Kurose Akira's attention locked onto the newly appeared Additional Trait — [Demon King] inside the trait repository. His heartbeat quickened slightly, a faint flush rising to his cheeks.
This was the first time he had obtained an Ultra-Rare Additional Trait.
Unlike fixed traits, additional traits could break through the three-trait limit imposed on fixed traits. Even more importantly, they could be freely attached to any adventurer he chose.
Every Ultra-Rare trait had the potential to push an adventurer's overall quality to a higher tier.
Not to mention—
Beiyafro and Beiyafli had already undergone the baptism of the Elf Mother Tree, advancing from Epic-grade adventurers to Legendary-grade.
That alone proved something important.
An adventurer's quality tier was not immutable.
It could change.
Which meant—
A faint smile curved at the corner of Kurose Akira's lips.
He already had the perfect candidate in mind for this trait.
Shaking off his thoughts, his gaze shifted toward Idis.
After defeating Bluekai, a brief flash of joy had crossed her breathtakingly beautiful face—one capable of toppling kingdoms.
Yet that happiness vanished just as quickly as a shooting star streaking across the night sky.
Kurose Akira walked toward her and said,
"Bluekai's been eliminated. Next, we should deal with Princess Vivian."
However, Idis shook her head.
Her gaze remained fixed on the King of the Star Kingdom, who still lay on the royal bed.
Then she spoke coldly.
"Your Majesty… how long do you intend to keep pretending to sleep?"
Kurose Akira felt his heart jolt at those words. His eyes immediately turned toward the king lying on the bed.
At that moment—
The King of the Star Kingdom slowly opened his eyes.
Those brown pupils were deep and sharp, locking directly onto Idis and Kurose Akira.
His withered fingers twitched slightly.
Then, bracing himself against the mattress, he sat upright on the bed.
"?"
Kurose Akira frowned, confusion rising in his chest.
Yvesa and the others were equally stunned by the sudden development.
After all—
For years, rumors had spread throughout the kingdom that the king was gravely ill, clinging to life by a thread.
Yet now…
That same man had sat up on his own.
The king slowly rotated his shriveled head.
A dim green glow flickered within his eyes, giving him an eerie and sinister appearance.
He stared at Idis and asked in a low voice,
"Idis… when did you figure it out?"
"Figure it out?"
Idis let out a light chuckle. Her slender fingers casually twirled a strand of her hair as she replied softly,
"You should thank your second daughter, Katherine. She has an unparalleled talent for spiritual magic, and she discovered the truth behind your fake illness quite some time ago."
"Katherine…?"
The king narrowed his eyes as he murmured the name under his breath.
He truly hadn't expected it.
The one who exposed him…
Was his own daughter.
"You only have yourself to blame for insisting on giving the throne to Vivian," Idis continued, her tone growing more serious.
"I'm honestly curious what exactly you're planning. You were willing to abandon several of your own blood relatives… just to inject the Power of the Stars into a child created by a witch?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"If you don't mind, care to explain?"
As her words fell, Kurose Akira and the others all turned their eyes toward the king.
They wanted to know as well.
Why had he made such a decision?
"Blood relatives?"
The king let out a cold laugh.
"What could any of you possibly understand?"
"Vivian is the child I love the most."
"Even if she doesn't carry my blood… she is still our child."
His eyes burned with obsessive devotion.
"Only if Vivian inherits the Power of the Stars will I have the chance to bring her back to life."
"Perhaps that was never what she wanted… but after she died, I finally realized something."
"I can't live without her anymore."
His voice trembled with fanatic longing.
"She was like an angel in my life. If it weren't for that cursed Curse of the Night, I could have kissed the back of her feet instead of that cold pair of shoes."
"But it doesn't matter."
"When my beloved returns to life, her curse will disappear as well."
"And then…"
"We'll be together forever."
The king's confession made Kurose Akira's brows knit together.
The whole thing felt strangely familiar.
It reminded him of when he had read the diary of the Lord of Sunset City.
Compared to that man…
This king's actions were even more unhinged.
He was attempting to break the curse placed upon the Witch of the Night, all so he could remain with her forever.
He was even willing to manipulate the Star Power unique to the Star Kingdom to resurrect her.
It was completely insane.
And Vivian?
To him, she was nothing more than a vessel—a container meant to bring the Witch of the Night back to life.
After listening to the entire explanation, Idis simply shrugged and let out a quiet scoff.
"Figures."
"Anyone who gets involved with a witch eventually goes insane."
"Insane?"
The king's furious roar shook the entire royal bedchamber.
"You people simply cannot understand my love for her!"
At that moment—
His body erupted with a dark green radiance.
Circles of green mist began swirling around him.
His shriveled body rapidly expanded and regenerated, returning to the physique of a normal man.
But his skin…
It had rotted and blistered.
Like the charred hide of a pig scorched over fire.
Blackened burn scars spread across his flesh, making the sight horrifying.
"I will not allow you to ruin everything!"
"When the Power of the Stars descends, my beloved will be reborn!"
As his thunderous roar echoed through the chamber—
Black flames suddenly erupted from the floor.
They spread rapidly across the room, forming a blazing barrier that sealed the entire royal bedchamber.
The flames blocked every possible exit.
They even prevented the Enforcement Knights outside from rushing in.
At that moment, Kurose Akira's expression turned complicated.
Ever since he stepped into this bedchamber…
He had a strange feeling that a boss fight was coming.
Turns out—
His instincts had been completely right.
Just then, information about the king appeared in Kurose Akira's vision.
[King of the Star Kingdom (Legendary)]
Level: 90 ( ? / 90000 )
Race: Human
Strength: 4622Agility: 3560Magic: 4211Constitution: 5111
Growth: 12 (Each level grants +12 to all attributes)
Skills: (Expand)
Traits: [ ? ]
"…Level 90."
Kurose Akira stared at the level indicator, a trace of tension appearing in his eyes.
His guild simply did not yet possess the strength to challenge a boss of this level.
Their only chance of victory…
Seemed to rest entirely on Idis.
Yet strangely—
Facing such a dangerous enemy, Idis showed no intention of making a move.
Instead, her gaze casually drifted toward Lucia, as if silently handing the responsibility to her.
Lucia pressed her lips together slightly.
Then she called out softly,
"Winnieshan."
"Coming!"
Before her voice had even faded—
A woman dressed in a pure white gown appeared silently at Lucia's side.
In her hand was a gleaming sword.
White silk ribbons flowed along the blade, giving it an almost ethereal, sacred aura.
Wait…
Kurose Akira suddenly realized something.
This woman was the White-Stockinged Saintess from the Solar Holy Kingdom who had recently arrived in the Star Kingdom.
At that moment, Winnieshan stepped forward, placing herself between the king and the others.
She smiled gently and said,
"Lucia… Saintess. Everyone."
"Leave him to me."
"For now, please step back."