— The Descent of the False God —
BOOM—
A sound as ancient as creation itself tore violently through the sky.
Near the headwaters of the Blackwater River, the ancient mountain that had slept for countless eons suddenly shuddered like a living beast!
Countless spiderweb cracks split open across its surface. Massive boulders and ancient trees crashed down into the river, churning up murky waves stories high.
The earth groaned in agony. The river surged backward in defiance.
Houses in the village crumbled, their shattered beams and tiles flung into the air, raising a vast curtain of dust.
"An—An earthquake?" people stammered, their faces ashen as they staggered uncontrollably on the violently shaking ground, eyes wide with terror.
But this was no natural disaster.
The next second, the thousand-foot mountain was physically ripped from the earth!
"Ha— At last, this god is free!"
A roar of manic laughter, like thunder, exploded between heaven and earth, painful to the eardrums and shaking the very soul.
Then, a sight that defied all reason smashed into everyone's vision—
Beneath the levitating mountain, a silver-haired man held the entire peak aloft with one hand. Thick, shadow energy coiled around him like a demon-god returned from hell as he rose slowly into the air!
"A god?"
A chill shot down Eren's spine to the crown of his head. But the aura radiating from the man was one of overwhelming malevolence. His eyes burned crimson, the ferocity on his face so palpable it seemed solid. There was no trace of a god's majesty or mercy.
One thing was certain: the shadow energy that had invaded Lung Pan originated from this being.
"Hmph! They sealed me for over seven thousand years... but in the end, I am free." The silver-haired man's voice was wild and arrogant, each syllable dripping with millennia of pent-up resentment and the delirious joy of release.
He made a casual grasping motion with his five fingers.
"Shatter!"
The massive mountain he held aloft exploded mid-air, fracturing into countless gigantic rocks that rained down upon the earth like a meteor shower, creating a scene of utter apocalypse.
He had crushed a mountain with his bare hand!
The pupils of every Vigil-Wyrm constricted simultaneously. In that moment, they finally understood the meaning of this "god"—not an object of faith, but an embodiment of destruction.
The silver-haired man hovered in the empty sky, his scarlet gaze sweeping over the ant-like figures below like icy searchlights.
"Mortal insects. Why do you not kneel before your god?"
Before the words faded, the air instantly became thick as glue. Everyone felt as if an invisible mountain had slammed onto their backs. Their bones creaked under the unbearable pressure, their legs buckling uncontrollably.
"Urgh—!"
Eren couldn't suppress a cry of agony, but he gritted his teeth, the magical power within him churning wildly. A faint yet tenacious light flickered around his body as he forced his spine straight against the overwhelming pressure.
He looked up, his gaze blazing like torches, his voice piercing the congealed air:
"A true god protects all life! You... you force others to kneel?" he roared. "You're no god—you're a demon!"
— Unyielding Will —
"Insignificant insect. You dare to judge me?" A flash of bloody light ignited in the silver-haired man's eyes, revealing naked killing intent. He slowly raised a finger. FZZT! A beam of black light, condensed with pure destruction, tore through the void, shooting straight for the space between Eren's eyebrows.
"Eren, dodge!" Johan screamed, his eyes nearly splitting with panic.
Eren's face was grim as iron. He was locked onto by the entity's aura; there was no escape. Yet, in this hopeless situation, the will to fight within him erupted like a volcano—
God or demon, what did it matter? Better to die fighting than to submit!
"Then come!"
He flung his right hand forward. Ten silver threads shot out like meteors, slamming head-on into the beam of deathly black light!
BOOM—
The black light shattered upon contact with the silver threads, fracturing like glass into a shower of dissipating sparks.
For a moment, utter silence fell.
Everyone held their breath, staring in disbelief. Even the lofty "god" showed a flicker of surprise on his face for the first time.
The terrifying pressure bearing down on the crowd also loosened slightly.
"Attack—!" someone roared.
The Vigil-Wyrms, pushed to their absolute limit, erupted like a suppressed volcano finally bursting free. A storm of multicolored energy beams lit up, streaking towards the demonic figure in the sky.
"You insects... you dare profane my divine majesty?"
The silver-haired man was thoroughly enraged. He flipped his right palm and pressed down violently!
"HUMM—"
A colossal blood-red palm, large enough to blot out the sky, instantly materialized above. Its outline was clearly visible, emanating a sickening stench of blood and an oppressive air of despair. It descended like a crimson curtain of heaven, crashing down upon them.
THUD! THUD!
Before the palm even landed, its terrifying pressure smashed everyone to the ground. They coughed up blood, unable to move.
All except Eren.
His bones crackled audibly. Blood streamed from all seven orifices, making his face a terrifying mask. Yet, clinging to sheer stubborn will, he stood his ground like an unyielding battle standard, letting out a tearing roar:
"Demon! You can destroy my body... but you will never break my will!"
"How laughable." The silver-haired man's eyes held only indifference. The blood palm accelerated its fall, determined to grind these insects into dust.
— The Sword vs. the Blood Palm —
At the critical moment...
FWOOSH—BOOM!
A pure, sharp beam of white light, like the first lightning bolt splitting a long night, shot from the distant horizon. It struck the center of the blood palm with pinpoint accuracy, erupting in a blinding shower of sparks.
Eren's mind reeled: It's that same white sword light that saved us last time!
Simultaneously, the strong scent of alcohol wafted through the air.
Carried on the wind, a slovenly figure ambled into view. Unshaven, a gourd of wine swinging at his hip, he looked like a drunkard who had stumbled into a battlefield.
But the instant his gaze lifted, the killing intent that filled the air simply... dissolved.
Meow—
The black cat let out a happy cry.
"Senior Eupheron!" Nadia cried out in relief and joy.
The old man ignored her. His muddy eyes snapped open, sharp light exploding from them as they locked onto the demonic figure in the sky.
"Bastard! Taste your grandpa's sword!"
He reached out and made a grasping motion in the air—
SHIIING!
The wooden sword on Johan's back rang with a clear, melodious chime, transforming into a stream of light that flew into the old man's hand. In the next instant, he swung it forward with a motion that seemed almost casual!
A sword ray, solidified into brilliance, blazing like the Milky Way..., materialized out of nowhere. It instantly shredded the remnants of the blood palm into nothingness. Without losing momentum, it continued, carrying the force to cleave heaven and earth, straight towards the silver-haired man.
"Oh? A mere wasteland like this holds a warrior of your caliber?" The silver-haired man showed a hint of genuine surprise for the first time, casually flicking his sleeve to dissipate the sword ray. "But before this god, you are still an insect."
"Bullshit, you little runt! Take another swing from your grandpa!"
Eupheron's figure blurred. BOOM! He shot up from the ground, so fast he left afterimages, instantly appearing high above the silver-haired man!
"CUT—!"
Holding the sword with one hand, he brought it down in a mighty chop. A sword ray, ten times larger and a hundred times more brilliant than the last, tore through the clouds. Carrying unparalleled destructive force, it slammed directly onto the silver-haired man.
KABOOOM—
In the deafening roar, the silver-haired man was smashed down like a meteor hit by a falling star. He crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater and sending a thick column of water and mud shooting into the sky.
So... so strong.
Eren watched, his mind reeling. This senior was actually overpowering the demon who called himself a god.
— The Demon's Resurgence —
Before anyone could catch their breath, an enraged roar, seeming to rise from the depths of the underworld, erupted from the pit.
"Lowly mortals! You dare strike a god?! You... will ALL DIE!"
Demonic energy shot into the sky from the crater! The silver-haired man's figure reappeared. Though his robes were torn, his aura was even more violent and insane.
He opened his mouth and spat out a beam of black light so intense it distorted space itself. Like the destructive ray of a sci-fi super-cannon, it instantly blasted Eupheron deep into the heavy clouds.
"Senior—!" the crowd cried out in alarm.
"Haha... Despair!" The silver-haired man's hair whipped wildly. An endless tide of dark crimson demonic energy surged from his body, boiling like blood mist, a tidal wave of death. It spread outwards in all directions with a corrosive hiss, devouring everything in its path.
Where the demonic energy passed, plants withered and died instantly. The earth lost all vitality, turning into barren, scorched soil.
"Fall back! Everyone, fall back now!" Eren waved his arm, his voice nearly lost in the roar of the demonic tide.
The survivors used their last ounce of strength to flee madly towards the rear.
Johan, fleeing, instinctively glanced back. His pupils constricted to pinpricks—
He saw Eren. But Eren wasn't retreating. Instead, like an arrow released from its bow, he was charging headlong into the all-consuming tide of dark red demonic energy!
"Eren, what are you doing?! Come back—!" Johan screamed, his eyes tearing with fury and panic. He struggled to run back, but several companions held him fast.
"Johan! Stop! It's too late for him! Don't throw your life away too!"
To the sound of Johan's despairing, agonized roar, Eren's figure was completely swallowed by the churning demonic energy.
In that moment, even the light was devoured—leaving only a darkness that seemed to breathe.