Chapter 354 Chapter353-Arrogance, The Original Sin of the Body
As John set foot within the domain of Arrogance, the surrounding space began to tumultuously fluctuate.
Countless arcane runes flickered in the air, reminiscent of myriad twinkling stars, cascading upon John.
"Is this the realm of Arrogance? The final boss of the game, I wonder what it looks like. I must admit, I'm somewhat intrigued!" John remarked, peering ahead with an almost theatrical curiosity.
However, as he surveyed his surroundings, a figure emerged, leisurely strolling towards him as if meandering through a personal garden.
John stiffened, feeling an overwhelming pressure surging towards him.
Turning his gaze back to the domain of Arrogance, a figure, an exact replica of John, stood before him.
John paused in surprise.
Arrogance?
Could he himself be the embodiment of the sin of Arrogance?
His data perspective began scanning:
[Name: Apostle of Arrogance]
[Level: 300]
[Type: Abyssal Demon]
[Skill: Power of Arrogance]
[Attributes: ...]
As John's perspective was scanning, the Apostle of Arrogance's Divine Blade lunged forward.
John swiftly retreated.
A colossal surge of spirit power manifested around the Apostle of Arrogance.
Feeling the might of this divine power, John swallowed hard.
He suddenly realized - wasn't this the power of the original sin within Arrogance?
Could it be that the Apostle of Arrogance could mimic his every move, or was he himself the very embodiment of Arrogance?
Arrogance?
What truly is Arrogance?
John pondered, realizing that the most formidable enemy was undoubtedly himself.
Only by defeating oneself could one truly transcend.
At that moment, as he locked eyes with the Apostle of Arrogance, his vision wavered unsteadily.
As he evaded the thrust of the Divine Blade, the Apostle of Arrogance flashed John a manic grin.
His mouth widened into a sneer, as if a deity looking down upon an ant... disdainfully gazing upon this John.
"Young man, do you truly believe you can escape the grasp of my hand?" the Apostle of Arrogance uttered disdainfully, flicking the blood off the blade of his Divine Blade.
...
Within the Storm Church, the Pope sat loftily on his throne.
His gaze settled calmly in the direction of the Twelve Trials of the Hero, reminiscing about a prophecy made by a great sage of the church.
At the brink of his life, the sage had used the last of his energy for a divination, foretelling that a chosen one from the Storm Church would slay himself and lead them to a rebirth.
The Pope had always been perplexed by this.
For millennia, had no one truly managed to take that step forward?
What would be the outcome of the hidden level, the final trial of the Twelve Trials of the Hero?
The illusionary fabric of time and space seemed to fracture under John's assault.
The Apostle of Arrogance, observing this power, had a fleeting glint in his eyes.
He, like John, wielded the same force.
To shatter space without reaching a demi-god level indicated that both were on the verge of igniting the God Flame.
John looked at the Apostle of Arrogance, a defiant challenge in his voice, "Apart from mimicking me, what else can you do?!"
The Apostle of Arrogance flexed his fingers, a gesture of nonchalance.
He shot John a disdainful look, remarking, "Heh, do you genuinely believe I merely mimic you?"
"Stop deluding yourself."
"I am Arrogance. The sin of Arrogance manifests within you. You are the most arrogant being in this world..."
With these words, John's Divine Skill, Shape-shifting, activated, appearing right behind him.
Upon hearing this, John momentarily lapsed into deep contemplation...
"Arrogance... am I truly the most arrogant being in this world?" He murmured to himself.
Yet, his offense never wavered.
If he held no respect for others, or his foes, such was his manner.
John had once heard that the most formidable adversary one could face was oneself.
He hadn't believed it, but within the game, this notion was validated.
The Apostle of Arrogance could mirror all facets of him, ostensibly an unbeatable foe.
As John continued his relentless assault, each strike was reciprocated by the Apostle of Arrogance, trading blow for blow.
But then, a revelation struck John.
If he compared himself with the Apostle of Arrogance, what truly distinguished them?
He realized that he possessed an ability the Apostle of Arrogance couldn't mimic: the Zero Time Difference Calculation.
It wasn't just a skill; it transcended the confines of the game.
It was intrinsic to him, as vital as the human need to eat or drink.
It was his innate ability, Zero Time Difference Calculation, a skill that broke the established rules.
As the Apostle of Arrogance's gaze settled on John, he was taken aback, noticing the wild flutter of John's hair.
A hint of bewitchment flashed in John's eyes, with an eerie purple emanating from his pupils.
Applying the Zero Time Difference Calculation to the Apostle of Arrogance, John astonishingly realized that facing the Apostle was like looking into a mirror.
His own minor flaws, previously unnoticed, were glaringly exposed under his scrutinizing gaze - vulnerabilities.
At that moment, John entered a mystifying state of heightened awareness.
He could easily discern the weak points on the Apostle of Arrogance, and these same vulnerabilities were applicable to himself.
Arrogance was indeed the original sin.
John reflected on his journey in the game thus far - the countless accolades and the admiration from many.
Had he lost sight of the true essence of the game?
He remembered the days when he had started playing the game, driven purely by passion.
With this realization, a sanctified aura enveloped John.
Angelic and demonic presences intertwined around him.
John, still and receptive, felt the changes within him.
The nefarious aura symbolized the arrogant side of him under the influence of the Zero Time Difference Calculation, while the divine aura epitomized the genuine and pure side of him under the same influence.
Both were manifestations of John.
When his gaze met the Apostle of Arrogance's, the surrounding space seemed to tremble on the verge of collapse.
They appeared to be on entirely different levels.
Arrogance!
The original sin of mankind.
As John looked at the Apostle of Arrogance, he understood.
There were those in this world who truly grasped the essence of Arrogance.
Real Arrogance wasn't about looking down on everything.
He seemed to comprehend that true Arrogance, much like what he embodied at that moment, was about having a profound respect for one's own power.
It was about scorning the enemy tactically while valuing them strategically.
That was the very essence of Arrogance.
John observed the Apostle of Arrogance's bewildered appearance, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
A pure spirit power coalesced in his hand, and he thrust out the Divine Blade.
As he lunged, the Apostle of Arrogance tried to evade, only to find the entire space felt as if it were sealed off.
By the time the Apostle of Arrogance managed to break free from this constriction, the sanctified light from John once again enveloped him, leaving him powerless to resist.
This was the first stage of the Zero Time Difference Calculation: Repulsion!
Two distinct powers, repelling each other, coexisted within one being.
John flicked the blood from his Divine Blade and addressed the Apostle of Arrogance, "Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have recognized my own flaws. You're like a mirror, leading me to transcendence."
Upon hearing John's words, the Apostle of Arrogance observed a haunting, terrifying gray-black glow in John's eyes, intertwined with an even more terrifying death skill.
Both forces entwined as one.
As the Apostle of Arrogance continued to observe, he noticed irregular powers manifesting on John's body.
He tried to mimic them, but failed.
Arrogance could never truly grasp a person's original ideals.
Both the gray mist and the divine purity manifested on John, and it was this holy power that instilled fear in the Apostle of Arrogance.
Gradually, he reverted to his original form, a shadowy silhouette, its shape mirroring John's, as if John had been pressed onto an ink pad, leaving an imprint behind.
Perhaps, under the influence of the Zero Time Difference Calculation, had John just awakened, the Apostle of Arrogance might have been able to learn from it.
But upon touching the game of the abyss, the Zero Time Difference Calculation advanced further.
The sensation was simply exhilarating.
John let out a moan, his gaze fixing upon the Apostle of Arrogance, filled with a touch of pity.
At this moment, sheer terror enveloped the Apostle of Arrogance.
Unable to escape, the energy within him began to rapidly dissipate, transferring into John.
John heard a notification in his ear:
[Name: Heart of Arrogance]
[Type: Rare]
[Note: The heart most suitable for you. You can directly merge with it. Upon successful fusion... the power of Arrogance can be awakened.]
...
Lines of subtitles flashed rapidly, and as John focused intently on the text, the heart appeared in his hand.
It was a pitch-black heart, still beating fiercely.
Holding it, feeling its warm touch, John caressed it as if touching a child, his eyes filled with kindness.
John raised his hand to choose to merge...
[Ding! Congratulations, player Galewind, for obtaining the Heart of Arrogance!]
[Successful Fusion!]
John felt the changes within, as divine power swept through his body.
A massive altar materialized before him.
From his pocket, the Heart of Envy, the Heart of Greed... all floated together.
This was the God Flame, the ignition ceremony.
An ancient ascension ritual, where to rise within the abyss realm, one needed the seven deadly sins to meld together.
With one abyssal power as the core, the other abyssal forces would act in support.
This was the God Flame Ascension, the first step into demi-godhood.
It was also a significant leap in the evolution of one's life force.
This chapter is updat𝓮d by fre(e)webnov(l).com