Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Full Power Output, Shattered Void!
The second sound echoed.
The perfect Arcane Law transformed the sharp energy into a higher level of power, as countless sword shadows surged and cheered, eagerly anticipating the impending battle.
The third sound followed.
It was the long-prepared Space Law Power that ignited everything!
Boom!!
The space around Sterl began to shatter, its fragmented state dissolving, and this was merely the prelude to the technique.
This was…
Sterl's ultimate killing move, [Shattered Void], triggered by three perfect Laws!
Whoosh!
Countless beams of light from blades shot upward, engulfing the entire energy storm.
Then, before the sword blades could strike...
The storm of wind and rain ceased!
Many players from Hell, who were previously lamenting the inability to witness Mephistopheles's despair before death, were now granted their wish.
The energy winds of the Demon of Terror and Cruelty were instantly dispelled.
In an instant, the scene became clear to everyone.
In the distance, a woman with bat-like wings burst forth, unleashing all her combat power as she charged forward, her eyes filled with self-mockery and... concern for Mephistopheles!
It was Flanda; she couldn't help but intervene!
Her thought process was that the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's attack was something Mephistopheles likely wouldn't be able to withstand.
"I just need to save Mephistopheles after he uses his escape item!"
"I still have the teleportation device granted by the Queen; it should be able to help someone escape."
Flanda felt as if she had gone mad.
Why?
She herself found it strange how easily she was captivated by Mephistopheles's charm.
They had hardly exchanged a few words…
At the same time, the Celestial Stars, transformed from the Demon of Terror and Cruelty, was forcibly held in place in the air.
Countless beams of blade light shimmered rapidly around the Celestial Stars, continuously wearing down its power.
Despite this, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty was not completely subdued; the Celestial Stars continued to press down little by little. However, battles at the demigod level often concluded in the blink of an eye, allowing techniques to be unleashed in mere moments.
Yet at this moment, it had been...
A full second!
The Celestial Stars had only descended a hundred meters!
Immediately...
Everyone was somewhat dazed.
Wait...
Was Mephistopheles this formidable?? Even at the brink of death, he could still resist like this?
The power of Shattered Void, extremely reclusive and hard to observe from afar, seemed to possess no discernible flaw, yet the 4-in-1 Platinum Skill was undeniably being suppressed!
This was enough to send shivers down their spines.
However, the shivers hadn't even fully set in yet...
Creak, creak.
Accompanied by a sound that grated on the nerves, as if the air was being violently shattered, the Celestial Stars, formed from the Demon of Terror and Cruelty, began to crack and fissure all around!
The onlooking demons, witnessing this, maintained their expressions, but a few revealed bloodthirsty smiles.
They felt nothing about this, as the terrifying combat power of the hidden Supreme should have easily overwhelmed Mephistopheles. The fact that Mephistopheles had delayed for over a second was enough to show that he was no ordinary opponent! Players, aware of their own inferior talents, felt a surge of satisfaction at the thought of witnessing the death of such a young genius.
Even though Mephistopheles's demise brought them no benefit, they were still pleased.
Then...
In a time frame nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, the Celestial Stars formed from the Demon of Terror and Cruelty collided head-on with Mephistopheles below. People only caught a glimpse of the rookie's final action—drawing his blade and swinging it.
Then came an extremely violent explosion followed by a brilliant flash of white light.
The storm created by the pure energy collision left countless Swallowing Heaven players and demons deaf and blind from the intense backlash. Even as demigods and legends who could sense the various forces flowing through the air, they felt the backlash even more severely amidst the chaotic storm.
Many "people" spat blood and stumbled backward.
The Supremes were forced to halt their movements, taking a moment to recover their energy. This was still the result of being relatively far from the core zone where the two techniques collided.
Flanda, who desperately wanted to rush in and save Mephistopheles, was battered by the violent energy storm. Her bat wings were torn to shreds, and her clothing, along with her gear, was ripped apart, exposing her fair skin.
She was in an extremely precarious situation!
Flanda plummeted to the ground like a bird with broken wings, ultimately forced to activate a life-saving item. A shield materialized around her, entwining her in a blood-red aura that formed the image of a naked woman, barely managing to protect her…
Simultaneously, there were loud booming sounds as many legends perished directly from the turbulent energy waves.
In an instant, chaos ensued.
Those legends who exploded caused considerable trouble for several demigods.
Many were cursing furiously, "Damn Mephistopheles, can't you just die quietly?!"
"Damn it! You made me waste a life-saving item!"
"Piece of trash! If you were to die at the hands of Lord Lovic, that would be a mercy! If it were me, you'd truly know what pain is!"
Hell players and demons howled in anguish, many of them were wounded and had lost their life-saving items.
One by one, they were filled with rage.
Their anger couldn't be directed at the Demon of Terror and Cruelty; they could only vent it on the deceased Mephistopheles.
Indeed, in their eyes, the outcome was already decided—Mephistopheles was doomed!
There was absolutely no need for discussion!
All comments were based on the assumption that Mephistopheles was already dead.
Including Flanda, after using her life-saving item to preserve her own life, she sat blankly on the ground, staring at the brilliant white light formed from the high-energy reaction…
Her expression was vacant.
She was stunned, realizing that after paying a heavy price, it had all been for nothing.
Flanda's heart ached!
Such a high-quality male had been lost just like that. If she had known he was definitely going to die, she would have liked to have had a taste of him first…
And on top of that, she had wasted the life-saving item granted by the Queen…
In this situation, Flanda remained true to her feelings.
However…
Aside from Flanda, who was still in a slight daze, the others reacted quickly.
The players under the Succubus Queen, having watched the spectacle, turned and fled. They knew that if they didn't leave now, they would surely be killed for their contribution to the plundering activities! They had enjoyed a great show and were now satisfied; it was time to make their escape.
The players under the Lord of Evil Spirits were cracking their knuckles, eager to take advantage of the situation. They were in high spirits after such an impressive show and were ready to unleash a wave of slaughter to rack up their contribution points!
The various Supremes were also gathering their strength, preparing to take action.
The two factions, along with some Supremes not directly affiliated with the deities, began to show themselves from the distance.
The players from the Succubus Queen's faction exchanged smirks among themselves.
"Thank you, Mephistopheles; your death was not in vain!"
Thanks to the time they had just wasted, they had already reformed their ranks and now had a fighting chance against the Lord of Evil Spirits' faction.
If it weren't for the chaotic energy surrounding them, the battle would have already resumed.
No one paid any attention to the situation.
As the terrifying energy began to dim, the topography of the entire camp underwent a third transformation.
At this moment, it had become a massive pit, with radioactive energy carving grotesque patterns into the rock walls, creating a sight that was both fearsome and chilling.
At the very bottom of the pit, two shadows stood opposed to each other, displaying different expressions.
One of them, with a slight frown, appeared to be facing a dilemma.
It was Mephistopheles.
The other figure—
The Demon of Terror and Cruelty, though his expression was grim, quickly shifted to a smile.
"Not bad. Given your age, you're hardly over a hundred, yet you possess combat power that can rival mine."
"There's certainly value in slaying you now."
At the same time, he pondered silently, relishing the energy collision that had just occurred.
"So that's it."
"So that's it."
"You are capable of wielding such a powerful Platinum Skill. It seems I can't kill you after all; instead, I will capture you alive and attempt to refine your power using my master's strength."
"My own power will surely increase as a result."
The Demon of Terror and Cruelty felt a slight shock within himself.
Although he had always sensed that the enemy before him would be difficult to deal with, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty did not expect that his Four-in-One Platinum Skill was already one of his strongest trump cards. In the end, the earth-shaking power had been utterly shattered by the countless blades and spatial ruptures, ground down to—zero!
If it hadn't been for the energy gathered by the [Sun Devourer], which provided some defense against the attacks, he would likely have been severely injured, if not dead, and would have lost a revival item!
However, it was precisely because of Mephistopheles's strength that the Demon of Terror and Cruelty felt an exhilarating thrill, his fighting spirit surging. A formidable opponent was all the more meaningful to slay!
The smile on the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's face came from his realization that this Supreme opponent seemed to be inexplicably low on energy!
That previous technique was indeed terrifying, but it shouldn't have drained Mephistopheles to such an extent, right??
Yet what the Demon of Terror and Cruelty observed was that Mephistopheles's energy cap was quite low, and after unleashing a powerful move, he was experiencing backlash from overexertion!
"My Four-in-One Platinum Skill doesn't consume much energy; I can use it another seven or eight times."
"Even if the opponent has effective energy recovery potions, in a war of attrition, victory is still mine..."
The more the Demon of Terror and Cruelty thought about it, the more excited he became. Engaging in battle with a strong enemy, and assured of victory, he might even have the opportunity to gain a powerful technique.
With this double delight, how could the Demon of Terror and Cruelty not feel joyful?
On the other side, Sterl frowned…
It wasn't that he felt he couldn't win. He realized that his output was actually higher than that of the Demon of Terror and Cruelty—a being who had been a formidable presence for a millennium.
Sterl maintained a calm exterior, but inside, he couldn't help but feel a bit elated. However, he also recognized that the next phase of the battle might be tricky; he couldn't simply defeat the enemy in one blow and would have to rely on a war of attrition.
Clearly, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's Platinum combination skill didn't consume much energy.
Sterl had stockpiled a vast amount of energy recovery potions, so he wasn't afraid of a battle of attrition.
But the issue was that the depletion of his soul energy needed to be compensated for with the [Fire of Ten Thousand Souls].
Initially, he thought this wouldn't be a problem; he believed that if he dragged it out to the end, he could win.
The real problem was that revealing the [Fire of Ten Thousand Souls]…
Was not a good thing!