Chapter 460: Rebirth of Flesh and Blood
Back then, the Apocalypse Mercenary Company charged into the Turin Mountains like they were possessed, reckless and unstoppable.
Looking back now, it really does seem a bit foolish...
Just facing that enormous head alone made Dalson feel utterly powerless. He never could have imagined it.
When he first arrived in the second layer of the space, to be honest, he was genuinely excited. He even thought they’d quickly complete the commission for those Odin Kingdom royals and help the Apocalypse Mercenary Company earn that astronomical reward.
But...
He never could have imagined that things would turn out like this. Not only did Barris not fall into slumber, he actually transformed into a monstrous giant.
"Archmage Merlin... you don’t have any other tricks up your sleeve, do you?" Dalson couldn’t help but look at the young mage beside him. All this way, he’d treated the young mage as their anchor, and he’d never been disappointed. But this time was different. When he asked, he didn’t really expect an answer—he was just grasping at straws.
In his mind, this was a dead end. If they weren’t killed by this 'Barris', then failing to get the crown meant being trapped in the second layer forever. In the end, death awaited them—or worse, becoming undead themselves.
"No clever solutions left. All we can do is gamble on luck..."
Just then, Leon’s voice fell into Dalson's ears. He gave a bitter smile—just as he suspected. Even this almost omnipotent young mage was powerless now, even spouting words of defeat...
Wait a minute...
That didn’t sound like defeatist talk!
Dalson's eyes lit up, his nerves stretched to the breaking point. He stared at Leon, voice trembling: "Archmage Merlin, what did you mean by that just now...?"
"Heh..."
Leon just chuckled, then turned away, saying nothing more.
Of everyone present, probably only he knew the situation wasn’t as dire as it seemed. Of course, it all depended on luck—even he wasn’t sure if they’d pull it off.
At that moment, Solan Monty, unlike the others, wasn’t consumed by despair. In fact, a glimmer of excitement flashed in his dark eyes. He glanced around at the group, and when he saw Leon, his face went pale. He bit his lip, and a cold smile crept across his mouth.
Then...
To everyone’s shock, Solan Monty suddenly turned into a shadowy blur, charging straight at the massive head suspended in midair. To all present, it looked like pure suicide!
You have to understand, that colossal skeleton was once the body of Barris, a Heavenly Mage. Even if it’s lost its Sky Rank power, it’s still terrifying...
Forget a mere Fifth-Tier Title Archmage like Solan Monty—even Star Sage Joey, the strongest Title Archmage, would risk his life charging in like that.
Mad. He must be mad...
Other than that, no one could guess why Solan Monty would rush toward that head. To them, he must have been driven to the brink of insanity by despair.
But...
To everyone’s astonishment, in just a few seconds, Solan Monty used Levitation to approach the giant skull. The two blazing soulflames just stared blankly at him, making no move at all.
This... this makes no sense!
No one could believe their eyes. They knew better than anyone how aggressive that skeleton could be. When it first appeared, its destructive power was staggering—nearly ten thousand skeletal warriors had plunged into that bottomless chasm during the chaos...
But now, it wasn’t attacking Solan Monty!
Then, the skeleton did something even stranger—it gently lifted Solan Monty, holding him up before those burning soulflames, staring at him intently...
Honestly, Solan Monty wasn’t nearly as calm as he looked. His nerves were stretched taut, and when the skeleton’s hand lifted him up, cold sweat broke out all over his body. Luckily, nothing dangerous happened next. The two massive soulflames flickered before him, and he could clearly feel their chilling aura.
His back was already drenched in sweat, but Solan Monty forced himself to look steady as he faced the giant skull, his voice hoarse: "I’ve fulfilled my promise by coming here. Aren’t you supposed to give me what you promised...?"
After speaking, Solan Monty waited anxiously, his face full of unease...
Almost as soon as he finished, the skeleton seemed to understand and nodded gently. The two blazing soulflames stared intently at Solan Monty.
Seeing the skeleton’s gesture, Solan Monty’s eyes lit up—he was instantly overjoyed.
This was actually a legacy...
It was the inheritance he’d received during his month and a half in the Chained Palace. Becoming a Fifth-Tier Title Archmage was just a trivial part of it.
Once he reached the second layer of the tower and saw Barris’s remains, he’d receive the full legacy—inherit all the power of Heavenly Mage Barris...
At that point, he’d be a Heavenly Mage himself...
Forget the Sevenfold Council of the Black Tower—even Heron and Joey would have to look up to him.
As for a mere Matthew Merlin, I could crush him with a single finger!
No... I can't kill him so easily. He has to suffer every torture imaginable before he dies.
"Alright then, hurry up and give me the legacy!"
By now, Solan Monty was desperate for power. His body trembled with excitement, his face twisted with anticipation, his voice a near-roar.
Ever since meeting Matthew Merlin, he’d had to swallow his pride and live in constant fear. The humiliation he suffered was still fresh in his mind.
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He believed that only overwhelming power could give him the confidence to crush all his enemies. He was waiting to be reborn.
But...
Something felt off...
The skeleton’s hand holding him seemed to be tightening, squeezing his bones until they were about to shatter.
The madness in Solan Monty's eyes vanished, replaced by sheer terror as the giant hand squeezed him, his whole body creaking.
He unleashed all his power as a Fifth-Tier Title Archmage, but it was useless. He couldn’t escape—he could barely even make a sound.
"I... I... I don’t want... the legacy anymore! Let me go..." Using the last of his strength, Solan Monty finally managed a weak plea.
The giant skull stared at him emotionlessly. The two soulflames flickered, ignoring Solan Monty's words. Mechanically, the skeleton moved its arm, tossing him into one of its eye sockets...
"Ah! You lied to me, you actually lied! Where’s the Heavenly Mage power you promised..." Solan Monty went completely mad, screaming hysterically. But before he could finish, his body fell into the skull’s eye socket, and in an instant, the soulflame devoured him...
Dead...
Solan Monty was utterly annihilated—nothing left but ash from the soulflame. Yet, suddenly, a trace of red energy burst from the flame, rapidly expanding until both soulflames turned crimson.
Instantly, a terrifying wave swept out. The skeleton’s half-exposed body trembled violently. Dark clouds rolled overhead, thunder roared, and the entire undead space shuddered under the pressure. All undead creatures, whether sleeping or awake, low or high rank, fled in panic when they felt that wave...
It seemed the skeleton’s power was reviving. The oppressive aura radiating from it felt almost tangible, making everyone present struggle to breathe.
When the skeleton first appeared, its power was vaguely at the peak of Title Archmage, nearly Sky Rank. But after the soulflame devoured Solan Monty, its aura surged dramatically.
Everyone present was gripped by terror and despair. They could all see that the skeleton was undergoing a metamorphosis—once it completed, it would possess Sky Rank power.
They wanted desperately to flee, but under that crushing, tangible pressure, their legs refused to obey—they could barely move, let alone escape. And even if they could run, where would they go? Without the crown, they would be trapped here forever.
"Roar!"
The skeleton unleashed a roar that shook the heavens. In mere seconds, half its body was stained crimson, its power swelling to terrifying heights. Though not yet Sky Rank, it could easily crush even the strongest peak Ninth-Tier Title Archmage!
Just a little more time, and it would ascend to Sky Rank—its entire body freed from that mysterious restraint, ready to step out of the chasm...
With that roar, everyone could distinctly sense the change—the skeleton was becoming more human. Its movements, once mechanical and mindless, now seemed animated by a soul.
At this moment, nearly every face turned ashen with despair. Back on the eighth floor of the tower, they'd heard the Three-Eyed Hidden Wolf say: once Barris's remains fused with a soul, it would reach Sky Rank.
A skeleton with peak Title Archmage power was already enough to make them despair—let alone one at Sky Rank.
They couldn't grasp the details of the skeleton's transformation, but they could vaguely guess it was linked to the devoured Solan Monty. As for what exactly happened to Solan Monty, they had no way of knowing...
Suddenly...
A wave of destructive energy erupted from the skeleton—a Sky Rank aura. The exposed portion of its body shifted from bone-white to fiery red, as if drenched in blood, radiating an intense vitality.
Rebirth of flesh...