They’d considered Zac a powerful opponent from the moment he unleashed his Pillar of Desolation] , but the severity of the situation had only dawned on them at this moment . They wanted to sound Zac out while they dealt with his cage , but that wishy-washy strategy had completely backfired on them .
This wasn’t a family trial where their background meant something . This was the lawless wild , and they’d targeted someone they shouldn’t have .
One down , three to go . -
31
LIGHT OF AZRA
What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?’ Kalva’s frantic voice rattled in Uthar’s mind . - This guy is too dangerous . ’
Uthar’s face was calm , but his heart drummed as he looked on as the severed link of the insane Draugr’s coffin floated into the man’s hand . Uthar knew far too little about these undead creatures and their means . Only that the Draugr was one of the leaders of the distant Undead Empire . And so what? They were the scions of an equally powerful faction , with both numbers and Mana on their side .
To think they’d sent an Eonic Seed to the Perennial Vastness . Didn’t they have any core inheritances of their own?
Was there a way out of this mess? Losing Galvo was a hit to his prestige , but it didn’t matter much . Uthar was already approaching his limits before the Mana Poison would prove too much , so his retainers weren’t of much use anymore . This was supposed to be a final outing . If he managed to seize the Calamity Core] , he’d enter the eighth echelon and could turn his attention to Core Formation . There was no irredeemable grudge between the two .
Uthar tried to glean anything from the man , but he got a sinking feeling as he saw the Draugr’s attention shift from the severed chain he held to their location . His face was hidden within a hood since he transformed into that ominous form , yet Uthar could feel them . Those two abyssal orbs were trained at them , filled with monstrous killing intent .
What was with this lunatic? His demeanor had completely shifted when his coffin was mentioned , and now it looked like he was ready to fight to the death . Was that guy actually carrying around a beloved corpse inside it or something? In either case , diplomacy was out the window . Some treasures to smooth things over wouldn’t work .
I’ve tried ; I can’t do anything to him , ’ Pa’Sur sighed . - His soul might even be more powerful than mine . No wonder he could withstand the Soulhaze Lily]’s dreams . ’
Don’t waste your energy on him , then . Focus on awakening Azra’s spirit while providing support . It’s already reached a point where we can’t back down even if we want to . We’re trapped , so we’ll have to fight our way out , ’ Uthrar intoned through Stonewhisper] as he destroyed the wave of wraiths that had appeared again .
Even then , two more marks had been added to the mountain , and the corrosive blight spread deeper into the veins . He’d have to waste even more energy to push it out , or the avatar would collapse . These things were a constant bother , preventing him from properly dealing with the river of Death .
How was this just one man with one set of skills? It felt like they were fighting an army .
Uthar didn’t have a lot of options , and could no longer play it safe . Just breaking the river wasn’t enough , even if he found the opportunity while calling down Azra’s spirit to this plane . A deadly storm raged outside , one too powerful to overcome with Mana and far more in tune with their opponent than them .
The Draugr had clearly been able to traverse the island alone without accruing any damage , while they had been forced to hide beneath the ground while waiting for targets and treasures . Here , they were at least inside a mountain , evening the playing field . And if they fled , they’d have to give up on their half-summoned Deity , putting them in an even more dangerous situation .
This man was lethal to the extreme , and any half-measures would only end with more of his followers down for the count . Even worse , he could get crippled to the point his breakthrough failed . Uthar gritted his teeth and took out the Dawn Sierra] , waves of hatred burning in his heart as he looked at the dense engravings covering the stone chest .
He’d saved it to purify his Mountain Core after passing the first threshold , but their strength alone wasn’t enough . He needed assistance . Kalva breathed in relief upon seeing the legacy treasure they’d brought with them from back home . A true splinter of Azra imbued with its ancient will . Kalva clearly didn’t care that this meant his Mountain Core would reach Middle-quality at most .
Then again , neither did Uthar at this moment .
We need to delay him for twenty seconds . That’s it . After that , we’ll show him the might of Azra , ’ Uthar growled . - Ridgebane Seeds!’
The two nodded , and thousands of pebbles spilled out of Kalva’s sleeves . As they flew toward the malignant star , they started to grow under the light of Azra . Uthar felt the drain of Faith Power from the avatar , but it rapidly recovered and was even bolstered as he pushed the Dawn Sierra] into the mountain .
Powerful mental fluctuations were simultaneously released by Pa’Sur , indicating he was imparting the stone soldiers with temporary life . Thousands of golems filled the cave in no time , empowered by Azra and their Dao . Kalva’s eyes were closed in concentration—controlling this many elite stonemen was taxing , even when imbued with Divine Will and a spark of sapience from the Mentalist .
One spectral wraith after another appeared to meet the challenge , and a vast web of chains shot out from that ghastly pillar . That was exactly what Uthar wanted to see . That monstrous Draugr was ultimately just one man , and he’d already used up a huge amount of Miasma to maintain his advantage .
It also gave Uthar a breather , allowing him to redirect some of Azra’s force . Huge spears filled with force assaulted the raging river , purifying it with the breath of the earth . But Uthar was eventually forced to stop and refocus on Azra . Though a few of his projectiles had managed to pierce the river , it healed itself far too quickly for Uthar to dare attempt an escape . Just how durable was this cursed thing?
They’re ready , ’ Kalva intoned as two shimmering stones appeared from his sleeves .
Uthar bit his finger and left three drops of blood on each stone before they flew out , Anointing them with the lineage of the Sentinel Dawn . The stones grew into two , ten-meter constructs , each radiating force equivalent to Early Hegemony .
By that point , the Draugr was on the move . He’d finished mending the broken link , which had retreated into the coffin on his back . Now , he’d turned into a storm of carnage , unleashing his anger on the Ridgebane soldiers . A huge , jagged edge swept through the constructs as he paved a path toward their position . He was no longer waiting around for them to emerge from their protective umbrella .
Stone shavings were flowing everywhere as hundreds of sacrificial soldiers collapsed , but that was part of the plan . The broken stonemen turned into a swirling storm , trapping the Draugr and forming the Ridgebane Array . The two anointed stonemen stepped inside , acting as foundations for the trapping formation . The sounds of metal cutting stone abated , and Uthar breathed in relief and turned to the mountain .
The accrued faith from months of prayer poured into the divine avatar , bringing their summoning closer to fruition . But only five seconds passed before a huge form shot out of the formation and crashed into the mountain with enough force to create cracks across its surface . The whole Ridgebane Array exploded the next second , and Uthar blanched upon seeing the Draugr holding the head of the second anointed construct .
The head was crushed , and the construct collapsed . The lauded Ridgbane Array hadn’t even managed to buy them ten seconds!