Bro, I'm not an Undead!
Chapter 1182: First Offensive

Two days later…

Agmold.

At the top of the headrest of a great throne in the throne room, a small, ordinary-looking bird looked dazedly ahead, where the majestic double doors leading into the king's stronghold stood proud. The bird wasn't, however, enthralled by the graceful designs of these mundane structures. Its vision, excitement, apprehension and eagerness were stolen by something else, something far.

To think Asthon was about to witness it…

"You…you still haven't told me anything about that trembling from two days ago! It was worse than last time!" King Royan who was seated on the throne below the ordinary-looking bird said with a nervous quiver. "We just barely managed to repel those black creatures before! What is happening now?! Why hasn't the Purity sent someone to explain anything to me? Where are the Houses?

Will I… Will we be safe? Can you truly defend us still?"

King Royan looked nauseous with fear. He both pleaded and demanded from Asthon, the Trueworth Bill, reassurance that even with a crisis as great as this, he would keep true to his promise and defend the king and his family.

Every other time King Royan had asked, Asthon had always responded positively. However…

"Silence!"

A powerful voice boomed from Asthon's tiny beak.

King Royan shook, nearly falling off his throne.

Asthon said no more than that.

This time, he couldn't answer Royan's concerns, not because he had measured and seen that he could not, in fact, protect Royan from the descent, rather, rise, of a Deity, but because he was too busy feeding his anticipation.

IT was already beginning and he didn't want any disturbances.

***

Ashema floated high up in the sky.

His one good eye gleamed with a furious excitement and he couldn't stop himself from fidgeting awkwardly.

While it was true that a ferocious amount of power had been bubbling within him madly since Lord Boron had risen two days ago, it couldn't have been the reason behind his exhilaration.

Though the change in the status quo had been clear to all when the world trembled, made all the more clear by how Ashema's body changed, growing larger and stronger in a manner of seconds, Skullius had been unbothered, quite unlike Azila, Soidon and Erlton.

The Carven remembered how Skullius had languidly turned in his direction when his body grew, his blood powers becoming unfathomably more potent, only to raise a brow and say:

"So, it's time? You look better human-sized."

This hadn't shaken Ashema at all.

He had grown used to how eerily confident Skullius always was nomatter the adversity he was presented with. Even the coming of the Boron didn't faze him, apparently.

Ashema had laughed. His intrigue in Skullius grew in that moment, but it peaked when Skullius had given his signature daring, blank look again and said:

"Surely you aren't going to miss what's about to happen. I thought you'd accompany me for just a little bit longer."

And this was why the Carven was here, in the skies, chugging the blood in his gourd and looking down expectantly at Skullius who sat on the dry ground in the clearing within the Tremur Forest, where the Labyrinth of the Yoke was hidden, the great, towering mass of darkness, built like an imperial castle with over a hundred roofs, a dozen or so meters away from him.

IT was about to happen; the thing Skullius had mentioned more than a few times in their travels from Opungale, Maqi and then to Pelian.

Ashema wouldn't have dreamt of missing the battle against Skullius' other self.

Of course, what had truly decided whether or not he would stay and wait, was the fact that even though Lord Boron had risen from the Under, no doubt taking the Herald as his vessel, he had yet to call upon all the Carven to converge towards him.

If he had, Ashema wouldn't have been able to resist.

It seemed Lord Boron was waiting for something. He hadn't even exerted his influence on Aigas.

This worked in Ashema's favour.

'Now how long am I supposed to wait? This better happen soon. He said it would happen before long,' he thought.

Below, Skullius was having glimmers of similar thoughts.

He sat cross-legged, his eyes closed.

The [Heart of Revelation] shone brightly above him while the deep shadow under him made it impossible to discern where it ended and where his robes began.

The air was rather agitated around Skullius, mirroring his emotions. The great, towering construct he had formed seemed to express a similar level of frustration as evidenced by how its shadow squirmed.

The fact that the Hybrid Luman could sense a great degree of attention on him didn't quell his rising impatience either.

Azila, Soidon and Erlton had buried themselves deeper into the forest two days ago, but they were evidently watching him.

Karima, Dellan and the Aqua Ripper were also watching.

'Deities too?' Skullius asked himself. 'Annoying.'

There was another faint presence, but he didn't bother to check and verify who the tenth spectator was.

Skullius frowned.

'Only seven days remain till Doom Factor 2 starts to act up. How much longer will he make me wait?' he asked himself.

Indeed.

Seven days remained until the fact that Skullius existed as half a soul drove him mad; that was, after all, the stipulation of Doom Factor 2. It beckoned him towards Somanda once again so that he may retrieve the other part of his soul.

'If he intends to save—"

…!

But what whomever Skullius was referring to intended to save, would have to wait a turn to be addressed, because the Hybrid Luman was – all too suddenly – overwhelmed by a mighty force that seemingly spawned from thin air!

BOOOOOOOM!

The entirety of the Tremur Forest responded to the outrageous violence that had just landed within its singular, significant clearing.

Trees leaned back, some uprooted and cast away.

The solid, mana-sturdied ground broke and was blasted apart.

The native creatures which had been feeling a dreadful sense of foreboding since the last two days, shrieked in fright.

Skullius was stunned that he hadn't been able to sense the attack before it landed on him. It was way too fast!

But then again, it wasn't an attack.

Skullius' eyes bulged.

He found himself held down by a large, illusory hand that looked to be made of a collection of pretty particles of purple-gold!

It had come down with such ridiculous force that it dug Skullius into a vast pit.

The Hybrid Luman couldn't move an inch nomatter how hard he struggled.

The chattering of invisible blades slashing endlessly, futilely, on the illusory hand rang out deafeningly.

What was this?!

Skullius couldn't have known, but things were about to get a whole lot worse.

A flash of yellowish-red light then came from the far, far distance, beyond the Tremur.

Skullius didn't see it, but he did sense the absurd amount of mana that came with it.

There was a terrible, hoarse shriek from the direction of the light, and the sky was dyed in yellowish-red bolts of lightning… which then turned to a creepy shade of dark grey in the next micro-instance!

SHREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Whatever dark horror was brewing in the far north was devastating and it seemed to be imminent.

However…

Exceedingly fast – at fifty times the speed of light – and carrying the same hue as the illusory hand holding Skullius tight, a flash of radiance poured down as a great pillar from the skies and smote the Hybrid Luman before the gathering disaster of grey lightning could!

…!!!

It was only after this, that a terribly vicious dark grey arrow which stole the light and life from the surroundings sprang forth from far north, eradicating everything in its path as it flashed at over twice the speed of light!

Pelian trembled as the arrow, without a doubt, hit its mark.

---

[Author's Note]

Sorry for the delay. We will be surging full throttle from now on. The volume will end before the month does.

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