CHAPTER 574: CHAPTER 571: THE WEAKENED DEITY

Artificial deities possessed overwhelming power.

That was beyond doubt.

Yet faced with a colossus like Bapulor, whose stature inspired terror, how should this artificial deity respond?

Ronald adjusted his posture in the air.

The Sword of Saint Catherine was immediately grasped in his hand as well.

The moment Bapulor clashed with the enemy in their first bout of confrontation was also his signal to intervene.

Catherine, standing beside him, cast a somewhat concerned glance at the relic of the Saint in Ronald’s hands. However, she had no habit of small talk when facing battle, and her hands began activating spells to analyze the entire Barrier Mountain battlefield.

After all, no matter what changes the situation might undergo,

identifying the problems with the environment in advance was always the best solution.

"Roar—"

As those around him prepared their spells, Bapulor’s terrifying frame had already bridged the distance, which was not too far for him. Accompanied by a fearsome roar, enormous green tentacles smashed straight down upon the peak of Barrier Mountain!

The horrific tentacles stirred a massive swathe of wind.

Before the attack even reached the ground, an obvious whip crack had appeared on the surface due to the immense pressure. Had it struck the mountain peak directly, no one doubted the dreadful damage it would have caused.

"Hmph!"

At the pinnacle of Barrier Mountain, the voice of the artificial deity was as cold as before.

Just one second before Bapulor’s tentacle was about to crash down, this unseen entity activated a spell.

It was nearly transparent,

or rather, it was imperceptible as a solid entity.

When Bapulor’s attack landed, the green tentacle hit a line crafted purely of magic power. The defense spell of the artificial deity could indeed be called perfect, not just because of its absolute reliability, but also because when it blocked Bapulor’s assault, not even a pebble on the ground stirred.

"Roar—"

In contrast, Bapulor found the situation distinctly uncomfortable.

Transformed, he possessed immense strength and inertia, lending an unimaginable force to the tentacle’s strike. When that force rebounded perfectly back at him, he was the one to suffer injury.

The Complete Technique did not block the transfer of pain.

And with a hundred-meter-long tentacle collapsing structurally, what followed was an unbearable, immense agony.

Pain could drive one into madness, or it could bring clarity.

In Bapulor’s case—it was the latter.

This pain sobered the chaotic mind of the heretical Magician, seizing the opportunity to gain full control over this unfamiliar body.

Right now...

The trouble seemed a bit serious...

And where was Ronald at this moment?

Quickly assessing his environment, Bapulor constructed a plan to deal with the battle at hand—a figure radiating unavoidable magic power, already enveloped in holy flames, had reached the summit.

—This person.

—Naturally, it was Ronald, coming to offer support.

Unlike Bapulor, he did not choose to compete in hardness against the artificial deity’s spell.

Chanting the incantations from "Wealth of Nations,"

In the instant the "Invisible Hand" spell formed, he commanded it to ’shatter the spell ahead.’

Crack, crack, crack—

The reliability of this spell as it appeared could be trusted.

As if shattering glass, fragmented lines immediately filled the previously empty air. While it didn’t entirely break down the defense spell, it weakened it enough for Ronald to take his next step.

"Starting from the relationship between the entire Earth and the sky, let us begin shaping our cognition!"

Aiming at these fragmented lines, the force of "Star Traction" immediately descended.

The defensive spell that had just withstood Bapulor’s terrible attack instantly shattered under the pincer attack of two spells, and then dissipated into pure Magic Power in the air.

Ronald seized the opportunity to dive.

As he shattered the rocky dome, he also burst into the building at the top of Barrier Mountain.

—The Council of Six.

—The place where the rulers of Barrier Mountain made decisions and passed judgment.

Encircling the Well of Judgment, pristine white stone blocks formed a wall around the circular council table’s six empty chairs—none of the Wizards who should have been seated there were in sight.

Rather, it was above the council chamber.

An almost pure white figure floated in the air.

Pure white hair, eyes tightly shut, a face that betrayed no gender, a body completely enshrouded in robes...

Every aspect exuded a sense beyond human, yet it floated in human form here without any visible intent to act.

"School of Triad Harmony..."

"We meet again, heir of the School of Triad Harmony."

And facing this artificial deity’s greeting,

Ronald, too, unusually replied,

"Last time we met, your complexion was healthier than it is now. It’s been so long, haven’t your wounds healed?"

"..."

The artificial deity was silent for a few seconds.

Perhaps wary of the Spells Ronald had once shown, or maybe due to other concerns, it didn’t respond with a direct attack like it had against Bapulor. Instead, it spoke in a calm tone,

"I have no desire to conflict with you, and this is but a private matter of Barrier Mountain."

"Being sealed in this place just as you are, our interests are aligned when it comes to leaving this world."

Snap—

Ronald snapped his fingers.

With the power of the Sun enveloping the Dark Holy Sword, he also took a stance to attack.

This distance, this face-to-face position...

With the abilities of him and this artificial deity, hoping to win with a tactic like an ambush was wishful thinking.

The outcome of the battle would only be decided in a pure test of strength.

Faced with Ronald’s current posture and attitude,

The artificial deity no longer remained unfazed.

Slowly, it opened its eyes for the first time today.

Pupils red as blood, the whites of the eyes void as the abyss, just like the first encounter on the island.

Yet, at the same time, that frailty was unmistakable.

The once rampant lightning still flashed intermittently in the pupils of the Fake God.

Even in the world of Magic like that of the "Infinite Negative Domain," the formidable presence of thunder would not be diminished in the slightest, and at this moment, it was clearly causing an effect on the artificial deity.

Or to put it another way—

Had it not promptly retreated back to the "Infinite Negative Domain,"

It would likely have turned to dust under the endless thunder.

"We both directly benefit from spell power."

"Even for your own sake, I ask that you calm down and think this through."

"..."

Ronald, however, just shook his head with a smile.

Answering the other while waving his sword, he charged forward.

"Your suggestion— that after fleeing this domain, we should continue to settle matters of life and death?—Foolish!"