Julian’s mind raced as the system’s words echoed in his head. He thought, Since it allows me to tap into the death energy itself, Does this mean I can be immune to the corruption of the Death Energy?
His gaze turned toward the ongoing chaos, the shadowy figure still wreaking havoc. It’s worth testing. Even if I can control it just a little, it might be enough to recover, to turn the tide.
With that thought, he made a swift decision. “System, build the House of Necromancy,” Julian commanded, his voice firm with resolve.
The system’s reply came almost instantly: “Yes, Host.”
Julian waited and time seemed to stretch forever as his heart beat in anticipation. After what felt like an eternity but was only a minute, the system spoke again.
“Host, the House of Necromancy has been built. You are now able to harness Death Energy to summon lifeforms to fight for you.”
As soon as the system finished speaking, Julian felt a rush of cold and unfamiliar energy surge through him. The energy was harsh, almost suffocating, and it made his skin crawl.
As the surge of Death Energy coursed through him, Julian’s body was immediately overwhelmed. The pain was unbearable, far beyond anything he had ever felt before.
His stomach twisted violently as he vomited blood. Every inch of his body felt as if it were being torn apart from the inside. His Sea of Consciousness itself seemed to split and fragment.
Alden who saw the sudden agony Julian was enduring, shouted in alarm, “Julian! Julian, what happened?!”
Lilia though she had faced his humiliation, was struck by the sight of his suffering. Her face paled as she rushed to his side, her voice filled with worry.
“Lord, what happened to you?” she asked, her hands trembling as she reached out to him.
Julian’s body trembled violently as the immense pain continued to torture him.
The system’s voice rang out in his mind, “Host, fast! Try to sense the other energy within you and maintain the balance with the Death Energy! Otherwise, you will die!”
Julian grit his teeth and forced himself to focus through the pain. Despite the blood that continued to spill from his mouth and the overwhelming discomfort, he pushed aside the pain and turned his awareness inward.
As he concentrated inward, Julian became aware of the three distinct streams of energy flowing through him. The first was a golden stream, the cosmic energy that pulsated with a divine light. The second was a purplish, the lightning energy that crackled with sparks and the third energy was dark, the Death Energy that had taken over his body, spreading an intense sense of decay and corruption.
He could feel the immense struggle of the energies within him, each pulling in different directions. The Death Energy was trying to consume the other two, but the golden energy seemed to resist it fiercely, while the purplish energy swirled unpredictably, caught between the two opposing forces.
Julian knew that if he failed to stabilize the balance between them, the Death Energy would eventually overwhelm him, consuming both his life and his powers.
With determination, he reached for the golden energy first, channeling it with all his might to create a stabilizing force, then he focused on the purplish energy.
His body burned as the energies clashed within him, but Julian pushed through the pain.
As Julian focused, he felt the golden and purple energies, his Cosmic and Lightning energies, respond to his command. They were familiar to him and their flow were under his control.
The Cosmic Energy, vast and expansive, intertwined with the Lightning Energy, sharp and volatile. Together, they formed a powerful counterforce to the Death Energy, pushing back against the relentless onslaught.
Despite the immense pressure and the fierce resistance of the Death Energy, the two familiar forces of Julian’s own power held their ground.
The Death Energy was suppressed slowly but surely. Its presence still was ferocious, but with each passing second, its grip weakened.
As the energies began to stabilize, Julian could feel the searing pain in his body start to fade. The overwhelming agony, which had threatened to tear him apart, gradually dulled.
However, the fear remained. Even though he had managed to suppress the Death Energy, the overwhelming knowledge of how dangerous and uncontrollable it was lingered in the back of his mind.
He continued to channel his control over the Cosmic and Lightning energies as they worked together to suppress the Death Energy. The more he concentrated, the more the balance began to stabilize.
The corruption that had once threatened to consume him now seemed to be absorbed and integrated, becoming a part of him that was no longer fighting against his other powers.
He took a deep breath as he felt the last remnants of pain fade away. His body though covered with wound and blood, was starting to recover.
Julian suddenly recalled the system’s mention of “Trinity,” realizing that this might be what it had been referring to all along, the combination of his Cosmic, Lightning, and now Death energies.
He quickly pushed the thought aside, knowing that focusing on the immediate danger was far more important. With the Death Energy now under control, he was ready to face the shadow figure.
Julian opened his eyes and stretched his body. He then stood up, ignoring the lingering pain.
Lilia who was still holding him was shocked and hurriedly said, “My lord, you’re hurt! Don’t move!”
Julian smiled as his usual confidence returned and teased, “Are you worried that your husband might die?”
Lilia blushed with a mix of relief and frustration crossing her face. Despite the humiliation she had endured, she had promised to be his wife, and in that moment, a sense of duty and care for him surged within her.
Julian’s smile widened as he felt new flow of energy within him. He whispered to himself, “Shall we begin now?”
He felt an intense sense of connection with his surrounding as if everything belonged to him. It was an extreme sensation.
He gazed towards the sky, and raised both hands to his sides, as if he was communicating with the heavens themselves.
Lilia who was still holding him, furrowed her brow in confusion. “What is he doing?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The Count looked equally perplexed and replied, “I don’t know. But… it seems like he’s preparing for something.”
The air around Julian suddenly grew tense, charged with an unfamiliar energy that hinted at something monumental about to unfold.
