"Thereʼs a continent beyond the Dark Sea?"
When he had previously heard about the Dark Sea from Duke, Zeke had vaguely thought something must be there, but he hadnʼt imagined an entire continent existed.
"Chronos said it. That the truth is hidden beyond the Dark Sea."
Terakan Draker had said the method to revive the dead Bahamut lay beyond the Dark Sea.
Zeke pondered Terakan Drakerʼs words, his expression hardening.
"Could the way to revive Bahamut involve using the Book of the Lion?"
He recalled the mad expression on Terakan Drakerʼs face from the recording.
The weary figure of a hero who had lost his soul companion and the meaning of his life.
Even to his own son, Gio Rubern, he hadnʼt revealed his true parentage before vanishing without a trace.
"The abandoned continent beyond the Dark Sea. I need to learn more about this." Zeke looked up at the Holy King.
"If the Book of the Lion is beyond the Dark Sea as Your Majesty says, then thereʼs practically no way to unseal the Demon King. So isnʼt this arrangement unnecessary...?" The Holy King shook his head.
"Though the Great Sage and the dragons set the seal, nothing is perfect, as with all things. Even while sealed, the Demon Kingʼs immense soul emits malevolent energy, spawning his seeds."
Hearing the Holy Kingʼs words, Zeke had a sudden realization.
"Could it be the magical beasts...?"
The Highlanders suspected that magical beasts emerged from beyond the Giant Mountain Range, adjacent to the Dark Sea.
If the power of the sealed Demon King beyond the Dark Sea influenced their emergence, it explained why magical beasts kept appearing endlessly.
The Holy King looked at Zeke and said,
"The horde of Narak believes that one day the Demon Kingʼs soul will break the seal and lead them. They prepare vessels while awaiting that moment."
Zeke realized what Narak and Siemens were doing to resurrect the Demon King.
"Then Narak has been preparing Abelʼs body as a vessel for the Demon Kingʼs descent."
Cain, killed by Zekeʼs hand, and Abel, who had become the vessel in his place and received a dragon heart transplant.
He thought of who had orchestrated this entire plan.
"Ramon Siemens."
He was undoubtedly the central figure behind the Demon Kingʼs resurrection.
With Abel dead by Zekeʼs hand, he must have been desperately searching for a new vessel.
"Thereʼs only one way. Eliminate Siemens."
Without Siemens, Narak would lose its driving force.
Zekeʼs eyes flashed as he set a new goal.
But then, the Holy Kingʼs body began to fade gradually.
"Your Majesty?"
The Holy King looked at his increasingly transparent body and said,
"The time is almost up."
He gazed at Zeke and continued,
"Successor, Iʼm sorry to burden you with such a difficult task. Please, use the Holy
Spear to stop the Demon King and bring peace to the Phenomenal World." The Holy King approached Zeke.
He placed his hand on Zekeʼs chest, where the dragon heart slumbered.
Though the heart of his mother, Bahamut, lay dormant within Zekeʼs body, the Holy King was unaware of this fact.
The Holy King looked at Zeke and said,
"It was a pleasure to meet you, my distant descendant. May the blessing of light guide your journey." Woooong!
A massive light burst from the Holy Kingʼs hand, infusing into Zekeʼs body.
As the Holy Kingʼs form dissolved into light and scattered, the entire space filled with radiant brilliance.
At the same time, a message appeared before Zekeʼs eyes.
[The power of Radiant Light is unlocked.]
[Title: Knight of Radiant Light changes to Title: He Who Inherits the Radiant Light.]
[Due to the titleʼs influence, proficiency in special skill Sacred Radiance
Technique increases.]
[Due to the titleʼs influence, proficiency in active skill Lightning increases. Light attribute is added simultaneously.]
[Due to the titleʼs influence, proficiency in Blade of Purification increases.]
[Blade of Purification evolves into S-rank skill Blade of Radiant Light.]
[Special skill Holy King Spearmanship (S-rank) is acquired.]
[Special skill Holy King Spearmanship can link with special skill Sacred
Radiance Technique.] Woooong!
Zeke felt the Holy Kingʼs power filling his body.
At the same time, his vision was overwhelmed by light.
*
As the light faded, Zeke slowly opened his eyes.
"This place..."
The scenery around him had changed again.
A chapel adorned in the style of the Rubern Dynasty stretched before him.
In the center stood a statue modeled after Gio Rubern in full armor, with a stone sarcophagus placed beneath it.
Zeke approached the sarcophagus slowly.
The surface bore emblems of the sun, similar to those he had seen at various ruins, including the ark.
Seeing the emblem, Zeke suddenly realized something.
"Ah, this symbolizes light itself, not the sun."
The Holy Empire founded by Gio Rubern initially worshiped the God of Light, representing the Creator God.
But after the fall of the Rubern Dynasty and the schism of the Holy Empire, it had become the Sun Order, shifting its attributes.
In that process, the emblemʼs design seemed to have changed as well.
Zeke traced the engraved emblem on the surface before slowly opening the sarcophagus lid.
If the emperor sought the Holy Kingʼs remains, he needed to secure them first.
Zeke opened the lid and peered inside.
But what lay within was not the Holy Kingʼs remains.
"This is?"
Surprisingly, inside lay an old spear.
And that old spear was none other than the Holy Spear Longominant, bearer of godslaying power.
"So what the emperor targeted wasnʼt the Holy Kingʼs remains, but this Holy Spear." He reached out slowly toward the Holy Spear.
At that moment, light erupted from Zekeʼs chest.
"Whatʼs this?"
From Zekeʼs chest rose an emblem of light, identical to the one engraved on the sarcophagus surface.
He recalled how the Holy King had transferred the power of light to him in his final moments.
And in that instant, a message appeared before Zekeʼs eyes.
[Holy Spear Longominant detects the title He Who Inherits the Radiant Light.]
[Confirms as the rightful successor of the Holy Spear.]
[Holy Spear Longominant regains its original form.] Woooong!
The Holy Spear, resting quietly in the sarcophagus, slowly rose into the air.
As the light flowing from Zekeʼs body enveloped the Holy Spear, its form began to change upon absorbing the light.
Tss tss tss—
The surface of the unassuming old spear rippled.
"Itʼs different from the form I saw in the glass case earlier?"
[Holy Spear Longominant has transformed into a form suited to the successorʼs soul.]
Surprisingly, the changed Holy Spear took a shape similar to the black sword Bahamut that Zeke wielded.
The previous form Zeke had seen was tailored to Terakan Drakerʼs soul, manifesting as a spear.
Gio Rubern, the successor after Terakan, couldnʼt fully claim the spear as his own, so it retained Terakanʼs form. But Zeke, bearer of immortality, was able to draw out the true power of the spear.
Zeke extended his hand toward the newly transformed Holy Spear.
Woooong!
The Holy Spear vibrated lightly, as if accepting its new master.
Zeke grasped the Holy Spear.
To his astonishment, it dissolved like smoke and seeped into his right forearm.
Tss tss tss—
When Zeke rolled up his sleeve, an emblem like a tattoo was etched on his right arm. "So the Holy Spear imprints on the body like chains."
Just as with the soul confinement technique, Zeke summoned the spear with his will.
The emblem responded immediately, manifesting the Holy Spear before him.
Zeke examined closely the godslayer spear made of adamantium.
"A spear with the power to slay constellations. This should be able to annihilate even the fallen constellations."
Narakʼs horde wasnʼt just summoning the Demon King; they were also calling forth demonkind using blood tear stones.
To counter demonkind beyond the Phenomenal Worldʼs power, this godslaying might was essential.
Zeke stored the spear away and looked up at the statue of Gio Rubern.
He bowed respectfully to the Holy Kingʼs statue before turning away.
It was then.
Rumble!
The moment he sensed vibrations from outside the sanctuary, Zekeʼs eyes sharpened.
"Now, itʼs time to hunt the emperor."
*
Carlito and the knights of the Celestial Scorpion Palace followed the imperial guard knight toward the emperorʼs location.
The emperor stayed in a cavern where the hunting dogs had set up a preestablished camp.
The hunting dogs and cultists searched the Holy Kingʼs ruins.
Upon reaching the emperorʼs position, a cultist mage approached Carlito.
"His Majesty commands you to lead the knights and search this area."
Carlito realized the emperor had summoned them to use in exploring the ruins.
"Damn it."
To maintain the pretense of being brainwashed, Carlito shouted praises for the emperor without complaint and joined the dungeon search.
The hunting dogs and Celestial Scorpion Palace knights followed the cultist mages into the ruins.
After walking deep into the underground space, an underground catacomb bearing traces of the Rubern Dynasty appeared.
The paths twisted like a maze, but the leading cultist mages navigated without much trouble using the power of the fallen constellation.
The staffs they carried had skulls entwined with serpents hanging from them, and they read the constellationʼs will through the idolʼs movements.
After wandering the underground paths for a while, a massive door appeared before them.
The door bore an emblem of light, different from the current Sun Orderʼs.
It symbolized the original form of the Order of Light before the schism of the Holy Empire.
The cultists approached slowly and placed their staffs against the door.
The skulls began to shake violently.
The mage cried out in joy.
"Itʼs the Holy Kingʼs ruins! Weʼve found Gio Rubernʼs tomb!"
Having located the Holy Kingʼs ruins, the mage hurried back to camp to report to the emperor.
"Your Majesty! We have found the Holy Kingʼs ruins!"
From beyond the curtain, the emperor rasped heavily and addressed the mage.
"Open the door. We must retrieve the Holy Kingʼs remains and reclaim my original form as soon as possible."
The mage bowed and replied,
"As you command. Soon, the Serpent in the Black Mouth will grant Your Majesty the glory of youth and eternal life."
The cultist mages bustled about, preparing the ritual to open the door to the Holy Kingʼs ruins.
The Serpent in the Black Mouth they worshiped was the constellation of contracts and deception.
If an appropriate sacrifice was offered and the price paid, the Serpent in the Black Mouth bestowed fitting rewards.
Thus, compared to other fallen constellations, it could intervene in the Phenomenal World in various ways.
As part of this, one mage seized an injured knight to use as a sacrifice for the ritual, seating him atop the magic circle drawn in blood and beginning the incantation.
The knight, trembling in terror, pleaded desperately with the mages to spare him.
But the mages ignored him, continuing the chant while pouring a suspicious liquid from a vessel over the knightʼs head.
As the incantation intensified, the knight began showing abnormal reactions.
"Ugh... ugh..."
The knight writhed in agony.
Then, one of the mages drew a dagger from his bosom.
"We offer this sacrifice to the great constellation; please open this door!"
As he chanted and swung the dagger to pierce the knightʼs heart, at that very moment— Rumble!
The entire catacomb shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Crackle!
An anomaly arose in the magic circle the mages had drawn.
Sensing an ill omen, the cultist mage shouted,
"Someone is interfering with the ritual here!"
At the mageʼs cry, the hunting dogs and even the Celestial Scorpion Palace knights drew their swords and stepped forward.
Carlito gritted his teeth, scanning the surroundings.
"Damn it, what now?"
Freed from the cultistsʼ mind control, Carlito harbored no loyalty to the emperor.
He and the other Celestial Scorpion Palace knights were utterly exhausted, their eyes bloodshot and sunken.
Carlito braced himself, ready to flee if enemies attacked.
And then, something appeared before those on guard.
Tss tss tss—
White mist spread across the floor, frost forming on the walls.
White breath escaped their mouths in the sudden chill.
Carlito recoiled in confusion.
"What the hell..."
Soon, from the white chill emerged Elemental Lich Bane, masked, who cried out toward the imperial forces.
"Who dares defile this sacred resting place of the holy one!"