Chapter 234: Hands Off My Woman!
At that moment, the situation within the mountain was incredibly dangerous.
In the sky, the Flame Witch, transformed into a firebird, raged.
Eight powerful Demon Beasts struggled to hold her back, buying time for Diabolique to consume her core and claim her power.
And Diabolique was desperately trying to absorb the Divine Authority.
But it wasn’t so easily consumed.
In a way, the Divine Authority possessed a will of its own.
Unless recognized by the deity, anyone who tried to devour it would face its fierce resistance.
Diabolique didn’t understand what he was dealing with. He thought it was simply the core of the Flame Witch’s power, but it was something far greater.
Even if he could consume it, his power would indeed surge in the short term.
But even Witches, chosen by the deities, were driven mad by the Divine Authority’s corruption. Diabolique’s fate would be far worse.
A Witch could endure for centuries, even millennia. Diabolique might only last a few decades before succumbing to madness.
And even if that weren’t the case, Qin Chu wouldn’t allow him to consume the Divine Authority.
Diabolique, his focus entirely on the task at hand, was oblivious to his surroundings.
It was the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack.
The bowstring was drawn taut.
Even the spear conjured by Anthea couldn’t withstand Qin Chu’s full power.
To ensure a one-hit kill, he activated Rage Explosion, his strength surging.
Cracks even appeared on the incredibly hard spear, its tip humming.
Finally, when his power reached its peak, he released the bowstring.
The spear shot out like a streak of white light across the sun.
Carrying a world-shattering force, it tore through the air with a piercing shriek, leaving a dark void in its wake.
Even the powerful Demon Beasts present couldn’t react in time to intercept it. They could only watch helplessly as the spear, a silver blur, flew straight towards Diabolique’s back.
Diabolique sensed the attack, the terrifying power behind it, but he wouldn’t give up.
His right hand twisted into an unnatural position, his palm transforming into a claw wreathed in darkness, reaching for the attacker behind him.
The moment his claw made contact with the spear, the dark energy dissipated.
Then, with a bang, Diabolique’s entire arm exploded in a spray of blood.
He didn’t even have time to scream as the spear continued its trajectory, though slightly deflected by the impact.
It pierced through his right chest, the force behind it tearing his body apart, flesh and bone scattering, pulverized by the shockwave.
The spear’s momentum continued, impaling a tentacled Demon Beast with a head like an octopus, pinning it to the wall.
Almost simultaneously, a bright light erupted from the Divine Authority that Diabolique’s tentacles had almost captured.
Hum…
It was the Divine Authority’s counterattack.
A wave of terrifying energy rippled outwards, a raging inferno consuming everything.
Diabolique’s tentacles were instantly vaporized, his body torn to shreds.
But Qin Chu knew he wasn’t dead.
Even reduced to mincemeat, he wouldn’t die… not yet.
In the first playthrough, Qin Chu had fought Diabolique. This guy had an ability similar to the human Rebirth ability.
A one-time resurrection.
He effectively had two lives.
Rumble…
The violent shockwave shook the entire mountain.
Heloise, the Snow Woman, injured and unable to dodge in time, was sent flying, crashing against the cavern wall with a pained cry.
Even she, a powerful being, couldn’t withstand such force.
She was swept away by the shockwave, her body tumbling helplessly through the air, then, strangely, she flew towards Qin Chu, landing in his arms.
Instinctively, he caught her.
The Snow Woman has a nice figure, he thought.
…
The raging energy within the mountain gradually subsided.
The cavern was a mess. Six of the eleven Demon Beasts were severely injured, their bodies mangled. The other five were even worse, barely clinging to life.
High above, the giant firebird, like a burning sun, radiated intense heat.
And this heat was still intensifying.
Only Diabolique seemed to have recovered, but his face was ashen.
His one-time resurrection was gone.
The sneak attack had effectively cost him a life. He had intended to save it for a more crucial moment, like when he overthrew his father…
He had even planned it meticulously. He wasn’t as strong as his father.
But after absorbing the Flame Witch’s power, he would be able to challenge him, perhaps even wound him severely. Then, he would use his Rebirth ability and, at full strength, launch a sneak attack, finishing him off.
Then, he would ascend the throne.
After all, he had been the First Prince for decades…
But this perfect plan had been ruined by a sneak attack.
Now, his path to the throne was far more difficult.
Damn it, damn it, damn it…
Even with his usually calm demeanor, the shattering of his long-held plan made him growl in frustration.
He hadn’t anticipated the sneak attack, nor the sudden eruption of power from the Flame Witch’s core.
His eyes, cold and venomous, searched for the bastard who had attacked him from behind.
And the target wasn’t hard to find.
He saw two figures at the entrance.
One was a petite woman, strange chains wrapped around her body.
The other was a man.
And seeing this man, Diabolique shuddered.
The Second Hero, Qin Chu?
Diabolique was far more capable than Eldritch. He had multiple channels for obtaining information about the human world. Qin Chu’s image had been delivered to him the moment he was summoned.
But now, Diabolique’s rage wasn’t because Qin Chu had attacked him.
It was because… this damned bastard was holding Heloise, his childhood friend, the Snow Woman who was destined to be his consort.
And what was even more unbearable was that Qin Chu’s arm was around her shoulders, his hand on her thigh.
A place he himself had never touched.
Diabolique, obsessed with the Demon King’s throne, had devoted all his attention to cultivation, his mind focused on increasing his strength.
Although he had two beautiful women by his side, Heloise and Iyeta, he had never touched them.
He was afraid that once he tasted that pleasure, he would become lost in lust, hindering his cultivation.
But now, the place he had never touched had been claimed by Qin Chu.
And what was even more unacceptable was that Heloise was leaning against Qin Chu, seemingly oblivious to his embrace.
Her arm was even around his neck, a faint blush on her cheeks…
Diabolique was blinded by rage. Heloise had been thrown into his arms by the force of the explosion, the blush a result of the heat. And her arm around his neck was an instinctive reaction to her sudden, uncontrolled flight.
But in Diabolique’s eyes, it looked like betrayal.
He felt as if he was wearing a green hat.
He couldn’t hold back any longer and roared, “Heloise! You seem to be enjoying yourself!”
“Damn bastard! Let go of my woman!”
Qin Chu seemed to just realize the situation, glancing at the delicate face in his arms. Although she was a Snow Woman, he had to admit that her beauty rivaled any human woman.
Her skin was as smooth as ice, her icy blue eyes meeting his.
After a few seconds, both Qin Chu and Heloise seemed to realize what had happened.
She let out a small cry and jumped from his arms, quickly putting some distance between them, her face and ears flushing crimson.
The Snow Woman’s body was cold, quite comfortable to hold, actually. What a pity.
As for Qin Chu, he straightened his clothes, then, like a gentleman, apologized to the enraged Diabolique:
“Your Highness,” he said, “I apologize, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to touch your… girlfriend…”