Episode 1176 The Sixth Apostle (5)
The massive chain carrying Arkhand turned back and began heading toward the Citadel. Deus no longer paid attention to Arkhand and focused on the ground.
“Gasp, gasp…….”
Castian instinctively tried to follow, but he could not properly control his body.The mental shock had overwhelmed his entire being.For the truth behind the fact that Deus had intended to use him as a sinner of a fallen kingdom suggested far more than what was merely visible on the surface.
───[A message from His Majesty Akand.]
───[Come to the Citadel… …]
Verden immediately pursued Akand.
Judging by his reaction, it seems he didn’t notice the arrangements I prepared for the Citadel.
The Citadel is within Arcand’s territory, but that makes it the most advantageous environment for Verden. There is no need to worry about the World Alliance getting entangled.
The war is already over.
No matter what the Xerion Empire does, it cannot defeat the World Alliance.
All four gates entered closure procedures, and commanders from the 1st to the 10th, including the retinue of the Apostles who constituted asymmetrical forces, were killed in action.
The difference in power widened rapidly.
Even at the level of Arkhand, it cannot be overturned. No matter how hard they struggle, they will ultimately suffer a crushing defeat against the Transcendents. Indeed. The war has effectively ended.
This is an undeniable objective fact, so Akand must naturally be aware of it.
Even so, Akand is delaying the decisive battle.
In the end, the question returns to square one.
For what purpose?
For what purpose did you summon the Citadel and make this ownerless land the battlefield? What is the mission of the Apostle that Akhand was granted by ‘you’? Why did Akhand wage war, whom Draven, who heard everything about the Old King from the Host, could not bring himself to speak of due to a taboo?
‘… … The answer is in the Citadel.’
Verden’s intuition pointed to the Old King’s Sky Island, which was similar to Ark yet different.
Then, amidst the cheers of the World Alliance, countless and familiar presences were detected. They had entered the detection range as they approached the battlefield beneath the Citadel.
Extermination Corps?
He immediately turned his gaze downwards.
Two spaces intertwined. It was like looking at a boundary where the environment was changing. Inside, the Allied Forces and the Undead Legion were engaged in a fierce battle.
Eastern Continent Second Sect.
The interior was connected to ownerless land.
Tsut──────Kwakwakwakwakwang!
The spatial magic unleashed by Vangelis, who had crossed over from the Eastern Continent, struck Akhand. There was not a single error, even as he was being rapidly dragged up by the chains.Using the dragon sword held in a reverse grip as a shield, Akhand turned his back on the transcendents.
“Verden, I’ll help!”“Stay right by!”
The evil dragon Nekbael swarmed into the point where Vangelis had
“this guy……!”
[Where are you going, you abominable bloodline?]
After a brief hand-to-hand combat in the air, they landed on the outskirts of the battlefield.
Kwaaaaaaah──────!
An explosion of monstrous magic and deception occurred.
With Vangelis, there’s no problem.
As Verden watched the process of all battlefields across the continent being unified, he thought again.What is Akand trying to do?
Ta-da-da-da-da-da-da!
Vendie raced up to the Citadel along the chains driven into the ground like anchors, and Gareth did the same until he was caught in Nekhbael’s roar.Pope Romanus commanded the angels, focusing solely on the Alliance’s battlefield. Ignatius flicked his pure white fingers and smiled at Verden.
The reinforcements of the World Alliance do not end here.
More will come.
Most of the Transcendents intend to plunge their swords into the heart of the Xerion Empire. Nothing can stop their determination to ascend to the Citadel.
‘… … Understanding the mission of the Sixth Apostle is merely an additional spoil of war.’
I have no intention of delaying the war for this purpose.
Verden moved to the Citadel without making any effort to stop the Transcendents.To the place that would become the tomb of Arkhand.
* * *
Verden disappeared above the massive sky island called the Citadel.
‘Verden… …’
Lobeline let out a breath laced with exhaustion. Even she, the temporary Master of the Bohemian Tower, was battered in many ways from the repeated wars.Drip, drip, blood flowed.Her left hand barely moved, as if the nerves had been severed from the forearm upwards. However, to her, Verden was more important than such pain.
Aside from
When I witnessed the sight of someone who was on equal footing with, or rather slightly overwhelming, the ancient king who had brought the world to this state, I could hardly believe it, yet my heart fluttered.
And, I hated the world.
The reason Verden, who merely liked magic, had to become so strong lies in the world. If only I could, I wanted to burn it all down.
+It will be possible+
Lobeline felt inexplicably energized and generated a unique magical flow with
Jump.
Something climbed onto Lobeline’s shoulder. It was small enough to feel slightly heavy. For a moment, she thought it was a piece of rock, but when she turned her head, a palm-sized creature was standing on her shoulder.
“Gah.”
[fizzle.]
Just as Robelin was about to scream, the guy stopped her. Th-this variant? She calmed her pounding heart amidst the chaotic battlefield.
Black cyclops.
Not knowing if it was undead or not, she intended to burn it for now, but she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. It was strange. It felt as if Verden was right beside her.That absurd, peculiar feeling made her hesitate.
[Hmm. I felt an overwhelming. presence.]
“……Who are you?”
[I. Am. Nerga. Father. Verden. Son. of. His. Father.]
Nerga hid slightly among the red hair, looked around, and then introduced himself.
Lobeline blinked silently.Her mind was blank.So blank that she couldn’t hear the noise of the battlefield.
“Verden’s…… son? You said son?”
[You. Lobeline. Father’s. Precious. Friend.]
Nerga broke away from Tearel after staying with him. He could not immediately intervene in the battle as he had used all his strength to subdue the Fourth Commander.While searching for a safe place, he discovered Lobelin—the person Verden sought to protect, who knew that Verden was a god.
Damn it, it’s an undead──────!
From the Citadel, the Waterfall of Death fell much more violently this time. Dangerous creatures appeared in a line, making one wonder just how many undead there were on the Sky Island.
As Lobeline clutched her staff inwardly with fear, Nerga nudged her as if to reassure her.
[Hold on. The Apostles are coming.]
“what?”
[Soon. The Father’s apostles. Are coming. Even… … .]
Nerga pointed upwards.
[Humanity. The fleet. Has. Arrived. Too.]
Lobelin froze the moment she lifted her head. Seaplanes were coming through space. Medium and large-sized. She counted as many as 33 of them.However, since they had no symbols, she had no way of knowing which ones belonged to.
“What is that again…?”
Lobeline was dizzy.
[Simply put. Hidden. Reinforcements. Or.]
Nerga based his criticism on his father’s memories of the Ark.
[Those who delude themselves into thinking they are doing something great.]
* * *
Slain undead lay sprawled to the left and right in the outer corridors of Xerion Imperial Castle.Among them were some special individuals, but they had died with their upper bodies bitten off by something massive, unable to offer even a proper resistance.
A strange place.
Valion, having infiltrated the Citadel, walked down the corridor while sheathing his bio-blade.He forced his way in and climbed aboard, fearing he might miss it when the Citadel teleported to the World Alliance headquarters. Although there was some noise, he succeeded in making his way deep inside.
‘The ancient king… … Where on earth did the power to float this island come from? It doesn’t match the abilities of a transcendent being. There must be a foundation.’
Although Valion is a martial artist, he is also a bio-researcher who could be considered the most outstanding on the entire continent. What he values is reason, not emotion.Even by logic, the source of Akand’s power could not be explained at all. He himself was a transcendent being, yet he seemed to be clothed in something that was not transcendent.
Similar to me, yet different… … .
Valion reached the realm of transcendence through the abnormal method of organ transplantation. Although he did not fully awaken, his power clearly surpassed the limits of his race.To put it simply, he elevated his level by making Gluttony’s abilities his own.
If the ancient kings were similar to this, from what exactly did they draw their strength? Where did the source originate that enabled them to float and sustain the sky island where the city resides?
As a great seeker seeking to create a new humanity, he could not ignore the origins of the ancient kings.
Swoosh.
“……?”
Someone turned the corner.A delusion?No way.
Tskhahahaaak!
Balion glided forward nimbly and tore through space with Gluttony’s claws. But there was no one there. There was not a trace of life.
Swoosh.
A faint light flickered and disappeared at the corner at the end of the hallway.
Space travel?
There were no spatial waves?
Relying on his intuition, Balion launched a silent pursuit.He moved faster than before to preemptively predict the enemy’s path and overtake them. However, he missed them once again.
Swoosh.
Swoosh.
Swoosh.
Balion had no choice but to stop when it happened five times. A shiver ran down his spine. It had been nearly hundreds of years since he had felt this way.He stopped running and slowly leaned against a corner, gazing down the hallway.
As expected, there was no one.
However, there was one door.
Screech.
The door opened by itself.
“…….”
Balion narrowed his eyes but did not refuse the mysterious invitation. As he entered, countless books greeted him.
‘study?’
As I looked around the fairly large library, I spotted something that kept turning the corner. It blinked twice in an instant and vanished.
Thump.
And, the book fell.
Akand stared at the book resting at his feet.The title of the book was as follows.
[Book of Destiny]
* * *
When you come closer,I also come closer.
* * *
Kugugugugung! Kwaaang! Kwaaaaang!
The undead entering the Citadel’s underground were annihilated in massive explosions. All sorts of magical traps set up on the stairs and in the darkness blocked the intrusion one after another.
Whoosh!
Feldianne was slashed in the shoulder by a bone shard sent flying by an undead creature just as it died. A curse seeped in, but the robe’s power purified it.She had bought herself some time, but it seemed she could not endure any longer.
‘… … The old king did not die.’
Instead, Verden ascended to the Citadel with the Old King. Some Transcendents followed as well. Deus had granted Verden a different path than originally planned.
Haha, I guess it can’t be helped.
Feldianne walked toward the Ancestor with a relieved smile.There would be no need to keep the Citadel fixed in place.
“My ancestor, the situation has changed. To retreat like this….”
He descended into the dark underground where Indre was, but he could not finish his sentence.Indre was not the only one there.
“Why…….”
Feldianne’s expression contorted.
“Why already…….”
There was someone behind Indren. The face was unrecognizable, but it was impossible not to know who it was.
The surface will of ‘your’ descended.
