Hero of Darkness

On the following day, Kahn was following his practice sessions in swordsmanship and battle techniques inside the batcave. He had halted off his training in magic and other weapons for now.

After yesterday's incident, he had become more aware of his current predicament and how he was bound to be found sooner anyway. So he created a counterattack plan yesterday with Albestros.

The subordinates with human form had yet to return since he sent all of them away yesterday because a fourth stage saint would definitely detect them as monsters so he couldn't take the risk.

Aside from Rudra & Blackwall who were hidden inside his shadow and were undetectable to a swordsman even if he was a saint, all of them had been tasked with gathering and tallying the money from his matches.

When he finally finished his rigorous training for the day, Kahn took out a wooden box from his space rings and opened its lead.

A glimmering white orb was taken out of the box and Kahn stared at it with expectant eyes.

This was the core of the first stage saint magician from the vampire clan, Kereberos Mor Vandereich. One of the elders of the vampire clan who had targeted Kahn back in the day.

Using Kahn, Ismaetrazel found out the traitor and then used him to find the traitors of their whole faction which led to a grand ceremony of public execution throughout the Rakos empire.

And on the very same day when they were all burned.. Kahn went to the site and ordered Ronin who was hidden in Szayel Mor Vandereich's shadow as per his previous commands, to steal this saint's core.

Kahn took that calculative risk because it was the only way for Kahn to get a core of a first stage saint without getting killed. And after a month, Ronin was finally able to deliver it when Kahn welcomed Szayel as his guest in the new manor.

Since he was too weak back then, he couldn't utilize this core. And even now, he had to become level 200 first and then eat this core to become a full-fledged saint rank individual.

Kahn realized that apart from increasing his levels, he also has to keep increasing his mastery and absorb more world energy for breaking through to new saint ranks in the future.

Because it was like a condition to break the bottleneck and he can't skip it even with his Divine ability because it only helped him absorb abilities but not make his own body more suitable to adapt to world energy.

And since War Deity Body wouldn't come into effect until he became a first stage saint first, Kahn had no choice but to look for a different method.

"System, can I absorb it now or somehow extract the world energy from this core?" asked Kahn.

[The host currently does not possess any skill that could help in absorbing mana or world energy without directly eating the source such as the core in the host's hands.] responded the system in its usual robotic voice.

[And the core is highly condensed with world energy. The host's body is currently unable to sustain the absorption procedure.] spoke the system again.

"Then what about the First Emperor's core? You once said I can use it as an alternative source of mana, right? It also has world energy in it." questioned Kahn.

[The host is advised to use the peak saint's core only after becoming a first stage saint rank individual. Otherwise, the host's body will explode.] reminded the system again.

"Aishh.. Looks like I really don't have other alternatives for now.

Wait.. What if I eat the cores of monsters with higher ranks? They too will have world energy, right?"

[Yes. But the host must eat at least a Legendary rank monster's core. And it should be a fully matured one unlike the core of the Somir host once ate. Because the saturated world energy is too weak in such entities.] informed system.

"Wait a minute.. If that's the case.

Then doesn't it mean I can absorb it by eating the cores of the other semi-saints?" asked Kahn as a light bulb shone over his head.

[Yes. It is indeed possible. But it shall depend upon the amount of world energy absorbed by such individuals.] said the system.

"I see. Let's hope I get to kill a fair share of semi-saint in the future. That seems like the fastest way." spoke Kahn with a sinister smile.

----------------

In the blink of an eye.. 10 more days passed and finally, the day of the Semifinal had arrived.

2 days prior, Kahn had a meeting with Albestros and all of his subordinates. They devised a plan that came to his mind a few days ago and how best to implement it.

And on the same day, his opponent he'd have to fight in the semifinals was also declared throughout the empire.

A known and well-established semi-saint rank individual of the young generation in this competition.

Not only was his opponent a fan favorite but extremely skilled at the same time.

And he had no choice but to acknowledge the pure talent, raw strength and impeccable mastery over the battle techniques of this opponent whom he didn't hope to clash with this soon.

But it looked like the world had different plans for him.

Unlike Kahn, the opponent had a big background and as for the Emperor's Chosen competition and the opponent's relationship..

There was a legacy attached to their name.

Because the opponent was someone who Kahn had seen fight and win in the quarterfinals right in front of his eyes.

On the day of the match, Kahn changed his appearance to an Elf and traveled to the battle arena in the richest district of the whole empire.

And after he reverted to his original appearance and finally entered the 3 kilometer wide battle ring in the middle of the 25 floored and 7 kilometer circumference battle arena..

He stood in front of his opponent. His eyes and mind focused because the opponent in front of him was a real deal.

It was none other than the chosen representative of the Demi-Human faction and the son of the previous Emperor's Chosen champion..

Victor Apopis!