618
Chapter 618
Zeke pointed his sword at Hercules and said.
"Who's hiding in there? Show yourself and reveal your true form."
But Hercules didn't respond to Zeke's words and just raised his club.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
An even stronger vibration than before arose from the club.
A resonance similar to wave resonance was being amplified through the orichalcon club.
Zeke held Ascalon and equipped Theia's Hersion.
CHWARALALARACK!
He too created wave resonance power similar to Hercules while covering his entire body in orichalcon armor.
WOOOOOONG!
Zeke analyzed in real-time how the vibrations Hercules was using occurred, then immediately applied it.
The wave resonance that arose from his body was amplified through the orichalcon armor, and he generated power so that force would be concentrated and amplified once more in the sword.
'So orichalcon and fighting techniques could be connected like this.'
Atlantis seemed to have discovered various ways to apply it since it was a place that had researched and used orichalcon for a long time.
Hercules's eyes flashed as he watched Zeke creating resonance in a similar way to himself.
As if he couldn't leave alone someone who had stolen his technique in an instant, Hercules moved his massive body and jumped into the air towards Zeke.
KUGUNG!
Hercules, holding the club with both hands, drove down an attack from above towards Zeke.
Then Zeke raised Ascalon from below to block Hercules's attack.
JJEOEOEOEONG!
A massive impact sound occurred as the club and sword collided.
When the amplified resonances collided, shockwaves spread in all directions.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
The shockwaves that spread like that shook the protective barrier protecting the temple from the inside.
When Zeke blocked his attack, Hercules created even stronger vibrations and swung his club continuously.
WOOOOOONG!
Zeke stepped back and countered by sending sword strikes imbued with waves.
KWAKWAKWAKWA!
The dragon-slaying sword techniques imbued with waves directly hit Hercules's club.
Although Hercules swung his club to offset the waves, the heavy force pushed him back and broke his intended continuous attack.
KUGUGUGUGU!
Hercules seemed to realize that his attacks were being offset and neutralized by Zeke who was using wave resonance, so he stepped back. Given that he was no longer attacking, it seemed he was looking for another method.
Soon he approached the orichalcon door he had summoned.
Leviathan that Zeke had thrown was still stuck in that door.
Hercules reached his hand toward the door.
Then surprisingly, the door opened and Hercules pulled out another weapon from inside.
KUNG!
He pulled out a massive iron flail, and surprisingly that weapon too was made entirely of orichalcon.
Hercules lifted the heavy mace and swung it above his head.
HUNGHUNGHUNGHUNG!
The mace began to rotate while making a loud noise.
At some point, Hercules swung the rotating mace towards Zeke.
HWOOOOONG!
Then the mace head detached and flew straight towards Zeke.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
The iron ball containing pure physical force rather than resonance flew in with a roaring sound as if to crush Zeke in an instant.
Zeke immediately raised Ascalon and spread a field of water force.
TSUTSUTSUTSUTU!
It was his judgment that there was no need to meet powerful physical force with physical force.
He spread the water force field and extended his sword towards the flying iron ball, catching it gently with the blade surface.
Zeke began rotating in place while holding the sword that had caught the iron ball.
KWADEUDEUDEUDEU!
The iron ball that met the blade surface tried to break free from the torrent Zeke created to crush his body.
But Zeke rotated even faster and thoroughly trapped the iron ball within his flow.
Then he gradually changed the iron ball's direction.
KWADEUDEUDEUDEU!
As the direction of the fiercely rotating iron ball gradually changed within the torrent he created, Zeke's eyes flashed.
HWOOOOONG!
And at some point, Zeke rotated his body and pushed out the blade surface to return the iron ball back to Hercules.
It was the same principle as when he caught and returned the metal needles that Nigel had shot.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
The iron ball flew towards Hercules with even faster speed than before while rotating in reverse.
Seeing this, Hercules extended the remaining flail handle forward.
WOOOOOONG!
Strong vibrations began to ring from the mace handle, and immediately the trajectory of the flying iron ball began to change again.
WOOOOOONG!
The flying iron ball slowly stopped rotating and flew towards the mace handle to settle in.
BAM!
As the iron ball reattached to the handle, a complete mace took its place in Hercules's hand.
Zeke confirmed once again that the weapon Hercules possessed was an artifact made from an ultra-advanced civilization.
'Unique items made of orichalcon. And a warrior who uses them...'
Unlike Nabu's legend, Zeke thought the Hercules before him was not a golem.
Atlantis's strongest warrior who could freely use armor and items made of orichalcon.
Zeke guessed that was Hercules's true identity.
KUGUNG!
Hercules tried to approach Zeke while rotating the flail again.
At that moment, Nabu who was outside the barrier suddenly shouted towards Zeke.
"Zeke!"
When he turned his head, something was approaching from the side.
JEOBUCK! JEOBUCK! JEOBUCK!
It was over a dozen knights emitting ominous energy.
The dark knights that Baron had summoned through the cocoon had revealed themselves.
Zeke immediately noticed they were also summoned by Baron when he felt the wicked outer beings energy emanating from the knights.
'This is troublesome.'
Hercules was holding firm in front, and Baron's dark knights were approaching from the side.
If he had to face them simultaneously, there was a possibility he would miss Baron coming in to exploit an opening.
Even if Nabu and Nigel blocked the dark knights, it would be difficult to subdue Hercules at once as he stood firm in full orichalcon armor.
If he were a golem, Zeke could have disabled him by accessing the drive core, but given the circumstances that seemed difficult.
While Zeke hesitated on what to do while warily watching the approaching dark knights.
[Knight with mysterious power.]
Zeke was startled for a moment by the voice ringing in his ear.
He soon looked at Hercules who was facing off against him.
"Are you speaking to me?"
Then the voice rang out again.
[Yes.]
Hercules's eyes flickered with blue light as he looked at Zeke and continued speaking.
[Was it you who summoned those beings that should not exist, made with twisted power?]
Hercules referred to the approaching dark knights as 'beings that should not exist.'
Since Zeke had not yet grasped the intention of Hercules who suddenly communicated, he answered while remaining cautious.
"They are monsters created with the forbidden power called outer beings, summoned by enemies we are trying to stop."
Hercules communicated again in response to Zeke's answer.
[If those words are true, did you come here to stop them? Then why are you trying to forcibly invade this sacred place?]
"They are trying to steal the Book of the Dead sealed here to resurrect the Demon King. We came first to get the Book of the Dead to prevent that."
Then Hercules's eyes flashed again.
[Then are you also trying to invade this sacred place?]
Zeke shook his head at Hercules's words.
"Our goal is to stop the enemies trying to steal the Book of the Dead. However, since this sealed area has lost its administrator and they can invade, we only want to move the Book of the Dead to a safer place."
Hercules did not answer Zeke's words and stood still with his blue eyes flickering.
At that moment, an ominous sign appeared from the dark knights approaching from the side.
They drew pitch-black swords flowing with ominous energy and stabbed them into the ground.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Amazingly, the ground split and Knights imbued with outer beings power began emerging from within.
KREUREUREU!
The armor and weapons worn by the Knights who appeared were all different, but they were commonly stained with dark energy.
Unlike the helmeted knights, the knight’s faces were exposed, and tentacles with strange appearances writhing inside black skulls seemed to move their bodies.
Soon the dark knights summoned by the knights began marching toward Nigel and Nabu.
KWAAAACK!
The knight’s who took their first few steps slowly soon gripped their weapons tightly and charged while letting out monstrous screams.
Then Nabu summoned arrows of light and shot them at the Knights.
KWAKWAKWANG!
The bodies of the knights hit by the light arrows exploded outward.
But tentacles crawled out wiggling from the cross-sections of the knights scattered fragments.
Then the broken limbs joined together and regenerated back to their original form.
Nabu shook his head wearily at seeing these dark Knights.
"Insane... To think there are things worse than undead. It's truly the end times. The end times."
Nigel nodded in agreement and swung his sword at the dark Knights with all his might.
CHWAAAACK!
While a soul force attack might have been effective, a simple sword strike couldn't stop their regeneration like Nabu's attack.
Watching the two people struggling to block the Knights' advance, Zeke spoke to Hercules.
"If your duty is to protect this place, join forces with us. Otherwise, the one who summoned them will steal the Book of the Dead."
Hercules still gave no answer.
Zeke looked at Hercules.
"I don't care what choice you make. But... if you remember your honor as an Atlantean warrior, don't interfere with me stopping them."
Leaving those words, Zeke stretched out his left hand.
KWADEUDEUGEUK!
Leviathan that was stuck in the orichalcon door moved on its own and flew back toward Zeke.
TEUB!
Zeke gripped Leviathan and turned to run straight to where Nabu and Nigel were.
Then holding Ascalon in one hand and Leviathan in the other, he sent sword strikes toward the dark Knights.
"HAAAAAAT!"
Holy spirit power and soul force were simultaneously released from Zeke.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
PAJIJIJIJICK!
Light lightning instantly swept through the dark Knights, and those who escaped its range were shattered by soul force blades.
Zeke stood in front of Nabu and Nigel and spread his shadow toward the dark Knights.
The decomposed remains of the dark knights along with the corpses of the magic beasts killed by Hercules's earlier attack sank into the shadow swamp Zeke spread.
SEUSEUSEUSEUSEU!
Zeke was able to gain large amounts of karma points again while absorbing the magic beasts and dark knights.
Then an entirely unexpected message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[The absorbed 'Lost World's Lost soul warriors' wish to take revenge on those who corrupted their souls by submitting to the Demon lord.]
[It is possible to convert their will into shadow spirits.]
[If converted to shadow spirits, acquired karma points will be deducted and points needed for conversion will be consumed.]
[Would you like to proceed with the conversion?]
Zeke showed a surprised expression at the message that appeared.
'Lost World's Lost soul warriors?'
Beings of the past that vanished in a civilization already destroyed.
Baron had used twisted causality to recall the forgotten lost souls of the past.
Zeke looked at the dark knights summoning Lost soul warriors behind them.
They too must be lost souls of the forgotten world, particularly beings with special power beyond warriors or heroes.
'Forcibly awakening sleeping heroes of the past and turning them into such monsters to control. Arthur Draker, just how far will you go?'
Since the Lost soul warriors wanted revenge of their own will, Zeke wanted to give them a chance even if it meant consuming karma points.
'System, convert the Lost soul warriors to shadow spirits.'
Messages appeared with Zeke's command.
[Converting 'Lost World's Lost soul warriors' to shadow spirits.]
[Shadow spirits subjugated to the Demon lord are transforming.]
[A new form of summon is being created under the Demon lord's influence.]
TSUTSUTSUTSUTU!
Dozens of shadow forms rippled and revealed themselves from the shadow swamp.
Zeke couldn't help but be surprised at the appearance of the newly formed shadow warriors.
'That's?'
It was an exact copy of Zeke's appearance from long ago when he was a hitman.
Another message appeared.
[Shadow spirits have awakened as 'Shadow Hunters' under the Demon lord's influence.]