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However, the forging quality of this dragon armor can only be described as average.

Not only does it look ugly, but its quality isn't much better either.

Zicomo chopped it to pieces with a single sword strike.

Yes, I used the Darkmoon Greatsword.

(Dragon-armored Tree Guardian: You think you're so great, so arrogant! You used a legendary weapon to attack my normal equipment!)

Having dealt with the dragon-armored tree guardian, Zicomo was about to pass through the fog gate to find Maricus.

Suddenly, a man appeared from behind, wielding a strange, large club, and swung it at Zicomo.

Chapter 285 "The Traitor" Bernal, "The Beast Priest" Granger

Zicomo instinctively swung his Darkmoon Greatsword, using the spine of the blade to send the attacker flying.

Zicomo recognized the newcomer and said with some surprise, "It's you! 'The Hercules' Bernal?"

Bernal said, "That's right, I didn't expect you to still remember me."

Zicomo asked, "Why did you suddenly attack me?"

Bernal suddenly said angrily, "What are you pretending to be stupid for? You murderer who killed my dearest friend!"

Zicomo slapped his forehead and said, "Oh, sorry. I forgot you're Lakad's friend. So you're here to kill me?"

"Yes, I'm going to kill you. Not just to avenge my best friend."

Bernal said, "It's also about taking revenge on the Golden Tree!"

Zicomo said no more. There is never right or wrong in border areas, only positions.

Even people who were once close can part ways or even become enemies due to differing stances.

Oh right, except for Patch.

That's a complete bastard, utterly without any principles.

Zicomo raised the Darkmoon Greatsword in his hand and pointed it at Bernal.

He said, “Come on, show me your determination for revenge.”

Nabel charged forward, brandishing his large stick.

Zikomo simply imbued the Darkmoon Greatsword with the spell 'Adura's Moonsword'.

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The battle between the two needs no further explanation.

Even with Nabel's exceptional martial arts skills and extensive combat experience, he could never be a match for Zikomo, who had already become a god.

As Zikomo's Darkmoon Greatsword pierced Bernal's heart, Lacad's friend met his end.

On his deathbed, Bernal murmured, "I can't hear, I can't see, and I won't feel lost. I will only move forward on the path I've decided to take, even if death awaits me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Bernal, like the other creatures that died in the border region, turned into white specks of light and disappeared into the world.

However, his armor and weapons remained, which suggests they were not ordinary equipment.

Otherwise, he would have returned to the Golden Tree with Nabel long ago.

This made Zicomo feel a little sorry for himself; he should have used a different method to kill Nabel.

He's poked a big hole in the chest of this armor, and he'll have to figure out how to repair it.

This armor is called the Beast Gathering Armor. Through the system, Zicomo saw the description of this armor.

[The beast is drawn to the hero, to the king; this is the armor worn by a hero with kingly qualities, worthy of the name, worn by Nabel—until his witch leaps into the fire.]

Upon seeing this introduction, Zicomo roughly understood what Nabel meant when he said he was seeking revenge against the Golden Tree.

Nabel was a born king, possessing the same trait as the first Golden King, Govre—an attraction to wild beasts.

The legendary barbarian warrior, Horai?

Nabel, who was also popular with wild beasts, was naturally regarded as having the qualities of a king.

Like any other faded one, he embarked on a journey to the Elden Ring with his witch.

During his journey, he met his close friend Lakad and learned part of the truth about the Golden Tree.

Guided by Raccard, he arrived at the top of the giant's mountain and watched his witch leap off the giant's cauldron of fire.

Ultimately, however, he failed to ignite the golden tree, and Bernal completely collapsed.

After learning that Raccard had been devoured by the serpent and understanding Raccard's ambitions, Belar went to the volcano mansion.

He saw Raccard being devoured by the giant serpent in the audience hall and picked up the 'World-Devouring Scepter'.

That is, the strange big stick he used.

This weapon is also one of the legendary weapons. It is said that the appearance of the 'World Devouring Scepter' is the vision of the future that Rakad saw when he was dying after being devoured by the giant serpent.

Nabel inherited Lacard's will and decided to desecrate the Golden Tree.

After the golden tree was set ablaze, Nabel knew his chance had come.

He arrived in Famyazra with the 'Blasphemy Claw'.

'Blasphemy Claw' was an item that Raccard received from Lani as a gift during the Night of the Intrigue.

It was able to deflect the power of the black sword.

Nabel brought it to Famyazra, his purpose being self-evident.

He wanted to unleash the power of Destiny's Death and use it to take revenge on the Golden Tree.

Unfortunately, he didn't know that Marika had already made arrangements for where her destined death would take place.

Even more unfortunately, Nabel encountered Zikomo and sought revenge against him for his friend's sake.

The outcome was obvious: Nabel's path to revenge came to an end.

However, as a tool to deliver equipment to the protagonist, he did a pretty good job.

Not only did they give Zicomo a set of Beast Armor, but they also gave him a legendary weapon, the 'World Devouring Scepter'.

There is also the most precious 'Desecrating Beast Claw'.

This stone shard, inlaid with fragments of the Death Rune, was also left behind after Bernal's death.

Zicomo is about to fight the Black Sword Maricus, and the 'Desecrating Claws' will come in handy.

Zicomo carefully collected the equipment left by Bernal, rested briefly, and then stepped into the room behind the fog gate.

This is a circular, broken hall with four pillars standing around it, while the dome has long since disappeared.

Only the wall at the far end of the main hall, with its intricate design of the Elden Ring and the Golden Tree, remains intact.

Below the mural, a tall figure stands there, draped in a gray-white robe.

He was wearing a hood, so his face couldn't be seen, but Zicomo knew who he was.

“Grang, the Beast Priest,” Zicomo said. “Or should I call you Black Sword Maricus?”

Zicomo and Maricus had met more than once.

After the Night of the Conspiracy, Maricus adopted the alias Grang, the Beast Priest, and resided in the Beast Temple in the northernmost part of Galid.

Its purpose is to collect and devour the 'Dead Root,' the origin of the Dead Ones.

It can only be said that they are indeed the minions of the supreme will.

Even though it could no longer get a response from the supreme will, it still protected the Golden Tree and prevented the Death from spreading in the borderlands.

Zicomo had traded Deadroot for several decent combat-type prayers from them, and they had met more than once.

The name Gulang was used in the borderlands to refer to terrifying beasts, and also meant 'the death of a demigod'.

This description would be quite fitting for Maricus.

Chapter 286 Black Sword Maricus, Destined Death Unsealed

"Call me Gulang or Maricus, whatever you like."

Maricus said, “O you who yearn to approach your destined death, I will not let it be stolen a second time!”

After saying that, he charged towards Zicomo.

Zicomo shrugged and said, "I thought we could sit down and talk since I sent you so many Deadroots!"

"So, it seems there's no room for negotiation?"

As Zicomo spoke, he raised the Darkmoon Greatsword high.

He activated the combat skill inherent to the Darkmoon Greatsword.

A faint moonlight flashed across the sword's surface, and a layer of bone-chilling cold air enveloped its blade.

By the time Maricus reached Zicomo, Zicomo had already completed charging up his combat technique.

With a slash, Zicomo unleashed an arc of moonlight from his blade, hurtling towards Maricus.