Episode 546

The air was filled with a deafening roar as a spear hurtled toward Zeke, threatening to pierce him at any moment.

But then, something unexpected happened.

From beneath the ground, a shadowy figure surged upward.

The dark shadow wrapped itself around Zeke, who was clutching the Levatein, and intercepted the incoming adamantium spear, driving it into the ground.

A low hum reverberated as the chaotic energy that had sealed the space dissipated, restoring Zeke’s powers.

Surrounded by the shadow’s strength, Zeke managed to regain his senses.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he extracted the adamantium spear embedded in his body. As the spear was fully removed, he coughed up a mouthful of dark blood.

“Ugh!”

Spitting out the black blood, Zeke felt a sense of relief wash over him. At the same time, the return of his innate powers allowed the abilities of his immortal body to reawaken.

With a crackling sound, the adamantium fragments lodged in his body began to expel themselves.

However, the wounds inflicted by the divine-slaying stone were not so easily healed.

After a quick assessment of his condition, Zeke opened his inventory and retrieved the Dragon Pearl and Chronos’s Clock.

“System, activate power reversal.”

Having previously unlocked the Dragon Pearl’s power with an elixir, Zeke intended to use the power reversal to heal the wounds caused by the divine-slaying stone.

He had used this method before to heal dragon gods afflicted by the stone.

[Power ‘Reversal’ activated.]

Seeing the system message appear before him, Zeke felt a wave of relief.

As the message appeared, the hands of Chronos’s Clock began to turn, and the wounds on Zeke’s body gradually vanished.

Moments later, another message appeared.

[Activated power ‘Reversal’ without penalty using the power of the ‘Dragon Pearl.’]

[The power of the ‘Dragon Pearl’ is now sealed again.]

Having turned back time to before he was struck by the divine-slaying stone, Zeke confirmed that his body was fully healed.

Emerging from the shadows, Zeke surveyed the priests battling Caligula.

Raising the Levatein in his hand, he unleashed the elemental sword’s fiery power.

A pure blue flame erupted from Zeke’s sword, surging toward the abyssal beasts.

With a thunderous roar, the blue flames engulfed the creatures, reducing them to ashes in an instant. Zeke descended slowly to the ground amidst the flames.

After dispelling the weakened summoning of Caligula, Zeke looked up at the priest.

The priest, observing Zeke, flashed red eyes from beneath his robe.

“Zeke Draker…”

Zeke furrowed his brow at the priest.

“I didn’t expect you to attack me with a divine-slaying stone. It was quite the ordeal, but your trap has failed. Stop struggling and accept your fate.”

The priest shook his head.

“No, no. You are not the protagonist of this final act.”

At that moment, a different energy surged from the priest’s body, distinct from the external forces.

A voice from within Zeke’s inventory spoke up.

[This is the power of the Arrogant Savior!]

Startled by Arataso’s words, Zeke instinctively charged toward the priest.

Above the priest’s head, a gate of swirling green and blue opened.

From the gate emerged a legion of demons.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Clad in sturdy bone armor, the demon legion assembled with precision, exuding an aura unlike any other demon warriors Zeke had encountered.

Among the hundreds of demons that emerged from the gate, one stood out—a demon clad in dark blue bone armor, wearing a skull helmet, seated atop a massive beast resembling a tiger.

[Unbelievable.]

Arataso’s voice echoed in Zeke’s mind.

[The Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion… How can they be here again?]

“The Morning Star? The Arrogant Savior’s knights?”

[Yes, alongside the 1st Battalion I led, the 2nd Battalion was known to be the strongest.]

Zeke frowned at Arataso’s words.

“Did the priest summon the 2nd Battalion from the demon realm?”

Arataso quickly responded.

[That’s impossible. The Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion was annihilated long ago.]

“An annihilated legion has reappeared?”

Zeke realized that the priest had used the Arrogant Savior’s power to resurrect the long-vanished Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion.

“What kind of power does the Arrogant Savior possess to make this possible?”

Gazing at the formidable Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion, Zeke raised his sword.

Arataso’s voice was tense.

[The one at the back is Asmodi, the captain of the 2nd Battalion. Unlike me, whose power is sealed, he remains as strong as ever.]

“You were comrades with him?”

[The 2nd Battalion stood by the Arrogant Savior until the end, perishing under the assault of other constellations. To him, we are traitors.]

Listening to Arataso’s slightly bitter voice, Zeke glared at the priest who had summoned the 2nd Battalion.

The homunculus, half its body blown away and charred, seemed to have ceased functioning.

The priest, having summoned the 2nd Battalion, continued to exude the Arrogant Savior’s energy, empowering them.

“It seems he must remain here to maintain the 2nd Battalion’s summoning.”

Zeke decided to bind the 2nd Battalion and target the priest.

“Arataso, while I attack the priest, you distract the 2nd Battalion.”

[What? Are you using me as bait again…?]

Ignoring Arataso’s protest, Zeke swiftly retrieved the green sword and the Eastern sword from his inventory, summoning him and Nebilos.

With a hum, Arataso’s spirit, in the form of a centaur, and Nebilos, resembling a lich, appeared.

“What is this?”

Nebilos, who had been quietly sealed, was suddenly pulled out and momentarily bewildered. As he assessed the situation, he too was taken aback by the sight of the Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion.

“Isn’t that the Bone Legion?”

The Morning Star’s 2nd Battalion, known as the Bone Legion, was a source of terror even among other denizens of the demon realm.

Zeke addressed the summoned Arataso and Nebilos.

“While I find an opening to strike the priest, keep their attention on you.”

As he issued the command, Zeke’s form vanished.

Left facing the Bone Legion, Arataso appeared slightly tense, while Nebilos looked utterly bewildered.

Nebilos turned to Arataso.

“How is this possible? The Bone Legion, which perished in the war, has suddenly reappeared.”

Arataso replied with a bitter tone.

“It’s a long story, and I don’t know all the details. For now… cover me, Nebilos.”

In his centaur form, Arataso slowly approached the Bone Legion.

The other Bone Legion knights remained unresponsive, maintaining their formation even as they saw Arataso.

Arataso addressed Asmodi, who stood at the rear.

“It’s been a long time, Asmodi.”

Asmodi’s eyes flickered with a red light in response to Arataso’s voice.

The skull helmet that covered his face retracted, revealing his features.

Asmodi’s eyes, like red rubies, fixed on Arataso.

“Arataso.”

With a voice as cold as ice, Asmodi spoke.

“To meet a traitor here… it must be the guidance of our lord.”

Grasping the bone sword at his side, he continued.

“I will personally see to your destruction.”

Arataso met Asmodi’s gaze and replied.

“I never betrayed anyone. It was the Arrogant Savior who betrayed us first.”

With a thud, Asmodi dismounted from his beast, causing the entire chamber to tremble.

His ruby-like eyes bore into Arataso as he spoke.

“The purpose of the Morning Star is to protect our lord and fulfill his ideals.”

Arataso took a step forward, shaking his head.

“That’s your ideal, not ours. The Morning Star is just the Morning Star. The Arrogant Savior abandoned us and ascended to the material realm on his own.”

Asmodi’s body radiated a menacing energy in response to Arataso’s words.

“To forsake honor and speak such shameless words…”

Arataso shook his head and replied.

“Asmodi, you’re too enamored with the Arrogant Savior’s arrogance. Don’t you realize that your stubbornness led to the sacrifice of the entire 2nd Battalion?”

Asmodi had remained loyal to the Arrogant Savior until the end, guarding Babel alone and perishing with the entire 2nd Battalion.

While some might call it a glorious death, to Arataso, it was a senseless waste.

The Arrogant Savior’s loyalty had been meaningless ever since he abandoned the Morning Star and ascended to the material realm.

For a time, Arataso had waited for the Arrogant Savior’s return, but he never came back. The vibrant green hope that once fueled him had been sacrificed to protect his subordinates, even as his own power waned.

Arataso watched the scene unfold and realized that the arrogant savior was not someone worthy of his loyalty.

“Even in death, you cling to such futile delusions. Foolish creature,” Arataso remarked.

Asmodi raised his massive bone sword, pointing it at Arataso. “Silence! Your wretched soul—I shall obliterate it myself to honor my master’s spirit!”

With a thunderous roar, Asmodi charged at Arataso, his colossal frame hurtling forward.

Whoosh!

The enormous bone sword came crashing down, threatening to crush Arataso in an instant. In response, Arataso extended his hand, and from the ground, tree roots surged upward, forming a sturdy green sword and shield in his grasp.

Clang!

Arataso raised his shield, blocking Asmodi’s strike, then swung his sword in retaliation.

Crunch!

Asmodi twisted his body, using the skull-shaped shoulder armor to deflect Arataso’s blade. Arataso called out to Nebilos, who stood behind him.

“Nebilos! I need your help!”

Though reluctant, Nebilos summoned his magic. A rift opened in the air, and from it emerged venomous insects, while skeletons with glowing red eyes rose from the ground.

Nebilos commanded them, “Attack him!”

The swarm of insects flew at Asmodi, who roared and swung his bone sword wildly. “Do you think you can challenge the mightiest and most loyal warrior of Morningstar?”

The force of his swings scattered the insects, bursting them apart. Meanwhile, Arataso gripped his sword tightly, channeling his energy.

[The mightiest, you say? You’ve never defeated me!]

A vibrant green aura enveloped Arataso’s sword as he unleashed a powerful strike at Asmodi.

Boom!

Asmodi parried with his bone sword, but Arataso’s assault was relentless. He split into multiple forms, attacking from all directions. Asmodi raised his sword high, letting out a battle cry.

“Haah!”

Sharp bone fragments exploded outward, dispelling Arataso’s duplicates, leaving only his true form charging forward with a shield. His sword transformed into a lance, glowing with green energy.

Whoosh!

Arataso thrust the lance at Asmodi, the air around them turning green as the attack struck Asmodi’s armor directly.

Crack!

The impact shattered Asmodi’s bone armor, sending him staggering back, blood trickling from his mouth. He looked at Arataso in disbelief.

“How can a traitor like you wield the power of Morningstar?”

Arataso aimed his lance at Asmodi, replying, “Still clinging to that nonsense about Morningstar’s power? I was always strong. Sure, I regained some strength after aligning with someone even more ruthless than the arrogant savior.”

Asmodi gritted his teeth. “You filthy traitor. You’ve abandoned your master for a new one.”

Arataso clicked his tongue, addressing Asmodi with disdain. “Enough with your master’s drivel. There’s something you don’t know, Asmodi.”

He paused, lowering his voice. “The soul of the arrogant savior hasn’t been destroyed yet.”