novelraw Chapter 303 303: A Fate More Terrifying Than Death
Chapter 303 303: A Fate More Terrifying Than Death
"Interstellar-grade armor?" Astor exclaimed, his voice edged with disbelief. "You're not just an ordinary escort. Who exactly are you, Shadow?"
Shadow gave no answer. Instead, he unleashed a sudden, brutal assault. His speed was blinding, closing the distance to Astor in an instant. The weapons systems integrated into his armor activated, unleashing a torrent of devastating energy.
Although Astor was a Marquis-class Immortal, he was forced to respond with all his might to this unexpected onslaught. In the center of the hall, the two clashed fiercely, energy rippling violently with each strike, shattering nearby equipment and tearing chunks from the walls.
Rowan, Thor, and Hong quickly took cover in a corner, staying clear of the combat zone. The other staff in the hall scrambled to escape.
"They're fighting over that box," Rowan observed, his gaze fixed on the battle. "Shadow clearly doesn't want Astor to open it."
"But why?" Thor asked, confusion etched across his face. "What could possibly be inside?"
Hong's eyes were locked on the stone box at the center platform. "Whatever it is, its energy readings are spiking rapidly. I think the unsealing process has already started. Even if no one interferes, it will continue on its own."
As Hong predicted, the intricate markings on the stone box glowed brilliantly, emitting a piercing blue light. An invisible field of energy began radiating outward, freezing the air in the hall. Gravity seemed to falter as small objects began to float.
The battle between Shadow and Astor intensified. Shadow's armor granted him a tremendous boost in combat power, but Astor, a Marquis-class Immortal, had millennia of experience and seemingly limitless reserves of energy. Slowly, Shadow began to lose ground.
"Warning. High-energy reactions detected," the fortress's automated system blared. "Energy fluctuations exceed safe limits. Immediate evacuation recommended."
Astor seized the opportunity after repelling Shadow several meters away and returned to the central platform.
Standing before the violently trembling stone box, Astor's expression was nearly manic. The markings glowed with an almost blinding brilliance, illuminating the entire hall. The chains sealing the box snapped one by one with deafening metallic cracks.
"Finally… finally," Astor murmured, his hands trembling. "Hundreds of years of waiting, countless resources invested, today… everything pays off!"
Shadow struggled to his feet against the wall. His armor was scarred, his energy core flickering erratically. "Astor, you don't understand! That thing shouldn't be released!"
Astor paid him no heed, his focus entirely on the box. With a final shattering glow, the last seal broke, and the lid lifted slowly. A suffocating surge of energy poured from within, tangible enough to distort the air around it.
Rowan, Thor, and Hong shielded their eyes. The brilliance was almost enough to sear their retinas. As the light dimmed just enough, they saw the object within:
It was the remains of a humanoid being, unlike any ordinary corpse. Even lifeless, it radiated a chilling authority. The body was semi-transparent, as though composed of an unknown crystalline substance, with flecks of starlight glimmering inside. It wore tattered armor, ancient and ornate, adorned on the chest with a strange symbol a star encircled by a halo.
"A King-Sealed Immortal," Hong breathed, his voice trembling. "That… that's the remains of a King-Sealed Immortal!"
Thor's eyes widened. "What? King-Sealed level? That's among the highest of existences in the universe!"
Rowan felt the mysterious voice that had haunted his mind intensify, resonating deep within him. Though he still could not decipher the words fully, it felt as though the remains were calling to him.
Astor stepped closer, eyes gleaming with greed and mania. "Finally… the remains of the Stellar King. The key to surpassing Immortal limits, as the legends foretold."
The space around the stone box began to warp, unable to contain the released energy. The temperature plummeted. Electronic devices failed, emitting shrill, dissonant noises.
At that moment, the fortress alarm screamed again. "Warning! Multiple crafts approaching! Identification: Interstellar Federation Patrol. Weapon systems activated, prepare for engagement!"
Astor whipped around, anger flashing in his eyes. "The timing is terrible!"
The fortress's holographic screens displayed several silver-white ships descending, their design sleek and unfamiliar, covered with intricate runes. The lead vessel bore the emblem of the Interstellar Federation.
"Marquis Astor!" a commanding voice blared over communications. "I am Captain Green of the Interstellar Federation Enforcement. We have credible intelligence that you are conducting prohibited-level research. Under Article 307 of the Interstellar Civilization Accord, cease all activities immediately and submit to investigation!"
Astor sneered. "Green? The same brat who lost to me in the Andromeda system? You still haven't learned your lesson."
Turning back to the remains in the box, he extended his hands and began chanting an ancient incantation. As he spoke, the energy surrounding the remains surged violently, flowing into his body.
"Astor! Stop!" Shadow attacked again, but a casual wave from Astor sent him crashing into a corner.
Rowan watched in disbelief as Astor's body began to transform. His skin became translucent, revealing a galaxy of swirling starlight within. His eyes shifted from gold to a deep, infinite blue, like a bottomless cosmic abyss.
"He's absorbing the energy of that corpse!" Hong shouted in terror. "This is a strictly forbidden necromantic transmutation! He's trying to forcibly elevate his power using the energy of a King-Sealed Immortal's remains!"
Thor clenched his fists. "This man has gone mad! Such an act will draw the wrath of the entire galactic civilization!"
Outside, the Federation ships had begun their assault on the fortress. The roar of energy cannons shook the structure violently. Astor seemed oblivious, lost in the intoxication of absorbing power.
As more energy coursed through him, his presence became overwhelmingly terrifying. A pressure unlike any they had felt enveloped the fortress, the air thick and suffocating.
"Everyone," Shadow appeared beside Rowan, his voice low and urgent. "We must leave immediately. Once Astor completes this ritual, the energy storm will devastate thousands of kilometers, destroying even the Federation fleet."
Rowan scanned the escalating chaos, nodding. "How do we escape? The outside is swarming with Federation ships!"
Shadow produced a small device. "I have a cloaked shuttle hidden in a canyon behind the fortress. We can escape through the maintenance tunnels, but we must move now. Astor will notice us soon."
He led the three toward the side door of the hall. Just as they were about to exit, Rowan stopped and looked back at the remains. The corpse, once imposing, was now withering as Astor drained its energy.
"Rowan! Move!" Thor yanked him along.
Rowan hesitated, then the mysterious voice resonated clearly in his mind this time:
"Take… my core, young one."
He froze, unsure if it was real or a hallucination.
Shadow noticed his pause, sharp eyes scanning him. "What is it?"
Rowan whispered, "I heard a voice… from the corpse. It said… to take its core."
Shadow's expression darkened, as if weighing a difficult choice. Finally, he made a swift decision. "You three go through that door, turn left into the maintenance passage, and follow it to the end. Wait three minutes. If I don't arrive, press the red button on this device it will guide you to my shuttle."
He handed the device to Hong and dashed toward the central platform.
"Shadow!" Rowan shouted, but it was too late.
Following Shadow's instructions, the three hurried through the narrow, dimly lit maintenance passage. The hall behind them shook with explosions, debris falling, the fortress slowly crumbling.
"Time is running out," Hong said, checking the timer on his wrist. "If Shadow doesn't appear soon, we follow the device's instructions."
Suddenly, a wave of energy surged from behind, warping the passage. A piercing blue light cut through the walls, illuminating the space.
"What's happening?" Thor shouted.
A deafening explosion answered them. The tunnel roof began to collapse, forcing them to sprint to avoid being crushed.
Just as they reached the end, Shadow caught up, battered and scarred, cradling a glowing blue crystal. The sphere, about the size of a football, shimmered with countless stars within.
"Run!" Shadow shouted. "Astor has completed the initial transmutation. The Federation fleet won't hold much longer!"
They burst out of the tunnel onto a concealed hillside behind the fortress. The sky above the stronghold had turned an ominous deep blue, swirling like a massive vortex. Federation ships fired relentlessly at the storm, but their attacks were futile.
Shadow quickly activated the shuttle. The hatch opened automatically.
"Get on!" he commanded. "We have to leave this system immediately!"
The four boarded, and Shadow ignited the engines. The shuttle shot into the sky, breaching the atmosphere at unimaginable speed.
From the rear window, Rowan watched the planet's surface. Around the fortress, expanding blue energy waves froze everything in their path, pulverizing matter into dust.
Even the Federation ships crumbled, powerless against the energy, turning into cosmic dust.
"My God," Thor murmured. "That is the power of a King-Sealed Immortal… even remnants of it are terrifying."
The shuttle breached orbit. Shadow engaged the jump drive, preparing to exit the system.
"Wait," Rowan asked, troubled. "What about the local inhabitants? The civilization on that planet?"
Shadow's expression darkened. "There's nothing we can do. Astor's energy storm will obliterate the surface ecosystem. Our only option is to leave quickly and warn the Federation and other civilizations."
Rowan felt anguish and helplessness. An entire civilization was about to vanish before their eyes, and there was nothing he could do.
As the jump drive prepared to engage, the shuttle shook violently. Red warning lights flashed across every system.
"What's happening?" Hong shouted.
Shadow checked the controls. "An energy field is interfering with the jump drive. It's Astor. He's detected us!"
Astor's image appeared on the shuttle's display, but he was unrecognizable. His body was nearly transparent, flowing with starlight. His eyes blazed with piercing blue, and distorted spatial ripples surrounded him.
"Shadow!" Astor's voice carried an eerie echo, as if many voices spoke at once. "You dared to steal the Stellar King's core?"
Shadow responded calmly, "Astor, you've been blinded by power. You know this transmutation is forbidden!"
Astor laughed maniacally. "Forbidden? Who dares forbid me? Those self-righteous Federation councilors? You see their ships? They're powerless against me!"
Shadow's tone hardened. "This isn't about strength, Astor. Necromantic transmutation is forbidden because it has unpredictable consequences. The power you feel is temporary. Soon, the residual consciousness of the remains will invade your mind, and you will lose yourself, becoming a mindless shell."
Astor's face twisted in rage. "Nonsense! I am in full control of this power! Now, give me the core back, Shadow, or I will make you suffer a fate more terrifying than death!"