Chapter 177: Demon King Nagath (Part 2)
A deep, profound darkness, replaced by crimson, enveloped the world. Stars, like blood-red gems, twinkled ominously in the night sky, and thin, viscous strands, like threads of blood, drifted through the air.
The two crescent moons turned into blood moons.
A hazy crimson veil fell over the world, silent as a tomb.
The crimson deepened, intensifying into a bloody light that painted every face in grotesque hues, twisting features into monstrous grimaces. Panic spread like a contagion.
An ominous presence, a nameless dread, filled the air, making people tremble.
They tried to speak, but their voices caught in their throats.
Qin Chu’s expression was grim. He knew that his first true confrontation with a god of the Void had incurred its displeasure.
Augustus, Wadsworth, and Saint Monique also wore grave expressions, their gazes fixed on the Void above.
Even Sylph and Airi forgot their grief for Karsus.
…
The night was eerily still, the crimson moons casting a dreamlike glow, the broken ground of the silent world patterned with the shadows of trees.
The crimson light spread, a bloody stain across the dark canvas of the sky.
Suddenly, a different color emerged from a rift torn in the Void.
A chill ran down Qin Chu’s spine.
It was a massive throne, as large as a palace, as tall as a mountain, constructed entirely of skulls and bones. How many skulls were needed for such a monstrous creation? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Millions?
Each empty socket glowed with an eerie crimson light.
The throne was empty, yet its presence weighed heavily on everyone, a suffocating, terrifying pressure.
Then, a voice, filled with unimaginable violence and filth, pierced Qin Chu’s ears. Unlike the eerie whispers before, this voice was more penetrating, a roar of pure rage.
His veins bulged, throbbing as if about to burst. He saw a vision of his own blood vessels exploding, spraying blood everywhere.
An uncontrollable rage surged within him…
He felt himself transforming, becoming a monstrous creature like Karsus.
Light!
He bit his tongue, the sharp pain clearing his mind. He roared, and a gentle Holy Light emanated from his body.
The violent impulse within him subsided. The Holy Light spread outwards, reaching Wadsworth first. The man’s eyes bulged, his fingers clenched, his body seemingly expanding.
He was clearly struggling against a violent urge to destroy.
The Holy Light suppressed the destructive impulse, and Wadsworth took a deep breath, his composure returning. He looked around. He and Saint Monique, the two most powerful mages, had been the least affected.
Mages had stronger mental fortitude and were more resistant to such influences.
The spreading Holy Light eased their discomfort.
Norma was also unaffected, her will stronger than her timid exterior suggested. The nobles in the distance felt fear, but didn’t seem to be significantly affected.
That mysterious and terrifying being seemed to disdain ordinary humans, for they lacked power.
The truly unfortunate ones were those with some strength, enough to attract the attention of the being in the Void, yet not enough to resist its crimson influence.
Among the nobles, a young man screamed, his body swelling, his skin cracking, his hair growing thick and black. He transformed into a giant ape, his shrill cries turning into ferocious roars.
His hands became sharp claws, and he lunged towards the nearest person. But before he could reach them, his blood vessels, unable to contain the boiling blood within, exploded.
He had sought to destroy, but he was the one destroyed.
The Holy Light continued to spread, enveloping more and more people, calming their racing hearts, bringing warmth and peace.
Only Qin Chu still radiated Holy Light. Only the Holy Light could bring salvation… and fear was the breeding ground of faith.
Suddenly, Qin Chu’s heart skipped a beat.
He felt a pair of ferocious eyes upon him.
The gaze of a god.
Goosebumps erupted all over his body.
Then, the crimson light in the night sky receded like a retreating tide, and darkness returned. The moonlight, no longer blood-red, shone brightly. All the crimson light converged into the rift in the Void, the bone throne vanishing, the rift slowly closing.
If it weren’t for the few corpses that had exploded for no apparent reason, everyone might have thought it was just an illusion.
An eerie silence fell over the arena. The nobles, still prostrate on the ground, began to praise the Hero’s name, chanting hymns to the Goddess of Holy Light.
At this moment, Qin Chu was no longer just the Hero, he was also the emissary of the Goddess of Holy Light.
Qin Chu paid no attention to their reverence. His face was calm as he glanced at Wadsworth, Saint Monique, and Augustus behind him.
“That deity just now wasn’t a benevolent being…”
His gaze shifted to the ashes where Karsus’s body had been incinerated.
“Perhaps it needs believers.”
“But you wouldn’t want to end up like Karsus, would you?”
He left them with these words, then turned to the adoring crowd, a gentle smile gracing his lips, accepting their worship.
The three leaders exchanged glances, suspicion and admiration warring in their eyes.
As expected of the Hero. Although he seemed to spend all his time with women, his intelligence was unparalleled. They had held secret meetings, discussing their future course of action, behind his back.
Saint Monique had suggested that if the Hero and the Goddess of Holy Light won, they would be heroes. If they lost, the new deity would also need believers.
And Qin Chu had seen right through their plan.
His ambiguous words were a warning. They didn’t have much choice.
You wouldn’t want to end up like Karsus, would you? They shuddered, recalling the fate of the Evil God’s followers. The Grand Prince, reduced to a rotting, stinking mass of flesh. Karsus, transformed into a monstrous killing machine.
Was this the fate of the Evil God’s believers? A fate worse than death.
The three exchanged glances, understanding each other’s thoughts. Their previous decision seemed too hasty now…
Watching Qin Chu accept the worship of the thousands of nobles, they felt a sense of unease. They knew that the Hero’s fame and influence would inevitably grow, making it even more difficult to deal with him in the future.
Norma looked at Qin Chu’s back, her eyes filled with admiration.
Sylph and Airi, however, had grim expressions, their fingers clenched.
Killing intent filled their eyes.
Even the First Hero, Jie Luo, hadn’t received such adoration. What made this Qin Chu so worthy? He wasn’t even fit to carry Jie Luo’s shoes. What had he done to deserve more popularity than Lord Jie Luo, who had fought the Demon Beasts for years and saved countless lives?
Actually, even Qin Chu himself couldn’t understand it. In the first playthrough, he had worked diligently, eliminating Demon Beasts and bringing peace to the Heavenly Continent, allowing people to live safely in this world. But in the end, he had gained nothing.
This time, he hadn’t done anything, just showed off the brilliance of the Holy Light, and somehow, he was being worshipped by the masses.
Sometimes, it was truly difficult to understand what these people were thinking!
Why? Why? Why?
Resentment and killing intent festered.
Sylph and Airi hadn’t been bathed in the Holy Light just now, not because Qin Chu was stingy and unwilling to offer them protection.
He had offered it, and they had refused.
Perhaps their pride wouldn’t allow them to accept his grace.
They had been exposed to the crimson light, and now, their killing intent was almost uncontrollable, especially seeing Qin Chu surrounded by nobles, enjoying their nauseating praise and worship, a glory that should have belonged to Lord Jie Luo.
They wanted to kill him so badly!
They had even forgotten the agreement they had made with Loseweisse, Athena, and Ekaterina.
It wasn’t time to kill Qin Chu yet. They still needed him to fight the Demon Beasts, and even more sinister and terrifying beings. If they killed him now, their plan would be completely ruined. Jie Luo might never be resurrected, and even if he was, they would still have to face the Demon King and even the evil gods in the Void…
Their fingers instinctively reached for the weapons at their waists.
…
Meanwhile, in the Demon Beast territory.
The Demon King’s Palace!
A burly figure in armor suddenly rushed out from the depths of the palace, his large, ferocious eyes staring at the night sky above, the lingering crimson light fading.
His rough face gradually twisted into a sinister expression.
His giant claws clenched tightly!
The God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter!
A graceful, voluptuous woman emerged from the palace, her full body pressing against the man’s back, her slender fingers tracing the lines of his chest. Her voice was sweet and seductive, “Your Majesty, what are you looking at?”
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