Translator: SumTLMan
As the Flameless Lord believes she has grasped the weaknesses of Angel, her onslaught intensifies.
In the midst of this process, the injuries inflicted upon her are, in fact, more severe. However, her gaze turns fervent. In her mind, once she triumphs over Angel, she is sure to gain some benefits from this human being.
Even if that phantom eventually retreats beyond spacetime, the technique of “green rune” energy flow is enough to compensate for her loss.
The clamor of battle is incessant, as shadows of black and green light constantly intertwine.
Thunderous noises resonate, yet not a trace of energy escapes from the green formation.
In the eyes of Popoca and Greaves, it seems as though Angel has the upper hand. The Flameless Lord, with her True Spirit constantly being depleted, on the contrary, grows increasingly pale.
The reality indeed mirrors this; the Flameless Lord suffers the greatest injuries. However, the Flameless Lord’s physical endurance threshold is much higher than that of Angel. One cannot simply assess the situation at face value and render a final judgement.
During this fierce combat, the Flameless Lord also obtains some additional information.
Angel’s physical form is too frail, presenting his greatest weakness. However, besides this, the Flameless Lord identifies some runes. The green runes leaping from Angel’s icy gaze are not numerous.
Their effects are limited to a few, such as spirit dissolution, restriction of range, etc.…
Once she gains a slight understanding of the pattern of the green runes, she could effectively evade further harm.
Yes, the Flameless Lord can only avoid greater harm, unable to completely eliminate it, much less break through the green runes, which seem to only possess a few effects.
It can be said that although the effects of the green runes are monotonous, they are virtually flawless!
Take, for example, the defense-type green runes. This defense isn’t merely omnidirectional; it can ward off even special effects like curses, inscriptions, and so forth. Moreover, overloaded attacks can even combine with “restriction-type” green runes, reflecting the attacks.
Under these circumstances, the Flameless Lord truly can’t find an effective method to break through the green runes.
This has her craving the green runes even more! This method of energy operation has exceeded her scope of understanding! Perhaps only lifeforms with the energy of a Supreme Demon God, or even a higher realm, could possess such a perfect energy operation.
…
Following a series of battles, the full extent of the Flameless Lord’s physical endurance threshold is revealed.
Despite being repeatedly gravely wounded, it’s Angel who first shows signs of fatigue as he fights at the expense of his own energy depletion.
Even though Angel is now covered in green runes, leaving no room for the Flameless Lord to exploit, his steps have become disordered.
Once again, as the massive shadow charges towards Angel, he chooses the green rune of dissolution.
It was at that moment that the Flameless Lord, only a few meters away from Angel, had a glimmer in her eye. Her mouth moved ever so slightly, emitting an odd frequency.
This frequency didn’t cause any ripple to the surrounding space or any elements. Yet, when it radiated outward, Angel’s eyes abruptly darkened.
With a soft “pop” sound resonating.
Angel felt an intense vibration from within his body, his flesh instantly ruptured.
Unexpectedly, Angel plummeted from the sky onto the earth below.
This sudden turn of events left Greaves covering his mouth in terror. In his mind, the Flameless Lord was already in a disastrous state, flesh scattered and bones exposed. The situation should have allowed him to continue pressing his advantage.
Yet suddenly, had the tide turned?
Greaves hadn’t even clearly seen what the Flameless Lord had done.
However, Popoca seemed to have an idea, whispering softly, “Was it frequency?”
Indeed, the Flameless Lord had used sound as a means of attack. She had frequently used high energy surges or high energy torrents to harm Angel, which was actually paving the way for this attack.
Normally, using the vibration of frequency for an attack wouldn’t cause such severe damage. But Angel had been wounded repeatedly, coupled with the frequency used by the Flameless Lord and the reinforcement of demonic whispers, even just breaking through the green rune interval momentarily caused unexpected harm to Angel!
“I don’t know who you are, but the victor can only be me!” The blood-covered Flameless Lord, looking at the near skeletal hand and fallen human body in the distance, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
The Flameless Lord moved step by step towards Angel, each footfall leaving a large pool of fresh blood. Her movements even induced the clashing of bones.
In terms of injuries, her wounds were actually graver than Angel’s. But the True Spirit of a Demon God was undamaged, and her current exhaustion could be restored in just a few thousand years. Even if this Avatar was discarded, it would just be a material loss. If she could capture Angel as a result, the benefits would far outweigh her losses.
Smoke billowed, sparks flickered.
Watching as the Flameless Lord got closer and closer to Angel, panic rose in Greaves’ eyes: “Shop… shop owner, get up, what happened to you?”
No matter how much Greaves yelled, Angel lying on the ground didn’t move. Even the shadow-shrouded face didn’t show a flicker of light in his eyes, it was deathly silent.
Then, a cracking sound was carried by the wind.
The “green halo” that was originally used to restrict the range and limit energy leakage suddenly shattered. The green runes turned into flying luminescent particles, dispersed by the sulfur-scented black wind.
When this green halo disappeared, the Flameless Lord’s eyes flashed with ecstasy, knowing that she had already won!
Popoca, from afar, sighed lightly, his expression filled with heavy despair.
Angel’s sudden rise brought joy too abruptly, but the decline was just as swift. Such a drastic change left his complexion even more ashen.
…
In a place far from the battlefield, in the dark, a figure with a peculiar primitive mask sat on a bone-made throne.
Upon a nearby field of skeletal remains flickered a solitary lamp, casting an ethereal light over the spectral scene.
The dim glow of the lamp illuminated only a small circumference, beyond which was a world less visible, touched only by shadowed outlines, including the elusive image of the throne.
As the lamplight swayed, the air was filled with the odor of antiquity, a certain mustiness that hinted at the passage of time.
Suddenly, the gravelly caw of a crow shattered the silence, echoing eerily through the darkened expanse.
With the crow’s call, a rustling followed. The flame of the lone lamp atop the bones wavered, and beside the distant throne, a new silhouette took form.
This figure too wore a mask, a crow’s mask, shrouding any visage from sight. Below its torso, a chaotic mist of black, while above, an ancient, tattered black cloak enwrapped it, augmenting an aura of mystery.
The moment the crow’s mask materialized, a sense of deepening twilight hung heavier in the air.
“The Flameless Lord has prevailed,” said the figure with the totem mask on the throne, his voice echoing with ageless wisdom, as if sprung from the heart of a distant era long past.
“Predictable,” replied the Crow Mask, his voice chilling, like a gust of wind rising from the depths of death’s abyss.
“Being able to witness this battle before my downfall was rather amusing, even though the outcome wasn’t as I anticipated,” the Totem Mask spoke softly, “This continent has long been due for a cataclysm. It’s time for me to step down from this decrepit throne. I wonder, can I see my old friend one last time?”
“Perhaps.”
The figure on the throne chuckled, which was then followed by a drawn-out sigh. His voice carried a hint of powerlessness, regret, and a subtle pang of guilt.
“There’s little point in being the last remnant of a lost sanctity,” he sighed, causing the flame of the solitary lamp to flicker briefly.
The Crow Mask remained silent, the air thick with unspoken words.
After a moment of silence, the Crow Mask finally spoke in the same cold tone, “When your time comes, I shall personally escort you.”
With those words, the Crow Mask dissolved into a murder of crows, disappearing into the dark abyss.
Soon after the Crow Mask’s departure, the Totem Mask lifted his gaze once again, turning his attention to the distance.
The strange sensation brought by the green rune intrigued him, stirring his curiosity towards the final outcome of the battle. As he looked up, a fleeting look of surprise flitted across the murky eyes beneath the mask.
…
The wind howled fiercely, casting an inky veil across the sky.
Tiny sparks dancing in the air mingled with the eerie green glow, weaving a breathtaking spectacle in the wind.
After the green halo vanished, Greaves and Popoca were enveloped by despair, while the Flameless Lord, buoyed by the elation of victory, slowly advanced towards Angel.
The exhilaration from this Demon God’s Avatar reverberated all the way to the Bottomless Abyss, with the True Form housed within the Abyss reacting and consequently affecting countless believers across myriad planes.
In that moment, a wave of exhilaration washed over a multitude of beings.
Some Devotees didn’t even have time to decipher the sudden wave of inspiration, before they began to extol the grandeur of the Flameless Lord. Their words of adulation crossed countless planes, reaching the Bottomless Abyss, and caught the attention of a few ancient beings.
Other than the faint intuition of the Cruel Scholar, no one could deduce the motive behind the sudden action of the Flameless Lord.
However, the Flameless Lord’s excitement did not last long.
When the Flameless Lord was less than ten meters from Angel, a sudden sigh reached her ears. It seemed to originate from the heavens yet appeared as though it was right in front of her.
The Flameless Lord suddenly stopped.
Or rather, it was as if time itself had solidified at that moment. Not only did the sound of the wind disappear, but the rising dust ceased to rise and fall, and the sparks and glowing particles froze mid-air.
The only thing that did not stop was the process of thought.
Suddenly, Angel, who everyone had thought was doomed, even dead, moved… It wasn’t his body that moved, but the shadowy figure attached to his back started to stir.
The phantom figure detached from Angel’s body and stood upright.
It was clear that this phantom was significantly taller than Angel himself. Its face was indistinct, but its brilliant golden hair was dazzlingly eye-catching.
As it stood up from Angel’s body, it raised its head slowly and a gaze fell at the Flameless Lord.
At the moment their gazes met, the Flameless Lord’s excitement abruptly ended, replaced by an unprecedented sense of dread!