Crom Walker. Why do you want to study under me?

　The first time we met, Valerie stared at me blankly.

I want to be strong. To be the man she deserves. To be able to protect her when the time comes.
"Who is she?
That ...... girl I grew up with.

　I'm embarrassed to say it.

　I'm going to be a man who can protect the girl I love, Irina.
　I suppose that's a mediocre reason to aim for strength.

　But for me, it was a reason worth risking my life for.

You seem to have the right stuff. You could be a court magician.

　Valerie stared at me and nodded.

"And I like your eyes more than anything. Maybe you can give me what I want.
"What?
No, that's a long way off. I'll train you first. My training is hard, Chrome.

　That was the moment he accepted me as his apprentice.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sage!
Valerie.
"Yes, Valerie, Master of ......!

　He trained me, and I refined my magical powers.

　Four years later, at the age of seventeen, I was powerful enough to be certified as a wizard in the kingdom of Shadi.
　I was chosen to join the party of heroes and fought alongside my friends.

　I think Valerie was always a good mentor to me.

　He was an excellent master of magic.
　I respected her personality because I didn't know her true nature at the time.

　I longed to be a wizard like him someday.
　And yet...



　I shook off my memories and looked at him.

'What, aren't they your most important students?

　I don't know why I'm asking this question.

　Does Valerie really have a heart for her students?
　To me, and to my current students.
　Somewhere deep down, I wonder if she wanted me to agree with her.

　Or is it just a sliver of longing for him that still lingers in my vengeance-ridden heart?

"My precious apprentice?

　Valerie's reply was a heartfelt sneer of contempt.

They're just disposable tools. It's more efficient to have several wizards with a certain level of skill to study magic than one person alone. That's why I was raising them.

　As I listen to his reply, I can feel my core cooling down.

...... And while you're at it, do you do it for your own s*xual gratification?
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do.

　Valerie's mouth twisted up in a smile.

"There are plenty of replacements for disciples. I'm Valerie the Wise, a member of the party of heroes. I have apprentices from all over the world. I only select those who have the looks and qualities I like.

　You're a lowlife, you know that?
　I stared at him.

　I respected him. I admired him.
　But that feeling... that last longing, that last longing that maybe lingered in a corner of my mind...
　The last longing.

　Now it's completely gone.

"Come on, Chrom. I'll take your [darkness] into my hands...

　The moment Valerie looked at me and smiled.

"What the ......?

　A crack appeared in the black and gold magic circle behind him, a part of the Commandments of Lemcelia.

"Don't think you can suppress my darkness like that, Valerie.

　It was my turn to smirk.



The sorcerer's despair and hatred values are rising. ...... The second rule has been reached.
The ritual's progress rate has reached 85%.
The surgeon's Darkness output has increased by 666%.
Darkness embodiment has been shifted from basic form to scaled form.
Interference restraint waves against the Darkness have been nullified.



The Darkness' voice echoes.

　I can feel it.
　I feel an overflowing power welling up from the bottom of my body.

　Is it the effect of the interference of the ancient magic device?
　Or has my hatred for Valerie increased even more now that I've faced her?

　The "power" that surged from my entire body turned into a jet-black, scaly energy that spread around me.
　As soon as the scales touched the lightning from the device

　Bajeeeee!

　With a deafening sound, the lightning is blown away.

"Nonsense... you canceled the effect of the Warning?　That's impossible...



　Valerie groaned.

It's so powerful that it can temporarily contain even the Darkness of the Demon Lord class. There's no way it can bounce back from that. ......
"What's wrong?　Is that the extent of your trump card?

　I took a step forward.

　I'm not sure what to make of that.
　Then came the sound of an explosion.

"The device...?

　Valerie was stunned.

　The giant magic circle behind him was billowing white smoke.
　In the blink of an eye, he was engulfed in flames, and the Commandments of Lemcelia burned to the ground.

What the hell is your power...

　Valerie backed away with a look of horror on her face.

"What is ...... your hatred ......?
"You gave me my power.

　The edges of my mouth lifted in a smile of comical amusement.

"Hatred. Resentment. Anger. Sadness. Despair. And... the will to kill for revenge. All of it made me strong. It nurtured my darkness...
"The [darkness] is ...... growing everywhere. ......?

　I walked further with black scales spewing from my body.

　I've destroyed his trump card.
　There's nothing left to warn me.

Now it's time for revenge.