Chapter "388"
Lady Laura moved like a phantom on the battlefield. In true combat, she was stronger than the True Spirit of Kratos, yet even the True Spirit mages could not perceive her presence.
After obtaining the Martial Core, she attempted to use life magic to transform the terrifyingly condensed energy within it into pseudo-life. Yet even with the aid of True Spirit magic, she found herself unable to penetrate the essence of Yuan Qi.
The Yuan Qi contained within the Martial Core bore such an overwhelming personal imprint that it instinctively rejected all external influence.
“Self-contained void. Self-made rules. Self-sustaining immortality.”
Lady Laura’s voice echoed in the minds of the other True Spirits.
“This immortality trait must be the reason why Yuan Qi cannot be broken down or purified. For now, we have no effective means of countering it.”
The Third-Epoch Remnant Planes were not unique, but divine-realm creatures were. To the Mage World, this was the most suitable specimen they had ever obtained. Other samples from remnant planes were too weak to be useful, serving only as objects of observation. As for super-void lifeforms, they were far too powerful—mages could not extract their energy samples. Thus, although there had long been speculation about Yuan Qi and the creatures of the previous epoch, this was the first time the mages had a high-level specimen in hand.
“I suspect,” Lady Laura continued softly, “that when it truly reaches the ninth rank of life according to our standards, not only its Martial Core, but every cell of its body will possess the immortal trait. At that point, it may truly become unkillable. Kratos—what do you think?”
On that side of the battle, the clash had grown ever fiercer. What had begun as a contest of raw physical might had evolved into an exchange beyond the comprehension of lesser mages. Every attack was compressed to its most perfect limit, leaving no stray aftershocks, yet the wounds on both combatants continued to deepen.
Flesh, hair, and even energy shed in combat transformed into autonomous entities that rejoined the fray. The battle was no longer confined to the three dimensions of length, width, and height; at times it rose or sank into higher or lower dimensions, and sometimes both combatants existed in overlapping but separate dimensional layers—a scene utterly bizarre.Personal chips crashed completely, requiring a full reboot to function again. Even Adam, though not within the battle itself, found that his calculations could no longer keep pace with their shifting changes.
The True Spirit of Kratos replied:
“At the same level, none can match the strength of my body. Even if it reaches the ninth rank, that will not change. Judging from its current progression, Yuan Qi at the ninth rank should be equivalent to Aether. That means when it advances to the tenth rank and beyond—super-void life—the density of their Yuan Qi will surpass Aether. At that stage, they will truly be immortal to us.”
“That trait is manageable,” another voice interjected. “As long as our plan succeeds, they will not be able to replenish Yuan Qi. If it comes to a war of attrition, we will have a good chance of victory. The only fear is that those super-void lifeforms may possess even more terrifying traits.”
Lady Laura said, “Exactly. Which is why we must find a path beyond the ninth rank. Even if our souls cannot be elevated further, we must learn to wield a higher tier of energy. Perhaps Yuan Qi itself will provide us with that answer.”
As she spoke, the battle shifted once again. The divine-realm creature finally realized that the foe before it was not one it could kill. All its Martial Cores blazed forth simultaneously, preparing for a desperate final struggle.
“Kratos, are you still not ready?” the True Spirit shouted.
“If this continues, I’ll have no choice but to kill it outright!”
Once the divine creature unleashed its hidden potential, Kratos would be forced to unleash his full might, and then the battle could no longer be kept under control.
By now, the creature’s Yuan Qi surged like an endless storm, forming a dragon-tornado that pierced the void. Everyone could feel its energy level climbing ever higher.
Laura said calmly:
“It’s time. Prometheus, you and Kratos break through its defensive layer.
Kratos, once its defenses are down, release your full strength and sever its Yuan Qi cycle—buy me a moment.
Randolph, once I succeed, you seal it together with this section of void.”
Adam could not perceive the details of their strategy, but what unfolded before his eyes was a feast for the senses.
From the nodes of Prometheus’s Mage Armor, every starship unleashed a fivefold volley. The brilliance of the multidimensional strikes spread like a vast net, engulfing the divine creature.
In the aftermath, the starships were scattered aside, while billions upon billions of arcane runes flared upon the Mage Armor. Adam felt as if he finally understood Prometheus’s power: whatever ability existed, he could wield.
The True Spirit of Kratos erupted in a blaze of Aetheric flame, his energy and aura overwhelming the divine being. His form split—one became two, until eight battle-bodies surrounded the foe on all sides.
The void was ground to dust around him. In a single instant, billions of strikes rained down upon the divine creature. Its black defense layer shattered; its energy-devouring cells and condensed Yuan Qi splintered apart. Limbs and head were severed, falling under his control.
Then Prometheus drew in every shred of Aether within reach. Countless spells merged into a single torrent, crashing against the divine creature’s chest, shattering countless Martial Cores.
The eight bodies of Kratos pulled with unstoppable force, tearing the creature into five pieces. Its energy cycle was broken in an instant.
A majestic chant rang out across the void, melodious like a divine hymn. Lady Laura revealed her true form. Incantations circled her like a goddess of magic, and she became a streak of chaotic brilliance that ignored all distance, piercing into the creature’s body.
Laura, a peak ninth-rank mage, wielded creation and life magic with the authority of a creator deity.
The divine creature’s body instantly lost continuity; it could no longer reassemble. Every energy-devouring cell became an independent organism, fighting on its own.
The power of life merged into Yuan Qi, embedding itself into the immortal trait, granting consciousness to every unit of Yuan Qi—evolving toward the elementals Adam knew so well.
With billions of independent wills forced into a leaking, unstable system, collapse was inevitable. Though the Martial Cores struggled desperately to purge the intruding consciousnesses, the effort was futile.
First the chest disintegrated, then the limbs one by one. Each fragment containing a Martial Core was sealed away by Randolph the True Spirit. Finally, only the head remained, barely clinging to life.
“You…”
The divine creature’s last words were cut short. Prometheus seized its head, and his Mage Armor reshaped itself into an unknown form, layer by layer cocooning it. With one hand, he pierced into its skull and wrenched free its most central Martial Core.
Laura, who could grant life, could also take it away. With the capture secured, her incantations shifted into a dirge of death. The countless newborn abominations that had just gained awareness all at once dimmed and perished, their forms drifting lifeless in the void.