The Divine Twilight's Return

Chapter 333: Star, Heavenly Spirits (3)

[The middle volume of ‘Prelati’s Spellbook’ has opened!]

Rustle―!

Chang-Sun heard the sound of pages turning in his head. That was the signal that indicated he was about to practice Mephistopheles’ teachings about the Four Steps of Abyss, which was the next volume after the Secret Darkness Technique.

At the same time, the <Darkness> rising around Chang-Sun thickened, and the ominous wails of the ghosts who had been killed by Chang-Sun and ‘Divine Twilight’ blended with his tornado.

Kiyaaaaah!

Kekekeke―!

[The first chapter ‘Turbas Effĭcere’ has been applied, starting Anomalization!]

‘Turbas Effĭcere’ meant one had no eyes, nose, or mouth, and entered an unnatural state. Meanwhile, going through Anomalization meant that one surpassed their current limits completely and became someone entirely new. An unfathomable mystery—a being that could not be understood by the laws or the principles of Eros, the faction of order, was about to manifest.

Swish―!

Pzzzzz!

Chang-Sun’s white lightning energy intertwined with his <Darkness>, which had been circling along with the tornado, and manifested the upper body of a Giant behind him in black and white. The image of the fiend made from two contrasting aspects roared at Lu Junyi, who was coming at him.

Grrrrrr…!

At that moment, the tornado was destroyed, sending a shockwave outward in every direction. Emerging from the clouds of dust, Lu Junyi tried to pierce Chang-Sun with his sharp goat horns, his hooves clattering against the ground.

Chang-Sun immediately slammed the end of the [Twilight Flag] into the ground. The flag’s six fluttering strands struck Lu Junyi, resembling the red cloth used to work up a bull in a bullfight.

Thud!

However, unlike in a bullfight, Lu Junyi was blocked by the flag rather than charging past it. Like several sturdy ropes, the six cloth strands wrapped tightly around Lu Junyi.

『Arrrgghhh!』

A horrible sound echoed. It was as if either the cloth strands would be torn apart, or Lu Junyi would be crushed. Veins bulged visibly on Chang-Sun’s forearms. A battle of strength thus began, with Chang-Sun as the defender and Lu Junyi as the attacker trying to break through.

『Eeeekk! Let me go! Let me gooooo!』

The situation made no sense to Lu Junyi. He was aware that Chang-Sun was powerful, but he definitely had to be more powerful in terms of physical strength. The ‘Divine Twilight’ Lu Junyi knew was an expert in combat, not a person with great physical strength.

However, Lu Junyi did not know that Chang-Sun was a Giant, not a human. In fact, he was the Giant King of a <Society> named <Muspelheim>. No matter how confident Lu Junyi was in terms of physical strength, he would be helpless against a Giant, as they were famed for their exceptional martial prowess. On top of that, Chang-Sun was on his way to becoming an Outer Celestial with the mysterious addition to his divine power. Naturally, Chang-Sun had the advantage in this battle of strength.

[The Skill ‘Stomp’ has been activated!]

Thud!

Chang-Sun slammed the ground with his foot. With greater stability in his center of mass, he could stand up straighter and exert more power. Just then…!

[You have accumulated deep understanding and achieved great mastery in the Skill ‘Stomp’.]

…

[The Skill ‘Stomp’ has reached its maximum level.]

[Creating a new Skill based on your achievements.]

[Congratulations! The Authority ‘Mountain-Crushing Supremacy’ has been created.]

[Mountain-Crushing Supremacy]

An Authority that was created by the pioneering efforts of the Celestial ‘New Tian Shi Yuan’. It grants an endless amount of power and enables one to exude an overwhelmingly intimidating aura upon activation.

“Mountain-pulling strength and sky-covering aura.”

· Skill level: 1

· Type: Authority. Passive.

· Effect: Physical Strength Enhancement. Explosive Power Amplification. Mind Overpowering.

Craccckk!

『W-What…?!』

Lu Junyi was gradually pushed backward, creating furrows across the ground as he was pressed downward. Up until that moment, their battle of strength had been neck-and-neck, but the tide had completely turned in Chang-Sun’s favor.

『What in the world have you done?! How are you using G-Grain Star’s Authority?』

Lu Junyi cried out in alarm, using Richardus’ other name out of sheer surprise. The system message meant Chang-Sun was using Richardus’ Authority! [Mountain-Crushing Supremacy] and [Sea Change] were the reasons why Richardus had been able to become one of the Three Enclosures. As those two Authorities were assessed to be close to Signatures, Lu Junyi’s shock was indescribable.

“Well, I don’t think the reason why I can use it matters right now,” Chang-Sun said with a smirk. “Shouldn’t you be worrying about yourself right now?”

『…!』

[The Authority ‘Mountain-Crushing Supremacy’ has been activated, adding to your power as a Giant King!]

Of course, the combination of Chang-Sun’s strength as a Giant King and the power of [ Mountain-Crushing Supremacy] was unstoppable.

Boom!

Chang-Sun rotated his wrists clockwise, swinging the flagpole to strike Lu Junyi in his lower body. As Lu Junyi had kept charging forward, he lost his balance and stumbled to the side. It was Chang-Sun’s time to make a move with his spear.

“Awaken, Twilight,” Chang-Sun commanded.

Ooooong―!

With a clear, resonant sound, the [Twilight Spear] was imbued with Chang-Sun’s white lightning energy, and he thrust the spear forward four times.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Whenever Chang-Sun thrust his spear, a deafening sound echoed, as if a cannon had gone off—no, more than that; it was as loud as thunder. The places struck by the spearhead cracked like broken glass, and Chang-Sun’s lightning energy flared outward from those cracks, making the world flash brightly.

Due to Lu Junyi’s massive size, Chang-Sun had a target that was almost impossible to miss. On top of that, Lu Junyi had the strands of the [Liuhunfan Flag] wrapped around him; thus, four holes quickly appeared across his body. He screamed, his face contorting with severe pain.

『Urrghhhh! You…!』

Lu Junyi growled, his anger-filled eyes visible through the gaps between the cloth strands.

Boom―!

However, that was little more than a futile last-ditch effort. Chang-Sun delivered his final strike with his full power, crushing Lu Junyi’s eye and completely destroying the upper half of his head. The only word that could be used to describe Chang-Sun’s combat prowess in that moment was ‘overwhelming’.

『N… o…!』

The cloth strands that had been restricting Lu Junyi loosened, revealing his bloodied body; it collapsed helplessly, and what remained of his head struck the ground. His remaining eye pointed vacantly up at the empty sky.

Paah―!

Lu Junyi’s corpse disintegrated like sand blowing away in the wind, and all the particles were absorbed into the empty second cloth strand of the [Liuhunfan Flag]. The words ‘Strength Star’ appeared on the cloth strand

[You have successfully sealed the Defendant ‘Lu Junyi, the Strength Star’ in the ‘Liuhunfan Flag’!]

[You are able to use a part of the divine power and Authorities of the Defendant ‘Lu Junyi, the Strength Star’.]

『…!』

『…!』

『…!』

『…!』

At that moment, the remaining four demonic Celestials’ expressions turned grim. Lu Junyi was their leader, and they had not expected him to lose so easily. They finally realized that Chang-Sun was no longer the ‘Divine Twilight’ they had previously known. While ‘Divine Twilight’ had merely brought misfortune to all those he met in the past, the Chang-Sun of the present was a Cataclysm Celestial who created disasters.

“Next,” Chang-Sun said as he withdrew his [Twilight Spear], looking at the four remaining demonic Celestials.

It seemed he was certain of his victory no matter who came at him right now—no, it still would not matter even if the four remaining demonic Celestials attacked Chang-Sun together.

“No one? Then I’ll start this time,” Chang-Sun said, tilting his head.

Paah―!

Chang-Sun disappeared, and the image of the fiend’s—no, the Cataclysm Celestial’s—upper body dissipated, transforming into a set of enormous wings that were dozens of meters high. However, they seemed more like tidal waves, sweeping across the ground as Chang-Sun charged toward the demonic Celestials.

The four demonic Celestials simultaneously thought to themselves that perhaps this place really would become their grave today.

* * *

The demonic Celestials immediately came to a decision.

『Shit!』

[The Celestial ‘Red Haired Spirit’ has activated the Authority ‘Spirit in Inferno’!]

The fiery red-haired Liu Tang did not even consider fighting against Chang-Sun head-on. As he had already witnessed Lu Junyi’s devastating defeat after trying to overpower Chang-Sun, he intended to take a different approach.

Wooosh―!

Liu Tang transformed into fire and dissipated, darting across the desolate plain.

『This is why I told him that we should attack together! That idiot Lu Junyi made a mess of things!』

『Stop him first!』

[The Celestial ‘Double-Headed Serpent’ has activated the Authority ‘Lethal Toxin Flood’!]

[The Celestial ‘Nine-Patterned Dragon’ has activated the Authority ‘Icy Air’!]

[Poisonous fog spreads as the two Authorities interact!]

Xie Zhen, who was a two-headed serpent dozens of meters tall, raised his head high and unleashed a flood of toxin toward Chang-Sun. The toxin flood contained [Soul-Withering Toxin] and [Bone-Melting Acid], which meant even Celestials would be reluctant to come in contact with it.

When the toxin flood met Liu Tang’s fire, dozens of explosions occurred in a row, creating gusts of toxic, superheated wind. It was said that fire and toxin did not mix, but that was not quite true. There was a large variety of toxins in the world, and most of them created explosions upon coming in contact with fire, as they did now.

Liu Tang’s fire and Xie Zhen’s toxin were protected by their divine powers, making the explosions even more potent. They were certain that they were creating explosions powerful enough to impact even Chang-Sun as he came at them. On top of that, Shi Jin was flapping his wings in the sky, dropping a rain of hail… The demonic Celestials were turning the battlefield into hell, and it seemed as if there was no way for Chang-Sun to escape.

However, that was not enough to extinguish the tornado Chang-Sun had started. As he continued to charge toward the demonic Celestials, he flapped his right wing, creating a powerful gale that shattered all the hail falling in his direction.

Rumble, rumble, rumble―!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

『What…!』

Shi Jin’s eyes widened in surprise; he had not expected that his ice storm, which he had unleashed using all his power, would be destroyed so easily. He could only move to activate his other Authority.

Kiyaaaah―!

Shortly afterward, however, ghostly wails filled the air, and Shi Jin let out a muffled scream as a storm of gray ghost energy engulfed him. Meanwhile, Chang-Sun closed in on Xie Zhen and Liu Tang.

『Stop him!』

『N-Noooo! Keough…!』

Chang-Sun quickly moved his left wing this time, creating another gale as he struck his opponents with [Fiery Lightning Bolts] from the sky. Explosions? Superheated wind? Toxin? None of them worked against Chang-Sun. They were all shattered before they could reach him, dissipating in the air.

Smack―!

Chang-Sun swung his wing like a whip and smashed Xie Zhen as hard as he could. One of Xie Zhen’s two heads was crushed like a shattered watermelon, and half of his remaining head was also blown away, rolling across the ground. As Chang-Sun straightened his posture…

『Fuuucccckkkk!』

…a vulgar curse abruptly echoed, and countless thorns rose up from the ground behind Chang-Sun. They were Liu Tang’s panicked counterattack after witnessing how easily Xie Zhen and Shi Jin were killed. The thorns were masses of Eon Fire, which could even burn up souls; thus, they posed a threat to even Chang-Sun.

“Howl,” Chang-Sun said quietly.

Ziiinng―!

He showed no sign of nervousness as he turned in the opposite direction. He swung [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], unleashing a surge of violent demonic energy. The combination of demonic energy, divine power, white lightning, and <Darkness> created a demonic lightning explosion.

[‘Tiamat’s Snaggletooth’ fires a ‘Dragon Breath’!]

Slash!

[Dragon Breath], which Chang-Sun had learned from Tiamat and Pabilsag’s special training, burned down not only the thorns of fire but also their source.

Rumble…!

After the ray of dark red light swept across the field, the fire that had been blazing across Chang-Sun’s divine ground was completely extinguished, leaving only black ashes and white smoke. In the midst of it all, Liu Tang stood in his real form.

Drip―!

Blood leaked out from Liu Tang’s mouth as he murmured.

『Ho… w… are you using… [Dragon Breath]...?』

[Dragon Breath] was akin to an Authority that only the transcendental beings known as Dragons could use. Many of the monster and demonic Celestials in <Purple Star Astrology> could not freely use [Dragon Breath] despite the fact that their bodies took the form of dragons, but Chang-Sun used it with ease.

“Do you like it? I made many preparations to be able to show it to you people,” Chang-Sun said with a laugh, watching Liu Tang’s trembling lips. Smiling crookedly, Chang-Sun continued, “So keep on squirming.”

Drip!

At that moment, a line of red blood appeared; the impact of the attack made of concentrated [Dragon Breath] finally showed up.

“I still have a lot to show you people,” Chang-Sun said.

It looked almost as if Liu Tang wanted to answer, but Chang-Sun already stomped the ground violently once again.

Boooom―!

Creating a powerful earthquake, Chang-Sun’s [Landslide] spread in every direction and erased every last trace of Liu Tang from the landscape. Using Richardus’ second Authority that originated from [Stomp], Chang-Sun also completely changed the terrain of his divine ground.

[The Authority ‘Sea Change’ has been activated!]