BXBX NOVEL Chapter 262. A War with the Demon Gods (5)
Chapter 262. A War with the Demon Gods (5)
It was supposed to be a tactic to confuse and shake the enemy troops. The dis-information succeeded in restricting their movements and sowing chaos among the enemy ranks. However, if the false information became real, it would become a problem.
‘I am not yet prepared.’
Baal and Solomon are the two great Peak Existances. They had to be faced last after finishing everything else. Muyoung had been doing everything he could to make this happen. He had hid his forces, dispersed it, moved them separately to attack the enemies in converging columns. Of course, the downside in this situation was that Muyoung’s forces couldn’t be concentrated immediately.
One thing was sure. Facing Solomon in this state was a bad idea. Moreover, Muyoung and Dantalian did not know much about Solomon. Did he have an ‘annihilation condition,’ or did it even exist? Muyoung could not make a move without knowing.
He thought about Amon’s attack, Paimon’s intentions, and the risk posed by Solomon. Only Muyoung was aware of Solomon since Paimon remained a bystander even now.
‘A broken bicycle…”
The thought popped to Muyoung’s head. Muyoung had started off running and then just kept sprinting. He faced Demon Gods and moved on before their supporters sensed Muyoung. He had no brakes and didn’t even think of stopping. It was like a broken bicycle, and Muyoung had only pumped the pedals recklessly.
So, were the results showing now? There may be side effects to his blitzkrieg tactics. He had thought that these things could happen. Eating fast may upset your stomach, but Muyoung just didn’t have the time. His supporters and allies would become more stable as time passed. If the opposition was in disarray due to his tactics, they immediately collected their strength and swept the field. (EP: The eating reference is in Guderian’s theories about Blitzkrieg. Rapid fire conquest without “digesting” the occupied territories could lead to unrest and uprisings.)
Since Muyoung knew what could happen, he operated quickly. He managed to use luck, skill, and other elements to cover what he could not prepare to come here. However, Muyoung was not at all prepared to face Solomon. Not one thing was ready yet.
‘Something is being prepared.’
Also, Muyoung instinctively felt danger and that Solomon had discovered something. His instincts shouted to escape. But there was something strange. If Solomon, who even the Demon Gods feared, wanted something from Muyoung, he only had to take it.
However, Solomon did not try to harm Muyoung immediately. He was probably preparing to summon Diablo.
‘Solomon is unable to use his powers fully in this world yet.’
Muyoung remembered Gremory’s words. If Solomon could use his powers, he wouldn’t need to summon Diablo.
Then, ‘Solomon cannot attack me directly.’
Muyoung made a tentative conclusion. However, it was still dangerous if Diablo was summoned. Even Baal was wary of Diablo, and it was ‘impossible’ for Muyoung to face him alone. However, there was still time.
“What is wrong?”
Gremory asked in a tired voice. She seemed surprised that Muyoung was not moving. Muyoung thought over what should be done first and decided.
“Watch your back.”
“Back…?”
“He is here.”
“He is?”
“Solomon.”
“…!!”
Gremory flinched. Her pupils dilated, and she seemed to be astonished. However, she had met Solomon once before. It might be possible for Gremory to buy them some time rather than Muyoung, who had never faced him before. If that was not even feasible, they had to move quickly.
Thud!
He kicked the ground and jumped. Muyoung stretched his wings wide and pierced the sky. He left behind a contrail as he flew to where Amon was.
There were thundering and crashing sounds.
Scenes of massacre surrounded Amon. Massive stormclouds scattered searingly bright lightning, and Amon was rapid firing massive fireballs with both hands. He summoned typhoons of wind blades to shred the demons flying at him by the dozens.
Hundreds of demons died whenever one of his spells shrieked.
At least among Muyoung’s troops, Crimson Balrog and Tacan were tanking the front line, supported by Gremory’s protection shields so enemies could not break the Line. However, Amon was showing to the battlefield why he was one of the Seven.
‘Amon is the master of magic. If he feared Solomon, he must have researched a solution.’
Muyoung was convinced that this was true. Magic was Mystery, and someone who wields Mystery should not surrender to it. Solomon was the Mystery itself, and to Amon, he was someone to overcome.
If Muyoung managed to bring Amon in, it might be possible.
But how?
‘Domination is difficult.’
Muyoung had planned to dominate at first. However, Solomon’s actions were ominous. If Muyoung used too much of his strength, his efforts could lead to disaster.
Muyoung drew Grief.
With a low ringing sound, he let it wail and slashed sideways at Amon. The black thunderbolt flew straight to Amon with a violent crash. Amon grabbed it with his hands…
It was a fantastic sight. Amon had grabbed a writhing black thunderbolt, using the gloves on his hands.
‘Those gloves are made for magic control.’
Muyoung knew that with a single exchange. Those gloves suited Amon due to their immense capability. Muyoung could not believe Amon had caught the black thunderbolt.
Amon threw the black thunder back at Muyoung. With a thundering roar, Muyoung was targetted with his own attack.
Muyoung raised Grief and sliced the black thunder into two. He was able to manage this because the first attack had not been his most powerful attack. If Muyoung had shot the black thunderbolt at maximum and Amon had reflected it, he could not have sliced it so easily.
“So, you are Muyoung?”
Amon stared at Muyoung with an intrigued face. Muyoung only stared back silently.
“How did you remove my geis and control Enroth?”
“Don’t you know already?”
It was simple. It was because Muyoung’s power, the power of his authority was stronger.
Amon also knew that. He had asked the question because he did not want to acknowledge this fact. Muyoung had touched Amon’s nerve.
“Well, I don’t. But…”
Amon dusted off his hands once, and transparent wind blades formed around Muyoung. There had to be at least ten thousand of them. Muyoung was impressed that he could form an overwhelming attack with simple gesture.
“I don’t think I will lose.”
With a whipping sound, Muyoung dodged in between the blades. However, he could not avoid them all. He stretched his wings and held the lance of Gabriel.
Muyoung had separated Lucifer and Gabriel’s powers. As he swung his lance, the heightened wind pressure pushed the closest blades away from him.
2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64… 128!
He accelerated sequentially rather than all at once. Muyoung’s speed increased exponentially, and when he accelerated 128 times, he could escape from the blade storm.
However, Amon was the master of magic. He had already implemented his next move the moment he felt something was wrong.
‘Vapor explosion.’
Countless waterdrops filled the air. Amon added his magic to the tiny particles of water that could not be seen by the eye, magically separating the oxygen and hydrogen to make explosives.
Muyoung was at a disadvantage because no matter how fast he accelerated, there were no gaps in the explosive fog.
‘I’m doing it anyway.’
He could retreat. However, Muyoung pushed through. Acceleration was not a skill that could be used for long. Moreover, he had to finish this battle with Amon as quickly as possible. Muyoung’s goal was to reach him.
He just needed to touch him to take the next step.
With a whirring noise, the waterdrops began to spin. While they looked like slow motion to Muyoung, the problem was that there was no gap in the coverage. Muyoung covered himself with his wings and flew across the air.
With blasting noises, explosions followed Muyoung everywhere. Muyoung’s black wings became tattered. If it was a normal wound, Muyoung could it heal with ‘holy blessing,’ but Amon’s magic was strange. It adhered to Muyoung’s body to block regeneration or healing.
‘He attacked my weakest points.’
Muyoung could not expect constant regeneration like when he was attacked by the Crimson Balrog. However, Amon was nearby.
Amon sensed that Muyoung was coming at lightning speed. He made his next move in a flash.
Crunch!
Muyoung twisted his leg as an ice lance had pierced it. While pain rolled into him, Muyoung did not try to remove the lance. He shrunk the space between them again to approach Amon.
Muyoung grabbed Amon’s shoulders and cancelled his acceleration. It was not for attack.
“It will open to those who knock.”
It was Ars Nova, the book containing the Language of Miracles.
Amon’s eyes shook when he heard the prayer.
“How do you know that prayer…?”
No one believed that the self-named ‘archangel’ had the Ars Nova. Amon did not believe it, but now he knew it was true.
Did Ars Nova also lift the geis from Enroth? Amon tried to resist, but Muyoung was a step faster.
Shirrr!
Light flooded from Muyoung’s eyes and connected with Amon’s. This prayer performed the miracle of opening someone’s ‘soul.’ Even though it mercilessly drained him, Muyoung braced himself.
‘I see it.’
Muyoung saw Amon’s soul. They were now connected as Muyoung opened the door. Muyoung then entered the real ‘battle’.
‘Art of Death.’
It was not to make Amon an undead, which was impossible in the first place. No one with ‘Divinity’, could become undead. Since an undead is an incomplete being, it is incompatible with a Divine Being who aims for perfection.
So why was this a fight? It had to do with Amon’s ‘annihilation condition.’
‘Amon has to be involved in a phenomenon he cannot understand.’
Amon is the master of magic and has perfect confidence in himself. Therefore, he tries to understand and solve everything. This is how he earned the title Master of Magic.
Ars Nova?
While it was called the miraculous prayer, it was still an extension of magic. Amon could understand this phenomenon. However, if Amon was ruled even for a moment by the power Muyoung wielded?
Amon would be truly connected with Muyoung at that moment and would taste the chaos in Muyoung. He would not be able to understand at all who Muyoung is, and how Muyoung ruled over him!
<The ‘Art of Death’ infiltrates the Demon God ‘Amon.’>
<Amon does not become undead.>
<However, ‘Art of Death’ is a ruling force. It infiltrates ‘Amon’ even faster.>
<Demon God ‘Amon’ is aggressively resisting.>
It only needed to work for a moment, for less than one-tenth of a second. Muyoung had to rule over Amon for that time. It was Muyoung’s last desperate gamble made with his final Trump card, the spell of Ars Nova, and the only hope he had in this inescapable situation.
It was a battle of wills, and Muyoung began to shed bloody tears. Blood flowed from every oriface he had. Muyoung’s soul was much weaker than a Demon God’s soul, and Amon as a Seeker had a much firm soul than other Demon Gods.
‘Is it impossible?’
Muyoung was losing the battle of wills, and he clenched his teeth. He could not step back. Souls were striking against each other dangerously, and Muyoung’s soul might disintegrate under the onslaught.
However, at that moment, where their souls are almost intermingled, Amon’s expression changed.
“You…time…!”
Amon seemed astonished, even more than he did when Muyoung used Ars Nova. However, this change made a crack, and Muyoung’s soul rose up to win within the time necessary for a single heartbeat.
<You succeeded in ruling Demon God ‘Amon’>
<However, you are not in complete control over him.>
<Effective for seven seconds.>
Amon was under Muyoung’s control for seven seconds. His eyes clouded for a moment.
‘I did it.’
Muyoung rushed to the next step. Seven seconds were more than the time he had expected. It was enough to carve an absolute mandate on his soul, although Muyoung could not use a Command Amon would resist instinctively.
“Only act for yourself.”
Muyoung’s words implied that Amon was the master of magic, who analyzed and solved all. If things were normal, he would never follow anyone, fear anyone, and would walk for only his own good.
Only act for yourself.
Muyoung had removed the bolt that locked what Amon had unconsciously wanted, so it would be enough.