The second sound echoed.
The perfect Arcane Law transformed the sharp energy into a higher level of power, as countless sword shadows surged and cheered, eagerly anticipating the impending battle.
The third sound followed.
It was the long-prepared Space Law Power that ignited everything!
Boom!!
The space around Sterl began to shatter, its fragmented state dissolving, and this was merely the prelude to the technique.
This was...
Sterl's ultimate killing move, [Shattered Void], triggered by three perfect Laws!
Whoosh!
Countless beams of light from blades shot upward, engulfing the entire energy storm.
Then, before the sword blades could strike...
The storm of wind and rain ceased!
Many players from Hell, who were previously lamenting the inability to witness Mephistopheles's despair before death, were now granted their wish.
The energy winds of the Demon of Terror and Cruelty were instantly dispelled.
In an instant, the scene became clear to everyone.
In the distance, a woman with bat-like wings burst forth, unleashing all her combat power as she charged forward, her eyes filled with self-mockery and... concern for Mephistopheles!
It was Flanda; she couldn't help but intervene!
Her thought process was that the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's attack was something Mephistopheles likely wouldn't be able to withstand.
"I just need to save Mephistopheles after he uses his escape item!"
"I still have the teleportation device granted by the Queen; it should be able to help someone escape."
Flanda felt as if she had gone mad.
Why?
She herself found it strange how easily she was captivated by Mephistopheles's charm.
They had hardly exchanged a few words...
At the same time, the Celestial Stars, transformed from the Demon of Terror and Cruelty, was forcibly held in place in the air.
Countless beams of blade light shimmered rapidly around the Celestial Stars, continuously wearing down its power.
Despite this, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty was not completely subdued; the Celestial Stars continued to press down little by little. However, battles at the demigod level often concluded in the blink of an eye, allowing techniques to be unleashed in mere moments.
Yet at this moment, it had been...
A full second!
The Celestial Stars had only descended a hundred meters!
Immediately...
Everyone was somewhat dazed.
Wait...
Was Mephistopheles this formidable?? Even at the brink of death, he could still resist like this?
The power of Shattered Void, extremely reclusive and hard to observe from afar, seemed to possess no discernible flaw, yet the 4-in-1 Platinum Skill was undeniably being suppressed!
This was enough to send shivers down their spines.
However, the shivers hadn't even fully set in yet...
Creak, creak.
"Thank you, Mephistopheles; your death was not in vain!"
Thanks to the time they had just wasted, they had already reformed their ranks and now had a fighting chance against the Lord of Evil Spirits' faction.
If it weren't for the chaotic energy surrounding them, the battle would have already resumed.
No one paid any attention to the situation.
As the terrifying energy began to dim, the topography of the entire camp underwent a third transformation.
At this moment, it had become a massive pit, with radioactive energy carving grotesque patterns into the rock walls, creating a sight that was both fearsome and chilling.
At the very bottom of the pit, two shadows stood opposed to each other, displaying different expressions.
One of them, with a slight frown, appeared to be facing a dilemma.
It was Mephistopheles.
The other figure—
The Demon of Terror and Cruelty, though his expression was grim, quickly shifted to a smile.
"Not bad. Given your age, you're hardly over a hundred, yet you possess combat power that can rival mine."
"There's certainly value in slaying you now."
At the same time, he pondered silently, relishing the energy collision that had just occurred.
"So that's it."
"So that's it."
"You are capable of wielding such a powerful Platinum Skill. It seems I can't kill you after all; instead, I will capture you alive and attempt to refine your power using my master's strength."
"My own power will surely increase as a result."
The Demon of Terror and Cruelty felt a slight shock within himself.
Although he had always sensed that the enemy before him would be difficult to deal with, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty did not expect that his Four-in-One Platinum Skill was already one of his strongest trump cards. In the end, the earth-shaking power had been utterly shattered by the countless blades and spatial ruptures, ground down to—zero!
If it hadn't been for the energy gathered by the [Sun Devourer], which provided some defense against the attacks, he would likely have been severely injured, if not dead, and would have lost a revival item!
However, it was precisely because of Mephistopheles's strength that the Demon of Terror and Cruelty felt an exhilarating thrill, his fighting spirit surging. A formidable opponent was all the more meaningful to slay!
The smile on the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's face came from his realization that this Supreme opponent seemed to be inexplicably low on energy!
That previous technique was indeed terrifying, but it shouldn't have drained Mephistopheles to such an extent, right??
Yet what the Demon of Terror and Cruelty observed was that Mephistopheles's energy cap was quite low, and after unleashing a powerful move, he was experiencing backlash from overexertion!
"My Four-in-One Platinum Skill doesn't consume much energy; I can use it another seven or eight times."
"Even if the opponent has effective energy recovery potions, in a war of attrition, victory is still mine..."
The more the Demon of Terror and Cruelty thought about it, the more excited he became. Engaging in battle with a strong enemy, and assured of victory, he might even have the opportunity to gain a powerful technique.
With this double delight, how could the Demon of Terror and Cruelty not feel joyful?
On the other side, Sterl frowned...
It wasn't that he felt he couldn't win. He realized that his output was actually higher than that of the Demon of Terror and Cruelty—a being who had been a formidable presence for a millennium.
Sterl maintained a calm exterior, but inside, he couldn't help but feel a bit elated. However, he also recognized that the next phase of the battle might be tricky; he couldn't simply defeat the enemy in one blow and would have to rely on a war of attrition.
Clearly, the Demon of Terror and Cruelty's Platinum combination skill didn't consume much energy.
Sterl had stockpiled a vast amount of energy recovery potions, so he wasn't afraid of a battle of attrition.
But the issue was that the depletion of his soul energy needed to be compensated for with the [Fire of Ten Thousand Souls].
Initially, he thought this wouldn't be a problem; he believed that if he dragged it out to the end, he could win.
The real problem was that revealing the [Fire of Ten Thousand Souls]...
Was not a good thing!