Chapter 1221  One Last Card

The plains separating the hills of Yalenia were turned into one deep valley that held infinite remnants of elements. Ice, fire, wind, plants, poison, stone, or even lightning had inflicted this place. There was, of course, one more thing inside this deep crater: a man with black and golden robes. His existence was the focal point of the entire world. A single word crossed the mind of anyone who witnessed his earlier feat. Invincible. Osian of Ilios was once called Invincible because no element could reach him without being devoured. But that invincible man was defeated by a walking definition of strength. "The minute is over," Arthur Netherborne declared, his gate of wrath exploding with infinite wrathful souls. They roamed the sky of the living, screaming, demanding justice. "And I have a gift for you, Yalen King."

As he heard the ominous words spoken with a wrathful yet calm voice, the Yalen King fell on his lower back, letting out a yelp of fear. He looked from atop the cliff his attacks created, awaiting his verdict. "These souls died in Kera while you stood by and watched, waiting for my fall while I protected them."

As he announced such a terrifying notion, Arthur Netherborne raised his hands to summon these souls. They fell into the crater like rain, falling ghosts that rose with wrath. They formed humans, eyes blazing with fury as they glared at the king. Although the crowd did not know their ident.i.ty, no one dared to doubt the words uttered by Arthur Netherborne. "Kings tend to forget that sooner or later, their actions will have consequences," growled Arthur as he advanced, surrounded by thousands of wrathful wraiths. "I am the reminder of those consequences."

"Kill him already! Kill him!"

At long last, the king"s mentality crumbled. He flailed his arms to his generals, commanding them to commit the impossible. None of his generals moved, terrified of their enemy. An astra-ranker cannot defeat an empyrean, but Arthur Netherborne can. "Anyone who attacks," warned Arthur while raising Nightmare, "will die!" The dagger split air apart as it screamed, unleashing an aura of destruction that did not destroy, a promise of murder that did not kill, and a scream of wrath that instilled fear in their hearts. People held their breaths, fearing that one wrong sound would end their lives. Arthur Netherborne stood within the crackling lightning as his wrathful souls rose toward the Yalen King. At this moment, the dimensional gate the king opened flickered and released an otherworldly amount of mana. The Yalen King rose from the ground, blood returning to his face as he seemed exhilarated. "I still have one more astra-ranker! Better than any of you d.a.m.n cowards!" roared the king as he expected the return of the President of the Awakeners Union. "Aedan! You returned!"

True to his words, the president walked out of the fissure behind the barrier protecting the king. The Yalen King rose to meet him, arms spread open. "Aedan! What took you so long? Arthur Netherborne is here. Get rid of him, quick!" demanded the king, but his eyes looked at Aedan for a few seconds before he realized in terror. "You betrayed me?" "Apologies," said Aedan as he looked behind him. The one to walk out of the fissure was Rae of Shon, her white hair similar to Aedan"s. "My Saint has demanded I return."

"I sheltered you when you were nothing but a dog, Aedan! The Father of Shon wanted you dead, but I protected you!" roared the king as he grabbed Aedan"s collar, screaming. "You dare betray me for this wh.o.r.e?!"

Bang!

Aedan punched the king, sending him flying toward his generals. The king sprawled on the ground, his crown falling from his head and rolling to the side. "You punched me!" roared the king while holding his cheek. Aedan looked at him with apathetic eyes as Rae walked from behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Don"t touch filth, Aedan," said Rae, looking at the king with complete disregard. Then, she turned toward Arthur, who grinned and waved her h.e.l.lo. She sighed and then bowed. "Greetings, Guild Master."

"I missed you, Rae," said Arthur with genuine happiness. "Sorry to call you on such short notice. I did not want to fight Aedan; you were the only one he respected."

"Please retreat from this fight. I will be enough to take down these armies," said Rae as she raised her head. "Sister Julia is worried sick about you. She heard about your fight against the Empyrean of Yalen."

"...I hope she doesn"t come here herself," said Arthur with a wary expression. "But I don"t think you can handle the upcoming fight."

"Just mere astra-rankers?" asked Rae with disdain. Arthur laughed, knowing she had just reached the Deme-rank herself while he was inside the tower. "Not the Yalen Army, I mean," said Arthur as he raised his head toward the sky. He grinned as the black lightning sizzled around him, seeking to destroy his enemies. "Them." The dark clouds parted ways as four figures appeared in the sky. Arthur grinned as he knew their ident.i.ties—four Empyreans of Thiria, Sourna, Orlan, and Tanera. "I can leave them to you," said Rae without any fear on her features even after witnessing the alliance of the strongest that this world had to offer. "You are the strongest, after all."

Arthur could feel it in his bones that this fight would not be easy like the one against the Yalen Empyrean. Regarding fighting powers, the Yalen Empyrean was no stronger than an Astra-Ranker. But his omnipresent abilities made him an impossible enemy to defeat. Except for the outsider who existed outside this realm"s timelines. "Four of the strongest warriors this world has to offer," said Arthur as he spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I feel flattered."

"We are not here to intervene in this fight," said the Empyrean of Force, Ancestor of Sourna. "Depending on the outcome, we will decide the terms of our agreement with the outsider."

"You just forfeited your rights to speak to me by calling me that," said Arthur as his expression revealed immense darkness looming beneath the earlier happiness. "My name is Arthur Netherborne, the Returning King of Wrath."

His voice penetrated the surroundings and hearts of those listening. The Empyrean of Force was stunned for words and realized their plans might be foiled because of a simple mistake on his side. "I apologize, Returning King of Wrath," said the Empyrean of Force. "What is the meaning of this?" roared the Yalen King as he rose from the ground, dusty and humiliated. "We agreed to trap him here, ending his life!" "Don"t raise your voice at us, pathetic fool," said the Empyrean of Thiria as his dragons growled at the Yalen King. "Does he look like a trapped beast to you?" Arthur grinned. These Empyreans were a nasty, cunning bunch, but they had the insight to know that they could not defeat him. "A summoned G.o.d will kill him! Summon that d.a.m.ned G.o.d!"

"There is no reason for us to hasten that," said the Empyrean of Orlan, clouded by a mist of elements. "But you have picked a bone with the Returning King of Wrath when you imprisoned his friend."

"You d.a.m.n cowards are acting this way because my father died!" roared the Yalen King with realization before he started laughing. "You think that Yalen has fallen? I still have one last card! Lucian! Show them your powers!"

"As you command," answered Lucian who stood quietly on the sides this entire time. His mana rose from his body in a gradual flow, like a river that never ceased. His aura filled the whole world with light. "This aura..." the Empyrean of Tanera choked from atop his summoned eel that spanned the heavens. "There is no doubt about it. This boy inherited the powers of a guardian," declared the Empyrean of Force, his eyes narrowing. "What a surprise. The Yalen King might have a chance."

"That is right! The guardian chose my son!" roared the Yalen King as his general returned his crown, and the king wore it before cleaning his clothes. "Yalen will not fall today!"

"Prove that to us, and we shall reconsider your position in our council," declared the Empyrean of Thiria as the rest nodded. Their eyes betrayed their greed for the power to foresee everything. Arthur almost burst out laughing. These Empyreans considered themselves G.o.ds, deciding Arthur"s future based on the factors involved. "What can a seer do?" asked Arthur with a grin, pulling the world"s attention toward him. His black lightning screamed as it intertwined with golden mana, ripping s.p.a.ce apart as it exploded outside the crater. "Bring it on, crowned prince of Yalen."

Lucian met his gaze, and within it stood a defiant fire. But the two of them knew this was just the start of their plan to take down the Yalen Kingdom and rebuild it. And their next target would be the entire world.