Chapter 677: Celebration
Chapter 677: Celebration
The soldiers, shadows, and gobkins retreated from the battlefield. However, Fey included them in her pool, which was transferred as strength to Arthur. However, the other guild masters could tell how much power the pool currently held, and they were terrified.
"Fey!" called Ilia Perli without formalities, and his face was pale. "Are you trying to kill him by giving him so much power? This is even more than an Astra-ranker can hold!"
The other guild masters were sitting cross-legged on the ground, channeling all of their strength toward Arthur Silvera. All of them were aware of the amount of power he was receiving because hundreds of soldiers, shadows, and gobkins gave their strengths to the young man.
"I know as much!" shouted Fey with a pale face, her arms shaking as she worked as a medium to channel the significant influx of strength toward Arthur. "However, as soon as I stop giving him strength, he reaches for more. We have yet… to reach his limits."
The crowd gulped as they heard her words. Those who survived Amelio's onslaught rushed toward the guild masters, where they gave their strengths toward Fey to use. As for the gobkins and shadows, they followed Arthur's command and sat quietly, with Ruki and Mero seated among the crowd.
Although their lord was fighting for his life, the two seemed calm and unfazed. Their trust in their lord was absolute, knowing this was just an obstacle to conquer.
As for Arthur Silvera himself, he was still using Lexus, the Ancestral Gift, and the Stars Summoning to survive against Amelio. Golden and red mana covered his gigantic body as he repelled one attack after the other.
The world watched while holding its breath as the clinging sounds of the battlefield turned into a never-ending song. Blood dyed the ground from Arthur's body, which was starting to break down.
However, the arm that was broken healed, and the fighting one broke. The spear was being switched from one side to the other, deflecting the power attacks from Amelio.
All of a sudden, the Fallen God stopped. His arm was frozen still, and he turned toward it with confusion. Lightning crackled around it as Arthur took a step back with a grin.
"Even the strongest gods have nerves," muttered Arthur while breathing heavily. His wounds were healing as his body gathered the strength from the Astral Pool. "If I strike it with lightning repeatedly, there is a limit of how much you can resist.
"And are you going to stop fighting to explain that?" asked Amelio as he struggled to move his arm, but it kept trembling and jerking. "I still have one arm, two legs, a head, and whatever I can use to fight."
"This allows me to heal as well," said Arthur before Amelio stomped on the ground and disappeared. Amelio was above him the next instant, bringing his arm toward Arthur's head. The fist pierced through Arthur's skull, crushing it. However, it was just an afterimage, and Arthur was the one flying above Amelio.
"Lexus, End Stance!" said Arthur as lightning gathered in the sky.
Ilia Perli jumped from his spot, watching Arthur using his art. Arthur raised his arm in the sky as Lexus turned into a bolt of lightning in his hand. The lightning bolt grew bigger every second, appearing as a giant pillar that grew thin in Arthur's hand.
"Am I dreaming?" asked Ilia Perli with trembling lips. "Lexus is a celestial weapon with its art engraved on it. As long as someone wields it, then they can use it." The man gulped while the rest stared at him. "However, the End Stances can only be used after a person enters the legendary Empyrean-Rank!"
"You must be confused with another stance," muttered Devan. "However, that move certainly holds its might. The sky is crackling with lightning as well."
"Divine Retribution!" roared Arthur as he threw the lightning rod toward Amelio, piercing his back. The rod shot from the other side, piercing the ground while connecting to the clouds above. However, the attack did not pass, and the lightning pillar remained to connect the sky and earth.
Thunder arrived, and it shook the world. It resembled an earthquake that made even the air vibrate. The heat coming from the lightning turned the ground around it into scorching lava, bespeaking how powerful the attack was.
Fey fell to the ground as the pool was emptied in a single strike. The rapid emptying and use of her pool caused it to collapse and harm her consciousness. It was the same for the others, who had their strengths emptied in a single strike.
As for the culprit behind all of this, he fell to the ground while his body returned to normal. Lightning crackled around him, turning his skin black. Arthur fell to the ground beside the lightning pillar, which kept on raging even after the attack ended.
"Is this… the end?" muttered Master Azkavan as blood leaked from his mouth. "Have we won against one of the strongest calamities to exist?"
"We can only wait and see," answered Devan while staring at the lightning pillar. "Amelio is a true monster, so even if we managed to extinguish most of his life force, his stamina would use what was left to return him into peak condition. That is why we need to kill him in one attack."
The drones were pushed away by the lightning, as their sensors could detect the changes in mana. From afar, they showed the world the last hope for humanity in the form of Arthur's attack. Even the masters waiting on the borders of the Yalveran Union were surprised by the attack.
"Has he done it? Has he overcome the gap separating gods from mortals?" muttered the woman riding a broom as she watched the broadcast. "This is… exhilarating to watch."
The lightning began to dissipate slowly, decreasing in size over time. Every viewer watched closely as a figure appeared inside the lightning. Amelio was standing with his body charcoal and a giant hole in his torso. However, he was not even breathing.
"He did it!" roared Devan, almost shaking the battlefield. "Arthur Silvera has killed the invincible, Fallen God Amelio!"
"Using our strengths," corrected Master Azkavan aloud, ensuring they were also credited for it. "In any case, he is no doubt the hero this time. Let us hurry and heal him!" called the guild master.
"OHHHHHH!" roared the soldiers and gobkins as their celebrations began. Then, every family worldwide started to cry in happiness as every news broadcast announced that the Fallen God Amelio had, at last, been defeated.
"Medics!" shouted Devan toward his guildsmen, who snapped out of it and ran toward the collapsed Arthur. Then, the guild master sighed and slumped on the ground, feeling mentally tired. "It is finally… over…."
"Is it?" muttered Fey while staring at the Fallen God, but he did not move. "Can we truly defeat a divine being?" she asked with doubt.
"Rejoice, girl," said Devan. "We have won, and celebrations are duties we carry as guild masters. It allows tragedies to end, and bonds to form."
"Don't approach him!" shouted Ilia Perli toward the medics, who stopped rushing toward Arthur. The soldiers and battlefield grew quiet as everyone turned toward the Major General. "Amelio… moved."
The joy was stolen faster than anyone could imagine, replaced with fear and pale faces. Everyone was quiet as they turned toward the charcoal Amelio, who was still standing in the pit of lava. The second ticked by before Amelio coughed, and his body began to move.
"Ah," a voice leaked from his mouth, under the terrified eyes of the crowd. "I have not been close to death… in a thousand years. As expected from the man feared by the gods, Arthur Silvera."
Amelio started to move while the hole in his torso remained. Then, the Fallen God stepped toward the collapsed Arthur, while the world watched while their breathing quickened.
The charcoaled skin of Amelio started to crack before it fell off and chunked of flesh accompanied it. However, he was regenerating the flesh and skin almost instantly while walking toward Arthur.
"…stop him!" shouted Fey toward the rest while she was collapsed on the ground. "Arthur Silvera is our only chance to win! Don't let Amelio kill him!"
Although everyone heard her, no one moved. The hardened faces of Mero and Ruki did not change, as they still followed their lord's commands to not interfere in the fight. As for the soldiers and guild master, they were drained or fear-struck.
"Even that attack… was useless against him…" muttered Ilia Perli as his body started shaking. "He is walking as if nothing happened. The End Stance should be enough to end it!"
Amelio left the lave pool and reached Arthur. Then, he grabbed his head and raised him in the air, and Arthur winced in pain before opening his eyes.
"I am not dead, outsider," said Amelio with a grin. "However, you will be."