Chapter 406 233: Challenge of the Ancient Gods

"I hope your power doesn't disappoint me when the time comes, Zorn."

The Shadow Ancient God, Belial, boomed with laughter.

"However, I have one condition."

Zorn said calmly.

"Oh? This is a mutually beneficial arrangement. What condition could you possibly have?"

The Shadow Ancient God, Belial, looked surprised and was clearly displeased with Zorn's statement.

"Your Jade Realm has tried to kill me repeatedly. I have every reason to suspect you'll use the upcoming Mythical Wave as an opportunity to eliminate me."

"I have one condition. If you agree, we can have our duel during the Mythical Wave, as new Ancient Gods."

"If you don't agree, fine. I'm garrisoned on the Star Dust Plateau and have no fear of an attack from the Jade Realm."

The Shadow Ancient God, Belial, frowned in thought for a moment before speaking.

"What is your condition?"

"Before the battle begins, I'll choose a secret location—a battlefield no one else knows about. You and I will fight to the death there, without any interference."

Zorn stated, his expression impassive.

"You'll choose the location? How can I be sure you haven't set an ambush?"

The Shadow Ancient God, Belial, retorted coldly.

"Take it or leave it."

Zorn said, a hint of impatience in his tone.

"If we don't fight, I'll just enjoy the peace and quiet."

After a moment of silent contemplation, the Shadow Ancient God, Belial, finally spoke.

"This is a duel with Zorn. Since he is so willing, I will let him choose the location. However, I must be allowed to inspect it first."

"Of course. No problem."

Zorn replied coolly.

The Shadow Ancient God, Belial, departed.

The Star Dust Plateau returned to tranquility.

Three Ancient Gods sent their projections via the Cosmic Magic Net.

"Zorn, the Jade Realm is trying everything to eliminate you. This challenge from the Shadow Ancient God, Belial, is undoubtedly malicious. You have no reason to accept it."

The projection of Antisum advised, his face etched with worry.

"After all, your potential is immense. Now that you've become an Ancient God, your future is boundless."

"There's no need to fight Belial over who will be the favored one of this coming wave."

"Indeed!"

The Dark Ancient God, Eudampos, chimed in from the side.

"The Jade Realm's foundations run deep. No power that stands at the apex of the universe is to be trifled with."

"Just a moment ago, I sensed that Belial has already reached Level 33."

"In another hundred years, Belial will probably reach Level 34."

"Even if you manage to reach Level 32 in the next century, you'll still be at a significant Level disadvantage against him."

"And with whatever tricks the Jade Realm has prepared, you'll likely suffer a major defeat."

Zorn glanced at the three Ancient God projections and spoke in a placating tone.

"There's no need to worry. Since I'm the one choosing the location, I'll be sure to have the geographical advantage. Even if I lose, I'm confident I can escape."

Although Zorn was fully confident he could use this opportunity to eliminate the ever-scheming Belial, he wasn't about to leak even a shred of that classified information.

Seeing Zorn speak with such conviction, the three Ancient Gods didn't try to dissuade him further.

"Also..."

Zorn spoke again.

"Seniors, during this time, I need to focus on my cultivation to stabilize my Ancient Sequence and raise my Ancient Level."

"I'll need the power of the Disaster Court Magic Ring Tree to draw upon more Ancient Essence."

"That's no problem at all. We Ancient Gods rarely need to draw Ancient Essence from the Tree of the Magic Ring anymore."

Antisum nodded in agreement.

"Feel free to use the power of the Disaster Court Magic Ring Tree."

"Then I thank you, Seniors."

Zorn said gratefully.

...

「Deep within the Jade Magic Ring Forest.」

"How did it go?"

A clear, cold voice slowly rang out.

Belial, who had just returned, looked toward the source of the voice and bowed.

"Lady Aphrodite, Zorn agreed to my challenge, but... he insists on choosing the battlefield himself."

"He wants to choose the battlefield?"

Aphrodite emerged slowly from the depths of the forest.

As Aphrodite walked, wreathed in a shimmering halo of light, the surrounding forest seemed to rise and fall in a great surge.

"Zorn is being cautious, but as long as we win this duel, even if he doesn't die, his Ancient Evil God Sequence will be shattered. What's more, he'll be burdened by a terrifying ancient curse."

"It's a horrifying curse our Jade Realm has been stockpiling for ages."

"Not even an Ancient Evil God can withstand it."

"Throughout the river of history, many Ancient Evil Gods have fallen to these very curses."

Belial was completely confident in Aphrodite's plan.

Then, Aphrodite raised her head, gazing into the profound depths of ancient time.

Originally.

She had prayed to an ancient and hidden existence, and that ancient existence had responded.

During the Mythical Wave in a hundred years, those great beings would return.

But now, peering through the river of ancient time, she could see no sign of those great beings' return.

As the time drew closer, even her repeated prayers went unanswered.

This left her feeling somewhat uneasy.

Fortunately, the Jade Realm had recently acquired a massive amount of Cosmic Essence through the Cosmic Altar.

Her current Level had already reached the heights of Level 37, and breaking through to Level 38 wasn't out of the question.

Moreover, after so many years of recuperation during a period of low-intensity warfare, the previously injured Ancient Gods had all gradually recovered.

The power of the Jade Realm was greater than ever before.

As its power steadily returned, the Jade Realm naturally wanted to annihilate the source of all its problems: that damned Evil God.

And the impending Mythical Wave, which would sweep across the entire Star Realm Cosmic, was the perfect opportunity.

...

「In the dark and silent depths of the Starry Sky Ancient Insect Path.」

Zorn sat in meditation, mentally reviewing the Jade Realm's many hidden and formidable trump cards. Only after going through them one by one did he feel a little more at ease.

'If I didn't know the Jade Realm's trump cards,' Zorn thought, 'agreeing so readily would have been suicide.'

But now, not only was he aware of the Jade Realm's many trump cards, his own ascension to an Ancient God had unlocked access to many extremely secret areas.

He had far more trump cards than the Jade Realm did.

Since Belial wanted a one-on-one fight, Zorn was more than happy to oblige him.

'The place I choose will make a fine grave for him.'

He watched as a dense stream of Ancient Time Essence converged toward him.

'Before, I was only confident of reaching Level 34 in a hundred years.'

'But the Cosmic Fissure is spewing out vast amounts of Ancient Time Essence. In a hundred years, I might even have a shot at pushing for Level 35.'

'But... before that, I need to strengthen my Resurrection Power.'

After ascending to the rank of Ancient God.

An Ancient God was given one opportunity to catalyze their Talents, Divine Abilities, or Ancient God Curses.

And Zorn had chosen to catalyze his Resurrection Ability.

It had always been one of his greatest trump cards.

After he became an Ancient God, his Resurrection Ability could still bring him back to life, but reviving at this level would leave him incredibly weak.

However, with the one-time catalysis opportunity gained from his ascension, he could significantly increase both the power and the number of uses for his Resurrection Ability.

'In the depths of the Starry Sky Ancient Insect Path, there are still some Ancient Relics of the Eating Phase Insect Mother.'

'Now I can basically travel freely through the depths of the Starry Sky Ancient Insect Path, so I can retrieve the ancient relics of the Eating Phase Insect Mother.'

'By using the Ancient Relics of the Eating Phase Insect Mother, I can drastically strengthen my Resurrection Power.'

'Even if I'm killed in battle, I'll be able to resurrect with my full combat strength intact.'

There were many things Zorn could do now that he was at the Ancient God stage.

But for now, Zorn was in no hurry.

First, he would raise his Level and strengthen himself. Everything else could wait.