621
Chapter 621
Zeke stretched out his hand, and shadows enveloped the spirit of Hercules.
TSTSTSTSTSTS!
Light began to rise from Hercules's body wrapped in shadows.
This was a different reaction from when he had turned other spirits into shadow spirits before.
'What is this?'
At that moment, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[The spirit of ‘The Last Warrior of the Titans’ Hercules submits to the noble will of the constellation The One Who the Crossed Wall.]
[The 'Twelve Labors' residing within the spirit of ‘The Last Warrior of the Titans‘ Hercules responds to the constellation's power.]
[The Infinite Breakthrough and Power Recreation abilities of constellation ‘The one who Crossed Walls‘ empower ‘The Last Warrior of the Titans‘ Hercules's 'Twelve Labors'.]
[Spirit Hercules transcends the limitations of a guardian spirit.]
KUDUDUDUDUD!
Hercules, enveloped in shadows, did not transform into a shadow spirit like the other guardians.
His soul began to evolve into a completely different form in response to the constellation power Zeke possessed.
[Spirit Hercules has been reconfigured as a Guardian Star of constellation ‘The one who Crossed the Walls‘.]
[Guardian Star Hercules's rank is rising.]
[Guardian Star Hercules's unique power 'Hero's Dignity' has been created.]
[Guardian Star Hercules has been registered as the user's Guardian.]
WOOOOONG!
Hercules's body, clad in orichalcon armor, slowly floated up and emitted a radiant colorful light.
Amazingly, Spirit Hercules had responded to Zeke's power, raising his rank and obtaining the constellation position of Guardian Star.
Guardian Star Hercules had a distinctly different presence and dignity compared to other guardians, strong enough to make the difference obvious.
It was difficult to estimate his power now that the strong soul of Hercules, once a hero of Atlantis, had risen in rank to become a Guardian Star.
Looking at Hercules who had become a Guardian Star, Zeke had a thought cross his mind.
'Could other guardians also become Guardian Stars like Hercules if their rank increased?'
Zeke had previously confirmed through the system that when a Spiritual Vessel accumulates Karma Points and meets specific conditions, it can evolve into a Divine Beast.
Similarly, he wondered if shadow spirits who had become guardians could also undergo such evolution.
'I need to look into this.'
After organizing his thoughts, Zeke raised his head to look at Hercules, who was emitting colorful light, and said,
"Hercules, I look forward to working with you."
Hercules then descended to the floor and, in a respectful posture, kneeled on one knee and placed his right hand over his left heart as he spoke to Zeke.
[I pledge my loyalty to my lord.]
It was the Titan clan's unique oath of allegiance, promising loyalty to Zeke as a guardian.
The promises of constellations carried different weight than those of humans.
Zeke knew this well, so he nodded with satisfaction at Hercules's words.
At that moment, Nabu and Nigel approached from behind.
"Gasp, what is this?"
Nabu was shocked nearly to fainting at the sight of Hercules who had become a Guardian Star.
Nigel also seemed surprised, but she had more urgent matters and got straight to the point.
"It seems Baron has infiltrated the temple."
Zeke frowned at Nigel's words.
He turned his head toward Hercules and asked,
"Hercules, what kind of security system is in place to block enemies inside the temple?"
Hercules answered Zeke's question.
[The temple interior is another unique space created by the Great Sage's power. If someone enters without permission, they will lose their way inside and be unable to escape forever.]
At Hercules's words, Nabu wiped his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Whew, that's fortunate then. If the Great Sage prepared it that way, even Baron won't be able to take the Book of the Dead right away."
But Zeke shook his head.
"We can't be so sure about that."
Nabu asked with a puzzled face,
"What do you mean?"
Nigel, who was standing nearby, answered instead of Zeke.
"The Demon King's Voice. Is that what you're referring to?"
Zeke nodded at Nigel's words.
"That's right, Master. If the Demon King's Voice guides Baron, it's not impossible for him to escape the maze created by the Great Sage."
Nabu's face turned pale at the words of Zeke and Nigel.
"D-damn it. Then we need to hurry and stop him. Let's go in quickly!"
As Nabu urged them, Zeke nodded and asked Hercules again.
"Hercules, do you have the authority to control the security inside the temple?"
Hercules shook his head at those words.
[The Great Sage did not grant me such authority.]
At Hercules's words, Nabu, who was standing nearby, widened his eyes and began to despair.
"ARGH! That means if we're not careful, we might end up trapped in the maze ourselves!"
To avoid getting lost in the maze, they'd have to listen to the Demon King's voice and follow his guidance.
But doing so might corrupt their souls by the temptation of the Demon King's power.
At that moment, Zeke, who had been thinking quietly, said to Nabu.
"Master Hermit, I have a way."
Nabu raised his head with a surprised expression.
"Huh? You have a way?"
Zeke took something out from his inventory.
It was none other than the Absolute Compass.
A unique item that shows the direction to reach a designated place.
Nabu nodded in understanding when he saw the Absolute Compass.
"Oh! Right, we had this!"
Unlike Nabu who brightened up, Zeke shook his head with a stern expression.
"This compass will show the direction, but there's one problem."
"What problem?"
"Once you designate a location to find, it's impossible to set a different destination until you reach that place."
"Why? Can't we just ask it to guide us to where the Book of the Dead is?"
Nigel, who was standing nearby, said:
"You fool. And you call yourself a sage?"
At her words, Nabu tilted his head before understanding and letting out a sigh.
"Ah, there's another Book of the Dead elsewhere."
Zeke nodded.
"Actually, I've been restraining from using the Absolute Compass to find that last Book of the Dead."
If the location designation went wrong here, it might become impossible to find the way to the Dark Continent.
"Hmm, nothing is ever easy."
Then Zeke approached Nabu and said:
"Master Hermit, that's why I have a request."
He whispered something into Nabu's ear.
After listening, Nabu looked slightly surprised and fell into deep thought.
"Hmm... it might work, or it might not."
"Please, Master Hermit."
Nabu hesitated at Zeke's words but eventually nodded.
"Alright. I can't guarantee it will work, but we should try."
He immediately summoned several books and opened them.
After searching earnestly, he began reading a passage:
"The cheerful and majestic Fisher Knight's net covers the sky, forming golden waves! May those wicked Orc hordes be enveloped in those waves!"
Nabu read the passage summoning Reyes the Fisher Knight's net.
Soon the sky was covered with a golden net.
Zeke reached out toward Reyes's net summoned by Nabu.
Then he used the power of Chronos's Treasure to summon a spirit.
WOOOOOONG!
Chronos's Treasure and Reyes's golden net created a reaction.
TSTSTSTSTSTS!
Soon after, the golden net disappeared, and a heat haze rose before Zeke.
It began to faintly form a human shape.
[Cry! Rise up! What shall stop me! Ah! Beautiful one, dry those tears!]
The faint form of Reyes's spirit appeared.
As expected from Reyes, known for his poetic nature, he announced his presence by reciting a poem.
Though the form wasn't precise and appeared faint because he summoned the spirit based on Nabu's summoned net rather than an actual relic, Zeke was satisfied with this much.
Zeke approached Reyes's spirit and said,
"Fisher Knight Reyes, I have a request for you."
Before hearing his answer, Zeke held out the Absolute Compass to Reyes and said:
"In legend, you were the owner of this golden compass. Others couldn't handle this compass as well as you did."
Looking at Reyes's spirit watching him, he continued,
"To prevent the Demon King's revival, I'd like to ask you something. Please tell me how to properly use this compass."
At Zeke's words, Reyes's spirit nodded.
[You have good intention. I can feel that you are an excellent knight who holds nobility.]
Zeke had met Reyes before in the Inverted Tower, though it was just a memory of the past.
Despite being a faint spirit, Reyes showed his characteristic cheerfulness and said:
[The proper way to use the golden compass! That's not difficult at all!]
He laughed heartily and said:
[Sincerity! The desperate desire to find something! That's enough!]
Zeke frowned at Reyes's words.
"...Isn't there a more precise method?"
Spirit Reyes tilted his head at Zeke's words.
[Hmm? There wasn't anything specific. When I put my whole heart into it, what I wanted to find would appear clearly in my mind.]
Zeke, who had been somewhat tense, shrugged his shoulders at Reyes's somewhat deflating answer.
The knight Reyes, who lived with romance as a fisherman, seemed to have not used the golden compass with the correct method from the beginning.
'Indeed, it felt this way even when I saw it before.'
I had summoned him thinking that Reyes, as the owner of the golden compass, would know the exact method, but ended up hearing an unexpected answer.
At this moment, Nigel, who had been listening to Reyes' words from behind, approached Zeke.
"Sincerity and desperate heart... Zeke, does anything come to mind?"
Zeke thought briefly at Nigel's words and suddenly remembered something.
'Soul energy?'
Listening to Nigel's words, Zeke infused the compass with soul energy power while holding it.
WOOOOOONG!
Amazingly, the compass responded to the soul energy power and began to turn golden.
Then Reyes' spirit nodded and said.
[Yes! That's it! It's solved!]
Reyes' spirit, as if having completed his task, gave Zeke a wonderful smile, waved his hand, and soon dissipated.
It seemed that without using the proper relic, the time fixed in the physical world was very short.
WOOOOOONG!
Just as Zeke was making a slightly regretful expression for not being able to properly say goodbye, the golden light flowing from the compass entered his body.
Simultaneously, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[The power of constellation ‘Noble Steps That Never Lose Direction‘ is opened by true desire.]
[The ability 'Manrian' with the power of the constellation activates.]
[Ability Manrian links with the Kabbalah system.]
[Through ability Manrian, you can designate and search for the direction you wish to find.]
The power of soul energy consisted of the will and desire of the soul.
As Nigel had predicted, soul energy was the key to unlocking the compass's power.
Zeke smiled seeing the function of ability Manrian linked with the Kabbalah system.
It was possible to set specific targets in detail, unlike the limited functions he had used so far.
He looked at Nigel and Nabu and said.
"I've unlocked all the compass's functions. With this, we can find where the Book of the Dead is without the Demon King's voice."
Nabu nodded at Zeke's words.
"Good, that's great. We need to find it before Baron reaches the Book of the Dead. Let's go quickly."
At Nabu's words, Nigel also prepared to enter the temple.
After quickly finishing preparations, Zeke turned his head toward Hercules.
"Hercules, let us into the temple."
Hercules nodded and extended both hands.
KUGUUUUUG!
Soon a huge portal opened in front of the temple.
It was a door leading into the temple, a blocked unique space.
'Baron, you will never be able to take the Book of the Dead.'
Zeke steeled his resolve and entered the portal together with Nabu and Nigel.