Chapter 540
To make up for the difference in strength by fully unlocking it, the Divine Torch may have a hundred times the power in the hands of a true reincarnator, or even unilaterally set the rules, but it is enough for this moment.
"The Torch of the Gods. Rules Established." Looking at the Sky God, who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, Yuki issued a true Oracle:
"Within this space, no ability, regardless of its power, can exceed the speed of sound."
Sorion was stunned for a moment, never expecting it could be done this way. The authority of the gods was merely a manifestation of the rules, just as the god of pleasure could make the enemy's emotions uncontrollable, but could not take away the smiles of the world.
The so-called Sea God's Blessing is just a borrowing of the principle of tides, except that His tides can even slow down time.
But as soon as he took that step, his expression changed drastically. Using the sea as a reference point, he realized he had truly slowed down.
"Absolute rules that transcend this world? No, he must also abide by these rules."
This was the only good news; otherwise, the hourglass would have been terrifying. In the instant that greed surged, the sense of urgency subsided somewhat.
The other party was different from all the outsiders before; at least, no outsider had ever been able to produce equipment of the same level as the Chaos Furnace Flame.
"It's alright. Since the rules of equality are in effect, you are still no match for me." Sorion took another step, his intention to kill quickly remaining unchanged. Perhaps he could even gain a great advantage.
The same rules, the same speed—unless this person can suppress their own strength, it's just a matter of expending more effort.
Indeed, the Divine Torch could not suppress its power and could only establish one rule.
Yuki lifted his foot, but took a step back, which immediately stunned Sorion.
"You dare..."
"The item is right here with me." Yuki the Divine Torch high, retreating with a mocking yet resolute air.
"Come and take it!"
The tactic of luring the tiger away from the mountain was followed by relentless pursuit.
I can't beat you, but as long as I suppress faster-than-light movement, you won't be able to catch me either.
Admittedly, the rules governing the Divine Torch are limited, but would the God of the Sky dare to break free of contact? Isn't he afraid that the Chaos Furnace Flame will grow legs and fly over, Yuki to grab it and run away?
The gods control the world, but in the Reincarnation Game, they are nothing more than ants. Once the player returns, where will they find them?
Just as the god of the sky was doing what he knew was impossible, a completely different scene unfolded on the other side of the Abyss Grade.
"What exactly is going on? Does He really want to exterminate the Divine Race?"
Inside the Abyss Grade, the power of the forging god Malio, was activated, and he was still in shock from the scorching furnace fire.
They were arguably the most unfortunate and purest group of people, especially the gods, who were forced into this situation and filled with doubts along the way. Mebius then turned those doubts into anxiety.
They weren't fools; the more they sensed something was wrong, the more normal people felt this battle shouldn't have been fought.
But there's nothing we can do. Putting aside the supervising teams outside, without the interference of the Abyss Grade, the Oracle has no way to fight back. It's truly a dilemma.
The only way the gods could think of to fight back was to slack off and try to delay the battle between the two armies. Before they could come up with a countermeasure, the pale flames were poured over them like a bucket of ice water.
Caught off guard, several gods were instantly incinerated. The survivors looked closely and realized it was the flames Mebius had unleashed.
In a daze, even the most foolish person realized that Morgas was not worthy of being the mastermind; it was the sky god, their emperor, who had intended to kill all the gods from the very beginning.
This was not some sudden inspiration; when the Chaos Furnace Flame was poured down, all the doubts along the way were answered.
Why did the Divine Race suffer repeated defeats? Why defy common sense and cast them into the Abyss Grade? All these questions pile up, pointing to an inexplicable end:
What good would it do to destroy the Divine Race?
No one could answer the question, nor did they have time to. Those pale flames killed anyone who touched them, and even the gods never intended to die with a clear understanding.
Are you kidding me? After going through so much trouble to achieve immortality, you just die like this, in such a muddled way?
Without Mebius needing to lead the charge, they immediately launched a full-scale attack to resist the pouring fire from the furnace, the Roar and calling for the Demon-Hunting Army to join the defense. The latter were utterly bewildered; how could their hard-won opportunity to make a name for themselves have become a sacrifice?
But as Yuki said, facts speak louder than words. Many times, there's no need to ask why; the survival instinct will lead everyone to make the most perfect choice.
They fought back with all their might, they suffered defeat after defeat, and they succumbed to despair.
Fortunately, at this moment, the allied forces hidden deeper in the Abyss Grade surfaced. Compared to the gods who were caught off guard, the allied forces were now united.
Whether it was a demon god or Sea Demon, they all believed it now. That old bastard, the Sky God, wanted to take everyone away in one fell swoop. With their lives at stake, they couldn't care less about sectarian differences.
And so, a bizarre scene unfolded within the Abyss Grade.
Gods, the Demon-Hunting Army, the Abyss Fortress, the Demon God, the Sea Demon, and the Dragon Clan—a diverse group with varying stances and complex backgrounds—join forces to fight against the Sea Demon, who, having resided in the Abyss Grade for millennia, can more or less draw upon some of its power.
Everyone unleashed all their magic, divine power, and authority, staring intently at the endless flames. A mere glance to the side would make one question the meaning of life.
Beside the gods were ferocious Sea Demon, and beside the Sea Demon were giant dragons guarding them. Beside the dragons were demon gods, and at the feet of the demon gods were Demon-Hunting Army would use their heads for their own purposes.
Everything is in chaos. When the Chaos Furnace Flame is about to scorch everyone, no one has the energy to explain things, nor is there any need to explain them.
The Chaos Furnace Flame was inexhaustible, while this army of tens of thousands had limited strength. They had to fight against the waterfall-like flames while simultaneously battling the Demon-Hunting Army blocking their path.
"Red Soil, I am the god worshipped by your city-state, I command you to make way!"
"Damn it, we're related by marriage! If you want to kill the gods, at least let me out!"
"You dare to Godslaying!?"
A cacophony of angry curses and pleas filled the air. This hideous sight only chilled the Demon-Hunting Army even more. Or perhaps, wasn't this incredibly diverse survival force just as His Majesty had described?
The Divine Race have fallen and must be rebuilt.
The gods fought side by side with the ferocious Sea Demon, while the traitors who deserved Divine Punishment were right beside them. And these dragons, as expected, betrayed them, standing with the scum of the Abyss Fortress.
Your Majesty is wise and discerning. These are no ordinary traitors. We must strike hard and punish them severely. It is better to kill a thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free.
Humans only believe what they want to believe, and even the gods cannot prove their innocence. If they were to fight amongst themselves at this time, wouldn't they be courting death? Fortunately, the God of the Sky was lured away by Yuki. If He were here, He could easily cause the allied forces to collapse with just a few words.
You can escape this perilous situation by killing the dragons, Abyss Fortress, and demon traitors around you. Do you believe it or not?
If one believes this, then there is truly no way to ascend to heaven or descend to earth. Even if the supreme god is not present, the endless Chaos Furnace Flame will continue to push the allied forces downwards.
Those who managed to escape the Abyss Grade were immediately Demon-Hunting Army, while those who exhausted their strength instantly turned into wisps of smoke and spontaneously combusted.
"Those who are exhausted, retreat. Rest and then come back up. Don't even think about hiding down there; the Abyss Grade's erosion is just as deadly!"
The war commander roared, doing his best to maintain order in this complex army. No one could control such a complicated force. Fortunately, all the gods were bewildered, and no one jumped out to object.
"Don't back down! If we can't hold out here, the Chaos Furnace Flame will flood into the Abyss Grade and you'll all die. I've already explained what this thing is." Mebius was covered in sweat. As an epic-level player, she hadn't been burned to death by molten steel at thousands of degrees, but now she wished she could take off all her clothes.
This is the Chaos Furnace Flame, which refines everything; it is not a single flame, but an endless waterfall of fire.
Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why did I listen to that pink-haired fat woman? Why did I let that bastard use me as a pawn?!
Mebius cursed the two of them a thousand times in her mind. This thing was too terrifying; even her Epic Metamorphosis, 'The Immortal Snake,' couldn't stop it.
Illuminated by the firelight, the Abyss Grade was brighter than ever before. Mebius floated in mid-air, the scene before him chaotic yet magnificent.
Above them was an endless stream of flames. Tens of thousands of demons, gods, dragons, and humans were like a reef, with dense energy forming hundreds of jellyfish-like crystalline shields, upon which the furnace fire was constantly piling up.
We were all in the same boat, forgetting our differences in status, united Isshin to survive.
"But it's no use." Mebius didn't need complicated calculations; he could tell at a glance that the overall formation was moving downwards, and people were spontaneously combusting from time to time, turning into wisps of smoke amidst screams.
The fire surged into the cracks and began to spread within the almost infinite Abyss Grade, but energy is finite, and more and more people spontaneously combusted from exhaustion.
No, even if Abyss Fortress is prepared, we can't afford to fight a war of attrition. Going further? No, the deeper we go, the stronger the erosion becomes, and it won't be long before we all go crazy.
Mebius gritted her teeth. This was a physical dilemma; she was in a hopeless situation, yet she couldn't blame Yuki.
If the Abyss Grade hadn't possessed some resistance to the furnace fire, these foolish gods would have been wiped out at the very beginning.
"We have to find a way to break out!" Malio roared, feeling his strength draining away.
"Nonsense, we need to be able to break through first. In a little while, we won't even have the strength to Repulsion the furnace." Isaac sneered, clearly looking down on his colleagues.
If they hadn't been foolish, this war would never have happened.
"But staying down there will only lead to a slow death. Why does Your Majesty want to eliminate us all?"
"Didn't my father just say that you fools have divided up the power? When most of the power is returned to Chaos Grade, the world will restart. What, you still have illusions at this point?"
The gods remained silent, but some of them, their eyes darting around, seemed to have come up with an idea.
"Don't even think about it. Why should dragons, humans, or demons be your scapegoats? Once the gods retreat, they won't be able to hold you back." Isaac saw through what his kind were thinking; they just wanted to survive by relying on their power.
He saw the pale embers burning on his palm, and his cheeks trembled.
The Chaos Furnace Flame has already filled the surrounding area and does not need to be touched to burn. This is equivalent to a domain. Within the Furnace, any creature that loses its ability to resist will spontaneously combust.
A pair of fair hands reached out, and the Goddess of the Hunt transferred her divine power to him to dispel the remaining flames. Their eyes met, and Isaac was instantly filled with courage.
"Since we are all going to die sooner or later, why wait for death like pigs and dogs? We are gods, worshipped by thousands. Even in death, we should die with honor!"
These words made the gods feel ashamed. Look around: humans are still fighting to the death, the dragons have not given up, and even the Sea Demon with the highest resistance in the Abyss Grade have not deserted.
When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. If one is destined for the underworld, at least leave some dignity behind.
The morale of the troops has been temporarily stabilized.
Seeing the gods fighting back with all their might, Mebius finally breathed a sigh of relief. If these fools had given up, there wouldn't have been a chance at all.
She stared at the atomic clock; each second ticked felt so long. The Abyss Grade received no news from the outside world, only the despairing, towering white flames. Fortunately, they had a leader who had set targets in the plan, measured in seconds.
Ten minutes have passed.
Mebius nodded to the war commander not far away, who was extremely tired and had a solemn expression, as if every word he was about to say carried immense weight.
"Everyone, listen up! Use every trick in the book and push outwards with all your might! We must break through!"
"But what about the Demon-Hunting Army outside? The Sky God is still guarding them."
Immediately, some people objected. Of course, everyone was holding back; it was their only remaining hope. Breaking through was impossible. The Sky God alone could block the exit. What if the flames went out on their own?
Dias didn't have time to explain slowly and said directly:
"Mr. Crown has a plan. He will lure the Sky God away. In the meantime, the Fox Demon will launch an attack from behind. If we cooperate from the inside and outside, we have a chance to escape this deadly place."
Dias is a veteran, how could he be so naive? What if that Crown fails? With the Sky God in charge, even if all the Fox Demon are dead, they still can't open the passage.
The gods immediately sneered. This was far too idealistic, placing the fate of life on a stranger.
"Yes, sir!" The warriors of Abyss Fortress obeyed the order, causing the energy output of the battle formation to surge dramatically.
"Yes, Sea Demon, follow me!"
"Dragon Clan, fight with all your might!"
"Fellow demons, success or failure hinges on this moment."
All the tribes obeyed without reservation, which astonished the gods, who then understood the true meaning of the name 'Crown'.
It's not just about solving puzzles and telling the truth; it's about a commander, a commander who transcends race and stance, a chess player of equal rank to the Sky God.
"Lord Malio, what should we do?"
"Nonsense, of course we can only trust this Crown and go with them!"
Dozens of powers unfolded fully, connecting the light screen into one, and the dazzling light and pale flames were reflected in Mebius's eyes, reminding her of the words of a certain fat woman.
Mebius, that guy is no simpleton, you'd better listen to him obediently~
It's not just simple, it's also about winning people's hearts. He's the commander, and I'm just an acquaintance. How did he manage to do it?
In that instant, Mebius finally submitted. Azure energy surged from his body, joining the team and releasing a pure and clear will alongside everyone else.
Charge out! Charge out!
"Watch out, those traitors are about to break out!"
When they exerted all their strength, the flames pouring into the Abyss Grade were clearly bulging along with the cracks, leaving the 30,000 Demon-Hunting Army somewhat at a loss.
This was originally a very easy task; they wouldn't even need to fight a bloody battle. They only needed to guard the exit. Even if they rushed out into the furnace, they could be easily pushed back.
But now they are leaderless.
The God of the Sky suddenly abandoned the battlefield to chase after the outsiders. The sky in the distance was filled with dazzling light, and the energy tide was evaporating the sea, clearly indicating that a fierce battle was raging.
They didn't understand that there was no objective more important than guarding the exit, and that the pale flames were too terrifying; even a tiny touch would reduce one to nothingness.
Just as they were completely focused, a crack suddenly appeared in the sky, and a masked figure engulfed in flames walked out from it.
He gazed at the dense army without a trace of fear, even though epic heroes guarded the ranks.
A desperate battle, a must-win situation?
Kalpas took a deep breath. As expected, the God of the Sky had been Yuki. He had to break through the army formation as quickly as possible and pull Mebius and the others out of the Abyss Grade.