701
Chapter 701
KIIIIIIIIIING!
Zeke slowly opened his eyes to the ear-piercing sound.
'Where am I...?'
Looking around, he realized he was floating in a deep void where up, down, and sides couldn't be distinguished.
Zeke understood that he had entered the void world connected to his own abyss after opening his physical body to accept the Demon King's power.
A world in the crevice where reality and mind coexist, with indistinct boundaries.
It was clear that if he lost himself here, the Corrupted Primordial Light would take over his body and a new Demon King would be born.
Zeke gathered his thoughts and balanced his body.
Then he tried to awaken his divine nature and unfold his unique domain.
TSUTSUTSUTSUTSU!
But his unique domain, the Vanished Stage, would not manifest in the void world.
'It's not because this is the void world. This place itself... is a kind of unique domain.'
Since this world was created by the Corrupted Primordial Light, it seemed he couldn't unfold his own unique domain for now.
Zeke closed his eyes and waited for something to change.
In the void world where neither time nor space existed, ordinary beings from the physical world would naturally lose themselves and go mad.
But Zeke, with his strong divine nature, could maintain his sense of self while floating through the void world.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed.
Zeke, who had been sitting cross-legged and calm, suddenly realized that the void world he was floating in had changed.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
When he opened his eyes, he found himself at the deepest layer of the void world.
Surprisingly, there was a giant tree that looked like the World Tree, but it was upside down, with roots pointing upward and branches hanging down.
Zeke gazed at the inverted World Tree with sunken eyes.
Then the Corrupted Primordial Light appeared before him.
WOOOOOONG!
The Corrupted Primordial Light facing Zeke rippled with a luminous black light.
It was actually too clear and luminous to be called the source of all-devouring greed.
Facing the Corrupted Primordial Light, Zeke spoke.
"Corrupted Primordial Light. It's useless to imprison me in this void world where nothing exists. I am different from King Solomon and the Fallen king of Impiety Jiemens."
No matter how strong King Solomon and the Fallen king of Impiety were, they were ultimately beings of the physical world who lacked divine nature.
Zeke was a high-ranking constellation who had transcended human limitations and possessed divinity, so he wouldn't lose himself even if he floated in the void world for tens of thousands of years.
After hearing Zeke's words, the Corrupted Primordial Light began to whisper again.
【Zeke Draker, being from outside the stage. Only you can help me escape from here.】
"King Solomon and the Fallen king of Impiety Jiemens were also qualified as vessels to accept you. Am I different from them?"
【You are one who has gone against fate by your own will. You created a role that originally didn't exist on the stage I made. A new stage can be created through your choice.】
"So because I exist outside the stage created by the Primordial Light, I can shatter this damn fate, is that what you're saying?"
【Yes. Even my previous self being annihilated by the created beings was predetermined fate. Only a being free from fate can rewrite that destiny.】
Zeke began to understand why both the King in Yellow and the Corrupted Primordial Light wanted to possess him.
It was because he was the only being who could break the existing stage created by the Primordial Light and create a new one.
Looking at the Corrupted Primordial Light, Zeke said,
"But weren't you, as the creator, aware of all this fate when you created the stage? Now you're trying to descend upon me and change fate. I expected it, but was the betrayal so painful?"
At these mocking words, the Corrupted Primordial Light rippled and whispered in Zeke's ear.
【I love everything I created. I simply want to prevent pitiful souls and the brilliant moments they create from disappearing meaninglessly.】
Zeke sneered at this response.
"Stop spouting nonsense. It was none other than your corrupted self that disrupted the physical world and tried to destroy everything. Moreover, you couldn't tolerate the imperfection of the creatures you created, repeatedly bringing about the world's destruction. And then you claim you loved everything you created. Enough with your hypocrisy."
The Corrupted Primordial Light had no answer to Zeke's words.
Looking at the silent Corrupted Primordial Light, Zeke furrowed his brow and said,
"Apollion and you who call yourself the Creator look exactly the same to me. You only want the stage you created to be perfect, without caring at all about those who exist within it."
At Zeke's words, the Corrupted Primordial Light rippled strongly.
【I love everything I created and the world itself where they exist. That is why I cannot bear this imperfect world as it is now.】
The Corrupted Primordial Light flickered intensely, and the sound ringing in his ears grew louder.
【I will return all the mistakes of my past self, those remnants of imperfection, to nothingness. And this time, I will make it perfect. Make it perfect. Make it perfect. Make it perfect...】
Zeke shook his head as he listened to the Corrupted Primordial Light endlessly repeating ‘perfection’.
"How could you be sane after being stuck in this place for tens of thousands of years with your soul shattered into fragments? Demon King or King in Yellow, I'll personally shatter your damn delusions."
Zeke stretched his hand toward the Corrupted Primordial Light.
He was attempting to accept the soul of the corrupted creator god himself.
The Corrupted Primordial Light rippled again and emitted a black light.
TSUTSUTSUTSUTSU!
The black light gathered and formed a dark figure.
'What is that?'
CHWARARARARARAK!
Moments later, the black light transformed into a tall man wearing an iron mask, with chains wrapped around both arms.
TUDUK! TUDUK!
The Corrupted Primordial Light was embedded in the chest of the man with the iron mask who appeared with chains wrapped around him.
Zeke murmured softly as he looked at him.
"God-Slayer Solomon..."
The figure created by the Corrupted Primordial Light was none other than Solomon, the King of Carcosa, the God-Slayer, and the first vessel of the Demon King's incarnation.
Solomon wearing an Iron mask then stretched his hand forward.
CHWARARARARARAK!
The chains wrapped around his arms merged into one and transformed into a black spear.
The spear made of chains began to vibrate.
WOOOOOONG!
Solomon immediately raised the black spear and hurled it at Zeke with all his might.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
The black spear spun ferociously as it flew toward Zeke.
It was the God Slayer strike which had annihilated numerous constellations that once disrupted the physical world.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Zeke drew Leviathan and swung it at the incoming spear.
KWANG!
Solomon's spear, upon colliding with the sword, turned into black ashes with a thunderous sound.
This time, Zeke summoned Ascalon from his inventory and awakened the power of the Holy Spirit Weapon.
PAJIJIIJIK!
Lightning infused with the power of the Holy Spirit Weapon filled the void world.
Then the form of Solomon standing before Zeke changed.
TSUTSUTSUTSUTSU!
This time, a Black Knight wearing black armor and wielding Zahak appeared.
Zeke recognized the Black Knight as the Fallen king of Impiety Jiemens Apollion.
The Fallen king of Impiety swung Zahak toward Zeke.
SAAAAK!
Surprisingly, Zahak's slash cut through space and appeared through the split spatial gap right in front of Zeke's face.
KKANG!
Zeke barely blocked the Fallen king of Impiety's attack with Leviathan.
WOOOONG!
This time, the Fallen king of Impiety himself crossed through the spatial gap and aimed for Zeke's back.
But Ascalon, charged with the power of the Sacred Spirit Weapon, flew to block the Fallen king of Impiety's attack.
KKAGAGAGANG!
While Ascalon was engaging the Fallen king of Impiety, Zeke retreated to create distance.
But the Fallen king of Impiety crossed through another spatial gap and appeared before Zeke again.
Then he instantly changed his form back to Solomon and spread his chains to ensnare Zeke's body.
CHWARARARARAK!
Fortunately, Zeke dodged backward in time and blocked the chains with Leviathan.
KKADEUDEUGEK!
Solomon's chains, which had wrapped around Leviathan, slowly crawled upward, trying to grab Zeke's wrist.
Since Solomon's chains could bind even the souls of constellations, Zeke would be in danger if caught by it.
Sensing the danger, Zeke released Leviathan from his hand and stepped backward.
Solomon retrieved the chain-bound Leviathan and gripped it.
At that moment, Solomon's form flickered, and this time the Fallen king of Impiety's form overlapped with it.
TSUTSUTSUTSUTSU!
Solomon's form and the Fallen king of Impiety's form merged, transforming into a knight wearing black armor with an iron mask, holding chains and a sword.
He swung the chain-bound Leviathan in circles and, remarkably, just like the Fallen king of Impiety had done before, split space and threw Leviathan through the gap.
CHWAAAAK!
Seeing the chain-bound sword flying through the spatial gap, Zeke gripped Ascalon and unleashed his Mind Sword.
CHWAAAAK!
Although he nullified the attack by cutting through even the split space with his mind sword, the projection of the Demon King created by the Corrupted Primordial Light was completely unaffected.
'This place is essentially his unique domain. It's difficult for me to fully manifest my divine power here.'
For now, he needed to somehow unfold his unique domain to strike at the Corrupted Primordial Light's weakness.
At that time, something came to Zeke's mind.
He suddenly remembered ‘Abyssal Darkness,’ the inherent power of the Arrogant Savior that he had recovered while absorbing Mephistopheles.
'Yes, if it's Abyssal Darkness...'
While Zeke was observing the situation in his mind, as he hesitated to approach carelessly, the Corrupted Primordial Light stepped forward holding Zahak and Leviathan.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
He tried to attack Zeke from behind again by pushing his body through the gap in the split space.
But at that moment, ‘Abyssal Darkness’ deeper and darker than any shadow began to spew from Zeke's body.
TSSS! TSSS!
The Abyssal Darkness released by Zeke began to encroach upon the world of void created by the Corrupted Primordial Light.
The Corrupted Primordial Light embedded in the chest of the avatar combining Siemens and Solomon flickered, emitting black light.
【Do you think you can overcome my domain with mere darkness?】
Zeke shook his head at his whisper.
"This alone won't be enough. But..."
Zeke stretched his hand toward the spreading Abyssal Darkness and summoned something.
"First Beast of the Apocalypse . Your true master calls you. Reveal yourself here."
The beast with seven heads and ten horns, which was the companion of the Arrogant Savior Lilith, was one of the beasts recorded in the apocrypha along with Hera that would lead to the apocalypse .
KUGUUGUUGUUGU!
The Beast of the Apocalypse with seven heads and ten horns revealed itself from within the Abyssal Darkness at Zeke's call.
GRRRRRRRR!
Just as Hera had lost her original divinity after being captured by the celestial constellations, the First Beast of the Apocalypse also had not regained its original form since the Arrogant Savior lost his power.
Zeke bestowed the Abyssal Darkness that he had taken from Mephistopheles upon the First Beast of the Apocalypse.
TSSS! TSSS!
The Abyssal Darkness settled upon the beast with seven heads and ten horns.
Then, just as Hera had found her original divinity through the Abyssal Flame, the First Beast of the apocalypse also changed in response to the Abyssal Darkness.
KAAAAAAARK!
The body of the beast with seven heads and ten horns began to grow.
KWADDDDDDDDK!
A moment later, red scales and wings spread through the abyssal darkness, and the apocalyptic dragon spewing darkness from its seven heads revealed itself.
Seeing the terrifying true form of the First Beast of the Apocalypse Hera, Zeke smiled faintly.
"Ancient Dragon Tiamat, you have regained your original divinity."
Tiamat, who had recovered her lost divinity and name, raised her seven heads and opened her mouths wide.
KRWARARARARARA!
As if answering Zeke's words, Ancient Dragon Tiamat spewed Abyssal Darkness with tremendous force from her seven mouths.
Soon, the world of void was rapidly filled with Abyssal Darkness.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
Seeing the Abyssal Darkness filling the surroundings, Zeke grinned and raised Ascalon.
"Good, this should be enough to work with."