599
Chapter 599
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Harvey Draker frowned as he observed Nigel's changed demeanor.
"Meaningless resistance..."
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Harvey Draker was forced to close his mouth at the aura bursting from Nigel's body.
Even so, he remained largely untensed, quietly observing Nigel.
After transplanting the dragon's heart, he had awakened to a completely new world.
Originally, his body had been unstable, making it difficult to move properly.
But after receiving baptism from Arthur Draker and transplanting the dragon's heart, his unstable body had completely stabilized.
The mere fact that he no longer needed to hide in the shadows and could step forward confidently made him believe that pledging loyalty to Arthur Draker was worth it.
Moreover, Arthur Draker's ultimate purpose aligned with his own goals, so he had no hesitations.
Harvey Draker, seeing Nigel emitting a powerful aura, also drew upon his dragon power.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Dragon scales appeared on Harvey Draker's skin as he summoned the dragon's power.
The massive collision of energy waves between Nigel and Harvey Draker shook the entire Rue.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Rue, the underwater city, was a domain maintained by the power of the Leader.
If excessively strong forces collided, the domain itself could collapse.
Nabu, observing the situation, shouted toward Nigel.
"Nigel! You old hag, take it easy! We'll all die at this rate!"
But Nabu's words didn't reach Nigel's ears at all.
She was solely focused on cutting down Harvey Draker before her.
She concentrated power into her sword and shot forward like a spring.
KWAKWAKWAKWA!
Sword light spread in all directions from her blade as the power of her soul technique erupted.
Soul Technique
Double Spell
Will of Annihilation
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Sword strikes imbued with the powerful will to destroy her enemy rained down on Harvey Draker.
Against this, Harvey Draker also drew out the power contained in his Dragon Heart and released a dragon's roar.
UUUUUUNG!
A compressed magical cannon collided with Nigel's soul technique, causing a massive clash.
Manna and Nabu hastily spread a barrier to block the tremendous energy wave.
"KYAAAARGH! You crazy bastards!"
A massive explosion occurred within the barrier that Manna and Nabu had created.
KWAKWAKWAKWABANG!
Since the barrier alone couldn't handle all the impact, shockwaves shook the entire Rue.
Nabu, Manna, and Ivan were also pushed back by the impact.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
As the shock somewhat subsided, the figures of Nigel and Harvey Draker appeared.
Nigel furrowed her brow seeing Harvey Draker standing perfectly fine despite her using her soul technique at nearly full power.
'Even though I've limited my power...'
Harvey Draker had lost the authority of the Arrogant Savior, but by transplanting the holy dragon's heart into his Nephilim body—a divine avatar—he had acquired power surpassing that of a transcendent being.
Such a being flashed his dragon eyes at Nigel.
"Is this the extent of the Guardian's skill? More disappointing than I expected."
At his provocation, Nigel gripped her sword tighter and spoke.
"Once I cut off that neck, you won't be able to say such things anymore."
Nigel's body lunged forward, leaving afterimages.
CHWAAAAAK!
Her sword flew toward Harvey Draker's neck.
In response, Harvey Draker's arm became covered in dragon scales and blocked her sword directly.
Simultaneously, he cast a spell toward Nigel.
HWARURURUK!
Black flames poured toward Nigel.
Avoiding this, Nigel circled to the side and tried to stab Harvey Draker's back with her sword.
But Harvey Draker's body rippled and instantly disappeared with a blink spell, then reappeared behind her, trying to tear her apart with his sharp claws.
Nigel immediately turned her sword to block Harvey Draker's attack.
PACHING!
The exchange of attacks continued at a speed invisible to the eye.
Watching from behind, Nabu said to Ivan.
"Shouldn't we help?"
Ivan shook his head in response.
"If we interfere carelessly, we might actually hinder Nigel."
Manna also agreed with his words.
"Sir Ivan is right. If we try to help clumsily, we might give the enemy an opening."
At their words, Nabu showed signs of anxiety as he watched the exchange between Nigel and Harvey Draker.
'That guy isn't just attacking mindlessly. He must have some other intention...'
Just then, something flashed through Nabu's mind.
He pulled out several books and began urgently searching for a passage.
"Hmm, so, definitely here. Hmmmm. Ah! Found it!"
Nabu quickly read the passage he found.
"That evil one hides the truth and deceives us with false appearances! Now, look at this mirror. All the lies and deceptions wrapping this place shall now be revealed!"
As he spoke, a massive mirror appeared floating above Nabu's head.
Nabu said to Ivan and Manna,
"Turn the angle so it reflects on him!"
Following Nabu's instructions, Ivan and Manna turned the angle of the summoned mirror to reflect Nigel and Harvey Draker.
Immediately, a massive vibration resonated from the mirror.
UUUUUUNG!
The mirror became blurry before a new image formed within it.
Nigel, who outwardly appeared as a young girl, was reflected in the mirror as a cold yet noble female warrior with a long horn on her forehead, her shining silver hair fluttering.
In contrast, Harvey Draker beside her appeared without definite form, merely rippling black shadows.
Seeing this, Nabu shouted to Nigel,
"Damn it! Nigel! He's deceived you! That one isn't real!"
What he had summoned was the Mirror of Truth that reflects essential nature.
He realized the Harvey Draker fighting Nigel was fake upon seeing his essence as a formless shadow.
Upon hearing Nabu's words, a fierce light burst from Nigel's eyes.
"You think you can face me with a mere doppelganger?!"
A terrifying aura flowed from her sword.
Sword strikes imbued with soul technique power poured toward Harvey Draker's doppelganger.
KWAKWAKWAKWA!
Unlike before, when struck by Nigel's attack, Harvey Draker completely transformed into a rippling black shadow.
The shadow-transformed Harvey Draker looked at Nigel and said,
[Foolish transcendents. You are not neededin this world. It is impossible for you to prevent the King in Yellow's descent with your power.]
Instead of answering, Nigel frowned and swung her sword toward the shadow's neck.
[No one can stop it. Soon the King shall descend!]
The Harvey Draker, now like a mirage, disappeared with a sneer.
Nigel gripped her sword tightly in frustration, glaring at where Harvey Draker had vanished.
Just then, Nabu rushed to where Nigel stood.
"Nigel, they've definitely kept us tied up here while going for the Book of the Dead! We need to get to Leader quickly!"
At those words, Nigel turned toward Ivan.
"Ivan, Leader didn't tell us, but he must have told you where the Book of the Dead is."
Ivan merely looked at Nigel with a stoic attitude.
Nigel approached and grabbed his collar, saying,
"You'd better tell me where Leader is right now. Before everything gets destroyed."
* * *
The Leader, with his robe pulled low, stood silently in a dark stone chamber without moving.
The chamber was large enough to hold thousands of people, and the walls were inscribed with worn but intricately carved reliefs.
These traces suggested how magnificently this place had once been decorated.
At the front of the chamber sat a half-collapsed altar.
The Leader gazed at the altar before raising his hand.
UUUUNG!
Dozens of mirrors appeared before him.
These mirrors reflected the current situations occurring in Rue and the sea in front of Storm Fortress.
The Leader turned his head to look at one particular place.
It was the mirror that had shown the High Table members fighting Harvey Draker's doppelganger.
Now the mirror showed Harvey Draker's doppelganger vanished and the others demanding Ivan tell them how to reach the Leader's location.
The Leader turned to look at other images appearing in different mirrors.
But among the many screens, he couldn't find Zeke Draker.
'Zeke Draker...'
He had clearly seen him break through Rue's barrier, but since then, could find no trace of where he was.
This meant only one thing.
'Does this mean Zeke Draker's rank has risen above mine?'
He couldn't know how Zeke Draker's transformation surpassing transcendent rank to attain divine status would affect the defiance of fate.
The Leader had long awaited Zeke Draker as a contingency to break the vicious cycle of fate, tangled like countless threads.
No matter the process, fulfilling his sacred duty was most important to him.
'I am simply faithful to my predetermined duty.'
Just as the Leader recalled his duty once more and searched for Zeke Draker through the mirrors, something unusual occurred behind him.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
Space cracked, the surroundings warped like heat haze, and a person walked through.
It was none other than Harvey Draker.
Harvey Draker, his white hair and red eyes flashing, glared at the Leader standing before the altar.
"Creator, we finally meet again."
Harvey Draker's voice was filled with mixed emotions.
Despite the unwelcome visitor entering the stone chamber, the Leader remained motionless.
Harvey Draker's dragon eyes gleamed as he raised his hand toward the immobile Leader.
KWAKWABANG!
A compressed magical cannon flew toward the Leader.
The seemingly immovable Leader disappeared, leaving only afterimages.
Harvey Draker shouted into the empty chamber.
"Distorted remnant of the Great Sage! I am here! The broken creation you made stands before you!"
KURURURURUNG!
The entire chamber vibrated as if responding to his cry.
The Leader reappeared before Harvey Draker.
He still merely looked at him without speaking.
Harvey Draker opened his mouth again, facing the silent Leader.
"I am another proof of your failure. Are you afraid to face me?"
To these words, the Leader finally spoke.
"I have only fulfilled my duty; I have never failed."
Hearing the Leader's monotone response, Harvey Draker burst into maniacal laughter.
"Fulfilled your duty?! What a blind and foolish statement! Look at me. In the end, everything you did was worthless! Your vain dream of creating a savior with your own hands was merely the selfish delusion of a mortal filled with arrogance and self-righteousness!"
Harvey Draker rejected everything the Leader had done.
Despite these insulting words, the Leader remained completely still.
Harvey Draker shook his head at the Leader's reaction.
"I suppose there's no point talking to a ghost like you. I will restart this halted stage."
His eyes gleamed coldly.
"The Book of the Dead and the Black Star. Tell me where they are."
In response, the Leader slowly raised his hand.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
A wooden staff appeared in his hand.
It was a very ancient form of magic staff that modern mages no longer used.
Seeing this, Harvey Draker snickered.
"Distorted remnant of the Great Sage. Do you think you can stop me?"
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Harvey Draker's body gradually rose into the air.
"Let me show you. How your broken creation has grown!"