Caaaaaaw!
The Tyrant that Zeke had summoned soared over the sky above Salmak's stronghold, letting out a monstrous screech.
At the same time, Zeke kept the Chamber of Metal Power active while thrusting Bahamut into the ground, continuously generating faint vibrations.
He exploited the unstable desert terrain to create a sense of threat.
On top of that, he shook the resolve of Salmak's assassins with the Lionʼs Roar infused with the Authority of Charisma.
As his allies watched the situation unfold, Shadia approached Zeke's side.
"Master, Salmak's forces are showing signs of movement. Judging by the attire of those advancing, they appear to be dark mages from the Scorpion Clan."
"The Scorpion Clan, huh. So they had personnel dispatched here in advance."
Before coming to this location, Zeke had already dismantled the Scorpion Clan's main headquarters in the desert region.
The Scorpion Clan had originally been a network of dark mages structured like a cell organization, so destroying the central hub would not erase the clan entirely.
Even so, with the headquarters gone, communication among the scattered clan mages became inevitably difficult.
Zeke's plan after taking down the headquarters was to slowly sever the clan's limbs.
"If they've gathered here, that's convenient. If they're the ones dispatched to Salmak, they must be high-ranking dark mages. Eliminating them should keep the Scorpion Clan from acting rashly anymore."
The Scorpion Clan had deep ties to the Siemens side, so it was necessary to nip them in the bud early.
At that moment, it seemed the Scorpion Clan's dark mages had completed their summoning, as massive black scorpions began crawling out from the ground. Sasasasak—
Black scorpions were terrifying creatures in the desert.
Their armor was tough, and the venom in their tails was lethal even from a mere graze.
But that only applied to regular troops.
Those with Zeke included Salmak's personnel and Ishtar's mystics.
"Sir Zeke."
Himmel, the captain of the Black Ravens Unit, approached his side.
She said to Zeke,
"Those things—may we handle them?"
There was no reason to refuse if Ishtar's side offered to take the initiative.
"Looks like you're itching for a fight. Very well."
At Zeke's words, Himmel grinned and led the Black Ravens Unit in a charge toward the black scorpions.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The murderous body techniques of Ishtar's mystics, who had unleashed their chakra, wielded a different kind of power from aura.
While knights who used aura excelled in straightforward techniques that overwhelmed foes with raw strength, Ishtar's mystics countered enemies with agile, elastic curved movements.
They formed a sword formation to block the black scorpions' movements and shattered their sturdy armor with body techniques. Watching this, Salmak's personnel marveled inwardly.
It clearly demonstrated why Ishtar was one of the Three Great Transcendent Families.
It was then that the Black Ravens Unit finished off all the black scorpions.
Drdrdrdr—
The ground trembled, and a massive monster emerged from within.
Zeke looked at the monster, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
"A wurm dragon?"
The wurm dragon lived deep underground and had degenerated eyes as a result. It was a large monster that relied on its enormous size and the potent venom produced within its body as its main weapons.
The wurm dragon opened its massive maw wide and spewed venom toward Zeke's group.
Caaaaaaw!
"Richmond!"
At Zeke's shout, Richmond, who had been behind him, instantly summoned a bone wall in front of them.
Chiiiiiik!
wurm dragon's highly acidic venom melted the bone wall Richmond had created.
As the bone wall dissolved and crumbled under the venom, Zeke leaped into the air and swung his sword toward the wurm dragon.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
A powerful sword strike exploded toward the wurm dragon.
Caaaaaaw!
The wurm dragon struck by the sword strike let out a pained screech.
At that moment, the Third Eye appeared on Zeke's forehead.
"The wicked shall obey the king's word."
Though it bore the name "dragon," the wurm dragon was not truly of the dragon species.
Thus, Zeke seized control of the wurm dragon not through dragon species domination, but via the Authority of the Third Eye.
Meanwhile, the dark mages who had been controlling the wurm dragon from the opposite side panicked at the sudden turn of events.
"What the—"
In an instant, the wurm dragon changed direction and moved not toward Zeke's camp, but toward Salmak's stronghold.
"Caaaaaaw!"
The wurm dragon opened its mouth and sprayed venom wildly toward Salmak.
Chiiiiiik—
Some of the mages and assassins who could not evade the venom in time screamed as they fell from the ramparts.
"Kwaaaaaaak!"
The wurm dragon rapidly climbed the ramparts, and siege weapons atop them unleashed a barrage toward it.
Pabababak!
As a result, massive spears and arrows embedded themselves all over the wurm dragon's body.
The wurm dragon faltered momentarily, but Zeke commanded it to smash into the wall with its body.
Despite the spears and arrows raining down like a storm, the wurm dragon did not stop, receiving them all over its form.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Soon, with a massive roar, the wurm dragon's body collapsed one section of the ramparts.
Kugung!
The wurm dragon, riddled with arrows and spears across its body, slumped over the crumbled ramparts.
Zeke immediately addressed Salmak's assassins and Ishtar's mystics.
"The ramparts are breached! We're going in!"
Zeke took the lead, raising Bahamut and charging forward while unleashing the Sacred Radiance Technique.
Pajijijik!
The powerful Sacred Radiance Technique swept through the area around the broken ramparts.
Scorpion Clan's dark mages atop the ramparts, though panicked, steadied themselves and prepared to cast spells at Zeke.
Seeing this, Zeke immediately expanded the Mana Reversal Technique as an area buff.
Ziiiiiiing—
The faces of the mages within the area of Zeke's Mana Reversal Technique turned purple, and soon black blood poured from their eyes, noses, and ears.
"Grgh!"
The mages, overwhelmed by the reversed mana, vomited blood and collapsed to the ground.
It was the Mana Reversal Technique that had proven highly effective when he struck the Scorpion Clan's main base.
Seeing the devastating power it exerted once more, Zeke smiled in satisfaction.
On the other hand, Salmak's assassins, witnessing the Scorpion mages fall, recoiled in horror.
"Scatter poison stingers before they breach inside!"
As the assassins reached for their blowpipes to unleash poison stingers, Shadia and the other assassins appeared behind them.
Seogeok—
Being former Salmak assassins themselves, they knew all their methods.
Shadia slit their throats and struck vital points before they could even use the poison stingers, dispatching them.
Ishtar's mystics also subdued Salmak's assassins, unleashing their murderous body techniques without restraint.
Zeke, watching their prowess, raised his sword and pressed deeper into the stronghold.
From the shadows, black chains shot out toward the charging Zeke.
Chwarararuk!
Starting with that, sturdy chains flew from all directions, wrapping around Zeke's limbs.
Then, Salmak's assassins hidden in the darkness emerged, hurling poison-coated throwing daggers at the bound Zeke.
Whoosh!
But as Zeke unleashed the Chamber of Wind Power, the incoming daggers reversed course and struck the assassins who had thrown them instead.
Peok!
"Kuh!"
The assassins hit by their own daggers hurriedly reached for antidotes in their pouches.
Zeke seized the moment, activating the Chamber of Metal Power to bend the chains wrapped around his limbs, then swung them entirely.
Whooooosh!
The assassins gripping the chains were instead lifted into the air and wielded by Zeke.
"Kwaaaak!"
Flying through the air while struck by poison daggers, the assassins could not regain their composure.
Judging that he had suppressed them sufficiently, Zeke snapped the chains and hurled them toward the wall.
Wooduduk!
assassins slammed into the ramparts, their limbs twisted, and perished on the spot.
Zeke charged ahead once more, swinging his sword to shatter the door and enter.
Dozens of assassins who had been lying in wait inside burst out.
Shushushuk!
Dozens of sword-wielding assassins formed a sword formation and rushed at Zeke.
Zeke did not even blink as he raised Bahamut and unleashed the Full Power Technique.
Woooooong!
With the Full Power Technique's Will of Strength active, Zeke's body was as unyielding as a rampart.
The assassins' sturdy sword formation slashed at him, but their blades bounced off Zeke's body before even making contact.
Before the panicked assassins could recover, Zeke gripped his sword and charged forward.
Kwa-kwang!
Zeke's sword struck the foremost assassin.
The assassin's body flew back, crashing into the others and sending them tumbling.
"Kuhuk!"
A single blow shattered the sword formation's ranks.
Immediately after, an aura blade erupted from Zeke's sword, and as he swung it relentlessly in that state, he was like a dragon rampaging through a flock of sheep.
With each swing of his blade, several assassins were sent flying.
Before long, the floor was littered only with the corpses of assassins who had collapsed, bleeding out and dead.
Zeke shook the blood from his sword and proceeded inward.
Salmak's stronghold consisted of narrow corridors, making rapid movement difficult.
With no one charging all at once, Zeke walked slowly, searching first for the Salmak Master.
'I'll take him down, clean up Salmak, and then find the hidden Earth God that's been sealed away.' Clunk!
But at that instant, a section of the wall opened, and a sword thrust toward Zeke's side.
Kwa-ching!
However, the assassin's sword failed to pierce the power of the Full Power Technique and bent at the tip.
Zeke thrust his sword toward the wall.
Kwaduk!
The blade pierced the wall and stabbed the heart of the assassin behind it.
Thud!
Even after that, true to their assassin nature, Salmak's personnel suddenly emerged from the ceiling, floor, or walls to attack Zeke.
In this way, Zeke swept through the assassins as he headed toward where the Salmak Master was.
*
Kwa-kwang!
Zeke kicked open the doors to the grand hall.
Inside were two censers emitting fragrant incense and the Salmak Master's throne.
Zeke raised his sword and scanned the surroundings.
'Did he already flee?'
Missing the Salmak Master here would complicate matters, so his expression naturally soured.
But it was then.
"Kuhuk!"
Two figures emerged from behind the throne, their bodies twisted in agony.
They were foaming at the mouth, their faces contorted, approaching in bizarre, contorted postures. Zeke recognized their identities.
'They're the Salmak Master's disciples?'
From his investigation of Salmak, they were the disciples the Salmak Master had taken in after Shadia.
But their condition was off.
Grgrgruk!
Though clearly human, they were making sounds like magical beasts.
"Kwaaaaaaak!" Wooduduk!
Suddenly, they screamed and their writhing bodies' muscles swelled massively.
Grgrgruk!
In no time, the two had transformed into hulking brutes surpassing human limits, even larger than barbarians.
Tendons bulged across their bodies, as if their muscles might burst at any moment.
Now fully changed, the two glared at Zeke with mad eyes.
Krrrar—
No longer human but monstrous, they charged at Zeke.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Zeke dodged their assault, but the spot where he had stood was devastated by their sharp claws.
'They're faster and stronger than barbarians.'
As he evaded into the air to assess the situation, one leaped after him.
Caaaaaaw!
It swung its sharp claws to tear Zeke's limbs apart. Zeke swung his sword at the transformed monster.
Kwa-kwang!
The monster's claws clashed with Zeke's sword, producing an explosive sound.
At that moment, the monster below opened its maw wide.
It inhaled deeply and screamed toward Zeke.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaa!
The tremendous roar shook the entire space.
Woooooong!
Zeke activated the Full Power Technique to block the sonic attack.
Kwadududuk!
The walls cracked from the monster's scream, but Zeke ignored it and charged straight at the monster.
He then drew a hammer from his inventory and swung it infused with the Sacred Radiance Technique.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
The monster struck by the hammer crackling with light's lightning screamed as it flew back and embedded into the wall.
Kurururung—
The wall where the monster crashed crumbled down.
Zeke immediately changed direction and rushed toward the remaining monster.
This time, he infused the hammer with the Chamber of Metal Power and smashed its side.
Kwaduduk!
The monster's side and bones throughout its body shattered, sending it flying sideways into the wall.
Thud!
Zeke set the hammer on the ground and alternated glances at the monsters embedded in the walls.
'What the hell are these things?'
As he eyed them curiously, trying to gauge their nature—
Kwadududuk—
The fallen monsters were already recovering, rising to their feet.
Seeing this, Zeke picked up the hammer again.
'Lately, why are there so many with self-recovery?'
The enemy knights he had faced before had persistently regenerated their broken parts, and now these monsters were quickly healing and baring their teeth at Zeke.
Zeke shook his head and raised the hammer, drawing upon the Full Power Technique's power.
Kugugugugu—
Zeke, wielding the hammer infused with the Will of Break ("Pa"), glared at the approaching monsters.
He clenched his teeth and charged at them with the hammer raised.
"Let's see you regenerate after taking this!"
The hammer infused with the Will of Break ("Pa") struck the monsters.