Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death-Chapter 43B2 .2

Darkness oozed from the creature’s pitch-black eyes as it hurled the Lesser Behemoth to the ground. The monster thrashed, and large spikes of earth burst from the ground. The Void Sapling evaded most of them, while those that touched it crumbled to dust. An eerie giggle echoed as it strode forward, slow yet decisive.

Zachariah knew what was coming, but the time was not yet right. The Void Sapling was still on guard.

He channeled Aura into his eyes and skulked around the withered trees, closing in on the Void Sapling and the Lesser Behemoth.

This one was weaker, Zachariah concluded, watching the Behemoth rise, even as it locked eyes with the Void Sapling. Behemoths were powerful, prideful creatures, but they were not immune to the void’s innate power. If the Behemoth had been significantly weaker than the Void Sapling, it would have collapsed dead instantly—just like those foolish humans from Ashville.

Zachariah shook his head at the memory. They had been reckless and incredibly lucky—only two of them had died. Of course, they didn’t see it that way. He snorted inwardly, pushing the thought aside.

The Void Sapling clawed at the Lesser Behemoth, corrupting the creature as it weaved effortlessly around the earthen spikes and the Behemoth’s charges. The Lesser Behemoth fought with relentless determination, but within minutes, it collapsed, lifeless. Long enough for him to observe the Void Sapling’s movements but too brief to fully grasp its capabilities.

Zachariah rummaged through his potion belt and retrieved four small glass vials. He hesitated before pulling out a fifth vial filled with black liquid. Without taking his eyes off the Void Sapling, he smoothly uncorked the vials and emptied them. The sweet and bitter mixture trickled down his throat, but he remained frozen, intently observing the creature as it erased the Behemoth’s existence, draining all life, Aether, and Essence around it. The pungent scent of the final potion made him shudder, but he swallowed it regardless.

His vision blurred, and his legs buckled as warmth drained from his body. The sensation lasted only a moment, but it reminded him of the last Cycle. The final days—his last moments.

Several notifications blinked before him, snapping him out of his reverie.

[Serum of Reinforced Mind has been consumed.]

[Serum of Superior Recovery has been consumed.]

[Potion of Unbreakable Soul has been consumed.]

[Serum of Sworded Focus has been consumed.]

[Serum of Instant Death has been consumed.]

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[Circumstances pushed you to the verge of death.

Ancient Power, Last Line, triggered. For a certain period, your power will rise greatly.

You have survived…]

Last Line. Zachariah let out a wry smile at the familiar name. It had been useless in his last life. In fact, he hadn’t understood how it worked until it was too late.

His body had been cleaved in half, limbs severed—only his upper body and head remained. Even then, death had not come swiftly. No. When he thought the end had finally arrived, that he would slip into eternal slumber and reunite with those he had loved, Last Line had triggered.

It granted him immense power. The worse his wounds, the greater the strength—at least, as far as he had understood. But it had been to no avail. In the end, all he could do was wait for Last Line to wear off, prolonging his suffering. Remembering how painfully slow he had died, his mood soured.

But this time was different. Everything had changed. The Earthen Union was more chaotic than before. More Void Saplings roamed its lands, transcendent beings had begun placing their pawns, and the world itself had shifted. The Earthen Union had awakened ahead of time. It brought chaos, death, and destruction—but also opportunity.

With chaos came opportunity but also great danger. And at last, after facing the Fragment weeks earlier, Zachariah unlocked his Ancient Power—several years earlier than in his last life. But most importantly, he had discovered ways to use Last Line to perfection.

All he had to do was kill himself without mutilating his body. That was how the Instant Death Serum came to be. His Ancient Power may not have made him invincible, but it preserved his life once in a time of great peril before it had to recharge.

At this point, his lifeforce was hanging by a thread, but he recovered quickly. Yet, recovery was the least of his concerns. Great power filled every part of his body. He was overflowing.

Zachariah darted back to the Void Sapling. It had finished devouring the Lesser Behemoth and turned away. He took that opportunity. He activated [Flash], [Burst], and [Haste], kicking off the ground to reach top speed in an instant. The Void Sapling must have sensed something, as it turned, but Zachariah was already in front of it, the power inside him pulsing dangerously.

Sword Domain! he shouted inwardly as his mind drifted to a massive Rune within his mental space. It towered above all, bound by star-like, twinkling chains that restrained the Rune, holding it in place even as Zachariah willed it to life.

[Fragmented Sword God] activated.

Time seemed to crawl around him. The Void Sapling’s quick spin slowed into an eerie, sluggish movement. It screeched at him, but Zachariah only smiled at the stretched, distorted sound reaching his ears. Yet, the thunderous thumping of his heart soon drowned out all other noise.

I’m still not ready, he realized, dissatisfied.

Despite ranking up quickly—spending the last few weeks growing stronger, advancing all stats to the Superior Rank, and pushing his Body stat even higher—Zachariah was still not strong enough to wield the Fragmented power at its full potential.

But it activated, he thought.

Being able to use [Fragmented Sword God]—even if it was only due to Last Line’s power—meant the divine shackles had weakened. That was good, and certainly enough to defeat one of the weaker Void Saplings.

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His eyes narrowed as the Void Sapling moved. Its thick, oily hide pulsed and bulged. It was subtle, but Zachariah noticed. He also knew what was about to happen and prepared accordingly.

A wave of Death tore through the Void Sapling’s hide and burst outward explosively—or at least, that was what Zachariah assumed it was supposed to look like. Yet, the scenery didn’t change much. Time had yet to accelerate back to normal.

Instead of witnessing a lethal wave of Death explode from the Void Sapling, Zachariah watched it ooze sluggishly from its hide. It felt like he had an eternity to respond, and he made full use of it.

He took a deep breath, though it didn’t feel like air entering his lungs. Instead, Aether and Essence flooded his body as he focused on the enemy ahead. Pure energy spread through him, and he channeled it all into his next move.

The first part of the sequence was crucial. It was just a single step, but time resumed its normal pace.

Zachariah smiled, feeling the strain of what awaited him seep into his entire body as the second step followed. The world blurred around him as he slipped through the wave of Death, his Sword Artifact flashing through the air. One slash. That was all it took, but it felt perfect.

The blade cut through both the wave of Death and the Void Sapling in one motion as he passed by.

Zachariah stopped after the third step, slowing his momentum and turning, his skin splitting open. Blood spurted everywhere. He was certain several muscles hadn’t survived the strain of his movements, yet all he could think about was the Void Sapling.

Even though he was certain it was over, he was ready to face the voidling again. He had learned the cost of underestimating his enemies. This time, he wouldn’t fail.

This time, everything would be different.

“And you…” Zachariah growled, spitting blood as the Void Sapling’s upper body slid from its waist, “you are merely the start.”

This time, he would ensure the voidlings—and everything they had destroyed—would be no more.

Zachariah embraced the pain coursing through his body and attacked again, his slashes carving afterimages into the air. He only stopped when the space around his blade distorted.

At last, Zachariah severed the Void Sapling’s connection to the Earthen Union and this cosmos, eliminating the creature once and for all.