Evernight smiled faintly upon seeing him trapped inside the statue, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough to hold him.
And just as she expected, an explosion erupted from within the immobilized stone shell.
The statue shattered violently, along with his body.
Igaris had chosen to self-detonate, conjuring a Fireball through sheer force of will to break free.
"My Liege, you could’ve asked me to free you, you know," Evernight remarked as his body reformed, piecing itself together in front of her eyes.
Igaris, still shaken from the brush with death, didn’t respond right away.
He had confirmed it himself—he could survive on his own, with no one else’s power. And that’s exactly what he did.
"Use that energy to cover me. That’s all I ask," he said, leaping into the air to avoid being encased in stone again.
Evernight watched him soar, stunned.
The longer she observed him, the clearer it became that he possessed the biggest ego she had ever seen in a boy.
An ego that refused to bend against overwhelming odds, and one that would never depend on others unnecessarily. Especially not on women.
With an amused smile, Evernight flanked his side again, her angelic wings flapping smoothly in the fading light.
Malthius joined on the left, each of his heavy footsteps thudding against the earth that had just tried to trap him.
On the other end, the Mountain King activated its defense mechanism. Its entire massive form became encased in a swirling sphere of earth boulders and jagged spikes, spinning with chaotic force.
Even Evernight, despite her speed, might struggle to pass through unscathed.
Igaris and his two guards halted.
He glanced at the massive creature, clenching his fist as its massive, thorn-covered palm descended upon them like a divine punishment.
Igaris activated [Spin-Shell Burst] to escape, but the sheer air pressure from the attack hit him like a hammer.
His body flew like a broken kite—but with a quick breath and focus, he activated [Gale Wings] mid-air, spinning and landing on his feet in a low crouch, stabilizing himself just in time.
His forehead was drenched in sweat, exhaustion crashing down on him like a tidal wave.
But even so, he refused to give in.
With a sharp inhale, Igaris launched himself back into the air, wind swirling around his body.
He would not be stopped by a mere mud monster. Not now. Not ever.
"So... what’s the plan?" Evernight asked as she flew beside him. Her voice held a rare note of concern. "Don’t tell me you’re planning to charge in and rely on your Undead regeneration to survive again."
"Yes," he said plainly, then paused and shook his head with a faint smirk. "But I’m no suicidal maniac. You and Malthius will create an opening through its defenses. Once I’m through... I’ll take care of the rest."
"I see..." Evernight’s expression shifted to something calmer, resigned, but respectful. "It’s risky, but if that is your command, My Liege, then I shall comply."
She surged forward, her golden chains slicing through the air.
Malthius followed without a word, positioning himself beside her, ready to strike in unison.
Igaris took a deep breath and steadied himself. His heartbeat echoed in his ears as he waited for the perfect moment.
But time wasn’t on their side.
Another giant palm bristling with thorns came crashing from the right, tearing through the air like a guillotine.
The giant palm of the Mountain King tore through the air with deafening force. The pressure alone sent shockwaves that flattened trees and cracked boulders around them.
"Now!" Igaris shouted.
Evernight and Malthius shot forward at once.
Golden chains erupted from Evernight’s hanf, glowing with holy energy. They whipped through the air, latching onto the incoming palm and halting it mid-swing. The sheer tension cracked the sky with thunderous strain, but she held it back with a feral cry, her dual-colored wings flaring wide.
Simultaneously, Malthius darted in from below. His form became a blur, moving with terrifying speed. A black arc of energy trailed his greatsword as he struck—slashing into one of the spinning earth spheres surrounding the Mountain King.
The explosion wasn’t just physical—it cracked the creature’s defense system briefly. That moment of exposure was all Igaris needed.
"[Spin-Shell Burst]!"
With a spiraling gust of energy, Igaris became a whirlwind, rocketing forward with his body surrounded by a spinning shell of hardened Rock. Dust and fragments flew past him, his vision narrowing to the exposed gap in the creature’s defense.
He pierced through it.
The outer shell of the Mountain King groaned as he passed through like a cannonball, landing directly on its mossy, stone-covered surface.
"Acquire!," he murmured, pressing his hand to the core he sensed buried within the beast’s frame.
A strange resistance met him. Not just physical, but spiritual. This was not an ordinary magical creature. It had an ancient presence, a soul etched into the land itself.
Trying to subdue it would be a war of wills.
Igaris gritted his teeth as his Platinum Colored energy surged forth, almost blinding to the onlookers.
From his hand, black tendrils of essence crept into the Mountain King’s body.
The beast shuddered, letting out a guttural roar that shook the sky.
"Keep it distracted!" Igaris shouted through the storm.
Evernight was already weaving through spinning boulders like a dancer, light glimmering from her body. Her golden chains now lashed out like whips, disrupting the spinning defense of the Mountain King.
Malthius, on the other hand, had taken the front line. He clashed directly with emerging golems trying to protect their sovereign. His swordsmanship was elegant and brutal, every slash drawing dark energy from his Godslayer style.
But they were both being pushed.
The Mountain King’s core raged, rejecting Igaris’ control.
The earth around them cracked and surged, new formations rising to shake him off.
Igaris’ arms trembled, but he didn’t let go.
"I am... your new master!" he declared, pushing more of his essence into the core.
Then suddenly, he saw it. A light deep within the mountain’s heart. A sentient consciousness, ancient and slow, gazing at him.
For a second, he saw a vision—of mountains rising, of time flowing, of civilizations turning to dust.
"I don’t care if you’re ancient," Igaris whispered coldly. "You belong to me now."