Chapter 108: Death Embrace

Chapter 108: Death EmbraceMaster Aaron felt a wave of relief wash over him upon seeing Apollo safe and sound. Despite knowing his apprentice’s exceptional abilities, the absence of Apollo on the battlefield filled him with unease. The sight of his young protégé brought a rare smile to his face.

"Don’t worry about me, Master. Didn’t you know how good I am? It’s not easy for me to die," Apollo quipped, a confident grin on his face.

Aaron chuckled, clapping a hand on Apollo’s shoulder. "I know, lad. But a master always worries."

Apollo’s gaze shifted to Reid and his grandfather. Their clothes were tattered, and their auras were noticeably weak. Yet something about Reid’s grandfather had changed. Apollo could sense it—a shift in his aura, a sign that he had reached the half-step limit breaker stage. Soon, he would attempt to break through and become a true limit breaker, extending his lifespan significantly.

Apollo sighed, contemplating the brutal reality of their world. ’Life-and-death battles are indeed the best way to become stronger’, he thought. You either die or survive and grow stronger—there are only two choices. Reid’s grandfather seemed to be one of the fortunate ones, having survived the ordeal and found a new path to strength.

Reid, noticing Apollo’s scrutiny, approached with a tired but grateful smile. "Thanks for everything, Apollo."

During the battle with countless beasts, Apollo kept an eye on Reid and his grandfather occasionally. Otherwise, it would have been more dangerous, and he wasn’t sure if they would have survived the war.

Apollo shook his head. "We all fought hard today. Your grandfather’s breakthrough is a testament to his will and strength. It has nothing to do with me taking care."

Reid’s grandfather, though exhausted, managed a weak nod. "You’re wise beyond your years, Apollo." Then he looked at Master Aaron. "Sir, you have taken a great apprentice."

"Haha, naturally, he is smart. Look whose apprentice he is," Master Aaron laughed, standing beside them."

Apollo glanced around for the white cat, Pussy King, but it had disappeared as mysteriously as it often did. He didn’t dwell on it; in fact, he found it preferable when the enigmatic cat wasn’t around.

After this, the group stood in silence for a moment and sighed, each reflecting on the day’s events and the battles.

Apollo, with the Book of Death now in his possession, felt its dark power pulsing faintly. He knew he had to examine it carefully to understand its secrets and capabilities.

The book was undeniably powerful, yet its true potential was veiled in mystery. The realization that this power could be both a blessing and a curse weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he had to navigate the dangers carefully.

Slowly, people began to emerge from hiding. Faces weary with fear and relief appeared from the rubble, warriors and civilians alike.

They began to regroup, with the strong supporting the weak and starting to tend to the wounded. The remnants of the battle were everywhere—scars in the earth, fallen buildings, and a lingering sense of dread.

As the night settled in, the survivors worked tirelessly. Apollo, now in the villa’s room alone—a place that hadn’t received much damage except for losing its lustre due to the death energy enveloping the city—found a corner to sit and reflect. He held the Book of Death, feeling its cold, dark aura intertwine with his own energy.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and plans. He had to learn to control this power and harness it without being consumed by it.

The death law in the Book of Death felt different, as if it had a mind of its own, influencing the user’s thoughts. Apollo knew he had to be careful with it.

Now that he had understood twenty per cent of the law of death, he finally used it to open the book, something he couldn’t do during the battle when he had only utilized its function as a divine weapon to increase his strength and use its divine ability.

As soon as he opened the first page of the black Book of Death, covered in unique runes, it burst out with death energy. The villa instantly became dark, transforming into a haunted house from within.

A mysterious power, imbued with the law of death, began to force its way into his mind. This sudden intrusion surprised and made him a bit anxious, causing him to wonder if he shouldn’t have tried to open the book.

But just as the weird, mysterious power of death entered his mind, it encountered a force even greater. Instead of gaining any control, it was instantly swallowed by a mysterious power, akin to a black hole that consumed light, space, and even time.

The Book of Death trembled, but the mysterious power seemed to have locked onto him. In a few seconds, it finally stopped, and the strange death energy dissipated. A clear page of the Book of Death appeared before Apollo’s eyes.

Apollo gazed at the revealed page, feeling the weight of the death law pressing against his consciousness. The runes on the page began to glow, forming intricate patterns that seemed to shift and dance. Words in an ancient language he couldn’t fully understand appeared, but their meaning seeped into his mind.

"Death’s Embrace: The ability to call upon the souls, granting them life to serve the wielder’s will."

Apollo felt a shiver run down his spine. This was a power unlike any he had ever encountered. It was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. He can play with death and soul and bring them back to life with the Book of Death; he couldn’t help but be shocked by its power. It is truly a divine weapon.

But just as he was about to close the Book of Death, it trembled, indicating that it sensed the power of death nearby.

"Hmm!" This surprised him, as there shouldn’t be anything or any undead left within the city after the lich’s death.

He took this matter seriously and quickly went outside to find where the Book of Death was sensing the power of death.

Following its direction, Apollo finally arrived at the place. If Commander Spirit Eye were here, he would certainly be surprised, because the location where Apollo appeared was none other than the hideout of the four gangs, destroyed during the battle between Spirit Eye and the Human Chimera.

The place was empty, with nothing left but ruins. However, as Apollo approached, he felt something peculiar—a sense of something alive or not quite right. Despite this strange feeling, he continued to follow the lead of the Book of Death, which had become calmer due to the mysterious power or system that had influenced it.

Arriving at a corner where a puddle of blood still remained, Apollo noticed that the Book of Death in his mind seemed to be pointing towards the blood puddle.

"Apollo swiftly retrieved the Book of Death, which opened on its own, emanating a haunting black glow.

"Does it want me to cast the spell and summon something?"

Apollo hesitated, staring at the blood puddle and the glowing Book of Death in his hand. He knew the power within the book was capable of summoning souls and commanding them. But what could possibly be lurking within this bloodstained corner of the ruined hideout?

Drawing a deep breath, he made a decision. Closing his eyes, he channelled the power of the Book of Death. The runes on its pages shimmered brighter, resonating with the death energy permeating the air. Words of invocation, ancient and powerful, formed in his mind as he began to speak aloud.

"Souls bound in blood, heed my call. I invoke Death’s Embrace; grant them life once more!"

A surge of dark energy burst forth from the Book of Death, engulfing the blood puddle. The ground trembled faintly as wisps of shadowy mist coalesced, swirling and taking shape. Gradually, forms began to emerge—a hideous figure that seemed to have too many faces that made it look hideous as its crimson eye glowed with fierce light.

It turned out to be none other than the Human Chimera, created by the Lich using dark magic fueled by thousands of lives. Normally, such creatures perish when their master dies, but this one was different—it had somehow managed to survive, lingering in the small puddle of blood.

The spell from the Book of Death seemed to fully revive it after bringing hundreds of souls from the underworld.

It was a chilling sight—the hideous form of the Human Chimera rising from the blood-stained ground, its multiple faces contorted in a grotesque display. The crimson eyes burned with an intense, malevolent glare as they fully materialized in response to Apollo’s invocation.

The monstrous Human Chimera fell to its knees as it fully manifested, demonstrating its loyalty to Apollo.

It was a surprising sight; despite feeling the creature’s unimaginable ferocity, anger, hate, and killing intent, it appeared very docile and obedient, following his every command.

And it didn’t seem weak; from its aura, Apollo could tell its strength surpassed that of a third-rank limit breaker and had reached the level of a fourth-rank grand master. However, he wasn’t sure exactly what kind of power it possessed at the grand master level.