Chapter 672: An Execution
The serpent hissed as countless magic attacks bombarded its scales. Despite being the boss of Avarice Dungeon, which needed a party of Deme-rankers just to challenge it, the serpent was helpless against the airship attacking it.
"Remember that those who aid me will be counted as traitors of this kingdom! Therefore, even if the king had mercy for me, I will not remain in the army after this," Ilia Perli to his soldiers. However, not a single one of them stepped down. "Idiots," said Ilia Perli, but he was now smiling. "Arthur Silvera… we will follow your plan."
"Are you insane?" said Azkavan as he stared at Ilia Perli. "I almost lost my life to this man in his unsealed state, and now you want to unseal him? This is beyond…" stopped the guild master before he snapped his neck toward Arthur. "…what did you say his name was?"
"The name is Arthur Silvera," turned Arthur toward Azkavan with a frown before spotting his emblem of a river. "Ah, guild master of Everlasting Stream. You are correct."
"Your father is…."
"Seref Silvera."
"Seref…" muttered the guild before trying to stand. Fey wanted to hold him down, but he gestured for her to stop. "The name that has tormented me for years just decided to come up today."
"At least we have something in common," smiled Arthur. "Your guild tormented my family for years and chased us out of our homes. Tell me, guild master. Have the five hundred thousand satisfied your guild? I had to bleed to pay them every month."
"…that is petty, Azkavan. No wonder you almost died today. So this is Karam!" exclaimed Devan while shaking his head. "My guild would never pressure a boy into paying his father's debts."
"Master Azkavan…" mumbled Fey while staring at the man with disappointed eyes. Master Azkavan started coughing blood as the eyes of the crowd judged him silently.
"This is wrong!" said Master Azkavan as he tried to defend himself. "His father stole our guild's greatest treasure before disappearing inside a dungeon! Our headquarters requested that all payments to be claimed back. I had no decision in this!"
"I don't blame you, guild master. This was a matter of principle. I used to doubt whether my father was a thief, but now I'm almost certain he is. He did steal most of my life when he disappeared."
"Regarding what I wanted to ask," said Master Azkavan as he calmed down. "We have monitored your family for years… and you should be dead. However, it doesn't matter whether you are truly dead. I want to know about your father."
"He is here in Kera at the moment," smiled Arthur. "To be precise… he is the one behind this invasion. Go and find him if you want to catch him and obtain whatever he took."
"Are you all done?" smiled Amelio. "Then, the plan is to unseal me? And then what, Arthur Silvera? Do you think you can harm me when I remove the seal?"
"You have been quietly listening because you want to see how we would win, right?" smiled Arthur at the Fallen God. "That is the most god-like trait you have, Amelio. You don't believe you can lose."
"Am I wrong, humans?" roared Amelio as he spread his arms toward them. "I am but one, and there are many of you! I rule over thousands with just one fist! Those who fear me, those who worship me, all know the absolute truth: I am the Invi–"
As the self-centered god continued with his crazed arrogance, Arthur appeared above him and kicked him in the face. The Fallen God made a few twists in the air before falling to the ground. Arthur Silvera landed in his place, before rushing toward Amelio again.
"Support him!" shouted Ilia Perli as he tried to hold back his snickers. Amelio was still ongoing about himself being invincible when Arthur attacked. "Even if he is sealed, Amelio is still an anomaly! Avoid being struck by him."
"Shadows, fuse with the soldiers!" shouted Arthur as he ran toward Amelio. "My shadows can negate a portion of the physical attacks, so do not resist. Ruki, join my shadow!"
"As you command, my liege," nodded Ruki before she dissolved into the ground and entered Arthur's shadow. The rest of the soldiers watched as Arthur's army infiltrated their shadows and did not resist.
"What is this… an energy is overflowing through me?" muttered Ilia Perli as he squeezed his hand. "I feel… more connected to the world."
"This is the effect of the shadows," Master Azkavan said while studying the monsters. "This is a never-before-seen species that can only be summoned but not tamed. However, this man has…."
"It was not Seref Silvera that you needed to be careful about," said Fey before she unsheathed her sword. "It seems I need another pillar. I wonder what it would feel like to share that man's strength?"
As she raised her sword toward the sky, a white light shot from it before another pillar descended on the battlefield. It shook the ground as it impaled, and the tetragon turned into a pentagon.
"Do not resist me," muttered Fey toward Arthur, and he slightly nodded. Then, she could draw from his powers, share, and augment them using her own. As the streaks of golden mana entered the Astral Pool, Fey noticed a significant change in their mana.
"What is this…" muttered Fey with confusion as her face grew paler. "The mana dissolved into the others instead of just augmenting in the spiral. It is… turning into other forms of mana!"
"Well, now, this is a new feeling," said Devan as he clenched his fist. "Mana is flowing into me more than ever. Is this another ability of yours, White Fairy?"
Fey was silent as she stared at Arthur. This was not a part of her abilities. Her ability was simple: to create an Astral Pool for those inside her pillars. That pool can augment the stats and exchange powers between the participants, but it can never supply them with mana or give each other that mana!
However, she did not say anything and kept quiet. This might be why Brother Yuran was looking for Arthur Silvera, which would only harm them if others knew.
"I don't feel like I can lose with this," said Ilia Perli as he summoned Lexus, the Lightning Spear. "Support Arthur Silvera in his fight, and let us end this crisis!"
The soldiers roared as they all felt their bodies becoming stronger after the shadows fused with them. They were now fighting in the strength of two instead of one, but this was not why Arthur wanted them to use the shadow warriors.
"Amelio is attacking!"
As soon as Arthur shouted, a shockwave pushed everyone back. The ground began to give in as giant cracks spread from Amelio's foot, stomping on the ground. Some of the soldiers lost balance due to this single attack and fell, but Amelio was merely warming up.
"The stronger you are, the more satisfying it would be to tear you apart," grinned Amelio with crazed eyes. "How dare you… Arthur Silvera… to humiliate me like that. It seems that one death is not enough for you!"
Amelio disappeared, which was the first time he rushed to attack himself. None of those present could follow his speed, and he appeared above Arthur, who was also unaware. Amelio brought down his foot atop Arthur's back, flattening him to the ground.
BOOM!
"Arthur!" shouted Devan as he rushed toward them, but the shockwave of the attack pushed them back. Amelio was grinning as he pinned Arthur to the ground beneath his leg while standing in the middle of a crater.
"How is that, creator?" smiled Amelio. "This is what you want to unseal!"
"…this is just fine too," said Arthur beneath him. "I expected to be targeted, so I prepared in advance. Runic Circle: Restrain!"
Countless runes exploded around Amelio, creating giant chains that wrapped around the Fallen God before he could escape. It took nothing but a single tug from him to break the chains, but thousand grew from the runes to restrain him.
"Everyone, ATTACK!" roared Arthur toward the guild masters and soldiers. All of them jumped to attack Amelio, who was standing there restrained. After growing into a giant, Devan was the first to strike, and his fist left a mark on Amelio's face.
Ilia Perli was next, thrusting his lightning spear toward Amelio. It was covered in golden mana, which tore the spatial fabric apart before stabbing the Fallen God. Amelio howled in pain before more attacks rained on him, each striking with their strongest.
It was no longer a fight.
It was an execution.
"Bastards!" shouted Amelio as a dark rune appeared above him before it broke. Then, the restraints were broken through as if they were papers, and Amelio slammed both of his fists down.
Arthur has long since teleported, and he was getting ready for the next phase of his attack. However, the moment Amelio struck the ground, the world almost screamed in pain.