Episode 706
Rumble!
Zeke raised Excalibur high, aiming it at the cascade of light pouring down on the ark.
Vroooom!
The sword absorbed the radiant energy, glowing with an intense brilliance.
Though time had rewound, Zeke, with his immutable power, retained his form from just before the regression.
As he infused Excalibur with divine energy, the sword shimmered with primordial light.
“Haaah!”
He swung the sword at the descending light.
The strike from Excalibur cleaved the light in two.
Through the parted radiance, a king in yellow robes emerged, holding a divine sword.
“Zeke, Zeke Draker!”
The king in yellow shouted, his voice echoing with fury.
Like others who had returned to the past with memories of the future, the king in yellow retained the memories of his time as Metatron.
Yet, at this moment, he had not fully resurrected as Metatron.
In the chaos of Arthur Draker becoming the king in yellow through Apollyon’s power, Metatron’s consciousness overlaying his own only added to the confusion.
“I am… Arthur Draker, no… Apollyon, the most exalted above the heavens…”
Caught in an endless turmoil of identity, Arthur Draker’s body began to swell, as if his mind was fracturing.
Suddenly, wings bathed in light burst from his body.
“Arghhh!”
Arthur Draker screamed in agony.
It seemed as if Metatron’s mind, imposed from the future, was consuming Arthur Draker’s body. In his torment, Arthur Draker drove the divine sword into his own heart.
Crack!
But this was Arthur Draker’s will.
The first sword created by the primordial light, the divine sword sealed with Apollyon’s power, began to absorb Metatron’s force as it pierced his heart.
Sizzle―
Having stabbed himself to control Metatron’s power, Arthur Draker gasped for breath, surveying his surroundings and the radiant wings now adorning him.
Then he turned to Zeke and laughed.
“Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha!”
Radiating brilliance, Arthur Draker burst into maniacal laughter.
He spoke to Zeke.
“Thanks to you, Zeke, I can now fully control this divine power.”
Under normal circumstances, Metatron’s complete resurrection would have erased Arthur Draker’s consciousness.
However, the anomaly of regression allowed him to absorb Metatron’s consciousness into the divine sword, enabling Arthur Draker to wield the power entirely.
Zeke, holding Excalibur aloft, looked at Arthur Draker, now enveloped in Metatron’s power, and spoke.
“Do you think you can sustain Metatron’s power with that body, which is about to crumble?”
Arthur Draker shook his head.
“A body capable of withstanding Metatron’s power… Yes, only you, Zeke, can contain such divinity. So, surrender your body to me.”
Vroooom!
Suddenly, a stronger radiance erupted from Arthur Draker’s body.
With a snap of his fingers, the space around them split open, revealing cocoons of gold, silver, brass, and bronze.
These were the angels capable of containing the power of the four great constellations, the knights of the round table who had once led the world to its end.
Crack!
The cocoons behind Arthur Draker began to stir, as if on the verge of awakening.
Arthur Draker, with a confident expression, looked down at Zeke and said,
“Until I claim your body, I must make do with this wretched form, so I need something to supplement it.”
With those words, the writhing cocoons transformed like clay, adhering to Arthur Draker’s body.
Crack!
The bodies of angels, glowing gold, silver, brass, and bronze, enveloped Arthur Draker.
In no time, the four angelic bodies merged to form a new body for Arthur Draker.
Having absorbed the angels, Arthur Draker now resembled an ancient deity, exuding Metatron’s radiance without restraint.
Rumble!
From Arthur Draker, who had absorbed the angels, emanated not only Metatron’s brilliance but also the powers of the four great constellations: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.
He extended his hand toward Zeke, his eyes blazing.
A concentrated beam of light shot forth, faster than the speed of light.
Boom!
Zeke raised his sword to block the photon cannon fired by Arthur Draker.
Zing―
Though he managed to deflect it with Excalibur, the powerful wave swept over Zeke’s body.
The shockwave extended to the ark and the ships behind him.
Boom!
The impact pushed the ark and the ships backward.
Watching this, Arthur Draker shouted at Zeke.
“Zeke, I have already surpassed Metatron’s power! No matter how you struggle, it is futile!”
As Arthur Draker spread his radiant wings and unleashed his power, the entire abandoned continent began to resonate.
Rumble!
The ground split open, and magma surged forth.
Those inside the ark were speechless at the hellish scene.
At that moment, Zeke once again raised Excalibur to his chest, gathering his energy.
From him, the primordial power flowed, spreading light in all directions.
Vroooom!
The primordial power, stronger than the great purification, enveloped the fractured earth.
Amazingly, the split ground healed, and the rising magma receded back into the earth.
The desolate continent, ravaged by dark energy, began to regain its vitality through the primordial power.
Seeing this, Arthur Draker shouted in a voice filled with rage.
“Zeke Draker! Are you trying to cling to this imperfect old world?”
To this, Zeke, emanating primordial power, replied.
“I have no interest in your narrow-minded new world. The existing world is fine as it is. Let it be free.”
Vroooom!
Having spoken calmly, Zeke, with Excalibur enveloped in light, flew toward Arthur Draker.
Boom!
In response, Arthur Draker quickly extended his hand, creating a sword of light.
Excalibur and the sword of light clashed, creating a shockwave.
Rumble!
This time, Arthur Draker was pushed back by Zeke’s strike.
“You!”
Enraged, Arthur Draker summoned dozens of spears made of light behind him.
The spears immediately flew toward Zeke.
Zeke spun in the air, swinging his sword at the incoming spears of light.
Boom!
The spears of light were neutralized by Zeke’s sword strikes.
Then, the space split open, and Arthur Draker appeared, attempting to strike Zeke from his blind spot.
But from behind Zeke, a shadow imbued with starlight emerged, blocking Arthur Draker’s attack.
Crack!
An unexpected event occurred.
The shadow, infused with starlight, absorbed the radiance. Feeling his power being drained, Arthur Draker retreated in shock.
Seizing the opportunity, Zeke flew toward Arthur Draker with his sword.
He assumed a dragon-slaying stance and swung his sword.
Though it was a basic dragon-slaying technique, Zeke’s strike, imbued with divine power, was inherently threatening.
Arthur Draker spread his radiant wings as a shield, blocking Zeke’s strike.
Boom!
Zeke’s strike and the radiant wings canceled each other out, scattering light in all directions.
Before Arthur Draker could regain his stance, Zeke, holding his sword, charged through the scattered light.
Zeke swung his sword at him again.
A brilliant light took the form of a dragon, flying toward Arthur Draker.
Arthur Draker once again summoned the power of radiance, creating dozens of spears.
The spears flew to attack the dragon-shaped light Zeke had created.
Boom!
The dragon form swallowed the spears of light and continued to wrap around Arthur Draker.
“Arghhh!”
Arthur Draker screamed, unleashing Metatron’s energy to create a storm of radiance.
Only then did the dragon form dissipate.
Within the storm of radiance, Arthur Draker’s body swelled further as he shouted.
“Zeke Draker! I will ensure your soul suffers eternally! I will not let you vanish easily!”
In his fury, the storm of radiance swept over Apollyon’s ships hovering in the sky.
Caught in the storm, the ships lost balance, colliding with each other and crashing to the ground.
Having lost his reason, Arthur Draker sought to expand the storm of radiance to engulf everything on the ground.
But then, something was sensed flying through the storm.
Boom!
Zeke, cloaked in a shadow filled with starlight, charged into the storm of radiance, wielding Excalibur.
Arthur Draker bellowed as he watched Zeke step boldly into his domain.
“You insolent fool! I’ll shatter your body and resurrect you as my avatar!”
From Arthur’s form, a radiant essence surged forth, transforming into a spear of light that hurtled toward Zeke with ferocious speed.
Boom!
The spear, infused with the brilliance of a storm, exploded outward in a massive arc of light.
Zeke, unfazed, raised Excalibur and assumed the stance of a dragon slayer. Starlit shadows enveloped his blade.
Swoosh—
With a swift motion, Zeke swung his sword at the oncoming spear.
Infinite Sword Technique: Final Form
Transcendent Skill: Galactic Starlight
A colossal beam of starlight erupted from Zeke’s sword, cutting across the cosmos. It engulfed Arthur’s spear and the storm of radiance, obliterating them.
Boom!
The explosion of light surged skyward, dissipating into nothingness. In its wake, Arthur Draker staggered into view, struggling to maintain his composure.
“Ugh…”
Emerging from the cataclysm, Arthur realized that the incomplete divine power he had absorbed was insufficient to defeat Zeke.
Crack!
Even the body he had crafted with the power of the four archangels was beginning to crumble. The forced absorption of Metatron’s power was too much for the angelic vessel to bear.
Arthur paused, contemplating, then turned his gaze to Zeke.
“Zeke, there’s one thing you lack compared to me.”
He snapped his fingers.
The air split open, and from the rift emerged a figure bound to a cruciform frame—none other than Terrakan Draker, the tower’s guardian, hanging limp.
Arthur glanced at his captive and spoke.
“I delved into your memories and discovered the truth. The legendary dragon slayer is your father.”
He continued, looking down at Zeke.
“Unlike me, you’re still ruled by emotions, trapped by trivial feelings. Can you bear to watch your father’s soul be extinguished after a thousand years?”
Arthur intended to use Terrakan as leverage to restrain Zeke.
At that moment, Terrakan, bound and weary, lifted his head. His eyes, visible through the bandages, met Zeke’s as he spoke in a trembling voice.
”…I’m fine. Kill him quickly…”
But Arthur’s radiance enveloped Terrakan, the light of Metatron inflicting excruciating pain on his ethereal form.
Zeke, unfazed, raised Excalibur with a steely gaze.
“Did you really think that of me, Arthur Draker?”
A brilliant light, more dazzling than Metatron’s, emanated from Zeke.
Arthur, surprised by Zeke’s unexpected reaction, furrowed his brow and reached toward Terrakan.
“Don’t be foolish. His soul will be destroyed in an instant.”
“Go ahead.”
Zeke’s voice was resolute, his golden eyes fierce.
“Because right now, my sole focus is on eradicating you forever.”