Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 1163: Chapter 890: The Dark Tower

It was as if a tangible embodiment of death flew over his head.

Wherever it passed, endless gravity ravaged everything; on the iron ground, fissures tore through, and the disc-shaped Sun Chariot began to tilt, bend; even at a distance of thousands of meters, it was difficult to withstand this rolling invisible pearl.

Just the slightest aftereffect caused the entire Town of Dusk to rise several meters, nearly torn from the surface...

If it hit directly, he, along with the entire projection of the Town of Dusk, no, at least a third of Helios, would be completely engulfed and melted in that brilliance, wouldn’t it?

So, was Garand holed up in the base for so long just to make a nuclear bomb?

No, even though its destructive power is similar to that of a nuclear bomb, it’s entirely different. From its essence and foundation, it’s fundamentally different. In such a short time, through Mystic Ritual, retracing upwards within Helios’ naturally favorable environment, rapidly reconstructing the authority of the Second Generation Danu God King Luger...

By injecting divine nature, through transformation before disaster and miracle, giving the void starlight substance. Gathering the power from Hell’s projection in one place, finally forming a genuine ’Super Dense State Body’ from the Current Circumstances!

It was something no longer describable by material terms, with a terrifying density surpassing that of a neutron star, having exceeded the bearing limit of the Current Circumstances, teetering on the edge of collapse.

Even the slightest touch would trigger a terrifying change of heaven collapse...

Just like now.

In an instant, a light bullet engulfing all radiance crossed the ends of Helios, descending from the sky!

Hercules’ interception, Publius’ defense, all were like phantoms pierced through, ultimately, both touched for just an instant.

Breaking its ’fragile’ shell.

Thus, the destruction contained within spilled out.

After devouring all light, what surged out was blackness that surpassed the Dark Origin of the Cosmic.

Huai Shi wanted to cover his ears, but the perception from the Extreme Interpretation ceaselessly transmitted the terrifying upheaval of distant heaven collapse, causing blood to continuously seep from his mouth and nose.

His ears buzzed...

Anyone who has received even a little bit of physics education, even a child, could understand what kind of frightening phenomenon is triggered when an object’s mass and density itself exceed the limit, unable to be restrained even by a neutron star’s gravity.

The existence named ’black hole’ descended at this moment!

Does such a thing really exist?

Can such a phenomenon really be maintained?

Can that degree of power really be controlled?

These kinds of questions ceased to have meaning at this moment.

Huai Shi only saw darkness swallowing all light, transforming into a vortex of destruction, swiftly, coldly, cruelly, engulfing the tower where Publius was!

Equally destroying all miracles and disasters.

Before that... He Di’s bone tower had already shattered like a phantom.

Huai Shi paused, realizing something was off.

He Di’s bone tower disappeared?

No, he did not hear any sound of collapse, as if it was just an illusion... it should be said, it was an illusion real enough to pass for the real thing!

But Helios was only so big, so where was He Di’s tower?

In an instant, the answer surfaced in his mind, yet he couldn’t help but shiver.

Ignoring the burning of cosmic rays on his retinas, he looked straight at the location of the black hole, seemingly a thin figure appeared at the very top of the tower, at the edge of the critical distance.

Facing Garand’s direction, coldly, smiling.

—He Di!

Just like that, Helios’ leader spread his arms, replacing Publius, embracing annihilation!

In the wind came Gala’s laughter.

.

.

This was the dialogue in Hades’ Temple, before the start of the final battle, between Helios’ leader and the Crowned of Hell.

”What do you mean?” Gala looked coldly at his summoner.

”Whatever you like, that’s all.”

He Di answered calmly, ”I don’t care what kind of results you can create, nor do I need you to eliminate any enemies for me, nor do I expect you to bring any rewards for me... Gala, no matter what demands you have, as long as I can do it, I will provide it for you.

And you, just do what you like.”

In the brief silence, Gala raised his eyes, understanding: ”So you’re actually asking me to be the bait?”

”It’s okay if you understand it that way.”

He Di inquired, ”Would you refuse, Gala?”

”Of course not!”

Gala grinned, unable to suppress laughter: ”There actually exists a patron who doesn’t expect victory, a fool who expects no return after paying... Why would I refuse such a good thing?!”

”Very well.”

He Di nodded, sincerely blessing him: ”Then go freely and engage in your war, I wish you joy in this battle.”

”And what about you, He Di?”

Gala did not leave, still standing in place, looking at his summoner: ”You’ve given up on victory, what do you want to gain?”

”You got one thing wrong, Gala.”

He Di shook his head: ”Some people, from the beginning, never had the possibility of victory... so how can there be talk of giving up? What I can do isn’t that different from you.

But the difference is, whether it’s victory or defeat, the outcome will not belong to me.”

”Then what are you seeking, Lord Clown?”

Gala asked with great curiosity: ”I’ve seen too many like you in the Abyss, yet you are completely different from your peers... What are you seeking?

The fulfillment of a conspiracy? The realization of revenge? Or the death of an enemy?

After giving all these up, what can you gain?”

”Yes, what can I gain?”

He Di laughed mockingly, seemingly contemplating: ”From the beginning, someone like me is destined to gain nothing, so I never considered such questions.

Gala, if you ask what I want to gain, then I can only answer you like this.”

The alchemist, long aware of his own fate and conclusion, smiled.

”——Perhaps, it’s a ’result’.”

A result predestined before birth.

.

Before the ’result’ arrives, there is death.

When the light fades, the skeletal giant tower beneath reveals its true form.

This world is always so strange; once cloaked in a layer of light, doubt about what lies beneath the light rarely arises.

Now, the disguise is unveiled, the time for destruction has come.

Under the terrifying destructive power of Luger’s Chain, all of He Di’s defenses lose effectiveness, naturally and without any resistance, being sucked into the rapidly contracting black hole.

Together with the swiftly extinguishing super dense matter, from soul to body, completely and irretrievably, vaporized into dust!

”This is really... terrible.”

On the Eternal Frozen Heart, Huai Shi feels no joy, but instead rises a deep vigilance and unease.

From the very beginning, Publius’s position was a deception!

He did not personally oversee the Ritual of God Making; it was He Di who executed it instead! Otherwise, the Ritual of God Making might have already been completed... no, who knows what intervention Garand might have had?

When omnipotent grandmasters engage in battle, before making any decision, they must prepare for the opponent’s countermeasures.

It’s like a nesting doll of thoughts, constantly on guard.

The so-called miracle is something beyond reason.

Who knows what means a grandmaster might be hiding?

Publius’s weakness is that he must be exposed under the sunlight, must maintain the operation of the ritual. But if someone is willing to make sacrifices, everything could naturally be different.

But if He Di impersonated Publius’s existence, attracting Garand’s attacks in his stead...

Then, where has Publius gone?

Huai Shi, despite the scorching pain in his eyes, widens them, looking into the distance, but can only see a landscape full of gaps, a desolate land scarred beyond repair.

The deep cracks emerging on the ground nearly gouged through Helios, leaving a tragic mark.

The Tower of Light has long vanished from its place.

But why...

Is there still a shadow remaining in its place?

A chill runs up Huai Shi’s nape.

In the instant the Tower of Light vanished, the fragmented shadow of the tower on the fissured earth audaciously rose as if substantive, pulling countless shadows together, weaving and growing rapidly.

On the pure black lightless tower, amidst the escort of countless intricate matrices, the alchemist named Publius lifts his eyes, indifferently, gazing towards here.

Raising his hand, pointing at the final disaster!

The Town of Dusk!

At the pinnacle of the shadow black tower, from the sun wheel already descended into the world, emitted rays bright and scorching as the true sun.

It is a temperature that can only be named ’stellar’.

Even though still miles away from the position of a god, the current Publius is undoubtedly the closest to a god in this world.

At this moment, atop Helios, this wheel of a void sun detached from the control of the three major seals, no longer an outlet for the Central Pillar of God Marrow, but became a genuine ’thermal energy’ aggregation.

It is a sun, destined to emit light!

Now, the terrifying stream of light capable of incinerating life, melting steel, and vaporizing dust, has descended!

More than half of Helios has been scorched red by this pure temperature, where the heat flows, the shattered ground melts again, rapidly evaporating, forming a deep ravine.

At the speed of light, the heat surges forward!

Garand tightens his grip on the staff, a vast matrix emerges, pouring all effort to sustain a temporary barrier, blocking the front of the Town of Dusk.

Yet relentless high temperatures still seep from behind the barrier, causing more than half the city to glow with hot red.

After exhausting every means, releasing Luger’s Chain, Garand still maintains the ability to protect himself, even retaining the means for a counterattack—

But just in that moment of countermeasure, a sharp blade emerges from his chest.

The curse from the deceased has finally descended.

”He Di?”

Garand froze in place, for a long while, before coughing up, spitting out boiling blood.

Behind him, a drifting afterimage slowly emerges.

Lifting his head.

Revealing that face so familiar.

This was the final counterattack of the abyss handler, once the chief of Helios, blessed by the Piper, against the unattainable grandmaster!

At the cost of his own death, offering everything as sacrifice to the abyss.

Thus, breaking Garand’s defenses, in his moment of distraction, delivering this final ’gift’ to his presence.

Now, the wrappings of the gift box have been torn open.

He Di steps forth from within again.

Intact and complete.

Except, entirely unlike before...

Behind him, countless pseudo spirits emerge—including the former chief, all deceased alchemists upon Helios, naturally including himself.

In an instant, Garand realizes.

”Actually... transformed himself into a pseudo spirit?”

”Indeed, being an artificial defective product of an alchemist, transformed into an artificial soul, ultimately reincarnating as an artificial human, isn’t that quite fitting?”

The replica named ’He Di’ lifts his head, smiling.

After many years, finally encountering this old acquaintance once more, solemnly offering a greeting.

”Long time no see.”

He says, ”My ’brother’.”