Chapter 757 Staff of Epos
?Michael pushed through the Undead masses for a while before replenishing his used-up energy with Inferior Energy Stones. Once he was filled to the brim with energy, Michael returned to search for the strongest Undead forces again.
He didn't want to waste his time, but it was not like he would ignore the Undead Higher Lifeforms that entered his path. He killed a bunch of Bone Titans, some Undead Awakened, and a bunch of other Undead before he made his way to a mountain range covered in sand.
"Am I right here?"
[Yep. The hidden valley of the Sacred Desert should be around here. Look out for a magic cir–...Ah. There it is!]
Michael's eyes landed on a small portion of the mountain range. Sand covered a large gate that had been built into the mountain range. If not for Spirit Eyes, Michael wouldn't have found it.
Michael released a gust of air to remove the sand and reveal the obsidian gate. He tried teleporting inside the room hidden behind the obsidian gate, but Cosmic Stride failed him.
"That's interesting," He murmured, teleporting before the obsidian gate and channeling some origin energy into it.
Michael flexed his muscles to push the gate open. It was harder than expected, but the origin energy spreading through the gate helped smoothen the sockets. At last, the gate swung open, revealing a small room of the same darkish obsidian. A complex of several overlapping magic circles, a short-distance teleportation array, had been engraved into the obsidian.
"Wouldn't it be easier to travel through the mountain range? This feels like a trap," Michael mused when his eyes fell upon a trace of the eerie cursed power he'd sensed earlier. The Curse Fragment had the same cursed power. No matter how Michael looked at it, someone altered the short-distance teleportation array. And that someone was the Undead Pharaoh or one of his Curse Fragments.
[You can try it, but I don't think you feel like dying today. The Red Dragon's flame was already hot, right?] Danny asked ambitiously.
Michael recalled their time in the Lord Rift. He shuddered as he recalled the Red Dragon's breath. The dragon's breath terrified him even now.
[Now imagine a being much stronger than the Red Dragon guarding the mountain range. The Lamia Queen, my first Summon, called the mythical creature a Primal Phoenix. They're also known as Sacred Creatures, though I don't know precisely what that means. I don't think that a Sacred Creature is stronger than a Mythical Creature per se. Either way, the Primal Phoenix kills everyone daring enough to enter its territory.]
Michael pondered about his brother's words for a moment, "And the mountain range is its territory. It doesn't care about the hidden valley, but the mountain range is off-limits."
His brother nudged at the back of his mind as if to agree silently.
"Great." Michael clicked his tongue, "And the Undead Pharaoh is in the hidden valley?"
[I don't know if he is still there, but the Primedival Pyramid is in the valley. The Undead Pharaoh might be there, or he might have left. But we haven't heard any reports about the Undead Pharaoh yet, and you haven't sensed or seen him either. He is probably in there. Even if he isn't, there will be a bunch of powerful Undead creatures for you to kill.]
Michael sighed deeply, but he gave his brother a curt nod. He stepped onto the short-distance teleportation array and channeled enough energy into it to activate it.
A moment later, Michael activated the Cursed Seals and the Serpent Seals while shrouding his entire body in Aethyr. He applied several layers of Enhancement to his body, increasing his resilience, while also applying several Soul Tears to Sacred Constitution, Spirit Eyes, Enhancement, and Extraction.
The world around him twisted. He was teleported outside the teleportation chamber.
As Michael's body left the teleportation chamber, the obsidian gate closed. A gust of wind howled through the surroundings. The wind dragged sand through the mountain range, covering the obsidian gate once again in glistening grains of sand.
The gate disappeared as it had never been graced with sunlight's touch.
**
Michael expected to be shoved into a pit of lava or to fall into iron stakes, but nothing like that was the case. The trap turned out to be much less dangerous than he'd expected. Despite that, the short-distance teleportation array had been tampered with. Michael didn't end up where Danny expected he would be.
Instead, Michael appeared in a humongous throne hall. Huge pillars of sandstone supported the massive ceiling above him. Everywhere he looked, treasures were present. Mountains of gold were to his left, and various valuable treasures were stored to his right. Michael found a stash of Legendary Summoning Scrolls, High Artifacts that exuded immense might, gemstones, and other treasures that attracted his attention.
However, it wasn't long before his eyes landed on the intricate murals depicting the mighty's lives in the Second Epoch. After all, that was when the Undead Pharaoh had been alive.
[The Second Epoch? The Undead Pharaoh isn't that old then. But the Curse feels pretty powerful. That's weird.] The World Serpent mused in Michael's mind.
The golden Cursed Seals trembled, and a deep growl escaped through Michael's mouth.
[That's true. Now I remember. The Epos Staff. The Ancient Artifact of the Titans.] The World Serpent responded to the growl that had escaped Michael's lips.
[You are a peculiar Cursed Child, Michael. Your existence is filled with fortune and misfortune alike.]
"What are you talking about?" Michael asked, but the World Serpent didn't respond anymore. A heavy presence weighed down on Michael, forcing him to flex his muscles to remain standing. He swallowed hard and spun around as a clicking resounded behind him.
The hair stood up to its end, his eyes filled with both confusion and understanding.
A bandaged hand holding a golden serpentine scepter was the first thing that attracted his attention.
Michael's perception of time seemed to slow down as his eyes fell upon the full body of the mummified figure approaching him slowly. It inched closer, azure flames flickering brightly in its eye sockets.
The mummified being was adorned with ornate, regal attire reminiscent of ancient pharaohs. It wore a headpiece featuring an ankh symbol, symbolizing power, and life. The headpiece resembled the pharaoh's crown of the Second Epoch, adorned with hieroglyphs and intricate partners.
The being's skeletal body was crested with jewelry, amulets, and sacred relics, a sign of its eternal connection to the long-
forgotten empire. Upon discovering Michael's vibrant golden eyes, the being's eye sockets glowed in otherworldly radiance, casting a gloomy and eerie atmosphere all over the throne hall.
It clutched the serpentine scepter tightly, intensifying the heavy pressure weighing down on Michael.
Michael had a hard time breathing. He gaped at the majestic being, whose presence changed slowly with ancient authority, and a sense of enigmatic power channeled into it. Its presence blended in with the appearance of the regal majesty, shrouding the fact that a being, which should have died a long time ago, was standing right in front of Michael.
'That's the Undead Pharaoh?' Michael asked himself, trying hard to show that he was not affected by the being's presence. Unfortunately, that was easier uttered than done.
[Yup. That's the guy who slaughtered me.]
"Welcome to my humble abode, Cursed Child. I have been waiting for you," The Undead Pharaoh said, his voice an odd mix between hoarse and robotic.
Michael swallowed once again. The Undead Pharaoh was definitely a Mythical Creature, or at least as strong as one. He was also at the 5th Tier…or stronger…
"I took the liberty to seal this place," The Undead Pharaoh uttered lightly, tapping the lower end of the serpentine scepter against the ground, "You won't be able to use your Soultraits for a while."
Michael's eyes widened in terror. At first, he thought that the Undead Pharaoh was bluffing, but Michael was proven wrong instantly. He tried using Cosmic Stride to escape but failed to access the Soultrait Symbol. It had been enclosed alongside his other Soultraits.
Only Sacred Constitution, Extraction and the Soul Grimoire didn't seem to be fully sealed.
[That's what I meant.] The World Serpent cursed.
A tiny seed of fear planted deep into Michael's heart.
[You are lucky the Undead Pharaoh is so young, but you are one of the most unfortunate children to be forced to deal with the Staff of Epos. That Artifact was basically made to deal with people like you!]
Michael groaned in his heart.
'Thanks for nothing!'
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