Chapter 349 Chapter348-Unbeatable? You Haven't Met Me Yet
[equipment: Heart of Gluttony]
[Type: Rare]
[Required Level for Equipping: 280]
[HP +200,000, Maximum HP +10%, Recovery 10,000/s]
[Special Effect: An item for igniting the God Flame]
Outside, the archbishop, lost in deep contemplation, suddenly opened his eyes, sensing the surroundings with visible astonishment.
"The power of the abyss has diminished, even if just slightly. Could that player, [Galewind], truly be the Chosen One?"
After retrieving the equipment, John didn't immediately equip it.
Instead, he fixated on the phrase about igniting the God Flame.
Throughout his time in the game, John had been gathering various pieces of information.
Every creature aspiring to ascend to godhood must undergo the step of igniting the God Flame.
This rite of passage for the indigenous beings of the continent to rise to divinity is known, but the materials to ignite the God Flame are extremely rare.
In his gaming experience, he hadn't heard of anyone selling them.
Yet, in the [Twelve Trials of the Hero] hidden trial, he stumbled upon one such material.
Once the God Flame is ignited, one would essentially become a demigod.
As a demigod, compared to regular players, one could withstand the might of deities.
In combat, one wouldn't need to rely on skills or items; their own realm of strength would suffice!
As for what lay ahead, John had gleaned knowledge from the natives:
To ignite the God Flame is to become a demigod.
If, after igniting the God Flame, one nurtures a God Seed within, and then solidifies divine essence from within this seed, they would ascend to become a mythic entity of the continent!
John hadn't yet pondered the path after becoming a demigod.
He took things one step at a time, with his immediate focus on igniting the God Flame.
In the game, no player had ignited the God Flame, representing the vast divide between the leading pack and the pinnacle of players.
John murmured to himself at that moment:
"Is it truly possible to gather all the items to ignite the God Flame within these Twelve Trials of the Hero?"
Compared to his own bonuses and the act of igniting the God Flame, he felt utterly inferior.
Yet, if he were to equip the Heart of Gluttony, he would never be able to use it as a sacrificial item. Thus, John chose not to wear it.
Stepping over the body of the fallen Apostle of Sin, a system notification sounded:
[Congratulations, player: Galewind has reached the 7th level of the Twelve Trials of the Hero, Land of Still Waters (hidden trial).]
Upon arriving at this level, John found no minor creatures. Instead, the ground was littered with corpses.
Surveying the scene, a frown creased John's forehead.
Some of the bodies bore numerous wounds, none of which seemed fatal.
It was as though the assailant could have slain these beings with a single blow but instead chose to torment them slowly.
It felt sadistic.
As John continued forward, he spotted a throne made of bones. From it, a dark shadow descended, making no sound.
He scrutinized the figure before him, trying to discern its identity.
An ugly, hunchbacked figure covered in specks of blood stood there, a long scythe in hand, its elongated tongue licking the blade.
The figure's bloodshot eyes locked onto John and said, "You're more handsome than I am. I'll kill you."
Hearing this, John was utterly baffled.
"What? Being good-looking is a crime now?"
"Is there no law? No justice?"
As John braced for the figure's assault, the system's scanning panel displayed:
[Apostle of Envy: A product of the abyssal jealousy, this being hunts all who it perceives as superior.]
[Level: 300]
[Attributes: ...]
John observed the Apostle of Envy, whose attributes seemed evenly distributed. Balanced, but not necessarily weak.
While he lacked a specific strength, his attack, defense, speed, recovery, and magical capabilities were all-rounded, making him a formidable adversary.
Drawing forth his Divine Blade, John struck the Apostle of Envy. His Divine Blade had evolved:
[Divine Blade (Divine Skill) (Level 7): With this skill, one can manifest a weapon based on their mind power. The weapon's attributes depend on the skill level, player's level, and the player's mind power. The initial attributes of the Divine Blade are +1,000,000 damage, with a 30% critical hit rate.]
Compared to his previous attack power, he now boasted a damage rating of one million.
Paired with a critical hit, the potential damage was immense.
The Apostle of Envy, lacking the remarkable defense of the previous Apostle of Gluttony, took a substantial hit, losing a hundred thousand points from a single strike!
With a 30% critical hit probability, statistically, out of ten strikes, three should be critical.
But after attacking five times without landing a single critical hit, John couldn't help but mock the odds.
With his arm severed by John, the Apostle of Envy roared, "Your attacks are stronger than mine, I must kill you."
[Ding! You are under the influence of the Power of Envy. Facing the Apostle of Envy, your damage output is reduced by 80%.]
John was taken aback. A monster capable of reducing his attack power? How monstrous was this Apostle of Envy?
Reduced by 80%? This gameplay would demand the game's system to weaken the Apostle of Envy; otherwise, it would be unplayable.
However, upon hearing a derisive laugh, John looked at the Apostle of Envy with a hint of pity.
The Apostle of Envy burst into laughter, "Unexpected, wasn't it? Those adventurers and monsters from this level never anticipated the ability of envy to change the rules. Every time I use it, your power diminishes. Hahaha..."
"Don't look at me with those pitiful eyes. I've had enough of that gaze. You're nothing, barely a challenge."
The Apostle of Envy lifted a seed, flaunting it with a triumphant swish, and said to John, "Once, an adventurer entered this level, thinking he could defeat me? Hilarious!"
"The God Seed he left behind has doubled my abilities. Haha."
John gazed at the Apostle of Envy, laughing like a madman, as if he were watching a fool.
Did he genuinely believe he had everything under control?
With a look of pity, John spoke to the Apostle of Envy, "Brother, perhaps you should take a closer look at yourself."
Stunned by John's words, the Apostle of Envy looked down and saw his body dissipating into nothingness.
He bellowed in disbelief, "Impossible! Impossible! Your powers can't be this formidable, causing such a devastating backlash against me."
John let out a soft sigh, recalling the words of the Pope from long ago: every power on the Godslayer continent adhered to the principle of energy conservation.
Except for the high and mighty deities, all were mere ants.
Yes, Apostle of Envy, you indeed are powerful. The strength of foes can be diminished at your whim, be it attack or defense. But at what cost?
What was the price, Apostle of Envy?
In that moment, as his form continued to fade, seemingly dispersed by an unseen force, the Apostle of Envy, realization dawning in his eyes, shouted at John, "You're no god! How can you possess the power of deities?"
John raised his Divine Blade and replied, "Unexpected, wasn't it? This is just one of my many divine skills. You haven't even witnessed the others."
No matter how powerful the Apostle of Envy was, when confronted with John's ORDER power, he was destined to vanish like smoke in the wind.
John pondered, how had others managed to defeat the Apostle of Envy?
An ability that could cripple you on a whim was undoubtedly vexing.
As the silhouette of the Apostle of Envy dissipated, a flash of light appeared, followed by another - a purple gleam.
Approaching the shimmer, John inspected the item:
[Item Name: Heart of Envy]
[Attack Power Boost: 5%, Defense Boost: 5%, Agility Boost: 5%]
[One of the materials needed to ignite the God Flame]
Curiosity piqued, John wondered, "To ignite the God Flame, does one need to gather the seven sins? Am I a Dark God or a benevolent deity?"
A thought suddenly struck him.
Power, in itself, held no morality.
Its nature was determined by its wielder.
If he remained pure-hearted, then he was, indeed, a benevolent deity.
After securing the Heart of Envy, John turned his gaze to another item beside it:
[Name: God Seed]
[Belongs to: Vincent.Xitell.Boulanger]
[Previously belonged to: Apostle of Envy (Defeated)]
[Usable: Yes/No]
[Note: This is a naturally-born God Seed of an elder, lost when he ventured into the abyss.]
While John noted that after igniting the God Flame one would need a God Seed, ancient continental scriptures mentioned that cultivating one's own God Seed aligns more harmoniously with one's attributes, offering a higher level of divine compatibility. John chose not to use it.
Moreover, he held a touch of admiration for the old man who resisted the abyss's invasion.
He thought of returning the God Seed to the elder if they were to ever meet.
John proceeded to the next level.
[Congratulations Player: Galewind has reached the Eighth Floor of the Twelve Trials of the Hero: Death Arena (hidden trial)]
John found himself in a place reminiscent of ancient gladiatorial arenas.
The sky bled a haunting red, and the scorching air around him stirred an intense yearning for battle within his heart.
The land was stained with blood, showcasing the remnants of countless combats.
The surroundings were filled with spectators.
John attempted to use a skill to attack them, but quickly realized he couldn't inflict any damage.
It appeared they were mere backdrop.
This trial seemed to have nothing to do with the spectators.
A flamboyant host, with slicked-back hair and tentacles sprouting all over, stepped forward, exclaiming to the audience:
"Welcome one and all! Here, you'll witness the most pristine brutality, the mightiest warriors, and the fiercest beasts!"
"This is the vent for primitive desires, the very source of Wrath!"
"Here, you can relish the thrill of combat, and feel the fervor of the fight!"
"Here, life is cheap, and only the truest of warriors can survive!"
"This, is the Death Arena!"
The crowd, riled up by the host's impassioned words, roared and screamed in frenetic excitement.
John cast a glance at the host, wanting to cut off his ramblings, but the man continued unabated:
"Our challenger, [Galewind], is about to face ten consecutive battles. Let's see if he can endure."
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