"You’ve lost, Ignis. Admit defeat!"
Malverna slowly returned to her original form. The Demon Emperor Zerathos also reverted to his previous form.
However, unlike before, his condition was terrible. Both his arms had been severed, and one of his legs was broken.
A gaping hole pierced the right side of his stomach.
Blood covered half of his face, making him look utterly pitiful.
"Hah... Hah... Hah..."
Even breathing had become difficult. Yet, that was hardly surprising.
He had sacrificed himself to obtain the power of the Demon God.
As a result, he now had to endure this fate.
Malverna opened her right palm. In an instant, a sword of black fire formed in her grasp.
She pointed its tip at Zerathos’s neck and asked coldly, "Any last words before I destroy you?"
Demon Emperor Zerathos slowly opened his heavy eyelids and looked at Malverna with sorrow.
"Master, are you... cough... really... going to do... this?"
Although he hated Malverna, they had once been master and disciple.
With their combined strength, the demon race would have surely risen and become the sole rulers of the continent.
Malverna remained silent, showing no intention of answering. With an indifferent expression, she swung her sword from left to right.
Slash!
The blade severed his head. Demon Emperor Zerathos’s eyes widened for a moment before slowly losing their luster.
The Demon Emperor, who had spread terror for months and was feared across the entire continent, was finally... dead.
Malverna twisted her black flame sword, then released her grip. The weapon vanished at once.
"He’s finally dead," she muttered with a long sigh.
She confirmed that Ignis’s life force had completely disappeared.
Pressing a hand against her chest, Malverna felt no surge of joy.
She smiled faintly and whispered, ’Even if I don’t feel it, I do feel relieved.’
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t happy. However, that happiness was far weaker than she had imagined.
"Well done, Malverna. You finally got your revenge." A soft voice came from behind her.
She turned to see Nolan appear out of thin air.
Malverna’s smile widened as she asked, "Have you been watching this whole time?"
Nolan walked toward her and nodded slowly.
"Yes. I’ve been watching you. I have to admit, whether it’s you or Zerathos, you are truly remarkable. No wonder you both once ruled the demon race and were feared by all other races," he said sincerely.
Malverna was surprised by his words. Throughout her time with Nolan, she had never seen him praise anyone.
Even Cedric, Aldric, or others she herself considered great had never received such praise.
Of course, he still gave small compliments, but they were limited to ordinary admiration.
Just now, however, Malverna was certain that Nolan had been truly amazed by her. His words had sounded genuinely sincere.
For the first time, Malverna felt a surge of happiness rise within her.
She quickly hid it behind a calm expression and gave a small nod.
"Thank you for the compliment," she replied casually.
Nolan glanced at her and couldn’t help but smile meaningfully.
How could he fail to notice her emotions?
However, he knew that if he pointed them out, Malverna would surely become embarrassed and run away.
"By the way..." Nolan glanced at the body of Demon Emperor Zerathos before asking curiously, "I saw you using the power of space and black fire earlier. How did you do that? Did you learn it in secret?"
Malverna nodded shyly. "Yes, I learned it secretly. You’re not angry... are you?"
She glanced at Nolan with a hint of fear. She understood how secretive and important one’s combat techniques were.
She didn’t want anyone to imitate her abilities—not even her former disciple, Ignis.
Nolan laughed warmly and gently patted her head.
"Angry? How could I be?" He shook his head. "On the contrary, I’m very happy. You know how difficult those techniques are to learn, right?"
Malverna glanced at Nolan’s hand resting on her head and felt no irritation. Deep down, she had already come to regard Nolan as her true master.
If Nolan had asked her to die, she would have done so without hesitation.
Of course, she was too embarrassed to admit it and chose to bury those feelings deep within her heart.
"Yes, those two techniques—space and black fire—are very difficult. I’ve been studying them for two months, yet I’ve only reached the most basic stage. My talent is truly terrible," she lamented.
If only she had more time, she was sure she could master them, at least to an initial level.
Nolan: "..."
The corner of his mouth twitched, and for a moment, he felt the urge to smack this woman on the head.
But he quickly composed himself and said, exasperated, "Your talent is amazing, Malverna. I’m not flattering you—this is the absolute truth."
Malverna froze. She looked at Nolan’s handsome face and saw no trace of a joke.
Before she could respond, Nolan continued, "I don’t know how you came to possess such talent. If I had to describe it, you are like a daughter beloved by the world. The powers of space and black fire are exclusive to me. A few people can use the power of space, but their understanding is extremely limited."
He paused, exhaled deeply, and added, "Not to mention, the power of space requires a special talent and cannot be learned without it. Yet somehow, you can use it. If one day you become the Eighth Singularity, I wouldn’t be surprised."
Hearing the words "Eighth Singularity," Malverna’s heart began to race.
"The Eighth Singularity, you say?" she whispered, swallowing nervously.
She considered herself strong, but she was still no match for the Singularities.
After all, she had seen firsthand how terrifying they were—especially Nolan, whose power was truly beyond comprehension.
"I’m not exaggerating," Nolan said firmly. "What I said is true. The journey is long, but I am certain of it."
He patted Malverna on the shoulder to reassure her. In truth, whether she became the Eighth Singularity or not wouldn’t change the authority he held over her.
The contract that bound them was unbreakable—even by the Singularities.
Moreover, Nolan trusted Malverna deeply. Although she often wore an indifferent, cold, and irritating expression, in reality, she was fiercely loyal to him.
This was clear from the way she had cared for Elina and Rafine while he was away on the northern continent.
Malverna fell silent at his words, unsure how to respond to such high praise.
"Oh, right, Malverna. Can you heal Zerathos’ body—no, Cassian’s body?" Nolan asked.
Malverna nodded. Without a word, she waved her left hand.
Instantly, the wounds on the Demon Emperor Zerathos’s body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Then, under their gaze, his eyelids slowly opened, revealing a pair of dazed, weak brown eyes.
"Where... am I?"