684
Chapter 684
Zeke frowned as he looked at Arthur Draker who had possessed Rivein's body.
Due to karma's restrictions, the constellations couldn't directly descend to the physical realm and had to interfere through avatars.
Yet Arthur Draker, like the constellations, had made Rivein his avatar and dwelled within his body.
Usually, it's extremely difficult for constellations to find avatars they can descend into.
However, any member of the Apollion Knights could transform into Rivein, Arthur Draker's avatar.
This meant Arthur Draker had over hundreds of powerful avatars at his disposal.
'It might not just be hundreds, but thousands or tens of thousands.'
Since the Apollion Knights could share all knowledge and experience, Arthur Draker's power would only grow stronger as their numbers increased.
While Zeke was thinking this, Arthur Draker, dwelling in Rivein's body, spoke.
"Zeke Draker, you truly continue to surprise me."
Arthur Draker's gaze was fixed on none other than Zeke's sword.
He couldn't take his eyes off the sun sword Gram, which had absorbed the two shadow swords.
With his gaze still fixed on Gram, he spoke to Zeke.
"To combine the ungovernable shadow swords into one and then absorb them into a sword for perfect control... that should be impossible."
Hearing this, Zeke realized that Arthur Draker had suddenly appeared because of his sword.
'Was Gram absorbing the shadow swords really such a special event?'
Judging by Arthur Draker's reaction, there seemed to be something Zeke didn't know.
After staring at Gram for a while, Arthur Draker finally turned his gaze to Zeke and asked.
"That sword, I've never seen it before. Where did you get it?"
Zeke frowned at Arthur Draker's words and replied.
"Surely you don't think I would answer that?"
Arthur Draker shook his head.
"Right, I understand. But this is an extremely important matter."
Zeke's eyes gleamed as he had never seen Arthur Draker so fixated on something before.
Thinking this might be an opportunity to identify Arthur Draker's weakness, he decided to probe further.
He opened his mouth to address Arthur Draker.
"Why is this sword so important?"
Arthur Draker, possessing Rivein's body, smiled and extended his hand.
Then, in his opposite hand from the one holding Zahak, a new sword emerged.
A sword with an ash-gray blade that resembled Arthur Draker's ash-gray hair.
It was Caliburn, his exclusive weapon.
Arthur Draker showed his sword to Zeke and spoke.
"Zeke, do you know the true identity of this sword?"
Though the situation was sudden, Zeke calmly examined the sword, sensed the strange energy emanating from Caliburn, and slowly replied.
"...I sense distorted causality. Is it made of dark matter?"
Arthur Draker shook his head.
"Wrong. The distorted causality you sense in this sword is something I overlaid on it. It's necessary to use this sword."
Suddenly, Caliburn in Arthur Draker's hand began to change.
HISS! HISS! HISS!
Black patterns like tree roots appeared on the gray blade.
Seeing this, Zeke realized Caliburn's true identity.
'A shadow sword.'
Caliburn was a shadow sword, just like Caladbolg and Caledvulgh.
As the black patterns spread, the gray color gradually diminished, and the power flowing from Caliburn felt stronger.
And Zeke noticed that this power was different from the authority of Absorption that devoured everything.
'This is...?'
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
As the energy leaking from the sword grew stronger, black roots spread not just through the sword but also to Rivein's hand holding it.
Then Arthur Draker again used the power of distorted causality to control the sword's power.
HISS! HISS! HISS!
The sword changed back to gray, and the incomprehensible energy Zeke had felt was contained and disappeared.
Arthur Draker quietly looked at the restored Caliburn, then turned his gaze to Zeke and said.
"Without controlling it with twisted causality, even I find it difficult to control this. Of course, there's a difference in rank between my Caliburn and your shadow swords... but still, being able to control shadow swords so perfectly is remarkable."
Greed flickered in Arthur Draker's eyes.
His will to somehow take Gram from Zeke was glaring.
Zeke slowly spoke while watching Arthur Draker.
"You want this sword, Arthur Draker."
Arthur Draker, who resided in Rivein's body, laughed loudly at those words.
"It would be funny to say I don't want it now. Yes, I want that sword. Desperately. My body burns with desire, as it seems I could obtain what I've longed for all this time with it."
WOOOONG!
Red light surged from Rivein's eyes.
Simultaneously, similar light flashed from his equipped armor, creating four pairs of wings on his back.
Unlike Abel's Dragon Armor or the demon-like armor Rivein wore earlier, this armor was formed similarly to the ancient Hersion excavated from the Rom Empire, appearing solid and heavy.
Arthur Draker, holding Zahak and Caliburn in both hands, spoke to Zeke while emitting a fierce glow:
"Even while telling myself to endure, it's difficult to suppress the aurathat boils up when I see you, Zeke. It's especially so because you possess everything I've wanted."
Immediately after those words, Arthur Draker spread his wings and flew toward Zeke.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
It was as if a red storm was rushing toward Zeke.
Zeke raised Gram toward the approaching Arthur Draker.
He deployed Elemental Sword Wind's barrier with Gram to push back Arthur Draker who was bringing the storm.
But Arthur Draker broke through Zeke's wind wall and drove straight in.
The dark red blade Zahak was imbued with a strange power.
It was a power made of the will to annihilate everything. The slash wrapped in this strange power drove in to cleave Zeke's body.
Zeke immediately equipped the Goddess Theia's Hersion after his wind barrier was penetrated and raised Gram.
He imbued the sword with the power of the Mind Sword to counter Arthur Draker's Annihilation Sword.
WOOOONG!
He swung the Mind Sword that cuts through the source toward Arthur Draker.
Zeke's Mind Sword and Arthur Draker's Annihilation Sword collided, affecting dimensions beyond the physical plane.
KUWOOOONG!
When the two Source-cutting swords clashed, the shockwave spread in all directions, affecting others nearby.
Particularly, the Knights of Apollion waiting behind Arthur Draker were directly exposed to the concentrically spreading shockwave and received severe damage.
Some of them perished, coughing blood in midair.
The damage from the shockwave was beyond their self-healing abilities.
Meanwhile, Arthur Draker, who had clashed swords with Zeke, was pushed back to the opposite side in the air by the recoil.
His entire body, not just his hands, felt numb from the power of the Mind Sword.
Arthur Draker smiled as he looked at Zeke standing on the opposite side.
"Zeke, you've really grown a lot."
He hadn't thought there would be anyone in the physical plane who could directly counter his sword. Just by facing him head-on, he could feel how much stronger Zeke had become.
To those words, Zeke said to Arthur Draker,
"This isn't the time to be relaxed."
Simultaneously, a massive explosion sound came from behind.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG!
The Apollion Knights' warship behind them was destroyed and falling to the ground.
During their fight, Zeke had launched Leviathan and Ascalon, which he had kept waiting in the air, to attack the warship.
Seeing this, Arthur Draker's eyes widened slightly before returning to normal.
"While it's not very knightly behavior... yes, that's possible."
Zeke's expression showed disgust at Arthur Draker's hypocritical words, considering he had conquered the Central Continent through the most unknightly actions.
At the same time, Leviathan and Ascalon, which had destroyed the Apollion warship, flashed with sword light as they quickly flew to strike Arthur Draker's back.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Just as the two flashes were about to pierce Arthur Draker's back, suddenly a crack appeared in the air.
JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOK!
A giant hand emerged from the crack in the air.
The hand wearing a black gauntlet immediately spread out as if to protect Arthur Draker's body, deflecting Leviathan and Ascalon and changing their trajectory.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Ascalon and Leviathan, their paths altered, passed by Arthur Draker and returned to Zeke's side.
The two swords floated around Zeke's body, emitting sword light.
Arthur Draker, who had been quietly observing the two swords and Zeke, spoke with a stern expression unlike before, standing in front of the giant palm that had emerged from the crack:
"...Though I hate to admit it, it would certainly be difficult to face you, Zeke, in my current state."
It was essentially a declaration of defeat from the proud Arthur Draker.
To this, Zeke raised Gram and said,
"It would be a grave mistake to think you can escape from here. You should never have shown yourself before me."
KUGUGUGUGU!
Zeke used Overclock to draw out more divine power.
Strong celestial power and force emanated from his body.
Simultaneously, the space around Zeke and Arthur Draker began to transform.
He intended to trap Arthur Draker's soul residing in Rivein's body within his unique domain to prevent escape.
As the space was transforming into Zeke's unique domain, Arthur Draker shook his head.
"Zeke, I apologize, but I'm different from the arrogant constellations or foolish demons."
He retreated toward the giant palm he had summoned.
The giant palm then wrapped around Arthur Draker and attempted to return through the dimensional crack.
Zeke, realizing Arthur Draker was trying to escape, deployed Solomon's Chains to stop him.
CHWARURURUK!
The chains tried to wrap around the giant hand, but distorted causality was at work around it.
As a result, the chains were deflected before even touching the giant hand.
From within the giant hand, Arthur Draker spoke to Zeke,
"Zeke, come to the Final Tower. I shall wait there for you and your sword."
With those words, the hand holding Arthur Draker disappeared into the dimensional crack.
JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOK!
Seeing Arthur Draker vanish, Zeke gritted his teeth and released his unique domain.
Looking around, everyone else had already disappeared except for the destroyed warship and dead Apollion knights.
'The Final Tower. He found it.'
He needed to stop Arthur Draker before he could resurrect the sealed Demon King's soul at the Final Tower.
"My Lord!"
Though he had planned to open a gate and find Terakan Draker's tomb, it seemed he needed to find the Final Tower first.
As he was reorganizing his plans, Elizabeth flew toward where Zeke was.
She bowed politely to Zeke.
"Are you unharmed?"
"I'm fine. How is the fortress situation?"
Elizabeth quickly reported to Zeke's question:
"All infiltrated fortresses have been reclaimed. The demon beasts attacking the fortress were successfully defended against by Anastasia's vassals and the undead forces led by Inspector Nevilos."
Though he couldn't pay attention due to Arthur Draker's sudden appearance, it seemed they had successfully defended the fortress from the Apollion Knights.
"Let's go to the fortress immediately. I need to open a gate."
But then.
KURURURURUNG!
Purple storm clouds gathered in the sky and suddenly rain began to pour.
Elizabeth's expression turned to surprise as she saw the sticky black raindrops.
"My Lord, this rain... it contains dense demonic energy."
Demonic energy affects not only living things but also the surrounding environment.
Zeke furrowed his brow as he watched the rain falling with demonic energy, because he had seen this scene in Duke's past memories.
He could sense ancient beings that had been sleeping in the Abandoned Continent slowly awakening with the rain.
The true terror of the Abandoned Continent was about to begin.