The Gods Themselves (Part 1)

Half an hour earlier, on the other side of Helios, an ethereal giant tower woven from light faced a blood-red Bone Tower from afar.

Just like a war and duel between gods and demons.

The scruffy man leaned back in his chair, tilting his head up as he drank deeply. As one of Publius's divided bodies, he represented the Grandmaster's flesh and desire.

Opposite him stood the calm-faced Hedi.

There was no drawn-sword tension.

Nor was there any killing intent between them.

"That was fast, Hedi. Looks like those third-rate fools weren't entirely useless after all."

The drinking alchemist casually evaluated his former colleagues, speaking from on high, yet without mockery or arrogance.

He was merely stating the truth.

Even the translucent souls beside Hedi had no objection.

Those who toyed with words were destined never to grasp the true essence of alchemy. At their level, which alchemist did not know the limits of their own abilities?

To the lofty Grandmaster, they were no different from trash.

There was no reason to fly into a rage just because he had spoken the truth.

They were already dead.

With their abilities, even after gathering all their wisdom, this was the limit they could reach—under the support of Hades's temple, they had painstakingly interfered with the operation of the Ritual of Divine Duel and barely brought the duel between Hedi and Publius forward by ten rounds.

And that was only with Publius's active cooperation.

"Be patient, Publius," Hedi said. "If you want to accomplish something, you need time."

As he spoke, the doors beneath the tower thundered open.

Amid the surging bloodwater, a figure draped from head to toe in magnificent gold ornament emerged slowly. Two curved Scythe Blades hung at his waist, and his scarlet eyes glanced toward the opponent before