Episode 599
Rumble!
The atmosphere around Nigel had shifted dramatically, and Harvey Drake frowned as he observed the change.
“Pointless resistance…”
Boom!
Harvey Drake found himself momentarily speechless, overwhelmed by the aura emanating from Nigel. Yet, he remained calm, simply watching her with a steady gaze.
After receiving the heart of a dragon, Harvey had awakened to an entirely new world. His body, once unstable and difficult to control, had been fully stabilized after Arthur Drake’s intervention and the dragon heart transplant. This newfound strength allowed him to step out of the shadows and pledge his loyalty to Arthur Drake, a decision he deemed worthwhile. Their goals aligned perfectly, leaving no room for hesitation.
As Nigel’s powerful aura clashed with his own, Harvey summoned the dragon’s power within him.
Rumble!
Dragon scales began to form on Harvey’s skin as the immense collision of their energies shook the entire city of Lurye. The city, sustained by the power of its leader, was at risk of collapsing under such intense force.
“Nigel! You old hag, take it easy! We’re all going to die at this rate!” shouted Nabu, trying to assess the situation.
But Nigel was deaf to Nabu’s words, her mind focused solely on defeating Harvey Drake. She channeled her energy into her sword and launched herself forward.
Boom!
Her blade unleashed a radiant burst of power, embodying her fierce determination to annihilate her opponent.
With equal resolve, Harvey Drake drew upon the power of the dragon heart, unleashing a mighty roar.
Whoooom!
A concentrated blast of magic collided with Nigel’s attack, creating a massive shockwave. Nabu and Mana quickly erected a barrier to contain the explosion.
“Argh! You maniacs!” Nabu yelled as the barrier struggled to hold back the impact, the shockwave reverberating throughout Lurye.
As the dust settled, Nigel and Harvey Drake stood revealed. Despite Nigel’s full-force attack, Harvey remained unscathed, causing her to furrow her brow.
“Even with my power limited…”
Though he had lost the arrogant savior’s authority, Harvey Drake had gained strength surpassing that of a transcendent being by implanting the heart of a holy dragon into his Nephilim body.
Harvey’s eyes gleamed as he taunted Nigel. “Is this the extent of a guardian’s skill? I’m disappointed.”
Nigel tightened her grip on her sword, responding with a fierce determination. “Once I take your head, you won’t be able to spout such nonsense.”
She lunged forward, leaving a trail of afterimages, her blade aimed at Harvey’s neck. But his arm, covered in dragon scales, blocked her strike effortlessly. At the same time, he cast a spell at her.
Fwoosh!
Black flames surged toward Nigel, who deftly evaded and attempted to pierce Harvey’s back with her sword. Yet, he vanished in a blink, reappearing behind her with claws poised to strike.
Nigel swiftly turned her blade to parry his attack.
Clang!
Their exchange was so rapid it was nearly invisible to the naked eye. Watching from behind, Nabu turned to Ivan.
“Shouldn’t we help her?”
Ivan shook his head. “Interfering might only hinder Nigel.”
Mana agreed. “Ivan is right. A clumsy attempt to assist could create an opening.”
Nabu watched the fierce battle with growing anxiety. “He must have some other plan…”
Suddenly, a thought struck Nabu. He hurriedly pulled out several books, frantically searching for a passage.
“Come on, where is it… Ah! Found it!”
He read aloud the passage he had found. “The wicked one hides the truth, deceiving us with false appearances! Behold the mirror, and let all deceit and lies be revealed!”
With his words, a massive mirror appeared above Nabu’s head. He instructed Ivan and Mana, “Adjust the angle to reflect it onto him!”
Following his lead, they angled the mirror to shine on Nigel and Harvey Drake. The mirror vibrated, and a new image formed within it.
In the reflection, Nigel appeared not as a girl but as a noble warrior with a long horn on her forehead and flowing silver hair. Beside her, Harvey Drake was revealed as a mere shadow, lacking any true form.
Nabu shouted to Nigel, “Damn it! Nigel, you’ve been deceived! That’s not the real him!”
The mirror, a reflection of truth, had exposed Harvey Drake’s essence as a shadow, revealing him to be a fake.
Realizing the truth, Nigel’s eyes blazed with determination. “You think a mere shadow can face me?”
Her sword surged with terrifying energy, and she unleashed a powerful strike at Harvey Drake’s shadow.
Boom!
This time, the shadow wavered under her assault, its form flickering like a dark mirage.
The shadow spoke, its voice mocking. [Foolish transcendent beings. You are unwelcome guests on this stage. It is impossible for you to stop the coming of the King in Yellow.]
Nigel, scowling, swung her sword at the shadow’s neck.
[No one can stop it. The King shall descend soon!]
With a derisive laugh, the shadow dissipated like smoke.
Nigel clenched her sword in frustration, glaring at the spot where Harvey Drake had vanished. Just then, Nabu rushed over to her.
“Nigel, they’ve left us here to keep us occupied while they head for the Book of the Dead! We need to get to the leader, fast!”
Nigel turned to Ivan. “Ivan, the leader may not have told us, but he must have told you where the Book of the Dead is.”
Ivan remained silent, meeting her gaze without a word.
Nigel approached, grabbing his collar. “You’d better tell us where the leader is right now, before we’re all screwed.”
The leader, hood pulled low, stood motionless in the dim stone chamber. The room was vast enough to hold thousands, its walls adorned with intricate, though worn, reliefs hinting at its former grandeur.
At the chamber’s center stood a partially collapsed altar. The leader raised his hand, gazing at it.
Whoooom!
Dozens of mirrors appeared before him, each reflecting scenes from Lurye and the sea beyond Storm Fortress, capturing the unfolding events.
The leader turned his attention to one mirror, which had shown the battle between Harvey Drake’s shadow and the high table members. Now, it displayed the others demanding Ivan reveal the leader’s location.
He shifted his gaze to the other mirrors, searching for a sign of Zeke Drake. But Zeke was nowhere to be found.
“Zeke Drake…”
The leader had seen him breach Lurye’s barrier, but his whereabouts since then were a mystery. This could only mean one thing.
“Zeke Drake’s power has surpassed mine.”
Zeke Drake, having transcended to a divine level, was an unknown factor in the leader’s plans to defy fate.
The leader had long awaited Zeke Drake, hoping he would break the tangled web of destiny’s vicious cycle. Regardless of the outcome, fulfilling his sacred duty was paramount.
“I am faithful to my assigned task.”
As the leader reaffirmed his mission, searching the mirrors for Zeke Drake, an unusual sensation stirred behind him.
Ssssss—
The air shimmered and distorted like a mirage, and from the rift stepped a man.
It was none other than Harvey Draker.
With his white hair and piercing red eyes, Harvey Draker glared at the figure standing before the altar.
“Creator, we meet again at last.”
His voice was a tumult of emotions.
Despite the uninvited presence of Harvey Draker in the chamber, the figure remained motionless.
Harvey raised his hand, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Boom!
A concentrated blast of energy shot toward the figure.
In an instant, the figure, who seemed immovable, vanished, leaving only an afterimage.
Harvey Draker shouted into the empty chamber.
“O distorted remnant of the great sage! I am here! The broken creation you made stands before you!”
Rumble!
The entire chamber trembled in response to his cry.
The figure reappeared before Harvey, still silent, merely observing him.
Harvey spoke again, his voice laced with defiance.
“I am yet another testament to your failures. Are you afraid to face me?”
The figure finally spoke, its voice flat and unwavering.
“I have fulfilled my duty. I have never failed.”
Harvey let out a derisive laugh.
“Fulfilled your duty, you say! Such blind and foolish words! Look at me. All your efforts were in vain! Your delusional dream of creating a savior was nothing more than the arrogant fantasy of a mortal drunk on self-righteousness!”
He dismissed everything the figure had done.
Yet, the figure remained unmoved by his scornful words.
Harvey shook his head at the figure’s stoic demeanor.
“Talking to a specter like you is pointless. I will restart this halted play.”
His eyes glinted coldly.
“The Book of the Dead and the Black Star. Tell me where they are.”
The figure slowly raised its hand in response to Harvey’s demand.
A wooden staff materialized in its grasp.
It was an ancient type of staff, long abandoned by modern sorcerers.
Harvey smirked at the sight.
“O distorted remnant of the great sage. Do you think you can stop me?”
The ground rumbled as Harvey’s body began to rise into the air.
“Let me show you how your broken creation has grown!”