Episode 543
Rumble!
As the explosion of light subsided, radiant fragments scattered in all directions.
Zeke surveyed the scene, finding the shattered armor of the black knights strewn across the ground.
“Did the skull mask get caught in the blast too?”
Just then, a dark mist began to creep up from the ground.
Sssss—
As the mist touched them, the broken bodies of the black knights started to mend.
Once again, the undead legion of black knights rose to their feet. The difference this time was that their controller remained hidden.
Zeke calmly assessed the situation, watching the knights regenerate.
“Something’s different. It seems like the magic is being supplied from elsewhere, not the skull mask.”
There could be secret weapons of Siemens hidden in Jupiter or other places. To deal with them, understanding the method of attack was crucial.
For the allied forces to face these knights without Zeke, they needed to directly target the source of their immortality.
Fully restored, the black knights now advanced on Zeke, brandishing their greatswords.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
They split into groups, some aiming guns from the rear while others pressed forward with swords.
Then, from the back, a barrage of bullets rained down on Zeke.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The spot where Zeke had stood was quickly torn apart.
As he dodged to the side, the black knights charged at him with swords drawn.
Whoosh!
A magical strike aimed at Zeke.
Clang!
Ascalon, enveloped in holy energy, sliced through the black knights’ swords with ease.
While Zeke was engaged with the knights, another volley of bullets came from behind.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Zeke leaped into the air to avoid them, causing the bullets to hit the knights instead, piercing their armor.
Crack!
Yet, the dark mist rose again, healing the bullet-ridden knights, who resumed their attack on Zeke.
Whoosh—
Zeke unleashed a burst of light to neutralize the knights’ assault, searching for the source of the magic.
As he scanned the area with sharp eyes, skull-masked figures holding staffs emerged from all sides.
Zeke realized something.
“Just like the Nostra family’s boss, these skull masks are merely avatars.”
The true source of power lay elsewhere, with these skull masks acting as intermediaries to extend its reach.
As the four skull masks infused the knights with magic, their aura grew even stronger.
“We need to completely cut off the source of this magic.”
Zeke gripped Ascalon and stepped forward to meet the advancing knights.
He then activated one of the holy sword’s powers, “Great Purification.”
Sssss—
Golden waves radiated from his body.
The magic touched by the purification began to disintegrate, scattering into light.
The primordial power of Great Purification, stronger than the holy energy, completely nullified the magic.
The skull masks, wary of Zeke’s power, pulled the knights back.
They then ordered a long-range attack with firearms.
Click!
Hundreds of gun barrels aimed at Zeke.
Simultaneously, more powerful bullets than before were unleashed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The bullets not only fired but exploded, sending shockwaves towards Zeke.
Zeke, equipped with Hershion, withstood the shockwaves while using the purification power to locate the strongest source of magic.
Then, he discovered a point where the magic was being supplied directly from the floor and walls.
“There are pipes supplying the magic.”
Having pinpointed the location, Zeke maintained the purification power and drew Levatein.
He immediately drove Levatein into the ground.
Rumble!
Through Levatein, a field of golden energy spread beyond the floor and walls.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The pipes supplying magic throughout the labyrinth couldn’t withstand the shockwave Zeke unleashed and began to twist or burst.
Hiss—
Eventually, the walls and floor cracked, and magic seeped out from the gaps.
The purification light Zeke emitted penetrated these gaps, starting to neutralize the magic.
Sssss—
As the magic supply dwindled, the black knights and the skull masks, acting as intermediaries, rapidly lost power.
Yet, even in this state, the skull masks controlling the knights glowed with an eerie light.
Perhaps programmed to act autonomously in emergencies, they moved on their own, emitting magic.
In response, Zeke raised Ascalon, radiating purification power.
Whoosh!
Golden light surged from the sword, shimmering with purification power.
He stepped forward and swung the sword horizontally.
Slash—
A massive golden arc cleaved through the space, slicing the black knights and skull masks in half.
Thud—
The upper bodies of the knights and masks fell to the ground, severed at the waist.
The purification light clung to their powerless bodies, beginning to cleanse them.
Ultimately, the undead black knights, fully purified of magic, couldn’t hold on and started to crumble into ash.
Crack!
The skull masks, which had held out a bit longer, also disintegrated, leaving behind only the bloodstones embedded in their heads.
Only after they were completely eroded did Zeke withdraw the purification power.
Then, from the cracks in the broken walls and floor, magic began to seep out again, spreading like black smoke.
But with the undead legion already destroyed, the scattered magic aimlessly drifted through the space.
Zeke picked up the bloodstone from the skull mask’s head and ascended the platform the black knights had guarded.
“There seemed to be something here.”
Examining the platform, Zeke discovered a magic circle where the skull mask had stood.
He realized this magic circle was a portal to the labyrinth’s core.
“The priest of the abyss must be here.”
After absorbing the bloodstone to recover his strength, he reached out towards the magic circle.
Whoosh!
By interfacing with the system, Zeke forcibly opened the portal, creating a black hole, and slowly stepped inside.
Sssss—
Passing through the black hole, he found himself in an entirely new space.
A subterranean dungeon made of red stone unfolded before him.
Zeke sensed that the energy in this space was different from the dense magic he had felt earlier.
“This energy… it’s the power of an outsider.”
Feeling the alien energy of the outsider permeating the atmosphere, Zeke immediately summoned holy energy to protect himself.
With some preparation, he began to walk forward slowly.
Soon, he saw an arched entrance and beyond it, a vast chamber.
As Zeke entered the chamber and looked up, he saw a high platform at the end with an altar on top.
Standing on the altar was a dark-robed necromancer.
“Zeke Draker.”
A voice, not possessed but genuine.
Zeke realized the figure on the altar was the priest of the abyss, Dr. Harvey West.
He raised his sword, addressing the priest.
“Harvey West.”
Zeke’s eyes flashed.
“Today, I will erase you from this world.”
In response to Zeke’s words, the priest raised his hand.
Then, he spoke slowly, almost as if chanting.
“Let us see.”
With his words, the priest gestured, and the empty space rippled as something emerged.
Rumble!
From the rift in space came grotesque knights.
Their basic form resembled the black knights, but their armor writhed like a living organism.
The armor constantly shifted, oozing viscous fluid, and tendrils rose like snake heads, moving erratically.
Zeke recognized a familiar energy from the grotesque knights summoned by the priest.
“A mix of many things. The power of the outsider, the blood and madness of the horsemen, and the magic of the beasts…”
The final experimental subjects, created with all the technology of Siemens, the Nostra family, and the abyss, were these grotesque knights.
As one of the grotesque knights extended its hand, the armor writhed, forming a bizarre sword.
A saw-like blade, reminiscent of teeth or bones, extended from its hand, pointing at Zeke.
Hundreds of these grotesque knights advanced towards Zeke.
Zeke drew the holy sword Ascalon, summoning holy energy, and called forth the four great spirits.
Rumble!
Behind Zeke, the great spirits of fire, water, wind, and earth appeared.
The priest, observing Zeke summon all four elemental spirits, spoke with a voice tinged with awe.
“To wield all four elements… truly remarkable, Zeke Draker.”
He extended his hand towards the grotesque knights.
“All the more reason you cannot be allowed to live.”
With his words, the grotesque knights charged at Zeke.
Crash!
The grotesque knights leaped from the ground, swinging their saw-like swords at Zeke.
The four elemental spirits standing behind Zeke stepped forward, unleashing their power upon the grotesque knights.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames imbued with the spirits’ power, gusts of wind, dust storms, and water arrows rained down on the knights.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Zeke knew from past experience that the spirits’ power was effective against these otherworldly beings. As the elemental spirits’ assault swept over the grotesque knights, they were consumed by fire, their limbs twisted, and their bodies riddled with holes before they could even reach Zeke.
Despite the knights falling before they could touch him, the priest on the altar remained motionless.
Zeke realized something was amiss.
“Could it be?”
Rumble—
Moments later, the fallen knights began to rise again. Their bodies, which seemed utterly destroyed, bubbled and regenerated, returning to their original forms.
Zeke recalled the research conducted by Harvey West, the priest of the Abyss, during his time in Nirvana.
“The power of immortality.”
All the experimental subjects of the Abyss shared a common trait: the ability to restore themselves to their original state even after destruction. The black knights Zeke had just annihilated were an immortal legion, as long as they continued to receive magic.
Yet, the grotesque knights before him were regenerating without any magic, much like Zeke’s own power of immortality.
“Immortality… Is this the ultimate power the priest seeks?”
The grotesque knights, now reassembled, appeared even more monstrous. Some had transformed, sprouting four arms or two heads.
Growl—
Their armor split open, revealing massive mouths lined with sharp teeth, from which long, tongue-like tendrils emerged.
And then it happened.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Aura surged from the saw-blade swords the knights wielded. They assumed stances reminiscent of knights, brandishing their aura-infused weapons.
These creatures were not only otherworldly beings with demonic power but also wielded swords like human knights and possessed immortal bodies.
“How on earth did they create such things?”
Zeke gripped Ascalon, his own aura flaring, and faced the approaching grotesque knights.
The knights launched their attacks at Zeke.
Whoosh—
Dozens of crescent-shaped slashes flew toward him. Zeke swung his sword, neutralizing them all.
More knights charged, their swords descending upon him with powerful aura.
Clang!
Zeke’s Ascalon clashed with the knights’ saw-blade swords, forcing him to step back and regain his stance.
To his surprise, the knights mirrored his movements exactly.
Zeke clenched his teeth, recognizing the swordsmanship they were using.
“Dragon Slayer Technique.”
Zeke furrowed his brow. The grotesque knights were executing the Dragon Slayer Technique flawlessly.