CHAPTER 263: THE ISLAND ABOVE THE WATER

“Damn it, how the hell did this…”

The 5th Apostle staggered like a puppet with cut strings, gritting his teeth.

The technique he had just used was one that automatically activated when he entered a near-death state.

Divine Possession.

It was a survival technique that summoned a fragment of Moon Mother, entrusting his body to her power while maximizing it, healing all wounds.

It was essentially an extra life, a technique so important he had been preciously saving it.

“…”

The 5th Apostle glared at Ethan.

His memory was cut off right after using the Sky-Shattering Chain Kick.

He must have been defeated then.

To think there was an ice attack powerful enough to freeze him instantly.

The 5th Apostle had experienced countless battles throughout his life. Of course, he had encountered many who used ice techniques in the process.

But he had never met anyone like Ethan Whiskers before him.

To think there was someone with enough power to completely freeze him.

“Damn, it was a trump card I’d been saving to challenge the higher apostles someday.”

The 5th Apostle spoke with a seemingly relaxed voice. But in reality, he was not relaxed at all.

This power had great limitations. It was a secret technique that could only be used by sacrificing at least a thousand lives, or more.

To have wasted such an important secret technique so pointlessly.

He couldn’t afford to act relaxed.

Above all, he felt tremendous anger at not being able to use that power properly.

With Ethan’s skills confirmed to be far superior, the fact that Divine Possession had been dispelled essentially meant defeat.

Gritting his teeth-

“Damn believer in false gods.”

The 5th Apostle looked at Pope Frederick, who was emitting a shining divine power.

The Pope was emitting the benevolent divine power unique to the Holylight Order, which greatly irritated the 5th Apostle.

To think Divine Possession would be so easily dispelled by that divine power.

“I wanted to kill you from the moment I first saw you. Fine, fine. No more carelessness. Let’s put it all on the line.”

The 5th Apostle looked at Ethan.

Seeing Ethan’s appearance, his expression involuntarily frowned. That attack just now was powerful enough to kill him instantly.

The problem was that even after using such a technique, Ethan didn’t seem very tired. Rather, it seemed like it was just a warm-up.

His noble posture and aura were enough to make anyone standing before him cower.

Shaaak-

The 5th Apostle touched his own chest.

Even though all his wounds had clearly healed, the inside of his body felt chilly.

“What the hell is this cold that won’t go away?”

The 5th Apostle clicked his tongue. Though Divine Possession should have healed him perfectly, the chilly cold inside his body showed no signs of dissipating.

If he didn’t consciously exert strength, he felt like his teeth would chatter on their own.

“I’ll admit it, Ethan Whiskers. You surpass me. You’re above me. But… this is the end.”

The 5th Apostle grinned. The difference in skill was already clear. The possibility of defeating Ethan in a head-on battle was close to zero.

But there was a variable.

“You see, I didn’t come alone. I was planning to finish everything by myself, but… I guess I have no choice but to go with the original plan…”

Suddenly, the 5th Apostle’s words were cut off. It was because Ethan appeared in front of him before he could finish speaking.

“I don’t have time to listen to your chatter.”

Ethan swung his sword.

Shaaaak-!

As the power of Moonforce grew stronger, Ethan Swordsmanship also emitted a much more powerful cold air than before.

It wasn’t the Full Moon level he had used earlier, but it was still quite a tricky swordsmanship that was problematic whether blocked or dodged.

‘I can’t use Full Moon consecutively.’

It was clearly a powerful technique, but it was also quite burdensome for Ethan. Especially, it was impossible to use repeatedly unless his mana was fully recovered.

‘The Moonforce power inside my body needs to be recharged.’

As powerful as its effect was, its consumption was also great, making it a technique that could essentially be used only once per battle.

‘Though Ethan Swordsmanship also consumes an enormous amount of mana to the point where it can’t be used…’

“Lyuka!”

“Kyung!”

Ethan had Lyuka, the Master of Mana.

The summoned Lyuka replenished Ethan with new mana.

It couldn’t replenish the power of Moonforce, but this was enough for now.

‘I can use it.’

Ethan Swordsmanship 2nd Form

Moonforce

Shaaaak-!

The 5th Apostle blocked by crossing his arms. But immediately, the 5th Apostle’s arms began to freeze. The 5th Apostle cursed and spun strongly in place.

Ethan continued to swing his sword in sync with that movement. Having used Bullet Time earlier, he could see exactly how the 5th Apostle would move.

“I told you, didn’t I? That you’re above me. I won’t fight you anymore.”

The 5th Apostle said, taking a defensive stance.

“Genesis of Heaven and Earth – Golden Light Fist.”

Kwaaaang-!

With a thunderous roar, the ground began to shake.

“If I can’t defeat you alone, there’s no reason to face you by myself!”

Kugugugugung-!

It was a tremendous roar.

The ground shook and buildings trembled.

‘He didn’t use his physical body. He used some kind of artifact.’

“Wh-what is this!”

“Th-the ground is shaking…!”

“Protect His Majesty!”

The Pia Knights, who had regained their senses thanks to the Pope, moved to protect the king. However, the ground was shaking so violently that they couldn’t move properly.

Kwak-! Kwagak-!

Following the shaking ground, buildings began to collapse.

Kwang-! Kwang-!

Cracks opened their mouths wide, and Watopia’s defensive barriers that created the boundary with the sea began to tear apart.

There are no earthquakes in Watopia.

Therefore, experiencing the shaking of the ground for the first time in their lives, the merfolk fell down in confusion.

Jjeojjeok-.

Although the Pope had evacuated most of them, this was still a residential area for merfolk. When the ground shook, many merfolk came out to assess the situation.

Even the king of Watopia was greatly bewildered by the sudden earthquake.

Kwak-. Kwagagagak-!

And simultaneously, the sound of something breaking was heard.

Shaaaak-!

Finally, the barriers broke and water began to enter Watopia. At the same time, the earthquake intensified.

“Ethan!”

Something was going wrong. With the Pope’s cry, Ethan moved. If something is wrong, it just needs to be fixed.

Swaeaek-!

‘The floor is shaking.’

Because of this, it was difficult to use high-powered techniques. One wrong move could even cut down merfolk.

But even so.

“Killing is enough.”

Seoh-geok!

Ethan’s sword cut off one of the 5th Apostle’s arms.

“Kuuuuuuh-!”

It was a sharper attack than before.

The 5th Apostle screamed. To lose an arm he had just recovered so pitifully. But the 5th Apostle regained his posture. There was still Moon Mother’s power left inside him.

“Hup!”

As he used Moon Mother’s power, his severed arm reattached itself.

The 5th Apostle, upon recovering his arm, began to flee with all his might.

Ethan immediately aimed for the 5th Apostle’s neck. But the shaking intensified, making it difficult even for Ethan to move properly in this situation.

“Kukukuk.”

The 5th Apostle began to laugh at Ethan’s predicament.

But that was only for a moment.

Kwang-!

Ethan stomped the ground strongly.

As the Earth Spirit King Tror’s contractor, Ethan had the power to control the earth.

Earth Quake.

Ethan suppressed the earthquake with Tror’s power, regained his balance, and rushed towards the 5th Apostle.

“Wh-what!?”

As Ethan overcame the earthquake using Earth Quake and regained his balance, shock spread across the 5th Apostle’s face.

Ethan approached the 5th Apostle instantly with just one kick off the ground and swung his sword. It was a strike aimed precisely at the neck.

Swaeaeak-!

Seoh-geok!

At that attack, the 5th Apostle abandoned all pride.

Bwoong-!

Literally, he got down on all fours like a dog to avoid the attack.

It severely hurt his pride, but if he hadn’t dodged like this, his head would have surely been cut off.

“Damn it! How, how are you keeping your balance in this shaking!”

Kwagagagagak-!

With a roar, Watopia shook even more violently. The 5th Apostle quickly crawled forward, taking advantage of this moment.

“What have you done!”

“What have I done, you ask?”

The 5th Apostle bared his teeth and laughed at the Pope’s rebuke.

“This cursed land is too deep in the sea. So we’re pulling it up! So my subordinates can come.”

Kwagagagang-!

Watopia began to rise rapidly.

Ethan swung his sword to cut off the 5th Apostle’s breath, but his figure disappeared instantly.

‘Perfect mimicry!’

Perfect mimicry was difficult to uncover even with Ethan’s eyes.

Ethan strained his eyes hard, but it was of no use.

It was quite difficult to find his figure when the 5th Apostle, possessing the powerful ability of perfect mimicry, was determined to escape.

To make matters worse, merfolk surprised by the earthquake had come out onto the streets.

Perfect mimicry shone in this chaos.

Ethan turned his head roughly.

‘I have to find him. If I lose him, all the merfolk here could die!’

-Eye of Horus proficiency has increased!

In this urgent situation, Ethan’s Eye of Horus made rapid progress. It was painful as if his eyes would go blind, but at the end of that pain was enlightenment.

-The eye that sees truth has bloomed.

The eye that sees truth.

At that moment, Ethan saw the 5th Apostle wrapped in smoke. Although he was using perfect mimicry, he could no longer deceive Ethan’s eyes.

‘Thank you.’

Ethan immediately charged at the 5th Apostle. The surprised 5th Apostle pretended to be calm, but as soon as he realized Ethan was rushing towards him, he hurriedly tried to mimic a different appearance.

But mimicry no longer worked on Ethan.

“Ugh!”

The 5th Apostle, caught by Ethan, groaned. Ethan swung his sword without hesitation, aiming for the neck.

But at the moment he was about to swing his sword, the ground shook violently again. It was a different kind of shaking from before.

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The 5th Apostle said with a sinister smile.

“Kuku-. Kukuk-. It’s already too late. All I needed was a little bit of time, just a little bit of time for you not to kill me. It’s already all risen up!”

Shaaaak-!

Watopia shot up high into the sky, creating a splash.

Like a dolphin, Watopia that had emerged above the water surface fell onto the surface with a thunderous sound.

Kuung-!

The underwater city of Watopia.

Now it was no longer an underwater city, but a floating city on the sea.

“Now Watopia is no longer an underwater city, but an island. And from today, that island will be erased from this sea!”

The 5th Apostle grinned. At the same time, the sound of drums could be heard from far away.

Kung-! Kung-! Kung-! Kung-!

Along with the drum sounds, a strong wind blew. With that wind, something was approaching Watopia from afar.

It was a fleet.

There seemed to be over twenty warships that could easily carry about a hundred people each.

“…”

The Pope’s face gradually distorted as he examined each flag one by one.

“There must be at least 2,000 of them…”

Assuming each ship carried about a hundred people, it meant that roughly 2,000 Dawn Council believers were advancing towards them.

Kung-! Kung-! Kung-!

Along with the drums they were beating, the ships’ cannons all moved towards Watopia.

“Your Majesty! We must resist immediately!”

This was not something Ethan could handle alone.

The Pope shouted, having made this judgment.

“But…”

However, the king of Watopia showed a troubled expression.

“We have no ships in Watopia.”

At that moment, Ethan stepped forward. The 5th Apostle was unconscious, not dead. Ethan had intentionally kept the 5th Apostle alive.

“Ethan!”

“It’s alright.”

Ethan said.

After saying that, he immediately crossed the ground and leaped onto the water surface.

Then he immediately used a skill.

“Summon Turtle Ship.”

Author's Thoughts

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