Chapter 393 - 290: Norns’ Sichuan Opera Performance (2)

Chapter 393: Chapter 290: Norns’ Sichuan Opera Performance (2)

Behind the ultimate mechanic is the ultimate power!

This was the terrifying nature of a Deity!

Although this group had prepared specific defenses, they had previously only faced the Believers cultivated by the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts. The Divine Arts those Believers used were merely a weakened version of "Evil Thought Explosion." A Divine Art unleashed by the Deity Itself, however, was not so easily blocked!

As a result, chaos erupted among the ambushers in an instant. Some deserted their posts, some expressed intense, violent lust for their female companions, some backstabbed their teammates—and some literally stabbed their teammates in the back!

It was an utter mess!

Of everyone present, only Prince Norns, who was charging at the very front, wasn’t affected by the evil thoughts. However, judging from his slightly pale face, the impact on him was not insignificant.

Yes, this group preparing to ambush the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts was none other than Prince Norns and his party. And the one who got hit on the head with a pebble was, naturally, his second brother—Remington Norns—who had once died at Isaac’s hands and was now revived in a Mechanical Body!

It was their appearance that made Isaac change his mind slightly. He had originally come on this trip to test a New Spell he’d developed to complement his [Miracle], even if he didn’t retrieve the Divinity. But then, he saw them...

’This should be fun.’

On the battlefield, Prince Norns’s expression was grim. He transformed into a bolt of lightning, brandishing a Knight’s Greatsword as he charged into the Cult Followers like a tempest. Purple light flashed from his blade, and limbs flew everywhere!

In a single clash, Prince Norns had carved a path right to the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts!

But the price he paid was immense. An azure Gemstone hanging on his chest had not only dimmed, but its surface and interior were now riddled with cracks, looking like it could shatter at any moment.

The Guardian of the Goddess of Peace. It was a Miracle-Level Magic Tool capable of directly resisting Tier Five Mind System Magic and offered decent protection against other Tier Four spells. It was one of the highest-level Magic Tools Prince Norns had prepared for this expedition.

This was also why Prince Norns had chosen the notoriously difficult Mind System Evil God Sect as his second target.

With this item, the Mind System Divine Arts, normally the most troublesome, would be practically nonexistent to him!

That was how it was supposed to be.

But who the hell knew that this Evil Thought Sect actually had its Deity personally present!

Tier Four Divine Power and a Tier Four Divine Art were two completely different concepts. Even a Tier Five Mental Defense Magic Tool couldn’t handle the attack of a Tier Four Mind System Deity with ease. It could hold up, but the cost was considerable.

’For instance, right now, he hadn’t even finished off the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts, and the Gemstone was already on the verge of shattering...’

’Still, as long as he could slay this Tier Four Deity, it would all be worth it!’

’Godslaying...’

The thought of that word made Prince Norns’s heart burn with ambition. A Deity, even if it was just a Tier Four Deity—he didn’t know why it was only Tier Four—carried immense weight. Killing this one would be worth at least dozens of other Tier Four beings in the Blood War Ritual.

Moreover, while he was a Knight, it was much like the ongoing Blood War Ritual and the shattering Gemstone—just because he couldn’t use Magic didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy its benefits. And in the Real World, titles could grant actual power!

As long as he did a little political maneuvering after he returned and performed a few rituals, the title of "Godslayer" was practically guaranteed. It would bring him even greater power and glory!

However, as tempting as the spoils of war were, Norns didn’t let his guard down. His eyes were fixed solemnly on the Stone Dwarf, purple lightning coiling around his Longsword, which erupted in a dazzling violet glow!

"This time, you won’t escape!"

*CRACK!*

Following a crisp crack, Prince Norns instantly beheaded the Stone Dwarf. The Stone Dwarf’s head, still wearing a mocking smile, flew high into the air as purple lightning rapidly spread, completely eradicating its remaining life force!

At the same time, the Sapphire on his chest completely shattered. A Deity’s final, dying counterattack was the last straw that broke the Magic Tool.

With the fall of the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts, the remaining Cultists let out mournful wails and dissipated into wisps of black smoke. Behind him, the subordinates who had been thrown into chaos by the Divine Power slowly came to their senses, their expressions turning incredibly ugly as they gradually stopped what they were doing.

The faces of the men from the Otherworld’s Chengdu, who had literally stabbed their comrades in the back, were the ugliest of all.

The one silver lining was that Prince Norns had ended the battle quickly enough that the consequences weren’t too severe. No one had died, and they had only suffered superficial wounds. After all, they had known about the effects of the "Evil Thought Explosion" beforehand, even if their own Magic Tools had failed to block it.

But because they were mentally prepared, they had been wary of their own teammates from the start. The only ones they couldn’t defend against were those few... special cases.

However, despite the brilliant victory, Prince Norns’s expression was incredibly ugly, tinged with a hint of solemn gravity.

Because...

He had clearly annihilated the Sect, even killing the Deity behind it. The Sect was as dead as it could possibly be, but...

The progress for the Underground Palace Trial hadn’t changed at all!

He was still short by two!

’What a joke!’

Prince Norns was struggling to maintain his composure. To annihilate this Sect, he had paid so much—a Tier Three Grand Arcanist had died, and a Tier Five Magic Tool was completely destroyed!

’And now you’re telling me it doesn’t count toward my progress?!’

’WHAT A JOKE!!!’

Furthermore, for some reason, Prince Norns had a feeling that the mocking look on the Sovereign of Evil Thoughts’s face as it died wasn’t about the Trial mission, but something else entirely. For example...

The yellow sparrow!

It wasn’t just Prince Norns. After briefly composing themselves, the expressions of the other survivors instantly tensed. After all, a large part of why this battle had been so difficult was because they had been exposed prematurely and caught off guard.

Otherwise, according to their original plan, not only would they have had a chance to save the Sapphire, but they also wouldn’t have suffered so many injuries... and humiliations!

"*CLAP, CLAP, CLAP~~*"

Just as everyone was on high alert, ripples spread through the Void. A gray-robed Isaac emerged slowly, a smile playing on his lips as he clapped lightly. "What a spectacular performance, Your Highness the Prince. It’s a shame, really. I should have recorded that last scene. Ah, well~"

Isaac glanced at the men from Chengdu and sighed theatrically, causing veins to pop on their foreheads.

But despite their anger, they didn’t dare act rashly. Because Isaac was a Tier Four Mage—a Tier Four Legendary Mage! And a Mad Witch, at that!

Utterly terrifying!

Prince Norns’s gaze was dark as he looked at Isaac, then at the Stone Dwarf’s corpse on the ground, and back at Isaac. Suppressing his fury, he snarled, "Was this your doing?!"

Although he had no proof, Prince Norns’s intuition told him this was the truth! Isaac glanced at the men from Chengdu and sighed theatrically, causing veins to pop on their foreheads.

"’Tsk~ Don’t go making false accusations, alright?’ Isaac said with a helpless look. ’While this guy was indeed one of my experiments, it seems you were the ones who personally started this War, weren’t you?’"

Isaac shook his head helplessly. With a light flick of his pale finger, invisible Magic Power surged forth. A glimmer of Divine Power appeared on the Stone Dwarf’s corpse, which gradually dissolved into nothingness. In its place, a somewhat illusory, gray brain floated toward Isaac.

Norns’s pupils contracted slightly. In that instant, a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, and he connected all the dots. ’Has Isaac really become this powerful?’

’This guy...’

’Even among the most ancient of the Mad Witches, he would definitely be counted among the most insane!’

At this thought, a bitter taste filled Prince Norns’s heart. ’Oh, Emperor... was it really right to let this man grow unchecked?’