Chapter Thirty-Six: The Power of the Holy Lord's Soul

Looking at his own reflection, Roland gently extended his hand to touch the illusionary yet tangible dragon shadow in the mirror. Only when his fingers met the cold barrier of glass did he withdraw his hand with a hint of regret.

The longer he gazed into those eyes in the mirror, burning like twin flames, the clearer his own features became. No matter how broad the standard for judgment, he understood that he was no longer human. He had hesitated before making his decision, but now that he had truly become this, those unnecessary emotions had simply vanished.

No matter what happened, he was still himself—Roland would always be Roland.

"I can see so clearly now..."

Only now did Roland begin to examine the changes in his body. The most obvious was his sight. Throughout his years as a student, while he had never needed glasses, his eyesight had been only average. Now, however, he could see with perfect clarity even the trajectory of dust motes floating in the afternoon sunlight. When he concentrated, it was as if the swirling dust moved in slow motion.

"Exceptional dynamic vision... and night vision as well?" He swept his gaze lightly across the room. Even in the deep of night, the shadowed corners untouched by lamp light were revealed to him without obstruction.

Yet compared to the transformation of his body, the enhancement of his sight was almost nothing. Now, when Roland clenched his fist, he could feel the power surging and rolling within him, eager to burst forth. He had always exercised regularly, but this was nothing like before. He could hear his heart pumping blood, and if he focused on any part of his body, he could sense the strength and resilience of his muscles.

Yet his physique appeared unchanged. Maintaining the structure of a human, he now possessed a strength that made Roland doubt whether the blood coursing through his veins was still blood at all.

"Let's give it a try."

Buoyed by his now powerful body, Roland's curiosity grew. Tensing his legs ever so slightly, he leaped—and effortlessly touched the ceiling with his fingertips.

Compared to before, this exertion wasn’t even as much as a casual hop. Roland could sense that if he wished, he could easily jump to the roof of a three- or four-story building without a running start.

But Roland understood that this was not an enhancement granted by his spirit contract, but rather a subsidiary reward from the sublimation of his soul.

Even with the many changes in his emotions, Roland could sense only indifference from the deep crimson eyes in the mirror. As if humans would never truly regard insects, anyone looked upon by these eyes would feel only fear and unease, as though being stared at by a natural predator.

"Is this the sense of alienation caused by the disparity between a body that interferes with reality and a noble soul?" Without need for deduction or evidence, the answer surfaced naturally in Roland's mind, as if he had always known it.

The strange sight in the mirror made Roland's lips curl into a faint smile. Then, as his breath deepened, a surge of blazing flame unconsciously erupted from his mouth. The gilded surface of the mirror melted at once under the searing breath, dripping onto the floor and leaving a charred mark as it slowly seeped deeper.

Even though he had prepared himself, the sudden act of breathing fire made Roland reflexively touch his throat, an instinct from his past life. It was a fire capable of melting metal and glass in an instant, yet his throat felt nothing unusual. On the contrary, a sense of pleasure and relief lingered, as if he had simply taken a few deep breaths.

"Lord Roland? Are you all right?" Sakura Matou jumped down from the sofa, looking at the stunned Roland with concern.

"For now, it seems nothing is wrong," Roland returned to himself, glancing at the ruined mirror before speaking to Sakura. "Sakura, I need another mirror. Please help me fetch the one from the cabinet in the storeroom—"

Perhaps because he was somewhat agitated, Roland noticed that his voice seemed to bypass his vocal cords and vibrate directly through the air. It was hoarse, low, and alluringly demonic, like a voice burned by fire yet magnetic in its strangeness.

At his call, Sakura paused before she could move, and Roland swallowed the rest of his words.

—for a full-length mirror had already been brought before him by two servants, their skin ash-grey, bodies wrapped entirely in black ninja garb.

In the darkness of the room, shifting shadows moved like the tendrils of Roland’s will, winding and swirling around him like snakes, enclosing him at the center. One after another, black-clad ninjas appeared, each holding a mirror of different shape and size. Until Roland seemed to stand in a labyrinth of mirrors, the shadowy ninjas knelt on one knee, raising the mirrors high with both hands and bowing their heads like vassals paying homage to their sovereign.

Roland slowly looked around. In the overlapping reflections, the demon with a dragon’s head and human body faithfully mirrored his current form, displaying a ferocious and terrifying smile.

He gently stroked the Key of All Souls in his hand, carefully reading the contract spirit information for the Lord’s Soul.

—Contract Spirit: [Lord’s Soul] (Contracted)
Manifestation: Your reflection in the mirror will reveal the true form of your soul.
Effect: The Lord’s influence will elevate your soul, making you as noble as itself. Furthermore, because of your innate superiority, the Lord despises all beings inferior to him. When making promises, if the other party cannot earn your respect, he requires that you not keep such promises. During the contract, you will become cunning and possessive of power.
Bestowed Abilities:
Demon Soul: You possess the Lord’s eternal and indestructible soul, capable of withstanding travel between dimensions and possessing or controlling beings of lower rank. You may be defeated but cannot be killed.
Demonic Fire Aura: You are the noble dragon of divine fire; your flames devour all, obeying only their sole master. You can use your aura to create followers and corrupt others.
Worn Thousandfold Wisdom: This was once the pinnacle of wisdom, able to alter the stars and distort truth itself. Yet in the hellish dimension where even time decays, this wisdom has been worn down to little more than a beast’s, but even so, its vastness remains beyond mortal reach.
Chained Shadow Power: One of the peak achievements of the Thousandfold Wisdom. By using a spell, the Lord seized the authority over the Shadow Kingdom, harnessing its power and binding it to his soul. This authority is equivalent to that of General Nijar.
Favor of the Dark Aura: The will of the world’s shadow side has bestowed you with supreme favor. You will possess a vast destiny, able to influence the course of the world itself, and your wishes will always come true. No matter your state, you will inspire absolute confidence—those of malignant nature will trust you all the more. Whenever you encounter danger, the greater the peril, the stronger the rebound of fate and the more generous the world’s gifts to you.
Requirement for Integration: Resurrection

"So this is the power of the Lord’s Soul."

Even after reading it more than once, Roland could not suppress his awe. Unlike Yoshikage Kira, there was no need for further explanation. Even though the price seemed high, the Lord’s Soul lived up to its rank. Even as a soul alone, it manifested its power in the most direct and undeniable way.