Defiance of the Fall

The soothing caress of Death was the same when Zac stepped onto Kavista's soil. The war seemed so distant within the tranquil courtyard. His appearance was expected this time, and Zac didn't even have time to address the guards before his surroundings twisted. When his vision stabilized, Zac found himself standing in the familiar meeting room, surrounded by the usual suspects.

"Hello again," Zac nodded calmly, but he felt slightly nervous upon being stared down by the Monarchs this time. It felt as though there was a vague threat lingering in the air. Perhaps the feeling was triggered by paranoia after Tavza's warning last time. Perhaps it was triggered by the unease that had plagued him the past days.

Of course, there was a chance his high Luck let him pick up on a real plot against his life. But if that were the case, it was much weaker than when he'd been targeted by Valsa of the First Heaven. Hopefully, that meant no one had committed to targeting him in the next couple of days.

"I was wondering whether you'd dare show up," Kator laughed.

"I said I'd be here, so I'm here," Zac shrugged. "Let's make this quick, though. I need to get back on the battlefield."

"Haste makes waste, young friend," Laz said. "We've read the reports. You haven't stopped for a moment since returning. It's not a sustainable pace in a conflict of this scale."

"Even if you can keep going, it's a good idea to let your men rest occasionally," Pavina added. "Tired soldiers make mistakes, and mistakes lead to deaths."

"I'll be careful," Zac nodded.

"You're speaking like he has a choice," Kator said. "His subordinates are just trash covered in treasures, and the Kan'Tanu will reach the Allbright Empire in a couple of months. I bet the System will set up large-scale battlefields at that point. They won't have a chance later if they don't push themselves now."

Zac tried to ignore Kator's comment about his men, but a flame of anger ignited upon remembering how valiantly they'd fought under him over the past month.

"What? You thought you'd formed an iron-veined army in this short duration?" Kator scoffed upon seeing Zac's glare. "Your so-called Calamity Company would get ripped apart by any neophyte squad from back home. Haven't you realized? Your enemies are all trash as well. The System is going easy on newly integrated worlds. You're just smashing some border settlements with your wealth."

He wanted to refute the reaver, but Zac knew there was some truth to his words. Even after consecutive victories, they hadn't encountered any really powerful or connected worlds. They hadn't encountered any official soldiers from the seven chapters and only one Remoulded. Their opponents seemed to be getting stronger, but they still had an easier time than the D-grade worlds under the powerful empires.

There was no point in getting bogged down in a shouting match with Kator about it, though, so he focused on what he said about the frontlines instead. As expected, the war would enter the next stage soon enough. Zac turned to the Draugr for answers.

"Will the Million Gates Territory's defensive line be able to hold?"

"That's…" Laz said. "It'll be a tough battle."

Zac's heart sank upon seeing his expression. He didn't look confident at all.

"Is it because of the outsiders?"

"They have moved up the conflict, but they only have a supportive role like ourselves. Most of us will relocate soon. We'll be acting as deterrence for the outsiders on the other side," Laz said. "The problem is the Kan'Tanu themselves."

"You won't help us fight against them?" Zac frowned, understanding the implication within Laz's explanation. So long as the Monarchs on the other side didn't make a move, neither would they.

"This is not our fight. We're only here for the inheritance, and there's a tacit agreement between the external factions. We won't interfere with the war, at least not in the open," Toss said upon seeing Zac's displeasure. " If anything, you don't want us to make a move. It'll escalate the conflict, and you locals will suffer."

"Of course, the empire isn't just looking the other way. The Kavriel Province has helped reinforced the defensive lines for years, and we've transferred a third of our forces to the alliance," Laz said.

"Kid, if you want my advice, ignore that battle and focus on the battlefronts," Toss said. "The System won't arrange things neatly for you youngsters if you head over there to help. The established factions will go all out, using hidden cards and their Dao Reserves. What good is your Early D-grade cultivation if one of the Kan'Tanu Monarchs turns your Cosmic Vessel into ash?"

"So what should we do?"

"The harder you fight on the graded battlefronts, the fewer soldiers the Kan'Tanu will be able to send to the frontlines," Pavina said. "Their approach has taken so long because they have created a safe path through the Million Gates Territory. Their first goal will be to create a beachhead outside the Eternal Storm and set up large-scale teleporters to transport soldiers."

"They've stabilized the Million Gates Territory?" Zac exclaimed. "Is that even possible?"

"It's possible, especially with the Starbeast Alliance helping out," Laz said.

"They've got special techniques to traverse the Endless Storm?"

"Techniques? If you can call having a big body a technique," Kator scoffed. "Their ancestors are the size of continents in their true forms. Even Starbeast Monarchs can crush most spatial turbulence with their bodies alone. How hard could it be to force their way through the calm edges of the Eternal Storm?"

Zac felt helpless over the situation. The Kan'Tanu was enough of a headache, and these outsiders only made it worse. They didn't want to dirty their hands, but they sure seemed more than willing to fan the flames. They didn't care if trillions of people died on the frontier so long as it created a situation where they could fish for more seals.

"It's only a temporary solution," Tavza added, and Laz nodded in agreement.

"The Eternal Storm has its name for a reason. Untamed dimensions pushing against integrated space will constantly give rise to new turbulence. The invaders will have to maintain the road if they want to keep using it for passage and create backups in case it fails. Of course, our side wants to destroy their route to our sector. There's already a hidden war being waged within the Eternal Storm, with thousands of elite units participating."

The struggle within the storm before was news to Zac, but he wasn't surprised. His shipyard quest advanced daily thanks to more enemy vessels being struck down. Ten days ago, progress had moved from 228 to 241 in the span of four hours. A large-scale battle must have erupted somewhere within the Million Gates Territory.

Zac still wasn't convinced about their motives. There was no reason for the outside influences controlling the Allbright Empire, the Havarok Dynasty, or the other top-tier Zecia factions, to slow down the war. His people had already found clues indicating the outsiders wanted to maintain a balance where neither side gained or lost too much. At least until the time of the trial.

Then again, the status quo favored Zecia, so Zac guessed he shouldn't complain.

"For now, I have no intention to send my people to the physical frontlines. The Atwood Empire is already providing high-quality Cosmic Vessels; it's more than enough for an Early D-grade Force. But like Kator says, it might not be up to me," Zac said before turning to the reaver. "Are you ready? Or are you going to keep annoying me in hopes it'll make me slip up later?"

"What do I need to ready myself for?" Kator snickered. "And don't you worry, it'll be over quickly. You'll be back home before you know it."

"Boys," Pavina said with a helpless shake of her head.

"Remember, it's just a friendly spar, not a battle with your futures on the line," Toss grunted. "There are a few more topics to cover. We saw the recording of the token. Are there any findings since?"

Zac thought it over briefly before sharing what he'd discovered since parting with Petrus and what he believed it signified. He didn't share the aura the token had begun to release, though. That was a secret cultivation resource best kept close to the vest.

"Your theory seems plausible, but let's hope it has more uses than unlocking the gates to the Left Imperial Palace," Tavza said.

"Where's the token now?" Kator asked. "Let's test it on me."

"If you were me, would you bring it here?" Zac said with a roll of his eyes. "I'll just go ahead and hold onto it until the mission starts."

"How about a trade? A peak D-grade Wild Mystic Realm and 1,000 C-grade Nexus Coins for the token," Kator said. "It's a great deal if what you say is true. What's the use of a key to the main court when our mission will take us elsewhere? Meanwhile, a powerful unpopulated realm and a capital infusion would be a huge boost for your little kingdom."

Zac almost blurted an agreement upon hearing the offer. A Peak D-grade Mystic Realm should be right at the threshold of becoming an Ancient Realm. It could become a hidden Holy Land like the ones most established factions used, or a road to survival in case they lost the war. Zac could move his people into the realm and destroy the exit, letting his people hide within the Void until the storm passed. Meanwhile, the token would only slightly assist his cultivation in the short run, and possibly help him out inside the trial.

Yet, Zac's instincts told him he would regret it if he agreed.

"That's okay; we're doing fine as we are."

"Well, I'm here if you change your mind," the reaver snickered. "But don't think I'll buy that thing after the mission ends and the elite forces leave this wretched corner of space. You might regret not taking the deal when those cultists come knocking on your door."

"I'll take my chances," Zac said, inwardly sneering.

He doubted the reaver would be so blasé over the token if he knew it released a continuous stream of inspiration.

"What is your plan for the captive sealbearer?" Toss asked.

"No plan yet."

"We'd be willing to trade her for resources if you can't find a use for her seal."

"Perhaps in the future," Zac rejected. "I want to keep her around for a while. Maybe I can turn her around to get her brand on the token."

"It's not a pressing matter," the reaver said, dropping the subject.

The meeting went on for another thirty minutes, even if there wasn't much else to discuss. Kator's scathing remarks aside, the Calamity Company had performed beyond their expectations, and his next quest only needed him to keep fighting. He received some suggestions based on the reports sent back from Serzo and Petrus, there were no complaints or demands. Unfortunately, that didn't mean Zac's request for access to more resources was granted, either to buy or be provided for free.

The Monarchs used their usual excuse that meddling excessively with the younger generation could have unintended consequences. However, they indicated they would trade any captured sealbearer he encountered, even if he managed to engrave them on his token first. Zac wasn't so sure about that kind of trade. The token was a litmus test of sorts. If a sealbearer managed to leave a rune behind, they genuinely wanted to follow him. How could he send someone like that to the Undead Empire to be killed or awakened?

The atmosphere grew more oppressive as the minutes passed, but Laz seemed unwilling to let the meeting end. The topics he broached became more tangential and theoretical, much to the displeasure of the reavers.

"Any other matters can be dealt with as they arrive," Toss eventually said. "There's no point in wasting time dredging these old topics again."

"Let's get this over with, then," Laz sighed, and the surroundings shifted.

The Monarchs had transported them to a huge arena over a mile wide to accommodate the powers of Hegemons. Of course, a fight using only techniques was unlikely to require that much space. After all, Zac could tell from the brutal aura radiating from Kaldor that he wasn't a cultivator whose technique relied on dodging and harassment. Just like himself, he was a head-on fighter.

Zac couldn't even estimate how many spectators could fit in the galleries. Today, they were empty, with no one coming to join them. It gave the coliseum a desolate aura, but Zac preferred this over his fight being turned into sport for some Kavriel scions. A ripple spread through the area, and Zac could feel Tavza's and Kator's attributes being suppressed. He couldn't sense any change in the Monarchs and guessed they were too strong to be affected.

"Three clean hits at vitals means victory. After each hit, you create distance," Toss said. "You're both in the integration stage, so control your force at the point of impact. There's no point in taking any risks, even if both of you have large stores of Endurance and Vitality."

"Don't mind him," Kator laughed as his aura grew increasingly oppressive. "Hit as hard as you can. If a brat like you can break through my Warbones, I might as well die."

Zac ignored the taunt, focusing on the upcoming battle. A shroud of darkness spread across his chest as Alea entered her true form. The abyssal chains emerged from the gateways on his back, and an otherworldly rattle filled the quiet arena. The familiar grip of [Death's Duality] appeared in his hand, and Zac felt all extraneous emotions washing away as he turned toward his opponent.

Kator followed suit, throwing off the loose robe he usually wore to expose the glistening skeleton plating beneath. Commander Kaldor never used his Warbones back in the Orom World. There was no need, considering his bones were the equivalent to Peak C-grade metals, even in their passive state. So it was the first time Zac saw the transformation of an Izh'Rak Reaver. The bones grew thicker, darker, and their edges sharpened. Every plate was becoming a weapon on its own.

White markings spread across Kator's body, and he began his transformation. Meanwhile, a flanged mace grew out of his right hand, its head the size of two fists and lined with sharpened bones reminiscent of [Verun's Bite]. The palm of his left hand expanded, forming a serrated round shield. It was only the width of Kator's forearm, and it looked as much a weapon as a defensive tool.

The self-made tools weren't fused with Kator's body like the soldier ants of his Ayn Hive. They detached after emerging from within Kator's body, though Zac noted a string of sinew still connected the shield to Kator's palm. By the appearance, Zac suspected it could be used as a throwing shield.

The transformation only took a few seconds, but it was enough to completely reform his appearance. Zac obviously wouldn't mistake him for anything but an Izh'Rak Reaver, but it now looked like Kator was wearing full-body armor. It was covered in dense white runes, and Zac noted they formed a full pathway with two focal points. One was a pristine black bone the shape of a seven-pointed star embedded above his heart. It covered most of his chest, like Alea's image on s own body, and it seemed to release a mysterious force through Kator's body.

One of the Miracle Bones? Perhaps it was the same with the ridge of horn-like spike that had appeared right atop Kator's head. Zac first felt it a weakness to have such critical bones exposed like that, but he realized they seemed even sturdier than the rest of Kator's plating. It was doubtful they were good targets in a real battle—if he had the strength to shatter those things, he might as well lob their heads off instead.

The skeletal race was normally lanky and had at least a meter on the average human. However, the transformation reduced Kator's height by more than a head. He was also bulkier, coming closer to Zac's physique. It wasn't just his bones that had transformed, but also the incredibly dense muscles hiding beneath.

The onlookers had already moved away, hiding their presence to avoid distraction. It was like only Zac and Kator remained in the world.

There was no signal, no further words about code of conduct. What needed to be said had been said. Anything else would be communicated with their weapons.

Zac released the pent-up aggression that had been building in his chest, shooting forward with such force a deep explosion reverberated through the empty arena. A boisterous laugh greeted his approach as Kator slammed his shield with his mace, the collision sounding like a clap of furious thunder. Zac's aura and Killing Intent roiled forward like a tidal wave, but an overbearing force with equal ruthlessness pushed it back.

Lightning-quick chains made up the vanguard, surrounding Kator in a web of Death while [Death's duality] drew a ruthless arc aimed at Kator's neck. The strike looked simple on the outside, but it contained the Inexorability of Death. The opening strike had innumerable opponents who thought they could block or dodge, only to find all their options sealed and their path cut short.

But Kator was like an immovable mountain, meeting offense with overwhelming aggression. Instead of blocking the strike with his shield, he instead used its serrated edge to hook one of Zac's chains, forcibly altering its trajectory to disrupt Zac's trap. Meanwhile, the mace descended toward Zac's head with similar brutality, moving with beguiling speed.

Zac began his swing first, but he could tell the mace would reach its target before his axe. He had no choice but to redirect his strike and intercept, even using [Conviction of Eoz] to reposition in time. A tearing screech filled Zac's ears when weapons collided, but Zac barely noticed it over the hidden battle between their Daos.

They said that you could only truly know someone after brawling with them. Zac wasn't sure that was true, but the opening exchange let him know one thing for certain. Kator's technique was not inferior to his. He'd already expected as much. Kator was an eonic seed in the Integration Stage. What Zac hadn't expected was the number of Daos that had gone into the reaver's path.

Just how many concepts did this maniac wield?

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