Episode 433
“The power of the malevolent fiend?”
Messages flashed before Zeke’s eyes.
[You have absorbed an external entity imbued with the power of the malevolent fiend.]
[Your depleted health, mental strength, and mana are replenished.]
[You have absorbed the abilities of the external entity and acquired a portion of the power of ‘Devour.’]
[The power of Devour is still unstable and does not activate properly. Absorb more of the fiend’s essence to fully unleash its power.]
[Your skill proficiency in ‘Shadow Clone’ has increased by absorbing the external entity’s abilities.]
[Your skill proficiency in ‘Smoke Form’ has increased by absorbing the external entity’s abilities.]
[You have absorbed a designated target, increasing the rank of your absorption skills as a reward.]
[You have received 4,000 Karma Points as a reward.]
[You have obtained a special random box as a reward.]
Zeke read the messages, surprised to learn he had acquired a portion of the power of Devour.
“Is Azitahaka, the Emperor of Devour, referred to as a fiend?”
Even Caligula, the King of Shambhala and ruler of the Faceless, Nightmare, and Beast tribes, held a royal title. It was clear that Azitahaka, with the title of fiend, was of a higher rank than Caligula.
“According to Lopocale’s memories, Azitahaka was a human, not an ancient race. What kind of evil deeds did he commit to earn the title of fiend…?”
It was evident that Ramon Siemens, the head of the Siemens family, wielded the power of the malevolent fiend Azitahaka.
Lost in thought, Zeke retrieved something from his inventory: the helmet of Azmoon Barrios, which he had taken from the belly of the Devourer Beast. Despite the powerful magic that had melted Azmoon’s body and armor, the helmet remained intact.
“If I cast Dragon’s Wisdom on the helmet, I might access Azmoon’s data and gather information on Ramon and Azitahaka.”
Since Azmoon had received Azitahaka’s sword directly from Ramon Siemens, there might be valuable information left behind. Zeke placed his hand on the helmet and activated Dragon’s Wisdom.
A low hum resonated as Zeke accessed the Karma data through the helmet. As he sifted through the data with the Eye of the Sage, he discovered something.
“What is this?”
Just like when he had viewed Duke’s memories, there was sealed data. Zeke attempted to unlock it using his Unseal skill.
[A powerful seal rejects the user’s Unseal.]
Even with his Unseal skill, the data remained locked.
“Is it because my Unseal skill is only at the adept level?”
The data, hidden behind such a strong seal, was undoubtedly crucial information related to Ramon Siemens. Zeke asked the system.
“System, can I use Karma Points to increase my Unseal skill proficiency?”
The system responded to his query.
[To increase the proficiency of the skill, 15,000 points are required.]
With 19,478 points in hand, Zeke hesitated but decided to use the points to enhance his skill.
[15,000 points have been used to increase Unseal skill proficiency.]
[Unseal skill proficiency has increased.]
The Unseal skill proficiency rose to the expert level. Zeke immediately attempted to unlock the sealed data.
A hum resonated once more as a message appeared.
[The Unseal skill has unlocked the sealed data.]
The unsealed data began to form a shape, revealing a colossal figure. The entity, wearing a mask resembling a demon, had grotesque tentacles sprouting from its shoulders, intertwining to form a massive serpent.
Zeke felt overwhelmed by the presence of a being that transcended human limits.
“Just looking at it feels like my soul might vanish.”
The oppressive aura was far stronger than when he had faced Blood King Caligula, crushing Zeke’s spirit. The entity gazed at Zeke and spoke.
[■■■ ◆◇□■■ ■■■■ ◆]
The figure, a remnant of William Siemens’ forbidden magic, spoke in an incomprehensible language.
“Ugh…”
Just hearing the entity’s “true words” made Zeke feel as if he might cough up blood. Without his passive skill ‘Indomitable Will,’ he would have surely lost his sanity.
At that moment, the ominous being slowly reached out toward Zeke. As it did, Zeke felt as if his body was being torn into countless pieces.
Then, suddenly—
A thunderous roar echoed.
With the sound of a phoenix’s cry, someone pulled him swiftly, stretching the space around him.
With a rapid whoosh, Zeke’s consciousness was yanked from the mental realm back to reality.
A hiss of steam rose from Zeke’s body as he returned to the real world.
“Phew…”
Unconsciously, Zeke dropped the helmet he had been holding. It had turned completely black, unable to maintain its original shape.
Regaining his composure, Zeke recalled the transcendent being within the sealed Karma data.
“Azitahaka, the malevolent fiend… Did I glimpse his soul trapped in isolation?”
Facing a legendary being of such immense power left Zeke drenched in cold sweat. Azitahaka, the only human to earn the title of fiend, was a daunting figure.
As he pondered deeply about Azitahaka, a voice suddenly echoed in Zeke’s mind.
[What was that just now? I thought I was facing a demon lord.]
Arataso, awakened from within the green sword, had sensed the fiend’s power and was startled. Through Arataso’s words, Zeke realized that Azitahaka was comparable to the six strongest fallen stars.
“If the power of a demon lord is like this, how powerful must the demon king be?”
Confronting Azitahaka, Zeke finally grasped the true extent of the stars’ power. He reminded himself of his own limitations but was not discouraged.
“If I can master the Elemental Sword, Soul Gear, and Mind Blade within me, I can face any fiend or demon lord.”
With renewed determination, Zeke returned to reality, ready to proceed with his next plan.
“Richmond, report the current situation.”
He sent a message to Richmond, who was with the intelligence team, but received no response.
“Did something happen?”
Deciding to investigate personally, Zeke left the Rom Palace in the care of the Shadow Legion and summoned Bucephalus.
With a powerful neigh, Zeke mounted Bucephalus and soared swiftly over Rom, heading toward the royal tomb where Abel was located.
Flames roared as Boris watched Rom’s sacred site burn.
“I knew he was crazy, but this is beyond belief…”
Having learned Abel’s location from Richmond, Boris and the intelligence team had come to Rom’s royal tomb. The tomb, a sacred site since the Rom Kingdom era, housed the ancestral tablets of past kings and emperors.
The tomb was a symbol of the Rom Empire’s legitimacy, claiming descent from the hero king Kaishir, raised by the sacred Wolf King. It had never been destroyed—until now.
The sacred site was engulfed in black flames, crumbling.
Amidst the consuming fire stood a man, his long red hair flowing, his body covered in black scales, eyes gleaming with madness.
It was Abel, awakened as a dragonkin.
“Zeke! Zeke Draker!”
Hidden among the ruins, Boris watched Abel’s frenzied cries. Beside him, Zion, pale-faced, stood with Zeke’s shadow clone, barely holding on after Abel’s attack.
“If I send my shadow clone to Abel, he’ll surely go berserk and destroy the tomb.”
As Zeke had predicted, Abel, hiding in the tomb, went on a rampage upon seeing Zeke’s shadow clone, demolishing the tomb in his madness.
The once-glorious symbol of the Rom Empire was on the brink of becoming ashes.
Zion, watching the growing black flames, turned to Boris.
“Boss, provoking him was one thing, but how do we get out of here now?”
Ignoring Zion’s question, Boris racked his brain for an escape plan.
Then, something erupted from the ground.
A massive ice wall rose, blocking the black flames.
Boris realized that Vane, who had been on standby, had summoned the ice wall. Simultaneously, Zeke’s shadow clone drew Abel’s fiery gaze.
Boris shouted to Zion.
“Get inside the ice wall and escape!”
Boris and Sion ventured into the icy labyrinth, trying to escape the entangled maze of the imperial tomb.
But the black flames conjured by Abel quickly melted through the ice walls, seeping inside.
“Haah!”
Sion used his telekinesis to shield them from the descending black flames.
Just then, Adol and Serena appeared, sprinting from the opposite ice wall.
“Captain! This way!”
Serena, her form altered to metal, gestured urgently to Boris and Sion. She had sensed the escape route thanks to signals from Aaron and Bisco in the distance, guiding them in the right direction.
As they pressed on, a deafening crash shattered the ice wall.
Boom!
Adol hastily raised a wall of sand to block the collapsing ice.
Above the ruins, Abel emerged, clutching a shadowy doppelgänger of Zeke.
His eyes gleamed with madness as he glared down at the team.
“Bring me the real Zeke Draker!”
Abel unleashed a powerful aura of dark energy.
Boris raised his sword, summoning his aura to counter Abel’s dark magic. The other operatives also activated their bloodline abilities, trying to resist Abel’s overwhelming power.
But the might of the dragonkin was too much for them to handle alone.
Rumble!
The intense pressure bore down on them, making it hard for Boris and his team to even breathe.
‘Damn it… How did the boss ever deal with a monster like this?’
At that moment, Abel extended his hand, and the ominous sword Zahhak appeared, wreathed in black flames. Despair washed over Boris’s face.
‘I never thought it would end like this.’
He had always known he might die on a mission someday, but he never imagined he’d be reduced to ashes in the tomb of Rom.
Gripping his sword, Boris turned to his team.
“Adol, when I charge forward, get out of here immediately.”
The operatives understood what Boris intended.
Before they could voice their protests, Boris dashed toward Abel, sword in hand.
Sion shouted in alarm.
“Captain!”
Simultaneously, Adol manipulated the sand, pulling the team underground.
Abel unleashed a torrent of black flames at Adol and the others as they attempted to escape.
Whoosh!
The flames roared toward them like a ravenous beast.
In that instant, Boris surged forward, intercepting the black flames with his body.
“No!”
Sion cried out as he watched Boris engulfed in flames, even as they sank into the earth.
The black flames consumed Boris, while the other operatives vanished underground.
As his body melted away in the inferno, Boris managed a faint smile, seeing his subordinates escape.
‘Good. I always hated melodrama.’
He felt his body disintegrating in the flames.
His corneas and eardrums burned away, leaving him blind and deaf.
But then, something happened.
A warm sensation spread through him, restoring his senses.
‘What?’
Opening his eyes, he saw someone standing before him.
A man in the familiar Draker uniform, wielding a black sword.
Zeke Draker had appeared, standing right in front of him.