Lord of the Truth

1080  Mighty Hulak

"What... The hell." Holak muttered as he witnessed the strangest sight his eyes had ever seen.

Oooooommmnnnn--

The purple sun was nearly the same size as Pythor's head in his serpent transformation— massive, yet not excessively so. A perfect sphere of dark purple flames, it had dyed the entire city in its somber hue. Yet, instead of radiating heat, it emanated a suppressive aura that dulled the senses. Even though Holak stood at a distance, he felt an overwhelming urge to retreat even further.

Still, all that emanated from that celestial body was mere pressure, just an ominous feeling… The true danger —the most bizarre event— was happening below it.

Shhhhhhhh--

At this moment, Pythor was undergoing yet another transformation.

He wasn't growing larger or shifting into another colossal form. No— he was transitioning from a solid state to a liquid one!

Starting from his horns, then his energy core, his head, his fangs… and now the transformation had reached his midsection. Pythor's once-mighty scales disintegrated like ash, revealing beneath them a gelatinous, translucent purple substance.

"Hssss..." Pythor lifted his now-liquid head toward the sky, gazing at the purple sun before closing his eyes.

Drip Drip

A few drops of the viscous liquid escaped from his open mouth, falling to the ground.

Tssssss--

The moment they touched the earth, they bored deep holes instantly, sending thick plumes of vapor skyward. The sizzling, melting sound persisted for an entire minute before finally subsiding. The depth of those holes was now beyond estimation!

Shhhhhhh--

Pythor's transformation advanced beyond his torso, reaching the area where two spears had been pinning him down. Instantly, the spears began to float within Pythor's gelatinous body before dissolving into vapor, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"...?!"

Holak instinctively took a step back. He had wielded those spears himself and knew their might well. Even when Pythor had unleashed his Corrosive Breath on them moments ago, they had barely been affected—yet now they had disappeared without a trace. Just how potent had Pythor's corrosive power become?!

Shhhhhhhh---

Holak took another step back. Pythor's transformation was now complete. His body retained its original size and form—a massive three-horned serpent—but he was now entirely transparent and gelatinous. Holak could see straight through him. The ground beneath Pythor let out a continuous hissing noise, releasing thick, suffocating fumes as it struggled to bear his weight.

"...Tsk. Don't think you're invincible just because you've shed your skin like a raw egg!"

BAM!

With a shout, Holak stomped the ground and propelled himself forward with immense force, raising his uninjured hand in a striking position. The tattoos covering his entire body began to glow ominously. As he closed the distance, he thrust his palm forward with all his might.

"HIIIIYAAAAAHHHH---!!"

CRACK!

The very fabric of space fractured at the point of impact, compressing all the surrounding air into Holak's palm as if forming a miniature black hole.

Then—

BOOOOOOOOM!

The sonic barrier shattered. All the compressed air exploded forward in a devastating shockwave.

This was an attack capable of flattening cities, obliterating armies—without a doubt, the most devastating wide-range technique in Holak's arsenal!

"Hmm?"

Pythor lowered his head and opened his eyes as he sensed the incoming devastation.

But it was already too late.

The air blast from Holak's attack struck Pythor's gelatinous face directly, and—

Shooooshhh--

Pythor's face and upper body vanished instantly, dissolving into acidic rain that scattered over what remained of the ruined city behind him!

"Son of the Lord, take cover!!"

Sakar's urgent shout rang through the battlefield. He was the first to sense the catastrophic acid rain and the devastating winds carrying it, thanks to his ever-active soul sense.

Swish Swish

The Underworld Daisies immediately abandoned their tasks and formed a protective shield in front of Sakaar.

"...!!"

Richard hadn't realized what was happening—everything had transpired in a fraction of a second. However, he placed his full trust in his father's supreme general. The moment he heard the warning, he swiftly gathered the scattered Life Flames around him and condensed them into a dense shield.

Swish Swish Swish @@novelbin@@

The devastating winds carrying the acidic rain finally arrived, crashing upon them like the end of days.

A large portion of Sakaar's Underworld Daisies disintegrated on impact, while the rest struck him like hammers, sending him flying.

As for Richard, before he could comprehend what was happening, he felt the Life Flames around him incinerating the corrosive rain, but the sheer force of Holak's air blast sent him tumbling like a paper kite caught in a storm.

Rumble Rumble

Only a fraction of a second had passed since the winds had left Holak's palm and disappeared into the horizon. They continued their rampage until they struck a nearby mountain— obliterating half of it with ease.

Swish

Holak jumped just beneath the purple sun like a blazing meteor, looking down at what remained of Pythor's corpse, his mouth stretched into a victorious grin.

"Hahaha! This is what you get for meddling with the strongest creature to ever live! I am the true ending of every dreamer! I am the True beginning of every worshiper. I am King Holak, and none shall surpass me!!"

His voice thundered across the battlefield, his arrogance echoing for hundreds of miles. No one within range failed to hear his proclamation.

------------

BAM

Sakaar and Richard emerged from beneath the rubble.

" SON OF A BITCH— I swear he did that on purpose!!" Richard roared, his eyes burning with blood and fury.

Crack

The Underworld Daisies surrounding Sakaar cleared away the debris and dusted the dirt from his clothes. But his gaze remained locked on the distant city, now dozens of miles away.

"That ridiculous strength... Sometimes his sheer foolishness makes me forget what he's capable of, what a terrifying individual." Then, he swept his eyes over their surroundings and gestured with his hand, "Well, at the very least, he provided us with some assistance."

A hundred or so Imperial Guards and elite Marshals lay scattered beneath the ruins, groaning in pain— some missing limbs, others lifeless.

The purple acid rain had been far too potent, exceeding the endurance of the guards' bodies. Even the Durger blood coursing through their veins had failed to protect them against such an overwhelming concentration of the Minor Heavenly Law of Corrosion!

"Who cares about his strength?! Do you really think he meant to help? Did you even hear what he said about my father? The HE is the true beginning? The true king? He is clearly taking a piss" Richard clenched his fists, channeling his energy into his legs, preparing to launch himself toward the city, "I'm crushing his fuckin' skull today!"

An entire mountain had collapsed atop them due to the winds carrying them in its path. The Underworld Daisies had shielded Sakaar, while the dense Life Energy had wrapped around Richard, sparing them from severe injuries and preventing the acid rain from touching them directly. Yet, despite those defenses, both of them had suffered many fractures.

"Wait!" Sakaar grabbed Richard's wrist and then pointed downward. "Look..."

The purple acid rain scattered across the mountainside was beginning to flow —slowly at first— but its speed was increasing, heading straight toward the city.