Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings

Chapter 63.6: Someday’s Memories I

Sea Demon Strauf, Winged Slayer Despia, Leopard King Ambre, Explosive Demon Heres.

These powerful magical beasts, known as the Four Great Beasts, suddenly appeared in the kingdom, causing massive destruction across the land.

After all of them were defeated, an even greater threat to the world emerged—the disaster known as Demon King Rath.

Thanks to the efforts of a group centered around Abel Carrot, a first-year student at the Royal Magic Academy—the so-called protagonist faction—the kingdom, and humanity as a whole, was saved from crisis.

During the kingdom’s struggle against these threats, while the royal army and Abel’s faction fought valiantly, the current generation’s monsters—Raymond and the individuals who would later be known as the Four Heavenly Kings—did not make any moves.

Why?

It was because, to Raymond and his group, the invasion of the Four Great Beasts and the resurrection of the Demon King were trivial matters.

Moreover, Raymond and his group had already been planning the kingdom’s overthrow by this time, so the Four Great Beasts and the Demon King served to conveniently weaken the kingdom’s forces.

As a result, the Four Great Beasts and the Demon King were quickly eliminated by Abel’s faction, resulting in minimal damage to the kingdom.

Nevertheless, while the royal army and Abel’s faction were dealing with the Four Great Beasts and the Demon King, Raymond’s faction also advanced their plans in the shadows.

They traveled around various dungeons, defeating the monsters that emerged and transforming them into shadow familiars for Rofus, thereby bolstering their strength and means for the kingdom’s overthrow.

Rofus continued to absorb the monsters from numerous dungeons as military strength, eventually leading an army of over a million monsters.

Among them, the wolf-type monsters were particularly efficient, and Rofus frequently used them, earning him the nickname “Shadow Wolf.”

Raymond’s rebellion against the kingdom occurred shortly after Abel and his group had defeated the Demon King.

It was some time after Abel and Raymond had advanced to upperclassmen.

While Abel and his group were away from the academy to hunt down the surviving monsters left by the Demon King, Raymond’s faction seized the academy to use it as a base for their rebellion.

The students couldn’t stop Raymond and his group, and although the academy’s high-level magic-using faculty and the headmaster resisted, they were helpless against the Four Heavenly Kings who had risen up.

Vallum, the Dragon Rider, and August, the Adamantine, overwhelmed the faculty with their immense strength and violence. Anne, the Thorn, took control of the academy’s strong barrier, completely blocking external interference.

Meanwhile, the shadow familiars created by Rofus, the Shadow Wolf, were unleashed throughout the kingdom.

The kingdom’s entire military opposed them, but faced with the endless regenerating army of a million monsters, the soldiers fell one after another.

There were some powerful soldiers in the kingdom’s army with attributes effective against darkness, but Raymond’s summoned beasts dealt with them.

It took less than three days for the army to cease functioning.

In other words, Raymond took down the entire kingdom in just three days after rising in rebellion.

The kingdom sent a subjugation army to the academy, which served as Raymond’s base, but all were annihilated.

Even the Royal Guard, deployed as a last resort, could not defeat Raymond and his group.

The area around the academy was within the range of Rofus’s ultra-wide magical detection, and merely approaching the premises caused a rain of dark magic to descend.

Even if one managed to break through that, Anne’s barrier prevented entry into the premises, completely blocking all forms of magic.

Those who somehow broke through the barrier were defeated by August, the Adamantine.

The kingdom’s strongest Royal Guard couldn’t even get past August, the first line of defense, and were completely wiped out.

When the kingdom effectively conceded defeat to the five members of Raymond’s faction, Abel and his group, having gained power from the Shrines of the Six Gods, returned.

Determined to stop Raymond, the second Demon King, Abel and his group headed to the academy.

The outcome was—

＊

This is the memory of someone from some time.

Determined to stop Raymond, the second Demon King, Abel and his group returned to the academy.

They dodged the dark magic raining down from the Shadow Wolf and pierced the barrier with the powerful abilities they gained from the Six Gods, finally infiltrating the academy grounds.

There, August, the Adamantine, the first of Raymond’s Four Heavenly Kings, stood in their way.

August, a giant over 2 meters tall with an immensely muscular physique, possessed the strongest body in the kingdom.

No matter what attacks Abel’s group launched, they couldn’t leave a scratch on his incredibly tough body.

His physical strength, capable of piercing the ground, smashing rocks, and carving mountains, made any form of defense meaningless and any attack futile.

Abel appealed to August.

Many had died in this uprising.

This could never be forgiven.

But there was still a chance to turn back.

He wanted August to surrender and atone for his sins.

August laughed at Abel’s plea.

How foolish.

Only those in a position of superiority could call for surrender.

In their current state, Abel’s group had nothing to offer.

However, Abel’s group had a winning strategy.

They had received the means to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings from the Holy Maiden Fran’s “Divine Revelation.”

Despite his invincible body, August was still a living human.

The key to defeating him was to disrupt his life functions.

Faratiana’s water spirit, Lunamar, cast a spell on August.

The Water Prison.

Water formed a giant sphere around August.

No matter how much August struggled, the water would not disperse.

Breathing was restricted, and August’s consciousness began to fade.

Abel continued to plead.

He didn’t want to kill him; he wanted August to surrender.

August responded with retaliation.

August’s body began to transform.

His skin turned into something stronger than dragon scales or minerals, two spiral horns grew on his head, and his eyes shone blue like jewels.

He no longer looked human but rather like a monster.

This was High-End Demonization.

A state reached by a very few with the talent among those who wield magic.

Its essence was transforming the body in accordance with the nature of one’s magic.

It was a descent into the abyss of magic, turning from a human into a monster.

The appearance and nature of High-End Demonization varied for each individual.

In the case of August, the Adamantine, it was a further super-enhancement of his already strong body.

With a light swing of his rock-like arm, the water prison around him shattered.

“…You said you didn’t want to kill. Only those with choices can say such words. Abel, you fool. Did you think you had any choice other than defeat?”

August’s voice was no longer that of a human.

In the next moment, August appeared before Abel with a speed invisible to the eye and struck him in the abdomen.

To August, it was a light blow without much force, but for a human, it was a devastating impact that could easily shatter the body.

Breaking through the instantaneously formed cushion of water and wind like popping a balloon, August’s fist pierced Abel’s abdomen.

Abel spat blood from his mouth.

His companions screamed in horror.

“Seems you’ve gained some power, but it’s still just this much. After all, you are no match for Raymond…”

“—I’m sorry.”

Cutting off August’s words, Abel quietly apologized while vomiting blood.

“August, I never liked you during our school life. But I swear, not once did I ever want to kill you. So, I’m really sorry—don’t forgive me.”

Abel’s body became enveloped in flames.

The flames also engulfed August.

“…? A suicide attack? But now, with flames of this level—”

August could not continue his words.

The flames Abel could currently produce wouldn’t have the power to harm a demonized August.

Yet, the flames continued to burn, surrounding August.

Consuming the surrounding oxygen.

August realized he couldn’t breathe.

“Hmph, if water doesn’t work, then flames? If that’s the case, I’ll just punch you and your flames away…”

August, who had his physical strength enhanced by demonization, lightly swung his fist, creating shockwaves with the pressure alone.

Just like with the water prison earlier, the flames should have been blown away. But no matter how many times he swung his fist, the flames did not detach.

And somehow, even when he struck Abel, his body seemed to waver as if melting into the flames.

His breathing became erratic, and August began to panic.

“Impossible!? What is this…”

“My body is now entirely made of flames. Physical attacks are meaningless.”

This was a pseudo-demonization high-end, achievable only because Abel had the maximum protection of the fire god.

Innocent Flare of Sinless Flames.

Transformed into flames, Abel would not leave August until he succumbed to respiratory failure.

August struggled, but the more he struggled, the more he consumed the oxygen in his body, weakening his strength.

“Impossible…! With something like this…”

As August struggled in agony, Abel enveloped him in flames as if embracing him.

“…Hate me.”

“I… we… wanted Raymond to be king…”

With those final words, the light in August’s jewel-like blue eyes faded.

Despite dominating with overwhelming strength, August of the Vajra was defeated here.

＊

The entire school building was covered in thorns that harmed anyone who touched them.

Thorn Barrier—true to her alias “Thorn,” Annegelt specialized in thorn magic.

Annegelt’s family, the Count Triandaphyllia, possessed rare plant-based magic among the elements.

Annegelt didn’t have a strong body like August or enormous magic power like Rofus.

The power that attracted Raymond to the average-bodied and magically average Annegelt was her exceptional magical skills.

Analyzing spells and precise magic control were her forte.

Annegelt Lu Triandaphyllia was the kingdom’s foremost magical researcher.

Hence, she easily took control of the highly advanced magical barrier around the school.

Annegelt, who had woven a barrier around the school, knew what was happening inside as if it were in the palm of her hand.

Therefore, she was the first to know of August’s defeat.

Before the death of her comrade, Annegelt bit her lip and braced herself to face Abel and his companions.

In the garden covered in thorny vines.

“Anne, please surrender.”

It was Abel who spoke first as they met.

But Annegelt shrugged in exasperation.

“…Abel Carrot. Are you stupid? We have rebelled against the kingdom. If caught, we’ll face execution. Or do you think I look like someone who wants to die?”

“I promise you won’t be killed. I don’t want any more casualties.”

“How kind.”

Annegelt smiled at Abel’s words.

Unlike the other Four Heavenly Kings, Annegelt wasn’t entirely enthusiastic about Raymond’s plan.

Raymond once aimed to correct the absurdities and injustices of the world.

However, Raymond had become twisted.

Now, he was using extreme measures to achieve his goals.

The kingdom’s overthrow plan, with its devastating impact on the kingdom’s army, was precisely what Raymond despised—absurdity and injustice.

Annegelt had doubts about following the changed Raymond.

However, the deed was already done.

The overturned water basin could not be returned to its original state.

“I appreciate the offer, but you must know the extent of the kingdom army’s damage. After causing all this, do you think we can just turn back now?”

“The root cause of the damage is the dark monsters, not you, Anne…”

“What nonsense. Are you saying it wasn’t me but Rofus who did it?”

Annegelt glared at Abel with irritation.

“Listen, it was us… who did this. Rofus’s sin is our sin. It’s something we all bear. You too, Abel Carrot. You took the life of my comrade August. It’s his own fault, I know that well. But I’m not so magnanimous as to stay silent after my comrade was killed.”

After quietly saying this, Annegelt took a syringe from her pocket and injected herself in the neck with a drug-like substance.

“W-what are you doing…!”

Ignoring the braced Abel and his companions, Annegelt shrugged.

“I’m just an ordinary person, unlike those other monsters. I don’t have a strong body or immense magical power. I’m just a count’s daughter with a bit of magic. So, I have to push myself a bit to catch up—”

Leaves and vines sprouted from Annegelt’s body, and roots extended from her feet into the ground.

It was the same transformation seen in August, turning the body into a monster—demonization high-end.

However, Annegelt did not originally have the capacity to achieve this.

The drug in the syringe was something Annegelt had mixed herself.

A drug that forcibly induced demonization, granting immense power temporarily.

However, the cost was the user’s lifespan being consumed like water.

In return, the power boost was far greater than normal demonization.

Life-risking demonization.

This was the path Annegelt, an ordinary person, chose to stand alongside the other monsters.

“Die here.”

At Annegelt’s words, countless thorny vines covering the garden twisted like snakes and attacked Abel and his companions.

All the thorns spread throughout the school were under Annegelt’s control, and they all targeted Abel and his companions.