Chapter 2735: Story 2736: The Awakening of the First King

The gigantic black crown continued rising from the earth.

Stone cracked beneath it.

Mountains trembled.

The dead stopped marching.

Every corpse turned toward the distant crown.

Ronan stared at the horizon.

“What is happening?”

His mother looked at him through the black gate.

“The First King is returning.”

Kael tightened his grip on his weapon.

“But he was already awakened.”

The Mother shook her head.

“That was only his shadow.”

Aren stepped forward.

“Then what is rising?”

Her eyes filled with sorrow.

“The king himself.”

A deafening roar exploded across the valley.

The black crown rose completely from the earth.

Beneath it, something enormous began climbing upward.

First came a hand.

Then an armored shoulder.

Then a massive body covered in ancient black armor.

The First King emerged from the ground.

His crown was larger than a man.

His red eyes burned across the battlefield.

Millions of dead creatures immediately dropped to their knees.

Even the Father of the Ancient King lowered his head.

Ronan stared at him.

“That is him?”

Kael whispered.

“No.”

Ronan looked at him.

Kael’s face had turned pale.

“That is what he became.”

The First King raised his head.

His gaze found Ronan.

“My son.”

Ronan’s sword began glowing red.

“You destroyed my family.”

The First King smiled.

“I created your family.”

Elias stepped forward.

“You lied to us.”

The First King looked at him.

“You were never meant to know the truth.”

Black energy surrounded Elias.

He raised his blade.

“I know enough.”

Elias charged.

The First King lifted one hand.

Elias froze in midair.

Aren screamed.

“Elias!”

Ronan attacked.

His sword struck the First King’s armor.

The impact sent a red shockwave across the battlefield.

The First King finally moved.

He struck Ronan with his fist.

Ronan flew backward and crashed into the ground.

Lyra rushed toward him.

“Ronan!”

He pushed himself up.

His shield was gone.

Blood ran from his mouth.

But his eyes remained fixed on the First King.

The Mother suddenly shouted from beyond the gate.

“Ronan, listen to me!”

He looked at her.

“Do not fight him here.”

“Why?”

“Because this is where his power is strongest.”

The First King turned toward the gate.

For the first time, his expression changed.

“You.”

The Mother stepped forward.

“You remember me.”

The First King stared at her.

“I remember the woman who betrayed me.”

“I protected my children.”

“You imprisoned me.”

“You tried to turn them into weapons.”

The First King raised his hand.

The black gate shook violently.

The Mother struggled to remain standing.

Ronan ran toward her.

“Mother!”

She looked at him.

“Go to the birthplace.”

Kael understood immediately.

“The original blood temple.”

The Mother nodded.

“There is something buried beneath it.”

Aren asked, “What?”

The Mother looked at all three brothers.

“Your first memory.”

The First King roared.

The ground split beneath them.

A black army began rising from the earth.

The Mother shouted:

“RUN!”

Ronan grabbed Lyra’s hand.

Elias broke free.

Aren followed.

Together, the three brothers ran toward the mountains.

Behind them, the First King raised his sword.

And the dead began chasing them.