The Last King Of Darkness
Chapter 350 - 245: The Extremely Beautiful and The Extremely Ugly

Chapter 350: Chapter 245: The Extremely Beautiful and The Extremely Ugly

Royal City.

Taboo Armament.

Under the massive True Silver Ring, a man in a white robe sprinted over, shouting, "Leader! Disaster has struck!"

On the silver altar, a figure wrapped in silver light suddenly turned around.

"What did you say?"

——

When Rod opened his eyes again, he had returned to his room in the Underground City.

Recalling the last moment, he suddenly leaped up, grabbed a robe, and dashed out of the door.

In the hall outside, the warriors lining up for purification all turned their heads.

O’Hara exclaimed, "Commander, when did you get back?"

Rod didn’t answer. His spiritual energy activated beneath his feet, allowing him to leap up the wall.

O’Hara shouted, "Commander, where are you going?"

No reply came, and he was gone.

The crowd exchanged glances. Anna hesitated and said, "Doesn’t he seem empty inside?"

Mina, who was studying the relics brought back from Star Town, glanced at her, "Obsessed with men much? Need help with that?"

Anna’s face flushed with anger, she retorted, "Yeah right, as if I’m afraid of you!"

"Heh, you said it."

"Bring it on!"

"Let’s go!"

"Bring it on!"

...

O’Hara turned his gaze towards Beowood, who just shrugged, indicating he was powerless to intervene.

——

——

Rod hadn’t even brought a lantern; he just plunged into the Black Fog.

In a burst of full effort, it took only a moment for him to enter Star Town, back to where the explosion had occurred.

All the monsters were gone, not even ashes left behind.

The buildings were unchanged, the square, pool, fountain, street lights from 1500 years ago — some were damaged, but still standing.

Dressed in a white robe, Mephit stood in the center. Under the dim Black Fog in the ancient town, she looked like a non-existent white ghost.

Rod was startled and shouted, "Mephit!"

She didn’t move, but a gentle breeze made her robe flutter, proving she was corporeal.

This... what had happened? The Void burst had devoured the monsters. Why hadn’t it devoured her?

Recalling the prophecy about her, Rod shouted again, "Mephit! Are you there?"

Mephit moved slightly, as if she had just snapped out of a trance.

"It’s Rod..."

Encouraged, Rod rejoiced and shouted, "Mephit, what’s wrong? How did you survive? Didn’t the Void devour you?"

Mephit didn’t turn around. Her voice was soft, monotone, like the ashes left after emotions had burnt out.

"That strange hollow energy bypassed me. All the monsters fell into it... but not me. Why, can’t I even die?"

Rod was startled and shouted, "Mephit! Why do you want to kill yourself? Isn’t it good to be alive? The world is dark, but there are days like the Bright Festival! We wait for the light in the darkness and eventually see it. Isn’t that good?"

Mephit lowered her head.

"No... I have no light."

"How can that be?"

Rod urgently shouted,

"Didn’t I promise you? As long as you are with me, I will take care of you. You won’t receive any different treatment, and no one will be able to hurt you."

"Don’t look at me like I’m nothing right now, and there’s nothing here, but soon, Star Town will return to human territory. When I light the fires in town, countless residents will come here. This place will be a new human settlement, a paradise comparable to Upper City in the Royal City, a promised land full of happiness, joy, laughter, and free from discrimination and hatred."

"And I will become the new pillar of Trolian. I said I’d help you break your chains, believe me, okay?"

Mephit spoke softly, "It’s useless, everything is a lie. When everyone sees my true face, their adoration turns to hatred, their enthusiasm to fear, their obsession to loathing, admiration to disdain. There’s never been an exception. In this world, I’m just a monster..."

Rod shouted, "No, you’re not! I am that exception! My adoration is adoration, my enthusiasm is enthusiasm, my obsession is obsession, my admiration is admiration. They won’t change because of your appearance. Come back, we are the perfect partners, I’ve already thought of a brilliant battle plan..."

Mephit’s voice carried a hint of scorn.

"...Really?"

With a hiss, corrupt black matter emerged from the back of her robe, extending like branches, forming a pair of withered wings. A viscous, gray-white liquid, like a mixture of brain matter, seeped from the dry branches and dripped down.

A chill spread from her body, solidifying the liquid into a more disgusting gray-white substance.

Rod couldn’t help but step back, but sanity immediately froze his feet to the ground as he softly said,

"Has your curse spiraled out of control? Don’t worry, it’s okay, I..."

Mephit turned around, revealing a face far more hideous than any medicine woman’s, deeply wrinkled with pus and decay. Pockmarked with rotting flesh and blood, her lower jaw was corroded through, a blackened tongue hanging in front of her neck. She no longer looked human but like a ghoulish wraith.

"Look."

Mephit moved her lips, revealing an ugly yet sincerely free smile, as if all restraints were gone.

"This is what I look like now, what all the curses look like when they’re out of control..."

Rod struggled to suppress his fear and nausea, shouting, "I will lift them!"

Mephisto’s smile somehow turned joyful.

"I’m sorry, that beautifully cursed version of me is also a curse, you saved me, but you won’t get a beauty."

"Sorry to disappoint you..."

Without thinking, Rod immediately shouted, "No, whether you are beautiful or ugly, no matter what form you take, my promise will never..."

Mephisto cut him off.

"Kiss me."

She spread her arms, her silvery eyes curving, seemingly delighted by her triumph, but deep in her eyes was a profound sadness.

Pus and blood dripped from her face, her blackened tongue vibrating in the air, and her rotting lips were enough to make one vomit.

Yet Rod did not hesitate for a moment, leaping forward, he embraced her and, before she could react, he kissed her on the lips.

Humanity plummeted in that moment; Rod had amassed about eight hundred thousand in total humanity, but in the blink of an eye, more than a hundred thousand had already dropped.

The body in his arms moved, trying to break free, but Rod tightened his grip, holding her firmly.

The deep kiss almost made it impossible to breathe.

The body in his arms went from being rigid to being tender; piercing white light rose from her, and flickering light fog engulfed them, dispelling the black fog thousands of yards away, revealing the vast sky and the entire view of the small town.

Barely realizing it, Mephisto’s arms also wrapped around Rod’s back, her breath warm, her lips moist and soft, scattering the curse.

She turned into a human.

But she was no longer the breathtakingly beautiful Mephisto; instead, she was an ordinary girl with not-so-smooth skin, not-so-fair complexion, grey-brown eyes, black hair instead of silver, some freckles on her cheeks, and a plain look with just a touch of girl’s delicacy, like a daughter from a commoner’s house.

She no longer possessed her goddess-like beauty, but Rod didn’t mind, even unconsciously reaching downward with his hand.

This time, however, Mephisto didn’t stop him; instead, she stood on her toes.

Rod felt her warmth, but he did not proceed further, instead releasing her.

The next moment, accompanied by a cold snort, dozens of figures in white robes, with silver rings on their chests, descended from the sky, surrounding them, their long silver tridents pointing at them.

"Mephisto!"

The leader, a one-eyed man, spoke coldly and cautiously.

"Who allowed you to unseal the curse yourself?"

Mephisto did not answer, nor did she pay attention, as if she hadn’t heard, only watching Rod.

The one-eyed man shouted, "Answer my question! Otherwise, I will have to take coercive measures!"

The people in white robes stepped forward collectively, the white light spinning on the silver tridents, and a powerful wave of spiritual energy emanating from them.

Rod turned around, laughed, and said, "Don’t get excited, it was me who did it."

The one-eyed man’s tone softened and he bowed slightly to Rod.

"King’s Hand, sir, Mephisto is the highest level of forbidden being; her matters are under the highest alert in the Royal City. Although her usage rights are with you, her jurisdiction still lies with the Silver Oath."

Rod laughed, "As you said, it’s none of your business how I use her, is it?"

The one-eyed man’s face darkened, but his tone remained respectful.

"Lord Rod, the Silver Oath is directly overseen by the First Defense Chief Dalin and Archbishop Horus. Your authority cannot exceed theirs. Please let her go, we need to take her back to the Silver Oath; she must pay a heavy price for her actions."

Rod coldly said, "I disagree."

The one-eyed man stepped forward, his tone turning frosty.

"Then I’m sorry, Lord Rod."

Rod frowned, "One-eyed man, are your eyes not working? Didn’t you notice that both Dalin and Horus are my backing? Did you not see that the town has been cleared when you came? The expedition has been a huge success, and I will soon become a noble in the Royal City, surely entering the highest ranks of Trolian. Think about the consequences of offending me."

The one-eyed man was silent for a few seconds, but he was not deterred by Rod’s threats.

"Sorry, Lord Rod, duty calls."

He held his trident and stepped forward.

Rod sneered, "I’d like to see how you’ll take her away."

He turned around to shield Mephisto, facing the one-eyed man head-on.

The two sides stood in a standoff for a moment; the people in white robes were unable to take Mephisto past Rod and did not dare to strike him lightly.

But Mephisto walked out from behind him, saying softly, "Kaka, take me away."

The one-eyed man waved his hand, "Take her!"

Rod desperately said, "Mephisto, you..."

Mephisto turned around, smiled, and said, "Don’t worry, I’m just going back to reorganize the curses. When the sealing is complete, I’ll return."

With a series of clicks, the people in white robes leaped forward, dozens of silver tridents locking onto her neck, hands, and feet.

Rod angrily said, "Let go, one-eyed man, take good care of her, or you won’t be able to leave! I mean it!"

The one-eyed man bowed, "As you wish, Lord Rod."

He waved his hand, "Release!"

The tridents were lowered, the one-eyed man respectfully said, "Lord Rod, please rest assured, we will not harm her."

Rod sighed inwardly, only stepping aside.

"Go ahead."

The one-eyed man exhaled deeply and immediately waved his hand, "Go."

The group surrounded Mephisto, ascended into the air, and quickly disappeared from sight.