Chapter 554 - Just a Man (Patreon)

Zeke sat atop the wall and took a bite of the pastry.  The lemon filling was tart, perfectly complimenting the sweetness.  The city of Moreth stretched out before him, and the sound of ongoing battle echoed through the streets.  Everywhere he looked, legions of kobolds fought against groups of knights.  As was usually the case, if it was a one-on-one fight between a kobold and a knight, Zeke’s legionnaires would have been easily defeated.  The general power they could bring to bear had increased, but their monstrous origin had yet to be completely discarded.

“One day,” Eveline said.

Zeke agreed with that assessment.  They’d made great strides, but they still had a long way to go.  To counter that deficiency, they had developed their ability to work together.  That was further enhanced by their collectivist nature, which served to give them a nearly supernatural ability to anticipate one another’s actions.  They moved almost as one, deploying shield walls powerful enough to stymie even the strongest knights, then counterattacking with wicked spear strikes as well as their light-based skills. 

Meanwhile, Adara and her own squad – mostly former Knights of Adontis – fought using similar tactics to that of the Radiant Host.  However, with her strength driving them forward, the chaff they’d found in their path was insufficient to even slow them down, much less stop them.

Then there were the Inashi, led by Pudge, who attacked with such ferocity that any conflict was settled before their targets even had an opportunity to react.  Once the enemy fell, Pudge and the kobold assassins disappeared, departing to hunt for another foe.  To maximize their impact, they took aim at officers or particularly powerful enemies, which spread a sense of panic and fear among the opposing ranks.

Finally, Zeke saw the assorted collection of beastkin, humans, and other races that had once been enslaved in Adontis.  Most of those people had taken on non-combat roles within the Crimson Tower, but there were plenty who sought revenge on those they deemed responsible.  And as the Adontis was a vassal nation of the Imperium, their ire had been transferred to the Radiant Host and the people who fell beneath their protective umbrella. 

The Irregulars, as Zeke thought of them, fought with fury, though they lacked the discipline and supernatural teamwork of the legion.  So, they predictably took great losses in any battle.  The only reason they hadn’t all died was because they were also incredibly versatile.  Among their ranks were healers, mages, rangers, and warriors  - and everything in between – so they were capable of exceeding the power their levels suggested were possible. 

They took casualties, but they were effective nonetheless. 

Zeke enjoyed his pastry as he watched the battle progress, and for a while, he thought they would win handily.  Even on equal footing, his army was a match for whatever forces Moreth could muster, and given that they’d taken the city by surprise, the favorable outcome seemed assured.

Yet, Zeke knew deep down that it wouldn’t be that easy.  That was one of the reasons he’d yet to lend his own strength to the battle.  The other was that his people needed the experience as well as the kill energy.  Primarily, though, he didn’t want to be distracted when Moreth’s true powerhouses showed themselves. 

Because he knew such a large city wouldn’t be devoid of true strength.  Armies were all well and good, but often, battles were won or lost on the efforts of the elite.  So, Zeke watched and waited, ready to step in the moment his help was needed. 

“You know you can just go in and win this thing, right?  Less would die,” Eveline said.  She had appeared in her visible form, sitting next to him on the top of the building Zeke had chosen as his vantage point.  She looked entirely out of place, but given that she was a succubus – or had been – that wasn’t surprising.

“Not the point,” he answered, taking another bite of the pastry.  “These are really good.  I hope the baker doesn’t get caught up in the fighting.  Maybe he can come live in the tower and teach some of the kobolds the trade.”

“Kobolds only eat meat and mushrooms.”

“They eat whatever is available, actually.  I think they were naturally scavengers, but after Mikaena’s influence, they became more carnivorous.”

“Whatever the case, I don’t think they have the capacity to appreciate baked goods.”

“Probably not,” Zeke acknowledged, though the statement sent a wave of sadness through him.  A life without pastries was a terrible thing to contemplate.  “I wish we had a good barbecue place in the tower.  You know, there were people back in my hometown who’d been doing it for generations, and it showed.  Only once have I had anything half as good since being reborn.”

“My people were vegetarians,” Eveline said. “But there were some truly talented chefs on my world.  After being sent to Hell, I tried to survive on plants and other gathered foods, but the first circle is almost entirely barren.  It isn’t possible to pick and choose which foods you want to eat.  You take what you can find.”

She sighed.  “Not that I was even thinking about that.  Not after the first few years, at least.  Just like everyone else, I went feral.  I had no choice but to give in to my demonic nature.  It wasn’t until I reached the peak of that realm that I began to reassert my identity.  I was changed, though.  The girl I was when I died had long since been discarded.  I barely remember her anymore.”

“I see,” Zeke said.  In truth, he hardly recognized the person he’d been back on Earth.  Looking back, his obsession with a simple sport seemed silly.  Sure, he understood his thought processes.  It was a path to success, both financial and social.  If he conquered the sport, he could have become a millionaire, and even if he fell a little short of greatness, he would have ended up with a head start on most people his age. 

But his dedication had gone beyond that, and for the life of him, Zeke couldn’t really remember why.  By comparison, it all seemed so pointless, especially considering the stakes he now dealt with every day.  It was difficult to take a sport seriously when he engaged in life-or-death struggles.

“You are an obsessive person by nature, Ezekiel.  It’s one of your greatest strengths, but simultaneously, it can be a significant weakness.  Do not become so focused on your goals that you miss the world around you,” she said.

“Right now, my goal is to finish this pastry.  Then, I –”

Before Zeke could get the rest of his statement out, an explosion of power swept through the city.  At the point of initial impact, buildings were flattened, and hundreds of fighters – both kobolds and soldiers loyal to the Imperium – were immediately killed.  Zeke wasn’t certain about the nature of the attack, but he saw a few people simply explode from the sheer kinetic force on display. 

More importantly, as the dust settled a few moments later, he saw the culprit.

A man, standing taller than any of the other Knights, stood in the center of a crater.  He wore red-and-gold armor with a winged helmet, and he carried a massive axe that looked far too large for even his frame.  Behind him, at the edge of the crater, three women approached. 

They were all dressed identically in hooded white robes, and they each carried golden staves topped with elaborate depictions of angels.  They were too far away for [Inspect] to work, but Zeke suspected that their levels approached the peak of the realm. 

“Finally,” he said, pushing himself to his feet.  He tossed the remainder of the pastry aside and summoned Voromir to hand.  He leaped, already taking on his titanic form.  By the time he landed on the side of the crater opposite to the robed women, the transformation had completed.  That was when he used [Inspect] on the man at the center of the depression:

Callum Fris – Level 99

His attention shifted to one of the women:

The Handmaiden – Level 98

Then to the next:

The Concubine – Level 97

And finally, the third:

The Consort – Level 99

They were all powerful enemies, and they outnumbered Zeke four-to-one.  Yet, he had enough experience that he knew his strength far exceeded what one would expect from his level.  And looking at these newcomers, Zeke got the feeling that they were all much weaker than the necromantic vessel that had nearly killed him. 

“Monster!” shouted the man, hefting his axe.  “You have intelligence enough to understand that you have trespassed on our territory.  Surrender now, and we will provide you with whatever you wish.  Food.  Mates.  Enemies to hunt.  But if you persist in this conflict, we will be forced to put you down.  Make your choice.”

Zeke was initially taken aback by the offer.  From his experience, he’d not expected to be afforded a choice.  Certainly, the Imperium had never given any options to those they habitually enslaved.  However, after only a moment, Zeke felt a surge of mana that announced that the three white-robed women were casting some sort of collective skill.  So, the offer was only meant as a distraction.

Still, Zeke didn’t immediately attack.  Instead, he intended to let them believe he was considering the offer. 

“That’s a lot of power, Ezekiel,” Eveline said, referring to the building skill. 

“I know.  It’ll be fine.”

It built for a few more moments until, at last, it reached a crescendo.  Then, the sky opened up and a column of dense fire descended from the heavens.  It crashed into Zeke a second later, burying him beneath a torrent of flames that were hot enough to melt the stone beneath his feet.

Yet, Zeke endured, drawing on [Hand of Divinity] to mend the damage caused by the powerful spell.

Which was minimal.

When the fires ceased and the steam and smoke dissipated, Zeke stood before the crater, his metallic body glowing red.  He said, “You know, anything but fire, and that might have hurt a little.”

Then, he used [Storm of Hammers], followed by [Titan’s Smash].  As he swung Voromir, he also activated its innate ability, and a giant spectral copy of the weapon appeared in mid-air.  It fell upon the Knight in the center of the crater, hitting him with the combined force of Zeke’s skill, the immense weight of the hammer, and all the strength he could bring to bear.

At the same time, a tornado of phantom hammers manifested, slamming into the Knight and obscuring his vision. 

Zeke stomped on the ground, sending a rift tearing across the crater.  However, he hadn’t aimed at the Knight.  Instead, he’d targeted the three women.  A second later, a column of corruption and fire erupted from the earth, bathing all three of them in destruction. 

But Zeke wasn’t finished.

He activated [Shifting Sands] as well, and time stood still.  He descended into the earth, then shot forward, only to bypass the crater entirely.  By the time he reached his destination, the fires of [Hell Geyser] had reached their peak.  Screams of sheer agony filled the air as he erupted from the ground, already swinging his hammer.

The first attack hit the Handmaiden, and she crumpled beneath the blow.  The second descended upon the Concubine, and though she attempted to erect some sort of shield to protect her from Zeke’s vicious attack, it shattered beneath his immense power.  So did she, only a moment later. 

The Consort put up more of a fight, but she too fell after only two more attacks.  It all happened in the space of a couple of moments, and by the time [Hell Geyser] dissipated, all three women were dead.  More importantly, Zeke had already used [Colossal Army].  One after another, ten bronze golems stepped out of the rip in reality, joining him as he faced down the stunned Knight. 

“W-what…what are you?”

“Just a man,” Zeke answered.

Then, he leaped forward, ready to end the battle.