Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1402: Inexorable Fate

Zac had consistently avoided triggering the power of [Love’s Bond] unless every other path was closed. In his eyes, revealing his Void Talents was a far better sacrifice than forcing Alea’s spirit into a gamble of mutual annihilation. Though he had hoped Alea would move away from such self-destructive methods as she grew stronger, she had remained stubborn, preserving the sacrificial core of the skill. Her reasoning was simple: there was no point in her possessing an ability unless it could surpass Zac’s own, and this was the only way to achieve that level of power.

“Now,” Zac commanded as a fresh strategy materialized in his mind.

He knew that simply revealing a hidden trump card wouldn’t be enough to shatter Descartes’ illusion of immortality. Moreover, Zac wasn’t foolish enough to believe that what they had seen so far was the limit of the man's strength. They needed a coordinated effort to erode Descartes’ mental stability before they could hope to land a finishing blow.

“Go!” Zac signaled the Elemental just as the Buffing Pygmy from [Profane Exponents] began to stir.

The lantern held by the pygmy—designed to incinerate defenses—suddenly imploded as an ancient sigil flared beneath it. The now-exposed candle erupted like a malevolent star, releasing a massive wave of Miasmic fire. The inferno surged forward, swallowing Descartes and his collection of painted thralls. Nothing escaped the blaze. By pouring the entirety of the skill’s duration into a single burst, even the paintbrush was engulfed in the conflagration.

While the treasure itself remained unharmed, the persistent flames crippled its ability to manifest drawings in the air. The brush was effectively demoted to a decorative club, creating numerous gaps in Descartes' defense. Seizing the moment, a chain shot toward Descartes' left eye, fracturing the energies he was attempting to coalesce.

Even the most elite ancient cultivators suffered a distinct disadvantage compared to those bound by the System. Their techniques required a heartbeat longer to manifest, making them vulnerable to disruption during close-quarters combat. Interrupting those movements had been Zac’s secondary objective; the first was carving out an opportunity for Kaltosa Lu.

Having already burnt [Profane Exponents], Zac wasn't about to settle for mere distractions. He charged through the fire, closing the distance until he was chest-to-chest with his foe, then launched a lightning-fast palm strike. The impact buckled Descartes’ chest, crushing his lungs and splintering his heart as he was forced backward. In exchange, the brush swung down, connecting with Zac’s shoulder with a sickening crack.

The weight of the brush felt like a falling mountain, forcing Zac to use his chains as anchors to avoid being launched away. Meanwhile, Descartes remained unbothered by his injuries; his shattered chest had already knitted itself back together before he even stopped moving. It was a losing trade in the short term, but Zac knew that a single lost exchange could still win the war.

Descartes watched with curiosity as the flaming brush failed to knock the spectral chain away. He wasn't given a moment's peace before the energy within his own body began to spiral out of control. Knowing Descartes would eventually adapt to the enhanced force-redirection of [Arbiter of the Abyss], Zac aimed to inflict maximum chaos within the narrowest possible window.

Zac reappeared instantly before the staggering Descartes. He had effectively scrambled the directional instincts of every muscle in the man's body. Even as [Death’s Duality] swung toward his skull, Descartes’ expression remained one of bored mockery and idle interest. He was behaving like a predator waiting to see what its cornered prey would attempt next.

His mindset was easy to read. Descartes walked a path of absolute dominion, finding pleasure in crushing the wills of others and displaying his dominance. He was intentionally allowing his enemies to strike with everything they had, certain he would emerge untouched. Each failed attempt by his enemies only served to fortify his Dao Heart and expand his path. Zac intended to make him pay for that arrogance.

Zac unleashed a frenzied assault with [Fatehew]. Utilizing the brief paralysis caused by [Arbiter of the Abyss], he carved Descartes into a hundred fragments. Simultaneously, with the painted guardians gone due to the sacrifice of [Profane Exponents], Alea’s chains were free to move. Instead of attacking Descartes directly, they coiled tightly around the paintbrush.

For his final move, Zac played his real trump card: [Void Zone] at its peak intensity. Massive quantities of Void Energy drained from him instantly, yet the terrifying convergence of forces within the scattered piles of flesh on the ground refused to dissipate. Zac had expected this; the chance of a D-grade Bloodline Talent nullifying an ability backed by bestowed Authority was nearly zero. At best, he had only hindered the regeneration by twenty percent.

However, an unexpected benefit emerged. The paintbrush, now trapped in a web of chains and severed from the Heavens, shrank to its natural size as the runes on its handle faded. This shift prompted Zac to pivot his plan immediately. He quieted his pulsing bloodline and pulled out a stone etched with golden scripts.

The sight of it caused the scattered flesh to quiver. Zac stomped the ground, dispersing the remains. While it didn't delay Descartes' reformation, it clearly agitated him. This was a minor act of spite compared to his main goal: channeling his full Strength to jam the brush into the maw of the [Fuxi Mountain Gate].

Initially, Zac had planned to open a Void Vortex and cast the Spiritual Tool into his own Void to keep Descartes from summoning it. The brush’s sudden shrinkage offered a superior path. By doing this, Zac avoided the risk of a massive weapon tearing its way out of his body through backlash.

The tool fought back until Zac forced its tip into the opening. Suddenly, the brush went still, radiating a sense of pure terror. It ceased its resistance entirely, allowing Zac to shove it through. A moment later, the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] was pulled back into [Purity of the Void], vanishing from existence a breath later.

Zac smirked as a livid Descartes reformed within the nullification field, just a second too late to stop the theft. He was now weaponless. Disarming him had failed before because the brush would simply reappear in his hand upon reformation, but Zac knew that even such connections had their breaking points.

The brush was now on the far side of the Left Imperial Expanse, sealed within a Supreme Void Treasure. Even if it broke out of the [Fuxi Mountain Gate], it would find itself stranded at the edge of the Crushing Hell. Zac trusted his human half to handle the situation without a formal message, and Tavza was available to keep the weapon suppressed. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

Stealing the weapon was merely the prelude. Kaltosa Lu had been preparing the main event while Zac provided the distraction. Unlike Descartes, whose sight was clouded by [Fields of Despair] and senses dampened by [Void Zone], Zac could track the thousands of Array Disks hovering above.

They had shifted in a seemingly chaotic pattern until Zac caught Descartes in the nullification sphere. At that moment, they snapped into a unified formation. Zac didn't need his Danger Sense to feel the lethal power they were gathering. He transformed into a blur of Abyssal Death, wrapping the shackled Descartes in absolute shadow before slipping away.

The total sensory blackout of [Abyssal Drive] could only hold someone of Descartes’ caliber for a moment. That was all the time Zac needed to mask the arrival of a blank, four-armed figure. Each of its hands pressed downward as if pinning the world itself, and the space around Descartes collapsed as reality imploded.

For a fleeting second, Zac felt the energy signatures of the current era, suggesting Kaltosa Lu’s blow had actually cracked the memory domain. Was this the Elemental’s escape plan if things failed? Zac had used similar tactics to break out of memory realms before, but the Mercurial Court’s memories had always seemed unbreakable. It was a testament to the sheer power Kaltosa Lu had harnessed through his array network.

“The Emissary is beyond your reach!” Descartes bellowed from the center of the collapse, slamming a banner into the earth. It bore twenty-three undulating lines.

A star-filled constellation erupted from the flag, despite its lack of obvious spirituality. The massive image exuded overwhelming levels of Order and Imperial Faith. Standing in its presence felt like being crushed by the weight of the imperial flames that guarded the stars.

Each star contained a symbol or relic of such immense prestige that Zac had to look away to keep his eyes from bursting. Some were so potent they were unrecognizable. This was particularly true for the three idols hovering directly above the banner, the focal point of the swirling stars. They felt distinct yet unified, both alien and strangely familiar to Zac. Others, however, he knew well.

A dim sun bearing the crest of the Theomore Dynasty anchored the western edge. Similarly, the Empyrean Chalice and its Eternal Flame sat directly above the banner, acting as a lynchpin for the heavenly dome.

Every Imperial Bloodline and branch was there. Most, like the Theomore sun, barely manifested, but their mere presence was enough to nullify Kaltosa Lu’s ultimate strike. Thousands of Array Disks shattered instantly, and Kaltosa Lu was slammed to his knees. His shimmering form began to fade, with only three tiny sparks within him offering a desperate resistance.

Though he didn't suffer the same backlash, Zac’s mind throbbed with agony just looking at the scene. It contained high-level truths he wasn't yet meant to grasp. The chart reminded him of the mosaic in the Centurion Lighthouse—a map of the System and its Eight Pillars.

Descartes’ banner was a celestial map of the Limitless Empire, a representation of their combined Heavenly Territories. The three central stars were the Emperor and his capital, embodying the authority of an Empire that stood above all things.

The counterattack was swifter and more violent than Zac had anticipated, but it was still within his calculations. He had never expected Kaltosa Lu to win the fight alone. The goal was the systematic destruction of Descartes’ confidence. Even if the brush wasn't the source of his immortality, losing it proved he wasn't invincible.

Descartes had been forced to use his ultimate protection because he felt truly threatened. His opponents were more dangerous than he thought, and he wanted no more surprises. If Zac could pierce this constellation—the fortress of Descartes’ spirit—he could shatter the man's Dao Heart.

Zac’s frame creaked under the immense weight, and his Soul Cores nearly ground to a halt. It felt as though a deity was pressing down on his back, demanding he kneel. Yet, the pressure stopped just short of being unbearable. He initially credited [Void Zone], but soon realized something else was at play.

The reason he remained standing while Kaltosa Lu collapsed was a sudden discord in the celestial map. While the other stars turned their blades toward the Emissary’s enemies, one offered a hand of welcome. The golden chalice filled Zac's vision, his own memories acting as a bridge across time.

The Empyrean Flame had dimmed over the ages, but it stirred at the call. Zac felt the fire reach out from the edge of existence to the Left Imperial Expanse, seeking to clothe its chosen one in supreme authority. How could a mere emissary use that same power to suppress a Terminal Son—the one who carried the destiny of the Empyrean Chalice?

Zac didn't care about the costs or the duration of this blessing. He only knew this was a window of opportunity far greater than any other. It was time to debunk the myth of immortality.

The Void of Life merged with the anthem of War and Death, granting Zac a new level of unstoppable momentum. A hidden path through the Empyrean Chalice opened to him, and he stepped forward. A sensation like a warm summer wind washed over him as he passed through the spectral chalice, mending his wounds as he moved.

Descartes, who had been moving to execute Kaltosa Lu, spun around in shock as Zac appeared beside the banner. His horror deepened when Zac reached out and grabbed the pole without being annihilated.

“No—!”

Zac ignored the scream and ripped the banner from the ground with a massive heave. The constellation collapsed like a burst balloon, its divine light vanishing. The three central suns retreated first, as if they refused to remain if the banner wasn't at full strength. Their departure left Zac frustrated—he still couldn't see what they truly were—but it triggered a total withdrawal of the other stars.

Soon, only one icon remained—a golden chalice holding a ghostly flame. It didn't fade; instead, it grew so vibrant it seemed physical.

“You! This is high treason!” Descartes screamed, glaring at the final sun with pure rage.

“Treason? You, a mere messenger, dare use the Empire’s flag against me? The Emperor himself protects my Dao. You are seeking your own end,” Zac growled, snapping the banner over his knee.

Zac’s heart raced at the boldness of his own words, half-expecting lightning to strike him for his arrogance. It didn't. Instead, his words hit Descartes harder than any physical blow. The man looked physically ill and utterly bewildered. Alea saw the opening and struck.

A five-meter spectral image of Alea appeared over Descartes, looking down with a serene smile. Descartes shuddered as ten chains materialized around him, connected to Alea’s fingers. She looked like a puppeteer holding her prize.

Descartes’ body surged with power as he fought to break the hold, the beastly roars returning. But the energy was suppressed as he took a jerky, forced step toward Zac. He struggled again and again, but the result remained the same. Finally, Descartes stood before Zac, his arms pulled wide in a forced embrace.

All living things were puppets of fate, walking toward the end. A spirit of pure persistence could briefly seize those strings, provided they paid the toll.

This was the core of [Inexorable Fate], the evolution of [Fate’s Predestination]. It didn't command energy or the Dao; it steered destiny itself toward a set conclusion. The stronger the target’s destiny, the worse the backlash Alea endured. If she tried to force a fate that was too unlikely, her spirit would simply shatter.

“You said it yourself. It’s time to fix the path. The Left Imperial Expanse has no place for you,” Zac said, his voice dripping with hatred. Cracks were already spider-webbing across Alea’s form. Every second she held Descartes’ fate, her soul took damage. He had to finish this now.

Zac pulled every drop of power from the ten remnants within him. Immense force flooded his shoulders as he stepped in. His left hand held the source of all things; his right held the absolute end. He was the alpha and the omega, with the sea of existence caught between. Finally, the Void of Conflict shattered the laws of reality to create Primordial Chaos.

It was a power that shouldn't exist in the current era, let alone in the ancient past when the Peak of Chaos was in ruins. Descartes’ face filled with a new, deeper level of terror as the silver light of Chaos reflected in his eyes. Zac offered a silent prayer and struck the final blow.