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The Ogomesh Array
The following morning, dew still clung heavily to the foliage as Ken and Asikin reconvened in the main hall. Without wasting a single breath, Ken placed his left hand upon Asikin’s right shoulder. A split second later, the space surrounding them violently distorted. In the blink of an eye, the wooden interior of the pavilion vanished, replaced by the dense canopy of ancient trees and the deafening, thunderous roar of a colossal waterfall.
Asikin stared at his surroundings with wide eyes, his breath hitched in his throat. “Wh-what just happened, Master? Where are we?” he asked in profound bewilderment, his heart still hammering wildly against his ribs from the abrupt spatial transition.
”It is deep within this wilderness that you shall forge yourself,” Ken replied, his tone as tranquil as a still lake.
”Wahhh… this forest is truly breathtaking and teeming with energy,” Asikin marveled, feeling the pure, untainted spiritual air invigorating his lungs.
Ken strolled casually toward the roaring curtain of the waterfall. “Come, follow me.”
Asikin jogged behind him, passing through the heavy mist. As they stepped behind the torrential curtain of water, his eyes widened once more. “Wahhh! There is a hidden cavern behind this waterfall!” he exclaimed in awe. “Are we going inside, Master?”
”Indeed. Now, extend your hand. I will implant an access rune so you may pass through this cavern’s barrier as you please,” Ken instructed.
”Here, Master,” Asikin replied, obediently extending his right hand.
Ken tapped his fingertip against Asikin’s palm. A faint, luminous rune pulsed briefly before sinking completely beneath his pores. With that seal, the cavern’s defensive wards would recognize Asikin as an ally.
The moment he stepped inside, Asikin was spellbound by the interior. The cavern was adorned with ancient relics and mysterious runic engravings he had never witnessed in his entire life. Along the stone walls, several colossal doors stood firm, as if locking away the profound secrets of a bygone civilization.
”Master, are those doors leading to other chambers?” he asked curiously.
”Indeed,” Ken replied curtly. “Those are gateways to advanced cultivation chambers. But for now, focus your attention here. Step inside this.” Ken pointed toward a colossal, translucent crystal pod standing erect in the center of the main cavern.
”Understood, Master… But, what is this artifact for?” Asikin asked, stepping closer to inspect the pod’s pristine surface.
”This is a formation pod designed to stimulate your mortal flesh, enabling it to absorb the Ogomesh Essence,” Ken explained gravely. “This essence will merge with your bloodline and forge the Ogomesh Seal upon your palms. With that seal, you shall possess the absolute, untainted capacity to mend the wounds and ailments of others.”
”Oh… understood, Master. I am ready,” Asikin replied softly, cementing his resolve.
”Now, extend both of your hands forward,” Ken commanded.
Asikin obeyed. Ken traced complex runes in the empty void with his fingers, then pressed a radiant white seal formation directly onto the boy’s palms.
”This formation mark will concentrate the entirety of the essence absorption into your palms,” Ken stated. “The assimilation process will span three full days and nights. During that period, your mortal shell will undergo a drastic reconstruction, and you will lose consciousness. Tell me, are you ready?”
”Yes… I am ready, Master!” Asikin answered with ironclad conviction, banishing all lingering doubts.
”Very well… we begin.”
The implantation of the Ogomesh Seal commenced. The crystal pod sealed shut, encapsulating Asikin within. Spiritual water gradually filled the chamber up to his neck, followed immediately by a viscous, black-and-white essence that blended into the liquid and began seeping through Asikin’s pores. The moment the boy’s body began to adapt and his eyes fluttered shut, Ken turned and walked away with absolute serenity.
”Watch over the process until it concludes. Let absolutely nothing disturb him,” Ken commanded toward the empty shadows in the corner of the cavern.
The air rippled softly, and a figure cloaked in pitch-black robes abruptly materialized from the void. This entity possessed a much taller stature and radiated a blood-curdling killing intent far denser than the previous shadow Ken had summoned.
”As you command, My Lord,” the mysterious figure replied, its voice heavy and grating, like the grinding of ancient metal.
The very next day, the fragile peace of the village was violently shattered. An armored vanguard marched upon the borders of the Siama Alliance territory. Dust billowed into the sky as they halted directly before the defensive gates, immediately sparking intense tension and a heated dispute with the village elders.
”Darma! We have repeatedly warned you not to stir up chaos within the Sky Kingdom’s territory!” threatened one of the vanguard’s commanders, his voice booming with unbridled arrogance.
Chief Darma stepped forward, meeting the legion’s gaze with unwavering composure. “Sir, what offense have we truly committed? We established this sanctuary purely to shield the commoners who desperately need shelter,” he replied with measured wisdom.
”Insolent drivel! You have no right to raise arms and defy the emissaries of the Fire Kingdom!” the commander barked, aiming the tip of his sword at Darma’s visage.
”Lord Emissary, we are all subjects of the Sky Kingdom. It is only natural that we prioritize the protection of our own realm, rather than bow to foreign invaders,” Darma countered, his voice thickening with suppressed defiance.
”Do not be naive, Darma! Not everyone in your pathetic rebel faction is a pure-blooded subject of the Sky Kingdom!” the vanguard’s supreme officer, Commander Zeno, cut in, his gaze as sharp as a hawk’s. “The King has issued an absolute edict for you to disband this rogue faction immediately. Refuse, and my legion will raze this village to the ground this very instant!”
”Commander… are you certain that is a pure edict from the King of the Sky Kingdom, and not a leash pulled by your masters in the Fire Kingdom?” Darma questioned, his tone barely suppressing his boiling fury.
”Watch your mouth, Darma! How dare you question the integrity of a Commander such as myself?! Prepare yourselves, for the four of us and the entire legion behind me will reduce this village to ashes!” Commander Zeno snarled, utterly enraged that his pride had been trampled.
Suddenly, a low, echoing chuckle cascaded from all directions, as if descending from the heavens themselves.
”Hahaha… Commander? Go home and wash your face if you still wish to bear the title of Commander in the Sky Kingdom.”
Ken’s voice drifted through a telepathic sound transmission technique. The invisible soundwaves were so profoundly heavy they caused the air around the gates to vibrate and leaves to wither and fall.
”Who speaks?! Show yourself! Do you have no respect for a Commander of the Sky Kingdom?!” roared Commander Zeno, his eyes sweeping the surroundings in absolute fury.
”A lowly Commander serving as a loyal hound for the Fire Kingdom deserves not a single shred of respect,” Ken’s phantom voice retorted, as chilling as eternal ice.
The caustic remark left every member of the Siama Alliance gasping in awe, while the ranks of the Sky Kingdom’s vanguard boiled with peaking wrath.
”Bastard! Darma, who is that coward hiding in the shadows?!”
”He is no coward. He is Lord Ken, our Supreme Leader. The Lord of the Siama Alliance,” Darma answered, his chest puffing with absolute pride.
”Excellent! Drag him out to face me this instant, or I will sever your head and butcher every living soul in this village!” Commander Zeno bellowed, unsheathing his massive broadsword.
”L-Lord Ken…” Darma called out slightly nervously, directing his voice to the open air. “If you can hear this, Commander Zeno, emissary of the Sky Kingdom, insists on crossing blades with you.”
”Tell him…” Ken’s voice sliced through the wind, “If I step out to meet him, then today shall be his day of death.”
The temperature around the border instantaneously plummeted. Every enemy soldier tensed, feeling a suffocating aura of intimidation crushing their chests.
”You’ve got nerve! Very well! Your arrogant words are reason enough for me to level this filthy rat’s nest!” Commander Zeno roared, veins bulging dangerously thick on his neck.
Ken let out a dismissive scoff. “Hahaha… if you dare touch even a single hair on the heads of the people in this village, I guarantee you will not have the legs to return to the Sky Kingdom.”
Losing the last of his patience, Zeno swung his blade—now coated in a lethal, swirling aura—straight for Darma’s neck. “I’ll start by taking your head, Darma! Hahaha!”
The clash erupted instantly. The chasm of power between them was far too massive. Chief Darma, merely an 8-Star Seal Cultivator, was visibly overwhelmed trying to weather the brutal pressure of a 9-Star Seal Cultivator like Zeno.
”How about it, Darma?! Still dare to challenge a 9-Star expert like myself?! Hahaha!” Zeno mocked hubristically. He channeled the entirety of his 9-Star energy into the blade, preparing to unleash his ultimate strike to extinguish Darma’s life.
However, in the final fraction of a second before the blade could bite into Darma’s flesh, the void before them tore open.
Clank!
Ken appeared with the speed of a phantom flash. With casual, infuriating ease, he deflected the lethal slash using only a single hand. Before Zeno’s brain could even process what had transpired, Ken retaliated. The absolute pressure of the Giant Gold aura detonated, accompanied by an invisible, devastating sweep of his colossal greatsword. In the span of a single breath, Commander Zeno was blasted backward, his body cratering into the earth with a deafening boom.
As Zeno coughed up mouthfuls of crushed organs and blood, frantically attempting to crawl back to his feet, the sharp tip of Ken’s Chain Sword had already pierced his chest with lethal precision.
”I believe I warned you. If I step out, then you die,” Ken stated flatly. His eyes burned with a cold light, like the embers of a frozen hell.
”A-aaa… wh-what kind of monstrous power is this…?” Zeno shrieked, his eyes bulging in absolute terror. His life essence was violently siphoned into the chains, and his mortal shell slowly dissolved, shattering into motes of light that were swallowed by the wind.
The entire Sky Kingdom vanguard froze into statues of stone. Their minds were paralyzed, entirely incapable of processing the reality that their venerated 9-Star Commander had been butchered like a mere insect in a matter of seconds.
”Retreat… Legion, fall back!!” one of the soldiers screamed in blind panic, whipping his horse around and fleeing for his life, immediately followed by the rest of the mentally shattered vanguard.
Witnessing the lethal threat evaporate, the villagers erupted in a tidal wave of relieved cheers. Now, their faith was absolute; this village was sheltered by an absolute sovereign who would serve as their impenetrable aegis against the continent’s tyranny.
Lord Ken annihilated a 9-Star Commander as easily as flipping his palm… Where exactly is the absolute peak of his power? Chief Darma wondered inwardly, shivering with a profound mixture of dread and awe.
”Thank you immensely, My Lord,” Darma said, suppressing the stinging pain of his wounds.
”Swallow this, Uncle…” Ken casually flicked a small recovery pill toward Darma, then turned and walked away as if he had merely swatted a fly.
From a considerable distance, a mysterious youth stealthily spied on Ken’s retreating back, his gaze brimming with deep intrigue and curiosity. The moment Ken’s silhouette vanished into the crowd, the enigmatic youth retreated into the shadows, disappearing without a single trace.
Three days later, deep within the cavern behind the waterfall.
The radiant light within the crystal pod gradually dimmed. Asikin let out a soft groan as his consciousness resurfaced. The spiritual water within the chamber had fully drained, and the crystalline seal-doors hissed open. Asikin stepped out on trembling legs, staring at his palms, which now pulsated with a dense, profound aura of life.
”Put these on,” a heavy voice vibrated against the cavern walls.
Asikin flinched in shock. He whipped his head around to find the pitch-black figure standing merely a few paces away, offering a neatly folded set of martial training robes. He hastily grabbed the garments and dressed himself.
This Uncle… his aura is utterly terrifying. Who is he really? And since when was he standing there? Asikin thought anxiously, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.
”U-um… who are you, Uncle? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you in the village,” Asikin greeted, mustering his courage.
”I am not permitted to answer your questions,” the shadowy figure replied flatly, utterly devoid of emotion.
”A-a-aa… v-very well, Uncle,” Asikin replied awkwardly, swallowing hard.
The figure stepped forward and handed over a stack of ancient, leather-bound tomes exuding the scent of aged parchment. “The Lord left these scrolls for you. These texts contain the encyclopedia of thousands of spiritual medicinal herbs and various manuals of arcane healing arts.”
The Lord? Oh, he must mean Master Ken, Asikin realized. “Understood, Uncle. Please convey my utmost gratitude to him,” he said, respectfully embracing the heavy tomes.
In addition to the books, the figure opened its palm, revealing a metallic wristguard forged from a mysterious, otherworldly alloy. “This is a Protective Artifact. It serves a dual purpose as a dimensional storage pouch and an absolute defensive armament. Once you bind it with your blood, the artifact will transmit the comprehension of its usage directly into your mind.”
Asikin accepted it with awe and fastened it onto his left forearm. A split second later, he let out a sharp gasp. “A-ahh!” It felt as though an invisible needle had pierced his veins.
”Do not panic, that is merely the initial reaction of the soul-binding process,” the shadow explained. “The artifact is drawing a drop of your blood to assimilate and recognize you as its sole master.”
After a few breaths, the stinging pain subsided. Instead of agony, Asikin now felt a bizarre sensation; he could inherently sense the spatial void within the metallic guard, and his instincts immediately grasped exactly how to activate it.
”Incredible… Uncle, in that case… is my training here concluded? May I return to the village now?”
”Yes. But engrave this warning into your mind—no matter what happens, and regardless of what you have witnessed within this cavern, you are never to speak of it to a living soul,” the figure ordered sternly.
”I swear to guard this secret with my life, Uncle. I understand,” Asikin nodded.
He bolted out of the cavern’s maw, bursting through the waterfall’s curtain to welcome the warm embrace of the sun upon his visage. Mother… hold on just a little longer. I’m coming home! he cheered internally. The youth pushed his speed to the limit, tearing through the wilderness back toward the village.
Upon reaching the refugee sector, he burst straight into his humble hut. “Mother! Mother!” he called out.
”Heavens, Child! You have returned!” His mother, who had been sitting by the window, immediately sprang up and pulled her son into a fierce embrace. His three-day disappearance without a single trace had naturally filled her with dread. “Where have you been? Are you hurt, my child?”
”I’m here, Mother. I am perfectly fine. Master trained me in a secluded location,” Asikin replied gently.
He gently grasped his mother’s wrist. Channeling the profound comprehension of the Ogomesh Seal now fused with his meridians, Asikin closed his eyes. He could acutely hear the rhythm of her heartbeat and visualize the obstructed flow of her internal energy. Through his palms, a radiant white healing energy flowed softly, meticulously mending her ruptured internal organs.
”How do you feel now, Mother? I have just purged the lingering internal wounds within your meridians. With a slight addition of herbal concoctions later, the root of your affliction will be completely eradicated,” Asikin stated with a relieved smile.
His mother’s eyes sparkled. She could instantly feel her mortal shell become phenomenally lighter, the suffocating weight in her chest entirely banished. “Thank the heavens… Child, this ability of yours is a literal miracle. I will constantly pray that with this newfound power, you will become a savior for the countless souls who suffer as we did,” his mother said, wiping away tears of absolute joy.
”Without a doubt, Mother. That was my primary oath to Master,” Asikin answered with ironclad resolve.
Having ensured his mother’s condition was stable, Asikin immediately rushed toward the grand hall to seek Ken out. Along the way, his focus remained fixated on the metallic artifact adorning his arm. He attempted to channel a sliver of his energy, and the wristguard instantaneously projected a transparent energy shield, even tapering at the edge to form a short, lethal energy blade.
Wahh… this magical armament is outrageously powerful! Its value must rival an entire city. Master has truly bestowed an invaluable grace upon me, he thought, clicking his tongue in sheer amazement.
Arriving before the massive doors of the main hall, he knocked respectfully. “Master, is your disciple permitted to enter?”
”Enter,” Ken’s voice echoed from within.
Asikin pushed the doors open and offered a deep bow. “Master, the assimilation is complete. I have returned. What are your next instructions?”
”It appears you have successfully adapted. Have you mastered the functions of that protective artifact on your arm?” Ken asked, his gaze landing on the metallic guard.
”I have only grasped a fraction of its capabilities, Master, but I will continue to study it diligently,” Asikin answered truthfully.
”Aside from serving as an aegis, within a certain radius, that artifact possesses a resonance formation that allows you to establish direct telepathic communication with me,” Ken revealed, exposing a hidden feature of the armament.
”Incredible… Understood, Master.”
Not long after, the hurried thud of footsteps shattered the tranquility. Chief Darma burst into the hall alongside several vanguard members, their visages painted with intense urgency. “Lord Ken, forgive the intrusion. We have a dire emergency to report!” he exclaimed, bowing hastily.
”Calm yourself and speak, Uncle,” Ken replied.
Darma raised his head, but his gaze darted toward Asikin standing nearby. “U-um… is it safe to discuss this here, My Lord?” he asked hesitantly.
Asikin, acutely sensitive to the shifting atmosphere, immediately bowed his head. “M-Master… this appears to be a crucial faction matter. It would be best if I excuse myself,” he offered politely.
However, Ken halted his disciple’s retreat with a single, piercing glare. “Hold your ground. From this moment forth, you are the inheritor of my legacy, an absolute pillar at the core of this faction.” Ken then shifted his gaze back to Darma. “Proceed with your report, Uncle. Speak every word.”
”Understood, My Lord,” Darma swallowed hard. “Yesterday, Chief Batara and several of his core elites departed on a covert mission to evacuate civilians from their former settlement. Tragically, midway through their journey, they were ambushed by the Sky Kingdom’s elite vanguard! The enemy has taken Chief Batara hostage and directly demanded a ransom. They released one member purely to deliver this message of death here, My Lord.”
”It is true, My Lord!” interjected the surviving warrior, his visage bruised and battered. “They specifically challenged Lord Ken to present himself. They swore to exact vengeance for the slaughter of Commander Zeno a few days ago!”
Instead of displaying an ounce of anxiety, Ken’s eyes narrowed, leaking a chilling, abyssal killing intent. “Challenging me? Very well,” Ken declared with an tone of absolute finality. “Rally your men. We will extract Chief Batara and annihilate them this very day.”
”B-but, My Lord… The enemy legion this time is overwhelmingly massive! What if the extraction zone is a blood-soaked trap prepared specifically for you?” Darma asked, cold sweat dampening his temples.
Ken tilted his head, a faint, disdainful smirk gracing his lips. “A trap is only lethal to the weak, Uncle. And as for this village… rest easy. As long as I intervene, not a single living creature shall breach these walls.”
Ken strode out toward the highest courtyard in the center of the village. With a thought, he withdrew four small pillars engraved with magical runes from his dimensional storage and hurled them toward the four cardinal directions of the village borders. The pillars instantaneously rooted themselves into the earth, resonated with one another, and detonated pillars of blinding light into the heavens. The light arced and fused, manifesting a colossal, transparent energy dome that completely encapsulated the entire village.
”Hear my decree, citizens of Siama. Until I return from the battlefield, not a single soul is permitted to step beyond the boundaries of this energy dome,” Ken commanded. His voice echoed via sound transmission, piercing through every home and ringing in the ears of every villager.
”As you command, Lord Ken!” hundreds of voices roared back in perfect unison from every corner, bowing submissively beneath the glow of the absolute aegis.
Ken turned to his disciple. “Asikin, you will accompany me to the battlefield.”
”As you command, Master!” Asikin replied, puffing out his chest, ready for duty.
Chief Darma rapidly delegated the remaining tasks. “Uncle Tu! I shall leave a contingent of warriors here with you. I am entrusting you to maintain order within the village while we are away!”
”Do not worry about the rear guard! Go forth and bring our brothers home, My Lord!” Chief Tu roared back with blazing resolve.
Not long after Ken and Darma’s vanguard vanished into the dense forest, the border sentries sprinted frantically toward Chief Tu. “Chief! A massive legion of unknown forces is sneaking toward the village from the west! It appears their scheme was to raid us the moment Lord Ken departed!” the sentry reported in utter panic.
Chief Tu gazed out past the energy dome and offered a tranquil smile, entirely unbothered. “Hahaha! Let those mosquitoes buzz. There is no need for alarm, they will never breach the perimeter. With his supreme intellect, Lord Ken had already foreseen this cowardly ambush. Our duty is singular: ensure no civilian recklessly steps outside the protective dome!”
”Understood! Executing orders, Chief!”
Uncle Tu’s absolute serenity infected the rest of the warriors. They returned to their posts with unshakeable faith.
Meanwhile, just beyond the borders, the invading legion unleashed a relentless torrent of magic, arrows, and lethal sword aura at the village. Yet, every single devastating strike crashed against the transparent dome and deflected uselessly, failing to leave even a microscopic scratch upon the barrier.
”Bastard! What kind of heaven-defying magical formation is this?! Our concentrated barrage cannot even dent it!” snarled one of the invading commanders, his breath ragged with sheer frustration.
Beneath their mounting despair, they finally realized one horrifying truth: this tiny faction that dared to swim against the tides of tyranny was sheltered by an absolute monster—an entity whose zenith of power existed far beyond the boundaries of their mortal comprehension.