Chapter 277 Chapter276-The Realization of Libra's ORDER!
John was oblivious to the chatter among the squad members.
At this moment, all his focus was on the Soul-Devouring Devil, Ghana.
Ever since Ghana had summoned his Libra, there seemed to be a dramatic shift in his aura.
Though it had been an evil, dark presence before, it was nothing like this. n//o(.v()e.-l)/b-(I(.n
Ghana now flapped the fleshy wings on his back slightly, with the third eye on his forehead half-closed.
A dark, purple luminescence shot out from this eye, not aimed at John but directly into the Libra he held, forming a sinister connection.
Subsequently, Ghana's aura became even more distorted and eerie, evoking an instinctual dread.
A thought struck John, and his eyes shimmered.
Even if he didn't comprehend why Ghana's aura had undergone such a transformation, he knew that he had to strike first to maintain the upper hand.
John's grasp of battle timing had long since been honed to perfection.
In a flash, he was upon Ghana, slashing out with his sword even before Ghana could react.
The Divine Palace radiated a dazzling sword glow, landing a heavy blow on Ghana.
[Skill Attached 1: Inquiry Strike - Once activated, it can manifest an energy blade, causing massive damage to all enemies within a straight distance of 5000 yards, while also reducing their defense, causing up to 100% true damage...]
The Inquiry Strike, inherent to the Divine Palace, was a move that even a Devil couldn't underestimate.
Yet, to John's astonishment, Ghana wasn't severely wounded; instead, he turned into a shadowy streak and vanished.
"Ha ha ha! Did you think that would defeat me? You're so naive!"
The dark streak sliced through the sky, swiftly re-forming Ghana's silhouette in the distance, his scornful laughter echoing.
John remained expressionless, his hands not pausing in their movements.
He was well-aware that this Devil was no easy foe.
Even gravely injured, this was a Devil of over 1000 levels.
How could he be defeated by a mere swing?
John gripped the Divine Palace tightly, fixing his gaze on the relentlessly laughing Ghana.
Since the initial attack had proven ineffective, it must now be Ghana's turn to strike...
Suddenly, countless black beams burst forth from the Libra in Ghana's hand, lunging at John like ravenous beasts.
John's figure burst forth, dodging to the sides with lightning speed, but the black beams seemed to possess a tracking ability, pursuing him regardless of his evasive maneuvers.
John pursed his lips, realizing that he might have to face these beams head-on.
As his divine power reached out, he could vaguely sense the immense dark divine power within these beams.
If he were to rely solely on his physical form, he might not withstand the damage from these beams.
Internally, John chanted a word.
"Seashield!"
[Seashield (Divine Talent): A gift from the God of the Sea. Upon activation, it forms a temperate realm, granting immunity to all fire elemental damage...]
A surge of pale blue energy erupted from within him, enveloping John in a translucent blue energy barrier.
The black beams, upon contact with this barrier, were instantly dissolved and neutralized.
Though Seashield's description mentions immunity to all fire elemental damage, as a Divine Skill, it effortlessly countered Ghana's probing attack.
John looked up, revealing a broad grin to a slightly stunned Ghana in the distance, flashing his pearly whites.
An attack unanswered would be rude.
In a blink, John's figure darted forth, moving through the air like a nimble silver bolt of lightning.
[Shape-shifting (Divine Skill): From the deity Alyssum, who governs shadows and the authority of slaughter. Upon activation, one can instantaneously relocate to a target within the range of their psychic perception, bypassing any barriers, defenses, or spatial obstructions. Usable twice with a stored count of two uses, cooldown period: 30 minutes.]
The unique prowess of Shape-shifting granted John the opportunity to swiftly close in on his adversary.
Clasping the Divine Palace tightly, in the split second he drew near Ghana, he brandished his blade.
Every radiant slash held the potential for devastation.
[Divine Blade (Divine Skill) (Level 7): By harnessing one's psychic power, this skill allows the user to conjure a weapon from thin air. The weapon's attributes depend on the skill level, the character's level, and their psychic strength. The initial attributes of Divine Blade grant +800,000 damage points with a 25% critical hit rate.]
After his previous duel with Desire Devil Mammon, John had learned that the Divine Blade skill wasn't merely about shaping a sword from energy.
Utilizing a genuine Divine weapon would unlock even greater potency.
The veracity of this was evident from the formidable sword glows John summoned, each reminiscent of a majestic dragon in flight.
Ghana's eyes widened with perplexity.
Initially puzzled over how the human before him could wield the abilities of multiple deities, Ghana's focus shifted to dodging when confronted with John's attack.
Transforming into a shadowy silhouette, Ghana flitted in mid-air, deftly evading the radiant slashes.
Even among Devils, Ghana's sensory abilities were unparalleled, allowing him to discern the peril in John's blade.
However, when Ghana realized he had been cornered, the Soul-Devouring Devil roared in defiance, raising his Libra in retaliation.
The Libra in his hand danced like thunder, exuding an awe-inspiring dark divine power.
As it clashed with John's blade, brilliant sparks flew.
The battle ignited with ferocity, with John and Ghana's figures weaving through the air.
Each clash sent ripples through the surrounding space, causing distortions and tears in the fabric of reality.
With every swing of the Divine Palace in John's grip, the motions were swift and precise, always pinpointing Ghana's vulnerabilities.
In turn, Ghana unleashed a barrage of dark divine power attacks through the mysterious Libra he held.
Their offensive onslaughts collided, threatening to shatter the very foundational ORDER around them.
Expressionless, John drew a deep breath, channeling even more potent energy, causing the glow of the Divine Palace's blade to shine even brighter.
Meanwhile, Ghana's counter-attack grew increasingly relentless.
A glint of greed flickered in his eyes, revealing an insatiable desire to devour John's soul and attain greater strength.
Ghana was acutely aware of the grave injuries within him, needing to consume countless souls to replenish the vast energy expended to dispel other Devils' divine powers from his being.
Human souls were often too frail. Only those of the powerful class harbored souls of enticing strength.
And the human before him, radiating such a formidable aura, was his prime choice.
"Human, you indeed are powerful, but not enough to defeat me!" Ghana's roar resonated like thunder, deafening to the ears.
John merely smirked, not deigning to respond, continuing his assault with the Divine Palace.
A multitude of sword glows burst forth, slashing towards Ghana like bolts of lightning.
Sensing the overwhelming force, Ghana's expression grew grave.
With all his might, he defended against the onslaught.
The dark divine power from his Libra erupted, clashing with the radiant sword glows, producing a cacophony of ear-splitting impacts.
"I've said it before, humans are but ants, forever incapable of defeating a deity!" Ghana's voice was chilling and foreboding.
Even in his current defensive state, his arrogance remained undiminished.
Suddenly, Ghana raised his silvery Libra with a furious roar.
The ghostly luminescence, which had always been connected to his vertical pupils, abruptly severed.
Then, directing his slit eye toward John, the eerie glow blossomed, momentarily fending off John's onslaught.
John's gaze settled on the Libra in Ghana's hand, his brow furrowing subtly.
"That Libra in your possession... It has its own ORDER?" John inquired calmly.
At John's perceptive question, Ghana snorted dismissively, a smug smile gracing his lips. "I must admit, for a human, you have some discernment. This object has been with me, weighing countless souls. It has long since manifested its own ORDER attribute."
A glimmer of realization crossed John's face.
He had been wondering why he detected two distinct auras emanating from the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana.
He had initially believed that Ghana had subtly grasped a second kind of ORDER divine power.
However, only when the link between the Libra and Ghana's third vertical pupil was broken did John discern that the peculiar, warping aura he felt earlier was radiating from the Libra itself...
"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the Devouring ORDER, right? Weighing all things, and consuming from within..."
John spoke, revealing the mystery, yet his expression remained unchanged.
To him, an equipment that had merely grasped the basics of ORDER wouldn't alter the outcome of the battlefield.
"You're not wrong," Ghana sneered malevolently, "Still think you can defeat me?"
With a snarl, Ghana lunged at John, raising the Libra high.
A surge of dark radiance swirled around it, as though intending to rend John into fragments.
John swiftly evaded Ghana's assault, brandishing his Divine Palace, its blade gleaming dragon-like, and soared to strike Ghana.
Ghana dodged in a flash, a disdainful smirk on his grotesque face.
With a flick of his hands, the Libra transformed into a dark beam, intercepting the blow from the Divine Palace.
As the sword's radiance clashed with the gaping maw of the skull on the Libra, a piercing screech echoed!