Chapter 98 - Unstoppable Force vs Immovable Will

The atmosphere was charged with an oppressive energy, as though the world itself had been caught in the eye of a brewing storm. The battlefield, once scorched and ruined, had been eerily restored. Fragments of earth that had been obliterated now lay seamlessly reformed, yet the silence that followed the catastrophic events only made the place feel more surreal.

Park Zhen, Jianfeng, Shen, Abbess, Li, and Adam knelt scattered across the battlefield, their bodies trembling as the very essence of life that had been ripped away had hastily returned. Their labored breaths filled the silence, each inhale a sharp reminder of the pain they had felt moments before their deaths. Their faces were pale, their expressions suspended between disbelief and horror.

Li’s trembling hand instinctively went to his chest, the phantom sensation of a massive, gaping hole still fresh in his mind. His fingers clawed at his intact skin, as if needing physical confirmation that he was truly whole. His breath hitched, uneven and shallow, and his wide eyes stared down at his hands, which quivered violently.

“I… I was…”

He stammered, his voice barely audible, as though speaking the truth would make it real again.

Abbess, normally composed and unshakable, found herself kneeling on all fours, her nails digging into the earth as she struggled to steady herself. Her face was uncharacteristically vulnerable, her sharp features softened by the shadow of confusion.

Her usual air of calm authority was gone, replaced by the hollowed look of someone who had seen their own end and wasn’t sure why they were still breathing. Her corrupted Ki flared sporadically around her, uncontrolled and erratic—a physical manifestation of her fractured state of mind.

Jianfeng sat back on his knees, his head hanging low as his mind raced through the final moments he remembered. His hands trembled at his sides, clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. His breathing was uneven, each exhale shuddering with disbelief. Slowly, he raised his head to meet Park Zhen’s gaze. The two men locked eyes, their expressions identical—staring as if they had both been dragged from the depths of the abyss and were now grappling with the shocking truth of their survival.

Park Zhen’s usual sharpness was dulled, his piercing gaze now confused. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as though trying to dislodge the phantom sensation of blood pooling in his mouth. His fingers twitched involuntarily, remembering the brutal strike that had ended him.

“This… this can’t be real.”

He murmured, his voice hollow, the disbelief hanging heavily in the air.

Shen’s reaction was the most visceral. His body trembled violently as he knelt in the dirt, his face a mask of rage, grief, and incomprehension. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out—only shallow, ragged breaths as he clutched at his now reconstructed staff. His eyes darted frantically around the battlefield, searching for answers where there were none. His father’s face briefly flickered in his mind, the memory of Jianfeng’s death vivid and raw, only to see the man alive but shaken before him.

Adam clutched at his chest, his hands gripping the fabric of his shirt as if holding himself together. His mind, sharp and calculating even in the direst of situations, faltered under the weight of what he had just experienced. The memory of being obliterated, his body torn apart by an unstoppable force, was as vivid as the sunlight streaming down onto the field. A chill ran through him, an unnatural coldness that no logic could dispel. His teeth clenched as he forced himself to take a breath, his thoughts spiraling.

“I was… dead.”

He thought, the realization slamming into him like a physical blow. His undead trait had kept him composed through countless horrors, but this… this was different. He had died. The finality of that truth clawed at his mind, and no amount of reasoning could suppress the shudder that ran through him. His gaze flicked to the others, each of them wearing the same haunted expression.

“What is this…?”

Li whispered, his voice hoarse and cracked as he stared at the ground. No one answered. No one could.

The group remained frozen in place, their bodies weighed down by the overwhelming gravity of what they had just endured. For a moment, it was as though time itself had paused, leaving them suspended in the eerie aftermath of an event that defied understanding.

But there was no more time for them to dwell on their resurrection. Near them, Drake and Lord Varek stood locked in a confrontation that seemed to defy the natural order. The sheer weight of their combined Ki pressed down on the battlefield like twin suns poised to collide. The air shimmered with heat, the ground beneath Drake’s hovering sword vibrating faintly with the force of their unleashed energy.

Lord Varek’s body, still engulfed in that chaotic, swirling mass of dark and radiant energy, pulsed with barely contained destruction. His expression, however, was one of sheer disbelief, as if he couldn’t believe the power Drake was displaying before him. His eyes, wide and unblinking, betrayed a mixture of shock and frustration, as though every strike exchanged was chipping away at the foundation of his certainty.

Before the raw clash of Ki could overwhelm Emir, who lay nearby clutching his cube, the two combatants vanished.

It wasn’t a slow retreat or even a visible movement—one moment, Drake and Lord Varek stood face to face, and the next, they were gone, their absence marked by the sound of air splitting apart in their wake. The group below barely had time to register what had happened before the first shockwave rippled through the sky above them.

High in the heavens, the two titans reappeared, fists colliding with such force that the air itself fractured. The resulting impact radiated outward, creating concentric rings of displaced clouds that rippled like the aftershock of a massive explosion. Lord Varek, seemingly walking on the very air as though it were solid ground, countered Drake’s every strike with movements so fluid they appeared almost lazy—yet each one carried the weight of a cataclysm.

Drake, perched on the hilt of his sword as it glided effortlessly through the sky, retaliated with a flurry of attacks, his motions precise and deliberate. His blade seemed an extension of himself, darting and weaving as though it possessed a mind of its own. Each clash created brilliant flashes of light, painting the sky with bursts of orange, gold, and silver.

Their fight was unlike anything mortal eyes could comprehend. Lord Varek twisted his body mid-air, his foot slamming into the blond’s sword with such precision that it sent the blade spinning out of control—only for Drake to leap after it, flipping gracefully and catching the weapon as if the maneuver had been planned. With a sharp motion, Drake redirected the blade’s trajectory, launching himself toward Lord Varek with terrifying speed.

The next clash was even more ferocious. Lord Varek struck with open palms, each motion creating waves of spiraling energy that disintegrated everything they touched. Drake dodged by vaulting upward, using his sword to propel himself into a near-vertical ascent before diving back down with a devastating downward slash. The energy trailing his blade carved a glowing arc through the air, colliding with one of Lord Varek’s energy spirals. The resulting explosion lit up the sky, casting shadows across the ground below as if a second sun had ignited in the heavens.

Drake moved with the grace of a predator, using the sword as a weapon and as a platform, stepping off its hilt mid-air to alter his trajectory unpredictably. Lord Varek countered by spinning, his body a vortex of destructive force. His movements created shockwaves so immense they sent Drake hurtling backward, only for him to stabilize himself by planting his foot on his sword’s hilt once more.

As the battle raged on, the sky itself seemed to suffer under the weight of their duel. Clouds were ripped apart, scattered into oblivion by the force of their attacks. Thunder rolled across the heavens, though there was no storm—only the devastating aftermath of their strikes. Below, the group stared upward, their expressions painted with awe and terror. To them, the fight above was a battle of gods, a contest so far removed from human comprehension that it bordered on divine.

Lord Varek unleashed another devastating attack, raising both hands as an enormous wave of energy erupted from his body. The energy swirled into a massive, undulating orb, pulsating with chaotic power. With a swift motion, he hurled it toward Drake. The energy spiraled toward its target like a meteor, leaving a burning trail in its wake.

Drake, however, was unshaken. With a single, calculated movement, he gripped his blade and spun it horizontally, the rotation creating a barrier of wind and energy that met Lord Varek’s attack head-on. The two forces collided, creating a blinding explosion that momentarily drowned out the combatants from view.

When the light faded, they reappeared in a blur of motion, exchanging blows at a speed that defied logic. Each strike, block, and counterstrike sent ripples through the air, their movements so swift that even the most seasoned fighters below could only see the brief flashes of their clashes.

Lord Varek’s aura flared violently, expanding outward like an inferno as he moved with impossible precision. His strikes tore through the air, shattering Drake’s barriers one after another. But Drake responded with equal intensity, his sword glowing brighter with each clash, as if feeding off the energy of the battle itself.

The two combatants ascended higher into the sky, their clash becoming a storm of light and energy. From below, it was as if the heavens were at war, with each burst of power tearing through the atmosphere.

Park Zhen’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared up at the sky, the energy radiating from the figure battling Lord Varek unmistakable in its nature. The Imperial Ki—it was impossible to mistake it for anything else.

“This... This can’t be.”

He murmured, his voice barely audible over the distant, thunderous clashes.

“That energy... It’s the Immortal Emperor’s Imperial Ki.”

Beside him, Jianfeng’s expression mirrored his disbelief. His hands clenched tightly, and his breath quickened.

“The Emperor has been dead for over 500 years…”

Jianfeng said, his voice shaky yet filled with conviction.

“This is impossible…”

Even Abbess, who by all logic should have no recollection of the Emperor due to her brainwashing, felt a strange pull at her core as she observed the overwhelming power in the sky. Something deep within her stirred, an inexplicable familiarity with the energy that Drake exuded. It defied reason, yet it was undeniable.

Li, who had remained silent, finally spoke, his tone edged with a mix of awe and skepticism.

“Impressive… But how is this possible? The Emperor is dead, isn’t he?”

Neither Park Zhen nor Jianfeng had an answer. The impossibility of the situation left them speechless. Yet neither could deny what they were witnessing. The energy was too distinct, too unique. It bore all the hallmarks of the Immortal Emperor—a presence that had once unified all of Murim.

Adam, meanwhile, stood apart from the others, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the flashes of light and the faint silhouettes in the sky. His ‘Cursed Vision’ activated instinctively, revealing system windows invisible to everyone else. One particular message caught his attention, its words burning into his mind:

[The title 'Moderator Role' is activated in the user Drake Shaw.] [All stats maximized while combating errors or illegal entities within a scenario.]

Adam’s heart skipped a beat as the realization struck him. The one fighting above wasn’t the Immortal Emperor. It was Drake. He turned to the group and spoke with calm certainty.

“It’s him... It’s Drake!”

Park Zhen’s head snapped toward Adam, his expression a mixture of confusion and shock.

“What?! Impossible!”

He exclaimed, his voice unsteady.

“How could anyone else…? No one but the Emperor could…!”

Jianfeng shared Park Zhen’s disbelief, his gaze flickering between Adam and the sky.

“If it’s not the Emperor, then who else could emit that kind of Ki?”

His words hung in the air, heavy with doubt and astonishment.

The group’s collective gaze returned to the heavens, where the battle continued to rage with a ferocity that defied comprehension. The air around Drake and Lord Varek shimmered with the sheer magnitude of their power. Explosions of light and energy lit up the sky, each strike sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. the blond’s movements were precise, his blade a blur of light, while the divine warlord’s chaotic energy twisted and surged with raw fury.

The awe of the moment was interrupted by a desperate, heart-wrenching cry.

“Help him! Please, help Nikolai!”

Emir’s voice, cracked and trembling, pierced through the tension. The young boy’s tear-streaked face turned toward the group, his small hands clutching the cube as though it were the only thing tethering him to hope.

Only then did the group notice Nikolai’s crumpled form slumped against a pile of debris, his body disturbingly still. The sight sent a jolt of urgency through Adam, who immediately sprang into action. His heart raced as he reached Nikolai’s side, skidding to his knees beside him. Shen and Li followed closely, their expressions grim, while Abbess trailed behind, her movements measured, her face an unreadable mask of indifference.

Adam’s hands hovered over Nikolai’s battered form for a moment, shaking as he tried to steady his thoughts. His basic medical knowledge surged to the forefront of his mind, forcing him to push aside the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. Taking a deep breath, he began his examination with deliberate care.

First, he placed two fingers on Nikolai’s neck, feeling for a pulse. Relief washed over him, if only briefly, as he detected a faint but steady rhythm.

“He’s alive.”

Adam muttered, though his voice lacked any real reassurance. His sharp eyes darted over Nikolai’s body, taking in the unnatural angles of his limbs and the shallow, erratic rise and fall of his chest.

He gingerly pressed his fingertips along the guy’s ribcage, feeling for fractures. The moment his fingers made contact, Nikolai’s body tensed reflexively, and Adam stopped immediately.

“Broken ribs…”

He muttered under his breath. His brow furrowed as he moved to Nikolai’s abdomen, pressing lightly to check for signs of internal damage. The faint rigidity beneath his skin confirmed his worst fears.

“There’s internal bleeding.”

Adam said sharply, his voice filled with urgency.

He leaned in closer, scanning for any signs of external injuries. Blood had seeped into Nikolai’s shirt, staining it dark, though no open wounds were visible. Adam carefully brushed aside a lock of Nikolai’s hair, revealing a gash on his temple, likely from the impact against the wall. Blood trickled from the wound in a slow, thin line, mixing with the dirt and sweat that clung to his pale face.

“Don’t move him.”

Adam instructed, his voice firm but tinged with anxiety. He glanced back at Shen and Li, who stood nearby, their expressions tight with concern.

“If we move him, we could make it worse. His ribs are broken, and I’m almost certain he has internal bleeding. We need to stabilize him.”

Adam sat back on his heels, his mind racing as he assessed their limited options. The battlefield offered no sanctuary, no supplies, and no hope for proper treatment. His fingers curled into fists as frustration boiled within him. They needed to act fast, but there was so little they could do. Nikolai’s breathing was labored, each shallow gasp a painful reminder of how close he was to the edge.

Shen knelt beside them, his brows deeply furrowed with worry as he assessed the dire state of his companion. His hands hovered over Nikolai’s chest, trembling slightly, but his determination never faltered.

“I can transfer some Ki to stabilize him.”

Shen said, his voice steady but laced with urgency.

“It won’t heal him, but it might buy us some time.”

Adam hesitated, his mind racing for solutions that seemed out of reach. Every logical thought collided with the stark reality that Nikolai’s condition was beyond anything he could handle with the limited resources they had. He bit down on his lip, his jaw tight with frustration.

“Do it.”

He finally said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“Just… do whatever you can, just be careful.”

Shen nodded, his expression grim as his hands began to glow with a faint, soothing light. He pressed his palms gently against Nikolai’s battered chest, channeling a steady flow of Ki into his fragile body. The energy flowed like a soft stream, its gentle warmth causing the long-haired guy labored breaths to steady ever so slightly. Adam watched intently, his sharp eyes catching the faintest flicker of life returning to Nikolai’s features.

But it wasn’t enough. Adam’s heart sank as he realized the truth. Shen’s Ki might hold off the inevitable for a moment, but it wouldn’t fix the broken bones or stop the internal bleeding. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, the feeling of helplessness growing heavier with each passing second.

Desperation clawed at the boy’s voice as he turned to Abbess, who stood silently nearby.

“Abbess…”

He called, his tone strained with a mix of hope and despair.

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“I remember… You gained divine skills from Lord Varek, didn’t you? You used them against me during our fight. Can’t you… can’t you use one of them to heal him?”

Abbess remained motionless for a moment, her piercing gaze fixed on Nikolai’s battered body. Slowly, she shook her head, her expression as cold and detached as ever.

“I can’t.”

She said, her voice calm but devoid of emotion.

“Since becoming undead, I lost access to sacred Ki. All I have now is corrupted energy.”

Adam’s stomach dropped at her words. The faint ember of hope he had clung to was snuffed out in an instant. His frustration erupted, his teeth grinding together as he slammed his fist into the dirt beneath him.

“Damn it!”

He shouted, his voice trembling with anger and helplessness.

“There has to be something… anything!”

Shen flinched slightly at Adam’s outburst but kept his focus on transferring Ki to Nikolai. The glow of his hands began to dim, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

“I’m giving him as much as I can, But this is just stalling for time. He needs real treatment, or he won’t make it.”

Shen said, his voice tight with strain. Adam leaned back on his knees, his chest heaving as he tried to regain control of his spiraling thoughts. He felt the weight of every failure, every moment of indecision, pressing down on him like an unbearable burden.

“He won’t survive long enough for us to figure this out.”

Abbess remained silent, her gaze fixed on Adam. Her unflinching demeanor only served to stoke the flames of his frustration.

“What good is all that power you absorbed if you can’t use it to save someone?!”

Adam snapped, his voice breaking with emotion. Abbess tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

“The power I absorbed isn’t meant for healing, And even if it were, my current state makes it impossible to channel sacred Ki. You’re asking for something I cannot give.”

Adam’s breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, he felt utterly lost, he knew Abbess wasn’t at fault here, he was just frustrated. Shen continued his work in silence, his face tense with concentration. After a moment, Li spoke, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

“You used your Plot Device, didn’t you?”

His eyes narrowed at Nikolai.

“Why didn’t you use it on yourself?”

Adam looked up, startled by the question.

“What are you talking about?”

Li’s tone was bitter, almost resentful.

“The fact that he’s like this while we’re all perfectly fine tells me everything. The Plot Device must have given him a choice—to save himself or save us. He chose us.”

Nikolai remained silent, his battered body incapable of response. Adam’s gaze shifted between Nikolai and Li, the weight of the revelation settling heavily in his chest.

With a frustrated growl, Li opened his spellbook. Flames of energy erupted from its pages, forming a vortex around Nikolai.

“[Physica Naguru]”

Li’s voice was steady but tinged with resignation as he spoke.

“This isn’t a cure, it reinforces the body, and it will strengthen it enough to resist death for a little longer. But it won’t heal his internal injuries.”

The spell had enveloped Nikolai like a wave of fiery energy, sinking into his battered body. The faint golden glow shimmered around him, his shallow breaths stabilizing slightly. Though his body remained broken, the energy worked to fortify his constitution, giving him a fighting chance—however slim—to endure.

“That’s all we can do for now.”

Li said, his voice steady but laced with resignation. The flickering energy from his spell had begun to settle over Nikolai, reinforcing his battered body just enough to stave off death for a little longer. His hands tightened into fists as he stood, his gaze dropping briefly to Nikolai’s fragile state.

“It should keep him alive until we can get back.”

Adam, still kneeling beside Nikolai, looked up sharply, his frustration spilling out.

“And when is that supposed to happen? Look at him—he’s barely holding on. We don’t know how long it will take to get out of here!”

His voice cracked with the weight of his fear and helplessness. Li, however, didn’t flinch. His sharp eyes turned upward, his expression calm but cold.

“You’re wrong.”

He said firmly, pointing toward the chaotic clash above.

“It’s already happening. Look.”

Adam followed Li’s outstretched hand, his breath catching in his throat as his eyes locked onto the battle raging in the skies. High above them, Drake and Lord Varek were locked in combat, their power tearing through the heavens with a force that defied comprehension. The sheer intensity of their duel warped the air, creating flashes of light and bursts of energy that lit up the battlefield below.

Drake, standing atop his legendary blade as it floated mid-air, moved with an elegance that defied logic. His strikes carried an almost surgical precision, each one carving through the chaotic energy that surrounded Lord Varek. Sparks erupted with each clash, illuminating the battlefield in brief, blinding flashes that painted the sky with raw fury. Meanwhile, Lord Varek’s movements were feral and overwhelming, his body still an ever-shifting mass of chaotic energy, but something about his strikes seemed less refined. His furious attacks were powerful, but they lacked the calculated precision of Drake’s.

The storm of their combat intensified. The blond swung his sword in a sweeping arc, creating a crescent wave of Ki that slashed through the air toward Lord Varek. The chaotic entity countered with a massive sphere of energy that erupted from his palm, the two forces colliding with an ear-splitting explosion. The impact rippled outward, bending light and air alike as the battlefield below quaked violently.

Lord Varek retaliated by stomping into the very air beneath him, propelling himself forward with such force that it seemed the fabric of reality tore apart in his wake. He unleashed a flurry of devastating blows, each one striking with the weight of an avalanche. But Drake evaded with impossibly sharp movements, his sword weaving like liquid light as it parried and deflected.

The decisive moment came in an instant—a flash of movement so swift it left the air itself screaming in protest. Drake’s sword descended in a deadly arc, carving through Lord Varek’s chaotic form with all his might. The blade tore across his chest, its edge slicing through the swirling, unstable mass of energy that composed Lord Varek’s transformed body. For a split second, silence enveloped the battlefield, as if the world itself held its breath.

Then came the eruption.

Instead of blood, an enormous surge of radiant energy burst forth from the gaping wound, flooding the sky with blinding light. The sheer force of the release sent shockwaves rippling through the air, forcing everyone below to shield their eyes. Lord Varek’s scream of agony tore through the battlefield, a sound so raw and primal it seemed to shake the very ground beneath them. His voice, filled with disbelief and fury, echoed across the wasteland.

“How?! How is a damned outsider wielding Transcendent Fang—the blade of Han Zhenwu?!”

Drake hovered in the air, his figure wreathed in the majestic glow of Imperial Ki. His stance was unyielding, his presence a stark contrast to the chaos erupting around him. For a moment, he didn’t answer, his gaze fixed coldly on the writhing figure of Lord Varek. When he finally spoke, his voice carried an almost casual calmness, yet beneath it lay a cutting edge that was impossible to ignore.

“So, you’re Little Void?”

Drake said, his words sharp enough to pierce through the storm of energy.

“Han Zhenwu told me to go easy on you, but you’re really making it difficult.”

The battlefield froze.

Lord Varek’s chaotic form flickered erratically, the violent swirl of energy around him stuttering as the words struck him like a physical blow. His eyes, burning with an unnatural light, widened in shock. For a fleeting moment, his aura faltered, and his movements ceased entirely. That name—a relic from his past, a name spoken only by one person in his entire existence—shattered the overwhelming confidence he had exuded just moments ago. Disbelief and confusion twisted his expression as he struggled to comprehend the impossibility of what he’d just heard.

Drake didn’t wait.

Seizing the opening, he surged forward with incredible speed, his figure blurring as he closed the distance between them. With a powerful descending kick that carried the weight of his Ki-infused strength, Drake drove his heel into Lord Varek’s chest. The force of the blow was apocalyptic. Lord Varek’s body shot downward like a blazing meteor, the air around him igniting as he plummeted toward the earth. The ground quaked violently as he struck, the impact creating an explosion of unparalleled magnitude.

A colossal shockwave erupted outward, a roaring torrent of energy and debris that consumed everything in its path. The sheer force of the blast tore through the battlefield, flattening what little remained of the surrounding terrain. The air itself seemed to ignite, the searing heat and force rippling outward like the detonation of a star.

On the ground, Park Zhen and Jianfeng reacted instantly. They went at full speed to where the rest were, moving their hands in synchronized precision, their centuries of martial mastery guiding them to summon massive barriers of Ki. Park Zhen’s barrier shimmered like polished steel, unyielding and solid, while Jianfeng’s glowed with a more fluid, almost ethereal light. Together, the two barriers combined into a dome of impenetrable energy, shielding them and the ones behind them from the devastating force of the explosion.

The shockwave struck their defenses with terrifying power, the impact creating a deafening roar that rattled the bones of everyone within. Dust and debris slammed against the barrier, but it held firm under the combined strength of the two martial masters. Inside, the group huddled together, bracing against the overwhelming force as the air around them rippled with residual energy.

As the shockwave subsided and the dust began to settle, the battlefield was revealed in its new, shattered form. The ground where Lord Varek had fallen was unrecognizable, a massive crater carved deep into the earth, its edges still glowing with molten intensity.

Drake hovered above the battlefield, his figure radiant against the backdrop of the devastation below. His Imperial Ki blazed like an unyielding star, an undeniable force that pushed back the oppressive chaos Lord Varek had unleashed. His cold, determined gaze locked onto the crater where his opponent lay.

The ground below was scorched and broken, and for the first time, there was a tangible sense that the unstoppable might of Lord Varek could indeed falter. The balance of the battle had shifted, and Drake, resolute and unwavering, prepared to deliver the final blow.

Without hesitation, Drake adjusted his stance, gripping his sword tightly as he plunged downward atop its glowing, ethereal blade. The wind howled around him as he descended at breathtaking speed, his focus singular: to end Lord Varek before he could recover. The air seemed to crackle with anticipation as the boy closed in, his sword poised to strike and deliver a decisive end to this nightmare.

But then, everything changed.

Many system windows materialized directly in front of him, their sudden appearance halting his charge mid-air. The glowing text was impossible to ignore:

[The effect of the L-rank Plot Device: “Sneak Peek” has ended.] [‘Personal Skill: Effort Always Pays Off’ has disappeared from the user’s skill list.] [‘Class: Cultivator - Rank A+’ has returned to its original state.] [The treasure ‘Transcendent Fang of the Exiled Realms - Rank S’ has returned to the World of Spirits.]

Drake's eyes widened as he processed the message. Before he could even react, the Imperial Ki surrounding him vanished entirely, extinguished as if snuffed out by an invisible force. The once-resplendent blade beneath his feet began to shimmer and fracture before disintegrating into motes of light. Drake’s confident expression twisted into one of sheer disbelief, his voice erupting in frustration.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Now?! Of all times?!”

His body, no longer supported by the mystical weapon, began to plummet. Drake flailed momentarily as gravity reclaimed him, his dramatic descent taking on a comically chaotic turn. His exasperation was almost palpable as he shouted mid-fall.

“Come on, you couldn’t wait five more seconds?!”

For those watching below, the sudden turn of events was surreal. Adam, still kneeling beside Nikolai, couldn’t help but gape as Drake tumbled helplessly from the sky, his earlier aura of invincibility now replaced by a very human panic. Even Park Zhen, who had remained shocked, raised an eyebrow at the bizarre sight.

Lord Varek, still kneeling within the crater, wasn’t oblivious to the shift. His flickering form steadied as his chaotic energy began to stabilize. Though it was tinged with bitterness, a dark grin spread across his face. It seemed obvious to him now that this otherworlder had been nothing but a fraud, a pathetic imitator who dared to mimic the Immortal Emperor. The sight of Drake’s now-powerless form falling through the sky filled him with vindictive satisfaction.

“Finally.”

Lord Varek muttered, his voice laced with disdain.

“The charade ends.”

Rising slowly, his form battered but still commanding, Lord Varek raised a single glowing finger. Though his injuries weighed heavily on him, he still held absolute confidence in his ability to deal with Drake. A single motion, a flick of his hand, would be enough to end this farce once and for all.

But just as he prepared to strike, something shifted.

The chaotic energy that composed his semi-divine form began to tremble violently. Lord Varek froze, his expression shifting from confidence to confusion as he sensed the energy abandoning him. It was as though a vacuum had formed behind him, pulling the very essence of his power away. He spun around, his glowing eyes widening in disbelief at the sight before him.

All of his chaotic energy, the immense divine Ki that had made him untouchable, was flowing away from him in a torrential stream. The energy moved with deliberate purpose, drawn toward a single point: the small, trembling boy clutching the cube.

“No…”

Lord Varek whispered, his voice hollow.

“What is this?!”

The energy spiraled into the cube, disappearing into its otherworldly surface like water down a drain. Emir’s tiny figure stood at the center of the storm, his hands gripping the cube tightly as the force of the siphoned power whipped around him. His eyes were shut tight, tears streaming down his face as he gritted his teeth in determination.

“I’ve got it!”

Emir’s voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. He raised his head slightly, his small frame trembling but resolute.

“It worked! It actually worked!”

The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the only sound the lingering hum of the cube as it absorbed the last traces of Lord Varek’s stolen energy. All eyes turned to the boy who had just accomplished what none of them had dared to hope for at this point. For the first time, there was a glimmer of hope—a fragile, precious thing amid despair.

The once-chaotic energy that had defined Lord Varek’s near-invincible form had been consumed, leaving him visibly weakened and humanlike once more. Emir, his small frame trembling from the strain, finally allowed a soft, disbelieving smile to break across his tear-streaked face.

“I did it…”

He whispered, his voice shaky and exhausted. His legs wobbled as he struggled to remain standing, the weight of his miraculous success threatening to overwhelm him.

But then, the cube began to pulse violently.

A sudden crackle of energy burst from its surface, the residual divine energy escaping in wild, uncontrolled surges. A brilliant arc lashed out, striking Emir’s arms, and searing his skin with intense heat. The boy’s triumphant smile twisted into a grimace of pain as his grip on the cube faltered.

Emir’s cries of pain echoed across the shattered ground, his burned arms trembling as the cube was sent flying across the terrain. The artifact lay embedded in the dirt several meters away, still glowing faintly… Adam was the first to react.

“The cube!”

He shouted, his voice filled with urgency as his eyes darted toward the glowing artifact. His body moved instinctively, his feet pounding against the ground as he sprinted toward it.

Park Zhen and Jianfeng wasted no time following suit. Park’s Ki erupted around him in a brilliant blaze, and Jianfeng’s movements were sharp and purposeful, his hands glowing faintly with defensive energy. Abbess, her corrupted Ki swirling in violent tendrils around her, surged forward as well, her normally measured movements now filled with desperate determination.

Drake, still falling from the sky, gritted his teeth. His golden aura, now entirely gone, left him vulnerable, but his resolve did not falter. At the last possible moment, he activated his trait, [Single Step], and the air beneath him solidified for a split second. With a burst of speed, he propelled himself downward, aiming to land near the cube.

But it was clear to everyone—even as they moved with everything they had—that they wouldn’t make it in time. Lord Varek was already in motion, his body still exuding an overwhelming sense of power despite the loss of his divine energy. He darted toward the cube with inhuman speed, his focus razor-sharp, his chaotic form cutting through the battlefield like a knife through silk.

Adam conjured spectral spikes from the ground, their jagged forms erupting in a desperate attempt to slow Varek’s advance. The ghostly projectiles hurtled toward him, but Varek tanked them completely, it was clear he didn’t care about getting hurt, his focus was solely on the cube.

Abbess unleashed a torrent of corrupted Ki, the dark energy tearing through the air like a violent storm. The attack collided directly with Lord Varek, the force rippling across his body and leaving jagged scars of energy in its wake. Yet, to the group’s horror, even that wasn’t enough to slow him down.

The damage was there—visible cracks of energy running along his body—but Lord Varek pressed forward, his momentum unbroken, as if the pain were nothing more than a fleeting inconvenience.

Park Zhen and Jianfeng pushed themselves to their limits, their strides fueled by desperation. Park’s burning Ki lit up the air around him, and Jianfeng’s defensive aura pulsed with intensity. But as fast as they were, it wasn’t enough. Lord Varek moved like a shadow, his figure blurring as he closed the gap with alarming speed.

Drake landed behind the group, his feet hitting the ground hard as he steadied himself. His eyes locked onto the cube, his jaw tightening as he realized the inevitability of what was about to happen.

The truth was undeniable—Lord Varek would reach the cube first. Even with their combined efforts, the group couldn’t match the raw, unrelenting speed of the former demi-god. The realization gripped every member of the group like a vice—if Lord Varek were to open the cube, it was over.

They all knew what that meant. He had annihilated them once before with ease while wielding that godlike energy, and this time, he would leave no room for escape. Their last chance was slipping away, especially now that Drake’s own transformation had ended, leaving them without their strongest counter to Varek's immense power.

As they surged forward with everything they had, the air itself seemed to shudder under the tension. The divine energy radiating from the cube reacted violently to Lord Varek’s proximity, forming crackling tendrils of light that lashed out in protest. But it wasn’t enough to stop him. His hand stretched out, and his expression twisted into one of triumph and malice. Just a few steps behind, terror etched itself onto the faces of Adam, Abbess, Park Zhen, Jianfeng, and Drake. They knew—they could see—that they wouldn’t reach it in time.

And then, it happened. Lord Varek’s hand closed around the cube. A deafening silence fell, broken only by the faint, volatile hum of the artifact in his grasp. His fingers tightened, and a faint glow of energy began to emanate from it as he prepared to release the encapsulated power once more. His lips curled into a victorious sneer, and for a fleeting, heart-stopping moment, the group could only watch in helpless horror as he began to twist the cube open.

But then... nothing.

The cube remained closed, motionless in his hands. Lord Varek's expression shifted from triumph to confusion, and the battlefield seemed to hold its breath.

It was only then that everyone noticed the faint, quivering sound cutting through the air.

“Stop!”

The word rang out, amplified by a megaphone that had appeared in Nikolai’s trembling hands.

Somehow, against all odds, Nikolai had pulled himself together. Shen’s transfused Ki and Li’s physical enhancement spell had given him just enough strength to act. Despite his broken body and the agony that wracked every fiber of his being, the guy had crawled up from the debris unnoticed, summoning his megaphone one final time. He had waited until the perfect moment, mustering every ounce of his willpower to activate his [Silver Tongue].

The command struck Lord Varek like an invisible chain, freezing his body for the briefest of instants, but it was enough.

"Now!"

Adam shouted, his voice raw with urgency.

The rest of the group reached Lord Varek in a synchronized, desperate assault. Park Zhen’s fists ignited with pure Ki as he delivered a series of devastating strikes to Varek’s torso, each blow resonating with the force of a cannon. Jianfeng’s arm became a blur of motion, each swing slicing through the air and leaving glowing trails of energy as he battered Varek’s sides. Abbess unleashed corrupted Ki with savage precision, the energy clawing into Varek’s flickering form. Even Adam joined the fray, spectral spikes erupting from his body and driving into Varek like piercing lances.

Drake, though stripped of his transformation, wasn’t done yet. With determination burning in his eyes, he activated his trait, [Great Weight Control], channeling all his remaining strength into a devastating kick. As he launched himself toward Lord Varek, his foot seemed to shimmer briefly, and then the force of two tons compressed into his strike.

The kick connected with Lord Varek’s head with a thunderous crack, the sheer power forcing his entire body to whip backward violently. The impact rippled through the air, a shockwave blasting outward and leaving the ground below trembling.

The relentless flurry of attacks from the group bore down on Varek like an unrelenting storm. For the first time, the invincible Lord Varek seemed truly vulnerable. His body staggered as the cube slipped from his fingers, the glowing artifact tumbling through the air as if in slow motion. The light in Varek’s eyes faded completely, turning an eerie white as his body went limp. His massive form, now devoid of resistance, began to plummet toward the ground, carving an ungraceful path through the air.

They had done it.

The cube hit the ground with a dull *thud*, glowing faintly but intact. The group, battered and exhausted, stood frozen in disbelief as Varek’s unconscious body crashed into the earth with an echoing impact, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. The once unstoppable foe now lay motionless, his divine form broken and inert.

But before anyone could even begin to process what had just happened, a desperate cry tore through the air.

“Hey!”

Shen’s voice was frantic, his tone laced with panic.

“Li, help!”

Adam’s heart sank as he spun around, his wide eyes locking onto the source of the commotion. His blood ran cold as he saw Nikolai’s battered form, his knees buckling before his body crumpled forward. Time seemed to slow as Nikolai collapsed face-first into the ground, his frail frame utterly devoided of life.