SSS-Grade Acceleration Talent made me Fastest Lord of Apocalypse-Chapter 31: Look into my eyes

Damien was momentarily stunned into silence. Not long ago, he had boasted about being unfazed by beauty, claiming he’d seen it all. Yet, at this moment, the allure radiating from Niomi struck him like a tidal wave—charming, intoxicating, and nearly impossible to resist.

His heartbeat surged, quick and heavy, as if dragged back to the impulsive days of youth. But then he inhaled deeply. Slowly, rhythm returned to his chest. He shut those emotions down.

A leader had to master many things—power, speech, strategy. But above all, he had to command his own emotions.

With a soft smile, Damien spoke, his voice tinged with warmth and curiosity.

"How was your training session, Niomi?"

He truly wanted to know. After all, Niomi wasn’t just any noble’s daughter. She was a natural awakener—a rare one at that—and her potential was nothing short of astonishing.

Niomi stepped closer, her damp training robe clinging to her curves. Her hand reached out and gripped his, excitement dancing in her eyes like flames.

Her body brushed against his—warm, energetic, and entirely too close.

Damien sighed inwardly.

Lately, Niomi had grown more... forward. More touchy. Her intentions were obvious, and with his experience, he’d be a fool not to see them.

"Am I being selfish?"

The thought came unbidden.

When he had embraced the weight of the crown—when he accepted the legacy of the Harrier bloodline—shouldn’t he have also accepted the responsibilities that came with it?

Just as the question turned in his heart, something shifted inside him. His gaze sharpened, full of clarity.

Without warning, Damien wrapped his arms around Niomi and pulled her close. His hands slid down, settling naturally around her slender waist.

"W-what are you doing?" Niomi stammered, her face reddening like a ripe tomato caught in sunlight.

"Something natural..." Damien said softly, not giving her a chance to escape.

He pulled her even closer, one hand resting on her hip. Then, in a deeper tone, he added, "Look into my eyes."

Niomi shivered. Her gaze quivered, heart pounding, but slowly—almost shyly—she raised her head.

And then their eyes met.

No words were needed. The world quieted around them. Niomi’s lips trembled, but before she could say anything more, Damien leaned in, sealing her lips with his.

It was gentle at first. A wet, tender touch. But soon, passion surged between them like a wildfire.

Niomi’s eyes fluttered shut as she gave in to the moment, her arms winding around his neck.

The kiss went on and on, deepening with every breath, until Damien finally scooped her into a princess carry.

With confident strides, he carried her toward their shared chambers.

"The time has finally come..."

Niomi thought, her heart singing with joy. The moment she had waited for—when she could finally share herself fully with the man she loved.

...

Not far behind, a shadow detached itself from the corridor’s wall.

A curvaceous figure in a maid uniform stepped into the light—Amyra.

She watched the departing couple, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"They didn’t even notice me," she whispered.

Her amber eyes twinkled with nostalgia.

"Sigh... Time flies. That timid boy from back then—now a poised, decisive young man..."

But soon, her expression sobered. She turned her head toward the training ground, her gaze sharp.

"It’s about to begin."

...

On the second floor, inside a private training hall bathed in silence, Devrok Harrier sat cross-legged.

His white robe draped loosely around his sturdy frame. The hall was empty—no guards, no trainers—only a quiet tension hanging in the air.

Devrok’s eyes were shut tight, mind emptying itself of noise.

He was ready.

His preparations had long since been completed. The only thing left was to steady his spirit and enter the final stage.

Understanding the beast was critical—its traits, strengths, and nature. If you were going to use its essence to awaken your spiritual space, you had to know it better than your own reflection.

And Devrok had long ago memorized everything there was to know about the Stone Hearted Knight.

In fact, one might say he knew it better than anyone else alive. Its movements, its instincts, its very existence.

A subtle breeze drifted across the chamber, despite the lack of windows. It stirred Devrok’s long hair, making it flutter like a war banner in the wind.

He slowly opened his eyes and withdrew the object he had been saving for this moment.

A glistening, translucent core—brimming with wild energy. The beast core of the Stone Hearted Knight.

As soon as it was exposed, the room thickened with invisible pressure. The weight of power bearing down on all sides.

For most unawakened warriors, this process was perilous. Spiritual space awakening was more than just energy—it was an inner battle.

But Devrok was fearless. Not even a sliver of doubt crossed his face.

He took one long, calming breath.

"From the day I picked up a sword, it became my world..."

"From knowing nothing... to rising as the strongest of my generation."

A soft, nostalgic smile touched his lips as fragments of his journey played in his mind.

"My father’s guidance, the royal family’s support... all valuable. But in the end, it was me. My sweat, my choices, my struggle."

"If hard work didn’t matter, and only wealth birthed legends—then no great kingdom would ever fall..."

He spoke not in arrogance, but in truth.

"And if I’ve made it this far... then how could mere awakening stop me?"

His chest swelled with pride—but just as quickly, that pride cracked.

The face of another youth appeared in his mind. Younger. More refined. His aura... far more dangerous.

Damien.

Devrok’s brow twitched, and the proud storm in his heart deflated. But he chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"No. There’s no need for comparison."

"The world will remember Devrok Harrier—not as a victim of fate, but as a man who forged his own."

"With perseverance as my blade, I will carve my destiny."

Raising the core, he pressed it to his forehead.

The moment the core made contact, it melted like ice, transforming into a stream of radiant light that surged into his skull.

A low, bone-chilling cry echoed—an agonized wail, as if the Stone Hearted Knight’s spirit refused to pass quietly.

Rumble!

An invisible shockwave burst across the room.

Devrok’s mind roared, his consciousness shaking.

But his jaw tightened. His breath steadied.

Pain was temporary.

This was only the beginning—and he would not fail.