Demon King appeared before her. His mouth stretched open unnaturally wide, a grotesque maw that seemed to tear the air itself.

Then—he inhaled.

A monstrous suction force burst forth. Everything in front of him, within a hundred-meter radius, was dragged toward his gaping mouth like dust into a vacuum. It was gravity reborn—savage and merciless.

"Help! Please! Somebody!" a human fighter screamed as he was ripped from the battlefield, arms flailing, armor clanging helplessly. His cries were swallowed whole.

He wasn't alone. Dozens more followed. Weapons, rocks, shattered trees, pieces of the earth itself—nothing was spared. Even some of Rebecca's black orbs were dragged in.

And yet, she remained still, her body unmoving, her hair swaying only from the ripple of displaced wind.

The vortex lasted minutes. Then finally, the Demon King closed his mouth with a sickening snap.

He hovered there for a moment, absorbing the spoils of his feast.

Scales of stone began forming on his skin. A second translucent layer of air sealed over them—a defense of elemental synergy. The weaker beings he devoured added only marginal boosts, but every piece counted.

What thrilled him most, however, was the crackling black energy now dancing along his arms.

He had absorbed fragments of Rebecca's darkness.

He flexed his fingers, his face alight with wonder. "So this is the taste… of darkness. A fragment of your power, and I feel as if I've shed every weakness. How intoxicating."

His eyes met Rebecca's again, and this time there was no arrogance—only reverence… and fear.

"I have to ask…" the Demon King said slowly, the weight of the truth dawning on him. "You could end this in a second. I can feel it now. That darkness I absorbed—it's just a taste. A drop of an ocean. You could erase all of us like dust in a storm. So why…?"

He trailed off, genuinely unable to finish the question.

"Why this boring, drawn-out fight?"

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