Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 903 - 840: Conquering the Angel

"Damn Liches!" The fully revealed Sleeper suddenly let out a furious roar, its countless tendrils trembling, instilling rage and murderous intent in everyone present.

The Giant Dragon climbed out of the pit, facing the wrathful Evil God with a wicked grin.

Mr. Scholar seized the chance created by the other Dragon Priests who were holding off the Corrupted Angel. He quietly retreated to the Giant Dragon’s side, channeling magic power to aid the father of dragons’ accelerated regeneration. He lowered his voice and asked secretly, "What did you do?"

"I did nothing."

"Then why is the Sleeper angry?"

"I don’t know."

"..." The scholar’s attention, previously fixed firmly on the Angel, shifted to his old friend. "Then why are you smiling?"

"Smiling makes me stronger. The enemy’s curses are proof of our success. Mocking his rage is the finest psychological warfare." After speaking, the Giant Dragon’s grin widened, baring ferocious dragon fangs at the Evil God.

"...Stop smiling; they’re barely holding on."

In the midst of the battle with the Corrupted Angel, waves of warriors from various races appeared on the frontlines, joining the resistance against the corrupted Paladins. With battle-axes and longswords, they carved a bloody path. The divide between the living and the dead quietly dissolved in the face of crisis, as they fought alongside skeletons. Even the twisted creations seemed endearing compared to the corruption of the knights. The soaring Giant Dragons descended with dragon breath, healing allies, destroying foes, either enhancing or driving them into frenzy. The corrupted Holy Light armies gradually fell into a disadvantage. When Pope Atrax, cloaked in pure white, appeared on the battlefield, the divine radiance descending upon the enemies caused the twisted knights to pause momentarily.

The balance of fate began to shift, and the Sleeper Triton keenly sensed it.

[I’ve seen enough of your rebellion.] A grand, ancient voice echoed across the battlefield. Suspended in midair, the Corrupted Angel erupted with an overwhelming, sacred brilliance. The voice emanating from its head was mournful, and the divine aura forced the enemies entangling the Angel to retreat.

The Corrupted Angel’s power was growing, its flesh somewhat withering. The previously indistinct form began to clarify. Triton reduced the angel’s corruption level, and as the foreign power within the Angel diminished, it aligned more closely with the current era of Holy Light. Under the despairing gazes of those present, they gradually came to understand what it meant to be an Angel. The purely physical resistance against unleashed magic was overpoweringly strong; yet no one expected this Angel to grow even mightier now. Holy Flames burned on its wings, and it was doubtless that a single punch now could leave one half-dead, forcibly removed from the battlefield. And that was the best-case scenario. Behind its dazzling golden wings, a radiant, prismatic holy halo continued to emit sun-like forces. Released from Triton’s control, the Angel gained even greater mastery of its own body. The phase of singular specialized attacks had concluded. Now, the Corrupted Angel was truly the king of the era, holding dominance over all beings.

This level of liberation nearly approached Raymond Mellock’s regular combat state, akin to the Crusader Commander who fought with unparalleled focus. The weaker races had already fallen to their knees in the dark mire. Their biological instincts allowed terror to take over their minds. The slaughtered magical beasts, the exterminated witches, the impaled dragons, the battered liches—all were suppressed. Against the dazzling brilliance forged by human history, the corrupted Paladins stood tall, raising their heads. As they gazed up at the Holy Light cast by the Pope’s presence, their emotions were mixed and complex.

A sense of total desolation began to permeate.

"It is not yet the time to give up!" Raising its head, the Giant Dragon stared directly at that blazing sun. Its claws clenched against the earth, its folded wings taut like compressed springs.

"Are you truly willing? To have your existence, your desires denied? Just because he is stronger than you? Must you yield your necks to slaughter? Fight back! Our lives are not worthless! As the weak, we too have the right to raise our voices! Against the high and mighty! Against the divine! We are no longer pets to be sacrificed at their whim. If they won’t let us live, then let us bring their deaths!!!"

The father of dragons’ proclamation made the Sleeper laugh. This once-devouring being, a part of the divine itself, was now speaking in submission, admitting inferiority to the Angel. Perhaps such words could garner more empathy, stirring shared feelings. Triton merely regarded him as a beaten soul, no longer a threat. In this world, there is a certain forgiveness: proclaiming strength does not guarantee becoming strong, but admitting weakness inevitably leads to becoming weak. The only path to victory lies in unwavering courage.

The father of dragons soared into the sky, charging at the radiant Angel as a challenger.

"My foe, let our struggle continue. As the era of mythology reignites, I shall tear away your flesh during Ragnarok!"

Provoked, the Corrupted Angel did not hesitate to counterattack, gripping the Dragonslayer Holy Spear tightly. Its wings beat mightily, and once more, Angel clashed with the evil dragon.

Dragon claws severed wings, Light Spear pierced reverse scales, and the entwined pair erupted in a rain of blood. The liberated Evil God ignored the outcome, using its senses to observe the others, forging new enemies to face them.

Spinal columns fractured, the last threads of flesh clung like tattered cloth to broken bodies. Chest cavities tore open, and the torrents of blood provoked screams from offspring below. The angel’s pure, radiant frame was stained with blood, but only superficially. The sheer disparity in physical prowess made it appear as though the Angel were devouring the Giant Dragon, while in fact, the father of dragons’ internal mechanisms were swiftly being dismantled. Using its own flesh and blood to taint the Angel’s halo—this was the dragon’s achievement as a former defeated warrior.

But perhaps, this was already enough.

From the dragon’s chest cavity, a gloved hand extended. The surge of Evil God’s power transformed the dragon’s flesh into poison, sinking into the Angel’s body. Lyle Butler, concealed within the dragon’s body, exploited the form he had crafted of the father of dragons to initiate a second wave of corruption against the Corrupted Angel.

Dragon claws gripped the Angel’s weapon. Lyle clutched his mentor’s ribs, his gaze piercing past the blood-soaked Angel of Light to lock onto Triton’s colossal evil eye.

"I told you, this is the rebellion of the weak, the war against the mighty, against the divine."

"The war between me and you, Sleeper Triton."

Two forces of Evil God power, born from the same origin, wrestled for control over the Angel’s sacred flesh, corrupting and invading one another, vying for dominance over the Angel. While Triton’s power was undoubtedly greater than Lyle’s, Triton was burdened with far greater challenges, having to fend off corruption while maintaining the Angel’s spirit. Lyle’s singular goal was simply to obstruct him.

The dragon’s broken remains descended from the sky, its gutted body insignificant to the undying and indestructible dragon. Within the mental world, Lyle drew upon the phantom network for amplification, aided by double omens from secondary and tertiary personalities. Yet it was still no match for the ancient creator. The flesh belonging to Nia was being corrupted and counter-invaded. Eyes turned as the Angel was about to fall once again under the Evil God’s control.

[As a mere variable, you are far from qualified, juvenile.] Ever since Raymond first appeared as the inaugural Purifier, the Evil God had grown cautious, ensuring no anomalous powers existed outside of its control. Thus, it spared no effort, splitting a portion of its divine flesh to corrupt Lyle, shaping Purifier Lyle into a kindred Evil God juvenile, and then defeated him with its knowledge.

"Do you know what the greatest difference between us is, Evil God?"

"We have more people."