Episode 371
Jik stared at the bizarre incarnation wielding the power of two constellations and turned to Arataso.
“Arataso, what on earth is that thing?”
Arataso’s voice was tinged with disbelief.
“A servant of a constellation accepting another’s power… No, if it’s Viper, the avatar of the Endless Seeker, it might just be possible.”
The fallen constellations traded what they needed using souls as currency. The Endless Seeker, capable of soul division and multiplication, had devised a cunning plan using this trade.
He had previously experimented with borrowing another constellation’s servant in exchange for souls. But he went further, testing whether fallen constellations could trade abilities among themselves.
The Endless Seeker proposed a deal to the Arbiter of Endless Strife, borrowing his power. While other demons might have rejected the offer outright, the Arbiter was driven by curiosity.
He accepted, allowing the Endless Seeker’s avatar to wield his power fully. As the master of the Balrog and the Tumah tribe, the Arbiter’s strength enabled the creation of a formidable incarnation with enhanced combat abilities.
Viper, now transformed into an incarnation, spread his wings and looked down at Jik.
“The fallen constellation ‘Endless Seeker’ sets his sights on the Immortal.”
Naturally, the Endless Seeker was furious with Jik. But then, a new message appeared.
“The fallen constellation ‘Arbiter of Endless Strife’ takes an interest in the power’s reaction and observes the Immortal.”
Thanks to lending his power to the Endless Seeker’s avatar, the Arbiter could also witness the unfolding events.
From Viper’s mouth, now an incarnation, billowed black smoke. The smoke coalesced into smaller, clown-like demons, smaller than Viper’s true form.
Cackling with a chilling laughter, they charged at Jik. He swung his hammer at them.
Boom!
Before the hammer could even connect, the small demons exploded, forcing Jik to step back from the powerful blast.
Viper charged through the dust cloud towards Jik, wielding a massive scythe crafted from combat techniques.
Jik drew Bahamut, blocking Viper’s scythe. With a hammer in one hand and Bahamut in the other, he glared at Viper with steely eyes.
“The fallen constellation ‘Arbiter of Endless Strife’ shows interest in the Immortal’s combat style.”
As a constellation obsessed with strife, the Arbiter seemed to relish Jik’s intense battle.
Jik, blocking Viper’s scythe, swung his hammer with his free hand.
Crash!
The hammer struck Viper’s side, but a barrier formed from combat techniques absorbed the blow.
Viper, satisfied with the power borrowed from the Arbiter, grinned wickedly.
“The fallen constellation ‘Endless Seeker’ makes an offer to the Immortal.”
“If you surrender your soul now, I can ease your suffering.”
Jik chuckled at the Endless Seeker’s proposal.
“You’re stingier than a snake in the grass. No wonder you have no proper servants, just avatars.”
Viper snarled, creating twelve black scythes with combat techniques and hurling them at Jik.
Whoosh!
Each scythe carried the power of a condensed aura blade. Jik set his hammer down and focused his energy into Bahamut.
The astral energy gathered in Jik’s sword, powerful enough to affect the constellation within the incarnation’s body.
The Endless Seeker, sensing the primordial force from Jik’s sword, tried to retreat in panic.
But Jik’s sword was faster.
He charged at Viper, wielding the astral sword with a technique unlike his usual style. Instead of the Infinite Sword Technique, he unleashed the Elemental Sword’s Water Flow Field.
“Drain all power.”
When learning swordsmanship from Kaishir, Jik had struggled most with this Water Flow Field. But to truly strike the Endless Seeker, who could divide and multiply souls, he needed to sever the flow at its source.
Jik focused, envisioning the clear flow of water, and reached a state of relaxation.
“The passive skill Limit Break activates.”
Sensing the ominous energy from Jik, Viper frantically launched an attack.
Dozens of black scythes shot from his body, but Jik could see the flow of the scythes coming at him.
“Sever the flow.”
Jik’s sword moved like a flowing stream.
Elemental Sword
Water Flow Field
Flow Severing Sword
Like water cascading down, Jik’s sword moved with the flow, severing and dispersing the black scythes.
Viper, witnessing this, cried out in disbelief.
“No! Arbiter of Endless Strife! This isn’t what we agreed! Lend me more power, now!”
Jik’s sword continued its relentless advance towards Viper. The astral sword’s power targeted the core of the Endless Seeker within Viper.
Simultaneously, the sword’s flow changed.
Elemental Sword
Water Flow Field
Reverse Flow Sword
The water’s flow reversed, slicing through Viper’s core.
Boom!
The reversed flow consumed even the Endless Seeker’s power of division and multiplication. Feeling as if he were drowning in deep water, Viper, the incarnation, couldn’t regain his senses.
Jik calmly continued his assault.
With a swift motion, he grabbed his hammer, channeling the power of the Lord of the Sea, the Field of Gold, and the Spirit’s Might into it, and swung it at Viper with all his strength.
Spirit’s Might
Double Spell
Will of Destruction
The hammer, imbued with the Spirit’s Might, struck Viper’s body.
Boom!
Despite being an incarnation, Viper’s body shattered into pieces under the hammer’s Will of Destruction. Already weakened by the Reverse Flow Sword, he couldn’t utilize his powers of division and multiplication, leaving his body to writhe helplessly.
Jik approached Viper, drawing Solomon’s Ring.
A message appeared urgently.
“The Endless Seeker makes an offer to the Immortal.”
“If you end the fight now, I will grant you a wish to your satisfaction.”
Jik smirked at the message.
“Whether it’s the snake in the grass or the Endless Seeker, they always pull this when they’re cornered.”
From the fallen Nero Emperor, Jik knew well how the wishes offered by fallen constellations turned out.
Without hesitation, Jik approached the scythe Viper held and drew Solomon’s Ring.
As he brought the ring to the scythe, he felt the Endless Seeker’s energy being drawn into the ring.
The black haze flowed into Solomon’s Ring.
Soon, a coin-like emblem appeared on the ring, and a message surfaced.
“Solomon’s Ring has sealed the fallen constellation ‘Endless Seeker.’”
“The true name of the Endless Seeker, ‘Mammon,’ is inscribed on Solomon’s Ring.”
“You can use the unique power of the fallen constellation ‘Mammon,’ ‘Multiplication,’ once a day.”
With the sealing of Solomon’s Ring, the true name of the Endless Seeker, Mammon, was revealed.
Then, a message related to the Arbiter of Endless Strife appeared.
“The Arbiter of Endless Strife is impressed by the Immortal’s struggle.”
“The Arbiter of Endless Strife says he will continue to watch the Immortal’s struggles with interest.”
True to his name, the Arbiter seemed genuinely interested in the struggle itself.
“Interest from a demon, huh.”
Jik’s expression was less than pleased when messages about rewards began to appear.
“You have achieved the remarkable feat of sealing a fallen constellation.”
“The proficiency of the Dragon Skill, Word Magic, has increased.”
“The proficiency of the Special Skill, Soul Sealing, has increased.”
“The proficiency of the Active Skill, Blood Eye, has increased.”
“The proficiency of the Active Skill, Stealth, has increased.”
“The proficiency of the Active Skill, Clone, has increased.”
“You have received a Special Random Box as a reward.”
“You have gained 10,000 Karma Points based on your achievement.”
Mammon, a constellation capable of soul division and multiplication, had increased the proficiency of skills related to souls.
“It’s been a while since I received a Special Random Box.”
Artifacts from the Special Random Box had always been of unique item grade, so Jik was eager to see what he would get.
He retrieved the Special Random Box from his inventory.
Seeing the golden hue unique to the Special Random Box, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
“I wonder what I’ll get this time.”
Arataso, approaching Jik with a spear, was wide-eyed at the sight of the Random Box.
“Another constellation’s box… It’s a rare treasure even for servants. The world truly is unfair.”
In today’s world, Jik was the only one who could directly receive artifacts imbued with the power of a constellation.
Without the power of the system, it would have been utterly impossible.
Zeke was once again reminded of the extraordinary nature of the power he wielded, as he observed Arataso’s reaction.
“The Kabbalah System, etched into my soul by the blessing of the Elder Dragon. According to Lord Hades, only the Elder Dragons know the true nature of this system…”
But the Elder Dragons had vanished long before the Liberation War.
“If I can gather all of Chronos’s seals and reach the Primeval Temple, I might uncover the secrets of the Kabbalah System.”
Setting aside thoughts of the Kabbalah System for now, Zeke opened a random box.
Whoooosh!
A burst of dazzling, multicolored light erupted as an artifact emerged from the box.
Zeke tilted his head, puzzled by the artifact that appeared.
“What is this?”
This time, the special random box had produced a small drum.
Zeke picked up the drum and checked its information.
―Drum Information―
Description: A drum imbued with the power of the “Arbiter of Endless Struggle,” ruler of the Tuma tribe.
Unique Ability: Summons earthquakes and magma.
Special Note: Can only be used on battlefields charged with the energy of fierce conflict.
“Earthquakes and magma?”
Zeke read the drum’s information with a look of disbelief.
It seemed that defeating the “Arbiter of Endless Struggle” had led to the appearance of this related artifact. Previously, he had obtained a horn with the power to summon meteors, and now this drum could call forth earthquakes and magma.
Arataso nodded upon hearing about the drum’s abilities.
“A drum that summons earthquakes and magma. Quite the rare artifact. The demons would go wild for it.”
Zeke shook his head, staring at the drum with a serious expression.
“If I use this on the battlefield, it could wipe out both allies and enemies. How am I supposed to use it?”
“In the Demon Realm, that’s just another day at the office.”
Arataso seemed unfazed by the potential destruction.
Not particularly interested in the workings of the Demon Realm, Zeke stowed the artifact imbued with the Arbiter’s power into his inventory.
Having successfully sealed the gate, Zeke unleashed the power of flames to erase all traces around him. Then, mounting Bucephalus, he soared into the sky to assess the situation with the advancing monsters.
Zeke turned to Arataso, who had retreated into the green sword.
“I took down the high-ranking demon Viper. Why are the monsters still advancing?”
Arataso replied in a troubled voice.
“It seems there’s another entity controlling that monster horde.”
He added that a temperamental demon like Viper wouldn’t have obediently led the monsters under human command.
Zeke frowned at the implication.
“So, there might be another high-ranking demon over there.”
“Given the current situation, that’s highly likely.”
“I should have been more thorough earlier. I focused too much on the gate.”
With a determined expression, Zeke quickly grabbed Bucephalus’s reins and sped through the air toward the monster horde.