Phanes stood high in the sky, a trace of gloom on his face.
There was no doubt that the Abyss Lord was no match for him.
But because of the Abyss Lord's ability to resurrect and reconstitute endlessly, even Phanes found him troublesome.
After all, Jiang Yan had spent a full two thousand years grinding him down before finally reducing the Abyss Lord to a state where he could no longer reform his body.
And even then, he still hadn't been able to completely erase him.
Meanwhile, the surrounding Ruin Colossi, empowered by the Abyss Lord, had already reached combat strength comparable to that of the Elemental Dragon Kings. Coupled with the countless Ruin Graders and Ruin Guards, even the five gods were struggling to hold their ground.
"Hehehe, Phanes, what are you going to use to stop me this time?!"
The Abyss Lord laughed wildly as the Khaenri'ahn machines around him sprang into motion, surging toward the five gods like a tidal wave.
Yet just as the five gods prepared for battle, the machines abruptly stopped.
"What's going on?"
The Abyss Lord frowned.
From the distant horizon came a tremendous roar, as if the world itself were about to shatter.
Ruin Colossi, Ruin Graders, Ruin Guards—every Khaenri'ahn machine raised its head in unison.
Even the five gods, Phanes, and the Abyss Lord turned toward the source of the thunderous sound.
The single eyes of the machines set to automatic attack lit up.
Countless beams shot into the sky, blanketing it as though targeting something descending from above.
At the edge of Khaenri'ah, a blond-haired youth halted in his steps.
He looked up at the sky, his youthful face filled with stunned bewilderment.
"What… is that?"
Not only Aether—even the gods within Khaenri'ah murmured the same question.
The Abyss Lord's expression changed drastically, disbelief written across his face.
"Impossible! How could he arrive at a time like this?!"
"Why did I never sense his movements?!"
Phanes, however, merely gazed at the sky expressionlessly and said softly:
"So it's you… you reckless brat."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, amid the gray heavens and the endless barrage of beams, a seven-colored streak of light tore through the sky, forcefully charging forward against the dense artillery fire of the Khaenri'ahn machines.
Like a ferocious meteor, the radiant streak pressed onward, unstoppable even under the overwhelming coverage of cannon fire.
The Abyss Lord's black mist surged as he was about to act—
—but a massive hand wrapped in seven-colored radiance suddenly seized his head.
"Galactic Collapse."
The voice was calm, almost ethereal.
The seven-colored light expanded abruptly, and the Abyss Lord—along with the Ruin Colossus beneath him—was engulfed in a dazzling fist of brilliance, unable to resist in the slightest.
BOOM!!!!
A deafening explosion resounded between heaven and earth. The world trembled beneath the force of the strike.
Khaenri'ah's land shattered instantly.
When the light of the punch faded, both the Ruin Colossus and the Abyss Lord had vanished. In their place, a massive crater yawned open.
The surrounding gods' pupils shrank violently, fear evident in their eyes.
Even Phanes' normally placid expression showed a trace of astonishment.
The figure surrounded by seven-colored radiance did not pause. He descended toward the ground, arriving beside Raiden Ei.
Looking at Raiden Makoto—whose life hung by a mere thread—and Raiden Ei, whose eyes were dull and lifeless, a voice filled with apology rang out.
"Sorry, I'm late."
The words sounded like heavenly music, snapping Raiden Ei out of her daze.
She whipped her head around, staring at the silver-haired man whose face bore faint remorse.
A crystalline tear slid from the corner of her eye.
"Jiang Yan…"
"Save her…"
"Save Makoto… please…"
Like a drowning person clutching her last lifeline, Raiden Ei pleaded.
At this moment, she was no longer the warrior who could cleave an island in two with a single strike—she was like a helpless little girl.
Hearing the sob in her voice, Jiang Yan felt an inexplicable ache in his heart.
In the original timeline of his previous life, without his presence, how devastating must Raiden Makoto's death have been for Raiden Ei?
But fortunately, this time—he was here.
He raised his hand and gently stroked Raiden Ei's purple hair.
"Leave her to me. Trust me."
Taking Raiden Makoto from her arms, he felt her body temperature steadily fading.
At a glance, he saw the black mist continuously seeping from the gaping wound in her chest.
He caressed her pale yet delicate cheek and said softly,
"It hurts, doesn't it?"
Raiden Makoto barely managed to open a thin slit of her eyes, as if trying to see who stood before her.
"Wait a moment. You'll be fine soon."
Jiang Yan spoke calmly as a soft white glow emerged in his hand. In his mind, the Horse Talisman lit up.
Raiden Makoto's injuries began to heal rapidly, her life force temporarily stabilized.
At the same time, Jiang Yan took out a small cloth pouch from his robes and retrieved something that looked like a small green pea.
A Senzu Bean.
Gently parting Raiden Makoto's blood-stained lips, Jiang Yan carefully placed the Senzu Bean into her mouth.
But she no longer had the strength to swallow.
Jiang Yan frowned slightly.
If she couldn't swallow it, the Senzu Bean wouldn't take effect.
His fingers began to trace patterns in the air.
In his mind, the Chicken Talisman suddenly lit up.
Under Jiang Yan's gaze, the Senzu Bean inside Raiden Makoto's mouth seemed to come alive. It floated up into the air and flew on its own into her body.
After confirming it had entered her system—
Jiang Yan raised his hand again. The glow granted by the Horse Talisman flared brightly, and he pressed his palm firmly against her soft chest.
Though the scene carried a hint of ambiguity, Jiang Yan spared it no thought.
Wisps of black smoke were forced out under the pure white radiance.
At the same time, the Senzu Bean began to take effect.
Raiden Makoto's body started to glow.
When the light faded, the massive hole in her chest had completely vanished.
A Senzu Bean could instantly restore a person to full health. Even if one stood on the brink of death, as long as it was swallowed, they would return to being lively and vigorous.
That was why the Senzu Bean was considered a bug-level existence.
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