Chapter 672
Showdown with the God of Darkness!
High in the heavens, after their initial shock and silence, the gods immediately reacted.
The mist and starlight surrounding the God of Prophecy Madora surged violently. He took a step forward, forming a semi-encirclement around Belial's projection together with several other elemental gods beside him.
The vast divine power intertwined, forming an invisible barrier that locked down that space.
Faced with the combined pressure of several elemental gods, Belial sneered:
"Wow... everyone's here."
However… when our king returns, you will all be nothing more than ants beneath his feet.”
The mist surrounding Madora suddenly trembled, and a furious roar rang out:
"King Solomon, he's not dead yet?"
This question revealed the greatest fear in the hearts of all the gods, as well as the mortals below who knew of King Solomon's terror.
Belial's gaze shifted to Madora:
"Even that old guy, the Time God, is gone?"
Now that you are in charge of the Divine Realm, it seems the day of our King's return is truly not far off!
Having said that, Belial slightly turned to the side, his crimson gaze piercing through the gods' blockade, crossing the distance of space, and landing directly on the black figure that stood calmly in the center of the plain.
Almost at the same instant that Belial's gaze fell upon Cohen.
The gentle holy light emanating from Aetheril, the God of Light who had been hovering high in the sky, suddenly became incredibly solid and intense.
His figure instantly moved in front of Cohen, firmly blocking Cohen's and Belial's line of sight.
The dazzling divine light acted as the most solid barrier, keeping out the "gaze" filled with malice and inquiry.
Belial's projection seemed to pause slightly.
The crimson gaze lingered on Aetherel for a moment, then a voice tinged with amusement rang out again:
"You... are you the little mouse that secretly slipped away back then?"
The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to freeze the surrounding air.
"I never imagined... that you would actually get away back then!"
These seemingly random words unlocked a long-sealed door in Cohen's memory.
Yes, that adventure in the endless void...
Images of intense spatial turbulence and a sense of danger flashed through Cohen's mind.
In his previous life, while traveling through the endless void, he caught a glimpse of an indescribably vast being.
At the time, I only felt it was some indescribable terror in the void, but now it seems...
The aura I sensed in that fleeting glimpse was remarkably similar to the essence emanating from the Belial projection before me!
So, the being we saw back then was Belial?
Belial did not seem to intend to elaborate further, nor did he seem to have any intention of continuing the dialogue with the gods or Cohen.
He let out a short, arrogant laugh, and then suddenly stretched out an "arm" that seemed to be made of countless tiny tentacles and bone claws.
Ignoring the oppressive force of the surrounding gods, he grabbed the tomb below, which was already on its last legs under the purification of Aetherial's light.
"Enjoy your last moments."
"When our king returns..."
"That will be the day you... become slaves!"
Belial's voice, like a final curse, echoed across the plains.
The moment the words fell, the projected arm that was gripping the tomb, along with Belial's entire projection, suddenly collapsed inward.
The dark beast bone unleashed a final, eerie light, a mixture of black and white. Wherever the light passed, space distorted violently, like water with a stone thrown in.
The next moment—
Swish!
The light, along with Belial's projection and the tomb he was holding, vanished without a trace in an instant.
The plains were deathly silent.
Only high in the heavens, the divine light and aura emanating from the incarnations of the gods revealed the turmoil within their hearts.
Belial's last words, like the coldest poison, pierced the hearts of every god.
The figures of the gods hovered high in the sky, and the fluctuations of various elemental primal forces intertwined to create a solemn and oppressive scene.
A half-dead tomb is not worth their real effort to intercept; what they want is the trail of Belial and the King Solomon behind him!
The eerie black and white light completely disappeared, and the ripples in space slowly subsided.
The mist and starlight swirling around Madora, the god of prophecy, suddenly accelerated, and muffled thunder and invisible vortexes also faintly appeared around the body of Sirova, the god of the sky and storms.
The two deities exchanged a glance and clearly communicated their thoughts.
The next moment, two divine powers, different in nature but equally vast, silently spread out, tightly binding the distorted traces and evil aftereffects of Belial's disappearance.
To penetrate the barriers of the prime material plane, to delve into the endless void and overlapping dimensions, and to locate its origin.
But they still underestimated the power of the first demon and the Lord of Lies.
Even if it was just a phantom projected by Belial's remaining will through a piece of bone, the ancient cunning and profound understanding of the underlying rules of the multiverse that it contained still exceeded the conventional scope.
Their pursuit, after penetrating the dimensional barrier and entering the bizarre, chaotic, and endless void, still lost track of the other party.
The tracking failed.
High above, a silent solemnity permeated the air among the deities.
Madora's face was obscured by the mist, while the lightning around Silova flickered intermittently.
Soon the gods reached a consensus: the appearance of Belial's projection meant that King Solomon might not be dead, and it was definitely not a coincidence that the seventy-two demon gods chose to attack the seal today.
Each of these events is enough to shake the very foundations of the current multiverse order, and their severity far exceeds the conflict that is currently unfolding on the Florence Plain.
This is no longer a private matter for a particular god or power, but a major crisis concerning the future fate of the entire divine realm and even the entire material world.
We must convene a council of the highest level of deities.
Therefore, the immediate priority is to settle this "mortal" bet as soon as possible.
Madora, the god of prophecy, slowly withdrew the divine power that had fluctuated slightly due to the failed pursuit. His gaze fell on the two key figures in today's conflict: Cohen Corleone and Erebus, the god of darkness.
The divine power that Queen Adele possessed, which triggered all the events of today, had already been decided when Cohen swiftly defeated the powerful enemies on all sides.
The Central Empire's Noble Council, the Eastern Empire, the Southern Empire, the Black Tomb... these four forces, each with their own purposes and ambitions, had their legendary experts completely defeated by Cohen alone, right before everyone's eyes.
This public struggle, which arose from the pursuit of divinity and captivated the attention of the entire continent, has come to an end in the face of Cohen's unparalleled power.
What remains is the long-standing entanglement between the Dark God Erebus and the first Elf Queen, Virekis.
After a brief silence, Madora's deep voice, imbued with the weight of time, rang out again:
“Erebus, you just witnessed the power that Cohen displayed.”
With his ordinary physique, he overpowered several legends; his sharpness and potential need no further explanation.
You are also aware of the changes that the Divine Realm is facing today.
The shadows of King Solomon and Belial have reappeared, a major event with far-reaching implications for the multiverse.
At this juncture, is it still necessary for you and Cohen to resolve things in this manner, at this time and in this place?
Madora was met with a short, cold sneer.
The body of the Dark God Erebus was shrouded in pure shadow that seemed to devour all light. His gaze passed over Madora and beyond the space in between, locking firmly onto the figure standing calmly not far away.
"The bet has been made, how can it be called off?"
Madora, you don't need to pressure me with matters of divine importance. I will be there when it's time to discuss it.
Moreover... I'd also like to try it myself and see how much of my old friend's former glory he still retains after his reincarnation.
He showed considerable strength today, but that's not enough.
I want to know, how different is he now from his past life, which is celebrated by countless people?
Erebus's deep voice was like a cold oath; before the last syllable had completely dissipated into the frozen air, the pure darkness surrounding him suddenly boiled over.
That wasn't a chaotic burst of energy, but rather the activation of more fundamental rules.
The surging dark divine power was like ink dripping into clear water, but what spread out was not filth, but strange and magnificent ripples of time.
These ripples spread around him, stretching and expanding rapidly, forming a strange, winding, and swirling illusion of a corridor.
The walls of the corridor are not solid, but rather a blurry tapestry of countless scenes: the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of stars, and fleeting silhouettes of the joys and sorrows of countless living beings…
The texture of time becomes viscous and visible here, where fragments of the past, present, and future intertwine and flow.
It is the Time Corridor, the natal artifact of the Ancient God of Time.
After the Time Corridor appeared, a subtle sense of stagnation arose throughout the entire Florence Plain, as if the flow of time had been imperceptibly deflected here.
The illusory image of the Time Corridor surrounded Erebus, and within the deep passage, countless images of light and shadow began to flicker at an astonishing speed.
The images vividly depict a powerful and ambitious personal journey: from a child born in darkness and shadow, to a teenager struggling to grow amidst intrigue and slaughter, and finally to a legendary mage mastering ancient forbidden magic, striking fear into the hearts of countless enemies… The images flash by, finally settling on a glorious yet cruel pinnacle:
Countless living beings wailed and perished under the onslaught of dark divine power. The sky was torn apart, and the earth burned in divine fire. Yet, that figure, amidst mountains of corpses, seas of blood, and shattered laws, coldly seized divinity, ignited divine fire, and finally stepped into that eternal dark throne.
This is Erebus's "past," a condensation of his long and bloody mortal journey before his ascension to godhood.
The body of the God of Darkness appeared even more unfathomable under the reflection of this corridor of time.
He stretched out his arm and grabbed at a specific point in the illusory corridor of time—the time when he was at the peak of the legendary rank, as a legendary archmage.
hum!
The illusory image of the Time Corridor trembled violently, as if time itself was groaning.
That silhouette of time belonging to the "legendary mage Erebus" was forcibly stripped from the predetermined track of the river of time by a tyrannical dark divine power.
A vast and powerful divine force surged forth, its immense power to interfere with time stirring up silent waves in the real world.
Under the gaze of countless horrified and solemn eyes, a tall figure gradually emerged from the distorted light and shadow before Erebus.
The human male appeared to be around forty or fifty years old, tall and thin, and was wrapped in a dark purple mage's robe.
His face was pale, his cheekbones were high, and his lips were thin. What was most striking about him were his eyes, which were deep-set and had pupils that were a dark gray that seemed to have accumulated too many conspiracies and deaths.
Even though his eyes lacked a lively sparkle at this moment, they still naturally exuded a sinister aura that viewed all living beings as ants.
This was Erebus, the god of darkness, who was at the peak of the legendary rank and possessed the most formidable combat power before he ignited the divine fire and ascended the throne.
This "past body" stood silently, like an exquisite yet empty statue, without breath or soul fluctuations. Only the surging magic power of the legendary mage flowed slowly within the body, proving the power he once possessed.
High above, the majority of the Dark God's divine consciousness and will transformed into a condensed stream of dark light, instantly disappearing into the brow of the legendary mage's "past self" below.
The previously empty, dark gray eyes of the "past incarnation" suddenly lit up.
The radiant will of the gods replaced the sinister aura of the mortals, igniting in those ordinary eyes.
The body twitched its fingers slightly, as if adapting to this long-lost and "weak" form.
Then, he slowly raised his head, looking at Cohen not far away, his eyes filled with undisguised, pure and chilling killing intent.
On the other side, Cohen quietly watched all of this happen, watching the phantom of the Time Corridor emerge, watching the legendary mage's figure be summoned, and watching the will of the gods reside within it.
His expression didn't change much, but his eyes became even more profound, reflecting the cold killing intent in the other person's eyes.
Cohen gave a reassuring look to Adel, Vireikis, Isabella, and the others behind him.
He then turned back to face the legendary mage's "past self," now dominated by the will of the God of Darkness.
The two stood facing each other in silence, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Ares, the God of War, seated amidst crimson divine light, made a horizontal slash across the void between Cohen and Erebus's "past self".
This creates another dimensional space burning with endless war.
Without a word, Cohen and Erebus's "past selves" moved almost simultaneously.
Cohen took a step forward, his figure seemingly merging into the spatial fluctuations, and the next moment he appeared at the edge of the spatial rift, then stepped in without hesitation.
A cold smile appeared on Erebus's "past self" face. He lightly tapped the black dragon bone staff in his hand, and a sticky shadow spread out beneath his feet, lifting his body and throwing him into the space rift burning with war.
The two figures disappeared into the dark crevice, one after the other.
Immediately afterwards, the enormous spatial rift began to rapidly close inward, as if it were alive.
At the same time, the dark red flames at the edge pulsed even more violently, as if foreshadowing a fierce battle within that was far beyond the limits of human imagination.
……
Unlike the previous subdimensional battle between Cohen and the four legendary figures of the Central Empire's Noble Council, this time the alternate dimension presented a desolate and broken scene.
It's as if the ruins of an ancient battlefield have been compressed into this independent dimension.
Several motionless, pale orbs of light hung in the dim sky, the ground was cracked black rock, and in the distance floated some huge, dark red rocks with sharp edges.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur and metal corrosion.
The will of the Dark God Erebus governed his legendary mage "past self," and upon entering this space, the atmosphere of the entire alternate dimension changed.
Starting from his feet, a "blackness" purer and heavier than the deepest midnight rapidly spread out.
It was not darkness devoid of light, but rather an "existence" that seemed to possess a physical form.
Centered on Erebus, it rapidly devoured everything around it—the pale light, the cracked black rock floor, the pungent smell in the air, and even the stable texture of the space itself.
All objects touched by this darkness lose their color, outline, and presence at an alarming rate, returning to the most primal, lightless, and soundless "darkness".
A realm of pure darkness.
It is a legendary testament to Erebus's most profound understanding of the nature of darkness before he ascended to godhood.
Unlike the "darkness" wielded by the dark mage Naxtos, Erebus's darkness stems from a direct contact with and understanding of the fundamental rule of the world—"darkness"—which forms the foundation for his future ability to condense a dark divine essence and forge a dark throne.
This darkness itself is his strongest attack, his absolute defense, an extension of his will, and a manifestation of the "law" itself.
In the center of this rapidly expanding pure darkness, the figure of Erebus's "past self" also became blurred.
He himself seemed to have merged with the boundless darkness, becoming the core and embodiment of the dark realm.
Cohen's gaze sharpened the instant Erebus expanded his domain.
He felt the pressure from the essence of a higher level of power, and without the slightest hesitation, his own power erupted.
hum!hum!hum!
Three distinct yet subtly resonant realms suddenly unfolded around Cohen.
The innermost layer is a golden-red halo imbued with blood and fire; that is the endlessly sharp domain of "Unlimited Blade Works," where the raging power of weapons surges and roars.
The middle layer is an earth-yellow halo carrying the might of dragons and an ancient, wild aura; that is the territory of the "Dragon Kingdom," where the power of the earth and the dragons is trembling.
The outermost layer, which is also the one that directly confronts Erebus's dark domain at this moment, is a deep purple halo that constantly distorts light—the domain, shadow descends!
Even though the shadow rules on Cohen's body are superior to the dark rules displayed by Erebus's "past self" at this moment.
However, Erebus's soul was, after all, the soul of a deity who wielded the power of darkness.
Even though he is currently limited by the magical vessel of his "past self" at the legendary level and cannot unleash the power of a god, the "essence" and "status" of the dark divinity carried by that soul are still far beyond what Cohen's current pure magical level and the essence of his legendary soul can match.
hiss hiss hiss—
Cohen's three-dimensional domain, especially the outermost "Shadow Descent," clashed fiercely with Erebus's all-pervasive dark domain.
The shadows continued to devour the approaching darkness, but even more darkness surged in like a tide.
Cohen's domain aura was forced to contract inward, the movement of the shadows became sluggish, and the golden-red halo and earthy yellow light dimmed noticeably.
He was like three torches lit in a storm, burning tenaciously against the boundless tide of darkness, but the flames flickered and their range was gradually compressed.
"Humph."
Erebus gave an undisguised scornful laugh, his voice no longer merely propagating through air vibrations, but rather resonating directly in every corner of this darkness-soaked space:
"You've gotten the illusion that you can challenge the gods just because you managed to beat a few laughable mortals by chance?"
The darkness shifted slightly, and Erebus's figure, shrouded in a deep purple robe, appeared and disappeared in the shadows. His eyes, burning with a divine, cold flame, pierced the darkness, fixed intently on Cohen:
"Face reality, you bug."
Strip away all the glory from your past life, and you are nothing now!
The moment the words fell, a jet-black spear appeared in front of Erebus.
An ominous dark light flowed across the spear shaft, and the tip was an extreme black, as if it could easily pierce through space.
Without any fancy moves, Erebus simply raised his hand and made a throwing motion in the direction of Cohen.
call out--!
The Dark Spear, moving at a speed beyond the limits of ordinary visual perception, aimed directly at Cohen's chest.
A chilling, deathly aura locked onto him.
Faced with this attack imbued with divine will, Cohen showed no fear whatsoever; instead, his eyes ignited an even fiercer fighting spirit.
Instead of trying to dodge the seemingly unavoidable lock, he let out a low roar, and the power within him erupted like a volcano.
First, countless ancient, mysterious runes with a dark golden hue lit up on the skin's surface, moving around like tattoos that had come to life.
A powerful force originating from the ancient wilderness is awakened from the depths of one's bloodline—the enhanced rune "Goliath Giant" is activated!
Strength, speed, stamina, defense, recovery... all the basic attributes began to surge at an astonishing rate the moment the runes lit up.
His muscles bulged slightly, his bones cracked softly, and his aura suddenly rose a notch.
Immediately afterward, his mind raced, and the power representing the dragon within the "Dragon Kingdom" domain, which had been suppressed by the dark domain and had its light dimmed, was pushed to its limit.
The ochre-colored halo suddenly contracted inward, injecting all its power into Cohen's body without reservation!
The power of the dragon, grant your blessing!
The ancient brute force of the "Goliath" and the immense dragon power of the "Dragon Kingdom," both attributes known for their strength and physique, overlapped and resonated within Cohen at this moment.
boom!
A visible dark golden aura exploded from Cohen's body, temporarily pushing back the darkness that was encroaching on him by a few inches.
The golden light on his body was no longer a soft halo, but became more fixed, as if molten gold was flowing under his skin.
His body seemed to have swelled up, radiating explosive power; the air seemed to hum with strain at his every move. (End of Chapter)