Collection 1

491-499

Chapter 491: Accompany Me To The Afterlife [Part 1]

"Die!" Eneru roared as it made a beeline towards William.

Even though he was injured, his goal of killing the boy still burned inside his heart. However, things were different now… and the arrogant Qilin only realized his mistake after his body met William's gigantic staff head-on.

"Sweep away all adversaries!" William shouted as he raised his staff to swat the Qilin who was charging towards him. "Ruyi Jingu Bang!"

The Legendary Staff that first fought-off the Celestial Army thousands of years ago resonated with William's determination and enlarged itself. This was a weapon that could injure Gods.

Fighting a Qilin that was only at the Peak of the Millennial Rank was nothing!

Eneru's pained scream reached everyone's ears as the giant staff struck his body like a baseball bat, sending him hurtling several hundred meters away.

William was about to sweep the Elven Army like a pile of dried up leaves when Ezkalor appeared before him and blocked his attack.

The Elder Dragon had taken his humanoid form and appeared in front of William, kicking him off Ella's back.

Ezkalor may not be as fast as Eneru, or as strong as Drauum, but he had an uncanny ability. He was blessed with Space Magic, which is also called Spatial Manipulation Magic.

Among his skills was the Blink Ability.

The Blink Ability allowed him to appear anywhere within a five-thousand meter radius around him.

He was also an Ancient Dragon. A race that stood at the peak of the world of Hestia, and was born with one of the strongest bodies in existence. His offensive and defensive capabilities were superb, and this made him the most versatile Guardian of the Silvermoon Continent.

William spun in the air as his feet landed on a white cloud.

Ezkalor appeared once again in front of him and delivered a powerful punch that sent him flying towards the sky.

'As expected, fighting against a Myriad Beast at its peak is a pain,' William thought as he once again summoned the cloud to regain his balance.

Due to the Monkey King's powerful body, he received very minimal injuries from Ezkalor's attack. In fact, those injuries had already healed due to Sun Wukong's powerful regeneration abilities.

"Come, Child." Ezkalor made a taunting gesture as he stood in front of him. Clearly, he was preventing William from going back to the battlefield. "Why don't you play with me for a while?"

"Are you sure you want to keep me company?" William inquired. "Jekyll is down there you know. He will just swallow your entire Army if you don't go down there to stop him."

"Your threat is bigger than that of a Taotie right now," Ezkalor answered. "If I were to choose between the two of you, I'd always pick you."

"Should I be honored then?"

"You should be."

William glanced at the chaotic battlefield on the ground. Right now, the Beast Charge had stopped and it was now a complete mess in the battlefield.

He was supposed to be the Commander of the Beast Army, but now that he was out of the picture, he would find it hard to command his King's Legion while fighting against Ezkalor at the same time.

Fortunately, he had already taken this matter into account and appointed someone else to take his place.

A Golden Winged Serpent, that was seven-meters long, rose up in the air. Mounted on her back was Est, who took charge of commanding William's army.

Thor streaked past across the Elven Army as Wendy used her Runemaster Job Class to fight alongside Isaac, who was currently mounted on Ragnar that had taken the form of a Grand Cerberus.

Blade Xolotl, Grand Cerberus, and Golden Winged Quetzalcoatl.

These were the three Centennial Forms of Thor, Ragnar,

and Dia under the power of Kinship Evolution.

For some reason, even though Est was still not part of William's Familia, Dia's bond with her had unlocked the Kinship Evolution ability. Because of this, the Golden Serpent had transformed into the Golden-Winged Serpent that now slithered across the battlefield as Est gave orders left and right.

"Are they your lovers?"

William's attention snapped back to the Ancient Dragon in front of him after hearing the latter's question. He then narrowed his eyes as he gripped his weapon in his hand with the intention to go all out if the Myriad Beast dared to touch any of his lovers.

"Don't worry, as long as you stay here, I promise that I won't attack any of them. However, if you leave…"

"Is that a threat?" William asked.

"I, Ezkalor, don't make threats." Ezkalor smiled as he raised his chin, "I'm merely stating a fact."

The golden staff in William's hands gave a metallic sound and William took a fighting stance. "Very well, since you want to play, I will play with you. Don't regret it later."

Ezkalor smirked as he summoned a red blade that glowed faintly. "Come, Child. I will show you that there is always a Heaven beyond the Heavens."

A series of powerful explosions raged in the heavens as William and Ezkalor clashed. The Ancient Dragon was holding a weapon that was on par with Ruyi Jingu Bang, and that was none other than the Dragon God Sword.

"Exceed Break, activate!" William's extra sensory perceptions became heightened as he fought against Ezkalor.

He had no choice but to go all out because his enemy was a whole rank stronger than him. Aside from his Blink Ability, Ezkalor was able to solidify the space around him. He had tried to trap William in a spatial cube, but the latter had used brute strength to break through his invisible prison.

"Hah!" William managed to arrive at the blindspot of the annoying blinking Dragon and executed a killer strike.

However, to his disappointment, the latter just blinked away, effectively evading his attack.

——

The two criss-crossed across the sky as they fought against each other. William was at a disadvantage because of Ezkalor's rank, but thanks to Sun Wukong's strong abilities and weapon, he was able to fend off most of the Ancient Dragon's attacks.

Meanwhile on the ground…

"Stupid Anteater! Don't go too deep into the enemy lines!" Psoglav shouted as he parried and pierced the eye of a Forest Wolf that had tried to sneak attack it from the back. "Oi! Come back here you dumb Kasogonaga!"

The battlefield was in chaos, and although Psoglav shouted with all of its might, its voice was drowned out by the shouts, roars, yells, and pained screams that spread across the battlefield.

Kasogonaga wasn't able to hear the Demonic Dog's warning. However, even if it did, it wouldn't stop. It was too blinded by rage and the only thing in its mind was to kill as many Elves as it could.

"This is the payback you owe me for thousands of years!" Kasogonaga screamed as it shredded everything that blocked its path. After regaining a bit of its powers, it was able to add sharp spikes to its Wrecking Ball form.

Still, the Elves weren't pushovers either. After the rainbow-colored Anteater had gone deep within their ranks, they bombarded it from all sides with magical attacks, and those that had strong physical abilities confronted it head-on.

If the Sky Deity had been at its peak, only the Demigods could stop his rampage. Unfortunately, it had regressed and the Elves were able to finally stop the Anteater from its advance.

Kasogonaga then experienced a magical bombardment from all sides which made it grit its teeth in frustration. Thanks to its rainbow-colored platings, the damage it received was mitigated to a certain extent.

However, after being bombarded by hundreds of magical spells at the same time, the Anteater was starting to suffer from internal injuries, despite its solid outer shell.

When the Anteater was about to reach its limit, a powerful warcry stopped the elves from their magical bombardment.

Sharx, the Goblin Marauder along with its Mount, Sparky, broke through the enemy lines along with its Goblin Cavaliers.

Erchitu was at the front of this charge, with Psoglav riding on its shoulders.

Psoglav saw how the Anteater was being suppressed with its Demonic Eye and hurriedly went to find Erchitu to ask for help.

Upon hearing that their friend was in danger, Erchitu called out Sharx and asked for its powerful Goblin Cavaliers to help it break through the Elven Formation.

"Don't fall back!" one of the Elven Captains ordered. "Engage them!"

The Wolf Riders and the Goblin Cavaliers clashed, sending blood flying in every direction like rain.

Erchitu bashed, and kicked the Wolf Riders that blocked its path, while Psoglav and its Doppelganger worked hand in hand to cover the Giant Ox's blind spots.

"Kasogonaga!" Erchitu yelled as he arrived beside the curled up Anteater. "Are you alright?"

"E-Erchi…tu," Kasogonaga replied weakly. It had suffered serious injuries and was barely able to maintain its curled up form. The moment its friends arrived, the Anteater finally undid its transformation and collapsed on the ground.

Psoglav jumped down from Erchitu's shoulder as he picked up his unconscious friend.

"Let's go back!" Erchitu unceremoniously grabbed Psoglav and placed it on its shoulder as it unleashed a deafening roar that sent a shockwave around them.

"Sharx!" Psoglav shouted. "Let's get out of here!"

The Goblin Marauder gave out a guttural cry and rallied its riders for a hasty retreat.

"Don't let them escape!" the Elven Captain ordered as the Wolf Riders closed in on the retreating Beasts.

Erchitu knew that they would be annihilated if he didn't delay the Elves' advance. Sharx had lost a quarter of its riders during this rescue mission, and more riders were dying in order to clear up their path to retreat.

"Psoglav, I'll leave everything to you," Erchitu said.

Before the Demonic Dog could even say anything, the Giant White Ox had grabbed it and threw it with all of its might, back to the side of the Alliance.

Chapter 492: Accompany Me To The Afterlife [Part 2]

"Erchitu!" Psoglav shouted as it was helplessly thrown away by one of its friends.

After ensuring his friends' safety.

Erchitu turned to face the Elven Riders alone.

"Come!" Erchitu roared. "Accompany me to the afterlife!"

The Giant Ox summoned his weapon. It was a giant Axe that William had personally made for him after the Half-Elf had acquired the Adamantium Mine from the Anaesha Dynasty.

Erchitu brandished his weapon, slicing everything around him. He needed to buy time for Sharx and its Goblin Cavaliers to make their escape.

Arrows, and spells landed on the Giant Ox's body. Its pristine white fur was now dyed in blood, but Erchitu didn't care. It held back the Elves for roughly five minutes, before its body was hit by a Dragon Breath by one of the Dragons that had accompanied the Elves in the war.

Erchitu survived the attack, but it was gravely injured. Its legs were already sharking, due to its injuries, but the Giant Ox refused to yield.

"Will,… take care of the rest," Erchitu said softly as one of the Elven Blademasters pierced his chest with his blade.

The Giant Ox's eyes lost its luster as it collapsed on the ground. The Wolf Riders were about to let their mounts feast on it, but the Blademaster prevented them from doing so.

Perhaps, out of respect for its bravery, or perhaps it was due to pride, but he didn't allow anyone to disrespect the body of the Millennial Beast that had risked its life to save its comrades.

"A valiant warrior shouldn't be treated as food," the Elven Blademaster stated. "Go. There are plenty of Beasts to kill. You can have your fill by eating them. Leave this Ox alone."

The Wolf Riders knew that there was no room for negotiation so they charged forward to reinforce the vanguard.

Blood flowed on the ground like a river as the battle continued. Humans, Elves, and Beasts, none were spared from death as the fervor of the battle intensified.

Icarus and Daedalus were both Pseudo-Myriad Beasts. Although their bodies were littered with wounds, and other injuries, they never stopped swinging their Great Axes as they fought for their Sovereign, and their race.

They had joined this war to uphold the vows they had made, and to atone for the one that they had broken.

Flaming Bulls, Minotaurs, Lamassus, and other members of the Minotaur Race fought not like wild beasts, but warriors.

Above them, the Rainbow Birds dove down and showered the Elves with the Magic Missiles that came from William's lollipops. Some of them hurled the Acid Bombs that William had crafted to compensate for their lack of offensive attacks.

The Acid Bombs exploded in the air, showering the Elves with a powerful acid that made them cry out in pain. Those that were hit in their eyes were immediately blinded, and smoke rose up from their bodies as the acid ate away their flesh.

"Fck all of you!" The Red Bird whom William had given the nickname, B1, dropped all the Acid Bombs in its equipment slot like a Carpet Bomber Plane.

The Blue Bird, B2, waited until the bombs were only a few meters above the Elves before it shot them with magic missiles, creating a powerful chemical explosion that razed those who were unlucky enough to be at the point of impact.

After doing this deed, an arrow pierced its body causing it to fall from the sky.

"Fck… you," B2 said as it unleashed the acid bombs in its possession before detonating itself, causing a powerful explosion that scorched everything within a twenty-meter-radius.

William's Angray Birds fought bravely, but after realizing their threat, all the Elves targeted them. This caused the Rainbow Birds no other choice but to detonate themselves, bringing down as many Elves as they could.

Bastian, and the other Centaurs shot Elemental Arrows at the Dragons that were attacking them from the sky.

Thanks to William's Quiver Trees, the Centaurs were able to get their hands on Elemental Arrows that were strong enough to damage Dragon Scales.

The Qilins were also a problem, and they had no way of dealing with them due to how fast they moved. Fortunately, there was someone in William's Legion that was capable of harassing these nimble Magical Beasts.

Xerxes, the Hobgoblin Witch Doctor, stood on top of its Black-Scaled Salamander and cast Void Arrows left and right. These Void arrows were different from the usual ones, because they were Homing Void arrows.

After joining William's Legion, the Hobgoblin Witch Doctor had also been Knighted by William and transformed into a Hobgoblin Arcane Doctor. With its Dual affinities of Dark and Life Magic, Xerxes was able to create powerful spells that had homing capabilities.

Among them were the Void

Arrows that it could fire in the hundreds.

Rex, the Hobgoblin Chieftain, stood by its side as a bodyguard. Many had tried to attack Xerxes, but were unable to due to the Black-Scaled Salamander's powerful body and breath attacks. After being knighted, Xerxes, and his Beast Companion's rank had jumped to the initial stages of the Millennial Rank.

William didn't know how it happened, but it just did, and was quite thankful because he had acquired not only one, but two Millennial Beasts with one Knighting Ceremony.

Xerxes' rank was equivalent to a Human Archmage. Because of this, he was a force to reckon with when it came to the Arcane Arts.

Ella had been paying close attention to William as she continued to help and protect her allies. Right now, she was watching over Spire who was recovering from a serious injury it had received from one of the Qilins that had focused its attention on it.

Spire had just entered the Centennial Rank, and was no match against a Beast of the Millennial Rank. If not for Ella's intervention, the Qilin might have already killed one of William's first allies.

Right now, Ella was also a Centennial Beast, but a Millennial Beast was nothing to her. Naturally, she couldn't use her full powers because it would break certain Laws that the Gods had imposed upon themselves.

Also, her current vessel was not strong enough to handle her full powers. If she were to unleash it, her current body would disintegrate due to the power of her Divinity.

Time passed as each side fought for supremacy. Although they were outnumbered, William's Herd and King's Legion had their stats doubled and were able to resist to a certain extent.

Seeing that they were unable to annihilate their enemies, Elandorr decided to use the trump cards that Ezkalor had given him earlier.

"Let's see if all of you will survive after this," Elandorr sneered. He took out two golden tokens from his storage ring and threw them towards the sky. It was time to end this war, and give the Elves the victory that they deserved.

——

"You need to try harder than that, Child." Ezkalor taunted as he sent William tumbling in the air after a powerful clash.

"Okay, I will try Harder." William replied as he wiped away the blood that spilled at the corner of his lips.

The Sword of the Dragon God was truly very formidable and each time he clashed with Ezkalor, William felt that the bones on his hand, and arms, were about to break.

Seeing that he had no other alternative, William summoned Stormcaller.

Eneru was currently fighting against Jekyll and the Qilin had summoned a Lightning Storm and was planning to use it to attack The Alliance, while Jekyll was occupied.

William wouldn't allow such a thing to happen as he pointed Stormcaller's tip at the Dark Cloud that hung in the sky. Lightning bolts fell down on Stormcaller and it greedily absorbed it all. The Half-Elf had decided to go all out, and decided to no longer hide the fact that he could wield lightning.

Also, he was planning to use the Trump Card that he had recently developed while increasing his levels in the Dungeon of Atlantis.

"Lightning God War Art and Quick Shot Shepherd Fusion Form!"

"Strike with unparalleled precision, Gungnir!"

Stormcaller glowed as William imbued it with the power of his Lightning God War Art. However, he didn't hurl it towards the Ancient Dragon, because he was still not finished with his preparations.

A new power was imbued in Stormcaller and the lightning bolts that crackled on its tip intensified.

"Destroy everything in your path," William roared as he threw the spear forward. "Railgun!"

Ezkalor was about to dodge to the side when his battle sense that had been honed for thousands of years kicked in. The Elder Dragon immediately vanished into thin air, and Stormcaller stopped in place, hovering at a location.

Sensing that he was facing something that had the ability to threaten his life, Ezkalor subconsciously entered his own Domain, which saved him from experiencing one of William's most deadly combination attacks.

This War Art Fusion was something that he had suggested to the system, and the latter recommended that he use God Points in order to upgrade the capability of the CPU Core.

William had long wondered if his different War Arts could be combined into one, so he didn't hesitate and did the System Upgrade. After experimenting with it in the Dungeon of Atlantis, William had created several powerful combinations using his Lightning God War Art and his Quick Shot Shepherd War Art.

Unfortunately, his opponent had sensed the danger that he was in and chose to hide for the time being.

William took this opportunity to descend to the battlefield, just in time to see the two Golden Portals that Elandorr had summoned.

A twenty-meter long Winged Serpent emerged from the Golden Portal and roared in the air.

It was followed by a five-meter tall Deer, whose antlers shone like the colors of the rainbow.

The Winged Serpent, Drakon Nalzrig and the Guardian Deer, Zyphon, had appeared on the battlefield

The two Guardians had given their tokens to Ezkalor and told him to only summon them if the Elves were in dire need of help.

Although he was reluctant to do so, he still decided to entrust the summoning tokens to Elandorr since he was the Commander of the Elves.

He made sure that the young commander understood the repercussions for summoning them without proper reason.

Since the Elves were currently at a disadvantage, Elandorr didn't hesitate and used the two tokens of the Guardian Beasts to allow them to be summoned from the Silvermoon Continent and make an appearance on the battlefield.

Jekyll was busy fighting off against Eneru, while Icarus and Daedalus fought alongside their brethren and dealt with the Magical Beasts of the Elven Army.

Drakon Nalzrig saw Dia, who was at the center of the millions of the beasts, and frowned. He could feel that the Golden-Winged Serpent was still young and had only finished her first growth phase.

Nalzrig roared towards Dia, commanding her to submit to his will. However, to his surprise, the latter roared back in rejection.

Dia was born from William's blood and the power of the Dungeon Cores. She was not a Winged Serpent that would just follow anyone's orders. William was her one and only Master, aside from him, and her chosen partner, Est, Dia would not submit to anyone.

"Foolish child," Nalzrig bellowed. "Allow me to educate you!"

However before Nalzrig could even do what he wanted, he felt something dangerous coming from the sky and immediately coated his body with a screen of draconic energy.

A powerful explosion took place in the sky as William unleashed his Grand Bazooka at the Winged Serpent who dared to attack Dia.

Zyphon, the Guardian Deer of the Elves, raised its head and looked at William in shock. It clearly felt the power of a familiar Divinity inside William's body.

It then gazed around and confirmed the hunch that formed inside of his head.

'The Minotaur Race,' Zyphon thought. 'There's no doubt about it. This child is…'

William arrived beside Dia and patted her head. "Don't worry, I'll deal with him. Est, command the army from the rear."

"Understood," Est replied as Dia flew back near the rear of the army.

William stood firmly on top of a cloud as he gazed at the new threats that appeared in front of him. Earlier, although they were still at a disadvantage, it was still fine. However, the arrival of the two other Guardians had destroyed the balance that they fought so hard to achieve.

Although Drakon Nalzrig and Zyphon still hadn't done anything, the pressure on the Alliance's side grew the moment they made their appearance. The Elven Army, the Alliance, and the Beast Army, had all backed away and separated from each other.

Around them, the dead numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Humans, Elves, and Beasts alike laid on the ground, bereft of life.

Chapter 493: Emotions That Could No Longer Be Held Back [Part 1]

With just a glance, one could tell the number of Elves that died were greater. The Unstoppable Million Beast Charge had broken through the Elves' formation and instantly killed most of the vanguards that blocked their path.

William scanned the bodies of those that had fallen and his heart ached because he recognized some of them.

Kasogonaga was bawling its eyes out as it gazed at the body of the Giant White Ox that had died protecting it, Psoglav, Sharx, and the Goblin Cavalry from their enemies.

It blamed itself for not being able to control its bloodlust that had caused the needless sacrifice of its friends' lives.

The Demonic Dog that always had a composed smile on its face was no longer smiling. Instead, its bloodshot eye gazed at the Blademaster that was standing beside its friend's dead body in the distance.

If iis single eye could kill then Psoglav had already killed the Blademaster, who had taken its friend's life, a thousand times over.

"Well, I guess this is what you call checkmate, boy," Ezkalor appeared beside Nalzrig with his arms crossed over his chest. "Surrender while you still can. Enough blood has already been spilled, no?"

Stormcaller returned to William's side because the effect of his combined fusion art had lost its effect.

The Half-Elf stared at the three Myriad Beasts in front of him with a serious expression. The initial advantage they now had was gone, and the battle once again leaned in favor of the elves.

——-

< That was an unexpected development. >

Morgana chuckled as she gazed at the Giant Deer and Winged Serpent that had been summoned out of desperation.

< Poor Darling. I guess he is in serious trouble now. >

Empress Sidonie looked at this scene calmly. Drakon Nalzrig's, and Zyphon's appearance was indeed unexpected, and was not part of her plan. Even so, she still believed that the outcome that she had envisioned would still become a reality.

'What are you going to do now, Sir William?' Empress Sidonie thought as her eyes focused on the Half-Elf who stood at the very front of the Allied Army.

——

King Minos and Drauum had also stopped their battle and returned to their normal sizes. Drauum was surprised to find a being that it wasn't able to beat using brute force. King Minos didn't even bother to look at the Ancient Golem as he returned to the side of his people.

A unicorn landed in front of the Elven Army. seated on its back was Princess Eowyn who looked at William with a complicated gaze.

"Sir William, we don't need to continue this war," Princess Eowyn said. "Like I said before, we can reach a compromise. You can be the King of this country, while it goes under the Elves' rule. No one needs to get hurt anymore, so, please consider it, Sir William."

William gave the Princess a side-long glance before shifting his gaze to Zyphon.

The Guardian Deer of the Elves felt a shudder run down its spine when William looked straight at it.

"Princess Eowyn, your offer is good, but I already said that I do not wish for dominion," William replied. "Also, you're not the one that has the final say in this negotiation. What you wish for, is not what those who have instigated this war wish for. I would appreciate it if you would just stand to the side and not involve yourself in useless politics."

Princess Eowyn felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment after hearing William's reply. She was still the Princess of the Elves, and for the red-headed boy to tell her that she didn't have the final say in negotiations made her heart ache.

Elandorr who saw this found it the perfect opportunity to get into the Princess' good graces. He

immediately stepped forward and berated William for his crashness.

"How dare you insult Her Royal Highness?" Elandorr asked. "She is our princess, naturally she represents us all."

William frowned as he shifted his attention to Elandorr.

"You. Can you stop talking?" William pointed his finger at the young Elven Commander. "I don't know what kind of idiot placed you in your position, but you are as useless as that princess in this negotiation. What you say doesn't matter."

"Y-You!" Elandorr couldn't believe that William had the guts to tell him that he was as useless as the Princess. "I am the Commander of this expedition!"

"So?" William snorted. He then raised his chin arrogantly and pointed it at Shafel who was standing not far away from Elandorr. "Then tell me, can you order that old elf beside you to go to the back of your army while you handle the negotiations?"

Elandorr was about to say more, but he almost choked when he heard William's words. The old Elf that the red-headed boy referred to was the Patriarch of his clan. Even if you gave him a bottle filled with courage, he didn't dare order his Patriarch to go to the back of the army while the negotiations were being held.

"See?" William sneered. "You're just a prop to make your clan look good. Since you don't have a say in this matter, then shut the f*ck up."

Conner, who had his arms crossed over his chest, laughed out loud at William's statement. Although he and William were only temporary allies, he liked how the boy made the Princess and the stuck-up Commander of the Elves know their place.

Elandorr used all of his willpower to prevent his expression from distorting. The Half-Elf had announced that he was merely a Prop Commander. Although he wanted to refute his words, he felt that William would say something else that would make him lose face even more.

Instead of saying anything, Elandorr raised his hand and the Elves parted to make way. Erchitu's body, that was stained with blood, was carried by magic and placed beside Elandorr.

The Young Commander sneered at William as he stabbed his sword into the head of the Beast that sacrificed its life to protect his comrades.

William's eyes widened because of Elandorr's action. Kasogonaga shouted, and Psoglav growled. The residents of the Thousand Beast Domain glared at Elandorr hatefully, but the Elf didn't bat an eye and continued what he was doing.

After a while, a core that was as big as a bowling bowl had been dug out from Erchitu's head. It was purple colored and contained vast amounts of energy that people use to increase their ranks in the world of Hestia.

Shafel smirked from the side because he approved of his grandson's counter-attack. William's face that had contorted with anger was the perfect proof that Elandorr had succeeded in making him angry.

"This Beast Core is good," Elandorr said with a smile. "I'm sure that my rank will increase after I have absorbed all of its energy."

Icarus and Daedalus gripped their weapons and were about to take a step forward, but King Minos grabbed both of their arms and shook his head.

"Do not do anything," King Minos said. "Someone else will do it for you."

Elandorr patted the Beast Core in his hand and gave William a smug smile. Killing intent overflowed from William's body, but the Elven Commander wasn't scared. There were Five Guardians of the Silvermoon Continent around him, so there was no reason for him to be scared.

Eneru smirked because he hated William with every fiber of his being. Anything that would make the Half-Elf mad was welcomed in his book.

"You just had to do that didn't you?" William said through gritted teeth.

"Yes? What's wrong?" Elandorr chuckled. "Isn't it the victor's duty to enjoy the spoils of war? Everyone, tonight we will be having beef jerky. There are so many freshly slaughtered cows here. I'm sure that we will all have our fill."

The Elves cheered in unison to back up their Commander's words. They then eyed the tens of thousands of flaming bulls and Lamassus' that had died. The Beast Cores inside them were still in place, and the Elves would process them later after their important parts had been dismantled and stored properly.

William's face returned to its normal expression as he looked at Elandorr as if he was looking at a person that was about to die. There were things that he could brush off, and things that he couldn't.

He had almost lost control when he saw how Elandorr desecrated Erchitu's body and was now even thinking of eating the members of the Minotaur Race that had fought hard, and died fighting for him.

"Unforgivable," William muttered as he plucked out a few strands of his hair and blew on it. Immediately those strands became seven clones who somersaulted in the air and landed on white clouds.

William pulled a few more strands of hair then more, and more.

He blew on them all and now, thirty clones floated in the air above William. With a loud shout, these clones released their Aura which made Drauum frown.

All of the Clones had the rank of a Saint. This rank wasn't a match to any of the Guardians beside it, but somehow, he felt that something was wrong.

"Drauum and Eneru, do you remember the first time we met?" William asked as he gripped the staff in his hand firmly. "Do you remember the parting gift I gave both of you last time?"

Drauum's and Eneru's expressions immediately turned serious. How could they possibly forget that scene when William had left a two-mile-wide scorched Earth when he made his escape with Jekyll.

""Quick Shot War Art… Fourth Form!""

All the clones aimed their staff at the Elven Army in front of them.

Drauum roared and stomped its feet on the ground. Several walls of Earth stood in front of the Elven Army.

"Quick cast your barriers now!" Eneru ordered.

William pointed his own staff at the Earth Dome that had risen up to protect the Elves from his overflowing emotions.

Emotions that could no longer be held back, for his heart screamed in anger.

The tip of the golden-metalic staff in William's and his clones' hands glowed brightly. They were about to unleash William's answer to the Elandorr's provocation.

""Grand Bazooka!""

Chapter 494: Emotions That Could No Longer Be Held Back [Part 2]

A series of loud explosions erupted as Drauum's Earth Dome blew up. William didn't let his clones fire all at once. Six clones fired one grand bazooka every second, which resulted in a non-stop barrage of one of William's deadliest attacks.

William had already messaged King Minos to take everyone to safety before he fired his first shot.

Just like William, and Ezkalor, King Minos had his own domain. He forcefully teleported everyone inside it before vanishing from where he stood. He reappeared seconds later on the ramparts of Gladiolus and watched William's answer to Elandorr's vile action.

William could create clones, but making them had a price. It would lessen the duration of his Heroic Avatar drastically. Right now, he only had half a minute before his transformation was undone, but he didn't care.

He would use it all up and give the Elves a taste of their own medicine.

Empress Sidonie, Prince Jason, and Evexius stared at this scene with varied emotions. They were the three leaders of the Kraetor Army, and right now, they were witnessing something that they had never seen before.

King Minos waved his hand and William disappeared from where he stood and made the boy reappear beside him.

Thick smoke covered the sky as William's clones disappeared one by one.

When the smoke cleared up, a blazing sea of fire and magma appeared on the battlefield.

Drauum's Earthdome had shattered, but the combined effort of the four other Guardians had kept the Elves safe, or at least, kept them from dying.

Drauum, Nalzrig, Ezkalor, and Zyphon then worked together to deal with the magma that had formed around the Elven Army.

William looked at the body of the Giant White Ox, and raised his hand.

"Legion Recall."

Erchitu's body turned into a beam of light and shot toward William. Suddenly, more beams of light that numbered in the hundreds of thousands shot out from the Elven Formation and flew towards him.

Although it was only temporary, all the Beasts that had joined him in this battle were now members of his King's Legion. Even though they were dead, William was able to recall their bodies and send them back to his Thousand Beast Domain.

King Minos looked down at the Half-Elf beside him with gratitude.

No decent Sovereign wanted to leave their brave and honorable warriors to be treated as freshly slaughtered meat in the market, and be cooked at a later time to fill one's hunger.

When the last beam of light pierced William's chest, the Elves had also finished stabilizing their surroundings.

"Did you run out of steam?" Eneru sneered. "Is that all you've got?"

William looked at him indifferently as his gaze landed on the Elves.

"Yes. that's all I got," William replied. "Did you like it? Relax, there's more where that came from. Let's see if you will always be there to protect these elves from my wrath."

Princess Eowyn, who had just experienced a bombardment that could have easily wiped out the entire Elven Army if their Guardians weren't there, shivered at William's words. If the Half-Elf wasn't lying then they would really be in big trouble if they were to step out of their Guardian's protection.

A week.

William could only use Sun Wukong's power an hour every week. However, in that one hour, if he wished for it, he could deal catastrophic damage if he threw his morals to the wind.

Shefal frowned when he heard William's words. His ears were still ringing from the explosions that had continued non-stop for half a minute.

At first, he looked down on the boy because he didn't think much of him. He even wanted to capture William, and use him as a hostage to blackmail the Half-Elf's family in the Silvermoon Continent.

Now that he had seen what he was capable of, he changed his mind and wanted to nip him in the bud to prevent him from growing up and becoming a threat, just like his father.

"Do you think that we will allow you to leave?" Drauum asked.

William snorted. "Do you think you can catch me? Come. I'd like to see you try."

He had already made adequate preparations. If Drauum really did make a move to capture him, he would immediately open his domain and hide inside. If the Ancient Golem, or anyone else was foolish enough to follow him inside his domain then they would be in for a nasty surprise.

After that episode with Cernunnos, William had prepared a trap for those who attempted to enter his domain

without his permission.

The Half-Elf then stared at Elandorr and marked him. He would be the one to personally kill the bastard Elf who dared to commit that vile act to his friend.

"Talking is futile," Eneru stated. "Go! Let's finish what we started."

The Elves looked at their Guardian then back at Elandorr who was their appointed Commander.

Elandorr took a deep breath as he stored Erchitu's Beast Core inside his storage ring. He then raised his sword and ordered the Elves to attack.

At least, that was what was supposed to happen.

Four beings stood in front of the Elven Army, and blocked their path of advance.

"What are you doing?" Eneru snapped. He glared at the teenage boy with light-blue hair that had forcefully taken his whiskers from him. "We had an agreement. Why are you getting in our way?"

The teenage boy chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"This battle ends today," the teenage boy replied. "You can continue it tomorrow. Our Empress is now tired and wants to take a nap.

"And what does your Empress taking a nap have to do with our war?" Shefal asked. "Surely, she can continue to nap while we finish our business here, right?"

The teenage boy shook his head and gave Shefal a weird look as if the Old Elf lacked I.Q.

"Orders are orders," Nero, the White Tiger replied instead of the teenage boy. "Our Empress wants to see the entire battle unfold. How can she do that if you fight against each other while she is taking a nap? This won't do. You should do as our Empress wishes."

"And why must we follow your Empress' desire?" Drauum challenged. "This isn't part of our agreement?"

"Our Agreement stands only because our Empress agreed to it. If she no longer agrees then there is no longer an agreement."

The purple-haired lady beside Nero giggled. She then glanced at the Ancient Golem with a teasing smile as she supported his colleague's statement.

"Because, if you continue to fight today… our Kraetor Empire will have no choice but to stop you by force. Our Empress gave her orders, and they must be followed. Since you don't want to follow then we have no choice but to… make you follow by force."

The purple-haired beauty then glanced at William and waved at him.

William played along and waved back at the girl, which made Drauum and Eneru exchange glances.

"Well, if you think your Elven bones are strong enough to handle our combined armies then we can continue this war," the teenage boy with light-blue hair proposed.

Clearly, he was itching to fight after watching William's dominating performance.

Ezkalor stepped forward to face the Three Protectors of the Kraetor Empire. As for who the last person was, he had no idea. The man or woman was covered in a black robe, and their face was hidden from sight.

Even so, Ezkalor could tell that the latter was a Pseudo-Demigod, just like Drauum and King Minos.

"Let me confirm something," Ezkalor said before his colleagues accepted the Kraetor Army's provocation. Although they could fight them in a one-on-one battle, William and his army were still very much alive.

If these two armies were to ally themselves with each other then they would be forced to make a hasty retreat back to the Zelan Dynasty and their campaign would end as a failure.

"You said that the battle ends today, but we can continue tomorrow, is that right?" Ezkalor inquired.

"Yes," Nero replied. "That is what Her Majesty wishes."

"Then, if we continue this battle tomorrow, you will no longer interfere?" Drauum asked.

"No," the teenage boy answered. "You can fight all you want and we will not lift a finger to stop it."

Ezkalor then raised his head to look at the Half-Elf who was standing on top of the City Walls.

"When the sun rises tomorrow, this fight will continue," Ezkalor declared. "Use this time to think about our Princess' offer. Although she might not hold any authority in this expedition, she is still the daughter of the Elven King."

Ezkalor turned around because he had already said what he wanted to say. He wished that William would come to his senses and just accept Princess Eowyn's compromise.

Zyphon stared at William long and hard before it turned its head to return to the Elven Encampment along with Ezkalor. If possible, it didn't want to fight against William because it had already determined who he was.

Drauum stared at King Minos before merging with the ground. Although it didn't show on its face, the battle against the Minotaur King had exhausted it.

It never thought that a mere Beast King would be able to fight it on even ground, even though the Ancient Golem had already been using the power of the Earth with all its might.

Elandorr reluctantly gave the order to return to the Elven Camp. He knew that William wasn't going anywhere, and the Guardians had already made their stance clear. Fighting was no longer an option, so he decided to give the order to retreat.

King Minos waved his hand and released all those that he had forcefully taken inside his domain. They had all seen what happened outside because King Minos allowed them to see it.

Conner snorted as he returned to his temporary residence inside the palace. They had been given a day to prepare for the next fight, and he would use that time to scheme and find a way to get the upper hand.

Ian materialized behind William and supported his body.

The Half-Elf was only barely able to stand due to her support inside his Spiritual World. He didn't want to show the enemy any signs of weakness, so he endured and stood tall until they had safely returned to their camp.

"Rest for now," Ian said. "I'll wake you when it's time for dinner."

William weakly nodded as he closed his eyes.

Frankly, he was still exhausted from dispelling the weakness that had befallen the Minotaur Race.

Doing it day after day had taken a toll on his body, and mind. Even though he was able to rest, the exhaustion never went away completely. Ian sighed when her lover had finally fallen asleep in her embrace.

To be honest, she was tired as well, but her exhaustion was nothing compared to William's.

Wendy, Est, and Celine checked his condition in turns to see if he was seriously injured during the battle. Fortunately, that wasn't the case so they decided to bring William to one of the rooms in the palace to rest.

King Minos watched as the red-headed Shepherd was carried away by his loved ones.

"Ariadne, what are our chances of winning?" King Minos asked. "What is the possible future that you see?"

A portal appeared beside him and the young lady that took care of William inside the Minotaur's Sanctuary stepped out of it.

"There are several possibilities, and all of them lead to one ending except one," Ariadne replied as she stared at the dark-gray clouds that hung in the sky. "However, that future is only a possibility, and the price that needs to be paid for that future… will affect the entire world."

"Is it that bad?" King Minos asked once again.

Ariadne smiled faintly and shook her head. She didn't see that far in the future. More like, she couldn't see that far in the future. The only thing she knew was that before morning came… a decision had to be made.

A decision that only the sleeping Shepherd could make.

Chapter 495: The Thing That May Destroy The World

Within the Kraetor Army Encampment, the Young Empress tossed and turned on her soft bed. For some reason, she was feeling anxious.

She had asked the Protectors of the Kraetor Empire to interfere with the war in order to give William some breathing space. This would allow the Half-Elf to feel indebted to her, and would become the foundation with the follow up she was preparing when morning came.

Although the Elves' had acquired two more powerful Guardians by their side, she was confident that the plan she had in mind would still be doable. However… a sudden feeling of anxiousness crept over her heart, and she didn't know where it was coming from.

< Can't sleep? >

Morgana hugged her other half who seemed to be feeling restless. Both of them shared the same body, so it was only natural that she could sense Sidonie's current mood.

'I'm feeling restless,' Sidonie replied. 'I feel like something unexpected is going to happen tomorrow.'

Morgana nodded her head. Things had really taken a different turn from how this war was supposed to turn out. The first variable was William acquiring the help of the Minotaur Race.

The second one was the arrival of the Two Guardians of the Silvermoon Continent.

< Everything that happens once can never happen twice. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time. >

'Big Sister, you're not helping.'

Morgana chuckled and lightly pinched Sidonie's ear inside their shared mindscape.

< Worrying about things outside of your control is a waste of time. Just focus on the things that you can control. Regardless of what happens, we will know when morning comes. For now, rest. You will be able to think clearly once you are properly rested. >

'Big Sister, take over for me.'

< Okay. >

Morgana took over Sidonie's body while the latter weaved a cocoon inside their shared mindscape. This was the only way to forcefully get herself to sleep at night without worrying about the outside world.

Since her other half was manning the helm, she could rest easily without any worries.

Morgana hummed a lullaby as she lay on the soft bed. It was not only Sidonie who was feeling anxious. She was only able to hide it better since she was the Young Empress' pillar of support.

"Darling, don't do anything stupid," Morgana said softly, as she closed her eyes to rest.

—–

Inside the Royal Palace of the Hellan Kingdom…

William, Conner, King Minos, Prince Alaric, and a few others gathered inside the conference room.

A few minutes ago, the discussion had been heated, but now, everyone was silent. Although the walls of the city were strong, it wouldn't take long for the Elves to break them.

Conner had come clean and admitted that the only spell that they could use at the moment was the restriction of flight. This included Flight Magic.

So, they didn't have to worry about the Magical Beasts, or the Elves, using their wind Magic to soar past the walls and engage them in combat.

Even so, that didn't change the fact that they could just bombard the walls with strong magical attacks from afar.

King Minos may be able to keep Drauum occupied, but there were four more Guardians to worry about. William had also used up his Heroic Avatar, and had to wait for a week before he could use it again.

"Looks like a battle inside the city is imminent," Jekyll said as he leaned back in his seat. "Still, I don't understand. Why are the walls protecting the Second Level of the city more sturdy than the city gates?"

"It is because the third King of the Hellan Kingdom was paranoid and was afraid of a Coup D'etat," Conner smirked. "In case the masses were swayed by his younger brother, he decided to reinforce the secondary walls that separated the noble district from the commoners.

This way, he would be able to hold back any kind of rebellion and still come out on top. Well, I guess the genes of betrayal are part of the Royal Bloodline."

Conner had dealt with both princes of the Hellan Kingdom, so he knew what he was talking

about. Lionel and Rufus were perfect examples of brothers who wanted to topple each other in order to gain the throne of the Kingdom.

William listened to the discussion half-heartedly because he was thinking of something else. The bodies of Erchitu, and the members of his Legion were now inside his Thousand Beast Domain.

He had visited a few hours ago and saw Kasogonaga's and the others' sad expressions, as they mourned beside the bodies of their comrade at arms. It was a heartbreaking scene, and William had to use all of his willpower to prevent his tears from falling.

Aside from Erchitu, Bastian had also died.

Spire barely managed to survive due to Ella's protection, and was currently recovering from its injuries. William knew that when morning came, the proud Guardian would once again rise to its feet, and fight with its head held high.

This time, William had a feeling that Spire and the others would also depart from the land of the living and it made him feel helpless.

While he was deep in his thoughts, the meeting continued. It was Conner, Prince Alaric, and King Minos that steered the conversation. However, the Leader of Deus needed everyone's cooperation, so William was not spared from his inquiry.

"William, you already know our current state," Conner said. "Do you have any suggestions on how we can live past tomorrow? If you don't have any then that girl seated beside you might be the next one to die."

Wendy glared at Conner, and the latter just smirked.

She was seated on William's right, and Est was seated on William's left. Since Conner didn't know Est's secret, the Leader of Deus was referring to no one else but her.

"Next to be dead…," William muttered softly.

It was at that moment when an idea materialized inside his head. An idea that he had buried for the time being because he was too busy for the past few weeks.

William knew that what he planned to do might come back to bite him in the future. But, would there still be a future if he didn't survive when morning came?

"I need to go somewhere," William said as he raised his head to look at Conner. "It might take a while before I return, but I promise that I will return."

"Meaning, you want us to buy you some time?" Conner frowned. "How much time do you need? An hour after sunrise? Two hours?"

The Leader of Deus smiled wryly as he eyed William. He was hoping that the boy still had other tricks that he was still saving for tomorrow's battle, but the latter only said that he had to go somewhere.

As someone that had climbed up in his position, Conner was not unfamiliar with betrayal. Although he knew that the possibility was small, he still couldn't shake the feeling that William was just saying these things, so that he could escape.

Right now, the Elves wanted him dead, except for a few like Ezkalor, Zyphon, and Princess Eowyn. All of them wanted to get their hands on William, so that they could torture him and lock him up.

"I don't want to say this, but, are you planning to escape?" Conner inquired.

"William is no coward," Est replied as he stared fearlessly at Conner. "You don't know the battles that he has fought. Battles where his chances of winning were next to nothing. He-"

"Hold there young man. I'm not saying that William is a coward," Conner stopped Est on whatever he was about to say next. "I just want to know what he plans on doing while we die to buy him some time. Am I asking for too much? I think not."

Conner didn't care about William's accomplishments. He had seen many upright individuals that had turned coat in order to save their own hides. In Conner's eyes, no one was innocent, not even the Saintess of the Silvermoon Continent.

"I'm sorry. But, I can't tell you," William said after organizing his thoughts.

Conner nodded his head. "I see. Well, in that case, we don't have anything more to talk about. If you want to escape then go ahead. I will not stop you. My men and I won't die for your sake."

Conner stood up from his seat and prepared to leave the room. But, before doing so, he gave William one last glance and left his parting words.

"I expected more from you," Conner stated. "Looks like I overestimated a child."

He then walked towards the exit of the conference room and never looked back. Conner had spent hours thinking about how they could win against the Elves, but nothing came to mind. In truth, he was just looking for an excuse.

The Leader of Deus had already made up his mind before he gathered everyone to have a meeting. Since there was no chance of victory then he would just do what he needed to do and that was to… survive.

"Humans are truly interesting," King Minos said a minute after Conner had left the conference room. "They like to put on an act in order to justify themselves. That man had already decided to leave from the start. He is a very smart person."

The King of the Minotaurs then raised his hand to cast a soundproofing barrier inside the Conference Room. no matter what was discussed inside, no one would be able to hear, nor see it, even if they used scrying magic.

"Tell me what you have in mind," King Minos said. "We have already made an oath to you. Regardless of what happens, we are on your side."

William stared long and hard at the King of Minotaurs before nodding his head. However, he didn't say anything inside the conference room.

Instead, he asked for the two of them to talk in private.

Prince Alaric was also inside the room, and there were things that William didn't want to share with his distant cousin, who was also the Crown Prince of the Zelan Dynasty.

—–

"… Are you serious?" King Minos looked at William with a dumbfounded expression.

The two of them went to William's private quarters. There, the Half-Elf told the King of the Minotaurs about the Undying Lands, and the floating island where Avalon stood.

"I am serious," William replied. "However, I don't know if I will be able to succeed. If I fail, our Plan B is to return to the Minotaur Sanctuary. We don't need needless sacrifice anymore. If the walls of the city are breached, gather everyone to the second level of the city."

King Minos didn't say anything and simply stared at William with a serious expression.

"Are you sure about this?" King Minos inquired. "That thing may destroy the world, you know?"

William sighed. He also didn't want to do this. The only reason why he was doing so was due to Takam's advice when the two of them had communicated through his Blood Eagle, Scadrez.

As long as a possibility existed, William was willing to take it.

Chapter 496: You Finally Returned

"Halt!" The guard that was keeping watch on the Kraetor Army's camp stopped a dozen black-robed men from entering their encampment. "State your business."

The leader of the black-robed men removed his hood, and smiled at the guards who had their weapons aimed at him.

"My name is Conner, and I would like to have an audience with her Majesty, Empress Sidonie," Conner said politely. "Can you please, pass the word that I am here to see her?"

The guards exchanged glances at each other. Their captain then stepped forward to appraise Conner from head to foot before giving his reply.

"Wait here, I'll inform Her Majesty," the Guard Captain replied before turning around to leave.

Earlier, one of the aides of their Young Empress, Priscilla, had given him a hand written letter from the Empress. The letter had said that if anyone named Conner, William, or Elandorr, came to ask to meet her then they should inform her right away.

The Guard Captain thought that this message was weird, but still decided to stay vigilant just in case the message of the Empress came to pass. He just didn't expect that these unexpected guests would arrive at midnight, when almost everyone in their camp was asleep.

—–

Meanwhile… back in the Royal Palace of the Hellan Kingdom.

"Do you really have to go?" Wendy asked.

"I do," William replied as he hugged the blonde beauty in his arms. "Don't worry. I will definitely come back."

William then stared at his lovers who were looking at him with anxious expressions. Ashe was more worried than the rest because she had ventured in the Undying Lands with William.

She had proposed to go with him, but William firmly rejected her offer. What he was about to do was dangerous, and he didn't want to bring Ashe along, just in case something unexpected happened.

He had already asked King Minos to look after his lovers and make sure that they were safe from harm. William added that if he was not back before the second wall of the city was breached, King Minos would take everyone and return to the Minotaur's Sanctuary.

The Gate of the Beginnings were still shut tight, but William had created a small gap that allowed a single person to pass. This was the backup plan that they had prepared if ever they failed in their war against the Elves.

William was about to go when he heard a knock on the door of his room. Est opened it, and frowned.

Ariadne stepped inside the room to tell William that Conner and the members of his organization had left the city.

"Conner left this letter for you, along with the command token for the Super Soldiers and the Ash Golems," Ariadne said as she handed Conner's letter and two black tokens with different markings embedded on their surface.

William thanked her and read Conner's letter. The letter from the leader of Deus was brief and only told William that he had joined the Kraetor Empire.

Conner also mentioned that since they were in a hurry, the Altar that they had built inside the palace had not been dismantled. He even joked that the souls of the Minotaur Race might still be there, since no more than two days had passed since the battle.

Lastly, the Leader of Deus wished him luck in the fight against the Elves and told him that the red-headed boy was lucky enough to survive the war, he would like to collaborate with him more in the future.

"What a vile person," Wendy said after reading Conner's letter. "I knew I should have planted a lightning rune inside his room."

William chuckled as he patted the head of the raging Wendy who had thrown the letter in the fireplace.

"Actually, I think this is a good idea," William said. "You all should leave this place as well. Return with King Minos to their Sanctuary.

After I'm done here, I will follow all of you there as well."

"I won't go," Wendy replied in a heartbeat. "I already told you that I will fight by your side. I will only go if you leave with me."

William smiled as he looked at Ashe.

His lover who had given him half of her heart and ensured the fast recovery of his Spiritual World. Thanks to her, he was now able to fight for an extended period of time without worrying about a Spiritual Collapse.

"I will also stay," Ashe declared. "I feel the same way as Wendy. We will only leave, if you leave with us."

William nodded. He had shared many intimate moments with her and knew that the mermaid had a surprisingly feisty side on her.

"Same goes for me as well," Est commented from the side. "On behalf of the Hellan Kingdom, thank you, Will. I am honored to have you in my life."

"Oi, don't say such ominous things. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to raise a flag?"

"Raise a flag? What flag?"

William scratched his head as he looked at the handsome boy who was tough on the outside, but a softe on the inside. He had known this secret after he had spent some time in training the passive, silver-haired beauty, in his Spiritual World.

There were even times during their training when William felt that he was corrupting a pure and innocent girl. Still, he had already accepted Est as his third lover, and she was very precious to him.

Ariadne watched all of this from the side with a smile. She was someone whose face was meant to be forgotten, so she felt jealous of how intimate William was with his lover and friends.

'So, he chose this path,' Ariadne thought. She had seen a glimpse of this future, but she didn't know how it ended. Even so, according to what she saw in that future, William will go to that place.

And she would be waiting for him there.

—–

"Are you sure about this, partner?"

"Oh? I'm your partner now?"

"Of course," Psoglav said. "I'm still waiting for more juicy rewards in the future. You still haven't paid me for my participation in this war. I expect that I will be rewarded handsomely for my efforts."

William eyed the Demonic Dog with an understanding gaze. Although Psoglav was joking, and even smiling, its smile never reached its eye.

There was sadness and hurt in Psoglav's single eye that looked at the world for what it truly was.

"What do you want as payment?" William asked. He knew that Psoglav wouldn't approach him without a good reason.

"This is what I like about you," Psoglav replied as he patted William's shoulder. "You're fast on the pickup."

"Spill it out."

"I want Elandorr's head."

William narrowed his eyes. Elandorr was someone he had planned to kill, but it seems that the Demonic Dog was also thinking of the same thing.

After a staring contest that lasted for two minutes, William closed his eyes as an internal battle waged inside his heart. In the end, he sighed and reluctantly nodded his head.

"Fine. But, on one condition," William said.

Psoglav crossed its arms over its chest. "What is it?"

"Don't make it swift."

"I have no intention of doing that. It is not only me that wants a piece of him. I'm afraid that Kasogonaga might call dibs on him first, so I decided to talk to you before our rainbow-colored friend finished mourning."

William nodded as he placed his hand over the monument that would take him to the Undying Lands. However, he didn't leave right away. He glanced at the Demonic Dog who still had its arms crossed over its chest.

"Do you eat Elves?" WIlliam inquired out of curiosity.

"I don't," Psoglav replied. He then grinned and showed his razor sharp teeth to make a point. "But this time, I will make an exception."

William smirked as he took out the Relic of the Oathkeeper from his storage ring. A few moments later, he vanished without a trace.

——

Unlike the darkness in the real world, the Undying Lands were blessed with sunlight and clear skies. William stood in front of Avalon, as he took in the scenery of the ancient fortress.

The last Bastion of Mankind.

The Fortress that withstood the Era of the Gods.

Avalon.

"You… finally… returned."

A hoarse voice said from within the depths of the Fortress. William's face remained calm as he listened to the voice, while watching giant gates of the fortress open wide.

"This time… you… will not be… able to leave. How dare you… steal the treasures… of Humanity?!"

The last words were said with such intensity that the Undying Lands trembled. Soon, the sky darkened as bone dragons, bone wyverns, and other flying beasts that had died thousands of years ago came to life.

Seated on their backs were flaming skeleton riders that looked down on William with the indifference of the undead.

Three Bone Dragons that were different from the others hovered above Avalon. Mounted on top of them were three High-Tiered Undead that William had seen for the first time.

Millions of undead swarmed out of the fortress. Skeleton Soldiers, Ghouls. Draugr, Revenants, Wraiths, Banshees, and other beings that William was now seeing for the first time. They came out like a tide and they were endless.

While this was happening, The System was giving William a series of notifications on the composition of the Undead Army. The Half-Elf thought that he was just seeing things when he saw that the number of the undead were over twenty million.

But, that was not all. The undead horde parted and three Gigantic Beings stepped out from the gates of the fortress.

One was a Giant Skeleton, over twenty meters tall wearing a crown on its head. It was holding a shield and sword that seemed to be made from pure adamantium.

The other, a Dark-Skinned Draugr holding a massive black sword. Its glowing blue eyes stared at William as if it couldn't wait to slice him in half.

Lastly, a being who seemed to be riding on an undead horse holding a bloody red spear in its hand. Among the Beasts in the undead horde, it was giving off the most powerful presence.

A presence that wouldn't lose to Drauum and King Minos.

The second strongest being inside the undying lands.

The Devil of the Sea.

Nuckelavee.

Chapter 497: I Came Here To Bargain

William gazed at this overwhelming lineup that would make the hearts of anyone who saw it tremble where they stood.

The millions of Undead Monsters encircled the red-headed boy, giving him no place to run. The Dracolich knew that William had the ability to summon Beasts to fight by his side. In fact, it was even anticipating it.

It wanted to see the look on Wiliam's face when his precious companions became part of its undead army.

"What's… wrong? Aren't you… going to… call for help? Why don't you… summon… your… Beast… Army?"

The hoarse voice asked in a teasing manner. Above the fortress of Avalon, a hundred-meter tall spectre appeared in the sky. It gazed down on William with ridicule and contempt as he waited for the boy's answer to his question.

"I didn't come here to fight, Malacai," William replied.

"Hah… to think… there are still… those who remember… my name," Malacai said hoarsely. "However… knowing who I am… won't save you. You didn't… come here… to fight. You… came here… to die."

"No." William shook his head. "I came here to bargain."

"Hah?"

"I came here to bargain."

Malacai stared down on the boy before uttering a long, and hoarse, laughter.

"Ha… ha… haha.. Ha… Bargain?" Malacai chuckled. "You… came here to… bargain? Haha… haha…"

The millions of undead joined their Lord in laughter. The clattering of bones resounded throughout the Undying Lands, and it was enough to make anyone who heard it run away in fear.

"Yes. I came here to bargain," William repeated.

The giant spectre in the air continued to chuckle. Thousands of years had passed, and it had no opportunity to talk to anyone except the souls that had been trapped inside the Undying Lands. Hearing his visitor's request to bargain tickled its heart that had long stopped beating.

While the Dracolich was laughing, William appraised the monsters that seemed to be the generals of the Undead Army. He first looked at the three High-Tiered undead that were mounted on top of the Bone Dragons.

—–

< Primeval Bone Dragon >

— Undead Dragon

— Threat Level: SS

— Millennial Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

—–

< Diabolical Death Knight >

— Undead Heroic Champion

— Threat Level: SSR

— Myriad Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

—–

< Grim Nightmare Revenant >

— Vengeful Revenger

— Threat Level: SSR

— Myriad Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

—–

< Arcane Spectral Lich >

— The First King of the Hellan Kingdom

— Threat Level: SSR

— Myriad Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

—–

William's gaze stayed at the Arcane Spectral Lich for half a minute before shifting his attention to the three Goliaths that stood in front of the gate of Avalon, and appraised them.

—–

< Monstrous Skeleton Sovereign >

— Primordial Skeleton King

— Threat Level: SSR

— Myriad Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

—–

< Giant Slaying Draugr >

— Re-animated Warrior King

— Threat Level SSR

— Myriad Undead (High)

— Cannot be added to the Herd

——

< Nuckelavee >

— The Devil of the Sea

— Vile Hybrid of Man and Beast

— Threat Level: SSR+

— Pseudo-Demigod

— Cannot be added to the Herd

— Of all the supernatural beings that once roamed the land, none was as feared as the being known as Nuckelavee.

— This was a creature that was born part human, part beast, and a monster that was known to terrorize mankind.

— However, during the final

war of the Gods, this creature of sheer Evil fought on the side of the Humans. Perhaps, that was due to the reason for its existence. If the other races succeeded in wiping out the very beings that it was born to slay then its existence would no longer serve its purpose.

Thus, in that final battle, where Gods, and the different races, fought for supremacy, there was a lone demonic beast whose mere presence made all the races' skin crawl.

— A being that even the Demigods feared.

—–

William wasn't able to stop himself from sucking his breath after reading Nuckelavee's information. He didn't think that the Devil of the Sea had such a background.

It was also at that moment when the spectre of the Dracolich stopped laughing. It then moved closer to the Half-Elf as its size shrunk to over three-meters tall.

"You said… you came here… to bargain," Malacai said. "Give me… one good reason… why I shouldn't kill you… right here… right now…"

"Because killing me will not benefit you in any other way," William replied. "At most, you will just gain one handsome Undead-Half-Elf that will annoy you for eternity."

"Hoh… you only… spoke… half-truths."

"Because the truth is embarrassing."

The Dracolich stared long and hard at William. Being locked up for thousands of years, while waiting for the day the seal was undone was pure torture. Although it estimated that it would take no longer than three to four years before the seal disappeared completely, it still made the waiting unbearable.

If the seal could be undone sooner then wouldn't that make its life easier? Unfortunately, it couldn't be done. Even if he forced William to break the seal, it would be impossible, for no mortal could break it.

Only a God could release it from its binding.

"You… came here… to bargain." Malacai took a step forward until its spectral face was mere inches away from William's face. "Bargain… what… exactly?"

"I came here to borrow your scepter for a day," William replied.

Malacai's expression froze before it raised its head and laughed once more.

"Borrow… my scepter?" Malacai asked. "You really… came here… to die… didn't you?"

William looked at the Dracolich with an unwavering gaze. Takam had said that there was a very small possibility that Malacai would agree to his request. If he failed to convince the Dracolich, he would immediately become part of its undead legion.

Of course, William didn't come to the Undying Lands to die. He had already prepared a Plan B that ensured his escape if the negotiations failed.

He would then go back with King Minos to the Minotaur Sanctuary, and do guerilla warfare with the Elves, once his Heroic Avatar had reset its cooldown.

"What do you want in return?" William asked. Right now, this was the only option he could think of to finish this war, once and for all.

The Dracolich extended its spectral hand and reached out to grab William's heart. The red-headed boy didn't resist, because his heart had been linked with the jewel embedded in his chest. Right now, that jewel had been hidden.

Even if the Dracolich were to crush his heart, he wouldn't die from it. William would use that brief moment of time when the Dracolich had relaxed its guard to escape.

The Spectral Hand firmly held William's heart, and it felt very cold and uncomfortable. Malacai's glowing eyes stared straight into the Half-Elf's own eyes and looked at their depths.

Malacai wanted to see William's despair, fear, and helplessness.

Unfortunately, he didn't see any of them in William's eyes. Instead, what he saw was an unyielding determination that stared right back at him.

"Do you know… what my scepter… can do?"

"Yes."

"Do you know… the price… for using it?"

"No."

Malacai released William's heart, and the Half-Elf sucked in a cold breath. Traces of the Spectre's touch lingered inside his body, and it sent shivers down his spine.

"My scepter… can only be used… by the dead," Malacai said. "If you want… to use it… you need to… die first."

"I don't intend to die. I have lovers waiting for me."

"Ha… ha… haha. Very… funny."

The Spectre raised its hand and a scepter made of bones appeared in front of it.

It was a meter long, made with dragon bones, that seemed to emit a faint bloody light. Malacai presented the scepter in front of William and sneered. It didn't lie when it said that only the dead could wield it.

Malacai's scepter would literally suck up the wielder's entire life force, forcibly changing their body into the undead. A mortal's body wouldn't be able to wield such power. Not even Malacai had escaped from its fate when it used the staff during the Era of the Gods.

William looked at the scepter in front of him and back to the spectral Dracolich that was eyeing him with a devilish smile.

"Only the dead… can use it…," Malacai said in a teasing tone. "Would you like… to try… dying once?"

Chapter 498: Elven Bombardment

Est stood at the ramparts holding the two tokens that commanded the Super Soldiers and Ash Golems that Conner had left behind.

Although his decision to side with the Kraetor Empire at the last moment made The Alliance curse his name, Est had to admit that he was someone that could come and go as he pleased.

'At least he still had a bit of conscience,' Est thought as he looked at the hundreds of Super Soldiers, and Thousands of Ashe golems that were gathered near the main gate of the city.

Their purpose was to engage the Elves once they got past through their defenses, and be used as cannon fodders as they escaped to the Second Level of the city.

What Est didn't know was that Conner did it this way, so that he wouldn't burn the bridge between Deus and Celine. Naturally, the Leader of Deus also didn't want to burn his bridges with William, just in case the latter miraculously managed to make a comeback against the Elves.

Est watched the Elven Army stir in the distance. It was only an hour until sunrise, and although the sun couldn't be seen due to the clouds that had blanketed the continent, it could still be felt by the Defenders, who were about to face a battle that they had no hope of winning.

Surrendering was an option, but Prince Alaric had been told of the torture that the survivors of the Zelan Dynasty had faced under the rule of the Elves. He would rather die than be shamed in front of his people.

King Minos and the Minotaur Race were fighting for the oaths that they had pledged long ago. They would only leave if William had left the battlefield. Although the Half-Elf wasn't with them right now, the King of the Minotaurs knew that the latter was fighting a battle of his own, and risking his life in the process.

This was why he stood proudly at the top of the city walls, and stared at the Elven Army that was slowly making their way towards the city. They were a race that was born to endure hardships.

A race that had stood with the God of Shepherds against all adversities when the world was still newly born and uncertainties plagued the land.

Wendy, Ashe, and Isaac stood beside Est as they looked at the enemies they would face. William had given them a promise that he would return. In order for that promise to come true, they must survive and live to see one more day.

Celine and Jekyll stood not far away. They were the oldest among the Defenders, if King Minos and the rest of the Minotaur Race were excluded.

"I hate to say this, but I wish James was here." Jekyll chuckled. "If he was here, I'm sure that this war would be more interesting."

Celine smiled and nodded her head in agreement. If the old coot of Lont was here, the Elves might be running away for their lives right now.

'Mistress, should I remove my limiter?' Oliver asked through telepathy. 'That way, I can at least block one of those Guardians for a period of time.'

'No,' Celine replied. 'We can always return to Lont if things turn out for the worst. I doubt the Elves would have the guts to annoy a Demigod.'

Celine didn't want Oliver to remove his limiter because that would make her loyal retainer shorten his lifespan. Oliver had accompanied her all the way from the Silvermoon

Continent.

She couldn't find it in herself to let the Parrot Monkey sacrifice himself when they could escape and hide under the protection of Vlad.

'Understood.' Oliver nodded his head.

The Parrot Monkey glanced at the Elves with an indifferent gaze. The only Elves he cared about could be counted on one hand. He had no guilt in killing them as long as they dared to hurt the Mistress he served.

"It's almost time," King Minos said. "Everyone, brace yourselves!"

King Minos threw a crystal towards the sky where it exploded. It was one of the parting gifts that Conner had left them, aside from the tokens that controlled the Super Soldiers and Ash Golems.

It was the crystal that contained a spell that restricted everyone from using flight, including any form of magic that allowed flight.

A powerful pressure descended on the battlefield as the spell activated.

Conner, who was watching all of this from the Kraetor Empire's encampment, smiled. He didn't regret his decision because he was someone that valued his life more than others.

Empress Sidonie had accepted his allegiance, which made Berthold resentful. However, Evexius supported her decision and was quite happy with having a capable subordinate serving under their Empress.

The Elves had come to know about Conner's desertion and it made them sneer internally. It was the sign that the Alliance had an internal feud among their members, which proved that they were fearful of their inevitable demise.

Now that the troublesome man was gone, Elandorr felt more confident in dealing with the remnants of the Alliance.

Drauum appeared at the very front of the Elven Vanguard and summoned a giant boulder, which it held with both hands. Since their War Machines had been devoured by Jekyll, it decided to break the walls of the city itself.

It didn't want to get too close because it knew that King Minos wouldn't allow it to do as it pleased. Since that was the case, it would join the Elven Archmages in a magical bombardment until the walls of Gladiolus had turned to rubble.

"Break!" Drauum shouted as he hurled the giant boulder towards the city wall.

King Minos was about to make his move when he noticed a black mist head towards the giant boulder.

The mist then turned into a black-robed man, who fearlessly extended a hand to grab hold of the giant boulder, which had been thrown by the Second Strongest Guardian of the Silvermoon Continent.

"He sure took his sweet time," Jekyll commented.

Celine nodded.

She recognized the man who was wearing the black robe. Many thought of him as James' shadow, but very few knew what he was really capable of.

He was also one of the very few individuals that weren't affected by the Continental Spell due to his special constitution. A man of few words, for he thought that his actions would speak louder.

The moment that blood-stained hand touched the boulder, that was a hundred times the man's size, it immediately disintegrated into dust.

Drauum watched the man as he landed on the ground without even making a sound. The Ancient Golem recognized who he was, for this was not the first time that it had met him.

"Ezio… I should have known that you were still alive," Drauum said.

The Guardians also looked at Ezio for they knew who the man was. Ezio had been there during the war against the Demons and helped the elves resist their invasion. He had been one of Maxwell's companions during that war many years ago.

Hundreds of steel threads extended from Ezio's body and collided with the spells that had been cast by the Archmages. Naturally, he couldn't possibly block all the spells of the Elves, so he focused on the High-Tiered ones, nullifying their effects.

"I hate Antimages," one of the Elven Archmages gritted their teeth in frustration.

"Don't worry, he can't possibly block all of our attacks," another Archmage commented from the side. "Let him do as he pleases, he is only delaying the inevitable."

Just like the Archmage had said, the walls of the city were slowly breaking due to the extreme bombardment that the Elves had initiated. Hundreds of Thousands of spells that acted as catapults battered the city walls like hail.

Suddenly, giant fireballs fell towards the Elven Formation, but were blocked by the Guardians standing by their side.

"These are…" Ezkalor frowned.

"That Damned Toatie!" Eneru growled. "He is using our War Machines against us!"

"Fire!" Jekyll ordered and the Freedom Fighters fired another volley of fireballs that were meant to destroy city walls towards the Elven Army.

Jekyll had devoured the War Machines, but he didn't destroy them. He just stored them in a separate dimension inside his stomach, and was planning to use them against the Elves to give them a taste of their own medicine.

Dozens of fireballs the size of two or three carriages rained down on the Elven Army. Although the Guardians blocked all of them, they found it an annoyance.

The Alliance had no archmages among their ranks, so the War Machines served as their main source of offense.

The City of Gladiolus also had Magic Cannons that could be used as defensive weapons. However, Prince Ernest was currently in a coma and unable to activate them at the moment. This forced the Defenders to use whatever means that they had at their disposal, but it had borne no fruit so far.

The Spells descended unimpeded.

With each strike, parts of the walls collapsed.

Est's and everyone's faces became grim because they knew that it was only a matter of time before the walls gave in completely. When that moment came, they would have no choice but to abandon their posts, and ambush the invaders inside the City that had once been lively, before the Continental Spell hit.

Chapter 499: A Man That Didn't Deserve To Be Loved

Finally, after half an hour of bombardment, Ezkalor, Eneru, Nalzrig, and Zyphon joined the fray and cast High-Level spells that made things difficult for Ezio.

They could have swarmed in using their overwhelming numbers to overpower the defenders, but after the Kraetor Empire's interference, the High-Level officers of the Elven Army decided that they should conserve their manpower just in case the Young Empress changed her mind and attacked them from behind.

Soon, one of Drauum's Giant Boulders landed squarely against one end of the City Walls, destroying it completely. The Elves didn't rush in immediately, but continued their bombardment. King Minos was greatly disappointed by the Elves' cautiousness because it prevented him and the Minotaurs from fighting them in close combat.

He thought that the Elves would swarm the destroyed wall and use it as an entrance, but they seemed to really want to create as many gaps in their defenses as possible, which made the King of Minotaurs helpless.

—–

"Hah, what a bunch of cheapshots," the teenager with light-blue hair commented as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Winning without losing a single soldier is also a strategy," Nero stated. "However, although it looks so one-sided right now, the Elves are also exhausting a lot of magic power to continue this bombardment. Even their Guardians are aiding them in this war.

"You can even say that the Defenders have made them realize that they were not an easy bone to chew. I guess this could be counted as a victory for the Defenders, albeit a useless victory."

The teenage boy still wasn't convinced and voiced his opinion. "Isn't this what they call bullying?"

The purple-haired lady by his side chuckled. "It is the advantage of the strong. Even the Kraetor Empire would be bullied if it was weak. Why wouldn't you use superior power to suppress a weaker opponent? That will just be wasting your advantage."

Empress Sidonie had a calm expression on her face as she listened to the Protector's argument from the side. She planned to make her move at the last minute and be a heroine in William's eyes.

This way, not only will the boy feel indebted to her, the Hellan Kingdom would also owe her a favor. A simple strategy to profit in a war that she could easily end with a few words from her luscious lips.

—-

Seeing that many portions of the wall had been laid to waste, Elandorr finally gave an order to advance.

A powerful roar came from the Wolf Riders as they stormed towards the gaps in the walls to enter the city.

Drauum, Eneru, Ezkalor, Nalzrig, and Zyphon had taken humanoid forms and advanced as well. The moment they entered the city, they immediately heard intense fighting between the two sides.

The Super Soldiers and Ash

Golems rampaged and fought the invaders head-on. The Minotaurs were also at the midst of the battle, and their weapons were all stained with Elven blood.

Drauum smashed a super soldier's body and turned it into meat paste when it blocked its way. It had only traveled halfway into the city when a fist appeared out of nowhere and sent him flying towards the city gates.

King Minos materialized out of thin air and glared at the Ancient Golem.

"Let's finish what we started yesterday," King Minos declared. "Of course, if you are scared, feel free to run away."

Drauum stood up from the rubble and sneered at the King of the Minotaurs. "I'm not afraid of livestock."

"Good." King Minos summoned a golden plated War Axe that was inscribed with magical runes. "Breaking you will not be fun otherwise."

The two powerhouses charged at each other and collided in one powerful clash. King Minos fought Drauum in the middle of the City in order to involve the invaders in the destruction that they were causing.

Because of this, the Elves were forced to steer clear and make detours off to the sides to prevent themselves from getting caught in the crossfire.

Past the Center of the City was where the other members of the Minotaur Race were hiding to ambush the Elves. Est and the others were with them, as well as the remnants of the Freedom Fighters.

The moment the Elves got past King Minos' slaughter zone, they immediately stepped into action and fought in close combat.

Thor, Ragnar, and Dia transformed into their Centennial Forms. Wendy, Ashe, and Est mounted them and fought bravely, alongside their allies.

Empress Sidonie, who was watching the battle inside the city using a crystal ball, gazed at Wendy who she had recognized as William's lover. However, she frowned when she saw the beautiful girl with light-blue hair that was seated on top of a three-headed Beast.

She didn't recognize who she was, but she had a feeling that she had met her before. Also, her womanly instincts were telling her that the girl and William may have a close relationship.

< Another rival has appeared? >

Morgana chuckled inside Empress Sidonie's mindscape. She eyed Ashe with genuine interest and wondered if William had already made her his woman.

< Well, you should add her to the list of people that you will save. Maybe Darling will become so indebted to us that he would give me– I mean, give us his babies. >

'I'm still more beautiful than her,' Empress Sidonie stated with confidence.

< Of course you are. We are the most beautiful girls under the heavens. It doesn't matter if there are a few more love rivals along the way. In the end, the one who Darling will love the most will be us. >

Empress Sidonie nodded her head. 'How about that handsome boy riding on that golden winged serpent? If I'm not mistaken, he is also Sir William's best friend.'

< Right. We should add him to the list as well. The more the merrier. >

The Young Empress and her devilish Big Sister didn't care if Wendy and the others were hurt during the battle. The only thing she cared about was that they stayed alive. As long as they still had a breath of life in their bodies, she would be able to save them.

Saving a person that was about to die was vastly different from saving someone that was not in danger. The more dangerous the situation, the higher the rewards that could be redeemed would be.

< Still, just where is Darling? Did he really go away just like Conner mentioned when he jumped to our side? >

'I'm sure that he will appear sooner or later,' Empress Sidonie replied. 'He would not leave his lovers alone to fend for themselves. He is not that kind of person.'

< True. >

Empress Sidonie and Morgana had an unwavering faith that William wouldn't leave his loved ones behind. Although both girls didn't want to consider the possibility of William escaping all alone by himself, they didn't dismiss it completely.

Both of them vowed that if the man they loved were truly that kind of person they would do everything in their power to capture him at all cost. Then, they would torture him and cut his limbs off one by one.

A man who could toss away the people who truly loved him was scum. Empress Sidonie and Morgana despised these kinds of people.

A man like that didn't deserve their love.

A man like that didn't deserve to be loved.

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