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THE FALLEN SOVEREIGN REVIVAL
After a relentless four-hour journey tearing through the wind, Ken and his vanguard finally arrived before the colossal gates of the Sky Kingdom. The towering white walls pierced the clouds, radiating a profound grandeur coupled with a suffocating, dense intimidation.
”My Lord, they have undoubtedly detected our approach and amassed their full legion behind those gates,” Chief Darma reported, his vigilant gaze sweeping the sentry pillars.
”Uncle, our primary objective here is merely to extract Chief Batara and our captive brothers. However, should they choose the path of the sword to welcome us, I will naturally stand at the vanguard to meet them,” Ken replied, his tone as tranquil as the surface of a placid lake. “The rest of you need not force yourselves into the fray. Asikin, your absolute priority is to heal anyone wounded within our ranks.”
”As you command, My Lord!” the entire vanguard answered in unison, their formation tightening.
”Understood, Master! I shall exert every ounce of my ability,” Asikin declared, his eyes blazing with resolve.
Upon arriving directly at the Sky Kingdom’s main courtyard, Chief Darma stepped forward, attempting to establish communication with the sentry commanders. Instead of a greeting in return, the synchronized creaking of drawn bowstrings echoed through the air. Hundreds of soldiers atop the battlements aimed energy-coated arrows directly at the Siama vanguard. Slowly, the massive main gates groaned open, and several generals clad in silver armor strode out to meet them with towering arrogance.
”Darma… You possess tremendous gall to set your filthy feet upon the Sky Kingdom,” spoke one of the generals, his icy tone piercing to the bone.
”General Hegeng, we do not come with insolent intentions. We merely wish to open a dialogue for the release of Chief Batara and our faction members,” Chief Darma replied, staring directly at the general whose reputation he had long known.
”A dialogue?” Hegeng sneered disdainfully, spitting to the side. “You truly underestimate the absolute sovereignty of the Sky Kingdom if you believe a rabble of rebels like yourselves deserves a seat at the negotiation table.”
”That is not our intention, General,” Chief Darma countered swiftly, attempting to smother the sparks of conflict.
Observing the deadlocked mediation and the rapidly escalating tension, Ken, who had been standing silently holding himself back, finally parted the ranks and stepped forward.
”Uncle, save your breath. There is no need to waste time exchanging pleasantries with a domesticated hound,” Ken stated flatly. His voice was not loud, yet it sliced through the air, startling everyone in both factions.
Chief Darma swallowed hard, hurriedly whispering toward Ken. “My Lord, tread carefully. That man is General Hegeng, and the one standing beside him is General Banu. Those two are the military pillars of the Sky Kingdom.”
”Uncle, I care not for their names or the titles they bear,” Ken answered coldly, his eyes locking onto Hegeng’s figure. “Hey, Old Ape! Bring out Chief Batara and the rest of my men this instant!”
”Insolent bastard! Who are you to hurl insults and bark orders at my own gates?!” General Hegeng roared in fury. In a flash, his aura detonated. Ten blinding star engravings ignited upon his arms, manifesting the absolute peak of a 10-Star Seal Cultivator. The sheer pressure of his energy caused the pebbles on the ground to levitate and violently vibrate.
Feeling the suffocating, dense killing intent, Chief Darma and the rest of the vanguard subconsciously held their breath in dread. Yet, Ken remained perfectly still, the hem of his robes not even fluttering against the tempest of the enemy’s aura.
”I am Ken, Supreme Leader of the Siama Alliance. I suggest you meticulously carve that name onto your tombstone,” Ken proclaimed with absolute sovereignty.
”Ken? Oh, so you are the wretched brat who slaughtered Zeno, one of my finest subordinate commanders?!” Hegeng snarled.
”Indeed. I was benevolent enough to warn him to leave, but the hound was far too stubborn. Thus, I reaped his life,” Ken stated casually, a mocking smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
”Tch!” Hegeng spat viciously, the veins on his forehead and neck bulging crimson with peaking wrath.
”And mirroring the fate of your subordinate,” Ken continued, raising his chin slightly, “I shall also strip you of your life if you do not obey my command this very second.”
”Is that so?! You arrogant, courting-death brat!” Hegeng bellowed. The earth beneath his boots shattered as he shot forward with lightning speed, lunging at Ken with a fully-charged, lethal sword slash.
The battle erupted instantaneously. However, instead of panicking, Ken calmly deflected Hegeng’s barrage of lethal strikes using only a single hand.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The shockwaves from each collision fractured the very air. Realizing his base strength was no longer sufficient, Ken detonated his energy. Level 4 Giant Gold! A layer of radiant, golden-green aura instantly enveloped his mortal shell, exuding an absolute, tyrannical pressure. With a speed impossible for mortal eyes to track, Ken turned the tides. His physical strikes rained down relentlessly, battering General Hegeng backward until his defenses shattered into pieces.
”No wonder the Sky Kingdom so easily bent the knee to become the Fire Kingdom’s hounds,” Ken mocked, his voice as cold as ice amidst his lethal assault. “It seems it’s because they place weak, useless generals like you at the vanguard.”
”Damned brat! Don’t celebrate just yet!” Hegeng screamed, frantically attempting to channel every last drop of his energy for a counterattack.
”Oh? Then let’s see how you weather this!” Ken’s gaze sharpened, his aura surging exponentially. “Meteor Fist!”
The vortex of Ken’s power instantaneously shattered his limits, skyrocketing into Level 6 Giant Gold. His fist, coated in pure destructive energy, crashed directly into Hegeng’s chest. BLAAAR! The destructive force of that strike was so unfathomably massive that its resonance tore straight into the heart of the palace, awakening the ancient existences slumbering within. General Hegeng’s body was launched through the air like a broken doll, skipping violently across the earth and carving a massive trench in his wake. The very foundations of the Sky Kingdom quaked.
Absolute panic erupted. The blaring of war horns echoed. The core generals swarmed out of the palace, led directly by the supreme sovereign himself, the King of the Sky Kingdom.
Amidst the devastated courtyard, Ken strolled casually toward Hegeng’s dying, blood-soaked body. He grabbed the general by his armored collar and hoisted him up with a single hand.
”How does it feel? Did I not warn you from the very beginning?” Ken whispered coldly into the ear of the man coughing up blood.
”Wh… who are you exactly, Monster…?” Hegeng wheezed, his breath ragged. “If you dare kill me… the Fire Kingdom and the Sky Kingdom will never let you go…!”
”Do I look like I care about your stale threats? Why is it that every insect I crush always spouts the exact same words before they die!” Ken scoffed in absolute disgust.
”Argh!”
Hegeng’s eyes suddenly bulged so wide they nearly popped from their sockets. The sharp tip of Ken’s iron Chain Sword had pierced straight through his chest from point-blank range. The divine armament came alive, violently siphoning every drop of Hegeng’s 10-Star essence until the arrogant general’s body faded and crumbled into cosmic dust.
General Banu, who had witnessed this absolute execution, stood petrified, his knees trembling uncontrollably.
Ken turned his head slowly, locking his gaze onto Banu. “Have you grown tired of breathing as well? Do you wish to be next?”
”Young Man, cease your arrogance. Who exactly are you?” A heavy, resonant baritone exuding absolute pressure suddenly echoed from the palace gates.
”O-oh… That is His Majesty, King Lukah,” Chief Darma whispered in panic. He immediately bowed as deeply as possible. “Forgive our insolence, Your Majesty. We are from the Siama Alliance. And this youth before you is our leader, Lord Ken.”
So this is King Lukah, son of the late King Ziyad, and the heir to the throne of Emperor Zi… Ken mused, his mind replaying the intelligence report from his shadowed subordinate.
”Siama Alliance? So you are Ken. Your reputation for defying tyranny has reached my ears,” King Lukah stated, his eyes sizing Ken up with profound scrutiny. “But… no matter how grand your reputation, what gave you the gall to execute my general in my own courtyard?”
”I merely came to extract my faction’s flesh and blood, whom you imprisoned without cause. I gave him the choice to step aside, but he was too dimwitted to listen. Thus, I helped him step aside permanently,” Ken replied, casually brushing the dust from his robes.
King Lukah turned sharply toward his surviving general. “Banu! Are the words of this youth true?”
”F-forgive me, Your Majesty! It is the truth. We detained his subordinates merely as bait to draw him out, in order to exact vengeance for the death of Commander Zeno several days ago!” General Banu reported, his voice quivering with terror.
”Insolent fool!” King Lukah bellowed, his voice washing over the courtyard like a tidal wave. “Who gave you the authority to act so recklessly and ignite a war without my direct command?!”
”The Fire Kingdom has been constantly pressuring us, Your Majesty! They refuse to remain idle and demanded that this brat be captured and handed over immediately!” Banu pointed a trembling finger at Ken.
Hearing the Fire Kingdom mentioned, King Lukah fell silent for a moment, his jaw clenching tight. The stillness made the air increasingly heavy. The Siama members broke out in cold sweat, struggling to withstand the invisible pressure—King Lukah’s power was rumored to have breached the God King realm.
Ken shattered the tension with a disdainful laugh. “Hahaha… For a King, you are truly pathetic to harbor such foolish, useless pawns so easily manipulated by the enemy.”
”Watch your tongue, Young Man. The internal affairs of my kingdom are not your domain to meddle in,” King Lukah answered flatly, though the aura around his body began to churn violently.
”Yes, and I just did you the favor of purging one useless general from your territory. Shouldn’t you be kneeling in gratitude, King?” Ken flashed a deeply provocative, cynical smirk.
”As a fellow martial artist walking the path of cultivation, I commend your monumental gall. However, a life must be paid with a life. If you refuse to surrender peacefully, then these hands will drag you in by force,” King Lukah threatened, stepping forward and parting the ranks of his generals.
This pressure… A 2-Star God King, Ken analyzed internally.
Behind King Lukah’s back, a blazing crimson halo materialized, encircling two glowing sapphire Star Seals—the absolute proof of his zenith: a 2-Star God King.
”Hahaha… Not bad! Come then, I do not mind crushing a king today,” Ken challenged, spreading his arms to welcome a battle of gods.
”CEASE THIS!”
A hoarse, immeasurably heavy voice echoed through the heavens, instantly freezing the flow of energy of everyone on the battlefield.
King Lukah and all the generals immediately turned, their visages draining of color. “Father… Uncle…” King Lukah hurriedly bowed as low as possible.
”His Majesty, the Old King…!” the soldiers and generals roared in unison, dropping to their knees to welcome the arrival of the legendary existence. Only Ken remained standing, exuding absolute arrogance.
From the shadows of the palace pillars, King Zi slowly emerged, leaning heavily upon his sovereign staff. By his side stood the indomitable Protector General, Akara. Chief Darma held his breath until his lungs ached—he was acutely aware of Akara’s cold-blooded reputation and his blind loyalty to the royal family.
”Banu. Descend to the dungeons and release every single person you illegally detained this instant,” King Zi commanded, his tone exceptionally tranquil yet completely unquestionable.
”A-as you command, Your Majesty!” the deathly pale Banu replied, instantly sprinting to execute the edict.
King Zi’s gaze then shifted to the trembling Chief Darma. “Darma, I heard you established a highly noble resistance faction. And it appears… you successfully chose an utterly extraordinary leader,” King Zi praised, his words laden with hidden meaning.
”Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty,” Chief Darma replied with profound reverence.
Shortly after, Chief Batara and the rest of the captive Siama vanguard were finally led out of the gates. Although their bodies were painted with bruises and dried blood, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief as they reunited with Ken’s ranks.
Once the hostage matter was settled, King Zi approached and stared deeply into Ken’s eyes. “Young Man… the glint in your eyes and the absolute fortitude of your aura truly remind me of someone from my past,” King Zi murmured softly, testing the waters. “What say you? Do you possess any intention of lending your sword and joining beneath the banner of the Sky Kingdom?”
Ken met his gaze with an utterly emotionless visage. “I refuse to soil my hands by associating with a pack of cowards who serve as lapdogs for the Fire Kingdom.”
My Lord… by the heavens, please preserve a shred of courtesy… Chief Darma screamed hysterically within his mind, visualizing their total annihilation if they provoked the Old King’s wrath.
”Insolent brat!!” roared General Akara, completely unwilling to hold back any longer. In an explosive burst of fury, crimson Star Seals ignited along his arms, radiating the terrifying fluctuations of a 2-Star God King.
”Akara, control yourself,” King Zi reprimanded, raising a hand to halt his loyal commander.
Instead of retreating, Ken merely scoffed in disdain. “A God King? What a pity, that immense power is entirely useless when wielded by a sluggish old man like you,” Ken mocked, pouring oil onto the flames.
”Young Man, your words have vastly exceeded the boundaries of tolerance!” King Lukah rebuked sharply.
Strangely, King Zi merely chuckled softly. “Hahaha… What a ferociously brave child.”
Ken stared at the three sovereigns without a single spark of fear. “Old Man, you just arrived and interrupted my entertaining duel. Rather than just standing there… why don’t you step up and fight me as well?”
”Insolent!! I will tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!” Akara plunged into absolute fury. An absolute gravitational field detonated from his body, crushing the earth and slamming into Ken from all directions. “Did no human in your past ever teach you an ounce of manners and etiquette?!”
Beneath the crushing weight of a god-level gravity field, Ken did not shift a single inch. His cynical smile vanished, replaced by a gaze as cold as the abyss.
”You are absolutely right. My parents were slaughtered a long time ago. Thus, there is indeed no one left to teach me,” Ken hissed lethally. In the next heartbeat, Ken violently rotated his core energy, tearing past his limits to break through to Level 8 Giant Gold.
BWOOOSH!
A pillar of pure golden energy erupted into the heavens, violently shattering Akara’s gravitational field into nothingness. Ken’s robes fluttered wildly amidst the tempest of golden light.
”Very well, then… I shall personally assume the role of your parents and teach you a lesson!” Akara bellowed as he shot through the air like a cannonball.
The god-level clash was unavoidable. The skies of the Sky Kingdom trembled, the clouds parted by the shockwaves every time their fists collided. Everyone present stood frozen like statues, entirely incapable of processing the speed of the impacts occurring above them.
From a distance, King Zi watched the battle with a heart sliced by sorrow. Ken’s answer regarding his dead parents resurrected the agonizing grief of his own past. Yet, beneath his guilt, a mountainous wave of awe surged as he witnessed just how profoundly his grandson had grown.
Ken fought like a literal god of war. He was not merely withstanding, but perfectly matching Akara’s speed and destructive force. Earth-shattering blows were exchanged seamlessly without a single pause.
This is impossible… A youth of his age can match Uncle Akara’s might evenly?! King Lukah’s mind reeled in awe, realizing that if he had forced a duel with Ken earlier, he likely would not have secured an easy victory.
”Excellent, Young Man! You are not merely a braggart. Your arrogant demeanor is actually matched by your martial prowess!” Akara praised amidst the flurry of relentless blows.
”Is that so? Save your praise, for I haven’t even started!” Ken retorted. He inhaled deeply, simultaneously invoking two ultimate techniques. “Meteor Fist! Divine Palm!”
A torrential rain of golden energy fists and colossal heavenly palms crashed down upon Akara like an apocalyptic storm.
Master is truly a living god… So incredible! Asikin thought from below, his eyes unblinking as he stared at the heavens.
”Heavenly Shield!” Akara roared. A translucent blue energy dome instantly manifested, violently quivering as it withstood Ken’s bombardment. “Your destructive power is extraordinary, but it still lacks something, Young Man! Heavenly Spear!”
Thousands of spear-like pillars of light retaliated from behind the shield, raining down to lock onto Ken’s coordinates.
”Golden Physique!” Ken hardened his bodily essence, transmuting his flesh to be as impenetrable as cosmic metal. The barrage of light spears slammed into him, triggering explosion after explosion.
Though he suffered no severe injuries, the suppressive might of a God King began forcing Ken back toward the earth. Damn it… This old man is not playing around. He is nearly forcing me to summon my true strength if this continues… Ken complained inwardly, frantically rotating his energy circulation.
This child is an absolute miracle… At such a tender age, he has flawlessly ascended to Level 8 Giant Gold… King Zi harbored a towering sense of pride.
”Young Man, I must end this warm-up now,” Akara declared from the heavens, coalescing a swirling vortex of spiritual storms into his palms. He prepared to execute his ultimate strike. “Take this! Heavenly Arrow!”
”Everyone, fall back and take cover!!” Chief Darma screamed in panic, realizing the explosive yield of that attack could level the entire courtyard area. My Lord… can you truly withstand this…
Akara unleashed the colossal energy projectile, which shot forth like a blue comet tearing through the clouds straight toward Ken. Feeling his act had reached its absolute limit, Ken chose to close his eyes, allowing the spatial currents to resonate.
A mere millisecond before the comet could obliterate Ken, the void above him ripped open. A figure manifested from the absolute emptiness—a towering entity cloaked in pitch-black robes. Without even adopting a martial stance, the mysterious figure casually extended a single palm.
ZWUSH! No explosion. No thunderous roar. Akara’s ultimate Heavenly Arrow was instantaneously snuffed out, swallowed by the shadow’s palm like a candle flame blown out by the wind.
Ken opened his eyes and flashed a deliberately relieved smile. “Master… You took far too long. You finally arrived.”
The shadowed figure raised its visage from beneath its cowl, staring directly at Akara hovering in the sky. “Are you the one who dared to harm my disciple…?” His voice was as heavy as the roar of ancient thunder.
In a flash, an absolute aura detonated. Its gravitational pressure was no longer equivalent to a mountain, but to an entire solar system. Akara could not maintain his flight. His body plummeted, crashing into the earth and forcing him into a helpless, kneeling posture.
Ken’s ‘Master’ raised one arm. Five star seals upon the back of his hand ignited with a blinding, dense blood-red brilliance. He radiated the absolute, tyrannical might of a 5-Star God King!
Feeling an aura of death that pierced straight to the marrow, every single soldier and general of the Sky Kingdom trembled in pure terror.
‘Hahaha… This young man is truly brilliant at orchestrating his drama. He fabricated a fake master to perfectly uphold his disguise,’ King Zi mused, smiling broadly in his heart, deeply admiring Ken’s cunning.
”Astral Blade!” the Shadow Master commanded. The clouds in the sky parted, revealing the tip of a colossal, blood-red energy sword preparing to descend and erase Akara’s very existence.
”M-My Lord… Forgive us!” King Zi immediately stepped forward and bowed with utmost sincerity. “Exalted Master, please forgive General Akara’s insolence. His actions were purely born of an intent to protect the life of this old man.”
Ken, still standing behind the shadow, met his grandfather’s eyes for a fleeting second, exchanging a profound, secret understanding. He feigned a heavy sigh. “Let it go, Master… Withdraw your weapon and spare that old uncle. Our objective here has been fulfilled; it is best we depart immediately.”
The black shadow let out a soft huff. “Very well, if that is your will.” He snapped his fingers, and the colossal blade in the sky evaporated into motes of light, alongside the instantaneous vanishing of the crushing gravity.
”Thank you for the boundless benevolence of you both, Young Man,” King Zi expressed with profound relief, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Before turning away, Ken flicked a small vial from his dimensional ring. “Catch this, Uncle. Swallow that medicine to mend your shaken meridians.”
Akara, who had just managed to stand, caught the vial with trembling hands. “This is…”
The moment the vial’s stopper was removed, a heavenly aroma surged outward, flooding the courtyard.
”By the heavens… That is a Pancasona Pill… and its purity vastly transcends the third tier!” King Zi exclaimed, his eyes wide with absolute awe.
”Transcends the third tier?! Isn’t such medicine merely a legendary myth, Father?” King Lukah asked, equally stunned to witness a treasure whose value could spark inter-kingdom wars being handed out so freely.
”Indeed, Lukah,” King Zi answered, his tone dripping with genuine reverence. “This child is a truly unfathomable anomaly—sheltered by a war god-level master, yet possessing a heart as vast as the ocean. Issue an absolute edict today: From this moment forth, the Sky Kingdom is forbidden from initiating the slightest friction with him or the Siama Alliance!”
”Your command shall be executed immediately, Father,” King Lukah replied resolutely.
General Akara gripped the pill vial with profound reverence, offering a deep bow in the direction of Ken’s departure before returning to his king’s side.
King Lukah then turned to the still-shivering Banu. “Banu. Dispatch an official envoy to the Fire Kingdom’s borders. Tell them this: The Sky Kingdom washes its hands of this matter and will no longer meddle in the affairs of the Siama Alliance. If the Fire Kingdom insists on claiming that youth’s blood, tell them to face the monster themselves!”
”Y-yes, Your Majesty!” Banu replied nervously, sprinting off to dispatch the courier. Thank the heavens that god of death ignored me… If he had remembered my words from earlier, my fate would have certainly been reduced to dust like Hegeng, he thought, consumed by dread.
King Lukah gazed far into the twilight sky, observing the silhouettes of Ken’s vanguard slowly fading into the western horizon. With such immeasurable power and a conscience that grand, I can only pray that you will continue to serve as a blade that delivers humanity, Young Man… King Lukah mused, concluding that historic day with a silent salute.
In utter silence, Ken’s shadow and his vanguard were slowly swallowed by the horizon, leaving behind a new name and legend that would inevitably shake the foundations of the entire continent.