Chapter 181: Hail. Bow Before The One.

"Just don't dwell over it too much. No one was to blame with this. Everything was just a mistake that we didn't know that was coming." That's all I could say to Rize. I let her mourn there for a while and then I checked back on Zieglind.

"Oh, Zeta." Feran was there sitting in the corner watching Helga using her heal.

"How's he?"

"I honestly don't know how Zieglind is doing. But I guess he'll live? But he'll lose his three limbs permanently. Helga doesn't have a skill for that. She can only heal wounds and reduce pain but not grow back a limb."

"Well..." Zieglind has something about limbs right? Hmm... I forgot about it. But I'm pretty sure there is one. "Nevermind. Anyway, are they here?"

"The three of them? Not yet. Should I contact them?"

"No, no need. They should be here any minute no-"

"Why the sudden call?" I heard someone from behind so I turned around and found out that it was none other than Afal.

"Afal, good timing." I felt so dumb saying that out loud seeing the situation. "Well... not really. But anyway it seems that we've encountered a problem."

"What is it?"

"Well. You can see for yourself." I stood aside as to give way for Afal to see Zieglind bedridden.

"This..." Afal still kept up a level headed face. "What happened..? It's not him to be overpowered by someone or something."

"I don't know the full details either. Feran just called me over to the battlefield and I just lent my strength for the manticore there to be held back."

"I see. Then where is this manticore right now?"

"As of now I don't know. But the place were we fought him was near the sea and there was and unde-" I saw Afal was about to leave the room. "Wait, where are you going?"

"What underground thing are you talking about? Continue."

"Answer me first. Where are you going?"

"Killing that manticore."

"..." He's hopeless and reckless. "Just wait for now. Zieglind is in that state because of that monster."

"But-"

"Don't try to reason. Let's just wait for Zieglind's orders."

"I see." Afal put his back on the wall with his arms crossed as he observed Zieglind.

Well, I guess he's easy to manipulate if I put Zieglind's name. I'll keep that in mind.

Someone opened the door, "I heard you called for us?" It was such a relief to see that face.

"Greta!" I walked over to her and gave her a big hug. I backed off and looked at the two behind her. It seems that the quests they did weren't enjoyable for the three of them. I didn't notice but I turned the mood sour by hugging Greta. Well, things happen. "Welcome back." It's so good to see her.

"What's that smell? I smell blood and... burnt flesh?" As expected with Greta's sense of smell. She already know what's happening. "That smells like burnt human meat? Did you do something Zeta?"

"No- no. Definitely not."

"Hehe, I know. So what's happening?"

"Well... I don't knowhow to tell you this. But it's just better for you to see." I pointed my hands to where Zieglind was resting and horror took over their faces. "Are you sure this is him?"

"Yeah..."

"So... what'll happen to him?"

"He'll live... I think."

I looked behind Greta and Yefa was the first to rush next to Zieglind's side and hold his hand. A sour face and a fake smile welled up from Precia's face. "I'll be going outside for a fresh air. I'm still tired of all the quests we had to do."

"Ah- yeah. Be safe." I couldn't say anything. That face was too painful to be described. Eyes were dead as if something were taken away from her, her fists being gripped tightly to the point that I thought blood would come out and that fake sorrow smile was a type of sadness I couldn't imagine to even feel.

"Zeta?" Greta snapped me back to reality. "Something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's wrong." I just looked away to forgive myself for seeing those tears she just shed as she walked out.

After a while, Helga finished her healing for Zieglind. All his wounds were healed and back to their original state but as I figured. She can't heal Zieglind's limbs. I took a look at his status and his maximum health has gone down by 6000 health points. It seems that a bigger body means more health. But even with that cut HP, right now his maximum health is at max.

I ordered the rest of them to get some rest and let Zieglind rest alone.

A day passed.

Then it turned into days.

Into weeks.

Until it turned into months.

Three months to be exact. We were all still waiting patiently. Neco has already recovered from his wounds and has began to raid artifact dungeons again and again.

Yefa, Greta and Precia has been continuing to kill Serpent union members and their bases but no reports have been said for likea month. They either stopped or shared their information even more tightly. That's to be expected.

Rize has been training her disciples. They're incredibly strong now. I'm pretty amazed. And Rize herself aimed to be stronger too.

Afal has been training the elite units and the results they're showing are amazing. If the results of this training like years ago before the age of players came, they'll all be considered legends.

And I... have been doing nothing at all. I'm just observing Zieglind. Because at the second night, I felt something ominous inside of him. Something has awakened. But I don't know what that is.

I've been taking notes on what's happening at him. He sometimes grunts and are or in pain. But I don't understand how he's in pain when he doesn't feel anything. Maybe his soul is being damaged? I have no clue. Right now I'm tempted to use the flower of Zeratria. I tried to get in his soul but to no avail. That's why I want to use that item. But it's incredibly precious and it's an Ancient item. So it's gonna be incredibly difficult to get that item again.

That's why I called the only person I think could solve this problem of ours. Herold. "Zeta. Is he here?"

"Yeah." I replied.

"I'm not a druid or a healer or anything so I might not be able to know what exactly is happening to him now. But I'll still try. We need to wake him up. I found the main base of the Serpent union."

"That's amazing!" I thought it was impossible seeing how those serpent union members are just switching bases like its nothing.

Herold went in and looked on Zieglind. "That's a horrible state to be in. Herold then casted a skill that allows him to show Zieglind's status.

"What's up?"

"Hmm... This is interesting. He has a 95% Healing reduction in his status named Hell's Touch. You know this status?"

"No. I've never heard of that."

"I see. Then I'll check Zieglind himself." He placed his hands on Zieglind's forehead. Magic circles appeared from his hand up to his elbows passing through his own arm. "Wha-" Herold instantly backed off and stumbled as he fell on the ground.

"Wha- what's wrong?" I got extremely worried.

"Hey Zeta... has Zieglind... always been that powerful? I feel like... he's far stronger than me. That power that I saw inside him was... unending."

"What do you mean..?"

"I saw Zieglind there just for a glimpse. He was wielding a huge greatsword at nothing. It was just an endless darkness that stretched to infinity. I was about to drag him out but something grabbed my hand. It was gigantic. Not your typical giant."

"What is that even..?"

A giant red light of beacon that shot up to the sky was suddenly summoned out nowhere. It lifted Zieglind in an upright position and had his hands spread out. Like a cross position.

His eyes opened and a flicker of light came out then soon disappeared.

Afal came busting through the door holding his chest. I could see his heart... hearts? As it glowed from inside him. "What's happening!?" I asked of him.

"He's calling for me... for us!!! ARGHHHHHHH!!!" I've never seen Afal be in pain before.

"What do you mean calling?"

"The... The Demon King is calling for us!!!"

"What!?" As I said that, I felt the ground shake. A stomp. Another shake. Another stomp and another quake happened. I looked outside and thousands of monsters were marching our way. Their chests glowed with intensity and their eyes flickered in a red flaming aura.

All the trees we planted were all destroyed in a single walk they took.

"A demon horde!? Right now!? Damn it!" As I was about to summon my Gazer form, to kill them all, they all suddenly stopped. I looked back and saw Zieglind raising his hand.

"Come to me... Demon Sword, Acabar!"

A roaring fire of sword etched with the world of hell inside. Screams can be heard as he summoned it. Thousands? Millions? Billions? Or maybe Trillions of souls are lying dormant within that sword.

He wielded power, leadership and true evility for him to control those souls inside as they raged and raged wanting to get out.

"Kneel." A single word. A single word uttered and all the thousand demons outside kneeled before their master.