Chapter 108: The Evil God and the Source Essence

Chapter 108: The Evil God and the Source Essence



Susan supported Connie, while Karl raised his Paladin, and the four of them moved towards the exit of the dungeon.

"Bang!"

The sound of impact ahead became increasingly clear.

In the narrow passage, Quincy was fighting against three men, their gun shadows and sword lights crisscrossing and clashing.

The three men had almost identical builds, appearances, and attire, each holding a curved scimitar.

Their movements were incredibly agile, and the scimitars slashed from various bizarre angles, forcing Quincy to retreat repeatedly.

"The Pao brothers!"

Susan noticed the situation and pouted slightly:

"Quincy, do you need help?"

Quincy's expression darkened. As a Grand Knight, he rarely encountered troubles he couldn't handle after wandering for so many years.

But today,

he had been repeatedly rebuffed.

He was about to say that he could handle it, but the increasing pressure made him hesitant to even speak up.

"Susan."

Connie shook her head:

"Don't joke around. We need to get to the main hall as soon as possible, or else there might be big trouble."

"Karl?"

"Hmm."

Karl nodded and raised one hand.

Control Water!

The environment here was not friendly to water magic, reducing its power by at least half, but thankfully, it was still usable.

Streams of water appeared on the ground without a sound, like poisonous snakes slithering towards the three brothers.

"Swish!"

The soft water instantly turned into resilient ropes upon contact with their bodies, tightly binding the trio.

Although they broke free quickly, the time gained was sufficient for Quincy.

Battle Technique - Thrust!

His long spear flashed, and the spearhead instantly pierced the throat of one of the brothers, causing blood to spray out.

One of them fell back, staring at the sky.

"Second Brother!"

The remaining two brothers roared and charged towards Quincy.

However, with one person down, the three-on-one situation was broken, and the remaining two were no match for a Grand Knight.

Moreover, Karl was assisting from the side.

In no time,

the two brothers met their end under Quincy's spear.

"Let's go!"

The group rushed out of the dungeon without having time to look around, and deafening roars came from the center of the island.

"What's happening?"

"Volcanic eruption?"

"..."

"They've started!" Connie looked towards the direction of the sound, her expression turning grave:

"Oh no!"

"We have to go help!"

Quincy sheathed his spear and shook his head at her words:

"Unless it's a legendary creature, Miss Lara and Sea God Hawk can handle it."

"Even if it's a legendary creature..."

"It might still be possible."

"Let's go first." Karl frowned, his keen senses hinting at something amiss.

It seemed like

a formidable aura was about to erupt.

"Let's go!"

Connie took a deep breath, stabilizing her injuries, and struggled towards the center of the island.

The others hurried to catch up.

...

The Grand Hall.

Dragon King's Fury!

Lara's eyes widened as the seal within her instantly unleashed a terrifying energy, merging with her Grand Knight-level life aura.

While the energy stored in the seal hadn't been exhausted, her every move was comparable to that of a peak-level Grand Knight.

Her defense and explosive power were truly terrifying.

"Huff..."

Lara swung a heavy chopping blade, weighing several hundred pounds, towards the front, the battle aura even pushing away the air.

A crack appeared on the ground ten meters away.

"Bang!"

The heavy chopping blade clashed with a fist, and a howling gust of wind erupted at the point of contact.

Lara felt as if she had collided with a mountain, and the immense force nearly shattered her bones.

She was sent flying backward.

How could this be? Lara's eyes widened, both surprised and afraid, as this was the first time she had encountered such a situation even after activating the Supreme Seal.

"Be careful!"

Sea God Hawk charged forward, holding a trident:

"This person is not right!"

Water Burst!

The trident possessed a special ability to control water, and the Supreme Seal could trigger a water burst.

This made each of Hawk's moves incredibly lethal.

"Bang!"

The water burst into a massive trident, slamming into the Grand Hall, causing deep cracks to appear on the hard rocks.

The most exaggerated crack stretched over a dozen meters, and its depth was unknown.

As the top expert of Free Harbor, even with the environment of Flame Island suppressing his strength, Hawk was still noticeably stronger than Lara.

But his all-out attack landed on empty air.

"Huh..."

"Not bad!"

In front, a figure stood tall.

Flame Island's owner, Chellie.

She wore a suit of armor crafted from fine steel, glowing with a dazzling light. Each piece of armor was meticulously carved, as if infused with the power of flames.

On her helmet,

a vivid image of a fire hawk seemed ready to take flight, its red eyes like burning flames. Even a glance made one feel like their body was on fire.

Her arms, knee guards, and skirt armor flowed like lava, with flames dancing all over her body, took a step forward.

Each swing of her arms and punch ignited flames, burning everything around her.

She was like a fire personified.

Her feet touched the ground, and the hard rocks turned into magma, occasionally erupting upwards.

"No wonder you dare to face me!"

"The Flame God favors powerful sacrifices. By offering you, I will receive greater blessings."

"Haha..."

"Boom!"

The ground shook, magma erupted, and Chellie rushed towards Lara and Hawk, engulfed in flames.

She stood in mid-air, waving her hands, and streams of fire rained down like a torrential downpour.

In the midst of their frantic actions, a figure suddenly appeared with astonishing speed, standing before Lura.

Battle Skill - Blazing Godly Fist!

The fist, enveloped in flames, instantly filled her entire perception.

Battle Skill - Roar!

Lura's eyes widened, and she let out a roar towards the sky, her life force erupting like ignited gunpowder.

In this crisis, her reaction was swift.

Moreover, she was incredibly brave, not retreating but advancing, her great cleaver slashing forward, leaving afterimages in its wake.

The battle aura of her roar almost materialized, colliding with the incoming flames, causing a series of booming sounds.

'Even with the Dragon King's Fury and the support of battle skills, my father at his peak wouldn't be able to suppress me, let alone break through my defenses in such a short time.'

But the next moment—

"Bang!"

The flaming fist clashed with the cleaver once more, and the force shattered the cleaver.

It was worth noting that as the head of the Dragon King's Guild, Lura's weapon was undoubtedly a top-notch blade that had withstood many trials.

Even against legendary creatures, it held its own.

But now, it was shattered.

Oh no!

Lura's beautiful eyes widened, and she crossed her arms in front of her, immediately sensing an immense force colliding with her.

"Bang!"

"Crack..."

Her arm bones almost broke on the spot, and her entire body flew backward with a muffled grunt.

Just as Island Master Chely was about to pursue her advantage, a trident appeared out of thin air and swept towards her.

Sea God Hawk's face darkened.

Battle Skill - Tidal Rage!

Water flowed on the trident, appearing as a thin layer, but each drop weighed a hundred pounds.

With over ten thousand pounds of force, he swung his arm, colliding head-on with Chely.

Water splashed, and sparks danced.

"Bang!"

Both retreated.

Hawk's hands trembled slightly, and his heart sank.

"Heh..."

Island Master Chely, seemingly unaffected, grinned and transformed into a flame, pouncing forward.

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang!"

The top expert of Free Harbor, Hawk, who possessed a legendary weapon and a supreme seal, was being suppressed.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Hawk retreated wildly, standing side by side with Lura, his face grave as he looked at their flame-clad opponent.

"How is this possible?"

Lura clenched her teeth.

"How can she be so strong?"

Lura had heard of Chely's name before; she was a relatively famous, alluring female pirate in the Endless Ocean.

After disappearing for several years, she reappeared as the Island Master of Flame Island.

And,

Her strength had become so terrifying!

"The path of knighthood is the process of refining and strengthening the life seed, which nourishes and enhances our bodies." Hawk spoke solemnly.

"Upon becoming a Grand Knight, the life force strengthens the internal organs, head, and every part of the body, making them stronger."

"But..."

"The human body has its limits, and there are places where the life force cannot be enhanced, such as the ends of blood vessels and the body's nerves. Only those with grand bloodlines or the blessing of deities can break through these limits, achieving a fundamental leap in life stage."

"And she..."

"She has clearly broken through these limits and is just one step away from becoming a legendary knight."

Lura had advanced to Grand Knight too quickly, and although her strength was not lacking, her experience and knowledge were insufficient.

Sea God Hawk, however, instantly sensed that something was amiss with Flame Island's Island Master, Chely.

The flames that enveloped Chely's body, with her every breath, seemed to emanate from every pore and hair follicle.

This meant...

Her battle aura had permeated her entire body, even covering places like pores and hair follicles.

Peak Grand Knight? No! She was already a half-step legendary!

Moreover, the armor she wore was a peculiar item, and with her ability to control flames, occupying Flame Island and suppressing the two of them was not surprising.

"How did she achieve this?" Lura's eyes narrowed.

"Even my father and you can't do this."

"Demon God!" Hawk's gaze shifted past Island Master Chely, landing on the enormous flame statue behind her.

"Only the power of deities can help mortals transcend life stages."

His voice carried fear, awe, and a hint of greed and desire, his eyes shifting back and forth.

Legendary!

This was an evolution of life stage.

Condensing the life seed to become a knight or grand knight increased strength, but it did not extend one's lifespan.

It was merely that a stronger body meant fewer diseases, so people usually lived longer.

In fact, ordinary people skilled in health preservation could also live eighty or ninety years, even over a hundred, no less than grand knights.

Legendary knights, on the other hand, had evolved in life stage, and their lifespans were at least a hundred years, if not longer.

Faced with such temptation, who wouldn't be greedy?

"Not bad!"

Chely grinned.

"Offer yourselves to the Father God, and I will receive more blessings, becoming a true legend."

"So..."

"Die!"

The flames on her body bloomed again, and her entire body pounced forward, her speed almost surpassing Lura's reaction time.

"Bang!"

Hawk and Chely clashed in midair.

After landing.

Battle Skill - Blazing Rage!

The vast hall was filled with surging flames, and the high temperature turned rocks into lava, distorting everything in their perception.

"Boom!"

The raging flames carried a figure, crashing like a falling meteor.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

A massive earthquake shook the ground, lava erupted, and the two figures spat blood, flying backward.

"Swoosh!"

The raging flames suddenly retracted, revealing Island Master Chely's figure. She grinned ferociously, her eyes red.

Her figure flashed again, rushing towards the two severely injured figures.

It's over!

Lura's eyes narrowed, her heart filled with despair.

At that very moment, a figure appeared before her, and the twin swords crossed with Chely's oncoming charge.

An invisible force field also appeared.

"Bang!"

Both figures stiffened.

"Karl?"

"It's me."

Karl shook his limbs, and his swords danced wildly.

Battle Skill—Gale Slash!

The heavy sword shadows descended, clashing madly with Island Master Chely's fists, yet neither side retreated.

This wasn't because he was stronger than Sea God Hawk, but because Hawk's power was greatly suppressed on Flame Island.

If they were on the sea or in the water, the situation might have been different.

◇6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"A woman?"

When Susan and the others arrived at the Great Hall, Lara and Hawk were in grave danger. Fortunately, Karl intervened in time to save them, or the outcome might have been dire.

After getting a clear look at Island Master Chely's appearance, Susan couldn't help but smirk and glance at Conny:

"No wonder you kept telling me not to ask questions. This female Island Master must be one of your lovers, right?"

Although Island Master Chely's expression was crazed, her tall figure and charming face made her the epitome of femininity.

And she was a former pirate.

This could easily stir a man's possessive instincts.

"We did know each other before, but not in the way you're thinking," Conny said, his expression slightly unnatural.

"I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd jump to conclusions."

"If you don't tell me, of course I'll jump to conclusions," Susan said coldly.

"I never expected you to have such a powerful lover. Why didn't you stay with her?"

"Cough, cough," Conny coughed.

"This isn't the time for that. Let's take her down first."

"Agreed."

Quincy, standing nearby, nodded and tightened his grip on his spear, ready to charge into the fray:

"Karl, I'll help you!"

Although Lara and Sea God Hawk were working together, they were still suppressed by Island Master Chely. However, Karl wasn't at a clear disadvantage.

Quincy was confident.

After all, he had been a Grand Knight for over a decade, and his foundation was undoubtedly stronger than Karl's.

"Bang!"

He moved swiftly, but retreated even faster.

Chely's casual punch made Quincy's face pale, and he spat out blood on the spot.

"All together!"

Hawk shouted:

"No need to reason with her!"

"Agreed!"

Quincy wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glared:

"Go!"

"Whoosh!"

Several Grand Knights rushed forward, charging towards Chely. Karl also activated his battle skill and launched a fierce assault.

"Divine Punishment!"

Outside the hall, the white-haired Paladin's eyes flickered, and he muttered:

"It's indeed a technique passed down from the Holy Realm. The Goddess hasn't abandoned Her believers and Her people."

As he spoke, the situation in the hall changed drastically with Karl and Quincy's intervention.

Especially Karl.

His constitution was second only to Sea God Hawk, and his wizardry weakened his opponent, allowing him to hold his ground even in a head-on collision.

The combined might of the four Grand Knights, even against a 'Half-Legendary' opponent, was overwhelming.

"Water Burst!"

Hawk's eyes narrowed, and his trident stabbed forward.

A stream of water that had appeared around Island Master Chely suddenly burst open. Although it wasn't a large flow, it contained immense force.

"Pffft!"

Chely, who was being heavily suppressed, couldn't dodge in time and could only withstand the attack. She spat out blood and her body trembled.

"Crackle!"

Not far away.

Lara raised her hands high, and a bolt of blue lightning slowly formed in her hands, transforming into a spear.

Thunder Spear!

According to legend, the ancient dragon race possessed the power of thunder, and the ultimate expression of their wrath could manifest as the Thunder Spear.

This move was the ultimate technique passed down by the dragon kings.

"Boom!"

As Lara swung her arm, the thick lightning bolt instantly crossed the void and pierced Chely's body.

Then.

The thunder exploded!

"Wait!"

Karl shouted urgently, but it was too late. He shook his head helplessly at the sight of the charred corpse.

"What's wrong?" Lara asked, gasping for breath as she landed.

"When we arrived, Conny said we couldn't kill her," Karl explained.

During the fight, he had held back, precisely because of this instruction. Unfortunately, the others' killing intent was too strong.

"Why can't we kill her?" Susan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why can't we kill her? Do you feel sorry for your lover and can't bear to see her die here?"

"..." Conny's face darkened as he stared at Chely's corpse, his lips trembling.

"Damn it!"

"Damn it..."

"What's wrong?" Quincy opened his mouth, about to make a few remarks, but his body stiffened, and he looked down.

A bloody hand had pierced his abdomen and protruded from his body, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Ah!"

Quincy roared and lunged forward, his intestines partially torn out but his life spared.

Thanks to the Grand Knight's robust regenerative abilities, even though the injury was severe, there was still a chance for recovery.

"What happened?"

"What's going on?"

"..."

The people in the hall gathered together, their faces pale.

Chely's charred corpse suddenly twitched and contorted, stuffing the piece of intestine she was holding into her mouth.

If she still had a mouth, that is.

The scene before them was both terrifying and disgusting—a corpse, already dead, was devouring a living person's intestines.

"Look!"

Lara's eyes widened:

"The magma on the ground!"

As they looked down, the magma on the ground seemed to come to life, flowing towards Chely's corpse.

"Boom!"

The flaming statue in the center of the hall collapsed, and thick magma gushed out, also flowing towards Chely.

In the blink of an eye,

a monster formed from the magma in the hall.

The monster's body resembled solidified lava, with every inch of its skin glowing with scorching firelight, as if it might erupt at any moment.

Its massive wings unfolded behind it, devoid of feathers, and instead, searing lava flowed across them.

The gigantic head was terrifying and grotesque, and one could vaguely make out the figure of Chely in front of it. Its eyes burned with raging flames, like two eternal fires, emitting a scorching and sinister glow.

This bird-like monster composed of lava and corpses seemed to have crawled out of hell, with every detail exuding evil and destruction. Even a single glance at it would instill fear and trembling.

"As expected."

Everyone else looked terrified and confused, except for Conny, who muttered:

"Demon God Incarnate!"

"What do you mean by Demon God Incarnate?" Karl frowned, probably the only one in the field who remained calm:

"Conny, tell us what you know. How could the island master of Flame Island turn into this monster?"

Bloodline Wizardry?

No, that's not it!

If it were Bloodline Wizardry, it wouldn't have transformed after being killed.

Could it be that,

like in the game, this boss also has a so-called second phase?

"Worshipping the Demon God will eventually lead to backlash." Conny's eyes were vacant, and a hint of sorrow seemed to linger:

"Chely sacrificed her life to please the Demon God, and although her strength increased, her body and soul were also warped and twisted by the Demon God's power."

"Eventually, she would lose her self-awareness and become a puppet of the Demon God."

"Just like now!"

"Chely is still alive and has some degree of independent consciousness, even the Demon God can't easily control her body, but when she died, she must have sacrificed herself to the Demon God, and that's why she turned into this monster."

"Incarnation?

Puppet?

Regardless of what this creature is, it's certain that it lacks reason and is driven only by madness to destroy everything.

"Roar!"

The monster let out a deafening roar, and the substantial sound waves reverberated throughout the grand hall, even stirring up a hurricane.

A ball of flames erupted from its mouth, rushing towards the crowd in the field.

Hawk was the first to react.

"Water Burst!"

The water surged and exploded with a boom.

The flames and water collided, instantly transforming into thick steam that enveloped the entire land.

"Huff!"

A giant figure flashed and vanished in the steam, followed by screams, as several human silhouettes flew out together.

Hawk, Lura, and the others were already injured, and facing this even more terrifying bird-monster, they were no match.

In the instant they clashed, they were flung away.

Karl stood in the field, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Boom!"

A ball of flames rushed towards him.

Hmm...

With a light hum, he twisted his neck, and his body inflated like a balloon, instantly growing over five meters tall.

Secret Technique - Gigantification!

At the same time.

Minor Force Field!

Gravity Control!

Gravity Distortion!

Wave Guardian!

...

"Guna!"

With a low shout, armor covered her entire body, and her crossed swords clashed with the incoming flaming bird in mid-air.

"Boom!"

The vast palace trembled madly, countless rocks fell with a rustling sound, and two massive figures stood frozen in place.

This scene caused everyone's expressions to change. Quincy's mouth hung open in shock.

"He's gotten stronger again!"

Hawk's eyes were complex:

"The top expert of Free Harbor... it seems it's time for a change."

The environment here significantly reduced his strength, and even at sea, Hawk didn't have much confidence.

Lura nodded, a question rising in her mind.

Why?

In just a few years, why had Karl's strength grown so rapidly, reaching such a level?

"Not bad!"

Karl leaned back, his eyes gleaming:

"The strength is no less than an ordinary legendary creature, and there's a strange fire poison that erodes the body."

"Then..."

"Here I go!"

He stomped the ground, causing it to crack, and his massive body, like a small mountain, charged towards the bird.

Even a legendary creature, under the suppression of a High Wizard Apprentice's wizardry, would have its strength reduced to the level of a Grand Knight.

Therefore,

Karl was fearless.

Karl showed no fear.

The giant and the bird collided once more.

This time, the bird flapped its wings to dodge, its claws seizing the opportunity to grasp the incoming swords, while its beak pecked at Karl's body.

Or, relying on extreme speed, it crashed into the swords, its claws grasping.

"Bang!"

"Crack..."

Karl struggled to hold back and retreated, and on his body, two grotesque claw marks caught his eyes.

"So many layers of defense, armor, toughened body, and Gigant Breathing Technique, yet it's still not enough."

"But..."

"Here I go again!"

His eyes darkened, and behind him, dozens of fanged and clawed illusory tentacles quietly emerged, thrusting forward.

"Bang!"

"Clang..."

In the mist, the giant and the bird fought ferociously, and one could vaguely see the giant sword, wings, and strange tentacles moving about.

"Puff!"

The illusory tentacles pierced the bird's body.

Suck!

As abundant energy flowed into him, Karl's injuries healed at a visible speed.

Again!

"Bang!"

"Bang, bang!"

The bird let out a shrill scream, its claws tearing at Karl's body and the invisible tentacles.

Karl ignored everything, swinging his giant sword to clash with the bird.

With each collision, several grotesque wounds appeared on his body, some even exposing bones and internal organs, looking extremely horrifying.

But as long as the tentacles devoured the bird's body, his wounds healed rapidly.

This was the confidence that the Abyssal Bloodline gave Karl.

Time passed.

"Puff!"

The broadsword in Karl's hand pierced the bird's body, lifting it high as it exited from the back of its neck.

The bird struggled for a moment before finally succumbing.

A familiar energy surged.

Source Essence!

Monthly Votes!!!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end