Chapter 415
Chapter 415
Chapter 415
KAAAACK!
The tyrant summoned by Zeke screamed while flying above the headquarters of Salmak.
Simultaneously, Zeke kept generating faint vibrations by spreading a golden force field while keeping Bahamut thrust into the ground.
He was using the weak ground of the desert area to create intimidation.
Along with that, he shook the hearts of Salmak assassins with a lion's roar mixed with the power of charisma.
While observing the situation, Shadia approached Zeke's side.
"My lord, there's movement from Salmak's side. Based on their attire, they seem to be dark mages from the Scorpion Clan."
"The Scorpion Clan. So they had personnel deployed here in advance?"
Before coming here, Zeke had first destroyed the headquarters of the Scorpion Clan in the desert region.
Since the Scorpion Clan was originally a cell-structured black mage organization, destroying their main headquarters wouldn't eliminate the clan itself.
However, when the headquarters falls, communication between scattered clan members would inevitably become difficult.
After destroying the headquarters, Zeke planned to gradually cut off the Scorpion Clan's limbs.
'If they're gathered here, that's even better. Those dispatched to Salmak must be high-ranking dark mages. If we kill them, the Scorpions won't dare act recklessly anymore.'
The Scorpion Clan had deep connections with Jiemens, so there was a need to cut off their roots early.
Just then, as if the Scorpion Clan's Dark mages had performed a summoning, giant black scorpions began crawling out from the ground.
SSSSSSHK!
The black scorpions in the desert were terrifying beings.
Their armor was tough, and their tails contained poison that was fatal even from a scratch.
But that only applied to regular troops.
Those with Zeke were members of Salmak and Ishtar's mystics.
"Sir Zeke."
Himel, the captain of the Raven tribe, approached his side.
She said to Zeke:
"Can we take care of those things?"
There was no reason to refuse when Ishtar's side offered to use their power first.
"Feeling restless, I see. Very well."
At Zeke's words, Himel smiled wickedly and led the Raven tribe charging toward the black scorpions.
KWANG! KWANG! KWANG!
The murderous martial arts of Ishtar's mystics who opened their chakras demonstrated a different kind of power from Aura.
While knights using Aura excelled at linear techniques that overwhelmed opponents with strong force, Ishtar's mystics dealt with enemies using agile and elastic curved techniques.
The Salmak members were secretly impressed watching Ishtar's mystics form battle formations to block the black scorpions' movements and break their tough armor with martial arts.
It clearly showed why Ishtar was one of the three transcendent houses.
Just when the Raven tribe had captured all the black scorpions.
DRRRRRRR.
The ground shook and a massive monster revealed itself.
Zeke showed a slightly surprised expression seeing that monster.
"A Worm Dragon?"
The Worm Dragon, which had degenerated eyes from living deep underground, was a massive monster that used its enormous size and powerful internally produced poison as its main weapons.
The Worm Dragon opened its huge mouth wide and spewed poison toward Zeke's group.
KAAAACK!
"Richmond!"
When Zeke shouted, Richmond who was behind instantly summoned a bone wall in front.
CHIIIIIK!
The Worm Dragon's poison with powerful acidity melted Richmond's bone wall.
Just as the bone wall melted and collapsed from the poison, Zeke flew into the air and swung his sword toward the Worm Dragon.
KWANG! KWANG! KWANG! KWANG!
Powerful sword strikes blazed toward the Worm Dragon.
KAAAACK!
The Worm Dragon screamed as if in pain when hit by the sword strikes.
At that moment, the third eye appeared on Zeke's forehead.
"The wicked shall obey the king's words."
Though it had Dragon in its name, the Worm Dragon wasn't actually a dragon species.
Therefore, Zeke stole control of the Worm Dragon using the power of the third eye rather than dragon kind domination.
At that moment, the Dark mages controlling the Worm Dragon from the opposite side were bewildered by the sudden situation.
"W-What?"
Because in that instant, the Worm Dragon changed direction and moved toward Salmak's headquarters instead of Zeke's forces.
"KAAAACK!"
The Worm Dragon opened its mouth and sprayed poison wildly toward Salmak.
CHIIIIIIK-
Some mages and assassins who couldn't dodge the poison in time screamed and fell from the castle walls.
"KUAAAACK!"
Siege weapons on the walls rained down toward the Worm Dragon as it quickly climbed the castle walls.
PABABABABAK!
Because of this, huge spears and arrows were wildly embedded in the Worm Dragon's body.
The Worm Dragon hesitated momentarily, but Zeke commanded it to crash its body into the castle wall to destroy it.
Despite the rain of spears and arrows piercing its entire body, the Worm Dragon didn't stop at Zeke's command.
KWANG! KWANG!
Soon, with a massive roar, the Worm Dragon's body destroyed part of the castle wall.
KUGUGUNG!
The Worm Dragon, its body filled with arrows and spears, slumped while sprawled across the collapsed wall.
Zeke immediately said to Salmak's assassins and Ishtar's mystics:
"The wall is breached! We're going in!"
Zeke took the lead, charging in with Bahamut while spreading holy light.
PAJIJIJIK!
Powerful holy light swept around the broken wall.
The Scorpion's dark mages on the wall, though startled, tried to compose themselves and cast magic at Zeke.
Seeing this, Zeke immediately expanded and deployed magic reversal as a wide-area buff.
JIIIIIING!
The faces of the mages within Zeke's magic reversal field turned purple, and soon black blood flowed from their eyes, nose, and ears.
"KEUREREUREUK!"
The mages with reversed magic fell to the ground while vomiting blood.
This magic reversal technique had been highly effective when striking the Scorpion's headquarters.
Zeke smiled with satisfaction seeing it demonstrate great power once again.
Meanwhile, the Salmak assassins who saw the Scorpion mages fall from behind were terrified and retreated.
"Spray the poison needles before they get inside!"
Just as the assassins were about to use poison needles from their tubes, Shadia and other assassins appeared behind them.
SEAGEOK!
Being originally from Salmak, they knew all their techniques.
Shadia disposed of them by slicing their necks and striking vital points before they could use their poison needles.
Ishtar's mystics also demonstrated their murderous martial arts without hesitation while subduing Salmak's assassins.
Watching their activities, Zeke dove into the inner castle with his sword.
Black chains shot out from the shadows toward the charging Zeke.
CHWAREUREUREUK!
Following that, solid chains flew from all directions and wrapped around Zeke's limbs.
Then, Salmak assassins hidden in darkness appeared and threw poisoned weapons at the chained Zeke.
HUUUUNG!
But when Zeke deployed a wind force field, the flying weapons returned and instead stuck into the assassins who threw them.
PEOEOK!
"KEUIK!"
The assassins hit by the weapons urgently tried to take out and consume antidotes from their robes.
In that gap, Zeke spread a golden force field, grabbed the chains wrapped around his limbs, and swung them entirely.
HUUUUUNG!
The assassins holding the chains were lifted into the air and swung by Zeke instead.
"KUAAACK!"
The assassins couldn't regain their senses as they flew through the air while poisoned by their own weapons.
Judging they were sufficiently subdued, Zeke cut the chains and threw them straight at the wall.
UDEUDEUDEUK!
The assassins embedded in the castle wall died with broken limbs.
Zeke charged forward again, swinging his sword to break through and enter the door.
Then dozens of assassins who had been waiting silently inside sprang out.
SHUSHUSHUSHUK!
Dozens of sword-wielding assassins deployed sword formations and charged at Zeke.
Without blinking an eye, Zeke raised Bahamut and deployed Soul technique.
UUUUUNG!
Zeke's body, having deployed the Soul technique of strong will, was no different from a solid castle wall.
The assassins deployed solid sword formations and swung their swords, but their blades bounced off before even touching Zeke's body.
Before the confused assassins could regain their senses, Zeke charged forward gripping his sword.
KWAJJANG!
Zeke's sword blazed toward the assassin at the front.
The assassin's body floated and flew away with other assassins.
"KEUUIK!"
The sword formation's array collapsed with a single strike.
Right after, an aura blade rose from Zeke's sword, and Zeke swinging in this state was like a dragon rampaging among sheep.
Several assassins flew with each swing of his sword.
Soon the floor was littered only with corpses of assassins who had fallen and died bleeding.
Zeke shook the blood off his sword and went inside.
Salmak's main castle had narrow corridors making it difficult to move quickly.
With no mass rushes coming at him, Zeke slowly walked forward, first seeking to find the Salmak lord.
'I need to eliminate him, clean up Salmak, and then find the sealed earth god hidden here.'
DEOLKEOK!!
At that moment, part of the wall opened and a sword tried to stab Zeke's side.
KWACHING!
But the assassin's sword couldn't pierce the spirit technique's power and its tip bent.
Zeke thrust his sword into the wall.
KWADEUK!
The sword pierced through the wall and stabbed the assassin's heart behind it.
KUNG!
Afterwards too, true to being assassins, Salmak's members suddenly sprang out from the ceiling, floor, and walls to attack Zeke.
Thus Zeke swept through the assassins and headed toward where the Salmak lord was.
* * *
KWAJJANG!
Zeke kicked open the great hall's door.
Inside were only two burning incense holders and the Salmak lord's throne.
Zeke raised his sword and surveyed the surroundings.
'Did he already flee?'
His expression naturally frowned as letting the Salmak lord escape here would make things troublesome.
But then.
"KEOHUK!"
Two people walked out from behind the throne, their bodies twisting.
They emerged with foam in their mouths and twisted faces in strange contorted postures, and Zeke recognized their identities.
'Salmak lord's disciples?'
From his investigation of Salmak, they were disciples the Salmak lord had taken after Shadia.
But something was strange about their condition.
GEUREUREUREUK!
Though both were clearly human, they were making sounds like magical beasts.
"KUAAAAAAK!"
UDEUDEUDEUK!
Then at some point, both screamed and their wildly twisting bodies' muscles swelled up.
GEUREUREUREUK!
Before long, they had transformed into giants with muscles beyond human limits and builds even larger than barbarians.
Tendons protruded all over their bodies like their muscles could burst at any moment.
The completely transformed pair glared at Zeke with crazed eyes.
KEUREUREREU-
The transformed monster-like beings charged at Zeke.
KWANG! KWANG!
Zeke dodged their charging attacks, but where he had been was devastated by sharp claws.
'Faster and stronger than barbarians.'
As Zeke jumped into the air to assess the situation, one leaped up after him.
KAAAACK!
It swung sharp claws trying to tear his limbs to shreds.
Zeke swung his sword toward the transformed monster-person.
KWAJJANG!
An explosive sound rang out as the monster's claws clashed with Zeke's sword.
Then the monster below opened its mouth wide.
Simultaneously it took a deep breath and screamed toward Zeke.
KAAAAAAAAA!
The incredibly loud sound shook the entire space.
UUUUNG!
Zeke blocked the sound wave attack by using Soul technique.
KWADEUDEUDEUK!
Though the walls all cracked from the monster's scream, Zeke charged straight at it undaunted by the attack.
Then he took out a hammer from his inventory and swung it infused with holy light.
KWANG! KWANG!
The screaming monster was hit by the hammer containing light's lightning and flew into the wall.
KUREUREUREURUNG!
The wall the monster crashed into collapsed.
Immediately Zeke changed direction and rushed at the remaining monster.
This time he struck the monster's side with the hammer infused with golden Aura.
KWADEUDEUDEUK!
The monster whose entire body including ribs was crushed also flew sideways and crashed into the wall.
KUNG!
Zeke put down the hammer and alternately looked at the monsters embedded in the walls.
'What exactly are these things?'
It was then, as he tried to gauge their identity with puzzled eyes.
KWADEUDEUDEUK!
The fallen monsters had apparently recovered already as they were getting up.
Seeing this, Zeke picked up the hammer again.
'Why are there so many self-healing ones lately?'
Just like the dark knights he met before who kept regenerating broken parts and persistently charged, these monsters too quickly recovered and were baring their teeth at Zeke.
Zeke shook his head and raised the hammer while drawing up spirit technique power.
KUGUGUGUGU!
Zeke with the hammer imbued with the will of destruction glared at the monsters approaching him.
Then he clenched his teeth and charged at them with the hammer.
"Let's see you regenerate after taking this!"
The hammer imbued with destructive will blazed toward the monsters.