Chapter 273
Chapter 273
The moment the name Zeke Draker was mentioned, the bald mages raised their staffs and activated their magic.
Even with non-verbal magic, regular mages take time for their spells to activate.
That's why mages never traveled alone or just with other mages - they had to team up with swordsmen or archers.
However, there was an exception, and that was the dark mages.
Dark mages use magic in a completely different way from regular magic.
Because of this, their spell activation speed was extremely fast.
They could even cast curses before swordsmen could draw their swords.
This was why dark mages could command high prices on the battlefield.
The bald mages quickly cast curses at Zeke.
If it had been a normal knight, they would have fallen before even drawing their sword.
But Zeke had the curse reflection skill.
WOONG!
The curses aimed at Zeke were reflected back, flowing back to the bald mages instead.
"AAARGH!"
"GAAAH!"
The mages who were hit by their own curses screamed and rolled on the floor.
Some started scratching their bodies until they bled, while others drooled and banged their heads against the wall.
They were all equally hideous curses.
Zeke approached the branded mages with the apostle, holding his dagger.
The branded mage raised his staff and struck the ground, and simultaneously, a magic circle appeared on the floor.
Soon, lizard-like magical beasts began crawling out from within.
SHIIIK!
The lizard beasts flicked their tongues as they approached Zeke.
Zeke glared at the lizard beasts while emanating dragon's dignity.
At Zeke's gaze, the beasts hesitated and stepped back.
It seemed that even magical beasts were affected by dragon Kind domination when it came to dragon-type magical beasts.
The branded mage was shocked when the magical beasts he summoned wouldn't listen.
"You creatures! Attack him quickly!"
At the mages's command, the lizard beasts reluctantly made hissing sounds and charged at Zeke.
SHIIIIIK!
Satisfied with the fact that dragon race dominance worked on magical beasts too, Zeke charged at the beasts holding Anexi's daggers in both hands.
CHWAAAK!
The daggers tore through the beasts' bodies like paper.
The beasts with their bodies cut gradually dissolved into Zeke's shadow.
The branded mages was shocked seeing the beasts die so easily and raised his staff again.
"Y-you..."
That's when it happened.
The apostle behind him reached out and grabbed the mage’s bald head.
Then, a red light rose from the brand marked on the bald mages's forehead.
"A-apostle! J-just a moment!"
CRUNCH!
The sound of bones breaking came from the bald mages's body.
"GUUURK!"
His body transformed, and soon his skin began to boil as he changed into a grotesque form.
Hair grew thick on his bald head, his limbs lengthened, and a snout protruded out.
[Ah, power! Power is surging!]
The mages turned monster glared at Zeke with crazed eyes, then swung its claws filled with demonic energy at him.
KWANG!
The Holy Fire Flag that Zeke spread created a shield of light, blocking the claws.
But the mages filled with demonic energy throughout his body wasn't afraid of the light shield and charged at Zeke.
[HAHAHA! Die!]
Zeke reached out and exploded the light shield.
An tremendous light burst throughout the entire room.
[GUUUURK!]
The transformed mages monster couldn't even properly open his eyes at the power of light and stepped back.
That's when Zeke threw Anexi's dagger.
THUD!
The dagger successfully pierced through the solid body, but demonic energy rose and the pierced body soon healed.
[This level won't work!]
The monster charged at Zeke again.
That's when Zeke pulled on the chain in his hand.
Anexi's dagger, which seemed to have just passed through the body, had a chain attached to it.
When Zeke pulled the chain, the monster lost balance and fell since Anexi's dagger was firmly lodged inside the wound in its body.
[GAAAH!]
As the monster screamed and tried to get up to charge at Zeke again.
Zeke took out Tyr's Giant Hunter from his inventory.
He gripped the Giant Hunter with one hand, infusing it with gold power, and swung it at the fallen monster.
KWAGWANG!
The Giant Hunter imbued with powerful strength crushed the monster's body in one hit.
[GUHEOK]
Zeke raised the Giant Hunter again and kept striking down.
Even though it tried to heal, it was useless as its entire body kept getting crushed.
Zeke set the monster's body on fire with the Holy Fire Flag's flames.
HWARARRUK!
The crushed monster's body burned in the holy fire.
Zeke took his eyes off the monster and spoke while looking at the apostle.
"Watch carefully. This will soon be what you look like."
HWEOK! HWEOK!
The apostle exhaled rough breaths behind his mask, then suddenly tilted the beak portion of his mask to the side while standing face to face with Zeke.
KIIING!
With a sharp tearing sound, the apostle opened his mouth wide.
And his black teeth were revealed.
[KYAAAAA!]
The apostle's horrific scream shook the entire room.
A normal person would have surely collapsed with blood flowing from their ears.
But Zeke was calmly watching the screaming apostle.
At Zeke's composed appearance, the apostle glared at him with disbelief.
He screamed again, but Zeke was unfazed.
"Are you done screaming?"
The curse reflection deflected even the apostle's voice, leaving him completely unaffected.
Realizing his weapon was useless, the apostle suddenly grabbed the fallen test subject and reached out his hand to create smoke.
That's when Zeke, as if he had been waiting, took out Roland and drove it into the ground.
Then he activated magic sealing.
BZZZZT!
Unlike before when the magic reflection skill just deflected all magic unconditionally, Zeke controlled the flow of magic in the room.
Because of this, the apostle's attempt to escape with the test subject was thwarted.
[YOU WRETCH!]
The apostle's voice burst from his mouth as a shockwave.
KWAKWAKWANG!
This time Zeke was pushed back by the shockwave, flying through not only the wall but even breaking through the thick iron door.
Even while flying, Zeke maintained his balance and drew Bahamut.
Then he reached out toward the test subject next to the apostle.
"Explode!"
The magic bomb placed in the test subject's body exploded by the will of the Soul Technique 'Explode'.
KWAGWAGWAGWANG!
The sharp fragments that were placed beforehand burst out with the explosion.
When the dust cloud settled, the revealed apostle looked ragged. The robe he was wearing was full of holes, making him look like a beggar.
He tore off his robe and threw away the mask he was wearing.
His face had no hair or eyebrows, his teeth were stained black, and his skin was corpse-like pale.
He opened his mouth wide again while looking at Zeke.
[KAAAAAAK]
This time small insects poured out from the apostle's mouth.
The insects with poison stingers charged at Zeke.
Zeke spread the Holy Fire trying to burn all the insects at once.
WEEEING!
The insects flew in all directions avoiding the Holy Fire, then turned back to charge at Zeke.
Taking advantage of Zeke dealing with the insects, the apostle threw himself in the opposite direction.
That's when the mages who had guided them earlier revealed himself.
When he removed his robe, Richmond's face was revealed.
"Durahan! Stop him!"
Suddenly Durahan appeared breaking through the wall.
KUNG!
Durahan was wearing the Blood Knight armor that Zeke had brought from the inverted tower.
In that moment, a Blood Field spread from his body.
WOONG!
Red energy rose from his body, and sensing something ominous, the apostle screamed at Durahan.
[KAAAAAAK!]
The powerful shockwave blew away both Durahan and the Blood Field at once.
"Urgh!"
Richmond, who was behind Durahan, raised his staff while enduring the apostle's shockwave.
WOONG!
When Richmond cast enhancement magic on Durahan, purple energy rippled around Durahan's body.
KUGUGU!
Durahan walked forward toward the apostle again.
At the same time, Richmond took out the Royal Vampire's dagger and chanted a spell.
A summoning circle appeared on the floor, and from within it, a purple mass crawled out and took the form of a golem.
Originally it was an artifact that created Blood Golems using the caster's blood, but since Richmond's blood couldn't be used as a medium, he had researched and changed it to summon golems in a different way.
The translucent purple golem, like a slime, slowly approached the apostle.
GRRRR!
The apostle released another shockwave, but the slime golem split into droplets then reformed, continuing toward the apostle in its original form.
Finally reaching its target, the slime golem transformed its body and grabbed the apostle.
[KAAAAA!]
With the sticky slime attached to his body, his movements became restricted.
The apostle gritted his teeth and took something out from his chest.
He took out a dagger emanating a chilling energy and stabbed his wrist to draw blood.
DRIP! DRIP!
As dark red blood flowed from his wrist, the apostle began chanting a spell. Then the flowing blood turned blue.
In that moment, the apostle's eyes, including the whites, turned completely black.
[Only death shall befall you all.]
Instead of his tearing voice, a thick, low, and eerie voice flowed from his mouth.
In that state, he reached his arm upward, and with a powerful wave, deflected the slime golem.
TSTSTSTS!
The shattered slime golem disappeared as its summoning was canceled.
That's when Durahan charged at the apostle.
WHOONG!
Durahan's fierce sword fell toward the apostle's head, but before striking his head, the sword trembled and stopped.
An invisible force had stopped the sword.
Then soon Durahan's body floated into the air.
KWADRDRDRK!
The invisible force started constricting Durahan's body.
The fallen Richmond felt that power and raised his staff in surprise.
"Everyone stop him!"
Dragons jumped out from his shadow, and ten dragons charged at the apostle.
Then the apostle stretched out his other hand and used his power toward the dragons.
KUGUGU!
The charging dragons also stopped in place by the invisible force.
The apostle looked down at Richmond with his pitch-black eyes and spoke.
[Only death shall befall those who interfere with the great work.]
That's when it happened.
CHUNK!
A sword pierced through the apostle's back.
TSTSTSTS!
Black smoke rose from where the sword was stuck.
The jeweled sword Roland with its holy energy had pierced through the apostle's power and stuck in his body.
He tried to pull out the sword stuck in his body but it was impossible for the apostle with his evil power to directly pull out Roland which held the power of sacred orichalcon and jewels.
CRUNCH!
With an unpleasant sound, the apostle's neck turned 180 degrees.
He looked at Zeke holding Bahamut while blue blood flowed from his mouth.
[I'll tear you to pieces and kill you!]
In that moment, Richmond's eyes met with Zeke's, and he canceled the undead summons and rolled his body through the broken wall.
As soon as the captured Durahan and undead disappeared, golden aura burst from Zeke's body.
CHIIIIIK!
Black smoke rose from the apostle's body where the aura touched.
The apostle, feeling the power of purification, stepped back in shock.
[T-this power!]
His body floated up in the air.
Then suddenly he cut off his own arm and threw it at Zeke. The apostle's severed arm swelled up and transformed into a pulsating mass of flesh.
As Zeke tried to catch the fleeing apostle, something burst out from the swollen flesh mass.
'That is?'
KAKAKAKAK!
Dozens of snake-like magical beasts burst out from the flesh mass.
They were grotesque magical beasts with sharp teeth and creepy eyes attached all over their bodies.
Zeke felt that there was a chilling power in the beasts' eyes.
He immediately opened his Blood Eye and met the beasts' eyes, subduing them instead.
KIEEEEEK!
Originally, those who met the magical beasts' eyes were supposed to freeze and be unable to move.
But instead, the magical beasts that met the Blood Eye couldn't approach Zeke any further and became completely stiff.
Zeke raised Bahamut and activated the blade of purification.
He unleashed Infinite Sword Technique toward the magical beasts that burst from the flesh mass.
KWAKWAKWAKWA!
When the golden aura swept through, the magical beasts melted away and turned into black smoke.
Zeke immediately chased after the apostle.
WHIIIK!
The place where the apostle fled to was none other than the altar where the baptism ritual was performed.
Zeke broke down the door and entered the ritual place.
The apostle with Roland stuck in him glared at Zeke from atop the altar while bleeding blue blood.
He held up a dagger and shouted in anguish.
[Inescapable death shall come to you!]
He stabbed his own neck with the dagger.
The gushing blue blood dripped onto the altar.
At the same time, black light burst from the magic circle.