665
Chapter 665
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
Intense energy flowed from the bodies of the decapitated angels.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
The fallen heads had already returned to their original positions.
The angels, avatars of Raziel and Samael, emanated fierce energy toward Zeke as they intensified their powers even further.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
The storm of lightning occurring in Laocoon's temple and tower was pushed back by the power of the two constellations.
While Samael's avatar blocked the lightning's power by spewing poison, Raziel's avatar took out a book and scales.
After taking out the two divine objects, Raziel's avatar tore a page from the book and placed it on the scales.
When he did, a strong light rose from the scales and a powerful will began to be directly engraved into Zeke's soul.
"Kneel. And worship me."
An irresistible voice was transmitted directly to Zeke's soul.
This was the manifestation of Raziel's true power.
Raziel, who was glaring at Zeke through his avatar, believed without a doubt that Zeke would kneel before him.
However, the result completely missed his expectations.
KUDUDUDUDUDU!
Zeke neither knelt nor worshipped Raziel.
Rather, he only looked down at him with calm eyes.
"This cannot be......"
Raziel, as if in disbelief, tore more pages from the book this time and placed them on the scales.
A brighter radiance than before rippled as a stronger will was transmitted to Zeke's soul.
"Kneel right now and confess your sins!"
A will that no mortal in the phenomenal world could possibly refuse pierced into Zeke's soul.
But this time was the same.
Zeke only stared at Raziel hiding behind the avatar without any change.
Watching this, Samael, unable to stand by any longer, moved his avatar forward.
The end of his snake like lower body had transformed into a scorpion's tail with lethal poison.
Samael's avatar aimed that poison sting at Zeke.
And immediately, the powerful poison sting that could wither a soul with just a graze flew toward Zeke.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Zeke raised his hand toward the poison sting launched by Samael's avatar.
Then shadows rippled and wrapped around Samael's poison sting.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
Surprisingly, Samael's poison sting dissolved even Zeke's shadow.
The poison sting shot through the melting shadow without stopping and flew at Zeke.
But Zeke caught Samael's poison sting with his bare hand without avoiding it.
CHIIIIIIIK!
Since it was Samael's poison sting that could dissolve even shadows, Zeke's hand that caught it bare-handed couldn't remain unscathed.
His palm melted away, exposing the bone clearly.
But that was only momentary.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
Zeke's recovery power, which had become infinite due to the Primordial light, was enough to overcome Samael's poison.
The regeneration occurred faster than Samael's poison could dissolve Zeke's skin.
CHIIIIIIIK-
At some point, the poison only dripped while emitting smoke.
Samael, seeing this through his avatar, spoke in a trembling voice as if in disbelief.
"This is impossible... This makes no sense......"
At that moment, Zeke threw Samael's poison sting that he had caught toward Raziel's avatar.
PUEOK!
Samael's poison sting, flying at a speed too fast to be seen, stuck right in the center of the chest of the avatar inhabited by Raziel.
CHIIIIIIIK-
The lethal poison that could dissolve even souls broke down the angel's physical form.
"KUUUUUGH!"
Not only did the avatar's body dissolve, but Raziel's soul dwelling within was also inevitably affected.
He writhed in pain and urgently shouted toward Samael.
"Quick, remove this! Hurry!"
Samael rushed to try to remove the poison sting stuck in Raziel's chest.
But at that moment, Zeke appeared in Samael's blind spot.
He immediately thrust Ascalon into Samael's back.
KWADUDUK!
Ascalon pierced through the armor and hard shell, protruding through the chest.
PAJIJIJIJIK!
Simultaneously, the lightning imbued with the power of the Sacred Soul Weapon stirred up the angel's interior.
Just as with Raziel moments before, Samael's soul was also struck.
The two constellations were trapped in Zeke's unique domain and bound by Solomon's chains, so they couldn't even escape from this place.
Zeke looked down at the two constellations groaning in pain while trapped in their avatar bodies and took out Solomon's ring.
"Are you prepared?"
The two constellations, realizing what Zeke was about to do, shouted in shock.
"How dare you!!"
"You dare insult the constellations?!"
Zeke activated Solomon's ring immediately, ignoring the roaring shouts of the two constellations.
GOOOOOOO!
Soon, as the sealing power engraved in Solomon's ring activated, intense light burst forth from the ring.
UUUUUUNG!
"KUAAAAAAGH!"
"NO!"
Along with the surging light, the souls of two constellations dwelling within the avatar let out a short scream as they were sealed into Solomon's ring.
Soon their crests were engraved on the ring's surface.
'After Raguel, Ramiel, and Azrael, now Raziel and Samael are sealed too.'
Five of the thirteen zodiac constellations were now sealed by Zeke's hand.
While Zeke examined them, the bodies of the two angels whose constellation souls had escaped quickly crumbled.
Zeke extended his shadows to envelop the angels' bodies.
SWISH! SWISH!
Like when he made Azrael's angel into Guardian Ashvin, he planned to combine the damaged angel bodies into one and reconstruct them as a single guardian.
[The power of Constellation 'One Who Crossed the Walls' is eroding Guards 6 and 7.]
[Detecting body damage to Guards 6 and 7.]
[Replacing damaged parts with Solomon's chains and shadow power.]
[The power of Constellation 'One Who Crossed the Walls' completely erodes Guards 6 and 7's systems.]
SWISH!
The damaged bodies of the angels were connected by Solomon's chains.
The shadows covered the two approaching angel bodies and fused them into one form.
Soon the two angels connected by chains and shadows gradually merged into one shape by the power of recreation.
CRACk! CRACK!
The unified shadow avatar became a form with four arms and a scorpion's tail on its back.
Each of the four arms held a sword, spear, scale, and book respectively, and its chest was covered in armor engraved with the face of Libra's angel.
[Eroded Guards 6 and 7 are combined into one by the power of recreation.]
[Newly reconstructed as a shadow avatar through the power of Constellation 'One Who Crossed the Walls'.]
[Reconstructed shadow avatar is registered as user's guardian.]
[Would you like to give this guardian a name?]
Looking at the newly formed guardian, Zeke spoke.
"I'll give it the name Brontos."
Brontos was famous as one of the legendary assassins during the Seven Kingdoms era, known for assassinating knights using poison extracted from scorpions on his blade.
A pale green light flowed from the eyes of the guardian that received the name Brontos.
[Shadow Avatar Brontos pays respects. I shall dedicate everything to my lord.]
Zeke, having acquired a new guardian, wore a satisfied expression as he withdrew him into the shadows and released his unique domain.
SWISH! SWISH!
As the disappearing stage was withdrawn and Zeke returned to the original domain, he looked down from the air at the half-crumbled giant beast crashed into the ground.
At that moment, something approached Zeke.
"Zeke!"
Nigel and Arina came flying toward Zeke riding Nabu's magic carpet.
Zeke also flew toward them.
"Master, Lady Arina. I'm glad you're safe."
Meeting them up close, Zeke sighed in relief seeing Nigel and Arina were unharmed.
Then Nabu, who was controlling the carpet, shouted loudly.
"Hey you! Can't you see me?"
Looking at Nabu, Zeke remained silent for a moment before nodding and speaking.
"Yes, I'm glad you're safe too, Elder."
At Zeke's flat response, Nabu shook his head and clicked his tongue.
Arina looked at Zeke with concerned eyes and spoke.
"Sir Zeke, are you hurt anywhere?"
"Don't worry, Lady Arina. I'm fine."
At Arina's worried concern, Nabu standing beside her grumbled.
"Principal, that monster getting hurt is unimaginable... EEEK!"
Finally Nabu quieted down after getting hit in the side by Nigel.
After punishing Nabu, Nigel looked at Zeke and spoke.
"As the portal recovered, reinforcements from the Cusco Kingdom and Central Continent crossed over here. Though it's still chaotic, reorganization will happen soon."
Zeke nodded at Nigel's words.
"That's fortunate. However... there's a bigger problem."
At Zeke's words, Nabu asked in confusion.
"Just when I thought things were getting resolved! What do you mean there's another problem?"
Zeke looked at each of the three people and opened his mouth.
"Arthur Draker is leading his fleet beyond the Dark Sea."
At those words, Nigel spoke with a surprised expression.
"The Dark Sea? Could it be...?"
Zeke nodded.
"Yes, he's heading to the abandoned continent beyond the Dark Sea to resurrect the Demon King's soul."
At his words, Nabu, Nigel, and Arina's faces darkened.
Zeke looked at the three of them and spoke.
"So I plan to leave as soon as the system is reorganized."
Intense determination flickered in Zeke's eyes.
"It's time to end this tragedy."
* * *
SWOOSH!
Apollion's ship was advancing through the Dark Sea without any restrictions, despite it supposedly allowing no being to approach.
Thanks to the outer being beasts protecting the ship's surroundings, even the monsters of the Dark Sea couldn't get close.
With the beasts pulling the ship forward, it crossed the sea at speeds unimaginable for ordinary vessels.
Rivein Apollion, a knight with ash-gray hair wearing a pure white uniform, stood at the bow gazing beyond the Dark Sea.
Then another knight approached Rivein.
"Brother, Father calls for you."
At the knight's words, Rivein immediately went below deck to the central cabin.
The central cabin was an empty room with nothing in it.
But when he entered and closed the door, the room's scenery slowly began to change.
SWISH!
Soon after, the room transformed into a sword graveyard filled with countless swords of Draker family heads.
Rivein walked through the sword graveyard and climbed the stairs as if familiar with it.
Above was a temple-like building, and entering it revealed a vast hall.
In the center of the hall stood a sword god statue with a black sword thrust before it.
Rivein's eyes lingered on that sword.
Arthur, suddenly appeared behind him and whispered to Rivein.
"Would you like to try pulling it?"
Rivein immediately stood at attention and bowed his head to Arthur.
"I come before you, Father."
Seeing Rivein like this, Arthur smiled and patted his shoulder.
He approached the sword thrust before the sword god statue.
Then he slowly gripped the sword and applied force to pull it out.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Though Arthur applied strong force to pull the sword, it only made the entire temple vibrate without budging.
After releasing the sword, he wore a regretful expression.
"I've spent quite a long time trying to pull this sword. I thought I could do it now, but it seems not yet."
To Rivein, Arthur was no different from a god.
Just knowing there was something such a being couldn't do felt like committing blasphemy.
Looking at Rivein, Arthur shook his head.
"How strange. You and your brothers are the ideal children I envisioned. Yet I don't feel the same expectation as when I think of Zeke, that imperfect one."
When Zeke's name left Arthur's mouth, Rivein unconsciously clenched his fists.
Arthur observed this with interested eyes and asked.
"Rivein, are you frustrated?"
At Arthur's words, Rivein spoke with an emotionless expression.
"I only follow Father's will."
Arthur nodded satisfactorily at those words.
"Good. One prodigal son who betrayed his father is enough with that Zeke. The other Drakers are just trash anyway, not worth paying attention to."
Arthur slowly approached Rivein, placed his hand on his shoulder and spoke.
"Rivein, you are the son who resembles me the most."
He drew closer to Rivein's ear and whispered.
"Can you dedicate everything you are to me?"