Chapter 457: McEnda’s Anger
|¬Cataclysmic Divide!!¬|
Lostvayne was swung downward and a massive slash infused with Destruction, Extinction, and cosmic energies was released towards the Cosmic Energy barrier that surrounded the Transcendents and tore through it with unbridled force.
"What?!"
"He interrupted it??!!"
The Aramisians exclaimed with disbelief that Arthur had been able to cut through the imperceptible barrier.
Despite their surprise at this, they had no time to dwell on it as a stream of notifications appeared in their field of vision.
|The ’Weighing of Existences Ceremony’ has been abruptly cancelled|
|Calculating Results...|
|The difference in power between both parties is ’Vast’. |
|Due to this, a debuff would be applied to the ’Targets’ |
|Due to the Ceremony’s Cancellation, no further compensation would be provided. |
The Scales emitted a surge of Cosmic Energy that effortlessly permeated the bodies of Alvey and McEnda, encasing their Demon Hearts and imposing limitations on their Existence Realms.
Their levels swiftly plummeted from the high 990s to Level 935, matching the level of the god who activated the Artifact.
The Scales effectively "Balanced" their levels to account for the power difference between them.
As the effects took hold, McEnda, struggling to rise, collapsed to his knees, overcome by a profound sense of weakness.
His blue eyes blazed with an ominous glow, and a dark aura radiated from his body as he screamed out in fury.
[WHAT DID YOU DO?!]
For the first time, Arthur bore witness to McEnda’s genuine anger.
Dark clouds swiftly obscured the sunny skies, plunging the surroundings into an instant ’Night’.
Waves of corrosive darkness surged forth from McEnda’s feet like a torrent, consuming everything in its path without discrimination.
"Shit! Sigesi!"
Alvey cursed and called out to Sigesi, but this was unnecessary as the Frost Demon had already sprung into action.
She dashed towards Artemisia and Beatrix who were unable to outrun McEnda’s darkness and grabbed them before kicking off the ground and leaping into the skies.
Arthur also took off from the ground, while using his gravity law energy to make the Transcendents fall down into McEnda’s sea of Darkness.
While two managed to react in time and prevent their descent, the other two, including the god wielding the ’Scales of Balance’, were caught off guard and plummeted into the sea of darkness.
Immediately, its corrosive effects showed themselves as the dark patches began marring their skin. A second later, they were hit with the sensation of their flesh deteriorating as their skin peeled away.
Their vision dimmed, hallucinations ensued, and their vitality drained rapidly from their bodies.
McEnda finally looked up from his status board, his eyes filled with anger as he activated his Pseudo-Authority and unleashed a powerful technique.
"Dark Nova!!"
With a surge of law energy, the Sea of Darkness swirling around McEnda’s feet ignited with ferocity.
The explosive reaction erupted with an overwhelming fury, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. A massive cloud of black smoke and flames billowed forth, ascending high above the clouds and could be seen for miles.
When the explosion died down, the scene of devastation that Arthur had expected to appear did not show itself.
The shimmering light of the Stellar Guard’s Cosmic Energy barrier faded away as it automatically deactivated, sensing no imminent danger. This outcome was anticipated, given that McEnda’s attack had only devastated a radius of 500 meters around him, leaving everything beyond that unscathed.
"Fucking hell...Selective Destruction?! I have a Pseudo-Authority in the law and even I can’t do that yet!"
Arthur’s exclamation rang out as he understood just what McEnda had just done.
Despite his seething anger, McEnda’s rational side persisted, reminding him of Sigesi and Alvey’s proximity. At the last moment, he altered his technique to avoid causing harm to his allies.
A mere second after Arthur spoke, McEnda’s staff brutally connected with the skull of the god wielding the Scales of Balance, piercing his brain and sending golden blood and brain matter spraying in all directions.
[Level Up]
Immediately, the Scales lost their glow and the cosmic energy wrapping around his Demon Heart dissipated, allowing his level to return to normal.
This caused his anger to plummet rapidly, given the artifact’s effect had been the reason for his rage.
Alvey, having also regained his full power, moved over and killed the Divine Human Transcendents, before making short work of any surviving Aramisian.
Arthur sent Stelan and his other summons back, and as he did this, Sigesi dropped the two goddesses she was carrying before rushing over to McEnda and grabbing the sides of his head.
"Wha-?"
*SHINK!
The Frost Demon froze McEnda’s forehead with her ice powers before speaking calmly.
"Cool your head."
"I think that statement is usually meant ’figuratively’, and not ’literally’."
"I take it literally when necessary."
McEnda sighed softly when he heard her words, a wry smile appearing on his face. He couldn’t help but notice that he had indeed calmed down, though this was attributed more to Sigesi’s presence than her freezing his forehead.
"What was that about? Why did you suddenly snap?"
Alvey descended to the ground and questioned McEnda, making the man sigh once more as he replied.
"We’re so close to Exuviating Alvey. 9 more Levels and it’d be time for us to shed out Mortal Shells.
You expect me not to be pissed when someone uses something that reduces my power by over 50 levels?"
His reason for flipping out was basically the same reason why gods and Divines always got pissed whenever Arthur used his Progenitor Authority.
Just that his anger was very ’explosive’.
"It was only temporary."
"Well, I did not know that at the time."
McEnda then pointed at Arthur’s Sword before continuing.
"Arthur raising his sword made me think that it was something as powerful as that Sword."
Arthur who had gone to pick up the Scales on the floor snapped his gaze in McEnda’s direction when he heard his name called.
He then explained that the only Cosmic Artifact he could quickly show them was Lostvayne so he had just raised it to inform them of the potential danger.
"However, this thing is like a million times weaker than Lostvayne. It’s just that it uses Comic Energy like all Cosmic Artifacts do, and if there’s one thing about Cosmic Energy I know, it’s the fact you are almost helpless against it if you are not cognizant of its existence.
It’s like being hit with an invisible attack."
Arthur explained it as best as he could while he had his eyes on the Scales in his hands. He dusted them and then used his Appraisal skill on them, viewing the name and Effect of the Artifact.
|Scales of Balance: Replica No. #396
Type; Low-Grade Cosmic Artifact.
This is a Replica of an Ancient Cosmic Artifact with the power of ’Balance’.
Effects:
This Artifact is bestowed with the Ability to Start a [Ceremony of Weighing Existences]. While the Ceremony is in effect, both parties cannot move or use any of their abilities.
The Ceremony is conducted with Two Parties: The User and designated allies (If Any) and a Designated Target or group of Targets.
Both Parties can have a Maximum of 5 Existences as Members.
Depending on the ’Overall Power’ difference between the User and the Targets, ’Compensations’ are granted to the User, allowing them to ’BALANCE’ their Power Level against a more powerful foe.
Restrictions:
It can only be used ONCE every set of 24 Hours.
As this is but a Replica and not the ’True’ Scales of Balance, it has a Limited Number of Activations.
Remaining Activations: 3
Current Owner: None. |
"This...is broken."
Arthur could not help but make this remark after he saw its description. If he guessed right, this Artifact was also capable of increasing the User’s power if necessary.
’Maybe that’s one of the ’Compensations’ it gives...’
The boy’s gaze went to the first line of the description, spotting the word ’Balance’ and narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
’What are the odds that I’d encounter an Artifact of ’Balance’? The very same ’Balance’ I’m after?’
His lips twisted into a frown when he asked himself this, but Alvey’s sudden question snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Can you see that thing’s description?"
"Huh? Yeah. You can’t?"
Alvey held up his hand and a translucent floating screen appeared in front of him and he was surprised by the contents.
|Scales of Balance: Replica No. #396
Type; L̵̦̝̻͐o̴̖̐̐̆̐́̎̉̚͝w̸̧̭̘̦͍̆͗̊͜ ̶̡̥̉̓́͛̈́̂̈̈́̈́̆̚͠G̶̰̎͒̃̓͋͑̔̀̇̓̀r̵̡̩̬͚͚̞͚̙͓̳̟̣͘ą̴͙̱͉̲͍̱̠͈̠̘͖͖̃̏̉̿ḏ̷̙̭̣̈́̉̐̊͐͛͗̅̈́͜͝ȩ̸̢̢̡̛̠̦̰̮͓͇̞̣͊̍͒̾̐͋͊͘͠ ̸̘̪̦̾͗̒̂͌͝C̸̡̢͈̬͖̗̪̣̫̩̹͓͐̀̃́̽̒̋ͅi̸̼̱̱̻̾͒̏̄̽̏̅͆͘ͅm̴͇̺̑̒̎̚s̸̡̮̪̻̗̭̆o̶̪͈̜̠̭̩̖͉̻͌̎̂̽̊̎̊̅̈́͌͜ç̸͙̟͔̞̼̇ ̵̦̞̤͐̒̔̓̿͆̔͛̎͠Ả̶͖̼̍̚̕͘͝ŕ̶̯̻̘͈̞̥̹̅͂̇͑͘͠t̸̝̬̑͛̒͂̐́̓̈́͒ȉ̸̡̢̛̲̬͖̩͓̮̩̦̝̮̹̊́̾̏̽̋̎́̅̈͘f̴̛͖͙͓͚̰̠̮̌̈̓̾͛ả̷̘̠̘͉̱̀͝͠͝c̸̗͇͔͛ẗ̵̝
L̷̨̗̱̫̝̜͚̔̾͜ö̴̖̲͕̱̣̂̈̀̊͝ŗ̸̡̡̢͖͔̟̝̟̫̎̐̊͐͊̅͊̊́̚e̴͚̦͎̣͕̞̋͒͜͝ṃ̷͚̟̳̏̏͒̌͒̽̉ ̸̱̿į̴̡̱̝̭͓̺̣͖̱̬͈͍̊̾͐͛̑̂̇̈́̏̓̓̕p̵̡̧̩͙̪̀̀̉̎̓͜ͅs̶̥͓͈̥͚̓̐̇û̵̧͈̺̣̞̥̦̻̟̲̞̰͑̑͂̇͛͛̀̕͘͠m̷̱͇̞̟̯̫͓̲͈̗̱͇̰͆̌̓͂̀͌̔̿ ̵̡̢̻̱͕̖̮̘̗͈̩̙͗ͅḋ̴̨͖̟͖̙̥̞̯͇̭̼ͅǫ̴̪̪̱̗̫̞͓͓͖̗̗̈́̈́̇̈͒̀͌̀̅̇̕ͅl̵̦̤͓͔̟͋̌́̕ō̷̦̻̍̓͌r̶̨̢̼̽̔͑̔́̋̕͠͝ ̸̧̨͇͖̙͍̓̏̍́́s̶͈̏̋ỉ̴͉͙͍͐͐̏̌̈̀̈́̌̈ť̵̝̥̄̄̀̈͆̋̑̈́́̑̃̄ ̸̧̲̙̩͊̍̂͐̈́̌͒̇̄̋̅͗a̷̛̫̝͇͎̙͙̳̬̔͛̌̋̇̚͜m̷̮͍̘̱͒̀͂͂̐͠ę̵̧̠̯̦̲̫͈͚̋̿t̶̢̢̰̗͚͕̻̫͉̭̳͈̆̈́́͛́̋̈́͑͝͠͝,̷̹̞̙̭̠̳͇̀̆̒̂̋̍̄͌̕͝ͅ ̵̳̥̦̅̃̌̅̑c̸̬̮͍̦͕̎̅͌̌͋͛̍̒ͅó̶̙͕̙͚͎̘̩̙̭͑͂͐͐̓ñ̵̟̫͎͇͉̱̜͉́̈́͑̋̽͂͐͐ṣ̴̜̥̭̱̥͓̃̆́̋̈́̔͆́̚ę̸̢͎͉͎͔̳̟̙̳̰͑̊̈́̌̎̀̃̿̈́͑̕͘͝c̴̢̼̲͊̒̊̈́̐̋̆̄̅̆̔͛ť̸̪̬͓̃̐͒̂̚̕e̶̛̻̳̜̥͍͍̻͛̔̀͗̔̄̈́͌ͅt̸̛̞͎̻̏̓̈͐͌̄ų̵̧͇̆͌́̑̉͊̉͘͝͠ͅŕ̵̢̧̨̝̭͙̗̦͙͖̖̫̜̓̽͝ ̸̯̭̹͇̼̣̭̜̅̍̍̑̉͂̄͆̏́̿͘͠ả̵̙̱͓̠͔̽̈́̃͜ḓ̵̉̌͐̀̾̚͝į̵̢͉̬̳̥̱̟̝́̇̾p̵̛̖̓̑̔͂̿̓̊̐̽͛͝ì̵̳̫̙͉́͆͊̔͋̿s̶̢̬̣̜̭̀̓͐́̕c̷͙͇̙̠̪̣͚͍͇̭͚̹̍͐̐̐̅̍̉̽̎̌̒ị̵͔̻̼̘̩͚̀́͋̄̈́́̉͆̚͠n̸͈̘̲̪͖͎͕̂͒́͌̿͗͝g̷̭͚̣̍̑͛̌ ̵̧̧͓̲͇̣̬̝͔̓͌̄̋ę̷̧͔͇̞̭̫̜̞̳̞̮́̑ͅl̵̥̐̋͛̾̆̀̍̽͋̆i̵̱̺̮͇͋͂̌̓͑̆̚t̴̖̲͔̣̒͜ͅ,̴̠͕͕̩̝̫̜̓̐͐̉̃̏͌̉̐̇̈́̑͝ ̸͖͑̈̿̈́͠s̶̼̪͉̖̯̐̃̅̅̾͋̅̀̂̆e̸̡̢̧͔̱͈͈͉͓̖͉̣̩̾̓̆d̸̡̮͈̰̣̝͙̳̻̼̘̂̀̅̔̒͑́̉̾̔̚͜͠ ̵̡̹̤͎͓̬͋̒̽̿̏̌͒́̑̏̉̊̀͜d̶̼̩͎̜͔̩̗̞̦̰̹̥̲̾̇̍̃̉̈́̀͠ó̸̗̅̿͘͜ ̴̜̰̲̪̲͚͎̝͉̊͆̑̃͗̌̈́́̌͐ȩ̶͙͚͇͎͇̤̺͎̜͕͋͗̽̏͒̀͆͋͜î̴̢̡̲̩̞̲̘̺̺̟̜̞̜̒̐̆̆͠u̴̲̘͍̠̠͓͎̼̗̿̈́͊̈́̽̽͛͛̋̋̽͆ş̶̢̢̛̻̣̻͚̙̦̦̜͚̓͊̏͐̇́̾͂̈́͒́͜m̵̛͚̥̣̰͇̘͖̑̂͗͂̍ͅo̸͈̍͌͂̍͒́̈̏̂̀͝͝d̴̨̦̤͚̥̃̒̌̑ ̶̤̣̳͓̠̾ţ̸̧͍̦͍͍̱̝̦̗̮̆̌͊́͠ę̶̢̛̫̤̫̜̪̟̫̗͎̲̫̑̀̌͂͌̀̏͠͠m̷͓̮̳̾̓͊̆̐͐͜ͅp̸̪͐̀̈͒͠ǒ̴͎̲̹̞͍͓̓̄͊͌̾̄͜r̵̛͙̭̟̣͈̞͖̥̺̙̖͛̈́͆̈̅͋̄͌̍̅̕͘ ̴̬̃͊̋í̸̘͇̓̽̑̄̆͝n̸̨̩̝͌͐͐̈́͗̑͂̍̄͠c̴̱͎̝̲̳͔̱̟̯͌̅̒́̽͝í̸̬͉͇̰̤̓̀́̈́̆̅͒͜͝͠ͅd̸͖̋i̷͉͂͛͗̓d̷̛͚͙̉̒̆̏̋̓̈́͠͠ư̶̭̯̙̥̮̎̈̽n̵̟̭̜̗̻̱̞̗̻̦̞̆̋́͐͝ṱ̸̛͈̱̪̯̦̔͌̈́͑ ̴̺̮̙̟̮̰̼͙͎͗͐̓̈́̂̆̚͠ͅú̵̥̣̹̮͔̜͔̝̪̓́̆̆̋̆̍̓̕͜͝t̷̯͇͔̥̻͚̦̏ͅ ̶͙̟̼̈́̐̀̉̉́͐̒̆͐͋̚l̴͉̑̀͐͒̋͛̿̀͘͘͠à̷̟̠͍͖̈́̒̈͑̾̍̒́̿́̕͝b̶͙̘͉̼̊͂̂ǫ̵̺͔̦̟̲͍̳̪̪̙̓͘r̴̝̭̮͊̉̒̏̈̄̓́͘͘e̶̛̜͓̗͎̜̥̜̗̜͗̏̓͌͐͝ͅ ̸͖̪̤̐͊̒̈́̎͋͌̈́̐̕͘ể̸͎̭̰̲̮̘̠̓͌́̽̓̑͒͋͒͝ͅṯ̶̛̠̔̈́̐́͗̋̓̚ͅ ̴̧̡͖͇̤̣͙͇̪͇̘̤͙̃̎̀̇̎̂̿d̴̝̼̺͑̿̏̆̿̈́̂̽͝o̵̡̙̟͊̏͜ḷ̸̡̢̛̛͉̤̻͎̗̺͈͈̼̅̊̆͋̍õ̴͚͕͈͍̙̉͛̾̕r̶̳̲̾̔ę̷̛̛͈̣͍͚͈̪̞̮̳͔͎̖͌̿̔́͋̒̓̂̂̕͝ ̴̢̖͍̟̻̺͙͎̔̈́͋̈́͆̏̈́̌͆͌̀̀̚ḿ̴̰å̶̯͍̞̲̙̩͖͙̄͑g̸̦̺͌͊́̏̚n̶̢̡̛̙̠̳͙͍̣͙̜̻̅̆̀a̷͚̫̝͕͔͌͌̈́͑͆́̉͑̊͋̌͝ ̴̗̝̮͕͕̘̄̂̚a̶̢͇͙̪̎̚l̷̬͚̖̟͓̫̞̩̫̥̣̏̇̀̿̀͐̈́̀́̌̈́͜͝i̶͕̬̼̙̿̐̇͐͗͘q̵̗͇͍͓̘̱͎̼̩̀̕͜ų̸͈͚͙͑̆͗̀̃̍̋̏̈́̕͜͜͝͝͠a̵̢͍̲͖̹͓̖̎͌̈̒̕̕͠.̴̨̡̧̖͎̰̀ ̸̪̣̱̪͌͌̀͊̂̍̂̈̓̎
Current Owner: None. |
[It seems only beings who have achieved Cosmic Superiority can see its description...]
’Then how could that guy know what it was used for? He was NOT a Cosmic.’
[That’s a mystery that we cannot answer. He must have been given the Artifact by someone and that person may have told him the uses.]
’That’s the only plausible explanation...’
Arthur explained the conclusion he and Celestia had come to and after this, he asked them if he could keep the Scales.
Considering Arthur was the only one who could even see what it did and how to use it, Alvey had no qualms about letting him keep it.
As for McEnda who had killed its former owner, the man was preoccupied with Sigesi and just offhandedly said yes.
After this, Alvey used his Pseudo-Authority of Space to create a Spatial Gate which they used to leave the area, a few minutes before the reinforcements from the Aramisian Coalition Headquarters arrived to meet the scene of devastation.
