*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*
The cataclysmic eruption collided with the myriad of spells and elemental strikes released by the invading Saint army, releasing a dreadful explosion that sent violent tremors throughout the Holy Continent's ground.
However, thanks to Konrad's sealing dome, the damage was kept to a minimum. Meanwhile, the sealing dome also prevented the sixty-million earthly troops from advancing, trapping them where they stood.
Now, they could only stare in awe at the shocking battle. With that first confrontation, the world was again startled. And feeling the cataclysmic energy rippling from that dreadful weapon, both Anatol and Draven were forced to admit they'd underestimated their foe.
It seemed Konrad's methods were unending, and one ability hid beneath another. Worse, although they couldn't feel demonic energies or recognize the weapon, they were starting to get the impression that within Konrad's body hid the forces of demons, devas, and humans!
These were terrible news! The higher realms' rules were clear. Nephilims held the status of "kill on sight." As those tasked with spreading the faith in the Ancient Crystal World, if it ever became known that they allowed the appearance and growth of a nephilim, should they return to the higher realms, only adversity awaited them!
"He must die."
Anatol and Draven agreed in a mental exchange, and from where they stood, sent multiple orders to the front.
The Quasi-Sage army leaders all received the same order:
"Kill him at all cost!"
The words reverberated within their minds, not leaving room for mistakes.
They all exchanged glances, and their determination soared!
Their hands flashed in incantation gestures, and the formation binding all the Saint experts grew more potent. Worse, the overlapping of their strength approached perfection, making their battle-power rise to new heights!
Now, their battle-power rivaled that of a peak-stage Divine Seed expert.
Nine-star Holy Artifacts were summoned en mass, shooting toward Konrad, and releasing their strongest strikes while the puppets took the vanguard and charged like blind berserkers!
But blind they were not, because, within the formation, thousands of Saints were tasked with controlling and organizing them to surround Konrad in an ordered fashion, using tactics to maximize battle efficiency.
Alas, such tricks simply couldn't deter him.
"Sword Calamity!"
Konrad held his sword vertically, the tip aiming at the ground far below while his hairs and clothes fluttered within the sky. His eyes glittered in jade light, and Catastrophe released tens of thousands of berserk green sword beams that effortlessly tore through the assailing puppets.
They turned into metal scraps and tumbled onto the ground.
Then shockingly, in a light twister, Catastrophe morphed into a jade bow.
"Arrow Calamity!"
Konrad exclaimed and pulled the bowstring. A jade light arrow appeared, and Konrad fired it toward the sky.
At first, the troops wondered why he made such a move, but when the arrow reached the sky, it exploded, turning into hundreds of thousands of arrows that mercilessly rained onto the religious Saint troops!
"Elemental Barriers!"
The Quasi-Sage commander bellowed, and instantaneously, the troops raised a formidable shield encompassing the five elemental forces.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
Like a thunderclap, the arrows barreled into the barrier, crackled it but failed to break through. The space power within the barrier then absorbed the arrows to redirect them toward Konrad.
At the same time, they released formidable spells on Konrad.
"Calamity Dispersion."
Konrad uttered, and the arrows vanished. Then he once again pulled the bowstrings, firing a succession of Arrow Calamities upon his foes. Before his offensive, their spells collapsed, and new cracks appeared on the barrier they raised.
*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*
The cracks multiplied, and openings spread across the barrier. Konrad's lips curled into a fiendish grin.
"Sound Calamity."
The bow turned into a jade flute which Konrad brought to his lips. With a blow, the flute released a ringing sound that snuck through the barrier's cracks and echoed within the ears of all the Holy Troops.
"Damnable!"
Their leaders roared in tandem, but it was far too late. The sound spread within the troops' minds, thundering within their brains, their eyes distorted as violent jolts of pain shredded them from the inside!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
They howled in agony! Their ghastly screams alarming the world! Those beneath the Star Taming Stage, the bulk of the forces, directly exploded in a feast of blood and gore.
Even the formation couldn't save them!
More than 170000 Saints burst into a feast of blood and gore, the sight alarming the Holy Continent whose denizens now witnessed the price of challenging the Profane Prince's will!
"Life force Burning!"
The more than sixteen-hundred remaining Star Taming Stage experts burned their life forces and increased the might of the elemental formation beyond the secure limit.
Since they were the principal source of the formation's strength, the loss of the 170000 Saints didn't have a critical effect on their battle-power. However, substantial backlash was inevitable. And now that they resorted to burning their life force, they were directly gambling with their lives!
But they had no other recourse, because it was now clear, that Rising Saint or not, this youth was an imminent threat to their existence. Any miscalculation would result in their demise.
Therefore, they could only go all-out!
The elemental force soared, expanding to cover the entire area while the overall battle-power of the united experts approached the Divine Blood and Spirit Ranks.
Divine Blood for the martial path.
Divine Spirit for the spiritual path.
*Boom*
The Sound Calamity collapsed, and they recoiled to reach the sealing dome that prevented escape.
Now, the sixty-million barbarian troops immobilized below were going mad with fright. What was this? The best of the two great factions beneath the Divine Rank, united by top formations and backed by legions of puppets were being slammed left and right by one Rising Saint?
Could this youth really be the avatar of a God?
Not only them, but even the experts standing opposite to Konrad were starting to have such a thought. If not for a God's avatar, how could he display such otherworldly might?
Not paying heed to their stupor, Konrad stretched out his hand, connecting to the massive death essence released by the 170000 Saints' brutal deaths, and the souls they left behind.
Using his insight in the Blossoming Death Art, he began refining the vast death essence and plethora of souls lingering in the air. And as they filled him and transformed his body, he mastered the first layer of the Blossoming Death Art. His first death flower thus bloomed under the form of a black lotus.
But with the death energies swirling around him, his presence now mirrored an incarnation of Yama!
