Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1155: Light and Darkness

”This is the central console for the [Centurion Spear]. When I activate it, itʼll trigger all the protocols Iʼve installed over the past day,” Galau said, looking at Zac nervously. ”After that, it shouldnʼt take more than half a minute before itʼs launched.”

”If I stay longer?” Zac said, his voice hoarse from tension. ”How long before itʼll reach its target?”

”Uh,” Galau hesitated. ”I donʼt know. Half an hour, maybe? Itʼll continuously speed up after piercing through the dimensional storm, though. Why are you asking? The relative speed will rip you apart if you stay any longer than our window.”

”My situation is complicated,” Zac grunted. ”Activate it and escape with the others. Donʼt worry about me. I have my methods. Iʼll see you on the outside. And donʼt expose your identity as a sealbearer.”

Galau opened his mouth to argue, but something about Zacʼs gaze made him sigh and nod in agreement. Instead, he took out a communicator. ”Get ready, everyone! Iʼm activating the spear.”

ʼIʼm afraid I cannot let you do that, my friend.ʼ

An intense scream of peril penetrated Zacʼs hazy consciousness. Ingrained experience made Zacʼs body move on instinct, dragging Galau to the side of the room just as a small golden sigil appeared on the main entrance. Then, there was only blinding white and a sense of immense majesty. Zac felt his back being lacerated, and millions of small blades pierced him as he shielded the merchant with his body. Thankfully, miniature projectiles were made of energy and Dao, which reduced them to fuel before they could cause any damage to his insides.

The overwhelming light disappeared as quickly as it came, and Zacʼs heart sank upon seeing the fallout. A good chunk of the console was gone, including the control crystal Galau was about to use. The console was dim and without energy, and it was impossible to say whether the situation could be salvaged. That wasnʼt the only problem they faced. Zac grimly turned to the door, [Verunʼs Bite] already in his hand.

While the voice had come from a speaker inside the room, the attack came from the outside. Nothing remained of the two soldiers who had kept watch of the door. They had been disintegrated by the sudden burst of light, leaving only a few scraps of their equipment behind. Worse, the attack had carved a small hole through the reinforced security door, a testament to its immense power.

The sizzling breach was no larger than a needlepoint, but that wasnʼt any different from it being blown wide open for most cultivators. As expected, an unfamiliar figure appeared in a flash of light and curiously looked around the room before focusing on Zac and Galau.

He was human, though the man made Zac think of an angel with his golden locks, matching irises, and long flowing robes. His features were immaculate, and his expression was soft. There was even a golden halo of the Dao of Light behind him. Yet, Zac felt a fatal threat as he looked into the newcomerʼs eyes.

This person was dangerous.

It wasnʼt because he clearly was a high-ranking imperial or that his Middle D-grade aura greatly surpassed that of the Late D-grade deathsworn captains. There was darkness hidden within the light, an evil that would strike you down if you werenʼt careful.

”To think I had to expend the blessing of my Royal Father to open a door. Theyʼre in short supply, you know,” the imperial said with a helpless smile. ”I suppose thatʼs a miscalculation on my part. I didnʼt expect you natives to manipulate these systems with such speed and command.”

”Bastard!” Galau roared as he threw out an ancient array disk.

A flickering flood dragon with the power of stars poured out of the disk, drowning the command center in a lofty aura. However, it only got halfway to its target before a bracelet on the imperialʼs arm morphed into a demonic creature. Zac frowned at its appearance because it actually had a similar aura to the QrizʼUl goblins of the Lost Plane.

It wasnʼt exactly the same, but it definitely shared a common origin. Had this man found a place similar to the RaʼLashar Kingdom? There wasnʼt any time to glean anything else. The dragon was cleanly ripped apart before the creature returned to the imperialʼs arm.

The battle was completely lopsided, but the brief distraction had been enough for Galau to flash to the damaged consoleʼs side and infuse it with his will. Zac opted to guard Galau from ambush instead of attacking. Activating the weapon took priority. Thankfully, the imperial seemed content to watch. He maintained his smile while observing Galauʼs actions, like he was following an amusing play.

Nothing happened.

Zac paled as he was well aware of the ramifications. Failure to initiate the final step meant the [Centurion Spear] wouldnʼt activate properly, which meant the fortress would stay stuck in the crumbling subdimension. Energy would keep building until the weakest link broke, and the whole Mystic Realm would be wiped off the map. They were dead meat, even if this powerful stranger didnʼt deal with them first.

He had to buy some time while Galau came up with a solution.

”Royal Father? Youʼre the prince of the Seventh Heaven?” Zac said as he positioned himself between the imperial and Galau.

”Iʼm Yselio Tobrial, and Iʼm indeed lucky enough to be a son of the Seventh Heaven,” the man smiled as his eyes left Galau. ”You must be Zachary Atwood. Iʼm very happy the Heavens has blessed me with the opportunity to make your acquaintance. If not for your triumphant ascent, it would have been difficult to deal with the Sindris Clan. Ah, before I forget, I also have to thank you for teaching my dear cousins a small lesson in the Perennial Vastness.”

”Buddy, I have no idea what youʼre talking about,” Zac grunted with an impassive face.

”Donʼt worry,” Yselio laughed with a dismissive wave of his hand. ”Iʼve contained the news, though you should understand nothing is forever.”

”Let me guess, some rumors might find their way back to the Seven Heavens if something happens to you?”

”Of course not. I never believed in making arrangements after oneʼs death,” Yselio laughed as he stepped further into the command center. ”What do I care about the fallout after I die? And wouldnʼt I look the fool in case my Royal Father brought me back if Iʼd given away all my cards? Besides, the more value I hold, the greater my chances of resurrection.

”Therefore, Iʼm more about planning for victory. That way, Iʼll be the one to reap all the benefits when I succeed,” Yselio continued, and it suddenly felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. ”And I donʼt need to rely on threats to seize this relic of a bygone era. I just need strength.”

Zacʼs mind screamed of danger from the manʼs mere presence, to the point his bloodline showed signs of retreating into his body. He unleashed the full weight of his Killing Intent, hoping itʼd give Yselio pause. Unfortunately, there was not a ripple on his face as he walked closer.

”If you stop us, this whole place will blow up!”

”Not before Iʼve achieved my goals,” Yselio smiled as his aura rose. ”Normally, Iʼd be happy to let you accomplish your goals. The idea of igniting a fading beacon of that glorious era is quite romantic, and it can potentially create interesting ripples. Unfortunately, it would make my matters difficult. There are still answers I seek, so blowing it up wonʼt do.”

”That thing!” Galau suddenly urged in a frantic whisper, and Zac slammed the [Court Cycle Token] on an outstretched Array Disk without missing a beat.

”You—!” Yselio exclaimed, the congenial façade cracking when the console fully came alive. ”Why do you have that thing?!”

Zac ignored the princeling, his eyes beating with hope and anxiety as he felt a huge energy pull. The broken console lit up, and its resurrection was a trigger that spread throughout the room. An intense quake almost threw Zac off his feet, and small bubbles of space and gravity began falling like slow-motion rain.

It had begun, but they werenʼt out of the woods yet.

”Go! Iʼll hold him off!” Zac roared as golden-white runes appeared across his skin.

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Torrential amounts of Cosmic Energy poured through Zacʼs pathways, rekindling his weakened body that had seen most of its spirituality sapped by the vortices in his cells. The effects of [Arcadian Crusade] wouldnʼt last long, with his bloodline eroding the patterns it added to his spiritual body. However, it was enough to let him unleash a burst of empowered skills.

A primordial jungle took over the Command Center, and Zac pushed Galau into a tree that deposited him by the emergency exit with the others.

ʼLeave without me!ʼ Zac urged Emily in a mental transmission. Heʼd noticed their presence just beyond the emergency door, ready to ambush Yselio. ʼIʼll see you on the outside.ʼ

ʼBe careful!ʼ

A red-eyed Emily understood her presence would only hinder Zac against such a powerful enemy. She ushered the others into the hallway, leaving only Zac and Yselio in the large hall. Zac muttered a short prayer theyʼd escape safely as he shot forth in a furious blitz.

Zac knew he wasnʼt Yselioʼs match despite his recent gains. He could already tell the princeʼs Dao of Light had surpassed the level of Dao Branches, and that was only the tip of the iceberg. A careful approach to sound out the enemy would leave him at a helpless disadvantage, so Zac could only pursue a more dangerous path to victory. Heʼd go all out from the start, forcing an opportunity before Yselio could unleash his full power like Kator did at the end of their duel.

”Hold me off?” Yselio said, his eyes cold as ice as his halo exploded. ”Are you worthy? Disrupting fate comes at a price, even for a flamebearer. Return what youʼve squandered.”

The command center faded and was replaced by an imperial hall with two rows of tables facing each other. Further behind, rows of celestial soldiers formed, their golden eyes already looking at Zac like heʼd encroached on the Heavens. A great golden throne stood at the seat of honor, with Yselio standing before it.

An emperor and his court.

The celestial court swept the forest away without any struggle. The suppression was absolute, whether you looked at energy or Dao. In addition, the court was filled with immense amounts of Faith Energy, which gave the soldiers life and purpose. Gradually, outlines of magistrates and generals began forming by the empty tables. Their auras were shocking, like Yselio had conjured the great leaders of the Seventh Heaven.

The spores of [Primal Edict] similarly dissipated under the radiant splendor. No matter how much energy Zac pushed into the skill, it was all the same. He unleashed a furious barrage with [Evolutionary Edge] in an attempt to destabilize the domain. However, he couldnʼt find any weakness to target, and destroying the soldiers only resulted in new ones forming from bursts of light.

Zac couldnʼt even tell whether it was an illusion, a domain, or if a separate space had been formed. The approaching soldiers had passed through spots where consoles and array pillars should be, and he couldnʼt see the falling gravity spheres from before. The only thing Zac was somewhat certain of was that they were still within the command center since he could still feel the Void Network spreading through the tower.

”You seem confused?” Yselio smiled. ”Itʼs understandable. You shouldnʼt have seen a true expression of Imperial Qi before, considering such abilities are banned inside the Perennial Vastness. Valsa must have mistaken her Dynastyʼs glory with personal strength and believed herself infallible even without the support of her subjects. The First Heaven has ruled unopposed for a long time, leaving them complacent.

”Our family is different. We are the Seventh, the very last. Itʼs almost a miracle we werenʼt consumed by the others in those early days. Weʼre aware of our inadequacies, and weʼll never forget that we have slowly climbed to our current heights through our subjectsʼ grace. Emperor and Empire are one; the former cannot exist without the latter. Iʼd never set foot in a place where I couldnʼt use the true power of the Imperial Destiny.”

It was suspicious that Yselio seemed content talking despite the dangerous situation, but Zac couldnʼt figure out what he was up to. But suddenly, he felt something passing through his network of Void Tendrils, and his eyes widened in alarm. Yselio was also branching out, though he was targeting the nearby consoles rather than treasures.

The powerful domain left Zac helpless to stop their advance, but it couldnʼt stop the Void. He roused his bloodline, sicking it on the invading streaks of light like a pack of bloodhounds. The Void was more than happy to oblige after being denied sustenance for so long, and tendrils of nothingness began consuming the threads that spread from the Tobrial Prince.

”Hm?” Yselio muttered with a frown. ”What—”

Zac couldnʼt let him investigate, so he threw caution to the wind. An immense drain on his Cosmic Core let him simultaneously activate three D-grade Talismans, one with Miasma, one with Divine Energy, and one unattuned. It was his most extravagant method to use his trinity core and the energy transmission was greatly accelerated by [Arcadian Crusade].

Thousands of madly spinning blades joined two shrouds of opposing Dao, which created an out-of-control storm that swept through Yselioʼs domain. The paradox of his path was put on open display, destroying anything it touched. Golden soldiers were destroyed by the hundreds, and the radiant splendor of the court faded under the onslaught.

Zac didnʼt care about exposing his ability to use Miasma. He couldnʼt. Heʼd already been losing control, and using the Void to fight this way was like having a sword hanging over his head. Zac needed to finish the fight before his breakthrough started. They didnʼt take long, but Zac was completely helpless during that time. Heʼd be like a lamb to the slaughter before Yselio.

Suddenly, three runes appeared above the empty throne, reading ʼFaith,ʼ ʼStrength,ʼ and ʼUnity.ʼ As far as Zac could tell, they werenʼt true edicts, but they still radiated unquestionable might that greatly stabilized the court. Zac didnʼt care that the domain held, nor that significantly tougher counterparts replaced the destroyed soldiers.

The talismans had paved the path and temporarily nullified the suppression of Yselioʼs superior Dao. Zacʼs surroundings were painted the color of his path, and he used the opportunity to the fullest. Destructive forces coursed through his body as he shot straight for his target, with multiple Skill Fractals activating at once.

The resummoned soldiers were temporarily stalled by a repeatedly resummoned jungle in an epic struggle between the wilds and civilization. Zac swung his axe, unleashing two churning clouds. One was death, the other was life, each bolstered by the lingering energy from the talismans and the dimensionʼs spatial decay. The unbridgable boundary between Life and Death clove through the courtyard, rapidly picking up strength and speed as it swept toward its target.

The corrupted beast reappeared, seemingly intent on taking the empowered [Rapturous Divide] head-on. Zac feared it would succeed, considering its display against Galauʼs Array Disk. A streak of white, gold, and red flashed right past the growing line of severance, and the creature was pushed out of the way when a second beast appeared with incredible speed.

It was Verun who had emerged in its spiritual form, radiating a bloodthirst that could shake the Heavens. The Tool Spirit didnʼt have the towering size it showcased during its breakthrough. Instead, it only reached three meters over the ground to match its opponents. Still, it had condensed the energy and power of its immense form into a smaller size, turning Verun into a weapon of matchless ferocity.

The domainʼs suppression couldnʼt stop the primordial hyena, nor could the radiant lights. They only served as a foil to its anger, and Verun unleashed it all on the demonic beast. A furious and brutal exchange of bites and swipes wreaked havoc on the surroundings, with dozens of golden soldiers becoming collateral as Verun forced the creature further from its master.

Zac saw his opportunity, adding oil to the fire by activating another skill heʼd been channeling. Demarcation from the front and judgment from above struck simultaneously like a beastʼs maws snapping shut. Yselioʼs face never faltered as a radiant barrier enclosed him. The ground heaved from the collision, kicking up a storm of tumultuous energies.

The barrier effortlessly withstood both [Arcadiaʼs Jugment] and [Rapturous Divide], leaving Yselio unruffled and unscathed. The second stage of the skill didnʼt even activate, with the dais blocking the spikes from below. Still, the two skills had flooded Yselioʼs surroundings with a fog made from Zacʼs Daos and Energies.

Suddenly, a blurry form burst through the chaos, his aura perfectly blending with the surroundings. It was Zac, his eyes steely with murderous intent as he flew right into the barrier. The shield held without a ripple, though only because Zac slipped right through it. Heʼd already released the breaks on his bloodline, and the Void freely coursed through his body, shifting him further out of phase with the Cosmos.

Vines launched with suicidal determination to bind their opponent for at least a fraction of a second. Zacʼs heart bled upon sensing Vivi burning her very limited life force to assist. Still, he turned the anger into an unbending conviction as he flooded his companion with Divine Energy bolstered by his Eoz nodes running at overdrive.

Determination and sacrifice wouldnʼt be enough. The gap between Vivi and their opponent was simply too great. However, she wasnʼt working alone. Three bloody vines sprung out of thin air, their steely wood adding another layer of restriction to share the load. It was the empowered creepers of [Primal Edict], summoned with a mix of Cosmic and Void Energy to skip the incubation period.

Yselio seemed genuinely shocked that Zac had passed through his impermeable barrier to unleash a volley of instant attacks. It confirmed Zacʼs theory that Yselio hadnʼt discovered the nature of his bloodline, or at least that he wasnʼt privy to the full picture. It was the difference between life and death since Zacʼs whole plan hinged on timing and the element of surprise.

Void Energy flooded the surroundings as Zac activated [Void Zone]. Simultaneously, a golden laurel emitting an archaic aura instantly appeared on his head as a golden luster different from the celestial courtʼs radiance flooded the area. [Empyrean Aegis] had been activated with Void Energy, adding another skill to the tally.

Zac hadnʼt activated the defensive skill with protection in mind. It was all to deliver his most disruptive combination with [Void Zone]. Yselio grunted as his energy backlashed while the Heavens were shrouded by the Void. Zacʼs right shoulder blade exploded at this exact moment, releasing streaks of utter nothingness that tore right through [Ossuary Bulwark].

The sudden eruption acted like a booster that pushed Zac forward as the refined mix of Oblivion Energy, Miasma, and Cosmic Energy poured into [Verunʼs Bite]. A blade of condensed Annihilation formed, and it was as though time had stopped when it descended on Yselioʼs forehead. Every scrap of Zacʼs power and experience had crystallized into a singular moment where he put everything on the line.

The princelingʼs eyes were blank as Oblivion destroyed thought, fate, and future. Then, a greedy smile appeared on Yselioʼs lips as light turned into darkness and good into evil.

”Alone through a strange sea of thought... The legacy of the Void!”