Following Volker's roar, a fifteen meters tall sun appeared above his head, firing a blinding sun beam at Konrad. But long before it could reach him, Jasmine appeared in its trajectory.
She punched out, releasing a purple lightning ray that collided with the sun beam in a resounding boom.
"I said it before, you're not qualified to trade blows with him."
Jasmine stated, her words filling Volker's chest with profound shame. His eyes blazed with glaring wrath!
But as Jasmine folded her arms beneath her chest, and rose petals appeared out of thin air to swirl around her form, for an incomprehensible reason, seeing the desolate air within her enthralling eyes, Volker couldn't bear raging at her.
As if such a deed was an unforgiving sin within heaven and earth.
The emotions burst from his chest, and the more he stared at her, the less rage he felt. Instead, only the desire to enlace and hold her tight against his chest remained!
Snapping out of his torpor, Volker flew backward, retreating at hurried pace!
His eyes widened in fright!
"Damnable temptress, what nefarious bewitching art did you cultivate?
Who the hell are you?!"
Alongside the other team leaders and many of the elite disciples, as soon as he reached the first floor's end, Volker refined a large quantity of pills and elixirs to not just break through to the Holy Rank, but directly reach the Profound Saint Rank!
With his foundation and bloodline, before him, even the average secular world early-stage True Origin Saint could only retreat. In what world was a fourth-step Semi-Saint lass filling him with dread?
If he didn't know better, he would have mistaken her for an Infernal Realm demoness!
Jasmine ignored him, stretching out her arm to summon a holy whip. Although having inherited Konrad's blood, her lineage weapon was a hammer, when given the choice, she'd always resort to the whip.
And with the cracking of her whip, the battle officially began!
In the meantime, the other team leaders weren't faring much better.
…
Iliana blocked Erik, the small moon spirit's path, while Astarte challenged Marian.
From afar, she'd seen the strange glint within Marian's eyes as he stared at Konrad. Though she couldn't be sure of the intent, the "possibility" by itself required immediate action!
"What are your intentions toward my master?"
Astarte directly asked, not beating around the bush.
Hearing this, an amused Marian's lips curled into a smile.
"It's the first time I see a non dream spirit with such otherworldly looks. Of course, I'm wondering…how he tastes in b-…"
But before Marian could finish his words, Astarte vanished and reappeared before him, her battle-will erupting in a ferocious punch!
*Boom*
Marian's chest caved in, and he flew backward with a large blood spurt! But without giving him time to readjust, Astarte pursued!
…
The remaining ninety celestial and infernal disciples were recoiling in fright, left alone to witness the horrid scene of Konrad refining the ninety deceased souls before plunging into the black mar.
Faidra, Aliki, and Daphne surrounded them from three sides, preventing escape while they channeled vast magical powers in devastating spells.
Longsword in hand, Zamira stood before Jaenera, her indifferent, auburn eyes coldly holding Jaenera's blood hues.
Beside her, Freya faced Vozir while Lena handled Miraz.
It should be mentioned that no one on the scene felt more aggrieved than Miraz. More than anyone, he wanted to retreat, but without an arduous battle, he didn't dare take that road.
Although it looked like Konrad's team currently had the upper hand, once the team leaders used their most potent abilities or war puppets, Miraz didn't doubt that their upper hand would collapse at breakneck speed.
Were it not for that, he would have openly switched sides!
"What a hateful situation…"
But as Miraz floundered, Diyana's voice echoed within his mind.
"Do not hesitate. Switch side and join forces with them. That's the only way to lead what remains of your team to survival!"
…
Meanwhile, Konrad sank deeper in the black mar, dropping until he hit the bottom.
With his eyes shut close, he sat crossed-legged with his hands resting on his knees and began refining.
The black mar's overbearing toxins dived past his pores to refine his Stolas Physique and empower it at breakneck speed.
And with the vast infernal forces concealed within, the Divine Primal Physique aside, his other physiques obtained massive benefits. The Stolas Physique first broke through, reaching the Mastered Holy Stage. Then, the Anzu Physique broke through to the same level before stabilizing.
While it didn't reach the Mastered Stage, the Supreme Overlord Physique was also substantially enhanced by the infernal forces.
Furthermore, unbeknown to him, Konrad's purple ram statuette, the item Talroth left him through Gulistan, now glittered in purple light. But from that purple light, two thumb-sized crystals, one white, the other black, appeared and hovered around Konrad!
…
Simultaneously, deep within his royal palace, Talroth, who sat crossed-legged to recuperate from the injuries inflicted onto him by Hell's Will, suddenly stood up!
His eyes shining with incomparable delight!
"The seal…the seal is broken. Now, the only question is whether he can refine them or not.
If he can, the road opens! The others failed, only he remains!
Son, my aspiration, my lifelong dream and ambition, all rely on you! You must succeed! Only by crossing this step can the road open!"
Talroth roared while his eyes shone with crazed hopes and expectations!
…
While battle still raged above the mar, Konrad's Stolas Physique completed the absorption of the toxins and reached the Awakened Divine Rank.
But Konrad couldn't feel pleased.
Because in that very instant, his life faced critical dangers!
The black crystal pierced through his chest and dived into his heart, while the white one lodged itself within his abdomen!
The white crystal remained inactive. However, the black one began siphoning his blood, draining him of life while overloading his veins with foreign energies!
Infernal forces? No!
Celestial forces? No!!
The essence of this energy was something Konrad had never witnessed in his life, something that violated all the laws in the multiverse and opened the door to the unthinkable!
At that time, within Konrad's mind, the system's voice echoed.
"Congratulations, host on unlocking this once in a lifetime opportunity. Within the three realms, such crystals are few and far between, located in places that would put even a Primogen's life at risk.
If you can successfully complete the integration, your future is…simply limitless. Moreover, the babies will be mighty!
Please allow me to give you some motivation!
Side Quest Initialization…
Quest: Complete the Controlling Crystal's integration and open the door to becoming…an Artificial Nephilim.
Reward: Titan Lineage Crystal!"
