Chapter 264: The Movements of Brawlmanica's Dukedoms
Helmsley Dukedom.
A storm of energy was flooding inward toward a large building covered in reinforced metal plating and magical symbols. Various experts were fiercely patrolling the area to make sure no one came close to it. A joyous atmosphere could be felt throughout the surrounding area as a certain rumor had taken flight.
"The eldest young master Jerome Helmsley is breaking through into the Mortal Shedding Realm!"
"This truly is a joyous occasion for our Helmsley clan, especially in these trying times."
Voices of excitement, respect, and adoration could be heard far and wide. Naturally, the opposite could also be said for many individuals.
Jumanga quietly sat in a room with a dark expression on his face. The thought of Jerome completely ascending before him filled his mind with frustration, jealousy, and ire. Even so, he could never truly bring himself to hate his brother, no matter how their mothers had pitted them against one another. In fact, while he looked down on many of his relatives, including several siblings, he still harbored a semblance of care for them.
In his eyes, the Helmsley clan were sovereigns in this dog-eat-dog world where might was always right. Even though he deeply disliked Prince Hunter, he did not truly hate him either. To Jumanga, Hunter was simply a younger, more talented, and more farsighted version of Jerome. That said, there were certain existences he could never tolerate, such as the Night's Light Devouring Church and similar shadowy powers. This included the Black Reaper Corps of the White Star Radiance sect.
Ever since the day he witnessed the might and destruction of that black devil, something inside him had begun to shift. He found himself sensing things he had never been capable of perceiving before, and the realization drove him close to madness. With a wave of his hand, he channeled a cultivation art that the Helmsley clan generally did not practice. A dark, roaring energy formed in his palm, slowly deepening into an even darker shade as crimson energy began to coalesce within it.
"...Devil ki? But why? Could it be that our Helmsley clan is in some way related to…" Jumanga shuddered and swiftly denied the thought for the sake of his own sanity. Or at least, he tried.
His thoughts drifted to his subordinates who had returned in lost, absentminded states. Some had acted out violently, causing great disturbances before being imprisoned or dealt with through harsher means. Within them, he had sensed the same invasive devilish ki gnawing at their minds.
At the same time, he had managed to uncover and hunt down lurking experts connected to the Night's Light Devouring Church within the dukedom. Strangely, these individuals were not only instigating events but were also being affected themselves in unforeseen ways.
It was only after Jerome began breaking through that something deep within Jumanga truly started to awaken. The sensation frustrated him while amplifying his emotions beyond control. The mixture of feelings became so heavy that, over time, despair began to dominate as something he feared and despised seeped into his thoughts.
"Am I… becoming one of them? The damned people I hunted and hated? Devilish ki… and I'm even showing signs of breaking through into the Mortal Shedding Realm now." With bitter reluctance, Jumanga smiled to himself as he gazed in the direction of the energy flooding toward Jerome. "Perhaps this is fate. Heh… hahahaha. What a shitty fate. But fate nonetheless. Jerome is not what he appears to be on the surface. Father is simply too blind to see it. That no longer matters. I will live as a Helmsley and die as a Helmsley, even if I become a devil. I will slaughter all enemies of Helmsley. Zoro Tatsumaki… what exactly are you to our clan? Sect Master Solman…"
…
Inside a chamber within the very building where the energy converged, Jerome Helmsley sat cross-legged in deep meditation. Vast torrents of power surged through his veins as he concentrated. His body began to rupture as countless cracks spread across him, each glowing with an intense dark light. A steady mantra echoed from the void as the energy continued to coalesce.
After a time, a brilliant light burst forth from Jerome's body, accompanied by a shattering sound. The energy flooding toward him abruptly halted. He slowly opened his eyes, inspecting his transformed body, now filled with a power far beyond what he had once wielded.
"So this is the Mortal Shedding Realm. The true first step at the beginning of cultivation. I have gained clarity… and it seems I made the right choice after all. Father, I'm sorry, but for the sake of our clan, I cannot allow you to act foolishly. This faint sense of dread I feel must be related to what Royal Uncle Jean-Paul forcefully made me cultivate before he died in the war against the Fighting Brawlman Sect. Hunter… huh?! Prince Hunter has already broken through?!"
Jerome rose to his feet in shock, disbelief filling his gaze. Strangely, he could faintly sense Hunter's aura and general location despite the immense distance between them. At the same time, he felt another presence, far more vague yet vastly more terrifying, causing cold sweat to break across his body.
"...Could it be that Daoist Blue Heavens Sword is on the move?"
...
Within a certain city, an army stood tall with a slew of magical aircraft and magical vehicles arranged in formation. Each banner and emblem represented a powerful force with a high noble lineage. A towering aura of deadly might radiated from their presence. Various smaller armies from other noble houses were also stationed around them. These forces were none other than the armies of the Michaels family.
At the very front of the army stood eight figures exuding incredible auras. At the center was Duke Shane Michaels himself, his aura at the peak of the Early Stage Mortal Lord. Beside him were several family experts, two women and five men. Four of them possessed the power of Golden Lords, three were at the Early Stage Mortal Lord, and one was an expert at the Middle Stage Mortal Lord.
Shaunem Michaels stood beside his father, the duke, emitting the aura of a Mortal Lord. He had long, dirty-blonde hair, a slim yet powerful build, and wore luxurious robes reinforced with armor. A fierce hunger burned openly in his eyes.
"The time has finally come for our Michaels family to reclaim what once belonged to us. The Helmsley Dukedom is in great disorder, and the Helmsley regime has greatly weakened. Once we take care of Prince Hunter, we will reconsolidate our kingdom's power and deal with the rampaging demonic beast army pushing into our territory. Failure is not an option!" Duke Shane Michaels declared, his voice grave and filled with authority.
Loud cheers erupted as a fierce intent swept outward, spreading far and wide. Shaunem inhaled deeply as a sharp gleam lit his eyes. He had waited for this day, even with all the unpredictable setbacks that forced their plans into motion far earlier than anticipated. To him, it did not matter. In the end, he would sit upon the throne as the King of Brawlmanica. Prince Hunter had yet to become a Mortal Lord. There was nothing to stop the inevitable.
And so, the armies advanced in multiple directions, their primary objective being the Royal Capital, and their secondary goal the capture or elimination of Prince Hunter.