Chapter 109: Severing the Past of Zeras

When Jaycee was brought to the surface by Nasus, Ethan also dragged Morey back up. Morey glanced at Jaycee, who had landed safely, and sighed inwardly. Jaycee held a first-class ticket on the Chinese high-speed rail, while he himself was on a slow green train—there was simply no comparison.

“Emperor, stop poking. He’s already dead,” Nasus advised, looking toward Azir in the distance.

Azir lifted his head and casually pulled the scepter from Kassilius’s corpse. He was furious with Kassilius—even in death, he could not find peace. He wanted to unleash all the pent-up anger from those long years trapped underground.

In truth, Kassilius had initially held his own against Azir, sometimes even breaking through the enemy’s fiercest formations. But as time passed and Azir’s strength rapidly recovered, the infernal energy within Kassilius could no longer sustain itself against his consumption. Eventually, he could hardly maintain his demonic form.

Such a shift in power made Kassilius’s defeat inevitable. Yet when he fell, did he ever regret not sentencing Karmathage properly in the past?

“My strategist, my general, Shurima is no more,” Azir murmured, gazing at the desert afar. He could no longer see a single banner of Shurima, nor any remaining soldiers of the Ascended Legion.

They had envisioned this scene during their slumber, but witnessing it in reality brought a profound sorrow.

Back then, the threat of Odin from Asgard loomed over the Shuriman Empire. No one was certain whether the followers of the Zoroastrian faith, whom they had tried to eradicate, would return centuries later.

Against this backdrop, Azir defied everyone’s objections and forcefully initiated the Ascension ritual, determined to prepare for the battles ahead. Unfortunately, the ceremony was interrupted by Xerath, who stole a large portion of the associated power.

Rek’Sai and Nasus, stationed at the borders defending against external enemies, rushed back upon hearing the news. Yet when they arrived, all they could do was seal away the rampaging Xerath. As for Azir, he was left with but a single breath.

With the Ascended Legion devastated, the capital half-ruined, the royal bloodline fractured, the emperor unconscious, and enemies pouring in, the two generals had no choice but to evacuate Azir from the capital. They sought a place to build a tomb to preserve Shurima’s legacy.

After burying the solar disk alongside Azir in the tomb, Nasus prepared to establish a defensive network. At that moment, Rek’Sai, who was guarding Xerath, was struck by influence and attacked them.

After subduing the confused Rek’Sai, Nasus dragged his injured body and took the coffin sealing Xerath deeper underground. There, with stronger seals, he imprisoned the treacherous sorcerer. Nasus and Rek’Sai then descended beneath the seal, performing a self-imposed binding.

“Emperor, as long as you live, so do we, and Shurima shall one day be reborn. Return now; your wounds are yet to heal fully,” Nasus counseled.

Rek’Sai stood silently beside them, burdened with guilt for having faltered mentally when Shurima’s demise was imminent, allowing Xerath to exploit the weakness.

Azir nodded. Before departing, he shouted toward the distance, “Xerath!”

That single name brimmed with fury, resentment, and self-reproach. He regretted deeply—regretted trusting Xerath so blindly.

Several kilometers away in the desert, Xerath involuntarily paused upon hearing his name.

Instantly, overwhelming shame flooded his heart—not for his past deeds, but for still halting subconsciously at Azir’s call, awaiting orders.

If he did not sever this now, he would forever remain Azir’s slave.

Turning toward the ancient tomb, Xerath spread his arms wide, relinquishing control over the arcane energy within his body.

The newly restored arcane power surged and twisted between his hands—the arcane ritual had begun.

If before, Xerath had stolen the Ascension’s power to grasp authority, now the ritual was his declaration to break free from his former slavery once and for all.

“Azir!!!”

Hearing Xerath’s voice, Azir halted his retreat. That voice was all too familiar—once, it rang daily by his side, addressed to the emperor with respect, affection, and fear.

“Nasus! Rek’Sai!” Azir called out, watching the arcane energies roiling into the sky.

“Present!” came the reply.

“Before I fell into slumber, I forbade the survival of any sinner who directly caused Shurima’s fall!”

“Understood!”

Ultimate Dominion! The Death God descends!

Nasus and Rek’Sai unleashed their power into the world, transforming into towering giants hundreds of meters tall. Around them, swirling energy formed two small overlapping domains. Any high-level warrior caught within the intersection would be pulverized—body and soul torn apart.

Ethan, ever perceptive, led Jaycee and Morey away in the opposite direction. This place was about to become a battleground, one far beyond their ability to engage.

“Xerath! I hereby judge you for your crimes against Shurima!” Azir raised his scepter, pointing at the distant figure. The solar disk behind him shone brightly as he floated in the air.

“By your crimes, the final sentence is death! Your name is revoked—slave!”

“Azir, you tyrannical, untrustworthy emperor! Today, I will bury Shurima completely! Bury this past forever!” Xerath retorted.

With his final words, the entire sky turned a perilous shade of blue. Countless arcane orbs spilled forth from the azure sea, dense as honeycomb cells.

Nasus stepped before Azir, his inner power forming a soul barrier—the emperor’s strongest defense.

Rek’Sai, however, quickened his charge, gripping his axe-like weapon horizontally to part the air and reduce resistance.

Azir did not command Nasus or Rek’Sai, knowing his strategist and general would make the right choices. He himself spread his arms toward the sun, the rotating solar disk behind him forming a triangle with his limbs.

Within this triangle, terrifying energy was gestating. When it broke free, the world would witness the true power of Shurima!