Global Descent: Heaven's Executioner-Chapter 66 - 65:

The Primordial Star Core Fragment, caught in the aftermath, was knocked away from the collision point. It spun through the air, glinting faintly as it tumbled uncontrollably before falling toward the fractured ground below.

Before anyone could even process what had just happened.

More crimson beams descended.

One... then ten... then dozens.

They rained from the sky like divine punishment, tearing through the air with terrifying speed, each one carrying enough power to shatter the earth on impact.

Lev’s expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, he pulled Seth closer and raised his hand. Flames surged outward, condensing rapidly above them into a dome of blazing red light that enveloped their bodies completely.

Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!

The crimson beams slammed into the barrier one after another, each impact sending violent ripples across its surface. The force shook the ground beneath their feet, cracks spreading outward as the surrounding terrain was obliterated. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Seth steadied himself within the barrier, his already weakened state making even standing difficult, but his eyes remained sharp as he observed everything.

Not far away, the axe-wielding man roared, slamming both weapons into the ground as a surge of raw energy burst outward, forming a defensive field around him. Each incoming beam collided against it with explosive force, forcing his body to sink slightly into the earth with every impact.

On the other side, the lightning-wrapped young man reacted just as quickly.

Electricity surged violently around him, forming a crackling barrier of condensed lightning. The red beams struck against it in rapid succession, explosions flashing non-stop as sparks and energy scattered wildly in all directions.

For a brief moment, the battlefield fell into complete chaos.

Crimson beams continued to fall from the sky one after another, each impact triggering violent explosions that overlapped without pause. The ground, already shattered from the earlier clashes, could no longer hold together—cracks spread rapidly as entire sections collapsed under the relentless bombardment.

Dust, fire, and fragments of rock filled the air, turning everything into a storm of destruction. Visibility dropped, and even sensing became difficult under the constant interference of violent energy.

At that moment before anyone could react, a figure suddenly appeared above them.

He floated silently in midair, as if unaffected by gravity itself.

He looked no older than his early twenties, floating calmly in midair as if standing on invisible ground. His posture was relaxed, almost casual—but the pressure coming from him told a completely different story.

But what truly stood out was his hair.

Actual fire was burning where his hair should have been. The light from it fell across his face, giving him a strange look—half shadow, half glow.

The young man hovered in the air for a brief moment, his gaze sweeping calmly over Seth and the others below before finally settling on the Primordial Star Core Fragment lying not far away.

The moment he saw it, a faint smile appeared on his face. "Found it."

Boom—!

Flames erupted from his body without warning, exploding outward in a violent burst of heat. In the next instant, his figure shot downward like a streak of red light, tearing through the air at terrifying speed, heading straight for the fragment.

The moment both the axe-wielding man and the lightning-cloaked young man realized what he was aiming for, their expressions changed instantly.

"Where do you think you’re going?!"

Bang—!

The axe-wielding man slammed his foot into the ground, shattering the already broken terrain beneath him as a violent aura burst from his body.

Without the slightest hesitation, he shot forward, his massive frame moving with explosive speed as both axes were raised, his target clear.

At the same time, lightning roared across the battlefield.

Crack—!!!

The young man wrapped in electricity didn’t stay still either. Thunder exploded around him as his figure blurred, turning into a streak of blue light. In a single step, he vanished from his position, chasing after the fragment with terrifying speed.

All three moved at the same time, rushing in from different directions toward the Primordial Star Core Fragment. Their speeds were terrifying, each one pushing their body to the limit, unwilling to fall even a fraction behind the others.

In the blink of an eye, they closed the distance.

Three hands reached out almost simultaneously, each trying to be the first to seize the fragment.

KRAAASH—!!!

A sharp, star-splitting explosion of sound tore through the sky above them.

For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to freeze. All three felt it immediately.

Without even thinking, they all pulled back at the same time, retreating at high speed and abandoning the fragment as they dodged away from whatever was descending from above.

The moment the three of them pulled back.

BOOM—!!!

A massive white staff came crashing down from the sky.

It struck the ground with terrifying force, the impact shaking the entire battlefield as if something heavy had been driven straight through it. Cracks spread instantly from the point of contact, racing across the shattered terrain while dust and fragments were blasted outward in every direction.

The sheer force of it forced all three of them even further back.

After stabilizing themselves, all of them look at the massive white staff with mouths wide open in shock. The white staff stood firmly at the center of the battlefield, buried deep into the ground as cracks continued to spread around it, blocking the path to the Primordial Star Core Fragment.

The next second, a streak of golden light suddenly flashed across the battlefield.

And before anyone could react, a figure appeared beside the staff.

It was a middle-aged man with long golden hair draped over his shoulders, and his eyes carried the same radiant glow. Behind him, a long golden tail swayed slowly, catching everyone’s attention the moment he appeared.

If Zayen had been there, he would have recognized the man instantly.

Hou Jinjai.

Hou Jinjai took a step forward and placed his hand on the massive white staff.

The next instant, the massive white staff trembled.

The overwhelming pressure it emitted began to collapse inward, its enormous form shrinking rapidly. In just a single breath, the towering weapon reduced in size, becoming a normal staff that rested quietly in his hand.

But no one had the time to dwell on that.

Because the battlefield didn’t stay quiet.

Streaks of light began appearing across the sky. As figures appeared one after another, they descended in different directions, landing on the broken battlefield.

Even those without a Primordial Star Core Fragment had come. At this point, it didn’t matter what they came for anymore.

They just wanted to see if they could fish in troubled waters.

At this point, it didn’t matter what they came for anymore. They just wanted to see if they could fish in troubled waters.

As the numbers of players increased, the atmosphere became more and more tense.

At this moment, everyone’s attention was locked onto the Primordial Star Core Fragment. So much so that no one even noticed Seth and Lev slowly withdrawing from the center of the battlefield.

Seth and Lev moved carefully, blending into the edge of the chaos. Step by step, they increased the distance between themselves and the center, staying behind broken rocks and collapsed terrain where the shadows were thicker.

Seeing more and more people arrive, the young man wrapped in lightning narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint irritation flashing across his face.

The axe-wielding middle-aged man wasn’t any better. His brows furrowed deeply as he glanced around at the growing crowd. The grip on his twin axes tightened, clearly showing his impatience.

The situation was already complicated enough. Now even more people were joining in.

In just a few minutes, the number of players on the scene had swelled rapidly, reaching over six hundred.

The battlefield, which had once been a broken and empty ruin, was now completely crowded. Figures stood across every direction, filling the space like a rising tide.

The pressure in the air grew thicker with each passing second.

Seeing the crowd grow thicker, the axe-wielding middle-aged man was the first to move.

He slammed one of his axes into the ground.

BOOM—!

The impact sent a shockwave rolling outward, dust and debris bursting into the air as cracks spiderwebbed across the earth. His voice followed immediately after, heavy and forceful.

"Everyone, back off. We’re the ones who got here first and found the fragment."

The axe-wielding man’s voice echoed across the battlefield, heavy with pressure. The shockwave from his axe had already drawn attention, but instead of fear... it only triggered resistance.

"First to arrive?" The young woman with blazing hair looked at the axe-wielding man from the distance and sneered at him. "Since when did that make something yours?"

"Do you think this is your backyard? Six hundred people here, and you still dare claim ownership?" Another female player with long green hair looks at the axe-wielding man with a mocking expression.

From another direction, a man crossed his arms. "If shouting made things yours, you wouldn’t need strength at all."

The axe-wielding man’s expression darkened instantly. His killing intent flared, but instead of backing down, the pressure only made the situation worse.

In the blink of an eye, they closed the distance.

The lightning-wrapped young man clicked his tongue softly. "Idiot..." he muttered, not even bothering to hide his disdain.

For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to freeze. All three felt it immediately.

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense.

"Everyone here must have come because of the loud explosion... and the Primordial Star Core Fragment."

A clear voice suddenly cut through the tense silence.

All eyes shifted at once towards the owner of the voices.

A golden-haired female player stepped forward from the crowd. Her presence alone seemed to soften the heavy pressure in the air for a brief moment. She wasn’t aggressive like the others—just calm, composed, and confident enough to speak in a place like this.

The moment most of them saw her clearly, a brief silence followed.

Some even froze, and others unconsciously widened their eyes.

She was strikingly beautiful—so much so that even in a battlefield filled with powerful players, her appearance still stood out without effort. The golden hair falling over her shoulders only made her presence more noticeable, almost like she didn’t belong in this chaos at all.

Even among the female players, a few couldn’t help but glance at her with a faint sting of jealousy before quickly looking away.