Chapter 662
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles and spoke.
“Are you saying the Demon King is about to be resurrected?”
Mephistopheles grinned at Zeke’s words and waved his hand through the air. A massive mirror appeared, displaying a scene.
In the reflection, a fleet of enormous white ships was advancing across the sea. Behind them, countless monsters followed, while sea creatures, driven by the monsters, couldn’t even approach the ships.
On the white ships, protected by the monsters, was a familiar emblem: the sun and sword. It was none other than the symbol of Apollyon.
Zeke realized that the one leading this fleet was Arthur Draker, along with the knights of Apollyon. He turned to Mephistopheles.
“Where is Arthur Draker headed?”
Mephistopheles, possessing Anastasia, furrowed her brow and replied, “There’s only one place he could be going to resurrect the Demon King.”
With those words, Zeke understood where the ships were headed.
“The Dark Sea.”
Arthur Draker was crossing the Dark Sea, a place no one dared to venture, to reach the abandoned continent where the Demon King’s soul was sealed.
The Elder Dragons and other dragons had sealed the Demon King’s soul within the final tower on that forsaken land. Arthur Draker intended to awaken the Demon King there.
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles and said, “Half of the Demon King’s fractured soul is with me. Even if he claims the soul there, he can’t resurrect the Demon King.”
Mephistopheles shook his head. “He is the avatar of the Sun God. You’re underestimating his power.”
“Are you saying there’s a way to resurrect the Demon King with only half a soul?”
“It’s not just half. Though incomplete, what’s sealed beyond the Dark Sea is closer to the essence.”
As Zeke’s expression hardened with this new revelation, Mephistopheles continued slowly.
“Arthur Draker is the avatar of the Sun God and possesses the heart of an Elder Dragon. Moreover, within that heart resides a fragment of the malevolent god Azitahaka’s soul. If he uses the mysterious power to twist causality and fills the missing parts with the malevolent god’s soul, it might be possible to resurrect the incomplete soul of the Demon King.”
Zeke furrowed his brow at Mephistopheles’ words.
“Using the malevolent god’s soul to complete the Demon King’s soul?”
Ramon Jimenez had tried to summon the devouring god Azitahaka, only to be killed by Abel. Abel, who had absorbed the malevolent god’s power, was slain by Arthur Draker, who took his heart.
Ultimately, the power of the malevolent god ended up with Arthur Draker. He intended to use that power to resurrect the incomplete soul of the Demon King.
“There’s only one reason he wants to resurrect the Demon King.”
Ragnarok.
He intended to use the Demon King’s power to bring about the end of the world. Then, on the ruins of the destroyed world, he would release a new race of beings, closer to his ideal, and become a god himself.
But in the end, this was merely the will of the Sun God manipulating him. Apollyon had been repeatedly resetting the world to destroy the absolute laws created by the primordial light.
Zeke recalled the world shown by the last sage after Ragnarok. A world erased and restarted by absolute laws. The world was trapped in a relentless cycle of fate, enduring the emptiness of a ceaseless wheel.
Mephistopheles looked at Zeke and said, “Zeke Draker, if you don’t absorb the Demon King’s power, Arthur Draker will. And then the world will end, miserably.”
Zeke couldn’t help but question Mephistopheles’ motives for descending to the world to warn him directly.
Sensing Zeke’s suspicion, Mephistopheles smiled seductively. “Still so doubtful, Zeke Draker.”
Mephistopheles slowly levitated into the air. “There’s no need to be so suspicious. I just don’t like how the Sun God sits comfortably in the heavens, manipulating the Demon King’s soul and treating the world as his plaything.”
Zeke, still skeptical, replied, “And you expect me to believe that?”
Mephistopheles chuckled at Zeke’s sharp tone and shrugged. “Believe it or not, that’s your choice. But one thing is certain: if you don’t stop Arthur Draker, the Demon King will awaken soon.”
As he finished speaking, the body of Anastasia, possessed by Mephistopheles, was enveloped in a purple mist and vanished.
Zeke reached out toward the lingering purple smoke where Mephistopheles had disappeared. Having absorbed part of the primordial light’s soul and become a transcendent being, Zeke could have tracked and captured Mephistopheles.
But he withdrew his hand.
“Mephistopheles, what you want is clear. To become the ruler of the world, not the Sun God or the Demon King.”
He knew Arthur Draker was the avatar of the Sun God. Yet, Mephistopheles had hidden this fact from Zeke, only to now warn him about Arthur Draker’s intentions to seize the Demon King’s soul.
As a demon lord, Mephistopheles likely wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with the Sun God, the leader of the celestial beings.
“He plans to make me a great lord of the demon realm, have me absorb the Demon King’s soul, and then pit me against Arthur Draker, the Sun God’s avatar. When the Demon King and Sun God weaken each other, he’ll swoop in and claim everything for himself.”
It was a scheme befitting Mephistopheles, the demon of contracts.
Even though Zeke saw through Mephistopheles’ plan, he let him go for now.
“The demon lords of the underworld… things won’t go as you plan.”
Zeke’s eyes glinted with a chilling light. After gathering his thoughts, he turned to face the battlefield where the monsters were attacking.
A resonant hum echoed from the sword in his hand, Levatein. Zeke launched himself into the air, diving swiftly into the throng of approaching monsters.
“What are you doing? Bring more harpoons!”
The merfolk on the ship hurled harpoons with all their might at the oncoming sea monsters.
With their immense strength, the merfolk’s harpoons struck the monsters, activating the magic inscribed on them.
A powerful wave of energy surged from the harpoons, and the monsters let out a deafening roar as they sank into the sea.
After the invasion of the external beasts, the southern islands had desperately researched ways to develop effective weapons against them. Eventually, they succeeded in mass-producing anti-beast weapons based on prototypes from Hades, Fainan, and Gelion.
Using these enhanced harpoons, the merfolk could hold the line against the monsters, even with their limited numbers. But even this was reaching its limits.
“There are just too many of them.”
Standing on the flagship Triangle, maintaining ancient spirit magic, Nerissa gritted her teeth as she watched the endless swarm of beasts.
The flying beasts were being held back by Arina, the academy’s mages, and the dwarves, but the sea monsters were overwhelming in number.
As the defensive line was pushed back, more beasts were breaking through and advancing toward the island’s shores.
While Nerissa was contemplating a strategy, her lieutenant, Bill, shouted urgently.
“Sis! The left side’s breached!”
Turning her head, Nerissa saw the left flank collapsing, with beasts pouring through.
She quickly summoned spirits to the left flank.
Water spirits, shaped like serpents, rose to attack the beasts, but it wasn’t enough to rebuild the crumbling defenses.
Nerissa shouted to Bill with urgency.
“Damn it, Bill, you take over here! I’m going to deal with those bastards myself!”
Bill shook his head in alarm. “No, Sis! You’re the captain! If you leave, everything will fall apart!”
If the ancient spirits Nerissa controlled faltered, the entire defensive line would collapse.
Realizing her hasty judgment, Nerissa acknowledged that staying put was the best course of action. Frustrated, she slammed the helm.
But then, something unexpected happened.
A deep vibration emanated from the Triangle.
Nerissa stepped back in surprise. “What the… what’s happening?”
The vibration from the Triangle transformed into a wave, creating a massive swell in the surrounding sea.
The enormous wave generated by the Triangle engulfed the beasts trying to breach the defenses.
The beasts, swallowed by the colossal wave, couldn’t reach the shore and sank into the sea, leaving no trace behind.
Nerissa and Bill stared in disbelief.
“Did the Triangle always have this ability?”
“Wow, Sis. Try it again.”
Nerissa, puzzled, was about to strike the helm again when the Triangle began vibrating once more.
A surge rose from the ship, transforming into a tidal wave that charged toward the approaching beasts.
The massive wave reared up, ready to swallow thousands of the creatures in one fell swoop.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the wave crashed down from above, creating a swirling vortex where it struck.
Rumble!
Moments later, the beasts that had been advancing to breach the defenses were swept away by the vortex, disappearing beneath the sea.
Screech!
Yet, one beast managed to escape the whirlpool and charged toward the Triangle.
Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, Nerissa snapped back to her senses and summoned her spirit.
Splash!
A kraken-shaped spirit emerged from the sea, seizing the beast.
But the creature was no easy foe. It thrashed violently, attacking the summoned spirit with tentacles lined with sharp spikes.
Slash!
The spirit, unable to withstand the assault, dissolved into droplets and scattered back into the ocean.
“Ugh!”
Nerissa staggered, letting out a pained groan as the spirit’s defeat took its toll on her.
“Sister!”
Just as Bill rushed to support Nerissa, the beast reached the Triangle, extending its tentacles onto the deck.
The ship tilted forward under the creature’s weight, prompting the merfolk to quickly hurl harpoons at it.
Thud! Thud!
Despite being pierced by a dozen harpoons, the beast relentlessly continued to wrap its tentacles around the ship.
In the midst of the chaos, Nerissa struggled to regain her composure and summon another spirit.
As she steadied herself, a firm hand grasped her shoulder from behind.
“Nerissa, you’ve done well.”
Startled, she turned to find Zeke standing beside her.
Hum!
A radiant light emanated from Zeke’s hand, rejuvenating Nerissa’s weary body.
The wave of light spread from Nerissa across the entire Triangle.
Hum!
As the brilliant light enveloped them, the merfolk experienced a miraculous recovery, their wounds healed and strength restored.
“My goodness…”
“A miracle, a miracle!”
Zeke, having healed the crew, began to rise into the air. He gazed at the beasts still approaching from the sea and raised his sword toward them.
A dazzling light flared from Levatein.
Zeke swung his sword at the beasts.
Infinite Sword Technique: Final Form
Heart Sword Art
Ten Thousand Swords
Countless beams of light shot from Zeke’s sword, descending like meteors over the ocean.