"Ten billion stars, radiant light, purify all that is foul!"
The Lord of All Stars raised his right hand. A boundless celestial body appeared, and countless dark-red wisps rose from the surface of Veloxius, who had already been corrupted. The redness in his eyes faded, revealing a glimmer of clarity.
"Thank you!" Veloxius emerged from his frenzy and realized something had been wrong with him. He nodded to the Lord of All Stars, gratitude in his eyes.
At the same time, a note of caution appeared in Veloxius's eyes. This Information Lifeform, once an exceedingly arrogant being from a Half-Ninth-Level Civilization, would no longer fall for the same trick so easily.
The Lord of All Stars's sudden intervention left Ackerman looking somewhat disappointed.
The First-Encounter Kill had failed. Veloxius would be hard to catch off guard again, and the Profane Words could do little more than distract it; they could no longer cause any real harm.
Bang!
The instant the Lord of All Stars used his power, an invisible ripple of space appeared beside him. While his old strength had yet to fade and his new strength had yet to rise, a golden Griffin's claw viciously gouged toward his chest.
The Lord of All Stars's pupils contracted. He didn't care that forcibly drawing on his power would injure him. His body abruptly burst into light, and countless rays slammed into the golden Griffin's claw, managing to deflect it slightly.
Splatter!
Liquid-like starlight scattered across the starry sky.
The Golden Griffin Aels appeared. He had torn off the Lord of All Stars's right arm, then swiftly produced a scroll and sealed it inside.
"King of Ten Thousand Stars—that's your title in the Star Civilization, isn't it? Last time, you nearly killed me with a surprise attack. This time, it's my turn!"