Chapter 43: The Resurrection of the Supreme Council Clan

The Resurrection of the Supreme Council Clan

Azrael climbed to the top of the Ruler's Pillar and took a single step onto its surface.

At that very moment, the pillar radiated a brilliant light, as though it had recognized its master after an absence that had lasted for countless ages.

Gaya watched the scene in astonishment before murmuring,

"That pillar... Why do I feel as though it has been waiting for you?"

Azrael did not answer immediately.

He lowered his gaze toward the pillar beneath him and said in a calm, enigmatic voice,

"Because some things never forget their master... even if the world has forgotten that he ever existed."

Gaya froze for a moment at his words, but before she could ask another question, space before Azrael began to ripple.

A spatial rift appeared in the center of the pillar, directly before him.

From within the rift, a magnificent throne slowly descended.

It was a throne unlike anything Gaya had ever seen—black and violet, covered in ancient inscriptions she could not comprehend.

An immense aura of sovereignty and authority emanated from it, as though it were not merely announcing the return of its master, but proclaiming his return to the entire world.

When the throne finally settled into place, the energy throughout Abaddon—the Sovereign City—shuddered violently.

Gaya raised her head, staring at the throne in awe.

"Was this throne waiting for you all this time?"

A faint smile appeared on Azrael's face.

"It has waited longer than you could possibly imagine."

He then took a step toward the throne.

Before he could sit, an ancient and mysterious voice suddenly sounded before him:

"We meet again... my friend."

Gaya stopped in her tracks.

She looked around, desperately trying to locate the source of the voice, but there was no one there.

Azrael, however, showed no surprise whatsoever, as though he had expected those words.

"I missed you too," he replied calmly.

He then turned toward the center of the hall and sat upon the throne.

The instant his body settled into it...

It was as though someone had pressed an invisible button.

Every throne in the hall suddenly illuminated.

A tremendous shockwave erupted from them, its epicenter being Azrael, and swept across the entire continent.

The heavens trembled.

The earth shook.

The spiritual energy throughout Astaria transformed into a colossal vortex.

Azrael then employed the technique "Roar of the Titans", amplifying his voice until it could reach every corner of the continent.

His voice shook the heavens and earth as he declared:

"By my authority as the Ruler of the Supreme Council Clan... rise from your slumber and answer the call of sovereignty!"

His voice reverberated throughout the continent.

The beasts heard it.

The humans heard it.

Even the beings hidden in the deepest reaches of the earth heard it.

Even entities that had slept for millions of years opened their eyes.

And then...

The earthquakes began.

The earth trembled violently as thirteen towering pillars erupted from its depths, rising until they pierced the heavens.

Gaya stared at the thirteen pillars.

"Thirteen seals..."

She turned toward Azrael.

"Thirteen kings?"

Without taking his eyes away from the pillars, Azrael answered,

"Yes."

He fell silent for a moment.

Then he said,

"They have slept for a very long time."

His tone suddenly changed.

"Now... it is time to awaken them."

Thirteen ancient, boundless auras began spreading from the pillars, sweeping across the entire continent.

They were so overwhelming that even the heavens seemed to bend beneath their pressure.

Everything in their path was suppressed, as though ancient entities from the dawn of time had awakened to announce their return.

Gaya felt the tremendous pressure and dropped to one knee, her entire body trembling.

She shouted,

"Azrael! What the hell is happening?!"

Azrael answered calmly,

"The kings are awakening... and the armies are preparing."

He paused for a moment.

Then said,

"The Resurrection of the Clan has begun."

The pressure intensified until Gaya felt as though her body would be crushed beneath it.

She was about to kneel completely, but Azrael merely waved his hand.

A mysterious energy immediately enveloped Gaya's body, shielding her from the terrifying pressure.

Azrael looked at her and said solemnly,

"Members of the Council Clan kneel to no one... except me."

Gaya's eyes widened.

She could not tell whether his words were arrogance or an absolute truth.

Yet something deep within her told her that Azrael was not speaking of himself as a mere king...

He was speaking as though he were an undeniable law of existence.

Once the auras emanating from the pillars reached a certain level, the breath of life began flowing from them.

Then ancient voices, unheard for countless ages, rang out:

"Glory and power to the Ruler!"

Lights erupted from the pillars at terrifying speed, racing toward the Sovereign Citadel.

They entered the Hall of Thrones, and mysterious humanoid figures began appearing above the pillars of the Kings and the King of Kings.

One after another, those figures knelt toward Azrael.

Then their voices resounded throughout the entire continent of Astaria.

"Basar, King of the End... salutes the Ruler!"

Gaya trembled.

Then the second figure appeared.

"Darius, King of Darkness... salutes the Ruler!"

Then the third.

"Croix, King of Death and the Undead... salutes the Ruler!"

Then the fourth.

"Leonheart, King of Light... salutes the Ruler!"

The voices continued:

"Agnes, Queen of Hellfire... salutes the Ruler!"

"Iris, Queen of Frost and Winter... salutes the Ruler!"

"Barbatos, King of Earth... salutes the Ruler!"

"Dikaku, the Golden King... salutes the Ruler!"

"Brontia, Queen of Storms... salutes the Ruler!"

"Eve, Queen of Life and Nature... salutes the Ruler!"

"Gaha, King of Beasts... salutes the Ruler!"

"Chronos, King of Time and Space... salutes the Ruler!"

When Chronos appeared, he raised his head toward Azrael and spoke in a deep voice:

"I have awaited this day since the hands of time itself ceased to turn."

Azrael looked toward him.

"And now I have returned."

Silence descended upon the hall.

Only one pillar remained without its master.

The Pillar of the King of Kings.

Gaya's expression changed.

"There is still one who hasn't awakened..."

Azrael gazed toward the final pillar.

"Not yet."

Suddenly, the pillar began to tremble.

Cracks of light spread across its surface.

An aura unlike any that had appeared before began rising from within it.

Even Azrael slightly raised his eyes.

Then an ancient and immense voice reverberated throughout the continent—a voice that seemed to carry the weight of countless ages:

"Do you still remember the promise we made before the Eternal War?"

A faint smile appeared on Azrael's face.

"How could I forget?"

He raised his head.

"I have returned to fulfill it."

The aura erupted from the pillar.

A colossal humanoid figure appeared above it.

The ancient entity then bowed toward Azrael.

His voice resounded throughout all of Astaria:

"Baran, King of Kings... salutes the Supreme One!"

Gaya trembled.

For the first time since entering Azrael's domain, she found herself utterly incapable of finding words to describe what she was witnessing.

She understood only one thing:

Azrael had not returned to this continent merely to reclaim his throne.

He had returned to awaken an entire world that had been sleeping for countless ages.

And now...

The Resurrection of the Supreme Council Clan had begun.