Chapter 1042: Arsnobal
Chapter 1042: Arsnobal
ROAR!!
Fhe unleashed a massive surge of energy, causing the ground to tremble. He raised both of his hands and proclaimed, "Oh, great one... I offer you everything."
Swoosh!!
Souta dashed in front of Fhe and swiftly slashed with his sword. Fhe's head flew through the air, but his smile only grew wider. In the next moment, a powerful force erupted, sending Souta flying several hundred meters away.
Souta was taken aback by this turn of events. He watched as Fhe reattached his severed head with ease, as if nothing had happened. It was evident that destroying such an undead was no simple task.
But there was something else that troubled him.
The other undead roared with increasing ferocity. Their screams reverberated throughout the area, and their appearances began to change drastically. Additionally, their strength had surged dramatically.
Souta sensed dozens of energy levels at the Sixth Shackle Realm emanating from the undead.
While this wasn't a problem for him, it would place the Nine Heads at a severe disadvantage. There was a significant chance that they wouldn't be able to withstand the onslaught of so many Sixth Shackle undead. After all, none of the Nine Heads, except Alexander, had reached the Sixth Shackle Realm.
"I have to hold them off..."
Souta placed his palm on the ground, summoning several shadows.
[Doppelganger]!
The shadows quickly moved to intercept the Sixth Shackle undead. However, even the doppelgangers weren't enough to block all of them.
Souta jumped into the air and used the power of [Orb of Arcane Seal] to stack up all of his spells. Several doppelgangers rose from his shadows once again.
Simultaneously, he divided his focus between controlling all the doppelgangers and applying gravitational pressure on the Sixth Shackle undead. His goal was to ensure that the Nine Heads wouldn't fall easily, thereby preventing Alexander from becoming vulnerable.
Suddenly, Souta's eyes widened as he sensed a presence appear behind him. He quickly turned around, but it was too late.
Swoosh!!
A searing pain shot through him as he felt his neck being struck. Fhe had almost severed his neck with a single, deadly attack.
"I just stacked all of my spells, yet this undead could still pierce through my defense easily," Souta muttered as he retreated, but Fhe quickly pursued him.
"If you want to fight, then I'll give you one," Souta said, narrowing his eyes. He left his neck partially unhealed, intending to use his trait to boost his stats.
Fhe moved with ferocious speed, attacking with a relentless fury. In the blink of an eye, he swung his hands thousands of times. Souta blocked the barrage of attacks with his sword and the four spider limbs on his back.
Fhe, despite being an intelligent undead, had become a mindless killing machine in this state. He continued his unceasing assault on Souta.
Boom! Boom!
Their intense clash sent shockwaves rippling through the area.
Souta felt the immense pressure of the undead he was battling. It was challenging to maintain focus while also controlling the doppelgangers to fend off the Sixth Shackle undead.
Seizing an opportunity, he activated the equipment skill of his [Solid Hunter State Boots]. The skill immediately enhanced his speed and slowed down Fhe's movements.
With his speed now greatly increased, Souta swiftly evaded Fhe's relentless attacks. He maneuvered to the side and delivered a precise slice to the undead's neck. Fhe's head rolled through the air, and Souta swiftly grabbed it.
Souta infused his energy into his palm and crushed the head with a powerful force.
Despite this, Fhe continued to move as if nothing had happened. His head reappeared after a few seconds, seemingly unaffected.
Souta refrained from attacking further and focused on defense, fully expecting this undead to be exceptionally difficult to destroy.
"I'll try destroying this guy more and see if there will be a difference," Souta muttered as he focused on blocking the relentless attacks from Fhe.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Eight Head, Sixth Head, Second Head, and Third Head were struggling under the intense pressure from the undead.
"They keep coming, and they're even stronger than before... It's getting hard to defend," Second Head shouted, his voice strained.
Third Head, though silent, nodded in agreement, feeling the same strain.
The army of undead showed no signs of faltering. Even with Seventh Head joining the fray, the pressure remained overwhelming. Despite their efforts, the tide of the battle seemed to be tipping further out of their favor.
Eight Head and Sixth Head, who had been holding the front line, were now severely injured, their bodies battered and bleeding. Despite their grave wounds, they continued to fight with unwavering determination.
The situation was further exacerbated by the relentless pressure of corruption. This wasn't just physical pain but an invasive, corrupting pleasure that tried to tempt them. The pleasure, more than the pain from their injuries, was a constant, nagging force threatening to undermine their resolve.
Corruption could manifest in many forms, and this particular type was as insidious as it was dangerous. It wasn't merely about physical corruption but a psychological invasion that sought to exploit their vulnerabilities.
The only thing keeping them from succumbing to this corruption was the aura emanating from Souta and Alexander. Even though they couldn't fully understand or feel the power of Imperium, it was evident to them that these two had abilities capable of resisting the corruption. They had sensed this when they observed the reactions of Souta and Alexander, realizing that their resilience was crucial to their survival.
As the battle raged on, the Nine Heads continued to hold the line, driven by their will to support Alexander's efforts and to survive the encroaching corruption.
The danger in this place exceeded everyone's expectations.
Meanwhile...
"Arsnobal," Alexander muttered the name of the undead.
"That's right. It's me," the undead confirmed with a nod.
Arsnobal, once a revered Captain of the Royal Guards, had now become a mere shadow of his former self, reduced to an undead. Despite his current state, he retained fragments of his former identity and knowledge.
"If you know me then you must be the successor of our God. I told you to escape but since you arrived here I've already confirmed it." Arsnobal said, his voice carrying a mix of recognition
and resignation.
Alexander remained silent, absorbing the gravity of the situation. It was clear that Arsnobal wasn't aware of his past and the events that led to his current state.
The undead had gained significant strength and influence, and the power that once was used to suppress the taint was now a potential threat to the world.
"Why are you here?" Alexander finally asked, breaking the silence. "What happened to the
others?"
Arsnobal's gaze hardened. "We were all part of a grand design, one that has been twisted and corrupted beyond recognition. What you see now is only a fraction of what was once a grand defense. The corruption spread, consuming everything, and those who resisted were turned into what you see before you."
Alexander's thoughts raced. The battle ahead was more than just a fight against undead; it was a struggle against a corruption that had far-reaching consequences. If Arsnobal and his allies had fallen, it underscored the immense power of the corruption they faced. "What happened to the Myriad Palace?" Alexander asked, his tone heavy with concern.
"Myriad Palace..." The undead named Arsnobal's voice grew melancholic at the mention. "After the disappearance of our god, many began to covet our land and its treasures." They activated the formation of the Myriad Palace and sealed the entire land. Over time, generations lived and died here, but this also led to divisions among the people of the Myriad Palace. They neglected the taint, and those who came into contact with it became subconsciously corrupted.
Alexander's eyes narrowed as he listened to Arsnobal. "There's something peculiar about your story. Taint, you say? If you aren't corrupted, how did you manage to maintain your
consciousness?"
"As expected of the successor of our god. You are truly worthy," the undead forced a smile on his rotting face. "It's simple. Someone managed to enter the sealed Myriad Palace after
thousands of years."
"Who?" Alexander asked.
"The Divine Venerable of Wisdom and the Isolated Formation God."
"What?!" Alexander's eyes widened in shock. He then sensed something within Arsnobal's
body.
"Let me take it from here." A different voice emerged from Arsnobal's mouth, and his demeanor suddenly changed.
"Who...?" Alexander frowned and instinctively took a step back.
The undead's demeanor shifted abruptly, and the air around them grew heavier with a palpable sense of menace. The new presence that spoke through Arsnobal's mouth was vastly different, its voice resonating with an unsettling authority.
"I am the will left behind by Vexus, also known as the Divine Venerable of Wisdom. I am the reason this undead could remain conscious despite the corruption," the undead explained, pausing briefly. "We cannot say too much due to the curse, but there is one thing you should know. We are the cause of the calamity in Hall Plains. Both I and the Isolated Formation God
became sinners."
Alexander listened in silence, not interrupting.
"Hundreds of years ago, we succeeded in opening a slight gap. This gap led to the fall of the Hall of Power. It brought calamity and drew the attention of the Administrator. The sky turned red and shattered, and infinite corruption poured down from the breach. The Isolated Formation God was affected and began to plan for the future. As for me, I remained in the Hall of Power to face the consequences of our actions."
The undead walked forward and stood beside Alexander.
"I left a fragment of my will here. Even after the Administrators' cleansing, the remnants of
the calamity have lingered. My memory is incomplete since I am merely a will with a specific mission," the undead explained.
"You mean...?" Alexander turned his head, intrigued.
"Yes, I need to eradicate the remnants of the calamity here. You plan to suppress the calamity,
but that alone won't prevent its return. We need to eliminate it completely, and I require your help," the undead said.
"What truly happened during the calamity? You mentioned causing it, but according to the information I've gathered outside, it led to the appearance of the Commandments," Alexander asked.
"That's correct, but the ones who truly acted were the Administrators. The Commandments
only sought to understand one thing. I mentioned my memories are incomplete, didn't I?"
"Yes," Alexander confirmed.
"Although my memories are incomplete, I still know that what they are searching for is in the
Ruin Desolate Land. The Authority of Famine is there. If you need exact details, I'm afraid I cannot provide them. You might find more information by locating my corpse or by seeking out a person named Patmos, the one who carried the Balance Scale," the undead explained.