Chapter 178: The Star of Salvation! Unable to Return Home?
The aftermath of Takamagahara's destruction was dragging the Nara Basin into a deathly abyss!
Wind and fire still violently churned the atmosphere, every inch of land withered and cracked in agony, life force being brutally stripped away by an irresistible power!
This was not merely the singular effect of the severing of myths; a far more terrifying reason was that—
Arthur, who had just awakened, was staring intently at the new Holy Sword in his palm.
He exerted all his effort, trying to appease this runaway 'wild horse,' commanding it to stop its greedy devouring of this world.
However, with him as the center, vegetation withered in swathes, the earth dried and hardened, and the domain of silence continued to expand slowly and steadily.
"Heh... power and calamity are always two sides of the same coin."
Arthur, with a furrowed brow, waved his hand to dismiss the Holy Sword, and the terrifying oppressive sensation that permeated heaven and earth suddenly dissipated.
He then submerged his mind into his body, igniting a trace of pale brilliance, carefully inspecting the earth-shattering changes in the Divine Grace.
...
Arthur pendragon
LV.6
Strength: A (852) → SS (1145)
Endurance: A (819) → SS (1076)
Dexterity: A (831) → SS (1103)
Agility: A (824) → SS (1087)
Magic: S (973) → SS (1195)
Miracle: S → SS
Swordsman: A
Magic Conduction: A
Shattered: B
Authority: E
"—Magic—"
[Authority of the Celestial God]
· Super-Sublimation Domain, specific activation.
· Divine radiance not belonging to humans, made possible by [Miracle].
[Star Light of Salvation]
· Super-Sublimation Domain, can be activated at any time.
· Fuses the Salvation Authority, carries the light of the stars, serving as the ultimate weapon.
[Ideal Home]
· Permanent Magic, can be activated at any time.
· Super-domain enhancement of defense, recovery, and healing abilities.
· Mimics the immortal Apple Island, interference level fluctuates with magic power.
"—Skills—"
[Symbol of the Red Dragon]
· Super-domain enhancement of magic resistance.
· Super-domain enhancement of conscious perception.
· Manifestation of the concept of the strongest fantasy species.
[Eternal Blessing of the Star Spirit]
· Super-domain enhancement of external adaptability.
· Super-domain enhancement of one's own luck.
· A blessing from the Earth Mother and primates, praying for the holder to never fall into calamity.
[Brilliant Journey]
· Currently, 5 doors are open.
· Invites you to cross dimension doors, traversing the unknown in infinity.
[Transparent World]
· Perfect control, complete insight, merging with nature.
· When actively activated, super-domain enhancement of perception, gaining extremely high corrections to dexterity and agility.
[Limit Overclock]
· Explodes divine radiance, specific activation, can autonomously update ability values.
· When actively activated, gains extremely high corrections to [Miracle] and [Authority].
...
Undoubtedly, the new Holy Sword completely fused and activated the Salvation Authority, but it was also a fiercely double-edged sword!
Arthur rubbed his forehead, a headache brewing, unsure how to evaluate this power.
Originally, the Star Holy Sword, being soul-bound to him, would gently retract its radiance, obeying his every command.
But this [Star Light of Salvation] was like a newborn child, immensely powerful yet wild and unrestrained!
While it wouldn't harm him, its mere existence was ceaselessly draining the planet's life.
Every swing would inflict incalculable damage upon the world.
"After all, the Salvation God Sword was a gift from this world, and given the short time I've wielded it, its disobedience is understandable."
Arthur, having barely convinced himself, exhaled a turbid breath and looked up at the doorway.
The next second, Princess Alice and Erica entered together, bringing the latest intelligence.
"Your Majesty, all is well. John Pluto Smith and Lady Aisha have submitted their replies; both are willing to proactively present their Authorities to cease hostilities."
Arthur's eyebrows rose: "Cease hostilities? Coming from a Godslayers, isn't that a bit ridiculous?"
Princess Alice covered her mouth and chuckled softly, explaining.
"Compared to other Godslayerss, 'Pluto' and 'Queen' have always been stable, with the latter having lived in seclusion for many years. Such a decision is not surprising."
Erica smiled proudly, a hint of mockery in her words.
"Lady Alice's statement is still too subtle."
"The current plight of Japan has already spread throughout the Hidden World; they are intelligent people and know how to choose in order to survive."
Hearing this, Arthur's eyes flickered, and he pressed: "How is Takamagahara?"
Just then, Luo Hao lifted the tent flap, snorted coldly, and provided the answer.
"The severing of myths, the dissipation of cursed power, they brought it upon themselves."
Arthur nodded slightly, subtly glancing at his empty left palm.
"In that case, once I reclaim their Authorities, the matter will be completely resolved."
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere in the tent suddenly solidified, and three pairs of eyes, filled with resentment, simultaneously pierced him.
"Your Majesty... are you still leaving?"
"Alas—after all, he is the 'Last King' who came to purge the Godslayerss. Once his mission is complete, he will naturally depart, and there's nothing we can do."
"Hmph!"
Hearing the three women's distinctly different yet equally sharp words, Arthur felt his scalp tingle, and could only stubbornly retort.
"Gods cannot long exist in this world; that is the law of this world."
All three women simultaneously put on bright, faint smiles, their eyes sparkling, but no one believed his nonsense anymore.
Princess Alice gently lifted her skirt, curtsied elegantly, and solemnly declared.
"This body faithfully adheres to its vow, awaiting my King's return."
Erica clearly understood Arthur's thoughts better, and gently reminded him.
"Your Majesty, before you leave, don't forget to check the 'tributes' offered by those Magic Conduction societies. After all, they are all eagerly awaiting your forgiveness."
Luo Hao, on the other hand, walked directly in front of Arthur, a blush rising on her usually cool, pretty face. She pointed a finger at his chest and exclaimed.
"You! You are the first man to defeat this Cult Master; think carefully about the weight of that before you return!"
Arthur quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, looked around at the three women, and solemnly promised.
"Yes, I will definitely return."
...The Crimson King's dividing line...
In the depths of the gray, misty Underworld, Epimetheus looked up at a distorted node, from which Arthur emerged, accompanied by Lancia and Guinevere.
The Fool quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Child of the Stars, this matter is concluded, my gratitude is boundless!"
Arthur waved his hand dismissively: "Don't say that; if anything, I've gained a lot. Furthermore—"
He looked back at the two silent figures behind him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I hope you will arrange for them to stay in the Underworld, so they can continue to exist. When I have leisure in the future, I will return to this world to see them again."
"My King..."
Lancia and Guinevere, who now knew Arthur's true identity, opened their mouths, their eyes filled with conflict and reluctance.
Epimetheus calmly nodded, accepting the matter, then bowed deeply to Arthur again, apologizing.
"My sincerest apologies, this world has been severely damaged, and I'm afraid it temporarily lacks the capacity to assist you on your journey."
"Yes, I had already anticipated that."
Arthur was not surprised by this; after dealing with the primordial evil god, no new Star Light imprint had appeared in his palm.
He glanced at the complex-minded Lancia and Guinevere, and gently comforted them.
"The flow of time between worlds is different; perhaps I will return within a few days of my departure. So, until next time."
...
In the vast, lonely blank hall, Arthur stepped out of the dimension door of the Godslayers world, stretching lazily with a relaxed expression.
Fou on his shoulder mimicked him, propping itself on its front paws, arching its small body, and purring contentedly.
Arthur let out a wry chuckle, raising a hand to stroke its fine, soft fur.
"You've been slacking off the whole time, yet you've learned to enjoy yourself."
"Fou wu (〃^ω^)!"
He no longer paid attention to the adorable pure white cub, walking expectantly towards the light path of the Type-Moon world, reaching out to push open the dimension door that had haunted his dreams.
However, a gentle repelling force appeared out of nowhere, slowly but firmly pushing his palm away!
His overflowing joy and anticipation were instantly doused by this bucket of ice water.
Arthur withdrew his slightly trembling arm, clenching it into a fist, feeling the terrifying cursed power surging like a sea of hell within him, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Even the power of [Authority of the Celestial God] combined with [Star Light of Salvation] is still not enough to resolve Chaldea's predicament?"
No, it could even be said that it was precisely because of this power that he was denied entry.
The neutral, cold voice of the Mysterious Voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Untamed power will only lead to one's own demise."
This sentence pulled Arthur out of his chaotic thoughts, and his silver pupils refocused.
"Untamed... huh?"
He looked down at his right hand, as if he could see the defiant Holy Sword roaring.
"Thank you for the reminder."
Arthur took a deep breath and turned away from the Type-Moon light path.
He had to first tame this power, otherwise—
Returning to his homeland, he would not only fail to save his friends and family, but would destroy the world even before his enemies did.
He unhesitatingly pushed open another dimension door and resolutely stepped inside.