The three quickly ascended the city walls. Though the wind and snow had ceased, the entire city remained shrouded in gloom.
From atop the high wall, Cheng Shi gazed into the distance. Before long, he spotted what appeared to be dense clusters of black dots erging from shadows as thick as ink. Those ant-like dark figures were clearly individual people, and the only ones who could be converging on Kannar City at this hour — besides the World Destroyers that the Rosna populace so feared — were nobody.
He furrowed his brow. These World Destroyers had arrived far too quickly.
The trial had allotted five days, and this was only the first. Yet these Oblivion believers had already massed outside the city. If the ti reset hadn't accelerated Cheng Shi's clearance speed, how were they supposed to find the Gift of Sores under the World Destroyers' siege, let alone comprehend the trial's true aning amid the war that would destroy city and nation alike?
Sothing about this didn't add up.
Cheng Shi pondered for a mont, then sothing clicked. He asked casually:
"Where have those two Oblivion believers been?"
Da Yi blinked, scratching his head as he recalled:
"The Annihilation Apostle was a total coward — found himself a basent and hid until the trial ended.
The Destruction Declaration was braver though. Went up on the walls and sang for ages. But in that blizzard, his singing..."
Midway through, Da Yi's expression changed. He stared blankly toward the city's exterior, eyes widening:
"Grand... You're saying the Destruction Declaration's singing drew the World Destroyers here early?"
Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow. 'Just as I suspected.' This scenario was entirely possible — otherwise it would be hard to explain why the World Destroyers had arrived so fast.
But fast as they were, they were still one step too late. The trial had already been speed-cleared.
It was just the Rosna citizens within the city... Perhaps no one would be left to shield them from the World Destroyers beyond the walls.
Da Yi nodded in sudden realization. Then he pulled out all of his iron thorns, his expression eager:
"My lord, these iron thorns tainted by War can be driven by the power of faith, but they need warfare to sustain them. I haven't encountered a major battlefield in quite so ti.
We've stumbled onto one today, and with you here, so I was thinking..."
Cheng Shi paused, suddenly understanding. So Da Yi could use War's techniques not because he'd gained War's attention, nor because he was simulating War's power through Chaos — but through a set of weapons?
These iron thorns were that versatile, capable of simulating faith's power?
'Isn't this the sa kind of thing as that battlefield Ji Yue collected?'
'You carry these in your hands every day — doesn't War's power corrupt you?'
'I'd bet it already has. That personality... very War-like indeed.'
But he also wanted to test the ttle of these World Destroyers. Since the trial was already over and everyone could exit at any ti, there shouldn't be much danger. So he smiled slightly and spoke a single word:
"Go."
Da Yi's face lit up with joy. He bowed his head in salute, turned, and leapt down from the high wall. Using the shadows of the pines beyond the city, he charged toward the endlessly advancing World Destroyers in the distance.
Before long, visible chaos erupted in the far distance. Shortly after, scattered curses and screams drifted back. This Chaos assassin truly fought like a War soldier — in his wake, there was nothing but spraying blood and a carpet of shredded corpses.
It seed these World Destroyers weren't all that powerful after all.
But just as both Cheng Shi and Qu Yan were thinking this, Da Yi's figure ca scrambling back in disarray. He flashed over the wall in a flurry, face covered in blood and wearing an embarrassed expression as he spat:
"Damn — there's an expert in there. Nearly got
killed!"
Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow. He was surprised but kept silent. He didn't understand this group of World Destroyers well enough to provide answers, so playing the mysterious sage was the best move.
But Da Yi, seeing Lord Ultraman's expression, felt his heart skip a beat. The assumptions started spinning again.
He recalled how, when he'd asked earlier why they didn't just wipe out these World Destroyers, his lord had said "it's not that simple." Now, looking at things, there was clearly more going on!
And for a Herald to say sothing like that, the other side must also have... a Herald?
Da Yi was instantly drenched in cold sweat. He looked anxiously at Cheng Shi, about to speak — but noticed Cheng Shi gazing into the distance beyond the city, eyes deep and unfathomable.
Da Yi and Qu Yan followed his line of sight and saw the World Destroyers suddenly part, forming an open space in the snowy field. In that clearing stood two figures, one in front of the other, clearly exchanging words.
The person leading the group apparently spotted the three of them on the wall too. He frowned and spoke in a low voice:
"The Rosna people have found allies. Who are they?"
The subordinate behind the leader stepped forward respectfully, head lowered in reply:
"Probably so stubborn resisters. They lack divine wisdom and cannot embrace the tide of world destruction. Pitiful souls unworthy of our Lord's gaze.
Why not let us help them? We shall bring Oblivion's will into this city of Decay and reduce them to cosmic dust. By your command, Lord Herobos."
Herobos nodded without expression. Then, with a sweep of his right hand, he commanded: "Bestow upon the ignorant enemy — the Judgnt of Oblivion!"
The mont his words fell, countless World Destroyers raised their hands and unleashed the power of Oblivion toward the distant city.
Sensing the entire fabric of space being wrenched by Oblivion's force, Cheng Shi's heart lurched. He knew he couldn't stay any longer.
"Let's go. No need to clash with him."
With that, he waved his hand — a seeming farewell to the enemy — and exited the trial directly.
Da Yi and Qu Yan exchanged a glance. The sa na surfaced simultaneously in their minds — not a person, but a Him. The legendary, never-before-seen Oblivion Herald: the Hand of Purifying Weevil, Herobos.
So He was the leader of these World Destroyers?!
Both of them went pale with shock. They hurriedly followed Cheng Shi out of the trial. And not long after the three vanished from the city walls, this capital that had stood for a hundred years was gradually dragged, piece by piece, into Oblivion's domain — completely disintegrating into cosmic dust.
[Wish Trial (How Does Life Decay, How Does All Creation Rot — Decay) Challenge Successful]
[Calculating score and settling rewards...]
[Player: Cheng Shi, Performance Score: S]
[Items Obtained: None]
[Road to Ascension
0, Ladder of Ascent
0]
(Empty Joy effect activated — no score or rewards obtained)
[Current Road to Ascension Score: 2204, Global Ranking: 389,630]
[Current Ladder of Ascent Score: 175, Path Ranking: 49]
[Trial Cleared — Initiating Exit]
...
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