Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 595 - 558 Catastrophe Demon, descends

Chapter 595: 558 Catastrophe Demon, descends

Although I often say that enough power can overwhelm everything, whether merely piling up power can directly penetrate the true spirit level is something I am still somewhat skeptical about.

The fact that Huang Quan and the Great Demon Xuanwu can achieve this is not really because their power is strong enough, but rather because I may not be at the true spirit level.

Even in this state where only the true spirit remains, I can observe the scene of my own "death" from a "ghost perspective" and can also summon flames on the scene to reconstruct my body and soul. In other words, I am in a state where I can observe and intervene in the scene I’m in, which naturally means I can also be observed and intervened by characters in that scene.

If it were the true spirit level, however, there would first of all be no concept of a "scene." It should be a mysterious state of being both nowhere and everywhere. No one can correctly observe its form, because everything is within it. Just as being in the mountain without knowing the mountain itself, an ordinary demon hunter cannot sense the mana fluctuations of Impermanence, both are simply not in the same dimension.

Or, the description I made is ultimately limited by my own level of understanding; it might actually be a more profound and obscure form of existence. To know right from wrong, one must ascend to that level by oneself to judge. In fact, I might not be without a method to achieve ascension.

I just need to keep myself in the true spirit form for a long time. Although in this form, my mind will gradually be diluted, ultimately, what exactly is diluting me? Perhaps it is the legendary Great True Spirit. Since my "role (body and soul)" in the "dream (reality)" was eradicated, I, like those ancient seekers who suddenly evaporated in the mortal world at some stage of verifying the way of the true spirit, am about to "awaken (die)"...

This may have gone off topic a bit, perhaps also a symptom of my own dilution... To get back on track, after my self-explosion, Huang Quan quickly reacted, gathering extremely strong mana fluctuations in his hand, clearly intending to attack me in my true spirit state.

And at that moment, the massive mana fluctuations of the fourth Divine Demon Domain descended upon this place —this barren wasteland thoroughly transformed by the conflicting powers of all sides.

This unexpected mana fluctuation was incredibly similar to my own, to such an extent that Huang Quan seemed to have some kind of misunderstanding. He likely thought that the appearance of this mana fluctuation was because I had reconstituted my third form light body. So he immediately turned around and unthinkingly launched his yellow-black mana in the direction where the mana fluctuation had descended.

In fact, my speed in reconstituting my body wasn’t that fast, which is also the risk of the move "switching to true spirit form to evade enemy attacks." It’s tolerable to have one’s body destroyed by the enemy’s immense strength, after all, the enemy has attack intervals too, but if one actively uses this move, one might be directly killed by the enemy catching the brief gap before fully reconstituting the body.

Therefore, my method of self-explosion can hardly be said to be without a degree of risk. And Huang Quan did not know that "Little Bowl can summon the Catastrophe Demon," making it equally difficult for him not to shift his focus elsewhere in this situation.

I saw the change on the other side very clearly—only to see, in the distance more than a dozen kilometers away, a magnificent mass of black flames that looked like a burning cloud, emerging from nothing like it had burned through from the back of white paper.

Facing the yellow-black mana that tore through the air, one part of the black flames transformed into an enormous monster arm, smashing it apart with an unstoppable claw strike.

Then another arm, a torso, a head, lower limbs... the black flames ultimately formed into a massive humanoid monster about fifty or sixty meters tall.

Perhaps using the term ’Demon’ is more fitting. That terrifying figure burning with black flames looks as if it walked out of myth and legend as a Flame Demon God.

Seeing this, Huang Quan was dumbfounded: "—Catastrophe Demon!?"

The object I’ve heard about countless times in the past finally appeared on the same stage as me. Although it doesn’t look like a person from any angle, whether it’s reason or instinct, they both tell me that the black flame monster is indeed "the future me."

But the Great Demon Xuanwu seemed much less surprised.

Originally, it seemed to be planning to attack me in my true spirit state, but compared to me, who had an ambiguous presence, the Catastrophe Demon, emitting an overwhelmingly palpable presence from afar, was clearly a simpler and more straightforward enemy. Then, as expected, this mindless monster let out a roar of sworn enmity, charging with its main body straight toward the Catastrophe Demon at high speed.

After confirming that the Great Demon Xuanwu’s "hatred" had indeed shifted, I immediately seized this rare opportunity to regroup and reform my third form light body and launched a surprise attack in the direction of Huang Quan.

This moment is no longer a disadvantageous situation of one against two. Although the Catastrophe Demon cannot be counted as my ally, the numbers of enemies and allies have finally evened out. And Huang Quan does not have any resistance against me, on the contrary, it seems that I might be able to suppress his unknown Undying Body.

Nevertheless, to say that the situation is optimistic would be an overstatement. The Catastrophe Demon is likely a monster simulated and deduced by the Naraku Gospel based on me, and regarding the suppression relationship with the Four Symbols and Five Elements, it should be just like me. I don’t know if the Naraku Gospel can equip the manifestation of the Undying Body ability to the Catastrophe Demon; if not, then the Catastrophe Demon is very likely to be killed by the Great Demon Xuanwu in the first round. Even in the most ideal scenario, the Catastrophe Demon would not be able to last for more than a few seconds.

I must make full use of this precious yet fleeting moment.

Although "defeating Huang Quan in an instant" is a task as hard as reaching the sky, at this point, there’s no choice but to give it a try. Fortunately, with Little Bowl’s blessing, not only will it be extremely difficult for Huang Quan to hit us with his attack, but it will also be much harder for him to dodge my upcoming attack.

However, in the next moment... a scene that almost made my jaw drop unfolded in my perception.

In the distance, facing the Great Demon Xuanwu charging towards it, instead of retreating in the slightest, the Catastrophe Demon stepped forward. It raised its arm and then, with a fierce strike, hit the head of the Great Demon Xuanwu that was lunging to bite.

Would such an attack work on the Great Demon Xuanwu? If I were to do it, it would certainly have no effect at all. Yet, as the Catastrophe Demon executed it, it produced the exact opposite effect— the head of the Great Demon Xuanwu shattered like a water-filled balloon, and even its colossal hundred-meter-long dragon body was sent flying by the Catastrophe Demon’s strike.

"Huh?" I was dumbfounded.

It seemed Little Bowl also showed an unexpectedly surprised reaction through telepathy.

The scene was like a wild python attempting to attack a muscular devil, only to be knocked aside with sheer strength by the latter. Forget about causing any significant harm; it was very likely it already suffered a pulverizing fracture, perilously risking its life.

Who on earth was overpowering whom?

Even though it was a real scene unfolding, I couldn’t help but doubt my own eyes. Attacking Huang Quan, of course, was also very important, and my hands didn’t slow down. However, the scene was so absurd that I was momentarily unable to perform at my ideal 120% capacity, allowing Huang Quan to narrowly evade my surprise attack.

The Catastrophe Demon then shifted its attention away from the Great Demon Xuanwu, scanning around as if puzzled about the whereabouts of Little Bowl, its intended prey.

Then, its gaze landed on me.

Compared to the almost invisible Huang Quan, I, exuding a similar aura to it, was evidently more piquing its interest. And these Great Demon entities, aside from destruction, probably wouldn’t ponder over anything else. I sensed its gaze brimming with pure and violent murderous intentions.

The Catastrophe Demon raised its palm, and a black sun began to coalesce within it.

Centered around it, countless dust and rubble flew towards the black sun. The roaring storms filled the air, and even the air itself was converging in that direction. The ground in this area trembled madly, with the soil and rocks of the earth being torn by the reversing gravity, creating deep and bottomless chasms. It appeared to be an image of doomsday calamity.

How could I not recognize this move? It was undoubtedly the "Eclipse"!

It was even far more terrifying than the "Eclipse" I knew. It was as if a true black hole appeared in the post-mortem world. Without even being launched, its mere appearance was enough to annihilate all in heaven and earth. Just like how my third form light body could devastate human civilization by simply existing on Earth for too long, in the modern world, the Catastrophe Demon’s "Eclipse" need only be held aloft for an extended time to destroy everything on the surface.

Most likely, just as I previously theorized, the black flames composing the Catastrophe Demon’s body emanated from the power birthed by the principles of this "Eclipse" ultimate technique.

What the Catastrophe Demon symbolizes is my ultimate form reached by following the erroneous evolutionary path of "Eclipse" in the future.

Though it deviated from the orthodox evolutionary path of Flame Power, this was a route pursuing density. Upon reaching its pinnacle, it displayed unfathomable power. The Catastrophe Demon seemed to prove this through its very existence.

Now this is bad. The Great Demon Xuanwu was one thing, but the newly emerged Catastrophe Demon also seemed to see me as its priority target... Just as I began contemplating how to handle the ensuing situation, I saw the Great Demon Xuanwu in the distance, flipping its massive dragon body, releasing a thunderous roar once more.

Subsequently, a fully powered black water cannon burst forth from its mouth, targeting the Catastrophe Demon’s back.