Chapter 980
Slay the Fallen Heavenly Envoy! (9k word update)
Saint Joan grabbed Eivass’s clothes from behind and unhesitatingly flung him back.
As their bodies made contact, she also dispersed the darkness before Eivass’s eyes.
In that instant, Eivass felt as if dawn had broken—though the distracting thoughts and desires in his heart had not faded, he instantly sobered up.
Although this inopportune dispersal also removed the negative status on Eivass… such matters were now irrelevant. Because his body was not digitized… even Eivass himself could not fight at full strength while enduring three layers of stacked “Fallen.”
Among these people, only Saint Joan, Mu, and Lixia could probably do it… and the three of them combined had no output at all.
This was also why Eivass had the Grand Guardian take Cardinal Fafnir, Cardinal Galatea, and Master Amber away. The four of them had “inner demons,” and their peculiar fixations meant they probably couldn’t withstand even one “Fallen.” It would be the same if Zhu Tang were here.
“Find a way to stop him, Eivass.”
Saint Joan’s voice was gentle and calm, “I feel very uneasy about the power he is currently condensing…”
“…I know,”
Eivass replied in a low voice, “I have a way.”
That should be the instant-kill spell.
Now, looking back… its mode of operation was likely not to “kill” everyone, but to directly use the power of law to make all beings on this land “Fallen” and enslaved by it. The current “charging” was actually just following the channel opened by the “Ouroboros Ring” ritual, seeping power little by little, and attempting to break through the Wall of Balance.
“Then it’s up to you.”
Saint Joan smiled with relief.
There was not the slightest trace of fear or sadness in her eyes, but an immeasurable peace… and even a hint of eagerness.
Eivass understood her.
—As a devotee, this was “the highest time for devotion.”
To save the world and all beings by sacrificing oneself… there was no better conclusion than this. It was far better than the ordinary and mediocre ends of “life force depletion” or “dying of old age”!
Facing the onslaught of the second wave, Saint Joan did not retreat in the slightest.
“If I am the torch…”
Saint Joan chanted softly, her white long hair behind her slowly floating up.
Starting from the hem of her clothes, then her long hair, and then her flesh and blood.
Her whole body ignited—
This was the strongest healing divine art of the “Torchbearer,” [Ultimate Sacrifice], which should only have been mastered at the Fifth Tier!
Once activated, it could not be stopped—by continuously burning her own life limit, it provided periodic healing and dispersion to all surrounding allies!
—A white, radiant sun stood in front of everyone like this!
Behind the “Fallen” was a black, hideous heart, like a heart or a placenta, constantly emitting dark ripples outward; while the white sun blocking them also continuously emitted weaker, but higher frequency, white ripples.
As those white ripples swept over their bodies, their minds instantly found peace. Their physical strength and life force immediately recovered to their peak state.
And Helchin, without hesitation, launched another charge! This was not based on Eivass’s command, but his own action.
He charged again, appearing from the void.
With a single spear, he completely pierced the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s heart!
But this time, blood splattered and flesh shattered… yet the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s expression did not change in the slightest.
After the blood shattered, his chest was filled with black energy.
He merely glanced at Helchin, and a black, phantom spear shot out from the “black sun” on the back of his head, flying out and piercing Helchin’s chest!
Although the spear was pure black, it was discernible—it was exactly the same shape as Helchin’s Dragon Lance!
This was a new mechanism that appeared in the highest difficulty dungeon, “Annihilation Battle.”
—[At the beginning of “Fallen,” evil repays evil]!
The human heart could be a mirror, reflecting back the malice it received—and the “malice” that continuously spread and intensified through reflection formed the initial “sin.”
Any damage taken in the “Fallen” state would be reflected.
This meant that even at this stage, healers had to be retained, and the simplest method could not be used to pass, otherwise, the rebound would kill them.
If Helchin were not an Undead, this strike would have been enough to kill him.
However, even after suffering such a heavy counterattack, Helchin did not retreat in the slightest.
He didn’t take a single step back, standing in place and exchanging spear for spear, continuously launching a storm-like barrage of attacks at the Fallen Heavenly Envoy!
The counterattack that would have instantly annihilated him—while his attacks would be instantly repaired.
This was an unfair fight.
However, after being sealed by Eivass, Helchin already possessed the brand of wrath.
Now, catalyzed by “Fallen,” the mere thought of Fafnir being bound by chains sent him into a rage he could not control, completely losing control of any of his actions!
He had completely lost control and was no longer obeying Eivass’s command.
But at this moment.
Cardinal Galatea, who had been largely ineffective due to the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s superior illusion resistance, finally made her move.
Under the influence of the Ouroboros Ring ritual, the powers of other gods were isolated as much as possible. This caused “poor signal,” which was why the Hourglass could not directly descend and intervene, forcing them to rely on mortals to slay the Heavenly Envoy.
But although she could not use the divine descent spell, she could still communicate with the Twin mirrors at any time and use high-tier divine arts from them.
—[Mirror Abandonment]!
A high-tier divine art that could temporarily remove the “mirror” attribute from a designated target!
Although it sounded quite useless, it could do something terrifying—for example, making the sea no longer reflect colors, making the sky no longer azure; for example, causing a person’s eyes to lose their ability to reflect light and go blind… Because this was not a “blind state,” it could not be dispelled.
And Cardinal Galatea’s chosen target was—the black sun behind “Fallen”!
The ability of infinite retaliation was instantly sealed.
This allowed Helchin’s berserk attack, which would have instantly killed him, to fall squarely on the Fallen Heavenly Envoy, without any backlash to himself!
Although the attack itself did not achieve any effective results… it did successfully attract the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s attention.
At this moment.
A stream of dark green light quietly streaked from the top of the distant Spirit Tower.
It made no sound, and instantly pierced the Fallen Heavenly Envoy!
That dark green beam of light directly created a large hole in the center of the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s chest cavity. It was about the size of two fists placed side-by-side—and dense cracks spread outwards. A heavy death aura, accompanied by extreme cold, froze the wound, emitting a faint green aura.
This was the strongest spell that the first-generation Black Essence could master as a Lich.
—All Things Die!
Using the Spirit Tower as a magic tower, it extended the casting distance… extending the spell’s original casting distance of sixty meters to over ten kilometers.
If this strike hit another Fifth Tier Extraordinary, it would instantly make them disappear—it was not supposed to create “a large hole,” but the entire person should have disappeared like that. Whether living or non-living, anything that could be destroyed by time would turn to dust under the effect of that spell…
However, when it was used against the Fallen Heavenly Envoy, it only created a penetrating hole in his body.
But even just this one hole was now extremely fatal—
The concept of “Death” itself vaguely involved law, and the power of “Fallen” could not repair the body. The hole in his chest could therefore not be repaired, and it was even spreading.
The Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s pupils suddenly became lively.
His consciousness began to awaken gradually.
Eivass also realized… the time had come.
If he were to strike and slay the Fallen Heavenly Envoy, now was the best moment!
But…
The “Paradise Lost” originally planned to slay the Fallen Heavenly Envoy had just been forced to be used once.
If Eivass had not used Paradise Lost to cancel out the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s Paradise Lost at that time, the Fallen Heavenly Envoy could have instantly killed everyone.
The power of Paradise Lost was equivalent to 666 strikes of the current world’s ultimate power—a power that the Fallen Heavenly Envoy could not withstand, and neither could Eivass and the others.
…However, Paradise Lost without the “Great Sin Redemption” fusion of other Beasts of Sin to enhance his “White Wing Form” could not directly slay the Fallen Heavenly Envoy with overwhelming force; it would be offset by Paradise Lost of equal power.
And although “Great Sin Redemption” could reduce the cooldown of Paradise Lost by one day—Eivass currently had three Great Sin Beasts, so it could only be reduced by three days. The remaining three days of cooldown could not be reduced by any means.
—What should he do then?
Use Light of Utopia?
Or Death of Withering?
Or the Shepherd’s Method?
Three thoughts flashed through Eivass’s mind, only to be completely excluded by him.
Eivass chose another path, which was the hint given to him by Cardinal Galatea when she used her high-tier divine art:
He remembered his harvest from assisting the Lord of Scales and Feathers in defeating the Supreme Heaven Queen.
[Adaptation—Essence of Atlas: A potion refined from the essence of Atlas of “Supreme Heaven.” When you die, you will be reborn in a more powerful form (once only)]
Rebirth after being defeated by the Fallen Heavenly Envoy was meaningless.
Eivass had already considered this point earlier.
Because the Fallen Heavenly Envoy was not an unintelligent “dungeon BOSS”; he would also learn and grow. If information about himself was exposed, even if he gained strength, his win rate would be very low.
Therefore, this resurrection opportunity could not be used as a “safety net after failure.” Eivass was already challenging an enemy he could almost certainly not defeat; if they could kill Eivass once, they could kill him a second time.
Rather than gambling on whether this “more powerful form” could turn the tide…
—It would be better to use it for a finishing blow!
“Boss,” Eivass asked in his heart, “If I am reborn using ‘Essence of Atlas,’ will I be able to activate Paradise Lost a second time?”
Eivass seemed to hear a pleased laugh.
“Of course.”
The Lord of Scales and Feathers’ magnetic and deep voice sounded, “This is a potion I personally refined. You will be completely resurrected immediately after death, and all abilities can be used again… However, do you intend to use it at this time?
“Perhaps by using other abilities, you can also defeat the Fallen Heavenly Envoy. Such a precious power… that is your second life. There isn’t a second Bear Heavenly Envoy, so you don’t have this chance again.
“If you use it to kill the Fallen Heavenly Envoy, it will be no different from dying once, won’t it?”
The voice of the Lord of Scales and Feathers seemed to possess a certain power to bewitch people’s hearts.
At that moment, Eivass even felt that the master of “Fallen” was not the Fallen Heavenly Envoy before him… but the Lord of Scales and Feathers attached to him, watching the show.
But the moment Eivass made this decision, he had already decided not to change it.
“—I think this ‘second life’ is not a good thing.”
Eivass chanted in his heart.
The saying goes, the barefoot are not afraid of those with shoes… People become weak when they have assets, and they become hesitant when they have ties. Only those who have nothing can move forward.
And in the face of “life,” all beings are lacking.
No one has a second life, so this is the most equitable asset.
However, the gift from the Lord of Scales and Feathers gave Eivass a second life.
—This, though seemingly a generous gift, made Eivass’s Soul of Transcendence no longer pure.
He would always think—I still have a life.
Perhaps many enemies could defeat him once, but how many could defeat him twice?
Without the heart to disregard death and move forward wholeheartedly… he instead became fragile because of it.
[—Question 1: Do you have the courage to seek life from death?]
[—Question 2: Do you have the resolve to challenge an invincible enemy?]
[—Question 3: Do you dare to abandon a victory already in hand to pursue an even greater victory?]
The words Eivass once used to interrogate the little knight were now echoing back to Eivass, word for word.
“…A boomerang really hurts.”
Eivass chuckled wryly, supporting his forehead with both hands.
Only by irreversibly walking the path of death can one erupt with fearless courage.
“—So I plan to abandon it.”
Eivass said, activating his Dissolving Soul, “That second life that never belonged to me…!”
He reached out and tore forward—as if wanting to tear his own skull, he forcefully pulled his entire soul out of his body!
With Saint Joan’s continuous healing, perhaps only this move could instantly kill himself!
At that moment, Leah and Viness, who had temporarily left his body, and the now out-of-control Helchin were all startled simultaneously—even Helchin sobered up!
Following the contract, they clearly sensed the death of their master!
Fear, despair, and disbelief appeared in their hearts.
Eivass’s lifeless, soulless body fell forward.
But just then, as the golden, mist-like soul departed from his body.
Crimson blood mist seeped out, and immediately condensed into a second Eivass in the air!
He had regained his youthful form—and Eivass’s body was filled with divinity, almost identical to the current Fallen Heavenly Envoy!
So that’s what “becoming stronger” meant!
The current Eivass had a stronger body, more vigorous life force… and most importantly, he possessed divinity within him, like a high-ranking Phantom Demon!
The gradually awakening Fallen Heavenly Envoy watched this scene, his gaze becoming complex. Yet he remained silent, as if possessed by “Fallen.”
Eivass spread his white wings again and flew into the sky. He embraced Saint Joan in front of him, so as to prevent her from being accidentally injured by his Paradise Lost.
—Great Sin Redemption!
Leah, Viness, and Helchin transformed into three streams of light and merged into the white wings on Eivass’s back.
Three of the six white wings instantly grew larger, and turned crimson, purplish-black, and forest green.
“Light—”
Eivass roared, and instantly activated Paradise Lost again!
Compared to the previous Paradise Lost, the outer part of the triple rings behind him now had three smaller, colored magic circles. They were somewhat uncoordinated—there were two on the left, and only one on the upper right corner, just like the distribution of Eivass’s wings.
The Fallen Heavenly Envoy looked at all of this before him, with a hint of relief.
“Light…?”
Looking at the familiar face.
In that instant, he seemed to recall the day he first met “Snake.”
Lucifer was lying under a tree, basking leisurely in the sun.
A young man with golden long hair, wearing a monocle and smiling, walked up to him, waved as if they were old friends, and gave a silent greeting. Then he lay down beside him, and they basked in the sun together in silence.
It was an era where intentions could be understood without words.
—Speaking of which, what was the expression on “Snake’s” face when he looked at me that day?
The Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s heart suddenly surfaced with a question he had never considered.
Was it regret? Expectation? Treachery? Nostalgia?
Or perhaps…
Looking at the increasingly intense and dazzling “Paradise Lost” before him, the Fallen Heavenly Envoy closed his eyes as if blinded by the radiance.
“…The light is too dazzling, I can’t see anything.”
(End of this chapter)
