Chapter 571: Master of True Slaughter

Chapter 571: Chapter 224: Master of True Slaughter

“Shadow Entanglement!”

“Thunderous Roar!”

“Sigh of the Machine Controller!”

“Blood Burst!”

Following that, the Black Shadow Mages cast four more spells at Wei’en, but only the red-robed one drifted to his side like a specter, swinging its fist.

The Grave Digger’s mouth twisted into a grin beneath the bandages on his head. The Gemstone on his forehead flickered faintly, reflecting Wei’en’s monstrous, terrifying figure. “Thou shalt sink into the abyss of the Illusion World!”

Tsk!

Wei’en sensed the terrifying power emanating from the spells. He could tell that the four illusory wizards were all at the initial stage of Great Mage, and the power of their Magic was comparable to the Regent-class.

“I have many questions, but it seems I won’t get any answers until I get rid of you all.”

As he spoke, his Ghost and other Origin avatars had already finished casting their defensive Magic. Several Bone Walls rose, while a barrier and a Spirit shield flickered around his body.

Wei’en wasn’t one to sit back and await his doom. After having his rampaging Water Elemental Spirit kill the Deep Sea creatures that had been teleported over, he flashed into midair to dodge the Magic.

Meanwhile—

“Siyaam, Sir, Sute!”

The Ghost cackled as it cast several Corpse Explosion Skills on the corpses of the surrounding Deep Sea creatures. A dark green light swept over the fish, forming pustules that dripped with pus and caused their bodies to instantly bloat.

BANG, BOOM!

“This is!?”

The black-robed shadow’s Shadow Entanglement Spell had only managed to ensnare the Mechanical Puppets. Though its mind was being controlled, it subconsciously glanced around and witnessed the Corpse Explosion Skills erupting. Astonishment flashed across the face hidden by the shadows. “That’s the Corpse Explosion Skill?! Since when did the Corpse Explosion Skill have this kind of power?”

But its words could not stop the spread of the Corpse Explosion Skill. In a single second, a hundred Deep Sea creatures exploded in a chain reaction. Green flesh and blood splattered the area around the carriage, triggering even more explosions among the fish and aberrations of the Deep Sea.

The next moment, the nearest red-robed shadow was struck by a Corpse Explosion. The Death Origin Power, like a poison eating at its very bones, instantly caused it to break free from the Grave Digger’s control.

“This is… Death Origin contamination—No!!”

The words had barely left its mouth when the black shadow exploded just like one of the Deep Sea creatures. The blood-red phantom that had enveloped it was riddled with holes, corroded by the dark green Death Origin Power.

[You used Corpse Explosion Skill (Death God) to kill a Deep Sea Aberration… Special Reward: Survival Points +10, Spirit Level +1.]

[You used Corpse Explosion Skill (Death God) Magic to damage Liliana Godoy, triggering Death Trait – Plague. Instant Kill progress: 22/12,000. Evaluation: Even though he comes from ‘that place,’ he still possesses Origin Power. Too bad for him he ran into Olanier’s power! Special Reward: Survival Points +80, Resilience Level +3.]

[…]

[You used Corpse Explosion Skill (Death God) Magic to damage Liliana Godoy, triggering Death Trait – Decay. Instant Kill progress: 12,000/12,000… Special Reward: Survival Points +40.]

[Liliana Godoy has triggered Death Trait – Instant Kill, and has died. Evaluation: A shame. He died in this world, and he cannot escape it in that so-called ‘True’ place either. Special Reward: Survival Points +200, Resilience Level +5, Spirit Level +5.]

[…]

[Fiounela Boyd has triggered Death Trait – Instant Kill… Special Reward: Survival Points +150, Resilience Level +3, Spirit Level +3.]

As the red-robed shadow perished, the other shadows were caught in the rapidly spreading, power-surging Corpse Explosion Skill while they were still in shock. They dissipated one after another. The explosions even left small, corroded pits in the huge, blood-red phantom, and the chain reaction swept rapidly toward the Grave Digger on the black carriage at the center.

“Thou?!”

The Grave Digger watched as the four black shadows were annihilated without a shred of resistance. He felt the blessing of the True Master being corroded by the bizarre Death Origin, and his mind reeled. He couldn’t accept that a mere maggot could inflict such terrifying damage upon him.

However, Wei’en had already herded the Deep Sea creatures near the carriage. When the dark green gore from the Corpse Explosion Skill reached them, it was like setting off a powder keg. A series of progressively more powerful explosions rocked the carriage, the Grave Digger, and the Pyramids atop it.

BOOM, RUMBLE!

[You used Corpse Explosion Skill (Death God) Magic to damage Agostinho Harvey, triggering Death Trait – Calamity. Instant Kill progress: 12,433/50,200. Evaluation: Want to know what the situation is in that True World? Weakling… Special Reward: Survival Points +200, Resilience Level +5.]

[…]

“I beseech the great Master of True Slaughter! I, Agostinho Harvey, request Your protection!!”

After being hit by the Corpse Explosion Skill’s chain reaction only twice, Agostinho flashed away, transforming into a black shadow and heading for the center of the Storm behind him. He abandoned his carriage and the Pyramids without a second thought.

“Oh?”

Wei’en glanced at the Grave Digger, surprised he had abandoned the carriage.

Based on his previous observations, the Grave Digger’s strength was astonishing. However, from the very beginning, he had only manipulated his tombstones to summon shadows to fight for him, as if he were under some kind of restriction… or more accurately, as if he were guarding the carriage.

Recalling the Pyramids hanging from the carriage—used to collect killing intent—he quickly deduced the Grave Digger’s purpose here: to retrieve the other Pyramids hidden at the bottom of the sea.

“So thou fleest? Then these little trinkets belong to me now…” Wei’en said, watching the Grave Digger trembling in the heart of the Storm. The tentacle on his chin writhed mockingly, an attempt to further enrage him.

Even so, he knew that without the carriage to tie him down, the Grave Digger would be even more difficult to deal with.

As for himself—

[You have used “Forbidden Item 2-77 Karel’s Whisper” for two minutes. The trajectory of fate has been slightly altered. Current encounter progress: 80/100. Evaluation: The harvest outweighs the loss. You know how to strike a good deal. Special Reward: Survival Points +20, Origin +5, Spirit Level +5, Resilience Level +5.]

Wei’en glanced at his panel. Two minutes had passed, and he had already permanently lost two hundred and forty points from his Resilience Level.

It was just as the panel said: his gains in basic attributes were already double his losses. But maintaining the Forbidden Item’s power came at a cost. Not only would his Resilience Level continue to drop, but the item itself was about to reach its critical point and spiral out of control. When that happened…

“You… You… You die!!”

The Grave Digger had no idea what Wei’en was thinking. If he had, he certainly would have taken the opportunity to mock him calmly. But as it was, he was nearly overwhelmed by a mixture of lingering fear and rage. His body was plagued not only by the weakening curse of the Forbidden Item but also by various debilitating effects from the Death Origin’s contamination, leaving him utterly weakened.

If not for the constant flow of blessed power from the True Master, he might have abandoned the carriage outright and fled the sea… though the consequences of doing so would be more terrifying than death itself…

“All is illusion, all will fade away—only Slaughter is eternal, forever bound to Truth!”

The Grave Digger stared at Wei’en with ice-cold eyes. The mouth on his chest recited the divine oracle of the Master of True Slaughter, while the mouth beneath his bandages chanted a few phrases in a bizarre tone.

“Ro… Ied… E… Sno…”

Hmm?

Wei’en, who had landed on the Water Elemental Spirit beside the carriage, heard the Grave Digger’s voice. He could tell that only one phrase was in the Gonzalez tongue; the strange intonation of the rest belonged to no language he knew.

‘Are there other languages that carry Extraordinary Power?’

“Careful! He’s trying to summon the ‘Advent of the True World’!”

Just then, on the deck of the *Leonard*, which had already sailed far away, Clelia’s figure appeared once more. “Wei’en,” she shouted anxiously, “whatever you do, don’t let him pull you in there!”

‘The Advent of the True World?!’

Before Wei’en could get away, a terrifying presence descended from above, freezing him in place.

‘This presence?!’

This terrifying pressure, this feeling of being utterly paralyzed… it was just like the power he’d felt from the projected gaze of Orpheus, the Lord of Dawn.

‘No, this is even more terrifying than the Lord of Dawn’s power!’

“Grovel before the world of the great Master of True Slaughter, you maggot!”

The Grave Digger fell to his knees, arms raised high as if welcoming a grand arrival.

Although the tombstone he carried was now missing four slabs, his expression was one of victory, and his gaze toward Wei’en promised only death.

The next second, a colossal face slowly emerged from the overcast sky. It filled the heavens, yet it was only a blurry outline, without eyes, mouth, nose, or hair…

Or rather, Wei’en found he was simply incapable of perceiving the face’s true appearance.

[You are being eroded by the Power of Slaughter Origin from the Master of True Slaughter, McCarthy. As your Origin exceeds 1,000, you have resisted this erosion. Evaluation: Truth, Slaughter… trash that controls two Realms, yet still dares to divide itself… Special Reward: Survival Points +220, Origin +5, Spirit Level +10, Resilience Level +10.]

[You have witnessed the projection of the Master of True Slaughter, McCarthy. McCarthy’s attention toward you +1. Current Rank: 1132. Evaluation: Avoidance is recommended. The Realm of Death is a nice alternative! Special Reward: Survival Points +200, Origin +5.]

Following this, a low voice boomed from the face in the clouds.

“What a familiar scent…”

‘Hmm?’

‘What scent?’

“It is… Death…”