Episode 351
“You’re saying you’ll grant my wish?”
The fallen constellation, through the emperor who had become its avatar, proposed a direct deal to Zeke.
A message flashed before Zeke’s eyes once more.
[The Black Serpent in the Mouth says it can grant whatever you desire.]
[It claims even limitless power or immortality is possible.]
Zeke looked at the emperor, now a complete monster, and spoke.
“If you can truly grant anything I ask, why not just use that power to take the Holy Spear from me?”
[The Black Serpent in the Mouth explains that due to the constraints of karma, it cannot directly intervene in the physical realm.]
[However, if an immortal becomes its avatar, it can use its powers without regard to karma.]
[The Black Serpent in the Mouth reveals that its powers, unlike those of other constellations, cannot be hindered by karma.]
From these words, Zeke could infer the current situation.
“The powers of fallen constellations are still limited by karma. But there are ways to circumvent those limitations.”
Summoning high-ranking demons to the physical realm without karma’s restrictions through bloodstones in the abyss was likely a similar concept.
Zeke sought to gather information about the fallen constellations through the Black Serpent in the Mouth.
He addressed the emperor, now an avatar.
“If I become your avatar, are there any drawbacks?”
A message appeared again in response to Zeke’s question.
[The fallen constellation, the Black Serpent in the Mouth, says the costs are trivial compared to what you will gain from its powers.]
It was a cleverly worded statement.
It didn’t specify the rewards or the costs, only framing them in a positive light.
Zeke pressed further.
“I want to know what those costs are. I can’t make a deal without knowing that.”
The Black Serpent in the Mouth was silent for a moment before sending another message.
[To become the avatar of a constellation, your soul must be linked through the Chains of Oath.]
Zeke recalled something upon hearing this.
“Are these Chains of Oath similar to the ones that bind hearts in a contract with a dragon?”
[The Black Serpent in the Mouth says it’s something similar.]
Reading the message, Zeke realized the Black Serpent was downplaying the implications with its crafty wording.
“A contract with a dragon is a mutual connection. But the link between a fallen constellation and its avatar can’t be the same.”
Zeke suspected that becoming an avatar meant surrendering one’s soul and becoming completely subservient.
Through his conversation with the Black Serpent, he could guess the nature of a pact with a demon and how it bypassed karma’s restrictions to influence the physical realm.
Zeke looked at the emperor and said, “Your offer is quite intriguing.”
The Black Serpent in the Mouth sent another message in response.
[The fallen constellation, the Black Serpent in the Mouth, promises the highest privileges if you become its avatar.]
Zeke nodded at the message.
He then retrieved the Holy Spear from his inventory.
The emperor, now the Black Serpent’s avatar, spoke upon seeing the spear, which had transformed to resemble Bahamut.
“The master desires the Holy Spear.”
Zeke looked at the emperor and replied, “How can I trust a monster like you with this?”
Another message appeared.
[The Black Serpent in the Mouth says that once the Holy Spear is handed over to its avatar, the contract will be sealed, and it can immediately fulfill the immortal’s wish with its power.]
Zeke pondered the Black Serpent’s message.
“Even though it’s speaking through an avatar, expressing its will in the physical realm should be restricted by karma. Yet, it seems to be saying quite a lot.”
He sensed that the Black Serpent was anxious for some reason.
Zeke addressed the constellation.
“If I make this deal, will I gain the power to eliminate Arthur Draker, the head of the Draker family?”
A son eager to overthrow his powerful father and seize his position.
Human history has always been a tale of such power struggles.
The Black Serpent in the Mouth perceived Zeke’s desire as distinctly ‘human’ and accepted it as truth.
[The fallen constellation, the Black Serpent in the Mouth, says it’s entirely possible.]
Rumble―
The energy emanating from the emperor shook the entire Sanctuary of the Holy King.
Zeke realized that this tremor was not a threat but a sign of the constellation’s barely contained excitement.
Seeing the message, Zeke nodded and slowly approached.
The emperor, now a monster, glared at Zeke with red eyes.
Simultaneously, snakes writhed behind him, their heads beginning to transform.
The skin, slick with viscous fluid, split open to reveal red eyes within.
Dozens of red eyes at the ends of tentacles watched Zeke’s every move.
Standing before the emperor with the Holy Spear, Zeke looked up at him.
Then, he aimed the spear at the emperor.
Grrrr―
As the spear’s tip pointed at him, the emperor bared his sharp teeth and growled at Zeke.
Zeke chuckled at the sight.
“Go ahead, take it.”
Zeke spun the spear and extended its shaft forward.
The emperor, wary of Zeke, moved his tentacles toward the offered spear shaft.
Just as the tentacles began to coil around the spear, Zeke, still holding the spear, looked at the emperor and spoke.
“But there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you, Emperor.”
The monstrous emperor glared at Zeke with his red eyes.
Zeke asked him, “Why did you do it?”
Another message appeared.
[The fallen constellation, the Black Serpent in the Mouth, says the contract will only be complete once the Holy Spear is fully handed over.]
Ignoring this, Zeke continued speaking to the emperor.
“Why did you turn the entire continent into such a mess just to deal with your pathetic old body, you bastard?”
Unconsciously, Zeke’s rough language from his past life slipped out.
As a fierce killing intent emanated from Zeke, the emperor instinctively swung his sharp claws at him.
Whoosh!
In Zeke’s hand, the dagger of Anexi erupted with an aura blade.
Slash!
The aura blade Zeke unleashed severed the emperor’s arm.
“Kaaah!”
The emperor shrieked and tried to retreat.
But Zeke, holding the spear, was quicker, and chains shot out from his hand.
Clang!
The chains wrapped around the spear shaft and coiled around the emperor’s arm and body.
Unable to retreat, the emperor found himself in a standoff with Zeke, the Holy Spear between them.
“You insolent creature dares!”
The emperor roared, extending the tentacles from his back.
Black mist, filled with a sinister energy, billowed from the tentacles, sprouting sharp spikes as it flew toward Zeke.
At that moment, a golden aura flowed from Zeke’s body, still gripping the spear.
Sizzle―
The black mist evaporated instantly upon contact with the golden aura.
“Haaah!”
Zeke leaped into the air, still holding the spear, and twisted the emperor’s arm backward.
Crack!
The emperor’s arm twisted around, but having become a monster, this caused him no harm.
Instead, his neck and limbs twisted backward, revealing a grotesque form where his back became his chest, with writhing tentacles.
But Zeke’s aim wasn’t merely to twist joints.
He reached for the spot where the tentacles writhed.
Thunk!
He grasped the hilt of the jewel-encrusted sword, Roland, embedded in the emperor’s back.
Simultaneously, Zeke unleashed a radiant blade of light.
Vwoooom―
A powerful light burst from within the emperor’s body.
Boom―
The emperor’s body exploded under the force of the radiant blade.
“Kraaaah!”
With most of his left side blown away, the emperor howled in agony.
But soon, bones and flesh sprouted from the exploded body, regenerating back to its original form.
The emperor, with a new arm free from the soul-binding spell, swung it at Zeke.
Slash!
Zeke dodged the emperor’s attacks, still holding the spear.
The emperor, having sacrificed all his knightly strength to become a monster, might have surpassed human limits in brute strength, but he couldn’t match Zeke, the black knight, in skill.
Zeke dodged the attacks, then unleashed the Elemental Sword’s field of golden force.
Rumble―
A powerful pressure crushed the emperor’s body.
Sensing Zeke’s extraordinary power, the emperor glared and spoke.
“Did you also receive power from a constellation?”
Instead of answering, Zeke sheathed Anexi’s dagger and clenched his fist.
Then, channeling all his strength, he began to pummel the emperor.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Zeke’s fists, heavy with power, battered the emperor’s monstrous body.
Crunch!
The emperor’s body, battered and torn by Zeke’s fists, regenerated repeatedly under the constellation’s power.
Zeke continued to smash the regenerated body into a bloody pulp, only for it to regenerate again.
As the cycle of horrific pain continued, the emperor felt fear at Zeke’s relentless assault.
“S-stop!”
But Zeke did not stop.
Once more, his fist crashed into the emperor’s face.
Boom!
The emperor’s face shattered, sending teeth, bone, and brain matter flying in all directions.
Sizzle—
Yet, as if mocking the violence, the emperor’s body began to heal itself again.
He cried out to the black serpent within his mouth.
“Master! Save me! Quickly! Grant me the power to kill him!”
Despite the emperor’s desperate plea, the black serpent remained silent.
Watching this, Zeke spoke to the emperor.
“He’s already abandoned you.”
The emperor, trembling with disbelief, looked at Zeke and stammered.
“Th-that can’t be. I am the eternal emperor destined to rule the empire forever…”
“Instead of chasing such insane delusions, you should have just accepted your fate.”
Zeke’s fists began their relentless assault once more.
There was no technique, no finesse—just raw, unbridled force.
Zeke’s powerful blows mercilessly destroyed the emperor’s body, over and over again.
As his body was repeatedly destroyed and regenerated, the emperor’s spirit was utterly broken.
Quivering, he begged Zeke.
“S-spare me… I’ll give you anything you want. Money, power, women… anything…”
“I want nothing from you.”
Zeke’s firm refusal left the emperor in shock.
“T-then the empire… I’ll give you the empire. Become the emperor.”
“I wouldn’t take it even if you offered.”
The emperor was struck with horror at Zeke’s words.
Here was a man immune to any temptation, a kind of human he had never encountered before.
The fear was not his alone. The celestial being within him, the black serpent, felt a similar dread.
Unlike other humans driven by desire, Zeke was an enigma, impossible to understand.
The black serpent, who had always secured what it wanted through deals, found itself questioning Zeke’s very existence.
Instinctively, the celestial being felt the urge to escape this place quickly.
Currently, it was partially anchored to the physical realm through the emperor’s body.
It was well aware that the Harbinger of Blood and Madness had once tried to attack Zeke directly, only to have part of its essence sealed away by him.
Though it was a shame to lose the emperor’s body, painstakingly turned into a vessel, the risk of losing its power like the Harbinger was too great.
Reluctantly, the celestial being decided to abandon the emperor’s body.
Sssss—
As a result, the emperor’s body began to disintegrate like sand.
Zeke realized that the black serpent was abandoning the emperor’s body.
With his soul bound to the black serpent, the emperor was doomed to be dragged into the abyss with it.
“N-no…”
At that moment, Zeke reversed the spear he held.
Then, with all his might, he drove the sacred spear into the heart of the emperor, whose body was turning to dust.