The path of a
An Eighth-level Limit Wizard! This represented the absolute pinnacle in every regard, leaving virtually no room for further advancement!
The only remaining path was to carry the power of time and space upon one's own foundation. Success would mean ascending to the Ninth level—becoming a Great Wizard. Failure meant total annihilation in the River of
"My path will not end at the Eighth-level Limit. Only by reaching Ninth-level Wizardry—or even the Realm of Eternity, transcending the Astral Plane itself and witnessing the end of all things—can I achieve my true goal!"
Leilin's titanic true form shrank abruptly, returning to a human-sized figure. The black mist of sin coalesced into a black, elegant Wizard's robe and draped itself over him automatically.
"The Lord of Original Sin!"
After he emerged from underground, the other Calamity Lords—even Wansha and
The tremors from Leilin's advancement had rippled across the entire Astral Plane. Nearly every rule-level existence had felt his fluctuations, as well as the Lord of Original Sin's declaration.
The Earth Mother and the others bowed with complete sincerity now, without the slightest trace of perfunctory politeness.
This was born from the longing for the path of transcendence, and from reverence for truth!
"I've kept you all waiting…"
Leilin's face held a note of apology as he seemed to sense the Calamity Lords' restraint of their hunger for slaughter. "But now… the true war is about to begin! Rejoice!"
Leilin had once promised the Earth Mother that after reaching the Eighth-level Limit, he would participate in the Battle of Ending. And now was the time to fulfill that promise.
BOOM!
Perfect Original Sin power surged outward from Leilin's hand, instantly forming a curtain of pitch-black light threaded with veins of crimson.
The Calamity Lords all retreated. Even merely looking at Leilin now seemed to dredge up their most horrifying, agonizing memories and nightmares. Even the Earth Mother was no exception—her enormous pupils turned away, unable to hold Leilin's gaze.
"Innate Wizard Art—Hydra Transformation!"
Enveloped in the Original Sin power, Leilin's form swelled dramatically, instantly becoming the Nightmare Hydra—a beast bearing nine heads of law, the progenitor of all bloodlines. Every scrap of its flesh was utterly real.
"Hsssss…"
Wreathed in the black mist of Original Sin, the Nightmare Hydra spread nine pairs of devilish wings vast enough to blot out an entire world, then vanished from within the Divine Kingdom in an instant.
WHOOSH!
Riding the dense black mist, Leilin's body now traversed the Lower Planes at will, at a speed so staggering that he arrived almost instantly at the Wastes of Destruction and Despair, flying along the Sludge River and across the Hazy Dominion.
Before any of the gods could react, he had reached the far end of the Wastes—a colossal iron gate standing beneath the Flame Peak.
"Hsssss…"
The Nightmare Hydra roared. The law-power from its nine heads struck the gate and blew it to smithereens in an instant.
Then the Nightmare Hydra's enormous body passed through the shattered gateway without the slightest pause.
…
The moment the Nightmare Hydra crossed the threshold, all the gods were seized by sudden panic—the premonition of catastrophe.
"It's the gods' nightmare—the Nightmare Hydra, Dendel, has appeared!"
Inside the Pantheon, numerous divine avatars materialized all at once, their faces twisted with unmistakable alarm.
"The last prophecy of the God of Prophecy before his fall—the Serpent that ends all things. Could it really be reappearing?"
The God of Knowledge, Ougema, clutched his beard, his expression one of deep distress.
"No matter how he learned of the Wastes of Destruction and Despair, and of the secret ultimately hidden there—can we even make it in time?"
The Dawn Lord, Loshanda, was clearly a man of action.
"Impossible… That wasteland is the place where all things end. All teleportation is forbidden there—even the gods are no exception. And the Sludge River and the Hazy Dominion are even worse…"
Another god of great power answered.
"Then how did he get through so quickly…" Loshanda furrowed his brow, and Tier beside him did the same.
"Because his speed surpasses every god present, and he embodies the end of all things. His very essence resonates with the Wastes of Destruction and Despair—he won't be rejected by the Sludge River or the Hazy Dominion…"
Ougema slumped back in despair.
"At this point, we can only pray that the final guardian prevails…"
Every divine gaze converged on what lay beyond that iron gate, faces complex and filled with despair.
…
BOOM!
Beyond the gate lay boundless, horrifying heat and flame.
An immeasurably vast fireball radiating scorching power materialized before Leilin.
"The Sun!"
The Nightmare Hydra's head of Arrogance hissed, spreading its immense protective aura. A temperature that could vaporize any steel in the mortal world in an instant—it had not the slightest effect on Leilin.
"Following the gods' nightmare path, I come to end everything!"
The Nightmare Hydra roared and began to advance slowly.
"Please wait, Wizard!"
Just as Leilin was about to strike, another titanic figure emerged from the gate of flame, blocking his path.
This being was clearly a god as well, yet it possessed a monstrous form—resembling an enormous Godzilla—its body suffused with golden radiance. The pressure it radiated reached the peak of a great god, carrying an aura of primordial antiquity.
"Utao, Father of Dinosaurs! Creator of the Chult Region! You vanished from the Nature Sanctum tens of thousands of years ago—it turns out you've been waiting here all along!"
From the Nightmare Hydra's central head of Devouring came Leilin's voice.
"Stopping the Nightmare Hydra and protecting this world is my mission!"
Though its outward form was that of a monstrous Godzilla, Utao's body now shone with the radiance of justice and hope.
"For you, protecting this world and safeguarding the Sun is justice. But for me… defeating the entire gods' world and winning the Battle of Ending for the Wizards—that is the true justice…"
Their stances were diametrically opposed. Leilin had nothing further to say.
"Hsss…""ROAR…"
In the void, two terrifying titans collided. The shockwaves forced even the flames of the Sun to recoil.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The clash of two gods of great power annihilated the void itself, reducing it to the most fundamental particles. The entire multiverse trembled and roared.
Since the ancient Twilight of the
"Utao… you are a god of the ancient era. Your time has passed. In every respect now, you are no match for me…"
The Nightmare Hydra roared. Under the assault of Leilin's Original Sin power, Utao's body was already riddled with wounds.
The supreme power of the pinnacle path, continually replenished by the sinful emotions of all living beings across the Astral Plane—in every aspect, Leilin had now reached the absolute peak of the Eighth-level Limit! Even the Twisted Shadow at full power would have been forced to retreat!
"Protecting this world is the mission the Supreme God entrusted to me…"
The great beast roared, forming a devastating wave of energy between its massive jaws.
"Stubborn to the end…"
The Nightmare Hydra opened its serpentine maw and clamped down on Utao. A dark crimson light appeared in the Nightmare Eye of the head of Devouring and sank into the crown of Utao's skull.
"UTAO!!!!"
Within Utao's soul domain, the hardened defenses were corroded straight through, revealing the figure of Leilin wielding the
Leilin roared. The Seven Deadly Sins transformed into an enormous war blade and cleaved downward without hesitation.
Utao's true spirit took the form of a rough-featured, middle-aged man, gripping the Tyrant's Claw—a heavy crosspick weapon—and raised it to block.
"
The Tyrant's Claw and the Seven Deadly Sins clashed. Leilin suddenly bellowed a single word, and behind him materialized the head of Wrath.
The momentary lapse in Utao's focus—his psychic vulnerability exploited—was not enough for Leilin to corrupt his mind, but in the heat of battle it was fatal.
CRACK!
The Seven Deadly Sins shattered the massive Tyrant's Claw and, its momentum unbroken, plunged into Utao's skull. The horrifying edge, imbued with the power of killing and death, annihilated everything in an instant.
CRASH! CRASH!
With the true spirit destroyed, the physical body Utao had forged from divine power collapsed instantly.
The entire multiverse wept, mourning the fall of an ancient god of great power.
"No one—no existence—can stop me!"
The Nightmare Hydra roared and ascended upon the Sun.
Unlike the small suns found in the various worlds of the Astral Plane, the Sun of the Gods' World possessed infinite volume and heat—it was virtually a world unto itself. Its projections shone across every other dimension, ceaselessly channeling energy into the Material Plane and into the gods' divine kingdoms.
But now, a terrifying shadow had fallen upon the Sun.
"Innate Wizard Art—World Devouring!!!!"
The Nightmare Hydra's body expanded to infinite size. Its nine heads merged temporarily into one, and the central head of Devouring grew immeasurably vast.
"Hssss…"
Amid a terrifying storm of energy, a massive black hole formed within the head of Devouring, beginning to capture every flame, every wisp of heat, every particle of light attempting to flee!
The black hole expanded, a maw that devoured all things, slowly engulfing the entire Sun!
BOOM!
Every living being in the multiverse witnessed a scene of unspeakable horror—the winged serpent, blotting out the sky, opened its colossal jaws and swallowed the Sun whole!!!