Morveth looked down at the severed arm in his hand.

Blood still dripped slowly from the cut end, warm and thick.

The muscles were dense, far denser than any human flesh he had ever seen.

"…Interesting," Morveth muttered.

He raised the arm slightly and tore off a small piece near the forearm.

Just a bite. Nothing more.

He brought it to his mouth and ate it.

The moment the flesh touched his tongue, Morveth froze.

His eyes widened.

"…What?"

A surge ran through his body.

It wasn't violent. It wasn't explosive.

It was clean. Refined. Powerful.

Morveth inhaled sharply as the runes across his body lit up all at once.

His breath caught in his chest as his internal seals shifted, tightening and rearranging on their own.

"…My power," he said slowly. "It increased."

Zathrek stiffened.

"…Count Morveth?"

Morveth clenched his fist.

Just one bite.

Just that much.

And his strength had risen noticeably.

His mana felt denser. His authority sharper. The seals in his body felt more complete, more stable.

Morveth slowly looked back down at the remaining arm.

"…If this much came from a single bite," he said quietly, "then eating the whole thing…"

His eyes narrowed.

"…I would step into Duke territory."

Zathrek's breath hitched.

"…A Demon Duke?"

Morveth did not answer right away.

Instead, he calmly sliced the hand part of the whole arm.

He turned and tossed it toward Zathrek.

"Take it," Morveth said.

Zathrek caught it instinctively.

"…Count?" he said, confused.

Morveth looked at him.

"You served well," he said. "And you earned it."

Zathrek stared at the flesh in his hands.

His fingers trembled.

"…You mean…"

"Eat," Morveth said simply.

Zathrek swallowed.

Then he did.

The moment the flesh entered his mouth, Zathrek let out a sharp breath.

"…Ah!"

Power surged through him violently.

Ash exploded from his body as his aura flared uncontrollably.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as his presence expanded, pressing outward in all directions.

Zathrek fell to one knee, clutching his chest.

His body shook.

The ash around him thickened, becoming heavier, denser, and more oppressive.

His domain pressure spiked without him even activating it.

"…This power," Zathrek gasped. "This is..."

His runes burned brighter.

His authority deepened.

His unstable Baron-level presence stabilized and expanded.

Zathrek's eyes snapped open.

"…Count."

He slowly stood up.

"…I'm a Demon Count."

He laughed.

A deep, satisfied laugh.

"Haha… so strong," Zathrek said, ash rolling off his shoulders. "This is what it feels like."

He looked at Morveth with raw excitement.

"A Demon Count… finally."

Morveth watched him calmly.

"Control yourself," Morveth said. "This is only the beginning."

Then Morveth turned back to the remaining part of Garion's arm.

He did not hesitate and ate it.

All of it.

The moment the last piece vanished, the world around him shifted.

The air froze.

The seals on Morveth's body rearranged violently, carving deeper into his flesh as new runes formed on top of old ones.

The pressure released from his body was no longer that of a Count.

It was heavier, sharper, and absolute.

The ground beneath him shattered outward in a wide circle.

Morveth exhaled slowly.

"…I see," he said.

His voice was calmer than before.

"…So this is it."

He straightened fully.

The Seal Domain around them trembled, then expanded without command.

Space itself felt tighter, more controlled, as if reality was being told to behave.

Zathrek took an instinctive step back.

"…Duke," he whispered.

Morveth looked down at his own hand.

"…Demon Duke," he said.

He closed his fingers slowly.

"…From a human."

He lifted his gaze toward Garion.

But the moment his eyes locked onto where Garion had been standing...

He was gone.

Morveth's smile froze.

"…What?"

His head snapped left. Then right.

The road was empty.

The blood on the ground was still there. The pressure of Garion's presence was still lingering.

But Garion himself...

"…Where did he go?" Morveth muttered.

Zathrek frowned and quickly scanned the surroundings. "Did he escape?"

Morveth's brow furrowed deeply.

"No," he said slowly. "He couldn't have."

Then it hit him.

Morveth's eyes widened slightly as he felt it.

"…Tch."

He clenched his fist.

During his evolution...

During that brief moment of growth and restructuring... his focus had shifted inward.

The seals he placed on Garion had wavered.

Not fully broken.

But unstable.

"…Damn it," Morveth hissed. "I lost control for a moment."

His expression darkened.

"My elixir," he growled. "Where did he go?"

Before Morveth could think further...

A calm voice spoke from behind him.

"You really did grow strong."

Morveth's body stiffened.

Zathrek spun around.

Garion was standing there.

Behind them.

Close.

Blood still ran down his body. One arm was gone. His breathing was rough.

But his eyes were sharp.

Focused.

"And to think," Garion continued, "my flesh could push you that far."

He raised his remaining hand slowly.

"But now," he said, "you can't seal me properly anymore."

His eyes narrowed.

"So I'll finish this."

Mana surged.

Garion poured everything into his left arm. Muscles tightened.

Veins stood out sharply as power gathered.

He stepped forward and threw a punch.

Then...

His body lifted off the ground.

"…What?"

Garion's eyes widened as his feet left the road.

His punch stopped halfway, his arm frozen in midair.

An invisible force held him there.

Suspended.

Morveth turned slowly, looking at Garion floating helplessly in front of him.

Then he laughed.

"Haha…" Morveth said. "You really thought it would be that easy?"

Garion gritted his teeth, trying to move.

Nothing worked.

Morveth stepped closer, his presence heavier than before.

"I am a Demon Duke now," Morveth said calmly. "Did you think my abilities stayed the same?"

He raised one finger.

"Before, I sealed mana."

Another finger.

"Movement."

Another.

"Reaction."

He looked up slightly.

"And now…"

The air around Garion visibly distorted.

"I seal the air itself."

Garion felt it instantly.

The space around his body hardened. Not pressure. Not weight.

Restriction.

Every breath felt locked in place. Even shifting his fingers felt impossible.

"…Tch," Garion muttered.

Morveth smirked.

"Now you understand," he said. "This is the difference between a Count and a Duke."

He leaned in slightly, eyes cold.

"You will not fall."

"You will not escape."

"And you will not die quickly."

Zathrek stepped forward, ash swirling proudly around him.

"Congratulations, Duke Morveth," he said, bowing slightly.

Morveth glanced at him and smiled.

"Hah," he said. "Good. Very good."

He looked back at Garion.

"I'll give you more of his flesh later," Morveth added casually. "You earned it."

Zathrek straightened, eyes gleaming.

"Thank you, Duke," he said.

Morveth paused.

Then corrected him with a faint grin.

"…Count Zathrek."

Zathrek froze for a heartbeat.

Then his smile widened uncontrollably.

"…Count," he repeated. "Yes."

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