The Grand Palace in Bangkok, once a magnificent and sacred place, is now shrouded in an eerie, purplish-black mist. Red rain falls on the golden glazed tiles, producing a piercing, corrosive sound reminiscent of the wails of a god in agony.
In the central plaza, thousands of demonised cyborgs assault a crumbling golden light barrier like a black tidal wave.
At the centre of the barrier sits Marlene, cross-legged with a zither called 'Divine Wave – Pure Sound' on her lap. Crimson blood seeps from her fingertips, yet the music grows ever more powerful and passionate, carrying an indomitable life force.
[System Monitoring: Spiritual Power Domain – Final Defence Line]
[Coverage range: 50 metres]
[BGM status: extremely high energy – 'Siam Rhapsody'].
'Since you want to hear it, this young lady will play it for you to your heart's content!' Marlene suddenly looked up, her eyes, which were once sweet, now filled with dazzling golden light. She ripped off her broken spiritual power glasses, took out the legendary 'spiritual communication headphones' from her pocket and put them on.
Boom!
[Combat Power Index Soars in Real Time: 8,500... 9,200... 9,999... Breaking the Limit! Combat Power Index: 12,000!"
'Is this the awakening of a Spirit Maiden?' The leader of the black-robed figures in the distance sneered. 'Unfortunately, in the face of an overwhelming display of supernatural abilities, a combat power exceeding ten thousand points is nothing but a flickering candle in a raging storm. Kill them!' As the giant mountain of flesh-like cyborgs under the command of the Black Dragon King stepped into the domain, Marlene's light screen began to tremble violently.
"Damn it… is the energy about to run out?" Marlene gritted her teeth and tears streamed down her face, only to evaporate the instant they fell, due to the surging power around her. She felt as if her soul was being ripped away — the price of forcibly draining her life force.
At that moment, a flying bio-beast with a combat power of 11,000 broke through the sonic defences, its claws aimed straight at Marlene's throat.
"Am I going to die here?" Marlene closed her eyes. The image that flashed through her mind was of a dejected yet ridiculously strong figure carrying ice.
'Hey, you, Uncle Zero... if you don't come soon, this piece is really going to be cut short.'
'Thump.'
A muffled heartbeat drowned out all the roars and explosions.
The heavy teak doors of the Grand Palace seemed to have been struck by a meteorite, shattering with a deafening roar.
From the billowing dust, a figure slowly emerged.
With each step he took, the red puddles on the ground receded wildly to either side as if welcoming their king. The newcomer dragged a two-metre-long, jet-black, blood-red cleaver in his right hand. The blade scraped against the ground, sending sparks flying and leaving a long scorch mark. 'In this world, no one has yet been born who can make her cry.'
A-Zhan's voice wasn't loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the entire battlefield. He didn't look at the hordes of monsters, but stared at Marlene's broken harp string, with a chilling glint of ferocity flashing in his eyes.
[Battle Power Resonance: Black Reversal]
[Warning! Warning! Unknown Ability Resonance Detected!]
[A-Zhan's Battle Power Index: 0…0…0…]
[ERROR! Due to the resonance of abilities between the two sides, battle power values have entered 'Mirror Overlay Mode'.
The cleaver in A-Zhan's hand hummed excitedly and the black demonic patterns spread from the corners of his eyes to coil around his arms like flames.
"Marlene, keep playing." A-Zhan walked up to Marlene with his back to her, looming over her like an insurmountable mountain. 'Even if there's only one string left, finish this piece. Leave the rest to me."
"After all, I promised you that I would take you to drink the best Coke in Bangkok." He abruptly slung his large cleaver over his shoulder, turned his head and revealed a cruel yet handsome smile.
[Real-time combat power report: Affected by resonance, A-Zhan's current attack attribute is 100% true damage. Ultimate skill loading: Life-Eating · Hundred Demon Night Parade Slash.
'Now, are you ready to face Zero's baptism?' A-Zhan turned to face the vast army, his eyes as cold as ice.
As A-Zhan took a step forward, the previously frozen air seemed to shatter as if struck by a heavy hammer.
The mutated cyborgs let out uneasy growls — their instincts, driven by the virus and magic, told them that this man, whose combat power was displayed as '0', was more dangerous than the Black Dragon King from the depths of hell.
'Kill him! Tear him to pieces!" roared the commander in the tower hysterically.
Roar!
Hundreds of 'Claw Cyborgs', each with a combat power exceeding 5,000, charged simultaneously. They transformed into grey hurricanes, tearing at A-Zhan from all directions.
Freeze-frame perspective 1: A-Zhan lowered his head slightly, his fringe obscuring his eyes. The Soul-Slaying Greatsword in his hand was not raised, but instead plunged upside down into the ground.
'First Movement,' A-Zhan murmured softly. 'The Silent Forest.'
Boom!
A-Zhan twisted the hilt of his sword with one hand and a dark, supernatural energy rippled outwards from him. The cyborgs that had charged halfway through their attack suddenly froze in mid-air. Then, countless black blades burst from the ground and precisely pierced their torsos.
[Power Level Jump: 5000->0! Mass Instant Kill!]
'It's not over yet.' A wild smile curled at the corners of A-Zhan's lips; his battle instinct was influenced by his demonic transformation.
He swiftly drew his greatsword and transformed into a black streak, crashing directly into the densest formation of cyborgs. 'Side Kick!' A-Zhan kicked a heavy cyborg dog away with terrifying force, sending it flying in a 'V' shape.
Sword Slash: the soul-slaying greatsword swept horizontally, drawing a black crescent arc with a radius of five metres. Three demonic executioners attempting a sneak attack were cut in half at the waist; the cuts were as clean as a mirror. Even the demonic energy within his body was devoured by the greatsword.
Instant Step: Amidst a hail of bullets and bone spikes, A-Zhan appeared and disappeared, taking a deformed life with each appearance.
Marlene, watching from behind, was stunned. Ignoring the excruciating pain in her fingers, she plucked the single string again. "Uncle! Catch this Holy Wave – Attack Speed Frenzy!"
A golden halo enveloped A-Zhan's feet.
[System notification: Received Spirit Maiden Buff! A-Zhan's current attack speed: +300%; A-Zhan's current movement speed: +200%."
'Thanks, little girl.' A-Zhan could feel the surging power within him and his eyes turned a deep purple. 'Enough! Let me show you the pinnacle of science and witchcraft!' With the commander's roar, a massive crater opened up in the ground of the Grand Palace and a demonic giant elephant clad in heavy alloy armour, the size of a tank, slowly rose from within it.
Its tusks had been modified into two glowing psychic compression cannons.
[BOSS APPEARS: Demonised Giant Elephant Patana]
[Combat Power Index: 22,000]
[Danger Level: Destruction Level]
"Two hundred and twenty thousand?" Despite her broken glasses, Marlene's intuition made her scream, 'Uncle, get out of the way! That cannon could raze the Grand Palace to the ground!"
The giant elephant Patana let out a deafening roar and its two supernatural cannons began charging frantically. Purple orbs of light illuminated half of Bangkok's sky.
Ah Zhan stood still, not only failing to dodge, but also slowly sheathing his greatsword and extending his right hand, which was wrapped in black bandages and whose five fingers were slowly closing.
'Two hundred and twenty thousand? In my eyes, it's no different from zero.' Ah Zhan closed his eyes and felt the curse power within him that could destroy the world. Demon patterns burned in reverse from his fingertips and transformed into white flames.
'Because I am the man who breaks the rules.'
[Real-time Combat Power Index Report]
[Domain Overlap Detected]
Partana's combat power: 22,000 → 11,000 → 5,000 → 0.
[Azhan: 0 → 10,000 → 30,000 → ?]
Freeze! The instant Partana's power cannon was fired, the purple light vanished without a trace, melting like snow upon touching a point three feet in front of Azhan.
Azhan's figure disappeared and, the next second, he appeared on top of the giant elephant's hill-like head.
'Ultimate Technique — Life-Eating Infernal Purgatory Fist — Barrier Breaker!'
This punch had no flashy effects, only extreme movement after extreme stillness.
'Crack.'
With a soft sound, the steel monster, whose combat power was 22,000, began to crack open at the head, revealing countless white fissures. Immediately afterwards, the entire colossal elephant crumbled into primordial dust like a collapsed sand sculpture, dissipating completely into the air.
As the smoke cleared, A-Zhan stood atop the ruins with his back to the starry sky. Blood dripped from his right hand, strained from the overload of energy, but his expression remained as cold as an ice sculpture.
He slowly turned to look at Marlene, who had slumped to the ground.
'The piece isn't finished yet, is it?' A-Zhan's lips curled into a slight smile, revealing the most 'chūnibyou' (delusional) smile of the chapter. 'Keep playing. I want to hear the last part.'
Marlene paused for three seconds, then burst into laughter through her tears. She wiped the grime from her face vigorously and plucked the strings once more. This time, the music was no longer mournful, but filled with the wild reverie of someone who had survived a catastrophe.
Meanwhile, lurking in the shadows in the distance, a man wearing a golden mask observed everything coldly: 'Zero, you've finally grown into the person I expected.'
Marlene's fingertips danced across the broken strings. As the final resounding note faded away, the golden afterglow shattered the air.
'Hey, old man, was that piece nice?' Marlene collapsed weakly to the ground, her face deathly pale. Yet she still struggled to keep her eyes open as she stared at the figure standing high above her.
Ah Zhan remained silent, slipping his right hand into his pocket. No one noticed, however, that his hand was trembling uncontrollably inside it from the intense energy backlash.
'So-so,' he muttered coldly.
'Tch, stubborn fool,' Marlene muttered.
Just as this delicate atmosphere was about to spread, the previously tranquil void seemed to be cleaved open by a sharp blade. Dark red rain solidified in the air, defying the laws of physics as it converged towards the centre and formed a bizarre throne.
[Warning! Warning! Warning! Unspeakable pressure detected. System is about to crash!" All the supernatural ability monitoring devices surrounding the Grand Palace emitted ear-piercing explosions simultaneously. "Crack!" Crack! Crack!"
One by one, the detectors shattered at the feet of the man in the black robe.
A man dressed in a long black robe with gold lettering sat elegantly on a throne formed from solidified red rain. He wore a golden mask that covered his entire face and was engraved with nine coiled black dragons.
'Ah Zhan, my "Zero" creation. Your punch just now barely scored 60 points,' the man said. His deep, bass-like voice made Marlene's throat taste sweet, almost causing her to vomit blood again.
[Real-time combat power index report (as perceived by Marlene's remaining spiritual senses): The Black Dragon King's combat power index is 50,000... 80,000... 100,000...!!' 'Ten... ten thousand points?' Marlene's voice trembled. 'This is beyond human capabilities. Has he become a god?' Azhan slowly raised his head, the deep purple light in his eyes surging once more as he confronted the Black Dragon King's oppressive aura directly.
'Black Dragon King,' Azhan said, enunciating each word clearly.
The floor tiles beneath his feet couldn't withstand the pressure of the two forces and instantly crumbled into dust. 'I told you: don't ever appear before me again. Otherwise, I'll reduce your throne and all your glory to nothingness.'
The Black Dragon King laughed maniacally; his laughter was filled with madness. 'Send me to nothingness? A-Zhan, have you forgotten who gave you this body? Have you forgotten who carved the demonic mark on your face? It was me — the Martial Arbiter, the Black Dragon King — who cultivated your current anger, your power, and even your 'I'm lonely' temper."
He suddenly flicked his sleeve and a black aura swept out visibly. A-Zhan swung his Soul-Slaying Greatsword to block, and with a clang, sparks flew everywhere.
Amidst the flying sparks, A-Zhan was thrown back dozens of metres by the attack, leaving two deep furrows in the marble floor. He only regained his footing when he stood in front of Marlene.
'You're still too green.' The Black Dragon King stood up, his throne crumbling into a cloud of blood mist.
'That spirit maiden will remain with you for now. After all, activating the 'Ultimate Siam Project' requires not only your 'Zero-Value Domain', but also her 'Divine Fluctuation' as a catalyst. You two are the perfect pair of sacrifices.'
'Who are you calling a sacrifice? You masked pervert!' Marlene gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand up, clutching a handful of Thai seasoning packets. Don't ask — these are her hidden weapon: Tom Yum smoke bombs.
'Heh, interesting.' The Black Dragon King's figure began to fade, disappearing into the distorted space. 'Ah Zhan, on the "Lunar Eclipse Night" three months from now, I will personally collect my creation atop Bangkok. Until then, strive to become stronger — strong enough to bring me 'pleasure'."
Only his arrogant laughter echoed in the air. The red rain finally stopped and deathly silence fell over the Grand Palace, broken only by the occasional distant roar of demonised cyborgs.
Ah Zhan stood there for a long time. The demonic markings on his body gradually faded and he returned to being an "ordinary person" with zero combat power. He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a blood-soaked flyer that read: 'Bangkok's No. 1 Coca-Cola Shop, Second Drink Half Price.'
'Hey, um... Marlene.' A-Zhan's back was to her and his voice was slightly stiff.
'What? Want to apologise? I won't accept an apology unless you carry me back!" Marlene rubbed her sore legs and snapped irritably.
'The Coca-Cola shop isn't closed yet.' A-Zhan turned his head slightly; his face was still cold, but his tone had lost some of its murderous intent. 'Let's go. I'll carry you.'
Marlene hesitated for a moment, then flashed a radiant smile that could melt ice and snow. She jumped onto A-Zhan's back. 'You said it! I want ice, lots and lots of ice!'
"Tsk, troublesome."
Their shadows stretched long and thin across the ruins.