Chapter 427 - 327: Divine Might (Part 3)

"Escape..."

A single thought screamed wildly in his mind.

But to his horror, he discovered there was no escape.

The Order Divine Body’s Gravity Field had already locked down this space.

Any attempt to break free would be forcibly dragged back.

He was like a fly caught in a spider’s web—the more he struggled, the tighter it bound him.

"If you won’t let me live, then I’ll take you down with me!"

Edgar roared and slammed his hands together in front of his chest.

Dark purple patterns emerged from under his skin, transforming into countless Tentacles that writhed and expanded madly.

On the surface of the Tentacles, countless eyes opened.

Each eye reflected insane whispers and twisted illusions.

"Abyss... descend!"

He roared at the sky.

The Tentacles shot skyward, coalescing in mid-air into a blurry, dark purple phantom.

The phantom had no facial features, only a massive mouth that split its face from ear to ear.

Inside its mouth was an endless darkness, which spread out, attempting to reconstruct a Domain.

But to Ian... it was far too weak.

Ian lifted his right hand and waved it gently, a long, light purple whip lashing out from his palm.

The whip cut through the air, leaving behind a trail of light purple light.

Wherever the trail of light passed, Energy particles frantically dissipated, as if drained by an invisible hand.

The [Entropy Increase Domain] activated.

The moment the dark purple phantom, formed from Tentacles, touched the trail of light...

"AARGH!"

A scream so wretched it defied description exploded through the ruins.

Mixed with Edgar’s agonizing cry was the wail of the Rules themselves.

The phantom began to disintegrate, like a sandcastle washed away by the tide.

One by one, the Tentacles snapped and the eyes closed.

The dark purple mist was forcibly purified by the Power of Order, turning into wisps of blue smoke.

One second. Just a single second.

The abyssal phantom that Edgar had spent decades of accumulated power to summon, using his own flesh and blood as a sacrifice...

...had completely dissipated.

He collapsed to the ground, his face as pale as paper, blood streaming from his seven orifices.

Dark purple blood flowed out, dripping onto the ground.

"How... how could this be..."

He muttered to himself, his pupils dilated and unfocused.

"I’m a Level Three Peak... I endured for sixty years..."

"Because you’re trash."

Ian’s voice came from above, his tone flat yet cold as a blade.

His Order Divine Body slowly shrank, returning to its human form.

His dark gray Long Robe was spotless. Even Gaga, perched on his shoulder, didn’t have a single feather out of place.

He walked over to Edgar and looked down at him.

"Sixty years of hiding, sixty years of scheming... for this?"

Edgar looked up, Ian’s calm face reflected in his murky pupils.

That face... It was so young. So young it made him jealous, drove him mad.

"Who... who are you..." he forced out the words.

"A traveler."

A speck of pure silver light ignited on Ian’s fingertip, a light of ultimate purity.

The moment it appeared, it seemed to be Order itself.

"The farce is over."

He touched his fingertip to Edgar’s forehead.

BZZZT!

The pure silver light surged from his fingertip into Edgar’s body, like a red-hot knife slicing through butter.

The dark purple patterns struggled and twisted frantically, trying to resist, but it was useless.

The Power of Order held absolute dominion over the corruption of the Abyss at the same level.

TSSSK! TSSSK!

The harsh sound of corrosion echoed from within Edgar’s body. Beneath his skin, the Tentacles withered and snapped one by one, turning to black ash.

The eyes closed and ruptured, one after another, oozing dark purple pus and blood.

His body began to convulse violently.

The Soul-tearing agony made him want to open his mouth and scream, but no sound came out.

He could only watch helplessly as the Abyssal Power he had accumulated for sixty years was stripped away, purified, and dissolved, bit by bit.

The entire process lasted a minute.

To Edgar, it felt as long as a hundred years.

When the last trace of the dark purple patterns faded from his skin, he lay slumped on the ground like a soulless husk.

His face was still pale, but the murkiness in his pupils had vanished.

In its place was a kind of... hollow clarity.

"All these years... what have I done..."

He spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse.

Ian withdrew his hand and looked down at him. "Do you not know what you’ve done?"

He turned his head to look at Gaga on his shoulder.

The little one was free again and fluttering over to land on Ian’s shoulder, its eyes filled with lingering fear.

"Ian... that was so scary, Gaga..."

"It’s all right now."

Ian rubbed its head and took a pale silver Crystal from his Dimension Ring.

The Crystal was the size of his palm, its surface covered in sealing Runes.

He activated the Memory Crystal.

A pale silver beam of light shot out, recording Edgar’s limp form and the residual Abyssal Aura in the surroundings.

’I’ll head back first and give this to Aidele. With this contribution, her position as Clan Leader will be secured beyond doubt.’

「At noon, the sun was blindingly bright, and the sky was a pristine, clear blue.」

Ian walked along the dirt road back to East City, his pace unhurried.

Gaga perched on his shoulder, its little head tilted as it stared at the Dimension Ring in his hand.

"Ian... that man... is he dead?"

"Can anyone who has seen my divine body live?"

"Gah? I... I’ve seen your true form too."

Gaga jumped in fright, then nuzzled Ian’s neck ingratiatingly.

Ian chuckled. "You’re getting more and more mischievous."

"So... are we still going to Stormwind City?"

"Of course. It won’t be much of a delay, anyway. But we have to go back to East City first."

"Then... we can leave without any worries and find you some resources for your promotion."

Gaga’s little eyes lit up again.

"Ian, you’re so good to me."

"You are... my only companion."

The corners of Ian’s mouth lifted slightly, a soft light in his eyes.

’This ambush was a bit unexpected, but the outcome... isn’t bad. It also helped clear away Aidele’s last hidden threat.’

’After this battle, I’ve revealed a bit of my strength. No one inside or outside the Justice Clan will dare to provoke me so easily again.’

’I can finally focus on my own affairs: building the altar, contacting the projection, exploring the Otherworld...’

’Everything is heading in the right direction.’

"Gaga, back to the city."

The man and his bird quickly vanished over the horizon.