With great effort, Shir tried to move his fingers.
They twitched. And then slowly, shakily, he tried to clench them into fists.
"I… I still have… an SS-Rank automaton," he said, his voice barely a whisper, raspy and broken. "You… you will never be able to…"
Reen sighed and scrunched her nose in mock annoyance. She stood up straight and pointed in a direction outside the crater.
"You an your junk doll?" she said. "Don't worry. We planned for that too."
At first, there was only silence.
But then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from above the crater's edge. The ground trembled faintly. The sea monster appeared.
He dropped down beside Shir with a loud thud, cracking more of the broken ground under his feet. His huge body was covered in bruises and gashes.
Blood ran down his arms and chest. But despite the wounds, he stood tall. His breath was steady. His aura pulsed strong.
This half-brain monster really had an enviable vitality flowing through his veins after forcefully rging with an Elder Seed Artifact.
Eren's half-brother held sothing in his hand. It was the head of the SS-Rank automaton.
The tal head was twisted and sparking. A strange black-red fluid dripped from its mouth and eyes—sothing between blood and oil. The sea monster let it drop beside Shir's broken body with a loud clang.
Behind him, Naya, Osha, Marina, and Azurea floated down slowly, landing with grace. Their bodies were marked with cuts and bruises, clothes torn in places. But they were alive. And standing.
They looked down at Shir without pity.
The sea monster didn't say a word. He just cracked his knuckles, blood still running down his arms, and let his body start healing itself. His skin closed over wounds rapidly. His muscles twitched as they knit back together. His breathing didn't even waver.
This crazy vitality was observed by Shir once again. It reminded him why he was forced to only seal the sea monster away instead of killing him. It was because it was impossible to kill him. Especially when he was at sea.
Shir turned his head slightly to the side, trying to look at the automaton's destroyed head. It was over.
His last hope—crushed.
His army—defeated.
His god—dead.
His breath grew shallow as he stared at nothing, his eyes glassy. His lips parted slightly, but no words ca out. There was nothing left to say.
He had nothing left.
"Alright. Enough taunting the guy, Reen dear. We have manners. We don't beat a dead horse unless it benefits us. Bring him up here now."
Eren's calm voice rang out across the ruined battlefield.
Reen turned her head toward the sound, blinking once. She didn't speak but scrunched her nose in annoyance again. It seed that she wanted to tease the demigod so more. But Eren wanted to wrap up the ss he had created sooner than later.
Reen just looked at the sea monster, who nodded without a word.
Then he reached down and grabbed Shir's broken body like he was picking up a bag of groceries—no ceremony, no hesitation.
Shir didn't resist. He couldn't. His limbs dangled uselessly, and his eyes stayed open, but they were blank.
The sea monster took off with a gust of wind. Dust and broken chunks of stone were kicked up as he flew toward the altar.
High above, at the edge of the ruined pyramid-like altar, Eren stood alone.
He looked exhausted. His clothes were torn. His face and arms were covered in blood and gri.
In fact, his lower half had been destroyed and regenerated so many tis that he felt that he had non-stop wild sex with all his Orcina wives at the sa ti for six months. In short, he was at his limits when it ca to his pelvic strength even when he simply stood.
His pants had been destroyed as well. Thankfully, he had a spare set in his storage. He casually wore it before making his first appearance in front of his new potential followers.
Eren had let go of his Elder Ichor form and assud his normal identity. His black hair was ssy, strands clinging to his face. But his stance was steady. His back was straight.
He watched as the sea monster flew closer, carrying Shir. His breathing was slow now, controlled. He had caught his breath after everything. Yet his eyes held that sa sharp edge, that sa quiet fire.
Behind him, the massive golden altar still glowed faintly with dying runes. The Divine Bridge had collapsed. The scent of divine blood still lingered in the air. The body of God Raashim had long since fallen silent.
Eren stood at the edge of it all, watching the last pieces of the battle settle.
Then he turned his eyes to the crowd in the distance.
Now... How do I handle these guys?
They were gathered there—Raashim Temple's remaining followers. Thousands of them. Mortals. Low-level mana users.
So still wore the blue robes of Raashim's Templars. Others were dressed like simple townsfolk. All of them had once called the sea god their savior. Their protector. Their god.
But not anymore.
That image had shattered.
They stared at Eren in silence. He was the reason their world had changed. The man who had killed their god. The Young Demon Emperor who stood atop their altar. They didn't know if they should hate him or fear him.
Eren raised his hand slightly and spoke.
"You can co here," he said.
His voice was quiet.
But sohow… it reached them all. Every ear heard him. Every heart trembled.
"I have sothing to tell you."
The crowd hesitated. Murmurs spread. So looked away. Others clutched each other's arms in fear. Many weren't sure if stepping forward ant they were betraying sothing sacred.
But as they looked to the sides, they saw Eren's army—his demon beasts, the Empusas, and the demonic soldiers—starting to move forward as well. Their steps were slow and organized. Not aggressive. But not sothing that could be ignored either.
The ssage was clear: refusing Eren might not be wise.
So, with great caution and whispering breaths, the crowd began to move.
Soon, two seas of people stood at the base of the altar.
One side, the army of demons, beasts, and strange creatures that followed Eren.
The other side, the shaken and uncertain followers of the fallen god.
Both stood in silence, waiting.
And at the center of it all stood Eren, waiting for Shir and ready to speak.
Reviews
All reviews (0)