690
Chapter 690
Zeke showed a surprised expression at the Guardian's words.
"To find me?"
The Guardian nodded, eyes gleaming through the bandages.
"I searched the entire continent to find you, after Chronos sent you away. But i couldn't. Then I realized. She had sent you beyond the walls of time, into the future."
Chronos had entrusted Zeke to her apostle Laura Agamemnon, sending him across a thousand years to protect him from the demon clan.
The Guardian continued,
"Since I couldn't know when in the future you existed, I decided to leave an inheritance for you. I secretly hid Bahamut's heart and fangs, along with my armaments and library. In a place only those who could use the Kabbalah system could find."
Zeke realized all of Terakan's inheritance was meant for him. Many of the opportunities he gained after regressing were actually preparations for him to walk the path of the Savior.
The Guardian spoke to Zeke again,
"After leaving the inheritance, I used the Holy Grail's power to summon the Demon Lord. I made a deal in exchange for receiving Bahamut's body, I would go to the Abandoned Continent and reveal the location of the Final Tower where the Demon King's soul was hidden."
Zeke was shocked at the Guardian's words.
"You also made a deal with the Demon Lord?"
"Yes, it was an inevitable choice to reclaim Bahamut's body. And... as I said before, I wanted to completely destroy the Demon King. I thought that would free my child who was destined to be the Savior."
Zeke clenched his jaw at the Guardian's words. A terribly intricate fate had entangled Bahamut, Terakan, and Zeke.
"...But things didn't go as planned."
The Guardian nodded.
"Right. Without the Immortal's power, I couldn't destroy the Demon King's soul, and my aged body was about to crumble. As a final choice, I decided to become the Tower's Guardian to prevent anyone from approaching the tower where the Demon King was sealed."
Zeke's eyes widened as he realized something from the Guardian's words.
"The Tower's Guardian, then the being binding your soul isn't the Demon King but..."
He recalled the being who created the Final Tower.
"The Elder Dragon. The one who bound you here for a thousand years was none other than the Elder Dragon."
The Guardian remained silent at Zeke's words.
After a moment, he raised his sword toward Zeke again.
"...The Demon King's soul must not be allowed to fall into anyone's hands. Not even yours."
Zeke shook his head at the Guardian,
"The one you should stop as the Tower's Guardian isn't me, but Arthur Draker. He's the Sun God's avatar who absorbed chaos' power and is now trying to use the Demon King's soul to lead the physical world to its end."
The Guardian flinched at his words and asked in disbelief,
"...You mean he's trying to bring about Ragnarok, the end of the physical world?"
BOOM!
As the Guardian finished speaking, a massive wave shook the space beyond the isolated dimension.
CRACKLE!
Plasma arose from the Guardian's body with the wave.
Zeke was startled by the sudden plasma current from the Guardian's body and tried to approach him.
The Guardian raised his hand and shook his head.
"Don't come closer!"
Soon the space behind the Guardian split open, and his body began being slowly sucked into it.
Seeing this, Zeke shouted at the Guardian,
"What's happening?!"
The Guardian continued speaking as he gradually disappeared into the space,
"It seems the one you mentioned is approaching the Final Tower."
The Guardian spoke to Zeke with glowing eyes:
"I warn you once more. Leave this place as quickly as possible. Otherwise, harm will come to you too."
BOOM!
With his warning, the torn space swallowed the Guardian.
CRASH!
Right after, the dimensional wall that had been blocked collapsed.
The endless flood of the Abandoned Continent appeared in Zeke's view.
Zeke floated in the air, raised his head, and looked at the end of the flood.
Then he slowly muttered:
"System, no... Laura. Locate Terakan Draker."
Having discovered the Guardian's identity as Terakan Draker and grasped the characteristics of his soul while crossing swords with him, it became possible to locate him using the Akashic Code.
A message appeared in response to Zeke's words.
[Terakan Draker's position coordinates are marked on the map.]
Zeke confirmed the coordinates marked on a spot in the endless flooded world.
It meant that the final tower was hidden right there.
Zeke took his eyes off the message, lifted his head to look at the flooded world, and then turned to fly toward where the fortress was.
Although his father Terakan Draker told Zeke to leave this place, he couldn't do that.
The final war surrounding the end of the world was about to begin.
* * *
BOOM! BOOM!
CRASH!
Hundreds of Apollion warships floating in the air fired magic cannons toward the black tower hidden deep in the flooded world.
The black tower was blocking the magic shells with a translucent barrier.
And on top of the command tower of the largest flagship among the numerous warships stood Rivein wearing black armor.
He stared at the final tower defending against the magic cannons with an expressionless gaze.
Since it was created by the surviving dragons, including the Elder Dragon, pooling all their power, it was impossible to break the barrier with magic cannons alone.
Watching this, Rivein gave orders to the mages below the command tower.
"Wake the angels."
At his command, the mages relayed the content through crystal balls.
Then four of the warships moved forward and approached the final tower.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The front sections of all four warships were raised. On each deck was a pulsating hatched cocoon.
The mages managing the cocoons began to inject magic power into the blood stones spread around.
WOOOOOOOM!
The fluctuating red energy from the blood stones penetrated into the cocoons.
Then the cocoons pulsated more violently.
CRACK! CRACK!
Soon sounds of bones connecting could be heard from inside the cocoons, and then the surfaces bulged unevenly.
RRRRRRRIP!
Shortly after, the surfaces of the cocoons tore and red amniotic fluid flowed down below the deck.
Simultaneously, angels wrapped in sticky fluid emerged from the four cocoons.
They were the angels of the thirteen zodiac constellations,
Haniel of the Aries constellation,
Sariel of the Sagittarius constellation,
Anael of the Aquarius constellation,
Sarakael of the Pisces constellation.
However, the appearance of the angels hatched from the cocoons was far from their original sacred form.
Sticky fluid flowed on their surface, and they had wrinkled, writhing skin.
With sharp teeth, split tongues that flickered, and wings made of membranes, they looked more like demons from hell than angels.
Having hatched through distorted causality rather than normal methods, they manifested in the physical world with hideous appearances instead of divinity.
SCREEEEECH!
The angels hatched from the cocoons immediately soared into the air.
Then they circled around the final tower surrounded by the protective barrier.
The angels examining the tower simultaneously opened their mouths wide and spewed black energy from within.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The dark, ominous energy gathered in a circular shape and gradually grew in size.
Soon, the black spheres spat out by the angels flew toward the final tower from all directions.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The black spheres discharged by the angels stuck firmly to the protective barrier around the final tower.
Spiral-shaped drills protruded from the attached black spheres and began to pierce the barrier.
DRRRRRRRR!
Along with strong vibrations, black electricity shot up from the drills attempting to penetrate the barrier.
ZAP!
The black spheres, still attached to the barrier, persistently tried to drill holes through it.
As the attack came simultaneously from four points, cracks gradually began to form in the firmly standing barrier.
CRACK!
As cracks formed in the barrier, changes occurred in the final tower.
RUMBLE!
The tightly closed top of the final tower opened, and surprisingly, dragons that were thought to have disappeared began to appear one by one.
ROAAAAAAAR!
Dozens of dragons that had remained here in spirit form to protect the final tower simultaneously flew up into the sky.
The dragons glided freely through the air and exhaled dragon's breath toward the Apollion warships.
CRASH!
BOOM!
Warships hit by the dragon's breath fell with thunderous noise.
Then Rivein on the flagship issued another order.
"Send out the dragonslayers."
They were all riding Pegasus and dragon horses that emitted black light.
These were originally spiritual beings that had been corrupted with dark magic to become magical beasts.
On top of them were Apollion's dragonslayers wearing Hersion armor, holding swords and chains.
They flew up and threw their chains toward the approaching dragons.
SWISH!
The chains made from woven dragon power and souls extended toward the dragons' spirit forms.
CLANK!
The rapidly flying chains wrapped around the dragons' necks and wings as intended, constraining their movements.
The chained dragons struggled and cast spells using dragon language to escape.
BOOM! BOOM!
A powerful magical storm engulfed the dragonslayers.
But the surface of their Hersion armor glowed, defending against the dragons' magic and even deflecting it.
Their method of hunting dragons was none other than the method used by the dragonslayers led by Terakan Draker a thousand years ago.
ROAAAAAAAAR!
The dragons caught in chains roared as if wailing.
At that moment, the angels around the tower flew toward one of the restrained dragons.
CRUNCH!
The approaching angels plunged their tails into the dragon's nape and began to drain its power.
ROAAAAAAAR!
The dragon in spirit form, having its power drained by the angels, quickly dissolved into a burst of light and vanished.
The angels who absorbed the dragon's power grew larger and transformed.
SCREEEEECH!
The angels, emitting malicious energy, charged toward the other dragons again.
But at that moment, something flew toward the angels.
CLASH!
BOOM!
Powerful sword strikes hit the angels' bodies, pushing them back.
The largest dragon with an overwhelming presence among the many dragons, a jet-black shadow dragon.
The spirit form of Bahamut, the shadow dragon, and the Guardian riding on it had appeared.
As if this was just the beginning, Bahamut opened its mouth wide and unleashed dragon's breath toward the warships and angels.
BOOM! BOOM!
The powerful breath of the shadow dragon instantly destroyed more than ten warships.
The angels soaring in the sky raised their sharp claws and flew toward Bahamut.
The Guardian signaled Bahamut to circle in the air.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Bahamut, spreading its four pairs of wings, twisted its body and swung its tail toward the angels.
CRASH!
The heavy tail of the shadow dragon struck the angel of the Sagittarius constellation.
SPLAT!
The angel of the Sagittarius constellation was shattered into pieces by the tail.
The fragmented body parts seemed to fall toward the ground, but soon began to gather back together like magnets around the dark matter residing within.
CRACK!
CRUNCH!
And soon the shattered body parts merged back together, returning to their original form.
The restored angel of the Sagittarius constellation bared its teeth toward Bahamut.
The Guardian, looking at this from atop Bahamut, launched himself into the air.
Then, eyeing the flagship where Rivein, who controlled these beings, was located, he raised his bandage-formed sword above his head.
RUMBLE!
From his sword, energy imbued with the power of Distorted causality fluctuated.
This was because he, as a Guardian, could also use the power granted to the Elder Dragon by the God of Chaos.
Just as the Guardian, drawing upon his power from when he was an Immortal through distorted causality, was about to unleash a sword strike toward the angels.
STAB!
Rivein, who had suddenly appeared behind the Guardian, deeply pierced his back with the demonic sword Zahak.