Count Morveth watched the scene quietly.

Zathrek was still standing, but it was obvious now.

This human was far stronger than Morveth had first judged.

Strong enough to ignore an Ash Domain and break through Ash restraints like they were nothing.

Morveth's eyes narrowed.

"…Enough," he said.

Zathrek, still recovering his balance, turned his head slightly. "Count Morveth?"

"I will assist," Morveth said calmly. "This is no longer something a Baron should handle alone."

Zathrek clenched his teeth but nodded. "…As you command."

Morveth stepped forward.

The runes carved into his body began to glow brighter, spreading a sharp pressure through the air.

The ground beneath their feet vibrated faintly, not from force, but from restriction.

[Absolute Seal Domain]

The space around them shifted.

Zathrek's [Ashbound Dominion] trembled, then weakened.

The ash lost its flow, its pressure thinning as overlapping seal layers pressed down on it.

Zathrek felt his domain being suppressed, forced inward.

"…My domain," Zathrek muttered.

Morveth ignored him.

Inside the sealed space, Garion felt it immediately.

"…Oh," Garion said, blinking once. "That's new."

His body still felt fine, but something else was wrong.

Mana no longer responded.

He reached inward out of habit.

Nothing moved.

At the same time, Morveth's gaze locked onto him.

[Warden's Restriction]

An invisible weight settled on Garion.

Limitation.

Garion rolled his shoulder slightly and frowned.

"…My mana's sealed," he said. "Can't use it at all."

Zathrek heard that and laughed.

"Now you're finished," Zathrek said, straightening. "Without mana, you're nothing."

Morveth did not smile. He simply watched.

Zathrek took a step forward, ash gathering around his arms again.

"Now that you're sealed," Zathrek said, voice sharp, "let me kill you properly."

He slammed one foot down.

[Ash Shackles]

The ground split as thick bands of ash surged up and wrapped around Garion's arms, legs, and torso.

The bindings tightened instantly, pulling hard, locking joints, crushing inward.

Zathrek didn't stop there.

Ash twisted and reshaped itself in midair into countless weapons.

All formed from dense, dark ash, hovering around him like an execution line.

He lunged forward.

Weapons came down from every angle.

Garion didn't dodge.

Steel-sharp ash blades struck his shoulders, arms, and side. They cut.

Blood appeared in thin lines. But none of the weapons pierced deep.

Zathrek's eyes widened.

"…What?"

He pulled back and attacked again, harder this time.

The weapons screamed through the air.

Still the same result.

Cuts.

Surface damage.

Nothing more.

Zathrek staggered back half a step.

"How is this possible?" he shouted. "You're sealed!"

His teeth clenched.

"You shouldn't be this strong!"

Garion looked down at the ash chains around his body.

Then he flexed.

The shackles cracked.

With a sharp sound, they shattered completely, breaking apart into useless ash that scattered across the ground.

Zathrek froze.

"…Impossible."

Garion lifted his head and smiled.

He vanished.

Zathrek's eyes widened in panic.

"Wha..."

Before he could turn, Garion was already past him.

Too fast.

The next thing Zathrek felt was wind rushing behind him.

Garion appeared directly behind Count Morveth.

"You're the source of the seal," Garion said calmly. "So let's deal with you first."

Morveth didn't step back.

He smirked.

"Do you really think you can kill me?" he asked.

Garion didn't answer.

He threw a straight punch.

The moment his fist reached Morveth's chest...

[Seal Array Flesh]

The runes on Morveth's body flared.

Garion's punch slowed unnaturally, like it was being dragged through thick space.

The force weakened, the motion delayed, as if invisible locks were clamping down on it.

Morveth didn't move.

"…You feel that?" Morveth said calmly. "You can't, can you?"

He looked down at Garion's arm.

"I am a Seal Demon," he continued. "My body itself is a seal."

His voice was cold and certain.

"Anyone who attacks me gets sealed on contact."

Garion frowned slightly.

So that's how it works.

Mana-based reinforcement was completely blocked.

But then Garion's expression changed.

He smiled.

"…Good to know."

Morveth narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Garion shifted his weight.

Then he drove his knee upward.

Morveth scoffed. "It's useless. You..."

The knee slammed into his stomach.

Hard.

Morveth's eyes widened.

His breath exploded out of his lungs as he bent forward violently.

"GHK!"

He staggered back, coughing, shock clear on his face.

"What… the hell…?"

Garion didn't stop.

He followed with a brutal kick to Morveth's side.

The impact sent the Demon Count flying backward, crashing across the ground and tearing a long trench through stone and dirt before stopping.

Morveth rolled once and barely managed to push himself up.

Blood dripped from his mouth.

Zathrek stared in disbelief.

"…Count Morveth?"

Morveth wiped his mouth slowly, staring at Garion like he was looking at something that shouldn't exist.

"How…" he muttered. "How can your attack still work?"

Garion rolled his shoulders once, completely relaxed.

"You sealed my mana," he said. "That's true."

He took a step forward.

"But you didn't seal my body."

His eyes sharpened.

"And let me tell you something."

He clenched his fist.

"Even without mana…"

He took another step, the ground cracking slightly under his foot.

"My body is stronger than most people are with it."

Morveth's expression finally changed.

The calm certainty in his eyes wavered, just a little.

"…I see," Morveth said. "So it's not just your mana. Your body itself is abnormal."

He straightened his posture, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"But don't misunderstand," he continued. "Raw physical ability alone is not enough to defeat me."

He lifted his chin slightly.

"I am Count Morveth."

Garion snorted.

"You're just a loud demon," he said. "What can you really do?"

Before Morveth could answer, Garion moved.

He rushed forward in a straight line, his fist pulling back and then snapping forward with full force.

The punch landed squarely, sending Morveth flying backward.

His body slid across the ground, carving a shallow trench before stopping.

Garion didn't slow down.

He followed instantly, stepping in and launching a powerful kick upward.

Morveth's body was sent into the air.

Garion jumped after him.

He twisted his body midair and brought his arm down in a brutal axe strike, smashing Morveth from behind and slamming him back toward the ground.

Dust and debris burst upward.

Garion landed lightly and looked down.

"What can you do?" he asked again.

Morveth pushed himself up slowly.

Then he smiled.

A calm, controlled smile.

"…Of course," Morveth said. "This."

The runes across Morveth's body pulsed once.

Garion suddenly felt wrong.

His right arm moved slower.

Almost twice as slow.

"…What?" Garion muttered. He swung his arm once, testing it. The motion lagged behind his intent.

"What happened?"

Morveth took a step forward, his movements perfectly smooth.

"You're inside my control now."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.