666
Chapter 666
Rivein felt his body stiffen unconsciously at Arthur's secretive voice whispering in his ear. However, he soon nodded with a resolute expression.
"I am prepared to sacrifice everything for Father."
Hearing Rivein's words, Arthur smiled again. It was a charming smile that drove away the sinister aura emanating from him.
"Rivein, you truly are my real son."
Arthur patted Rivein's shoulder and continued speaking.
"Find the tower as soon as you reach land. And make sure to open its doors."
Rivein bowed his head formally at Arthur's words.
"Understood, Father."
Arthur, who had been watching him with satisfaction, suddenly whipped his head around. His eyes gazed somewhere beyond the temple, furrowing his brows as he muttered something.
"...So he escaped. And with Raziel and Samael too..."
Arthur's smile completely disappeared as he muttered something briefly before turning back to look at Rivein.
"Zeke Draker, that bastard will also try to find the tower."
When Zeke Draker was mentioned again, Rivein's expression changed like before. With the expression of a righteous knight recalling the lord of evil that must be eliminated, he tightly gripped the handle of the sword at his waist.
Arthur spoke while watching Rivein.
"Rivein, do you think you can defeat Zeke with your skills?"
At those words, Rivein clenched his jaw. Although he was considered the most outstanding among the completed sons created by Father, he couldn't answer readily.
Rivein recalled Zeke Draker's amazing martial prowess. Besides Father, he had never encountered someone possessing such absolute power.
Seeing Rivein's silence, Arthur nodded as if understanding.
"This is exactly why you are my most excellent son, Rivein. Because you possess the desire to become stronger and reign above others."
He took one step closer to Rivein and whispered in his ear again.
"I shall give you a gift. So make sure to stop Zeke Draker. And reach the final tower to open its doors."
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
Along with Arthur's whisper, the surroundings changed again. When Rivein raised his head, the temple and Arthur Draker's figure had vanished, leaving only an empty room.
After the audience with Arthur Draker, who was no different from a god to him, Rivein's back was drenched in cold sweat.
Among the Apollion Knights, only Rivein possessed the qualifications to face Father in another dimension. Even for such a Rivein, facing Arthur Draker was always an overwhelming task.
As he wiped the sweat from his forehead, he discovered something placed before him.
'This is...'
The Hersion with a demon's image carved in its center, and a crimson sword imbued with ominous power.
None other than the Dragon Armor and the demon sword Zahak that Abel Draker had possessed.
Rivein realized that the gift Arthur Draker mentioned was this Dragon Armor and Zahak.
'Father…has given these to me'
He slowly approached the Dragon Armor and Zahak. Strange sounds circled his ears as if the armor and sword were calling to him.
Rivein reached out towards the sword and armor as he approached right in front of them.
In that moment, Rivein was startled by a vision of a giant demon's form seeming to devour him.
When he came to his senses and escaped the vision, the Dragon Armor and Zahak had vanished without a trace.
But Rivein could feel it. He could tell that the Dragon Armor and Zahak had merged with his soul and that he could summon them whenever he wished.
Rivein was soon entranced by the overwhelming power flowing from his soul.
He recalled the question Arthur had asked earlier.
Zeke Draker.
The question of whether he could defeat Zeke.
As he recalled this, crimson energy swirled in Rivein's eyes as killing intent arose.
Just then, the chamber's doors opened and Rivein's brothers entered.
"Brother."
"The continent is visible ahead."
"We've reached our destination."
At his brothers' voices, Rivein turned towards them. Then he spoke to his brothers on behalf of Father.
"As soon as we land on the abandoned continent, we search for the final tower. We will open the doors to welcome Father. And..."
A strange heat emanated from Rivein's eyes.
"Zeke Draker will come here too. We will kill him and prove that we are Father's true sons."
At Rivein's words, the other Apollion knights nodded with expressionless faces.
The stage for the final chapter was set to unfold on the abandoned continent.
* * *
WHOOSH!
As the portal opened, Zeke appeared at the Agamemnon Castle.
The first to greet him was none other than Yelin.
"Sir Zeke."
Yelin, heir to House Ishtar, one of the three transcendent families, was a descendant of noble High Elf blood.
Zeke bowed his head toward Yelin.
"Lady Yelin, it's been a while."
Yelin sensed that Zeke had clearly changed from before.
Even when he had reached the realm of Black Knight, Zeke had shown extraordinary presence unlike ordinary humans.
But now, having transformed into the Transcendent class after surpassing Grand Master and attaining godhood, Zeke emanated power beyond that of a constellation.
Yelin showed a complex expression, feeling that Zeke had grown even more distant from her.
At that moment, Hades, who was floating next to Yelin in his usual elven boy appearance, approached Zeke.
"Huh? What happened? I knew you grew fast but now you don't even seem human anymore."
Even Hades, a dragon who had lived for ages, found it difficult to precisely gauge the realm Zeke had reached.
Zeke simply bowed his head in greeting to Hades without answering.
"I'm glad you're safe, Lord Hades."
At Zeke's words, Hades frowned and said.
"Aish, how did I get involved with someone like you. Just hurry up and make your wish. I'll grant it and then make myself a comfortable lair in some quiet mountain to live peacefully doing hobbies."
Hearing Hades's words, Zeke shook his head.
"That's impossible, Lord Hades."
At Zeke's words, Hades shouted with a disgruntled expression.
"Impossible my foot! I'm not working anymore! I'm sick of it! I'm only going to make what I want to make!"
Zeke looked at Hades and continued seriously.
"The Demon King will soon be resurrected."
At his words, both Hades and Yelin's expressions hardened.
Yelin spoke to Zeke in a trembling voice.
"Didn't you find the Book of the Dead and prevent the Demon King's resurrection?"
Zeke turned his gaze to Yelin and shook his head.
"I only absorbed part of half the soul. But Arthur Draker found a way to resurrect the Demon King with just the other hidden half of the soul."
At his words, Hades ground his teeth and shouted.
"Damn it, I thought everything was settled and was planning to retire and live making small things I want!"
"If you want to retire, you must stop the Demon King's resurrection. Otherwise, Ragnarok will begin and the end will come."
Hades clutched his temples at Zeke's serious voice.
"Haven't had a peaceful day since meeting you. Damn it, so what do you want us to do? You must have some plan."
Zeke nodded and looked between Hades and Yelin as he spoke.
"Arthur Draker is targeting the final tower where the Demon King's soul is sealed."
At his words, Yelin asked.
"The final tower? Where is it?"
Zeke snapped his fingers at her question.
A screen appeared in the air showing the landscape of the abandoned continent that had appeared in Duke's memories.
Seeing the image, Hades was shocked.
"This is insane... Don't tell me this is the place beyond the Dark Sea?"
Zeke nodded.
Hades closed his eyes tightly and muttered.
"This dragon life is ruined. Ruined."
"We'll all be ruined anyway if the Demon King resurrects. To protect this realm, we must cross the Dark Sea and stop Arthur Draker and his followers."
At Zeke's words, Hades grumbled.
"Who doesn't know that? The problem is crossing the Dark Sea in the first place. With weak human ships, crossing the Dark Sea itself is impossible..."
"We won't be crossing the Dark Sea."
"What? What do you mean by that? If we don't cross the sea, how are we supposed to get there..."
At that moment, a flash of light burst in the sky.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!-
A massive portal opened in the air and hundreds of ships appeared floating in the sky within it.
Seeing this, Hades and Yelin's jaws dropped.
"What is this..."
Zeke pointed to the floating ships and said.
"Instead of crossing the Dark Sea, we'll leap over it to reach the abandoned continent."
* * *
Numerous forces spread across the central continent gathered at Agamemnon Castle in Mycenae.
The Western Alliance forces consisting of bird tribes and beast tribes, the Red Eye led by Vampire Queen Carmilla, the small but powerful Barbarian unit worth a hundred men each, and the mercenary unit following Mercenary King Liam Stone's command - they all arrived one after another.
Zeke gazed with renewed appreciation at his allies gathered at Agamemnon Castle. Unlike his past life where he died lonely at the hands of hunting dogs, his new life was different.
As he was lost in thought, someone approached him.
"My lord."
It was Boris, leader of the Nemesis spy unit, and Felix, who had become the chief knight of the Black Specter Knights. Duke's Black Sword Knights remained in Atlas with Kali to protect the central continent, while only the Black Spirit Knights under Zeke's direct command returned to Agamemnon Castle.
Zeke spoke to Boris and Felix.
"You must have heard already."
They nodded at his words. Despite hearing they needed to venture beyond the Dark Sea to stop the Demon King's resurrection, they agreed to follow Zeke.
Felix, now a proud Red Knight, spoke formally with a serious expression unlike before.
"I will follow you anywhere, my lord."
Boris nodded with the same grave expression.
Zeke approached them, patted their shoulders and said:
"Thank you."
Brief words, but filled with sincerity.
Boris asked with a resolute expression:
"My lord, do you plan to transport all these troops to the abandoned continent using floating ships?"
Zeke shook his head.
"The Dark Sea's infamy isn't just due to rough waters and monsters. The realm itself is unstable, making it difficult to cross with floating ships."
"Then...?"
Instead of answering, Zeke snapped his fingers and an ark appeared in the air.
RUMBLE RUMBLE!
Boris looked at the floating ark and continued:
"The ark alone cannot transport everyone."
"I never planned to transport everyone by ark. After crossing to the abandoned continent, we'll establish a base to open gates."
Boris showed a surprised expression at Zeke's words.
"Didn't you say the realm was unstable? Can we establish a base stable enough for gates to function there?"
Zeke snapped his fingers again.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
Something else appeared in the air. Not the warships that came through gates from the Southern Islands, but a completely different type of floating vessel.
Felix was startled at the sight.
"My lord, is that...?"
It was none other than the mobile fortress of Elizabeth, First Princess of the Demon Realm.
Zeke nodded at the surprised Felix and spoke:
"A demon realm mobile fortress. With this, we should be able to establish a base even on the abandoned continent."