Hero of Darkness

Chapter 1121  The Barrier

For one reason or another, Albestros and Sirius found themselves overwhelmed, their minds reeling from the cascade of shocking revelations that Kahn had dropped on them. It was as if fate had decided to hand them every unimaginable twist in the universe, one after another, with no room to breathe in between.

The sheer absurdity of it all was enough to make even the most stoic person question their grip on reality.

First, the revelation of Kahn as a chosen hero had been enough to leave them speechless. That alone was a concept theyʼd struggled to grasp. Then came the bombshell that he was a 6th-stage saint, a rank of power beyond their imagination.

Just when they thought nothing could top that, Kahn casually dropped the fact that he wasnʼt even from this world... a truth so alien and incomprehensible that it shattered any semblance of normalcy they clung to.

But Kahn wasnʼt done. Not by a long shot.

He proceeded to reveal his intentions to overthrow the Rakos Empire and take the mantle of emperor, a declaration that left both of them utterly dumbfounded.

And just when they had begun to adjust to this new reality, to piece together the enormity of his plans and their place within it, Kahn delivered the final, earth-shaking revelation.

Out of nowhere, he introduced them to not just one, but two individuals of staggering power... a 9th-stage saint and a royal dragon.

At this point, both Albestros and Sirius were teetering on the edge of mental collapse. Sirius pressed a hand to his forehead, as if checking for a fever, his expression one of sheer disbelief.

Albestros, the old and seasoned craftsman who had seen much in his lifetime, resorted to the most primal method of verifying reality... he slapped himself, hard.

Slap!

”This is a dream, this is a dream!” Albestros muttered to himself repeatedly, his wide eyes darting around as if the sheer absurdity of the situation would melt away upon closer scrutiny.

What followed was a brief but surreal explanation from Kahn about how he had encountered these two powerhouses during his time in the Zivot Empire and his exploits within the Conclave of Heroes.

The narrative was almost too fantastical to be true, but the presence of the 9th-stage saint and the royal dragon served as living proof.

Their very existence exuded an aura of unmatched strength that couldnʼt be denied.

It took Albestros and Sirius time, a lot of time; to process everything. They sat in silence, their minds racing to make sense of the extraordinary truths unveiled before them.

But eventually, the shock subsided, and acceptance settled in. They understood that the world had changed, that Kahnʼs ambitions and the forces he had gathered were far beyond anything they could have imagined.

Swoosh!

Soon, Omega also appeared in front of Albestros and Sirius.

At first, neither of them recognized him.

”It is me, sir Albestros.” spoke Omega and unsheathed the katana on his left side.

Shing!

The blade of the katana carrying lightning flickers made an outcry.

Albestros quickly remember the blade and now he recognized the user.

”You look very different now.” spoke the old blacksmith.

He said so because back in the day, Omega used to wear a silver suit and black shades, far opposite to his current appearance where his entire upper body filled with tattoos was exposed.

”Things happened. Itʼs not like you havenʼt changed either.” spoke Omega with a gentle nod.

”How is the sword?” asked Albestros.

”Still cuts through everything like a hot knife through a sheet of paper.” replied Omega.

It was right then... Kahn interjected.

”So, everyone has their roles and orders remembered at the back of their hands, right?”

Kahnʼs voice cut through the lingering haze of disbelief, grounding them once more in the gravity of the moment.

One by one, those present nodded in affirmation, the weight of their individual tasks clear in their minds.

This was no longer a story of mere survival or ambition; it was the beginning of something monumental.

With their plans laid out, each step carefully calculated to serve a greater purpose, this marked the dawn of a grand strategy... a chain of events that would lead to an upheaval in the Rakos Empire.

******************

The next day, Kahn, Argos, and Vildred made their way to the Bran Castle, their journey culminating at the translucent barrier that protected the Verlassen Fiefdom.

This barrier had stood impenetrable for centuries, forbidding saints from crossing into its domain. Only descendants of Rathnaar Whitlock, the legendary peak saint, had managed to enter this region in the past two hundred years.

Kahn turned to Vildred, the Sage of Preservation, his expression both inquisitive and expectant.

”What do you think, master?” he asked.

Vildred, the Lightning Dragon Emperor, studied the barrier carefully, his piercing eyes glowing faintly as he analyzed its structure. After a moment, he spoke with authority.

”This is a Nebulus Sanquaris formation... an ancient rank magic formation, powered by a remarkably strong core.

If my assumptions are correct... the core must have belonged to an intermediate 7th-stage saint.”

He paused, his tone shifting slightly.

”However, the aura emanating from this barrier... it doesnʼt belong to this world.”

Kahnʼs eyes narrowed as he processed Vildredʼs conclusion.

”To think I still have so much to learn from you...” he said, a trace of admiration in his voice.

”And youʼre right. The core that powers this formation once belonged to the Hero of Lightning.

He appeared two centuries ago, only to be slain by the previous emperor of the Rakos Empire.”

Kahnʼs gaze darkened as he continued, his voice carrying a note of frustration.

”What I donʼt understand is how there could have been a chosen hero at the time. All the heroes were supposed to have been killed by my predecessor.”

Vildredʼs expression grew contemplative.

”There are ways to circumvent even death,” he said, his tone steady and deliberate.

”And he was a chosen hero, wielding divine abilities. Alternatively, itʼs possible that someone found a way to use the core of the previous Hero of Lightning, assimilating it into their body.

That would grant them the heroʼs strength, though not their divine abilities.”

Kahn nodded thoughtfully, his mind working through the implications.

”That could explain how the previous emperor managed to defeat a chosen hero, even as a 7th-stage saint,” he mused.

”But no matter. That mystery isnʼt our concern right now. We need to act.”

Argos, the Revenant Sovereign, stepped forward, his expression grim and determined.

”We donʼt have time to dwell on it,” he said, his voice deep and commanding.

”Once we breach this formation, weʼll only have ten hours at most.”

With that, the vampire king summoned a massive, obsidian greatsword, its edge glimmering ominously with otherworldly energy.

He glanced back at Kahn and Vildred, his crimson eyes glowing.

”Get behind me... unless you want to be caught in the aftermath.”

Without hesitation, both Kahn and Vildred teleported 10 kilometers into the sky, fully aware of what was about to unfold.

From their vantage point, they watched as Argos prepared to unleash his power.

Vildred raised his hands, casting a Legendary Rank isolation barrier that encompassed a 50-kilometer radius around the region.

His magic shimmered as it took hold, ensuring that the immense destructive force about to be unleashed would be contained. Simultaneously, he used a separate spell to teleport all living creatures in the area to safety, sparing them from the impending chaos.

As the preparations were finalized, the air grew thick with tension. Argos stood before the barrier, his towering form emanating a palpable aura of death and power. The stage was set, and the next moments would determine whether they could pierce the ancient formation and unlock the secrets of the Verlassen Fiefdom.

Rumble!

Tremble!

Both the surrounding 20-kilometer radius shook while the reality itself started to rupture.

BOOM!!

Suddenly, Argosʼ obsidian greatsword, carrying the aura of blood and darkness, suddenly appeared high in the sky, now turning into a three-kilometer-long weapon.

Just the sheer size of the weapon shook Kahn to his core, leaving goosebumps all over his body.

”Is this the true strength of a sovereign?” wondered Kahn.

[No, this is just one of his special moves. And I donʼt think heʼs even using 30% of his true power.] responded Rathnaar, the peak saint in Kahnʼs mind.

[Are you kidding me?! That sword is as tall as Blackwall in his mythical rank primordial titan form. And youʼre telling me itʼs not even half of his strength?] he asked Rathnaar.

Meanwhile, Argos finally powered up the sword just enough to not destroy the nearby 100-kilometer radius by mistake.

His countenance turned grim as he spoke in a domineering voice...

”Lunar Extinction.”