“Well okay Kuro but you’re going to have to catch me first idiot”, I turn around and jump into the river.

“Quick after him Shiro!”

Both of them start running alongside the river to keep up with me but the river has a pretty strong current. Being inside the river is very exhausting though, I was still trying to corrode the bindings on my soul and at the same time I had to now try to keep my mana from spilling outside my body into the river as it’s power was trying to disperse all my energy. Being a living creature in the river is extremely annoying because of it's properties and I have to deal with it.

This is like trying to juggle while walking on hot coals. I feel like some sort of clown in this god-damn river but I am just hoping that I’ll buy enough time for me to finish freeing my magic.

“This ends now Muzumi!”

I hear Kuro shout something behind me and as I turn around I see the seal of the devil in his hands glowing with read mist pouring out of it. Suddenly my body flies out of the river and lands a few meters from where Kuro and Shiro are standing.

“You are such a resilient Bastard Muzumi, but you’re going to die today, I’ve had enough of your sarcastic remarks and shitty attitude. I am the first prince of the devil and a third prince spare like you has too much liberty around here. I am going to be taking your life for your insolence!”

I stare at Kuro dumbfounded with my mouth wide open before cackling with loud laughter

“What are you talking about Kuro, to this day you won’t admit that you’re just jealous of me because you’re just a weakling without father’s toys!”

“SILENCE!” growled Kuro

“Even now you mock me, well, you will mock me no longer! Death is no longer enough of a punishment for you. Despair because now I will destroy your Soul!”

Shit, I am still not done decaying these bindings on my soul and now this idiot is about to try and destroy me. A giant beam of energy shoots out from the seal and before I have any time to think it hits my body

Imagine having millions of needles inserted into every pore on your skin, that’s what it felt like. I started screaming in pain as the seal first started its physical assault to eradicate my body.

I only had a few seconds before the spiritual attack would begin so with determination I didn't know existed inside me I grit my teeth and focused all my energy on decaying the bindings, I was so close!..... Just a little more…!!

After a few seconds I felt the spiritual attack begin its assault, my skin was already burned into nothing and my muscles were also getting worked. But... what’s this....! I felt hope surging through me maybe I can make it alive yet!

This brain-dead imbecile of a brother had no idea what he was doing. The seal was actually decaying the bindings for me! I could feel them breaking apart and now I was finally able to use my death magic!

“Death Art 17 Demon Soul shield!”

Countless undead essences from the river sprang out and flew towards me and swirled all around me. After a second they spiraled together and formed a giant shield in front of me blocking the attack of the seal

“Death Art 3, Soul Sustain!”

More undead essences rushed to me and covered me in a bright black light. After short moment all my physical injuries were immediately repaired and I was back in peak condition!

“HOW!?” Kuro had his eyes wide opened and started at me dumbfounded

“Kuro you’ve gone too far this time, don’t expect any mercy from me, I am going to tear your soul apart............. Final Death Art, Demon soul Blade!”

A giant great sword formed from the undead essences in front of me. I grabbed it with one hand and rushed towards Kuro and in an instant I was already just a meter away from him. I then swung the great sword aiming for his head!

-CLASH!-

A loud metallic noise filled the air and when the dust settled I saw Shiro standing there with his longsword looking at me with lifeless eyes, and then for the first time in a year he spoke to me

“I am sorry Muzumi, but I am the second son of the devil and Kuro is the first. It’s my duty to protect him from all harm and obey his command…..I hate that it had to come to this…….. But master Kuro hates you too much… …..I can’t do anything besides obey his wishes……”

“Shiro! Come on don’t tell me you actually want to serve this useless tadpole for the rest of your life! Have some initiative and live your own life idiot!”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

I was acting strong but to be honest inside I was panicking. I thought to take Kuro by surprise but Shiro intervened. Shiro used to be the weakest of us three and even now his death magic skill is abysmal but a few years ago my dad grew tired of him being the weakest and threw him into the valley of death and told him to climb back himself. It took him 2 years to get back and when he did get back he wasn’t the same weak crybaby Shiro anymore. At first I was happy because me and Shiro got along well, but then I realized that he just turned into a brainless pawn and kept spouting nonsense about duty and being the guardian to the first heir of the king, blah blah blah. Basically he just became another giant idiot who had  no ability to think for himself.

If me and him fought each other I would win easily but with the seal of the devil helping him…. I had no chance. 1v1 against him or the seal I could probably win but with both of them teaming against me…. I wasn’t confident.

“HAHA Die Muzumi!” Kuro yelled

The seal of the devil shone again and I was surrounded in a barrier that seemed to weaken my strength.

“Get him Shiro!”

Shiro charged at me with killing intent, he entered the barrier easily and it didn’t seem to weaken him at all. He slashed at me again and again but each time he did I would parry his blow and return with one of my own. After a while his injures were starting to overwhelm him and he backed off. He managed to injure me a little too but with my Death Arts and countless souls next to me in the river I was able to restore myself.

The situation was getting worse for me though, the barrier around me seemed to get stronger and stronger and I was growing more and more weak. Eventually Shiro would be able to overpower me and I’ll run out of mana and be unable to heal myself.

After a few minutes of Shiro backing off and restoring and then coming at me again and again that’s exactly what happened the barrier even started exerting some sort of gravity on me, under these conditions I wasn’t able to do anything.

“Looks like this is the End brother, you’re too weak to continue fighting and with no mana I don’t have to worry about any of your tricks”

“You’re so pathetic Kuro, first you take advantage of me when I am sleeping to bind my magic and now you get your own younger brother to fight your battles for you while you sit back and use the seal of the fucking devil like some sort cleric casting support magic and barriers! I’ve never seen someone as incompetent and uselessly prideful like you, you’ll get nothing out of destroying me besides your own misery!”

“Enough!” Kuro was seething with anger and suddenly the barrier around me shattered, I was secretly celebrating but before having the chance to do anything out of the seal in my brothers hand shot a tiny red beam that collided with my mind

I felt my soul directly come under attack and immediately my soul started breaking down. Ugh this is the strongest magic the seal can use, Soul shatter, to be honest I am surprised that Kuro knew how to use it but I don’t have the time to be surprised, at this point no matter what I do there’s no way I can stop my soul from breaking, I don’t have enough mana to put up any resistance.

Seeing no way out there was only one thing I could do and that’s to take this idiot out with me. If he became the ruler of hell when my father moved on to something else in a few centuries, than hell was truly doomed and there was no way I would let  home sweet home get ruined.

“Forbidden Series, final Death Art number 10, Soul breaker!”

With the last of my mana I activated the strongest of the forbidden series death arts.Then I began converting my soul energy into a curse, and shot it directly into Kuro.

“AHHH!” Kuro started screaming and spasming before suddenly stopping and falling down. What I had just done was shatter his soul, cursed it and sent it all over the mortal world. Putting him back together was virtually impossible, not even my father would be able to do it as the curse completely hid the presence of the shards of his soul.

Having used all my soul energy……I was slowly……losing my existence…..even now I am just an echo………

Ah…. Curse my luck.

Hello all, yuzu here =)  this sounds like the end, but I assure you, it’s just the beginning.