Chapter 435 - 415: "Let Me See Your Limit, Human.

Chapter 435: Chapter 415: "Let Me See Your Limit, Human.

The [Dragon’s Breath] erupted into a Purgatory of lightning, unleashing a shocking destructive force that completely belied its diminished scale.

Lightning, a weave of silver-blue and blood-red, became living tendrils of Destruction, madly lashing out and corroding everything they touched.

The space where Corellon had been hovering seemed to be torn open, a temporary wound revealing an unstable distortion and a pitch-black vacuum.

The ground was no longer merely cracked or scorched; vast swathes of it had been transmuted into a glass-like crystal.

Then, under the subsequent Energy Shock, it disintegrated into the finest dust, swept high into the air by the violent shockwave.

Rampaging serpents of lightning and torrents of Energy expanded in all directions like a bursting dam. The most ferocious of these aftershocks rushed straight toward Roland, who was kneeling on one knee, exhausted and drained.

The destructive aura made his scalp tingle.

Roland gritted his teeth, trying to squeeze out the last dregs of his Power. A faint Blood-colored Fighting Spirit struggled to materialize as he prepared to raise his Longsword to block.

The next moment...

"VMM!"

A deep, viscous barrier of Shadow, so thick it seemed tangible, instantly materialized a few meters in front of Roland.

"BOOM!"

The Energy Shock slammed violently against the Shadow barrier, producing a dull, thunderous sound.

The barrier fluctuated violently, and fine cracks even appeared at its edges. Yet it held strong, stubbornly refusing to shatter, firmly blocking the lethal impact and arcing lightning.

Space distorted slightly as Duadeng’s stooped figure appeared via a short-range [Flash Technique].

He turned back anxiously to look at the barely-standing Roland.

"Mr. Rudolph, are you alright?"

Despite his concerned tone, the shock in his eyes was hard to conceal.

Even in his prime, he wouldn’t have been confident of surviving such a high-level Energy collision, let alone retaining the strength to fight on like the man before him.

’Mr. Rudolph truly is remarkable...’

Just as these thoughts surged through Duadeng’s mind, an anxious cry shattered the battlefield’s brief silence.

"Roland!"

Before the voice had even faded, the sound of something cutting through the air approached from a distance.

A slender, agile figure swooped down from the sky at high speed. As she neared the ground, she executed a clean roll, expertly dispersing the force of her descent.

Without pausing, she then rushed to the side of the kneeling Roland, squatting down and carefully supporting his swaying body.

"Roland! How are you? Are you badly hurt?"

Realizing the newcomer was a woman expressing such undisguised concern, Duadeng tactfully swallowed the greeting that had been on the tip of his tongue.

He then took a subtle step to the side, perfectly positioning himself with his back to the pair. He faced the epicenter of the blast, which was still shrouded in violent energy aftershocks and swirling dust.

He gripped his Wooden Staff tightly, his scarlet eyes as sharp as a hawk’s. On full alert, he stared intently at the churning smoke, watching for any sign of movement from that area and creating a small, undisturbed space for the two behind him.

"Avril?"

Instantly recognizing her, Roland slowly waved a hand and used the Elf Maiden’s sturdy arm to help himself stand up.

"I’m fine. Just... drained."

Avril didn’t take his word for it, instead quickly checking his most severe wounds.

Only after confirming that there were no fatal injuries—mostly just severe exhaustion of his stamina and Energy—did she truly let out a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

"That’s good."

The Elf Maiden’s tone softened a little.

"I came back for you as soon as I got the master to safety. I never expected..."

Her gaze swept over the surrounding battlefield, which looked as though it had been ravaged by a natural disaster.

The vitrified ground, the lingering spatial distortions, the stray Energy still crackling in the air... She couldn’t help but click her tongue.

"...that the fighting here would be this intense."

"Don’t let your guard down!"

Roland took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his body’s weakness.

The [Primordial Core] within him began to operate with unprecedented efficiency. Like a spring beneath parched earth, it endlessly generated trickles of warm Power, repairing his damaged tissues and replenishing his nearly depleted stamina.

His gaze was sharp, locked onto the area where the dust and smoke were gradually thinning. He spoke in a low voice.

"It’s not over yet!"

"How is that possible..."

Avril retorted instinctively.

The scene of destruction before her made it hard to imagine how anything could have survived such an attack.

However, before she could finish her sentence...

In the distance, amidst the churning dust and smoke that had begun to dissipate in the energy aftershocks, the hazy silhouette of a figure slowly emerged.

Immediately after, the clear, rhythmic sound of clapping came from the direction of the figure.

"CLAP... CLAP... CLAP..."

The applause was unhurried, echoing across the silent ruins with a chilling composure.

As the clapping continued, the dust was gently pushed aside by an unseen force, and Corellon’s figure slowly strode out.

His steps still carried an innate elegance, as if he weren’t walking on scorched earth but strolling through his Divine Kingdom’s garden.

His gaze passed over the vigilant Duadeng and landed directly on Roland.

In those eyes that seemed to hold the starry sky, a hint of genuine, almost pure admiration now mingled with his usual indifference.

"Splendid... truly splendid."

His voice was calm, yet it carried a quality that seemed to pierce the very soul.

"Even in the long expanse of my River of Memory, very few have been able to combine Combat Skills and bloodline Power to such a degree in a mortal body."

He gently raised a hand to brush a speck of dust from his magnificent sleeve, his movements unhurried.

"I originally thought that a mere wisp of a remnant soul, attached to this body, would be more than enough to walk freely in this twilight world of loosened Rules and complete the necessary... cleansing and reshaping."

His gaze swept over the shocking traces of destruction before returning to Roland’s face. The corners of his perfect lips curved into an inscrutable smile.

"I never imagined that a human, a mortal who should have been swept away by the tides of this era, could force me... to such a state through his own will and Power."

At this moment, Corellon’s appearance was clearly visible to all, causing everyone who saw him to be secretly alarmed.

He was clearly not unscathed.

His beautiful robes, which had once flowed with the light of Divine Power, were torn in several places, the edges showing signs of being violently ripped and seared by Energy.

On his pale face, a fine crack, like a lightning burn, stretched from his temple to his jaw.

Although it wasn’t bleeding, it ruined his ultimate perfection, like a flaw on a piece of flawless jade.

The vast, majestic aura of his Divine Attribute had also dimmed and grown erratic, like a candle in the wind, flickering precariously.

Yet, despite this "miserable" appearance, his posture remained impeccably elegant, as if his disheveled state were merely a temporary adornment.

The smile on his face had not faded; in fact, it seemed to deepen, carrying a playful amusement, as if he had discovered an unexpected surprise.

Then, Corellon tilted his head back slightly, gazing at the sky enveloped by the pale blue [Celestial Curtain Barrier].

However, the once-flawless barrier now bore fine cracks from the earlier impact.

It looked as if it would shatter at any second.

Suddenly, he shook his head gently, letting out an almost inaudible sigh.

It carried a faint, almost imperceptible trace of...

Regret.

"Time... is running out."

He muttered to himself, as if stating a foregone conclusion.

Then, he turned his gaze back to Roland.

"In that case, let me see..."

Corellon’s voice remained calm.

"Human... just where your limit lies."

Seeing Corellon close his eyes and focus, his aura changing drastically, Roland’s pupils contracted. Having just recovered a bit of his strength, he immediately shouted in a low voice.

"Watch out!"

But to everyone’s surprise, Corellon didn’t immediately launch a world-shattering attack. He just stood there quietly, his eyes tightly shut, as if completely ignoring all external disturbances.

But beneath that seemingly calm shell, an unknown and dangerous transformation was rapidly taking place within Roland’s Perception.

The previously somewhat scattered and mixed Divine Attribute was now frantically collapsing inward and condensing at a visible rate, as if trying to merge completely and perfectly with the mortal vessel he occupied.

A pressure far purer and more fundamental than before began to stir, like an awakening Ancient Dragon slowly raising its head.

Roland suppressed the tremor in his heart and spoke quickly and clearly to his two comrades beside him.

"Attack him! Now! Break his rhythm, I need time!"

Hearing this, grave expressions flashed across Avril and Duadeng’s faces, but they nodded immediately without any hesitation.

"Understood!"

At almost the same time, the surrounding Surface Elves, who had just snapped out of their shock, finally realized that the Deity they worshipped seemed to be in some kind of "vulnerable" state. A few fanatical believers tried to rush forward to protect him.

However, their advance was immediately blocked by the Zor Elf Warriors who had reacted swiftly.

"Protect Lord Roland and the Elder!"

"Stop those pointy-ears!"

In an instant, the edges of the battlefield, which had been quiet for a moment, erupted once more with the fierce clash of weapons and shouts. The chaotic flames of war were reignited.

And at the center of the battlefield...

"SWOOSH!"

Avril was the first to attack. Her Longbow trembled as an Arrow shot forth like a meteor, flying straight for Corellon’s brow.

Duadeng struck at almost the same time. He slammed his Wooden Staff on the ground, and a twisted Shadow Spear materialized out of thin air. With a soul-tearing shriek, it stabbed from an oblique angle toward Corellon’s back.

However, faced with this swift and deadly pincer attack, the closed-eyed Corellon didn’t even move.

Just as the attacks were about to land, a thin, almost transparent ripple of Divine Power naturally spread out from his body.

Avril’s Arrow hit the ripple and, as if sinking into an invisible mire, its speed dropped sharply. It finally ran out of power about a foot from its target and fell harmlessly.

Duadeng’s Shadow Spear was like hitting an invisible wall. After causing a faint ripple, it quietly disintegrated and dissipated.

All the attacks were effortlessly nullified by the self-activating Divine Barrier, which was continuously solidifying.

At this moment, however, Roland was no longer paying attention to the outcome of the attacks.

He gripped the hilt of Bright Moon with both hands, slowly pulling the Longsword from the scorched earth and holding it upright before his chest.

"Huuuh..."

After taking a deep breath, deep and ancient syllables slowly poured from his lips.

It was like he was chanting a long-lost ancient poem, carrying a strange, unique rhythm.

"By the Wind Spirit’s guidance, awaken the silent roar of the mountains..."