Star Forge Titan

Chapter 69: The King Must Go First

A pair of scarlet eyes pierced through the dust and looked down at the earth from high above. A huge figure as tall as a mountain slowly stood up.

The bent back gradually straightened, the rotten flesh and blood kept falling off but quickly regenerated, and a terrifying giant as broken as a rotten corpse stood on the ruins.

"The Death Rejecter..." Khayon's expression froze. He knew this monster better than anyone present.

The Apocalypse-level Undead Colossus - the one who refuses death, its main material is a spine from the second generation of giants, a powerful creature second only to the legendary giant kings and the first generation of giants.

Combining the report of the local Alchemist Association and Lucius's own investigation results, this second-generation giant spine excavated in the Flanders region came from a powerful second-generation giant named Frost Earth Helium.

According to legend, Helhem has the authority to control the cold glaciers and permafrost, and is a member of the personal guard directly under the command of the Ice Giant King Ymir.

Since Lucius only got a section of the spine, he had to use sub-dragon bones as material to fill the missing parts of the skeleton, and then used necromancy to process a large amount of muscles from demonized beasts and arcane monsters and fill them between the skeletons.

According to the plan, Lucius also planned to use inert magic metal to make a defensive armor with amazing anti-magic power to cover the body of the Death Rejecter to provide protection. However, due to time constraints, this step and the previous muscle filling step have not been completed yet.

Even so, an extremely terrifying monster has appeared in front of people!

Compared to the original heavy and huge Death Rejector, this unfinished monster has a giant-like appearance, but three curved horns grow on its head, as if it is wearing a devil's horn crown.

Huge rivets with a diameter as large as a round table directly fixed the rusted armor parts to it. The nails penetrated deep into the flesh, and streams of dark brown dirty blood oozed out of the wounds, flowing freely on the surface of the rotten body.

Except for the helmet, shoulders, right arm and part of the breastplate, most of the Death Reject's body was not covered with armor, revealing an incomplete and empty abdominal cavity. The internal organs that flowed out of it were rolled back on his body, wriggling constantly like a living thing.

Most shockingly, the Death Reject, transformed into a rotting giant, actually had a face remarkably resembling Lucius! Gazing at the massive, Apocalypse-class undead colossus, Khayon's smile gradually faded, and he sank into a mysterious silence.

The necromancers around who recognized Khayon also quietly distanced themselves from him without changing their expressions. Soon, an area around the young black-robed mage was quickly cleared.

Ivan, who also arrived at the Three Towers Hill, also saw this terrifying monster.

"Getting bigger and uglier, that guy..."

Although he had guessed that Khayon would definitely perform the traditional backstab skills of a traitor, he never imagined that the seriously injured wizard would become such a horrifying appearance before his eyes.

No human emotion could be seen in the cloudy eyes of the Death Rejecter that were about to fall out of their sockets. The muscles on his face were mostly rotten, revealing half of the bones. Only the deep hatred contained in his roar was obvious.

Lucius, who was transformed into a special spiritual component and implanted in the Death Rejector, lost everything as a human. In his incomplete consciousness, only the resentment towards life and the twisted desire to corrupt all things under the influence of the evil god's power were left.

The roaring Death Rejects suddenly took a deep breath, and then the chaotic Undead army in the square immediately fell down in large numbers.

The souls that were originally fixed in those skeletons by necromancy were forcibly extracted, and turned into tiny points of light and flew into the mouths of those who resisted death like tired birds returning to their nests.

Through the damaged abdominal cavity, one can see a large magical device made of corrosive iron installed near the heart of the Death Rejecter's body. It is a magic furnace modified by Lucius. With the influx of a large number of dead souls, green flames are constantly spewed out from the inside.

Seeing this scene, Alvin couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"The Forge of Pain? Those undead bastards actually built a prototype so early."

Having personally smashed and recovered this evil magical creation, he was not completely unfamiliar with the technology used in it.

This special magic furnace is not like traditional magic furnaces, which either burn magic materials or draw energy from the elemental plane to maintain operation. Instead, it needs the soul of life as fuel!

Because of this unparalleled act of blasphemy, this magic furnace also possesses an astonishing magic output power that exceeds the core of a large magic tower.

Otherwise, it cannot be used as an apocalypse-level core magic source.

But what Alvin couldn't figure out was, in this era when the technological revolution had not yet begun and nations were rising, what kind of thing could serve as a storage container to carry the powerful magic output by a magic source of this level?

What made him even more uneasy was that he actually felt a sense of familiarity and closeness from that terrifying, rotting giant, just like the long-lost robot vacuum cleaner at home???

Looking at the fifty-meter-tall Apocalypse-class Undead Colossus that seemed to be able to push down the Mage Tower with a wave of its hand, others were still shocked, but Ashram quickly realized the huge threat this Apocalypse-class Undead posed to the capital, Avonmore.

As the leader of the King's Royal Guard Black Knights, he would never allow this monster to wreak havoc in the city!

So, Ashram resolutely took the initiative to launch an attack!

After fully releasing his soul power, Ashram transformed into a demon wolf, his whole body wrapped in dazzling electric light. He roared and rushed forward with all his might.

But the contrast between the two sides is particularly despairing. The seven-meter-tall and more than ten-meter-long black magic wolf compared to the fifty-meter-tall rotten giant is like a Shiba Inu with bared teeth pouncing on a 1.8-meter-tall adult man.

Despite his resolute and brutal momentum, he didn't see any chance of winning at all.

"Captain! What are you doing, Captain!" Maria, the deputy captain of the Knights, shouted anxiously.

In the previous battles, she always seemed to be at ease. Even when she was attacked by the cultists, Alvin had never seen them lose their composure like that.

The battle between the determined demon wolf and the terrifying rotten giant lasted only a moment, and Ashram rolled back like a ball.

A large amount of blood spurted out of the demon wolf's mouth. He stared at the thick green shield on the body of the Death Rejector with wide eyes and couldn't help but spit out another mouthful of blood.

The divine shield was a protection built with sublimated power beyond the ordinary. The exhausted fourth-level champion knight was simply unable to penetrate this shield. It was like a natural barrier between gods and mortals, making people despair.

At this critical moment when his body and life were at risk, a ray of green light shot up into the sky from Schönbrunn Palace.

As everyone was stunned, Ashram struggled to his feet, his eyes bleeding as he let out a cry filled with sorrow and regret:

“Gustav—!”

Chapter 70 Moonlight Secret Sword

"How could such a beautiful woman fall from the sky into the garden?"

"Back then, I was five years younger than you are now. I thought it was the legendary angel with wings or a Valkyrie riding a Pegasus appearing before me."

Inside the Iron Palace, Gustav, with a sickly look on his face, let his thirteen-year-old son sit on his lap and whispered about the past in a hoarse but still magnetic voice.

He was wrapped in thick fur and leaning against the cold throne, his face pale and his fingers stiff. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, he would have looked like a lifeless corpse trapped on the throne, but not yet decayed.

"Is that Mommy?" The little prince Ostolfo held his rosy face with his hands and looked very interested.

Because his mother had to leave shortly after he was born, he was very interested in everything related to his mother. Therefore, whenever he had the chance, he would pester his father or sister with questions.

"Yes, that's your mother. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. I always thought so when I first met her at the age of eight, and when I met her again at the age of twenty-eight."

Gustav looked at the sky outside the window, as if gazing at a lover who was far away and out of reach.

Soon, the Demon King's expression suddenly became solemn.

As a fifth-level perfect being, even if he was seriously injured, his essence was still truly transcendental, and he was different from other levels of extraordinary beings at the source.

And that is also the crystallization of the possibility for mortals to completely transcend the constraints of the material world.

Therefore, the demon king Gustav Adol Andre Gusmith slowly stood up. At this moment, he felt particularly clearly the divine power that penetrated the boundary and descended into the material world.

Even if there is only a wisp of it, divine power is a sublimated force that completely transcends the constraints of the material world.

Even the most powerful transcendent beings in the material world cannot easily defeat that terrifying crystal of power.

This is because that power is not power in the simple sense, but the condensation of the element of "miracle", which is completely unconstrained by legal rules.

It was only used to create a protective barrier, but the moment of contact, Ashram, a fourth-level champion knight, suffered severe damage.

With insufficient magical power and encountering such a sudden change, even a fourth-level transcendent would not be able to escape unscathed. However, Ashram, the leader of the Knights, was not directly injured by divine power.

In fact, the wounds left by the thunder strikes, the sharp blade slashes, the canine teeth bites and the claws scratches were all from the attacks launched by Ashram himself just now.

The divine shield will completely rebound all attacks with 120% accuracy.

It is precisely this terrible effect that can only be explained by a miracle that makes mortals truly feel complete despair and fear.

Just when Ashram was seriously frustrated, Gustav fell into silence and quickly made a decision.

"Ostolfo, that's the end of the story."

All the palace ladies, servants and housekeepers had been evacuated to other areas in advance, so at this moment, there was no one else in the Iron Palace except the father and son.

In the empty ceremony hall, Gustav rubbed his youngest son's head with a kind expression on his face.

"Dad?" As if realizing something, Ostolfo subconsciously grasped the corner of his father's clothes. Anxiety surged in his heart, and tears as big as beans kept rolling in the beautiful boy's eyes.

"There's something I need to tell you and Fleur." Gustav gently hugged his youngest son, but soon let go without hesitation.

The Demon King stared at his youngest son with a look of understanding he had never seen before. The latter subconsciously tensed his body, feeling that he could no longer move an inch.

“A king must walk at the forefront of all people, clearing the way for them, carrying burdens for them, and providing them with protection. Otherwise, he should not accept the support of all people and should not wear the heavy crown.”

After saying this, the 42nd Demon King, Gustav Adol Andre Gusmith, who was suffering from injuries and illnesses, placed his young son and his treasures on the throne with great care and activated the throne's protective function.

The weapons that were melted and cast into the metal throne were all powerful men killed by successive demon kings, and their souls were sealed into the weapons by the necromancers.

When the defense function is activated, anyone who enters the palace without the blood of the Gusmith family will be automatically killed by flying weapons.

In addition, there was an almost undetectable magical power that transformed into a shadow lurking under the little prince's feet, making him unable to move, while also providing him with absolute protection.

Any extraordinary being who cannot be identified by the magic containing Gustav's will will be completely destroyed in an instant by the destructive power hidden in the shadows as soon as he approaches Ostolfo.

Tears welled up in the little prince's eyes but he couldn't shed them. He could only watch his father's slow steps fade away.

And at the waist of that hunched figure, there was a sword hanging which was used to pierce the earth with a powerful hammer!

In Ostolfo's memory, his father always carried this inconspicuous-looking weapon with him, and he never put down the sword even when he was extremely exhausted from pain.

But now, he seemed to hear the sword humming softly.

After leaving the main hall, Gustav came to Schönbrunn Palace alone.

He stood in front of the large oil painting with his family portraits, looking at the woman in the painting with gentle and calm eyes, as if time had stopped and he did not move for a long time.

I don’t know how long it took, maybe just a few seconds, a long sigh came from Gustav’s mouth, filled with immense guilt and regret.

"I'm sorry, Antonia, I have to break my promise."

After saying this, the Demon King no longer had any hesitation in his heart, and there was no warmth in his eyes.

The thick fur cloak slid to the ground, and the tall body that had been bent and hunched for many years straightened up bit by bit, as if throwing away all the fatigue and injuries.

All that remains is the majesty and power of a king.

Raising my hand and grasping the cold hilt of the sword, a familiar feeling came over me.

A dry, harsh friction sound like a crow's cry filled the air.

The sound sounded difficult and painful, but it never stopped.

Finally, after many years, the Demon King Gustav once again drew out the heavy sword that seemed to have never been unsheathed!

The green light rippling like water waves instantly illuminated the entire room, and the clear and loud sound was like a flying bird circling in the palace corridor.

"Long time no see, old partner." A smile appeared on Gustav's lips, and he sent a wisp of weak soul power into it.

Although this power has been extremely weakened, the forged steel soul in the sword has been fully awakened.

Different from the confused look of 'Burning Justice' held in Ivan's hand, this one-handed sword made of cyan crystal texture has truly awakened at this moment!

Only the power of the soul can fully awaken legendary equipment. This is a secret that even Afrediya does not know, and it is also a secret that the Demon King and Queen keep to protect her.

This is because the fully awakened Forged Steel Soul will attack with all its might all those who have not signed a formal contract with it. At that time, the legendary longsword will be like being held in the hands of a high-level swordsman, with terrifying lethality.

But as the true contractor of this legendary sword, Gustav only felt a strong longing from the sword, and a constant stream of cold air overflowed from it, freezing all the adverse reactions in his body.

'The Commandment of Extreme Cold', a celestial weapon along with Burning and Justice, is a legendary longsword, possessing a powerful chill that can freeze even magic.

This was the sword Gustav obtained when he was young. It helped him gain fame on the Fire Realm Front and also left behind a terrifying frost legend for the demons of hell.

Without indulging in the beautiful memories of the past, the Demon King Gustav suddenly opened his eyes, and the intricately shaped dark golden three-root crown separated from his body. That was the immortal treasure passed down from generation to generation in the Gussmith family - the 'Crown of Time'!

The counterclockwise rotating gears on the Crown of Time slowly stopped, along with the countless reverse rotating minute and second hands. Then, the gears began to rotate clockwise, and the minute and second hands also began to rotate forward.

In an instant, a large amount of blood spurted out from Gustav's throat, staining the ground with bloodstains.

Moreover, black mist rapidly seeped out from the old wound on his chest, and his originally numb body felt the excruciating pain everywhere again. It was as if a knife was constantly cutting every inch of his skin, which was equivalent to a cruel punishment that ordinary people could not endure.

But whether it was the cursed mist or the pain, after just a second, they were all forcibly frozen by the cold effect of the "Supreme Cold Commandment".

But this was not without effect. The cold air only eliminated the feeling but did not eliminate the damage. At this moment, Gustav was heading towards destruction every second.

Taking a deep breath, the Demon King Gustav, who felt the whisper of death in his ear, quickly calmed his slightly trembling body.

He held his sword upright in front of him and whispered to his soldiers and comrades.

"Come with me for one last journey, my friend!"

The magic light was as bright as the stars, and Gustav's whole body was enveloped by that light.

There was no need to recite poems, and without any vision, a spirit that looked exactly like him appeared behind him. The wings condensed from shadows suddenly spread open, turning into huge black wings that seemed to cover the sky.

The next moment, the ultimate light was born from the shadows, turning into a pillar of light that pierced through the sky and earth, pointing directly to the bright moon hanging high in the night sky.

This is the Moonlight Secret Sword!

Chapter 71: Mage's Tongue