Episode 683
Clad in armor exuding a sinister aura, Rivaine lifted Zahhak high and aimed it at Zeke.
“Zeke Draker. Behold the true power bestowed upon me by our father.”
Rivaine’s voice echoed from within the armor.
Simultaneously, a massive flame erupted from Zahhak, which he held aloft.
Whoosh!
Zeke could sense the elemental energy within the flames Rivaine conjured. Yet, it felt different from the Hero King’s elemental sword he wielded. The crimson flames Rivaine summoned carried an ominous undertone.
In response, a brilliant light burst forth from Zeke’s sword, contrasting sharply with Rivaine’s dark fire. He lunged at Rivaine, striking swiftly.
Slash!
Rivaine countered, swinging his flame-imbued sword to block Zeke’s attack.
Boom! Crash!
Each clash of their swords sent shockwaves rippling across the desolate continent. The two fought with mirrored stances, as if reflections of one another, both employing dragon-slaying techniques.
Slash!
In the midst of their fierce exchange, Zeke’s sword, imbued with radiant energy, nearly cleaved through Rivaine. But the crimson flames from Rivaine’s sword nullified the attack, allowing Zahhak to slip into Zeke’s blind spot and strike.
Thud!
A shadow emerged from Zeke’s body, blocking Zahhak’s assault and launching a counterattack. Rivaine’s armor absorbed the shadowy blade’s impact, revealing his skill matched Zeke’s.
Then, it happened.
Crack—
A section of Rivaine’s armor shattered and scattered. Though he appeared to fend off Zeke’s attacks and retaliate, the truth was Rivaine was being overwhelmed, the accumulated damage taking its toll. No matter how powerful his artifacts, they couldn’t fully withstand Zeke’s divine attacks.
“Huff, huff.”
Rivaine’s labored breathing was audible even through his helmet. Observing this, Zeke spoke to him.
“That armor and sword… they’re not to be used lightly. They’re draining your life force.”
Despite the earnest warning, Rivaine ignored it, drawing even more power from his sword and armor. The armor began to transform, enveloping him in a demonic visage. Crimson plasma wings unfurled from his back.
Zeke watched Rivaine’s transformation, recalling Abel, who had once donned a similar form.
‘He transformed into a dragonkin back then too.’
Though he couldn’t identify the armor’s origin, it seemed to respond to its wearer’s lust for power, altering its form. The problem was that exceeding the wearer’s limits consumed their soul’s energy.
Fully transformed into a demon, Rivaine bared his fanged maw and roared at Zeke.
Roar!
The power Rivaine drew upon, burning his soul, was on a different level now. Zeke, observing him calmly, summoned Ascalon from his inventory.
“Whatever Arthur Draker is plotting, I’ll deal with you first.”
Hum!
Levatein and Ascalon, glowing brilliantly, flew towards Rivaine. The swords, charged with divine energy, attacked the demonized Rivaine with lightning speed.
Crackle!
Rivaine’s crimson wings generated an electric field, neutralizing the divine energy. The sky filled with red and white lightning. As the red lightning ensnared Levatein and Ascalon, Rivaine charged at Zeke, swinging Zahhak.
Boom!
Rivaine’s sword, now a dark crimson blade of pure energy, slashed towards Zeke. In response, Zeke reached into the shadows, summoning two shadow swords, Caladbolg and Caledfwlch.
Swoosh—
The moment Rivaine’s powerful strike, imbued with ominous energy, met the shadow swords, it vanished as if it had never existed. Rivaine, taken aback, retreated.
‘How is this possible?’
Holding the shadow swords, Zeke exuded a different aura. Enveloped in shadows, he appeared as the Shadow King, his golden eyes radiating a ruler’s authority, pressing down on Rivaine.
”…Father?”
In that instant, the demonic helmet disintegrated, revealing Rivaine’s face. Seeing Arthur Draker’s reflection in Zeke, Rivaine involuntarily disarmed himself.
Rumble!
Zeke, shrouded in shadows, seemed to grow larger. Overwhelmed, Rivaine shook his head, regaining his composure.
“That’s an illusion. I am the sole heir of our father! Only I can lead the new world!”
Reaffirming his resolve, Rivaine donned his helmet again, reverting to his demonic form. Zeke noticed the armor was merging with Rivaine, no longer metallic but becoming part of his flesh and muscle.
Realizing the armor wasn’t just an ancient artifact, Zeke sensed a twisted causal force emanating from Rivaine’s body.
‘Is that armor made of dark matter?’
Zeke’s expression grew serious. The power he sensed was unlike any dark matter he had destroyed before. At that moment, the shadow swords in his hands began to tremble.
Rumble!
The swords transformed, forming mouths eager to devour. The shadow swords, imbued with the power of gluttony, could consume anything, yet they threatened to escape Zeke’s control. Strengthening his grip on the shadows, Zeke kept the rebellious swords in check.
As he controlled the swords, Zeke realized something.
‘Since witnessing Bahamut’s past, my control over shadows has strengthened.’
Previously, managing two shadow swords was challenging, but now he wielded them with ease. Connecting with Bahamut’s mind seemed to have amplified the power within his heart.
Rumble!
Satisfied, Zeke unleashed the full might of the “Master of Dusk,” striking at the demonized Rivaine with the shadow swords.
Slash!
The shadow blades, like a storm, tore into Rivaine, shredding his once-impenetrable form. In an instant, Rivaine’s body was left in tatters.
Roar!
Undeterred by his grievous wounds, Rivaine created additional wings, charging at Zeke. Zahhak, now a grotesque amalgamation of monsters, sought to devour the shadows enveloping Zeke.
Crunch!
Zeke parried Zahhak’s monstrous blade with the shadow swords. The shadow swords began to consume Zahhak’s blade, eroding it.
In response, Rivaine’s chest armor opened, releasing a destructive red energy that shot towards Zeke.
Boom!
Zeke swung the shadow swords at the incoming destructive light.
Crunch!
The shadow swords absorbed the light, but as they did, they grew, threatening to escape Zeke’s control.
Boom!
Having devoured Zahhak’s blade and the destructive light, the shadow swords, Caladbolg and Caledfwlch, expanded uncontrollably, trying to break free from Zeke’s shadows. Sensing an opportunity, Rivaine combined his wings into a single spear, launching it at Zeke.
Crackle!
The crimson lightning spear hurtled towards Zeke, who, focused on controlling the shadow swords, instinctively reached into his inventory for another weapon to defend himself.
From the inventory emerged the Sun Sword Gram, a weapon that had traversed time and space to land in Zeke’s hands, thanks to the twisted constellations.
Zeke infused Gram with divine power, using it to block the crimson lightning spear.
Crackle!
But the red lightning coursed through Gram, enveloping not only Zeke’s entire body but also the shadow swords that threatened to break free from his control.
The shadow swords devoured the crimson lightning and began to slither toward Gram, which Zeke held tightly.
Then, something astonishing happened.
Vroooom!
The runes etched on Gram’s blade began to glow, and the rogue swords, Caladbolg and Caledfwlch, merged into one and were absorbed into Gram.
Sizzle—
Zeke could only watch in amazement as Gram, now partially blackened from absorbing the shadow swords, continued to draw in the crimson lightning with ease.
Crackle!
No matter how much power was unleashed, Gram absorbed it all, forcing Revaine to retreat, his attack thwarted.
Revaine, now more monster than man, seemed to have his soul almost entirely consumed by his armor.
As Zeke watched him with a steady gaze, Revaine bared his sharp teeth and spoke to Zeke.
“Zeke Draker… I will surely…”
Before he could finish, something strange happened to Revaine’s body.
Crack!
His body twisted grotesquely, and he let out a cry of agony.
“Aaaaargh!”
In his torment, Revaine was completely consumed by the armor.
The armor, which had taken on a demonic form, reverted to its original shell-like state.
As the shell floated in mid-air, a black portal opened behind it, and someone emerged from within.
Sizzle—
A member of the Apollyon Knights, clad in a white uniform, stepped out of the portal and stood before the shell.
Amazingly, his face began to morph, transforming into the very likeness of Revaine, who had just been devoured by the armor.
Zeke furrowed his brow and addressed the newly appeared Revaine.
”…Horrifying. Are you Revaine, or someone else?”
The man, now fully transformed into Revaine, looked at Zeke and replied.
“I am Revaine, and yet I am not. But one thing is certain—I am a superior being to what I was before.”
The new Revaine donned the shell, which transformed into the form of Hersion, enveloping his entire body. He now resembled the black knight wielding Zahhak, just as before.
Seeing this, Zeke realized why Arthur Draker had entrusted such a dangerous artifact to Revaine.
“The Apollyon Knights… they’re all connected as one.”
Even if he killed this Revaine, the memories would transfer to another entity, allowing it to resurrect anew.
A thought flashed through Zeke’s mind.
“If that’s the case…”
He looked at the newly armored Revaine.
Revaine’s eyes had changed, and he grinned at Zeke.
“Yes, these vessels are all excellent arrangements for me.”
Arthur Draker, now inhabiting the new Revaine’s body, spoke with a sinister smile.